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Photography from Peter Dench : History museum shows Made in England Bonn British photographer Peter Dench has an eye for detail and has captured some everyday, honest images of his fellow countrymen. They can be viewed at the Subway Gallery until November of 2019. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken A proper English breakfast has four courses: it begins with fruit, followed by cereal or porridge. Then comes the next part which has escaped the embrace of the European continent. Hearty, fat-laden and warm - not everyones cup of tea, so to speak. Fried sausages, scrambled or fried eggs, served with bacon, potatoes and white beans in tomato sauce? Those who surrender can at least take advantage of the toast and jam with a cup of tea. British photographer Peter Dench has found an even more palatable way of transporting England and photographed two such breakfast plates at a cafe in Blackpool. The photo, taken in July 2008, can now be seen in the subway gallery of the Haus der Geschichte (History museum) until November 10, 2019, together with 19 of his other pictures, under the title "Made in England". Remarkable eye for detail Dench's selection from the years 1998 to 2018 takes an uncompromising look at his countrymen - in everyday surroundings and in more or less everyday situations. Like our friends Lorraine and Trish from Warrington, who in May 2018 - on the wedding day of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - are waiting in Windsor dressed as brides, standing at a typical red telephone booth. One holds the two obligatory paper flags, the other a cigarette between the fingers of her right hand. And both reveal Dench's remarkable eye for detail. In the photo, the British spring weather seems to be warm enough for shoulder-free dresses. And this relative "immunity to the cold on the part of British women between 15 and 55 years of age " is one of the phenomena that continues to amaze and amuse Professor Dr. Uwe Baumann - Professor of English Literature and Culture at the University of Bonn. Dench himself is "Made in England". Born in 1972 in Weymouth, he completed his studies in photography at the University of Derby in 1995 and has worked as a photojournalist for numerous national and international media, including the German magazine "Stern", since 1998. In 2002 he received a World Press Photo Award for the series "Drinking of England". Dench shows illusion and reality According to Baumann, Dench shows this "illusion and reality; without glossing over anything or wanting to stage it dramatically at any cost". His photographs confront the fine English manner with reality, which is not always so gentlemanly. The skinhead photographed in April 2001 from a pub in Bacup County, Lancashire offers a vivid example of this. A couple who watched a Wimbledon broadcast in 2001, with their national flag and umbrella, appear more likable. "I already knew as a child that I would like to make my contribution to the way England is seen," Dench said at the opening of the exhibition. He added that he hoped those who viewed the exhibition would take in the photographs with a smile. In a classic British understatement, he also mentioned that he shared a birthday with Willam Shakespeare and William Turner. Made in England. Photographs by Peter Dench, exhibition open until November 10, 2019, U-Bahn Galerie (Subway Gallery) Orig. text: Ulrike Strauch As the Librarian of Congress has done every year since 1989 when the first films to be selected for that honor included Citizen Kane and Star Wars Carla Hayden on Wednesday announced 25 additions to the registry. Chosen with input from the National Film Preservation Board, which also considers online nominations from the public, this years list ranges from the 1980 horror classic The Shining to a 29-second film that is thought to be the earliest example of African American intimacy on screen. Dubbed Something Good Negro Kiss, that 1898 micro-movie captures a brief smooch between vaudeville actors Saint Suttle and Gertie Brown. When I got to Venezuela, I was in for a rude awakening, he says. I had no idea what people were saying to me and no idea how to respond. The accent was just too different for me than my American teachers. It took me about six months to really understand everything being said to me and only after speaking Spanish 24 hours a day. I was 32 and living in Los Angeles when I became my fathers caregiver, following his diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare degenerative brain disease that affects walking, swallowing and speech. Many people associate the term caregiver with a hired home health aide, or a family member providing constant live-in care, but the term can refer to a variety of situations from daily care to sharing in decision-making or finances. In our case, my dad needed constant supervision, so he lived in an assisted living facility in New York, and then a nursing home. But as his only child (my parents were divorced), I was responsible for and very involved in his care. Im not unusual; according to studies from AARP, millennials make up a quarter of the approximately 40 million family members caring for adults in the country. Recovery can be hard, Duhart said. But I dont think its as hard as the work that they put into trying to maintain that false persona while out there using. Everything that they did while they were using was what they needed to do in order to survive. Residency fraud has been an ongoing problem in D.C. schools, but residency status is often complicated, and it has been difficult for officials to nail cases shut. In May, a citywide investigation alleged that more than 30 percent of the students at Duke Ellington School of the Arts more than 160 students lived outside the city and were not paying tuition. But in October, administrators and parents at the school said the city had determined at least 90 of the accused students live in the District. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Ive taken responsibility for my mistakes, but when is it enough? Ive completed my sentences, Ive turned my life around and transformed myself into someone who works every day to help others but when is it enough? said Pablos, who remained out on bond Wednesday. On Thursday, Vazquez is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing before a different judge, Juliet J. McKenna. She will decide, based on new evidence and arguments from federal prosecutors and Vazquezs attorney, if he should remain in jail until trial or released to a halfway house, undergo GPS monitoring, or serve detention at his home in Pennsylvania. The commissions decision was a win for longtime residents and preservationists who scrambled in recent weeks to save the diner after learning of its possible closure. It also was joyful news before the holidays for nearly 30 waitresses, cooks and managers many of whom have worked there for decades who will keep their jobs, at least for now. Alsobrooks was most recently states attorney, the countys top prosecutor. What I can tell you is this is an immensely successful department, and Ive been able to work with the chief as states attorney. I have not had an opportunity to work with him as county executive, she said. I look forward to doing that, and to learning again not just from these officers, but from others about what the experience has been, and to analyze it fresh for myself as county executive. Political pressure for improved facilities : Two million euros for public restrooms BONN Politicians are calling on the city administration to revise the concept for public toilets by the beginning of next year. It wants to know which renovations and new facilities are most urgent and what it will cost. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Politicians are pressing ahead with the issue of public toilets. They are asking the city administration to come up with a clear listing of which renovations and new facilities are most urgent and what they will cost. A first concept has been available since May but this revised list is wanted by the end of the quarter. City building management says it is necessary to renovate an existing public restroom in Ramersdorf and there is a need to build new facilities at the Hofgarten and the Museum Mile. The costs for renovating the restrooms at the underground stop at Ramersdorf would come to 462,000 euros, while two toilets and two urinals at the bus station at Hofgarten would amount to 328,000 euros. The latter would be placed where the glass containers currently stand. Restroom facilities at the long distance bus service stop on Museum Mile would come at a cost of 328,000 euros. Public restrooms lacking or in bad condition The administration proposed to put in two million euros for the 2019/2020 budget for upgrades and new construction. This was approved in the most recent meeting of the central committee. But there were also other areas mentioned where residents see a need for new restroom or renovations, among them the Alte Zoll, the Bad Godesberg train station and the Beuel train station. Citizens had complained about the state of the restrooms via the participation platform "Bonn packt's an". Some were documented with pictures, showing that some facilities had either been dismantled or were in poor condition. Examples: Restrooms in the city administration building are closed and have been used as storage space for years. The restroom at the staircase of the Uni/Markt train station is considered to be a nightmare. Toilets on the Brassertufer were out of order at the time of the visit. Still comparatively new are the facilities erected a few years ago at Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz and Moltkeplatz in Bad Godesberg, which cost 200,000 euros each. One has to pay a 50 cent fee, which brings in around 3000 euros a year. The administration has been instructed by the politicians to build a new kiosk toilet on Remigiusplatz, the old one has been out of operation there for years. The costs amount to 325,000 euros, which a citizen group had criticized as too expensive. Attached to Wolfes 24-page sentencing request, committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and former vice chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said they did not seek to dismiss the seriousness of the allegations against Wolfe but asked that his 30 years of service for the committee and 10 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve be considered when his punishment is being weighed. In the case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Justice Department lawyer Jaynie Lilley said the lawsuit should be dismissed and is no longer relevant. The challengers, including Planned Parenthood, all received some funding under the new grant rules, and those guidelines have since been revised again, addressing many of the organizations concerns, Lilley said. An arrest affidavit says Collier and Williams were outside a store and that Collier apparently became nervous over the way Williams kept looking at him. The two argued, and the affidavit says Collier then shot him. One witness told police it appeared that Collier thought Williams owed him, quoting him saying, I want my money. Having been an elected official, having been a legislator, Im used to an environment where you have to foster collaborative relationships if you want to get anything done, Madaleno said. Part of budgeting is saying no to some people, and that can be very difficult, whether its in the government or in the public. Its being able to explain why that is happening and having that relationship. He was an official with the U.S. Agriculture Department during the administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson before being elected to the House of Representatives in 1970 as a Democrat. In Congress, he served on the Agriculture Committee and helped guide policies related to price supports for farmers and the federal food-stamp program, both administered by the USDA. Mr. Dummar, a magnesium plant worker who at the time was en route to Southern California to make amends with his estranged wife, assumed the man was a bum, he said years later. But in what he described as a turn that upended his life, he came to believe and to insist despite widespread doubt that his desert acquaintance was the reclusive billionaire industrialist Howard Hughes. Prince William Pkwy., 2400 block, 4:20 p.m. Dec. 1. A 44-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman, both of Brandywine, were in a vehicle at a retail store parking lot when customers in a vehicle behind them began to honk because the first car was parked illegally in a fire lane. A verbal argument escalated into a physical fight. The man and woman parked illegally were arrested and charged with malicious wounding. A 17-year-old male passenger in a second vehicle grabbed the Brandywine woman by the neck, and was charged with strangulation. The scandal has shaken parishioners at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, one of the largest predominantly Latino parishes in the Washington region. Following Vazquezs initial arrest, the main priest at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, the Rev. Moises Villalta, was removed and the coordinator for child protection, Sonia Marlene Aquino, was placed on leave for failing to follow appropriate protocols related to reporting claims, the Archdiocese of Washington said in a letter to its priests at the time. The incident, which occurred Monday evening, in a section of Southwest Washington not far from Nationals Park, seemed among other things to demonstrate that in fact it IS possible to find a police officer when you need one. Solomons Island Rd. N., 600 block, Nov. 28. Two males were checking out at a grocery store, when one of them grabbed cash from the cashiers hand and attempted to leave the store. The males were stopped and returned most of the cash. After they left, it was determined the register was $200 short. Stark said the costs associated with fixing the problem will be CRCs responsibility. As for the impact on the projects schedule, he said unless he hears otherwise from the contractor, the extension is expected to reach substantial completion in August. Thats the point at which the contractor has finished work and the project is ready for Metro to test and take over. Couch said it is too early to know whether the tie issue will prevent them from meeting that August deadline. If you can turn young women on to public service and teach them they can do anything men can do and maybe well even recruit a few of them in to our school in the future to me, thats just a win-win for everybody, he said. Three years after the Paris accord, officials in Poland are essentially trying to hammer out a framework for how to actually carry out the promises of that deal. The agenda for the conference was to ensure that countries are on the path toward raising their ambitions to cut carbon emissions, to establish a rule book for measuring progress and to figure out how to finance climate action among developing nations. Putin reportedly had East German Stasi identity card: A German daily reported that an East German secret-police identity card for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was a KGB agent in Dresden in the 1980s, has been found in the Stasi archives. The Bild printed a photo of the card issued to "Maj. Vladimir Putin," signed and validated until the end of 1989. It said the ID was found in the Dresden Stasi office's files. The head of the Dresden branch of the authority overseeing the Stasi archives said the card would have allowed Putin to enter and leave Stasi offices unhindered. Parliament also approved changes to the labor code that trade unions and opponents have criticized as slave law benefiting employers. The changes include raising the maximum amount of overtime workers can put in during a year from 250 to 400 hours and relaxing other rules in a bid to offset a labor shortage. Tsai describes herself as a balancer in a world where Taiwan is caught between two battling giants, China and the United States. She explains Taiwans dilemma: China is here, and the U.S. is far away. When you have a big neighbor, you have a reality to face. People here like the U.S. because its a democracy and its affluent. On security issues, we work with democracies such as the U.S. And on trade, we still consider China an equally important partner. Members of the conservative majority on the House Judiciary Committee spent much of their time hammering Mr. Pichai with baseless accusations that Google rigs its search results to censor conservative content. Black-box algorithms will inevitably prioritize some content over other content, and to the extent companies can be transparent about how their systems work, they should be. But a single-minded and mindless focus on a nonexistent left-wing conspiracy within Google has had the paradoxical effect of discouraging companies from properly policing their platforms, as they hesitate to remove content that should be removed for fear of unfounded criticism. In a visit to The Post after his hearing, Mr. Pichai said the moderation of misinformation and domestic extremism on YouTube is an area where Google could improve. He also cautioned, fairly, that such actions must be weighed against the importance of free speech. Having implemented reforms in 2011 to downsize what it euphemistically calls its system of restrictive housing, Virginia seems to have been part of the national trend to shift many prisoners into more humane conditions of confinement. Officials assert that the number of inmates segregated in small cells for at least 22 hours a day the standard definition of solitary confinement has been cut by about 85 percent, to about 70 from more than 500 at the start of the decade, at Red Onion, a maximum-security prison in rural Wise County that was once notorious for warehousing difficult inmates. Statewide, of a prison population of roughly 31,000, officials say just 822 were in solitary confinement at the end of July this year. That would make Virginias rate of solitary use more sparing than all but about 10 states that have reported statistics. If the push for impeachment is about the legal violations involved in covering up some sexual impropriety instead of Russias election interference, it will probably backfire, just as the Clinton impeachment blew up for Republicans. Democrats can piously intone that theyre worried about campaign finance, not sexual misbehavior, but in the public square the debate will be over the sex. And while #MeToo may have changed the calculus in Washington, there are still millions of less politically engaged voters across the country who dont necessarily thrill to the call of identity politics or want Congress to undertake a forensic investigation of the presidents sexual history. If thats where all this ends up, Democrats are likely to regret it. Another common mistake is to use a gift to demonstrate how well you know a person. If youre aware of what someone wants everyone in my family still makes a Christmas list, complete with hyperlinks strongly consider heeding their wishes. According to marketing scholars at Emory University and the University of Texas, people who are personally close to a recipient are especially inclined to ignore wish lists, and to seek out something distinctive and just right. But going rogue in that way leads to presents that recipients like less than gifts they asked for, the study found. (Ignoring wedding registries is another way this misguided tendency manifests itself.) Unlike close friends, more distant acquaintances tend to give requested items, which make receivers more happy. Yet its increasingly difficult to know what our publicly funded scientists are up to. Over the past few decades, one federal agency after another has thrown up barriers limiting the medias access to researchers. Staff members at the Energy Departments national laboratories have told me they are afraid they will be punished if they speak on the record, and in some cases, theyve been told not to talk to the press, even about their own research. (I recently wrote an entire story on an Energy Department research program without being able to interview anyone at the agency or a national lab.) The author of an April New Yorker article on the Environmental Protection Agency noted that she was not allowed to visit the EPAs world-renowned vehicle testing lab, even though reporters had previously been granted access. At the U.S. Geological Survey, an important, politically neutral agency with responsibilities ranging from monitoring earthquakes to assessing water resources to studying climate change, scientists have long been free to respond directly to interview requests. But as of June, USGS scientists must get permission from public affairs officials at their overseer agency, the Interior Department . Earlier this year, a Food and Drug Administration public affairs officer declined to put me in contact with an expert who could explain how the agency evaluates the safety of genetically modified plants, instead emailing me boilerplate. Cotton, along with Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.), are drafting an amendment to the First Step Act that would bar people convicted of various offenses, including certain sex crimes, from being able to qualify for reduced sentences. Those crimes are not explicitly listed in the new 149-page draft of the bill released Wednesday, although its authors have disputed claims that violent criminals would be prematurely released under their legislation. Mike has never forgotten where he has come from and those that he has served with during his long stellar and respected career, Larkin wrote to Sullivan. This situation does not degrade the great man that he is or detract from the thousands of lives that he has truly impacted in interest of our national security. For Trump, who once boasted he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose supporters, the fight over the wall has reached a moment of truth as he confronts the reality that, with Democrats poised to control the House in January, this could be his last chance to make good on a promise that has become an existential part of his presidency. After three years of steady improvement as the economy rebounded from the recession, the number of employees who would recommend their agency as a good place to work dropped at 60 percent of federal offices, the annual Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings found. Less than 40 percent of agencies improved their ratings on the scorecard of job satisfaction at federal workplaces, compared with more than 70 percent in the Obama administrations final years and Trumps first. Much of Butinas work has been reported over the past year as part of a broader campaign by Moscow to influence U.S. elections but new details are included in documents obtained by The Washington Post that will be filed in court Thursday, when Butina is expected to admit for the first time that her activities were part of a concerted endeavor, coordinated with a top Russian official with the express intent of establishing unofficial lines of communication with Americans who could influence U.S. politics. Look, we all know that theyre still working on this. This is still a developing set of facts with respect to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The intelligence community is working diligently on that, Pompeo said. The direct evidence, this is what Ive said before, the direct evidence isnt yet available. It may show up tomorrow. It may have shown up overnight and I havent seen it. In two pending lawsuits, plaintiffs have alleged that Trump is violating the Constitutions emoluments clauses. Those are anti-corruption measures that bar presidents from taking improper payments from foreign governments or individual U.S. states. Several more senior operatives say they find themselves torn, without any particular affinity for a single candidate and concerns about the long odds of any campaign surviving the initial months in such a crowded field. Others are also weighing the personal impact of signing on to a particular campaign, particularly if their spouse or partner chooses a different candidate. Three potential top-level hires said they are likely to sit out the first round of campaign creation until the Democratic field sorts itself out. Before disembarking from Air Force One in Paris, Trump fired off a tweet attacking Macron for allegedly suggesting that Europe create its own army to defend itself from the United States. Trumps statement was based on a misunderstanding of what Macron had actually said: He urged the creation of a European army so that the European Union would no longer have to rely so extensively on the United States for defense support, which Trump has long advocated. The agreement was brokered after nearly seven months of negotiations between the two chambers and with just days left in the 2018 legislative calendar. Members involved in the talks predicted that the bill would be adopted quickly in both chambers and that the new rules would take effect before January, when the new Congress convenes. Already the first woman to serve as speaker, Pelosi would cement her place in history by joining a small group of lawmakers who regained the speakership after losing it. She would be the first speaker to do so since Texas Democrat Sam Rayburn took the gavel back in 1955. No other two-time speaker has reclaimed the gavel after more than four years out of power. George Freeman, a Conservative member of Parliament, spoke of a powerful and moving moment as May told her fellow Tories that she has listened, heard and respects the will of the party and that once she delivers Brexit she will step aside for the election of a new leader to lead the reunification and renewal we need. Delivering Brexit, however, could take months or, more likely, years. Earlier Wednesday, a top Interior Ministry official, Laurent Nunez, said that police went to the suspects home on the morning of the attack to arrest him in connection with an attempted murder but that he was not there. Nunez said the suspect became radicalized during one of his many stints in prison and was known to security services. Several of Flynns senior aides came looking for him at his office in the West Wing a few hours later. As the staffers approached, they could see that Flynns door was closed. The Coast Guard captain who served as Flynns executive assistant said that the national security adviser was with a pair of FBI agents. At first the staffers thought there had been a scheduling mix-up. Flynn was supposed to meet with FBI officials the next day for a counterintelligence briefing. The Coast Guard captain said this was something else, added to the schedule at the last minute, and that Flynn had gone into the meeting saying something about how he just wants to get this settled. Wants this over with. Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), the incoming chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has committed to holding comprehensive hearings early next year on a variety of issues relating to U.S. policy on Saudi Arabia, including the war in Yemen. But those plans lack the specificity of activity underway in the Senate, where lawmakers are already planning how to pivot from a successful vote on the Sanders-Lee measure to work on others in the new year. Chief among their new targets is a bill, sponsored by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Todd C. Young (R-Ind.), that would impose sanctions on Saudi officials found to be responsible for Khashoggis death. The measure also would stop the transfer of anything but purely defensive weapons to Saudi Arabia until it ends it combat operations in Yemen. But while envoys from other nations expressed concern about Irans behavior in the region, the Security Council session also demonstrated the isolation of the United States after its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and the decision to reimpose sanctions. Diplomats from eight European Union countries reiterated their commitment to the agreement, their regret over the U.S. withdrawal and their determination to establish a financial vehicle that can be used to circumvent U.S. sanctions and trade with Iran. The hearing also came as U.S. private sector and government investigators have turned up evidence that the Chinese Ministry of State Security, the main intelligence agency, was probably behind the hack of Marriotts Starwood chain hotel reservation system. That breach exposed the private data and travel details of as many as 500 million people. That is not to operate Izumo as an aircraft carrier, but rather to refit it to make it possible for Type B [F-35s] to land and take off, he said. The idea is to make it responsive to various situations, including a case of accident or a sudden need for refueling. As you know, it would require a significant redesigning to make it operate as an aircraft carrier. Thats not what we are thinking about. Athletes competing at a world vovinam tournament (Photo: VNA) At the conference, President of the World Vovinam Federation Mai Huu Tin highly appreciated the role of the Algeria Vovinam Federation, especially Mr. Mohamed Djouadj, President of the Vovinam Federation in Algeria cum President of the Africa Vovinam Federation and Vice President of the World Vovinam Federation. Mr. Mohamed Djouadj has been very enthusiastic and given many positive ideas on operating the Africa Vovinam Federation in and promoted the development of Vovinam-Vietnamese traditional martial arts in Algeria, as well as in the region. Mr. Mohamed Djouadj has gathered Vovinam federations in Arab countries into a bloc to establish the Vovinam League in Arab country bloc. This will create favorable conditions for federations of this bloc to participate in world - scale events and competitions. Mr. Mai Huu Tin affirmed that this is a very good step, helping to develop Vovinam in the Arab countries. Representing the Vietnam Vovinam Federation and the World Vovinam Federation, he pledged to strive to further develop Vovinam in Africa as well as the Arab country block in the future. According to Ambassador Pham Quoc Tru, over 80 years of development, Vovinam has become a popular martial arts, practiced by more than 4 million people and competed in more than 70 countries around the world. He emphasized that the establishment of the Vovinam League in Arab country bloc marked a significant development of this martial art, creating opportunities for trainers to exchange and practice among trainers from other countries. The Ambassador also affirmed that the Government of Vietnam and especially the Vietnamese embassy in Algeria are always ready to support the practice and competition of Vovinam in Algeria and in the Arab country bloc. After two days of the conference, Mr. Mohamed Djouadj was re-elected as the President of the Vovinam League in Arab country bloc. Within the framework of this event, the world Vovinam competition in Algiers was also organized on December 7th -8th at the Mohamed-Boudiaf Olympic Complex. The competition attracted 150 athletes from 12 countries around the world, including Italy, Romania, Belgium, Cote d'Ivoire, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, Belarus and Algeria. After two days of competition, the Algerian host team topped the rankings./. The competition watchdog has flagged concerns about a $15 billion merger between telecommunications companies Vodafone Hutchison Australia and TPG Telecom and asked for more submissions about a deal that is widely expected to reduce pressure on mobile plan prices. Fixed internet-focused TPG, led by reclusive billionaire David Teoh, and the chief executive of mobile network provider Vodafone, Inaki Berroeta, revealed plans in August to join the two businesses together in a "merger of equals". The ACCC has flagged "preliminary concerns". Credit:Fairfax Media TPG's share price fell 15.5 per cent to $6.54 by 10.20am on the back of the news - the stock's lowest price since the merger was announced in August. It closed down further at 16.67 per cent to close at $6.45. The telco bosses have said the deal would help them create a more significant competitor against market leaders Telstra and Singtel Optus. More than dozen firefighters are battling a fire that has tore through a food processing factory in Melbourne's south-east. Firefighters were alerted to the factory fire in Bond Street, Mordialloc about 5pm on Wednesday. Fire burns out-of-control at food processing factory. Credit:3AW Crews arrived at the scene within seven minutes to find the single storey tin factory ablaze and thick, black smoke billowing across the sky. At its peak, about 50 firefighters were battling the blaze which was brought under control about 6.15pm. For the next hour, she spoke with custodial staff through her cell door and nursing staff arrived about 7.35pm. "By this time, Amys distress was palpable and she clearly needed help," the review said. "However, the nursing staff could only assess her through the locked cell door, because the only person with keys to open the door was a senior staff member in the gatehouse. "At about 7.40pm Amy gave birth alone, inside the locked cell. Nursing and custodial staff watched on, and attempted to support her through a hatch in the door but could offer no physical support." No code red emergency was called until after the baby was born, and it still took staff some time to unlock the cell door. The review Following the incident, the Department of Justice commenced their own investigation into the incident and developed an action plan with an updated policy, better processes for treating and managing pregnant women and improved staff training. Inspector of Custodial Services Neil Morgan said he followed up with his own review in order to understand the implications of her case on a wider scale. "I wanted to understand how such a distressing, degrading and high risk set of events could have occurred in a 21st century Australian prison," he said. "More broadly I was concerned about the risks to other prisoners, including people who might have suffered an in-cell heart attack, stroke or other medical emergency. Amy had no real support as she gave birth. Credit:Nicolas Walker "In such cases, delays of the length that occurred in Amys case could well prove fatal, or cause permanent injury." The review concluded there were systemic, human and procedural failings that contributed to the incident including issues with Bandyups lack of services for pregnant women. Despite the Department of Corrective Services now known as the Department of Justice being given more than $600 million for new prison accommodation in 2009, the report found it gave the majority of that funding to mens prisons. The only accommodation option for pregnant women in the later stage of pregnancy is the Bandyup Nursery, which can only hold eight women at a time. At the time of Amys incarceration, the unit was full. Inspector Morgan was also critical of the Department of Justices response to the issue over time, saying his office had brought up concerns for pregnant women in custody since 2017. "The department said it would create additional housing by early 2018," he said. "This has not happened. "When we asked for an update during this review, we were told that additional housing was no longer necessary because, at the time, there were vacancies in the nursery. "This was a wholly inadequate response: demand fluctuates and provision must be made." The report also found the incident had impacted other prisoners. "Other women in the prison, particularly in Amys unit, were affected by the birth. They were very well aware of her pain and distress, and of the slow response," it said. Amy was given medical care following the birth. Credit:Greg Henderson "The department did not respond adequately to this. It relied on an already overstretched counselling system to support prisoners. "Amys case generated understandable fear on the part of prisoners that medical emergencies at Bandyup will not result in a proper response. "Many prisoners told us that they felt that staff do not care about their welfare." The review found it was likely staff were already desensitised to Amys needs, and as a result communicated poorly and were slow to act. The report made a number of recommendations and said ultimately there was no justification for what happened to Amy, and it should not be repeated. A 'catalogue of errors' Department of Justice Commissioner at Corrective Services Tony Hassall said Amy's experience was unacceptable and should have never happened. There was a catalogue of errors from the staff having access to keys, to some of our procedures locally, to the staff training available right to the transfer of Amy from one prison to another," he said. He said the department would accept all recommendations handed down by Professor Morgan's report. "Weve got a lot of learning from that and process improvements. We are determined to make sure that we make these types of things right in the future," Mr Hassall said. He said he felt very sorry for Amy and the way her baby was brought into the world, and "the care that was afforded her on that night wasnt good enough". Mr Hassell said the care for women in custody had taken second place to the needs of men and more funds were funnelled into womens' prisons. He also assured measures had been taken to improve on processes, the level of night security and staff training with more mother-and-baby beds provided at Bandyup Prison since Amy's ordeal. 'Humanity towards someone in need' A spokesman for Corrections Minister Fran Logan's office said he was appalled to hear of the circumstances of Amy's baby's birth. It is incumbent upon the department, management at Bandyup and staff to avoid a repeat of these circumstances and provide the level of care, security and oversight that is expected. Minister Logan believes that in situations like this that foremost in the minds of staff and prison officers should be the wellbeing of the mother and the expression of humanity towards someone in need. A Perth priest has been charged after stealing over $250,000 from his church. Father Joe Walsh, 66, was working as a parish priest at St Joseph's in Subiaco between 2014 and 2017 when he allegedly stole $252,000 in church funds. Father Joe Walsh outside of court. Credit:Anton La Macchia An internal investigation was sparked last year following complaints from parishioners. The investigation spanned over six months, and Father Walsh was stood down by Catholic Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe in June. The Morrison government has been advised by key bureaucrats and retired "wise elders" against moving its Israel embassy to Jerusalem or making other significant changes to Australias stance on the status of the city central to the Middle East peace process. In a development that puts the government in the awkward position of potentially having to ignore its own key advisers, the clear majority view the government has received from its most senior and seasoned foreign policy thinkers is to keep things as they are, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age understand. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne address the media during a press conference on Australia's embassy in Israel, at Parliament House in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Morrison cabinet is wrestling with whether to make the historic shift in its foreign policy, having discussed the matter this week and with the clock ticking on making a promised announcement before Christmas. It follows Prime Minister Scott Morrisons declaration in the heat of the Wentworth byelection campaign that the government would consider recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital and moving Australias embassy there. "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more divisions and none of that would be in the national interest," May said. "The British people want us to get on with it ... I stand ready to finish the job." Loading There are just over 100 days to Brexit, which unless it is put off will happen on March 29. The EU has insisted the deal on the table is its best and final offer, and if negotiations reopen then it may reconsider some of its previous concessions. May said a leadership change would only benefit Labour party chiefs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. Her replacement would likely face a vote of confidence in the government, brought by the Labour Party who want a general election, claiming the government has lost control of Brexit. If May loses the confidence vote held as a secret ballot - then she cannot stand again as leader. Her colleagues will choose two new candidates, and they will then be put to party members for a vote (though they have the option of just presenting one candidate, who would automatically win). Potential candidates include: Loading Boris Johnson, the charismatic, eccentric former London mayor who was a leading campaigner for Brexit, but strongly divides opinion among MPs and the party. David Davis, the 68-year-old former Brexit secretary, who is another of the favourites for hard Brexit supporters. Amber Rudd, the 54-year-old former home secretary and ally of May. Sajid Javid, the current home secretary. Dominic Raab, another former Brexit Secretary. Jeremy Hunt, the current foreign secretary. Before the vote, May was due to face Prime Ministers Question Time in Parliament possibly her last. On Monday she called off a vote on the withdrawal deal she had reached with the EU, after it became clear it would have been rejected by the House of Commons. Instead, she said she would visit European leaders and seek additional reassurance on some of the deals more contentious elements. She would not commit to a date the deal would return to Parliament, other than saying it would be before January 21. This further infuriated MPs on all sides of Parliament, who accused the Prime Minister of holding the chamber in contempt by denying it a vote. If Theresa May cannot win the support of a majority of her 315 parliamentary colleagues then she will be kicked out as leader - and prime minister. Credit:PA May will have to spend the day fighting to convince colleagues she is still the best person to lead the country as it exits the European Union. Last month May concluded the Brexit deal, which would see the UK pay of hundreds of millions of pounds to settle debts, and enter a transition phase in which it follows EU rules it has lost influence over. The most controversial element was a backstop which would come into force after the end of the transition, if the two sides had not yet agreed a future trade and customs deal. The backstop would see the UK trapped, potentially for years, in a customs union with the EU that would prevent it setting its own trade policy. And Northern Ireland would stay in the EUs customs union and follow single market rules, legally dividing it from Britain. Mays deal has been criticised from all sides of politics as containing compromises they cannot accept. But she told Parliament on Monday there will be no enduring and successful Brexit without some compromise on both sides of the debate. Anticipating a challenge, she said many of the most controversial aspects of this deal including the backstop were simply inescapable facts of having a negotiated Brexit. If Theresa May loses the confidence vote, held as a secret ballot, then she cannot stand again as leader. Credit:Bloomberg Those members who continue to disagree need to shoulder the responsibility of advocating an alternative solution that can be delivered and do so without ducking its implications, she said. But on Tuesday May failed to secure any of the reassurance she had promised from European leaders. At breakfast in The Hague, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told her there was no better deal to be had. At lunch in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was not possible to reopen negotiations, though there could be some other solution. There's no evidence the couple had a hand in selecting any of the nation's 8700 Opportunity Zones, and the company has not indicated it plans to seek tax breaks under the new program. But the Kushners could profit even if they don't do anything - by potentially benefiting from a recent surge in Opportunity Zone property values amid a gold rush of interest from developers and investors. Ivanka Trump's advocacy for the Opportunity Zone program "creates a direct conflict of interest with her spouse's investment in Cadre," said Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel for the non-profit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "Jared Kushner's interests are Ivanka Trump's interests and vice versa." Loading The couple's financial disclosures show their jointly held financial empire is worth between $US200 million and $uS800 million, with much of it in real estate, including a stake of between $US25 million and $US50 million in Cadre. Those documents state they must recuse themselves from dealing with policy matters that touch on real estate and "would have a direct and predictable effect on Cadre." Ivanka Trump also has interests in Trump Organisation properties which are not located inside Opportunity Zones. "Ms Trump has divested assets, set up trusts, removed herself from businesses and decisions about her investments," Abbe Lowell, ethics counsel for the couple, said in a statement. "In addition, she adheres to the ethics advice she has received from counsel about what issues she can work on and those to which she is recused." Another apartment building, centre, owned by Kushner Companies, in the Brooklyn Heights, New York. Credit:AP Kushner Companies did not respond to requests for comment. The President was scheduled to attend an Opportunity Zone event in Washington on Wednesday that would depict the program as a boon to distressed communities. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said that individual state governors of both parties nominate communities for Opportunity Zone designation "based on what underserved areas would benefit most. ... The White House has nothing to do with those decisions." The Investing in Opportunity Act, which became law last December as part of the Republican-sponsored tax overhaul, never gained traction when it was first proposed during the Obama administration, but it quickly found favour in a White House headed and dominated by real estate developers and investors. A significant moment came when the law's key GOP sponsor, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, met the President after the violence-plagued white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August of 2017. Trump promised Scott his support for Opportunity Zones as a way to show his administration's outreach to minority communities. But Scott had already found a supporter weeks earlier in Trump's daughter, in conversations that grew out of previous meetings about passing a childcare tax credit. Political sponsors and lobbyists said Ivanka Trump played an important role in promoting the legislation, while Kushner was also quietly supportive behind the scenes. "Ivanka was on board with it," said Sean Smith, Scott's communications director. After their first conversation, Smith said Scott and Ivanka Trump talked by phone and in person nearly a dozen times. He added that Scott also spoke to Kushner about the program, but noted, "It was much more Ivanka than Jared." A team from Economic Innovation Group, or EIG, a Washington think tank that pioneered the Opportunity Zones concept, met with top Kushner aides Reed Cordish and Chris Liddell two weeks before the tax reform bill was passed. Funded by Napster founder and early Facebook investor Sean Parker, EIG spent more than $US1.4 million on lobbying over the past two years, both before and after the act passed. The group met with White House officials every quarter since the start of the Trump administration, and also met with frequently with officials from Treasury and other White House agencies, records show. "Creating the incentive to bring capital into communities that are currently being overlooked is just a tremendous opportunity," Ivanka Trump said as her father and a crowd of supporters nodded during the White House session February 14. Last month, at a dinner in Washington put on by the conservative Kemp Foundation, Scott singled out Ivanka Trump as his point person on the initiative. "When we were looking for help to get the tax bill across the finish line," he said, "I kept looking to the same person for help in the White House." There is no indication the couple directly intervened in the shaping of the program specifically to advance their financial interests. And public officials say there is no evidence that any actions were taken to influence the selection of Opportunity Zone boundaries. But backers of the program acknowledge that Ivanka Trump's out-front role drummed up interest from public officials and financial stakeholders. Along with the Kushner-tied Cadre Opportunity Zone funds, more than 50 real estate and private equity interests have made plans in recent weeks to create investment funds under the program, including several with ties to the couple and the Trump administration. Last month, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci launched an opportunity zone fund tied to his Skybridge Capital investment firm, aiming to build projects worth more than $US3 billion. Opportunity Zone funds have also been set up recently by New York-based Normandy Real Estate Partners and Heritage Equity Partners, two firms that have worked with Kushner Companies on real estate ventures. They are flocking to what financial analysts say are some of the most generous tax benefits they have ever seen. Investors who plow capital gains from previous investments into Opportunity Zone projects can defer taxes on those gains up to 2026. If they decide not to cash out their investment for seven years, they get to exclude up to 15 per cent of those gains from taxes. And they can permanently avoid paying taxes on any new gains from investment in the zones if they hold onto the investment for a decade. With capital gains taxes as high as 23.8 per cent, the savings can easily add up. Government officials have estimated the program would cost $US1.5 billion in lost tax revenue over 10 years, but Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has estimated the zones would attract up to $US100 billion in renewal efforts. While the program mostly targets census tracts of high poverty and unemployment, it also allows "contiguous" tracts that might not be low income, but are close enough to deprived communities to be eligible. New York: US President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen has been sentenced to three years in prison for a string of offences, including campaign law violations he said he committed at Trump's direction. US District Judge William Pauley said Cohen needed to spend significant time in jail because he had committed a "veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" and was motivated by "personal greed and ambition". In sentencing Cohen to 36 months in prison, Pauley noted that Cohen said he had made illicit hush-money payments to a porn star and a Playboy model "at the coordination with and the direction of Individual-1" - a reference to Trump. Cohen, who worked for Trump from 2006 until this year, also admitted to lying to Congress about Trump's plans to build a tower in Moscow because the truth would have conflicted with Trump's political messaging. The Parkland high school massacre is a sensitive subject anywhere, but it's especially so in South Florida schools near where the shooting occurred.That may explain why one high school, a 10-minute drive from the scene of the massacre, ditched an assignment for students that explored the shooting in what some consider a tone-deaf way.Coral Glades High School pulled a quiz Friday entitled "Does Nikolas Cruz Deserve to Die?" The quiz was based on material from an article with the same title in the October edition of The New York Times Upfront magazine, a publication for high school students by Scholastic Inc. and the newspaper. The quiz dealt with the Constitution's Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment and the death penalty. High-Tech and Blue-Collar Not a Good Thing Fewer people are living in Pittsburgh 95,000 fewer than in 2000. But the remaining residents are growing wealthier even as the Steel City shrinks: Income per capita is up 24 percent during the same period.Population growth also has decoupled from average income in Buffalo and Utica, New York; Providence, Rhode Island; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Gulf Coast cities such as New Orleans and Beaumont, Texas.Even Huntington, West Virginia, hit hard by the opioid epidemic and the decline of coal mining, has experienced a growing income per capita despite a shrinking population.Some of these metro areas have high-paying jobs in energy, health care or education. Others have managed to reshape their manufacturing legacies for a new economy. All of them are evidence that despite conventional wisdom, cities dont necessarily need population growth and more jobs to be economically healthy.In fact, fast job growth can be unhealthy, if most of the new positions are low-wage jobs that dont increase income per capita. In contrast, higher-paying jobs have a multiplier effect because they create demand for additional services.The story in Pittsburgh is very positive, and other metro areas are looking to it as an example of the transformation that might be possible, said Guhan Venkatu, who wrote an economic history of the area called Rust and Renewal for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.Sterling academic institutions, such as Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, have helped bring tech jobs and innovation to the area by sponsoring tech incubators that help graduates start companies without moving to Silicon Valley or San Francisco.The strategy has helped keep Pittsburghs educated young population growing even as overall population in the city and region has dropped.Pittsburgh has more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs than other shrinking cities, about 80,000 or 7 percent of all jobs. Providence, Buffalo and Davenport, Iowa, are right behind at about 5 percent, according to a Stateline analysis of federal job statistics using census definitions for STEM jobs.STEM jobs, along with those in business, management, the arts and media, tend to add productivity and income growth to a metro region, according to Richard Florida, an urban studies theorist at the University of Toronto and former head of an economic development center at Carnegie Mellon.Incomes in Pittsburgh have been higher than the national average since 2010, after falling below the average in 2000. Yet its population has declined steadily since 1970, a period during which it has been surpassed by Miami, Dallas, Portland, San Antonio and 14 other cities.Manufacturers of high-tech medical devices in the Pittsburgh area have doubled employment in the last 10 years. Jobs in scientific research and computer systems design also have played prominent roles in the regions success.The final piece of the puzzle came in the mid-2000s, when fracking in the Marcellus Shale, much of it near Pittsburgh, made Pennsylvania a top producer of U.S. natural gas.Blue-collar jobs in natural gas plants pay an average of $65,000, according to 2017 federal pay statistics. Similar jobs at similar wages can be found in Huntington, New Orleans, Beaumont and Springfield.What makes places different is, do they still have manufacturing? Do they still have [energy] extraction? said Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce. Those are the things that tend to hold up over time.But some experts question whether growing income per capita can really make up for a stagnant or declining population.A city with slow population growth and fast income growth might be considered healthy, if only because there are more resources to go around, said Patrick Adler, a Ph.D. candidate at UCLA and researcher at the University of Toronto. But population loss does matter, Adler said, if it means lower-skilled workers have fled because of a lack of opportunity.In Huntington, well-educated health specialists such as nurse anesthetists earn an average of $174,000 a year. They are in high demand at Huntington hospitals that serve outlying rural areas, said Roger Cruse, president of the West Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists.We make pretty good money, Cruse said. We dont struggle economically, and I think thats inspiring some local young people to look at the profession and maybe even outside people to think about moving here.But high-paying jobs in education and health care can disappear if the population declines too dramatically.If you go through small towns, youll always see that the one with the hospital has some good jobs, Carnevale said. But if the population is too elderly and rural thats just one generation burying the last. Its not sustainable. Theres going to be some consolidation of health care, I think, into more urban areas.And in some places, there are specific reasons for the disconnect between population growth and income per capita.In New Orleans, where the population has declined by 4 percent since 2000, the devastation from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is still visible from downtown, where views to the east show the scars of neighborhoods bulldozed after the storm. Many of the residents who were displaced and never returned were low-income, part of the reason income per capita is up 24 percent since 2000.However, the New Orleans area also has benefited from relatively high-wage jobs in petrochemical plants, which have sprung up along the Mississippi River north of the city, said Loren Scott, a professor emeritus at LSU and economic consultant. Plant workers make about $71,000 on average, and with more training can make as much as $100,000 a year, Scott said.Natural gas products are still far cheaper to make in the United States than in Europe or Asia, helping to bring more high-wage jobs to the Gulf Coast where export by ship is easiest, Scott said.Over the long term, however, maintaining prosperity in the face of population loss may be difficult.John Deskins, director of the state Bureau of Business and Economic Research at West Virginia University, said that despite bright spots at regional hospitals and power plants, Huntington needs to do a better job of keeping its young people, who are leaving the area for better opportunities elsewhere. Their departure inflates income per capita but is a troubling sign for long-term prosperity.The Huntington area is likely to see more population loss in the coming years because of aging and poor health related to coal mining and opioid abuse. As a result, much of the income growth will come from raises in Social Security, disability insurance and other government payments, according to projections published by Deskins office.Even Pittsburgh would be wise to find ways to increase its population, Venkatu said.If you continue to lose employees or population, its also a measure of your attractiveness and your likelihood of finding success over the long term. WSU Opens New Lindquist Hall on Institutions 130th Birthday December 11, 2018 OGDEN, Utah Weber State University will host a grand opening ceremony for the renovated Lindquist Hall formerly known as the Social Science building on the institutions 130th Founders Day, Jan. 7, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. An open house with self-guided tours of the building will be held from 2-4 p.m., with the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. WSU alumnus Paul Draper, an anthropology graduate and illusionist, is scheduled to perform at 3 and 4 p.m. Lindquist Hall has been named in honor of the Lindquist family. John E. Lindquist, president of Lindquist Mortuaries and Great Western Insurance, donated $5 million dollars to the project. Additional funding for the building came from the Utah State Legislature. The Legislature approved $14 million for construction in 2017, and an additional $16 million was allocated in 2018 to complete the project. The massive Social Science building renovation began in April 2017. The old structure was stripped to its reinforced concrete frame and foundation. A structural analysis determined that keeping the bones of the building would save about $50 to $60 per square foot, or $5 million to $6 million overall, while also reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing and installing new steel and concrete. Lindquist Hall will be home to the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences. The building will house the offices of seven departments: criminal justice, geography, history, political science and philosophy, psychology, social work and gerontology, and sociology and anthropology. Additionally, the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service and the Richard Richards Institute for Ethics will be located in the new building. The 119,322-square-foot building was designed by GSBS Architects and built by Big-D Construction. The building will have 34 classrooms, 72 offices, five labs, a 150-seat lecture hall, a computer lab and testing center. Additionally, the new building has study spaces on each floor. We in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences are very excited to be moving into Lindquist Hall, said Frank Harrold, college dean. It is a beautiful, state-of-the-art building with laboratories and classrooms utilizing the latest designs and technology to help our students learn. It is a far superior facility to the old Social Science building. Facts and Figures: Architect: GSBS Architect Contractor: Big-D Construction Project Manager: Chad Downs $34,940,000 total cost 119,322 square feet 4 stories 34 classrooms 6 student study spaces 5 labs 72 offices 14 restrooms 1 elevator 1 testing center 3 computer labs 1 lactation room For photos, visit the following link. wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Colleges-and-Departments/Social-and-Behavioral-Sciences/Lindquist-Preview Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University. Artem Rybchenko You cannot trust Russia at all Hybrid warfare. Forced false statements of prisoners. A blockade to keep Ukraine out of world trade. Artem Rybchenko, Ambassador of Ukraine in Switzerland, comments on the latest conflict with Russia near the Sea of Azov. 12.12.2018 By Urs Gehriger Once again, Ukraine is at the center of world politics. Since Russia's annexation of the Crimea in 2014, there have been armed conflicts in eastern provinces bordering Russia. The latest crisis between Russia and Ukraine took place on November 25th. Russian ships rammed a Ukrainian tugboat and opened fire on two Ukrainian gunboats that were trying to reach the Ukrainian port of Mariupol through the Kerch Strait. Most Western countries condemned the Russian actions. Nevertheless, some media pointed out that the crisis was not entirely unwelcome for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. On March 31, 2019, Poroshenko is facing new elections. His approval ratings are currently below ten percent. After the recent incident, the Ukrainian president, dressed in camouflage uniform, demanded a 90-day period of martial law for the entire country. In his office in Bern, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Switzerland, Artem Rybchenko, who personally knows President Poroshenko, discusses the current crisis gripping his country. Mister Ambassador, has your president exploited the latest crisis with Russia for his own advantage? We know such criticism full well. We have it coming regularly from the Russian Federation. Even the president of that country [Vladimir Putin] has mentioned such. But this is not possible in a democratic country like Ukraine. Our president is, by law, responsible for the country. There are Russian troops all along our eastern border. Because of the latest crisis in the sea of Azov and our forced focus on this hot spot, Russians could exploit the situation and start entering in our country anywhere. President Poroshenko initially wanted to declare martial law for the whole country for 90 days. The parliament objected to this. The election law requires that 90 days before the elections there is no martial law in power. Parliament decided that the martial law will be in place for 30 days so there is no conflict with our election law. The martial law is implemented in most of the regions bordering Russia. It allows our leadership to organize the necessary level of preparation for all of the army. If, by the end of the year, it proves necessary to extend the martial law, it is possible to so. Did this new conflict take your country by surprise? Unfortunately, Russia wages a hybrid war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has been increasingly aggressive since summer, since the new bridge between Crimea and Russia was opened. We know this because our ships were stopped for controls, and procedures took up to seven hours. Not only military, but economical obstacles were also implemented. In this latest conflict, the West again is on your side. US Ambassador Nikki Haley called the incident "yet another reckless Russian escalation". NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia had "no justification" for seizing the Ukrainian ships. Are you satisfied with the Western reactions? There is a lot of support. Everyone understands this is the first official open Russian aggression since the occupation of the Crimea in 2014. Before, whenever Russia was involved in aggressions towards us, they said, It is not us. It is someone else, we are not part of the conflict. This time, their responsibility was clear to the whole world. They seized Ukrainian seamen. They shot live ammunition. They broke international law. There is video footage from one of the Russian ships capturing the moment it is ramming into an Ukrainian ship. How did that footage get public? As far as I know one of the Russians taped the scene and sent it per Whatsapp to his girlfriend. This way it got into the Internet. At the next step, Russians were shooting. 24 Ukranian seamen were initially arrested. Six of them were wounded, three of them severely. Moscow has defied Western calls to release the Ukrainian seamen. Russia has accused them of violating Russias borders. Russian state television has broadcast footage from the interrogation of three of the Ukrainian captives, including an officer. The Ukrainian prisoners say their ships had deliberately ignored Russian requests to stop. Watch the video. You will see that the captives were reading their statement from a screen. You contend that these testimonials were not confessions, but rather false statements done under force? 150 percent. This is how Russia works. They look into your eyes and lie. You cannot trust at all what they say. It took some time for our lawyers to get in touch with our imprisoned fellow citizens. They are prisoners of war according to international conventions. We are informed that our men share the prison cell with Russians. Experts say they are pretty sure that those are not regular prisoners but Russian agents who spy on our arrested men. The Sea of Azov is an internal sea. The only life line for Ukrainian ports of Berdjansk und Mariupol is the Strait of Kerch. How has the situation changed since the Russian seizure of the Criema in 2014? Our ports in the Sea of Azov are threatened to be cut off from the world since Russia controls the Strait of Kerch. Apart from a few countries, the international community condemns the Russian occupation of Crimea and considers it a violation of international law. Nevertheless, Russia has since built a bridge 17 kilometers long to connect Crimea and Russia. The bridge cost the Russians around 10 billion dollars and it was deliberately built low so the big sea ships cant pass under it. As a consequence, Ukraine loses its business from its ports. You say that this has been deliberately done to cut Ukraine from the world market? Small ships can still run under the bridge, but big ships cant pass anymore. Russia is protecting the bridge with its military, and warns that Ukraine might blow it up. This warning is beyond any reasonable basis. This is not the Ukrainian method. Regardless what conflict we talk about, Donbass, Crimea, or the Sea of Azov, now, our priority are political and diplomatic measures. In the Donbass, we have to use weapons to protect ourselves. But our mission is purely defensive. What solution do you envision in order to guarantee access to world markets and to secure a lifeline for your country? One step is to have our partners come closer to the zone of conflict. You mean, NATO ships should enter the Sea of Azov to step up protection measures for Ukraine? But NATO ships could not pass this bridge as it is built so low, right? Not in the Sea of Azov. Our boats were attacked south of the strait of Kerch in the Black Sea. If we have the NATO ships close to the strait of Kerch to safeguard the passing of the ships that could put Russia under pressure. For years Russia has been alarmed by NATOs growing incursion into the region. Three nearby states, Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, are members of the alliance. NATO conducts air policing operations out of Romania helping them to defend their territory by intercepting Russian jets approaching their air space. If you try to see the world from a Russian perspective can you understand their point? Only a military oriented country can express such concern. Look at Ukraine. We are talking about a country with a normal democratic system. Why should someone be afraid of us? Ukraine is an independent country. We are not entering NATO at the moment. But that is your declared aim. Russia with their weapons can reach NATO members such as Bulgaria, Rumania, Turkey. We bring our country to a new European, NATO standard, which is normal. When the new government took power after the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, the army was in a poor state. Equipment was stolen or sold. There was a plan by foreign powers to make our army weak. Some Russian agents and people were in the ministries of our government. They have achieved their goal. When they took Crimea there was a lack of everything. Today, we are ranked among the top ten Armies in Europe. The daily conflict makes us stronger and I am proud of our highly professional army. Last year, the US naval construction battalion began building a marine operations control center for the Ukrainian Navy in the city of Ochakiv at the shore of the Black Sea. This can be seen by Russia as a threat to their country. Why should Ukraine care what its neighbor thinks of this? We are making our country stronger. Have they [Russians] asked us if it was okay to occupy the Crimea? We are an independent country. If they want to reestablish the Soviet Union, and if they want to control the whole region, its not going to work. What is the difference between Obamas and Trumps government? Have you noticed a change in policy and measures? For us there is no difference, because as our president always says, a friend in need is a friend indeed! The US is a close ally. The latest move of President Trump cancelling a direct meeting with President Putin at the G-20 summit after the escalation in the Sea of Azov was a very good signal. Did you ask the US government to cancel this meeting? No. As far as I know, it was the decision of the Trump administration. Apart from the US, who would you call your most reliable ally in the West? First of all, as the Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland, I want to mention that we have very good relation with the Confederation. The Federal Councilor and Foreign Minister Burkhalter was very forthcoming when Switzerland had the leadership of OECD in 2014. In addition, today there is a clear cooperation in humanitarian and technical assistance from the Swiss side which is highly appreciated. Of course, the European Union and all the leaders of the G7 countries are big friends of Ukraine and it is also thanks to personal friendly relations of President Poroshenko with other leaders. What further steps from the West do wish to see? The support in the West is strong and clear. Of course, we would expect more steps from NATO. And sanctions. They are working really well. And one of the ideas our president put forward is to implement sanctions for Russian trade ships coming out of the Sea of Azov entering international waters. While there is strong support for Ukraine, Western sympathies have suffered. Reforms that the West called for are protracted, namely, regarding corruption. According Transparency International, Ukraine ranks as the most corrupt country in Europe after Russia. Why has corruption not been tackled thoroughly? To fight corruption, you need tools. It takes time to establish new institutions. We have been taking steps since 2015. We have established the national Anti-corruption Bureau. We have a specialized independent anti-corruption prosecutors office. We have almost completed the anti-corruption court. This will be the mechanism which will fight the corruption. But it is not so easy to do everything at the same time with warfare going on along the eastern border, with the situation on the Crimea and other economical issues. You are saying that the military engagements are the reason why the corruption has not been fought properly? I am saying that the military engagements in Donbass takes a lot of resources. Time, people, finance. Ukraine is ranked by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the poorest country in Europe even though you get a lot of support from the West. Why have you, so far, not managed to reestablish your economy? We are the number one agricultural country in Europe. We have grains and brains. We have a flourishing IT industry. We have start-up projects all over the world. So why are you still ranking last in Europe? Well, it is easy to quote statistics. But try to become a member of the team which works 24/7 to bring an over 45 Million people population country back to a normal and stable life. For example, if Ukraine earns one million dollars from our agricultural sector, we cant use it for pensions and the stabilization of some funds. We have to use it to make our Donbass region stronger, not for the development project. We need military equipment. We need to finance the army. This is part of this hybrid war being waged upon Ukraine by Moscow. It is a deliberate strategy to make us weak and to keep us from prospering. Regardless, we have a much stronger economy compared to 2015 which means that the strategy of my country is working. Artem Rybschenko, 35, has been Ambassador of Ukraine in Switzerland since August. Previously he was Dep. Ambassador to Austria for three years. He is married and father of two daughters. Friends and colleagues described the 25-year-old Bethel woman who was shot to death in Bridgeport as a giving and beautiful soul. Emily Todd, a 2011 Bethel High School graduate, worked on the memory care unit at Saint John Paul II Center, a senior living facility in Danbury. A very particular type of person works on this unit and Emily was that, said Linda McCue, a director at the center who hired Todd in March. She had a very kind soul, passionate, very quiet and she was just lovely with a lot of our residents. Todd, a former Western Connecticut State University student, was found dead Sunday morning near the Bridgeport boat ramp on Seaview Avenue. She had been shot once in the back of the head. Police on Tuesday continued what they described as an intensive investigation, into the shooting. Officers are still searching for the man she had gone to the city to meet and have not arrested any suspects. Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald said detectives are continuing to examine a number of leads. We are working a number of different avenues and leads which I cannot talk about at this time, he said. Police said Todd was found wearing a wig and was in the company of a man she had recently met. We now know after talking with her family that she liked to change her appearance and wear wigs, Fitzgerald said. That apparently was her style. Fitzgerald would not disclose whether detectives were reviewing any video from businesses along Seaview Avenue. About 10 people gathered Tuesday at her familys Bethel home, where pastries sat on the kitchen table and a Christmas wreath hung on the door. Family asked for privacy and declined to talk to Hearst Connecticut Media. Childhood friend Michelle Klein also described Todd as kind and a beautiful soul. My beautiful, beautiful high school best friend and to this day, Klein said in a post on Instagram. The most caring soul, the most spiritual intellectual person. Photos of Todd and Klein from their high school years and from their time as Brownies are in the 2011 Bethel High School yearbook. The yearbook also included Todds baby photo and a message from the graduate. I would like to thank my friends and family for making my years at BHS a memorable experience, she wrote. Cheers to all the good times shared full of love, happiness and sometimes sadness. Ill miss you all! Todd was not listed in the yearbook as having participated in any clubs or sports. After high school, she studied psychology at Western Connecticut State University for two years before earning a bachelor of science degree in expressive arts therapy from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., in 2015, according to her LinkedIn page. Todd served as the therapeutic recreation assistant at Saint John Paul II Center, planning activities for dementia patients and often working one-on-one with them. She brought that whole program to life, McCue said. McCue said Todd started a successful drum circle program for the patients and often painted their nails or planned arts and crafts activities. Todd never asked for reimbursement for the supplies she purchased, McCue said. She said, No Ill pay for it. I have coupons, McCue said. McCue recalled seeing Todd with one of the dementia patients, singing lullabies to the residents baby doll. It was the sweetest thing I had ever seen, McCue said. Thats who Emily was. She was wonderful with the residents. McCues last memory of Todd was of her singing off-key Christmas carols with the residents on Friday afternoon. On Monday, McCue came to work to find the 20 stockings Todd had purchased for a craft she had planned to do Sunday. She loved the residents, McCue said. She loved her job, just loved it. Staff writer Daniel Tepfer contributed to this story. Virginia does such a poor job of supervising local foster care programs that the state doesnt have a list of foster parents currently in the system, according to a new legislative study.The study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission finds that the states 120 foster care programs dont do a good job of recruiting foster parents, especially relatives; working to reunite children with birth parents; or finding them permanent homes.As a result, Virginia relies too heavily on institutional care that is often clinically unnecessary, as well as costly, while children in the system have trouble getting their medical and mental health needs met, according to the study by the General Assemblys watchdog agency.This is a totally devastating report, said Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, one of 10 legislators who attended the commission meeting on Monday in snowbound Richmond.These are children we have taken from their families, she said. They are now our children. We have to take care of them as best we can, and thats obviously not happening. Overturning the Will of the Voters Lame-Duck Dynamics The Michigan Legislature has taken on an ambitious workload lately, considering bills regarding the minimum wage, paid sick leave requirements, criminal justice reform, pipeline construction, union regulations, brownfield cleanup, school safety and road funding.And that's just since Election Day.Bills that would strip power from incoming executive branch officials in Michigan and Wisconsin have received national attention, with Republican legislators accused of unfairly kneecapping newly elected Democratic governors. But those states, along with the handful of other legislatures holding lame-duck sessions this year, have been highly active on the policy front as well.With the maximum amount of time possible before they have to face voters again, lawmakers are rushing through controversial bills that were harder to touch prior to elections -- or legislation that comes in direct response to measures approved by voters in November.In Utah, for instance, the legislature already weakened a medical marijuana measure just passed by voters. In Wisconsin, the legislature moved to codify work requirements for Medicaid recipients. The Ohio House passed a "stand your ground" bill, shielding individuals who shoot intruders from legal liability, as well as a fetal heartbeat bill that would effectively ban most abortions.But no other state has as full an agenda as Michigan. More than 300 bills have already passed at least one chamber during the current lame-duck session. It's not uncommon for the Michigan Legislature to take on a heavy load right after the election. In the 2012 lame-duck session, the state enacted roughly 200 new laws, including a right-to-work law."Many of the bills moving now are issues that were partially completed in the spring or summer and simply need to be finished up," says Gideon D'Assandro, communications director for Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard.But some observers see something more than legislative procrastination and last-minute dealmaking at work. Most of these states are controlled by Republicans who are giving up some share of power in the new year, either because of the election of Democratic governors or the end of GOP legislative supermajorities. In Ohio and Michigan, large numbers of lawmakers are retiring due to term limits."Most of the people who are voting on this stuff are never going to be running again," says Zach Gorchow, editor of the, which covers Michigan policymaking. "Two-thirds of the Senate and roughly half the House are leaving office."Passing laws immediately after an election maximizes the amount of time that will pass before they have to face voters again -- for those lawmakers who will ever face voters again, that is."It's an opportunity to push through some last-minute items that otherwise aren't going to get through," says Timothy Nokken, a political scientist at Texas Tech University who has studied lame-duck sessions.Legislators in a lame-duck session experience a sort of "catharsis," says Stephanie Leiser, who lectures on public policy at the University of Michigan."They've just run this tough election," she says. "In Michigan and Wisconsin, you're just venting a lot of frustration and anger about how things turned out."By the time Democratic Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer takes office in Michigan next month, she'll find some decisions have already been made for her. Outgoing Republican Gov. Rick Snyder has said he will sign a bill passed Tuesday to authorize a $350 million pipeline-and-tunnel project that Whitmer opposed on environmental grounds. On Tuesday, the legislature also cleared a bill that would make it difficult for the incoming administration to adopt environmental regulations stricter than required under federal law."On some things, they didn't want to put their necks on the line before the election," says Gorchow.Michigan legislators, like their counterparts elsewhere, have not been afraid to overturn or weaken initiatives that have just been approved by voters. That's partially because Michigan legislators have an unusual ability to counter ballot initiatives they don't like by approving the proposed ballot language and then later amending it. They're looking at weakening new voter-approved laws regarding voter registration, gerrymandering, marijuana legalization and labor."Lame duck is when the worst things happen," complains Danielle Atkinson, founding director of Mothering Justice, a progressive advocacy group that pushed for the November ballot measure to raise the minimum wage and require paid sick leave. "They've stripped the bill of anything meaningful."The atmosphere during lame-duck sessions is always frantic, says Leiser. Similar to the end of regular sessions, there's a mad rush to make late-night deals and push bills through. There may even be more impetus for dealmaking than during a normal session.Lawmakers who seem to lack the bandwidth to take on more than one big issue at a time suddenly find their ambitions expanded. There are bills they know their colleagues want to get through, so vote-trading becomes accelerated."You've got a lot of people who are lame ducks and have their priorities they want to get done," says Leiser.Lame-duck legislators know they won't have to face voters again, while their colleagues who are sticking around recognize they have two to four years before having to answer for any controversial laws."Democrats thought [Michigan's lame-duck] passage of right-to-work in 2012 could build up the energy they needed, but by the time the 2014 cycle rolled around, it was a total non-issue," says Gorchow, the Gongwer editor.Concern about mischief-making during lame ducks led to the ratification of the 20th Amendment in 1933, which moved up the swearing-in dates for presidents and Congress from March to January, shortening the lame-duck period at the federal level.Of course, lame-duck sessions remain routine in Congress, with federal lawmakers meeting to try to address budget issues they didn't resolve before the election and pushing policy legislation when they can.In Michigan, the current spate of legislation has led to protests and calls for a ballot initiative to limit lame-duck sessions to emergency measures only. But a more likely scenario is that the Michigan Legislature will pass a different bill that's been proposed: one that would add new hurdles to placing initiatives on the ballot in the first place. 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. Democratic state Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown resigned from office Tuesday, saying she was leaving public service under protest as she appeals her conviction on bribery and other public corruption charges.In her resignation letter, the Philadelphia Democrat highlighted the words of the judge who last month sentenced her to 23-months of probation, noting that he had expressed serious concerns about the undercover sting investigation that led to her political downfall.Nonetheless, Brown wrote, she recognized that the state Constitution prohibits anyone convicted of bribery, perjury and other infamous crime from serving in the legislature.The Courts finding that the investigation and prosecution carried overtones of racism and political animus is only the first step in the ultimate vindication of my God-given and constitutional right to be treated fairly under the law," Brown, 52, wrote in the letter submitted to House Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny).She added: Emboldened by the civil rights giants that have gone before me and with the love and support of my family and friends, I live to fight another day against injustice and racism."Brown, who was reelected last month to another two-year term, had faced mounting pressure to leave public office. Typically, public officials who are convicted of corruption crimes step down on the day they are sentenced.Brown, who was sentenced on Nov. 30, had not publicly explained her decision to remain in office. She had signaled that she would not seek to be seated in the House when lawmakers return to the Capitol on Jan. 1 to be sworn into office - this after her Republican and Democratic colleagues indicated that they would vote to prevent her from taking the oath of office.Browns resignation Tuesday followed a legal maneuver by prosecutors to force her out.Late last week, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo, whose office prosecuted Brown, asked the trial judge in her case to amend her probation sentence to require her to resign within 24 hours, and force her to repay any salary or expense reimbursement she received after being sentenced.Brown had not been paid for the month of December, according to House officials.On Monday, Browns lawyers asked her trial judge, Dauphin County Scott Evans, to throw out her conviction, citing the judges own words at her sentencing that the investigation that snared her and other Philadelphia Democrats was troubling and laden with racial overtones. Lillie Freeman Audio Article Lillie Freeman, 93, of Fairview, Texas, went to be with the Lord on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. Lillie was born... Lewis Bayer Audio Article Lewis Bayer was a caring brother, uncle, and friend to many within Floresville, Texas, and the surrounding communities. The Lord... Gene Ernest Maeckel Audio Article Gene Ernest Maeckel of Poth, Texas, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021. Born... Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau speaking at the meeting (Photo: VNA) This was an opportunity for overseas Vietnamese to exchange, connect and share about their difficulties and advantages during the process of living, studying, working in the local countries. According to the Vietnamese Embassy in India, there are about 500 Vietnamese people in India and 40-50 in Nepal, of whom about 180 are monks and nuns studying at Buddhist faculties and 90 are overseas Vietnamese students in India. In addition, there are some Vietnamese citizens married to Indian or foreigners living or working in India; and some Vietnamese go to India to work. Mr. Nguyen Duy Khanh, Head of the Consulate Department of the Vietnamese Embassy in India, said that due to the large differences in culture, customs and language, integration into and adaptation with the local Indian society among the Vietnamese community faces many difficulties. Married women in India are less likely to go to work, while their families face less favourable conditions. Meanwhile, the living conditions of the overseas Vietnamese students are more difficult than those in other countries because of low scholarships and minimal infrastructure. They seem not to have time and extra work. Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Chau expressed his hope that each overseas Vietnamese person would be a messenger to introduce the image and culture of Vietnam to local people. He also affirmed that he would make all efforts and create all conditions to contribute to building the Vietnamese community in India and Nepal to be stronger and more coherent./. Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday defended several measures included in lame-duck bills Republicans passed last week that would strip the incoming governor and attorney general of some of their powers, while saying he is considering at least one line-item veto.In a social media post Walker, who is still reviewing the legislation, sent the clearest sign yet he intends to sign the bills into law.Later in the day, after a luncheon celebrating small businesses in Pewaukee, he mentioned the possibility of using his powerful veto pen, but didn't give specifics on what he might veto.Democrats, including Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul, have urged him to veto the legislation on the grounds it undermines the will of the voters. Some Republicans, such as former Gov. Scott McCallum, have slammed the bills as a "power grab" that is poor policy.Evers said after speaking to Walker last week he was "not particularly encouraged" Walker would put a stop to the Republican effort that has received attention nationwide.Still, Evers spokeswoman Britt Cudaback continued on Tuesday to press Walker to "put politics aside" and dump the legislation.Walker addressed the conversation with Evers after the event in Pewaukee. He said Evers didn't give him many specifics about what he had problems with, other than his concern about making an appointment to an economic development board."His specific request was there's a lot of things that he thought, having run the Department of Public Instruction, were challenges. I asked for what. He didn't give me any other examples," Walker said.In his Facebook post, the outgoing governor wrote the majority of his successor's powers will remain intact -- notably the governor's veto authority -- and suggested the bills would improve transparency, increase accountability, affirm stability and protect taxpayers."The new governor will still have some of the strongest powers of any governor in the nation if these bills become law," Walker wrote. "None of these things will change regardless of what I do with the bills passed in the Legislature last week."McCallum, Wisconsin's most recent Republican governor before Walker, said Tuesday in an interview that Walker's embrace of the proposals is "a missed opportunity."McCallum, who served from 2001 to 2003, has emerged as a key GOP critic of the lame-duck measures, saying they "have the appearance to some of being a power grab."Speaking to the Wisconsin State Journal, McCallum said he had hoped the transition from Walker to Evers would permit at least a partial reset of the bitter partisanship that has become the norm in state and national politics.Walker's apparent support for the lame-duck measures could make that more difficult, McCallum said."Every once in a while you have opportunities to start to change things -- in this case, change it for the better with the tone," McCallum said. "It's a missed opportunity from that perspective."Some of the most controversial parts of the legislation are those affecting the governor's and attorney general's powers. The bills would prevent the governor and attorney general from dropping out of lawsuits the state had entered into without the Legislature's approval.It would also give the Legislature the right to intervene in a case if a state statute is challenged in court and to appoint attorneys other than those from the Department of Justice.Walker did not directly address those provisions in the bill, but praised others, such as a measure that would take power away from the attorney general and give it to the Legislature to approve how money from settlements is spent. Walker wrote the provision would ensure accountability, arguing it "makes sense" lawmakers would have a greater role in approving how funds from multi-million dollar lawsuits are allocated.Walker also argued a provision writing Medicaid work requirements into state law would improve the relationship between executive and legislative branches. He also said a part of the bill ensuring new online sales tax revenues are put toward lowering taxes protects workers in the state.Other controversial measures in the bills that Walker did not address in his social media post include one that would shorten the window for early voting to two weeks before an election, and one that would give more legislative appointments to the board of Wisconsin's economic development agency. It would also take away the governor's authority to appoint the WEDC CEO and give it to the board until Sept. 1.Another provision in the bills would remove a requirement in state law the agency annually verify information submitted by tax credit recipients before the companies can obtain the tax credits. Time to tuck some trinkets and other goodies under the tree for the well-behaved among us. And for the record, everyone who cooks at home is automatically on the nice list. For those of you on the naughty list who are anticipating a stocking full of coal, I suggest you consolidate your haul and offer it to the home cook, who might use it as fuel to whip up something good for you. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Time to tuck some trinkets and other goodies under the tree for the well-behaved among us. And for the record, everyone who cooks at home is automatically on the "nice list." For those of you on the naughty list who are anticipating a stocking full of coal, I suggest you consolidate your haul and offer it to the home cook, who might use it as fuel to whip up something good for you. You coal-monkeys know which side your bread is buttered on and just who butters it, so here is your chance to wrap up something special that shows how much you love the cook in your life and how much you would like them to continue cooking. Here is the Winnipeg Free Presss annual round-up of cookbook suggestions to help you along. Master a Skill New cooks can always use some pointers and seasoned cooks enjoy seeing how old methods have been updated. Roast Revolution: Contemporary Recipes for Revamped Roast Dinners from Kathy Kordalis, (Ryland Peters & Small, $26.95) will grab their attention. Roasting has had a bit of a well-deserved revival. Its fairly straightforward, requires no fancy tools and gives good results. The traditionals are all here: beef, chicken, pork and lamb but so are the newer kids on the rack cauliflower, eggplant, cabbages, squash and a variety of fish. Finish it off with desserts and cocktails. There are key pointers on using heat properly, getting the cut right, and bringing vegetables to the centre of the serving plate. Every new cook should learn how to make a good soup and every good soup maker is always on the lookout for something new in the pot to stir. Souped Up: Deliciously Nutritious Recipes for Satisfying Homemade Soup (Ryland Peters & Small, $19.95) is a collection that will bowl them over. This is an international collection with recipes for foods that are available seasonally and year round. It starts off with basic stock-making and even includes a de-tox soup. Soup isnt the only thing that comes in bowls. Build-A-Bowl: Whole Grain + Vegetable + Protein + Sauce = Meal by Nicki Sizemore (Storey Publishing,$28.95) shows how to create custom meals that take the pressure off home cooks trying to accommodate different tastes. There are 77 combinations from fish to fowl to vegan. The French know the value of a good sauce and mastering the skill as a meal enhancer can add new life to the weekly menu, a lesson that is front and centre in (the not-French) Make-Ahead Sauce Solution: Elevate Your Everyday Meals with 61 Freezer-Friendly Sauces by Elisabeth Bailey (Storey Publishing, $24.95). This offering has 61 sauces including sausage ragu, Thai peanut, Gorgonzola chive butter, barbecue, coconut lemon, Parmesan leek, cheesy cashew garlic, and Meyer lemon spinach. Quick reference charts show how to best use them and add some interest to that boring weekday menu that every home cook sighs over. A New Tool for the Kit One Christmas, when I was a kid, we got a slow cooker, which changed our family menu choices forever. My brother remembers it as the year all his friends got a microwave. The latest tool in the contemporary kitchen toolkit is the Instant Pot, and to make the best use of all the bells and whistles, the home cook could use some books. The Modern Multi-Cooker Cookbook: 101 Recipes for Your Instant Pot by Jenny Tschiesche (Peters & Small, $26.95) will guide the cook to use all of the pots functions (which means a whole slew of new techniques). With 101 recipes, it will take them longer to read the book than to cook a meal with it. The Fix-It and Forget-It Instant Pot Cookbook by Hope Comerford (Skyhorse Publishing Inc., $29.99), from the series affectionately referred to as "Fi-Fi" brings you 100 more recipes that come from other home cooks who want to share their "family-tested" recipes. This book covers every course from appetizers to desserts. Rainbows and Unicorns The culinary idealist wants everything to be lovely and Unicorn Food: Beautiful Plant-Based Recipes to Nurture Your Inner Magical Beast by Kat Odell (Workman Publishing Co., $29.95) gives them food from plants in pretty packages. Seventy-five recipes make good use of everything grown from the ground including superfoods such as flax, coconut oil, spirulina, chia and bee pollen with flavours and colours that not only vegans will enjoy. Known for their online blog, the Food Gays, Adrian Harris and Jeremy Inglett bring you this winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Best Innovative Book from Canada, Cooking in Colour: Vibrant, Delicious, and Beautiful Food (HarperCollins, $39.99). Global flavours, bright vegetables and more than 90 recipes for "plant-forward" ideas like Roasted Five-Spice Cauliflower; Blackberry, Brie and Arugula Crostini with Honey and Lavender; and Blistered Tomato Soup, and a host of comfort foods will brighten your cooks day. Pass up the Passport The armchair food traveller has four tomes to choose from to keep them curled up and reading and cooking until spring. Copenhagen Food: Stories, Traditions, and Recipes by Trine Hahneman (Quadrille Publishing c/o Chronicle Books, $50) lets you travel through Denmarks capital city with someone whos been eating there for 40 years. Hahneman is your guide through her hometown, sharing photos and stories about the sights and sharing 70 recipes that will give you a taste of the culture. From there, you can send your home cook to Basque Country: A Culinary Journey Through a Food Lovers Paradise by Marti Buckley (Artisan, $50). Let your cook walk through one of Europes most distinct cultures, which has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other region in the world. Buckley, an American transplant to this unique place in northern Spain, shows cooks how to achieve the Basque culinary combination of simplicity and refinement. You may have noticed an uptick in Filipin- style bakeries and restaurants here in Winnipeg. I Am A Filipino and This is How We Cook by Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad (Artisan, $50) will give your cook insight into this latest welcome culinary import to the North American mainstream. Simple techniques (including braising, broiling and grilling) and a guide to essential ingredients will let your cook transform their kitchen into a "kusina" while enjoying photos and details about this regionally diverse country. No kitchen is complete without at least one cookbook dedicated to "la cuisine" and Lets Eat France! by Francois-Regis Gaudry and Friends (Artisan, $75) will dominate the kitchen bookshelf at a hefty 2.7 kilograms. Its the cheeky child that follows behind Julia Childs Art of French Cooking. Encyclopedic in its range, it covers everything there is to know about French cuisine, the chefs, the ingredients, even the food writers and literary icons. There are tons of recipes that often feature both the traditional version and updated twists. Filled with detailed photos, diagrams and graphics that break up the huge pages into bite-sized morsels, your cook wont have a picture of French cuisine theyll have a full-colour contour map. Even if they dont cook a single one of the 375 recipes from it, reading it is just plain fun. Twitter: @WendyKinginWpg At an Oval Office gathering earlier this year, President Donald Trump began touting his administration's new real estate investment program, which offers massive tax breaks to developers who invest in downtrodden American communities. He then turned to one of the plan's strongest supporters. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In this March 5, 2018 photo, the Pier Village development is seen in Long Branch, N.J. An Associated Press investigation found President Donald TrumpAos daughter and son-in law could benefit from a program they pushed that offers massive tax breaks to developers who invest in downtrodden American areas. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner own a major stake in a real estate investment firm that recently announced it is launching funds to take advantage of the Opportunity Zone program. Separately, KushnerAos family firm owns at least 13 properties that could qualify for the tax breaks because they are in Opportunity Zones in New Jersey, New York and Maryland. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) At an Oval Office gathering earlier this year, President Donald Trump began touting his administration's new real estate investment program, which offers massive tax breaks to developers who invest in downtrodden American communities. He then turned to one of the plan's strongest supporters. "Ivanka, would you like to say something?" Trump asked his daughter. "You've been pushing this very hard." The Opportunity Zone program promoted by Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner both senior White House advisers could also benefit them financially, an Associated Press investigation found. Government watchdogs say the case underscores the ethical minefield they created two years ago when they became two of the closest advisers to the president without divesting from their extensive real estate investments. Kushner holds a big stake in a real estate investment firm, Cadre, that recently announced it is launching a series of Opportunity Zone funds that seek to build major projects under the program from Miami to Los Angeles. Separately, the couple has interests in at least 13 properties held by Kushner's family firm that could qualify for the tax breaks because they are in Opportunity Zones in New Jersey, New York and Maryland all of which, a study found, were already coming back. Six of the Kushner Cos. buildings are in New York City's Brooklyn Heights area, with views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, where a five-bedroom apartment recently listed for $8 million. Two more are in the beach town of Long Branch, New Jersey, where some oceanfront condos within steps of a white-tablecloth Italian restaurant and a Lululemon yoga shop list for as much as $2.7 million. There's no evidence the couple had a hand in selecting any of the nation's 8,700 Opportunity Zones, and the company has not indicated it plans to seek tax breaks under the new program. But the Kushners could profit even if they don't do anything by potentially benefiting from a recent surge in Opportunity Zone property values amid a gold rush of interest from developers and investors. Ivanka Trump's advocacy for the Opportunity Zone program "creates a direct conflict of interest with her spouse's investment in Cadre," said Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel for the non-profit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "Jared Kushner's interests are Ivanka Trump's interests and vice versa." The couple's financial disclosures show their jointly held financial empire is worth between $200 million and $800 million, with much of it in real estate, including Kushner's stake of between $25 million and $50 million in a holding company with an ownership stake in Cadre. Kushner previously had Cadre-related management positions, but he terminated those roles when he joined the Trump administration, holding onto his passive stake. The disclosures require recusal from dealing with policy matters that touch on real estate and "would have a direct and predictable effect on Cadre." Ivanka Trump also has interests in Trump Organization properties which are not located inside Opportunity Zones. "Ms. Trump has divested assets, set up trusts, removed herself from businesses and decisions about her investments," Abbe Lowell, ethics counsel for the couple, said in a statement. "In addition, she adheres to the ethics advice she has received from counsel about what issues she can work on and those to which she is recused." The Kushner Cos. did not respond to requests for comment. President Trump was scheduled to attend an Opportunity Zone event in Washington on Wednesday that would depict the program as a boon to distressed communities. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told the AP that individual state governors of both parties nominate communities for Opportunity Zone designation "based on what underserved areas would benefit most. ... The White House has nothing to do with those decisions." The Investing in Opportunity Act, which became law last December as part of the Republican-sponsored tax overhaul, never gained traction when it was first proposed during the Obama administration, but it quickly found favour in a White House headed and dominated by real estate developers and investors. A significant moment came when the law's key GOP sponsor, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, met President Trump after the violence-plagued white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August of 2017. Trump promised Scott his support for Opportunity Zones as a way to show his administration's outreach to minority communities. But Scott had already found a supporter weeks earlier in Trump's daughter, in conversations that grew out of previous meetings about passing a child care tax credit. Political sponsors and lobbyists told the AP that Ivanka Trump played an important role in promoting the legislation, while Kushner was also quietly supportive behind the scenes. "Ivanka was on board with it," said Sean Smith, Scott's communications director. After their first conversation, Smith said Scott and Ivanka Trump talked by phone and in person nearly a dozen times. He added that Scott also spoke to Kushner about the program, but noted, "It was much more Ivanka than Jared." A team from Economic Innovation Group, or EIG, a Washington think-tank that pioneered the Opportunity Zones concept, met with top Kushner aides Reed Cordish and Chris Liddell two weeks before the tax reform bill was passed. Funded by Napster founder and early Facebook investor Sean Parker, EIG spent more than $1.4 million on lobbying over the past two years, both before and after the Investing in Opportunity Act passed. The group met with White House officials every quarter since the start of the Trump administration, and also met with frequently with officials from Treasury and other White House agencies, records show. "Creating the incentive to bring capital into communities that are currently being overlooked is just a tremendous opportunity," Ivanka Trump said as her father and a crowd of supporters nodded during the White House session February 14. Last month, at a dinner in Washington put on by the conservative Kemp Foundation, Scott singled out Ivanka Trump as his point person on the initiative. "When we were looking for help to get the tax bill across the finish line," he said, "I kept looking to the same person for help in the White House." There is no indication the couple directly intervened in the shaping of the Opportunity Zone program specifically to advance their financial interests. And public officials say there is no evidence that any actions were taken to influence the selection of Opportunity Zone boundaries. But backers of the program acknowledge that Ivanka Trump's out-front role drummed up interest from public officials and financial stakeholders. Along with the Kushner-tied Cadre Opportunity Zone funds, more than 50 real estate and private equity interests have made plans in recent weeks to create investment funds under the program, including several with ties to the couple and the Trump administration. Last month, former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci launched an opportunity zone fund tied to his Skybridge Capital investment firm, aiming to build projects worth more than $3 billion. Opportunity Zone funds have also been set up recently by New York-based Normandy Real Estate Partners and Heritage Equity Partners, two firms that have worked with Kushner Cos. on real estate ventures. They are flocking to what financial analysts say are some of the most generous tax benefits they have ever seen. Investors who plow capital gains from previous investments into Opportunity Zone projects can defer taxes on those gains up to 2026. If they decide not to cash out their investment for seven years, they get to exclude up to 15 per cent of those gains from taxes. And they can permanently avoid paying taxes on any new gains from investment in the zones if they hold onto the investment for a decade. With capital gains taxes as high as 23.8 per cent, the savings can easily add up. Government officials have estimated the program would cost $1.5 billion in lost tax revenue over 10 years, but Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has estimated the zones would attract up to $100 billion in renewal efforts. While the Opportunity Zone program mostly targets census tracts of high poverty and unemployment, it also allows "contiguous" tracts that might not be low-income, but are close enough to deprived communities to be eligible. Critics say that could allow developers to cash in by targeting zones already teeming with investment and gentrified neighbourhoods. Amazon's recent decision to locate a new headquarters in the bustling New York City neighbourhood of Long Island City, for example, drew rebukes following reports it was in an Opportunity Zone. A study by the Urban Institute in Washington found that nearly a third of the more than 8,700 Opportunity Zones nationwide and all 13 of the ones containing Kushner properties were showing signs of heavy investment and gentrification, based on such factors as rent increases and the percentage of college-educated residents. The most immediate advantage could come from the investment in Cadre. CEO Ryan Williams announced late last month that Cadre was starting up an Opportunity Zone fund that would aim to build major development projects in designated areas of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Miami. The company said the program "fits with Cadre's commitment to identifying opportunities in less-advantaged areas that are primed for growth." LEAMINGTON, Ont. - Marijuana producer Aphria Inc. has signed a letter of intent to supply a company in Paraguay with medical cannabis. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. oThe Aphria Medical Cannabis logo is shown in this undated handout image. Aphria is a Health Canada Licensed Producer of medical cannabis products. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Aphria *MANDATORY CREDIT* LEAMINGTON, Ont. - Marijuana producer Aphria Inc. has signed a letter of intent to supply a company in Paraguay with medical cannabis. Under the agreement, Aphria will supply Insumos Medicos S.A., a pharmaceutical manufacturing, import and distribution company. Aphria says Insumos will undertake the registration of the Canadian company's products in Paraguay and the appropriate licensing for the import of medical cannabis. Paraguay will become the Ontario company's third market in Latin America, following Argentina and Colombia. Aphria has been under pressure in recent days after short-sellers alleged the company bought assets in Colombia, Argentina and Jamaica at "vastly inflated prices." The company has denied the allegations, but it has appointed a special committee to review the acquisitions. Companies in this story: (TSX:APHA) Escalating tensions between China and Canada triggered by the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co.s finance chief are having a dramatic effect on two of the worlds hottest apparel stocks. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Escalating tensions between China and Canada triggered by the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co.s finance chief are having a dramatic effect on two of the worlds hottest apparel stocks. Canada Goose Holdings Inc., the trendy maker of premium parkas, has tumbled almost 20 per cent or US$16.75 over the past five days. At the same time, Bosideng International Holdings Ltd., a Hong Kong-based downy apparel maker, has jumped nearly 13 per cent to a five-year high. The detention of Huaweis Meng Wanzhou last week has affected Canadian companies, causing Canada Gooses share price to slump, the official Weibo account of a website backed by state-run Global Times said Tuesday. Calls have gone out on the Weibo social-media platform to boycott Canadian brands, including Canada Goose. "Canada detained Huaweis CFO, while Canada Goose is from there," said Linus Yip, Hong Kong-based strategist at First Shanghai Securities Ltd. "It is possible that some consumers would change their feelings over the brand and choose to buy other brands. Some may opt to buy domestic brands like Bosideng." Canada Goose is a high-profile target in part because its name so clearly announces its roots. Other Canadian brands with a strong presence in China, such as IMAX Corp. and Tim Hortons Inc., havent seen significant share moves or been singled out for boycotts. As the worlds largest luxury market, China is playing an important role for brands including Canada Goose. The company, which is the second-best performer in Canadas benchmark stock index this year, has set big goals for expansion in China. The brand took off there partly after celebrities including billionaire Jack Ma were photographed wearing the pricey coats. Bosideng, meanwhile, has seen its own success, rallying 138 per cent this year to become one of the best performing stocks on the Hang Seng Composite Index. The company has successfully reshaped its brand in the past year through collaborating with top-tier designers, launching high-profile fashion shows and targeting younger customers, said Liou Huei-Chen, analyst at KGI Hong Kong Ltd. Solid first-half results announced last month and recent cold weather are helping the shares, she said. Bloomberg News FREDERICTON - For the Irvings, it was Bouctouche. For the McCains, Florenceville. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Sadie Jane is seen at Seeley's Cove, N.B. in this undated handout photo. In tiny Black's Harbour, N.B., sandwiched between an Irving gas station and the local Freshmart, is a small, two-storey brick building that is head office for the world's largest independent seafood company. Cooke Aquaculture Inc. has billions of dollars in annual revenue, shipping one billion pounds of fresh seafood annually to 67 countries. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Cooke Aquaculture FREDERICTON - For the Irvings, it was Bouctouche. For the McCains, Florenceville. Now, in tiny Black's Harbour, in between an Irving gas bar and the local Freshmart, is a small, two-storey brick building that is head office for New Brunswick's newest family-owned multinational. Cooke Aquaculture Inc. is the world's largest independent seafood company, with billions of dollars in annual revenue, shipping one billion pounds of fresh seafood annually to 67 countries. And it is about to get bigger. Founded 33 years ago, the firm is set to complete its latest acquisition, growing its global workforce to some 9,000 employees. Cooke is in the final stages of buying one of the largest shrimp farming companies in Latin America, although exact details are being withheld until the deal is complete in the next few weeks. "Cooke Aquaculture started in 1985 by Gifford Cooke and his two sons Michael and Glenn. They started with farming 5,000 salmon in a pen," said Joel Richardson, vice-president public relations for Cooke Aquaculture. "That grew over the years through approximately 100 acquisitions since 1985 globally. We have now become the largest independent seafood company in the world. We are independently, family owned, right here, and Black's Harbour is our head office," he said. Company revenues are expected to be $2.4 billion for 2018. Cooke operates 657 vessels and 25 processing facilities. It operates under a number of brands including True North Seafood Company, Icicle Seafoods and Wanchese Fish Company. Last month, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce named Cooke Aquaculture Inc. its Top Private Business Growth Award winner in Canada for 2018. Growth started quite naturally for the Cookes. Four years after opening their first salmon cage, they needed a supply of eggs and smolt, so they bought a hatchery. The corporate website details the subsequent purchases, including feed plants, distributors, processing plants and other aquaculture and wild fish operations. "We have farmed salmon operations in Chile, Scotland, Maine, Washington state and we also do sea bass and sea bream in Spain. We have wild cod operations in the United States and down in Latin America as well," Richardson said. About 40 per cent of Cooke's seafood business is wild caught. Despite the growth around the world, the company has kept its roots in rural New Brunswick and has about 2,000 employees here. "Entrepreneurs and families in New Brunswick have a special connection to where we're from," said Richardson. Observers liken them to dynasties like the Irvings and McCains, local family businesses that have made their mark on the North American stage. Donald Savoie, an expert in economic development at the Universite de Moncton, said there's a common mindset to the family-run, resource businesses that have their roots in rural New Brunswick. "When you start in natural resources you don't need much start-up capital. You don't need venture capital, you don't need the stock market. You need opportunities and an entrepreneur with a single-minded purpose," he said. "Harrison and Wallace McCain, when they started, they had a handful of employees. Today they're in China, they're in Europe. Cooke has followed the same pattern. The Irvings started off in Bouctouche with two or three people working there. That's the pattern," he said. However, Savoie said the rules of the playing field are changing and new environmental requirements, consultations with First Nations and other regulations are making it harder for companies to get a start in rural areas. "It calls on government to look at rural development and to see how we can make it easier for entrepreneurs to start a business in rural New Brunswick in the natural resources sector," he said. "New Brunswick remains largely rural. We are just crossing the line now at 50 per cent urban and rural. Ontario crossed that line 100 years ago." But the aquaculture industry has faced its share of controversy. In a report this year, federal environment commissioner Julie Gelfand warned of the disease risk that farmed fish pose to wild salmon, finding that Fisheries and Oceans Canada had not adequately balanced the industry's risks with its mandate to protect wild fish. The report pointed to the under-studied effect of pesticides and the risk of salmon escapes, which can lead to genetic defects in wild populations. Cooke Aquaculture itself has faced pushback on its operations in multiple jurisdictions, including Newfoundland and Labrador and Washington State after salmon escapes. On Monday, Ottawa announced a new approach to the aquaculture sector, including creating a single comprehensive set of regulations to clarify how it is run in Canada. The department is also ordering a study on alternative aquaculture technologies, developing a risk management framework and moving towards area-based management plans to take regional environmental concerns into account. But Richardson said Cooke operates in "a safe and environmentally sustainable manner," and the public understands that fish escapes can occur if major storms cause damage to the pens. "Our company follows global best practices and all government regulations by responding immediately following severe storms -- just like land-based farmers do," he said. "We invest heavily in world class environmental monitoring and feeding systems, using the best technology and expertise from around the world." Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version wrongly said about 40 per cent of Cooke's seafood business is wild cod. In fact, that percentage is of wild caught seafood. FREDERICTON - The federal intergovernmental affairs minister has launched an attack on the Tory premier of his home province, after dramatic project cuts that left millions of federal dollars on the table. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,from right, Inter-governmental affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, get set to start the First Ministers conference Friday, December 7, 2018 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz FREDERICTON - The federal intergovernmental affairs minister has launched an attack on the Tory premier of his home province, after dramatic project cuts that left millions of federal dollars on the table. Dominic LeBlanc said the cuts announced Tuesday in the New Brunswick government's capital budget were done in a "unilateral and belligerent" way. "I think that they were irresponsible cuts that won't help the New Brunswick economy," he said in an interview Wednesday. The Tory government is cutting $265 million from planned spending, including postponing the twinning of sections of Route 11, which runs through LeBlanc's federal riding. LeBlanc said Premier Blaine Higgs had lots of opportunity to discuss the cuts with him while the two were at the first ministers' meeting in Montreal last week, but instead he learned of the cuts through the media Tuesday. "Normally if you're paying 50 per cent of a particular initiative you don't have 100 per cent of the decision-making authority. I think it augers very poorly for other things that he'll want to do with the Government of Canada," LeBlanc said. "These things have always worked through a negotiation and co-operative arrangement. He seems to have a different approach which I don't think is in the long term interests of the New Brunswick economy." In the provincial legislature Wednesday, Higgs said past governments have had a thirst to generate projects just to get federal funding, but he said a taxpayer-funded economy is never successful. "We have infrastructure we need to fix. We have bridges, we have roads, we have schools, we have places we need to put money for the future of our province. We don't need to invent in projects because there's money in Ottawa to pay half the cost. I don't need 50-cent dollars for projects I don't need," Higgs said. Donald Wright, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick, said Higgs and his minority government may have only a short mandate, and is making tough decisions early in an effort to balance the books. "Higgs wants to play to his strengths as the competent fiscal manager who is not going to drive this province over the cliff," Wright said. "He's probably looking at a two-year mandate. Better to do it now, early in that mandate, than later in the mandate." LeBlanc said the cuts were "high-handed" and not respectful for New Brunswickers who voted in the last federal election. "We campaigned clearly on making investments in economic infrastructure and we won 10 out of 10 seats, which I think is considerably better than Mr. Higgs did," LeBlanc said. The province said it will re-evaluate a number of other projects such as a new justice complex in Fredericton and a planned new New Brunswick Museum in Saint John. Saint John - Rothesay Liberal MP Wayne Long took to Twitter Tuesday night to complain about the cuts, and took aim at provincial Education Minister Dominic Cardy. "Isnt it funny that the (New Brunswick Museum) and (Saint John High School) funding is cut in my riding when @DominicCardy gets a new school. What a complete hypocrite," he wrote. Cardy replied: "I invite you to contact the Dept and ask about my involvement in this decision. Then Ill invite you to apologize. Posturing helps no one." LeBlanc said he won't reach out to Higgs to talk specifically about the spending cuts, but expects they'll have the opportunity in the course of regular business in the weeks to come. He said future requests from Higgs for funding for New Brunswick will have to be evaluated differently. "I think it would be evaluated in light of his unilateral and belligerent approach to these kind of investments. It appears we have a partner who doesn't share the same interest in collaboration," he said. STRASBOURG, France - A man who had been flagged as a possible extremist sprayed gunfire near the famous Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, killing three people, wounding up to a dozen and sparking a massive manhunt when he got away. France immediately raised its terror alert level. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In this image made from video, emergency services arrive on the scene of a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. A French regional official says that a shooting in Strasbourg has left at least one dead and several 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. (AP Photo) STRASBOURG, France - A man who had been flagged as a possible extremist sprayed gunfire near the famous Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, killing three people, wounding up to a dozen and sparking a massive manhunt when he got away. France immediately raised its terror alert level. It was unclear if the market a popular gathering place and the nucleus of an al-Qaida-linked plot in 2000 was the intended target. The assailant got inside a security zone around the venue and opened fire from there, Mayor Roland Ries said on BFM television. The market, France's largest, is set up around the city's cathedral during the Christmas season. Authorities did not give a motive for the shooting, though prosecutors said they had opened a terrorism investigation. Strasbourg, located in eastern France, is home to the European Parliament, one of several places put on an emergency lockdown after the shooting. The prefect of the Strasbourg region said the man identified as the alleged gunman was on a watch list of potentially radicalized people. Authorities did not name him publicly or provide details such as his age and nationality. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who travelled to Strasbourg, said the suspect had convictions in France and Germany for crimes unrelated to terrorism and served time in prison. He did not elaborate. Hours before the shooting, French gendarmes went to the suspect's home to arrest him, but he wasn't there, Stephane Morisse of police union FGP said. They found explosive materials during a search, he said. Many of Europe's deadliest terror attacks in recent years took place in France. In response to Tuesday's shooting, the government decided to take the country's attack risk up a level on the official threat index and to send security reinforcements to Strasbourg, Castaner said early Wednesday. Strasbourg, a city about 500 kilometres (310 miles) east of Paris on France's border with Germany, promotes itself as the "Capital of Christmas" and the market set up around the local cathedral is a holiday tradition. Two years ago, a Tunisian man drove a hijacked truck into a busy Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people in the German capital. Some 350 officers and two helicopters were searching for the assailant, who had been radicalized for "several years" and confronted law enforcement officers twice, exchanging fire, while he "sowed terror," Castaner said. The death toll stood at three early Wednesday, the minister said. Two police union officials said earlier there were four victims. Officials did not explain the conflicting numbers. A police officer prevents basket ball supporters to leave after a match at the Rhenus Sport stadium in Strasbourg, eastern France, Tuesday Dec.11, 2018. A shooting in the French city of Strasbourg killed at least two people and wounded more than others, officials said, sparking a broad lockdown and major security operation around a world-famous Christmas market. Authorities said the shooter remains at large. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias) More than seven hours after the bloodshed, the regional prefect said 11 other people were injured, five of them seriously, downgrading Castaner's earlier count of 12 injured. The shooter was also shot and wounded by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, according to the FGP union's Morisse. French military spokesman Col. Patrik Steiger said the shooter didn't seem to be aiming at soldiers patrolling in and around the market, but appeared to target civilians instead. Witnesses described hearing gunshots, screams and shouts of police officers 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," Yoann Bazard, 27, who lives in central Strasbourg. "I thought maybe it's 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 friend's apartment when they heard the gunfire, which she at first mistook 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 didn't 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 has been hit in recent years with high-profile extremist attacks, including the co-ordinated attacks at multiple Paris locations that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds in November 2015. A 2016 truck attack in Nice killed dozens. Tuesday's attack followed four weeks of protests against President Emmanuel Macron that have stretched the police forces deployed to clear blocked roads and to quell rioting, looting and other protest-related mayhem. Macron adjourned a meeting at the presidential palace Tuesday night to monitor the emergency, his office said. The president tweeted "Solidarity of the whole nation for Strasbourg, our victims, their families" and at midnight presided over a meeting at the Interior Ministry's crisis centre. The office of the Paris prosecutor, who is in charge of France's terror investigations, said the Strasbourg probe was being conducted on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise. The latter charge suggests officials do not exclude links between the shooter and an extremist cell. Authorities urged the public to remain indoors at the height of the drama. People dining out at restaurants were held in place for hours. So were thousands of basketball fans who attended a game at a sports stadium and European Union lawmakers in the locked down Parliament. They eventually were allowed to leave the buildings. People with nowhere to go were offered shelter in a gymnasium, the prefect tweeted. The Christmas market is set to stay closed Wednesday, when flags in Strasbourg will be flown at half-staff in mourning for the people killed, Mayor Ries said. The attack revived memories of a new millennium terror plot targeting Strasbourg's 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 Year's Eve ushering in 2000.. The Algerian and French-Algerian suspects including an alleged associate of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden went on trial in October on charges they were involved in the foiled plot for the attack. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to nine years. ___ Associated Press writers John Leicester and Angela Charlton contributed to this report. TOKYO - Lawyers for Greg Kelly, the American executive arrested last month with Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn on suspicion of underreporting Ghosn's pay, unsuccessfully protested Wednesday his prolonged stay in Japanese detention. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. 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) TOKYO - Lawyers for Greg Kelly, the American executive arrested last month with Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn on suspicion of underreporting Ghosn's pay, unsuccessfully protested Wednesday his prolonged stay in Japanese detention. The Tokyo District Court said it rejected the protest. Lawyers often file such protests in Japan, where suspects get detained for weeks, sometimes months, before they face trial. Such protests tend to be routinely rejected. A similar protest filed by Ghosn's lawyers was rejected Tuesday. A Tokyo court has decided to detain Ghosn and Kelly at least through Dec. 20, although it could be longer. Ghosn, Kelly and Nissan Motor Co. as a legal entity were charged Monday with violating financial laws by underreporting Ghosn's pay by about 5 billion yen ($44 million) in 2011-2015. Prosecutors are also questioning Kelly and Ghosn about additional allegations prosecutors issued Monday that Ghosn's compensation was underreported by another 4 billion yen ($36 million) in 2016-2018. Ghosn's lawyers have not issued a statement. Aubrey Harwell, the U.S. lawyer for Kelly, has said his client is innocent, and that Nissan insiders and outside experts had advised him the financial reporting was proper. The maximum penalty for violating Japan's financial laws is 10 years in prison, a 10 million yen ($89,000) fine, or both. The conviction rate in Japan is more than 99 per cent. Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, was sent in by Nissan's alliance partner Renault SA of France in 1999, when Nissan Motor Co. was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. For two decades, Ghosn led the Japanese automaker's rise. The alliance, which now includes Mitsubishi Motors Corp., is now among the biggest in global sales. Nissan has dismissed Ghosn as chairman and Kelly as a representative director. Ghosn's downfall is seen by some observers as a manoeuvr by others at Nissan to gain power in the alliance. No trial date or bail has been set yet. Prosecutors say Ghosn and Kelly are flight risks. When Ghosn and Kelly might be released from the Tokyo Detention Center remains unclear. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en BAGHDAD - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry arrived in Baghdad on a trade mission Tuesday urging Iraq to reduce its energy dependence on Iran and open its own energy sector to American investment. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. U. S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry speaks at a press conference during a U.S. chamber of commerce's U.S. Iraq business initiative business mission to Iraq, in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, Pool) BAGHDAD - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry arrived in Baghdad on a trade mission Tuesday urging Iraq to reduce its energy dependence on Iran and open its own energy sector to American investment. The visit comes as the U.S. tries to isolate Iran through sanctions targeting its business and finance sectors. U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran is not in compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord. Iraq is caught in a delicate position as it continues to draw on Iranian gas and electricity production to power its own economy despite the renewed sanctions against its neighbour. But Perry characterized the moment as ripe for U.S. investment in Iraq's energy sector. Iraq is one of the largest oil producers in the world. "The time has come for Iraq to break its dependence on others and move forward toward true energy independence," Perry said at a Baghdad conference organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that brought one of the largest U.S. trade delegations in recent memory to Iraq. "I'm here to tell you that America and its business community stand ready to assist you in that endeavour," he said. Iraq was granted a 45-day waiver by the U.S. in November to continue to buy Iranian gas before facing possible consequences for its continued business with Iran's sanctioned energy sector. But most experts agree that before Iraq can stop importing from Iran, it will need at least a year to find alternative power sources, whether developing its own natural gas sector or importing from other producers. Perry met with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Oil Minister Thamer Ghadban and other top officials in Baghdad as well as top Kurdish political official Masoud Barzani in Irbil to deliver a message encouraging market liberalization and low barriers to investment. "Capital will come where it's welcome," he said. On Tuesday, in the afternoon, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC received the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, the Honourable Curtis Pitt MP, and Members of Parliament for the Presentation of the Parliaments Address-in-Reply, and the Governor responded to the address. Following, at the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital Education Centre, Herston, His Excellency attended the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Foundation 2019 Research Grant Awards, and the Governor presented certificates, and addressed guests. In the evening, at Government House, His Excellency and Mrs Kaye de Jersey greeted members of the public visiting to view the 2018 Christmas Lights display. MONTREAL - Flair Airlines chief executive Jim Scott says predatory pricing and scheduling by rival WestJet Airlines Ltd. placed his budget carrier in jeopardy, as a David and Goliath battle over the past six months has culminated in an investigation by Canada's competition watchdog. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Westjet Boeing 737-700 taxis to a gate after arriving at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on February 3, 2014. WestJet Airlines Ltd. says it is complying with a probe by Canada's competition watchdog following accusations of predatory pricing from a competitor. The Calgary-based carrier said in an email Wednesday it is "compiling information" in response to an investigation from the Competition Bureau. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck MONTREAL - Flair Airlines chief executive Jim Scott says predatory pricing and scheduling by rival WestJet Airlines Ltd. placed his budget carrier in jeopardy, as a David and Goliath battle over the past six months has culminated in an investigation by Canada's competition watchdog. On Tuesday, the Federal Court of Canadas chief justice ordered a WestJet vice-president to appear before the Competition Bureau to explain the airline's tactics, the latest development in a probe launched in the fall. Scott said WestJet and low-cost offshoot Swoop used anti-competitive practices to crowd out Flair from several smaller markets including Saskatoon, Thunder Bay, and Kamloops. "Whenever we go into a market, WestJet or Swoop will go into the same market with a lot of inventory, low-cost," he said in an interview. The ultra-low-cost carrier lost about $10 million between mid-June and mid-October as a result, he claimed. "This is a case of David and Goliath. We're here trying to provide a service to Canadians, and the entrenched incumbent is basically trying to keep a new player out of the marketplace. "If the Canadian government didn't step in in such a timely manner, it would have been very difficult for us to continue," added Scott, who filed a complaint to the commissioner in October. It has to end. WestJet said in an email it is "compiling information" in response to the probe. The Federal Court has ordered the Calgary-based carrier along with Swoop to provide the Competition Bureau with detailed pricing and other records including emails. Interim competition commissioner Matthew Boswell states in a Dec. 5 court motion that he has reason to believe that the parties have engaged in a conduct that constitutes an abuse of dominant position," in violation of the Competition Act. He states that WestJet and Swoop are engaging in predatory anti-competitive practices, more specifically predatory pricing, by significantly decreasing the prices of their passenger tickets to a level that appears to be below their avoidable costs. The accusation applies to three routes that WestJet and Swoop substantially or completely control Edmonton-Abbotsford, Edmonton-Hamilton and Edmonton-Winnipeg routes according to the commissioner. Boswell notes that WestJet created an Edmonton-Hamilton route only after Flair did, and then ramped up capacity via Swoops 14 flights per week versus Flairs seven. Swoop advertised all-inclusive fares for as low as $69 starting in June, compared to WestJets $149 fares the summer prior. Flair's CEO said his rival's pricing and scheduling practices forced his airline to drop all service at the Hamilton airport in October. On flights between Edmonton and Abbotsford, meanwhile, WestJet flight offers starting at $39 cost Flair $2 million between June 20 and Oct. 15, Scott said. WestJet vice-president of pricing and revenue management John Weatherill is slated to appear before the commissioner in 2019. The company has drawn the attention of competition authorities before, but in the role of David rather than Goliath. In 2003, the Competition Tribunal ruled that Air Canada engaged in anti-competitive behaviour with WestJet, then a low-cost regional upstart. That case helped set a precedent for "avoidable costs" costs that could be avoided if the dominant airline opted not to offer certain flights. Analyst Chris Murray of Altacorp Capital cited the cost and distraction of the investigation as a negative. As well, any finding could create a monetary penalty or impact the company's continued roll out of its Swoop ultra-low cost carrier division, impacting growth and earnings in 2019 and beyond, Murray said in a note to investors. Nonetheless, WestJet shares jumped nearly five per cent to close at $19.23 on the Toronto Stock Exchange Wednesday, up from $18.36. Canadas second-largest airline experienced a turbulent 2018 that saw profits plunge due to soaring fuel costs, labour unrest, and steep competition at home and abroad. CEO Ed Sims is hoping to lift his lagging revenues over the next four years, last week predicting earnings growth of 40 per cent on a per share basis between 2019 and 2022. Companies in this story: (TSX:WJA, TSX:AC) 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 (1084 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." The scourge of methamphetamine has raised alarm in Manitoba but an opioid crisis rages on in Canada, a new national report says. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The scourge of methamphetamine has raised alarm in Manitoba but an opioid crisis rages on in Canada, a new national report says. The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) report shows that opioid poisoning hospitalization rates increased from 2013 to 2017. Across Canada, hospitalizations for opioid poisoning increased by eight per cent over the past five years. Opioids such as fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine and codeine even when prescribed legally can lead to unexpected consequences, including addiction, poisoning and death. The CIHI survey Opioid-Related Harms in Canada found that communities with populations between 50,000 and 99,999 were hit the hardest by the opioid poisoning, experiencing the highest per capita hospitalization rates in the country. The opioid crisis was worse in Brandon which had a 2016 census population of nearly 50,000 than in Winnipeg. In 2017, there were 12 significant opioid hospitalizations in Brandon, a rate of 23 per 100,000 population. In Winnipeg, there were 89 such hospitalizations in 2017 the same year, a rate of almost 12 per 100,000 population. Across Canada, the fastest-growing rates of opioid-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits were seen among men between the ages of 25 and 44. Hospitalization rates varied significantly among provinces; in Ontario and Alberta, emergency room visits from opioid poisoning increased by 73 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively. The number of opioid hospitalizations in Manitoba from 2013 to 2017 fluctuated (127 in 2013, 145 in 2014, 124 in 2016 and 162 in 2017). Ontario and Alberta saw a steady increase over that five-year period. In Saskatchewan, there were 158 hospitalizations in 2013 compared to 244 in 2017. Across Canada, CIHIs analysis shows an overall decrease in opioid-related hospitalizations for the last three months of 2017 and the first three months of 2018, although its too early to know if the trend will continue, its report said. The national health institute credits the recent reduction in opioid hospitalizations to initiatives such as new prescribing guidelines and monitoring programs, an increased number of supervised consumption and overdose prevention sites and the increased availability of naloxone to treat overdoses without a prescription. Meanwhile in Manitoba, meth is driving a sharp increase in blood-borne diseases from needle-sharing. Winnipeg Regional Health Authority documents made public this week say public health officials have declared an outbreak of acute hepatitis B that's almost exclusively linked to injection drug use. Hepatitis C is also on the rise among young people under the age of 25. Winnipeg police have said that use of methampetamine, made in illegal labs using cheap, toxic ingredients that damage brain cells, is on the rise because it's inexpensive. The Addictions Foundation of Manitoba says it can be smoked, taken in pill form or injected. Long-term use can cause intense feelings of rage, psychotic episodes, feelings of anxiousness, an inability to sleep and paranoia. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Everyone, even first ministers, needs a bit of good luck every once in a while. Well, Premier Brian Pallister just got a heaping serving of good luck as a tumultuous year comes to a close. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Everyone, even first ministers, needs a bit of good luck every once in a while. Well, Premier Brian Pallister just got a heaping serving of good luck as a tumultuous year comes to a close. Manitoba is now slated to receive a $218-million increase in its equalization payments from Ottawa, the second year in a row that Pallister's government has benefited from unusually high transfer largesse. The good news came this past weekend, Ottawa released the details of transfer payments to the provinces for the 2019-20 fiscal year, which begins April 1. This annual event typically triggers a national debate among premiers about the pros and cons of transfer payments, in particular the efficacy of equalization payments. Most of the attention this year is focused on Quebec, which will receive just over $13 billion from the $19.8-billion equalization pot, or 66 per cent of all the federal tax revenue being redistributed among so-called have-not provinces. That is a record share for Quebec, which is traditionally the largest net recipient of equalization. However, on a percentage basis, Manitoba is not far behind in the relative size of the equalization windfall it will receive from Ottawa. Manitoba will collect $2.255 billion next year in equalization, a $218-million (or nearly 11 per cent) increase over the previous year. Quebec, by comparison, will get a 12-per-cent boost to its equalization envelope next year. Total transfer payments to Manitoba which, in addition to equalization includes support for health and social services, is going up to $4.26 billion, a $299-million (seven per cent) increase. Next year's bump comes on the heels of a similar increase last year, when Manitoba received $217 million more in equalization and $283 million more in total transfers. How unusual and important is this windfall? These are largest increases in both total transfers, and equalization payments in more than a decade. And they come at a time when Pallister is walking a fiscal tightrope, attempting to balance the budget on one hand and cut taxes on the other. Pallister is making steady progress on the first mission, balancing the budget, thanks largely to strict spending controls. However, the additional federal support which was largely absent from the final five years of Manitoba's NDP government is playing a huge role, as well. Compared to Pallister's good fortune, former premier Greg Selinger saw nothing but snake eyes. Between 2012 and 2016, Selinger's last year in office, transfer payments never rose by more than $8 million year-over-year, and in one year (2014-15) they actually went down. Overall, equalization increased by only $67 million in annual terms. Compare that with the first four fiscal years of the Pallister era, which has seen increases that are more than 10 times their predecessors. From 2016-17, the first full year Pallister's Tories were in control, to the 2019-20 forecast year, transfer payments have gone from $3.53 billion to $4.26 billion, a $730-million increase. No government or first minister should be criticized for fiscal good fortune. The NDP under premier Gary Doer experienced record levels of revenue growth, including federal transfers, during the 11 years he governed. Premiers are often defined by the economic times in which they serve, and Doer served during a robust period. Selinger, on the other hand, did not benefit from the same good fortune; combined with an inability to contain expenditures, Selinger left with a legacy of deficit and debt. All of which brings up an interesting question: does Manitoba support provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario in seeking changes to the current equalization formula? Pressure has been mounting from those provinces to change the way equalization is calculated. Most of the attention has been focused on the issue of natural resource revenue. Oil- and gas-producing provinces obviously want resource revenue exempted from equalization calculations, theoretically shrinking the gap between their economies and those provinces that do not rely heavily on the revenues from fossil-fuel resources. Since taking over as premier, Pallister has been uncommonly quiet on the subject of equalization despite it having been a pressing issue at most first minister's conferences he has attended. Earlier this year, former finance minister Cameron Friesen said the current formula is working well, for the most part, although Manitoba might like to see equalization include non-residential property values in the final calculation. TREVOR HAGAN / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Brian Pallister at a meeting in Winnipeg in September. That is a change that would definitely help boost equalization to smaller provinces. As such, it could be interpreted as tacit support for the concept of equalization in its current form. The real question for the current premier is what will he do with all this additional money, both now and into the future? The fiscal picture in Manitoba is, in and of itself, much less certain than the forecast on federal transfer payments. The good news is that the deficit is shrinking. However, expenditure increases in key services such as health and education have been kept alarmingly low. And Pallister also made an unusual decision to change accounting rules in the last annual report, a move that the provincial auditor general said overstated the summary deficit by $347 million. The auditor offered only a qualified opinion on the annual report, a troubling and unusual development in what is becoming a truly intriguing story. For the time being, however, Pallister is sitting pretty. There will be no change to the equalization formula for the next four years and barring a significant global economic misstep, Manitoba should continue to reap the benefits of the current system. Pallister's political opponents will bristle at the magnitude of his good luck. But in politics, as in life, you need some luck to be good. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca On a remote trail, a hiker in his 50s suffers a head injury, cant walk and discovers the satellite beacon rented just for such an emergency wont work. But if you ask Louie Odorico about it today, hell tell you how lucky is. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. On a remote trail, a hiker in his 50s suffers a head injury, cant walk and discovers the satellite beacon rented just for such an emergency wont work. But if you ask Louie Odorico about it today, hell tell you how lucky is. Two Canadian Forces Search and Rescue technicians parachuted from a C-130 Hercules in the middle of a windy September night onto Moosehead Lake on the Mantario Trail, swam ashore and took care of Odorico until a crew from Ontario was able to clear a landing spot for a STARS air ambulance helicopter from Winnipeg that arrived in the morning. "Im very thankful for all of you," Odorico told his rescuers Tuesday night, meeting them for the first time since his ordeal on Sept. 9. Odorico, his four fellow hikers and their family members gathered at a Canadian Forces hangar in Winnipeg to thank the military members and emergency air ambulance crews who appeared out of the sky in the middle of nowhere to help their friend. For SAR tech Master Cpl. Louis Labrecque and Hercules pilot Capt. Charles Lindell with 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Winnipeg, the thanks were unnecessary but appreciated. "We never get to see our patients afterward," Labrecque said. The night that he and Master Cpl. Donovan Ball jumped from the Hercules to help Odorico, the wind was so strong they had to leave the aircraft more than a mile from the landing target so their parachutes would get blown to the right location. All they knew was that there was a hiker in his 50s whod suffered a head injury or stroke, couldnt walk and was on the trail next to Moosehead Lake. Odorico was with four buddies, who put him in the recovery position and started a fire next to him to keep him warm and another bigger fire close to the shore for the rescuers to see. "It was very scary," said fellow hiker Ian Smith. He said theyd just hiked all day and decided to stop for the night. They went for a swim and around 10 p.m., Odorico fell backwards and lost consciousness. He came to and they tried to help him up but Odorico couldnt walk. They feared hed suffered a severe head trauma. "We were all quite worried," Smith said. They tried activating the satellite beacon theyd rented to get help but it wasnt working. They were 32 kilometres into the Mantario Trail where cellphone coverage is notoriously unreliable. Smith said he pulled out his mobile phone and, to his amazement and relief, he got a signal. He texted his wife, Frankie Magill, to call 911. "The 911 operator told me to stay on the line that an ambulance was on the way," Magill recalled with a smile. She had to explain the hikers were nowhere near a road. A STARS (Shock, Trauma Air Rescue Society) helicopter from Winnipeg was dispatched but unable to land in the area, so the STARS physician requested a military SAR Tech deployment to provide medical care for Odorico. An Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources crew arrived and cleared an area so a STARS helicopter could land by mid-morning. Nurse Corine Oxer and pilot Andrew Davidson took over from the military SAR technicians and got Odorico to Winnipeg within half an hour. STARS rescues people from the Mantario Trail two or three times a year, Davidson said usually because a hiker has broken a bone and cant walk out. Odorico said he suffered a serious concussion and is still feeling some of the effects of it but wont quit hiking because of what happened in September. "Next summer, were going on a trail in Riding Mountain." He said hes thinking of buying his own satellite beacon for the trip. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca A new study is providing a starting point for researchers aiming to lower rates of tuberculosis in the province, particularly among First Nations people. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A new study is providing a starting point for researchers aiming to lower rates of tuberculosis in the province, particularly among First Nations people. "(It gave) us a sense of how many people in Manitoba are being treated (for tuberculosis), and who those people are their characteristics and how they use the health-care system," the reports lead author, Lisa Lix, said. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dr. Lisa Lix, lead study author linking data findings of TB in Manitoba. The study was conducted by a team at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) at the U of Ms Max Rady College of Medicine. Researchers linked the provinces tuberculosis registry (which has information about all active cases) to the MCHPs population research data repository (which carries anonymous, comprehensive data on Manitobans ranging from health care to education). While the provincial tuberculosis registry tracks active cases, it does not consider inactive infections which do not cause symptoms, but still carry bacteria that can become active again, Lix said. To get around this gap in data, researchers tracked drugs prescribed to treat the disease, which allowed them to learn more about what kind of care patients receive in Manitoba and where challenges still exist, she said. Manitoba has the highest incidence rate of active tuberculosis a life-threatening disease that can spread from the lungs to other parts of the body of any province in Canada. Indigenous Peoples are also disproportionately impacted by tuberculosis in Manitoba, a 2017 report from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority found. One of the most important pieces of the study was creating partnerships with First Nations leaders, Lix said, because it provided much-needed context to their findings. "Its a disease of poverty," said Kathi Avery Kinew, a former research manager at the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba who consulted on the study. "And in the case of First Nations, its imposed poverty from the Indian Act, and what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called cultural genocide by policies, and legislation, and government... Its something that has to end." Kinew said First Nations consultants on the research project were able to bring issues to the table like the inadequate, overcrowded housing and lack of clean drinking water in many First Nations communities that contribute to the spread of tuberculosis that have been underrepresented in past research on the topic. "Its really important to look at how it impacts First Nations in particular," Kinew said. "If you dont have that voice at the table, looking at the numbers, then they dont always think of the same things." Lix said the study is the first step in addressing high rates of tuberculosis among marginalized people across the province. "Tuberculosis in Manitoba, as in all other provinces and worldwide, is a disease that can have a substantial impact on people who are in vulnerable situations," Lix said. "It may sound dry... but having good information is important for making decisions about how to act." caitlyn.gowriluk@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Thirty years is a big price. "Its been a very tough journey and a long time for justice for our people," Peguis First Nation member Ray Mason told me on the phone. "I feel tired but proud." Bill Redekop / Winnipeg Free Press Files Ray Mason of Peguis First Nation, an ex-boxer and former residential school student, in front of Peguis Central School in 2011. On Dec. 5, the federal government announced it has reached an agreement-in-principle with former students of Indian day schools. The agreement included funds for legal fees, $200 million for healing, wellness, language, culture, and commemoration, and a to-be-determined amount of compensation for individual attendees. From the 1920s onwards, approximately 200,000 Indigenous students were legally forced to attend more then 700 government-funded day schools legislated by the Indian Act. Any parents who refused were jailed, and their children taken. And, just like residential schools, day-school survivors reported similar experiences of neglect, marginalization and, in some cases, physical, sexual and psychological abuse. This led to generational experiences of trauma, stress, and cultural loss including identity and language. Mason experienced physical and sexual abuse from staff and students. "Abuse was rampant," Mason told the Free Press in 2011. "People threatened you, saying if you told anyone, you'd never see your parents again, you'd never go home, you'd never get out alive." Mason ran away three times, only to be captured and returned. Daily punishments included cleaning the floor with a toothbrush. Mason remembers having his tongue held when he would speak his language. He also remembers the strap. "After a few hits it didnt hurt anymore," he said with a smile. "It was just hot." Mason was like many survivors who attended residential schools in Birtle, Portage La Prairie, and Dauphin but began his schooling at a day school in Peguis First Nation. While receiving compensation for part of his time, and none from Dauphin due to poor records, he has received no recognition nor compensation for his time at a day school in Peguis. Yet, he experienced abuse and violence there too. When the Indian Residential School Settlement was forged in 2005 with the federal government, day-school survivors were omitted. The federal government claimed that these schools were operated differently and not a part of the 139 schools the agreement recognized. For years, thousands of day-school survivors demonstrated and received support from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which said in its final report that First Nations and Metis day-school students must receive recognition and compensation. In 2018, day-school attendees launched a $15 billion class action lawsuit against the federal government, leading to last weeks agreement-in-principle. "Its not everything we wanted," Mason told me, "but its a step in the right direction." Its been one of many steps for Mason. Hes been there since the beginning. In 1988, Mason and a handful of other former residential school students in Winnipeg met to discuss their experiences. Many talked about the abuse they had each experienced while in a system that tried to strip away their parents, language and culture. Most grew up not only with a substandard education but a sense of shame that inhibited their very lives. They called themselves the Manitoba Indian Residential School Survivor Society. Over the years, some entered the justice system. Some self-medicated with alcohol or drugs. Some struggled with suicidal feelings and issues with parenting. Some just kept their Indigenous identity secret or tried to erase it completely. All struggled on with their families and communities. They were survivors. For years, Mason struggled with alcohol and being a good father. It took a long time for him to heal, build a business and a career, and forge a meaningful relationship with his son Kyle, the founder of the North End Family Centre in Winnipeg. But, after years of work alongside fellow residential school survivors, Mason began to work on rallying Indigenous organizations like the Assembly of First Nations to demand residential school survivors be compensated. He drove thousands of miles to hundreds of reserves, went to "probably a thousand" meetings, and was an endless fixture on the Indigenous political scene. In 2000, the Manitoba Indian Residential School Survivor Society was re-named Spirit Wind Inc. and continued to demand day-school survivors be recognized even after the TRC completed its work in 2005. In 2009, Spirit Wind began the process of the class action lawsuit and, on Dec. 5, 30 years of commitment, dedication, and work resulted in a compensation package for an estimated 120,000-140,000 living survivors. Unfortunately, Metis and First Nations students who attended day schools off reserve (such as in Teulon, Cranberry Portage and several hundred others) may not be included as Canada is claiming that they did not have jurisdiction over those schools. The work continues. "Its not complete," Mason added. "Im not giving up the fight for justice." The price for Canadas past violence in education is mind-boggling. By the end of 2018 over 80,000 residential school survivors have received over $5 billion in compensation, with some cases still outstanding. Now, there are currently one-third more day-school survivors still alive, with Canada expected to pay an amount probably around $8 billion in individual compensation. The price for the legacies of residential schools and day schools is even more. Its seen in everyday society, our relationships, and every part of Canadian life. Its a price we all pay to become a society we can be proud of. No price can replace 30 years though. Or a language. Or a legacy. Miigwech Ray and Spirit Wind, as well as everyone else who worked for so long to ensure our day-school relations receive recognition. It shouldnt take so long for justice, but its a step. niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca Niigaan Sinclair is Anishinaabe and is a columnist at the Winnipeg Free Press. When 21 middle-school students in Winnipeg missed classes last Friday, there was no need to provide notes to tell teachers why they skipped. The mainstream media provided a full account. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When 21 middle-school students in Winnipeg missed classes last Friday, there was no need to provide notes to tell teachers why they skipped. The mainstream media provided a full account. Reporters and photographers recorded the actions of the 12- and 13-year-old students as they participated in Climate Strike With Greta, a worldwide phenomenon that has so far involved 20,000 children in 270 towns and cities. Czarek Sokolowski / The Associated Press files Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg. Greta Thunberg, 15, has been skipping school on Fridays since August to sit on the steps of parliament in her home country of Sweden. "Why should we be studying for a future that soon will be no more?" Greta asked on Twitter. Last week, Greta chided world leaders at the United Nations climate change summit: "For 25 years, countless people have come to the UN climate conferences begging our world leaders to stop emissions, and clearly that has not worked as emissions are continuing to rise. So I will not beg the world leaders to care for our future. I will instead let them know change is coming whether they like it or not." If only adults could reassure Greta and her growing group of child activists that their fears are exaggerated. They worry they will inherit a planet that is irreversibly damaged. They aim the blame, point blank, at the current generation of politicians who avoid taking essential action because it would damage their personal and party popularity. Lamentably, the kids are right. The truth on climate change is that Canada is all talk, scant action. This country has repeatedly backtracked from international climate agreements. Canada has missed almost every one of its climate promises set to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Canada is a climate change slacker. Kids get this and are frustrated that adults apparently dont care. As Greta puts it, "Our leaders are acting like children." It was a telling coincidence that on Friday, at the same time children in Winnipeg chanted and waved placards about the urgency of saving the planet, Canadas top politicians were gathered at a first ministers meeting in Montreal. Instead of agreeing to finally take the tough action needed for Canada to meet its climate commitments, the premiers continued their track record of grandstanding to the narrow interests of their regional voters with talk about aluminum and steel tariffs, the low oil prices, illegal border-crossers, the closure of an automobile plant in Oshawa and internal trade barriers. Can anyone explain to the children how these topics are more important than the impending ruination of the planet? Or, perhaps, how seeking to address such issues could be done with our environment in mind? In Florida, eight children inspired by Greta have launched a lawsuit against the governor and senator-elect for their environmental policies. "Our politicians have failed us," said Delaney Reynolds, 18, the lead plaintiff. "Global climate change crisis is the biggest issue that my generation will ever face, and it will be up to todays youth to solve this problem before it is too late." The Winnipeg children who marched on Friday say they will cut classes again next month to continue joining Greta in her protest. When they say some things are more important than school, its hard to disagree with them. In the traditional tale The Emperors New Clothes, self-interest keeps a crowd of adults from acknowledging the obvious and it takes a child to speak the truth. Todays young people are telling us the naked truth when they say politicians are laggards on essential climate change action. Do we hear the children? NEW YORK - Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's one-time fixer, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to conceal his boss' alleged sexual affairs, telling a judge that he agreed time and again to cover up Trump's "dirty deeds" out of "blind loyalty." Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2018, file photo, Michael Cohen walks out of federal court in New York. The moment of reckoning has nearly arrived for Cohen, who finds out Wednesday, Dec. 12, whether his decision to walk away from President Donald Trump after years of unwavering loyalty will spare him from a harsh prison sentence. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File) NEW YORK - Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's one-time fixer, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to conceal his boss' alleged sexual affairs, telling a judge that he agreed time and again to cover up Trump's "dirty deeds" out of "blind loyalty." Separately, the legal and political peril surrounding Trump appeared to deepen when prosecutors announced that another major piece of the investigation had fallen into place: The parent company of the National Enquirer acknowledged dispensing some of the hush money in concert with the Trump campaign to fend off a scandal that could have damaged his bid for the White House. Michael Cohen, right, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, accompanied by his children and wife, arrive at federal court for his sentencing for dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Cohen, 52, shook his head slightly and closed his eyes as a judge pronounced his sentence for evading $1.4 million in taxes, lying about Trump's business dealings in Russia and violating campaign-finance laws in buying the silence of porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy centerfold Karen McDougal, who claimed they had sex with the candidate. Cohen and federal prosecutors have said the payments were made at Trump's direction to influence the election. "Time and time again, I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds rather than to listen to my own inner voice and my moral compass," said a choked-up Cohen, a lawyer who once boasted he would "take a bullet" for Trump. "My weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump, and I was weak for not having the strength to question and to refuse his demands." The twin developments represented a double dose of bad news for the president, who ignored reporters' questions about Cohen during an appearance at the White House later in the day. Cohen is the first and, so far, only member of Trump's circle during two years of investigations to go into open court and implicate him in a crime, though whether a president can be prosecuted under the Constitution is an open question. In a possible sign of further trouble for the president, Cohen said he will continue co-operating with prosecutors, and one of his legal advisers said Cohen is also prepared to tell "all he knows" to Congress if asked. Michael Cohen, right, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, arrives at federal court for his sentencing for dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) At the sentencing, defence attorney Guy Petrillo pleaded for leniency for Cohen, saying, "He came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country." U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said the defendant deserved modest credit, but his assistance "does not wipe the slate clean." "Somewhere along the way Mr. Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass," the judge said. The judge also ordered Cohen to pay $1.39 million in restitution to the IRS, forfeit $500,000 and pay $100,000 in fines. He was ordered to report to prison March 6 and left court without comment. Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, leaves federal court after his sentencing in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. Cohen was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for an array of crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to two women that he says was done at the direction of Trump. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) The prison sentence was in line with what prosecutors asked for. Sentencing guidelines called for around four to five years, and the government asked in court papers that Cohen be given only a slight break. The sentence was the culmination of a spectacular rise and fast fall of a lawyer who attached himself to the fortunes of his biggest client, helped him get elected president, then turned on him, co-operating with two interconnected investigations: one run by federal prosecutors in New York, the other by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russia's efforts to influence the presidential election. Beyond the guilty pleas, it is unclear what Cohen has told prosecutors or what he has left to say, though one of Mueller's prosecutors, Jeannie Rhee, said in court that Cohen has "provided consistent and credible information about core Russia-related issues under investigation." Legal experts said Cohen could get his sentence reduced by co-operating. In the hush-money case, Cohen arranged for American Media Inc., parent of the pro-Trump National Enquirer, to pay $150,000 to McDougal to buy and bury her story, according to prosecutors. Cohen also said he paid $130,000 to Daniels and was reimbursed by Trump's business empire. Both payments were made during the heat of the 2016 campaign. In this courtroom sketch, Michael Cohen addresses the court during his sentencing hearing, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 in New York federal court. President Donald Trump's once-devoted lawyer and all-around fixer, was sentenced to three years in prison for allowing what he said was his "blind loyalty" to Trump to lead him astray. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds," he said. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) Prosecutors said those secret payouts were not reported as campaign contributions and violated the ban on corporate contributions and the $2,700 limit on donations by an individual. Shortly after Cohen's sentencing, federal authorities announced a deal not to prosecute AMI. As part of the deal, prosecutors said, AMI admitted making the payment to McDougal "in concert" with the Trump campaign to protect him from a story that could have hurt his candidacy. An AMI representative had no comment. Trump has denied any sexual relationship with the women and argued on Twitter earlier this week that the payments to the women were "a simple private transaction," not a campaign contribution. And if it was a prohibited contribution, Trump said, Cohen is the one who should be held responsible. "Lawyer's liability if he made a mistake, not me," Trump wrote, adding, "Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced. WITCH HUNT!" In this courtroom sketch, U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III sentences Michael Cohen, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in New York. President Donald Trump's once-devoted lawyer and all-around fixer, was sentenced to three years in prison for allowing what he said was his "blind loyalty" to Trump to lead him astray. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds," he said. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) Trump's legal culpability could hinge on whether the payments to the women were, in fact, made at his direction, and whether he intended them to influence the election. In a case with some parallels, prosecutors in 2011 charged former Sen. John Edwards with funneling nearly $1 million in under-the-table campaign contributions to hide his pregnant lover during his 2008 run for president. Edwards had argued that the payments were a personal matter intended to keep things secret from his wife and had nothing to do with the election. A jury acquitted the Democrat on one charge and deadlocked on other counts. He wasn't retried. In addition to pleading guilty to the campaign-finance and tax charges, Cohen admitted lying to Congress to conceal that he was negotiating a proposal to build a Trump skyscraper in Moscow well into the presidential campaign season. He said he lied out of devotion to Trump, who insisted during the campaign that he had no business ties whatsoever to Russia. Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, who played a major role in exposing the hush-money discussions, said outside the courthouse: "We will not stop until the truth is known relating to the conduct of Donald Trump." But he added: "Let me be clear, Michael Cohen is neither a hero nor a patriot" and "deserves every day of the 36-month sentence he will serve." ___ Associated Press writer Jim Mustian contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to fix "felt" to "thought" in Cohen's quote about covering up "dirty deeds." (TNS) Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai is appearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning to discuss privacy concerns and purported political bias in the companys search results. Lawmakers may also take time to question him about Googles controversial plans to create a customized search engine for China one thats intentionally biased, and censored, to Communist Party specifications.Pichais opening testimony, published Monday, ran through the topics expected of a tech executive in the Capitol Hill hot seat.He opened 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. Then he underlined Googles sweeping ambition to provide users with access to the worlds information making sure to mention that its cofounders hail from the United States.He expanded on the patriotic theme, saying, Even as we expand into new markets we never forget our American roots, and underlined the fact that the company does work with the government, despite its decision in October, following pressure from its employees, to withdraw from the bidding process for a $10-billion Defense Department contract for cloud computing services.Then he got to the refrain: Google cares about privacy and supports federal privacy legislation.The unit of Alphabet Inc. revealed Monday that a data vulnerability left the profile information of 52.5 million users of its Google+ social network exposed to potential theft. In a statement, Google said there is 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.On the question of bias, Pichai cited Googles diverse 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. So jealous, nice work @becrowley10 and @leigh_tami18! We are working on Emergency Calls and Use of Force. And parcels, transfers, and assessment are run at the state level so we have no control over those. https://t.co/trst2MTWn0 https://t.co/aD4750ofod Michael Schnuerle (@LouDataOfficer) December 3, 2018 Cincinnatis prolific data operation, CincyInsights, recently turned two years old.The anniversary created occasion to take stock of all the program has achieved, where its headed, and the lessons leadership has learned along the way.recently spoke with Leigh Tami, the city's chief performance officer and director of data analytics, about the program. In her capacity, Tami is responsible for overseeing CincyInsights, and like a proud but honest parent, she was able to provide an assessment of progress without sugarcoating the hard work it took to get the program where it is. When Tami took over in July 2016, CincyInsights proper was still a few months away from being launched. What the city had was a humble beginning, but a beginning nonetheless. Data sets were being released to the public and infrastructure was taking shape. Tami points now to the creation of live public dashboards and a subsequent overhaul to make them more user-friendly as one of the keys.The dashboards communicated the point, but they werent necessarily created with graphic design in mind, Tami said. It was our first draft. We put something out there, and they were automatically updating, and we were able to move it forward.That solid foundation, one that took into account the end user and what they experienced, has been vital to the programs growth. It set the tone of a lot of the work moving forward, inspiring Cincinnatis data operation to continue to change with the times.We really didnt want to end up like AOL, not changing our interface ever or doing a redesign, Tami said. Weve tried to incorporate feedback. You have to keep improving it, because technology changes and you learn people didnt want to know something. You have to not take any of that personally and just keep improving.Cincinnati now has 130 unique automated data sets that refresh themselves in real time, spread across 76 topics. CincyInsights is also creating visualizations for its data at a pretty impressive rate, mapping everything from heroin overdose responses to metered parking rates Through this work, CincyInsights and the city have come to be recognized as a municipal leader in the space. During a recent conversation about deciding to add a CIO to city management structure, Bend, Ore., City Manager Eric King also recently pointed to Cincinnati as an example of a local government his operation looks to as a benchmark for success. The city recently challenged itself to publish all the data sets listed on the Sunlight Foundations Open Data Census, causing nearby public data officials in Louisville, Ky., to tweet with envy Administered by the government transparency advocacy group, those data sets are a collection of sets theyve determined are important to be open, said Greg Jordan-Detamore, the Open Cities product lead with the Sunlight Foundation.If youre publishing all these, thats a good thing, Jordan-Detamore said. Youre publishing a number of data sets that have high public value.A strong and consistent commitment to open data, Tami said, has also helped her department foster cultural change within city government, getting Cincinnati to the point where conversations are no longer about whether data is reliable, but instead focused on how officials can use data to make better decisions.Moving forward, Tami sees more visualizations as well as more redesigns to make the work friendlier for the average citizen. These sorts of human-centered design goals have taken hold in local governments across the country, and Cincinnati is not likely backing off anytime soon."You shouldnt have to have a technical background to know whats happening where you live or where you work, Tami said, or to see what crime looks like in your neighborhood. (TNS) When members of Congress search their phones, they dont much like what they see.That was clear when Google chief executive Sundar Pichai took the hot seat Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee to defend his tech giants search engine. Several legislators conducted searches on their cellphones and griped to him on the spot about the results.Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, told Pichai that he had to scroll deep into search results to find any positive articles about President Donald Trumps signature tax cuts last year.I know Googles attitude. The algorithm made us do it, but I dont know that I buy that. How do you explain this apparent bias on Googles part against conservative points of view, against conservative policies? Chabot said.Do you see how conservatives believe that your company is kind of putting their thumb on the scale, so to speak, that youre, in effect, picking winners and losers in political discourse out there in America today, and therefore actually affecting elections? Chabot asked.Blame the algorithms, Pichai responded. Its not bias of company employees.I understand the frustration at seeing negative news, and I see it on me on Google, Pichai told the packed hearing. Our algorithms have no notion of political sentiment in them.Just as Republicans queried the Google chief about allegations of bias, Democratic legislators either dismissed the charges or offered their own complaints of a slant in Google search results.Rep. Jerrold Nadler, ranking Democrat on the committee, called the charges a completely illegitimate issue, which is the fantasy, dreamed up by some conservatives, that Google and other online platforms have an anti-conservative bias.He said no credible evidence supports this right-wing theory and that holding a new hearing on fictitious allegations divert focus from substantive issues that the committee should discuss related to the tech sector.Yet one Democratic lawmaker lobbed his own allegation of bias against Google. Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee grumbled about the search engine results offered up for him.I put my name in here, Rep. Steve Cohen. I punch news. This weekend I was on MSNBC four times, and yet the first thing that comes up is The Daily Caller, not exactly a liberal but I guess well-known group, then Roll Call, then Breitbart News, then The Memphis Business Journal, then Breitbart News, then Breitbart, he said.So it looks like you are overly using conservative news organizations on your news, Cohen said.Pichais long-awaited appearance marked his first time before a congressional hearing. The Mountain View, Calif., company did not send a representative to a hearing in September, leading to complaints of arrogance on the companys part.The company handles 3.5 billion internet searches per day and has inserted itself into the fabric of modern life. Its parent, Alphabet Inc., only trails Apple and Amazon as having the largest market capitalization among U.S. companies.Charges of bias against Googles search engine gained momentum in August when President Trump lashed out at the tech giant in a pair of tweets.Google search results for Trump News shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake News Media, he tweeted. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD.Some Republican legislators argued that Google is not doing enough to reduce bias from its algorithms.This doesnt happen by accident but is baked into the algorithms. Those who write the algorithms get the results they must want and apparently management allows it, said Rep. Lamar Smith, a Republican from Texas.He decried the companys dominance, saying it could sway the nations political future.Google could well elect the next president with dire implications for our democracy. This should be a real concern to all but the most politically partisan, Smith said.Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat whose California district is home to many of Googles 85,000 employees, picked up an electronic device.Right now, if you Google the word idiot under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that. How would that happen? Lofgren asked.It served as an invitation for Pichai to delve into the technical realm and he complied.The engineer said Googles search mechanism sorts through billions of webpages and ranks them based on over 200 signals, things like relevance, freshness, popularity, how other people using it.So its not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we are going to show the user? Lofgren asked.We dont, you know, manually intervene on any particular search result, Pichai said moments later.The hearing was interrupted when a protester outside the chamber opened a door and displayed a red sign with the word Google spelled out in a fashion that resembled the national flag of China, a protest of reports that Google has been working on a search engine that can be censored, making it palatable to Chinas leaders. Google departed China in 2010.Right now, there are no plans to launch in China, Pichai said, indicating that the program has ended. We currently dont plan on having a search product there. 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. 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The Systems segment provides clients with innovative infrastructure platforms to help meet the requirements of hybrid cloud and enterprise AI workload. The Global Financing segment provides client financing, commercial financing, and participates in the remanufacturing and remarketing of used equipment. The company was founded by Charles Ranlett Flint and Thomas J. Watson Sr. on June 16, 1911 and is headquartered in Armonk, NY. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. 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Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. The following companies are subsidiares of EnerSys: ABSL Power Solutions Inc., ABSL Power Solutions Ltd., Acumuladores Industriales EnerSys SA, Alpha Alternative Energy Inc., Alpha Broadband Services Inc., Alpha Innovations Industria e Comercio de Produtos Eletronicos Ltda., Alpha Innovations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Alpha Mexico Network Power S.A. de C.V., Alpha Tech Energy Solutions India Private Limited, Alpha Technical Services Ltd., Alpha Technologies Ltd., Alpha Technologies Pty. Ltd., Alpha Technologies Services Inc., Alphatec Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Argus Research Ltd., Batterias Hawker de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Battery Power International Pte Ltd., Coppervale Enterprises Inc., DCPM Engineering Sdn Bhd, EH Batterien AG, EH Europe GmbH, EH Global Holdings GmbH, EH Swiss Holdings GmbH, ENAS Industrial Batteries Morocco Sarl, EnerSys (Chaozhou) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (China) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Chongqing) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Jiangsu) Huada Batteries Company Limited (94.7%) *, EnerSys (Luxembourg) Finance Sarl, EnerSys (Yangzhou) Huada Batteries Co. Ltd., EnerSys A/S, EnerSys AB, EnerSys AD, EnerSys AE, EnerSys AS, EnerSys Advanced Systems Inc., EnerSys Argentina S.A., EnerSys Asia Limited, EnerSys Australia Pty Ltd., EnerSys BV, EnerSys BVBA, EnerSys Battery Private Limited, EnerSys Brasil Ltda., EnerSys Bulgaria EOOD, EnerSys Canada Inc., EnerSys Capital Inc., EnerSys Cayman Euro L.P., EnerSys Cayman Holdings L.P., EnerSys Cayman Inc., EnerSys Delaware Inc., EnerSys Delaware LLC I, EnerSys Delaware LLC II, EnerSys Delaware LLC III, EnerSys Delaware LLC IV, EnerSys Delaware LLC V, EnerSys Energy Products Inc., EnerSys Europe Oy, EnerSys European Holding Co., EnerSys GmbH, EnerSys Holdings (Luxembourg) Sarl, EnerSys Holdings UK Ltd., EnerSys Hungaria Kft., EnerSys India Batteries Private Ltd., EnerSys JSC, EnerSys LLC, EnerSys Ltd., EnerSys Malaysia Sdn Bhd, EnerSys Mexico Holdings LLC, EnerSys Mexico Management LLC, EnerSys Participacoes Ltda., EnerSys Reserve Power Pte. Ltd., EnerSys S.r.l., EnerSys SARL, EnerSys SNC, EnerSys South East Asia Pte. Ltd., EnerSys de Mexico II S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys de Mexico S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys s.r.o., EnerSys sp. z o.o., EnerSystem Chile Ltda., Enersys Aku Sanaya Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Esfinco LLC, Hawker GmbH, Hawker Power Systems Inc., Hawker Powersource Inc., Hawker Systems GmbH & Co. KG., ICS Industries Pty Ltd, ICS Industries Pty Ltd., ICS Sheet Metal Pty Ltd., Industrial Battery Holding Ltda., International Communication Shelters Australasia Pty Ltd., Lancord Pty Ltd., Lenmic Pty Ltd., MIB Energy Sdn Bhd, N Holding AB, National Infrastructure Pty Ltd., National Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd., NaviSemi Energy Pte Ltd., NaviSemi Inc., New Pacifico Realty Inc., NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery DMCC, Outback Power Technologies Inc., Powercom (NSW) Pty Ltd., Powersonic S de R.L. de CV, Purcell Systems, Purcell Systems Inc., Purcell Systems International AB, Quallion LLC, Riverfront Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Shenzhen Huada Power Supply Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd. , SiteTel Shanghai Co Ltd., SiteTel Sweden AB, Telecomponents & Supply (Hong Kong) Ltd., The Enser Corporation, UTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (JB) Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (PG) Sdn Bhd, YCI Inc., and Yecoltd S. de R.L. de CV. (TNS) - West Virginia left nearly $13 million in federal funds on the table that could have been used to hire staff to better respond to major flooding.Shana Clendenin, the mayor of Clendenin, told state lawmakers Tuesday that she asked officials and legislators about the grant program, in person, in November 2017, to no avail.On Sunday, more than one year after the meeting, the Legislative Auditors Office published a report stating, among other failures at the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, it did not apply for more than $12.7 million in available FEMA funds earmarked for disaster management costs including grantees salaries, benefits, and supplies.It was my position that the state had the resources available to hire experts to ensure the financial welfare of West Virginia and its sub-recipients, Clendenin said Tuesday. The direct response was less than adequate and they seemed puzzled by our questions.She provided lawmakers with a letter she sent to Justice stating that on Nov. 13, 2017, she met with Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Jeff Sandy, then-speaker of the House Tim Armstead, then-DHSEM director Jimmy Gianato, and staff of both Gov. Jim Justice and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.According to the letter, all parties discussed the available FEMA funds (referred to within DHSEM as Category Z funds) specifically.The state has only applied for $1.1 million in Category Z funding, of $13.8 million available, according to the audit. The letter is not dated, though Clendenin said she sent it in June.I think [Mayor Clendenin] has been on target for a while, unfortunately I dont think weve been listening to her very well, said Sen. Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier, whose district oversees jurisdictions with mayors who he says have expressed similar frustrations with him.Clendenins testimony came amid a trickle of revelations that FEMA penalized West Virginia for non-compliance by placing it under a manual reimbursement protocol a punitive procedure the state shares only with Puerto Rico. Likewise, the audit found Gianato failed to inform the cabinet secretary of the sanction. Gianato has cited inadequate staffing as the root cause of poor sub-recipient monitoring that triggered the action.Delegate Dean Jeffries, R-Kanawha, asked Gianato about the Category Z funds in a Nov. 27, 2018 committee hearing, prior to the release of the state audit.There, Gianato, who directed DHSEM for 13 years, initially said he was somewhat aware of the available funds after they were described to him. He said it was his understanding the state would have about $8 million or $9 million available, although he went on to say it could potentially have been as much as $11 million available.In an interview Tuesday, Jeffries said that Gianato who is no longer the DHSEM director but is still on the state payroll as the governors homeland security adviser not applying for the money was bewildering and he should have known about it.If youre the director of [DHSEM], and he was kept on as an adviser, I would think he would have that knowledge of that grant money, he said. I didnt exactly get the answer I wanted to hear.A DMAPS spokesman declined to comment on Clendenins letter Tuesday.The West Virginia National Guard has since taken on an oversight role of DHSEM. When asked whether Gianato would continue in his advisory capacity, Maj. Gen. James Hoyer said in the next 30 to 60 days there would be a transition of staffing.When asked about other findings in the audit, including news that Gianato did not pass on word to the cabinet secretary that FEMA penalized West Virginia for regular and ongoing noncompliance, he said hes focused on fixing things going forward, not getting bogged down in the past.Clearly there were issues within the department, and the governor has tasked me and the National Guard to address those and were moving forward with those, and with those will come some changes in personnel and leadership, he said.Through a spokesman, Sandy said he anticipates an announcement on staffing changes within the next 90 days.In an interview Sunday, current House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, said his understanding was that Gianato would lose his position almost immediately.Reach Jake Zuckerman atjake.zuckerman@wvgazettemail.com,304-348-4814 or follow@jake_zuckerman on Twitter.2018 The Charleston Gazette (Charleston, W.Va.)Visit The Charleston Gazette (Charleston, W.Va.) at www.wvgazette.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Associated British Foods plc operates as a diversified food, ingredients, and retail company worldwide. It operates through five segments: Grocery, Sugar, Agriculture, Ingredients, and Retail. The Grocery segment manufactures and sells grocery products, including hot beverages, sugar and sweeteners, vegetable oils, balsamic vinegars, bread and baked goods, cereals, ethnic foods, and meat products to retail, wholesale, and foodservice businesses. The Sugar segment is involved in growing, processing, and sale of sugar beet and sugar cane to industrial users. The Agriculture segment manufactures and sells animal feeds; and provides other products and services for the agriculture sector. The Ingredients segment manufactures bakers' yeast, bakery ingredients, enzymes, lipids, yeast extracts, and cereal specialties. The Retail segment is involved in buying and merchandising clothing and accessories through the Primark and Penneys retail chains, which offer womenswear, menswear, children's wear, footwear, accessories, homeware, and skincare products. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Associated British Foods plc is a subsidiary of Wittington Investments Limited. 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.. BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc is a United Kingdom-based investment trust company. The Company's principal activity is portfolio investment. The Company's prime objective is to achieve long term capital growth for shareholders through investment mainly in smaller the United Kingdom quoted companies, which are listed on the London Stock Exchange or on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). The Company has investments in various sectors, including oil and gas, basic materials, industrials, consumer goods, healthcare, consumer services, telecommunications, financials and technology. BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited is the investment manager and BlackRock Fund Managers Limited is the alternative investment fund manager of the Company. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Innovation Singapore Holdings Pte, ?What If! Limited, ?What If! 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Ltd., DMA Solutions Limited, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (Australia) PTY LTD, DayNine Consulting (Deutschland) GmbH, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting France SAS, DayNine Consulting Japan K.K., DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings, Declarative Holdings LLC, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digiplug SAS, Digital Consulting & Software Services LLC, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Ltd., Duck Creek Technologies, Duck Creek Technologies LLC, Deja Vu Security LLC, ESR Labs, Elcurator SAS, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting L.P., End-to-End Analytics, Energuia Web, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Ltd., Energy Quote Private Ltd., EnergyQuote JHA, EnergyQuote JHA Ltd., EnergyQuote Trading Ltd., Enimbos, Enkitec, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V. , Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enterprise System Partners PR LLC, Enterprise System Partners S.A.S., Entropia, Epylon, Ethica Consulting Group, Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Exton Consulting, Fairway Technologies Inc, Fairway Technologies LLC, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, First Annapolis International, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Focus Group Europe Limited, Formicary, Formicary Holdings Limited, Formicary Limited, FusionX, FutureMove Automotive, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, Genfour Limited, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gestion Altima Canada Inc., Gevity, Global Public Firm S.L., GlobalView SAS, GoodFilm GmbH Filmproduktion Stuttgart, H.B. 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Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Advertisement (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inventor Technology Limited, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, Javelin Group (Bulgaria) EOOD, Javelin Group Limited (UK), Javelin Group SASU, K Comms Group Limited, KCS.net AG, KCS.net AG West, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, KCS.net Holding AG, KCS.net Osterreich GmbH, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Ltd, Kogentix Singapore Pte. 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Ltd., Mackevision UK Ltd, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd., Maihiro, Matter, Matter Llc, Maud Corp Pty Limited, Maxamine International, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing Corporation, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mindtribe Product Engineering LLC, MobGen, MobGen Technology S.L, Moonrise NV, Mortgage Cadence, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, N3 LLC, NBS Marketing Inc., NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile, Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Chile SpA, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda., New Energy Aborda, New Energy Associates Ltd, New Energy Group, New Energy S.r.l., NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage China Ltd., NewsPage Pte Ltd, Nice Agency Limited, Northstream, Northstream AB, Northstream Holding AB, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology LTDA, Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Octo Technology SPRL, Octoman SAS, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Openmind, Openminded, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium Consulting Ltd, Orbium GmbH, Orbium Holding AG, Orbium Inc., Orbium International AG, Orbium International sp. z o.o., Orbium Licences AG, Orbium Limited, Orbium Pte. 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Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH. Ride-hailing services are driving up traffic congestion in major cities, right? If you want to point a finger at a specific reason for today's traffic problems, it won't be easy, according to a new report.StreetLight Data, a transportation analysis firm, examined congestion in Miami with the goal of gaining a better understanding of how gig-driving, the casual name for newer ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft, but also delivery services like Instacart or AmazonFresh could be contributing to traffic congestion.That type of driving has started to cause a lot of political anxiety, and a lot of conversation, said Laura Schewel, StreetLight Data's CEO. And theres a lot of chatter about, well, is this making traffic better, or is it making traffic worse? There [are] strong feelings on either side.It's hard to blame gig-driving as the culprit behind today's congestion woes, according to Schewel. We think that the implications of gig-driving are far too complex to sum up in, oh, its bad for traffic. Or, its bad for business, and that sort of thing, she added. The answer is, with something this big, and something this diverse, the answer is, it depends.StreetLight Data hypothesizes that there is an interaction between gig-driving and congestion. However, how that interaction plays out depends on the context and makeup of the urban environment. The company examined a number of contexts and variables in Miami, looking at existing land use, location, time of day, urban density, transit options and other factors that could influence how people move through cities.Our goal was to show, when you analyze gig-driving at a very granular level, you find out that it has a very variable relationship to congestion, and that by looking at data in such a granular way, you can arm policymakers with data so that they can make effective decisions, said Schewel, so that they dont come down and try to undo a massive mega trend and say, 'OK, this has positive and negative impacts we know.' [It's important to know] what kinds of intervention could mitigate some of the negative impacts on congestion, in an intelligent way, and not just try to blow up this whole important new thing that brings a lot of benefits to a lot of people.StreetLight collects location information from mobile devices and uses that data to gain insights into how drivers move through cities and regions, as well as testing whether certain traffic and transportation policies are performing the way officials want them to. In the Miami study, company officials worked with industry partners Cuebiq and Kochava Collective to follow location and travel data for anonymous users who had ride-hailing and other similar apps on their phones. By looking at driving patterns and vehicle miles traveled, the analysis was able to parse out gig drivers from ordinary motorists. The Miami metro was selected as a study region, in part, because of the variety in urban density, robust nightlife, as well as being home to major airports.I should say that we found so much variation in gig impacts that its important to say these results only hold true for Miami, said Schewel. A different city, like Oakland or Sacramento, might have a totally different set of relationships.In some of the densest parts of Miami, gig-driving did not seem to add to congestion, the study found. One theory is that these areas by their design with dense urban settings and limited parking seemed to discourage personal auto use, prompting visitors to use a ride-hailing service.But, if you look at the medium-density areas, where theres just some grocery stores and bars and restaurants, then, the more gig-driving, the greater the congestion, said Schewel.This pattern seems to fly in the face of a similar recent study in San Francisco that explored the role of ride-hailing and congestion. Those findings pointed to significant congestion and traffic slow-down in the citys dense business and financial districts.Theres a very complex relationship between economic activity, congestion and gig, and our core hypothesis is, you cant make blanket statements about gig, said Schewel. You need to be really granular to measure it effectively.However, if cities truly want to address congestion both in downtown districts and on the vast networks of highways funneling into and out of these regions they need to find approaches that reduce the load of personal cars, said Jonathan Hopkins, executive director of Commute Seattle, which advocates for the use of transit and other sustainable forms of mobility like biking and walking.A person traveling in a car occupies 100 square feet, said Hopkins, while someone on a bus occupies only five square feet.And so all of a sudden when you expand the envelope that someone is in, its going to cause congestion, said Hopkins.The role for cities and transit agencies, said Hopkins, is taking steps to incentivize congestion-mitigating transportation options, while discouraging the forms of mobility that contribute the most to traffic, offering options like congestion pricing, which places a premium on traveling through certain districts during certain times.The challenge for the TNCs [transportation network companies], is that places where they are liable to make the most money the most efficiently, is downtown in cities, said Hopkins. But they are the least efficient mode in that location And theyre also not good for the environment. And so, we should discourage that. But if its to use Uber and Lyft to get to a park-and-ride so they can ride the bus, then thats a net gain. And that allows more people to increase the efficiency of the system, he added.Traditionally, cities have sought to reduce congestion by investing in public transit. However, the Miami-Dade Transit Agency has experienced steep declines in ridership in recent years. From 2014 to 2018 ridership has dropped 26 percent, according to a Miami-Dade County statistic.Officials at StreetLight Data steered clear of laying out absolute approaches to solving congestion, and continued to stress the need for data as city and transportation officials move forward with congestion mitigation plans.Were trying to get the planning community interested and knowledgeable, remarked Schewel.The relationship between this, congestion, social equity, climate change, VMT [vehicle miles traveled], is extremely complex, Schewel added. And the policies to manage it are going to have to be guided by granular data. There is not enough analysis data for Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO). 3.6 Community Rank Outperform Votes Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) has received 352 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) has received 298 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) has received 54.15% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BNP will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BNP 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 Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE). Bunge Ltd. operates as a holding company, which engages in the supply and transportation of agricultural commodities. It operates through the following segments: Agribusiness, Edible Oil Products, Milling Products, Sugar and Bioenergy, and Fertilizer. The Agribusiness segment involves in the purchase, storage, transportation, processing, and sale of agricultural commodities and commodity products. The Edible Oil Products segment includes production and sale of vegetable oils, shortenings, margarines, and mayonnaise. The Milling Products segment consists of production and sale of wheat flours, bakery mixes, corn-based products, and rice. The Sugar and Bioenergy segment comprises manufacture and marketing of sugar and ethanol derived from sugarcane, as well as energy derived from the sugar and ethanol production process. The Fertilizer segment focuses on producing, blending, and distributing fertilizer products for the agricultural industry. The company was founded by Johann Peter Gottlieb Bunge in 1818 and is headquartered in Chesterfield, MO. Read More Canadian Western Bank has only been the subject of 2 research reports in the past 90 days. According to analysts' consensus price target of $41.67, Canadian Western Bank has a forecasted upside of 34.7% from its current price of $30.94. Canadian Western Bank has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.70, and is based on 7 buy ratings, 3 hold ratings, and no sell ratings. 4.4 Community Rank Outperform Votes Canadian Western Bank has received 112 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Canadian Western Bank has received 57 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Canadian Western Bank has received 66.27% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Canadian Western Bank and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CBWBF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CBWBF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Vanguard Real Estate ETF's stock was trading at $81.34 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, VNQ shares have increased by 33.7% and is now trading at $108.78. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited. (TNS) Kansas' Reno County Commission on Tuesday approved spending up to $25,000 to upgrade the county's system used for live-streaming and recording commission meetings.The approval comes after two attempts to live-stream meetings during separate hearings on proposed regulation of a wind farm in the eastern part of the county. The majority of an overflow audience was unable to hear a significant portion of one meeting and the other meeting was extended for more than an hour trying to get the system to work.After last week's commission meeting, during which the board took public comment on whether to impose a moratorium on wind development in the county, Information Technology Director Mike Matthews attempted to make changes to the existing meeting broadcast system by going back to a previous service provider.That, however, resulted in an inability this week to record the commission meetings at all.Matthews plans to purchase a new system similar to what the Hutchinson City Commission uses to stream and record its meetings.The county previously had a system provided by a company called Granicus. When it last upgraded, however, the county switched to one developed by Civic Ready, Matthews said."As you may know we've had numerous problems with that system," he said. "It finally got to the point I thought 'this is not going to work,' and switched back to Granicus."That company, meanwhile, upgraded its equipment from analog to all digital, so it's not compatible with the county's existing equipment.Matthews said he went to the city's IT department to learn about its system. The county's will be similar to what the city uses, with high definition video, though on a much smaller scale than the city's system."There are several advantages to the Tricaster system," Matthews said. "It will work with our current encoding equipment. It also improves the ability to produce a meeting. You can split screens or do picture-in-picture. I believe it will be able, if you're having a presentation, to show that presentation. It can stream three different sources at any one time."The commission would also be able to stream on YouTube or Facebook.The Human Resources Department could use the system to record training on benefits enrollment, for example, and new employees who come on later could watch the video for their training.Besides upgrading the recording system in the commission chambers to a system from DAV Studios in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Matthews wants to add two television screens in the Veteran's Room in the courthouse basement, which has more seating capacity than the commission chambers. That will also require adding Chromecast devices to the TVs, buying TV stands and cabling.Matthews advised the commission Tuesday that he realized in the middle of the night Monday he also needs to upgrade the audio system connections, which he estimated at $600, on top of his initial $23,016 estimate."It's expensive, but if you want to do it, you have to make an investment somehow," he said.Commissioner Dan Deming asked if, with the new equipment, the commission would be able to stream its meeting to a screen in the courthouse lobby, as it attempted last week.It would, Matthews said, as well as be able to livestream via the Internet if there were problems with the software."You can patch and patch and patch, but maybe we need to do new," said Commission Chairman Ron Hirst. "I don't like spending money, but we need to do this. We need to take enough time to where we're satisfied and have a company rep be able to be here."Hirst asked that Matthews, however, to get prices on the television sets from vendors, rather than going to Wal-Mart, as listed in his proposal."What we have now is not acceptable," Commissioner Bob Bush said. "In this day and age of open meetings, we want the public to know what we're talking about. The ability to get on Facebook is huge."Bush warned, however, that the city's system had a lot of bugs that needed to be worked out when it was first new."There were problems the first four or five or six meetings till we were up and running," he said. "I support the proposal, but it won't be done without growing pains."Deming asked if the system could be in place for next week's commission meeting, but Bush said he didn't want to rush to get a new system in place and suggested the county not go live again "until its ready and going to work." 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 The following companies are subsidiares of Carnival Co. &: 1972 Productions Inc., 6348 Equipment LLC, A.C.N. 098 290 834 Pty. Ltd., A.J. Juneau Dock LLC, AIDA Kundencenter GmbH, Adventure Island Ltd., Air-Sea Holiday GmbH, Alaska Hotel Properties LLC, Barcelona Cruise Terminal SLU, Bay Island Cruise Port S.A., Belize Cruise Terminal Limited, CC U.S. Ventures Inc., CCL Gifts LLC, CSSC Carnival Italy Cruise Investment S.r.L, Carnival (UK) Limited, Carnival Bahamas FC Limited, Carnival Bahamas Holdings Limited, Carnival Corporation & plc Asia Pte. Ltd., Carnival Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Carnival Corporation Korea Ltd., Carnival Corporation Ports Group Japan KK, Carnival Finance LLC, Carnival Grand Bahama Investment Limited, Carnival Investments Limited, Carnival Japan Inc., Carnival License Holdings Limited, Carnival Maritime GmbH, Carnival North America LLC, Carnival Port Holdings Limited, Carnival Ports Inc., Carnival Support Services India Private Limited, Carnival Technical Services (UK) Limited, Carnival Technical Services Finland Limited, Carnival Technical Services GmbH, Carnival Technical Services Inc., Carnival Vanuatu Limited, Costa Crociere PTE Ltd., Costa Crociere S.p.A., Costa Cruceros S.A., Costa Cruise Lines Inc., Costa Cruise Lines UK Limited, Costa Cruises Shipping Services (Shanghai) Company Limited, Costa Cruises Travel Agency (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Costa Cruzeiros Agencia Maritima e Turismo Ltda., Costa Group Digital & Strategic Services GmbH, Costa International B.V., Costa Kreuzfahrten GmbH, Cozumel Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Creative Travel Lab Ltd., Cruise Ships Catering & Services International N.V., Cruise Terminal Services S.A. de C.V., Cruiseport Curacao C.V., D.R. Cruise Port Ltd., Ecospray Technologies S.r.L., F.P.M. SAS, F.P.P. SAS, Fleet Maritime Services (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services Holdings (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services International Limited, GXI LLC, Gibs Inc., Global Experience Innovators Inc., Global Fine Arts Inc., Global Shipping Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Grand Cruise Shipping Unipessoal LdA, Grand Turk Cruise Center Ltd., HAL Antillen N.V., HAL Beheer B.V., HAL Cruises Limited, HAL Maritime Ltd., HAL Nederland N.V., HAL Properties Limited, HAL Services B.V., HSE Hamburg School of Entertainment GmbH, Holding Division Iberocruceros SLU, Holland America Line Inc., Holland America Line N.V., Holland America Line Paymaster of Washington LLC, Holland America Line U.S.A. Inc., Ibero Cruzeiros Ltda., Iberocruceros SLU, Information Assistance Corporation, International Cruise Services S.A. de C.V., International Leisure Travel Inc., International Maritime Recruitment Agency S.A. de C.V., Milestone N.V., Navitrans S.R.L., Ocean Bahamas Innovation Ltd., Ocean Medallion Fulfillment Ltd., Operadora Catalina S.r.L., P&O Princess American Holdings, P&O Princess Cruises International Limited, P&O Princess Cruises Pension Trustee Limited, P&O Properties (California) Inc., P&O Travel Limited, Prestige Cruises Management S.A.M., Prestige Cruises N.V., Princess Bermuda Holdings Ltd., Princess Cays Ltd., Princess Cruise Corporation Inc., Princess Cruise Lines Ltd., Princess Cruises and Tours Inc., Princess U.S. Holdings Inc., RCT Maintenance & Related Services S.A., RCT Pilots & Related Services S.A., RCT Security & Related Services S.A., Roatan Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Royal Hyway Tours Inc., Santa Cruz Terminal S.L., SeaVacations Limited, SeaVacations UK Limited, Seabourn Cruise Line Limited, Shanghai Coast Cruise Consulting Co. Lda, Ship Care (Bahamas) Limited, Sitmar Cruises Inc., Spanish Cruise Services N.V., Sunshine Shipping Corporation Ltd., T&T International Inc., Tour Alaska LLC, Transnational Services Corporation, Trident Insurance Company Ltd., Westmark Hotels Inc., Westmark Hotels of Canada Ltd., Westours Motor Coaches LLC, Wind Surf Limited, and World Leading Cruise Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.. (TNS) The Mitchell, S.D., Planning Commission discussed Monday what the future for cellular coverage in the city will look like, expecting the growth of small cell and 5G technology in the future.Just how many small boxes, new towers and antennas will need to be built or added is not yet clear, but the city's leaders would like to get their rules on the books before 5G technology really takes off, which could be as soon as next year."It's going to be a lot smaller antennas and a lot more of them more closely compacted," said Mitchell City Attorney Justin Johnson. "Probably one every couple of blocks to provide the density they'll need for this type of coverage."Johnson has been involved with the drafting of a model ordinance with the South Dakota Municipal Attorneys' Association, which is an affiliate of the South Dakota Municipal League. During the Planning Commission's regular meeting Monday, Johnson presented a 17-page draft ordinance that would regulate permits for small cell wireless communication facilities, or SCFs, as they're known.Generally, small cell technology uses smaller towers, small equipment and a shorter support pole than traditional, or macrocell towers. For example, SDN Communications, which has been assisting Verizon in the rollout of small cell technology in South Dakota, uses 32-foot poles. Using fiber cables to transmit the data, the new technology is geared toward improving data coverage in areas where there's large crowds, like the Corn Palace, or a geographic gap in services. But small cells enhance data within a very small area, between 1,000 and 2,000 feet compared to the miles and miles of a traditional cell phone tower. With 5G, phone calls will still generally transmitted via a macrocell tower.In Kansas City, Missouri an example used during the meeting about 75,000 small cell towers would be needed to cover the entire city limits. Terry Johnson, the deputy public works director for Mitchell, estimated a similar translation for Mitchell would be about 700 towers. But city officials generally agreed Monday that Mitchell wouldn't require blanket coverage at the start, or that many towers."I don't know how many of these we're going to see in Mitchell," said Justin Johnson.In September, the Federal Communications Commission passed an order that would make it easier for telecom companies to deploy the new technology by superseding state and local-level regulations by standardizing the fee structure cities can charge for reviewing projects and limiting the review period to 60 days for putting small cells on existing poles and 90 days on new structures. The FCC has said the rules are necessary to streamline the rules and the buildout for 5G services, but government bodies have challenged the order in court, arguing that their abilities to charge for access to public utility poles is restricted. Cities can charge up to $500 for an initial application fee for five small cells and then a $270 annual fee per cell for accessing the right of way."It put a lot of restrictions and road blocks into what a city can and cannot regulate," city attorney Johnson said.An agreement would likely have to be worked out to use power poles in Mitchell, Terry Johnson said, because the city of Mitchell doesn't own all of the power poles in the city. A majority are owned by NorthWestern Energy, he said.The rollout of 5G is about to take off in 2019 nationally. Phonemaker Samsung expects to have 5G phones next year, while Apple will likely wait until 2020 to sell a iPhone with 5G capabilities, The Washington Post reported earlier this month. SDN has already helped cities like Sioux Falls, Yankton, Brookings, Aberdeen and Sturgis prepare deploy some level of small cell technologies. With Mitchell having a small hub of telecommunications businesses, it's possible the city would be among the leaders in the state rollout.The commission discussed a proposed ordinance to regulate small cell facilities. The units would have to meet the following rules: that each antenna is located inside an enclosure of no more than three cubic feet of volume and that the provider's equipment should not be larger than 28 cubic feet in volume. The facility would have to be mounted on a utility pole or structure no taller than 50 feet in height or be no more than 10 percent taller than other adjacent structures or substantially similar design. Applicants are also directed to follow a stealth design, to camouflage or conceal the small cell and to have it blend into the surroundings.Generally, the applications would be treated like a building permit, but if an applicant couldn't meet location or design requirements of the ordinance, they could ask for a special review process. In Mitchell, under the proposal, the Planning Commission would hear that review.In a presentation by the city attorney Johnson, some southern cities had the technology attached some existing wires on telecom poles. Commission Chairman Jay Larson said he was particularly concerned about the amount of weight the new technology could add to poles or wires and possible issues if an ice storm hits those wires."If they've already got a bunch of junk on them, and you hang a bunch more junk on them, that concerns me," Larson said. "Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I'm still concerned about it."Justin Johnson added the FCC order is scheduled to take effect in January, so he would like to see the city of Mitchell enact an ordinance soon to have something on the books. Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income Fund is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC. It is co-managed by Guggenheim Funds Investment Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. The fund employs quantitative analysis with a long/short strategy and global asset allocation strategy to create its portfolio. It seeks to benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 Index and the CBOE S&P 500 Buy-Write Index. The fund was formerly known as Old Mutual/Claymore Long-Short Fund. Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Income Fund was formed on August 25, 2005 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Christopher & Banks Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of private-brand women's apparel and accessories in the United States. The company designs and sells women's apparel and accessories to customers ranging in age from 40 and older. Its stores offer women's apparel consisting of casual clothing, everyday basics, wear-to-work, leisure/active wear, and sleepwear in missy, petite, and women sizes, as well as jewelry and accessories. As of December 4, 2018, the company operated 461 stores, including 314 MPW stores, 80 Outlet stores, 35 Christopher & Banks stores, and 32 stores in its women's plus size clothing division CJ Banks in 45 states. It also operates christopherandbanks.com, an e-commerce Website for its Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks brands. The company was formerly known as Braun's Fashions Corporation and changed its name to Christopher & Banks Corporation in July 2000. Christopher & Banks Corporation was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota. Read More (TNS) The Blue Earth County Board already has a New Year's Resolution: kickstart efforts to bring more broadband options and data fiber connections to the area.Commissioner Vance Stuehrenberg called on county officials Tuesday to lay the groundwork for a future public-private data fiber partnership as recent data show Blue Earth County is lagging in internet connectivity.Stuehrenberg said during a board meeting Tuesday he was concerned only about 14 percent of the county was equipped to handle at least 100 mpbs download speeds and 20 mbps upload speeds. While almost all of Blue Earth County's internet options meet the state's immediate high-speed goals at least 25 mbps downloads and 3 mbps uploads by 2022 Stuehrenberg and other commissioners believe the county needs to have better internet access if it wants to continue growing and attracting more economic development."It's kind of disheartening to hear that in Mankato and Blue Earth County, we don't have the same ability to get internet service as some of those smaller communities," Stuehrenberg said.In recent years, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development has given tens of millions of dollars in grants to smaller communities and counties to install broadband infrastructure, which includes fiber networks. Lawmakers allocated $35 million in 2017 toward high-speed internet grants.Yet larger communities and rural areas haven't received as much attention from the state. Larger cities generally have more than one internet provider and thus more opportunity for competition to improve high-speed infrastructure. In rural areas, homes and farms aren't close enough together to install fiber networks in a cost-efficient manner."It's a very short distance around the communities, which are pretty well served by that internet service," Commissioner Will Purvis said. "It's the rural areas that aren't served."Stuehrenberg suggested future highway reconstruction projects include installing fiber to help offset connection costs in rural areas. Yet he and other commissioners said it will ultimately be up to area internet providers to use and maintain fiber networks.The county finished installing fiber infrastructure around Mankato and nearby cities over the last two years, according to County Administrator Bob Meyer. He said county officials have been in preliminary talks with internet providers to expand broadband access throughout the county."It's on our radar," Meyer said. There is not enough analysis data for Input Capital. 4.7 Community Rank Outperform Votes Input Capital has received 244 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Input Capital has received 100 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Input Capital has received 70.93% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Input Capital and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe INP will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe INP 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 Iron Mountain: AB Archyvu Centras, AB Archyvu Sistemos, AB Archyvu Sistemos Estonia Branch, AKTATRADE Iratendezo Selejtezo es Megsemmisito Bt., AS Archivu Serviss, Accutrac Software Inc, Administradora de Informacion Ltda, ArchivesOne, Archyvu sistemos, Ausdoc Group Pty Limited, Ausdoc Holdings Pty Limited, Bonded Services Group, Box Butler, Britannia Data Management Limited, Connected Corporation, Cornerstone Records Management, Crozier Fine Arts, Crozier Philadelphia LLC, Custodia S.O.S. SA, Custodia de Documentos Limitada, Data Outsourcing Centre doo, Data Security Services Pty Limited, DigiGuard, Docu-File Cape Town Proprietary Limited, Docu-File Durban Proprietary Limited, Docu-File JHB Proprietary Limited, DocuTar Iratrendezo es Tarolo Szolgaltato Kft., DocuVault, Docufile (Pty) Ltd, Docufile Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Docufile Lesotho Proprietary Limited, Docufile Services Proprietary Limited, Docugroup Papir Szolgatato Kft., Document Holdings Sweden AB, Docuscan Cape Town Proprietary Limited, Docuscan Proprietary Limited, EAC Invest, Endless Document Storage Services LLC, EvoSwitch, File Express Limited, Fine Paper Recyclers Sydney Pty Ltd, Fontis International GmbH, Fontis International Inc., Fortrust, G4S Secure Data Solutions Colombia, Hays IMS, Horanross Limited, IBEX IM Limited, IBEX Information Management Limited, IG2 Data Security, IMSA Peru SRL, IO.com, Information Storage Consolidation Co, Interfile Participacoes S.A., Intradis SA, Iron Mountain (Deutschland) Service GmbH, Iron Mountain (Espana) Services S.L, Iron Mountain (Gibraltar) Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain (Ireland) Services Limited, Iron Mountain (Nederland) Services BV, Iron Mountain (UK) EES Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain (UK) Limited, Iron Mountain (UK) Services Limited, Iron Mountain A/S, Iron Mountain Acquisition Holdings Pty. Ltd., Iron Mountain Argentina S.A., Iron Mountain Arsivleme Hizmetleri A.S., Iron Mountain Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd, Iron Mountain Australia Group Pty. Ltd., Iron Mountain Australia Group Services Pty. Ltd., Iron Mountain Australia Holdings Inc., Iron Mountain Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd, Iron Mountain Austria Archivierung Gmbh, Iron Mountain BPM International S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain BPM SPRL, Iron Mountain Belgium NV, Iron Mountain CIS LLC, Iron Mountain Canada Operations ULC, Iron Mountain Ceska Republika S.R.O., Iron Mountain Chile S.A., Iron Mountain Chile Servicios S.A., Iron Mountain Colombia S.A.S., Iron Mountain DIMS Limited, Iron Mountain Deutschland GmbH, Iron Mountain Do Brasil Ltda, Iron Mountain EES Holdings Ltd., Iron Mountain EES Sp. z.o.o., Iron Mountain Espana SA, Iron Mountain Europe (Group) Limited, Iron Mountain Europe PLC (fka Iron Mountain Europe Limited), Iron Mountain Finland OY, Iron Mountain France S.A.S., Iron Mountain Fulfillment Services Inc., Iron Mountain Global Holdings Inc., Iron Mountain Global LLC, Iron Mountain Global Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Group (Europe) Limited, Iron Mountain Hellas SA, Iron Mountain Holdings (Europe) Limited, Iron Mountain Holdings (France) SNC, Iron Mountain Incorporated, Iron Mountain India Private Ltd, Iron Mountain Information Management LLC, Iron Mountain Information Management Services Canada Inc., Iron Mountain Information Management Services Inc., Iron Mountain Intellectual Property Management Inc., Iron Mountain International (Holdings) Limited, Iron Mountain International Holdings BV, Iron Mountain International Information Management Co. Ltd., Iron Mountain Ireland Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain Ireland Limited, Iron Mountain Latin America Holdings Sociedad Limitada, Iron Mountain Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Luxembourg Services S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Luxembourg Services S.a.r.l. Schaffhausen Branch, Iron Mountain MDM Limited, Iron Mountain Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi es Szolgaltato Kft., Iron Mountain Management Services GmbH, Iron Mountain Mayflower Limited, Iron Mountain Mexico Holding S. de RL de CV, Iron Mountain Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Iron Mountain Mexico Servicios S. de RL de CV, Iron Mountain Mortgage Finance Holdings LLC, Iron Mountain Mortgage Finance I LLC, Iron Mountain Nederland B.V., Iron Mountain Nederland Holdings B.V., Iron Mountain New Zealand Limited (fka Recall New Zealand Ltd), Iron Mountain Norge AS, Iron Mountain Participations SA, Iron Mountain Peru S.A., Iron Mountain Poland Holdings Ltd, Iron Mountain Polska Services Sp z.o.o., Iron Mountain Polska Sp. z.o.o., Iron Mountain Receivables QRS LLC, Iron Mountain Receivables TRS LLC, Iron Mountain Records Management (Puerto Rico) Inc., Iron Mountain Records Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Iron Mountain SRL, Iron Mountain Secure Shredding Canada, Iron Mountain Secure Shredding Inc., Iron Mountain Services Private Ltd, Iron Mountain Services S.A.S., Iron Mountain Shanghai Co Ltd, Iron Mountain Slovakia s.r.o., Iron Mountain South America S.a.r.l., Iron Mountain Southeast Asia Holdings Limited, Iron Mountain Switzerland GmbH, Iron Mountain UK Services (Holdings) Limited, Iron Mountain US Holdings Inc., Iron Mountain Ukraine LLC, Iron Mountain Vietnam Company Limited, Iron Mountain d.o.o. Beograd, Jin Shan Limited, KDM Spectrumdata Pty Ltd, KH Data Capital Development Land LLC, Kestrel Data (Canada) Ltd, Kestrel Data Services Limited, Kestrel Information Management Pty. Ltd., Livevault, Marshgate Morangis S.a.r.l., Mimosa Systems, Mobilshred Inc., Navbharat Archive Xpress Private Limited, Nettlebed Acquisition Corp., Pipax Security S.A., Preferred Media Limited, Prism Integrated Sdn Bhd, Recall, Recall (London) Limited, Recall (Schweiz) AG, Recall (Shanghai) Ltd., Recall A/S, Recall AS, Recall Asia Pte Limited, Recall Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Recall Enterprises (Thailand) Limited, Recall Enterprises Sdn. Bhd., Recall Europe Finance Ltd. (fka Recall Europe Finance Plc), Recall Europe Limited, Recall Finance Limited, Recall Finland OY, Recall France SA, Recall France SA Belgium Branch, Recall France SAS, Recall GQ Limited, Recall Holdings, Recall Holdings Limited, Recall Holdings Sweden AB, Recall Hong Kong Ltd., Recall India Information Management Pvt. Ltd., Recall Information Services SRL, Recall International Pty Limited, Recall Italia SRL, Recall Limited, Recall Overseas Holdings Pty Limited, Recall Shredding Limited, Recall Sweden AB, Recall Taiwan Ltd., Recall Technology Pty. Ltd., Recall Total Information Management India Pvt. Ltd., Recall Total Information Mgt Pte Ltd, Recall do Brasil Ltda, Record Data Limited, Royal Seal S.R.O., Safehouse Information Management Solutions Private Limited, Secur Archiv SA, Secure Paper Services Pty Ltd, Shuttle SRL, Silver Sky Limited, Sispace AG, Startify, Storbox SA, The Coding Company Pty. Ltd., The Imaging Centre Pty Ltd, UAB Confidento, Upper Providence Venture I L.P., Venues Australia Pty Ltd, and Xepa Digital. 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. Mr. Milos Kusy, Head of the Czech - Vietnamese Association speaking at the event (Photo: vov.vn) These are the official directions set for 2019 at a meeting to review the activities of the association in 2018 held in Prague capital. As an organization of those loving Vietnam, over the past 20 years since its establishment, the Czech-Vietnamese Association has always advocated helping the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic overcome cultural, social and religious differences to gradually stabilize their lives and integrate into the local society. Especially in 2018, the association has repeatedly raised its voice to protect the interests of Vietnamese people in general and Vietnamese workers in particular in the Czech Republic, supporting the struggle to protect Vietnamese sovereignty over the sea and islands as well as to reject false information on Vietnam and the Vietnamese community there. One of the associations outstanding contributions is to connect with businesses to bring Vietnamese workers to work in the Czech Republic. In addition, the association has also raised funds for charitable activities in Vietnam; been actively involved in diplomatic, economic, cultural and sport activities to promote Vietnams image in the Czech Republic; and boosted exchanges between peoples of the two countries, contributing to strengthening the solidarity, friendship and understanding between the two peoples. According to Mr. Milos Kusy, Head of the Czech - Vietnamese Association, in 2019, the associations main activities are not outside the goal of protecting Vietnams image and the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic. "Next year we will strengthen our support for Vietnam in the struggle to protect its sovereignty over the sea and islands, supporting the creation of more jobs for Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic and suggesting that the Czech government create conditions to grant visas for Vietnamese citizens, who want to live, work and study in the Czech Republic," said Mr. Milos Kusy. At the conference, Ms. Tran Thanh Huong from the Vietnamese Embassy and Mr. Nguyen Duy Nhien, Head of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, highly appreciated the outstanding activities of the Czech-Vietnamese Association over the past time and hoped that the association will continue to have more practical activities, contributing to strengthening the friendship between the two nations, promoting Vietnams image and supporting the Vietnamese community to integrate deeply into the local society. As a non-profit organization, the Czech-Vietnamese Association has thousands of people supporting Vietnam living in the Czech Republic, Vietnam, Slovakia, Germany, France, the US and Australia. The main purpose of the association is to help the Vietnamese community integrate into the local society and strengthen the friendship and economic cooperation between the Czech Republic and Vietnam./. (TNS) Victoria County commissioners agreed Monday to buy a new liability insurance policy that will protect the county in the event of a data breach.This is the first time the county has purchased a policy that would cover compromised data. Local governments collect and store large amounts of personal data in the course of their daily work, leaving troves of sensitive data open to attack if they are not properly protected.John Sestak, the countys IT director, told commissioners Monday that he recommended adding the cyber policy to the countys existing liability coverage.In case of an attack or a breach of our data, it helps us bring in resources to correct the problem, research the cause of the problem, Sestak said. And if there is personal data that was stolen, basically it helps us identify whose information was leaked and provide those people with identity protection.Its high time we get that done, County Judge Ben Zeller said. We can be thankful we havent been targeted thus far.The premium for the new policy is about $4,700 a year.Commissioners approved a contract, including the new cybersecurity policy, with Frost Insurance Agency and also approved a stop loss insurance contract with Great Midwest Insurance Company. Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance and Wealth. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings accounts, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, credit cards, and other financial services to personal and small business customers. The Commercial Banking segment provides lending, transactional banking, working capital management, risk management, and debt capital market services to small and medium-sized entities, corporates, and financial institutions. The Insurance and Wealth segment offers life, home, and car insurance products; and pension, investment, and wealth management products and services. It also provides digital and mobile banking, and telephone services, as well as advisory services for savings, investments, and planning for retirement. The company offers its products and services under the Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, MBNA, Schroders Personal Wealth, Black Horse, Lex Autolease, Birmingham Midshires, LDC, IWeb, and Agricultural Mortgage Corporation brands. Lloyds Banking Group plc was founded in 1695 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. is a supplier of precision instruments and services. The firm manufactures weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial, packaging, logistics, and food retailing applications. It also manufactures several related analytical instruments and provides automated chemistry solutions used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development; and also, metal detection and other end-of-line inspection systems used in production and packaging and provides solutions for use in certain process analytics applications. Its operations are conducted by the following segments: U. S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations and Other. The U.S. Operations segment represents certain of the company's marketing and producing organizations located in the United States. The Swiss Operations segment includes marketing and producing organizations located in Switzerland, as well as extensive R&D operations that are responsible for the development, production, and marketing of precision instruments, including weighing, analytical, and measurement technologies for use in a variety of industrial and laboratory applications. Th Read More Morgan Stanley China A Share Fund, Inc. is a closed-end management investment company. Its investment objective is to seek capital growth. The firm invests its assets in A-shares of Chinese companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, either by investing directly in A-shares through a licensed qualified foreign institutional investor or by gaining exposure to the A-share market through the use of derivatives. The company was founded on July 6, 2006 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More 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 The opening of Frenchette marked the return of two of New Yorks best-loved chefs. Photo: Hanna Pavlova As always in this perpetually bustling, restaurant-mad town, 2018 produced a bumper crop of new and interesting places at which to sample things like spicy mi fen rice noodles from the kitchens of Hunan, say, or tandoori-sizzled lamb chops, or homestyle Persian banquets of roast lamb served with crunchy triangles of tahdig rice and great wheels of fresh-baked bread. Here youll find the annual, tortured, highly debatable ranking of our very favorite new restaurants, listed in order of general preference. And like we do every year, we offer the caveat that these are all winners, and that wed be equally happy to return to any one of them at any time depending on our mood, of course, and the state of our bank accounts. The Absolute Best 1. Frenchette 241 W. Broadway, nr. White St.; 212-334-3883 Frenchettes duck frites. Photo: Melissa Hom Riad Nasr and Lee Hansons much-praised Tribeca brasserie isnt the most ambitious new restaurant around town (yes, its been another banner season for expensive, high-minded tasting rooms), nor the most antically theatrical (thank you, Salt Bae), and their mentor, Keith McNally, would certainly have questions about a few of the aesthetic choices in the clamorous, sparely decorated dining rooms. But the return to the kitchen of these two great masters of the old French canon is certainly one of the most edifying comeback stories of this dining year, and for those of us who are fans of classic, chef-centric specialties like grainy, perfectly turned pork rillettes, or roast country chicken, or calves brains prepared in the Grenobloise style, so is the cooking, which more than in any new restaurant in the city this year combines the elevated qualities of first-class ingredients and age-old technique with the timeless, comforting pleasures of a good old-fashioned feed. 2. Atomix 104 E. 30th St., nr. Park Ave. S.; no phone; atomixnyc.com Photo: Jemma Hinkly So what separates Junghyun Parks hyperpolished little establishment from the rabble of effete, high-end tasting rooms that continue to pop up relentlessly around the city? Lets start with this talented chefs particular mission, which is to introduce New Yorkers to the sophisticated wonders of high-end Korean cuisine beyond the familiar parade of noodles and barbecue, a seminar which includes informative cards accompanying each course, and a running dissertation with the waitstaff on the intricacies of, say, curing and fermentation. Then theres the carefully articulated, generally delicious food itself, which, depending on when you drop by, might include candied cubes of wagyu sweetened in a variety of fruit juices, or tiny segments of duck breast that Park and his cooks sear, roast, then sear again, before garnishing them with an alluring substance called gochujang mole. Finally, theres the modest, even neighborly bar upstairs, which might just serve the finest a la carte version of spicy Korean-style chicken wings in town. 3. Oxomoco 128 Greenpoint Ave., nr. Manhattan Ave., Greenpoint; 646-688-4180 Photo: Noah Fecks In whats arguably been the best year for new Brooklyn restaurants since the early pioneer days of Robertas out in Bushwick, Justin Bazdarich and his band of barbacoa savants have produced a casual Mexican joint that even the taco snobs at Michelin can love. The tequila and mezcal drinks are plentiful; the excellent moles, salsas, and soft, purple-hued masa tacos are all carefully crafted in-house; and during the course of the day at this sunny, L.A.-style establishment in Greenpoint, almost everything on the deep, deceptively sophisticated menu (half-chickens, charred vegetables of every kind, lamb and beefsteaks, the great brunch-time pambazo burger) gets thrown on the fire-belching grills at the back of the room. The stars of the show, however, are the tacos, which chef de cuisine and Empellon veteran Matt Conroy stuffs with all kinds of exotic combinations, including chunks of tempura shrimp and Thai basil, and a mouthwatering, slightly heretical version of al pastor tacos made with the usual sacred bits of pineapple mingled with chicken thighs instead of pork. 4. Sushi Noz 181 E. 78th St., nr. Third Ave.; 917-338-1792 Photo: Scott Heins Its always been chic, in New Yorks high-end sushi circles, to be able to trace your lineage back to the old masters in Tokyo, but few restaurants have ever managed this trick in quite such a theatrical way as this polished little atelier on the Upper East Side, where full kimonos are the uniforms worn by women on the waitstaff, and the hushed little rooms are constructed from woods like cedar and cypress fit together without nails in the ancient sukiya style. But what separates this pricey new omakase palace from the rest of the gilded herd is chef Nozomu Abes expertly presented menu, which in sourcing, execution, and traditional flair (cod milt soup, anyone?) is about as close as youll come to the real thing in this sushi-saturated town, short of hopping on a flight to Tokyo. 5. Saint Julivert Fisherie 264 Clinton St., at Verandah Pl., Cobble Hill; 347-987-3710 Photo: Noah Fecks The announcement of a new Alex Raij and Eder Montero restaurant is always a happy occasion, but when the joy of seafood is the specific theme in these seafood-challenged times, its cause for special celebration. Youll find all sorts of strange little wonders served up in this little railcar-size Cobble Hill dining room, including silvery anchovies plated with little moons of unmelted vanilla butter, bowls of risotto folded with chopped conch and smoked eel, and that ugly-delicious Catalan speciality, goose barnacles, served with proper ceremony in a fold of white linen. Die-hard beef lovers should call for the Prego sandwich, a kind of Portuguese steak-bomb, which you can get dressed with a mess of fat fried oysters for an extra fee. 6. Sofreh 75 St. Marks Ave., nr. Flatbush Ave., Prospect Heights; 646-340-0322 Photo: Noah Fecks Persian cuisine is not something you tend to hear much about when nattering, food-obsessed New Yorkers get together, but at this convivial, stylish townhouse establishment just off Flatbush Avenue, the chef-owner, Nasim Alikhani, brings this venerable dining culture alive in a variety of inventive, satisfying ways. Pay attention to the rice (served in steamy, saffron-flavored platters, or in crunchy triangles called tahdig), and to the blizzard of small plates (the kofteh meatballs, the vegetable dips and spreads), all of which are designed to be consumed in a communal lather with oval slabs of fresh baked bread. And pay attention to anything involving the delicious, fresh strained yogurt, which is served as a drink (with mint and rose petals), as a garnish (with lamb shanks and kebabs), and, in the warmer months, as a luxurious dessert topped with spoonfuls of sugary marmalade. 7. Shabu Shabu Macoron 61 Delancey St., nr. Allen St.; 212-925-5220 Photo: Scott Heins Mako Okanos impressive one-woman dissertation on the joys of the communal Japanese hotpot called shabu-shabu wins this years competition for the pound-for-pound best new restaurant in town for many self-evident reasons. The prices ($128 for seven courses, along with other tastes and morsels) are slightly higher than at your average shabu-shabu joint, its true, but youre not going to find marbled slivers of wagyu or pork like this elsewhere on the hotpot circuit (not to mention uni served with homemade yuba on a spoon). And the combination of focus and intimacy makes a visit to the snug eight-seat operation down on Delancey Street feel less like a standard restaurant dinner than a private event cooked up by the chef at her dining counter at home. 8. Adda 31-31 Thomson Ave., nr. Van Dam St., Long Island City; 718-433-3888 Photo: Noah Fecks Chintan Pandya, the chef at this bustling little Long Island City canteen, has cooked in grand kitchens all over the world, but according to the loquacious gentleman who brought us our tandoori grilled lamb chops one happy afternoon, he considers this casual little place with simmered goat brains on the menu and a metal shanty-style roof over the bar to be his idea of the perfect restaurant. After polishing off the tender double-cut chops and those brains (served with toasty buttered rolls for mopping up), as well as a variety of other home-style Indian delicacies (spicy, buttered chicken tikka, loose squares of paneer that Pandya and his cooks curdle in-house), and what is possibly the finest mango lassi in town, its easy to see why. 9. La Mercerie 52 Howard St., at Mercer St.; 212-852-9097 Photo: Jemma Hinkly Like all great Parisian cafes, Marie-Aude Roses stylish little downtown dine-and-shop operation (its located in the front of a Soho boutique) has a little something for everyone including, if you wish, bundles of fresh-cut flowers that you can order when you arrive for your lobster salad or bowl of chestnut veloute, and pick up after youve finished eating. Our favorite meal is breakfast, when the kitchen serves bowls of creme anglaise with slices of warm brioche and the sun slants into the room in a particularly Parisian way, but you can get a superior version of boeuf bourguignon starting at lunchtime, along with a fine selection of that durable Breton-style speciality, buckwheat crepes, which the kitchen folds with creamed chicken, and serves, speckled with sugar and a squeeze of lemon, for dessert. 10. Gem 116 Forsyth St., nr. Delancey St.; 917-473-3223 Gems sunchokes. Photo: Liz Clayman There are many things to like about Flynn McGarrys official New York restaurant debut, from the intimate tasting-room layout (diners sit at small tables instead of the usual formal bar), to the laid-back L.A.-style decor and vibe (flickering low-lit candles, a woodsy color scheme). But mostly what we like is the cooking itself, which veers from a kind of polished Japanese influence (local raw clams over ice, uni sprinkled with pumpkin seeds, diver scallops wrapped in shiso leaf) to some of the best elevated vegetable creations we tasted all year (truffle-rolled carrots, ash-grilled sunchokes, slow-roasted pumpkin spooned with melted Gruyere), all of which make it difficult to believe that this wunderkind cook just turned 20. 11. Momofuku Ko 8 Extra Pl., nr. 1st St.; 212-203-8095 The Momofuku dining empire is an increasingly sprawling, populist business these days, but if you want a window into that restless sense of high/low innovation that has characterized David Changs restaurants from the very beginning, this modest a la carte operation, which opened earlier this year off the tasting room down on the Bowery, is a good place to start. Youll find crepes made of sourdough on the ever-changing handwritten menu, and strange late-night snacks rendered in fancy, almost-gourmet fashion, like the famous fried chicken served cold and by the piece, like leftover morsels straight out of the fridge. There are candied char siu-like strips of steak loin, too, and scoops of ice cream folded with buckwheat, although the dish we still cant get out of our heads is ye olde duck-and-foie-gras pie, which is encased in a shiny, Victorian-era crust, and rich enough for a party of ten. 12. Hunan Slurp 112 First Ave., nr. 7th St.; 646-585-9585 Photo: Jemma Hinkly The specialty of this accomplished little East Village venture is the delicate rice noodle called mi fen, favored in the southern parts of China, which chef-owner Chao Wang had presumably been pining for during his time subsisting on containers of carryout food in New York. There are ten varieties on the menu (topped with nourishing combinations like the Three Delicacies oyster mushroom, Berkshire pork, and an egg roll; carefully arranged fans of tofu and sliced beef; and numerous kinds of barnyard pork), although many of the other, rarely-seen non-noodle Hunan specialties (helpings of fish served in a mingling of milky pork and fish bone broths, the offal lovers Hunan charcuterie) are worth a special trip. Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. engages in the mining of copper, gold and molybdenum. It operates through the following segments: North America Copper Mines, South America Mining; Indonesia Mining, Molybdenum Mines, Rod and Refining, Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining and Corporate, Other and Eliminations. The North America Copper Mines segment operates open-pit copper mines in Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita and Miami in Arizona and Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico. The South America Mining segment includes Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. The Indonesia Mining segment handles the operations of Grasberg minerals district that produces copper concentrate that contains significant quantities of gold and silver. The Molybdenum Mines segment includes the Henderson underground mine and Climax open-pit mine, both in Colorado. The Rod and Refining segment consists of copper conversion facilities located in North America and includes a refinery, rod mills, and a specialty copper products facility. The Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining segment smelts and refines copper concentrate and markets refined copper and precious metals in slimes. The Corporate, Other and Eliminations segment Read More The following companies are subsidiares of PPG Industries: AIPCF V Texstars Blocker Inc., AkzoNobel, Alermac Inversiones S.A. de C.V., Alpha Coating Technologies LLC, Alpha Coatings Inc., Broad Range Development Limited, Brown Brothers Distribution Limited, CG Holdings Manufacturing Co., Centro de Investigacion en Polimeros S.A. de C.V., Chemfil Canada Limited, Chorlton Trade Paints Limited, Comercial Mexicana de Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Comex, Comex Industrial Coatings S.A. de C.V., Consorcio Comex S.A. de C.V., Cristacol S.A., Cuming Microwave Corporation, Deutek SA, Dexmet Corporation, Dexmet Holding Corporation, Distribuidora Kroma S.A. de C.V., EPIC Insurance Co. Ltd., Eberle Design Inc., Empresa Aga S.A. de C.V., Ennis Canadian Holding Company, Ennis Flint Soluciones Seguras Para Trafico, Ennis Highway Traffic Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Ennis Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Ennis Paint Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis Paint Boya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Ennis Paint Canada ULC, Ennis Paint Germany GmbH, Ennis Paint Netherlands Holdings LLC, Ennis Paint U.K. Holding Company Limited, Ennis Traffic Safety Solutions Pty Ltd, Ennis Flint Mexico, Ennis Flint New Zealand, Ennis Flint New Zealand Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis-Flint, Ennis-Flint Africa (Pty) Ltd, Ennis-Flint Inc., Foshan Bairun Chemicals Co. Ltd., Fpu Industrial S.A. de C.V., Grupo Comex S.A. de C.V., Hemmelrath Automotive Coatings (Jilin) Co. Ltd., Hodij Coatings B.V., Homax Products, Industria Chimica Reggiana I.C.R. SPA, Johnstones Paints Limited, Kalon Investment Company Limited, Kalon South Africa Proprietary Limited, Manchester Thermoplastics LLC, Masterwork Paint, MetoKote Canada Limited, MetoKote Corporation, MetoKote Mexico Holding Inc., MetoKote UK Limited, MetoKote de Mexico S. de RL de CV, PPG AC - France SA, PPG ALESCO Automotive Finishes Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PPG AP Resinas S.A. de C.V., PPG Aerospace Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Architectural Coatings (Puerto Rico) Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Ireland Limited, PPG Architectural Coatings Italy S.r.l., PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited, PPG Architectural Finishes Inc., PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd., PPG COATINGS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., PPG Canada Inc., PPG Cieszyn S.A., PPG Coatings (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, PPG Coatings (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., PPG Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Thailand) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Wuhu) Company Ltd., PPG Coatings (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings B.V., PPG Coatings Belgium BV, PPG Coatings Danmark A/S, PPG Coatings Deutschland GmbH, PPG Coatings Europe B.V., PPG Coatings Manufacturing SARL, PPG Coatings Nederland BV, PPG Coatings S.A., PPG Coatings South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PPG DYRUP S.A., PPG Deco Czech a.s., PPG Deco Polska sp. z.o.o., PPG Deco Slovakia s.r.o., PPG Deutschland Business Support GmbH, PPG Deutschland Sales & Services GmbH, PPG Distribution S.A.S., PPG Europe B.V., PPG Finance B.V., PPG France Business Support S.A.S., PPG France Manufacturing S.A.S., PPG Guadeloupe SAS, PPG Hellas S.A., PPG Hemmelrath Coatings Inc., PPG Hemmelrath Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Holdco SAS, PPG Holdings (U.K.) Limited, PPG Holdings Argentina USA LLC, PPG Holdings Latin America USA LLC, PPG Iberica S.A., PPG Iberica Sales & Services S.L., PPG Industrial Coatings B.V., PPG Industrial do Brasil - Tintas E. Vernizes - Ltda., PPG Industries (Korea) Ltd., PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Industries (UK) Ltd, PPG Industries Argentina S.R.L., PPG Industries Australia PTY Limited A.C.N. 055 500 939, PPG Industries Colombia Ltda., PPG Industries Czech Republic s.r.o., PPG Industries Delfzijl B.V., PPG Industries Europe Sarl, PPG Industries France S.A.S., PPG Industries International Inc., PPG Industries Italia S.r.l., PPG Industries Kimya a Sanayi VE Ticaret AS, PPG Industries LLC, PPG Industries Lipetsk LLC, PPG Industries Middle East FZE, PPG Industries Netherlands B.V., PPG Industries New Zealand Limited, PPG Industries Ohio Inc., PPG Industries Poland Sp. Z.o.o., PPG Industries Securities LLC, PPG Industries de Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Italia Business Support S.r.l., PPG Italia Sales & Services S.r.l., PPG Japan Ltd., PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes Canada LP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.K. LLP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.S. LLC, PPG Luxembourg Finance S.aR.L., PPG Luxembourg Holdings S.aR.L., PPG Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Packaging Coatings (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Paints Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Performance Coatings (Hong Kong) Limited, PPG Powder Coatings (Shanghai) Limited, PPG Romania S.A., PPG SSC Co. Ltd., PPG Switzerland GmbH, PPG Trilak Kft., PPG Vietnam Co. Ltd., PRC-DeSoto Australia Pty Ltd., PRC-DeSoto International Inc., PT. PPG Coatings Indonesia, Painter's Supply, Paintzen, Peintures de Paris SAS, Plasticos Envolventes S.A. de C.V., Polymeric Systems Inc., Prismo Road Markings Limited, ProCoatings B.V., ProCoatings BV, Protec Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 007 857 392, Reno A&E LLC, Revocoat France SAS, Revocoat Holding SAS, Revocoat Iberica SLU, Revocoat S.A.S, Road Infrastructure Investment Holdings Inc., SEM Products Inc., Sealants Europe SAS, Sierracin Corporation, Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation, Sigma Marine & Protective Coatings Holding B.V., SigmaKalon (BC) UK Limited, SigmaKalon Group, SigmaKalon Middle East B.V., Sikar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Spraylat International Ltd, Texstars LLC, The Crown Group Co., The Crown Group Inc, The Homax Group, Tikkurila Group, Traffic Safety Intermediate LLC, Traffic Safety Parent LLC, United International Business NV, Vanex Inc., Vernisol S.p.A., Versaflex, Viasa S.A. de C.V., Whitford, Whitford B.V., Whitford Corporation, Whitford Jiangmen Ltd., Whitford Ltd. (HK), Whitford Ltd. (UK), Whitford Pte. Ltd., Whitford S.r.l., Whitford Worldwide Company LLC, Worwag Coatings, and Zaganite Industries Pty Ltd. Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. engages in the acquisition and operation of multifamily properties in select targeted markets throughout the United States. It operates through the following segments: Multifamily Communities, Financing, New Market Properties, Preferred Office Properties, and Others. The Multifamily Communities segment consists of company's portfolio of owned residential multifamily communities. The Financing segment refers to the portfolio of real estate loans, bridge loans, and other instruments deployed by the company to partially finance the development, construction, and prestabilization carrying costs of new multifamily communities and other real estate and real estate related assets. The New Market Properties segment covers portfolio of grocery-anchored shopping centers, as well as the financial results from the retail real estate loans. The Preferred Office Properties segment relates to the portfolio of office buildings. The Others segment includes deferred offering costs. The company was founded by Leonard A. Silverstein and John A. Williams on September 18, 2009 and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Read More News Arab Journalism Award winners honoured at Expo 2020 Dubai Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, winners of the 20th edition of the Arab Journalism Award (AJA) were honoured on Sunday at a ceremony held at Expo 2020 Dubais Al Wasl Plaza. iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF's stock was trading at $35.66 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWL stock has increased by 38.8% and is now trading at $49.49. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, a technology company, focuses in the areas of automation and digitalization in Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. Its Digital Industries segment offers automation systems and software for factories, numerical control systems, motors, drives and inverters, and integrated automation systems for machine tools and production machines; process control systems, machine-to-machine communication products, sensors and radio frequency identification systems; production and product lifecycle management software; mechatronic systems simulation and testing software; and cloud-based industrial Internet of Things operating system. The company's Smart Infrastructure segment supplies and connects energy systems and building technologies to enhance efficiency and sustainability; and supports customers to address technology shifts. Its Mobility segment provides passenger and freight transportation, such as rail vehicles, rail automation and electrification systems, road traffic technology, digital solutions, and related services; and mobility system services. The company's Siemens Healthineers segment offers medical technology and software solutions; and clinical consulting and training services. Its Siemens Financial Services segment provides leasing solutions and equipment; and debt and equity investment products. The company was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Read More 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 Stantec Inc. provides professional consulting services in the area of infrastructure and facilities in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company provides consulting services in engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics. It also offers water, transportation, and public works; transportation planning and traffic engineering; and resource assessment, mine development, reclamation, hydrology, and geotechnical and infrastructure engineering services, as well as urban planning, traffic assessments and optimization, environmental impact assessments, and public consultation services. In addition, the company provides structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and hydraulics engineering services. It serves urban regeneration, infrastructure, education, public and private sector, tourism and leisure, and waste and water sectors, as well as office and commercial, residential, and retail and town centers. The company was formerly known as Stanley Technology Group Inc. and changed its name to Stantec Inc. in October 1998. Stantec Inc. was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada. Read More Swallowfield plc engages in the development, formulation, and supply of personal care and beauty products in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company offers aerosol products, including personal care aerosols, bag on valve systems, and bag in can systems; and bath and body care products, such as body scrubs, body butters/lotions, shower gels, and bath foams. It also provides color cosmetic products comprising loose powders, pressed powders, blushers, liquid foundations, mineral foundations, illuminators, concealers, cheek stains, and bronzing powders; eye color cosmetic products, such as loose and pressed eyeshadows, eyeshadow sticks, eye brow powders, eyebrow gels, eye liner pencils, brow pencils, and mascaras; face and lip cosmetic products, including lip stains, lip glosses, lipsticks, and lip liner pencils. In addition, the company offers antiperspirant and deodorant products, such as body sprays, roll-ons, and stick deodorants; fragrance products, including eau de toilette, eau de perfumes, body mists, solid perfumes, colognes, shimmer fragrances, fragrance oils, essential oils, candles, and diffusers; and haircare products consist of shampoos, conditioners, hair styling gels, hair waxes, hair putties/clays, and other gel products. Further, it provides hot pour products, including body and lip balms, body and lip butters, molded pencils, butter/shimmer sticks, and deodorant sticks; men's grooming products comprising shave gels, shave foams, aftershave balms, and men's cosmetics; and design and packaging services for perfume, cosmetic, makeup, beauty, and lipstick products. Additionally, the company offers self-tanning and bronzing products, such as tan sprays, tan lotions, and tan mousses, as well as instant tanning and gradual tanning products; and shaving and depilatory products. Swallowfield plc was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Wellington, the United Kingdom. Read More Ad Investing Trends How This Rare Metal Is Going To Solve A $173 TRILLION World Problem And Could Benefit Investors According to Bloomberg NEF, changing the world to "All Green Energy" could cost about $173 trillion. And without this rare metal, going green would be IMPOSSIBLE. That's why there's a literal "gold rush" to find it. (HINT: It's not electric vehicles, nuclear power, or wind energy). Taubman Centers pays an annual dividend of $2.70 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 6.28%. TCO has a dividend yield higher than 75% of all dividend-paying stocks, making it a leading dividend payer. The dividend payout ratio of Taubman Centers is 72.78%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on EPS estimates, Taubman Centers will have a dividend payout ratio of 97.12% in the coming year. This indicates that Taubman Centers may not be able to sustain their current dividend. View Taubman Centers' dividend history. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. engages in global investment banking, securities, and investment management, which provides financial services. It operates through the following business segments: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. The Investment Banking segment serves public and private sector clients around the world and provides financial advisory services, help companies raise capital to strengthen and grow their businesses and provide financing to corporate clients. The Global Markets segment serves its clients who buy and sell financial products, funding and manage risk. The Asset Management segment provides investment services to help clients preserve and grow their financial assets. The Consumer & Wealth Management segment helps clients to achieve their individual financial goals by providing a wealth advisory and banking services. The company was founded by Marcus Goldman in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Vodafone Group: 360 Connect S.A., [email protected] Telecom, A-ccelerator B.V., A-ccelerator Holding B.V, AAA (Euro) Limited, AAA (MCR) Limited, AAA (UK) Limited, Acorn Communications Limited, Africonnect (Zambia) Limited, Ag Mercantile Company Private Limited, Al-Amin Investments Limited, Amsterdamse Beheer- en Consultingmaatschappij B.V., Apollo Submarine Cable System Limited, Array Holdings Limited, Asian Telecommunication Investments (Mauritius) Limited, Aspective Limited, Astec Communications Limited, Autoconnex Limited, Aztec Limited, BelCompany BV, Bluefish Apac Communications Pte. Ltd, Bluefish Communications, Bluefish Communications Limited, Business Serve Limited, C&W Worldwide Nigeria Limited, C.S.P. Solutions Limited, CCII (Mauritius) Inc., CGP India Investments Ltd., CGP Investments (Holdings) Limited, COOP Mobil s.r.o, CT Networks Limited, CWGNL S.A., CWW Operations Limited, Cable & Wireless Access Limited, Cable & Wireless Americas Systems Inc., Cable & Wireless Aspac Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Services Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Svyaz LLC, Cable & Wireless Capital Limited , Cable & Wireless Communications Data Network Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Starclass Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Technical Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), Cable & Wireless Europe Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless GN Limited, Cable & Wireless Global (India) Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Business Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Holding Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Telecommunication Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Holdco Limited, Cable & Wireless Networks India Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Trade Mark Management Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Waterside Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Pension Trustee Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Voice Messaging Limited, Cable & Wireless a-Services Inc, Cable & Wireless a-Services Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited Indian Branch Office, Cable and Wireless Nominee Limited, Cable and Wireless Worldwide South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cavalry Holdings Ltd, Celfocus Solucoes Informaticas Para Telecomunicacoes S.A, Cellops Limited, Cellular Operations Limited, Central Communications Group Limited, Central Telecom (Northern) Limited, Centurion GSM Limited, Chelys Limited, City Cable (Holdings) Limited, Cobra do Brasil Servicos de Telematica ltda., Commnet Cellular Inc., Complete Network Technology, Connect (India) Mobile Technologies Private Limited, Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited, Dataroam Limited , Device Insight, Digital Island (UK) Ltd, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, East Africa Investment (Mauritius) Limited, Emtel Europe Limited, Energis (Ireland) Limited, Energis Communications Limited, Energis Holdings Limited, Energis Local Access Limited, Energis Management Limited, Energis Squared Limited, Erudite Systems Limited, Esprit Telecom B.V., Eudokia Limited, Euro Pacific Securities Ltd., Eurocall Holdings Limited, Europolitan Holdings AB (now Europolitan Vodafone AB), FB Holdings Limited, FM Associates (UK) Limited, FinCo Partner 1 B.V., FireFly Networks Limited, Flexphone Limited, GS Telecom (Pty) Limited, Gateway Communications Africa (UK) Limited, Gateway Communications Tanzania Limited, General Mobile Corporation, Generation Telecom Limited, Ghana Telecommunications, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, Global Cellular Rental Limited, Globe Limited, GrandCentrix GmbH, Grupo Corporativo ONO S.A.U., H3ga Properties (No 3) Pty Limited, HBO Nederland Cooperatief U.A., HBO Netherlands Channels sro, HBO Netherlands Distribution B.V., Hellas Online, How2 Telecom Limited, Hutchison Essar Ltd, Indus Towers Limited, Intercell Communications Limited, Internet Network Services Limited, Invitation Digital Limited, Ipergy Communications NV, Isis Telecommunications Management Limited, Jaguar Communications Limited, Jaykay Finholding (India) Private Limited, Jupicol (Proprietary) Limited, KABELCOM Braunschweig Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, KABELCOM Wolfsburg Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel Deutschland Holding, Kabel Deutschland Holding Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Holding Zweite Beteilgungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Neunte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Siebte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabelfernsehen Munchen Servicenter GmbH & Co. KG, LG Financing Partnership, LGE HoldCo V B.V., LGE HoldCo VI B.V., LGE HoldCo VIII B.V., LGE Holdco VII B.V., LLC Vodafone Enterprise Ukraine, Le Bunt Holdings Limited, Legend Communications Limited, Liberty Global, Liberty Global Content Netherlands B.V., London Hydraulic Power Company, M-PESA Foundation, M-PESA Holding Co. Limited, ML Integration Group Limited, ML Integration Limited, ML Integration Services Limited, MV Healthcare Services Private Limited, Mannesmann AG, MetroHoldings Limited, Mezzanine Ware Proprietary Limited (RF), Mirambo Limited, Misrfone Trading Company LLC, MobiFon S.A., Mobile Commerce Solutions Limited, Mobile Phone Centre Limited, Mobile Wallet VM1, Mobile Wallet VM2, Mobile by Sainsburys Limited, Mobiles 4 Business.com Limited, Mobileworld Communications Pty Limited, Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd, Mobilvest, Motifpros 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Multi Risk Indemnity Company Limited, Multi Risk Limited, ND Callus Info Services Private Limited, Nadal Trading Company Private Limited, Nat Comm Air Limited, National Communications Backbone Company Limited, Navtrak Ltd, Netforce Group Limited, Netgrid Telecom SRL, Number Portability Company (Proprietary) Limited, ONO, Omega Telecom Holdings Private Limited, Oni Way Infocomunicacoes S.A, Oskar Mobil S.R.O., Oxygen Solutions Limited, P.C.P. (North West) Limited, PPL Pty Limited, PT Network Services Limited, PTI Telecom Limited, Peoples Phone Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Group Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Limited, Plex Limited, Plustech Mercantile Company Private Limited, Prime Metals Ltd., Project Telecom Holdings Limited, Quickcomm Software Solutions, Radio Opt GmbH, Rian Mobile Limited, SBC SMART CITY 1517 B.V., SMMS Investments Pvt Limited, Safaricom Limited, Safenet N.P A., Sarmady Communications, Scarlet Ibis Investments 23 (Pty) Limited, Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Silver Stream Investments Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Ltd., Singlepoint Payment Services Limited, Siro Limited, Spar Aerospace (Nigeria) Limited, Sport TV Portugal S.A, Starnet, Stentor Communications Limited, Stentor Limited, Storage Technology Services (Pty) Limited, T.W. Telecom Limited, T3 Telecommunications Limited, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern Beteiligungs GmbH, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, TNAS Limited, TSM NZ Limited, Talkland Airtime Services Limited, Talkland Australia Pty Limited, Talkland Communications Limited, Talkland International Limited, Talkland Midlands Limited, Talkmobile Limited, Tele2 Italia SPA, Tele2 Spain, Telecom Investments India Private Limited, Telecommunications Europe Limited, Ternhill Communications Limited, The Cobra Group, The Eastern Leasing Company Limited, The Old Telecom Sales Co. Limited, Thus Group Holdings Limited, Thus Group Limited, Thus Limited, Thus Profit Sharing Trustees Limited, TnT Expense Management LLC, Tomorrow Street GP S.a r.l., Tomorrow Street SCA, Torenspits II B.V., Townley Communications Limited, Trans Crystal Ltd., UMT Investments Limited, UPC Nederland Holding I B.V., UPC Nederland Holding II B.V., UPC Nederland Holding III B.V., Unified Communications, Uniqueair Limited, Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH & Co.KG, Usha Martin Telematics Limited, VAPL No. 2 Pty Limited, VBA (Mauritius) Limited, VBA Holdings Limited, VBA International (SL) Limited, VBA International Limited, VEI S.r.l., VM SA, VND S.p.A, VSSB Vodafone Shared Services Budapest Private Limited Company, Verwaltung Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH, Victus Networks S.A., Vizzavi Finance Limited, Vizzavi Limited, Voda Limited, Vodacall Limited, Vodacash s.p.r.l., Vodacom (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business (Angola) Limitada, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, Vodacom Business (Kenya) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group Services Limited, Vodacom Business Cameroon SA, Vodacom Business Cote Divoire S.A.R.L., Vodacom Congo (RDC) SA, Vodacom Financial Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Group Limited, Vodacom Insurance Administration Company (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Insurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom International Holdings (Pty) Limited, Vodacom International Limited, Vodacom Lesotho (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Life Assurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom Payment Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No.2 (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Tanzania Limited Zanzibar, Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company, Vodacom UK Limited, Vodafone (NI) Limited, Vodafone (New Zealand) Hedging Limited, Vodafone (Scotland) Limited, Vodafone 2, Vodafone 4 UK, Vodafone 5 Limited, Vodafone 5 UK, Vodafone 6 UK, Vodafone Albania Sh.A, Vodafone Alternatif Telekom Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Americas 4, Vodafone Americas Virginia Inc., Vodafone And Qatar Foundation L.L.C, Vodafone Asset Management Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Automotive Electronic Systems S.r.L, Vodafone Automotive France S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Iberia S.L, Vodafone Automotive Italia S.p.A, Vodafone Automotive Japan K.K, Vodafone Automotive Korea Limited, Vodafone Automotive SpA, Vodafone Automotive Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd, Vodafone Automotive Telematics Development S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Telematics S.A, Vodafone Automotive UK Limited, Vodafone Belgium SA/NV, Vodafone Benelux Limited, Vodafone Bilgi Ve Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, Vodafone Business Services Limited, Vodafone Business Solutions Limited, Vodafone Canada Inc, Vodafone Cellular Limited, Vodafone Central Services Limited, Vodafone China Limited (China), Vodafone China Limited (Hong Kong), Vodafone Connect 2 Limited, Vodafone Connect Limited, Vodafone Consolidated Holdings Limited, Vodafone Corporate Limited, Vodafone Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Czech Republic A.S., Vodafone DC Pension Trustee Company Limited, Vodafone Dagitim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Data, Vodafone Distribution Holdings Limited, Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications S.A.E., Vodafone Elektronik Para Ve Odeme Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Empresa Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, Vodafone Empresa Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Vodafone Enabler Espana S.L., Vodafone Enterprise Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Austria GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Bahrain W.L.L., Vodafone Enterprise Bulgaria EOOD, Vodafone Enterprise Chile SA, Vodafone Enterprise Communications Technical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Denmark A/S, Vodafone Enterprise Equipment Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited Czech Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited DubaiI Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Finland OY, Vodafone Enterprise France SAS, Vodafone Enterprise Germany GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Global Businesses S.a r.l., Vodafone Enterprise Global Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network HK Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network Pte. Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Hong Kong Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Italy S.r.L, Vodafone Enterprise Korea Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Luxembourg S.A., Vodafone Enterprise Netherlands BV, Vodafone Enterprise Norway AS, Vodafone Enterprise Regional Business Singapore Pte.Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Singapore Pte.Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Spain S.L.U. Portugal Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Spain SLU, Vodafone Enterprise Sweden AB, Vodafone Enterprise Switzerland AG, Vodafone Erste Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Vodafone Espana S.A.U., Vodafone Euro Hedging Limited, Vodafone Euro Hedging Two, Vodafone Europe B.V., Vodafone Europe UK, Vodafone European Investments, Vodafone European Portal Limited, Vodafone Finance Limited, Vodafone Finance Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Finance Sweden, Vodafone Finance UK Limited, Vodafone Financial Operations, Vodafone Financial Services B.V., Vodafone Fixed Ltd, Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Foundation Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Gestioni S.p.A, Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, Vodafone Global Content Services Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Hong Kong) Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Italy) S.R.L., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Japan) K.K., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Russia LLC, Vodafone Global Enterprise Taiwan Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Telecommunications (Hellas) A.E., Vodafone Global Network Limited, Vodafone Global Network Limited Slovakia Branch, Vodafone Global Services Private Limited, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone Group (Directors) Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Pension Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Services GmbH, Vodafone Group Services Ireland Limited, Vodafone Group Services Limited, Vodafone Group Services No.2 Limited, Vodafone Group Share Trustee Limited, Vodafone Hire Limited, Vodafone Holding A.S., Vodafone Holdings (Jersey) Limited, Vodafone Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Holdings Europe S.L.U., Vodafone Holdings Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Finance Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Receivables Pty Limited, Vodafone IP Licensing Limited, Vodafone India Digital Limited, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone India Services Private Limited, Vodafone India Ventures Limited, Vodafone Institut fur Gesellschaft und Kommunikation GmbH, Vodafone Intermediate Enterprises Limited, Vodafone International 1 S.a.r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone International 1 S.a r.l., Vodafone International 2 Limited, Vodafone International Holdings B.V., Vodafone International Holdings Limited, Vodafone International M S.a r.l., Vodafone International Operations Limited, Vodafone International Services LLC, Vodafone Investment UK, Vodafone Investments (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Investments Australia Limited, Vodafone Investments Limited, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Ireland Distribution Limited, Vodafone Ireland Ltd., Vodafone Ireland Marketing Limited, Vodafone Ireland Property Holdings Limited, Vodafone Ireland Retail Limited, Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Vodafone Jersey Dollar Holdings Limited, Vodafone Jersey Finance, Vodafone Jersey Yen Holdings Unlimited, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Field Services GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Kundenbetreuung GmbH, Vodafone Kenya Limited, Vodafone Leasing Limited, Vodafone Libertel B.V., Vodafone Limited, Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone M-PESA SH.P.K., Vodafone M-Pesa S.A, Vodafone M.C. Mobile Services Limited , Vodafone Magyarorszag Mobile Tavkozlesi Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Vodafone Malta Limited, Vodafone Marketing UK , Vodafone Maroc SARL, Vodafone Mauritius Ltd., Vodafone Mobile Commerce Limited, Vodafone Mobile Communications Limited, Vodafone Mobile Enterprises Limited, Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited, Vodafone Mobile Network Limited, Vodafone Mobile Operations Limited, Vodafone Mobile Services Limited, Vodafone Multimedia Limited, Vodafone Nederland Holding I B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding II B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding III B.V., Vodafone Net Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Network Pty Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Foundation Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Limited, Vodafone Next Generation Services Limited, Vodafone Nominees Limited1, Vodafone ONO S.A.U., Vodafone Oceania Limited, Vodafone Old Show Ground Site Management Limited, Vodafone Overseas Finance Limited, Vodafone Overseas Holdings Limited, Vodafone Panafon International Holdings B.V., Vodafone Panafon UK, Vodafone Partner Services Limited, Vodafone Payment Solutions S.a r.l., Vodafone Portugal Comunicacoes Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Procurement Company S.a r.l., Vodafone Property Investments Limited, Vodafone Pty Limited, Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C., Vodafone Retail (Holdings) Limited , Vodafone Retail Limited, Vodafone Roaming Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Romania S.A, Vodafone Romania M - Payments SRL, Vodafone Romania Technologies SRL, Vodafone Sales & Services Limited, Vodafone Satellite Services Limited, Vodafone Servicios SL.U, Vodafone Servizi E Tecnologie S.R.L, Vodafone Servicos Empresariais Brasil Ltda., Vodafone Shared Services Romania SRL, Vodafone Specialist Communications Limited, Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland Gemeinnutzige GmbH, Vodafone Technology Solutions Limited, Vodafone Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Tele-Services (India) Holdings Limited, Vodafone Telecel-Comunicates Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Telecommunications (India) Limited, Vodafone Telekomunikasyon A.S, Vodafone Towers Limited, Vodafone UK Content Services Limited, Vodafone UK Investments Limited , Vodafone UK Limited1 , Vodafone US Inc, Vodafone Ventures Limited1 , Vodafone Vierte Verwaltungs AG, Vodafone Worldwide Holdings Limited, Vodafone Yen Finance Limited , Vodafone m-pesa Limited, Vodafone-Central Limited Vodaphone Limited, Vodafone-Panafon Hellenic Telecommunications Company S.A., VodafoneZiggo Group Holding B.V, Vodata Limited , Vouchercloud SA (Pty) Ltd, Wataneya Telecommunications S.A.E, Waterberg Lodge (Proprietary) Limited, Wayfinder, Wheatfields Investments 276 (Proprietary) Limited, Wireless Interactions & NFC Accelerator 2013 B.V., Woodend Cellular Limited, Woodend Communications Limited, Woodend Group Limited, Woodend Holdings Limited, XB Facilities B.V, XLink Communications (Proprietary) Limited, Your Communications Group Limited, ZUM B.V., ZYB, Zelitron S.A., Zesko B.V., Ziggo B.V., Ziggo Bond Company B.V., Ziggo Deelnemingen B.V., Ziggo Finance 2 B.V., Ziggo Financing Partnership, Ziggo Holding B.V., Ziggo Netwerk B.V., Ziggo Netwerk II B.V., Ziggo Services B.V., Ziggo Services Employment B.V., Ziggo Services Netwerk 2 B.V., Ziggo Zakelijk Services B.V., and Zoranet Connectivity Services B.V.. There is not enough analysis data for Eaton Vance California Municipal Bond Fund II. 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes Eaton Vance California Municipal Bond Fund II has received 67 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Eaton Vance California Municipal Bond Fund II has received 37 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Eaton Vance California Municipal Bond Fund II has received 64.42% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Eaton Vance California Municipal Bond Fund II and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe EIA will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe EIA will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 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 From televised blow-up to relative silence: spending negotiations remain frozen as the days tick away toward a partial government shutdown. The next big question now is what House GOP leaders, in their final days in the majority, will do to kick the legislative process into gear. As of Wednesday night, decisions hadn't been finalized -- and there were clear strategic disputes inside the conference about the next steps. Aides with direct knowledge tell me Democrats and Republicans still aren't talking about next steps, but there's also an understanding it's up to President Donald Trump to counter -- something that isn't expected until House Republicans decide on how they plan to proceed. To be perfectly clear -- the House GOP effort, whatever it is, is dead on arrival in the Senate and may not have the votes to even pass the House. But it's an important step in the process. Days until a partial government shutdown 9 What to watch today House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi holds a press conference at 10:45 a.m. What, if anything, House GOP leaders announce as their next steps. What to read So what does actually happen in a partial government shut down? CNN's Clare Foran has your answers. Something that several aides have noticed Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer took to the Senate floor to say the President lived "in a cocoon" surrounded by "obsequious" advisers who fail to tell him when he's wrong. Pelosi had, for all intents and purposes, questioned the president's manhood a private meeting (that subsequently leaked). And yet aside from a single tweet that obliquely referenced the wall Wednesday morning, the President has been largely silent -- and has not counter punched on personal terms at all. Aides and lawmakers in both parties who are working on this are wondering why. CNN asked one senior GOP aide working on this what it all meant: "Could be a good sign. Could mean he's going to unload today. Could mean nothing at all. Keep checking your Twitter alerts, I guess." What the House GOP is considering House Republican leaders, according to aides, are considering a few options that would address the President's request for $5 billion in wall funding -- including a short-term draft that freezes other government spending levels and a broader package that would include the wall funding and the remaining appropriations bills. The issue for leaders is a familiar one: they'll likely need to pack whatever they propose with conservative priorities, specifically on immigration, that could turn off the more moderate members of the conference. And a good number of those moderates? They are the same group that lost in the November midterms. Nothing the House GOP passes or fails to pass has a future. But, as has been the case in these types of negotiations for the last five or so years, GOP leaders have to show something doesn't have a future (i.e. pass it in the House and watch it fail in the Senate) to be able to come back to their members with compromise proposals. In other words, House GOP leaders, who are either about to be in the minority or are leaving Congress, are having a difficult internal debate over something they all know will fail, and are forced to do in large part because the President and Pelosi got in a tiff about House whip counts. As one senior GOP aide noted with sarcasm after running through the dynamics: "Good times." "Whether or not to do it is a question of wisdom and strategy and tactics, and it's highly debatable about whether or not that's the right move." -- Rep. Patrick McHenry, the chief deputy whip (and soon to be ranking member of the Financial Services Committee), to reporters. GOP leaders say explicitly they'll have the votes for anything they put on the floor (though some of their colleagues are less sure). But their advisers acknowledge it will definitely be tight, with attendance issues also expected to be a potential problem (there were 19 total lawmakers who didn't show up for the Farm Bill vote Wednesday). Which means that any House show vote on the President's $5 billion wall request will likely come down to moderate members who lost in November -- many of the same members Trump trashed at his press conference after the election. Daily reminder on the facts Approximately 75% of the federal government is funded through September 2019. No shutdown is pain free, should it occur, this would be limited in its disruption, at least compared to past full government shutdowns. The Pentagon is funded. The Health and Human Services and Labor Departments are funded -- etc. etc. That doesn't mean it will be pain free -- agencies like the Treasury Department, Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department are not currently funded beyond December 21, and non-essential employees would face furloughs, essential employees (virtually all of DHS and the DOJ's law enforcement elements) would be working through Christmas without pay. There are seven appropriations bills that need to be passed before midnight on December 21. Six of them are mostly closed out, aides say, and ready to move. The fight was, is, and will continue to be over a single piece of a single bill: the Department of Homeland Security funding measure. ROME, N.Y. - "A Tuba Christmas" comes back to the Capitol Theatre for the 15th year to support the New York State School for the Deaf. 26 tubas were heard on the Capitol Theater stage in Rome Tuesday night, all to benefit the school for the deaf. A packed auditorium full of family, friends, and neighbors from all around the area enjoyed two hours of classic Christmas music, played by tubas and euphoniums. Players and their instruments were all decked out in holiday attire. This is the 15th year the theater has hosted the annual "A Tuba Christmas" event and organizers say each year the crowd gets bigger and bigger. The concert was free to the public, but the players each had to pay $10 to play which got them a pin and their music for the night. Those proceeds, along with popcorn, beverages and raffle ticket purchases were all to raise money for the school for the deaf's music program. "It's a little more complicated and they need a little more help teaching and having music that's used for the deaf and vibrations and stuff so they can get the right equipment for the kids to learn," volunteer, Cindy Seiter, said. The New York State for the Deaf Handbell Choir and Sign Choir accompanied the band by signing some of their favorite songs. "A Tuba Christmas" events are held all over the country. UTICA -- Congressman-elect Anthony Brindisi is traveling the 22nd district to thank his supporters who helped him get elected. He stopped in Utica Tuesday to talk to those supporters at his party at the Delta Hotel in Utica. Brindisi says he held the party to show his appreciation for the work his supporters did for his campaign. Brindisi will officially become the congressman once he is sworn-in next month. Some issues he says he wants to focus on are healthcare, immigration, and the opioid crisis. Brindisi says he wants to get out and talk to community leaders to learn, first-hand, the issues they are concerned about. "I also want to get out there and let people know that whether you voted for me or not, I want to represent everyone in this district to the best of my ability and that's what we're going to do, Brindisi said. Once the elections are over, that's when the governing begins and I'm very much looking forward to representing the people in this community." Brindisi defeated incumbent republican candidate Claudia Tenney, in a tight race, during the November midterm elections. Brindisi's thank you parties will continue throughout the 22nd district through next week. The new congressional session is set to begin on Jan. 3. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Recreational boats will continue to travel toll-free on the New York State Canal System. The system's board of directors on Tuesday approved the continued waiver of tolls for recreational vessels through the 2021 season. The tolls - which range from $25 to $100 - have been waived since 2017. Tolls will continue to be collected for commercial vessels on the 524-mile system. Canal officials say motorized pleasure boat traffic system was up 3 percent last year. The 2019 canal season will run from May 17 to Oct. 16. New York's canal system includes the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca canals. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Theresa May vowed to fight for her political life Wednesday after members of her own party triggered a vote of no-confidence in her leadership over her handling of Brexit. If she loses the vote, which will take place on Wednesday evening, she will be out as Conservative leader, and will likely outline when she will stand down as UK Prime Minister. The starting gun was fired after 48 Conservative Members of Parliament submitted letters demanding a vote to the 1922 Committee, which represents rank-and-file Conservative MPs in the House of Commons. Appearing on the steps of Downing Street, May was in bullish mood, promising to fight the contest with "everything I've got." Graham Brady, the MP who chairs the committee, confirmed that the threshold for a confidence vote -- equivalent to 15% of Conservative MPs -- had been passed. In a statement, Brady confirmed that the result of the vote would be made as soon as possible with ballots being counted immediately. He told CNN that if May was to lose the vote, a replacement could be found quickly. "I ran the process in 2016," Brady said. "It took no more than 10 days -- it might even be possible to conduct a process of that sort more quickly. "If there are two candidates, and that is the expectation -- there will be a postal ballot and that inevitably takes longer." He also explained the announcement was made early Wednesday to avoid unsettling the markets. "We thought that when we were making a serious announcement that has important consequences, we thought that we ought to make the announcement before the markets open," he added. The vote could hardly have come at a worse time for May, who has been criss-crossing Europe to beg EU leaders for help passing her Brexit deal through the UK Parliament. May was forced to postpone a vote on the deal on Monday when it became clear she was likely to go down to a humiliating defeat. If May loses the no-confidence vote, the Conservative Party must hold a leadership election. If she wins, however, party rules mean that she cannot face another vote in a year. May is facing considerable pressure from the Euroskeptic wing of the party. In a statement published on Wednesday, Jacob Rees Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group and Steve Baker, his deputy, urged her to go. "Theresa May's plan would bring down the Government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it," read the statement carried by the UK Press Association. "Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs. May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go." But in an act of defiance, May hit back at her detractors by insisting the election of a new party leader would "put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it." She also warned that a leadership election would risk "handing control of the Brexit negotiations to opposition MPs in Parliament." "The new leader wouldn't have time to renegotiate a withdrawal agreement and get the legislation through parliament by the 29th of March, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it," she said. "And a leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the parliamentary arithmetic. Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just when we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest." Rounding off her speech, she added: "I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became Prime Minister and I stand ready to finish the job." May later faced a fiery House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions, trading blows with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn. Speaker John Bercow was forced to call for calm on several occasions as Corbyn pressed May on her reasons for postponing the Commons vote on her Brexit deal, calling her behavior "appalling." "Her behavior today is just contemptuous of this parliament and of this process," said Corbyn. "The Prime Minister's appalling behavior needs to be held to account by this House as indeed the people of this country are more and more concerned about the ongoing chaos at the center of her government." "The time for dithering and delay is over," he said. Ian Blackford, the Scottish National Party's leader in Westminster, called the Prime Minister a "disgrace" for delaying the vote. "Prime Minister -- take responsibility, do the right thing, resign," said Blackford. Support for May Former Prime Minister David Cameron, who called for the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union before resigning immediately after the result, urged the party to back May in the leadership vote. "I hope Conservative MPs will back the PM in the vote today. We need no distractions from seeking the best outcome with our neighbors, friends and partners in the EU," he tweeted. A number of government ministers came out in support of May just minutes after the vote of no confidence was announced. "The PM has my full support. At this critical time we need to support and work with the PM to deliver on leaving the EU, & our domestic agenda -- ambitious for improvements to people's lives & to build on growth of wages & jobs," tweeted Amber Rudd, the Work and Pensions Secretary. Chancellor Philip Hammond also defended May, tweeting that she had "worked hard in the National interest since the day she took office and will have my full support in the vote tonight." Environment Secretary Michael Gove also offered his support to May on Twitter: "I am backing the Prime Minister 100% - and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same. She is battling hard for our country and no one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British people's decision to leave the EU." November is known more for storminess, compared to December. We tend to think of just snow & winter settling in during December, which November is often associated with wet & windy weather with big temperature swings. However, December can be quite stormy, even without snow. It can turn downright spring-like with sudden temperature swings. These are all examples of that in the December 1-15 period: December 2, 1837 An early morning likely derecho brought a violent gale with damage to the area. Scores of trees were uprooted by the tstorms. Temperatures fell rapidly from unseasonable 60s & 70 to 30s. Scenario bears superficial resemblance (although observational data is scant) to the derecho of December 1998. The storm system brought unusually warm weather to not only our area, but as far north as northern New York, where 64 was recorded at Governeur, New York at 7 a.m. on December 3. A pelting sleet storm on the night of December 1-2 was reported at Fort Snelling (at present-day Minneapolis, Minnesota). The sleet melted down to 1.15 liquid. December 6, 1998 Between 12:30 & 2:15 a.m., a serial derecho with widespread straight-line winds of 60-70 mph with cores of 90-100 mph gusts blasted through the area. University Hall on the Purdue campus had major roof damage totaling $100,000. The wind blew over a 35-car freight train in Carroll County near Rockfield, while the third story of a Total Discount store in Logansport collapsed & fell into a restaurant. A grain bin was blown over near Walton & a barn was partially unroofed. At Peru, several buildings & homes were damaged in the city with the roof blown off a warehouse. A mobile home was destroyed near the city & another was overturned while trees fell on automobiles near Logansport. Widespread tree, powerline& barn/farm damage occurred area-wide. A wind gust of 82 mph was recorded at Grissom Air Reserve Base & 77 mph at West Lafayette. The only hail report was 0.75 at Wheatfield. Record warmth with highs of 68-74 preceded the storms & just prior to storm passage just after midnight, temperatures were still 65-70. December 7, 1927 From the 7th to the 8th, the temperature fell from 55 to 3 at West Lafayette as an Arctic cold front blasted through with howling winds of up to 52 mph. This occurred after 1-2 of rainfall on the 7th. At Rensselaer, the temperature fell from 53 to 3, at Kokomo 55 to 5, Crawfordsville went from 56 to 6, Wheatfield crashed from 52 to 0 & Whitestown 54 to 4. Southeast of Indianapolis as Rushville, the mercury went from an astonishing 65 to 6 in 24 hours. The 1.53 of rainfall at Wheatfield to the 1.11 at Crawfordsville to 0.93 at Kokomo & 1.32 at West Lafayette caused ponding in fields that froze solid nearly instantly with passage of the front. December 8, 1966 Rare December severe weather event produces F2 tornadoes in Jasper & Montgomery counties. 1 person was injured in Jasper County with additional straight-line wind damage in White& parts of Montgomery County. The wettest December day on record occurred at Logansport with this event when 3.20 rain fell. December 10, 1971 QLCS squall line with damaging straight-line winds moved through central & southern Indiana. Straight-line wind damage with gusts to 65 mph occurred in Montgomery & Boone counties. December 11, 1967 7 tornadoes are confirmed in Indiana along with damaging straight-line winds as strong low pressure moved north-northeastward from Memphis, Tennessee to northwest Michigan. One person was injured from an F1 in Putnam County & wind gusts to 65 mph occurred in southeast Montgomery & Boone counties. After such a wet, cool fall, only 60-70% of the soybean & corn crop in Indiana & Illinois was harvested. Tornadoes & damaging winds damaged & even flattened acres & acres of crops. Structural damage from the tornadoes alone amounted to $358,000 (1967 dollars). Many other tornadoes, wind & hail occurred in the southeastern United States with damage in the millions of dollars. Just 10 days later, another significant severe weather outbreak would occur in the same regions of Indiana with more heavy rainfall, which continued to delay the harvest. December 12, 1875 The pressure gradient between a strong surface high pressure over Texas & a very strong surface low over northern Michigan of 980 mb (low-end Category 2 hurricane strength) brought howling northwest winds to the area with highs in the 30s. Gusts of 50 mph occurred in the viewing area as the gale blew through. December 15, 1987 A very intense storm system moved through the viewing area during the morning, producing a damaging windstorm. The strong surface low racing from Memphis to Gary deepened to 980 mb near Kankakee, Illinois around 7 a.m. (Category 2 hurricane strength). Howling winds of 55-70 mph occurred 5-10 a.m. with wind damage across the viewing area. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) -- A class of high schoolers are going beyond the walls of their school to make a difference. Students from Lafayette Jeff and Oakland are working on projects to change public policy issues. The project is through Purdue's national civic education program called "Project Citizen." Students spent the last two months creating a resolution to hot-button issues within our community and world. Grant Fischer, the social studies teacher leading the students said his class of 15 have split into five groups of 3. The groups have been working on their projects for the past two months. Issues of plastic bag pollution, teen pregnancy, concussions in high school sports, homelessness, construction, and police protection are the topics the students are covering this year. Fischer said his students are coming up with real solutions to real issues. It's not just for adults or older people, there's a lot of things that apply to these kids, so it's important for the kids to be involved and be heard and this is one project that is able to allow them to have a voice, said Fischer. Marilyn Varjas, a student in the class is working on reducing the use of plastic bags in Indiana and across the nation. She and her two partners said its important for youth to be cognizant of issues that are negatively impacting our world. As the youth of the world, we need to understand what's going on so when we're grown up we're adults, we understand and we can make decisions of our own, said Varjas. Students will be presenting their projects to a panel of judges including State Representative Sheila Klinker, Judge Michael Morrissey and Nancy Marchand-Martella, the new dean of College of Education at Purdue. The event is open to the public and will be held on Dec. 12 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Purdue Universitys Stewart Center. Room 218. INDIANAPOLIS (WTTV) - As lawmakers prepare to return to the Statehouse, there is a focus on what will be done to keep strong teachers in Indiana classrooms. While the state teachers union is pushing for raises in 2019, it is unclear whether the governor will support action on this right away, WTTV reports. Governor Eric Holcomb outlined his legislative priorities last week. His list includes increasing K-12 funding, but there is no specific mention of teacher compensation. On Monday morning, the Indiana State Teachers Association president shared what their group will be aiming for in the upcoming session. "We need to pay competitive wages to not only attract quality teachers but to keep them," said Teresa Meredith, ISTA president and teacher. "Right now, thats not happening." Meredith said teachers are leaving for neighboring states where salaries are better. "This issue can't wait," Meredith said. "We expect action in 2019." Gov. Holcomb share similar concerns during his press event last week but stopped short of calling for immediate change. "We look to over the next two biennium, 2019 and 2021, get the state of Indiana in a place where we can provide a significant increase to our teacher salaries," Holcomb said. "We want to do it right and its a big number. We have some ground to make up here." But, Meredith emphasized educators feel a sense of urgency with this. "Elected leaders must do more to declare teacher compensation a priority," Meredith said. According to the National Education Association, Indiana teachers had an average salary of $54,308 in 2017. Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Illinois all have higher average salaries. Indiana is ahead of Kentucky when it comes to teacher pay. But, the request for teachers raises from ISTA comes at a time when the state is also hoping to address the finances of the struggling Department of Child Services. "We do know there will be serious pull in addressing those needs in DCS," Holcomb said. "We cant look the other way." The ISTA president said they will take the lead from their members when it comes to any demonstrations like walkouts, depending on how things develop at the Statehouse. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) A Lebanon couple faces multiple charges after being found unconscious in a Lafayette restaurant booth with a 4-year-old child. Jamie Canady and Carlos Salazar were charged with Neglect of a Dependent, Possession of a Narcotic Drug, and Public Intoxication. According to court documents, police were called to Fazoli's on State Road 26 after two people were found passed out in a booth with a small child. Both Canady and Salazar appeared to be under the influence of a narcotic, with Salazar having difficulty remaining conscious. Police say Canady admitted that her Salazar used heroin before taking the child inside. As police questioned Salazar, he handed the officer a bag containing a crystal substance. Salazar initially said he had not used anything that day. After he was arrested, police found a baggie that positive for heroin in his wallet. Department of Child Services was contacted to take custody of the child. Angola is an African nation that spans an area of 481,400 square miles in the southern region of the continent. Angola's economy has gone through several rough patches, particularly during the Angolan Civil War. Despite the turbulence that the economy faced, it began recovering in 2003. The Angolan government implemented several ambitious policies to ensure economic reform, and as a result of the policies, the country's gross domestic product grew by approximately 20% from 2005 to 2007. The Angolan economy is considered one of the most rapidly growing economies in the world. Angola's economic success is partly attributed to the proper utilization of the country's natural resources. Some of Angola's most vital natural resources include the arable land, petroleum, and diamond. Oil and Gas Angola is the second largest producer of oil in Sub-Saharan Africa and is producing about 1.55 million barrels in a day, which is about 1000 barrels below its capacity. The country is a member of the OPEC and also produces natural gas of about 17,904.5 million cubic feet. The country has about 9 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and approximately 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. As a result of the drop in global oil prices and the lack of foreign currencies in the country has led to limited investments in new exploration. About 75% of the oil produced in the country is from the fields in the offshore and produces light sweet crude oil coming with low sulfur content, which is suitable for processing light refined petroleum. The country is planning to increase its output by 2020, and it has embarked on restructuring the industry. Arable Land According to information from the World Bank, in 2014, arable land in Angola accounted for close to 4% of the nation's total area. The data indicates that the percentage of arable land in Angola has been increasing steadily since 2004. Angola's soils are some of Africa's most fertile and its climate is exceptionally conducive to agriculture. In the past, Angola was nearly agriculturally self-sufficient with wheat being the only exception. The civil war significantly affected the sector and limited the country's agricultural output. Currently, some of the main crops grown in Angola include coffee, bananas, and cassava. Data from the government indicates that close to two-thirds of the Angolan people rely on agriculture either directly or indirectly for their livelihoods. Coffee Since the colonial era, coffee has been one of Angola's most important natural resources. During the colonial era, Angola was one of the world's leading producers of coffee. During this period, coffee was mainly grown in the northwestern edge of the country. Angola's civil war nearly decimated the nation's coffee industry since most of the Portuguese coffee farmers fled to Brazil. At the end of the civil war, the government immediately instituted reforms in the coffee sector in an attempt to return production to colonial levels. Industry experts believe that the relevant reforms are likely to cost the government $230 million. One of the main reforms meant to revitalize the coffee sector is the improvement of the transport sector particularly the roads. Livestock Livestock is one of the most critical natural resources in Angola with some of the most commonly kept livestock being cattle, pigs, and goats. Despite its importance livestock keeping, like other agricultural sectors, faced a significant decline during the civil war. According to official government records, in 1973 approximately 36,500 tons of slaughtered livestock were produced in Angola. By the early 1980s, the production had declined significantly to slightly over 5,000 tons. Forests In Angola, forests cover close to 18.4% of the nation's total area and form one of the country's most critical natural resources. One of Angola's significant forests is the Maiombe forest which is situated in Cabinda. Some of the trees exported from Angola include cypress, pines, and eucalyptus. Fish One of Angola's most important natural resources is fish. The importance of fishing to the Angolan economy dates back to the colonial period. During the early 1970s, government records indicate that there were close to 700 fishing vessels within Angola's territorial waters. At the time, nearly 300,000 tons of fish were caught each year within Angola's waters. The civil war greatly diminished the value of Angola's fishing sector. Like most of the country's industries, the government has invested vast sums of money in ensuring that the fishing industry is revitalized. As part of its revitalization program, the Angolan government allows foreign nations to fish within its territorial waters. Some of the foreign nations that are allowed to fish in Angola's waters include Italy, Japan, and Spain. Minerals Angola is considered to be one of the richest African nations regarding mineral resources. Some of Angola's most important minerals include diamonds, iron ore, manganese, and tin. The mining industry is one of Angola's most important in the country due to the high quality of the country's minerals. Despite the high value and quantity of Angolan minerals, the government has faced a significant challenge in attracting major investors to develop the sector. Some of the reasons that make investors avoid Angolan minerals include a history of human rights violations, rampant corruption particularly within the government and the smuggling of minerals particularly diamonds. The government has attempted to resolve the issues to convince investors to develop the mineral industry. Diamonds Diamonds are the most vital of Angola's mineral resources. Angola's modern diamond mining industry traced its roots to the colonial period in 1912 when significant deposits of diamond were found in the country's northeastern edge near a region known as Lunda. During the colonial period, diamond mining in Angola was carried out by an independent company known as Diamang. After the nation attained its independence, the government put in place a law to ensure that only it had the right to exploit the country's mineral resources. During the civil war, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola targeted the diamond mining industry, and due to its attacks, the industry was crippled. The organization managed to cripple diamond mining in the most important region, along the Cuango River. To combat the organization, the government strengthened the security around the Cuango River, and mining could resume in the region. After the civil war, the Angolan government was able to put in place different measures to strengthen its diamond mining industry. One of the measures that it implemented was putting in place an anti-smuggling campaign dubbed Operation Brilliant. The operation was relatively successful as it led to the apprehension of more than 250,000 smugglers over three years from 2003 to 2006. Before the operation was put in place, it was estimated that diamond smuggling cost the government of Angola approximately $350 million worth of revenue in losses. The Angolan Economy Although Angola has abundant natural resources, the countrys output per capita is one of the lowest in the world. Subsistence agriculture provides livelihood to more than 85% of the countrys citizens. The oil industry and its associated activities account for 45% of the countrys GDP and about 90% of the countrys export. In some decades Angola was one of the biggest exporters of food items in Africa, but currently, the country imports all its food requirements. Austria is a country in Central Europe. Austria is considered to be one of the wealthiest nations in the world since in 2017 its nominal gross domestic product was estimated to be $416.6 billion which at the time was the 27th highest in the world. In the same year, Austria's per capita gross domestic product was approximately $47,291 which was the 15th highest at the time. Austria's economic prosperity can be attributed to some factors primarily the utilization of its natural resources which include arable land, the beautiful scenery, and minerals. Arable Land Information published in the Trading Economics website indicated that in 2015, arable land constituted 16.31% of Austria's total land area. In previous years, the amount of arable land in Austria was significantly higher, and it was at its highest in 2005 when it constituted 16.72% of Austria's total area. Several of the crops grown in Austria include wheat, rye, and fruits. According to several agricultural experts, the most productive farmlands in Austria are situated on the eastern edge of the country. The region's agricultural significance is because the terrain in the area is relatively flat. Before the Second World War, agriculture was a significant component of the Austrian economy, but after the war, the importance of the sector declined. In 1999, according to data from the Austrian labor ministry, around 5.3% of Austria's entire labor force worked in the agricultural sector. Despite the decline in agriculture's contribution to the Austrian economy, members of the sector still have significant influence in the country. The influence is because the farmers produce enough milk products and cereals to satisfy the country's demands. The Austrian government has put in place some measures to stem the decline of the country's agrarian sector such as giving subsidies to farmers and placing restrictions on imported crops. Sugar Beets Sugar beets are some of the most important crops in Austria. Estimates from the Austrian government indicate that in 2016, more than 3.5 million tons of sugar beets were produced in the country. The production of sugar beets in Austria fluctuated significantly during the 20th century but stabilized in the 21st century. Austrian sugar beets are primarily used in the production of sugar. According to estimates from the Austrian labor ministry, there are close to 6,500 sugar beet farmers in Austria. Approximately 174 square miles of Austrian land is dedicated to the growing of sugar beets. Cereals Austrian farmers also produce vast quantities of cereal crops. Data from the Austrian government indicated that in 2016, Austrian cereal farmers produced roughly 5.7 million tons of cereals. The production in 2016 increased significantly from the production in 2015 which was approximately 4.85 million tons. Like much of Austria's agricultural sector, cereal production in the country has fluctuated significantly. Experts believe that variations in the global climate cause the fluctuations. Forests Data from the Austrian government indicated that in 2016 forests covered more than 46.85% of the country's total area. The data also indicates that Austria's forest cover had increased gradually from 2004 when it was approximately 46.6%. The vast area covered by forests in Austria is often attributed to centuries of cultivation and care by the Austrian people. The Austrian government has instituted forest management systems that take into consideration some factors particularly the forests' natural growth cycle. A study of the trees in Austria indicated that the most common tree variety is the conifer. Estimates indicate that close to 50,000 people were employed in Austria's forestry sector. Fish Even though Austria is a landlocked nation, it has significant fish resources in its rivers and lakes. One of the main fishing areas in Austria is the River Gail which is home to a variety of trout species such as the rainbow trout and the brown trout. The river is particularly popular with recreational fishers. Other rivers in Austria where fishing is common include the Steyr River, Salza River, and the Walster River. Fishing is also quite common in the Otzlsee Lake and the most common variety of fish in the lake is the alpine salmon. Minerals According to geological research, one of Austria's most important natural resources is the minerals located in the country. Some of the essential minerals in Austria include magnesite, iron ore, and lignite. Geological data indicate that there are mineral deposits throughout Austria's territory with the large deposits being found in the northeastern section of the country particularly in the Styria region. Despite the vast presence of minerals in the country, they only contributed approximately 2% of the country's gross domestic product in 1990. The importance of the mining industry to Austria's economy has been declining steadily since the Second World War. Despite its declining importance, it employs close to 7,000 people. Estimates indicate that there are more than 100 mining companies in Austria. In 2013, the value of Austria's mineral production, according to the mineral yearbook was approximately $32.2 billion which represented roughly 7.5% of the Austrian gross domestic product. Austria's mineral production has decreased significantly from the levels in 2012 when the country's mineral production was valued at $33.2 billion. In 2012, mineral production was roughly 8.1% of Austria's gross domestic product. The government of Austria has put in place some measures to encourage the growth of the country's mineral sector. Wind Due to its location, the wind is one of Austria's most important natural resources. Wind is significant in Austria since it is used to generate electricity that is supplied to the Austrian people. The country is considered one of the major producers of wind power, and in 2008 the nation was ranked the 17th largest wind power producer in the world. Beautiful Scenery Austria has been blessed with several exceptionally breathtaking sites that draw in visitors from all over the world. Austria is one of the premier tourist destinations as estimates indicated that in 2007 the tourism industry contributed $18.9 billion to the economy. Some of the premier tourist spots in Austria include the capital city and ski resorts in the Alps. Economic Growth in Austria The Austrian government has put in place some measures to stimulate the growth of the country's economy. Several of the measures have paid off significantly as the country's economy has grown tremendously. Director of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Hanoi N.V.Shafinskaia at the event (Source: CPV) The Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Hanoi has opened the Russian Language Week with the participation of linguistics and Russian language teachers in Hanoi. Director of Center N.V.Shafinskaia said that for many generations of Vietnamese people, Russian is not only a symbol of fighting for independence and freedom in the past but also a development tool in the future. During the week, the delegation of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia and the National University of Tyumen will exchange teaching experiences, materials and teaching methods of Russian language teaching to promote cooperation in the field of education and training between universities of the Russian Federation and Vietnam./. Two Kennards Hire Rally Australia stalwarts were honoured at the FIA Prize Giving ceremony in St Petersburg last weekend. Dr Matthew Croxford (above) was named the best chief medical officer while Barry Habgood (below) was honoured as the best chief scrutineer in the FIAs seasonal awards for volunteers and officials. Both work under the auspices of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS), which Dr Croxford joined in 1998. Habgood has worked in the sport for almost 30 years. Dr Croxford became chief medical officer for the rally in 2013 and now hosts extrication and other training to a medical team of more than 80 people ahead of the event. I certainly wasnt expecting it but it was very nice to get the recognition for what we have been doing in the medical field, he said. I have been doing this for a while now but I never considered that I would ever be awarded with an award of such importance, it hadnt even crossed my mind. Barry Habgood - honoured by FIA Habgood admitted he was speechless when told he had won the award. Its something I knew existed but I never thought about it as I never thought I would win, but its incredible because there are probably a million scrutineers in this world and I got the award, he said. I have been doing this for an awfully long time and there are a number of people I dedicated this award to including former FIA technical director Jacques Berger and Jerome Toquet - those two blokes got me on this path. Habgood first began his involvement in motor sport during the early 1990s. In 2013 he became chief scrutineer for Rally Australia, a position he held for two years before stepping aside in 2016 to provide support and mentorship. VIDEO More News In a series of tweets Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump threatened to bypass the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and have the military build a wall along the US-Mexico border. After congratulating the government agencies for securing the border, he criticized the Democrats for wanting Open Borders for anyone to come in. This brings large scale crime and disease. In a later tweet, Trump stated, 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 later threatened ominously, 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! Trumps fascistic statements in which he once again slandered immigrants fleeing poverty and violence as criminals and carriers of disease was soon followed by a meeting in the Oval Office with Pelosi, the Democratic House minority leader, and Schumer, the Senate minority leader, over funding for the border among other things. The meeting, which was joined by Vice President Mike Pence and members of the media, saw Trump argue with his Democratic counterparts as to who would be to blame following a possible government shutdown. It comes in the context of a growing political crisis for the Trump administration in which the president has fired his chief of staff, John Kelly, and calls for the Trumps impeachment over campaign finance violations have been floated by two top members of the House Democratic leadership. Now that the White House finds itself in isolation and disarray, it has doubled down on efforts to create an extra-parliamentary movement based on the far-right and the military and other state agencies loyal to the Trump family. The anti-immigrant poison spewed by the President and his desperate attempts to build a border wall flow directly from this campaign. The meeting itself between Trump and Pelosi and Schumer revealed that whatever the sometimes heated but superficial differences between the Democrats and Republicans, they are in complete agreement over the main policy objectives of the ruling class. With a potential shutdown looming on December 21 for some government agencies, Trump threatened, If we dont get what we want, one way or the other, whether its through you, through military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government, adding I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. Trumps first public meeting with the Democrats since the midterm election gains was seen by many observers as an indication as to how his administration will work with the incoming Congress. Despite massive public hostility and repudiation of Trumps far-right policies, the Democrats once again pledged their willingness to work with the Republicans at every step of the way. When Trumps comments turned toward funding for the wall, he said, And then we have the easy one, the wall. That will be the easiest of all, what do you think Chuck? To which Schumer replied, Its called funding the government. Pelosi reminded Trump that he did not have the necessary House votes to secure funding for a border wall, with Trump snapping back, Nancy, I do. Pelosi continued, I dont think we should have a debate in front of the press on this. Presumably, a rotten deal worked out behind the scenes, with no public debate, is Pelosis preference. Trump then went on the offensive saying, Nancy, we need border security, its very simple. Pelosi responded, Of course we do. The president then repeated the lie that there were terrorists crossing the border with the immigrant caravan and that his administration apprehended 10 of them over a very short period of time. Pelosi, not surprisingly, did not challenge Trump on this. It was left to Schumer to add, We have a disagreement about the wall. Whether its effective or not. Not on border security, but on the wall. The meeting descended into Trump arguing with Pelosi and Schumer over this question, with the Democrats proving their eagerness to increase funding for border security. Schumer concluded by saying, Lets debate this in private. Trump then managed to get both Pelosi and Schumer to say once more they supported border security, prompting him to idiotically smile to the assembled press and declare, See? We get along. Outgoing Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan admitted this week that the House has yet to pass legislation that includes $5 billion for physical barriers and militarized technology along the US southern border. The Senate has already agreed to $1.6 billion in additional funds. Pelosi and Schumer have urged Trump to support a measure that includes a half-dozen spending bills, in addition to a separate measure that would include funding for DHS at current levels until September 30. The DHS bill includes about $1.3 billion for increased militarization of the border. Meanwhile, the plight of immigrants at the US-Mexico border has all but disappeared from the corporate news headlines. This week saw a report from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency that documented a spike in the number of immigrants applying for asylum at the US southern border. The number of immigrants applying for asylum at a port of entry doubled in the fiscal year of 2018 compared to the year prior, while the number immigrants who entered the country illegally remained flat. Despite the Trump administrations mobilization of 2,000 National Guard troops and almost 6,000 active-duty military troops to the border, it has proven to be no deterrence to those immigrants, fleeing violence in their home countries, who are turning themselves into a port of entry and making an asylum claim. From 2000 to 2016, the US government granted asylum to an average of 26,651 foreigners a year, according to the DHS. In fiscal year 2018, the number was 38,269 people applying for asylum, with 31 percent deemed inadmissible by port officers. In the same time frame, the number of people crossing illegally into the US remained steady. In 2018, 14 percent of all illegal border crossers requested asylum, up from 13 percent in 2017. Asylum seekers are forced to wait days, if not weeks, until their application is taken up for consideration at a US port of entry. Due to the influx of immigrants from the devastated regions of Central America, border patrol officers are unable to cope with all the claims and are forced to start queue management systems to filter all the applicants. At a conference call Monday, a CBP official was asked by reporters why additional resources were not being made to process more asylum seekers claims. The official, speaking anonymously, said such moves would distract CBP from drug enforcement and national security operations. To shift resources away from those other competing priorities so that we would process more migrantsdoes come at a negative impact of those other missions, the official said. So every day we try to balance the right mix. The Trump administration had recently tried to end asylum for those who crossed illegally into the country but was rebuked by a federal judge. In other developments at the border, 32 people were arrested Monday in San Diegos Friendship Park, which lies adjacent to the border wall, as part of an interfaith rally organized by the American Friends Service Committee in solidarity with the migrant caravan. According to CBP, 31 people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing in an enforcement zone, and one person was arrested for assaulting an agent. The rally was the second confrontation between agents, dressed in riot gear, at the border following a confrontation on November 25 that ended with Border Patrol and military units firing tear gas at defenseless women and children and prompting a five-hour closure of the busiest border crossing in the world. Prime Minister Theresa May could be facing a vote of no confidence from Conservative MPs, with reports that the 48 letters required may have been sent to the backbench 1922 committee. If so, she will be informed after her regular appearance at prime ministers questions Wednesday lunchtime. Rumours circulated after May began a lightening round of diplomacy Tuesday, visiting European Union leaders following her decision not to hold a vote in parliament on the proposed deal over the terms of Brexit. May was desperately seeking concessions from Brussels that would satisfy UK MPs, but was met with a public rebuff from European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Speaking in Strasbourg, Juncker said that he could offer May further clarification around the most contentious issue of the Irish backstop but nothing else. This section of the agreement stipulates that Northern Ireland is kept in the EU Customs Unionabsent a long-term trade agreement between the UK and EUto prevent the return of a hard border with the Republic of Ireland after Brexit. He said bluntly, The deal we achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation. After meeting Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague and speaking on the phone to Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz, May met Merkel in Berlin and received the same response. We said that there will be no further opening of the exit deal, said Merkel. May travelled on to Brussels for talks with Juncker and European council president Donald Tusk, and again met with statements from Europes capitals that nothing of substance could be changed. Frances Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau said, This withdrawal agreement is the only possible agreement. Loiseau warned that the EU was now finalising plans for the UK leaving the EU in a disorderly withdrawal. Ahead of a two-day European Council summit, she said, Today we are not accountable for the British political situation. The heads of state and government will meet on Thursday and Friday and will discuss [the issue] between them. But our responsibility as leaders is also to prepare for a no deal because it is a hypothesis that is not unlikely. While these preparations are underway, significant sections of the ruling elite in Europe are fearful of the economic, political and social turmoil that a hard-Brexit would unleash. The Financial Times cited the comments of Armin Laschet, Christian Democratic Union prime minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germanys most populous and economically powerful state. Laschet said, There is a real risk that a hard Brexit could tip the global economy into a crisis It could be even more serious than the collapse of Lehman Brothersif you look at the potential effect on trade. Thats why its smart to have a consensual form of Brexit. Today, May is due to meet Irelands Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster in London. It was always doubtful, even if May could secure some concessions around the issue of the Irish backstop, that this would satisfy the DUP or the Tory Brexiteers. In Parliament, the DUPs Gavin Robinson told Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington that mere assurances on the Brexit backstop wont suffice and that it would require a fundamental alteration of the text to win their backing in a parliamentary vote. The DUP would also want to see the full legal advice presented to the government by the Attorney General regarding such changes to the agreement. Even as May went cap-in-hand to Europes leaders and her own MPs moved against her, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn insisted that he would not call a vote of no confidence. Instead, Labour took part in an emergency debate on a tame non-binding motion, registering the disagreement of MPs that May had refused to proceed with the final two days of a five-day debate and a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal. Lidington played down Mays move to scupper a vote she was set to lose heavily, saying the remaining stages of this debate have not been cancelled, but have been deferred. May had until January 21 to present Parliament with a Brexit plan, according to the EU Withdrawal Act, he said, and was trying to secure a better deal before what was a deadline and not a target. Other opposition parties, led by Labours Blairite faction, are demanding a second referendum Peoples Vote on Mays deal or remaining in the EU. The Scottish National Party (SNP), Liberal Democrats and Green Party have tabled a vote of no confidence in May, but without the support of the main opposition party, Labour, it cannot be debated. Corbyn refused to meet the previous evening with SNP parliamentary leader, Ian Blackford, to discuss a vote of no confidence and did not attend a Tuesday morning press conference in central London, after being invited by the Peoples Vote campaign. Labours Shadow Chancellor and leading Corbyn ally John McDonnell would not commit to a date for a no-confidence vote, saying the matter was under review and whether to call it will be a fine judgment each day. Labour later reprimanded a shadow Brexit minister, Jenny Chapman, who told the LBC radio station that a no-confidence motion is going to happen before Christmas. The Peoples Vote press conference was attended by the SNPs Blackford, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, Plaid Cymru Westminster Group Leader Liz Saville Roberts MP, former Blair government Foreign Secretary and Labour MP Margaret Beckett, and pro-Remain Conservative Anna Soubry. In the parliamentary debate, Labourite Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi pointed to speculation that the government had told top EU figures that the Brexit deal vote would be postponed 24 hours before cabinet ministers were informed. Asked by the SNPs Pete Wishart why he would not join them in tabling a motion of no confidence, Corbyn replied, We have no confidence in this government, before adding, 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. Corbyn leads a party whose MPs, in their overwhelming majority, dont want a general election. But they are also convinced that Corbyn will not fight for one because this would mean a struggle to remove a significant section of his own Blairite MPs that he has consistently refused to carry out. This has led to the bizarre situation where the Blairites feel free to champion a no-confidence motion, based on an assumption of failure that will open the way for a second referendum to reverse Brexit. They are working to safeguard the strategic interests of British imperialism, while either keeping the Tories in office or possibly forming a government of national unity. This has long been the preferred option of the Blairites. Asked at the Peoples Vote press conference if their attempt to force Corbyn to call a no-confidence vote would weaken him because it was unlikely to be supported by the DUP, Blackford said it was necessary as a lever to force another referendum. Soubry said, 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 suspension by the Unite and GMB unions of rolling strike action by shipbuilding workers at the Cammell Laird shipyard at Birkenhead, Merseyside is a gift to management. The strike began in response to plans by the company to lay off 291 workers, representing 40 percent of the workforce. The official notification of redundancies was due to be issued December 10, to take place over the months leading up to March next year. Unite and GMB members voted by an 80 percent majority on a 75 percent turnout to impose an immediate overtime ban and undertake a series of rolling 24-hour strikes involving 16 different sections of the workforce, each taking strike action in isolation from one another. The December 7 suspension of the strike action came in a joint statement by the two unions with the company, which agreed not to press ahead with the redundancies while further discussions take place during what was described as a four-week breathing space. Discussions will involve a specially created taskforce facilitated by the Labour Party Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson. The taskforce comprises the Unite and GMB unions, Cammell Laird and its major shareholder Peel Port Investments, which also owns the Cammell Laird site. The Peel Group incorporating Peel Ports is one of the UKs leading privately-owned investment companies. The taskforce also includes representatives from central and local government, along with Cammell Laird customers. It held its first meeting on December 7. The pro-business nature of the taskforce was spelled out in the joint statement, which read, The agreement recognises the need for the yard to remain competitive in bidding for new and future work and all parties agree to work together to ensure this remains the case All parties agree that Cammell Laird has a positive future and that short-term measures are required to address immediate problems of workflow into the yard. The task force will examine every opportunity to bring forward work scheduled for later in 2019 while seeking new work orders and financial assistance for a major up-skilling programme to ensure the skills necessary to compete in a highly competitive market are available from within the local community. The taskforce was welcomed by local Labour politicians. Anderson, along with Wirral council leader Phil Davies, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotherham and Liverpool council cabinet member Ian Maher issued a joint statement, declaring, This is an important company locally but we should not forget that this is also a strategically important industry for the whole of the UK. The taskforce recognises the complexity of the situation and that all parties are acting in good faith The (taskforce) has been established after a meeting with Government ministers The unions also welcomed the setting up of the taskforce. Steve Turner, Unites assistant general secretary, said, The agreement is fantastic news for a workforce fearing the worst just before Christmas we have today established a multi-agency task-force to develop and put in place measures designed to avert unnecessary job losses. We now have a period time during which a long-term solution can be found that manages future workload in the yard [emphasis added] Prior to the setting up of the taskforce, the unions had made clear they accepted the need to reduce costs, urging only that there were no compulsory redundancies. The treacherous nature of this demand was made clear by Unite regional official, Ross Quinn, who said, Unite put a proposal to management using the companys own figures proving that the company could avoid dismissing anyone until February. [emphasis added] Unite has pushed a nationalist and militarist campaign, pitting UK workers against shipbuilding workers throughout the world. In October, Turner said, The loss of jobs at Cammell Laird would see skills gone for a generation and be a further blow to the UKs shipbuilding industry. He called on Conservative government ministers to wake up and smell the coffee by dropping their obsession to offshore the construction of three fleet support ships for our naval carrier fleet. This is work that should be done in UK shipyards using British-made steel as part of an industrial strategy that supports jobs and communities across our four nations. Despite naval contracts to support and maintain Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels in October totalling nearly 700 million and securing work for the next decade for the company, the contract is not due to start till March next year. The company insists it must nevertheless cut costs in the short term. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo in October, a spokesman said, Cammell Laird is principally a marine and engineering contracting businesswe can have peaks in demand for skilled and semi-skilled labour Contracting is our business model the company needs to address its cost base to remain competitive. Consequently there are jobs at risk. Cammell Laird workers fear one of the options being considered by the company to reduce costs is the use of casual agency workers. The start of the industrial action by the Cammell Laird workers on November 23 coincided with the wildcat walk out by Vauxhall car workers in nearby Ellesmere Port. The Socialist Equality Party called on both groups of workers to unify their struggles and set up rank and file committees, independent of the unions. The creation of the taskforce and suspension of the strike action at Cammell Laird underscores the need for such rank and file committees. Delegates from more than 200 countries are meeting in Katowice, Poland, in the annual United Nations ritual to discuss international climate change policy. This years conference is the third since the Paris Agreement. Dubbed Paris 2.0, it is devoted to working out the implementation details of the 2015 accord. Despite ample evidence that the Paris agreement itself is woefully inadequate, ambitions for Katowice remain low, with no expectation of a new round of more stringent pledges by nations this year. With US President Donald Trump in the process of withdrawing the worlds second largest polluter from Paris (the US remains a participant until at least 2020, the first opportunity for formal withdrawal), the conference is more likely to test the very survival of the agreement. Skepticism or outright opposition to Paris has grown from governments of key countries including Russia, Brazil and Australia. Despite the technocratic content of much of the Katowice negotiations, the geopolitical stakes are high. Climate negotiations over the past couple of decades have played a prominent role in shaping the international economic rulebook. The Trump administrations emphasis on naked national interests over any pretense of international cooperation has triggered sharp rebukes, particularly from Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron, for instance, used the platform of the UN General Assembly this past September to warn that trade pacts shouldnt include countries that do not abide by the Paris Agreement. At a conference session on Monday, Trumps top White House adviser on energy, Wells Griffith, praised the use of fossil fuels, particularly coal, in what amounted to a deliberate provocation against the Katowice meeting. Griffith directly counterposed profits and military advantage to environmental survival, declaring, We strongly believe that no country should have to sacrifice economic prosperity or energy security in pursuit of environmental sustainability. This deliberate flouting of international opinion follows the Group of 20 summit in Argentina, when 19 of the 20 leaders present, all but Trump, gave a verbal commitment to action on climate change, while Trump dismissed the issue. Halfway through the Katowice conference, signs of increasing dysfunction have already emerged. On Saturday, the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait scuttled plans to welcome a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the impacts of a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius. The report warned that time has nearly run out to put the world on a path to avoid disastrous climate impacts. The group of nations objected to the word welcome, which would implicitly endorse the findings. They proposed instead to merely note the report. I think it was a key moment, Union of Concerned Scientists Director Alden Meyer told the Associated Press. The fact that a group of four countries were trying to diminish the value and importance of a scientific report they themselves, with all other countries, requested three years ago in Paris is pretty remarkable. That the gathering of nations assembled in Poland could not reach consensus to acknowledge the scientific realities of climate change reflects deep divisions over national interests and profitability of national industriesdivisions that extend well beyond the four countries distinguishing themselves Saturday. Scientists have pointed out that the current aggregate of all voluntary commitments under Paris are more likely to lead to a catastrophic warming of 3C rather than the stated goals of 2C or 1.5C. Even so, many of the major polluters are falling well behind their self-determined goals. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released a study on the eve of Katowice highlighting that a majority of G-20 nations are not on a path to fulfilling their 2030 commitments. At the global level, carbon emissions show no signs of peaking. Last year, emissions reached a record high after temporarily stabilizing, the report noted. Emissions rose by 1.6 percent in 2017, including 2.5 percent in the US, 5 percent in China and more than 6 percent in India, and are projected to rise by 2.7 percent this year, an acceleration that has ominous implications. If current policies are maintained, emissions will continue to increase beyond 2030. The day after Thanksgiving, the Trump administration released a nearly 1,700-page report co-written by hundreds of scientists finding that climate change is already causing increasing damage to the United States. That was followed by another report detailing the growing gap between the commitments made at earlier U.N. conferences and what is needed to steer the planet off its calamitous path. The emissions gap between where the world is and where it must be to avoid the worst climate impacts is growing. Philip Drost, the head of the steering committee for the UNEP report, explained, We need three times more ambition to close the 2-degree gap, and five times more ambition to close the 1.5-degree gap. Katowice, building on the 23 conferences before it, provides a display of the paralysis of global capitalism in the face of an accelerating climate catastrophe. Last week, more than four years after New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo killed unarmed Eric Garner on the streets of Staten Island with an illegal chokehold, Pantaleo faced the first hearing in a New York City Police Department (NYPD) disciplinary trial set to begin in May. Pantaleos supervisor, Sgt. Kizzy Adonis, will also face a departmental trial. If convicted, Pantaleo, who was placed on desk duty and had his salary increased to $120,000 after the 2014 incident, could face penalties ranging from the loss of vacation days to the loss of his job. NYPD union officials, however, who say a chokehold never occurred, are holding out the possibility of no conviction taking place, which might put Pantaleo back on the streets of New York in uniform. Garner, 43, was approached by police trying to apprehend him for allegedly selling cigarettes illegally. After Garner denied that he was selling anything, Pantaleo put him in a chokehold from behind, as three other NYPD officers piled on top of him and held his head down while Garner gasped, I cant breathe, eleven times before going unconscious. Chokeholds, defined as pressure to the throat or windpipe, which may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air, were banned from NYPD use in 1993. This explicit scene of police brutality and subsequent murder was caught on film in its entirety by Garners friend, sparking mass outrage by the millions who viewed it. Garners case, along with other high-profile police killings in 2014 such as that of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, led to large-scale demonstrations by workers and students in New York City and across the US. In addition to the clarity of the events as they were recorded on video, the New York City Medical Examiners office classified Garners death a homicide resulting from compression of neck, compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police. But in a miscarriage of justice orchestrated by Staten Islands then-District Attorney Daniel Donovan, a grand jury in 2014 decided not to indict Pantaleo, and he has never faced any criminal charges for his violent and illegal actions. The Department of Justice (DOJ), responsible for monitoring local law enforcement conduct and pursuing civil rights offenses, never filed charges against Pantaleo under Obama, and has yet to do so under Trump. This, unfortunately, is not uncommon, with federal prosecutors failing to bring charges against police officers in 96 percent of civil rights cases in the past decade. The DOJ did tell the NYPD that it had no objection to an internal departmental trial. This dragging out of the case over many years under both Democratic and Republican administrations shows the true interests of the ruling class seeking to protect their enforcers, while dissipating wide-spread anger with promises of possible action that end in yet further delays. This federal tactic also facilitates the indefinite delay of any punitive measures by the NYPD, which has claimed that it is standard procedure to wait until the federal government resolves its own case on a matter before proceeding to an internal disciplinary trial. With the federal statute of limitations running out in July, the NYPD has finally begun Pantaleos trial ahead of any decision by the Justice Department, charging him with reckless and intentional use of a chokehold. After the brief initial hearing last week, a press conference took place outside the NYPD courtroom. In a bizarre statement, Pantaleos lawyer, Stuart London, told reporters, The problem is we need to educate both the media and the public that not only was there never a chokehold, but officer Pantaleo was just making a simple arrest using a seat belt technique [hooking an arm underneath an individuals arm while wrapping the other around their torso]. London said that a defense medical expert will confirm this information in trial, while the citys Medical Examiners office refuted Londons statements, standing by its original conclusion that Gardner died of chokehold injuries. Patrick Lynch, the president of the Patrolmens Benevolent Association, made a truthful though chilling statement: We are going to bring forth evidence that Officer Pantaleo did exactly what he was trained to do. This aligns with how Lynch described Pantaleo immediately following Garners death in 2014, stating that the killer cop was a model of what we want a police officer to be. Garners mother, Gwen Carr, who attended the hearing, told reporters she had mixed emotions and felt sort of numb being in the room with my sons murderer. The original internal police report, signed off on by Kizzy Adonis, omitted any mention of a chokehold. It would almost certainly have remained the official record if not for the video evidence. A vast amount of police violence goes unreported, and the possibility that a police officer will be tried for a murder, or even if he is tried, found guilty, is minuscule. The very fact that Pantaleo has been free for years is a demonstration of the reactionary official political culture in the US that protects those armed forces the ruling elite rely on to police class lines and suppress growing opposition to unprecedented levels of social inequality. Autoworkers all over the world are facing job cuts and drastic attacks. While General Motors (GM) has announced the closure of five plants in the US and Canada, with almost 15,000 layoffs of hourly and salaried workers, Ford is also preparing major job cuts. An analyst from the Wall Street bank Morgan Stanley recently told investors that he expects Ford to cut at least 25,000 jobs worldwide, with the largest part of its 10 billion fitness programme aimed at Europe. In September, Ford management in Dearborn, Michigan and Cologne, Germany indicated they would cut up to 24,000 jobs at Fords European plants. With the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of autoworkers, the silence of the IG Metall union and its works councils in Germany has been striking. Neither in Cologne nor in Saarlouis have IGM officials warned workers about the drastic restructuring about to hit them, let alone prepared workers for industrial action to resist it. On the contrary, the unions and works councils are working with management behind closed doors to draw up plans to restore profitability and preserve shareholders returns at the expense of the workers. Throughout Europe, Ford has already announced cuts in France and the UK. On November 8, Ford UK announced the closing of its headquarters in Brentwood, the centre of its British operations for 50 years, eliminating 1,700 jobs. By the end of September 2019, all UK activities are to be concentrated at Ford Dagenham and Ford Dunton in Basildon. In France, Ford plans to close its plant in Blanquefort near Bordeaux by the end of next year, wiping out the jobs of around 900 workers. There is growing opposition to the closure, with hundreds of Ford Blanquefort workers taking part in recent Yellow Vests protests in the centre of Bordeaux. So far, little information has been made public regarding the future of the German plants, but there are clear signs that job cuts are imminent. In Cologne, 18,500 workers still produce the Ford Fiesta, and in Saarlouis about 6,000 produce the new Ford Focus. However, the contracts for 300 temporary workers have been terminated in Cologne, and another 60 are expected to lose their jobs by the end of the year. Short-time work is imminent for 2019, and even today, especially in Saarlouis, production-free days have been called repeatedly. At the same time Ford is investing 200 million in Craiova, Romania, to have another model built there. The number of Ford workers in Romania is to be increased by 1,500, to 6,000. Workers there suffer slave-labour conditions and some are fobbed off with wages of just 300. A year ago, in December 2017, 4,000 employees in Craiova tried to prevent the imposition of a new, union-backed collective agreement by carrying out industrial action. Since then, overtime bonuses have been reduced and workers have been forced to accept new flexible shift patterns. The impending attacks on Ford workers are part of a new round of restructuring of the global auto industry that will also affect Opel and Volkswagen in Germany. Since the takeover by PSA (the French-based conglomerate that produces Peugeot and Citroen vehicles), cuts and attacks have been implemented step-by-step at Opel. As industry analyst Ferdinand Dudenhoffer noted, the Opel board and trade unions have deliberately not made everything known all at once because one would have been afraid of triggering a strike or a revolution. Last month, hundreds of British workers walked out in wildcat action after being informed by Unite union shop stewards that 241 jobs would be cut by the end of next year at the Ellesmere Port plant, near Liverpool, where the Vauxhall and Opel Astra models are produced. Volkswagen workers are not safe. VW is discussing building more cars in the US to avoid customs and other import controls. The VW Group is currently considering a partnership with Ford to utilize its American production facilities. The two companies are expected to make a major announcement sometime in January. According to a CNBC report, headlined, Ford and VW considering an expansive alliance likely to echo across the global auto industry, the companies are considering sharing plants in the US and other markets and combining marketing and distribution operations, with Ford leading in the US and VW dominant in Europe and China. The companies may also work jointly in other areas, like the booming light truck market, which is one of Fords strengths. Perhaps the most far-reaching collaboration would see Ford and Volkswagen partner up on the development of autonomous and electrified vehicles, the report noted. Such a tie-up, and the wave of mergers and acquisitions that would quickly follow, would threaten the jobs of hundreds of thousands of workersboth production as well as engineers, designers, marketers and other white-collar workersas the global car giants sought to eliminate redundancies and make even more cash available for wealthy shareholders. The development of new electrical technology, the diesel emissions scandal, Brexit, trade war and a general economic crisisall these factors are used by managers and trade union officials to justify ever more savage attacks on autoworkers. To fight, workers must build new organizations of struggle, independent of IG Metall, the United Auto Workers and other pro-capitalist and nationalist trade unions, and link up their battles across national borders. The onset of a new restructuring of the global auto industry poses the necessity of a socialist and international alternative. Only if workers unite internationally and fight to take the industries into their own hands can they defend their rights and jobs and use the advances in technology and global interconnectivity for the benefit of the entire working population. A Vancouver-based Canadian judge has granted Huaweis Chief Financial Officer bail pending adjudication of Washingtons demand that she be extradited to the US to face trumped up charges of sanctions busting. However, the bail conditions the court has imposed on Meng Wanzhou are onerous. Meng must wear a GPS ankle bracelet at all times, limit her movements to the Greater Vancouver area, and pay for her own round-the-clock surveillance by a security firm charged with making sure she adheres to all her bail conditions. British Columbia Supreme Court Justice William Ehrcke also ruled that Meng must hand over $7 million in cash as surety and that a further $3 million, from Vancouver residents ready to vouch for her, must be provided as collateral. The Canadian government had argued that Meng should be held in jail pending the outcome of her extradition hearing, a process that could take months, on the grounds that she constitutes a flight risk. The daughter of Huawei founder and current CEO Ren Zhengfei, Meng was seized in Vancouver on December 1, while transferring planes during a trip that was to take her to Mexico from Hong Kong. Her arrest was a calculated provocationaimed both specifically at Huawei, a global leader in 5G telecommunications technology, and at China, which Washington and Wall Street have come to view as US imperialisms most important strategic competitor. Canadian authorities seized Meng at almost exactly the same time US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were agreeing to a 90-day truce in the US-China tariff war, at a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. Both US and Canadian officialsincluding Prime Minister Trudeau who has acknowledged he was informed of Mengs arrest several days in advancehave tried to maintain that it has nothing to do with Washingtons ever more aggressive economic, diplomatic and military-strategic offensive against China. But outside North America it is almost universally recognized for what it is: a gross abuse of power and a politically-motivated and manipulated prosecution or, to put it more bluntly, a kidnapping in support of a frame-up. Meng is accused of violating Washingtons punishing economic sanctions against Iran in 2013, by misrepresenting the relationship between Huawei and a second company, Skycom, that the US Justice Department claims exported US-made goods to Iran. She is under indictment in the US for two charges, each carrying a possible prison term of 30 years. Mengs arrest comes as the US seeks to prevail on its allies, including Canada, to exclude Huawei from their emerging 5G networks. Australia and New Zealand have already taken steps to do so, and Canada and Britain, the other two members of the US National Security Agency (NSA)-led Five Eyes global spying network, are now considering following suit. The bans are being justified on national security grounds. But in an October letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging Canada to exclude Huawei from the countrys 5G network, US Senators Mark Warner and Marco Rubio argued that there are also major commercial reasons to do so. Yesterday the New York Times reported that the Trump administration is on the verge of announcing a series of new measures against China, many of them targeting its high-tech sector. For both economic and military reasons, the US is determined to thwart Chinas drive to move up the value-chain by developing global leadership in telecommunications, artificial intelligence, and other high-tech sectorsa key goal of Beijings Made in China 2025 strategy. Chinese officials have vigorously denounced Mengs arrest. Over the weekend the Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded Mengs immediate release, in separate meetings with the Canadian and US ambassadors to Beijing. While strongly-worded, Chinas protests have been calibrated, in the hopes that a complete breakdown in trade negotiations with the US can be avoided. Yesterday, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa issued a statement charging that Mengs arrest and impending extradition is a political conspiracy between Ottawa and Washington. This is not an ordinary judicial case, but a political conspiracy, a political persecution of a Chinese enterprise and Chinese citizen. The statement termed the Canadian governments claim there was no political involvement or interference in detaining Huaweis CFO a political posture. Questioned by the Globe and Mail about the Chinese charges, Kelly Craft, the US ambassador to Canada and wife of coal-mining billionaire Joe Craft, termed them absolutely false. Craft then went on to charge that China is a growing economic and military threat to the world. According to the Globe, her tirade included denunciations of both Huawei and of Chinas One Belt One Road (OBOR) Eurasian infrastructure-building scheme. Also yesterday, Ottawa reported that China has detained a former Canadian diplomat who now works for the International Crisis Group, Michael Kovrig. While the government has provided few details, apart from saying it is sparing no effort to make sure Kovrig is safe and properly treated, Canadas media was quick to allege that this is a case of Chinese retaliation. Since Mengs arrest, there has been a spate of editorials and op-eds in the countrys leading papers supporting the US push for Huawei to be excluded from the countrys 5G network and calling for further action to surveille and restrict Chinese investment. On Monday, the Globe and Mail, the traditional voice of the Bay Street financial elite, published an editorial seconding former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harpers call for Canada to bar Huawei equipment from next generation wireless networks. Canada, added the Globe, should not give China the freedom to invest in Canada it has long sought. As yellow vest protests against social inequality and calling for the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron continue across France, hundreds of high schools remain shut down by demonstrations, with high school students protesting yesterday in central Paris. They denounced the governments education reforms and Macrons re-imposition of compulsory military service and expressed their solidarity with the yellow vests. The World Socialist Web Site interviewed Gabriel Lacalmette, studying at the Olympe de Gouges high school. Were in the 93rd district, from the working-class areas, he said. We came to protest the high school and university entrance reforms and the raising of tuition fees, which are increasing inequality and the discrimination that already takes place. Gabriel explained the impact of the governments reforms by citing the example of Macrons raising of tuition fees for foreign students in France. Today we are at least fortunate to have an education system for everyone that is financially accessible. This raise will mean that actually only the rich foreign students can come to university. But we support education for everyone. The more educated people are in the country, the better. He also highlighted the inequality produced by Macrons school reforms. With the new entrance requirements, if we apply to a Paris university, we have a smaller chance of admission than Parisians. The system of waiting lists disadvantages us compared to Parisian students. There was a baby boom in 2000, so there are now more people going to university. But instead of creating new places, they make more stringent selections. They create prestigious universities like the Sorbonne, and next to it the garbage schools for all students from the suburbs. Gabriel expressed his hostility to the reestablishment of military service: Millions will be engulfed in this, but what we actually need is to create more places at university and to hire people. On one side they are slashing 2,600 positions, and on the other theyre indoctrinating the youth and marching them into military service. He also opposed the idea that youth could be sent into a war in the Middle East. France once again has a neo-colonialist position, and I dont want to fight for that. Im for the sovereignty of every people and dont want anything to do with this fraud. I support the yellow vests because its a mass movement of workers that is involving people who have absolutely never mobilized before, who were not political. This is how we can struggle. I want a merging of the movement of students, railway workers, yellow vests, of the entire world to put an end to this world of inequality and injustice. The WSWS also met two students from Mexico at the protest. They said that everyone is against raising fees for foreign students. They reported that some foreign students have been forced out of France and are now studying in Germany to avoid the fee hikes. Now, with the yellow vests, its time for a big part of the population to move against this intolerable inequality. They emphasized that the social rights established in France, like virtually free universities, should be available to everyone around the world. The WSWS also spoke to M. Blondel, a philosophy teacher at the Guy Maupassant High School. He said, I came to support my students. They have been in struggle for a semester and have been blocking the schools by whatever means out of personal conviction. He challenged the legitimacy of Macrons reforms in the face of demonstrations and student blockades of universities. The high school reforms are worthless and are no way forward. Their aims are no good. Weve seen the damage the selection examination changes caused last year. We are in the poor suburbs. The high schools lost the Priority Education Zone status. Our students cant get into the Parisian universities. Theyre confined to Nanterre. He added that there was something fundamentally in common between the yellow vests and high school students. The youth, like adults, just want to live properly, he said. Theyre not making farfetched demands. They dont want to be the elite or millionaires. The yellow vests just want to be able to live properly from their own work. Our students would simply like to do their studies and find a job that will pay them fairly. He underlined the opposition of the youth to Macrons reinstitution of military service. The students are extremely worried. They worry about the time it will take from their studies, and they find it scandalous that this is the perspective the government has created for them. Asked about the danger that in the future the youth will be sent to fight and die in Syria or Mali, he replied: Send our students there? Absolutely not. We have commercial and energy interests that create the disorders where we intervene, and in fact it creates no less disorder here. No one benefits except the multinationals who are involved, but for the people: nothing. He also stressed the importance of the growing support for internationalism in the wake of the yellow vest protests. The international idea is growing. We notice there are so many people around the world who have the same interests and are starting to become aware of that. At the European level, one could imagine that the demand would not just be for the resignation of a president, but of higher governing bodies. The peoples sufferings are the same. Their interests are the same too. One month after the US midterm elections, the conflict within the state apparatus is reaching a new stage. Within the political establishment, there are increasingly open calls for impeachment and possibly criminal proceedings against Trump, including from top Democrats in the incoming Congress. On Friday, federal prosecutors filed legal papers in the case of Donald Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, directly accusing Trump of instructing Cohen to pay hush money in the run-up to the 2016 election to two women who claimed he had had extramarital sexual relations with them. The prosecutors identified this as a violation of campaign finance laws, a felony. As the New York Times put it, this was tantamount to naming Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal crime. On Monday night, the Washington Post published an extraordinary open letter to the Senate signed by 44 former senators33 Democrats, 10 Republicans and one independentbearing the headline The Senate has long stood in defense of democracyand must again. While the letter is vague on specifics, it speaks unambiguously of a crisis threatening the entire political system. We are entering a dangerous period, the authors warn, marked by serious challenges to the rule of law, the Constitution, our governing institutions and our national security. Citing the looming release of the Mueller report and the Democratic takeover of the House, it states: The likely convergence of these two events will occur at a time when simmering regional conflict and global power confrontations continue to threaten our security, our economy and geopolitical stability. It continues: 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. Today is once again such a time. Among the signatories are long-standing bulwarks of the military and state apparatus. They include two former Pentagon chiefs, William Cohen and Chuck Hagel, both Republicans who served in the cabinets of Democratic presidents, Clinton and Obama, respectively. The list also includes Democrats Bill Bradley, Tom Daschle, Chris Dodd, Gary Hart, John Kerry (secretary of state under Obama), Joe Lieberman and Jay Rockefeller, and Republicans Alan Simpson, Al DAmato and John Warner (former secretary of the Navy). The letter makes clear that growing sections of the political establishment from both major parties are increasingly concerned that the actions of the Trump administration, beginning with the president himself, threaten to undermine the ideological foundations of US imperialist operations all over the world and capitalist rule within the United States itself. Trumps embrace of murder in the Saudi regimes assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, his defense of fascists such as the neo-Nazis who marched last year in Charlottesville, his racist and fascistic attacks on immigrants, are blowing up a basic ideological pillar of US imperialist foreign policythe pretense that the United States is a bulwark of human rights and democracy. There are many diverse issues driving the conflict within the state. These include divisions over US imperialist foreign policy, particularly in regard to Russia, but also including relations with Washingtons traditional allies and tactics in the confrontation with China. There are mounting concerns over the economic crisis and turmoil on the financial markets. But there are more long-term and fundamental questions as the American ruling class prepares for war against nuclear-armed rivals such as Russia and China and confronts the prospect of an eruption of social unrest at home. The intelligence agencies, fronted by the Democratic Party and major sections of the corporate media, have been waging an escalating campaign of internet censorship for going on two years to shore up American capitalisms internal defenses. But the national security apparatus and its political agents look at the explosion of working-class protest against inequality and poverty in France and see the futuresooner rather than laterof the United States. Under these conditions, there is waning confidence in the ruling class in the ability of Trump to handle such a crisis. In Trump they have someone who operates on the global stage on the basis of bullying and threats. Within the US, he is seen as illegitimate by major sections of the population. The ruling class, after all, installed Obama to replace the discredited and hated Bush, and handed him a Nobel Peace Prize in an attempt to give US imperialism a face lift and cover over the stench of Bushs lies and atrocities in Iraq. And while the central charge in the investigation by Special Counsel Robert MuellerRussian meddlingis a fabrication promoted by the Democrats and the intelligence establishment to prevent Trump from backing away from Obamas hardline anti-Russia policy, the investigations have exposed a measure of the criminality and corruption of Trump and his business operations. Trump is not the source of the crisis, he is a symptom. He is not an outlier, but rather the personification of the ruling financial oligarchy, steeped in criminality and organically hostile to democratic rights. He is the product of the disintegration of American democracy, not its cause. A month after the midterm election, it is already clear that nothing will change for the better for working people and youth under a Democratic House. Instead, the Democrats are intensifying their drive for internet censorship in the name of combating Russian meddling and fake news. They offer no policies to reverse decades of social counterrevolution. The White House meeting Tuesday of the Democratic congressional leaders, Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer, with Trump, presented by the media as a battle royale, was a pathetic display of the cowardice and complicity of the Democratic Party. The two said nothing about Trumps crackdown on immigrants or fascistic rants and instead touted their support for border security and pleaded for a deal with the administration. There is nothing democratic or progressive about either of the warring sides, and even if Trump were to be ousted as a result of the intrigues within the state, it would not signal a victory for the working class or democracy. In the first instance, he would be replaced by Pence, who is being held in reservea somewhat less vulgar representative of the ruling class, but no less reactionary. There is another process developing outside of and in opposition to the in-fighting within the ruling class. The social explosion that has rocked France in recent weeks has acquired broad popular support across Europe, the Middle East and the world. In the US, opposition among autoworkers to plant closures is growing as teachers in California organize new walkouts and demonstrations. Workers must give no support to either faction or party. The basis for removing Trump and reversing the policies of war, repression and inequality that he represents lies in the developing struggle of the working class in the US and internationally. This movement must be conducted consciously on the basis of a struggle against the source of these evilsthe capitalist system itself. To develop this struggle workers must build democratic organizations of struggle independent of the trade unions and both big business partiesfactory, workplace and neighborhood committees to broaden and link up all struggles nationally and internationally. A new leadership in the working class, the Socialist Equality Party, must be built to arm this movement with a socialist, internationalist and revolutionary program. South Korean workers at Hyundai Motors and Kia staged a four-hour partial strike last Thursday to protest plans by the company and government to impose massive wage cuts on auto workers in the city of Gwangju. The agenda, dressed up as a job creation measure, is a test run of what will be a broader attack on the working class in the future. Some 51,000 workers from Hyundai and 29,000 from Kia took part. Workers are angry over the so-called Gwangju jobs project that will not only result in a lower-paid tier of workers in that city, but will also be used to slash wages around the country in the name of companies remaining competitive. The Gwangju jobs project has both the backing of the local city government and the administration of President Moon Jae-in. The project, still in the negotiating stage, is a joint venture between Hyundai Motors, which also owns Kia, and the Gwangju Metropolitan Government. It is being sold to workers as a compromise between management and labor, but in reality it will force new employees at Hyundai to accept wages slashed to less than half that of the average auto worker. While workers would make 35 million won ($31,000) annually, Hyundai will supposedly create some 12,000 new jobs. Hyundai has been pushing for a two-tier system ever since US automakers imposed it upon their work force with the collaboration of the United Auto Workers. The Gwangju jobs project was influenced by a similar plan implemented by Volkswagen in 2002. In addition, however, Hyundai is demanding that workers be stripped of the right to collectively bargain until the new Gwangju plant has produced 350,000 vehicles. As the company plans to build approximately 70,000 small SUVs there each year beginning in 2021, workers will not be able to collectively bargain for at least five years. The plan is particularly threatening to Kia workers who produce a large number of SUVs. There is no reason Kia will not follow in the footsteps of General Motors and shut down plants, like the one at Gunsan, unless workers accept massive wage cuts and job losses. Even that will be no guarantee jobs will be saved. This is due in large part to the treachery of the trade union organizations in South Korea, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). Of the two, the FKTU has negotiated with Gwangju and Hyundai. It is considered friendlier to the government and management, even allowing the city to negotiate with Hyundai on its behalf. The FKTU only balked at Hyundais demand that workers have no collective bargaining rights, leading the city to propose revisions that Hyundai rejected, upending a signing ceremony that had been set for last Thursday. While the union accepted the massive wage cuts, it wants to continue having a seat at the bargaining table to decide how those cuts and other attacks are implemented, and thereby serving as a brake on workers militancy. The KCTU took a more militant stand. Its affiliate, the Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU) conducted Thursdays strike and the KCTU as a whole had not taken part in the negotiations between Gwangju and Hyundai, calling the jobs project a fraud. The union cancelled a follow-up strike on Friday, instead saying, If the company resumes talks with the Gwangju municipal government to push forward the car joint venture plan, we will make all possible efforts, including an industrial action, to stop the plan. However, the KCTU no less seeks to enforce the demands of big business in South Korea. The KMWUs decision to strike on Thursday was not part of a broader plan to initiate a struggle against the Gwangju jobs plan It was meant to allow workers to let off steam on the very day the agreement was set to be signed while limiting the impact on the company. With the agreement stalled, the KMWU pulled back to provide Hyundai with the breathing space to negotiate with the city and finalize their attacks on workers. The KMWU and KCTU have regularly made clear that they will not conduct a genuine struggle in defense of jobs, emboldening the companies. In addition, the KMWU and KCTU have not linked the struggles at GM Korea with those at Hyundai and Kia. In fact, the KCTU typically avoids launching any sort of joint strike, even within the same industry, to prevent a broader mobilization of the working class. The KMWUs GM Korea branch readily accepted the companys plans to shut down the factory at Gunsan, which officially closed on May 31. In exchange, the union demanded that GM Korea guarantee other plants would receive new vehicle models for production and save jobs. In a restructuring deal reached in May, GM claimed it would provide the new models as well as maintain its current 77 percent stake in GM Korea until 2023, supposedly demonstrating the companys commitment to remaining in South Korea. Yet, before the year is even out, GM is making clear it has no intention of being bound by this agreement, demonstrating the bankruptcy of the KMWUs job saving compromises. GM is attempting to spin off its research and development wing from GM Korea as a separate entity, raising the very real possibility that production in South Korea is slated to be shut down after the shuttering of plants in the United States and Canada. The attempt to create a separate R&D company is currently being blocked by the Korea Development Bank (KDB), which owns a 17 percent share in GM Korea. The Seoul High Court ruled November 28 that GM would need the approval of the KDB to push forward with its plan. Barry Engle, GMs president of international business, recently made a trip to South Korea to threaten the KDB and local politicians. An industry insider was quoted in the Kyunghyang Shinmun saying, I heard that Mr. Engle and the GM executives delivered a message to lawmaker Hong that went something like, We will give R&D tasks to GM Korea (or a new corporation) on condition that the company is separated, but if the brakes are pulled, we might not send those operations to South Korea. The landing of two Russian long-range strategic bombers at an airport outside of the Venezuelan capital of Caracas Monday touched off a bitter exchange between US and Russian officials, underscoring the increasingly tense and dangerous relations that prevail between the worlds two major nuclear powers. The supersonic bombers, Tupolev Tu-160 aircraft, capable of carrying short-range nuclear missiles, were accompanied by an AN-124 transport aircraft and an Il-62 passenger jet, together with 100 pilots and other Russian personnel. All had made the flight of over 10,000 km (6,200 miles), in what constituted both a show of support for the government of President Nicolas Maduro and an exercise in the long-range projection of Russian military power. Washington responded with a series of bitter denunciations. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted a criticism of Russia for sending its bombers half way around the world to Venezuela, adding that, The people of Russia and Venezuela should see this for what it is: two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer. Similarly, a Pentagon spokesman condemned the exercise. Col. Robert Manning portrayed the US militarys posture toward Latin America as a humanitarian enterprise, calling attention to the recent tour of the region by the Navy hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, which made a propaganda-driven port of call in Colombia to treat migrants from Venezuela. The cynicism of this gesture is made plain by the deployment of US troops on the US-Mexican border to prevent refugees and immigrants from the violence-torn and impoverished US semi-colonies in Central America from reaching the United States and applying for asylum, condemning them to hunger and squalor in Tijuana. Contrast this to Russia, Colonel Manning said, whose approach to the man-made disaster in Venezuela is to send strategic bomber aircraft instead of humanitarian assistance. The Venezuelan government should be focusing on providing humanitarian assistance and aid to lessen the suffering of its people, and not on Russian warplanes. Both Moscow and Caracas responded with sharp denunciations of the US statements. The Kremlin described Pompeos language as very undiplomatic. The spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitri Peskov, stated: As for the idea that we are squandering money, we do not agree. Its not really appropriate for a country half of whose defense budget could feed the whole of Africa to be making such statements. Washingtons $700 billion military budget is ten times the amount that Russia spends on its own armed forces. Venezuelas Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza described Pompeos statement as cynical. In a series of tweets, he said that Washington maintained at least 800 military bases (known) in 70 countries, adding, If the US is so worried about waste, review its immense and unjustifiable military budget Surely the 50 million poor and families without access to public health in the US can suggest fairer destinations for those funds. The Russian aircraft are supposed to carry out joint exercises with Venezuelas air force, in what Caracas described as training for defense against foreign aggression. The Venezuelan government has charged that the US poses a threat of invasion and has plotted to assassinate President Maduro. While Washington has denied the charges, Trump last year made public statements stressing that the US has a military option in regard to Venezuela and privately discussed with aides as well as Latin American leaders the feasibility of a military intervention to effect regime change. In 2002, the US backed an abortive coup against Maduros predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez. The flight of the Russian planes to Venezuela came one week after the countrys president paid a state visit to Moscow cementing agreements involving $5 billion in new Russian investments in the countrys state-run oil industry and $1 billion in mining, particularly related gold, a sector that was targeted last month with new US sanctions. The Russian government and the oil giant Rosneft have together lent Venezuela some $17 billion since 2006, a source of financing that has become increasingly critical to the Maduro government as the countrys economy has spiraled downward alongside falling oil prices. For Moscow, the alliance with Venezuela is driven by definite economic and political interests. Both countries economies are heavily dependent upon oil exports. Unlike Venezuela, however, Russia is not a member of OPEC, and it has sought to use its ties with Caracas to influence the policies of the oil cartel. The Russian-Venezuelan alliance has become a fixation for the Pentagon. Last February, the head of US Southern Command, Adm. Kurt W. Tidd, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Russias increased role in our hemisphere is particularly concerning, given its intelligence and cyber capabilities and its intent to upend international stability and order and discredit democratic institutions. Tidd, who retired last month, said that Venezuelas expanded port and logistics access allows Russia a persistent, pernicious presence, including more-frequent maritime intelligence collection and visible force projection in the Western Hemisphere. Monday was not the first time that Russian bombers and other aircraft have flown to Caracas. Similar visits were paid by the nuclear-capable TU-160s in 2008 and 2013, The furor that this latest visit has unleashed in Washington is bound up with the broader drive toward military confrontation between the US and Russia, ranging from the escalating conflict provoked by Ukraine in the Azov Sea to the US ultimatum that it will abrogate the INF Treaty with Russia, which barred both countries from developing and deploying short- and medium-range nuclear missiles. Over the past week, the US has escalated military tensions, conducting an extraordinary overflight of Ukraine with a US Air Force surveillance plane, in what the Pentagon described as a gesture designed to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine and the security of European nations. Meanwhile, the US Navy has sent a guided-missile destroyer into the Sea of Japan near the base of the Russian Navys Pacific fleet, the first time that such an operation has been launched since the height of the Cold War. Another US Navy ship is being dispatched to the Black Sea off Ukraine. The clear message of the uproar in Washington over the arrival of Russian planes in Caracas is that Latin America is seen by US imperialism as a battlefield in a looming world war for US global hegemony. (HedgeCo.Net) A multinational agricultural company has agreed to pay $3 million to settle charges that it concealed substantial losses from investors through fraudulent accounting in connection with its divestiture of its primary operating entity. In a related action, the companys executive chairman Lai Guanglin (aka Alan Lai) settled charges that he manipulated the companys share price. As described in the SECs order, Agria Corporation sold its Chinese operating company in return for stock and land use rights to 13,500 acres of undeveloped land in a remote, mountainous area of Chinas Shanxi Province. The SEC order found that Agria overstated the value of the stock it received by $17 million and assigned a value of nearly $60 million to the effectively worthless land use rights. A separate SEC order found that in March 2013, Lai used nominee brokerage accounts to engage in manipulative trading in Agrias American Depository Shares in order to inflate their price above $1 and prevent the securities from being delisted by the New York Stock Exchange. 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, Chief of the SEC Enforcement Divisions FCPA 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. The SECs order found that Agria violated antifraud, reporting, books and records and internal accounting control provisions of the federal securities laws. Without admitting or denying the findings, Agria agreed to pay a $3 million penalty and cooperate with the Commissions staff in future investigations. The SECs order as to Lai found that he violated antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. Without admitting or denying the findings, Lai agreed to pay a $400,000 penalty and be barred for a period of five years from acting as an officer or director of any public company. Over the past week, an extraordinary media campaign of smear and innuendo has been mounted in Australia targeting Pierre Yang, a state Labor parliamentarian in Western Australia (WA), for links to Chinese community organisations allegedly in thrall to Beijing. The attack on Chinese-born Yang is part of far broader witch hunt over the past two years aimed at silencing any, even limited, criticism or opposition to Washingtons escalating confrontation with Beijing and preparing for Australia involvement in a US-led war against China. Murdochs flagship, the Australian, published an article on December 3 with the misleading headline MP Pierre Yang overlooked ties to Chinese Communist Party based on unnamed sourcesthat is, those connected directly or indirectly to intelligence agencies. Yangs supposed ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) consisted of his membership of two organisationsthe Northeast China Federation Inc and the Association of Great China. Their crimes were to advocate for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure project, in the first case, and to support Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea. In the current poisonous climate being whipped up by the media, any questioning of Washingtons provocative stance or sympathy for Chinas policies is treated as tantamount to disloyalty or worse. No evidence was provided that Yang himself held such views. His supposed wrongdoing was the failure to declare his memberships to the parliamentary interest register. A second scurrilous article appeared in the Australian on December 5 entitled WA Labor MP Pierre Yang served aboard suspected China spy ship. Anyone reading the headline could be excused for believing that Yang was suspected of being a Chinese spywhich the newspaper itself, no doubt to avoid a possible libel suit, denied was the case. However, the insinuation was clearly there. The article reported that the Labor MP had spent three months on a Chinese government vessel hunting for Malaysian Airlines MH370 that security experts suspect was spying on the Australian military. In reality, Yang was a captain in the Australian army reserve who was deployed on the Chinese search-and-rescue ship as a liaison officer because of his fluency in Mandarin. Moreover, the article beefed up the allegations of his connections to pro-China groups even though he had cancelled his memberships as a consequence of the previous article. Sources with a deep understanding of Perths Chinese community, it declared, believe Australias security agencies are monitoring Mr. Yangs network of associates, many of whom are viewed as sympathetic to the CCP. In a tearful speech to parliament the following day, Yang denied any wrongdoing, declaring that it was an oversight that he had not declared his memberships. In line with the nationalism that saturates the Labor Party, he said that he was deeply hurt that his loyalty to Australia was in question. In what amounted to a grovelling appeal to Murdochs Australian, he declared: I have the utmost respect for the media and the press. State Labor Premier Mark McGowan came to Yangs defence, saying he was a fine Australian, a good West Australian, a good member of parliament. State Labor president Carolyn Smith backed the MP against accusations that he had been involved in stacking Labor branches with Chinese-Australians, and said the campaign had a tinge of xenophobia. There has been no let up, however. And there is more than a tinge of xenophobia. Last Friday, the Australian alleged that Yangs mentor, businessman Edward Yang, was linked to Chinese communists. It cited Clive Hamilton, who declared: There are hundreds of Beijings agents throughout Australian politics, universities, public service and business. Hamilton is the author of Silent Invasion, which suggests that the majority of Australias 1.2 million people of Chinese descent are not loyal to Australia, and that prominent business and political leaders are fifth columnists for Beijing. The racist implication is that anyone born in China or of Chinese descent is under a cloud of suspicion as a Chinese agent. The purpose of the campaign of slurs against Yang is not yet clear. An Australian article today indicates that the real target could be WA state premier McGowan, who was allegedly warned of potentially severe consequences to national security of awarding a contract to the Chinese tech giant Huawei to build a communications system for Perths rail network. That McGowan, who travelled with Yang to China this year, ignored the warning, immediately puts him under suspicion. Washington has been waging a campaign internationally to brand Huawei as a security threat and pressuring governments to ban the use of its equipment. At the Trump administrations behest, the Canadian government has detained Huaweis financial controller Meng Wanzhou for allegedly breaching unilateral US sanctions on Iran. A broader issue is involved however. The witch hunt against Yang follows the passage in July of draconian foreign interference legislation, which criminalises any conduct in collaboration with foreign bodies or governments that could be construed as influencing Australian politics or threatening national security. To justify such sweeping measures, the passage of the laws was accompanied by a vicious media campaign against those who Hamilton brands in his book as capitulators, appeasers and amigo of the Chinese regime. A wartime atmosphere is being whipped up akin to that of World War I and World War II when opponents of the imperialist slaughter were detained and thousands of enemy aliens were interned. Having rammed through the laws, with the support of the federal Labor opposition, the government, intelligence agencies and state apparatus are no doubt seeking an opportunity to use them. Police in Costa Rica have discovered a woman's body "in a state of decomposition" near where a missing Florida woman was last seen. Officials have not confirmed the identity of the remains, Walter Espinoza of Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department told reporters in the capital, San Jose. The body was found around noon Monday in a wooded area of the San Jose neighborhood of San Antonio de Escazu, he said. Authorities are awaiting autopsy results, which they expect will be released Tuesday. US citizen Carla Stefaniak, 36, was reported missing by her family in Florida last week. Relatives raised the alarm after she stopped texting and telephoning home and was not on her return flight from Costa Rica, where she had been vacationing. Costa Rican authorities found stains inside the apartment where Stefaniak was staying, "which are compatible with blood and which will be submitted to further investigation and comparison," Espinoza said. The last time anyone heard from Stefaniak was Wednesday night, according to April Burton, her sister-in-law. Burton told CNN the two were in Costa Rica to celebrate Stefaniak's birthday, and had traveled together for six days. Burton left the country Wednesday, and Stefaniak's flight back to Florida was scheduled for the next day. The two texted each other via WhatsApp throughout the day Wednesday, Burton said, until Stefaniak suddenly stopped responding to her messages that evening. And on Thursday, Stefaniak did not board her flight home. "That's when we knew that something's not right," Burton said. "You never want to think the worst, but that's where your mind goes to automatically. We're going on six days not hearing from her. That's kind of where we are right now." Burton added: "For almost six days to go by and no contact, she would have to have been abducted. She is very active on social media, and for her, on the day of her birthday, to never log in to any of those accounts, is just crazy." A US State Department representative told CNN that officials are aware of the reports of a missing American in Costa Rica. "When a US citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts. We stand ready to provide all possible assistance to US citizens in need and to their families. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment," the representative said. Speaking Monday to HLN, CNN's sister network, Burton urged anyone who might have information about her sister-in-law's whereabouts to come forward. "She's a great person. So friendly, so bubbly, loves to travel, loves fashion, loves social media," she said. Time magazine has chosen "The Guardians," a group of journalists who have been targeted for their work, as Person of the Year. A series of four black-and-white covers highlights what the magazine calls "the War on Truth." The group includes Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post contributor who was killed at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in October. This is the first time that a Person of the Year is a deceased person. Another cover features Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, two Reuters journalists who were arrested one year ago in Myanmar while they were working on stories about the killings of Rohingya Muslims, a minority population in Myanmar's Rakhine state. The two men remain behind bars. Their wives were photographed for the cover. "The Guardians" also includes the journalists at the Capital Gazette, the Annapolis, Maryland newspaper where five employees were murdered by a gunman last June. And the fourth cover shows Maria Ressa, chief executive of the Philippine news website Rappler. She was indicted last month on tax evasion charges a case that free speech and civil liberties advocates have warned is part of a wider crackdown on dissent by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's administration. "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 for speaking out, the Guardians" are the Person of the Year, Time editor Ed Felsenthal wrote. Felsenthal unveiled the covers on the "Today" show on Tuesday. "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." he said. President Trump, not coincidentally, was the runner-up for this year's Person of the Year title. Special counsel Robert Mueller ranked No. 3. Karl Vick, the author of the Time's cover story about "The Guardians," wrote that "this ought to be a time when democracy leaps forward, an informed citizenry being essential to self-government. Instead, it's in retreat." And "the story of this assault on truth is, somewhat paradoxically, one of the hardest to tell," he added. Ressa, for example, said she is not allowed to comment on the case against her. (Rappler has said it is politically motivated.) Speaking with CNN's Kristie Lu Stout about the recognition, Ressa said "it's bittersweet and it's daunting. Look at the challenges we are facing." She said it's a "tough time to be a journalist, but what strengthens all of us is that there's probably no better time to be a journalist, because this is when we live our values and we live our mission." Fellow journalists cheered the selection of Ressa and the other reporters who are on the four covers. On "Today," Felsenthal discussed the killing of Khashoggi and the reasons for his inclusion. "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," Felsenthal said. "His murder has prompted a global reassessment of the Saudi crown prince and a really long overdue look at the devastating war in Yemen." TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Police in New Mexico say Didier Gonzales-Morales, 25, used Snapchat to communicate with a 14-year-old before kidnapping her. RELATED: 2 from Georgia sit in Itawamba jail after alleged kidnapping MGN Online MGN Online Edward Furgeson says his son has multiple social media accounts. "We try to follow him on it and sometimes he blocks us, he said. As challenging as it may be, Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson says monitoring your child's social media is vital. Morales and the victim were stopped on Interstate 22 near Fulton after an alert was sent out for the vehicle Morales was in. Tupelo resident Jordan Brown says her mother went through her phone as a teenager, and she is grateful for it now. Ferguson says he didn't go through his sons phone before, but he now has a change of heart. Morales is still being held in Itawamba County on a $150,000 bond. JONESTOWN, Miss. (WTVA) - The mayor of a small town in the Mississippi Delta is facing 100 years in prison after being arrested for embezzlement. Kenneth Lester is the mayor of Jonestown. Jonestown is located in Coahoma County. A Coahoma County grand jury indicted him on five counts of felony embezzlement. This led to his arrest on Sunday, December 9. He is accused of embezzling residents water bill payments and a city police gun. He faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines on each count. Update 12/11/18 11:31 a.m. WLBT-TV in Jackson reports Todd Moudy was captured this morning, December 11. He is in custody and being questioned by the Madison County Sheriff's Department. He was captured in Madison County in a wooded area. This is a developing story. See the original post below. CANTON, Miss. (AP) Authorities in Mississippi are searching for a Madison County inmate who escaped custody when he stole a sheriff's office van and fled. The Clarion Ledger reports the Madison County sheriff's office says 46-year-old Todd Clinton Moudy escaped Friday morning and was still missing as of Monday. Authorities say Moudy had attended a court appearance and was returning to the jail when he stole a prisoner transport van, rammed a patrol car and drove off. Sheriff Randy Tucker has said an officer transporting the inmates left a firearm inside the van. Moudy was in custody on various drug and firearm charges. He escaped wearing handcuffs and shackles. It's unclear how he managed to escape while restrained. 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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 WHEREVER I GO , I find myself answering questions concerning Finnish policies on education. The global interest for Finnish education remains, regardless of the problems and issues we have currently in our domestic education policies. Other countries expect that in Finland educational matters are always considered with great care and on research-basis. Locally, we must focus and invest in education and research in the coming years. We need to reform our secondary education and we must create new models for adult education in the future of work context. Overall, we should return to the radical path Finland chose decades ago when deciding to educate the entire population and aim to be the most innovative society through substantial research and focus on development. Globally, we should attempt to have more of an impact on education-related matters as there is existing interest for the views and contributions of Finland. The interest in Finnish education is based on the analysis done in many growing cities and countries across the globe. Youthful population, long-lasting economic growth and natural resources - these are typically the unifying factors for these cities and countries. When such countries and their leaders start to look for strategies to maintain the growth rates they often find Finland as an example of a poor country that in a relatively short period of time managed to become a wealthy modern state. The story of Finland investing in education was enhanced by its success with PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). PISA, however, is not the only or even the fundamental reason behind the interest in the Finnish model. Given the interest in Finnish education, we should assume a more strategic approach to enhance our global impact. First, we should influence the indicators and measurements used when the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and other international institutions analyse and compare education. In Finland, we often criticise how, for example, the aforementioned PISA test actually measures irrelevant things. Rather than criticise we should aim to influence the indicators. Second, we should place education high on our development aid agenda and other international agendas. We should train all our internationally active experts working in embassies and for institutions such as the UN, EU, World Bank and the like. They should all have the same education agendas based on the same analysis of the basic characteristics of Finnish education. The themes should include trust, the role of teachers, child-centred learning, socio-emotional skills and holistic approaches. First steps towards a stronger global influence on education have recently been taken. The Ministry of Education has sent several experts to work in Finnish embassies. Additionally, the Finnish Board of Education, the office that works under the Ministry of Education, has established the Education Finland department. Recently they have also released a press release stating that Finland should aim to have a more active role in solving the global learning crisis. This development should continue. Next I would like to see a Finnish Education Experience Centre in Helsinki, perhaps combined with the new museum of design and architecture. Pilvi Torsti *** Dr Pilvi Torsti is an MP with 20 years of experience in education in Finland and globally. She is also a member of the Education and Future Committees and founder of UWC Mostar and HEI Schools. Poysti commented on the much-discussed intergovernmental pact on migration following a complaint by Ville Tavio (PS), a first-term Member of Parliament from Lappeenranta. Chancellor of Justice Tuomas Poysti has reiterated that the newly adopted global compact for migration (GCM) is not a treaty and consequently did not have to be submitted for parliamentary approval. Tavio argued in his complaint that the government should have sought parliamentary approval for the migration pact because it lays out factual commitments for and limits the discretionary powers of the government on migration issues. His complaint was rejected as groundless. The document in question states explicitly that it is not legally binding. This was highlighted also in the reports presented to the Parliament. The Chancellor of Justice determined that there are no legal grounds to draw a different conclusion on the issue, reads a press release from the Office of the Chancellor of Justice. Related posts: Finland signs intergovernmental migration pact in Morocco (11 December, 2018) The Finnish government, as a result, did not act unlawfully by not presenting the pact to the Parliament. Tavio subsequently pointed out in his blog that the government neither is under any obligation to implement any elements of the pact, nor can it cite the pact as a document that imposes legislative obligations on Finland. The next government does not have to adhere to the pact and, if it so chooses, can withdraw from the pact, he added. The GCM is an intergovernmental pact prepared under the auspices of the UN General Assembly. Approximately 150 governments committed to the migration pact at an intergovernmental conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Monday, 10 December. The pact was not signed by the likes of Austria, Australia, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and the United States. It provides the first international, non-legally binding framework for joint efforts to ensure migration is safe, orderly and regulated. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi Well now set our sights properly on setting in motion a carbon exchange for the EU, which would allow us to bring carbon sinks into the equation [] so that Finnish farms and forests can generate additional revenues by functioning as carbon sinks, he announced after a seminar on climate actions in Helsinki on Monday. Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) says Finland should take steps toward establishing a so-called carbon exchange during its upcoming presidency of the European Union. That way all Finns can, in principle, contribute to increasing carbon sinks. But a real marketplace is needed to accomplish this and thats what well try to set in motion, he added. Sipila estimated that establishing the exchange would require that carbon sinks are verified and the longevity of carbon reservoirs is guaranteed, which in turn would require accurate information on forest growth and standing timber. Were already able to measure standing timber tree by tree with laser scanning. Thats why Finland should adopt an active approach to devising a market for carbon sinks. We could move forward in the years to come by launching pilot projects, he envisioned. The idea of a carbon exchange was floated also by other participants in the seminar hosted by Sipila. Mika Anttonen, the founder and board chairperson at St1, explained that the exchange would serve as a marketplace for carbon dioxide emitted to and removed from the atmosphere by essentially imposing charges on those producing emissions and re-distributing the funds among those providing solutions to remove carbon dioxide. By establishing the exchange, he added, Europe could set a responsible example for the rest of the world and seize the billion-euro opportunity arising from commercialising the carbon market. Sipila also estimated that countries must make progress on three fronts in order to successfully combat climate change: they must reduce consumption that produces carbon dioxide emissions, increase their natural and artificial carbon sinks, and adopt new technologies to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The seminar drew almost 170 people from different sectors of the society to discuss concrete actions to combat climate change. Sipila revealed that the participants intend to re-convene in a month or two to develop their ideas further. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi The air quality in the cities of Budapest, Kecskemet and Nyiregyhaza has deteriorated to unhealthy levels, a post on the chief medical officers Facebook page said on Saturday. In 15 other cities and towns, concentrations of particles in the air exceed what is considered to be a safe level, the statement said. Those alerts have been issued in Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Hernadszurdok, Miskolc, Pecs, Putnok, Sajoszentpeter, Szeged, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tokol, Vac, Varpalota and Veszprem. It added that in certain places the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air also exceeds what is considered to be a safe level. The National Public Health Centre has asked residents of the cities in question to use public transport instead of their cars. It recommends that the most vulnerable groups should avoid outdoor physical activity and spend less time outdoors overall. Representatives of Hungary and Slovakia signed an agreement in Bratislava to construct two new bridges to link the two countries, one across a branch of the River Danube and the other spanning the River Ipoly, the innovation and technology ministry reported. The Danube branch bridge, to be built at Dunakiliti in north-western Hungary, will serve cyclists and pedestrians, while the other bridge at Orhalom will replace an old wooden structure and enable vehicular traffic across the Ipoly, the statement said. Implementation of the bridge projects will be financed from the 2014-2020 Interreg Slovakia-Hungary Cooperation Programs budget. The agreement was signed by Hungarys State Secretary Laszlo Mosoczi and Slovak Transport and Construction Minister Arpad Ersek. MTI Photo: Illyes Tibor Two independent MPs, Bernadett Szel and Szabolcs Szabo, have asked the Constitutional Court to annul a government decision granting strategic national significance status to the acquisition of Echo TV, Magyar Idok, New Wave Media and Opus Press by the Central European Press and Media Foundation. Szabo told a press conference that if the top court went ahead and annulled the government decision, the media authority NMHH would have to scrutinise the transaction. The authority would then have to oblige the foundation to sell off some of its assets, he added. Szel said the decision only served to create a fake news factory and granting strategic national significance status to the acquisition was unconstitutional because it hindered the supply of diverse information for the public. The request for a top court ruling is supported by the opposition Socialists, Parbeszed, Jobbik and LMP groups and independent MPs, she added. Opposition Socialist lawmaker Agnes Kunhalmi told the press conference that setting up the foundation has brought about huge and unprecedented rightwing media dominance in Hungary. MTI Photo: Illyes Tibor Editors of the former Heti Valasz weekly which was shut down last summer launched Valasz Online on Monday. Former Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom welcomes the relaunching of the moderate conservative online news outlet. In an opinion piece on Valasz Online, former President Laszlo Solyom hopes that the new outlet will find its place in the Hungarian media landscape. Solyom reckons that it will be very difficult for the moderate conservative news outlet, which will focus on in-depth reporting and analysis with a relatively small staff, to remain solvent in todays high frequency online media environment. Solyom nonetheless thinks that Valasz Onlines mission to publish sober and non-sectarian analysis is very much needed when, as he sees it, the media is dominated by propagandistic outlets creating alternative realities. This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online. Click here to Share Your Story Changes to the labour code now before parliament have been designed to serve the interests of employees, the prime minister told commercial television ATV. Concerning protests by trade unions against the planned changes, Viktor Orban said the unions are not right because overtime work would be done on a voluntary basis and insisted that under the amended labour code those that so wish could work more and earn more. This might not be in the interest of the unions, but definitely in the interest of workers, and the government is on their side, he added. Answering a question suggesting that employers could lay off workers unless they work overtime, Orban said that Hungary has a labour shortage and workers are protected by an economic policy which creates demand for labour, and now they can chose between many options, he said. Orban insisted that the changes would benefit the employees of small and medium-sized firms, because now they are prevented from working more by silly bureaucratic obstacles. Photo: PM'S Press Office Szecsodi Balazs From the organisers: WAMP will hold its second Christmas fair on Sunday at 16 December at Millenaris Hall B where visitors will find more than 250 Hungarian designer brands and local independent design labels. Christmas is around the corner so do not wait any longer, get all your presents at once from small-scale fashion and home decor items to unique handmade toys for your kids. This time the biggest Hungarian design fair will also be found in the virtual space through the augmented reality application developed by ARcityBudapest which will give you more information on WAMP and the programs on the spot throughout the day. For this special experience just download the free wikitudes application to your mobile, search for arcity and scan one of the flyers at the entry of the fair, and a whole new world will open up for you. With this application you can also join a game where you can win cool presents offered by WAMP designers. On the 1st floor of the event hall you can take part at a great Christmas workshop presented by Schar gluten free manufacture, where you can learn to prepare the gluten-free version of your favourite Christmas pastries from one of the most renowned Hungarian chefs, Jozsef Bernath. As the festive season is coming closer it is worth investing in a few special pieces either for presents or for yourself. The gorgeous handbags and clutches of Alma Abonyi are characterised by innovative material use such as the combination of carbon and plastic or the use of genuine leather and fur. Alma graduated at the faculty of sculptor at the University of Fine Arts, no wonder that her collections are just like real art pieces. Bring some sunshine to those grey winter days with the boldly patterned colourful knitwear of ESZKA. The brand of Kriszta Szakos is known for its vibrant colours and symbolic prints evoking the psychedelic trends of the 70s. Due to the everchanging patterns there are no identical pieces, if you find your favourite get that quickly, as you will not find it later on. The playful ceramics and souvenirs of Eva Farkas-Paps brand Misija Design are not only cute, but they also carry an important social message. The tiny sculptors which are available in a wide range of colours and shapes are created by disabled workers of the Foundation for Equal Rights. For those interested in the architecture of Budapest we recommend the book called Budapest100 Stories Twenty-four out of Hundred in which you can learn the stories of 24 remarkable buildings in Budapest. The book, which is edited and published by the civil group Budapest100, showcases buildings whose stories and the life of their inhabitants are interesting pieces of the citys history. The book is now available with 25% discount if you buy it together with the books @Fortepan Forgotten Budapest and The Budapest Woman. Buy your presents from Hungarian designers this season! You not only make your loved-ones happy with this choice but you also support Hungarian design and local creative enterprises. See you at Millenaris on Sunday. Tickets: Entry fee is 500 HUF which can be used as a voucher for shopping at the fair Date and time: Sunday, 16 December 2018, 10 am- 6 pm Venue: illenaris Hall B 1024 Budapest, Kis Rokus u. 16-20. Source: wamp.hu Not all of George H.W. Bushs extended family members were invited to his Washington D.C. memorial service. Nearly a week after many paid their respects at the Washington National Cathedral, Sharon Bush, who was married to the 41st presidents son Neil from 19802003, told Page Six that she was allegedly unable to attend the funeral after she was told by her ex-husbands secretary that there were not enough pews. I was going to take the train down. I wanted to pay my respects. But I paid my respects by raising three wonderful children during a 23-year marriage, Sharon told the outlet. Neil and Sharon share three children: son Pierce and daughters Ashley and Lauren Bush Lauren, who gave a reading at the funeral, where the father of three attended with his second wife Maria Andrews, whom he wed in 2004. Related Video: Lauren and Pierce Bush Remember "Gampy's" Love and Kindness While the D.C. memorial service was taking place, Sharon recalled having lunch with Lady Gagas mother Cynthia Germanotta and publishing heiress Anne Hearst. Though she was snubbed from the funeral, Sharon shared photos on Instagram to honor her former father-in-law. My girls Lauren and Ashley reading scriptures at their grandfathers funeral. So proud of them. May he RIP #proudmama, the mother of three captioned a photo of Lauren and Ashley. Lighting candles in church for 41 today. May he RIP, Sharon also posted on Instagram. RELATED:George H.W. Bushs Grandchildren Including Jenna Bush Hager Give Readings at His Funeral Speaking of their childrens upbringing, Sharon credited herself for raising them to be charitable and public servants. I taught them everything they know about points of light by taking them to soup kitchens and homeless shelters from the time they were 4 years old. I didnt want them spoiled, she said, referencing the public service nonprofit, Points of Light, for which her ex-husband serves as chairman of the board of directors. Story continues I did this. Neil was never around. He was always traveling, Sharon added. Reps for Neil and Sharon did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs requests for comment. George W. Bush, former First Lady Laura Bush, Neil Bush and wife Maria Andrews Ashley Bush and Lauren Bush Lauren George H.W. Bush with Neil and Sharon Bush in 1992 Photo for illustration. (Source: VNA) The Top 10 Southeast Asian MICE cities recorded two-digit growth on spending of companies. The two big hubs of Vietnam, Hanoi ranked 7and Ho Chi Minh placed 9on the list, according to Mastercard. Student travel is a key tourism segment in the region. While Singapore is still the education center; Hanoi, Khanh Hoa and Ho Chi Minh city achieved sharp growth on spending of international students over the past three years. In 2017, Asia-Pacific countries greeted 49.4 million tourists for business with USD41.4 billion being spent. Shanghai was still the leading MICE destination. Another key factor for impressive economic development of Southeast Asia in the past decade is the sharp growth in international travel expenditure due to popular tourist sites and less-known places. Tourism spending has a great impact on economies, creating jobs and opportunities for local communities and businesses, said Rupert Naylor, Senior Vice President of Mastercard Advisors in Asia Pacific./. BUENOS AIRES Oscar-winning Chilean producer Juan de Dios Larrain (A Fantastic Woman), Sebastian Freund, co-creator of Chiles biggest ever B.O. hit, Stefan vs. Kramer, and Gabriela Sandoval, co-director of Sanfic, Chiles biggest film event, Sanfic festival, are joining forces to haul Chiles much vaunted cinema into the 21st century. They will be joined by Sergio Gandara, Chiles top TV producer. A hint of their roadmap looks likely to be heard Wednesday evening at Ventana Sur, when Freund and Sandoval deliver a short speech before a CinemaChile cocktail, traditionally a mid-market social milestone at Latin Americas biggest movie-TV market. If it aint broke.? Since a new generation of filmmakers, making up the so-called Newest Chilean Cinema Sebastian Lelio, Alicia Scherson, Matias Bize burst onto the scene at the 2005 Valdivia Festival, Chilean filmmakers have won two Oscars Lelios A Fantastic Woman this year, Bear Story, 2014s Best Animated Short Film made films which won at Sundance (The Maid, Violeta Went To Heaven, Young & Wild, Crystal Fairy, To Kill a Man), Berlin (Gloria, The Club, The Pearl Button), Cannes (No), Locarno (Too Late to Die Young) and Toronto (Jackie). Gloria and No, co-financed by Participant Media, earned $9.0 million and $10.3 million worldwide. But in some ways Chilean cinema can be seen as a victim of is own success, surging far faster in scale than the foundational state-sector incentives, launched in 2004, which help explain its original growth. Over the prior four years to 2004, Chile made on average 10 films a year. That figure peaked at 40 in 2014. Chiles state subsidies cant keep up. Turned down for incentives, some directors have threatened to emigrate. At least one top producer is studying how to court venture capital equity. Lelio and the Larrains Oscar for A Fantastic Woman can be seen as the crowning achievement of the Newest Chilean Cinema. Its members now want to build an industry. Story continues Recently elected as president and vice-president of Chiles Film-TV Producers Assn., Freund and Sandoval aim most immediately to attempt to update its regulatory structures via new legislation hauling Chile into the contemporary world. One case in point: Chiles production incentives. They will be supported by Larrain and Gandara, both APCT board members. The use of automatic production incentives is the major public policy phenomenon in the film and TV sectors during the last 10 or more years, SPI-Olsberg chairman Jonathan Olsberg said Tuesday, talking at Ventana Sur. As Freund pointed out to Variety, such incentives account for 70% of film funding in Mexico, 34% in Brazil and 33% in Colombia. Chile has a Law of Cultural Donations. Over the last two years, 13 certificates have been issued for uterus use but no film made with then, Freund added. Firing up a countrys production capacity is of little use unless a market exists for the enlarged output. At home, where Chile has the lowest market share of major Latin American production powers, APCT, which turns 40 next year, will look to ensure that Chilean movies which score significant festival presence abroad can see a more sustained run in Chilean theaters while word of mouth builds. International promotion body CinemaChile, which is run under APCTs aegis, is already a success story. Targeted initiatives are planned for 2019, when it celebrates its 10th anniversary. APCT will also look to have a larger presence in TV markets, as its members move ever more into the TV market. Already Pablo and Juan de Dios Larrains Fabula (Gloria Bell, A Fantastic Woman) made waves at Octobers Mipcom announcing A Fantastic Womans Daniela Vega will star in La Jauria, a psychological gender crime thriller to be directed by Argentinas Lucia Puenzo (The German Doctor), co-produced and sold by Fremantle. Fox has one of its biggest early hits in Chile: Nicolas Acunas Besieged. For a decade, Chiles cinema has been producing premium cinema, fiction which challenge audiences lazy thinking and has attracted some of Latin Americas biggest stars Gael Garcia Bernal, for instance. The audiences for such thought-provoking acting often now want it served up in series. Diversification into high-end drama series production seems like a open door for Chile. Related stories Animation!: Costa Rica's Osopez Pitches 'The Pleasefixers' 'The Goalkeeper's' Gory Patino Teams with Luis Reneo on 'Pseudo' Ventana Sur: The Gersh Agency's Roy Ashton Talks Pitching 101 Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts! Portuguese actor Pepe Rapazote (Narcos, Shameless) is toplining Argentine helmer-scribe Leonardo Brzezickis second feature, Almost in Love. The father-daughter drama is the third collaboration between Argentine shingle Ruda Cine and Rodrigo Teixeiras RT Features of Brazil, a co-producer of such stellar titles as Call Me by Your Name, Little Men, Patti Cake$ and Frances Ha. Derk-Jan Warrink and Koji Nelissen from Hollands Keplerfilm (Catastrophe, Juze) have also boarded the film as co-producers. The co-production comes at a time when Argentina, Brazil and other beleaguered countries in the region are refocusing or cutting back on their support for cinema, if not the arts. Banding together has been the best way for Latino producers to overcome the hopefully temporary setback in state funding. Almost in Love follows an angst-ridden father, Santiago, whose emotional crisis is exacerbated by a complex and intense relationship with his teenage daughter who seeks to break free from him. One chaotic summer in Argentina and Brazil becomes the catalyst for both to turn their lives around. In its essence, Almost in Love is a film about the desire and pain of living and loving. And the driving force of this film is its characters, said Brzezicki. [Rapazote] has the physical and emotional qualities that I dreamed of for Santiago, this man going through an emotional roller coaster. I re-wrote the last drafts of the script with him in mind, so to have him on board is just amazing, he added. Produced by Violeta Bava of Ruda Cine (The Idea of a Lake, The Human Surge, Two Shots Fired), Almost in Love is the companys most ambitious project to date, with location shoots targeted for May or June next year in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. It is very interesting to see the intimate process that this film captures: that of a relationship, far from conventional, of a father and his daughter at the time of the latters emancipation, said Bava who hopes to cast some other notable actors to round up the cast. I believe it will be Rapazotes first time working for an Argentine auteur filmmaker. Story continues Budgeted at some $1.13 million, Almost in Love secured funding from the Argentinas INCAA film institute, the Hubert Bals Fund and Visions Sud Est. Drama was developed at the Torino Film Lab and participated in the Cinemart and IFP platforms. Ruda Cine and RT Features previously co-produced The Human Surge by Eduardo Williams and Too Late to Die Young by Chiles Dominga Sotomayor, who became this year the first female helmer to win the Best Director award at the Locarno Film Festival. Brzezickis short film, The Mad Half Hour, premiered at the Berlinales shorts competition; his debut film, the experimental Noche, competed for a Tiger Award at Rotterdam. Related stories Pixelatl Animation Festival CEO Jose Inesta on Roots and Tomorrow Fotosintesis Readies Immigration Animated Feature 'Beast' (EXCLUSIVE) 8horses Producer Tolga Dilsiz Talks Eurimages Award Winner 'The Jungle' at Ventana Sur Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts! Michael Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison, blames President Trump for his 'path of darkness' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A federal judge in Manhattan has sentenced Michael Cohen, President Donald Trumps former personal attorney and fixer, to three years in prison for various crimes including campaign finance violations, tax evasion, and lying to Congress. Before leveling his sentence, Judge William Pauley said Cohen pled guilty to a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" and lost his moral compass, adding that as a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better. In addition to his imprisonment, Cohen will have to pay $1.39 million in restitution plus $500,000 in forfeiture for the financial and campaign finance crimes. He will face an additional fine of $50,000 for lying to Congress. For more than a decade, Cohen stood by Trumps side as a personal attorney, fixer and confidant, famously proclaiming that he would take a bullet for the president and never walk away. But over the past year, as investigators targeted his personal finances, Cohen flipped on his former boss and cooperated in multiple investigations, including Mueller's probe, targeting Trumps campaign and family business operations. PHOTO: Michael Cohen, right, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, accompanied by his children and wife, arrive at federal court for his sentencing in New York, Dec. 12, 2018. (Craig Ruttle/AP) (MORE: Michael Cohen pleads guilty to lying to Congress in new deal with Mueller in Trump-Russia probe) Prosecutors in the Justice Departments Southern District of New York charged Cohen with eight felony counts in August, including tax evasion, making false statements to a financial institution, and campaign finance violations. Special counsel Robert Mueller, tasked with investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, tacked on an additional count of lying to Congress last month. Cohen pleaded guilty to all nine counts and struck a deal to cooperate with ongoing investigations. Before ruling was issued, Cohen had pleaded for leniency, accusing President Trump his former boss of causing him to follow a path of darkness rather than light and cover up his dirty deeds. Cohens attorney, Guy Petrillo, argued that Cohen came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in the country. Story continues But while the special counsels office appeared to be willing to give Cohen credit for his cooperation, SDNY prosecutors took a tougher stance. In court on Wednesday, Jeannie Rhee, a prosecutor with the Office of the Special Counsel, said Cohen had provided wide ranging and helpful information on matters related to the Russia probe while being careful not to inflate the value of that information. Nicolas Roos, a prosecutor with the Southern District of New York, however, struck a different tone. Cohen didnt come anywhere close to assisting this office in an investigation, Roos told the court, adding, the charges portray a pattern of deception, of brazenness and of greed. PHOTO: Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs after briefing members of the U.S. Senate on his investigation on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, June 21, 2017. (Reuters, FILE) (MORE: Donald Trump directed Michael Cohen to make hush money payments during 2016 campaign, federal prosecutors allege in court filings) With the pounding of his gavel on Wednesday morning, Judge Pauley marked the conclusion of Cohens improbable journey from Trumps legal counsel to perhaps the most potent vehicle for President Trumps legal exposure. Federal prosecutors allege that Cohen violated campaign finance laws by paying off two women who allege to have had affairs with Donald Trump acting in coordination with and at the direction of the then-candidate. Trump has argued the payments amount to nothing more than a simple private transaction, and do not qualify as campaign finance violations. Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat and vocal critic of the president, said he believes the Cohen sentence will send a powerful message. Hopefully this signals to others that its time to come clean, Swalwell said. Swalwell is one of several Democrats who are voicing interest in having Cohen return to Congress to testify in public, even if it means transporting him from prison to do so. Cohen is one of the only individuals who lived in Donald Trumps personal, political and financial worlds, Swalwell said. I would like to see Michael Cohen come clean, wholly before Congress, about what the president knew and what he was doing politically and financially with the Russians. I would like to hear from him. Just for the countrys sake. Cohen, who departed court on Wednesday without addressing the scrum of awaiting cameras, has been ordered to report to prison on March 6, 2019. Federal judge in DC asks attorneys for more evidence about Paul Manafort's alleged lies originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A federal judge presiding over special counsel Robert Muellers case against Paul Manafort asked prosecutors for the "underlying evidence" to support their claims that the former Trump campaign chairman lied after signing a cooperation agreement as part of their probe of Russian election meddling during the 2016 campaign. Defense attorneys for Manafort and prosecutors with the special counsels office met Tuesday in a federal courthouse for the first time since Robert Mueller and his team described the subject of lies Manafort of perpetrating. The defense counsel said they did not have enough information from the government about their clients alleged lies to respond to their allegations Tuesday. A series of January deadlines were set for the defense to submit disputes with the governments accusations and for the prosecution to respond. PHOTO: Paul Manafort arrives for a hearing at US District Court on June 15, 2018 in Washington. (Brendan Smialowsk/AFP/Getty Images) The special counsels office filed a heavily-redacted court document last week accusing Manafort of providing false information about his contacts with Trump administration officials and interactions with Konstantin Kilimnik, a longtime business associate whom the special counsel has identified as a former Russian intelligence officer. According to the document, Manfort also lied about money laundering, a wire transfer to a firm that was working for him, and "information pertinent to another Department of Justice investigation. Manaforts lies, Mueller wrote, amounted to a breach of his plea agreement. (MORE: Paul Manafort lied about contact with administration officials: Special counsel) Tuesday's hearing was largely perfunctory, with U.S. Judge Amy Berman Jackson asking both sides how to proceed. The defense will have until early next year to file court documents responding to each allegation of their clients lies. Defense counsel said they did not have enough information from the government about their clients alleged lies to respond to their allegations Tuesday. Story continues Manafort, who was found guilty on eight counts of tax and bank-fraud in Virginia the previous month, struck a plea deal with Mueller's team in September on the eve of a second trial in Washington, D.C. But the agreement fell apart last month when prosecutors accused Manafort of breaching his plea deal by lying during interviews after signing on to broad cooperation. In another wrinkle to his cooperation, ABC News has reported that Manafort's legal team has continued sharing information about his interactions with Muellers team with the president's legal team, a development that has reignited speculation that Manafort could be pining for a presidential pardon. Regarding a possible pardon for his onetime campaign chairman, Trump told the New York Post last month that he "wouldn't take it off the table." Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, said on "This Week" Sunday that pardoning Manafort would be a "terrible mistake" and that doing so could possibly "trigger a debate about whether the pardon powers should be amended." Manafort joined the Trump campaign in March 2016 and became the campaign chairman in May of that year. He departed the Trump campaign in August 2016 after reports appeared in The New York Times and the Associated Press that suggested he had engaged in illegal lobbying activities in Ukraine. 'I want my daughter out': Urgent search ongoing for 3 missing in West Virginia mine originally appeared on abcnews.go.com As crews urgently search for three people believed to be trapped in an abandoned West Virginia mine, their worried loved ones are desperate for their safe rescue. "I want my daughter out," Randy Williams, the father of trapped woman Kayla Williams, told ABC News. Authorities believe four people illegally entered the Rock House Powellton mine in Clear Creek around 3 a.m. Saturday to search for copper wire, officials said. One man managed to escape Monday and said the three others -- Kayla Williams, 25, Erica Treadway, 31, and Cody Beverly, 21, -- were alive and still inside, officials said Tuesday. PHOTO: Cody Beverly is seen here in this undated file photo. (Courtesy Beverly Family) PHOTO: Erica Treadway is seen here in this undated file photo. (Courtesy Treadway Family) (MORE: Desperate search for 3 people missing in West Virginia mine; 1 survivor emerges) "The reason they're in there is to get copper," Randy Williams said. "It's worth money. ... A couple years ago it was up to almost $4 a pound. You could go into a mine and make $1,000 a day." Though the alleged act is illegal, he added, "They're still our kids... I love every one of them." PHOTO: Kayla Williams is seen here in an undated file photo. (Courtesy Williams Family) Kayla Williams' aunt, Teresa Shea, said the group may have panicked or become separated. Kayla Williams' sister, Camelia Williams, had other concerns. "It's so dark that you can put your hand in front of your face and not see it," Camelia Williams told ABC News. (MORE: Trump administration's new proposal aimed at helping coal industry) "It's been a very slow process," Camelia Williams said. "It's hard to just sit and wait. ... time is ticking." As the search continues, the concerned father said he thinks the rescuers "need to be moving a little faster." "We know they got protocol to go by, but we just feel like if it was one of theirs," Randell Williams said, before trailing off, overcome with emotion. "Hopefully it happens today," he said. Story continues Wednesday's search is focusing on two portals of the mine: eight rescuers heading into the Sand Creek portal and 16 to the Rock Creek portal, Eugene White, director of West Virginia's office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training, said Wednesday. The Rock Creek portal, where the four individuals entered on Saturday, has oxygen levels measuring 16.1, which White described as good, adding, we hope it stays that way. Ed Williams, the man who escaped the mine on Monday, has gone over a map with officials in an effort to pinpoint where the three others may be, White said. PHOTO: Ed Williams is seen here in this undated file photo. (Courtesy Williams Family) A criminal investigation is pending, the Raleigh County Sheriffs Office said, though officials stressed that rescue efforts are the priority. "Our priority is rescuing these individuals and maintaining the safety of our mine rescue teams," West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said in a statement Tuesday. "I have ordered the coordination of all resources needed for rescuers to continue to search the mine. Were doing everything we can to accelerate the rescue." ABC News' Justin Weaver, Dee Carden, Kendall Karson and Matt Foster contributed to this report. A man killed during a shootout in connection with Tuesdays deadly Strasbourg Christmas market attack has been identified by Paris officials as the main suspect, according to the Associated Press. Charif Chekatt, 29, was shot by police after a gunman opened fire on officers in the Neudorf neighborhood of Strasbourg, AP reported. Police had been actively searching the Neudorf neighborhood for the suspect earlier on Thursday. Officials did not immediately identify the man as the main suspect, but the office of the Paris prosecutor confirmed his identity later Thursday. Chekatt started shooting at police officers as soon as they tried to arrest him, Frances Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said, per AP. Police returned fire and killed him, according to Castaner. Three people were killed and at least 12 others injured at the busy Christmas market in Strasbourg. Chekatt, who has a criminal record in both France and Germany, had eluded police for two days following the shooting. Chekatt was flagged as a potential extremist following the shooting on Tuesday. Explosive materials were found at his home after the shooting, Stephane Morisse of union FGP told the AP. SITE Intelligence Group, an intelligence group that monitors extremist activity online, indicated that a news agency tied to the Islamic State is claiming the gunman as a soldier in its ranks, per AP. However, terrorist groups often claim alleged attackers even when they have no relation. Anupong Suebsamarn, a 45-year-old from Thailand, was among the victims in the deadly shooting in the city of Strasbourg at a busy Christmas market. Thailands embassy in Paris confirmed that Suebsamarn, who had traveled to France with his wife, died in the shooting, the AP reported. Suebsamarns uncle told the newspaper Khao Sod that he and his wife had initially planned to go to Paris, but decided to go to Strasbourg instead following the breakout of the yellow vest protests. Chekatts parents and two brothers were among five people taken into custody as part of the police investigation into the shooting, according to the AP. Story continues Police officials said the attacker was wounded while exchanging gunfire with soldiers on Tuesday, but escaped, the AP reported. Laurent Nunez, secretary of state for the interior ministry, told France-Inter radio that eight of the people who were injured in the shooting are in critical condition and that Strasbourgs mayor had sustained some head wounds. Among those in critical condition is Antonio Megalizzi, a 28-year-old Italian radio journalist who had traveled to Strasbourg to cover a session of European Parliament. According to the news agency ANSA, Megalizzi was shot at the base of his cranium. His family and girlfriend have gone to France to be with him. The European Parliament, which is located in Strasbourg, was locked down during the shooting. French police wrote on Twitter that a serious incident was taking place in Strasbourg, and asked the public to remain inside. ???? Evenement grave de securite publique en cours a #Strasbourg. Les habitants sont invites a rester chez eux. Plus d'informations a venir, suivez les consignes des autorites. pic.twitter.com/5t7offxqQ0 Ministere de l'Interieur - Alerte (@Beauvau_Alerte) December 11, 2018 A local news reporter, Bruno Poussard, wrote on Twitter that he had heard bursts of gunshots at around 7:55 p.m. La situation reste tres confuse mais a 19h55, il y a eu plus d'une dizaine de #tirs dans ma petite rue en plein centre-ville de #Strasbourg. Deux ou trois d'abord, puis en rafales ensuite pic.twitter.com/egihu6dgEr Poussard Bruno (@PoussardBruno) December 11, 2018 Une heure apres, la situation est toujours aussi confuse, quelques passants ont circule, mais avec les encouragements a la prudence des policiers encore presents dans cette rue du centre de #Strasbourg pic.twitter.com/mV3iEMPWaO Poussard Bruno (@PoussardBruno) December 11, 2018 French President Emmanuel Macron adjourned a meeting at the presidential palace to allow him to monitor the situation, the AP reported. The Christmas market has attracted terrorist threats in the past. Ten Algerian and French-Algerian terrorists, who were affiliated with al-Qaeda, were sentenced to prison for planning to blow up the market on New Years Eve in 2000, according to the AP. SAN MIGUEL LOS LOTES, Guatemala (AP) They call it the Volcano of Fire, one of the most active volcanoes in the Americas, frequently spewing ash and gas across a swath of Guatemala west of the capital. On June 3, the mountain erupted with a fury not seen in more than a century, exploding with 1,300-degree molten rocks and black clouds of ash that smothered villages and buried at least 194 people alive. An additional 234 are missing. Rodrigo Abd was among the Associated Press photojournalists who arrived on the scene. As he covered the news, he considered how to capture the sweep of the volcano's destructive power and the magnitude of the human drama that unfolded in minutes. How to document the tragedy of lives and a landscape obliterated on a piece of 35mm film? Abd decided that the panoramic format was necessary to tell this story of annihilation. Black and white film would best show ash-encased villages such as San Miguel Los Lotes. Peering through his lens, and through clouds of hot ash, he found Elmer Vazquez searching for his wife and five children where he thought the family home had been. The farmer looked destroyed as he climbed into pits dug by a backhoe whenever he saw human remains or bits of torn clothing that could have belonged to his family. In a makeshift morgue, dozens of victims' bodies wrapped in white bags formed a kind of silent corridor that ended with two exhausted forensic doctors taking a break after days and nights of continuous work. Outside the morgue, anxious relatives waited for the results of DNA tests to see if their loved ones were among those inside, while others prepared to hold dignified burials in the town cemetery. In San Miguel Los Lotes, the drama did not end in those first days. Ten days after the volcano blew, Angelica Maria Alvarez continued looking for her husband, two daughters and more than nine relatives in a house turned to twisted iron and hot ash. Six months after what is now being called "The Colossus," relatives still seek missing family members by their own means, as the government and relief agencies have ended their search for the dead. Abadiania (Brasil) (AFP) - A famous Brazilian "spiritual healer" who has been accused of sexual abuse by hundreds of women who sought treatment from him told followers Wednesday he was innocent. Joao Teixeira de Faria, 76, known internationally as "Joao de Deus" or "John of God," told a crowd of white-clad faithful waiting for him "I am not guilty." He left after less than 10 minutes, with volunteer staff saying he was too affected by the allegations to carry out his usual "healing" session. Police are investigating complaints by more than 450 women in several Brazilian states saying that Faria forced them into sex acts under pretext of curing them. The avalanche of accusations followed allegations made by a dozen women late last week to Brazilian outlets Globo TV and O Globo newspaper. One of the women who spoke to Globo TV, a Dutch choreographer named Zahira Lieneke Mous, said Faria had also raped her. The appearance was Faria's first in public since the accusations were made. Wednesday is the usual day he receives people believing in his supernatural powers to treat illnesses ranging from depression to cancer. Faria was greeted with cries, applause and tears by his faithful, who were all dressed in white, several of them foreigners. "I think the accusations are false," said Duncan Ryan, a 66-year-old American with skin cancer. "I know many, many Brazilian women and foreign women who volunteer here at the casa, and who have been in private with John of God many, many times -- and even very beautiful women -- and theyve never had any problem with him," he said. Jose Carlos, a 63-year-old Brazilian seeking cures for his wife, suffering a brain tumor, and his daughter, in psychological treatment, said: "Up to now I haven't seen any evidence shown against him. They should also talk about the cures he's done." - Town worried - Around 40 percent of the 10,000 people who flocked to see him each month before the accusations were foreigners, according to the mayor of Abadiania, where Faria's center is located. Story continues Some hailed from as far as the United States, Australia and Europe, drawn by reports of Faria's "miracles." His fame rocketed in 2013 when US celebrity Oprah Winfrey broadcast a show on him, based on a visit she had made the previous year. On Wednesday, that episode was removed from Winfrey's YouTube video archive. The steady flow of visitors is an important revenue source for Abadiania, a tiny rural town of 15,000 inhabitants, and there were fears that could dry up if Faria's reputation is irredeemably tarnished. "We haven't yet felt the impact, maybe we will next week," said the owner of a restaurant located near to Faria's center that serves 200 customers a day. "We want him to pay for his crimes, if he really committed any. But we don't want the House (center) to close," he said. Faria's spokeswoman at the center, Edna Gomes, said the healer was "doing well, is calm" and was waiting for the investigations to run their course. She said she had never seen anything to corroborate the accusations. "Justice will clear this up. Above all, he is an innocent person," she said. Three Brazilian presidents have sought his services in the past: former leftist leaders Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his successor Dilma Rousseff, who have both battled cancer; and current President Michel Temer, before a prostate operation. Lubumbashi (DR Congo) (AFP) - Two supporters of a DR Congo opposition presidential candidate were killed in clashes with police at a rally on Tuesday, a local human rights organisation said, as tensions rise just 12 days before a crucial election. The Congolese Association for Access to Justice (ACAJ) said 43 people had been wounded, including 15 by bullets, at the rally venue in Lubumbashi, the country's second largest city. A seriously injured police officer was also among the casualties. Police meanwhile said that 11 officers and two civilians were injured in the clashes with supporters of Martin Fayulu, a frontrunner in DR Congo's election, at the rally. The opposition coalition Lamuka, which backs Fayulu, said that up to six people had been killed. An AFP reporter at the scene of the rally earlier said police fired tear gas to disperse several hundred people who had gathered to welcome Fayulu. Former oil executive Martin Fayulu, 62, a little-known lawmaker making a late surge in the campaign, said police had diverted him away from the venue. But the candidate accused the police of firing "live rounds". "They made us follow an itinerary... (preventing us) from reaching the venue," Fayulu said in a tweet. "They sent us to the home of 'Papa' Kyungu," he said, referring to a local opposition leader. The ACAJ said 27 pro-Fayulu supporters were arrested at the rally. Police had earlier dispersed Fayulu supporters at Lubumbashi airport with tear gas and jets of hot water. - Fears of violence rising - There had been fears of violence ahead of the election on December 23, when voters will choose a successor to outgoing President Joseph Kabila. The 47-year-old has constitutionally remained in power as caretaker leader even though his second and final elected term ended nearly two years ago. At stake in the ballot is stewardship of mineral-rich country that has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Story continues Kabila has been in power since January 2001, taking the helm after his father, president Laurent-Desire Kabila, was assassinated. Twenty-one candidates are registered to vie to replace him. Fayulu last month was named the joint champion of several opposition parties. His main rivals are Felix Tshisekedi of the mainstream Union for Democracy and Social Progress opposition party, and Kabila's handpicked successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. One of Fayulu's supporters is Moise Katumbi, a former governor whose power base is Lubumbashi, but who has been barred from contesting the elections. The city, located in the southeastern province of Katanga, is also a Kabila stronghold. Shadary launched his elections campaign there on November 26. SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire inside the Catholic cathedral in the Brazilian city of Campinas on Tuesday and fatally shot four people praying in the pews before killing himself after police wounded him, authorities said. Police identified the shooter as Euler Fernando Gandolfo, 49, a systems analyst with no criminal record. Gandolfo entered the cathedral and sat down among mainly elderly worshippers who remained to pray after midday mass. "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," said Pedro Rodrigues, a 66-year-old retiree. "It was frightful," said another witness, Alexandre Moraes, on GloboNews channel. "He shot randomly at people. They were all praying." Campinas police chief Jose Henrique Ventura said security cameras showed Gandolfo walk into the cathedral and sit down. A little later he started shooting at people. Police in the plaza outside rushed in when they heard the shots, Ventura told a news conference. The gunman ran to the altar while firing at police and was hit in the side. He fell to ground and shot himself in the head, Ventura said. Gandolfo had two guns with 28 rounds left when he died. Four people were shot dead and four others were wounded, but Ventura said they were out of danger in a hospital in Campinas, an industrial city 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo. Police have not established a motive. 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, with few American-style shootings in schools or other public areas. The rise in armed violence helped far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro win October's presidential election, vowing to crack down on corruption, drug gangs and crime in the streets of Brazilian cities. Bolsonaro, who takes office on Jan. 1, plans to ease gun laws to allow Brazilians to arm themselves against criminals, a policy his critics say will only increase the murder rate. (Reporting by Tatiana Ramil and Anthony Boadle; editing by Bill Trott, Richard Chang and Leslie Adler) Nouakchott (AFP) - Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Tuesday denied that Malian jihadist leader Amadou Koufa had been killed during a November raid by French forces, according to a statement released by the Mauritanian news agency Alakhbar. International media reported that Koufa was killed along with 34 others but he was not at the site and he was neither killed nor wounded, AQIM chief Abdelmalek Droukdel said, according to the transcript of an audio recording translated into English and broadcast by Alakhbar, which frequently publishes statements attributed to extremist groups. Malian and French authorities had said Amadou Koufa was killed in a raid led by French troops in the centre of the country. Koufa, a radical preacher, surfaced three years ago and was blamed for several violent attacks and for stoking sectarian conflict. Droukdel claimed the announcement on the disappearance of the jihadist was a "manoeuvre" by Paris to divert the attention of the French people from what was happening in the street, an allusion to the "yellow vest" protests. On November 23, the French army said it had conducted an operation the previous night in central Mali, Koufa's stronghold, which resulted in "30 terrorists" being "neutralised". French armed forces minister Florence Parly had hailed the action "which made it possible to neutralise an important terrorist detachment in which was probably one of Iyad Ag Ghali's main assistants, Amadou Koufa". Malian military sources had confirmed the death of Koufa, who had appeared in a video two weeks earlier with Iyad Ag Ghali, the leader of the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), which has repeatedly struck military and civilian targets in Mali and neighbouring Burkina Faso. "The terrorist Amadou Koufa died of his injuries after the French military intervention, following information provided by the Malian army, General Abdoulaye Cisse, chief of operations of the Malian army, said. France helped Malian forces stave off a jihadist insurgency that took control of large parts of the north in 2012, but large swathes of the country remain out of the government's control. The former colonial ruler has deployed the 4,500-member Barkhane force in the region to repel attacks and stem insurgency. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Kosovo is moving to build itself a regular army, angering neighboring Serbia enough to talk of military intervention a seemingly empty threat. In a vote set for Friday, Kosovo's 120-seat parliament is expected to approve draft government-submitted legislation to turn an existing 4,000-strong paramilitary force, known as the Kosovo Security Force, into an expanded, lightly armed army. Belgrade does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, a landlocked former Serbian province lost two decades ago after an uprising by ethnic Albanians and a campaign of NATO airstrikes. Serbia says the proposed army's main purpose would be to take over and ethnically cleanse Kosovo's Serbian-dominated north. Officials in Pristina deny that. Warning last week of a potential military intervention, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said she hopes "we won't ever have to use our army" but that it is "currently one of the options on the table." ___ WHAT TRIGGERED THE CRISIS? Long-simmering tensions soared after Kosovo slapped a 100-percent tax on Serb imports last month in apparent retaliation after Serbian lobbying thwarted Kosovo's bid to join Interpol, the international police organization. Serbian officials claim the tariffs are a virtual embargo designed to force Kosovo's remaining ethnic Serbs, chief consumers of the affected goods, out of the country. The European Union, the United States and Russia have all urged lifting of the tariffs. ___ HOW SERIOUS IS THE SERBIAN THREAT? Although Serbia has increased its saber-rattling, it is highly unlikely to take military action. That would trigger a direct confrontation with some 4,600 NATO-led peacekeepers, including U.S. troops, stationed in Kosovo since 1999. It would also almost certainly prompt Western sanctions and Serbia's isolation. ___ WHAT IS THE MILITARY MATCHUP? Disregarding the NATO presence in Kosovo, Serbia has a much stronger military some 30,000 professional troops, compared to 5,000 of the new Kosovo army. Russia has recently been arming Serbia with fighter jets and tanks, but the 1999 bombings devastated the country's military capability, which remains negligible compared to NATO's. Story continues __ WHAT IS NATO'S POSITION? Alliance Secretary-General Jans Stoltenberg said Kosovo's plan for an army is "ill-timed, goes against the advice of many NATO allies, and can have negative repercussions on Kosovo's prospects" of eventually joining the alliance and the EU. If Kosovo goes ahead, Stoltenberg said, "NATO will have to examine the level of our engagement with the Kosovo Security Force." __ WHAT IS KOSOVO'S ARMY FOR? The new army will have a 98-million-euro ($111 million) annual budget, with 5,000 troops armed with light infantry weapons and 3,000 reservists. Kosovo officials said it will handle crisis response and civil protection operations essentially what the current paramilitary force does. Its main tasks would be search and rescue, explosive ordnance disposal, firefighting and hazardous material disposal. ___ HOW LEGITIMATE IS THE MOVE? A UN Security Council resolution from 1999 specifies that Kosovo is under the authority of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo with security provided by the NATO-led peacekeepers. NATO and the U.S. have helped train the current Kosovo Security Force. The U.S. backs formation of the new army through a long process leading to multiethnic representation, starting with a change to the country's constitution, which makes no reference to an army. This, however, would require support from ethnic Serbian lawmakers, who strongly oppose the move. ___ THE RUSSIAN FACTOR Russia has strongly supported Serbia, its only real ally in Europe, and said the Kosovo army formation "may lead to the most severe consequences not only for the region's Serbian population but also for the security of the entire Balkans." But Moscow is unlikely to join Serbia in any military action against NATO in Kosovo. Furthermore, Russia's military has no real access to Serbia and Kosovo, which are practically surrounded by NATO-member states. ___ THE U.S. FACTOR President Donald Trump has shown little interest in Balkan tensions, but Kosovo is virtually an American protectorate thanks to the former Clinton and Bush administrations that helped it gain independence. The U.S. has some 600 soldiers in Kosovo and any Serbian attack would likely be met with fierce retaliation. ___ WHAT'S NEXT? Serbia has refused to take part in EU-mediated negotiations in Brussels to normalize the two countries' relations until Kosovo lifts the imposed taxes. Kosovo's government says it will not lift the tariffs until Serbia recognizes Kosovo's statehood. It will take a lot of international lobbying to restart the talks, which are crucial for both countries in their desire to join the EU. ___ HOW DID KOSOVO SPLIT FROM SERBIA? A 1998-1999 war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo left more than 10,000 dead. Serbia's bloody crackdown against separatists and civilians in Kosovo prompted NATO airstrikes, ending the war. In 2008, Kosovo declared independence. The US and most of the West recognize it, but Russia and China do not. ___ Llazar Semini contributed from Tirana, Albania. STRASBOURG, France (AP) -- The Latest on a shooting attack at a Christmas market in France (all times local): 8:15 French authorities have issued a wanted poster and are calling for witnesses amid a massive manhunt for the suspected shooter nearly 24 hours after a deadly attack at the Strasbourg Christmas market. A photo of Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was born in Strasbourg, was distributed publicly Wednesday evening. The poster warns: "Dangerous individual, above all do not intervene." It asks anyone with information that could help locate him to contact authorities. Chekatt has been on the run since allegedly spraying gunfire at the city's famous Christmas market on Tuesday night, killing two and leaving one person brain-dead. A dozen others were injured. Hundreds of police and soldiers were combing Strasbourg in a search of him, blocking bridges that cross the border into Germany. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced a strengthening of security forces to secure Christmas markets. ____ 7:55 p.m. The pope has expressed strong condemnation of the attack on the Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, that killed two, left one person brain dead and injured 12 others. Pope Francis said in a telegram to the archbishop of Strasbourg, Monsignor Luc Ravel, on Wednesday that he learned of the attack "with sadness and concern," and expressed his compassion to all those affected by the attack. Francis also offered "a special thought" to the professionals and volunteers who responded to the wounded. The pope also sent a separate telegram to the head of the Brazilian archdiocese of Campinas, where a man opened fire in a cathedral on Tuesday, killing four people. The pope said he was "deeply disturbed by the dramatic attack during the celebration of Holy Mass." ___ 5:50 p.m. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner says that the suspect in the deadly attack on the Christmas market in Strasbourg has had a long criminal record, with his first conviction at the age of 13. Story continues Castaner said that at age 10 the suspect "already had behavior that fell under penal law." The minister was addressing parliamentarians on Wednesday, a day after the suspect, identified as Cherif Chekatt, 29, sprayed gunfire around the Christmas market in the eastern city, killing two, leaving a third person brain dead and injuring 12 others. Chekatt was still on the run, with hundreds of police and soldiers seeking him in a massive manhunt. Authorities said earlier that Chekatt had more than two dozen convictions, mostly in France but also in Switzerland and Germany. They said that Chekatt had been flagged for extremism and under watch. ___ 5:10 p.m. A minute's silence will be held at all soccer stadiums in the French first and second division this weekend following Tuesday night's deadly Christmas market attack in Strasbourg. Authorities say two people were killed, one left brain dead and 12 others injured in the shooting rampage. Three matches in the first division have been postponed this weekend at the request of authorities, with police resources stretched. ____ 4:30 p.m. A young Italian radio journalist who was in Strasbourg to cover a session of the European Parliament is in critical condition after being shot in the Christmas market attack. The news agency ANSA said Wednesday that 28-year-old Antonio Megalizzi was struck by a bullet at the base of his cranium. ANSA says his parents, sister and girlfriend have traveled to France to join him. Megalizzi is a journalist with the Europhonica radio consortium linked to universities. Italian daily La Repubblica reports that he traveled Strasbourg on Sunday to follow the European Parliamentary session. Megalizzi is from the northern city of Trento, and is working on a masters focusing on European institutions. Europhonica has posted a Facebook message saying it cannot confirm any news about his health. ____ 4:15 p.m. French lawmakers have held a minute's silence at the National Assembly for victims and their families following Tuesday night's deadly Christmas market attack in Strasbourg. Interior minister Christophe Castaner has paid tribute to three people who tried to stop the gunman in streets near the famous market, including a woman who suffered stab wounds. He said Wednesday their actions highlighted "our compatriots' ability to be heroic." Lawmakers from all parties applauded his comments. Socialist and far-left lawmakers have asked to postpone a no-confidence vote against the government linked to its handling of the Yellow Vest protests, saying they want to preserve the nation's unity at difficult times. The vote had been scheduled for Thursday ____ 3:55 p.m. A Thai Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says the country's embassy in Paris has confirmed that a Thai national, 45-year-old Anupong Suebsamarn, was killed in a deadly Christmas market shooting in the French city of Strasbourg. Anupong had been traveling with his wife. The English-language website of the newspapaer Khao Sod said Anupong was the owner of a noodle factory in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok, and also sold clothes in the Thai capital's garment district. It quoted his uncle as saying the couple had originally planned to be in Paris, but the yellow vest protests there caused them to change plans and go to Strasbourg instead. Spokeswoman Busadee Santipitaks said Thai officials had asked French authorities and members of the Thai community in Strasbourg to help Anupong's widow, and Thai consular officials were traveling there Wednesday to provide further assistance. ___ 3:45 p.m. A judicial official says that the father and two brothers of the man suspected of attacking the Strasbourg Christmas market are among four people in custody in the investigation. The suspected gunman himself, identified by police union officials as 29-year-old Cherif Cherkatt, is at large. He was on a police watch list for radicalism before Tuesday's attack. The judicial official says that other members of Cherkatt's family are also known for radical views. The official was not authorized to be publicly named speaking about an ongoing investigation. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told parliament Wednesday that 720 security officers are mobilized to search for the gunman. Authorities say two people were killed, one left brain dead and 12 others injured in the shooting rampage. By Angela Charlton ___ 1:30 p.m. The German government says it has stepped up controls on the country's border with France following Tuesday night's attack in Strasbourg, but sees no change to the threat level in Germany. Interior Ministry spokeswoman Eleonore Petermann said there's no reason to stay away from Christmas markets in Germany. A Christmas market in Berlin was targeted in a deadly attack two years ago. Petermann and Germany's justice ministry said that German authorities had no information on links between the suspected attacker, who previously spent prison time in Germany for robbery, and Islamic extremists. The suspect, who killed at least two and injured about a dozen others Tuesday, was convicted in Germany in 2016 and reportedly deported to France in 2017. Petermann said, however, that his freedom of movement within the European Union had been removed. ___ 1:20 p.m. French President Emmanuel Macron is holding an emergency security meeting at the presidential palace in Paris following Tuesday's attack in the eastern city of Strasbourg that killed at least two and injured about a dozen others. The defense council is taking place in the presence of top military officials and government members, including the prime minister, interior, defense and foreign affairs ministers. They will discuss the progress of the investigation and other security measures as the government raised the alert level nationwide and sent police reinforcements to Strasbourg in a manhunt for the suspect. Interior minister Christophe Castaner was back Wednesday in Paris after travelling to Strasbourg overnight to supervise police operations. ___ 1:10 p.m. Neighbors of the man suspected of attacking Strasbourg's Christmas market have described him as destabilized by his time in prison. "You can just tell," said one of the young men from the apartment block where suspected gunman Cherif Chekatt lived, lightly touching the side of his head. They feared being publicly named because the gunman is still being hunted by police. A neighbor, who also asked not to be named, said he was rarely home. She said she last saw him Monday from her window, which looks out on a common hallway, and he was with another man. The lock of the door is broken at the suspect's apartment. Police were guarding the building where the gunman was believed to have lived, in an outer neighborhood of Strasbourg. Hundreds of police and soldiers are hunting for Chekatt, 29, who opened fire near Strasbourg's Christmas market Tuesday, killing two and leaving one brain dead. ___ 12:50 p.m. A French prosecutor says witnesses heard the suspected gunman shout "God is great" in Arabic during the shooting spree in Strasbourg that killed two people and left another brain dead. Prosecutor Remy Heitz said the suspected gunman was shot in the arm during an exchange of fire with French soldiers in the city center and then took a taxi to another part of the city during the rampage on Tuesday night. He said the man was armed with a handgun and a knife, using them to attack his victims. He also left 12 people injured. Previously, French authorities had said the gunman killed three people. But Heitz said two people were confirmed dead while the third was brain dead. He also said police found a grenade, a rifle and four knives during a search Tuesday morning of the 29-year-old's house. They had wanted to take him into custody as in an investigation for suspected murder. ___ 11:25 a.m. Two police officials have identified the suspected Strasbourg gunman as 29-year-old Cherif Chekatt. One police source said Chekatt's criminal record mentions 25 judicial cases, including several serious cases of robbery. The official said his apartment was searched by police on Tuesday morning hours before the shooting in an investigation for attempted murder. He was not at home at the time. The two officials spoke anonymously because they were not allowed to speak publicly on an ongoing investigation. The suspect was still on the run on Wednesday after he fired gunshots near the famous Christmas market of Strasbourg, killing three and wounding at least 13. By Sylvie Corbet ___ 11:10 a.m. The European Parliament is planning a minute of silence at noon to remember the victims of the Strasbourg shooting, which happened only a few kilometers (miles) from the legislature. European Parliament Antonio Tajani called the shooting "a criminal attack against peace, against democracy, against our model of life." He said that even as the Parliament went into a lockdown late Tuesday, legislators continued their work until midnight. "We have to go forward and not change our ways," Tajani said. ___ 10:50 a.m. The suspected Strasbourg gunman was convicted of robbery in Germany in 2016 and sentenced to two years and three months in prison for breaking into a dental practice and a pharmacy. The verdict from a district court in Singen, obtained by The Associated Press, says he was also sentenced to prison in France in 2008 and in Basel, Switzerland in 2013 for various robberies. News agency dpa reported that he was deported to France in 2017. According to the verdict, the suspected attacker grew up with six siblings in Strasbourg, worked for local authorities after leaving school and had been unemployed since 2011. He said he had been traveling a lot and had already spent four years in prison. The German robberies took place in Mainz, near Frankfurt, in 2012 and in Engen, near the Swiss border, in 2016. ___ 8:35 a.m. A senior French government official says that five people have been detained as police hunt for the man who attacked the Strasbourg Christmas market, but the gunman remains at large. Laurent Nunez, secretary of state for the interior ministry, said Wednesday on France-Inter radio that the attacker could have fled to neighboring Germany. He said that three people were killed and 13 injured, eight of them seriously. He denied reports of a police intervention at the city's famed cathedral but said the search for the attacker is constantly evolving. Nunez said the assailant had been identified as a suspected extremist during his past stays in prison but said the motive for the attack remains unclear. A terrorism investigation was opened. ___ 8 a.m. France is hunting for a suspected extremist who sprayed gunfire near the famous Christmas market in the eastern city of Strasbourg, killing three and wounding at least 11. The government raised the security alert level and sent police reinforcements to Strasbourg where some 250 security forces are searching for the assailant. The attacker is a 29-year-old with a police record in France and neighboring Germany who had been flagged for extremism. A terrorism investigation was opened. While authorities urged people in the area to stay inside, Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries told BFM television Wednesday that "life must go on" so that the city doesn't cede to a "terrorist who is trying to disrupt our way of life." Strasbourg is considered one of Europe's capitals. It's home to the European Parliament. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro lashed out Wednesday at what he said was a plot to assassinate him directed by the White House -- and involving the right-wing governments of Colombia and Brazil. Maduro accused US National Security Advisor John Bolton of personally directing a plan to sow chaos on Venezuelan soil, with the aim of overthrowing his socialist government. The Venezuelan leader told foreign correspondents in Caracas that his government had "good information" that Bolton had been "assigning missions for military provocations on the border." "I come again to denounce the plot which is being prepared from the White House to violate Venezuelan democracy, to assassinate me and to impose a dictatorial government in Venezuela," he said. Troops were being trained in the United States and Colombia to carry out the plot, he alleged. US President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque have been sharply critical of Maduro's leftist regime, and Trump in October hinted at a potential military response to resolve Venezuela's crippling economic crisis. "Mr John Bolton has been assigned as chief of the plan, of the plot, to fill Venezuela with violence and seek a foreign military intervention, a coup d'etat, and impose what they call a transitional government council," said Maduro, who said he had corroborating foreign sources for his claims. "Brazil's military forces want peace. Nobody in Brazil wants the incoming government of Jair Bolsonaro to engage in a military adventure against the people of Venezuela," Maduro said. The Venezuelan leader had already castigated Washington in a speech on Sunday, saying it planned to carry out a coup with support from Colombia, although on that occasion he did not mention Brazil. Bolton and Bolsonaro met late last month in Rio de Janeiro -- the first high-level meeting between a senior US official and the far-right leader, who takes office on January 1. Story continues Maduro raised Washington's ire this week by announcing military exercises on Venezuelan soil with the participation of Russia, which sent two nuclear-capable long-range bombers to Caracas. The move drew condemnation from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. He said the deployment was a case of "two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer". Russia sent the planes following a visit to Moscow last week by Maduro for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed support for the beleaguered socialist government. Maduro, 55, begins a second six-year term on January 10, having won elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition. Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman, arrives at federal court in Washington, D.C., for his arraignment and bail hearing on June 15, 2018. (Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi / ALM) An attorney for Paul Manafort signaled to a Washington, D.C., federal judge Tuesday that the former Trump campaign chairmans legal team might not challenge the special counsels allegations that he violated his plea deal. Richard Westling, who is representing Manafort, informed U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson that Manaforts attorneys spoke with prosecutors for Robert Mueller III Tuesday, and they plan to follow up with their client. Westling said it made sense to continue their talks with the special counsel about those allegations, suggesting they might be able to resolve some disagreements and head off a later court hearing before Jackson. I do think theres some sense today that the certainty of a hearing is less clear, Westling said. Jackson agreed to a timetable for Manaforts team to notify the court whether it plans to challenge prosecutions allegations against Manafort. His defense team is expected to file with the court by Jan. 7, with all briefing on the issue wrapped up by Jan. 18. Jackson set a tentative hearing date for Jan. 25., although that could be dropped. Keep up with Trumps legal team and the latest maneuvers in the Mueller investigation. Sign up here for Trump Watch by Ellis Kim. The judge convened Tuesdays hearing after Muellers prosecutors on Friday outlined their allegations that Manafort breached his September plea deal. In that filing, prosecutors accused Manafort of lying to federal authorities about his contact with the Trump administration, including outreach that Manafort allegedly authorized someone to make on his behalf to an administration official as recently as May. The special counsels office also accused Manafort of lying about his contact with Russian national Konstantin Kilimnik, a longtime associate whom prosecutors believe conspired with Manafort in an effort to tamper with witnesses this year. Muellers office also accused Manafort of initially misleading Justice Department prosecutors working on a probe in another district, as well as about a significant payment he made in 2017. If Jackson agrees with prosecutors view that Manafort violated his deal, it could lead to a heavier sentence for the lobbyist, who, at 69, already faces the likelihood of a substantial prison sentence. On top of his September guilty plea in D.C., Manafort was convicted on eight counts of financial fraud by an Alexandria, Virginia, federal jury in August. Hes expected to be sentenced in Virginia in February. Jackson previously set a tentative March sentencing date for Manafort in D.C. Prosecutors have also not yet said whether they intend to bring more charges against Manafort. In a hearing in D.C. this month, top prosecutor Andrew Weissmann declined to rule out the possibility the government could bring additional charges for his alleged lies. That determination has not been made yet, he simply told Jackson. Read more: Senate Lawyer Deemed 'Not Qualified' by ABA Confirmed to Eighth Circuit Michael Cohen's Guilty Plea Puts Spotlight on Defense Lawyers' Role Justice Dept. Frets About Kavanaugh Recusal in Challenge to CFPB's Power Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico's energy regulator said Tuesday it was canceling its remaining oil block auctions for private firms, the centerpiece of the country's landmark energy reform, now under attack by new President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) said it was scrapping the two pending auctions because the energy ministry had asked it to withdraw the 46 blocks up for grabs so it could "review energy policy and evaluate the results and progress" made under the 2013 reform. "Since the totality of the areas under consideration in each auction have been excluded... we have approved the cancellation of the auctions in question," it said in a statement. The CNH had already suspended the auctions after Lopez Obrador won a landslide election victory in July. Former president Enrique Pena Nieto launched the ambitious energy reform in a bid to breathe new life into Mexico's oil sector, where production had plummeted under 76 years of monopoly by state firm Pemex. But Lopez Obrador, an anti-establishment leftist and energy nationalist, has criticized the opening of the sector to private and foreign companies as a corruption-riddled "farse." The blocks up for auction in what would have been the 10th and 11th tenders of the third round of the process are located in the oil-rich far north and south of the Gulf of Mexico. Since the energy reforms were launched, Mexico has awarded more than 100 contracts to firms including Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Total and BP, for total potential investment that the previous government calculated at $150 billion. Lopez Obrador said earlier that companies should show they are following through on their promised investments within three years or have their oil blocks taken away. "As they say in sports, the ball's in their court. If there's investment and they produce, then go ahead. If they're just sitting on the contracts to speculate, we can't allow that," he told a press conference. The CNH also announced a six-month postponement to a separate tender to seek partners for Pemex projects that had been scheduled for early next year. Lopez Obrador said Sunday he was increasing Pemex's budget by $3.7 billion for 2019 in a bid to boost production. Mexico City (AFP) - Investors rejected a new, sweetened offer from the Mexican government Wednesday to buy back their bonds from a cancelled airport project, deepening a growing quagmire for President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Lopez Obrador, an anti-establishment leftist who took office this month, has been scrambling to calm market jitters caused by his controversial decision to scrap plans for a new $13-billion Mexico City airport, which business leaders say Latin America's second-largest economy badly needs. Seeking to restore investor confidence, Mexico offered last week to buy back part of the bonds used to raise money for the sleek new airport, which was about one-third complete. When a majority of bondholders rejected that offer -- which would have paid them between $900 and $1,000 on every $1,000 invested -- the government sweetened the deal by offering full repayment plus one-percent interest. But a group representing investors who hold more than 50 percent of the bonds, the MexCAT Ad Hoc Bondholder Group, said that was not good enough. "While the group recognizes that the amended proposal makes incremental improvements, fundamental problems remain such that the group cannot support the amended proposal in its current form," it said in a statement. It said there was no guarantee that the airport tax revenues meant to ensure repayment of the remaining bonds would not diminish as Mexico adopts Lopez Obrador's preferred plan: repurposing an old military airbase to complement the capital's badly overstretched current airport. The government is offering to buy back up to $1.8 billion of the $6 billion in bonds. Lopez Obrador, widely known by his initials, "AMLO," axed the airport project after holding a referendum on the issue that was marred by irregularities. The president, who ran on a pro-austerity, anti-graft platform, has criticized the new airport as an unnecessary mega-project marred by corruption. But one of the main backers of the project, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, warned during the presidential campaign that canceling the project would amount to "canceling the economic growth of the country." Transportation Minister Javier Jimenez admitted Wednesday the government would lose money by canceling the airport, but added: "We'll lose less than if we had finished it." Meo Vac (Vietnam) (AFP) - Vu Thi Dinh spent weeks scouring the rugged Vietnamese borderland near China after her teenage daughter vanished with her best friend, clutching a photo of the round-faced girls now feared sold as child brides. The anguished mother showed everyone she met the snap of the 16-year-old friends Dua and Di in white and red velvet dresses, the words "Falling Into You" printed above their photoshopped picture. They went missing in February during an outing in Meo Vac, a poor mountainous border zone a stone's throw from China. Their mothers fear they were sold in China on one of the world's most well-trodden bride trafficking circuits. "I wish she would just call home to say she is safe, to say 'please don't worry about me, I'm gone but I'm safe,'" said Dinh, bursting into tears. She is among countless mothers whose daughters have disappeared into China where a massive gender imbalance has fuelled an unregulated buy-a-bride trade. Most people in this part of Vietnam have a story about bride trafficking. High-school students talk of kidnapped cousins. Husbands recall wives who disappeared in the night. And mothers, like Dinh, fear they may never see their daughters again. "I warned her not to get on the backs of motorbikes or meet strange men at the market," she says from her mud-floored home where she expectantly keeps a closet full of her daughter's clothes. She's not heard from Dua since she went missing, unable to reach her on the mobile phone she bought just a few weeks before she disappeared. - 'Marriage by capture' - The victims come from poor communities and are tricked by boyfriends and sold, kidnapped against their will or move across the border by choice for marriage or the promise of work. Like many of the missing, Dua and Di are from the Hmong ethnic minority, one of the country's poorest and most marginalised groups. Traffickers target girls at the busy weekend market, where they roam around in packs dressed in their Sunday best, chatting to young men, eyeing the latest Made-in-China smartphones or shopping for lipstick and sparkly hair clips. Story continues Or they find them on Facebook, spending months courting their victims before luring them into China. It is a sinister departure from the traditional Hmong custom of 'zij poj niam', or 'marriage by capture', where a boyfriend kidnaps his young bride-to-be from her family home -- sometimes with her consent, sometimes not. Others are enticed by the promise of a future brighter than that which awaits most girls who stay in Ha Giang: drop out of school, marry early and work the fields. "They go across the border to earn a living but may fall into the trap of the trafficking," said Le Quynh Lan from the NGO Plan International in Vietnam. Vietnam registered some 3,000 human trafficking cases between 2012 and 2017. But the actual number is "for sure higher", said Lan, as the border is largely unregulated. Ly Thi My never dreamed her daughter would be kidnapped, since the shy Di rarely went to the market or showed much interest in boys. Just two weeks after that photo shoot with Dua, the giggling girls went for a walk in the rocky fields near their homes. They never came back. "We think she was tricked and trafficked as a bride, we don't know where she is now," said My. - Fluid border - Her worst fear is the teenagers are now child brides or have been forced to work in brothels in China where there are 33 million more men than women due to a long-entrenched preference for male heirs. The trip across the 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border is an easy one, said Trieu Phi Cuong, an officer with Meo Vac's criminal investigations unit. "This terrain is so rugged, it's very hard to monitor," he told AFP at a border crossing marked by a few waist-high posts as a Vietnamese man nearby sold a cage of pigeons to a customer on the China side. Many victims don't even know they've crossed into China -- or that they've been trafficked. Lau Thi My was 35 and fed up with her husband, an abusive drunk, when she grabbed her son and headed to the border. She went with a neighbour who promised her good work in China, but she fell prey to traffickers. My was separated from her son and sold three times to different brokers before a Chinese man bought her as a wife for about $2,800. "He locked me up several times, I hated him," said My, who fled after 10 years by scrabbling together enough money for the journey home. She is now back with her Vietnamese husband -- still a drinker -- in the same home she escaped a decade ago, a smoke-filled lean-to where her dirt-streaked grandchildren run about. But she's desperate for word from her son. "I came back totally broken... and my son is still in China, I miss him a lot," she said. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel would be prepared to attack inside Iran if the Jewish state's survival was at stake. "Our red line is our survival," Netanyahu said at a meeting with foreign media where he was asked what his "red line" was for attacking Iranian territory, rather than its proxies in Syria and Lebanon. "We do what is necessary to protect the state of Israel against the Iranian regime that openly calls for the annihilation of the Jewish state." "I'm not ruling out doing anything that we need to do to defend ourselves," added Netanyahu, who sees Iran as the most dangerous threat to Israel. He said that Israel is the only country whose military is "directly engaging Iranian forces" with air strikes in neighbouring Syria, where Iran supports the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Netanyahu said Wednesday that Iran's aggressive regional behaviour, in contrast to Israel's fight against radical Islamic militants and its advanced technology, had brought once-hostile Arab states closer to the Jewish state. "The Arab countries understand exactly that Israel is not their enemy, but their indispensable partner" against extremists, he said, speaking of "new relationship between Israel and the Arab world". Israel has diplomatic relations with only two Arab countries -- Egypt and Jordan -- but has recently been pushing to broaden regional ties. A rapprochement with Saudi Arabia in particular, a regional heavyweight and rival of Iran, would be a considerable breakthrough for Israel. Netanyahu said that a balanced diplomatic response was needed to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his country's consulate in Istanbul on October 2, which sparked a global outcry. While he described the crime as "horrific, nothing short of that," he said that every country, especially those with formal relations with Saudi Arabia, must decide how to react. "It's balanced by the importance of Saudi Arabia and the role it plays in the Middle East, because if Saudi Arabia were to be destabilised the world would be destabilised... and I think that has to be taken into account, there's a balance," he said. Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria's main opposition party has blamed a "communication lapse" for its candidate not being present to sign a deal with other candidates for peaceful elections. Atiku Abubakar was a notable absentee at Tuesday's ceremony in Abuja, at which President Muhammadu Buhari and dozens of other candidates vowed to ensure non-violence. Voters in Africa's most populous nation go to the polls to elect a new president and parliament on February 16 next year. Gubernatorial and state assembly elections follow two weeks later. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Abubakar was not at the event "due to (a) communication lapse between the National Peace Committee (NPC) and our party's national secretariat". But it added that both the party and Abubakar were "fully committed to a peaceful electoral process and elections in 2019". Abubakar, a former vice-president under Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, was known as a "global ambassador of peace", it added in a statement issued on Tuesday night. His spokesman earlier told AFP Abubakar was "not invited" to the event, which was organised by the National Peace Committee. Several other candidates were also absent. But the committee's chairman, former military ruler Abdulsalami Abubakar, denied any snub and maintained: "Everybody was invited." Security around polling is a recurrent concern in Nigeria, which has a history of violence stoked by identity politics, ethnicity and religion. In 2011, some 1,000 people were killed after clashes between supporters of Buhari after his defeat to Goodluck Jonathan. By Gwladys Fouche OSLO (Reuters) - Presidential elections in Democratic Republic of Congo this month could lead to conflict if they are not free, fair and peaceful, and evidence suggests they will not be, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege said on Monday. The Dec. 23 elections are scheduled to mark Congo's first democratic transfer of power and end President Joseph Kabila's rule, which began in 2001 after the assassination of his father. Mukwege was co-recipient of the 2018 prize for his work as a doctor helping victims of sexual violence in the eastern Congo city of Bukavu. He has performed surgery on scores of women and campaigned to highlight their plight after they were raped by armed men. He shared the prize with Nadia Murad, a Yazidi rights activist and survivor of sexual slavery perpetrated by Islamic State. "What I have seen as I was leaving my country did not reassure me," Mukwege told Reuters before an award ceremony in Oslo. "There is very little electoral preparation and a lot of military preparation. I am very worried that these elections will not be free, fair, credible and peaceful and that if there are massive frauds .... supporters (from losing candidates) will not accept them." He said election authorities were struggling to meet deadlines ahead of the vote and that violence was worsening in the eastern borderlands with Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. "These ... elements suggest to me that oppression is being prepared, at the very minimum, and it could be that a war against its own people is being prepared," he said. Kabila was due to step down in 2016 at the end of his constitutional mandate. But the election to replace him was repeatedly delayed, igniting protests in which dozens were killed. During the ceremony, Mukwege and Murad called for justice for the victims of sexual violence in conflicts. "The perpetrators of sexual violence against Yazidi and other women and girls are yet to be prosecuted for these crimes," said Murad, adding that more than 3,000 Yazidi women and girls were still held captive by Islamic State. "If justice is not done, this genocide will be repeated against us and against other vulnerable communities," she said. Both Murad and Mukwege received several standing ovations, with many guests wiping away tears. (Graphic of Nobel laureates: http://tmsnrt.rs/2y6ATVW) 'NAME THE PERPETRATORS' Mukwege called on a U.N. report into the war crimes committed in Congo to name those it investigated. "This investigation explicitly names the victims, the places and the dates, but leaves the perpetrators nameless," he said. "Let us have the courage to reveal the names ... to prevent them from continuing to plague the region." Kabila told Reuters on Sunday preparations for the election were proceeding smoothly and he wanted it to be "as close to perfection" as possible. He also did not rule out running again for president in 2023. Critics say he could rule from behind the scenes if his candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, wins this month. Mukwege said Kabila had the right to run in 2023 but he hoped voters would remember Kabila's "broken promises". "None of the elements needed to install a real democracy have been made during his time in power," he said. A war in which some 5 million people died ended in 2003, but violence is still a problem and militias target civilians. Mukwege called for pressure on manufacturers that use cobalt and coltan that Congo produces to control their supply chains to prevent child and slave labor. He also called for pressure on Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda to pacify armed groups that fight in eastern Congo. It was not possible to reach a spokesman for the DRC government. (Additional reporting by Giulia Paravicini in Kinshasa; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and John Stonestreet) ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistan on Wednesday condemned a U.S. decision to add it to a list of nations that infringe on religious freedom, calling the move "unilateral and politically motivated." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added Pakistan to the U.S. list of "countries of particular concern" regarding protection for people to worship according to their beliefs. It was previously on a special watch list. The downgrade would expose Pakistan to potential American sanctions, but Pompeo waived those penalties, citing U.S. national interests. The Foreign Ministry condemned the move, saying Pakistan is a "multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together." In recent years Islamic extremists have repeatedly attacked religious minorities in Pakistan, including Shiite Muslims and Christians. Members of the Ahmadi sect face heavy discrimination and are subject to restrictions stemming from a 1984 law that forbids them from "posing as Muslims." The U.S. said the decision to downgrade Pakistan was largely the result of a law that prescribes death for blasphemy against Islam. The mere rumor of insulting Islam can spark lynchings in Pakistan. In October, Pakistan's Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who had been on death row for eight years after being convicted of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, charges she denied. The court upheld the blasphemy law but said there was not enough evidence to convict her. Her release sparked days of mass protests and violence by religious hard-liners who vowed to kill her. She is under tight security at an undisclosed location, and is expected to seek asylum in another country. Authorities arrested Khadim Hussein Rizvi, the cleric behind the protests, in November. Pakistan said the U.S. decision was biased, adding that there were "serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise." Story continues The ministry said an independent National Commission on Human Rights addressed concerns over violations of minority rights and that successive governments in the Muslim-majority nation had made the protection of minorities a priority. "Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities," it said. The Trump administration has had tense relations with Pakistan, which it says has failed to combat the Taliban and other extremist groups that attack U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan, charges rejected by Islamabad. By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a rare break with President Donald Trump, the U.S. Senate voted on Wednesday to move ahead with a resolution that would end U.S. military support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition in the war in Yemen. Eleven of Trump's fellow Republicans voted with Democrats to provide the 60 votes needed to advance the war powers resolution in the Republican-led chamber, paving the way for debate and a vote on U.S. involvement in a conflict that has created one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. The vote was largely symbolic because the House of Representatives is not expected to take the matter up this year. Trump has threatened a veto. But backers of the resolution said it sent an important message that lawmakers are unhappy with the humanitarian disaster in Yemen, and angry about the lack of a strong U.S. response to the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. The Trump administration had urged Congress not to oppose U.S. fueling and other support for the Saudi-led coalition as it battles the Houthis, Shi'ite Muslim fighters viewed by Yemen's neighbors as agents of Iran. Earlier on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the administration's handling of Khashoggi's killing. Pompeo repeated his assertion there was no direct evidence linking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Oct. 2 killing of Khashoggi in Istanbul, despite a CIA assessment it was likely he ordered the killing. Riyadh initially denied knowledge of Khashoggis disappearance, then offered contradictory explanations, including that he was killed in a rogue operation. Trump condemned the murder but has stood by the Saudi crown prince. "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump told Reuters on Tuesday in an Oval Office interview. BRIEFINGS FOR LAWMAKERS Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel briefed leaders of the House of Representatives behind closed doors about the killing. After the classified briefing, House members said they had not heard anything to change their minds about Khashoggi's death. Democratic Representative Eliot Engel, likely the next chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee when Democrats take control of the House in January, said he intended to hold hearings starting early next year on all aspects of Saudi behavior and the U.S.-Saudi relationship. "Saudi Arabia's an important ... partner, but I don't think we can simply look the other way when things happen and talk about business as usual," Engel said. Haspel had already briefed Senate leaders. Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who held a separate briefing for the entire Senate, are due to discuss Saudi Arabia with the entire House on Thursday. Khashoggi's death sent shockwaves around the world and has drawn outrage from Congress. Many lawmakers, including some Republicans, also strongly criticize the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. But several have urged that Congress keep the Yemen conflict separate from anger over the killing of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist. They view Saudi Arabia as an essential counterweight in the Middle East to Iran, arch-enemy of close U.S. ally Israel. White House officials see Saudi support as a linchpin for an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan yet to be unveiled by the Trump administration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters in Jerusalem that Saudi Arabia's role in the Middle East must be taken into account in responding to Khashoggi's "horrific" fate. "If Saudi Arabia were to be destabilized, the world would be destabilized," Netanyahu told foreign reporters, speaking in English. There are at least three Saudi-related pieces of legislation making their war through the U.S. Senate. Washington imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials last month over the killing, stopping short of action that might affect arms deals Trump has vowed to preserve. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington and Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday urged the United Nations to tighten restrictions on Iran's missiles, which he warned could strike US allies, but other powers called instead for dialogue. Pompeo headed to New York for a Security Council meeting on Iran, which recently confirmed a medium-range ballistic missile test, arguing it is legal and necessary for its defense. "We risk the security of our people if Iran continues stocking up on ballistic missiles," Pompeo told the Security Council. "We risk escalation of conflict in the region if we fail to restore deterrence. And we convey to all other malign actors that they too can defy the Security Council with impunity if we do nothing," he said. Iran has "hundreds of missiles which pose a threat to our partners in the region," Pompeo said, referring to Israel and Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia. Pompeo said the United States would press to preserve a UN arms embargo on Iran due to expire in 2020 and urge the Security Council to set up inspections at sea to prevent weapons shipments. He also called for the return of a firmer prohibition on Iran developing missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, toughening language from the Security Council resolution that supported the nuclear deal. President Donald Trump has made pressuring Iran a major focus, withdrawing from an international accord on curbing Tehran's nuclear program negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama and reimposing sweeping sanctions. Confirming US concerns, a UN report submitted to the Security Council said that recent missiles fired by Yemen's Huthi rebels were manufactured in Iran. Saudi Arabia has been waging air strikes and a blockade against the rebels, who share religious ties with Iran, triggering what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. - Iran denounces 'lies' - Responding as Pompeo looked on, Iranian envoy Eshagh Al Habib said the top US diplomat was casting Iran as a threat to sell more "beautiful weapons," sarcastically quoting Trump's rationale for backing Saudi Arabia. Story continues He said Iran's missiles were not nuclear in nature and defended the need for strong defense, noting that Western powers backed Saddam Hussein as his warplanes destroyed Iranian cities in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. "What we heard today was another series of lies, fabrications, disinformation and deceptive statement by the US," Al Habib said, recalling the "infamous speeches" of top US officials in the past -- a clear reference to Colin Powell's selling of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. "For the first time in the UN history, a permanent member of this Council is blatantly punishing UN members not for violating, rather for complying with, a Security Council resolution," he said. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia also made a veiled but clear swipe at Pompeo as he denounced attempts to "fan anti-Iranian hysteria." "There is no proof that the ballistic missiles can carry a nuclear load," Nebenzia told the council, adding that Iran "is ready for dialogue." France, while saying it shared US goals on Iran, pleaded for the preservation of the nuclear accord, saying it was verifiably working in freezing Iran's nuclear program. "It's only on this basis that we can build together a long-term strategy for the region," Ambassador Francois Delattre told the council. "Such a strategy can't come down to a policy of pressure and sanctions; it equally has to come with a firm, frank dialogue with the Iranians on our concerns," he said. European powers said they were working to ensure that Iran sees the economic fruits of compliance. But Iran's economy has suffered a severe blow and is forecast to contract due to the renewal of sanctions by the United States, which has vowed to preclude all countries from virtually any business in Iran. Tokyo (AFP) - Japan on Wednesday selected the Chinese character for "disaster" as its "defining symbol" for 2018, a year that saw the country hit by deadly floods, earthquakes and storms. Japanese TV stations broadcast the annual announcement live, with Seihan Mori, master of the ancient Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, writing the character on a huge white panel with an ink-soaked calligraphy brush. "Many people experienced the threat of natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rain, typhoons and heatwaves," the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, which organises the event, said in a press release. At the end of every year, the general public votes for the Chinese character they think embodies the key news and events of the previous 12 months. A total of 20,858 people out of 193,214 chose the character "disaster". The country was hit by a series of natural disasters in 2018, starting with massive flooding in western regions that killed over 200 people. It was also battered by a typhoon that inundated a major international airport, and an earthquake in the north that triggered landslides and disrupted supply lines. An "unprecedented" heatwave also struck the country over the summer, causing more than 150 deaths, with over 80,000 people hospitalised. The series of disasters hit GDP, with the country's economy shrinking in the three months to September. "I was reminded of how scary natural disasters are," said a 42-year-old woman from quake-battered northern Hokkaido, who was cited in a statement from the organiser. "The power went out immediately after the quake and I spent days for the first time without electricity," she said. Last year, Japan picked "North" following a series of North Korean missile launches, and the year before the choice was "gold", in celebration of the success of Japanese athletes at the Rio Olympics. Chinese characters, or Kanji, are widely used in Japanese, along with other types of alphabets. Geneva (AFP) - Rights groups on Wednesday called for a "robust" response to a UN expert's allegations that people she met during a visit to Egypt faced harassment, intimidation and other reprisals afterwards. A statement signed by six organisations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International urged an "independent UN investigation" into the accusations. Last week the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, Leilani Farha, said she was "shocked" at the treatment of communities she met during her official visit from September 24 to October 3. According to Farha, several families from two communities she met were later subjected to "forced evictions" and had their furniture thrown in the streets, leaving them homeless. Other people she had contact with were summoned by the police for interrogation, and one faced "arbitrary arrest and undisclosed detention", the UN said. "Egypt has failed to adhere to the assurances provided to me that no person would be harassed, intimidated or subjected to reprisal for meeting or providing information to me or my delegation," Farha said. Her statement triggered an angry response from Egypt which accused her of "fabricating lies". The rights groups warned that failing to act in response to the alleged reprisals "will only encourage similar human rights violations in the future and risk undermining the accessibility and credibility of the UN experts and wider human rights system." They called on the UN to "ensure an urgent and robust system-wide response" and said its Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should review "any ongoing cooperation" with the Egyptian government. The Egyptian authorities have clamped down on dissent, particularly among supporters of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who was toppled by the military in 2013 following mass protests against his rule. The crackdown was later expanded to include liberal and leftist secular activists. According to the UN, Farha's visit was the first to Egypt by an expert appointed by its Human Rights Council since 2011. By Stephen Kalin RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is seeking an alliance with six countries bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, a strategic area vital to global shipping and increasingly an arena of contention with regional rivals like Iran, Turkey and Qatar. Representatives from Egypt, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Jordan gathered in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss the initiative without reaching final agreement. A team of experts is expected to meet "soon" in Cairo for technical talks. Eritrea, with Red Sea islands and a mainland coastline of 1,150-kilometres (715 miles), was not present. Nor was Ethiopia, which has no access to the sea but the largest population in the Horn of Africa. "This is part of the kingdom's efforts to protect its interests and those of its neighbors and ... to stabilize the region that we live in and to try to create synergies between the various countries..." Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters after a day of closed-door meetings. "The more cooperation and coordination that you have among the countries of this region, the less negative outside influence will be on this region," he said. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf ally the United Arab Emirates increasingly view the Horn of Africa coastline as their "western security flank" and fear their adversaries could gain a foothold in the region. The Red Sea also includes the Bab al-Mandeb strait, through which an estimated 3.2 million barrels of oil per day flows toward Europe, the United States and Asia. In recent years the waterway has been targeted by pirates and Houthi fighters from Yemen. Jubeir said the meeting also discussed boosting trade and conserving the environment. As part of a push to diversify its economy away from oil, Saudi Arabia has announced several mega-projects along the Red Sea, including a $500 billion business zone shared with Egypt and Jordan as well as a luxury tourism destination. (Reporting By Stephen Kalin, editing by Larry King) Mexico City (AFP) - A massive fireworks explosion during a procession at a Mexican church killed eight people Tuesday and left some 50 wounded, authorities said. Two children aged 11 and 12 were among those killed in the accident, which occurred around dawn at the San Jose parish atrium in Tequisquiapan, some 145 kilometers (90 miles) northwest of Mexico City. Parishioners had donated the fireworks for a festival, but "something went wrong and they exploded," said Gabriel Bastarrachea, emergency response official for the state of Queretaro. A video posted on social media showed people marching toward the church in a festive procession when suddenly a giant, fiery blast sent them running and screaming. It was the latest in a string of deadly fireworks accidents in Mexico, where a thriving but dangerous cottage industry supplies a seemingly endless array of colorful explosives to celebrate holidays and festivals. At least 24 people were killed in a series of fireworks explosions last July in the town of Tultepec in central Mexico, and 42 people were killed there when a rocket exploded in December 2016 at the height of the Christmas fireworks rush. Berlin (AFP) - The suspect in the deadly shooting attack at a Christmas market in eastern France was jailed for burglary in Germany but was not deemed a potentially dangerous Islamist, German authorities said Wednesday. "For us, he was a blank slate," said a spokeswoman of the Federal Criminal Police Office, which handles cases related to terrorism. An interior ministry spokeswoman also said that there has been no indications suggesting an Islamist link to the suspect. The 29-year-old suspect was sentenced to two years and three months for burglaries in the southwestern city of Mainz and in Baden-Wuerttemberg state farther south, and jailed in 2016. "He served a year in Germany before being expelled to France," a spokesman from Baden-Wuerttemberg's interior ministry told AFP. 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 teeth fillings. Four years later, he hit a pharmacy in the Lake Constance town of Engen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, pocketing cash. German authorities were on the lookout for the fugitive "along the Rhine" river region, the ministry spokesman said. "But at the moment we do not believe that he has crossed into the country," he added. The gunman opened fire Tuesday evening at the famed Strasbourg Christmas market, which draws thousands of visitors every year. The shooting left two people dead and 13 wounded. French authorities said the attacker had been on their list of extremists and "is actively being hunted by security forces". Meanwhile, German police said they have released three people earlier detained following tipoffs from the public following the Strasbourg attack. The three were in a taxi with French licence plates which was halted on the A1 motorway close to the city Bremen, a police spokesman in Delmenhorst told national news agency DPA. Police said they have been freed after investigations ruled out any connection to the attack in Strasbourg. Police also denied an earlier report that one of the three was masked. Strasbourg (France) (AFP) - The 29-year-old man sought by police over a shooting in Strasbourg lived in a small apartment in a ramshackle housing bloc and has convictions in France and several European countries after a life of crime, officials say. The man, Cherif Chekatt, lived in the Poteries area of Strasbourg about a 20-minute tram ride west of the centre of the French city and its Christmas market where the attack struck. "It's a building for desperate people. No one wants to live there," one local, Bemba N'diaye, 37, told an AFP reporter near the nine-storey concrete bloc where Chekatt's name is on a letterbox. "People there are very isolated," N'diaye said. Others said the man was known in the area owing to his criminal record, but he kept a low profile, only venturing downstairs for a coffee and baguette. "His family has lived around here for a while, but he lived on his own nearby," Zach, a 22-year-old, said. "He was discreet, not a thug." The suspected gunman has been sentenced 27 times, mostly in France where he was born, but also in Germany, Switzerland as well as Luxembourg which are easily reached from Strasbourg. His crimes range from violence to robbery, but not terrorism. Chekatt was added to a watchlist of possible extremists while in prison in France in 2015 after he "called for practising a radical form of religion," French deputy interior minister Laurent Nunez said on Wednesday. He has since been monitored by France's domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI, which is occupied monitoring a large number of suspected extremists in France. Some 25,000 people are currently on the "S" extremism watchlist, 9,700 of them for radicalism "linked mainly to Islamist terror movements," according to the interior ministry. "He is an individual who has unfortunately been known for a very long time for crime," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told French MPs on Wednesday. Story continues "From the age of 10, his behaviour was already criminal. He had his first sentence at 13 years old," Castaner said. On a photograph released by French authorities the suspect has dark eyes, black hair and a short beard. - Cross-border crime - Police had tried to detain Chekatt on Tuesday morning in connection with an attempted murder enquiry, but he was not at home, Nunez told France Inter radio on Wednesday. A grenade, four knives and a rifle were found during a search of his apartment, prosecutors have said. Alarmed by their find, police began their manhunt for Chekatt. "Then at 19:47 (18:47 GMT), he appeared... in the heart of Strasbourg and the Christmas market," Castaner told the French parliament. German authorities were on the lookout for the fugitive on Wednesday "along the Rhine" river which serves as the border between France and Germany, a spokesman from the Baden-Wuerttemberg region said. "But at the moment we do not believe that he has crossed into the country," he added. According to Germany's Tagesspiegel newspaper, Chekatt broke into a dentist practice in Mainz, Rhineland Palatinate state, in 2012, making away with cash, stamps and gold used for teeth fillings. Four years later, he targeted a pharmacy in the Lake Constance town of Engen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, pocketing cash. He served a year behind bars in 2016 before being expelled back to France. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel told his country's parliament that the shooter was involved in a robbery there in 2012, without offering any more details. Chekatt's profile is "a familiar composite portrait of today's jihadist," Anne Giudicelli, Director of the consulting firm Terrorisc, told AFP. "He has ticked all the boxes of the profiles seen before." burs-arp/rlp Qamishli (Syria) (AFP) - A US-backed Kurdish militia in Syria warned Wednesday that an offensive against it by Turkey would hinder the battle against Islamic State jihadists. The warning came just hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara would launch an operation "in the next few days" against territory held by Kurdish forces in northern Syria. The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) partners with Washington in the fight against IS, but Turkey says the group is a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The YPG forms the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US-led coalition's key ground partner in the fight against IS currently battling to oust jihadists from their last holdout in eastern Syria. "The (Turkish) threats coincide with the advance of our forces against the terrorists, this time with the entrance into the town of Hajin," YPG spokesman Nuri Mahmud said. The SDF launched an offensive on September 10 to expel IS from the Hajin pocket, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River close to the Iraqi border. "Undoubtably, any attack on the north of Syria will have a direct impact on the battle of Hajin. The forces who are fighting (there) will return to defend their areas and their families," Mahmud said. In the chaos of Syria's brutal seven-year war, the long-oppressed Kurdish minority has carved out a semi-autonomous region in the north of the country. Ankara fears an entrenched Kurdish presence across the border will stoke separatist ambitions at home. In January, Turkish forces backed Syrian rebels to clear the YPG from its northwestern enclave of Afrin, west of the Euphrates River. Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkish forces would soon begin moving to clear Kurdish fighters from the east of the river. The semi-autonomous administration's executive council appealed to the United Nations, the anti-IS coalition and the broader international community "to take a stand against Erdogan's aggressive plans". Story continues "We also call on the Syrian government to take an official position against these threats," the council said in a statement Wednesday. The YPG spokesman blamed "Turkish threats" for already interrupting the fight against militants. The SDF temporarily halted anti-IS operations in late October after Turkey shelled Kurdish positions in northern Syria. "In case of attack, we will use the right of legitimate defence of our regions, and we will resist right to the end," Mahmud said. There are American forces with the SDF east of the Euphrates as well as in the flashpoint city of Manbij, which is west of the river. Erdogan's announcement came a day after the Pentagon announced the US had set up observation posts on the northeast Syria border region, intended to prevent altercations between the Turkish army and the YPG. Mahmud said the observation posts were there "to demonstrate that Turkish security is not threatened", despite criticism from Ankara against the move. Tunis (AFP) - Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed will head to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, two weeks after protesters rallied against a visit to the North African country by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Hundreds of Tunisians demonstrated the arrival of the crown prince in Tunis on November 27, condemning the kingdom's role in the Yemen war and urging justice over the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Chahed's three-day trip "comes at the request of the Saudi crown prince... and is part of pushing bilateral relations between the two countries to wider horizons," according to a statement put out Wednesday by the presidency. Prince Mohammed's visit last month to Tunis came as part of a wider regional tour, the first since coming under intense criticism over the October 2 killing of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The crown prince's stop in Tunis was the first from a member of the Saudi royal family since Tunisia's 2011 revolution. During the visit he met with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, who said the crown prince was "not merely a guest of Tunisia, he is at home here". But Prince Mohammed continues to face international pressure over the Khashoggi killing, with Turkey saying on Tuesday it was in talks over a possible United Nations investigation into the murder. The journalist's killing has led to increased scrutiny over Riyadh's role in the devastating Yemen war. Some 10,000 people have been killed since 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the government in its fight to push back Huthi rebels, according to World Health Organization figures. Some rights groups estimate the death toll could be five times higher. Ankara (AFP) - Turkey on Wednesday warned it will launch a new operation in Syria within days against an American-backed Kurdish militia that Ankara considers a terrorist group, risking renewed tensions with NATO ally the United States. Washington's relationship with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), seen as a key partner spearheading the fight against jihadists in Syria, is a major bone of contention between the US and Turkey. Ankara has repeatedly lambasted Washington for providing military support to the militia and threatened to attack areas held by the YPG. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the plans for a new offensive a day after the Pentagon said observation posts were in place on the Syria-Turkey border to prevent altercations between the Turkish army and the militia. "We will start an operation to free the east of the Euphrates from the separatist terrorist organisation in the next few days," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara, referring to territory held by the YPG. Turkey says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. "The target is never American soldiers but terrorist organisation members active in the region," Erdogan told the audience at a defence industry summit. The Pentagon on Tuesday announced the posts' establishment on the northeast Syria border region despite calls from Ankara not to go ahead with the move. Erdogan claimed Turkey was not being protected from terrorists but "terrorists were being protected" from possible action by Turkey. In October, Turkey shelled YPG positions east of the Euphrates in the Kobane region. Youssef Hammoud, spokesman for a coalition of pro-Ankara rebels, said the aim of a new operation would be to remove the YPG from an area spanning Manbij to Tal Abyad. Story continues - 'Delaying tactic' in Manbij - American forces have worked closely with the YPG under the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance against the Islamic State (IS) group. US forces have joined the SDF east of the Euphrates as well as in the flashpoint city of Manbij, west of the river. In a bid to avoid any clash, the NATO allies agreed a "roadmap" for Manbij in June. In November, Turkish and American troops launched joint patrols in the northern city. Part of the agreement was that the YPG would leave Manbij and that the NATO allies would work together to establish a local security structure and decide who will govern. But Erdogan on Wednesday said Turkey "still not got the result it wanted" in Manbij. "There has been a delaying tactic undeniably used in Manbij, and right now it is still being used," he said, adding that the threat from IS no longer existed in Syria. - Turkey training rebels - Hammoud said the different rebel groups "were informed a while ago" of a possible operation, adding that training supervised by Turkish officers had been underway. Ankara has previously launched two operations in northern Syria. The first offensive began in August 2016 with Turkish forces supporting Syrian opposition fighters against IS and was completed by March 2017. Then in January 2018, Turkish military forces backed Syrian rebels to clear the YPG from its northwestern enclave of Afrin. In March, the operation was completed with the capture of Afrin city. Erdogan has repeatedly warned Turkey would not allow "a terror corridor" to be formed on its border by the YPG. Ties between Washington and Ankara have been tense over several issues in recent years including the detention of an American pastor who was released in October and the failure to extradite a US-based Muslim preacher blamed for the July 2016 failed coup against Erdogan. burs-raz/nla Ankara (AFP) - Turkey will launch a new operation in Syria within days against a US-backed Kurdish militia that Ankara considers a terrorist group, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday. "We will start an operation to free the east of the Euphrates from the separatist terrorist organisation in the next few days," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara, referring to territory held by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Turkey says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. "The target is never American soldiers but terrorist organisation members active in the region," Erdogan told the audience at a defence industry summit. American forces have worked closely with the YPG under the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. There are American forces with the SDF east of the Euphrates as well as in the flashpoint city of Manbij, which is west of the river. Washington's relationship with the YPG, seen as a key ally, is one of the main sources of tensions between Turkey and the United States. Ankara has repeatedly lambasted Washington for providing military support to the Kurdish militia. Erdogan has previously threatened to attack areas held by the YPG. In a bid to avoid any clash, the NATO allies agreed a "roadmap" for Manbij in June. The Pentagon separately on Tuesday announced US observation posts on the northeast Syria border region intended to prevent altercations between the Turkish army and the YPG despite calls from Ankara not to go ahead with the move. Erdogan claimed Turkey was not being protected from terrorists but "terrorists were being protected" from possible action by Turkey. Turkey has previously launched two operations in northern Syria. The first offensive began in August 2016 with Turkish forces supporting Syrian opposition fighters against IS and was completed by March 2017. Then in January 2018, Turkish military forces backed Syrian rebels to clear the YPG from its northwestern enclave of Afrin. In March, the operation was completed with the capture of Afrin city. Strasbourg (France) (AFP) - Hundreds of French anti-terror police are hunting for a fugitive gunman who attacked Christmas shoppers at a market in the eastern city of Strasbourg while shouting "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest), officials said Wednesday. The attack in the heart of the medieval city as the annual Christmas market was closing on Tuesday night left two dead, 13 injured and crowds of traumatised witnesses. The suspect, a 29-year-old Strasbourg native identified as Cherif Chekatt, opened fire with a handgun and stabbed passers-by during his rampage, France's anti-terror prosecutor Remy Heitz said Wednesday. Chekatt, who was on a watchlist for suspected religious extremists, had already been sentenced 27 times in France, Germany and Switzerland for crimes including violence and robbery. His mother and father, as well as two brothers, were detained for questioning Wednesday. Chekatt was flagged by French security forces in 2015 as a possible extremist while in prison, after he "called for practising a radical form of religion," deputy interior minister Laurent Nunez told France Inter radio Wednesday. He lived in a rundown housing estate a short drive from the Christmas market, which draws some two million people each year to its wooden chalets selling festive decorations, mulled wine and food. "His family has lived around here for a while, but he lived on his own nearby," Zach, a 22-year-old in the Poteries area of Strasbourg, told AFP. "He was discreet, not a thug." Much of the centre of the city as well as the European Parliament building were locked down through the night as teams of police and soldiers searched for the gunman. On Wednesday, the market was shut and theatre performances and other shows were cancelled as reinforcements joined a manhunt that also involved police in neighbouring Germany. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told lawmakers in Paris that three people tried to stop Chekatt, one of whom was stabbed but not killed. Story continues During his rampage, he was injured in an exchange of fire with soldiers who were patrolling the Christmas market as part of regular anti-terror operations. The gunman then fled the scene in a taxi, getting out in the city's southern Neudorf district, where he again exchanged fire with police before disappearing, a source close to the inquiry told AFP. Around 720 police officers and other security forces are searching for him, Castaner said, and the public is being urged to alert police of any tips on his whereabouts. - 'People running everywhere' - The government has raised the security alert level for terrorism to its highest, reinforcing border controls and patrols at all Christmas markets across France. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced Wednesday that France's anti-terror Sentinelle operation, which counts around 7,000 soldiers, will be boosted by a total of 1,800 troops over the coming days. Among the victims in Strasbourg, two were killed outright and another has been declared brain-dead, while 12 more were injured, six critically, Heitz said. The shooting spree comes as French leader Emmanuel Macron faces the biggest crisis of his presidency after three weeks of anti-government demonstrations sparked by fuel tax rises. Security forces were already stretched by the often violent demonstrations during which five people have died and more than 1,400 been injured. Police had wanted to arrest Cherif on Tuesday morning as part of an investigation into a robbery gone bad and an attempted murder, Nunez said. He was not at home, but police found a grenade, four knives and a loaded .22 calibre pistol. Strasbourg mayor Roland Ries said most of the victims were men, including one Thai tourist who was among the dead. In Rome, the foreign ministry said one of the injured was an Italian journalist covering the European parliament, but did not confirm media reports that he was in a serious condition. According to a tweet by Poland's embassy in Paris, a Polish citizen was also among the injured. The market was to remain closed Thursday, city officials said. - France shaken by attacks - France has been targeted by a series of attacks by Islamist gunmen since 2015, and the Strasbourg market was long considered a target. Strict vehicle restrictions, security checks and patrols by armed police and soldiers amid the revellers have become the norm. The SITE intelligence group, which monitors jihadist activity, said in November that a group aligned with the Islamic State group had warned of a Strasbourg attack with a social media post titled "O Christmas here we come - Strasbourg, 01 January 2019." Some 25,000 people are currently on France's "S" extremism watchlist, 9,700 of them for radicalism "linked mainly to Islamist terror movements," according to the interior ministry. Most recently in France, a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris in May, killing one person and injuring four. At least 245 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. burs-adp-js/nla By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - A U.N. human rights watchdog has urged Saudi authorities to free over a dozen rights activists detained in the kingdom, alleging that some had been tortured or mistreated during interrogation. The panel of 10 independent experts also sought information on whether an impartial investigation is underway into allegations that "high-level officials were involved in the torture and extrajudicial execution of Jamal Khashoggi". Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and critic of the nation's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Riyadh has denied that Prince Mohammed ordered the killing. The U.N. Committee against Torture, in a letter dated Tuesday and posted online, cited "serious allegations" that activists including Loujain al-Hathloul, Eman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Yousef, prominent women's rights campaigner Samar Badawi, Nassima al-Sada, Mohammad al-Rabe'a and Ibrahim Modeimigh have been detained without charge in Dhahban prison near Jeddah since May 2018. It said they had suffered "torture, sexual harassment and other forms of ill-treatment during interrogation". The panel called for their release and that of six other activists, including blogger Raif Badawi - who has been publicly flogged for expressing dissenting opinions online and is serving a 10-year sentence handed down in 2014 for breaking technology laws and insulting Islam. Given the serious nature of these cases involving "reprisals against and harassment, intimidation and arrest of human rights defenders and journalists", the panel asked the kingdom to provide information within 90 days. Saudi Arabia should "acknowledge, in law and in practice, the legitimacy of peaceful criticism and advocacy", it said. There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities. Riyadh has previously denied using torture and said that arrests have been made on the basis of suspicious contacts with foreign entities and offering financial support to "enemies overseas". On Khashoggi, the panel asked whether Saudi Arabia would allow international experts to be involved in the investigation, as requested by both the U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet and Turkey. Saudi Arabia, which has joined the U.N. treaty banning torture, is obliged to "ensure that all perpetrators are prosecuted and to ensure that the relatives of the victim obtain redress", it said. U.S. senators briefed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have said they are certain that the Saudi crown prince was responsible for Khashoggi's killing - a view U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is skeptical of. The crown prince has denied knowledge of the operation that killed Khashoggi. Saud al-Qahtani, his top aide fired for his role in the killing, personally oversaw the torture of at least one detained female activist earlier this year, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters last week. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Mark Heinrich) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department expressed concern on Tuesday about reports a Canadian citizen has been detained in China following the arrest of Huawei Technologies' [HWT.UL] chief financial officer in Canada, and it urged Beijing to end arbitrary detentions. "The United States is concerned by these reports that a Canadian citizen has been detained in China. We've urged China to end all forms of arbitrary detention and to respect the protections and freedoms of all individuals under China's international human rights and consular commitments," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. He defended the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, in Canada on a U.S. warrant, saying she was accused of putting financial institutions at risk of criminal and civil liability in the United States by deceiving them about the extent of Huawei's business in Iran. (Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) By Kylie MacLellan, Elizabeth Piper and William James LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a confidence vote by the Conservative Party on Wednesday, but a mutiny by more than a third of her lawmakers indicated parliament was heading toward deadlock over Brexit. While 200 Conservative lawmakers voted in support of May as leader, 117 dissented, indicating opposition not only from several dozen supporters of a hard Brexit but also from many more pragmatic lawmakers - and signaling that she was no nearer to passing her EU divorce agreement. It was not the robust affirmation she needed as she heads to Brussels on Thursday to ask the other 27 EU leaders, who have made room for her at a summit, for clarification of the deal to reassure the doubters. On Monday, May had canceled a parliamentary vote on her deal, struck after two years of negotiations and designed to maintain close future ties with the bloc, after admitting it would be heavily defeated. With Britain due to leave the EU on March 29, parliament's opposition has suddenly opened up possibilities including a potentially disorderly exit with no deal or even another referendum on membership. Speaking in Downing Street after the vote, May said she would listen to those who had voted against her and seek legal assurances on the most controversial part of her deal - an insurance policy to prevent a hard border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. Many in her party fear that these "backstop" measures could last indefinitely. "I'VE LISTENED" "A significant number of colleagues did cast a vote against me and Ive listened to what they said," May said. "We now have to get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people." However, EU leaders have lined up to say they have no intention of changing the agreement. And diplomatic sources in Brussels told Reuters the draft of a document being prepared for May included only the possibility that the bloc would look into giving Britain more assurances over the Irish backstop, without offering any immediately. Eurosceptic critics of the deal within May's party triggered the no-confidence vote hours after she returned from a whistle-stop tour to meet European leaders at the start of the week. Supporters said the result showed the party should now get behind her. But the eurosceptics who see her deal as a betrayal of the 2016 referendum said she should now quit. "It is a terrible result for the prime minister," Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of a hard Brexit faction, told BBC Television. "The prime minister must realize that, under all constitutional norms, she ought to go and see the queen urgently and resign." May, who voted to remain in the EU in the referendum, had warned opponents of her withdrawal deal that if they toppled her, Brexit would be delayed or stopped. Shortly before the vote, May sought to win over wavering lawmakers by promising to step down before the 2022 election. But the confidence vote was also a proxy for the party's divisions over Europe. "If you're a PM and a third of your MPs vote against you, that is very bad news," eurosceptic lawmaker Mark Francois told Reuters. ARITHMETIC UNCHANGED The Northern Irish party that props up her government - and strongly opposes her withdrawal deal - said the fundamental arithmetic in parliament was unchanged. The opposition Labour Party said she must now bring the agreement back to parliament. Brexit is Britain's most significant political and economic decision since World War Two. Pro-Europeans fear the departure will weaken the West as it grapples with the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump and growing assertiveness from Russia and China. The outcome will shape Britain's $2.8 trillion economy, have far-reaching consequences for the unity of the kingdom and determine whether London keeps its place as one of the top two global financial centers. Supporters of Brexit admit there may be some short-term pain for the economy, but say it will prosper in the long term when cut free from the EU, which they cast as a failing German-dominated experiment in European integration. May, 62, won the top job in the turmoil that followed the 2016 EU referendum, where Britons decided by 52 percent to 48 to leave the EU. She promised to implement Brexit while keeping close ties to the bloc, to heal a divided nation. Sterling jumped as high as $1.2672 as the result came in but then fell to $1.2605, still up 1 percent on the day, after it emerged that the number of lawmakers who had voted against May was higher than many in the markets had expected. "It is right at the top end of the number of people who were expected to be against her," said John Curtice, one of Britain's leading polling experts. "It is not unlikely that she will go by some point in April-May time." (Additional reporting by Andy Bruce, Kate Holton, Andy MacAskill, Ben Martin, David Milliken, William Schomberg and Paul Sandle in London and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Writing by Michael Holden and Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Mark John and Kevin Liffey) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the UN says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "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," it added. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting on Iran, scheduled to start at 1500 GMT. Guterres' report mainly addresses Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with six major powers. The United States pulled out of the accord in May and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. The report concludes that Iran continues to abide by the nuclear accord, under which it won sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. The UN has said in the past that Yemen's Huthi rebels have fired Iranian-made missiles at Saudi Arabia. But it said it could not be certain that these weapons were in fact supplied by Iran in what would be a violation of UN resolutions. Washington (AFP) - The US military is investigating a car crash that killed a French soldier in Niger, including whether alcohol was a factor and whether an American service member was driving, a US official told AFP on Wednesday. The crash happened late Saturday in northern Niger, where French forces operating under the anti-jihadist Operation Barkhane are deployed. An American soldier was in the car and a US defense official said both the French and US militaries are probing the incident. The official could not speak for the French investigation, but said the US probe would look at who was driving and if they had been under the influence of alcohol. "We are investigating all circumstances," the official said. In a statement, US Africa Command said the "accident was not related to combat or to any active operations." The US service member, assigned to US Special Operations Command, was medically evacuated to Europe for treatment. Citing anonymous Pentagon officials, the New York Times on Tuesday reported the American is a Green Beret and he had been behind the wheel. France's 4,500-member Barkhane anti-terror force in West and Central Africa has intervened mainly in Mali, while focusing on training in Burkina Faso and the other nations of the G5 Sahel military alliance -- Chad, Mauritania and Niger. But in recent weeks operations have also extended to Burkina Faso. US troops work across Africa with partner militaries to provide training, intel sharing and support. 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. Bogota (AFP) - Venezuela's joint military exercises with Russia should put the entire South American continent on alert against an "unfriendly act", Colombia's President Ivan Duque warned Wednesday. Duque accused Venezuela of using the arrival of two Russian long-range bombers in Caracas as "provocative tools". "The continent has to be alert," Duque told Colombia's RCN Television. "This is not only an unfriendly act against Colombia, but an unfriendly act....against a region where there is something called the treaty of Reciprocal Assistance where, if there is any aggression, all countries should protect the country attacked," Duque said. Two Russian long-range strategic bombers landed in Venezuela on Monday for what Caracas said were air force exercises aimed at strengthening the defence of the leftist-ruled South American country. Bogota, which has emphatically denied socialist President Nicolas Maduro's claims that it is seeking his overthrow, said on Tuesday that it will continue to act with "prudence" during the wargames. Colombia "does not allow itself to be intimidated, but neither does it allow itself to be provoked, nor does it go out to provoke our neighbors, any of our neighbors," said Defence Minister Guillermo Botero. The two countries share a 2,200 kilometer (1,370-mile) border, but relations have been strained in recent years, with Duque and his predecessor Juan Manuel Santos branding Maduro a dictator. HANOI (Reuters) - Police in Vietnam have issued an arrest warrant for an activist accused of trying to overthrow the state by posting pro-democracy materials on Facebook. Nguyen Van Trang, a member of the banned group Brotherhood for Democracy, posted articles, photos and videos on his Facebook account that distorted the policies of the Communist Party and state, and incited people to protest, the Ministry of Public Security said on its website. Despite sweeping economic and social reforms in Vietnam, the ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate criticism. Several Brotherhood members have been jailed this year since the group was formed in 2013 to "build multi-party democracy" in the Southeast Asian country. Trang left his home in the northern province of Thanh Hoa and his whereabouts are unknown, the ministry said. The arrest warrant was issued on Dec. 5. "Anyone has the right to arrest the suspect and escort him to the nearest police station," it said. Facebook is widely used in Vietnam and serves as the main platform for dissidents. The government said last month it wants 50 percent of social media users on domestic social networks by 2020 and plans to prevent "toxic information" on Facebook and Google. (Reporting by Hanoi Newsroom; editing by Darren Schuettler) You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Israel's ambassadors have alerted Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the dismal state of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, telling him extensive budget cuts in the ministry have created conditions under which they "are unable to work." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter During an ambassadors' conference closed to the media on Monday, the senior diplomats descibed a grave crisis. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) Hanan Godar, Ambassador to South Sudan and former chairman of the Foreign Ministry Workers Committee spoke about the envoys' wage, adding that the "situation is very hard." In response, Netanyahu asked his Chief of Staff Yoav Horowitz to present an outline to resolving the dire situation. Horowitz expressed optimism, saying a solution to the ministry's problems is near, and that "the issue is expected to be resolved over the upcoming days." Israeli ambassadors' conference (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) Israel's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Aviv Shiron, echoed Godar's sentiments, stating that "The ministry's situation has never been worse. The ministry has neither the budgets nor the means to operate. We are constantly challenged by our work. But a reality in which we are unable to work is impossible. The State of Israel is abandoning the heads of its posts abroad and causes a drop in motivation." Israel's Ambassador to Germany Jeremy Issacharoff added that "Israel must provide a solution. People cannot work without pay." Israel's Ambassador to Holland, Aviv Shiron Israeli Ambassador to Paris Aliza Bin-Noun spoke about the ministry's poor image and the fact Israeli diplomats are unable to convey their messages to the world when they lack the tools to do so. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely backed Bin-Noun, saying, "The ambassadors feel that the Israeli public does not understand what they really do and see them as clerks." Netanyahu's response surprised the ambassadors. "Budgets were indeed allocated (to other ministries), and after the 2019 elections I intend to bring them back under the Foreign Ministry's purview. I'm also considering merging departments, which were taken from the ministry, in order to restore its roles and authorities." When asked who will be the next foreign affair minister, Netanyahu replied that "The Foreign Ministry functions well because of its people." According to Netanyahu's senior associates, the premier is yet to decide whether to appoint a new foreign minister instead of him. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will allocate $71 million to renovate Jewish heritage sites and synagogues in Egypt, Minister of Archeology Khaled Al-Anani revealed, as the country marked the festival of Hanukkah with an interfaith gathering. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The Egyptian government has some 500 items collected from synagogues, which will be presented to the general public. Cairo has 13 synagogues, but only three of them are active: the Shaarei Shamayim Synagogue, the Ben Ezra Synagogue in the Abbassia neighborhood and the synagogue of the Karaite community. Al-Anani said that some of the synagogues would cease to serve as houses of worship and would instead become tourist sites open to the general public. Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in Alexandria (Photo: AFP) Sisi stressed that there would be no "foreign involvement" in the renovation process - an indirect referense to attempts by Jewish organizations abroad to intervene in and finance the renovaqtion work. He said that all the work would be carried out by Egyptians only, using Egyptian government funds. Egyptian synagogue (Photo: AFP) Alexandria synagogue According to al-Anani, Jewish, Islamic and pharaonic artifacts were also smuggled into Italy, "and we are negotiating with the Italian government for their return." Meanwhile, Cairo for the first time celebrated Hanukkah with a joint event for Jews, Muslims and Christians. The head of the Egyptian Jewish community, Magda Haroun, invited dozens of non-Jewish guests to the Shaarei Shamayim synagogue on the outskirts of Cairo for a ceremony at which she explained the meaning of the holiday. Fewer than a dozen Jews, most of them elderly, remain of what was once a large Egyptian Jewish community. Israeli and foreign engineers sounded the all-clear this week around three churches on the western bank of the Jordan River, near where Jesus is believed to have been baptized, after mines that had marooned the shrines for decades were cleared. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The river banks were once a war zone between Israel and Jordan, and were littered with thousands of landmines and unexploded ordnance. The two neighbors made peace in 1994 but it took many years before the defusing and clearing began. Qasr al-Yahud, the baptism site (Photo: AFP) Seven churches have lain abandoned for more than 50 years in the area of operations, about a kilometer (half-mile) from the Qasr al-Yahud baptism site in the West Bank, which is a major draw for Christian pilgrims. Israel's Defense Ministry said on Sunday that mine-clearing had been completed around three of the shrinesbelonging to the Franciscan order and the Greek Orthodox and Ethiopian churchesthough they have yet to be formally opened to the clergy or the public. Searching for mines around the site (Photo: EPA) "The clearing and releasing of this land, and the opportunity to return it to its religious guardians, is a project in which we take great pride," Marcel Aviv, head of the ministry's de-mining department, said in a statement. An abandoned church at the baptism site (Photo: EPA) Work around the other four shrinesSyrian Orthodox, Coptic, Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholicwould take months to complete, Israel said. Engineers worry that some of them might have been booby-trapped. The Halo Trust, a Scottish-based charity that has cleared minefields worldwide and was once sponsored by the late Princess Diana, has also been involved in the project near Qasr al-Yahud. The charity's CEO, James Cowan, said donations had come from Christians, Jews and Muslims worldwide. "This Christmas/holiday season, the Halo Trust has reached a pivotal point in our work to clear the Baptism Site of landmines and other remnants of war ... which will ultimately benefit all humanity," he said. A newly appointed deputy mayor for the city of Haifa stepped down Wednesday, following a row over statements of support for terror groups Hezbollah and Hamas. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Haifa's newly elected mayor Einat Kalisch-Rotem had been expected to cancel the controversial appointment after it emerged that Raja Zaatry publicly claimed that Hezbollah and Hamas were legitimate organizations. Kalisch-Rotem's decision to end the appointment came following a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the new mayor while she was on holiday in Switzerland. A police officer talks to Raja Za'atry as he carries a Palestinian flag during a demonstration At a press conference Wednesday, Zaatry made it clear that he will not apologize for his controversial statements and announced he is stepping down from the deputy mayor position, which will be filled by Hadash party member Shahira Shalabi. "Einat Kalisch-Rotem bravely stood up against mafia threats. Threatening to halt government funds for Haifa is how a mafia operates. I am proud of the path I have chosen for myself. We didnt get to Haifa municipality through tunnels or Hamas rockets; we got here thanks to 6715 votes," he said, while calling Netanyahu a "pyromaniac." Kalisch-Rotem met with Zaatry on Monday upon her return to Israel. While her office declined to provide further details on the meeting between the two, it appears that the mayor asked Zaatry to explain controversial statements of support for the two terror organizations. The new mayor, who is the first woman to lead one of Israel's three major cities, is a member of the Zionist Union, and a political rival of Netanyahu and his Likud Party. Zaatry is a member of Hadash, one of the three parties that make up the Joint List bloc of predominantly Arab lawmakers. Oppposition to Zaatry came from across the political spectrum. According to Haaretz, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party sought legal advice on blocking the appointment, while Yair Lapid, who leads the secular, centrist Yesh Atid Party, urged the new mayor to break her party's coalition agreement with Zaatry. Lapid said the agreement, which would make Zaatry deputy mayor in the second half of Kalisch-Rotem's term, aligns the Haifa local government with the worst of Israels haters." Sources at Haifa municipality said Tuesday that Kalisch-Rotem's office was looking for a way to backtrack on a promise to Zaatry, while trying to minimize the fallout from canceling his appointment. Haifa is a mixed city, with its Arab and Jewish populations living in relative harmony. According to Haaretz, Zaatry's appointment was widely opposed by the residents of the city. Haifa Mayor Einat Kalisch-Rotem (Photo: Gil Nehushtan) Netanyahu branded the appointment unacceptable during Sundays weekly Cabinet meeting. This morning before the meeting, I asked Haifa Mayor Einat Kalisch-Rotem to cancel the appointment of a deputy mayor who supports Hezbollah and Hamas, both of which have declared their intention to destroy the State of Israel, the prime minister said. An official from Haifa local authority on Tuesday called on Kalisch-Rotem to act promptly to resolve the issue. "She can claim she wasnt aware of his statements," the Haifa municipality official said. "Since taking office, the mayor has been pushing for the establishment of an international airport and for the nullification of plans for Haifa Bay. She can do two things at once end this political crisis and simultaneously advance the city's affairs." A Palestinian security official told Ynet that the unrest felt in the West Bank and the drive-by shooting at the Ofra Junction on Sunday stems from the $15 million Qatari cash infusion transferred to Gaza through Israel. The official stated that the Qatari funds provided Hamas with breathing space of $15 million, which have been invested during the past two month in military activity. Mohammed Dahlan, considered one of the candidates to succeed the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, no longer believes in the two-state solution. He proposes the establishment of one joint state for Israelis and PalestiniansThe Greater Israelwith Jerusalem, its capital, belonging to both nations. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Our bigger dream is, of course, an Independent Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza, he explained in an interview for the Russia Today TV channel. But the United States will never agree to it, and Israel is opposed as well. Instead of nurturing illusions that will never be fulfilled, we should start internalizing the notion of one state for two nations, and demand full rights for the Palestinians. Mohammed Dahlan (Photo: AP) The 'deal of the century' that the Americans speak of as a solution to the Palestinian problem is a total disaster, he said. And I do not see the two-state solution happening as well. That is why I come with a new proposal: to establish one state, where Palestinians can run their lives without being dependent on Israel. Dahlan, 60, born in Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza, rose to fame in the first intifada, and became the leader of the Fatah Youth in the Gaza Strip. Following the Oslo Accords, he was nominated as head of the Palestinian Preventive Security Force in Gaza, and was considered to have strong ties to members of the Israeli security forces. Because of his activities and prominent image, Dahlan served time in Israeli prisons 11 times. While in prison, he learned to speak fluent Hebrew and completed an academic degree in Business Administration. In 2011 he left the territories following a public feud with Abbas, which was full of scathing mutual accusations. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (: ) Dahlan refrained from speaking about the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, his residence in the last few years, as well as about his post as confidential advisor to the ruler, Muhammad ibn Zayd. But he did stress repeatedly: I will always belong to Fatah. You cannot take Fatah away from me. He did not, however, refrain from strongly criticizing Abbas. (Yasser) Arafats death marked the end of the era of great leaders in the Palestinian Authority, he said. Abas is nothing but a manager of a civilian authority in Ramallah. Nothing more. I suggest he pays a visit to the Gaza Strip, to pacify and encourage the people there, because the Gaza citizens are paying a very heavy price. The interviewer, Sallam Mussafer, described Dahlan as the most prominent candidate to succeed Abbas, next to Jibril Rajoub. In the meantime, Dahlan has the support of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and when Abbas is gone, he may return to the territories, where he has quite a number of supporters, maintain a low profile and wait to take over the leadership. The Housing and Construction Ministry is planning a secure diplomatic complex in Jerusalem to house embassies that Israel hopes would follow the US and Guatemala's lead and move to the capital. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The plan, which was initiated by Minister Yoav Galant, will see the construction of a quarter that will include embassies, residential buildings for embassy employees and residences for ambassadors. The embassies complex will be built over 100 dunams (25 acres) in the neighborhood of East Talpiot, close to the new American Embassy and some 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) from the separation barrier. Plans for the diplomatic complex in Jerusalem If more embassies move to the capital and the need arises for another complex, it will be built in the Rekhes Lavan neighborhood. The plan for the new embassies complex was recently submitted to the Israel Planning Administration and will soon be sent to the planning committees. The plan leaves "windows" to the vistas of the area, so diplomats would be able to see East Talpiot, the edges of the Judean Desert and even the Dead Sea from the embassy buildings. Like the American Embassy, the new complex will be surrounded by a security fence. Ivanka Trump at the inauguration of the new US Embassy in Jerusalem. (Photo: EPA) At present, only two embassies have moved to Jerusalem the United States and Guatemala . Paraguay moved its embassy to the capital in May, but four months later a new government moved it back to Tel Aviv The Czech Republican opened the "Czech House," a cultural center, in Jerusalem as an initial step, with the intention of eventually moving the embassy to the capital as well at a yet undetermined date. Meanwhile, Israel is talking to about 10 other countries in an effort to convince them to move their embassies to Jerusalem or take any steps in that direction. Australia is expected to announce its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital this week, but at this stage it is not expected to move its embassy there. "I'm convinced many additional countries will move their embassies to Jerusalem," Minister Galant said. "Therefore, I've instructed the professional ranks in the Housing and Construction Ministry to create appropriate solutions for a location for the embassies in the future, among other things in a special 'diplomatic quarter.'" "I turn to the international community and say: Moving your embassies to Jerusalem, our eternal capital, is the right thing to do. Hurry up, the best spots are running out," he added. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Wednesday with Italy's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister Matteo Salvini. "I want to welcome Mr. Salvini here. He has been a great friend of Israel. You had the opportunity to see the terror tunnels yourself directly. This is a clear act of aggression of Hezbollah against us and against the norms of the international community. You have a commander in UNIFIL, an Italian commander. We think UNIFIL has to do a stronger job, tougher job, but ultimately it's the responsibility of the international community. They should stop Hezbollah from taking these acts of aggression against Israel," Netanyahu told Salvini. A Russian communications official has threatened to block Google in Russia unless it complies with a law banning certain websites. The Russian government has been putting pressure on internet companies in what it has described as a campaign to block harmful content. Russia adopted a law in September requiring search engines to comply with the state registry of banned websites and omit the banned content from search results. While the registry does contain websites promoting hate speech and self-harm it also includes a plethora of websites blacklisted for explicitly political reasons, such as a Ukrainian news website. The women's protest against domestic violence resumed on Wednesday in several locations across the country. Dozens of women demonstrated near the Azrieli Junction in Tel Aviv, the Chords Bridge in Jerusalem, and the Carmel Center in Haifa. Several protesters were detained in Tel Aviv after attempting to burn tires. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under renewed pressure to justify why he is also currently serving as four ministers of state, with a Knesset member of the opposition Zionist Union on Wednesday seeking a High Court order obligating him to explain. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter In addition to serving as prime minister, Netanyahu is also currently Israel's defense minister, foreign affairs minister, health minister, and immigration and absorption minister. MK Leah Fadida said the prime minister's decision to keep these portfolios for himself stems from poor judgment and damages public trust in the government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: GPO) In her petition, Fadida claims that the government is unable to efficiently function, when Netanyahu, in addition to his role as prime minister, also holds four additional portfolios, with two of themthe defense and foreign affairs portfoliosbeing the most important ones in the government. The Zionist Union MK added that the time has come to implement a High Court ruling that the prime minister holding multiple portfolios could be considered as lack of authority. "Even those who are willing to swear Netanyahu has super powers, would have to admit that the government is unable to efficiently attend to matters that are crucial to Israel's citizens, including the country's security," Fadida elaborated. MK Leah Fadida (Zionist Union) "Furthermore, without us paying attention, we are going down a slippery slope, which makes the existence of a democratic government redundant, since the main authorities lie in the hands of one person. "We should wake up before it's too late. I trust the HCJ to prevent us from becoming a modern version of France during the days of Louis XIV," she quipped. The government said in mid-November that Netanyahu was ready to appoint ministers "in the coming days," the Israeli media reported at the time, although that pledge was never fulfilled. The prime minister's reluctance to name senior members of his government has caused some friction, with Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) leader Naftali Bennett threatening a coalition crisis after Netanyahu declined to make him defense minister. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called on the United Nations to rein in the Hezbollah terror organization, a week after Israel said it has exposed attack tunnels dug by the group from Lebanon into its territority. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Speaking after meeting with Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that the onus was on the international community to prevent Hezbollah's "acts of aggression." Addressing Salvini directly, Netanyahu said: "You had the opportunity to see the terror tunnels yourself directly. This is a clear act of aggression of Hezbollah against us and against the norms of the international community." Benjamin Netanyahu and Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini in Jerusalem, December 12, 2018 (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom / GPO) The prime minister hailed Salvini as "a great friend of Israel," and called on the Italian-led United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon to take action on the tunnels. "You have a commander in UNIFIL, an Italian commander," Netanyahu said. "We think UNIFIL has to do a stronger job, tougher job, but ultimately it's the responsibility of the international community. They should stop Hezbollah from taking these acts of aggression against Israel." IDF exposes a Hezbollah tunnel dug from Lebanon (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office) Israel announced Operation Northern Shield last week, aiming to locate and destroy tunnels Hezbollah has constructed across the Lebanon border since the end of the 2006 Second Lebanon War. IDF troops on Tuesday uncovered a third Hezbollah tunnel, while Netanyahu warned the Iranian-backed group of an "unimaginable blow" if it chooses to retaliate to the destruction of the subterranean structures. The Israeli military said it held the Lebanese government responsible for the tunnels dug from its territory. "This is another blatant breach of UN Resolution 1701 and of Israeli sovereignty," the IDF said. Turkey will start a new military operation in Syria east of the Euphrates river "in a few days," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, a move that could further complicate relations with the United States. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Ankara and Washington have long been at odds over Syria, where the US backed the YPG Kurdish militia in the fight against Islamic State group (ISIS) insurgents. Turkey says the YPG is a terrorist organisation and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the state in southeastern Turkey for 34 years. Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: AP) Turkey has already intervened to sweep YPG fighters from territory west of the Euphrates in military campaigns over the past two years, but up until now, it had not gone east of the riverpartly to avoid direct confrontation with US forces. But Erdogan's patience with Washington over Syriaspecifically a deal to clear the YPG from the town of Manbij, just west of the Euphratesseems to have worn thin. "We will start the operation to clear the east of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days. Our target is never US soldiers," Erdogan said at a speech at a defense industry summit in Ankara. "This step will allow the path to a political solution to be opened and for healthier cooperation." Turkey has repeatedly voiced frustration about what it says are delays in the implementation of the Manbij deal, saying last month that the agreement should be fully carried out by the end of this year. Turkish and US troops began joint patrols in northern Syria last month, but that cooperation has also been complicated as Turkey has shelled Kurdish fighters to the east of the Euphrates. Islamic State group (ISIS) insurgents (Photo: AFP) The US has established observation posts along parts of the border between Turkey and Syria. The posts are designed to help keep the focus on fighting ISIS in Syria, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said. The Pentagon says it has about 2,000 troops in Syria. "At the direction of Secretary Mattis, the US established observation posts in the northeast Syria border region to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey," Defense Department spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said this week. "We take Turkish security concerns seriously and we are committed to coordinating our efforts with Turkey to bring stability to northeastern Syria." But Erdogan said Turkey was the victim of a "stalling tactic" over Manbij and said ISIS no longer posed a threat in Syria. "Now, it's time to realize our decision to disperse the circles of terror east of the Euphrates. The fact that we have deep differences in perception with the US is no secret," he said. "A stalling tactic has been used in Manbij and is still being used... There is no threat named Daesh in Syria anymore. This is a fairytale," he said, using an Arabic acronym for the terror group. The YPG still controls a large swathe of northeast Syria, on Turkey's southern border. Turkey regards the YPG as an extension of the PKK. More than 40,000 people, mostly Kurds, have died in the PKK's conflict with Ankara. Turkish authorities fear the conflict could be stoked by the YPG presence across the border. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iranians on Wednesday to stay united, saying the United States would exploit divisions and was likely to launch plots against Iran in 2019. Iran is struggling with the economic impact of President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers and reimpose sanctions. "Everyone should be vigilant, because our enemy America is sly and evil ... and may have plans for 2019," Khamenei said in a speech, the text of which was posted on his website. "But we are stronger than them and they will fail as they have in the past." The IDF said Wednesday that it has agreed with the Russian army to continue their collaboration, following a high-level meeting in Moscow during which the two sides discussed coordination in Syria. An IDF delegation headed by the Head of Operations Directorate, Major General Aharon Haliva, was scheduled to return to Israel Wednesday evening. IDF officers also briefed their Russian counterparts on Operation Northern Shield, an ongoing operation to locate and destroy Hezbollah tunnels dug into Israel. Israel must approach the Gulf States, including Saudi Arabia, with caution even if they share mutual goals, a former high-ranking Israeli army official stressed at the opening of a conference in Jerusalem titled New Realities in the Eastern Mediterranean. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Maj. Gen. (res.) Yair Golan, who until recently served as the Israel Defense Forces deputy chief of staff, said that while the thaw in relations with Sunni nations was encouraging, Israel should not let its guard down. Maj. Gen. (res.) Yair Golan (Photo: Leib Gibing) We should be very, very careful concerning the Gulf States, Golan asserted. Yes, we can find common interests but we should remember all the time that we really rely on a completely different set of values. We should not over-emphasize these relationships although anything we can do to improve them is very important. Golan noted that Israel has three main objectives that relate to the Syrian front: namely, to keep the border as calm as possible; to block the transfer of sophisticated weaponry to Iranian proxy Hezbollah; and to curb Tehrans influence as much as possible. (Limiting Iranian hegemony in Syria) is a big issue for Israel, but we cannot accomplish this alone; we need the help of the United States and Russia, he emphasized, adding that the Jewish state should also seek to establish a permanent presence in the Golan Heights. Other speakers at the conferencewhich featured Israeli, Turkish, Greek and American officials and geopolitical experts and was hosted by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies and Bnai Brith Internationallikewise focused on ongoing regional conflicts. The biggest change on the ground thats taken place in the last four years in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq is the shift in the balance of power with regard to the Iranian presence, a process whereby the Iranians have entered each country and created a kind of political military framework of their own as a way to advance power, Dr. Jonathan Spyer, a Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies, told The Media Line. The other interventions into Syria and Iraq are maybe temporary, but this Iranian project is intended to be permanent. Golan speaking at the conference Dr. Spyer also contends that the Assad regime has emerged as the clear victor in the bloody Syrian war, though the country remains fragmented and its future uncertain. According to other experts present, Egypt, the traditional leader of the Arab world, also faces many security challenges. (President Abdel al-Fattah al-Sisi) cares about security domestically and in the region, which includes fighting the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State and other terror groups, Dr. Haim Koren, a former Israeli envoy to Egypt, related to The Media Line. The other issue which concerns Cairo is Iran, so there is a new situation in which there is an unwritten alliance between Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. Meanwhile, a Turkish politician argues that while many view Tehran as the primary destabilizing force in the Middle East, Iranian representatives should nevertheless be included in regional security talks moving forward. From a Turkish perspective, Syria is the most important security threat in the region, Unal Cevikoz, a Turkish opposition parliamentarian and former envoy to Britain, affirmed. Cevikoz, the Deputy Chairman of the Republican Peoples Party, concedes that Turkey is increasingly authoritarian in nature and suggests that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could take advantage of ongoing territorial disputes with Greece in Cyprus to foment unrest. An unresolved Cyprus problem unfortunately creates a potential challenge for security in the Eastern Mediterranean because it can easily be transformed into an issue to create imbalance in the region, he warned. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hailing Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini as a "great friend of Israel," despite the Italian Jewish community's outcry over his far-right policies and anti-migration views. Salvini met with Netanyahu on Wednesday in Jerusalem before visiting Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial, as part of his two-day trip to Israel. However, the office of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin says he turned down a meeting with Salvini, citing a full schedule and declining further comment. Salvini's visit has drawn criticism for his far-right policies and anti-migration views. His remarks have frequently drawn outrage from the Italian Jewish community, whose leaders have expressed concern over the government's "radicalization." Netanyahu's critics accuse him of giving a pass to authoritarian and far-right leaders out of political considerations. An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tendered his resignation following allegations of sexual assault. David Keyes, Netanyahu's spokesman with the foreign press, formally resigned on Wednesday, nearly three months after taking a leave of absence after he was accused of sexual assault by at least a dozen women. Keyes issued a statement saying he had "decided to pursue new opportunities in the private sector." Keyes has denied the assault accusations, saying all were "deeply misleading and many of them are categorically false." Israel's Civil Service Commission closed an investigation into the allegations last month without taking any disciplinary action against Keyes. Netanyahu thanked Keyes in a statement "for his great contribution to Israel's information effort." ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey will launch a new military operation against US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria "within a few days," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, a move likely to further strain ties between NATO allies Turkey and the United States. In recent months, Turkey has shelled Kurdish positions across the border in Syria, east of the Euphrates River, and has threatened to drive out the Syrian Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units, or YPG. The YPG is the main component of a Kurdish-led militia in Syria that rolled back the Islamic State group with the help of the US-led coalition. Ankara views YPG fighters as terrorists because of their links to the Kurdish insurgency inside Turkey. US troops are deployed with the Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria, in part to prevent clashes with Turkey. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the foreign press that he will visit Brazil in the near future as part of the blossoming relationship between the new administrations of President Jair Bolsonaro and Israel. In November, Netanyahu cancelled a trip to the inauguration of Bolsonaro, who promised to move his country's embassy to Jerusalem, due to a coalition crisis following the resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman. During an operation near Ramallah Wednesday night, the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Border Police, Yamam, killed a Palestinian suspected of involvement in the shooting attack outside of Ofra on Sunday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The force shot at a taxi in the West Bank town of Surda, north of Ramallah; another passenger was injured and was taken to a hospital in Jerusalem. Saleh Barghouti Taxi of suspects Security services hunt for the terrorist (Photo: AFP) The two men who were shot, Saleh and Awad Barghouti, are from the town of Kobar and are both members of the large Barghouti clan from the Ramallah region. Security forces also arrested a number of Palestinian residents of the town of Silwad for suspected involvement in the terror attack. Forces also surrounded a house in Ramallah, not far from the Muqata, the Palestinian government complex. Scene of the attack (Photo: reuters) Shira, Amichai Ish-Ran (Photo: Youtube) Hours earlier, the death was announced of the infant born in an emergency cesarean section after his mother was shot and seriously wounded in the Ofra attack. His funeral is set for Wednesday night in Jerusalem. Both parents remain hospitalized. Russia's UN ambassador says "Iran is ready for a dialogue," but the United States and other Security Council members appear to be more interested in further escalating what he calls "anti-Iran hysteria and to demonize Iran." Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council Wednesday that this "just exacerbates an already difficult situation in the Middle East." He said that "to lower the crisis, what we need to do is pool international and regional efforts." He said one way to start is to hold a conference with countries in the region, and then broaden it to the entire Middle East. Nebenzia said Iran is not banned from conducting ballistic missile launches and there is no proof that its missiles are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. He lashed out at the Trump administration, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listening, for abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and for "trying to punish all other member states" for implementing the agreement and the Security Council resolution endorsing it. Nebenzia said, "It's time to abandon unilateral actions," and added, "History shows that they are doomed to failure." Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. 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Ltd., Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine LLC, Sequenom Inc, Sequenom Inc., Southern Idaho Regional Laboratory, Tandem Labs Inc., The LabCorp Charitable Foundation, Tri-Cities Laboratory LLC, Viro-Med Laboratories Inc., Visiun, and Yakima Medical Arts Inc.. The SS Heredia (above) went down 40 miles short of its New Orleans destination. (Steamship Historical Society) The SS Heredia (above) went down 40 miles short of its New Orleans destination. (Steamship Historical Society) RAYMOND DOWNS JR. OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, was eight years old when, on May 19, 1942, a U-boat torpedoed his ship in the Gulf of Mexico, about 40 miles southwest of New Orleans. He and his father Raymond Sr., mother Ina, and sister Lucille were aboard the freighter SS Heredia, heading home from South America, where Ray Sr. had worked for the United Fruit Company. All four survived, but 36 others perished. Today, Ray, 84, still works every day in the insurance business, as he has for nearly 60 years. With a soft South Texan drawl and friendly manner, he easily recalls that terrible nightchronicled in the 2016 book So Close to Home: A True Story of an American Familys Fight for Survival during World War II by Michael J. Tougias and Alison OLearythough he occasionally chokes up when he thinks about what could have happened. How did you end up on a freighter in the Gulf of Mexico? We were in Costa Rica when the war broke out. My dad wanted to get back to the States and join the Marines. We went to Colombia and left on a big gray freighter that was hauling bananas and coffee back to the States. All of our stuff was on there: car, furniture, clothes, and about $20,000 in cash. That was a lot of money back then. My dad had to sign a waiver that if anything happened, United Fruit Company was not liable. We had two staterooms under the main deck. My sister and I had bunk beds. I had the top bunk because I was the youngest. My sister was 11 and she had the bottom bunk. When did the U-boat strike? It was on the last night of a seven-day trip. I asked my dad if he could sleep in my cabin and let Lucille sleep with mom. He said sure and got in the bottom bunk. So I went to sleep and I guess I was dreaming. I heard a commotion or something and thoughtand I never will forget thisGee, we must be bumping against the dock in New Orleans. Then there was a second, louder explosion and I opened my eyes. It was about 2 a.m. I looked up and my dad is standing right in my face. I looked down on the floor and he is standing in water. He says, Put on your life jacket and tie it tight. You stay right here. Im gonna get your mother and your sister. And then? We go out of our stateroom and we are walking in water. As we came out, there was a guy there with two flashlights saying, Dont come down here. Theres no ship down here. The water was gushing all around him. We went on the main deck; the ship lurched and water washed us all in different directions. I was underwater then, along with most of the ship. I swam over to a steel ladder and had a hard time climbing it because of the angle, but I finally got up. Another passenger, George Conyea, was right behind me. I was on the ships top deck; the ships captain, Erwin Colburn, was already there. I couldnt understand why it was so bright. By this time, the U-boat had surfaced, but I couldnt see it because the Germans were shining a searchlight. Our ship went down in ei ght and a half minutes, so this is all happening very fast. There is water swirling all over, with the top deck just a little above it, and I see someone swimming toward us. Its my dad! Downs with his family in 1942. (Courtesy of the Downs Family) Downs with his family in 1942. (Courtesy of the Downs Family) How did you get off the ship? We found a life raftjust a four-by-four balsa wood frame wrapped in canvas. The captain says, I cant swim. My dad looks at him and says, Boy, youre gonna learn really quick. So my dad put me on the raft, pushed it off the side, and the other three jumped into the water. My dad had me lay down because he thought the sub was going to shoot us. Well, I about drowned. So we paddled like crazy. What happened in the water? My dad was bleeding from his legs, so the captain and Conyea tied up his wounds. He was really worried about my mom and sister but tried not to show it. One time, he thought he heard my mom and tried to swim toward the sound, but the captain stopped him. He said it was too dangerous in the dark. In the afternoon, we had sharksabout six, eight feet long. We had a couple of them that would dive under the raft where our legs were hanging in the water. The sharks would turn over and show their teeth. They just kept circling us. All of a sudden, a school of porpoises came in. The sharks left and the porpoises circled us. Eventually, they left, too. When did help arrive? We had been out there all day and it was starting to get dark again. Im leaning against my father andthis shows you a kids interpretation of thingsI say, Dad, lets go ashore now. Im hungry. He looks at me and says, Well, we will, but I wanna play a game with you. You see those seagulls? You pick one and lets see how long he glides before he has to wave his wings to fly. He took my mind completely off of our problem. I picked another bird. My dad looked and said, Thats a damn plane! It was a PBY, one of those navy planes that lands in the water. The pilot banked and dropped drinking water, balsa wood floats, flares, medical stuff. He radioed nearby shrimp boats. Then it got dark. We kept listening for motors. Finally, we heard one, so we lit a flare and the shrimp boat found us. By then, all of us had been in the water about 20 hours. We went onboard and they were cooking jambalaya! It smelled so good! I never will forget the aroma. What about your mother and sister? We were on the shrimp boat steaming along and all of a sudden we stop. The crew tells us they found somebody. Im looking at who they are hauling out of the water and said, Dad, I think they found one of those Filipino sailors. They always wore pea coats and they were kind of dark. My dad looked and said, Thats your mom! So we run out there and she was so slick with oil. Just black! They brought her onto this bunk that had white sheets on it, which turned completely black. I looked at her and said, Oh, Mom, youre beautiful! She said, You need to have your eyes checked. No word of your sister? My mom asked dad if he had heard about Lucille and he said no. The shrimp boat captain said we were gonna have to go back to Morgan City, Louisiana. Thats where they were out of. All of a sudden, we hear this crackling on the radio. Its another shrimp boat and they asked if Raymond Downs was on the ship. The captain says yes and then we hear, Tell him we just picked up his daughter. Downs with older sister Lucille. (Courtesy of the Downs Family) Downs with older sister Lucille. (Courtesy of the Downs Family) What about your possessions? We lost everything. The best United Fruit Company would do was give my dad a suit of clothes and train fare for the family from New Orleans back to San Antonio. I never heard my mom and dad say they were having difficulty money-wise. We never missed a meal. My mom could have made mud taste good. We recovered and stayed in San Antonio with my uncle and aunt until my dad joined the Coast Guardthe Marines said he was too old. He went to boot camp and we ended up going to Florida, where he was stationed on a PT boat. Did you suffer any repercussions from the tragedy? I didnt, but I think my dad did. Dad didnt show his feelings an awful lot, but he became more religious. He used to have bad nightmares, too. I have had people ask me if I was afraid to go on a boat. No, it never bothered me. And I dont think it bothered my sister. Physically, I had scratches and bruises; my sister the same. My dad had his cuts, which were pretty serious. But my mom was worse with her eyes because she got oil in them. They thought she was going to lose one. She had eye problems for probably seven or eight months before they healed. When you look back at your experiences on the Gulf of Mexico, what stands out? Not a day goes by that I dont think about it. There were 62 people on the ship, mostly crew along with eight passengers. Only 26 people survived. All four of my family got out of it. Just think about the odds. Ive always thought that if my dad hadnt showed up on the top deck when he did, I dont think I would be here. And yet you are, with quite a story. One that sometimes wasnt believed. When I was a kid back in Texas, the teacher had us write a personal story about an experience. I wrote about this and she gave me an F. I asked why and she said, Because its supposed to be a true story. I said, But it is true. She said, Now youre lying and that makes it worse. So I took that F to my mom and she went down and talked to that teacher. I got an A. This interview was originally published in the February 2019 issue of World War II magazine. Subscribe here. Popularly called Justice the barber, he hails from Ejisu- Juaben, a suburb of Ghanas Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi. He was compelled to migrate to Accra, to assist his father as a shop attendant after Junior High School. READ ALSO: FACES OF GHANA: MEET GHANA'S PECULIAR FEMALE TILER Justice says he possessed the talent of barbering from childhood but that was not his ambition since his parents were not in support of his God-given talent. According to him, the decision to explore his talent arose when he came across the exceptional works of an already established barber on social media. He recalls how he begun the journey as an apprentice in different shops. His first trainer was Andis at Fadama, a suburb of Accra, and has been through several shops including Barbers Academy in Achimota. READ ALSO: FOREVER YOUNG REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO AND HUSBAND TAKE LOVE TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND GHANAIANS ARE SURPRISED He said he was inspired by posts on the Celebrity Barbers social media pages and decided to emulate by creating his own Instagram page. Justices social media pages were created and are being managed by his friend, Dawoud. Speaking of popular figures he has barbered, Justice named Ghanaian Photo Model, Lharley; Ghanaian Musician, Keche; Ghanaian Fooballer, Wakaso among others. READ ALSO: EMMANUEL KYEREMATEN AGYARKOS WIDOWS FINALLY SPEAK ABOUT REPORTS OF INTEREST IN HIS SEAT His biggest challenge has been the lack of support from his parents and immediate family. He narrated how he was disowned by his parents and sacked from home. Upon leaving home in 2016, he was left to the mercy of society and left with no option than to sleep in the barbering shops he worked in To Justice, life is full of challenges but with a clear aim, no obstacle should be too big to bar an individual from accomplishing their goals. READ ALSO: KUMAWOOD ACTRESS PURFCIE CONNA BREAKS THE INTERNET AGAIN; DROPS 'ONLY BRA' PHOTOS He is against the notion that some professions, such as his, are for the illiterates and uneducated. He thinks it is long overdue for people respect all occupations since every occupation has the potential of yielding returns and bringing economic fortunes. Justice hopes to revamp and make the barbering industry in Ghana a relevant and well-respected one. READ ALSO: GHANAIAN MEN GIVE STINGY REPLIES TO GIRLFRIENDS WHO COME UP WITH OUTRAGEOUS BUDGETS THIS CHRISTMAS His advice to parents is they should support, help shape and nurture talents and passions their children have instead of imposing other interests on them. "Branding plays an instrumental role in the profitability of every business", Justice added. He recommended humility, devotion to God, hard work and diligence as virtues for everyone who wanted to be successful. RED ALSO: THIS "ANAMU" - SOCIAL MEDIA USERS INSULT AKUFO-ADDO FOR PREDICTING NPP WIN IN 2020 INSULTS AT AKUFO-ADDO FOR PREDICTING NPP WILL WIN 2020 Source: Yen.com.gh Monday evenings in late 1922, the Cafe Neumayr in Munich played host to a collection of unsavory, lower-middle-class war veterans, rabble-rousers, malcontents and would-be revolutionaries, grumbling over Germanys anarchic postwar politics. Their radical ambitions would likely have come to nothing if not for a visit that November by a true war hero: Hermann Goring, last commander of Red Baron Manfred von Richthofens Flying Circus. He had come to meet the leader of these National Socialists. I just sat unobtrusively in the background, he remembered, as Adolf Hitler expounded on the Nazi route to power. Youve got to have bayonets to back up your threats. Well, that was what I wanted to hear. He wanted to build up a party that would make Germany strong and smash the Treaty of Versailles. Well, I said to myself, thats the party for me! For his part Hitler, who had risen no further than lance corporal in the army, needed a big name to set his movement apart from the dozens of political parties rending Germany. Splendid, he told supporters when Goring signed up, a war ace with the Pour le Meriteimagine it! Excellent propaganda! After almost a century theres so much propaganda about Nazi Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring that its hard to sift out the truth. His anti-Semitism and weakness for authority figures might well be traced to early childhood. Gorings elderly father was a German diplomat posted abroad, and Hermann was raised to age three by family friends in Germany. Its said that on his mothers return, he slapped her. But thanks to her romantic relationship with their wealthy half-Jewish landlord, Gorings namesake Dr. Hermann Ritter von Epenstein, Goring enjoyed an aristocratic upbringing in several Bavarian castles. He was teased by schoolmates for his Jewish father, whose title (knight), like his castles, was purchased rather than inherited. But even when Epenstein took a new mistress and evicted the family, Goring held him in high regard, a sort of life-lesson in Nietzschean will to power. Prussian military education forged Goring into a promising young infantry officer. In the first days of World War I he led a daring cavalry-style raid via bicycle across the French lines, but in the trenches soon fell ill with rheumatic fever. While he recuperated, friend and fellow lieutenant Bruno Loerzer, training as a pilot in the new German air service, convinced him to become an observer. The story goes that Goring forged transfer papers, in effect deserting his regiment, yet through Epensteins intervention was not only spared court-martial but ordered into the air service by Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm. Goring found this new kind of war suited his temperament and ambition. I seem to come alive when I am up in the air and looking down at the earth, he wrote. I feel like a little god. In a two-seat Aviatik B.II over Verdun, France, Goring and Loerzer quickly gained renown as the go-to reconnaissance team, Loerzer banking low over the target while Goring leaned overboard with a heavy camera. Prince Wilhelm took a personal interest in the two young aviators and awarded both the Iron Cross, First Class, earning them resentment from some of their squadron mates. That didnt bother Goring, who wrote, I do not want to be an ordinary person.I want to tower over the human herd, not that I will follow them; rather, that everyone will follow me. Not satisfied with taking photographs, he used a radio telegraph to direct artillery fire onto French positions, dropped bombs over the side of his airplane and fitted a machine gun to the rear cockpit to spray enemy trenches. By mid-1915, both sides were fixing forward-firing machine guns to single-seat aircraft, and Goring, who had learned to fly, sought to switch to fighters. There werent enough of the new Fokker Eindecker monoplanes to go around, however, so he piloted an Albatros C.I two-seater with a synchronized forward-firing machine gun, and on November 16 he and his observer shot down a French Maurice Farman MF.7. Finally, on September 28, 1916, Goring was assigned to Jagdstaffel (fighter squadron) 7, or Jasta 7, and then reassigned to Jasta 5 in October. His zealous quest for glory achieved frustratingly little until November 2 when, in a dogfight that would enter Nazi mythology, Goring claimed to have single-handedly attacked a giant Handley Page O/100 bomber and set it aflame before some 20 enemy fighters dived from above. Supposedly out of ammo, shot up and grievously wounded, he barely made it back over the lines to crash-land his Halberstadt D.II beside a field hospital. According to that days actual field report, however, he likely attacked a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2d two-seater and wasnt even credited with the kill. Six Nieuports chased him off with a severe hip wound, to crash on his own field, out of action for six weeks. If Goring had never become a Nazi, likely no more would ever have been heard of it. In March 1917 Goring transferred to Jasta 26 at Habsheim, which was commanded by his old friend Loerzer, and by May 10 he had raised his score to seven. Now an ace, in mid-May he was assigned his first command, Jasta 27, near Lille, France. It was no easy assignment. Our fighter aeroplanes were mostly technically inferior to those of the enemy, remembered one squadron pilot. We had only three combat-ready aeroplanes there, instead of the eighteen planned. Thusthe Staffel had no aerial victories at all. When we got Leutnant Goring as Staffelfuhrer, it became better, for not only did he already have seven confirmed aerial victories, but also pleaded our case very energetically to the higher-ups. If Gorings aristocratic upbringing afforded him the favor of nobles in the high command, it also tainted his attitude toward underlings. Fellow fighter pilot Rudolf Nebel remembered that Goring was very standoffish toward his comrades. He was a good pilot, but disliked by his men due to his high-handed manner. I gathered my officers and pilots about me and impressed on them all of the regulations about flying and fighting as a formation, Goring remembered. Then I assigned each one his place in the formation.Now everyone had to show what he could do and what he was good for.This is how I wished to put the Staffel to the test. Oberleutnant Bruno Loerzer, commander of Jagdgeschwader III, and his friend and Jasta 27 leader, Goring, flank Anthony Fokker, the Dutch airplane manufacturer whose reputation was largely made by German aces like them. (Aviation History Collection/Alamy) Oberleutnant Bruno Loerzer, commander of Jagdgeschwader III, and his friend and Jasta 27 leader, Goring, flank Anthony Fokker, the Dutch airplane manufacturer whose reputation was largely made by German aces like them. (Aviation History Collection/Alamy) On June 8, flying an Albatros D.III with a black fuselage and white nose and tail, Goring led 10 aircraft up over Lille. At 13,000 feet over the Lys River, they were attacked by a dozen Nieuport 23 fighters of No. 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. My formation split up too early, Goring later recalled, and could no longer fight in a unified way. One of the Nieuports dived on Gorings tail. Australian 2nd Lt. Frank D. Slee, on his first mission, later wrote, I will swear I hit his [Gorings] machine. I could see my tracer bullets, but he could not outfly him. Shot down, the Aussie crash-landed behind German lines and was taken prisoner, Gorings eighth victory. Switching to a new Albatros D.V biplane, Goring soon doubled that score in Belgium during the Battle of Passchendaele in the fall of 1917. His name was put forward for the Orden Pour le Meritethe Blue Maxbut by that time 20 victories were required and he was denied the honor. I have been flying at the frontlines for three years without having had a compassionate or homeland command [leave], he wrote despondently. Now, I feel a certain exhaustion, especially after the heavy fighting in Flanders. The pressure and disappointment may have gotten to him. His frequent wingman, Jewish Lieutenant Willi Rosenstein, recalled, I had a personal quarrel with Goring, caused by an anti-Semitic remark in front of all comrades in the officers Mess at Iseghem, Flanders. I had been compelled to demand its revocation. These circumstances caused me to apply for my transfer to a home defense unit, which was granted after a short time. Goring brushed off the incident as evidence of Rosensteins nervous exhaustion. It was his squadrons loss: Rosenstein would go on to score nine victories, mostly with Jasta 40c. Jasta 27 was soon folded into one of the new Richthofen-style fighter wings, Jagdgeschwader III (JG.III), under command of Loerzer, now a 20-victory ace with the Blue Max. Goring, in a new Fokker Dr.I triplane, green with white nose and tail, downed a Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 of No. 42 Squadron of Britains newly formed Royal Air Force on April 7, 1918, for his 18th victory. No less than the commanding general of the German air service, Ernst von Hoeppner, now recommended him for the Pour le Merite. Despite still being short of the requisite victories, Goring soon lived up to the award, using a pair of new Fokker D.VIIs to claim a French Dorand AR.1 (more likely a Breguet 14) on June 3, a Spad VII on the 9th and a Spad XIII on the 17th. Goring, with Manfred von Richthofens walking stick, commanded the Flying Circusthe late Red Barons Jagdgeschwader I. (Library of Congress) Goring, with Manfred von Richthofens walking stick, commanded the Flying Circusthe late Red Barons Jagdgeschwader I. (Library of Congress) With 21 victories to his credit, Goring was invited to Berlin in July to attend tests of new aircraft prototypes. Among those present was Richthofens successor as JG.I commander, Captain Wilhelm Reinhard, whose death in a flying accident at the event shocked everyone (see sidebar, below). Who would assume Germanys most prestigious fighter command? JG.I consisted of Richthofens handpicked top guns, many with more victories than Goring: Erich Lowenhardt (with 35), Ernst Udet (40) and even the Red Barons younger brother Lothar (29). All three had served as squadron leaders, all three wore the Pour le Merite, all three might have expected to take over JG.I. Though Lothar was out of action, wounded, Udet and Lowenhardt were already vying for the top slot when word came that it had gone to Goring. Udet supposedly remarked, My God, they have chosen an outsider. To command did not require a high score; Reinhard only had 12 victories when the Red Baron personally chose him as successor, and 20 at the time of his death. Still, on July 14 Goring took up his new command with a note of proper humility, telling the assembled aces, there are no better fliers in all the world than those I see before me now. I hope I shall be worthy of your confidence and your trust. JG.I adjutant Karl Bodenschatz wrote in his diary, The new commander has got off to a good start. All that changed on July 18, however, when Goring took off with the Flying Circus. Reinhard had been in the habit of leading only on the ground, in the air handing off to one or another of the top aces and letting formation tactics unravel to a free hunt, with every man for himself. The aces set about racking up their own scores, leaving lesser pilots to fend for themselvesthe kind of dogfight that had seen the Red Baron himself killed. No longer. Goring told Bodenschatz, The peacocks need to be plucked before they fall over their own feathers. Assembling the top guns, he decreed that their seconds-in-command would lead the squadrons, while they flew as Gorings wingmen. On that day, the Allies, having held off the last German offensive along the Marne River, launched their counteroffensive. In his D.VII 324/18, yellow with a red nose, Goring led JG.I to intercept Allied bombers over Neuilly, but held his squadron leaders back while their men attacked, only then turning loose the big guns. Losing just two of their own, JG.I scored 13 kills, including two by Lowenhardt and one by Goring, his 22nd victory. I attacked some Spads, he recalled. I pressed one downward and, in a turning battle, shot it down. On the ground the Germans began a retreat that would continue to the end of the war, but in the air JG.I enjoyed a new era of success. Having scored its 500th kill shortly after Gorings arrival, in the four months of his command the fighter wing added 144 more, despite the loss of Lowenhardt (killed, with 54 victories) and Lothar von Richthofen (wounded again, with 40). Udet, becoming Gorings friend, raised his tally to 62 and would be the highest-scoring surviving German ace. Goring, famously flying an all-white D.VII, finished the war with an official score of 22, of which at least 18 can be confirmed from Allied losses. For Germans troops at the front, the wars end was shockingly abrupt, marked by mutiny, rebellion and revolution. General Erich Ludendorff, chief of staff, would blame final defeat on the German army being stabbed in the back by unpatriotic civilians, socialists, Bolsheviks, Republicans and Jews, which explained everything to right-wing, militaristic Germans like Goring. The fighter wing commander refused to surrender JG.Is aircraft either to the enemy or mutinous German troops; his men deliberately crashed them and sabotaged their guns. The night JG.I was disbanded, Goring raised a glass to his surviving pilots. The forces of freedom and right and morality will win through in the end, he told them. We will fight against these forces which are seeking to enslave us, and we will win through. Those same qualities which made the Richthofen Squadron great will prevail in peacetime as well as in war. Our time will come again. On December 18, 1918, Goring attended a meeting at the Berlin Philharmonic, where officers invited to support the revolutionary government were told to leave their insignia and decorations at home. Goring arrived in full regalia, including his Pour le Merite, and told the crowd: The ones who are to blame are the ones that stirred up the people, who stabbed our glorious army in the back. I ask everyone here tonight to cherish a hatred, a deep and abiding hatred for these swine who have outraged the German people and their traditions. The day will come when we will drive them from our Germany. As his Germany sank into chaos, Goring moved to Denmark and Sweden, where he met his future wife, the Baroness Carin von Kantzow. Yet he felt himself drawn homeward to wipe out the disgrace of Versaillesthe shame of defeat, the [Danzig] corridor right through the heart of Prussia. Of the hodgepodge of German political parties squabbling for power, Nazism reeled him in. I joined the Party because it was revolutionary, not because of the ideological stuff, Goring later explained. The thing that attracted me to the Nazi Party was that it was the only one that had the guts to say to hell with Versailles, while the others were smiling and appeasing. Thats what got me. What got him, and what he made of it, are two different things. The war hero Goring became head of the Nazi stormtroopers, founded the infamous Gestapo secret police and authorized the Final Solution, which slaughtered six million Jewsa fat, pompous morphine addict who drove Udet to suicide and bungled the air war over Europe until his top pilots rebelled, Hitler repudiated him and Goring finally faced justice as a war criminal. Yet to the end he defied the prosecutors, interrogators and psychiatrists trying to understand him. All nonsense, he told them at Nuremberg of his many biographies, shortly before he took cyanide and cheated the hangman. Nobody knows the real Goring. Fate Picks Goring The pace of World War I air warfare required constant innovation, so in mid-1918 the German air service staged a competition at Adlershof in suburban Berlin to evaluate new fighters to succeed the Fokker D.VII. Germanys best aircraft factories submitted prototypes, including the Pfalz D.XII, Fokker E.V, Junkers D.I and Siemens-Schuckert D.IV. One of the most advanced designs came from the Zeppelin companys Claude Dornier. His Zeppelin-Lindau D.I was in many ways ahead of its time: an all-metal monocoque (stress-bearing skin) fuselage, cantilever torsion-box wings and even a jettisonable external fuel tank. Its upper wing was attached to the fuselage by just four cabane struts, with neither support wires nor interplane struts. Rushed through design and construction to meet the competition deadline, a prototype was sent by train to Adlershof. The frontline fighter pilots in attendance are said to have looked with distrust on that upper wing design, and their misgivings were not misplaced; reportedly a Zeppelin factory hand had discovered its attachment points were weak, but his warning was either never received or ignored. The Zeppelin-Lindau D.I's upper wing was attached to the fuselage with just four cabane struts. (National Air and Space Museum) The Zeppelin-Lindau D.I's upper wing was attached to the fuselage with just four cabane struts. (National Air and Space Museum) When other pilots hesitated to fly the D.I, Hermann Goring, commanding officer of Jasta 27, volunteered. By all accounts he wrung it out right over the heads of the assembled high command. According to biographer Leonard Mosley, who knew Goring personally, To use an old fighter pilots term, he beat up the airfield at practically nought feet, both right side up and upside down. He looped and spinned and yawed, and, finally after a particularly awe-inspiring flight down the airfield on canted wings, he brought it to a landing and leaped out, laughing with delight at the expressions on the faces of the spectators. Accusations that Goring somehow tampered with the aircraft are unfounded. Both Leutnant Kurt Schwarzenberger, chief test pilot for the experimental fighter division, and Leutnant Constantin Krefft, technical officer of Jasta 11 and Jagdgeschwader I, demonstrated the D.I after Goring without mishap. All agreed that with its 160-hp Mercedes D.III engine, the D.I was a superior design. Then Manfred von Richthofens successor, JG.I commander Wilhelm Reinhard, took over. He immediately climbed to over 3,000 feet, but the previous workouts must have overstressed those cabane struts. As he came back down, observers were horrified to hear a crack and see the airplanes top wing rip off. With no parachute, Reinhard rode the D.I down and was killed on impact. A replacement D.I, with strengthened struts and 185-hp BMW engine, participated in the third fighter competition just before wars end, but its top speed of 124 mph was by then judged too slow. In 1921 the U.S. Army and Navy bought two for evaluation. Americas Curtiss P-1 Hawk and Boeing Model 15 fighters would owe more to the older Fokker D.VII, however, and the D.Is primary role in aviation history was as Gorings ride to destiny. For additional reading, frequent contributor Don Hollway suggests: Hermann Goring: Fighter Ace, by Peter Kilduff; and Hermann Goering in the First World War, by Blaine Taylor. This feature originally appeared in the January 2019 issue of Aviation History. Subscribe today! Ready to build your own copy of Gorings all-white Fokker D VII? Click here! The ARJ21, China's first commericial regional aircraft, is parked at the Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 29, 2015. 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. (Xinhua/Pei Xin) BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua)-- 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. 13 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] General Douglas MacArthur craved power. He also despised Franklin D. Roosevelt. So in 1944 he secretly plotted to run against his own commander in chief. FOR NEARLY A YEAR, FROM SPRING 1943 TO EARLY 1944, GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, the supreme commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area, conducted a series of highly confidential meetings with his most trusted aides. This would have been unremarkable but for the fact that the meetings had no military purpose. Instead, they were part of a concerted, coordinated effort, involving numerous active-duty Regular Army professionals and many hours of the commanders time, to win MacArthur the White House in 1944. Even as MacArthur crafted grand strategy and directed extensive military operations in New Guinea, he was secretly scheming to fulfill his dream of becoming president and removing from office Franklin D. Roosevelt, a man for whom he felt mostly antagonism and contempt. MacArthur began his sotto voce campaign by maneuvering for the 1944 Republican presidential nomination. Ever since his days as the armys chief of staff in the early 1930s, MacArthur had been cozy with the political right, and he had nursed presidential ambitions for at least that long. He was especially popular with isolationistswho seemed oddly indifferent to MacArthurs moderate internationalist viewsand midwestern conservatives who opposed Roosevelts New Deal. By 1942 MacArthur was a national hero, having become a powerful symbol of defiant resistance during the disastrous U.S. military campaign in the Philippines. There, after Japanese forces surrounded the island of Corregidor, MacArthur and his family and a small group of aides had broken through the enemy blockade in a PT convoy and made their way to Australia, where, on the presidents orders, he was to organize the Allied counteroffensive. Stoked by self-promoting, fantastical communiques from his headquarters in Melbourne and, ironically enough, pro-MacArthur propaganda pumped out by the Roosevelt administration, the generals legend with the American public grew to Bunyan-esque proportions, morphing into a politically potent cult of personality. From New York to North Carolina, new parents named their baby boys Douglas MacArthur. Streets were renamed after him, as were parks, buildings, and even dams. The town of MacArthur, North Carolina, received a new post office on the strength of its name alone. A Democratic senator urged FDR to rename Corregidorthe fortress in the Philippines that MacArthur had abandoned in 1942MacArthur Island. State legislatures, governors, and politicians from all over the country fell over themselves to prepare resolutions to honor MacArthur. Newspaper headlines routinely referred to him as The Lion of Luzon. Congress designated June 13 as national Douglas MacArthur Day to commemorate the storied day in 1899 when the great man had entered West Point. The general received scores of honorary memberships in clubs and societies from coast to coast, and an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Wisconsin. The Blackfeet Indian tribe adopted him as a member. The National Fathers Day Committee chose him as Number One Father for 1942. Enterprising merchants peddled MacArthur lapel buttons. Fawning authors highlighted his stellar record as a West Point cadet, his bravery during World War I, and his rapid ascent as a career military officer in books with titles such as MacArthur the Magnificent and General Douglas MacArthur: Fighter for Freedom. Newspapers all over the nation rushed to join in the adulation. There could be no more popular man in America today than General MacArthur, the Santa Cruz Sentinel gushed. His daring, spectacular, stubborn and wily exploits have set him up as an American model. To the Billings Gazette, MacArthur was Americas foremost heroa tactician, scholar, soldier, and man of keenest insight into American and international problems. The Baltimore Sun, branding MacArthur a military genius, said that the general had some conception of that high romance which lifts the soldiers calling to a level where on occasion Ethereal lights play upon it. Riding the wave of hero worship that had swept through the country during the Philippines campaign, MacArthur had become a powerful symbol to many anti-Roosevelt voters, politicians, and editorialists who came to see him as more competent than the president on military matters and more devoted to Americas true best interests. Pro-China politicians, a longtime force in the Republican Party, liked his commitment to an Asia First strategy. In their view, the Europe First policy had ensnared the United States in a war fought primarily for the enhancement of British and Soviet power. As the Philippines fell to Japanese forces in March 1942 and MacArthur uttered his famous line, I shall return, conservatives had lobbied the Roosevelt administration to put MacArthur in charge of the nations global military operations, or at least the entire war effort against Japan. Some, like Joseph C. Harsch of the Christian Science Monitor, even hinted that the administration had deliberately divided the theater command and starved MacArthur of resources partly because of jealousy of MacArthurs great popularity and partly because the conservative opposition press launched a MacArthur-for-President campaign. For almost two years, the generals Southwest Pacific Area headquarters did little to discourage such talk, even as it churned out a succession of press releases emphasizing MacArthurs disinterest in elective office. I have no political ambitions whatsoever, one such communique, issued in MacArthurs name on October 29, 1942, said. I started as a soldier and I shall finish as one. The only hope and ambition I have in the world is for victory for our cause in the war. THE FIRST RUMBLINGS OF MACARTHURS UNDER-THE-RADAR CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENCY came in March 1943, when he sent Major General Richard K. Sutherland, his devoted chief of staff, to Washington for meetings aimed at developing a grand strategy for future Pacific operations. Sutherlandbrusque, cold, brilliant, and ruthlessshared his bosss political conservatism. In Washington he met with Clare Boothe Luce, who had just been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as an anti-Roosevelt Republican. She was, of course, the wife of Henry Luce, who controlled the conservative, pro-Chinese Time-Life media empire. Sutherland knew Mrs. Luce well, as she had written an adulatory profile of MacArthur that was featured on the cover of Life magazine on December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Luce invited Arthur Vandenberg, a powerful senator from Michigan and the very soul of midwestern isolationism, to her Washington apartment for a dinner with Sutherland. Though no record exists of what the group discussed, the meeting seemed to ignite everyones excitement in a MacArthur candidacy. MacArthur himself was energized: A couple of weeks later, he ordered one of his trusted military aides to travel to Washington from his headquarters in Australia to hand deliver a secret message to Vandenberg. I am most grateful to you for your complete attitude of friendship, MacArthur said in the message. I only hope that I can some day reciprocate. There is much that I would like to say to you which circumstances prevent. In the meanwhile I want you to know the absolute confidence I would feel in your experienced and wise mentorship. The canny Vandenberg understood exactly what MacArthur was saying between the lines: He was keenly interested in becoming president, though as an active-duty soldier he could never publicly declare these intentions or run openly for the job. He could, however, be drafted as a candidate. Perhaps with MacArthur in mind, the War Department had recently decreed that no service member could seek or be elected to public office while in uniform. At the time, Vandenberg and other Republican lawmakers had promptly accused the Roosevelt administration of a ham-fisted attempt to block potential military challengers like MacArthur. I do not know whether General MacArthur would even consider the nomination, said Representative Hamilton Fish III, a Republican from New York, but I am quite sure that the Executive Department of the government has no power whatever to dictate to the free people of America whom they should nominate and elect as president. Fish had long been in MacArthurs corner. In a 1942 speech, for example, he said many politicians agreed that Republicans and anti-New Deal Democrats [were] united in opposing the fourth term for President Roosevelt and the power-hungry bureaucrats and left-wing New Dealers in Washington. He added that he thought MacArthur should be the Republican candidate, running on a win-the-war platform and on a one-term plank as opposed to a fourth term and military dictatorship. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson hastily offered that his departments prohibition on office-seeking didnt apply to MacArthurfor what reason he did not explain. Through 1943 and early 1944, Vandenberg took the lead in establishing an underground campaign to secure the nomination for MacArthur. General Robert E. Wooda former quartermaster general of the army whod gone on to become the wealthy chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Company and a key financial backer of the America First isolationist movementagreed to bankroll the effort. Vandenberg lined up what he called a cabinet of key supporters that included John Hamilton, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, as campaign chairman, and conservative newspaper publishers Frank Gannett, Roy W. Howard, and Colonel R. Robert McCormick, a longtime friend of MacArthurs, to handle publicity. Despite MacArthurs popularity, there were still two leading contenders for the GOP nomination: Wendell Willkie of Indiana, who had been the partys standard-bearer in 1940, and Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York, a liberal internationalist. (Dewey would be famously derided as the little man on the wedding cake for his slick black hair, toothbrush mustache, and dapper dress.) Vandenberg hoped that the MacArthur forces might deadlock the delegate vote, paving the way to draft the general as a finish the war candidate who enjoyed universal respect and tremendous military prestige. Vandenbergs strategy for MacArthur depended on deft behind-the-scenes groundwork and manipulation. I feel that his nomination must be essentially a spontaneous draft, certainly without the appearance of any connivance on his part, Vandenberg wrote in his diary. It seems to me more important than ever that we should give our own commander-in-chief no possible excuse upon which to hang his own political reprisals. I cling to the thought that if MacArthur can be nominated it will be as the result of a ground swell and not as the result of any ordinary pre-convention political activities. But there was no shortage of connivance on MacArthurs part. For starters, he designated Brigadier General Charles A. Willoughby, his intelligence officer and a man of extreme-right political convictions, to be his intermediary with Vandenberg. The two men corresponded regularly. Willoughby communicated MacArthurs satisfaction with the efforts to secure the nomination. Vandenberg forwarded progress reports. I am consulting with our cabinet regarding the permanent employment of one appropriate man to take over the details of this entire undercover movement, Vandenburg wrote in one of them. The difficulty is in finding the right man who will fully understand the necessity for operating under our rules. During another trip to Washington, Sutherland, MacArthurs chief of staff, met with former president Herbert Hoover to discuss MacArthurs presidential prospects. Hoover, who viewed MacArthur as the only acceptable Republican candidate, thought that Dewey would probably win the nomination but suggested that MacArthur could be his vice president, with full powers to run the war effort. Sutherland thought his boss would be amenable to the arrangement, unrealistic as it might have been. Back in the South Pacific, as American forces island hopped through New Georgia, in the central Solomon Islands, MacArthur continued to discuss his presidential ambitions with subordinates. In a June 1943 meeting with Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger, one of his primary ground commanders, MacArthur mentioned his hopes of securing the Republican nomination. I can see that he expects to get it, and I sort of think so, too, Eichelberger noted in his diary. Years later, Eichelberger described MacArthur as having an intense desire to be president and added that before the 1944 election, he talked to me a number of times about the presidency but would usually confine his desires by saying that if not for his hatred, or rather the extent to which he despised FDR, he would not want it. Sutherland recalled that MacArthur walked into his office one day at headquarters, after it was relocated to Brisbane, Australia, in the middle of 1942, and said: Dick, when I get elected we will go back to Washington. I will take you with me. You will be my chief of staff. We will move into the War [Department] Building and we will run the war. I will let Congress run the country. Another time, MacArthur reminded Sutherland that old Zach Taylor made it to the White House and so can I. Colonel Lloyd A. Lehrbas, a former newspaperman who was on MacArthurs public relations staff, felt that the general should have nothing to do with running for president. The two men regularly argued over the point. After valiant debate, he usually came red-faced out of MacArthurs office, Master Sergeant Paul P. Rogers, the generals chief clerk and stenographer, later wrote of Lehrbas. MacArthur corresponded with politicians and politically active friends who supported his candidacy. Most of the correspondents were well-meaning admirers of MacArthur or strident opponents of the New Deal. A few of them, like retired Major General George Van Horn Moseley, were venomous extremists. Moseley, a vicious and paranoid anti-Semite whose views bordered on the fascist, had once served with MacArthur. He was convinced that the New Deal was leading to the establishment of a left-wing dictatorship in America. Now, in hopes of staving off such a possibility, he urged MacArthur to return home to campaign for the presidency. In Moseleys opinion, the Jews and the un-Americans were invested in another Roosevelt victory that only MacArthur could prevent. I beg of you to be careful as to what you say or do, he advised MacArthur in a letter, until you have been put in touch with the tragic situation at home. When First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Southwest Pacific Area Command from late August through mid-September, 1943, MacArthur studiously avoided her, probably for fear that being photographed with her would anger his potential supporters. Even as he welcomed five U.S. senators from both parties to his headquarters in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and hosted them for three days during a substantial operation by his troops to secure Nadzab, he forbade the first lady from joining them, on the spurious grounds that it was too dangerous. We were old friends and she took my refusal in good part, he wrote disingenuously. Even when MacArthurs wife, Jean, later hosted a large dinner for Mrs. Roosevelt at Lennons Hotel in Brisbane, MacArthur did not attend. General MacArthur was too busy to bother with a lady, Roosevelt later wrote to a friend. Instead of personally dealing with Roosevelt, MacArthur had Eichelberger act as her host; he served as the equivalent of a three-star babysitter during a whirlwind tour of Australia and New Zealand. Eichelberger later joked that it was the most hazardous assignment of his career. It is one thing to have fortitude on a battlefield, he said, but quite another to face the booby traps and land mines of international diplomacy. The assignment caused no shortage of sympathetic chuckles among Eichelbergers many friends in the senior ranks of the army. One of them, Brigadier General Floyd Lavinius Parks, jibed, I am convinced now that General MacArthur really knows his men when he selected super-diplomat Eichelberger for the job. Kidding aside, Parks was right: The job suited Eichelbergers engaging and extroverted temperament nicely, and the visit went well. He came away impressed with Roosevelts warmth and eagerness to meet and talk with soldiers as she visited bases and hospitals. She was indifferent to personal hardship, and always gracious, he wrote. She could not be kept out of wards where wounds smelled evilly and agony was a commonplace. These were the men, she said, who needed comfort the most. Her simplicityendeared her to the troops; her graciousness endeared her to the Australians; and her visit stored up a reserve of good will that was like a family bank account. IN SPITE OF MACARTHURS OWN MACHINATIONS, AS WELL AS THOSE OF HIS HAND-PICKED STAFFERS, Vandenberg, and others, the generals candidacy eventually came to nothing. Dewey proved to be too strong and Willkie too weak for any sort of delegate deadlock at the Republican National Convention. Vandenbergs strategy depended on perfect timing and a groundswell of support for MacArthur, based primarily on emotion, at the Chicago convention in Junefor the general, a political Hail Mary of sorts. He had no control over the amateurish MacArthur for President clubs that insisted on trying to place their man on the primary ballots in states where he could not hope to compete effectively. Annoyed by the organizers of these pro-MacArthur movements in the states, whom he called self starters, Vandenberg urged Wood and others to tamp down on them without delay. Vandenberg was also surprised, and vexed, by the decided lack of excitement for MacArthur among returning soldiers who had served under him overseas. I am disturbed about one thing which to me is quite inexplicable, Vandenberg wrote to Wood. I am constantly hearing reports that veterans returning from the South Pacific are not enthusiastic about our friend. Vandenberg wondered whether somehow only anti-MacArthur veterans were getting furloughs home, so he asked a constituent who was serving in the South Pacific to canvass his fellow soldiers for their opinions. The result was the same: growing unpopularity for our friend. The sentiments of one soldier, writing to his mother late in 1943, were fairly typical: I guess everyone back home thinks MacArthur is some swell fellow. But the boys in the Southwest Pacific have another idea. He doesnt do anything but ride around in his big car and live in a hotel. He doesnt know how it is up here in the jungle. And of course there was the derisive nickname Dugout Doug, memorialized in numerous ditties composed by the rank-and-file soldiers on Bataan (Dugout Doug MacArthur lies a-shaking on the Rock, safe from all the bombers and from any sudden shock, went one of them, sung to The Battle Hymn of the Republic). Vandenberg also found that he couldnt keep MacArthurs grandiosity and poor political instincts in check. MacArthur had corresponded with Representative Arthur L. Miller of Nebraska, a rabid antiNew Dealer who supported the generals bid for the presidency. Unless this New Deal can be stopped our American way of life is forever doomed, Miller told MacArthur. Instead of dodging such a specific domestic political issue, the general wrote back and told Miller, I do unreservedly agree with the complete wisdom and statesmanship of your comments. In April 1944 Miller inexplicably released the contents of this private correspondence to the press, earning Vandenbergs mystified fury. But the Michigan senator was even more taken aback by MacArthurs imprudence. Soon after the correspondence was released, Vandenberg found himself talking with MacArthurs ex-wife, Mrs. Alf Heiberg, who innocently asked him, Hows Dougs campaign progressing? to which he reportedly replied, Im the ex-manager of your ex-husband. For MacArthur, the humiliation and controversy that ensued from the publication of this correspondence killed any slim hopes he might have had of a convention upset and forced him to issue a mortifying statement disavowing any political aspirations. I have on several occasions announced I was not a candidate for the position, MacArthurs statement, issued on April 30 in an attempt to pacify his howling critics, said. Nevertheless, in view of these circumstances, in order to make my position entirely unequivocal, I request that no action be taken that would link my name in any way with the nomination. I do not covet it nor would I accept it. As a political amateur, MacArthur had hoped, in vain, to be carried into office by an unstoppable wave of popular support. As with so many other areas of his life, he had assumed that the customary rules of politics did not apply to him. In private he talked a great deal in political terms, far more than other generals, New York Times correspondent Turner Catledge, who spoke to MacArthur often about politics, recalled years later. I believe that he was hoping for a popular avalanche of supportbut I do not think that he had the stomach for campaigning. When the avalanche did not come, he backed out of the political picture reluctantly. MACARTHURS TROUBLING CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENCY, CARRIED OUT IN SECRET because he was serving in uniform and commanding troops in an active theater of war, has no parallel in American history. It is true that George Washington, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and other one-time soldiers all made the transition from general (or colonel in Roosevelts case) to president. George B. McClellan tried and failed. The difference is that none of them ran while on active duty in a combat zone. MacArthur did, thus violating his soldiers duty of apolitical obedience to civilian, constitutional authority. Not only was he disloyal and insubordinate, but his effort to defeat an incumbent president could have set a dangerous precedent for high-level military intrusion into domestic politics and civilian authority. Fortunately for him, the vast majority of the American people, and the soldiers who served under his command, knew little of his behind-the-scenes scheming for political power. In the light of posterity, though, MacArthurs stealth campaign for the presidency revealed his dangerously megalomaniacal character. Early in his presidency Franklin Roosevelt told an aide that he considered MacArthur to be one of the two most dangerous men in America, the other being Senator Huey Long of Louisiana. Americans would willingly trade their freedoms for the right demagoguethe familiar symbolic figurethe man on horseback, as FDR put itand no one better fit that bill, he said, than Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur would set his sights on the White House again in 1948, but this time he would be widely criticized and even ridiculed. As in 1944, though he craved the GOP nomination, he found the idea of openly seeking it repugnant. In his eyes, the nation would have to embrace him; he would not grovel as politicians did. In defeat MacArthur denied that hed ever had any interest in the Republican presidential nomination and maintained that the entire pro-MacArthur movement had flowed up from the grass roots. He would repeat the fiction in his 1964 autobiography. In 1952, talking to a reporter for Time magazine, an unnamed politician explained MacArthurs fleeting political appeal with this parable: Its like a guy walks up to you with a new suit on. He asks you how you like it. You say its beautiful. Then he says, You want to buy it? Now, thats a different story. MHQ John C. McManus is Curators Distinguished Professor of U.S. military history at Missouri University of Science and Technology. During the 20182019 academic year he has been at the U.S. Naval Academy as the Leo A. Shifrin Distinguished Chair of Military History. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including The Dead and Those About to DieD-Day: The Big Red One at Omaha Beach (2014) and the forthcoming Fire and Fortitude: The United States Army in the Pacific War, 19411943, the first of a two-volume series. For this article, MHQ is pleased to honor McManus with its first annual Thomas Fleming Award for Outstanding Military Writing. (See Of Man and Myth, page 32.) This article appears in the Winter 2019 issue (Vol. 31, No. 2) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: The Man Who Would Be President As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. NA Vice Chairman Luu lauded the visit of the Lao delegation as contributing to enhancing the cooperation between the two justice ministries. He expressed delight at the comprehensive achievements of Laos over the past years, as well as the growth of traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive partnership between the Parties, States and peoples of Vietnam and Laos. Hailing the outcomes of talks between the Lao delegation and its Vietnamese counterpart, NA Vice Chairman Luu expressed his belief that the two ministries will continue fostering collaboration in an effective manner. He suggested that the two ministries continue supporting each other in building legal documents, personnel training, law popularization and education, and sharing experience in mutual legal support. The Lao guest thanked the Justice Ministry of Vietnam for assisting the Laos Justice Ministry, especially through the sending of officials to Laos to help in drafting a number of bills. In 2018, the two ministries have surpassed targets in their cooperation agreement for the year. Vietnam has offered Laos an ODA project in justice, the first that Vietnam has granted to Laos, he noted. The Lao minister affirmed that his ministry will coordinate closely with the Justice Ministry of Vietnam in realising cooperation agreements reached between the two sides. Jeanne Kempthorne will serve as chief of appeals and legal counsel and Richard Dohoney will be deputy district attorney in the Berkshire district attorney's office. Harrington Adds Two More to District Attorney's Office Leadership PITTSFIELD, Mass. District Attorney-elect Andrea Harrington added two more individuals to her leadership team on Tuesday. Richard Dohoney will be brought on as Harrington's deputy district attorney and Jeanne Kempthorne will serve as chief of appeals and legal counsel. Dohoney, of Great Barrington, is currently the city solicitor. Kempthorne is a former federal prosecutor working in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston for 11 years. The two join Karen Bell, who was previously announced as the office's first assistant. "I am excited to bring such an experienced and talented group of prosecutors and legal professionals to serve as my senior leadership team in the Berkshire County district attorney's office. Jeanne Kempthorne, Rich Dohoney, and Karen Bell are recognized as statewide leaders in the legal community," Harrington said in a statement released Tuesday. "Working together with residents, law enforcement, local elected officials, and community-based organizations, we are all ready to get to work for the residents of Berkshire County each and every day." Dohoney is currently with Donovan, O'Connor & Dodig and has 18 years experience in litigation. He's tried cases in District, Superior, and Federal Court. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, on the Executive Committee of the Berkshire Bar Association, and has served on the Civil Litigation Counsel of the Massachusetts Bar Association. He graduated Boston College and Suffolk University Law School. As deputy district attorney, Dohoney will lead district court and juvenile court prosecutions, will oversee administrative staff, and is responsible for implementing new initiatives. "I am honored that District Attorney-elect Harrington has asked me to serve in this new role. I was inspired by the vision she articulated during her campaign and look forward to putting my courtroom skills to work to improve our community," Dohoney said in a statement. Kempthorne worked 11 years in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston as part of the major crimes unit, economic crimes unit, and chief of public corruption and special prosecution unit. In 2005, she was appointed to the state Ethics Commission. She also worked 25 years in a private practice specializing in appellate and post-conviction. She is a graduate of Harvard/Radcliffe College and Berkeley Law School. As chief of appeals and legal counsel, she will oversee training, ethics, appeals, and diversion. "I look forward to working closely with District Attorney-elect Harrington and her dedicated team to make a meaningful impact on the safety and livability of Berkshire County. Andrea will bring a new and effective approach to our justice system, and I am excited to be a part of her leadership team," Kempthorne said in a statement. Harrington takes over the office in January after defeating incumbent Paul Caccaviello in the November election. The two sides discussed a number of issues, such as judicial assistance in criminal matters and the activities of the Vietnam-Australia Joint Transnational Crime Centre (JTCC), taking into consideration the possible upgrade of this centre into a task force. They also suggested enhancing cooperation in the prevention of drug crimes, financial crime, and money laundering; ensuring cybersecurity by preventing and combating high-tech crime; and collaborating in the field of immigration and emigration management and anti-terrorism. Speaking at the dialogue, Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Bui Van Nam highly valued the effective cooperation between the two countries law enforcement agencies in sharing experience and information, as well as conducting investigations in major cases of cybersecurity, cross-border crime, and the reception of illegal Vietnamese immigrants into Australia via sea route. He noted that the JTCC in Ho Chi Minh City has dealt with over 200 cases involving 500 people related to transnational crime since 2010. Its law enforcement training programme in Asia has opened 47 classes for over 850 officers, including nearly 300 from Vietnams Ministry of Public Security. The training cooperation programme, through the Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS), aims to improve the capacity of public security officers in the execution of criminal cases and judicial assistance, the implementation of treaties on extradition, and the transfer of sentenced persons all of which have shown encouraging outcomes, Nam said. For his part, Marc Ablong, Deputy Secretary for Policy under the Australian Department of Home Affairs, hailed the role of Vietnam in the region and affirmed that the elevation of the bilateral strategic partnership enables the two countries to further their cooperation in the field of security. He stressed that Vietnam continues to be an important security partner of Australia in the Indo-Pacific region. Throughout their bilateral strategic partnership, the two countries have continuously strengthened their mutual understanding and trust to make more contributions to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, he said. The dialogue was the first of its kind held in the context of the vigorous development of Vietnam-Australia relations after the two countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in March. It was also a practical activity, marking the 45th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties. The cooperation between Vietnams Ministry of Public Security and Australian law enforcement agencies continues to be an important pillar in bilateral relations, helping the two sides exchange regional and global issues of mutual concern. Planners review the proposal of Evergreen Strategies to establish a marijuana shop at the former Friendly's on State Road. North Adams Planners OK Marijuana Shop, New Businesses The board also approved facade plans for 85 Main St. by MountainOne, which is locating its investment and insurance divisions on the first floor. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. A marijuana company has been approved to operate in the former Friendly's Restaurant on State Road. The Planning Board on Monday gave the OK to Evergreen Strategies LLC's proposal to develop a licensed marijuana establishment in the vacant 2,200 square-foot building, along with several conditions including disposal and lighting. "I don't want to be a bad neighbor, so that when the Price Chopper area gets built out, happy to do it until it's not wanted anymore," said Anthony Parrinello, principal of Evergreen, about maintaining rear lighting. The company plans to invest in renovating and rehabilitating the structure both inside and out. The restaurant closed in late 2014 after more than 50 years in the city. A few people attended the meeting to register opposition to the establishment, citing concerns over the two nearby schools, the residential area and traffic. However, the structure is well outside the school zone and the plaza is in an industrial zone. Evergreen anticipates 30 to 50 vehicles daily, well below the numbers when the restaurant and the grocery were functioning. The building will have extensive security and no one under the age of 21 will be allowed inside nor will loitering be allowed. Customers will be able to meet with trained representatives to discuss their conditions and will be limited in their daily supply. "To the passerby, the LME will appear as any other retail space," according to the proposal. According to the host agreement signed with Mayor Thomas Bernard, the company will provide the city with 3 percent of its gross sales profit and will participate in community outreach events including educational programs. "Evergreen is an experienced provider of cannabis for retail sale and is committed to providing unsurpassed service to customers and to those suffering from chronic, debilitating conditions," according to the proposal. The company deals in cannabis in the form of pills, balms, liquids, flowers, concentrates, tinctures, transdermal patches and salves. Parrinello, of Stow, was most recently chief executive officer of Temescal Wellness, which opened a medical marijuana location in Pittsfield. In other business, the board approved: An application for Berkshire Kettlebells to relocate in the Norad Mill at 60 Roberts Drive and operate a strength training gym in an I-1 zone. An application of Sarah Raschdorf and Ashley Priester to operate a gift shop and massage therapy business at 65 Main St. They will be open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. An application of Matthew J. Tatro to open Tres Ninos, a buffet-style taco/burrito restaurant at 20 Marshall St. in the former BrewHaHa space. Tatro also plans to include a bodega section for convenience items and T-shirts, but not tobacco. Hours are Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. An application from MountainOne for facade work at 85 Main St. The financial institution is expanding into the east side of the Kimbell Building to locate its investment and insurance divisions close together. The facade will be a continuation of the current facade on the adjacent Hoosac Bank building, which is now MountainOne. The City Council was supportive of a tax incentive for Stanley Black & Decker, doing business as Tog Manufacturing, voting unanimously to approve the agreement. North Adams Council Approves Tax Incentive for Tog Manufacturing NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The City Council on Tuesday approved a tax increment financing agreement with Tog Manufacturing as it doubles in size and employment over the next five years. "This is a good agreement, this is an agreement that is tied both to physical investment in the facility as well as to planned and proposed job creation," said Mayor Thomas Bernard. "It's an agreement I have great confidence in because it represents a continuity and a local future for a company that has deep roots in the city of North Adams." The agreement was signed with Stanley Black & Decker Inc., which became Tog's parent company after acquiring Nelson Fastener Systems of Ohio earlier this year for $440 million. Tog had become part of the Nelson Fastener family of companies in 2016. The company was approved last month for a 21,000 square-foot addition to the current 24,900 square-foot building at Hardman Industrial Park. It estimates the investment at $3.5 million in building improvements, $2.6 million in equipment, and 28 new jobs by 2022. It currently employs 29. Bernard said this was significant because there had been the possibility of Tog moving out of the area under different ownership. "When Stanley came in and purchased the company they did so with the intent of investing in the facility here and in the local workforce," he said. The mayor also noted that Tog, a precision machining company with both government and private-sector clients, has had a close relationship over the years with McCann Technical School. The company has offered internships that have helped prepare an educated manufacturing workforce. The agreement will phase in the expected tax increase from improvements over the five years, beginning with an exemption of 80 percent of the increase in fiscal 2021 and then dropping by 20 percent a year until the full amount is being paid in fiscal 2025. According to the agreement, the company is committed to invest up to $2.75 million in improvements, $1.85 million in capital equipment and create 20 full-time jobs by the end of fiscal 2024. Should it fail to fulfill its investment and job creation goals, the city can request the TIF be decertified. Tog currently pays more than $12,000 a year in property taxes and will continue to pay any personal property taxes. The mayor said it would be difficult to determine at this point how much the company would be saving because the new building isn't constructed to be assessed and the tax rate varies each year. The councilors were strongly supportive of the plan, passing the agreement unanimously. "If you look at the options that communities have to help with economic development growth, business, TIFs are one of the very opportunities we have to do that," said Councilor Benjamin Lamb. "I think that it's great because we're still getting the tax on the base valuation, which is key. It's not like they're suddenly not paying any taxes in the city of North Adams." Councilor Eric Buddington, who has been critical of the way TIFs have been used in the past, approved of this one, saying, "this is one of the nicer ones I've seen. It's a very well-respected business. I like that it follows the standard formula where the taxes on increased property value are phased in evenly over five years." It should, he said, be a standard for other eligible businesses in the city. The councilors did, however, want annual updates on the progress of the company in meeting its contracted obligations, as well as reports on other current agreements. "Reporting back to this council has not been consistent," Lamb said. The agreement must now be approved by the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council before it can go into effect on July 1, 2019. Nazis invited at the Chinese Embassy in Athens on December 2017 (left) and December 2018 (right). It seems that the Embassy of China in Greece has developed some kind of relations with the Neo-Nazi party - actually a criminal organization - of Golden Dawn Since when a country like China is interested in opening dialogue with fascists, fans of Hitler and Mussolini, who are under court investigation for murders, attacks on migrants and workers, as well as other crimes? Below is a comment published on "Rizospastis", the Communist Party of Greece's (KKE) official newspaper, on December 8th ( inter.kke.gr ): "For the second time within one year ( the previous time was on December 15th, 2017 ) China's Embassy in Athens has invited a delegation of the criminal Nazi organization "Golden Dawn" to an event. A related statement was uploaded on the "Golden Dawn" website, stating that a delegation of theirs "attended an event with the subject of proposals for the further development of relations between the two countries which took place at the residence of Chinese ambassador Zhang Qiyue." In this way, the embassy of China whitewashes the Nazi, criminal organization "Golden Dawn", that is responsible for racist and other attacks, murders of immigrants and of the activist Pavlos Fyssas. In his opening speech, VFU Chairman, Thao Xuan Sung, said that the association is entering a new era of development in the context of the countrys industrialisation, modernisation and international integration. He stressed that the fourth industrial revolution and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership have brought about both opportunities and challenges for the agricultural sector, farmers and rural areas, requiring the VFU to renovate its operations. Therefore, the VFU will continue providing training for farmers, encouraging its members to follow Party and States guidelines and policies, and effectively implement programmes and projects on developing rural areas. The VFU Chairman reaffirmed that farmers associations at all levels have asserted their role in developing the agricultural sector, building rural areas, enhancing Party building, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of farmers. During the two-day congress, participants will discuss and give comments on several important documents, including the political report of the sixth VFU central committee, draft projects on the personnel of the VFUs executive committee and standing committee, and the VFUs draft regulations (amended). Television | TV Channels Challenge of crafting characters in Indian animation For most animation producers and distributors, the art of creating content strategy and research is what's keeping them up at night. But a few of them say that a formulaic approach should be rejected in this category. This topic was taken up at a panel discussion at the at the OTTv Kids and Animation summit - The challenge of crafting stories to groom, educate and entertain. continue reading... Television | TV Channels Ranjana Mangla joins Star Sports as VP - emerging sports Ranjana Mangla has joined Star Sports as vice president - emerging sports, Indiantelevision.com has learnt. Ranjana, who took charge of her new role on Monday, was the national revenue head of India Today TV in her last gig. continue reading... Television | TV Channels Hindi GEC most benefited genre in Chrome DM week 49 With a growth of 2.16 per cent as compared to last week (48), the Hindi GEC genre marked the highest opportunity to see (OTS) among all categories in week 49 of Chrome Data Analytics & Media. In the Hindi GEC genre, Star Utsav gained the highest OTS with 99.5 per cent in HSM excluding the less than 1L-market. continue reading... AMLOs Inauguration and the Future of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was inaugurated, in a ceremony unlike any other seen in Mexico. Whats next for the new president? By Laura Carlsen December 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - In over two centuries of nationhood, Mexico has never seen a presidential inauguration like that of December 1, 2018. From the pre-dawn Indigenous ceremony to consecrate the baston de mandoa wooden staff symbolizing governmentthat representatives of Mexicos Indigenous peoples would later present to the new president, to the cultural festival that lasted into the night, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador broke down pomp and circumstance and promised a new form of government. His most oft-repeated phrase: I will not let you down. Lopez Obrador began the day taking the oath of office in the Congress, as Porfirio Munoz Ledo, president of the Congress, historic dissident politician and member of AMLOs MORENA Party (Movement for National Regeneration), handed him the presidential banner. Former president Enrique Pena Nieto sat sour-faced and clearly uncomfortable on the congressional podium as the new president thanked him for not interfering in the elections, referring to the multiple frauds committed by Penas long-time ruling party, the PRI, in previous elections. The Left has been robbed of electoral victory in Mexico twice in recent history. Once in 1988, with the candidacy of PRI dissident Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, and again in 2006 when authorities recognized conservative Felipe Calderon by half a percentage point and refused the demand for a broad recount of the vote. Manipulation, fraud, vote-buying, and media favoritism has long been the formula for gaining the presidency in Mexicos past, particularly during the 71-year uninterrupted rule by the PRI. Inaugurations became formal acts that inspired real enthusiasm mainly among those who took power, in a system designed to transfer wealth and power to the wealthy and powerful. On Saturday, more than 160,000 people from across the country gathered in the citys central plaza to watch AMLO become president of Mexico. After a prolonged five-month transition period, and decades of corrupt rule, they had waited a long time. The Zocalo began to fill by morning, although AMLO would not arrive until after 5:00 PM. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Talking to people in the Zocalo reaffirmed the astonishing change in Mexican political culture that occurred in the July 1 election. When asked what they expected, most people replied with some version of Everything is going to change. A woman from Iztacalco, Mexico City, said she expects increased employment under the new government. We need jobs for everyone. With jobs, everything else works out. She said her whole neighborhood came down early in the day so we dont miss anything. There were balloons against a perfectly clear blue sky, music, cardboard masks of a beaming Lopez Obrador and a scowling Pena Nieto, often worn by side by side. The old and the new. The past and the promise. Lopez Obrador has done what seemed impossible in the encrusted Mexican political system: He created a sense of identification with the Mexican people. For most, voting had always been a choice between the lesser of evils, and the presidency a platform for personal enrichment, possible repression and, at best, six months of campaign followed by six years of neglect. AMLOs campaign and presidency dissipated the alienation towards politics among a majority of the Mexican people. The crowd chanted Presidente! You are not alone, and Its an honor to be with Obrador frequently during the inauguration. Through the skilled crafting of messages and image, and old-style barnstorming in cities, barrios and villages where most candidates never even bothered to go, he projected a leader who listened, and humility and austerity that resonated among citizens fed up with the in-your-face opulence of the political elite in a nation where more than half the population lives below the poverty level. Lopez Obrador looked pleased and reluctant to leave the stage on Saturday night. He offered a government that would represent, but even more importantly include, the people, and especially the most excluded sectorspeasant farmers, workers, and Indigenous peoples. Although in this campaign Lopez Obrador abandoned the slogan of his 2006 presidential runPoor People Come First to avoid scaring big business into attack mode, he repeated the phrase in his first presidential speech and openly denounced the neoliberal economic model. Huge banners draped the colonial buildings that surround the pre-Hispanic ceremonial center declared the advent of the Fourth TransformationAMLOs promise to create changes on par with the three great transformations in Mexican societyIndependence from Spain, the Reforms period, and the Mexican Revolution. In his speech to Congress, now controlled by his partys coalition, the president called the Fourth Transformation a change that would be peaceful and orderly, but at the same time profound and radical, because it will end the corruption and impunity that held back the rebirth of Mexico. Goodbye to Neoliberalism? Lopez Obrador rejected neoliberalism in stronger terms during his inauguration speech than he had during the transition period. In his speech, he lit into the capitalist neoliberal economic system, calling it a disaster that had failed over the past 36 years, and placing it alongside the dishonesty of elected representatives and of the small minority that has profited of its influence as the major causes of the nations woes. He railed against privatizations and promised to revert the education reform. He rejected the push for genetically modified organisms and reasserted his ban on fracking. There are still unresolved questions about what these declarations will mean in practice. AMLO must still reckon with NAFTA, as the U.S., Mexican, and Canadian parliaments prepare to ratify an agreement that basically upholds the repudiated economic model. His administration is very aware of the leverage of international financial markets and investors, who punished Mexico for electing a leftist with a commitment to poverty alleviation by causing a temporary drop in the peso and stock market. His team will need to walk a fine line on macroeconomic policy. Meanwhile, while environmentalists have celebrated the fracking ban, AMLOs ongoing commitment to oil drilling and the extractivist model in general contradicts his pledges to protect the environment. Critical moments will arise with the construction of the Maya Train in southern Mexico, the Mexico City airport expansion, and promotion of private and public-sector megaprojects, especially in the largely peasant, Indigenous southern part of the country. AMLO has put these projects to referendum votes, a clear challenge to elite, undemocratic power structures in the country. At the same time, there are deficiencies in these voting processes, which have placed polling stations in areas comprising just 82% of the population, and both votes only represented 1 percent or less of the population. Yet the symbolism and substance of his inauguration portended signs of a positive shift in the way politics are practiced in Mexico. His speech in the Zocalo highlighted 100 commitments of his administration, in which he emphasized measures to reduce waste in the government while expanding social programs. As a powerful symbol, just hours before the inauguration, the luxurious presidential mansion reopened as a public museum. However, the 100 commitments revealed a few conspicuous absences. Despite achieving close to equal representation of women in the cabinet and in congress through massive wins for candidates of his MORENA party in the recent elections, the new president did not mention womens rights or ending violence against women. He included a vow to expand childcare, but not to defend sexual and reproductive rights. He also did not mention specifically the tens of thousands of disappeared persons in Mexico and their families who desperately search for them. Both these problems go to the root of endemic violence and inequality in Mexico. There is widespread concern that Lopez Obrador has not addressed them sufficiently and that his proposals regarding a continuation of the U.S.-backed War on Drugs bear an alarming resemblance to those of past leaders. The Mexican population widely considers the war on drugs a failure and a cause of the record homicide rates that the nation has seen since 2007. Non-governmental organizations and activists have vowed to maintain pressure on the new government to develop and implement specific programs to address these deep-seated issues. The AMLO administration faces huge challenges domestically and abroad, not the least of which is how to respond to a white nationalist, anti-immigrant government on its border, led by an erratic and autocratic president. AMLO greeted Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump cordially at the inauguration, as he did Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba, Evo Morales of Bolivia, and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela. Among the first acts of the new government was the signing of an Integral Development Plan with the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, many of whose citizens have joined the continued exodus through Mexico toward the United States. Although few details are known, the agreement includes development measures for the three countries to reduce forced migration. The leaders signed the pact without the U.S. governmenta departure from the Washington-led initiatives that in part have caused the exodus. There seems to be a recognition that the best strategy Mexico can have for healthy U.S.-Mexican relations is to stand on its own two feet. Instead of confronting the United States, the new government aims to reduce dependency by building relations around the world, developing transparent diplomacy, and consolidating democracy within. In that endeavor, it will have plenty of allies in the international community. Mexico is well-positioned to become an example for upholding the human rights conventions and international laws that the Trump administration has vowed to dismantle. Laura Carlsen is a U.S.-Mexican binational based in Mexico. She is a political analyst, media commentator, and director of the Mexico City-based Americas Program of the Center for International Policy. This article was originally published by " NACLA " - 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 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - There were two big stories in US news media last week. The state funeral of former President George HW Bush; and the increasing moves by Congress to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia. Yet, as far as mainstream media coverage was concerned, the two stories appeared completely unrelated. Except, in reality, they intimately connected. It was George Bush Senior as the director of the CIA who brought the US and Saudi Arabia into close partnership for global repression. Since the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, there has been a growing disgust among US public, the media and lawmakers with the despotism of the House of Saud, in particular Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the oil-rich kingdom. He is accused of ordering the heinous killing of Khashoggi, whose body was hacked to pieces and disposed of, according to Turkish investigators. Even the CIA has pointed fingers at the Crown Prince. US Senators last week introduced a resolution calling for the heir to the Saudi throne to be held to account over the murder. The senators are also calling for an end to the horrendous Yemeni war and the Saudi-led blockade of neighboring Gulf state Qatar, events which the Crown Prince has personally directed. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter There is thus a palpable sense in Washington that the US must dissociate itself from Saudi barbarity, even though the countries have had a strategic partnership going back nearly eight decades. An historic meeting between former President Franklin D Roosevelt and the founding king of Saudi Araba, Ibn Saud, in 1945 near the end of World War II marked the beginning of that bilateral relation. The US-Saudi relationship has always been about oil supply, maintaining the petrodollar as world reserve currency, and of course massive American weapons sales vital to the US military-industrial complex. The deeply conservative Saudi rulers with their Wahhabi Sunni religion are also important surrogates for Washington to suppress democracy movements in the Middle East, and to act as a bulwark against Iranian Shia influence. That function was openly expressed recently by President Donald Trump, his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis when they said the US could not afford to alienate Saudi rulers with sanctions over the Khashoggi murder because the Saudis were essential to US interests of countering Iran. To a point, American media and lawmakers have shown a degree of ethical awareness in slamming the Trump administration for its transactional relationship with Saudi rulers. Business profits and politics are being put above moral values regarding the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the war in Yemen, say critics. However, those well-meaning concerns seem superficial and ignorant of the inherent and truly abhorrent nature of the US-Saudi relationship. Washingtons foreign policy and in particular the nefarious role played by the CIA and other unaccountable secret agencies are very much dependent on Saudi despotism for reaching their illicit objectives, whether in suppressing democratic movements, overthrowing governments and waging covert war with terror proxies. Those Americans demanding an overhaul in the bilateral relation, in which Washington stands up for American values of human rights and rule of law, do not seem to understand the fundamental nefarious nature of US global power and its reliance on Saudi henchmen. The person who very much developed that pernicious partnership was George HW Bush. A good reference source is Russ Bakers book on the Bush Dynasty. During the 1970s, various congressional committees began investigating the clandestine, criminal activities of the CIA. Probes, such as the Church Committee, were set up out of increasing American public concern over the involvement of US intelligence agencies in assassination campaigns and repression around the world. One of the assassinations included that of President John F Kennedy in 1963. Out of those congressional investigations, there were calls for more public oversight on the financing of the CIA. George Bush Senior served as CIA director (1976-77) during those heady times of sharp public scrutiny. He would later become the 41st president of the US (1989-93). And his son, George W, would subsequently become the 43rd president for two terms (2001-2009). It was Bush Senior as CIA chief who oversaw the new role of covert Saudi funding as the means to bankroll clandestine US global repression and regime-change intrigues. The Saudis were assigned this vital role because of US public demands for greater congressional accounting of CIA activities. A neat innovation was found. A classic demonstration of this arrangement is seen during the past eight years of war in Syria. Washington and its NATO allies, Britain and France, wanted regime change against President Bashar al Assad, a close ally of Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. The CIA, as well British and French military intelligence, provided the tactics and logistics for proxy militants trying to overthrow Assad. But it was the Saudis and other Gulf clients who funneled the billions of dollars to wage the war. This arrangement of American intelligence and Saudi money for entirely criminal purposes involving deployment of terror groups stems from the legacy of George HW Bush. So, when Saudi despots feel that they can get away with murder and genocidal war, it is because they have been cultivated by Washington despots. The barbarity of head-chopping Saudi potentates is the corollary of American so-called democratic leaders who feel entitled to overthrow foreign states and sanction mass murder. This inherent function of US global power in league with Saudi dictators, among other repressive regimes such as the Neo-Nazi cabal ruling Ukraine, is what escapes those American critics who are demanding that Trump take punitive action against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed. The proof of that glaring disconnect was the media outpouring of sentimental eulogies to the late President George HW Bush, who was roundly praised as a great and noble leader. Why US policy is embroiled with Saudi corruption and criminality is because of criminals in high office like Bush. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. This article was originally published by " Strategic Culture Foundation " - 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 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The Yellow Vest Movement weekend 8 and 9 December Round 4. Some say, they are the worst riots in France since the student-driven mini-Revolution of May 1968. Over the four weekends, hundreds of thousands were in the streets, middle class people, from students to workers to outright employees and housewives. The police force increases by every new Round and so do the demonstrators. Today more than 8,000 police, a considerable increase from last weekends 5,000-plus. Tens of thousands Yellow Vests demonstrated; police reported more than 1,600 arrests. There are tanks in the streets not seen for at least ten years burning cars and shop fronts, vandalized buildings. The police are fighting them with teargas, water cannons and rubber bullets. Police brutality seems to be unavoidable, However, apparently more moderate than on other occasions. Nevertheless, a youtube is circulating, where a group of riot gear protected police beat up a helpless Yellow Vest, already on the ground and defenseless. These are the pictures you see on TV. And the globalized everybodies throughout Europe and the (western) world sit comfortably in their fauteuils, shaking their heads the French again; they are never content, always want more having apparently no idea that what they, the French workers, had rightfully accumulated in terms of social funds and public infrastructure hospitals, schools since WWII (instead of paying for a heavy army) is being legally stolen by a small elite who put a Rothschild banker Macron in power to pass the necessary legislation to make the fraud legal. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Voila. So simple. Most of the fauteuil warriors have no idea that the hangmen are stealthily coming to them too. By the time they wake up and see the light irradiated by the French Yellow Vests it might be too late. Its not for nothing, that Europe, under the command of the unelected European Commission (EC), has become increasingly militarized and a conglomerate police state, to be ready when general discontent spreads and political and social upheavals start. We may be at that point. For now, the Hot Spot is Paris, in particular the lush Champs Elysees, symbol for the rich and powerful, the French elite. But the movement is spreading rapidly to other cities in France and would you believe, to other EU countries, like Belgium and the Netherlands. They have seen the yellow light and realized that what the French claim back has been stolen from them too. The malaise is not just French, Belgian, Dutch or German, but of course, also persists in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, the latter countries and people about whom you hardly hear and read anymore, they are done with. The banking cartel has them under control. No public attention needs to focus on their plight anymore. Except for Italy, their brazen resistance to Brussels, is still a problem for the kings of finance. Chapeau Italy! The discontent is everywhere; the result of a shameless neoliberal assault not only on peoples democratic and constitutional rights, it also prompts an increasing awakening to a reality of economic and financial fraud committed in front of your eyes by the globalized financial mafia banks, insurance companies, investment corporations of all hues milking workers rightfully accumulated social capital, like pension funds, unemployment benefits, free education, national health care, public hospitals, access to subsidized essential drugs and so on. All that is being shredded by the financial fraudsters. But you need political leaders to facilitate the process. Macron is the perfect choice to do so and he has done so royally, starting with the highly unpopular and contested labor reform. So, clearly, the Yellow Vest movement has little or nothing to do with the Macron introduced new French fuel tax. The tax was a mere pretext. The so-called eco-tax was a mere political-propaganda tool, a brazen lie. The tax would not have served any environmental initiative in France, but simply been a forced peoples contribution to the budget, ever more depleted by Macrons austerity programs. He wants to impress his employers austerity is the name of the neoliberal game. Besides, under peoples pressure, Macron has finally withdrawn the tax, a concession made to ease the street demos. But it didnt work. Because its simply not enough. The discontent reaches way beyond a fuel tax. It has to do with the overall decreasing standard of living, coupled with declining wages, a new Macron-imposed usurping labor law, and social benefits in France and actually way beyond the frontiers of France. In fact, French Police support the Yellow Vests they have to fight. They have recognized that they Are part of the people who demonstrate; they have the same concerns. Interestingly, RT reports that the police are exercising a certain restraint with the use of teargas, water cannons and other acts of aggression you normally observe in cases of relentless protests, like the ones currently ravaging France. While the restraint may not necessarily be visible from the images, TV and otherwise, circulating in the media, in an interview with RT, Alexandre Langlois, secretary general of the VIGI Police Union, said, Most of us back the Gilets Jaunes [Yellow Vests], because we will be directly affected by any rise in fuel prices. He added, [we] cant live where we work, because it is either too expensive, or we would be arresting our next-door neighbors, so we drive significant distances. For sure, there seems to prevail great sympathy for the protesters among the police, but staged provocations by the government could bring about more unrest, where the police would have no choice other than to intervene with force or else, under a State of Emergency which Macrons Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, was compelled to declare, the army could be called to intervene. And in this case the French Government would not be far off in calling NATO for help of course, in the Interest of the larger good for Europe. Come to think of it NATO. Wasnt it Emmanuel Macron, who called a few weeks ago for an independent European army? That would make NATO obsolete well, or would it? If taken by the letter, NATO has been obsolete for the last almost 30 years, but of course, nobody takes NATO by the letter. NATO is a killing force for the empire, and a huge trillion-dollar profit-making proposition for the US military industrial complex. So, when Macron called for a European army, he may have upset some very violent interest groups, those who literally make a killing from killing. He may have gone a step too far in his imaginary role as King Macron. There are bigger kings than he is. A European army would most likely be armed by European weapon manufacturers, mostly from France and Germany and god forbid perhaps even Russia? This would be logical, since Russia is really no enemy of Europe, as every politician in Europe knows, even if they dont dare to admit it. Also, Russias arms, especially long-range ballistic systems and Russias S-400 Air Defense System, are far superior to the US variety. Hence, partnering with Russia would not be rocket science, though certainly less than appreciated by Washington. Could it be that the divided deep state is at odds over Macron? The financial oligarchs put him in power to milk the French social system to the bones, then impressing other European nations with Frances over-board austerity programs to do likewise. If successful, Macron would indeed become the financial mafia clans new King of Europe. On the other hand, the self-centered youngster Macron, may have taken his role to heights not foreseen suggesting an independent European army, something no European leader dared even to whisper, since General de Gaulle proposed exactly that, in the 1960s it didnt happen but he then exited NATO anyway. Could it be that military industrial oligarchs want Macron gone? Could it be that the Yellow Vests protests, though starting on genuine premises of enough is enough, were gradually converted in an orchestrated effort to push public hatred for Macron to a point where he is no long a tenable leader even for the French Parliament in which his party, or rather his movement, En March, has the absolute majority? This remains to be seen. It would not be the first time that demonstrators are paid to demonstrate and especially if its for a noble cause to get rid of an uncomfortable politician. In the end, its all for the good of the people, right? Isnt that democracy in its fullest, being played out in the streets of France and soon to come, hopefully in the streets of Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Rome maybe even inspiring the so far rather timidly quiet Spaniards, Portuguese and Greek? Could that perhaps be a movement that goes way beyond what the instant-profit thinkers the NATO sponsors, the producer of US killing machines have thought of and wished for, namely the breaking up of the already defunct European (non-) Union with her unsustainable common currency, the Euro? This of course, is all hypothetical, but not impossible. Dynamics play odd games. Just think of France becoming the front-runner again for a Revolution 230 years after the Storming of the Bastille bringing a new order into nation states, away from globalization and maybe back to sovereign governments, building up new trading relations and partner alliances on a basis of equality, rather than imposed by a one-polar world order. Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. After working for over 30 years with the World Bank he penned Implosion, an economic thriller, based on his first-hand experience. Exclusively for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook. 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. The Antidote to Civilisational Collapse An interview with the documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis By N.B. December 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Its fuck off to everything, says Adam Curtis , describing public sentiment today. The British documentarist sees himself as an optimist amid dystopians, and as a classical journalist whose medium happens to be film. For 30 years he has produced a rich body of documentaries on politics and society for the BBCand in the process, has emerged as a cult-hero to young thinkers trying to comprehend a chaotic world. The films themselves are a collage of archival footage, words on screen and fast montages that create sprawling, idealistic-yet-dark narratives on the changing relationships among people, politics, philosophy, psychology, economics and power. They cut quickly between different tones and topics to resemble a train of thought or a rich conversation between friends. The mirror he holds up is disturbing: a reality that is freakish, demented, deformed. His latest film, HyperNormalisation (the trailer of which is below) argues that stability has been preserved by ideas that are somehow both difficult to believe and almost impossible to escape. As part of The Economists Open Future initiative, we interviewed Mr Curtis at his work studio in London. The conversation glided from individualism and data to populism and this sense of doom that people feel. Fittingly for a discussion that touched upon the superficiality of media, we are publishing the transcript with only the lightest of edits. It is 8,500 words, or around 35 minutes to read. The less committed can google youtube epic card trick and affirm Mr Curtiss theses instead. The Economist: What is HyperNormalisation? Adam Curtis: HyperNormalisation is a word that was coined by a brilliant Russian historian who was writing about what it was like to live in the last years of the Soviet Union. What he said, which I thought was absolutely fascinating, was that in the 80s everyone from the top to the bottom of Soviet society knew that it wasnt working, knew that it was corrupt, knew that the bosses were looting the system, knew that the politicians had no alternative vision. And they knew that the bosses knew they knew that. Everyone knew it was fake, but because no one had any alternative vision for a different kind of society, they just accepted this sense of total fakeness as normal. And this historian, Alexei Yurchak, coined the phrase HyperNormalisation to describe that feeling. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter I thought thats a brilliant title because, although we are not in any way really like the Soviet Union, there is a similar feeling in our present day. Everyone in my country and in America and throughout Europe knows that the system that they are living under isnt working as it is supposed to; that there is a lot of corruption at the top. But whenever the journalists point it out, everyone goes Wow thats terrible! and then nothing happens and the system remains the same. There is a sense of everything being slightly unreal; that you fight a war that seems to cost you nothing and it has no consequences at home; that money seems to grow on trees; that goods come from China and dont seem to cost you anything; that phones make you feel liberated but that maybe theyre manipulating you but youre not quite sure. Its all slightly odd and slightly corrupt. So I was trying to make a film about where that feeling came from, and I went way back into the past to do that. I borrowed the title from Mr Alexei Yurchak and called it HyperNormalisation. I wasnt trying to say Oh, were just like the Soviet Union collapsing. I was just trying to show the same feeling of unreality, and also that those in charge know that we know that they dont know whats going on. That same feeling is pervasive in our society, and thats what the film is about. The Economist: Since HyperNormalisation came out in 2016, Donald Trump has entered the White House and populism has spread even deeper across Europe. Is that an interruption of the system you describe or a symptom of it? Mr Curtis: No one is really sure what Trump represents. My working theory is that hes part of the pantomime-isation of politics. Every morning Donald Trump wakes up in the White House, he tweets something absolutely outrageous which he knows the liberals will get upset by, the liberals read his tweets and go This is terrible, this is outrageous, and then tell each other via social media how terrible it all is. It becomes a feedback loop in which they are locked together. In my mind, its like theyre together in a theatre watching a pantomime villain. The pantomime villain comes forward into the light, looks at them and says something terrible, and they go Boo!!. Meanwhile, outside the theatre, real power is carrying on but no one is really analysing it. This is the problem with a lot of journalism, especially liberal journalism at the moment. Its locked together with those people in the theatre. If you look at the New York Times, for example, its continually about that feedback loop between what Trump has said and the reaction of liberal elements in the society. Its led to a great narrowing of journalism. So in a way, he is part of the hypernormal situation because its a politics of pantomime locked together with its critics. And it becomes a perpetual, infernal motion system, which is a distraction. Its not a conspiracy. Its a distraction from whats really happening in the world. I would argue that there is a sensein a lot of liberal journalismof unreality. Theyre locked into describing the pantomime politics and theyre not looking to what Mr Michael Pence is really up to, and whats really happening outside the theatre. The other interesting thing about Trump is that he doesnt actually do that much. I know that hes brought in some bad things. But what might be happening in the structure of power in America is happening outside that world. So in a sense, he is slightly hypernormal. I dont know. No one really knows about Trump, but hes got the liberals locked in with him. Theres a certain sense of co-dependency between him and the liberal journalists, which I think is corroding the ability of journalism to do a proper critical analysis of the world. They have their own pantomime hysteria about Russia, for example. Im sure Russia has done some terrible things but thats not the reason people voted for Trump. People voted for Trump because theyre really pissed off. They feel marginalised and anxious about their future, and they wanted to send a message, and the liberals are not paying any attention to that. The Economist: Lets talk about that message and why its needed. Youve made films about Alan Greenspan and Isaiah Berlin. What do you think the great liberal thinkers have got right and what do you think theyve got wrong? Mr Curtis: What no one saw coming was the effect of individualism on politics. Its our fault. We all want to be individuals and we dont want to see ourselves as parts of trade unions, political parties or religious groups. We want to be individuals who express ourselves and are in control of our own destiny. With the rise of that hyper-individualism in society, politics got screwed. That sense of being part of a movement that could challenge power and change the world began to die away and was replaced by a technocratic management system. Thats the thing that Im really fascinated by. I think the old mass democracies sort of died in the early 90s and have been replaced by a system that manages us as individuals. Because the fundamental problem is that politicians cant manage individuals, they need us to join parties and support them and let them represent us as a group identified with them. What modern management systems worked out, especially when computer networks came into being, was that you could actually manage people as groups by using data to understand how they were behaving in the mass, but you could create a system that allowed them to keep on thinking that they were individuals. This is the genius of what happened with computer networks. Using feedback loops, pattern matching and pattern recognition, those systems can understand us quite simply. That we are far more similar to each other than we might think, that my desire for an iPhone as a way of expressing my identity is mirrored by millions of other people who feel exactly the same. Were not actually that individualistic. Were very similar to each other and computers know that dirty secret. But because we feel like were in control when we hold the magic screen, it allows us to feel like were still individuals. And thats a wonderful way of managing the world. Its downside is that its a static world. It doesnt have any vision of the future because the way it works is by constantly monitoring what you did yesterday and the day before, and the day before that. And monitoring what I did yesterday and the day before and the day before that and doing the same to billions of other people. And then looking at patterns and then saying: If you liked that, youll like this. Theyre constantly playing back to you the ghosts of your own behaviour. We live in a modern ghost story. We are haunted by our past behaviour played back to us through the machines in its comparison to millions of other peoples behaviour. We are guided and nudged and shaped by that. Its benign in a way and its an alternative to the old kind of politics. But it locks us into a static world because its always looking to the past. It can never imagine something new. It cant imagine a future that hasnt already existed. And its led to a sense of atrophy and repetition. Its Groundhog Day. And because it doesnt allow mass politics to challenge power, it has allowed corruption to carry on without it really being challenged properly. The problem I have with a lot of investigative journalism, is that they always say: There should be more investigative journalism and I think, When you tell me that a lot of rich people aren't paying tax, Im shocked but Im not surprised because I know that. I dont want to read another article that tells me that. What I want is an article that tells me why, when Im told that, nothing happens and nothing changes. And no one has ever explained that to me. I think it has something to do with this technocratic world because it doesn't have the capacity to respond to that kind of thing. It has the capacity to manage us very well. Its benign but it doesnt have the capacity to challenge the rich and the powerful within that system, who use it badly for their own purposes. Thats the downside and were beginning to get fed up with it. And thats allowed those on the margins of society to come in and start kicking, and we have no idea what to do about them. The Economist: You want to read an article about why things dont change after injustice is exposed. It could be that the kind of measure that it would take to repatriate money hidden on islands and sort out all this injustice would require a very bold and radical set of proposals. But proposals that are bold and radical are always a challenge to stability. Mr Curtis: Yes, what Im complaining about is stability. The Economist: But people prefer stability to poverty. Mr Curtis: People prefer practically anything to poverty. But youll find that its those who are in poverty who actually wanted change now. The people in West Virginia and Sunderland, who are having a shit time, are the people who voted for Trump and Brexit. But yes, the main part of this is stability and its interesting that the mantra of this technocratic system of management is the word risk, which if you do a word analysis, didnt really exist in political coverage until the mid 80s. It comes from finance, but as economics colonised the whole of politics, that word spread everywhere, and everything becomes about risk-analysis and how to stop bad things happening in the future. Politics gave up saying that it could change the world for the better and became a wing of management, saying instead that it could stop bad things from happening. The problem with that is that it invites all the politicians to imagine all the bad things that could possibly happenat which point, you get into a nightmare world where people imagine terrible things, and say that you have to build a system to stop them. In answer to your main question, yes it requires a big radical step, its called political power and politicians do have it. If you look at what happened in 2008, both the governments in Britain and America had the power to sign a massive cheque to rescue the banks and they did it. Thats enormous power. Youre right, people are frightened of instability. But the job of a good politician is to give them a story that says, Yes this is risky, but its also thrilling and it might lead to something extraordinary. We dont have any politicians like that. Theyre emerging on the right and theyre using the story of nationalism. Unless the left actually comes with a stronger story, Im afraid the right are going to rise up and become even stronger than they are now. The opposite of stability is a politics of imagination. There is a yearning that there must be something more than the repetition we hear every day that if you like this youll like that. I think its coming but I take your point, you are right, there is fear of that. But the job of a good politician is to say, Yes, I understand your fears but look, its not right and we can do better than this. Im waiting for a politician on the left to come along and say that. So far, I haven't seen one. Have you? The Economist: No. Mr Curtis: Theyre managers at the moment, and thats the problem. The Economist: You dont like being haunted by data from the past thats used to try and predict the future. Mr Curtis: Right. The Economist: Well, its not very romantic and it doesnt create very compelling interview copy, but throughout recent history, incremental changes have made a lot of peoples lives a lot better all over the world. Mr Curtis: Im not denying it. But that has colonised all of politics. Those kinds of economic policies have a very good role to play. But in the 1990s that attitude spread and captured the whole of politics and at that point, they became managers. What we lost was the idea of politics where you tell a simple, powerful and romantic story of where you are going and what its all for. These are questions that people do ask themselves. People ask why they cant have a better standard of living, but they also have this thing in their heads asking what its all about. One of the reasons we have politics is because it gives answers to those sorts of questions. In Britain, for example, the Labour Party was born out of religion because it will give you a sense of being part of something that will go on past your own existence. If you live in a world driven by individualism, what it doesnt answer is what goes on when you die. I made a film about that arch-individualist Ayn Rand. She was interviewed towards the end of her life by an American television journalist who asked her what she thought would happen when she died and she said: I wont die. The world will die. It sounds silly, but what she actually means is true if you are an arch-individualist. If you are complete within yourself and dont owe anything to anything else, then the whole world is in your head, and when you die it will go. I often think that one of the reasons why there is so much pessimism around, especially among the baby-boomer generation, is that they cannot face the terrible fact of their own mortality. So what they have to do is project that onto the whole planet. If you take climate change, which is a serious issue, its been co-opted by pessimistic baby-boomers and turned into a dark nightmarish scenario, rather than saying that we need to restructure power and resources in a way that could make the world a better place. That would have been a really good way to deal with climate change. Instead, it got possessed by a dystopia which I think reflects that generations fear of mortality because they cant see anything going on beyond their own death. To go back to your original question, yes youre right but youre also wrong. The central thing in politics is emotion. It really is. Its about saying: We are together in this existence, in this moment, in the country, in this society, and were going to build something that will go on past us. And politics did that. Mrs Thatcher did that. And what the people who voted for Brexit and for Trump are asking is: What is the future? What is this existence for? If you live in Sunderland or in West Virginia surrounded by people taking opioids, you want to know what its all for. And these are the questions that politics has to answer. Theyre the questions that religion used to answer and that science used to try and answer, and it is techs Achilles heel. The Economist: Whos going to answer those questions? Mr Curtis: I think its going to come out of religion, I really do. I think theres going to be a resurgence of religion. Its very difficult to talk about this because you just get shot down, but there are parts of Islam which are trying to deal with this. The Economist: Isnt religion an organised panic about death? Mr Curtis: No. Im not religious but I dont share the liberal dislike of religion because I think its fundamental point is to reassure us in the face of our own death. Thats what religion does, it gives you a sense that youre part of something thats moving onwards. It reassures people. Death is frightening and for a generation who believe that they are alone and were liberated by that idea and had a really good time, to be alone in the face of death is very frightening. So I have a funny feeling that religion might come back. The Economist: I hope you dont think Im being reductive, but it sounds as if religion is a bit of a placebo when it comes to mortality. Mr Curtis: Well, you are being reductive because placebos are actually as powerful as real things. As we know, in the three-part episode of South Park called Imaginationland, Trey Parker very powerfully argues that imagination has been more powerful in shaping the world that we exist in now than anything else. And hes right. And thats what weve lost to be honest. The Economist: This reminds me of your film The Attic, when you were talking about Churchill and Thatcher using myths to inspire the nation and those myths running out of control. Mr Curtis: Well, myths do run out of control. The Economist: Because theyre not real, theyre not sustainable. Mr Curtis: Well, real isnt sustainable. Look, hang on, countries are an act of imagination arent they? The Economist: Go on. Mr Curtis: Everything is an act of imagination. Politics is about imagining futures and having the power to bring a collective group of people with you who give you the power to make that happen. Its what Churchill did during the second world war. That doesnt mean that you cant say that there were aspects of the second world war that were not good. The problem in our country is that myths have washed over the complexity. I dont think youre being reductive but I think youre reflecting the managerial dryness of our time. The Economist: Ive been accused of that before. Mr Curtis: Well, its the realness of our time. What I suspect is that its beginning to crack and that what people are waiting for are some big stories. Nationalism is the easiest story to go for. And what Im speculating about is that there might be stories that we havent even imagined yet. You know very well that in 200 years the world wont look much like the world were living in now. But those who run the world now dont want you to think that. They want you to think that this is going to go on forever because thats the philosophy of the managerial system. If that managerial system colonises everything, then everything atrophies. Theres a sense of repetition and that repetition works very well for some people but not for others. But I have a sense that theres a romantic age coming. I see it in the music that I like. I can see it in the weird industrial music that I find myself listening to. You can see people taking noise and turning it into big, romantic, sweeping things. It gives you a sense of dynamism and nothing is dynamic at the moment. The Economist: Listening to you I have two thoughts. Please tell me if Im going off on a tangent. On one hand, the system were used to obviously isnt working. In my mind, globalisation is an insurance policy against world war three, because if you have assets and supply chains in another country you have an incentive not to bomb it. Now you can no longer win an election on that platform. Mr Curtis: Thats gone. The Economist: So what we have now is emotionally unsustainable, people arent buying into it anymore. Mr Curtis: Yeah. The Economist: But, my second instinct comes from the Talking Heads song Heaven where David Byrne sings Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens. Because if you did have a political system which disincentivised war and alleviated poverty at unprecedented rates, as well as provided people with more wealth and more individual freedom than they had ever had before, it would get very boring very fast. Mr Curtis: Yes, but people like me are not arguing for that kind of utopia. The Economist: Im not saying its a utopia. Im saying that if you did find the least-worst political philosophy it would instantly become very stale and boring because thats what happens. Mr Curtis: Things change and people like me like things changing. Lets take your example. Yes, that is probably what globalisation began as, but look at what it has become. I have this theory that what globalisation has now degraded to is a giant scam that allows very big corporations to pay no tax. Thats its real functionwhile the sense of moral purpose has dropped away. Its a system that has become corroded. All Im arguing is that just what you were saying: that its just not working. What Im asking for is a system that acts dynamically, which is what politics should do. It should look at the situation, like a good journalist does, and realise that people feel that it isnt working because you and I know thats true. We can argue over whether its working technically or not, but people feel like it isnt. And when politicians are faced by that, theres no way back. So that may open the door to what I see as the real role of politics, a dynamic responsive way. Ive always liked War and Peace where the two central figures are Napoleon and a Russian general called Kutuzov. Napoleon thinks you can control the whole world and make it your own. But Kutuzov, who everyone derides in the novel and who is in charge of defending Moscow, says No, you cant control the world because its chaosbut there are moments within the chaos that you can use for your own purpose. Thats what politics is about. Its exciting and dynamic. Its got a narrative to it and, like good journalism, it responds to whats happening. And really, thats all Im asking for, because politics and journalism have become static and repetitive. I know within microseconds what an article is going to say, what a television program is going to be like and what most music is going to be like. Im bored and I get bored, I think lots of people get bored, because Im quite normal. That leads to a degrading of everything, which allows corruption to happen. Whereas, if you have a dynamic responsive system, there is a sense that youre going somewhere even if you never get there. Im quite conservative in that way, because Im saying that the things that politics aims for has stopped and I want it back. The Economist: He saved Moscow by burning it down. Mr Curtis: (Laughs) Well you know, sometimes terrible things happen. But Kutuzov responded. The Economist: Its not what I would have done but it worked. Mr Curtis: Well, youre not a general. Im using humour. The Economist: I know. Mr Curtis: But you would agree that politics is not about desperately trying to hold the world stable. You cant hold the world stable in the face of history. The ideology of our time, especially amongst the liberal middle-classes, even more than the conservatives, has embraced the idea of trying to hold things stable and static. The Economist: Its interesting that you should say that, because if you think about well-educated, progressive young people who desperately want to make the world a better place, its all about mitigation. On the micro level, almost all the young people I know really want to stop Brexit, and on a macro level they want to stop climate change. Both of those huge projects are about reverting to a status-quo. Mr Curtis: Thats why Im deeply suspicious of both of them. Not because Im pro-Brexit and not because I dont believe in climate change. I just think the response has been co-opted by that liberal managerial mindset, which is sort of sad. One of the reasons why you dont get a response to climate change reports is because theyre dressed up as managerial things. They dont say that this could be part of an extraordinary new kind of future. The Economist: With Brexit and with climate change, if you say We can adapt and turn this into an opportunity, it feels like youre rewarding and absolving the worst elements of humanitylike jingoism and the impulse to pollutewith impunity. I know you dont mean that Mr Curtis: Yes, you get criticised for that. And thats why they maintain their static position, because any voice that asks for change gets immediately tarred. What Im saying is that you take the technologies that are emerging and push them much further with investment from the state, and you have a giant Marshall Plan. It would require some people giving up their positions of leisured happiness. In an age of individualism, its very difficult to get people to surrender some of themselves to an ideal thats bigger than them. But if you do want to change the world, youre going to have to do that, to be honest. I dont like the word leader, but I do think that what were looking for are people who inspire us to think beyond the world we have at the moment. The Economist: You want us to be more ambitious and more willing to stick our necks out Mr Curtis: And more caring at the same time. The Economist: Youve also made lots of films about people who have tried to make the world a better place and who ended up making it worse by accident. Mr Curtis: Thats no reason to stop. The Economist: Indeed, thats no reason to stop. Mr Curtis: What Im trying to analyse in my films is why things went wrong, and Ive constantly tried to show that its to do with power. Thats a word thats almost never discussed at the present moment. Theres enormous power being exercised on us and we have no idea how to challenge it. As you say, everybody feels like this thing isnt working. Thats because certain people have power and theyre exercising it for their own interests and not for us. The Economist: What you really nailed at the end of The Monkey In the Machine and the Machine In the Monkey Mr Curtis: Oh yes, you liked the monkey film. The Economist: What you really nailed was the point you made at the end when we see the people on the escalator in London. You were talking about Richard Dawkins and The Selfish Gene and you suggested that the reason we find these fatalistic ideas about genetics appealing is because they let us off the hook for all our failed attempts to make the world a better place. Mr Curtis: Yes! Exactly! The Economist: Right, so you know exactly why its so hard Mr Curtis: Yes, but the point isnt that we should stop. Science has gone from being an optimistic source to a pessimistic source. Politics has gone from being dynamic to being static and managerial. And tech has brought in a system of feedback management thats so seductive that were trapped. In the films Im making at the moment, Im going to try and explain why we live in this strange world where everything seems very unreal, but its all very static and whatever we do has no consequences. Weve been led into a world which I think is incredibly dangerous and terribly sad, because we could be trying to change the world. But its difficult. Yes, its difficult. Im not trying to deny that. The Economist: Of course not, I know. What Im trying to get at with my excessively antagonistic line of questioning is thatweve been talking for 40 minutes, Ive read a lot of your other interviews and I think Ive watched almost all your films Mr Curtis: Bloody hell. Youre a stalker. The Economist: Youre very good at telling us how things go wrong. Mr Curtis: Yeah, thats a journalists job. The Economist: But can you give us anything to be optimistic about? Mr Curtis: What Ive just said is that you should be optimistic. The Economist: You should be optimistic. Mr Curtis: No, you should be optimisticI am optimistic. The Economist: Why are you optimistic? Mr Curtis: Because I think that human beings, in themselves, are dynamic. Theyre born, they live, they die. Weve got the idea of a dynamic thing built into us. At the moment, everything seems stuck but there is a growing rejection of that. Its happening at the margins. The liberals dont know how to deal with it but its going to change. What my films try to do is to show how these things happen and that whats often asserted as fact is often ideology. Thats all. Thats all I try and do. You cant ask a journalist, whose job is to analyse and pull apart something, you cant ask that person to resynthesise it. Thats the job of a politician. The political class have given up. Theyve become managers and theyre being manipulated on a gigantic scale by those whose interest it is to keep them as managers. Theyre beginning to feel the walls shaking around them, and they should take notice or somebody else whos not very nice is going to come in and take those reins of power and lead us to somewhere we dont want to go to. Im optimistic becausewell, you made me pessimistic when you talked about young people but Im not sure youre right. The Economist: Wait, what did I say? Mr Curtis: You said young people only want to stop Brexit and stop climate change. The Economist: Ah yes, but I qualified it by saying Well-educated, engaged young people. Mr Curtis: I think thats true of the millennial. When I did HyperNormalisation I found that it cut through to the generation below the millennials. I dont know how it happened: 18- and 19-year-olds are interested in power and the idea that you can challenge power, rather than just trying to hold things down. I think thats a generational shift. And in that sense, Im optimistic. Although, this is on the basis of talking to people who come and see my films. So its not very scientific. Were living in a very pessimistic age where those in power are either pessimistic because they believe it or pessimistic because its useful, and people like me want to challenge that. The Economist: By exploring how things went wrong Mr Curtis: Not by saying We should be happy and nice, but by saying Lets look back and see how they actually went wrong. Think of the neo-conservatives. The idea that we are faced by a giant terrorist threat was not true. It was an ideologically-driven exaggeration of something that was true. And I was just trying to show how pessimism happens when dark things run out of control. The Economist: Will you forgive me for saying something that is horrendously judgmental and sweeping? Mr Curtis: Go on. Ive been doing that, so you might as well do it as well. The Economist: When you were saying that as a journalist you show people how things went wrong, and the job of the politicians to sort everything out. Well, thats how we all feel, mate. Were all waiting for somebody else to give us something to hope for. Were all waiting for a white knight. Mr Curtis: No, I dont agree with that. I think what weve bought into is an idea that comes out of Silicon Valley and from the hippies, that leadership is always bad and that collective wisdom should decide things. But that leaves you in a very static society where youre talked down to by the commentariat and no one address what you actually feel. The day after the Brexit vote, I thought that if I was an ambitious left-wing politician, I would have immediately gone to Sunderland and said, Yes, youre absolutely right. But the people youve voted for are going to con you. And Id have kept saying that, and a year later Id be saying, See, I was right. They conned you. Thats what a good politician should have done. But have you noticed that none of them did? The Economist: They would have been accused of patronising the electorate. Mr Curtis: Not if they put it in populist terms. The Economist: You mean if they did it with a northern accent? Mr Curtis: No. You connect emotionally with them and say what you feel, which brings us to a very interesting question. Is populism always dangerous? The Economist: I dont know. Mr Curtis: A lot of the left think it is. They think its a degraded version of politics, as if it were a drug that turned voters into zombies. Thats how its portrayed. You could argue that that might be snobbish. That what you call populism is just anger. As I said, they were given a button that said fuck off and they pressed it because they had been offered no alternatives. The Economist: They didnt just say fuck off to David Cameron Mr Curtis: Its fuck off to everything. The Economist: Yeah, including the Polish family down the street who had nothing to do with all of this decay. Mr Curtis: OK, racismhow much racism do you think was in Brexit? The Economist: I have no idea, but Mr Curtis: Waitcan I be The Economist for a moment? What was the highest level that UKIP ever got to in the polls? It was about 9%, or something like that. The Economist: 15%, maybe.* Mr Curtis: What was the proportion for Brexit? The Economist: 52%. Mr Curtis: Of course, racism is in there but its not the driving force. The Economist: Im not saying that at all. Mr Curtis: What is racism? Racism is born out of fear. Its not the old racism of the British Empire that claims to have biological superiority, its just fear. Theyre frightened, theyre anxious, no ones responding to this. And Im not being patronising, but havent you noticed that since Trump and Brexit, none of the left have gone out and tried to really connect with that feeling, and do something with it thats positive. Theyve behaved like frightened managers. I have this working theory that the internet is the HR department for the world. I know because I work for a big corporation. If somebody behaves badly HR swoops in, your desk is cleared and youre booted out of the building within hours. They never question the system that made that person behave badly. The HR people would never do that. And thats exactly what the internet is doing at the moment. It identifies bad peoples, swoops in and ejects them. What it never does is question the system and in that way the internet reflects the corporatism of the people who invented it. The Economist: But most of us are like that, arent we? Were very prone to be reactionary Mr Curtis: Why are we prone to that? Thats your view. The Economist: I suspect that these Silicon Valley platforms wouldn't be so popular if they didn't reflect our desire for quick justice and our lack of curiosity about the people we disagree with. Mr Curtis: No. When somebody like Harvey Weinstein behaves the way he does, we are shocked and we think he should be punished. There are different ways that feeling can be expressed socially by journalists, politicians and activists. But if you look at the way the MeToo movement is going, its behaving increasingly like an HR department. There are very few people saying, Maybe this is to do with the system of funding in Hollywood, and how its become so ruthless or distorted that women of all ages are forced to behave almost like prostitutes in order to get the money to make films. No one is analysing that. I was talking to a Hollywood producer last night and he says that nothing has changed. So what Im saying is that the anger is genuine but it can be taken in all sorts of interesting ways. And its the same with the Brexit anger, you can take it in different ways. If you really want to change the world youve got to go and connect with people who sometimes arent very nice. Youve got to go and talk to racists. Why not? Its interesting, isnt it? But instead, we say theyre terrible and theyre frightening and we retreat. And I just think thats lazy and were waiting for somebody who has the courage to go out and actually connect with the people. The thing that really pisses me off is when the liberals say the people who voted for Brexit were stupid. Theyre not stupid, they won. The Economist: Did they win? You said they got conned. Ive been conned in the past and getting conned doesnt mean that youre stupid, but it does mean that you didnt get what you wanted. Mr Curtis: They may have been conned about some of the reasons to vote for Brexit, but that vote was still an expression of what they feel, which is a sort of anger. One of the most cowardly things I think is all these nice middle-class people I know who are going to become German citizens. You fucking cowards. If you really think this is wrong, why dont you stay here and fight for what you think is good? Fuck off. You want to go and live in Germany? Its a retreat. But theyre somehow so proud of it. Its part of the pessimistic mood and nobody has managed to explain to me why the middle classes are so pessimistic. It was when someone showed me The Handmaids Talehave you seen The Handmaids Tale? The Economist: Im afraid not. Mr Curtis: Its gruesome. Its absolute shit. Youll probably love it because it gives you a dystopia. Somebody told me its peak dystopia. You cant go further than this. Its torture porn for the baby-boomer generation. Sorry, Im off the point. The Economist: No, youre not off the point. One element, which I think is under-discussed, is the one described by David Graeber, the anthropologist who exposed the idea that 40% of us believe our jobs either make no difference to the world or make it slightly worse. Mr Curtis: Ive met him... The Economist:...I interviewed him a few months ago and it generated lots of traffic. Everybody loved reading about bullshit jobs. Perhaps the reason the liberal middle-class is so pessimistic is because a lot of them suspect that what they do adds little or no value to the economy around them, and that because of AI or another recession, there will be some kind of reckoning when we realise that our economy has turned millions of workers into superfluous people. Mr Curtis: Maybe theres a sense that theyre living on a precarious edge... The Economist: and we worry that our nice middle-class lives are unsustainable because of everything thats going on in the world. That might be one of the reasons why so many people are so pessimistic. Mr Curtis: I agree with Graeber. Ive always thought that most peoples jobs arent their real jobs. Their real job is to go shopping. Thats your function in this society. After 9/11, I think Bush told everybody to go shopping because thats the way to rescue a society. But its more than what youre saying. People feel that this is all slightly strange and unreal. When China put all its money into dollars, it allowed America to fight the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with no real financial consequences in their own country. It was the first time in history that they had ever managed to do that. Its fascinating. Have you noticed that one of the strangest things in our time is that since 2001, weve known that theres this terrible war going on in Afghanistan, weve known that theres this terrible war going on in Iraq, but it just doesnt seem to have any consequences hereunlike the Vietnam War, where they had to borrow so much money and raise so much in taxes that it caused a financial crisis, which led to Nixon letting money go free, which is where we are now. Theres none of that. Meanwhile, goods come from China and cost nothing. The Economist: One of the points that Graeber makes is that people with bullshit jobs, who essentially get paid to do nothing, is that while you might think that they would be happy because being paid to do nothing seems utopian. But really those people are consumed by guilt and fear. Mr Curtis: And a sense of What is this all for?. The Economist: Exactly. People want to exist for a reason. Mr Curtis: Yes, they do. They really do! The Economist: Indeed. And if you told a friend that were being paid to do nothing, they would say: Oh, lucky you. Mr Curtis: But actually, you know that psychologically we want to do something that has a purpose. The Economist: We need a story. Mr Curtis: Yes. Thats really central to human beings. It really is. Its central to politics and its central to journalism. And those things have atrophied because we live in a world in which there are no stories. The key thing you have to realise about the machines is that they dont look at us as a narrative. They look at us in a way thats outside of time. They take everything that happened from all different times and they slap that data together, and its just about correlations. It has no narrative to it whatsoever. And we are trapped in that non-nutritive world. Im sorry if thats pretentious, but its a world that doesnt in any way respond to what you just talked about. Whats this for? Why am I doing this? And the journalism doesnt tell us stories about that, it just repeats opinions. Its also a world trapped in endless loops from the past. And you could argue that people like me are part of the problem because what do I do? I have masses of archives from the BBC from the last 50 years sitting in my edit room, and I constantly rework it and play it back to you in different ways, as everyone does now. Looked at Instagram recently? Its images from the past constantly being played back to you. I wanted to do a show with Massive Attackwell, I did do a show with Massive Attack, but it didnt quite work out the way I wanted it to, where you were going to be encased in this world of images to give you a sense of being trapped in this two-dimensional world. To go back to your point, I think that is why people feel this sense of precariousness and this sense of doom. They know that its all a bit odd, but no one explains what that oddness is. Thats what I think journalism should be doing. Why is it so odd? Why do you feel so strange? Theres a jangly-ness at the back of peoples minds at the moment. You can feel it yourself. Is this really going to go on? Wheres it going? When does this change? No one is explaining those feelings, which is what HyperNormalisation was sort of trying to do in its own little way. Sorry, I do tend to rant. The Economist: Thats quite alright. It might take a long time to transcribe. Mr Curtis: Thats what Im apologising for. Ill keep it shorter now. Go on. The Economist: I have a lot here. You can kick me out if you want. Mr Curtis: Go on. The Economist: Instagram is the worst social-media platform for your mental health, because it constantly exposes you to futures and pasts that you cant experience. Mr Curtis: And youre frightened that youre losing out. The Economist: You feel a constant sense of loss Mr Curtis: Even though you know its probably not true. The Economist: And you scroll back into the past and eulogise the times when you might not have been happy, but you represented yourself as happy. You were just saying that you were like Instagram, and that you might be part of the problem. Mr Curtis: I am. The consequence of that technology is that it displays a sadness to us of missed opportunities. thats what youre really saying, isnt it? Its not designed to be like that, but I get that feeling when I go back through old footage. And an optimistic vision of the future is something that learns to shed that sadness. Maybe were getting trapped by those feelings. Maybe that does explain the pessimism. Theres something deep going on in our society and all novels are dystopian now. Those are my musings. I think youre right, that theres something in the technology that plays back two-dimensional versions of things that have gone. The Economist: Youre not going to like this, but when you were talking about our cultures sense of pessimism and its suspicion towards new ideas, you reminded me of Jordan Peterson and his rants about post-modernism and the idea that theres no narrative or authoritative truth to cling to anymore. Mr Curtis: Jordan Peterson is interesting. A journalist I know took me along to see him talk. Hes doing that thing of fusing science and religion and hes doing it very effectively. And I looked at the audience and thought, These are not the people I would like to spend much time with. Theyre all a certain type of man, with a far-away, serious look in their eyes. I wasnt instinctively hating of him. I thought he was truthful to himself. He was trying to express a truth about what a lot of people feel, and doing so articulately, and trying to find a series of symbols to do it through. The Economist: He taps into the feelings you tap into. Mr Curtis: Hes talking to the lost and the lonely. To go back to your question about whether politics is just about management: Its not. Its also about touching those really big feelings that a lot of people feel at the same time in a society. At the moment, there are all sorts of things that were not allowed to talk about because theyre absolutely verboten online. Things like loneliness, sadness and separation. Youre not allowed to talk about those feelings, and Jordan Peterson does and he tries to give people a framework in which to talk about them. I dont agree with him because hes a biological determinist, but I think what hes doing is a genuine response to the feelings that most liberals are absolutely terrified of talking about. The Economist: Ten years ago, during the Bush administration with all its religious fervour, the academic in vogue was Richard Dawkins who was very much against stories that protected you from the notion of mortality. So when religion was fetishised in the White House, it was Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins who were fashionable because they were sceptics. Mr Curtis: But their time is waning. Have you noticed? The Economist: Yes. Its because Obama pushed religion out of the Oval Office and robbed New Atheism of its counter-cultural capital. Now Richard Dawkins is unfashionable. Mr Curtis: He also went slightly bonkers. He shouldn't have started tweeting. He should have just shut up. The Economist: Thats what I said to him when I met him. Mr Curtis: Whats he like? The Economist: Id read almost all of his books and I was very excited about meeting him. He had just done a podcast interview. He had stains on his jumper. I told him that it was refreshing to see him talking about ideas instead of something he recently tweeted. He said, Quite right, and then he walked off and continued to tweet his reputation into oblivion. Mr Curtis: Dawkins was originally a computer programmer. Hes basically a machine modeler of the world. Thats what his version of DNA is. The Economist: Hes attuned to computer science, but he also loves poetry which means he can write brilliant sentences. Mr Curtis: He writes beautifully. Its not actually very rational but hes good at emotionally evoking what hes trying to say. The Blind Watchmaker is good. But youre right, there was a phase in the early part of this century where all the liberals really bought into Richard Dawkins, but its gone now. The Economist: It was a counter-cultural reaction to Bush and Blair. Theyre gone, so hes been swept aside. Mr Curtis: Whos replaced them? The Economist: Yuval Noah Harari on the liberal side and Jordan Peterson on the conservative side. Mr Curtis: Harari is a tech groupie. He buys into all that reductionist psychology. The Economist: But he agrees with you. His new book is about why people need stories and those stories have faded away. Peterson is also similar because he says that postmodernism has ruined everything and left us all feeling lost and lonely. Mr Curtis: I dont think postmodernism is that powerful. The Economist: But he does. Postmodernism is his catch-all term for a world without authoritative ideas and theories. Harari, Peterson and yourself are all providing an essentially similar diagnosis and appealing to very different audiences. Mr Curtis: That probably means were right. People want a big narrative. What people dont want are rants and columns. They want a story out of which you can draw ideas. At the moment, Im working on a giant project with ten parts which is full of stories, because I want people to feel like theyre lost in the world and out of that come ideas. I didnt really hate Peterson. I didnt like him as a person, and I really wouldn't want to spend time with him. The Economist: Youd hate him if you read the YouTube comments under his videos, but as an individual hes intriguing. Mr Curtis: Yes, and you can feel when somebody is being genuine. He knows that you can take these two marginalised things, science and religion, and put the two together because theyre both about awesomeness and being part of a grand story. Are you a South Park fan? The Economist: I am. Mr Curtis: I think theyre the geniuses of our age. Theyre the journalists of our age. The Economist: Dont they fall into the trap of not being able to articulate alternatives? Mr Curtis: Thats not what journalism does. Kyles speech at the end of the last episode of Imaginationland: it is incredibly romantic and optimistic about the world and I love it. I met Trey Parker and Matt Stone and theyre really good. Journalism doesnt have to remain the same. It will take other forms. It tells stories about the world that in a way are imaginative. This is the battle I have with a lot of my colleagues in the BBC. They accuse me of being too imaginative in the way I put footage together. But they make up stories out of facts too, but when they do it, its boring. People like imagination if they feel that its genuinely rooted in fact. Thats why you have to tell stories. * Note: The highest support that UKIP received in opinion polls was 25% in October 2014, in a Survation poll for The Mail on Sunday. his article was originally published by " The Economist " - 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 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - US tax dollars are supporting Saudi Arabias war in Yemen, which has already claimed the lives of some 85,000 children, and 12 million more people are likely on the brink of starvation. As Nicholas Kristof wrote in The New York Times, the starvation does not seem to be an accidental byproduct of war, but rather a weapon in it. The United States has long been a staunch ally of Saudi Arabia, and both the Obama and Trump administrations have provided considerable military support to the Saudi war in Yemen. But Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans involvement in the torture and murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has finally spurred both Democrats and Republicans to take steps to end US military involvement in Yemen. On November 28, the Senate voted 63-to-37 to advance a resolution that would direct the removal of US Armed Forces from hostilities in Yemen. However, S. J. Res. 54 carves out an exception for continued US-supported military measures against al Qaeda or associated forces that could be twisted to rationalize nearly any military assistance Donald Trump provides to Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter S. J. Res. 54 Purports to End US Military Involvement in Yemen Senators plan to debate S. J. Res. 54 this week. The bipartisan resolution, introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) with 18 co-sponsors, invokes the War Powers Resolution. Enacted by Congress in the wake of the Vietnam War, the War Powers Resolution permits the president to introduce US Armed Forces into hostilities or imminent hostilities only after Congress has declared war, or in a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces, or when there is specific statutory authorization. The War Powers Resolution defines the introduction of US Armed Forces to include: the assignment of members of such armed forces to command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany the regular or irregular military forces of any foreign country or government when such military forces are engaged, or there exists an imminent threat that such forces will become engaged, in hostilities. S. J. Res. 54 states, activities that the United States is conducting in support of the Saudi-led coalition, including aerial refueling and targeting assistance, fall within this definition. Trump Denies US Forces Are Engaged in Hostilities Donald Trump has pledged to veto the resolution, denying that US forces are involved in hostilities for purposes of the War Powers Resolution. On November 28, the Trump administration issued the following Statement of Administrative Policy: The fundamental premise of S.J. Res. 54 is flawed United States forces are not engaged in hostilities between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi forces in Yemen. Since 2015, the United States has provided limited support to member countries of the Emirati and Saudi-led coalition, including intelligence sharing, logistics, and, until recently, aerial refueling. No United States forces have been introduced into hostilities, or into situations where hostilities are clearly imminent, in connection with ongoing support to the Saudi-led coalition. As a result, this United States support does not implicate the War Powers Resolution. After stating that US Armed Forces assist in aerial targeting and help to coordinate military and intelligence activities, S. J. Res. 54 cites Defense Secretary James Mattiss December 2017 statement: We have gone in to be very to be helpful where we can in identifying how you do target analysis and how you make certain you hit the right thing. US targeting assistance enables the coalition to kill Yemenis more efficiently. Nevertheless, tens of thousands of Yemeni civilians have been killed in bombings by the Saudi-led coalition, many using some of the billions of dollars worth of US-manufactured weapons. And late last year, a team of US Green Berets secretly arrived at the border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia to help in the war. Loophole in S. J. Res. 54 Actually Authorizes US Military Involvement in Yemen In S. J. Res. 54, Congress directs the President to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in Yemen except United States Armed forces engaged in operations directed at al Qaeda or associated forces. The only US combat troops on the ground in Yemen are allegedly targeting Al Qaeda forces. But, according to the ACLU, military officials have already claimed they do not know the mission of each Saudi aircraft refueled by the US. National Security Adviser John Bolton has a history of skewing intelligence to support his goals. Moreover, this resolution will not stop US drone strikes in Yemen. Although those strikes were ostensibly aimed at al Qaeda, one-third of Yemenis killed by US drone bombings were civilians, including several children, according to a recent report by the Associated Press. Thus, under the guise of removing US forces from hostilities in Yemen, S. J. Res. 54 could actually provide congressional justification for continued military involvement under the War Powers Resolution. S. 3652 Would Suspend US Arms Transfers to Saudi Arabia Another bipartisan bill pending in the Senate is the Saudi Arabia Accountability and Yemen Act of 2018. Introduced by Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) and five co-sponsors, including Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), S. 3652 would suspend US arms transfers to Saudi Arabia; prohibit US refueling of Saudi coalition aircraft; impose sanctions on anyone hindering the provision of humanitarian assistance, or those involved in the death of Khashoggi, including any official of the government of Saudi Arabia or member of the royal family; mandate briefings on US military support to the Saudi-led coalition, including civilian casualties; and require an unclassified written report on the Saudis human rights record. This resolution would prohibit the United States from selling the Saudis arms that could be used for offensive (but not defensive) purposes, including bombs, missiles, aircraft, munitions, tanks and armored vehicles. The suspension of arms transfers to the Saudis, however, contains a provision allowing a presidential waiver for national security interests provided the secretaries of state and defense certify that for the preceding 180 days, the Saudi-led coalition has ceased all air strikes and offensive ground operations not associated with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula or ISIS. Again, this would create a significant loophole. But if S. 3652 gains traction, it would go a long way toward ending US military assistance to Saudi Arabia in Yemen, providing accountability for Saudi atrocities and exerting international pressure on the Saudis to end their brutal killing in Yemen. S. Res. 714 Seeks Crown Princes Accountability for Khashoggi Murder Sen. Graham spearheaded a bipartisan non-binding resolution that expresses a high level of confidence that bin Salman was complicit in the death of Khashoggi, whom it identifies as an outspoken critic of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The resolution calls for bin Salman to be held accountable for his contribution to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. S. Res. 714, co-sponsored by Dianne Feinstein (D-California), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Todd Young (R-Indiana) and Chris Coons (D-Delaware), would express the sense of the Senate that the Saudi crown prince: be held accountable for contributing to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, preventing a resolution to the blockade of Qatar, the jailing and torture of dissidents and activists inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the use of force to intimidate rivals, and the abhorrent and unjustified murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. H. Con. Res. 138 Suffers From Similar Flaws as S. J. Res. 54 Meanwhile, H. Con. Res. 138, which directs the president to remove US Armed Forces from hostilities in Yemen, is pending in the House of Representatives. But procedural maneuvers by Republican Congress members have prevented its consideration during this congressional term. It will likely be reintroduced in some form when the Democrats assume control of the House in January. H. Con. Res. 138 suffers from similar infirmities as its Senate counterpart, S. J. Res. 54. But instead of carving out an exception for al Qaeda and associated forces, H. Con. Res. 138 exempts United States Armed Forces engaged in operations authorized under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force [AUMF] from the mandate of the resolution. Unlike S. J. Res. 54, the House resolution fails to define hostilities under the War Powers Resolution. Although Congress, in the 2001 AUMF, authorized the president to use all necessary and appropriate force only against individuals and groups responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks, three presidents have relied on it to justify at least 37 military operations in 14 countries, many of them unrelated to 9/11. In a letter to congressional representatives urging opposition to H. Con. Res. 138, the ACLU noted that the exception in the resolution for the 2001 AUMF raises serious concerns that the Executive Branch will claim that the Congress is implicitly recognizing and authorizing the United States use of force in Yemen under the AUMF. The ACLU letter also states, H. Con. Res. 138 could create a harmful precedent that causes the Executive Branch to claim Congress must pass a resolution of disapproval in order for the War Powers Resolution to be effective in stopping hostilities. Toward Ending US Support to Saudis in Yemen Notwithstanding deeply entrenched US support for Saudi Arabia, outrage over the Saudis torturous murder of Khashoggi, as well as campaigns by several progressive groups, have galvanized congressional opposition to US assistance for Saudi killing in Yemen. In March, a bipartisan Senate bill that would have halted US support to the Saudis in Yemen was defeated 55-44. At the time, Sen. Sanders, who co-sponsored the legislation, stated, Some will argue on the floor today that were really not engaged in hostilities, were not exchanging fire. Please tell that to the people of Yemen, whose homes and lives are being destroyed by weapons marked Made in the U.S.A., dropped by planes being refueled by the U.S. military on targets chosen with US assistance. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights determined that between March 26, 2015, and August 9, 2018, there were a total of 17,062 civilian casualties in Yemen 6,592 dead and 10,470 injured. The majority of them 10,471 resulted from airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led Coalition. There is a U.S. imprint on every single civilian death inside Yemen, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) recently declared, because though the bombs that are being dropped may come out of planes that are piloted by Saudis or [United Arab Emirates forces], they are U.S.-made bombs. Its unconscionable. Congress now has an unprecedented opportunity to pass a resolution that could substantially reduce the widespread killing and humanitarian disaster in Yemen. This would be the first time since its enactment in 1973 that the War Powers Resolution is used to end a US military operation. The Senate could act this week, but the House will not take up the matter before next year, and Trump has threatened to veto a resolution. There will invariably be amendments to any concurrent resolution in both the House and the Senate. Although the resolutions, as currently drafted, contain loopholes that could authorize US assistance to Saudi military actions against al Qaeda, and contain a clause for presidential waiver, public pressure on members of Congress to close those loopholes may well prove effective. And if sufficient pressure is applied, a resolution could garner enough congressional support to override a presidential veto. Professor Cohn writes frequent op-eds about current topics, including human rights, U.S. foreign policy, civil rights and liberties, racism, torture, drones, and the Supreme Court. They can be found on her blog. This article was originally published by " Truthout " - 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 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - If youve been paying attention to whats happening to the nonhuman life forms with which we share this planet, youve likely heard the term the Sixth Extinction. If not, look it up. After all, a superb environmental reporter, Elizabeth Kolbert, has already gotten a Pulitzer Prize for writing a book with that title. Whether the sixth mass species extinction of Earths history is already (or not quite yet) underway may still be debatable, but its clear enough that somethings going on, something that may prove even more devastating than a mass of species extinctions: the full-scale winnowing of vast populations of the planets invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. Think of it, to introduce an even broader term, as a wave of biological annihilation that includes possible species extinctions on a mass scale, but also massive species die-offs and various kinds of massacres. Someday, such a planetary winnowing may prove to be the most tragic of all the grim stories of human history now playing out on this planet, even if to date its gotten far less attention than the dangers of climate change. In the end, it may prove more difficult to mitigate than global warming. Decarbonizing the global economy, however hard, wont be harder or more improbable than the kind of wholesale restructuring of modern life and institutions that would prevent species annihilation from continuing. With that in mind, come along with me on a topsy-turvy journey through the animal and plant kingdoms to learn a bit more about the most consequential global challenge of our time. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Insects Are Vanishing When most of us think of animals that should be saved from annihilation, near the top of any list are likely to be the stars of the animal world: tigers and polar bears, orcas and orangutans, elephants and rhinos, and other similarly charismatic creatures. Few express similar concern or are likely to be willing to offer financial support to save insects. The few that are in our visible space and cause us nuisance, we regularly swat, squash, crush, or take out en masse with Roundup. As it happens, though, of the nearly two million known species on this planet about 70% of them are insects. And many of them are as foundational to the food chain for land animals as plankton are for marine life. Harvard entomologist (and ant specialist) E.O. Wilson once observed that if insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos. In fact, insects are vanishing. Almost exactly a year ago, the first long-term study of the decline of insect populations was reported, sparking concern (though only in professional circles) about a possible ecological Armageddon. Based on data collected by dozens of amateur entomologists in 63 nature reserves across Germany, a team of scientists concluded that the flying insect population had dropped by a staggering 76% over a 27-year period. At the same time, other studies began to highlight dramatic plunges across Europe in the populations of individual species of bugs, bees, and moths. What could be contributing to such a collapse? It certainly is human-caused, but the factors involved are many and hard to sort out, including habitat degradation and loss, the use of pesticides in farming, industrial agriculture, pollution, climate change, and even, insidiously enough, light pollution that leads nocturnal insects astray and interrupts their mating. This past October, yet more troubling news arrived. When American entomologist Bradford Lister first visited El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico in 1976, little did he know that a long-term study he was about to embark on would, 40 years later, reveal a hyperalarming new reality. In those decades, populations of arthropods, including insects and creepy crawlies like spiders and centipedes, had plunged by an almost unimaginable 98% in El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest within the U.S. National Forest System. Unsurprisingly, insectivores (populations of animals that feed on insects), including birds, lizards, and toads, had experienced similarly dramatic plunges, with some species vanishing entirely from that rainforest. And all of that happened before Hurricane Maria battered El Yunque in the fall of 2017. What had caused such devastation? After eliminating habitat degradation or loss -- after all, it was a protected national forest -- and pesticide use (which, in Puerto Rico, had fallen by more than 80% since 1969), Lister and his Mexican colleague Andres Garcia came to believe that climate change was the culprit, in part because the average maximum temperature in that rainforest has increased by four degrees Fahrenheit over those same four decades. Even though both scientific studies and anecdotal stories about what might be thought of as a kind of insectocide have, at this point, come only from Europe and North America, many entomologists are convinced that the collapse of insect populations is a worldwide phenomenon. As extreme weather events -- fires, floods, hurricanes -- begin to occur more frequently globally, connecting the dots across the planet has become a staple of climate-change communication to help the public understand how individual events are part of a larger trend. Now, such thinking has to be transferred to the world of the living so, as in the case of plummeting insect populations and the creatures that feed on them, biological annihilation sinks in. At the same time, whats driving such death spirals in any given place -- from pesticides to climate change to habitat loss -- may differ, making biological annihilation an even more complex phenomenon than climate change. The Edge of the Sea The animal kingdom is composed of two groups: invertebrates, or animals without backbones, and vertebrates, which have them. Insects are invertebrates, as are starfish, anemones, corals, jellyfish, crabs, lobsters, and many more species. In fact, invertebrates make up 97% of the known animal kingdom. In 1955, environmentalist Rachel Carsons book The Edge of the Sea was published, bringing attention for the first time to the extraordinary diversity and density of the invertebrate life that occupies the intertidal zone. Even now, more than half a century later, youve probably never considered that environment -- which might be thought of as the edge of the sea (or actually the ocean) -- as a forest. And neither did I, not until I read nature writer Tim McNultys book Olympic National Park: A Natural History some years ago. As he pointed out: The plant associations of the low tide zone are commonly arranged in multistoried communities, not unlike the layers of an old-growth forest. And in that old-growth forest, the starfish (or sea star) rules as the top predator of the nearshore. In 2013, a starfish die-off -- from a sea-star wasting disease caused by a virus -- was first observed in Washingtons Olympic National Park, though it was hardly confined to that nature preserve. By the end of 2014, as Lynda Mapes reported in the Seattle Times, more than 20 species of starfish from Alaska to Mexico had been devastated. At the time, I was living on the Olympic Peninsula and so started writing about and, as a photographer, documenting that die-off (a painful experience after having read Carsons exuberant account of that beautiful creature). The following summer, though, something magical happened. I suddenly saw baby starfish everywhere. Their abundance sparked hope among park employees I spoke with that, if they survived, most of the species would bounce back. Unfortunately, that did not happen. While younger sea stars took longer to show symptoms, once they did, they died right away, Mapes reported. That die-off was so widespread along the Pacific coast (in many sites, more than 99% of them) that scientists considered it unprecedented in geographic scale. The cause? Consider it the starfish version of a one-two punch: the climate-change-induced warming of the Pacific Ocean put stress on the animals while it made the virus that attacked them more virulent. Think of it as a perfect storm for unleashing such a die-off. It will take years to figure out the true scope of the aftermath, since starfish occupy the top of the food chain at the edge of the ocean and their disappearance will undoubtedly have cascading impacts, not unlike the vanishing of the insects that form the base of the food chain on land. Concurrent with the disappearance of the starfish, another unprecedented die-off was happening at the edge of the same waters, along the Pacific coast of the U.S. and Canada. It seemed to be one of the largest mass die-offs of seabirds ever recorded, Craig Welch wrote in National Geographic in 2015. And many more have been dying ever since, including Cassins auklets, thick-billed murres, common murres, fork-tailed petrels, short-tailed shearwaters, black-legged kittiwakes, and northern fulmars. That tragedy is still ongoing and its nature is caught in the title of a September article in Audubon magazine: In Alaska, Starving Seabirds and Empty Colonies Signal a Broken Ecosystem. To fully understand all of this, the dots will again have to be connected across places and species, as well as over time, but the great starfish die-off is an indication that biological annihilation is now an essential part of life at the edge of the sea. The Annihilation of Vertebrates The remaining 3% of the kingdom Animalia is made up of vertebrates. The 62,839 known vertebrate species include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The term biological annihilation was introduced in 2017 in a seminal paper by scientists Geraldo Ceballos, Paul Ehrlich, and Rodolpho Dirzo, whose research focused on the population declines, as well as extinctions, of vertebrate species. Our data, they wrote then, indicate that beyond global species extinctions Earth is experiencing a huge episode of population declines and extirpations. If anything, the 148-page Living Planet Report published this October by the World Wildlife Fund International and the Zoological Society of London only intensified the sense of urgency in their paper. As a comprehensive survey of the health of our planet and the impact of human activity on other species, its key message was grim indeed: between 1970 and 2014, it found, monitored populations of vertebrates had declined in abundance by an average of 60% globally, with particularly pronounced losses in the tropics and in freshwater systems. South and Central America suffered a dramatic loss of 89% of such vertebrates, while freshwater populations of vertebrates declined by a lesser but still staggering 83% worldwide. The results were based on 16,704 populations of 4,005 vertebrate species, which meant that the study was not claiming a comprehensive census of all vertebrate populations. It should instead be treated as a barometer of trends in monitored populations of them. What could be driving such an annihilatory wave to almost unimaginable levels? The report states that the main causes are overexploitation of species, agriculture, and land conversion -- all driven by runaway human consumption. It does, however, acknowledge that climate change, too, is a growing threat. When it comes to North America, the report shows that the decline is only 23%. Not so bad, right? Such a statistic could mislead the public into thinking that the U.S. and Canada are in little trouble and yet, in reality, insects and other animals, as well as plants, are dying across North America in surprisingly large numbers. From My Doorstep to the World Across Time My own involvement with biological annihilation started at my doorstep. In March 2006, a couple of days after moving into a rented house in northern New Mexico, I found a dead male house finch, a small songbird, on the porch. It had smashed into one of the buildings large glass windows and died. At the same time, I began to note startling numbers of dead pinon, New Mexicos state tree, everywhere in the area. Finding that dead bird and noting those dead trees sparked a desire in me to know what was happening in this new landscape of mine. When you think of an old-growth forest -- and here I dont mean the underwater version of one but the real thing -- what comes to your mind? Certainly not the desert southwest, right? The trees here dont even grow tall enough for that. An 800-year-old pinon may reach a height of 24 feet, not the 240-feet of a giant Sitka spruce of similar age in the Pacific Northwest. In the last decade, however, scientists have begun to see the pinon-juniper woodlands here as exactly that. I first learned this from a book, Ancient Pinon-Juniper Woodlands: A Natural History of Mesa Verde Country. It turns out that this low-canopy, sparsely vegetated woodland ecosystem supports an incredible diversity of wildlife. In fact, as a state, New Mexico has among the greatest diversity of species in the country. Its second in diversity of native mammals, third in birds, and fourth in overall biodiversity. Take birds. Trailing only California and Arizona, the state harbors 544 species, nearly half of the 1,114 species in the U.S. And consider this not praise for my adopted home, but a preface to a tragedy. Before I could even develop a full appreciation of the pinon-juniper woodland, I came to realize that most of the mature pinon in northern New Mexico had already died. Between 2001 and 2005, a tiny bark beetle known by the name of Ips confusus had killed more than 50 million of them, about 90% of the mature ones in northern New Mexico. This happened thanks to a combination of severe drought and rapid warming, which stressed the trees, while providing a superb environment for beetle populations to explode. And this, it turned out, wasnt in any way an isolated event. Multiple species of bark beetles were by then ravaging forests across the North American West. The black spruce, the white spruce, the ponderosa pine, the lodgepole pine, the whitebark pine, and the pinon were all dying. In fact, trees are dying all over the world. In 2010, scientists from a number of countries published a study in Forest Ecology and Management that highlights global climate-change-induced forest mortality with data recorded since 1970. In countries ranging from Argentina and Australia to Switzerland and Zimbabwe, Canada and China to South Korea and Sri Lanka, the damage to trees has been significant. In 2010, trying to absorb the larger ecological loss, I wrote: Hundreds of millions of trees have recently died and many more hundreds of millions will soon be dying. Now think of all the other lives, including birds and animals, that depended on those trees. What happened to them and how do we talk about that which we cant see and will never know? In fact, in New Mexico, we are finally beginning to find out something about the size and nature of that larger loss. Earlier this year, Los Alamos National Laboratory ornithologist Jeanne Fair and her colleagues released the results of a 10-year bird study on the Pajarito Plateau of New Mexicos Jemez Mountains, where some of the worst pinon die-offs have occurred. The study shows that, between 2003 and 2013, the diversity of birds declined by 45% and bird populations, on average, decreased by a staggering 73%. Consider the irony of that on a plateau whose Spanish name, Pajarito, means little bird. The pinon die-off that led to the die-off of birds is an example of connecting the dots across species and over time in one place. Its also an example of what writer Rob Nixon calls slow violence. That slowness (even if its speedy indeed on the grand calendar of biological time) and the need to grasp the annihilatory dangers in our world will mean staying engaged way beyond any normal set of news cycles. It will involve what I think of as long environmentalism. Lets return, then, to that dead finch on my porch. A study published in 2014 pointed out that as many as 988 million birds die each year in the U.S. by crashing into glass windows. Even worse, domestic and feral cats kill up to 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals annually in this country. In Australia and Canada, two other places where such feline slaughters of birds have been studied, the estimated numbers are 365 million and 200 million respectively -- another case of connecting the dots across places and species when it comes to the various forms of biological annihilation underway on this planet. Those avian massacres, one the result of modern architecture and our desire to see the outside from the inside, the other stemming from our urge for non-human companionship, indicate that climate change is but one cause of a planet-wide trend toward biological annihilation. And this is hardly a contemporary story. It has a long history, including for instance the mass killing of Arctic whales in the seventeenth century, which generated so much wealth that it helped make the Netherlands into one of the richest nations of that time. In other words, Arctic whaling proved to be an enabler of the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic, the era when Rembrandt and Vermeer made paintings still appreciated today. The large-scale massacre and near extinction of the American bison (or buffalo) in the nineteenth century, to offer a more modern example, paved the way for white settler colonial expansion into the American West, while destroying Native American food security and a way of life. As a U.S. Army colonel put it then, Kill every buffalo you can! Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone. Today, such examples have not only multiplied drastically but are increasingly woven into human life and life on this planet in ways we still hardly notice. These, in turn, are being exacerbated by climate change, the human-induced warming of the world. To mitigate the crisis, to save life itself, would require not merely the replacement of carbon-dirty fossil fuels with renewable forms of energy, but a genuine reevaluation of modern life and its institutions. In other words, to save the starfish, the pinon, the birds, and the insects, and us in the process, has become the most challenging and significant ethical obligation of our increasingly precarious time. Subhankar Banerjee, a TomDispatch regular, is an activist, artist, and public scholar. A professor of art and ecology, he holds the Lannan Chair at the University of New Mexico. He is currently writing a book on biological annihilation. Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, John Feffers new dystopian novel (the second in the Splinterlands series) Frostlands, Beverly Gologorsky's novel Every Body Has a Story, and Tom Engelhardt's A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy's In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power and John Dower's The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II. Copyright 2018 Subhankar Banerjee 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 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - It is hard to watch TV these days without seeing reports pertaining to the recent death of the elder George Bush former president, CIA director, and whitewashed war criminal. I call him a whitewashed war criminal because there are inconvenient truths that the mainstream media would rather ignore in favor of the usual hero worship that accompanies the death of a popular politician (see also: coverage on the death of John McCain or, even more egregiously, Richard Nixon). Sprucing up our departed politicians, disgraced or otherwise, seems to be a nod to our most respected civil discourse values, but its not a favor to the truth and the whitewashing only makes it more likely to happen again. Perhaps the most inconvenient truth relating to war crimes of Bush the Elder involves Panama in 1989. Under the guise of protecting democracy, then-President Bush illegally invaded a sovereign nation that posed no threat to the United States, calling it Operation Just Cause, in order to remove its ruler with disastrous results. The U.S. government acknowledges that at least 300 Panamanian civilians were killed, but other sources have estimated that as many as several thousand were killed with tens of thousands displaced. At best you could call it an overreaction to Noriegas involvement in drug trafficking and a peculiar form of democracy promotion. The era of slaughtering civilians as acceptable collateral damage is over in the eyes of international law and simple decency. Bush could have resolved that contretemps without Panamanian children and other noncombatants dying. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter At the time, Bush was facing criticism at home for being a wimp. Apparently, cutting civilians down removed that label and cleared a line of sight to his next adventure, into Kuwait and Iraq, where his forces engaged in a turkey shoot (the words of some of the aircraft gunners who mowed down defenseless fleeing Iraqi conscripts). But those are simple examples from the George H. W. Bush White House years, a one-term run. What of the rest of his life? Weve heard the encomiums, but the gaps and omissions that are not so flattering need to be a part of the record, if not harped on in the immediate time of a persons funeral or memorial. Bush was Nixons Chair of the Republican National Committee during the Watergate scandal, not a praiseworthy time for most ranking Republicans, and he committed some nefarious political acts in that role. His role in the war crimes committed by the Contra in Nicaragua is another very dirty, lethal episode, exposed briefly some 30 years ago. So, please, yes, lets be respectful at funerals and in first announcements, but when the truth is buried alongside the bodies it is of poor service to history, to American self-assessment, and to respect for the whole truth. We have little patience for Germans who deny their Nazi history, no fondness for Japanese who forget that they were brutal aggressors in the 1930s and 40s. We expect others to learn from studying both their accomplishments and their horrific mistakes. We can expect no less of ourselves. This article was originally published by " LA Progressive " - 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. Apple has requested a view of a ban on iPhone sales in China that was granted by a court at the request of Qualcomm, according to CNBC. The ban was announced on Monday following a Qualcomm statement that Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court had granted its request for injunctions against four Apple subsidiaries. The injunction ordered Apple to immediately stop selling some iPhone models in China. Chip-giant Qualcomm alleges that Apple violated its patents on features enabling consumers to adjust and reformat the size and appearance of photographs, and for the method by which users view, navigate, and dismiss applications using the phone's touchscreen. The iPhone models banned from sale include the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, and X. But according to Shanghai-based news agency The Paper, these handsets were still being sold on Apple's official Chinese website after Qualcomm made the announcement. "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," Apple said in a statement. Jin Weixia from the Huiye Law Firm said it's unlikely that Apple can overturn the ban. "Because it's difficult to judge the infringement of a method patent, so for the court to make this ruling, it must have a high level of certainty." Jin said that a party subject to such a ban should immediately abide by the ruling once they receive it. They can then apply for the decision to be reviewed, but they should abide by the ruling during the review period. But Jin added that, so far, the court has not published its official ruling detailing the sales ban. Today, the United States and Allies conducted an extraordinary flight under the Open Skies Treaty. The timing of this flight is intended to reaffirm U.S. commitment to Ukraine and other partner nations. The United States is resolute in our support for the security of European nations. Department of Defense news release, Dec. 6, 2018 December 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Who wants to go to war against Russia in defense of Ukraine over the Kerch Strait, which lies between the Black and Azov seas and between Russias Taman Peninsula and Russian-annexed Crimea? A show of hands, please. But careful: dont misconstrue my question. Im not asking who wants the United States to go to war. Im asking, rather: who is personally willing to fight the Russian military over the strait? Or: who is willing to see his or her sons and daughters fight, kill, and die in that cause? Now, again, a show of hands, please. Anyone? No one? I didnt think so. Who could blame you? Are Americans supposed to be eager to drop everything to go wherever the U.S. government decides they should go to kill and die in its Nineteen Eighty-Four-ish geopolitical games? And short of fighting personally, must they pay the economic price the taxes surrendered and opportunities forgone that is required to maintain a military establishment capable of playing those games throughout the world? What does individual freedom amount to if Americans are subject to a regimes orders to enlist one way or another in whatever crusade that may catch the polite elites and commentariats fancy? Considering that Russia, like us, is a nuclear power, this is not hyperbole. American and Russian rulers, should they clash, wouldnt have to intend to go nuclear. Accidents happen. Miscalculations born of bravado, brinkmanship, or mere uncertainty could not be ruled out. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter All those pundits and politicians who are egging Donald Trump on to face down Vladimir Putin in his conflict with Ukraine are playing recklessly with the lives of Americans and many others. Its damn serious business, so theyd better stop and think about what theyre doing before its too late. True, in a week or two, we noninterventionists may look as though we overreacted to the Kerch Strait crisis. But who knows? Why take a chance? War would be a catastrophe, maybe the biggest the world has ever seen. Id rather overreact now than regret not having said anything later. The U.S. government has no businesses policing relations between Ukraine and Russia. Even if that role were appropriate for some party, the U.S. government would not be the one because it hardly has clean hands in the matter. Since the 1990s after the peaceful fall of the Soviet Union, Democratic and Republican presidents have threatened Russia by moving the anti-Soviet NATO alliance which at the latest, should have ended with the fall right up to Russias border, contrary to late President George H. W. Bushs assurances, by incorporating former Soviet allies and republics. Were the Russians supposed to assume that those obviously aggressive moves were benign? Or were they bound to see them as a systematic encroachment, an affront to their long-standing and not unreasonable security concerns? (Russia was invaded from the west three times in the last century.) You didnt have to be a wise man like George Kennan to see NATO expansion in the post-Soviet era as crazy. And lets not forget that major foreign-policy players in the United States favor even more expansion to include, yes, former Soviet republics Ukraine and Georgia, both of which have provoked Russia in recent years while assuming the U.S. government would back them up. If Ukraine were a member of NATO, the U.S. could be treaty-bound to defend it. Most relevantly, the Obama administration, with John Kerry running a State Department staffed with predecessor Hillary Clintons appointees, supported a coup in Kiev, in which neo-Nazis had a hand, that drove a democratically elected and Russia-friendly president from office. Spooked by this threatening move, Putin annexed Crimea, which had figured in Russias security architecture for hundreds of years. A NATO that included Crimea would have jeopardized Russias long-time Black Sea naval base at Sevastopol. The annexation had the support of most of the inhabitants of Crimea. (Yes, Crimea had been part of Ukraine, but of course Ukraine had been part of the Soviet Union.) The U.S. foreign-policy establishment likes to portray Trump as soft on Russia, but thats a joke in light of what he has done. NATO has continued to expand under Trump, and he unlike Barack Obama has sent and plans to continue sending weapons to the Ukrainian government, which contains neo-Nazis and which is repressing the separatist-minded people of eastern Ukraine. (Candidate Trumps opposition to arming Ukraine was once Exhibit A for those contending he was Putins lackey. Strangely, his change of heart apparently hasnt altered that judgment.) Now, with the Kerch Strait incident, the illiberal, martial-law-imposing president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, has done something that looks suspiciously like a provocation intended to shore up his sinking political fortunes and to keep the West agitated about the alleged Putin threat. (See Ted Galen Carpenters discussion Ukraine Doesnt Deserve Americas Blind Support.) Poroshenko brazenly tried to send ships through the Kerch Strait without abiding by Russias declared procedures. As a result, ships were seized and some sailors injured. Did Poroshenko not know how Russia would react? Or did he want such a reaction? Regardless of the merits of Poroshenkos claims and even assuming Putin is up to no good, we must ask why this is something Americans should have to sweat over. Russia has an economy and military far smaller than Americas. It is no threat to Americans who simply want to live their lives free of government impositions. Its also not a threat to Europe. Putin did not try to annex eastern Ukraine when he annexed Crimea. For one thing, it would be an economic burden that Russia is in no position to handle. But Russia, like the United States, has lots of hydrogen bombs. But that means the threat to Americans comes, not from Russia, but from the U.S. government, which is in a position to start a world war with Putin. Therefore, Trump should tell the New McCarthyite warmongers to keep quiet. The foreign policy appropriate to a free society is nonintervention. These days, thats more obvious than ever. Sheldon Richman is the executive editor of The Libertarian Institute, senior fellow and chair of the trustees of the Center for a Stateless Society, and a contributing editor at Antiwar.com. He is the former senior editor at the Cato Institute and Institute for Humane Studies, former editor of The Freeman, published by the Foundation for Economic Education, and former vice president at the Future of Freedom Foundation. His latest book is Americas Counter-Revolution: The Constitution Revisited. This article was originally published by " The Libertarian Institute " - 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. The Largest Conspiracy Theory Peddlers Are MSM And The US State Department By Caitlin Johnstone December 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The US State Department has issued a statement accusing the Syrian government of having carried out a false flag chemical weapons attack in northwestern Aleppo with the intent to blame it on the jihadist factions in the region, citing credible info that the public has not been permitted to see. Never mind the known fact that there are actual, literal Al Qaeda affiliates who have admitted to using chemical weapons in Aleppo, and who are known to have used chemical weapons throughout Syria even by the State Departments own admission: the Official Narrative is that only the Syrian government uses chemical weapons, so the chemical weapons usage must necessarily be a false flag staged by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Except they didnt use the words false flag. Despite the accusation being the exact definition of the thing that a false flag attack is, you wont see the US government using that term, nor will you ever see it used in this instance by any of the authorized mainstream narrative-framing institutions like CNN or Fox News. This is because the term false flag is reserved solely for mention when referring to crazy, kooky Kremlin propaganda, as in the insane, unhinged, tinfoil hat belief that terrorists in Syria might possibly have some kind of motive to stage a false flag chemical attack in order to get the US, UK and France to act as their air force in a retaliatory strike against the Syrian government. That kind of false flag would be completely inconceivable to any right-minded empire loyalist, and is forbidden to even think about. At the same time we are seeing a push from the mass media to advance a narrative that the Yellow Vests protests in France are due to Russian influence, with Iraq-raping neocon Max Boot publishing a column today in the Washington Post that is based entirely around the talking point that two trending Russian topics on social media have been giletsjaune and France, and Bloomberg putting out an article blatantly titled Pro-Russia Social Media Takes Aim at Macron as Yellow Vests Rage. Their entire theory is that since there are people in Russia talking about a major event that everyone else in the world is also talking about, the protests against Macrons unpopular centrist policies are therefore the result of a conspiracy seeded by Russia. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter But youll never hear this theory about a Russian conspiracy referred to as a conspiracy theory by the mainstream press. The theory that Russian elites have conspired to infiltrate the highest levels of the US government has been given serious treatment at the top echelons of media and political influence, despite its lacking any discernible evidence whatsoever, but when they talk about these alleged conspiracies they always make a point of using the word collusion instead. There is no actual difference between the words collude and conspire when used in this way, but the former is used because a deliberate effort has been made to stigmatize the word conspiracy while the word collude remains effectively neutral in the public eye. But the fact of the matter is that conspiracy theories have gone mainstream, and there is no legitimate reason to call the authorized, power-manufactured conspiracy theories by a different name than the grassroots narratives like those about 9/11 or the JFK assassination. Indeed, due to the nature of populist folk narratives there is a lot more publicly available evidence contradicting the official 9/11 and JFK assassination stories than there is for the establishment Russia conspiracy theories, because those narratives often boil down to nothing more than secretive intelligence agencies saying This is true because we said so. Since grassroots conspiracy theories are unable to rely on empty assertions from authority, they tend to be built upon information that is publicly available. Some people get annoyed with me for using the term conspiracy theory at all, but I insist that the phrase is itself intrinsically neutral: a theory about a conspiracy. The problem is not the phrase, it is the stigma that has been attached to that phrase by establishment media and establishment politicians; shifting to a different phrase to describe theories about conspiracies would only ensure that that phrase becomes stigmatized in the exact same way by the same sort of campaign. This would only ensure the survival of the tactic of regurgitating a pre-stigmatized label in the war of ideas instead of advancing actual arguments. The fact of the matter is that powerful people do indeed conspire, those conspiracies do indeed need to be talked about, and the largest promulgators of conspiracy theories are not Infowars or RT, but mainstream media and the US State Department. Those who dismiss an idea by calling it a conspiracy theory without providing further argumentation are simply admitting to you that they have no argument, and it is right to point this out when they do it, because something being a conspiracy theory doesnt mean its not grounded in facts. Some conspiracy theories are good and are backed by solid evidence, some are stupid and are circulated for intellectually dishonest reasons. Once upon a time you would be called a conspiracy theorist for saying the west is arming terrorists in Syria or the DNC is conspiring to ensure the primary victory of Hillary Clinton; those things are now conspiracy facts, as history has vindicated the solid theories which predicted them. Other conspiracy theories are promulgated by dim-witted partisan loyalists for no other reason than dim-witted partisan loyalty, like the aforementioned Russiagate conspiracy theory, or the QAnon conspiracy theory which claims Donald Trump is leading a rebellion against the Deep State as cryptically reported by an anonymous user on 8chan. Other conspiracy theories are subscribed to simply because they help people escape the cognitive dissonance of conflicting beliefs. For example, a strong believer in capitalism who sees the undeniable signs that a plutocratic class has control of their government, but who cannot accept that this plutocratic takeover was facilitated by a rampant capitalist system which ensures that the greediest sociopaths rise to the top, may avoid cognitive dissonance by explaining the existence of the corrupt dominator class with conspiracy theories about Jews or pedovore cults. A liberal who cannot accept that neoliberal empire loyalists like Macron have failed to make centrism cool as Max Boot predicted will avoid cognitive dissonance by explaining the failures of the Church of the Status Quo with conspiracy theories about Russian social media campaigns. To defeat populism, America needs its own Macron--a charismatic leader who can make centrism cool. My take: https://t.co/AAF1YwTnqb Max Boot (@MaxBoot) June 15, 2017 Conspiracy theories, in reality, are nothing more than peoples attempts to explain what is going on in their world. Why Trump got elected. Why things stay shitty despite our perfectly rational attempts to change them. Why voting doesnt seem to make much difference in the actual behaviors of ones government. Why we keep marching into stupid wars, Orwellian dystopia and climate collapse despite having every incentive not to. Why the wealthiest of the wealthy keep getting wealthier while everyone else gets poorer and poorer. Some attempts to explain these things will come from a well-informed and intellectually honest place, and some will come from a myopic and intellectually dishonest place. Their individual merits can only be assessed on a case-by-case basis. And in my opinion the conspiracy theories coming from the worlds most powerful institutions are the most dishonest by far. I saw a recent post by the WikiLeaks Twitter account which referred to the corporate media as the narrative business pretending to be in the news business, which is in my opinion a perfect way to phrase it. The real currency of the world is not gold, nor is it bureaucratic fiat, nor even raw military force; its narrative control. The ability to control the stories people tell about whats going on in their world means the ability to control how they think, how they vote, how they behave, and how they all agree money and power itself operates within our society. Since society is made of narrative, controlling the narrative is controlling that society. Conspiracy theories are a way for those in power to manipulate the narrative without actually giving the public any hard facts and evidence, and the worlds most powerful institutions are increasingly relying on conspiracy theories because they dont have facts and evidence on their side. And why would they? The same power establishment which deceived the world into destroying Iraq is obviously far too depraved to be able to justify its global hegemony with factual evidence. All they have is narrative control, and theyre starting to lose even that. Caitlin's articles are entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking her on Facebook, following her antics on Twitter, checking out her podcast, throwing some money into her hat on Patreon or Paypal, or buying her book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. https://caitlinjohnstone.com 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 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Marc Lamont Hill, Tim Anderson, Steven Salaita, Rabab Abdulhadi, Hatem Bazian, Ahlam Muhtasib, Norman Finkelstein and other academics have all been targets of the movement to silence their criticisms of Israel and their defense of Palestinians. This includes threats and legal actions to try to deny them employment, in violation of their free speech rights, one of the most hallowed and ancient principles of academia. Salaita and Finkelstein were, in fact, denied employment, to the great detriment of their entire career. Hill and Anderson are currently defending themselves from this threat. It is central to our understanding of these threats that the accusers are invariably Zionist or pro-Zionist individuals and institutions. Their backers include the Israeli government, which co-ordinates the movement through its Ministry of Strategic Affairs, the Israel lobbies in the US, UK, France, Australia and other countries, and the major Jewish Zionist billionaire funders, such as Sheldon Adelson, Haim Saban, Bernard Marcus and others. They emphatically do not include non-Zionist or anti-Zionist Jews, but almost always include non-Jewish Zionists. This is already enough to conclude that there is a fundamental difference between Jews and Zionists and that many are one without being the other, including some ultra-orthodox Jews, like the Neturei Karta. The relevance of this is that the accusations against the critics of Israel are always that they are racist anti-Jews; i.e., anti-Semitic. The evidence consists of testimony from Jewish students and Jewish organizations that the criticisms make them feel unsafe or that they find them offensive. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter But is any of the testimony from non-Zionist Jews? Or is it only from Zionists? Why dont non-Zionist Jews feel offended? If none of them feel offended and only Zionists (both Jewish and non-Jewish), how can the charge of anti-Semitism be supported? This is highly relevant to the defense of such cases. If someone is offended at skin piercings or tattoos or dark skin or light skin or atheism or other types of appearance and speech, is that a reason to banish them from the campus (or elsewhere)? It is part of a free society and respect for rights that anyone so offended will simply have to live with such feelings or go elsewhere. In a tolerant society, it is permitted to voice both Zionist and anti-Zionist views. In fact, it is permitted to voice racist views, although it is not required to provide funding or resources for such views unless they are de jure available to all members of a society, (e.g. a speakers platform in a public park or a meeting room in a public library). Is Zionism or anti-Zionism racist? Anti-Zionism is not, because its plainly not anti-Semitism. But Zionism advocates a Jewish state and supports the ethnic cleansing of another people, the Palestinians, in order to realize and maintain such a state. It enforces draconian laws and practices against Palestinian citizens of Israel, and even stronger measures, including the deliberate shooting of unarmed civilians, against Palestinians in territories that it controls. From the beginning, it has sought to expel or eliminate as many Palestinians as possible. On the other hand, the Palestinian movements even Hamas have always argued that a persons religion or race is irrelevant to their rights in the lands that they wish to liberate from Zionism. All of the academics that the Zionist movement has targeted for persecution, silencing and dismissal support this ideal. We must therefore ask ourselves, who are the racists? Paul Larudee is one of the founders of the Free Gaza and Free Palestine Movements and an organizer in the International Solidarity Movement. Read other articles by Paul. This article was originally published by " Dissident Voice " - 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 11, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The 6 December was the first anniversary of US President Donald Trumps announcement that he recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital and that he would move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city. The announcement was cheered by Israel and its supporters for whom international laws and conventions are at best meaningless and at worst an irritant. Trump suggested that this move would help bring peace to the Holy Land. How wrong he was. Anyone but a diehard Zionist would have told him that he was deluded to think this, but nobody in his administration would have done so, because those tasked with developing a peace deal fall into this category. One of these cheerleaders for Apartheid Israel is Nimrata Randhawa, better known to the world as Nikki Haley, the US Representative to the United Nations. In the UN Security Council, she can wield the US veto to protect Israel but she is unable to do that in the General Assembly, where no state has a veto. Her swansong in the chamber was an embarrassment for her and her country. Haley left what was her final General Assembly with her pro-Israel tail firmly between her legs. Her resolution to condemn Hamas was voted down, while a resolution reiterating the call for a comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, which she opposed, passed overwhelmingly. It is particularly galling that Haley wanted to use the UN to condemn Palestinians while defending Israel and its breaches of hundreds of resolutions passed by the very organisation she wanted to use to sanction the people of Palestine who are in breach of none. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The US envoys period in office has been characterised by her complete dismissal of Palestinian rights and unwavering support for Israel to ensure that it never faces accountability for its crimes. Her support for Israel since she took on the role has been astonishing. Early on in her appointment she made the defence of the Zionist state at the UN her primary goal, insisting that, The days of Israel-bashing at the United Nations are over. She added that the passing of so-called anti-Israel resolutions in the Security Council, referring to the anti-settlement resolution 2334, would never happen again. Haley even blocked the appointment of former PA prime minster Salam Fayyad as UN Envoy to Libya. For too long the UN has been unfairly biased in favour of the Palestinian Authority to the detriment of our allies in Israel, she claimed. Following Israels murder of over 60 Palestinians protesting peacefully on one day at the height of the Great March of Return demonstrations in the besieged Gaza Strip, Haley blocked a call for an international investigation into Israeli tactics in dealing with the peaceful protests. Instead, she blamed Iran and terrorist proxies for causing the violence. Haley went on to praise the Israeli forces performance throughout the protests: I ask my colleagues here in the Security Council, who among us would accept this type of activity on your border? No one would. No country in this chamber would act with more restraint than Israel has. In fact, the records of several countries here today suggest they would be much less restrained. She did not refer to the right that the Palestinian refugees marching to the nominal border fence have to return to their homes inside what is now called Israel. Resolution 194 regarding the right of return is yet another of the UN resolutions which Israel has failed to implement, even though its membership of the UN itself was conditional on doing so. Palestinians will not forget her action on the day when 21-year-old volunteer medic Razan Al-Najjar was killed by an Israeli snipers bullet, possibly sourced from the US. Ambassador Haley fought to scupper a resolution in the Security Council calling for protection for the Palestinians. One of Haleys most embarrassing moments came when she tried to defend the US Presidents decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital and to move the embassy from Tel Aviv. A resolution calling for the withdrawal of such recognition was backed by every council member except the US, which then used its veto to block it. The resolution demanded that all countries comply with pre-existing UN Security Council resolutions on Jerusalem, dating back to 1967, including requirements that the citys final status be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Haley denounced the resolution as an insult and insisted that this action would not be forgotten. The United States will not be told by any country where we can put our embassy, she blustered. Its scandalous to say we are putting back peace efforts. The fact that this veto is being done in defence of American sovereignty and in defence of Americas role in the Middle East peace process is not a source of embarrassment for us; it should be an embarrassment to the remainder of the security council. Haley walked out of the chamber as the representative for Palestine began to speak. In October, she announced her resignation as Americas UN envoy but her defence of Israel ran through to the last minute of her period in office, which concluded with the General Assembly on 6 December. The outcome of the vote on the two resolutions tabled at the GA last week was important to Palestinians and supporters of a just resolution to the conflict. Haleys anti-Palestinian resolution called for condemnation of Hamas for repeatedly firing rockets into Israel and for inciting violence, thereby putting civilians at risk, and for its use of resources in Gaza to construct military infrastructure, including tunnels to infiltrate Israel and equipment to launch rockets into civilian areas. The US-drafted text did not make any reference to Israels killing of nearly 300 peaceful protesters since 30 March or the botched covert Israeli operation inside Gaza that led to the recent flare up. The result of the vote was 87 in favour, 58 against, with 32 abstentions. While this resolution gained a simple majority, including support from EU countries, it did not pass the two-thirds majority that the GA agreed would be necessary for it to pass. While Palestinians and their supporters were relieved and pleased, a closer examination shows worrying signs of a possible shift in support for Palestinian rights, including the legitimate right to resist a 51-year long illegal occupation and a 12-year siege on Gaza. The Palestinians, though, can take comfort from the passing of the second resolution. The General Assembly called for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine in favour of the two-state solution. Not only did Israel vote against the Irish and Bolivian resolution as expected, but the US did as well, giving the clearest possible indication that it no longer supports a two-state solution. Australia also voted against a two-state solution, but none of the five countries opposed to the second resolution offered any alternative. This General Assembly was likely to be Haleys last public appearance as US Envoy. She has undoubtedly changed the role to one that takes its lead from both the US and Israeli administrations such that Americas Security Council veto is also openly Israels to use. This is a dangerous development, which together with the increasing support in the UN for condemnation of what Palestinians and international law regard as legitimate resistance is extremely detrimental to international law and order. The situation requires an urgent strategy to counter it. Nikki Haley will not be missed by either Palestinians or their supporters. Good riddance, we say, to an apologist for Israel who has been the face at the UN of a completely biased, anti-Palestinian US administration. The Palestinians should be under no illusion that the next holder of the position, and those developing the ultimate deal, will be working to liquidate the Palestinian cause. However, those working against Palestinian rights should also know that they have picked on a people who have demonstrated over decades that they will not give up on their rights, whatever the challenges. This article was originally published by " MEMO " - 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. Former vice president Atiku Abubakar emerged as one of the most searched people in Nigeria on Google in 2018. The former VP, who is also the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), made the list with Alexis Sanchez coming first, Meghan Markel, Stan Lee, Philippe Coutinho, Late OAP, Tosyn Bucknor among others. Reacting to the report, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, took to Twitter to mock president Muhammadu Buhari, who controls all government owned agency in Nigeria but failed to make the list. The senator said the presidents unpopularity, is the reason he has refused to sign the 2018 Electoral Amendment Bill, because rigging is his only option. He wrote: Muhammadu Buhari, a sitting Nigerian President who controls all government owned media, does not even feature in the top 10 Google searches in Nigeria. Atiku Abubakar is the most searched politician in Nigeria. No wonder Buhari does want to #SigntheElectoralAct. Rigging is his ONLY option! The minister made his resignation known at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting, today. Jibrin, became minister after former Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed had resigned in 2017 to take up United Nations job. Jibrin, left his job as minister after he was elected as the new Emir of Nasarawa, in Nasarawa Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. Vanguard The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) says President Muhammadu Buhari has saved the country a chaotic electoral process by withholding his assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Thisday Afenifere chieftains led by Senator Ayo Fasanmi last night canvassed President Muhammadu Buharis reelection during a visit to Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola. The Sun The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Plateau State, said Governor Simon Lalong could trigger a bloody political crisis in the state following his desperate attempt to remain in power against the wish of the people. Daily Times Another round of defections paralysed the Akwa Ibom state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday as chapter chairmen from 16 local government areas across the three senatorial Districts in the state dumped their brooms in support of Governor Udom Emmanuel of the People Democratic Party (PDP). Leadership Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and Wife Of The President Of The Federation, Aisha Buhari have called for the sensitization of stakeholders on the empowerment of the female gender in the country. Daily Trust An ex-APC governorship aspirant in Borno State, Attom Muhammad Magira, has appealed to his fellow aspirants who are aggrieved by the outcome of the election to rescind their decision to go to court. The Nation The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday welcomed to its fold about 500 political appointees and elected officials who served under the first and second terms of former Governor Ayodele Fayose. Tribune BORNO State governor, Kashim Shettima and his Lagos State counterpart, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday, met with aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West over the outcome of the primaries of the party to elect candidates for the 2019 general election. Celebrity female Police officer, Dolapo Badmos, stepped out in style wearing a camouflage-theme top, and her fans are reacting to the Instagram photo online. The Police Public Relations Officer of Zone 2 Command, CSP Dolapo Badmos, took to her Instagram page to share a photo of herself rocking a military camouflage inspired outfit, and captioned it; Military Version #encorefitness. Just as well expected, some of her followers including recently called-to-bar lawyer, Ayo Shonaiya, quickly asked her if the Army could harrass her if they spot her wearing the outfit in the street. The fair-skinned and charming female police officer, reacted to the question and said that it is not possible that she could be harrassed by military officials if they see her wearing the outfit. Below are her reactions to the questions we culled from Instagram; Reno Omokri, who was aide to ex president Goodluck Jonathan, has again thrown thick mud at presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu and the presidency, for insulting former president Olusegun Obasanjo. This time, he lambasted President Muhammadu Buharis spokesman over statement he made against former president, that he cant be taken seriously anymore. Mr Shehu had on Wednesday in Abuja, as he spoke to journalists said, the presidency no longer gives attention to utterances of the former president This was in reaction to a statement in which, Obasanjo firmly noted that he isnt neutral, as regards the coming election, and his candidate is his former vice, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Garba said Obasanjo had publicly torn his party card in 2015 but he is now vehemently in support of the same party. This means the former president may pick one candidate today and dump him tomorrow. Former president Obasanjo denounces one person today and supports that same person the next day. When it pleases him, he brings God into the matter and uses that as his excuse for whatever position he has chosen. We have learnt not to take his utterances seriously anymore. We know that the slightest wind can make him change his mind again. After all, this is the same man who publicly tore his party registration card barely four years ago, and he now claims to be backing the same party. However, Omokri has expressed deep dissatisfaction over Garbage Shehus statement. He accused the presidential spokesperson of biting the fingers that have fed him, adding that he would Als do the same to Buhari. I am ashamed for the President over its latest statement insulting ex President Obasanjo. Even worse that the statement is signed by Garba Shehu, a man Obasanjo appointed as SA Media in 2003. Buhari, your time will come. The AGIP Garba is known for biting fingers that fed him. I am ashamed for the @NGRPresident over its latest statement insulting ex President Obasanjo. Even worse that the statement is signed by @GarShehu, a man Obasanjo appointed as SA Media in 2003. @MBuhari, your time will come. The AGIP Garba is known for biting fingers that fed him Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) December 12, 2018 Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governorship candidate of the Lagos state, All Progressives Congress(APC), has said that the forthcoming election in the state, will be about who has the best credentials to rule the state not who can dish out the most insults. The governorship candidate said this, in reactions to series of tweets by his opponent, Jimi Agbaje of the PDP, via Twitter on Tuesday. Agbaje, had in some tweets, mocked and countered statements made by Sanwo-Olu, in an interview on TVC. In an apparent response to my outing on leading TV station on Sunday night, a hurried arrangement was made to feature the panicky opposition candidate on TV. Clearly a rehashed session, here is a dissection of what he talked about. Jimi Agbaje (@jimiagbaje) December 11, 2018 However, in his reaction, Sanwo-Olu maintained that Agbaje, should focus on issues that affect the lives of Lagosians, positively and not dishing out insults. He said: Fellow Lagosians, my opponent, Mr. Jimi Agbaje had a tweet storm yesterday night where he attempted, though in a very poor manner, to join issues with me on my appearance on TVC yesterday morning. My initial reaction was to ignore him. In this campaign season,it behoves on anyone seeking to be governor of Lagos to have an elevated mind. As leaders,we should place a high premium on civility and imbibe a high level of decorum in a period like this as example to our followers. Our campaign should be about important issues that affect the lives of our people; what we are bringing to the table to make life more meaningful to Lagosians. This election will be about who has the best credentials to lead Lagos at this time of our development. It wont be about who can dish out the most insults or tell the most lies. It will also not be about who can instigate ethnic tensions between the Yorubas and the Igbos. The election will be about who has the best plan to continue with the progressive and developmental agenda of Lagos that started since 1999. Lagos is a work in progress. In my published interviews in major newspapers this past Sunday. I was clear when I said Mr. Agbaje is my egbon. He is older than me . There is a level of decency that is expected of an elder. A small drone able to fly more than 24 hours on just one charge made its first flight Tuesday, according to China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). The small long-endurance drone HW-350 [Photo: casic.com.cn] The multi-use drone, the HW-350, was developed by HIWING General Aviation Equipment Co., Ltd based on the demands of building an emergency communication test system and long distance aerial emergency drone system. It can be used to monitor the environment using a radar sensor. The drone system consists of an unmanned aerial vehicle, a command and control vehicle, and a ground support compartment. The drone is able to diagnose software problems on its own. The HW-350 is expected to work with low orbit satellites to form emergency communication systems, able to work with satellites at high, middle, and low altitude, as well as those underwater. A recent statement by former president Olusegun Obasanjo has been written off, by the presidency, saying it isnt worthy of attention. The former president had in a statement earlier in the week, stated that he can not be neutral, when it comes to the 2019 presidential election, as he was reacting to reports by NAN, that he had decided to be neutral. Obasanjo had said only a fool would sit on the fence, for the forthcoming election especially when the country is almost totally destroyed by incompetence and nepotism. Spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, said it is immaterial, whoever the former president chooses to endorse for next years presidential election as he may likely change his mind, soon after. He noted that Obasanjo, has a way of endorsing one candidate today, and picking up another tomorrow and as such, they have learnt not to take him seriously anymore. Apple has been relying on custom-built pieces within a lot of its products for quite some time, including within the Apple Watch, and, perhaps most importantly, with the A-series chips within the iPhone and iPad lineups. And it sounds like that effort will be expanding to cellular modems as well. At least, thats according to a new report from The Information, which was published on Wednesday that sheds some light on Apples plans, even if the details are still pretty light at this point. While the report is based on information ascertained from unnamed sources, it also relies on a new job posting that Apple published last week, which is focused on finding a cellular modem systems architect. Now Apple has provided the clearest evidence yet that it is working on one of the most complicated and expensive hardware ingredients in its devices: a cellular modem. In a job listing posted a week ago, which hasnt previously been reported, the company said it is looking for a cellular modem systems architect to work in its San Diego office. The unnamed sources said that this is an active project within Apple, which indicates that Apple is, at least for now, setting its sights on launching its own cellular modem at some point in the future. Still, the report states that it may be three years from now before we see the fruits of that labor in an iPhone or iPad down the road. Apple is currently relying on Intel for its cellular modems in its current lineup of iPhones. And considering the legal battle that Apple is in with Qualcomm, it doesnt look like that will change anytime soon. Indeed, rumor has it that Apple will be using a 5G modem from Intel in 2020 for its iPhones. The news that Apple is building its own cellular modem isnt surprising in the slightest. Apple has been working in this direction ever since it unveiled its first A-series processor. And now we have M-series and W-series chips out there. A cellular modem, even though complicated in its own right, just felt like a no-brainer. Hopefully that means we get a cellular version of the MacBook at some point, too. [via The Information The Federal Communications Commission has voted this week on a party-line vote to classify text messages in a specific way that will give wireless carriers even more power. The FCC has officially voted to classify text messages as an information service, which means carriers will have more power over text messages moving forward. According to the FCCs Chairman, Ajit Pai, argues that this will give the carriers more ability to block incoming spam text messages. Theres no doubt that robotexts have become an issue, just like robocalls as well. Before the vote, Pai said that the FCC should not make it easier for spammers and scammers to bombard consumers with unwanted texts, with the resolution being to avoid that altogether. Of course, its not all necessarily good news. While the FCC has voted to classify texts already, consumer advocacy groups have weighed in and said that the decision might not be for the best for wireless subscribers. These agencies, and some government officials, have said that text messages should see more regulation across the board, strictly as a telecommunications service. Now, with the information services classification, carriers can simply block text messages they dont approve of across the board, while avoiding fears of breaking the law. This decision does nothing to curb spam, and is not needed to curb spam, says Harold Feld, senior vice president at Public Knowledge, which has pushed the agency to classify texts as a telecommunications service. It is simply the latest example of Chairman Pais radical agenda that puts companies ahead of consumers. Public Knowledge has pointed to controversial decisions, like Verizons move to block texts from an abortion rights group in 2007, as a reason for the stricter rules. As someone who gets a ton of robotexts on a semi-regular basis, I want these things to go away already. I can only get so many stupid texts with hyperlinks that talk about scam real estate deals. Still, giving more power to companies like AT&T and Verizon to curb texts, without having anything to really worry about on the legal end, does seem a bit too much power going their way. [via The Verge 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. Focus on Lisa Netz, co-owner of The Lavish Loft Submitted by Haleh Rabizadeh Resnick, Federation Business and Community Development Director For the Voice What was your path to South Jersey? I grew up in... Focus on Peter Hecht Partner at Magna Legal Services Tell me about your connection to the South Jersey Jewish Community? I actually grew up in East Brunswick, Exit 9 off the Turnpike. But weve... Focus on Abigail Dahan: Owner of the Bake School Tell me a bit about your life in South Jersey. I grew up in Cherry Hill. We moved here from Paris when I was six... NUML University Islamabad Jobs 2019 for Warden & Driver Latest National University of Modern Languages NUML Education Posts Islamabad 2021 National University of Modern Languages NUML Islamabad, Government of Pakistan required applications from experienced candidates for the posts of Hostel Warden and Driver. How to Apply on National University of Modern Languages NUML 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. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Chinas college graduates, facing new employment conditions, are gradually shifting their traditional mindset and prioritizing emerging cities as a priority when job hunting. According to a survey conducted by education research company MyCOS, 37 percent of the 2018 graduates from around the country took new first-tier cities, such as Hangzhou, Tianjin and Nanjing, as their first choice, 6 percentage points higher than those who preferred traditional developed cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. He Yingying, a postgraduate student at a Beijing university told China Youth Daily that over half of her classmates hoped to stay in the capital, but they would also consider other cities such as Nanjing and Hangzhou. Another research report indicated that Hangzhou has for the first time surpassed Beijing to become the most attractive city for job hunting. In the first 10 months of 2018, the city witnessed a net inflow of high-level talents. 69.1 percent of fresh graduates stayed in the city, and Hangzhou is also showing its increasing charm to students in other parts of the country. The average salary in Hangzhou from January to October this year stood at 9,566 yuan, up 12.9 percent from a year ago. In addition, the city also saw a 37.1-percent increase in the demand for human resources in the same period. Apart from the choice of workplace, the young generation is also shifting their focus when seeking for jobs. The MyCOS report, after analyzing 2,414 valid questionnaires done by fresh graduates, found surprisingly that 76.6 percent of them took personal development as the most important part of a job, while 68.6 percent chose salary. Interestingly, over 40 percent of the students said they had no requirements for the job as long as it was suitable. Wang Yi, a senior in Guangdong province, is now working as an intern at an internet company. I believe that the most important thing in job hunting is to follow your heart, She said. Director Zhang Lixin of the Student Career Center of Peking University suggested that the students broaden their horizons when seeking jobs and focus more on opportunities outside Beijing. They should also be rational when choosing jobs, starting from their own interests and capabilities, to enhance their stability and sustainability in terms of career development, she added. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer is granted the Leibniz Prize. (Photo: Sandra Gottisheim, KIT) Professor Wolfgang Wernsdorfer of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) receives the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize 2019 of the German Research Foundation (DFG). Germanys highest science prize endowed with EUR 2.5 million honors the experimental physicist for his research into electronics, spin physics, and quantum computing. On our way towards future quantum computers, Wolfgang Wernsdorfer is making essential contributions with his research on nanomagnets. This makes him one of the key persons influencing this important technology for the future, says the President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka. The Leibniz Prize is a great recognition of his outstanding achievements. We are proud of Wolfgang Wernsdorfer and, together with him, we are very happy about this special honor. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer is an outstanding researcher. In the area of quantum mechanics, he is among the best worldwide, says KIT Vice President for Research, Professor Oliver Kraft. For his research, he was awarded several prizes in the past years. Now, he receives the highest German research prize for his excellent achievements. I am very happy about this and I congratulate him cordially on this success! Wolfgang Wernsdorfer is one of the leading experts worldwide for nanomagnetism and single-molecule magnets and their use in quantum computer systems. His research focuses on molecular quantum spintronics, an area of experimental solid-state physics at the interface with chemistry and materials science. With his research group, Wolfgang Wernsdorfer develops rapid and reliable methods to read out spin states of single magnetic molecules for quantum information processing. This is a basic prerequisite for future quantum technologies. Wernsdorfer conducted pioneer experiments to find out how molecular magnets behave under the laws of quantum mechanics. Wernsdorfers group was the first to measure and control quantum spin states in a molecule. Quantum physics effects enable a number of novel applications in various areas, with major increases in capacity, sensitivity, and speed. A good example is information processing: contrary to classical computers working with bits that always assume the value of zero or one, quantum computers use quantum bits, qubits for short, that also assume values in between. Entanglement of qubits results in mixed quantum states that allow for the parallel execution of many computing steps. More about research conducted by Wolfgang Wernsdorfer: Optics Advance Quantum Information Processing ERC Advanced Grant (PI 047/2017) https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2017_047_optics-advance-quantum-information-processing.php KIT Brings Outstanding Experimental Physicist Back to Germany (PI 070/2016) https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2016_070_kit-brings-outstanding-experimental-physicist-back-to-germany.php About Wolfgang Wernsdorfer Wolfgang Wernsdorfer, born in 1966, has been Humboldt Professor at KIT since 2016. The Humboldt Professorship is awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to leading scientists worldwide who are working abroad. It is Germanys research award in the highest amount for international researchers. At KIT, Wernsdorfer is establishing the first center for molecular quantum spintronics of its kind. Before, in 2008, he was appointed Directeur de recherche premiere classe at the Institut NEEL of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Grenoble, France. Since 1996, Wernsdorfer had been working as a scientist at the Laboratoire de Magnetisme in Grenoble, France, one of the institutes that formed the Institut NEEL in 2007. After he had passed vocational training to become an electrician and a higher vocational school, Wernsdorfer started to study physics at the University of Wurzburg and completed his studies at the renowned Ecole Normale Superieure in Lyon, France. Wernsdorfer was granted a number of high-ranking honors and awards, such as the Agilent Europhysics Prize, the Olivier Kahn International Award, the Prix Special of the Societe Francaise de Physique, and two of the renowned Advanced Grants of the European Research Council. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer is the eighth scientist of KIT who is granted the Leibniz Prize by DFG. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize Since 1986, the Leibniz Prize has been awarded annually by DFG. It was established to honor outstanding scientists for research in all areas of science. The prize money in the amount of about EUR 2.5 million can be spent by the winners according to their own ideas and without bureaucratic expenditure for their scientific work within a period of up to seven years. This years Leibniz Prize is awarded to ten scientists. So far, 368 researchers have won the Leibniz Prize that is considered one of the most important science awards worldwide. Seven Leibniz Prize winners were awarded the Noble Prize afterwards. The Leibniz Prizes will be awarded at a ceremony on March 13, 2019, in Berlin. Leibniz Prizes 2019, press release of DFG (in German only): http://www.dfg.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/2018/pressemitteilung_nr_55/index.html 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. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Could there be a more symbolic partner for Breitling than Switzerlands national airline, SWISS? The two companies shared values can be summed up in three words: aviation, precision and quality. And all with a Swiss Made label. The partnership was sealed in 2016 when the airline commissioned a new Boeing 777 and made Breitling the onboard timekeeper for all Swiss flights. The brand is visible on passengers seat back screens and, more significantly, the Breitling Navitimer Swiss Boeing 777, produced in a limited edition of 777, is available exclusively on board SWISS aircraft. To celebrate the ongoing partnership, Breitling has unveiled two new limited editions reserved exclusively for travellers with SWISS. The familiar Navitimer name is back, which is only natural given the pilots watch status that this model, created in 1952 by Willy Breitling and equipped with a patented rotating slide rule designed specifically for navigation in the air, has acquired over the years. However, in the interests of modernity, its the Navitimer 8 watches that have been given the SWISS treatment this year. The new Navitimer 8 collection launched at the beginning of the year is a direct tribute to the Huit Aviation department created by Willy Breitling in 1938, whose name was chosen to reflect the 8-day power reserve of cockpit instruments. Although the Navitimer 8 is directly inspired by the Reference 768, some of its models come with a simpler design, a more readable dial and a case diameter coming in at under 43 mm. The numerals, hands and lugs have been redesigned to create a timekeeper that is less obviously a pilots watch, and the new Breitling logo stripped of its wings, which has been introduced with this collection, enhances the overall effect. Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 SWISS Limited Edition Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 SWISS Limited Edition Breitling The stainless steel case comes in a diameter of 43 mm with a depth of 13.97 mm. The screw-down crown, bidirectional rotating bezel and screw-down stainless steel and sapphire crystal caseback all bear witness to the depth rating of 100 metres. The black dial with its three contrasting silvered registers small seconds, plus 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph timers is protected by a convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. The hour and minute hands and Arabic numerals are coated with Super-LumiNova for maximum legibility. The self-winding in-house Breitling 01 calibre beats at 28,000 vph, and has a bi-directional ball bearing rotor that delivers a 70-hour power reserve. Like all Breitling movements, the vertical clutch chronograph calibre with date is COSC-certified. This 777-piece special edition developed for Swiss has some unique details, such as the plane at the base of the seconds hand and the turbine engine design on the sapphire caseback. Breitling Navitimer Aviator 8 Automatic SWISS Limited Edition Navitimer Aviator 8 Automatic SWISS Limited Edition Breitling These aesthetic elements are also featured on the second SWISS special edition, 1000 of which have been made. This watch also comes in black and steel, but the dimensions are smaller: 41 mm in diameter with a depth of 10.74 mm. It features a similar a screw-down crown, convex sapphire crystal, bi-directional bezel and luminescent hands and markers. This three-handed watch with date is driven by the automatic Breitling 17 calibre, whose bi-directional ball-bearing rotor generates a power reserve of 40 hours. The retro-modern styling is completed with a brown leather strap. Breitling The Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 SWISS Limited Edition is sold for 6870.- Swiss francs, the Navitimer Aviator 8 Automatic SWISS Limited Edition for 3620.- Swiss francs, exclusively to SWISS passengers. The watches are available on all SWISS long-haul flights. You can pre-order your watch online and take delivery of it on your next flight. 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. By Dong Sun-hwa Songwriter Maximite has been slapped with a 3 million won fine by the Seoul Central District Court for assaulting his girlfriend, according to Yonhap News Agency, Wednesday. Maximite allegedly attacked his girlfriend several times after quarreling with her at his home on Sept. 6, 2017. The girlfriend's injuries required two weeks of treatment. He reportedly denied some of the allegations, but the court found him guilty based on the victim's statement, a medical certificate and related photos. On Thursday, he was given a suspended jail sentence of two years and six months for taking drugs. Seoul Central District Court ordered him to do 80 hours of community service and receive 40 hours of drug treatment education. Maximite, whose name is Shin Min-chul, is well known for composing "Pick Me," the popular theme music of Mnet's survival show "Produce 101 Season 1" that aired in 2016. Shinhan Bank CEO Wi Sung-ho, center, cuts a cake with his employees at bank headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday, to celebrate the number of the bank's SOL platform users surpassing 8 million. Shinhan seeks to increase the number to 10 million early next year. SOL is the lender's all-in-one mobile banking app. Courtesy of Shinhan Bank Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi discussed means to bolster economic cooperation and trade ties with Austria during a telephone conversation with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, El-Sisis spokesman said. El-Sisi talked about encouraging Austrian investors to put their money in Egypt against the backdrop of recent economic reforms his government has been pressing ahead with, presidency spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement. These include a new investment law that aims to streamline business in the country. The two leaders touched on a number of regional issues of mutual interest including efforts to combat terrorism and illegal migration as well as recent developments in the Middle East. Kurz was quoted as saying that his country, currently the chair of the European Unions six-month rotating presidency, considers Egypt a central partner and a lynchpin for stability in the Middle East and Africa. The EU is the biggest investor in Egypt, with member states' investments totaling EUR 42.8 billion, according to a report published by the bloc this week. The EU is also Egypt's main trading partner for both imports and exports, accounting for 29.7 percent of Egypt's trade volume in 2017. Search Keywords: Short link: Asset manager to launch fund investing in Indian startups By Park Hyong-ki Mirae Asset Global Investments India's assets under its management have surpassed 4 trillion won in value as of the end of November 2018, according to Mirae Asset in Seoul, Wednesday. Thanks to its two flagship funds investing in stocks and bonds in India's capital market, the total value of its assets managed on behalf of its regional investors stood at 4.4 trillion won, or 275 billion rupees ($3.8 billion). It increased nearly 2 trillion won from 2017, so far the fastest growth among 40 registered asset management companies in India, the Seoul-based company said. Currently, Mirae Asset Global Investments India ranks 16th by assets under management, it added, noting it is the only wholly-owned foreign asset management company there. Mirae Asset founder Park Hyeon-joo / Yonhap Rev. Lee Yong-hoon of Yoido Full Gospel Church, front left, visits the construction site of the David Yonggi Cho Hospital in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this June 2008 file photo. Courtesy of Yoido Full Gospel Church By Kang Aa-young Lee Yong-hoon By Jaydeep Sarkar Exploring South Korea's cultural treasures would be incomplete without any visits to its historic Buddhist temples, often nestled among mountains. Several ancient temples have rich collections of historic artifacts, including stupas (budos), bells, ritual objects and paintings. Some of these objects carry motifs and texts written using non-Hangul characters that have their origins in Sanskrit. Sanskrit, a classical language of India, made its way to China, Korea and Japan via Central Asia. The process of transmission started in early centuries of A.D. along the continental trade routes, called Silk Roads, and later through maritime trade routes. In particular, the spread of Buddhism from ancient India played an important role in the transmission of Sanskrit language to various parts of Asia. In East Asia, a number of scripts such as Siddham, Ranjana and Uchen were historically used to write Sanskrit seed syllables, dharanis and mantras since the 4th or 5th century. In a Hindu-Buddhist religious context, a Sanskrit seed syllable (bija), often a single syllable sound, can be a basic mantra representing the visible form of a deity. Om (in Siddham), is a supreme seed syllable revered by Hindus as well as Buddhists. Prior to the invention of Hangul in the 15th century, Chinese texts translated from Sanskrit texts had been used in Korea. Chinese called Sanskrit fanyin (Brahma sound). In spite of massive translations of Sanskrit Buddhist texts into Chinese, nearly 7,000 volumes by mid-Tang period, Sanskrit found a special place in Buddhism because mantras could not be pronounced accurately using Chinese. Painted ceiling of Mihwang Temple showing mantra written in Sanskrit. Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration The detainees include, from left, Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kook-kie, Choi Chun-kil and Ko Hyon-chol. Korea Times file By Jung Da-min Six South Koreans remain in North Korean detention despite government efforts to negotiate their release. A new campaign is under way to free them. Three of the detainees are Christian missionaries Kim Jung-wook, who was arrested in October 2013, Kim Kook-kie and Choi Chun-kil, who have been held since 2014. The other three are North Korean defectors who had South Korean citizenship. While the plight of the six has received little public attention, a petition for their release is again on the Cheong Wa Dae website. Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, right, poses with Rosy Senanayake, the mayor of Colombo in Sri Lanka, after naming her an honorary citizen of Seoul at City Hall, Wednesday. Since Seoul and Colombo signed a friendship and cooperation agreement in 2016, the cities have expanded policy exchanges. Senanayake became the first female mayor of the Sri Lankan capital in March. Since 1958, the Seoul city government has granted honorary citizenship to foreign guests or non-Koreans who have contributed to the city's affairs. / Yonhap Rep. Lee Hae-chan, the chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), speaks during a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly, Wednesday. Lee announced the party decided not to take punitive measures against its party member, indicted Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, for the sake of party unity. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won The supreme council of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) decided not to take disciplinary action against Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung over his indictment on charges of violating the election law. "We came to the decision to accept Lee's determination for the party's unity," DPK leader Lee Hae-chan said Wednesday after a series of meetings of the DPK's leadership body. "We will, however, keep a close eye on court proceedings." The decision came after Lee, who has been considered a potential presidential candidate, was indicted Tuesday on two charges of lying during the June election campaign and institutionalizing his brother without his consent. The party has not made an official comment regarding the issue ahead of a court decision amid mixed reactions over whether to oust Lee. Some insisted he be kicked out of the DPK as he is tarnishing the party's reputation, while some insisted it is unfair for him to be sacked citing another indicted governor, Kim Kyoung-soo, remains at his post within the party. Following the prosecution's decision, the governor of Gyeonggi Province claimed innocence and pledged to keep his governor position. Later on Facebook, he also wrote of his determination to resign from his current positions within the party and keep his party membership as an ordinary member. Meanwhile, the party also announced its position on electoral reform, which became one of the key controversial issues at the Assembly between big and small parties. "We basically agree with the overall direction of the introduction of the new electoral system that includes a proportional representation system and propose five parties to agree with its direction and come up with detailed measures at the Assembly political reform committee," said Rep. Yun Ho-jung, secretary general of the DPK. "We will push for an extension to the committee's activity, coming up with an agreement by January and putting it to a vote in the Assembly in February." The leaders of two minor opposition parties continued their hunger strike for the seventh consecutive day, Wednesday, failing to narrow differences with the two biggest parties over details of a new electoral reform system. Smaller parties have been calling for the new proportional representation system that is viewed as more advantageous to minor parties, while the big parties are reluctant to do so. Rep. Na Kyung-won, left, new floor leader of the main opposition, Liberty Korea Party, shakes hands with National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang at the National Assembly, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won Rep. Na Kyung-won, the newly elected floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), faces the daunting task of settling a factional division to prepare for the general elections in 2020. Rifts between rival factions are a deep-rooted problem inside the conservative party since the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye. Na, the first female floor leader of the conservative party, started her first day on the job by meeting with National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang and floor leaders of the other parties. The LKP has continued to face difficulties since 2016. It was defeated by then opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in the general elections in 2016 and hit by the impeachment of Park one year later. Its support rate has dropped to about 10 percent until recently while its reform committee hasn't come up with any fruitful measures to reboot the party amid a deepening factional feud over its leadership. The party has also been criticized for its poor performance as the main opposition party. Expectations are high, meanwhile, that she will play a major role to secure a "truce" between rival factions as her victory was supported by the LKP's junior lawmakers and centrists who want to end the party's division. Na, a four-term lawmaker, is a publicly well-known politician acknowledged for not having close ties to Park. Many LKP members expect it she could resolve the internal dispute, as she won the seat for her vision of party unification and an end to factional strife. Some insiders say, however, her election could have provided room for the re-emergence of Park's longtime loyalists, who have remained passive since last year, as Na was also backed by their votes in the election. Na is also expected to form a leadership body as part of the preparation for the 2020 general elections. She has a one-year term as floor leader, but it could be extended to the April general elections in 2020. If so, she will play a crucial role in the nomination process for the 21st Assembly with the right to name candidates. The 55-year-old politician made her political debut as a special aide for former presidential hopeful Lee Hoi-chang in 2002 after serving as a judge in district courts. After that, she became a proportional representative in 2004 and she didn't lose her seat as a lawmaker for four consecutive terms. She became more popular after she ran for Seoul mayor in 2011. Foreing minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono / Korea Times file A jobseeker checks out information on the bulletin board during a job fair at COEX in Seoul on Dec. 5. Yonhap South Korea's jobless rate rose slightly in November, government data showed Wednesday, despite the government's efforts to create more jobs. The unemployment rate stood at 3.2 percent last month, up 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier, according to the report compiled by Statistics Korea. The number of employed people reached 27.18 million in November, an increase of 165,000 from the same month in 2017, according to the data. The unemployment rate for young adults -- those aged between 15 and 29 -- was 7.9 percent, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous year. The employment rate stood at 67.1 percent in November, up 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier, with the corresponding figure for young people at 43.2 percent, up 1.7 percentage points over the cited period. The manufacturing sector lost 91,000 jobs in November compared with the previous year, and the retail sector also saw a reduction of 69,000 jobs last month. In contrast, the health and social welfare sectors added 164,000 jobs. In June, the government cut its job creation target to 180,000 this year from 320,000, but many private think tanks put the number at around 100,000. (Yonhap) The US, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait rejected the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report during discussions held at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Katowice, Poland. In October, a climate change report by the U.N's IPCC warned governments of the imminent consequences of climate change, urging them to take action. According to a report IPCC report, Earth's temperature risks crossing the 1.5 Celsius threshold by 2030, which would bring about droughts, floods, and extreme heat. The report states that pollution caused by greenhouse gases needs to be cut by 45 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050 in order to prevent a rise in temperature. Egyptian authorities have released prominent blogger and journalist Wael Abbas after more than seven months of detention, his lawyer said. Abbas, an award-winning journalist and human rights activist, was arrested in May on charges including cooperating with an illegal organisation and publishing false news. Earlier this month, a criminal court ordered his conditional release, but he had continued to be detained. "Finally, Wael Abbas was released after seven months of unfair detention plus 10 days of illegal detention," his lawyer Gamal Eid said on Facebook on Wednesday. Abbas, 44, was a fierce critic of the Muslim Brotherhood group during the rule of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. He has also been strongly critical of the government of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. He became a well-known blogger years before the 2011 popular revolution, strongly criticising government policies and campaigning against police brutality under ousted president Hosni Mubarak. Abbas was awarded the International Centre for Journalists Knight International Journalism Award in 2007. Search Keywords: Short link: By Gwynne Dyer Now is the moment of maximum danger for Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MbS). He has weathered the immediate storm over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi two months ago. He even went to the G20 summit in Buenos Aires and persuaded several other national leaders to stand beside him for photographs. But the real threat to his power and maybe his life is at home. It's not the Saudi public he must fear. He's quite popular with young Saudis, who are a large majority of the population. He's relatively young himself (33). He has loosened some of the tight social and religious controls women can drive now, and you can even go to see a movie. Most young Saudis don't even believe he is responsible for the killing. MbS' problem is his family, who know perfectly well that he ordered the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, and understand what that crime means for the kingdom's standing in the world. They also realize his foreign policy has been an unmitigated disaster, from the futile war in Yemen to the blockade of Qatar, and that his economic policy hasn't been much better. Many prominent Saudis also have personal reasons to hate him. Some were pushed roughly aside in order to facilitate his rapid rise to supreme power. Others were kidnapped, jailed and even tortured in order to extort billions of dollars from them, on the often shaky pretext that their money was the fruit of corruption. If you held a secret ballot among the ten thousand most influential Saudis, MbS would be gone in a flash. It doesn't work like that, of course. This is still an absolute monarchy, and so long as MbS has the support of his elderly father, King Salman, he has absolute power in theory. In practice, he must also have at least the grudging support of the royal family, which sees the Saudi state as a family business in which they all have a stake. It is a remarkable family, if only for its sheer size: an estimated 15,000 members, many of whom are direct descendants of the kingdom's founder, King Abdul-Aziz Ibn Saud. When he died in 1953 he left 36 sons, and there are literally hundreds of grandsons. All these men, their spouses and their children and grandchildren are supported (quite lavishly) by the family business, but there are only a few hundred people who really matter. They matter a great deal, however, and by now they would be close to unanimous in seeing Muhammad bin Salman as recklessly endangering their own futures. So how to get rid of him? In the past, the family's rule has survived the abrupt removal of kings: One king was forced to abdicate in 1964, and another was assassinated by his own nephew in 1975. The princes closed ranks, and the dynasty carried on with a new king. In theory, it should be even easier when you are only trying to remove the crown prince. Why not just work through his father, King Salman? After all, the king has already appointed and then dismissed two other crown princes; maybe he could be persuaded to do it again. The problem with this approach is that MbS zealously controls access to the 82-year-old king, who is believed to be suffering from mild dementia. An alternative would be for the Allegiance Committee, a family-run institution created in 2006 which adjudicates on succession issues, to declare King Salman incompetent because of illness, dismiss the Crown Prince, and appoint someone else as his successor. In the absence of more formal rules, any prince descended from Abdul-Aziz would be eligible. Plotters hoping to use this device would be risking their lives, of course, for MbS is a ruthless man who would strike first if he got wind of the plan. However, they may be emboldened by the fact that he has now arrested his own chief enforcers in an attempt to shift the blame for Khashoggi's murder. This betrayal will certainly have shaken the loyalty of their colleagues who still serve the crown prince. But there is one further consideration that is bound to give even the boldest plotters pause. If MbS concludes he has decisively lost the support of the royal family, he still has a last card to play: war with Iran. It's what he wants in the long term anyway, but his preferred option has been to get the United States and Israel to do the actual fighting for him. If he had no other way of heading off a family-backed coup against him, however, he might take Saudi Arabia into such a war unilaterally, counting on the U.S. and/or Israel to bail the country out. In the midst of a war, nobody at home would dare attack him. So on balance, MbS is likely to stay in power, perhaps to the ultimate ruin of the country he rules. Gwynne Dyer (gwynne763121476@aol.com) has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. He is the author of "Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work)." By Doh See-hwan Korea this year celebrated the 73rd anniversary of its liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. The celebration was all the more significant because it highlighted the human rights issues surrounding the victims of colonialism and militarism. More than anything else, the country marked the inaugural "Comfort Women Day" on Aug. 14, a day before National Liberation Day, to commemorate the first public testimony made 27 years ago by Kim Hak-sun, who was forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops before and during World War II. The year was also more noticeable in that the nation observed the 108th anniversary of the illegal and forced annexation of the Korean Peninsula by Japan on Aug. 22. With the annexation, Japanese imperialists and colonialists began to trample not only on Korea's sovereignty, but also Koreans' human rights. However, the Japanese government has continued to assert that the forced annexation treaty was legal, and that the issue of compensation for damages inflicted on Koreans during the colonial period was all settled by the 1965 Basic Treaty, which normalized diplomatic relations between Seoul and Tokyo. The Japanese assertion runs counter to the general consensus among many scholars and international law experts that the Japanese colonial rule of Korea was illegitimate. It is also not in line with recent rulings by the Supreme Court of Korea that two Japanese firms should pay compensation for the victims of wartime forced labor because individual rights to reparations were not terminated by the 1965 treaty. Many documents and much testimony have proven that the Imperial Japanese Army forcefully mobilized Korean women to serve as sexual slaves, who were euphemistically called "comfort women," for Japanese troops before and during World War II. The comfort women issue has yet to be resolved due to Japan's lack of a sincere apology and compensation for the crime against humanity. The situation has been raising tension between Korea and Japan. The situation has also emerged as an international human rights issue that calls for a resolution by laying bare the truth and letting Japan take legal responsibility for its misdeeds. Marking the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in August 2015, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave a speech denying responsibility for colonial rule and the wars of aggression. He thus invited criticism for turning a blind eye to the victims of sexual slavery. His denial seems to stem from Japan's tilting toward the right and its attempts to revive militarism, boosted by historical revisionism. Following an agreement reached by the foreign ministers of Korea and Japan on Dec. 28, 2015, Japan has publicly denied that it forcefully took women into sexual slavery. The country has made the same denial at meetings of international human rights organizations, including the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, even though Japan's actions undoubtedly constituted a crime against humanity. One of the striking illustrations of this is the statement of Masato Otaka, Japanese ambassador to the U.N., saying, "The issue of the comfort women was resolved with the 2015 agreement between Korea and Japan." This statement was made at the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination held in Geneva on Aug. 16 in order to deflect criticism from human rights advocates. These included U.N. Special Rapporteur Gay McDougall, who wrote the 1998 report stating that an agreement between governments without apologies to victims cannot resolve human rights issues. The Supreme Court of Korea ruled on Oct. 30 this year that the victims of forced labor should get compensation, which reconfirmed a historic ruling made on May 24, 2012, that set a milestone in international human rights law. Additionally, in a report released on Nov. 19 the U.N. Committee on Enforced Disappearances expressed deep regret about the 2015 Korea-Japan agreement that called for the two nations to resolve the sex slavery issue "finally and irreversibly." The report stated that there was a lack of adequate reparations for the victims of sexual slavery. It even recommended that the truth should be uncovered and the perpetrators be held accountable. This demonstrates a contradiction between the Japanese assertion and international human rights organizations. The international community needs to be more active in discussing such issues as "comfort women," forced laborers and other victims of human rights violations committed by Japan during the colonial period. Such discussions could lay the groundwork for reparations for those victims. Most of all, legal principles should be established to better protect human rights and renounce the militarism and imperialism that were used to justify Japan's colonial rule of Korea and Japan's aggressions. Japan's coercion of young Korean women into sex slavery for its frontline troops was a grave violation of human rights. It cannot be resolved by distorting the historical facts and describing those victims as prostitutes bent on making money. Now is the time for the Japanese government to make a sincere and genuine effort to resolve the "comfort women" issue. It should respond to the call of the international community for "irreversible historical reconciliation" to heal the victims' scars. Doh See-hwan is director of the Research Center for Japanese Military Comfort Women. Rep. Na should consolidate unity of party members Rep. Na Kyung-won was elected new floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) Tuesday as the first-ever female whip in the history of the country's conservative party. Her election has drawn keen attention over her leadership both inside and outside the party. The role of the new head on the floor of the largest conservative opposition party is, needless to say, to solve the deep-rooted internal feud between pro-Park Geun-hye and anti-Park factions ahead of the party's national convention in February to elect a new leader. She swiftly called for unity among party members in her acceptance speech. As the whip, she also has the critical duty to lead the fight against the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and to regain public confidence ahead of the 2020 parliamentary elections after suffering a humiliating defeat in the 2016 polls. The LKP has been reeling from a collapse after President Park was ousted, recording its lowest-ever popularity rate. However, public support has increased remarkably of late apparently thanks to the worsening economic conditions caused by the Moon administration's disputed policies including the drastic hikes in the minimum wage. Na should keep in mind that she has to play a positive role in proposing reasonable and reformative policies and a vision to boost the status of her party. She also needs to keep the ruling party and the government in check, preventing them from pushing for policies in a unilateral way, and instead seeking cooperation with other opposition parties. In addition, Rep. Na ought to lead her party in mapping out policy alternatives to President Moon's ill-conceived income-led economic growth policy, in order to revive the sagging economy and stimulate business activities. Maintaining close cooperation with the three small opposition parties is also important in checking the government effectively. First of all, she needs to start negotiations with the ruling and other splinter parties to convene an extraordinary National Assembly session this month to tackle pending issues such as how to reform the electoral system. As the new floor leader of the opposition party, Na must listen to people's voices that the opposition party's role is not to oppose for the sake of opposition, but to oppose with reasonable alternatives. Time to do more to improve situation in North Korea The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on three ranking North Korean officials for human rights abuses and censorship. This punitive action is the direct result of the Kim Jong-un regime's brutal rule and blatant disregard of the basic rights of North Koreans. Under any circumstances, such abuses should not be tolerated or justified. The three officials include Choe Ryong-hae, the North's de facto No. 2 figure and close aide to Kim. He is vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission and director of the Organization and Guidance Department of the ruling Workers' Party. The two others are State Security Minister Jong Kyong-thaek and Pak Kwang-ho, director of the party's Propaganda and Agitation Department. Of course, the U.S. sanctions are more symbolic than effective because they have few means to get Pyongyang to redress its bad track record on rights violations. They freeze any assets the officials may have under U.S. jurisdiction and make it illegal for any U.S. entity to conduct financial transactions with them. The punitive action, which was announced Monday, followed the U.S. State Department's release of a biannual report on the human rights situation in the isolated North. The department had delayed the disclosure of the report in an apparent bid to not negatively affect the denuclearization talks between the U.S. and North Korea following the first summit between the two countries' leaders held in Singapore in June. The report is drawing attention as it came when the talks are in a prolonged stalemate. Some pundits speculate that the report and the new sanctions against the North Korean officials could be intended to put more pressure on the Kim regime to take substantive action to implement its commitment to denuclearization. It is difficult to confirm such speculation. Yet it is also hard to deny any links between the sanctions imposition and the deadlocked negotiations to achieve the goal of ending the North's nuclear and missile development programs. Whatever the motivations, it is appropriate, though somewhat belated, for the U.S. to raise the North Korean human rights issue. It would be nonsense if the U.S. and the international community kept mum on the pains and sufferings of North Koreans. We have to heed the remarks made by State Department spokesman Robert Palladino. He said in a statement, "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." The department has also maintained its designation of North Korea as a violator of religious freedom for the 18th consecutive year. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made it clear the U.S. will not stand by as spectators in the face of oppression of such freedom. It is time to get tougher with North Korea for its sheer violations of human rights. Basic human rights cannot and should not be compromised for any political or diplomatic considerations such as the nuclear talks. The liberal Moon Jae-in administration should have the courage to talk about the North's abuses, despite its efforts for inter-Korean detente. McDonald's Korea Managing Director Joh Ju-yeon presents the company's future growth strategy to employees and franchisees from around the country, during a three-day event held at the Hotel Hyundai Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province from Monday to Wednesday. She said her company will continue to carry out social contribution activities and improve the quality of food and services. / Courtesy of McDonald's Korea Huawei Canada Vice President of Corporate Affairs Scott Bradley exits the courtroom during a break in the B.C. Supreme Court bail hearing of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who was held on an extradition warrant in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Dec. 11. Reuters A man holds a Chinese flag outside the B.C. Supreme Court bail hearing of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who was held on an extradition warrant in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Dec. 11. Reuters Michael Kovrig, an employee with the International Crisis Group and former Canadian diplomat appears in this photo provided by the International Crisis Group in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 11. A Canadian court granted bail on 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. Amid rising tension between China and Canada, Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed Tuesday 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 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, according to a spokesman for International Crisis Group, where Kovrig now works as North East Asia adviser based in Hong Kong. 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. The brand logo of Alphabet Inc's Google is seen outside its office in Beijing, China, Aug. 8. Korea's tax agency launched an investigation into a local office of U.S. tech giant Google. Reuters South Korea's tax agency launched an investigation into a local office of U.S. tech giant Google Inc. amid rumors of tax evasion by some YouTubers here, industry sources said Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the National Tax Service (NTS) sent auditors and investigators to the headquarters of Google Korea in Gangnam, southern Seoul, to secure accounting books and other financial records, they said. Industry watchers suspect that some famous high-income YouTubers evaded taxes by not fully reporting their earned income. Google currently owns the global video streaming service YouTube. In October, NTS Commissioner Han Sung-hee hinted at a possible tax probe into such YouTubers during a parliamentary hearing. Also, criticism rose that global tech giants, including Google and Facebook Inc., have not properly paid their taxes to local authorities while generating massive profits every year. Google is estimated to have recorded sales of nearly 4.9 trillion won (US$4.6 billion) in South Korea last year, according to Lee Tae-hee, a professor of business administration at Kookmin University. The figures are based on an annual earnings report by Alphabet Inc., Google's holding company. Google declined to comment on the alleged probe. (Yonhap) Samsung Electronics' Notebook Pen convertible notebook / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Baek Byung-yeul The laptop market here has been experiencing sluggish sales due to the rise of tablets and smartphones, but convertible laptops, which can be converted from a laptop to a tablet, have been attracting consumers looking for something more powerful than a tablet and more multifunctional than a laptop, industry analysts said Wednesday. Samsung Electronics has led the convertible notebook market here, selling more than 110,000 products as of November. To catch up with the market leader, Samsung's archrival LG Electronics is also scheduled to unveil its convertible laptops at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2019. Samsung rolled out its Notebook Pen convertible laptop in the market in December 2017. The Pen series features a design allowing for the display to be rotated 360 degrees. It also offers an S Pen, which makes it easier to use the convertible laptop for various tasks such as professional or educational purposes. "Among the entire notebook market, convertible notebooks account for a small share, but thanks to the products' multifunctional features, we are creating new avenues in the market," said a Samsung official. According to data by Korea IDC, about 1.87 notebooks were shipped out in the market here until September 2018, a 7.2 percent decrease year-on-year. While traditional laptops are getting less popular, convertible notebooks have experienced rapid growth from 26,000 in 2017 to 116,000 in 2018. Samsung said it will introduce an upgraded version of its convertible notebooks at the CES exhibition. "Traditionally, we have announced the latest edition of our computing products at the CES every year and we will bring new ones there as well," said the Samsung official. Forecasting the future scope of the laptop market here, an analyst said convertible notebooks will keep attracting consumers' attention along with slim notebooks and gaming PCs. "In 2019, convertible notebooks are expected to increase their portion in the notebook market here together with thin notebooks less than 18 millimeters thick and PCs specialized in offering enhanced gaming experiences," said Kwon Sang-jun, a senior research manager of IDC Korea. Samsung has led the country's notebook market with a share of 44 percent, according to data from Korea IDC, while LG has been running after Samsung with a share of 27 percent. Seen is an LG Electronics' Gram 2-in-1 convertible notebook, which was leaked by Best Buy. / Captured from Tom's Hardware From left are Hyundai E&C CEO Park Dong-wook, Lotte E&C CEO Ha Suk-joo and Daewoo E&C CEO Kim Hyung. / Korea Times file Bribery charges feared to hurt builders' overseas businesses By Park Jae-hyuk Local builders are expected to face more difficulties in getting overseas construction orders as they have been found to have used bribes not their competitiveness to win contracts here to rebuild old apartment complexes in southeastern Seoul. Industry analysts say the revelation of the illegal conduct will allow Chinese and Indian builders to consolidate their domination of the global construction market. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Wednesday, employees of Hyundai E&C, Lotte E&C and Daewoo E&C offered bribes to the residents of old apartments in southeastern Seoul from September to October 2017, ahead of votes to select companies to redevelop the massive complexes. In Korea, residents of apartment complexes designated to be rebuilt organize a residents' group which conducts a vote to select a company to rebuild their properties. Police said Daewoo, Lotte and Hyundai respectively gave 230 million won ($200,000), 200 million won and 110 million won to the residents living in the nation's wealthiest area. The companies were also found to have offered tablet PCs and vouchers for a luxury hotel. After bribing the residents, Hyundai, Lotte and Daewoo won contracts for the reconstructions of the Banpo, Shinbanpo and Jamsil areas, respectively. The builders have denied their accusations, saying they were unaware of the illegal actions of their "PR agencies." Police, however, filed charges against employees of the builders with the prosecution, because they discovered the PR agencies had told the builders what they had done. Industry analysts expect the recent bribery scandal will negatively affect Korea's overseas construction orders which have already become sluggish over the past few years. "As Korean builders have focused only on the domestic housing market, they have been lagging behind the foreign competition," a construction industry official said. "Korean builders are inferior to those in China and India in terms of cost effectiveness. Moreover, they now fall behind Chinese firms in terms of technical skills." He said Korean builders should improve their competitiveness, if they want to get more orders abroad. In 2017, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mee also urged builders to head into overseas markets, rather than participating in the fierce competition to win contracts to reconstruct luxury apartment complexes here. The government put forward a plan in January, to expand the presence of Korean builders in the overseas infrastructure market. However, the situation did not get better. According to the International Contractors Association of Korea, the value of overseas construction orders is unlikely to exceed $30 billion again this year, considering that Korean firms collectively received orders worth $26.6 billion as of Monday. The amount of overseas construction orders has been below $30 billion, since it dropped to $28.2 in 2016 from $46.1 billion in 2015. About 150 consumers line up in front of Uniqlo's flagship store in Myeong-dong, downtown Seoul, to buy the Japanese apparel brand's products in this Oct. 12 file photo. / Courtesy of FRL Korea FRL Korea CEO Hong Sung-ho Egyptian security forces have killed 27 "very dangerous" terrorists during recent security operations, the Armed Forces said in a statement on Wednesday. The army said that 24 terrorists were killed in a shootout during raids in Sinai and Suez Canal cities, and that the terrorists were in possession of weapons and ammunition. Air forces killed three others in the country's Western Desert bordering Libya, it added. The statement said the terrorists were killed over the "past period," without giving a specific timeframe. One soldier was killed in a shootout with militants, it added. The statement also said that airstrikes destroyed 61 vehicles containing weapons and ammunition in the Western Desert. Security forces discovered and destroyed 344 bombs planted to target forces, as well as 342 hideouts and weapons depots used by terrorists in central and northern Sinai. Over 400 suspects have also been arrested. Border guards arrested around 3,000 people of different nationalities trying to cross the Egyptian borders and seized large amounts of illegal narcotics. The military launched in February a large-scale operation to eradicate terrorists who have regularly launched attacks that have killed hundreds of security forces over the past few years. The months-long campaign involves the army, navy, air force and police. Search Keywords: Short link: Spirits were high and joy abounded in La Jolla on Dec. 9, following the unveiling of the renovated Childrens Pool Plaza. Eight years in the making, the Plaza project involved removing some landscaping, replacing and expanding the sidewalk to improve pedestrian flow, and adding sitting walls and bike racks to the area overlooking Childrens Pool at 850 Coast Blvd. The project has been run under the auspices of La Jolla Parks & Beaches (LJP&B), and funded as a private-public partnership. The most recent estimate put the project pricetag at just under $700,000. The Childrens Pool Plaza, which includes new sidewalk paving and seating walls to increase pedestrian flow. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon) At the afternoon celebration at the site, LJP&B chair Ann Dynes told those gathered: This has been a precious space in La Jolla since 1931 (when the beach was created by way of a seawall gifted by Ellen Browning Scripps) and it has become a precious space to all of our visitors. Every time you walk along this coastline, you hear dozens of languages being spoken because this is a popular place. Now it has been revamped to accommodate all the visitors we have. She then invited project organizer Phyllis Minick to step forward, to cheers and applause. Dynes said Minick and other LJP&B volunteers worked with various departments within the City, and she recognized San Diego Parks & Recreation assistant director Andy Field, planner Meredith Dawson, engineer Michael Ramirez, shoreline park rangers, district manager Dan Daneri and the office of City Council member Barbara Bry for their efforts and support. La Jolla Parks & Beaches chair Ann Dynes, City Council member Barbara Bry and Childrens Pool Plaza project organizer Phyllis Minick take a celebratory stroll on the new Plaza, Dec. 9. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon) It took a long time, but we were able to get this project on the right track, and it ended up being a cool partnership between City staff and our volunteers, she said. This is a splendid example of what can be accomplished with dedicated volunteers, a non-profit platform for private philanthropy, and the support of City staff. We are all blessed to have each other to work with. We can make a difference here in La Jolla! In thanking Minick and Dynes, Bry presented commendations for their efforts. A plaque on a rock at the end of one of the sitting walls honors major donors. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon) Whats wonderful is this is truly a treasure for all of us to enjoy, Bry said, and that includes La Jollans, San Diegans, people who visit us from all over the world. Im very appreciative of Ann and Phyllis for doing all this. I often say that I am relentless, but you two are truly relentless! I admire what youve accomplished. Whats wonderful about this community is how many of you get involved to make our Village a better place. The project was started in 2010, but faced myriad delays leading up to the long-awaited grand opening. New Torrey Pines Elementary School principal Nona Richard is what you might call a life-long learner. She has bachelors degrees in history and psychology, a teaching credential, administrative credential, a masters degree in both cross-cultural teaching and educational leadership with a technology focus, and just for good measure, is working on a Ph.D. in Democratic schooling, social justice and equal education outcomes for all students. The Alpine-native was appointed to Torrey Pines Elementary in November, but wont officially take the reins until early 2019, when a replacement is found for her outgoing position as principal of Hancock Elementary School. Ive wanted to be a teacher my whole life, she told La Jolla Light. When I was a kid, I played school with my Cabbage Patch dolls. After earning a teaching credential from National University in 2006, she taught elementary school in the El Cajon and Vista school districts, before earning her administrative credential from San Diego State University in July 2016 and becoming Hancocks principal soon after. As principal, Richard said she believes she has to be a little bit of everything to run a school effectively. The role of the principal at a new site is to have the birds-eye perspective. Im not in the classroom with the teachers, Im not a parent who trusts their child to this school, Im not a staffer scheduling the calendar, Im a little bit of everything, she said. I need to make sure all those voices are considered and facilitate a place where all those voices are brought to the forefront. I can be the go-between for supporting teachers needs to grow professionally and childrens knowledge-building. Always on the lookout to learn whatever the best practices are, at Hancock a school of predominantly military families with almost 150 more students than Torrey Pines she implemented a practice of meeting the students where they are emotionally, and providing an atmosphere where their voices could be heard. Richard explained: No matter where the school is, there has to be a school culture where people want to be there each day. The teachers have to want to be there to teach and students have to want to be there to learn. At Hancock, students come in and out as they move and families have challenges with deployment, so weve had to put the kids needs first whatever they are and make sure their voices are heard to facilitate that environment. At Torrey Pines, Richard is already aware of circumstances that may challenge its student population. There are students who may not be from the United States, but are here because their parents are studying or working at UC San Diego. There are students with special needs, students that speak different languages, she said. The things that make Torrey Pines challenging can bring us together. We can build a community of inclusiveness. In her free time, Richard said she loves to travel to boost her multi-cultural learning. She has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, has reached base camp of Mount Everest on the border between Nepal and Tibet, and plans to hike Machu Picchu in Peru. Having experiences that are different from my normal environment is healthy to creating a new perspective, she opined. There is life outside San Diego. When it comes to goals for her time at Torrey Pines, Richard prefers to think of such as wonderings. For example, she said she wonders how the school is capitalizing on the international experiences of its students, how to integrate more multi-language learning, and how its science education looks at the full scope of problem-solving. In terms of more formal goals, Richard said she needs to get a vibe for the communitys needs, and is committed to staying connected through social media. Already active on Twitter, she said: I have a personal goal to share what is going on at schools with social media platforms. Im not as active as I want to be, but its a goal. I think staying connected with whats current with kids is part of my job. We shouldnt be over-reliant on technology, but we need to connect with our students. Eager to get started, Richard said her message to parents is one of gratitude: Thank you for entrusting me in supporting your student. Its the best honor in the world when parents are comfortable leaving their kids with us 6-8 hours a day. Im honored to be the next principal and continue the great legacy Torrey Pines school has of great work. At the 2019 Global Appeal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held in Geneva today, Sri Lanka expressed its earnest desire that the commitments made by the international community to the recently adopted Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) would remain on course, emphasizing transforming the Compact into meaningful, practical measures would help address the protection needs of millions of people who remain helpless and in need. Addressing the Conference, Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez, the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka in Geneva echoed optimism that, at a time when the principles and values of international cooperation have come under immense pressure, the GCR has emerged as a rallying point for multilateralism and solidarity, as reiterated in the UNHCRs Global Appeal Update, and highlighted the more pronounced role of UNHCR in this context. At this Global Appeal, Sri Lanka pledged a modest financial contribution to the UNHCRs 2019 programmes, in continued appreciation of the role and contribution of UNHCR and in earnest expectation that the UN Refugee Agency would be empowered to deliver more strengthened assistance and protection as part of its mandate. In his address, Ambassador Azeez also conveyed Sri Lankas appreciation for the support extended by UNHCR under national resettlement programmes in partnership with stakeholders, as well as for the UNHCRs important role with regard to assistance for returnees. Full statement made by Sri Lanka Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to UN Geneva 12 December 2018 Egypt and the European Union have offered 2,000 Egyptian students training to become professional chefs as part of the country's efforts to enhance services amid a recent rise in tourist numbers, an official said. The training, 'Chef of the Future,' is part of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, which aims to enhance youth employability and improve the country's global competitiveness. The EU has been closely working with the Egypt government since the early 2000s to provide technical assistance and support to enrich the countrys labour market, Shoroke Zedan, executive director at the TVET Egypt Programme, said during a conference on Wednesday that honoured the training's high achievers. The 117 million-euro programme is co-financed by Egypt and the European Union until 2023, with the EU covering 50 million euros of the programme's total cost. Zedan added that the programme focuses on enhancing the skills of technical students and improving education curricula to offer qualified a workforce who can compete in the international market and meet investors' needs. "We are currently looking at how to quickly offer a workforce for investors putting money in Egypt," she said, adding that the programme adopts short curricula, running for six to eight months. Egypt has been aiming to lure back tourists and investors who were scared off by the 2011 popular uprising. The country's tourism industry, a key source of foreign currency, has been recovering in recent months. Tourism revenues jumped 77 percent in the first half of 2018 to around $4.8 billion compared with the same period last year, a government official told Reuters in August. Search Keywords: Short link: James Patterson, the famously prolific thriller author, was the highest-paid writer in the world this year, earning an estimated $86 million in royalties, Forbes magazine reports. Patterson, who collaborated on the novel The President Is Missing with former President Bill Clinton this year, is a perennial on the magazines annual highest-paid author list. Hes taken the No. 1 spot 10 times in the 20 years Forbes has been ranking the worlds richest authors. Coming in second was Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, who took home an estimated $54 million. She was the highest-paid author last year, when she collected $95 million from her fantasy and mystery books. Horror master Stephen King, mystery scribe John Grisham and Diary of a Wimpy Kid creator Jeff Kinney rounded out the top five. Advertisement There werent many surprises in this years list, but there was one newcomer to the rankings: journalist Michael Wolff, whose Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House became a huge bestseller after its release in January. Wolff, ranked No. 7 on the list after author Dan Brown, earned an estimated $13 million from the book, Forbes reports. Rounding out the list were romance authors Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts, young adult writer Rick Riordan and Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James. One author dropped out of the rankings this year: Paula Hawkins, who had made the list previously on the strength of her bestseller The Girl on the Train. The unexampled malevolence of the Trump administration toward immigrants and the nations neediest residents has hardly been a secret. But nothing lays it out more forcibly than its proposal to tighten the public charge rule, which applies to those seeking admission to the United States or hoping to upgrade their immigration status. The rule targets working immigrants, people of color and immigrant communities, and will hit California, which has welcomed those newcomers, especially hard. Thats the conclusion of Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, laid out in a blistering 51-page comment on the proposed rule filed Monday, the comment deadline, with the Department of Homeland Security. The rules aim is simply to deny economic opportunity to low-income families, Becerra wrote. It not only will throw millions of residents out of public assistance programs, but will also have a chilling effect that will keep people who need help from seeking it. Our state is better off when everyone is healthy and has access to healthcare. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra Advertisement The bottom line for the U.S. government will be written in red ink: Discouraging participation in these programs will lead to greater economic and social costs than any purported savings to the programs themselves, Becerra observed (emphasis his). The proposal could deny permanent residency or even citizenship to immigrants who have accessed public assistance programs or might do so in the future. The idea is to discourage immigrants who are likely to cost the country more than they contribute. But, as Becerra points out, this proposal would penalize immigrants for legitimately making use of programs designed to enhance the quality of life for all Californians, including programs that create value by helping their beneficiaries to hold down jobs or care for some family members so others can work. Although so-called public charge rules long have been part of the immigration and naturalization process, this proposal would vastly expand the list of programs that would be counted against applicants for residency or citizenship. In addition to cash assistance programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which is commonly described as welfare, it would weigh programs such as the earned income tax credit, the Childrens Health Insurance Program , health plan subsidies under the Affordable Care Act and food stamps against applicants for the first time. Did the administration apply any knowledge about the U.S. working class before promulgating this rule? Becerra thinks not, and hes right. The DHS argument that immigrants subject to the rule should be able to support themselves without seeking public benefits is at odds with the realities of the modern workforce, he asserts. Millions of Americans working for its biggest corporations receive public assistance, including Medicaid and food stamps. About 40% of food stamp recipients in the state are from working households, and their employers, you can be sure, appreciate the help as much as the employees do. We wrote about this proposal and its certain effects in August, when it was still merely a draft. now that its been officially published, its cruelty is set out in shocking detail. The proposal would give immigrant applications a black mark for accessing public benefits valued at more than 15% of the federal poverty level this year, about $152 a month. It would vastly expand the programs included in the calculation by adding food stamps, housing assistance and Medicaid, among others; currently only cash assistance and long-term institutional care are counted. And it would require some immigrants to put up a $10,000 bond to guarantee that they wont need such benefits. Nothing in existing law requires a bond of that size. Thats almost as much as the $11,700 savings of the median American household, immigrant or not. Make no mistake: The Trump administration well understands the cruelty of its proposal, and is forthright in stating that it doesnt care. You dont often see civilized governments admit to plotting to increase poverty and misery within their own borders, but this administration not only admits to this intention, but boasts about it. Job losses from President Trumps public charge rules would be felt most in healthcare, agriculture, and construction, according to a UCLA estimate. (UCLA Center for Health Policy Research) DHS has determined that the proposed rule may decrease disposable income and increase the poverty of certain families and children, including U.S. citizen children, the proposal states. It acknowledges that forcing families off public programs or scaring them away could lead to worse health outcomes, including increased prevalence of obesity and malnutrition, especially for pregnant or breastfeeding women, infants, or children, and increased prevalence of communicable diseases, including among members of the U.S. citizen population who are not vaccinated. However, the proposal says, DHS has determined that the benefits of the action justify the financial impact on the family. The justifications put forward include better ensuring the self-sufficiency of aliens admitted or immigrating to the United States, and minimizing the financial burden of aliens on the U.S. social safety net. So on the one hand, more poverty and more health dangers for all Americans, including nonimmigrants. On the other, a cleaner federal budget. In any event, the proposal does nothing for self-sufficiency. As Becerras response observes, the proposal flatly fails to promote self-sufficiency and instead chills participation in critical programs that help advance it. The rule proposal states that it would save approximately $2.27 billion annually due to disenrollment or foregone enrollment in public benefits programs by aliens who may be receiving public benefits. Lets put that in context. Trump last December signed a massive tax cut for the wealthy and corporations that will cost the government at least $1.5 trillion over 10 years, or an average $150 billion per year. Corporate America generally has passed its savings on to shareholders, via billions of dollars in stock buybacks and dividends. Apple, one of the leading beneficiaries of the tax cut, will return an estimated $100 billion to shareholders this year alone. So if you think this administration really is concerned about the federal budget, think again. Becerras comment properly focuses on the potential impact of the public charge rule on Californians. He cites a study by Ninez A. Ponce of UCLA estimating that the state could lose $1.67 billion in federal funds, $2.8 billion from its economy and 17,700 jobs, of which nearly half would be in healthcare. If just one-third of members of immigrant families disenrolled from public programs out of fear of the rules, that would mean a loss of federal benefits for 765,000 people, Ponce calculated. The attack on Californias economy would be severe. Becerra points out that 39% of the states child care and early education providers are immigrants, as is 33% of its healthcare labor force twice the percentage as the nation as a whole. Some 95% of agricultural workers in California are immigrants, and 42% of construction workers the highest percentage in the the country. More than a third of those construction workers families use public programs, so which puts them into the crosshairs of the harm of this proposed rule. The rule would wreak havoc on the states public benefit infrastructure and its goals. Medi-Cal funds, Becerra observes, provides coverage to immigrant children under 19, regardless of their immigration status, because our state is better off when everyone is healthy and has access to healthcare. He adds that the states programs allow mixed immigration status families to maintain strong family bonds, live healthier lives, and remain in their homes and in the workforce. Becerra urged the DHS to withdraw the rule, and hes not alone; a torrent of criticism has flowed into the agency in protest. Dont count on the Trump administration to listen. As can be judged from his temper tantrum over immigration during his meeting Tuesday with Democratic congressional leaders Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York, his ignorance about the lives of immigrants is bottomless. 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 News has settled a lawsuit filed by three female employees who claimed they were sexually harassed by the networks former anchor Charlie Rose. The suit filed in May by Sydney McNeal, Katherine Brooks Harris and Chelsea Wei alleged that CBS management, numerous broadcasters and studio staff witnessed Mr. Roses unlawful conduct and failed to take any action to correct it. A CBS News representative said Tuesday that the network has paid an undisclosed sum to the women who are no longer employees at the network. The amount they received was kept confidential at their request. The plaintiffs are continuing their legal action filed in New York State Supreme Court against Rose, 76, who is also named in the suit. Advertisement The three women, all in their 20s, worked at CBS This Morning while Rose was co-anchor on the program. McNeal and Harris went on to take jobs at Roses eponymous PBS talk show. They became unemployed when it was canceled in November 2017, the same month Rose was fired from CBS for his alleged misconduct. The lawsuit described various incidents in which Rose allegedly made inappropriate sexual comments to the women. They also claim that Rose was frequently caressing and touching their arms, shoulders, waist and back, pulling them close to his body and kissing them on the cheek. Rose allegedly detailed his sexual conquests to McNeal and Harris and directed them to share details with him about their sex lives. He allegedly suggested to them that they become lovers. The suit also claims that Rose used profane language to all three women when he was unhappy with their work. Roses attorney Bob Bodian said after the lawsuit was filed that the claims made by McNeal, Harris and Wei are without merit. The case against Rose comes amid a wave of harassment claims that have upended CBS. The companys board is awaiting the results of an investigation into allegations against former Chief Executive Leslie Moonves, who was ousted after an October report in the New Yorker that he had sexually assaulted a number of women over his career. Roses ex-boss Jeff Fager, the former executive producer of 60 Minutes, also faced allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior and was fired in September after sending a threatening text to a CBS News correspondent reporting on the matter. stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio About 800 hotels workers demonstrated Wednesday in front of five high-end hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties in what union leaders say is a preview of upcoming strikes if contract agreements are not reached. The workers from Unite Here Local 11 marched, banged drums and chanted throughout most of the day in front of the Westin Bonaventure in downtown Los Angeles, the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, the Hilton Anaheim and the Sheraton Park Hotel in Anaheim. Some demonstrators were even serenaded early Wednesday by a mariachi band at the Westin Bonaventure hotel. The demonstrations were described by the union as a celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the Mexican holiday in her honor. But labor leaders say the demonstrations also were meant to put pressure on hotel management. Advertisement This action was to make it clear to the companies that we are ready to strike, said Andrew Cohen, a spokesman for Unite Here Local 11. In a statement, a representative for the Westin and the Sheraton, both brands of Marriott International, said management was committed to maintaining positive relationships with its workers. While we continue to negotiate in good faith with the union to achieve a new agreement, the statement said, we support our associates right to decide whether to participate in activities protected by federal labor laws. Representatives for the other hotels could not be reached for comment. The demonstrations come only a week after about 7,500 hotel workers in Los Angeles and Orange counties voted 96% in favor of striking against 24 hotels in the region to help settle work contracts that expired in the last month. Cohen said contract negotiations had been ongoing for months and would continue over the next few days. The demonstrations are a sign the unions are ready to flex their muscles after nearly 8,000 hotel workers from other Unite Here chapters won what labor leaders described as historic contract improvements following strikes at hotels run by Marriott International in San Francisco, San Diego, Oakland, San Jose, Boston, Detroit and on the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Oahu. Union leaders say a robust economy, strong demand for travel and record-breaking growth in the tourism industry have fattened the coffers of hotel owners but have yet to benefit the frontline workers, many of whom must work two or three jobs to make ends meet. Workers have been calling for higher hourly wages, increases to pensions, more affordable health benefits and panic buttons to help protect housekeepers from sexual assaults when they are working in isolated areas of a hotel. At the hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties, Unite Here leaders say they are pushing to get workers hourly wages of at least $25 an hour to keep pace with the cost of living in Southern California. In San Francisco, for example, where the cost of living is notoriously high, housekeepers who had previously been paid as low as $23 an hour won a contract that called for a raise of $1.75 an hour retroactive to the end of the last contract in August, with regular raises for the next four years. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. U.S. government investigators increasingly believe that Chinese state hackers probably were responsible for the massive breach reported last month of Marriott International Inc.'s Starwood chain hotel reservation system, which exposed the private information and travel details of as many as 500 million people, according to two people briefed on the government investigation. These people cautioned the investigation is not yet complete, so definitive conclusions are not possible. But the breadth and seriousness of the hack, which took place over four years before being discovered, prompted immediate speculation that it was carried out by a foreign country. Preliminary indications are the breach was conducted by hackers affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of State Security, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal information not yet ready for public release. The MSS, an intelligence and security agency, has been behind many of the Chinese government intrusions into sensitive U.S. networks in recent years. Some U.S. intelligence officials believe that the breach was conducted to enrich the massive Chinese data sets on U.S. and other citizens that have been amassed for years, the people said. Such breaches include the 2015 Office of Personnel Management intrusion, which compromised the personal data of more than 20 million government employees, family members and applicants, and also information collected during Chinese breaches of healthcare institutions such as Anthem and CareFirst. Advertisement The FBI and other intelligence agencies declined to comment. The New York Times first reported that investigators believe the attackers probably were from a Chinese state intelligence service. The Marriott breach exposed an unusually broad array of data, including names, addresses, phone numbers, passport numbers and credit card numbers, as well as information on where people traveled and with whom. Such information would be valuable not just to criminals seeking to commit identity fraud but also intelligence agencies seeking to build dossiers and track movements of diplomats, spies, military personnel, business executives and journalists, according to several cybersecurity experts. Armed with a rich array of personal data, an intelligence agency can also tailor an approach to a person to see if the individual can be recruited as a spy or blackmailed for information. The passport data, which is not often collected in data breaches, probably was a particularly valuable find for the hackers. The people familiar with the investigation said the Marriott breach involved the same cloud-hosting space that Chinese state hackers have used in the past, and that one signature technique that involved hopping among servers also points to Chinese involvement. Another clue suggesting nation-state involvement was that none of the breached data has appeared on the dark web or any of the forums that criminals typically use to sell stolen credentials and other valuable personal data. If it were a criminal act, people would be trying to sell it, said one of the people familiar with the investigation. The breach of the reservation system for Marriotts Starwood subsidiaries was one of the largest in history, affecting travelers at hotel chains St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton, Aloft, Le Meridien, Four Points and W Hotels since 2014, according to a Marriott news release last month. Marriott acquired Starwood in 2016 and kept the reservation databases separate from its own until recently. The reservation system of Marriott hotels themselves, based in Bethesda, Md., was not affected by the breach. The company has more than 6,700 properties around the world. An internal security tool flagged the possible breach beginning Sept. 8 and later discovered the hackers had accessed customer information and attempted to remove it in encrypted form, the company said. Marriott was able to decrypt the information and understand the extent of the breach only in November, it said. Marriott on Tuesday reiterated its previous comment on the data breach, saying in a statement, Our primary objectives in this investigation are figuring out what occurred and how we can best help our guests. We have no information about the cause of this incident, and we have not speculated about the identity of the attacker. Chinas foreign ministry declined to comment. But a spokesman last week said that China firmly opposes all forms of cyberattack and cracks down on it in accordance with the law. If offered evidence, the relevant Chinese departments will carry out investigations according to the law. We firmly object to making groundless accusations on the issue of cybersecurity, spokesman Geng Shuang said at a news briefing when asked about the Marriott allegations. News of the breach prompted several government officials in the U.S. to announce investigations, including New York Atty. Gen. Barbara Underwood, Maryland Atty. Gen. Brian Frosh and Pennsylvania Atty. Gen. Josh Shapiro. Several members of Congress also publicly demanded answers. Privacy advocates long have warned that travel data can provide remarkably precise insights into the lifestyles, tastes and personal relationships of individuals, but the industry has lagged behind others, such as banking, in securing information against hackers. The Washington Posts Taylor Telford and Anna Fifeld in Beijing contributed to this report. As the labor market tightened in 2018, U.S. employers turned to one benefit in particular to attract and retain workers: paid family leave. After Starbucks Corp. and Walmart Inc. extended paid time off to hourly workers in January, at least 18 more large companies followed suit. As a result, an estimated 4.8 million people had access to more generous paid leave benefits this year, according to data compiled by PLUS, a paid leave advocacy organization. Many employers, like General Mills Inc., increased the amount of paid time off available to new moms and added the benefit for new dads, too. Paid time off to care for a sick relative or loved one is also on the rise, the survey found. The U.S. remains the only high-income country that fails to provide paid family leave, and companies typically have extended such benefits only to salaried or full-time workers. This year, that started to change. In addition to Starbucks and Walmart, H&M, Dollar General Corp. and Darden Restaurants Inc. extended their policies to cover more classes of workers. Now more than half of the 57 largest employers tracked by PLUS offer the same amount of leave time to all classes of employees. About a dozen now say they offer paid caregiver leave, up from just two in 2017. Advertisement When a few big companies implement a policy theres a little bit of follow the leader, said Annie Sartor, an advocacy director at PLUS. Theyre leveling up. Theyre also getting pressure from their employees. Millennials, now the biggest demographic in the U.S. workforce, have pushed for paid family leave as they age into parenthood. At H&M, union members worked for two years to get paid family leave for part-time workers; their new contract, signed earlier this month, includes the expanded coverage. When employees demand it companies have to respond, especially when unemployment is so low, Sartor said. Workers arent alone in advocating for better family benefits. Earlier this year, Microsoft Corp. announced that it would require the companies it contracts with to provide their employees at least 12 weeks of paid time off at the birth or adoption of a child, establishing the influence a big company can exert over its business partners. Even so, most employees 83%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics dont have access to paid family leave. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain workers at larger firms. California law extends unpaid leave to smaller employers as well, and provides for partial pay through the California Paid Family Leave law. However, for a variety of reasons, lower-paid workers are the least likely to take advantage of family leave. The policies at many major employers dont cover large swaths of workers. Contract workers in particular, who make up nearly 7% of the workforce, are still largely excluded, though that too is under scrutiny: Google employees recently lobbied the companys chief executive demanding more generous coverage for the tech giants contractors. President Trump said he would intervene in the case of Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou if it would help win a trade deal with China. 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 said Tuesday in an Oval Office interview with Reuters. Meng was arrested earlier this month at the request of U.S. authorities, who are demanding her extradition and allege she conspired to defraud banks to unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions by clearing transactions linked to Iran. On Tuesday, she was granted a $7.5-million bail by a Canadian court, allowing her to return to her home in Vancouver as extradition proceedings continue. Trump also told Reuters that the White House has spoken with the Justice Department about the case, along with Chinese officials. Advertisement Asked if he has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the matter, Trump responded: They have not called me yet. They are talking to my people. But they have not called me yet. The arrest has threatened to disrupt U.S.-Chinese relations even as the two nations leaders seek to negotiate a trade deal that would scale back a series of tariffs that have been implemented this year. Chinas Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad to protest the arrest on Sunday. The minister said U.S. actions have violated the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, according to a posting on the ministry website. An EU court on Wednesday rejected a bid by Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak to lift a freeze on his assets in Europe that followed his ouster in the 2011 revolution. European Union member countries imposed the sanctions on Mubarak and his family in March 2011 based on lawsuits filed against them in Egypt for alleged embezzlement of state funds. After those countries -- grouped in the European Council -- renewed the sanctions in 2017 and 2018, Mubarak asked the EU's General Court to annul them. "In today's judgment, the General Court dismisses the action and upholds the Council's 2017 and 2018 decisions to renew the freezing of assets," the Luxembourg-based court said. "The renewal decisions form part of a policy of support for the Egyptian authorities that is based, in particular, on objectives of consolidation of and support for democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the principles of international law," the court said. The European "decisions can be regarded as falling within the common foreign and security policy of the EU," it said. It added that the sanctions "support a peaceful transition to a civilian and democratic government in Egypt." They must "be maintained until the judicial proceedings are concluded in Egypt" so that they are effective. "Consequently, they do not depend on successive changes of government in that country since the adoption of the decision," the court said. The court also said there was no reason to doubt the legal basis on which the lawsuits were filed in Egypt. It also said the judicial proceedings in Egypt offered "effective safeguards" for Mubarak and his family. Mubarak's team can file an appeal with the European Court of Justice, the top EU court, two months after being notified of the current ruling. Since Mubarak's ouster more than seven years ago, a number of legal proceedings have been launched against the three-decade ruler and his relatives. In March 2017, Mubarak was acquitted of charges of killing protesters, but he remains under investigation for alleged corruption. Search Keywords: Short link: An unusual consensus emerged recently among artificial intelligence researchers, activists, lawmakers and many of the largest technology companies: Facial recognition software breeds bias, risks fueling mass surveillance and should be regulated. Deciding on effective controls and acting on them will be a lot harder. This week, the Algorithmic Justice League and the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University Law Center unveiled the Safe Face Pledge, which asks companies not to provide facial AI for autonomous weapons or to law enforcement unless explicit laws are debated and passed to allow it. Last week, Microsoft Corp. said the software carries significant risks and proposed rules to combat the threat. Research group AI Now, which includes AI researchers from Google and other companies, issued a similar call. Principles are great they are starting points. Beyond the principles, we need to be able to see actions, said Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League. None of the biggest makers of the software companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc. and IBM has signed the Safe Face Pledge yet. Large tech companies may be reluctant to commit to this kind of pledge, even if theyre concerned about negative consequences of the software. Thats because it could mean walking away from lucrative contracts for the emerging technology. The market for video surveillance gear is worth $18.5 billion a year, and AI-powered equipment for new forms of video analysis is an important emerging category, according to researcher IHS Markit. Microsoft and Facebook said theyre reviewing the pledge. Google declined to comment. Advertisement There are going to be some large vendors who refuse to sign or are reluctant to sign because they want these government contracts, said Laura Moy, executive director of the Center on Privacy and Technology. Microsoft is still selling facial recognition software to governments, and the American Civil Liberties Union took the company to task for that this week. It asked Microsoft to halt the sales and join the organizations call for a federal moratorium on government use of the technology. The use of facial recognition for surveillance, policing and immigration is being questioned because researchers, including Buolamwini, have shown that the technology isnt accurate enough for crucial decisions and performs worse on darker-skinned people. Providers have responded differently to the scrutiny. Microsoft is defending government contracts generally, while asking for laws to regulate the space. Amazon took issue with research by the ACLU into the Rekognition program it sells to police departments, but the company has also said its working to better educate police on how to use the software. Companies including Microsoft, Facebook and Axon, a maker of police body cameras, have formed AI ethics boards. Google published a set of more general AI principles in June. The Safe Face Pledge asks companies to show value for human life, dignity and rights, address harmful bias [and] facilitate transparency and make these commitments part of their business practices. This includes not selling facial recognition software to identify targets where lethal force may be used. The pledge also commits companies to halt sales of face AI products that are not subject to public scrutiny, inspection and oversight. There are also commitments to internal bias reviews as well as checks by outside experts, along with a requirement to publish easy-to-understand information on how these technologies are used and by which customers. Start-ups Simprints Technology, Robbie AI Inc. and Yoti Ltd. were the inaugural signers of the pledge. Its kind of the Wild West when it comes to use of automated facial analysis technology, and its also an area thats shrouded in secrecy, Moy said. The Safe Face Pledge tries to address both areas, but Moy also believes new laws are needed. Thats where Microsoft is focusing its attention. Last week it detailed the laws it would like to see passed. Microsoft President Brad Smith, who is also chief legal officer, put the chances of federal legislation in 2019 at 50-50, most likely as part of a broader privacy bill. But he said theres a far better shot at getting something passed in a state or even a city next year. If its an important enough region say, California that would probably be enough to make software sellers change their products and practices overall, he said. In the meantime, Microsoft said it would turn down some AI contracts where it had concerns, and already has. Smith wouldnt specify which deals it has rejected, and he has also said that Microsoft would continue to be a key vendor to the U.S. government. Microsoft will give the U.S. military access to all the technology we create Weve turned down business when we thought there was too much risk of discrimination, when we thought there was a risk to the human rights of individuals, Smith said. In contrast, Amazon thinks its too soon to regulate. There are many positive and important uses of this technology that are being implemented today, to include preventing human trafficking, reuniting missing children with their parents, and improving security, the company said in a statement. It is too early to come out with blanket statements supporting broad regulation, given this technology is in the early stages of deployment, and we have received no indications of misuse. Still, the company said it will work with governments on standards and guidelines for the technology to maintain privacy and civil liberties. Facebook said its committed to using the technology responsibly and supports thoughtful proposals. The social networking giant, which uses face recognition to identify people in photos that users post, said its eager to work with Microsoft and others on ideas. While employees and customers can pressure companies to act ethically with regard to AI, more attention needs to be focused on laws and government oversight, said Ryan Calo, a law professor at the University of Washington, who is on the board of AI Now and gets funding from Microsoft. Without broad regulation, if some companies refuse to sell the software, others will step in. We have been attempting to get companies to cease providing tools to the government, rather than trying to ensure the government doesnt do things we dont agree with, Calo said. They are government agencies we ought to be able to police them. We cant ask technology companies to make it all go away. Bass writes for Bloomberg. The film 22 July revisits the summer day in 2011 when neo-Nazi Anders Breivik detonated a car bomb in Oslo, then gained access to a youth camp on the Norwegian island of Utya and methodically shot 69 young people to death. The film is obviously disturbing in the first 30 minutes or so, says writer-director Paul Greengrass. I needed to create a sequence that serves as the platform for the rest of the story, because if you dont know how grievously Norway suffered, then you cant invest in the struggle for its democracy, which is really what 22 July is about. Ensconced in a Santa Monica hotel 15 miles north of Redondo Beach, home to white supremacists charged in October for inciting riots in Charlottesville, Va., Greengrass frames his unsettling new movie as a way of ringing the bell about the rise of right-wing extremism throughout the Western world. 22 July is about Norway, that place and that time, but I also think its a universal story about a state of mind, a sort of everyplace, if you know what I mean. Educated at Cambridge, Greengrass tethered himself to real-world friction early in his career by covering global hot spots in TV documentaries. He then turned to fact-based scripted dramas including Bloody Sunday, Captain Phillips and the 9/11 tragedy United 93, for which he earned an Oscar nomination. Even the directors Jason Bourne movies, filmed largely on hand-held cameras, grounded the fictional spy craft in realistically gritty locations. Based on Asne Seierstads book One of Us, 22 July took shape for Greengrass after he studied terrorist Breiviks eerily prescient speechifying. I sat in the office one day and read his court testimony about how Democracys a sham, its forcing multiculturalism upon us, were losing our identity, Greengrass says. Thats the moment I knew I was going to make this movie. Those opinions were considered to be on the margins of civilized political discourse when he expressed them back in 2012. Today, millions of people believe this stuff. Advertisement Mindful that hed be revisiting a profoundly traumatic chapter of Norwegian history, Greengrass secured permission to proceed with his movie from the 22 July Family Support Group, whose relatives were victimized in the massacre. He recalls one meeting in particular. A gentleman stood up and said, I strongly support you making this film, but I want you to know that you will be doing a disservice to me and a disrespect to my daughter, whos no longer with me, if you sanitize this violence. On the other hand, you would be doing the same disservice if you portray what happened in an exploitative way. Isak Bakli Aglen, left, and Jonas Strand Gravli in 22 July. (Erik Aavatsmark/Netflix) Conscientious of that fine line, Greengrass teamed with an entirely Norwegian cast and crew to film the Utya sequence over the course of about 10 days. I tried to handle it with great restraint, he says. There are only really two moments of explicit graphic violence: the shooting of the two adults and then the shooting of [survivor] Viljar Hanssen, which [the vocal gentleman] strongly supported. Other than that, we cut away from this heinous series of murders. You understand what Breivik did; youre aware of a few people falling in the distance at the edge of the shot, but you could never identify anybody, which was very important. Mirroring Norways response to the killings, 22 July affords an unflinching look at perpetrator Breivik (Anders Danielsen Lie), defiant in a court of law when he raises his arm in the Nazi salute. Norway faced a dilemma, Greengrass notes: If we allow this man to speak in court, were giving him a platform to justify the unjustifiable and seek to create more recruits to his cause. But on the other side, if we deny Breivik the right to speak, we undermine the rule of law at the heart of our democracy. The film also tracks the grueling recovery of teenager Hanssen, shot five times during the assault at Utya. Played by first-time movie actor Jonas Strand Gravl, Viljar delivers a survivors statement of uncommon eloquence while staring down his attacker just a few feet away in court. Greengrass recalls, I wanted that speech to sum up certain things: We believe in love, in family, in friendship. And we are not going to have our lives destroyed by this man and his ideas. WATCH: Video Q&As from this seasons hottest contenders calendar@latimes.com Reimagining a story is a necessity for an adaptation, since no two people can imagine in the same way. The source material serves as a blueprint for a process that is more like reconstruction than translation. Even before I commit to doing an adaptation, I start by going to the place where the story is set and doing research. I talk to people who have firsthand knowledge or life experiences that can provide the details to flesh out the situations that the characters must navigate. As I do this, I see things that interest me on a visual or cultural level, and I weave them into the story. The screenplay becomes a blending of the source material and the local details gathered through observation and interviews. Leave No Trace is based on Peter Rocks novel My Abandonment. In the story, a father (named Will in the film) and his daughter, Caroline (renamed Tom in the film) live hermetically in the woods on the fringe of a major city. Will, a military veteran, has organized their life in a way that seems to be dictated by the post-traumatic stress that he manages. How the two of them survive undetected is inherently suspenseful. My first step in taking on this project was to go to Portland [Ore.] with my producing and writing partner, Anne Rosellini, to scout and meet people. The temperate rainforests of this region are lush and magnificent, so I knew that this setting would be visually rich, and that the story would unfold against 50 shades of green. We spoke with forest rangers, local police and social workers. They told us how they would deal with a situation like the one in which Tom and Will are discovered living surreptitiously on city-owned land. I wanted to honor the compassion and dedication of these professionals, instead of presenting them as obstacles in Tom and Wills path. On the second trip, a tree farmer, some truckers, a pastor, a beekeeper and a corpsman (combat medic) for the Marines all shared their knowledge. Many of the actors who fill these roles in Leave No Trace are people who have these life experiences. Nicole Apelian, the wilderness educator and guide, read the script and gave us extensive notes on how people like Will and Tom might go about their daily activities. Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie, who play Will and Tom, began their acclimation and rehearsal process learning wilderness survival skills from Nicole, and they developed their strong on-screen bond through this hands-on learning process. That connection is not something that I can write. It is enacted, felt, it comes through looks and actions as the actors do real tasks and experience each other in an immersive setting. Advertisement Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, left, and Ben Foster in a scene from Leave No Trace. (Scott Green / Bleeker Street) This is also the story of a daughters emancipation. While writing this screenplay, I looked at fathers, vets, and daughters. I observed my own teen daughter and sought her comments draft after draft, especially absorbing her excitement after her first wilderness expedition, and her deepening relationship with her father. I had extensive conversations with a father and daughter in Oregon who had lived not so differently from Will and Tom. Seeing an experimental production of Shakespeares The Tempest added another rich layer to understanding the father-daughter dyad. Ron Hall, the Vietnam vet who is the subject of my previous film, Stray Dog, was another key life model. David J. Morris exquisite book The Evil Hours helped me to imagine the experience of living with post-traumatic stress and put it into context. After dozens of drafts, the version of the story I was following led to an ending that was different from the conclusion of the novel. I explored many different approaches for ending the film and finally settled on one that was inspired by a place that Id encountered filming Stray Dog in southern Missouri. We found a similar community of scrappy survivors who practice a live-and-let-live ethos in rural Oregon, so we filmed there. This part of the script was also shaped by the lives of the people that we encountered. The final part of the writing process is when the script becomes performance. In this film, the actors had incisive input in the script. Ben Foster helped to hone Wills dialogue to just what was necessary, opening a space for him and Thomasin to communicate without many words. And they did just that. What you see on screen is a true collaboration, with each actor refining the script, reworking the language spoken and nonverbal with intuition and nuance. Im forever grateful for having repeatedly had a chance to work with brilliant actors who are dedicated to working this way. FULL COVERAGE: Get the latest on awards season from The Envelope calendar@latimes.com Even as it was unfolding Tuesday, it was clear that President Trumps tempestuous meeting with Democratic leaders Sen. Charles E. Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi about the infamous border wall would be great fodder for the entire gamut of late-night shows. (And likely this weekends Saturday Night Live.) There was so much material to choose from. From Schumer mugging for the cameras to Trump repeatedly talking over Pelosi to the president name-checking North Dakota and Indiana, late-night shows had an embarrassment and we do mean embarrassment of riches. And yet they all recycled the same five jokes across the board. Santa Claus Advertisement Just two weeks out from Christmas, several comedians had Santa Claus on their mind when it came to Trumps border wall demands. Trump says that if he doesnt receive funding for his border wall, hell just ask the military, James Corden joked on The Late Late Show. And if that doesnt work, hell have no choice but to ask Santa Claus. Meanwhile on The Daily Show, Trevor Noah had a similar observation. Its Christmastime and President Trump already knows what he wants from Santa, Noah noted. A big, shiny border wall. Holiday dinner Another image that came to mind on several different shows was how similar the divisive meeting seemed to a bad family get-together. Think of this as a little preview of what your family dinners are going to look like this holiday season, Corden joked. Any child of divorce has seen this conversation before, Stephen Colbert quipped on The Late Show, in reference to Pelosis repeated requests to move to an area away from the news media. Oh, boy, Seth Meyers said on Late Night. The oldies are fighting. At least thats going to save you a trip home for Christmas. Thanks for the transition, Seth! Old people Meyers wasnt alone in his giddy observation about old people fighting. It turns out all of late-night loves an elderly throw-down. It felt like being in the TV room of an nursing home, Noah observed. It was just old people fighting. Corden was even more specific. This looks like a group at a senior center arguing over whether to watch The Price Is Right or a rerun of I Love Lucy. Colbert had a special plea for the meeting participants. Stop fighting, grandma, grandpa and weird grandpa! he begged. Real Housewives Others saw something a little more real. That was like a Real Housewives reunion, Jimmy Fallon joked on The Tonight Show. So intense. And on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the host went a step further, editing footage from the meeting into a new series dubbed The Real White House Wives of D.C. Well, that looks like a fun show, Kimmel said after seeing a sizzle reel for the potential series. I would for sure watch that. Mike Pence But Tuesdays biggest winner or loser was definitely Vice President Mike Pence. Sitting stone-faced in the meeting, often with his eyes closed, Pence looked like hed rather be anywhere else. The best part of the meeting was Mike Pence just sitting there quietly, patiently waiting to be president, not saying a word, Kimmel remarked. What is Mike Pence doing? Meyers wondered, in reference to Pences closed eyes. I guess when Schumer said shutdown, Pence took him literally. He just sat there motionless, like a guy whose edible just kicked in, Noah observed. Look how awkward Vice President Mike Pence looks in this photo while everyone argues around him, Corden pointed out. He looks like hes just thinking: Just hold still, Mike. No sudden movements and maybe they wont realize youre here. libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire To me, the world is a mystery. That sad, simple line as fitting an epitaph as any for 2018 arrives late into the exquisitely unnerving South Korean drama Burning, the best new movie I saw this year. The speaker is a troubled young man and aspiring writer named Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in), who over the course of the movie will grapple hard with that mystery, using his powers of observation to illuminate, as best as he can, the pain of living in a world that has long passed him by. In time a rival surfaces, a lady vanishes and, after much searching, an author finds his story. It has been suggested that the movies writer-director, Lee Chang-dong, who was a successful novelist before he turned to filmmaking, sees something of himself in Jong-su a grimly funny thought, especially if you know the movies outcome. Its one of many puzzles in a story that ultimately respects its mysteries too deeply to solve them for us. Something similar could be said of Paul Schraders First Reformed, the rare religious movie to understand that the deepest convictions often arise from a posture of doubt. Riddles and uncertainties similarly thwart the protagonists of Lucrecia Martels Zama, Alice Rohrwachers Happy as Lazzaro, Chloe Zhaos The Rider and Lynne Ramsays You Were Never Really Here, in which four different men directed, it should be noted, by four different women are set adrift in the same cruelly indifferent world. Advertisement The ensemble cast of indie dramedy Support the Girls includes Dylan Gelula, Shayna McHayle, Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, John Elvis, and AJ Michalka. (Ryan Green / Magnolia) But if 2018 abounded in bleak, solitary male journeys, it was also flush with thrilling stories of female solidarity under hugely improbable circumstances. You could draw a through-line from the cash-strapped bar workers of Support the Girls (the most resonant movie title of 2018) to the desperate robbers of Widows to the intrepid explorers of Annihilation to the scheming witches of Suspiria, and if you have about nine free hours to spare, thats quite a quadruple bill that awaits you. You could even make it five and throw in The Favourite; solidarity may not be the word, exactly, but by the end of this superb costume drama you more than grasp the killer instincts a woman needed to survive, let alone thrive, in an 18th-century mans world. And who will survive the 21st-century mans world, one that is gradually awakening to the long-suppressed voices of the abused and neglected, but is nonetheless still being torn apart by political rage, racial discord and environmental calamity? That question falls beyond my credentials as a critic, but I am grateful, at years end, that so many movies pondered it with such intelligence and artistry. In a spirit of reciprocal generosity, I have listed not 10 but 20 of them, as a series of paired titles. In a year when the movies seemed to be in such close conversation with each other, it seemed cruel to separate them. Here are my favorite movies of 2018: 1. Burning / 2. First Reformed Steven Yeun in a scene from Burning and Ethan Hawke in First Reformed. (Well Go USA Entertainment | A24) A radiant, ominous and spellbinding adaptation of a Haruki Murakami short story by way of William Faulkner, Burning reaffirms the South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Poetry) as a master of world cinema. After a too-long absence from filmmaking, he has returned with a shape-shifting tour de force of psychological unease, grounded by three of the years most layered performances, from Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Jong-seo and Steven Yeun. Like Burning, Paul Schraders First Reformed follows a man on a desperately lonely quest for meaning. Its a story of spiritual alienation, thwarted longing and violent catharsis that Schrader has been telling since Taxi Driver, and he tells it again here with crystalline intelligence and astonishing moral fury. Its a career culmination for him and his star, Ethan Hawke, and a movie to restore your faith in cinema. 3. Zama / 4. Black Panther Zama and Black Panther. (Strand Releasing | Marvel Studios/Disney) Two movies that could not be more formally, narratively or commercially dissimilar both confronted the grim legacy of colonialism with enormous intelligence and imagination. Zama, Lucrecia Martels feverishly brilliant and dryly funny epic, envelops us in the existential rot of a Spanish crown official (the great Daniel Gimenez Cacho) stationed in a remote Paraguayan backwater. The filmmaking is so vivid that you can practically feel his moment and his world wasting away. Ryan Cooglers Black Panther, the rare Marvel comic-book movie that deepens emotionally with every viewing, gets at the same truths from a radically different angle. Its thrillingly utopian vision of Wakanda offers a heartbreaking reminder of what might have been, but also what still could be. 5. Private Life / 6. If Beale Street Could Talk Private Life and If Beale Street Could Talk. (Netflix / Annapurna Pictures) It was a terrific year for filmmakers named Jenkins and for New York ensemble movies about long-term relationships and the families that come together, lovingly but imperfectly, to get them through hard times. In her pitch-perfect marital dramedy, Private Life, Tamara Jenkins approaches a couples infertility with limitless wisdom, humor and compassion, drawing superb performances along the way from Paul Giamatti, Kayli Carter, Molly Shannon and especially Kathryn Hahn. The warmth emanating from the East Village apartment in Private Life feels curiously of a piece with the glow suffusing a radiant young Harlem couple in If Beale Street Could Talk, Barry Jenkins stunningly lyrical adaptation of James Baldwins novel. A passionate mix of the political and the poetic, awash in intense colors, breathtaking music and whorls of dreamy cigarette smoke, it seems to have stumbled on an entirely new cinematic love language. 7. The Rider / 8. Western The Rider and Western. (Sony Pictures Classics / Cinema Guild) The classic western, a genre that has occasioned no shortage of premature obituaries, experienced something of a resurgence this year with the Coen brothers The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the Zellner brothers Damsel and Jacques Audiards The Sisters Brothers. The two finest examples, for me, were also the subtlest in their engagement, superbly acted by non-professional actors and directed with exquisite sensitivity to character, landscape and cultural nuance. In The Rider, her piercing portrait of a bronco rider of Lakota descent, Chloe Zhao asks what happens when a man loses his hold on the only dream, the only way of life, that he and his community have ever known. In Western, her incisive look at culture clash in a contemporary Bulgarian village, German director Valeska Grisebach examines lives similarly constrained by geography, tradition and circumstance. 9. Shoplifters / 10. Happy as Lazzaro Shoplifters and Happy as Lazzaro. (Magnolia Pictures / Netflix) No, Alfonso Cuarons much-adored Roma didnt make it to Cannes this year, thanks to a tedious feud between Netflix and the festival that led some to dismiss the latter as hopelessly out of date. That didnt stop Cannes from putting on its finest show in years: Among the standouts were two deceptively low-key portraits of communal life, both notable for their bracing toughness as well as their bone-deep compassion. Shoplifters, a career milestone for Japans Hirokazu Kore-eda, won the festivals Palme dOr for its stealthily wrenching story of a Tokyo family that steals to survive. Meanwhile, the screenplay prize went to the Italian writer-director Alice Rohrwacher for Happy as Lazzaro, which begins as a realist tale of tobacco sharecroppers and ends somewhere in the realm of myth. It was acquired shortly after the festival by you guessed it Netflix. You can watch it there now, and you should. Top-10 purists can stop here. For the rest of you, in brief, the next 10 are: 11. The Favourite / 12. Madelines Madeline The Favourite and Madelines Madeline. (Yorgos Lanthimos/Twentieth Century Fox | Oscilloscope Laboratories) Three women performing an intricate psychological dance, two locked in a vicious tug-of-war for anothers affections. Its a description that suits The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos acid-drenched historical tragicomedy, as well as Madelines Madeline, Josephine Deckers exhilarating, maddening cine-reverie about a teenager navigating the perilously thin boundaries between art and life. 13. Support the Girls / 14. Widows Support the Girls, top, and Widows. (Magnolia Pictures | Twentieth Century Fox) And then there are women who join forces to secure their livelihood and dismantle the patriarchy, one job at a time. Andrew Bujalski finds the lovely everyday comedy of that arrangement in Support the Girls, starring a never-better Regina Hall, while Steve McQueen layers on the class rage and political bite in his unorthodox heist thriller Widows, led by the incomparable Viola Davis. 15. Hereditary / 16. Eighth Grade Hereditary and Eighth Grade. (Reid Chavis/A24 | Linda Kallerus/A24) I thought Ari Asters devastating psychological chiller Hereditary would be the scariest indie A24 would release this year. Then I saw Bo Burnhams Eighth Grade, a movie about the even more universally resonant horror that is adolescence. See them for Toni Collette, Elsie Fisher and two of the most uncomfortable scenes ever set around a dinner table. 17. Shirkers / 18. Amazing Grace Shirkers and Amazing Grace. (Sandi Tan / Sundance Institute | Sundial Pictures) Glories of cinema lost and found: It took nearly two decades for Sandi Tan to recover the footage from her lost 1992 Singaporean independent production, and more than 40 years for a 1972 visual record of Aretha Franklins soaring gospel album to see the light of day. That we can see both Shirkers and Amazing Grace now is one of 2018s most unexpected cinematic blessings. (Amazing Grace played an awards-qualifying run in Los Angeles and New York theaters, but keep an eye out for it when Neon releases it in 2019.) 19. Vox Lux / 20. Annihilation Vox Lux and Annihilation. (Neon / Paramount Picures) In Annihilation, Natalie Portman all but disappears into a trippy pre-apocalyptic vortex; in Vox Lux, she gives a thrilling one-woman circus maximus of a performance. More actors of her caliber should work with filmmakers as nervy and assured as Alex Garland and Brady Corbet. And finally, here are 20 honorable mentions, because it really was a helluva year: Bisbee 17, BlacKkKlansman, A Bread Factory, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, First Man, Gavagai, Hale County This Morning, This Evening, Leave No Trace, Let the Sunshine In, Minding the Gap, Paddington 2, A Quiet Place, Roma, The Sisters Brothers, Sorry to Bother You, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Thunder Road, Where Is Kyra?, Wildlife, You Were Never Really Here. Best of 2018: A look back at the year in movies, TV, music and more ALSO 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 justin.chang@latimes.com When director Ang Lee set out to make Brokeback Mountain in 2005, he couldnt have anticipated the enduring hold the film would have on the American consciousness. I didnt intend to make a statement, he said in an announcement of the 25 titles selected this year for the Library of Congress National Film Registry. I simply wanted to tell a purely Western love story between two cowboys. To my great surprise, the film ended up striking a deep chord with audiences. The film which stars Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger as a rodeo cowboy and a ranch hand caught in a tortured, 20-year-long affair was inducted today along with milestone titles ranging from Disneys animation classic Cinderella to Stanley Kubricks horror perennial The Shining. Films selected for preservation must be at least 10 years old, which makes the 13-year-old Brokeback Mountain the newest to be included in the registry. Advertisement The main priority is to show the diversity of motion pictures, said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. We want people to have an appreciation of recorded images and their impact on our culture and our history. Each year, the National Film Registry chooses 25 of Americas most influential films that speak to the cultural, historic and aesthetic importance of the nations film heritage. The 2018 class of films span 107 years and multiple genres and brings the number of films in the registry now in its 30th year to 750. Steven Spielbergs blockbuster classic Jurassic Park (1993), James L. Brooks newsroom dramedy Broadcast News (1987) and Kasi Lemmons Eves Bayou (1997) were also among the more contemporary films included in the 2018 class. Its such an honor to return from production on my fifth film, Harriet, to find that my first, Eves Bayou, is being included in the National Film Registry, Lemmons told the NFR. As a black woman filmmaker it is particularly meaningful to me and to future generations of filmmakers that the Library of Congress values diversity of culture, perspective and expression in American cinema and recognizes Eves Bayou as worthy of preservation. It shows a segment of American culture that hadnt been portrayed in the motion picture medium that much, said Hayden of her decision to include the film. And it had critical acclaim as well as was popular. Steven Spielbergs Jurassic Park was inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry. (Murray Close) This years class of films is notable for its diversity. In addition to Eves Bayou, a 29-second silent film depicting black people kissing was inducted. The 1898 short titled Something Good Negro Kiss is the earliest known footage of black intimacy depicted onscreen. Smoke Signals (1998) a rare title from a Native American filmmaker, Chris Eyre, which was a sleeper success on the indie film circuit and animator Ayoka Chenziras Hair Piece: A Film for Nappy-Headed People (1984) were also included in the 2018 class. For my independently produced animated experimental film to be included in the National Film Registry is quite an honor, Chenzira told the NFR. I never imagined that Hair Piece would be considered to have cultural significance outside of its original intent, which was a conversation and a love letter to black women (and some men) about identity, beauty and self-acceptance in the face of tremendous odds. There are very few animated films on the registry, said Hayden. There are only about two dozen out of 750. Most have come from mainstream companies like Disney and so this is one of the few experimental animation works and critics found the film to be refreshing, unusual and fun. Other notable films included in this years crop of films include Paul Newmans Hud (1963), the musical My Fair Lady (1964), Alfred Hitchcocks 1940 thriller Rebecca, film noir classics Leave Her to Heaven (1945) and The Lady From Shanghai (1947), Blake Edwards Days of Wine and Roses (1962) and Marlon Brandos One-Eyed Jacks (1961). The inclusion of John Fords The Informer (1935) makes him the most represented director in the registry with 11 titles. Hayden makes the annual selections after conferring with members of the National Film Preservation Board and library specialists. Their selections take into consideration the more than 6,300 titles nominated by the public. Wednesday at 5 p.m. Pacific time, Turner Classic Movies will show a selection of the films named to the registry this year, accompanied by discussion from Hayden and film critic Leonard Maltin. Select titles from all 30 years are freely available online in the National Screening Room. See the full list of 2018 selections below: Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) Broadcast News (1987) Brokeback Mountain (2005) Cinderella (1950) Days of Wine and Roses (1962) Dixon-Wanamaker Expedition to Crow Agency (1908) Eves Bayou (1997) The Girl Without a Soul (1917) Hair Piece: A Film for Nappy-Headed People (1984) Hearts and Minds (1974) Hud (1963) The Informer (1935) Jurassic Park (1993) The Lady From Shanghai (1947) Leave Her to Heaven (1945) Monterey Pop (1968) My Fair Lady (1964) The Navigator (1924) On the Town (1949) One-Eyed Jacks (1961) Pickup on South Street (1953) Rebecca (1940) The Shining (1980) Smoke Signals (1998) Something Good Negro Kiss (1898) sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labakis Capernaum is a poverty saga with a heart-in-your-throat urgency, a grueling tale of child endangerment and youthful resilience on Beiruts sorriest streets that some viewers may absorb as little more than an adrenalized version of movie miserable-ism. And it is both unflinching and sentiment-driven in equal measure. But thats also part of its special alchemy. Labakis mix of incredible nonprofessional actors and craftily engineered melodrama, which earned her the Jury Prize at this years Cannes Film Festival shes the first female Arab filmmaker to win a major award there is often breathtaking in its intensity. (The film is also Lebanons submission to the Academy Awards.) Translated as Chaos, and built around a boys odyssey of survival, Capernaum is anchored by a knockout kid performance, the kind that brings to mind churningly memorable portrayals of poor, teetering-edge youth in neorealist classics Bicycle Thieves and Pixote. Zain al Rafeea, a pint-size 12-year-old with wiry energy but the sadly knowing eyes of an outmatched prizefighter, plays Zain, whom we first meet in handcuffs being led into a courtroom from the prison where hes serving a five-year term for stabbing someone. Hes not accused of anything this time, though. Zain is there to sue his negligent parents, Souad (Kawsar al Haddad) and Selim (Fadi Kamel Yousef), for giving birth to him. (Asked his age by the judge, neither he nor his mom and dad seem to know.) From so gimmicky a bracketing construct, though, comes the movies primary narrative pulse: the swirl of hardship that leads to the trial. Zain is one of many siblings living with their scraping, scamming parents in a cramped, decrepit apartment. Everyones under the thumb of shifty landlord Assaad (Nour El Husseini), who runs the nearby convenience store, and whose overtures to Zains 11-year-old sister Sahar (Cedra Izam) trigger the wary, street-savvy boys protective side. But when he cant prevent the inevitable his parents selling Sahar to Assaad for food an angry, defiant Zain runs away. A brief, empathetic exchange at an amusement park between Zain, looking for work, and cleaner Rahil (kind-eyed Yordanos Shiferaw), an undocumented Ethiopian woman who hides her infant son, Yonas, in the parks bathroom, sparks a mutually beneficial arrangement: Zains babysitting in their leaky hovel for a roof and food. Looking after someone becomes Zain, but once more, the designs of an unscrupulous man in this case, a market vendor (Alaa Chouchnieh) offering Rahil access to forged papers upends any hope for this put-upon trio. Advertisement The kinetic realism of Labakis close-to-the-ground direction and Christopher Aouns agile cinematography a hard swerve from the romantic style of her previous two features, the crowd-pleasers Caramel and Where Do We Go Now? is often a marvel to behold. Even more impressive, perhaps owing to Labakis parallel career as a sought-after actor (she plays an attorney in the courtroom scenes), is her ability with her untrained stars. She finds a magically resonant space between documentary-like vibe and dramatic performance that honors the characters inherent humanity while memorably framing the wretched circumstances that dictate their actions. Her direction of children, especially, most notably the increasingly fraught scenes with Zain looking after the wonderfully expressive Yonas a movie toddler for the ages who will agitate your wish for a peaceful outcome to no end are models for capturing the grace and need in beleaguered innocents. At the end, when the action returns to Zains legal gambit, Labaki is driven to remind us, through some clunky twists in fate and a little grandstanding, that shes as committed to Capernaum being a plea for solutions as a hard-driving drama. But after so fiercely rendered and artfully compassionate an achievement, can you blame her for a little preachiness? It in no way hobbles this powerful movies impact. ------------ Capernaum In Arabic with English subtitles Rated: R, for language and some drug material Running time: 1 hour, 59 minutes Playing: Starts Friday, Laemmle Royal, West L.A. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Keats said it first, but it was Mary Poppins, being practically perfect in every way, who found the right occasion for it, shortly after pulling an improbably large houseplant out of her carpetbag. She could have been speaking of the 1964 movie that bore her name. With its spoonfuls of sugar and chim-chim-cher-ee, its dancing cartoon penguins and marvelous Sherman Brothers songs, Mary Poppins remains one of the glories of the Disney canon, a wellspring of humor, emotion and audience goodwill that the studio has now seen fit to revisit 54 years later. Anyone with a heart or a basic grasp of the commercial logic of the movie industry can understand at least the theoretical appeal of a movie called Mary Poppins Returns. As the proud father of a 2-year-old who already knows the lyrics to Feed the Birds, Ill admit that I approached this belated sequel in a spirit of wary optimism. Our love for our precious childhood totems shouldnt render those objects sacrosanct, and theres no reason an iconic character cant be revived, especially if the participants involved Emily Blunt! Lin-Manuel Miranda! strike the right balance of respect and imagination. Certainly no one will accuse director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Into the Woods) or screenwriter David Magee (Finding Neverland, Life of Pi) of treating the Mary Poppins legacy with insufficient reverence. They might have made a more interesting film if they had. As it is, so much obvious care has been taken to reproduce and update the charms of the Robert Stevenson-directed original to deliver an old-fashioned yet newfangled burst of family-friendly uplift that Mary Poppins Returns winds up feeling both hyperactive and paralyzed. It sits there flailing on the screen, bright, gaudy and mirthless, tossing off strained bits of comic business and all but strangling itself with its own good cheer. Advertisement It fails through no lack of effort. Magee borrows instantly recognizable elements from the earlier film, but he also draws heavily on the superb P.L. Travers books that inspired it, particularly Mary Poppins Comes Back (1935) and Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943). Real inspiration, however, proves elusive. The laborious Depression-era plot brings together a house in disarray, a looming bank foreclosure and a few scowling cardboard villains. The score, composed by Marc Shaiman, is as hardworking as it is monotonous; the new songs crowd together inside your head, coalescing into a thick, vaguely melodic vapor that evaporates immediately after the movie has ended. Left to right, Jane (Emily Mortimer), John (Nathanael Saleh), Annabel (Pixie Davies), Ellen (Julie Walters), Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Georgie (Joel Dawson) and Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) in Mary Poppins Returns. (Jay Maidment / Disney) RELATED: From Mary Queen of Scots to Mary Poppins Returns, this years movies celebrated a spectrum of female strength The first of those tunes, (Underneath the) Lovely London Sky, is sung by a lamplighter named Jack (Miranda) as he rides his bicycle through the citys cobblestone streets. The character is an obvious tip of the cap to Bert, the chimney sweep whom Dick Van Dyke brought to such rollicking life 54 years ago. Miranda, for his part, is there to help usher the audiences Mary Poppins nostalgia into the 21st century, to sell us on the idea that this quaint vision of 1930s London might be worthy of its own hip, Hamilton-scaled phenomenon. Perhaps so, though it will take more than a cheek-spraining smile and a vowel-butchering Cockney accent to pull it off. Jack isnt the star of the show, of course. That would be Mary Poppins (Blunt), who once more floats down from the sky in a smart coat and flowered hat, holding her parrot-headed umbrella aloft. She touches down with nary a hair out of place, and with a fresh arsenal of sniffs, eye rolls and curt reprimands at the ready. Well, not entirely fresh: Close your mouth, please, Michael, we are still not a codfish, she snaps upon arriving back at 17 Cherry Tree Lane, where her now fully grown charges receive her in dumbfounded silence. Michael (Ben Whishaw), of course, is Michael Banks, who now has three sweet, unruly young children of his own. (Theyre played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and Joel Dawson.) He and his sister, Jane (Emily Mortimer), a labor activist, are shocked to be reunited with the nanny who once took them on all manner of magical outings, as they only vaguely recall. You might well share their confusion, given that this Mary Poppins seems not to have aged a day, though she is also an inexplicably, undeniably different being. The effect might have been positively creepy if Blunt werent an innately appealing screen presence, though her charisma feels stifled here by the directors timidity and the audiences impossible expectations. There are few acting challenges less enviable than going up against the Oscar-winning star turn that made Julie Andrews everyones favorite movie nanny. You could hardly fault any performer for feeling trapped in Andrews shadow, or for having a hard time getting a grip on Travers slippery, inscrutably lovely heroine: How do you play stern yet warm, mischievous yet authoritative, knowing yet sincere? Im not sure, but not even Blunts pleasant singing and snappy rejoinders can make this stilted characterization spring fully to life although Sandy Powells gorgeous costumes, from striped nursery garb to cute aquamarine swimwear, do more than their fair share. For much of the early going, anyway, Mary Poppins slips quietly into the background, applying herself to the task of looking after Michaels children. They lost their mother less than a year ago, and they might soon lose their house, thanks to an ill-advised loan from the bank where Michael now works. He is done no favors by his employer, William Weatherall Wilkins, who has a warm smile and a misers frigid heart, put across with sly if overly obvious villainy by Colin Firth. Emily Blunt is Mary Poppins in one of the original musical numbers from Mary Poppins Returns. (Jay Maidment / Disney) RELATED: How Mary Poppins Returns star Emily Blunt and director Rob Marshall aimed to make a joybomb on the soul Dead moms, stolen homes, cynical banks and earnest Bankses: Thats an awful lot of complications for even a wizardly problem solver like Mary Poppins to unravel. The original picture constructed its emotional throughline slowly, stringing together a series of delightful, episodic adventures that meandered their way toward a startlingly cathartic finale. The hectic, calculated busyness of Mary Poppins Returns, by contrast, wears you out almost immediately, in part because every throwaway gag and narrative digression has been so vainly contrived to pay off in a flurry of climactic would-be surprises. It may be churlish to subject these two movies to point-by-point comparisons, but it also seems entirely appropriate. The big musical set-pieces here play like second-rate retreads: Theres a journey into an enchanted porcelain bowl that allows for some niftily integrated animation, and also a topsy-turvy visit with another one of Mary Poppins crazy relatives (a garishly upholstered Meryl Streep). The songs have an awful lot of child-friendly lessons to impart appearances can be deceiving! Embrace the nuttiness of life! The dead never truly leave us! and largely come off as muddled harangues. The most successful callback is the inevitable Van Dyke cameo, probably the worst kept of the movies many secrets, and for good reason. The sight of the 92-year-old screen legend in glorious step-in-time form delivers that sensation youve been longing for: a fleeting but genuine rush of joy. Its too little too late to make for a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious experience in retrospect, but for a moment, at least, youre glad you stayed awake. ------------ Mary Poppins Returns Rating: PG, for some mild thematic elements and brief action Running time: 2 hours, 11 minutes Playing: Opens Dec. 19 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 justin.chang@latimes.com | Twitter: @JustinCChang Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz earned SAG Awards nominations Thursday for their wicked turns in the acclaimed period piece The Favourite. But the movie itself somehow didnt earn an ensemble nod. SAG Awards voters loved Christian Bale and Amy Adams turns as Dick and Lynne Cheney in Adam McKays scathing Cheney biopic, Vice. But the deep cast, which includes strong work from Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Tyler Perry, Alison Pill and Jesse Plemons, went unrecognized. So, yes, its hard to make much sense of the film slate of this years nominations, a group determined by a random sampling of 2,500 SAG-AFTRA members, many of whom apparently had issues reconciling the names on their ballots. Advertisement READ MORE: #SAGsPrettyWhite? Screen Actors Guild contenders fall short on diversity Really, you could just dismiss the whole thing out of hand simply for the omission of the brilliant Regina King, whose extraordinary supporting turn as the mother in Barry Jenkins If Beale Street Could Talk has swept critics group prizes throughout the month of December. But SAG Awards voters offered plenty of other reasons to break out that face-palm emoji. Other than Rami Malek, can you name a cast member of Bohemian Rhapsody? Maybe Mike Myers, but just for the stunt casting, right? Yet the Queen biopic earned a nomination for best film ensemble, along with A Star Is Born, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman and Crazy Rich Asians. Maybe the random sampling of SAG Awards voters have just been unusually random lately. Last year, the outstanding ensemble of Guillermo del Toros lovely fantasy drama The Shape of Water earned nods for cast members Sally Hawkins and Richard Jenkins but no ensemble honor. Shape went on to win the best picture Oscar, becoming the first movie since Mel Gibsons Braveheart to pull off that feat without a SAG Awards ensemble nomination. Thats good news for overlooked The Favourite and Vice as well as Alfonso Cuarons intimate family drama, Roma, which was completely shut out. With a cast comprised of mostly unknown Mexican actors, few expected that SAG-AFTRA members would nominate Roma. Like King, Cuaron will have to be content with winning nearly every critics prize in the land. The makers of the critically divisive crowd-pleaser Green Book can likewise comfort themselves with the individual nominations for stars Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. As the movie is essentially a two-hander (helped by Linda Cardellinis supporting turn), the movie was a longshot to earn an ensemble nod. Emily Blunt is Mary Poppins in Disneys Mary Poppins Returns, which earned the actress one of two SAG nominations this year. (Disney) 2019 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations: The full list The names in the groups individual acting nominations did solidify (calcify?) the categories, even at this early date. I wouldnt be surprised to see the five women nominated for lead actress Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns), Glenn Close (The Wife), Colman (The Favourite), Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) and Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) go on to earn Oscar nods. Blunts nomination confirms the glad tidings for the Disney sequel, which is shaping up to be a box office behemoth. The well-liked English actress also picked up a supporting actress nomination for her work in A Quiet Place, a performance that probably belongs in lead. But then, you could make that same argument about Stone and Weisz too, also nominated for supporting along with Adams and Margot Robbie (Mary Queen of Scots). Its a hard year for someone like King, who actually had a supporting role in her film. King can take solace that, typically, about 75% of the SAG Awards nominees go on to earn Oscar nominations, leaving room for a few surprises and necessary corrections. In addition to Blunts double nomination on the film side, supporting actress nominees Adams and Stone also picked up additional individual nominations for their work on the TV limited series Sharp Objects and Maniac, respectively. The most predictable element of this years SAG Awards was, yet again, the annual spell that Netflix casts over voters again, a random sampling of 2,500 SAG-AFTRA members. The streaming outlet earned 15 nominations on the television side, the most of any network. Among its offerings, GLOW and newcomer The Kominsky Method were nominated for comedy ensemble, along with Atlanta, Barry and Emmy darling The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. For drama ensemble, Netflixs Ozark was recognized in a field that also included a first-ever nomination for The Americans (in its final season), Better Call Saul, The Handmaids Tale and This Is Us. The individual nominees skewed toward the older side, with veterans like Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method), Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie) and Henry Winkler (Barry) earning recognition. Robin Wright received her fifth consecutive nomination for the final season of House of Cards, overcoming competition including Julia Roberts acclaimed turn on Amazons Homecoming not a given, but not a surprise either as SAG Awards voters tend to be even slower than their Emmy counterparts in recognizing new shows and talent. The 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be presented on Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. PT in a ceremony televised on TNT and TBS. The entire membership of nearly 160,000 people votes on the winners. 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Where: TNT and TBS When: 5 p.m. Jan. 27 glenn.whipp@latimes.com Twitter: @glennwhipp Champaign ILL, which begins streaming Wednesday on YouTube Premium, formerly YouTube Red, is a solidly constructed lost-status comedy about emerging, none too quickly, from a state of arrested development. Adam Pally, whom you may remember from The Mindy Project or Happy Endings, and Sam Richardson (from Veep and Detroiters) are the knuckleheads knocked back overnight from international lives of leisure to ones of involuntary normalcy in the Midwest city that gives the series its name. In a brief prologue we meet the younger selves of Ronnie, Alf and Lou, hanging out in Champaign on grad night. Ronnie is bound for Yale and Alf to the local university in the company of his girlfriend, Courtney. But when Lou announces that his mixtape has got him signed to a major label and that he is about to go on tour, Alf and Lou postpone their plans for a year the sickest year ever to be his crew. Suddenly, 15 years have passed and Ronnie (Pally) and Alf (Richardson) are still traveling with Lou (Jay Pharoah, guesting), now a superstar who lunches with the mayor of Paris and has his own signature Pringle in development. (They say they were able to get that stank in there, reports his assistant, Craig, played by Neil Casey, but they want you to taste it first.) Jay Pharoah (center) guests as rap superstar Lou, flanked by friends Alf (Sam Richardson, left) and Ronnie (Adam Pally) in the YouTube Premium comedy Champaign ILL. (YouTube Premium) Advertisement A life of unearned privilege and endless partying on Lous payroll has made Ronnie and Alf soft in mind and body. Then Lou dies in a video-shoot accident I told you, Pharoah was just guesting and the partys over, as a song older than hip-hop says. The pretty balloons have been burst, the moon taken away. Created by Jordan Cahan, David Caspe, and brothers Daniel and Matthew Libman, whose collective credits include Happy Endings, The Mick and Breaking In, its a sometimes very funny, well-played, highly profane, professional-level comedy, more than a little reminiscent of Eastbound & Down, in which Danny McBride played an egotistical major-league pitcher bounced back to teaching phys ed in his old hometown. There is something too of Schitts Creek in its opening seasons, though Champaign is nastier, in multiple meanings of that word. Its not the worlds newest concept. Nothing that meant anything in their old world matters to the people in their new (older) one, ordinary folks to whom their tales of sex and drugs and desperate celebrity name-dropping mean nothing and who largely regard them with mockery or pity. The pair puts up walls of bravado to combat this developing narrative going around town that since Lou died were not doing well or whatever. Having lost both their platinum meal ticket and the alternative bright futures they forfeited to chase the sexier dream, they are back to less than zero -- unable to understand or accept their situation yet continually declaring their mastery of it. It was so smart to strip away all the distractions, says Ronnie, in a room full of nothing. Yeah, says Alf, all the stuff we dont need so we can just focus on getting all that stuff back. Adam Pally, left, and Sam Richardson co-star in Champaign ILL, a new comedy from YouTube Premium. (Bob Mahoney / YouTube Premium) Alf expects he will be able to take up again with Courtney (Sabrina Revelle), the love of my life, who, uninterested, reminds him that I had a full ride to Stanford but chose Illinois to be with you, and then you chose to go be Lous paid friend instead, and I didnt see you again until ... he died. Ronnie, who got a perfect score on the SAT (I smoked that exam like the CIA smoked Biggie) assumes Yale will honor his multiply deferred acceptance. They cook up ideas to remake their fortune Mr. Potato Head but for urns, reverse ketchup and Diamond Eye, for people who can afford to lose an eye and replace it with a jewel: I havent figured out all the Diamond Eye details yet, says Ronnie, but think about the clientele. Pally and Richardson team well and keep Ronnie and Alf sufficiently sympathetic even as they are continually trying which is, after all, the response they have been formed to elicit (as the Three Stooges before them). It puts the show on that famous fine line between stupid and clever, a line it does manage to walk with fair coordination, working both sides to good effect. I have seen three episodes of Champaign ILL out of 10, and its clear that their humbling is far from complete there is a nice extended joke on the Kubler-Ross stages of grief in episode three, with a killer punchline and that their redemption will be put off as long as possible. In the movie-length version of the story, they would achieve some minimally acceptable self-awareness within a couple of hours. But TV has no choice but to test your patience; this story may last years. Champaign ILL Not rated Where: YouTube Premium When: Starting Wednesday ALSO: Comedy Centrals goofy Detroiters celebrates a city and a friendship My Favorite Room: Sam Richardson is never far from nerd culture Time travel is all the rage in Time After Time and Making History The comedy Joshy shows how men confront or avoid emotional pain Google expands in Playa Vista in historic Spruce Goose hangar robert.lloyd@latimes.com Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd During his participation in the signing ceremony to construct the Rufiji dam in Tanzania, Egypts PM Mostafa Madbouly said that the Egyptian construction alliance winning a tender to design and construct the project affirms Cairos commitment to supporting development efforts in Tanzania and Africa. During the ceremony on Wednesday, which was attended by Tanzanian President John Magufuli and top country officials, Madbouly gave a speech where he expressed hopes that the project would open new horizons for cooperation between Egypt and Tanzania. The leading Egyptian construction company Al-Moukawolon Al-Arab (Arab Contractors) has won a tender to design and build the huge dam on Tanzania's Rufiji River, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement last October. The government-run company has been tasked with building the $3 billion 2.1 GW hydroelectric Stiegler Gorge dam, considered by Tanzania as one of its most important national projects for power generation. The Egyptian government, with all its political, economic and technical institutions, is eager to strengthen bilateral relations with Tanzania, the Egyptian PM said in his speech. Madbouly praised the 54-year-old bilateral ties between Egypt and Tanzania. The PM said that Egypt, which will chair the African Union in 2019, is keen on boosting cooperation with Tanzania on issues of mutual interest and within the framework of Cairos desire to enhance joint African cooperation. There are many important joint projects underway between our countries in various fields. However, we believe that there is still enormous potential to enhance cooperation with our brothers in Tanzania, the Egyptian premier said The project is a joint venture between Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric Company, according to a press release from Arab Contractors. Construction of the facility will involve building a main dam and appurtenant structures, with an expected reservoir length of 100 km and a reservoir area of about 1,350 square km. The dam will be around 134m high. Search Keywords: Short link: The announcement of the Screen Actors Guild nominations on Wednesday stayed true to the awards template set by the Emmys and the Golden Globes everyone, apparently, thinks Mrs. Maisel is marvelous with a few exceptions. Shutting out the lead actors of The Americans The good news: FXs critically lauded, slow-burning spy drama earned a long overdue SAG Awards nomination in the wake of its final season. The bad news: It was only one, in the ensemble category, as the SAGs again snubbed the shows lead performers, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, who portrayed the conflicted, identity-swapping Russian agents and couple at the center of the show. SAG loves Ozark Jason Batemans grim crime drama doubled its nominations haul at the SAGs from last year with four, adding Julia Garner and dramatic ensemble to go along with two more nominations for 2018 contenders Bateman and Laura Linney. In a bit of an upset, Netflixs Ozark tied Amazons The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel for the most SAG nominations in the TV category after its second season. RELATED: #SAGsPrettyWhite? Screen Actors Guild contenders fall short on diversity Advertisement Julia Roberts in a scene from Homecoming. (Hilary B Gayle / Amazon) 2019 SAG Award nominations: The five biggest film snubs and surprises John Krasinski for Jack Ryan? Previously best known as nice guy Jim from The Office, Krasinski has enjoyed a strong year, led by his directorial debut A Quiet Place becoming a horror blockbuster this spring. His return to TV with Amazons action-heavy adaptation of Tom Clancys novels, which became movies starring Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Chris Pine, was, um, less celebrated. Wheres Julia Roberts and Homecoming? With nominations for veterans such as Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin from The Kominsky Method, the SAGs showed a preference for the ancient tradition of honoring film actors making the great leap to TV. Missing from that number, however, was recent Golden Globes nominee Julia Roberts, whose role in Sam Esmails adaptation of the podcast Homecoming for Amazon was passed over by the SAGs along with the series. Prestige isnt always enough The limited series/TV movie category is typically a crowded field, and while the SAGs followed their awards night predecessors lead in recognizing actors from The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and Hugh Grant from A Very British Scandal, Benedict Cumberbatchs Patrick Melrose from Showtime was shut out along with AMCs star-studded John le Carre adaptation Little Drummer Girl. In their place, the guild recognized the cast of Sharp Objects as well as Bill Pullman in The Sinner and Anthony Hopkins in the BBCs production of King Lear. 2019 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations: The full list chris.barton@latimes.com Follow me over here @chrisbarton. ALSO: Camp fire death toll rises to 86 after burn victim dies in hospital By Alene Tchekmedyian Californias deadliest blaze on record has claimed 86 lives. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) The death toll from the devastating Camp fire in Butte County, Calif., rose to 86 after an 80-year-old man died of his burn injuries, authorities said Tuesday. Larry Smith of Paradise was burned Nov. 8 while attempting to put out flames that engulfed his car, the Butte County Sheriffs Office said. He was flown to the UC Davis Firefighters Burn Institute Regional Burn Center, where he died Nov. 25. Authorities also released the name of one other person who died in the blaze: Shirlee Teays, 90, of Paradise. Of the 86 people killed, 52 have been identified. Three people are still missing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Three more Camp fire victims identified A recovery team searches for human remains after the Camp fire. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The Butte County Sheriffs Office on Monday released the names of three more victims who died in the Camp fire. Authorities identified the following people and have notified their families: Rafaela Andrade, 84, of Paradise Don Shores, 70, of Magalia Jean Forsman, 83, of Magalia Of the 85 people killed in Californias deadliest blaze on record, 50 have been identified. Three people remain missing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Woolsey fire victims identified as mother and son Firefighter Adan Rodriguez douses hot spots on Mulholland Drive last month. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County coroners officials Monday identified a mother and son who died trying to escape flames in the destructive Woolsey fire. Shoushan Baklayan, 82, and her son Anthony Noubar Baklayan, 57, died in a car Nov. 9 in the 33100 block of Mulholland Highway in Malibu, coroners officials said. Authorities said that the younger Baklayan died of effects of thermal injuries; investigators have not determined a cause of death for his mother. The two were among three people who died in the blaze. The third victim has not been identified. The family released a statement through their spokesman, Brian Glicklich, in which they asked for privacy as they continue to grieve. The blaze, which erupted Nov. 8, ripped through nearly 97,000 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, destroying 1,500 structures. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Authorities identify the remains of 3 more killed in Camp fire By B.J. Terhune Firefighters move heavy debris while searching for human remains at a destroyed residence 19 days after the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) The Butte County Sheriffs Office has released the names of three more people who died in the Camp fire. Sheriffs officials said Wednesday that the remains of the following people had been identified and their relatives had been notified: Sally Gamboa, 69, Paradise Joy Porter, 72, Paradise Dennis Clark, 49, Paradise Californias worst wildfire killed 85 people when it tore through Butte County on Nov. 8. Officials say 10 residents are still missing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Authorities identify remains of 10 more people who died in Camp fire By B.J. Terhune Weeks after the Camp fire destroyed more than 18,000 structures in Californias Butte County, volunteers from search-and-rescue teams nationwide continue to look for human remains in the rubble. The names of 10 more victims of the Camp fire were released Monday by the Butte County Sheriffs Office, which has notified the next of kin. Helen Pace, 84, Paradise Gary Hunter, 67, Magalia Beverly Powers, 64, Paradise Sheila Santos, 64, Paradise Andrew Downer, 54, Paradise Lou Herrera, 86, Paradise TK Huff, 71, Concow Gordon Dise, 66, Chico James Garner, 63, Magalia Robert Duvall, 76, Paradise Californias worst wildfire has killed 85 people, and 11 residents in the Northern California counties where the blaze tore through in early November are still missing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Camp fire death toll is revised to 85 Homes leveled by the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) Authorities in Butte County revised the Camp fire death toll to 85 after investigators determined that, in three cases, human remains collected in multiple bags belonged to a single individual. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said investigators had identified 43 victims. For weeks, hundreds of searchers scoured 18,000 structures destroyed by the blaze looking for human remains, going over some areas more than once. Honea advised residents who head back to their neighborhoods in coming days to call the sheriffs office if they find bones or bone fragments. Investigators have accounted for all but 11 people reported missing in the wildfire. Crews have been working to clear tree hazards on public roads, but urged residents to be cautious because they have not assessed private properties. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Strangers from Paradise support one another in hotel lobby far from home By Angel Jennings Over the last few weeks, some Paradise evacuees have made a Best Western hotel home. They didnt know each other before the fire, though they lived in the same small town for years and frequented the same haunts. They have formed a little community at the Corning hotel around the waffle maker during breakfast, passing one another in the elevator and lounging in the lobby, Around the table, they trade stories of dodging embers and feelings of guilt. Together, they try to make sense of the tragedy that unites them. They are among thousands of Paradise residents who fled their homes the day the fire started and have not been allowed to return since. There is growing frustration at the pace of getting people back to see what is left of their properties as well as longer-term shelter plans for those who lost their homes. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rain brings new dangers in Northern California areas burned in recent fires By Hannah Fry As a series of rainstorms begins to move across the state, officials in areas recently scarred by wildfires are on high alert for potential mudslides and flash flooding. The National Weather Service issued a warning of possible flash flooding in three counties in Northern California in advance of a storm expected to arrive late Wednesday. Forecasters predict the second in a series of three storm systems this week could drop more than an inch of rain on the Camp fire burn area in Butte County; the Carr, Delta and Hirz fires burn areas in Shasta County; and the Mendocino Complex fire scar in Lake County. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Costs from Paradise fire will likely be in the billions, Zinke says U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke returned to Paradise, Calif., on Monday, saying the cost of Californias worst fires would probably be in the billions and that care would have to be taken in rebuilding the city. When we rebuild, having a frank discussion whether its appropriate to rebuild every place is an important part of the equation, he told the Associated Press in an interview. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Some victims of Paradise fire may never be found, officials say By Rong-Gong Lin II Authorities are coming to terms with the possibility that the search for victims of the Camp fire might never be complete and that some human remains wont ever be recovered. Is it possible that there could be a circumstance where someone was completely consumed by fire and therefore we wouldnt have something that we could collect? I would say it is within the realm of possibility, unfortunately, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Monday. Theres nothing easy about this. This is just an unprecedented situation, he added. Read the latest here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New storms bring fresh anxiety in Paradise By Hannah Fry The first of three storm systems expected in wildfire-ravaged Butte County, Calif., dropped a smattering of rain Tuesday. Forecasters predicted about an inch of precipitation, saying the relatively weak system would sputter out by early Wednesday. But a stronger storm will roll in late Wednesday, bringing with it the potential for debris flows and up to 3 inches of rain through Thursday night. The Butte County Emergency Operations Center has prepared for the rain by clearing drainage culverts of debris, said Matt Gates, public information officer for the Paradise Police Department. The California Conservation Corps also has been working on erosion-control measures for mountain slopes filled with fire-damaged pine and chaparral. Ash doesnt absorb water, which complicates things, Gates said. A third storm could bring 2 to 4 inches of rain to the charred region from Friday through Sunday. Its the intensity that can cause debris flows, said Eric Kurth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. If the rain comes over time, theres some opportunity for it to absorb or gradually run off. When we have rapid runoff, thats when it can bring down entire hillsides. The soil in recently burned areas cannot absorb significant amounts of rainwater, so excessive precipitation can lead to fast-moving flows containing mud, debris and even trees and boulders. The devastation can be deadly and often comes without warning. The rain is also expected to complicate the already challenging search for human remains among the rubble of the Camp fire. Typically, crews scoop fire debris into a screen and sift it, looking for bone or bone fragments, but the ash and rain have mixed to form a clay-like substance, making the task nearly impossible. Officials have had to bring in water and gently wash away the clay to expose potential human remains in the charred mess. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mountain lion P-74 believed killed in Woolsey fire By Associated Press National Park Service officials say P-74, a young male mountain lion who lives in the area burned by the Woolsey fire, probably died. (National Park Service) Officials say a mountain lion tracked by researchers probably died in a wildfire that tore through Southern California communities and wilderness areas. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area tweeted Monday that theres been no signal from the GPS collar on the young mountain lion dubbed P-74 since Nov. 9. Thats the day the Woolsey fire swept into the central part of the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of Los Angeles. P-74 was a male born last year. Several other mountain lions and bobcats monitored by scientists in the area have been located. The huge fire charred a swath of national park land thats home to the big cats and popular among hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The blaze burned 1,600 structures in and around Malibu and left three people dead. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 88 dead and 203 still missing in Paradise fire zone By Rong-Gong Lin II The death toll from Californias worst fire jumped to 88 on Monday with 203 people still missing, officials said. Searchers have spent the last two weeks combing through the remains of Paradise, where much of the city was burned in the Camp fire. Officials said Monday that they had covered a good portion of the city. Its been a grim task, with most of the remains being found as just bones or bone fragments. The fire, which burned more than 14,000 homes in the Paradise region, was fully contained Sunday morning. A new rainstorm will move into the area in the coming days, and officials are worried that could make search efforts more difficult. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Officials believe mountain lion P-74 died in the Woolsey fire By Associated Press Lion P-74. (Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area) Officials say a mountain lion tracked by researchers probably died in a wildfire that tore through Southern California communities and wilderness areas. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area tweeted Monday that theres been no signal from the GPS collar on the young mountain lion dubbed P-74 since Nov. 9. Thats the day the Woolsey fire swept into the central part of the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of Los Angeles. P-74 was a male born last year. Several other mountain lions and bobcats monitored by scientists in the area have been located. The huge fire charred a swath of national park land thats home to the big cats and popular among hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The blaze burned 1,600 structures in and around Malibu and left three people dead. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 296 still missing in Paradise fire zone; 85 dead As of Sunday night, the number of people missing stands at 296 in Californias worst wildfire on record. The Butte County Sheriffs Department said the death toll was at 85. Searchers spent the day looking for remains in the Paradise area, where 14,000 homes were lost in the Camp fire. The number of missing has been going down as officials connect with people whose names are on the list. As of last week, it topped 1,000. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Searching for anything that looks human: Grim work in Paradise continues By Cindy Chang At the Ridgewood mobile home park for senior citizens in Paradise on Sunday, more than 100 search and rescue workers in white jumpsuits and gas masks combed through the rubble with shovels and rakes. The surrounding pine trees were singed, ringing a neighborhood where every home had been reduced to charred, twisted wreckage. Last week, searchers found the remains of two people there, said Sgt. Dave Thompson of the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office. On Sunday, the grim, painstaking task yielded some bones, including those of two small dogs. But none were human. The searchers, many of whom are volunteers, also found a safe full of coins as they combed through Ridgewood and Ponderosa Mobile Estates next door. Were going trailer by trailer, piece by piece, turning it over for anything that looks human, said Thompson, who led an operation that drew searchers from counties such as Marin, Contra Costa, Shasta and Kern, as well as the National Guard and California Conservation Corps. Facebook photos before the fire of the Ridgewood community at Pentz and Wagstaff roads, where residents were 55 years and older, showed tidy mobile homes with well-kept gardens. The fire came over the ridge very fast, and senior citizens with limited mobility could have had trouble fleeing, Thompson said. As teams wrapped up their work, Thompson dispatched them to other neighborhoods to continue searching for people who lost their lives in the fire. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Disaster assistance operations are extended in Malibu and Agoura Hills Operations at disaster assistance centers in Malibu and Agoura Hills have been extended to keep helping residents affected by the Woolsey fire. The centers, located at the former Malibu Courthouse and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in Agoura Hills, are scheduled to be open through Dec. 8. Hours of operation are between 1 to 8 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. At the centers, residents affected by the fire can get help filing insurance claims and applying for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They can also receive advice on how to clean up, repair and rebuild their properties. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Woolsey fire destroyed 1,643 structures in destructive siege of Ventura County and Malibu Destruction from Woolsey fire. (Los Angeles Times) The Woolsey fire destroyed 1,643 structures as it swept through Oak Park and Ventura County and into Malibu, according to a final report released Sunday. That makes it one of the most destructive fires in Southern California history, though it pales in comparison to the 14,000 homes lost in the Camp fire in Butte County. Hundreds of evacuees from the Malibu, Agoura Hills and Thousand Oaks areas spent the holiday weekend returning to their burned-out neighborhoods to survey their damaged or destroyed homes and to begin rebuilding their lives. Some were still debating whether to stay or leave. The Woolsey fire scorched more than 96,000 acres and left three people dead before it was fully contained on Thanksgiving Day, fire officials said. Pono Barnes, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said firefighters are working on encouraging residents to prepare for winter rainstorms that could move over the burn area. The whole landscape in the area has changed, Barnes said. The vegetation that was there to hold the ground together was burned off. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rain is helping firefighters battling Northern California fire, but a new storm could bring dangers By Ruben Vives Crews work in the wreckage of a structure destroyed in the Camp fire. (Associated Press) Light rains in the area have assisted firefighters in achieving 100% containment of Northern Californias devastating Camp fire, but most evacuations and road closures remain in effect. More than 1,000 firefighters remain on site, assisting with search and recovery efforts. Full containment came as a big relief for fire officials, who noted that the rain sped up the process. Full containment was originally projected for Nov. 30. We didnt get mudslides, so that was good, said Brigitte Foster, fire prevention officer for the Lassen National Forest and spokeswoman for fire officials regarding the Camp fire. We got enough to hamper down on the fire. The rains also gave officials the ability to reduce the number of fire personnel on duty and allow some to go home for the holiday weekend. We still have plenty of resources out there to work from the containment line and make sure there are no smoldering spots along the edge, Foster said. We still have search and rescue teams working in the area. And in preparation for residents being allowed to return to burn areas and assess property damage, crews were helping clear roadways and remove hazardous materials such as trees that could fall down. Its unknown when evacuees will be able to return. There are concerns about another storm approaching burn areas this week. Rain is expected to move into the Camp fire burn areas beginning Tuesday and continue through the end of the week, according to the National Weather Service. Up to 3 inches could fall in some lower elevations, forecasters said. On Wednesday, the same system is expected to deliver a half-inch to 2 inches in burn areas in Southern California. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Woman returns to see ruins of Malibu drug treatment center: This place saved my life By Emily Alpert Reyes Along Trancas Canyon Road on Saturday, a woman snapped photos of the blackened wreckage of what was once an alcohol and drug treatment center. A wedge of scorched wall stood at a tilt, like a listing ship, peering over the Pacific below. Someone had taped business cards to a wall bordering the site, advertising a restoration business, but it was hard to imagine what could be restored. The woman, who declined to give her name, said she had been sober nearly seven months. This place saved my life, she said. She stayed in Newbury Park after she was evacuated, and it was the first time she had gotten a moment to see what had become of Creative Care Inc. There were people she had gotten to know there who are now living out of state and wanted photos. Its sad, she said. But its just material. I have sobriety. I have life, she said. And theyll rebuild. Read more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 50,000 displaced by Northern California fire. Where will they go? By Anna M. Phillips Across Butte County a primarily agricultural area known for its walnut, almond and rice farms towns are struggling to absorb the roughly 50,000 people displaced by the Camp fire. Through no fault of their own, the evacuees arrival has worsened the states housing crisis and raised the possibility that they could be evicted from the region again, not by fire but by a scarcity of suitable dwellings. Hotels and motels from Sacramento to Redding are full. The vacancy rate in the rental market, which hovered around 3% before the fire, has fallen to near zero. Unable to find single-family homes in the area, evacuees have resorted to renting individual bedrooms, buying recreational vehicles and purchasing travel trailers. Others are simply leaving California for other Western states with a lower cost of living. Read more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Northern California fire now 100% contained; 85 dead, 249 still missing Destruction from the Camp fire. (Los Angeles Times) The worst fire in California history reached full containment Sunday morning, a milestone for a catastrophic inferno that killed at least 85 people with nearly 250 people still missing weeks later. The Camp fire is now 100% contained, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Sunday, after burning nearly 14,000 homes and consuming 153,000 acres in and around Paradise in Butte County. Much of Paradise was lost in the fire, and search and rescue crews will continue looking through the ruins for more victims. At one point, there were more than 1,300 people listed as missing from the fire. But that number has been dropping in recent days. Over the weekend, it declined from more than 400 to 249 as officials were able to confirm more people on the list were actually alive. Several days of rain last week helped firefighters get a handle on the fire. Authorities expect the removal of ash and other toxic debris from the fire will be the largest such effort ever undertaken by state officials. The amount of debris is expected to dwarf the cleanup effort undertaken from last years Northern California fires. That effort led to more than 2 million tons of toxic debris removed from 6,000 properties in seven California counties: Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Butte, Yuba and Nevada, said Eric Lamoureux of the Governors Office of Emergency Services. County, state and federal governments jump start the process of removal of toxic ash and other debris, and can do so at no cost to the owner, Lamoureux said. Typically, about 80% of owners give the government permission to conduct the cleanup operations, with the rest opting to do it themselves. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Schools devastated by California fire struggle to get back to the business of educating students By Rong-Gong Lin II As this region still reels from the worst fire in California history, educators are faced with the challenging task of reopening schools even as the firefighters continue their work and searchers scour the area for more victims. They are working to identify replacement classroom space for schools that were burned to ashes during the fire. Paradise Unified School District was hardest hit, with multiple school buildings lost to the fires. Charter schools in the area also suffered. Read more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Paradise fire search efforts pick up as firefighters increase containment The worst fire in California remained 95% contained Saturday morning. Rains helped put out the flames but also made it harder for firefighters to access some areas. The fireline that remains uncontained is located in steep and rugged terrain where it is unsafe for firefighters to access due to the heavy rains, CalFire said in a statement. With the rain passing, officials hope to intensify search and rescue efforts, with more than 400 still reported missing. The fire burned 153,336 acres and nearly 14,000 homes, with 84 dead. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Some Malibu residents still under evacuation order By Sarah Parvini In Malibu, some residents who evacuated from the Woolsey fire were still waiting to return home as officials worked to restore utilities and road access. That fire, which charred 96,949 acres and destroyed 1,643 structures, is 100% contained. Three people were killed. There is still a lot of work to be done, said Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Pono Barnes. Strike teams are in the area helping residents repopulate. Firefighters biggest job Friday was working with Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Co., Barnes said. There was quite a bit of infrastructure damaged during the burn, he said. Edison is working to replace downed power lines and burned-out power poles. As many as 2,000 power poles have been replaced, he said. That is why we still have some evacuations in place, Barnes added. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print A wheelchair and gurney sit in rain amid devastation of Paradise medical complex By Gina Ferazzi The grim search for victims continued in Paradise on Saturday amid the rain. Times photographer Gina Ferazzi was struck by the image of an abandoned wheelchair and gurney in front of the destroyed Cypress Meadows post-acute medical facility. The rain is making the devastation in Paradise even more eerie and sad, she wrote. The rain is making the devastation in Paradise even more eerie and sad as abandoned wheelchairs and gurney still remain in front of the destroyed Cypress Meadows facility while search teams sift through ashes looking for human remains #CampFire pic.twitter.com/AyeD9io9FU Gina Ferazzi (@GinaFerazzi) November 24, 2018 Firefighters hand out #Thanksgiving dinners to victims of #CampFireParadise at Chico St @WCKitchen while Saphira Swisher, 6, prays before turkey dinner w/her family at a church shelter pic.twitter.com/o9Drj3dDeX Gina Ferazzi (@GinaFerazzi) November 22, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Wildfire much worse because of climate change, new report finds By Tony Barboza Camp fires devastation. (Los Angeles Times) A new federal report found that climate change is taking an increasing toll on communities across the United States. It projects widespread and growing devastation as increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, worsening wildfires, more intense storms and other cascading effects harm our ecosystems, infrastructure and society. Among the findings: The area burned across the western U.S. from 1984 to 2015 was twice what it would have been if climate change had not occurred, according to analyses cited in the report. Earths climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primarily as a result of human activities, the report says. But the severity of future impacts will depend largely on actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the changes that will occur. The report comes as California faces a series of devastating wildfires that have claimed scores of lives and burned thousands of homes. Read more on the report here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Hes giving $1 million to help the high school students of fire-ravaged Paradise By Morgan Cook With many of their homes damaged or destroyed in the states most devastating wildfire on record, the students of Paradise High School face an uncertain future. On Tuesday, a man they have never met from a city more than 500 miles away will give them a gift he hopes will provide at least a small measure of security, support and comfort in a dark hour. Rancho Santa Fe businessman Bob Wilson plans to personally deliver a $1,000 check to each of the schools 980 students and 105 employees in Chico at a venue that has yet to be determined. Thats a total of $1 million for the wildfire victims to use as they see fit, no strings attached. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Camp fire now 95% contained, with help from rain Firefighters battling Californias deadliest fire on record continued to make progress Friday, with containment growing to 95% and the number of homes burned at nearly 14,000. The Camp fire has scorched more than 153,000 acres and killed at least 84 people in Butte County, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials. But hundreds of residents are still missing, and thousands more have been displaced by the massive blaze. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Another Camp fire death recorded as rain lessens fire danger Rain falls Thursday on the site of a home destroyed by the Camp fire. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Another day of searching, another grim finding. The death toll from the Camp fire rose by one Thursday to 84, on a day when rain seemed to halt further growth of the states deadliest blaze. By Thursday evening, the Jarbo Gap, where the fire probably started, had received just over an inch of rain in the preceding 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service. Rain totals varied across the region. The forecast calls for more. In the nearby town of Paradise, which was nearly obliterated by the fire, the forecast for Thursday night was more showers, heavy at times, with winds of 18 to 24 mph and gusts as high as 37 mph. Such winds would have fueled the fire just days ago, but instead they are harbingers of precipitation that is expected to drop three-quarters of an inch to 1 inch of rainfall Thursday night. Another 1 to 2 inches could fall Friday. The wet weather has helped bring containment of the fire to an estimated 95% as of Thursday evening. But it also brought damp, chilly discomfort to evacuees living in tents thousands of residents have been displaced and new worries about potentially deadly mudslides in burned areas. A flash-flood watch and wind advisory will remain in effect until 4 p.m. Friday. The rain also complicates the search for human remains, which could be washed away. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for. Crews also are involved in another grim tally, figuring out exactly which homes and business burned. Officials have released a preliminary interactive map that shows the damage, house by house. Camp fire evacuees now have rain to contend with as they occupy tents in a Walmart parking lot in Chico, Calif. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Malibu schools to reopen by early December; other schools aiming for Monday Air scrubbers at work in a Las Virgenes district school library. (Las Virgenes Unified School District) Schools in Malibu survived the Woolsey fire almost intact but they got very dirty, and cleanup efforts will keep campuses closed even as residents are allowed to return to their properties. The fire killed three people, burned 97,000 acres and destroyed 1,500 structures. Malibus four schools have been closed since Nov. 9, when they were included in the mandatory evacuation zones. The tentative date to reopen Webster Elementary is Nov. 28. Point Dume Marine Science School is scheduled to reopen Dec. 3. Juan Cabrillo Elementary School should be ready between Dec. 3 and Dec. 5, pending results of air testing inside and outside for traces of lead, asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Malibu High will be back in business between Dec. 4 and Dec. 10 The district had planned a swifter reopening but slowed down out of an abundance of caution, spokeswoman Gail Pinsker said. We are hearing from parents that they want thorough cleaning and testing, which we plan, but the cleaning and testing and waiting for results take a day to more than a week, she said. Three other districts in the region also had closed campuses. Schools in Conejo Valley Unified, Oak Park Unified and Las Virgenes Unified are aiming to reopen Monday. Residents who had to evacuate included Las Virgenes Supt. Daniel Stepenosky, who estimated that about 90 families with district students lost their homes, as did two staff members. In a video update on social media, he said that everyone is eager for schools to reopen: Everyone wants to get back to a state of normalcy, to be honest with you. To that end, a crew of 200 has been working for several days, and the district had brought in 300 air scrubbers and 300 hydroxyl deodorizers. Playgrounds that are not ready by Monday will be cordoned off. Stepenosky said that a full-court press will continue because the schools are really boring when theyre empty. A worker scrubs down surfaces at a Las Virgenes district campus. (Las Virgenes Unified School District ) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement We can make ugly pretty again: The fighting spirit of Paradise residents By Laura Newberry Camp fire victims have a Thanksgiving dinner in Chico, Calif. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Anna Longacre booked her flight home months ago. Back then, the 26-year-old Army sergeant imagined the comforts that awaited her Thanksgiving week, the things that never change no matter how far away from Paradise, Calif., the military takes her. The old cast-iron stove that warmed the entire house during winter. The small stone-fruit orchard that ran along the side and back. Her dads breakfast hash browns. Annas family had lived on their 3-acre lot in the Sierra Nevada foothills for 20 years. She moved away at 18 and has been stationed in Afghanistan, South Korea and Kansas. But her heart stayed in Paradise. Instead of being home Thanksgiving morning, she found herself in a cavernous auditorium at Cal State Chico, where turkey and fixings had been prepared for evacuees of Californias deadliest and most destructive wildfire. She dragged her dad, Bruce, with her. She wanted to get him out of her grandmas house in Chico, where theyd been staying with her mom and dogs. And she had heard celebrity chefs Guy Fieri and Jose Andres were making the food. It couldnt hurt to try and have a little fun, she thought, despite everything. The father and daughter were greeted by volunteers in plush turkey hats and handed sanitary wipes at the door. Read more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Stories of thanks and gratitude amid the devastation in Paradise By Laura Newberry A young Camp fire evacuee waits in line to receive a free Thanksgiving meal Thursday in Chico, Calif. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) As of Thanksgiving Day, the devastation logged by the Camp fire in Northern California was nearly 14,000 homes, more than 150,000 acres and at least 83 lives. Some of the thousands displaced by the fire, mostly from the town of Paradise, said they nonetheless counted themselves among the lucky and found things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Times reporters on the ground in Butte County asked people about the meaning of this holiday. Here are their stories. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Authorities warn of fraudulent GoFundMe websites, other scams related to Paradise fire By Rong-Gong Lin II Butte County Dist. Atty. Mike Ramsey warned that scam artists are targeting Paradise fire victims seeking to rent housing. We have seen people who have no right to a particular apartment that go and rent out that apartment and take peoples money. Be very careful. Red flag: If its too good to be true, it is, Ramsey said. Another scam already happening are fraudulent GoFundMe websites seeking contributions for fire victims, he said. We encourage folks to go to the Butte County website to take a look at areas where you can legitimately and safely give your charitable dollars to, he said. He also urged residents to beware of scammers seeking to collect personal information under the guise of pretending to be insurance agents or a sheriffs deputy seeking to cross names off the list of the missing. It will be obvious that these are scammers, he said. Be very, very careful of giving any sort of personal information that will be financially disastrous to you, he said. There have been 11 cases of looting, he said, with suspects mostly interested in vehicles, such as motor homes, left behind by fire victims that fled. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rapid DNA analysis is being used to identify dozens of California fire victims By Rong-Gong Lin II Rapid DNA analysis is being used to identify dozens of California fire victims burned beyond recognition. Of 83 victims, sheriffs officials have made tentative identifications on 58 of them, but they await DNA confirmation. Were working diligently to identify those individuals so that we can contact their next of kin and notify them, said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. It used to be that DNA analysis could take months before answers would firm up, but now DNA analysis can be done within a matter of hours, Jim Davis of Ande, a Massachusetts-based company that specializes in rapid DNA analysis, said at a press conference in Chico on Wednesday. Davis said his company has been asked by the sheriff to use its rapid DNA analysis method to help identify victims in a mass casualty incident the first time his company has been asked to do so for this purpose. Davis said hes working with the coroners office in Sacramento County to collect tissue samples from the autopsies of the deceased; 80% of the time, those samples are usable for DNA analysis. Butte County sheriff and California Department of Justice officials are coordinating the collection of DNA samples from living relatives. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print She lost her home and dogs in the Paradise fire. This Thanksgiving is difficult, but shes grateful to be alive By Laura Newberry Tamra Grays Facebook friends have started posting photos of their newly decorated Christmas trees. When she stumbles upon this display of normalcy, she can barely hold it together. Its hard to think about the holidays right now, she said as she sat at a table in the Chico Mall food court, where she and her husband were discussing their options with a home insurance company representative. I dont have a home to put a tree in right now. Gray and her husband, Scott, lived in their Paradise home on Oak Way for 20 years. What she will miss the most are the pine trees in her backyard and the cool shade they provided, a simple pleasure she could count on even when the mercury hit 100. At 10 a.m. on the day of the fire, Grays 19-year-old son, Dylan, came running down the street. He had gotten stuck in gridlock traffic on Wagstaff Road, and seeing the plumes of black smoke ahead of him, he ditched his car in the closest parking lot and darted home, the only one hes ever known. Theres a fire, we gotta get out, he shouted. They had not received an evacuation alert. Gray did not think the house would burn. They lived a block from a fire station. Before leaving, she touched a redwood keepsake box that contained her childrens first teeth. If I take this to a shelter, it could get stolen, she thought. She left it. The family also left three dogs behind, taking several others with them in separate cars. Grays thinking was this: if there was looting, the big dogs would protect the home. Gray found the animals remains when she returned to Paradise last week. She is consumed by guilt. Gray and her family -- four adults and two kids -- are staying in an RV as they search for a rental. Her 29-year-old daughter, Shannon, also lost her home in Magalia. I feel lost. I just feel so homesick and I cant seem to get past that yet, Gray said, tearing up. Its hard for me to think about where I want to be in the future. Just as she was being asked what she was grateful for on the eve of Thanksgiving, Grays teenage daughter, Victoria, bounded up to her in the food court with several shopping bags in her hand. I got you shoes, Victoria said, pulling out a pair of gray Champion slip-ons. They were on sale. Gray tugged off one of the brown Ugg boots she got at a shelter. She tried on a sneaker. Im grateful that my family made it out alive, Gray said, returning to the question. Its easy to answer that when its staring me right in the face. Its when Im alone that I go into a dark place. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement You could feel the heat from the flames: Paradise survivor describes horror, survival They called it their little green house in the forest. A two-bedroom mobile home with a birdbath out front on Skyway road where deer and bobcats roamed. It is likely gone, they think, because they have seen a map of the burn area a cloud of red over where they lived for four years. Steve Weathington, 67, and his girlfriend, Irene Schwab, 65, now lay their heads on green cots in an exhibit hall at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. Their possessions are few, but they made it out with their two trucks, two dogs and two cats. A fortune, they know, compared with what others escaped with. The morning the fire broke out, the couple had sat down to waffles and eggs when they noticed the sky was a smoky orange. Schwab went outside to settle a patio umbrella that was thrashing in the wind. A manager of their mobile home park had begun driving around, honking. Grabbing clothes, toiletries, medicine and the animals, Weathington hopped into his truck. Schwab followed behind in hers. It was burning on both sides of the road, Schwab recalled. You could feel the heat from the flames. It took them more than three hours to get to Chico, usually a 25-minute drive. They are grateful to be alive, to have had insurance on their home, to be capable and willing to start somewhere new. They may stay and find a place in Yuba City, a community theyve grown to appreciate. When they venture out of the shelter, an act of kindness is usually bestowed upon them. Waitresses have bought them dinner, a barber refused money for a haircut. They have picked out clothes for free and marveled over the donations that file in daily. We get a little teary-eyed because its really emotional, said Weathington, a retired commercial painter and U.S. Marines veteran, his eyes growing red. Still, the timing of everything is hard to take. The couple used to host Thanksgiving dinner for family with a spread of traditional fare, including pumpkin cheesecake and homemade biscuits. The holiday rings a bit hollow now, eliciting memories of what they once had. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Number of homes lost in Paradise fire approaches 14,000 as containment increases Firefighters continued to make progress with Californias deadliest fire, with containment rising to 90% but with number of homes burned now at nearly 14,000. At least 83 people were killed when the fire swept into Paradise two weeks ago, and hundreds are still missing, Rain helped firefighters, but the weather has made the search for victims more difficult. Precipitation has minimized fire activity and all fire lines continue to hold. Firefighters and resources continue to be deployed throughout the fire area to patrol and remove hazards, Cal Fire said Thursday morning. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Camp fire death toll increases to 83, while 563 still missing By Rong-Gong Lin II The remains of two more people were recovered in the Camp fire burn zone Wednesday, raising the death toll in the blaze to 83. One person was found in a structure in Paradise, while the other was located in a structure in Magalia, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters at a news conference. Were working diligently to identify those individuals so we can contact their next of kin and notify them, Honea said, adding that investigators have tentatively identified 58 of the dead. Authorities have identified six more people who died in the blaze. They are: Teresa Ammans, 82, of Paradise Richard Brown, 74, of Concow Marie Wehe, 78, of Concow Kimber Wehr, 53, of Paradise Joseph Rabetoy, 39, of Paradise Joan Tracy, 80, of Paradise About 830 searchers will work on Thanksgiving to look for victims of the blaze, though the search could be suspended if rain triggers mudflows in the area. The number of people unaccounted for dropped to 563. A total of 2,052 people have been crossed off the missing-persons list. Thats a dynamic list, Honea said. You may see it go up or down depending on the information we receive during the course of the day. The blaze has scorched more than 153,000 acres and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, including 13,500 single-family homes. It was 85% contained. The heavy rain has minimized fire activity. That fire activity is almost nothing,said Josh Bischof of the California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection. Forecasters expect six inches of rain to fall across the burn area through Friday. Butte County Dist. Atty. Michael Ramsey said his office has put together a team to deal with price gouging. People are not allowed to jack up prices more than 10% of what they were before the fires, he said, adding that people can call (866) 323-6283 to report price gouging. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rain pours down on tent city of Paradise evacuees, causing new problems (Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times) Rain began to pound on the tent city of Paradise evacuees Wednesday afternoon in Chico, causing more problems for people who have already been through so much. Two women walked around holding a blanket, offering it to anyone who needed it. Standing alone, wearing a red hooded rain poncho, John Owens shivered. I dont know how much longer people can hang on like this, he said. Owens lost his home and car in the fire. He said he was clinging on to what he had left: his wife, his dog and a part-time manufacturing job. I told my boss I cant hang here for too long, he said. If its going to be like this, I wont last long. Ill have to quit my job and go to the shelter. Owens said he said he hasnt left because transportation to his job is best from where he is now. He said he has to commute between Chico and Yuba City. This stinks, he said. Despite the cold, wet weather that is coming down on him and others, Owens said hes grateful to be alive. You only got a short period of time on this place, he said, referring to Earth. You gotta have a good time. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California fires: Volunteers out in force to make a horrible Thanksgiving a little better In Chico, where thousands of evacuees have gathered, its going to be a Thanksgiving like no other. Some people who had been living in tents at a Walmart parking lot began to move on, some going to shelters. Volunteers have also been out in force to help. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico has been prepping a Thanksgiving meal that will feed about 2,000 people. The event is in conjunction with other groups who are putting together meals and it includes Cal State Chico and World Central Chicken. The meal will consist of turkey, pork, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. The meals will be served in waves starting at 11 a.m., then at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Leslie Jessee, 33, tore sheets of foil and laid them in a stack as she prepped the turkey. She said she hopes the Thanksgiving meal will bring some sense of peace for the people affected by the fire. Nearby, Ken Grossman, the owner of the beer company, worked on making the gravy. On Thanksgiving I always make the turkey, the gravy and mashed potatoes for a big family, he said. This time, its a bigger family. Grossman said about 40 of his employees lost homes to the Camp fire. He also has friends who have lost so much. Hopefully family and friends will enjoy the meal, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California fires: Were just trying to get back to normal, whatever normal really is By Rong-Gong Lin II With the public still prohibited from entering the worst-hit areas of Paradise and Magalia, the towns were silent, save for the hum of generators. The gas station was shuttered. Ponderosa Elementary School abandoned. The blackened husks of cars were still visible across the town. At the site of a gym on Pentz Road, all that remained were the contorted remains of elliptical machines atop a pile of ash. Crews worked on repairing utility lines, forcing motorists to just one side of many roads, and continued the process of looking for any signs of human remains, despite the rain. Theyre looking for basically bone fragments. And theyre just systematically going from burned house to burned house, looking to see if theres anything, said Capt. Matt Bergstrand of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection station in Magalia. A day earlier, a hearse was spotted in Paradise, accompanied by the California Highway Patrol. At the fire station in Magalia, things are still pretty devastating, Bergstrand said. Were just trying to get back to normal, whatever normal really is. I dont know what normal is really going to entail. A pretty big chunk of our area has been consumed. #paradise on Thanksgiving Eve. Quiet and wet. The acrid odor of smoke is throat scratching, lingering in the air. Crews are repairing utility lines, still searching for victims. pic.twitter.com/MeAqIYq3Yr Ron Lin (@ronlin) November 21, 2018 #paradise on Thanksgiving Eve. Quiet and wet. The acrid odor of smoke is throat scratching, lingering in the air. Crews are repairing utility lines, still searching for victims. pic.twitter.com/MeAqIYq3Yr Ron Lin (@ronlin) November 21, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Stanley the giraffe is safe after the Woolsey fire, but Jillian Michaels isnt satisfied By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Nicole Padilla, 17, of Diamond Bar feeds Stanley the giraffe at the L.A. County Fair. ( (Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times)) The saga of Stanley the giraffe continues as yet another celebrity has made the animals welfare her mission despite his keepers assurances. Fitness celebrity Jillian Michaels is demanding that Malibu Wine Safaris move Stanley to a better home. In a letter to founder Dakota Semler, Michaels said that despite the Woolsey fires passing, the giraffe remains in danger as long as it is in on their property. Celebrities and tourists have visited Saddlerock Ranchs safari attraction for years to drink wine and snap selfies with the lone giraffe. But after the Woolsey fire, they used their clout to draw attention to the animals safety as the Woolsey fire roared toward the property. They and hundreds of nearby residents, strangers and animal lovers believed Stanley had been abandoned when Malibu Wine Safaris staff evacuated. A photo of the exotic animal on an open field with flames in the distance circulated on social media. Despite multiple statements made by the company, some people remained dubious. Due to the short notice given to area residents, the animals were not evacuated; instead, they were placed in an open dirt field that did not have much fuel to burn. Stanley is doing fine, said Bob Dunn after the fire passed through. Dunn, a close family friend who has helped care for the giraffe since its birth, said Stanley was completely safe. Hes healthy. Although many have moved on, Michaels isnt satisfied. Like millions of others, I saw and cannot shake off the picture of Stanley that showed flames approaching behind him, and I urge you not to keep him in the same path of danger, Michaels wrote. But fire or no fire, he needs to be moved to a place where he can thrive and hes not just waiting for the monotony of his life to be broken when someone offers him a treat. Michaels is backed by the animal rights group PETA, which has been working to identify alternate homes for the animals, should the Semlers comply with Michaels request. Giraffes special needs simply cannot be met at a roadside zoo like this, Michaels said in the letter, and if he hasnt already, he will soon begin to exhibit neurotic behavior resulting from captivity-related stress, frustration, and privation. Rebecca Smudzinski, a wildlife specialist with PETA, said young male giraffes like Stanley often travel in bachelor herds and roam large savannas. One in captivity is likely to display signs of stress, such as repetitive licking and pacing. The Woolsey fire exposed Stanleys sad, lonely life in that barren enclosure, she said. Hes got nowhere to go and nothing to do, and so he just waits for people to feed him. Organizations housing exotic animals are required to have a permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which follows minimal standards set by the Animal Welfare Act. The permit includes an annual inspection visit to ensure the animal is taken care of properly. But that isnt enough, Smudzinski maintained. PETA wants the animal to be moved somewhere accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries or the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which both require disaster plans to be reviewed and practiced regularly, she said. Michaels referenced Safari West in a Twitter post as an example of an organization that successfully saved exotic animals. Nancy Lang, co-owner of Safari West, said the organization was accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The staff there meet annually with law enforcement, the Humane Society and others to discuss disaster plans and practice regular drills, and partner with organizations that offer their facilities in case of emergencies. When the Tubbs fire approached their property in 2017, they had little time to react, making an evacuation impossible. Lang said whether Malibu Wine Safaris did the right thing is impossible to say without knowing their circumstance. Some of Safari Wests animals were also placed in an open field with little fuel to burn. Its unclear what disaster plan Malibu Wine Safaris had in place, but its staff only had a couple of hours to act. Malibu Wine Safaris did not respond to multiple requests for comment. .@MalibuSafaris It's 100% possible to care for exotic animals in emergency situations. Read the attached @WhitneyCummings is spot on! And if you can't prepare properly for situations like this you have NO business keeping these types of animals. https://t.co/fB00qrtNzm Jillian Michaels (@JillianMichaels) November 15, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Homes burned in the Camp fire could contain dangerous materials including radiation and residents should stay away, health officials say An aerial view shows destruction from the Camp fire. Homes not reduced to rubble could have high levels of carcinogens, officials warn. (Los Angeles Times) Butte County health officials are urging residents not to try to move back into homes damaged by the Camp fire in Paradise. Some residents have been allowed back into Paradise to survey their homes and collect any valuables still left. There is evidence from recent fires in California that homes and property destroyed by fire contain high and concerning levels of heavy metals, lead, mercury, dioxin, arsenic, and other carcinogens. Some property may have the presence of radioactive materials, the county said in a statement. Exposure to hazardous substances may lead to acute and chronic health effects, and may cause long-term public health and environmental impacts. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Assessing the risk of mudslides in Malibu after California fires By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde If the expected rainfall on the eve of Thanksgiving day is intense enough, areas where the Woolsey fire burned would be more susceptible to mud flows than areas affected by the Camp fire, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS researchers created a map that shows the probability that different fire-affected areas will experience mud flows if theres a storm that produces 24 millimeters of rain per hour, or a quarter of an inch in 15 minutes. We have historical information about where debris flows occurred, how big they were and the rainfall associated with triggering those events, said Dennis Staley, a research geologist with the USGS. The model also considers slope steepness, topography and fire severity. The dark red portions of the map indicate between an 80 and 100% chance of debris flows if rain reaches the assigned threshold for the map. Most areas affected by the Camp fire are colored yellow, indicating a 20% chance or less of debris flow. The Woolsey fire area on the other hand is mostly colored orange and red. The reason for the higher probability, Staley said, is that areas affected by the Woolsey fire are steeper than where the Camp fire burned. However, weather experts say rainfall in Southern California likely wont be intense enough for dangerous mud flows. Rich Thomas, with the National Weather Service, said there will only be about quarter to three quarters of an inch of rainfall total. Theres only a 10 to 20% chance the rain will become heavy enough to create mudflows, he said. There could be some minor debris flows, but nothing significant, he said. Rocks over the roadway, stuff like that. Still, Thompson said people should be prepared and pay attention to local authorities for evacuation orders. To the west, the area affected by the Mendocino Complex fire appears to be at higher risk, Staley said. In August, the Mendocino Complex fire consumed more than 450,000 acres, becoming the largest wildfire in state history. The areas steep terrain made it a challenge to firefighters and also increases the likelihood of mud flows. Heavy rain is expected this Thanksgiving holiday and debris flows will be a particular threat in the areas affected by the Camp, Carr, Delta, Hirz and Mendocino Complex fires, the NWS said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After fires, risk of Malibu mudslides will be high through the winter By Tony Barboza (Los Angeles Times) The first rain to fall over the burn-scarred areas of the Woolsey fire is expected to start Wednesday night. Forecasters are predicting it will be a weak storm, not intense enough to trigger significant flows of mud and debris although it could cause some minor rockslides and mudslides. But experts say stronger storms in the coming months have the potential to send life-threatening mudflows plowing through neighborhoods. That threat has authorities urging residents living on or below hillsides, in canyons and along stream channels to take steps to prepare their homes, keep an eye on the weather, quickly heed warnings and evacuation orders, and be ready to leave well before the rain arrives. If you can see burned hillsides from your house, you are threatened by debris flow, said National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Boldt, who works with emergency planners and other local officials to coordinate warnings. You dont want to be there when the rain starts. Theres just not enough time to wait and see what happens. Read more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Dramatic NASA images show destruction of California fires from space Burn zone for the Woolsey fire (NASA) Burn zone for the Camp fire (NASA) Satellite image of the Camp fire (NASA) NASA has released dramatic satellite images of the destructive wildfires in California. The data show the progression of the fires and how they burned homes, as well as satellite images of what they look like from space. See more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print How fires can lead to deadly mudslides Mudslides after fires (Los Angeles Times) Rain is forecast this week in the burn zones of Paradise in Northern California and the Malibu/Ventura County area in Southern California. This has prompted concern about mudflows. Soil in a burned area can be repellent to water, creating a flood-like flow on the ground that picks up rock and debris. In an area that has not burned, soil can become saturated. Pressure builds up underground, and soil starts moving and begins picking up mud and debris as it starts flowing downhill. Heres how hillsides that have been burned by wildfire become prone to flash floods and dangerous mudslides during heavy rains. How mudflows occur. (Los Angeles Times) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Remains found above Malibu are not those of a Woolsey fire victim, but from earlier death, officials say By Jeanette Marantos A broken skull and a few other bone fragments found in the scorched hills of Latigo Canyon on Saturday came from a human who died well before the Woolsey fire, Los Angeles County sheriffs investigators said Wednesday. A landowner spotted what appeared to be human bones Thursday as he was checking fire damage to his property off Latigo Canyon Road, about a mile north of Ocean View Road, near mile marker 6.92, Sgt. Marcelo Quintero said. The property didnt notify authorities about the bones until Saturday. Quintero said the skull was likely hidden by heavy brush in the area before the Woolsey fire, which scorched much of the land and several structures in the canyon above Malibu. Investigators believe the wildfire may have dislodged the remains from where they were stuck higher up the hilly terrain, and sent them tumbling down into the pathway where they were found, on property owned by the Ava and Cole Weintraub Family Park conservancy group. The skull was broken into pieces but we were able to piece it somewhat together, Quintero said. The anthropologists at the coroners office believe it definitely predated the fire. Coroners investigators believe the remains could been there between six months and 50 years, he said. They have some fire damage, he said, but no bite marks. We only have parts of a skull, parts of a jaw and possibly some cervical vertebra pieces, Quintero said. The Los Angeles County coroners Special Operations Response Team, or SORT, combed the area, hoping to find more remains. They did find additional bones, Quintero said, but they turned out to belong to animals. Were going to do our best to try to identify whoever this person was, he said. But its going to be a long shot, at best. Anyone with information should contact the sheriffs Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Woolsey fire expected to be fully contained today Firefighter battling Woolsey fire last week. (Los Angeles Times) Firefighters are hoping to have full containment of the Woolsey fire sometime today. The fire, which killed three people, destroyed more than 1,600 structures and burned over 96,000 acres from Oak Park to Malibu, was 98% contained as of Tuesday night. People continued to return to their homes, but officials warned of possible rain in the burn areas later this week. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Storms could wash away remains of Camp fire victims, officials fear A pair of incoming storms are threatening to hamper recovery efforts in Paradise, Calif. In a worst-case scenario, the downpour could flood the ruins and wash away human remains, leaving authorities unable to find and identify every victim of Californias deadliest wildfire on record. Authorities fear bones could sink underwater, making them harder to spot and drowning any scent that cadaver dogs rely on to find them. Meteorologists say the Camp fire burn scar which is larger than the city of San Jose could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, with the heaviest downpour expected overnight Thursday. The forecast has triggered a flash flood watch for possible rock slides and debris flows. Light showers were falling Wednesday morning with heavier rain expected later in the day. That rain is going to get in that ash, its going to turn into it a paste-like substance, said Monterey County sheriffs Cmdr. Joe Moses, who is helping in the recovery effort. Its going to stick to everything and slow things down. Read more here. First light showers hit Norcal this morning. Heavier precipitation is expected later this morning and afternoon. #cawx pic.twitter.com/UALB0iYUeX NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) November 21, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Paradise narrowed its main road by two lanes despite warnings of gridlock during a major wildfire By Paige St. John Paradise narrowed its main road through town as well as two other streets in recent years, hoping to slow traffic and improve pedestrian safety. The changes came despite warnings that a major fire would cause crippling gridlock during evacuations, a scenario that became grim reality when Californias worst wildfire swept into Paradise this month. Read the full story here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Paradise narrowed its main road by two lanes despite warnings of gridlock during a major wildfire By Joseph Serna After a fast-moving fire swept into town a decade ago, burning more than 200 homes and trapping thousands of fleeing residents on gridlocked mountain roads, a grand jury called on officials to improve evacuation routes. But six years later, the city decided to narrow a portion of the main road through town from four lanes to two as part of an effort in the downtown area aimed at boosting commerce as well as traffic and pedestrian safety. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Number of people missing in Camp fire jumps to 870 The number of people unaccounted for in the destructive Camp fire rose to 870 on Tuesday after investigators were able to work through a backlog of voicemails, authorities said. The surge comes as the death toll increased to 81, with two bodies recovered inside structures in the Butte County town of Paradise. Of the 81, authorities said they had tentatively identified 56 people. By Tuesday evening, investigators had also been able to locate nearly 200 people reported missing, raising the number of people checked off the missing-persons list to 1,864. The blaze has chewed through more than 152,000 acres and destroyed more than 12,600 homes. It was 75% contained. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Death toll from Camp fire rises to 81 as searchers continue their grim work A search-and-rescue team scans an area where there might be human remains. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The death toll from Californias worst fire rose to 81 on Tuesday as the search continued for the missing. The fire has burned more than 12,000 structures, destroying most of the town of Paradise and other nearby communities. As of Monday night, there were nearly 700 people still missing. Rain is expected to hit the area tonight, complicating the search efforts. Joe Moses, a commander with the Monterey County Sheriffs Office who is assisting with search-and-rescue operations, said the rain is a concern for him and recovery crews. That rain is going to get in that ash [and] its going to turn it into a paste-like substance, Moses said. Its going to stick to everything and slow things down. In a worst-case scenario, if torrential downpours were to hit Paradise, the foundations could flood and wash human remains away, increasing the possibility that workers may be unable to locate and identify victims. This concern appears to be greatest in rural areas such as Concow. Authorities fear that bones may also lie underwater, making it harder for workers to spot them, and that the rain may wash away the scents that cadaver dogs seek out to find human remains. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California fires: Anxiety and nightmares grip evacuees in Paradise fire zone Deborah Laughlin hasnt heard from her son in nearly two weeks. (Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times) Inside the cafeteria of Bidwell Junior High School, 63-year-old Deborah Laughlin sipped on coffee and scooped up some apple pie. A lot was on her mind. Laughlin said she lost her home in Paradise. She had been living at Evergreen Mobile Home Park. Since the evacuations, she has been at the middle school, where the Red Cross operates a shelter. She said she registered with FEMA and hopes shell be able to get housing. I dont know what Im going to do, she said. I told the manager of the Red Cross: When you leave, Im going with you. Perhaps her greatest worry is her son, Shawn Evans, 40, whom she last heard from while he was evacuating from Magalia. She said he was driving on Imperial Way with his wife, who is eight months pregnant. I know where my husband is but I dont know here my son is, she said with teary eyes. Please dont tell me he died. Please. She said she is clinging to hope that her son is OK and that theyll be reunited soon. She said shes afraid about the storm that is approaching the region. Shes afraid because she knows theres still people who are missing, people who may have died in the fire. Im scared, she said. Im scared theyll be washed away and peoples remains will never be found. Sitting across was Anthony Salzarulo, 60, who had fought to save his home and five others in Concow. He said the fire was worse than any other blaze that had hit the region. Salzarulo lost his home to a fire 10 years ago. Sipping water, he said his home suffered some damage in the Camp fire, mostly to his solar panels and generator. He lost a bus and a car. When he was leaving the area, he saw animals that had died in the fire. A bobcat that had suffered burns walked near him. Hes had nightmares since. He heard about the storm approaching. He worries a mudslide may take out his home, and its made him anxious. He wants to go home. I hope I have a home after this storm because it sounds like its a pretty bad one, he said. He said the storm had added to his nightmares. I was dreaming that there was a tornado and all these things were sticking to me, he said. They were human bones. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California fires: Heavy rains could wash away human remains in Paradise, searchers fear Devastation from the Camp fire. (Los Angeles Times) Four members of the Oakland Fire Departments Urban Search and Rescue Task Force removed a charred mattress spring and began combing through a mixture of ash, dirt, shredded wood and pieces of roofing tiles. Using their gloves to move around the blackened dirt, they looked for human remains. This is hard, one of the recovery workers said. But were trying. Let everyone know were trying. By Wednesday afternoon, the recovery work will get harder. Forecasters said thats when the rain will most likely start to come down over the Camp fire. Joe Moses, a commander with the Monterey County Sheriffs Office who is assisting with search-and-rescue operations, said the rain is a concern for him and recovery crews. That rain is going to get in that ash [and] its going to turn it into a paste-like substance, Moses said. Its going to stick to everything and slow things down. In a worst-case scenario, if torrential downpours were to hit Paradise, a town devastated by the fire, the foundations could flood and wash human remains away, increasing the possibility that workers may be unable to locate and identify victims of the fire. This concern appears to be more evident in rural areas such as Concow. Authorities fear bones could also lie underwater, making it harder to spot them and whatever scent cadaver dogs rely on to spot human remains could be drown out. But Moses doesnt believe the rain wont be too bad and they plan to see their mission through. The fire destroyed much of Paradise, burning more than 10,000 homes. Nearly 80 are confirmed dead, but nearly 700 remain missing in the worst fire in California history. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Woolsey fire victims file lawsuit against Southern California Edison By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Only the top few feet of a utility pole survived the Woolsey fire as it roared over Kanan Road in Malibu. ( (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)) Victims of the Woolsey fire have filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison alleging the utility was negligent in failing to shut off power before the wildfire started, attorneys announced Tuesday. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of 17 plaintiffs, alleges the company ignored warnings of extreme fire weather and only shut power off once the fire started. That delay contributed to the Woolsey fires destruction, plaintiffs say. The fire, which is currently 96% contained, killed three people and destroyed 1,500 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Attorneys are seeking compensation for plaintiffs damaged property, lost wages and attorney fees. The lawsuit claims that once the electricity was shut off on Nov. 12 four days after the fire started residents and firefighters lost water pressure, hampering efforts to battle the flames. That in turn heightened the safety risk for firefighters and homeowners who sheltered in place. R. Rex Parris, one of the attorneys on the case, references the utilitys preliminary report filed Nov. 12 with the California Public Utility Commission stating an electric substation experienced a disturbance two minutes before the fire, which started in the same area. The report is preliminary, said Edison spokesman Steve Conroy when the report was made public. We have no other information other than a line went out of service and we dont know why. In the report, the utility said a circuit in its Chatsworth substation near where the Woolsey fire started relayed two minutes before the fire broke out. This means an outage remains until it is safe to manually reenergize the circuit, Conroy said. This is not a Public Safety Power Shutoff; it is simply a safety feature to help mitigate wildfire risk. The lawsuit also blames Edison for potential damage to the environmental and public health caused by the burning of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory nuclear cleanup area, though some experts have said there was no damage. The state Department of Toxic Substances Control, which oversees the long-delayed cleanup of the former rocket engine testing and nuclear research facility, said fire officials believed the blaze did not present any risks other than those normally present in a wildfire situation. Edison said in an emailed statement that it cannot comment on lawsuits related to the Woolsey fire at this time and that it may take some time before an investigation into what caused the fire is completed. SCEs focus at this time is service restoration to customers still impacted in the Malibu area, and providing additional assistance to customers through the L.A. County local assistance centers, an Edison spokesman said. The utility said its offering support for customers looking to turn service on and off, waiving charges associated with extended bill payments and charges associated with relocating and starting new service. Parris said utility companies know of the dangers of high power lines running through fire zones, but that they do little to implement safeguards to prevent potential tragedies. When you have rules that are this important and you know people are violating them its inevitable that these catastrophic events happen, Parris said of Edison and other utility companies. Their view of safety is public relations. Victims of the Camp fire filed a lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. also on Friday, alleging that utility is responsible for the fire that killed at least 79 people. ------ 2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with statements from R. Rex Parris. This article was originally published at 11:05 a.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Here are the latest evacuations, road and school closures, animal shelters and victim services Mandatory evacuations Malibu, from the Ventura County line east to Anacapa View Drive. Monte Nido West of Malibu Canyon Road. Liberty Canyon West to Decker Canyon and south to PCH For all evacuation areas click here. Road closures Highway 101 offramps from Valley Circle Blvd to Liberty Canyon Road Highway 1 southbound (Pacific Coast Highway) closed at Las Posas Road Bell Canyon Road at Valley Circle Boulevard Borchard at Los Vientos Drive Lynn Road at Reino Road Potrero Road between Rancho Dos Vientos and South Lewis Road Kanan Road between Westlake Boulevard and Lindero Canyon Road Falling Star Avenue at Kanan Road Potrero Road at Wendy Drive State Route 118 eastbound between Topanga Canyon and Yosemite Avenue Mureau Road, Calabasas Boundary to 101 Freeway Cornell Road, Mulholland Hwy to Kanan Road Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu Boundary to Mulholland Hwy Click here to see a full list of closures. Evacuation centers (Los Angeles Times) Camarillo Community Center 1605 E. Burnley Street, Camarillo (accepting small animals) Borchard Community Center 190 Reino Road, Newbury Park (accepting small animals) Goebel Senior Adult Center (obscured on map) 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks (at capacity) Thousand Oaks Teen Center 1375 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks Community Center 2525 North Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks (closed) Rancho Santa Susana Recreation Center 5005 Unit C Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley (no animals accepted) Taft Charter High School 5461 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills Pierce College 7100 El Rancho Drive, Woodland Hills (Entrance off Desoto Avenue); Los Angeles County Animal Services (accepting large animals) Canoga Park High School 6850 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Canoga Park Palisades Charter High School (not displayed on map) 15777 Bowdoin St, Pacific Palisades School closures Cal State Channel Islands Cal Lutheran University (except for emergency personnel) Moorpark Community College Pepperdine University (Malibu and Calabasas campuses) For Ventura County school closures, please check the Ventura County Office of Education website https://www.vcoe.org/ Animal shelters Ventura County Fair Grounds 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, (at capacity); Ventura County Animal Services (805) 388-4258 Ventura County Animal Shelter 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo (accepting small animals) Simi Valley Animal Shelter 670 W Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, (805) 388-4341 (accepting small animals) Pierce College 7100 El Rancho Drive, Woodland Hills (entrance off Desoto Avenue) (at capacity); Los Angeles County Animal Services Hansen Dam Equestrian Center 11127 Orcas Ave., Lake View Terrace (at capacity); Los Angeles County Animal Services Earl Warren Show Grounds (not on map) 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara (Check-in at Gate C off of Calle Real) (accepting large animals) Shelter Hope 193 N Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 (lodging for evacuees and volunteers available) If you need large animal assistance, please call (805) 388-4258 N95 Particulate filter mask availability (Los Angeles Times) Goebel Senior Adult Center (obscured on map) 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks Teen Center 1375 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks Rancho Santa Susana Recreation Center 5005 Unit C Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley Borchard Community Center 190 N Reino Road, Newbury Park Camarillo Community Center 1605 E Burnley St., Camarillo North Oxnard Public Health 2240 E. Gonzales Road, Oxnard South Oxnard Public health 2500 S. C Street, Oxnard Channel Islands harbor master 3900 Pelican Way, Oxnard Las Posas Family Medical Group 3801 Las Posas, Suite 214, Camarillo Sierra Vista Family Medical Clinic 2700 E Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley Moorpark Family Medical Clinic 612 Spring Road, Building A, Moorpark Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Some Camp fire evacuations are lifted as firefighters continue working to contain the blaze By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde The valley behind it blanketed in a thick layer of smoke, a train sits stopped near Butte Valley along Highway 70. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Officials lifted evacuation orders for several communities near Lake Oroville on Tuesday. The news comes as firefighters make progress in the battling the Camp fire, which as of Tuesday morning was 70% contained. The fire has consumed more than 151,000 acres and killed at least 79 people, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials announced that residents of all Berry Creek zones can return home, except the areas northbound Encina Grande Road at Choc Taw Ridge Road, northbound French Creek Road at Stephens Ridge Road and northbound Highway 162 at Four Mile Ridge Road. Communities in the Cherokee Zone B zone can also return to the area, with the exception of areas northbound Red Tape Road at Condor Road, Rocky Top Road at Cherokee Road, Vinton Gulch at Cherokee Road, Crystal Pines Road at Cherokee Road and Highway 70 East of the West branch bridge. All residents of the Messilla Valley Zone B can return home. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement As California fire slowly is contained, air quality begins to improve in the north By Times Staff Latest smoke model indicates continued gradual improvement in air quality through Tuesday evening. Much better air quality is then expected by Wednesday when gusty winds and rain from a Pacific weather system clean the air. #CAwx #campfiresmoke pic.twitter.com/Vxd3cwZUQM NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) November 20, 2018 The rain forecast for Northern California is expected to improve air quality in the region, which has experienced unhealthful air due to the Camp fire. Air quality improved somewhat Tuesday, but the smoke was supposed to dissipate more on Wednesday. The Camp fire burn zone could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, which isnt unusual for that region, said Johnnie Powell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. In April, fire-ravaged Paradise, Calif., saw nearly 6 inches of rain in one day in what was its last significant storm. Strong inversions will allow wildfire smoke to continue to impact interior Norcal today although air quality is slowly getting better most areas. Rainfall spreading over Norcal on Wednesday should clear the air considerably. #cawx pic.twitter.com/LKa2b1d7uy NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) November 20, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In Paradise, the grim search for bodies after California fire: Were finding remains in various states The search-and-rescue team took a break as it waited for an excavator to moved debris from a pair of charcoal gray vehicles sitting next to a burned home in Butte Creek Canyon in Chico. Nearby, a line of fire trucks and sheriffs vehicles drove past the group, their occupants waving. The sun was starting to dip. Monday was coming to an end. Since the Camp fire broke out on Nov. 8, authorities have been combing through crumbled homes and melted metal in an effort to locate and identify human remains. The fire has killed at least 79 people, and about 700 others are unaccounted for, a significant drop from a few days ago when the list was more than 26 pages and had more than 1,200 names, but still a daunting number. Now two storms are moving toward Northern California and are expected bring up to six inches of rain through Saturday, possibly hindering search operations. The pros and cons are that the weather will be in our favor to contain the fire, said Cal Fire spokesman Manuel Garcia. But the cons are that there will possibly be loose terrain, fallen trees, mudslides and downstream flows. The National Weather Service said the first of the storms will move into the region on Wednesday. The second storm will bring the heaviest rain on Thursday night through Friday morning. Forecasters said the soil in the burn area cannot absorb rainwater, which could lead to fast-moving flows of mud, debris and even trees and boulders up to several feet deep that can be deadly. Blocked roads caused by the storms as well as rivers of ash and debris could hinder search crews from conducting a massive search operation in a burn zone that is bigger in area than the city of San Jose. Tom Madigan of the Alameda County Sheriffs Department said that in some cases remains were so badly burned that they could not be recognized or just a few bones could be located. Were finding remains in various states, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. I suspect there are some that will have been completely consumed. There is certainly the unfortunate possibility that even after weve searched an area, once people get back in there, its possible that human remains could be found. I know thats a very difficult thing to think about, but thats the difficult situation we find ourselves in today. Recovery workers in white jumpsuits and boots, firefighters, coroner employees and police chaplains from across the state have been working around the clock searching neighborhoods destroyed by the fire, but as the storms approach, the possibility of perhaps not finding everyone is starting to set in. A neighborhood reduced to ashes in Paradise. (Los Angeles Times) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Firefighters boost containment of deadly Camp fire to 70% as residents prepare for rain By Hannah Fry Ryan Spainhower hugs his wife after he recovers a coin that they made during their honeymoon from the debris of his home. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The deadly Camp fire grew slightly overnight to 151,373 acres as firefighters continued their efforts to get the blaze under control. The fire, which has claimed at least 79 lives and destroyed more than 17,000 homes and commercial structures, is 70% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Tuesday. At the same time firefighters work to control the blaze, residents in the burn area now face the potential for mudslides as a series of storms begin to make their way into the region. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Friday morning where the fire raged through Butte County. While the rainfall will help with the firefight, neighborhoods that were destroyed, and those downstream of them, could see mudslides and debris flows, authorities said. The burn zone could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, which isnt unusual for that region, said Johnnie Powell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. In April, Paradise saw nearly 6 inches of rain in one day in what was its last significant storm. Best-case scenario, itll rain on it and nothing will move. Worst-case scenario, the mud will start moving, Powell said. We just have to wait and see what happens. All we know for sure is, its going to rain really hard. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California fire burned more than 10,000 homes, but trees remained standing. Why? By Joseph Serna One of the many striking, horrifying in images from Paradise is that trees still stand next to homes incinerated by fire. Here is why. Fires that spread from house to house generate a force of their own. Embers, broadcast by the wind, find dry leaves, igniting one structure then another, and the cycle is perpetuated block after block. Break that cycle and the fire quits, and destruction can be minimized. Paradise never had that chance. Defensible space and hardened structures could not have kept the firestorm, carried on gusts clocking in the low 50s and feeding on the homes and low-lying vegetation, from reducing the town to ash. Most telling were the trees. Most of the pines that sheltered this community still had their canopies intact. The needles, yellowed from the intense heat, were not burned evidence that the winds that morning had pushed the fire along so fast it never had a chance to rise into the trees. But as a surface fire, it lit up the homes that lay in its path. Read more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California fires interrupt TV production By David Ng Netflixs teen drama series 13 Reasons Why was in the midst of shooting its third season in Vallejo when the massive Camp fire and other blazes broke out in Northern California. The sets, which include a sound stage on Mare Island, werent touched by the conflagrations, but the pervasive smoke that has shrouded much of the Bay Area has forced the show to temporarily halt shooting. The Paramount-produced series is one of a number of TV and commercial shoots that have experienced disruptions because of the fires that have devastated California in recent weeks. Some prime shooting locations including Paramount Ranch, which serves as a set for HBOs Westworld, and the Peter Strauss Ranch in Agoura Hills have experienced extensive damage, rendering them inaccessible to crews. Large swaths of Malibu that are popular filming sites are also closed to production. Read more here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California fires: New disaster danger in Paradise is mud and ash flows The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Friday morning where the Camp fire raged through Butte County, Calif. While the rainfall will help with the firefight the blaze is 70% contained and has burned 151,272 acres neighborhoods that were destroyed, and those downstream of them, could see mudslides and debris flows. The Camp fire burn zone could see up to 6 inches of rain through Saturday, which isnt unusual for that region, said Johnnie Powell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. In April, Paradise saw nearly 6 inches of rain in one day in what was its last significant storm. Best-case scenario, itll rain on it and nothing will move. Worst-case scenario, the mud will start moving, Powell said. We just have to wait and see what happens. All we know for sure is, its going to rain really hard. The soil in recently burned areas cannot absorb rainwater. Enough rain can lead to fast-moving flows of mud, debris and even trees and boulders that can be deadly for those in their path. The devastation often comes without warning. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Video shows pilots in dramatic Woolsey fire rescue of three people and two dogs The two pilots were dropping water on a flank of the destructive Woolsey fire the day after it broke out when they got a request to rescue people stuck nearby on Castro Peak in the hills above Malibu. Their fuel supply was dwindling and thick smoke filled the air around them. Eventually they found a flat spot to ground the helicopter, and one of the pilots hopped out. Moments later, he emerged with three people and two dogs. The dramatic mountain rescue, involving Los Angeles Fire Department pilots David Nordquist and Joel Smith, was captured in an 11-minute video the agency released Monday. Once the people and pets were in the plane, the pilots took off. Ah, that was close, one says after taking off Yeah, it was, the other replied. Thats enough excitement for me today. The other laughed. You and me both, brother. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California fires: Paradise anxiously awaits rain and the dangers it might bring Calvin Daley, 66, sat listening to jazz on his battery-powered radio on the front porch of his two-story home in the charred hills of Chico. Tiny birds hopped from the burned branches of a pine tree to a bird feeder. Nearby, Pacific Gas and Electric crews repaired voltage lines, and other workers used an excavator to move aside hunks of melted metal that once were cars. Daley didnt evacuate. Instead, he hooked up three hoses, stationed them around his home and began dousing everything. Some people who stayed to fight for their homes died. He had at least three hours to work before the fire arrived with fury. He had no goggles, no mask, just jeans, a T-shirt and hoses. Sometimes, the water evaporated before hitting its target. His next-door neighbors home went up: My heart sank; I couldnt go over there and save it. Flames also claimed his wifes ski boat and his 1987 Dodge Ram. Also incinerated was the nearby Honey Run covered bridge. By 10:30 p.m. the fire had moved on. Exhausted, Daley woke himself every hour or so to check on hotspots. It was eerily quiet for three days, then the birds returned. Next door, the neighbors cats had survived. He began feeding them. As heavy rain approaches, hes worried contaminants will run into his well. He also worries for people who have lost homes, for people living in tents. He wishes it were summer. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Legally blind and under evacuation: The unknown is the worst part At the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley, the five Thompsons live at the end of a row of green cots. Hot meals are served, snacks and water are readily available, as are toiletries and American Red Cross volunteers. Were having to turn stuff away, said M Debris removal from last months Camp fire that scorched more than 153,000 acres and destroyed nearly 14,000 homes may take up to a year, officials said Tuesday. Officials have previously said that the effort will be the largest ever undertaken by state officials. More than 90% of the town of Paradise, which had 26,000 residents, was destroyed and 86 people were killed in the fire. Last fall, when fires ravaged Californias wine country, the cleanup effort collected more than 2 million tons of toxic debris from 6,000 properties in seven California counties. Mark Ghilarducci, the director of the Governors Office of Emergency Services, said that cleanup for Northern and Southern California will be orders of magnitude more. Advertisement Its unfortunate that weve had to have back-to-back years where we have had such traumatic and catastrophic losses, he said. More than 18,000 structures were destroyed in the Camp fire, nearly 14,000 of them homes. Once a property owner gives the government permission to go onto the property with a right of entry form, crews will survey damage and remove hazardous waste. Then, debris removal can begin. Officials are still grappling with a housing shortage in the area and trying to find more long-term housing for those displaced by the fires, said Bob Fenton, a regional administrator with FEMA. In my experience, the recovery process will take time, he said. About 400 people remain in two shelters in Butte County. And FEMA officials are working to bring travel trailers in addition to mobile homes to the area, Fenton said. Two sites for mobile home parks are possibilities, but Fenton declined to say where they might be. Mobile homes also need water and electric hookups, so authorities are looking for lots and spaces that already have that capability. The Camp fire was fully contained on Nov. 25. nicole.santacruz@latimes.com For more crime news, follow @nicolesantacruz on Twitter. School district officials are busy reimagining the nations second-largest school system, but what happened Tuesday was not exactly what they had in mind. A group of at least 50 protesters shut down the Los Angeles Board of Education meeting early just before a debate that was expected to get a little testy on its own. These days, two major possibilities color just about everything in Los Angeles Unified the growing prospect of a teachers strike and Supt. Austin Beutners still largely confidential plan for a massive district reorganization. The major theme of the protest, organized by teachers union allies, was support for the teachers, though student demands also were a part of it. Advertisement The more involved I become, the more I become aware of what is happening and the things that are not happening, said Ruby Gordillo, who was accompanied by her daughter Alandra, a fifth-grader at 10th Street Elementary in Pico-Union. Our schools are very misleading in the way they answer questions. They give us answers in a way that makes me believe they dont have interest in our community. District officials and the teachers union have been in negotiations for more than 18 months, and a January strike appears increasingly likely. The two sides are nearly done with fact-finding, the final step of a negotiation process set out under state law. The draft of a report from a fact-finding panel is expected on Friday. A final version will be made public about 10 days later, if it isnt leaked sooner. After that, the school district could impose a contract and the union leadership could call a strike. Friday is the last day of school before winter recess. Classes are scheduled to resume Jan. 7. The protesters echoed the contention of United Teachers Los Angeles that the district whose general fund budget this year is about $7.5 billion is hoarding a massive reserve that could be used to pay teachers more and improve conditions for students. They point to last years ending balance of nearly $2 billion. I just dont believe the numbers, Gordillo said. Honestly, its crazy. A senior at King/Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science, who identified herself only as Cheyanne because she said she felt at risk for speaking out, talked of the need for smaller class sizes and better staffing. She said shed had 52 students in her 10th-grade chemistry lab. Protesters testified assertively but in an orderly way before things got out of hand around 4:15 p.m., about three hours into a meeting that covered a broad range of topics. Some of the chants took aim at Beutner, who took the district job last May after a career as a successful businessman and philanthropist: Austin Beutner, you cant hide! We can see your greedy side! The audio for the live broadcast on the districts television station quickly went mute, turning on again in spurts only when board President Monica Garcia spoke to try to calm the demonstrators. Garcia gave up after several minutes and adjourned the meeting. She and Beutner, who had watched quietly, left the room. Some board members remained behind, waiting out the chants, which went on for about 30 minutes. A few protesters talked calmly with board members after; others took part in an impromptu rally near a street corner outside. Earlier in the meeting, district officials had made their case for frugality during a budget presentation by Chief Financial Officer Scott Price. He said that about $500 million of money left over last year is committed to cover the 6% raises that the district is willing to give teachers and has already agreed to for most other employees. Another $400 million already is committed to schools and programs, he said. In an earlier interview, he said that that money could be pulled back, but only with great disruption for students and employees. About $700 million is uncommitted but will disappear within three years because the district is spending much more than it is taking in, Price said. Teachers and others contend that the district should push harder for tax measures and increased state funding. That was a debate school board members had intended to take up Tuesday. Board members would have discussed two competing proposals for coming up with revenue: one put forward by two Beutner allies, another by two board members who have been more critical and who raised concerns about Beutners plan, which this week began to get at least a partial public vetting. On Monday, Deputy Supt. Vivian Ekchian hosted a forum on Reimagining L.A. Unified at White Middle School in Carson. Her presentation to a packed crowd of more than 500 raised more questions than it answered. The plan envisions dividing the school system into about 32 networks which was known but Ekchian said that six larger administrative regions would continue to exist. One goal, she said, would be to let schools rather than the districts personnel department do their own hiring. She also suggested that schools could have the power to consolidate duties by combining or rethinking non-teaching jobs. Ekchian said an important goal was to gather feedback. She said the reorganization, if it worked, could make the district more efficient and effective. Clinton Frosch, a parent, was not persuaded. They talk about streamlining, but spreading things out is usually not streamlining, Frosch said. They talk about cutting double jobs but how are you going to do that if you have 32 districts versus six or eight or four? howard.blume@latimes.com Twitter: @howardblume As shootings by officers go, the killing of Francisco Garcia at a Norwalk gas station in 2016 spurred little media attention or street protesting. Authorities say Los Angeles County Sheriffs Deputy Luke Liu confronted Garcia driving a vehicle he believed may have been stolen and opened fire after the man tried to drive away. For the record: A previous version of this article stated that Rob Saltzman is an associate law school dean at USC and a former Los Angeles Police Commission member. Saltzman is a retired associate dean at the USC law school. Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey decided this shooting merited extraordinary action, and Liu on Tuesday became the first Los Angeles County law enforcement officer in nearly two decades to be charged in an on-duty shooting. Liu, 40, appeared in a downtown courtroom Tuesday and 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. Advertisement In an era of growing public awareness of police violence, Lacey has been under pressure for years to take more aggressive action against officers who use force. But she has been reluctant. Earlier this year, Lacey decided not to charge a Los Angeles Police Department officer in the high-profile killing of a Venice homeless man even though then-Chief Charlie Beck issued an unprecedented public call for the officer to be prosecuted. The district attorneys office also rejected charges against officers in two other cases that had sparked protests and calls for justice in recent years. A Times analysis in 2016 found that in the roughly 2,000 Southern California police shootings since 2004, only one officer had been charged. And he was acquitted. The law is heavily weighted in favor of officers if they reasonably perceive a threat to themselves or others when they open fire even if that belief turns out to be mistaken. In announcing the charges against Liu, Lacey emphasized how significantly she believed the officers actions deviated from the law. 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. That officers have such wide latitude to use force makes the charge brought by Lacey all the more remarkable, said Seth Stoughton, a University of South Carolina criminal law professor and former police officer. Police officers involved in shootings are afforded things others arent, he said. They get to wait to tell their story typically several days. They often get to review any video and they also get to have their union lawyer. In weighing whether to file charges, prosecutors also have to consider that jurors overwhelmingly believe officers over other witnesses, Stoughton added. According to prosecutors, Liu was on patrol when he approached Garcia, who was near a vehicle that Liu 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. Liu stood near the drivers side door before walking to the rear of the car, according to prosecutors. When Liu returned to the door, Garcia, 26, began driving away at approximately 5 mph, prosecutors said. 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. A sheriffs report issued this year indicated that as Garcia pulled away, the vehicle struck Liu in both knees. Several civilians witnessed the incident, a portion of which was captured on video. At the time of the shooting, Sheriffs Department policy generally discouraged shooting at vehicles. A few months after Garcias death, the departments policy was revised to say that 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. A statement issued by Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs defended Liu, saying the deputys actions were justifiable in dealing with a person who disobeyed orders. Liu had no prior disciplinary issues, the statement said. 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. Before driving away, Schwartz said, the driver reached behind the seat. Schwartz said his client believed his life and others lives were threatened by Garcia. 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 John Webb Jr., 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]. Although about 1,500 officer shootings have occurred since 2000, no officers 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. Steve Cooley, who served as Los Angeles County district attorney from 2000-12, 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. A crucial component to building public trust is seeing that officers are held accountable, said Rob Saltzman, a retired associate law school dean at USC and a former Los Angeles Police Commission member. It is important people have confidence in the system that police are acting constitutionally, he said. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the incident was a tragedy for the deputy and for Garcias family. He said it also highlights the need for deputies to work in pairs, when possible, because the setup tends to be safer for officers and the public. Liu was working alone. It points to the perils of the profession, he said. I sincerely doubt that five minutes prior to the incident that the deputy was intending to do something that would cause him to be charged for voluntary manslaughter. 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 Lius bail was set at $1.1 million and he was released after making a bond payment. If convicted, he faces a possible maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison. maya.lau@latimes.com Twitter: @mayalau richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @lacrimes marisa.gerber@latimes.com Twitter: @marisagerber The equivalent of more than 6 million gallons a day of raw sewage has been spilling into the Tijuana River since Monday night, according to U.S. officials. The U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission said Tuesday that counterparts in Mexico informed the agency that the cause of the sewage leak was a ruptured collector pipe. Officials said the aging collector underwent millions of dollars in upgrades over the last year but is not 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 closed for several days because of polluted water that flushed through the Tijuana River after recent rains, according to the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. Advertisement But this new 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. 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 viruses and intestinal parasites that can cause ailments including diarrhea, meningitis and 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 seeks to force the federal government to upgrade the capacity of the pumps in the river as well as catch 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 about $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. For several years officials with the IBWC have attempted to work with officials in Baja to outline a spending blueprint for improving the regions failing wastewater infrastructure. But 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. Smith writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com A 23-year-old man was arrested this week after authorities say he shot and killed his neighbors Chihuahua with an assault rifle after the animal urinated on his lawn and car. Tulare County Sheriffs Office deputies began investigating the incident Monday when the dogs owner came into the office to file an animal cruelty report. The woman said her white Chihuahua vanished from the frontyard of her home on Avenue 106 in Terra Bella. She told deputies that she last saw the dog, named Chavo, as she was leaving her house Saturday morning. She noticed the dog was missing when she returned, and she suspected her neighbor was involved, sheriffs officials said. The womans neighbor, Modesto Ramos, told deputies he was angry at the dog for peeing on his property, so he shot the animal and buried him, according to sheriffs officials. Advertisement Deputies said they found an AR-15 and an AK-47 assault rifles that are illegal in California inside Ramos home. He was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty causing death, possession of banned assault weapons and negligent discharge of a firearm. The Associated Press contributed to this report. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry One lawsuit points to a small metal hook on an electrical transmission tower as the culprit in the devastating Camp fire. When it failed, the suit alleges, an uninsulated wire touched the tower, caused sparks and ignited the blaze. Other suits filed after Californias deadliest wildfire blame the general decay of the regions electrical infrastructure and the failure to trim trees and brush that grew too close to poles and power lines. While authorities have yet to determine an official cause of the Camp fire, at least 20 lawsuits have been filed against Pacific Gas & Electric, accusing the utility of allowing its equipment to spark the blaze that killed 86 and displaced up to 50,000 people in Butte County. The most recent suit blasts a corporate culture that allegedly places reputation above public safety along with advertising that promotes a false and misleading picture of Northern Californias electricity supply. Advertisement That suit, filed Monday evening on behalf of 93-year-old Lila Williams and her 66-year-old daughter Louise Howell, accuses PG&E of callous and despicable disregard for the safety of California communities. The lawsuit said that while PG&E professed an emphasis on safety, it failed to bankroll necessary improvements. The people of the State of California have paid for corporate greed with the lives of their loved ones, their homes and their most cherished belongings, the suit alleges. The lawsuits come as the utility defends itself against a blizzard of litigation that followed a deadly string of Northern California fires just 14 months ago. PG&E is currently being sued for what the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection lists as six of the deadliest and most destructive fires in state history that, together, claimed 127 lives, scorched more than 400,000 acres and destroyed more than 28,000 structures. PG&E officials declined to comment Tuesday on specifics of the Camp fire litigation. The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is our highest priority, company spokeswoman Andrea Menniti said in an email. The cause of the Camp Fire is still under investigation. We are aware of lawsuits regarding the Camp Fire. Right now, our focus is on assessing infrastructure, safely restoring power where possible, and helping our customers recover and rebuild. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission the day after the Camp fire roared through the small towns of Paradise, Magalia and Concow, the San Francisco-based utility warned of the disasters effect on its bottom line. The company had renewed its liability insurance for wildfire events at $1.4 billion, the filing said. That amount was supposed to cover disasters from Aug. 1, 2018, through July 31, 2019. While the cause of the Camp Fire is still under investigation, the filing said, if the Utilitys equipment is determined to be the cause, the Utility could be subject to significant liability in excess of insurance coverage. Such liability would be expected to have a material impact on PG&E Corporations and the Utilitys financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. The Camp fire lawsuits, which were filed on behalf of more than 450 people, businesses and trusts so far, do not ask for the utility to pay a specific amount. Instead, they demand that PG&E repay the victims for economic losses, non-economic harm, loss of wages, medical expenses and attorneys fee. They ask for a jury trial. And they want PG&E and all other defendants to stop their continued violations. Andrew Bradt, a professor of law at UC Berkeley who specializes in civil court procedure, said the Camp fire suits will probably be consolidated before a single judge in the near future. A single lead lawyer or a committee of lawyers could be appointed to guide the litigation. The goal for the court is to preserve everyones rights without being overwhelmed, Bradt said. The challenge for the courts is always to streamline the litigation. They dont have the resources to deal with them all separately. Many of the Camp fire suits already have striking similarities such as a catalog of past wildfires, electrical fires and explosions for which PG&E has paid hefty fines and legal settlements. Among those disasters: The 1994 Trauner fire in Nevada County, for which the utility was convicted of 739 counts of criminal negligence and required to pay $24 million in penalties. And the 2010 explosion in the Bay Area suburb of San Bruno, which killed eight, injured 58, destroyed a neighborhood and saw the California Public Utilities Commission slap PG&E with a $1.6-billion fine. We thought after San Bruno we would never have to see another calamity again, attorney Frank Pitre said during a news conference in Chico on Tuesday afternoon. Pitre is the lead attorney in the Howell and Williams case and was involved in the San Bruno litigation. In addition to civil cases against the utility, PG&E was convicted on six felony counts one of lying to the National Transportation and Safety Board and five pipeline safety violations. Pitre displayed post-San Bruno ads in which PG&E vowed that it would replace and modify transmission lines and set up fire weather stations. Then the Butte fire hit in Calaveras County in 2015. Two dead, Pitre said. PG&E continued to promote that safety was their first concern. Then came the North Bay fires in 2017 17 different blazes that raced through Napa, Sonoma, Solano and Mendocino counties and included the Atlas fire, which killed six, and the Tubbs fire, which took 22 lives. A judge ordered that, if they continued to promote safety, they had to include that they had been convicted of six felonies, Pitre continued. The lawsuit filed Monday evening alleges that PG&E has diverted necessary safety related expenditures into funding corporate bonuses, boosting shareholder profits, and/or fueling advertising campaigns while ignoring the serious and irreparable nature of the public safety threat posed by its aging infrastructure and ineffective vegetation management practices. Pitre said in an interview that his firm plans to file 60 to 100 Camp fire lawsuits in coming months, including several wrongful death suits on behalf of families that lost loved ones. When plaintiff Louise Howell, who lived in Concow, saw the massive plume of smoke early Nov. 8, she called her mother to warn her, then grabbed her computer and her late fathers guitar. As she packed them into her car, she heard crackling; plants and tires around a little cabin in her yard were on fire. She called 911. The dispatcher put her through to Cal Fire. I remember them saying, I dont think we can help you, she said in an interview. Right about then, I heard glass break. My curtains were in flames, and the flames went into the living room. I screamed for my dog. He didnt come. She pauses. Begins to cry. The fence down my driveway was fully engulfed. I had to go. When I was driving out, a motor home my son had was a big ball of flames. I didnt look anymore. I just drove. Until she couldnt. At one point, Howell said, she fled from her car and stood in the shallow water at the top of Lake Concow. When she finally got to safety, her house was gone. Her mothers house was gone; so were a granddaughters and a grandsons. Four friends were dead. Her cat, Liza, and her dog, Satriani, were gone. She sued the utility, she said, because I want to stop PG&E from doing what theyre doing. I dont want them to hurt anybody else. La Ganga reported from Los Angeles and Marcum reported from Chico. maria.laganga@latimes.com Twitter: @marialaganga diana.marcum@latimes.com Twitter: @DianaMarcum The call to Bay Area firefighters came Wednesday morning. Someone reported hearing a faint moaning, a cry for help coming from a vacant Chinese restaurant in a San Lorenzo strip mall. When Alameda County firefighters arrived, the moaning grew louder. It was coming from inside the kitchen, above the stove. There, inside a tight metal grease vent that led to the roof, they found the source of distress. Firefighters cut away sheet metal and found a man covered in grease and soot. Advertisement The man, whom authorities have not identified, told firefighters he had been stuck in the slick vent for two days. It is unclear whether he was trying to break into the building, but he was arrested on suspicion of trespassing, said Alameda County Sheriffs Office spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly. The man was in good spirits despite his situation, Kelly said. Temperatures in the area dipped into the 40s on Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service. One of his problems was he was stuck in a smooth metal circular tube, and his body was greased up. He could not get any traction, Kelly said. Im sure he tried. javier.panzar@latimes.com @jpanzar A judge Tuesday sentenced a former Torch Middle School janitor to 14 years in state prison for inappropriately touching 10 girls at the City of Industry campus, authorities said. Michael Anthony Barry, 60, of La Puente pleaded no contest last month to five felony counts of a lewd act upon a child, five misdemeanor counts of child molesting and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the Los Angeles County district attorneys office said. The victims were ages 10 to 12. Most of the offenses occurred from August 2016 to May 2017, prosecutors said. One victim was molested from August 2014 to June 2015. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Lt. Todd Deeds told reporters last year that Barry would befriend the victims and be very nice to the victims, and he would do things like offer them candy and just be very kind to them, and he gained their trust as a result. Advertisement alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek Gamal Essam El-Din reports on preparations being made for Egypts landmark chairing of the African Union in 2019 Egypt was unanimously elected next years chair of the African Union (AU) during the AU summit in Ethiopias capital Addis Ababa in January 2018. The AU was created in 2002, following the disbanding of the Organisation of African Unity, counts all 55 African countries as members and holds an annual summit in Ethiopia. Egypt has never before been elected head of the AU. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, who is due to visit Ethiopia next month, will be chairman of the 31st round of the assembly of the AU, replacing the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame. Ahead of Egypt assuming leadership of the AU, a two-day Africa 2018 Forum was organised in Egypts Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. Focused on promoting economic growth across the continent, the event closed on Sunday. Egypt, in collaboration with the African Development Bank and the African Export-Import Bank, has also organised an exhibition for inter-African trade. The event, which kicked off on Tuesday and will continue until next Monday, has attracted more than 1,500 participants from some of the largest companies in Africa and the world. Between 13 and 15 December, Egypt is also scheduled to host the seventh conference of African trade ministers. Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said on 10 December that the conference will focus on eliminating all obstacles in the way of trade between African states. He informed reporters that in a meeting on Tuesday with Chileshe Kapwepwe, the Zimbabwean secretary-general of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), President Al-Sisi said Egypt was set on recovering its leading role in Africa and will use its presidency of the AU in 2019 to advocate for the continent economically and politically. Tarek Radwan, head of parliaments African Affairs Committee, told Al-Ahram Weekly that all state institutions have been mobilised to ensure 2019 becomes a landmark year in terms of Egypts foreign policy. The African Affairs Committee, and parliament as a whole, are closely coordinating with the Foreign Ministry and the government to finalise our strategy in Africa in 2019, said Radwan. The strategy will specify the role each ministry and government institution will play in Africa next year. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture is currently reviewing all of Egypts deals with African countries and discussing how it can help them boost African farm exports. The African Affairs Committee is holding a series of meetings with ambassadors from African countries to set the stage for 2019. All of them said they welcome Egypt playing a leading role in Africa and revealed that they are under instructions from their governments to do everything possible to facilitate this, said Radwan. In a meeting with Radwan on 5 December, Djiboutis Ambassador Mohamed Zohr Harsi revealed his country had decided to grant Egypt one million square metres to establish a logistic base to facilitate continental exports. During the closing ceremony of the Africa 2018 (Business for Africa and the World) Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh Sunday, President Al-Sisi announced the creation of an investment fund for IT infrastructure in Africa and a risk insurance fund to promote Egyptian investments across the continent. Egypt will be back in Africa with all the strength and force required, said Al-Sisi. We are proud to be part of this continent and it is high time for us to be a major player and partner. Egypt will use 2019 and its chairing of the AU to push for economic, legislative and political reforms in Africa in order for the continent to have a greater say in world affairs. The world is finally recognising that Africa as a continent promises mutually beneficial business deals and high economic growth rates. It is a continent rich in natural and human resources. Al-Sisi vowed that Egypt will boost its own investments in African countries in 2019. Egyptian investments in Africa increased by $1.2 billion in 2018 to reach a total of $10.2 billion and are expected to grow even more in 2019, said Al-Sisi. Radwan says the reaction of African leaders, governments and businesspeople to Egypts growing role in Africa was clear during the Africa 2018 Forum Conference. Five presidents, 41 prime ministers and more than 3,000 entrepreneurs were keen to participate in the conference, said Radwan. This would have been unthinkable just three years ago when Egypt was struggling to recover its membership in the African Union. Hassan Abu Taleb, a strategic analyst with Al-Ahram, told Al-Ahram Weekly that there is no question that President Al-Sisis four years in office have seen Egypt recover its leading role in Africa. Under Gamal Abdel-Nasser Egypt was the continents most influential state, said Abu Taleb. Unfortunately, under Anwar Al-Sadat and Hosni Mubarak, Egypt lost most of its influence. When Mubarak escaped an assassination attempt in Addis Ababa in June 1995 he decided to all but ignore Africa and after he was ousted from office in 2011 the damage of this policy became clear to all. Ethiopia was able to begin building its Renaissance Dam without consulting Cairo, and relations with Sudan plummeted. Now, said Abu Taleb, Al-Sisis dynamic engagement with Africa has stabilised Egypts relations with Ethiopia and Sudan. Both governments have vowed to do their best to support Egypts new strategy for Africa in 2019. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri said in a forum held by the Egyptian-Canadian Business Association on 6 December that the fact that Egypt was unanimously elected chair of the African Union in 2019 sends a strong message that the continent is looking forward to Egypt playing an influential role again. Egypt had been isolated from Africa since the assassination attempt on Mubarak in 1995. Now, we are returning with full force. We are entering a new epoch for Egypts continental relations. Shoukri insisted Egypts relations with Ethiopia are strong. Negotiations between the two countries have slowed down in recent months, largely due to a cabinet reshuffle in Addis Ababa, but we hope soon to reach common ground on the issue of Nile water and the Renaissance Dam, said Shoukri. Shoukri said Egypts relations with Sudan have also improved. After a brief period of misunderstanding the two countries have embarked on a new strategic relationship, greatly facilitated by President Al-Sisis historic visit to Sudan in October. Egypts interest in Africa in 2019 will not be confined to economics and business. President Al-Sisi told the Africa 2018 Forum that there is a pressing need for institutional reforms in the AU. I am proposing AU decision-making passes through different levels within the union for review and auditing before being endorsed by state leaders instead of being the sole prerogative of the assembly, said Al-Sisi. Informed sources also say Egypt may use its chair of the AU to press for Africa to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Abu Taleb notes that Egypts interest in Africa extends to facilitating greater cooperation in military and counter-terrorism matters. Egypt, which has been engaged in a war on terror since 2013, is keen that sub-Saharan African countries join the battle given Islamist terrorist movements like the Islamic State have established a foothold there. This week, for the first time, Egypt hosted military exercises for Sahel-Saharan states at the Mohamed Naguib military base west of Alexandria. The exercises are scheduled to end on 14 December. *A version of this article appears in print in the 13 December, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Egypt in Africa Search Keywords: Short link: A Sacramento area man was arrested after police said he set his car on fire following an angry outburst because the vehicle had run out of gas, authorities said. Police were called to a parking lot in Antelope on Tuesday afternoon after reports of a man smashing a cars windows with large rocks. Officers with the Redding Police Department said the man was mad because he had run out of gas. After warning the man, identified as Dane Brayman of Antelope, to leave the lot, police drove away. About an hour later, though, officers were called back to the same parking lot. When they arrived, they found Brayman setting his car on fire with a road flare, police said. Advertisement The vehicle was fully engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived, and the blaze damaged the parking lots asphalt, police said. Brayman was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest, trespassing and arson. alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra For the last month, jurors in the trial of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman have had a velvet rope view of one of the most infamous men on the planet. On Tuesday, they finally got to hear him speak. Drug trafficking is a culture, Guzman explained in a brief clip from his 2015 Rolling Stone interview with Sean Penn, parts of which were played in court late Tuesday. It was a moment hinted at throughout jury selection and teased in opening statements, though defense attorney Eduardo Balarezo was thwarted in his attempt to get the FBI analyst on the stand to name the actor who shared star billing with his client. Its an interview with the defendant, was all the witness would reveal. Advertisement Instead, Balarezo focused his brief cross-examination on a clip that could serve as a trailer for Guzmans defense. Drug trafficking doesnt depend on just one person, but on many, many people, the defendant explained on the tape, while his wife giggled with a friend in the courtroom gallery. The jury met several of those many, many people this week, including a former Colombian public defender who served as the link between Colombian and Mexican cartels, and a Mexican distributor with an eighth-grade education who squandered millions on cockfights. The third, Jorge Cifuentes, was a midlevel Colombian narco who helped the Sinaloa cartel move 220 tons of cocaine through Mexico to Los Angeles, Houston and New York City. This was a family activity, Cifuentes said of his life in the drug trade. From the time I was very young, I made cocaine. This was a family activity. Jorge Cifuentes, Colombian cocaine trafficker Cifuentes trafficked cocaine in Mexico for about a decade, until his partner was killed in 1998. He fled to Colombia, where he funneled his ill-gotten gains into a dizzying array of legal businesses, from ranching and mining to real estate and clean energy. I lost a lot of money learning how to run a legitimate business, he told the jury. Cifuentes also sold weapons, supplying thousands of AK-47s and millions of rounds of ammunition to Colombian paramilitaries then at war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. But the guerrillas were more interested in trafficking narcotics than protecting Cifuentes family, and when they pressed him for more guns, he fled back to Mexico to make another go of the drug business. It was then that he sought out Guzman, both to retrieve a tuna boat hed used to move cocaine, and to seek his protection. In 2002, he testified, he was flown from an airstrip in Culiacan, Mexico, to a remote runway in the mountains. It was so steep, he told jurors, that the plane must have had special wheels to grip it. I had to pray three Our Fathers, he said of the ordeal. After that, I resolved to gift [Guzman] with a helicopter so he would fly in a more civilized way. The gift was appropriate: The defendant was celebrating the second anniversary of his first escape from prison. The tale was one of several laugh lines in a day marked by biting exchanges and bright moments of comic relief. I pleaded guilty as I am, Cifuentes told the court with a self-deprecating shrug that would quickly become his trademark. He also relayed his first meeting with Guzmans longtime partner, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, which ended in a shootout with military police. He would tell all his friends about it, and they would laugh, because I was such a coward, he said. Emma Coronel Aispuro, wife of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, arrives at federal court last week. Shes been a regular fixture in the court throughout her husbands trial. (Seth Wenig / Associated Press) Defense attorney William Purpura drew a laugh from the court when he told the unlucky gambler Tirso Martinez Sanchez that he came out better than the roosters though, right? Prosecutor Andrea Goldbarg also got a joke in, after the FBI analyst struggled to choose a piece of clothing that would identify the defendant from all the other men in suits in the courtroom. Blue tie? she offered. That doesnt really narrow it down, Goldbarg replied. What color is his suit? Blue? the analyst tried again. Navy blue? Another miss. Him! she cried, jumping as Guzman popped out of his chair to assist her. But it was Judge Brian Cogan who stole the show, peppering proceedings with his snappy retorts. Is this going somewhere? he asked Balarezo at one point. Well see, your honor, the lawyer answered. All will be revealed, the judge pronounced, lifting his hands over the courtroom with a grin. Sharp is a special correspondent. The Senate on Wednesday advanced a resolution calling for an end to American support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, a reaction to Saudi Arabias killing of a U.S.-based Saudi journalist. The measure, which advanced by a vote of 60-39, is largely symbolic and still faces a final vote. Even if it passes the Senate, the House is not expected to even consider the bill this year and Trump has threatened to veto it if it reaches his desk. The Yemen measure, a rare bipartisan rebuke of Trump, passed despite fierce White House opposition. It gained support after the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and contributing columnist for the Washington Post who was critical of the Saudi royal family. The CIA has concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing. The issue has unified some Republicans and Democrats. UPDATE: Senate votes to recommend U.S. stop aiding Saudi Arabia in Yemen war Advertisement Republican lawmakers have been especially angry with Trump administration officials who sought to downplay the role of Mohammed, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, in the Oct. 2 killing. Trump has said the killing, while deplorable, should not jeopardize the 70-year U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia, which includes lucrative arms deals and joint pressure on Iran. Advocates of the Yemen measure, including Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.), pushed back on the idea that it is merely a messaging statement. They argue that a Senate rebuke of the war in Yemen a top priority of the Saudi monarchy and Mohammed especially is important. The time is long overdue for the United States to stop following the lead of Saudi Arabia, a brutal regime that recently murdered a dissident journalist and has no respect for human rights, Sanders said. He said he is also motivated by the Senate reasserting its constitutional authority to begin wars, calling the U.S. role in Yemen an unauthorized and unconstitutional war. U.S.-supported Saudi airstrikes in Yemen have killed tens of thousands of civilians. The war, in which Saudi Arabia is attempting to oust Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, has pushed Yemen into what the United Nations says is the worlds worst humanitarian disaster, with millions of people on the brink of starvation. Why should we continue to support Saudi Arabias war in Yemen when the kingdom is killing our residents and lying about it? Lee said, alluding to the Khashoggi slaying. It is far past time that the United States Senate had a serious debate regarding our military involvement in Saudi Arabias war in Yemen. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter After delaying a vote in Parliament on the Brexit agreement she reached with the European Union, British Prime Minister Theresa May met Tuesday with European leaders. Her hope was that they might offer assurances especially on the deals controversial provisions regarding Northern Ireland that would calm opposition and persuade recalcitrant lawmakers to vote yes. But even as she struggled to find support (and worried about a possible challenge to her leadership of the Conservative Party), another option was gaining influential adherents: that Britain should hold a second referendum in which voters would be given the opportunity to rescind their vote in 2016 to withdraw from the EU. A second referendum is still a long shot, but it would offer the best way to correct what is clear now was an impulsive and ill-considered decision. The British people should be given a chance to change their minds. Many of the voters who supported the Leave option in 2016 might have thought withdrawal from the EU would be a simple matter. In reality an abrupt sundering of a long-standing economic and political relationship would be a disaster. It would send shock waves through the British economy and disrupt the lives of Europeans (Britons included) who have become accustomed, among other things, to living and working in other EU countries. Brexit also threatened the peace process in Northern Ireland by raising the possibility of a hard border between Northern Ireland, which would remain part of the United Kingdom, and the independent Republic of Ireland. Advertisement Precisely because Brexit was such a complicated and consequential proposition, Mays government painstakingly negotiated a detailed divorce agreement with the EU that would control the damage. The agreement protects the rights of European citizens now living in the U.K. (and British citizens living in other EU countries), keeps the U.K. in the European customs arrangement while a permanent trade deal is negotiated and, last and most controversially, aims to prevent a hard border in Ireland. This reflects the recognition that the free movement of goods and people between the north and south are vital to the peace process. May might yet be able to persuade EU leaders to offer clarifications about the Ireland backstop compromise that might calm enough of her critics in Parliament to win approval of the agreement. Certainly the deal is preferable to a hard Brexit with no transitional arrangements or provisions for Northern Ireland. (European Union officials have made it clear they will not renegotiate the agreement.) But the best outcome of all would be a second referendum in which voters would be asked either to approve or disapprove Mays agreement or rescind their support for withdrawal from the EU. If May fails to win approval for her deal from Parliament, such a referendum could conceivably come to pass and the Brexit process could be halted, though it remains unlikely. On Monday, the European Court of Justice ruled that Britain could still reverse course and end its bid to leave the EU right up until its departure date. It is hard to be sure how many British voters who supported Brexit have developed second thoughts. In 2016 voters favored the Leave option by 52% to 48%. A poll released in September 2018 suggested that 59% of voters would now vote to remain in the EU and 41% would support leaving. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Certainly developments since the 2016 vote demonstrate that disentangling the U.K. from the EU is a far more complicated undertaking than many Leave voters might have realized. The potential impact on the Northern Ireland peace process an issue that received inadequate attention in 2016 might alone induce some voters who supported Brexit to change their minds. After the Brexit ballots were tabulated in 2016, then-Prime Minister David Cameron said that, although he opposed withdrawal, the British people made a different decision to take a different path. That path has proved to be a tangled and treacherous one. The British people should be given a chance to change their minds. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook The final undecided seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is now in the hands of the North Carolina Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. After refusing to certify the result in the states 9th Congressional District where Republican Mark Harris leads by just 905 votes the board is now investigating allegations of illegal ballot harvesting, tampering with absentee ballots and a leak of early voting results. The question for North Carolina election officials and potentially for the new Democratic House majority is what to do now. Between possibly fraudulent absentee ballots and ballots not cast, theres simply no way to know who actually won. Constitutionally, there is only one credible solution: The general election, and probably the primary, must be re-run in the 9th District. The House of Representatives, part of the peoples branch, was designed by the framers to be the most democratically accountable part of the federal government. A person must win an election to serve in the House. By way of contrast, the electoral college selects the president and, under the original Constitution, state legislatures selected senators. The 17th Amendment changed Senate elections to a popular vote in 1913, but midterm vacancies can in most states still be filled by an appointee of a states governor. Making early or absentee voting even more difficult in North Carolina or elsewhere would be a misguided response. Advertisement No such provision exists for appointments to the House of Representatives. When a member of the House resigns or dies while in office, a special election must be held to fill the seat -- even if this means that the people of a particular district must go without representation for weeks or even months as a result. The imprimatur of direct democracy is so important, in fact, that a person duly elected to serve must be seated. The House has the constitutional authority to discipline or even expel a member, but only after seating him. In the 1960s, the House refused to seat New York Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., voting to exclude him because of alleged personal and financial misconduct. The House declared the seat vacant and a special election took place. The voters of Powells district, by an overwhelming margin, again returned him to Congress and that time he was seated. The exclusion issue, however, went to the Supreme Court. In 1969, the justices held that a person who secured the most votes and otherwise met the minimum constitutional requirements of age, citizenship and residency could not be excluded from the House. Chief Justice Earl Warren explained that a fundamental principle of our representative democracy is, in Hamiltons words, that the people should choose whom they please to govern them. In other words, if a districts voters want to send a scoundrel to represent them, that is their constitutional prerogative so long as the scoundrel was properly elected. In North Carolina, the election board can order a new general election if it concludes that the goings-on in the 9th District taint the result of the entire election and cast doubt on its fairness. If they refuse, the House is not without recourse. The House Committee on Administration can investigate, and if it harbors doubts in the elections validity, it can (and should) simply declare the seat vacant. That would force North Carolina to hold a new election, including new primaries. Recently, states have been handing down harsh punishments against individual voters who violate election laws. In Texas, for example, a non-citizen received an eight-year sentence for voting illegally. In North Carolina, several African American voters faced criminal charges for merely voting while on probation. These behaviors, although unlawful, did not compromise the outcome of an election. North Carolina should respond proportionally if candidates, consultants or party leaders are implicated in election fraud in the 9th District. Allegations of tampering with absentee ballots demand a serious reaction. Even so, making early or absentee voting even more difficult in North Carolina or elsewhere would be a misguided response. Making voting more difficult, through fewer polling stations that generate long waiting lines on election day, actually enables the type of ballot harvesting fraud alleged in this case. If one has to drive 20 miles and then wait for three hours to vote, of course youd like that nice young woman to come pick up your absentee ballot at your house. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion When voting is simple, easy and quick, the opportunities for skullduggery shrink. Several western states, including California, Oregon, and Washington, have adopted reliable and easy vote-by-mail programs. In these jurisdictions there were more than a few very close contests, but no credible allegations of widespread election fraud. Moreover, enabling more citizens to vote in House elections would significantly enhance the bodys democratic bona fides and better fulfill the framers intentions. This is an important moment for American democracy. To certify either Republican Mark Harris or his Democratic opponent, Dan McCready, as the winner would be to seat a person whose legitimate election to the House is open to grave doubt. The people of the 9th District have a constitutional right to select a person of their own choosing to represent them. North Carolina needs to permit them to exercise this right in a free and fair election even if that requires an expensive and time-consuming do-over. Ronald J. Krotoszynski Jr. is a law professor at the University of Alabama and author of Reclaiming the Petition Clause. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook The email landed in my inbox on Monday morning of last week. The gun-grabbing tyrants are on the march, it screamed in bold text, but their defeat is possible with your support. The note was sent from a gun rights group, and it was timed to arrive on the day I introduced AB 18, legislation that would establish a statewide gun tax and use the money to fund violence prevention programs in California. It wasnt the first such email I received. A previous message had said I could join the group and support the struggle against people like me for the small price of a box of ammo. Needless to say, I did not contribute. None of us has any intention of retreating from gun safety efforts merely because of invective or threats. Advertisement As a state legislator, I have contributed to Californias gun regulations, authoring a bill that closed a loophole in the assault weapons ban and voting for other common-sense laws. Most Californians support gun safety laws. But others see every measure as an assault on their freedoms and a creeping erosion of constitutional rights. Some take it very personally, and they want to make it personal in return. Thats apparently what Doe Publius had in mind when, in 2016, he or she created a tyrant registry and posted 40 lawmakers home addresses online after we voted to establish a database to track the sale of ammunition. Our addresses would come down, this person wrote, only if we repealed the law or upon the death of the tyrant. There was nothing subtle about the message. On the blog Real Write Winger, Doe Publius wrote that because of the anti gun, anti Liberty bills passed by the legisexuals in the State Capitol and signed into law by our senile communist governor, isnt it about time to register these tyrants with gun owners? The screed went on: These tyrants are no longer going to be insulated from us. They used their power we entrusted them with to exercise violence against us if we dont give up our rights and Liberty. This common sense tyrant registration addresses this public safety hazard by giving the public the knowledge of who and where these tyrants are in case they wish to use their power for violence again. After it was posted, some of my colleagues received anonymous phone calls of the I know where you live variety. Some reported a caller saying, I bet you wish you knew who I am. At least one such call was answered by a lawmakers child. Those of us who choose public service agree to relinquish a certain amount of our privacy in the interest of government transparency. We are by definition public figures, accountable to our constituents. But it seemed to many of us that a line was being crossed. While the blog didnt overtly advocate violence against us, it seemed to inch uncomfortably close. Our attorneys sent Doe Publius a letter, citing a section of California law that exempts the release of certain kinds of personal information and demanding that the post be taken down. The website publisher obliged, but the tyrant registry quickly popped up on another site. In the end, a federal district court ruled that posting our addresses was indeed protected speech under the 1st Amendment. The blogger did not repost our addresses. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion There is no doubt that the publishing of our home addresses was an attempt at intimidation. The author may also have intended the registry as a destructive call to action. None of us has any intention of retreating from gun safety efforts merely because of invective or threats. We didnt back away before Thousand Oaks, and we especially wont back away after that tragedy. Even before I introduced my bill last week, two colleagues had signed on as joint authors and six more as co-authors. Still, the intimidation campaign of recent years did prompt me to take one extra step before introducing the gun tax, a step that I didnt feel necessary two years ago. This time I asked my wife if she was ready for everything that comes with gun legislation. She said: Yes, its the right thing to do. Assemblyman Marc Levine is a Democrat representing Californias 10th District. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Newsoms budget proposes $3 million for Alzheimers research, brain task force By Melody Gutierrez Amyloid plaques, shown here in human brains, are a hallmark of Alzheimers disease. (UCLA School of Medicine) Gov. Gavin Newsom will call for the creation of a brain health task force and dedicate $3 million annually from the states general fund to Alzheimers disease research in the budget proposal he will release Thursday, a source close to the administration said. The money for Alzheimers research would target the new grants at understanding why the disease is more prevalent in women and people of color. Former California first lady and Alzheimers activist Maria Shriver pushed for the funding to be included in the state budget. Shriver said in a statement Wednesday that the funding would make California the first state to make understanding our brains a priority. The states former first lady, whose late father Sargent Shriver was diagnosed with Alzheimers, founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement, an advocacy group raising awareness about womens increased risk for developing the disease. In 2011, she wrote a comprehensive assessment on the disease, to which Newsom then mayor of San Francisco contributed a portion called What one city is doing. This is personal to me, just like it is to millions of California families, Shriver said. Alzheimers is one of the largest medical, social and economic crises in our state, and of our time. I am so proud that, once again, California is leading the way. Wiping out Alzheimers is going to require bold thinking, and there is no doubt in my mind that California is home to bold thinkers who can make this happen. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Gavin Newsom orders reinvention of troubled California DMV By Patrick McGreevy A line of people stretches around the South L.A. location of a California Department of Motor Vehicles Office on Aug. 7. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered an overhaul of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which has been plagued by hours-long wait times at field offices, computer crashes and voter registration errors involving tens of thousands of customers. Just a few days after taking office, Newsom appointed a top advisor to a new DMV Reinvention Strike Team to revamp the beleaguered agency over the next six months. By any metric, California DMV has been chronically mismanaged and failed in its fundamental mission to the state customers it serves and the state workers it employs, Newsom said in a statement, adding Its time for a reinvention. The governor appointed state Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer to lead the strike team with a goal of modernizing the agency and enacting changes that improve customer satisfaction, employee performance and transparency. Newsom also ordered an accelerated review of initial findings of an ongoing audit ordered last year by Gov. Jerry Brown. The action was welcomed by lawmakers who have been critical of the DMV, including Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield). The egregious management failures of the DMV have been self-evident, which is why I have been calling for new leadership and a comprehensive independent audit of this troubled state agency over and over again as the problems grew significantly worse, Fong said. Last summer, Californians seeking new driver licenses complained of wait times of four to six hours at DMV offices, which the agency blamed partly on snafus caused by a rush of people trying to get Real IDs, a new identification card design required for airline passengers starting in late 2020. Delays were also blamed on computer crashes at DMV offices as the agency struggled to update its aging automation systems. The DMV also admitted that there were an estimated 23,000 errors as people either were unknowingly registered to vote or mistakes were made in their registration status as part of the states new motor voter program. The agency registered to vote as many as 1,500 people with legal U.S. residency but no citizenship. Last month, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto retired from the agency. Legislators were angered earlier this week when the DMV said it needed an additional $40 million to prevent the return of long lines at its field offices. In addition, the agency has been under fire for issuing driver licenses in the last year that do not comply with the federal Real ID standards requiring two forms of identification by applicants. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California police unions are preparing to battle new transparency law in the courtroom By Maya Lau Just as a landmark police transparency law is going into effect, some California police agencies are shredding internal affairs documents and law enforcement unions are rushing to block the information from being released. The new law, which begins to unwind Californias strictest-in-the-nation protections over the secrecy of law enforcement records, opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. But the lawsuits and records destruction, which began even before the law took effect Jan. 1, could tie up the release of information for months or years, and in some instances, prevent it from ever being disclosed. The fact that police unions are challenging this law is on some level not surprising, said Peter Bibring, director of police practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, one of the principal supporters of the new law. They have a long history of fighting tooth and nail against transparency. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Secretary of State Alex Padilla begins second term with challenge to ensure every Californian is counted By Jazmine Ulloa Secretary of State Alex Padilla takes the oath of office as his family stands by his side on Monday in Sacramento. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Secretary of State Alex Padilla was sworn in for a second term on Monday, saying he would continue the battle to protect the right to vote at a time when voter suppression efforts, online disinformation campaigns and interference from foreign adversaries have polarized the public and threatened to undermine trust in U.S. elections. I am doubling down on our fight here in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C., to defend our democracy, he said. Working on the front lines with so many of you, I know that our collective resolve has never been stronger. But the loudest applause came when Padilla promised to fight back against the Trump administrations changes to the U.S. census, saying he will ensure every Californian gets counted. Padilla, a former state senator and Los Angeles City Council member from the San Fernando Valley, led the cause for a new motor voter registration law in 2015, and a new system for online business registrations. But the programs have had experienced problems: More than 23,000 Californians were registered to vote incorrectly by the state DMV, the agency reported last year. On Monday, Padilla said he would continue to push back against false claims of voter fraud in California and pointed to the states voter turnout as proof that his office was involving more people in the democratic process, a promise he made when he was first sworn in four years ago. More than 12.7 million voters cast ballots in the Nov. 6 midterm election, representing roughly 65% of the states registered voters, the highest number of any midterm election since 1982, according to state certified results. I made that promise based on a shared belief that we are a stronger democracy and a better California when we hear all voices from all corners of California, and when those voices are not just heard but counted, Padilla said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Ricardo Lara, Californias first statewide officeholder to come out as gay, sworn in as insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara on the floor of the state Senate in 2016. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Ricardo Lara took the oath of office as California insurance commissioner on Monday, pledging action to boost healthcare coverage and combat climate change. Lara, a Democrat from Bell Gardens, is the first elected statewide officeholder in California who has come out as gay. He began his speech in downtown Sacramento by thanking LGBTQ leaders who came before him and celebrated the occasion. Today, because of you, weve shattered the pink ceiling, Lara said. In his inaugural speech, Lara announced the creation of an executive position in his office to address climate change. There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and our environment, Lara said. Our planet cant wait. Im ready, and I hope you are too. Lara served as a state legislator and in 2017 introduced a bill to create a single-payer healthcare system in the state. He promised to work with new Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand coverage across California. Lara was sworn in by retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who declared unconstitutional Californias Proposition 8 gay marriage ban. State Sen. President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) was on hand for the ceremony along with multiple other state lawmakers. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis says she will help expand access to universities in the state New Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, center, is shown in June talking with attendees at the Power to the Polls rally in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) More Californians should be given access to public universities, Eleni Kounalakis said as she took the oath of office Monday to become the states first woman elected lieutenant governor. Kounalakis was given the oath of office by Gov. Gavin Newsom, her predecessor in the job, who pledged they would work together. As lieutenant governor, Kounalakis serves on the University of California Board of Regents and the California State University Board of Trustees, she noted in a speech at her swearing-in ceremony at the main Sacramento Library. In that role, she said, she will be committed to expanding access to affordable public higher education here in our state. Its wise, its smart and it is the best way to address our rapidly changing digital economy. Kounalakis is former president of a development company founded by her father, Angelo Tsakopoulos, and served during the Obama administration as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary. In November, she won her first run for statewide office. Also attending the ceremony were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California meets Dutch Newsom, who steals the show at his fathers inauguration By Taryn Luna Gov. Gavin Newsom gives his inaugural address while holding his youngest son, Dutch. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) In the California political world, all eyes were on Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday until his 2-year-old son stole the show. Dutch, the youngest of four children in the Newsom brood, climbed onstage in the middle of his fathers inaugural address in a tent outside the Capitol on Monday. The unplanned moment saw the 51-year-old governors big day interrupted by the toddler, bringing levity to the ceremony. Newsom was recounting Gov. Jerry Browns last inaugural speech and reference to the Sermon on the Mount, a biblical story about two men who built separate homes on sand and rock, when Dutch approached his father, a pacifier in his mouth and blanket in hand. Now more than ever we Californians know how much a house matters and children matter, Newsom said, improvising as he scooped the boy into his arms. The governor kissed Dutch on the cheek and held him for several minutes as he continued with the speech. This is exactly how it was scripted, Newsom joked. Newsom eventually put his child down and Dutch walked to the edge of the stage before retreating behind the podium to hide from his mother, First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The crowd roared. Siebel Newsom was able to briefly divert her son only for him to return to the stage minutes later. She grabbed him again and this time, the crying toddler did not reemerge. When fires strikes, when kids cry and the earth shakes, well be there for each other, Newsom said. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who said the moment humanized Newsom, threw cold water on any theories that Dutchs cameo was planned. No, I know it was not, Garcetti said with a laugh after Newsoms speech concluded. I could see that look of absolute abject terror [on Newsoms face]. Weve all been there. Kids always think its about themselves and theyve proved it. California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) agreed. I worked in early childhood education for 20 years and theres no way you can ever get a child to do anything when you want them to do it, Rendon said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Fiona Ma takes oath as Californias new treasurer By Liam Dillon State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Fiona Ma took the oath of office in Sacramento on Monday as the states 34th treasurer, promising to boost Californias economy. Ma previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in the state Assembly and on the California Board of Equalization. I want to thank everyone for entrusting me with this important job. I understand my role here as your state treasurer is to build that financial wall around California so that we will remain the fifth-largest economy, Ma said in brief remarks. That is my promise to you. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye administered the oath to Ma. Following the ceremony, Ma held an ice cream social for guests. On Wednesday, she will host a public event in San Francisco to celebrate her swearing-in. State Treasurer Fiona Ma takes the oath of office. (Liam Dillon / Los Angeles Times) Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Expectations are high for newly sworn-in state schools chief Tony Thurmond Tony Thurmond shakes hands with retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco after taking the oath of office. (Melody Gutierrez / Los Angeles Times) Tony Thurmond took the oath of office as Californias state superintendent of public schools on Monday, promising a labor-friendly agenda before the teachers, students and Democratic officials who filled an auditorium at McClatchy High School in Sacramento to watch him being sworn in. We cant close the achievement gap without a great teacher at the head of every class, Thurmond said Monday to applause. We have to make sure we provide quality compensation and support to our teachers and our classified staff and all the educators who support our kids. Thurmond, a Bay Area Democrat who served in the state Assembly, won a hotly contested and expensive race with the help of labor leaders against charter school executive Marshall Tuck. The race took several days to sort out after Tuck held an initial lead in early returns on election night before falling behind thereafter. Thurmond was sworn in Monday by retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco. He was joined on stage by labor rights leader Dolores Huerta and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). Thurmonds former colleagues in the state Assembly took turns praising him and promising to be an ally in improving schools. Many said they expected Thurmond would be a strong leader focused on improving student outcomes. We know we are going to work hard to give you the money you need and the budget you need to fully fund education and our schools so we can put our money where our mouth is and make sure our children have everything they need, Assemblywoman Connie Leyva (D-Chino Hills) said. As state superintendent, Thurmond will oversee the education of 6.2 million students at 10,000 schools. Thurmond was a member of the West Contra Costa County School Board and a Richmond city councilman before he was elected to the state Assembly. Tony is the right man at the right time to fight the federal, Donald Trump, Betsy DeVos anti-child, anti-education, anti-civil and -human rights agenda, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said. Tony is going to do that for us. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State Controller Betty Yee takes oath of office with call for more affordable housing and healthcare State Controller Betty Yee California Controller Betty Yee took the oath of office Monday for a second term, saying she still has work to do addressing problems that include a lack of affordability in housing, healthcare and higher education. A San Francisco native, Yee is the chief financial officer of California the fifth-largest economy in the world having first won election to the post in 2014 before winning reelection in November. No region is spared from the widening inequality and increased poverty that plague our state, fueled by the lack of affordable, stable housing, the cost of healthcare and transportation, limited educational opportunities, student loan debt, displacement caused by disasters and more, she said. Yee was administered the oath of office by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento before an overflow crowd that included state Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. As a public official it is about governance that delivers results and stays accountable while upholding the underlying value of dignity for all, Yee said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra begins new term promising to fight Trump policies California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Monday took the oath of office for a new term, saying he would continue his role as a leading challenger to Trump administration actions that he believes are counter to the states interests. Becerra, a former 12-term congressman, has become a national opposition figure to Trump, having sued the federal government 45 times since he was appointed as the states first Latino attorney general in 2017. Weve been a little busy stopping the dysfunction and insanity in Washington, D.C., from infecting California, Becerra told an audience during a swearing-in ceremony at the California Museum in Sacramento. Whether its the criminals on our streets or the conman in the boardrooms or highest office of the land, Becerra said, the California Department of Justice, well, weve got your back. Becerra won his first statewide election as the states top cop in November, two years after he filled the post vacated when predecessor Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. He has peppered the Trump administration with lawsuits challenging federal policies on healthcare, the U.S. census, the environment and immigration. Our state builds dreams, not walls, he said in a direct criticism of Trumps proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Just last week, Becerra led a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general in announcing an appeal of a federal judge in Texas that ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. The ACA has been the law for nearly a decade and is the backbone of our healthcare system, Becerra said last week. This case impacts nearly every American workers covered by employers, families, women, children, young adults and seniors so we will lead the ACAs defense as long and far as it takes. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California Democratic Party Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall announces bid to lead group By Christine Mai-Duc Daraka Larimore-Hall. (Dominic Parisi / Courtesy of Daraka Larimore-Hall) Daraka Larimore-Hall, a top official at the California Democratic Party, said Monday hes running to replace former chairman Eric Bauman, who resigned abruptly in November after being confronted with allegations of sexual misconduct. Larimore-Hall, a longtime state party activist and former chairman of the Democratic Party of Santa Barbara County, was one of the party leaders who urged Bauman to resign following the allegations. In an email to supporters announcing his bid, he urged both structural and cultural change at every level of our Party. He also repeated his call for a top-to-bottom investigation of the allegations, the party and its culture. In a Times investigation, 10 party activists and staff members said Bauman made crude sexual comments and engaged in unwanted touching and physical intimidation in professional settings. In order to be where we need to be for 2020, we have to confront the culture of abuse and fear that allowed someone to behave in such a vile way for so long, Larimore-Hall said in an interview. We cant brush it aside or think that our activists or our candidates or our donors are going to forget about this overnight. Larimore-Hall said his first priority would be to fully investigate the allegations and restore rank-and-file confidence in the partys leadership. The second would be to refocus the party on political priorities as the 2020 presidential election nears. The Bauman episode, Larimore-Hall said, threatens to derail the Democrats plans to help defeat President Trump and keep the seven congressional seats gained in the midterm elections. Its definitely a crisis, Larimore-Hall said. But the component parts the energy, the enthusiasm, the volunteers, the infrastructure its still there. We just need to direct it toward something. Larimore-Hall was elected vice chairman of the state party in February following Baumans razor-thin victory over Bay Area activist Kimberly Ellis. Ellis has announced another bid for the chairmanship and former state Senate leader Kevin de Leon is also mulling a run. The vote will take place at the partys May convention in San Francisco. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom will vow to seize this moment, and swipe at Trump in Monday inaugural address By Melanie Mason Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family attend an Inauguration Family Event at the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Building on the theme of California exceptionalism that defined his campaign, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will depict the state as a guardian of progressive values and a counterweight to President Trump in his inaugural address Monday, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks. What we do today is even more consequential, because of whats happening in our country, read the excerpts obtained by The Times. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment. The speech casts Californias political stakes in a decidedly national scope, promising an agenda that will unify and be an example to the rest of the country. It contrasts the governing goals of Newsom, a Democrat, with that of Trump, the incoming governors perennial foil. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House, the excerpts say. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people. Newsom campaigned on an ambitious and wide-ranging platform, promising sweeping solutions on housing, healthcare, education and other issues that rank among Californians top concerns. In the weeks after his election, he struck a more muted tone, taking pains to emphasize his fiscal caution and need for patience in achieving those goals. The inaugural excerpts indicate a return to lofty pledges. While Newsom will vow to prepare for uncertain times ahead by building budgetary reserves and paying down debt, the prepared remarks quickly turn to a vow to be bold. Newsom has already floated several proposals for his first budget that carry significant price tags, including a nearly $2-billion plan to boost early childhood development for low-income families and a dramatic expansion of paid family leave from six weeks to six months. When asked for a preview of his inauguration speech during a news conference Sunday evening, Newsom predicted pundits would criticize his address as short on specifics. Well, of course, Im at an inaugural, Newsom said. But Ill be very detailed in the budget, a few days later. And then we will architect, in much more nuance and detail, in state of the state. I really see this as three opportunities to communicate over the next few weeks our agenda, our vision for the state. Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom-hosted benefit concert raises nearly $5 million for wildfire victims By Taryn Luna Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom speaks at a concert to benefit wildfire victims at the Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) On the eve of the gubernatorial inauguration, Californias political class rubbed elbows in Sacramento for a benefit concert hosted by Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and headlined by the rapper Pitbull. Newsom told the crowd gathered at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday evening that the fundraiser brought in nearly $5 million for the California Wildfire Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that supports the families of fallen firefighters and communities affected by wildfires. You know, a lot of folks feel anxious about not just politics, but government, Newsom said on stage before introducing the rapper and activist Common. But those firefighters, they are the antidote to the fear and cynicism; they are the manifestation of why government matters and why you should care. Top sponsors, including Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente and other interest groups, paid up to $1 million each to support the cause and curry favor with the new administration. Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom, said organizers sold more than 7,000 tickets. Several state lawmakers attended the concert alongside Capitol staff, lobbyists and business types, who mingled on the floor of the arena and offstage in private VIP areas. The rock band X Ambassadors and a duo called the Cold Weather Sons from the town of Paradise, which was destroyed by fire in November, were among several performers who entertained the crowd during the four-hour event. The California Rises concert is the final in a series of festivities held Sunday to celebrate the inauguration of Californias 40th governor. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum and his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Newsoms inauguration is set to begin at 11 a.m. Monday on the steps of the Capitol. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Inauguration fever hits Sacramento as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom prepares to take office By Phil Willon Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom holds his son, Dutch, as he and his family attend an inaugural event at the at the state Railroad Museum Sunday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom doesnt officially take the oath of office until Monday, but the parties celebrating his inauguration were in full swing all day Sunday. Newsom and his family were mobbed by well-wishers at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront in the afternoon, where his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families. He just has charisma. Hes able to really connect with people, said Rosielyn Pulmano, an attorney from Elk Grove who came to see Newsom with her husband, two sons and her niece. I think he cares about working Californians and a lot of their issues. Newsom arrived with his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their four young children, and the governor-elect spent a good deal of his time wading through crowds, taking selfies with supporters and signing autographs as music boomed in the background. As the family toured the inside of the museums locomotives and the bevy of exhibits, Newsoms two-year-old son, Dutch, was wide-eyed, impressed by all the train cars and seemingly a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Newsom said that for his son, all that was missing from the museum was Thomas the Train, popular fictional locomotive in childrens books and cartoons . If theres one thing I can contribute to Sacramento maybe its getting a Thomas the Train exhibit for the two years olds, Newsom joked when talking with reporters afterward. Newsom said he wanted to include such an event in his inaugural festivities to highlight families and children, whose wellbeing will be among the top priorities of his administration. Youll see that not only as a preamble to the inaugural and the budget that well be submitting next week, but I think itll be a big part of the administration, Newsom said. The museum event followed a private, high-dollar brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum. A steady rain failed to dissuade as many as 200 guests who sipped wine and dined on chicken and salmon while waiting for a photo with Californias new first couple. Seen at the event were representatives of some of the states most powerful political interests, among them organized labor, healthcare companies and tribal gaming interests. A few other high-profile guests attended, too, including Larry Baer, CEO of the San Francisco Giants, and Erika Jayne, a singer and cast member of the reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Im excited to see someone like Gavin young, vibrant taking over the state and leading us into the future, Jayne said after attending the brunch with her husband, attorney Tom Girardi. Hes got a lot of great plans. Attendees said the event, which was closed to reporters and held under a tent in the museums outdoor atrium, did not include prepared remarks by Newsom. Among those seen leaving the event were representatives of AT&T, the California Medical Assn., Uber, Kaiser Permanente and the State Building and Construction Trades Council. A fundraising invitation obtained by The Times offered bundled tickets to all of the inauguration events, including those on Sunday and the Monday ceremony, ranging in price from $25,000 to $200,000. The money will be collected by a committee specifically organized to pay for Newsoms inaugural weekend. Sundays festivities are scheduled to end with a benefit concert headlined by Pitbull at the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBAs Sacramento Kings, to raise money for the victims of Californias recent deadly wildfires. Among the attendees at @GavinNewsoms pre-inaugural leadership brunch: Real Housewife of Bev Hills @erikajayne. Im excited to see someone like Gavinyoung, vibranttaking over the state and leading us into the future. Hes got a lot of great plans. pic.twitter.com/561NHiy2XQ Melanie Mason (@melmason) January 6, 2019 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement As Newsom inaugural events begin, he unveils more state budget promises on education and paid family leave Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, seen here last April, will propose new state budget efforts on paid family leave and education subsidies. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Californias incoming governor, who must send his first state budget plan to the Legislature this week, has already signaled a significant new focus on programs to help families and children from infancy to college. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom campaigned on a platform that included a number of child-focused efforts specifically aimed at helping lower-income families. The price tag for the initial efforts is expected to approach $2 billion a cost paid out of an unrestricted tax revenue windfall that could be one of the largest in state history. Newsom may also seek help for families through new subsidies paid by California employers. The governor-elect is expected to propose a dramatic expansion of paid parental leave from six weeks to six months according to an internal document provided by a source close to the Newsom transition team, first reported on Sunday by the New York Times. The document doesnt offer a full explanation for how the program will be funded, saying instead that the budget will set a goal of ensuring that all newborns and newly adopted babies can be cared for by a parent or a close family member for the first six months. Employers across the state are currently assessed a payroll tax that helps offer a subsidy to parents who temporarily leave their job to care for a newborn. Newsoms plan, according to the document, would pay for some of the new costs by shrinking the mandated cash reserve of the state fund that administers the program, allowing more of the money to be paid in benefits. The increase in paid leave would not all happen at once but instead be phased in over a multi-year period. A task force to help implement the expanded care plan is also envisioned, according to the document. It would determine whether two parents could split the six months of paid leave and whether an extended family member could be enlisted to help care for the child of a single parent over the six-month period. The incoming administrations focus on young children will also include $1.8 billion in new spending on early childhood education programs, with a particular focus on training childcare workers and pushing for more California schools to offer full-day kindergarten. Those costs, according to an overview memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times, are considered to be a one-time expense while leaving the long-term costs of the effort to be determined later. More community college students would get free tuition under a third initiative expected in the new governors budget plan. Newsom will propose spending $40 million to offer a second year of tuition-free college to California students, according to an outline provided by a transition official, first reported by Politico. Students are already eligible for a single year of paid tuition under a plan agreed to by Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers in 2017. The incoming governor embraced the idea of free community college during the 2018 campaign as part of a broader focus on additional investments in higher education. Education is an economic development strategy, Newsom said at a higher education forum last spring. We need to significantly increase the investment from the general fund of this state on higher education. Theres no greater higher return on investment. Whether the proposal would be targeted to students based on a familys financial need is unclear. Many low-income students are already eligible for fee waivers at community colleges. The new governor must submit his full state budget plan to lawmakers no later than Thursday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gavin Newsom and his family decide Sacramento is the place to be The Old Governors Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will move his family into the mansion. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family will give up the Marin County life and move to the Victorian-style governors mansion in Sacramento after he takes the oath of office Monday. Newsom and his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, had debated whether or when to relocate to the state capital since his election in November. The couple have four young children and expressed reservations about moving in the middle of a school year. To best serve the people of California while also maximizing family time together, the Newsoms have therefore decided to move to Sacramento, said Newsoms spokesman, Nathan Click. On Monday, they will move into the Governors Mansion along with their four children, their two family dogs, and their family bunny rabbit and reside there for the immediate future. The Newsoms currently live in Marin County. Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife, Ann Gust Brown, moved into the grand house in 2015 after it underwent $4.1 million in renovations to update electrical and plumbing systems, as well as to remove lead-based paint and install a fire sprinkler system and other security features. The mansion was built in 1877 and has been home to 14 governors, but before Brown it had not housed a California governor for nearly half a century. The state bought the mansion from a wealthy Sacramento hardware merchant, Albert Gallatin, in 1903 for $32,500. It was one of the few California homes at that time to have indoor plumbing. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom announces top labor, business liaisons as he prepares to take office Julie Su will be secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency for Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday named two advisors on issues related to the California economy, each recognized for their expertise on business and labor. The incoming governor will appoint Julie Su as secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and Lenny Mendonca as chief economic and business advisor and director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development. Su, 49, has served as state labor commissioner under Gov. Jerry Brown since 2011 and has led an office tasked with the enforcement of Californias labor laws. She won a MacArthur Foundation genius grant in 2001 and previously worked as a civil rights attorney representing low-wage workers. In her new position, Su will be tasked with coordinating the work of several workforce departments in state government, including those that administer unemployment benefits and oversee the relationship between agriculture workers and employers. Mendonca, 57, has been a longtime advocate for rethinking government operations as co-chairman of the nonprofit organization California Forward. Previously, he was partner at McKinsey & Co., a global management consulting firm. While he will be a key advisor to Newsom on the states economy, Mendonca will also lead the office often referred to as Go-Biz, designated as a high-level way to encourage job growth and economic development. In his new role, Mendonca will help ensure that California is rolling out the welcome mat to current and future California businesses and growing a sustainable economy for every Californian, said a statement from the Newsom transition team. Newsom will take the oath of office as governor Monday. He has previously selected key advisors on the state budget, legislative affairs and the executive branchs wide array of agencies and departments. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Joshua Groban, aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, sworn in to California Supreme Court By Taryn Luna California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban gives remarks after he is sworn into the court by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. (Taryn Luna) California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban, a lawyer and longtime aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, was sworn into the states highest court Thursday in Sacramento. The ceremony marked Browns fourth appointment to the state Supreme Court and gave the seven-member bench a Democratic majority. We live in a highly chaotic, ever-changing and ever-confusing world, Groban said in prepared remarks at the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building. But Im happy to report that Im joining an institution whose fundamental purpose, at core, is to provide stability and consistency amidst this chaotic place we live. I look forward to doing that with a sense of reflection, respect, fidelity to the law and compassion. None of Browns appointees, Groban included, have judicial experience. Groban served as legal counsel to Browns 2010 gubernatorial campaign and joined the administration as a senior advisor to the governor, overseeing the appointments of some 600 judges over the last eight years. Prior to working with Brown, Groban, 45, practiced law for more than a decade. In perhaps his final public appearance before his successor, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, takes office next week, Brown pushed back on notions that he stacked the court. I dont want this to be known as a Brown court, the governor said before administering the judicial oath of office. First of all, the so-called Brown appointments do not agree with themselves and nor should they. They are individuals. They will differ. Its not anybodys court. The governor called the court a high calling and said Groban possesses the values for the job. Probably, next to my wife, Ive talked to no person as much as Ive talked to Josh Groban, Brown said. I think youve talked to him more, Californias First Lady Anne Gust Brown interjected. I cant tell you what the hell hes going to do, Brown later quipped. I warned him, dont screw up, at least not at first. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California campaign watchdog agency seeks law barring use of campaign funds to fight harassment claims Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). ( (Steve Yeater / Associated Press)) Elected officials accused of harassment or discrimination would be barred from using political contributions to cover their legal defense costs under legislation proposed by Californias campaign watchdog agency. The state Fair Political Practices Commission has agreed to pursue a law change to clear up confusion after an attorney for one former state lawmaker argued political funds could be used in such legal defenses. Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said putting a prohibition into the law would provide some much needed clarity. As chair, I would like to show the public their lawmakers are held to a standard that is above reproach, Germond said in a statement. People dont give money to campaigns for lawmakers to use it to defend their own bad behavior, so lawmakers shouldnt be able to use it in that manner. The issue came up a year ago when an attorney for former Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) sought a formal opinion from the FPPC after the Senate launched an investigation that later concluded Mendoza likely engaged in a pattern of harassment against female aides. Mendoza resigned in February under threat of expulsion by the Senate. In a Jan. 10, 2018, letter, Cassandra Ferrannini, an attorney for Mendoza, wrote to the FPPC that she believed Mendoza should be allowed to establish a legal defense fund able to defray his legal expenses in defending himself against the allegations. The use of campaign funds for attorneys fees under these circumstances would fall squarely within the scope of legislative matters, since it involves the alleged conduct of a legislator with regard to legislative staff that he supervised, Ferrannini wrote. The commission staff originally issued an advice letter that said Mendoza may use campaign and legal defense funds to defend himself from claims of sexual harassment that arose directly out of his activities or status as a candidate or elected officer. But the panel later rescinded the letter after some members questioned using campaign funds to fight sexual harassment claims. That left uncertainty about what was allowed, which Germond said could be cleared up by a new law. The FPPC is still looking for a legislator to carry the bill, a spokesman said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias landmark police transparency law takes effect after court denies police union effort to block it California Supreme Court building (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) A new state law allowing the public disclosure of internal police shooting investigations has gone into effect after the California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a bid by a police union to block it. The law opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. challenged the law last month, asking state Supreme Court justices to decide that the law only apply to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. The court rejected that request Wednesday, allowing members of the public to seek all applicable records held by police departments. Union president Grant Ward said in a statement that his organization was disappointed with the decision and is now seeking other legal options. We feel this is a statewide issue and should be considered accordingly, Ward said. Last month, the city of Inglewood authorized the destruction of more than 100 police shooting investigations and other records in advance of Jan. 1, when the disclosure law was scheduled to take effect. California law requires police departments to keep such records for five years, and Inglewood City Council voted to destroy records older than that. Mayor James T. Butts has said the decision had nothing to do with the new law. In Los Angeles, Police Chief Michel Moore has said that complying with the new disclosure rules could take hundreds of thousands of hours of work. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of the transparency law, has said she has no immediate plans to propose changes to it. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Few complaints of racial profiling are sustained by police agencies in California, state panel finds CHP Officer J. Nelson stands outside the office of Gov. Jerry Brown as activists in 2015 support requiring the tracking of police stops. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Law enforcement agencies in California sustain few citizen complaints of racial or identity profiling, according to a report Wednesday by a state panel set up to help reduce bias in policing. The states Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board recommended in its annual report that law enforcement agencies improve training and adopt clear guidelines for tracking and reporting data on who is stopped by officers. The panel said that 453 law enforcement agencies in the state received 9,459 civilian complaints in 2017, including 865 complaints alleging racial or identity profiling. Of the racial and identity complaints that reached a disposition that year, 1.5% were sustained, 14.6% resulted in officers being exonerated and 83.9% of complaints were not sustained or were determined to be unfounded, the report said. A clearer picture of the issue is expected from a 2015 law that requires police agencies to report demographic data on all detentions and searches. The first reports by the eight largest agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, are due to be submitted in April. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, whose office oversees the board, said tracking of all detentions and searches will be helpful to understand the scope of the issue. The Boards recommendations will help make our law enforcement agencies more transparent and promote critical steps to enhance, and in some cases, repair the public trust, Becerra said in a statement Wednesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California housing crisis podcast: What Minneapolis decision to end single-family zoning might mean for California A view of downtown Minneapolis in 2014 (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images) Theres a national movement brewing to roll back zoning rules in cities that only allow one house on a plot of land. The epicenter of that movement is Minneapolis, which passed a plan last month to eliminate single-family zoning citywide and let landowners build duplexes and triplexes on residential property. On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we talk about the reasons why Minneapolis leaders took this action, including their desire to combat a history of racial exclusion and spur more housing density to fight climate change. We also debate how Minneapolis decision might affect housing politics in California. Our guest is Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender, who helped shepherd the new zoning rules to passage and a former San Francisco city planner. The episode also crowns 2018s Avocado of the Year the most ridiculous story exemplifying Californias housing woes and includes our predictions for the most under-the-radar important themes in housing politics in 2019. Gimme Shelter, a biweekly podcast that looks at why its so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CALmatters. You can subscribe to Gimme Shelter on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Play and Overcast. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement How young immigrant Dreamers made flipping control of the House a personal quest By Jazmine Ulloa Gabriela Cruz, who was brought to the U.S. illegally when she was 1, couldnt vote, but in the final hours before the Nov. 6 election, she was making one last run to get people to the polls. The sun was setting in Modesto when she found Ronald Silva, 41, smoking a cigarette on a tattered old couch behind a group home. He politely tried to wave her off until she reminded him he had a right that she as an immigrant without citizenship didnt have. It could really make a change for us, said Cruz, 29. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose almost $2 billion for early childhood programs (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Seeking to frame his new administration as one with a firm focus on closing the gap between children from affluent and poor families, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose spending some $1.8 billion on an array of programs designed to boost Californias enrollment in early education and child-care programs. Newsoms plan, which he hinted at in a Fresno event last month, will be a key element in the state budget proposal he will submit to the Legislature shortly after taking office Monday, a source close to the governor-elects transition team said. The spending would boost programs designed to ensure children enter kindergarten prepared to learn, closing what some researchers have called the readiness gap that exists based on a familys income. It would also phase in an expansion of prekindergarten and offer money to help school districts that dont have facilities for full-day kindergarten. The fact that hes making significant investments with his opening budget is really exciting, Ted Lempert, president of the Bay Area-based nonprofit Children Now, said Tuesday. Whats exciting is the comprehensiveness of it, because its saying were going to focus on prenatal through age 5. A broad overview document reviewed by The Times on Tuesday shows that most of the outlay under the plan $1.5 billion would be a one-time expense in the budget year that begins July 1. Those dollars would be a single infusion of cash, an approach favored by Gov. Jerry Brown in recent years. Most of the money would be spent on efforts to expand child-care services and kindergarten classes. By law, a governor must submit a full budget to the Legislature no later than Jan. 10. Lawmakers will spend the winter and spring reviewing the proposal and must send a final budget plan to Newsom by June 15. Though legislative Democrats have pushed for additional early childhood funding in recent years a key demand of the Legislative Womens Caucus those actions have typically come late in the budget-writing season in Sacramento. Quite frankly, to start out with a January proposal that includes that investment in Californias children reflects a new day, state Sen. Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) said. The governor-elect will propose a $750-million boost to kindergarten funding, aimed at expanding facilities to allow full-day programs. A number of school districts offer only partial-day programs, leaving many low-income families to skip enrolling their children because kindergarten classes end in the middle of the workday. Because the money would not count toward meeting Californias three-decades-old education spending guarantee under Proposition 98, which sets a minimum annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges, it will not reduce planned spending on other education services. Close behind in total cost is a budget proposal by Newsom to help train child-care workers and expand local facilities already subsidized by the state, as well as those serving parents who attend state colleges and universities. Together, those efforts could cost $747 million, according to the budget overview document. An expansion of prekindergarten programs would be phased in over three years at a cost of $125 million in the first year. The multiyear rollout would, according to the budget overview, ensure the system can plan for the increase in capacity. Lempert said the Newsom proposal is notable for trying to avoid the kinds of battles that in recent years pitted prekindergarten and expanded child care against each other for additional taxpayer dollars. The reality is we need to expand both simultaneously, he said. Another $200 million of the proposal would be earmarked for programs that provide home visits to expectant parents from limited-income families and programs that provide healthcare screenings for young children. Some of the money would come from the states Medi-Cal program, and other money from federal matching dollars. Funding for the home visits program was provided in the budget Brown signed last summer; the Newsom effort would build on that. Emphasizing a policy area with broad appeal in his first state budget could reflect Newsoms political sensibility about the challenges ahead. Democratic lawmakers and interest groups will be especially eager to see how Newsom addresses the demand for an overhaul of healthcare coverage in California especially after a 2017 effort to create a single-payer, universal system fizzled. The path forward on healthcare is complex and costly, making early childhood education a more achievable goal in the governor-elects early tenure. Newsom is likely to face considerable demands for other additional spending. In November, the Legislatures independent analysts projected that continued strength in tax revenues could produce a cash reserve of some $29 billion over the next 18 months. Almost $15 billion of that could be in unrestricted reserves, the kind that can be spent on any number of government programs. Kim Belshe, executive director of the child advocacy organization First 5 LA and a former state health and human services secretary, said the initial Newsom budget proposal suggests the next governor will focus on a comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for children from low-income families. School-ready kids deserve quality early learning, strong and well-supported families, and access to early screening services, Belshe said. Newsom understands the whole child, multifaceted needs of our kids and is clearly ready to lead. Mitchell, the chair of the Senate budget committee, said shes eager to see the details of the governor-elects proposal to determine whether it might signal the beginning of an even broader expansion of early education efforts. Similar efforts have been hindered by a lack of money and ongoing debate over which services to help children 5 and younger need state funding the most. Universal preschool, in particular, has been debated for more than a decade. California voters rejected a ballot measure to fund a full prekindergarten system in 2006. Its clear theres a new movement afoot trying to engage on investment for universal preschool, Mitchell said. How we invest, and how we prioritize that investment, is going to be a great conversation for the coming months. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: A final conversation with Gov. Jerry Brown No Californian has served longer as governor, signed more laws, granted clemency to more felons or waged more high-profile campaigns than Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown will leave behind a unique legacy when he packs his last belongings for the trip from the governors mansion in Sacramento to his Northern California ranch. His final two terms in office could be his most consequential. The governor reviewed some of the more notable moments from the past eight years in a far-reaching interview with The Times on Dec. 22. This weeks podcast episode includes extended portions of that conversation. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A sagging economy could doom a 2020 ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown says Gov. Jerry Brown, at his Colusa County home on Saturday, said a ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes could struggle in 2020. (Randall Benton/For The Times) An effort to remove commercial property in California from the tax limits imposed by the landmark Proposition 13 could be felled by an economic slowdown, Gov. Jerry Brown said. In a Saturday interview with The Times at his Northern California ranch, Brown said liberal activist groups that have successfully placed the proposal on the November 2020 statewide ballot shouldnt read too much into early poll numbers showing support for the plan. That isnt as easy as you think, Brown said. Because youre going to be in a downturn of the business cycle. And youre talking many kinds of business. And the cost of doing business in California is already high. The ballot measure would allow counties to more frequently assess the market value of commercial property in California than allowed under Proposition 13, a 1978 ballot initiative that amended the state constitution to place strict limits on assessing property values and taxation for both homeowners and businesses. An analysis of the new measure, which qualified in October for the 2020 ballot, estimates it could bring in some $10.5 billion a year in new tax revenue. The business community will fight it, Brown said. And the minimum wage, the family leave, the environmental rules business[es] have left California, thats going to be the big argument. And I think thats something you really have to think a lot about. The governor, who leaves office early next month due to term limits, declined to either endorse or oppose the ballot measure. He said Californias economic health in two years time could be a key factor in how voters weigh the proposal. Well be in a recession by then, Brown said. So its anybodys guess. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Inglewood to destroy more than 100 police shooting records that could otherwise become public under new California law By Jack Dolan Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) The city of Inglewood has authorized the shredding of more than 100 police shooting and other internal investigation records weeks before a new state law could allow the public to access them for the first time. The decision, made at a City Council meeting earlier this month, has troubled civil liberties advocates who were behind the state legislation, Senate Bill 1421, which takes effect Jan. 1. The law opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The legislature passed SB 1421 because communities demanded an end to the secrecy cloaking police misconduct and use of force, Marcus Benigno, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said in a statement. Inglewood PDs decision to purge records undermines police accountability and transparency against the will of Californians. California law says police departments must retain records of officer shootings and internal misconduct investigations for five years. The city of Inglewood, however, had kept records longer than that, including case files of police shootings dating to 1991. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of SB 1421, intended for her bill to allow public access to all qualifying records held by a department, no matter the date of the incident. Inglewood City Council approved the destruction of records that have been in the police departments possession more than 100 cases longer than required by law. The city staff report and council resolution describing the action makes no mention of the new police transparency law. Instead it says the affected records are obsolete, occupy valuable space, and are of no further use to the police department. It added the traditional method of destroying such records is to shred them. It is unclear whether the records have since been destroyed. A spokesman for the Inglewood Police Department along with Inglewoods city manager, attorney, clerk, four council members and Mayor James T. Butts, a former Santa Monica police chief, did not respond to requests for comment. Inglewoods City Hall is closed the last two weeks of December. The Inglewood Police Department has a reputation for secrecy and using excessive force. In 2008, the departments officers fatally shot four men in as many months, three of whom turned out to be unarmed. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe and found significant flaws in the way the department oversaw use-of-force cases and investigated complaints against officers. Civil rights advocates still question why Inglewood police opened fire on a couple found sleeping in a car in 2016, killing them both. California police have a long history of shredding records to avoid scrutiny of their actions. In the 1970s, the LAPD famously destroyed more than four tons of personnel records after defense attorneys began requesting them as part of criminal cases against their clients. The move resulted in the dismissal of more than a hundred criminal complaints. In response, the Legislature demanded that records be preserved but then took other measures, supported by police unions, to ensure the public had very little access to them, making California the most secretive state in the nation when it comes to police misconduct. Skinners legislation begins to unwind those laws, which have been on the books since 1978. No video or audio of the Dec. 11 council action is available on the citys website and neither are meeting minutes or any record of the decision. A city spokeswoman, Courtney Torres, confirmed that the council had voted in favor of the police records purge, and said all the relevant reasons for the decision were included in the city staff report. The Jan. 1 implementation for SB 1421 has prompted other police officials to act. A police union in San Bernardino is asking the state Supreme Court to determine that Skinners bill only applies to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner earlier this month warning that complying with the law in regard to older records in the departments possession could take hundreds of thousands of work hours. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Federal officials question California DMVs process for issuing Real IDs (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has notified the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its process for providing residents with federally recognized identification cards is not adequate. DMV spokesman Armando Botello said Friday that 2.3 million residents who received Real IDs under the current process will have to submit additional documentation when their cards are renewed in five years but will be able to use them in the meantime. The DMV is developing a way for residents to submit more documentation online or via email to comply with the stricter federal requirement, he said. But some state legislators are upset about delays in notifying them of the problem and say Homeland Security could eventually require additional documentation provided by current holders. The DMV has known for a month that millions of Real IDs theyve been dolling out are potentially invalid, Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) said. The DMVs only hope is that the Department of Homeland Security takes pity on California and gives the DMV more time to fix this mess. Real IDs are a new kind of driver license and identification card that federal law will require legal residents to present when boarding domestic flights or visiting military bases and other federal facilities starting Oct. 1, 2020. The DMV has only been requiring one form of documentation, including a current lease or utility bill, to verify the residence of a card applicant. But the federal government said in a Nov. 21 letter to the agency that two such documents are needed. On Friday, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto released a letter defending the current process but said her agency will start requiring a second document to prove residency in April. In order to minimize confusion among our customers, the CADMV will work to inform individuals who have been issued a Real ID under the current process that their card will be accepted for official federal purposes, even if their renewal occurs after the October 1, 2020, final enforcement date for Real ID, Shiomoto wrote to the federal agency. Legislative officials worry there is still a possibility that those issued Real IDs in the past might be required to present a second document to have their cards designated as compliant. The more complex process for obtaining Real IDs has led to hours-long waits for customers at DMV field offices this year, although wait times have been reduced recently by an increase in staffing. Shiomoto last month announced that she is retiring amid problems with the motor voter registration system and after the governor ordered an audit of her agency in response to the long wait times. On Friday, Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido blasted the DMV for waiting a month to tell legislators of the problem. This is unacceptable and flies in the face of security for our citizens, which is what Real ID was created for in the first place, she said in a statement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom taps Keely Bosler to be his finance director Keely Bosler, the director of the California Department of Finance, will continue in that role under Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (California Department of Finance) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday appointed Keely Martin Bosler as director of the California Department of Finance, continuing the role she has served under Gov. Jerry Brown since August. Bosler will become Newsoms chief fiscal advisor, and will play a pivotal role in shaping Newsoms spending plan for the state that will lay the foundation for his top policy priorities. Newsom must roll out his first budget plan within days of taking office on Jan. 7. Californias brighter future depends on a strong, stable fiscal foundation, Newsom said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Keely is an accomplished public servant of sound fiscal judgment. She understands that state budgets are more than numbers on a page they are value statements affecting the fate and future of millions of families reaching for the California Dream. We are fortunate to have her on our team. Prior to being appointed finance director, Bosler served as Browns cabinet secretary for two years and, before that, as the chief deputy director for budget in the Finance Department for three years. Earlier this year, Brown picked Bosler to lead an audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles, which had come under fire for long wait times at DMV field offices and numerous computer problems, including errors in the new motor voter program that registered Californians to vote. As we have discussed, long wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles do not reflect the high standards of service that Californians expect from their state government, Bosler wrote in a letter in September to DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. The audit is still ongoing, but Shiomoto has since announced she will retire at the end of the year. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias legislative analyst, after decades of nonpartisan research for lawmakers, calls it a career Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, who has led the state research unit since 2008, will retire on Dec. 31. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Only five people have led the independent research office of the California Legislature since its creation in 1941. And each of them has had a pretty simple mantra to live by in reviewing public policy proposals and government programs: Call it like you see it. The job of any analyst, to me, is you maintain that nonpartisanship, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said. Taylor, 65, will retire from the post at the end of December after a four-decade career with the research team that began, as he likes to tell it, just after the passage of the landmark property tax rollback, Proposition 13, in 1978. He became the leader of the office, with the title of legislative analyst, in October 2008. Two months later, state government found itself in arguably the worst fiscal crisis in its history a projected shortfall that ultimately grew to $42 billion by the following winter. There were forces beyond our control, Taylor said of that time. But dont underestimate the policy changes that were made afterward. Those changes, most notably a boost in taxes paid by high-income earners and a robust state budget cash reserve fund, have helped lead to successive years of fully funded government services. The state is projected to have some $24 billion in reserves by the end of the current fiscal year. Taylor announced his intention earlier to step down this year. Leaders from both houses of the Legislature select the analyst, who leads a staff of almost five dozen researchers. The office provides in-depth reports on pending legislation, as well as on broader policy topics like education and healthcare, and produces an independent analysis for every proposed ballot measure. A succession of lawmakers and governors alike have praised or panned the work of the Legislative Analysts Office based on their own political worldview. Taylor said his staff is mindful that they work for legislators, but try to ignore the rhetoric that follows the release of a major report. People are going to do what theyre going to do with our information, he said. They dont always like it, but they appreciate that we give them our best advice. Taylor oversaw a transformation in the way the Legislative Analysts Office distributes its information, embracing the release of research reports through social media instead of relying on traditional printed copies and journalist roundtable events. But he said the work of the researchers has remained largely unchanged through the decades. Having an independent take on things, I think, is good for the Legislature, he said. No replacement for Taylor has been announced, which means a short transition for his eventual successor before Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom sends his first budget proposal to lawmakers in early January. Taylor, who lives in the Sacramento suburbs, said he will honor the tradition of his predecessors in stepping away from public policy debates in order to give the new analyst space to lead the team as he or she sees fit. He said he hopes to travel in the coming years and spend time with his children who have moved to the East Coast. Forty years in state government, Taylor said in why he was stepping aside now. Isnt that enough? Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown sues to save California sentencing laws By Don Thompson, Associated Press (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown sued Thursday to protect one of his signature actions in office, a voter-approved measure that allows most prison inmates to seek earlier release and participate in rehabilitation programs. His administration filed a lawsuit challenging a pending 2020 initiative that seeks to toughen criminal penalties as part of an effort to roll back reforms adopted by voters within the last decade. Browns lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court contends the measure lacked enough valid signatures to overturn a previously approved constitutional amendment. County officials and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla certified the signatures in July but said they were submitted too late to qualify for last months election. The lawsuit names Padilla and the ballot measures official proponent, Nina Salarno Besselman, president of the advocacy group Crime Victims United. Padilla said the measure exceeded the required roughly 366,000 valid signatures, equal to 5% of votes cast for governor in 2014. Browns lawsuit says he used the wrong threshold. It says changing the state Constitution requires 8%, or more than 585,400 signatures. That makes the pending initiative more than 150,000 signatures short, the lawsuit says. Hes wrong, said Jeff Flint, a spokesman for the campaign backing the measure. He predicted a judge will be reluctant to reject a measure that already has qualified for the ballot. The secretary of state told us how many signatures are required, and thats how many we collected, Flint said. Padillas office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The measure would reverse reforms adopted by voters through Proposition 47 in 2014 and Proposition 57 in 2016. Proposition 57 allows most inmates to seek earlier paroles, and Proposition 47 reduced some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The combination has helped keep Californias inmate population below a population cap set by federal judges. Corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said the measure gives corrections and parole officials broad discretion to protect our communities and fashion a rational system of rehabilitation and punishment. This new initiative unlawfully seeks to supplant the departments constitutional authority to implement these critical reforms to our criminal justice system. The pending initiative would shorten the list of crimes that qualify for earlier parole and change some theft crimes from misdemeanors back to felonies. It would also increase the number of crimes for which DNA is collected, a list that was limited when some crimes went from felonies to misdemeanors. Those supporting the tougher penalties say easing criminal penalties has increased the number of dangerous criminals on the streets, but those backing the changes say they have helped reduce mass incarceration and rehabilitate convicted criminals. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Supreme Court orders records unsealed in pardon of ex-state Sen. Roderick Wright Former state Sen. Roderick Wright (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) The California Supreme Court has granted a request to unseal court records involving Gov. Jerry Browns decision last month to pardon former state Sen. Roderick Wright for felony convictions involving lying about living in his legislative district, officials said Thursday. The court order was in response to a request by the nonpartisan First Amendment Coalition, which argued that the public has a right to know what information went into the governors decision to grant clemency to Wright. This is an important victory for public access to court files involving the exercise of executive clemency, said coalition spokesman Glen A. Smith. We are gratified the court has recognized that these decisions should be subject to the same public access rules that apply to other judicial records under California law. The court gave Browns office until Jan. 2 to redact confidential material before giving the court documents that can be released to the public. The court files submitted by the governors office include letters of support for a pardon and an internal review of Wrights case. The court denied a motion to unseal the records of all clemency cases but left open consideration of requests on other individual cases. Browns office is currently evaluating the courts decision, said spokesman Brian Ferguson. The governor argued against unsealing records in a recent court filing that said confidentiality is consistent with historical practice and is supported by state law. In pardoning Wright on Nov. 22, the governor wrote: He has shown that since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character, and conducted himself as a law abiding citizen. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California political watchdog agency fines BART, urges prosecution over using public funds for campaign A Bay Area Rapid Transit train leaves the station in Oakland in this 2013 file photo. (Ben Margot / AP) Californias state political watchdog agency on Thursday imposed a $7,500 fine against the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and called for a possible criminal or civil prosecution over allegations the district used public resources to campaign for a 2016 bond measure. The state Fair Political Practices Commission levied an administrative fine against BART for its failure to disclose spending on YouTube videos, social media posts and text messages to promote Measure RR, which authorized $3.5 billion in general obligation bonds. Though the panel lacks authority to seek criminal charges over the misuse of public funds, it also urged county district attorneys in the BART service area and the state attorney general to pursue possible criminal or civil charges over the spending of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes, Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said. It is the concept of misusing public funds that I think we all here are very disturbed about, and we want to send a warning and not create a precedent that is a minor, little slap on the wrist, Germond said, adding that the referral to criminal prosecutors would further send a message that this is wrong. Commissioner Brian Hatch also called for the state Legislature to consider granting the FPPC power to go after public agencies that spend taxpayer money on campaigns. Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) called on the agency to increase the fine to the maximum level of $33,375. The proposed $7,500 fine represents a slap on the wrist for a very serious violation of the law and the publics trust, Glazer said in a letter to the panel. In supporting the fine recommended by the staff, Germond said BART has agreed to pay the penalty. Somebody did something wrong and they have admitted it, she said. A staff report said there were factors in favor of a fine below the maximum. Although the Commission considers BARTs violations to be serious, the absence of any evidence of an intention to conceal, deceive, or mislead; the voluntary filing of the delinquent campaign statement; and the absence of a prior record are mitigating, the report said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California police union seeks state Supreme Court review of new law disclosing internal investigation records Los Angeles Police Department officers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A police union is asking the California Supreme Court to block the release of internal officer investigations before a new state law takes effect next year. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. filed a petition Tuesday asking justices to rule that only investigations of incidents that occur after Jan. 1 would be available under the law and not those the department has on file from years prior. The litigation comes after this years passage of Senate Bill 1421, which opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, and the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department has told the union it intends to make available in response to public records requests all the information it has. The union is very concerned about any plans to retroactively apply Senate Bill 1421, Grant Ward, the unions president, said in a statement. We believe retroactive application violates our members rights and we hope the California Supreme Court will consider the serious issues raised by our legal challenge. The bills author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), does not agree with the unions interpretation. She has said her legislation should apply to all the records in a police departments possession because the law simply declared that affected records were no longer confidential. If the record exists, its disclosable, Skinner said. A decision on what records will be available under the law is key to how far-reaching it will be. If the court restricts access to incidents that occurred prior to 2019, those cases will not be subject to public scrutiny. The police union in San Bernardino County is not the only one raising concerns about the law. Earlier this month, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner expressing concern that his agency would be overwhelmed if the law required the department to disclose older incidents. Even if the law only applied to the previous five years, Moore wrote, it could take nearly 300,000 hours of work to comply with its provisions. The LAPD operates with a guiding principle of Reverence for the Law; as such, we will diligently comply with SB 1421, Moore wrote. We maintain, however, that a retroactive implementation of SB 1421 will be exceptionally burdensome and would require significant reallocation of front-line investigative personnel. Skinner said if complying with the law becomes untenable for law enforcement agencies that maintain records for a long time, she would consider modifications. But she said agencies did not raise this concern during discussion over the bill. SB 1421 went through multiple committee hearings, multiple floor debates, extensive opportunity for all parties to weigh in on concerns with its structure, she said. That was not an issue that was raised by law enforcement at the time. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Brown warns of backlash for Republicans in 2020 if Obamacare repeal is upheld Gov. Jerry Brown at the National Press Club in April. (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown warned Republicans on Tuesday that repeal of the Affordable Care Act would devastate the partys political chances in the 2020 election. Brown, speaking at a Sacramento Press Club event moderated by Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton and Brown family historian Miriam Pawel, said a federal judges ruling last week to strike down the 2010 law if upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court will build such a backlash that the Democrats will not only take over the Senate, theyll win the presidency and will win with the kind of momentum, particularly on the issue of healthcare, that [the law] will be replaced probably with something even better. The governor, who leaves office in less than three weeks, said he did not believe the ruling by a Texas judge would ultimately prevail. I think the decision will probably be overturned, Brown said. Few states have embraced the law championed by former President Obama more than California, both through its healthcare exchange, Covered California, and by expanding access to government-funded services under Medi-Cal. Some 12 million Californians now receive healthcare through Medi-Cal, and Brown said a final ruling affecting the federal dollars that subsidize that care would be a serious blow. California would not be able to afford it without the subsidy, the governor said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Bars in Los Angeles, San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks (acuna-hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses, and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors, and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Bars in Los Angeles and San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks. (Acuna-Hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias DMV director announces retirement amid problems with motor voter program (Kent Nishamura/Los Angeles Times) The director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles will retire at years end with a number of questions unanswered about the implementation of a major voter registration system and long wait times experienced by customers for much of the past summer. Jean Shiomoto will not continue in her current role as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom takes office, and announced to staff several weeks ago her intent to retire at the end of the year after 38 years in state service, spokesman Armando Botello said in an email to The Times on Friday. Newsoms transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on who might lead the department in 2019. Shiomoto was appointed DMV director by Gov. Jerry Brown in the fall of 2013, having served in prior leadership roles with the department. DMV officials have been sharply criticized by lawmakers in recent months for delays in serving customers at its field offices across the state. Last week, DMV officials revealed errors in registering California voters for the November election mistakes that followed a series of problems in the rollout of the states new motor voter registration system. Secretary of State Alex Padilla last week said he had lost confidence in Shiomotos leadership as a result of the voting registration problems. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement New law could break the stalemate over housing on the site of a near-vacant Cupertino mall By Liam Dillon For more than a decade, developers have tried to build new housing on the site of an all-but-empty mall in Cupertino, a city in the heart of Silicon Valley and home to Apple headquarters. A well-organized group of neighbors, upset about traffic, building heights and the potential loss of the communitys suburban lifestyle, turned away every plan. Now, for the first time, the stalemate might be broken thanks to a decision made in the state Capitol. In an effort to address Californias housing affordability problem, legislators passed a law last year that requires cities and counties to approve housing projects if they comply with local zoning rules and other standards, forcing some resistant communities to agree to new homebuilding. In September, the city of Cupertino, citing the state law, approved developer Sand Hill Property Co.s proposal to build an office park and more than 2,400 homes where the Vallco Shopping Mall sits. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Local government was a last bastion for struggling California Republicans. Not anymore By Mark Z. Barabak Theres no shortage of watery metaphors to describe the disaster that befell California Republicans this midterm election. A blue wave. A Democratic tsunami. But the most apt may be a flood, with the casualties steadily rising as the vote count climbed in the days and weeks following Nov. 6. Eventually half the GOP congressional delegation was washed away, along with the entire slate of statewide Republican candidates. In Sacramento, Democrats claimed 29 of 40 state Senate seats and seized three-quarters of the 80-member Assembly the largest number since 1883, when Chester A. Arthur was serving in the White House. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print For the Republicans left in Californias Legislature, fewer lawmakers will have to do more work By John Myers From January to late summer every year, the California Legislature is a perpetual motion machine. And in the new year, the people most likely to struggle in keeping up will be Republicans, vastly outnumbered but still responsible for representing millions of the states residents. There are 22 standing committees in the state Senate, plus at least a dozen more subcommittees or special committees. And after Novembers election, only 11 Republican senators will be left to divvy up the work. To the victors go the spoils. To the vanquished go the extra assignments. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias DMV failed to finish registering 329 new voters before November election (Los Angeles Times) Officials at the California Department of Motor Vehicles said Friday that the agency failed to send information for 329 new voters to state elections officers in time for the November election, the latest revelation in a string of mishaps regarding voter registration. Secretary of State Alex Padilla responded with a blistering letter, calling on Gov. Jerry Brown or Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to replace Jean Shiomoto, the DMV director. The Director of DMV has lost my confidence and trust, Padilla wrote. In all, the agency revealed that 589 mailed voter registration records that should have been processed under election deadlines werent sent to Californias secretary of state until late November, including forms from 260 drivers who had intended to update their address on existing voter registration records. The DMV had been instructed to not send registration forms that came in after Oct. 22, but the voters in question had forms that were postmarked before the deadline. In some cases, when the postmark wasnt legible, the agency said, documents inside indicated the voter had intended to finish their registration in time for the Nov. 6 election. The DMV recognizes the pause in transmittals was an error and affected the timing of the registration of the 589 individuals referenced above relative to the November election, Shiomoto wrote in a letter to Padilla on Friday. The pause was due to a misunderstanding on the part of the department, for which we take responsibility. Those who were trying to update their address for voter registration would not have been blocked from casting ballots. But officials said its unclear whether any of the 329 new voters were able to participate in the election. Shiomoto said in her letter that DMV will work with elections officials. The errors were not related to previous DMV mistakes about registering voters, problems associated with the rollout of the states new motor voter law. In those cases, multiple registration forms were sent to local elections offices for some voters, some people were assigned the wrong political party preference and others who are noncitizens were incorrectly placed on the list of registered voters. DMV officials have yet to respond to questions posed by The Times over the last several weeks about who knew of those mistakes and when. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom appoints a labor advocate and a former staffer as his chief deputy Cabinet secretaries By Taryn Luna A labor advocate and a San Francisco political operative have accepted positions in Gov.-elect Gavin Newsoms new administration. Angie Wei, a Capitol insider with deep ties to organized labor in California, will serve as a chief deputy Cabinet secretary with a focus on policy development. As a legislative director and chief of staff at the California Labor Federation, Wei has represented more than 1,200 unions and 2.1 million workers in Capitol fights over a host of policy issues, including drug-pricing transparency and paid family leave. The governor-elect also tapped Jason Elliott, a policy advisor to Newsom during his time as mayor of San Francisco and a chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, as another chief deputy Cabinet secretary overseeing executive branch operations. Elliott and Wei will serve under Ana Matosantos, Newsoms previously Congress on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a five-year farm bill after removing conservative priorities that had stalled negotiations, including stricter work requirements for people receiving food benefits and a provision allowing more tree-cutting in federal forests as President Trump proposed in the wake of Californias wildfires. The sweeping $867-billion bill, a compromise between the House and Senate after a months-long impasse, addresses agriculture, nutrition, forest and conservation policy. The Senate passed it 87 to 13 Tuesday night. With House passage on Wednesday, 369 to 47, the measure goes to the president for his signature. Though Trump had called the work requirements for food aid an imperative, he signaled this week he would sign the bill. He and lawmakers were anxious to reauthorize the twice-a-decade farm law, which had expired Sept. 30, before Congress adjourned at the end of the year. The final bill does not include House Republicans controversial work requirements for able-bodied people receiving assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, or food stamps. Also dropped were eligibility changes that could have cut benefits to millions. Those were seen as a major barrier to the bills passage in the Senate. Advertisement House Republicans lost their negotiating leverage by losing the partys majority in Novembers elections. They had to concede to help Senate Republicans get the support of the handful of Democrats needed to reach the Senates 60-vote threshold. Senate Republicans said the compromise was the best they could do in a sweeping bill that has to balance the needs of agriculture and food aid across a diverse country. This may not be the best possible bill. But it is the best bill possible under these circumstances. And, importantly, it provides our farmers, ranchers and other rural stakeholders much needed certainty and predictability, said the Republican chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas. More than 42 million Americans received SNAP benefits last year, or about 12.9% of the U.S. population, according to the Agriculture Department. The nutrition section of the farm bill, which includes SNAP, accounts for about 80% of the bills cost. An earlier House version of the bill had also allowed the government to skip some environmental reviews required by law to accelerate logging in certain areas. Trump and members of his administration latched onto the idea this fall after the Camp fire, which killed 86 people and burned 153,000 acres in Northern California, and the Woolsey fire, which killed three people and destroyed more than 97,000 acres in Southern California. Some House Republicans said it is unfortunate the forest-thinning provision did not survive. I wish we could have done more on forestry. The town of Paradise and the surrounding area has suffered so much and [it is] a prime example of why we need to have better forest management in that state and this whole country, Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) said Wednesday on the House floor. In a nod to the need to thin forestland, the bill exempts specific thinning projects of between 3,000 and 4,500 acres of forest from public-comment periods. The final bill also extends a forest management program, supported by conservationists and forestry experts, that has encouraged collaboration between federal and state officials regardless of which level of government is the designated manager of land in question. It also expands that program, known as Good Neighbor Authority, to include counties and tribal lands. As we continue to recover from the worst wildfire season on record, the bill will allow the U.S. Forest Service to work with California to expedite the removal of dead trees from our forests and reduce the risk of deadly wildfire in our communities, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a statement. The bill also creates a pilot program that encourages utility companies to clear trees and brush near power lines on federal land. California gas and electric power provider PG&E has been blamed by residents for starting the Camp fire and several other recent fires. Other provisions would legalize industrial hemp farming, ban the slaughter and import of dogs and cats for human consumption, and extend national bans on dogfighting and cockfighting to include U.S. territories. The latest from Washington More stories from Sarah D. Wire sarah.wire@latimes.com Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter Michael Cohen, who long swaggered as Donald Trumps bare-knuckled fixer only to see himself vilified by the president for cooperating with law enforcement, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison after telling a federal judge that he had acted illegally out of blind loyalty to Trump. Standing before a packed courtroom in lower Manhattan, the 52-year-old lawyer and businessman called his years as Trumps factotum a time of personal and mental incarceration, saying that time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds. In his tearful speech, Cohen asked forgiveness from his family and the country. Most of all, I want to apologize to the people of the United States you deserve to know the truth, he choked out. Advertisement Among other crimes, Cohen has admitted to arranging hush money payments to two women who said theyd had affairs with Trump, concealing their stories from voters weeks before the 2016 election. Prosecutors say Trump directed the illegal scheme, and they strengthened their case Wednesday when they disclosed that American Media Inc., a publishing company run by one of the presidents allies, was cooperating in the investigation. In a deal that will spare American Media criminal charges, the company admitted to paying $150,000 to one of the women, former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal, to ensure she did not publicize damaging allegations ... and thereby influence that election. The agreement further undercuts Trumps claims that the payments were a private matter that had nothing to do with his campaign. The president has lashed out at his former lawyer as the investigation continued. Noting that Trump had recently insulted him as weak, Cohen responded in court on Wednesday by saying, my weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump. But U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III made clear he would not grant Cohens plea for leniency, pointing to his guilty pleas for bank fraud, tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress. There is an acute need for the the sentence here to reflect the seriousness of the offenses, Pauley said. Cohens crimes, he added, were apparently motivated by personal gain and ambition. When Pauley read the sentence, Cohen shook his head; his wife, Laura, clutched their son Jake; and their adult daughter, Samantha, trembled with violent sobs. Other family members openly wept. Cohen is scheduled to report to Ottisville Correctional Institute, a federal prison in upstate New York, on March 6. He was also ordered to pay $500,000 in forfeiture, $1.39 million in back taxes and $100,000 in fines. As Trumps lawyer, Cohen was tasked with squelching unflattering stories about the real estate mogul. He now is helping prosecutors investigate deeply damaging narratives involving the presidents alleged extramarital affairs and his pursuit of business opportunities in Russia during the 2016 campaign. Most notably, Cohen says the president directed him to pay $280,000 in hush money to two women shortly before the election to keep them quiet about alleged affairs with Trump years ago. The U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan, which is handling the investigation, says it can prove that Trump directed the illegal scheme to boost his chances in the campaign. Although Justice Department rules say a president cannot be indicted in office, legal experts say Trump could face charges after his White House term ends. While McDougal was paid $150,000 by American Media, porn star Stormy Daniels was paid $130,000 by Cohen himself. Harry Sandick, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said the deal with the publishing house means there is potentially more to come in the case. There could be other executives, other campaign officials, who could be in the scope of the governments investigation, he said. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington Cohen also could pose a threat to Trump as part of the Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Last month Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to two congressional committees about secretly trying to arrange a Moscow hotel and condominium deal for Trump during the 2016 presidential race. Prosecutors said Cohen sought and probably needed Russian government approvals for a project potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the Trump family, which was regularly briefed on Cohens progress. The push for a Trump Tower Moscow project coincided with Russias covert efforts to meddle in the U.S. presidential campaign by hacking Democratic Party emails and spreading misinformation on social media, prosecutors said. In a sentencing memo last week, the special counsels office said Cohen had provided useful information concerning certain discrete Russia-related matters core to [the special counsel] investigation. Jeannie Rhee, a member of Muellers team, told Pauley on Wednesday that Cohen sought to tell us the truth, and that is of the utmost value to us. Pauley sentenced Cohen to two months in prison for lying to Congress, but said it would run concurrently with his three-year sentence. Cohens sentence is significantly harsher than prison terms so far for others convicted in the Russia investigation, but he admitted to a wide array of crimes. George Papadopoulos, a former low-level foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, was sentenced to 14 days behind bars for lying to investigators about his overseas contacts. Another defendant, a London-based Dutch lawyer, served 30 days in prison for lying to the FBI. Prosecutors have urged leniency for Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor, who is due to be sentenced on Dec. 18. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition. He later provided extensive cooperation to Muellers team. Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign chairman, could face a lengthy prison term when hes sentenced in coming months in Virginia and Washington, D.C. He was convicted on eight counts of tax evasion and bank fraud related to his previous work as a political consultant in Ukraine. A plea deal with Muellers office collapsed when prosecutors accused him of continuing to lie to them. Cohen was once among Trumps closest aides, working directly for him and serving as an executive vice president of the Trump Organization, the familys private holding company for business ventures around the globe. He initially cashed in on the unexpected election of his longtime client. In the months after Trumps victory in the 2016 election, Cohen earned millions of dollars by pitching himself as an advisor to blue-chip companies looking for connections to the new president. But Cohens high-flying life unraveled after FBI agents in April searched his home, office, hotel room and safe deposit box, seizing computers, records and other evidence. He pleaded guilty in August to eight charges brought by the U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan. The charges included tax evasion and bank fraud involving his New York taxi business and real estate deals, as well as two campaign finance violations tied to the payments to Trumps alleged mistresses. Cohen returned to federal court in November to plead guilty to lying to Congress about pursuing the Trump Tower Moscow deal. Although Cohen is heading to prison, hes expected to continue speaking out about his time working for Trump. Lanny Davis, a lawyer and spokesperson for Cohen, said Cohen will state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump because the presidents repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts. Davis also said Cohen would be willing to meet with congressional committees. Democrats will take control of the House in January thanks to a strong showing in the midterm election, and they are expected to launch multiple investigations into Trump. In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, the president said Cohen was responsible for his legal woes. Michael Cohen is a lawyer. I assume he would know what hes doing, he said. Trump also argued that the hush money payments, which he once denied knowing about, were not a crime. Number one, it wasnt a campaign contribution, Trump said. If it were, its only civil, and even if its only civil, there was no violation based on what we did, OK? Times staff writer Megerian reported from Washington. Sharp, a special correspondent, reported from New York. chris.megerian@latimes.com Twitter: @chrismegerian A plaque honoring late Huntington Beach pastors and local surf icons Christian Mondor and Blaine Sumo Sato will be unveiled at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at lifeguard Tower Zero on the Huntington Beach Pier. Mondor, who often was seen wearing Franciscan robes or carrying a surfboard thus his nickname, the surfing padre was known for his work at Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic Church and for conducting Huntington Beachs annual Blessing of the Waves. He died of pneumonia April 25, two days before his 93rd birthday. Wednesdays plaque unveiling is presented by the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council, which Mondor helped found. Sato, a Hawaiian surfer known for his long white beard, was pastor of H2O Community Church, operating out of the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach. He also was the Huntington Beach Marine Safety Departments official pastor. The 2016 Surfers Hall of Fame inductee died of colon cancer March 11 at age 55. Laguna Playhouse presents 2 holiday plays The Laguna Playhouse is presenting the Lythgoe Family Panto production of Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose through Dec. 30. The updated classic fairy tale, presented in the traditional British Panto style, features comedic magic, contemporary music, dancing and audience participation. Tickets are $31 to $76. The playhouse also will present the comedy Sisters Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magis Gold at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Dec. 18. Tickets are $46. The playhouse is at 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. For tickets and more information for both productions, visit lagunaplayhouse.com/on-stage/special-performances. Wags N Wine in H.B. to benefit dog rescue group The Waggin Trails Rescue Foundation will present a Wags N Wine fundraising holiday party Thursday night at the Waterfront Beach Resort, 21100 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach. The dog-friendly festivities will include wine, beer, food, desserts, a silent auction, drawings, live music and more from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. For more information, call (714) 328-8661. Piano sale at Costa Mesas Arts & Learning Conservatory The Arts & Learning Conservatory in Costa Mesa will present a sale of pianos, digital pianos and orchestral strings Thursday through Saturday, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Rockley Family Foundation, which works to bring music education to schools and students in need. The Arts & Learning Conservatory has had the use of new pianos and digital pianos at no cost this year through a partnership with the foundation. The sale will feature a large selection of grand, baby grand, digital player grand, upright and digital pianos, keyboards and bowed orchestral strings, including instruments from famous makers such as Steinway & Sons, Seiler, Pramberger, Yamaha, Roland and Stravari Fine Violins. Most of the instruments are tuned, less than a year old and include a new factory warranty, according to a news release. The instruments are available for purchase by appointment Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning and from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday without an appointment. To make an appointment, call (714) 728-7100. The Arts & Learning Conservatory is at 151 Kalmus Drive. For more information about the foundation, visit rockleyfamilyfoundation.org. Sherman Library hosts Christmas Light Walk Sherman Library & Gardens will present its fifth annual Christmas Light Walk from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday through Dec. 22. The public is invited to visit the venues new light displays in the Central Garden, the disco inFERNo, the light tunnel and the Tea Garden, along with a gnome village and Santas Workshop. There will be a no-host wine and beer bar, a hot chocolate bar and make-your-own smores packets available for purchase. Admission is $10 (free for Sherman Library members and children younger than 3). Tickets will be available at the door at 2647 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar. For more information, visit slgardens.org. Segerstrom Center plaza to host holiday festival The Segerstrom Center for the Arts second annual Holidays Around the World festival will bring an array of free multicultural performances, family activities, snowfall and local vendors to the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza beginning this weekend. Events will be from 4:45 to 7 p.m. Friday, 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, plus 4:45 to 7 p.m. Dec.19-21, 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 22 and 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 23. For the full schedule of each days activities, visit scfta.org/events/2018/holidays-around-the-world. Snow Land returns to Costa Mesa on Saturday Snow Land will bring a play area with more than 40 tons of real snow, a bounce house, cookie decorating, ponies and more to Costa Mesas Balearic Park from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Santa Claus will arrive on a firetruck to meet the Grinch and festival guests, who can support the Santa Paws Pet Drive and Spark of Love Toy Drive. Proceeds from concession sales will support local schools. Torelli Realty has presented the event for more than 20 years. The park is at 1975 Balearic Drive. International Celebration of Christmas set in Huntington Beach Old World Village in Huntington Beach will host the 18th annual International Celebration of Christmas & Nativity Play from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday. The event will feature music and dance from around the world, and children can meet Santa Claus, tell him their wish lists and pose for free pictures with him. Admission is free, though other proceeds and donations will benefit World Vision, a humanitarian organization that provides families with agricultural assistance, clean water, farm animals and more. Old World is at 7561 Center Ave. For more information, visit bit.ly/2L9q5K4. SOS collecting donations for Adopt A Family campaign The Costa Mesa-based nonprofit Share Our Selves is marking the 49th year of its Adopt A Family program to connect needy Orange County families with community donations of gifts and food for the holidays. This year, SOS is collecting donations for more than 1,400 families recommended by Costa Mesa and Santa Ana organizations and schools. Drop-offs will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Dec. 19 at the OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. Recipient families will pick up the donations Dec. 20. For more information, visit shareourselves.org/aaf, email aaf@shareourselves.org or call (949) 270-2187. Holiday donations accepted in Newport for military families Newport Beach City Hall and the Oasis Senior Center in Corona del Mar are collecting donations of gift cards, new, unwrapped toys and new or used DVDs to help Operation Christmas bring holiday cheer to Californias military personnel and their families. Donations can be dropped off until noon Dec. 20 at the city clerks office at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive, and at Oasis, 801 Narcissus Ave. For more information about Operation Christmas, call the city clerks office at (949) 644-3005. UPDATES: This article was originally published at 4:45 p.m. Dec. 11 and was later updated with additional information. Lebanon will definitely form a new government despite the obstacles, its caretaker foreign minister said on Wednesday, after President Michel Aoun intervened in the stalled process and warned of a "catastrophe" if his efforts failed. Heavily indebted and with a stagnant economy, Lebanon desperately needs a new government to implement economic reforms that are required to put its public finances on a more sustainable footing and unlock pledges of foreign aid. "Partnership between the president and the prime minister along with the national consensus will certainly lead to the formation of a new government, despite all obstacles," Gebran Bassil, Aoun's son-in-law and head of the political party he founded, told an investment conference in London. Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri, also attending the conference, told reporters, said he was "always optimistic" when asked about the prospects of forming a new government following seven months of political wrangling. In Beirut, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said he was "optimistic for the possibility of a solution soon", according to a member of parliament from his own party. Berri believed there was now a serious effort to form a government and his optimism stemmed from Aoun's intervention in the process, the lawmeker, Ali Bazzi, said. Aoun said on Tuesday the government formation could not be resolved in the traditional way between the prime minister-designate and other parties, meaning he had to get involved. Hariri said on Twitter that the new government would be firmly committed to reforms agreed at a donor conference this year, including fiscal reforms. Agreement on the make-up of the new cabinet has met a series of obstacles as Hariri has sought to forge a deal parceling out 30 cabinet posts among rival groups according to a sectarian political system. The final hurdle has been over Sunni Muslim representation, with the powerful Iran-backed Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah demanding a cabinet seat for one of its Sunni allies who gained ground in the election. Analysts believe one compromise could be for Aoun to nominate one of the Hezbollah-aligned Sunnis, or a figure acceptable to them, among a group of ministers named by the president. Search Keywords: Short link: A Mexican tradition based on faith and love for the Virgin of Guadalupe continues in Huntington Beachs Oak View neighborhood despite the death of the woman who inspired her daughter to start it. I feel really happy knowing were continuing what my wife started, Leonides Rodriguez said Saturday as he watched his daughters and daughter-in-law prepare spices and condiments to make mole poblano for the annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration on Tuesday night and Wednesday in Oak View, a predominantly Latino neighborhood bounded by Warner and Talbert avenues and Gothard Street and Beach Boulevard. Rodriguezs wife, Gabriela Garcia, usually made the mole as a gift for volunteers who help make 1,000 tamales for the feast. But her five daughters are now tasked with the responsibility after Garcia died last year of liver problems. My mom inspired me to start this tradition here in 1998, Norberta Rodriguez said in Spanish. Ours is the main altar that started it all. Neighborhood residents shut down their streets for the religious observance, which is celebrated Dec. 12 to commemorate the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe to the peasant Juan Diego in 1531. People are invited to visit the area to see each residents altar for the Virgin of Guadalupe. The event also features mariachis, Aztec and Chinelo dancers and free food such as tamales and mole. Men are in charge of building the altars, while women prepare the food. Many residents travel to the Basilica of Guadalupe, a church in Mexico City, to honor their Virgen Morena. But the trip isnt always feasible for some. The Rodriguez family devoted the day Saturday to cooking the labor-intensive mole paste while others drove to the Flower District in downtown Los Angeles to buy flowers to present as offerings to the virgin. The family fried chile de arbol, plantains, cinnamon, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, cumin and about 20 more ingredients before it was all ground into a paste. Four of the sisters took turns churning the grinders as they reminisced about their mother and their traditions while Spanish gospel music played in the background. They joked how Norberta was smart enough to jot down their mothers recipe. Were all having a good time, Norberta said. The important thing is were not losing our tradition. Leonides and his wife moved into their apartment on Queens Lane in Huntington Beach in 1982 after arriving from Puebla, Mexico. The altar in front of their apartment is known in the community as the first created for the celebration. On Tuesday, the Rodriguezes altar took up nearly the entire front yard. It showcased more than five religious statues and framed photos of the Virgin of Guadalupe while poinsettias and colorful perforated paper decorated the area. Not all the religious artifacts belong to the family neighbors often ask Leonides if they can display theirs on his altar. Family members and neighbors rushed Tuesday to finish making the tamales in time for the evenings festivities. The Rodriguez living room was turned into a work station where neighbors helped shred pork, cut apart 20 whole chickens and prepare about 300 pounds of masa for the tamales. Others washed and soaked corn husks in water. Despite the rush, the dozen volunteers and family members were smiling and laughing. Rosario Rojas, who lives a street over from the Rodriguezes, has known Leonides since they both lived in Mexico. She smiled as she saw the unity in her community. This is all just a reminder of our beloved Mexico, she said. Priscella.Vega@latimes.com Twitter: @vegapriscella Beach patrols will increase following a late-night discussion about public safety at the Laguna Beach City Council meeting Tuesday. The council voted unanimously to fund a stronger police presence at Main Beach and Heisler Park. There also will be a new lifeguard tower at the south end of Main Beach, and beach patrol and community outreach officers will be on duty longer hours. For the record: This article originally reported incorrectly that the pilot daytime drop-in program at the Alternative Sleeping Location was approved Tuesday. It actually was approved in November. The resolution adopted Tuesday reaffirmed Laguna Beachs commitment to end homelessness, an effort that includes the new pilot program. Any time you see a uniform, youre going to feel safer, said Cpl. Jason Farris, a community outreach officer for about 10 years. Statistics released last month show violent crimes in Laguna Beach are down 17% since 2016 and property crimes are down 38%, according to the city website. But Councilman Steve Dicterow was unconvinced. Whats an acceptable level of crime? I can tell you that whatever our numbers are today, that number is not acceptable to me, Dicterow said. We have ways of measuring it, but its not merely ways of measuring subjective perception matters. The council approved allocating $155,000 to pay for the additional security for the remaining six months of the fiscal year. Dicterow and Councilman Peter Blake, who proposed the measures, said they are likely to make even stronger security proposals in the new year. Were going to do whatever it takes to always feel comfortable, said Blake, who was elected in November. I refuse to feel unsafe in Laguna Beach. I dont care what it costs to make sure I never feel unsafe. Beach patrol officers enforce rules about smoking, alcohol and littering. The increased hours will have the officers arriving at the beach early in the morning to clean up any abandoned property left overnight. Two residents questioned the necessity of the security measures, citing the burden on taxpayers if they continue or increase in the next fiscal year. I really dont feel that unsafe, so Im just wondering what does enhanced safety feel like? Michael Morris said. The main issue discussed Tuesday was homeless people in the area making people feel unsafe. During the summer, residents complained of nuisance and unsafe conditions, according to Police Chief Laura Farinella. In July, the council authorized Laguna police to staff an information booth at Main Beach Park on weekends to handle public safety issues. Farinella said she received positive reports about the feeling of safety the booth provided. But she said the Police Department has received an uptick in complaints since summer ended. She said homeless people had returned to the area and were staying beneath trees on the edge of Main Beach. There were shopping carts and about seven people sleeping in there and you did not know they were in there, she said. Public works employees cut back the foliage in the area Farinella described. Its amazing what a little bit of change to the environment can do to make it safer and [beautified], Farinella said. Homelessness resolution The council also gave unanimous approval to a resolution affirming Laguna Beachs commitment to end homelessness a requirement of a legal settlement between the city and the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed suit in 2015 on behalf of a group of disabled homeless people. The organization accused Laguna of trying to push homeless people especially those with disabilities out of the city by not providing adequate accommodations for them. Dicterow said that while he endorses the resolution, addressing homelessness should be a collaborative effort with other cities and Orange County. For 30-something cities in the county to each try to be solving a problem, that doesnt make sense, he said. It makes much more sense to have it as a regional issue and for everybody to work together. The resolution cited the various ways the city is working to address homelessness, including a pilot daytime drop-in program at the Alternative Sleeping Location, a night shelter in Laguna Canyon. The pilot program will operate between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays to allow homeless people to take showers, do laundry, go online and access other health and housing services. The program is expected to start early next year. The council voted separately to support a new countywide registry of addiction rehabilitation facilities. The registry, according to the resolution, is intended to increase accountability for treatment and recovery centers, including sober-living homes. faith.pinho@latimes.com Twitter: @faithepinho For some area residents, holiday decorating has become something like an institution, stretching back decades. For some neighborhoods, the spectacles build bonds and, for others, it attracts droves of revelers. Dick and Pam Norton have kept up the tradition for 45 years, Dick Norton said last week. Their home in the 500 block of North Florence Street in Burbank becomes a Winter Wonderland theme-park display each year featuring a train with moving wheels and arms, real smoke, train sounds, a merry-go-round, double-hammer ride and Santas train station. The holiday animatronic carnival operates for three hours each night 6 to 9 p.m. through Dec. 27, as long as rain is not falling or expected and draws about 90 amps of power, Dick Norton said. It is all home-made which makes it unique, Norton said. There is nothing like it anywhere. The Nortons display may be one-of-a-kind, but theyre far from the only ones in Burbank or Glendale who take holiday decorations to serious extremes. Theyre not even alone on their block. Just down the street, Keith LaPrath said his family has been decorating annually since 1988 with home-made items he made and his mother and grandmother painted, including a train with smoke, Santas sleigh with reindeer and elves, as well as singing carolers. From the roof all the way down to the street is decorated, LaPrath said. Its open from 6 to 9 p.m. through Dec. 25 and used to triple his electric bill in past years. However, thanks to LED lights, now its barely doubling the bill. LaPrath said he and Norton are the dueling displays of Burbank, but its a friendly competition that started because he admired Nortons displays. He said double-decker buses from Hollywood have been known to swing by to show off the street to tourists. In Glendale, residents in the 1200 to 1400 blocks of Oak Circle Drive have been decorating for decades, Lynda Hessick said this week. For nearly 30 years, the neighbors have had a progressive gathering where they visit several homes on the block the Monday before Christmas, and for 20 years theyve helped respond to letters to Santa submitted in a special mailbox in front of the Wassell home in the 1300 block of the street. This year, they received 82 letters, she said. Aida Mousessian, who lives in the 1200 block and decorated with a gingerbread theme this year, said that in addition to the good food and good company of the progressive gathering, theres a friendly competition for the best decorations on the circle. She said the neighbors have a close bond. Nearby, Lori Flagg said she started decorating with these hand-made cutouts several years ago when a co-worker told her she loved penguins and bears and suggested Flagg decorate her yard for Christmas. I decided to make a penguin choir with a polar bear looking on, just for her, Flagg said. She became ill and died on Christmas Eve before seeing my display. The penguin choir has been retired, but every year I add some new piece in her honor. This year, Flagg added a snow grandma and baby penguin to celebrate the birth of her first granddaughter. It means so much to me to add light and laughter to the Christmas season, Flagg said. I hope my house brings a smile to a face or two. In La Crescenta, in the 3500 block of Prospect Avenue, Brandy Yi said her holiday display has more than 20 inflatable decorations and Christmas trees that light up in sync with music. Our yard is always a hit at Christmas time, Yi said. We enjoy doing it just to see the smiles on the kids faces who come by to enjoy it. Back in Burbank, Carrie Stewart in the 200 block of South Sparks Street also has a carnival theme for her yard, including inflatable decorations she called the Macys Day Parade rejects. She said she does it for the joy it brings others, and because all the kids love it so much. LaPrath said decorating has brought his family closer, but its also a way to spread cheer and show thanks for their blessings. Its something we can share with the community and bring everyone closer together, he said. Readers can check out a map and photos of some of the local holiday decorated homes submitted by Burbank and Glendale residents, and share photos of their favorites on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #818lights. -- Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com Twitter: @chadgarland Cambodias Angkor Wat, one of the worlds largest religious monuments, is stunning for its grand scale and incredible detail. See it and other iconic Southeast Asian sights on a 16-day tour with prices as low as $2,199 per person, double occupancy, including airfare from Los Angeles. World Sprees Best of Vietnam and Cambodia tour visits popular destinations in Vietnam Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City as well as explores the jungle-covered ruins of Angkor and main temple, Angkor Wat. Dates: Weekly departures January through May, and September through December Advertisement Price: From $2,199 per person, double occupancy, depending on departure date. Includes round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, accommodations, daily breakfast, seven other meals, ground transportation, an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, sightseeing tours, entrance fees, guides and baggage handling. Info: World Spree Travel, (866) 652-5656 China has detained a former Canadian diplomat, exerting intense pressure on relations between the two countries, but the arrest is not expected to alter the outcome of an extradition hearing in Vancouver for a top Chinese tech conglomerate executive. Canadian officials confirmed news of Michael Kovrigs arrest, which occurred sometime before Chinese executive Meng Wanzhou was released on bail Tuesday by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. She faces the possibility of extradition to the United States on fraud charges related to the breaching of U.S. sanctions on Iran. It was unclear precisely when Kovrig was taken into custody. Since Mengs arrest, China has called the case a violation of her rights and demanded that leaders of both Canada and the United States intervene to free her. It has called in ambassadors from both countries to protest. Although Canada is legally bound to extradite her should a court uphold the case, China has focused harsher pressure on Canada than on the United States in recent days. Advertisement It threatened severe consequences for Canada if Meng was not freed. The government will not sit back in silence amid bullying that recklessly violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens. The Chinese government will defend its citizens legal rights by all means, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday, in an apparent reference to Meng. There is no confirmation that Kovrigs arrest, announced in a statement on the website of his employer, the International Crisis Group, is a tit-for-tat action designed to force Canada to free Meng. But Roland Paris, a former policy advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said China should know that such pressure will not work. Retaliation against Canadian interests or Canadians would be unacceptable and pointless. It would have zero impact on judicial proceedings in Canada. Beijing should already know this from previous experience, he commented on Twitter. Let cooler heads prevail. Trudeau said Canada was in contact with Chinese officials over the Kovrig case. We have been in direct contact with the Chinese diplomats and representatives. We are engaged in a file which we take very seriously and we are of course providing consular assistance to the family, he said. The arrest raises fears that China may target a U.S. business or American figure in retaliation should Meng face trial in New York. Canada had canceled a trade mission to China amid fears officials could be targeted because of the Meng case. However, Chinese officials have signaled they do not want Mengs arrest to cast a pall on important trade talks designed to end the U.S.-China trade war, leading up to a March 1 deadline. If there is no comprehensive deal by then, steep tariff hikes will take effect and it could take months or years to resolve the crisis. One reason for Chinas tougher approach to Canada may be Beijings desire to reach a deal on trade with the Trump administration, amid signs the impasse is hurting both the U.S. and Chinese economies and may impede global growth, amid warnings of a global downturn. A former Canadian ambassador to China, David Mulroney, told Canadian television this week that by exerting tougher pressure on his country, China seemed to be employing a tactic of kill the chicken, scare the monkeys picking on Canada, a smaller nation, to make a point with a bigger one, the United States. Kovrig is based in Hong Kong but travels often to mainland China, investigating issues related to global security for the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based independent nonprofit specializing in analysis of conflicts and crises around the globe. His role is to report on foreign affairs and global security issues in China, Japan and the Korean peninsula. He was formerly a Canadian diplomat posted in Beijing, Hong Kong and the United Nations. Canadas Globe and Mail newspaper reported that Kovrig is on unpaid leave and still technically an employee of the Canadian government. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Canada was deeply concerned and working to establish why Kovrig had been detained. He said there was no explicit indication that the cases were related. Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said he had no doubt Kovrig was detained in retaliation for Mengs arrest, the Associated Press reported. In China there is no coincidence, he said. 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. Canadian politician Bob Rae said on Twitter the reasons for Kovrigs arrest were clear: Of course its clear. Its called repression and retaliation. The case bears a sharp resemblance to one in 2014, in which two Canadians were arrested amid extradition proceedings for a Chinese national from Canada to the United States. Su Bin, a Chinese businessman living in Canada, was arrested in July 2014, accused of hacking the computers of American defense contractors. He was extradited to the U.S., where he pleaded guilty to stealing military secrets and was sentenced by a Los Angeles court to four years in prison. Kevin and Julia Garratt, a Canadian couple running a coffee shop in Dandong, China, near the North Korean border, were arrested in August 2014. Julia Garratt was detained for six months before being granted bail and allowed to leave the country. Kevin Garratt was jailed for two years before he was convicted of spying and deported. Before their arrests, the Garratts had spent 30 years living in China and raising a family, after arriving to teach English. They believed they became pawns in an international power play. In a book about the case, Julia Garratt said Chinese police yelled that she was a spy, before dragging her to a car and driving her away. Her husband was taken away in a separate car. Although U.S. officials insist that Mengs case has nothing to do with the current trade frictions between Washington and Beijing or the trade talks that are unfolding, Chinese state media have likened her arrest to kidnapping and hostage taking. The editor of Chinas state-owned Global Times, Hu Xijin, said Mengs arrest was bringing terrorism to state and business competition and piling pressure on a company and the country behind it. He called it much worse than an ordinary human rights violation. Hu wrote in Weibo, Chinas equivalent of Twitter, on Tuesday that there was no evidence that Kovrigs detention was related to the arrest of Meng. But he said people would make the association because Mengs arrest was way over the line. 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 wrote. robyn.dixon@latimes.com @RobynDixon_LAT UPDATES: 6:35 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with staff reporting. This article was originally posted at 4:40 p.m. A former Canadian diplomat has been detained while visiting Beijing amid a dispute between the two counties over Canadas 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 advisor based in Hong Kong. The detention came after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouvers airport. A Canadian judge granted Meng bail Tuesday while she awaits possible extradition to the U.S. Advertisement Were 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. However, Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said he had no doubt Kovrig was detained in relation to the arrest of the Huawei executive. In China there is no coincidence, he said. 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. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government has contacted Chinese officials about the detention. We are engaged with the file, which we take very seriously, he said. The International Crisis Group, a nongovernmental organization based in Brussels, said in a statement that it was doing everything possible to obtain additional information about Kovrigs 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. Saint-Jacques, the former ambassador, said Kovrig was on leave from the Canadian Embassy in Beijing. He said Kovrig did deep political work when he was working for the embassy. That work would include travel and interviews with dissidents, he said. In China theres a very fine line between espionage and political reporting, he said. Saint-Jacques said the department created a program 15 years ago so it would get more in-depth analysis. He noted that Kovrig was a former journalist whose embassy reports were well read in Ottawa. 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 Canadas consulate general in Hong Kong at the time. Former Canadian Liberal Party leader Bob Rae said it was clear why Kovrig had been detained. Its called repression and retaliation, Rae tweeted. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy advisor 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, Mexicos former ambassador to China, said Canada needs to take dramatic action. Id be summoning the entire Canadian consular [corps] in China home for training. If that means they cant issue visas in the meantime, certainly the Chinese would understand. These are special times, he tweeted. Hu Xijin, editor in chief of Chinas state-run newspaper Global Times, wrote on the Chinese micro-blogging platform Weibo that there isnt any evidence Kovrigs detention was retaliation for Mengs arrest. But he added that the current situation was highly sensitive because of an 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, Hu said. Naturally, people would think that China would take revenge. Did President Trump just throw Canada under the bus? After days of angry protests from Chinese officials over the arrest in Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and explanations from Canadian and U.S. officials that this was not a political stunt, just a matter of legal process Trump upended the conversation Tuesday when he said that the criminal case against the daughter of one of Chinas wealthiest tech billionaires could become a bargaining chip in trade war negotiations. To some, Trump seemed to have handed the Chinese a major propaganda boost by suggesting what Beijing has argued all along that Mengs arrest was political. Others took his comment as confirmation that Meng was being used as a hostage in the trade talks to exert pressure on China. Chinese officials have drawn a particularly tough line, saying Canada would face serious consequences if Meng who was arrested at Washingtons request wasnt freed. On Tuesday, Meng was released on bail but must remain in Vancouver in one of her two homes there. Advertisement Canada, meanwhile, said it had merely followed its legal obligations to process a U.S. extradition request, even if damaging to its own interests. Chinas state-owned Global Times mocked Canada on Wednesday as a province awaiting marching orders from its powerful neighbor to the south. But Trumps comments in a Reuters interview appeared to pull the rug out from under Canada. The president said he would certainly intervene in Mengs extradition if he thought it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2017. (Nicolas Asfouri / AFP/Getty Images) Whatevers good for this country, I would do. If I think its good for the country, 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. In Beijing, Trumps statement could be seen as a sign that Chinas furious reaction to Mengs arrest achieved the desired result and should be considered a useful tactic in the future. But it might also have a chilling effect on nations like Canada when they are asked to carry out the United States legal moves abroad. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called Trumps comments troubling. Canada is acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a U.S. extradition request. 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, he tweeted. If the US is not equally committed to the rule of law in this case, the extradition request should be withdrawn immediately. Former Canadian Ambassador to China David Mulroney said it was concerning that both China and the U.S. were willing to ignore the rule of law. He described Trump as a discordant voice. That the leaders of both China and the U.S. fail to respect the rule of law is worrying and discouraging, Mulroney tweeted. But in the case of the U.S., Trumps is simply a discordant voice. We need to stay focused on doing the right thing, and get used to navigating on our own. Canada canceled a trade delegation trip to China on Monday over fears of repercussions for Mengs arrest. The same day, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig was detained by the Beijing Bureau of State Security, according to his employer, the International Crisis Group. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Kovrigs employers had broken the law by failing to register as a nongovernmental organization. Chinese police stand guard outside the Canadian Embassy in Beijing on Monday. (Greg Baker / AFP/Getty Images) Jorge Guajardo, a former Mexican ambassador to Beijing, said Trumps comments could make countries think twice about helping the U.S. pursue justice abroad. By President Trump implying that he may use this for bargaining power, even if he wasnt able to use her in that capacity, the mere fact that he implies it, leaves Canada in a very poor position, especially after weve seen how China has reacted to Canada. Guajardo said Trump, whether he intended to or not, sent a loud message to the world. I think it puts the U.S. in a very weak position. It hurts its message all over the world. It hurts its effort and it puts Americans all over the world at risk because then they can be used as pawns in these political trading games. Lynette Ong, a science professor at Toronto University and an expert on China, said Trumps comments damage both Canada and the U.S. The Chinese reaction to Mengs arrest has always been that it is politically motivated, she said. Now those statements by Trump would just fuel that belief. Lu Kang, a Chinese foreign ministry official, welcomed Trumps remarks. Any person, especially if it is a leader of the United States, or a high-level figure, who is willing to make positive efforts to push this situation toward the correct direction, then that, of course, deserves to be well received, Lu said at a press briefing Tuesday. He called Mengs arrest a mistake from the start and reiterated calls on Canada and the U.S. to release her immediately. Meng was released on bail later Tuesday. If convicted in the U.S. for fraud related to breaches of U.S. sanctions on Iran, the basis for her arrest, Meng could face up to 30 years in prison. In the Reuters interview Trump said he wanted to see what China had to say before making a decision on Mengs extradition a signal that he regarded the case not as a matter for the courts, but as a political opportunity. So I want to see what China requests, he said. So far they have not made that request. Trumps comments marked the second time in a year that he has shown a willingness to use American sanctions as leverage chips in a trade war with its biggest geopolitical rival. Earlier this year, Trump sent a message to China that he was willing to intervene to rescue powerful Chinese firms from the legal consequences of breaching American trade sanctions on countries like Iran or North Korea. Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was released on bail Tueday. (Mfc / Ropi) The arrests of Meng and Kovrig come at a time of rising global competition between the U.S. and China, and strategic rivalry in high-tech fields like robotics, superconductors and artificial intelligence, heightening fears that American businesspeople or companies could be targeted by Chinese officials, should trade relations deteriorate. The U.S. and China have 90 days to negotiate a comprehensive deal to end a bruising trade war that has seen both sides slap tariffs on billions of dollars in goods. The conflict has hurt businesses in both China and the U.S. and could slow global economic growth. Trump was characteristically vague on how he might intervene in Mengs extradition or how her case could influence trade talks. His comments also contradicted U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, who said Sunday that the extradition case was totally separate from trade talks. This is a criminal justice matter. It is totally separate from anything I work on or anything that trade policy people in the administration work on, Lighthizer said on CBS Face the Nation. The Trump administration has long complained of China ignoring global rules and using underhanded tactics or outright theft to obtain American technical secrets and intellectual property. But if Trump is willing to brush aside conventions on judicial independence in cases against major Chinese companies or their executives, it could leave China more not less likely to do the same in the future, according to analysts. Asked whether Meng could potentially be cleared, Trump said, Well, its possible that a lot of different things could happen. Its also possible it will be a part of negotiations. But well speak to the Justice Department, well speak to them, well get a lot of people involved. Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, one of Chinas most prominent tech figures, offered her appreciation on social media after she was freed on $7.5 million bail and surrendered her passport. Im in Vancouver, by my familys side. Im proud of Huawei, and proud of my home country. Thanks to everyone who has been concerned about me. Chinese officials offered no details Wednesday on Kovrigs whereabouts. robyn.dixon@latimes.com Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT An attack on Frances largest Christmas market by a gunman with a long criminal record was an act of terrorism, the Paris prosecutor announced Wednesday. A manhunt is still underway for the gunman, who killed at least two people and wounded 14 others, and was reportedly wounded himself, before fleeing Tuesday night in this eastern French city. French news media identified the suspect as Cherif Chekkatt, 29, though authorities have referred to him only by his first name. Once again, terrorism has struck our territory, in Strasbourg, said Paris Prosecutor Remy Heitz, whose office leads terrorism investigations across the country. Advertisement Heitz corrected earlier statements that three people were killed. The prosecutor specified that one of the three previously reported as dead was in fact brain dead but not deceased. Of those injured, eight were in critical condition, he said. He said the suspect had 27 criminal convictions in France, Germany and Switzerland. Earlier Wednesday, a top Interior Ministry official, Laurent Nunez, said that police went to the suspects home on the morning of the attack to arrest him in connection with an attempted murder but that he was not there. Nunez said the suspect became radicalized during one of his many stints in prison and was known to security services. He was last released from French prison in 2015, but German authorities say he was then arrested and imprisoned for theft across the border before being deported back to France in 2017. On Tuesday night, the attacker sprayed gunfire into the Strasbourg Christmas market. He then exchanged fire with police and soldiers protecting the market, wounding one soldier and getting shot in the hand himself. He commandeered a taxi and fled. The taxi driver later went to police and described the man as armed with a handgun and knife and wounded, Heitz said. Four people with connections to the suspect have been detained for questioning, Heitz said. Some 350 security officers remain on the scene in Strasbourg, a city on the German border that is one of the homes of the European Parliament, which was in session at the time of the shooting. A lockdown in the city has been lifted, and schools opened Wednesday, but the country remains on high alert, with border controls tightened and extra security at the other Christmas markets around France. Strasbourg Mayor Roland Reis declared Wednesday a day of mourning for the victims. Faced with this aggression, what must we do? he said at news conference. My first thought was that it was essential that today be entirely dedicated to mourning. Witnesses interviewed on French TV described two hails of bullets in the frigid Strasbourg night, about 8 p.m. One restaurant owner said he heard the shooting, ran in front of his establishment and saw a body lying outside. Many shops in the city center closed their doors and hid their frightened customers inside. Europe has a centuries-old tradition of Christmas markets in the weeks ahead of the holiday, where revelers can drink mulled wine, listen to carolers and shop for gifts in a bid to cheer up the long nights on the continent. In recent years, the markets have become targets for terrorism, because they draw crowds and because they have ties to religion. Strasbourg, in particular, has been a high-profile target. In 2000, Al Qaeda-linked operatives planned to target the Strasbourg Cathedral and Christmas market on New Years Eve, a plan disrupted by German and French authorities. Fourteen people were later convicted in French and German courts of participating in the terrorist plot. In 2016, 12 people were killed at a Berlin market when a truck plowed through a crowd. That year, several arrests were made in November in Strasbourg, and city authorities threatened to cancel the market if it received serious threats. Although France has been on high alert since terrorist attacks in November 2015, before Tuesday there had been no significant attacks in 2018. Headlines instead have been dominated by political protests instead, some of them violent, as yellow-vested activists have taken to the streets to contest President Emmanuel Macrons economic policies. Nunez said all protests would be banned for now in Strasbourg. President Trump responded to the Strasbourg attack Wednesday in the context of an ongoing debate over funding for his proposed border wall with Mexico. On Tuesday, he clashed on camera with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer. Another very bad terror attack in France, he wrote on Twitter. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security. But given that French authorities confirmed that the suspect in the Strasbourg shooting is a French citizen, it was unclear what strengthening borders would have done to prevent the bloodshed. Two groups of Central American migrants made separate marches on the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana on Tuesday, demanding that they be processed through the asylum system more quickly and in greater numbers, that deportations be halted and that President Trump either let them into the country or pay them $50,000 each to go home. On the one-month anniversary of their arrival in Tijuana, caravan members are pressing the United States to take action, but they are dwindling in numbers since more than 6,000 first arrived at the citys shelters. Approximately 700 have voluntarily returned to their country of origin, 300 have been deported, and 2,500 have applied for humanitarian visas in Mexico, according to Xochtil Castillo, a caravan member who met with Mexican officials Tuesday. The remaining migrants are presumed to have crossed illegally into the United States, moved to other Mexican border cities or simply fallen through the cracks. Mexicos National Institution of Migration did not respond to a request to verify those numbers Tuesday. Advertisement The first group demanding action, numbering about 100, arrived at the U.S. Consulate at about 11 a.m. Tuesday. The migrants said they were asking that the Trump administration pay them $50,000 each or allow them into the United States. When asked how the group came up with the $50,000 figure, organizer Alfonso Guerrero Ulloa of Honduras said they chose that number as a group. It may seem like a lot of money to you, Ulloa said, but it is a small sum compared to everything the United States has stolen from Honduras. The groups letter criticized American intervention in Central America. They gave the U.S. Consulate 72 hours to respond. They said they had not decided what to do if their demands were not met. I dont know, we will decide as a group, Ulloa said. The second letter, delivered around 1:20 p.m., came from a separate group of caravan members asking for the United States to speed up the asylum process. Specifically, the group asked U.S. immigration officials to admit up to 300 asylum seekers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry each day. Currently, officials admit between 40 and 100 asylum seekers. The group of migrants say the slow pace violates American and international laws that call for an immediate process, and places vulnerable migrants at risk. In the meantime, families, women and children who have fled our countries continue to suffer and the civil society of Tijuana continue to be forces to confront this humanitarian crisis, a refugee crisis caused in great part by decades of U.S. intervention in Central America, the letter states. The second letter came from a group of about 50 migrants, including about 15 who participated in a hunger strike that also demanded a swifter U.S. asylum process. The nonprofit Pueblo Sin Fronteras helped organize the delivery of the second letter. Representatives from the second group met with Mexican immigration officials in Tijuana. The migrants asked Mexican officials to stop working with the municipal police in deporting caravan members. Migrants thought the number of deportations and voluntary repatriations is a reflection of their precarious situation in Tijuana. A lot of people are leaving because there is no solution here, said Douglas Matute, 38, of Tijuana. We thought they would let us in. But Trump sent the military instead of social workers. The two groups were unaware of each others demands. But both said their messages were well-received by the staff of the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana. They gave us a warm welcome, Castillo said. They were very kind. She said shed send the letter to the recipients. The letter asking for a speedier U.S. asylum process was addressed to President Trump, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, San Ysidro Port Director Sidney Aki, and Commissioner of the Office of Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenan. Castillo said she was not given a timeframe of when the United States will respond. Trump has threatened to cut off financial aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador if those countries did not stop the caravan before it reached the U.S. border. He has reiterated, as late as Tuesday, the need for a border wall, threatening to shut down the U.S. government if funding was not approved. Getting into the U.S. Consulate was somewhat of a victory, the caravan groups said. They received us at least, Ulloa said. It was nice to be treated with respect. The letter said the group is made up of families, women and children, the majority of which are young men who are fleeing from poverty, insecurity and political repression under the dictatorship of Juan Orlando Hernandez. Orlando Hernandez is the president of Honduras. Their letter also asked the United States to remove Orlando Hernandez from office. Getting $50,000 for each of the caravan members, Ulloa said, might allow them to go back home and start a small business. Ulloa claims he was falsely accused of attacking a Chinese restaurant in Honduras in 1987. He has been living outside Honduras for 30 years, according to an online petition he wrote asking the U.S. government to exonerate him. Solis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Turkey will launch a military operation against U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria within a matter of days, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, prompting warnings from the Pentagon and State Department. Washington backs the Kurds with thousands of service members, special forces and contractors who maintain a presence east of the Euphrates River, while Turkey and its coalition of Syrian rebels have mainly stayed to the west. Turkey will target the east to save the area from the separatist terrorist movement, Erdogan said, using his routine term for Kurdish militias. Our target is never American soldiers, but members of the terrorist organization operating in the region. This is especially emphasized, Erdogan said in a televised speech from the capital, Ankara. This step will allow for the path to a political solution to be opened and for healthier cooperation with the U.S. Advertisement Cmdr. Sean Robertson, a Pentagon spokesman, said such a move would be unacceptable and would undermine shared interests in the border area. Unilateral military action into northeast Syria by any party, particularly as U.S. personnel may be present or in the vicinity, is of grave concern, Robertson said in a statement Wednesday evening. Turkey has long protested Washingtons support of the Peoples Protection Units, Kurdish militias also known as YPG. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party, which has fought a decades-long guerrilla war against Turkey. Washingtons support of the YPG has enabled its fighters to beat back the militant group Islamic State from much of its territory in northeastern Syria. The Kurds now control wide swaths of land, a development that has enraged Turkey and worsened a rift between Washington and Ankara fellow NATO members and putative allies. Since 2016, Erdogan has launched two operations to stop the Kurds from establishing what he called a terror corridor along the 511-mile Syrian-Turkish border. Working with Syrian rebel factions as his proxy, he has secured much of Syrias north. But fears of armed clashes between Turkish troops and what the Pentagon says are approximately 2,000 service members in Syria, as well as potentially thousands of contractors and special forces operatives, had so far stayed Erdogans hand from attacking east of the Euphrates or in Manbij, a city some 15 miles southwest of the river. Still, tensions have risen, with reports of Turkish forces shelling YPG positions even as the Pentagon doubled down on its support of the Kurds, who are struggling to finish off extremists in pockets of territory near the Syria-Iraq border. And over Ankaras objections, the U.S. has established observation posts in the northeast Syria border region. Defense Department spokesman Col. Robert Manning announced the posts in a news release this week, saying they were to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey. We take Turkish security concerns seriously and we are committed to coordinating our efforts with Turkey to bring stability to northeastern Syria, Manning said. That did little to mollify Erdogan. Its clear that the purpose of these U.S. observation posts is not to protect our country from terrorists but to protect terrorists from Turkey, he said Wednesday. These are branches of the PKK, he said, using an acronym for the Kurdistan Workers Party. The evidence is clear. Why are you working with them instead of with us? He accused the U.S. of using Islamic States presence as a stalling tactic on an agreement over Manbij that began this month with joint U.S. and Turkish patrols around the city and would end with the YPG leaving Manbij and ceding it to Turkish stewardship by the end of the year. There is no threat [from Islamic State] in Syria anymore. This is a fairy tale, said Erdogan. He said Turkish soldiers could immediately clear the remaining extremists. The scope of the operation Erdogan promised on Wednesday is still unclear, but Turkeys previous cross-border incursions into Syria involved special forces working alongside Syrian rebels, with Turkish aerial and artillery support clearing the way. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Wednesday that rebel commanders had been told weeks ago to prepare for an assault, although representatives of a number of factions contacted the same day said there had be no orders to mobilize. Hundreds of Turkish troops, along with tanks and armored vehicles, have massed near the border crossing at Akcakale, according to Can Acun, a researcher at the Ankara-based Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research. Still, Acun did not expect to see military confrontation between Turkish and U.S. troops. Erdogan, he said, is focused on increasing pressure on the U.S. to stop aiding the Kurds. Its not a desirable situation to see two NATO members confront each other, but Turkey thinks this is an issue of top national security, to secure the area east of the Euphrates, and Turkey is committed to an operation, he said in a phone interview Wednesday. Manbij is a symptom. The issue is an old one: U.S. support for the YPG, said Aaron Stein, a Turkey expert at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. Turkey wants the U.S. to capitulate and join Turkey and push the YPG off the border. A small operation increases pressure on the U.S. to take them seriously. Special correspondent Farooq reported from Istanbul, Turkey, and Times staff writer Bulos from Beirut. Times staff writers David Cloud and Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report. Special correspondent Farooq reported from Istanbul, Turkey, and Times staff writer Bulos from Beirut. Times staff writers David Cloud and Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report. Twitter: @nabihbulos With 24 hours left before the scheduled close of UN-brokered talks on Yemen, mediators pushed Wednesday for a truce between warring parties as a crucial step to allow aid deliveries. Mediators are seeking a de-escalation of violence in two flashpoint cities: rebel-held Hodeida, a port city vital to the supply of humanitarian aid, and Taiz, Yemen's third largest city, scene of some of the war's most intense fighting. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was due in Rimbo late Wednesday for Thursday's closing round of consultations. Both government and rebel representatives traded accusations of unwillingness to negotiate, particularly on rebel-held Hodeida, the main route for 90 percent of food imports and nearly 80 percent of aid deliveries. Multiple draft proposals have been submitted to the two delegations over the past week. None have found consensus as yet. "I think there is some progress, even if it's with much difficulty. It's slow progress," rebel representative Abdelmalik al-Ajri told AFP. "We are faced with the intransigence of the other side. "Things should become clearer today." Askar Zaeel, a member of the government delegation, said his camp would hold firm to UN Security Council Resolution 2216 -- which calls for the Houthis to withdraw from all areas seized in a 2014 takeover, including Hodeida. The Yemen conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since 2015, according to the World Health Organization, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Guterres' arrival comes hours after his office said it had evidence the Houthis were using Iran-made missiles. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Houthi rebels -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have waged in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Energy & Environment Yokogawa Releases Field Assistant R2.03 12.12.2018 09:39:53 - An OpreX Operational Risk Management family product that improves operability and enhances the quality and efficiency of field inspections (live-PR.com) - Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces that it has enhanced the Field Assistant software forthe field inspections of industrial facilities and is releasing it today as Field Assistant R2.03. Field Assistant is a solution in Yokogawas OpreXTM Operational Risk Management family. When installed on tablet devices, this software enables users in the fieldto access checklists, manuals, and many other kinds of - Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces that it has enhanced the Field Assistant software forthe field inspections of industrial facilities and is releasing it today as Field Assistant R2.03.Field Assistant is a solution in Yokogawas OpreXTM Operational Risk Management family. When installed on tablet devices, this software enables users in the fieldto access checklists, manuals, and many other kinds of documents, thus enhancing the quality and efficiency of routine patrols of manufacturing sites. With the release of Field Assistant R2.03, this software can now run on smartphones, and alsofeatures improved operability with a renovated human-machine interface (HMI). Development Background At many industrial plants, personnel periodically perform field inspections by patrolling along defined routes and checking field instruments at specific points along the way, to keep facilities and equipment safe and in good working order.Inspection results are often manually recorded on printed checklists andsubmitted for review. To reduce the recording workload, prevent entry errors, and facilitate the sharing of results, many of our customersindicated that it would be desirable to be able to directly input these results on a tabletorsome other kind of mobile device. In response to this customer need, Yokogawa developed the original version of Field Assistant, which enabledinspectors to input inspection results on atablet.With the release of Field Assistant R2.03, this software is now compatible for use on smartphones and the HMI has been enhanced to make it easier and more intuitive to use. In addition to facilitating the recording of inspection checklists, the Field Assistantsoftware can initiate the download of related documentsto the mobile device, which inspectors can then refer to whenever needed.For increased efficiency in management of operations, the data in Field Assistant can be linked with data that is recorded and managed using the Operations Management software package. Product Features 1. Compatible with smartphones With Field Assistant R2.03, this software has been updated to run not only ontablets, but also on any smartphone that runs Googles AndroidTM operating system. Customerscan select whicheverdeviceis most suitable for their purposes. 2. Renovated HMI Via the HMI, users can access both digital checklists of inspection items and related documents such as operating manuals, specifications, and installation manuals. With R2.03, this interface has been enhanced with the use of large UI components(created with Googles Material Design)to displayfrequently used information, the display of bar graphs and pie charts to make the visual checkingof work progress more intuitive, and a screen layoutthat has been optimized for single-handed (thumb-based) use. R2.03 also includes functions for recording audio and freehand drawingonimages, and Japanese is now supported as a user interface language, in addition to English. 3. Automatic reporting Anautomatic reporting function has also been added to Field Assistant R2.03. After work records are input in the field, this functioncan automatically email them to management personnel. This eliminates the needfor the preparation of reports, and allows personnel to immediately checkprogress. Field Assistant R2.03screenshots Major Markets Industries such as oil & gas, petrochemicals, and fine chemicals where periodic field inspections by operators and maintenance staff are required Applications Recording of site information when performing patrols or routine maintenance, and referencing of related information About OpreX OpreX is the comprehensive brand for Yokogawa's industrial automation (IA) and control business. The OpreX name stands for excellence in the technologies and solutions that Yokogawa cultivates through the co-creation of value with its customers, and encompasses the entire range of Yokogawa's IA products, services, and solutions. This brand comprises the following five categories: OpreX Transformation, OpreX Control, OpreX Measurement, OpreX Execution, and OpreX Lifecycle. Field Assistance, an OpreXOperational Risk Managementfamily solution in the OpreX Transformation category, delivers operational excellence throughout an enterprise's activities, from production through to supply chain optimization and risk and business management. With this brand, Yokogawa will deliver integrated solutions that address specific needs and support its customers in their efforts to transform and grow their businesses. For more information www.yokogawa.com/solutions/solutions/operations-management/field-assistant/ About Yokogawa Founded in 1915, Yokogawa engages in broad-ranging activities in the areas of measurement, control, and information. The industrial automation business provides vital products, services, and solutions to a diverse range of process industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, and pulp and paper. With the life innovation business the company aims to radically improve productivity across the pharmaceutical and food industry value chains. The test & measurement, aviation, and other businesses continue to provide essential instruments and equipment with industry-leading precision and reliability. Yokogawa co-innovates with its customers through a global network of 113 companies spanning 61 countries, generating US$3.8 billion in sales in FY2017. For more information, please visit The names of corporations, organizations, products, services and logos herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Yokogawa Electric Corporation or their respective holders. documents, thus enhancing the quality and efficiency of routine patrols of manufacturing sites. With the release of Field Assistant R2.03, this software can now run on smartphones, and alsofeatures improved operability with a renovated human-machine interface (HMI).Development BackgroundAt many industrial plants, personnel periodically perform field inspections by patrolling along defined routes and checking field instruments at specific points along the way, to keep facilities and equipment safe and in good working order.Inspection results are often manually recorded on printed checklists andsubmitted for review. To reduce the recording workload, prevent entry errors, and facilitate the sharing of results, many of our customersindicated that it would be desirable to be able to directly input these results on a tabletorsome other kind of mobile device.In response to this customer need, Yokogawa developed the original version of Field Assistant, which enabledinspectors to input inspection results on atablet.With the release of Field Assistant R2.03, this software is now compatible for use on smartphones and the HMI has been enhanced to make it easier and more intuitive to use. In addition to facilitating the recording of inspection checklists, the Field Assistantsoftware can initiate the download of related documentsto the mobile device, which inspectors can then refer to whenever needed.For increased efficiency in management of operations, the data in Field Assistant can be linked with data that is recorded and managed using the Operations Management software package.Product Features1. Compatible with smartphonesWith Field Assistant R2.03, this software has been updated to run not only ontablets, but also on any smartphone that runs Googles AndroidTM operating system. Customerscan select whicheverdeviceis most suitable for their purposes.2. Renovated HMIVia the HMI, users can access both digital checklists of inspection items and related documents such as operating manuals, specifications, and installation manuals. With R2.03, this interface has been enhanced with the use of large UI components(created with Googles Material Design)to displayfrequently used information, the display of bar graphs and pie charts to make the visual checkingof work progress more intuitive, and a screen layoutthat has been optimized for single-handed (thumb-based) use. R2.03 also includes functions for recording audio and freehand drawingonimages, and Japanese is now supported as a user interface language, in addition to English.3. Automatic reportingAnautomatic reporting function has also been added to Field Assistant R2.03. After work records are input in the field, this functioncan automatically email them to management personnel. This eliminates the needfor the preparation of reports, and allows personnel to immediately checkprogress.Field Assistant R2.03screenshotsMajor MarketsIndustries such as oil & gas, petrochemicals, and fine chemicals where periodic field inspections by operators and maintenance staff are requiredApplicationsRecording of site information when performing patrols or routine maintenance, and referencing of related informationAbout OpreXOpreX is the comprehensive brand for Yokogawa's industrial automation (IA) and control business. The OpreX name stands for excellence in the technologies and solutions that Yokogawa cultivates through the co-creation of value with its customers, and encompasses the entire range of Yokogawa's IA products, services, and solutions. This brand comprises the following five categories: OpreX Transformation, OpreX Control, OpreX Measurement, OpreX Execution, and OpreX Lifecycle. Field Assistance, an OpreXOperational Risk Managementfamily solution in the OpreX Transformation category, delivers operational excellence throughout an enterprise's activities, from production through to supply chain optimization and risk and business management.With this brand, Yokogawa will deliver integrated solutions that address specific needs and support its customers in their efforts to transform and grow their businesses.For more informationAbout YokogawaFounded in 1915, Yokogawa engages in broad-ranging activities in the areas of measurement, control, and information. The industrial automation business provides vital products, services, and solutions to a diverse range of process industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, and pulp and paper. With the life innovation business the company aims to radically improve productivity across the pharmaceutical and food industry value chains. The test & measurement, aviation, and other businesses continue to provide essential instruments and equipment with industry-leading precision and reliability. Yokogawa co-innovates with its customers through a global network of 113 companies spanning 61 countries, generating US$3.8 billion in sales in FY2017. For more information, please visit www.yokogawa.com The names of corporations, organizations, products, services and logos herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Yokogawa Electric Corporation or their respective holders. Press Information: Yokogawa Contact Person: Phone: 17299161 eMail: eMail 12.12.2018 09:39:53 - Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this article please contact the author. Please do not contact Live-PR.com. We are not able to assist you. Live-PR.com disclaims content contained in this article. Live-PR.com is not authorized to give any information about content and not responsible for content posted by third party. Stock Market News VOD Share Price - Vodafone share price: EU opens in-depth probe into Liberty deal 12-12-2018 01:27 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Wednesday that the Italian-led UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon should do more to rein in Hezbollah. Netanyahu's remarks in his Jerusalem office came a day after the visiting minister toured Israel's northern frontier, where he was shown one of three tunnels uncovered by the army leading into the country from Lebanon. Israel says the Iranian-backed Shia militants of Hezbollah dug the tunnels to infiltrate northern Israel in a future conflict. Referring to Salvini as "a great friend of Israel," Netanyahu said the tunnels were "a clear act of aggression by Hezbollah against us and against the norms of the international community." "You have a commander in UNIFIL, an Italian commander," Netanyahu said of Major General Stefano Del Col. "We think UNIFIL has to do a stronger job, tougher job, but ultimately it's the responsibility of the international community," he said. "They should stop Hezbollah from taking these acts of aggression against Israel." Salvini, who landed in Israel on Tuesday, was whisked by helicopter to the border. Following his tour, he told reporters the tunnel was dug by "Islamic terrorists" and accused the European Union of being biased against Israel, which he called "a safe haven for European and Western values in the region". Salvini, who heads Italy's anti-immigration League party, visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem on Wednesday. He was set to leave Israel later in the day. Israel fought a 2006 war against Hezbollah 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. Search Keywords: Short link: Kochi : The Supreme Court on Wednesday commuted the death sentence of Anthony, the lone accused in the Aluva Mass murder to life sentence. Earlier the SC had stayed the death sentence awarded to Anthony, who murdered six person of a family in Aluva in 2001. Last year, the president also the rejected the mercy petition submitted by Anthony. In 2001, the Anthony killed Augustine, his mother and wife , their children Jesmon, Divya, and Augustine's sister, one by one and stole money and ornaments from there. Anthony is a distant relative of the Manjooran family and he was refused financial help to seek a job in the Gulf by the Manjooran family. The murder was an act of revenge. 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. Hodeida remains a major stumbling block in efforts to arrive to an armistice in Yemen, though it is not the only obstacle to a political resolution It appears that the main gain, so far, in the Yemen peace talks in Sweden is that the two sides have returned to the negotiating table after a two-year hiatus. Although the talks have not halted the machinery of war on many fronts, there is progress on the question of prisoner exchanges. On the other hand, the windows of opportunity for unravelling the Hodeida complex seem to be closing due to the Houthis refusal to return control over the port to the legitimate government and, more recently, their refusal to hand it over to a third party under UN supervision. Similarly, the Houthis refuse to hand back Sanaa airport to the legitimate government in exchange for an end to the Saudi air blockade so that it could reopen to international flights. During the talks, they rejected a compromise solution proposed by the Yemeni government to reopen the facility as a domestic airport, temporarily, with a connection to the international terminal in Aden. As a result of such impasses, mediators are unable to focus on the central solutions to the Yemeni crisis, namely an armistice agreement and the creation of a consensus government, and are therefore working on budging the parties on a number of other issues. The consultations that opened last Thursday, 6 December, have six issues on the agenda: prisoners, the battle over Hodeida, the Yemeni Central Bank, the blockade of Taiz, humanitarian relief and Sanaa airport. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths proposed the broad outlines for a roadmap. However, in a press conference, he indicated that it would be difficult to secure guarantees to ensure the implementation of any agreed-upon formula for a settlement. According to leaks cited in news reports from Sweden, the UN envoy attempted to overcome the impasse, which brought talks to a halt in Kuwait two years ago, over whether the security track should take priority over the political track, or vice versa. proposed a package containing an equal measure of security and political arrangements. They included a comprehensive and simultaneous ceasefire followed by the implementation of a schedule for the gradual withdrawal of Houthi forces overseen by a military commission. No details were given regarding how that commission would be formed, which had been a sticking point in previous negotiations. According to a Yemeni source, although there are military leaders who kept aloof from the political biases that have divided the army since the outset of the crisis, the problem was how to select them and whether they would be accepted by all parties. Griffiths also proposed beginning a new interim phase that would culminate in a referendum on a new constitution and general elections. The internationally recognised Yemeni government insists on retaining the three previously agreed on frames-of-reference as a basis for any interim phase, namely UN Security Council Resolution 2216 which recognises the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, the outputs of the National Dialogue and the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative. The Houthis call for a coalition government formed by Yemens political parties and they reject certain mechanisms in the GCC initiative and want to reopen talks on them. The question of Hodeida continues to defy a breakthrough. The government wants to regain the outward appearances of control over the strategic city and port and to eliminate the manifestations of the Houthi coup. The Houthis fear they will not receive sufficient guarantees or anything substantial in return for sacrificing these crucial assets. The UN envoy has described Hodeida as the centre of gravity in the war and talks over the port city as very difficult. According to a UN report, a proposal for Hodeida that mediators hope to flesh out in the talks in Sweden calls for a ceasefire and the simultaneous withdrawal of the warring forces, the creation of an independent military and security committee in collaboration with the UN, joint administration of the port under UN supervision and the creation of a local police force to maintain security in the city. In a surprise development, Ahmed Ghaleb, a member of the Yemeni government delegation in Sweden, revealed the start of another set of talks on the economic track. Taking place in the Jordanian capital, Amman, in tandem with talks in Sweden, the new talks were attended by representatives from the World Bank and IMF and focused on reuniting the economic and financial institutions in Yemen. In remarks to the press from Sweden, Ghaleb said, we are waiting for the results from the talks in Amman to progress further so that we can progress. We have received a promise from the office of the UN envoy that a paper will be prepared for study and discussion on the subject of the economy. He said that the Houthis want to reunite the Yemeni Central Bank in order to pay civil servants salaries but that such matters did not fall under the responsibilities of the bank but rather under the responsibilities of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Civil Service. He also noted that the political track was currently overshadowing the economic one. Back in Yemen, as talks opened in Sweden, fighting escalated along the various fronts. Yemeni National Army Spokesman Brigadier General Abdu Majalli accused the Houthis of initiating the escalation on a number of combat fronts and in residential quarters in Hodeida with the purpose of undermining the talks in Sweden. He said the Houthi militias, using diverse weapons, attacked fronts that the army controlled, such as Nahm, Baqem, Damat, Hodeida and Al-Dalie, and that they were amassing heavy equipment, including artillery and tanks, along the major fronts. He added that the Houthis had intensified such activities in Hodeida in an attempt to reinforce their front in that city following a recent breach. This, he said, was a sign that the Houthis were not serious about making progress in the talks. The question of Taiz has emerged in Sweden as a new stumbling block. The question of the blockade of this centrally located city and the consequent humanitarian hardships has been overlooked in previous rounds of ceasefire talks, according to Abdel-Aziz Al-Majidi, a resident of Taiz, in interview with Al-Ahram Weekly. It is as though there is an agreement among all parties to ignore this city as a flashpoint in the war, he said. After learning that the subject has been put on the negotiating agenda in Sweden, the Mayor of Taiz Amin Mahmoud said, ending the blockade of Taiz will be a true test of the Houthi militias desire for peace. As warfare continues in Yemen and negotiating processes abroad stumble, and probably lead to more delays, the humanitarian plight of the Yemeni people worsens. On Monday, the UN issued a new appeal to come to their aid, calling on the international community and donor organisations to collect at least $4 billion in order to meet the urgent needs of the Yemeni people next year. UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock announced that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres planned to hold an international conference of donor nations in Geneva on 26 February in order to secure pledges for the fundraising drive. Speaking at a press conference at the UN headquarters, the humanitarian relief official warned that the humanitarian and food-supply situation in Yemen was getting worse and that funds were desperately needed in order to remedy that situation. He added that UN relief efforts next year hoped to bring food relief to 15 million Yemenis among whom are 10 million in urgent need of food. Ongoing warfare remains the major impediment to relief agencies efforts to reach their intended recipients. *A version of this article appears in print in the 13 December, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Yemen: Low progress in Sweden talks Search Keywords: Short link: Swedens parliament will try to break months of political deadlock by voting on Friday on whether to give a Social Democrats-Greens coalition four more years in power - though most lawmakers are likely to reject the proposal. The country has been without a government since September, when an election delivered a hung parliament that has already rejected both Social Democrat leader Stefan Lofven and the leader of the four-party, center-right Alliance as prime minister. Lofvens chances of passing a second vote look slim after talks with the opposition Centre and Liberal parties broke down earlier this week. The situation ... is still deadlocked, parliamentary speaker Andreas Norlen told reporters on Wednesday. The speaker has limited options in forcing the two political blocs into a compromise, other than the threat of a new election. It would be a big failure if after Septembers election ... we went back to voters and said we could not deal with the result, Norlen said. The rise of the anti-immigration Sweden Democrat party, which won 17.5 percent of the vote in September, has prevented either the center-left or center-right from winning a majority in parliament. Neither bloc is willing to do a deal with that party which has its roots in the white supremacist fringe. Search Keywords: Short link: Norway has officially opened the longest suspension bridge above the Arctic Circle. The 1.5 kilometer span was built in cooperation with a Chinese company. Chinese workers, locals and officials took part in the opening ceremony of the new Norwegian super bridge, dubbed Halogaland, near the northern port city of Narvik. With pylons soaring 180 feet into the clouds, the bridge crosses the Rombaken fjord and boasts a free span of 1,145 meters. With a length of 1,533 meters, it is the longest suspension bridge ever built above the Arctic Circle. Built with assistance of Chinas Sichuan Road and Bridge Group (SRBG), it provides a significant shortcut on the European route E6 highway the main north-south road through Norway and the west coast of Sweden. The Chinese firm delivered the steel constructions and was responsible for the mounting of the bridge, which took more than five years to build. Its been great to see Chinese participation in this project, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg told reporters at the inauguration ceremony. She added that the beautiful bridge is very important for the local community and infrastructure. The Science Channel series Building Giants once joined the international team building the Halogaland Bridge, calling it the Arctic Mega Bridge in an episode on the project. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section In an apparent message to Washington, China has warned against bullying its citizens and creating new opponents, after the Huawei CFO was arrested in Canada on a US warrant. China will never sit idly by and ignore any bullying that violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, just before the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei was granted bail in Canada. Read more Meng Wanzhou was detained by Canadian authorities on December 1, almost immediately after presidents Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day ceasefire in the ongoing trade conflict dispute. Meng was apprehended, on Washingtons request, for allegedly violating US sanctions on Iran. While the foreign minister did not mention the Huawei CFO in his speech, he did warn the US that there is no need to artificially create new opponents at a time when both countries are trying to strike a trade deal. 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. Trump apparently took notice of this advice on Tuesday, suggesting he may personally intervene to save Meng from prosecution if it helps accomplish an agreement with China. 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 told Reuters shortly after the CFO was granted a $7.5 million bail by a judge in Vancouver. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! US President Donald Trump pointed Wednesday to the mass shooting at a Christmas market in France to bolster his demands for funding to build a US border wall with Mexico. Trump's tweet linking the issues came despite the fact that the suspect in Tuesday's attack in Strasbourg, France, is a native of the city with a criminal past and extremist views. A French prosecutor said the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar" -- Arabic for "God is greatest" -- before opening fire in a popular Christmas market in the city's medieval center, killing two people, leaving a third brain-dead and wounding 12 others. Trump mentioned the attack only glancingly, using his first public comment on the incident to buttress his arguments for funding a US-Mexico border wall. "Another very bad terror attack in France. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security!," he said. Trump clashed angrily with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on funding for the wall Tuesday in an Oval Office meeting carried live on television. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also cited the Strasbourg attack to support a border wall, which was a signature promise of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. "Every time we add to people here who have the risk of becoming radicalized, we increase the risk to American citizens," Pompeo told Fox News. "We should build it out," he said of the wall. "We should do all the things we need to do to control the flow of people into our country in a way that is lawful only." But Pompeo did not answer on whether Mexico will pay for the wall -- a favorite line of Trump at his rallies -- and said he was working with Mexico to prevent emigration at its source in conflict-ridden El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. "Frankly, the most important thing we can do is turn off the flow from those three countries," he said. Search Keywords: Short link: Catalan separatists, UK Brexit campaign confront citizens with fake arguments Spains PM Catalan separatists, UK Brexit campaign confront citizens with fake arguments Spains PM Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has compared secession efforts in Catalonia to Britains tangled process of leaving the EU, saying both rely on confronting citizens with fake arguments. In an address to Parliament on Wednesday, Sanchez said both campaigns invent a story of grievances and force people to choose between two identities, AP reported. They want to achieve polarization, denying space to moderation and understanding, he added. Sanchez has announced that his cabinet will meet next week in Barcelona and will raise the countrys monthly minimum wage from 736 to 900 ($1,019). Taking the December 21 meeting to the Catalan capital was meant to signal the thawing of relations with the pro-independence regional authorities. However, regional separatists have called for protests.Source : RT - Daily news Germany to back extension of EU sanctions against Russia Merkel Germany to back extension of EU sanctions against Russia Merkel Berlin will back an extension of the European Unions sanctions against Russia at an upcoming summit of EU leaders, Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers on Wednesday. We will call a spade a spade. We will call for extending sanctions, Merkel told the Bundestag, commenting on the Kerch standoff. We do not accept actual claims [of Russia] regarding the Sea of Azov, TASS quoted the chancellor as saying. The German Ambassador to Ukraine, Ernst Wolfgang Reichel, said earlier that imposing more sanctions against Russia over the Kerch Strait incident would be counterproductive. The EU slapped sanctions on Moscow over the 2014 events in Ukraine and Crimeas reunification with Russia.Source : RT - Daily news Lawmakers approve martial rule extension for S. Philippines Lawmakers approve martial rule extension for S. Philippines The Philippine Congress on Wednesday granted President Rodrigo Dutertes request to extend martial law in the countrys south until the end of 2019. The decision comes despite opposition warnings of a creep towards authoritarian rule. Duterte initially put the Mindanao region under military rule after gunmen flying the black Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) flag attacked the mainly Muslim city of Marawi in May 2017. The attack sparked a five-month battle that killed 1,200 people, AFP said. Last week, the president said that while significant progress had been made, more time was needed to stop armed militants making a comeback.Source : RT - Daily news The US House of Representatives is once again calling on the European Union to ban the Russia-led construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline and has called for sanctions against the project. The resolution was passed by the Republican-led Congress during Monday's session. Echoing US President Donald Trumps rhetoric against the construction of the undersea pipeline, the lawmakers called it a drastic step backward for European energy security and United States interests. The House now wants the US president to step in and even impose economic penalties under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Also on rt.com Berlin says crisis in Ukraine & Nord Stream 2 pipeline are two separate issues Moscow has repeatedly stressed that all Washingtons attempts to hamper the project are simply driven by economic reasons and are a shining example of unfair competition. Reacting to the latest House motion, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there is nothing new in this unacceptable position. He added that the project is purely economic and serves not only Russias interests as a gas supplier, but Germany as an EU member-country and its consumers in the first place. Also on rt.com Germany cant accept being treated like an occupied country Former Chancellor Schroeder The $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline is set to deliver Russian natural gas to European consumers. The pipeline is set to run from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea and is expected to double the existing pipelines capacity to 110 billion cubic meters. The pipeline, controlled by a subsidiary of Russian energy giant Gazprom, is being built in cooperation with German energy firms Wintershall and Uniper, French multinational Engie, Anglo-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, as well as Austrias OMV. Europe seems to be reluctant to ditch the project despite US pressure and criticism. On Monday, Austria's OMV energy group CEO Rayner Zele stated that the company is set to continue financing the pipeline next year. OMV has already invested some 531 million euros ($607 million) into the project, Zele told Ria Novosti. In early December, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also said that Berlins abandoning the project would not make sense as Russia will still go on with it. Germany earlier rebuked Trumps criticism of the project after the US leader accused Berlin of being a captive of Moscow citing Germanys alleged dependency on natural gas from Russia. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section 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. There will be "no renegotiation" of the Brexit divorce deal concluded between the European Union and Britain, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned Wednesday. "There will be no renegotiation," he told the French National Assembly as British Prime Minister Theresa May fights to sell the deal to the British parliament. Search Keywords: Short link: Love Your Park Day touches down on Summit Meadow Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. 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 A fugitive gunman sought by French police over an attack on Christmas shoppers at a market in Strasbourg shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) during his killing spree, French officials said Wednesday. The attack in the heart of the medieval city as the annual Christmas market was closing on Tuesday evening left two dead, 13 injured and crowds of traumatised witnesses. The suspect, a 29-year-old Strasbourg native identified as Cherif C., cried "Allahu Akbar" as he opened fire with a handgun and stabbed passers-by, France's anti-terror prosecutor Remy Heitz said Wednesday. The man, who was on a watchlist for suspected religious extremists, had already been sentenced 27 times in France, Germany and Switzerland for crimes including violence and robbery. Four people connected to him were detained in Strasbourg overnight, Heitz added. The man was flagged by French security forces in 2015 as a possible extremist while in prison, after he "called for practising a radical form of religion," deputy interior minister Laurent Nunez told France Inter radio Wednesday. He lived in a rundown housing estate a short drive from the Christmas market, which draws some two million people each year to its wooden chalets selling festive decorations, mulled wine and food. "His family has lived around here for a while, but he lived on his own nearby," Zach, a 22-year-old in the Poteries area of Strasbourg, told AFP. "He was discreet, not a thug." Much of the centre of the city as well as the European Parliament building were locked down through the night as teams of police and soldiers searched for the gunman. On Wednesday, the market was shut and theatre performances and other shows were cancelled as reinforcements joined a manhunt for the killer that also involved police in neighbouring Germany. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday that the gunman was injured in an exchange of fire with soldiers who were patrolling the Christmas market as part of regular anti-terror operations. The gunman then fled the scene in a taxi, getting out in the city's southern Neudorf district, where he again exchanged fire with police before disappearing. Around 720 police officers and other security forces are searching for him, Castaner said. "I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium," one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. "People were running everywhere." The government has raised the security alert level for terrorism to its highest, reinforcing border controls and patrols at all Christmas markets across France. Among the victims, two were killed outright and another has been declared brain-dead, while 12 more were injured, six critically, Heitz said. The shooting spree comes as French leader Emmanuel Macron faces the biggest crisis of his presidency after three weeks of anti-government demonstrations sparked by fuel tax rises. Security forces were already stretched by the often violent demonstrations during which five people have died and more than 1,400 been injured. Police had wanted to arrest Cherif on Tuesday morning as part of an investigation into an attempted murder, Nunez said. He was not at home, but police found a grenade, four knives and a loaded .22 calibre pistol. Strasbourg mayor Roland Ries said most of the victims were men, including one Thai tourist who was among the dead. "Some were shot in the head," Ries told BFM television. In Rome, the foreign ministry said one of the injured was an Italian journalist covering the European parliament, but did not confirm media reports that he was in a serious condition. According to a tweet by Poland's embassy in paris, a Polish citizen was also among the injured. France has been targeted by a series of attacks by Islamist gunmen since 2015, and the Strasbourg market was long considered a target. Strict vehicle restrictions, security checks and patrols by armed police and soldiers have become the norm. The SITE intelligence group, which monitors jihadist activity, said in November that a group aligned with the Islamic State group had warned of a Strasbourg attack with a social media post titled "O Christmas here we come - Strasbourg, 01 January 2019." In 2016, a 23-year-old Tunisian killed 12 and injured 48 others when he ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Most recently in France, a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris in May, killing one person and injuring four. A total of 246 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. Search Keywords: Short link: French President Emmanuel Macrons response to the gilets jaunes protests that have swept France in recent weeks may not be enough to end the crisis, writes David Tresilian in Paris Announcing measures that he said would help to end the social and economic state of emergency in the country, French President Emmanuel Macron has ended his silence on the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protests that have swept France in recent weeks and seen some of the worst rioting in the capital in decades. Speaking on television on Monday night, Macron said he wanted to see a France in which people could live in a dignified way from their work and admitted that the government had proceeded too slowly on this point. He said the government would raise the minimum wage by 100 euros a month without this costing employers anything and that it would cancel unpopular tax increases on pensions as well as abolishing tax and insurance payments on overtime. However, it would not go back on the cancellation of the wealth tax paid by some of Frances richest households, Macron said. This has been a demand of some of the gilets jaunes protesters. As commentators in the French media absorbed the announcements on Tuesday, the consensus was that they were unlikely to calm the crisis of recent weeks that has seen sometimes violent demonstrations. What started as protests against a proposed rise in taxes paid on fuel have since taken in a range of other grievances, including the character of the French political and economic system and Macron personally, who has been criticised for coming across as the president of the rich at the expense of much of the French population. Some 89,000 police were deployed across France last weekend, with some 8,000 being sent into Paris alone, to try to prevent further episodes of the rioting that has left shops and businesses smashed and fires burning in some of the capitals most upscale districts. The deployment, which also saw the use of armoured vehicles on the streets of Paris and other French cities, marked a change of tactics from previous weeks when the authorities seem to have been taken aback by the scale of the violence used by rioters on the fringes of the peaceful movement protesting against rising living costs in France. Shops were raided and businesses smashed on the Champs-Elysees shopping street in the centre of Paris and other upscale districts on 1 December in some of the worst rioting the country has seen in decades. Apparently determined not to see comparable scenes last weekend, riot police were out in force before dawn in Paris last Saturday, closing off access to some of the capitals upscale areas and searching demonstrators who had come to attend the protest marches. However, while the tactics staved off a repeat of much of the previous weeks violence, they also dispersed rioters who had attached themselves to the gilets jaunes movement more widely around the French capital. Gangs of casseurs, described as violent elements apparently determined to loot or destroy, attacked shops, burned out cars and motorcycles and left a trail of violence in several areas of Paris. Speaking on the France Inter radio station, Emmanuel Gregoire, a Paris city official, said that the area affected by the incidents was much larger. As there were fewer barricades, the protests were more dispersed, so many places suffered more violence than previously. There was much more damage than there was a week ago. According to official figures, 136,000 people took part in gilets jaunes demonstrations across France last Saturday, a similar figure to a week earlier. 1,723 people were arrested, 900 of them in Paris, more than four times the figure for the previous week and possibly reflecting the change in police tactics. 264 people were injured in the protests, including 39 members of the police. Although the focus of the international media was on the protests in Paris because of the scenes of violence in some of the French capitals best-known districts, there were violent clashes elsewhere in France, too, including in the southwestern city of Bordeaux where 26 people were injured in confrontations with the police. There was also violence at demonstrations in Marseilles, Lyon, Nantes, Dijon and Toulouse, among other cities. Groups of peaceful gilets jaunes demonstrators continued to set up roadblocks and stage protests in smaller towns and villages across the country. Graffiti calling for the resignation of Macron has become a common sight in the streets of Paris, and individuals spoken to by Al-Ahram Weekly were unanimous in their condemnation of him.Macron is finished, and it is only a matter of time before those around him jump ship, one shop-owner not in an area directly affected by the protests told the Weekly. Despite the violence that has been associated with the gilets jaunes protests, opinion polls taken over recent days show large majorities still supporting them. A survey by the polling agency Odoxa for the newspaper Le Figaro found that 84 per cent of those questioned considered the protests to be justified even after the outbreaks of violence. The protests have given rise to much soul-searching in France, and not only because of the scenes of violence. Contributors to a special edition of the French newspaper Le Monde at the weekend described a country broken at every level, with the papers editor Jerome Fenoglio pointing to one of the most chaotic periods in the history of the [French] Fifth Republic. Fenoglio used his editorial to criticise the response of the government to the crisis, saying that it had chosen to use a security solution to the demonstrations rather than find a political one. The Elysee [the presidents office] and the government have chosen to dramatise the risks of an explosion in the current revolt, apparently in an attempt to reduce its virulence and its political consequences, he wrote. According to Fenoglio, the violence that had been seen in the streets of the major French cities in recent weeks had raised legitimate fears among the larger population, not least because of the behaviour of the police. Audiences in France and elsewhere had been horrified, he wrote, to see smuggled-out video footage of riot police forcing 153 secondary school students to kneel in the mud, their hands behind their backs, in the Paris suburb of Mantes-la-Jolie last weekend. The inside pages of the newspaper went on to detail protests by lawyers and citizen groups across France at what they called the disproportionate use of force employed by the security forces, in particular their use of flash-ball weapons to quell protesters. Neither the president nor the prime minister has given the impression of knowing how to do anything else but raise the tension, Fenoglio wrote. They have simply negated the effects of their own concessions and reinforced doubts about their capacity to lead the country through a major crisis. Commentators in the French media have also not hesitated to point to what they consider to be a deeper-rooted crisis in France, of which the gilets jaunes movement is a symptom. According to Brice Teinturier, director of the French public-opinion polling agency IPSOS, interviewed in Le Monde, the crisis indicated a colossal feeling of injustice among wide strata of the population at having been held in contempt and ignored by successive governments. The gilets jaunes and those who support them refuse a world structured by systematic inequalities [and a] society that is more and more divided between those who are protected and those who are exposed to unemployment, precarity and globalisation, Teinturier said. They refuse to accept a world that is coldly rational and disenchanted, where everything is simply a matter of efficiency, profit and productivity, as if a country or life itself could be reduced to figures on a spreadsheet, which was why government efforts to calm the protests by adjusting tax rates would be unlikely to affect the movement. For economist Thomas Piketty, author of Capital in the 21st Century which became an unexpected bestseller on publication five years ago, large sections of the French population have not benefitted from the French governments policies and feel abandoned and humiliated by Macrons speeches... which have led us to the present situation. The point was taken up by Pierre Rosanvallon, professor of modern and contemporary history at the College de France in Paris, in an interview in Le Monde. The gilets jaunes were a new phenomenon in France in that they had spoken out directly without seeking representation through political parties or trade unions, Rosanvallon said. France is socially fractured in multiple ways, he added. There are perhaps five million people in France who feel the same way as the gilets jaunes, and the echo of their ideas is even larger. The whole of the French population now understands that there are social and fiscal questions that must be resolved. *A version of this article appears in print in the 13 December, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Macron responds to the crisis Search Keywords: Short link: White House Nominates Calabria as New FHFA Chief Almost exactly 10 years after he helped pass the legislation that established the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Mark Anthony Calabria has been nominated by the White House to be its director. If his nomination is confirmed by the Senate, Calabria, currently the Chief Economist in the Office of the Vice President, will succeed Melvin Watt whose five-year term expires in January. Calabria has a long history in housing and housing finance. He was a senior aide to the Senate Banking Committee in 2008, helping to draft the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), which created the Federal Housing Finance Agency and was a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the second Bush administration. He has also held positions at the Cato Institute, Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies, the both National Associations of Home Builders and Realtors. If confirmed, Calabria will lead the agency that serves as both regulator and conservator of the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at a time when pressures will be mounting to end their 10 years in federal conservatorship. Bloomberg notes that the nominee could be a controversial pick as he has advocated for policies that would reduce the government's role in the housing market. Among his proposals is one that would move the GSEs into receivership, liquidating its assets and erasing its remaining stockholders, many of whom have been in the courts for years, fighting the process by which the government takes nearly all of the corporations' sizable profits. He has also called for abolishing the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners and there have been suggestions among industry insiders that he might lower the conforming loan limits. They were recently raised to $484,350 after FHFA's annual recalculation. Both Bloomberg and IMFNews have sought to allay some of these fears. Bloomberg notes that Calabria has held private meetings with bankers and bond investors in recent months, "presenting a more tempered approach to overhauling Fannie and Freddie." It also quotes Compass Point's Isaac Boltansky who said that the, at that point potential, nominee is far more pragmatic than dogmatic. "I don't see him walking in there with an ax. There will surely be areas of curtailment, but I think it will be measured and strategic." James Fenkner, who hold stock in both Fannie and Freddie told IMFnews that Calabria would be "constrained in his mission to dissolve Fannie and Freddie," adding, "The capital market just doesn't have the risk appetite or depth for this." It is unlikely that the Senate will be able to confirm the nominee before Watts term ends. It is widely expected that Joseph Otting, Comptroller of the Currency, would be appointed as an interim head, wearing both hats until Calabria, or some other nominee, can be sworn in. While Calabria had long been considered likely to be the pick, his nomination was only quietly announced Tuesday afternoon on the White House website. The first to react was Robert D. Broeksmit, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). He issued a statement congratulating the nominee on behalf of MBA and adding, "He has a deep background in housing finance issues and we have enjoyed a good working relationship with him in his current and past roles. "We look forward to working with him on a wide variety of housing finance issues, not the least of which is resolving the now-decade long conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a way that best serves borrowers, protects taxpayers and ensures equal access to stable and liquid secondary mortgage markets for a wide variety of single- and multifamily lenders, regardless of size or business model." WALLINGFORD During a meeting that started Monday night and ended early Tuesday, 40 people voiced their opinion to the Planning and Zoning Commission on plans to redevelop the former Bristol-Myers Squibb property. Although a few spoke favorably, most said they were opposed to the plan to build two large warehouses on the former Bristol-Myers Squibb campus at 5 Research Parkway. Commission members closed the public hearing early Tuesday without voting on the plan. The panel is slated to vote on the permit at its Jan. 14 meeting. Calare Properties applied for a special permit to develop about 80 acres of the 180-acre property. The proposed warehouse and office buildings would total 1.1 million square feet. Although warehouses are allowed under zoning regulations, a special permit is required because of the anticipated traffic the warehouses would generate. Calare obtained a wetlands permit on Nov. 9 from the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission. The PZC opened a public hearing on Nov. 12, which was continued to Mondays meeting. After Dennis Ceneviva, Calares attorney, and Michelle Carlson, BL Cos. project engineer, reviewed changes to the proposal, Town Planner Kacie Hand reviewed some of her 24 suggested conditions of approval, which incorporated comments from Town Engineer Rob Baltramaitis and Water and Sewer Divisions Senior Engineer Erik Krueger. Truck traffic generated by the warehouses was the biggest talking point for residents who spoke during public comment. Other concerns included noise, bedrock blasting and water quality. Attorney Patrick Heeran, of Southington, filed a lawsuit last month appealing the wetlands permit on behalf of three residents with land abutting the site. Heerans parents live at 206 High Hill Road. He said Monday night that the soil erosion plan hasnt been reviewed by anyone of note. I think that this plan represents a great danger to Mackenzie Reservoir, the towns drinking water supply, he said, and thats primarily what I care about. Jen Frechette, of 29 Valley View Drive, spoke about the noise generated by trucks on the property. Even if you put up sound walls, even if you limit the hours of operation, it will not be enough, she said. There are reasons why theres nothing like this in our town. After three hours of public comments, the commission and Hand spent another hour answering the publics questions. LTakores@record-journal.com 203-317-2212 Twitter: @LCTakores International 12 killed in Taliban attack on Afghan security forces Kabul, Dec 11 (IANS) | Publish Date: 12/11/2018 12:00:36 PM IST 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 Kabuls 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 todays 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. 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. International Myanmar urged to release journalists Yangon, Dec 12 (IANS) | Publish Date: 12/12/2018 12:03:25 PM IST Families, friends and colleagues of two Reuters journalists, imprisoned in Myanmar, on Wednesday called for their immediate release one year on from their arrest. Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were on Tuesday honoured among other persecuted or killed journalists as Time magazines Person of the Year. The pair was sentenced to seven years in prison for allegedly compromising state secrets, while investigating a story on the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state. The case has been widely seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. A year ago, Reuters reporters... were arrested in a setup by the police, intended to interfere with the reporting on a massacre in Myanmar, the news agencys Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler was quoted as saying by Efe news. The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmars commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law, he said. Supporters of the pair planned to gather in central Yangon on Wednesday evening, while people from around the world posted photos on social media of the thumbs up gesture that became a symbol of the pairs court appearances, the BBC reported. On December 24, the two will appear for an appeal hearing against their seven-year jail term that was handed out by a Yangon court in September for violating the archaic Official Secrets Act. For 12 long months, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been torn apart from their wives and baby daughters -- simply because they reported the news. These journalists exposed mass murder and should be applauded for their public service, not imprisoned for it, said Amal Clooney, Barrister and Counsel to the Reuters journalists. The pair was arrested on December 12, 2017 for possessing confidential documents, which they claimed were given to them by two police officials with whom they had met during the reporting of the story. The reporters were investigating a mass grave of 10 Rohingyas in a village in Rakhine state during a military operation in August 2017 in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya rebels on government posts in the region. The investigation had subsequently led to the conviction of seven Burmese soldiers to 10 years in prison, the only crime to have been recognized by the Myanmar authorities since the military offensive began in Rakhine leading to the exodus of over 723,000 members of the mostly-Muslim minority community to neighbouring Bangladesh. The government and the military deny the UN special commissions report that claimed the military campaign to be intentional genocide. State Nagaland attends UN climate conference in Katowice DIMAPUR | Publish Date: 12/11/2018 11:41:25 AM IST United Nations climate conference in Katowice, Poland commenced on December 3 and will conclude on December 14, where Nagaland is being represented by Supongnukshi, chief conservator of forest (Deptt of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) and state nodal officer for climate change and Dr. Atoho Jakhalu, director of Research, Climate Studies and Knowledge Solution Centre, (Deptt of Science and Technology). A press release by Dr. Atoho Jakhalu stated that, government of Nagaland presented Nagalands initiatives as well as innovation of hydroger that is contributing towards the global climate discourse. This is Nagalands first ever participation in such a global climate event and is a significant step towards being a part of the global discourse on climate and environment issues. The innovations were presented at the India pavilion, COP 24 which underwent a prior stringent review process at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi. More than 20,000 delegates comprising of scientists, politicians, policy makers from around the world is taking part in this conference. The aim is to meet an end-of-year deadline for agreeing a rule book on how to enforce action to limit further warming of the planet. By Angela Andrews Nowadays, both employers and employees seek out professional development opportunities that improve skills, expand expertise and create effective work environments. State legislatures, which employ more than 25,000 full-time people across the nation, are also seeking to invest in their employees, legislative staff, through robust professional development programs. One example is the Ohio House of Representatives majority caucus staff development program. Through an initiative by Speaker Ryan Smith (R), staff in the majority caucus have been invited to attend a weekly professional development program that seeks to strengthen staff knowledge and skills. For Smith, offering this program is a way for staff to to improve themselves and work on their weak spots and hopefully accentuate their strengths. And theres the added bonus of gaining professional development from some of the best businesses, universities and nonprofits located in Ohio. For example, Ohio State University provided programs on teambuilding, problem-solving and decision-making, Huntington Bank shared best practices for handling complaints and negative feedback and using those opportunities to improve customer service, and Nationwide Insurance will soon lead a program about community relations. NCSL also participated in the program. Smith said having these large institutions and businesses come into the legislature meets other goals too, like preparing young staff for their careers and connecting them with Ohios business and nonprofit communities. I want the business community to recognize that when they hire (legislative) staff, they are getting highly qualified people, he said. Beyond exposure to Ohio companies, legislative staff are also gaining increased exposure to the inner workings of the legislature, including trainings about the legislative process, constituent management, budgeting and other essential legislative functions and processes. Attendance is optional, but if staff attend 80 percent or more of the trainings offered, they receive a certificate of completion. Beyond that, staff gain a further appreciation for the legislature and the Ohio House and, as Smith summarizes, the legislature gains a more consistent environment for legislative policymaking. The 2018 program started in August and will conclude in December. Planning for the 2019 program has already begun, with a deeper dive into policy comprehension, process mastery, advanced office management, and leadership skills. The 2019 program will also include more outside speakers from the business sector, to facilitate an exchange of ideas from top industry leaders in Ohio and learn from best practices across all industries. Alyssa Sarko, the speakers director of special projects and one of the main drivers behind the program, is particularly excited about a tech entrepreneur who will share his experience in bringing ideas to fruition and remaining optimistic through the highs and lows. The feedback from staff has been mostly positive. Building the program based on staff feedback was essential to its success, Sarko said. Building trust in a relatively quick time to get honest feedback (suggestions and criticisms) was the most difficult part of creating the program, but hands down the best thing we have done. Angela Andrews directs NCSLs Legislative Staff Services Program and coordinates in-state professional development programs for legislative staff. If you want to learn more about NCSLs in-state professional development programs or would like to develop a customized professional development program for your staff, email Angela. . By Express News Service MUMBAI: Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya has not made any offer directly to the bankers waiting to recover Rs 9,000 in loans, the State Bank of India chairman told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai on Tuesday. Mallya had tweeted that he was offering to pay 100 per cent of the principal amount owed to the banks, I humbly request banks and government to take it, even as his extradition from the United Kingdom seemed imminent. READ | Vijay Mallya extradition to speed up loan recovery process: SBI Rajnish Kumar said the bank hoped to recover its dues now that the court had ordered his extradition. However, he said that he had not received any offer from Mallya. SBI is the lead consortium. As of date we have not received any offers, he said. Kumar said the message was very loud and clear, that one could not default and run away to another country. It is a commendable effort by the government as far as this case is concerned, he said. READ | Mallya's lawyer opposes Enforcement Directorate plea to declare him fugitive PTI had reported from London that the UK court was critical of Indian banks for their failure to obtain proper credit reports before sanctioning loans to Mallya. There was a failure to ensure that the guarantees were formally taken when they should have been and a failure to investigate the representations that KFA (Kingfisher Airlines) made at various stages to obtain the loans, the judge said. The judge described these as continuing failures by banks and said it remained unclear if these were by design and with a hidden financial motive. By PTI NEW DELHI: Investors pumped in over Rs 1.4 lakh crore into various mutual fund schemes in November, with liquid schemes accounting for most of the inflows. With the latest inflow, the total infusion in mutual fund (MF) schemes reached about Rs 2.23 crore in the first eight months (April-November) of the current fiscal, latest data with the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) showed. "We appreciate the maturity shown by retail investors in staying invested in the markets, in spite of the volatility over the last few months," Amfi Chief Executive N S Venkatesh said. "Overall, both inflows and AUM have shown an upward trend. The industry added over 1.5 lakh unique investors last month," he added. According to the data, investors poured in a net Rs 1,42,359 crore in MF schemes last month, compared to an investment of Rs 35,529 crore in October. However, they had pulled out Rs 2.3 lakh crore in September, which market participants attributed to nervousness among corporate investors following the IL&FS default. The latest inflow has been mainly driven by contributions to liquid funds and equity and equity-linked saving schemes. Liquid funds attracted Rs 1.36 lakh crore, while Rs 8,400 crore was invested in equity as well as equity-linked saving schemes and Rs 215 crore in balanced funds. Interestingly, gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw a net inflow of Rs 10 crore after witnessing pull-out in past several months. In contrast, income funds saw a pull-out of Rs 6,518 crore. Overall, the inflow has swelled the assets under management (AUM) of the 42-player mutual fund industry to Rs 24.03 lakh crore at the end of November from Rs 22.23 lakh crore in October-end. Samuel Merigala By Express News Service CHENNAI: Soon women in the city will be able to instantly report harassment they face on the streets through the 667 smart poles that the city Corporation plans to install in vulnerable areas that have been identified by the police department. While 617 poles will be funded by the Nirbhaya Funds allocated to Chennai, 50 poles will be funded by the Smart City Project. These smart poles, which cost around Rs10 lakh each, will have an emergency call box, public address system, cameras and a distress button which will be connected to the central command centre. In emergency cases, officials manning the command centre can alert the public through the public address system and ensure there is intervention, said a top Corporation official. Express illustration All 35 womens police stations in the city will receive a new vehicle to respond to these distress calls. The idea is to reduce the response time. Reduced response times, while benefiting the victim, will also act as a crime deterrent, said the Corporation official. In addition to providing an option of instantly reporting harassment on the streets, women will also be able to report harassment on buses and cabs. The Chennai Corporation, in coordination with the transport commissioner, will fit surveillance cameras and panic buttons in 500 high-frequency buses in the city at a cost of around Rs 73 crore. The emergency services app, which will be rolled out in a years time, will use RFID and GIS technology to alert the user about crime-prone areas in the city and the drivers background. On boarding a cab, the particulars about the driver and the ride details will be sent to the users selected emergency contacts. In the first phase, we will enroll 50,000 cabs and auto rickshaws with the help of the transport department, said the official. As part of this pan-city project to make the city safer for women, the Corporation is also planning to install 500 she toilets to ensure women can relieve themselves in a safe place. By PTI NEW DELHI: 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 L-G 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 wastewater 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 the 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 farmhouses 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 misuse 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/farmhouses," 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 the 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 the 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 the validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 and subsequent legislation which protect illegal construction from being sealed. Naureen Rahman By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Inovexia Internationals first Excellence Awards to honour 60 Innovation Leaders on Monday was an inclusive affair from veteran culinary specialist such as D VIjaya Rao (who has been featured in the Limca Book of Records for sharing more than 8,000 recipes on TV) to 15-year-old Nikhil who was honoured for his novels Sci- FI Dystopian and A Path to Change Yesterday getting felicitated for their achievements. Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin, Actress Madhavi Latha, noted social activist Janaki Rajagopal and Assistant Commissioner of Police D V Pradeep Kumar Reddy and Entrepreneur MVK Nageswararao were the chief guest of the event whereas, Dr Rashmi Thakur and Actress Alekya attended as special guests. The event felicatated people from different fields such as make-up, interior designer, hairstylist, real estate consultancy, NGO, social work etc.Dr. Geetanjali, CEO of Inovexia International Pvt. Ltd. and the founder of NGO Super Women India, said that the felicitations was to get experts and entrepreneurs of different industries to collaborate. The objective was to create investment for Super Women, which works for the empowerment of women and giving opportunities to the underprivileged women. Other notable awardees were Prachi Chetan Shedge for Vedic Mathematician and Abacus Practioner, The Chocolate Room (chocolate cafe established in 2007 in more than 20 states with 300 stores), Dr. Venugopal Rao Veeramaneni, Vastu and astrology Consultant with triple PhD and has more than 40 years experience. The award ceremony also witnessed the launch of new magazine GPR and the poster of International Cancer Summit 2019, which will be held on July 15, 2019 in Hyderabad. The awardees said they feel motivated to do better in their work now. Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer has purchased180,000 tons of wheat from Russia and Romania in an international bid, an official said on Wednesday. Under the deal, 120,000 tons of wheat will be bought from Russia, the world's top exporter, and 60,000 from Romania, deputy head of the General Authority For Supply Commodities (GASC) Ahmed Youssef was quoted as saying by state news agency MENA. The shipment will be delivered between 1-10 February, he added. Last month, a report by Egypt's agriculture ministry said the country has imported over 10 million tons of wheat from nine countries in Eastern Europe and Asia since January, with the lion's share from Russia. Search Keywords: Short link: By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by BJP district committee in protest against the alleged police high handedness on some activists in a Secretariat march disrupted the normal life in the capital. However, the hartal was peaceful and near total except some minor skirmishes at Neyyattinkara in the outskirts of the city. The strike affected the functioning of government offices. Schools and colleges remained closed while the Secretariat functioned with a thin attendance. Banks and commercial establishments remained closed too. The BJP had conducted a march towards the Secretariat on Tuesday in protest against the police action. A woman activist was injured after she was hit by a tear gas shell during the march. The 23rd IFFK was conducted as usual, but the inflow of delegates was less compared to other days. The transportation of delegates was a problem as they had to walk towards the venues. The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy had also arranged food for delegates in association with State Prisons Department. According to the police, no major acts of violence were reported as the KSRTC buses and private buses decided to keep off the road. However, train services were not disrupted. Normal life hit Schools and colleges remained closed while the Secretariat functioned with a thin attendance. The inflow of delegates was less compared to other days at the IFFK. According to the police, no major acts of violence were reported Aathira Haridas By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is Thabo Gladstone's first IFFK. For this lad from South Africa, who aspires to become a filmmaker, the film festival has opened up new avenues and infused a rare spirit. Thabo is here from Lesotho, South Africa and is hopelessly in love with everything related to Kerala. Unlike his home country where festivals are low key affairs, he says, the film festival has become a huge source of inspiration. Thabo I am obsessed with Western movies. The festival offered a grand array of movies and was an extremely new experience for me, says Thabo, who is presently doing his graduation at Karyavattom University. "You see, I had this dream of furthering my studies in another country, which is welcoming and where I can fit in well. And in Kerala, I feel at home. The people are very caring and warm, says Thabo. For an aspiring movie maker and actor like Thabo, the festival has contributed in leaps and bounds. Thabo excitedly shares how he is relaying these endearing experiences to his friends back home. Most of my friends back home are fascinated by movies and hope to make it big in films. They are excited at the experience I have had at the festival," he says. Although it has only been three months since he has been in Kerala, Thabo has learned enough Malayalam and is an ardent fan of Malayalam movies. The movies are the best reflection of the culture of this land. I have watched most of the movies in the Malayalam category at the festival and it has contributed well to my understanding of the culture and has been a great learning experience, adds Thabo. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: As incidents of children falling into borewells have become common, a debt-ridden mechanical contractor in Hindustan shipyard came up with an idea to create a device to rescue those kids who get trapped. Meet the 40-year-old S Hemanth Raja, developer of the Borewell Rescue Saving Mechanical Equipment (BRSME) that uses simple tools such as a pulley, mechanical arms and foot pedal, and is even equipped with a camera and an LED light. After an 18-month-old girl died after falling into a 450-feet deep borewell at Ikkareddygudem village in Telanganas Rangareddy district in 2017, I gave some serious thought in finding a solution to rescue such victims. Then, I approached NDRF officials and observed their rescue operations; I learnt some techniques from the internet too to build the BRSME and spent Rs 6 lakh on its development, Hemanth Raja said, adding that he has patented the equipment. Explaining its functioning, he said: With the help of the pulley system, rescue teams will be able to lift babies who accidentally fall into open borewells. Oxygen can also be sent through assistive devices. When the infant is found, the pulley grabs him with the help of mechanical arms. With the help of another device, he can be saved from falling while being pulled upwards. Hemanth Rajas team has already shaped a prototype and conducted experiments to make it ready for use. Impressed with the demonstration, Fire Department Director General K Satyanarayana said the equipment will be demonstrated in front of NDRF officials. This equipment is advanced when compared to the one NDRF has. Parallel digging in such incidents take so much of time, he said. By PTI CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK Tuesday said the mood of the people for the Parliamentary election next year cannot be judged based on the poll outcome in the five states, while main opposition DMK lauded Congress for its good show. Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, when asked if the mood of the people would reflect in the 2019 Parliamentary polls, said the electoral scenario could change. "The situation keeps changing," he said adding that the mood of the people cannot be fully gauged based on the results of the five states. "These are state Assembly polls. Nobody can predict the mood of the people for Parliamentary polls the heart of the people is like a deep mine," he said. DMK President M K Stalin in a tweet, said: "I congratulate Thiru @RahulGandhi and the @INCIndia party for the excellent performance in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and MP." The leader of opposition said that the results would "reinforce our fight against the fascist BJP regime and help in strengthening the grand alliance. #Results2018." "People have proven that democracy is strong," MDMK chief Vaiko said. CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan said that the results were a prelude to the Parliamentary election. Amit Agnihotri By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Hours after the Congress posted a decisive victory in Chhattisgarh and came close to the finish line in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, party chief Rahul Gandhis focus shifted to choosing the CMs.The issue, said party insiders, was ticklish and had therefore been deferred to be tackled post-poll as it required balancing power equations. The contenders in Rajasthan are former CM Ashok Gehlot and state unit chief Sachin Pilot. While young Pilot has worked hard over the past five years in revamping the party, Gehlot enjoys widespread influence among party workers across the state. Sources say the veteran leader stands a better chance as he has administrative experience, which is critical as the party prepares for the LS elections. In MP, the tussle is between state unit chief Kamal Nath and campaign chief Jyotiraditya Scindia. As the party has to depend on outside support, Nath is said to be better placed to lead the party. Nath wrote to Governor Anandiben Patel late on Tuesday night staking claim to form the government, a party spokesperson said. On the other hand, Chhattisgarh should be easier where the top post could go to state unit chief Bhupesh Baghel or legislative party leader T S Singhdeo. Rahul sought to play down the issue saying, Choosing chief ministers is no big issueit will happen smoothly. The Congress, it is said, also cannot afford to annoy Nath as it has done extremely well in the Mahakoshal region of the State, particularly in Chhindwara. Chhattisgarh should be easier where the top post could go to state unit chief Bhupesh Baghel or legislative party leader TS Singhdeo. Rahul played down the issue saying his focus would be on providing a new vision for the states.Choosing chief ministers is no big issueit will happen smoothly, he said adding that he had ironed out a lot of differences among senior state leaders before the polls and made them put up a show of unity. Ahead of the meeting of MLAs in Jaipur on Wednesday, Rahul sent his confidante KC Venugopal, AICC in charge of Karnataka, as the central observer along with state in charge Avinash Pandey.In MP, where Scindia met Nath state in charge Dipak Babaria would have to do a lot of balancing act, the sources said. Its experience versus youth For the record, both Pilot and Gehlot refrained from staking claim to the top post in Rajasthan but their aspiration for the high office is well known By Express News Service BHOPAL: After a day-long seesaw battle brought the opposition Congress winning 114 seats in Madhya Pradesh, the partys state president Kamal Nath sought an appointment from the state Governor Anandiben Patel for staking claim to form the next government in the state. A letter addressed to the Governor and signed by the MP Congress chief was handed over to the Raj Bhawan late on Tuesday night seeking an urgent appointment for staking claim to form the government after the official declaration of all results. In the letter, the state Congress chief mentioned that while the party has emerged the single largest party with majority support, it also has the support of the four independents who won the polls.We sought the appointment tonight only, but were yet to get any response from the Raj Bhawan as yet. We hope to get the appointment from the Governor on Wednesday, said NS Saluja, the media coordinator of MPCC chief. Meanwhile, the meeting of partys newly elected legislators will take place in Bhopal in presence of AICC Observer and ex-defence minister AK Antony at 4 pm on Wednesday. The legislature party leader will be elected in the meeting. Meanwhile, towards the end of counting which was still underway in a few seats in Mahakoshal and Gwalior-Chambal region, the Congress was close to 116 majority figure with 114 seats (leadings and final results), while BJP was a close second with 109 seats (leadings and results). As per the Election Commission official figures out of the 179 results declared so far, Congress had won 88 seats, while BJP had won 87 seats, followed by three independents and one seat to the Samajwadi Party. Also, while the BJP was leading in 22 seats, the Congress was ahead on 26 seats, the BSP on two seats and the Independent on one seat. In total, the Congress has on 114 seats, BJP on 109 seats, SP on one seat, BSP on two seats and Independents on four seats. With all four independents from Waraseoni, Bhagwanpura, Susner and Burhanpur being Congress rebels, the opposition party is confident of forming the next government with their support. Power play In a letter to the governor, the state Congress chief mentioned that while the party has emerged the single largest party with majority support, it also has the support of the four independents who won the polls. By Express News Service JAIPUR: Vasundhara Raje has failed to beat the trend of a new government every five years in Rajasthan. However, the tough fight that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gave to the Congress is a face-saver for the outgoing chief minister. In fact, her loyalists say she might have lost the battle against the Congress, but she has won the war within her own party. The anti-incumbency, the anger of youth and farmers and Rajes inaccessibility were expected to go against the BJP in the elections. Her image of behaving like a maharani did not endear her to the voters either. Raje was not seen as being on the same page as the BJPs national leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which is the ideological mentor of the BJP, was also understood to be miffed with her because of her decisions like the demolition of temples. Against these odds, her supporters said Raje had done fairly well and that it would not be easy for the BJP national leadership to sideline her. Although the exit polls had predicted the BJPs rout in the state, Raje managed a decent tally. In the run-up to the elections, Raje worked hard on the ground by organising Gaurav Yatra and 122 rallies in an effort to re-connect with the masses, a senior BJP leader said. In her own constituency Jhalaraptan, Raje triumphed over Manvendra Singh by over 34,000 votes. She has performed well for the party, too, and it is a slap on the face of those critics who were hoping that a bad defeat will jeopardize her political career. The Modi-Shah duos plan of marginalising her after the defeat will not be easy after the current results, another BJP leader said. The Raje camp also pointed out that the two elections that Ashok Gehlot-led Congress had lost were big defeats. The Congress went down to 53 and 21 seats in 2003 and 2013, respectively. On the contrary, Raje had managed a respectable tally of 78 seats in 2008, too, despite the partys defeat. Her detractors within the party say it was the aggressive campaigning by the Modi-Shah duo which pushed up the BJPs numbers. However, with Lok Sabha elections are just four months away and with Raje having a strong hold over state politics, she will remain a relevant player in the BJP. Raje, too, has made her intentions clear and signalled that she will hold to the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. By PTI 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. ALSO READ | Rajasthan election results HIGHLIGHTS With one winner yet to be declared, the Congress vote share was 39.3 per cent, half percentage point ahead of the BJP. In the 2013 assembly elections, the Congress' vote share was 33.07 per cent. The newly-elected Congress legislators will meet Wednesday morning to discuss who would be the chief minister. The All India Congress Committee has sent K C Venugopal as an observer to the state. WATCH | Analysis of Telangana, MP, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Mizoram outcomes "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. The party may rope in rebel Congress leaders who won as independent MLAs, that included former Union minister Mahadev Singh Khandela and former state minister Babu Lal Nagar among others. Few of such candidates were in touch with the former CM. 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 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 19 ministers 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 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. By Express News Service Looks like Dhruva Sarja will have to deal with professors on and off screen. The actor recently got engaged to Prerana Shankar, a professor at a Bengaluru college. Rashmika Mandanna is said to play the role of a professor in the upcoming film Pogaru. The film will be directed by Nanda Kishore and produced by BK Gangadhar, and will feature this fresh pairing as its lead actors. The school portions were shot with Sarja in the first schedule. The actor took some time-off for his engagement and will resume the next schedule sometime this month. Meanwhile, the makers have roped in Vijay Milton as the films cinematographer. The music director is yet to be finalised. By IANS NEW DELHI: Ever since breaking into the list of top five smartphone sellers in India earlier this year, Chinese giant Huawei's sub-brand Honor has been refreshing its phone line-ups with renewed vigour. The Honor 8C that hit the market barely six months after its predecessor, Honor 7C, bears stamp of the same spirit. ALSO READ | You could soon take 3D photos on this smartphone Available on the company's website and on Amazon India starting December 10, the 4GB + 32GB storage variant of the dual camera phone costs Rs 11,999 and the 4GB + 64GB storage configuration Rs 12,999. The dual-SIM tray also has a dedicated slot for a microSD card to support expandable storage of up to 256GB. And it comes in two colours -- blue and black -- with gradient finish. Honor 8C is the world's first device to be powered by Snapdragon 632 platform that Qualcomm introduced in June this year. The Snapdragon 632 octa-core processor is designed to provide significantly more power over the previous generation Snapdragon 626, with the addition of the Kryo 250 CPU, which boosts performance by up to 40 per cent, besides loading games and videos faster, according to Qualcomm. What works for the phone? The most striking feature of the phone is its design, which is quite deceptive actually. What makes the phone attractive is its light weight (less than 170 gms) which makes it a delight to handle with one hand and carry in a pocket. And this is despite the fact that it houses a large 4,000mAh battery which is very useful for those into gaming and heavy streaming. The FullView display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and the efficient processor make these experiences even more delightful. The 6.26-inch HD+ display comes with a notch and very thin bezels on the sides that give it a premium look. Unlike many other phones in this range, the plastic back of the Honor 8C is designed in a way that it actually looks quite classy. Minor issues that one may encounter with the back are that it is a bit slippery and easily picks up grease. The dual rear camera set-up and the flash are lined up vertically at the top left corner of the back, while the circular fingerprint sensor, which we found to be very fast and accurate, is centrally located. For moderate use, the battery easily runs a day once fully charged. It is a big and valuable update from the Honor 7C which was packed with a 3,000 mAh battery. The phone runs on EMUI 8.2 which is based on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system. The 13MP + 2MP rear camera offers a fully featured Pro mode, besides other features like panorama, wide aperture, HDR and portrait. The camera also offers an option to sharpen photos with Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities and can currently recognise over 500 scenarios under 22 categories. But when put to use, the camera worked better without AI enhancements. Especially in daylight, the rear camera captured adequate details and the colours appeared quite natural. Low-light photography was also not disappointing. What does not work? The 8MP front camera clicked pictures that were overexposed and lacked detail. Moreover, the face unlock feature did not work quite fast even in adequate light. In low light, it turned out to be even lazier. Charging the phone is quite a task as it supports USB 2.0. Conclusion: It is remarkable that the Honor 8C offers the edge of an advanced processor, strong battery and a good design at sub-Rs 15,000. But the Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000 segment in India is quite competitive. In the same price bracket, Xiaomi's Redmi Note 6 Pro offers extra features such as dual front camera and also supports fast charging. The Realme 2, on the other hand, provides the benefits of features similar to what the Honor 8C offers at a slightly lower cost. But overall, the Honor 8C is definitely a value-for-money phone in the budget segment. (Gokul Bhagabati can be contacted at gokul.b@ians.in) The artist is said to have left an impact on Picaaso, Matisse, and writer Andre Breton Google Doodle is celebrating the birthday of late Algerian artist Baya Mahieddine (1931 - 1998), born Fatima Haddad. Her self-taught style is considered by critics as a mixture of surrealist, primitive, naive, and modern, although she never self-identified with a particular style or movement. At the time, categorisations of art were dominated by orientalism and the exoticisation of the world that Baya was from and which was depicted in her works. Her work was fresh in how it resisted Western classifications, and was deeply personal, rooted in her childhood and her home. Her works are largely comprised of paintings, although she has many works in pottery as well. An orphan at the age of five, in 1947 Baya Mahieddine was under the informal guardianship of a French woman living in Algeria named Marguerite Caminat, who was well connected in the literary and art worlds. Marguerite was visited by the French art dealer Aime Maeght, who was the first to present Bayas work to the public in a solo exhibition at his gallery in Paris. Baya was 16 at the time, when her exhibition gained notice from renowned writer Andre Breton, who wrote the preface to the catalogue of the show. Her work went on to be presented in various exhibitions in France and Algeria, and has appeared on Algerian postage stamps. After her time in Paris, Baya went to Vallauris working on pottery, where she met the famed Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. She is recognised as an inspiration behind Picassos Women of Algeria series, as well as an inspiration for Matisse, and Breton. Upon her return to Algeria in 1953, she married El-Hadj Mahfoud Mahieddine, a famous musician, in an arranged marriage. She stopped producing artworks between 1953 and 1963, the time of the Algerian War. During these years, she had six children. She resumed painting in 1963, exhibiting both new and old work between Algeria and in Paris for three decades until her death on 9 November 1998. 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 PTI JAIPUR/BHOPAL/RAIPUR: The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energizing opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states. In a sign of increasing opposition unity, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati extended support to the Congress in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, while the Samajawadi Party indicated that the party could join a grand alliance of opposition parties to take on the BJP in the 2019 polls. In Rajasthan, the contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. In Chattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who won the Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T S Singhdeo. The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, far more than the 46 required to form the government, while the BJP got only 15 seats. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. After a see-saw battle during vote count on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: While approving the extradition of former liquor baron Vijay Mallya to India, the 74-page ruling of Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot of UKs Westminster Magistrates Court had some scathing remarks about the Indian banking system, particularly IDBI, which had granted Mallya the loans which he defaulted on. READ | India expresses 'deep satisfaction' over UK court's judgement on Mallya's extradition This is the most difficult decision of the ones I have to take in the case, she says in a chapter titled Analysis and conclusion in relation to a conspiracy involving some at IDBI. There was no doubt that there has been a catalogue of failures of the bank at different levels, both before and after the loans were sanctioned, she said. But whether it was by design, or a case of a bank who were in the thrall of this glamorous, flashy, famous, bejewelled, bodyguarded, ostensibly billionaire playboy who charmed and cajoled these bankers into losing their common sense and persuading them to put their own rules and regulations to one side, was a difficult question to answer based on the evidence provided, she wrote. However, the bank failed to abide by their own rules when it came to a new client and an example of this was that despite the low rating the loan was waved through. READ | Mumbaikars hail UK court's order to extradite Vijay Mallya In fact the first loan was granted even before the risk rating had been carried out....With a bit of care, the worthless negative lien on the hire purchase aircraft would have been exposed. IDBI, if it had looked more carefully at the loan account, would have been able to see where the money was going, she further wrote. Amidst all this jubilation over the court ruling, an Indian official remarked, we should not ignore these remarks which cut to the bone of the flaws in the Indian banking system. If we do, the celebrations will last only until the next defaulter comes along. By PTI MUMBAI: 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). ALSO READ | Businessman Vijay Mallya should be extradited from UK to India: London Court 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. By PTI NEW DELHI: A total of 500 Indian fishermen are languishing in various jails of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday. Altogether 482 fishermen are languishing in Pakistani jails while 18 are in custody in Sri Lanka, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh said in a written reply. However, he clarified that Pakistan has acknowledged custody of only 391 Indian fishermen. Singh also said as many as 174 Indian fishermen were released by Pakistan this year while 214 fishermen were set free by Sri Lanka. The Pakistan has also seized 1050 boats while 10 boats are in Sri Lanka custody, he added. Pakistan and India regularly arrest each other's fishermen who inadvertently enter into their waters due to absence of any proper technology to confirm the coastline border between the two countries near Sir Creek in the Arabian Sea. By PTI NEW DELHI: 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 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. ALSO READ | Madhya Pradesh election results LIVE UPDATES: Congress seeks Governor's appointment 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 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. WATCH | Analysis of Telangana, MP, Rajasthan and Mizoram outcomes 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". ALSO READ | Chhattisgarh election results HIGHLIGHTS "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. ALSO READ | Telangana election results HIGHLIGHTS In a shock 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. ALSO READ | Mizoram election results HIGHLIGHTS 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. ALSO READ | Rajasthan election results HIGHLIGHTS 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 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. 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. 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. By PTI MUMBAI: 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 news. 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". Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga will take oath as the chief minister of Mizoram for the third time in 20 years on Saturday. MNF spokesman Lena Jongte said Zoramthanga had received an invitation from Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan for swearing-in which will take place at the Raj Bhavan in Aizawl. After the landslide victory on Tuesday, Zoramthanga had met Rajasekharan and staked claim to form the government. However, the governor said he had not received the entire election results from the Election Commission. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had resigned on Tuesday soon after the humiliating defeat of his Congress. Zoramthanga, who is a former rebel leader-turned-politician, had served as Mizoram CM for two terms from 1998-2008. This election, his MNF had swept the polls winning 26 of the 40 seats. The Congress, which had grabbed 34 seats in the 2013 elections, was reduced to five seats. The Zoram Peoples Movement (ZPM), which is a conglomerate of some smaller regional parties, had bagged eight seats while the BJP made an entry into the state by winning one seat. Zoramthanga had on Tuesday made it clear that the MNF was not keen on the formation of a coalition government. He, however, had said that the party would not mind if the political parties including BJP, ZPM and even Congress, lend their support to the government. Despite such assertions, the BJP is optimistic about a coalition government. With Mizoram constituents of #NEDA will head Govt in entire North East. We worked towards it tirelessly for last 3 yrs under leadership of @narendramodi. Congratulations to Pu Zoramthanga for historic win of #MNF in #Mizoram. Meanwhile @BJP4India also opens its account in Mizoram, BJP leader and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted. The BJP is an ally of the MNF in North East Democratic Alliance or NEDA which is a conglomerate of non-Congress political parties, mostly regional parties, of the Northeast. Mizoram was the last Congress-ruled state of the Northeast and after being decimated at the hands of the MNF, the grand old party has been wiped out of the region. The BJP rules Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh and is a constituent of Meghalaya and Nagalands coalition governments. Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: The four-storey building in Bihars Muzaffarpur, where 34 minor girls lodged in an NGOs care were subjected to repeated horrific sexual abuse for months, was fully evacuated on Wednesday as the local civic body plans to demolish its illegally constructed parts on Thursday. Officials of Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation (MMC) evacuated the building, which housed the shelter home and the office of the blacklisted NGO Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti (SSVS), in presence of two magistrates and policemen amid protests from family members of the owners. The evacuation process was videographed and a detailed seizure list was prepared, said officials. The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the ongoing CBI probe into the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuses case, had given the go-ahead for demolition of the three illegally built floors of the building earlier this month. The family of the buildings jailed owner and scandal mastermind Brajesh Thakur had moved the apex court against MMCs demolition order, but got no relief. The evacuation process, carried in due compliance of rules, is over. The demolition of the building will start on Thursday. Considering the lack of space around the building, which is in a densely populated area, large machinery cannot be used and so the demolition would be conducted manually, said Muzaffarpur municipal commissioner Sanjay Dubey. Furniture and other material removed from the building were transported to the premises of Muzaffarpur Regional Development Authority (MRDA). CBI, which had sealed the building after gathering evidence related to the scandal inside it, had handed over the keys of all the rooms to MMC last week. Nicknamed horror house after the sexual abuse of the minor girls lodged at this shelter home came to light in May, the building was built in disregard of the civic bylaws, said officials. Its three upper floors were built without MMCs permission, they added. The sexual abuses, which came out in a social audit of shelter homes in Bihar conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), led to the resignation of Bihars then social welfare minister Manju Verma in August. She and her husband, a former MLC of Bihars ruling JD(U), are currently in jail in a case related to the recovery of illegal ammunition from their house during a CBI raid conducted in connection with the scandal. SSVS owner Brajesh Thakur, who was politically well connected, was shifted to a jail in Patiala from a Bihar jail last month after he allegedly tried to influence witnesses and erase evidence. By PTI MUMBAI: A money-order sent by a farmer in Maharashtra's Nashik district, who had got a princely sum of Rs 1,064 after selling 750 kg of onions, has been returned by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Sanjay Sathe, a farmer from Niphad tehsil of Nashik district, had sent Rs 1,064, his earnings from onion sale in the wholesale market, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 29 as a protest. A few days ago, the local post office informed him that the money-order was not accepted. ALSO READ: Maharashtra farmer earns Rs 6 after selling onions, sends it to Chief Minister "I went to the office of India Post in Niphad Monday and received the amount of Rs 1,064," Sathe told PTI Wednesday. "My only intention was to prompt the government to take some steps to ease the financial stress farmers are suffering from because of the crashed prices," he said. Sathe, who had taken his onion crop to Niphad wholesale market, had received a paltry rate of Rs 1.40 per kg. ALSO READ: Nashik farmer gets 51 paise per kg for his onions, sends money order to Maharashtra CM His act of donating the money to the disaster relief fund of the PMO by making a money-order had made headlines. "I wanted to draw the government's attention to our problems. I am not associated with any political party," he said. "I hope the Union and state governments will take some steps so that onion growers earn more," he said. Richa Sharma By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Candidates of smaller parties and Independents, including several rebels who contested after being denied tickets by their parties, winning 18 seats in the Rajasthan elections seem to have dampened prospects for both the Congress and the BJP. Smaller parties like the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party floated by Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal won three seats. Bhartiya Tribal Party formed by Gujarat MLA Chhotubhai Vasava in 2017 won two seats. Independents won 13 seats. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which did not even open its account in the 2013 elections, won two seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party, which was looking or an alliance with the Congress, won six seats; it had three MLAs in 2013. The Rashtriya Lok Dal won a single seat. In 2013, smaller parties like the National Peoples Party and the National Unionist Zamindara Party won six seats together while Independents took seven. People voted for candidates and parties that raised their issues compared to national parties. The Rajasthan elections were expected to be a clean sweep for the Congress keeping in mind the states trend of electing an alternate government every five years and the Vasundhara Raje governments fading popularity but the saffron party put up a tough fight. Smaller parties and Independents restricted the Congress from getting a majority. People voting for these parties show that regional issues matter to people and they vote so that their representatives rake up these issues, said a senior leader. Why is it always women and womens clothes that come to the forefront whenever there is a row about morals in Egypt If it had not been for our collective shock at the uproar surrounding the dress that actress Rania Youssef wore to the 40th edition of the recent Cairo International Film Festival, the worlds media would hardly have covered it. Had it not been for Islamic preacher Sheikh Khaled Al-Guindis new interpretation of the fate of our sexual organs after death, the worlds interest would also not have been redirected towards Islam after weeks in which the activity of the Islamic State (IS) group in the Middle East had seen a significant drop. Such events and their feedback in Egypt say a lot about the obsession with whatever is related to sex. This obsession cannot be understood without looking back at half a century of political, social and economic developments, or rather at half a century of deterioration. Some Facebook users lament the passing of the Good Old Egypt, the Egypt where people used to exchange smiles and greet each other with good morning and good evening without feeling the need to judge each others religiosity by insisting on using the greeting of al-salam alaykum (literally, may peace be upon you). They also sometimes share photographs of Egyptian actresses in the past who used to wear revealing yet elegant dresses without having to go to court to defend themselves against charges of violating societal values and morals, as Youssef did after her appearance at the Cairo International Film Festival. The morals of Egyptians are currently under surveillance. This has become obvious not only because of the harsh effects of the Islamism that invaded Egyptian life after the late 1970s and early 1980s, but also because of the fact that many now feel lost between the pushing and shoving of globalisation and the effort of clinging to their roots. The roots of Egyptian society have endured a lot, however. Extremist Islamist groups that have been left to grow in a political and social vacuum over recent decades have been strengthened by the return of millions of economic migrants from the Gulf where they worked and saved for years and the more classical infatuation with a Western style of life that has gone hand-in-hand with a longing for the countrys ancient Pharaonic civilisation. All this has bewildered the world and left Egyptians with a dire need of a way out. The only way for years has been women and sex, or sex and women, or women and women, or sex and sex. It is always women and womens clothes, or the lack of them, that come to the forefront whenever there is a row about morals in Egypt. Driving in the wrong direction, asking for bribes for official permits, occupying the pavement, seizing the inheritance of sisters, or harassing women and girls in the street and the workplace are rarely considered to be violations of morals. Instead, all sorts of justifications are given the turning place is too far away, salaries are too low, the pavements are the property of those who own shops nearby, inheritance should be kept in the family and married sisters can thus be deprived of their fair share, and girls or women are asking for harassment if they walk in the street. None of these are seen as morally threatening, but if an actress wears revealing clothes morals are endangered, and if girls wear ripped jeans, ethics are threatened. Those aged 50 or above who have survived the extremist version of Islam adopted by many over the past five decades now watch in bewilderment to see the reduction of Islam to talk about how to have proper sex, how to enter the bathroom, what prayer should be said before getting in a lift, whether Muslims should befriend Christians, and, last but not least, the regulations covering sex with a dying wife, the advantages of getting married to young girls, and even breastfeeding male colleagues at work. Such distorted versions of Islam stand in clear contrast to what Islam is really all about. Friends who find themselves looked upon as if they were infidels or non-believers because they refuse to regard women as inferior beings now consider themselves to be living in an Egypt that has nothing to do with the real Egypt. Their Egypt is one where women can wear a dress without having to jump from their door into a waiting car out of the fear of being seen and categorised as undignified. Their Egypt is one where lawyers do not feel the urge to take an actress to court because of a dress. Their Egypt is one where millions of peoples lives do not revolve around dignity that has been broken, and morality that has been violated, not because basic education is not available or decent health care is still a dream for many, but because an actress wears a see-through dress at a film festival. The dress that shook Egypt then moved on to shake the world. Why? Because the world was watching how the Egyptians apparently had nothing better to worry about than a dress worn by an actress. The world cannot understand why Egyptian prosecutors spend hours questioning an actress about a dress and claiming that it encourages immorality. The western media covered the issue by referring to an Islamic uproar that made the issue look like a war against Islam. It pointed out that the ostensibly secular authorities often side with the religious conservatives in not so secular Egypt. This not so secular Egypt found itself in shock when Al-Guindi said that people in Paradise will have sex, but they will not have reproductive organs. Aside from this unexpected interpretation, Al-Guindis controversial view of Paradise stood in contrast to the enormous amount of literature that has been accumulating over centuries promising pious Muslim men hoor al-ayn (women of Paradise) with whom they can have sex hundreds of times in Paradise. The idea of not having reproductive organs in Paradise took millions of Egyptians by surprise, especially since the religious discourse that has been sweeping the country over the past five decades has revolved around male sexual pleasures and women. Women have been paying a high price for a religious discourse that has gone astray and an identity that has found itself torn between modernity and globalisation on the one side and traditions sabotaged by Islamism on the other. Women wearing the full face veil, the niqab, or the hijab or veil, or not wearing either, have become the weakest link in a society overtaken by a loss of identity. The identity of the Egyptians has fallen victim to an imported version of Islam, a former political regime that traded the people in return for its own well-being, a cultural vacuum that has killed many norms and traditions, and the approval of a cross-bred form of culture that has nothing to do with the real Egypt. In the middle of all this, women, and particularly how they dress, how they talk, and the way they walk or breathe, have been in the crossfire. Society has become obsessed with women because it has been told that women and sex are the two sides of one coin. The recent controversy over the dress really said it all. * The writer is a journalist at Al-Hayat. *A version of this article appears in print in the 13 December, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The dress that said it all Search Keywords: Short link: Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The results of the assembly elections in Hindi heartland have triggered a fresh spell of political re-alignment in Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2019 big battle. The resurgence of Congress may now compel both Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to re-draw the strategy for an anti-BJP alliance and keep it open for inclusion of Congress in the state. The regional satraps --SP and BSP --- who had been maintaining a comfortable distance from the Congress after failing to clinch a tie-up in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, will now be compelled to give a second thought to their earlier stance of keeping the grand old party out of their alliance in UP. Rather they will also have to take a call on being a part of anti-BJP national alliance, led by the Congress. It may be recalled that as many as 21 opposition parties had met in Delhi on Monday to explore the anti-BJP alliance possibilities under Congress for 2019. But both SP and BSP leaders were conspicuous by their absence in the meeting. However, Tuesday results have changed the equations on ground in UP. It was well reflected in the gesture of SP and BSP chiefs who pledged support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where the wining party fell short of majority by two and one seat, respectively. While SP could manage to win only one seat in MP, BSP clinched two in MP and six in Rajasthan. Without losing time, it was BSP chief Mayawati who extended unconditional support to Congress on Wednesday but only with a stinker. She expressed her open reservation against the policies and ideology of Congress. "Even though we dont agree with Congress's way of governance, their policies and ideologies, we have decided to back them in MP and Rajasthan (if need be) just to keep the BJP away from power, she said while interacting with media persons. Mayawati also made light of the fact that the people in both MP and Rajasthan elected Congress in dearth of any other potential alternative. The political analysts feel that the language used by Mayawati while extending support to the Congress in MP and Rajasthan is a bid to send across the message that if the Congress becomes a part of the alliance in UP, it will be on the terms of regional parties. Similarly, even Akhilesh Yadav, who had famously said after the breakdown of alliance with Congress in MP that he had removed the hand from his bicycle, announced his support to the Rahul Gandhi-led party on Wednesday. We welcome the mandate. We didn't perform well but we would like to thank the public of Madhya Pradesh for supporting us. We have decided to support Congress in MP, he said in Lucknow on Wednesday. However, the SP chief remained tight-lipped over the alliance in UP saying his priority was to strengthen his organisation on the ground. On the other, basking in the glory of victory and equipped with the recently regained confidence, the Congress leaders in UP claim that any decision over joining SP-BSP alliance in the state would be taken only on the basis of the feedback of party workers. After winning three states, it is only psychological resurgence of Congress in UP where it has been relegated to number four position and has turned into a non-entity during the last couple of decades, said a political observer. Currently, Congress has two MPs chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi-- from UP and merely seven MLAs in the state assembly. The Congress might have remained away from power for three decades in UP but we have a strong organisation on the ground. The decision over joining any alliance in the state will be taken on the basis of the willingness of party workers. We will not be cowed down by any regional political force, whosoever, over the alliance or its leadership issue, said a senior Congress leader in Lucknow. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service In an unusual judgment, the Meghalaya High Court has urged the Prime Minister to enact laws to allow non-Muslims living in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to come to India and be given Indian citizenship. The order, which observes that India should have long been declared a Hindu nation, also said that nobody should try to make India another Islamic country. ALSO READ | Experts slam Meghalaya courts Hindu Rashtra observation The 37-page order passed on Monday said, I make it clear that nobody should try to make India another Islamic country, otherwise it will be a doomsday for India and the world.The single bench headed by Justice S R Sen made these observations while disposing of a petition by Amon Rana, who was denied domicile certificate by the Meghalaya government. The court directed the copy of the judgment be sent to the PM, Home Minister and Law Minister for their perusal and to bring a law to safeguard the interest of the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist, Christians, Parsis, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos as well as persons of Indian origin who are residing abroad taking their historical background. Even today, in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos are tortured and they have no place to go... those Hindus who entered India during partition are still considered as foreigners, which is highly illogical, illegal and against the principle of natural justice, the court said. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Just a day after the announcements of results of five assembly polls which BJP lost, a controversial poster popped up in some posh localities of state capital on Wednesday condemning PM Narendra Modi and propping up UP CM Yogi Adityanath as a contender for the top post. The poster which carried the picture of PM Modi with a caption: Jumlebaazi ka naam Modi and Yogi Adityanaths picture on the other with Hindutva ka brand Yogi written under it. The poster also mentioned a dharma sabha (religious congregation) to be held on February 10, 2019. However, getting the controversial provocative posters removed in no time, the Lucknow police claimed that it was a mischief attempted by Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena (UPNNS). The police lodged an FIR against the organisation under various Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 505 (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public) of Indian Penal Code. An FIR has been filed against Nav Nirman Sena, said Kalanidhi Naithani, SSP, Lucknow. Admitting to have put up around 50 posters across the city, NNS chief Amit Jani claimed that the results of the five assemblies sank in the hollowness of PM Modis false promises. He claimed that if UP CM had not campaigned, BJP would not have won even a single seat in five assemblies. Its not that Jani has indulged in such a mischief for the first time. He has been hogging headlines for quite some time by his controversial statements and acts. In October 2017, Jani was held and sent to 14-day judicial custody for posting an image of Taj Mahal with saffron flags fluttering over each of its four minarets and pinnacle. In 2017, Jani had put up posters in western UP with a call to boycott Kashmiri youths in the state. He had even floated Shivpal Yadav Youth Brigade in the aftermath of intense family feud following which Shivpal was sidelined by the SP leadership. Then Jani was quite close to Shivpal. In May 2016, Jani was arrested for threatening to behead Jawaharlal Nehru University student leaders Kanhaiyya Kumar and Umar Khalid. Earlier in 2012, Jani had vandalised the newly-built statues of BSP chief and former UP CM Mayawati in Lucknow months after Akhilesh Yadav had taken over as the state CM. He was then arrested and sent to jail for three months for the offence. Naushad Bijapur By Express News Service BELAGAVI: The coalition government came under attack by the opposition in the legislative assembly at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha over the worsening drought in the state as leader of opposition B S Yeddyurappa lashed out at Chief Minister Kumaraswamy for taking the plight of farmers owing to drought lightly. He said, The way CM took the critical drought in several parts of the state lightly is a matter of serious concern. Yeddyurappa, who raised the issue of drought in the assembly at the fag end of the first-half of the session, said 70 to 80 per cent of the total crops was lost due to scanty rains in the affected areas. He sought to know from the CM as to what measures did he initiate to tackle the worsening plight of farmers, whether officers concerned visited the affected areas or whether meetings of MLAs from the affected areas were conducted to take stock of the situation. Stating that the destructive dry spell could turn more serious in the next four to five months, Yeddyurappa said that many areas, including those which always received good rainfall, had been facing the drought. I would like to know whether Kumaraswamy government is still in slumber even as people in most of the calamity-hit areas are facing a crisis situation, he said adding that the manifesto of JD(S) was nothing but a bundle of lies. The leader of opposition sought to know what happened to the promise of farm loan waiver which Chief Minister had announced in his partys manifesto. The ex-Chief Minister said that the CM was supposed to waive farm loans within 24 hours of assuming office as per the manifesto. Kumaraswamy was also yet to speak a word on launching an Israel-model agriculture technology in the state, added Yeddyurappa. The CM should respond as to why did he not take measures to fix a suitable support price for crops as assured by him.Going a step ahead, Yeddyurappa lashed out at the Chief Minister alleging that the latter has taken people for a ride by becoming the CM by winning merely 37 seats. CM staying away from city to avoid people: BSY CM H D Kumaraswamy also came under attack by the leader of opposition in the assembly B S Yeddyurappa for abruptly changing the place of stay from the circuit house to the guest house of Visvesvaraya Technological University for the session. Wondering as to how could the CM stay 12 km away from the city in the circuit house, Yeddyurappa said, It seems the CM is not keen to meet the legislators and discuss with them to make the session effective. He is avoiding people who want to meet him with their grievances. JD(S) sources said the CM shifted to VTU guest house as its ambience was conducive for him to take a walk. Members seek more funds to develop H-K region Continuing neglect by governments to release funds for development of Hyderabad-Karnataka was questioned by several members on Tuesday. Congress leaders K C Kondayya and Shranappa Mattur demanded release of funds to Hyderabad- Karnataka Regional Development Board. According to them, merely B2,928 crore had been released between 2013-14 and 2018-19 against B6,012 crore set aside for the board. Also, the government is yet to release B1,500 crore for the development of basic infrastructure in the region, Kondayya alleged. He demanded that the government should immediately fill all 37 vacant posts of the board. Delegation to Maharashtra to end water row A delegation comprising Minister for Large and Medium Scale Industries, elected representatives of Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts will meet the Chief Minister and the Irrigation Minister of Maharashtra to discuss sharing of water between both the states. Member of council Mahantesh Kawatagimath raised a question that some parts of Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijaypura districts suffer acute shortage of water in April, May and June every year. On behalf of Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar, Minister Krishna Byregowda said, I will ask the minister to take a delegation to Maharashtra to resolve water problem. Helping road accident victims made easier The first in the country to extend legal protection to the good Samaritans through a legislation, Karnataka has gone a step ahead to make life easier for those who come to rescue of road accident victims. Law and parliamentary affairs minister Krishna Byregowda tabled Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during Emergency Situations) Amendment Bill on Tuesday to exclude a clause that said the good Samaritans should take the consent (express or implied) of injured person while providing medical emergency care for road accident victims. Naushad Bijapur By Express News Service BELAGAVI: Despite bumper sugarcane yields in the last few seasons, cane farmers of North Karnataka are fighting against all odds to eke out a living due to the non-clearance of their dues by sugar mills. The farmers put the blame on the state government for their plight. Leave alone clearing our cane bills, the lobby of sugar factories is so cruel that several cane growers have been thrashed by their goondas when they asked for settlement of their dues. Many farmers in Khanapur taluk, who supplied cane to Soubhagyalaxmi Sugar Factory in Belagavi owned by Municipal Administration Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, were beaten up. Belagavi Deputy Commissioner says the ministers factory does not owe anything to the farmers, says Eerappa Lakhmoji, a cane grower from Khanapur. In Belagavi and Bagalkot districts, which are major producers of sugarcane and where factories have not settled dues, most growers have sold their land or raised huge loans to meet expenses. Many farmers, despite having big lands and abundant yield every season, regularly work as labourers in fields owned by rich farmers. I have been working as a daily wage labourer despite having grown sugarcane on my four-acre field at Beedi in Khanapur taluk. Political interference in factory managements has worsened the crisis in the last few years. Despite earning a minimum Rs 10,000 profit from every tonne of sugarcane, factories are not ready to pay even Rs 2,500 per tonne of cane, says Lakmoji. To worsen matters, a large portion of cane in the taluk, which is surrounded by the Western Ghats, gets destroyed by wild animals. The government is not serious about paying compensation for crops damaged by animals, they say. A cane grower here cannot earn a profit of over Rs 20,000 per acre. His profit is zero if he is not paid by factories, says Devendra Hanchinmani, who owns 13-acre land at Beedi village. Crisis due to fluctuating sugar price While the government claims that factories owe only Rs 38 crore, farmer leaders put the pending dues at Rs 450 crore.Sugar mills attribute the crisis to losses they are suffering due to fluctuating sugar price in the international market. The financial position of many factories is so miserable that we have to ask the chief minister to extend financial assistance to clear farmers dues, said MLA Shrimant Patil, who owns Farmers Sugars, Athani. Sangamesh Nirani, the CEO of Nirani group of companies, which operates cane factories in Jamakhandi and Mudhol, has questioned the chief ministers intervention in the issue. Every factory has a different problem and it is difficult to find a concrete solution to this by holding just a meeting, he said. Most of the 65 sugar factories in the state have cleared farmers dues as per the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) fixed by the Centre for cane, but many of them have not paid the additional amount which they orally promised to farmers in the last financial year. According to sources, most of the 22 factories, except Ugar Sugars, in Belagavi district have cleared farmers bills as per the FRP. Sugarcane farmers in Bagalkot say 11 factories have to clear dues for fiscal 2016-17 and 2017-18. While five factories owe Rs 66.58 crore for 2016-17, 10 factories owe Rs 219 crore for 2017-18. CHENNAI: In a setback to Tamil Nadu on Mekedatu dam issue, the Supreme Court today refused to stay the permission given to Karnataka for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to construct a new dam on Cauvery River and directed the Central Water Commission(CWC) to file its response in four weeks. Today, four petitions including the three filed by Tamil Nadu State and one by Puducherry union territory on Mekedatu issue came up for hearing before the apex court. Tamil Nadu government had first filed a petition seeking an interim stay on the permission given to Karnataka. ALSO READ | Give up Mekedatu dam project, can't hold any talks, Tamil Nadu government tells Karnataka Later, filed a contempt petition against CWC, Karnataka Water Resources Minister and a couple of officials for giving nod for DPR as well as for obtaining such a permission violating the SC order. After this, Tamil Nadu also filed another petition questioning the dual role played by Masood Hussain as CWC Chairman as well as Cauvery Water Management Authority and sought directions to CWC to appoint a full-time chairman for CWMA. Meanwhile, Puducherry union territory government also filed a petition seeking directions to CWC to withdraw the nod given for Karnataka. All these petitions were taken up for hearing today. During the arguments, SC judges asked Tamil Nadu counsel why the State had filed an interim petition as already the Cauvery water dispute had come to a finality. Responding to it, Tamil Nadu counsel said since it was an issue connected with the Cauvery issue, an interim petition was filed. The SC judges also said Tamil Nadu would not be affected immediately due to the permission was given to the DPR and as such, the stay cannot be granted on the permission given. ALSO READ | Centre will support State in row over Mekedatu dam: Tamil Nadu Minister Meanwhile, AIADMK MPs stalled the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament over Mekedatu issue. They raised slogans against the permission given to Karnataka for preparing DPR on building a dam at Mekedatu. In Chennai, reacting to the development, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said the State government would consult legal experts on the next course of action on Mekedatu issue. VV Balakrishna By Express News Service HYDERABAD: In a nod to the Telangana Rashtra Samithis (TRS) governance, the people of the State have given their mandate in favour of the pink party for a second time. K Chandrashekar Raos gamble of dissolving the Assembly and advancing the polls as also his campaign strategy have made it clear that Raos repeat victory in the State was just a springboard to propel him to national politics. The TRS has won with an almost three-fourths majority, crushing the Grand Alliance of four parties - the Congress, TDP, Telangana Jana Samithi and the CPI. The main Opposition Congress and the BJP failed to retain their seats and their already dwindling strength in the Assembly has been reduced further. Political analysts tell TNIE that KCR had successfully used the Telangana sentiment to his partys advantage, ensuring a thumping victory. Though not thunderous by any means, the TRS chief, in his own inimitable style, not only managed to show his political rivals in poor light, with his intimidating and sometimes insulting comments but also succeeded in convincing voters to support his party. His constant refrain during most of his meetings, besides the references to his governments various welfare schemes and development projects, was: Do you want to become slaves of Amaravati and Delhi? usually followed by, Vote for the self-rule of Telangana. His best comments, ones that struck a chord with the masses, were reserved for his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu. Another major point Rao put across to the people with great success was that if the Congress-led Peoples Front was voted to power, TDP chief Naidu would command the alliance. Then the people will be forced to travel to Amaravati to get any clearances for any projects or for any development works. Not confining himself to one-liners and intimidating comments, Rao, from time to time, also resorted to the use of gestures to make his point. During some of his campaign meetings, the pink party chief flashed his little finger and said: Congress leaders seek permission from the high command in Delhi even for this (attend a natures call). By PTI ISLAMABAD: Accusing India of perpetuating "dynamic rivalry", Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua has said New Delhi's negative attitude was not only unhelpful for improving bilateral ties, but was also stopping South Asia from making progress and attaining peace. Speaking at a conference on 'Conflict and Cooperation in South Asia: Role of Major Powers' hosted by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Janjua said that India, by refusing to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Islamabad, was holding the regional body's summit process hostage. Referring to India's approach on ties with Pakistan, Janjua said India was "spinning hatred" and perpetuating "dynamic rivalry", according to Dawn newspaper. This, she maintained, "was not only unhelpful for improving Pakistan-India ties, but was also stopping South Asia from making progress and attaining peace". India, which blames Pakistan for several terror attacks in the country, has firmly told Islamabad that terror and talks cannot go together. She regretted that India tried to drown in controversy Pakistan's gesture of agreeing to the Kartarpur Corridor, for facilitating Sikh pilgrimage to one of their holiest sites, due to its domestic politics, but Islamabad ignored the Indian negativity and decided to "stay the course". "We are convinced that we will continue to try for peace and stability in the region," she said. About the new Pakistan government's policy on India, Janjua spoke of Prime Minister Imran Khan's first address to the nation after the July elections in which he had offered to take two steps for every single step that India would take for normalisation of ties with Pakistan. She said Khan in his letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi expressed willingness to discuss all issues that were part of the 'Composite Dialogue'. "Unfortunately we haven't seen the kind of reciprocation that was required," she said. The ties between India and Pakistan nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place. The ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The sentencing of alleged Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April over espionage charges last year further deteriorated bilateral ties. The two sides often accuse each other of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, resulting in civilian casualties. The foreign secretary also criticised India for "spending massively on force modernisation" and questioned the support being extended to it by the world powers in its acquisition of weapons. "Recently held India-US 2+2 dialogue provides India access to advanced and sensitive US military hardware, technology and weaponry," she said. She also took a jab at Russia for signing a deal with India for providing it advanced S-400 air defence systems. "This would undermine the delicate strategic balance in the region and beyond," she said. Reiterating Pakistan's position on the Indian arms build-up, she said: "Pakistan is concerned that such an arms race will be detrimental to peace and stability of the region. Pakistan doesn't subscribe to any nuclear or conventional arms race in the region." Janjua said Pakistan would continue to pursue its policy of "credible minimum deterrence" to maintain strategic stability and cater for its interests. Contending that Pakistan's foreign policy has been successful, the foreign secretary said it was proven by the country's counterterrorism operations, the progress achieved by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the emerging consensus on seeking a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict. "Our viewpoint on Afghanistan on the futility of kinetic approaches and merit of pursuing Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process is finding greater traction today than ever before," she underscored. By PTI WASHINGTON: The Trump Administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom." Simultaneously, the Trump Administration also designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qaeda, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern. "On November 28, 2018, I designated Burma (Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday. "I also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated 'severe violations of religious freedom'," Pompeo said in a statement. Observing that 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 asserted that the US will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression. Protecting and promoting international religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority of the Trump Administration, he said. "In July, I hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which brought together some 85 like-minded governments and more than 400 civil society organisations to harness global attention and motivate forceful action to advance respect for the human right of religious freedom," he added. Asserting that safeguarding religious freedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity, Pompeo said that these designations are aimed at improving the lives of individuals and the broader success of their societies. "I recognise that several designated countries are working to improve their respect for religious freedom; I welcome such initiatives and look forward to continuing the dialogue," Pompeo said. The US remains committed to working with governments, civil society organisations, and religious leaders to advance religious freedom around the world, he added. Nidhi Tiwari By Express News Service Google CEO Sundar Pichai was grilled by US lawmakers from the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Pictures from the hearing suggest that he was not amused by the questions asked. Although he strove hard to explain himself, his face said it all. Google CEO Sundar Pichai arrives to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Photo | AP) The committee inquired about a number of issues such as how Google handled the Cambridge Analytica data breach, search biases and manipulation of data and whether the company was colluding with China to give it a censored search engine. While it seemed a very serious affair, the questions asked by some members of the Committee served to unintentionally lighten the atmosphere. Questions people ask. (Photo: AP) The CEO arrived happy and confident for the hearing on 'Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use, and Filtering Practices' but did not know what lay in store for him. iPhones by Google? NO When Congressman Rep. Steve King asked Pichai to explain why his iPhone was throwing up random news articles, Pichai was forced to disclose to him that iPhones aren't a Google product. The answer did not seem satisfactory to King who added "It might have been an Android. Its just, it was a hand-me-down of some kind. Clearly, he had no idea what he was talking about. Descent into idiocy Pichai was asked why pictures of Donald Trump turned up while Googling the word 'idiot', with the inference being that Google was politically biased. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren wondered if Google wasn't run by 'some tiny man behind the curtain' rather than algorithms. Keep calm and answer on. (Photo: AP) Pichai had to explain that the search results were based on billions of keywords and factors such as relevance, popularity and search terms. The China Syndrome Lawmakers seemed a bit worried about Google romancing China again. Google and China had a fallout in 2010 after differences in opinion over the Chinese government's policies. Pichai put their fears to rest and said Google is only considering a possible search engine in China but not releasing it anytime soon. Sundar Pichai looks on as the session concludes. (Photo: AP) After three and a half hours of grilling, the session ended, making it clear that the Committee was technologically challenged. It looks like Pichai had the last laugh after all. Some US politicians are rounding on Saudi Arabia, pointing to Yemen, while ignoring the toll of wars the US pursued Politics is at its worst when the issues are blurred and confused, and ends and interests are obscured behind moral guises that everyone knows have nothing to do with the heart of the matter but that, instead, are means to avoid it. The short-sighted handling of the question of the war in Yemen in the US Congress in the Senate, in particular stems largely from the tendency to ignore the basics. Evidently, no one is interested in referring back to the historic roots of the Yemeni question, namely the Houthi coup against the legitimate government. No one cares to consider the relevant UN resolutions and the records of international mediation in the conflict. Nor is there a serious treatment of Iran, its regional ambitions and the aggressive actions it has taken in order to dominate and control Yemen, as it has done in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Congressmen confiscating the strategic and the criminal. They have totally blinkered themselves to cautions and counsel by the president, the secretary of state and other executive officials in order to detract the American public from their countrys historic relations with Saudi Arabia. Amazingly, the way the war in Yemen is being discussed amidst all this confusion makes it seems as though it were the only war happening in the world today, or as though suffering was not a property of other wars. The US war in Afghanistan is the longest American war in history. The casualties it has claimed and the destruction it has caused since it was launched in October 2001 are a subject that no one in the Senate cares to talk about. Innumerable records and studies document the forgotten war in Afghanistan. According to the database created by Marc Herold, The Dossier on Civilian Victims of United States Aerial Bombing, in the course of Operation Enduring Freedom at least 3,100 to 3,600 civilians were directly killed by US-led forces between 7 October 2001 and 3 June 2003. These figures do not take into account fatalities due to lethal injuries or as a result of the collateral damage caused by bombardment. Other studies give higher figures. Carl Conetta of the Project on Defense Alternatives estimated that 4,200-4,500 civilians were killed by mid-January 2002 as a result of the US war and airstrikes, whether directly as the result of airstrikes or indirectly as a consequence of the famines, epidemics and other humanitarian crises that the war helped generate. In another study, Strange Victory: A Critical Appraisal of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Afghanistan War, Conetta mentions that, as a consequence of the US war, at least 3,200 more Afghans died by mid-January 2002, due to starvation, exposure, associated illnesses or injury sustained while in flight from war zones. Similarly, a Los Angeles Times review of the US, British and Pakistani press found that the total number of civilian deaths reported by these countries newspapers and press agencies came to between 1,067-1,201 in the period between 5 October 2001 and 28 February 2002. The review excluded more than 1,000 deaths that were not clearly identified as civilian or military. According to Jonathan Steele of The Guardian, up to 20,000 Afghans may have died as a consequence of the first four months of US airstrikes on Afghanistan. The foregoing figures only tell us of the casualties from the initial shock of that forgotten war. The coming years would bring even more brutal facts. According to an Associated Press report, around 1,700 people were killed in 2005, including some 600 policemen who were killed from December 2004 to mid-May 2005. A Human Rights Watch report states that out of 4,400 Afghanis killed in 2006, more than 1,000 were civilians. In 2007, 1,980 civilians and 1,019 policemen were killed. University of New Hampshire professor Marc Herold estimated that, by September 2007, between 5,700 and 6,500 civilians had been killed in Afghanistan. Moreover, he said that this figure was very conservative because it excluded, among other things, tens of thousands of displaced persons who ended up in refugee camps without sufficient supplies for long periods. In 2008, 2,119 civilians were killed as a result of the conflict in Afghanistan, according to a UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report. This was a 40 per cent increase over the death toll cited by UNAMA for the previous year, which was 1,533. The Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM) gave a higher estimate for that year: 3,917 plus over 6,800 wounded and 120,000 displaced persons. The following year was just as harsh for Afghanis. UNAMA reports that 2,412 civilians were killed by the war in 2009, a jump of 14 per cent over the previous year. A similar rise would occur the next year. According to UNAMA, 2,777 Afghan civilians were killed in 2010, an increase of 15 per cent over the civilian toll in 2009. The following year, UNAMA used the first six months as the benchmark. During that period, it reports, 1,462 civilians were killed, another 15 per cent rise over the same period in 2010. UNAMA continued to report the counts of civilian casualties over the following years. It reported 2,769 civilian deaths and 4,821 injuries in 2012; 2,969 civilian deaths and 5,669 injuries in 2013; 3,710 civilians killed and 6,825 wounded in 2014; 3,545 civilians killed and 7,457 injured in 2015; and 3,498 civilians killed and 7,920 wounded in 2016. UNAMA estimates that 1,662 civilians were killed from January through June 2017. Wars are not a picnic. They are the most extreme form of the clash between right and wrong. The Saudi-led Arab coalition only embarked on the war in Yemen in order to help its Arab Yemeni brothers and to restore the legitimate government to the people. The coalition did not intervene in some remote country. It intervened in the south west corner of the Arabian Peninsula where there loomed a threat to Saudi national security. When the coalition forces took action in Yemen, they took with them caravans of relief aid for the peoples of the liberated territories while the political leadership continually strove to reach political solutions. Perhaps concerned members of the US Congress should study their countrys war in Afghanistan, in which the numbers of dead, wounded and displaced persons are higher than the toll in the US Civil War. * The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies. *A version of this article appears in print in the 13 December, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Forgotten war Search Keywords: Short link: Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Reporter Noelle McGee is a Danville-based reporter at The News-Gazette. Her email is nmcgee@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@n_mcgee). This footage from a Danville police squad car released Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, by acting Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. shows the June 12 traffic stop that resulted in officers fatally shooting DaNathe M. Gulliford of Danville. It is of very poor quality, and there is no audio. Williams provided some timestamps of important moments: 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). US commentator on Egyptian affairs Michele Dunne has been a constant critic of Egypt, with her ill-informed opinions reaching a crescendo in a recent article for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace In a long-winded, 2,900-word, deeply faulty article, you continue your deliberate smearing of Egypt, its military, its judicial system, its parliament, and its leader. This Egypt-bashing started long before you were barred from entering the country, and it is why you were refused entry. Lets start with this phase. You ignored the will and wishes of the Egyptian people in the 30 June Revolution. You told yourself that Egypts democratic opening might very well be over when, in the eyes of the Egyptians, their regaining of Egypt was the most democratic of all eventualities. You reckoned that the prospects of things quietening down after 30 June were unlikely, when in fact, and much to your dislike, they did. You cast an element of doubt over the 2014 presidential elections in Egypt, anticipating a great deal of vote-rigging. You assumed the elections would be a total sham, and you did not allow much room for hope both totally erroneous predictions on your part. From this point on, your animosity to Egypt turned into a vendetta. Not only have you aimed intentionally to instill antagonism to the country, but you even appeared before the US Congress to demand that the US stop its aid to Egypt. You seem to be on a mission to present the worst impression of Egypt to the rest of the world. All this is simply by way of a preface to your November 2018 article for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace entitled Al-Sisi builds a Green Zone for Egypt in which you go out of your way to find fault in Egypts New Administrative Capital. For you, the New Capital is where Al-Sisi will rule indefinitely behind a security cordon, with the echoing emptiness of the Capital symbolising that Egyptian citizens have no place in Al-Sisis vision. Your insinuations are delusional. President Al-Sisi cannot remain Egypts president forever as you well know, and your view that Egypts citizens are being disregarded in the larger scheme of things is simply bizarre. When two million Egyptians have been cured of the Hepatitis C virus in just two years as a result of government action, is it really the case that citizens have no place in Al-Sisis vision? When a massive road network has been built to connect dozens of new cities where millions of Egyptians will move from congested ones, and when thousands of new apartment buildings have been erected to replace dilapidated ones, do citizens have no place in Al-Sisis vision? Your idea that the New Administrative Capital will be a controlled-access zone separating citizens from the state is laughable, since anyone will be able to buy property and live there, and every government employee will have access to the New Capital. In a flashback to earlier times, you have applauded the way demonstrators burned down the National Democratic Partys (NDP) headquarters in Cairo and ransacked the state security offices after the 25 January Revolution, until Al-Sisi brought the whole democratic experiment to a crashing halt with a military coup on 3 July 2013. Ill sidetrack for a moment, Ms Dunne. Are you enjoying the anarchy that is now engulfing France? Are you encouraging that mayhem? Well, Egyptians werent proud of similar sights in Egypt either, and they breathed a deep sigh of relief when Fridays became holidays again and when they could walk safely in the streets without encountering chaos. You say that Al-Sisi has incarcerated 60,000 political prisoners from across the ideological spectrum. If you had mentioned that the majority of those imprisoned are members of the Muslim Brotherhood organisation that initiates most of the terrorism in Egypt today, you would have sounded more authentic. You say that those who remain in the country have chosen to keep their heads and voices down. Just a note Egyptians dont keep their heads down. They stand up straight, and they hold their heads up high. Sounding almost disappointed, you say that the Egyptian army has stopped fighting regional wars. This is a good thing, by the way. Then you continue by saying that Al-Sisi is reorienting Egypts economy to serve the interests of the army. This sounds as if the army is the sole winner in these endeavours, when in fact the current mega-projects, whether carried out by the army or private business, are for the benefit of all Egyptians. You also fault building a new Coptic Cathedral in the New Capital. Why? Because Copts will be compelled to troop out to the New Capital, and it will become a target for terrorists. However, Egypts Copts are being given equal opportunities, even if you are attempting to discredit such efforts. Fears of terrorism will not stop us from rebuilding our country. Your venom continues. The Al-Sisi regimes bullying approach to diplomacy led Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to threaten that Egypt would unleash a flood of migrants across the Mediterranean should European leaders not support Al-Sisi, you wrote. I suggest you word things more succinctly and respectfully. Egypts efforts to curb the flow of migrants from its shores has been extremely successful, as many European leaders have deemed. It requires vigilance, financing and political will, so please dont belittle the efforts that have been made. On another note, the Al-Sisi regime does not bully. In fact, the president has never slandered, defamed or bullied even the countrys worst enemies, so please stop embellishing such stories. We leave such rhetoric for other countries to exploit. You criticise Egypt for declaring the Muslim Brotherhood to be a terrorist group and banning its political party without mentioning its ongoing bloodthirsty efforts. You also say that political parties have been compromised in Egypt because the intelligence services have instigated leadership splits, financial problems, sex scandals and other maladies to ensure that not a single independent political party is left standing. Why would the regime fear the other parties? The majority of Egyptians are behind it. In the presidential elections of 2018, President Al-Sisi would always have won a landslide victory. You blame Al-Sisi for the way young people are underrepresented in the labour force. Does this mean he is ordering recruiters not to hire young people when in fact every effort is being made to create jobs around the country? Now, youth may only speak when spoken to, by Al-Sisi, in carefully orchestrated, invitation-only forums held by the president at the beach resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, you say. These forums are hailed as successes all over the world, but you denounce every effort, look down on every project and condemn every promising event instead. Al-Sisi made his intention to block any future mass demonstrations plain when he said what happened seven or eight years ago in Egypt will never happen again. You dont get it, Ms Dunne. Most Egyptians would back this proposition since it has already been seven years since 2011, and we are still only slowly returning to normality. Another bout like the one you propose would take us back decades, and we wont allow it. Your comment that Al-Sisi is far from beloved internationally is baffling. In all his visits abroad, President Al-Sisi has been met with nothing but respect. German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Egypt in 2018, a sign that relations between the countries are sound. Trade exchanges between Britain and Egypt are at an all-time high. On 9 December, African leaders flocked to Sharm El-Sheikh to participate in the Africa 2018 Summit. But you are unable to see all that. Another prediction on your part is that Al-Sisi will oversee amendments to the constitution to remove term limits so that he may remain in office beyond 2022, as approval from the Egypts tame parliament is guaranteed. Come back and say this again once a sign of such efforts materialises. Until then you are simply making up stories. You end your article on the following note. Egypts restless and resourceful youth, aggrieved Islamists, embittered businessmen and ambitious military ofcers, working separately or together, might yet nd ways to pull down Al-Sisis castle of sand. Dream on, Ms Dunne, dream on. The first step in any objective journalistic effort is to verify, but nothing in your article is validated or corroborated. Instead, it is built on sweeping fallacies and shoddy journalism, and your abhorrence for Egypt leads you to create far-fetched scenarios. Ms Dunne, stop going after Egypt. Let this vendetta be. It doesnt become a scholar like you. * The writer is a political analyst. *A version of this article appears in print in the 13 December, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: An open letter to Michele Dunne Search Keywords: Short link: One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Where is Fort Washington? Where is Fort Washington? That is the question Daniel Elliott and his associates, Rita Elliott, Kathy Mulchrone, and high school volunteer Rachael Walters, are trying to answer. Funded by a... Tignall store robbed at gunpoint; no leads yet This past Monday, on November 15, around 7-7:30 p.m., Wilkes County Sheriffs Deputies responded to a 911 call at Fast Trip number two in Tignall. According to the Sheriffs Office,... Wilkes County Emergency services conduct fire evacuation drill Wills Memorial Hospital, the Wilkes County Fire Department, Wilkes County EMS, and the Sheriffs Office participated in an emergency preparedness drill on November 17. Over 75 civilians were on hand... The Immigration Department will provide appropriate and all possible assistance to a Hong Kong citizen arrested in Japan, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said today. He told reporters the Immigration Department contacted the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as well as the Chinese Embassy in Japan this morning, following media reports that a man was arrested. Mr Cheung said the Government will monitor the situation and stay in close contact with the embassy. Hong Kong residents requiring assistance while travelling outside the city can call the department's 24-hour hotline (852) 1868, he added. Rogue Ales & Spirits has announced the limited release of Straight Outta NewportOregon double IPA in cans this coming January. This amped-up hop bomb is 8.7% ABV, with intense notes of tropical fruit and citrus.This is our biggest and boldest IPA packed with ridiculous amounts of Citra, Mosaic and Comet hops, says Innovation Brewer Michael King. The beer upends expectations for double IPAsit has huge hop character and flavor but is surprisingly easy to drink. More from a press release: Straight Outta Newports label art pays homage to Newports iconic Yaquina Bay Bridge and the Rogue brewers who collaborated on crafting this beer. By looking at the Straight Outta Newport can, you can see exactly what matters to us: our coastal roots and the brewers who create the incredible beers we drink, says Rogue General Manager Dharma Tamm.Straight Outta NewportOregon will be available in January nationwide for a limited time in 16 ounce four pack cans and on draft. (Newser) It was the largest slaughter of American troops since Custer's Last Stand 25 years prior: The 1901 deaths of 48 soldiers who were occupying the town of Balangiga during the Philippine-American War. As the AP reports, hundreds of male villagers (and, per NPR, a single female) dressed as women, armed themselves with bolos, and sounded the signal to attack: the peal of one of the town's church bells. Then came revenge: The New York Times reports the responding US soldiers were ordered to kill every male 10 and older; they also took Balangiga's bells. On Tuesday, what President Rodrigo Duterte last year called "the spoils of war" were returned. story continues below Sung Kim, the US ambassador to the Philippines, said Duterte's plea for their return was hardly the first: The country's presidents have made such a request for nearly 30 years. But Kim said Duterte's forceful July 2017 words made a difference: "They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage." At a ceremony in Manila Tuesday, Kim called it a "great honor to be here at this closing of a painful chapter in our history. Our relationship has withstood the tests of history and flourishes today." The bellswhich had been kept at a US Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo., and with the US Army in Koreawill be transferred to Balangiga on Saturday. (Read more on the dispute over the bells here.) (Newser) Porn star Stormy Daniels must pay President Donald 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. Trump's attorney, Charles Harder, had requested nearly $390,000 in fees, but Judge S. James Otero cut the amount by 25%. Harder also wanted a nearly equal amount in sanctions, but only received $1,000. Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents Daniels, tweeted the order "will never hold up on appeal," the AP reports. 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. 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. story continues below Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, still has a case pending in Los Angeles challenging a non-disclosure agreement she signed with Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen to prevent her from discussing the alleged affair. Although the defamation lawsuit didn't 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 Otero's decision and Avenatti said Monday he expects to prevail at a higher court. Avenatti also said he will be seeking attorney's 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. "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. (Things have been tense between Avenatti and Daniels.) (Newser) The woman whose 18-month-old son was violently yanked from her arms by NYPD officers has had the charges against her in that incident dropped. Jazmine Headley was arrested in Brooklyn Friday after a security guard at a city social services office asked her to move and she allegedly refused; the woman who recorded the incident (in a video that went viral, bringing attention to the case) said Headley and her son had been sitting on the floor because all the seats were taken. Police were called and a struggle ensued in which Headley's toddler son was taken from her. She was charged with resisting arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child, obstructing governmental administration, and trespassing, but the Brooklyn DA dismissed all those charges Tuesday. Headley initially remained jailed at New York City's Rikers Island on an unrelated New Jersey warrant, but later Tuesday a judge ordered her released, the AP reports. story continues below According to the New York Times, the executive director of Brooklyn Defender Services explained the New Jersey case Tuesday, saying Headley was in a car with four people when it was pulled over; police allegedly found stolen credit cards inside the car. Though Headley was quickly released and had only been charged with a misdemeanor, she couldn't get back to New Jersey for a court date and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was at the government office Friday in an attempt to get childcare benefits reinstated for her son, who was with her at the time because his daycare had just informed her the city had stopped paying his fee. The 23-year-old initially remained jailed on the question of whether she would be extradited to New Jersey; instead, she was expected to be released Tuesday but must appear in court Wednesday for the credit card case. (A woman who says she killed in self-defense when she was a teen was sentenced to 51 years.) (Newser) A century later, we can now blame a mine from a German U-boat for the lone major US warship sent to the ocean's depths during World War I. The USS San Diego got there fast: The armored cruiser listed and sank within 30 minutes of an explosion off the coast of Long Island on July 19, 1918, leaving six sailors dead, per NPR. But the cause was slow to surface, though researchers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center think they've now solved the puzzle. Dives at the upside-down wreck south of Fire Islandcombined with a sonar scan, computer modeling, and crew accountsrevealed that an attack from outside the ship, rather than sabotage or an accidental coal-dust explosion, was the most likely scenario. However, the damage inflicted wasn't so severe as to suggest a torpedo attack, reports Live Science. And none of the ship's 17 lookouts reported a torpedo's bubble trail. story continues below That left much to draw from charts showing German submarine U-156 off Long Island at the time, per NPR. "We believe U-156 sunk San Diego, and we believe it used a mine to do so," maritime archaeologist Alexis Catsambis announced Monday at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington, DC. According to engineer Ken Nahshon, either a mine was laid via U-156's torpedo tube or unloaded from its deck. Researchers say it's comforting to know crew members weren't to blame for the San Diego's sinking, which the ship's captain tried hard to prevent, reports Newsday. Those responsible would ultimately suffer. U-156 sank after hitting a US minefield in the North Atlantic, per Live Science. But first, it committed the only WWI attack on the US mainland when it fired on a Massachusetts town two days after the USS San Diego was sunk. (Read more discoveries stories.) (Newser) Bill Cosby's attorneys have been hard at work trying to overturn his sexual assault conviction, and their latest move in the appeals process spells out why they think their client should be freedas well as temporarily freed while he's waiting on more permanent liberation. Per the AP and Reuters, lawyers for the disgraced comedian filed an eight-page appeals blueprint Tuesday that cites 11 alleged errors that took place during his trial, many revolving around Judge Steven O'Neill. story continues below Those supposed mistakes include O'Neill having a feud with a pretrial witness, not excusing an allegedly biased juror, and allowing five other Cosby accusers to testify; the Inquirer has more on the other issues raised in the filing. While Cosby's team waits for Pennsylvania's Superior Court to rule on those, it has asked the state's Supreme Court to let the 81-year-old out of prison during the appeals process. As of now, Cosby is slated to serve three to 10 years for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. (Cosby ruined a Christmas classic, says the songwriter's daughter.) (Newser) Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou is out on bail in Vancouverand whether her next destination is her home in China or a cell in the US could be up to President Trump. In an interview Tuesday with Reuters, Trump said he would consider intervening with the Justice Department in the case it was good for trade deals. "Whatever's good for this country, I would do," he said. "If I think its good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever madewhich is a very important thingwhats good for national securityI would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary." Chinese officials have warned that the US and Canada could face retaliation for the arrest of Meng, who was detained Dec. 1 in Canada at the request of US authorities. story continues below If Canadian authorities consent, Meng could be extradited to the US to face fraud charges related to the alleged violation of sanctions against Iran. Trump said that he has yet to speak to China's President Xi Jinping on the matter, but White House officials have contacted Chinese officials and the Justice Department. Trump's claim that he would intervene to help trade deals contradicts statements made by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who called the case a "criminal justice matter" unrelated to trade talks, Politico reports. In China, Trump's remarks have raised suspicions that Meng's arrest was politically motivated, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. (China has reportedly detained a former Canadian diplomat.) (Newser) Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou walked free from a Vancouver courthouse Tuesday night after a bail hearing that lasted three days. She was released on bail of $10 million Canadianaround $7.5 million Americanafter BC Supreme Court Justice William Ehrcke decided the bail terms were enough to "offset the risk" of the Chinese citizen fleeing Canada during proceedings to extradite her to the US, where she is accused of violating sanctions on Iran, the Vancouver Sun reports. He said $7 million Canadian of the bail must be paid in cash. The five guarantors include a man who pledged his $1.8 million home. story continues below Under the bail conditions, Meng, 46, is required to wear an ankle bracelet and surrender her travel documents, the CBC reports. She will not be allowed to leave the province of British Columbia and she will be under surveillance 24 hours a day, which she has agreed to pay for herself. Meng is due to appear in court again Feb. 6 to set a date for extradition proceedings, which could last for months. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and US legal systems will reach a just conclusion in the following proceedings," a spokesman for the Chinese tech company said. (China, which threatened retaliation after Meng's Dec. 1 arrest, has detained a former Canadian diplomat.) (Newser) French authorities are hunting Cherif Chekatt, the suspect believed to have killed three people in a mass shooting near a Christmas market Tuesday night. Officials say the 29-year-old suspect was wounded in a gunfight with soldiers after the Strasbourg attack but escaped. The suspect has a long criminal record and is believed to have been radicalized in prison, the BBC reports. More than 350 French police officers and soldiers are searching for Chekatt but it's not clear whether he is still in the country: According to French media, he escaped from the scene in a taxi and fled to a district near the border with Germany. Authorities say Chekatt has served time in prisons in both France and Germany and was expelled to France from the latter country in 2017. story continues below Authorities say hours before Chekatt opened fire, authorities went to his home to arrest him in connection with an armed robbery and attempted murder, the Guardian reports. He was not at home, but explosives were found at the address and five other people were arrested. Chekatt was on a security watchlist, although deputy interior minister Laurent Nunez said no motive for the attack had been established, the Telegraph reports. "The hunt is taking place and the priority is to find this attacker," Nunez told reporters. Authorities say that eight of at least 13 people injured are in critical condition. While the search continues, protests have been banned in Strasbourg, but not in the rest of France. (Read more France stories.) (Newser) A street in a western German town got a repaving worthy of fictional candy maker Willy Wonka when a ton of chocolate flowed out of a factory and solidified, the AP reports. The German newspaper Soester Anzeiger reported Tuesday that a "small technical defect" involving a storage tank caused the sweet and sticky spill from the DreiMeister chocolate factory in Westoennen. After hitting the chilly pavement, the milk chocolate quickly hardened. story continues below About 25 firefighters got the job of prying the coating off with shovels and using hot water and torches to remove remaining bits from cracks and holes. Company boss Markus Luckey told the Anzeiger the factory would be back in action on Wednesday. Luckey said if the spill had happened closer to Christmas, "that would have been a catastrophe." (An overturned tractor-trailer in Poland caused similar chocolate chaos.) (Newser) President Trump's Oval Office argument with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi was the talk of the town on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the president picked up where he left off. Trump took to Twitter to continue his push for border-wall funding, this time trying to bolster his argument by citing a mass shooting Tuesday at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France. Politico notes the attack was located near the France-Germany border. Trump tweeted, "Another very bad terror attack in France. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security!" story continues below Then, in a second tweet, "The Democrats and President Obama gave Iran 150 Billion Dollars and got nothing, but they cant give 5 Billion Dollars for National Security and a Wall?" Senators are currently willing to approve $1.6 billion in funding for border security, though that money couldn't be put toward wall construction. As for Trump's $150 billion figure, it's a reference to the amount of frozen assets Iran got access to when sanctions were lifted as part of the nuclear deal; Politico reports then-Treasury Secretary Jack Lew calculated a lower impact of $56 billion. (The suspect in the Strasbourg attack may have already fled France.) (Newser) A Pennsylvania man who hoped to shack up with his girlfriend after killing his wife of 25 years will instead be confined to a prison bed for life. Christopher Leclair maintained his innocence even as a judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole on Tuesday, describing the June 10, 2017, murder of 51-year-old Karen Leclair as the most calculated and sophisticated he's seen, per YourErie.com. Before finding Leclair guilty of first-degree murder after less than two hours of deliberations in October, a jury heard prosecutors describe how the 49-year-old had plotted to kill his wife over a decade, ultimately shooting her in the head and tying her body to an anchor dropped off the couple's commercial fishing boat into Lake Erie, reports GoErie.com. Per the AP, Leclair's girlfriend had demanded he choose between the two women. story continues below Surveillance video showed the married couple setting out on the boat on June 10, with the husband returning alone. Despite evidence that Leclair asked his father (charged with one count of evidence tampering) to get rid of a .38 caliber revolver, the defendantwho initially claimed his wife fell overboardargued at trial that his wife shot herself amid her husband's ongoing affair. "It's a ridiculous story, another one of his depraved lies," a prosecutor said, per YourErie.com. As the judge put it to Leclair, "the depravity and depths that you went to calculate this murder are unlike any this court has ever seen," GoErie.com notes. Handed up to 17 additional years for abuse of a corpse, evidence tampering, and other crimes, Leclair was also ordered to pay $705,974 in restitution to the US Coast Guard for the search for his wife's body, found a month after the murder by a boater near Dunkirk, NY. (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) Things got heated Tuesday during an Oval Office meeting on border security between President Trump and Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. But while their interaction was intense enough to earn a spot in the late-night rounds, VP Mike Pence didn't escape noticedespite doing his best job to not be noticed. One comment likened his role to "a 'Weekend at Bernies' type scenario" in which he was propped up in the chair like the famous movie corpse. As the Washington Post and Hollywood Reporter note, the late-night hosts didn't let Pence, who at times looked like he was drifting off in his own mind, get away with trying to blend into the wallpaper: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: The host pointed out the "best part" of the Oval Office showdown: "Mike Pencejust sitting there quietlypatiently waiting to be president, not saying a word." story continues below (Newser) When the Boston Symphony Orchestra's selection committee heard 29-year-old Elizabeth Rowe audition, it didn't know her gender: As Geoff Edgers writes in a lengthy piece for the Washington Post, the orchestra's blind auditions dictate that a screen obscures the musician's identity. She landed her "dream job" as principal flutist in one of the country's premier orchestras, something Edgers describes as "the classical musical equivalent of cracking the Yankees starting rotation." But while her gender didn't matter at the very start, she argues it did in a big way later, so much so that she's suing the BSO. At the crux of the gender discrimination suit she filed in July is her salary versus that of the BSO's principal oboist, John Ferrillo. Upon Rowe's hiring, she asked to be paid what Ferrillo was, and was denied. story continues below She maintains that for the last 14 years, she has continually made that same request. Where things stand now: She earns $250,149 a year, to Ferrillo's $314,600, a difference of about $65,000. The BSO's response, per a court filing, is that "the flute and the oboe are not comparable." It told the Post that top oboists have more negotiating power because there are fewer of them, and that the instrument is "second only to the concertmaster (first chair violin) in its leadership role." For his part, Ferrillo describes Rowe as "every bit my match in skills, if not more so," and doesn't buy the claim that the oboe is superior. "Ever looked at a flute part? Theyve got to play a million notes. The technical standards are astounding." Read the full piece, which digs into the pay discrepancies across America's orchestras and discusses the case's potential implications, here. (Read more Longform stories.) (Newser) Michael Cohen's decision to cooperate with federal investigators ended up slightly lessening his punishment. The lawyer who made his career protecting President Trump was on Wednesday sentenced to 36 months for crimes including making illegal hush-money payments to two women during the 2016 campaign. He is to report for prison on March 6. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Cohen, 52, stood to get about four years in prison, with US District Judge William Pauley III deciding whether the attorney would get leniency or years in prison for campaign finance violations, tax evasion, and lying to Congress about the president's past business dealings in Russia, reports the AP. What you need to know: In advance of his sentence being handed down, Cohen had this to say to the court, per the Guardian: "This may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life. I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired." That admiration appears gone. He then blamed Trump's "dirty deeds," saying: "Recently the president tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct, but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." The AP reports he "shook his head slightly and closed his eyes" as the sentence was read. story continues below His lawyers had argued for leniency. Some of Cohen's crimes, they said, were motivated by overenthusiasm for Trump, rather than any nefarious intent. Before the sentencing, his defense lawyer said Cohen "came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country." Experts said Wednesday's hearing might not be the last word on his punishment: Cohen could have his sentence revisited if he strikes a deal with prosecutors in which he provides additional cooperation within a year of his sentence, said Michael J. Stern, a former federal prosecutor in Detroit and Los Angeles. "Few things spark a defendant's renewed interest in cooperating faster than trading in a pair of custom Italian trousers for an off-the-rack orange jumpsuit," he said. Part of Chris Cillizza's take at CNN: "Cohen is the fourth person to be sentenced to jail as a result of the special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller. (Mueller referred the Cohen case to the Southern District of New York.) The broad conclusion from those four cases is that the judicial system is not willing to accept the idea that everyone was a hapless victim here, or that no one really knew that they were doing anything but following orders." At the Washington Post, Adam Blake writes that Cohen's willingness to rip into Trump in court on Wednesday raises a question: "whether the speech was bluster or suggestive of something to come. Cohen suggested he covered up 'dirty deeds' almost routinely, which makes you wonder what else he might have told special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs team about such deeds." Cohen's courtroom comments on Trump may be just the start. Cohen adviser Lanny Davis said Wednesday that Cohen "continues to tell the truth about Donald Trump's misconduct over the years" and will "state publicly all he knows" about the president after special counsel Robert Mueller completes his investigation. (Read more Michael Cohen stories.) (Newser) The cause remains a mystery, but the physical proof is there. So says a paper published by doctors who initially examined 25 of the 26 afflicted US embassy workers in Cuba who were struck by mystery ailments in late 2016, reports the AP. Doctors at the University of Miami found those who complained of hearing a mysterious sound all exhibited damage to the otoliththe part of the inner ear that controls balance; they aren't yet sure if it's permanent. The study, published in Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, also countered earlier claims that those affected had suffered a traumatic brain injury; these doctors don't believe that to be the case. story continues below "Our findings are dramatically different from what concussions look like," lead author Dr. Michael Hoffer tells the Miami Herald, which reports mild traumatic brain injury is "known as concussion." "These people were injured," Hoffer tells the New York Times, contrary to some suggestions it was a case of mass hysteria. "We're not sure how. The injury resulted in ear damage and some trouble thinking." Hoffer also recounted what the patients described: a "force field"-like sensation that vanished when they opened their home's door. The study suggest that those trying to find the source of the noise increased their exposure to it by looking for it. As for the impact, he says that when the balance organ is damaged, the body essentially exhausts itself trying to maintain balance; he suggested that extreme tiredness could lead to cognitive problems. (Read more Cuba stories.) (Newser) The US attorney's office in New York says it won't prosecute the National Enquirer's parent company over its efforts to suppress an embarrassing story about Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, the AP reports. The agreement was announced Wednesday shortly after former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison. Cohen's crimes included working with American Media Inc. to buy the silence of women who say they had affairs with Trump. The president denies the allegations. story continues below Like Cohen, the tabloid publisher admitted it was trying to influence the election by protecting Trump from a damaging story. As part of the deal, AMI acknowledged it made $150,000 in hush money payments "in concert" with the Trump campaign with the intent of influencing the election. Per NBC News, the payments went to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The deal, which was signed and dated Sept. 21, requires AMI to cooperate with federal prosecutors in any investigation. (Click for more on Cohen, who got some leniency.) (Newser) An Alaska man who poached three moose and left most of the meat to rot has been sentenced to nine months in jail and fined more than $100,000, the AP reports. Rusty Counts, 39, of Anchor Point, shot the moose near his community over two weeks in September. He pleaded guilty Nov. 6 to 21 misdemeanor wildlife counts and violations, including wanton waste, exceeding bag limits, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor (his nephew, who was with him). Hunting regulations near the Kenai Peninsula community require moose to have antlers measuring 50-inches wide to be harvested. None of the three moose had the required spread, says prosecutor Aaron Peterson. "The working theory is that he realized they were sublegal and decided not to stick around to salvage the meat," Peterson said Monday. story continues below Alaska officials take seriously the harvesting of moose and salvaging of meat, Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh said. A bull moose can weigh up to 1,600 pounds and feed a family for months. A successful hunt is also a source of pride, Marsh said. "It's a really important part of our culture and tradition," he said. Peterson backed the hefty penalties for Counts as a deterrent to others. If Counts had salvaged meat from the first moose, he likely would have been penalized for a single hunting violation. "That meat goes to shelters, food banks. It goes to people who need it," Peterson said. "Instead, we have three bull moose that fully go to waste." Counts was fined $97,650 and ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution. He forfeited his rifle and an all-terrain vehicle and was sentenced to 270 days in jail. (Dozens of elephants were killed after anti-poaching units were disarmed in Botswana.) Red buses were introduced in the Kingdom to boost its public transport system, but many passengers allege that it has no way helped the system flourish. They attribute its below-average performance to unpunctual services coupled with poor customer care. A good number of Red Bus customers are low-income workers, who dont know where to complain about these unpunctual services, sources said. The sources also added that many a time the buses are stopping its services mid-way, forcing people to board other buses running in the route. When enquired, the customer care department of Bahrain Transport Company said they were not in a position to answer questions related to unpunctual services. Even the Android app launched by the company, which helps in live tracking of the bus, often, goes defunct, testing the common mans patience further. Many people, who depend on the bus service, are blaming the authority for its mismanagement. They allege that drivers cut the trip halfway, saying that their duty hours are done. While the authorities are pretty interested in running A1 service properly, they are never bothered about other services, namely service No.19, the only service connecting Manama, Salmabad and East Riffa, Santhosh, a regular commuter on Manama-Salmabad route alleged. The government is mulling over the possible launch of two more Initial Public Offerings (IPO) for two major companies in the near future, according to a minister. The IPOs for two major companies, Bahrain Duty-Free and Bahrain Airport Services could be launched in the next two years, according to Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Kamal Ahmed. Speaking about the possible IPOs for Bahrain Airport Services and the Bahrain Duty-Free, he said it could be launched in two years time if other investors get on board. We will work with the other investors and hopefully in two years we can have these two companies listed in Bahrain Bourse, he told reporters. Commenting on the recent listing of APM Terminals Bahrain on the Bahrain Bourse, he said, We are pleased to see this. I want to thank APM terminals, the company that is operating Khalifa bin Salman port as well as thanks to Bahrain bourse and SICO who has participated in this as well. All in all, we are very happy with it. Mark Hardiman, CEO/Managing Director, APM Terminals Bahrain commented about the companys IPO and listing says: The fact that people have participated in this IPO in such great numbers is a testament to not only the publics trust in us but also a ringing endorsement to all that is happening at the Kingdom at the moment. Visitors to next years edition of ArtBAB, one of the leading Art fairs in the region, will have the chance to experience a VR tour of some of the top art museums in the world apart from enjoying seminars, talks, and other attractions. Middle Easts first ever VR showcase of The Kremer Collection and Khora Contemporary will be featured in ArtBAB 2019 (Art Bahrain Across Borders), organisers announced during a press conference held yesterday. In-depth discussions on how technology is becoming transformative in the art movement will also feature during ArtBAB, organisers said. Conversations on art, culture, tech and commerce will also feature. The fourth edition of the art fair, which is held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain, will take place from March 6 to 10, 2019 at the Bahrain Exhibitions and Convention Centre. In 2019, the theme of the exhibition will be Legacies which will explore the nearly 50-year-old Bahraini contemporary art scene and its foundation in the Kingdoms rich art heritage. The exhibition will offer visitors a multi-layered and multi-dimensional experience through exposure to a Virtual Reality Corner that allows exploration of some of the worlds leading private museums and a diverse Speakers Programme that will bring together art foundations, cultural districts and museums with FinTech, Blockchain, AI and VR specialists. The Japanese government said Tuesday it will offer free rubella vaccinations for three years to men who were unvaccinated in their childhood amid an outbreak of the disease that threatens to dampen demand for travel to Japan. Rubella can have serious health impacts on unborn babies and vaccinations and antibody tests will be offered free, in principle, through March 2022 for men aged between 39 and 56 who were not vaccinated under regular public programs. The number of rubella patients in Japan has reached 2,454 this year, topping the figure for 2012 when the previous outbreak began, and the spread is believed to be mainly caused by unvaccinated men in the targeted age group. Health minister Takumi Nemoto said, "We have compiled the additional measure for the safety of the people. We will help municipalities organize (antibody tests and vaccinations)." The move comes amid fears that the rubella infection may bring about international repercussions such as through a potential fall in the number of foreign visitors to Japan. In late October, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its alert level for the rubella outbreak in Japan to Level 2, the second highest of 3 levels, warning that pregnant women should not travel to the country unless protected against the disease through vaccination or previous infection. Tests and vaccinations will be administered at medical institutions in residential areas from early next year. Rakuten Inc and Walmart Inc officially opened the first Walmart e-commerce store in Japan, the Walmart Rakuten Ichiba Store, on the Rakuten Ichiba internet shopping mall. The flagship store combines Walmartas international expertise in delivering high-quality U.S. brand products at great prices and Rakutenas strengths in online commerce to bring exciting new shopping experiences to Japanese consumers. The digital Walmart store offers Japanese consumers access to a wide variety of high-quality U.S. branded products, including fashion apparel, outdoor goods and toys. The store will initially offer approximately 1,200 products from a diverse range of prestigious brands. Orders will be fulfilled in the U.S. and air freighted directly to Japanese customers, with a no surprises policy that includes shipping, duties and taxes in the product price. Walmart said it plans to continue expanding its product range and adding new product categories from its international assortment to the Rakuten Ichiba store to meet customer needs. Walmartas Japanese subsidiary Seiyu GK will provide customer support for the store, leveraging its years of experience serving local Japanese consumers. Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, says the absence of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party... Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, says the absence of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the signing of a peace accord ahead of 2019 polls is of no effect. The accord was organised by the National Peace Committee which said it extended invitation to all 73 presidential candidates contesting the 2019 elections, but Atiku said he was not invited. While fielding questions from journalists at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, venue of the event, Abubakar, who is the chairman of the committee, insisted everybody was invited. You have seen the number of parties that have been invited. He will answer for himself but speaking for the National Peace Committee, everybody was invited, he said. What reasons do we have not to invite somebody? This accord was for all political parties to sign to be of goodwill and good behaviour during elections. If there is a break down of communications somewhere I dont know. When asked if this could weaken the accord, Abubakar said; How will it? One candidate? I dont think it will weaken the accord. He added that those who were absent can still come to sign the accord. Of course, they are open to come and sign the peace accord. What surprises me is that when we had the conference with the political parties he came out and agreed on this agenda, the parties agreed and it was the recommendation that the peace committee has taken. Ibrahim Jibrin, minister of state for environment, has resigned from the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. His resignation wa... Ibrahim Jibrin, minister of state for environment, has resigned from the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. His resignation was announced during the federal executive council meeting of Wednesday. Jibrins resignation follows his emergence as the 13th emir of Nasarawa town in Nasarawa local government area of the state. The Nasarawa emirate council had settled for the choice of the man who had been overseeing the ministry of environment since the exit of Amina Mohammed, who also left Buharis cabinet. Mohammed left after she was appointed deputy secretary-general of the United Nations. At a valedictory session held in honour of Jibrin, the president referred to him as Your Highness. Former governor of Ekiti State Mr Ayodele Fayose has said that a man who refused to sign the Amended Electoral Bill four times after it was passed by national assembly (NASS) of 469 Nigerians cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful, free and fair election.Fayose on his Twitter handle said President Muhammadu Buhars signing of Peace Accord wont change his desperation to remain in office at all cost.He also said a man who has turned all FG agencies, especially EFCC and Police to the attack dogs of the All Progrerssives Congress (APC) cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful election just by mere signing of peace accord.A man who refused to sign the Amended Electoral Bill 4 times after it was passed by NASS of 469 Nigerians cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful, free and fair election. Therefore, signing of Peace Accord won't change his desperation to remain in office at all cost. Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) December 12, 2018A man who has turned all FG agencies, especially EFCC and Police to the attack dogs of APC cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful election just by mere signing of peace accord. Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) December 12, 2018What is President Buhari's fear concerning this Electoral Bill? Can the interest of a single individual be placed above that of Nigeria and its people? Is he saying that even his party members in the NASS were wrong to have passed the Electoral Bill?May God save our country. Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) December 7, 2018Recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, chairmen of political parties and their presidential candidates in the 2019 general elections on Tuesday signed a Peace Accord as a commitment to peaceful elections in the country.The signing of the accord which was organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.Former Head of State and Chairman, National Peace Committee, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, said that the objective of the accord was to ensure peace before, during and after the polls.Abubakar said that political parties must seek for peace throughout the electioneering period, as elections would not hold without peace.It is also important that governance after the elections will be impossible without a peaceful environment, he said.More so the presidential candidate of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili said on Wednesday that she would sign the 2019 Election Peace Accord after missing out in the process on Tuesday.Also, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will at noon, sign Peace Accord in Abuja.Ezekwesili made her intentions known in a popular Ray Power FM radio programme political platform.Ezekwesili and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar were absent from the accord signing on Tuesday in Abuja.Ezekwesili, however, said the invitation did not get to her but that she would join other presidential candidates to sign the accord. Senator representing Delta Central senatorial district, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has said described the three years administration of President Muhammad Buhari as success story for Nigerians when compared to the 16 years rule of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.The lawmaker made the disclosure at Ughelli, Delta State during the inauguration of his 400 man campaign council headed by Chief Francis Atanoneyovwin.Omo-Agege while applauding the APC led government explained that the government has wedged relentless war against corruption and insurgency in the North East and is winning the war.He said: Through the governments laudable N-Power, TradersMoni and School Feeding programmes many Nigerians have been empowered hence we need to reelect the APC government to continue these programs.Here in Delta, Buhari has performed well through the intervention of the NDDC as it has constructed more roads than the state government who call themselves roads master.Chairman of the party in the state, Jones Erue while urging members of the party to be united and tolerant of one another, said: I will be the chairman that will lead the opposition to Delta State Government House in 2019 and I believe in the prophecy but we must forgive and tolerate ourselves and work in unity to win all positions. Controversial broadcaster, Daddy Freeze has accused his ex-wife, Opeyemi of travelling outside the country with their kids without his co... I just want to know where my kids are, thats all! ~FRZ She doesnt have my consent to travel with my kids without my knowledge! Is it even legal? What is the job of the Nigerian immigration service really?I just want to know where my kids are, thats all! ~FRZ pic.twitter.com/bdZWsnHhxR December 12, 2018 Controversial broadcaster, Daddy Freeze has accused his ex-wife, Opeyemi of travelling outside the country with their kids without his consent.Daddy Freeze took to social media to air his frustration on how Nigerian Immigration Service allowed her to leave the country.Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze parted ways with Opeyemi after allegedly beating his ex-wife. Opeyemi has custody of the two kids.He lamented that it is illegal and just want to know where his kids are.He tweeted: She doesnt have my consent to travel with my kids without my knowledge! Is it even legal? What is the job of the Nigerian immigration service really?I just want to know where my kids are, thats all! ~FRZ A former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan Doyin Okupe has been released by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC). The ... The Efcc released me on bail tonite within 48hrs as stipulated by law.I was treated wt utmost courtesy. I feel proud & grateful. Doyin (@doyinokupe) December 12, 2018 A former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan Doyin Okupe has been released by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC).The PDP had on Monday night by its spokesman, Kolapo Ologbondiyan on his official twitter handle announced the arrest of the Media Adviser to the Director General of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation by the EFCC.The Nation had reported on the 9th of December that he was summoned by the EFCC for documentation ahead of his arraignment in court over alleged N162million illicit payments to him and his companies by a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State.Doyin on his official twitter handle Wednesday night said he had been released by EFCC.He said, The EFCC released me on bail tonight within 48hrs as stipulated by law. I was treated wt utmost courtesy. I feel proud and grateful. Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday told Nigerian Ministers and other public officials working with the Executive arm of... Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday told Nigerian Ministers and other public officials working with the Executive arm of government that they were subject to scrutiny at all times on how budgetary allocations to their offices were used and that they will go to jail if they spend money without appropriation. The lawmakers also said it would be an illegality which attracts a certain jail term should any minister go ahead to spend money not appropriated by the Legislature. They therefore decided that henceforth, executive officials that fail to give a comprehensive account of allocations made to them would not have their 2019 budgets approved by the House. Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkiru Onyejiocha handed down the warning at a public hearing meant to scrutinize chief executives of 4 agencies in the sector on the performances of monies appropriated to them. The officials included the Directors-General of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), that of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); and Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), as well at the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet). Angry that none of the invited chief executives honoured the invitation sent to them to appear and defend their budget performances of the last 18 months, the committee which refused to take presentations from their representatives ruled that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and his aviation counterpart, Hadi Sirika must appear before the lawmakers on Thursday this week. While the FAAN DG was reported to have a scheduled meeting with the Ministry of Transport today (Tuesday), his NCAA counterpart was however said to have traveled outside the country on medical leave, with his acting head said to be in Lagos. The same reason was also given for the absence of the commissioner of the AIB. At this juncture, the Chairman of the Committee, Onyejiocha retorted. She said: The man is in Nigeria and attending to some foreigners in his office. My brother, I take exceptions to the fact that the AIB Commissioner is in Nigeria and hes attending to foreigners and has prioritised that meeting over and above a scheduled session with this committee, she said, stressing the toll lack of accountability is taking on budget performance. Now we have this attitude that leads to lack of accountability in budget implementation, because as we speak, we dont know how much has been released to them, how much has been spent and what it was spent to achieve. And in less than two days from now, they will tell us to accept their 2019 budget proposal and approve same, we cant take that from anybody henceforth. If we dont appropriate you cant spend, and if you spend without our appropriation you go to jail. The national assembly has been slighted to the barest minimum and the ministries and agencies are doing same. The ministers own is even worst because he always finds reasons not to honour our invitation and we are done condoning that. Whoever failed to defend their 2018 budget performance will not get a budget in 2019 and we will make sure that those who deliberately avoid our oversight will have no appropriation for next year. You cant keep spending public funds as you want without accountability to the people whose money youre spending, and as representatives of the people, we are here to tell you that is completely unacceptable. The Committee however took presentations from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State, represented by the training manager of the school, Captain Hassan Abdulrahman Jimoh. He was eventually asked to update his documents regarding a $1m simulator equipment procurement contract and report back to the committee on Thursday morning before the resumed hearing. Lawmakers also demanded for explanations on N974m budgeted for fencing and another N49m for water treatment facility at the school. Surprised that such a huge amount was said to have been expended, the lawmakers wondered if the school perimeter fencing covered the entire Kaduna state and whether it was establishing a water bottling company to have spent those amounts. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed plans to meet with all stakeholders including registered political ... The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed plans to meet with all stakeholders including registered political parties to brainstorm on the controversies trailing the Electoral Act and how to make the 2019 elections credible. Speaking to reporters, yesterday, after a media-gender sensitive programme organised by INEC in Lagos, INECs Deputy Director on Gender, Mrs. Blessing Obidegwu, said the Professor Yakubu Mahmood-led electoral commission is putting all measures in place to make the forthcoming elections the most credible in the nations history. Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari sparked controversies when, for the fourth time he refused to put assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Against that background, Mrs. Obidiegwu said: the commission has plans of meeting with stakeholders this week and I believe there will be a lasting solution. I am confident that with the level of our preparation, we will have credible elections come 2019. INEC is doing a lot to make 2019 most credible. We started with planning. We have looked at our processes and plans, also looked at the technology we will deploy and we are engaging stakeholders like political parties, civil societies and the media. We appeal to other stakeholder to be part of making 2019 elections the most credible ever as the commission cannot do it alone. The INEC Gender Director had earlier decried the under-reporting and participation of women politicians in past elections, saying: The commission is trying to get women involved in the 2019 elections by enhancing their participation in the electoral process and one of the ways is to get women politicians reported positively by journalists. This was why the commission put up a seminar on gender-sensitive reporting on election. The Federal Government, yesterday, lamented that the country ranked second amongst all nations in the world still practising open defecation.The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu said this at the commissioning of Kamomi Aketi accelerated water scheme at Ayede Ogbese community in Akure, Ondo State.Adamu said: The country today still has significant challenges of access to adequate Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH.Recent statistics from WASH-NORM, National Outcome Routine Mapping, Survey indicate that about 67.9 % of our population have access to improved water supply from all sources while 41.5 % have access to basic sanitation facilities.The consequences of lack of access to adequate water supply and sanitation are huge in terms of economic losses, high prevalence of water-related diseases, reduced school enrolment and attendance, loss of dignity, more risks of insecurity and violence against women and children.Governments at all levels need to work extra hard to put a stop to all these avoidable consequence in our dear country.Earlier, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said the scheme was part of the state governments efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goal, SDG, by 2030.Akeredolu said: As part of our avowed commitment to improving the well-being of our people, our administration embarked upon a two-prong approach to revitalize Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Ondo State with special focus on rural and urban water supply utilizing slightly different strategies.We, therefore, came up with Kamomi Concept which has brought on board the ongoing rehabilitation of all non-functional boreholes. The US has designated Boko Haram as an entity of particular concern. NAN quoted Michael Pompeo, US secretary of state, as saying... The US has designated Boko Haram as an entity of particular concern. NAN quoted Michael Pompeo, US secretary of state, as saying this in a statement on Tuesday. Boko Haram was put in the same category as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), al-Qaida and al-Shabab. Many lives have been lost and several displaced as a result of the activities of Boko Haram in 2018 alone. Pompeo said Saudi Arabia, Iran, Burma, North Korea, among others are countries of particular concern, while Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan were put on a special watch list. The US secretary of state expressed concern that people in different countries across the world people face harassment, arrests and death for living their lives in accordance with their beliefs. On November 28, 2018, I designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom, he said. I also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. Finally, I designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qaida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as entities of particular concern. The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression. Protecting and promoting international religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority of the Trump administration. In July, I hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which brought together some 85 like-minded governments and more than 400 civil society organisations to harness global attention and motivate forceful action to advance respect for the human right of religious freedom. Pompeo said safeguarding religious freedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability and prosperity across the world. These designations are aimed at improving the lives of individuals and the broader success of their societies, he said. I recognise that several designated countries are working to improve their respect for religious freedom. I welcome such initiatives and look forward to continuing the dialogue. The United States remains committed to working with governments, civil society organisations, and religious leaders to advance religious freedom around the world. More presidential candidates in the 2019 election have claimed they were not invited to the national peace accord meeting on Tuesday. ... More presidential candidates in the 2019 election have claimed they were not invited to the national peace accord meeting on Tuesday. Donald Duke of Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Omoyele Sowore of Action Alliance said that they received no invitation regarding the programme which held in Abuja. Responding to enquiries on the matter, Duke said we did not get any invitation while Sowore also noted that he was not invited. Apart from the duo, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) were also absent. Ezekwesili and Moghalu did not pick calls and are yet to respond to text messages to determine why they were absent. Just like Duke and Sowore, Atiku had also said he was not invited to the programme which had President Muhammadu Buhari in attendance. However, the National Peace Committee, which organised the event, had said invitations were sent to all 73 presidential candidates contesting the 2019 elections. Abdulsalami Abubakar, chairman of the committee, had said there was no reason to exempt any of the candidates and that if there is a break down of communications somewhere, I dont know. WHY IS THE PEACE DEAL IMPORTANT? Abubakar said the objective of the peace deal was for all political parties to sign to be of goodwill and good behaviour during elections. A similar accord was signed in the build-up of the 2015 elections, with the major presidential candidates committing to a peaceful poll and to also accept defeat. The accord is believed to be a major contributor to the relatively peaceful conduct of the election that year. Deontay Wilder has goaded long-time rival Anthony Joshua by suggesting the IBF, WBA and WBO champion is now begging to fight him.The American maintained his unbeaten record and kept his WBC strap after the split decision draw with Tyson Fury earlier this month despite being dominated for long stretches in Los Angeles.A rematch between the two appears almost certain after the controversial nature of the result but Joshua, who as yet does not have a next opponent scheduled, has long been a target.Wilder and Joshua have been in negotiations over a world title unification clash for some time with the Alabama-born fighter insisting Eddie Hearn and the rest of the Brits team are growing increasingly desperate.Theyre definitely begging now. Hes trying to reach out all of a sudden, he said on Joe Rogans podcast. His management have been trying to reach out to mine as well.He could have had this opportunity, he had many opportunities; he could have fought Luis Ortiz, he could have fought me, he had a chance to fight (Tyson) Fury.But people want to know whos the best, especially after seeing this Fury fight, and Ive been trying to show people who is the best. Im always going to say Im the best until Im defeated.The WBC have sanctioned a rematch between Wilder and Fury but Hearn insists the American should choose to fight his man next instead.The WBC thing is totally irrelevant and shame on any reporter that reported it as The WBC order a rematch because they havent ordered a rematch, he said.Theyve said theyll sanction a rematch. There is a mandatory due and thats Dominic Breazeale and theyre basically saying they would approve this fight we encourage it and we would sanction it, we basically give it our blessing. Russell Brooks, a public affairs officer at the US consulate in Lagos, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of not comprehen... Russell Brooks, a public affairs officer at the US consulate in Lagos, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of not comprehending why the country harped on the need for a credible and peaceful election in 2015. The envoy said this while reacting to Jonathans claim that the Barack Obama, former US president, interfered with the countrys 2015 election. Recall that Jonathan had in his book criticised the American government over the election. The former president wrote: On March 23, 2015, President Obama himself took the unusual step of releasing a video message directly to Nigerians all but telling them how to vote. In that video, Obama urged Nigerians to open the next chapter by their votes. Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government. The message was so condescending, it was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them. But speaking during a live Facebook chat on Tuesday, Brooks accused Jonathan of mischaracterisation. Asked by Aghogho Oboh, a broadcaster and the chat anchor, to respond to Jonathans claim, 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. He said considering the history of election violence in Nigeria, the US felt it was important to have a credible and fair election in 2015. MOSCOW, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Statements by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Twitter about the landing of Russian strategic bombers in Venezuela are unacceptable and unprofessional, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. "What has been said by the U.S. secretary of state is unacceptable, not to mention that it is completely unprofessional," the ministry said in a statement. Earlier in the day, a group of four Russian military aircraft, namely two Tu-160 strategic bombers, a heavy An-124 military transport aircraft and an Il-62 long-range aircraft of the Russian aerospace forces, landed in Venezuela. Pompeo tweeted that the sending of the aircraft is "two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer." The foreign ministry also slammed Washington for squandering money on Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and other places, saying the effectiveness of the implementation of the "colossal U.S. military budget" is quite doubtful. "Before counting money in someone else's pocket, Washington should pay attention to how its own money is spent," it said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier also blasted Pompeo's remarks as "undiplomatic and inappropriate." On Wednesday, Russian and Venezuelan defense ministers met in Moscow and discussed bilateral military technical cooperation, during which the Russian side said it expected the practice of flights of Russian military aircraft to Venezuela's airfields would continue. 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. 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. 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 U.S. tactic to press Islamabad into reforms. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had designated Pakistan among "countries of particular concern" in a congressionally mandated annual report, meaning the U.S. government is obliged to exert pressure to end freedom violations. 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. 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 the Comoros, the Indian Ocean archipelago that is almost exclusively Sunni Muslim. Slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi is among a group of journalists who were named TIME magazine's "Person of the Year" Tuesday. The publication recognizes a person or a group of people who most influenced the news and world affairs over the past year "for better or for worse." Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal announced on NBC's "Today" show the 2018 person of the year are the "guardians and the war on truth." In addition to Khashoggi, the other "guardians" are the staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where five members were killed in a mass shooting at the newspaper's offices in June. Also honored were Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who was arrested on tax evasion charges, and Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been imprisoned in Myanmar for nearly a year. 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. Asia Pulp & Paper Enters Corrugated Container Joint Venture Agreement with Japan's Oji Holdings The new venture, PT Oji Sinar Mas Packaging, will be based in Bekasi City, West Java and produce corrugated cardboard and containers. Dec. 12, 2018 (Press Release) - PT Purinusa Ekapersada, an Asia Pulp & Paper company, and Oji Holdings Corporation have agreed to enter into a US$35 million joint venture to set up a new converting factory in Indonesia. The new venture, PT Oji Sinar Mas Packaging, will produce corrugated cardboard and containers to meet growing domestic demand in Indonesia. The new factory will be based in Bekasi City, West Java, and is expected to come online in January 2020. It is expected to produce 5,000 tons of cardboard from recycled material each month. For decades, Indonesia and Japan have cultivated strong economic ties, and today's joint venture announcement is the latest demonstration of that special relationship, said, Andre Ridwan, Head, Corrugated Carton Business Unit, Asia Pulp & Paper, The PT Oji Sinar Mas Packaging partnership will leverage our respective strengths, in the efficient and sustainable production of quality wood-based products, and to open up new markets and deepen relationships with discerning customers in Indonesia. Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), part of Sinarmas, is a trade name for a group of pulp and paper manufacturing companies in Indonesia and China. To learn more, please visit: www.asiapulppaper.com . SOURCE: Asia Pulp & Paper Valmet to Supply Web Monitoring System to Mayr-Melnhof Karton in Frohnleiten, Austria Valmet's delivery consists of a Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System (WMS) with 51 cameras throughout the whole production process on KM3. Dec. 12, 2018 - Valmet will supply a Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System to Mayr-Melnhof Karton's KM3 board machine in Frohnleiten, Austria. The system will improve the overall production efficiency. Typically, the order value of these kinds of automation system deliveries is below EUR one million, Valmet said. Valmet's delivery consists of a Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System (WMS) with 51 cameras throughout the whole production process on KM3. The high-speed cameras will monitor critical process areas and help the operators analyze the root causes of web runnability disturbances. According to Valmet, key benefits for the mill are faster break recovery and preventive troubleshooting with leading technology camera equipment and video analysis tools. With a trim width of 4.4 m, KM3 produces recycled and barrier coated cartonboard in the weight range from 230 to 380 gsm. Mayr-Melnhof Karton's Frohnleiten Mill has the capacity to produce 520,000 tons per year of recycled cartonboard on two machines. Mayr-Melnhof Karton is the world's largest producer of coated recycled fiber-based cartonboard with a significant position in virgin fiber-based cartonboard. With an annual production capacity exceeding 1.7 million tons, approx. 80% is accounted for by recycled fiber-based cartonboard and approx. 20% by virgin fiber-based cartonboard. Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. To learn more, please visit: www.valmet.com SOURCE: Valmet Taiwan is reinforcing 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. 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 Huawei's 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. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions US, EU exports to Iran soar despite sanctions 12/12/18 Source: Press TV The US and Europe diverge on the need to uphold a landmark nuclear deal with Iran, but their trade path has taken a curiously similar trajectory since Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran in August. While Iran's exports to the United States almost reached zero in October, its imports from the country grew, a month after the first round of the sanctions was imposed, new data has shown. Meanwhile, German exports to the Islamic Republic soared during the period. Official figures by the Federal Statistics Office showed German companies exported almost 400 million euros ($455 million) to Iran in October, a rise of 85 percent year-on-year. Chemicals made up about half the German goods and machines and plant equipment accounted for a third, Reuters reported. German exports to Iran grew by 4 percent to 2.4 billion euros in the first 10 months of this year, with Michael Tockuss of the German-Iranian Chambers of Commerce and Industry expecting them to continue growing. The report is one rare piece of good news in an ongoing struggle to keep European trade with Iran on track. For months, the Europeans have been working on a virtual clearing house to process Iran-related transactions independent of the US. The three main countries behind the initiative - Germany, France and the UK - say they have set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to facilitate non-dollar trade with Iran. However, they appear to be passing the buck on who should take the responsibility for the system and house it. Last month, Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said he had warned the Europeans that Iranian patience was wearing thin. Salehi said while the European Union's efforts were encouraging, "we have not yet seen any tangible results." Iran is disappointed with a mass exodus of major European companies which began even before the sanctions kicked in after President Donald Trump announced pulling the US out of the nuclear deal in May. In quitting Iran, multinational European firms ignored pleas by their governments to stay their ground and continue trade. Among German companies, engineering group Siemens, state-owned Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Bahn, car manufacturer Daimler and mechanical engineering company Herrenknecht were the first to leave Iran. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) stayed behind. According to Tockuss, SMEs or Mittelstand provided most of the exports to Iran in October. Around 1,000 German Mittelstand companies reportedly have business ties to Iran and 130 have set up branches in the country. "Thousands of small- and medium-sized German companies that have nothing to do with the United States can easily trade with Iran," former German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said last month. Gabriel visited Iran at the head of an economic delegation of chief executives and representatives of German companies. "We wholeheartedly support and welcome the cooperation of SMEs of the two countries," Germany's Ambassador to Tehran Michael Klor-Berchtold said then. Tockuss told DW last month that he expected SMEs to carry out 200 million euros-250 million euros a month of German exports to Iran even under the US sanctions. According to figures released by the US Census Bureau, Iranian exports sharply declined even as Iran's imports from the United States continued at their highest level in October. Iran's exports to US between January and August rose by 35 percent to $67.5 million, but have plummeted close to zero since then, the US figures showed. In the eight months since January, US exports to Iran soared 273 percent year-on-year to about $410 million and have kept steady since. The ruling New Patriotic Partys (NPPs) 2016 manifesto promise to construct 10 coastal fishing harbours and landing sites will soon see the light of the day as the Information Minister, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in his biweekly media briefing has revealed the construction is awaiting Parliamentary approval. According to the Information Minister, Cabinet has approved the commercial and financial agreement for these projects, adding that a recommendation has been made to Parliament for consideration and approval in order to commence the construction. He mentioned that a total amount of 235 million dollars has been earmarked for these projects situated in the 10 selected coastal areas. The governments vision, according to the Information Minister is to transform Ghanas fishing industry as clearly stated in the NPPs 2016 manifesto, under Agriculture and Rural Development. . . Top on the agenda for fisheries will be the programme of building landing sites and storage facilities, the Information Minister quoted from the NPP's 2016 manifesto. Touching on the benefit of the projects, the Ofoase-Ayirebi lawmaker said the development of the fish landing sites and ports is aimed at ensuring safe guard launching and landing of particularly, artisanal fishing and canoes. It is also aimed at creating and maintaining a hygienic environment for the processing and handling of fish. Preventing and minimising post harvest losses and adding value to the fish caught by artisanal fishermen, he stressed. The ten identified sites where the landing sites and related facilities will be constructed as mentioned by the Information Minister include Teshie in the Greater Accra Region, Axim and Dixcove in the Western Region, Keta in the Volta Region and Elmina, Winneba, Mumford, Senya-Bereku, Fetteh-Gomah, and Moree, all in the Central Region. The fisheries sector plays a major role in the Ghanaian national economy. It contributes to 3% of GDP and also has significant indirect contributions to the economy. These include employment opportunities for marine fishermen, boat-yards workers, suppliers of auxiliary goods, services etc and exporting of the fish products to earn foreign exchange for the country. The Information Minister therefore estimated that upon completion of these projects, the exports volumes and foreign exchange earnings of the country will directly increase more than the estimated 12% increment of total national fish product being exported. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/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 The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says Ghana has decided to turn its back on the old economy, which has been dependent on the production and export of raw materials, and also dependent on aid. According to President Akufo-Addo, We want to emulate the story of the East Asian Miracle, which saw, from 1965 to 1990, the twenty-three (23) countries of East Asia, especially Japan, growing faster than all the regions in the world. The President stated that Japan made the transition from poverty to prosperity, as we are attempting to do, by restructuring the institutions of her governance, modernising her agriculture to enhance its productivity, implementing a clear industrial policy, and rationalising the financial sector to support growth in agriculture, and growth in manufacturing and industry. President Akufo-Addo made this known on Tuesday, 11th December, 2018, at a joint press conference held together with the Prime Minister of Japan, on day-1 of his 3-day official visit to Japan. Addressing the media, President Akufo-Addo noted that Ghana-Japan relations date back to 1927, when Dr. Hideyo Noguchi arrived in the then Gold Coast to conduct research on yellow fever, which laid the foundation for the great friendship between the two countries. I have with great pleasure conveyed to Prime Minister Abe the news of the recent renaming of the street in front of the Japanese Embassy in Accra as the Dr. Hideyo Noguchi Street, in memory of that illustrious son of Japan and in appreciation of the continued generosity of the good people of Japan to Ghana. This is in addition to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research located in the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, he indicated. The President also expressed special gratitude to Prime Minister Abe and his Government for their continuous assistance in various sectors of the Ghanaian economy through initiatives and programmes under the African Business Education (ABE) Initiative, the Overseas Development Assistance Scheme, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JPVC), particularly in the areas of improving maternal and child health care, transportation, energy, agriculture and human resource development as well as technical assistance in various fields. With discussions also centering on boosting further the political and economic relations, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, as well as the co-operation at the multilateral level, the two leaders also touched on the need to promote a better world, and addressed global issues relating to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and women empowerment. We also underscored the importance of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Process as an open, inclusive, and transparent partnership forum. With the assurances I have received on the preparations so far, there is no doubt in my mind that, TICAD VII would open a new chapter of trade between Japan and Africa, he added. President Akufo-Addo stressed that Ghana is endowed with abundant natural resources, which Government is seeking to use as the basis to transform its economy from the current reliance on the export of raw materials into a value-adding one, with the vision of taking Ghana out of dependence on aid to a self-reliant economy beyond aid. I am pleased to state that Prime Abe pledged Japans support for this transformative agenda. In that regard, we have noted with satisfaction the value that the Ghana-Japan Investment Forum scheduled to be held tomorrow in the JETRO Hall will add to our investment initiatives, he added. The President was confident that the meeting with Prime Minister Abe has further boosted the steadfast cooperation between us, and Ghana would continue to collaborate with Japan at all levels, particularly towards the peaceful resolution of conflicts and in the search for global peace and security to promote sustainable development around the globe. 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 Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde is set to visit Ghana from 16th to 18th of December 2018. The visit comes weeks ahead of Ghanas conclusion of the IMF program. Deputy Information Minister Pius Enam Hadzide who disclosed this at Wednesdays Press Briefing in Accra said the visit of the IMF boss marks an appreciation of Ghanas policy direction and solid economic fundamentals. Our fiscal rules ensure irreversibility signal to the world that Ghana is ready for investments. Aside from showing the world that doing business with us is a move in the right direction, the visit of Madame Lagarde has the potential to unlock for us as a nation good coupon rates on the international bonds market he added. Mr. Hadzide said on Monday December 17, Madame Lagarde will participate in the Future of Work in sub-Saharan Africa Conference in Accra. The one-day conference is an opportunity for the Managing Director to engage with thought-leaders and influencers from sub-Saharan Africa on the future of work. The objective of the conference it to generate a debate on the future of work in sub-Saharan Africa and the policies required to create jobs for the continents growing population. How the region can manage and leverage the impact of technological change, demographics, climate change, and the course of globalization. The IMF boss will on the same day hold bilateral talks with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House. She is also expected to have lunch with some Ghanaian women entrepreneurs who are doing well in their field of work. The deputy Information Minister also revealed that on Tuesday 18th December, the IMF Managing Director will give a key note address at a forum in Accra to be attended by government agencies, central bank, private sector, think tanks, civil society, NGOs and academia. Christine Lagarde will depart from Accra same day to Johannesburg South Africa on a four Africa Nation tour. It is our hope that the visit of the IMF boss will further strengthen the cordial relationship between Ghana and the IMF on economic policies Mr. Hadzide said. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash 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 Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has challenged private universities to rebrand themselves with innovative programmes that would make them competitive. He said the establishment of a private university should be a market-driven process and not as a fashionable enterprise. Every university should have its area or areas of strength. The mode of teaching in most public and private universities should change to promote critical thinking, and provide students with set skills, to make them attractive to their employers, the Minister added. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng made the call at the 12th Congregation of the Regent University of Science and Technology in Accra, over the weekend, on the theme: Strategic Policy Initiatives to Foster Vibrant Growth of Private Tertiary Institutions. He urged private universities to engage in relevant research, and create the space for the establishment of incubator companies that would benefit government initiatives and improve efficiency. In all, 336 students from Ghana, Nigeria, Gabon and Benin graduated from the University comprising; 204 men and 132 women. Fifty-nine students obtained first class honours, 175 had second class (upper division) and 94 had second class (lower division), with four passes. Additionally, there were four post-graduate students, who graduated with Master of Divinity and Theology, while 12 students received professional certificates in HIV and Management. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng charged private universities to position themselves with the right programmes that were in alignment with national priorities to absorb prospective Free Senior High School graduates, who would move up the education ladder to the tertiary level in the next two years. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The University of Ghana has finally taken down the statue of Indias independence leader, Mahatma Ghandi, erected at the recreational quadrangle of the university. Some students and lecturers of the University had called for the removal of the statue because of his racist identity. An online petition was launched in 2016 and garnered over 2,000 signatures after some students had earlier defaced the statue in protest. Earlier today, Wednesday, December 12, 2018, on the University of Ghana Campus, some men in the company of the university security, were seen demolishing the statue of the civil rights leader which was placed right behind the Balme Library. We received an order from above and we cant tell you why it is being taken down, a University of Ghana official is reported to have told Radio Univers. The statue was donated to the University of Ghana by the Indian President Prenab Mukherjee in 2016. The hashtag #GhandiMustFall trended on social media in Ghana and in South Africa simultaneously, after the unveiling of the Statue by then Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Ernest Aryeetey and the Indian Prime Minister. However, some Ghandi defenders argued that his actions and work for humanity should outweigh his words and some comments he made against blacks in the past. On 5th October 2016, the Government of Ghana under President Mahama announced through the Foreign Affairs Ministry that the statue would be relocated. Petition for removal of statue pays off A former Director of the Institute of African Studies, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, started the campaign for the removal of the statue. Prof. Adomako Ampofo together with another academic at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr. Obadele Kambon, urged members of the University of Ghana Council to heed to the petition arguing among other things that, Gandhi was racist against black people and honoring him sets the wrong example for students. Pulling down Gandhis statue unnecessary At the time, Ghanas former High Commissioner to India, Professor Mike Ocquaye, described as unnecessary demands for the demolition of the statue. According to the professor of political science and lawyer, a decision to demolish the statue might have implications on diplomatic ties between Ghana and India. It will be most unnecessary, most uncalled for and not in the supreme interest of Ghanaians and we must know what serves our interest best. Some people in India wanted diplomatic relations to be broken in Ghana over the way we sometime back spited them, but caution prevailed and they kept their cool to show that they understand diplomacy and the ups and downs of international relations and today the relationship is a bit better and we look forward to it being better still Prof. Ocquaye said at the time. The man whos now the Speaker of Ghanas parliament, further called on those who petitioned for the removal of the statue to be tolerant of divergent views, saying that is the hallmark of academia. UG must honour African heroes, not Gandhi Prof. Opoku The Chairman of the Kwabena Nketia Center for Africana Studies, Prof. Kofi Asare Opoku, also backed calls for the pulling down of the statue, saying institutions like the University of Ghana should honour African heroes instead of iconic figures from elsewhere. However great Gandhi is; he may be great for the Indians, but for us we have our own heroes, men and women in African history that we dont know about them. So we need our own heroes because they are the ones who can inspire us. He explained that if you take foreign heroes you would always think that greatness is reserved for foreigners; but we have our own great people here whom we must revere and honour to become a source of inspiration for our young people. Background On 14th June 2016, a statue of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was erected at the Sam Aboah quadrangle of the University of Ghana. It was the only statue of a historical personality on Legon campus, and soon after it came to the notice of members of the University community and the general public, calls for its removal commenced within the University community and beyond. Source: citinewsroom 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 Structures that used to be a home, source of livelihood and place of solace for many maysoon be a pile of debris and a pack of wreckage. The scene may be more gruesome, with an unmistakable stench of decaying corpses but by then, a crisis may have arisen and the time for preparation may have passed. This is what geologists predict may happen if Ghana fails to put in measures to combat a predicted earthquake. Aftera tremor that hit Weija and Gbawe in the Ga South Municipality last Sunday, watchers in the sector warn of something much bigger in future. But according to Senior Seismologist at the Geological Survey Authority (GSA), Mr. Nicholas Opoku, if such should happen, Ghana is not ready to contain the disaster. Yes, I will say that at the moment we are unprepared. We are lucky that what happened was not big to have destroyed structures and properties but then, we should take a cue from it and start preparation so that in future when something big happens, we will be safe, he said on Accra based Joy FM. Preparation In order to avert the impending disaster, Mr. Opoku firstly suggests that, country planners and developers while putting up buildings that are earthquake resistant should also ensure that people do not build along fault lines. We need to put up buildings which are resistant to earthquakes like wooden strictures. Wooden structures perform better when the ground shakes, he said. Mr. Opoku insists that just as building on waterways is non-negotiable, the countrys fault lines must not be tampered with. Beyond building proper structures, the Seismologist called for the setup of a well-equipped team that will respond quickly to natural disasters. This response team, he said will be trained to handle earthquake situations adding that, quick response will save lives. Sundays tremor suggests to the entire Ghanaian populace that the country is lagging behind: it has no early warning system. Though the GGSA said it had picked information about the expected tremor days before its occurrence, residents in the affected area did not have a hint until the quake happened. Seismologists, suggest with early warning, the scale of damage can be bearable. Japan amongst other prone countries boasts of systems to warn residents of looming quakes. In Mexico for instance, alerts allowed residents to rush out of building and to seek refuge before an 8.2 magnitude quake shook the country, last year. But in Ghana today, even insistent power cuts continue to inhibit the proper monitoring of tremors. To mitigate this pitfall, Government has so far only approved the installation of Solar Power at the authoritys Seismic Observatory. The Trigger Contributing to issues arising, renowned architect and member of the Designed Network for Economic Development, Esinam Achia Jamson said, continuous tremors within the earth crust, could trigger other natural disasters. People have not begun to actually visibly imagine the seriousness of this. Just one building collapsing, will cause a lot of building down those hills (Marcarthy) to collapse as well, she posited. She continued: We have possible earthquake magnitude spread over Ghana Accra being below sea level means there could be a tsunami which can cause serious devastation. Earthquakes have been known to trigger tsunamis by unleashing underwater landslides, which also displace huge amounts of seawater. Source: The Publisher Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Korea's prospects of selling its first homegrown helicopter, the Surion, to the Philippines are dimming as the island country inclines toward buying a tried-and-tested U.S. model instead. A high-ranking military officer here said Tuesday, "The Philippine government gave higher grades to the U.S.' UH-60 Blackhawk than the Surion in fuselage evaluations. We're trying hard to sweeten the deal by adding more incentives, but it looks like everything is pretty much set." Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the country concluded that purchasing Blackhawks is the "best option." Mr John Pwamang, the Acting Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has expressed optimism that Ghanaian negotiators at COP24 will win more bilaterals leading to accessing more resources to fund climate change adaptation actions. He said such resources were critical to enable Ghana to implement its 31 major actions in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that had already been well laid up. We are looking at whatever we can harness in terms of these negotiations, which will help us to implement our NDCs in sectors such as forestry, agriculture, and energy-low carbon electricity generation he said. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the on-going 24th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) at Katowice in Poland, Mr Pwamang said Ghana was looking forward for more resources from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to enable us run some projects just as other African countries have been doing. He said Ghana had not benefited much from the GCF, hence, the Ghanaian negotiators at the Conference, who brought on board a lot of issues on climate change mitigation and adaptation, were expecting better responses from the negotiations. Mr Pwamang, however, emphasised the need for Ghana to harness its private sector investment to attract more resources from the global fund to help the country roll out it climate adaptation actions. He said at the ongoing COP, the developed countries were interested in mitigation issues because they were technology-based and a source of businesses. But we in Africa are more into the adaptation because we think that is where we can make better impact on our way of life. As you know, we are not emitting much but we are actually suffering the effects of climate change, he said. The EPA Boss said COP24 was the last meeting for the global community to actually plan for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, which came out of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with principles that the world had to use to ensure the Agreement was implemented. He described Ghanas participation in the COP24 as very critical because the country, as part of the global community, needed to be part of the global negotiations expected to come out with the implementation plan for the Paris Agreement, which would roll out in 2020. All the critical sectors in Ghana, made up of Transport, Energy, Agriculture, Environment, among others are all are presented at the COP to ensure that all the nations implementation interest were taken into considerations at the global conference, he explained. According to Mr Pwamang, when Ghana enter 2020, the 10 year period between 2020 and 2030, we can also make impact in trying to get our NDCs fully implemented to ensure that we also meet the provisions of the Paris Agreement, and then also to ensure that we develop as a country. He said the Governments policies like the Planting for Food and Jobs and the One District One Factory were all good programmes that are helping Ghana address climate change impact in one way or the other. The 13-Day event, that closes on Friday, December 14, is being attended by more than 20,000 delegates from 190 countries. It is on the theme: Changing Together. The aim of COP24 climate summit is to agree on a dense set of technical rules to underpin the Paris Agreements goals for limiting global warming to well below 2C, and ideally 1.5C, by the end of the century. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former National Security Advisor Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah has expressed disappointment over how the NPP government is running the country. He indicated that the country is not being run in a manner that will bring about growth. According to Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah, government has so far failed to make Ghana a better place for citizens, yet many lack the courage to voice out their misgivings about the Akufo-Addo government. He made these observations Saturday on TV3 while assessing the performance of the NPP government in the last two years. Two years ago, we had the NPP in power andthe NPP made all kinds of gigantic promises and I was a member of the NPP, so I know where I am coming from. Unfortunately, we do not speak the truth in this country because we do not have the courage to speak the truth, we have a big problem ahead of us, he said. He expressed worry over the level of backwardness in Ghanas growth and development. I am getting more and more depressed, depressed in the sense that if you look at where we are today and where I think we should have been there is a huge difference, the ex-military man said. He expressed concerns over how the NPP government politicized the issue of its Free SHS policy and failed to properly make plans for the programme. With the Free SHS policy, in the military we say that war is 90% preparation and 10% fighting. If you are going to set up something like this program, you must make sure everything you need is in place. We were not ready for it, we had the idea, but it was a political decision. We wanted power at all cost, so if you had to sell your mother to get power, you will sell your mother, he noted. For his part, private legal practitioner Kwame Jantuah on the same show stated that the NPP gave hints about the failure of the Free SHS programme when they failed to indicate the source of funding for the programme at the beginning of their administration. I did not expect a party to come into power and are now finding ways and means to finance the Free SHS project, I did not expect that. I expect that by the time you get in, you have a fair idea as to how you are going to finance some of these projects, he indicated. He said although the NPP has outlined a number of laudable initiatives such as the 1District-1Factory initiative, 1Village-1Dam amongst others, these projects will not fully materialize due to lack of proper planning on the part of government. Unfortunately, the NPP will not be able to finish these laudable projects by the time the four years come, because it is not feasible. Mr. Jantuah also expressed concerns over the rate at which government has been borrowing over the past two years. He said the level of borrowing is causing a rise in Ghanas debt, a situation he said will go a long way to affect the ordinary Ghanaian. Source: 3news.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 National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) governments management of the nations affairs as a failure. Their style of governance and consistent failure will soon send them to opposition, the NDC inisists. According to the opposition party, close to two years after being voted into power, the government, led by President Akufo-Addo, has failed to deliver to Ghanaians the transformation it promised. The party listed a number of projects including the one district, one factory and one village, one dam as part of the failed promises of the NPP. Speaking at their maiden edition of the Moment of Truth series, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi said the NPP was running a government based on deceit. But he assured that the NDC will continue to hold the government in check. "The President and his Vice, who are busily enjoying the largess of power, have lost touch with the reality of dire economic straits that their mis-governance and maladministration has brought to this country. "Today, the Ghanaian people are seeking answers, and the harder they seek, the more the President and his Vice continue to beat their own drum and dance to the tune. "However, while the President and his Vice are busy at what they do best, which is to employ the worst kind of sophistry and guile to explain away their failure, we in the NDC will not sit aloof and watch them throw dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian people..... ...The NPP has and will always have a DNA of lies, double talk and hypocrisy. "However, no pillar built on lies can stand the test of the moment of truth. We shall continue to expose the abysmal performance of this impotent, inert, nepotistic and dishonest government, he said. Sammy Gyamfi also reiterated the criticism of the size of the Akufo-Addo administration. "Don't you agree that the NPP government has delivered on higher productivity by putting seven (7) Ministers in charge of the Transport Sector which was hitherto managed by just two (2) Ministers of State under the erstwhile Mahama Administration," he said. The Communications Director of the NDC stated that the Vice President, Dr Bawumia, who is "supposed to be head of the economic management team" has lost his module and now "seeking refuge in technology. No wonder the cedi continues to depreciate". Read Below A Copy Of The Statement: EXPOSING THE FAILED PROMISES OF THE AKUFO-ADDO/BAWUMIA GOVERNMENT Good morning distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the press. On behalf of the National Democratic Congress, I welcome you all to the maiden edition of our press series christened Moment of Truth, which will mostly focus on the performance of the Akufo-Addo-led government. On behalf of the NDC, I wish to thank you for honouring this invitation at a very short notice. Indeed, this is a display of your unwavering commitment and dedication to nation-building and the democracy we are all nurturing. Friends from the media, our gathering here this morning has been occasioned by claims by the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia that the government of His Excellency President Akufo-Addo has delivered on many of the promises they made to the Ghanaian people. A news story published by citinewsroom.com on 10th December, 2018, with the title weve delivered on many of our promises- Bawumia, quoted the Vice President as saying, there is a lot of evidence of the work government has done to ensure economic transformation for all Ghanaians. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, President Akufo-Addo himself has not hesitated on several recent occasions, to speak of how his government remains on track to deliver on its mandate. It would appear to us that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is still oblivious of what the times are in Ghana. The President and his Vice, who are busily enjoying the largess of power, have lost touch with the reality of dire economic straits that their mis-governance and maladministration has brought to this country. Today, the Ghanaian people are seeking answers, and the harder they seek, the more the President and his Vice continue to beat their own drum and dance to the tune. However, while the President and his Vice are busy at what they do best, which is to employ the worst kind of sophistry and guile to explain away their failure, we in the NDC will not sit aloof and watch them throw dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian people. Ladies and gentlemen, indeed the Moment of Truth (MOT) has arrived and we shall through this initiative, expose the veritable temple of broken promises and deceptions of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia Government. Obviously, the NPP government must be living in their own world. A world far removed from the Real World of the suffering people of Ghana. In their delusion, they claim to have delivered on many of their promises. Obviously they have! Let's clap for Bawumia and his boss for the so-called delivery they have made in respect of their gratuitous election promises. Oh Yes, they have delivered on their promises; * They have delivered on their promise to pay all contractors within the first 100 days of their administration, such that today, GETFUND contractors are threatening demonstrations and closures of the schools they built. * Indeed, they have for the past two years delivered $1million to each of the 275 Constituencies in Ghana, such that today, all 275 Constituencies have received $2 million each, for the construction of KVIP toilets. * Yes, they have delivered on their promise to provide a congenial atmosphere for the growth of the financial sector, by supervising the contraction of the sector from a positive growth of 22.3% (as at last quarter of 2016) to a negative growth of 13.1%. * Again, they have delivered on their promise of a lean government by appointing 111 Ministers and employing over 1,600 persons at the Off * They have delivered on the promise to fight corruption by setting up an Office of Special Prosecutor whose office has been starved of needed funding and logistics, thereby making him helpless and hapless. In fact, they have delivered by redefining corruption and turning the Presidency into a clearing-house for whitewashing corrupt government officials as we saw in the BOST-gate, Cash for Seats and the Australian Visa Fraud scandals. Indeed, they have delivered in paying lip service to the fight against corruption. * Yes, they have fulfilled their promise to protect the public purse by spending a whooping GHS10 million on the fraudulent and useless GhanaPost GPS app. * They have delivered on their promise to support the cocoa sector by selling "Not for Sale fertilizers to our cocoa farmers. We also know how they have deliberately refused to increase the producer price of cocoa for two consecutive years, whilst spending lavishly on administrative expenses at the Headquarters of Cocobod. Indeed, they have demonstrated their love for our farmers by halting all cocoa road projects commenced by the Mahama Adminstration. Let's clap for them! * Whereas his predecessor allocated about GHS1.8 billion to the Office of Government Machinery in four years, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has delivered on their promise of cutting down expenditure at the Presidency, by allocating a whooping GHS3.4 billion to the same outfit in only two years. * They claim to be delivering in agriculture. They really must be delivering- no wonder that under their watch, they have increased annual rice importation from about $450 million (as at December 2016) to over $1 billion currently. Indeed, they have delivered in agriculture by supervising a 7.2% decline in Ghana's national cocoa output. * They promised massive development in the districts. We need to clap for their massive delivery seeing how they have brought development in the Districts to a halt by virtually strangulating the District Assembly Common Fund. Today, very little money is available for the MMDAs to pursue any serious development. * Yes we know that they have delivered on the promise not to run a family and friends government by practicing nepotism on an unparalleled scale, thereby becoming the most nepotistic government ever in the history of Ghana. Ladies and Gentlemen, * Don't you agree that the NPP government has delivered on higher productivity by putting seven (7) Ministers in charge of the Transport Sector which was hitherto managed by just two (2) Ministers of State under the erstwhile Mahama Administration. * Certainly, they have fulfilled their promise to improve the livelihoods of Taxi and Trotro drivers by increasing the price of fuel from about GHS14.00 per gallon to GHS23.00 in only two years. * Of course one of the greatest areas of their delivery is the domain of protecting the public purse. Have we so soon forgotten how they protected the public purse by approving a whooping GHS800,000 for amere website development? * Have they not truly delivered by expanding rural electrification by only 1% in 2 years? Two long yearsyet all they have to show is an insignificant 1%. * They claim to have delivered right? Obviously, they have delivered by reducing capital expenditure as a percentage of GDP from 4.5% in 2016, down to about half of that in 2018. The same group that in opposition kept making noise about how 4.5 percent GDP growth was too low. * Yes, they have delivered in the health sector, that is why neonatal mortality has increased exponentially from 3.8/1000 live births to 8.4/1000 live births. * Yes we know that this government has made a historic achievement by approving an outrageous and ridiculously-bloated amount of $400,000 for photography under the dubious Sinohydro deal. We need to clap for them for this unbelievable delivery. * Without doubt, the NPP government has delivered on its promise to fisher folks by promoting the constant diversion of premix fuel by NPP functionaries. * Do we all recall the promise by Dr Bawumia that every Ghanaian will have a bank account by the close of 2018? We need to applaud them since every Ghanaian has a bank account today. Our friends from the NPP are just incredible when it comes to sounding sweet rhetorics and making empty promises. * How many of you remember their great promise of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa? After appointing a whole Sanitation Minister who has delivered nothing but rather supervised the phenomenal increase of filth in the last two years, should we not applaud Nana Addo for delivering another great promise? Ladies and gentlemen, we are not surprised that the NPP continues to delude themselves that they have delivered. We recall vividly their last time in government, and how amidst singing and dancing, they "delivered" on the promise of turning all slums in Ghana into modern apartments with modern facilities, the promise to build railway lines from Accra through Paga to Burkina Faso, the promise of zero tolerance for corruption that saw the Presidency become a kickback collection center, the promise of a golden age of business which saw the collapse of virtually all productive sectors such as local fishing, local poultry, local textile, local rice production, among others. Just as they deluded themselves in the past, they believe in their minds today that they have delivered on their promise to transform Ghana within 18 months. NPP will never cease to disappoint. Friends from the media, it is clear from the above-enumerated points which are but a few of the many failed promises of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, that the NPP has totally lost touch with the suffering masses and is certainly not attuned to the excruciating economic realities in our country today. The reality however is that, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has so far been a monumental failure. Having betrayed the trust of the Ghanaian people, they have again resorted to lies in a desperate attempt to save their fast sinking image. Friends from the media, the NPP have, and will always have a DNA of lies, double talk and hypocrisy. However, no pillar built on lies can stand the test of truth. Through the Moment of Truth (MOT) series, we shall continuously expose the grand deceptions and abysmal performance of this impotent, inept, nepotistic and dishonest government. We know without a shudder of doubt that, this temple built of wicked lies will surely come crumbling in the fullness of time. Long live Ghana! Long live the NDC!! Thank you for coming. Signed. SAMMY GYAMFI NATIONAL COMMUNICATION OFFICER, NDC. 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 North Korean officials informally apologized to Vietnam for using a Vietnamese woman in the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam in Kuala Lumpur last year, a senior government official here said Tuesday. Malaysian investigators concluded that a Vietnamese and an Indonesian woman killed Kim at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by smearing him with a deadly nerve agent at the instruction of four North Korean men. The North officially denied any involvement in the assassination. But the high-ranking official said North Korea "belatedly apologized" for the involvement of the son of a former North Korean ambassador to Vietnam in recruiting the Vietnamese assassin, Doan Thi Huong. "The Vietnamese government and public were outraged by the involvement of a Vietnamese citizen in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam and bilateral relations chilled," the official said. "Vietnam demanded an official apology from North Korea and threatened to sever diplomatic ties." KAMPALA In his new book titled Protection, Patronage or Plunder? Mr Apollo Makubuya, the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs of the Kingdom of Buganda, revisits B-Uganda relations with British Colonial rule. Mr. Makubuya says while Ugandans are still thinking about the British and other forms of colonialism, the country today is faced with even more dangerous predicaments caused by Chinese influence in Africa and Uganda. The new form of colonization comes in the name of China, he said during a book launch at Mestil Hotel also graced by Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga and Buganda Kingdom Premiere Charles Peter Mayiga and others in Kampala on Monday morning. China is not just here in Uganda, it is in Zambia, in Angola, South Sudan, and Ethiopia etc, it is everywhere and what are the Chinese doing? he wondered tasking the academia to question China, Uganda-Africa pact. How are we responding to these Chinese influences? Are we even aware? We might not be aware of the extent and nature of that new form of colonization. Mr. Makubuya warned that China influence might return the irritating politics of divide and rule or race and that it might continue to affect the political stability of Uganda as it has done in many other African countries including Zimbabwe and Zambia. His book also handles, the understanding the challenges of national integration, patriotism, and the so-called Buganda question. Ugandas growing relationship with China and other non-traditional allies has led to predictions that its long-awaited rise out of extreme poverty, disease, and destitution to become an economic giant is near. Unlike the relationship with western countries such as Britain, Africas relationship with China is untainted by colonialism. Ugandas relationship with China dates back to 1962 when Uganda won independence from the British. Like most new African states eager to fortify their independence, Uganda looked for alternative development partnerships. China was one of the first countries to recognize Ugandas independence and the two countries built a relationship based on non-interference with each others internal affairs. The anti-gay law in Uganda and continued western criticism of President Yoweri Musevenis 32-year-old rule only served to bind the two countries closer. Museveni has repeatedly praised Chinas string free grants for non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. During his swearing-in ceremony in May 2016, Museveni once again praised China; . these people are our genuine friends. They have no arrogance. If a man has his own house and he goes to another mans house . What type of fool are you? Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Okello Oryem has been at the forefront of promoting Chinas interests in Uganda publicly stated thus: This is Chinas time. The USA and European countries had the opportunity to build Africa (but they did not succeed. Now the Chinese are building schools, dams, stadiums, hospitals, roads, etc. Gas, the song about democracy and human rights turned us into a developed country? If I want to give you a chicken or a goat do I first, ask you whether you beat your wife? In 2009 China overtook the US and Britain to become Africas leading trading partner. It is involved in virtually every sector of Ugandas economy including sand mining and fishing. When big donors such as Britain, the US, and the Netherlands slashed aid because of the anti-gay law, the government, in addition to levying new taxes, turned to China, making more investment deals with Beijing. Given the human rights records of both China and Africa, civil society organizations have cautioned that this relationship is monitored lest it becomes one no different from colonialism, with China syphoning off resources, indifferent to Africas poverty. Africans are now starting to question the nature of Chinese investment. In Kampala and upcountry, the Chinese presence is everywhere. From owning shops and hawking merchandise to running hospitals and managing multi billion-dollar projects on which the entire future of Uganda rests, Chinas presence is conspicuous. China National Oil Shore Corporation won the right to develop Ugandas Kingfisher Field for $2bn. The Chinese have further invested in Ugandas $2.5bn oil refinery and a $1.4bn rail construction project across East Africa. The Chinese language has been introduced into the educational curriculum with over 20 schools selected including Makerere University to start teaching Chinese. The government also announced plans recently to import Chinese teachers to train Ugandan teachers for the same project coupled with political cadres frequently undergoing ideological training in China. China is also financing the construction of two dams and the also financed the recently launched Entebbe express highway. Major government buildings, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidents Office, were constructed by the Chinese. By 2011, China had invested $14bn in Africa and offered 75bn in aid. A big chunk of this money comes to Uganda and by 2013 bilateral trade between Uganda and China reached more than $500m. It is from this background that Mr. Makubuya argues Ugandans especially the academia to rise up question Chinese influence in the country as it might come with ill-intentions. Meanwhile, his book also he calls for Bugandas position in countrys political affairs to be redefined. He says the early administrators in the region encountered the progressive kingdom of Buganda, which they incorporated into the British Empire. Under the guise of protection, indirect rule, and patronage, Britain overran, plundered and disempowered the kingdoms traditional institutions. On liquidation of the Empire, Buganda was coaxed into a problematic political order largely dictated from London. He says that 56 years after independence, the kingdom struggles to rediscover itself within Ugandas fragile politics and now his book reconstructs a history of the machinations underpinning British imperial interests in B-Uganda and the personalities who embodied colonial rule. It also addresses Anglo-Uganda relations, demonstrating how Ugandas politics reflects its colonial past, and the forces shaping its future. It is a far-reaching examination of British rule in (B)-Uganda, questioning whether it was designed for protection, for patronage or for plunder. Related A Calhoun, GA, police officer was rushed to the hospital after he was shot at a gas station Tuesday. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Officer Joe Yother, a 25-year veteran of law enforcement, was inside the BP gas station when the woman in front of him was short on change, so the officer helped her pay for the cigarettes she was buying. As Yother walked out of the gas station with the woman, he said he smelled the odor of marijuana on her and called another officer for backup for a suspicious vehicle. Yother then approached the car and asked for ID. That's when the GBI said a woman in the passenger seat pulled a gun out of the glove box and shot him in the arm. That bullet ricocheted into his chest, where it hit his vest and his cellphone, WSB TV reports. Yother and the other officer on scene fired back, hitting and killing the passenger. The other woman was arrested and taken into custody. A Jonesboro Police K-9 officer is recovering after being shot Tuesday by a woman who barricaded herself in a home after allegedly shooting a man, police say. Around 3 p.m. Jonesboro Police to a residence in regards to a shooting. Officers found a 41-year-old male victim with injuries, who was removed from the scene to receive medical care, KARK reports. Officers learned that the shooting suspect, a 56-year-old woman, inside the home and refused to surrender to police custody. After several hours of negotiating, police sent in K-9 Gabo. The woman reportedly opened fire on the dog and hit him. The suspect was struck by gunfire that was returned by the entering officers and medical care was then provided after the scene was secure and the suspect no longer a threat, police say. K-9 Gabo was in stable condition Tuesday, police said. Russian and Chinese supplies of refined oil to North Korea officially amount to only half the quota permitted by the UN Security Council, raising fears that much more is imported clandestinely. According to the UN Security Council, China supplied 14,760 tons of refined oil to North Korea from January to October this year while Russia had provided 15,103 tons as of September, Voice of America reported Tuesday. The combined amount is only half the 60,000 to 65,000 tons authorized by the UN. That suggests that North Korea is much more comfortable buying illegal supplies and does not even bother to exhaust its quota first. The U.S. Treasury Department said in August that a Russian tanker called the Patriot delivered 1,500 tons and 2,000 tons of oil to North Korea on two occasions this year by ship-to-ship transfer on the high seas. The UNSC in October blacklisted three North Korean tankers for allegedly smuggling oil. The then-U.S. ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told the UNSC in September that North Korea is believed to have acquired 800,000 barrels of refined from January till August this year by illegal ship-to-ship transfer. Around 100,000 cab drivers plan to rally in Seoul next week against the launch of Kakao's new ride-sharing app. One cab driver committed suicide earlier this week in protest. Unionized taxi drivers in an emergency meeting on Tuesday vowed to hold a protest rally in Yeouido on Dec. 20. Kakao Mobility, which hoped to launch the app on Dec. 17, has shelved the plan for now to negotiate it with cab drivers. 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 NEWSALERT-VIRUS-OMICRON-PORTUGAL Authorities: 13 cases of omicron variant at Portuguese soccer club; only 1 player recently travelled to South Africa. (AP)Authorities: 13 cases of omicron variant at Portuguese soccer club; only 1 player recently travelled to South Africa. (AP) 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... North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has purged senior officers of the Supreme Guard Command for corruption, the Tokyo Shimbun reported on Tuesday. The purge was carried out in October as a result of an audit by the Workers Party's Organization and Guidance Department, the daily quoted a source in Beijing as saying. The chief of the command's political department was caught in possession of millions of dollars, and other purged senior officers were reportedly involved in the same case. The command is essentially Kim's private army and consists of about 120,000 elite troops. Kim himself gave the orders for the audit, apparently because he feared that too much power might be concentrated in a few hands, the daily speculated. The Organization and Guidance Department also conducted an extensive audit of the Army politburo last year which led to the punishment of its then chief Hwang Pyong-so. Meanwhile, a study says that the regime has executed 421 senior officials since Kim took power. Kang Chol-hwan, a defector and founder of the North Korea Strategy Center, unveiled the study on Monday. It was conducted with funding from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy, a Congress-financed non-profit organization. Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. Home Just In Jhapa: Nepal police rescue Indian child from abductors clutches Kathmandu, December 12 Police in Jhapa district of eastern Nepal say they have rescued a seven-year-old Indian child from the clutches of abductors recently. Mahaphuj Alam from Kishorpur, Supaul of India, was missing since Thursday last week. After learning that he had been taken to Nepal, police on Tuesday rescued him. DSP Bhim Prasad Dhakal, Chief of the District Police Office, says the personnel found out whereabouts of the child within 24 hours from receiving the information. The law enforcers also arrested three alleged abductors. They have been identified as Badri Yadav, Shee Prasad Mukhiya and Anju Devi Mukhiya from Gauriganj of Jhaoa. Yadav is a local leader of the ruling Federal Socialist Forum Nepal. He had contested the local elections last year. The kidnappers had allegedly sought IRs 1.5 million ransom from the victims parents, according to police. Farmington Hills, MI -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/12/2018 --Perfect Impressions has been offering clients top quality services since the year 1989. The firm has worked with companies belonging to various industries, and they have grown to understand the unique requirements and challenges that come with a range of industries. The company brings in the experience and expertise to the table for every new project. 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About Titan Wraps Titan Wraps is a renowned company that offers best quality vehicle wrapping services in Plano, Lewisville, Carrollton, Frisco, & Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. First Solar Inc. (FSLR) Tuesday issued a guidance for the full year 2019. The company expects earnings to be between $2.25 and $2.75 per share and sales of $3.25 to $3.45 billion Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters currently estimate earnings of $2.65 per share and revenues of $2.96 billion for 2019. Solar power systems' sales expected to comprise about 55% to 60% of the total net sales and third party module sales the remainder. The 2019 ending net cash balance is projected in the range of $1.6 to $1.8 billion, with the expected decrease from the end of 2018 primarily associated with the continuing investment in new Series 6 capacity. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News European look headed for a positive opening on Wednesday, extending gains of the previous session, amid optimism about U.S.-China trade talks. Brexit uncertainty and Italy's budget issues may weigh on sentiment and limit upside. Theresa May's decision to call off a crucial House of Commons vote on Brexit and the resultant political turmoil in the U.K. may prompt investors to tread a cautious approach in the market. Reports indicate a possibility of Conservative lawmakers voting on a no-confidence motion in May's leadership sometime soon. Activity is likely to be stock specific with corporate news providing some direction. On the economic front, data on Sweden Consumer Price index is due at 3.30 AM ET. Eurozone industrial production data for the month of October is due at 5 AM ET and at 9:30 AM ET, CB Leading Index for Germany will be out. China's Commerce Ministry said Chinese Vice Premier Liu He spoke with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. "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 in a statement. On Tuesday, European markets ended mostly higher, thanks to positive German economic data and renewed optimism about the trade talks between the U.S. and China. The DAX of Germany climbed 1.49 percent and the CAC of France rose 1.35 percent, while U.K.'s FTSE 100 gained 1.27 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished higher by 1.92 percent. (Note: corrects and replaces "Monday" with "Tuesday" in last but one paragraph; Updates "Brexit" details) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (RYCEF.PK,RR.L, RYCEY.PK) reconfirmed its financial guidance for 2018 profit and free cash flow. Specifically, the company expects both group and core profit and cash flow for 2018 to be in the upper half of its full year guidance range. For its core , Rolls-Royce said in August that it expects 2018 underlying operating profit of around 450 million pounds, plus or minus 100 million pounds, and underlying free cash flow of around 400 million pounds, plus or minus 100 million pounds. In Civil Aerospace, the company said today it still expects full year growth to be in the mid-teens range. In Power Systems, the strong growth seen in the first half of 2018 has continued through the second half, driven by good growth in almost all end , the company said. The company said, "Defence trading progress has remained in line with our full year guidance, with revenues expected to remain stable." ITP Aero continues to trade in line with expectations. The company noted that the restructuring it announced on 14 June 2018 remains on track. The focus in 2018 has been on establishing its new operating model and on delivering the targets previously communicated; specifically, a 4,600 headcount reduction over the next two years, with around a third of these taking place before the end of this year. The disposal process of the Commercial Marine business is proceeding to plan and completion is expected towards the end of the first-quarter of 2019. It expects net proceeds of around 350 million pounds to 400 million pounds dependent upon the final outturn working capital on completion. Rolls-Royce noted the decision by the UK Government to delay the vote on the proposed Withdrawal Agreement and political declaration. The company will continue to implement its contingency plans until it is certain that a deal and transition period has been agreed. "Specifically, we are working with EASA to transfer design approval for large aero engines to Germany, where we already carry out this process for business jets. This is a precautionary and reversible technical action which we do not anticipate will lead to the transfer of any jobs," Rolls-Royce said. The company noted that its 2018 Full Year results will be announced on 28 February 2019. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News U.K. stocks are rising for a second successive session, with investors reacting positively to the developments on the U.S.-China trade front, and shrugging off concerns about Brexit uncertainty. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a no confidence vote in her leadership later today. According to BBC, Conservative MPs will vote between 6 PM GMT and 8 PM GMT. May has reportedly said she will contest the no confidence vote with everything she has got. In the event of May managing to secure a majority, she will remain unchallenged for another year. May had called off the Commons vote on her Brexit negotiations, after admitting she was heading for a heavy defeat. The FTSE 100 index is up 72.50 points, or about 1.1%, at 6,879.44. The index ended 1.27% up on Tuesday. Rolls-Royce Holdings, Centrica, Standard Life. BHP Group, Coca Cola, WPP, RSA Insurance, Royal Mail, Imperial Brands and Mediclinic International are among the big movers in the market, having gained between 2% and 3.4%. Dixons Carphone is losing about 8.5%. J Sainsbury is down 5.2% and Next is down 2.1%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com European are surging higher on Wednesday with investors going on a buying spree amid rising optimism about a trade deal between the U.S. and China. Encouraging data on eurozone industrial production is also aiding sentiment. Hopes about the world's two largest economies agreeing on a deal have increased after U.S. President Donald Trump sounded confident about such a development when he spoke to Reuters. Trump noted that trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials were underway by telephone and suggested more meetings are likely. "We'll probably have another meeting. And maybe a meeting of the top people on both sides," Trump said. "If it's necessary, I'll have another meeting with President Xi, who I like a lot and get along with very well." Trump has stated that he would not raise tariffs on Chinese imports until he was sure about a comprehensive trade agreement. Meanwhile, according to reports, China has cut tariffs on imports of cars made in the U.S. to 15% from the existing 40% levy. Markets are also reacting positively to news about the Canadian court granting bail to Huawei Technologies Co.'s CFO, who was apprehended in Canada last week. Meanwhile, investors are keenly following the developments on the Brexit front. The British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a no-confidence motion on her leadership today. According to BBC, Conservative MPs will vote between 6 PM GMT and 8 PM GMT. May has reportedly said that she will contest the no confidence vote with everything she has got. In the event of May managing to secure a majority, she will remain unchallenged for another year. May had called off the Commons vote on her Brexit negotiations, after admitting she was heading for a heavy defeat. Among major markets in Europe, Germany is up with its benchmark DAX gaining about 1.4%. France's CAC 40 is rising nearly 2.3%, while U.K.'s FTSE 100 is up 1.25%. Switzerland's main index SMI is up by about 1.6% and Italy's FTSE MIB is gaining 1.85%. Sweden, Spain, Poland, Norway, Netherlands and Greece are all moving notably higher. On the economic front, data from Eurostat showed Eurozone's industrial production grew in line with expectations, at 0.2% in October after a slump in the previous month. In September, industrial production declined 0.6% (revised from -3%). On a year-on-year basis, industrial production grew 1.2% in October, following a 0.8% rise in September, which was revised from 0.9%. Economists were looking for 0.8% growth. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis A summary of some of the widely followed stories on cryptocurrency and blockchain during the past 24 hours. CFTC Seeks Public Feedback On Ether The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is seeking public comment and feedback on Ether and its use on the Ethereum Network given the cryptocurrency's market share and potentially unique attributes relative to Bitcoin. The RFI also seeks to understand similarities and distinctions between Ether and Bitcoin. Gemini supports Bitcoin Cash trading and custody Gemini, a crypto-exchange and custodian owned by Internet entrepreneur twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, announced support for Bitcoin Cash (BCH) trading and custody service. Bitcoin Cash, a fork of the Bitcoin network, was recently in controversy after it was forked into two distinct networks and blockchains - Bitcoin ABC and Bitcoin SV. Gemini is currently only supporting Bitcoin ABC network by referring to it as Bitcoin Cash with ticker BCH. Australian insurer NTI joins BeefLedger's blockchain pilot Australian truck insurer National Transport Insurance (NTI) joined a blockchain-powered supply chain pilot conducted by BeefLedger to track Australian beef's export journey. The trial is set to boost food safety, improve animal welfare, and monitor export security for Australian beef. The platform is looking to deploy the initiative later in the month to track the "paddock-to-plate journey" of premium Australian beef, abroad. UNICEF to fund start ups for blockchain innovations UNICEF announced a $100,000 fund to six blockchain startups to solve global challenges using blockchain .The United Nations' charity arm for children said that the UNICEF Innovation Fund will invest the money in six companies -Atix Labs from Argentina, Onesmart and Prescrypto from Mexico, Statwig from India, Utopixar from Tunisia and W3 Engineers from Bangladesh -to deliver open-source prototypes of blockchain applications within 12 months. U.S. Auto Insurer to test Blockchain for Auto Insurance claims U.S.-based Auto Insurer State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. is testing a blockchain-powered solution for speeding up the subrogation process for auto claims. State Farm is in the process of investing in new technologies such as blockchain to help improve a time-consuming claim process. The insurer is testing the solution against existing subrogation processes to see if it can be a viable product for insurance industry. Gibraltar Blockchain Exchange Introduces Insurance coverage for Crypto assets Gibraltar Blockchain Exchange unveiled insurance coverage for crypto assets on the trading platform. GBX is implementing the insurance policy in partnership with Gibraltar-based Callaghan Insurance. Cryptocurrencies held in both the hot and cold wallets of the GBX Digital Asset Exchange (GBX-DAX) will be insured. Current Prices As of this writing, Bitcoin is gaining 2.19 percent or $73.10 at $3412.02 on Coinbase. Ethereum also is up 3 percent or $2.60 to trade at $89.20. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com The European ended Wednesday's session in the green, adding to the gains from the previous day. Investors remain upbeat on the prospect of a trade deal between the U.S. and China. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about striking a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday. Trump noted that trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials were underway by telephone and suggested more meetings are likely. "We'll probably have another meeting. And maybe a meeting of the top people on both sides," Trump said. "If it's necessary, I'll have another meeting with President Xi, who I like a lot and get along with very well." Trump also indicated he would be willing to intervene with the Justice Department in the case against Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou if it would help secure a trade deal with China. Meanwhile, traders are also keeping a close eye on the latest Brexit developments. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May asserted that she would battle no confidence vote on her leadership, scheduled to be held at the House of Commons this evening. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index advanced 1.70 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone blue chip stocks increased 1.75 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, added 1.60 percent. The DAX of Germany climbed 1.38 percent and the CAC of France rose 2.15 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. gained 1.08 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished higher by 1.68 percent. In Paris, Pernod Ricard gained 5.91 percent after funds advised by Elliott Advisors revealed that they have acquired a 2.5 percent stake in the company. In London, J Sainsbury dropped 6.84 percent. The company and Asda Group will lodge an application with the Competition Appeal Tribunal for a Judicial Review of the Competition and Markets Authority or CMA Phase Two investigation into their proposed merger. John Wood Group tumbled 9.75 percent after it reported 2018 results and provided guidance for the full year 2019. Roche gained 2.21percent in Zurich after it reached a collaboration with Merck to develop a companion diagnostic test to identify patients eligible for anti-PD-1 therapy based on the status of a biomarker in advanced solid tumors. Inditex sank 4.86 percent in Madrid after it reported that its nine-month net profit climbed 4% to 2.44 billion euros from last year's 2.34 billion euros. Eurozone's industrial production grew in October after a slump in the previous month, suggesting that economic growth may gain some steam towards the end of the year, yet remain sluggish. Industrial production rose 0.2 percent from September, when it declined 0.6 percent, which was revised from 0.3 percent, figures from Eurostat showed on Wednesday. The growth was in line with economists' expectations. With a sharp pullback in gasoline prices offsetting increases in other prices, the Labor Department released a report on Wednesday showing consumer prices came in flat in the month of November. The Labor Department said its consumer price index was unchanged in November after rising by 0.3 percent in October. The unchanged reading matched economist estimates. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis The Swiss stock market ended Wednesday's session firmly in the green, extending its gains from the previous day. Investors remain upbeat on the prospect of a trade deal between the U.S. and China. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about striking a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday. Trump noted that trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials were underway by telephone and suggested more meetings are likely. The Swiss Market Index increased by 1.68 percent Wednesday and finished at 8,861.14. The Swiss Leader Index climbed 1.86 percent and the Swiss Performance Index added 1.61 percent. Index heavyweight Roche gained 2.2 percent, after it reached a collaboration with Merck to develop a companion diagnostic test to identify patients eligible for anti-PD-1 therapy based on the status of a biomarker in advanced solid tumors. Novartis rose 1.3 percent and Nestle increased 0.9 percent. Credit Suisse advanced 2.5 percent after it announced a share buyback of up to 1.5 billion Swiss francs in 2019. Julius Baer climbed 2.9 percent and UBS added 2.3 percent. Swatch Group jumped 3.3 percent and rival Richemont finished higher by 1.5 percent. ABB was among the top gainers of the session, with an increase of 4 percent. Sika also closed higher by 3.3 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis President Donald Trump's longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen has been sentenced to three years in prison for committing a variety of crimes, including tax evasion, bank fraud, campaign finance violations, and lying to Congress. U.S. District Court Judge William Pauley handed down the sentence on Wednesday, calling each of Cohen's crimes a "serious offense against the United States." In addition to serving prison time, Cohen was also ordered to pay $1.39 million in restitution, forfeit $500,000 in assets and pay a $50,000 fine. Cohen took full responsibility for his actions ahead of his sentencing, claiming he felt it was his duty to cover up Trump's dirty deeds. Despite being sentenced to prison, Cohen argued he was being freed from the "personal and mental incarceration" he has lived in since accepting an offer to work for Trump. Trump has accused Cohen of lying in order to get a reduced sentence, repeatedly calling his longtime attorney "weak." Last Friday, filings by federal prosecutors indicated that just weeks before the 2016 election, Trump directed Cohen to pay off two women who claimed to have had affairs with the then-presidential candidate. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to campaign finance violations in connection with the "hush money" payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Federal prosecutors had recommended Cohen serve a "substantial" prison sentence of 51 to 63 months despite his cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Incoming House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., suggested in an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday that Trump could also face jail time as a result of campaign finance violations. "This was the argument for putting Michael Cohen in jail on these campaign violations," Schiff said of the sentencing memo by prosecutors. "That argument I think was equally made with respect to Individual-1, the president of the United States." In a statement after the sentencing, Cohen's attorney Lanny Davis said he looks forward to assisting his client to state publicly all he knows about Trump. "That includes any appropriate Congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies," Davis said. "Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts." Davis also called it "unfortunate" that prosecutors for the Southern District of New York did not follow Mueller's lead in giving Cohen significant credit for cooperation on the "core" issues. (Photo: IowaPolitics.com) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday assumed charge as RBI Governor after Urjit Patel abruptly resigned from the post amidst a tiff with the government on the central bank's autonomy. "Assumed charge as Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Thank you each and everyone for your good wishes," the new incumbent said in a Tweet. Das, who as Economic Affairs Secretary steered the monetary situation post-demonetisation, was appointed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor on Tuesday. His appointment came 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. 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 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. Even as suspense over the name of next Rajasthan Chief Minister continued, a Congress party delegation on Wednesday met Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim to form the next government in state. Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are the frontrunners for the coveted post. The delegation comprising Pilot, Gehlot and other Congress leaders reached the Governor's House in Jaipur after a series of meetings at the Pradesh Congress Committee office the state capital. The newly elected MLAs from across the state had come to attend the meeting to elect their leader. However, no consensus could be reached, with both Gehlot and Pilot supporters strongly backing their leaders. Meanwhile, Congress leaders have confirmed that after a meeting with the Governor, Pilot and Gehlot will leave for Delhi to meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan with 99 seats, though they are one seat short of a majority. Its pre-poll alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal has won one seat and together, they have garnered 100 seats, which makes for the majority mark. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party gained 73 seats in the Assembly elections held in Rajasthan on Dec 7 for 199 seats out of 200. Election in Ramgarh constituency was countermanded following the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh. SNc Channels: Search About Salem-News.com Dec-11-2018 17:25 TweetFollow @OregonNews Oregon Small Business Owners' Free-Speech Rights Vaporized These prohibitive rules are veiled behind "protecting kids" Oregon vape shops like Division Vapor must censor their productscovering up all words or images deemed likely to appeal to minorsbefore placing them on store shelves. (PHOENIX, Ariz.) - What if you walked into an ice cream shop, but the store owner couldnt tell you what any of the flavors were? This may sound ludicrous, but an Oregon law is keeping some business owners from speaking in such a wayand the Goldwater Institute is taking a stand to protect their right to share truthful information about lawful products with their customers. Vaping is like smoking without the smokea cleaner version of cigarettes or cigars, where people inhale vapor through electronic devices about the size of a pen. Some people vape simply because they enjoy the flavors, or choose vaping as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, or because the smell doesnt disturb others as cigarettes do. But the state of Oregon recently enacted regulations that prohibit vape shops from providing accurate information to their customers about legal productsfor example, they are not allowed to sell, say, a strawberry-flavored vaping liquid with a drawing of a strawberryor even the word strawberryon the label because the state regulators say such products are appealing to children. But these rules are less about protecting kids and more about prohibiting business owners from describing their products to their customers. The Goldwater Institute has filed a lawsuit in Oregon District Court on behalf of entrepreneur Paul Bates, the owner of Portland vape shop Division Vapor, to challenge Oregons anti-speech regulations. Today, the Institute has filed a lawsuit in Oregon District Court on behalf of entrepreneur Paul Bates, the owner of Portland vape shop Division Vapor, to challenge Oregons anti-speech regulations. Bates opened up his shop several years ago after vaping helped him quit smoking, and many of his customers have also used vaping as a stop-smoking aid. But Bates ability to sell products in his store has been severely limited by Oregons regulations: In fact, he must censor many of the products with stickers before they can hit the shelves. I started this business about five years ago, and its been hugely rewarding. "Were switching people from smoking to non-smokers, and yet now we have a law that prevents and stops us from having freedom of expression, Bates said. (You can learn more about his story in the video above.) Oregon vape shops like Division Vapor must censor their productscovering up all words or images deemed likely to appeal to minorsbefore placing them on store shelves. Unfortunately, the Oregon regulations are part of a trend of government acting to keep adults from making their own decisions about whether to use lawful products. Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized the health benefits of switching smokers to e-cigarettes. Yet in its recent statement on e-cigarettes, the FDA has taken steps to limit sales of lawful vaping products. While the FDA claims it is targeting underage vaping, these restrictionsas with Oregons regulationsgo too far in limiting consumers ability to purchase legal products for adult use, and they open the door to further limitations down the road. While proponents of Oregons regulations say theyre trying to protect children, these rules not only hurt consumers, but they hurt the free speech rights of hardworking small business owners trying to make a living, said Goldwater Institute Senior Attorney Matt Miller. We hope that the court will recognize that vape shops like Division Vapor shouldnt have to censor labels that accurately describe vaping liquids and be prevented from displaying those products in a way that is attractive to adult customers. Read more about Bates v. Oregon Health Authority here. About the Goldwater Institute The Goldwater Institute drives results by working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and strengthen the freedom guaranteed to all Americans in the constitutions of the United States and all 50 states. With the blessing of its namesake, the Goldwater Institute opened in 1988. Its early years focused on defending liberty in Barry Goldwaters home state of Arizona. Today, the Goldwater Institute is a national leader for constitutionally limited government respected by the left and right for its adherence to principle and real world impact. No less a liberal icon than the New York Times calls the Goldwater Institute a watchdog for conservative ideals that plays an outsize role in American political life. _________________________________________ United-states | Business | Most Commented on Articles for December 11, 2018 | Re: Sex education Minister Loau Sio, do you really think Samoan parents will have the fortitude to educate their children about sex awareness. Its not all about just the act of sex but everything that has to do with the subject. Judging by your words, you have not done enough research to determine the amount of sex assaults/crimes that has been reported. Never mind the unreported crimes that the victims have been too afraid to report. What about people who commit incest and sex crimes within the family? Does the Minister believe the people committing these crimes are the ones to teach the victims? Come off your high horse and get with the programme because the statistics tells a different story. If not then wake up. Pete Nine Church Ministers from the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa made their first appearance in the District Court yesterday. The hearing of the matter between the Ministry of Revenue and the Church Ministers was presided over by Judge Talasa Lumepa Atoa Sa'aga. The Court house was packed with Church Ministers, families and friends who turned up to offer the accused moral support. The Church Ministers charged are: Reverends Amosa Reupena, Enefatu Lesa, Faasalafa Vitaoa, Ioane Petaia, Lavilavi Soloi, Petaia Leavai, Poasa Toiaivao and Semikueva Faatoafa. Each one of them is facing two counts of failure to withhold tax and failure to file wage tax returns. During the Court proceeding, the Church Ministers were represented by lawyer, Alex Sua, who asked the Court for an adjournment in order to go through the matter. The lawyer representing the Ministry of Revenue, Alesana Tumua, did not oppose the application. Sua informed the Court that he has received instructions from his clients to file an application for the hearing to be adjourned, in order for him to receive full instructions. Our application, as this is the first mention and that I have recently been instructed, we are seeking a further adjournment to obtain full instructions, he said. Sua also asked the Court to waive the bail condition for his clients to surrender their travel documents. And I also refer to the chargeswhich are not serious chargesthe penalty is 10 units and I also discussed it with my lawyer friendand he does not have any objection and we will advise the Court if there are any travels, he added. Mr. Tumua, in response, confirmed the application and advised that the Ministry did not have any objections to the motion. Outside the Court house, the churchs General Secretary Reverend Vavatau Taufao thanked the reverends, families and church members for showing support by turning up at the Court house. He then advised of the Courts decision to adjourn the proceeding and that the church ministers will appear next Tuesday in the second matter. The announcement was met with applause from everyone present. A Science student, who wants to become a doctor, is Avele Colleges top student for 2018. Seventeen-year-old Afatia Ioakimi from Solosolo celebrated sweet success yesterday, having being named Dux during the schools end of year prize giving. Ms. Ioakimi, the seventh child of Alofa Perenise and Ioakimi Bills eight children, collected the top awards for Science, Chemistry, Biology and Samoan Studies. Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Ms. Ioakimi wanted to dedicate her achievements to not only her parents but also to everyone who believed in her. I just want to thank my parents for all they have done for me, for paying my school fees, my daily lunch money and so much more, she said. I also want to thank my extended family and friends for the love and support that made it possible for me to come this far. Ms. Ioakimi said that life has been challenging but she is happy she has been able to finish well and close an important chapter in her learning. She added that being the deputy Head Girl gave her extra motivation. Proud mother, Alofa Perenise Ioakimi, couldnt stop smiling. Im very happy that my daughter has proven herself to us and has made all of us proud today, she said. After four years of working hard, she has given us an answer that brings joy into our hearts. So with everything that we have witnessed and received today, I just want to thank God for not forsaking his people and for the many blessings he has blessed each and every one of us with. Ms. Ioakimi She is looking forward to enroll in the National University of Samoa next year and aiming for a scholarship to study aboard. Member of the Council of Deputies and Apia paramount chief, Tuiletufuga Le Mamea Ropati, agrees the village council should penalise anyone involved in drugs. Responding to concerns expressed recently by Supreme Court Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, Tuiletufuga said he was not aware the matter was raised in Court last week until the story was published in a newspaper. The Judge questioned why the Apia village council did not penalised Paulo Afamasaga, who had earlier pleaded guilty to drug charges. He said there is nothing before the Court to indicate that the defendant received a village penalty for his actions. After all Paulo you may be resident in the United States of America, but when you are here, you reside in your village of Apia and are a recognized member of that community. And your offence was committed within the confines of the village of Apia. For some reason you have been given a free pass by the village. But Tuiletufuga Le Mamea told the Samoa Observer that the matter should be dealt with by the village council. Im certain if the council had known they would have leveled a penalty. Also I dont really have the full details as to this case or why the accused was not penalized, or even if he should be I cant really say anything. All I can say is that anyone involved in drugs and is convicted in Court should be penalized by the village council, he said. In October 2012 the Police executed a search warrant on a property at Malifa, as Paulo was suspected of engaging in illicit narcotics. They uncovered methamphetamine, marijuana and a live bullet, leading to charges being laid against Paulo. Two Digicel customers have won the chance to see Samoas Lupesoliai Joseph Parker in action this weekend. Ruta Perelini of Kisas store, Talimatau and Niulevaea Aiden Afamasaga of Leauvaa and Vailuutai are the winners of Digicels Kerisimasi Fiafia grand prize promotion. They have the opportunity to fly to New Zealand to watch Parker take on Alexander Flores this weekend in Christchurch. The company has paid for accommodation and will provide pocket money to the promotional prize winners. Ruta said she is thrilled to be the winner as she always tries to reach her target of $300 top-up a day in the promotion. I wanted this to be our second honey moon, but Ive already paid my fare to be in Australia for the holiday. So Im giving it to my husband and my son, as he is graduating tomorrow and this will be a great graduation surprise for him, she said. Niulevaea said the prize came as a surprise and he looks forward to taking his wife with him. Im thankful that I got this because of the constant top-ups for data to use on my kids research for school but Im so happy we won this. All we had lined up for this holiday were faalavelaves and saofais and this would be a great break away from the kids and maybe this could be our second honeymoon, he said jokingly. Digicel chief executive officer, Farid Mohammed, said this Christmas the company tried to give many people the chance to win. The pricesbesides the top prize of flying to New Zealand to see Joseph Parker in actionincluded Samsung smart phones and internet mi-fi devices. This Christmas we thought wed try and give as many people a chance to win something, so customers have won credits on a daily basis, Samsung smart phones and internet mi-fi devices on a weekly basis and today we award the winners with the grand prize to travel with a companion to the fight, he said. The two winners said the prize came as a surprise and they are excited that they will meet Joseph Parker and stay in the same hotel as the boxer in Christchurch, New Zealand. His humble beginnings growing up in a cane farm in the western part of Fiji was the trial that motivated outgoing vice chancellor of the University of the South Pacific, Professor Rajesh Chand to strive for excellence. Entering the gates of the university as a student to study geography, history, education and English in 1971, Prof. Rajesh never dreamt of becoming an academic, let alone being tasked with overlooking what many consider the regions most successful organisation. Thirty-nine years since he first took on the role of pro-chancellor at the age of 37, Prof. Chandra announced his retirement during the Alafua campus graduation last week. The initial trial was to really do well and get out of the farm, my parents used to say if you dont study then you will be like your elder brothers, you dont want to be harvesting or growing cane, he said to the Samoa Observer. I got a job as a research assistant at the university and I did my Masters. And then I became a preliminary lecturer, and then I wanted to do my PhD and I just became interested in being a professor. Being a vice chancellor was not part of the equation, I just wanted to be the top of what my field was, which was academia. And then Jeffery, the vice chancellor at the time, supported me to become the head of school very early in my career, I was only 34 at the time, and then he appointed me as pro vice chancellor at 37, and once I became that I started being interested in the regional education. When the university advertised for a deputy vice chancellor, fortunately I was the only applicant so I became the deputy vice chancellor. Prof. Chandra did his Masters at the university, part of it at the University of New England and his PhD at the University of British Columbia. I am committed to education, because it is absolutely the foundation stone. Nothing good in a country can happen unless you have very educated people, and as the world becomes more competitive and open, the way to survive is your creativity, innovation, clarity of mind, problem solving, for that you need good education, not just a bachelor degree, Prof. Chandra said. During his time at the helm, the university has gone from financial deficits to operating surpluses, zero accreditation before 2010 to more than 20 to date, improving enrolment and reputation. When I took the position as vice chancellor in 2008, the university was having a very major problem with financial deficits, and the Governments of the member countries and development partners were quite unnerved because you are not supposed to have deficit, Prof. Chandra said. The second issue was the reputation of the university had been badly affected by many scandals that were coming out in the media. Aligned with that was with the feeling of the establishment of the national universities, USPs future was in some doubt. So in a way these were the difficult times because the university people had lost some confidence in their own institution and development partners were threatening to cut their aid to USP unless the university made major changes and got rid of the deficit. So I think to that extent, the first achievement was that by the end of 2008, we had produced a small surplus, and everybody expected a deficit, the university budget projected a deficit and in fact on that basis, I had asked the staff for a 5 percent salary cut. So thats how serious it was. Prof. Chandra said he put all sorts of breaks on expenditures and by 2009 the university had a surplus of about $16 million. The enrolment was declining from 2006-2009 throughout the region, so in 2010 we reversed that. I made the decision that the way to protect the university both in terms of future strengths and competing with everybody was to have a major focus on international accreditation, making it quality. If we look at the achievements, we have gone from deficits to operating surpluses in every year and over the last 10 years about $80 million in operating surplus. Our aid began to increase, more than doubled we had in 2008, and in the last 10 years we have got over $500 million dollars in aid. We improved the enrolment from about 18,000 in 2008 when I took over to now around 32,000. We also decided that the university needed to increase its reputation through publication, and that these publications needed to be ranked according to international criteria. In the last five years, we have published over 1,000 ranked publications. So we build the reputation around academic quality, research and publication, innovation. Because of the worry of financial mismanagement, the university has continued to strengthen its governance and risk management. We knew that in order for the university to be valuable to the region, we started on a very major programme of improving the regional campuses. So in the last 10 years, we have a new campus in Nauru, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, we are building a new campus in the Solomon Islands, he said. All the other campuses they are getting a lot of capital expenditure money to renovate, and weve invested a huge amount of money in technology. We have introduced lecture capture systems, which means lectures in our major campuses, Laucala, Alafua and Emalus they have to be recorded and we are recording them. And within 48 hours they go on Moodle and students can have a look at it. Just over one third of our programmes are online, and we want to go to 100 percent in the next two-three years. Every programme at the university needs to be flexible, that means they are on Moodle. And we are building quite a strong combination of what we called blended learning. We have started the cohort based in country entire degree programme. Professor Pal Ahluwalia, originally from Kenya and now an Australian citizen, will take on the role of vice chancellor. I will have lots of rest, no formal employment. I will be involved in the Pacific from time to time, Prof. Chandra said. Tunufai Ah Leong from Leauvaa and Fagamalo has made his family very proud this Christmas. Especially his mother, Dr. Esmay Judith Ah Leong. Tunufai has successfully completed college with flying colours at St Pauls in Auckland, New Zealand. He was the second top overall student, on top of scoring the highest marks in religious education, statistics, physics and economics. For preschool he was at Vaiala, and then to Samoa Primary and then Robert Louis Stevenson Secondary School, and then I decided to take him to New Zealand after their first term, Dr. Ah Leong said. Ive always wanted him to go to St. Pauls College in Auckland, and he started around May last year. He is 18, and born in Fiji. He took science, economics and statistics. Usually when you take subjects you focus only one commerce, arts, science, not with this kid. Because he was good with numbers it was only natural for him to take statistics, physics, and economics. Dr. Ah Leong said Tunufai hopes to be an economist. I try not influence what my son wants to learn. I guess because of my field, but I have never told him what to do. I believe in encouraging and supporting at what hes good at. He is good with numbers, she said. Deciding for university, I am for Auckland University, but hes for Auckland University of Technology, but he got offers from both universities. AUT is a Bachelor in Commerce majoring in Economics and Computer Science and Information systems. Im only guiding him. Hes accepted A.U.T. He prefers AUT because its more hands on, theres a lot of practical work. Being a single parent and raising her only child was not an easy task, but all her sacrifice and hard work has paid off. It was hard. I remember when I had it that was my last year of med school, I graduated and returned and work. I took him to work when I was doing my internship. It was hard but I think that has paid off. Her advice to parents is to invest in their children, not rely too much on Government scholarships, and to always support them with their decisions. I was paying about NZ$6,000 -$7,000 (T$10,711 T$12,496) a year for tuition, not counting accommodation so that would have amounted to NZ$20,000 - $30,000 (T$35,705 (T$53,558). It wasnt cheap but I knew it was good investment, Dr. Esmay said. She added even though St Pauls was not one of the best schools, she wanted her only child to experience a Catholic upbringing and to feel the spirit of the Marist Brothers. Statistics are not all you need to look at when analysing why there is an increasing number of children abuse incidents, says New Zealand-based film director, Paula Whetu Jones. In fact, it is putting a human experience on collected data to thoroughly understand how and why, there is an increasing occurrence of such acts, said the Maori film director. Paula has been a filmmaker for 20 years, shooting social issues documentary, and most are centered on Maori and Pacific Island children in New Zealand. The problem is people just look at the statistics and then they make their judgments based on the statistics, but nobody will look past the statistics, they are not interested, and it serves peoples prejudices, and that is basically what we are trying to break through, Paula said. Its putting a human face and human experiences on the statistics. I dont do statistics. I refuse to because basically thats what all people will look at, and not how the statistics came out. The first documentary I made was women in gangs and it basically talked about their experiences, and a lot of the times, majority of the young women are abused or trying to get away from abuse, same with the street kids. They talk candidly about their abuse, whether from their family, from people they dont know, from their peers, whoever. Paula told the Samoa Observer that filmmakers just like journalists; need to ensure that they tell the truth and the truth is what prevails. If you dont understand the issues, and when you dont understand the context of questions and answers, then you are going to get it wrong. Especially with documentaries, it is important that what you are putting out to the world is right and truthful, and you know how we can manipulate things for people to believe, but these sorts of social issue stuff, unless you know whats being said to you, unless you know the right questions to ask, you are going to get it wrong, and you are going to put it out there in the wrong way. A lot of the time, its about not perpetuating the stereotypes, so its just a broader understanding of the documentary or the film youre making. You need to look at everything about that person, not just the end result. You need to know how they came to be where they are, and a lot of people dont do that. Its about weaving things together in a way that will make people aware that there are things that contribute to what happens at the end. Paula said when it comes to talking about personal experiences of such acts, it is important to know how protected and safe you are. Its the problem in New Zealand as well. Who do you tell? You have to find someone that you trust, and that it is going to be treated. A lot of the times its not. Who, where and what is going to happen next, she said. I know in New Zealand, for rape, the prosecution rate is really low, so that stops people from reporting rape. Minimising and even solving the issue, Paula said, lies with the women, mothers, and men who do not contribute to social issues. Literally when people remain quiet, they are giving the green light for people to keep abusing the children, she said. Manpower in Samoas health sector has been given a major boost with the graduation of 81 nurses and midwives. The newly-registered nurses and midwives took an oath after receiving their certificates and badges, in front of guests, families and friends at the National University of Samoa (NUS) Fale recently. The Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama, congratulated the graduates on behalf of the Government and urged them to use their knowledge wisely. A nurse is someone who is well prepared and soothes pains with their voices, language and actions. Do your job with love, patience and remember to always work well with every single area of healthcare services, he said. The Samoa Nursing Associations president, Solialofi Papalii Pisimaka, also congratulated the graduates for the five years of hard work, especially those who have just been registered and taken it a step further to specialise in midwifery. Hanna Wilson, a newly registered nurse who spoke on behalf of her graduation class of 2018, expressed their appreciation for the support the students received during the one-year orientation program. We would like to thank you for the orientation program that was put together, enabling us to learn suitable skills and knowledge. Thank you Samoa Nursing Association President and all of the nurses that worked together with us during the program for sharing with us your wisdom, skills and for showing us support. Not forgetting our parents, spouses, children, family, church communities, villages and friends; we thank you all from the bottom of your hearts, she said. The registered nurses recently completion of the one-year orientation program brings the total number of the profession to 523, who have been deployed to Samoas various hospitals in Savaii and Upolu. The one-year orientation program is run by the Ministry of Health and enables trainee-nurses to gain experience in supervision, monitoring and training. They work under the guidance of MOH associate chief executive officer, Fuatai Maiava, who ensures the trainees adhere to policies and regulations. Sometimes a little inspiration goes a long way. This was one of the expectation from the twenty four participants at the Transformational Leadership Development Programme: Training of Trainers. The seven-day training, targets key community leaders, NGO representative and government personnel and will help in developing a contextualised leadership programme to address the key womens representation issues in Samoa. These include the low representation of women on boards, in Parliament, in village development committees and women matais. Organised and facilitated by Women in Leadership Samoa (WILS) Project, a three year United Nations Joint project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Women (UN Women) Agency, with funding from the Australian Government and the Government of Samoa. My expectation for this training is to ensure that I learn new set of skills and knowledge, that will enable me to train and empower other young females in my communities to be able to do something useful with their lives, says Falenaoti June Ailuai, from Vavau. At the end of the training, the participants will be able to design an initiative supporting women and their leadership in Samoa using the TLDP methodology. Also to conduct the TOT for participants on the TLDP in relation to leadership. Fasitoo-uta Primary School is the latest beneficiary of Australias Direct Aid Program (D.A.P) receiving 200 sets of desks and chairs valued at $40,000. Australian Charge dAffaires, Amanda Jewell, visited the school yesterday to officially handover the furniture, which will contribute to the physical and mental welfare of the students. I am happy to be here on behalf of the Australian Government to officially handover the sets of desks and chairs to the school, Ms. Jewell said. The latest addition of furniture is vital for promoting a more conducive learning environment for the students and staff members of Fasitoo-uta Primary School. The Australian Government takes pride in working with local communities on projects such as this, which aim to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development in Samoa, she concluded. D.A.P is a unique part of Australias development assistance to Samoa. It has a direct and targeted impact on peoples lives by funding projects that are designed by the very communities they are seeking to benefit. For many years, Australia has funded small-scale community activities through DAP to help community groups, churches and non-government organisations provide essential services for their communities at a grass-roots level. DAP complements the around $20 million (2015-2019) provided by the Australian Government to the Government of Samoa to support its priorities in the education sector. In October 2018, Salamumu Primary School received new bathroom facilities, two water tanks and a range of quality reading books through DAP funds. Re: Land and Court ruling Ahem Im a little confused here! So how does a lease granted under the Alienation of Customary Land Act 1965 end up as public land? According to Justice Tafaoimalo Leases granted over customary land fall within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court as they operate as leases of public land. Well, well, well what do yah know? This is what Fiu, Maua and Iuni have been warning the Samoan people about for so long now, that LTRA 2008 is a Torrens Tittle system that alienates the Aigas customary lands. I dont know how else the government and their gang are going to spin this but to me it sure looks like alienation of customary land. Another issue here is why is customary land lease/licence under ACLA 1965 but registered in LTRA 2008? And how does Land and Tittles Court, Land and Tittles Court of Appeal have no jurisdiction over this case involving customary land? Justice Tafaoimalo has stated that customary land lease is recognized as public land. So what happened to the customary part of the lease? In our Constitution article 101. Land in Samoa - sub-clause (4) Public land means land vested in Samoa being land that is free from customary tittle and from any estate in fee simple. And right after that is article 102. No Alienation of Customary Land. And right after that is article 103. Land and Tittles Court - There shall be a Land and Tittles Court with such composition and with such jurisdiction in relation to Matai tittles and customary land as may be provided by Act. I may not be learned as our Justice but to me a lay person our Constitution is pretty much self explanatory. And yes I do understand the second applicants right to a fair trial and their day in court. But that is not the issue here, I am concerned that all customary land lease/licence is registered as public land. I am also curious about the term of lease/licence as ACLA 1965 article 4. Power to grant lease or licence - sub-clause (1)(b) if the authorized purpose so approved is a hotel or industrial purpose, for a term not exceeding 30 years, with or without a right or rights of renewal for a term or terms not exceeding an additional 30 years in the aggregate, as may be approved by the Minister; Now this is very interesting as the second applicant has invested $30 million into this resort, one can only presume that, (1) the lease is for a very, very long term and (2) the lessee has mortgaged their lease hold for it is registered under LTRA 2008 in accordance with ACLA 1965 article 4. sub-clause (2) and (3). ALCA 1965 article 4. Power to grant lease or licence - sub-clause (2) For the avoidance of doubt, an interest in the lease or licence of customary land that the Minister can grant by subsection (1) includes a mortgage of the interest of the lessee or licensee. (3) The process of registration and discharge of mortgages in the Land Titles Registration Act 2008 applies to the registration and discharge of such mortgages. Many people queried the HRPP government in past interviews if LTRA 2008 is in fact a Torrens Tittle Land registration system, but there was much denial, smoke and mirrors about their true intentions. And now it seems like the real underlying hidden agenda of LTRA 2008 is slowly being revealed ... registering customary land as public land. Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when its wrong Quote by Ron Paul. Soifua, Oisole The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S.) has so far spent $6 million on the renovation of the John Williams building in Apia. This was confirmed by the C.C.C.S. Finance Committee Chairman, Le Mamea Ropati Mualia, who went on to express disappointment with the recklessness which led to the project going over budget. In March this year, the Komiti o Feau Eseese asked the churchs General Assembly for an additional $2 million to complete the projectthis request was revealed in a copy of a reportwhich was tabled in the 2018 conference. According to a report released in March this year by the Komiti o Feau Eseese, the repairs are underwaywith two different companies contractedto work on the body, the plumbing and the ceiling of the multi-storey building. This work was to cost $3 million, which was already approved for renovation. An elevator servicing company also recommended that the building is fitted with elevators, which will require additional funding by the church. We granted the request for $3 million and this is in addition to another $3 million that was allocated for this project for the first renovation, LeMamea said. The Chairman said the Church has spent way too much money on this one project. As chairman, we have spent way too much money and this is due to the recklessness of those overseeing the project, as well as the contractors who worked on this project. We spent $3million during the first renovation and the end result was not up to par, with what is to be expected of that building, and so we added another $3million. The previous contractors are very inexperienced but what can I do, I am just the chairman, he added. According to the chairman, their role is to go through the proposal submitted for church projects, and the John Williams buildings is overseen by the Komiti o Feau Eseese. When this committee requested for more funds, I was vocal in my views of money not spent wiselyyet we are still trying to pay off the loan on other church developments. And at the end of the day, we have to renovate the building, even if its the second time around. It would be an embarrassment for the church if the construction comes to a standstill. Le Mamea blamed the previous contractors for not doing a good job and the Komiti o Feau Eseese for not keeping an eye on the project. The National University of Samoas top student in its Foundation Programme yesterday spoke of the importance of remembering how top achievers always started from the bottom. Speaking to the Samoa Observer after getting the universitys foundation programmes top student award, 17-year-old Emily Elizabeth Fruean said it was always important to remember that everyone including herself started from the bottom. No matter how high we rise, no matter how much we have achieved, we must always remember we started from the bottom, she said. Ms. Fruean is the recipient of the Hon. Misa Telefoni Retzlaffs Trophy (2018 top student overall in the Foundation Programme) and the SROS trophy and plaque (top overall Foundation Science student). She also received the Samoa Stationeries and Books Trophy for coming first in chemistry, the Latu Lawyers Trophy for topping human biology, the Business Systems Limiteds Trophy for top overall physics student, and the Late Fuimaono Folomalo Toelupes Memorial Trophy for top mathematics student. The fifth child of Sua Henry and Ruby Fruean from Siusega, Faleasiu and Motootua, the top studentin her acknowledgement speech after receiving the awardsacknowledged the help of everyone in her life including God, family and friends. First and foremost, I give our utmost thanks to our heavenly father. All praise and glory be unto the most high, for his unfailing love and guidance. Without his faithfulness, we would not have had the strength, willpower and knowledge to endure and persevere during the course of this years endeavors. I thank my dear parentsSua Henry and Ruby Frueanfor all your unconditional love and support. I would not be standing here today if it werent for your prayers, wisdom, guidance and care. Special thanks to my spiritual parents, Rev. Kerisimasi and Viola Sani and my congregation for their kind words of encouragement and never-ending prayers, she said. This year was not an easy one for Ms. Fruean, but she said she persevered, mindful that a successful career and achieving her goals in life was only possible through hard work. There were difficult times but I always kept in mind that if I ever was to have a successful career, if I ever was to achieve my dreams and goals, to be the best I could, I needed to push on and keep moving forward. We will inevitably face downfalls, hardships and shed tears at some point but this does not define us and it definitely will not hinder us from unleashing our full potential for excellence. For if you have faith in Gods guidance and commit yourselves to giving your best, only God can limit how far you go. To all my fellow students, I urge that we all have faith in ourselves and in Gods counsel. Success does not occur overnight. It is a constant process of growth, self-reflection and resilience. We must be prepared to dedicate ourselves to molding our prospective careers into reality, she added. Humbleness can also play an important role in the journey to success, according to Ms. Fruean. I aim to be a surgeon because I noticed that Samoa lacks surgeons and recently doctors from China came to Samoa, I believe that a lot of our people need help. I love helping and I believe that my love for science paired with my passion to help people, will make a big differencenot only for me but for everyone. I am currently employed as a part-time worker at Samoa Observer, while awaiting my scholarship next year, I love writing and I wanted to pursue it in Observer, she added. Skyeye Samoa has been awarded $230,000 from the Global System for Mobile communications Association (GSMA) towards accelerating an application designed to change e-commerce in Samoa. In a Pacific first, the company has won funding from the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Fund, for start-up companies who need money, technical assistance and partnerships with mobile operators. Thats exactly what Skyeye needs to launch their app, Maua. Maua intends to help consumers and vendors find each other, literally. Using GPS, users skip giving directions to the nearest coconut tree, and instead locate their customer or product directly. Faasootauloa Sam Saili, Chief executive officer of Skyeye said his companys mission is to make life easier, and cheaper for everyone. Thanks to the funding, as well as $150,000 of their own financing, Skyeye plans to launch phase one platform by July next year, and roll it out fully by November. On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Communications, Information and Technology Minister Afamasaga Rico Tupai said he feels like a proud father. The GSMA is the biggest mobile association in the Pacific, he said. We can now say weve got the muscle for Samoa to take this to the world. A platform connecting their products to customers without any transport costs or childcare burdens could lift some women and disabled people in out of tough economic situations. The key words in technology at this time is bridging the digital divide, continued Afamasaga. Government providing infrastructure for private sector to utilise is how his department is supporting companies like Skyeye, he said. The GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Fund is partially funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT). On behalf of Australia, acting High Commissioner Amanda Jewell said putting AUD$5.6 million towards the fund supports economic development. For small technology start-ups, reaching scale, and partnering with mobile operators can be a challenge, Ms Jewell said, making funds like this essential. Innovation can help deliver development solutions that are cheaper, faster and more effective." We believe that innovation holds the key to adapting to the rapidly changing development landscape, and making an impactful difference on the lives of people, she said. Maua aims to meet six sustainable development goals, including gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and reducing inequalities. The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afamasaga Rico Tupai has a lofty goal for Samoa: digital identification for all citizens by the next election. At the launch of Skyeyes new e-commerce and economic empowerment platform Maua, Afamasaga not only congratulated the team for taking I.C.T to a new level in Samoa, he also issued a challenge. Following workshops in Fiji last week on digital ID, Afamasaga proposed to Skyeye that they be the company to develop it for the region. I was thinking to myself, Samoa can be the place to develop the right software to build digital ID around the whole Pacific, he said. Explaining that the governments work to enable private sector to innovate is well underway, Afamasaga said its Samoas time to lead the Pacific in ICT. I would like to challenge you, Skyeye lets work together on this." I know you have a lot to do now, but you have more and bigger challenges on your hands now, Afamsaga said. Feel free to just knock on our doors anytime you require help. After delivering presentations on Skyeyes e-commerce platform Maua, Faasootauloa Sam Saili said hes absolutely up for the challenge. Its all a matter of will, and motivation, he said. We have to see if the social impact justifies the effort and investment it will take. Digital ID has been proven to help with e-commerce and essential service delivery overseas, Faasootauloa said, so there is no reason it shouldnt be necessary and useful here. A family is still trying to come to terms with an incident, which led to this Toyota pick up truck on their lawn, next to the office of their car wash business. The incident occurred in Tanugamanono at around 7pm last night. Faamatuainu Asiono, the Owner told the Samoa Observer, that no one was injured but their office was badly damaged. When the Samoa Observer arrived, the driver was consulting with the family. The Samoa celebration of the International Disability Week has been a success, says the disability advocacy organisation, Nuanua o le Alofa (NOLA). The celebration included announcing the winners of a poem and short videos competition, which revolved around the themes of equality, diversity and inclusion. The organisations office manager, Mataafa Faatino Utumapu, said the objective of the competition was to convey messages that emphasised the removal of barriers against people living with disabilities and to demonstrate protection, promotion and respect for the human rights of persons. The competition was opened to individuals living with and without disabilities with entries open from November to December 7. All competition categories were awarded cash prizes. The first place winners receive $600 tala, second $400 tala and third $300 tala. Consolation prize winners received $100 tala each. The top prize in the adult short video competition categorywhich was given by Ombudsman Maiava Iulai Tomawent to Tusiga Peseta, followed by Henry Kovati and Lumanai Talailemotu. No students competed in that video category. In the poem category, prizes were given to about 20 participants. First place went to Edwina Faaolatane Pao, a Year 5 student at Vaimoso Primary School, with 19-year-old Francis Faalili second. The prizes were presented to the winners by Louisa Apelu, the Assistant CEO at the Ministry of Woman Community and Social Development. In the adult poem category, Talatau Setefano from Fagalii Uta took first place, followed by Vatapuia Tuulima from Gautavai, Savaii and Isaako Tuato in third. Consolation prize was awarded to Tepatasi Gray, Henry Kovati and Mark Kovati. Mataafa said there was a limited time for participants to submit their entriesdue to funding availabilitybut the deadline was extended, which enabled more people to participate. Well all I can say is that it has been a very successful two weeks of events with all the activities that have been achieved with successful outcomes, she said. KATOWICE, Poland (AP) The United Nations secretary-general called on countries to make compromises and sacrifices in talks over tackling global warming, as some observers warned the meeting in Poland could collapse without an agreement on key issues. Making his second dramatic appeal in the space of 10 days, Antonio Guterres told ministers and senior diplomats from almost 200 countries that they should consider the fate of future generations. "This is the time for political compromises to be reached," he said. "This means sacrifices, but it will benefit us all collectively." His call came as the two-week meeting in Katowice shifted from the technical to political phase, with ministers taking over negotiations. Campaign groups warned of the risks of failure and accused powerful players such as the European Union of not pushing hard enough to reach an agreement. "A new leadership must step up," said Vanessa Perez-Cirera of the environmental group WWF. "We cannot afford to lose one of the twelve years we have remaining." She was referring to a recent scientific report by a U.N.-backed panel that suggested average global warming can only be halted at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) if urgent action is taken by 2030, including a dramatic reduction in use of fossil fuels. Endorsing the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change became a crunch issue over the weekend, with the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait opposing the move. Jean-Pascal Ypersele, a former deputy chair of the panel, said whether or not countries believe the conclusions of the report was irrelevant because the science was clear. "Nobody, even the so-called superpowers, can negotiate with the laws of physics," he said. Ypersele called for the 1.5-degree target already mentioned in the 2015 Paris accord to be recognized in the final text. "It's a question of survival for a large part of humanity, and many other species," he said. Poland, which is chairing the talks, was circulated a condensed draft text Wednesday running to about 100 pages, down from about 300 at the start of the talks. The Dec. 2-14 meeting is supposed to finalize the rules that signatories of the Paris accord need to follow when it comes to reporting their greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to reduce them. Jennifer Morgan, the head of environmental group Greenpeace, said the current drafts contain too many loopholes to be effective, including how countries calculate the amount of emissions absorbed by trees when submitting their reports. "One proposal is that every country can pick to count it however they want to," Morgan said. "There's no scientific integrity in that." Poor countries, meanwhile, want assurances on financial support to tackle climate change. Many say they are already seeing the effects of global warming in droughts, floods and other disasters made worse by emissions that were generated mostly by developed nations. A third objective of the talks is getting governments to make a firm commit to raising ambitions in the coming two years, albeit without any precise figures. Guterres, who made a detour on his way to Yemen peace talks in Sweden, said failure to reach agreement in Katowice "would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change." "It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal," he added. Guterres said that while he and most people in the room wouldn't be alive by the end of the century, children alive today would be. "I do not want my granddaughters or anybody else's to suffer the consequences of our failures," he said, "They would not forgive us if uncontrolled and spiraling climate change would be our legacy to them." The Allen Institute has donated $125 million to a new division dedicated to understanding the human immune system. Partners include UC San Diego and four other academic centers, the institute said Wednesday. Paul Allen, the late Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist, made the donation to create the Allen Institute for Immunology. Allen died in October of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The new division is housed at the Allen Institutes headquarters in Seattle. Unlike many biomedical research projects aimed at specific diseases, this is a much more encompassing effort to devise models of how the immune system works in health and disease. It follows the ambitious pattern set by two other efforts, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and the Allen Institute for Cell Science, At the Allen Institute, we pride ourselves on our large-scale industrial approach to science, said Allen Jones, its president and CEO, at a press conference announcing the immunology initiative. Advertisement Thomas Bumol, the former head of Eli Lillys Biotechnology Center in San Diego, has moved to Seattle to become executive director of the new institute. Bumol was Lillys senior vice president of biotechnology and immunology research. Besides the University of California San Diego, the other four initiative members are: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle; Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, also in Seattle; University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; and University of Pennsylvania. The new institutes main goal is to extend immunology from basic research to get clinical insights in actual people. All of the five member institutions have access to patients and patient tissue samples, in addition to performing their own immunological research. The human immune system uses multiple interrelated networks of cells and chemicals to detect and repel infections. At the same time, it contains elaborate checks and balances to prevent these networks from attacking the body. Failures can make people vulnerable to infections or cancer, or cause autoimmune diseases. The Allen Institute for Immunology aims to build a sort of immune system atlas, with detailed descriptions of the cell types and networks. It will study how these components change over a period of one to three years, in both healthy volunteers and patients with different immune diseases. To put discoveries to use as rapidly as possible, the institute said its data and tools will be made publicly available online. Get the balance right Researchers have been studying the immune system for decades, but what we dont yet understand is its dynamic balance, Bumol said Wednesday at the press conference. What does a healthy immune system look like? How does it shift when our body encounters different environments? How does it change when we age and what goes wrong? The institute will first study two cancers and three autoimmune diseases. They are multiple myeloma and melanoma; along with rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease. Unlike cancer, when the immune system fails to destroy abnormal cells, autoimmune diseases are the result of a hyperactive or wrongly directed immune system, which attacks normal cells. UCSD and the University of Colorado are taking on the rheumatoid arthritis program. Its headed by Dr. Gary Firestein, UCSD Healths associate vice chancellor for clinical and translational research. As a medical doctor, Firestein treats those with rheumatoid arthritis as well as conducting research. The program will study healthy people at elevated risk for rheumatoid arthritis, and continue to follow them if they develop the disease, Firestein said. This feature of the program, focusing on the transition between health and illness, got Bumols support. Those individuals who have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis, or who test positive for certain antibodies, are at greater risk for the disease, Firestein said. About 1 percent of the general community will develop rheumatoid arthritis, but with our criteria, we can predict that about 40 to 50 percent of those individuals will ultimately develop the disease, he said. From understanding to treatments Ultimately we are hoping that if we understand that process, we could develop new therapies that would help prevent that transition, Firestein said. In other words, prevent people from getting rheumatoid arthritis, rather than waiting to get it and treat them with drugs for the rest of their lives. One part of the monitoring involves examining peripheral blood cells, specifically their pattern of gene activation, he said. We now have the technology to look at what genes are expressed cell by cell, as opposed to the old technology where youd have to look at billions of cells all at the same time, Firestein said. Those who develop rheumatoid arthritis will also get synovial biopsies. A fine needle will be inserted into the inflamed joint, and part of the joint lining removed. We will be able to compare what the immune system looks like in the joint where its actually causing the damage to whats going on in the blood, Firestein said. And that way were going to hopefully be able to discover how to use the peripheral blood as a window to whats going on. The rheumatoid arthritis effort is still being organized. A web site with information will be established soon, Firestein said. Such large-scale projects would not be possible without the donation and the Allen Institutes support, Firestein said. It could not be done by writing NIH (National Institutes of Health) grants, it is far too ambitious for most other institutes or foundations, he said. Patients and others looking for more information on the Allen Institute for Immunology can find it at j.mp/aimmunology. Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 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 After two days of cancellations, North Countys California Pacific Airlines says it will be back in the air Wednesday. Mechanical issues among its four-plane fleet grounded all flights on Monday and Tuesday. It has had numerous delays and cancellations in its first month of operation out of McClellan-Palomar Airport and other locations. Ryan Divita, sales and marketing director for the airline, said minor maintenance issues and getting parts for planes canceled the flights. The airline declined to make public exactly what the mechanical issues were. Unfortunately, its been a perfect storm of all the aircraft having issues at the same time, he said on Tuesday. It was completely unrelated. The only thing in common was the bad timing. Advertisement California Pacific uses Embraer ERJ-135 twin jet planes that are roughly 18 years old. The two planes it uses for routes in Carlsbad and South Dakota were grounded with the maintenance issues. A third plane was undergoing repairs after it struck an excavator while taxiing Oct. 26 at Pierre Regional Airport. The fourth plane was undergoing scheduled maintenance. Divita said its planes undergo general maintenance every 14 days and inspections every three days. The planes are operating out there are 18 to 19 years old. Its not old, but things break on them, he said. Especially flying them with schedule weve been flying them. Its a lot of wear and tear. Divita said safety is paramount for California Pacific and always errs on the side of caution. Divita said its been offering vouchers to customers on a case-by-case basis to those whose flights have been canceled. Its basically to say, Hey, give us another shot, he said. Its certainly not easy, but we are doing what we can. Michael Belch, a marketing lecturer at San Diego State University, said it seemed to him like California Pacific might have started flying too soon and needs a timeout. It sounds more than a string of bad luck here, he said. It sounds like they werent ready to go in the first place. Belch said for the airline to succeed it needed to ground flights for a while to get things better prepared and then embark on an aggressive public relations campaign. For now, he said the airline will have the problem of new customers searching the Internet for information about a new airline, and running into negative reviews on Facebook and Yelp. Both sites are filled with testimonials of customers about long delays or canceled flights. Belch said the vague explanation of minor maintenance issues may deter many passengers, except maybe those most eager for a deal. If it is mechanical issues, Im sure as heck not getting on that plane, he said. The Federal Aviation Administration said it does not take action against airlines for cancellations. Were closely monitoring the airlines operation and how they are managing their maintenance program, it said in a statement. California Pacific was founded eight years ago by entrepreneur Ted Vallas, now 97 years old. It was delayed for years in back-and-forth disputes with San Diego County, the owners of the airport it planned to use, and other issues. Its inaugural flight on the morning of Nov. 1 was canceled, despite a major media push, because of mechanical problems on the plane. Since then, it has been operating flights to San Jose, Las Vegas, Reno and Phoenix. It also has flights between South Dakota and Colorado. 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 The historic Pekin Cafe, one of San Diegos longest-running family restaurants, is closing its doors after nearly 90 years in operation, ending a three-generation legacy in North Park. The American-style Cantonese restaurant, run by the family of the late founder Leo Fong, will close permanently in March, allowing older family members to retire and their children to pursue careers outside the industry. The restaurant is one of the citys oldest, first founded in 1931 by Fong and his family, and before the openings of other longtime local eateries such as The Waterfront Bar (1933), Tobeys 19th Hole Cafe (1934) and The Chicken Pie Shop (1938). The establishment later renamed to Peking Restaurant was founded at a time when Cantonese cuisine was considered exotic, predating the trendy pho and ramen spots that now dominate the neighborhood. Over the past century, Peking seemed to etch a permanent mark on University Avenue its theatrical Chinese-dynasty facade glowing neon red night after night while the neighborhood transformed around it. Its sign, originally meant to advertise a popular Cantonese dish, reads Chop Suey, which later became the unofficial name of the restaurant. Advertisement For decades, customers have been scooting into the restaurants cushy leather booths, awaiting pots of free green tea and family-style dishes rolled in on steel carts. The food is cooked in cast iron woks (the pans seasoned over years), and served up on steel platters and bowls. And memories of dining there span generations. When Peking announced its closure on Facebook on Friday, the post accumulated over 100 comments from longtime patrons expressing their sadness and sharing fond memories. We have been going here for over 50 years with my parents and grandmother, said Tracie Sanders Barr. When we had our children, we started taking them. So many wonderful memories and the best food in San Diego. Today, the restaurant is owned by Leos son Kenneth Fong and his wife Maria, the latter of which has been serving Pekings tables for the past 40 years alongside longtime waitress Anna Ma. Its a family affair, as the kitchen is run by chef Guy Ma, Annas husband and the key to Pekings magic. The staff has made Chop Suey what it is, said Jen Fong, a granddaughter of founder Leo Fong. Were welcoming to everyone who walks in our doors. We know your names, your orders and we treat you like family. One of few remaining old photos of Pekin Cafes interior. Most pictures were lost in a fire during the 1980s. (Courtesy/ Pekin Cafe) The restaurant has been staffed for years by Fongs granddaughters: Jen, Stephanie and Leslie. Jen said customers watched them grow up in the restaurant, first doing homework in the booths and riding on the steel carts as children, and later serving tables as young women. Now, theyve all gone to college and are pursuing careers outside the restaurant industry. Leslie, 40, works at San Diego State University, while Jen, 34, is a graphic designer and Stephanie, 32, is a photographer. The women said they long considered taking over the restaurant when their parents (who are approaching 70) retired. But their parents strongly encouraged them to close the business instead. Our parents are immigrants, Jen said. They came here to make a better life for themselves and their children. The restaurant business is a physically and mentally demanding job. Our parents experienced that, and they didnt want the same for us. We all went to school and theyve been very supportive of us following our passions. Thats the American dream, right? When asked why Chop Suey is closing down instead of selling to a new owner, Jen said they wanted to honor the family legacy by maintaining control to the end. The people here made the restaurant what it is, Jen said. The restaurant should rest with those who created it. Historic advertisements published in the San Diego Union newspaper duringg the early 1930s. (Courtesy/ Urbana Preservation) Business brittany.meiling@sduniontribune.com 619-293-1286 Twitter: @BrittanyMeiling It was a night of photographs, flowers and smiling faces Tuesday night as three winning candidates for the Encinitas City Council were sworn into office during a special session. Its so great to look out and see so many happy faces. Its so rare, a beaming, newly re-elected Mayor Catherine Blakespear said at the sessions start, and the some 100 people in the audience started laughing. Newly elected Councilwoman Jody Hubbard, who was being sworn into her first term in office, told the crowd that her new title hadnt really hit her until she was driving to the evenings meeting. She won her post in a race against two-term incumbent Mark Muir, who did not attend Tuesdays session. I know this will be the most fun City Council meeting Ill have in four years, she declared. Advertisement Councilman Joe Mosca, who was elected in November after serving for two years as an appointed City Council member, proudly urged his family, friends and supporters to come up and stand around him while he recited his oath. So many people came, photographers had trouble getting them all in their photos. This years election was noteworthy in terms of voter turnout, Blakespear told the crowd. Despite the fact that it wasnt a presidential election year, turnout was 79 percent, she said. In the mayors race alone, 30,000 people voted. Thats close to the 31,000 that voted for mayor in the 2016 presidential election year and far exceeds the 18,000 that voted four years earlier, she noted. Unlike many cities, Encinitas mayors spot is a two-year post rather than a four-year one. The council seats are four-year positions. After the congratulations, the council briefly got down to business Tuesday night and approved Blakespears selection of Hubbard as the new deputy mayor. Blakespear, who was selected as deputy mayor when she was first elected as a council member, has continued the tradition of picking the newcomer for the deputys spot and said Tuesday night that its a great learning opportunity. As deputy mayor, Hubbard will preside over city water board meetings and will fill in as mayor when Blakespear isnt available. Mosca, who just stepped down from the job, told Hubbard that the opportunities to fill in as mayor may be very infrequent. Blakespear was only ever absent once in his year in the job, he said. The council will return to its regular schedule tonight. During that session, theyre scheduled to vote on what to do with the council seat thats just been vacated by Tasha Boerner Horvath, who won her bid to become a state assemblywoman in the November election and was sworn into her new office Dec. 3. Council members are expected to vote to seek applicants for the post, rather than calling for a special election. A special election is forecast to cost $408,000 and likely couldnt be held by law until November 2019, City Clerk Kathy Hollywood said before the start of Tuesdays session. Speaking after the event ended, Blakespear said she definitely would be recommending the appointment route, saying that in addition to the cost savings, it would be a far faster process. The new person can be seated by Jan. 9, she said. A staff report prepared for tonights council meeting contains a proposed schedule. It calls for the clerk to post the council job opening Dec. 13 and accept applications until 5 p.m. Jan. 4. The City Council could hear from the applicants at its Jan. 9 meeting and pick someone then, or wait until the Jan. 14 session to make a decision, the staff report notes. When Mosca was selected in 2017, there were 16 applicants for the job. However, theres a complicating factor now -- the city is in the process of transitioning to district-based elections and Boerner Horvaths seat is scheduled to become the District 2 representatives spot in the 2020 election. District 2 covers the citys core central coast region, including downtown Encinitas and the southern parts of coastal Leucadia. To view boundaries for the citys four council districts, visit: https://ci.encinitas.ca.us/Government/Municipal-Elections A measure asking voters countywide to repeal the Board of Supervisors approval of the Newland Sierra housing development in North County will appear on the March 3, 2020, ballot, it was decided Tuesday. The supervisors, faced with only two options, voted to place the No on Newland Sierra and Bad Development measure on the ballot rather than repeal their approval of the 2,135-home development. The project would be built north of Escondido just west of Interstate 15 in the hills north of Deer Springs Road. On Sept. 26, the supervisors voted 4-0 to green-light the project, saying new housing is desperately needed in the county. Supervisor Dianne Jacob was absent. Advertisement The next day, hundreds of paid signature-gatherers and volunteers fanned out across the county to gather signatures for a referendum to repeal the decision. They faced a 30-day deadline to gather nearly 69,000 valid voter signatures; more than 117,000 were obtained in just over three weeks. Late last month, the Registrar of Voters validated the signatures forcing the decision by the supervisors. The only caveat is that a San Diego Superior Court judge will decide soon whether a challenge to the petition drive filed by the projects developer, Newland Communities, has merit. Judge Kenneth J. Medel is expected to rule this week whether Newlands claims that not enough information was made available to signers to meet legal requirements, and that misleading information was stated by signature-gatherers, should negate the petition drive and initiative. The judge issued a tentative ruling on Friday rejecting all of Newlands claims, but oral arguments were heard Monday and a final decision is expected by the end of this week. A motion to place the initiative on the ballot was made by Jacob, who said since she missed the projects hearing in September due to personal issues, she didnt feel like she could comment on the merits of the development. This is the first referendum on a land-use decision made by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, Jacobs said. This is a big deal. For that reason, I favor putting this on the ballot. Jacob said the measure gives the people the chance to vote on whether or not the supervisors made the right decision. It also gives a chance for the public to say if they support our General Plan, she said. Do they support a project that has been designated in a very high fire hazard severity zone by Cal Fire and would put a little over 2,000 additional homes over what our General Plan allows? She said the public should have a right to vote on that. Because if the public supports the referendum ... then I think thats going to send a very, very strong message to the Board of Supervisors in the coming years about how they feel about our General Plan, how they feel about fire risk, and how they feel the Board of Supervisors should support our General Plan as it stands today. The General Plan is the countys blueprint for growth. The supervisors approval granted a General Plan Amendment for the project, which allowed for 20 times the number of housing units on land currently zoned for just 99 homes under the General Plan. The motion passed with little further discussion by a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Ron Roberts absent. Barring a court ruling invalidating the measure, it is likely that in the months preceding the 2020 election, millions of dollars will be spent by both sides trying to persuade voters of their positions, political experts predict. Nothing less than the future of large housing developments in unincorporated San Diego County is at stake. During that same election, voters will also be asked to vote on a different measure that would force public votes on most large developments in the unincorporated parts of the county where General Plan Amendments are being sought. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones PHOTO: The Music Men Chorus is performing holiday concerts across North County. The Music Men Chorus presents its annual Christmas Show 2:30 p.m. Sunday Dec. 16 at the Oceanside Senior Center at 455 Country Club Lane. The concert will feature holiday favorites sung in the traditional barbershop a cappella harmony style. Admission is free, but free-will donations help defray the Choruss costs (suggested donation is $10 per person). Visit musicmenchorus.org or call (310) 650-0810. The Mens A Capella Chorus marked its 64th anniversary this year and is led by music director, David Garstang of Rancho Bernardo, who has been involved in barbershop quartets since the 1970s. The clubs officers include President Joseph Quince, of Carlsbad; Secretary-Treasurer Alex Termulo, of San Marcos; Chapter Development Vice President Scott Higgins of San Marcos; Marketing and Public Relations Vice President Tom Redler of Carlsbad; Music and Performance Vice President Charlie Wendt of Oceanside and Director-at-Large: Bill Colburn of Vista. The liaison with the Barbershop Harmony Society is Roger Hufferd of Oceanside. Pictured are members of the Music Men Chorus with director David Garstang. Visit musicmenchorus.org. Community events, news North County CARDIFF Advertisement Bach Christmas Oratory Saturday Bach Collegium San Diego hosts the J. S. Bach Christmas Oratory from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. The oratorio carries the listener through the Christmas narrative as seen through the eyes of the angels, shepherds, and Magi. The concert is performed by an orchestra of 26, chorus of 18 and soloists. Tickets are $20-$70. Visit bachcollegiumsd.org. CARLSBAD Staying serene during holidays topic of talk The Carlsbad Senior Center is hosting a free talk, How to Keep Joy in the Holidays and Stay Serene, led by a licensed marriage and family therapist from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the center, 799 Pine Ave. Attendees will learn about recent research on brain plasticity and ways to calm your brain. Visit carlsbadca.gov/parksandrec. Piano duo to perform Friday at library The city of Carlsbads Cultural Arts Office presents The Nutcracker and Beyond: Piano Duo at 7 p.m. Friday as part of Free Front Row Fridays in the Schulman Auditorium, at the Carlsbad City Library complex, 1775 Dove Lane. The concert features pianists Anna Grigorian and Natasha Gubenko performing Debussy, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky. Call (760) 602-2090. DEL MAR Queen Bee Market set for Friday, Saturday The Queen Bee Market is from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. More than 100 vendors will sell goods ranging from handmade frames, art and jewelry to clothing and dolls. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Animal Pad, a local nonprofit, all-breed dog rescue that focuses on saving dogs in Mexico. Adoptable dogs will be on-site. Design39Campus, a K-8 school in Poway, will offer items designed and created by students. Visit thequeenbeemarket.com. ESCONDIDO Patio Playhouse puts on Christmas show Patio Playhouse Community Theater presents the comedy Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!), written by Michael Carleton, Jim FitzGerald and John K.Alvarez, with original music by Will Knapp. Shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 23, at 116 W. Kalmia Ave. Tickets are $17 for seniors, military and students, and $12 for ages 16 and younger. Visit patioplayhouse.com or call (760) 746-6669. Computer classes open for seniors Senior Service Council Escondido holds registration for computer classes Thursday. Four or eight weeks of instruction in the computer lab with three students per teacher, starting in January. Fee is $30. Specialty classes are also offered in email and the Internet ($15); beginning Word or Excel or PowerPoint ($30); and iPad, Kindle or Android tablet for seniors ($15). Register in person from 9 a.m. to noon at 728 N. Broadway. Call (760) 480-0611. FALLBROOK Holiday boutique runs through Dec. 22 The Fallbrook Librarys annual Bottom Shelf Holiday Boutique runs through Dec. 22, featuring books, games, music, videos and childrens and adult gifts. Bottom Shelf gift certificates will be sold. The bookstore, 124 S. Mission Road, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (760) 451-9606. NORTH COUNTY Upcoming flu shot clinics offered Palomar Health offers flu shot clinics in North County. Upcoming clinics: 4 to 6 p.m. today at 4S Ranch Library, 10433 Reserve Drive; 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Poway Library, 13137 Poway Road; 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at Palomar Medical Center Poway, 15615 Poway Road; noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Marys Church, 1160 S. Broadway St., Escondido; and 2 to 4 p.m. Monday at Palomar Medical Center, 2185 Citracado Parkway. Fee is $20 and free for those in need. For a full list of clinics, visit palomarhealth.org/flu. OCEANSIDE Job, resource fair for veterans set for Friday Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet Job and Resource Fair is from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at North County Coastal Career Center, 1949 Avenida Del Oro. More than 20 employers and resources will be on hand to meet with job seekers. All job seekers are welcome. Visit bit.ly/2PyiGVg. POWAY Mens ensemble performs holiday faves The mens ensemble, InaChord, features seasonal favorites in a concert at 7 p.m. Friday at Community Church of Poway, 13501 Community Road. Director Bob Wuertz leads the concert. Admission is $10; free for children younger than 7, at the door. Call (858) 748-3304. RANCHO BERNARDO Travel group hosts musical journey The RB Travelers will meet at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Seven Oaks Community Center, 16789 Bernardo Oaks Drive. Stan Walsh will present his film, World on a String, a musical journey. The meeting is open to attendees older than 18. Call (858) 943 1309. SOLANA BEACH Free Zumba class Thursday at library A free adult Zumba class is at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Solana Beach Library, 157 Stevens Ave. The easy-to-follow dance fitness class meets each Thursday and provides a workout led by Marcella Alva, certified Zumba and Latin dance instructor. Call (858) 755-1404. VISTA Holiday bazaar set for Sunday at club The Hill Street Country Club and Backfence Society host a Holidazed Bazaar from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Hill Street Country Club, 110 S. Citrus Ave. Visit thehillstreetcountryclub.org. The Vista Unified School District will consider revising how students are admitted to its magnet schools, with a change that would increase access for some students, but eliminate automatic enrollment for others. The school board on Thursday will vote on a measure to streamline the application process and eliminate most categories for priority enrollment. The new rules are intended to increase demographic diversity at the districts five magnet campuses, and allow more neighborhood students to attend those schools, Superintendent Linda Kimble said. We want to make sure students on any block in Vista have equal access as anyone else, she said. Critics say the proposed change upends a system that has worked well, and could exclude some students who have attended magnets in lower grades, and planned to continue that path through high school. Advertisement The people who are going to be affected are the people who entered the magnet program with the expectation that they would follow the magnet program through high school, said Keith Rice, whose daughter has attended magnet schools in Vista since fourth grade. The district operates five magnet schools, starting in elementary grades with Casita Center for Science, Technology and Math, and Vista Academy of Visual & Performing Arts. Two magnet middle schools, Vista Magnet Middle School of Math, Science, and Technology and Vista Innovation and Design Academy, both offer specialized programs for sixth- through eighth-graders. Mission Vista High School is an arts, communication, science and technology magnet. Out of about 20,000 students enrolled in Vista Unified, about 4,500 attend those magnet campuses, according to district enrollment figures. Under current rules, students enrolled in an elementary school magnet are assigned priority for admission to middle and high school magnet programs. Siblings of current students also get priority, along with children from military families and foster and homeless youth. The admission process also reserves 10 percent of spaces for inter-district transfers students who live in another district but choose to attend a magnet school in Vista. The remainder of students are assigned by lottery. The proposed rules would eliminate all those categories except for siblings of existing magnet students, and some limited enrollment priorities for military families. Inter-district students could be admitted only after all applicants from within the district are offered seats. As a result, more spaces would be opened to lottery, Kimble said. There are so many students taking up the pipeline, that there is no spaces for students in the community trying to get in, she said. Kimble started with the district in January, and said that in her first weeks on the job she grew concerned about students who walked several miles each way to class. In some cases, they walked past magnet schools in their own neighborhood to farther campuses. The numerous priority categories hindered these kids chances to get seats in magnet programs near their homes, Kimble said. As a result, she said, magnets have lower numbers of special education students, English learners, Latino students and those whose parents arent college graduates, than other schools in the district. In other words, educated, white parents of higher-performing kids were better at navigating the admission process than other groups. Some really motivated parents are getting into the system really early, and then theyre good forever, Kimble said. Now the kids who live down the block might be walking their entire school career. So, the bottom line is we have an equity issue. Kimble proposed a system of enrollment through a simple lottery, with exceptions for siblings of magnet students, and specific conditions for military families who recently transferred to the district after the lottery deadline. Parents whose children are already in the magnet system cried foul, however, saying it undermines the implied promise that students who enroll in magnets will continue on that course. Once you start on this pathway, up until now, you have priority to move to middle and to move to high school, said parent Dolly Goulart. Thats been understood, its been part of the marketing material, the spiel when you apply to a magnet. Kimble said, however, that the specialized focuses of the magnet schools arent true academic pathways. Only the International Baccalaureate program offered at several Vista campuses is a continual pathway and the schools where its offered arent all magnets. Shiloh Strawbridge, the parent of a student at Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, noted that her school has a higher percentage of Latino students, English learners and special education students than the district as a whole. The new rules could jeopardize that diversity, particularly as those students move into middle school, she said. Instead of eliminating priorities for existing magnet students, she thinks the district should simplify the application system and reach out to more families. What theyre doing is taking a wrecking ball before they even see what structure they should be demolishing, she said. Theyre destroying a magnet pathway before changing the application process. Goulart argued that there hasnt been enough community feedback on the enrollment changes. She wants the board to vote no on the proposed changes, and create a committee to study the matter and make recommendations. She would like to focus on the successes of magnet schools, and use them as models for neighborhood campuses. Your magnet program is working, she said. Take whats working with the magnets and use that as an incubator to help your other schools lift up. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan The year was 1992. Cruising in lowriders was rampant in National City on weekends. In a move intended to crack down on the popular pastime, which was blamed for crime and traffic congestion, the City Council outlawed cruising. More than 25 years later, city leaders want to embrace the customized cars, commonly fitted with hydraulic systems, as part of the citys rich history and culture. On Dec. 4, the City Council voted unanimously to create a committee to help a car club bring a lowrider car show and cruise to the city in May. Advertisement The support is unprecedented. It will be the first time the city creates an ad hoc committee to help an organization put on an event. Mayor Ron Morrison, who proposed the committee, acknowledged the problems associated with cruising in the early 1990s, but said the lowrider culture has changed. Its become much more of a family institution, he said. He added that lowriders, which he described as an art form, deserve to be appreciated. The Crowd of San Diego, the car club behind the idea of the lowrider event, wants to host the car show at Kimball Park and a cruise a procession of lowriders on Highland Avenue, the popular spot for cruising before the citywide ban went into effect in 1992. To get the ball rolling, the car club submitted an application for a temporary use permit on Dec. 4. The application will be reviewed by city departments, then sent to the City Council for a vote to deny or approve the permit. In a show of support during the Dec. 4 City Council meeting, Councilman Jerry Cano, who said he owned a 1971 Ford LTD, vowed to donate $1,000 to help cover the permit fee, which is $237. In hopes that the event comes to fruition, the ad hoc committee will help by meeting with organizers to offer guidance and feedback on ideas as they plan the event. The committee will include Morrison and Councilwoman Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, with city staff on hand to help. Theyre going to have a lot of work to do in the next six months to pull this thing off, Morrison said in an interview. We certainly want to give them every encouragement to go through with this process. He said the ad hoc committee will share with the City Council progress made on the planning of the event. City leaders stressed that the event will require collaboration between organizers, the Police Department and businesses to ensure all stakeholders are on board and the event runs smoothly. Its going to require everyone at the table, said Councilwoman Mona Rios. Robert Casas, a member of The Crowd of San Diego, said he plans to form an organization with a board by the end of the year so the group can organize the event and meet with the ad hoc committee. He said the plan is to also reach out to businesses on Highland Avenue, from restaurants to auto repair shops, to invite them to be part of the event as vendors. Casas, who envisions the car show as an annual family-friendly event, said some of the proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Club in National City. While the National City Chamber of Commerce already puts on an annual car show, members of The Crowd of San Diego said lowriders deserve a separate event. Casas, who grew up in National City, said lowriders dont get fair representation at the Automobile Heritage Day Festival and Car Show, which draws an estimated 200 vehicles from muscle cars to motorcycles to the event in August. I think its time to have something specific for lowriders, Morrison said. I think the time is right. Casas, who owns a 1963 Chevrolet Impala and bought his son a 1964 Impala, agreed. He said the lowrider community has worked hard to revive its image. Some of us are business owners mom and pops and work 9 to 5, he said. We love our cars. Its part of our culture. Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez December 12, 1947 The San Diego Union The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year. Friday, December 12, 1947 In 1947 the $14 million San Diego Aqueduct was dedicated and put into operation as the Navy officially turned over control to the County Water Authority. The 71-mile aqueduct brought Colorado River water from Riverside County to the San Vicente Reservoir near Lakeside. The Navy sponsored and supervised the construction in order to ensure a supply of water for the important naval and military establishments in and around San Diego. When Colorado River water finally flowed through the aqueduct into San Vicente Reservoir, San Diego had less than a month's supply on hand. Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: Aqueducts Keys Turned Over to Water Authority Navy Relinquishes Control in Formal Civic Ceremonies By Howard Welty Climaxing the communitys long quest for an auxiliary supply of water from the Colorado River, the 71-mile San Diego Aqueduct was official declared completed yesterday and turned over to the San Diego County Water Authority by the Navy. Windup of the two-year construction job, a major engineering feat at a cost of 14 million dollars, was celebrated in two ceremonies. KEYS TURNED OVER At noon, Capt. Alden K. Fogg, Navy director of construction, turned over keys to the structure to J.L. Burkholder, General Manager of the Water Authority, in an outdoor dedicatory program conducted below San Vicente Dam. Last night, Rear Adm. John J. Manning, Chief of the Navy Bureau of Yards and Docks, presented the interim agreement for operation of the pipeline to Fred H. Heilbron, Chairman of the Authority, at a civic dinner in the Rose Room of the U.S. Grant Hotel. Both affairs were attended by high-ranking representatives of the public and private agencies that have cooperated in the Aqueduct program. A feature of the dinner was citation of 16 persons who have spearheaded the project. TEAM LETTER MEN The 16 were characterized by Ewart Goodwin, Chairman of the San Diego-Colorado River Association, as letter men on the team that won the Aqueduct, and the part teamwork played in the undertaking was stressed by Manning, principal speaker, who said: In the construction of the Aqueduct we have seen superb teamwork between military and civilian forces. Both have contributed initiative and intelligence. Labor and management have hit it off together. The citizen of San Diego have given the project the support it deserved. The result was a job well done. View anniversary front pages online at sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years. For more from the Union-Tribune digital archives, go to newslibrary.com/sites/sdub. Searching is free, with registration. A fee is required to view full stories. Two groups of Central American migrants made separate marches on the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana Tuesday, demanding that they be processed through the asylum system more quickly and in greater numbers, that deportations be halted and that President Trump either let them into the country or pay them $50,000 each to go home. On the one-month anniversary of their arrival into Tijuana, caravan members are pressing the United States to take action but they are dwindling in numbers since more than 6,000 first arrived to the citys shelters. Approximately 700 have voluntarily returned to their country of origin, 300 have been deported, and 2,500 have applied for humanitarian visas in Mexico, according to Xochtil Castillo, a caravan member who met with Mexican officials Tuesday. The group of unaccounted migrants, about 3,500 are presumed to have either crossed illegally into the United States, moved to other Mexican border cities, or simply fallen through the cracks. Mexicos National Institution of Migration did not respond to a request to verify those numbers Tuesday. Advertisement The first group demanding action, numbering about 100, arrived at the U.S. Consulate at about 11 am Tuesday. The migrants said they were asking that the Trump Administration pay them $50,000 each or allow them into the U.S. When asked how the group came up with the $50,000 figure, organizer Alfonso Guerrero Ulloa of Honduras, said they chose that number as a group. It may seem like a lot of money to you, Ulloa said. But it is a small sum compared to everything the United States has stolen from Honduras. The groups letter criticized American intervention in Central America. They gave the U.S. Consulate 72 hours to respond. They said they had not decided what to do if their demands were not met. I dont know, we will decide as a group, Ulloa said. The second letter, delivered around 1:20 p.m., came from a separate group of caravan members asking for the U.S. to speed up the asylum process. Specifically, the group asked U.S. immigration officials to admit up to 300 asylum seekers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry each day. Currently, officials admit between 40 and 100 asylum seekers. The group of migrants say the slow pace violates American and international laws that call for an immediate process, and places vulnerable migrants at risk. In the meantime, families, women and children who have fled our countries continue to suffer and the civil society of Tijuana continue to be forces to confront this humanitarian crisis, a refugee crisis caused in great part by decades of U.S. intervention in Central America, the letter states. The second letter came from a group of about 50 migrants, including about 15 who participated in a hunger strike that also demanded a swifter U.S. asylum process. The activist group Pueblo Sin Fronteras helped organize the delivery of the second letter. Representatives from the second group met with Mexican immigration officials in Tijuana. The migrants asked Mexican officials to stop working with the municipal police in deporting caravan members. Migrants thought the number of deportations and voluntary repatriations is a reflection of their precarious situation in Tijuana. A lot of people are leaving because there is no solution here, said Douglas Matute, 38, of Tijuana. We thought they would let us in. But Trump sent the military instead of social workers. The two groups were unaware of each others demands. But both said their messages were well received by the staff of the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana. They gave us a warm welcome, Castillo said. They were very kind. She said shed send the letter to the recipients. The letter asking for a speedier U.S. asylum process was addressed to President Trump, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, San Ysidro Port Director Sidney Aki, and Commissioner of the Office of Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenan. Castillo said she was not given a timeframe of when the U.S. will respond. Trump has threatened to cut off financial aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador if those countries did not stop the caravan before it reached the U.S. border. He has reiterated, as late as Tuesday, the need for a border wall, threatening to shut down the U.S. government if funding was not approved. Getting into the U.S. Consulate was somewhat of a victory, the caravan groups said. They received us at least, Ulloa said. It was nice to be treated with respect. The letter said the group is made up of, families, women and children, the majority of which are young men who are fleeing from poverty, insecurity and political repression under the dictatorship of Juan Orlando Hernandez. Orlando Hernandez is the president of Honduras. Their letter also asked the U.S. to remove Orlando Hernandez from office. Getting $55,000 for each of the caravan members, Ulloa said, might allow them to go back home and start a small business. Ulloa claims he was falsely accused of attacking a Chinese restaurant in Honduras in 1987. He has been living outside Honduras for 30 years, according to an online petition he wrote asking the U.S. government to exonerate him. 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 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 Republican Assemblyman Brian Maienschein was re-elected by a mere 607 votes, and he may owe that victory to his relationships with some San Diego Democratic leaders. Those Democrats appeared indifferent to Maienscheins opponent, Sunday Gover, and didnt endorse the first-time candidate even though some statewide office-holders such as Sen. Dianne Feinstein did. Not one member of the San Diego legislative delegation was on Govers endorsement list. Particularly noteworthy was Govers lack of support from Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, two San Diego lawmakers who are among the most powerful legislators in the state. Its a reasonable conjecture that serious backing from Atkins and Gonzalez, who can bring tremendous resources to a campaign, would have put her over the top. Advertisement But in this day of hard partisanship and sometimes bitter feuds between Democrats and Republicans, the occasional bipartisan vote and long-term relationships still can matter. They did for Maienschein. He has backed some key Democratic priorities in Sacramento while still maintaining his Republican credibility. His rankings from political interest groups are instructive. He received 100 percent ratings from Planned Parenthood and the California Taxpayers Association. The California Civil Liberties Association gave him an 81 percent rating, while the California Chamber of Commerce, American Conservative Union and Gun Owners of California each gave him a 75 percent rating. He didnt receive high marks from organized labor groups, but a building trades union was part of a high-spending independent campaign that supported the six-year incumbent. Maienschein last year also received a 100 percent rating from Equality California, which advocates for LGBTQ people and issues. In the spring, the organization took the rare step of endorsing both the assemblyman and Gover, who is a lesbian and has been involved with LGBTQ groups. But the group withdrew the Maienschein endorsement about a month before the election because he did not support a bill that Equality California said would give LGBTQ youth in foster care access to gender-affirming, life-saving health care. Nevertheless, during the spring endorsement announcement, Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur spoke to why Maienschein has been seen in a favorable light not only by his group but by some Democrats. Assemblymember Maienschein has demonstrated during his time in the Legislature that he cares more about doing the right thing for LGBTQ San Diegans than about whether legislative authors have a D or an R next to their names, Zbur said. As California faces a growing homelessness and housing affordability crisis, Brian has consistently reached across the aisle to fight for common sense solutions, even when it meant bucking his party leadership. In 2017, Maienschein was the only Republican to vote for Atkins SB 2, which was perhaps her top legislative priority and created a permanent stream of funding for affordable housing through a $75 fee on real estate transactions. Maienscheins vote allowed a Democrat in a swing district to vote no and still send the bill to the governor, according to the Voice of San Diego. He also cast votes for Gov. Jerry Browns budget and a bill to give employers, co-workers and school employees the ability to seek gun violence restraining orders against an individual, allowing law enforcement to confiscate guns from that person if he or she were deemed unstable or threatening. Atkins and Maienschein have been colleagues for years. They were both elected to the San Diego City Council in 2000. She was elected to the Assembly in 2010 and he won a seat there two years later. Gonzalez has served in the Assembly with Maienschein since 2013. Relationships aside, Maienschein said he was motivated to support Atkins bill because of San Diegos sizable homeless population, which was hit with a hepatitis A outbreak last year that killed 20. Gonzalez said she was impressed with the campaign by Gover, a mother who runs a small real estate business and is a volunteer art teacher. But Gonzalez said her race was not among the top Democratic priorities this year. Further, she said Maienschein has been a valuable ally at times. Brian Maienschein is a good friend and has been for over a decade, Gonzalez, who is out of the country, said in an email. More importantly, he has been a good vote on a number of votes dealing with women and equal pay in the workplace. These are tough votes that many conservative Democrats were unwilling to make until it was clear these bills had enough votes to pass, with or without them. Maienscheins bipartisan appeal not only helps with local Democratic leaders, but likely within his changing 77th district, which stretches from Kearny Mesa up through Poway and the northern San Diego city suburbs of Rancho Penasquitos and Rancho Bernardo, and over to Rancho Santa Fe and Carmel Valley. Republicans had a nearly 9-point voter registration advantage in 2012 when Maienschein was first elected. Now it has flipped, ever so slightly, with Democratic registration just before the election at 31.9 percent and Republicans at 31 percent. Both are outdistanced by voters who do not belong to a political party, 32.1 percent. Despite those numbers and polls commissioned by the Gover campaign that showed the race in a dead heat, she couldnt generate much support among local legislators or independent committees that often back Democrats. She did receive financial assistance from the Assembly Democratic Caucus, controlled by Speaker Anthony Rendon of Los Angeles, and the California Democratic party. For some influential Democrats, a Maienschein win seemed a given, so it may have seemed futile to go after him and counterproductive, at least for the next two years. The demographics of his district have clearly changed and Im certain electing a Democrat there will be a priority in 2020 for all of us, Gonzalez said. Gover raised about $1 million, an impressive amount for a political unknown and much better than previous Maienschein challengers. But Maienschein had considerably more money and benefited from substantial late spending by independent committees controlled by realtors, building trade unions, prison guards, credit unions and business groups. As of Oct. 20, Maienschein had $1.3 million left in his campaign account while she had $150,000. On election night, that may have seemed prudent because he led by more than 7,000 votes. Then it was a white-knuckle ride for the next month as the tally of remaining ballots closed the margin dramatically in her favor, but not enough. Gover has proven, along with her political consultant Dan Rottenstreich, that she can wage a campaign that could win. And now many people in the district know a lot about her: a cancer survivor who campaigned to bolster health care, make higher education more affordable and speed up affordable housing construction. There wont be the need to introduce herself to voters from scratch the next time. Shes already looking at a rematch in 2020. U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman was recognized with the Coast Guards highest civilian honor on Tuesday for his leadership in prosecuting maritime drug smugglers and some of their top-level leaders. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Peter Gautier presented the Distinguished Public Service Award to Braverman in a San Diego ceremony that was supposed to be a surprise, although the U.S. attorney found out the day before. Its a tremendous honor. I was taken aback, Braverman said when he found out. Its a reflection of the hard work this office has done. Cocaine drug routes have shifted over the past couple decades, from the Caribbean to the Eastern Pacific, as the Mexican cartels have wielded greater power. Bulk cocaine from South America these days tends to go by sea, then to Mexicos shore to be broken into smaller loads to be smuggled over land and into the U.S. Advertisement The Coast Guard has responded in recent years by moving significant resources to the Eastern Pacific to interdict the drug-smuggling go-fast vessels and submarines. The Coast Guard last fiscal year seized 209 metric tons of cocaine three times more than all other law enforcement agencies combined at the land borders and within the U.S., Gautier said. But he said the effort isnt truly effective if there arent partnerships to investigate and prosecute the cases. Maritime drug smuggling prosecutions have increased by 1,600 percent in the Eastern Pacific over the past two years under Bravermans leadership, Gautier said. That has translated to 125 maritime indictments and 80 prosecutions with convictions. Braverman is also behind a push to go after the top-tier smugglers proactively, as has been done against the Sinaloa cartel. The strategy resulted in convictions against those involved in the second largest marijuana seizure in Coast Guard history and the arrest of key landside organizers, according to the description on his award. He brings unique background to do that, Gautier said, referring to Bravermans experience as a veteran cartel prosecutor. Recently, Braverman has been formalizing already existing partnerships to create a maritime smuggling strike force based in San Diego for the big league, proactive investigations. The strike force brings together the U.S. Attorneys Office, Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations and Drug Enforcement Administration. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis The second in command of the San Diego County District Attorneys Office and the first Latino to hold such a position plans to retire at the end of the year. Jesus Jesse Rodriguezs nearly 16 years as assistant district attorney was recognized Wednesday with a proclamation by the county Board of Supervisors. As an immigrant and as the first Hispanic to hold this high public safety office, Jesse has served as a role model and a beacon of inspiration when it comes to the values of diversity and inclusion, District Attorney Summer Stephen said in a statement. I join the residents of San Diego County in expressing our gratitude to ADA Rodriguez, who is both an exceptional professional and human being. Advertisement In the role of assistant district attorney, Rodriguez oversees day-to-day operations and directs prosecution, investigative and support operations with a staff of more than 1,000 and a budget of $193 million, according to the statement. He was responsible for developing several countywide crime prevention strategies, prosecution programs and a victim services unit serving about 15,000 crime victims each year, the statement said. Rodriguez, a former judge, was selected in 2003 to be second in command under then-District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. I think hes the best decision I made at the DAs Office, Dumanis said Wednesday. Because of his reputation for fairness, integrity and management. I was the idea person and he was the detail person. I called him my man of reason when I wanted to do something impulsive, Id go to him and usually hed talk me out of it. In his official office biography, Rodriguez wrote that he was born in Tijuana and became a U.S. citizen at age 14. He graduated from the University of San Diego with a bachelors degree in political science and from the universitys School of Law. Along the way, I have been keenly aware that in addition to my responsibility as an officer of the court, I bear an additional responsibility to the Hispanic community to give back and even to be a role model, Rodriguez wrote. He served as a deputy state attorney general, then was appointed to the San Diego Municipal Court bench in 1986. He was elevated to Superior Court, acting as supervising judge in South Bay and San Diego in his 16 years on the bench. Rodriguez also has served on the board of directors for the National Center for State Courts and the Advisory Board to Casa de Milagros and Nosotros, a recovery program for alcoholics. The Honorable Jesse Rodriguez has devoted his life to public service and has been an icon in the legal profession, Stephan said in her statement. His last day at the office will be on Dec. 28. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @pdrepard A 19-year-old accused in the fatal beating of a 56-year-old man near a pedestrian bridge behind Petco Park pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and torture charges. Dominick Wells, who also faces an allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury causing the victim to become comatose, was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail. Prosecutor Mary Loeb said Wells faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of murder in the death of Edward Leon Starland. If also convicted of torture, the defendant would face life behind bars, the prosecutor said. Four juveniles two girls and two boys face unspecified charges in the case. Advertisement Witnesses said Starland had been fighting with a group of young people the afternoon of Nov. 18 before he was thrown down and beaten. When witnesses started yelling at the attackers to stop, they fled east on Imperial Avenue, police said. Its unclear if Starland knew the teens or what led to the altercation, homicide Lt. Matt Dobbs said at the time. Starland was placed on life support and died Dec. 3. Wells and three teenage girls ages 14, 15 and 17 were arrested shortly after the attack. But Wells, who was initially arrested on suspicion of felony battery, was released from custody later while the District Attorneys Office reviewed the case. Staff writer Alex Riggins contributed to this report. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com A former Navy man accused of repeatedly poisoning his wife with a highly toxic pesticide at their Dulzura home pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of premeditated attempted murder. Race Remington Uto, 28, agreed to accept a prison term of 21 years to life when he is sentenced in El Cajon Superior Cour on March 14. Uto was a third class electricians mate assigned to Naval Base Point Loma, but is no longer in the service, his attorney said. Uto was arrested in March of this year and faced a preliminary hearing in January, when a judge would be expected to listen to evidence and decide whether to send the defendant on to trial. Advertisement Now, with his guilty plea, that hearing will not be necessary. He wanted to accept responsibility and he did not want to cause further stress for his wife and family, defense attorney Daniel Cohen said out of court. Utos wife, Brigida Uto, was hospitalized in March with an unknown illness later diagnosed as an extreme level of thallium in her system, according to a sheriffs homicide investigator. Medical staff and investigators believed such a high dose of poison had to be deliberate. Thallium is a highly toxic metal once widely used in rat poisons and insecticides, but that use has been banned in the United States for many years. A friend of the wife created a GoFundMe page in April. The friend said in a post on the site that Brigida Uto had suffered severe nerve and organ damage as well as emotional trauma and would need intensive rehabilitation. Cohen said the couple have been estranged and that the wife now has come a long way and is on the mend. The FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and a San Diego County hazardous-materials team ran a joint investigation into the poisoning with the Sheriffs Department. Uto was arrested at the Naval Medical Center San Diego. He was charged initially with three counts of premeditated attempted murder and three counts of poisoning, with allegations he caused great bodily injured in a domestic violence situation. He faced 52 years to life in prison if convicted of all counts. Deputy District Attorney Paul Reizen said at Utos arraignment that he poisoned his wife in August and December of 2017 and again in January. Reizen did not discuss a possible motive in the case. On Tuesday, Cohen hesitated to elaborate on a motive, but said Uto had physical and psychological problems. What contributed to the case was, he had some very serious health issues that kept him in prolonged and serious pain and on serious medication, the attorney said. Im not saying that caused his actions, but he acted in a way that people would not have thought was thinkable. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @pdrepard An ex-Yuma police officer charged with raping a Kensington woman last year testified on Tuesday that he never forced sex on her or threatened to kill her. Jared Elkins, 34, faces nine felony counts involving sexual assault on a relative of his now ex-wife. He could be sentenced to 14 years in prison if convicted. San Diego police said that on Sept. 15, 2017, the distraught woman escaped from her home through a window, with her mother, and told officers shed been raped. Advertisement Police surrounded the home and ordered Elkins and his wife to come out. He was interviewed, then arrested. He resigned from the Yuma Police Department last year. His grandfather had been a police chief and his father was an officer, killed in the line of duty, he testified. His trial entered its second week Monday before San Diego Superior Court Judge Charles Rogers. Last week, the alleged victim testified that Elkins and his wife came from Yuma to visit her and they went out to dinner, with her mother. They had several drinks at dinner and after returning home to watch a movie. She told jurors that Elkins came into her bedroom after the movie and threatened to kill her if she didnt have sex with him. She testified that she was terrified so she did not scream for help. She said she pretended she was drunk and unconscious, but Elkins continued having sex with her. Elkins gave jurors a different story, saying the woman came onto him by cuddling into me on a sofa and letting him fondle her during the movie. He said he had felt sexual vibes from her and thought she was flirting with him. When she invited him into her bedroom, I was excited, Elkins testified. She agreed to almost every sex act and he didnt force her, he said. Afterward, he said, he joined his wife where she slept in a bedroom across the hall. The next morning they awoke to a call from San Diego police telling them to come out of the home. The womans blood-alcohol level tested .09 percent after the police were called. She testified that her doctors did not warn her against drinking while taking her prescribed drugs for anxiety, depression and attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Elkins said he eventually returned to Yuma and in March had a consensual sexual encounter with a woman he met in a bar. When she objected to a particular sex act, Elkins said he backed off, got dressed and left. I already had allegations in California and I didnt need to be there, Elkins testified. That woman testified last week that he was aggressive and wouldnt take no for an answer. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @pdrepard . " . - , . , , , ." , ... The San Diego Unified School District has agreed to keep its employees emails for at least two years, rather than one year, as part of a settlement regarding public record requests. The settlement extends for five years, meaning the district could decide after that time to return to its old policy of deleting emails after one year. The district agreed to the new email policy as part of a tentative settlement with online news outlet Voice of San Diego and San Diegans for Open Government, district General Counsel Andra Greene announced at Tuesdays school board meeting. The two organizations went to court this year to stop the one-year email deletion policy that was approved by the board in July of last year. Whether necessary, or simply convenient, all emails concerning school-related activity are, in fact, records, Voice of San Diegos attorney Felix Tinkov wrote in a letter to Greene in June of last year. The intent to safeguard the publics keen interest in better understanding how its government operates is clear. Advertisement Voice of San Diego had also accused the district of slowing the release of public records to an excruciating degree, in a complaint filed in May of this year. The publication claimed that the district took more than a year to fill some record requests and failed to respond to some requests at all. The California Public Records Act mandates that agencies must reply to record requests within 10 days, and allows agencies to take longer to actually fulfill the requests. The district has argued that keeping all of its employees emails, and retrieving them for record requests, cost too much time and money. In July of last year, the district estimated it had 576 million emails on its servers, according to board documents, and it said some record requests produce thousands of emails that are time-consuming to retrieve. The district also estimated that IT costs related to retaining employee emails were $669,809, down from $782,621 two school years before that, according to a district staff email from last year that was included in court records. A tentative settlement in the case recognizes for the first time that San Diego Unified is not required to store district emails in perpetuity, the district said in a statement Tuesday. Reasonable people can disagree over how long public agencies should maintain emails be it a year like some large districts, two years as called for by the Society of Professional Journalists, or three years as proposed by a local attorney. The settlement addresses the districts major concern that a limit must be established. Now that all parties are in agreement that two years constitutes a reasonable limit, San Diego Unified is satisfied with the outcome and will avoid ongoing and costly litigation on the matter. As part of the settlement, San Diego Unified also agreed to pay $32,500 to cover part of Voice of San Diegos attorney fees and $20,000 to cover part of San Diegans for Open Governments attorney fees.The settlement is currently pending the approval of Judge Ronald Styn. Voice of San Diego is pleased that the parties were able to resolve this portion of our litigation and that emails will be protected for two years, which is closer to the standard of other public agencies required to retain their email records, Tinkov said. Tinkov noted that email retention is only one part of Voice of San Diegos larger lawsuit against San Diego Unified regarding how it handles public records. That case is still ongoing. A review by The San Diego Union-Tribune in 2014 found that many local agencies jettison their emails more quickly than two years, including several that only keep emails 30, 60 or 90 days and a local utilities district that was deleting emails after nine days at the time of the survey. Kristen Taketa Email: kristen.taketa@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @Kristen_Taketa Three former UC San Diego administrators say they were asked by a state-appointed investigator whether the schools chancellor, Pradeep Khosla, has exhibited bullying or other abusive behavior toward members of the universitys staff. The investigator has been working for the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), which is reviewing an internal complaint made by an unnamed person. The three former employees say the investigator also asked them if any of Khoslas current or former staff had engaged in bullying a word that can refer to many things, including insults, humiliation or threats. The investigators questions were related to whether conduct violated the UCOPs anti-bullying, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment policies and the code of ethics and principles of community, said Stephanie Barry, UC San Diegos former chief alumni officer. Advertisement Barry is one of three women who publicly disclosed their discussions with the investigator to the Union-Tribune. The others are Judy Lane, former executive director of special events and protocol, and Kristina Larsen, the former assistant vice chancellor for academic personnel. Larsen is a San Diego attorney who specializes in harassment and discrimination cases. She has been advising Lane and Barry in their dealings with UCOP. Larsen also represents another former UC San Diego administrator who was interviewed by the investigator. That person chose to remain anonymous. Larsen said, The Chancellor and his staff insulted, berated, humiliated, and isolated my clients, among other things. One described feeling as if she were suffering from PTSD after leaving UCSD. I am glad the University of California is investigating. Khosla, who has been chancellor since 2012, declined to discuss the specific comments made by Barry, Lane and Larsen. He referred the Union-Tribune to UCOP, which said that it could not comment on whether an investigation is underway. However, UC San Diego issued a statement Tuesday that says the university is committed to creating a safe, supportive and positive environment for all of our employees. As part of this commitment and to continually strive to improve the work environment at UC San Diego, each year the Chancellors Office conducts a detailed staff survey that allows employees to anonymously rate their overall satisfaction and personal experiences at work. We are proud of the positive results of these surveys during the past several years, and they are publicly available on our web site. In addition to the annual employee survey, UC San Diego offers a number of ways for employees to provide feedback and raise concerns about their workplace, including confidential and anonymous channels. Complaints about inappropriate workplace conduct are taken seriously and thoroughly reviewed and investigated. Since the Chancellors arrival on campus, UC San Diego has made advancing the diversity of faculty, students and staff a top priority. We have a strong track record of hiring and promoting women and underrepresented minorities in top leadership positions and we continue to pursue this mission. Lane, Barry and Larsen held key positions at UC San Diego. Barry is a UC San Diego graduate who became director of alumni affairs in early 2016. She took over a program that has been struggling to track and connect with former students. Fewer than four percent of the universitys alumni made financial gifts to the school in fiscal 2018, a figure that has been dropping. At the time of her hiring, a campus official called Barry a visionary. Less than 18 months later, she was fired. She says the university told her it wanted to go in a different direction. UC San Diego declined to discuss the issue. I have worked well in many jobs, and like everyone, Ive learned to navigate difficult work situations, Barry told the Union-Tribune. I have never encountered the degree of toxicity and mean-spirited leadership that I was subject to as Chief Alumni Officer. Lane worked for UC San Diego for nearly 20 years, retiring in early 2018. She was responsible for organizing special events that were held to promote the university and cultivate donors. Larsen, who graduated from UC San Diego, worked at the university for more than 15 years, leaving in 2014. She specialized in academic personnel issues. Khosla is a cybersecurity expert who came to San Diego from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he was dean of the college of engineering. He has presided over a period of extraordinary growth. UC San Diegos enrollment has increased by nearly 10,000 since Khoslas arrival, making it among the fastest-growing schools in the country. The campus also raised a record $285.8 million in private gifts and donations last year, according to UC Regents. And it raised a record $1.2 billion for research, keeping UC San Diego on the list of the nations top 10 research universities. UC President Janet Napolitano sent a message to the entire UC system in July 2016 making it clear that the university would not tolerate bullying or abusive conduct. There is some confusion among employees about what bullying is and how to address it, Napolitano said in the message, promising to help clarify the definition as time went along. She said she would be guided by a state law that defines abusive behavior as conduct of an employer or employee in the workplace, with malice, that a reasonable person would find hostile, offensive, and unrelated to an employers legitimate business interests. The 2016 message came with a guidance sheet that said abusive conduct could include offensive language, humiliation, making someone the brunt of pranks or practical jokes, and isolating a person from normal work activities, among other offenses. The interviews the UCOP investigator conducted with Lane, Barry and Larsen are linked to a complaint of unknown origin that was made to the UC system. The person who filed the complaint has not been unidentified, nor has the specific nature of the complaint been revealed. The UC system says it has various ways for employees, applicants, students, patients, vendors, contractors and the general public to surface complaints. The offerings include a whistleblower program that enables people to report alleged improper governmental activities, and provides a procedure for filing and addressing whistleblower reports. An improper activity can involve anything from fraud and coercion to gross misconduct or any condition that may significantly threaten the health or safety of employees or the public, the UC says. The UC does a preliminary inquiry and determines whether a full investigation is warranted. It is not clear whether the UC San Diego is in the preliminary stage, or has gone further. The person who makes the whistleblower report generally has the right to learn how things turn out. But that might be prevented for legal or public interest reasons, the UC says. All 32 demonstrators who were arrested as part of a civil disobedience at the border on Monday have been released, according to the American Friends Service Committee. The final demonstrator was released shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday and is safe and with his colleagues, the group said. For the record: This article originally said that none of those arrested were charged. All but one were cited with failure to comply with lawful orders. It is the policy of the Union-Tribune to correct all errors. No charges were filed against the final demonstrator, who was held overnight, according to American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization that coordinated the event. The other 31 people arrested were cited with failure to comply with lawful orders. The group of demonstrators, made up of faith and community leaders, purposefully stood in a restricted zone near the border barrier in the southwestern-most corner of the U.S. to call on the federal government to honor asylum seekers right to seek protection. Advertisement Border Patrol agents tried to force the line of faith leaders back from the fence, and those who refused to move were detained by Department of Homeland Security officers. They were supported by a gathering of between 300 and 400 people who marched with them to the beach from the entrance to Border Field State Park in the first of a series of nationwide events with the message that Love knows no borders. Those events will take place through Tuesday, which is International Migrants Day. Representatives of the U.S. Attorneys Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not return a request for comment. 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 Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May late Wednesday survived a no-confidence vote by Conservative Party legislators challenging her leadership, a result that reaffirmed her authority to press forward with her heavily criticized proposed Brexit deal. May, who has struggled in working out Britains planned exit from the 28-nation European Union, received 200 votes from party lawmakers who supported her leadership versus 117 who voted against her. The result of the two-hour secret ballot means she will not be forced to step aside either as party leader or prime minister and cannot be challenged as party leader for a year. May had told lawmakers before they began to cast their votes that she had heard their concerns, and while she would see through Brexit if she won, she would not stand as party leader for the 2022 election. Shortly after the results were announced in Parliament, May spoke briefly outside her Downing Street residence for the second time in 12 hours. Advertisement She said it was a long and challenging day and acknowledged that a significant number of colleagues had voted against her, but reiterated that she was committed to delivering Brexit and uniting the divided country. May urged members of Parliament on all sides of the political divide to begin coming together and acting in the national interest. The prime minister said she would travel to Brussels on Thursday for a European Council meeting where she will seek legal and political assurances from EU leaders regarding Brexit in the hopes of allaying the concerns of members of Parliament. She said her focus was threefold: Delivering the Brexit that people voted for, bringing the country back together and building a country that truly works for everyone. But one of her main critics, lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, who had been pushing for a vote of no confidence for several weeks, said the vote was a terrible result for the prime minister because more than one-third of her party had not backed her. He continued to call for her to step down. She clearly doesnt have the confidence of the House of Commons, he said. She should make way for someone who does. The vote capped off an intense day in British politics in yet another tumultuous week. Early Wednesday it was announced that at least 48 letters of no confidence had been submitted to Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers, which was enough to spark a no-confidence vote. Before the vote, May had appeared outside her Downing Street home vowing to fight the leadership challenge with everything that Ive got. May has seen fierce criticism of her handling of Britains plans to exit the EU, which 52% of voters approved in 2016. Britain is expected to leave the bloc March 29. Citing her 40 years as a member of the Conservative Party, May said she has, and always will, put the national interest first. The country was on the cusp of a bright future as it worked to forge a new deal with the EU, she said. She also delivered a warning to those pro-Brexit lawmakers who seek to topple her: Removing her as leader would not improve the chances of getting a deal through Parliament and will probably delay or even stop Brexit from happening altogether. A change in leadership in the Conservative Party now will put our country at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it, she said. Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. Parliament is expected to vote on the proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement before Jan. 21 and the timeline is already incredibly tight for ensuring everything is in place by March 29. But appointing a new party leader and therefore a new prime minister could take up to six weeks, and her successor would probably seek to pursue a different strategy and reopen negotiations with EU leaders. May made clear she feels any leadership challenge would only divert attention from making Brexit happen and could also play into the hands of the opposition Labor Party or those who are campaigning for a second referendum in the hope of overturning the 2016 decision altogether. I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became prime minister, and I stand ready to finish the job, she said. On Monday, May caused an uproar by delaying a crucial parliamentary vote on a proposed deal because it became clear she did not have enough votes for it to pass. EU leaders had already agreed to the terms of the deal, which were hashed out during 19 months of intense and fraught negotiations, but it must also win the majority support of Britains Parliament. The plan looks to secure the rights of EU citizens living in Britain and British nationals living in the EU, while also ending the free movement of people. It sets out a divorce bill Britain must pay to extricate itself from the other 27 EU members. But the most crucial point of contention is over how to avoid a hard border emerging between Northern Ireland, which will leave the EU, and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member. A so-called backstop plan has been proposed in the event of no new trade deal being reached. That plan has been fiercely criticized. Euroskeptics feel it keeps Britain too closely tied to the EU and object that neither side can unilaterally withdraw from the arrangement. After delaying Mondays vote, May jumped on a plane to Brussels, Berlin and The Hague to meet key EU leaders and try to secure assurances that the wording of elements of the deal could be tweaked to reassure skeptics back home. But she is facing an uphill battle as both pro- and anti-EU camps feel the deal isnt good enough. May needed to win the no-confidence motion by a simple majority to remain as party leader and therefore as prime minister. In 1990, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher won a vote of no confidence but still stepped down as leader because she no longer felt she had adequate backing from her party. The news that a no-confidence vote was to happen was announced by Brady, who received the requisite 48 or more letters (15% of the parliamentary Conservative Party) required to trigger a vote. Several key Conservative party members publicly expressed their support for May on Wednesday morning. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said a leadership contest would be seen as self-indulgent and wrong and was the last thing our country needs right now. He was widely considered to be a leadership contender if May lost the vote. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said he was backing the prime minister 100%. I urge every Tory MP to do the same, he said. After the vote, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who backed May, said the day had hardly been ideal for the Conservative Party. But the party has voted very comfortably that it wants her to stay, Grayling said. Weve got to unify and make sure we deliver Brexit in March. Boyle is a special correspondent. A man opened fire in a cathedral in southern Brazil after Mass on Tuesday, killing four and leaving four others injured before taking a bullet in the ribs in a firefight with police and then shooting himself in the head, authorities said. The mass shooting, a rarity in Latin Americas largest nation, happened right after the midday service had ended at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas, a city about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Sao Paulo. Its so sad, said Wilson Cassante, a press officer with the archdiocese. Its hard to imagine the pain this has caused. Hours after paramedics were seen taking bodies and injured out of the church, authorities identified the shooter as 49-year-old Euler Fernando Grandolpho of Valinhos, a nearby city in the densely populated state of Sao Paulo. Advertisement Grandolpho, a systems analyst, was not a member of the church, authorities said. According to public records, Grandolpho had held various jobs with government entities, including a stint as an assistant to the prosecutor in the public ministry in Sao Paulo. Authorities said they had not identified a motive. A backpack found near the dead gunman had his identification but no note or other clues, police investigator Jose Henrique Ventura told reporters outside the church. Thanks to the intervention of police, something much bigger was avoided, said Ventura, adding that the four injured were in stable condition. Danielle Coutinho told EPTV that she was sitting in the church chatting after Mass when the shooting began. A man sitting close to her was shot as she and others ran. I saw people getting shot. I cant get it out of my head, she said in tears. It was horrible. Brazil has long struggled with gun violence, and is routinely the world leader in total homicides. Last year, nearly 64,000 people were killed. President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain, campaigned on promises to crack down on violence, in part by loosening gun laws so more civilians could arm themselves. Still, mass shootings like those in the United States are unusual. Hamilton Caviola Filho, a police investigator, told news portal G1 that authorities had reviewed surveillance footage from inside the cathedral. The shooter came into the church, sat on a pew, with time to think, and then got up and starting shooting, said 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 Caviola Filho. Father Amaury Thomazi, who celebrated Mass before the shooting, posted a video recounting the chaos that followed the burst of gunfire. Nobody could do anything or help in any way to stop the rampage, Thomazi said, calling on people to pray for the dead, the injured and the shooter. Somewhere beneath Lake Seminole, in the spot where tree stumps jutted out of the water like claws, investigators thought they would find Mike Williams. It was the evening of Dec. 16, 2000, the date of Williamss wedding anniversary with his high school sweetheart, Denise. Hed told his wife he would return from his duck hunting trip at the lake just in time to leave for their planned getaway down in Apalachicola, Florida. But Williams never came back, leading a search party to descend on the lake to find him. Williamss best friend, Brian Winchester, was among them. His father had called to let him know that everyone was worried, so they headed to the lake together with their boat to help. For hours they searched in the dark, until finally Winchester and his father stumbled upon Williamss small, motorized canoe brushed up on the lakes shore. They found his Ford Bronco parked 75 yards away, abandoned. What they werent going to find, at least not there and then, was a body. Advertisement Eventually, after the search at the bottom of Lake Seminole produced only his hunting license, jacket and waders, investigators believed that perhaps Williams had been eaten by alligators, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. But Winchester, it turns out, knew that couldnt be true. He knew where his friend was buried. They just hadnt found him yet. "[My dad] was searching, and I was just lying, a sobbing Winchester said Tuesday during the dramatic murder trial in Tallahassee over Williamss death. I think we were the last ones on the lake. My dad didnt want to give up. Eighteen years after Williamss disappearance, Winchester confessed on the stand Tuesday to fatally shooting Williams in the head during the Dec. 16 boating trip, then leaving Williamss boat in the water to fool investigators. Winchester, however, is not the one on trial. He was called on by prosecutors to testify against Williamss high school sweetheart, who stands accused of conspiring with Winchester to kill her husband so that the two of them could be together. Williamss death, prosecutors say, was the product of a poisonous love triangle involving two sets of high school sweethearts - Denise and Mike Williams, and Brian and Kathy Winchester - that spiraled from infidelity to murder. Prosecutors say Denise collected $1.75 million from her husbands life insurance policies, one of which was written by Winchester, an insurance agent by trade, just months before Williamss death. Then, after Brian divorced Kathy, he and Denise married in 2005. All while, Mike Williamss disappearance remained unsolved. In a trial expected to last through the week, the jury will now be left to decide whether Denise was a willing participant, entering a marriage that grew from a murder, or whether she only knew as much as investigators did, believing her husband to be lost to the alligators. Her defense attorney, Philip Padovano, maintained in opening statements that Denise had nothing to do with Winchesters plot to kill her husband. The only person to accuse her of conspiring to kill Williams, Padovano maintained, was Winchester: a confessed killer and convicted kidnapper. Once his marriage to Denise fell apart, he kidnapped her in a last-ditch attempt to force her back into his life, a crime for which he is now serving 20 years in prison. He was granted immunity in Williams death by prosecutors to testify about the murder plot with impunity. Winchester, Padovano told the jury, has every motive to lie to you. The issue youre going to have to decide, he said, is whether you believe him. Winchester and Denises affair all began at a Sister Hazel concert in 1997, according to Winchesters testimony. They kissed inside the venue while their spouses were out parking the car, he told the jury. From there, the relationship escalated. They went on secret getaways to New York, to South Beach, to Destin, Florida, Winchester said, sneaking in lunch dates during work breaks and visits to each others homes when their spouses were away. After years of the affair, Winchester said, a disturbing thought crossed his mind after one of his regular hunting trips with Williams at Carr Lake, north of Tallahassee. Williams, he told the jury, had fallen into a mud hole. The ground seemed to collapse beneath him, almost like quicksand, and soon Williams was scrambling for help. I remember telling Denise about that and how, if I hadnt been there, if I hadnt helped him out, he very likely would have disappeared, Winchester said. And nobody would have known what happened to him. The seed was planted. Winchester claims he and Denise began discussing ways to get rid of Williams after Denise made clear she did not want to divorce, allegedly due to personal beliefs and because she didnt want split custody of their baby daughter. Eventually, Winchester claims, they discussed the boating accident. On the morning of Denise and Williamss wedding anniversary, Winchester met Williams near the lake, telling him they were going to a secret special spot, Winchester testified. Out on the lake, as soon as Williams stood up, Winchester shoved him overboard, hoping he would die by drowning. But he didnt. Williams grabbed onto a tree stump, panicking while trying to strip off his heavy waders and hunting jacket, scrambling again for help from Winchester that would not come. Winchester, realizing drowning would not work, pulled out his gun and circled the stump. Once close enough, he said, he shot his longtime friend in the face. Winchester then dragged the body out of the water, onto the boat and into his Chevrolet Suburban, driving home with Williamss body beneath a tarp in the trunk. For the next 17 years, no one else knew what hed done with the corpse - except Denise, Williams claims. In the immediate years after Williamss disappearance, they still sought to keep their affair a secret, according to Winchester. They both tried dating other people, Winchester and Padovano said, while Winchesters marriage to Kathy continued to crumble, resulting in divorce. It was only in 2005 that Winchester and Williams married. But the secret started to weigh on their relationship in later years, Winchester said. They started to get paranoid, believing they were being watched. For years, because there was no body, Williamss case was simply a missing-persons investigation. But that changed in 2010. By then, police reclassified Williamss disappearance as a suspicious death, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating again. The developments that piqued their interest? Police had learned about Denises marriage to Winchester, and her collection of $1.75 million in life insurance. When investigators called in Winchester for an interview, he said, it was all downhill from there. It became quite clear to me from that interview that they were suspicious of what happened, Winchester said, and not only that, they were suspicious of me and Denise. Still, as defense attorney Padovano emphasized, there was no physical evidence, such as DNA or fingerprints, connecting Winchester and particularly Denise to Williamss death. Thats why there would be no real movement in the case until 2016, when Winchester and Denises marriage snapped apart with one last crime. The couple, then estranged, were on the brink of divorce. At about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 5, 2016, Winchester crawled into the trunk of Denises SUV, and waited for her to get inside. Later that morning, when she opened the door, she found Winchester with a gun and screamed. She was able to calm him down, Padovano said, by promising that she would stay with him and wouldnt tell the police anything. Instead, she later went to the sheriffs office to file the kidnapping report. And thats when everything unraveled: Investigators appeared to believe they figured out the whole backstory of their marriage. He killed Mike, a Tallahassee police officer, who happened to be married to Denises sister, told Denise during an interview about her kidnapping, the Tallahassee Democrat reported, and Im pretty sure the reason he was going to kill you today was he was afraid you were going to say something. (Winchesters defense attorney at the time, Tim Jansen, maintained that Winchester was not planning to kill Williams on the day of the kidnapping but was suicidal, the Democrat reported.) Denise said it wasnt true, maintaining she always believed Williams died on the lake. But whether she believed it or not, Winchester was about to shatter that fiction when police arrested him for Denises kidnapping. In exchange for his statements and testimony implicating Denise in the killing, prosecutors agreed not to use any of his admissions to charge him with Williamss murder. He was sentenced to 20 years for the kidnapping last December. And before he could be shipped away, he led police, finally, to Williamss body. On the morning of the murder, with Williams covered beneath a tarp in his trunk, Winchester drove to the hunting spot he had long remembered. He stopped at Walmart for a shovel and weights - to hold Williamss body down, he said - and then he pulled up to the edge of Carr Lake. He looked for the mud holes, knowing this time Williams would not make it out. There they found Mike, exactly where Brian said he would be, prosecutor Jon Fuchs said, shot in the head, just like Brian said. He was still wearing a wedding ring. Published by the Washington Post. 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. Despite indicating earlier this year that he would step down from his longtime post as chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County, Tony Krvaric will serve another term. Krvaric, one of the partys most influential figures locally and a prolific fundraiser, was re-elected by the partys Central Committee members Monday night. He faced no serious challengers. Business leaders, candidates, elected officials and committee members asked me to reconsider over an extended period of time, Krvaric said in an email about his change of heart. Im excited about going to a presidential election year with all the energy and opportunities that brings. The re-election of Krvaric, 47, comes as a bit of a surprise. But for the local GOP, his return to the post offers consistency during a time when the party statewide reckons with the results of a disappointing midterm. Advertisement Democrats now control nearly three-fourths of the seats in the California Legislature. Voters also chose Democrats for 46 of the states 53 congressional seats. Even in San Diego County, where Republicans have long punched above their weight despite trailing in voter registration, Democrats had a strong year. They flipped one seat on the San Diego City Council and the congressional seat held for nearly two decades by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista. The Republican losses prompted much discussion about the future of the party, both locally and statewide. Several prominent members including the former chair of the state party emphasized the need for Californian Republicans to separate themselves from the national brand. Krvaric said the party has plans for more growth heading into 2020 and needs to analyze results from November more closely to see where they fell short. Republicans will need to grab a few California-specific issues to differentiate themselves from Democrats, he said. A few issues are already emerging including protecting Prop. 13, supporting charter schools, and law and order issues, to name a few. One other possible change is Krvaric may no longer volunteer his time to run the county party. The Voice of San Diego reported last weekend that the executive committee was considering a compensation package for the chair that would pay up to $15,000 per month. When asked about the proposal, Krvaric said we dont comment on internal party business. San Diegos chronic police officer shortage is prompting the city to lure officers from elsewhere with signing bonuses, and to pay finders fees to San Diego officers who successfully recruit new colleagues. The new programs, which the City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday, are the latest in a series of efforts to fill roughly 200 vacancies that have lengthened response times, limited proactive policing and ballooned overtime budgets. Since 2017, the city has given pay raises of at least 25 percent to officers, hired a social media marketing firm to boost recruiting and revamped the Police Departments written exam and background checks. Chief David Nisleit said on Tuesday that the department also needs to add the signing bonuses and finders fees, which most other law enforcement agencies have been using for years. Advertisement This is one area where we were not competitive, Nisleit told the council, predicting the incentives will save the city money because recruiting a veteran officer costs $190,000 less than training a rookie. I look at this as both a cost-saving measure and a measure to fully staff our department. The city will spend $400,000 per year on the new signing bonuses and finders fees, which the council approved for the ongoing budget year and the budget year that begins July 1. A veteran officer who transfers to the San Diego Police Department from another law enforcement agency will get $15,000: $5,000 at hiring, $5,000 after training and $5,000 one year after training is complete. A San Diego officer who successfully recruits a new rookie officer will get $3,000: $1,000 at hiring, $1,000 after completion of the Police Academy and $1,000 after training. Officers who recruit new veteran colleagues will get $4,000: $1,000 at hiring and $3,000 when all training is complete. The payouts wont count toward pensions for officers. Nisleit said the amounts approved by the council fall roughly in the middle of the amounts offered by competing law enforcement agencies. There are several that are higher than us, were in line with quite a few and there are some that are lower than us, he said. Jack Schaeffer, president of the labor union representing San Diego police officers, said the pay raises were a key step toward making the city more competitive, and that the incentives and finders fees will add to that. We have to be competitive in every way, he said by phone on Tuesday. All officers last year received cumulative hikes of at least 25.6 percent between July 2018 and January 2020. Veterans with more than 20 years on the job got even larger raises totaling 30.6 percent. Nisleit said those pay hikes have helped slow attrition and boost the size of recent police academies. The department, which had been losing an average of 14 officers per month, has seen declines between 10 and 11 officers per month since the pay hikes began kicking in last summer. The four academies the city runs each year, which have typically averaged under 40 recruits each, have grown this year, with 43 recruits in March, 49 recruits in June, 43 recruits in September and 50 recruits in an academy beginning last week. That last academy shrunk the number of officer vacancies from over 230 to 183 through Tuesday, Nisleit said. But the city is facing an ongoing problem because more than 500 officers are expected to retire in the next five years. I need to hire quite a few folks, he said. Our goal is at least 200 a year. The shortage of officers is based on the city having 2,043 budgeted positions and only 1,862 officers. But the challenge will soon become greater because city officials hope to increase, between 2022 and 2025, the number of budgeted officer positions from 2,043 to 2,128 the number the city had in 2009. A key to that will be more effective recruiting, which is one reason the city and a marketing firm launched a recruiting campaign in October featuring social media videos designed to inspire millennials. The videos focus on the exciting side of police work and seek to inspire potential recruits by featuring Chief Nisleit reciting the oath officers take to protect the public. The marketing firm, Loma Media of downtown San Diego, has also created a new recruitment website that features the videos and makes the process of becoming an officer look simple by describing it step by step. Schaeffer, the union leader, said more officers will mean better police work. If we have enough people, we can actually get out and meet the shop owners and the residents that were serving, he said. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick A woman surfing in Pacific Beach was found unconscious and face down in the water Wednesday morning and rushed to the hospital for treatment. Lifeguards were flagged down around 8:10 a.m. by people who found the woman, who appeared to be in her 30s, in the inside zone of the surf off Tourmaline Surfing Park, said San Diego Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Monica Munoz. Lifeguards were told the woman may have suffered a heart attack and needed help. A bystander was doing CPR on her when lifeguards arrived, Munoz said. Advertisement The woman began breathing again before she was transported to a hospital, Munoz said. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com 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. In a leadership shake-up, the California Democratic Party fired seven top staffers Monday and Tuesday as part of the continuing fallout over the misconduct allegations surrounding former party Chairman Eric Bauman. Alexandra Gallardo Rooker, who took over as acting party leader after Bauman resigned two weeks ago, let go of the senior staffers who came in with Bauman when he was elected chairman in May 2017. This is not unusual when there is a change in leadership, Roger Salazar, a spokesman for the party, said in a statement. These moves are not necessarily a reflection upon the work of each of the individuals involved, but are part of a desire by the acting chair to start fresh and keep the party moving in the right direction. Among the staffers let go were the partys communications director, political director and senior strategist. The party also closed its Los Angeles office on Tuesday. Advertisement Salazar said Rooker informed aides to Gov-elect Gavin Newsom and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) that the party would be making the personnel moves. Though Rooker plans to make some hires, the party will probably depend on a smaller core senior staff with 2019 a non-election year. The staffing upheaval marks the latest twist in a tumultuous stretch for the party following its strong showing in the November elections. Two weeks after the midterms, Bauman was publicly accused of workplace misconduct. In an investigation by The Times, 10 party staffers and political activists alleged that Bauman made inappropriate sexual comments in professional settings and engaged in unwanted touching. With Bauman out, state Democrats wrestle with another issue: What gave rise to all the bad behavior? Bauman resigned after the story was published, and Rooker, then the vice chairwoman, assumed control of the partys day-to-day operations. She said she intends to serve as chair until delegates convene to select a new leader, probably in May. She said she had no intention of seeking election for the post. John Vigna, the partys communications director, said Rooker indicated to him that he would stay in his position after Bauman left. He said he was legitimately stunned when he was informed on Monday that he was being let go. Vigna said he was particularly troubled by his firing because he had been involved in a complaint about Baumans behavior. Vigna served as supervisor to Kate Earley and Grace Leekley, two young staffers who said they were made deeply uncomfortable by Bauman when he asked them in front of their colleagues if they had a sexual relationship. Vigna conveyed Earleys complaint to human resources on Nov. 1, hours after the incident occurred. Another colleague who was involved in that complaint was also let go, he said. We did our jobs with integrity and we were the first to be fired, Vigna said. That sends a horrible signal to the rest of the country about how seriously we take #MeToo. Vigna said he has yet to hear from investigators who are looking into the allegations against Bauman. Salazar said the party would not comment on individual personnel moves, or on the status of the ongoing investigation. In late November, the party hired an independent investigator, Sacramento employment attorney Debra Hinshaw Vierra, to look into the accusations and established a hotline to field information. Coverage of California politics melanie.mason@latimes.com Follow @melmason on Twitter for the latest on California politics. The idea that conservatives are angry stick-in-the-muds eager to put down people with different beliefs used to be an article of faith with many Americans. Rev. Jerry Falwell encouraged this view by naming his political network the Moral Majority in 1979 an explicit rebuke to what he saw as an amoral minority that promoted abortions and atheism. In 1994, Scripps Howard News Service columnist Bonnie Erbe was comfortable writing that ... Conservatives are just plain uptight, unhappy people. They are angry about big government, higher taxes, the environment, womens equality and well, you name it. Anger is the one emotion they seem to feel comfortable with, and that translates into unhappiness in their personal lives. But in 2018, its far more common to see culturally dominant progressives use social media and other means to enforce what views are acceptable and which are not. And to their credit, theyll go after their own. Two months ago, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren topped CNNs list of Democrats most likely to get the 2020 presidential nomination. Last week, The Boston Globe her hometown paper urged her not to run after imploring her to seek the White House in 2015. What sent Warrens stock plunging, at least among many of her fellow progressives? Her release in October of a DNA test that she said confirmed her claim that she had some Native American heritage a claim that President Donald Trump has mocked for years. A Dec. 6 analysis in The New York Times quoted critics knocking her for responding to Trumps bombast. But it also said that ... ... she has yet to allay criticism from grass-roots progressive groups, liberal political operatives and other potential 2020 allies who complain that she put too much emphasis on the controversial field of racial science ... For some Warren allies and progressive groups, Ms. Warrens standing by the DNA test amounts to profoundly poor judgment. Advertisement From a scientific perspective, the idea that touting DNA testing is tantamount to espousing racism is tough to grasp. Many of the same news outlets that have covered the Warren brouhaha have run stories about the immense promise of precision medicine using DNA to tailor health care specifically to individuals. In October, a Scientific American story asserted that ... The future of health care will depend on harnessing genetic and personalized information, and it is already improving the well-being of many, says [Mount Sinai Health System physician Alan] Copperman. By assembling information about a patients genes, environmental exposures, and clinical history, we can truly practice generational health, and impact the lives of our patients, their children, and their childrens children. Yet in the bigger picture, its easy to see why Warrens faith in DNA struck a nerve with some. In October, the massive Hidden Tribes study looked at the views of the 8 percent of Americans it classified as progressive activists well-educated, outspoken individuals who have a disproportionate effect on the national discourse. They overwhelmingly saw racism as the dominant factor in modern life; 86 percent said peoples life outcomes are beyond their control, while 95 percent believe there are certain people for whom no amount of hard work will allow them to find success. With this as your bedrock intellectual framework, of course DNA studies will be seen as controversial racial science because any attempt to say there may be differences between genders and racial groups feels like a rejection of the concept of white male privilege and blaming the disadvantaged for their plight. But the problem with such a binary view of the world is that it leads to scientific debates in which conclusions are reached for political reasons. Writing in Quillette magazine last month, Penn State biologist Colin Wright described how the scientific community used its vetted, replicated research to successfully push back against religious conservatives argument in the 1990s that a God-directed intelligent design not Darwinian evolution produced humankind. Now the scientific community finds itself flummoxed by the new advocates of evolution denialism, who reject the idea that people are in significant ways shaped by their parents genetic heritage. Wrights essay lays out how progressive activists choose to ignore the implications of the overwhelming evidence that there are clear sex-based behavioral differences in nearly every species, including our closest primate relatives: Why the biological forces that shape all of life should be uniquely suspended for humans is unclear. It may be unclear to an evolutionary biologist. Its probably not to most of Penn States faculty or academia in general. But liberal journalists at Vox push back strongly at the idea of American group-think stifling debate. Writing on Tuesday, Ezra Klein argued that some of the criticism targeting woke activists carried hints of nostalgia for an era in which white cultural and political dominance was a given. Writing in March, Matt Yglesias countered conservatives critiques of colleges uninviting speakers with views deemed beyond the pale by citing decades of surveys showing steadily increasing support for free, unfettered speech: The United States is a big country, and its possible to cherry-pick examples of lots of different things happening. But to assess broad trends, we need to look at systematic data, and the data indicates a trend toward more willingness to hear from disagreeable people, not less. And the most prominent critic of the idea that people are blank slates Harvard professor Steven Pinker has flourished, not been marginalized, since he wrote a book in 2002 targeting the idea that any differences we see among races, ethnic groups, sexes and individuals come not from differences in their innate constitution but from differences in their experiences. If group-think is as powerful as pundits like Andrew Sullivan and David Brooks believe, Pinker would be a pariah not a best-selling author and one of the worlds leading intellectuals. That said, its possible to think Kleins and Yglesias arguments are powerful and still fear America is going to have Elizabeth Warren-style social media trials for decades to come. Wright, the Penn State biologist, wrote that one reason that academic believers in evolution are under siege is because the denialists have the support of university administrations, unlike the religious creationists in the 1990s. So what will these college administrators do in coming years when the denialists come for the scientific method the process by which scientists observe phenomena, form hypotheses to explain them, then collectively and over time marshal evidence to construct reliable and consistent explanations for how the world works? You know, the process that keeps planes in the air and drives technological innovation the process that undergirds nearly everything in the modern world? For years, Ive seen the belief that math and science are racist gain steam. Writing last year for the Q.E.D. math education website, New York author and teacher Jose Vilson asserted that math as a neutral subject is a lie ... . Math has often centered the success of straight white men and those who believe in their schema. Writing for The Conversation website earlier this year, British historian Rohan Deb Roy argued that science was inextricably entangled with colonialism, especially British imperialism. And the legacy of that colonialism still pervades science today. Now the idea that math and, especially, science have been used as tools of oppression is obvious in how European nations and, later, the U.S. and Japan used their superior technologies to subjugate colonies around the world. Yet isnt that the fault of the oppressors not their tools? I think so. But Vilson and Deb Roy probably think Im the tool. The search for knowledge and truth is what no longer seems a neutral subject. Reed is deputy editor of the editorial and opinion section. Twitter: @chrisreed99. Email: chris.reed@sduniontribune.com. Column archive: sdut.us/chrisreed. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Monday marked a new day for the San Diego City Council as a Democratic majority took control of six of the nine seats, and Georgette Gomez, who self-identifies as queer and Latinx, became its unanimously elected council president. Five of the Democrats are women, and three of the Democrats are LGBTQ community members, a first for representation by female and openly gay council members. Gomezs profile has risen steadily since her election two years ago to represent the heavily Latino City Council District 9. Shes the chair of the Metropolitan Transit System board, approved with bipartisan support, and as council president she now has a seat on the San Diego Association of Governments board as one of two city representatives. Outgoing council President Myrtle Cole didnt attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new council, leaving council member Barbara Bry to emcee the ceremony that Cole should have presided over. Lorie Zapf, the other council incumbent to lose last month, did attend, displaying grace Cole couldnt. In voting for Gomez, Scott Sherman, one of three remaining Republican council members, showed how different a day it was as he supported a progressive. Unlike the person who held that seat earlier, Georgette Gomez has been upfront and honest with me since the day she got here, Sherman said. Advertisement Its the councils first six-vote supermajority, able to override mayoral vetoes, since one briefly followed a temporary council appointment in 2014. And it jeopardizes the mayors agenda except where it dovetails with Democratic wishes. Because of Faulconers moderate Republicanism, local politicians may often find agreement on important issues such as the environment and housing. But Faulconers first big test is already at hand. He wants a special election on a plan to expand the convention center and create a direct funding source to repair streets and reduce homelessness. Its a good goal with opposition. Will Faulconer get the council to put the idea on a special 2019 election? Its too soon to tell, but the council majority led by Gomez seems to hold negotiating power there. If Faulconer cant be persuasive, voters will consider his plan in 2020, meaning his failure to push forward earlier wouldnt be absolute. But the measures chances in a high turnout presidential re-election year especially this divisive presidents re-election year are anything but certain. If the blue wave that swept San Diego Democrats to a supermajority in 2018 lasts into 2020, watch out. Brys District 1 seat could be up for grabs if she runs for mayor, but fellow Democrats Chris Ward and Gomez seem locks for re-election in Districts 3 and 9, respectively, and Mark Kerseys District 5 seat and Shermans District 7 seat are in play because the Republican incumbents are termed out. Already Democrat Wendy Wheatcroft, a member of Moms Demand Action, a group lobbying against gun violence, has said shes running in District 7. Meanwhile, the local Republican Party is stumbling. After saying he might step down, county party Chairman Tony Krvaric was re-elected Monday, but with Zapfs stunning defeat, his success rate in city political races fell. The local Democratic Party isnt firing on all cylinders, either. It endorsed losing candidates in District 4 Cole and District 8. Still, power lies with Democrats. Lets see how they use it. Maybe theyll focus on symbolic resolutions, such as when Gomez led them to oppose President Donald Trumps border wall. Or pursue risky agendas against their lawyers advice, such as when Gomez and Ward alone voted not to reconsider a televangelists religious-themed retreat. Or maybe theyll attack issues like housing affordability, transportation woes and climate change holistically, and improve San Diego for all Democrats, Republicans and independents. Those problems arent partisan. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Poway Unified School District students performed well when tested in English language arts and mathematics, according to results recently posted as part of the 2018 California Dashboard. The report, in its second year, showed high school seniors to be well-prepared to engage in college-level work. It also showed 95.2 percent of seniors graduating this year, putting the district in the very high performance level. Students in grade 3 to 8 and 11 took the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment this past spring. The Dashboard report provides districtwide and individual school results in the following areas: English language arts, mathematics, graduation rates and college-career readiness (for high school students) and suspension rates. The results, presented as gauges, are color-coded: blue is the highest rating, followed by green, then yellow, orange, and red is the lowest. District and individual school results can be found here. The district placed in the blue category for English language arts, scoring 52.5 points above the state standard. It also placed in the blue category in mathematics with a score 35.4 points above the state standard. In the college/career readiness category, PUSD students also placed in the blue rating. Poway Unified was reported to have a suspension rate of 1.6 percent the student body. However, because this is an increase in the suspension rate from the previous year, this placed PUSD at the yellow performance level. PUSD was reported to have a medium chronic absenteeism rate, with 5.8 percent of students being absent for 10 percent of the year. However, in comparison to the previous year, this rate increased by 1.4 percent, placing the district at the orange performance level. Dashboard results are further broken down into how student groups, such as ethnic and racial groups, English learners, foster youth and students with special needs, to determine how they are performing. While we are proud of our students accomplishments, the Dashboard data denotes areas of improvement needed in meeting the needs of our individual students and specific student groups, said Doug Johnson, the districts executive director of learning support. In analyzing the Dashboard, some of our student groups performance placed them in the orange and red levels. PUSD is refining and aligning our curricular, instructional and assessment practices in our ongoing efforts to support all students. In addition, PUSD will be focusing on improving our chronic attendance rates and reducing suspensions for many of our student groups. Email: editor@pomeradonews.com A Poway man who holed up in his home with his ex-girlfriend after a fight that prompted a sheriffs response pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony charge of resisting an executive officer while armed with a shotgun and a BB gun. Bryon Edward Henry, 33, faces up to a year in jail and will be placed on probation when he is sentenced Jan. 16. Defense attorney Ashby Sorensen told Judge Polly Shamoon that Henry is the manager of a tire store in Scripps Ranch and being jailed could jeopardize his employment. The judge said she would consider - but not promise - alternatives to custody at the time of sentencing. Before the plea to resisting an officer with force and threats of violence, Henry had faced a maximum of four years in state prison, said Deputy District Attorney Michael Runyon. Henry was arrested the night of May 9 following a 90-minute standoff. Deputies were sent to the defendants home in the 13000 block of Utopia Road about 7:30 p.m. in response to a report that he was behaving in a threatening manner toward a former romantic partner, according to sheriffs Lt. Christopher Collier. When patrol deputies tried to make contact with Henry, he retreated into his residence along with the woman, 31-year-old Kiera Genesta, and refused repeated orders to exit and surrender, the lieutenant said. As deputies tried in vain to persuade Henry to give himself up, they heard shots - from a BB gun - coming from inside the home. Authorities evacuated several nearby residences as a precaution during the fraught encounter, Collier said. Eventually, Genesta walked out of her former boyfriends home and was taken into custody on suspicion of violating a restraining order. A short time later, deputies took Henry into custody. No one was injured during the standoff, Collier said. Wheeler writes for the City News Service. Email: editor@pomeradonews.com Three of the largest holiday events in Rancho Bernardo will be occurring over the next few days. On Saturday, around 1,500 children and adults are anticipated to attend the fourth annual Snow in the Park in Rancho Bernardo Community Park, according to Eric McDonald, Rancho Bernardo-Glassman Recreation Center director. The free event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. in the park at 18448 W. Bernardo Drive. The highlight is the snow brought in to create a sled run with five lanes. Attendees of all ages may use the provided sleds or bring their own. There may be a snowball area if there is enough snow available after the hill side is blown, McDonald said. People should dress for snow and can bring a sled if they wish. Other activities will include a bounce house, inflatable obstacle course, arts and crafts activities and face painting. Santa Claus will meet with children and there will be photo opportunities with Santa or the Hanukkah decorations. In addition to free hot cocoa, there will be food available for purchase from food trucks. The event is sponsored by the Rancho Bernardo Recreation and Community councils. Attendees are asked to bring a new, unwrapped gift for donation to the Polinsky Childrens Center. Call 858-538-8129 or email admin@rbcommunitycouncil.com for questions. Starting Monday and continuing each day and night through Saturday, Dec. 22, two popular annual events are returning to the Bernardo Winery at 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte. Holiday Nights activities will be offered each evening until 9 p.m. Admission and parking is free for all ages. Some activities have a nominal cost. These include the carriage rides. Carolers dressed in Victorian-era clothing will be strolling throughout the event. The winery will be decorated with twinkle lights and seasonal decor. Samantha Nawrocki, the winerys marketing director, said a few thousand people are expected over the six evenings. It is a San Diego tradition, she said. People make a trek for it. Its pretty big. Besides the winerys Tasting Room, new for this year will be a place for adults to purchase glasses of wine in an outdoor patio adjacent to the winerys new restaurant called The Kitchen. As for the restaurant, its offerings will include fresh pasta dishes sold in a grab-and-go style and the pizza oven will be operating. Its great for families, Nawrocki said. She added that hot mulled wine will also be available for purchase at various locations and non-alcoholic beverages including coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juices and natural sodas plus baked goods and fresh local pastries can be purchased at Manzanita Roasting Company. There will be a rotating offering of musicians and food trucks for each night. Per the winerys website, musicians scheduled to perform are Kevin Begin (Dec. 17), Dave and Megan from Liberty Station (Dec. 18), Whitney Shay (Dec. 19), Rhea Makiaris (Dec. 20), Jackie Foster (Dec. 21) and Steven Cade (Dec. 22 - tentative). The food trucks will be El Guadalajara (Dec. 17-22), Organic Food Truck (Dec. 17, 19 and 21), Full Belly BBQ (Dec. 17-19), Mangia Mangia (Dec. 18) and Haad Sai Thai (Dec. 20-22). In addition to the arts and crafts vendors selling their creations throughout the grounds, the winerys Village Shops will be open late. No pets or outside food and beverages are permitted. Santa Claus will not be attending Holiday Nights. Instead, they can meet with the North Pole visitor during a special morning event (admission charged) that also begins on Monday and continues through Dec. 22. Breakfast with Santa will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon, giving children an opportunity to meet with Santa in a relaxed setting, enjoy breakfast and get up close with some animals from Wild Wonders. There will also be face painting, balloon animals, cookie decorating, ornament making and more. Mimosas are available for adults. Parents enjoy watching their children, while drinking mimosas and relaxing during the busy holiday week, Nawrocki said. The event is capped at 150 attendees per morning in order to provide a nice, personal experience, according to Nawrocki. Tickets for Breakfast with Santa are $40 for adults, $30 for ages 7 to 12 and $10 for ages 2 to 6. There is also an online fee. Tickets are only sold in advance. Purchase at BernardoWinery.com or call 858-487-1866. As of Tuesday, there were still tickets available for the weekday breakfasts, but the Dec. 22 event was sold-out, Nawrocki said. Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com 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. Physicists from the PHENIX Collaboration have created droplets of a liquid-like state of matter called quark-gluon plasma, forming three distinct shapes and sizes circles, ellipses and triangles. Scientists believe that quark-gluon plasma filled the entire Universe during the first few microseconds after the Big Bang when the Universe was still too hot for particles to come together to make atoms. The PHENIX team used the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory to recreate that matter. In a series of tests, the physicists smashed packets of small projectiles in different combinations (single protons, two-particle deuterons, and three-particle helium-3 nuclei) into much bigger gold nuclei. RHIC is the only accelerator in the world where we can perform such a tightly controlled experiment, colliding particles made of one, two, and three components with the same larger nucleus, gold, all at the same energy, said PHENIX team member Professor Jamie Nagle, a researcher at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The scientists discovered that, by carefully controlling conditions, they could generate droplets of quark-gluon plasma that expanded to form three different geometric patterns. Imagine that you have two droplets that are expanding into a vacuum, Professor Nagle said. If the two droplets are really close together, then as theyre expanding out, they run into each other and push against each other, and thats what creates this pattern. In other words, if you toss two stones into a pond close together, the ripples from those impacts will flow into each other, forming a pattern that resembles an ellipse. The same could be true if you smashed a proton-neutron pair, called a deuteron, into something bigger. Likewise, a proton-proton-neutron trio, also known as a helium-3 atom, might expand out into something akin to a triangle. And thats exactly what the PHENIX researchers found: collisions of deuterons formed short-lasting ellipses, helium-3 atoms formed triangles and a single proton exploded in the shape of a circle. The results, published in the journal Nature Physics, could help theorists better understand how the Universes original quark-gluon plasma cooled over milliseconds, giving birth to the first atoms in existence. _____ C. Aidala et al (PHENIX Collaboration). Creation of quarkgluon plasma droplets with three distinct geometries. Nature Physics, published online December 10, 2018; doi: 10.1038/s41567-018-0360-0 Round-trip Vancouver Celebrity Eclipse will operate weekly round-trips from Vancouver, BC, and journey through the Inside Passage, visiting Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau and Ketchikan. These sailings can be paired with the Canadian Rocky Mountains on a pre- or post-cruise land tour. Vancouver-Seward Celebrity Millennium will sail seven-night cruises between Vancouver and Seward. Both northbound and southbound itineraries feature the Inside Passage and visit Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway and Hubbard Glacier. Alaska cruise-tours are available to explore all the way to Denali National Park or the Canadian Rockies. Round-trip Seattle Celebrity Solstice offers weekly round-trips from Seattle, visiting Ketchikan, Endicott Arms and Dawes Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, the Inside Passage and Victoria, BC. The cruise company was among qualifying companies to be recently presented certification by Shanghais mayor Ying Yong. In 2002, Shanghai issued regulations to encourage the establishment of regional headquarters by multinational corporations in the port city and passed it as official regulations in 2008. Incentives offered to multinational corporations include the provision of financial support and tax benefits. By the end of December 2018, Shanghai will have attracted 665 multinational enterprises to set up headquarters in the city. MSC Splendida sailed out of Shanghai and Yokohama this year, arriving in April, but has now headed back to the Middle East to join MSC Lirica for winter 2018/19. MSC Bellissima will head to Asia in spring 2020 and be mostly based in Shanghai to serve the Chinese home market. The ship also will offer a number of sailings from Japan. Press Release December 12, 2018 EXPLANATION OF VOTE ON MARTIAL LAW EXTENSION OF SEN. FRANCIS PANGILINAN Mr President, we express great reservation with respect to the second extension of martial law in Mindanao for the very same reason that we vigorously opposed the Martial Law declaration the first time around. Mr. President, we believe that equitable development is key to progress in Mindanao. Development that is centered on the interests of the people are the genuine solutions to the problems of the region. This can only be achieved if the basic values of freedom of expression and dissent, freedom of religion, respect and tolerance are present. We reiterate that martial law under the 1987 constitution is an extraordinary measure imposed only under the extreme situation of actual rebellion or invasion and only for a limited period. Sabi nga ng isang practicing lawyer, kung ang isang abugado ay hihingi ng extension sa kaniyang 15-day period to file an appeal or motion for reconsideration, at hihingi siya ng 6 na buwang extension, tiyak denied 'yung kaniyang kahilingan. We voted against a Mindanao-wide martial law for a period of six months the first time because the actual rebellion and siege was taking place in Marawi only and if it were to be imposed it should have been limited to the Marawi area, precisely because it is an extraordinary measure where actual rebellion is taking place. And only for a limited period. We can not understand how two years can be defined as a "limited period." Prolonged martial rule in a large area affecting the lives of millions of our citizens is authoritarian and contrary to our constitutional democracy. Worse it will not improve the economic welfare of our citizens. The recent history of long-term economic development in Mindanao will show that the unprecedented progress and economic growth in the 90s, under the Ramos administration, of cities such as Cagayan de Oro, General Santos and Davao City took place not under a martial law but during a time of aggressive peace initiatives under the then Ramos administration and more to the point under democratic governance. The supporters of the martial law declaration asserted that the rehabilitation of Marawi would go unimpeded under martial law. This is clearly shown to be untrue. After over one year and a half of martial law, this administration has yet to show rehab in full swing and concrete projects meant for the rehabilitation of Marawi. Finally we reiterate that the martial law declaration now extending for a period of two years is contrary to our Constitution. We in government no longer have the moral ascendancy to go after these terrorist organizations and armed groups who disregard our laws and our democracy when we do so in violation of our own Constitution. We must go after the enemies of the state by enforcing and upholding our laws not by disregarding the very laws we are sworn to enforce and defend. By setting aside the laws on bending it in pursuit of our enemies, I'm afraid that we end up becoming the dragons that we seek to defeat. I will adopt my manifestation earlier as explanation of my vote. Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr batted away accusations that the central bank had exerted influence over CBL Insurances creditors to support them in its bid for liquidation. I have almost lost count of the allegations that have been thrown around, Orr told the parliamentary Finance and Expenditure Committee at the 2017-18 annual review of the RBNZ. Orr denied the bank had put pressure on foreign regulators and made inducements to creditors and said the central bank had been 100 percent appropriate throughout the process. CBL Insurance, a subsidiary of CBL Corp, was placed in liquidation by the Auckland High Court in November when the directors withdrew their opposition to the RBNZs application. At the time, CBL directors Peter Harris and Alistair Hutchinson said they decided to withdraw their opposition to the liquidation when two major creditors agreed to support it. The two creditors Gibraltar-based Elite Insurance and Alpha Insurance had initially been opposed to the liquidation. The directors made significant efforts to guarantee a "fully solvent outcome from CBLI and full payment to its New Zealand creditors and policyholders," Harris and Hutchinson said. Those efforts, however, were "scuttled" by the Reserve Bank, which "managed to woo both creditors to support its liquidation application in the High Court," they said. Orr said he was "incredibly proud" of the team and how they managed the crisis and said the Auckland High Court judgment "speaks for itself. Very loud and clear." The central bank had applied for the interim liquidation of CBL Insurance in February based on the insurer's failure to meet solvency conditions, breaches of direction and ongoing misreporting to the Reserve Bank. According to information on the central bank's website, the RBNZ sought an explanation from CBLI insurance in mid-2017 when European insurers that were heavily reliant on reinsurance from CBLI started running into difficulties with European insurance regulators, due to not having enough money in reserves. It followed that CBLIs reserves might also be inadequate. CBLI's response was to criticise the analysis relied on by the European insurance regulators, it said. In July 2017 the Reserve Bank directed CBLI to maintain solvency of at least 170 percent of the standard minimum. In August 2017 the Reserve Bank appointed investigators to look into CBLIs European business and whether its reserves were adequate. CBLI was not able comply with the solvency direction and in late 2017, to avoid deterioration of CBLIs situation, the Reserve Bank directed CBLI to not make payments of more than $5 million without consulting the Reserve Bank. In February 2018, the Reserve Bank became aware that CBLI had made payments to offshore counterparties, in breach of the regulatory directions. At the same time, its appointed actuary confirmed that CBLIs solvency ratio was below 100 percent. Orr reiterated to the committee that the central bank has commissioned a thorough independent review of the CBL Insurance case to identify lessons for itself and the insurance regulatory regime. (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 The New Zealand dollar rose against US dollar on improving sentiment after US President Donald Trump seemed optimistic he could strike a trade deal with China and Canada released Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on bail. The kiwi traded at 68.90 US cents at 5pm in Wellington from 68.70 US cents at 8am and from 68.81 cents late yesterday. The trade-weighted index was at 75.35 from 75.24. On China trade, Trump told Reuters well probably have another meeting. And maybe a meeting of the top people on both sides. If its necessary, Ill have another meeting with President Xi, who I like a lot and get along with very well. He also said he would intervene in the Huawei case "if I thought it was necessary." Meng was arrested in Canada earlier this month at the behest of the US, sparking concerns the move could derail the trade talks between the two countries. However, Meng will be released on C$10 million bail with five guarantors as she awaits possible extradition to the United States on fraud charges, Canada's CBC radio reported. Tim Kelleher, head of institutional foreign exchange sales at ASB Bank said sentiment lifted on the news and also noted Trump said it would be "foolish" for the US Federal Reserve to lift rates next week. Kelleher said the US dollar eased back on the comments but he doesn't expect it to last given that a rate increase next week is fully priced in. "Clearly they are going to raise rates next week," he said. The kiwi remained strong against the British pound as Prime Minister Theresa May's leadership is under threat after she was forced to resume lobbying Europe for greater concessions on the Northern Ireland border. "She'll be gone by lunchtime tomorrow," he said. The kiwi traded at 55.09 from 54.70 pence yesterday. Looking ahead, Kelleher said the biggest risk for the kiwi is that next week's third-quarter gross domestic product number is weak. "If you have a Fed rate hike early Thursday morning, followed by a disappointing GDP" the kiwi could fall sharply, in particular against the Australian dollar, he said. The kiwi traded at 95.42 Australian cents from 95.45 cents yesterday and declined to 4.7436 Chinese yuan from 4.7473 yuan. It traded at 78.17 yen from 77.76 yen yesterday and rose to 60.83 euro cents from 60.52 cents. New Zealand's two-year swap rate rose 2 basis points to 2.05 percent; the 10-year swaps was unchanged at 2.74 percent (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 Meridian Energy chair Chris Moller will retire from the board of the country's biggest electricity generator next year and be replaced by its newest director, Mark Verbiest. Moller will end more than a decade on Meridian's board, which he chaired for nine years, at next year's annual meeting, the company said in a statement. Verbiest, a former chair of Spark New Zealand and grid operator Transpower, will take over the chair. Moller oversaw the partial privatisation of Meridian in 2013, which attracted 62,000 investors to the sell-down. That's shrunk to 47,392 as at June 30 of this year, including the Crown's controlling stake. The shares were sold in instalments in the initial public offering at $1.50 apiece, and have climbed to $3.30 since then, a gain of 120 percent. That compares to an 80 percent increase in the S&P/NZX 50 index during the same period. Moller is the longest-serving director on Meridian's board, followed by former retail executive Mary Devine who joined in 2010, and ex-Westpac New Zealand chair Peter Wilson and former Ngai Tahu chief executive Anake Goodall who were appointed in 2011. Port of Tauranga chief Mark Cairns and current Westpac New Zealand chair Jan Dawson joined the board in 2012. Verbiest stepped down as Spark chair last year, having joined Meridian's board in March 2017. He is also a director of ANZ Bank New Zealand, Freightways and chairs Willis Bond Capital Partners. (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 Restaurant Brands New Zealand, subject to a partial takeover bid by Mexico's Finaccess Capital, said its third-quarter sales rose 4.7 percent as its overseas operations continued to grow. Total sales in the 12 weeks to Dec. 3 were $181.5 million, versus $173.3 million a year earlier, the fast-food operator said. The company, which operates the KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks Coffee and Carl's Jr brands in New Zealand also operates KFC in Australia and Taco Bell and Pizza Hut in Hawaii. New Zealand operations generated sales of $94.7 million, down 2.2 percent in total but up 2.2 percent on a same-store basis. KFC New Zealand continues to fare well, with third-quarter sales up 4.1 percent on a same-store basis. Store numbers remained steady at 94 during the quarter, and one higher than a year earlier. Pizza Hut, however, saw a 6.1 percent decline in same-store sales. Restaurant Brands-owned store numbers were steady through the quarter and down by five from last year at 29 as five stores were sold to independent franchisees. Total sales at Starbucks Coffee fell more than 50 percent due to the sale of 22 stores in the quarter. Same-store sales, however, were up 5 percent. Restaurant Brands sold its New Zealand Starbucks franchise in the quarter. At Carl's Jr, same-store sales were down 8.3 percent. Store numbers remained steady at 18. Restaurant Brands this week said it will build more than 60 Taco Bell restaurants in New Zealand and New South Wales between 2019 and 2024. It expects to fund the building of the stores from internally generated cash flows. It doesn't expect the brand to make a significant contribution to earnings for several years. Australian KFC outlets produced sales of $44.3 million, up 18.8 percent on a total basis and up 2.4 percent in Australian dollars on a same-store basis. Australian store numbers increased by one to 62 during the quarter and total store numbers are three higher than last year. Hawaiian operations generated sales of $42.5 million, up 8.5 percent on a total basis and 3.6 percent in US dollars on a same-store basis. Taco Bell stores remained steady at 36 during the quarter, and down one versus last year. Pizza Hut Hawaii sales were steady at 45 during the quarter. The stock last traded at $8.47, up 11.1 percent since this week's $9.45 per share offer from Finaccess Capital for 75 percent of the company. Restaurant Brands' independent directors have elected to accept the offer and the board unanimously recommends shareholders do likewise, unless a better offer emerges. The Mexican firm's offer closes on March 12, and acceptances above 75 percent may be scaled depending on the uptake. Finaccess has committed to support Restaurant Brands' existing strategy in the near-term to pursue international growth. (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 And, this waiver could be as big as Rs 4 trillions or 4 lakh crores. The revelation is according to a story that appeared in Reuters . The report is not conclusive and quotes anonymous government officials as making that assertion. Fresh from election drubbing in five states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been reported as considering a farm-loan waiver. The report says India has 263 million farmers and many millions as dependent on farming. Farm loan waivers may be the only viable option for the ruling party since there is hardly any time left to implement fresh economic measures. The next elections are scheduled in May 2019. Agriculture has been viewed as the main theme in the Hindi speaking states that the BJP lost in the state elections concluded on Tuesday. National leader Modi and the BJP could hence work towards a plan to gain the confidence of rural voters. The report also says that the farm loan waivers could help only relatively well-off farmers with larger plots of land. Both the BJP and Congress have promised farm loan waivers in a number of state elections in the past few years. About seven state governments have promised to write off farm loans worth 1.8 trillion rupees. Farming is the keyword for policy-makers with opposition party Congress too promising farm loan waivers. In 2008, farm loan waivers promised by the Congress were worth Rs 720 billions [72,000 crores]. PM Modi and his policies have promised on doubling farm income since coming to power. However, these policies have not created much effect. Recently, farmers from across the country assembled in New Delhi to protest on feeble incomes and Minimum Support Prices. Yogendra Yadav during the launch of his book- Modiraj Main Kisan, Double Aamad Ya Double afat, said that even his book concluded Narendra Modi led government as the "most anti-farmer government." During a panel discussion in 2018, Yadav said, "No government in the past has been pro- farmer. However, the current government and its policies have opposed the farmers on all fronts--- ideological, administrative, with disdain for farmers." Click here to read more on the book and the launch. A farm loan waiver much to the cheer of farmers could widen the government's fiscal deficit program. The government has targeted to cap at 3.3% of its gross domestic product (GDP), or Rs 6.24 trillion. Analysts and credit rating agencies say India's deficit stands at Rs 6.67 trillion or 3.5 percent of GDP. Post GST, tax collections have remained muted and a loan waiver could also deepen the malaise of Indian public sector banks who are reportedly bruised owing to bad loans of Rs 10.8 lakh crores. Trump says could intervene in Chinese exec's case Washington, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 US President Donald Trump said in an interview Tuesday that he may intervene in the US case against a top Huawei executive detained and bailed by Canada to further the trade relationship with China. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, is wanted by US authorities for violating Iran sanctions but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention in Vancouver, ratcheting up tensions in the US-China trade dispute. Asked by Reuters if he would intervene with the Justice Department in her case, Trump was quoted as saying: "Whatever's good for this country, I would do." "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made -- which is a very important thing, what's good for national security - I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump told the news agency. Trump added that White House officials had spoken with the Justice Department and Chinese officials about the case but said he had not personally spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping, or any other official. A Canadian judge granted Meng bail earlier, in a case that has frayed relations between the North American allies and China. Beijing has expressed outrage over her arrest at the request of Washington on December 1 and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row. The list of strict conditions of her release pending the outcome of the extradition case is lengthy, and includes the surrender of her passports and electronic monitoring. She was expected to be released shortly, and will be allowed to stay at a luxury home owned by her husband Liu Xiaozong in Vancouver. 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, scheduled to start on February 6, could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. Earlier, the three-way diplomatic standoff over her arrest intensified with the news that China had detained Canadian national Michael Korvig. The former diplomat once served in Beijing but was there on unpaid leave. Huawei executive gets bail in case rattling China ties Vancouver, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 A Canadian court granted bail on Tuesday to a top Chinese telecom company executive wanted in the United States in a case that has rattled relations between China and the North American allies. The conditional release granted to Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, came hours after the detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing further stoked tensions. Meng, who faces a US extradition bid on charges related to alleged violations of Iran sanctions, was granted Can$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail, 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. She was expected to be released shortly, and 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 US President Donald Trump told Reuters he "would certainly intervene" in the case if it can help strike a deal with China. 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 break in the proceedings, Martin said Meng looked forward to a break to spend with family, read novels and maybe apply to a doctorate program while the extradition case played out after "working hard for 25 years". 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 think thank said its North East Asia senior adviser, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, was detained by Chinese state security in Beijing on Monday night. 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." - '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 because Michael was a good political officer, but he is not a spy at all," Saint-Jacques said. The US State Department called on China to "end all forms of arbitrary detentions." China's state security and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to faxed questions. 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." China says detained Canadian may have violated NGO law Beijing, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 Beijing said Wednesday a detained former Canadian diplomat may have violated Chinese laws if he carried out work in the country because his employer is not legally registered in China. Michael Kovrig, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank, was detained by Chinese state security in Beijing on Monday night, according to ICG. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he had "no information to offer" about the detention. But he added that ICG was not registered in China. "If it's not registered and its employees in China are engaged in activities, it is already in violation" of a Chinese law on foreign non-governmental organisations, Lu said. Kovrig was detained nine days after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, at the behest of the United States. A former Canadian ambassador to Beijing, Guy Saint-Jacques, told AFP Kovrig's detention is likely related to Canada's arrest of Meng. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has said Ottawa was "deeply concerned" by the detention of one of its citizens. He added that there was no "explicit indication" that the former diplomat's detention was linked to Meng's arrest. HNA exits French tourism group Pierre and Vacances Paris, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 Pierre and Vacances said Wednesday that the sprawling Chinese conglomerate HNA was no longer a shareholder, marking the end of a two-year partnership that the French tourism group had hoped would help its expansion into China. In a statement the firm said it ended all its financial and commercial ties with HNA, a heavily indebted group that is being investigated by Chinese banking regulators for its foreign investments. The controlling shareholder in Pierre and Vacances will buy the 10 percent stake for 15.6 million euros ($17.7 million). The agreement also puts an end to a joint venture that planned to transplant into China the French firm's concept of vacation villages nestled in forests. Pierre and Vacances said HNA was supposed to help finance the construction of five vacation villages in China but had not. The firm added that negotiations were under way with other possible partners for developing its vacation villages in China. kd/rl/gd PIERRE ET VACANCES Koreas verify removal of frontline bunkers Seoul, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 Soldiers from North and South Korea are set to verify the dismantlement of guard posts in the demilitarised zone Wednesday, Seoul said, after crossing into each other's territory peacefully for the first time. The removal of 20 posts along the heavily-fortified frontier was one of the steps agreed at a September summit between the South's President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, part of a rapid reconciliation drive on the peninsula. In November, North Korea blew up the 10 facilities while the South tore down 10 on its own side using excavators. Seoul's defence ministry said early Wednesday that South Korean inspectors will visit each of the guard posts on the North's side to verify their dismantlement and to ensure that all firearms and troops have been removed. North Korean inspectors will carry out the same process at the South's bunkers, it added. "This marks the first time since the division that the soldiers of the North and South... are peacefully crossing the military demarcation line," the ministry said in a statement. The dovish Moon has pursued a policy of engagement with its isolated, nuclear-armed neighbour, in increasing contrast to Washington, which insists pressure should be maintained on Pyongyang until it denuclearises. Despite its name, the area around the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) is one of the most fortified places on earth, replete with minefields and barbed-wire fences. But under plans to ease tensions agreed in Pyongyang, the two Koreas have demilitarised the border truce village of Panmunjom, leaving it manned by 35 unarmed personnel from each side. Officially called the Joint Security Area (JSA), the enclave is the only spot along the 250-kilometre (155-mile) frontier where soldiers from the two Koreas and the US-led UN Command stand face to face. UN reports more suspected Iranian missiles found in Yemen United Nations, United States, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the UN says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "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," it added. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting on Iran, scheduled to start at 1500 GMT. Guterres' report mainly addresses Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with six major powers. The United States pulled out of the accord in May and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. The report concludes that Iran continues to abide by the nuclear accord, under which it won sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. The UN has said in the past that Yemen's Huthi rebels have fired Iranian-made missiles at Saudi Arabia. But it said it could not be certain that these weapons were in fact supplied by Iran in what would be a violation of UN resolutions. North and South Korean soldiers enter each other's territory Seoul, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 Soldiers from North and South Korea crossed into each other's territory peacefully for the first time on Wednesday, Seoul said, as they began checking the dismantlement of guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone. The North invaded the South in 1950, triggering the Korean War, and Seoul went on to change hands four times as Pyongyang's Chinese-backed forces and the US-led UN troops supporting the South fought their way up and down the peninsula and back again. The conflict ended in an armistice in 1953, leaving the two technically still in a state of war, but a rapid reconciliation has taken place this year. The South's President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un, leader of the nuclear-armed North, agreed to remove a limited number of guard posts along their heavily-fortified frontier at a September summit in Pyongyang, among other measures. North Korea blew up 10 of its facilities in November, while the South tore 10 down on its own side using excavators. South Korean inspectors visited each of the guard posts on the North's side on Wednesday to make sure they had been dismantled and all firearms and troops removed, Seoul's defence ministry said. North Korean inspectors carried out the same process at the South's bunkers in the afternoon, it added. Video footage showed armed South Korean soldiers shaking hands with North Korean personnel at the military demarcation line in the centre of the DMZ, before crossing to the other side. Led by the North Koreans, the Southerners walked along a path where the North's guard posts had once stood, soldiers from both sides taking photos and filming the process as they chatted. "This marks the first time since the division that the soldiers of the North and South... are peacefully crossing the military demarcation line," the ministry said in a statement. The North is known to have more guard posts -- which include both surface structures and underground elements -- and according to Yonhap news agency it now has around 150 in the DMZ, with the South having about 50. Despite its name, the area around the DMZ is one of the most fortified places on earth, replete with minefields and barbed-wire fences. But under the plans to ease tensions agreed in Pyongyang, the two Koreas have demilitarised the border truce village of Panmunjom, leaving it manned by 35 unarmed personnel from each side. Officially called the Joint Security Area (JSA), the enclave is the only spot along the 250-kilometre (155-mile) frontier where soldiers from the two Koreas and the US-led UN Command stand face to face. The dovish Moon has pursued a policy of engagement with the North, in increasing contrast to Washington, which insists pressure should be maintained on Pyongyang until it denuclearises. Airbus says improper settings played role in Mali helicopter crash Paris, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said Wednesday that an investigation had found improper settings to have been one factor behind the deadly 2017 crash of a German military helicopter in a UN operation in Mali. Two German UN peacekeepers were killed in July 2017 when their Tiger helicopter crashed as they were monitoring fighting in northern Mali. UN sources in the area quickly ruled out it was shot down, and the German Army has since been looking into the reasons for the crash. "This investigation, carried out by the Bundeswehr with the support of Airbus Helicopters, has ruled out any design issue with the Tiger helicopter," Airbus said in a statement. "Airbus Helicopters has taken note that an improper setting of the helicopter controls was identified by the investigation as one of the factors in the chain of events which have led to this catastrophic outcome," it added. Airbus said precautionary measures have been implemented to prevent any reoccurrence. Due to pending proceedings in the case, Airbus said it would refrain from any further comment. Nobel laureate Murad urges Iraq to probe fate of abducted Yazidis Baghdad, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 Nobel laureate and former jihadist captive Nadia Murad called on Iraq Wednesday to create a special team to investigate the fate of other members of her Yazidi minority kidnapped by the Islamic State group. The 25-year-old, the first Iraqi to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, made the appeal during a visit to Baghdad. "I'm very happy because three years ago I left Iraq physically and mentally exhausted. Today I've returned with a Nobel Peace Prize hoping it brings peace to Iraq," she said during a meeting with President Barham Saleh. She called on Iraqi authorities to "build a specialised team to work with the international anti-jihadist coalition on the fate of Yazidis kidnapped by IS." Murad was jointly awarded the Nobel prize in Oslo on Monday with Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege for her work to highlight the plight of Iraq's Yazidis. Like thousands of other Yazidi women and girls, Murad was abducted by IS in 2014 as the jihadists overran the minority's stronghold of Sinjar in northern Iraq, close to the border with Syria. They were held captive, tortured, raped and sold as sexual slaves by the jihadists. More than 3,000 Yazidis are still missing, probably still held as captives, according to Murad. IS captured large swathes of Iraq and neighbouring Syria in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled. The jihadists have since lost most of their territory to offensives by multiple forces in both countries, retreating to desert holdouts. Murad said she planned to speak to officials in Baghdad about the "unknown fate of Sinjar and the Yazidi population", noting that more than 80 percent of the minority still lived in camps and lacked basic necessities. She said her "fight" today is to make sure the atrocities committed by IS against the Yazidis are recognised as a genocide. "I'm wearing my Nobel Peace Prize in Baghdad to say to all Iraqis 'you are the most worthy of peace, so be peaceful to Iraq and to each other, and to the Yazidis and other Iraqi minorities who illustrate Iraq's rich cultural heritage'," she said. For his part, Saleh stressed that "the rebuilding of Sinjar, delivering justice to the victims and examining the fate of the kidnapped are priorities". "The time has come for the Iraqi parliament to pass a law considering the crime of Sinjar as a genocide against the Yazidis". Germany opens negligent homicide probe in Mali Airbus chopper crash Berlin, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 German prosecutors said Wednesday they had opened a probe against three individuals for negligent homicide in the 2017 crash of a German military helicopter in a UN operation in Mali. "A case on the suspicion of negligent homicide has been opened against three people who are said to have carried out" work on the Airbus helicopter, prosecutors in the southern town of Kempten said. Earlier, European aircraft maker Airbus said a probe had found that "an improper setting of the helicopter controls was identified by the investigation as one of the factors in the chain of events which have led to this catastrophic outcome". Two German UN peacekeepers were killed in July 2017 when their Tiger helicopter crashed as they were monitoring fighting in northern Mali. UN sources in the area quickly ruled out it was shot down, and the German army has since been looking into the reasons for the crash. German prosecutors said a report from the German Military Aviation Authority has found that "works on the helicopter had been incorrectly carried out during the adjustment of the main rotor control system." "The faulty adjustment of the rotors led to a situation in which the chopper could no longer be controlled by the crew during a routine flight, leading to the crash." The United Nations operation in Mali, launched in 2013, is considered the UN's most dangerous peacekeeping mission, with dozens of its staff killed over the past four years. Germany had reinforced its presence in Mali in 2017, deploying several Tiger combat helicopters and raising the number of Germans serving in MINUSMA to 639 as of June, the army's largest presence overseas. Northern Mali is the site of frequent clashes between rival armed groups, as well as a haven for jihadist activity. hmn/fz/nla Russian military chief accuses NATO of buildup on borders Moscow, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2018 A senior Russian military official on Wednesday warned of a buildup of NATO forces close to the country's borders, the defence ministry said. Valery Gerasimov, head of Russia's General Staff, "noted a strengthening of NATO's frontline military presence close to Russia's borders", while meeting the commander of NATO forces in Europe Curtis Scaparrotti. Gerasimov added that "this doesn't help reduce tensions" between Moscow and the alliance, said a defence ministry statement after they met in Baku, Azerbaijan. NATO and the US have accused Russia of violating a Cold War arms control treaty (known as the INF) with ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 kilometres ( to 5,500 kilometres, which Moscow denies. The US last week warned it would withdraw from the treaty signed in 1987 within 60 days if Russia does not dismantle missiles that the US claims breach the deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned such a move would only push Moscow to develop nuclear missiles banned by the treaty. NATO held massive exercises close to Russia's borders in October and November after Russia held major military exercises on NATO's eastern flank in 2017. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov this month blasted "the recklessness of NATO". US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations Moscow meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. New York, December 10, 2018 (SPS) - The United Nations General Assembly adopted, in its 73rd session, 36 resolutions and 4 decisions relating to issues of decolonization, including that relating to Western Sahara. In the same document, the special committee in charge of studying the situation concerning the implementation of the Declaration on granting independence to colonial countries and peoples is called to continue monitoring the situation in Western Sahara and to present a report on the issue in the 74th General Assembly. The decision emphasized the irrevocable right of all peoples to self-determination and independence, in accordance with the principles of UN Charter and the resolution 1514 of the General Assembly on the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial peoples and countries. Underlining the decisions of the General Assembly and of the international Security Council, the document cites the General Assemblys decision, pointing out that the possible options for self-determination remain valid insofar as they are in line with the wills freely expressed by the interested population and the principles defined clearly in the resolutions of the General Assembly. The General Assembly also welcomed the meeting between the two sides to the conflict, Morocco and the Polisario Front, under the aegis of Horst Kohler, UN Secretary Generals Special Envoy for Western Sahara, in the presence of two neighboring countries, namely Algeria and Mauritania, and of their agreement to continue negotiations. While reiterating UNs responsibility towards the people of Western Sahara, the General Assemblys decision welcomed the efforts made by UN Secretary General of his special envoy to reach a political solution guaranteeing the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination through the resumption of the negotiation process between the two parties (Morocco and the Polisario Front) in good faith and without pre-conditions). It urged the two parties to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and to honor their commitments in accordance with the international humanitarian law. (SPS) 062/SPS/APS ( December 12, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tomorrow marks International Universal Health Coverage (UHC)Day. Universal Health Coverage is a fundamental goal rooted in the human rightto health. It ensures that every person, no matter who they are or where theylive has access to quality health services without suffering financialhardship. Achieving universal health coverage will accelerate efforts to endextreme poverty, achieve gender equality and increase health security, so thatno one is left behind. In Sri Lanka, this means ensuring that the countrys health system is ready to respond to current population shifts. It is predicted that by 2030, 1 in 5 people in Sri Lanka will be above the age of 60 years. This demographic transition makes Sri Lanka the most rapidly ageing population in the South Asia region. An ageing population is a result of the countrys continuous investments in making people live longer. However, it is important to ensure that health systems are readily in place to support the needs of the growing elderly population. Commemorating International Universal Health Coverage Day 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) together with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) convened a press conference in Colombo. The President of Sri Lanka Medical Association, Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa said, In the past we have been treating illness and disease, it has only left us with a health system that is not people centered, it is hightime we start changing the health system to one that is people oriented. We cannot continue business as usual. We must include everyone,everywhere. Dr. Olivia Corazon Nieveras, Public Health Administrator of WHO Sri Lanka, said Good health is a human right not a privilege. Health systems need to focus on promoting health and not curing diseases;the goal should be to live well and not just to live more. We need to transform health systems from hospital centered and illness based to people centered systems. The first level of future health care should become increasingly closer to where people live and work as our needs change across life stages, access to health services should not. The country is in a good trajectory towards Universal Health Coverage by investing in Primary Health Care reorganization (PHC). PHC is the most effective and efficient way of achieving good health for the population. Further, Ms. Madusha Dissanayake, Assistant Representative of UNFPA Sri Lanka highlighted: It is when youth make informed life decisions now, that they can be economically empowered to age with dignity. Therefore, universal access to sexual and reproductive health services for all, at all ages, is absolutely necessary for Sri Lanka to be ready to face this demographic shift. It allows people to age actively and healthily, which in return will help the health system as well. To achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage by 2030, all Sri Lankans should have access to the health care that they need without being pushed into poverty or giving up other life necessities. Sri Lanka must adopt a lifecycle approach to healthcare one that starts early and continues through the reproductive years and lasts into old age to support the physical and emotional well- We have come here to let them know that change is coming whether they like it or not. by Greta Thunberg Footage: UNFCCC, Videographer Justin K. Davey For 25 years countless of people have stood in front of the United Nations climate conferences, asking our nations leaders to stop the emissions. But, clearly, this has not worked since the emissions just continue to rise. So I will not ask them anything. Instead, I will ask the media to start treating the crisis as a crisis. Instead, I will ask the people around the world to realize that our political leaders have failed us. Because we are facing an existential threat and there is no time to continue down this road of madness. Rich countries like Sweden need to start reducing emissions by at least 15% every year to reach the 2 degree warming target. You would think the media and everyone of our leaders would be talking about nothing else but no one ever even mentions it. Nor does hardly anyone ever talk about that we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction, with up to 200 species going extinct every single day. Furthermore, does no one ever speak about the aspect ofequity clearly stated everywhere in the Paris agreement, which is absolutelynecessary to make it work on a global scale. That means that rich countrieslike mine need to get down to zero emissions, within 612 years with todaysemission speed, so that people in poorer countries can heighten their standardof living by building some of the infrastructures that we have already built.Such as hospitals, electricity and clean drinking water. Because how can we expect countries like India, Colombia or Nigeria to care about the climate crisis if we, who already have everything, dont care even a second about our actual commitments to the Paris agreement? So when school started in August this year I sat myself down on the ground outside the Swedish parliament. I school striked for the climate. Some people say that I should be in school instead. Some people say that I should study to become a climate scientist so that I can solve the climate crisis. But the climate crisis has already been solved. We already have all the facts and solutions. And why should I be studying for a future that soon may be no more, when no one is doing anything to save that future? And what is the point of learning facts when the most important facts clearly mean nothing to our society? Today we use 100 million barrels of oil every single day. There are no politics to change that. There are no rules to keep that oil in the ground. So we cant save the world by playing by the rules. Because the rules have to be changed. So we have not come here to beg the world leaders to care for our future. They have ignored us in the past and they will ignore us again. We have come here to let them know that change is coming whether they like it or not. The people will rise to the challenge. And since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago. The above text is written by Greta Thunberg. It is published with Greta Thunbergs approval. by W.A. Sunil ( December 11, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Thousands of plantation workers in Sri Lanka are continuing their indefinite strike, launched on December 4, to demand a 100percent wage increase. They are among the poorest sections of the working class in the country. Currently their basic daily wage is 500 rupees ($US2.80), and they are demanding 1,000 rupees. Signalling a direct confrontation with the workers, the plantation employers have repeatedly rejected the demand. A Planters Association of Ceylon (PA) statement last Friday declared that the demand far exceeded the revenue capacity of the Regional Plantation Companies (RPC). It could not agree to a demand that would jeopardise an entire industry that involves not only growers but tea factory owners, exporters and the entire value chain. Claiming that the production cost of tea is high, with labour costs accounting for 70 percent, the PA said RPCs would have to absorb an extra 20 billion-rupee increase in wage and gratuity costs if the demand was accepted. In other words, the plantation owners are insisting that their profits, and those of their international buyers, must be defended by subjecting workers to brutal exploitation. The RPCs have agreed to increase the daily basic wage only by 20 percent, or 100 rupees, with a 33 percent increase for attendance incentives, up to 80 rupees, plus the productivity incentive and Price Share Supplement. The employers argue that the workers could thus earn 940 rupees altogether. The so-called incentive allowances are just a gimmick, however. Workers often find it difficult to earn those allowances because of physical difficulties and other impediments such as bad weather and ailments. What the employers are really demanding is the abolition of the current daily wage system and the implementation of a revenue share system that would transform the workers and their families into modern-day sharecroppers. Under that system, each workers family is allocated a plot of land, with a certain number of tea bushes to maintain and harvest. Families are paid after deductions for the costs of fertilisers and agro-chemicals provided by the company, and also the latters profit. Workers would lose their minimal social benefits, such as the employee provident fund, employer trust fund and gratuity. The PA statement claims that workers can earn up to 80,000 rupees per month under this new system. That has already been proved a lie. The workers on estates like the Mathurata and Kelani Valley plantations that have already implemented this system have denied those claims. They have complained that they have been unable to earn enough income to cover their living expenses, even though whole families, including children, have been compelled to work like bonded labourers. The tea industry is one of the most labour-exploitative industries in the world, providing profits for a chain of global tea companies. The top ten companies are Tata Global Beverages, Unilever, Twinings, Nestle, ITO EN INC, Barrys Tea, Dilmah, Celestial Seasonings, Harnys and Sons, and Republic of Tea. According to a University of Sheffield study paper published in May, exploitation, including forced labour, is endemic at the base of the global tea and cocoa supply chains. The study noted that employers extract profits by under-paying wages and under-providing legally-mandated essential services such as drinking water and toilets. Professor Genevieve LeBaron, a member of the research team, told the media: The exploitation we document is not randomly occurring abuse by a few bad apples. Instead it is the result of structural dynamics of how global agricultural supply chains are organised. Highly profitable companies at the helm of these supply chains exert heavy price pressure on suppliers. This puts extreme pressure on tea and cocoa producers to cut costs, and creates a business demand for cheap, and sometimes forced labour. When the PA statement insisted that conceding to the workers demand would jeopardise the entire value chain, it meant all these highly profitable companies at the helm of these supply chains that subject workers to super-exploitation. The tea industry in Sri Lanka has faced increasing competition from other tea-producing countries like Kenya, China, India and Bangladesh. Sri Lankas share of the world tea production declined from 10.5 percent in 2000 to 5.4 percent last year. Due to sanctions or currency issues, the buying power of the major markets, including in Iran, Turkey and Russia, has fallen. While the average export price slightly increased by 4 percent this year, as compared to last year, the average price of Sri Lankan tea at Colombo auctions declined by 2.2 percent in the first six months of 2018. The export value has fallen by 23 percent since 2014. The PA statement urged trade unions to work in the best interest of the industry. That is, to subordinate the interests of workers to the interests of profit. The unions have shown their commitment to do that through their real practice. As in other sectors, the plantation unions act as industrial police forces against workers. They have agreed to implement a productivity-based wage system. The current strike was called by Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) led by Arumugam Thondaman with the aim of letting off steam and corralling workers who are justifiably angry over their appalling working and living conditions. Thondaman and the CWC leaders are lined up with former president Mahinda Rajapakse, who was installed as prime minister on October 26 following the ousting of Ranil Wickremesinghe. Thondaman received a key ministerial post under Rajapakse. The National Union of Workers (NUW), Democratic Workers Congress (DWC) and Up Country People Front (UPF) are partners in the Wickremesinghe-led United National Front (UNF). Leaders of those unions, P. Digambaram, Mono Ganeshan and P.Radhakrishnan respectively, were ministers in the UNF government. These unions refused to join the ongoing strike, saying the 1,000-rupee demand was unjust. However, members of those unions defiantly joined the strike. The crisis of the plantation industry is a direct consequence of the crisis of capitalism. The workers are not responsible for that. The critical issues posed before the striking plantation workers are: Who should own the plantations, and how and in whose interest should they be managed? The answer is the plantations should be nationalised and operated under the democratic control of workers. This can be done only in a struggle for a workers and peasants government, which will implement socialist policies, placing the main industries, banks and other economic nerve centres under workers control. This is a part of a broader fight for socialism in South Asia and internationally. The plantation workers need to break from the unions and form their own independent action committees and unite their struggle with other sections of the working class in Sri Lanka and internationally, including plantation workers in other countries. by Shamindra Ferdinando An ongoing high profile case before the Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake into the then Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne allegedly helping Lt. Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, a suspect in the alleged wartime abduction and disappearance of 11 Tamil youth, to flee the country in early last year, took a dramatic turn on Dec 05, 2018. Hettiarachchi continues to be in the service though remanded in connection with the disappearance case. Having repeatedly accused Admiral Wijegunaratne of secretly sending Hettiarachchi out of the country in a Fast Attack Craft (FAC), the CID on Dec 05, 2018, admitted in court that in the absence of evidence to prove Hettiarachchi left the country legally, the outfit assumed the wanted man had been moved out in a naval craft. The CID, in June 2018, told Fort Magistrate how Wijegunaratne aided and abetted Hettiarachchi to flee the country. At the time allegations were directed at Wijegunaratne, he was the CDS. Inspector Nishantha Silva, of the Organized Crime Investigation Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), inquiring into the case, made the shocking admission in response to a query posed by Presidents Counsel Anoja Premaratne appearing for Wijegunaratne. Premaratne pointed out the police arrested Hettiarachchi in Colombo in August this year after having alleged he fled the country in a FAC. No less a person than Director, CID, SSP Shani Abeysekera, in April 2018, alleged that Wijegunaratne had aided and abetted Hettiarachchi to flee the country. The other much-touted allegation that Hettiarachchi had received Rs. 500,000 from Wijegunaratne, too, failed for want of evidence as an investigation of relevant accounts did not support the charge. Having relinquished the Office of the Commander of the Navy, Wijegunaratne received appointment as CDS on Aug 22, 2017. Wijegunaratne received the command of the Navy on July 11, 2015. Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah, who played a significant role in the destruction of the floating LTTE arsenal, succeeded Wijegunaratne as the 21st Commander of the Navy. In the wake of the dismissal of two out of three charges, the Fort Magistrate released Wijegunaratne on two sureties of Rs. 1 million each. The CID did not object to his release. Wijegunaratne surrendered to the Fort Magistrate court on the morning of Nov 28, 2018. The CID sought to record Wijegunaratnes statement on Sept. 10, 2018, the day he was leaving for Mexico an official assignment Wijegunaratne asked for a date after Sept. 19 as he wanted to provide a statement immediately on his return from Mexico. Subsequently, the CID called the CDS on Nov 27 and he surrendered to Fort Magistrate court on the following day. The Magistrate fixed the next hearing for January 16, 2019. Sri Lanka Navy celebrated its 68th anniversary on Dec 09, 2018, with one of its former commanders, the current CDS, under investigation. The alleged of abductions were supposed to have been carried out in Colombo and its suburbs. The CID probe has come under the scrutiny of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). At the time of Hettiarachchis alleged disappearance, in late March 2017, he had been attached to the Navy welfare section, at headquarters, in Colombo. At the onset of the case, the CID brought to the notice of the Fort Magistrate the circumstances leading to Hettiarachchis disappearance, in spite of two specific requests, made in March 2017, to hand him over to the CID. The CID alleged that high ranking officers prevented the police from questioning Hettiarachchit. The Navy was accused of facilitating the alleged disappearance of the former intelligence officer to mislead the investigators. The Island raised the issue with Admiral Wijegunaratne, in late April this year, after SSP Shani Abeysekera accused him of having facilitated Hettiarachchis escape. The serious allegation was made in Wijegunaratnes presence, at a meeting, also attended by the then Ministers Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, D.M. Swaminathan, Ajith P. Perera, Navy Commander Sirimevan Ranasinghe, Presidents Counsel J. C. Weliamuna and senior officials of the CID and the FCID (Financial Crimes Investigation Division). SSP Abeysekera alleged that Wijegunaratne had provided Rs. 500,000 to Hettiarachchi and moved him out of Sri Lankan waters, in a FAC. Wijegunaratne told the writer last April that he would quit if allegations against him could be proved. Having declined to discuss the issue with the writer further, the highest ranking serving officer stressed, Navy Commanders dont get involved in human smuggling. Having failed to locate Hettiarachchi, the police sought public assistance to trace him. Hettiarachchi is among five suspects, including three Navy personnel, who faced indictments over the assassination of TNA Jaffna District MP, Nadarajah Raviraj, and his police bodyguard Sergeant Lakshman Lokuwella. They were acquitted by the Colombo High Court, in Dec. 2016. Following that acquittal the widow of Raviraj appealed against it. The police wrongly and deliberately identified Hettiarachchi as Navy Sampath, though he had not been previously known by that alias. The police arrested Hettiarachchi in the second week of August this year. Of those arrested in connection with the alleged 11 disappearances, six Navy personnel, including Commodore D. K. P. Dassanayake and Commander R. P. S. Ranasinghe, received bail from the Colombo High Court, this year. In addition to them, Lt. Commander Sampath Munasinghe, Security Chief of wartime Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, was also arrested in connection with the disappearance case and given bail. Subsequently, Munasinghe was asked to submit papers and quit the Navy. The alleged disappearances came to light, in early 2009, soon after the successful conclusion of the war. Karannagoda initiated an inquiry after receiving representations from a close relative of one of the missing persons, through the intervention of one-time Navy spokesman, J. J. Ranasinghe, incumbent Vice Chancellor of the Kotelawela Defence University (KDU). Lt. Commander Munasinghe quit the Navy several weeks after Karannagoda had complained to police of the recovery of some national identity cards and other items belonging to the missing persons, from his chief security officers locker. The CID initiated a fresh investigation after the change of government in January 2015. The CID recorded statements, from over 50 officers, including former Navy Commanders, Admiral Karannagoda and Admiral Travis Sinniah. Sinniah succeeded Wijegunaratne, in August 2017. Sirimewan Ranasinghe replaced Sinniah in Oct 2017. Lt. Commander K. C. Welagedara, who had been the second-in-command to the then Trincomalee-based Commander R. P. S. Ranasinghe, one of those arrested in connection with the disappearances, was questioned by the CID, in 2013. The police alleged D.K.P. Dassanayake had supervised Ranasinghe and Hettiarachchi allegedly responsible for the abductions at issue. Police alleged those Navy personnel, under investigation, had carried out the abductions to extort money. Wijegunaratne, however, is still under investigation for allegedly threatening a key witness Lt. Commander Laksiri Galagamage within the Navy headquarters. Welle Sudas neighbour Wijegunaratne was remanded on Nov 28 till Dec 5 in the wake of the CID asserting that the highest ranking serving security forces officer could hamper investigations if given bail. Wijegunaratne, too, should take responsibility for what had happened at the Fort Magistrate court premises on the afternoon of Nov 28 when some Navy personnel, in civies, obstructed the media covering the event. Wijegunaratne should have ensured that Navy personnel in civies shouldnt enter the court premises, under any circumstances, on that day. Wijegunaratne paid a heavy price for the foolish conduct of some of his men. The CDS appeared to have conveniently forgotten how his own conduct as the Commander of the Navy, at the port of Hambantota, on Dec 10, 2016, caused him irreparable damage. The then Vice Admiral Wijegunaratne earned the wrath of the media for manhandling a local journalist covering the Navy trying to break up port workers protest. Presidents Counsel Premaratne failed to convince the Fort Magistrate to give Wijegunaratne bail, having allegedly threatened key witness Lt. Commander Laksiri Galagamage. Wijegunaratne had caused himself immense harm by unnecessarily inquiring into Galagamages conduct on the afternoon of Nov 25, in Navy headquarters, where he had consumed liquor. The incident triggered allegedly by Wijegunaratnes intervention three days before he surrendered to court directly without reporting to the CID on Nov 27 obviously caused the CDS harm. His action earned him bad press. Wijegunaratne and those accompanying him at the time of the Nov 25 incident should blame themselves for giving the other party an opportunity to exploit the situation. Wijegunaratne, with nearly 40 years of military service and a recipient of four gallantry awards, including Sri Lankas second highest Weerodhara Vibhushana was sent to the Magazine Prison in a Black Maria. Wijegunaratne was directed to hand over his valuables to his Personal Security Officer (PSO). In addition to plastic money, nine-gems embedded ring which Wijegunaratne had received from his wife Yamuna in 1989 and his fit bit wrist watch which measured the CDS daily exercise regime. Wijegunaratne received Prisoner No 9550. The highest ranking officer was reduced to just a Number. Prison authorities also expressed concern as there were hardcore LTTE cadres held at the Magazine Prison. Subsequently, No 9550 was transferred to the High Security Section at Welikada where Wijegunaratne was accommodated in a British colonial era stable much better accommodation given to ordinary prisoners. Wijegunaratne received a mat, chair, pillow, two white bed sheets and granite bench. In addition to them, there was a toilet with a squatting pan and water tank with a bucket. On the following day (Nov 29), a condemned prisoner delivered a hot cup of tea to Wijegunaratne, whose neighbour was Welle Suda, notorious narcotics dealer whose arrest in Pakistan was made possible by support extended by the Pakistan Military. Pakistani authorities arrested Welle Suda, living in luxury, close to Pakistan Navy War College at Lahore. Navys role in triumph over terrorism Wijegunaratne earned the respect of colleagues when he volunteered in early Nov 1993 to join troops assembled to rescue those who had been trapped in isolated Nagathevanthurai detachment. The detachment established during the tenure of Vice Admiral Clancy Fernando to intercept LTTE movements across the Jaffna lagoon played a critical role in the then overall security strategy meant to isolate the Jaffna peninsula. The LTTE responded by assassinating Fernando in Nov 1992 on the Galle Road, opposite Taj Samudra. Having received valuable experience with Special Forces of the Indian Navy during the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Northern Sri Lanka, Wijegunaratne, in 1993, played pivotal role in forming Sri Lankas own Special Boat Squadron (SBS). Special Forces of the Indian Navy hadnt been previously engaged in actual operations at the time of their deployment here in terms of the Indo-Lanka Accord forced on the then President JR Jayewardene by India. It would be pertinent to mention that at the time the Navy established Nagathevanthurai boat point on the Vanni mainland, SBS hadnt been envisaged. In spite of on and off setbacks, the Navy played a significant role in the war against the LTTE, with ensuring regular supplies to Jaffna-based forces by sea being the extremely difficult task. The Navy, with the support of the Air Force, ensured supplies to the peninsula though there were deficiencies. With nearly a decade after the successful conclusion of the war, the Navy should really examine its role in the war and post-conflict period. Unfortunately, except for The Aerial Tribute: The Role of Air Power in Defeating Terrorism in Sri Lanka that extensively dealt with the air campaign during Eelam War IV, the Army and the Navy are yet to release their own versions. Authored in Feb 2014 by Nirosha Mendis, a medical practitioner, the 350-page book dealt with the extremely difficult circumstances under which the SLAF conducted the campaign. The well-researched book wouldnt have been a reality if not for the then SLAF Chief Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama, wartime Director Operations/Air Operations inquiring from Dr. Mendis whether he could accept the challenging task. With disrespect to no one, it must be stated that the Navy really got its act together following Rear Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda receiving the command on Sept 1, 2005. Having called off longstanding Operation Waruna Kirana off Mullaitivu meant to intercept LTTE vessel movements, Karannagoda re-deployed available assets to hunt down floating LTTE arsenals on the high seas. The Navy launched Operation Waruna Kirana in May 2001. Acting on information received from the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), the US as well as its own, the Navy, within a matter of months crippled the once powerful LTTE sea supply route. Admiral Karannagoda, on his own succeeded in securing vital US intelligence output which enabled the Navy to destroy LTTE weapons stores on the high seas. In spite of undertaking high risk operations on the high seas, the Navy deployed required assets to thwart LTTE attempts to use Tamil Nadu as a strategic transit point for arms, ammunition and equipment. But perhaps, the most difficult and dangerous operation sustained by the Navy was moving the converted passenger vessel Jetliner between Trincomalee and Kankesanthurai during Eelam War IV. The destruction of eight LTTE ships, categorized by the SLN as floating arsenals, in four separate forays on the high seas, delivered the enemy a knockout blow. According to the SLN, the ships, which were between 45 to 75 meters in length, had the capacity to carry 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes of cargo each. The seven ships sunk in 2007 and the vessel destroyed on September 17, 2006, off Kalmunai, had been loaded with several thousand tonnes of military cargo at the time of their respective destruction. The SLN had access to some of those involved in the transfer of LTTE armaments when the Maldivian Coast Guard intercepted an Indian trawler commandeered by the LTTE carrying arms in Maldivian waters, in May 2007. Maldivian assistance certainly made things easier for the Navy. The Navy was also successful in curbing the Gulf of Mannar supply route by increasing patrols in the region. The LTTEs efforts to move supplies, in many instances with direct or indirect involvement of Tamil Nadu fishing fleet to Vidathalthivu-Pooneryn area on the west coast, were thwarted by stepped up naval operations. The Navy prevented Sea Tiger movement with reinforcement of cadres and supply arms and ammunition hugging the coast using indigenously built Arrow and Wave rider boats. Triumph over the LTTE would never have been possible without unprecedented success achieved by Karannagodas Navy. The Navy accomplished unthinkable success in spite of the intimidating challenge posed by Sea Tigers, especially sea suicide squads. Those who knew the deployment of a range of assets and placing Katunayake-based jet squadrons on alert on the days Jetliner carrying 3,000 officers and men moved between Trincomalee and Kankesanthurai realized the massive threat. Had Sea Tigers succeeded on smashing through the FAC cordon, the outcome would have been catastrophic and created a situation that may have led to the termination of the vital sea supply route. It wouldnt have been too hard to realize the crisis against the backdrop of the Army losing the overland Main Supply Route (MSR) to Jaffna way back in 1990 and the SLAF lacking sufficient aircraft to ensure required supplies. The Navy deployed around 24 FAC (Dvora craft), 4 FGBs, 2 OPVs and over 80 Arrow and Wave rider craft during this once-a-week movement. The Jetliner left Trinco harbour with troops by first light (before 5 am) and returned to Trincomalee by 6 pm. The preparations started 12 hours before the departure of Jetliner by deploying over 16 FACs, 4 FGBs and 2 OPVs ithe previous evening to sweep the path to ensure that there are no floating mines, suicide boats disguised as fishing boats waiting in ambush, etc. After they give the all clear signal only the main body left the harbour escorted with 8 to 10 Facs. The craft/ships that left the harbour, the previous evening, maintained their positions along the route until the Jetliner returned to the Trinco harbour in the evening. The entire Navy got involved in this operation and all the Area Commanders, including the Southern Commander, were present in the operations room from 3 am until the task was over Shamindra is the news editor of the Island, a daily newspaper in Colombo, where this piece first appeared. English11/12/2018 SRPSKA FLAG IN CHAIRMAN OFFICE WAS NOT SEEN BY CORMACK ONLY, IT SEEMS SARAJEVO, December 11 /SRNA/ - The flag of Republika Srpska was clearly displayed in the office of the BiH Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik in Sarajevo during his recent meeting with the US Deputy Assistant State Secretary Matthew Palmer and it can be clearly seen in many photographs and TV shots, the office of the BiH Presidency Chairman told Srna. "It seems that only the outgoing US Ambassador Maureen Cormack did not see the flag. Even Matthew Palmer saw the flag himself and clearly said that he respected the symbols of Republika Srpska according to the law," said the office of the Serb member of the BiH Presidency. Recalling that the flag of Republika Srpska is defined by the law and Constitution of Republika Srpska, the office points out: Unlike Ambassador Cormack, Palmer, who also represents the United States at a higher level than Ms Cormack, was not annoyed by the Srpska flag. BiH Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik recently explained to members of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board that under Article 3 of the BiH Constitution, Bosnia and Herzegovina is made up of Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH and that he wanted Srpska represented by the flag, in accordance with the Constitution. The US Embassy stated on Tuesday that the US Governments stance about the BiH flag was clearly presented during a recent meeting of the Deputy Assistant State Secretary Matthew Palmer and Ambassador Mauren Cormack with members of the BiH Presidency. /end/ds Two consignments were brought to two separate premises in Yorkshire, where the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Pirbright Institute identified the disease as a part of routine post-import testing. All infected cattle, plus one other animal which travelled in the same vehicle and was found to be susceptible to infection, will be humanely culled. The third consignment was taken to a premises in Northern Ireland where the disease was detected by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Bluetongue does not affect people or food safety, but outbreaks of the virus can result in restrictions on livestock movement and trade. The virus is transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep and other camelids such as llamas. It can reduce milk yield and cause infertility and in the most severe cases is fatal for infected animals. Action is being taken to ensure the risk of spread of the disease is reduced, with movement restrictions already in place at the affected premises. The UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, said: Farmers must be aware of the risks of bringing animals from disease-affected areas into their flocks and herds. It is vitally important that we keep this disease out. This detection is a further example of our robust disease surveillance measures in action, but I urge farmers to remain vigilant. They need to work with importers to make sure effective vaccination needs are complied with and that all animals are sourced responsibly. All cattle and sheep farmers are reminded to: 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. 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. Deosan has partnered with global leader Avanti Environmental Group to be the first company in the UK to introduce a national scheme that will offer a one stop collection service to any farm location for all plastic waste. This includes common items such as silage sheet, mineral tubs, hygiene product drums and even used treatment tubes. Farmers will be charged a monthly fee for this easy to use service with full administration support, ensuring propriety and responsible disposal. Available from 10th December, the Avanti Agricultural Waste scheme will give farmers direct access to a specialist global provider in plastic waste services, who are fully equipped and qualified to handle all forms of plastic including hazardous waste. Farmers simply need to contact Avanti to arrange this service, which consists of a regular pick up from the farm at a frequency to suits the volume of waste and storage available as well as a detailed carbon savings report which will illustrate how milk production supports the environment. Plastic and hazardous waste is becoming an increasing issue for farmers - with numerous sources of plastic waste and little guidance to farms on how best to deal with it in the most sustainable way, explains Rob Kelly, Deosan Agricultural Marketing Director. Deosan want to address the current challenge and provide farmers with an easy and cost-effective solution to dispose of all plastic waste. Through Avanti we can tap in to an established and highly professional national network of local licensed sites, reducing the miles of empty loads and hence carbon footprint. This Scheme is the first of its kind in the UK and demonstrates how the dairy industry is proactive in its responsible management of plastic waste. It also reaffirms how the industry is compassionate about environmental concerns and is determined to find viable solutions to plastic waste, whilst ensuring all current and future required legislation and standards are met. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Body and Mind Inc. (CSE: BAMM, US OTC PINK: BMMJ) (the Company or BaM) announces the Company has issued an aggregate of 2,050,000 stock options (the Options) in accordance with the Companys stock option plan at an exercise price of CDN $0.57 per share for a five year term expiring December 10, 2023. The Options were granted to newly appointed management personnel, in addition to current directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company. The Options vest as of the date of the grant. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information, please contact: Michael Mills 778-389-0007 mmills@bamcannabis.com About Body and Mind BaM is a publicly traded company investing in high quality medical and recreational cannabis cultivation and production and retail. Our wholly-owned Nevada subsidiary was awarded one of the first medical marijuana cultivation licences and holds cultivation and production licenses. BaM products include dried flower, edibles, topicals, extracts as well as GPEN Gio cartridges. BaM marijuana strains have won numerous awards including the Las Vegas Hempfest Cup 2016, High Times Top Ten, the NorCal Secret Cup and the Emerald Cup. BaM continues to expand operations in Nevada, California and Ohio and is constantly reviewing accretive expansion opportunities. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as expects or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, estimates or intends, or stating that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation of activities, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. Certain matters discussed in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may constitute forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Companys ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. 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 Edmonton, Alberta, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Edmonton-based, independent low-fare carrier, Flair Airlines, welcomed the decision of the Competition Bureau of Canada to launch an investigation into the predatory pricing undertaken by a competitor. We are pleased that the Competition Bureau has taken our concerns seriously and launched an investigation into the pricing practices of one of our key competitors, said Jim Scott, President & CEO, Flair Airlines. Our efforts to bring sustainable low fares to Canada have been hindered by these anti-competitive pricing practices. Flair Airlines began scheduled operations in June 2018, promising Canadians affordable air travel. Since then, Flair has carried hundred of thousands of travellers to destinations all the way across Canada and this week is launching new services to five US destinations. Scott added, Its reassuring that our government has again demonstrated its commitment to the level playing field thats so vital to fair competition in commercial aviation. Our low fares have enabled Canadians from all walks of life to take flight - many of them for the first time. Flair Airlines will fully cooperate with any requests from the Canadian Competition Bureau. 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. In the 28th edition of our Random Thoughts from the Humidor series, I talk cocktails, calvados, and the FDA. The Islay Daiquiri Heres a winter cocktail that may sound strange but is actually quite enjoyable. When you think of daiquiris, you think of tropical islands. Not peaty Islay whiskey. Yet, recently, Ive found myself enjoying this Islay twist on a classic drink. The smoky, salty scotch is magical with the citrus, similar to a margarita made with a smoky mezcal. Simply swap in 10 year Ardbeg or Laphroaig for rum in your favorite daiquiri recipe. No progress at the FDA? By pressing the pause button on the Obama FDAs cigar regulations, new leadership at the FDA was welcomed by many in the handmade cigar industry. Nearly two years later, it is time to look at the new regimes policy. This article argues recent FDA moves signal a dangerous future for adults who choose to smoke cigars: [T]hese moves may pave the way for even more radical regulations that would, in essence, make it illegal to sell the combustible tobacco products favored by cigarette and cigar smokers throughout the United States. What is clear is that Scott Gottliebs reign at the FDA may have different priorities from the Obama Administration, but different isnt necessarily significantly better. Is Calvados the Next Big Thing? Ive been exploring calvados lately. Im liking what Im tasting. The apple (and sometimes pear) brandy from Normandy combines some of the best elements of cognac, wine, and whiskey. Terroir matters, oak barrel aging is important, and both large and small producers develop their own distinct styles. Give it a try. If you have any favorites, let us know. Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi, right, will be backing the Prime Minister in tonight's vote Brexit-supporting Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi has thrown his weight behind the Prime Minister as she prepares to face a crucial no confidence vote in Parliament tonight. The vote on Theresa Mays leadership was triggered after 48 Conservative MPs submitted letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister. Mr Zahawi has spoken previously of his support for the Prime Minister and her Brexit deal and this morning reaffirmed his backing. He said: I am extremely saddened and frustrated that a vote of confidence has been called in the Prime Minister. I fear that the Nation will perceive this as an act of enormous self-indulgence and irresponsibility. The Prime Minister has put a Brexit Withdrawal Agreement on the table and is currently in the middle of trying to assuage colleagues concerns by going back to the EU to seek clarification on the issue of the Irish backstop. The interruption that this vote of confidence has now caused is therefore precisely the opposite of what is needed right now. Nonetheless the ballot is going ahead and I would plead with colleagues to vote in support of the Prime Minister at this crucial time. To do otherwise would be an abrogation of our responsibility. It would not be in the national interest to change our leader while we are in the concluding stages of negotiating our withdrawal from the EU. Our focus should be on the Brexit deal and pressing domestic issues, not on blinkered in-fighting and leadership contests He earlier tweeted: I am backing @theresa_may tonight. We do not need further instability and division. Colleagues need to think of the National interest. Kenilworth and Southam MP has also given his backing saying: "I will be supporting the Prime Minister tonight. Not only because she deserves that support but also because the country does not need this distraction right now. "The Prime Minister has focussed entirely on the national interest. I hope my colleagues will too. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street this morning, the Prime Minister warned Conservative MPs that changing leader now would put Brexit at risk and create uncertainty. She added: I will contest that vote with everything I have got. FOSTER CITY, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GridGain Systems , provider of enterprise-grade in-memory computing solutions based on Apache Ignite, today announced the Call for Papers for the In-Memory Computing Summit Europe, taking place June 3-4, 2019 at the Park Plaza Victoria London. The Call for Papers for the In-Memory Computing Summit Europe 2019 will end on February 10, 2019. Sponsorship opportunities for the In-Memory Computing Summit Europe 2019 are available. For attendees, Super Saver registration discounts end on March 3, 2019. Organized by GridGain Systems, the In-Memory Computing Summit (IMCS) is held in both Europe and North America. They are the only industry-wide events that focus on the full range of in-memory computing-related technologies and solutions. Attendees will learn about the role of in-memory computing in digital transformation. The conference is attended by technical decision makers, business decision makers, architects, CTOs, developers and more who make or influence purchasing decisions about in-memory computing, Big Data, Fast Data, IoT and HPC solutions. The In-Memory Computing Summit Europe Conference Committee is looking for talks on a variety of topics including: User stories and business use cases What's new and upcoming in in-memory computing Best design practices and performance optimizations High availability, clustering, and replication Monitoring, management, automation tools and best practices In-memory computing in the cloud Registration Discounts A Super Saver General Admission rate of 375, a 29 percent discount on the standard rate of 525, is now available. The Super Saver rate ends on March 3, 2019. Register via the conference website . Sponsorship Opportunities The In-Memory Computing Summits are sponsored by leading technology vendors. A limited number of Platinum, Gold and Silver sponsorship packages are currently available . Sponsors have an opportunity to increase their visibility and reputation as technology leaders, interact with key in-memory computing business and technical decision makers, and connect with technology purchasers and influencers. About the In-Memory Computing Summit The In-Memory Computing Summits are the only industry-wide events of their kind, tailored to in-memory computing-related technologies and solutions. They are the perfect opportunity to reach technical IT decision makers, IT implementers, and developers who make or influence purchasing decisions in the areas of in-memory computing, Big Data, Fast Data, IoT and HPC. Attendees include CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, VPs, IT directors, IT managers, data scientists, senior engineers, senior developers, architects and more. The events are unique forums for networking, education and the exchange of ideas ideas that power digital transformation, omnichannel customer experience, and the future of Fast Data. For more information about the In-Memory Computing Summit North America, visit https://imcsummit.org/us/ and follow the events on Twitter @IMCSummit. About GridGain Systems GridGain Systems is revolutionizing real-time data access and processing by offering an in-memory computing platform built on Apache Ignite. GridGain solutions are used by global enterprises in financial, software, e-commerce, retail, online business services, healthcare, telecom and other major sectors, with a client list that includes ING, Sberbank, Finastra, IHS Markit, Workday, and Huawei. GridGain delivers unprecedented speed and massive scalability to both legacy and greenfield applications. Deployed on a distributed cluster of commodity servers, GridGain software can reside between the application and data layers (RDBMS, NoSQL and Apache Hadoop), requiring no rip-and-replace of the existing databases, or it can be deployed as an in-memory transactional SQL database. GridGain is the most comprehensive in-memory computing platform for high-volume ACID transactions, real-time analytics, web-scale applications, continuous learning and HTAP. For more information, visit gridgain.com. CONTACT: Terry Erisman GridGain Systems terisman@gridgain.com (650) 241-2281 GridGain is a trademark or registered trademark of GridGain Systems, Inc. Apache, Apache Hadoop, Hadoop, Apache Ignite, and Ignite are trademarks of The Apache Software Foundation. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners. Boca Raton, Florida, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RNnetwork, a national provider of travel nurse staffing, released results from a follow-up to its 2016 study, identifying primary workplace concerns for nurses across the country. The updated results point to burnout, overwork and harassment continuing to affect nurses and impact patient care in 2018, due in large part to the national nurse shortage. According to the study, nearly half of all respondents (49 percent) have considered leaving nursing in the past two years, a number that has not changed since RNnetworks 2016 survey. Sixty percent of nurses feel they spend the right amount of time at work. That is a slight decrease from 63 percent in 2016, indicating hours and expectations are increasing. Burnout continues to be a significant problem among nurses as the nurse shortage persists. In 2018, 62 percent of nurses felt regularly burned out in their jobs and 44 percent of nurses believed that burnout had affected their work performance. The fact that the majority of nurses are burned out and half are considering leaving their profession should be a wake-up call for the healthcare industry," says Lynne Gross, vice president at RNnetwork. "These survey findings reveal areas where providers can work together with nurses to improve working hours, reduce instances of workplace bullying and harassment, and address mental health." Other key findings include: The nursing shortage has negatively affected workloads for 88 percent of nurses in 2018, up significantly from 62 percent in 2016. 46 percent feel more overworked than they did two years ago. Most nurses (62 percent) believe the shortage is negatively impacting the quality of care they can provide. More than half of nurses (54 percent) report their workload has negatively impacted their mental health. 35 percent report the impact on mental health has likewise negatively affected their work. Forty percent of nurses believe they have less free time now compared to two years ago. A similarly-sized group (38 percent) feel their available free time has not changed in two years. Nearly 40 percent of nurses report being bullied or harassed during the past year. More than 20 percent of nurses are also subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace. RNnetwork polled more than 900 nurses working in the United States, representing most fields and specialties. The majority of respondents had 10 or more years of active practice. To learn more, read the full survey report. About RNnetwork Established in 1998, RNnetwork has become a leading provider of travel nurse staffing throughout the United States. RNnetwork is also a proud member of the CHG Healthcare family of companies, which is known for its award-winning culture and benefits and has been named one of FORTUNE magazines 100 Best Companies to Work For each of the past nine years. To learn more visit RNnetwork.com. New York, New York, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bimble, a high-quality full-spectrum sparkling CBD drink announces it will now be sold at Come Back Daily, New York Citys first and only educational and experiential CBD store. Come Back Daily will carry Bimbles newly launched premium drink which contains an industry leading 25 mg of full spectrum CBD in each 12 oz. glass bottle. Come Back Daily is located at 381 Broadway, New York, New York, 10013. Bimble was created by New Yorkers for New Yorkers, said ex-Wall St bond trader and Bimble CEO Jay Moskowitz. New York is a uniquely high-stressed city, and people are always searching to combat those stresses in a healthy and positive way. Thats why we are excited to have found a partner who has the space for people to try our products in a relaxing setting and learn about the countless benefits of cannabidiol. To paraphrase Frank Sinatra, if you can make stress relief work here, you can make it work anywhere Bimble is made with domestically sourced water soluble CBD, has no preservatives and only uses raw honey from local beekeepers as a natural sweetener. Currently, Bimble is available in grapefruit basil mint with others flavors to be released shortly. Come Back Daily has curated a space with products that speak to people. New Yorkers are always on the go. Bimble is the perfect product to help people take a New York minute or two and relax and learn about how CBD can be a helpful supplement in their daily health regimen, said Come Back Daily Co-Founder Steven Phan. Unlike the cold and sterile environment of modern cannabis dispensaries, Come Back Daily displays cannabidiol products without barriers and allows people to try and test products. Come Back Daily encourages people to understand their bodies and how CBD works for them. Building a community space, Come Back Daily seeks to change perceptions about this healthy plant and its derivatives. Bimble is available during regular store hours Monday-Friday 10am-8pm and Saturday and Sunday 12pm-6pm and online at https://beechill.myshopify.com/cart. About Bimble Bimble is a high-quality sparkling CBD drink with no preservatives, uses only raw honey as a sweetener and delivers an industry leading 25 mg of domestically sourced water soluble full spectrum CBD. Created by an ex-Wall St bond trader, Bimble seeks to empower New Yorkers with a healthy natural and effective method of self-improvement without impairment. For more info, please visit drinkbimble.com About Come Back Daily Come Back Daily is a community-driven educational and experiential cannabidiol (CBD) hub dedicated to breaking a century of stigma. Come Back Daily is a first of its kind that allows people to try products in-store, learn through educational sessions lead by cannabis influencers and experience CBD in yoga, meditation, and massage. Attachments LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm , a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against PPDAI Group Inc. (PPDAI or the Company) (NYSE: PPDF ) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors who purchased the Company's shares pursuant to and/or traceable to the Registration Statement and Prospectus issued in connection with the Companys initial public offering in November, 2017, are encouraged to contact the firm before January 25, 2019. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate . We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall, or Sherin Mahdavian, of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 424-303-1964, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at brian@schallfirm.com . The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. PPDAI engaged in predatory lending practices, saddling low-income borrowers with debt and interest payments they could not repay. Many of the Companys customers were using PPDAI loans to pay off other loans, raising the risk of default. PPDAI suffered from increasing delinquency rates, hurting the Companys reserves. PPDAI was also providing online loans to college students, ignoring a government ban on the practice. At the same time, the Company engaged in improper collection practices. Based on these facts, the Companys public statements at the time of its IPO were false and materially misleading. When the market learned the truth about PPDAI, investors suffered damages. Join the case to recover your losses. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. CONTACT: The Schall Law Firm Brian Schall, Esq., Sherin Mahdavian, Esq., www.schallfirm.com 310-301-3335 info@schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm Not for distribution to U.S. wire services or for dissemination in the United States VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. (SBB.T), (Sabina or the Company) has announced today that, due to strong demand, the Company has increased the size of the previously announced offering to 18,340,000 common shares (the Common Shares), at a price of C$1.20 per Common Share (the Offering Price) for gross proceeds of approximately C$22.0 million (the Offering). The Offering is led by BMO Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets (the Underwriters). The Company has granted the Underwriters an over-allotment option, exercisable at the Offering Price for a period of 30 days following the closing of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 2,751,000 Common Shares (representing 15% of the Common Shares offered pursuant to the Offering) to cover over-allotments, if any, or for market stabilization purposes. The Offering is expected to close on or about December 21, 2018 and is subject to Sabina receiving all necessary regulatory approvals. The net proceeds of the Offering (and any additional proceeds raised from the exercise of the aforesaid participation rights) will be used to advance development of the Companys Back River Gold Project and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Offering is being made in all of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Quebec, by means of a prospectus supplement to the Companys base shelf prospectus dated March 26, 2018. The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. is well-financed with approximately C$39.4 million in cash and equivalents and is an emerging precious metals company with district scale, advanced, high grade gold assets in one of the worlds newest, politically stable mining jurisdictions: Nunavut, Canada. Sabina released a Feasibility Study on its 100% owned Back River Gold Project which presents a project that has been designed on a fit-for purpose basis, with the potential to produce ~200,000 ounces a year for ~11 years with a rapid payback of 2.9 years (see Technical Report for the Initial Project Feasibility Study on the Back River Gold Property, Nunavut, Canada dated October 28, 2015). The Project received its final Project Certificate on December 19, 2017 and its Type A Water License on November 14, 2018 and is now in receipt of all major authorizations for construction and operations. In addition to Back River, Sabina also owns a significant silver royalty on Glencores Hackett River Project. The silver royalty on Hackett Rivers silver production is comprised of 22.5% of the first 190 million ounces produced and 12.5% of all silver produced thereafter. For further information please contact: Nicole Hoeller, Vice-President, Communications: 1 888 648-4218 nhoeller@sabinagoldsilver.com Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (forward-looking statements), including our belief as to the extent, results and timing of construction and development activities, sealift and overland transportation and permitting and licensing outcomes. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, commodity prices, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government and regulatory authorities and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking statements. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk factors include risks associated with exploration and project development; the need for additional financing; the calculation of mineral resources and reserves; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; government regulation; obtaining and renewing necessary licenses and permits; environmental liability and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain of our officers or directors; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; labour disputes; competition; dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume; future sales of shares by existing shareholders; and other risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Back River Project and general risks associated with the mineral exploration and development industry described in our Annual Information Form, financial statements and MD&A for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2017 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. This news release has been authorized by the undersigned on behalf of Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. Reseller Tyrell has expanded its UK sales team with the appointment of Chris Luff and Chris McClure as account managers. Chris Luff has held numerous business development roles in the broadcast communications industry for companies such as GB Labs and Channel Dynamics. Most recently Luff was the Business Development Manager at Rohde & Schwarz. Chris McClure started his career at the BBC as a post-production manager and has held sales manager positions at Thomson Grass Valley and Arqiva. Most recently McClure was the Sales Product Specialist as at InSync Technology. Dan Muchmore, Sales Director, Tyrell, said: The addition of the two new account managers is as a result of the development and expansion of the team in the UK over the last three years. We have deliberately recruited team members that have in-depth industry knowledge and have first-hand experience of the challenges that our customers face. I am delighted that both Chris have a rich history in post and broadcast and want to be part of what we are building here at Tyrell. Share this story Lakewood, Colo., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstBank, one of the nations largest privately held banks with a focus on banking for good, announced a $50,000 donation at the Basalt Town Council meeting on Dec. 11. The donation, which will help wildfire recovery, prevention efforts and create fire adapted communities, is in partnership with Eagle County, Roaring Fork Fire Authority and the town of Basalt. The bank will work with these local parties to allocate funds to residents in an effort to safeguard their properties. The donation will benefit as many as 12 Roaring Fork Valley communities within Eagle County and be distributed as follows: $2,500 per individual defensible space or home ignition zone project $5,000 per landscape scale fuel-break or community level project FirstBank has served Coloradans for more than 55 years, and since entering the Roaring Fork Valley in 2012, weve grown to oversee more than $300 million in assets for our community, said FirstBank Roaring Fork Valley Market President Dave Portman. Were dedicated to helping protect our communities and preserving our states natural beauty. Were fortunate to work with knowledgeable officials who can ensure our contribution makes the greatest impact possible. The partnership estimates that the donation could help Eagle County officials better prepare more than 50 homes and properties across 30 acres through defensible space and fuel break treatments. No matter where you live in the Roaring Fork, we are all linked together by the threat of extreme wildfires, explained Eagle County Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator Eric Lovgren. Teamwork and planning are essential components to protecting our beautiful county, and all of the residents who live and work here. Officials cooperating in the partnership include: Eagle County Commissioners Jill Ryan, Jeanne McQueeney and Kathy Chandler-Henry; Basalt Mayor Jacque Whitsitt; Town Manager Ryan Mahoney; Roaring Fork Fire Authority Chief Scott Thompson; and Roaring Fork Fire Authority Fire Marshal John Mele. Were thrilled that this donation will help us extend our efforts to develop fire adapted communities in the Roaring Fork Valley, Chief Thompson said. The key word there is community. We need residents and businesses to participate and prepare alongside us. This program will help get more people involved and ready. In 2019, FirstBank and its partners will announce more details about program funds allocation, including essential information for local property owners and community leaders. About FirstBank if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... "When a pastor serves up God's word, you have to pick out the pastor's own beliefs to get to the meat of what God is saying to you. I read my Bible on my own." Growing up in his father's church, Joshua Stovall had a religious upbringing. But it wasn't until he became HIV-positive that he discovered the real meaning of faith. "Being the pastor's son had its perks and trials," the 36-year-old says. Among the congregation of the Pentecostal Church of God in Christ on Chicago's South Side, the pastor's family was at the top of the social ladder, and many of the parishioners sought status by associating themselves with and insinuating themselves into the family. "I loved the hands that were there to help raise us. Our family never really lacked for anything," he says. "But sometimes the hands that helped were the same hands that hurt." Stovall was first sexually molested at the age of four by one of the members of his father's church. The molestations continued over the years committed by other youth, deacons, church elders, and ministers. Some of them would confess to Stovall's father, whose main priority, according to Stovall, was to prevent it from becoming gossip. "I had a warped sense of spirituality and what 'God meant,'" Stovall says. "On the one hand, I was being reared to godliness, but on the other hand I was being opened to sexuality at a very young age. The spiritual and the sexual intermingled all the time. I was confused by what it meant to be Christian." According to Stovall, many of the people around him at church engaged in sex with each other, while claiming to be religious. Sex was tacitly accepted as long as it was kept secret -- and as long as it was heterosexual. "Around eighth grade I knew I liked boys," he says, "but being gay was not acceptable, so I liked boys secretly." He soon came across a book, E. Lynn Harris' The Invisible Life, a 1991 coming-of-age novel about a young gay African American man's realization and self-acceptance. "He was such a great writer, I could see myself in the book," Stovall says. "It was like a movie was playing in my mind. That was my Eureka! moment. The molestations didn't [make me gay] -- I was seeing myself in that book. "From that point I was curious about what gay was and what it meant," he says. "I saw how people in church would talk about them. I knew I didn't want my mom and dad to look at me and think of me in the same way that they looked at other people, so I didn't tell anyone." Keeping his secret took its toll. "I would take safety pins and stick them into my fingers," he says. "I was a cutter, I was inflicting pain on myself. To me, it wasn't cutting; I was trying to release the pain. But not only did it not release the pain, it caused a lot of self-hatred because I couldn't get it out of me. I prayed, I fasted. I started hating myself. "I felt God hated me," he adds. "You look for spiritual guidance from your pastor, priest or elder; you feel that God feels that way about you. Their dogma is that God hates gay people. How could He say He loved me so much, and then make me this way? Why can't He remove this thing that so many other people hate? I felt rejected by God. I felt He was mocking my life. I wanted to know what kind of God would make me who I was to tell me He hates me. You can deal with your father not loving you, but for your God, who made you, that He hates you, where do you go after that?" Stovall found himself at the corner of Belmont Avenue and Halsted Street in Chicago's predominantly gay Boystown neighborhood, which has for decades attracted LGBTQ youth, particularly those who are homeless or transient. He would wander the street, aimless, looking for a hookup and acceptance. "I was 16, 17 years old," he says, "I'd meet a guy, sleep with him. I couldn't go home, so even if he wasn't my type I'd stay with him to have a place to stay and something to eat. If we liked each other enough to do it again the next day, fine; otherwise, I'd find someone else to do it with." Related: Spirituality and Faith in My HIV Journey Stovall eventually found a place of his own on the city's South Side, but it wasn't long afterward that he took ill with flu-like symptoms. A public health department case manager had been trying to contact him, and he had been avoiding her. But his symptoms convinced him to get tested for HIV. She delivered the test result in person. He could hardly walk down the stairs to let her in. He recalls bracing himself for the news: "Lord, they say you won't put on us more than we can bear. If that's the case, strengthen my shoulders." Learning that he was HIV-positive was actually a release of the burden of rejection he had been carrying. He says the "old" him died, and that he experienced a rebirth. Stovall even gave himself a new name -- London Benton. He called many of his friends and acquaintances with the news; rather than offering words of comfort to him, he was consoling them, reassuring his friends that he would be alright but to pray for him. The following Sunday, he returned to his father's church to tell the congregation. "I was taking the power away from them that they had had over me," he says. However, the church members responded by turning their backs on him. During the service, at the point when congregants shake hands with each other, they intentionally passed over Stovall, shaking hands instead with the people around him. He was shunned outside the church as well. "The same people that molested me, the same people I had had sex with, they would cross the street to avoid me because they don't want anyone from our congregation to see me with them," he said. Not long afterward, he left the church altogether. His older brother became pastor after their father died in 1998, and runs the church much the same way it always has been. When Stovall suggested having an event to observe World AIDS Day, his brother killed the idea, saying he didn't want his church "looking like gay pride." "Right now, I don't go to any church," he says. "I don't need it to have a relationship with God. I'd rather my experience with God be a loving one, and not worry about who's judging me for being gay or having HIV. I have a greater faith in God now. When a pastor serves up God's word, you have to pick out the pastor's own beliefs to get to the meat of what God is saying to you. I read my Bible on my own. "God's truth is that He loves you," he adds. "The Bible is supposed to be a book of love, about the relationship between God and humanity. People think that God is in control. God is not always in control. God has given us free will, for us to do either good or evil. Bad things do happen, but the lesson is what will you take from that and teach the next person. He is a free will God that loves all people." [Note from TheBody: This article was originally published by Positively Aware in Nov. 2018. We have cross-posted it with their permission.] WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To Inspire Strong (TIS) Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to meeting the critical needs of families and communities in the U.S. and Africa, today announced it will culminate its 2018 year of giving with an annual toy drive to be held at two locations in Ward 8, Washington, DC. The event, which celebrates all that is important at the holidays and throughout the year, the happiness and wellness of our children, will be held on Dec. 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (see details below) Santa will be on hand to give more than 200 toys to families in need. TIS Foundation is volunteering and partnering with the Office of Ward 8 Councilmember, Trayon White on their community event as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, seventh district, on their 49th annual childrens holiday celebration. Since our founding in 1994, our mission has been to inspire strong women and children at home in the U.S. and in Africa, our birth home, said Ogay Irono, president of the TIS Foundation. We work throughout the year to bring programs for empowerment and life essentials to those in need. During the holidays it is a special time to bring light and joy to the children. Event Details: The holiday toy drive for children in ward eight will be held on Dec. 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Malcolm X Recreation Center, 1351 Alabama Ave., SE Washington, D.C. For more information, or to volunteer, contact Aleasha Arthur at 202.306.4651. The Metropolitan Police Department holiday celebration will be held in the Panorama Room, 1600 Morris Road SE, Washington, D.C. About TIS Foundation Founded in 1994, the TIS Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated To Inspire Strong families and communities in the U.S. and Africa with financial aid, educational programs, medical assistance, and life-sustaining best practices. The organization celebrates its 25th year of giving in 2019 with the goal of empowering 100,000 entrepreneurs, preparing 250,000 qualified workers to enter the workforce, counseling more than 1 million people on HIV/AIDS prevention, educating 50,000 farmers on sustainable farming, and educating more than 100,000 people on basic sanitation and clean water best practices. For more information on our work and ways to get involved, please visit www.tisfoundation.org , or call 202-872-8333. NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cannagreed.com News Commentary While stocks have taken a beating due to trade concerns with China and rising rates, there is green at the end of the tunnel! With the expected vote and passage of the 2018 Farm Bill on Monday, stocks that are in the CBD space are poised to benefit and should run counter to the current market downward trends. Stocks in the CBD and cannabis space have not been immune from the markets downturn, but the expected passage of the bill should provide and opportunity to acquire high growth stocks in this bear market. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the non-psychoactive chemical compound found in the hemp plant. The 2018 Farm Bill will nationally legalize the cultivation and farming of that plant. It is also expected that the passage of the bill will allow for the national legalization of CBD, lifting many barriers that exist for full scale commercial acceptance of the compound. Brightfield Group, a company that specializes in cannabis and CBD market research, projects that the medical and recreational CBD market is expected to reach an estimated value of $22 billions by 2022. Many companies have been positioning themselves to take advantage of this huge, untapped market opportunity that the CBD and Hemp space presents. These companies present an opportunity to get in early and capitalize from expected passage of the Farm Bill before it could be too late; GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPRF), the maker of Epidiolex, an epilepsy drug that contains CBD. This is the first FDA-approved drug made from the cannabis plant, and its approval was done in tandem with the FDA reclassifying certain drugs containing CBD to Schedule 5 drugs. The Company is more than 33% off its 52-week high of $15.00; Tiprank recently gave the Company a price target of $190. This Company presents a good opportunity for a bio-pharma CBD play. CV Sciences (CVSI), the U.S.-based company whose primary product is a chewing gum that combines CBD with nicotine, used in the treatment of tobacco addiction. CSVIs therapy product has significant upside for the CBD and Hemp industry. The medical community has reacted very positively to the Companys recent developments. CSVI posted over a 100% increase in revenue gain from 2016 to 2017 fiscal years, and surpassed its 2017 sales figure through the first 6 months of fiscal 2018. The Company is trading 50% lower than its 52-week average; CBD legalization should send it back towards its 52-week highs. Aurora Cannabis (ACB), the first cannabis stock to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced that Aurora launched its line of CBD Softgel capsules, a product that has enormous opportunity in the over the counter medical market. Based on the Companys projections, this product line has the opportunity to generate over $100 million in annual sales. This new product is in addition the to Companys core cannabis production and distribution business. The Company is 60% off its 52-week highs, so there is a lot of potential to capture upside in this stock. Cannabis Sativa, Inc (CBDS), is a US based marketer and manufacturer of cannabis & hemp products. The Company recently announced that it had secured a patent for a CBD lozenge that helps treat hypertension. This opens up a potentially huge medical opportunity for the Company, as hypertension is the one of the countrys biggest ailments, afflicting over 90 million people. The Company is currently over 66% off its 52-week high, and is poised for large gains upon passage. American Premium Water Corporation (OTC:HIPH), the marketer and distributor of LALPINA CBD, the first hydro-nano beverage on the market, announced that its has formed a distribution partnership with Upside Healths product Ouchie, a pain management app and platform targeting the over 120 million Americans who live with chronic pain. This partnership will give the Company access to a captive audience of consumers afflicted with pain whom are most likely to benefit from CBD products. The Company is trading at 80% its 52-week lows, and was recently given a price target of $0.30. For commentary inquiries, please contact: info@cannagreed.com 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 CG undertakes no obligation to update such statements. You should not rely on the information presented; you should do independent research to form your own opinion and decision. Information contained in our disseminated emails does not constitute investment, legal or tax advice upon which you should rely. The purchase of high-risk securities may result in the loss of your entire investment. Advertisements received by you are not a solicitation or recommendation to buy securities of the advertised company. CG was not compensated by, (ACB), (CBDS),(OTC:HIPH), (GWPRF), (CVSI) or any other company mentioned in this article. Full Disclaimer: http://www.cannagreed.com/disclaimer/ Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images On Thursday, the Spanish royal family gathered in Madrid to mark a very important milestone: the 40th anniversary of the nations constitution. OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP/Getty Images King Felipe and Queen Letizia marked the anniversary in parliament alongside Spains prime minister, the president of the nations congress, and other dignitaries. Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images For the celebrations, Letizia dressed in bright red, one of Spains national colors. Born in Asturias during the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano was six years old when the nation voted overwhelmingly to adopt its current constitution. Felipe, who was born a year before his father was designated as Francos heir, was ten years old when the constitution was approved by the Spanish people. In 1986, when he turned eighteen, Felipe appeared in parliament to swear his allegiance to the constitution, a requirement for him to officially become heir to the throne. OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP/Getty Images For Thursdays ceremonies, which were held on the anniversary of the public referendum, Letizia wore a pair of symbolic earrings. They feature a diamond dove (a symbol of peace) holding a ruby wreath (a symbol of honor and victory). A bejeweled representation of peaceful victory is certainly appropriate for the anniversary of a transition to democracy. (And a fortieth anniversary, of course, is also a ruby jubilee!) Intriguingly, though, the earrings have a less-than-democratic history: they were a gift from the Saudi royal family to Letizias mother-in-law, Queen Sofia. They came as part of a set that also includes a matching necklace. Letizia has made a pair of high profile appearances in the earrings previously. She wore them at the start of a state visit to Japan in April 2017, and later that same year, she wore them for a visit to parliament during the British state visit. Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images Felipe and Letizias daughters, the Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofia, were also present for the ceremonies at parliament. OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP/Getty Images As were two of the most pivotal royal figures from 1978: King Felipes parents, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. King Juan Carlos (with the future King Felipe peeking out from beneath his arm) and Queen Sofia of Spain on the day of his religious enthronement ceremony in Madrid, November 1975 (AFP/Getty Images) When Juan Carlos inherited control of Spain from Franco in 1975, he could easily have continued to exercise the kind of dictatorial power that Franco had held for four decades. But he didnt. Instead, he helped facilitate a transition from dictatorship to democracy, transforming Spain into a modern constitutional democracy. Both Juan Carlos and Sofia knew they needed to be practical about their new roles both had grown up amid plenty of royal turmoil, watching their Spanish and Greek relatives deal with the challenges of meshing monarchy with the modern world. (Sofias brother, King Constantine II of Greece, was dethroned permanently in 1973, barely two years before Juan Carlos succeeded to the Spanish throne.) Juan Carloss father, the Count of Barcelona, had been a strong advocate for constitutional monarchy, and his son helped to establish a democratic system that continues in Spain to this day. Juan Carloss reign wasnt always sunny or popular, and there were real problems of corruption often lurking just beneath the surface. But Thursdays ceremony in parliament honored a decision that is surely one of the most important parts of his legacy. Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images Like her daughter-in-law, Queen Sofia chose jewels in Spains national colors for this day of commemorations. With her trademark gold earrings and bracelets, she also wore her pearl necklace with its modern diamond and ruby pendant. She inherited the pendant from her mother, Queen Friederike of Greece. (Intriguingly, Friederike was not exactly a proponent of democracy.) Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images The Spanish throne is still one of the more precarious perches in Europe, but this event attempted to underscore the monarchys role in creating a democratic society in Spain. The Spanish royal family has itself been somewhat fractured over the past several years, threatened by internal squabbles and domestic turmoil. On Thursday, however, they put forward a united front surely trying to emphasize the continuity of the monarchy as a central part of Spanish democracy. By Justin Kwan and Erin Williams Asia Pacific Foundation, Canada Although the United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA) is now official, Canada should not let up on its push for more trade diversification. Canadas federal government has taken a step in the right direction in setting a goal to boost our countrys exports by 50 percent by 2025. This will mean extending Canadas business presence into new markets, especially in Asia. To succeed in Asia, Canada needs people who know how to be effective operating in, and with, that part of the world. A 2016 survey of small- and medium-sized exporters in British Columbia gives us some clues to what that means in practice. Companies that export their products and services to Asia flagged as important skill sets that grow out of having cultural knowledge and first-hand experience in Asia. This includes the ability to develop and sustain relationships with partners in Asia (96%), an understanding of business etiquette (88%), culturally appropriate management of staff (86%), and having a network of contacts in the region (79%). How do we equip more Canadians with these skills? One of the most efficient and well-tailored means for doing this is Canadas co-operative (co-op) education program (or similar internships) that provides placements that are at least three or four months in duration. Such programs give students (and future business people) an immersive, hands-on experience in building cross-cultural professional relationships and helps them learn how to communicate and relate across cultural and language differences. The Canadian public recognizes the need for such programs: The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canadas (APF Canada) 2018 National Opinion Poll showed that large majorities across the country strongly support investing in more co-op opportunities for Canadians in Asia. However, building a robust co-op system in Asia requires boosting not only the supply of opportunities but also Canadian student demand for them. It also requires exposing students to Asia much earlier than post-secondary education. Setting up a co-op or other internship opportunities overseas takes a considerable investment of time and energy. One of the most demanding aspects of this process is identifying and vetting potential employers. Fortunately, there are resources that can be tapped for this purpose. One is Asian alumni of Canadian universities, Asian international students who graduated from a Canadian university and then returned to their home country to pursue business opportunities. The upside of working with this pool of potential employers is that they will already be familiar with the quality of Canadian undergraduate education, and some will have even benefitted from the co-op program while they were in Canada. That should make it easier to enlist them and their companies to host Canadian interns. Canadian businesses with operations in Asia are another source of internship opportunities. Their motivation may be legitimately self-serving: interns who can support the companys present and future prospects in Asia could be the type of talent they would want to retain and invest in. One obstacle to creating internships in Asia is the difficulty of obtaining student work permits. Some parts of the region, like Taiwan and India, do have programs for interns. Others, like China and South Korea, are much stricter, and students must operate in a grey area that allows them to spend a few months learning on the job, but makes the issue of payment by employers a complicated one. Nevertheless, there are some Canada-wide programs that do provide either placement assistance or financial assistance for a wide range of internship experiences in Asia, such as AIESEC Canada, which offers volunteer, corporate, and startup internships in Asia, and the Mitacs Globalink Research Award, which provides funding for undergraduate students to do three-to-six month research internships in China, India, Japan, and Korea (along with many other graduate-level programs). A more nebulous challenge to rapidly expanding our Asia-ready workforce is convincing young Canadians of the value of such opportunities. Several education organizations in Canada have raised the alarm about the need to rapidly increase the number of Canadian students with international experience. Universities Canada estimates that only 3.1 percent of Canadian students study abroad annually (this includes short-term exchanges that last only a couple of weeks). Only a small fraction of those students end up in Asia. The reasons students do not take advantage of opportunities to get hands-on experience in Asia are varied and complex. The often-noted issue of cost should not be an issue if an internship provides at least a stipend to cover travel and living expenses. That leaves other factors that are more perceptual in nature, including perceptions that Asia is too foreign, that language will be an insurmountable barrier, and that the region is too dangerous. Another message that has surfaced anecdotally but consistently is the perception that work experience in Asia wont be taken seriously by future employers. Increasing student demand for work experience in Asia requires a full-throated counter-argument to these misperceptions. At a 2018 meeting of Asian and Canadian business leaders the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council Canadas Finance Minister Bill Morneau advised young people to think about, What's my way to gain cultural understanding of places where there is going to be a big opportunity in the future? Such statements from Canadian leaders and influencers will be needed more than ever now that Canada is shifting into a higher trade-diversification gear. One of the most promising groups of leaders and influencers in Canada can be found at the local level in the form of teachers, parents, and heads of school districts. At present, by the time many Canadian youth begin their post-secondary education, they have had relatively little exposure to Asia through their high-school curriculum. That is starting to change, including through an Asia-focused curriculum project undertaken by APF Canada and the BC Ministry of Education. APF Canadas polling shows that a majority of the Canadian public supports teaching more about Asia in Canadas schools. That support has been growing steadily. Other communities that want to participate fully in the trade-diversification effort could signal to their local schools and provincial governments their desire to introduce students to the dynamic and economically vital region of Asia. This will be a powerful way for young Canadians to avoid or overcome the perceptual barriers about Asia being too foreign and too dangerous. By learning about Asian cultures, histories, and societies, as well as how their economies and politics work, students will follow Ministers Morneaus guidance, rather than foreclose future work experience opportunities in Asia as not right for me. Getting the Canadian workforce better prepared to support the countrys trade diversification effort will take a serious and well-coordinated effort from leaders and influencers at all levels. It is difficult to see how we can reach the federal governments target of a 50 percent increase in exports within just six years if we dont put the building blocks in place, and quickly. The investment of time and effort will be sizable, but the pay-offs will be even more sizable. Justin Kwan is a Project Specialist at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.Erin is a Program Manager at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. English French PRESS RELEASE 12 December 2018 Aeroports de Paris SA November 2018 traffic figures In November 2018, Paris Aeroport welcomed 7.9 million passengers, an increase of 5.4% compared with November 2017. 5.5 million passengers travelled through Paris-Charles de Gaulle (+6.4%) and 2.4 million through Paris-Orly (+3.3%). International traffic (excluding Europe) was up (+8.4%), due to growth in the following destinations: North America (+15.1%), Latin America (+9.5%), the French Overseas Territories (+8.1%), Asia-Pacific (+6.6%), the Middle East (+5.6%) and Africa (+5.5%); European traffic (excluding France) was up by 5.7%; Traffic within France was down by 2.1%; The number of connecting passengers increased by 2.0%. The connecting rate stood at 24.4%, down by 0.9 points compared with November 2017. Since the beginning of the year, Paris Aeroport passenger traffic has increased by 3.8%, with a total of 97.2 million passengers. The number of connecting passengers has decreased by 3.0%. The connecting rate stands at 21.5%, down by 1.5 points. Passenger traffic at TAV Airports, 46.1%-owned by Groupe ADP, increased by 10.7% in November 2018 and by 33.8% since the beginning of the year, including, from May 2018, traffic of Antalya airport, in which TAV Airports took a stake. Passenger traffic at Santiago de Chile Airport, 45%-owned by Groupe ADP, increased by 11.6% in November 2018 and by 8.7% since the beginning of the year. Passenger traffic at Amman Airport, 51%-owned by Groupe ADP, increased by 11.5% in November 2018 and by 6.2% since the beginning of the year. Passengers Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Jan.-Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Last 12 months % change 2018/2017 Paris-CDG 5,481,000 +6.4% 66,604,430 +4.0% 72,026,957 +4.0% Paris-Orly 2,384,344 +3.3% 30,615,315 +3.5% 33,069,410 +3.1% Total Paris Aeroport 7,865,344 +5.4% 97,219,745 +3.8% 105,096,367 +3.7% Santiago 2,103,398 +11.6% 21,156,444 +8.7% 23,122,239 +9.2% Amman 597,891 +11.5% 7,795,221 +6.2% 8,371,687 +6.3% Istanbul Ataturk 5,146,699 +1.0% 62,883,738 +6.8% 67,716,903 +6.8% Antalya 1,211,076 +27.2% 30,713,517 +22.3% 31,522,825 +22.2% Ankara Esenboga 1,163,605 -20.7% 15,571,214 +8.5% 17,065,166 +10.5% Izmir 931,786 -9.1% 12,502,311 +5.8% 13,513,448 +6.2% Milas Bodrum 107,486 -0,1% 4,098,085 +20.6% 4,208,822 +20.9% Gazipasa 41,817 +11.8% 1,184,282 +49.7% 1,216,459 +49.2% Medinah 535,432 -0.2% 7,448,691 +5.3% 8,180,536 +6.0% Tunisia 71,817 +53.7% 2,417,955 +47.8% 2,466,045 +46.9% Georgia 285,530 +20.6% 4,122,009 +20.4% 4,352,579 +21.1% Macedonia 153,271 +5.2% 2,172,476 +15.8% 2,323,004 +15.6% Zagreb (1) 234,075 +5.1% 3,121,445 +8.1% 3,327,127 +8.3% Total TAV Airports (2) 9,882,594 +10.7% 142,007,507 +33.8% 150,855,390 +32.4% Total TAV Airports restated (3) 9,882,594 +0.1% 146,235,723 +11.4% 155,892,914 +11.6% (1) Groupe ADP and TAV Airports have, a shareholding of 21% and 15%, respectively, in Zagreb Airport. To be compliant with TAV Airports presentations, Zagreb Airport traffic figures are integrated into the TAV Airports group traffic figures. (2) TAV Airports hase taken a stake in Anlalya Airport since May 2018. To be compliant with TAV Airports' presentations, the % change presented above takes into account Antalya traffic just from May 2018. (3) Restated figures taking into account Antalya's traffic on a like-for-like basis for 2017. Aircraft Movements Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Jan.-Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Last 12 months % change 2018/2017 Paris-CDG 38,037 +4.0% 441,998 +0.8% 479,246 +0.8% Paris-Orly 17,134 +1.3% 211,475 -0.2% 228,600 -0.6% Total Paris Aeroport 55,171 +3.1% 653,473 +0.5% 707,846 +0.3% Santiago 13,317 +6.5% 137,214 +7.7% 150,319 +8.4% Amman 5,658 +10.2% 70,919 +3.4% 76,386 +2.5% Istanbul Ataturk 35,150 -0.5% 418,316 +3.0% 461,465 +4.8% Antalya 8,463 +29.6% 179,786 +24.0% 189,947 +26.8% Ankara Esenboga 8,038 -15.6% 101,919 +5.2% 111,818 +6.7% Izmir 6,081 -7.0% 78,007 +3.6% 85,536 +5.0% Milas Bodrum 689 +3.5% 26,859 +20.9% 27,909 +22.5% Gazipasa 303 +10.6% 7,778 +47.1% 8,152 +48.5% Medinah 3,967 -0.4% 55,797 +5.3% 60,832 +5.9% Tunisia 623 +29.3% 15,573 +35.0% 16,046 +31.7% Georgia 3,270 +16.9% 40,974 +16.4% 43,692 +17.0% Macedonia 1,319 -3.6% 18,336 +9.4% 19,710 +9.7% Zagreb 3,223 +4.7% 40,628 +5.1% 43,540 +4.9% Total TAV Airports (1) 71,126 +11.1% 954,338 +25.4% 1,028,851 +25.2% Total TAV Airports restated (2) 71,126 +0.8% 983,973 +8.6% 1,068,647 +10.0% (1) TAV Airports has taken a stake in Antalya Airport since May 2018. To be compliant with TAV Airports' presentations, the % change presented above takes into account Antalya traffic just from May 2018. (2) Restated figures taking into account Antalya's traffic on a like-for-like basis for 2017. Geographic split Paris Aeroport (Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly) Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Share of total traffic Jan.-Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Share of total traffic France -2.1% 16.3% -1.6% 15.4% Europe +5.7% 42.6% +3.8% 44.0% Other International Of which +8.4% 41.1% +6.1% 40.6% Africa +5.5% 11.9% +4.2% 11.3% North America +15.1% 9.7% +8.6% 10.5% Latin America +9.5% 3.3% +1.0% 2.9% Middle-East +5.6% 5.3% +6.2% 5.2% Asia-Pacific +6.6% 7.0% +5.9% 6.5% French Overseas Territories +8.1% 4.0% +8.9% 4.2% Total Paris Aeroport +5.4% 100 % +3.8% 100 % Paris Aeroport (Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly) Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Jan.- Nov. 2018 % change 2018/2017 Connecting Passengers(1) 930,692 +2.0% 10,408,032 -3.0% Connecting rate 24.4% -0.9 pt 21.5% -1.5 pt Seat load factor 82.9% +0.4 pt 85.8% +1.9 pt (1) Departing passengers Investor Relations: Audrey Arnoux, Head of Investor Relations +33 1 74 25 70 64 - invest@adp.fr Press contact: Lola Bourget, Head of Medias and Reputation Department +33 1 74 25 23 23 Groupe ADP develops and manages airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Paris-Le Bourget. In 2017, the group handled through its brand Paris Aeroport more than 101 million passengers and 2.3 million metric tonnes of freight and mail at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly, and more than 127 million passengers in airports abroad through its subsidiary ADP International. Boasting an exceptional geographic location and a major catchment area, the Group is pursuing its strategy of adapting and modernizing its terminal facilities and upgrading quality of services; the group also intends to develop its retail and real estate businesses. In 2017, group revenue stood at 3,617 million and net income at 571 million. Registered office: 1, rue de France, 93 290 Tremblay-en-France. Aeroports de Paris is a public limited company (Societe Anonyme) with share capital of 296,881,806. Registered in the Bobigny Trade and Company Register under no. 552 016 628. groupeadp.fr Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 08:42 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1d72c5 4 Editorial #eIDgraftcase,eID-graft-case,#Editorial,e-ID,bureaucracy-reform,public-service Free The recent findings of thousands of discarded e-ID cards, deliberately or not, in several areas across the country should give us cause for concern. The incidents signal the countrys poor management of the population registry, on top of mega-corruption plaguing the procurement of e-ID cards. To add insult to injury, a man was arrested on Monday for allegedly selling official blank e-ID cards. The polices move only confirms suspicions that access to state documents for evil purposes, including criminal or perhaps terrorism-related motives, is available to all. On Tuesday, the police detained the son of a former official of the Lampung Population and Registration Agency, identified only as NID, and will charge him under the Population Administration Law and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law for illegally selling the state documents. While the offense is deemed serious because of its wide-ranging implications, the polices claim that the suspect offered 10 blank ID-cards for sale online just for fun is an unnecessary misjudgment. In fact, there was a tendency to play down repeated reports of the findings of e-ID cards in bulk in unusual places on the part of law enforcers and the government. Similarly, there had been no sense of urgency to thoroughly investigate reports of people holding two or more e-ID cards. Only after leading news daily Kompas published a series of investigative reports about the original but fake e-ID card business last week did the police and Home Ministry show their teeth. The investigative reports came to the conclusion that the information technology (IT) system of the national e-ID card had been hacked, as evident in the fact that the illegal e-ID cards passed security controls. Home Ministry officials, however, brushed aside the vulnerability of the IT system to cyberattacks. The daily found that several kiosks in Pramuka market in East Jakarta operate the e-ID card business and apparently escaped the polices radar. They also take orders for other documents like birth certificates and passports. For sure, fake documents will facilitate crime like bank fraud and pose security threats as in the case of terrorists who easily find places to live and assemble bombs. Bogus documents have also been rampantly used in human trafficking. Now that the elections are nearing, the issue of fake e-ID cards has emerged as a sensitive matter and will be potentially blown out of proportion if the government fails to address it sooner, rather than later. For the sake of credible elections, there is no other choice for law enforcers but to launch a crackdown on those involved in the illegal e-ID card business. To ensure the validity of e-ID cards, the use of card readers should be an option. In the context of elections, card readers can minimize double, or triple, voting. The General Elections Commission has registered eligible voters based on their unique population registration number, which is produced by the Home Ministry. Theoretically, no voter is registered more than once, but negligence will create loopholes. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) New York, United States Wed, December 12, 2018 05:02 1083 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b0072c4 2 Art & Culture New-York-City,statue,art,Fearless-Girl Free 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, 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". "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 (Dec 10) ceremony. Read also: Gulliver's Gate: World of tiny landmarks near Times Square "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. "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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Paavan Mathema (Agence France-Presse) Nepal Wed, December 12, 2018 09:08 1083 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b0095f1 2 Environment Everest,climate-change,environment,Mount-Everest Free Formed in the shadow of Mount Everest, the turquoise depths of Nepal's Imja glacial lake would be a breathtaking miracle of nature to behold -- were they not a portent of catastrophic floods. Scientists warn that as climate change causes Himalayan glaciers to melt at an alarming rate, lakes like Imja could swell further and eventually collapse, triggering a terrifying deluge in Nepal, an impoverished nation at the mercy of a warming planet. Those tasked with staving off disaster fear a 'glacial lake outburst flood' -- sending torrents of water, mud and rock hurtling downstream -- could reach as far as Nepal's densely populated southern plains, wiping out roads, vital energy projects and entire villages in its path. "The risk is getting bigger," said Arun Bhakta Shrestha, a climate scientist from the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. "These valleys are getting more populated, and infrastructure is developing rapidly." Hundreds of these lakes have appeared out of nowhere in the Himalayas in recent decades. A 2014 survey found one quarter of Nepal's glaciers shrunk between 1977 and 2010, leaving behind 1,466 lakes. Twenty-one have been identified as potentially dangerous and Nepal is racing to stay a step ahead of disaster, as global warming reshapes its mountain geography. "As a small country, there is little we can do to stop what is happening to our glaciers," said Rishi Ram Sharma, the director general at Nepal's department of hydrology and meteorology. "But we have to do what we can do to adapt and protect our people." Read also: Key points in the UN report on climate change Living in fear Nepal's fastest-growing lake, Imja once posed little threat to the villagers of Surke, a picturesque hamlet perched high in the Everest region. In the early 1980s, the small lake at the foot of the Imja glacier at 5,010 metres (16,437 feet) was unremarkable. But by 2014, it had more than tripled in size, contained only by a natural wall of debris, known as a moraine, which experts warned might not hold back the waters much longer. A year later, when a massive earthquake struck Nepal, villagers in Surke assumed Imja had collapsed and would soon bury them all. "We were terrified the quake would trigger a flood from the lake. All of us ran for safety," villager Phudoma Sherpa told AFP. The lake miraculously held -- sparing the 12,000 people directly in its path. But the quake served as a wake-up call for policymakers. Experts told the government that the gigantic glacial lakes were effectively a ticking time bomb. With thousands of lives at stake, a massive undertaking began in late 2016 to drain Imja, which then measured 150 metres deep and two kilometres (1.2 miles) long. Only the second operation of its kind in Nepal's history, the project was a testament to the monumental challenge posed by glacial lakes, which are often remote and very difficult to access. Yaks and helicopters transported materials and teams of workers to the high-altitude region, where they toiled in thin air for six months until a drainage canal and early-warning system were installed. The lake was lowered by 3.5 metres, draining more than five million cubic metres of water. "Now, you have a channel. So any water that accumulates is drained out. That is how the risk is lowered," said Deepak KC, a climate change analyst from the United Nations Development Programme that backed the project. Read also: Mount Everest, the high-altitude rubbish dump Climate victims The project cost $7.4 million, an expensive commitment for a nation heavily reliant on its wealthier neighbours and on international aid that contributed 12 percent to its GDP in the last fiscal year. In this case, over 80 percent of the money came from the Global Environment Facility, an international fund that provides green financing to developing countries. The rest was covered by UNDP. With a paltry economy and 26 million people, Nepal has a tiny carbon footprint compared to its giant patrons China and India, major polluters that are home to a third of humanity. Melting glaciers from climate change pose a huge threat to Nepal -- as well as an undeserved extortionate burden, authorities say. "We feel as if we have been penalised for the mistakes we never made," President Bidya Devi Bhandari told world leaders at a climate summit in Poland this month. "We are compelled to spend (a) significant amount of our national income in addressing disasters-induced problems." Nepal is asking the global community for further assistance to fight climate change. For those no longer living under Imja's shadow, the cost is well worth it. "There was a sense of fear before, but we feel a lot safer now," said Sherpa. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Doha, Qatar Wed, December 12, 2018 07:04 1083 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b007259 2 Art & Culture Qatar,Museum Free 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. Read also: Qatar becomes first Gulf state to offer expat permanent residency 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 15:41 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1f0c46 1 Lifestyle Harbolnas,#Harbolnas,online-shopping-national-day,discount,online-shopping,#shopping Free National Online Shopping Day (Harbolnas) is finally here. Held every year on Dec. 12, Harbolnas is among the most-awaited events of the month, as it offers various tempting discounts and promotions. This year, Harbolnas involves more than 250 online platforms. Since there are only a few hours left until Harbolnas ends, The Jakarta Post has compiled 12 platforms that offer great deals for you to grab before its too late! Sociolla Makeup and skincare enthusiasts may want to check Sociollas 12.12 Beauty Obsession program. Offering up to 90 percent discounts, the program features popular makeup and skincare brands, such as Maybelline, Cetaphil, Bioderma, Real Techniques and South Korean skincare brand COSRX. Customers can also get an extra 12 percent off until Dec. 15 by using the SOCHAR12 promo code. Pomelo Are you looking for a new outfit to wear to a year-end gathering? Then check out Pomelo, which is offering special prices for clothes and accessories. Also, any purchase made via the Pomelo application between 12 p.m. and 11.59 p.m. is entitled to an extra 12 percent discount. All you need to do is to use the TWELVE promo code at checkout. Zalora Online fashion retailer Zalora is also participating in this years Harbolnas by offering slashed prices for both women and mens fashion. For women, bag lovers can get an additional 24 percent discount for selected items by using the BAGPHORIA code. Meanwhile, additional discounts for men apply to select sneakers and can be redeemed with the 12SNEAKERS promo code. The online fashion retailer is also offering special prices for popular brands such as Nike, River Island, Keds, Melissa and Superga. Lazada Online marketplace Lazada was among the initiators of Harbolnas, which was first launched in 2012. This year, the e-commerce platform is offering discounts and deals for almost all categories, including makeup, home appliances and smartphones. One of the most interesting programs in Lazada is Crazy Flash Deals. Available for a limited time only, the program offers up to 99.9 percent discounts. In addition to slashed prices, Lazada is also offering a free shopping promotion. Shopee Shopee offers various interesting programs, including free shipping and 120 percent cashback. The former has no minimum purchase. However, it is only valid for up to 12 orders. Meanwhile, the cashback will appear as Shopee coins, allowing you to use them for next purchases. JD.ID The Indonesian subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.id is celebrating Harbolnas with various programs, including Mystery Box and Promo Setengah Harga (Half Price Promo). Mystery Box is available from 9.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m., when customers can purchase various mystery items at lower prices, such as Rp 500,000 (US$34.25) for a Canon Camera and Rp 199,000 for a television. Meanwhile, Promo Setengah Harga offers a 50 percent discount for selected items. Meanwhile, the Serba 12 (Everything 12) promotion is offering various products at Rp 12,000, Rp 120,000 and Rp 1.2 million. Items include mens T-shirts at Rp 12,000, Moleskine Ruled notebooks at Rp 120,000 and Adidas Pure Boost Mens Sneakers at Rp 1.2 million. Read also: Six tips for a safe online shopping on Harbolnas Blibli Similar to other e-commerce platforms, Blibli is also offering special prices, but if youre feeling particularly lucky, try the Blibli auction. With a starting price of Rp 12,000, you stand the chance of getting a Mini Cooper, iPhone X and Nintendo Switch at extremely low price tags. Gramedia.com Online book retailer Gramedia.com does not want to miss out on the Harbolnas 12.12 and is currently offering discounts of up to 80 percent for selected products, including stationery, backpacks and childrens toys. And if you use Go-Pay, you can get a 20 percent cashback. Cotton Ink Local fashion brand Cotton ink is also joining Harbolnas 12.12. Twelve percent + 12 percent deals are available for all normal-price items. All you need to do is enter the HARBOLNAS12 promo code during checkout. Cotton Ink is also having Rp 100,000 deals for selected items. The collection changes every two hours, allowing you to get different outfits. Bukalapak Bukalapak is among the e-commerce platforms that are offering a Flash Deal program. The program is divided into six periods and can be accessed only via the Bukalapak application. During the program, users can get various items at Rp 12. In addition to the big discounts, customers can also get free shipping by entering the FLASHDEAL12 promo code. In addition to Flash Deal, Bukalapak also offers various discounted prices and promotions. Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines is participating in this years Harbolnas. On Dec. 12, you can get special prices for 12 destinations, including Singapore, Bangkok, London, San Francisco and New York. The promotion is only valid for transactions made via the Singapore Airlines website and customers need to use the PROMO1212 code. Garuda Indonesia National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is also offering special discounts during Harbolnas. For booking periods between Dec. 12 and 14, customers can get up to 25 percent discounts. Mandiri debit or credit card holders are also entitled to discounts of up to Rp 500,000. The promotion is valid for both domestic and international flights with the flying period between Dec. 15 and 31. (wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Eva Xiao (Agence France-Presse) Beijing Wed, December 12, 2018 11:00 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1e29e2 2 Science & Tech Apple,iPhone,China,ban Free 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. Read also: China court bans iPhone sales in patent dispute: Qualcomm 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". Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Kyodo News) Tokyo, Japan Wed, December 12, 2018 14:32 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1ed433 2 Entertainment hayao-miyazaki,film,Kabuki,Nausicaa-of-the-Valley-of-the-Wind,Japan,art-and-culture,studio-ghibli,Isao-Takahata Free Oscar-winning Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki's animated film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind will be adapted into a Kabuki production next year, becoming the first of his works to appear on the stage of the traditional Japanese performing art. Kabuki actor Onoe Kikunosuke, who proposed doing the remake, will play the 1984 animation's protagonist Nausicaa, while Nakamura Shichinosuke will play Princess Kushana, the main antagonist, according to Shimbashi Enbujo Theater where the kabuki will be performed in December 2019. The film tells the story of Nausicaa, the young princess of the Valley of the Wind, being embroiled in a war on a post-apocalyptic Earth where humankind is threatened by environmental destruction. Read also: Japan plans Studio Ghibli theme park Other Kabuki actors to take part in the stage production include Onoe Matsuya, Bando Minosuke and Onoe Ukon. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, one of Miyazaki's most well-known works, was released in Japan a year before the animator co-founded Studio Ghibli with late director Isao Takahata. Miyazaki's other major works include My Neighbor Totoro in 1998, Princess Mononoke in 1997 and Spirited Away in 2001. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Thomas Urbain (Agence France-Presse) New York, United States Wed, December 12, 2018 10:32 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1e24b9 2 People Jamal-Khashoggi,Time-magazine,Person-of-the-Year Free 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 October 2 assassination, according to US media reports. Read also: 'I can't breathe' were Khashoggi's final words, report says 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 this month. 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 Ramos 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. TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advanzeon Solutions, Inc.s (OTCBB:CHCR) ("Advanzeon") wholly-owned subsidiary, Pharmacy Value Management Solutions, Inc. ("PVMS") (collectively, the "Company"), announced today that its Medical Director and many members of its Medical Advisory Board for its SleepMaster Solutions sleep apnea program have been recognized by their peers as being the top doctors in their respective fields. Tampa Magazine sent out over 9,000 surveys in the Tampa metropolitan region. It requested that physicians nominate whom they consider the best doctors in 64 medical specialties. For the fourth consecutive year, Dr. Stephen Kreitzer, Medical Director of PVMS, was voted the top doctor in Pulmonary Disease and in Sleep Medicine. In addition, several members of PVMS Medical Advisory Board were recognized as best in their fields, as follows: Jack Parrino, M.D. [Allergy & Immunology]: Richard DiCicco, M.D. [Bariatrics]; Raymond Sleszynski, M.D. [Emergency Medicine/Urgent Care]; Jeetpaul Saran, M.D. [Family Practice]; Morris Hanan, M.D. [Gastroenterology]; Edward Kampsen, M.D. [Otolaryngology]; Alejandra Kalik, M.D. [Pathology/Laboratory Medicine]; and, Malcolm Root, M.D [Urology]. Background information on each of these physicians is on the Company's website. The Companys CEO, Clark A. Marcus, commented, "I am extremely proud that our Medical Director and several of our Medical Advisory Board members were again so honored by their peers. As a medically-driven, patient-centric company, we are dedicated to our patients good health, well-being and safety. We believe our approach in putting the patient first and aggressively attacking sleep apnea as a national epidemic is correct and best served by having the best doctors in the country direct the Companys medical activities. While we have no way of knowing how many lives we have made better, or how many lives we have saved, or how much we have materially reduced the overall cost of healthcare, we are confident that is exactly what our team does, and we will continue to do so on a going-forward basis. I congratulate Dr. Kreitzer and all members of our Medical Board and, in particular, those who were again selected as Tampas Top Docs. About Advanzeon Solutions, Inc. Established in 1969, Advanzeon, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the nations most complete sleep apnea program known as SleepMaster Solutions (the Program). Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the Companys Program is available in all fifty states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. The Program focuses on personalized attention, flexibility, a commitment to high-quality services and innovative approaches that address both the specific needs of clients and changing healthcare industry demands. For more information, visit our website at www.advanzeon.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. In some cases, you may identify forward-looking statements by words such as "may," "should," "plan," "intend," "potential," "continue," "believe," "expect," "predict," "anticipate" and "estimate," the negative of these words or other comparable words. These statements are only predictions. One should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are qualified by their terms and/or important factors, many of which are outside the Company's control, involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from the statements made. The forward-looking statements are based on the Company's beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account information currently available to the Company. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to the Company. Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of these statements. The Company will update the information in this press release only to the extent required under applicable securities laws. If a change occurs, the Company's business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in the aforementioned forward-looking statements. Contact: Philip Pulver Communications Director 509-607-7229 ppulver@pvmsco.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 13:35 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1ec2bb 1 Entertainment Avengers,Avengers-Endgame,trailer,NASA,Tony-Stark,Iron-Man Free Marvel Studios released an official trailer for Avengers: Endgame on Dec. 7. The trailer sees Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) drifting in space on a spaceship with little oxygen reserve left. The situation is a follow-up to the ending of last years Avengers: Infinity War, which saw Stark as Iron Man losing a space battle to the villain, Thanos. Following the release, Avengers fans have been jokingly pleading with NASA to save Tony Stark from outer space. As reported by BBC, some could be found voicing their concern for Starks wellbeing to NASA on Twitter. Hello Mr @NASA can you please rescue Tony Stark he's stuck somewhere in outer space and his food and water supply ran out four days ago his oxygen levels are depleting WE DONT KNOW HOW LONG HE HAS BEFORE HE DRIFTS OFF PLEASE pic.twitter.com/nlsISwYAVK adie (@yeheypizza) December 9, 2018 Me, knocking on NASAs front door and asking if I could borrow a ship to go save Tony Stark pic.twitter.com/TaMr18sspw Send air and food to Tony Stark pls marvel (@ClevaChloe) December 7, 2018 Surprisingly, on Dec. 9, NASA tweeted a response by directly mentioning Marvel Studios. The aerospace agency also recommended using all resources to scan the skies for Stark. Read also: Avengers: Endgame moved up in crowded year for superheroes Hey @Marvel, we heard about Tony Stark. As we know, the first thing you should do is listen in mission control for @Avengers, we have a problem. But if he cant communicate, then we recommend ground teams use all resources to scan the skies for your missing man pic.twitter.com/zavXrsPljq NASA (@NASA) December 9, 2018 Marvel Studios continued the playful banter by tweeting, Appreciate any help you can provide, as a reply to NASAs response. Appreciate any help you can provide Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) December 10, 2018 Some fans also pleaded with entrepreneur and engineer Elon Musk to save Stark. The billionaire replied to one of the tweets with Machete!!, most likely a reference to his cameo in 2013 action film Machete Kills where he sends Danny Trejo into space. Machete!! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2018 Avengers: Endgame is set to hit theaters on April 26 next year. (iru/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Sydney, Australia Thu, December 13, 2018 05:02 1082 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e203023 2 Environment Australia,coral-reefs,climate,climate-change Free Corals on Australia's Great Barrier Reef that survived bleaching from rising sea temperatures were more resistant to another bout of hot conditions the following year, scientists said Tuesday, a "silver lining" for the embattled ecosystem. The 2,300-kilometer long UNESCO 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 color. Corals can recover if the water temperature drops and the algae are able to recolonize 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. But Professor Terry Hughes of James Cook University, who has been leading the surveys of bleached corals, found in the latest study, published in Nature Climate Change, that the response of the reef was different between the two years. "We were astonished to find less bleaching in 2017, because the temperatures were even more extreme than the year before," Hughes said. The northern part of the reef, which was worst-affected in 2016, bleached "much less" in 2017 even though some of the reefs underwent similar levels of heat stress in both summers. Read also: reat Barrier Reef showing signs of recovery In the central regions, the levels of bleaching for both years were observed to be the same, even though the heat exposure was higher in 2017, the researchers said. Meanwhile, in the southern region -- the least-affected -- corals that suffered minor bleaching in the first year showed no bleaching in the second. "That surprised us, because if the southern corals had behaved the same way in year two as in year one, we should have seen 20 or 30 percent of them bleach, and they didn't," Hughes told AFP. "So it looks like the history of their experience in year one has toughened them up so that they've acclimatized to moderate levels in year two of heat exposure... It's something of a silver lining." 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 two degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit) 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 percent of ocean life, acting as nurseries for many species of fish. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Taipei Wed, December 12, 2018 08:50 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1d90cc 1 Health Taiwan,medical-device,medical-research,medical-tourism,technology,health,#health Free It was after a near-death experience that Ron Jovi, 35, a Filipino man who is now a Taiwanese citizen, understood that every breath was a blessing and life was a miracle he often took for granted. Sitting on a hospital bed at Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei one late November morning, Ron smiled at Dr. Chi-Tun Tang, whom he calls his savior. Dr. Tang, the hospitals chief of neurosurgery, observed the sutures on Rons head the result of an operation to lift an egg-sized tumor nesting on his brain. The doctor said Rons skin would be swelling for a couple of days, but he shouldnt be worried because it was normal after surgery. Again and again, Ron thanked Dr. Tang for removing the tumor. Always focusing on his work and his goal to buy his dream house in Taiwan, Ron was unaware that he had lived with a tumor for more than 10 years until he started having seizures and collapsed several times. In early October, he was shocked to be diagnosed with a deadly brain tumor. It was in the third week of November that Ron underwent a 14-hour surgery at Tri-Service General Hospital, which is known for its excellent neurological department. Less cutting, more technology: A hybrid operating room for neurosurgery at Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. Advanced medical imaging devices in the room enable the doctors to carry out minimally invasive surgery. (The Jakarta Post/Callistasia Anggun Wijaya ) I remember before the surgery, Dr. Tang told me to put my trust in him and that was what I did, Ron said. The surgery went well and slowly but surely, Ron was on his way to recuperating. Like a little boy who just learned how to walk, Ron was overjoyed that he could walk without any help only four days after the surgery. I now believe that miracles do happen, he said. Aiming to be the next Asias medical hub, Taiwan has equipped its hospitals with the most advanced medical technology. The Taiwanese government helps both public and private hospitals that have passed the states accreditation in procuring cutting-edge medical equipment in a bid to promote Taiwan as a medical tourist destination, keeping apace with other Asian countries like, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Tri-Service General Hospital, for instance, uses 3D Virtual Reality (VR) Neuronavigation for brain surgeries. VR, which gained popularity for its use in video games, is utilized for intraoperative monitoring and navigation systems. Medical virtual reality: A simulation of the use of 3D Virtual Reality Neuronavigation for surgery at Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. The technology helps doctors get a better visualization of patients critical neural structures. (The Jakarta Post/Callistasia Anggun Wijaya ) The technology was applied in Rons brain surgery, considering that his case was quite challenging and involved a big tumor intermingling with blood vessels and nerves. Dr. Tang used the system to help him get a better image and real-time monitoring of Rons critical neural structure. Similar technology is also applied to neurospinal surgeries. By using an O-arm imaging system, surgeons can see real-time 3D images of a patients spine during surgery. The procedure has a 98 percent accuracy rate, with a revision rate of 2 percent, said Dr. Tzu-Tsao Chung from the hospitals neurosurgery department. Another hospital, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, emboldens its excellence in treating patients with irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmia, through a radiofrequency ablation technique. Doctors use a 3D mapping system during the catheter ablation to precisely identify the source of the arrhythmia. In the past, we had to cut into the heart to map its irregularities. Now, the 3D mapping system helps us do that [in a less invasive way], said Dr. Yenn-Jiang Lin, the hospitals chief of cardiology. During the procedure, the tip of a catheter is guided under X-ray fluoroscopy to an area of heart tissue that is producing abnormal electric signals. The catheter then emits a pulse of painless radiofrequency energy that destroys the irregular tissue and corrects the heartbeat. Meanwhile, the China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) in central Taiwans Taichung City marked a notable achievement while treating a patient suffering from lower-limb lymphedema, a disease that causes ones leg to swell up to the size of an elephants. Loan, a 13-year-old girl from Vietnam, underwent surgery in the CMUH to get a normal-sized left leg in 2016. Now, she can wear normal-sized shoes and ride a bicycle again. Taiwan vision: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen (center, in glasses) tours the 2018 Taiwan Healthcare Expo at the Nangang Exhibition Center on Nov. 29. At the event, Tsai expressed her confidence that Taiwan was the best place to develop the healthcare technology industry. (-/-) The quality of service offered by Taiwans hospitals was acknowledged by Siswadi, 59, an Indonesian citizen working in Taipei who receives outpatient treatment for blood coagulation and a pinched nerve in his tailbone at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Siswadi said, besides the hospitals advanced technology, the doctors always treated him with great care and friendliness. I see that the doctors here always give an accurate diagnosis of my illness. I think Taiwan can be one of alternative [medical destinations] for Indonesian patients, he said. Taiwan promotes medical services as a part of its New Southbound Policy, which calls for the development of comprehensive relations with countries in ASEAN, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Last year, 103,241 foreigners came to Taiwan to receive medical treatment, with Indonesian patients accounting for 24 percent. As of August this year, the number of Indonesian patients has reached 26 percent of the total 100,373 international patients. So far, 14 hospitals in Taiwan have been accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI), an international accreditation for healthcare quality and patient safety. Taiwan External Trade Development Council official Walter Yeh said Taiwan offered smart medical solutions to patients at affordable prices. The medical costs are half than [those in] Singapore and close to the [price of medical care] in Malaysia, Walter said. Innovation hub: A visitor tries out a Virtual Reality medical tool at the 2018 Taiwan Healthcare Expo at Nangang Exhibition Center on Nov. 29. About 103,000 foreign patients went to Taiwan last year to receive medical treatment. (The Jakarta Post/Callistasia Anggun Wijaya ) Mecca of doctor training programs In the past, a lot of doctors from the Eastern world would seek new skills and knowledge in Western countries. What is trending now appears to be the other way around. Dr. G. Di Taranto from Italy is one of the foreign doctors who flew to Taiwan to master the latest medical technology and procedures. Following a recommendation from his seniors, Taranto went to the China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) in Taichung to learn advanced reconstructive microsurgery for a year. He chose the hospital because of the reputation of its International Medical Service Center superintendent, professor Hung-Chi Chen, who is often referred to as one the most important plastic surgeons in the world. Under the Training the Trainers program supported by the Taiwanese government, Taranto hopes to train fellow doctors in his country about the new knowledge he gained in Taiwan. Throughout the year, more than 100 physicians from 26 countries have come to CMUH for integrated reconstructive microsurgery training programs. The hospital [CMUH] applies a great level of technology. The IT [information technology] system is incredible and efficient, Taranto said during the 2018 Taiwan Healthcare Expo at the Nangang Exhibition Center on Nov. 29. Taranto said he planned to bring home a 3D microscope used in the CMUH as the tool had yet to be used in his country. Meanwhile, Rafael Denadai, a surgeon from Brazil, said he was satisfied with the training program at the Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, which is known for its expertise in craniofacial reconstructive surgery for cleft lips and palates and jaw deformity, among others. He particularly applauded the program for providing hands-on training with the guidance of local professors. Denadai said the hospital was well-known in his country and he believed the training would be beneficial for his career. As of 2018, 828 physicians have been trained in the Craniofacial Center of Chang Gung Hospital. Taiwans Ministry of Health and Welfare recorded that from 2014 to October 2018, around 2,700 foreign doctors, particularly those from Europe, the United States and Asia, had joined the training programs in several hospitals in Taiwan. Among them are 124 Indonesian doctors. We want to keep learning by teaching [international trainees], said Yueh-Ping Liu, a senior technical specialist at the ministrys medical affairs department. _________________________ The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) recently invited The Jakarta Post to go on a three-day medical tourism trip to Taipei and several surrounding cities. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 09:01 1083 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b0094c7 1 City North-Jakarta,sea-wall,damage Free Residents of Muara Baru, North Jakarta, have noticed several holes in the sea wall that stretches 250 meters along the water. They said they were worried that the leaks would eventually break the wall. Were afraid that the sea wall would break. It had happened in 2007, dont let it happen again, said a resident named Arifin on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com. In 2007, Arifin added, the sea wall, which was built five years earlier, was damaged and leaks appeared, making the damage worse. Seawater then inundated the neighborhood. Today, water leaking from holes has flooded roads in front of some houses to a depth of 10 centimeters. The leaks appear to be several years old as moss is growing around all the holes. I didnt think it would cause a flood though. The water pooled and flowed somewhere else, said another resident, Dedi. The residents have called on the city administration to repair the sea wall to prevent flooding. (vla) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 12:51 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1e96d3 4 Business tax-holiday,investment,new-regulation Free The government has granted tax holidays to 12 companies with total investment of Rp 210.8 trillion (US$14.45 billion) since it issued the revised Finance Ministery Regulation No. 35/2018 in April. The head of the Finance Ministrys income tax (PPh) collection and deduction division, Sulistyo Wibodo, said in Jakarta on Monday that that those figures were based on a calculation done before issuance of the 16th economic policy package in November, which also deregulated tax holiday rules. The tax holiday facility has been issued to 12 applicants, Sulistyo said in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday, as reported by kompas.com. Four of the 12 companies are invested in electricity infrastructure, one in the chemical industry and seven in the steel industry, he said, adding that their new investment was projected to create 10,587 jobs. The investment locations include Serang in Banten, Konawe in Southeast Sulawesi, South Tapanuli in North Sumatra, East Halmahera in North Maluku, Jepara in Central Java, Bengkulu, Bombana in Southeast Sulawesi and Cilegon in Banten. The investors come from Indonesia as well as from China, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and the Netherlands. Nearly all the investment is for new [projects], Sulistyo added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 16:52 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1f8ee8 1 Business Harbolnas,discount,YLKI,Ministries Free During National Online Shopping Day (Harbolnas) or the 12.12 shopping festival on Wednesday, marketplaces compete with each other by offering big price cuts and other promos to persuade more people to shop. For example, e-commerce platform Bibli.com offered price cuts ranging from 5 percent to Rp 500,000 on smartphones, tablets, computers, laptops, cameras and jewelry. It also offered discounts on other products like data packages, airplane tickets, hotel stays and the payment of Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) premiums. Meanwhile, Lazada offered price cuts days before 12.12 on various products like clothes, televisions, electronic goods, cosmetics and cars. Its app showed that the most popular items purchased were female blazers of which more than 300,000 were sold. For household goods, more than 70,000 blenders were sold on Wednesday. The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) called on people to be cautious when buying products online. Complaints by online shoppers are on the rise, said YLKI chairman Tulus Abadi, adding that most complained about how difficult it was to report faulty products that they had bought through e-commerce platforms. The shopping festival was supported by the Trade, Industry and Communications and Information ministries to promote Indonesian products. People must purchase products made in this country on National Online Shopping Day, said Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara via a video, which was broadcast on Harbolnas official website on Wednesday. Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said, We have to support small and medium enterprise players as well as Indonesian manufacturers. Unlike previous events, this years Harbolnas was held over two days because the organizers dedicated Dec. 11 for the promotion of Indonesian products. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Emmanuel Akinwpotu (Agence France-Presse) Lagos, Nigeria Wed, December 12, 2018 08:08 1083 ab327006fac3d4a4e8af45a51b008444 2 World #Nigeria,#religion,US,video,Christians,killed,Muslims Free 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 09:18 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1dce90 4 National UGM,Universitas-Gajah-Mada,rape-survivor,rape-culture,police,gender-based-violence,violence-against-women,#NamaBaikKampus,#CampusReputation Free Agni, a pseudonym used by a female Gadjah Mada University (UGM) student who was allegedly raped by a fellow student last year, has reportedly refused to report her alleged rapist to the police. She is worried that the law might not protect her. Agni wants the UGM to handle the case. This is the time for it to step up and make structural changes in dealing with sexual violence, Selma Theofany, the spokesperson for #kitaAgni (WeAreAgni), said at a recent rally held at the university. Husna Yuni Wulansari, a #kitaAgni volunteer, said Agni was surprised to learn that the university had reported the case to the police in mid-November without consulting her first. Husna added that Agni was of the opinion that the legal proceedings would be counterproductive to what she sought justice and maximum protection. On Nov. 5, the UGMs student magazine, Balairung, published an investigative report based on Agnis testimony. In it she alleged that a fellow student had sexually assaulted her during a community service assignment (KKN) in a Maluku village on June 30, 2017. The alleged perpetrator, HS, has completed his undergraduate studies but his graduation was put on hold after the mainstream media picked up the story. UGM criminal law expert Sri Wiyanti Eddyono said the structure and content of the law in Indonesia, especially when it comes to gender violence, remained biased in favour of perpetrators. Our criminal law still sees rape and sexual assault within the context of immorality, not as a form of crime against body and soul. This is a problem, added Wiyanti who also chairs an ethics team set up to examine the Agni case. She said rape culture was entrenched in the law culture, which only further aggravated the victims physical and mental suffering. The UGMs deputy rector overseeing cooperation and alumni, Paripurna P. Sugarda, said it did not consult with Agni before filing the case with the police, considering that it had been widely covered and publicized, adding that the university believed that the police would have eventually taken the initiative to investigate the case. In Indonesia, rape cases are only investigated after the victim files a report with the police. Paripurna said by filing a report, the UGM could provide legal assistance, adding that the police would now be obligated to act after it filed the report. We want to protect the students, said Paripurna who is also a law expert. Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) director Yogi Zul Fadhli said a sexual abuse survivor might refuse a legal proceeding if she does not feel ready and comfortable with the process. The whole process has to prioritize and take into consideration the survivors interests, he added. This article was originally published in The Jakarta Post's print edition on Dec. 12, 2018, with the title "Im worried law might not protect me, says UGM student". Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 16:49 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1f864f 1 City jak-lingko,Transportation,integration Free A total of 131,787 Jak Lingko cards have been sold from December 2017 to November 2018. The cards allow commuters to enjoy Jakarta's one-fare public transportation system, which is still in the pipeline. "In August 2018, 9,503 cards were sold. The number went up three-fold in November to 27,235," bus operator PT Transjakarta finance director Wilfizon Yuza said on Tuesday as reported by tempo.co. Yuza said the cards are part of an integrated payment system between the transportation modes under Jak Lingko, which would cover angkot (public minivans), Transjakarta buses, the MRT, light rapid transit (LRT) and commuter trains (KCI). To support the integration, city-owned bus operator PT Transjakarta is currently in talks with city-owned PT MRT Jakarta and PT LRT to create an electronic fare collection (EFC) system, Yuza said. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan changed the system's name from OK-OTRIP to Jak Lingko in October. The word lingko comes from a farm irrigation system used in Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, which makes use of interconnected water flow. The name is expected to represent the integration of the city's transportation system. (ars) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 11:36 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1e4816 1 City police,attack,East-Jakarta Free A crowd of angry people, allegedly military personnel, ravaged and set fire to the Ciracas Police Station in East Jakarta, on Tuesday night. The riot began on Tuesday at around 11 p.m. and lasted into the early morning of Wednesday. No casualties were recorded from the incident, but four police officers were reportedly injured. It is alleged that members of the crowd were related to the victims and perpetrators of a battery case that occurred on Monday. Around 200 people forcibly entered the police station to check whether the people who had beaten their friends were really being detained, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Idham Azis said as quoted by kompas.com. The officers in the station tried to explain [that the police were still working on the case], but they did not want to listen. Then they ravaged and burned the police station as well as several vehicles, he said. In a chronology of the events received by The Jakarta Post, it was stated that the crowd trespassed into the police station and demanded to see inside the detention facility. The Ciracas Police Station chief tried to prevent the crowd from entering the complex, but was beaten down by the crowd. The mob also beat the East Jakarta Police chief and three other police officers who were inside the station. Around midnight, the mob started to beat every police officer in the station, and also battered two civilians, Tumpal Manota, 23, and Kevin 23, who happened to be driving passed the riot. (gis) Dublin, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Tire Building Machinery Market 2019-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The tire building machinery market will register a CAGR of almost 3% by 2023. Tire building machinery companies are increasingly using automation solutions to manufacture their product. This have allowed them to increase their productivity and lower their maintenance costs. This will be a key trend driving the growth of the market during the forecast period. According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is the increasing demand for replacement tires across the world. The demand for both passenger and commercial vehicle tires is expected to increase during the next five years which will lead to tire building machinery market growth. Further, the report states that one of the major factors hindering the growth of this market is the frequent changes in tire specifications. Tire manufacturers find it difficult to produce specific tires as it requires a change in the whole tire building process. This hampers the growth of the tire building machinery market. Key Players Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinenbau Larsen & Toubro Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shenyang Blue Silver Industry Automation Equipment TKH Group Topics Covered PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing 2018 Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION Market segmentation by application Comparison by application Passenger vehicle - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Commercial vehicle - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by application PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 EMEA - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Americas - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Automation in tire building machinery Growing adoption of IoT in tire manufacturing Emergence of self-inflating tires (SITs) PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinenbau Larsen & Toubro Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shenyang Blue Silver Industry Automation Equipment TKH Group For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/h8d42z/global_tire?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 13:20 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1ea524 1 City mangrove,trash,North-Jakarta Free Mangrove areas littered with plastic and styrofoam trash in area of community unit (RW) 07, Marunda, Cilincing, North Jakarta, cannot be cleaned up because of a lack of access to the site, locals have said. Marunda resident Aan said local clean-up workers were only surveying the area but had never cleaned up the mangrove waters. There are no [workers cleaning up the mangroves]. The subdistrict office wanted to clean it up back then, but seeing the conditions, they declined. Its useless if we do a communal clean-up, because every time we did it, the trash just came back, Aan said on Tuesday, wartakota.tribunnews.com reported. Cilincing Environment Agency head Mahmudin, meanwhile, said his workers could not clear away the plastic and styrofoam waste at Marunda mangroves because they were located on private land. PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol owns that land. If the plot was publicly owned, we could drop by anytime. That's a private area, but we are still responsible for the trash, Mahmudin said. He said the land owner should routinely clean up the plastic and styrofoam found in the mangroves but failed to do so. He said the trash was not only swept ashore to the mangroves from the ocean but was also the fault of local residents. Residents should be aware [of their waste]. There are workers to clean rivers [in Jakarta], but on the coast, residents must take care of it themselves [by not littering in the coastal area], he said. (ami) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12 2018 Indonesias marine ecosystem is under threat from dozens of coal-fired power plants (PLTU) that dump hazardous wastewater into the ocean, a study has revealed. The Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) said the government had for years upheld a regulation that allowed wastewater from the PLTU, including those located in coastal areas, to be dumped at high temperatures, which has been found to be destructive for the marine ecosystem. Based on ICEL data, at least 15 out of 29 PLTUs in the country are located in coastal areas and all of them dump waste into the sea. The government is planning to develop 95 more PLTUs over the next 10 years, 71 of which will be situated by the sea. 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 Wening Gitomartoyo (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12 2018 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. The letter posted on the KPIs official website and reportedly signed by KPI head Yuliandre Darwis said the commercial and program failed to adhere to decency norms as stated in the Broadcasting Code of Conduct and Program Standards (P3SPS). 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 News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Berlin, Germany Wed, December 12, 2018 18:38 1082 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1fd4de 2 World #France,#shooting,strasbourg-christmas-market,suspect,Germany,convicted Free The suspect in the deadly shooting attack at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg was jailed for burglary in Germany before being expelled to France, German authorities said Wednesday. The 29-year-old suspect was sentenced to two years and three months for burglaries in the city of Mainz and in Baden-Wuerttemberg state, and jailed in 2016. "He served a year in Germany before being expelled to France," a spokesman from Baden-Wuerttemberg's interior ministry told AFP. 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 teeth fillings. Four years later, he hit a pharmacy in the Lake Constance town of Engen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, pocketing cash. German authorities were on the lookout for the fugitive "along the Rhine" river region, the ministry spokesman said. "But at the moment we do not believe that he has crossed into the country," he added. Hundreds of police and anti-terror forces hunted Wednesday for a gunman who shot dead three people and wounded 13 at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, with the suspect known to police and thought to be an religious extremist. The attack took place Tuesday around 8 pm (1900 GMT) in the heart of the medieval city in eastern France as the market was closing, sending crowds fleeing for safety. The suspected shooter, a 29-year-old from the south of the city, was on a watchlist of suspected extremists and "is actively being hunted by security forces," local officials said in a statement. The man opened fire in three areas of the Christmas market, which draws hundreds of thousands of people each year to its wooden chalets selling festive decorations, mulled wine and food. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Nation/Asia News Network) Bangkok, Thailand Wed, December 12, 2018 12:14 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1e8c16 2 World #FranceAttack,#Thailand,Tourist,killed,strasbourg-christmas-market,shooting Free A Thai tourist was among three victims killed by a gunman at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening, Paris time, according to a Thai expat organisation in France. Namtip Ficho, chairwoman of the Association of Thai Provence, said she has been informed by the Association of Thai Students in France that Anupong Suebsamarn was killed in the shooting shortly after arriving in the country on holiday. Namtip quoted the tourist's wife, Naiyana Subesamarn, as saying that her slain husband was 45. Naiyana had given the details while she waited at a hospital where her husband had been taken, said Namtip, adding that the Thai Embassy in Paris has been informed of the death.The Thai ambassador is scheduled to travel to Strasbourg today (Wednesday) to help handle the legal process regarding the death. French authorities said the gunman also wounded a dozen others before fleeing the scene. A manhunt was under way after the killer opened fire at around 8pm local time (2am Bangkok time) on one of the city's busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and wounded him, but could not stop him escaping, French police said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dario Thuburn (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom Wed, December 12, 2018 16:24 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1f768b 2 World #UK,#Brexit,Theresa-May,vote,no-confidence Free Prime Minister Theresa May faced a no-confidence vote on Wednesday after dozens of MPs from her own Conservative Party called for one in the wake of her desperate decision to delay a vote on Brexit she was certain to lose. Graham Brady, the head of the party committee in charge of elections, said the vote by Conservative Party lawmakers will be held between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm (1800 and 2000 GMT) on Wednesday. The results will be "announced as soon as possible in the evening," he said. If May loses that vote, a leadership election is held and, if a new party leader is elected, he or she becomes the new prime minister. The fate of both her unpopular draft withdrawal agreement and her government are now in the balance with the clocking ticking down to Britain's March 29 departure from the European Union after 46 years. The no-confidence vote was triggered after months of plotting by Brexit-supporting Conservative MPs to collect the minimum 48 letters from MPs necessary to trigger a vote. Several past members of May's government -- including former foreign minister Boris Johnson -- have had their eyes on the premiership post. If May survived the motion, no second one could be taken by party members for another year. Several top members of her cabinet quickly rallied to her support. "The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election," Home Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted. Javid himself has been mentioned as a possible replacement for May. "Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March," Javid wrote. - Irish border row - The British leader toured European capitals on Tuesday in an attempt to salvage the deal, after MPs savaged its provisions on the issue of the Irish border. May said she wanted "assurances" from EU leaders that if Britain ever entered the so-called "backstop" arrangement for the border, this would only be "temporary". But she also said it was "the best deal available", adding: "There's no deal available that doesn't have a backstop". She received sympathy from EU partners but firm rejections of any attempt to reopen the agreement, which was approved by EU leaders last month following tortuous negotiations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting May that there was "no way to change" the deal. - 'Down to the wire' - May on Monday told MPs she was postponing a critical vote on the deal scheduled for Tuesday, admitting that it faced rejection and promising to consult EU leaders in an effort to get additional reassurances on the backstop. She has said the vote will now be held before January 21. On her whistlestop tour, she also met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and is headed to Dublin on Wednesday for talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before an EU summit on Thursday. "I doubt if she really knows what she's going to achieve," said Pippa Catterall, professor of history and policy at the University of Westminster. Catterall said that May could be trying "to take it down to the wire... so in the end parliament is faced with the choice: my deal or no deal". After her weekly Prime Minister's Questions at 1200 GMT, May will chair her first cabinet meeting since she announced the vote delay where ministers will discuss stepping up preparations for a no-deal Brexit. If no deal is approved by parliament, Britain will crash out of the European Union on March 29 -- a prospect that could trigger economic chaos. - Government in 'disarray' - Even if May survives Wednesday's vote and potential leadership challenge, she could face a no-confidence motion from opposition parties. The main opposition Labour Party has said the government is in "disarray" but is so far holding off on attempting to topple May. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats, which are both anti-Brexit, have urged Labour to do so and are hoping this could lead to a second referendum. A few EU supporters within May's own Conservative Party are also calling for another popular vote, while Brexit hardliners are urging fellow Conservatives to oust her. A lot will hinge on what the Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 MPs prop up the government, will do. The DUP have indicated they will not vote against May on a confidence motion for now but have demanded that she jettison the backstop. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 19:12 1082 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1fdf8a 1 City South-Jakarta,fallen-tree,damage Free Rainfall and heavy winds on Wednesday felled several trees in Jakarta, one of which hit a car belonging to SMA Muhammadiyah senior high school in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. The tree hit a four-wheeled vehicle parked at the school, South Jakarta Forestry Agency official M. Yuswardi said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com. He said the agency was currently trying to remove the banyan tree, which measures 95 centimeters in diameter. Another tree on Jl. Saidi II in Cipete Utara fell on electricity cables, he added. According to data from the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), four more trees were uprooted in South Jakarta on Wednesday. The first fell in front of Kota Kasablanka shopping mall at 1.15 p.m. and caused a traffic jam in the area. At 1:30 p.m., a tree fell on Jl. Kalibata Selatan, Pancoran. Not far from there, on Jl. Pertani IV, another tree fell and hit overhead electric cables at 1:53 p.m. Meanwhile, vehicles were unable to pass Jl. Kapten Tendean in Mampang Prapatan because of a toppled tree near a turning around point. The Jakarta Forestry Agency has trimmed 57,229 trees to prevent them from falling in the rainy season. We trimmed the upper section of the trees, the agencys acting head Susi Marsitawati said on Tuesday, adding that 187 trees had toppled and 191 trees had been damaged in the past two weeks. (ami) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Shanghai, China Wed, December 12, 2018 15:49 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1f1ccf 2 Sports #Japan,#badminton,kento-momota,BWF,finals,Shanghai Free World badminton champion Kento Momota made a lightning start at the BWF World Tour Finals in China on Wednesday, rampaging past India's overwhelmed Sameer Verma in just 36 minutes. The Japanese star is looking to put the seal on a breakthrough year in which he has risen to number one in the rankings and become world champion for the first time. It is all a far cry from 2016, when Momota was expelled from Japan's team for the Rio Olympics and banned for more than a year for visiting an illegal casino. The 24-year-old had too much quality and power for Verma -- ranked 14th in the world -- thrashing him 21-18, 21-6 to confirm his status as the man to beat in Guangzhou. Also untroubled in her opener was the women's number one, Tai Tzu-ying from Tawian, who defeated Zhang Beiwen of the United States 21-15, 21-17 in 30 minutes. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 17:38 1082 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1fad87 1 News Garuda-Indonesia,Kertajati-Airport,West-Java,new-route,Airlines,travel Free National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia announced Wednesday that it will launch new services from Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka, West Java. According to a statement, the airline will launch a flight from Kertajati to Lampung and on to Palembang starting Dec. 18 and a flight between Kertajati, Balikpapan and Tarakan starting Dec. 21. "In line with our commitment to develop a national flight network, we expect these new flights to be able to support the effort to accelerate new economic opportunity in the regions," said Garuda Indonesia commercial director Nicodemus P. Lampe in a statement. Available three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, the Kertajati-Lampung-Palembang flight will use an ATR 72-600 aircraft that can accommodate 70 passengers. It is scheduled to leave Kertajati airport at 9:50 a.m. local time and arrive in Lampung at 11 a.m., and then continue its journey to Palembang at 11:30 a.m. Read also: Garuda Indonesia promises 'vintage' flight experience' The return flight from Palembang to Lampung is scheduled to depart at 6:40 a.m. The connecting service will leave Lampung at 8:10 a.m. and arrive in Kertajati airport at 9:20 a.m. Additionally, Garuda Indonesia will use a Bombardier CRJ1000 Nextgen aircraft that can accommodate 96 passengers to operate its Kertajati-Balikpapan-Tarakan flight twice a week on Monday and Friday. The Kertajati-Balikpapan flight will leave Kertajati airport at 12:35 p.m. and arrive in Balikpapan at 4:10 p.m., and then leave for Tarakan at 5 p.m. The flight from Tarakan to Balikpapan will depart at 9:10 a.m., before leaving Balikpapan at 10:45 a.m. to arrive in Kertajati at 11:55 a.m. (kes) English French PRESS RELEASE Nexans renews its 600 million euros revolving credit facility Paris La Defense, December 12, 2018 - Nexans signed a 600 million Revolving Credit Facility with 11 of its core banks for a period of five years, thereby extending the tenor of the Group's access to liquidity until 2023. This facility amends and restates the 600 million Revolving Credit Facility signed by the Group in 2015 that was due to expire in December 2020. About Nexans As a global leader in advanced cabling and connectivity solutions, Nexans brings energy to life through an extensive range of best-in-class products and innovative services. For over 120 years, innovation has been the company's hallmark, enabling Nexans to drive a safer, smarter and more efficient future together with its customers. Today, the Nexans Group is committed to facilitating energy transition and supporting the exponential growth of data by empowering its customers in four main business areas: Building & Territories (including utilities, smart grids, emobility), High Voltage & Projects (covering offshore wind farms, submarine interconnections, land high voltage), Telecom & Data (covering data transmission, telecom networks, hyperscale data centers, LAN), and Industry & Solutions (including renewables, transportation, Oil & Gas, automation, and others). Corporate Social Responsibility is a guiding principle of Nexans' business activities and internal practices. In 2013 Nexans became the first cable provider to create a Foundation supporting sustainable initiatives bringing access to energy to disadvantaged communities worldwide. The Group's commitment to developing ethical, sustainable and high-quality cables drives its active involvement within several leading industry associations, including Europacable, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), International Cablemakers Federation (ICF) or CIGRE to mention a few. Nexans employs more than 26,000 people with industrial footprint in 34 countries and commercial activities worldwide. In 2017, the Group generated 6.4 billion euros in sales. Nexans is listed on Euronext Paris, compartment A. For more information, please visit: www.nexans.com & follow us on: Contacts : 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 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Squire Mining Ltd. (CSE:SQR | FWB:9SQ | OTCQB:SQRMF) (Squire or the Company) announces that it has established an advisory board of industry experts to broaden the Companys expertise and keep abreast of developing trends in the rapidly evolving fields of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. To this end, the Company has appointed Jimmy Nguyen and Dr. Craig S. Wright as inaugural members of the Companys advisory board. Jimmy Nguyen is the founding President of the bComm Association , the first-ever organization dedicated to bCommerce (Bitcoin commerce). The bComm Association brings together developers, merchants, exchanges, miners and other Bitcoin network participants and is dedicated to educating about why massive on-chain scaling through Bitcoin SV is important not just for merchants and application developers, but also for the mining industry in general. Mr. Nguyen will head the industry group as it provides global support for Bitcoin SV, as the key to long-term financial success for all participants in the inter-related Bitcoin ecosystem. Dr. Wright is the Chief Scientist for nChain, known for global leadership in blockchain and bitcoin research, and possesses an intimate knowledge and understanding of Bitcoins technical and economic workings as well as its future potential. Together, Jimmy and Dr. Wright are expected to provide Squire with invaluable insight and advice on current and future developments and trends in the Bitcoin SV ecosystem and the broader cryptocurrency and blockchain industries in general. About Squire Mining Ltd. Squire is a Canadian based company engaged, through its subsidiaries, in the business of developing data mining infrastructure and system technology to support global blockchain applications in the mining space including application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chips and next generation mining rigs to mine Bitcoin SV, Bitcoin Core and other associated cryptocurrencies. For further information contact: Taras Kulyk, JD, MBA Chief Executive Officer, Director Telephone: +1 (604) 260-6142 The Canadian Securities Exchange accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes forward-looking information that, while considered reasonable, is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. New York, NY, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) honored Pfizer Inc and Covestro LLC, along with those companies leaders, for their dedication to inspiring and empowering women in engineering, at an awards gala held in New York City on Tuesday, December 11. Pfizer Inc was honored for leadership in advancing women in the biopharmaceuticals sector in particular for the companys empowerment of women in leadership roles, support for women-owned businesses, and for Pfizers international reputation as a best company for women in executive leadership, for working mothers, and for millennial employees. The honor for Pfizer Inc was accepted by Ian C. Read, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Covestro LLC was recognized for championing women in manufacturing, corporate leadership, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. This was exemplified in part by Covestros investment in global mentorship programs including Project SEED, Greenlight for Girls, and others. Covestros representatives at the gala included Jerry MacCleary, the companys Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who accepted the award on their behalf. The gala also honored Nance Dicciani, founder, president, and Chief Executive Officer of medical-device company RTM Vital Signs LLC, who received the AIChE Foundations Doing a World of Good Medal, a prize that salutes the achievements of an individual who has advanced the societal contributions of engineers. Dicciani was commended for her dedication and personal investment in mentoring future generations of scientists and engineers. In accepting the Doing a World of Good Medal, Dicciani reflected on her own career trajectory and the key role that mentors played in inspiring her own success. Although I am a firm believer that our lives and careers are first and foremost our own responsibility, I also believe that those of us with experience have an obligation to share our insights and knowledge with those who follow, said Dicciani. We also have an obligation to create an environment where others can learn, contribute, and grow professionally. The 2018 AIChE gala raised approximately $570,000 to support efforts that expand womens leadership programs, strengthen pre-college STEM education for girls, and improve the retention of women engineers at all stages in their careers, stated AIChE Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer June Wispelwey. The theme of this years gala to inspire and empower women in the engineering profession emphasizes AIChEs commitment to cultivating a diverse and innovative workforce where everyone is encouraged to contribute to their full capacity, said Wispelwey. This years exemplary honorees are examples of the fulfillment of this objective through their dedication to the establishment of diverse and inclusive workplaces. The gala's theme was also articulated in a short film prepared for the event. The annual gala supports priority initiatives of the AIChE Foundation and its Doing a World of Good campaign, which focus on advancing chemical engineering and bringing that expertise to bear for the good of society. The campaigns diversity and inclusion initiatives received a boost at the gala with the announcement of a new five-year, $5 million initiative: All for Good: Engineering for Inclusion dedicated to programs that will attract and retain the best engineering talent from all walks of life for the profession. The 2018 galas dinner chairs were Christine Bryant, Senior Vice President, PolyurethanesNorth America, Covestro LLC; Karen S. Carter, Chief Inclusion Officer, The Dow Chemical Company; Bruce Chinn, President, Chevron Oronite Company LLC; Susan Ellerbusch, Chief Executive Officer, Air Liquide USA LLC; Erin N. Kane, President and Chief Executive Officer, AdvanSix Inc.; Kirsten Lund-Jurgensen, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Pfizer Inc; and John Y. Televantos, Senior Partner, Arsenal Capital Partners. Receiving the audiences applause, Pfizers Read remarked on the long history of women chemical engineers at Pfizer, and their lasting contributions to the company. Noting the many successful women engineers employed at all levels of the Pfizer organization, Read added, We take our commitment to inclusion just as seriously as our commitment to innovation. To be honored for actions that are at the intersection of both is immensely rewarding and humbling for all of us at the company. In introducing the honor for Covestro and MacCleary, Ellerbusch cited the many activities that Covestro and its employees engage in to generate passion for STEM careers, including Ignite, Imagine, Innovate Covestros own program to fire-up young minds to become the innovators of tomorrow through hands-on learning, internships, and unique educational opportunities geared toward women and other underrepresented groups. For more information on AIChEs 2018 Annual Gala, and for photographs of the event, visit www.aiche.org/gala. # # # About AIChE: AIChE is a professional society of more than 60,000 chemical engineers in 110 countries. Its members work in corporations, universities and government using their knowledge of chemical processes to develop safe and useful products for the benefit of society. Through its varied programs, AIChE continues to be a focal point for information exchange on the frontiers of chemical engineering research in such areas as energy, sustainability, biological and environmental engineering, nanotechnology, and chemical plant safety and security. More information about AIChE is available at www.aiche.org. # # # Attachment jetcityimage/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Amazon workers at a Staten Island warehouse are launching a campaign to unionize, officials at the retail workers union confirmed on Wednesday. Employees at the Staten Island facility spoke about what they called problematic workplace conditions at a press conference in front of New York City Hall. The news of the organizing push was first reported by Bloomberg. "Ever since they opened, management has forced everyone at the warehouse to work 12-hour shifts for five or six days a week. During our new-hire orientation, management promised us that the company would provide a shuttle service and ride shares to help us get to and from the warehouse, which is located in a remote area of the island. That has not happened," Rashad Long, an order picker in Staten Island, told reporters. He added that he commutes on an "overcrowded MTA select bus service." The conference took place before a New York City Council hearing on the new Amazon HQ2 or second headquarters deal on Wednesday, officials from the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU/UFCW) who are working with some Amazon employees to organize, told ABC News. News of workplace conditions is under renewed scrutiny on the heels of the Queens HQ2, for which Amazon is receiving more than $1.5 billion in tax breaks and incentives from New York City and the state. The deal has been criticized for granting taxpayer funds to the world's largest retailer. Protesters say that the already crowded mass transit system cannot handle the additional 25,000 workers that Amazon has promised to hire locally to commute to Queens. "Health and safety at the facility is also [a] huge issue. Product bins are over-stuffed and our breaks are few and far between. The third and fourth floors are so hot that I sweat through my whole shift, even when its freezing cold outside. We have asked the company to provide air conditioning for us, but they told us that the robots inside cant work in cold weather, so theres nothing they can do about it," Long said. "On top of that, the sprinkler system and smoke detectors in the building dont even work! I honestly feel that my life is in jeopardy just by working there," he added. Last week, 24 Amazon workers in New Jersey were hospitalized after a robot accidentally tore a can of bear repellent spray at a fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Not for release, publication or distribution in the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia or Member States of the European Economic Area ("EEA") SCHLIEREN (ZURICH), Switzerland, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kuros Biosciences (SIX: KURN) (the Company or Kuros) announces the results of the rights offering, first announced on November 29, 2018, in which a total of 8,013,306 new registered shares of Kuros sourced from the ordinary and authorized share capital with a nominal value of CHF 1.00 each were offered to Kuros existing shareholders at an offer price of CHF 2.50 per share. At expiration of the rights exercise period on December 12, 2018, 12.00 noon CET, subscription rights for 2,769,608 new registered shares were validly exercised, representing 34.6% of the new registered shares offered. 5,243,698 new registered shares for which subscription rights were not exercised will be offered in the share placement to eligible institutional investors or others. The capital increase is expected to be implemented as previously announced, since the number of shares subscribed in the rights offering together with certain hard commitments from existing and new investors to subscribe additional shares in the share placement exceed the minimum CHF 8 million gross proceeds, which the Company requires to progress commercialization of MagnetOs bone graft substitute in the U.S. and selected geographies in Europe. Offered shares in respect of which subscription rights have not been exercised will be available for sale in a share placement that shall occur from December 12, 2018, after close of trading, to December 13, 2018, after close of trading (the "Share Placement Period"). In order to prevent speculative trading that might affect the share price adversely for each of the potential investors, depending on such investors' respective investment case, the Company requested for the suspension of trading in its securities listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange on December 13, 2018 (i.e. during the Share Placement Period), which has been approved by the SIX Swiss Exchange. A suspension of trading on December 13, 2018 will ensure equal treatment of all shareholders during the Share Placement Period. The final number of new registered shares issued, and the gross proceeds raised via the capital increase will depend on, inter alia, the number of shares subscribed amongst existing and new equity investors. The final number of offered shares and gross proceeds from the rights offering and share placement will be announced on December 13, 2018 after market close. If CHF 16 million of gross proceeds are raised in the capital increase, the phase 2 clinical study of the Companys proprietary fibrin-PTH (KUR-113) product in spinal fusion can continue as planned as otherwise it will have to be delayed. The listing and first day of trading of the new registered shares on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the delivery of the new registered shares against payment of the offer price are expected to take place on December 18, 2018. For further information, please contact: Kuros Biosciences AG Media & Investors Michael Grau Hans Herklots Chief Financial Officer LifeSci Advisors Tel +41 44 733 47 47 +41 79 598 7149 michael.grau@kurosbio.com hherklots@lifesciadvisors.com About Kuros Biosciences AG Kuros Biosciences (SIX: KURN) is focused on the development of innovative products for bone regeneration and is located in Schlieren (Zurich), Switzerland and Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Visit www.kurosbio.com for additional information on Kuros, its people, science and product pipeline. Forward Looking Statements This media release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are urged to consider statements that include the words will or expect or the negative of those words or other similar words to be uncertain and forward-looking. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements include scientific, business, economic and financial factors. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility for updating forward-looking statements or adapting them to future events or developments. The purpose of this publication is to inform shareholders of Kuros Biosciences AG and the public. This press release does neither constitute an offer to buy or to subscribe to rights or shares of Kuros Biosciences AG nor a prospectus within the meaning of the applicable Swiss law. Investors should make their decision to exercise rights or buy or to subscribe to new shares solely based on the offering and listing prospectus available free of charge at Kuros Biosciences AG, Wagistrasse 25, 8952 Schlieren. Investors are furthermore advised to consult their bank or financial adviser. This publication may contain specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like "believe", assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. Kuros Biosciences AG assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments. The securities described herein are offered publicly without restrictions in Switzerland only. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT BEING ISSUED IN THE USA, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN AND SHOULD NOT BE DISTRIBUTED TO U.S. PERSONS OR PUBLICATIONS WITH A GENERAL CIRCULATION IN THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN AND MUST NOT BE DISTRIBUTED OR DISSEMINATED TO ONE OF THESE COUNTRIES BY PUBLICATIONS WITH A GENERAL CIRCULATION. THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE FOR OR PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES. THE SECURITIES OF KUROS BIOSCIENCES AG HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AS AMENDED AND ARE NOT BEING OFFERED IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS. In relation to the United Kingdom the communication of this publication is not being made, and this publication has not been approved, by an authorized person for the purposes of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, this publication is not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. Rather, the communication of this publication is being made to, and is directed only at persons outside the United Kingdom. This publication is only available to such persons and the transaction contemplated herein will be available only to, or engaged in only with persons outside the United Kingdom, and this publication must not be acted on or relied upon by any other person. In relation to each Member State of the EEA which has implemented the Directives 2003/71/EG dated November 4, 2013 (the "Prospectus Directive") (each a "Relevant Member State") and 2010/73/EU dated November 24, 2010, an offer to the public of rights or shares of Kuros Biosciences AG which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this publication may not be made in that Relevant Member State. An offer to the public of rights or shares of Kuros Biosciences AG may in particular also not be made under the provisions of Article 3 (2) of the Prospectus Directive or the respective regulations of national regulations implementing the Prospectus Directive. The offer referred to in this press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any jurisdiction. 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. Dublin, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United States Energy Efficient Glass Industry Business and Investment Opportunities Databook - 150 KPIs Covering Market Size by Value and Volume across End Markets, Products, and Technology Segments" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This market intelligence databook provides detailed market opportunities in energy efficient glass industry with over 150 KPIs, covering end markets, glass products, and technologies. It provides a comprehensive understanding of energy efficient glass industry sectors in both value and volume terms through 300+ data tables and charts. Report Scope Market Size and Forecast by Energy Efficient Glass Products Overall Demand for Energy Efficient Glass Market Single Glazing Double Glazing Triple Glazing Smart Glass Market Size and Forecast by Smart Glass Technology Segments SPD Electrochromic PDLC Thermochromic Photochromatic Market Size and Forecast by Construction Markets Overall Construction Residential Commercial Industrial Institutional Market Size and Forecast by Transport Sector By energy efficient glass product By smart glass technology segments By Application Market Size and Forecast by Electronics, Power, and Other Segments By energy efficient glass product By smart glass technology segments By Application Topics Covered 1 About this Report 2 United States Energy Efficient Glass Demand Dynamics and Growth Prospects 3 United States Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast by Product 4 United States Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast by Smart Glass Technology 5 Construction Industry: Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast 6 Residential Construction Industry: Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast 7 Commercial Construction Industry: Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast 8 Industrial Construction Industry: Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast 9 Institutional Construction Industry: Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast 10 Transport Industry: Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast 11 Electronics, Power, and Other Industry Segments: Energy Efficient Glass Demand and Forecast 12 Analysis by Application in Construction Industry 13 Analysis by Application in Residential Construction Industry 14 Analysis by Application in Commercial Construction Industry 15 Analysis by Application in Industrial Construction Industry 16 Analysis by Application in Institutional Construction Industry 17 Analysis by Application in Transport Industry 18 Analysis by Application in Electronics, Power, and Other Industry Segment For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4nhfz8/energy_efficient?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. MBABANE The State is appealing the judgment which declared as unconstitutional, the law that empowers it to withhold pension for civil servants or public officers who had been found on the wrong side of the law. Through the office of the attorney general, the State has since filed a notice of appeal challenging the decision of the full bench of the High Court. Usually, the State would approach the courts for an order to withhold pension for civil servants who had been dismissed for misappropriation of funds. Most of the culprits were school head teachers and officers from the law enforcement agencies. The full bench of the High Court found that Section 32(2) of the Retirement Fund, which permitted such attachment, was inconsistent with Section 195 (6) of the Constitution, and therefore was invalid. Unconstitutional The section which the court has since declared unconstitutional stipulated as follows: A retirement fund may deduct an amount from a members benefit in respect of; (a) an amount representing the loss suffered by the employer due to any unlawful activity of the member, and for which judgment has been obtained against the member in a court or a written acknowledgment of culpability has been signed by the member and provided that the aforesaid written acknowledgment is witnessed by the member and who had no less than eight years of formal education, (b) an amount for which the employee is liable under a guarantee issue by the employer for purposes of obtaining a housing loan; provided that an original notarised document exists, which confirms that the guarantee was made. The full bench which decided the matter consisted of Justices Mbutfo Mamba, Mumcy Dlamini and Sipho Nkosi. MBABANE A businessman suspected to be involved in criminal activities has avoided the clutches of the POCA, which has seen the preservation of assets for forfeiture at a later stage. POCA stands of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act of 2018. On the strength of this Act, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has successfully applied for the preservation of assets belonging to individuals who were being investigated for their suspected involvement in criminal activities. The preservation of the assets is the first step towards seizing them. The assets involved are those that are believed to have been obtained through criminal activities. In the event the court grants the preservation order, an officer is appointed, under whose custody the property is to be kept. The DPP moved a similar application against Monty Shongwe, who is out on bail on four charges of alleged car smuggling. The DPP wanted the court to grant an order for the preservation of Shongwes grey Opel Astra 2.01 sedan registered BSD 774 DM, and 10 one-room flats situated on Eswatini Nation Land at Mfabantfu. High Court Judge John Magagula dismissed the application. The judge said the court was not satisfied that the items were proceeds of criminal activity, and with the reasons put forward by the DPP for the preservation and subsequent seizure of Shongwes property. Dismissed This is the only application that has so far been dismissed. The application was filed ex parte (without Shongwes knowledge). In motivating the applicant, Head of the Assets Forfeiture Unit Elsie Matsebula, said Shongwe allegedly had no tax history and no employment track record to authenticate his purchase or investments. Matsebula said, instead, Shongwe has a long history with the law. MBABANE The crime of robbery is usually associated with men, but a woman of Sithobelweni did the unthinkable when she allegedly robbed a savings scheme (stokvel). Zinhle Mando Mavimbela (31), who is also a member of Kancane Kancane Bomake Savings Scheme, is alleged to have staged the robbery during the counting of the money which was to be shared among the members. Shoot She is alleged to have threatened the other members that unless they consented to her taking the money she would shoot them there and then. The total amount of money which Mavimbela is alleged to have taken is E84 250. On top of the aforementioned amount, she is alleged to have taken E4 800 cash, which was already in possession of one of the members, Nobuhle Mamba. Not only did she allegedly take the aforementioned amounts, she is further reported to have robbed Mamba some of her valuables. The items which Mavimbela allegedly forcefully took from Mamba are valued at E5 700. The items which she allegedly took from Mamba include; a Mobicel K1 cellphone and a black handbag with personal documents. She now stands charged with two crimes of robbery which she allegedly committed on December 1, 2018 at Lavundlamanti in the Lubombo Region. Through her attorney Linda Dlamini, Mavimbela yesterday moved an urgent bail application at the High Court. Some of the people who are suspected to have acted jointly with Mavimbela are still wanted by the police. Among those who are now on the police wanted list, is Mavimbelas brother. In her application for bail, she told the court that she was innocent of the charges against her and would plead not guilty at trial. Mavimbela submitted that she had a bona fide defence to the charge in that she did not partake in the robbery either alone or in furtherance of a common purpose with anyone. It is imperative to mention from the onset that I was heavily assaulted by the police to an extent that I was made to admit to having committed the offence which I am charged with, submitted the accused (Mavimbela). Share She also submitted that, sometime this month, the exact date which she did not recall, they were supposed to share some money with other members. According to the accused, the money was from savings of their association with and/or scheme known as Kancane Kancane Bomake Savings Scheme, where they made monetary contributions from the beginning of the year. She alleged that the place where they were supposed to share the money, was changed, and she was advised of same by a child she found at the shop. While at the shop counting the money, we heard gunshots and a male voice demanding keys to open the shop, which I surmise were robbers, said Mavimbela. From left, Julie Fiely and Terri Fiely stand in front of Carpenters Corner, which is closing after almost 14 years of operation in Titusville. The business is offering a number of discounts for their last month of operation and will close its doors on Dec. 29. You have reached a premium content area of TOL. To read this entire article please login if you are already a TOL subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). SMITHFIELD, Va., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce a $15,000 donation to the Sullivan County Exposition Center & Fairgrounds to support the construction of an outdoor amphitheater overlooking Lake Cowgill that will be utilized for events throughout the year. Our goal is to provide a venue that delivers recreational, social, educational, and cultural opportunities for Sullivan County families, said Cary Maulsby, board member, Sullivan County Exposition Center & Fairgrounds. We are grateful to Smithfield Foods for their donation in helping make this project happen. The Sullivan County Exposition Center & Fairgrounds, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that hosts community events throughout the year. The current facility features a rodeo performance area, a tractor pulling track, a demolition derby or mud run arena, and a livestock barn and show arena. With the help of Smithfields gift, the organization will add an amphitheater as well as a youth campground and permanent shower and restroom facilities. Future plans also include the development of a multipurpose 400-seat exposition center. This amphitheater is going to be a tremendous asset to this community and were proud of the recreational and cultural impact it will have on our neighbors here in Sullivan County, said Tim Messman, plant manager of Smithfields Milan, Missouri Facility. Smithfield Foods has a strong commitment to support the communities we call home, and we are thrilled to be able to provide this gift to the Sullivan County Exposition Center & Fairgrounds to make this dream a reality. Smithfields support of the Sullivan County Exposition Center & Fairgrounds aligns with its commitment to contribute to the vitality of the communities where its employees live and work. Smithfields Milan, Missouri, facility was established in 1994 and employs nearly 1,200 local employees. For more information about Smithfields commitment to its local communities, please visit smithfieldfoods.com/helpingcommunities . About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cook's, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curly's, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn . Media Contacts: Smithfield Foods, Inc. Lisa Martin lvmartin@smithfield.com (757) 365-1980 Sullivan County Exposition Center & Fairgrounds Cary Maulsby carymaulsby@windstream.net (660) 265-5683 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fb8c8cd-0433-44da-9170-f0f1b00a96eb Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the UAE outside oil and gas, has announced that 75 per cent of the construction work on its giant bauxite mining project in the Republic of Guinea in West Africa has been completed. The project has a total budgeted project cost of $1.4 billion and is being developed by EGAs subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC). It is the largest greenfield investment in the West African country in the last four decades. First bauxite exports are expected during the second half of 2019, said a statement from EGA. GAC has recorded almost 9 million man hours of work without a Lost Time Injury (LTI). The total recordable injury frequency rate at GAC for the year to date is 0.8 per million hours worked, less than a quarter the International Aluminium Institutes global benchmark for bauxite mining last year. Announcing the details, Managing Director and CEO Abdulla Kalban said: "We are now entering the final phase of construction of our project in Guinea and the team in Guinea is focused on achieving First Ore On Ship safely, responsibly, on time and on budget." Guinea is the worlds largest bauxite resource holder, and EGAs project will contribute significantly to the countrys exports of the ore from which aluminium is derived. Once full ramp up is achieved, the project is expected to produce some 12 million tonnes of bauxite per year. "Whilst construction continues, work is also progressing well on preparations to operate the mine and export facilities efficiently for the benefit of Guinea and EGA for decades ahead," he noted. Kalban said bauxite from the GAC project will be sold to aluminium producers around the world. The Guinea project is part of EGAs strategic drive to expand its business upstream and internationally, building on the companys decades-long heritage in aluminium smelting in the UAE. Almost 3,000 people, of whom more than 80 per cent ae Guineans, are currently building the GAC project. The project has taken some 23 million man hours of work so far, the equivalent of one person working for some 18,000 years. In addition to the GAC project, EGA is building the UAEs first alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi. Alumina refineries convert bauxite ore into alumina, the feedstock for aluminium smelters, said the statement from EGA. GAC's concession is located in the Boke region of north-western Guinea, close to existing mines that are operated by other companies. Bauxite will be transported by rail to the coast, using existing railway lines that are already used by other companies. GAC has completed rail loops, and spur to connect its facilities to the existing nearby track, it stated. GAC is also building port facilities including an unloading yard and an export pier at Kamsar, a well-established bauxite port on the coast, said the company statement. During the operational phase, the project is expected to directly employ some 400 people, in addition to about 400 subcontractors. GAC also invests in supporting communities near its operations, addressing issues such as health, education and training, it added.-TradeArabia News Service The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) along with Russia and its allies, including a stubborn holdout Iran, has r0eached a last minute deal on a larger-than-expected production cut, in a move that could mop up a burgeoning global crude-supply glut, said media reports. The deal comes despite pressure from President Trump to maintain current output levels and keep prices low. Under the deal, Opec nations would cut 800,000 barrels and the Russia-led group would handle the remainder, reported Wall Street Journal. Oil prices shot up on Friday after the Opec meeting which decided to reduce oil production by a total of 800,000 bpd, while non-Opec nations, led by Russia, are reportedly adding another 400,000 bpd of cuts, for a total of 1.2 million bpd OPEC+ production cut. At 09:31 a.m. EDT on Friday, WTI Crude was soaring 3.73 per cent at $53.41, while Brent Crude was surging 4.15 per cent at $62.55. Under this agreement, Saudi Arabia, Opecs de facto leader, will make the biggest cut. Russia, which is not an Opec member but is an increasingly important factor in global oil markets, will account for much of the rest, said Oil Price.com. The Opec deal had hung in the balance for two days - first on fears that Russia would cut too little, and later on concerns that Iran, whose crude exports have been depleted by US sanctions, would receive no exemption and block the agreement, reported Reuters. But after hours of talks, Iran gave Opec signals that it was ready to cut more. Russia gave a commitment to reduce output by 228,000 bpd from October levels of 11.4 million bpd, though it said the cuts would be gradual and take place over several months. The countrys energy minister, Alexander Novak, said Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed an output decrease with Saudi Prince Mohammed. Iraq, Opecs second-largest producer, pledged to cut 140,000 bpd. Falih said Saudi production had dropped to 10.7 million bpd in December from 11.1 million in November and was set to decline to 10.2 million bpd in January. Iran was the last holdout in the talks within Opec, which dragged on from Thursday after members failed to agree on the size of a cut and who would be exempt, it stated. As talks resumed on Friday, Iran continued to refuse to accept wording that it would cut and insisted on exemption, remaining the only sticking point in the Opec negotiations, while the deal broker, Novak, flew in from Moscow for the non-Opec part meeting, and sat down for separate talks with each of oil ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia, Bijan Zangeneh and Khalid Al Falih, respectively. As the talks began on Friday, reports emerged that Russia may be ready to cut its oil production by 200,000 bpd as part of a deal with Opec to reduce oil supplya higher commitment than 150,000 bpd previously aired. The Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism has approved a recommendation presented by Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) on the utilisation of the Arab tourism data and statistics. The council invited the technical committee to discuss the implementation of the solutions mentioned, a BTEA statement said. BTEA chief executive officer Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa headed Bahrains delegation at the 21st session of the council, which took place at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport Headquarters in Alexandria, Egypt. The meeting discussed 13 topics relating to land, maritime and air transport including the preparation for the joint meeting between ministers of tourism and culture in the region which aims to build effective partnerships among Arab countries in the field of cultural tourism. The meeting also discussed the possibility of increasing the aid granted to the occupied State of Palestine, moreover dedicating a share of its programs for the implementation of rescue and development projects aimed at mitigating the aftermath of the Israeli attacks, rebuilding the stricken areas and providing support to overcome the financial crisis. The heads of delegations also reviewed the latest tourism data and statistics with the aim of reinforcing the Arab Tourism and Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 in the field of tourism within the region and enhancing the quality of services provided by travel and tourism agencies. TradeArabia News Service More than 650 stalls from 19 countries will take part in Bahrains Autumn Fair which returns for its 30th edition from January 23 to 31. Held under the patronage of the Bahrain Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, this nine-day retail festival will be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. A huge variety of goods will go on sale at this 15,400 sq m extravaganza, including speciality food, fashion, beauty, home decor, technology, toys, textiles and much more. A brand new Street Food Market to refresh hungry visitors will be an added attraction at the show. The market will offer shoppers a selection of culinary delights from some of Bahrains finest traders. Vendors confirmed for the launch include falafel favourites Bahrain Emperor of Falafel; frozen yoghurt and ice cream specialists Yogo Frozen Yoghurt; coffee and cake aficionados Uncle Sam Cafe; burger bars His Hat, Jasmis and McDonalds; and grill experts Mount Lebanon Restaurant, Lama Food, Babachi Restaurant, Green Glove Restaurant and Al Shami Al Aseel. With a wide range of products and excellent dining options, the Autumn Fair is the perfect opportunity for friends and family to meet in the new year. Visitors can look forward to discovering bargains, new-to-market products and old customer favourites from local and international traders in a friendly, festive atmosphere, said UBM AEM project manager Yaqoob Ali. Entry to the Autumn Fair 2019 is BD1. Tickets can be purchased during show opening hours from kiosks at the exhibition centre. Children under the age of 12 years will be admitted free of charge. The exhibition will open from 12 pm10 pm on January 23; 10 am2 pm and 4 pm10 pm on January 24; 12 pm10 pm on January 25; 10 am2 pm and 4 pm10 pm on January 26, 27, 28 and 29; and 10 am10 pm on January 30 and 31. On January 27 and 28 from 10 am2 pm the exhibition will open to ladies only. TradeArabia News Service Emirates Flight Catering, part of the Emirates Group and one of the worlds largest caterers, has been selected to lead the hospitality and operations for the New Zealand pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. The New Zealand pavilion restaurant, part of New Zealands expansive 2,000sqm Expo 2020 presence, will be central to the countrys participation at Expo 2020. International visitors will experience premium New Zealand food and beverage products, prepared by Emirates Flight Caterings skilled chefs. Saeed Mohammed, chief executive officer, Emirates Flight Catering, said: New Zealand is a high-profile destination and its innovative approach to hospitality will allow us to showcase our expertise in food, beverage and hospitality, and to provide a world-class experience to anyone who visits the pavilion. The opportunity to work alongside New Zealand and its visitors to Expo 2020, a milestone event for the United Arab Emirates, is something were incredibly proud of. Members of Emirates Flight Caterings experienced culinary team, made up of 1,800 chefs from 52 countries, will visit New Zealand early next year to source food and beverage products from experienced exporters for the pavilion restaurant. Clayton Kimpton, New Zealands commissioner-general to Expo 2020, said: New Zealands manaakitanga or warm hospitality is part of what makes us special. Were excited to partner with Emirates Flight Catering to share our pavilion experience and New Zealands food and beverage with the world at Expo 2020 Dubai. The agreement with New Zealand at Expo 2020 is further evidence of Emirates Flight Caterings expertise and expansion outside of its core flight catering business. The company recently commenced construction of its vertical farming facility in Dubai - the worlds largest vertical farm, with an investment value of $40 million. Its also expanding further into retail and consumer sectors, combining its culinary and production expertise to produce premium branded ice-cream and other food products. The United Arab Emirates has confirmed 190 countries will take part in Expo 2020 Dubai, to be held from October 2020 to April 2021. - TradeArabia News Service Seed CX Eyes Crypto Derivatives The number of swap execution facilities trading digital asset-based derivatives will be growing in the coming weeks as Seed CX expects to go live with trading in the first quarter of 2019. The facility will launch trading is US dollar-denominated contracts in bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ether, and litecoin, Edward Woodford, co-founder and CEO of Seed CX, told Markets Media. Each contract will be physically settled and able to be traded on margin based on a 10-day VAR. Seed CX also plans to introduce contracts priced in yen and euro later in the quarter. Although Woodford would welcome arbitrage trades on the platform, he noted that the opportunities to arbitrage between venues have shrunk considerably. "Just because there is a price delta between two exchanges, it doesn't mean that there is arbitrage," he said. "People disagree on whether certain arbitrages exist. For example, a token may be trading at a premium, but people may view that exchange as more trustworthy and are willing to pay a premium on that exchange." The new venue is geared for institutional investors and offers FIX connectivity to its primary and secondary datacenters for low-latency and high-frequency trading. "NY4 is our primary, and we have a failover in Chicago's CH1," he said. "The reason that we did that was that the groups that are jumping into the crypto space are typically FX groups and NY4 and NY5 are the hubs for FX trading. Woodford expected the firm would broaden its offerings eventually to include tangential products such as instruments based on a tokens hash rate or a binary product based on whether a tokens code forks or does not fork. Seed CX also has laid the groundwork to support securities-token trading while the US Securities and Exchange Commission continues to develop its guidance on the digital asset class. Trading venues have a pending broker-dealer license with FINRA and a pending alternative-trading system license with the SEC, according to Woodford. "A lot of this is overblown in the media right now," he said. "FINRA basically is waiting on guidance from the SEC. Our goal is to work with regulators and to be in one of the first tranches of approval." In the meantime, Seed CX continues to operate CLOB-based spot market while expanding the number of participating market makers. Woodford declined to disclose the number of market makers currently on the platform but added that the trading venue offers incentives to market makers that meet their trading obligations. For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: The legacy of the Great Silk Road and modern international relations were discussed at an international scientific conference in Ashgabat, which was timed to the 23rd anniversary of Turkmenistans neutrality. The forum brought together representatives of the diplomatic missions accredited in Ashgabat, Turkmenistans embassies abroad, members of the Mejlis (parliament), political scientists, academic staff and students of higher education establishments and mass media. In their reports, speakers described the major stages and results of implementation of Turkmenistans foreign policy over 23 years that found their way into the reforms on modernization of the state and social structure. Speakers also noted Turkmenistans efforts in reviving the Great Silk Road, including through development of modern transport and transit corridors and logistics centers, strengthening economic interrelationships and enhancing partnership in humanitarian issues. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 New York The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has welcomed a further 25% increase in funding from the German government to its 2019 core resources, which follows a 60% increase for 2018. Germany also confirmed that it will become a launch partner in supporting UNDPs pioneering and groundbreaking launch in January 2019 of Accelerator Labs in 60 developing countries. These Labs will become integral to UNDPs existing country-based teams and infrastructure, and will enable UNDP to connect its global network and development expertise spanning 170 countries, with a more agile, innovation capacity to support countries in their national development priorities. We welcome the decision by Germany to invest in UNDPs core capacity as well as our cutting-edge Accelerator Labs initiative, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. It is my hope that by supporting and connecting a diverse group of government actors, entrepreneurs, academics, and civil society with global networks of development innovation and best practice, we can surface nationally inspired solutions that will accelerate and scale up progress towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Alongside its increase in core contributions from 40 to 50 million EUR in 2019, Germany will be a launch partner in the Accelerator Labs with 10 Million EUR for 2019. Both contributions have been approved with the budget for 2019 by parliament which is expected to come into effect in early 2019. Additional launch partners will be announced in the near future. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. At its heart are the 17 SDGs, an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership to end poverty, improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. Gerd Muller, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany: The work that UNDP is doing is absolutely essential in a changing world where countries are increasingly turning their backs on multilateralism. Development in particular is a global challenge that we can only tackle and achieve through concerted action as a global community of nations. The SDGs and the 2030 Agenda require a commitment from all of us, every nation and every individual. That is why we are giving our backing to UNDP and to its new initiative, the Accelerator Labs. Their task will be to bring together clever minds around the globe who have good ideas regarding trailblazing solutions for the future. That way, the goals of the 2030 Agenda will be translated into concrete action on the ground. UNDP works in over 170 countries, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. The Accelerator Labs will be connected and supported by a global learning network and a wide array of partners to build on work already done by UNDP in incubating policy and innovation in labs in over a dozen countries. While all nations are committed to the SDGs, time is of the essence, said Steiner. With its global presence and as a trusted partner to development actors, UNDP sees these Labs as a catalyst for a next generation of development solutions, emerging from within the countries we serve. The new Strategic Plan 2018-2021 sets out a focused menu of new policy and programme services to Member States which will greatly benefit from Germanys generous funding. Germany is currently the largest government donor to UNDP. English French TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) today filed its submission commenting on the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) proposed amendments to National Instrument 81-105 Mutual Fund Sales Practices (NI 81-105) and Related Consequential Amendments. Fundamentally, IFIC believes that it is important to provide choice for investors, both in the advice and services they choose and in how they prefer to pay for them, said Paul Bourque, President and CEO, IFIC. IFICs submission offers recommendations that preserve this investor choice, while also making clear that investors should only pay for the services they receive. The CSAs proposal includes repealing the section of NI 81-105 that currently permits the deferred sales charge (DSC) payment option. IFIC continues to support the availability of the DSC payment option; the DSC option can be appropriate for certain investors who choose it and should not be prohibited. The CSA proposal also seeks to prohibit the payment of trailing commissions in circumstances where it is not possible to make a suitability determination or offer investment advice. As IFIC has previously stated, investors should not pay an embedded advisory fee on channels that do not offer advice. Investors should be free to choose how they access investment services, and registrants should have flexibility in how they are compensated. To review the IFIC submission , please visit IFIC.ca. About IFIC The Investment Funds Institute of Canada is the voice of Canadas investment funds industry. IFIC brings together 150 organizations, including fund managers, distributors and industry service organizations, to foster a strong, stable investment sector where investors can realize their financial goals. By connecting Canadas savers to Canadas economy, our industry contributes significantly to Canadian economic growth and job creation. To learn more about IFIC, please visit IFIC.ca . Court in Ecuador to consider appeal of Wikileaks founder Assange,says lawyer Quito, Dec 12 (UNI) An Ecuadorian court will consider the appeal submitted by the defense of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange against the demand of the country's government to comply with a protocol containing rules specially developed for him, Assanges lawyer in Ecuador, Carlos Poveda said. The whistleblower has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy since 2012. Assange has repeatedly suggested he might be apprehended outside the embassy and extradited to the United States,reported Sputnik. CYPRESS, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. Elevator & Escalator Division introduces Diamond HS premium passenger elevators for high-rise buildings. Designed to offer premium service while addressing passenger safety and comfort, Diamond HS elevators include innovative technology systems that keep pace with societys ever-growing demands for energy efficiency and sustainability. Mitsubishi Electric is committed to providing uncompromised reliability and sustainable performance in all of its products. Our high-speed Diamond HS elevators are no exception, says Erik Zommers, senior vice president and general manager for Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. Elevator & Escalator Division. We designed and manufactured Diamond HS elevators in response to the markets diverse application demands. They offer comfort, smooth and efficient passenger movement, energy savings and originality in design. Some of the industry-leading features of the Diamond HS line include: The worlds highest level of efficiency and power factor for traction machines One of the worlds quietest brakes as a result of advanced noise-reduction technology New sfleX-rope technology for super high-rise rope mechanics to reduce rope stretching An optional active roller guide that reduces vibrations and provides even more comfort for passengers Diamond HS elevators are equipped with Sigma AI-2200C or Sigma AI-22 group control systems (AI-22 and AI-2200C). These systems utilize artificial intelligence to optimally apportion passengers to cars according to factors such as waiting time, travel time, current car occupancy, energy consumption and building size. Diamond HS elevators are also available with an optional destination-oriented allocation system (DOAS) that can reduce average waiting times by up to 30 percent compared to conventional control systems. Passengers use hall-operating panels to select their destination floor before boarding the elevator, allowing the supervisory controllers algorithm to determine the best car to serve that floor. Dispersing passengers by destination eliminates the need for passengers to press a button within the car, reduces the number of potential stops that a car will make, minimizes wait and travel times for all users and reduces energy consumption. To promote sustainability, Diamond HS elevators use a permanent magnet gearless traction machine, which produces an intense magnetic field due to high-density, high-precision winding of the joint-lapped cores built into the machines motor, reducing energy usage and CO 2 emissions. Diamond HS are equipped with intelligent door systems to promote safety and reliable door operation. As sensors detect conditions including variations in door loads between floors, wind strength within elevator shafts and sediment in the door tracks, the data is analyzed by a highly-efficient Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) so that the elevator can adjust the speed at which doors open and close and modify torque to reduce the likelihood of a door-related failure. Precise control of AC motor speed and torque is provided by variable-voltage, variable-frequency (VVVF) inverters that enable Diamond HS elevators to vary voltage and AC motor input frequency as required. Additionally, Mitsubishi Electric offers a door operator design that is unique to the industry, where the door operator mechanism is structurally isolated from the elevator cab, minimizing noise and vibration transmission into the cab, and further stabilizing door operation. The brake system incorporated into the Diamond HS elevators traction machines employs a double-brake configuration to stop elevators securely. An additional high-resolution motor encoder maintains landing precision and affirms that passengers feel safe stepping across the threshold to board and disembark and feel comfortable during their ride. If the sensors detect a passenger or object over the track, the doors will immediately stop closing and then fully reopen. Emergency features include standard earthquake and fire emergency operations, as well as emergency car lighting, automatic emergency power source operation, a remote supervisory panel, and MelEye, an advanced control system from Mitsubishi Electric. In addition to safe and efficient passenger movement, rider comfort is key in the design and configuration of Diamond HS elevators. Leading-edge control systems and devices work with highly skilled installation technology to assure that even high-speed rides are smooth and quiet throughout their duration. An added focus on alignment ensures that cars are perfectly positioned at floors as the doors open. For more information about Diamond HS elevators, and the complete line of Mitsubishi Electric elevators and escalators, visit http://www.MitsubishiElevator.com . About Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. Elevator & Escalator Division Headquartered in Cypress, California, Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. Elevator & Escalator Division sells, installs, modernizes and services elevators and escalators. The division is recognized as an industry leader in product quality, reliability and preventive maintenance programs. Quality in Motion is inherent in the divisions best in class products and people. Quality is at the divisions core. The products differentiate themselves through the smooth ride, leading edge technology and unmatched reliability. The commitment continues over the life of the product through the divisions intensive service program that maximizes uptime of vertical transportation. Additional information is available at www.MitsubishiElevator.com or 714-220-4700. In addition to elevators and escalators, Mitsubishi Electric US group companies principal businesses include cooling and heating products, semiconductor devices, automotive electrical components, factory automation products and services, electric utility products and large-scale video displays for stadiums and arenas. Mitsubishi Electric US group companies have roughly 31 locations throughout North America with approximately 4,000 employees. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f1dd7fbd-60c1-4366-9cd8-0a9ff4599314 PITTSBURGH, Pa., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USI Insurance Services (USI) has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to the greater Pittsburgh business community through the recent acquisition of Wells Fargo Insurance Services and Key Insurance & Benefits Services. For nearly 40 years, USI has been serving the needs of clients in the greater Pittsburgh area through acquired agency partnerships. These recent transactions reinforce USIs dedication to serving the needs of local businesses and individuals in Pittsburgh by expanding the firms property & casualty, employee benefit, personal risk and retirement consulting expertise. Julie Hayden, employee benefits practice leader, USI Pittsburgh, commented: Employing more than 60 industry-leading professionals, USIs Pittsburgh office is ranked as one of the top 10 largest brokers of property & casualty and employee benefits business in western Pennsylvania. Looking ahead to 2019, were excited to build on our established presence in the Pittsburgh market by investing heavily in additional sales talent, technical resources and account management expertise. What truly distinguishes USI as a leading insurance brokerage and consulting firm in the Pittsburgh region, and nationally, is the USI ONE Advantage, a game-changing value proposition that delivers a robust set of innovative risk management and benefit solutions with bottom line financial impact for clients, stated Mark Susco, property & casualty practice leader, USI Pittsburgh. Our proprietary Omni Knowledge Engine, combined with our network of local and national resources, delivered to clients through our enterprise planning process gives USI fundamentally different solutions, the resources to deliver and a process to bring superior results to Pittsburgh area businesses. Earlier this year, USI was named as one of Forbes Best Large Employers in America and a Top Insurance Workplace by Insurance Business America, recognizing the companys large investment in its associates and the creation of one of the most innovative and dynamic personal and professional development cultures in the industry. To learn more about USIs best-in-class solutions and services, visit www.usi.com. About USI USI is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the world, delivering property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk and retirement solutions to large risk management clients, middle market companies, smaller firms and individuals. Headquartered in Valhalla, New York, USI connects together over 6,000 industry-leading professionals across more than 150 offices to serve clients local, national and international needs. USI has become a premier insurance brokerage and consulting firm by leveraging the USI ONE Advantage, an interactive platform that integrates proprietary and innovative client solutions, networked local resources and enterprise-wide collaboration to deliver customized results with positive, bottom line impact. USI attracts best-in-class industry talent with a long history of deep and continuing investment in our local communities. For more information, visit usi.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. ### United Kingdom Overseas Territories at Conference of the Parties (COP) 24 Representatives from countries around the world are meeting in Poland in a further attempt to steer decisive climate action. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the avenue through which global climate policy is negotiated. This 24th meeting of the parties (COP 24) is focusing on the follow up and implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Political discussions will therefore also focus on climate finance, emission targets, and the role of large states. After successful lobbying by Environment Ministers to the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) the UK Government, it was agreed that for the first time ever the UKOTs would be directly represented and form part of the official UK delegation attending COP 24. The Environment Ministers Council of the UKOTs nominated Dr Kedrick Pickering, Deputy Premier of the British Virgin Islands as the political representative from the territories to attend the conference. Dr Liesl Mesilio, CEO and Chief Scientist of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Climate Change at Her Majestys Government of Gibraltar was then nominated as the scientist representing the OTs and providing technical support for Dr Pickering. Together they make up the OT delegation. As part of the conference, they will be meeting the Hon Nick Bridge, the UK Special Representative on Climate Change as well as the Hon Dr Roseanna Cunningham, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform. Dr Pickering, Deputy Premier of the British Virgin Islands and head of the OT delegation said It is important for us as the OTs to continue to make our voices heard on all the devastating effects of climate change on us as small island development states. We will lobby forcefully for whatever financial help can be had from the Green Climate Fund. The aims of the OT delegation are to ensure that due consideration is given to the OTs in their ability and efforts to combat the effects of climate change. Raising international awareness on this is a key part of their agenda. Climate change adaptation and mitigation is also high on their list of priorities. With this in mind, their focus will be to network internationally and create opportunities for the OTs to attract green inward investment, displaying them as critical centres for research and development in the fields of renewable energy deployment, smart cities and sustainable development. Dr Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform in Scotland said The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is clear that we all need to act if we are to keep global temperature rise within the limits set by the Paris Agreement. The UK Overseas Territories are home to unique biodiversity and ecosystems and are on the front line of climate change as weve seen with recent hurricanes and extreme weather events. It is essential that we are all able to contribute in a meaningful way to addressing this crucial issue. Scotland is a nation of islands and I look forward to sharing our expertise and experience and working together with the OTs on what is without doubt the defining issue of our time. The urgency to reach the key milestones set out in the Paris Agreement and deal with climate change places very high expectations on COP24. There are still many challenges of international climate cooperation but the atmosphere in Poland is positive and optimistic as countries strive to deliver on this critical agenda. Dr Mesilio, Roseanna Cunningham, Dr Pickering, Dr Clare Hamilton, Deputy Director, Decarbonisation Division, Scottish Government TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX: EDGF.UN) Brompton Funds Limited (Brompton or the Manager), the manager of European Dividend Growth Fund (the Fund) announces that a special meeting of unitholders (Unitholders) of the Fund will be held on February 14, 2019 (the Meeting). At the Meeting, Unitholders of the Fund will be asked to approve the conversion of the Fund (the Conversion) from a closed-end investment fund into an exchange-traded fund (ETF), along with certain other changes considered ancillary, necessary or desirable, in the opinion of the Manager to facilitate and implement the Conversion. Upon the effective date of the Conversion, the Fund will become Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF. All costs of the Conversion, including with respect to the Meeting, will be borne by the Manager. The Manager believes that Unitholders will benefit from the Conversion for the following reasons: Lower Management Fee and Management Expense Ratio: The management fee payable by the Fund is currently 1.25% of the net asset value (NAV) plus applicable taxes until July 2020 and is 0.95% of the NAV plus applicable taxes thereafter. After the Conversion, the management fee payable by Unitholders will be 0.75% of the NAV of Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF. After the Conversion, the Manager also intends to waive a portion of the management fee of Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF and/or reimburse Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF to ensure that the sum of the management fee and operating expenses, in each case inclusive of associated GST/HST, is limited to 0.95% of the NAV of Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF. Enhance Flexibility of the Investment Strategy: The Manager is proposing to amend certain provisions in the Funds investment strategy to expand the Funds investment universe and allow for greater flexibility in Brompton European Dividend Growth ETFs portfolio. The proposed amendments will be set out in the management information circular. Better Trading Price Relative to NAV per Unit and Reduced Bid/Ask Spread: The Manager anticipates that an improvement in the trading price of the units of the Fund (relative to the NAV per unit of the Fund) will provide a meaningful increase in value for Unitholders. As at December 11, 2018, prior to the announcement of the Meeting, the Fund had a 5.6% discount to NAV. Market makers for ETFs are able to price their bids and asks for ETF units tightly around their estimate of NAV. It is expected that bid/ask spreads will be significantly reduced from the Funds bid/ask spread. This is beneficial to investors because a smaller bid/ask spread is expected to result in a lower effective cost to buy or sell ETF units. Increased Trading Liquidity: Approved dealers acting as market makers for an ETF are able to offer or bid for large volumes of that ETF on a stock exchange, as approved dealers have the ability to create or redeem ETF units daily in large blocks directly from Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF. This is expected to result in improved liquidity, allowing an investor to buy or sell large amounts of Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF units without materially affecting the market price. The Fund holds a portfolio of large capitalization, liquid equities and, therefore, it is expected that the Conversion will improve the trading liquidity of the Fund from current levels. Potential for Lower Expenses per Unit due to Growth: As Brompton European Dividend Growth ETF will distribute units on a continuous basis, it will have the potential to increase the number of such units outstanding through the issuance of new units, thereby spreading its operating expenses across more units and reducing expenses per unit. Unitholders of record of the Fund at the close of business on January 15, 2019 will be entitled to vote at the Meeting of the Fund. If approved, the Conversion is expected to be implemented in April 2019, subject to obtaining the required regulatory approvals. Details of the proposed Conversion will be further outlined in the Funds Notice of Special Meeting of Unitholders and management information circular that will be prepared and delivered to Unitholders in connection with the Meeting and will be available under the Funds profile on www.sedar.com . About Brompton Funds Brompton Funds, a division of Brompton Group which was founded in 2000, is an experienced investment fund manager with over $2 billion in assets under management. Bromptons investment solutions include TSX traded funds, mutual funds and flow-through limited partnerships. For further information, please contact your investment advisor, call Bromptons investor relations line at 416-642-6000 (toll-free at 1-866-642-6001), email info@bromptongroup.com or visit our website at www.bromptongroup.com . You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell units of an investment fund on the Toronto Stock Exchange or other alternative Canadian trading system (an exchange). If the units are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current NAV when buying units of an investment fund and may receive less than the current NAV when selling them. There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning units of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the Fund. You can find more detailed information about the Fund in the public filings available at www.sedar.com. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to matters disclosed in this press release and to other matters identified in public filings relating to the Fund, to the future outlook of the Fund and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the future financial performance of the Fund. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terms such as may, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, believe, intend, estimate, predict, potential, continue or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Actual results may vary from such forward-looking information. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. In Moscow, 26-30 November 2018, RILO CIS has welcomed a five-day Training for NCP officers of Armenia. During the course the participants were trained to input seizure data into the Customs Enforcement Network (CEN), download CEN data to Microsoft Excel format for analysis to identify new risk indicators and trends, and introduced to basic and advanced statistical analysis techniques using Microsoft Excel in accordance with Global RILO Network Best Practices. As the result participants increased the efficiency of the analysis and threat assessments to facilitate the decision-making process for policy makers. Beside this, the participants were exposed to RILO CIS activities and operations such as Sentinel-2018. The RILO CIS Officer provided an overview of the drug trafficking situation in the RILO CIS Region in the context of sharing experiences and good practices. Also the participants of the training course were provided with interactive exercises for self-fulfillment and consolidation of the acquired skills. The World Customs Organization (WCO), with the financial support of WCO/CCF-Reserves, in collaboration with the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), organized a workshop held from November 19 to 23, 2018, in the City of Lisbon (Portugal), to finalize the development of the Strategic Plan for the Conference of CPLP Customs Directors General, with the participation of representatives from Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor Leste. In highly interactive sessions, the team worked in detail on the revision and validation of the document of the CPLP Customs Strategic Plan, project list and respective Capacity Building initiatives. The workshop was decisive to create the guidelines that will comprise the Business Case with insights on resource mobilization, taking in account the expected sponsorship by possible donor/international community to support the delivery of the activities detailed in the Strategic Plan. During the closing remarks Ms. Ana Paula Raposo, Deputy Director General for the Customs Procedures Department, Portuguese Tax and Customs Administration, emphasized the priority and commitment of the CPLP Customs to materialize the Strategic Plan and acknowledge WCO support in this great achievement for the CPLP Customs. The WCO remains committed to providing adapted support to its Members, and congratulates the CPLP Customs administrations for this accomplishment, since this document will facilitate and guide the discussion at national and international fora for its ongoing modernization efforts. For more information about this activity, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org SAINT PAUL, Minn., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Smithfield Foods, Inc . and Cub joined forces to donate more than 41,000 pounds of protein to Second Harvest Heartland . Smithfields contribution was part of the companys 2018 Helping Hungry Homes donation tour. Now in the programs 10th year, Helping Hungry Homes is Smithfields signature hunger-relief initiative focused on alleviating hunger and helping Americans become more food secure. The donation, equivalent to more than 164,000 servings, will help families facing hunger across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. High-quality protein products are center of the plate items that are always in demand, even more so during the holiday season, said Rob Zeaske, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. We are thankful for this considerable donation from Smithfield and Cub, which provides those in our service area with nutrient-rich and comforting food this season that is otherwise hard for not only families in need to acquire, but the food bank as well. Smithfield and Cub representatives presented the donation to Second Harvest Heartland at an event at a local Cub store this morning. Members of each organization discussed food insecurity in the local community and the significance of this donation, which will provide protein throughout the food banks service area, reaching thousands of food insecure individuals across more than 50 counties. At Cub, we look forward to the opportunities we have to align with like-minded, community-focused organizations to support our local area, said Chad Ferguson, president of Cub Operations. Cub is honored to stand again with Smithfield to support food security through this protein donation to Second Harvest Heartland that will feed our neighbors in need. This is the 54th large-scale protein donation made by Smithfield to food banks across the country during its 2018 Helping Hungry Homes tour. Since the programs inception in 2008, Smithfield has provided more than 100 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts, and community outreach programs nationwide. As a food company, Smithfield is honored to provide those facing food insecurity with wholesome protein, said Jonathan Toms, associate manager of charitable initiatives for Smithfield Foods. This donation to Second Harvest Heartland will provide many across the food banks service area with much-needed protein during the winter season, an especially important time to support those who are in need of food assistance. For more information about Smithfield Foods Helping Hungry Homes initiative and a list of upcoming donation events, visit helpinghungryhomes.com . About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cook's, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curly's, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com , and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn . About the Second Harvest Heartland Second Harvest Heartland is one of the largest, most efficient and most innovative hunger relief organizations in the nation. In close partnership with nearly 1,000 food shelves, food pantries and other meal programs, Second Harvest Heartland helps the one in ten people in Minnesota and western Wisconsin who face hunger every day. On average, 74 percent of food our partner agencies distribute comes from Second Harvest Heartland. In 2017, Second Harvest Heartland helped provide a record 81 million meals to more than a half million people. We will continue to leverage our unique position in the emergency food chain to advocate, educate and provide food until everyone in our service area has what they need to thrive. For more information, visit 2harvest.org or call 651.484.5117. About Cub Cub, based in Stillwater, Minn., was established in 1968 as one of the nations first discount grocery stores. The organization was purchased in 1980 by SUPERVALU and operates 78 stores in Minnesota and Illinois that offer customers fresh produce, a wide selection and food expertise throughout the stores to meet their everyday grocery needs. As the hometown grocer for 50 years, Cub has made it a priority to be a good corporate citizen by helping to create healthy and thriving communities that enhance the quality of life for its customers, employees and neighbors. For company news and information, follow us on Twitter at @CubFoods and Facebook at www.facebook.com/Cub, or visit our website at www.cub.com . Media Contacts: Dalton Agency for Smithfield Jana Beasley (904) 534-8568 jbeasley@daltonagency.com Second Harvest Heartland Tina Mortimer (651) 209-7935 tmortimer@2harvest.org Cub Mike Wilken (952) 828-4558 michael.wilken@supervalu.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c0070b5b-cbed-4b14-9502-d255c72f374b By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 11, 2018 | 07:34 PM | PADUCAH If you're wanting to spread some love and a little "Christmas Spirit," a local church has some tips.Pastor Joel Cauley of Relevant Church said they began their "12 Days of Christmas Kindness," campaign on Tuesday, and it runs through December 22.Cauley told West Kentucky Star they are encouraging random acts of kindness and generosity in the city, especially when expecting nothing in return."With all of the chaos and stuff going on throughout the world, I believe spreading a little Christmas cheer through generosity will go a long way, and we never can underestimate the power of even a small act of kindness," Cauley said.At their website, www.WeAreRelevant.org/kindness, there are downloadable suggestion cards that can be used to plan when and how to carry out the acts of kindness. There are suggested acts that cost nothing, acts that cost less than $20, and acts that cost a little more.Cauley said "The whole family can be involved - adults, children - it doesn't matter the age. I believe all of us have ways that we can show acts of kindness."The suggestion cards can also be picked up at both Paducah locations of Station Burger Company.The restaurants are also encouraging people to spread the word by sharing their Facebook post about the campaign. Each person who likes and shares the post could win a free meal (one chosen each day), and the restaurant will also give a $12 gift card to the winner's favorite non-profit organization so that someone in need gets a meal. Anyone who brings their completed suggestion card back to a Station Burger Company location on December 22 will be included in another special giveaway. On the Net: Advertisement By Mike Cooper, West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 11, 2018 | PADUCAH By Mike Cooper, West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 11, 2018 | 08:11 PM | PADUCAH The Paducah City Commission repealed a 1967 profanity ordinance and approved a professional service agreement at their Tuesday evening meeting. The commission approved an ordinance to repeal Section 66-93 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances regarding the use of profane, offensive, or indecent language in public places. The ordinance was enacted in 1967, however, in February 2017, the Supreme Court of Kentucky addressed ordinances regulating speech. Paducah has since received a legal opinion stating that Section 66-93 of Paducahs Code is believed now to be unconstitutional. They also approved a Municipal Order for a professional services agreement in the amount of $50,000 with Thomas P. Miller & Associates for the development of a marketing and engagement strategy in an effort to attract private investment into Paducahs Opportunity Zones. Opportunity Zones are economic development tools promoting investment in distressed communities through legislation enacted by the Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. New investments in an Opportunity Zone area may be eligible for preferential tax treatment such as capital gains tax advantages. To qualify as an Opportunity Zone, a census tract must have a poverty rate of at least 20 percent, be nominated by the State for designation, and certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury. The City has two Opportunity Zone designations for Census tracts 303 and 304, located on the northern and downtown areas in Paducah. In other business, Jay Page, Beverly McKinley, and Vic Patel were reappointed to the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau Board, Commissioner Richard Abraham was reappointed to the Brooks Stadium Commission, a municipal order was approved to extend the fuel contract with Midwest Terminal for the 2019 calendar year, and the Parks and Recreation Department presented the awards for the 2018 Christmas Parade, which was held December 1st. The parade award winners are: Themed Float Division: 1st Place Paducah McCracken Composite Mountain Bike team 2nd Place James Sanders Nursery 3rd Place Girl Scout McCracken County Service Unit 4th Place Dippin Dots 5th Place BFW/Marcum Engineering Religious Float Division: 1st Place Highland Cumberland Presbyterian Church 2nd Place West KY Christian Alliance 3rd Place Grace Point Church Non-Float Division: 1st Place MelRhea Balloons 2nd Place Goodwin Farms 3rd Place Blackburn Farms School Float Division: Paducah Middle School Drill Team Division: 1st Place Tornado Cheer Squad 2nd Place Paducah Quick Step Cloggers 3rd Place Silver Lining Home School Band Division: 1st Place Paducah Tilghman High School Band of Blue 2nd Place McCracken County High School Band The commission also had an executive session before the meeting was adjourned. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 12, 2018 | WEST PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 12, 2018 | 02:00 PM | WEST PADUCAH A Kevil man was arrested Monday night and is facing drug charges. The McCracken County Sheriff's Department says they conducted a covert drug investigation with the Marshall County Sheriff's Department and the DEA. The investigation led to a 6 pm traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 36-year-old Brandon Hunter near the intersection of US Highway 60 and Cairo Road. Detectives say this was just after Hunter allegedly delivered methamphetamine to someone in the parking lot of a business. Detectives report that they seized about 18 ounces of meth, almost 5 ounces of marijuana and over $6,600 that is believed to be the proceeds of drug sales. With help from Ballard County Sheriff's Deputies, a search warrant was obtained and executed at Hunter's home in Kevil. Detectives say they seized an additional pound of methamphetamine, along with marijuana, scales, drug paraphernalia and three handguns. The Sheriff's Department says Hunter is a convicted felon who is currently on parole. He is charged with trafficking in a controlled substance - meth, trafficking in marijuana, and failure to notify the Department of Transportation of an address change. He was taken to McCracken County Jail, and detectives say more charges are likely. 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. NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against, Teladoc Health, Inc. (Teladoc or the Company) (NYSE: TDOC) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and indexed under 18-cv-11603, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities, other than Defendants and their affiliates, who purchased or otherwise, acquired Teladoc securities between March 3, 2016, and December 5, 2018, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Teladoc securities between March 3, 2016 and December 5, 2018, both dates inclusive, you have until February 11, 2019, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] Teladoc was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York. The Company provides telehealth services worldwide. The Company offers a portfolio of services and solutions covering 450 medical subspecialties, such as flu and upper respiratory infections, cancer, and congestive heart failure. The Company provides its services through mobile devices, the Internet, video, and phone. The Company serves health plans, health systems, and other entities. Mark Hirschhorn (Hirschhorn) is Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Teladoc. In those capacities, Hirschhorn is responsible for advancing the Companys financial infrastructure and strategic direction and developing Teladocs industry-leading operations. At all relevant times, the Company purported to be committed to the highest standards of integrity and ethics in the way it conducts business, and, to that end, adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all of its employees, officers and directors, including its chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and all other executive and senior officers. The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Hirschhorn was engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate; (ii) Hirschhorn and this subordinate engaged in insider trading to provide themselves with undue benefits; (iii) Hirschhorn caused the subordinate to receive promotions for which she was unqualified, thereby negatively impacting the Companys operations; (iv) the Companys enforcement of its own purported employment and trading policies were inadequate to prevent the foregoing conduct; and (v) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On December 5, 2018, the Southern Investigative Research Foundation (SIRF) published an article reporting that Teladocs CFO, Hirschhorn, had engaged in an affair with . . . an employee many levels below him on the companys organizational chart. The SIRF article stated that during their relationship, [the employee] received a series of promotions over colleagues with either more industry experience or better credentials that stunned her former colleagues. In addition, the SIRF article reported that the employee and Hirschhorn liked to trade Teladoc Healths stock together, with Hirschhorn tell[ing] her when he thought there were good opportunities to sell some shares. Following publication of the SIRF article, Teladocs stock price fell $4.00 per share, or 6.69%, to close at $55.81 per share on December 6, 2018. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 9980 TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: WDO) (Wesdome or the Company) is pleased to announce the interim mineral resource estimate at its 100% owned Kiena Mine Complex, in Val d'Or, Quebec. The mineral resource estimate includes drill data as of October 12, 2018. Since that time, ongoing underground exploration drilling has continued to return high grade results from the up and down plunge extensions of the Kiena Deep A Zone not currently in the mineral resource estimate. HIGHLIGHTS OF MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE December 12, 2018 Table 1: A Zone Mineral Resource Estimate (Kiena Deep) Tonnes Gold Grade (g/t Au)* Gold Ounces Measured 0 0 0 Indicated 310,300 9.95 99,300 Total M+I 310,300 9.95 99,300 Inferred 656,100 11.43 241,100 Table 2: Recently Drilled in-Mine Resource Estimate at Kiena Complex since 2016 (A, B, South, VC and S50 Zones) Tonnes Gold Grade (g/t Au)* Gold Ounces Measured 0 0 0 Indicated 1,028,900 6.38 211,100 Total M+I 1,028,900 6.38 211,100 Inferred 968,900 9.23 287,400 Table 3: Total Kiena Mine Complex Resource Estimate Tonnes Gold Grade (g/t Au)* Gold Ounces Measured 63,700 4.06 8,300 Indicated 3,056,500 5.84 574,300 Total M+I 3,120,200 5.81 582,600 Inferred 4,138,500 7.57 1,007,200 Detailed notes in table 4 of this press release. Measured and Indicated Resources are exclusive of inferred. *All grades capped to between 20 90 grams per tonne EXPLORATION TARGETS Following a detailed review of all pertinent information up to October 12, 2018, InnovExplo (see Qualified Persons and Technical Information in this press release) concluded that in the region of the down plunge extent of the Kiena Deep A Zone encompassing hole 6299 (see news release dated May 17, 2018) that is parallel to and alongside, but excluded from the A Zone current mineral resource estimate, that could add ounces to the mineral resource estimate with positive drill results and is estimated that the exploration target for the A Zone consists of 300,000-450,000 tonnes grading 8.0 to 11.0 g/t Au for 80,000 - 160,000 ounces Au. This area is not currently in the mineral resource estimate and not based on drilling completed after the October 12, 2018 cut off date for data. This area was drilled in late 2017/early 2018 and is currently considered an exploration target that requires additional drilling before it can be modelled and interpolated. The reader should be cautioned that this exploration target is not a mineral resource estimate and is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to define this as a mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the exploration target being delineated as a mineral resource. Mr. Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO commented, We are pleased with this snap-shot in time interim mineral resource estimate for the Kiena Mine Complex and we are confident that the mineral resource will grow as a result of the recent and ongoing drilling of the high grade Kiena Deep A Zone that remains open up and down plunge. This estimate has confirmed our understanding and additional potential of the Kiena Deep A Zone as well as establishing a capping grade of 90.0 g/t Au for future assessments of drilling. We are also pleased with the increased resources, not just at the A Zone, but also in the VC, South and S50 zones, which are important components of any future restart plans. In addition to the mineral resources, the exploration targets included by InnovExplo illustrates the potential quantity and grade that could be upgraded potentially with additional drilling in the next resource update. These results provide us the opportunity to commence our technical studies supporting a potential restart, as we continue to drill and expand the current resource base during 2019. Drilling of the A Zone was originally budgeted for 40,000 metres for 2018; however, only 23,000 metres were completed prior to the data cut off for the resource estimate on October 12, 2018. This delay in drilling was required to develop additional drill platforms in order to provide better angles for greater drill efficiency, and be able to intersect the up and down plunge extension of the Kiena Deep A Zone. The diamond drilling completed since the data cut off is highlighted below and has benefitted from this recent development. Five drills are in operation on the A Zone and remain focussed on the up and down plunge potential in advance of an updated mineral resource estimate later in 2019. Recent drilling has continued to return very high grade results both up and down plunge from the area of the current resource estimate and we are confident this will continue to grow. Hole 6398 was the first hole drilled from the new development to intersect the up plunge extension of the A Zone and returned 19.2 g/t Au, or 9.2 g/t Au cut over 5.4 metres true width. The mineral resource estimate only includes drilling over approximately 400 metres of the potential 1.2 km of plunge length interpreted from our recent 3D geologic modelling and will be our focus going forward. The drilling platforms established along a 450-metre access drift completed in the year have enabled us to test the up and down plunge extensions of the Kiena Deep A Zone, that is interpreted to extend up plunge towards the VC Zone area. Since October 2018, a total of 19 holes totalling 5,200 metres have been completed (Figure 1A and 1B). Highlights of the new drilling are listed below and summarized in Tables 5 and 6. RECENT DRILLING Highlights of recent drilling performed subsequent to the drilling included in the mineral resource estimate at the Kiena Deep A Zone includes: Hole 6383: 28.0 g/t Au over 24.0 metres core length (14.1 g/t Au cut, 16.5 metre true width) Hole 6375: 82.4 g/t Au over 11.1 metres core length (17.8 g/t Au cut, 8.5 metres true width) Hole 6370: 120.6 g/t Au over 8.9 metres core length (44.6 g/t Au cut, 8.0 metres true width) Hole 6384: 26.4 g/t Au over 13.2 metres core length (17.8 g/t Au cut, 9.3 metres true width) Hole 6398: 19.2 g/t Au over 5.9 metres core length (9.2 g/t Au cut, 5.4 metres true width) All assays are cut to 90.0 g/t Au. True widths are estimated CONFERENCE CALL A conference call to discuss these results will be held on Thursday December 13 at 9:00 am ET. Participants may join the call using the following details: North American Toll Free: 844-202-7109 International Dial In Number: 703-639-1272 Conference ID: 8799803 Webcast link: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/x7vraeck METALLURGICAL TESTING Preliminary results of the metallurgical testing performed by Centre Technologique des Residus Industriels returned positive results on four samples with recoveries ranging from 96.4% to 99.3%. Additional metallurgical analysis is planned to best incorporate the A Zone mineralization into the current mill design. QUALIFIED PERSONS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION The independent and qualified persons for the mineral resource estimate, as defined by NI 43 101, are Christine Beausoleil, P.Geo. and Carl Pelletier, P.Geo. (InnovExplo), and are considered to be independent of Wesdome for purposes of NI-43-101. The technical and geoscientific content of this release has been compiled, reviewed and approved by Bruno Turcotte, P.Geo., (OGQ #453) Senior Project Geologist of the Company and a "Qualified Person" as defined in NI-43-101. QUALITY CONTROL AND REPORTING PROTOCOLS Analytical work was performed by Techni-Lab (ActLabs) of Ste-Germaine-Boule (Quebec), a certified commercial laboratory (SCC Accredited Lab #707). Sample preparation was done at Techni-Lab (ActLabs) in Val d'Or (Quebec). Assaying was done by fire assay methods and all samples with visible gold were assayed by metallic sieve method at Techni-Lab (ActLabs) laboratory in Ste-Germaine-Boule (Quebec). In addition to laboratory internal duplicates, standards and blanks, the geology department inserts blind duplicates, standards and blanks into the sample stream at a frequency of one in twenty to monitor quality control. The mineral resource estimate has been prepared by InnovExplo from Val-dOr, Quebec, and has been reviewed internally by the Company. The full technical report, which is being prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI-43-101), will be available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under the Companys issuer profile within 45 days from this news release. The effective date of the current mineral resource estimate is December 12, 2018. Table 4 Kiena Project Mineral Resource Estimate December 12, 2018 Tonnes Gold Grade (g/t Au) Gold Ounces Within Crown Pillar Measured 0 0 0 Indicated 162,800 5.32 27,900 Total M+I 162,800 5.32 27,900 Inferred 1,113,200 6.97 249,600 Below Crown Pillar Measured 63,700 4.06 8,300 Indicated 2,893,700 5.87 546,400 Total M+I 2,957,400 5.83 554,700 Inferred 3,025,300 7.79 757,600 Total Project Measured 63,700 4.06 8,300 Indicated 3,056,500 5.84 574,300 Total M+I 3,120,200 5.81 582,600 Inferred 4,138,500 7.57 1,007,200 Notes: The independent and qualified persons for the mineral resource estimate, as defined by NI 43101, are Christine Beausoleil, P.Geo. and Carl Pelletier, P.Geo. (InnovExplo), and the effective date of the estimate is December 12, 2018. These mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The mineral resource estimate follows CIM definitions and guidelines for mineral resources. Results are presented in situ and undiluted and considered to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The estimation combined two (2) estimation methods, ordinary kriging in the Kiena Complex and polygonal for other deposits on the property. The Kiena Complex resources encompasses for 13 zones with a minimum true thickness of 3.0 m using the grade of the adjacent material when assayed or a value of zero when not assayed. High-grade capping varies from 20 to 100 g/t Au (when required) was applied to assay grades prior to compositing grade for interpolation using an Ordinary Kriging interpolation method based on 1.0 m composite and block size of 5 m x 5 m x 5 m, with bulk density values of 2.8 (g/cm3). The zone outside the Kiena Complex encompasses for eight (8) zones with a minimum true thickness of 2.5 metre using a polygonal estimation method. The Measured resources grade were estimated using muck samples, chip samples and test holes, extrapolated up to 25 m above and below drifts opened within the mineralized zone. Indicated resources were estimated from drill hole results using the mid distance between drill hole or a maximum of 30 metres. The high-grade capping was fixed at 34.28 g/t Au with a bulk density values of 2.8 (g/cm3). The estimate is reported for potential underground scenario at cut-off grades of 3.0 g/t Au (> 40 dip) and 4.0 g/t Au (< 40 dip, Wesdome Zone). The cut-off grades were calculated using a gold price of US$1,250 per ounce, a CAD:USD exchange rate of 1.3; mining cost $110/t (> 40 dip); $150/t (< 40 dip); processing cost $35/t; G&A $15/t. The cut-off grades should be re-evaluated in light of future prevailing market conditions (metal prices, exchange rate, mining cost, etc.). The number of metric tons was rounded to the nearest hundred and the metal contents are presented in troy ounces (tonne x grade / 31.10348). InnovExplo is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political or marketing issues, or any other relevant issue not reported in this Technical Report that could materially affect the mineral resource estimate. ABOUT WESDOME Wesdome has had over 30 years of continuous gold mining operations in Canada. The Company is 100% Canadian focused with a pipeline of projects in various stages of development. The Companys strategy is to build Canadas next intermediate gold producer, producing 200,000+ ounces from two mines in Ontario and Quebec. The Eagle River Complex in Wawa, Ontario is currently producing gold from two mines, the Eagle River Underground Mine and the Mishi Open pit, from a central mill. Wesdome is actively exploring its brownfields asset, the Kiena Complex in Val dOr, Quebec. The Kiena Complex is a fully permitted former mine with a 930-metre shaft and 2,000 tonne-per-day mill. The Company has further upside at its Moss Lake gold deposit, located 100 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Company has approximately 134.8 million shares issued and outstanding and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WDO. Cautionary Statements Regarding Estimates of Mineral Resources This news release uses the terms measured, indicated and inferred resources as a relative measure of the level of confidence in the resource estimate. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources are not economic mineral reserves and that the economic viability of resources that are not mineral reserves has not been demonstrated. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issues. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource category. The mineral resource estimate is classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleums CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves incorporated by reference into NI 43-101. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies or economic studies except for Preliminary Assessment as defined under NI 43-101. Readers are cautioned not to assume that further work on the stated resources will lead to mineral reserves that can be mined economically. Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Reserves and Resources The mineral reserve and resource estimates reported in this news release were prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) as required by Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) applies different standards in order to classify and report mineralization. This news release uses the terms measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources, as required by NI 43-101. Readers are advised that although such terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities regulations, the SEC does not recognize such terms. Canadian standards differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories constitute or will ever be converted into mineral reserves. In addition, inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, is economically or legally mineable or will ever be upgraded to a higher category of mineral resource. For further information, please contact: Duncan Middlemiss or Lindsay Carpenter Dunlop President and CEO VP Investor Relations 416-360-3743 ext. 29 416-360-3743 ext. 25 dmiddlemiss@wesdome.com ldunlop@wesdome.com Michael Michaud 220 Bay St, Suite 1200 VP Exploration Toronto, ON, M5J 2W4 416-360-3743 ext. 22 Toll Free: 1-866-4-WDO-TSX mmichaud@wesdome.com 416-360-3743, Fax: 416-360-7620 Website: www.wesdome.com This news release contains forward-looking information which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the Company and its projects. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, or believes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. 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 Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances, managements estimates or opinions should change, except as required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Table 5: Kiena Deep Zone A Composited Drilling Results Hole No. From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) Estimated True width (m) Grade (g/t Au) Cut Grade (34 g/t Au) Cut Grade (90 g/t Au) Name Zone 6370 129.4 138.3 8.9 8.0 120.60 22.73 44.58 A Zone 6370 140.7 150.1 9.4 6.0 2.83 2.83 2.83 A1 Zone? 6370 158.7 165.7 7.0 5.5 9.22 8.90 9.22 A2 Zone? 6374 190.9 199.2 8.3 7.2 40.13 21.49 29.94 A Zone 6375 171.1 182.2 11.1 8.5 82.39 9.94 17.84 A Zone 6375 196.0 199.0 3.0 2.9 141.63 23.65 60.80 A1 Zone? 6377 238.3 241.3 3.0 2.7 10.37 10.37 10.37 A1 Zone? 6383 553.0 577.0 24 16.5 28.00 7.89 14.06 A Zone Including 562.6 577.0 14.4 9.9 40.56 10.56 17.32 A Zone 6384 573.6 586.8 13.2 9.3 26.39 9.99 17.76 A Zone 6385 448.6 453.2 4.6 2.3 5.87 5.85 5.87 A Zone 6385 483.0 485.7 2.7 1.4 4.03 4.03 4.03 A1 Zone? 6385 491.8 493.6 1.8 1.3 58.23 19.05 50.00 A2 Zone? 6388 110.8 122.3 11.5 6.1 12.03 6.20 9.11 A Zone 6390 451.0 456.1 5.1 3.8 38.89 12.57 22.40 A1 Zone? 6391 160.9 163.7 2.8 2.8 65.36 6.54 16.49 A Zone 6398 63.7 69.6 5.9 5.4 19.17 9.20 18.10 A Zone Table 6: Kiena Deep Zone A Drilling Assay Results Hole No. From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Cut Grade (34 g/t Au) Cut Grade (90 g/t Au) Name Zone 6370 129.4 130.4 1.0 3.82 3.82 3.82 A Zone 6370 130.4 131.4 1.0 23.23 23.23 23.23 A Zone 6370 131.4 132.4 1.0 67.14 34.28 34.28 A Zone 6370 132.4 133.4 1.0 6.78 6.78 6.78 A Zone 6370 133.4 134.4 1.0 17.63 17.63 17.63 A Zone 6370 134.4 135.4 1.0 17.16 17.16 17.16 A Zone 6370 135.4 136.4 1.0 364.92 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6370 136.4 137.4 1.0 318.39 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6370 137.4 138.3 0.9 282.54 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6370 140.7 141.7 1.0 1.40 1.40 1.40 A1 Zone? 6370 141.7 142.7 1.0 6.48 6.48 6.48 A1 Zone? 6370 142.7 143.7 1.0 0.13 0.13 0.13 A1 Zone? 6370 143.7 144.6 0.9 0.28 0.28 0.28 A1 Zone? 6370 144.6 145.5 0.9 1.09 1.09 1.09 A1 Zone? 6370 145.5 146.5 1.0 7.68 7.68 7.68 A1 Zone? 6370 146.5 147.5 1.0 3.80 3.80 3.80 A1 Zone? 6370 147.5 148.3 0.8 0.26 0.26 0.26 A1 Zone? 6370 148.3 149.1 0.8 5.62 5.62 5.62 A1 Zone? 6370 149.1 150.1 1.0 1.22 1.22 1.22 A1 Zone? 6370 158.7 159.7 1.0 3.32 3.32 3.32 A2 Zone? 6370 159.7 160.7 1.0 1.18 1.18 1.18 A2 Zone? 6370 160.7 161.7 1.0 0.67 0.67 0.67 A2 Zone? 6370 161.7 162.7 1.0 5.48 5.48 5.48 A2 Zone? 6370 162.7 163.7 1.0 1.22 1.22 1.22 A2 Zone? 6370 163.7 164.7 1.0 16.14 16.14 16.14 A2 Zone? 6370 164.7 165.7 1.0 36.50 34.28 36.50 A2 Zone? 6374 190.9 191.9 1.0 26.34 26.34 26.34 A Zone 6374 191.9 192.9 1.0 174.59 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6374 192.9 193.9 1.0 0.67 0.67 0.67 A Zone 6374 193.9 194.8 0.9 1.53 1.53 1.53 A Zone 6374 194.8 195.7 0.9 30.75 30.75 30.75 A Zone 6374 195.7 196.6 0.9 25.97 25.97 25.97 A Zone 6374 196.6 197.1 0.5 6.68 6.68 6.68 A Zone 6374 197.1 197.6 0.5 63.09 34.28 63.09 A Zone 6374 197.6 198.4 0.8 23.80 23.80 23.80 A Zone 6374 198.4 199.2 0.8 31.41 31.41 31.41 A Zone 6375 171.1 172.1 1.0 7.93 7.93 7.93 A Zone 6375 172.1 173.2 1.1 0.01 0.01 0.01 A Zone 6375 173.2 174.2 1.0 1.79 1.79 1.79 A Zone 6375 174.2 175.2 1.0 0.41 0.41 0.41 A Zone 6375 175.2 176.2 1.0 31.40 31.40 31.40 A Zone 6375 176.2 177.2 1.0 0.01 0.01 0.01 A Zone 6375 177.2 178.2 1.0 0.01 0.01 0.01 A Zone 6375 178.2 179.2 1.0 0.01 0.01 0.01 A Zone 6375 179.2 180.2 1.0 0.23 0.23 0.23 A Zone 6375 180.2 181.2 1.0 66.22 34.28 66.22 A Zone 6375 181.2 182.2 1.0 806.53 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6375 171.1 172.1 1.0 250.87 34.28 90.00 A1 Zone? 6375 172.1 173.2 1.1 171.64 34.28 90.00 A1 Zone? 6375 173.2 174.2 1.0 2.39 2.39 2.39 A1 Zone? 6377 238.3 239.3 1.0 4.22 4.22 4.22 A Zone 6377 239.3 240.3 1.0 8.93 8.93 8.93 A Zone 6377 240.3 241.3 1.0 17.98 17.98 17.98 A Zone 6383 553.0 554.0 1.0 84.89 34.28 84.89 A Zone 6383 554.0 555.0 1.0 0.25 0.25 0.25 A Zone 6383 555.0 556.0 1.0 0.64 0.64 0.64 A Zone 6383 556.0 557.0 1.0 0.96 0.96 0.96 A Zone 6383 557.0 558.0 1.0 0.08 0.08 0.08 A Zone 6383 558.0 559.0 1.0 0.08 0.08 0.08 A Zone 6383 559.0 560.0 1.0 0.63 0.63 0.63 A Zone 6383 560.0 561.0 1.0 0.22 0.22 0.22 A Zone 6383 561.0 561.8 0.8 0.08 0.08 0.08 A Zone 6383 561.8 562.6 0.8 0.26 0.26 0.26 A Zone 6383 562.6 563.9 1.3 16.83 16.83 16.83 A Zone 6383 563.9 564.9 1.0 1.51 1.51 1.51 A Zone 6383 564.9 565.9 1.0 6.00 6.00 6.00 A Zone 6383 565.9 566.8 0.9 5.22 5.22 5.22 A Zone 6383 566.8 567.6 0.8 0.86 0.86 0.86 A Zone 6383 567.6 568.1 0.5 7.13 7.13 7.13 A Zone 6383 568.1 569.3 1.2 3.83 3.83 3.83 A Zone 6383 569.3 570.5 1.2 368.90 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6383 570.5 571.8 1.3 0.84 0.84 0.84 A Zone 6383 571.8 572.9 1.1 6.46 6.46 6.46 A Zone 6383 572.9 574.3 1.4 0.13 0.13 0.13 A Zone 6383 574.3 575.5 1.2 38.27 34.28 38.27 A Zone 6383 575.5 576.5 1.0 1.28 1.28 1.28 A Zone 6383 576.5 577.0 0.5 85.65 34.28 85.65 A Zone 6384 573.6 574.4 0.8 232.37 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6384 574.4 575.2 0.8 78.99 34.28 78.99 A Zone 6384 575.2 576.0 0.8 7.50 7.50 7.50 A Zone 6384 576.0 577.0 1.0 2.68 2.68 2.68 A Zone 6384 577.0 578.0 1.0 2.35 2.35 2.35 A Zone 6384 578.0 579.0 1.0 1.83 1.83 1.83 A Zone 6384 579.0 579.7 0.7 8.53 8.53 8.53 A Zone 6384 579.7 580.7 1.0 2.92 2.92 2.92 A Zone 6384 580.7 581.2 0.5 4.46 4.46 4.46 A Zone 6384 581.2 582.0 0.8 4.69 4.69 4.69 A Zone 6384 582.0 583.0 1.0 1.32 1.32 1.32 A Zone 6384 583.0 583.7 0.7 5.89 5.89 5.89 A Zone 6384 583.7 584.4 0.7 0.50 0.50 0.50 A Zone 6384 584.4 585.3 0.9 0.52 0.52 0.52 A Zone 6384 585.3 585.8 0.5 44.61 34.28 44.61 A Zone 6384 585.8 586.3 0.5 68.31 34.28 68.31 A Zone 6384 586.3 586.8 0.5 17.49 17.49 17.49 A Zone 6384 abandoned at 586.8m in zone 6385 448.6 449.3 0.7 34.41 34.28 34.41 A Zone? 6385 449.3 450.3 1.0 0.22 0.22 0.22 A Zone? 6385 450.3 451.3 1.0 1.27 1.27 1.27 A Zone? 6384 451.3 452.3 1.0 0.31 0.31 0.31 A Zone? 6384 452.3 453.2 0.9 1.23 1.23 1.23 A Zone? 6385 483.0 483.8 0.8 2.45 2.45 2.45 A1 Zone? 6385 483.8 484.8 1.0 4.20 4.20 4.20 A1 Zone? 6385 484.8 485.7 0.9 5.25 5.25 5.25 A1 Zone? 6385 491.8 492.3 0.5 115.27 34.28 90.00 A2 Zone? 6385 492.3 493.1 0.8 0.01 0.01 0.01 A2 Zone? 6385 493.1 493.6 0.5 94.35 34.28 90.00 A2 Zone? 6388 110.8 111.8 1.0 3.20 3.20 3.20 A Zone 6388 111.8 112.3 0.5 7.62 7.62 7.62 A Zone 6388 112.3 113.0 0.7 2.59 2.59 2.59 A Zone 6388 113.0 113.6 0.6 0.44 0.44 0.44 A Zone 6388 113.6 114.2 0.6 3.49 3.49 3.49 A Zone 6388 114.2 114.8 0.6 1.41 1.41 1.41 A Zone 6388 114.8 115.3 0.5 33.60 33.60 33.60 A Zone 6388 115.3 116.1 0.8 1.02 1.02 1.02 A Zone 6388 116.1 117.1 1.0 0.77 0.77 0.77 A Zone 6388 117.1 118.1 1.0 0.90 0.90 0.90 A Zone 6388 118.1 118.6 0.5 0.49 0.49 0.49 A Zone 6388 118.6 119.1 0.5 31.90 31.90 31.90 A Zone 6388 119.1 120.0 0.9 1.98 1.98 1.98 A Zone 6388 120.0 120.9 0.9 1.18 1.18 1.18 A Zone 6388 120.9 121.7 0.8 0.49 0.49 0.49 A Zone 6388 121.7 122.3 0.6 146.00 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6390 451.0 451.7 0.7 3.20 3.20 3.20 A1 Zone? 6390 451.7 452.4 0.7 7.62 7.62 7.62 A1 Zone? 6390 452.4 453.2 0.8 2.59 2.59 2.59 A1 Zone? 6390 453.2 454.0 0.8 0.44 0.44 0.44 A1 Zone? 6390 454.0 454.7 0.7 3.49 3.49 3.49 A1 Zone? 6390 454.7 455.2 0.5 1.41 1.41 1.41 A1 Zone? 6390 455.2 456.1 0.9 33.60 33.60 33.60 A1 Zone? 6391 160.9 161.4 0.5 363.68 34.28 90.00 A Zone 6391 161.4 162.1 0.7 0.23 0.23 0.23 A Zone 6391 162.1 162.9 0.8 0.02 0.02 0.02 A Zone 6391 162.9 163.7 0.8 1.25 1.25 1.25 A Zone 6398 63.7 64.5 0.8 7.36 7.36 7.36 A Zone 6398 64.5 65.3 0.8 0.11 0.11 0.11 A Zone 6398 65.3 66.1 0.8 0.06 0.06 0.06 A Zone 6398 66.1 66.9 0.8 0.11 0.11 0.11 A Zone 6398 66.9 67.8 0.9 61.63 34.28 61.63 A Zone 6398 67.8 68.6 0.8 0.09 0.09 0.09 A Zone 6398 68.6 69.1 0.5 0.26 0.26 0.26 A Zone 6398 69.1 69.6 0.5 102.60 34.28 90.00 A Zone Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af4238fb-be9a-4a92-be4f-c87ca1658402 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b384406f-0d7e-484f-b0ec-51d1116402a9 PDF available http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/771f44d0-8b5f-4ba6-a98e-58542b395cad MONTREAL, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Resources Inc (HPQ) (TSX VENTURE:HPQ)(FRANKFURT:UGE)(OTC PINK:URAGF) is pleased to inform shareholders that, for the purpose of the execution of the Plan of Arrangement, HPQ subsidiary, Beauce Gold Fields Inc (BGF) has closed the $550,000 private placement required for the listing on the TSX-Venture Exchange (Exchange) and has submitted to the Exchange the Listing Application (Form 2B) under the reserved stock symbol BGF. Once the Company receives satisfactory review of the Listing Application, it will set (in collaboration with the Exchange) the declaration date, record date, payment date of the distribution and finally, the listing date of BGF shares on the Venture Exchange. Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO of HPQ Beauce Gold Fields subsidiary stated, We are working closely with the Exchange to complete this listing process that will allow HPQ to unlock the full potential value of the Beauce Gold property through a fresh new entity starting with a tight capital structure. Mr. Levasseur also stated The Beauce is Canadas last underexplored historical placer mining camp. Its similar to the placer to hard rock exploration projects in the Yukon or the Cariboo district in BC, that were both placer gold mining camps as well, but recently had major gold discoveries. Combining our large claims holding in St-Simon-Les-Mines together with our increasing knowledge of the geology, we believe we have narrowed the search in exploring for a hard rock gold deposit. The Private Placement is for: 3,500,000 hard-cash units (HC Units) at the price of $0.10 per HC Unit for total of $350,000.00 1,666,666 flow-through units (FT Units) at the price of $0.12 per FT Unit for total of $200,000.00 Each HC Unit will be comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant of the Company to purchase one common share at the price of $0.15 per share. Each FT Unit will be comprised of one flow-through common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant, with each full warrant allowing the holder to purchase one common share at the exercise price of $0.18 per share. The warrants are valid until December 15, 2020. Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO of BGF, Lam Chan Tho, Director of BGF, through a wholly-owned company, 9228-6202 Quebec Inc. and Ann Levasseur, Director of BGF have subscribed to 641,666 FT Units, 300,000 FT Units and 42,000 FT Units, respectively, representing an aggregate amount of $118,000 The participation of each of Patrick Levasseur, Lam Chan Tho (9228-6202 Quebec Inc.) and Ann Levasseur in the Private Placement constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") and Policy 5.9 -Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions of the Exchange. In connection with this related party transaction, the Company is relying on the formal valuation and minority approval exemptions of respectively subsection 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the portion of the Private Placement subscribed by Directors does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Private Placement, including Directors participation, has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, with each of participating Directors abstaining with respect to their participation. In connection with the placement, the company paid Finders' fees as follows: 1) $2,400 to Leede John Gable Inc., and the issuance of 24,000 warrants entitling the Agent to purchase 24,000 common shares at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of 24 months until December 15, 2020; 2) $6,560 to Stephen Avenue Securities Inc. and the issuance of 40,000 warrants entitling the Agent to purchase 40,000 common shares at a price of $0.15 per share and 4,800 warrants entitling the Agent to purchase 4,800 common shares at a price of $0.18, for a period of 24 months until December 15, 2020; 3) the issuance to Falkenberg Holding Ltd and to Gathering Waters Ltd 8,000 warrants entitling the Agents to purchase 8,000 common shares at the price of $0.15 as well as 1,600 warrants entitling the Agents to purchase 1,600 common shares at the price of $0.18 for a period of 24 months until December 15, 2020; About Beauce Gold Fields BGF is a wholly owned subsidiary of HPQ Silicon into which HPQ gold assets were transferred. Subject to approval by TSX-V, HPQ is in the process of listing BGF as a new public junior gold company, following the approval by shareholders during HPQ AGM held on Aug. 10, 2018, of the proposed terms of the plan of arrangement. The Beauce Gold Fields project is a unique, historically prolific gold property located in the municipality of Saint-Simon-les-Mines in the Beauce region of Southern Quebec. Comprising of a block of 152 claims 100% owned by HPQ, the project area hosts a six kilometre long unconsolidated gold-bearing sedimentary unit (a lower saprolite and an upper brown diamictite). Textural observations (angularity) of gold nuggets suggest a relatively proximal source and therefore a short transport distance. The gold in saprolite indicates a close proximity to a bedrock source of gold, providing possible further exploration discoveries. The property was also hosts numerous historical gold mines that were active from 1860s to the 1960s (see HPQ SEDAR-filed report). Beauce Gold Fields website www.beaucegold.com About HPQ Silicon HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. is a TSX-V listed resource company planning to become a vertically integrated and diversified High Purity, Solar Grade Silicon Metal (SoG Si) producer and a manufacturer of multi and monocrystalline solar cells of the P and N types, required for production of high performance photovoltaic conversion. HPQs goal is to develop, in collaboration with industry leaders, PyroGenesis (TSX-V: PYR) and Apollon Solar, that are experts in their fields of interest, the innovative PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactors (QRR), a truly 2.0 Carbothermic process (patent pending), which will permit the transformation and purification of quartz (SiO 2 ) into high purity silicon metal (Si) in one step and reduce by a factor of at least two-thirds (2/3) the costs associated with the transformation of quartz (SiO 2 ) into SoG Si. The pilot plant equipment that will validate the commercial potential of the process is on schedule to start mid-2019. For further information contact Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO HPQ Tel (514) 907-1011 Patrick Levasseur, COO HPQ, President and CEO BGF Tel: (514) 262-9239 www.HPQSilicon.com Shares outstanding: 222,284,053 Disclaimers: This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or the benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S un der the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's on-going filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. 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. The parable of universal health cover for people on the move The United Nations declared 12 December Universal Health Coverage Day but for migrants worldwide, accessing healthcare is often fraught with prejudice. Research published in The Lancet on 5 December revealed that harmful and unfounded myths about migration and health have become accepted and that these are used to justify policies of exclusion. The UCLLancet Commission on Migration and Health: the health of a world on the move refutes groundless narratives about migrants, including: The myth that migrants are disease-carriers that pose a risk to resident populations The myth that migrants are a burden on health services The myth that migrants have too many children The myth that high-income countries are being over-whelmed by migrants The myth that migrants damage economies. Click here to read the full report. The protection of public health and cost-savings are often cited as reasons to deny migrants entry, restrict access to healthcare, or detain people unlawfully. Yet, as the report lays out (with new international data and analysis), the available evidence does not support the most common myths about migration and health. Furthermore, these myths ignore the important contribution of migration to global economies. Click here (or scroll down) to read a fact sheet entitled myths about migration and health not supported by the available evidence. The Commission strongly advocates that migration be treated urgently as a core determinant of health and wellbeing and that it be addressed as a global health priority of the 21st century. Migration and global health are both defining issues of our time, according to the Commission. How the world addresses human mobility will determine public health and social cohesion for decades to come. The Commission is the result of a two-year project led by 20 experts from 13 countries including South Africa and represents the most comprehensive review of the available evidence to date. The report, including its recommendations to improve the public health response to migration, was launched on 8 December at the UN Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, in Marrakech. Migration and health in Africa Wits University Professor Steve Tollman, director and co-founder of the MRC/Wits Agincourt Unit, is a commissioner of the UCL-Lancet report. He is one of just two African country commissioners along with Dr Nyovani Madise, Director of Research and Development Policy and Head of Malawi Office of the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP). The report is a systematic assessment of evidence and understanding about migration based on already published work, says Tollman, who co-authored a paper in the report on Global patterns of mortality in international migrants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The South African launch of the UCL-Lancet report is scheduled for March 2019. In the South African context, we have a massive gap in understanding internal migration. There are profound data gaps in an area where opinion, perception, and political advantage tend to take precedence, says Tollman. Through the Lancet process, we seek to bring data and evidence to bear, to both counter prevailing myths and highlight the need to strengthen our understanding which, in the South African and regional arena, relates directly to internal, often labour, migrants. The critical question is how labour migrants access good public healthcare wherever they are. This is consistent with South Africas move towards the National Health Insurance and the promotion of public health. Clearly, we want to take care of our citizens but clearly, we want to take care of others who cared for us pre-1990s. Resources are finite but the answer is simply not to reject those who are not us. Universal health coverage does not mean, but not if you're not one of us, says Tollman. FACT SHEET: Myths about migrants and health not supported by the available evidence Are high-income countries being overwhelmed by migrants? Discussions about migration often focus on rising numbers of people crossing international borders and overwhelming high-income countries, but changes in migration are more complex. Although international migration receives the most political and public attention, most movement globally is internal migration. A quarter of all migrants (an estimated 258 million people) are international migrants. In the past four decades, the percentage of the worlds population that is considered an international migrant has changed very little from 2.9% in 1990 to 3.4% in 2017 globally. Most international migrants are labour migrants (approximately 65%) and a much smaller proportion are refugees and asylum seekers [3]. While high-income countries have seen a greater rise in the percentage of international migrants (from 7.6% in 1990 to 13.4% in 2017), they are more likely to be students who pay for their education or labour migrants who are net contributors to the economy. Refugees make up a larger proportion of the total population in low-income countries compared to high-income countries (0.7% vs 0.2%). Are migrants damaging economies? An overwhelming consensus of evidence exists on the positive economic benefits of migration, which is insufficiently acknowledged. In advanced economies, each 1% increase in migrants in the adult population increases the gross domestic product per person by up to 2%. Additionally, migration contributes to global wealth distribution. Migrants sent an estimated US$613 billion to their families at origin in 2017. Approximately three quarters of these remittances are to low- and middle-income countries an amount three times larger than official development assistance. Are migrants a burden on health services? Migrants constitute a substantial proportion of the health care workforce in many high-income countries. Rather than being a burden, migrants are more likely to bolster services by providing medical care, teaching children, caring for older people, and supporting understaffed services. In the UK, 37% of doctors received their medical qualification in another country. A new, comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis concludes that international migrants in high-income countries have lower rates of mortality compared to general populations across the majority of disease categories. The study used mortality estimates on more than 15.2 million migrants from 92 countries and found that international migrants had lower rates of deaths for cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, neoplasms, nervous and respiratory diseases, mental and behavioural disorders and injuries than people in the general population in the receiving country. There was no evidence of a difference for blood, genitourinary, or musculoskeletal disorders. The only two exceptions were for infections such as viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, and HIV, and external causes, such as assault, where migrants had increased rates of mortality. However, as the report also highlights, several studies (e.g., on tuberculosis) have shown that the risk of transmission of infections is elevated only within migrant communities, and is negligible in host populations. The findings are most likely to apply to international migrants in high income countries who are studying, working, or have joined family members in these countries. Vulnerable groups, such as refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented migrants, may have different health needs, but, as the authors note, rather than form policies based on exceptions, evidence about the health benefits of migration should be at the forefront of decisions. Are migrants disease carriers that pose risks to resident populations? The stereotype of migrants as disease carriers is perhaps one of the most prevalent, and the most harmful. However, there is no systematic association between migration and importation of infectious diseases, and the evidence shows that the risk of transmission from migrating populations to host populations is generally low. Studies on tuberculosis suggest that the risk of transmission is elevated within migrant households and communities, but not in host populations. Migrants may come from regions with higher disease burden, especially if they come from regions of conflict, with weak public health systems. However, illness and infection can also be acquired or during transit for example, air travel can facilitate the rapid spread of infection. Indeed, mainly international travel, tourism, and the movement of livestock, rather than migration drove recent examples of spread of resistant pathogens. Strong public health systems are needed to prevent outbreaks of disease, whether associated with migration or not. Do migrants have higher fertility rates than among host populations? Populist rhetoric often claims that migrants have many more children than host populations. The Commission collates data from several long-term studies that suggest the birth rates among migrants are barely at the level of population replacement (2.1 births per woman) and often falling. A study of six European countries found that fertility rates among migrant women were, in general, lower than host populations. Studies in India and Ethiopia, for example, have shown that internal migrants are more likely to use contraception than host populations. Ensuring access to services is key to ensuring the sexual and reproductive healthcare of migrant women and girls. Unfounded myths are harmful to individuals and society Unfounded myths about migration have wide-ranging impacts on how migrants are treated within society. Despite evidence that migrants have positive health benefit to societies, many men and women who migrate are subjected to laws, restrictions, and discrimination that put them at risk of ill health. Protection of the public is often invoked as a reason for the denial of entry, detention or deportation, but too often, these policies leave migrants facing worse health situations. The Commission calls for governments to improve migrants access to services, strengthen migrants right to health and tackle the wider determinants of migrant health, including taking a zero-tolerance approach to racism and discrimination. Restricting entry based on health status is increasingly common. In Australia, permanent residency application can be rejected because the applicant has a health condition the five most common reasons were intellectual or functional impairment, HIV, cancer and renal disease. Thirty-five countries have imposed some form of travel ban on people with HIV. Too often, policies are not based on the overall contribution of migrants to host societies, but only in terms of costs to the state. Restrictions on entry or deportation for diseases with low risk of casual transmission are impermissible on both public health and human rights grounds. Linking health status to migration enforcement also reinforces distrust in the health profession, and Iimits migrants ability to access health care on a non-discriminatory basis. The fear of deportation can mean migrants will not seek health care or assistance when needed, hindering individual and public health. In practice, health-related enforcement regimes can pressure health workers to act as immigration control agents. The Commission points to a growing trend of states limiting access to health care for migrants, despite commitments to provide health for all. States are increasingly treating unauthorised border crossings as a criminal offence, leading to detention, at times indefinitely. Indefinite offshore detention of migrants on Nauru Island was introduced as an immigration policy in Australia in 2013, and the USA recently announced a zero-tolerance policy, resulting in migrants arrested or jailed and children separated from their parents. Detention poses clear violations of international law, and findings from a systematic review of 38 studies shows that detention is associated with negative health outcomes, especially mental health. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the sentencing of Michael Cohen, a former lawyer for President Donald Trump (all times local): 12:05 p.m. President Donald Trump's former lawyer has been sentenced to three years in prison. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said Wednesday that Michael Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Trump's presidential campaign. The judge rejected arguments by Cohen's lawyers that he should be spared jail time because he cooperated in multiple federal investigations involving Trump. Cohen said his "blind loyalty" to Trump made him feel a duty to "cover up" the president's "dirty deeds." Cohen's crimes included evading $1.4 million in taxes and misleading Congress about his talks with Russians about a Trump skyscraper project in Moscow. Trump had called for a tough sentence for Cohen, whom he labeled a liar. Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis, issued a statement on the sentencing: Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump, continues to tell the truth about Donald Trumps misconduct over the years. At the appropriate time, after Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump and that includes any appropriate Congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies. Mr. Trumps repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts. Michael has owned up to his mistakes and fully cooperated with Special Counsel Mueller in his investigation over possible Trump campaign collusion with Russian meddling in the 2016 election. While Mr. Mueller gave Michael significant credit for cooperation on the core issues, it is unfortunate that SDNY prosecutors did not do the same. To me, their judgment showed a lack of appropriate proportionality. Since the sentencing process has been completed, I no longer need to serve as an attorney for Michael, but will continue to serve as a communications advisor. ___ 11:55 a.m. President Donald Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen says his "blind loyalty" to Trump led Cohen to "cover up his dirty deeds." Cohen said at his sentencing Wednesday that he takes "full responsibility" for the crimes he admitted committing. But he went on to say his allegiance to Trump led him "to take a path of darkness instead of light." Cohen has pleaded guilty to dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws. Cohen, who used to be the president's self-described fixer, could get about four to five years in prison. His lawyer is arguing for leniency, noting Cohen's cooperation with prosecutors investigating whether Russians attempted to influence Trump's campaign. But a prosecutor on the case against Cohen says Cohen's crimes showed a pattern of deceit, brazenness and greed. ___ 11:50 a.m. A prosecutor with special counsel Robert Mueller's office says President Donald Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen "has provided consistent and credible information about core Russia-related issues under investigation." Jeannie Rhee didn't elaborate on that information as she spoke Wednesday at Cohen's sentencing. But she did say that Cohen "has sought to tell us the truth, and that is of the utmost value to us." The 52-year-old Cohen served as Trump's personal lawyer and self-described fixer. Cohen has pleaded guilty to dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws. Cohen could get about four to five years in prison, but his lawyer is arguing for leniency. His attorney, Guy Petrillo, says Cohen "came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country" when he cooperated with prosecutors. ___ 11:25 a.m. A defense lawyer says Michael Cohen "came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country" when he cooperated with prosecutors investigating whether Russians attempted to influence President Donald Trump's campaign. Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, told a judge Wednesday that Cohen "stood up to power and influence." Petrillo spoke as Cohen faced sentencing after pleading guilty to dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws. Cohen could get four to five years in prison, but his lawyers are arguing for leniency. The 52-year-old served as Trump's personal lawyer. ___ 10:35 a.m. The outspoken lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels has turned up at the federal courthouse in Manhattan where Michael Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced for crimes including a hush-money payment to the performer. Michael Avenatti represented Daniels in a legal dispute with Cohen in which she sought to be released from the non-disclosure agreement. Avenatti has bashed Cohen for months on cable television, saying President Donald Trump's former lawyer deserves to go to prison. Cohen's sentencing will begin Wednesday at 11 a.m. Cohen pleaded guilty to evading $1.4 million in taxes, bank fraud and campaign finance violations. Prosecutors say the $130,000 payment Cohen made to Daniels exceeded legal limits. His lawyers say some of his crimes were motivated by overenthusiasm for Trump. New York prosecutors have urged a judge to give Cohen substantial prison time. ___ 10:10 a.m. President Donald Trump's former lawyer has arrived at the courthouse in Manhattan where he is scheduled to be sentenced for evading taxes, lying to Congress, bank fraud and campaign finance violations. Michael Cohen was accompanied Wednesday by his wife and two college-aged children. He didn't stop to speak with a crowd of reporters. Cohen is facing the possibility of four years in prison. His lawyers have asked for leniency. They say some of his crimes were motivated by overenthusiasm for Trump. New York prosecutors have urged a judge to give Cohen substantial prison time. Cohen pleaded guilty to evading $1.4 million in taxes. He also admitted misleading Congress about a Trump real estate project in Moscow and orchestrating prohibited payments to two women who said they had affairs with Trump. ___ 1:05 a.m. A lawyer who made his career protecting President Donald Trump is set to learn whether cooperating with federal investigators will lessen his punishment for dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws. Michael Cohen's sentencing hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. at a courthouse in Manhattan. He could get around four years in prison. His lawyers have asked for leniency. They say some of his crimes were motivated by overenthusiasm for Trump. Cohen pleaded guilty to misleading Congress about a Trump real estate project in Moscow and orchestrating prohibited payments to two women who said they had affairs with Trump. Cohen also dodged $1.4 million in taxes. New York prosecutors have urged a judge to give Cohen a substantial prison term. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Deputies are investigating a report of a local unlicensed contractor that has reportedly been taking money from customers without showing up to do the work. The Jackson County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Division is investigating a possible theft and organized fraud case. Deputies say the case is in reference to an unlicensed contractor who has possibly been taking money for roofing and siding work and then not showing up to do the work. There has been one confirmed case already with charges pending. The contractor has been identified as Robert Brewster of Restoration Roofing and Siding. The company is based out of the Montgomery, Alabama area. If you or someone you know has contracted with Robert Brewster/Restoration Roofing and Siding, and have paid out money for work that has not been done, you are asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriffs Office at (850) 482-9624. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It's the first day of testimony in the trial of Denise Williams. The Tallahassee woman could face life in prison if convicted of the murder of her husband Mike Williams. The state is painting Denise Williams as a woman who wanted her husband dead to get insurance money and continue an affair with his best friend Brian Winchester. The defense says there's no tangible evidence tying Denise to the murder and that there's nothing that backs up Winchester's testimony. Both sides presented opening statements to the jury Tuesday morning. The state says Denise Williams and Brian Winchester started their affairs three years before the murder and that they talked about finding a way to be together. That plan turned into action on December 16, 2000, when Winchester shot and killed Mike Williams while duck hunting at Lake Seminole. Despite Winchester confessing to the murder, the state has granted him immunity in exchange for his testimony against Denise. The defense says Winchester's word shouldn't be trusted. "In the end, the state is going to ask you to end 21 years, three years, plus the 18 years of the sex, lies and deceit and find her guilty of these particular crimes," said Prosecutor Jon Fuchs. "What you're not going to hear is any credible evidence that Denise Williams participated in this murder. On that point, you're going to have to rely entirely on the word of a murderer and a convicted felon," said Defense Attorney Phillip Padovano. The state called up several witnesses Tuesday. These first few testified to the initial search for Mike Williams and what they found belonging to him. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Opening statements have started in the Denise Williams trial. 4:20 p.m.: Testimony has resumed. Denise Williams hasn't showed much emotion at all, even as details of Mike's murder are being described (quite emotionally) by Brian Winchester. 4:10 p.m.: Brian Winchester is now at the witness stand. He is the man in the middle of the love triangle -- the best friend of Mike Williams and the ex-husband of Denise Williams after Mike's death. Winchester's testimony will NOT be used against him, based on an immunity agreement he reached with the state. He detailed how the affair with Denise Williams started and, in his words, how it "snowballed." It began in 1997. They met often to have sex. They went on trips together. They planned times to meet while Mike Williams was at work. Winchester said he sold Mike Williams a $250K insurance policy around 1993-94, before Mike married Denise. He said he sold Mike a $1 million policy after Mike's daughter Anslee was born, after talking about wanting to increase the insurance coverage. Winchester said the plans were "mutual." "I'm not going to say Denise planned everything... overall, it was very mutual. We wanted to be together, and we weren't going to let anything stop that." "We knew our window of opportunity was closing," Winchester said about the murder plan, adding Denise didn't have to do much aside from making sure Mike went on the hunting trip. Winchester had moments of choking up describing the plan to kill Mike Williams. It included getting Brian's wife Kathy drunk the night before and giving her medication to keep her from getting up when Brian left early the next day to carry out the plan. He insisted that Mike bring his waders with him on the trip. He said it was to ensure that Mike would "sink pretty quickly" once he was pushed into the lake. Winchester starts to break down, describing the moment he pushed Mike Williams off the boat -- and what happened after. "He was panicking, and I was panicking -- and none of this was going the way I thought it was going to go. I didn't know what to do." Winchester said after he shot Mike, he grabbed Mike with one arm and steered the boat to shore with the other arm. He loaded Mike into his Suburban and pushed the boat back into the water to make it look like Mike had drowned. Winchester said he ended up going home and got back into his bed, where Kathy was still sleeping. He had planned to meet his father-in-law as an alibi. "I wanted her to know I was there," but didn't want her asking questions, he said. Winchester completely breaks down while talking about his father's love for Mike Williams. The judge has called for a break, so he can get himself together. 2:26 p.m.: The next witness for the state is taking the stand. FDLE Special Agent Michael DeVaney reviewed the case of Mike Williams' disappearance. He said it was treated as a missing person case at first. The case was later classified as a "suspicious missing persons" case. DeVaney said while investigators could not prove it was a homicide, "a lot of things didn't quite make sense... too many things that were unanswered." DeVaney on Denise Williams and Brian Winchester: "They were sort of under a microscope by our agency." DeVaney questioned Denise Williams at one point, telling her there may be a connection to Mike's disappearance and Brian Winchester's activity that day. She denied he had any involvement. 2:03 p.m.: Tully Sparkman was an FWC officer at the time of Mike Williams' murder. He testified that it was suspicious that Williams' body didn't rise from the lake after drowning. That helped lead to more searching, but only the boat was recovered. 1:43 p.m.: The state is now witnessing an investigator with the state attorney's office. 1:11 p.m.: The state is interviewing a man who helped with the search to find Mike Williams at Lake Seminole. That man, Alton Renew, testified that a hat was found while searching for Mike Williams. 11:49 a.m.: Judge calls recess until 1 p.m. 11:42 a.m.: The state calls Sneads resident Joseph Sheffield, who testified he found waders while fishing at Lake Seminole in June 2001. 11:31 a.m.: Scott Dungey, a longtime friend of Mike Williams, is the second witness called by the state. His testimony was pre-recorded and is being shown to the jury. 10:45 a.m.: Greg Morris, a retired Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) officer, has been called by the state as its first witness. WTXL reporter Stephen Jiwanmall is in court with the very latest: Jury selection finishes Monday for Denise Williams trial TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Jury selection started Monday morning for the trial of Denise Williams. The Tallahassee woman faces murder charges in the death of her ex-husband Mike Williams. Mike Williams went missing December 16, 2000 but his body wasn't found until last December. Denise was arrested in May and charged with conspiracy to commit murder, first degree murder, and accessory after the fact. Denise Williams could be sentenced to life in prison if she's convicted of first-degree murder. The death penalty is off the table. The jury has been selected. 14 jurors in total, 12 plus 2 alternates, but they won't know which is which until deliberations begin. There are 8 women and 6 men. A lot of people have been waiting for this trial and it's caught the attention of media across the country. Several jurors admitted they know something about this case from TV or newspaper reports. One by one, they were privately questioned by the judge, state and defense. Denise Williams sat a few yards away from each juror, staying stoic while taking notes. The judge says he expects trial to last five days. Opening statements start Tuesday. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Jury selection begins Monday for the trial of Denise Williams, who faces three charges for the murder of her husband, Mike Williams. He went missing nearly 18 years ago. His body was found last year. Denise Williams was arrested in May. She's been charged with first degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and accessory after the fact. Jury selection is expected to take two days. The Leon County court administrator said 480 potential jurors have been summoned, and 200 are expected to report. The group will be whittled down to 12. The state attorney is not seeking the death penalty in this case, but Denise Williams could face a life sentence if convicted. She has another case involving fraud charges that will be reviewed next month. NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (the Company) (NYSE:ARI) today announced the Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.46 per share of common stock, which is payable on January 15, 2019 to common stockholders of record on December 31, 2018. About Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE: ARI) is a real estate investment trust that primarily originates, acquires, invests in and manages performing commercial real estate mortgage loans, subordinate financings and other commercial real estate-related debt investments. The Company is externally managed and advised by ACREFI Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect subsidiary of Apollo Global Management, LLC, a leading global alternative investment manager with approximately $270 billion of assets under management at September 30, 2018. Additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.apolloreit.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of the Company's business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. When used in this release, the words believe, expect, anticipate, estimate, plan, continue, intend, should, may or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the following subjects, among others, may be forward-looking: the return on equity; the yield on investments; the ability to borrow to finance assets; the Companys ability to deploy the proceeds of its capital raises or acquire its target assets; and risks associated with investing in real estate assets, including changes in business conditions and the general economy. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements, and other risks, uncertainties and factors are based on the Company's beliefs, assumptions and expectations of its future performance, taking into account all information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are not predictions of future events. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. CONTACT: Hilary Ginsberg Investor Relations (212) 822-0767 Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:53:37|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Photo taken on Dec. 11, 2018 shows the site of a shooting at provincial police department in Rize, northeastern Turkey. A provincial police chief was shot dead and three policemen were wounded on Tuesday in Rize, according to state-run Anadolu Agency. (Xinhua/Ihlas News Agency) ANKARA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A provincial police chief was shot dead and three policemen were wounded on Tuesday in Turkish northeastern city of Rize, according to state-run Anadolu Agency. Rize Governor Kemal Ceber told reporter that the provincial police chief Altug Verdi lost his life after being taken to hospital in serious condition. The attack was reportedly conducted by a police officer inside the building of local police department. The suspected police officer has been arrested with wound. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu confirmed the accident to reporters, adding that more details of the incident would be provided once they become clear. Police team has taken special operations in the building and surrounding area. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:53:58|Editor: WX Video Player Close Actress Ma Su appears on the red carpet ceremony of the 1st Hainan Island International Film Festival in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Dec. 11, 2018. The first Hainan International Film Festival officially opened Tuesday night in the tropical coastal city of Sanya in the country's southern-most island province of Hainan. The film festival is one of Hainan's first series of projects in building itself into a pilot free trade zone and a free trade port. The festival runs from Dec. 9 to 16 despite a late opening ceremony on Tuesday night. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) (yxb) SANYA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The first Hainan International Film Festival officially opened Tuesday night in the tropical coastal city of Sanya in the country's southern-most island province of Hainan. The film festival is one of Hainan's first series of projects in building itself into a pilot free trade zone and a free trade port. With Chinese movie star Jackie Chan as the promotional ambassador, the festival is attended by nearly 100 actors, actresses, and directors from home and abroad, including Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage from the United States, two-time Cannes winner Isabelle Huppert from France, and Aamir Khan from India. Cage said Hainan is a good place to shoot films and hoped to work with Chinese counterparts to shoot movies in China, particularly in Hainan. The festival aims to build a platform for communication, cooperation, and trade in the international film industry, according to the organizing committee. Tong Daochi, the Communist Party chief of Sanya, said Hainan aims to build itself into a major player in the film industry not only in China but also in Asia. The festival runs from Dec. 9 to 16 despite a late opening ceremony on Tuesday night. It features a wide variety of activities, such as opening and closing ceremonies, a competition section, film exhibitions, and forums, according to the organizing committee. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 00:44:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev speaks at a launching ceremony of the third production line of the Yamal liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Sabetta, Russia, Dec. 11, 2018. Yamal LNG project in Arctic Russia officially commissioned the third or last production line here Tuesday and thus reached its full capacity. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn) SABETTA, Russia, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Yamal liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Arctic Russia officially commissioned the third or last production line here Tuesday and thus reached its full capacity. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gave an order through a video conference to load a cargo ship with LNG produced in the third line at Sabetta port on Yamal Peninsula. The project, a success for all participants, is significant to Russia's energy industry and its global cooperation, Medvedev said, adding that it is also conducive to better international transport infrastructure, including the Arctic shipping route. Russia had fruitful cooperation with European partners in the past and it now eyes the Asian market, he said. The project contributes to China's energy security, said Qin Weizhong, deputy general manager of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). The plant also boosted investment in Russia, increased its tax revenue and created local jobs, Qin said. The Yamal LNG project is owned by Russia's Novatek (50.1 percent), France's Total (20 percent), CNPC (20 percent) and China's Silk Road Fund (9.9 percent). The plant consists of three production lines with each having a capacity of 5.5 million tons per year. The first production line started operation in December 2017 and the second one was launched in August 2018. CNPC received the first ship of Yamal LNG supplied to China in July 2018 and it will import 3 million tons of Yamal LNG every year from 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 00:54:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ABUJA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian government on Tuesday said it was partnering with Ukraine on space technology to enhance its national development. Minister of Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu confirmed the government was about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Ukrainian authorities to that effect. Onu, in a meeting with representatives of the Ukranian government in Abuja, said the scope of collaboration will involve creating development techniques for space access that enable home-made rockets to be employed on the worldwide market of space transportation services. The official said other goals include enhancing scientific space research and elaborating advanced space facilities and ensuring innovative development of the space sector in terms of improving its research, experimental and production basis. Head of the Ukranian delegation Olexandr Kushnar'ov, who is also the general director of System Engineering of Yuzhnoye Design Office in Ukraine, said the collaboration would also bring about having new fundamental knowledge on near-Earth outer space, solar system, deep space, biological and physical processes, and microgravity condition. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 01:49:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LJUBLJANA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia expects to record more than 5.6 million tourist arrivals and more than 15.2 million tourist nights by the end of 2018, a record high, the national media reported on Tuesday. Its tourism revenue also grew up by nearly 12 percent to 2.12 million euros in the first nine months of the year, the Slovenian Press Agency STA said. "That 2018 will be a new record year is already clear. The number of tourist nights from 2017 was exceeded as early as the end of October," the Slovenian Economy Minister Zdravko Pocivalsek was quoted as saying in the report. Director of Slovenia Tourist Board Maja Pak attributed the result to intensive and successful market promotion this year based on culture, which will also be the case in 2019, she said. She is also happy with the media attention abroad, stressing Slovenia had been regularly making it to lists of recommended destinations. "Slovenia is not only a recognisable destination, it is now a trendy destination." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 02:59:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned Georgian ambassador to Tehran, Ioseb Chakhvashvili, over recent reports of the Tbilisi government's "disrespect" for some Iranian passengers, Tasnim news agency resorted on Tuesday. In the meeting, Iranian Foreign Ministry voiced Tehran's strong opposition to what it called "the improper behavior" of Georgian border officers toward some Iranian nationals. The Georgian envoy expressed sorrow over the recent incidents and pledged to pursue the issue through his government, according to Tasnim. On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry advised the Iranian nationals to avoid unnecessary trips to Georgia. Several Iranian passengers with their Islamic headscarves were mistreated during the security check for a flight from Tbilisi to Iran's city of Isfahan recently, the report said. On Dec. 2, the Iranian embassy in Georgia confirmed the deportation or entry ban of dozens of Iranian citizens from or to the Caucasus country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 03:24:40|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close TEHRAN, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 has not prohibited Iran's missile activities, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday. "I can make it clear as the foreign minister that the issue of missiles has never been subject to negotiations and nothing in Resolution 2231 prohibits Iran" from developing its missile program, Zarif told Tasnim on Tuesday. "Our defense doctrine is basically founded upon deterrence and it is defensive, not offensive," Zarif was quoted as saying. On Tuesday, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed a recent ballistic missile test. On Dec. 1, the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Iran "just test-fired a medium range ballistic missile" in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. Iran's latest ballistic missile test was "significant, and we will continue to conduct our missile tests," Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division, said on Tuesday. Iran has repeatedly emphasized that its missile program is for deterrence purposes and it will not quit its development. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 03:34:42|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Guests attend the launching ceremony of the UN Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network Life Regeneration Action Egypt Program in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec. 11, 2018. China's MEBO International launched on Tuesday a program in Egypt under a UN initiative for supporting Egyptian hospitals to treat women and children suffering burns. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo) by Marwa Yahya CAIRO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's MEBO International launched on Tuesday a program in Egypt under a UN initiative for supporting Egyptian hospitals to treat women and children suffering burns. With the program, named UN Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network Life Regeneration Action Program in Egypt, "MEBO targets at treating around 200 cases and training 2,000 medical staff in eight public hospitals," Kevin P. Xu, chairman of MEBO International, told Xinhua in an interview. "We are planning to spend 350,000 U.S. dollars and establish eight centers for researches on technology for curing patients of burns in Egypt till the end of 2020," Xu said. Founded in 1987, MEBO International, which invented the burn regenerative medical technology, has been a pioneer in human body regenerative restoration science. The company, which has headquarters in China as well as the United States, Thailand, India and Malaysia, focuses on the treatment of burns, wounds, ulcers and skin regeneration. Some of its products include medical and health care products, nutritional supplements, cosmetics and skincare products and medical devices. Today, over 200,000 doctors from more than 70 countries have applied MEBO's technologies and products in over 20 treatments domains, curing over 40 million patients of burns and wounds. The MEBO initiative first started with hospitals that have more experience in treating the patients with the MEBO medicine, said Magdy al-Saaty, chairman of the gulf medical company Julphar that manufactures MEBO medicine in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). "Each country will benefit and gain more experience from the initiative based on the nature of the targeted society," al-Saaty said. "The initiative will run in stages. The first will start with four public hospitals that have the largest burn units in Cairo, and then will continue in other provinces of Daqahlia, Assuit, and Alexandria," he said. MEBO will distribute medicine and aid for women and children who are receiving treatment for burns in the targetted hospitals, he added. The UN initiative Every Woman Every Child was formally launched by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September 2010 with an aim to reduce child mortality and improvement of maternal heath through global collaboration. In September 2014, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) announced the co-founding of the China partnership Network as a supportive partner of the UN initiative, and appealed to Chinese companies, civil organizations and academic institutes for cooperation in improving the health of women and children. In May 2016, MEBO International announced its partnership with the UN initiative for providing supportive medical assistance in Asia and Africa. "We are committed to putting the global health strategy for women and children into action and alleviating their pain caused by burns," Xu said. He added that MEBO International will offer its technologies as a significant contribution to improving global quality of life. Statistics show that 265,000 people, the majority of whom are from low- and middle-income countries, die each year from burns, which rank as the 11th major cause of death for children aged 1-9. In Africa, the burn mortality rate of children before the age of five is three times that of children around the world. MEBO International has so far established eight international alliances with different universities on the advancement of regenerated science research, Xu noted. It aims to build new alliances with some universities in Egypt, he revealed. MEBO International has been selecting middle-income and developing countries that are in need for medical assistance as partners. "Last year we worked in Thailand and Malaysia and this year we chose Egypt and Lebanon," said Ji Yongjun, deputy director of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of the CPAFFC. "Our mission is to bridge the Chinese people and the other developing countries in need of medical care," Ji added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 03:54:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DUBAI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A promotion meeting on China-Arab States Expo and Business-to-business (B2B) talk between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was held on Tuesday in Dubai. Sponsored by Ningxia Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the meeting is designed to introduce China-Arab States Expo and Ningxia fine products to customers and merchants of UAE. During the meeting, the sponsor reviewed the achievements of the China-Arab States Expo since 2010, and illustrated the whole framework, organizers' ideas, activities and the preparations of the China-Arab States Expo in 2019. Meanwhile, some business attendees introduced their enterprises, projects and products. A B2B talk was also organized between the merchants from both sides. Representatives from CCPIT office in Dubai, CCPIT Ningxia, Federation of Chinese Businessmen in UAE, and UAE-China Business Port, as well as over 40 entrepreneurs based in Dubai participated in the meeting. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 04:14:49|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Vehicles run across a bridge inside the Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 11, 2018. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Tuesday said that the reopening of the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad is "irreversible." Mahdi's comments came a day after the partial and temporal opening of the Green Zone for five hours in the evening, from local time 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) to 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) for two weeks in order to evaluate the security situation. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) BAGHDAD, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Tuesday said that the reopening of the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad is "irreversible." "The decision to open the Green Zone is irreversible despite attempts to hamper it. The opening has carried many messages to the people," Mahdi told a press conference after the weekly cabinet meeting. Mahdi said that he believes that the officials "must live in the same circumstances of his people. If the citizen is in danger, then the official is in danger too." Mahdi's comments came a day after the partial and temporal opening of the Green Zone for five hours in the evening, from local time 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) to 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) for two weeks in order to evaluate the security situation. Meanwhile, Mahdi reiterated his country's stance that "Iraq is not part of the U.S. sanctions against Iran," asserting that he will send a delegation to Washington in order to exempt Baghdad from the U.S. sanctions against Iran. Earlier in the day, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry met with Mahdi and Iraqi President Barham Salih in the Green Zone to discuss means to boost economic relations. However, media reports said that Perry also discussed his country's sanctions on Iran with the Iraqi leader. After withdrawing from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal in May, the U.S. government has restored sanctions on Iran's oil industry as well as its banking and transport industry. NEW WESTMINSTER, BC and CALGARY, AB, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TransLink and Shaw Communications Inc. are teaming up to deliver free Wi-Fi for transit customers across Metro Vancouver. We have half-a-million people ride our system every day, and when we ask them what theyd like to see on transit, Wi-Fi is one of the most frequent requests, said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond. Were proud to be the first transit authority in Canada to offer this free Wi-Fi service and were doing it at no cost to our customers or taxpayers. Starting in 2020, TransLink riders whether or not they are Shaw customers will be able to stay connected for free throughout their commute on bus, SkyTrain or SeaBus. The agreement between TransLink and Shaw will see these enhancements come at no cost to TransLink or its customers. Under the agreement, Shaw will install and operate the Wi-Fi system. Since 2016, there has been free Wi-Fi at SeaBus terminals and on SeaBus ferries through a similar agreement with Shaw. Every day, thousands of people use their transit commute to catch up on life and reach out to friends, family and colleagues and having access to seamless connectivity is what makes this possible, said Katherine Emberly, President, Business, Brand and Communications, Shaw Communications. Whether its through text, email or social media, these connections are at the heart of our business, and the Wi-Fi system will enable us to keep more riders in Metro Vancouver connected as they travel across the system. TransLink and Shaw will refine the system design and plan to run trials in 2019, with deployment starting in 2020. TransLink expects the entire network to be completed by 2025. Wi-Fi rollout will begin with SkyTrain and buses. TransLink intends to eventually provide Wi-Fi on all modes, including HandyDART, West Coast Express and community shuttle buses. Quote: Ty Speer, Tourism Vancouver President and CEO TransLink and Shaws commitment to expand Wi-Fi across the transit system will enhance the personalized visitor experience for many travellers to our region who use public transportation, said Ty Speer, CEO and President of Tourism Vancouver. As we look to develop Vancouver into the most digitally connected city for visitors, the insights well gain from the Wi-Fi network will be an important tool to help us effectively manage tourism in our destination. Learn More: TransLink Mobile Services Media contact: TransLink Media Relations C: (778) 375-7788 E: media@translink.ca Shaw Communications Inc. Chethan Lakshman, VP, External Affairs C: (403) 930-8448 E: chethan.lakshman@sjrb.ca About Shaw Shaw Communications Inc. is a leading Canadian connectivity company. The Wireline division consists of Consumer and Business services. Consumer serves residential customers with broadband Internet, Shaw Go WiFi, video and digital phone. Business provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, digital phone and video services. The Wireless division provides wireless voice and LTE-Advanced data services through an expanding and improving mobile wireless network infrastructure. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 04:19:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's navy has rescued 298 Sub-Saharan illegal immigrants and found two dead bodies in the Mediterranean, the Moroccan army announced on Tuesday. The Moroccan coast guards assisted on Monday and Tuesday the rescued on board five inflatable boats, the navy said. One of the boats was found in trouble off the coast of the northern city of Nador since Saturday due to an engine failure, the navy said, adding that 55 people were in poor health condition and two dead bodies were found on the boat. The navy's coast guards provided the necessary health care for the rescued illegal immigrants before bringing them to the ports of Nador and Al Hoceima, it added. Morocco has witnessed a significant hike in illegal immigration attempts in 2018. According to the Interior Ministry, Morocco has foiled more than 76,000 illegal immigration attempts between January and November this year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 04:24:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Tuesday held talks with visiting UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the king's office said in a statement. Guterres expressed his gratitude to the host for the successful organization in Morocco of the Intergovernmental Conference on the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the statement said. Guterres hailed Morocco's constructive role in boosting south-south cooperation and the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and climate change, it said. The UN chief also praised Morocco's unwavering commitment to peacekeeping operations, mainly by deploying the important contingents of the Moroccan armed forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, it added. They also discussed the situation in the Maghreb region and the African continent. On the Western Sahara dispute, the Moroccan king reiterated to Guterres "the support of Morocco for efforts made by the secretary general and his personal envoy to reach a final political solution to this regional dispute." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 05:30:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian authorities have uncovered seven mass graves with hundreds of bodies in a former Islamic State (IS) stronghold in eastern Syria, state news agency SANA reported on Tuesday. Hundreds of unidentified bodies were found in the mass graves in the city of Abu Kamal in the southeastern countryside of Deir al-Zour province in eastern Syria, according to SANA. The report said the bodies belong to those who were executed by IS when the group controlled the area. So far, the civil defense units in cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent have unearthed 101 bodies, most of which had marks of torture, said the report, adding that work is underway to unearth the rest. The Syrian army captured Abu Kamal from IS in 2017 as the area was a key bastion of the terror-designated group near the Iraqi border. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:05:13|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close British sociologist Martin Albrow addresses the opening of the photo exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up of China in London, Britain, on Dec. 11, 2018. Over one hundred scholars, officials and business leaders in the UK joined the Chinese Embassy in celebrating the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up at a photo exhibition at the Central Hall Westminster. (Xinhua/Han Yan) LONDON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's progress and development during the last 40 years has been remarkable and brought benefits to the world, British scholars said here at a commemorative event on Tuesday. Over one hundred scholars, officials and business leaders in the UK joined the Chinese Embassy in celebrating the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up at a photo exhibition at the Central Hall Westminster. The exhibition, featuring 40 photographs taken over the last 40 years in China, showcases the daily life of Chinese people and the rapid development in the country. Martin Albrow, British sociologist noted for his works on globalization, told the opening of the exhibition that China's reform and opening up has worked to the benefit of all nations, and the UK in particular. Viewing it an enormous privilege to be at the celebration, Albrow said: "There is indeed a strong case for arguing that it was China's reform and opening up which gave the kick start to western globalization. The two biggest global corporations of the time, General Motor and Coca Cola arrived in China at that very time to talk of joint ventures. It was not until 1983 that globalization, as the drive for global markets, became the hot topic for western business." He noted that the reform and opening up has always been based on socialism with Chinese characteristics, on ongoing reform of every sector of society and on win-win relations with other countries. Colin Humphreys, British physicist and materials expert, told Xinhua that the fantastic exhibition tells a remarkable story of the development of China in the last 40 years. "You see poor people (in the photos) and you see the wealth gradually increasing and you see small buildings and big buildings and people watching the first black and white television set in China. You get this tremendous idea of progress which has been so rapid. So many other countries have had progress over hundreds of years. Chinese progress has been compressed into 40 years, which is remarkable," he marveled. Humphreys, who founded the Cambridge/Rolls-Royce Centre for Aerospace Materials, said he was most impressed by a photo featuring China's first independently-developed large passenger aircraft C919 rolling off the assembly line in Shanghai in 2015. "To develop a plane like this there's so much really advanced technology in the engines, and also in the bodywork. It's really very high technology and just very impressive to have done this," he explained. Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the UK, said in his keynote speech that these 40 years have been a glorious chapter in the history of China, which is written with the pioneering, relentless and united efforts and unswerving dedication of the Chinese people. He noted that over the past 40 years, the international community, including the UK, have given their support for China's reform and opening up and taken an active part in it, which have been "instrumental in the success of this great cause." "China-UK relations, after 40 years of leaps and bounds, is a best illustration of China's deep integration with the world. Going forward, China plans to deepen reform and open its market wider to the world. This matches well with the UK's goal of building a 'global Britain'. Such synergy will open up broader space and create more opportunities for the cooperation between our two countries in various areas," said Liu. The ambassador calls on China and the UK to continue to view each other's development with a rational attitude, to promote business cooperation in the spirit of partnership and to address global challenges with an open mind. "We will continue to advance in the spirit of reform and innovation, and with the courage to overcome all the difficulties ahead. And we are ready to join hands with the UK and other countries to seize the opportunities of cooperation and share development benefits," he reassured. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:40:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NEW YORK, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar extended gains in late trading on Tuesday, as the sterling plummeted over the latest chaos surrounding Brexit. British Prime Minister Teresa May on Tuesday met with European leaders to court support for changes to her Brexit deal, after she decided to delay a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal previously scheduled for Tuesday. However, the EU has shut out the possibility to renegotiating her UK-EU divorce deal. May's Brexit deal will be brought back to the British parliament for a vote on before Jan. 21, said May's official spokesman on Tuesday. The cabinet will meet on Wednesday afternoon with a focus on no-deal preparedness. Such moves continued to rattle investors and dragged the sterling to the lowest level since April 2017. Analysts said it is hard to predict how sterling would be traded in the future, as it largely depends on what would come out from May's talks with Brussel and how the British parliament would react later. In late New York trading, the euro fell to 1.1326 dollars from 1.1352 dollars in the previous session, and the British pound decreased to 1.2528 dollars from 1.2557 U.S. dollars in the previous session. The Australian dollar increased to 0.7205 dollar from 0.7185 dollar. The U.S. dollar bought 113.39 Japanese yen, higher than 113.20 Japanese yen of the previous session. The U.S. dollar increased to 0.9928 Swiss franc from 0.9897 Swiss franc, and it was down to 1.3396 Canadian dollars from 1.3411 Canadian dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:55:27|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's flag carrier Royal Air Maroc Tuesday took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 widebody Dreamliner passenger plane from Boeing Company to grow its international business. Boeing said the new aircraft is the second member of the long-range super-efficient Dreamliner family added to the fleet of Royal Air Maroc. The larger, long-haul Dreamliner will help Morocco's flag carrier expand its service to Europe, the United States and Latin America. "The choice of this airplane forms part of our strategy to continuously expand and modernize our fleet," said Abdelhamid Addou, CEO and chairman of Royal Air Maroc. Royal Air Marco plans to deploy the 787-9 on flights from Casablanca to Paris in France, to New York in the United States, and to Sao Paulo in Brazil as the airplane has a maximum seating capacity of 302 passengers and a range of 14,140 km. Morocco has already operated three other models from the Boeing 787 family, and it was the first carrier in the Mediterranean to fly the 787-8 Dreamliner in 2015. With the 787-8 put into service, the Moroccan airline opened new, non-stop routes such as Casablanca to the U.S. cities of Washington, D.C and Miami. Royal Air Maroc will also take delivery of its first 737 MAX jet later this month, one of the latest single-aisle aircraft in the country's fleet of more than 60 Boeing airplanes. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 07:00:28|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close MADRID, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China Eastern Airlines on Tuesday officially inaugurated its new route between the Spanish capital city of Madrid and the historic Chinese city of Xi'an. The new route was opened following a ceremony at Madrid's Adolfo Suarez Barajas airport, which saw an arch of water projected over the first plane to fly the route. The route will be flown in an Airbus A330-200, which after landing at Xi'an will then continue to Shanghai and there will be flights from Madrid every Tuesday and Saturday. The new connection means China Eastern Airlines now has four direct flights every week between Madrid and China. The airline has operated a direct flight from Madrid to Shanghai every Thursday and Sunday since 2016 and carried around 180,000 people between the two cities. Xi'an stands at the eastern end of the famous Silk Road and was the home of the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties, meaning it is not only economically important, but rich in cultural heritage. Nowhere is this heritage clearer than in the world famous Terracotta Army of the first Emperor, Qin Shihuang, and Spaniards wanting to see this incredible sight now have their journey made much easier. "I think the two cities are very similar on a cultural level and it will be very positive for both cities and the interest of their citizens," Caroline Tensi, who is responsible for connectivity at the Madrid Office of Tourism, told Xinhua at the ceremony. China Eastern Airlines is one the three biggest airlines in China and the top 10 in the world. It carries over 120 million people a year to 1,074 destinations in 177 countries and regions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 07:05:29|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KATOWICE, Poland, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa, on Tuesday urged governments to push for a strong and effective outcome of a major UN climate conference as divisions still remain. The two-week 24th Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC, which runs until Friday in the southern Polish city of Katowice, aims to adopt the implementation guidelines of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement to provide clarity on how to carry out the accord fairly for all participating countries. "Many political divisions remain. Many issues still must be overcome. But I believe it's within our grasp to finish the job," said Espinosa, adding "Let's complete the Paris Agreement Work Program and, by doing so, immediately unleash the power of the Paris Agreement itself." The COP24 runs into the second week of high-level negotiations after the first week of technical talks ended with more than 100 ministers now in Katowice. Ahead of the COP24, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a special report on the achievability and implications of a 1.5Celsius global average temperature rise compared to pre-industrial levels, the lower temperature goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Hoesung Lee, chair of the IPCC, reiterated the key findings of the report in Katowice that the temperature goal is only achievable if governments take urgent and far-reaching action in all aspects of society, with many implications for policy-making. "Every bit of warming matters. Every year matters. Every choice matters. With this report, the scientific message is clear. It is now up to you, the governments, to act," he said. Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, also warned that current levels of greenhouse gas emissions were unsustainable, and were already leading to dramatic climate change impacts around the world, from the melting of Artic ice to many incidents of fires and flooding this year. "We are expecting a 2 to 4 percent increase in global carbon dioxide emissions this year. If we are serious about the Paris Agreement, we need to see different numbers," Taalas said. The secretary-general also pointed out that even if pollution of the atmosphere is stopped today, the current levels of CO2 would stay in the atmosphere for many years to come, locking in extreme weather. The UN climate conference came as latest reports show that climate challenges remain undeterred and global carbon emissions are set to hit an all-time high in 2018. According to a report released last week by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the Global Carbon Project, global carbon emissions are expected to rise by more than 2 percent from last year to 37.1 billion tonnes of CO2 in 2018, driven by a solid growth in coal use and sustained growth in oil and gas use. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 07:30:34|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close by Alessandra Cardone ROME, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Accessing medical treatments through Italy's National Health System (SSN) has become more difficult in 2017 compared to the previous year, a survey based on citizens' claims suggested on Tuesday. Some 37.3 percent of those involved in the survey said they were not able to receive the necessary assistance in due time in public health facilities last year, against 31.3 percent in 2016, the report PiT Health by civil group Cittadinanzattiva (Active Citizenship) showed. Titled "The future of healthcare at stake", this was the 21st such survey carried out by the association, based on 20,163 claims received by citizens between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2017. The major inconvenience emerging from such claims concerned the waiting list for specialized medical examinations and treatments, which was reported as top problem by 56 percent compared with 54.1 percent in the previous year. On average, people claimed they had to wait up to 12 months for an ultrasound scan in public hospitals, 13 months for a mammography, some 10 months for a computerized axial tomography (CAT), and 9 months for a Doppler ultrasound. The report further highlighted a concerning 4.8 percent annual increase in the number of people complaining about a too long wait to access chemotherapy and radiotherapy against cancer. The long-wait complaints for overall surgeries in the SSN also grew by 1.9 percent year-on-year, according to the PiT Health. However, the survey also reported an improvement in terms of waiting list for diagnostic tests, showing a 5.6 percent drop in terms of number of claims in 2017 against 2016. The second issue most often reported was the difficult access to so-called territorial assistance, which in Italy comprises health services provided at home and in facilities other than hospitals. This was a major problem for 14.9 percent of people turning to Cittadinanzattiva in 2017, up from 13.9 percent in the previous year. In terms of number of claims, these two issues were followed by a lack of assistance for disabilities (12.2 percent), alleged malpractices (9.8 percent), lack of information (8.8 percent), and problems related to drugs (3.4 percent), among others. The report also considered the costs spent by citizens to access public healthcare last year, and how these might have hampered their chance to receive the necessary assistance. Some 30.3 percent said the cost of therapies or exams was the heaviest for them, followed by 23.8 percent complaining for the cost of drugs, and 14.6 percent for that of services within hospitals. The share of people protesting for these same costs had been 33.8 percent, 19.4 percent, and 13.0 percent in the 2016 survey, respectively. The Italian national healthcare is regionally based, and provides free universal coverage, yet with a cost-sharing mechanism that requires a contribution from the citizen according to income and age. Figures from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) showed the healthcare expenditure was equal to 8.9 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016, some 75 percent of which was provided by public funds. The sole public spending for the healthcare system that year was 112 billion euros (126.7 billion U.S. dollars), ISTAT added. It remained one of the lowest among the countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Despite coming under increasing strain in latest years due to austerity cuts and a larger share of elderly population to assist, the Italian SSN rates among the world's most efficient ones. The World Health Organization (WHO) placed it in the second place after France's in its global ranking of healthcare systems in 2000. A more recent comprehensive study by medical journal The Lancet put it in the 11th place in a ranking of healthcare quality in 2015. Despite this overall good performance, relevant imbalances in the quality of assistance were still reported across the 20 Italian regions, with a major rift being marked by the traditional north-south divide. In its second-to-last report in 2016, the National Observatory on Healthcare with Milan-based La Cattolica University stressed that "the Southern question has not yet been resolved." "To mention just some numbers -- the Observatory noted -- national per-capita health expenditure in 2015 was 1,838 euros on average, yet much higher in the (far northeast) Autonomous Province of Bolzano (2,255 euros), and significantly lower in Southern Italy, especially in Calabria (1,725 euros)." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 09:05:07|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies before U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee during a hearing "Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use and Filtering Practices" on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, on Dec. 11, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) HAILEY, ID, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- POWER Engineers Incorporated (POWER), a multidiscipline global engineering consulting firm, is pleased to announce the opening of our Louisiana office located in downtown Baton Rouge. This office will support both existing and new clients in Louisiana, as well as strengthen our service offering throughout the Gulf Coast. Consistent with POWERs client-focused culture, we are excited to be closer to our existing clients in Louisiana and open the door to new opportunities, said Rob Reid, Vice President and Environmental Division Manager. From Baton Rouge, POWER will provide environmental and engineering services to clients in the oil and gas, petrochemical, manufacturing and electric utility industries. The office will be led by Jude Comeaux. Comeaux is a senior project manager and comes to POWER with nearly three decades of experience in both the public and private sectors as an environmental planner and project manager focused on natural resources. He has managed LNG, pipeline and utilities transmission, industrial, private and commercial land development and government projects on both land and water across the southern U.S. and Gulf Coast regions. Prior to this office's opening, POWER's nearest locations to Louisiana clients were in Houston. The firm also has offices in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Orlando and more than 35 other locations across the country and around the globe. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 07:55:37|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close NEW YORK, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese SUV brands in the semi-premium segment are catching up with their foreign rivals as they improve in technology and cater to consumers' needs, according to the latest industry report released by brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance. In its report titled "Chinese Automobiles 2018," the consultancy said that although most Chinese brands are still in the middle to low-end market, some Chinese brands such as WEY and Lynk & Co are targeting a slightly higher income segment by using better technology and more differentiated, premium marketing. Present in the market for only two years, WEY already commands seven percent of the market for 150,000- 200,000-yuan (21,741 U.S. dollars to 28,988 dollars) cars - a market which constitutes 1.4 million units sold a year in China. Lynk& Co sold more than 4 percent of vehicles in that segment, said the report. The report said prejudice against Chinese brands is waning with WEY considered more "Stylish" and "Cool" than Land Rover by a new generation of consumers. Brand value of the top five Chinese brands has risen 92 percent from 2017 to 2018, largely thanks to local demand. In comparison, the value of brands from other countries has risen only 9 percent, according to the report. Alex Haigh, Auto Industry Director at Brand Finance, said Chinese brands have struggled to extend overseas largely because at their price point, they have been seen as less safe and less desirable alternatives to Western brands. But the situation has been changed. "Especially WEY - which has a specific objective to expand overseas - appears to be breaking this mould. We may therefore start to see their models become as much a staple of not only Chinese but also European and American motorways as Toyotas and Volkswagens are today," said Haigh. However, the report said international brands still score better among customers on comfort, prestige, and technology and it will be some time before Chinese brands are able to position themselves realistically as luxury alternatives. There is clearly no instinctive barrier to demand against Chinese brands because country of origin is among the least important factors drivers consider, said the report. It added that with the right combination of models, service, communication, distribution, and a more established position in the market, it seems likely that demand will expand. "The key to breaking through into more premium segments is improving brand perceptions to move away from a competition on price," said Haigh. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 09:41:01|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Germany contributed 2.5 million Euros (2.83 million U.S. dollars) to the Libyan Stabilization Fund on Monday, the German embassy in Libya announced Tuesday. "German Ambassador Oliver Ovcha on Monday signed Germany's increased contribution to Libya Stabilization Fund with 2.5 million Euros," the embassy said in a statement. According to the statement, the contribution aims to "support and strengthen the capacities of some of the target municipalities to achieve stability and peace in Libya with the participation of all women and men." Founded in 2016, the Libyan Stabilization Fund is run by the Libyan Ministry of Planning in cooperation with the UN Mission and seeks to provide assistance to vulnerable groups in Libya that suffer from military actions and conflicts in the country. As the most important donor to the fund, Germany has contributed a total of more than 10 million U.S. dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 10:31:16|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that South Australia (SA) will be the home of the nation's first-ever space agency. Adelaide, capital of SA, beat strong competition from other states and territories to be chosen as the headquarters. The agency will be based at the former site of the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), with Morrison committing to an initial investment of 41 million Australian dollars (29.56 million U.S. dollars) "to open doors for local businesses and Australian access to the 345 billion USD global space industry." "Australia's space industry is set to hit new heights," Morrison told reporters on Wednesday. "Our government's 41 million AUD (29.56 million USD) investment into the agency will act as a launching pad to triple Australia's space economy to 12 billion AUD (8.65 billion USD) and create up to 20,000 jobs by 2030." South Australia has campaigned relentlessly to be the home of the space agency, enlisting homegrown National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Andy Thomas to help with its campaign. Steven Marshall, the premier of SA, said that the agency would significantly boost Adelaide's liveability. "South Australia is the ideal location for the Australian Space Agency with a range of local space industry businesses already established here as well as a rapidly growing defence industry sector," he said. "I look forward to working with the Federal Government, industry and our education sector to capitalise on this incredible opportunity for our state." A number of space start-ups have already established bases in Adelaide, employing more than 800 people in the sector. Karen Andrews, the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, said that the agency would provide a job boom for SA. "Having the space agency headquartered here in Adelaide means that South Australia will certainly have a great opportunity to be a major contributor," she told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio. "We're intending to grow jobs nationally and South Australia, it will certainly have every opportunity to grow more jobs for our young people (and) people who are potentially transitioning from other industries. "Nothing inspires people like space does," she said. "We want to encourage our young people to study science and maths at school, we want to be able to demonstrate to them ... that there are jobs in the space sector and South Australia is now leading the charge." Andrews said that Adelaide was chosen over strong bids from New South Wales, Queensland and Canberra, Australia's capital city, due to the city's existing space industry and its rich history. "This decision builds on the very strong technology and defense presence in the state," she said. "The Australian space sector actually started its journey right here in South Australia. "Our very first satellite was launched into space from Woomera just over half a century ago, so South Australia has demonstrated a very long history in space." The national space agency, which was established in July 2017, is headed by Megan Clark, the former chief executive of Australia's peak scientific body, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). It will move into the RAH site in 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 11:16:24|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- After the success of the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), its organizers have sent delegations abroad to attract more global participants to the next expo in Shanghai in 2019, China Daily reported on Wednesday. The newspaper said a high-level delegation led by Liu Fuxue, vice-president of the CIIE bureau, has been sent to Australia and New Zealand to invite local enterprises. The delegation organized business forums in Auckland and Sydney last week to demonstrate the results of the CIIE a month ago and encourage local businesses to participate in the second expo. Another delegation is visiting the United States and will visit Mexico and Brazil, and a new team is planning trips to other countries next month, the bureau said. Liu said registration for next year's expo has opened since July this year, and those wishing to attend would need register before April 30, 2019. About 100 companies have already signed contracts with the bureau, with more contracts in the progress of negotiation, added Liu. Kylie Bell, executive director of industry, trade and investment at New South Wales' state government of industry, said 50 companies from New South Wales attended the expo and secured many deals, and the state government will continue recommending the expo to local enterprises. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 12:01:31|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close by Burak Akinci ANKARA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The economic reform of China is a remarkable story to follow amid trade tensions plaguing the international commerce, said Guven Sak, managing director of the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV). "I am mostly interested in the economic transformation of China. In a very short time, so many people came out of poverty and China became a major force in a couple of decades. It was a great achievement," Sak told Xinhua in an exclusive interview ahead of his attendance at the Understanding China Conference scheduled for Dec. 16-18 in Beijing. The influential expert from TEPAV, an Ankara-based think tank, indicated that China has been doing well regarding its approach to new technologies, a sector in which collaborations with other countries such as Turkey could be built to give weight to sustainable development. Sak said that developing new technologies can help countries achieve "a win-win situation" not only in sustainable development, but also in a global economic growth. Noting increasing trade between Turkey and China in recent years, Sak suggested that both countries could engage in "new experiments," referring to Chinese-Turkish joint investments in the Middle East and Africa, a huge market in which both Ankara and Beijing are interested. "China and Turkey work well in this region (Middle East) but this requires a strong strategy from our part (Turkey)," he added. China was the biggest exporter to Turkey as the export volume reached 23.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, while Turkey the 54th to China with an export volume of 2.9 billion dollars, according to official figures. More than 40 international participants from political, academic and business areas in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative have confirmed their attendance at the upcoming conference in Beijing. This will be the third Understanding China Conference. The two previous ones were held in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 12:26:38|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KABUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least three Taliban militants have been killed after Afghan Special Operations Forces launched an airstrike in the country's eastern province of Paktika, the command of special forces said Wednesday. "Three Taliban militants were killed following Special Operations Forces' airstrike in Waza Khwa district and on the outskirts of provincial capital Sharan," the Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps said in a statement. The militant group has yet to respond to the report. Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants recently as the Taliban militant group has been attempting to take territory and consolidate its positions ahead of winter. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 12:46:41|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SAO PAULO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian police said they identified the gunman, who opened fire inside a church during midday mass on Tuesday and killed four people before committing suicide. The killer was Euler Grandolpho, a 49-year-old systems analyst with no prior criminal record, military police told local media. Officials said they had not yet been able to establish a motive for the crime, which took place in Campinas, a town in southeast Sao Paulo state. "We did not find anything that could indicate stressful behavior," police investigator Jose Ventura said. However, officials said he had been treated for depression in the past and was living with his parents. And he had been unemployed since 2015. The man was carrying two weapons but only used one, firing at least 20 times before he was confronted by police. Following an exchange of gun fire, he committed suicide in front of the altar. Earlier in the day, the Secretary of Security in Campinas Luis Baggio told the Globo TV network, "we think he was shooting at random, without looking for a clear target." The number of the injured rose from an initial three to four, including one in critical condition. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 12:46:41|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close NEW YORK, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes U.S. businesses to showcase and promote their products at the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) next year, said a delegation from Shanghai on Tuesday. During a roadshow of the second CIIE held in Midtown Manhattan, the delegation led by Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the CIIE bureau, extended warm welcome and handed out invitations to some 100 business representatives for the event scheduled for November 2019 in Shanghai. On the general outcome of the first CIIE concluded last month, Sun said some 174 U.S. companies took part in the event, making the United States the third largest participant among over 170 countries, regions and international organizations. Honeywell, a U.S.-based conglomerate providing a wide range of commercial goods and engineering services, was cited by Sun as a successful example as it harvested 18 contracts worth several hundred million U.S. dollars during the six-day event. The roadshow also made some updates about the second CIIE, which will expand its exhibition area with an outdoor showroom for heavy machinery. A string of U.S. companies such as Tesla, GE and Johnson&Johnson, have already signed up, according to the delegation. Chinese Consul-General in New York Huang Ping said that despite some tensions over economic and trade issues between the world's two largest economies, the roadshow has shown "China genuinely is and wants to be a friend with the United States, especially in terms of sharing its market, and business opportunities." As the world's first import-themed national-level expo, the first CIIE was held in China's Shanghai from Nov. 5-10 and concluded with deals worth about 58 billion U.S. dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 12:56:43|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A pause in China-U.S. tariff disputes relieves anxiety about economic growth and market stability in both countries and the rest of the world, Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Wang Donghua said in a signed article published Tuesday. "It is good news for the world economy and markets that the heads of state of China and the United States had a constructive meeting and dinner on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Argentina," Wang said in the article titled "A welcome pause in U.S.-China trade dispute," which was carried by the San Francisco Chronicle, the largest-circulation newspaper on the U.S. West Coast. During the dinner meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump agreed not to impose new additional tariffs. The United States and China have been locked in trade frictions since earlier this year when the U.S. government slapped punitive tariffs on Chinese exports to America, which forced China to retaliate in kind. "It is in the interests of both sides to settle their differences, as they are economically intertwined," Wang said, adding that many Americans he had talked to hope the trade conflict could come quickly to an end and avoid further harms to U.S. companies from tariffs. Citing Apple as an example, Wang said more than 50 million iPhones were sold in the Chinese mainland in 2017, bringing the number of iPhone users there to more than 300 million, nearly the size of the U.S. population. The Buenos Aires meeting made it possible for U.S. companies to continue reaping extensive economic benefits from the opportunities generated by the growth of China, whose population of nearly 1.4 billion makes it one of the largest markets in the world, said Wang. It is predicted that in the coming 15 years, China will import over 30 trillion U.S. dollars in goods and over 10 trillion dollars in services, offering enormous opportunities for its trading partners, including the United States. Wang noted that it is natural for trading partners to have differences and even frictions, but "as long as we work together, there is hope to find solutions to our differences." "A pause in raising tariff barriers is a step in the right direction" for China and the United States to move forward to solve their trade disputes by peaceful means, said the Chinese consul general. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 13:06:46|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close by Ye Zaiqi SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- World peace can not be guaranteed if Japan does not show remorse for its wartime crimes during World War II (WWII), said parents of a late famous Chinese American writer whose book unveiled to the West the gruesome holocaust by imperialist Japan in China. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua Tuesday, Ying-Ying Chang and Shau-Jin Chang, parents of Iris Chang who wrote the 1997 best-selling book "The Rape of Nanking," said the annual memorial event for over 300,000 Chinese killed by invading Japanese troops in the Chinese city of Nanjing (formerly known as Nanking) in 1937 serves as a reminder that the appalling dark page in history should not be forgotten if "we want to prevent its recurrence in the future." "There are only a few survivors of the Nanjing Massacre living in the world and most of them are in their nineties, which means we have limited opportunities in the future to hear their personal stories of what they have suffered at the hands of the Japanese military more than eight decades ago," said 78-year-old Ying-Ying Chang, Iris's mother. When she was a student, Iris found the Nanjing Massacre was little mentioned in American school books nor other publications, the mother said, adding Iris even got no answer from her American teachers. The other day, Iris happened to see a photo exhibition by the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of WWII in Asia, which featured many graphic pictures of the mass killing of Chinese victims by Japanese troops, the mother said. "This experience gave her an overwhelming urge to write a book on the Nanjing Massacre, so that more people, regardless of Westerners or Asians, can learn the history of Japan's guilt," said the mother. Japan should follow the example of Germany, which won respect for addressing its WWII crimes, Ying-Ying Chang said. Unfortunately, the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has always refused to face history and make an official apology for the wartime atrocities committed by the Japanese troops, she said. What's worse, many politicians in Japan made repeated attempts to whitewash the militarists' crimes and denied history, said the indignant mother. Those Japanese rightists tried to water down in their textbooks the heinous crimes by Japanese aggressors, ranging from the mass slaughtering of Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in Nanjing, the notorious Unit 731 troops that undertook lethal human experimentation for biological and chemical warfare, to forcing hundreds of thousands of Chinese and other Asian women into sexual slavery, the mother continued. "Facing such a negative attitude by the Japanese government, overseas Chinese must not let this appalling episode of history be forgotten and prevent such a tragedy happen again in the future," she said. "We must educate our younger generations about this history. If we don't let them know about it, no lessons would be learned," the mother said. "We hold memorial activities for the Chinese victims, not because we want to create hatred, but because we want the Japanese to face up to the evil of the war so that world peace can be preserved for ever," she said. "We want world peace, not war, and we don't want to see such a tragedy happen again," she said. The Asian community including local overseas Chinese held a major event named Nanjing Ji (Remembrance of Nanjing Massacre) on Sunday in downtown San Francisco. The event, which coincided with the 81st anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, came a few days ahead of the 2018 National Memorial for Nanjing Massacre Victims in China on Dec. 13. VICTORIA, British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carmanah Technologies Corporation (TSX:CMH) (the Company or Carmanah), announced today that it has entered into a purchase agreement (the Agreement) regarding the sale of a significant portion of the assets of the Company to SPX Corporation (SPX) for USD $77.0 million. The assets being sold include all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each of Sabik Oy, Sabik Ou, Sabik PTE Ltd., and Sabik Ltd., and their respective assets (collectively, Carmanahs Marine business), the business and assets the Companys Airfield Ground Lighting business, its Aviation Obstruction Lighting business as well as some miscellaneous business assets that support the businesses to be sold (the Transaction). We are very pleased with this transaction, said John Simmons, Chief Executive Officer of Carmanah. Not only is it fairly valued but also creates numerous opportunities for employees and customers alike. Combining Carmanahs Marine, Aviation and Airfield Ground Lighting products with SPXs extensive infrastructure and broad distribution network is a great opportunity to further advance product development and extend the reach of these solutions to a broader customer base. The Transaction is anticipated to close in January 2019, subject to the satisfaction of certain customary commercial conditions, including but not limited to the Company obtaining the applicable regulatory approvals and approval by the Companys shareholders of the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company. Shareholders of Carmanah representing approximately 33% of the voting shares of the Company, including all directors, have entered into voting and support agreements with SPX, pursuant to which they will agree to support and vote their shares in favour of the Transaction. The Transaction has been approved unanimously by the Companys board of directors (the Board), which has determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Capital West Partners, an independent financial advisor to Board, has provided an opinion that, subject to the assumptions and limitations upon which the opinion is based, the consideration to be received by the Company is fair from a financial point of view. The Board recommends that shareholders vote in favor of approving the Transaction at a special meeting of shareholders, which is expected to be scheduled as soon as possible in early 2019 (the Meeting). As the Transaction would constitute the sale of all or substantially all the assets as defined under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), the Transaction will require shareholder approval of at least 662/3% of shares voted in person or by proxy at the Meeting. In addition, if the Agreement is terminated by either party in certain circumstances, a break fee or expense reimbursement fee of USD $3.0 million or USD $2.0 million, will be payable by Carmanah to SPX. The Company is preparing a management information circular (the Circular) for shareholders in respect of the Meeting that will further explain the terms and conditions of the Transaction. The Company anticipates mailing the Circular as soon as possible. Copies of the Agreement and the Circular will be filed with Canadian securities regulators and will be available on the SEDAR profile of Carmanah at www.sedar.com The net cash proceeds of the Transaction after transaction costs and taxes is estimated to be approximately USD $73.5 million that, together with Company projected cash balances approximately USD $15.0 million, will result in total cash reserves of approximately USD $88.5 million. Company management and the Board have yet to fully consider how the Company will use the proceeds from the Transaction. Alternatives under consideration will include investments to grow the residual businesses of the Company by way of acquisitions or research and development spending, acquisitions of other businesses in new market spaces or returning cash to the shareholders by way of dividends or share buy-backs. After the effect of the transaction, the Company will retain 4 operating divisions: (i) Carmanah Traffic, which develops and sells traffic signaling devices including crosswalk and school zone warning systems, LED enhanced traffic signs, radar speed signs and miscellaneous traffic warning products; (ii) Sol, Inc., which develops and sells solar powered outdoor lighting for streets, parking lots and pathways; (iii) Carmanah Telematics, which designed, built and supplies solar powered, satellite connected asset tracking devices to its customer, a satellite operating company; and (iv) Sabik Offshore GmbH, which provides completely integrated safety and marking solutions from aids to navigation to aviation obstruction lighting for offshore wind farms (collectively the Residual Businesses). The Residual Businesses generated revenues in excess of USD $30.0 million in the trailing 12 months and are expected to generate similar revenues and positive Adjusted EBITDA in 2019. About Carmanah Technologies Corporation Carmanah designs, develops, and distributes a portfolio of products focused on energy optimized LED solutions for infrastructure. Since 1996, we have earned a global reputation for delivering durable, dependable, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for industrial applications that perform in some of the worlds harshest environments. We manage our business within two reportable segments: Signals and Illumination. The Signals segment serves the Airfield Ground Lighting , Aviation Obstruction , Offshore Wind , Marine , Traffic , and Telematics markets. The Illumination segment provides solar-powered LED outdoor lights for municipal and commercial customers. About SPX Corporation SPX Corporation is a supplier of highly engineered products and technologies, holding leadership positions in the HVAC, detection and measurement, and engineered solutions markets. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, SPX Corporation had approximately $1.4 billion in annual revenue in 2017 and more than 5,000 employees in about 14 countries. SPX Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SPXC. For more information, please visit www.spx.com . Contacts Carmanah Technologies Corporation: Evan Brown, (250) 380-0052 Chief Financial Officer/Corporate Secretary investors@carmanah.com This release may contain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as expects, estimates, could, will, or variations of such words and phrases. Forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the sale of substantially all of Carmanahs assets, the consideration to be paid under the Agreement, the closing of the Transaction, calling a special meeting of shareholders, the contents and expected timing of mailing the Circular, the expected date of the special meeting of shareholders, the anticipated closing date of the Transaction, the satisfaction of closing conditions, including obtaining the requisite regulatory and shareholder approvals, use of proceeds from the Transaction, estimated revenues for the Residual Businesses in the trailing 12-months, value and opportunities for Carmanah customers and employees, product development and reach for Marine, Aviation and Airfield Ground Lighting Products, and are based on managements current expectations and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Carmanah to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations and beliefs but given the uncertainties, assumptions and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements or information. Carmanah disclaims any obligation to update, or to publicly announce, any such statements, events or developments except as required by law. Risk factors include, among others: risks related to certain conditions contemplated by the Agreement. For additional information on these risks and uncertainties, see Carmanahs most recently filed Annual Information Form (AIF) and Annual MD&A (MD&A), which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Companys website at www.carmanah.com. The risk factors identified in the AIF and MD&A are not intended to represent a complete list of factors that could affect Carmanah. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Carmanah does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release, unless required by law. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 13:16:48|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly said on Tuesday that he would stand with Saudi Arabia's crown prince despite the death of a Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. Trump told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "is very strong in power," and standing by the kingdom "certainly" meant standing by the crown prince at this moment. Amid wide outrage over the Trump administration's reluctance to further punish the kingdom, also on Tuesday, Bob Corker, chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the media that this week, he planned to introduce a joint resolution condemning the Saudi crown prince for the killing of Khashoggi, in a bid to force Trump to take a tougher stance over the alleged murder. Corker, a veteran Republican, said that he expected the resolution, co-sponsored by other heavyweights including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, to pass the Senate with "a very, very strong vote." If the resolution also passes the House of Representatives, Trump would have to decide whether to sign it or veto. When asked about the Congress' countermeasure, Trump said in the interview that he would meet with senators in the hope that the senators would not propose to stop arms sales to the Saudis. However, he added that he could abide by legislation that requires to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led attack in Yemen, noting that "I'm much more open to Yemen because frankly, I hate to see what's going on in Yemen." For their part, Democratic Senators Ed Markey and Jeff Merkley sent a letter on Tuesday to ask Energy Secretary Rick Perry to brief the Congress on his earlier talks with Saudi Arabia on a civilian nuclear agreement during his recent trip to the kingdom. According to a separate report of NBC News on Tuesday, CIA Director Gina Haspel will brief the House leaders on Wednesday about what U.S. intelligence community knows about the murder of Khashoggi. She has given a classified briefing on Khashoggi's death to several senators earlier on Dec. 4, but even Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump, said after the briefing that one would have to be "wilfully blind" to deny that the Saudi crown prince was "intimately involved." NBC also quoted three Senate aides as saying that the head of Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan, had come to Washington last week to brief a group of bipartisan senators about Turkey's investigation on Khashoggi's case. In another sign of global reflection over the case, Time Magazine earlier on Tuesday honored Khashoggi as one of its People of the Year, the first time for the magazine to choose someone that is no longer alive. Khashoggi has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. The Saudi authorities said he died in a "brawl" in the consulate. After releasing the results of its initial investigation, the Saudi Public Prosecution announced that 18 Saudis were arrested for their alleged connections with the killing. The U.S. Congress has urged a thorough investigation into his death, and threatened to take more actions against Saudi Arabia, such as sanctions and suspension of military support for the Saudi-led attack in Yemen, if those responsible were not held accountable. However, the Trump administration has been reluctant to further punish the Saudi government. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a recent article that the death of Khashoggi has "heightened the Capitol Hill caterwauling and media pile-on." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 13:16:48|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China has been actively participating in global governance of human rights over the past 40 years, said a white paper released Wednesday by the State Council Information Office. During the past decades, China has been active in UN human rights undertakings, fulfilling its international obligations, conducting extensive international cooperation, and advancing the global governance of human rights in a fair and rational direction, said the white paper. Titled "Progress in Human Rights over the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China," the white paper said China has been fulfilling obligations in international instruments on human rights, signing 26 international human rights instruments to date. The document also pointed out that China has kept participating in establishing international rules and mechanisms for protecting human rights and engaging in UN human rights undertakings. China has conducted extensive international exchanges and cooperation concerning human rights, establishing dialogue and negotiation mechanisms for human rights protection with more than 20 other countries, said the white paper. The white paper noted the country has provided Chinese solutions to global human rights governance, making proposals at the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Human Rights Council and on other occasions to promote the establishment of a fair, just, reasonable and effective international human rights system. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 13:26:50|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China has been facilitating the development of human rights in the world over the past 40 years of its reform and opening up, said a white paper released Wednesday by the State Council Information Office. During the past decades, China has redoubled its efforts to promote human rights, sharing its experience, and creating more development opportunities globally, said the white paper titled "Progress in Human Rights over the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China." China has been increasing foreign assistance to many Asian and African developing countries. From 1950 to 2016, China provided 400 billion yuan (57.9 billion U.S. dollars) of foreign aid and conducted over 5,000 foreign assistance projects, according to the document. China has helped improve development capacity of other countries, expanded its assistance, promoted the Belt and Road Initiative, initiated integrated development model, and increased assistance training, said the document. The white paper noted China has been providing humanitarian relief to other countries to help them respond to severe natural disasters. China has also been committed to safeguarding world peace, said the white paper. According to the document, by May 2018, China had dispatched 37,000 military and 2,700 police personnel to participate in 30 UN peacekeeping missions in Sudan, Lebanon, Cambodia, Liberia and other countries and regions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 13:57:00|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Zhong Ya BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Remaining true to its original aspirations when joining in the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, China has consistently stuck to free trade and expanded opening-up. With clouds of unilateralism and protectionism gathering on the global horizon at present, China has reaffirmed its commitment to multilateralism, and vowed to continue to build broader international consensus on promoting win-win cooperation and common development. UPHOLD MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM Since its entry into the WTO in November 2001, China has devoted itself to liberalizing and facilitating trade and investment, firmly safeguarded the authority of the multilateral trading system, and unremittingly helped developing nations integrate into the multilateral trading system. By 2010, China had completed all its tariff abatement commitments, cutting the average tariff level from 15.3 percent in 2001 to 9.8 percent, Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese mission to the European Union (EU), was quoted by Brussels-based online newspaper EUobserver as saying. Foreign direct investment in China soared from 46.88 billion U.S. dollars to 136.32 billion dollars from 2001 to 2017, Zhang said. Meanwhile, China has established an intellectual property rights (IPR) legal system in conformity with WTO rules as well as suited to its national conditions. As of 2001, intellectual property royalties that China paid to foreign right holders have seen a yearly increase of 17 percent, amounting to 28.6 billion dollars in 2017, Zhang said. "With a new round of tariff cuts coming into effect on 1 November, China's overall tariff rates have been reduced to 7.5 percent, lower than the majority of developing countries and beyond the commitment China made upon its accession to the WTO," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit on Nov. 17. As the largest developing nation, China's accession to the WTO has not only benefited itself, but also the rest of the world. CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL GOVERNANCE China has stayed on the path of peaceful development, got actively involved in global economic governance, and actively supported other developing countries in their development, Xi said at the APEC CEO Summit in November that "we have implemented responsible macroeconomic policies and contributed a significant share of global growth." The global governance framework underpinned by the United Nations (UN) and comprising the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the WTO and other institutions has been "pivotal to global peace and development" in the past decades, Xi said in his APEC CEO Summit speech. China has now engaged in all-round contribution to the global governance which has yielded bountiful results. UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa applauded China's "critical role" in tackling climate change, and said she is impressed with the fact that the world's second largest economy has met its 2020 targets three years ahead of schedule. No matter how the situation changes, China will uphold multilateralism and support the UN to play an even bigger role, Xi said when meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Nov. 30. FURTHER COMMITMENTS China has demonstrated its commitment to trade liberalization and opening-up of its market. At the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in early November in Shanghai, deals worth 57.8 billion dollars were sealed. "I wish to welcome you all to the second CIIE to be held next year," Xi said, adding that "China will continue to significantly expand market access, strengthen IPR protection, and do more to increase imports." Besides opening its door wider, China will continuously push forward its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The BRI, proposed in 2013 to enhance connectivity among countries and regions, promote interconnected development, and create new space for global growth, is a major public good China has provided for the world, and a vivid demonstration of Beijing's commitment to openness and cooperation. China will continue to improve its business environment, and hopes that all countries will work together for a free, open, inclusive and orderly international economic environment, said Xi at the first session of the 13th summit of the Group of 20 in Buenos Aires this year. (Xinhua correspondents Ma Zheng, Tang Peipei, Huang Yinjiazi, Jiang Guopeng also contributed to the report.) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 13:57:00|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close QALAT, Afghanistan, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A total of 13 militants have been killed and five others wounded in the restive Mizan district of Afghanistan's southern Zabul province over the past one week, said a statement of the provincial police released here on Wednesday. The operations, according to the statement, have covered parts of Mizan district during which large quantity of arms and ammunitions as well as several motorbikes of the insurgents have been destroyed. Taliban militants have yet to make comment on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 13:57:00|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close YANOGN, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 292,500 stimulant tablets worth of 585 million kyats (377,419 U.S. dollars) in Rakhine state, according to the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on Wednesday. Three gunny bags, refilled with stimulant tablets and buried under the spillway of a prawn breeding pond in Shwe Zar village tract, Maungtaw township, were uncovered on Tuesday, the release said. Local police has filed against the owner of the prawn breeding pond under the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances law. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 14:27:10|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close by Pankaj Yadav, Jiang Lei NEW DELHI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The final results in five states that went to polls in recent weeks have been announced, and the country's main opposition party the Indian National Congress (INC) has fallen short by two lawmakers each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, in order to achieve the simple-majority mark. Senior INC leaders, including the party's newly-elected lawmakers, are holding meetings in the three states in a bid to form the new governments. In a day or two, the party is expected to announce the names of its chief ministers, or the heads of state government, in theses three states. In the central state of Madhya Pradesh, a party, or a coalition of parties, need support of at least 116 lawmakers to form the government since there are a total of 230 assembly constituencies, and in Rajasthan, a party, or a coalition of parties, need support of at least 101 lawmakers as there are 200 assembly constituencies in the western state. However, according to the Election Commission of India's (ECI) official website, the INC won in only 114 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh thus falling short by two, and only 99 constituencies in Rajasthan which has a total of 200 assembly constituencies, again falling short of two lawmakers. Elections were held in 199 constituencies in Rajasthan out of the total 200, as in one assembly, it was postponed after one of the contesting candidates had died during the election process. The election in this assembly constituency is to be held anytime soon. In such a situation, the INC will be in need of support of a couple of more lawmakers in both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Kumari Mayawati on Wednesday announced her party's support to the INC in government formation in both the states. The BSP has two newly elected lawmakers in Madhya Pradesh and six in Rajasthan. "We are ready to give our lawmakers' support in Madhya Pradesh in order to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power. And, in case a need arises, we can extend our support to the INC in Rajasthan as well," she told media persons on Wednesday. In a related development, Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has given an appointment to INC's state president Kamal Nath this afternoon to stake the claim to form the next government. Incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accepted his party's defeat and told media that he was going to tender his resignation to the state governor. Chauhan remained the state's chief minister for 15 years, there consecutive terms of five years each. In Rajasthan too, the INC's state president Sachin Pilot will be meeting Governor Kalyan Singh during the day to stake the claim to form the next government. The INC is comfortably placed to form the next government in the state of Chhattisgarh, where it won in as many 68 constituencies out of the total 90. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 14:42:13|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's presidential Blue House said Wednesday that it seemed difficult for Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to visit Seoul within this year. A senior Blue House official told local reporters that Kim's visit to Seoul seemed difficult to happen within this year. The official, however, noted that the possibility remained open for Kim's trip to Seoul in January next year. After his third summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in September in Pyongyang, Kim promised to visit Seoul at an early date. Moon has expressed hopes that Kim's visit to Seoul would happen before the end of this year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 14:52:15|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close SHIJIAZHUANG, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China is fighting "three tough battles" against risk, poverty and pollution in order to deliver a moderately prosperous society by 2020, a goal that was enshrined at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China six years ago. As the deadline approaches, the Chinese government has ratcheted up its drive to curb debt risk, pollution and poverty at a time when the long-term growth of the world's second-largest economy slows. REDUCING POVERTY For Liu Junliang, Party secretary of Longquanguan Town in Fuping County, 235 kilometers away from Beijing, how to reduce poverty and lead the locals to a better life is the top priority. When Liu first came to the town seven years ago, more than 60 percent of its 8,000 rural population were living under the national poverty line -- defined as per capita annual income lower than 2,300 yuan (about 335 U.S. dollars). With huge government funding into road construction, house renovation and resettlement as well as the introduction of industries, the poverty ratio has been reduced to 0.7 percent. "We introduced planting of apples and mushroom as well as a sachet factory," said Liu. Zhang Yanjun, 38, returned to his hometown village of Heilingou in 2016 after more than 22 years of migrant life as a barber in Beijing and Hebei's Baoding. "With better roads, house and education, it is time for me to come back," said Zhang, who rented a mushroom farm with low-interest loans that could make some 35,000 yuan in profits this year. Together with 10 cattle he raises, Zhang is able to make almost the same income as working in the city. Furthermore, he is expected to move to his three-bedroom apartment next year from his dilapidated house due to a resettlement project that involves 27 mountainous villages. Zhang's case is an epitome of China's efforts in lifting people out of poverty and leading them to a prosperous life. As of the end of 2017, China had 30.46 million impoverished rural residents, compared with more than 770 million in 1978. In the past five years, over 68 million rural people have been lifted above the poverty line. In Fuping, there are still more than 12,000 people living under the poverty line, accounting for 6.6 percent of the county's population. Fuping is expected to be removed from the poverty list in 2019. "Industrial development is key to prosperity and long-term growth in the region," said Huang Wenzhong, who was dispatched to Luotuowan Village by the Hebei provincial development and reform commission to lead local poverty reduction work. With the 500,000 yuan he raised, Huang set up a collective enterprise in the village in June. "Every registered villager will enjoy the dividend as we develop tourism, poultry and photovoltaic generation," said Huang. According to official data released in mid-2017, nearly 1 million officials and cadres like Huang had been sent to impoverished villages. TACKLING POLLUTION Unlike Fuping where poverty reduction is the top priority, pollution control is the bottleneck for Wen'an, a county 130 km away from Beijing known for its choking plywood and plastics industries as well as for producing one eight of China's total plywood. Locals said they never wore white clothes several years ago as the pollution was too heavy. Yao Yuntao, head of the county government, was given a demerit by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment earlier this year as a number of plastic manufacturers illegally continued production on heavily-polluted days. "If we had not made any changes, the plywood industry would have soon phased out," Yao told Xinhua. The county government ordered all plywood manufacturers to replace their coal-fired boilers with gas-fired ones and set up strict standards for dust and VOC (volatile organic compounds) emission as well as hygiene conditions, thus cutting down the number of eligible plywood producers in the county from 2,000 to 245. At an environmental protection station in Zuogezhuang Town, a big screen shows the real-time boiler operation of each plywood producer. "When someone does not open the anti-pollution and anti-dust equipment, we receive warnings from a mobile phone App, so we can intervene in time," said Wang Xuewu, deputy head of the county's environment protection bureau. Although the number of plywood producers has dropped drastically, tax revenue is on the rise. According to the county taxation bureau, the plywood industry contributed 258 million yuan in taxes in the first 10 months of this year, outperforming the 161 million yuan recorded in the whole of 2017. "The increase of production capacity of gas-fired boilers, the rising market price due to the descending number of producers and product upgrade contributed to the rise [in taxes]," said Yao, adding that the harsh measures have caused the city's air quality index to rise from the worst to the best among 10 county-level districts in Langfang City, which administers Wen'an. Wang Guozhi, chairman of Jinqiu Wood Co. Ltd, a major plywood producer, was reluctant at first to hand in the 27 coal-fired boilers but now is ready to embrace transition. "Wen'an set a good example. The other three plywood production bases in China all followed suit," said Wang, who is planning to transition from plywood manufacturing to interior design and decoration. Yao said the government is planning to introduce the experience to other industries. China is in its fifth year of a "war on pollution" aimed at reversing the damage done to the country's environment amid rapid economic growth. In the coming three years, coal consumption will be cut and more outdated steel and coke capacity be eliminated, according to an action plan against pollution released by the State Council, China's cabinet, in early July. By 2020, emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide should drop by more than 15 percent compared with 2015 levels, while cities that fail to meet the requirement of PM2.5 density should see their density of PM 2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, fall by more than 18 percent from 2015 levels, the plan said. Cities at prefecture level and above should see their number of good-air days reach 80 percent annually and the percentage of heavily polluted days decrease by more than 25 percent from 2015 levels. China accomplished all the major tasks of its five-year clean air action plan in 2017, but challenges remain. A large number of cities still need to further improve air quality. CURBING DEBTS Fighting poverty and tackling pollution cannot continue without sufficient capital input, but would push up local government debts. According to a report provided by the Fuping County government in late November, it has invested 920 million yuan in building 54 mushroom and 37 black fungus planting parks as well as another 210 million yuan in constructing a pigeon raising project. Let alone a number of projects in fruits, vegetables, traditional Chinese medicine herbs planting, 30 pig and chicken farms, and 206 labor-intensive handicraft workshops as well as 23 photovoltaic power stations. The relocation and resettlement of 53,755 people in the mountainous areas also involve massive investment. As one of the 832 impoverished county-level regions across China, Fuping's fiscal revenue stood at 514 million yuan in 2017, according to its government work report. Du Jinli, head of the county government's finance office, declined to tell Xinhua the amount of local government debt. He did, however, say the government is sparing no efforts to prevent financial risks and the outstanding debt is under control. A number of regulations were introduced last year to rein in financial risks as local government debt and corporate leverage increased. Authorities have taken an array of measures to reduce the local debt burden, including setting debt ceilings for local governments and piloting a debt-for-bond swap program to exchange higher-cost loans with lower-cost bonds. China's local government debt level remained stable in October, official data shows. By the end of October, outstanding local government debts stood at 18.4 trillion yuan, according to the Ministry of Finance. The figure was up from around 18.3 trillion yuan at the end of September but still below the upper limit of 21 trillion yuan set by the country for this year, data from the MOF shows. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 15:42:29|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DUBAI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Dwight School Dubai has submitted the first all-girl team from the United Arab Emirates to the global "F1 in Schools" challenge, where six students from Dwight School Dubai will build and race mini Formula one car in the global challenge, UAE's Gulf News reported on Tuesday. The six grade nine students have been tasked with manufacturing and racing a miniature F1 car of the future, according to the news website. F1 in Schools is the only global multi-disciplinary challenge in which teams of students aged nine to 19 deploy CAD/CAM software to collaborate, design, analyze, manufacture, test, and then race miniature compressed air powered balsa wood F1 cars. The team, named "Ultraviolet Racing", have secured Al Tayer Motors, the official Maserati import-dealer in the UAE, as a sponsor that will be supporting them throughout the process. The team will also receive guidance from Rayyah Fathalla, director of the "Centre of Excellence for Arabic Language Culture and The Arts", who is also a member of the first all-female GCC Karting team. The founding constitution of F1 in Schools stipulates that it is, and shall remain, a not-for-profit organization. Funds raised through sponsorship are invested in administering, developing and expanding the challenge as all income is deployed in accordance with guidelines laid down by Formula One Management. The challenge is a unique global platform for the promotion of Formula One and partners to a youth market. Cincinnati, Ohio, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New York City Department of Educations Center for Assistive Technology (CAT) recently acquired innovative new technology known as the NeuroNode, that offers an access solution for students with severe physical limitations and paralysis. WebAbleTV, a subsidiary of TV Worldwide, has produced a Video News Release (VNR) that is available for download below. After seeing the Control Bionics NeuroNode technology demonstrated at the January 2018 Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference in Orlando, CAT arranged for a NeuroNode assessment for one New York City 3rd grade student, Maeve, with Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA. The NeuroNode is the worlds first wearable electromyography or EMG assistive technology device that non-invasively detects the electrical activity of a muscle to automatically communicate with and control a full spectrum of external devices and platforms. Maeve had such great success with the NeuroNode that she immediately began her trial. Within a few short weeks, the NeuroNode was implemented into Maeve's daily school activities. When we saw NueroNode, a light bulb went off in my head, said Lindsey Huntley, Speech Supervisor for CAT. I reached out to the District Office, the Principal, and said we have this brand new technology, we think its a game changer, can we come in? And we did. Maeve just took off, it was like it brought tears to everybodys eyes in the roomjust how fast she took to the technology, how it opened possibilities for everything. Huntley added, This device is giving her total independence. Communicating with the NeuroNode for the first time, Maeve asked, Can I please have a baby sister and a puppy? The NeuroNode is different just because it's so much easier in terms of management and adjusting than her previous technology, remarked Maya Pariser, Maeves 3rd Grade teacher. Using the NeuroNode, its kind of when shes set up to go, she goes. Pariser added, The NeuroNode has made teaching easier just because it allows Maeve to be a lot more independent and it also allows the variety of materials to appear on her iPad that she needs throughout the day. I think our reaction when we first saw Maeve using the NeuroNode was, Wow, this is amazing, commented Maeves father, Frank. I think the skys the limiteducationally there are no limits to her. Maeves Parents are excited about the opportunities that are now open to Maeve because of the NeuroNode. Following Maeves successful trial, both CAT and District 78 purchased a combined six NeuroNode units. In September of 2018, over 110 clinicians from CAT and District 78 participated in a full day Control Bionics NeuroNode training course to educate and prepare these clinicians for assessing and supporting their students in the use of the NeuroNode. Since then, Control Bionics has facilitated other assessments for students with an array of conditions limiting their access to education in the New York City Education System. This effort coincides with Control Bionics release of the latest version of its text-to-speech Say-It Now software that allows a NeuroNode user with paralysis and loss of speech to interact with their smart speaker, hands free and voice free as the company stays committed to continued R&D to aid the special community of people with disabilities. A Video News Release (VNR) featuring this story with interviews was produced by WebAble.TV , a Subsidiary of TV Worldwide and is available as a for viewing and embedding as a streaming video link by clicking here , and for full download and unlimited use by any interested press outlet or media entity by clicking here . About Control Bionics Control Bionics aim is to become the worlds leading provider of EMG wearable bionics devices. Their latest device, the NeuroNode, is helping those living with paralysis and loss of speech find their voice again and re-connect with their friends, loved ones, and the world. For more information, please visit www.ControlBionics.com . About WebAble.TV and TV Worldwide Founded in 1999, TV Worldwide.com, Inc. (t/a TV Worldwide, Inc., www.TVWorldwide.com ) is a veteran-owned Internet TV solutions company that developed the first network of community-based Internet TV channels including www.WebAble.TV , primarily targeting niche enterprise/professional audiences ranging from the maritime industry to the telecom and federal/public sectors. Known by many in the industry as "Intelligent Internet TV," Fortune 500 companies, 35 federal government agencies, and numerous associations including the National Association of Broadcasters have partnered with TV Worldwide to utilize TV Worldwide's live and on-demand state-of-the art video streaming content applications and Internet TV channels. In recognition of the company's pioneering unique achievements in new media solutions and content development, TV Worldwide has been selected by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) to webcast past Daytime Emmy Awards and the Emmy awards for Technology and Engineering. TV Worldwide Chairman and CEO Dave Gardy, has been honored by Streaming Media Magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential People in Streaming Media. Mr. Gardy also has served as the President of the International Webcasting Association (IWA) and as a member of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Corporate Council. VNR Streaming Video Link and Embed Coder: http://www.webable.tv/Featured-Content/WebAble-TV-Featured-Videos/VideoId/3496/new-yor-city-department-of-ed-invests-in-innovative-new-neuronode-technology-from-control-bionics-to-assist-students-with-severe-physical-disabilit VNR Video Download for Unlimited Use by any interested Press Outlet or Media Entity: http://www.webable.tv/downloads/181004_Webable_NeuroNode.zip Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 15:42:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Foreign investors bought South Korean bonds last month, leading to the first foreign fund inflow in three months, central bank data showed Wednesday. Foreigners purchased 370 million U.S. dollars of domestic bonds in November, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). For the first 11 months of this year, foreign purchase of local bonds amounted to 12.56 billion dollars. It led to 360 million dollars of foreign capital inflow into the local financial market, the first inflow in three months. Offshore investors sold 10 million dollars of local stocks amid the lingering worry about trade conflict among major economies. During the January-November period, foreign fund outflow from the local stock market was 5.79 billion dollars. The daily average volatility in the won/dollar exchange rate fell to 0.31 percent in November. Foreign currency trading in the inter-bank market posted a daily average of 22.64 billion dollars in November, down 670 million dollars from the previous month. Premium for the 5-year credit default swap, which gauges credit risk for the five-year government bonds, averaged 42 basis points last month, up 3 basis points from a month earlier. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 15:57:33|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least eight militants were killed as fighting aircraft pounded Taliban hideout outside Tirin Kot, the capital of southern Uruzgan province on Tuesday, an army spokesman in the southern region Ahmad Sadeq Eisa said Wednesday. The air raids according to the official, was conducted late Tuesday night against Taliban hideout outside provincial capital Tirin Kot and besides killing eight militants on the spot, also injured four others. Taliban militants have not commented. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 16:17:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The fourth Partners' Forum, known as Partners' Forum 2018, was held here on Wednesday, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the global meeting on infant and maternal health, officials said. "The Government of India, in association with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), is hosting a two-day international conference from today, bringing together about 1,500 participants from across 85 countries to improve the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents," a government spokesman said. Officials said the objective of the conference is to improve knowledge, alignment and accountability to accelerate action on health for women, children and adolescents. "India was one of the first countries, to advocate focused attention on adolescence and implement a full-fledged health promotion and prevention programme for adolescents," Modi said in his address. "India stands ready to support its fellow countries in the march to achieving their development goals through skill building and training programmes, provision of affordable medicines and vaccines, knowledge transfers and exchange programs," Modi said. According to officials, the ongoing programme is the fourth in a series of global high-level multi-country, multi-stakeholder events which aimed at sustaining global momentum for issues related to health of women, children and adolescents. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 16:27:39|Editor: mmm Video Player Close In this handout photo provided by South Korea's Ministry of National Defence, soldiers of South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) greet each other within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), on Dec. 12, 2018. South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) verified the pullout of 11 guard posts each across the inter-Korean border Wednesday inside the DMZ, which has left the Korean Peninsula divided since the 1950-53 Korean war ended with armistice. (Xinhua/South Korean Ministry of National Defence) SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) verified the pullout of 11 guard posts each across the inter-Korean border Wednesday inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which has left the Korean Peninsula divided since the 1950-53 Korean war ended with armistice. Eleven South Korean teams, composed of seven soldiers each, crossed the military demarcation line (MDL) into the DPRK territory in the morning to conduct onsite verifications at 11 DPRK guard posts. In the afternoon, the DPRK sent 11 seven-member teams for the onsite verification in the South Korean side. South Korea and the DPRK withdrew weapons and troops from 11 guard posts, respectively, inside the DMZ under the military agreement, which defense chiefs of the two Koreas signed during the Pyongyang summit in September between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. Seoul and Pyongyang later decided to preserve one guard post each for their historical value, destroying 10 guard posts. The verification teams crossed the heavily armed border via newly-built paths linking the demolished guard posts. President Moon watched the live coverage of the onsite verification for around 20 minutes in the afternoon at the crisis management center inside the presidential complex. He was also briefed by military commanders on the verification. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 16:42:41|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close hBEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said the 2018 annual conference of the summit for entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait had showed cross-Strait economic cooperation was beneficial to people and enterprises on both sides. The conference also showed that industrial and business communities across the Strait were closer and the relationship was more solid, said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a press conference. The 2018 annual conference of the summit for entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait was held on Dec. 4 in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province. Wang Yang, 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, addressed the conference. "Being held for five years [running], the annual conference has played an important role in promoting industrial cooperation across the Strait, improving people's wellbeing, and advancing the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations," Ma said. "Three cross-Strait industrial cooperation zones were established in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sichuan and Hubei provinces [respectively] since last year." Ma said the industrial cooperation zones were meant to help Taiwan enterprises to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and share development opportunities in central and western China. So far, 55 administrative areas in 22 mainland provincial regions have taken tailored measures to better implement the 31 preferential policies for Taiwan compatriots, according to Ma. These measures, designed according to local conditions, include tax cuts for high-tech enterprises, scholarships for Taiwanese students on the mainland, discounts for public transport and public rental housing, regulations to attract more Taiwanese compatriots and protect their legal rights. The 31 preferential policies released in February cover legal rights, education, culture and tourism, and are aimed at improving the lives of all Taiwanese people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 17:07:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Villagers draw water from a cellar aided by China Women's Development Foundation at home in Longtan Village of Dingxi City, northwest China's Gansu Province, July 27, 2016. The public welfare project of Mother's Cellar, organized by China Women's Development Foundation, was launched in March 2001. (Xinhua/Pan Xu) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's reform and opening up has helped liberate and develop social productive forces, opened up a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and ushered in a new chapter in the development of human rights, according to a white paper issued Wednesday. The white paper, titled "Progress in Human Rights over the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China," was issued by China's State Council Information Office. China has shown respect for, protected and promoted human rights in the course of reform and opening up, blazed a trail of human rights development that conforms to the national conditions, and created new experiences and made progress in safeguarding human rights, the document said. China has summed up its historical experience, drawn on the achievements of human civilization, combined the universal principles of human rights with the realities of the country, and generated a series of innovative ideas on human rights, it said. The country has brought into being basic rights that center on the people and prioritize their rights to subsistence and development, said the white paper. SOLID PROGRESS IN HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION China has firmly established a governance principle of respecting and protecting human rights, which is "the determination and ultimate goal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to respect and protect human rights," the white paper said. The rights to subsistence and development have been China's primary focus, it said, adding that the country has made tremendous achievements in poverty alleviation, ensured the supply of food, safer drinking water and clothing, improved basic housing conditions and public transportation, and made health services more accessible. As its reform and opening up continuously deepened, China has made comprehensive progress in ensuring all human rights, ensuring economic, social and cultural rights, and enhancing the mechanisms guaranteeing civil and political rights, the white paper said. The rights of special groups, including ethnic minority groups, women, children, the elderly and the disabled, have also been fully protected via improved mechanisms and measures, the white paper noted. With the goal of building a socialist country under the rule of law, China has made solid efforts for the legal protection of human rights over the 40 years of reform and opening up, said the document. It said the country had endeavored to ensure "that a well-conceived approach is taken to legislation, that law is strictly enforced, that justice is impartially administered, and that the law is observed by everyone." PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE WORLD China has also been active in facilitating the development of human rights in the world over the past four decades, according to the white paper. The country has redoubled its efforts to share its experience, create more development opportunities globally, and increase foreign assistance to many Asian and African developing countries, the document said. China has advanced the Belt and Road Initiative, initiated an integrated development model, and increased assistance training, it said. China has been committed to safeguarding world peace, dispatching military and police personnel to participate in 30 United Nations peacekeeping missions in other countries. Regarding global governance of human rights, China has been responsible for fulfilling its international obligations, conducting extensive international cooperation, and participating in establishing related international rules and mechanisms, the document said. The country has provided Chinese solutions to global human rights governance, making proposals at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council and on other occasions to promote the establishment of a fair, just, reasonable and effective international human rights system, it said. PATH SUITED TO NATIONAL CONDITIONS Over the past four decades of reform and opening up, China has created a new path of human rights protection based on China's history and national conditions, and the successful experiences of other countries, the white paper said. "Human rights protection centers on the people," said the white paper, noting that the people-centered development toward a better life was the original aspiration and remains the distinct goal of China's reform and opening up. China has integrated the principle of universality of human rights with its national conditions, it said. "This path is the result of the Chinese people's experimentation in practice and theoretical innovation led by the CPC, and embodies the essence of socialism with Chinese characteristics," said the document. (Video reporters: Sun Qing, Pan Xu; editors: Luo Hui, Zhao Yuchao) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 17:07:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine Congress granted President Rodrigo Duterte's request to further extend martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao for a period of one year to Dec. 31, 2019, to quell a "continuing rebellion" in the southern Philippine region. After deliberating for almost four hours in a special joint session on Wednesday, lawmakers from both the Senate and the House of Representatives voted 235-28-1 in favor of another one-year extension of martial rule in Mindanao. This is the third extension granted to Duterte since he imposed martial law in May 2017 after rebellion militants laid siege to Marawi City. Under the martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao, security forces are allowed to make arrests, detain or search without a warrant. This means that people who have committed the crime of rebellion or even suspected ones may be arrested without a warrant of arrest, and objects that are used in the commission of the crime of rebellion may be seized without a search warrant. With the extension of martial law, Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Duterte government "expects to achieve substantial progress in addressing the persisting rebellion in Mindanao, as well as promoting the overall security and peace and order situation in the island." In a letter to Congress last week, Duterte asked lawmakers to allow the martial law to continue in Mindanao to quell terrorist groups that "continue to defy the government by perpetrating hostile activities." In justifying his request for a third extension of martial law in Mindanao, Duterte added that despite the significant progress, "rebellion still persists in Mindanao and that the public safety requires the continuation of martial law in the whole of Mindanao." Specifically, he cited the several bombings that rocked many parts of Mindanao in the past few months that killed a number of people. Mindanao has been the hotbed of violent extremism and a brewing rebellion for decades. In more recent years, Mindanao witnessed the perpetration of numerous acts of violence like the Marawi siege and bombings in major cities. Members of Duterte's security team, led by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, briefed the lawmakers before the voting on the need to place Mindanao under martial rule, citing lingering threats from rebel and extremist groups. The team called upon Congress to allow the further extension of martial law "to assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and all other enforcement agencies to put a decisive end to this ongoing rebellion and, thereby, remove a long-standing obstacle to the full rehabilitation and development of Mindanao." Lorenzana, as martial law administrator, said the AFP "will continue to uphold its mandate of defending the sovereignty of our state, upholding the integrity of our territory and protecting the democratic way of life of our people, with full respect for human rights, international humanitarian law and the primacy of the rule of law." Duterte initially imposed a 60-day martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2017, after militants laid siege to Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city in Mindanao. At the height of the intense fighting to retake Marawi from the pro-IS terrorist in July 2017, Duterte asked Congress to extend the martial law until December 2017, a request that lawmakers easily approved. When the extension expired in December 2017, Duterte again asked Congress to extend it until Dec. 31, 2018. The 1987 Philippine Constitution only allows the president to declare martial law for a maximum of 60 days. Any extension would require approval from Congress. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 17:17:49|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A new legislation came into effect on Tuesday to remove letting fees for tenants, said New Zealand Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford. The government is making life better for tenants who will not have to worry about letting fees during the busy summer rental season, Twyford said in a statement. "This will make a real difference to struggling families. There are significant costs associated with moving to a new rental property, which many families are now forced to do every year," the minister said. "Letting fees are unfair on tenants. They have no economic rationale and there is no relationship between the amount of the charge and cost of the services provided," Twyford added. Property managers have indicated that they will be charging landlords for their services, which is entirely appropriate as it is a service provided to landlords, not tenants, he said. "Landlords don't have to pass on these costs and many of them won't. Reserve Bank research shows that in New Zealand rents are driven primarily by supply and demand," Twyford said. Banning the charging of letting fees to tenants is a good first step in improving the life of tenants while the government continues the broader review of the Residential Tenancies Act, which aimed at giving tenants security of tenure and allowing them to make their house a home, while protecting the rights and interests of landlords, the minister said. "Our tenancy laws are antiquated and don't reflect the fact that renting is now a long term reality for many of our families," he said, adding ultimately the best way to put tenants in a better situation is to increase the supply of housing, and end the shortage that is driving rents up. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 17:32:55|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and the Director General of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development Abdlatif al-Hamad have held consultations on rebuilding war-torn Libya, authorities said Tuesday. "Fayez Serraj, during his recent visit to Kuwait, met with the Director of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Dr. Abdlatif al-Hamad," Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Sayala told a press conference in Tripoli. "Libya is preparing for rebuilding. The possibility of the fund's contribution to future reconstruction projects in Libya has been discussed. The fund has dealt with Libya previously, particularly with regard to the power sector," Sayala said. The Libyan foreign minister also said that the officials have agreed to hold a meeting between Libyan experts and experts of the fund to develop the priorities and features of the cooperation for reconstructing Libya. Libyan cities, mainly the capital Tripoli and the second-largest city Benghazi, have suffered a lot of destruction due to years of armed conflict. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 17:47:58|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CAIRO, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 militants were killed in exchange of fire in North and Central Sinai in the past few days, the Egyptian armed forces said in a statement on Wednesday. "During anti-terrorist raids, the national security forces have killed 27 gunmen including three highly dangerous terrorists in several desert areas in the Sinai Peninsula," said Tamer al-Refai, the spokesperson of the armed forces. The raids areas covered the scope of the second and third field armies in Sinai, the statement added. Sinai Peninsula is the stronghold of terrorist groups in Egypt, most severest of which is Sinai State, an Egyptian branch of the Islamic State. A total of 460 militants and over 30 soldiers have been killed in the "Sinai 2018" anti-terror campaign since February. [UPDATE: Jazmine Headley has been ordered released. More below.] Brooklyn prosecutors announced Tuesday that they were dropping all charges against the woman whose infant son was ripped from her arms by police officers in a viral video, amid growing calls for the young mother to be released from jail. "Like everyone who watched the arrest of Jazmine Headley, I was horrified by the violence depicted in the video and immediately opened an investigation into this case," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. "It is clear to me that this incident should have been handled differently." Despite the DA's decision, the 23-year-old mother remains on Rikers Island. She's been locked up since Friday, due to a bench warrant from New Jersey for a 2016 misdemeanor arrest. But advocates and some elected officials are demanding her immediate release, citing a legal provision that would allow a judge to set her free under the district attorney's recommendation. Mayor Bill de Blasio has also faced widespread criticism for not speaking out about the incident more forcefully. Though he tweeted on Tuesday in support of the decision to drop Headley's charges, the mayor spent most of Monday ignoring questions about the case, even as he delivered a speech celebrating the city's police oversight board. His office has not responded to inquiries about whether the mayor believes the officers and Human Resources Administration officials involved in the arrest should face discipline. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is outraged when Trump's law enforcement separates families, but when his own NYPD cruelly rips children out of the hands of their parents, he can barely muster interest. https://t.co/upZAcHXm8s David Menschel (@davidminpdx) December 11, 2018 "He should be at the forefront of this situation and he should act as swiftly as if that were Chirlane McCray on the ground and Dante had been grabbed from her arms," said Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo during a rally outside City Hall on Tuesday afternoon. As protesters chanted "release her now," Lisa Schreibersdorf, executive director of the Brooklyn Defender Services, provided new details about Headley's case. She said that the 23-year-old mother had arrived at the HRA office hoping to learn why daycare vouchers for her 1-year-old son had been suddenly cut off, and was forced to wait four hours. "Every witness who was there, who saw the part before the video, says that she was just sitting on the floor with her baby," Schreibersdorf added. "There was no escalation here." Headley's attorneys said they were headed to court later in the afternoon to petition for their client's freedom, and calling on New Jersey prosecutors to drop the credit card theft charge that triggered her detention. If the judge refuses to grant Headley's release from Rikers, she will likely be transported to a New Jersey jail in the morning. The public defenders have also set up a GoFundMe for Headley, which they say will go toward helping her pay for childcare once she returns to work. The campaign raised nearly $13,000 in just a few hours. On Monday night, Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steven Banks released a statement saying that two HRA peace officers had been placed on modified duty. Police Commissioner James O'Neill called the video disturbing, but has so far refused to release the names of the officers involved in the arrest, and has not said whether the NYPD would release body camera footage showing the moments leading up to the confrontation. "The bottom line is that this woman is in jail and this child is still without his mother," New York State Attorney General-elect Tish James said on Tuesday. "What we needed was an adult in the room." UPDATE: 3:50 P.M. A Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge has ordered Headley released from Rikers Island on her own recognizance. She will be sent home this evening, according to the Brooklyn Defender Services. Moments after the judge's decision was announced, Scott Hechinger, an attorney with the Brooklyn Defender Services, tweeted that Headley's 1-year-son was on his way to the hospital with "lingering bruising." The group is now calling on the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office to dismiss all charges against Headley related to her 2016 arrest, noting that she "has been through so much." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 17:52:59|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Justice Minister Andrew Little introduced a supplementary order paper (SOP) on the Crimes Amendment Bill on Tuesday to crack down on livestock rustling or theft of livestock from farms or property. The SOP proposes two new offences to be added to the Crimes Act, including theft of livestock or other animal, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment. Another new offence is unlawful entry to land used for agricultural purposes, where the offender intends to steal livestock or act unlawfully against specified things, such as buildings or machinery, on that land. That offence carries up to 10 years imprisonment. Federated Farmers estimates the cost of theft of livestock to the farming community at more than 120 million NZ dollars (82.7 million U.S. dollars) every year, and a survey indicates about a quarter of their members had stock stolen in the last five years. "The coalition government has listened to farmers and rural communities. Farmers have told us about the toll the scourge of livestock rustling is having on their livelihoods and quality of life," Little said in a statement. The government recognizes the contribution farmers and rural people make to New Zealand and the economy, Little said, adding their contributions should not be undermined by the theft of their livestock. "This particular SOP requires agreement of every MP to be considered at Committee Stage," the minister said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 18:23:06|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Yang Jiechi (R), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar in Beijing on Wednesday. Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said Qatar is China's important partner in jointly building the Belt and Road and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation. He said China stands ready to work with Qatar to deepen political mutual trust, promote practical cooperation, strengthen communication and coordination on international and regional affairs, enhance anti-terrorism communication, and push forward the strategic partnership to achieve further development. Mohammed said Qatar attaches importance to its strategic partnership with China and is ready to work with China to enhance cooperation in various fields under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to achieve common development and prosperity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 18:23:07|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CAIRO, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 militants and one soldier were killed in exchange of fire across the country in the past few days, the Egyptian armed forces said in a statement on Wednesday. "During anti-terrorist raids, the national security forces have killed 24 highly dangerous terrorists in North and Central Sinai in several desert areas in the Sinai Peninsula," said Tamer al-Refai, the spokesperson of the armed forces. The raids areas covered the scope of the second and third field armies in Sinai, the statement added. Other three gunmen were killed in exchange of fire at the borders desert and mountain areas. A total of 403 criminals and wanted persons have been arrested in the raids. The security forces have detonated 344 explosive devices that have been planted for targeting the soldiers in Sinai, it added. The forces also destroyed 342 hotbeds and warehouses that included explosives, motor bikes and cars spare parts in North Sinai, according to the statement. The forces also demolished four tunnels in North Sinai that were used for trafficking weapons, the statement added. The raids that expanded across the country have destroyed 61 jeep vehicles at the western and southern borders of Egypt. Sinai Peninsula is the stronghold of terrorist groups in Egypt, most severest of which is Sinai State, an Egyptian branch of the Islamic State. A total of 460 militants and over 30 soldiers have been killed in the "Sinai 2018" anti-terror campaign since February. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 18:58:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Policemen check a car in the center of Strasbourg, France on Dec. 12, 2018. French police are looking for a gunman after he killed at least four people and wounded 13 others Tuesday evening near a Christmas market in Strasbourg on the German border. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) STRASBOURG, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- French police are looking for a gunman after he killed at least four people and wounded 13 others Tuesday evening near a Christmas market in Strasbourg on the German border. Identified as Cherif Chekatt, 29 years old, the shooter has a prior criminal background and was known to the intelligence services as "at risk for radicalization". He served several prison terms in France and Germany for armed robberies. The Strasbourg-born man, is believed to have been injured during fighting with security forces as he escaped, according to local reports. "350 police and gendarmes are currently on the ground to arrest the suspect, supported by two helicopters and officers from elite units and Sentinelle forces," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said in a late-night press briefing. "The government has raised its security threat to the highest level and is bolstering border controls. We will also reinforce security at all Christmas markets to prevent copycat attacks," he said. At around 7:50 pm (1850 GMT) Tuesday, a man opened fire several times in the center of Strasbourg, near Place Kleber and the Grand' Rue, one of the city's main shopping streets where a Christmas market is held every year, drawing about 2 million visitors. The death toll has risen to four and 13 others were wounded, among them eight remained in critical situation, local authorities said. French counter terrorism prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident, but has yet to establish a terrorist-link. "The assailant was not known for crimes related to terrorism," and he was allegedly radicalized during his stay in prison, and was put under surveillance, Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France inter radio, adding that it is still unsure if the shooter has left (French) territory. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 19:03:15|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson Wednesday denounced "Taiwan independence" supporters attacks on a Taiwanese baker who made a statement supporting the 1992 Consensus. Wu Pao-chun, a popular baker in Taiwan, issued a statement on his bakery's website Monday saying that he was proud of being Chinese and supported the 1992 Consensus, which triggered attacks from supporters of "Taiwan independence." The island's leader Tsai Ing-wen said Wu's move was the result of "political repression" from the mainland. "Mr. Wu expressed a correct attitude and normal affections in his statement," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference. "The attacks on his statement were in fact 'political repression.'" Wu is opening a bakery in Shanghai jointly with the Singapore-based bakery Bread Talk. The store will officially open next week, according to Wednesday's China Daily. "The incident again showed that Taiwan authorities were indifferent to pressing demands from Taiwan people to improve cross-Strait relations," Ma said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 19:03:15|Editor: mym Video Player Close SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Korea urged Japan Wednesday to take a prudent response to the South Korean top court's rulings on the victims who were forced by the Imperial Japan into labor during World War II. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha had phone talks with her Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, earlier in the day to exchange opinions on the Supreme Court's rulings on the forced labor victims, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. Kang explained to Kono about the South Korean government's position, urging Japan to take a prudent response to the top court's rulings. They agreed to continue close communications. The two-paragraph press release did not elaborate further on what was discussed between Kang and Kono. The Supreme Court ruled in late November that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries must compensate 10 South Koreans, who forcibly worked at the Japanese company's shipyard and other plants without pay during the Pacific War, and a bereaved family member of a victim on two separate suits. It followed the top court's order in late October that Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp., Japanese steelmaker, must pay reparations to four South Korean forced labor victims. The Korean Peninsula was colonized by Japan from 1910 to 1945. Japan protested against the rulings, saying all colonial-era issues were settled through the 1965 state-to-state treaty that normalized diplomatic relations between Seoul and Tokyo. The South Korean top court said the 1965 accord did not eliminate individual rights to claim damages. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 19:13:18|Editor: mym Video Player Close JAKARTA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian anti-terror squad has arrested an alleged militant who has linked with previous terrorist acts, police spokesman said here on Wednesday. The police did not give specific details on the plot to be conducted by the suspect, but said the arrest was conducted with an indication of a terrorist strike to be launched, national police spokesman Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo said. "From the cases which we have handled previously, it has been persistently developed, including on the networks of the terrorists. Should an indication of act, which will culminate to a terrorist strike, appear, we immediately conduct an arrest," said Prasetyo at the police headquarters. The person with an initial of IA was captured in Krapyak village of Sleman district in Yogyakarta province, Prasetyo revealed. The police are investigating the person and trying to find out more about his terrorist networks, the spokesman said. The Indonesian police have stepped up efforts to prevent terrorist attacks during Christmas. They are dispatching over 95,000 personnel to secure nearly 50,000 churches across the vast archipelagic country. Indonesian police has thwarted scores of terrorist plots during crackdowns in the wake of multiple suicide strikes in the country's second largest city of Surabaya and Riau province in May that left 32 dead and dozens injured. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 19:23:21|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close YANGON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Northern Alliance Ethnic Forces, comprising three ethnic armed groups, on Wednesday voiced support for the government's efforts for national reconciliation and nationwide peace, according to a joint statement of the forces. The three forces are Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arakan Army (AA). They expressed their desire to join hands with government forces to settle military dispute and political matters through dialogue. Encouraged by the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), a meeting with the government's Peace Commission is being arranged, according to the joint statement. In order to realize peace as early as possible and create a status of peace, the three alliance forces hoped for suspension of military action to pave way for political engagement to achieve national reconciliation and peace. Secretariat member of the government's Union Political Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) U Hla Maung Shwe said the joint statement offers good prospects for peace. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 19:28:23|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, front row) poses for a group photo with foreign delegates attending the just concluded 2018 Imperial Springs International Forum held in Guangzhou, ahead of a meeting with them at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping reiterated on Wednesday that China will adhere to the path of multilateralism and open its door wider to the world. Xi made the remarks when meeting with foreign delegates attending the just concluded 2018 Imperial Springs International Forum held in Guangzhou. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 19:48:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CAIRO, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Egypt achieved a primary surplus estimated by four billion Egyptian pounds (nearly 223 million U.S. dollars) of the fiscal year 2017/18, state-run Ahram newspaper reported on Wednesday. The fiscal year in Egypt starts in July and ends in June. "Egypt succeeded in turning the initial deficit in the public budget for the first time in 15 years to a surplus accounted at four billion pounds (0.1 percent of the GDP) by the end of the fiscal year 2017/18," said Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait. He said during a meeting with the members of the Economic Affairs Committee in the parliament the budget deficit was 17 percent of the GDP in the past four years which was "a big problem." He attributed success in making the surplus to the economic reforms that were initiated in the past two years, adding that "the general debt reached 108 percent of the GDP in 2017." In 2018, the debt had dropped to 98 percent of the GDP. He said the government also hoped to bring the general debt to less than 70 percent of the GDP. Maait added the debts would go down to 92 percent of the GDP of the fiscal year 2018/19 and 80 percent in the fiscal year 2020/21. He asserted the country seeks to control the debts to pump more funds in the education and health sector. The current fiscal year budget has 990 billion pounds revenues against 541 billion interests of debts and 296 billion pounds debts installments, he added. The economy has been battered by years of turmoil that began after mass protests in 2011. But the country has been showing signs of recovery in recent months amid tough reforms including cuts to energy subsidies as part of the 12 billion U.S. dollars IMF loan deal. A 57-year-old woman who worked for the Bagel Store in Williamsburg was fatally struck by a driver on Tuesday morning in Brooklyn. The driver fled the scene but was arrested later in the day. Francine Labarbara, 57, was walking home with "bags of groceries" and crossing Avenue Y at West 2nd Street in Gravesend around 8 a.m. when she was struck by the driver of a white Ford Econoline. Police say the driver had been going south on Avenue Y and turned left onto Avenue Y, hitting Labarbara and continuing on. Francine Labarbara (Facebook) Labarbara was found with trauma to her head and body and taken to Coney Island Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police arrested Brooklyn resident Susan Liebowitz, 55, late Tuesday night and charged her with leaving the scene of an accident, failure to yield to a pedestrian, and failure to exercise due care. An NYPD spokesperson said security camera footage and tips led to the arrest. Labarbara was a single mother of 16-year-old twin boys, and worked as the marketing director for the Bagel Store in Williamsburg. Bagel Store owner Scott Rossilo lamented her death, telling NBC NY, "Oh her laugh, her laugh. She was great." "She was picking up some supplies [for the store]. Thats when she got hit," Rossilo told the Daily News, which notes that Labarbara was mainly involved with the store's shipping operations, "dispatching the bagels to fans around the country and the world." A Gravesend resident, Anna Salluscio, told CBS New York, "Its horrible, especially a hit and run. The guy or girl didnt have the decency to see if [Labarbara] was okay." She also said the corner was very dangerous, "I almost got hit there a couple of months ago. Right there in the intersection, was walking the dog and tapped the womens car and she still went." Other residents said that drivers ignore the stop signs at the intersection and their requests for a stop light have gone unanswered. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 19:53:30|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's private equity funds were worth 12.79 trillion yuan (about 1.85 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of November, data released by the industry association showed. The figure was up 0.16 percent from the statistic recorded a month earlier. The number of private equity funds went up 241 to 75,220 at the end of last month, according to the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC). The number of private equity fund managers registered at the association increased 151 to reach 24,418 by late November, while the number of private equity fund professionals stood at 245,500, a drop of 494 from a month earlier. Established in 2012, AMAC is a self-regulatory organization that represents the mutual fund industry of China. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:13:34|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Clashes between security forces and Taliban fighters left eight dead including seven insurgents and one security man in the western Badghis province on Tuesday night, provincial government spokesman Jamshid Shahabi said on Wednesday. According to the official, the clashes erupted in Qadis and Muqar districts Tuesday night after the Taliban fighters stormed some checkpoints and police returned fire which lasted for a while. The official said that two militants and one security man were killed in Qadis district and three more insurgents sustained injuries, while five more militants were killed and six others injured in Muqar district respectively. Taliban outfit has yet to make comments on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:18:35|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia attracted 1.62 million Chinese visitors during the first 10 months of 2018, up 71.5 percent over the same period last year, said a Cambodian Tourism Ministry's report released on Wednesday. China is the largest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia, accounting for 33.7 percent of the total foreign visitors to the kingdom during the Jan.-Oct. period this year, the report said. It said the Southeast Asian country received a total of 4.82 million international tourists during the first 10 months of this year, up 11.5 percent over the same period last year. Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon has attributed the remarkable rise in Chinese tourists to Cambodia to excellent ties between the two countries, Cambodia's attractive tourism sites and increasing direct flights between the two countries. He predicted that Cambodia will receive up to 2.5 million Chinese tourists in 2020. Cambodia is famous for three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor archeological park in northwestern Siem Reap province, the Preah Vihear temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province, and the Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site in central Kampong Thom province. Besides, it has a pristine coastline stretching 450 km in four southwestern provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep. Last year, Cambodia got 5.6 million foreign tourists including 1.21 million Chinese, earning gross revenue of 3.6 billion U.S. dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:18:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan listens to a briefing on the business performance and corporate culture construction of OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Ltd. while visiting the company in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 10, 2018. Wang made an inspection tour in south China's Guangdong Province from Friday to Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) GUANGZHOU, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan has urged stronger confidence and more concrete efforts to write a "new chapter" of reform and opening up in the new era. Wang made the remarks during an inspection tour in south China's Guangdong Province from Friday to Wednesday. He visited economic development zones, companies and research institutions, as well as an exhibition to commemorate the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up in the province. "Reform and opening up are a journey that never ends," he said, noting that the key of reform is institutional innovation. He stressed efforts to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, saying that authorities should be brave to address institutional barriers and statutory constraints. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the government should build and maintain a sound institutional environment and provide preferable services and regulation to support innovation and stimulate market vitality, he said. Wang also demanded work to find new recipes for all-around rural vitalization in light of changes in people's lifestyles and philosophies of consumption. The supply-side structural reform should be advanced to meet the people's increasingly diverse demands in life, he said. "The best way to commemorate history is to create a new history through continuous efforts," Wang said. "The closer we become to the target of achieving national rejuvenation, the more sober-minded we should be, as the path forward will not be smooth." The country should strive to create "new, greater miracles" that will impress the rest of the world, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:23:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close YANGON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 1.3 million stimulant tablets in Sittway, Rakhine state, said a release from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control on Wednesday. The stimulant tablets worth 3.9 billion kyats (2.51 million U.S. dollars) were discovered along with soap bars in 33 cardboard boxes loaded on a three-wheeled motorcycle when it was intercepted near Yay Chan Pyin port on Tuesday. Along with the driver, another suspect who had loaded the boxes was also arrested shortly after the driver's disclosure to the police. An investigation into the case is underway and regional police have filed against the two suspects under the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances law. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:23:38|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar, co-chair the first meeting of a China-Qatar inter-governmental strategic dialogue mechanism in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- An agreement on mutual exemption of visas between China and Qatar will take effect from Dec. 21, the two countries announced Wednesday in Beijing. The announcement came as State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar, co-chaired the first meeting of a China-Qatar inter-governmental strategic dialogue mechanism in Beijing. The two sides hope to take this opportunity to bolster cooperation in tourism and expand people-to-people exchanges. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Qatar. Wang said it is of great importance to initiate an inter-governmental strategic dialogue mechanism between the two countries. "China stands ready to work with Qatar to push bilateral ties towards another 30 years of faster development," said Wang. He proposed the two sides use the opportunity of jointly pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative to synergize their development strategies and carry out win-win cooperation in in fields including energy, high and new technology, investment, finance. Wang also introduced the measures taken and results achieved by Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in combating violence, terrorism and extremism. While calling terrorism a common threat to humanity, Mohammed said Qatar supports the measures taken by China in safeguarding national security and stability, and stands ready to strengthen cooperation in security and anti-terrorism. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:28:38|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JUBA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's warring parties continue to recruit and use child soldiers despite agreeing to end the practice, a body tasked with monitoring a recently signed peace deal said Wednesday. Augostino Njoroge, interim chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), told a stakeholder meeting in Juba that ceasefire monitors have gathered evidence of non- compliance on the recruitment of child soldiers by warring parties. "CTSAMVM has reported that the overall security trend is one of the improvements with parties demonstrating an effort to comply with the terms of the peace agreement," Njoroge said, citing a report by the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM). "However, it is concerning that CTSAMVM reports evidence of non-compliance in the recruitment of child soldiers," he added. Under the new peace agreement signed in September, South Sudan's warring parties agreed to free children in their ranks and cease recruitment and use of child soldiers. But according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the use of child soldiers in South Sudan continued unabated as more than 19,000 children are estimated to be in the ranks of armed groups. Virginia Gamba, UN special representative for Children and Armed Conflict, said in September that at least 1,200 children were recruited by armed groups in South Sudan last year. South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world. The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally. The new power sharing deal is aimed at ending five years of brutal conflict in the world's youngest nation. Njoroge said though violence has reduced across South Sudan after the signing of the agreement, sporadic fighting and access denial to peace monitors and humanitarian agencies continue to threaten implementation of the deal. He called on the warring factions to comply with the pact and make 2019 a year of peace in South Sudan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:38:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Theresa May on Wednesday vowed to fight on as the British prime minister just less than an hour after the announcement of a vote of no confidence in her later in the day, saying that "I stand ready to finish the job" of Brexit, which will see the UK leave the European Union (EU) in March next year. May made the statement as she was addressing the media outside 10 Downing Street in response to the announced vote. "I will contest leadership vote with everything I have got," she said. Graham Brady, the head of the so-called 1922 Committee, said that the required threshold 48 letters from members of parliament needed to trigger a vote of confidence in party leadership has been reached. The vote by Conservative Party members will be held between 1800 GMT and 2000 GMT, and the results will be "announced as soon as possible in the evening." May needs 158 votes to win, and if she does, there can not be another challenge for a year. If she loses, she must resign and a party leadership contest is held in which she is barred from running. All other Conservative members of parliament can run. At least 107 Tory conservative members of parliament publicly pledged to support May in the upcoming vote of no confidence, according to the latest Sky News tally. Three key cabinet members -- Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire -- on Wednesday voiced their support for the prime minister. "The last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest," Javid said. "PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March." A change of leadership now would create uncertainty "when we can least afford it," May said, adding that the first act of a successor if she loses would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, the mechanism that started the two-year countdown to Britain leaving the EU on March 29, 2019. May said she has devoted herself unsparingly to delivering Brexit, concluding: "I stand ready to finish the job." The vote announcement came as May is in the middle of her Europe trip to save her Brexit deal after she on Monday postponed a crucial vote in the House of Commons on the deal reached by London and Brussels last month. The prime minister kicked off a whistle-stop tour of The Hague, Berlin and Brussels to save the withdrawal agreement against a backdrop of a renewed leadership threat at home. May said that she is seeking the EU's assurance on the backstop arrangement in the Brexit deal to avoid the harder border between Britain's Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The prime minister told the House of Commons Monday that she decided to put off the parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal after acknowledging "the deal would be rejected by a significant margin." The prime minister indicated on Tuesday that she only expected to present her new package to a hostile parliament before a self-imposed deadline of Jan. 21, extending the uncertainty for all sides. Amid the uncertainty, the pound dipped briefly below 1.25 U.S. dollars, hitting its lowest level since April 2017. 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 EU "will not renegotiate the deal including the backstop but is ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:38:42|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KIGALI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda prosecution is set to appeal against the recent acquittal by the high court of former presidential aspirant Diane Rwigara and her mother Adeline Rwigara, Rwandan prosecutor general Jean Bosco Mutangana said here Wednesday. "We have decided to file an appeal at the Court of Appeal," he said at a news conference about the latest update on international cooperation on Rwanda genocide fugitives. "We believe the evidence we presented, was never given full consideration on first instance," Mutangana said. Mutangana noted that his role as prosecutor is to make sure the law has taken full course and to close all "jurisprudential" gaps, citing that prosecution was not satisfied by the ruling. Diane, a 35-year-old businesswoman who showed interest in 2017's presidential election but failed to fulfill all the requirements for being nominated as a candidate, was accused of inciting insurrection and forgery, while her mother and co-accused were facing a trial on incitement, discrimination and sectarianism. The duo were last week acquitted by the high court. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:38:44|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close SHENYANG, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A new diary released at a seminar Wednesday in northeast China's Liaoning Province offers more details into the notorious Nanjing Massacre by Japanese troops that led to 300,000 deaths in 1937. The 198-page dairy, written by a Japanese soldier from 1937 to 1939, is more than 30,000 words long and details dozens of battles and fights that he participated over the two years, including the Nanjing Massacre. Experts have verified the authenticity of the diary and have translated the parts concerning the massacre into Chinese, said Mao Wei, collector of the diary, at the seminar held a day before the National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims. "Nanjing was covered by black smoke since the [Dec.] 12th, and fire brightly burning can be seen everywhere," the diary says. "Many bodies of the enemies lay outside the city gate. The battle was so massive in scale that the whole city was scorched." Wang Jianxue, deputy head of China Association of Historians Studying Modern Chinese Historical Materials, said the diary recorded a series of facts around Nanjing Massacre from the perspective of an aggressor, and was of great historical value. "It also offers new evidence for the crimes that the Japanese aggressors committed in China," Wang said. Jazmine Headley, the woman whose 18-month-old son was ripped from her arms by police officers last week, was finally released from a Rikers Island jail on Tuesday night. A Brooklyn Supreme Court judge made the decision, calling video of the arrest a horrific scene that was broadcast all over the United States. Hours earlier, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez dismissed the case against Headley, saying it was clear "that this incident should have been handled differently." The prosecutor had initially filed a slew of charges against the 23-year-old mother, including acting in a manner injurious to a child. Headley was escorted from Rikers at 9 p.m. and quickly greeted by throngs of media and supporters. "I just want to thank everybody for the support that I've been getting in New York and just all the great people who's been supporting me," she said. "I'm just happy to be free and I just need to see my boy." Charges dropped. 23 yr old Jazmine Headley, released from Rikers, came home tonight to be reunited w her 1 yr old son. The video of her violent arrest went viral. Pressure mounted for officials to not punish her for being poor @ABC7NY @billritter7 @SandraBookman7 pic.twitter.com/snjCyWE3dS Lucy Yang (@LucyYang7) December 12, 2018 Not self-congratulatory self-serving tweets, like this one from @NYCMayor applauding @BrooklynDA for dismissing the charges against Ms. Headley when he was the one who brought them in the first place.https://t.co/E29oZgzgoq Rebecca J. Kavanagh (@DrRJKavanagh) December 12, 2018 A few minutes later, Headley was reunited with her child, Damone, for the first time since the incident. Headley's attorneys said that their client was largely unaware of the widespread national outrage prompted by her arrest, which occurred while she was seeking daycare vouchers at a social services center located in Boerum Hill. Police were called after Headley allegedly refused to move from the floor of the assistance office. But her lawyers and multiple witnesses said that she'd been forced to stand for over four hours without a seat, and that she was quietly sitting with her child in the corner. They say there was no escalation on the part of Headley. Footage of the subsequent arrest shows police officers and Human Resources Administration "peace officers" attempting to yank the baby from her arms, as Headley lays on her back screaming. One of the officers repeatedly jerks at the child, then pulls out a stun gun and points it at the horrified crowd. "They're hurting my son," Headley can be heard shouting. "I'm begging you, please." The child was still receiving medical care for "lingering bruising" as of Tuesday night, according to attorneys. Two Human Resources Administration peace officers were placed on modified duty as a result of the incident. The NYPD has refused to name the officers involved, and has not said whether they'll face discipline. Headley's five-day detention on Rikers Island was triggered by a bench warrant for a 2016 arrest in New Jersey. Her attorneys say that she was the passenger in a car when the other person was found to have stolen credit cards. They called on prosecutors to drop those charges, noting that she's "been through enough." Today, Brooklyn Defenders announced that all of the charges Headley faced in Mercer County, New Jersey will be dismissed: Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:43:46|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions in London, Britain on Dec. 12, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no confidence later Wednesday, said Graham Brady, head of the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee of backbenchers. (Xinhua/Isabel Infantes) LONDON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no confidence later Wednesday, said Graham Brady, head of the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee of backbenchers. The required threshold of 48 letters from members of parliament needed to trigger a vote of confidence in party leadership has been reached, Brady said. The vote by Conservative Party members will be held between 18:00 GMT and 20:00 GMT, and the results will be "announced as soon as possible in the evening," he added. In response, May addressed the media outside 10 Downing Street, saying she will contest the vote of no confidence. A change of leadership now would create uncertainty "when we can least afford it," May said, adding that the first act of a successor if she loses would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, the mechanism that started the two-year countdown to Britain leaving the European Union (EU) next March. May said she has devoted herself unsparingly to delivering Brexit, concluding: "I stand ready to finish the job." The British prime minister on Monday put the brakes on a vote on her Brexit deal in parliament in order to buy more time for further talks with EU leaders, who claimed that the deal, reached last month, will not be renegotiated. The prime minister told a hostile House of Commons that she made the decision after acknowledging "the deal would be rejected by a signific ant margin." In Brussels, European Council President Donald Tusk said Monday he had called a meeting of the council to discuss Brexit on Thursday and that the EU "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 held Thursday and Friday. May said that she is seeking the EU's assurance on the backstop arrangement in the Brexit deal to avoid a harder border between Britain's Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Three key cabinet members, namely, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire, on Wednesday voiced their support for the prime minister, saying that "the last thing the country needs" is a Conservative Party election. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:43:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's National Assembly will hold its plenary session on Thursday (Dec. 13) to amend a law to clear the way for banned opposition politicians to re-enter politics, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Wednesday. A total of 118 former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) senior members have been barred from joining politics for five years since Nov. 2017 after the CNRP was dissolved by the Supreme Court following the arrest of party leader Kem Sokha in "treason" charges. Hun Sen said the forthcoming amendment to the Law on Political Parties will allow the nation's King Norodom Sihamoni to pardon banned politicians through a request made by the prime minister. "When the law comes into force, in my status as the prime minister, I'm ready to accept a request from each banned politician through the minister of interior," he said in a speech during a visit to nearly 20,000 garment factory workers in western Kampong Speu province. However, the prime minister said some banned politicians, who have opposed the Supreme Court's decision, are unlikely to have their political rights restored. Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 National Assembly seats in a general election on July 29, as the court-dissolved CNRP was banned from joining the poll. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 20:58:50|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the sixth China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum held in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Bo) NANJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Wang Chen, vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), on Wednesday called for an alignment of development strategies and deeper cooperation between China and Central Asian countries. He made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the sixth China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum held in Yangzhou, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said China hopes to work with Central Asian countries to implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two sides, cement political mutual trust, facilitate economic and trade exchanges, and reinforce cooperation in law-enforcement and security. Noting the two sides had achieved fruitful results in the construction of Belt and Road, Wang said China stands ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Central Asian countries, and deepen cooperation in trade, investment, industrial capacity, interconnectivity, energy, finance and other areas, so as to transform their high-level political mutual trust and complementary economic advantages into more practical outcomes. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 21:03:51|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's southern province of Guangdong will put a five-year ban on wild bird hunting starting from Jan. 1 of 2019, the local forestry department said Wednesday. During the period, hunting wild birds is banned except for ecological, scientific, disease-prevention or flight-safety purposes. Using and trading bird nets and traps are also prohibited. The province will also crack down on wild bird trading and trafficking, according to the local forestry department. Since August 2017, the province has confiscated more than 30,000 birds traded illicitly. Guangdong is a major passage and habitat for migratory birds heading south during the winter. A similar ban was put in place in central China's Hubei Province days earlier. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 21:23:57|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close COLOMBO, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Parliament on Wednesday passed a vote of confidence on ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with 117 lawmakers from the 225-member Parliament voting in favor. The vote comes as incumbent Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and parliamentarians loyal to him boycotted sessions for the third consecutive week, alleging that Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya was acting in favor of Wickremesinghe and his United National Party (UNP). Following the vote, Wickremesinghe thanked all the parliamentarians who voted for him and promised to protect democracy in the island country. Rajapaksa loyalists, however, termed the vote as invalid, saying Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed as the prime minister and there was a government in place as the Court of Appeal had only temporarily suspended the government from performing its duties. Meanwhile, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has informed President Maithripala Sirisena on the results of the confidence vote, the Speaker's office said. Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a political turmoil since President Sirisena surprisingly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed former president Rajapaksa as the prime minister as well as a new government in late October. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 21:59:04|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PARIS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- An individual shot dead two passers-by and wounded a dozen others near a Christmas market in eastern French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening, and was believed to carry out a terrorist attack, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said on Wednesday. "Given the targeted place, the attacker's operating way, his profile and testimonies collected from those who heard him shout 'Allahu Akbar', the anti-terrorist section of the Paris prosecutor's office ... opens an inquiry into attempt of assassination linked to a terrorist enterprise," Heitz told reporters at a press conference. A third people has been pronounced brain dead, while of the 12 wounded, six people suffered serious injuries, he said, adding "terrorism once again struck our territory, reminding us that the threat is still very real." The assailant is identified as Cherif Chekatt, 29. He has a prior criminal background and was known to the intelligence services as "at risk for radicalization". He had been convicted 27 times in France, Germany, and Switzerland, for common law offences, including armed robberies, French media reported. Armed with a handgun and a knife, the shooter opened fire several times in the center of Strasbourg, near Place Kleber and the Grand' Rue, one of the city's main shopping streets where a Christmas market is held every year. He exchanged fire with Sentinelle forces that wounded him, before he fled in a taxi. He fought a second time with police in Neuhof district, according to the prosecutor. The assailant's whereabouts are still unknown. 600 police officers supported by two helicopters and elite commandos were involved in the manhunt. "The investigation will continue to locate him ... Investigators should also check if the man was helped by accomplices," said the prosecutor. Following the deadly shooting, France has increased its security threat to the highest level and reinforced border controls. The country had also beefed up security at all Christmas markets to avert eventual assaults, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:04:06|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Shaktikanta Das, new governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), speaks during a press conference in Mumbai, India, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Stringer) NEW DELHI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) have welcomed the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the governor of the country's central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Indian government announced Das' appointment as RBI governor on Tuesday evening. FICCI President Rashesh Shah said that the wide-ranging experience in handling the economic matters will certainly help Das in dealing with the critical issues facing the economy. "It's a great choice. 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 G-20," said Shah in a statement. Welcoming Das' appointment, FIEO President Ganesh Kumar Gupta said that his previous exposure as secretary of Revenue and Economic Affairs would come very handy in dealing with vexatious economic issues confronting the country. The new governor will act as an effective bridge between the government and RBI so as to give necessary boost to the Indian economy. In his statement, the FIEO chief hoped that the new governor will ensure flow of credit to exports sector, which is declining sharply on year-on-year basis affecting the liquidity of exporters particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Das' appointment came within 24 hours after his predecessor Urjit Patel had stepped down citing personal reasons. According to a report in English daily The Times of India, Das, who is RBI's 25th governor, is a strong defender of the government's move of demonitisation. Through demonitisation the currency notes in the denomination of 1,000 and 500 Rupees were withdrawn and new notes in the denominations of 2,000 and 500 were introduced, with the objective to check the flow of black money in the country's economy. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:04:07|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close U.S. producer William Mundell answers questions after the screening of the documentary "Better Angels" in Washington D.C., the United States, on Dec. 11, 2018. The film "Better Angels," directed by award-winning director Malcolm Clarke and produced by U.S. producer William Mundell and award-winning Chinese producer Han Yi, was shown at the Chinese embassy on Tuesday night. It features stories of how ordinary Chinese and Americans benefit from a close China-U.S. relationship. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A documentary portraying ordinary Chinese and American peoples' interactions was screened here on Tuesday, unraveling what its producer called "the untold story of the true potential of the U.S.-China relationship." The film "Better Angels," directed by award-winning director Malcolm Clarke and produced by U.S. producer William Mundell and award-winning Chinese producer Han Yi, was shown at the Chinese embassy on Tuesday night. It features stories of how ordinary Chinese and Americans benefit from a close China-U.S. relationship. "It is the story that the mainstream media has for the most part neglected," Mundell told the audience ahead of the screening. "It's about the wider benefits of U.S.-China cooperation, it's about the dark side of globalization for the Chinese people, and it's about the common humanity that binds us together," the producer added. The term "better angels" came from the inaugural address of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, who pleaded that divided northern and southern states should bond rather than split. "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection," Lincoln said at his inauguration on March 4, 1861. The documentary "tells us that China-U.S. relations should be defined by the two peoples, their common interests and aspirations," said Minister of the Chinese Embassy to the United States Li Kexin at the film reception. Li noted that the film addresses fundamental concerns, such as the simple, daily needs of the peoples of China and the United States. "The people of both countries pursue better-off lives, a safer and more stable environment, and more decent education for their children," he said. "It is through these common wishes that one can see that there are not so many differences between China and the United States, and that what is needed is a better understanding and the willingness to support each other," the senior Chinese diplomat added. After watching the 90-minute film, Lawrence Smerin, the owner of a U.S. consultant company, said it was "well-conceived" and "very moving," giving Western viewers a chance to better understand the Chinese people. "Take it (the film) to the country," Smerin told Xinhua. "There is still Kansas, there is still Oklahoma, reach out to them. You will find them very receptive but they don't get this kind of information." "There is always a lot of misunderstanding" between China and the United States, R.B. Shrestha, the head of a U.S. logistics company, told Xinhua. The film just showed us that there could be collaboration between the two peoples, the middle-aged businessman added. "By looking through the lens of ordinary Americans and ordinary Chinese, who are looking to bridge the physical and metaphysical distance that divides us, this film, I hope, will make a major down payment on shattering the myth that America has about China and China has about America," Mundell said. Around 200 people attended the film reception at the embassy. The film will hit the big screens in China and the United States in January 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:04:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Barham Salih on Wednesday met with Nadia Murad, an Iraqi female winner of Noble Prize from the Iraqi Yazidi minority in Baghdad, and called for ending disputes in the Middle East region to eradicate terrorism. A statement by his office said that Salih received Murad and some families of victims of the extremist Islamic State (IS) militants, in addition to a number of members of parliament, representatives of Iraqi communities and religions, a number of ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions to Iraq. Salih pledged during the meeting to personally follow up the issue of remaining Yazidi women who are still abducted by IS militants saying "Murad's cause is the cause of Iraq and every weak person who has suffered from the brutality of extremist (IS) organization," according to the statement. He also "stressed the need for ending regional schisms and conflicts that fuel extremism and lead to the emergence of terrorist organizations," the statement said. Murad delivered a speech in the meeting and said "you are the best people of peace, so let peace be upon all communities and specifically minorities. I have brought the Nobel Prize to Baghdad you (Iraqi factions) that the will of good prevailed over evil and freedom prevailed over slavery." "I tell all Iraqis that we are all victims of terrorism, and Daesh (IS group) is a Takfiri mind," Murad said, while calling for "the Iraqi government to be a national government for all Iraqis." She also called on the Iraqi government to form a specialized team with the anti-IS international coalition to discuss the issue of Yazidi women still missing, the statement added. Later in the day, local media reports said that Murad was also received during the day by Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi. On Oct. 5, the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, announced Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege as laureates of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Nadia Murad is a 25-year-old woman who advocates on behalf of her community and survivors of genocide. She was born in the village of Kojo near the town of Sinjar, some 100 km west of Iraq's northern city of Mosul. Her family of the Yazidi ethno-religious minority were farmers. Murad was among thousands of Yazidi women who were abducted in 2014 and enslaved by the self-styled Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. She had been repeatedly raped before escaping with the help of a family to safe areas outside the IS-controlled territory. The Yazidi minority are primarily ethnic Kurds whose religion incorporates elements of many faiths. There are about 600,000 Yazidis in Iraq, with about 80 percent of them living in the towns of Sinjar and Bashiqa in Iraq's northern province of Nineveh. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:14:10|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (L, front) holds a welcoming ceremony for Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno Garces ahead of their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held talks with Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, calling for the healthy and steady development of the bilateral ties. Recalling his state visit to the South American country in 2016, Xi said the healthy and steady development of China-Ecuador ties goes with not only the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples but also the trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation. During the 2016 visit, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, ushering in a new chapter for the bilateral relationship, Xi said. Xi said he appreciates President Moreno's commitment to deepening the friendly cooperation between the two countries since Moreno took office last year. Xi stressed that the two sides should increase interactions to intensify their strategic communication and coordination and exchange experience on governance, so as to enhance mutual understanding and support for each other's path of development and continue backing each other firmly on issues involving their core interests and major concerns. "I've had health concerns for a year," Alphabet City resident Penny Pennline said at a protest convened Tuesday outside the MTA headquarters in Downtown Manhattan. Pennline has lived in the same apartment on 14th Street and Avenue B for two decades, and is among the neighborhood residents who complain that 24/7 construction on the L trainslated to partially shut down for at least 15 months of repairs, beginning on April 27th, 2019has already introduced ceaseless chaos into their lives. Pennline, whose apartment sits right over the work zone, says she hasn't opened her window in a year, but she and her daughter have still developed ailments that Pennline believes trace back to chemical dust and pollutants allegedly kicked up by the project. "We wake up with nose bleeds. We have constant respiratory issues. I've had a dry cough for a year," she said, adding that things became so bad, she had to get her ribs X-rayed. The MTA maintains that it will closely monitor the air quality around construction sites as work on the L continues, and that it will keep up its outreach efforts with the community. At a town hall in September, East Villagers raised a number of concerns about health risks related to the added pollution, which New York City Transit Authority President Andy Byford attempted to assuage with a pledge to start telling people exactly what materials workers would dispose of and how. Still, one resident told Gothamist / WNYC on Monday that the dumpsters near his apartment housed a strange, bright green substance, and when he questioned the MTA about its exact makeup, they claimed it was water, concrete, and dirt. Hm, let's take a closer look... (Courtesy Patrick Ferguson) Should be fine as long as you are not a failed stand-up comedian who tumbles into that dumpster and emerges deeply disfigured and turns to a life of crime... In a statement, MTA spokesperson Shams Tarek emphasized that the agency was making repairs as responsibly as possible. "We have had dozens of meetings with neighbors of the L Project, have developed extensive procedures to minimize the impact of construction, and welcome practical ideas on how we can further protect local quality of life," Tarek said. "We require our contractors to uphold strict guidelines regarding noise, vibration, air quality, and safety, are monitoring all of these impacts, and any suggestion otherwise is just false." "I don't believe anything the MTA says," Pennline said at the protest. "I'm not buying it, they also said 9/11 was safe for the first responders, where are those people now?" The MTA, however, sees no way around the coming L'pocalypse: It argues that there is no option but to fix the extensive damage Superstorm Sandy did to the Canarsie Tunnel in 2012, unless you would perhaps like even less reliable service on this very busy commuter corridor? You definitely don't, nobody does, so starting in April, the MTA will replace L service between Manhattan and Brooklyn withbuses? Boats? A bunch more bikes zooming along this pretty dangerous bike path? You moving to a different neighborhood with a different train line? Some combination thereof? No single happy solution has emerged so far. The transportation situation looks inescapably dire, and locals have also complained of extra traffic from construction trucks. That certainly won't be improved by the addition of ersatz luxury shuttles carrying former L train riders over the Williamsburg Bridge, nor will the already-suffering air quality. Perhaps it will soothe you somewhat to learn that Governor Amazon Cuomo has heard your cries, and intends to make a ceremonial tunnel visit to address them. Months after the MTA announced the start date for the L train shutdown, and years after the agency first broached the idea, Governor Amazon Cuomo has pledged to closely review the project. Welcome to the party, sir! You are just a little late. Speaking with WNYC host Brian Lehrer on Monday, Cuomo noted that "many New Yorkers" had complained to him about the current shutdown plan. Cuomo, who has often been accused of shirking the responsibility for the MTA that his office bestows, views the L train shutdown as "highly disruptive." He told Lehrer that he wants to be absolutely sure that no better way exists. "I can't tell you the number of people in Brooklyn who have come up to me and looked me in the eye and said, 'Are you sure there's nothing else that can be done, that there's nothing that can be done to shorten this?'" Cuomo said. So that he can be absolutely sure there's no alternate path forward, the governor will take a late-night tunnel tour on Thursday, and inspect the damage himself. "[MTA officials are] going ahead with their plan, I'm going to review it myself, I'm going to bring some fresh eyes to the table," he explained. Which is to say, Cuomo does not have any intention of putting the brakes on a course of action that's more or less been set in stone at this point. Basically, he just wants to be able to meet your eyes when you whinge to him about the dust colonizing your lungs, and tell you that he enlisted every possible expert in assessing the situation. As he told Lehrer: "I want to be able to say to every New Yorker, 'I know it's a pain in the neck. There is no other option. The MTA is right.'" Reporting by Stephen Nessen. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:19:12|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close GENEVA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The global airline industry net profit is expected to be 35.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2019, slightly ahead of the 32.3 billion dollars expected net profit in 2018, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast Wednesday. It is expected that 2019 will be the tenth year of profit and the fifth consecutive year where airlines deliver a return on capital that exceeds the industry's cost of capital, said IATA at its annual international media day here. "We had expected that rising costs would weaken profitability in 2019. But the sharp fall in oil prices and solid GDP growth projections have provided a buffer," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO. He said IATA is cautiously optimistic that the healthy state of the airline industry for investors will continue for at least another year. "Air travel has never been such a good deal for consumers. Some 1,300 new direct links between cities opened in 2018. And 250 million more journeys by air occurred in 2018 than in 2017," said de Juniac. He cautioned, however, that there are downside risks as the economic and political environments remain volatile. Lower oil prices and solid, albeit slower, economic growth (up 3.1 percent) are extending the run of profits for the global airline industry after rising costs squeezed profitability in 2018. All regions, except Africa, are expected to report profits in 2018 and 2019. Carriers in North America continue leading on financial performance, accounting for nearly half of the industry's total profits. North American carriers are expected to deliver the most robust performance in 2019 with a 16.6 billion dollars net profit, up from 14.7 billion dollars in 2018. Asia-Pacific carriers are expected to report a 10.4 billion dollar net profit in 2019, up from 9.6 billion dollars in 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:24:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Venezuelan military pilots conducted training sessions to perform joint flights at a Venezuelan airfield, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday. "Pilots of the countries examined the flight area of the Maiquetia airport and studied the issue of interaction with the flight commander and the terminology of radio communication," it said in a statement. The exercises also included practical training for solving various tasks during flights, it said. On Tuesday, 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 landed in Venezuela after covering a distance of more than 10,000 km. The arrival of the Russian warplanes followed a visit by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to Russia and his talks with President Vladimir Putin on Dec. 5. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:29:15|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, president of the National Legislative Assembly of Thailand, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China and Thailand on Wednesday vowed to enhance parliamentary exchanges and cooperation to contribute to bilateral relations. The pledge came as China's top legislator Li Zhanshu held talks with Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, president of the National Legislative Assembly of Thailand, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. China and Thailand are close neighbors bound by blood, culture and economy, and the two countries and two peoples have benefited from this close relation, said Li, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. He called on the two countries to continue the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative, Thailand 4.0 strategy and Eastern Economic Corridor project, carry out cooperation in infrastructure, industrial capacity, internet finance, high tech and tourism and promote local cooperation to achieve common development. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. Li said China will adhere to the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity, promote a higher level of opening up to the outside world and pursue common development and prosperity with other countries in the world, especially surrounding and neighboring countries. Thailand is an important member of ASEAN and will take the association's rotating chair in 2019, said Li, adding that China stands ready to fully support Thailand to jointly implement the China-ASEAN free trade agreement and the China-ASEAN Partnership Vision 2030, promote Lancang-Mekong cooperation, China-ASEAN relations and East Asian cooperation to achieve further development. Noting that the NPC and the National Legislative Assembly both play a very important role in their own countries' political life, Li called on the two legislative bodies to implement consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, maintain friendly exchanges at all levels, enhance exchanges and mutual learning on governing experience and provide legal protection to guarantee bilateral cooperation in various fields and contribute to the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two countries. For Pornpetch's part, he said Thailand is actively responding to the Belt and Road Initiative and stands ready to enhance interconnection and trade, deepen cooperation in technology and innovation, education and tourism with China. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:34:17|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close People attend a testimony meeting to mark the 81st anniversary of Nanjing Massacre in Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 12, 2018. A series of commemorative activities have been held by Japanese civil groups recently in various cities to mark the 81st anniversary of Nanjing Massacre. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi) TOKYO, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A series of commemorative activities have been held by Japanese civil groups recently in various cities to mark the 81st anniversary of Nanjing Massacre. Chang Xiaomei, daughter of a Nanjing Massacre survivor, shared her father's story at a testimony meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday at the invitation of a few local civil groups. About 100 people attended the meeting. Chang's father Chang Zhiqiang saw with his own eyes how his parents and his four little brothers were brutally killed by the invading Japanese soldiers during the 1937 massacre. Now 90 years old, he is not strong enough to come to Japan himself to tell the story, but he sent his daughter. "I feel that I have a responsibility to share my father's story with the Japanese people. I hope that the younger generations of the Japanese people could also remember and learn from the history," said Chang Xiaomei. Zhang Lianhong, a professor at Nanjing Normal University, presented to attendants of the testimony meeting some reports, films and historical materials recorded by witnesses of the massacre, including journalists, missionaries and diplomats from western countries. "Since I came here, I have been talking to some Japanese people and attended five testimony meetings here. I was moved by the efforts in the past 20 years by some Japanese people and civil groups to hold events and reveal the war atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army. I really hope that Japanese government could reflect upon the history and promote friendship between our two countries," Zhang told Xinhua. Similar testimony meetings were also held in Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya and Hamamatsu. "The atrocities committed by the Japanese troops at that time, as evidenced by the testimony of survivors and the historical records, were so shocking," said Youji Tanaka, a local resident at the testimony meeting in Osaka. "It's important that such historical truth be passed on to the future generations," he added. "The more we learn about the war history, the more we cherish peace. I really hope that we can learn more about the history and go to Nanjing to hear more about the testimonies of the survivors," said a local resident at the Nagoya meeting. "There are still people in Japan who tried to deny that Nanjing Massacre ever happened. By inviting victims of Nanjing Massacre to come and share their experiences in Japan, we hope to provide a chance for the Japanese people to learn about the historical truth, " said Sachiko Momiyama, member of the civil group "Nanjing Massacre 60 Years Osaka," one of the organizers of the series of commemorative events. Ryohei Hirayama, member of another civil group "No More Nanjing Nagoya Association," said that Japan should learn from Germany and admit to the historical truth, and that only by doing that could Japan learn from the history and face toward the future. Noboru Takemoto, member of the Liaison Group to Think About Peace Osaka's Crisis, said that although Japan's younger generations were not directly involved in the atrocities, they are still obligated to remember the history. "If the Japanese people couldn't know or remember the historical truth, the war tragedies could happen again. That's why we call upon people to learn more about the history," said Takemoto. "We have the obligation to build a new friendly relationship with the Chinese people on the basis of fully recognizing the history," he added. Chang said that to remember the history is not aimed to remember the hatred but to create a future of peace and friendship between the two countries. "We have to learn from the history and to cherish the peace and stay away from the war. It's hoped that the friendship between our two countries could be passed on to future generations," she said. On Dec. 13, 1937, the Japanese army bombed Nanjing and went on a murderous rampage through the city, then China's capital. The Nanjing Massacre, or Rape of Nanjing, was an episode of mass murder and mass rape committed by Japanese troops against the residents of Nanjing. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:44:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The AU on Wednesday issued a statement condemning sexual violence against women and girls in South Sudan. In a press statement, AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security Mme Bineta Diop, said recent reports indicate around 150 women and girls were raped and beaten in Bentiu town in South Sudan. Diop said the Bentiu rapes are disheartening as it happened during a period of great hope that the South Sudan civil war could be coming to an end. "I call upon all those in authority in South Sudan to scale up their efforts to ensure that perpetrators of sexual violence against women are held accountable," said Diop. "I also urge regional, continental and international stakeholders to respond to the immediate needs of the survivors of sexual violence in South Sudan," she said. Since the outbreak of civil war in South Sudan in December 2013, fueled by personal and ethnic rivalries, it's estimated tens of thousands of people have been killed and nearly four million are displaced. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:44:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- In a bid to contribute to Nepal's tourism through series of spectacular photos of the world's highest peak, the team of "First Women Journalists Qomolangma Expedition-2018" organized a photo exhibition in Kathmandu. The five-day exhibition entitled Women on Top which ended on Tuesday featured more than 50 photographs covering the journey of female journalists who successfully scaled Qomolangma in May this year with the slogan "Unified Voice for Equity." The exhibition was held in the premise of Nepal Tourism Board as part of its photoNepal campaign, and the sideline event of the 16th Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival. From the popular Khumbu Icefall to the treacherous spots, crevasses, extensive rope and ladder crossings and moments of the climbers to the magnificent close view of mountains, the photos on display created an instant imagination of the Qomolangma and appeal to visit the place. Among around 5,000 visitors, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Nepal Valerie Julliand was among the around 5,000 visitors, who termed the exhibition as very impressive. "You all are fantastic. Women on top, always," she commented about the exhibition. "The photos took us back to 2008, when our group had climbed the peak. The exhibition is really beautiful," Qomolangma climbers Shailee Basnet and Maya Gurung shared with Xinhua on the last day of the exhibition. The exhibition comes at a time when Nepal has announced 2020 as Visit Nepal Year with a target of welcoming 2 million foreign tourists. To support the campaign, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has been organizing activities such as photo exhibitions every month to showcase the country's rich natural and cultural beauty. Sudhan Subedi, an officer at NTB, told Xinhua that "Mountains always hold a special attraction among the people, thus the exhibition is able to provide a vivid picture of its exquisiteness. We have also promoted the photos through social media, so it will attract the foreign tourists and support the tourism industry." Many of the school and college students also visited the exhibition and expressed their willingness to visit the base camp in the future, with some even showing interest in climbing the peak. Deuralee Chamling, a team member of the First Women Journalists Qomolangma Expedition, said, "We were so overwhelmed when a 8-year-old kid shared us that he wants to climb Qomolangma, for which we asked him to be prepared after 10 years. Our exhibition has inspired so many people, and that's our major accomplishment." Another team member, Rosha Basnet, had a similar story to share, saying the exhibition featured different aspects of mountaineering including techniques and its aesthetic value and beauty. "Youngsters are very much carried away by the pictures. It has raised a sort of curiosity about the mountains," Basnet told Xinhua. The expedition team comprised five journalists working in different Nepali media organizations, namely Rosha Basnet, Kalpana Maharjan, Deurali Chamling, Rojita Buddhacharya and Priya Laxmi Karki, Four of the five journalists have successfully scaled the peak. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 22:54:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MADRID, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Civil Guards have seized some 320 firearms and over 50,000 cartridges in their "largest operation against illegal weapons trafficking in recent years." The Civil Guard website confirmed on Wednesday that "Operation GOALDE" was carried out in the Spanish capital city of Madrid and in the northern regions of Asturias and Cantabria, leading to 4 arrests from 11 separate raids. The operation resulted in the seizure of 275 pistols and revolvers, 34 rifles and shotguns, 7 submachine guns and an AK-47 assault rifle along with three silencers, 18 kilos of gunpowder, projectiles for manufacturing home-made ammunition and tools which could be used to repairing firearms. The Civil Guard informed that the four detainees have been charged with arms trafficking and the illegal storage of weapons and ammunition. It said that the detainees dealt in firearms and ammunition from both Spain and abroad and sold them "to delinquents all over Spain." The weapons all had their registration numbers wiped "so they could be sold in the illegal marketplace." The Civil Guard said that after this operation, the past 5 years have seen them arrest 295 people for arms dealing while taking 3,050 weapons and 334,300 cartridges out of circulation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:09:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KIEV, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Kiev is ready to carry out a fresh prisoner exchange with representatives of certain areas in eastern Ukraine on Dec. 27, a senior Ukrainian official said on Wednesday. Iryna Gerashchenko, Ukrainian presidential envoy for the peaceful settlement of the situation in Donetsk and Lugansk regions, wrote on Facebook that Kiev is ready to hand over 66 insurgent supporters in exchange for 19 Ukrainian civilians and military officers. Ukraine and pro-independence armed groups are believed to hold hundreds of prisoners from more than four years of the conflict. However, the exact number of captives is unknown. The most recent prisoner exchange between the parties was carried out in December 2017, when rebels in Donetsk and Lugansk handed over 73 Ukrainian soldiers and pro-government civilians to Kiev in exchange for 233 rebel supporters. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:09:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and five others injured Wednesday when a speeding truck hit an auto-rickshaw in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said. The accident took place in Kursana village of Jaunpur district, about 260 km southwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. "Today in a tragic road accident here, a truck hit an auto-rickshaw in which six people were killed and five others injured," a police official posted in Jaunpur said. "The injured were removed to hospital in critical condition." Eyewitnesses told police that the speeding truck hit the auto-rickshaw from behind and crushed it under the wheels. According to police, the truck was later removed with the help of crane. "Preliminary reports said the accident took place after driver lost control over the vehicle when one of its tyres bursted," the police official said. Following the accident, police officials rushed to the spot to oversee rescue work. The victims were identified as local residents. Local media reports said some people smashed windscreen of an ambulance and thrashed its staff for reaching the spot late. Police have registered a case and ordered investigations into the accident. Turkish students are learning Chinese at China-Turkey Cultural Association on December 11, 2018. (Xinhua/zeynep) ISTANBUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Following an intensive day at their respective universities, a group of students rushed to a classroom in central Istanbul for their Chinese class, with the hope of having more options in future careers. "We see that there are not too many Chinese-speaking people in Turkey," said Koray Saglar, a sophomore, as he was putting down his course materials on the desk. "This creates a huge demand in the business world," he told Xinhua before the class began at the Turkish-Chinese Cultural Association. He wants to continue his studies in China on trade and commerce in the coming years. According to Mustafa Karsli, vice president of the association, Turkish students have started to realize that learning the Chinese language is becoming an inevitable part of the business life, as China continues to expand its influence globally. "In today's fast developing business world, English, as a secondary language, is not enough anymore," he said. For him, the Chinese language ranks the top of the list after English, not only in Turkey but also in many parts of the world, and a growing number of university students, with future careers in their minds, are learning Chinese. In the view of Karsli, the growing interest in the Chinese language should be seen as a very natural outcome of China's current upward trend in the international arena, in line with the progress made in the Belt and Road Initiative over the past five years. "A large number of Chinese and Turkish companies began to send their personnel to the classes at our institution in response to the growing needs of Chinese-speaking staff," said Karsli. Three years ago, Karsli's association launched a program called "Easy Chinese" in universities to introduce the Chinese language and culture to students. "So far, thousands of students have attended the program which is free of charge," Karsli said, noting the attendees became more eager to study Chinese after learning about China and the language itself. The association has currently 250 learners attending the classes, with 60 percent of them university students. During the summer months, many other students from different parts of the country joined crash courses. Ismail Kural, a student from Marmara University, said the companies with which he has been in contact since he started to learn Chinese have begun to offer him a full-time job after his graduation. "So I suggest to my friends to start to learn Chinese as soon as possible, as there is a huge gap in many sectors," he said. Apart from the association, the Confucius Institutes across Istanbul have been opening Chinese courses as well to Turkish students and others. Deniz Iscan, a high-school student aged 17, decided this year to take the Chinese course with the Confucius Institute at Bogazici University (CIBU). "I want to learn as much as possible about China, its culture, society and the language before I start my university years," said Iscan. On graduation, she plans to live and work in the tourism industry in China as a tour guide. The CIBU provides credit courses on the Chinese language for beginners at intermediate and advanced levels, as well as reading courses on the Chinese history, culture and society. This year a total of 205 undergraduates have registered in the elective credit courses at the CIBU, while 84 others attend the lessons over the weekend. "Most of them are planning to get a scholarship and go to China for intermediate studies," said Li Wenhong, the Chinese director of the CIBU. "Other students have a long-term perspective to work or do business in China," he added. The CIBU continues its cooperation with many universities and high schools across Istanbul to support Chinese learning by over 1,100 students, according to Li. Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former personal attorney and longtime fixer, was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for a range of crimes, including issuing hush-money payments to women who claimed to have slept with Trump, tax evasion, and lying to Congress about the extent of Trump's business dealings in Russia. In his remarks, Judge William Pauley III reportedly spoke of the "smorgasbord" of crimes committed by the former Trump loyalist. "Each of these crimes standing alone warrant considerable punishment," the judge said. The sentencing followed a slew of guilty pleas made in separate cases involving federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and by special counsel Robert Mueller. Most notably, Cohen admitted last month to arranging hush payments at Trump's direction for the principal purpose of influencing the election. In their sentencing recommendation, prosecutors argued that Cohen deserved a "substantial" prison term of several years, because he had repeatedly used his power and influence for deceptive ends." "His offenses strike at several pillars of our society and system of government: the payment of taxes; transparent and fair elections; and truthfulness before government and in business," they wrote. Tearing up, Cohen apologizes to the public: "You deserve to know the truth and lying to you was unjust." Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, had asked for leniency, pointing out that his client has expressed a willingness to cooperate with prosecutors. On Wednesday, Petrillo painted Cohen as a victim that had "the misfortune to be counsel to the president," and whose primary offense was his instinct to help. "He does not engage in sharp business practices," Petrillo said, according to Courthouse News. Petrillo: "No bank has ever lost money dealing with Michael Cohen. Ill say that again: No bank has ever lost money dealing with Michael Cohen. No friend in need has ever been turned away." erica orden (@eorden) December 12, 2018 In February, Cohen admitted to paying $130,000 to adult film star Stephanie Clifford, better known as Stormy Daniels. Two months later, the FBI raided Cohen's Manhattan office and residence, uncovering materials related to a payment made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claims she had an affair with the president. The evidence, along with Cohen's guilty plea, implicates President Trump in crimes for which Cohen is going to prison. Cohen has admitted that he paid out the hush money "in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office." The raid also opened the door for Mueller to convict Cohen for lying to Congress about the candidate's push to bring the Trump real estate brand to Moscow. Last month, Cohen admitted that he made the "misstatements to be consistent with [Trump's] political messaging and out of loyalty to [Trump.]" It's widely believed that documents recovered by Mueller that formed the basis of that conviction could potentially implicate other Kremlin-linked Trump figures, including Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort. Unlike Trump Jr. or Manafort, it seems unlikely that Cohen will be the beneficiary of a presidential pardon anytime soon. Following news of Cohen's guilty plea, the president told reporters that his longtime employee was "a weak person and not a very smart person. Cohen, who once said that he would "take a bullet" for the president, admitted on Wednesday that his weakness was "a blind loyalty to Donald Trump." He will surrender to begin his sentence on March 6th. Following the sentencing, Cohen's attorney, Lanny Davis, released a statement highlighting his client's cooperation in discussing "Donald Trump's misconduct over the years." The statement continued, "At the appropriate time, after Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trumpand that includes any appropriate Congressional committee interested in the search for truth and difference between facts and lies. Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn fact." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:39:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HONG KONG, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- An International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Mission has commended the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) in its latest assessment, noting that many years of prudent macro-economic policies have endowed the SAR with strong buffers to navigate through challenges and ensure continued stability amid increasing risks confronting global growth. The assessment was made in the concluding statement of the IMF mission published on Wednesday following the 2018 Article IV Consultation with the Hong Kong SAR, according to the SAR government press release. The statement said that Hong Kong's economy has benefitted from a strong cyclical upswing and the growth momentum continued through the first half of 2018 as a result of the global recovery, continued solid growth of the Chinese mainland, and increased consumer confidence. The IMF statement believed that Hong Kong's real gross regional product growth is projected to remain robust in 2018, although risks have shifted to the downside for Hong Kong's economy due to escalation in trade tensions, sharper-than-expected tightening of global financial conditions, sharp slowdown in the property market, among others. The mission assessed that many years of prudent macro-economic policies and robust financial regulation and supervision will help Hong Kong weather possible internal and external shocks. The strong buffers Hong Kong enjoys include large foreign exchange reserves, a current account surplus, one of the world's largest net international investment positions, large fiscal reserves, and a well-capitalized banking system with high asset quality. Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong SAR government, said he welcomed the IMF's reassuring forecast for Hong Kong and reaffirmation of its strong buffers and robust policy frameworks. "While we are well placed to navigate the challenges ahead, the government will stay vigilant in monitoring risks, and spare no efforts in boosting economic vibrancy and promoting economic growth," said Chan. To support long-term growth, the Hong Kong SAR government is working to increase labor force participation and further enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness, including capitalizing on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and rapid advancement in the field of innovation and technology, Chan added. The IMF's statement also reaffirmed its support for Hong Kong's Linked Exchange Rate System (LERS) between Hong Kong dollars and the U.S. dollars, acknowledging that it remains the appropriate exchange rate arrangement for Hong Kong and has served as an anchor of stability and helped to ensure sustained growth, competitiveness, and the smooth functioning of the extensive financial services industry. Norman Chan, chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), said he welcomed the IMF's reaffirmation that the LERS remains the appropriate arrangement for Hong Kong. The HKMA top official said amid episodes of outflow from the Hong Kong dollar earlier this year, the LERS has operated smoothly and in accordance with its design, which reflects confidence in the LERS, a regime that is clear, transparent and proven to work well for Hong Kong. "The HKMA will remain vigilant to the risks to banking stability amid growing volatility in global financial markets." The IMF's statement noted that Hong Kong has been considered one of the most competitive economies in the world for many years, and is rightly taking steps to maintain competitiveness, and the development of the Greater Bay Area creates opportunities for Hong Kong over the medium term, given Hong Kong's unique position as the gateway to the Chinese mainland and as a global financial center with renowned professional services. The IMF's Staff Mission visited Hong Kong from October 29 to November 9 for the 2018 Article IV Consultation with the Hong Kong SAR. It held discussions with government officials, regulators and private sector representatives during its visit. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:49:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close AMMAN, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Wednesday appealed to donors to continue to fund programmes in host countries like Jordan at the same level as they did before. "Support for Syria needs to be stepped up but not at the expense of host countries," Stefano Severe, UNHCR representative in Jordan said in a statement emailed to Xinhua. "We anticipated that it is not so good in 2018, but now we are coming close to the end of the year so we have seen sufficient support," according to Severe. "For 2019, we continue to be a little bit worried, especially as funding needs to rebuild Syria continue to grow. We can only encourage donors to continue to support us here in Jordan," he added. On the number of refugees returning to Syria, Severe said that from 2016 to June 2018, when the border closed because of the offensive in southwestern Syria, around 17,000 refugees were recorded returning to Syria. "We have seen peaks and troughs on the situation in certain areas in Syria. When the peace accord was signed in August 2017, we saw a spike in the numbers of refugees going back. This year, however, before June, only 1,800 refugees have been recorded going back," he said. "At UNHCR, we have managed to confirm and verify through our database that 3,852 refugees have returned to Syria between Oct. 15 and Dec. 1," he added. Out of the 3,852 refugees who have returned since the reopening of Jaber border crossing between Jordan and Syria, around 50 percent are from the Daraa region which has seen relatively stable over the last few months, according to Severe. According to official figures, there are 1.3 million Syrian refugees in Jordan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:49:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DHAKA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- As part of its efforts to make its Digital Bangladesh concept memorable, the Bangladeshi government on Wednesday celebrated "Digital Bangladesh Day" in the capital and elsewhere in the country. As part of its activities to mark the country's first-ever "Digital Bangladesh Day", the Bangladeshi government's Information and Communication Technology (IC) Division has chalked up a daylong program with main events at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), formerly known as the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in the capital. The program included giving citations to the Digital Bangladesh Award winners, discussions, a seminar, nationwide online essay and prize giving ceremony at BICC where Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was present as the chief guest. The Bangladesh cabinet last month approved the proposal for celebrating Dec. 12 as the "Digital Bangladesh Day" from this year. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to establish Digital Bangladesh by 2021, saying that the country has already achieved much progress in digitizing Bangladesh by ensuring an ICT based society where so many services are now available online. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:54:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Pacific Fleet will receive modern submarines and surface ships in a modernization and rearmament program in the coming years, official newspaper said Wednesday. The fleet will receive eight corvettes armed with cruise missiles, with the first two to be delivered in 2018 and 2019, respectively, the fleet's commander Sergei Avakyants was quoted by the Russian Defense Military's newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) as saying. The Pacific Fleet will receive four small missile ships armed with the Caliber and Onyx cruise missiles, Avakyants said, without specifying when this may happen. Next year, the fleet will receive the first of six newest diesel-electric submarines ordered from the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg, the armament of which includes the Caliber cruise missiles. According to the commander, the fleet is also modernizing its surface ships and submarines and re-equipping them with new high-precision weapons. "Obviously, we are not standing still but developing and improving, which is encouraging," Avakyants said. The Pacific Fleet has a mission of ensuring Russia's military security in the Asia-Pacific region. It incorporates strategic missile nuclear submarines, multipurpose diesel submarines, surface warships, anti-submarine and fighter aircraft and ground forces. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:54:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GENEVA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU), China and other World Trade Organization (WTO) members on Wednesday delivered a joint statement, emphasizing the urgent need to unblock the appointment of WTO Appellate Body members. In a meeting of the WTO General Council, those members demonstrated their deep concern that "continued vacancies in the Appellate Body present a risk to the WTO as a whole." While reaffirming their commitment to the rules-based multilateral trading system, they underscored the dispute settlement system as a central pillar of the WTO. "Such a system is also essential in building confidence amongst members in the negotiating pillar," said the statement. The Appellate Body functions as the WTO's de facto court of appeals and is composed of seven members. However, only four of the seven members are in office since Washington has refused to initiate the process to fill vacancies. In November, a dozen of WTO members, including China and the EU, have submitted two joint proposals on the reform of the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism. The first proposal gives proper solutions to transitional rules of outgoing Appellate Body members, and the second strengthens the independence of the Appellate Body, increases its efficiency and capability and proposes to automatically launch its selection process. In Wednesday's statement, the members took note of the concerns about the functioning of the dispute settlement system, saying that they are "ready to work on solutions, while preserving the essential features of the system and of its Appellate Body." Underlining their commitment to engaging in discussions on "substantive rules" of the Appellate Body, they called on interested members to advance ideas on how to take this process forward. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:54:48|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Losang Jamcan (L), director of the Standing Committee of China's Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress, meets with Nirj Deva, vice chairman of the European Parliament's Development Committee and chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group, at the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, France, Dec. 11, 2018. A Tibetan delegation of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday. The delegation, led by Losang Jamcan, met with members of the European Parliament and responded to questions involving concerns on the EU side. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) STRASBOURG, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Tibetan delegation of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday. The delegation, led by Losang Jamcan, director of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress, met with members of the European Parliament and responded to questions involving concerns on the EU side. During the meeting with European Parliament Vice President Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Losang Jamcan spoke of the rapid economic growth and social cohesion present in the Tibet Autonomous Region, made possible under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and guided by the Party's policies toward ethnic minorities in the country. He added that living standards have improved among the various ethnic groups in Tibet, alongside stronger protections for the environment, full respect for freedom of religion and the preservation of traditional culture. "It must be seen to be believed," he said, adding that he welcomes members of European Parliament to visit Tibet. Papadimoulis said the delegation's visit was a precious opportunity for the European Parliament to better understand Tibet. He expressed hope to continue regular exchanges with the Chinese side to deepen mutual understanding and trust. Losang Jamcan also met with Nirj Deva, vice chairman of the European Parliament's Development Committee and chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group in the European Parliament, and discussed the history and present situation in Tibet. He mentioned major economic and social developments in Tibet since its peaceful liberation over 60 years ago, and during 40 years of China's reform and opening-up, and in particular, after the 18th National Congress of the CPC. He revealed the purpose of the Dalai Lama group, which aims to split Tibet from Chinese territory under the guise of religion. Deva said one cannot observe a real Tibet through a prism, adding that the EU-China Friendship Group will continue to objectively present China's efforts in promoting the development of Tibet in the European Parliament, and play an active role in enhancing EU-China ties. The delegation also visited the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 23:59:49|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, front row) poses for a group photo with foreign delegates attending the just concluded 2018 Imperial Springs International Forum held in Guangzhou, ahead of a meeting with them at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping reiterated on Wednesday that China will adhere to the path of multilateralism and open its door wider to the world. Xi made the remarks when meeting with foreign delegates attending the just concluded 2018 Imperial Springs International Forum held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. He briefed the delegates on achievements of China's reform and opening-up during the past 40 years and important measures of a new round of opening-up at a higher level, expounded on China's relations with the world, and listened to the delegates' remarks. Xi said this year's Imperial Springs International Forum coincides with the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. The forum, held on Dec. 10 in southern China's Guangzhou, gathered some 200 former world leaders, renowned scholars and business elites to discuss the theme of advancing reform and opening-up, promoting win-win cooperation. "The past 40 years have witnessed tremendous achievements in China's development and remarkable improvement of people's livelihood, from shortage to abundance, from poverty to moderate prosperity," Xi said. China's reform and opening-up drive is people-oriented, Xi stressed, adding that a distinctive feature of the country's economy in the new era is the shift from rapid growth to high-quality development, from quantitative expansion to qualitative growth. "For more balanced and full development, we must further deepen reform and expand opening-up," said the Chinese president. During the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in April, Xi announced a series of measures to expand the country's opening-up, including substantially easing market access, creating a more attractive investment environment, strengthening intellectual property protection and actively expanding imports. At the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai, Xi announced new measures to further expand opening-up. "China will adhere to the path of multilateralism, and open the door wider to the world," Xi said. Saying China's economy has maintained overall stability and steady progress, Xi noted that the goal of "making people well-off" pushes the important potential for the country to achieve further growth. With the increasing income, Chinese people's pursuit of a high-quality life will bring about greater consumer demand, Xi said. "We are firmly confident in the long-term positive fundamentals of China's economic development, as well as in the mid- to high-speed economic growth bringing the economy to a medium-to-high level." Noting that China's role as an active defender and contributor to international rules has been acknowledged by the international community, Xi said China's reform and opening-up is all-round, and the country's development is an opportunity for the whole world. "The practice of China's reform and opening-up has fully proven that only by win-win cooperation can a country achieve long-term development," he said. Xi stressed that the Belt and Road Initiative, which originates from China and belongs to the world, is aimed at building a new platform for win-win cooperation for the international community. He reiterates the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in promoting cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. "China's overseas investment and cooperation in capacity building and infrastructure construction have driven industrialization of the countries concerned and promoted local people's livelihood and economic and social development," said Xi. Xi said the Chinese side sincerely hopes that all countries will join the Belt and Road partnership and deliver more benefits for all people. He said China's efforts to promote and build a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for humanity are also aimed at achieving win-win cooperation among all countries. Noting that China's reform and opening-up has left a glorious chapter in history, Xi said the policy will also enable China to score new achievements in the next 40 years that will deeply impress the world. The foreign delegates, including former Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, said that China's reform and opening-up have brought about tremendous changes in China and had a major positive impact on the world. They advocated developing inter-state ties on the basis of enhancing mutual trust and win-win cooperation, urging all sides to maintain world peace, promote common growth and oppose unilateralism, isolationism and protectionism. The foreign delegates also praised the Belt and Road Initiative, saying it yielded tangible benefits for many countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 00:04:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The South African government will advance the agenda of inclusive growth, a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy not only in the country but also on the African continent, Minister of Environmental Affairs Nomvula Mokonyane said on Wednesday. Mokonyane was speaking as she announced the government's plan to host the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Conference, scheduled for January 10-11 next year in Cape Town. The PAGE Conference supports countries and regions to put sustainability at the heart of economic policies and practices to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. "Hosting the PAGE Conference will advance the agenda of inclusive growth, and the adoption of a low-carbon and climate resilient economy, domestically and on the African continent," said Mokonyane. She said the PAGE program aims to further strengthen the cooperation, coordination and capabilities required to implement South Africa's transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and pro-employment development path. The 3rd PAGE Ministerial Conference, under the theme Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Economies, follows two successful conferences which were held in Dubai in 2014 and Berlin in 2017 respectively. PAGE was launched in 2013 as a response to the call at Rio+20 to support those countries wishing to embark on greener and more inclusive growth trajectories. The platform brings together five United Nations (UN) agencies -- UN Environment, International Labor Organization, UN Development Program, UN Industrial Development Organization, and UN Institute for Training and Research, whose mandates, expertise and networks combined can offer integrated and holistic support to countries on inclusive green economy, ensuring coherence and avoiding duplication. Mokonyane said the 3rd PAGE Ministerial Conference will provide an opportunity for member states to reinforce the commitment to transition to a green and sustainable economy, and to demonstrate implementation of the tools and strategies to accelerate, scale up and sustain the momentum on deepening green economy principles in socio-economic and environmental planning frameworks. The minister said South Africa is working to adopt green economy strategies in line with its National Development Plan Vision 2030, which commits the country to an environmentally sustainable and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy. The country, she said, is currently implementing programs to promote energy efficiency, green transport, sustainable housing and climate resilient agriculture. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 00:09:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (L, front) holds a welcoming ceremony for Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno Garces ahead of their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held talks with Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, calling for the healthy and steady development of the bilateral ties. Recalling his state visit to the South American country in 2016, Xi said the healthy and steady development of China-Ecuador ties goes with not only the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples but also the trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation. During the 2016 visit, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, ushering in a new chapter for the bilateral relationship, Xi said. Xi said he appreciates President Moreno's commitment to deepening the friendly cooperation between the two countries since Moreno took office last year. Xi stressed that the two sides should increase interactions to intensify their strategic communication and coordination and exchange experience on governance, so as to enhance mutual understanding and support for each other's path of development and continue backing each other firmly on issues involving their core interests and major concerns. Noting that Ecuador's participation in the construction of the Belt and Road is welcomed by the Chinese side, Xi expects the two sides to jointly promote cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, production capacity, agriculture, information technology, new energy and environmental protection. "China welcomes Ecuador to actively explore the Chinese market and share opportunities brought by China's development," Xi said. China's financing cooperation with Ecuador is conducted on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and business principles, without attaching any political condition, said Xi. Noting that the Chinese government requires Chinese enterprises in Ecuador to abide by local laws and regulations and run business fairly in the market, Xi expects the Ecuador side to create a good investment environment and protect their legitimate rights and interests. He called for closer people-to-people and technology exchanges, urging both sides to carry out law enforcement cooperation to guarantee normal exchanges of personnel, economy and trade. Xi also said China will continue to support Ecuador's post-earthquake reconstruction and its disaster prevention work. China and Ecuador have same or similar positions on major international and regional issues, said Xi, calling on the two sides to collaborate closely to safeguard multilateralism, promote reform of the global governance system and defend the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Moreno expressed gratitude for China's assistance on Ecuador's economic and social development, especially for the help offered after Ecuador was hit by an earthquake in 2016. Moreno said Ecuador is ready to actively take part in the Belt and Road Initiative and expand bilateral cooperation in various fields. He welcomed and appreciated China's financing cooperation with Ecuador and expects to expand exports to China. Moreno also expressed the will to enhance coordination and collaboration with China in multilateral affairs such as UN Sustainable Development Goals. After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents, including a memorandum of understanding on jointly promoting the construction of the Belt and Road. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 00:09:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that he is working hard to find solutions for the government formation and the results will be clear in the coming two days, the Presidency's website reported. Aoun has started a new round of talks on Monday to break the cabinet formation deadlock. Meanwhile, Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri said he hoped that the current consultations undertaken by the president would yield to an imminent government formation. "We are in need of a harmonious government to fully carry out its responsibilities as we are facing tremendous challenges," Berri said during his weekly gathering with lawmakers. Lebanon has been struggling to form a government since Saad Hariri was designated as prime minister in May, with deep differences among parties over their representation in the new government. Sunni lawmakers from outside Hariri's Future Movement have been demanding to be represented by at least one seat in the government. But Hariri refused the demand, saying that the six Sunni lawmakers did not have the right of representation because they were not part of a unified parliamentary block. Hezbollah, a Shiite Islamic political party in Lebanon, has strongly backed the independent Sunni lawmakers' demand. Did America's current president cooperate with a foreign government's attack on the election that put him in office? Is that same hostile foreign government now holding incriminating or damaging evidence over the president's head? And could any evidence emerge that would be damning enough to compel the president's own party to turn against him and vote for impeachment? These are the haunting questions that would have sounded completely surreal three years agothe makings of a Hollywood political thriller too far-fetched to swallow. But as guilty pleas and indictments pile up from the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, more observers are being forced to confront the very real possibility that President Donald Trump and his associates are guilty of criminal conspiracy with the Russian government. At the same time, the sheer volume of reporting, evidence and allegations that have accumulated on the subject of collusion can be difficult to grasp in their totality. That's what makes Seth Abramson's chilling new book, Proof of Collusion: How Trump Betrayed America, a useful guidebook to the still-unfolding crisis. Abramson, who teaches digital journalism and cultural theory at the University of New Hampshire, has cultivated an enormous Twitter following with his exhaustive threads covering every wrinkle of the Trump-Russia affair. Proof of Collusion methodically assembles the most important pieces of the puzzle to present a comprehensive picture of what Abramson calls "the most significant criminal investigation of our lives." Most of the material in the heavily-annotated book has already been reported, but the Trump-Russia case is in some ways so complex that a book like this is needed to keep track of it all. Last Friday we spoke with Abramson about his book and the sprawling ongoing criminal investigation into Trump and his associates. What is the proof of collusion as you see it, and what proof has been reported? Well, as you know it essentially takes an entire book in order to lay out that case. I can say this, though, I approach the case as an attorney, a former criminal investigator, and a journalism professor. I did all of that, all my writing and bringing my background to bear knowing that there was a hope for a single Hollywood-style smoking gun, where someone opens a door and sees Donald Trump hacking the DOD with Vladimir Putin on his lap. And the reality is that smoking guns of that sort are purely for Hollywood. What I can say is that the volume of evidence in Proof of Collusion is enough to blow a jury's hair back. And there are specific federal criminal statues that fall under this lay umbrella term "collusion" that I refer to in the book and that Donald Trump and his aides, allies and associates are eligible for charging under based upon their activities in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Can you tell us one or two of those specific statutes and who you think could be charged under them? Absolutely. So the statutes that are in play here are bribery, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit election fraud, aiding and abetting computer crimes, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, perjury, making false statements, lying to Congress, illegal solicitation of donations from foreign nationals, failing to register as a foreign agent and several others. Fundamentally, you have a large number of witnesses who are going to be charged with making false statements, perjury, lying to Congress. You have Donald Trump who, in public, has committed acts that would qualify as witness tampering and obstruction of justice. The broader conspiracy that is being investigated here and that involves a small number of Trump allies, aides and associates as well as Donald Trump himself is a conspiracy to commit election fraud and aiding and abetting of computer crimes, a conspiracy to defraud the United States and also a bribery case. Depending upon what Robert Mueller discovers in the tax returns of Donald Trump, which presumably would be the first thing that he tried to acquire, there may also be money laundering charges. Now it's been reported in the Times and elsewhere that Mueller agrees with the DOJ guidelines against indicting a sitting president. What do you make of that? How much truth do you think there is in that? Well, Robert Mueller is a straight shooter prosecutor and lawman. I expect that he will follow the guidelines as they've been laid out by DOJ and will neither indict nor try Donald Trump while he's sitting in office. I think that everyone agrees, legal scholars and those in law enforcement, that you can't try a sitting president. There is some split among legal scholars as to whether you could indict a sitting president but not try them. Either way, I think the way that plays into the situation we're in now is that this, as Rudy Giuliani and other Trump attorneys have said, is fundamentally a political case for Donald Trump. It is a criminal case for everyone else but a political case for Donald Trump. What it also means is that he really cannot resign his position as president, even if he finds himself in the midst of an impeachment trial or even if facing potential conviction in the Senate at some point down the line in 2019 or 2020. Because if he resigns, he then could face indictment and criminal prosecution by his former DOJ. To what degree do you think Mueller is considering the political landscape as he decides how to move forward at various stages of this investigation? I think a good federal prosecutor, or any prosecutorand Robert Mueller is certainly a good prosecutordoesn't take politics into account whatsoever in making investigative decisions, such as who to interview, who to subpoena, who to charge. I do think that Robert Mueller has been in the unusual position of having to consider whether actions that he might take in this investigation could cause him to be unceremoniously, and probably illegally, fired, either directly or indirectly by the ultimate target of his investigation, President Trump. Politics plays into the investigative strategy purely in that sense, but I don't think we see any evidence thus far that politics has played into any of the charging decisions or even necessarily any of the decisions on who to interview. Though I will note that Ivanka Trump is her father's top advisor on all business deals, including some of the secret deals involving the Kremlin that we learned about recently, and as far as we know, she hasn't been interviewed yet. That might be because she is one of the targets of the investigation or it might be that Robert Mueller has determined that Ivanka Trump and perhaps the other Trump children are third rails, which if he touches could lead to his firing. In that case, he might have made a decision about whether he will interview someone based on certain political realities but not based on any political bias or prejudice. You also hear in the press, stated as fact again and again, that the Mueller investigation is wrapping up, reaching its end stage, winding down. What do you make of assertions of that nature? Well, so far I think we have seen stories suggesting that the Mueller investigation is almost over seven times in major media. Each time I have said publicly on my Twitter feed and elsewhere that those stories are incorrect and are almost certainly coming from either the Trump camp attorneys and aides and allies of the president, or attorneys for grand jury witnesses who naturally would only have access to the small piece of the investigation that their clients are associated with. Each of those seven times we've found out that in fact we're not close to this investigation being over. Now, the reason I said each time that those reports could not be trusted and were coming, frankly, from sources who wouldn't be in a position to know that the probe is almost over is because look at what's happened recently with Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort. Paul Manafort was interviewed for more than 50 hours by Robert Mueller recently. Michael Cohen has been interviewed for more than 70 hours. We hear news that there are impending indictments of Donald Trump Jr., Jerome Corsi, Roger Stone, Paul Erickson. We have in the public record sufficient information about interviews that are intended to lead to future indictments as well as indictments that we are expecting shortly that there is no possibility for this case to wrap up even in the next few months. What I have predicted is that we might see a referral in a report form from Robert Mueller to the DOJ sometime in summer 2019. In the meantime, if you had to make an educated guess, who would be the next person or persons to be indicted? Roger Stone has told friends that he expects to be indicted. Donald Trump Jr. has told friends that he expected to be indicted. Jerome Corsi has all but been told by Mueller and his investigators that he will be indicted. Paul Erickson, we just discovered a few days ago, received a target letter from the FBI and usually that leads to an indictment at some point down the line. Those are four people who I think are in that group of individuals that we might see indicted next sometime in the next 30 to 90 days. What is the end game here? If it's true Mueller will not indict a sitting president, that means the results of a potentially explosive report could result in impeachment proceedings, and Republicans have for the most part stood by Trump no matter what. I think it's important to remember that anyone but Donald Trump, who has been interviewed and investigated in the Trump/Russia probe, and that includes scores of individuals, can be charged and tried. They do not have the same protection that President Trump has. What that means is Robert Mueller is in a position to get valuable inculpatory evidence from every single person involved in this case who doesn't have some sort of a privilege that they raise prior to prosecution. Though even if they did, they might well cooperate after an indictment with Robert Mueller. That information can then be used to issue a referral to the DOJ with respect to the President, the DOJ would then determine whether and when and how it would be sent to the House Judiciary Committee for possible referral to the full house for impeachment proceedings. The reason I go through that whole chain of events and lay out what we would expect Robert Mueller to do over the next few months is that when people ask, "Could this Senate, this incoming Senate, ever get to 67 votes for conviction of Donald Trump on high crimes and misdemeanors?" We can't look at that question through the lens of what we know now or even what is known by Congress now. At any such time that Senators would be making a decision on the conviction of the president for high crimes and misdemeanors, they will have thousands of pages of evidence from Robert Mueller that they don't have right now. That is why I say I do believe, because I believe in the rule of law, I believe in our democracy, I believe in the good faith of most of the Senators in the U.S. Senate that when all the evidence is compiled from all these other individuals who can be charged and tried and put into cooperation deals if they agree, you will find 67 Senators will indeed convict this president of high crimes and misdemeanors unless he has resigned beforehand. Though as I mentioned before, that would lead to him potentially then being chargeable immediately upon him leaving office. So you really believe, despite the way that Republicans have completely tied themselves to Trump, you think that what will be presented by Mueller will be so damning that it will cause enough Republicans to vote for impeachment? Yes. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump during their joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP/Shutterstock) Okay. Can we talk about Trump's new attorney general nomination, William Barr? Could he stop the Mueller investigation? Can the Mueller investigation be stopped? I think the concern that members of Congress are expressing about William Barr is that attorney Barr has, himself somewhat recently, expressed an interest in pursuing certain far right fringe conspiracy theories involving Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation. I think there is a concern that Donald Trump has, for quite a long time and has said as much publicly many times, wanted to distract the country from the investigation into him, his aides, his allies and his associates by turning the nation's attention to the alleged crimes of Hillary Clinton. He tried to do that during the campaign, he tried to do it during the transition, he's talked about it repeatedly on Twitter since then. That's one concern that I have about William Barr being attorney general, is whether he will pursue those far right fringe conspiracy theories for which we've seen no evidence whatsoever thus far. Then number two, whether he would agree to recuse himself as necessary from the Trump-Russia investigation and permit Rod Rosenstein, who's done a great job overseeing that investigation, to continue to do that work. There's no particular reason why any new attorney general appointee from Donald Trump should have to take over the Russian investigation from Rod Rosenstein. Rod Rosenstein has acted impeccably thus far. There is no cause, good or otherwise, for removing him from that role and I think that's something that Barr will be questioned about substantially when the new Congress is seated. But say he's approved and he says, "Okay this is gone on long enough. I'm putting an end to the investigation." What happens next? I think the first thing that we might expect is a court battle in which Robert Mueller challenges any attempt to remove him from his position or simply to end the Special Counsel investigation all together. I think concurrent with that, there is the reality that there are a number of field indictments in the D.C. Federal Court that may or may not be indictments that were previously sought by Robert Mueller as a protection against the possible future of him being fired. There have been substantial hand-offs to other prosecuting entities, both federal and at the state level, such that the cases that were handed off in that way would be able to continue. I think that there is so much information that already is in the public sphere that is inculpatory, that you would see enormous outcry, even among Republicans in Congress. A number of whom have said that firing Mueller would be a red line, such that there would be incredible political pressure on Donald Trump to relent in his pursuit in the firing of Robert Mueller or failing that, to have the Congress appoint itself a new special counsel or to create an independent commission to carry the work forward. We also don't know to what extent Robert Mueller has spread any evidence he has around the federal investigating bodies in the U.S. such that there is in fact no way to actually kill this investigation, because it's proceeded too far. The evidence has been spread too wide for it to be ended in that way. But there is also a possibility that even though William Barr is the potential new attorney general, he might well do what so many agreed to do in the Watergate era, and that is refuse an order to fire a special, or in that case independent, counsel because that order itself was an illegal one. An act of obstruction of justice, which is an impeachable offense. I do think that Donald Trump issuing an order of that sort would be obstruction of justice and would be impeachable in and of itself. Most of the information in the book is aggregated from news sources, but you did obtain some new information. Yes. Proof of Collusion is, as you say, a compilation, a curation and synthesis of hundreds of major media investigative reports from around the world and from the last few decades. Nearly everything in the book is an attempt to create a comprehensive public record of all publicly known information about Trump-Russia collusion, which is voluminous and as I've said many times, sufficient to blow a jury's hair back. When you engage in what I've termed "curatorial journalism" or "meta journalism," that is an effort to bring together the best existing investigative reports from around the world on a single subject simply because the people who wrote those reports often didn't have access to or didn't see on another's work. So there are gaps that can be filled in through acts of curation. Sometimes what develops is, in fact, entirely new information. One example of that is in researching the interviews that George Papadopoulos gave to Greek media when he went to Athens, Greece, twice in May 2016 and again in December 2016, and each time met with top allies of the Kremlin in Athens. Members, I should say, of the Greek government. I also discovered that George Papadopoulos made his second trip of May 2016 at the exact same time that Vladimir Putin was traveling to Athens, Greece for his only trip to an EU country of the entire presidential campaign. I learned that both George Papadopoulos and Vladimir Putin met with the same people and talked about the same topic, which was the removal of all sanctions on Russia. Specifically, one person they both met with is Panos Kammenos, the Greek Defense Minister, who is considered by Western Intelligence agencies to be a close ally of the Kremlin, who perhaps even has been politically compromised by the Kremlin. That was one piece of new information. An example of a more conventional situation of new hard news reporting was that I was contacted by an individual who gave information about the 2002 Miss Universe Pageant, which was held in Puerto Rico. Which, based upon the information I received, was rigged by Donald Trump so that a woman then believed to be Vladimir Putin's mistress, Oxana Fedorova, would be crowned Miss Universe. And she was, in fact, crowned Miss Universe. The first ever Miss Russia to receive the Miss Universe designation. Those are two examples of new pieces of information that came out during the course of my curatorial journalism. What can you tell us about Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's brother and how he fits into this, and whether you think he is going to be facing charges? Erik Prince's role in the Trump-Russia collusion story is incredibly complex, in keeping with Erik Prince's life, which is incredibly complex. He is someone who has lived in the United Arab Emirates for many years. He is a friend and ally of the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed. Erik Prince is, as we all know, the former owner of the Blackwater mercenary company. He now runs a different mercenary company and in January of 2017 he went to the Seychelles to meet with the head of the Russian direct investment fund, Kirill Dmitriev and Mohammed bin Zayed and it turns out someone named Mohammed Dahlin, who has been connected to Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. And in acting as Trump's envoy during that meeting, he was attempting to negotiate a Trump/Putin back channel but also it appears a larger criminal conspiracy of collusion between the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar and Israel, as discussed in Chapter 11 of Proof of Collusion. "The Grand Bargain." The Grand Bargain, that's exactly right. One of the things that has led to significant suspicion that Erik Princewho did act as a shadow national security advisor to Donald Trump during the 2016 campaignthat he was involved in this broader pre- and post-election conspiracy, is that when he testified before Congress he provably lied repeatedly to Congress. For which I do expect he will eventually be charged. He lied about every aspect of the Seychelles meeting. He lied about his contacts with the Trump campaign during 2016, prior to the election and many other subjects. Erik Prince is likely one of the top and ultimate targets of the Trump/Russia investigation along with Trump himself, Jared Kushner, possibly Steve Bannon. We will be hearing much, much more about Erik Prince and I expect that the new Democratic majority, which now has the chairmanship of the oversight, intelligence and judiciary committees, would love to bring in Erik Prince once again to talk to him. Because the first interview that Prince gave with the then-Republican controlled Congress was highly explosive, and creative of numerous opportunities for Robert Mueller to bring charges against him for lying to Congress. Do we know if he's been interviewed by Mueller? I know that he has had computers and records seized by Robert Mueller. I don't know that we know that there has been an interview otherwise. I think that many people say, not without reason, that when Robert Mueller has someone in his sights as a possible interviewee and then holds off for a very long period of time or even up until the present and therefore indefinitely, it might indicate that that person is one of the final targets. People do sometimes say that about Ivanka Trump, they certainly should be saying it about Erik Prince, because I think there is no question when you read Proof of Collusion, you come away understanding that Erik Prince was at the heart of, not just Trump-Russia collusion, but the broader collusion with certain countries in the Middle East that intersected at almost every point with Trump-Russia collusion. We're speaking Friday, December 7th in the afternoon. I think two major things are expected to happen today. What we're going to see is a sentencing memorandum involving Michael Cohen and the charges that he has recently pled guilty to, for his dishonesty in attempting to protect Donald Trump. As with the recently-released Michael Flynn sentencing memo, there is certainly a chance that we will see a number of redactions in this document, to the extent that the lies that Michael Cohen told to Congress were about a 2015 secret business deal between the Trump Organization and a Kremlin connected oligarch, which involved direct negotiations with the Kremlin. Michael Cohen lied according to the information brought against him for which he faces up to five years in prison about how long those negotiations went on, who knew about them, what steps he was willing to take to further them. [Editor's note: Cohen was sentenced today, December 12th, 2018, to three years in prison.] We'll get possibly a little bit more information about that 2015 deal, which is referred to as the Trump-Rozov deal, after the man who agreed only once Donald Trump had announced his presidential intentions, to go into business with Donald Trump. Then also today we're going to find out whether there will be new charges against Paul Manafort for lying to federal prosecutors after he signed a cooperation deal with them. Also, what some of the lies were that he allegedly told after he entered into a plea agreement with the federal government. As well as some sentencing information regarding charges for which he was already convicted. We might get more information on that as well. The question always is how much will be redacted? Which is a function of the extent to which Robert Mueller believes releasing certain information could compromise potential future indictments against other individuals who are currently uncharged, including Donald Trump himself. Manafort was sharing information with Trump's lawyers while he was also supposedly cooperating with Mueller. Do you think it's plausible or likely that Mueller suspected or was aware of this and was somehow manipulating Manafort? It would be pure speculation to say one way or another whether Robert Mueller knew that Paul Manafort was, through his attorneys, providing information to Donald Trump. I don't like to speculate when we don't have any evidence on a question. I would say that it would have become immediately apparent to Robert Mueller based on the evidence he had previously gathered, that when he sat down to get information from Paul Manafort about Paul Manafort's connections to the Russians and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, that Paul Manafort was not telling the truth to federal investigators. I suspect that the delay in the first sentencing for Paul Manafort and the ongoing negotiations between the parties that ultimately led to a breaking off of relations between Manafort and his attorneys and the Mueller team is because Robert Mueller had known for some time and finally was bringing to a head the question of whether Paul Manafort had been honest with him. Have you experienced any personal or professional repercussions as a result of your outspoken work on the subject of collusion, and have you felt threatened in any way? Yes. Though I don't think there's more I can say about it than that. What really keeps you up at night at this point? I think it would surprise a lot of people to hear that I'm actually fairly optimistic that there will be a just resolution to the Trump-Russia investigation. I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution in 2001 because I believed in the rule of law and wanted to become an attorney. Someone who fought to defend the Constitution day in and day out as a public defender, which was a role I served in for many years. I am kept up at night more by the way in which Donald Trump has changed our political culture and our discourse than I am about whether he will ultimately be brought to justice for his actions during the presidential campaign. I'm not sure how long it's going to take to heal this country of the divisions that have opened up between the left and the right; between Democrats and Republicans; between those of us who believe that equal justice under the law means that all defendants are treated the same rather than special treatment for the rich, the powerful and the famous; and those who make decisions about how the criminal justice system should operate based upon the political affiliation of the defendant. That's what keeps me up at night, is how we heal from this, how long it will take and what sort of damage Donald Trump has done to our rule of law and our democratic principles that perhaps can't be undone for a generation or more? Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 00:20:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LILONGWE, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Malawi government will in January immunize all girls aged nine against human papillomavirus (HPV) to prevent them from cervical cancer. The country's chief of health services, Charles Mwansambo, disclosed this on Wednesday saying Malawi is currently leading in cervical cancer prevalence in the world. He said the government has secured support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to conduct the campaign. The official assured all Malawians that basing on the previous trials, the immunization is safe as it proved ideal to immunize the girls with the vaccine before they engage themselves in sexual activities where they can get HPV. Malawi medical journal of 2017 described cervical cancer as the most common cancer in women in Malawi. According to the journal, cervical cancer accounts for over 40 percent of female cancers and it is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 00:20:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Wednesday welcomed the resumption of peace talks aimed at resolving the Western Sahara issue. "South Africa welcomes the recently concluded first round of negotiations held on December 5-6, 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland on the situation in Western Sahara," Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu said. The talks, held after six years of suspended negotiations, will be followed by a second round-table meeting in the first quarter of 2019. Sisulu said her country is pleased that Morocco and the Polisario Front have been able to meet to seek a political solution to the conflict. South Africa is hopeful that this negotiations process, led by former Germen President Horst Kohler in his capacity as the Personal Envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, will lead to a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, Sisulu said in a statement. "It is our hope that these negotiations are a step in the right direction towards reviving the long-stalled talks between the Polisario Front and Morocco," she said. The negotiations took place in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2440 adopted by the UN Security Council on October 31, 2018, which calls on the parties to show "political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue." Sisulu pledged that South Africa will utilize its upcoming term on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to call on the UN to continue to support the right to self determination of the people of Western Sahara. South Africa will serve its 2019-2020 term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC. Western Sahara was partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania at the end of Spain's colonial rule in 1976. When Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979, Morocco moved to occupy that sector and asserted administrative control over the whole territory. Fighting then broke out between Morocco and the Polisario Front, which is fighting for the independence of Western Sahara. A cease-fire was signed in 1991 and in that year, the UN mission, known by its French acronym as Minurso, was deployed to monitor the cease-fire. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 00:25:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LUSAKA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Threats by mining firms to cut down on labor and capital injections in view of a new mining tax regime is nothing but pure economic sabotage, an economic think-tank said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Zambia Chamber of Mines, an association of foreign mining firms operating in the country, Africa's second largest copper producer, said it may cut down capital expenditure by as much as 500 million U.S. dollars over the next three years if the government goes ahead with its plan to introduce a new tax regime effective Jan. 1 2019. But the Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) said the threats should not be tolerated especially that over 70 percent of the country's foreign exchange earnings is derived from the mining industry. "We would like to express as a concern that employees should not be used as a tool for arm-twisting government. The current mine tax regime is archaic and only allows exploitation of Zambia's mineral resources. It is also unfair to reduce mining activities and capital injections at a time metal prices are favorable," the association said in a release. According to the association, the mining sector is an important sector in Zambia and a major contributor to the country's economy, adding that the country has one of the favorable investment environments in the world. "The number of incentives such as electricity and fuel subsidies, tax and non-tax incentives have come at a great cost to the nation. It is therefore unfortunate that the mines remain uncooperative and opposing every time a new tax regime is proposed to enhance revenue collection from the sector which is expected to benefit the citizens," it added. Zambia, it said, is not the only country in Africa to tighten its mine tax regime to close any leakages and enhance mine contribution to economic development. In the 2019 budget, the government announced a new tax regime which comes into effect on January 1. The government intends to increase mineral royalty rates by 1.5 percentage points at all levels of the sliding scale as well as introduce a fourth tier rate at 10 percent on the sliding mineral royalty regime which would apply when copper prices rise beyond 7,500 dollars per ton. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 00:55:13|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa attends a central committee meeting of ruling party ZANU-PF in Harare, Zimbabwe, Dec. 12, 2018. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Wednesday that the ruling ZANU-PF party does not intend to invite the opposition to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) following its resounding victory in the July 30 tripartite elections. (Xinhua/Shaun Jusa) HARARE, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Wednesday that the ruling ZANU-PF party does not intend to invite the opposition to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) following its resounding victory in the July 30 tripartite elections. Mnangagwa narrowly beat Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance while his party won a two-thirds majority in Parliament and also swept the majority of local authority seats, except in urban areas where the MDC Alliance holds sway. Chamisa and his party have since refused to accept Mnangagwa's victory and in late November demonstrated in Harare against his legitimacy and the deteriorating economic situation in the country. The opposition now wants Mnangagwa to come to the negotiating table saying that the ruling party cannot solve the country's economic problem on its own. The party's national vice chairperson Tendai Biti said recently that it would want to negotiate for a national transitional authority instead of a GNU. However, Mnangagwa poured cold water on the opposition's overtures saying that the ruling party had the mandate to govern on its own for the next five years. "We won and we are planning on how we are going to go about governing for the next five years to grow our economy," he said. "We, as ZANU-PF, are now seized with the growing of the economy, finding solutions to resolve all those challenges that the country is facing." he said. Many people have experienced economic hardships lately with prices of basic commodities skyrocketing while many schools are now demanding school fees in U.S. dollars or four or five times the amount in bond notes and electronic bank transfers. Prices of school uniforms have also gone up, prompting parents to demand that schools should not demand them to buy branded uniforms from select retailers. A pilot prepares to fly a Russian multipurpose jet fighter MiG-35 during its presentation at the MiG plant in Lukhovitsy on January 27, 2017. (AFP Photo) MOSCOW, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russian pilots have tested the weapons and on-board equipment of the advanced MiG-35 fighter, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday. "Pilots of the aviation center, together with experts from the MiG Corporation, have evaluated the performance of a number of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapon systems," the statement said. They have also tested the performance of the on-board electronic equipment, integrated avionics control system and the aerodynamic stability and maneuverability. The tests were carried out under the conditions of intensive resistance to electronic warfare devices, in which the on-board equipment proved its effectiveness in all operational ranges, the ministry said. Special attention was paid to assessing the efficiency of the weapons' guidance and control systems, checking the capabilities and characteristics of detecting airborne, ground-based and floating targets, it said. In August, the Russian Defense Ministry signed a contract with the MiG Corporation to buy the first batch of MiG-35 aircraft. Currently, the MiG Corporation is completing the final assembly of these aircraft and preparing for their acceptance tests, the ministry said. The multi-purpose MiG-35 is a near-fifth generation jet, the most advanced version of the MiG-29 on service since 1982. Russian President Vladimir Putin said last year that the MiG-35 has improved flight performance and is equipped with the most modern weapons and able to follow 10 to 30 targets simultaneously. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 02:45:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ALGIERS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel on Wednesday received the new Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Li Lianhe, said a statement of the foreign ministry. The relations between China and Algeria were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014, and further strengthened after Algeria joined China's Belt and Road Initiative this year. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 02:50:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close VIENNA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The output from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decreased as Iran pumped less oil last month, a monthly report released by the cartel showed on Wednesday. In November, OPEC's output decreased by around 11,000 barrels per day (bpd), said the report. The decrease was mainly due to the 380,000 bpd decline in Iran's output, which dropped below 3 million bpd, for the first time lower since the beginning of 2016. One of the largest oil producers in OPEC, Iran has been under U.S. sanctions for several months now. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia increased its crude production in November. In its report, OPEC forecast 2019 demand for its oil could fall to 31.44 million bpd, around 100,000 bpd less than forecast last month. File Photo: People chant slogans in a protest to condemn U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in Tehran, Iran, on May 11, 2018. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- European Union members on the UN Security Council on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment and support to the Iran nuclear deal. "We, as the European Union members of the (Security) Council, would like to underline our commitment and continued support to the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA and Resolution 2231," the group said in a statement, using the initials of the official name of the deal and the Security Council resolution that endorsed it. "It has been confirmed that Iran continues to implement its nuclear-related commitments. The JCPOA has significantly rolled back Iran's nuclear program and ensures it does not develop a nuclear weapon. This is key for European security." As long as Iran continues to implement its commitments in full, the EU will remain fully committed to the continued implementation of the agreement, said the statement, endorsed by Britain, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland -- the current EU members on the Security Council -- and Belgium, Germany, and Italy. Belgium and Germany will become council members next year. Italy split a two-year council term with the Netherlands. The statement regretted the withdrawal of the United States from the July 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia as well as the United States -- and the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions against Iran, which have brought about considerable challenges to the Iran nuclear deal. "It is essential that the JCPOA continues to work for all participants, including by delivering economic benefits to the people of Iran," adds the statement read by Dutch ambassador to the United Nations Karel van Oosterom. "In this context, in line with Resolution 2231, efforts led by France, Germany and the United Kingdom are actively contributing to the international efforts to preserve trade and financial channels in Iran." The statement raised concerns about the findings of the UN secretary-general regarding Iran's "destabilizing regional activities, in particular, ballistic missile-related activities such as the launch of nuclear-capable missiles and any transfers of missiles, missile technologies and components which would be in violation of Security Council resolutions." "Though separate from the JCPOA, we call on Iran to refrain from such activities, which deepen mistrust and increase regional tensions and are in nonconformity with Resolution 2231. We call on Iran to address these issues in dialogue with relevant actors," said the statement. "We support a comprehensive approach with Iran, based on the pursuit of robust dialogue and, as necessary, targeted pressure, with a view to addressing all concerns regarding Iran's nuclear, missile and regional activities." The statement said the nuclear deal is an example of effective multilateralism and a key element of the non-proliferation regime. "It is working and delivering on its intended goal." The EU members called on the entire international community to continue implementing the Iran nuclear deal and Resolution 2231. Under the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 03:46:00|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Michael Cohen (C) walks out of a court building in New York, the United States, Dec. 12, 2018. Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former long-term personal attorney, was sentenced to three years in jail on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a series of crimes, including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former long-term personal attorney, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in jail after pleading guilty to a series of crimes, including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. Prosecutors had recommended a "substantial term of imprisonment" for Cohen, pushing back on an earlier argument by Cohen's lawyers that he should serve no prison time. Cohen's sentencing came after he pleaded guilty in cases with prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and with special counsel Robert Mueller's team that is investigating into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to, the personal ones to me and those involving the president of the United States of America," Cohen said during a hearing at a federal court in New York. At times he paused to control his emotions and shed tears. "Somewhere along the way Mr. Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass," U.S. District Judge William Pauley said. "As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better." Cohen, 52, pleaded guilty in August to evading 1.4 million U.S. dollars in taxes related to his own businesses, as well as paying hush-money in the eve of the 2016 Election Day to two women who alleged affairs with Trump, then a presidential candidate. "It was my blind loyalty to this man that led me to take a path of darkness instead of light," Cohen said of Trump. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." Referring to the cover-up payments, federal prosecutors wrote in a court 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." Individual-1 is the term prosecutors have been using to refer to the Trump. Trump tweeted Monday that the payments were "a simple private transaction," not election-related spending subject to campaign-finance laws. Before his sentencing was announced, Cohen was expected to get a four-year prison time. A slight break was granted to him because of his assistance to law enforcement as well as cooperation with the Mueller team. However, Pauley said Cohen's plea to guilty and assistance "does not wipe the slate clean." Cohen is ordered to surrender on March 6. Part of Cohen's cooperation with the Mueller team involves the alleged Trump Organization real-estate project in Moscow, about which Cohen admitted on Nov. 29 that he lied to Congress. Trump reacted on the same day by calling Cohen "a weak person and not a smart person." "Very simply, Michael Cohen is lying, and he is trying to get a reduced sentence for things that have nothing to do with me," the president said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 04:06:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ALGIERS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Nak-yeon will arrive in Algeria on Sunday for a three-day visit, the Algerian Prime Minister Office said Wednesday. Lee is expected to hold talks with his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Ouyahia and other senior Algerian officials during the visit. Algeria and ROK are linked by a strategic partnership agreement signed in 2006. According to the Algerian Customs, Algeria's exports to ROK in 2017 amounted to 700 million U.S. dollars, against 1.6 billion dollars' worth of imports. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 04:36:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday vowed to bring human rights violators to justice as part of the ongoing large-scale crackdown on human rights abuses. Ahmed, in a press statement issued by his office late Wednesday, stressed that the ongoing reform in the east African country has an ultimate goal of protecting the rights of citizens, which also includes bringing criminals to justice. The prime minister, who vowed to undertake major reform in his government with due emphasis given to the protection of prisoners as well as the general public, stressed that "the inhumane deeds of the past will not be repeated under the current administration." Ahmed's comments came days after the arrest of two high-ranking intelligence officers over allegations of human rights abuses. The Office of Ethiopia Federal Attorney General disclosed earlier this week that the arrested two senior operatives in the Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have an alleged involvement in severe human rights abuses over the past years. Last month, the east African country arrested more than 60 senior military and intelligence figures over allegations of human rights abuses and large-scale corruption scandal. Among those arrested include former ex-deputy spy chief Yared Zerihun, and ex-chief of the military-linked business conglomerate Metal Engineering Corporation (MeTEC) Kinfe Dagnew. NISS has in recent years been accused of torturing and killing dissidents and rebels, while the arrest of senior intelligence chiefs as well as security personnel is said to be part of a crackdown by the Ethiopian government over an alleged mass corruption and human rights abuses. Last month, Ethiopia also issued an arrest warrant for fugitive ex-spy chief, Getachew Assefa, over alleged human rights abuses. Assefa had served as chief of the Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) until June 2018. The ongoing crackdown is part of the promises the new administration of Ahmed made since he assumed office in April this year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 05:31:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- CIA Director Gina Haspel on Wednesday briefed some U.S. House leaders on the death of a Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. However, her briefing has had little effect in changing the Representatives' minds, according to U.S. media reports. Sources familiar with the meeting were quoted as saying that the briefing was conducted on Wednesday morning on a classified condition. The meeting ended as lawmakers told the media before leaving that they had not heard anything that would change their minds about Khashoggi's death. Democratic Representative Eliot Engel, possibly the next chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, was quoted by Reuters as saying that he intended to hold hearings starting early next year to review all aspects of Saudi Arabia's behavior and the U.S.-Saudi relationship. "I think that all leaders are responsible for things that happen under them. So I think that we've still got to get to the bottom of it," he noted. "Saudi Arabia's an important... partner, but I don't think we can simply look the other way when things happen and talk about business as usual." Haspel has briefed a group of senators over the case earlier, but several senators said after the briefing that there was "zero chance" the Saudi crown prince wasn't involved in the killing. The Senate was preparing to vote on two resolutions that would condemn Saudi Arabia's role in both Khashoggi's case and the Yemen conflict, despite the earlier briefing of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary Defense James Mattis last month, when they said there was "no smoking gun" to prove the Saudi leader has directly ordered to kill Khashoggi. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said earlier the Senate would vote as soon as Wednesday on a resolution calling for the U.S. suspension of all its assistance for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Bob Corker, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, also told the media that he was preparing a separate resolution condemning the journalist's killing. McConnell urged senators to vote for Corker's proposal. For their parts, Pompeo and Mattis are expected to brief the full House on Khashoggi's case on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, Pompeo told the Fox & Friends show in an interview that "we'll continue to develop the facts, but America has an important ally in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." However, he refused to say whether he believes the Saudi crown prince's denial of personal involvement in the killing, only noting that "the direct evidence isn't yet available. It may show up tomorrow; it may have shown up overnight and I haven't seen it." U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would stand with the Saudi Arabian crown prince despite the death of Khashoggi. Noting that he would meet with senators in the hope that they would not propose to stop arms sales to the Saudis, Trump added that he could abide by legislation that requires to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led attack in Yemen, since he personally "hate to see what's going on" there. Khashoggi has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. The Saudi authorities said he died in a "brawl" in the consulate. After releasing the results of its initial investigation, the Saudi Public Prosecution announced that 18 Saudis were arrested for their alleged connections with the killing. The U.S. Congress has urged a thorough investigation into his death, and threatened to take more actions against Saudi Arabia, such as sanctions and suspension of military support for the Saudi-led attack in Yemen, if those responsible were not held accountable. However, the Trump administration has been reluctant to further punish the Saudi government. Pompeo said in a recent article that the death of Khashoggi has "heightened the Capitol Hill caterwauling and media pile-on." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 06:01:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim Ali confirmed on Wednesday that the Syrian government is offering facilities for refugees' return to Syria. "The government is offering facilities to encourage refugees to return home. Even those who did not do the military service will not be forced to join," the ambassador was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper. Syria cares about its citizens and continues to provide education and medical services, he added. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 5.6 million people have fled Syria since 2011 to seek safety in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and beyond while millions others are being displaced inside Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 06:06:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GENEVA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Donor governments across the world commit a record 926 million U.S. dollars in initial pledges for refugees, internally displaced and stateless people in 2019, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Wednesday. Describing the pledges made at an annual donor gathering in Geneva Wednesday as coming at a time of increased complexity for asylum globally, the UNHCR said that these early pledges are useful indication of anticipated funding levels and overall support. The agency's global financial requirements for 2019 amount to a record 8.591 billion U.S. dollars, a slight increase from 2018 appeal. The funds pledged Wednesday are higher than last year, when the same gathering yielded 857 million U.S. dollars in initial announcements by donors. "Today, the UN refugee agency is working to meet the immediate protection and humanitarian needs of 68.5 million people displaced by violence or persecution, returnees and stateless," the statement said. According to the UNHCR, in today's world new displacements and multiple older crises are occurring in parallel. What's more, the UN agency said, at the same time factors such as climate change, poverty and inequality are also fueling conflict, which in turn creates new displacement dynamics. "As we face unprecedented levels of forced displacement and complexity of challenges, I thank our donors for staying the course. Lives and futures of those forced to flee their homes depend on our ability to deliver vital protection and shelter," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told the conference. "Preparedness is key in humanitarian response," he noted. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 06:31:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. tech giant Facebook has reached a settlement with video gaming firm ZeniMax Media over a lawsuit alleging Facebook's theft of ZeniMax-held proprietary virtual reality (VR) technology, ZeniMax CEO Robert Altman said in a statement published on Wednesday. The terms of the settlement reached earlier in the day was not disclosed, but Altman said his company was satisfied with the result. "We are pleased that a settlement has been reached and are fully satisfied by the outcome," Altman said in the statement. "While we dislike litigation, we will always vigorously defend against any infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property by third parties," he said. ZeniMax sued Facebook, which bought VR hardware manufacturer Oculus in 2014, for improperly using data provided by John Carmack, who was chief software designer of ZeniMax-owned Id Software company. ZeniMax alleged that Carmack stole its technological secrets to help Oculus develop the Oculus Rift VR headset products. A federal jury found Oculus guilty of copyright infringement and awarded ZeniMax 500 million U.S. dollars in damages in 2017, but a district court in Dallas, Texas state reduced the amount to 250 million dollars in June 2018 after Facebook and Oculus appealed. A Facebook spokesperson told local media it will focus more time on development of its VR products after the case is closed. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-13 06:51:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close YAOUNDE, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen students of the University of Bamenda in Cameroon, who were abducted from Dec. 5 to 10, have been released, according to an official statement released late Wednesday. "Following coordinated operations organised by the administrative authorities, forces of law and order, the parents of the kidnapped students and some patriotic citizens living in the neighborhood, the release of all the students has been secured as of date," said Lele Lafrique, governor of Northwest, one of the war-torn English-speaking regions of Cameroon. He said the students were abducted by a "criminal gang" that is specialized in the kidnapping of students for ransom. Students and university authorities need to step up vigilance and collaborate with government forces as a measure to stop the abductions, Lafrique said. In early November, the government accused separatists of kidnapping 79 children of a private school in the Northwest. They were released a few days later. Separatists, however, insisted that most of the kidnappings were staged by the government to tarnish their image internationally. Since November last year, government forces have been clashing with armed separatist forces who want the two regions to secede from the majority French-speaking nation and form a new country called "Ambazonia". Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:30:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Police investigate near the scene of a shooting in the center of Strasbourg, France, on Dec. 11, 2018. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) PARIS, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of the shooting near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg Tuesday evening has risen to four, several were wounded, local media reported. Security officers have cordoned off the area, while the injured were transported to a local hospital center. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told reporters that several of the wounded were in critical condition and that he was heading to Strasbourg. "Our security and rescue services are mobilized," Castaner added. According to sources from local authorities, the suspected gunman identified as 29-year-old and known to police for criminal activity, has been cornered. 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. Stiri pe aceeasi tema - Accidentul s-a produs in jurul orei 2 dimineata, intre Plovdiv si Edirne, la aproximativ 200 de kilometrii sud-vest de Sofia. Vehiculul, care era inmatriculat in Macedonia, a lovit o balustrada si a luat foc. La bord erau 53 de pasageri.46 de persoane, printre care si mai multi copii, au decedat, iar - Cel putin 45 de persoane au murit dupa ce un autobuz a luat foc pe o autostrada din vestul Bulgariei, anunta autoritatile locale, citate de BBC. Incidentul a avut loc dupa ora locala 02:00 (00:00 GMT), in apropiere de satul Bosnek, a anuntat Ministerul de Interne, citat de agentia de presa BTA. Printre - Cel putin 45 de oameni, printre care 12 copii, au murit dupa ce autocarul in care se aflau s-a rasturnat si a luat foc pe o autostrada din Bulgaria. Doar 7 pasageri au supravietuit tragediei, acestia reusind sa iasa din vehicul in timp util. Ei au fost transportati la un spital din Sofia - Simona Halep (30 de ani, 22 WTA) s-a retras de la Linz cu doar cateva ore inaintea semifinalei cu Jaqueline Cristian (locul 100 WTA), din cauza unei accidentari. Halep a postat un mesaj pe pagina sa de Facebook : Din pacate nu voi putea juca in semifinala din aceasta seara dupa ce m-am accidentat - The chairman of Social Democratic Party (PSD), Marcel Ciolacu, declared on Wednesday that he has a communication with the prime minister-designate, and considers that he is obliged to have this communication, but he has no negotiations with National Liberal Party (PNL), agerpres reports. "First of - The U.S. Department of State announces that the DV-2023 registration period begins on October 6, 2021 and runs through November 9, 2021, the American Embassy in Bucharest said in a release. The DV-2023 program is entirely electronic and there is no fee for entering the program. Entries - Wood & Company Financial Services, a top 10 intermediary on the Romanian stock exchange, is reportedly preparing the listing of the online retailer Elefant.ro through an initial public offering (IPO) at the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) through an IPO scheduled for November 2021, stated Ziarul Financiar - The Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity (USR PLUS) alliance claims that the state secretaries in the ministries led by Union ministers are being pressured to attend the government meeting on Wednesday evening. USR PLUS transmits through a release that the representation of Autoritatile au ars zeci de barci ale unor cautatori de aur clandestini Autoritatile braziliene au ars aproape 70 de ambarcatiuni in cadrul unei operatiuni de lupta impotriva cautatorilor de aur clandestini atrasi de un important afluent al Amazonului in urma unor zvonuri legate de zacaminte de aur, au anuntat duminica [citeste mai departe] Stiri pe aceeasi tema - Senator Lucian Romascanu received a positive opinion on Wednesday from Parliament's specialist committees, for the position of Minister of Culture, agerpres reports. There were 15 votes in favor of his appointment as Minister, three votes against and one abstention from the members of the Committees - President Klaus Iohannis met on Wednesday with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hanafy Ali El-Gebaly, as well as with the Senate chairman of the Egyptian Parliament, Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razeq, agerpres reports. According to the Presidential Administration, within the bilateral meeting with - President Klaus Iohannis was received on Wednesday by his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, at the Al-Ittihadiya Presidential Palace. The two heads of state will have one-on-one and official talks, followed by joint press statements. President Klaus Iohannis will be received in the - Suspending hospitalizations and surgeries for patients who are not emergencies is a crime, Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday. He is calling on the presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, Anca Dragu and Ludovic Orban, respectively, to "urgently" - Cel putin sapte oameni au fost raniti si mai multe cladiri avariate, dupa ce o tornada formata pe apa, in nordul Germaniei, a ajuns pe uscat. Rafalele puternice au luat pe sus mai multi oameni si i-au aruncat in apa, altii au fost loviti de obiectele purtate de vant. - Localnicii au vazut din departare cum tornada se forma pe apa si se indrepta spre ei.Rafalele de vant au atins chiar si 80 de kilometri pe ora.Kiel, Germany ????????Video Thread #Kiel Authorities have declared the 'tornado' as a waterspout, which trashed the city.Members of a local rowing club were - The chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Marcel Ciolacu, announced on Wednesday evening, during a talk-show for private broadcaster Romania TV, that he submitted a draft law for the depoliticising the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR), according to which the only members that can be part - The European Union must have a direct influence on aspiring states, in terms of democratic values and western standards, was the first message of Romania's delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CFSP/CSDP), Stiri pe aceeasi tema - Bulgartransgaz a anuntat finalizarea unei revizii de urgenta a unui segment al conductei din apropierea nodului Vetrino. Transportul gazelor naturale catre Serbia si Ungaria a fost reluat la data de 2 noiembrie, la miezul noptii. In aceeasi perioada a fost crescut si transportul catre Romania, potrivit - Operatorul retelei nationale de transport de gaz natural din Bulgaria, Bulgartransgaz, a anuntat ca tranzitul de gaze catre Romania, Serbia si Ungaria a fost oprit din cauza unei probleme la un gazoduct. Bulgaria transporta gaze rusesti prin reteaua sa de conducte catre Romania, Serbia si Ungaria. - Campionatele Europene de Box pentru Tineret vor debuta, in weekend, la Budva (Muntenegru), iar CSM Ploiesti este singurul club din tara care va fi reprezentat de trei sportivi, atat in competitia masculina, cat si in cea feminina. In intrecerea baietilor, asa cum preciyam in ziarul de luni, vor fi prezenti - Iulian Iancu: este fara precedent sa se extraga din depozit in septembrie, cand in aceasta luna inca se injecta gaz in depozite. Se anunta un real pericol pentru lunile ianuarie-februarie 2022 Mihai Soare Este a treia zi la rand, azi, 30 septembrie, cand se scot gaze din depozitele subterane ale Romaniei. - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Republic of Cyprus Dan Mihalache expressed his country's support for the efforts aimed at solving the Cyprus issue in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, the Cyprus News Agency reported - Connections Consult, companie infiintata in 2005 si lider pe piata de transformare digitala din Romania, a debutat astazi, 22 septembrie, pe piata AeRO a Bursei de Valori Bucuresti, sub simbolul bursier CC. Compania isi desfasoara activitatea la nivel regional, avand birouri in Romania, Bulgaria si - Dj Lucian(Lucian Mitrache) & Geo(Naita George) lanseaza la inceput de toamna o noua piesa de calitate, care se numeste Love & Sax. Noua piesa suna foarte bine, are un vibe pozitiv si te duce cu gandul la vara care tocmai a trecut, facandu-te sa retraiesti acele clipe de neuitat traite la intensitate - President Klaus Iohannis addressed congratulations for the victory of the pro-reform, pro-democracy and pro-European political forces in the early elections of July 11 in the Republic of Moldova and for the election of Igor Grosu as President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, at the welcoming Small Business Investment Companies, or SBICs, are specially licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide federally insured financing to - yes, you guessed it - small businesses. Typically, a small business could receive a few hundred thousand dollars of financing from an SBIC that would include matching federal funds. The program which celebrated its 60th anniversary this year - has been an undisputed success. According to a 2017 report from the U.S. Library of Congress, more than $80.5 billion in capital has been deployed by SBICs into about 172,800 financings from 1958 through 2015, and these investments helped create millions of jobs during that period. There are dozens of firms in the Philadelphia area who are licensed for SBIC financing. But even with all its success, the SBIC could be doing better. One of its biggest challenges is that many small businesses are being left out. Why? Geography. The numbers show that six states (California, New York, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey and Massachusetts) accounted for almost half of the $5.5 billion of SBIC financing doled in fiscal 2018. Only 31 businesses across Pennsylvania received financing last year, and that amount - $130 million (or 2.3 percent of the total) - was significantly lower than the $317 million raised in 2017 and the lowest in the past five years. New Jersey is doing better, with 46 deals and $241.9 million in financings last year, up from 37 and $208.7 the year before. As low as Pennsylvania is, many states are doing worse. Alabama and Wyoming each only had one SBIC financing in 2018. Vermont had two. Delaware, Puerto Rico and South Dakota each had three. The reason is obvious: follow the money. There are more financial firms in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago and they tend to spread the wealth locally. This lack of diversity has caught the eye of a few lawmakers, who introduced a bill last year to address the problem. That bill called The Spurring Business in Communities Act - unanimously passed the U.S. Senate last week and is awaiting Presidential approval. Co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), the proposed legislation would loosen the rules for forming an SBIC in their home states of Florida and Washington but also in Pennsylvania and other states that have been under-performing. The bill would exempt firms from under licensed and under financed states that apply to become SBIC-approved from the laws full capital requirements and give first priority to new applications from those states. The bill would also establish annual reporting requirements for the Small Business Administration that would show their progress towards reaching these goals. Want to get SBIC money for your business? For starters, figure out if you want the financing to be debt, equity or a combination of both. If you can, lean to debt because, in my opinion, just getting a loan, as long as you can service it, is much better than giving up a piece of your company. Also, make sure youre eligible. Your company must have 51 percent of your employees and assets in the U.S. and to qualify as a small business, you generally need to employ fewer than 500 people. Be careful too - some industries, like farming, real estate and finance, dont qualify. Finally, get your historical numbers and files in order and work with an accountant or financial advisor to put together a sound business plan that will convince a potential SBIC that their return on investment is worth the bother. You can start searching for a local firm that provides this type of financing here. How necessary is this? Very. According to a recent Wells Fargo study, 47 percent of small businesses said that obtaining credit was "somewhat or very easy for them in the past 12 months. Thats certainly good news for the companies that can pass a banks credit requirements. But what about the other 53 percent? The additional financing that could be available through SBICs in Pennsylvania with the signing of this bill could make a large difference for the majority of businesses that arent finding it as easy to raise capital. A man lights a joint. The drug could become extremely cheap in a decade, according to a CMU professor. Read more Its not a matter of if the United States will legalize cannabis, its simply a matter of when, says Jonathan Caulkins, with an air of inevitability. The important question the Carnegie Mellon University professor wants us to consider is this: Whats the best way of doing it on a national level that will have the fewest unintended and harmful consequences? Caulkins is a rare bird. Hes a trained engineer with a Ph.D. from MIT in operations research. He has served as codirector of RANDs Drug Policy Research Center. Hes a professor at CMUs Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy Management. And he has a laserlike focus on marijuana, specifically, the social ramifications of legalization. As the Americas rush to commercialize weed on an epic scale, Caulkins worries about aggressive marketing and entrepreneurs seeking to profit from abuse and dependence. He foresees a day when cannabis becomes a pure commodity selling for $1 a gram. He thinks of mechanisms to keep the industry behaving responsibly. Caulkins -- along with coauthors Beau Kilmer and Mark Kleiman -- first published Marijuana Legalization, What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford Press) in 2012. The book successfully debunked several marijuana policy myths. The trio called into doubt claims that legalizing weed would significantly save courts costs and empty prisons. It turns out most people in jail for marijuana are actually imprisoned on distribution charges and would be behind bars even if cannabis were legal. The New Jersey Legislature is voting on legalization as early as next week, seeking to join 10 other states in making cannabis available for adult recreational use. Pennsylvania and Delaware have bills pending in their legislatures. The Inquirer and Daily News spoke with Caulkins earlier this month. Inquirer: As prohibition ends across wide swaths of the country, how do you foresee the industry developing? Caulkins: The future is always uncertain. Legalizing it wont just be the same old marijuana without the arrests. It will change stuff. Just not in ways you can predict. Already you see former marketing executives of Victorias Secret, Nike, American Apparel, and Big Alcohol getting into cannabis. Why is that a big deal? In the past the competitive advantage certain producers had was knowing how to grow the marijuana plant. Thats changed. In the future, the key to succeeding in the cannabis space will be marketing skills, using glamorous imagery and getting product placement in Hollywood movies. It will be a world of marketing guys and MBAs with a few people growing cannabis for them. It will be commoditized, because its not that hard to grow. How low can prices go? To almost zero. It may be a decade out, but I dont think theres any reason why after national legalization and full economies of scale, you wont be able to produce it at prices of things businesses can give you for free for now, like chocolates on your pillow in a hotel room or mixed nuts at a bar. Its possible a hotel or restaurant could buy 1,000 pre-rolled joints at a time that could literally be given away to customers. The production costs are that low. What are the dangers that could come with weed that costs almost nothing? Im concerned about public health. That price helps people to restrain themselves. Dirt-cheap cannabis could open the door to people who are poor or young, or allow very heavy use by people who have lost control of their habit. Alcoholics on Skid Row dont drink champagne. They care about the price of low-end stuff. Weve estimated the cost could be $1 an hour or less for the high. You have lots of reservations about speeding toward the development of a large commercial industry. How do you prevent one cartel from replacing another? The simplest way is to add just one rule: In order to apply for a license to produce or distribute marijuana, youd have to be a nonprofit. You cant do it if youre for-profit. The nonprofit board will have to reserve seats for childrens advocates and the treatment community, and the charter must say it exists to undercut the illegal market and not to promote greater consumption. Another option is to create a government monopoly and sell it through the equivalent of state stores. How realistic are projected tax revenues and job creation? With tax revenues, youre going to get some. But the challenge comes if the tax is figured as a percentage of the cost. If the price drops, then your tax revenues drop. A 15 percent tax on an ounce that sells for $1,000 is $150. A 15 percent tax on an ounce that drops to $10 is $1.50. There is no real increase in jobs. Before legalization, there were lots of people distributing cannabis. They were called drug dealers, but they werent reporting their employment status or their income. However, they were working and being compensated. Now there are people in the state-legal cannabis industries who are filling out W-2s and paying taxes. What havent we addressed? We havent talked about Canada. We have a 3,000-mile border with the first major nation to legalize cannabis. I cant imagine how well continue to keep it illegal with what theyve done. The other thing: Kick it forward 10 or 20 years. You could have 30 countries around the world with legal cannabis. Will the production be anywhere in the U.S. at all? Maybe. But that would be because we have really efficient farmers. Theyll have to compete with Colombia or Thailand. A comparison with casinos is an apt one. There were a lot of economic benefits for New Jersey when Atlantic City had the only casinos on the East Coast. But when other states legalized casino gambling, the bloom came off the rose. Atlantic City had a good run, maybe 30 years. How long will New Jersey get the equivalent run with marijuana? I dont think it will be as long this time. The chicken satay at D'Jakarta Cafe is similar to what chef Carerina Ho sold at her restaurants back home in Indonesia. Read more An increasingly diverse array of Southeast Asian flavors are surging in South Philadelphia, largely as those who arrived as young immigrants have come of age and decided to open restaurants that showcase their home flavors of Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia. Meanwhile, the well-established Indonesian community, which has long had the star draw of Hardena, among others, is entering its second wave. Thats the case with DJakarta Cafe, where Alfitri Ho and husband Beddy Sonie hired Hos mother, Cararina Ho, as chef, and built a charming BYOB decorated with murals, newspaper cartoons, and memorabilia in the corner space once occupied by Sky Cafe, which unfortunately burned down and relocated a few years ago (to 1122 Washington Ave.). Unlike Sky, whose cuisine is more typical of Sumatra, and Hardena, which draws a sweeter profile from its Java roots, DJakarta channels the more cosmopolitan melting-pot flavors of Jakarta, where Ho once operated three street-food restaurants, as well as the Chinese influences of her original home, West Borneo. The chicken satay skewers were among her specialties in Jakarta, and I can see why. Not only is the halal thigh meat incredibly tender from a nightlong marinade in sweet soy, its dipped multiple times in the tangy-sweet peanut sauce at different stages in the grilling process so it can take on layers of caramelization as it cooks. Ground orange leaves in the mix add another level of complexity. Though the satay is an easy crowd-pleaser (it is, by comparison, quite saucier than the aromatic Malaysian sticks made famous across Broad at Sate Kampar), DJakarta has number of other worthy dishes. Flavorful stir-fried egg noodles and pristine wonton soup perfumed with sesame oil. Fried chicken glazed in sticky sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce. The superbly tender beef rendang brings beef shanks that have slow-cooked for nearly six hours in coconut milk steeped with orange leaves, lots of lemongrass, bay leaves, shallots, and candlenuts. Served a la carte over a banana leaf for $13.95, its just one of many tremendous values at DJakarta Cafe giving its community a soulful taste of home and giving South Phillys menu of international flavors yet another humble gem worth seeking. Craig LaBan Chicken satay, $7.95, DJakarta Cafe, 1540 W. Ritner St., 215-463 8888; djakartacafephilly.com The electro-mechanical flipboard has been the centerpiece at 30th Street Station since the early '70s. Read more The iconic, clacking, 70s-era flipboard at 30th Street Station may not go silent after all. Amtrak is reconsidering its decision to replace the electromechanical information board with a digital screen, according to U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, who telephoned railroad CEO Richard H. Anderson on Monday evening and urged him to keep the popular display at the center of the stations soaring waiting room. Boyle, a Democrat whose district includes a chunk of Northeast Philadelphia, said that he was very pleasantly surprised by Andersons response, and that Anderson was very receptive to retaining the sign in some form. Anderson suggested that Amtrak could either refurbish the flipboard or replace it with a new model that would be integrated into Amtraks computer network, Boyle said. Boyles account of Andersons comments, first made during an interview on Tuesday with WHYYs Radio Times host Marty Moss-Coane, is the first indication that the passenger railroad has taken the recent public outcry over the signs replacement to heart. Amtrak announced in late November that it was preparing to remove the aging board, which has provided travelers with details about track locations and delays since shortly after Amtrak was formed in 1971. But Amtrak hasnt even solicited bids from suppliers for the flipboards digital replacement, Boyle said. That isnt expected to happen until January. If thats the case, then there is still plenty of time to write the specifications more broadly, so that flipboard manufacturers would be eligible to bid on the project. Precisely how Amtrak intends to proceed remains unclear. I tried to confirm Boyles account with an Amtrak spokesman on Tuesday, but did not get a response. Amtrak has claimed that it had no choice but to convert 30th Streets information board to digital because the manufacturer, Italys Solari company, no longer makes replacement parts and the flipboard was becoming impossible to maintain. Amtrak also said it needed a display that could be integrated with its current software and its public-address system. The current electromechanical display, known as a split-flap board, runs on Windows 95. Those spinning, black-and-white flipboards once provided the background soundtrack at every Amtrak station, as well as train stations and airports around the world. But they have been rapidly disappearing, as transportation companies opt for digital displays. Amtrak began converting its station boards to digital in 2016. The information board at 30th Street Station is the last survivor. Boyle, who commutes to Washington several times a week, said he became deeply fond of the sign while waiting for the train at 30th Street. After Amtraks 2016 announcement, he would go out of his way to stand near the board just to hear the rhythmic clacking as the arrivals and departures were updated. It pained him to think that Amtrak was about to install a glowing blue screen in one of Americas most beautiful train stations. I cant tell you how many times I looked up at the Philadelphia board and felt sad, he told me. When Amtrak revealed in November that it was on the verge of removing the Philadelphia board, Boyle sent Anderson a letter asking for a phone call. As a Democrat representing a city on the Northeast Corridor, he noted that he has been a big supporter of Amtraks funding. My concern was that we needed to act quickly, or the board would be gone, Boyle said. By the time he spoke with Anderson on Monday, Boyles social media feeds were filling up with comments begging Amtrak to ditch the digital and save the sign. One of those comments, from Tyler Woods, started a petition to save the sign on Change.org. It now has more than 1,300 signatures. Some of the alternatives that Amtrak is now considering were noted in Fridays Changing Skyline column. Between the time Boyle wrote to Anderson and their conversation, the congressman discovered that a company in his district manufactures flipboards with state-of-the-art computer compatibility. Oat Foundry, which was started in Bensalem five years ago by Drexel University engineering grads, has manufactured modern flipboards for Starbucks, Honeygrow, and the Chicago Cubs. The companys founder, Mark Kuhn, said on Radio Times that he would love to compete for the commission to rebuild or re-create the Amtrak flipboard. If you can end up keeping this iconic sign in the most beautiful train station in country, and support an American employer at the same time, that would be the best of all worlds, Boyle said. Mirroring statements made in recent weeks by university leaders, Temple Universitys board of trustees on Tuesday issued its own condemnation of professor Marc Lamont Hill over his controversial comments on Israel and the Palestinians, but stopped short of taking any action against him and defended his right to free speech. In a four-paragraph statement released at the end of their first public meeting since the furor erupted late last month, the trustees expressed their disappointment, displeasure, and disagreement with Hills remarks, hewing closely to the initial reaction last month from university president Richard M. Englert. But the trustees also said, "We recognize that Professor Hills comments are his own, that his speech as a private individual is entitled to the same constitutional protection of any other citizen, and that he has through subsequent statements expressly rejected anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic violence. The statement reflected the tightrope the school has walked since Hill, a 2000 Temple graduate who last year rejoined the faculty with an endowed chair in the Klein College of Media and Communications, delivered the speech during a Nov. 28 event at the United Nations marking International Day of Solidarity With the Palestinian People. In those remarks, Hill said he supported a free Palestine from the river to the sea. Critics said the phrase echoed a refrain from the militant Palestinians and supporters who want to destroy or eliminate Israel. Hills comments drew swift and widespread outrage from groups including the Anti-Defamation League and National Council of Young Israel, and led CNN to drop him as a political commentator. Hill has since apologized for his use of the phrase, saying that while it is controversial, the phrase has been used since at least the 1930s to describe different movements. Still, some called on Temple to fire him a difficult prospect given Hills status as a tenured professor. Others, including fellow Temple faculty members, defended him and criticized the university as not standing up for his right to free speech. The board had not announced an intention to address the issue at Tuesdays meeting and its agenda did not note any proposed action involving Hill. About 50 or 60 people attended the meeting, though it was unclear how many were drawn by the topic. There were no protests or public comments. Shortly before the end of the nearly hour-long gathering, the university president said, Today, I want to address a matter that has become national news. Englert then briefly recounted the controversy, concluding: Based on a detailed analysis of the law; the advice of legal counsel and nationally renowned expertise outside the university; consultation with the provost and the dean of the Klein College, it is clear that Professor Hills appearance and his views were his own, and not as a representative of Temple University. He spoke as a private citizen, and his right to do so is protected by the Constitution. The four-page statement released by the board echoed Englerts remarks, noting the phrase Hill used from the river to the sea has been used by anti-Israel terror groups and is widely perceived as language that threatens the existence of the State of Israel. But it also pledged that Temple would remain open to a wide diversity of thought, opinion, and dialogue by people of all backgrounds. Temples board chairman, Patrick OConnor, had previously called Hills remarks lamentable and disgusting, but neither he nor other trustees elaborated on the presidents remarks. Most left the meeting as it ended. Hill did not attend. Reached later by phone, he said he was aware of the trustees' action but unable to immediately comment on it. Trustee Leonard Barrack, who had been among the first to call for the school to act against Hill, said the boards condemnation did not go far enough. I pushed for a much stronger statement, said Barrack, a Philadelphia lawyer, who said he had been outraged and hurt by Hills comments. I was upset, and have been upset, because [the comments] were anti-Semitic, and because he is speaking as a representative of the university. He didnt say to anyone before he started speaking at the U.N. that he wasnt, Barrack said. The handbook says that he should have said, Im speaking on my personal behalf, and not on behalf of CNN or Temple University, but he didnt say that. Adam Steinbaugh, a lawyer with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a nonprofit that works to protect the rights of educators and students, called the statement a welcome return to form. Temple had it right the first time when they announced that Hills comments were made as a private citizen and that he had First Amendment rights to do so, Steinbaugh said in an interview after the meeting. Professors say things that can be controversial, as do students, Steinbaugh said. That is the role of a university, to explore ideas. Some of them may be controversial or offensive to some, few, or many. So if you punish a professor for commenting on matters of public concern on the basis that those comments are offensive to others, then you risk casting a chilling effect on other professors who might say things that might offend many, or few, or everyone. Mariner East 2, seen here being installed in western Pennsylvania in 2017, was one of two pipelines studied in a risk assessment commissioned by the Delaware County Council. Read more A state administrative law judge on Tuesday denied a petition to the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission to halt operations of the Mariner East pipelines in Chester and Delaware Counties because of safety concerns. Judge Elizabeth Barnes ruled that the petitioners residents in both counties failed to provide sufficient evidence to grant interim emergency relief to stop the already operational Mariner East 1 pipeline and prevent the anticipated operation of the Mariner East 2 pipeline. Lisa Dillinger, spokeswoman for Sunoco parent company Energy Transfer Partners, welcomed the ruling and said Mariner East 2 will soon be up and running. We are in the final stages of completing the construction required to put the line in service, which we anticipate will be by the end of the year, she said in an emailed statement. Mariner East 1 and 2 are part of a multi-billion-dollar effort to bring natural gas liquids from Western Pennsylvania to the Philadelphia region and elsewhere. Alice Foley, 71, of Germantown, is one of an increasing number of older Philadelphians living in poverty. Read more At the end of the month, when her food has run out, Alice Foley, 71, will call a friend in her Germantown neighborhood and ask if she can drop by for a meal. Foley has worked in public relations, community journalism, and public health, having spent eight years attending St. Josephs University at night to earn both an English degree and a masters in health education. Never once as Foley spent a lifetime complying with the American compact work hard, get rewarded did she foresee a time when her refrigerator would be nearly empty whenever the calendar hit Day 30. Youre just not prepared for poverty in old age, said Foley, who lives on a monthly income of a little more than $900 in Social Security disability payments and nearly $80 in food stamps, an amount about $400 below the $12,140 federal poverty level for a single person. Foley never married and has no children. She said, With two degrees, I never expected to be living life like this. Not many people do. Yet the poverty rate of older Philadelphians is the highest among the 10 most-populous cities in the United States. Surprising poverty About 23 percent of city residents aged 60 and above lived in poverty in 2017, three percentage points above 2013 numbers, according to new data from the Philadelphia Corp. for Aging, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of older residents. The figure is just below the citys overall poverty rate of 26 percent, the highest among the 10 most-populous U.S. cities. Compounding that, the rate of older Philadelphians living in deep poverty 50 percent or less of the federal poverty level rose from 6 percent to 10 percent during those same years, PCA reported. Philadelphias overall deep-poverty rate is 14 percent. It was surprising even to me that poverty among older Philadelphians is getting worse, said Allen Glicksman, PCAs director of research and evaluation. Its very disheartening. The citys increasing senior-poverty numbers echo national trends, which show poverty rates of people ages 65 and above rose from 16 percent in 2015 to more than 18 percent in 2016, according to U.S. census figures. There are 4.7 million people 65 and older living in poverty, federal figures show. Glicksman chose age 60 as a baseline for measuring older Philadelphians' poverty levels because it coincides with the minimum age covered by the Older Americans Act, which provides funding for various aging-related programs. Social Security not enough In some ways, senior poverty is hidden, experts say. A lot of people think older folks are fine because they get Social Security and senior discounts, said Mary Fallon, executive director of UUH Outreach Program, which assists older adults in Northwest Philadelphia. But Social Security was never designed to replace an entire income. Ive been doing this job for 19 years. And I dont see the financial picture brightening. We see older people struggling every day. One of the reasons numerous older Philadelphians live in poverty is that as many baby boomers have aged, they havent saved enough, and they havent anticipated the true financial costs of maintaining their health care, their homes, and their lifestyles without regular salaries, said Brian Gralnick, director of social responsibility at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. For example, Fallon said, as things like your hearing begin wearing out on you, you realize that Medicare doesnt cover hearing aids. Other similar health surprises await seniors, experts say. As for housing, 38 percent of all Philadelphia homeowners have annual household incomes below $35,000, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. That means numerous older residents incur huge expenses simply maintaining their houses. Those seniors who rent also are having a tough time, said Philip McCallion, director of Temple Universitys School of Social Work. Indirectly, younger Philadelphians are hurting older ones in the rental market. As more millennials choose to live in Philadelphia, they wind up raising all rents," he said. "That affects older residents on fixed incomes. Beyond health care and housing, just basic items people need to live, from electricity to pot roast, can suddenly become out of reach for those living on Social Security payments alone, Gralnick said. Many older Philadelphians are also caregivers for children with disabilities, or must raise their grandchildren because their children are drug-addicted, experts added. Poverty rates also are so high for older residents simply because so many people in Philadelphia live in poverty, McCallion said. If youve lived a life in poverty, by the time you reach old age, theres not much to fall back on, he added. And these days, its much less common for people to have pensions that would augment Social Security, said Pam Walz, co-director of the Aging and Disabilities Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. Alone and depressed For Queen Esther Waites, 79, there were no pensions from her jobs as a security guard and day-care worker. A widow with four grown children in the area, Waites lives in poverty in a one-bedroom apartment in Germantown, subsisting on a small Social Security payment and food stamps. I dont have enough food," she said. Like, today. So I go around to different food pantries and stand in line to wait for what they give me. Thats especially difficult for Waites, who has had two strokes and has a hard time pulling her food cart as she walks with her cane. Im alone a lot, and it is very depressing, she said. And now its Christmas time, and I dont have much. My hope is that Ill see my kids for Christmas. Along with lack of food, many seniors may also be suffering from malnutrition, sapping them of their energy and essence. Exact figures arent known. Malnutrition, which occurs when a person doesnt eat a proper amount of calories, protein, or minerals, can happen when seniors eat too little food, or too much cheap food high in fat and salt. Many low-income seniors lack money to buy enough healthy food, said Cassandra Fox, a coordinator at the Food Trust, a Philadelphia area nonprofit that works to increase access to nutritious food. Theyre absolutely having trouble maintaining good nutrition, Fox added. Often, seniors arent mobile and cant walk to grocery stores, Fox said. Others forget to eat, or experience diminished ability to taste, making eating less enjoyable. And many low-income people rely on food pantries, where, Fox added, staff are "well-intentioned, but often offer foods that lack fiber or are high in sodium. Trying to help Helping seniors deal with poverty isnt easy. Its not like there are lots of opportunities to get a better job for working people 60 and older, noted Cateria McCabe, an attorney at Philadelphias SeniorLAW Center. Organizations trying to help seniors in poverty include the AARP Foundation in Washington, the charitable affiliate of the national senior organization. Foundation president Lisa Marsh Ryerson said the foundation works to develop technology skills in older adults to re-attach them to the workforce. The promise of longevity is terrific for all of us, Ryerson said. If one has work, income, and health, thats terrific. But, she added, a growing number of older adults without enough income could face negative outcomes. She believes its important for the nation to discuss senior poverty, "an issue that has to be pulled out of the shadows. Alice Foley agrees. She stays current, attends community meetings, communicates with legislators all to learn about and lobby for senior issues. But it can get discouraging, especially with a condition that causes dizziness that prevents her from working and doing more with her life. And then there is the near-empty refrigerator. There are weeks on end without enough food to eat, she said. I learn to live on not a lot." And when things get to be too much, Foley said, I sit quietly. And I pray. Philadelphia Media Network is one of 21 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the citys push toward economic justice. See all of our reporting at brokeinphilly.org. Crozer-Chester Medical Center pediatrician Robert Noll in front of the crib of an infant born dependent on his mothers opioids. Sometimes, he said, babies go home to desperate situations. Read more Opioid use among patients seeking pregnancy-related care at Pennsylvania hospitals has risen significantly since 2000, according to new data published by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). The research brief, published this week, showed that opioid use was present in one in every 51 maternal hospital stays hospital visits for deliveries or other pregnancy-related issues in the state in 2016 and 2017. Between 2000 and 2001, that rate was just one in 329. Opioids were the most common drug present, but hospital data didnt specify how many of those patients were using the medicines under doctors' orders. Because entering withdrawal during pregnancy can cause a miscarriage, pregnant women with opioid use disorder are often prescribed opioid-based addiction treatments like methadone or buprenorphine to take during their pregnancy. Opioid use during pregnancy is a source of significant controversy around the country. In September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard arguments in a case where a woman who tested positive for opioids, marijuana, and anti-anxiety drugs was accused of child abuse, and lost custody of her newborn. The court has not ruled on whether prenatal drug use can be deemed child abuse. Last year, nearly 3,300 babies in Pennsylvania were born exposed to opioids, or 2 percent of all births in the state. Health officials and politicians have paid particular attention to the issue. In October, first lady Melania Trump visited Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals treatment program for mothers with addiction, which has been operating for 45 years and recently opened a residential treatment facility. The PHC4 study found that maternal hospital stays where opioid use was present were also more likely to see a host of co-occurring conditions, including tobacco and other substance use, hepatitis C infections, and mental health disorders, as well as false or pre-term labor and slowed fetal growth. And, the study found, nearly 48 percent of deliveries involving maternal opioid use were premature or early-term, compared with 33 percent of deliveries that did not involve opioid use. Elk County, in western Pennsylvania, had the highest rate of opioid use per maternal hospital stays, with opioid use present in 75.8 out of every 1,000 maternal hospital stays. Opioid use was present in 23 out of every 1,000 maternal hospital stays in Philadelphia. Opioid use was nearly twice as likely to be present at maternal hospital stays in high-poverty areas, and opioid use was more likely among white patients on maternal hospital stays than black or Hispanic patients. Mike Walsh is one of many Philadelphia homeowners who learned this year that his property taxes would more than double. But Walsh chose not to join the thousands of property owners who appealed their new values this year though his annual bill jumped by 113 percent, to $4,884. Thats because he thought the market value that city assessors assigned to his triplex on Wharton Street was correct. The property, in South Phillys booming real estate market and blocks from the famed cheesesteak corner featuring Pats and Genos, had not been reassessed since 2014. I just didnt like the fact that my real estate taxes are going up over 100 percent," he said last week. "And I dont think real estate taxes should ever go up over 100 percent. In some other major cities, large tax increases like Walshs are prohibited because governments place caps on hikes. In New York City, for example, significant increases are phased in over a few years. Maryland caps the amount that an assessment can rise in one year at 10 percent. Louisiana voters approved a ballot measure this year requiring that increases greater than 50 percent be phased in over four years. In Philadelphia, however, there is no limit to the amount by which assessments the value used to calculate property tax bills can increase in one year. The median value of a single-family home increased 10.5 percent in the new assessments of residential properties released this year. SPECIAL REPORT: Which properties had their assessments increased or decreased from 2018? Examine our database of Philadelphia 2019 Property Assessments And unlike other counties in Pennsylvania, Philadelphias reassessments are not revenue-neutral, meaning that increasing property values mean a boost in tax dollars for the city. City spokesperson Mike Dunn said the city and School District will receive about $85 million in additional revenue based on the increased 2019 assessments, after accounting for successful appeals and other factors. Last years reassessment of commercial properties was expected to bring in $118 million in additional tax revenue. The result, said Robert P. Strauss, a professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, is a growing reliance in Philadelphia on the property tax. As property tax revenue grows, Strauss said, the city is using reassessment kind of as a smokescreen. Why does Philadelphia not have a cap on increases? Since 2014, the city has aimed to perform more frequent assessments and assess properties at 100 percent of market value, which is the amount at which a property would sell. However, this year marked the first time that all residential properties were reassessed since that system began. With the new system, known as the Actual Value Initiative, the city launched some programs to help struggling homeowners. They include a discount for owner-occupied primary residences, installment-payment plans, and tax freezes for low-income seniors. Its a really important issue, because property values can change unexpectedly and sometimes dramatically, and its essential for a property tax system to have a way of easing the burden on a homeowner who faces a sudden change," said Joan Youngman, a senior fellow at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Massachusetts. Councilman Mark Squilla, who previously proposed that assessment changes be phased in, said he would support a cap except that it would violate the state constitutions uniformity clause," requiring that all properties are taxed at the same rate. I believe theres still a way to do that, he said, whether we do it ourselves, or we do it through working with our legislators in the state to give us our ability to do that. Dunn said the Kenney administration believes that capping assessments will, over time, create greater inequities in the property tax system because it would shift the tax burden, leaving residents whose property values did not increase to pay a higher tax rate relative to their market values than those with rapidly rising values. How have property tax limits worked out in other places? While many states and cities have limits that have assisted taxpayers, experts warn that they can come with downsides. Its not hard to freeze [taxes], but its really hard to thaw, Youngman said. You have to be very careful that whatever you put in place addresses the problem with the minimum of future difficulties. Caps can shift tax burdens, and they can make it difficult for people to move, such as in California, where Proposition 13 froze taxes at 1970s levels and limited increases to 2 percent per year. When a home there is sold, it is reassessed at market value placing a much larger tax burden on new residents or first-time homeowners. A 2010 report by the International Association of Assessing Officers acknowledged that market-value assessments can create problems with predictability and affordability of taxes, but advised against caps -- recommending instead the types of safety nets that Philadelphia has in place. In some places, taxpayers push for truth in taxation, Youngman said, which amounts to government acknowledgement that rising values can impact them. The idea is, if youre going to increase your revenue collections because the values go up," she said, that under these rules, you need to go through all the same steps you would go through if you would change the tax rate ... whether its a public notice or a hearing or a vote. Can anything be done about rising taxes in Philly? Youngman said experts admire Philadelphia for making the move to market-value assessments in 2014. But what can be done about the lack of a ceiling on how much property taxes can rise amid the success of the citys real estate market? Strict revenue neutrality, as is mandated for other Pennsylvania counties, may not be practical, because government costs do increase, Youngman said. But she said reducing the tax rate to some degree when there is a large assessment increase is an accepted practice. These silent tax increases, where the base rises and youre not just bringing in a normal increase of a few percent, but you suddenly have a large increase simply because of value changes, thats always something to be extremely cautious about, Youngman said. Dunn said the mayor is always open to considering tax policy changes while working with City Council on annual budgets. However, mandated revenue neutrality would hamper the citys ability to continue to provide the level of services that residents need and expect," he said, "as we would likely need to reduce services to pay for rising nondiscretionary costs. Council commissioned an audit of Philadelphias Office of Property Assessment this year. It was scheduled for completion in September, but it hasnt yet been released. Jane Roh, a spokesperson for Council President Darrell L. Clarke, said the office is reviewing the report. If the audit shows that property assessments are accurate, Squilla said, Council should look at reducing the tax rate to make up for assessment increases. Some people would argue that now youre reducing the amount of money that goes into the general fund [and] youre reducing the money that goes to our schools, he said. But we have to be able to balance that on the backs of the residents, and also the city services and our School District. It is closing in on a decade since Pennsylvania legislators passed a law ordering the state Commission on Sentencing to develop a risk-assessment instrument an algorithm that theoretically would make sentencing fairer, eliminate guesswork and judicial bias, and reduce incarceration. At hearings across the state this week on the commissions latest proposal, reform advocates, people affected by the justice system, lawyers, and lawmakers called it racially biased and inaccurate. They urged the commission to go back to the drawing board or better yet, demolish the drawing board and scrap the project. Research has shown that this risk-assessment tool is not effective, but further fuels racial injustices, State Rep. Stephen Kinsey, a Democrat representing parts of Germantown, told commission members, speaking on behalf of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. The initial mandate was to lower costs, mitigate over-incarceration, and divert those that deserve alternative forms of corrective action, such as substance-abuse-disorder treatment. To date, those ideals have not been met. Likening the risk-assessment tool to faulty autocorrect on a smartphone, Kinsey told the panel he intended to champion legislation to repeal the commissions mandate. Commission member and State Sen. Sharif Street said hed explore doing the same. I, for one, believe there will probably need to be some examination of our mandate, Street said. But, he hinted, that will also be a long road. We have to gauge whether there is legislative appetite to remove or modify the mandate. The commissions previous draft, published in April, was derided as amplifying racial biases that exist within the criminal justice system, which in Pennsylvania incarcerates black people at a rate nine times higher than white people. >>READ MORE: How computers are predicting crime and potentially impacting your future It was trained on data from the height of stop-and-frisk across the state. Its own data said it believed black people were 11 percent more criminal than white people as a base rate, which we categorically reject, said Hannah Sassaman, an organizer with the Media Mobilizing Project. Shes not impressed with the slew of adjustments the Sentencing Commission made to the instrument over the last six months: Now, it predicts black people are 4 percent more criminal than white people. At least 18 states have adopted some form of risk assessment for use at sentencing, according to the National Center for State Courts. Philadelphia is also developing a similar tool to help determine whether people should be detained before trial, over the protests of reform advocates. But Mark Bergstrom, executive director of the Sentencing Commission, said theres nothing in use quite like the comprehensive instrument hes been tasked with developing. He believes many of the concerns expressed at the hearings come down to a communication problem. The frustration I have is that what many people say they want as the outcome is in sync with what the commission is trying to do," he said. His goal is to provide more information to judges so they can provide appropriate and individualized sentences, including alternatives to prison. "The connection of high risk with more incarceration is not our intent at all, but I understand thats what people fear. The adoption of a risk-assessment tool at sentencing (and of this tool in particular) is opposed by the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Pennsylvania ACLU, the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office, and the Defender Association. They warned the instrument could be misused or misinterpreted by judges, or, worse, substituted for individualized sentencing. >>READ MORE: Dozens of speakers at hearing assail Pa. plan to use algorithm in sentencing Critics noted that according to the Sentencing Commissions own analysis, the instrument does well at identifying low-risk defendants. But when it calls someone high-risk, its right only about half the time. The current risk-assessment algorithm would exacerbate mass incarceration, said Mark Houldin, policy director at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. One reason for this is the disastrously low accuracy rate. When the tool says someone is risky, its correct only 52 percent of the time. Thats barely more accurate than a coin flip. Those whove been personally affected by the justice system said they worry about sapping humanity from the process. One is Clarise McCants, campaign director at Color of Change, an advocacy organization that organized 2,000 members to submit comments on the risk-assessment instrument. McCants mother was a victim of childhood sexual abuse by her mothers boyfriend before giving birth at age 18. In despair over the continued abuse, her mother attempted a double murder-suicide, serving her two children drug-laced chocolate milk. They all survived, and McCants' mother was arrested. But instead of the 20- to 40-year sentence she could have faced, a judge sentenced her to five years' probation and intensive mental-health treatment. Eventually, the children were reunited with their mother. As a result, weve gone on to live healthy and fortunate lives. We thrived because of my mothers love and persistence. But had the judge seen my mother as just another number in the system, she would still be incarcerated today," McCants said. If there isnt sufficient legislative momentum to remove the mandate to create an instrument, civil rights lawyer Susan Lin suggested, it could be salvaged by using it only to divert people from prison into alternative programs. In a statement to the board, Mayor Kenney called the current version flawed, but said he still believes in the concept of risk-assessment tools. To be clear, I believe the purpose of the tool should be to help limit incarceration, and not result in the over-supervision or over-incarceration of Philadelphians. ... In its current state, the tool may cause the opposite and unintended effect." Bergstrom said that for now the commission will press forward, per its mandate, though no action will be taken before the next quarterly meeting in March. Until then, State Rep. Joanna McClinton, a Philadelphia Democrat and a member of the Sentencing Commission, said, shell be pushing to start over. We need to say this isnt working because, at this point, even conservative stakeholders, even the DAs association, does not support this. There are too many flaws with it. ... We need a new mandate. HARRISBURG State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown resigned from office Tuesday, saying she was leaving public service under protest as she appeals her conviction on bribery and other charges. In her resignation letter, the Philadelphia Democrat highlighted the words of the Dauphin County judge who last month sentenced her to 23 months of probation, noting that he expressed concerns about the undercover sting investigation that led to her conviction and downfall. Nonetheless, Brown wrote, she recognizes that the state constitution prohibits anyone convicted of bribery, perjury, and other infamous crimes from serving in the legislature. The courts finding that the investigation and prosecution carried overtones of racism and political animus is only the first step in the ultimate vindication of my God-given and constitutional right to be treated fairly under the law," Brown, 52, wrote in her letter to Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny). She added: Emboldened by the civil rights giants that have gone before me, and with the love and support of my family and friends, I live to fight another day against injustice and racism." Brown, who was reelected last month to another two-year term, had faced mounting pressure to leave office. Typically, public officials found guilty of corruption crimes step down on the day they are sentenced. Brown was sentenced Nov. 30 and had not since publicly explained her decision to remain in office. She had signaled that she would not seek to be seated in the House when lawmakers return to the Capitol on Jan. 1 to be sworn into office after her Republican and Democratic colleagues said they would vote to prevent her from taking the oath of office. On Tuesday, House officials said Turzai would set a date early next year for a special election for Browns seat. The earliest date would be in March. Browns resignation followed a legal maneuver by prosecutors to force her out. Late last week, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo, whose office prosecuted Brown, asked her trial judge to amend the probationary sentence and require her to resign within 24 hours, and repay any salary or expense reimbursement she had received since being sentenced. Brown had not been paid for December, according to House officials. On Monday, Browns lawyers asked the judge, Scott Evans, to throw out her conviction, citing Evans' words at her sentencing that the investigation that ensnared her and other Philadelphia Democrats was troubling and laden with racial overtones. Linda Lelii Of Elkins Park (left) and Dianne Chambless of Philadelphia leave the Womens March on Philadelphia on January 20, 2018. Read more Emily Cooper Morse stood on stage last year alongside her daughter in front of thousands of women, telling the demonstrators, We are fighting for womens rights, especially in communities that are marginalized the most. But Cooper Morse, who founded the organization that put on the Womens March on Philadelphia for the last two years, wont be attending its planned march on Jan. 19, 2019. That organization, called Philly Women Rally, has ripped apart at the seams, with its remaining board members ousting Cooper Morse and accusing her not only of making racist and transphobic statements, but of removing $19,000 in donations from the groups bank account, charges Cooper Morse says are categorically untrue. Meanwhile, the leadership of the national Womens March group the organization behind the anti-Trump demonstration that was likely the largest single-day protest in American history is facing its own scrutiny over allegations of anti-Semitism in its ranks. In Philadelphia, though, the march(es) will go on. Both Philly Women Rally and an affiliate of the national Womens March organization have obtained permits for demonstrations on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on the same day. Heres an explanation of how that will work, and what led to the confusion: There will be a Womens March on Philadelphia on Jan. 19 maybe two Philly Women Rally, which is being run by six women who sat on its board ahead of last years event, has a permit to march on the Parkway on Jan. 19, the day sister marches are taking place across the country. For the last two years, demonstrators marched from Logan Square to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where a stage was set up for speakers and programming. This years permit is for the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps and apron, Eakins Oval and the Parkway between 22nd and 24th streets. Deja Lynn Alvarez, who said shes one of the presidents of Philly Women Rally, said the group hopes to have the same setup this year, but may not have enough cash for a sound system. We will get out there with bullhorns, she said. Its important women have a place to gather where they can feel camaraderie and the power of what happens when we come together in that kind of numbers. Womens March Pennsylvania which is affiliated with the national Womens March organization also has a permit to demonstrate on the Parkway on that day, but its permit is for LOVE Park and the surrounding area. More than 8,000 people marked themselves as interested in attending on Facebook. City spokeswoman Sarah Reyes said the administration, which approved both permits, supports everyones right to protest and therefore tries to approve as many applications as possible within city rules. In this instance, she said, the two parties were notified that there will be demonstrations occurring simultaneously, and that the city will take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of all participants. Whats Womens March Pennsylvania? This group has existed since the 2017 march that took place the day after President Trumps inauguration, according to Shawna Knipper, the groups leader, but it is not affiliated with the womens marches held in Philadelphia during the last two years. It held smaller rallies and protests in towns across the state. She said Womens March Pennsylvania organized transportation to the first Womens March on Washington and is this year planning at least 10 sister marches across Pennsylvania, all under the branding of the national Womens March organization. We felt it was very important for Womens March to lead the march in our name and highlight the work thats been done, said Knipper, of Allentown. Why dont the two groups work together? Alvarez said local leaders never heard from anyone affiliated with the national organization before Womens March Pennsylvania applied for a demonstration permit and put up an event page on Facebook. (City officials said Womens March Pennsylvania applied for its permit on Oct. 1 and Philly Women Rally applied for one on Nov. 5. Those applications were approved 30 days after submission.) The nationals have been going around the entire country, going to the cities that have put on successful marches, and decided that they own them, she said. National is going around doing what every man has ever done. Knipper said that moving forward, Womens March Pennsylvania is more than willing to have a conversation around ways we can all kind of come together." So whats going on with the national leadership? Womens March leadership has been under fire for months, which worsened after one of its cochairs, Tamika Mallory, attended a February speech in Chicago by Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan, who reiterated anti-Semitic sentiments that hes espoused for years. This week, Tablet Magazine reported that while Mallory and cochair Carmen Perez have attempted to distance themselves from his anti-Semitism, the two asserted Farrakhans talking points at the first meeting of Womens March leadership, including that Jews have exploited black and brown people and were responsible for the American slave trade. Some local chapters have already broken with the national organization, including those from Houston, Rhode Island and Florida, and the founder of Womens March has called on the cochairs to step down. But not Pennsylvania? Knipper said the group stands with the leadership, but said Womens March rejects the hate speech and anti-Semitism of Louis Farrakhan in all its forms. So what happened with the group that planned the march last year? Board members say the group has faced internal strife for the last two years as leaders disagreed about the future of the march. Alvarez and her allies voted earlier this year to oust founder Cooper Morse, saying she exhibited bullying behavior. Cooper Morse said that Alvarez was volatile and that she became concerned about peoples motives for involvement when another board member, Beth Finn, announced a run for City Council. This week, the remaining six women on the board (including Alvarez and Finn) put out a news release vowing to move forward with a march and accusing Cooper Morse of making racist, transphobic, and other bigoted comments as well as stealing $19,000 worth of the organizations funds and hacking the organizations Facebook page in order to delete the 2019 Womens March on Philadelphia Facebook event page. That caused confusion among hundreds of women whod planned on attending the march; some believed the event had been canceled. Cooper Morse said she deleted the event because she was informed that Womens March Pennsylvania had already obtained a permit for a demonstration and saw no need for two competing marches. Wheres that $19,000? Once the board voted to oust her, Cooper Morse said she was removed from the groups checking account. In October, she and an ally filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State to remove the other women from the board. Cooper Morse said she presented the bank with that paperwork and then removed the remaining funds from the account, made out as a check to Philly Women Rally. I was concerned they were going to mismanage funds, she said, citing Finns run for Council and noting thatother members have overtly pushed their self-interests when it comes to the group and using it to advance their careers. Cooper Morse is still in possession of the money, which she says is being safeguarded by attorneys until the state determines the makeup of Philly Women Rally and who owns the money. Each side accused the other of filing fraudulent paperwork with the state in order to remove each others names from the groups corporation registration. Alvarez said police have been notified as well. After a long drawn out counting battle on Tuesday, the Congress made inroads into Madhya Pradesh, the heartland of India, winning 114 out of 230 seats. Congress also secured big wins in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and is set to form the governments in the two states. The party, however, lost its last Northeast bastion in Mizoram after winning just five seats. The Mizo National Front (MNF) captured the power in the Northeast state, winning in 26 of the 40 assembly constituencies. K Chandrashekhar Rao-led TRS swept the Telangana polls, decimating the Prajakutami the grand alliance of Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) on its way. Here are the highlights from the Assembly Election Results and developments related to government formation on Wednesday: # Thanks for joining the Zeenews.com live updates on government formation. The live updates have been closed for the day. # Congress' Randeep Surjewala says his party believes in knowing the view of every legislator before announcing the name of a CM. Randeep Surjewala: After consulting everybody we'll give a CM candidate&a govt that truly reflects will of people of these 3 states.We'll start process of loan waiver, process of creating new employment opportunities&reconstruction of these states in accordance with people's will pic.twitter.com/r6Gty3Vo64 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 # Here's what Sachin Pilot said about the procedure being followed to decide on Rajasthan CM: Sachin Pilot: It's a normal procedure for Congress party legislators to give their feedback to observers. Observers give feedback to Congress President&then a final decision is taken. We've authorised Congress Pres to take a final view as to who will head CLP leaders of the party pic.twitter.com/LxczPr3bdB ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 # In Telangana, KCR will be sworn in as CM at 1330hrs on Thursday. # Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and senior leaders arrive at Rajasthan Governor's house in Jaipur. # Five-member Congress delegation - including Kamal Nath and Scindia, meet MP Governor Anandiben Patel to stake claim to form government. # "All the MLAs have unanimously decided that a decision on the Chief Minister (of Madhya Pradesh) will be taken by Rahul Gandhi ji," says Shobha Oza. # Rahul Gandhi had said that he will change the CM if the loans are not waiuved off within 10 days, it's time to see that now: Shivraj # I also hope the Congress government fulfils the promises that it made in the manifesto like waiving off farmer loans within 10 days of coming to power: Shivraj # I called up Kamal Nath ji and wished him for the victory. I only wish and pray that the new government continues the welfare schemes that we started. With the change of the government, the welfare projects should not change. I hope the new government will strive to complete the projects we started: Shivraj # It is a fact that we could not get the majority or even get the expected numbers. I take full responsibility for the loss. I must have been at fault due to which the BJP lost in the state: Shivraj # I apologise to the people of the state if I hurt them in any way, says ShivRaj Singh Chouhan # BJP accepts defeat in Madhya Pradesh, says will work for the development of the state "Though the margin has not been much, but we have lost the election. We accept the verdict and assure the people of the state that we will work for the development of the state," the BJP said in MP. # "We have met Governor and staked claim to form Govt, we have the support of 122 MLAs, the situation is clear Madhya Pradesh Elections 2018,' says Congress leader Narendra Saluja after meeting MP Governor. # Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tenders his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel earlier on Wednesday. Bhopal: Shivraj Singh Chouhan tenders his resignation to the Governor Anandiben Patel, earlier today #MadhyaPradeshElections2018 pic.twitter.com/3MKTBDqc21 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 # Kamal Nath reaches Raj Bhawan to meet state governor Anandiben Patel. # "Congress has played an important role in giving alternative to BJP. Congress was receptive towards other small parties. BSP and SP should be a part of our alliance. They aren't yet together with us. People have expressed displeasure on 4.5 years of BJP rule," Sharad Pawar, NCP. # Samajwadi Party will support Congress in forming the government in Madhya Pradesh, tweeted party supremo Akhilesh. Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 12, 2018 #"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," said Chouhan after resigning. #Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan to resigns, says BJP does not have the numbers to form government. # Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will support the Congress in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, announced party supremo Mayawati to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party at bay in upcoming. With a heavy heart, the public chose Congress in three states. Chhattisgarh, MP, and Rajasthan didn't give another chance to BJP, said Mayawati while reacting to the Assembly poll verdict on Wednesday. #Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supremo and state caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will swear-in as the Chief Minister of Telangana on Thursday. The party swept the Telangana Assembly elections 2018, bagging 88 out of the 119 Assembly seats. #On Wednesday morning, Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state, winning 114 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 109 seats, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won two seats and Samajwadi Party (SP) won one seat. Independent candidates have won four. #In midnight drama, the Congress party wrote to the Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, staking claim to form the government in the state. However, the governor turned down the approach, stating that appointments would be given only after the final official result is declared by the Election Commission. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday extended support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh which fell short of a majority in Madhya Pradesh by just two seats. Having fallen short of a majority, Congress needed two seats to get to the magic figure of 116. BSP supremo Mayawati said if the need arises, the BSP will support the Congress in Rajasthan to form the next government. "We don't agree with the ideology of the Congress. But we will support it to keep the BJP out of power," she said. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also confirmed its support to the Congress. In a tweet on Wednesday, the SP chief said: "Samajwadi Party extends support to the Congress to form a government in Madhya Pradesh." Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday conceded defeat and said that the BJP does not have the numbers to form a government in the state. "We did not get majority, will not stake claim to form Government, I am going to tender my resignation to the Governor," he said. The counting which began on Tuesday morning ended after over 25 hours with Congress emerging as the largest party in Madhya Pradesh winning 114 seats, but missing securing the absolute majority by two seats in the 230 member Assembly. The ruling BJP came close with 109 in a battle that went to the wire on Tuesday. The BSP won two seats and the Samajwadi Party bagged one seat in the final tally. Mayawati also said that the BSP would support the Congress in Rajasthan also to keep the BJP out. "Our party fought this election to keep the BJP out of power. Sadly, our party did not succeed in this objective. If the Congress needs our support to form the government in Rajasthan, we will do it to keep the BJP out," she added. In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the Congress bagged 99 seats, while its pre-poll ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one. The BJP was far behind with 73 seats and the BSP won six seats. NEW DELHI: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will support the Congress in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, announced party supremo Mayawati to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party at bay in upcoming. With a heavy heart, the public chose Congress in three states. Chhattisgarh, MP, and Rajasthan didn't give another chance to BJP, said Mayawati while reacting to the Assembly poll verdict on Wednesday. She also said that if the need arises, the BSP will support the Congress in Rajasthan to form the next government. "We don't agree with the ideology of the Congress. But we will support it to keep the BJP out of power," she said here. She also thanked all BSP workers for their hardwork and success. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress secured emerged victorious in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and became the single-largest party in Madhya Pradesh. It, however, was knocked out of power in Mizoram with the Mizo National Front (MNF) sweeping the polls. K Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) secured the absolute majority in Telangana. In Chhattisgarh, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled for 15 years, the Congress swept a clear two-third majority with 68 seats, against the half-way mark of 46. Likewise, in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the Congress bagged 99 seats, while its pre-poll ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one. In Madhya Pradesh, which witnessed a long-drawn countdown to the results, Congress secured 114 seats, missing the majority mark by two seats. Bhopal: Following a long drawn see-saw battle between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh, the former emerged as the single largest party winning 114 out of 230 seats. Congress leaders met Governor Anandiben Patel and staked claim to form the government in the state, adding that the party has the support of 122 MLAs. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party have, meanwhile, extended support to the grand old party in Madhya Pradesh after it fell short of a majority in the state by just two seats. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tendered his resignation to the Governor, claiming the sole responsibility of BJP's defeat in Madhya Pradesh. With the induction of the new MP chief minister, the Congress Party will make a comeback in the state after 15 years. Here's a look at the CM probables in Madhya Pradesh: Kamal Nath Congress has not named a CM face for Madhya Pradesh if the party comes to power, but Kamal Nath is being viewed as a prime contender for the top post. He is a nine-time Member of Parliament from Chhindwara. Though Kamal Nath is not contesting the Assembly elections, voters in Chhindwara have been lured in his name with slogans of 'Kamal Nath as CM'. However, while he dominates in the region in Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has been unable to defeat the BJP in Assembly polls here. In 2013, Congress won only three out of the seven seats in Chhindwara district but Kamal Nath went on to win the Lok Sabha seat for the ninth time. The BJP, meanwhile, is confident that such slogans will not help the Congress and have maintained that anti-incumbency for the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government is not a factor in the polls. Jyotiraditya Scindia Kamal Nath has a tough competition from Jyotiraditya Scindia when it comes to being the chief ministerial face of the party in the state. Scindia, who is the party's campaign committee chief, enjoys as good a support from Congress members in the state. Not just the Congress, the BJP also understands his importance in state politics. Many of BJP's campaigns were surrounded around Scindia with one of them being 'Maf Karo Maharaj, hamara neta Shivraj'. Scindia is also referred to as Maharaj in the state by many due to his royal legacy. An MP from the Guna-Shivpuri constituency, Scindia had secured a win during the last Lok Sabha elections in 2014 when most of his party colleagues faced a defeat amid a widespread Modi wave then. There have been several reports about a long-running rivalry between Scindia and Nath for the CM post. NEW DELHI: The Congress won Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, now discussions are underway over who will be the next Chief Minister in the three states. Congress sources say the top contenders for the post are Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh, Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh and Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan. Congress chief in Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath spearheaded the party's campaign in the state along with party's campaign committee head Jyotiraditya Scindia. When Kamal Nath was named the Congress chief in Madhya Pradesh in April 2018 ahead of the Assembly polls, many in the party recalled that former prime minister Indira Gandhi described him as her "third son" who helped her take on the Morarji Desai-led regime in 1979. The senior-most member in the 16th Lok Sabha, Nath was given the task in April to revive the fortunes of the opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh, where the party had been out of power since 2003. When Nath was chosen by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as the state chief, the MP Congress unit was riddled with factionalism. Nath made efforts to bring together senior party leaders - former MP chief minister Digvijaya Singh, Scindia and Suresh Pachouri - well aware that groupism may have had a role in keeping the party out of power for the last 15 years. He ensured that regional satraps got representation in the allotment of tickets. In Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot may return to power as the Chief Minister after a gap of five years. Though the battle for the top post is between him and young Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot, Gehlot is most likely to get the post owing to the experience that he brings on the table. His first stint as CM was in 1998-2003 and the second from 2008-2013. He was unseated both the times by BJP's Vasundhara Raje. Gehlot has been at the helm of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee four times. He is currently general secretary of the All India Congress Committee and has been deployed by the party in crucial roles at the national level. In Chhattisgarh, the race for the top seat is between state party chief Bhupesh Baghel, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly TS Singh Deo and party's lone Lok Sabha MP from the state, Tamradhwaj Sahu. However, it is likely that Baghel will supersede the others to assume the office of the Chief Minister. A top runner for the post, Baghel is a former state minister and a former deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party during the first tenure of BJP from 2003-2008. He has been indicted and was recently arrested by the CBI for allegedly distributing a "fake sleaze video" featuring a BJP state minister. Baghel is currently out on bail. However, Baghel claimed that criminal cases filed against him were politically motivated. He took over as the PCC chief after the Congress lost to BJP in 2013 assembly elections. Considering the loss that Congress had suffered in three consecutive elections, Baghel had a huge task to revive the party in the state. Throughout the poll campaign, Baghel launched frontal attacks on the BJP regime and raised allegations of corruption. Bhopal: Congress MLAs on Wednesday reportedly left it to Rahul Gandhi to decide who will take over as the next chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. The two names that have been doing the rounds since the party won the assembly elections here are that of Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. While both leaders have repeatedly said that they have put their faith in the party high command, their supporters have been out in the streets here - with placards and shouting slogans in favour of their respective leader. Reports suggest that there is some degree of factionalism with both leaders hoping to be named CM. Meanwhile, party sources told Zee News that Kamal Nath is almost certain to be named but a final stamp of approval has been left for the Congress president. Earlier in the day, Scindia told mediapersons that it would be a privilege if he is chosen to be the state's next CM. Kamal Nath has maintained that he is only celebrating a Congress win for now. Meanwhile, critics have begun questioning the unity in Congress and, therefore, its ability to provide stable governance. Reports of similar internal conflict has also been reported from Rajasthan where there is a feud of sorts between supporters of Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. Those questioning Congress have said that if Rahul was meant to take the decision, there was no need for a Congress Legislature Party meeting to be called, at least in MP. For now, the suspense continues. New York: Michael Cohen, US President Donald Trump`s former personal lawyer, was sentenced to a total of three years in prison on Wednesday for his role in making illegal hush-money payments to women to help Trump`s 2016 election campaign and lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. US District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan sentenced Cohen to 36 months for the payments, which violated campaign finance law, and to two months for the false statements to Congress. The two terms will run simultaneously. The judge set March 6 for Cohen`s voluntary surrender. Cohen pleaded guilty to the campaign finance charge in August and to making false statements in November. Cohen, 52, had walked into court on Wednesday morning with his wife, son and daughter, amid a crowd of photographers and reporters. Federal prosecutors in New York charged that Cohen, just before the November 2016 election, paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 and helped arrange a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal so the women would keep quiet about their past relationships with Trump, who is married. Trump denies having the affairs. Prosecutors have said the payments violated campaign finance laws. Cohen told prosecutors the payments were directed by Trump, implicating the president in a possible campaign finance law violation. Federal law requires that the contribution of "anything of value" to a campaign must be disclosed, and an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700. Cohen faced sentencing on a separate charge of lying to Congress brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia`s role in the 2016 election and possible coordination between Trump`s campaign and Moscow. Cohen pleaded guilty to that charge last month. "He came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in the country," one of Cohen`s lawyers, Guy Petrillo, told the court on Wednesday, arguing for leniency. Cohen cooperated knowing "the president might shut down" Mueller`s investigation, Petrillo said. Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Mueller`s team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied U.S. allegations of interfering in the election to help Trump. When nothing else can solve the situation, we turn to humor. Then what happened in the Kerch Strait at the end of November can be described as follows: Ukrainian ships are in Ukrainian territorial waters and move from one Ukrainian port to another - and thus provoke Russia. It was written by someone under the name Darth Putin. He has millions of followers on Twitter. This description of the situation is pretty much true. Three ships of the Ukrainian Navy were going to pass through the strait into the Sea of Azov - the inland sea between Russia and Ukraine. Both countries have the right for free navigation in this area, in particular in accordance with the agreement concluded in 2003. However, after the annexation of Crimea, Russia takes the strait between the Crimea and the mainland exclusively as its territorial waters. It built a bridge over it, and now it only needs one tanker to block the strait and block the Sea of Azov. The annexation of Crimea, the construction of the bridge, the blockade all these actions violated the international law. Nevertheless, after the incident, the sides began to discuss who and to what extent is responsible for it, who benefited, and what are the ways out of the current situation. Recently, there was an initiative to send representatives of the OSCE not only to the east of Ukraine, where the war is still going on with the secret participation of Moscow, but also to the Sea of Azov. However, this is unlikely to force Moscow to make concessions. Vladimir Putin, as usual, will justify his policy of violence by self-defense. Responsibility for the recent incident as well as for the war in eastern Ukraine he laid on the "party of war" in Kyiv. The dispute over the INF Treaty, according to him, is the problem of the United States, which allegedly has long been planning to produce new medium-range nuclear missiles, which are banned. How will we respond? We will do the same thing, Putin says on this occasion and refutes the allegations that Russia has already installed similar missiles on its own. If the president had yielded to the pressure of the West, whether in the situation with the Sea of Azov or around the INF Treaty, it would have seemed a manifestation of weakness, said Russian foreign policy expert Vladimir Frolov. For Putin, there would be serious domestic political risks. The Russian economy is undergoing stagnation, there is no talk of reforms, and the population is hostile to those being carried out. They are dissatisfied with the increase in the retirement age and the rising gas prices. In Crimea, Putin can only win: according to the state research center, 93% of respondents believe that the Russian border guards acted correctly. 79% supported their president and found the events in the Sea of Azov a provocation from Ukraine. Putin considers the further aggravation of relations with the West to be mpre preferable than to make any concessions, Frolov said. Russia is already behaving as if the Sea of Azov is its inland lake. This became possible after the annexation of Crimea - so Russia gradually, step by step, strengthens its position in the region. Having installed its air defense systems on the peninsula, which received additional reinforcement after the incident near Kerch, it controls the airspace over a large part of the Black Sea. Will the OSCE monitors really be able to make the navigation in the Kerch Strait safe? Indeed, in the east of Ukraine, they should monitor compliance with the Minsk agreements - but they are not implemented. Read original article at Sueddeutsche Zeitung In January 2018, Ukraines Government dismissed Roman Nasirov, who was accused by Anti-Corruption Bureau detectives of causing 71 million USD damage to the state The district administrative court of Kyiv decided to cancel the government decree on sacking Roman Nasirov from the office of the Head of the State Fiscal Service (SFS). Moreover, his salary for the entire period of his absence is to be compensated. Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers fired Nasirov from his post in January of this year. Roman Nasirov considers it illegal and intends to prove it. Roman Nasirov was born on March 3, 1979, in Chernihiv. His official biography says he has two degrees (financier and lawyer). Over the past few years, while heading the SFS, he has become Doctor of Science, Economics, and Candidate of Law Sciences. Nasirov began his career in 1997. However, official documents do not specify, what exactly he did before 2005. According to media reports, Nasirov was involved in the sphere of investments and securities. He headed the brokerage direction for the CIS countries in the London office of the American broker-investment bank CantorFitzgerald / BGC (2005-2007) and was the managing director at Concorde Capital (2007-2009). In March 2013, Nasirov has joined the State Food Grain Corporation of Ukraine (SFGCU) and became deputy chairman. This corporation is one of the most powerful state-owned enterprises in Ukraine's agricultural sector, which is engaged in the storage, processing, transshipment, and export of grain. As noted on the site of the enterprise, the State Funds Plant owns 10% of certified elevator capacities of Ukraine. The capabilities of the port terminals of the corporation can provide up to 6% of the average annual volume of export transshipment of Ukrainian grain. SFGCU processing enterprises are able to satisfy up to 10% of the needs of the domestic market of Ukraine in flour, cereals, and mixed feeds. In November, special elections to the Verkhovna Rada, Nasirov was on the list of the pro-presidential Bloc of Petro Poroshenko and successfully received a deputy mandate. However, he did not manage to be an MP for a long time. After six months, he participated in the competition for the post of head of the State Fiscal Service and won it. It is believed that he managed to defeat other 66 candidates for the country's chief taxation office due to the help of the then head of the Presidential Administration (Poroshenkos administration) Borys Lozhkin. In particular, MP Serhiy Leshchenko publicly declared this to the public. In May 2015, Nasirov was officially appointed SFS chairman and he began to actively get into the media field. Nasirov has become an object to criticism. In particular, he was accused of corruption and pressure against the taxpayers. For example, in the fall of 2015, his dismissed deputy, Kostyantyn Likarchuk, published a document from the UK land cadastre, according to which Nasirov allegedly owns real estate in London. Moreover, it was not declared in Ukraine. The official stated that the did not belong to him but were in his temporary possession. However, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) is still interested in this fact. In November 2017, the Specialized Anti-Prosecution Prosecutor's Office passed the indictment against Nasirov. The investigation found out that Roman Nasirov was involved in corrupt acts in the gas extraction area; the case is related to the figure of Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko, who created a corrupt scheme. In April 2016, Nasirov got new taxation, and later journalist Savik Shuster accused him of putting pressure on his studio. The official responded that the fiscal system needs to be reformed and it is necessary to combat tax evasion. All the facts of the inaccuracies of Nasirov formed the basis for MPs appeals to the Cabinet of Ministers demanding his dismissal, as well as the dismissal of his first deputy Serhiy Bilan. This was partially achieved only in March 2017. Nasirov was detained as part of the investigation of the NABU gas business of ex-MP Onishchenko. In particular, Nasirov was charged with causing damage to the state in the amount of 71 million USD. He allegedly provided groundless tax installments to Onishchenkos enterprises. Onishchenko fled from Ukraine in 2016. Nasirov all the NABU rejects charges. According to him, GFS has legally provided tax installments to Onishchenkos enterprises, and they did not cause damage to the state. Subsequently, he still managed to deliver to the court and arrest with a pledge right of 3,2 million USD, although the prosecution petitioned about 71 million USD. Relatives of the official almost immediately paid the bail and the official was released. However, he was removed from the post of the SFS head. According to NABU and the anti-corruption prosecutor's office, the official has a British passport, therefore he has violated the conditions of being on bail. However, in June 2017, the Kyiv Solomenskiy court refused to collect bail, as the charges allegedly did not provide evidence of Nasirovs British citizenship. In addition, Nasirov is a citizen of Ukraine and Hungary. According to Nasirovs declaration, he earned 21 cents (in the form of interest in Ukrgasbank) in 2017. As in previous years, jewelry, works of art, antiques, wine, bags were mentioned in Nasirovs declaration. In 2016, Nasirov declared 1.13 million dollars, 440 thousand euros and 3.4 million UAH (121,000 USD) in cash savings. According to his declaration, he did not receive a salary for his work in the State Fiscal Service. At the same time, the officials annual income amounted to 120,000 USD. Nasirov received almost all of these funds from the transfer of rights and obligations under the contract for participation in the Construction Financing Fund. Read the original text at 112.ua. The information came from Iryna Gerashchenko, Ukraine's first deputy speaker of the Parliament Ukrainian POWs released from occupied Luhansk, December 2018 Facebook Iryna Gerashchenko 42 prisoners were successfully moved from the temporarily occupied Luhansk to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government forces. Iryna Gerashchenko, Ukraine's first deputy speaker of the Parliament posted that on Facebook. 112 International closely follows the situation and will inform the audience as the follow-up appears. Previously, Yevhen Marchuk, the representative of Ukraine at Minsk Talks said that Ukraine's representatives in the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk will offer the formulae of the prisoners exchange, namely '23 for 23' and '66 for 19', during the next session of the Group. We have officially proposed this at the session on December 4. Russia does not agree on this. We will submit this offer again, Marchuk said. According to the Marchuk, the Ukrainian side will announce this offer at the next and the last round of talks in Minsk this year. Earlier, the Russian media reported that the representatives of self-proclaimed 'DNR' (Donetsk People's Republic) offered to exchange prisoners of war with Ukraine on December 27. It was always just a matter of time before the smouldering conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Sea of Azov, a body of water to the north-east of Crimea, escalated militarily. After it opened a bridge across the Kerch strait in May 2018, Russia has gradually brought the entire area under its control, causing severe economic damage to the Ukrainian trading ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk. A volatile situation morphed into an unprecedented, open act of aggression when on November 25, the Russian Navy rammed a Ukrainian tugboat, seized three vessels and their crews and temporarily blocked passage through the strait. Two months earlier Id made the point that, with rising tensions in the Sea of Azov, we might soon witness a second Crimea another territorial grab. That has now come true. Russia has in effect seized the Sea of Azov through military means. This must be seen as just the latest in a long chain of Russian military interventions outside its own territory. The March 2014 annexation of Crimea was a tipping point. That day, Russia turned its back entirely on the principles enshrined in the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and later reaffirmed in the 1990 Paris Charter: it violated the borders and the territorial integrity of a European state. With that, Europes postwar order and the continents longest period of peace came to an end. As a result, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is hardly just a bilateral one. Rather, it raises the question of Europes political set-up and whether might makes right will dominate, instead of the rule of law. Its hard to exaggerate the significance of what is unfolding. When I became chairman of Germanys foreign affairs committee, in January 2014, the world was a different place. The conflict in Ukraine, the refugee crisis, Brexit and the strains in the transatlantic relationship brought by the election of Donald Trump, had not yet happened. Dealing with Russias violation of international norms has become a constant part of my work now. President Putin wants Russia to become a counter-model to the western-led liberal order. The destabilisation of other countries and societies has become the guiding principle of his foreign policy. But its important to keep in mind that Putin isnt acting from a position of strength rather, from a position of weakness. Russias economic forecasts are poor and Putins approval ratings have gone down. Russias deep, post-cold war anxiety comes from losing influence on the global stage and especially in eastern Europe. This was the inevitable consequence of the emancipation of the former Soviet republics. Russia feels cornered and is trying to halt its own decline by using the last means at its disposal: military power and control over access to energy resources. As western Europeans, we have to acknowledge our part in this: we did not take Russias concerns seriously enough. I remember wondering in early 2014 how we might best address Russias nervousness concerning the planned association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine. What happened later showed that the west had completely underestimated what Ukraines rapprochement with the west would mean to Russia. Since the EUs 2004 enlargement to the east, Russia has watched one country after another in its neighbourhood affiliate itself with western Europe, and benefit politically and economically from that. Meanwhile Russia was failing to modernise and rebuild its sway. By 2011, along with the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan, Putin had signed an agreement to set up a Eurasian Economic Union designed as a countermodel to the EU. Losing Ukraine a natural candidate for the EEU was obviously too much for Russia to bear. Im certainly not trying to defend Russias military aggression in any way Ukraine is a sovereign state and has the right to decide which alliances it wants to join. The EU was right to support that process from the beginning. But it was certainly naive for the west to assume that Russia would simply accept such developments. What has to be done now? We can no longer rule out further Russian aggression, for example on the coastline of the Sea of Azov, designed to open a land route to the Crimean peninsula. Above all, the EUs response must be coherent and unanimous: our greatest strength lies in our unity. Military means are out of the question, but all measures short of war should be taken into account. First of all, Russia must immediately release the Ukrainian ships seized near the Kerch Strait and their crews. One good sign is that Russia has now reopened the Kerch Strait for Ukrainian ships. But freedom of navigation in the Sea of Azov must be guaranteed at all times. Next, the 2015 Minsk agreement aimed at resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine must be implemented promptly by both sides. Without that, it wont be possible for us to cut back on existing sanctions. But we must go further: Germany in particular must urgently reconsider the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. Ive long been a critic of this plan, aimed at building an alternative to existing transit routes for energy through eastern Europe. Nord Stream 2 is hardly a purely commercial project; it has strong geopolitical implications. Building permits have already been granted by all the European states involved with the exception of Denmark so stopping the project has become even more difficult. At the very least, Russia must guarantee that gas transits through Ukraine will continue. Meanwhile the EU must ensure Russian gas pipelines on its territory comply with the blocs competition rules. Here again, Germany must act: my country should abandon its veto on a planned reform of the EUs gas directive. One thing is clear there are no quick solutions to tensions between Europe and Russia. The EU needs to maintain dialogue with Russia, for otherwise there will be no peace in Ukraine. In dealing with Putin, we need strategic patience and, where possible, must identify common interests. Europeans have perhaps been too naive in the past, but if we stick together we can tailor policies that will work for the future. Read the original article here. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, NATO supreme allied commander Europe, and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russian armed forces chief of staff, are seated behind their respective flags in Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19, 2018 Stars and Stripes General Curtis Scaparrotti, the Commander of the United States European Command (EUCOM) will hold the negotiations with General Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. Stars and Stripes reported this on Wednesday. It is expected that the sides will discuss the Russian aggression against the ships of the Ukrainian Naval Forces in Kerch Strait, and the U.S. threat in the decision to quit the nuclear treaty. Besides, the NATO leaders are concerned about the further actions in Ukraine and the Black Sea region. Scaparrotti and Gerasimov will meet in Baku, Azerbaijan to promote military predictability and transparency. 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. Given the tough situation in the area of Kerch Strait in the Sea of Azov, President Petro Poroshenko supported the offer of Ukraine's national security and defense council; it stipulates that the Ukrainian Parliament should consider the option to impose the martial law in Ukraine. On November 28, the Uriadovy Kurier, the official outlet of the Ukrainian Cabinet, published the presidential decree No.392, which activates the decision of the National Security and Defense Council in Ukraine about the 30-days-long martial law in Ukraine. However, the Hungarian economy sustained losses because of the Russian counter-sanctions Open source The Hungarian government expressed readiness to support the decision on prolonging sanctions of the European Union against Russia - in spite of the fact that Hungary incurs losses from the counter-sanctions. This is mentioned in the message on the official website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Hungary. The Hungarian economy has sustained major losses due to Russias counter-sanctions. The government believes these restrictions are not appropriate for managing the problems related to Russia, but will not break the EUs unity, reads the message. As it is known, the representatives of the Hungarian Government have been talking about the need for reconsideration of sanctions against Russia. The session of the European Council, where the leaders of the EU are to take part will be held on December 13-14. A political decision on the prolongation of the economic sanctions against the Russian Federation for another six months is to be adopted. Earlier it was reported about the death of the agency's former head Igor Korobkov Igor Kostyukov - a new Russian GRU head, Dec 19, 2018 Stanislav Krasilnikov/ TASS Igor Kostyukov was appointed the new head of the Chief Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (also known as Chief Intelligence Directorate or GRU, - 112 International). This was reported by the Interfax agency with reference to its source familiar with the situation. The appointment took place at the end of last week, the source reported as saying. According to Kommersant agency, Igor Kostyukov was born on February 21, 1961 in Russias Amur region. He received naval military education; later he graduated from the Military Diplomatic Academy (now it is called Military Academy of the Russian Defense Ministry). After the studies, Kostyukov served in the line of military attache and later in the GRU. He then became deputy head in this agency. Kostyukov directed an operation in Syria, as one of the leaders of military intelligence. In December 2016 and in September 2018, he was included into the sanction list of the USA in connection with possible interference with the US elections of 2016. In 2017, Kostyukov was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation for courage and heroism during the performance of military duty. He was also rewared with the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" of Fourth Class, the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky and some others. As it was reported earlier, the head of the GRU, Igor Korobkov has died. Korobkov was appointed the head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff in January 2016, after its previous Head Igor Sergun died. Before that, Korobkov led a strategic intelligence as First Deputy Head of Russian Armed Forces (GRU). In 2016, Korobkov was included in the U.S. sanctions list for wilful acts connected with cyber-threats of the U.S. national security. Besides, he provides an overall direction of Russian military intelligence officers within the military operation of Russians in Syria. The Law of Ukraine on the breach of the 1997 Ukraine-Russia Friendship Treaty took effect on December 12. The parliamentary outlet published the document, which means it is effective now. In early September 2018, the National Security and Defense Council supported President 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. November 10, President Petro Poroshenko signed a law on the termination of Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty from April 1, 2019. Earlier, 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 more than four years now', the Ukrainian authority states. Samarkand electronic warfare system nationalinterest.org Russia builds up its military presence in a number of footbridges. Recently, the media reported the deployment of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems in the annexed Crimea; and the process clearly continues, as Russia's cutting-edge electronic warfare systems appear in Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave in the Baltic region. Jamestown Foundation focused on the issue in its article. 'On October 28, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the latest version of the Samarkand EW system had been deployed to Kaliningrad and other strategic areas. At least 16 of these new systems were deployed in 13 units, as part of a wider program costing 61 million rubles ($920,000) and scheduled for completion by November 2019. Moscow-based Russian military specialists believe that the Samarkand EW system is designed to jam an adversarys communication systems; it would target enemy command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) assets and operate against GPS (including by spoofing), confusing enemy coordinates. Military analyst Vladislav Shurygin notes that the Samarkand is a suppression system, meaning that when enemy forces attempt to conduct operations within its zone, they will experience problems with communications and all electronic equipment, ranging from sights to guidance systems (Izvestia, October 28)', the story reads. Certain types of such systems are expected to do more than merely jam the enemy infrastructure. 'In November, the leadership of the group of defense companies responsible for producing EW systems announced a new program to develop modernized EW protection for Russias various cruise missile types (Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer, December 7)', the article said. The outlet also specified, with references to Russia's defense industry experts, that both the ground-based and the naval versions of the ECM weapons are developed. 'Still, the importance of placing modernized EW assets in regions close to NATOs borders underlies an effort to boost and consolidate existing A2/AD capability in such strategically important locations (News-front.info, November 1)', Jamestown Foundation wrote. Read the full story here. German government noted that the last meeting was dedicated to the Kerch Strait incident Open source The dialogue in the Normandy Format will renew in January and wil be held on the level of advisers, as Interfax-Ukraine reported citing Steffen Seibert, the spokesperson of the Federal Government of Germany. The substantive discussion took place between the advisers and it should be continued in January, Seibert said. As he noted, the meeting in January will take place on the level of the foreign policy advisers of the head of states of the Normandy Format. The meeting that took place on the eve was dedicated, first of all, to Kerch Strait incident. You know that the Federal Government condemned the use of the armed force in the Kerch Strait at the end of November. From our point of view, the dialogue and de-escalation now are the most important to prevent the further escalation. Yesterdays working meeting in the Normandy Format was dedicated to it, Seibert explained. Earlier, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed that Ukraine was ready for a meeting in the Normandy format on the level of political advisers to de-escalate the situation. Related video: The Ukrainian movie director could not make it to Strasbourg due to the illegal detention in Russian prison Dmytro Dinze Facebook Sentsov's sister receives Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for her brother in the European Parliament, December 12, 2018 Dmytro Dinze Facebook Sentsov's sister receives Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for her brother in the European Parliament, December 12, 2018 Dmytro Dinze Facebook Sentsov's sister receives Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for her brother in the European Parliament, December 12, 2018 Dmytro Dinze Facebook Sentsov's sister receives Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for her brother in the European Parliament, December 12, 2018 Oleg Sentsovs sister Nataliya Kaplan received Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for him. Here is the broadcast of the rewarding in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Before the awards ceremony, Kaplan told the story of Sentsovs detention and arrest, and prosecution in Russia. Then, she read the appeal of the Ukrainian movie director. It should be noted that there was an empty chair in the hall of the EP, which was set for Oleg Sentsov. Earlier, Rikard Jozwiak, Radio Liberty correspondent, noted that it was a big question whether Sentsov could be present at the ceremony on December 12; his relative would take it for him or there would be an empty chair. Sentsov's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 112 Agency Sentsov has been imprisoned in Russia since opposing Moscow's takeover of his native Crimea in 2014. He was sentenced to two decades in a Russian prison after being convicted of 'conspiracy to commit terrorist attacks in Crimea'. Oleg Sentsov announced a hunger strike in May 2018, demanding to release him and the rest of Ukrainian political prisoners illegally held by the Kremlin. Sentsov has already survived four health crises. Oleg Sentsov stopped the hunger strike on the 144th day. The Russian side officially announced the statement by Sentsov but did not revea the reason. According to the lawyer of Sentsov, the decision to end the hunger strike was made after Russian doctors and penitentiary facility workers issued an ultimatum to Sentsov, suggesting that he either voluntarily stops the hunger strike or agrees to be force-fed. Later, Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov was awarded Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The decision was announced by the European Parliament on October 25. It is supposed that the official ceremony is to be held in Strasbourg on December 12. The other two finalists for this year's prize were Moroccan activist Nasser Zefzafi and a group of 11 migrant rescue organizations. The EU's legislature established the prize in 1988. The first laureate was South Africa's Nelson Mandela. In recent years, the awards went to the Venezuelan opposition, two survivors of sexual slavery by the Islamic State and the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. Related video: Shooting in Strasburg, December 11, 2018 Reuters Ukrainian diplomat and Oleg Sentsovs sister appeared not far from the scene of the shooting in the French Strasbourg. There was shooting in downtown. Nothing is clear now. A security protocol was implemented in the European Parliament and no one can leave the building. We are sitting and waiting. Yet, its one thing, to sit on a comfortable couch and another to sit in a Russian camp, Nataliya Kaplan wrote on Facebook. She went to Strasbourg to receive Sakharov Prize which her brother was awarded by the European Parliament. I appeared to be 200 meters away from the accident site at an official dinner. But our special service immediately evacuated everyone. I appreciate their service very much, Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraines Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe posted on Facebook. The diplomat noted that Strasbourg downtown is now surrounded by the police and the military, helicopters are flying over the city. As is known, shooting in Strasbourg occurred on a Christmas market. Four people died, 11 more were injured. The enhanced security measures were imposed in France due to the tragedy, as AFP reported. The government raised the security alert level for terrorism to its highest, reinforcing border controls and those around all Christmas markets across France. However, a terrorist motive has not yet been established," the news agency cited Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. The shooter managed to escape. The security services knew him before, the local Prosecutors Office informed that he was on the list of suspected extremists. Ukrainian sailors did not complain about the conditions of the detention or any use of physical pressure Ukrainian diplomats visited six Ukrainian sailors detained by the Russian Spetsnaz in the Kerch Strait, as Ukraines Ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova wrote on Facebook. 'I received the official information from the Ukrainian consul in Moscow Albert Chernyakov. According to him, the Ukrainian diplomats visited six sailors in Lefortovo: Oleg Melnychuk, Mykhaylo Vlasyuk, Viktor Bespalchenko, Volodymyr Tereshchenko, Yevgen Semydotsky and Volodymyr Lysovy,' the message says. According to the consul, the condition of the sailors is satisfactory, their mood is optimistic, and they hope to return home soon. They said that they have not contacted the relatives yet, but they would definitely call them soon. The Ukrainians are placed in double cells with TV sets and fridges; they can use a library, too. They also have warm clothes and shoes, as well as the meals that volunteers sent them. Besides, Ukraines Embassy provided some financial aid for every POW by sending money to their personal accounts. Related video: About Me I am a retired professor. I last taught at Ewha Womans University, mostly composition, research writing, and cultural issues, but also the occasional graduate seminar on Gnosticism and Johannine theology and the occasional undergraduate course on European history. My doctorate is in history (U.C. Berkeley), with emphasis on religion and science. My thesis is on John's gospel and Gnosticism. I'm also an award-winning writer, and I recommend my novella, The Bottomless Bottle of Beer, to anyone interested. I'm originally from the Arkansas Ozarks, but my academic career -- funded through doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships (e.g., Fulbright, Naumann, Lady Davis) -- has taken me through Texas, California, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, and Israel and has landed me in Seoul, South Korea. I've also traveled to Mexico, visited much of Europe, including Moscow, and touched down briefly in a few East Asian countries. Hence: "Gypsy Scholar." View my complete profile Ukrainian sailors, the members of the crew of Berdyansk motorboat Andriy Eyder and Andriy Artemenko, kept in Matrosskaya Tishina prison in Moscow wrote and sent letters, as TSN reported. The sailors inform that they are completely disconnected from the outside world, and they know nothing about their colleagues, kept in another prison. Surgery went well, I cant bend my left knee because of the injury, right hip is a little ripped. A few fragments got in there, first, I could put a figure in the wound, it hurts when I put weight on the right leg. The right arm is scratched, so I smear the paper with green antiseptic and other things while writing, Eyder wrote. He confessed that he hates songs from Russian radio, but there is no other source in the cell. I cant call home. I cant ask anybody to give me a phone. We are holding up and waiting for our return I cant call, because I dont have money on the account. Good luck. Glory to Ukraine! the sailor wrote. Andriy Eyder, Ukrainian sailor, detained by Russia in Kerch Strait TSN His comrade Artemenko noted that he asked his cellmate to write the letter for him, as he doesnt know Russian well. My health condition is good, I am recovering. I receive medical aid here. I dont know about the guys, as we are kept in separate cells. I hope the guys will support me, we hope that our country will take all measures to return us back home, the letter says. Andriy Artemenko, Ukrainian POW, detained by Russia in Kerch Strait TSN It should be noted that only Russian correspondence is permitted in Russian prisons. 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. Related: POW status implies 'special' model for releasing Ukrainian seamen, - Ombudsman 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: 24 Ukrainian POWs moved from Crimea as European Court of Human Rights demands answers from Russia Related video: I think, if you look at our vision, you could say that small-scale agriculture is the biggest industry of Earth. Its a half billion people; its the entire worlds supply chain; its the origin or commodities markets, and nobodys really built a platform on that, Kenny Ewan, founder, and CEO of Wefarm, tells AgFunderNews. Wefarm is a mobile phone-based farmer network and collective for smallholders farmers in Africa. The startup uses AI technology to connect small-scale farmers to crowdsourced information by enabling them to share techniques and advice on anything from how to battle a disease to how to increase their income. Farmers can ask questions in any language and messaging is free of charge. If farmers dont have internet access, they can access Wefarm via SMS on their mobile phones. Wefarms machine learning algorithms then match each question to the best-suited responder. The average time it takes for a farmer to receive an answer to their question is under six minutes even for farmers without internet. We launched in 2015 in Kenya and added Uganda in 2016. We now have over a million approaching 1.4 million farmers using Wefarm, says Ewan. With an impressive database of users, the outfit is now working on another way to resolve smallscale farmers hardships: an online agribusiness marketplace. This new marketplace will help farmers obtain better and cheaper access to critical inputs like seed and fertilizer. We caught up with Ewan to find out more about Wefarm and the new marketplace. How Does Wefarm work? A farmer can ask us a question on anything, in just about any local language, even through SMS for free and get a bespoke answer back. So in practical terms, lets say a farmer in rural Kenya whose chicken isnt laying any eggs or their coffee plants are being attacked by a disease, she can send us an SMS outlining the problem. Wefarm uses evermore sophisticated machine learning and AI to understand everything that farmers trying to tell us by looking into as much background as possible on who they are, where they are, what theyre farming, and the point of the question. Oftentimes theyre sending messages on old school Nokia phones that have two keys missing, so our technology has to understand what that farmers saying to us. We also determine who in our network is best-placed to answer that question, whether its another farmer, an extension agent, a graduate. Were agnostic as to who they are; all that we are looking for is the best person to answer the question. How are you monetizing this? We launched in 2015 in Kenya and added Uganda in 2016. We now have approaching 1.4 million farmers using Wefarm [adding 200k in two months] and incredible rates of contribution, processing more than a million questions and answers a month. Its content on a global scale comparable to Wikipedia and so on top of that we want this ecosystem weve built to be able to tackle other needs for farmers such as access to products and services. You know trusted sources of seeds and fertilizers, trusted access to capital and financial services, trusted access to markets to ultimately sell their crops. So were building a marketplace on top of Wefarm, enabling farmers to start obtaining crops and services, products and services from trusted sources at cheaper prices, and which is ultimately a huge business model for us, but also enables us to continue to provide value to farmers. How far along are you in launching the new marketplace? Yes, we started selling our first products. At this stage, its a relatively small scale. Our focus is not on our revenue at the moment, but on building awesome products that farmers love. We are starting with relatively small-scale stuff to make sure that it works successfully and that the farmers get a good experience. So weve had farmers buying seed packs, salt, and other basic agricultural products through Wefarm. Our goal for the next twelve months is to scale it to many more users while providing a wider range of products and services and making sure that a farmer can get whatever he or she needs, whenever they need it. Are there any competitors offering a marketplace to smallscale farmers? There are a few people that have worked on this area. Its been one of the most common challenges people try to solve. I guess what is fundamentally different about what Wefarm is doing is that we are providing the marketplace service on a platform that already has 1.2 million users and going back to 3,000 farmers a day. Its obviously extremely hard to build a marketplace from scratch so thats why weve really been able to crack this. Have people compared you to Farmers Business Network in the US? People have been trying to tag us for this kind of stuff for a while. People have always thought that its FBN but you know, I think there are also comparisons with what were doing with Amazon. Ultimately there are social aspects to Wefarm as well, were providing a really interesting, engaging tool for farmers to use. I guess you can predict what Im going to say is that ultimately I think were our own service. Were a social mission network. Were ultimately of very high commercial value to our customers but were a mission-driven company working to provide the platform for the entire global small-scale farming ecosystem. I hope pretty soon youll be printing articles saying somebodys the Wefarm of somewhere, to be honest. Who are your investors? Are they mostly impact investors? We are a mission-driven company so we have a social mission that we are looking to accomplish, but were not an impact investment. We are also a for-profit company looking to generate huge amounts of revenue. Our investors today are commercial investors that are investing in us for normal and traditional reasons but also looking to create a difference. Our first seed rounds and pre-seed rounds were led by LocalGlobe in London who are statistically the best seed fund in Europe. Our proper seed rounds a few years ago were led by True Ventures in Silicon Valley, which was amazing for us because it is very, very rare for mainstream Silicon Valley VC to invest in a European early-stage startup. I can probably count on one hand the number of times thats happened over the last decade. Wefarm last raised funding in March this year. When do you plan to do another round of fundraising? Over the next six months, were going to be raising our next round of Series A. Really, the heart of what were going to be raising for is to replicate our success in Kenya and Uganda across other markets. Those markets are is a work in progress but were obviously looking at key countries such as India and a few other obvious ones across the West of Africa and South East Asia. According to our numbers, 25% of all the farms in Kenya and Uganda use Wefarm. We need to start replicating that across other markets. Were also looking to a fully online/offline service and making sure that farmers increasingly have access to smartphones and data services so that we can also provide a richer service online, as well as the SMS service. Spendtime Palace The quintet from Costa Mesa, California started as a fun party trick and now have themselves featured in GQ and Billboard. They're also taking the indie scene by storm and gaining a larger fanbase with each and every unforgettable show. The hype is there, and it's well deserved. They have worked alongside some of the top up-and-coming actors and directors such as Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and Iris Apatow (Netflix's "LOVE") ... With a beautiful blend of hazy psychedelic rock, surf, and punk sounds, Spendtime Palace's growing discography is sure to win over your heart - and your headphones. The Brazen Youth Nicholas Lussier and Charles Dahlke formed the Brazen Youth within the otherworldly vacuum of the 300-year-old Ashlawn Farm, located in Lyme, Connecticut. Timeless and freeing, Ashlawn served as a perfect birthplace of the Brazen Youths 2016 debut, The Ever Dying Bristlecone Man. A heavily conceptual record, Ever Dying is a world with endless nooks in which you can lose yourself, containing meticulous threads of layered tracks and arrangements that shift within songs like tectonic plates, all within an organic and atmospheric gloss of emotionally riveting, lyric-driven songs. Upon adding Micah Rubin to the bands lineup in 2017, the Brazen Youth emerged with a wild-spirited presence into the East Coast scene, soon gaining an empowered and fresh fan base. Fad Vandals Since meeting in 2013 experimental pop duo (Omar Otero, Christopher Padilla) have embarked on a journey to create. Fad Vandals is the culmination of all of their experiences thus far. After a year of sending tracks back and forth, exhausting phone conversations, and plane tickets between NYC and Dallas, Texas. The ride or die homies decided to finally combine their efforts back home, in Albuquerque, N.M. Their love for what they describe as, The Groove, combined with their rock&roll influences, and pop sensibility, have led them to create a sound that carries the abrasiveness of your favorite rock tunes, yet can make you dance like its your favorite pop record. In 2016 the duo traveled to upstate new york to record their debut E.P., Nothing New, with engineers Phil Painson (Pete Rock, Sonic Youth, Yolanda Adams,). and Mario Salvati ( Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, Television). Since then they have cemented themselves as a pillar of the Albuquerque scene, garnering a following most bands wait years for. doors open at 7pm $10 ADV $12 DOS 21+ w/ a valid ID Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. SCOTUS Grants Cert in Case That Could End Deference to Regulatory Agencies By LKB, TTAG Contributor. December 10, 2018 Sometimes, the biggest things the Supreme Court does can fly under the radar of just about everyone but the involved parties (and the law geeks). Today, the Supreme Court granted cert in a case that might bring a truly seismic change in the law -- including laws affecting gun owners. By way of background (law geek mode: ON), we all know that Congress passes laws (subject to presidential veto and veto override procedures). However, in most cases, Congress leaves it to federal agencies to implement those laws, including promulgating the regulations that govern the nuts-and-bolts of how the law will works. For example, the National Firearms Act of 1934 imposed a tax on the manufacture and transfer of machine guns, suppressors, SBS/SBR's, etc., and required them to be registered with the federal government. However, the '34 Act didn't specify how this would be done. ....... The chances of this going all the way to actually reduce federal powers regarding the Second Amendment, in particular with regard to the ATF, does seem rather remote. The ATF's interpretation of laws over time has been one of not only very obscure application but, more important, the tendency to progressively behave as its own legislature with few checks and balances. All this from a taxation agency formerly part of the United States Department of the Treasury. Back to Top #VideoEP | #TestimonioEP Alferez Max Flores Inocente, primer miembro de la comunidad Ashaninka graduado como oficial del Ejercito, marcando un precedente en la historia de la nacion. ??Leer mas: https://t.co/7xO1ztilAi Juntos hacia la misma meta, sigamos avanzando! pic.twitter.com/wzdr5PjeGz 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 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.Published: 12/11/2018 YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries has declared a day of mourning in the city after a gunman killed three and wounded at least dozens more in a Christmas market, DNA reported. The shooting took place in one of the oldest and biggest Christmas markets of the French city. The suspected gunman engaged police with an automatic firearm in a shootout before fleeing the scene. The suspect is still on the run, RT reported. Shortly afterwards investigators began treating the shooting as a terror attack. Strasbourg was put on lockdown after the shooting. Authorities have identified the suspect, who is believed to be a 29 year old local. The gunman is believed to have been wounded by SWAT teams while escaping the scene. Police called in air support to locate and apprehend the gunman. The attack left three people dead and at least a dozen wounded, some critically, according to the French Interior Minister. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. US President Donald Trump says he is not concerned that he could be impeached because he is not involved in any major legal violation, Reuters reported. Its hard to impeach somebody who hasnt done anything wrong and whos created the greatest economy in the history of our country, Trump told Reuters in an Oval Office interview. Im not concerned, no. I think that the people would revolt if that happened. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Snowfalls have prompted the shutdown of several roads in Armenia, and a number of others are difficult to pass as of 08:30, December 12. According to transportation authorities, the Vardenyats Pass is closed for cargo vehicles with trailers, roads in Spitak are difficult to pass for cargo trucks. Snow is falling in the Amasia region of the province of Shirak. The Ministry of Transportation, Communication and Information Technologies has cautioned drivers on clear ice formations along the Sotk-Karvajar road. Snowfalls have hit the regions of Aparan, Aragats, Gavar, Talin, Vayk, Sisian and Meghri, as well as in the Vardenyats Pass and Spitak. Road supervision agencies have been dispatched to carry out clearing and snow removal activities. Georgian authorities said that the Stepantsminda-Lars road is shut down for cargo vehicles. The Stepantsminda-Lars road is the only land connection between Armenia and Russia, which runs through Georgia. Stepantsminda is a small town in north-eastern Georgia. The road is used for both passenger and cargo transportations and is of major significance. Vehicles pass through the Verkhni (Upper) Lars customs checkpoint into Russia. Located on an elevation of 2410 meters in Armenias Gegharkunik Province, the Vardenyats Pass is a mountain pass in the eastern section of the Vardenis mountain range, where the Martuni-Yeghegnadzor highway passes through. The 14th century Selim Caravanserai is located here. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Armenias acting minister of nature protection Erik Grigoryan and Executive Director ad interim of the Green Climate Fund Javier Manzanares signed the bilateral Main agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the GCF, the ministry told Armenpress. The signing ceremony was held in the Polish city of Katowice on December 11, during the 24th Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The agreement will ensure the actions being carried out in Armenia under the Fund. For this purpose the Green Climate Fund will provide 100 billion USD annually to the developing countries starting from 2020. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. The Syrian cities are already liberated from terrorist groups, but the war is not over yet. Recently ethnic Armenian MP of the Syrian Parliament Nora Arisian was in Armenia together with the Syrian parliamentary delegation. She gave an interview to ARMENPRESS, talking about the life in Syria and outlining several problems which still are not solved. -Mrs. Arisian, what was the purpose of your visit and what key emphasis will you mention from the visit? -The delegation of Syria was taking part in the 52nd plenary session of the General Assembly of BSEC Parliamentary Assembly as Syria was representing the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, where, in addition to other issues, the role of parliaments was emphasized in the development of regional economic cooperation. Its worth mentioning that on the sidelines of this event the delegations, as well as the members of the Syrian delegation visited the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial where they laid flowers and paid tribute to the memory of the victims with a moment of silence. I would like also to highlight the visit to the Institute of Oriental Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia where we had a meeting with the director and researchers and discussed the cooperation prospects. -What are the priority issues in the agenda of Syrian and Armenian Parliaments? In what directions the partner MPs must move on? -During our meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament we have discussed the relations and prospects of the two Parliaments. It is necessary to make additional efforts to develop the relations of the parliamentary friendship committees in order to continue the centuries-old friendly ties. -Major domestic political developments, such as revolution, establishment of new government, democracy, have taken place in Armenia recently. How do the Syrian partners perceive the Armenian events? -Syria follows the ongoing developments and political changes in Armenia, with the hope that it would be possible to implement the numerous signed agreements after the snap parliamentary elections and the formation of the new Cabinet. -And in this context what role ethnic Armenian lawmakers of the Syrian Parliament, the Armenian community in general can play in strengthening the Armenia-Syria ties? -We strive to serve a bridge between the two countries and peoples, and we make all our efforts for the benefit of the development of relations between Syria and Armenia. -Mrs. Arisian, what is the current situation in Armenian-populated areas in Syria from security perspective? -It is necessary to note that the cities are already liberated from terrorist groups, but this doesnt mean that the war is over. Yes, the life is more secure, although some problems exist, such as the water and electricity supply and etc. -As an ethnic Armenian MP, representative of the Armenian community, what are the current agenda issues for the Armenian community in your opinion? -I think like for all Syrians, for us as well the restoration is the main agenda issue, especially the fact of the restoration of our schools and Armenian facilities, and these works actually require money, large-scale activities, and our main problems are here. Moreover, I think it is also necessary to take action to solve the problems of reconstruction of the community under the light of new conditions. And as for the return of Armenians, I would like to state that the calm situation promotes the return of many, however, one should also consider the existing economic and social situation. Interview by Anna Gziryan Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. The chief financial officer of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has been granted bail by a Canadian court, BBC reports. Meng Wanzhou was arrested on 1 December and could be extradited to the US to face fraud charges linked to the alleged violation of sanctions on Iran. A judge in Vancouver set bail at C$10m (6m; $7.4m). She will be under surveillance 24 hours a day and must wear an electronic ankle tag. Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Chinese tech giant Huaweis founder was arrested in Canada on December 1 and is facing extradition to the United States, Reuters reports. The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, who is also Huawei Technologies Co Ltds chief financial officer, is related to violations of U.S. sanctions, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Meng was arrested on December 1 in pursuance of an American warrant. Sources told Reuters in April that U.S. authorities have been probing Huawei, the worlds largest telecoms equipment maker, since at least 2016 for allegedly shipping U.S.-origin products to Iran and other countries in violation of U.S. export and sanctions laws. Huawei confirmed the arrest and said that it is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng. Chinas embassy in Canada said it resolutely opposed the arrest and called for Mengs immediate release. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. The Co-Founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative have announced Dr. Tom Catena, an American physician and Catholic missionary from Amsterdam, New York has joined the organization as Chair, IDeA Foundation told Armenpress. The appointment was announced during the Aurora Dialogues in Berlin. Dr. Catena joins the organization during a period of significant growth and will be responsible for engaging key humanitarian stakeholders, working with global partners and overseeing Auroras educational and outreach projects, including the internationally recognized, Aurora Prize. Aurora was established three years ago, and has impacted the lives of displaced individuals, children in conflict zones, refugees, migrants and vulnerable citizens around the world. Since 2016, the Aurora Prize has awarded over $3.3 million to unsung heroes and has supported 23 projects in 11 areas of humanitarian assistance globally. This year, the Aurora Prize supported over 375,000 Rohingya refugees. A further 62 students from conflict areas have been recipients of the Aurora Gratitude Scholarships program to study at United World Colleges around the world and the American University of Armenia. In May 2017, Dr. Catena was named as the Aurora Prize Laureate for his courageous work in the Nuba Mountains. Since 2008, he has served more than half a million people as the sole surgeon at the Mother of Mercy Hospital, an institution he has been dedicated to since. He has been based in Sudans war-ravaged territory for the last decade where humanitarian aid is restricted. Known as Dr Tom by locals, he provides treatment for people suffering ailments and war wounds. He will continue his role as Medical Director at the hospital working with a team of doctors, sourced by the Catholic Medical Mission Board in cooperation with the African Mission Healthcare Foundation, to work in the Nuba Mountains in parallel with his new responsibilities with the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. According to a joint statement from the Co-Founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative: We are delighted to welcome the first Chair of the organization. Dr. Tom Catena truly embodies the spirit of Aurora and will be a driving force in taking our global vision forward by helping to empower individuals to embrace our shared humanity and express gratitude to those making an impact. It is gratifying that the 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate is also the first chair of this organization. Dr. Tom Catena, the new Chair of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative said: It is a true honour to chair the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative I am grateful for the impact of the Aurora Prize on my life and the financial support provided to the Mother of Mercy Hospital that has helped transform the lives of the Nuba people in Sudan. I believe in the simple yet powerful force of humanity in addressing todays critical humanitarian challenges and will remain committed to elevating the Gratitude in Action philosophy in my new role by supporting Auroras work empowering those in desperate need to create their own futures. In 2015, Dr. Catena was recognized by Time Magazine as one of its 100 Most Influential People in the world. He has been recognized with Honorary Doctorates from Brown University and Yerevan State Medical University. He also formerly served as a flight surgeon with the US Navy. As part of the leadership team changes at Aurora, the Executive Board has also appointed Dr. Hayk Demoyan, former Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute as the Chief Operating Officer of the Initiative. He started this position on 19 November 2018. Dr. Hayk Demoyan is author of numerous monographs and academic articles published in Armenian, Russian, English and French. From 2011 to 2015 he was appointed as a Secretary of the State Commission for Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide centennial. About the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Founded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative seeks to empower modern-day saviors to offer life and hope to those in urgent need of basic humanitarian aid anywhere in the world and thus continue the cycle of giving internationally. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is Gratitude in Action. It is an eight-year commitment (2015 to 2023, in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide 1915-1923) to support people and promote global projects that tackle the needs of the most helpless and destitute and do so at great risk. This is achieved through the Initiatives various programs: The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the Aurora Dialogues, the Aurora Humanitarian Index, the Gratitude Projects and the 100 LIVES Initiative. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is the vision of philanthropists Vartan Gregorian, Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan who have been joined by more than 440 new supporters and partners. The Initiative welcomes all who embrace a commitment to our shared humanity. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is represented by three organizations Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Foundation, Inc. (New York, USA), the 100 Lives Foundation (Geneva, Switzerland) and the IDeA Foundation (Yerevan, Armenia). YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi welcomed the recent snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, expressing hope that the bilateral relations between Armenia and Iran will further deepen, Mehr news agency reported. Ghasemi welcomed the recent successful parliamentary elections in Armenia, describing it as a trend of democratic changes in the neighboring country. He expressed hope that the Armenian-Iranian relations will further expand after the formation of the new Cabinet in Armenia. He noted that the relations with neighbors have a special place in Irans foreign policy as they have a decisive effect on stability, prosperity and security of all the countries in the region. Ghasemi stressed the geographical proximity has established deep cultural and historical ties between Iran and all its neighbors, to which Iran attaches great importance. Snap parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on December 9. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Archbishop Nourhan Manougian sent a congratulatory letter to acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on victory of My Step alliance in the recent snap parliamentary elections, reports Armenpress. The Armenian people gave their trust vote to you in this free and democratically-organized election and put the heavy responsibility to govern the Republic of Armenia in the next five years on you. We pray that God grants you wisdom and patience so that you can overcome the security, economic challenges facing Armenia and Artsakh and ensure dignified and prosperous life for our people, reads the letter. 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 Here is a quick look at todays top stories (December 12) Here is a compilation of some of the news stories you might have missed today. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has visited the #3 public school of the town of Charentsavan in Kotayk Province, where students are on a strike for already ten days. Caretaker Minister of Education and Science Arayik Harutyunyan and Governor of Kotayk Romanos Petrosyan were accompanying Pashinyan on the visit. Students and their parents are protesting the election of a new principal and are demanding for interim principal Lusine Karapetyan to remain in office. They claim that the election of a new principal proceeded with irregularities and the council that made the selection carried out instructions. The governor had earlier notified on Facebook that Pashinyan will personally visit the school to reach a resolution of the problem. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Foundation and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights signed a memorandum of understanding which will enable to upgrade the cooperation. After the signing ceremony director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Foundation Harutyun Marutyan said the Canadian Museum for Human Rights carries out major works. Mass violation cases of human rights in the form of genocides are presented in the Museum. We will try to put the cooperation between these two structures on a real basis, by making it more effective and useful for the two sides, he said, adding that this MoU is already the second. President and CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights John Young said the two structures will continue the collaboration. This MoU will allow to unite our efforts and continue the cooperation in different fields, education, public, which always needs upgrading, John Young said. Deputy director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Foundation Edita Gzoyan said several actions are planned by this MoU, one of which is the exchange of exhibits between the two structures, as well as providing certain materials on the Armenian Genocide and other genocides. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights has several educational programs and as we also attach great importance to education from early age, their experience will be useful for us in this regard. The third direction which we have already implemented with our partners, is the expansion of cooperation between the researchers, she said. The MoU enters into force from the moment of signing for five-year term. The members of the Canadian Museum delegation laid flowers at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and paid tribute to the memory of the innocent victims with a moment of silence. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. New political forces have emphasized online promotion to deliver campaigning messages to potential voters. Media expert Samvel Martirosyan argues that political forces have used unprecedented amount of resources for online campaigning. By observing the informational arena we must bear in mind that a very short period of time was given for campaigning, but on the other hand the campaigning had begun since April, he said, referring to the period when the Armenian revolution started gaining momentum. In this context newly-formed forces were in more difficult positions since they had an issue of becoming known among the society. This is why participating forces put the main emphasis on online promotion. Great resources were spent for this, he said. Martirosyan argues that Facebook was the main arena for online campaigning. He said that ads were also placed in Googles advertisement system. Most [resources] were spent of Facebook because this website continues being a political tool. As a result of ads of hundreds of district candidates for parliament the cost of advertisement in Facebook grew nearly 50% within days, he said. Martirosyan says many people tired from politics simply switched to Instagram during those days. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENRESS. Former security official Vachagan Ghazaryan, currently under arrest pending trial, has said he is willing to donate 6,000,000 dollars to the state. In a statement, he said he has clarified the origin of the money on his bank account, his wifes bank account, as well as the cash that was found during a search of his home. In particular, I have informed [investigators] that most of it belongs to my close friend, a famous businessman and philanthropist living abroad, whose identity I dont find appropriate to disclose, he said in the statement. He argues that the source of origin of the money is legal and that he has presented evidence to support it. However, at the same time he pointed out that this money was received prior to the criminalization of illicit enrichment, i.e. before July 1, 2017. Regardless of everything, me and my friend are ready to transfer the abovementioned sum, around six million dollars, to the state for the fulfillment of projects aimed at strengthening the security of Armenia and Artsakh or other needs of the state, in case of the approval of the body carrying out the criminal proceeding, he said. A Yerevan court of general jurisdiction has denied bail for Vachagan Ghazaryan, a former high ranking security official in the Serzh Sargsyan administration. Ghazaryans lawyer Armen Harutyunyan told ARMENPRESS they had filed a motion requesting his release for 5,000,000 drams, but it was denied. Today at 16:00 the court will examine the prosecutions request on extending the pre-trial arrest period, the lawyer said. 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. His wife is also charged with illicit enrichment. Earlier in November, authorities said that couple is also suspected in money laundering involving an upscale restaurant in Yerevan. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. The December 9 snap parliamentary elections in Armenia were much better than the previous ones, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan told reporters today, reports Armenpress. These elections were more transparent and free. The parties were able to hold both meetings and rallies, and the election campaign was covered quite well. I think the legitimacy of these elections was very high, he said. The political scientist said the fact that My Step alliance would receive most of the votes was expected, adding that only in this case it will be clear how the government is working. It was not normal when the Prime Minister had no majority in the Parliament. But now he received that majority. This is in accordance with the logic of parliamentary systems. Lets not forget that now we are in the parliamentary system, and this system demands that the PM must have a majority in the Parliament, he added. Early parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on December 9. The Central Electoral Commission released the preliminary results: -The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) received 4.7% or 59068 votes -Citizens Decision Social-Democratic party received 0.68% or 8533 votes -The ARF received 3.89% or 48822 votes -My Step Alliance received 70.44% or 884849 votes -Bright Armenia party got 6.37% or 80049 votes -Christian-Democratic Rebirth party received 0.51% or 6460 votes -National Progress party received 0.33% or 4122 votes -We alliance 2% or 25174 votes -Rule of Law party 0.99% or 12390 votes -Sasna Tsrer Pan-Armenian party 1.82% or 22868 votes -Prosperous Armenia party 8.27% or 103837 votes Reported by Karen Khachatryan Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan held a meeting today with Malika Genduri, Vice President for Central and Eastern Europe of Veolia, the French water supply company. Caretaker Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Garegin Baghramyan was also in attendance, Avinyans office said. Avinyan noted that cooperation with the company continues openly and transparently for finding effective solutions for existing problems. He added that regardless of the existing issues the government is supporting the companys activities for the benefit of increasing the quality of the countrys water system. Genduri said that Veolia is committed to continue productive work in Armenia, and in cooperation with the government to achieve its goals and overcoming of challenges in the country. She also introduced the companys future projects in Armenia, noting that they consider transforming the Armenia representation into a Caucasus and Central Asia headquarters in the long-term perspective. Both sides welcomed the latest agreement on delaying the scheduled potable water price increase until 2025. Issues concerning raising the quality of water supply, decreasing water loss and draining systems were also discussed. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Book fair for children and youngsters will be opened at Khnko Aper Children's Library on December 14. Its dedicated to the 100th anniversary of ARMENPRESS news agency, 85th anniversary of Khnko-Aper Library and 25th anniversary of "Edit Print" publishing house. Director of Khnko Aper Children's Library Ruzan Tonoyan told in a press conference at ARMENPRESS media hall that their library often organizes events aimed at deepening childrens love towards books and reading. Director of ARMENPRESS news agency Aram Ananyan told that ARMENPRESS has always supported popularization of book reading. He assured that the news agency run by him is always ready to support similar events. Its already 5 years we carry out Yerevan Bestseller project, he said. Aram Ananyan informed that the jubilee events of AARMENPRESS will continue. An exhibition, cancelation of stamp, and a media forum are planned. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that they plan to carry out new military operations in Syria in the nearest days, ARMENPRESS reports, Turkish NTV TV channel informs. The military operation is against the Kurdish forces along the eastern shore of Euphrates River. We will carry out operations to clean the eastern side of the Euphrates River from terrorists. Despite the fact that the USA had promised Turkey that it would not support the Syrian Kurds (PYD/YPG), it has not kept the promise. Its clear that the USA positioned watchdogs not for protecting Turkey from terrorists, but vice the versa, Erdogan said. At the same time he said that the Turkish troops will target the Kurds, not the US servicemen. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan With Bougainville holding one of the world's largest untapped deposits of copper, Chinese and Western companies are weighing the prospects for reopening its Panguna copper mine -- closed since a vicious civil war broke out in 1989. On both economic and diplomatic fronts, Papua New Guinea's autonomous region of Bougainville has become a key piece in the game between Beijing, on one side, and the US and its allies on the other. SYDNEY -- A small island has found itself caught in the escalating battle for influence in the South Pacific. The island is also set to hold an independence referendum on 15 June, potentially creating a new country that could vote in international forums such as the United Nations. John Momis, president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, told Nikkei Asian Review that Chinese businesspeople raised the matter of investing in the mine on a visit to PNG ahead of last month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in the capital, Port Moresby. Momis said he told them that, "Panguna is not an easy issue, and as far as ABG's concerned we have decided to put it on the back burner until the referendum." The peace agreement signed by the PNG government and island leaders in 2001 created the ABG and set the stage for the referendum. Chinese involvement with the mine would give Beijing a direct role in the economic future of a newly independent nation as it seeks to secure resources and expand its strategic network. It would also boost China's sway in its power game against the US and regional rivals such as Australia. But given its potential resources, the government in Port Moresby would be loath to lose the island, especially the Panguna mine. And while the referendum is not binding, blocking a secession backed by most of the local population might be a recipe for renewed unrest in the volatile country. Diplomatic sources said 99% of residents will support independence; Ted Wolfers, a professor at Australia's University of Wollongong, said the consensus is an "overwhelming majority" will vote that way. But he also suggested PNG would not let the island go easily. "PNG's government might talk the autonomous government into settling for greater autonomy that falls short of independence," Takehiro Kurosaki, a junior associate professor at Japan's Tokai University said. The issues of the mine and referendum puts Bougainville firmly in the spotlight. While the situation on the island is replete with risks, Panguna's reserves are very attractive to China, the world's largest copper consumer. The deserted mine contains more than one billion tons of ore, according to a study from 2009 -- more than the 675 million tons extracted over the 18 years it was open. These deposits look even more valuable given global concerns over copper supplies, due to emerging market demand, depletion of known resources, rising mining costs and limited new discoveries. A number of companies are circling. A Lowy report said there has also been corporate interest in the mine from Australia, the US, Canada and Brazil. Whoever wins out will be able to cement a foothold in the region, but it will come at a financial cost. Professor Wolfers said interested parties would have to consider the start-up costs of reopening the mine, which he sees reaching as much as $8 billion. Bougainville's President Momis said the island's government was taking a cautious stance on the investment interest. "We don't believe anybody who comes and talks about these issues until we see things in concrete and on paper," he said. Nikkei staff writer Sarah Hilton in Tokyo and researcher Jennifer Walpole in Sydney contributed to this report In an illiterate society, their accounts were valuable but could never be verified by the written word, which is now the norm in PNG. During the days of our forefathers there was no culture of reading. However there was a culture of narrating and listening, and the great orators and wise leaders although unable to read and write - passed on the wisdom orally from one generation to the next. But a poor literacy rate is having a drastic effect on the present and threatens to be even worse in the future. KUNDIAWA - Papua New Guinea is a country of a thousand tribes and languages. It has countless stories, myths, legends and ballads telling of the value of life from the past to the present. Since the inception of schools and their rapid expansion in the 1960s, students have been inculcated in the literacy arts which brought about a forced immersion into English and into Western culture and civilisation. Amazingly, most of them were taught in English from their first day in school. The students at that time embraced English meaningfully in their hearts as a precious commodity and a valuable means of personal transformation and realisation of ambition. Their illiterate parents and relatives understood this almost from the beginning of colonial contact and enthusiastically pushed the cause of education and the literacy that accompanied it. It was a journey of discovery for everyone. Most of the teachers were expatriates and command of English was of a high standard. The colonial administration ensured there were sufficient books and magazines for everyone to read. The emphasis on English as the formal language of education supplemented the lingua franca and traditional vernacular languages and brought Papua New Guinea into the modern world with a globally useful language. The teaching methods introduced from outside ensured that students read, wrote and spoke competently in this new tongue which transcended tribal and national boundaries. And so English played a pivotal role in breaking down the norms and barriers between illiteracy and literacy. Students who were educated between the late 1950s and the 1980s are as fluent in English as any native speaker. But all that is disappearing. Those students are now ageing and retired or retiring from work. The students who followed have not got their skills. When you compare a high school or university graduate of the past with the present, there is the greatest difference in English competency. Current graduates from the university hunting for jobs have a poor command of English. Their English is Grade 10 stuff, says a senior lawyer. Command of English is declining dramatically at every educational institution in Papua New Guinea. English is no longer esteemed as a universal language and its significance is no longer emphasised in schools. Teachers even turn a blind eye to the value of reading. They themselves read infrequently. The command of English used by teachers in the classroom is poor and they often explain things in Pidgin. Poor competency begets incompetence. One cannot ignore one of the most common contributing factors: the lack of books and other materials to read. If there is little or nothing to read, what then is the functionality of the language? The Education Department with its many partner agencies are not focused on purchasing books to aid poor competency in English and, when they are, most of those books are imported and culturally foreign. But books in schools are scarce. Rooms marked as libraries are bare. Most remote schools have no access to hard copy books, e-books and mass media. This combination of teacher incapability, lack of reading opportunity and growing illiteracy is signaling a dire future for PNG as country able to modernise and compete. And that it is going backwards in this sphere is a national tragedy. Bibaha Panchami brings devotees to Janakpur Thousands of Hindu devotees have arrived in Janakpur from various places of Nepal and India to attend the Ram-Janaki Bibaha Panchami festival. A win for Labor at next years federal election could mean a win for 705,000 Aussies. Photos: Getty If the Labor government wins the federal election next year, Aussies receiving Newstart payments could be set for a $75 increase. The Australian Labor party will weigh up a two-step proposal to increase the government-funded allowances in its national conference held this weekend. Currently, 705, 658 people across Australia receive Newstart allowances. Single adults with no children will have to make ends meet with $275.10 a week, which comes to less than $40 a day. A $75 increase would mean $350.10 a week, or $50 a day. However, this still falls short of covering the basic costs of living such as housing, food, transport, energy and clothing, which costs around $433 a week based on figures by the University of New South Wales. The proposal will be put forward by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), a community services lobby group, which has been campaigning to have the Newstart allowances raised. A number of trade unions will back the proposal, such as the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association as well as Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne. Labor has committed to reviewing the Newstart rate in its first term of government, but ACOSS is pushing for the party to deliver an increase in its first term of government. Ahead of the conference, briefing materials were circulated to delegates and obtained by the Guardian. We dont need a review to know that this is overdue or that there is already widespread support, including from almost 70 per cent of the Australian community, leading economists such as Chris Richardson and Saul Eslake, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, most crossbench MPs and the philanthropic community, ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie said. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Read next: Australia ranks atrociously in climate change action Read next: Halving migration would cost the NSW economy $130bn and 200,000 jobs Read next: Heres why $302 billion of mortgages are at risk China has agreed to cut tariffs on autos imported from the United States, and resume soybean purchases, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Wednesday, confirming the reports that delighted investors. Ross told CNBC the moves by Beijing will "prove that President (Donald) Trump was right when he announced his summary of the talks" held recently with China's President Xi Jinping. The leaders met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires on December 1 and agreed to a 90-day truce while they tried to find a solution to the escalating trade dispute, but they provided differing accounts of the scope of their agreement. Ross did not say when the Chinese auto tariffs will come down or whether Washington had made any offer in exchange, nor when soybean exports might resume. China raised duties on US autos to 40 percent from 15 percent as the confrontation between the world's two largest economies heated up earlier this year, and essentially halted massive soy purchases. American farmers, especially soybean farmers, have been hit hard by China's retaliatory tariffs. Senior US and Chinese officials held discussions by telephone Monday night. Media reports said China agreed to reduce the auto tariffs. Ross said Beijing's offer would help German auto manufacturers in particular as they produced vehicles for the Chinese market at US auto plants. "So that's a very direct help to us and probably will be helpful in the talks we've been having with the German auto manufacturers," he said. Noting that the differing announcements following the Buenos Aires meeting, Ross said, "The president had said there would be a relatively immediate resumption of soybean purchases. It now turns out that he's accurate." The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Chinese officials also agreed to replace the comprehensive industrial policy, Made in China 2025, which Trump officials have sharply criticized. The report said the new plan would allow foreign companies greater access to the Chinese market. Word of possible progress in the trade talks has cheered Wall Street since this week, helping stocks recoup the prior week's losses. However, Beijing has expressed outrage at news last week that a senior executive from the telecoms giant Huawei had been arrested at Washington's behest on charges of Iran sanctions violations. The United States had been poised to more than double the punitive tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods at the start of the year, but with the truce in effect that has been pushed back to March 1. German automakers are likely to be big beneficiaries of Beijing's pledge to cut tariffs on auto imports from the US The European Union faces fresh existential doubts as 2018 comes to a close, with Germany and France gripped by leadership uncertainty and the bloc they anchor facing a rising populist tide. Britain leaves the 28-nation EU on March 29, either in a bitter but orderly divorce or a disruptive "no-deal" Brexit, and just two months later voters across the bloc elect a new European Parliament. "2019 will be a pivotal year with major challenges," said Jonathan Faull, a former senior administrator at the European Commission, the union's Brussels-based executive arm. The elections in May will be a confrontation between mainstream parties and eurosceptic movements tapping into popular anger over migration. France's President Emmanuel Macron's authority as a liberal champion has been dented by the "yellow vest" protests rocking his country, and the long reign of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is ending. "We must manage Brexit, the rise of populism and its causes, Merkel's departure, all that without knowing whether Macron can regain the upper hand," Faull told AFP. Even if indicators suggest Europe's finances have recovered from the 2008 crisis, the scars of its bitter aftermath still criss-cross the bloc's diverse and now politically-divided economies. "Europe has until now held up during crises thanks to the Franco-German couple. But today, it is attacked from inside and threatened with collapse," an official from a major EU country told AFP. Hungary and Poland have elected leaders who have received warnings from Brussels that they pose threats to the EU's founding democratic values. The extreme right has made electoral gains across Europe, to the point of even joining governing coalitions in Austria and Italy. - 'Yellow vests' - "Merkel must think well before leaving office. There remain very few leaders capable of reviving the situation. Macron has problems and all the others are doing badly," the official said. A diplomat said the 2015 refugee crisis, Europe's worst since World War II, was badly managed. Merkel and others pushed for quotas to relocate asylum seekers from frontline countries like Italy and Greece, only to fuel the populist forces rising in areas long spared large-scale immigration. "It was a political blunder," the EU diplomat told AFP on the condition of anonymity. Exploited by authoritarians and rightwing populists, the debate over migration has fractured the EU. More than three years on, seven EU countries refused to sign the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted this week in Morocco by more than 160 governments. The political deadlock over migration had steadily weakened Merkel even before rebels within her CDU party forced her to step aside. With an ally installed in the party leadership, Merkel has pledged to stay in office until her term ends in 2021, but experts refuse to rule out the possibility of elections whose results are uncertain. In France, Macron faces a broadening challenge to his leadership, from traditional opponents as well as the unpredictable "yellow vests", who have staged weeks of protests against his policies. Nor can he use his drive to reform the governance of the EU to regain traction, as "Germany was unable or unwilling" to follow him, according to Luxembourg's foreign minister Jean Asselborn. - 'A great fear' - "Macron's determination to rebuild Europe fell on deaf ears outside France," said Dutch political analyst Luuk van Middelaar. Long marked by low voter turnout, the European elections in May face other problems. No strong personality is yet in the running for Brussels' top job, president of the European Commission. In France, the vote could turn into a referendum on Macron's leadership. Eurosceptic parties could also make big gains in the European Parliament elections, even if the departure of British MEPs will deprive them of many allies. "We must avoid having Europe fall under the grip of those who want to destroy it," Asselborn told AFP. However, former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta refused to be alarmist. "It will be very complicated for the populists to group together," he said. "I don't discount the risks. We hear a great fear expressed pretty much everywhere. But not everything is going in the wrong direction." "When the populists are under fire, they retreat," said Letta, who now heads the Jacques Delors Institute think tank. "The European Union is not about to break up. The Brexiteers in the United Kingdom and the populists in Italy understand this," he told AFP. Faull, who now head international business consultants Brunswick, also offered a measured assessment. "The bloc remained united in the face of Brexit, the institutions are working and nobody wants to abandon the euro anymore," Faull said. France's President Emmanuel Macron's authority as a liberal champion has been dented by the "yellow vest" protests, while the long reign of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is coming to an end "Yellow vest" protesters wave an EU flag in Brussels He was the personal lawyer to Donald Trump and the epitome of loyalty -- a man who said he would "take a bullet" for his boss. But since August, Michael Cohen has been the witness Trump fears most in the Russia investigation, one whose testimony has the power to strike at the heart of Trump's increasingly embattled presidency. The 52-year-old New Yorker has gone from being one of Trump's most trusted lieutenants over the course of 12 years to telling authorities everything he knows about the former real estate magnate's business affairs. On Wednesday, Cohen will be sentenced for campaign finance law violations and tax and bank fraud offenses. Until now, this attorney and businessman who met Trump through real estate dealings was as close to Trump as you can get. Cohen admired Trump the brash tycoon and twice read his book "The Art of the Deal." He was fiercely faithful to Trump as the latter moved toward a life in politics and he is said to have fancied, in vain, the job of White House chief counsel -- the president's official lawyer. Named vice president of the Trump family business, The Trump Organization, Cohen was the fixer assigned the most delicate tasks the president needed done. These included making nasty threats to journalists who asked too many questions about the shady dealings of a man whose empire was built on pillars of loud, cocky and grandiose self-promotion. - Nickname, the pitbull - "If somebody does something Mr. Trump doesn't like, I do everything in my power to resolve it to Mr. Trump's benefit," Cohen told ABC News in 2011. "If you do something wrong, I'm going to come at you, grab you by the neck, and I'm not going to let you go until I'm finished." This devotion would earn Cohen -- the son of a nurse and a Polish-born doctor who survived the Holocaust -- the nickname of Trump's pitbull. And ultimately it has also dragged him into life-altering legal woes. US media say Cohen's first taste of lawyering prepared him for shady dealings. After graduating from law school at Western Michigan University, he specialized in helping people who were hurt in accidents -- an ambulance chaser in slang. For instance, he once defended a woman accused of trying to defraud an insurance company by seeking damages from a fictitious road accident. Along with his Ukrainian-born wife, Cohen later made a boatload investing in New York taxi licenses, in a pre-Uber era when their value was high and always climbing. As Trump's fixer, Cohen arranged for Trump to pay hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playmate Karen McDougal, both of whom claimed to have had sex with Trump, right before the 2016 election. - Damaging admissions - But it was an FBI raid on his office in April of this year that paved the way for Cohen to start cooperating with authorities investigation whether Trump colluded with Russia. Four months later, Cohen acknowledged paying a total of $280,000 to those two women in exchange for their silence. He confessed to violating campaign finance laws that bar individual contributions of more than $2,700 to a politician's campaign. For the first time, and very importantly, he said he had acted at the president's request in an effort to keep those women from harming Trump's chances of winning the election by triggering a scandal on the eve of the vote. Cohen thus became a key witness in special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to sway the vote in his favor and whether the president has tried to obstruct justice by blocking the probe into his relationship with the Russians. Last month Cohen acknowledged that he lied to Congress about his contacts with Russia about building a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen said these contacts went on until June 2016, far longer than he had previously told lawmakers. Cohen also said he had been approached in late 2015 by a Russian proposing "political" cooperation with team Trump -- an admission that fueled suspicions of collusion. Cohen's admissions have people talking about possible impeachment of Trump or criminal charges against him if he does not win re-election in 2020. It is generally thought that a sitting US president cannot be indicted. Cohen's defenders depict him as a fall guy, but for now he is the only one who is about to go to prison. New York prosecutors want to see Cohen sentenced to what they call a substantial term of four to five years in prison. Cohen is hoping that his cooperation with authorities investigating Trump will land him a more lenient punishment. Cohen's goal now is to get his widely expected prison time over and done with and "begin his life virtually anew, including developing new means to support his family," as his lawyer puts it. Michael Cohen, seen here after pleading guilty in August, has gone from being President Trump's loyal confidant to one of his chief accusers Four months after raids on his office, Cohen pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud and to violations of campaign finance law George Papadopoulos sparked the first FBI inquiry into Russian involvement in the 2016 US election when, as a Trump campaign advisor, he let slip that Moscow had offered him dirt on Hillary Clinton. Now he's the first to cash in on the scandal. Just out of prison, where he spent two weeks for lying to investigators about his Russia contacts, Papadopoulos is already filming a documentary about his case, and has a book on the way to boot: "Deep State Target." "Very happy to announce our new docu-series!" Papadopoulos declared Tuesday on Twitter, over a picture of him with wife Simona Mangiante Papadopoulos. Papadopoulos, 31, was an obscure oil industry analyst when he joined the Trump campaign's foreign policy advisory team in March 2016. Based in London, he made contacts with what he believed were important Russian and Russia-linked officials, one of whom told him Moscow had information available that would embarrass Trump's election rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Papadopoulos passed the offer on to the Trump campaign, but also, while reportedly drunk, mentioned it to an Australian diplomat, who passed the information to US intelligence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation then opened the now sprawling probe into contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia that threatens the president himself. Papadopoulos, one of the first investigated, lied to the FBI about his contacts. Eventually, he pleaded guilty to one count, admitted to the FBI's description of what he had done with the Russians, and was sentenced to 14 days in jail. But after his guilty plea, he made an about-face, saying he had been set up by Australian, British and US intelligence in a plot to undermine Trump's presidency. He was released on Friday from a low-security federal prison in Wisconsin, and one day later was feted in Washington at a conference of the "alt-right," an often extremist conservative movement known for conspiracy theories. One day after that, the Papadopouloses were already filming their story with Los Angeles documentary house FGW Productions. The drama is set to focus on the love story between Papadopoulos and Italian lawyer Mangiante as it developed in parallel with his involvement in the Trump campaign, his Russia contacts and then the collusion investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Papadopoulos told The Washington Post that they sought "a true image of ourselves to be presented for the first time since I was embroiled in the Russia investigation." The book meanwhile will detail "Western intelligence attempts to sabotage President Trump and his team," Papadopoulos said on Twitter. George Papadopoulos, a former foreign policy advisor to Donald Trump's presidential election campaign, and his wife Simona Mangiante plan a biographical docuseries and a political book after he spent two weeks in jail for lying to the FBI President Donald Trump's administration asked the Supreme Court Tuesday to allow him to enforce a ban on granting asylum to illegal immigrants, after suffering two lower court setbacks. The Justice Department told the high court that the ban, announced by Trump on November 11, needed to be enforced immediately to deter thousands of Central Americans now at the US southern border from crossing into the country illegally in search of asylum. "These measures are designed to channel asylum seekers to ports of entry, where their claims can be processed in an orderly manner; deter unlawful and dangerous border crossings; and reduce the backlog of meritless asylum claims," read the petition, filed in Trump's name. Eleven days after Trump announced the controversial action, US District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order against its implementation, while the full case faces legal challenges. Human rights groups argue that the order violated the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which states that any foreigner who arrives in the US, "whether or not at a designated port of arrival," may apply for asylum. The Justice Department appealed the restraining order. But on Friday an appeals court sided with the lower court against enforcement, saying Trump's ban was at odds with existing law. The fight over asylum seekers was the latest in a series of battles over immigration that Trump has waged with his own courts since he came into office in January 20 promising a crackdown on the borders. The administration is fighting to stem the surge of migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador who travel to the US border with Mexico to request asylum, claiming their countries are too dangerous for them to remain there. Currently, if they do cross the border illegally, they must be allowed to apply for asylum and are often set free inside the country while their case is pending. There was no immediate response from the Supreme Court on whether or when it would review the Trump petition. Thousands of Central American migrants, mostly Hondurans, have trekked across long distances in the hopes of reaching the United States The hour of judgment has come for Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, who will learn Wednesday if cooperating with authorities conducting the Russia probe will spare him a long prison term. Cohen, 52, is one of several members of Trump's team who have run afoul of the law but the only one to belong to Trump's inner circle. For 12 years he was vice president of The Trump Organization, the umbrella company for Trump's real estate businesses, and one of the principal confidants of the New York billionaire. Cohen accompanied Trump throughout a political ascension which he encouraged, but now has made a spectacular flip. After investigators raided his offices and New York home in April, he made his confessions. In August, Cohen admitted to having hidden from tax authorities about $4 million in revenue from his taxi companies. He also admitted to paying a total of $280,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who threatened to go public during the 2016 presidential campaign about their alleged affairs with Trump. Last month Cohen acknowledged that he lied to Congress about his contacts with Russia about building a Trump Tower in Moscow. - Enemy number one - These confessions transformed him into enemy number one for the American president, who is trying to discredit Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. According to Cohen, Trump asked for the payments to the two women, but Trump has dismissed the allegations as lies. According to Trump, those "lies" aim to get lenient treatment for Cohen from Judge William Pauley, who will preside over Cohen's sentencing from 11:00 am (1500 GMT). As the Democrats prepare to take control of the House of Representatives in January and Trump's opponents search for ways to neutralize or shorten his presidency, Cohen has become an anti-hero. All his appearances and statements are considered potentially explosive and the Manhattan courtroom is likely to be crowded for his expected act of contrition. Leniency is far from assured. His confessions were not accompanied by a plea deal agreement with prosecutors, which generally brings a lighter sentence in the United States. In their recommendations to the judge, the New York prosecutors, who investigated the tax evasion and payments to the women, said Cohen the lawyer and businessman had not sufficiently cooperated with them to benefit from a punishment substantially less than that recommended for such crimes: four to five years in prison. According to the prosecutors, considered among the toughest in the country, Cohen "declined to be debriefed on other uncharged criminal conduct, if any, in his past." They said he also declined to meet with them about "about other areas of investigative interest." They said Cohen had minimized the gravity of his crimes, which were marked by "a pattern of deception." Paying for the silence of Daniels and McDougal, who otherwise would have made public their alleged affairs with Trump, "struck a blow to one of the core goals of the federal campaign finance laws: transparency," they said. "In the process, Cohen deceived the voting public by hiding alleged facts that he believed would have had a substantial effect on the election." Although Cohen cooperated with Mueller, providing information about contacts between Trump's campaign team and Russia, it was "when he knew he was under imminent threat of indictment" in Washington, the New York prosecutors said. - 'Relevant information' - But Mueller said that Cohen, a father of two, had taken "significant steps" to mitigate his lies before Congress. He also said Cohen gave "relevant and truthful information" touching on the heart of the Russian inquiry, which is now raising questions as to whether a member of Trump's family -- his eldest son Donald Trump Jr or son-in-law Jared Kushner -- could be charged next. Judge Pauley, 66, known for his independence and named 20 years ago by then-president Bill Clinton, will have to decide if there is room for to go easy on Cohen, who has asked for the lightest sentence possible to "start his life over." Trump's opinion is already known. In an early-December tweet he said he hoped that the man who betrayed him will get a "full and complete sentence." In this file photo taken on June 15, 2018, Michael Cohen, US President Donald Trump?s former personal lawyer walks down Park Avenue in New York Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. With just hours left before the close of negotiations, UN mediators rushed to broker a truce Wednesday between government representatives and rebels in Yemen, a country teetering on the brink of famine. The UN talks opened last week in Sweden, the first meeting in two years between Yemen's Huthi rebels and the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, backed since 2015 by a behemoth military coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Taiz, the southwestern city controlled by the government and surrounded by the rebels, is no longer under discussion at the talks, scheduled to close on Thursday. The city has been the scene of some of the most intense fighting in a war that has pushed 14 million people to the edge of famine. Intense talks, however, were continuing on Sanaa airport, shut down for years in the conflict between the Saudi-backed government and northern rebels linked to Iran. Negotiators are also seeking a de-escalation of violence in rebel-held Hodeida, a port city vital to the supply of humanitarian aid, and a cooperation deal on the country's crumbling economy. Hodeida, the lifeline to millions dependent on aid to survive, is home to major frontlines. - 11th hour - Another round of talks has been tentatively scheduled for January, according to UN and Yemeni officials. The head of the Huthis' revolutionary council, Mohammed Ali Huthi, on Wednesday said the insurgents had proposed Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa, to host the next round. A UN official said the organization had received no such request. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was due at the talks in Rimbo, Sweden, for Thursday's closing round of consultations. Ahead of the UN's chief's arrival, his office said it had evidence the rebel Huthis were using Iran-made missiles -- a charge the Saudi-led alliance levels against the rebels as grounds for restrictions on the Hodeida port and Sanaa airport. Both government and rebel representatives have traded accusations of unwillingness to negotiate, particularly on rebel-held Hodeida, the main route for 90 percent of food imports and nearly 80 percent of aid deliveries. UN special envoy Martin Griffiths has submitted a proposal on a political framework for the future of Yemen, an agreement on the reopening of Sanaa airport, a paper on addressing the economic situation and a draft agreement on Hodeida, spokeswoman Hanan Badawi told reporters. "The two parties have officially received the drafts and we are waiting on a response," Badawi said. Members of both delegations contacted by AFP said agreements could be signed by morning. Yemeni Prime Minister Moeen Abdulmalik Saeed told AFP a full agreement on Hodeida was unlikely "given the time constraints". - Airport, port - Abdelmagid al-Hanash, of the Huthi delegation, told AFP an agreement on Sanaa airport was close, with the rebels open to a government proposal for flight searches in Sayoun or Aden, two cities under the control of the state. "For now, the search will be in Aden but will not cause harm or trouble. No one will be asked to disembark," Hanash said. An advisor to the government team, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his delegation would not confirm any agreement until the documents had been signed. Yemeni ministers Othman Mujalli and Marwan Dammaj told reporters Wednesday their camp would hold firm to UN Security Council Resolution 2216 -- which calls for the Huthis to withdraw from all areas seized in a 2014 takeover, including Hodeida. Representatives of both the Huthis and government contacted by AFP late Wednesday blamed the other party for the lack of a truce on Hodeida. The last official statement by a spokesman for the Saudi-led government coalition said military operations were ongoing in Hodeida on Monday night. - Saudi soldiers on missing list - The two camps signed a mass prisoner exchange deal at the Sweden talks, which two Yemeni government officials confirmed include Saudi soldiers fighting alongside state troops. The Huthis had said Tuesday that the list included Saudi soldiers. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition and a UN official did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The prisoner swap includes the names of more than 15,000 detainees and disappeared persons taken on frontlines since 2015. The deal will be overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which warns the exchange could take weeks. The Yemen conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since the Saudi-led coalition joined the war in 2015, according to the World Health Organization, 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. Negotiators were trying to solve the dispute over Sanaa airport, shut down for years in the conflict between the Saudi-backed government and northern rebels linked to Iran The office of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (C) said it had evidence the rebel Huthis were using Iran-made missiles The war in Yemen has pushed 14 million people to the brink of famine More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the UN says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "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," it added. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting on Iran, scheduled to start at 1500 GMT. Guterres' report mainly addresses Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with six major powers. The United States pulled out of the accord in May and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. The report concludes that Iran continues to abide by the nuclear accord, under which it won sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. The UN has said in the past that Yemen's Huthi rebels have fired Iranian-made missiles at Saudi Arabia. But it said it could not be certain that these weapons were in fact supplied by Iran in what would be a violation of UN resolutions. Iran supports the Huthi rebels in Yemen politically but denies supplying them with arms Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who was named this week as a Time magazine "Person of the Year", has extensive experience in conflict zones, but is now fighting a war to fend off government moves to put her behind bars. Hours after meeting bail Tuesday on fresh tax fraud charges that the 55-year-old insists are "manufactured", Ressa was named to the prestigious award. The accolade, also given to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, imprisoned Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and the staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, including five members killed in a June shooting, highlighted those taking "great risks in pursuit of greater truth," Time's chief editor said. Ressa's news site, Rappler, has taken a critical stand on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly anti-drug crackdown and now says it is the target of attacks from authorities. "It is easier to navigate a conflict zone, a war zone than it is to navigate the legal weaponisation of laws in our country. But we will hold the line," the Princeton graduate said last week. Ressa and the site have been hit with multiple counts of misleading the government on taxes, and if convicted on one count alone she faces up to a decade behind bars. - 'We did not hide' - It caps a tumultuous year for Ressa, which began with the government moving to revoke Rappler's licence in January. At the same time she has received a series of global awards from press freedom advocates, including from the Committee to Protect Journalists. Ressa has been battling what she calls disinformation under Duterte, who won elections in mid-2016 on a promise to rid society of drugs by killing tens of thousands of people. Rappler has been among a small number of Philippine media outfits producing investigative reports on the killings in Duterte's anti-crime crackdown and is critical of his leadership. A journalist for more than 30 years, Ressa is no stranger to threats. As CNN's former bureau chief in Manila and Jakarta, Ressa specialised in terrorism where she tracked the links between global networks like Al-Qaeda and militants in Southeast Asia. "I've been shot at. I almost got thrown out of a country. I've been imprisoned for a night," she told AFP last week. However Ressa, who holds both American and Filipino citizenship, returned to the Philippines as news chief of the largest television network ABS-CBN for six years. In 2012, she launched her own startup, Rappler, in the social media-obsessed Philippines. However that website is now fighting for survival as Duterte's government has accused it of violating a constitutional ban on foreign ownership in securing funding, as well as libel and tax evasion. Reacting to the Time award, Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Wednesday that charges against government critics were legitimate and free expression remained "robust". Ressa, who denies all the charges, has vowed to fight back. "We at Rappler decided that when we look back at this moment a decade from now, we will have done everything we could: we did not duck, we did not hide," she said while accepting an award last month. "You don't really know who you are until you're forced to fight to defend it." Maria Ressa's news site, Rappler, has taken a critical stand on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly anti-drug crackdown and now says it is the target of attacks from authorities Philippine journalist Maria Ressa was named this week as a Time magazine "Person of the Year" along with Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and the staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis The elementary students in Auburn schools are learning about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) from a global perspective. Along the way, they are connecting with students from other countries. I want to thank Genesee Elementary School librarian Anne Mlod for letting me know about this. I spoke on the phone with Victoria Calarco, the librarian at Owasco Elementary School. She explained to me that for the past several years, the students have worked on exchange projects with children around the world: Every year we do an international bookmark exchange. We send them to students in other countries. This year we sent them to India, China and Croatia. The kindergarten class is doing a teddy bear exchange with Pakistan. We send them one, they send one to us. Then the children take turns bringing the bear home. Projects such as these cannot be done without reliable partners who match the schools with each other. One of these partners is the iEARN Project (iearn.org), which promotes 17 sustainable goals through international educational exchange projects. Summarizing from its website, iEARN is a nonprofit organization made up of over 30,000 schools and youth organizations in more than 140 countries that empowers teachers and young people to work together online in a safe and structured environment using the internet and other new communications technologies. Over 2 million students each day are engaged in collaborative project work worldwide. Another important partner is the International Association of School Librarianship (iasl-online.org), whose mission is to provide an international forum for people interested in promoting effective school library programs as viable instruments in the educational process. Calarco invited me to visit the Owasco school library to watch Tracy Gardiners first-grade class make holiday cards that will be sent to seven different countries: Taiwan, Russia, the United Kingdom, Belarus, Pakistan, Japan and Slovenia. Some of the cards had pre-printed holiday designs on them that the children were coloring, and they would then write their own greetings inside the cards for the children across the world to read. I do a fair number of crafts myself, but those first-graders showed me some new things. By using copper tape, a material I had never seen, laid out in a square, combined with a watch battery and an LED bulb, a little pressure on the battery made the bulb light up. The one I saw had the bulb as the top of a Christmas tree. When I was in science class, the teacher always said what we called a battery she called a dry cell. In this case, is the battery a STEM cell? Sorry, I couldnt resist that one. With this very simple technology, the students have to use manual dexterity to lay the tape around the square on the paper and have the battery in the right position, or the bulb wont light up. This teaches them about electrical circuits in terms they understand, with fun results. One thing I really liked about this particular project was that they have to think about children in other countries, what their customs are and what their schools might be like. And although I was not there for that, I can only imagine the excitement they feel when a package from another country arrives at their school. Think of it this way: You have two friends you like equally. One sends you a holiday greeting by email. The other send you a card with a brief note inside. Which one would you feel made that extra personal touch? Same way here for these children. They are making personal connections with other children around the world and thinking beyond themselves. Wonderful! Joe Sarnicola is retired from the Auburn Enlarged City School District. He can be reached at joesarnicola@yahoo.com. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SKANEATELES Farmers from across central New York gathered in Skaneateles Tuesday to discuss the Skaneateles Lake Watershed Agricultural Program's work in 2018 to protect the lake. Founded in 1994 by the city of Syracuse, SLWAP is a voluntary program that works with farmers within the Skaneateles Lake watershed across parts of Cayuga, Cortland and Onondaga counties to protect water quality. At the program's annual meeting Tuesday, where attendees heard from experts on topic's including SLWAP's 2018 projects, precision feeding management, forest stewardship, harmful algal blooms and more, Program Manager Mark Burger said 39 of the 46 farms in the watershed were participating in SLWAP's Whole Farm Planning process. The plan helps farmers who volunteer to participate to implement best management practices and nutrient management plans on their land to protect water quality. "Without the support of the farmers, none of this work gets done," Burger said. For example, farmers in the watershed in 2018 planted 644 acres of cover crops, which help prevent erosion and nutrient loss from agricultural land in between harvesting seasons. Other projects the program accomplished in 2018 included shoreline and streambank restorations, buffer strip enhancements, and the funding of nutrient management plans for nearly 5,000 acres of agricultural land in the watershed. One of the program's chief functions, according to its official website, is to help farmers keep their farms operational in the face of what several at the meeting described as ever-increasing regulation and a crisis-level farming economy. "So many times, people think food comes from Wegmans," Burger said when discussing why it's important to help farmers stay in business. "It comes from the farmers in this room." How to stay in business during difficult times while remaining a good steward of the environment was the principal topic discussed by Mike McMahon, co-partner at E-Z Acres dairy farm in Homer. To illustrate the concept of sustainability, McMahon used a Venn Diagram with overlapping sections for the natural environment, economic viability and healthy communities. "We try to operate in that nexus where those three bubbles meet," McMahon said. McMahon's farm, which has been in the family since the 1950s, was an early pioneer in the field of nutrient management plans, having acted as a case study for Cornell University in 1997. Since helping develop and implement some of the now-standard practices, like scientifically measuring precise amounts of manure fertilizer crops need, planting soil-appropriate grass, floodplain reconstruction and more, the McMahons produced not only measurable improvements in water quality but benefits to their herd health, costs and production. While the industry has come along way since his father's time, McMahon said future challenges like climate change's effect on farming or harmful algal blooms on Skaneateles and other lakes require cooperation between both farmers and the wider public. "We've got to do everything we can in our power to do something about this and be a good partner," McMahon said. Other experts touched on topics including forest stewardship plans, the state Department of Environmental Conservation's work studying harmful algal blooms, and wellness practices for farmers to cope with a difficult industry. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh also presented the program's annual awards, including Environmental Steward of the year to Ireland Farms of Onondaga County. 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 0 AUBURN A Cayuga County legislative committee Tuesday tentatively acknowledged a capital project plan from Cayuga Community College, a necessary step before the plan can be submitted as a budget request to the state. The Legislature's Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved a resolution acknowledging the college's plan for more than $6 million worth of capital projects to support workforce development, childcare expansion and infrastructure improvement. CCC President Brian Durant said the project is an important part of the school's initiatives and goals in the future. "We certainly appreciate the support of the Ways and Means Committee," Durant said. In order to receive state funding for the plan, the college must submit it to the State University of New York administration with the hope that it is included and ultimately approved in the system's funding request from the 2019 state government. Before that can be done, the plan first needs the county Legislature's approval, although the specific resolution approved Tuesday does not commit the college or county to any specific projects. Now that the Ways and Means committee approved the resolution, it proceeds to the full Legislature. The Legislature's monthly meeting for December will be held Thursday, Dec. 14, instead of its usual later date in observance of the Christmas holiday. Committee Chair Joseph Bennett, R-Auburn, said he felt the plan had substance and looked forward to seeing if the full Legislature approves it. "It would be good for the college and the community," Bennett said, "if the state goes along with it." The largest portion of the plan is the $5 million for site and infrastructure improvements to what is currently the Cornell Cooperative Extension building on Grant Avenue in Auburn. CCE donated the property to the college, which plans to convert it into a collaborative workforce development center, in exchange for a no-cost lease for offices. At CCC's board of trustees meeting last week, Durant said the expected value of the property, $2.4 million, would ideally be matched by state funds if the plan is approved. Durant said Tuesday the college is exploring other resources for funding the remainder. For the acquisition and renovation of a facility to expand the college's childcare program, CCC is request $500,000 from the state to match the amount committed by the Faculty Student Association. Similarly, the college is requesting $100,000 to match an equal amount from the Cayuga County Community College Foundation to support campus infrastructure improvements, according to the resolution. The Legislature will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Cayuga County Office Building at 160 Genesee St., Auburn. Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Some Jordan-Elbridge High School students may be able to attend Onondaga Community College tuition free. OCC representatives presented the OCC Advantage college readiness program to the Jordan-Elbridge district's board of education Dec. 5, according to a press release. The program would start for J-E students during their freshman years. District Superintendent Jim Froio said Tuesday that the program will start in January. It is targeted for students who average 70 to 78 or 79 percent in school; a student must have an 80 average to qualify for the state's Excelsior program. Froio said the district still wants students who don't have A or B averages to feel they can succeed in college. The press release said students need a certain GPA, maintain a good attendance record, do community service and successfully complete any required college readiness programs to remain eligible for free tuition. Students would also have to apply for the New York State Tuition Assistance program and complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Amy Kremenek, the college's vice president for enrollment development and communications, said OCC's annual tuition is around $5,000. Students that meet the requirements would be able to attend OCC tuition free after high school graduation; with two years to get an associate's degree or certificate. At OCC, students would need at least a 2.2 GPA for the first semester, 2.3 for the second and 2.5 for the third and fourth semesters as well as meeting community service requirements. This program is not designed for the top 10 students in the class. We want the students in the middle, Kremenek said in the release. Its our goal for students to graduate from OCC without any debt so they can go right to work or go on to a four-year school." The high school already works with OCC on its Early College High School program, which allows students to earn both high school and college credits and graduate with an associate's degree and a high school diploma. The partnership weve had with OCC has been incredible, Froio said in the press release. Were excited about the potential of this program for our students. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. AUBURN A new Auburn business complex comprised of a WellNow Urgent Care and an Aspen Dental is set to open at 271 Grant Ave. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for WellNow is slated for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12. With local and state officials and regional business leaders in attendance, the public is invited to tour the facility and learn about the provided services. An open house at the facility runs from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday. Beginning Thursday, WellNow will be open to help treat non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aspen Dental, which is moving from its location at 1578 Clark St. Road in Aurelius, will begin operating at the new site Monday, Dec. 17. The office will be open Monday through Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; as well as select Saturdays. Walk-ins and emergencies are welcome. The new location will provide Aspen Dental with better parking and allow more patients to be accommodated, the company said in a press release. The facility will also feature amenities to comfort patients including chair-side televisions and headphone usage. The new building at 271 Grant Ave. was developed by Miami-based Frontier Development LLC. It was formerly the home of David's Collision and Body Shop, which was demolished to make room for the new 6,700-square-foot medical building. Staff writer Dan Orzechowski can be reached at (315) 282-2239 or dan.orzechowski@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @OrzechowskiDan. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 6 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Chitwan District Court fines four over electrocuted rhino incident Chitwan District Court fined four persons, including two senior staffs of Hotel Meghauli Serai, over a mishap that electrocuted a rare one-horned rhino. AUBURN A Syracuse woman was sentenced to prison for breaking into a Cayuga County home and stealing jewelry to support her heroin addiction. Andrea Kreydatus, 27, pleaded guilty in October to breaking into a Throop home on State Street Road in December 2017 and stealing jewelry and other valuables. She then pawned the items to get money to buy drugs. Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said in Cayuga County Criminal Court Tuesday that while Kreydatus pawned the items for around $3,000, the victim's statement indicates the total value of the stolen items was more than $10,400. The victim's insurance covered about $2,600 of the theft, he added, which leaves Kreydatus with roughly $7,800 to pay in restitution. Rome Canzano, Kreydatus' defense attorney, called the crimes a "desperate act by a desperate person" that were "fueled by drug use, abuse (and) addiction." He asked Judge Mark Fandrich to go along with the previously agreed-upon sentence, which would allow Kreydatus to participate in programs in state prison that would help her get clean of her "life-long" addiction. "There's a lot of life left," he added. Budelmann also said in court that if she isn't able to turn her heroin addiction around, it could not only lead to more crime but could also lead to the loss of her life. For her crimes of third-degree burglary and third-degree grand-larceny, both class D felonies, Fandrich sentenced Kreydatus to 1 1/3 to four years in prison with a shock camp order and ordered her to pay a total of about $8,200 in restitution, which includes a surcharge fee. An order of protection was also put in place for the victim. Also in court: A Port Byron sex offender pleaded guilty to failing to register a new address within the required 10 days. David Manchester, 55, admitted to Fandrich that he moved from his old address of 5 River St. in Port Byron and was gone for more than 10 days without registering a change in his address. Manchester was previously convicted in 1994 of a sex offense against a child in Florida. In light of Fandrich verbalizing his likely sentence would be one of shock probation, with six months in jail and 10 years of probation, or one to three years in prison, Manchester pleaded guilty to one count of sex offender failure to report address change, a class E felony, by waiver. Manchester is due back in court for sentencing Feb. 26. Staff writer Megan Ehrhart can be reached at (315) 282-2244 or megan.ehrhart@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @MeganEhrhart. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NEW YORKThe Howard Stern Show on Tuesday delivered three naked gay porn stars on a platter to High Pitch Erik, who turned them all down in favor of staffer Chris Wilding. Performers Eddie Danger, Alam Wernik and Aaron Savvy visited the studio during the show, posing in their birthday suits for the Wack Packer. Erik recently took a gay lie detector test, so to help him explore those results the show invited the performers to give him a massage. Instead, he asked staffer Chris Wilding to rub his shoulders and his legs. While High Pitch Erik turned down the offer of a massage from one of the naked handsome hunks of adult, he did eventually admit he did find Alam appealing. Alam, Ill just give you a hug because you look like Justin Bieber, he said. After the embrace Erik said Alam smelled good and complimented the performer on his choice of cologne. For more on the segment, visit HowardStern.com. Photo: The Howard Stern Show A federal judge on Tuesday ordered AVN Hall of Famer Stormy Daniels to repay Donald Trump nearly $300,000 in attorney fees, after the same judgeS. James Oterodismissed Daniels defamation lawsuit against Trump in October, according to an Associated Press report. Daniels brought the lawsuit in April, after Trump took to Twitter to claim that her story of being physically threatened by a man invoking Trumps name was a total con job. Daniels has since claimed, in a statement on November 28, that she never wished to file the defamation lawsuit against Trump, and that her lawyer Michael Avenatti filed the suit despite her objections. Daniels in March filed a lawsuit against Trump and Trumps then-lawyer Michael Cohen over the $130,000 hush money deal that she signed, to keep her from discussing a sexual encounter with Trump she had in 2006. Last week, Trumps lawyers asked Otero to hit Daniels with a total penalty of nearly $800,000, as AVN.com reported, a sum which included what lawyer Charles Harder claimed were $390,000 charged by his firm to Trump for work on the defamation case, plus another $390,000 as a penalty to Daniels for bringing the suit in the first place. In awarding the total of $293,052.33, Otero ruled that only $1,000 in penalties against Daniels was required, because Daniels was "already deterred" against filing further defamation suits against Trump, refraining from doing so despite Trump's "continuing use of rhethorical hyperbole" against her. The added $1,000 in penalties brought the total that Daniels must pay to just over $294,000. Responding to Oteros order Tuesday afternoon, Avenatti claimed that in the hush money lawsuit, Daniels will be awarded $1.5 million, negating the $293,000 that Otero ordered her to pay Trump for his attorneys fees. Stormy will never have to pay the felon Cohen or Trump a single dime in attorney's fees, costs or sanctions. The award is dwarfed by the $1.5 million award to be issued in NDA casethe main case where Cohen and Trump have been lying to the court and the public, Avenatti wrote on his Twitter account. Trump and his attorney's attempt to fool the public about the importance of the attorneys' fees in the defamation case, which are a fraction of what they owe my client in the main NDA case, is an absolute joke, Avenatti also wrote on Twitter. People are smarter than that. But the 66-year-old Otero, a former Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who was appointed to the federal bench by Republican President George W. Bush, will also rule on the hush money case, according to Reuters. That case remains pending. Otero in October ruled that Trumps con job tweet was hyperbole that would be protected, and that to penalize such hyperbole would have a chilling effect on political speech by candidates running for office. Daniels and Avenatti had argued that Trumps claim of a con job was false, but they have not yet produced evidencesuch as an identification of the man who made the alleged threat against Danielsthat would definitively show that the threat actually took place. Photo By James Chang / Wikimedia Commons HOUSTONAnerosFemme.com, a new information and education site expressly for womens sexual health and pleasure, has launched from Aneros. A manufacturer of acclaimed prostate massagers and Kegel exercisers, Aneros presents AnerosFemme.com with the goal of providing timely information on sexual health for women as well as information on a variety of womens products aimed at improving intimacy and total health through education. Based on the demand from our female customers, it was imperative that we extend our online presence to reflect our appreciation. After a lot of consideration and planning, we are excited to launch AnerosFemme.com, said Malay Vannouvong, operations manager for Aneros. Its an informative and educational go-to portal for sexual health and wellness as well as a great resource for unique Aneros products geared towards women. The site features information on Aneros newest product, the rechargeable, hands-free Vivi Kegel exerciser and stimulator that is perfectly designed for a womans unique needs, providing simultaneous clitoral and G-spot stimulation with the utmost responsiveness. Able to run for five hours on a single charge, Vivi features app-enabled vibration control when using an iPhone or Android Other featured products include the popular hands-free Avi a self-powered, hands-free Kegel exerciser and pleasure device, and the PeridiseTantric swizzle sticks which utilize the bodys natural responses to provide unique anal stimulation. Nominated Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer Medium at the 2019 AVN Awards, Aneros is known for its popular Kegel exercisers and its bestselling line of prostate massagers offering natural, preventative measures for erectile dysfunctions (ED) and relief from prostate complications and more. Aneros website, Aneros.com, features the Aneros Forum, which creates a sex-positive, safe atmosphere for consumers to learn about improving their health and discovering new forms of pleasure. East Yorkshire bakery business Coopland & Son has been fined almost 160,000 after exposing its staff to flour dust. Employees at Coopland & Son (Scarborough) Ltd of Pindar Business Park, Eastfield, Scarborough, suffered long-term exposure to flour dust between April 2002 and April 2016, Leeds Magistrates Court was told. The bakery has since taken action to address the issue, Coopland & Son told British Baker following the hearing, in which it pleaded guilty to breaching the Health & Safety Work Act. The case followed an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that found there was no effective method of control to prevent dust becoming airborne and employees being exposed to breathing it in. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined 159,080 and ordered to pay 4,594 in costs. Following the case, a spokesperson for Coopland & Son said the company had been undertaking health surveillance and monitoring flour dust levels as required under the law, but was subsequently found to be operating under incorrect advice. Measures have since been introduced to address the issues raised, added the spokesperson. We regret that we have fallen short of our usual high standards after 133 years with an unblemished health and safety record. Based in Scarborough, Coopland & Son operates around 150 retail stores and employs 1,500 staff. Exposure to flour dust in an industrial setting can cause serious and debilitating health effects, said HSE inspector Geoff Fletcher following the case. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards, he added. Leslie McRae Dowless, the political operative at the heart of potential absentee mail-in ballot misconduct in Bladen County, is a person of interest in the 9th Congressional District investigation, the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement has confirmed.The investigation "is the top priority" of the state elections board, according to a news release it issued Friday, Dec. 7, a day after a group of Republican senators criticized lax enforcement and slow investigations into years of apparent absentee ballot mischief.The senators called for Gov. Roy Cooper to create a bipartisan task force to handle a swift and impartial investigation. Cooper has failed to respond to requests for comment.Republican Mark Harris beat Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes in the congressional race. His large lead in absentee mail-in ballots raised concerns about possible election tampering.the news release said.The State Board has issued subpoenas for documents to Red Dome Group, the Mark Harris for Congress Committee, and the James Atlas McVicker Committee. Red Dome Group is the political consulting firm founded by Andy Yates, Harris' chief campaign strategist. The Harris campaign paid Red Dome slightly more than $429,360 from Aug. 1, 2017, to Oct. 17, Federal Election Commission campaign finance reports show. McVicker is the Bladen County sheriff re-elected Nov. 6.A public evidentiary hearing will be scheduled "as soon as possible," the news release said. The elections board previously said it would hold a hearing by Dec. 21. But there could be a race against time - a court order said it must cease operations by Dec. 12 because its structure is unconstitutional. How it would be reorganized remains in question.Meanwhile, Harris said via video posted to his Twitter account he and his campaign "are cooperating fully" with investigators, andHarris said.McCready withdrew his concession Thursday as evidence of election tampering grew. He voiced his concern through Twitter and media interviews.McCready said. He called on Harris to break his silence and tell what he knew and when.The elections board is publicly posting documents from Bladen and Robeson counties related to the 9th Congressional District contest to an online portal Until recently, statewide and national attention focused on Dowless, and the so-called ballot harvesting his crew conducted under contract with Red Dome Group. But Republicans and news outlets are now reporting that the Bladen County Improvement Association, a Democratic-funded organization aiding Democratic candidates, used the same tactics in this year's 9th Congressional District contest, and in prior election cycles.That unlawful activity involves third-party individuals ordering, filling out, or submitting absentee mail-in ballots for voters. Only voters, near family members, or legal guardians can perform those functions legally. There is suspicion third-party ballot collectors, rather than voters assigned the ballots, could be filling them out for the candidate on whose campaign they are working, and are not turning in ballots the voters filled in for the opposing candidate.At Thursday's news conference, the Republican senators said allegations about Bladen County absentee mail-in ballot skullduggery have been made since at least 2010. Both Democrats and Republicans might have benefited, and the practice was widely known. They pointed to huge statistical discrepancies in voting patterns as cause for alarm.Sen. Dan Bishop, R-Mecklenburg, said in the 2014 U.S. Senate race, for example, incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan won the absentee mail-in vote in Bladen County by 74 percent to 26 percent for Republican challenger and eventual winner Thom Tillis. She got 668 absentee votes in Bladen County, but only 525 in Cumberland County, which is 10 times larger.In 2016, then Gov. Pat McCrory won Bladen County by almost 7 percent of the vote. Yet Cooper had a 30 percent advantage in absentee by-mail ballots, Bishop said.That race, in particular, is why the senators called on Cooper to remove investigatory authority from the elections board and shift it to a bipartisan task force. They said elections board Democratic member Joshua Malcolm made the motion in 2016 to reject McCrory's challenge of those unusual results, and to certify Cooper's win.Yet in a mirror image election this year, Malcolm made the motion to reject certification of Harris' win because of the absentee mail-in vote anomaly. The elections board voted twice, 9-0 and 7-2, not to certify.Bishop said, admitting he would not certify the Harris election either.But Malcolm's flip from one election cycle to the next erodes public confidence in the elections board's neutrality, and the integrity of the electoral system, Bishop and the other senators said. That is compounded by Democrat Andy Penry's resignation as elections board chairman after his disparaging social media comments about Republicans surfaced. Malcolm was named chairman in Penry's place.In an apparent move to defend its actions, the elections board said in Friday's release it investigated 2016 absentee voting issues in Bladen County and held a public hearing ( Transcript here .) Three Republicans and two Democrats voted unanimously to forward all information about the Bladen County irregularities to federal and state prosecutors.Elections board investigators turned over detailed reports to prosecutors documenting issues raised during the hearing, and information its investigations uncovered.Due to concerns raised about fresh criminal absentee ballot activity, and to prevent election fraud, in late October and early November the elections board mailed letters to about 2,000 Bladen County voters who asked for general election absentee ballots. The letters explained the process, and voting rights, and included a hotline number to call if anyone tried to take their ballots or fill them in.Ten calls were received, and investigators are looking into the circumstances. Despite national support for Shrinkhala, Nepalis harass former winners For the past several weeks, social media platforms have been flooded with posts about the Miss World pageantalmost all of them showing support for this years Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada. It's a safe bet that state Rep. Jonathan Jordan agrees with Republican colleagues Bill Brawley, Susan Martin, and Scott Stone much more often than he agrees with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the incoming New York congresswoman and newly elevated champion of the political left.But not on the issue of targeted tax incentives.When the conservative Jordan quipped recently,he did more than generate a few chuckles on the floor of the N.C. House of Representatives. Jordan, R-Ashe, also exposed a key dividing line within today's Republican Party.Jordan's comments emerged during the House's Nov. 29 debate over Senate Bill 820. That measure increased the cap on the amount of money a company could collect for each job created in connection with a state Job Development Investment Grant. The cap had been set at $6,500 per job. S.B. 820 boosted the limit to $16,000.The bill had sailed through the Senate in less than five minutes with a unanimous, bipartisan 43-0 vote. House critics offered more resistance.That was Jordan's opening salvo. He then launched into a critique of the measure that lasted longer than the entire Senate discussion of S.B. 820.The increased cap represented" Jordan said.he added.Jordan continued to speak up for the "little guy."Cue the reference to Ocasio-Cortez. She has attracted national attention for her criticism of New York's decision to award targeted tax incentives for Amazon's HQ2 project.Jordan reminded colleagues.Jordan agreed. He was happy to find common cause on the issue.he said.Division over S.B. 820 didn't break along party lines. After every Senate Democrat supported the measure, all but two House Democrats followed suit. The only Democrat who spoke during the House debate used less than two minutes. He supported raising the per-job incentive cap.Meanwhile, several fellow Republicans challenged Jordan's arguments. Brawley, R-Mecklenburg, contended that lawmakers already had settled the incentives debate. S.B. 820 dealt with details, not the fundamental issue of using or rejecting incentives.Brawley said.Stone, R-Mecklenburg, compared the incentive change to a signing bonus he might offer a new hire at his business.Martin, R-Wilson, suggested that opposition to targeted incentives works only in theory.she said.North Carolina must pair some incentive with other positive changes lawmakers have made in state tax rates and the business climate, Martin said.Martin's side prevailed, 39-21, among House Republicans voting on S.B. 820. But Jordan was not alone in speaking against the bill.said Rep. Larry Pittman, R-Cabarrus.Pittman continued.Neither Jordan nor Pittman used this language, but both argued essentially for state policies promoting broad-based economic growth , as opposed to narrow, targeted economic development.North Carolina should continue cutting corporate taxes for all businesses, not offer targeted breaks, Pittman said.he said.Rep. Michael Speciale, R-Craven, rebutted Stone's comparison of a targeted tax break to a private-sector signing bonus.he explained.Speciale reminded GOP colleagues of their promises to voters.he said.While 2018 legislative elections are over, there's no end in sight for the internal GOP debate over incentives. On Friday afternoon, two major memos regarding President Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, dropped. The first concerned the Mueller investigation's recommended sentencing for Cohen in light of Cohen's repeated untruths as well as his testimony to the Mueller investigation; the second concerned the Southern District of New York's recommended sentencing for Cohen in light of his testimony regarding President Trump's campaign and payoffs to women including Stormy Daniels.Here's what you need to know about the Mueller sentencing memo.According to the special counsel's office (SCO), Cohen "withheld information material to the investigations of Russia interference in the 2016 US presidential election." The SCO memo says that Cohen's lies were "deliberate and premeditated," were not spontaneous, and began in a "written submission."According to the memo, Cohen "lied to Congress about a business project (the 'Moscow Project') that he worked on during the 2016 presidential campaign," while working for the Trump Company and for Trump personally. The goal of such lies was allegedly to "minimize links between the Moscow Project and Individual 1 [Trump]," and to "give the false impression that the Moscow Project had ended before the Iowa caucus and the first presidential primaries, in hopes of limiting the ongoing Russia investigations being conducted by Congress and the SCO."According to Mueller, Cohen's lies "obscured the fact that the Moscow Project was a lucrative business opportunity that sought, and likely required, the assistance of the Russian government. If the project was completed, the Company could have received hundreds of millions of dollars from Russian sources in licensing fees and other revenues." Mueller says that Cohen worked on the project and discussed it with Trump "well into the campaign," and adds that Cohen, "during the campaign, had a substantive telephone call about the project with an assistant to the press secretary for the President of Russia."Mueller says that Cohen would have benefitted from the deal, and in a footnote, points out that Trump had personally approved reaching out to Russia before a meeting with Putin during Putin's visit to the United Nations in 2015.According to the memo, "The defendant also provided information about attempts by other Russian nationals to reach the campaign. For example, in or around November 2015, Cohen received the contact information for, and spoke with, a Russian national who claimed to be a 'trusted person' in the Russian Federation who could offer the campaign 'political synergy' and 'synergy on a government level." That person wanted to meet with Trump, and told Cohen that the meeting could have a "phenomenal" impact "not only in political but in a business dimension as well." Cohen didn't follow up on that particular reach-out.The memo suggests that Cohen provided information "concerning his contacts with persons connected to the White House during the 2017-2018 time period." Presumably, these people could include Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, and Jerome Corsi.The "Moscow Project" does not mean that Trump actually violated the law by doing business with the Russians during the election. It means Cohen lied about it, and Mueller is suspicious of a quid pro quo. Those suspicions are obvious from Mueller's language: "Cohen admitted that he had lied to Congress and to the SCO about the Moscow Project. He provided detailed information about the true circumstances of the Moscow Project, including its duration, the persons involved in the discussions, contacts with Russian government officials, and discussions during the first half of 2016 about the possibility of travel to Russia in connection with the Moscow Project."Cohen's testimony could be damaging to Trump - but he's provided more dots that require connections. Those dots haven't yet been connected, but it's easy to see why Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani is concerned that Mueller may believe Trump lied to the FBI about the Trump Tower meeting, given Mueller's obvious belief that Trump was warm to Russia well in advance of the 2016 election. Making adventure accessible Tourism is not only for the able-bodied An employee at the Petland in Las Vegas said this sick Maltese puppy was "born with a hole in his throat" and they were waiting for him to die. After finding out that the puppy was going to be sent back to the Missouri distributor so Petland could get a refund, our undercover investigator offered to buy the dog and give him a home for Christmas, but the store manager refused. Photo by the HSUS 39.5K shares A dead puppy in the freezer. Puppies with hacking coughs and runny noses. Sick puppies confined to isolation. Overcrowded cages. These are just a few of the shocking details our undercover investigators found at two different Petland, Inc. pet stores last fall. Its been 10 years since the Humane Society of the United States first investigated Petland, the largest puppy-selling pet store chain in the country. At the time, we linked Petland to mass production puppy mills, sparking nationwide demonstrations. Since that investigation, the number of Petland stores in the country has dropped sharply, from 140 U.S. stores in 2008 to only about 80 today. In the years since, weve continued to receive complaints about sick puppies sold by Petland more than 1,200 since 2006 indicating the pet store has continued to source animals from problem producers and dealers. Thats one of the reasons why, in the fall of 2018, we sent two undercover investigators with hidden cameras to work at Petland stores. One investigator worked at the Petland in Kennesaw, Georgia, in September and October, and another worked at the Petland in Las Vegas in November. What they documented was heartbreaking. In the Kennesaw Petland near Atlanta, an employee admitted that she sometimes came into work and saw puppies who had passed away. She told our undercover investigator that she tried hard to save the lives of puppies who were dying. Our investigator, upon hearing these stories, became suspicious about a black plastic bag in the freezer. When the investigator opened it up, there was a dead puppy inside. There were other shocking findings at the Georgia store, including: Sick puppies routinely kept in barren isolation room out of sight of customers. Some had hacking coughs, runny noses or diarrhea. The store was still buying many of its dogs from a distributor, Blue Ribbon Puppies, that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently linked to a massive drug-resistant disease outbreak that made more than 100 people sick. Blue Ribbon was found selling to all five of the Petland stores in Georgia, and numerous other Petland stores across the country. Cages were overcrowded, with five or six puppies sometimes occupying a cage that would be suitable for two. Records obtained from the Georgia Department of Agriculture in November 2018 indicate the Kennesaw store was inspected multiple times due to puppies with parvovirus, respiratory infections or Giardia. The store passed most of those inspections, even when sick puppies were found, because it could show documents indicating sick puppies are were being monitored by a veterinarian. But our investigator witnessed puppy veterinary exams in the store that only lasted about 15 seconds. Our investigator at the Petland store in Las Vegas reported similar findings. A very sick Maltese puppy was confined in a cage in a back room and employees said he had been there for about a month. They indicated he had been to a veterinarian but that his problem wasnt curable. An employee told our undercover investigator they were waiting for him to die because he had been born with a hole in his throat. After finding out that the Maltese was about to be sent back to the Missouri distributor involved, Pinnacle Pet, so Petland could get a refund, our investigator asked the manager about buying or adopting the puppy, and giving him a loving home for Christmas even if he might die. But Petlands manager told our investigator that he had already received a credit for the puppy, and refused to sell him. When asked what would happen when the puppy was sent back, he said, I have no idea. The incident flies in the face of Petlands websites claim that Every puppy finds a home at Petland. The undercover employee also filmed a bird with a broken wing and another bird with a head injury, both of whom were stored in a glass aquarium in a back room, and reported the concerns about the birds and the Maltese to local law enforcement. Truckloads of puppies were delivered weekly to both of the stores from out-of-state brokers (re-sellers), which Petland calls distributors. Some of the puppies in the Las Vegas store, including the sick Maltese puppy, were linked to the distributor Pinnacle Pet, where nine puppies died after being left on a hot truck in 2015, according to USDA records. The two stores we investigated arent the only stores buying from Pinnacle Pet and Blue Ribbon. The HSUS acquired shipping documents linking hundreds of puppies from one or both of these distributors to Petland stores in Florida, Kansas, Pennsylvania and other states. Puppies in pet stores are often sick, because many of them come from inhumane and unsanitary puppy mill operations. The animals are crowded onto large trucks with scores of other puppies for shipment across the country, making it easy for a single sick puppy to infect many others. The reason we do these investigations is not just to document the cruelty, but also to inform consumers, who can make a real difference to end the suffering of animals by not buying puppies from pet stores or from internet sites, which often source their animals from puppy mills. This holiday season, if you want to bring home a new companion, consider adopting from an animal shelter or a reliable breed rescue. If you decide to purchase a puppy, please buy only from a small-scale responsible breeder who will show you the conditions in which the puppy was born and raised. Feds Argue Kids Don't Need Lawyers in Immigration Court A baby in a basket is clearly capable of representing oneself in immigration court. At least, that's the view of Justice Department attorneys arguing against providing any immigrant free legal counsel during immigration, asylum, or deportation proceedings. Right to Immigration Representation Issue In Front of Ninth Circuit An eleven member panel of Ninth Circuit federal judges is currently hearing arguments regarding whether or not immigrant children should have free legal representation in immigration court removal proceedings. Specifically, this case centers around an immigrant minor, C.J., who asked for asylum when emigrating from Honduras at the age of 13, claiming that violent gangs were threatening to harm him if he didn't join their ranks. An immigration judge rejected his asylum claim. C.J. appealed this decision, claiming that he should have been appointed free legal representation at that immigration hearing. In January of 2018, a three-member appeals court panel unanimously agreed that C.J. was not entitled to such representation, and now the issue is being brought in front of a larger Ninth Circuit federal judge panel. Immigration Court - A Different Animal The question is complicated on many levels, primarily because immigration court has different procedural rules than standard courtrooms. Unlike civil and criminal courts, judges decide immigration court cases, not juries. These judges have a heavy caseload, almost double that of regular courts. Many feel that a lawyer representing the immigrant would help bring important factors in individual cases to the judge's attention more clearly and efficiently, given the judge's demanding caseload. Also, there is no constitutional requirement for the defendant immigrant to have legal representation, since this is not considered a criminal trial. In about 60% of immigration trials, it is merely the judge, the federal prosecutor, and the self-represented immigrant. And in this case, that immigrant is a minor. Another difference to keep in mind is that immigration law is one of the most complicated types of law. There are many procedural and substantive laws to know, and also many different paths to citizenship, and deportation. It would be almost impossible for a layperson, especially a child whose primarily language in not English, to adequately defend themselves in immigration court, according to ACLU attorney Ahilan Arulanantham. Feds "Can't Think of a Situation" Where Lack of Representation Would Be Unfair Federal prosecutors beg to differ. "Existing law, existing procedures, and existing duties give children of all ages the help they need and the help that due process and federal statutory law requires," according to Justice Department lawyer Scott Stewart. U.S. Circuit Judge Andrew Hurwitz challenged Stewart on this issue, asking "So your view is there can be a fundamentally fair proceeding with a two-year-old in front of an immigration judge with no representation at all," U.S. Circuit Judge Andrew Hurwitz asked. "Would an appointed lawyer ever be required?" Stewart replied: "I can't think of a situation." Stewart even went so far as to say that he thought an immigration proceeding involving "a baby in a basket" would still be fundamentally fair. If you or someone you love is facing immigration issues, contact a local immigration attorney. Many lawyers will take these cases on a free, or low-cost basis, if you cannot afford their fees. Immigration laws are complex and ever changing. Don't feel you have no choice but to go it alone. Contact one today. It could make all the difference. Related Resources: Yahoo! JAPAN Yahoo! JAPAN No one has been reported harmed. No bomb reported found. Police in Menlo Park, CA are at the Facebook and Instagram campus near the 200 block of Jefferson Avenue. According to multiple local news reports, NYPD forwarded an anonymous tip to local authorities. NBC Bay Area: A building on Facebook's campus in Menlo Park was evacuated Tuesday evening after a bomb threat, police said. Menlo Park police said the threat was called into the New York Police Department's Crimestopper unit, which in turn notified local authorities. According to Menlo Park police, the bomb threat was made to a Facebook building at 200 Jefferson Drive. Bomb squads from allied agencies across San Mateo County are on scene and going through the building. The NBC Bay Area chopper spotted several police patrol cars on the campus. Here's KRON's early report: Police are investigating a bomb threat at Facebook's campus in Menlo Park Tuesday evening. The Menlo Park Police Department says they were alerted by the New York Police Department of an anonymous tip regarding a bomb threat to Facebook. Menlo Park police then issued an alert at 5:22 p.m. asking residents to avoid the area of the 200 block of Jefferson Drive near Constitution Drive as they investigate. Facebook's campus has been evacuated. San Mateo County allied agencies bomb units are currently checking the building. Law enforcement officials did not provide any further details on the threat. Ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is asking for no prison time. A memo from the former Trump national security chief's legal defense team was filed tonight, just before his scheduled sentencing. They're asking a federal judge to spare Flynn from prison time, Flynn offers to do 200 hours of community service, and they want less than a year's worth of probation with minimal supervision, all in response to the government's sentencing memo. HERE IS A COPY OF MICHAEL FLYNN'S 'DEFENDANT'S MEMORANDUM IN AID OF SENTENCING.' In the memo (courtesy of CNN) Flynn says his cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation "was not grudging or delayed. "Rather, it preceded his guilty plea or any threatened indictment and began very shortly after he was first contacted for assistance by the Special Counsel's Office," wrote his team. We know from other recent court filings that Flynn met with federal investigators 19 times, and spoke to them for more than 62 hours. The court filing was made available on Tuesday night, and includes references from multiple retired military officials, including General Jack Keane. Interesting color here about Flynn's January 24, 2017 interview with Peter Strzok and another FBI agent to discuss his communications with Russians. "One of the agents reported that General Flynn was 'unguarded' during the interview and 'clearly saw the FBI agents as allies.'" pic.twitter.com/D2h0GFrt6Z Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) December 12, 2018 Flynn files his sentencing memo, asking for probation and not jail time: https://t.co/4y7RiDTDQl / Last week, Mueller already said that his office was OK with no jail time: https://t.co/QKwqqIHntZ pic.twitter.com/orj7wpMt5n Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) December 12, 2018 This Flynn sentencing memo spends page after page reminding the court of what a model soldier he once was. Of course, that only highlights the contrast. Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) December 12, 2018 1/ Michael Flynn filed his sentencing memorandum tonight. The memo itself is only 13 pages long, and it mostly says what I would expectthat Flynn has served his country admirably and that Mueller was correct to recommend no prison time. The other 165 pages are exhibits. https://t.co/r4WpkFaG6s Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) December 12, 2018 2/ You may be most interested in Flynn's description of his cooperation. He spent over 62 hours speaking with Mueller's team, and produced documents on several occasions totaling thousands of pages. There can be little doubt, after Mueller's filing, that he helped Mueller. Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) December 12, 2018 Flynn says he accepts responsibility for lying to the FBI but never addresses why he lied. Also, notes that some FBI officials were under investigation for unrelated misconduct to suggest he deserves credit for continuing to cooperate >> pic.twitter.com/JYZkIUpoYR Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 12, 2018 Flynn's lawyers say he wasn't warned by the FBI agents that lying to them is a crime, as if that is somehow exculpatory. Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) December 12, 2018 Really interesting parts of the Flynn memo where he relates the backstory of his West Wing FBI interview pic.twitter.com/VToFmC1MZK Chad Day (@ChadSDay) December 12, 2018 'What they are doing in this filing is saying hey, the FBI agents who came and interviewed Mike Flynn, those are the bad guys here.' #Maddow Keva (kay-va) (@Synergy3k) December 12, 2018 Donald Trump's longtime "fixer" and personal attorney has been sentenced to to 36 months (3 years) in federal prison, plus an additional 3 years of supervised release, in a case in the Southern District of New York. Judge William H. Pauley of SDNY also sentenced Cohen to 2 months for lying to Congress, to be served concurrently to his primary 36-month sentence. He also issued an order for $500,000 in forfeiture, payment of $1.39 million in back taxes, and a $50,000 fine. Judge Pauley also ordered an additional $50,000 fine, for lying to Congress. There are additional terms of imprisonment, but all will be served by Cohen concurrently. Cohen will be able to voluntarily surrender, he was not taken into custody as the hearing ended. Federal prosecutors asked for a "substantial" prison sentence of about 3 and a half years. Cohen asked for time served. He could face up to five years, based on sentencing guidelines for his crimes. "We respectfully submit that the case calls for a full consideration of mercy," Michael Cohen's defense attorney Guy Petrillo said during the hearing. Petrillo argued that Cohen should receive a lenient sentence in part because Cohen "came forward to offer evidence" against Trump. "I don't really understand the strident tone of the memo," Petrillo said, referring to the Southern District of New York's filing. Implying that his connection to Trump was the reason for the strident tone, Petrillo added, "Mr. Cohen had the misfortune to be counsel to the president." This, of course, implies that Cohen's position at Trump's side was not something over which Cohen had any choice. Petrillo then went on to tell the court that Cohen would be willing to cooperate with ongoing investigations, but that "he is wary of a long term cooperation agreement for personal reasons, and because he wants both to remove himself and his family from the glare of the cameras." So, Cohen is unwilling to cooperate. Petrillo then told the court Cohen could not have anticipated the "full measure of attack that would made against him" by President Trump and supporters, "and those attacks include threats against his family." Cohen's attorney ended his remarks asking the judge for leniency: "He's a very good man." Speaking for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Office, prosecutor Jeannie S. Rhee told the court Cohen provided "credible" and "valuable information" regarding "any links between a campaign and a foreign government." "Mr. Cohen has sought to tell us the truth," Rhee said. Rhee also said that Cohen provided information to Mueller's team related to the core Russia-related issues under investigation, but due to the nature of those investigations, declined to further detail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos of the Southern District of New York next argued that Cohen's actions harmed the interests of "free and transparent elections, and in committing these crimes, Cohen has eroded faith in the electoral process." "Deception, brazenness, and greed," is how SDNY's Roos then described Cohen's conduct, reminding the court of his interference with the election, and long history of willful tax cheating, among other shady business. Michael Cohen then stood to speak at the podium, from a prepared statement. From his speech: "Today is the day that I am getting my freedom back." "I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired." "I stand before your honor humbly and painfully aware that we are here for one reason." "I take full responsibility for each act that I pleaded guilty to," including those implicating the "President of the United States of America." "Today is one of the most meaning days of my life." My "weakness was a blind loyalty to Donald Trump." "I have chosen this unorthodox path because the sooner that I am sentenced," the sooner I can return to my family. "I do not need a cooperation agreement in place to do the right thing." He then mentions his family members, by name, and says he brought pain and shame on his family. Mentions his mom, dad, and children, and says to them "I'm sorry." Long pause. "The president of the United States, the most powerful man in the world," Cohen said mockingly, "calling me a rat." He said Trump tried to influence the proceedings that "implicate" him. He apologized again to his family before wrapping up. His voice cracked with apparent emotion, as he apologizes to "the people of the United States" for lying to us. "You deserve to know the truth and lying to you was unjust." Cohen then sat down. Then, the sentence was imposed. Judge Pauley spoke about the "smorgasboard" of crimes involving "deception" and motivated by "personal greed and ambition." Quoting Oliver Wendell Holmes, Judge Pauley said of the tax-evasion charges against Cohen, "Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society." He said Cohen admitted that he made the illicit hush-money payments "at the coordination with and the direction of Individual-1." "Each of these crimes standing alone warrant considerable punishment." Pauley then reviewed Cohen's life, up to the time he began working for the Trump Organization. "He thrived on his access to wealthy and powerful people, and he became one himself," he says. Pauley says "the need for general deterrents is amplified in this case." Pauley, who is from Long Island, adds that Cohen had a "comfortable childhood and had all the comforts of growing up in an upper middle class suburb on Long Island." Somewhere along the way, however, Pauley says Cohen "lost his moral compass" and chose to "monetize" his closeness to the rich and powerful, via Trump. Pauley then references the statement from Mueller's team at the Special Counsel's Office that Cohen cooperated on "core topics under investigation," and that the information that he has provided was "relevant and useful." "Our system of justice would be less robust without the use of cooperating agreements with law enforcement." Regarding the tax evasion, campaign finance, and false statement charges: "As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better," Pauley said. Cohen's cooperation "does not wipe the slate clean." "This court believes a significant term of imprisonment" is justified. Below, live tweets from the Manhattan federal court where sentencing took place. This blog post was compiled in part from live-tweeted reporting by: Adam Klasfeld of Courthouse News, Erica Orden of CNN, Nicole Fuller of Newsday, and reporter Benjamin Adams, who were among the reporters in the courtroom. DEVELOPING STORY: Three year sentence for Michael Cohen. Much more to come soon. https://t.co/yHUwrfuKpp Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 My @CourthouseNews colleague @FRIED_ALIVE is also following this morning's sentencing hearing. Cohen is seated at the defense table next to his attorney Guy Petrillo, but the prosecution table is currently empty. Prosecutors from SDNY and Mueller's office will be attending. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Remember: Cohen's been prosecuted from both offices. The New York prosecutors filed the charges related to tax evasion, campaign finance, and lying to a financial institution. Mueller's team prosecuted lying to Congress about the negotiations of the attempted Moscow tower deal. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Cohen's family is seated in the second row, and SDNY deputy U.S. Attorney Robert Khuzami is in front of them. The SDNY sentencing memo was blistering toward Cohen. By comparison, Mueller's memo was good cop. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Attorneys from the Special Counsel's Office are now seated at the prosecution table. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Cohen's family is seated in the second row, and SDNY deputy U.S. Attorney Robert Khuzami is in front of them. The SDNY sentencing memo was blistering toward Cohen. By comparison, Mueller's memo was good cop. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 All rise! We're beginning. AUSA Nicolas Roos introduces. The Special Counsel's office and Cohen's attorney Guy Petrillo introduce themselves too. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 U.S. District Judge William Pauley starts by calculating the sentencing guideline ranges. Cohen argued that the tax evasion charges were "not closely related" to other charges, but Pauley finds in favor of the government that they are. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Pauley also gives an enhancement for "sophisticated means" in his crimes, i.e. creating shell companies for the hush-money payments. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Pauley calculates the guidelines at 51 to 63 months of imprisonment. Reminder: The judge isn't bound by those guidelines, and can go either above or below. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Judge William H. Pauley says sentencing guidelines for Michel Cohen are 51 to 63 months for SDNY case and 0-6 months for special counsel case. Nicole Fuller (@nicolefuller) December 12, 2018 Finds Cohen was a sophisticated defendant and used his law degree both enhancements Benjamin Adams (@BenAdamsO_O) December 12, 2018 Not good for Cohen obviously. Court recognizes reductions for acceptance of guilt and no crim history. Benjamin Adams (@BenAdamsO_O) December 12, 2018 Petrillo said Cohen offered "his relevant knowledge" to the Special Counsel's office "knowing that he'd face a barrage of attack by the president." "He knew that the president might shut down the investigation." Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Who wants to inform Trump that Cohen *pleaded guilty to felonies* related to the payments? His talking point is factually incorrect. pic.twitter.com/FHERHcHIZX Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 12, 2018 Petrillo: He offered evidence against the most powerful person in our country. He did so not knowing what the results would be. Or without knowing whether the probe would "survive," Petrillo said. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Petrillo goes on: MCs decision to cooperate was unusual. He came forward to offer evidence "against the most powerful person in the county" Benjamin Adams (@BenAdamsO_O) December 12, 2018 Petrillo is slamming POTUS now, painting MC as brave for standing up to him. Argues his cooperation should be see as so important as to defy the normal sentencing framework. Benjamin Adams (@BenAdamsO_O) December 12, 2018 .@MichaelCohen212's attorney Guy Petrillo says Cohen has a lot of family supporting him in court today: his wife, children, mother & father, mother-in-law and father-in-law & brother & sisters & niece & cousin. Nicole Fuller (@nicolefuller) December 12, 2018 Petrillo says Cohen "came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country." "The SCO's investigation is of utmost national significance, no less than seen 40 years ago in Watergate," Petrillo says. erica orden (@eorden) December 12, 2018 Petrillo calls the SCO's investigation as important as has been seen "since the days of Watergate." Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Petrillo: "His action stands in profound contrast in the decisions of others not to cooperate, and allegedly to double-deal" while pretending to cooperate. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 This should end the "this is just a minor civil matter" & shoulder shrugging. Cohen's crimes are "sophisticated" per a Federal Judge. And therefore So.Are.Trump's. https://t.co/zKRQxHkMlz Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) December 12, 2018 Petrillo: "No bank has ever lost money dealing with Michael Cohen. I'll say that again: No bank has ever lost money dealing with Michael Cohen. No friend in need has ever been turned away." erica orden (@eorden) December 12, 2018 2018 mood: "Life is tough and Michael Cohen accepts that. We accept that." https://t.co/FpL8q74VFq Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) December 12, 2018 Petrillo denies that Cohen declined to answer questions from prosecutors and Congress. "He is wary of a long-term cooperation agreement for personal reasons," asserting that Cohen wants to keep himself and his family from the "glare of the cameras." Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Plea agreement is now being discussed. SDNY and MC remain at impasse. Scope of plea agmt is narrow. SDNY thinks MC hasn't told them everything. (This plea agreement therefore leaves MC open to future charges if other bad acts are discovered.) Benjamin Adams (@BenAdamsO_O) December 12, 2018 Interesting move, removing Michael Cohen's agency here, as if he didn't have a choice and wasn't attempting to cash in on that relationship. https://t.co/gFrrP8oWs9 Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) December 12, 2018 Petrillo lashed out at the Southern District, suggesting prosecutors are angry at playing second fiddle to Mueller. "Power to the Southern District," Petrillo said. "They want to build a bigger case than they've already made. God bless them." Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Petrillo steps down, and Special Counsel's Office prosecutor Jeannie S. Rhee is now up. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Special Counsel's Office prosecutor Jeannie S. Rhee said that Cohen provided "credible" and "valuable information" regarding "any links between a campaign and a foreign government." "Mr. Cohen has sought to tell us the truth," Rhee said. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 SCO attorney now speaking. Says she will be brief. Wants to make 2 points. First, this was a "serious criminal violation" and states that MC lied initially to SCO! Benjamin Adams (@BenAdamsO_O) December 12, 2018 "There's only so much we can say about the particulars at this time, given our ongoing investigation," Rhee said. Kept tight-lipped throughout her remarks. More on what she said soon. SDNY's Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos is now up. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 It's more likely that there is more to this story that Cohen is unwilling to tell prosecutors, as the federal prosecutors in New York suspect. https://t.co/W5AOQGfPjP Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) December 12, 2018 Special Counsel's Office prosecutor Jeannie S. Rhee said that Cohen provided "credible" and "valuable information" regarding "any links between a campaign and a foreign government." "Mr. Cohen has sought to tell us the truth," Rhee said. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 In the last three days of the Sri Lankan civil war, as thousands of people surrendered to government authorities, hundreds of people were put on buses driven by Army officers. Many were never seen again. In a report released today (see here), the International Truth and Justice Project for Sri Lanka and the Human Rights Data Analysis Group showed that over 500 people were disappeared on only three days 17, 18, and 19 May. To be clear, these people were not killed, we did not include people who were confirmed as dead. The estimate includes only people last seen in custody of the Sri Lankan authorities. I wrote the statistical parts of the report. The report begins with seven lists of people reported as disappeared. The lists were compiled by the UN, families of the disappeared, and Sri Lankan officials, among others. It then uses a method called Multiple Systems Estimation to estimate the "dark figure," that is, the people who were disappeared but have not been reported. From 443 people reported on one or more list, we estimate a total population of 503 victims in a two-tailed 95% credible interval from 468 to 554 (it's Bayesian!); see the figure for the posterior distribution of the estimate). The report contains several references to the academic literature in mathematical statistics that explains how this method works and what the assumptions are. In short, the intuition is that with multiple, independent lists, the more often they document the same people, the fewer people remain undocumented. More collisions among the lists imply that the lists are compressed by a universe only slightly larger than the union of the lists, while fewer collisions imply that the lists are drifting apart in a space much larger than the lists themselves. I've used this method in a number of previous projects. Recently, with colleagues from the Colombian human rights NGO Dejusticia, I published an estimate of the number of social movement leaders being killed in Colombia (summary in English, full report in Spanish). In another application, I estimated the total mortality of indigenous and non-indigenous people to show that in three key counties in Guatemala, indigenous people were eight times more likely to being killed by the Army in Guatemala, relative to their non-indigenous neighbors. I presented the finding as expert testimony in the trial for genocide of the former dictator, Gen. Jose Efrain Rios Montt (previously covered by BB here). In the study of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, often the most important data is missing. To understand the magnitude of the crimes, and the patterns over time, geography, perpetrators, or victims, we need tools from mathematical statistics to understand what is not observed. Treating the observed data as though it is the only data emphasizes victims whose social visibility is high, while ignoring those who are often already among the most marginalized. As scholars who want to get the answer right, and as human rights activists focused on documenting violence against all people, the most important question we can ask is: what's missing? Who is hidden? And can we use scientific tools to figure it out? I think that when the data is just right and the methods are sound, we can, and we should. Have you ever been texted or called by an unfamiliar number and thought, who could this be? What do they want from me? Is it an important call or a wrong number? Could it be an emergency or the call that you have been waiting for hours? Well, you do not have to guess anymore! We live in times of modern technology where we can use the internet to track a cell phone number. Whether you want to know how to track a phone for personal use or business, you can find out exactly who is on the other end by a simple search. SA cell phone number search. Photo: unsplash.com Source: Facebook Once in a while, we all get bothered by unknown calls. But knowing how to track a number can even be used by parents to know the whereabouts of their kids. In the past, if you wanted to track a cell phone number or its location, you had to go to a government agency or a security agency. How to track a cell phone number Nowadays, many free and paid apps can easily trace the owner of a particular number or track the location. But caution must be taken as it is illegal to track and access a mobile phone that does not belong to you. You can, however, eradicate any legal repercussions by obtaining legal written permission from the owner to track their phone. In such situations, you can freely track a loved one while they are away or trace a stolen smartphone. However, before you can know how to track a phone number, you first must check whether you have all the necessary tools. You will need: Internet connection A laptop or a mobile phone The cell phone number you want to look up There are four ways you can use to track a cell phone number. Steps on how to track a number in South Africa. Photo: canva.com (modified by author) Source: UGC How to Track a Cell Phone Location by Number? If you urgently need to trace a cell phone number and check out another persons whereabouts, the mSpy app can come in handy. Its an excellent monitoring solution for those who need to locate their loved ones in real-time. Unlike some other monitoring apps, mSpy can offer a location tracking service without jailbreaking an iPhone or rooting a target Android-operated device. Whats more, you can test it for 14 days and request a chargeback if you dont like the app. Dedicated support managers who work 24/7 will help you resolve any issues related to installing and utilizing mSpy. The mSpy app can be a handy tool. Image: Supplied Source: UGC How to Trace a Number with mSpy: Track Locations and Set Geofences Did you know that you can link mSpy to another persons cell phone and get real-time data about their GPS-locations? With mSpy, you dont have to track a cell number: instead, you can monitor someone elses whole smartphone activity right from your device. Location Tracking mSpy collects real-time data about a target persons whereabouts. Not only shows it their current location, but it also provides you with information about the recently visited places. You can view every route of a target person on Google maps. Geofencing If you want to prevent someone from visiting dangerous places, you can set geofences with the help of mSpy. Simply choose areas on the map that you consider unsafe for a target person. mSpy will send you alerts every time they enter or leave the set zones. How to Install mSpy? Before you can benefit from the mSpys tracking possibilities, you need to install it on a target device. Just follow a few steps: Go to mspy.com and create an account. Purchase a subscription that corresponds to your needs. Open an email from mSpy and follow the detailed installation instructions. Note that you may need to root or jailbreak a target device to use advanced mSpys features. When the installation is complete, log in to your mSpy dashboard from your phone and add a target device. Give the app a few minutes to collect the data and trace the cell number of a target person remotely. 1. Use reverse lookup apps If someone called you and you do not recognize the number, but you would like to investigate further, you can use reverse phone lookup to identify the location of the number. A reverse phone lookup works by typing in the phone number to a search engine or a directory and seeing which listing comes back linked to that particular number. By using a reverse phone lookup app on your smartphone, you give the information to feed their database so that you can also find people and track a cell phone number. This is done by simply searching using a number. While reverse cell phone lookup services can be free or paid, the best is that you are not limited to which phone numbers you are allowed to track. Instead, you can search for any phone number online. How to use reverse phone lookup South Africa to trace a number There are two ways you can use the reverse lookup to track a phone number: using search engines and through an app. 2. Use your favourite search engine Cell phone number search. Photo: unsplash.com Source: Facebook Search engines such as Google, Bing, and other web browsers are a rich source of data. So why not use it to get information about the number you are tracking? Through reverse phone lookup, you can use Google to track a phone number. Go to the Google search page and type the phone number. Click the search button, and your search result of the number will be displayed. Instead of writing the number in one arrangement, try different formats and compare the search results. If the phone number is for a business or a company, then the search results will be listed in the general public directory and will give information on the owner of the number. 3. Use a reverse phone lookup app to track a number If you want to know how to trace a number, TrueCaller is one of the reverse phone lookup apps that you can use. TrueCaller which has over 50 million users in Africa from which 3.2 million users are in South Africa, is an app for smartphones that allows users to identify the names of a number that is not saved in their phonebook. The app tends to go as far as giving a name and face to a specific number. It is compatible with various smartphones including Android, Windows phone and iOS. To identify who the caller might be, this app requires WI-FI or mobile data. How to locate a cell phone number using TrueCaller Go to the Google store and use the Search button to get the Truecaller app. Download and install the app. You will then need to use your Gmail, Facebook, or Yahoo account to log in and access the Trucaller database. Using the app search button type the number of the unknown caller. The app will then give you the name and additional information like a profile picture. Once you install Truecaller, anytime you get an unknown number, the app will quickly search through its database and show you the name via a popup window on your phone. Truecaller works like a reverse phone lookup. 4. Track a phone number using social media Cell phone number search. Photo: unsplash.com Source: Facebook Most people tend to link their social media accounts with their phone numbers. To find a specific phone number using a social media platform such as Facebook, all you need to do is enter the number in the search bar. Any profiles associated with that number will be displayed in the search results. What is great about knowing how to track a phone number using social media is that you get an insight into that persons profile as well as their friends, hobbies, and other social networks. As a result of such tracking methods, you get empowered with more information linked to that unknown number. How to track a cell phone location by number? Nowadays, knowing how to trace a cell phone number current location is important especially in cases where you have lost your cell phone, or it has been stolen. Furthermore, you can also use the tricks on how to find someone's location by cell phone number to know the whereabouts of your child, elderly parents, family members with special needs, partners, and spouses. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to trace the current location of a mobile number. Use Google and Google maps Cell phone number search. Photo: stocksnap.io Source: Twitter Using Google maps, you can go further and trace the phone number's location. How to find someone's location by cell phone number? Open the Google browser and click on the search option. Type the phone number you are tracking and press enter. Click on the first listed search results. Copy the address listed for that phone number. Paste it on the Google Map search box, and the map will give you an exact location of the address. Use online websites and applications There are many reasons why a person would want to trace a cell phone number's current location. Online software apps and websites can help track the precise location of a mobile device using a number and most of them are free. How to track a phone number with the GPS switched off How to track a phone number with the GPS switched off. Photo: pexels.com Source: Facebook If the phone internet data or GPS is turned off, can you still track a phone number? Read on to find out. Smartphones use GPS to give better location accuracy. However, in case the GPS is off, there are agencies that can locate the last spot the phone number was used through the use of cell tower connections. The need to go to an expert in tracking a phone number will depend on the amount of information you need. For example, a simple Google search can help you track a cell phone number, and the method does not require the GPS of the phone to be on, but the information you will gather from the Google search will be limited. In situations where the phone GPS is off, it is best to get help on how to track a phone number from an expert such as security agencies. Furthermore, smartphone users running on Android and iOS have built-in features that allow users to trace their mobile phones. When both the internet and the GPS functionality is turned on, you can use the Android Device Manager to access your Android smartphone remotely. People with iOS mobile phones will need to use the Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps to trace their phones. Using the Google Device Manager, you can track your phone in South Africa and make use of the play sound feature to make the phone ring even when it is in silent mode and alert you of its location. Technology is changing faster every day and that means we can use the internet to trace cell phone numbers. However, knowing how to track a number can be challenging because most people do not list their information on public databases. DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility! We make no warranty or representation that the mentioned apps are available and legal for use in any particular location. If you choose to access and use these ways of tracking a number, you do it at your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with any applicable laws in connection with such access and use of the information. Source: Briefly.co.za News / National by African News Agency National Geographic Traveller, one of the world's leading travel magazines, has listed Zimbabwe as one of the 19 must see destinations in the world in 2019.Zimbabwe was placed at number nine, the highest ranking for any African country.Lonely Planet, another leading travel organisation, listed Zimbabwe as the third destination the world must see next year.Setouchi in Japan topped the list with the next African country being Eritrea at number 12, followed by KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa at 13 and Uganda at 16.Zimbabwe is currently experiencing turmoil with shortages of fuel and rocketing prices, but National Geographic Traveller says, "Why now? With Mugabe gone, Zimbabwe's new president Emmerson Mnangagwa seems keen to invest in tourism. And while there's been economic and political turbulence the safety of tourists hasn't come into question."Main attractions: Victoria Falls and the surrounding area have always enjoyed the lion's share of the attention, and for good reason.As well as the beautiful falls themselves, the Zambezi flows through gorges and over rapids that are perfect for those after an adrenalin rush. And don't miss Zambezi National Park, three miles away.Just 10 years ago, you'd have been lucky to see anything but a few impala here, but the local anti-poaching unit has made enormous strides and the species list now includes four of the Big Five (only the rhino is missing).Yet, there's plenty more to see if you head to the two primary wildlife hotspots: Hwange National Park and Mana National Park. Don't miss: Gonarezhou National Park, for wildlife-viewing and semi-luxury camping."Zimbabwe is selling itself as a tourist destination par excellence with at least five World Heritage sites.It expanded its Victoria Falls airport which now takes wide-bodied aircraft. Tourism revenue is this year expected to be more than US1 billion with a record 2.7 million arrivals. News / National by Staff reporter A MEDICAL doctor has established a centre in Bulawayo to artificially assist people who have challenges in conceiving, to have children.The facility, located along Josiah Tongogara Street and 8th Avenue, has already assisted 17 couples to have children.Zimbabwe Medical Association (Zima) national president Dr Francis Mavuka Chiwora, speaking during an anniversary celebration of the Bulawayo Assisted Reproductive Technology (BART) centre spearheaded by his colleague Dr Jephat Moyo on Friday evening, said it is the second such facility in the country after another one was established in Harare. Assisted Reproductive Technology is used to treat infertility.It includes fertility treatments that handle both a woman's egg and a man's sperm. It works by removing eggs from a woman's body. The eggs are then mixed with sperm to make embryos. The embryos are then put back in the woman's body resulting in the woman giving birth."I am impressed that one of our own sons has thought of bringing relief to families that suffered infertility. This is an outstanding idea by Dr Moyo and l urge all of you to utilise your skills for the benefit of the community. We cannot continue importing services from outside while we have our own brains here," said Dr Chiwora.In an interview on the sidelines of the event at the Bulawayo Club, Dr Moyo said it has been his passion to help families that are infertile."I am so humbled to be of help to my community. I saw a need to introduce technology to my own people and it has worked out. With the support of my wife, family and colleagues we have managed to come up with 17 babies and by the end of year we are expecting 20 babies," he said.Meanwhile, Dr Chiwora said Government should address problems in the health sector to minimise the migration of health specialists to other countries in search of greener pastures. He said poor working conditions, lack of machinery and equipment and lack of pharmaceuticals in Zimbabwe results in most specialists going overseas leaving gaps in public hospitals. Dr Chiwora said migration of doctors results in patients being forced to fly overseas for medication and surgeries that could have been done in Zimbabwe."It is very bad when medical practitioners are trained in Zimbabwe but due to poor working conditions they are forced to migrate to other countries like the United States where they are better paid and have all medical essentials at their disposal," he said.Dr Chiwora said ideally specialists should be found in public hospitals for the ordinary citizen to access services but the situation at hand has seen few specialists willing to work for Government."Let's take for instance, there should be at least five gynaecologists in Bulawayo but there is none. We do not have enough paediatric health specialists and anaesthetists. There is a shortage of cardiac surgery specialists in Zimbabwe leading to the death of many heart surgery patients."This is because few doctors are willing to cope with conditions at public hospitals. In the end everything is privatised at the expense of the ordinary citizen," he said."When we are training doctors here, our vision is to see them acquiring skills to benefit locals. However, they end up migrating forcing patients to fly to get treatment which would have been offered here. The simple way to go is for the Government to equip our doctors with relevant tools for the job they trained for."Dr Chiwora noted that when patients fly overseas for medical treatment, it cripples Treasury."We should not be in the habit of taking money from Treasury and giving it to other countries. That way we will never improve our medical fraternity. Remember we used to be at par with other countries but it all vanished because we have lost faith in our own locals," he said.Dr Chiwora said if Government addresses these problems, many doctors will come back to Zimbabwe to carry out their duties. Nayak Paudel is a crime reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2018, he has also written on health issues. News / National by Staff reporter MDC vice-chairperson Tendai Biti, who is being charged for announcing false presidential election results, has demanded that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) produce a server in court to prove that utterances were wrong.The Harare East MP has pleaded not guilty to the charge, and also successfully argued that his trial be broadcast live.The State alleges that Biti's statement that "we have now received from our agents across the country results of the 2018 elections, results show beyond reasonable doubt that we have won this election and that the next President of Zimbabwe is Advocate Nelson Chamisa" was in violation of the law.But through his lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, Biti demanded that the Zec server be produced in court to prove that his announcement was wrong.Mtetwa said Biti only exercised his right as he was confined within the statutes of section 66 sub-sections 3(a) of the Electoral Act, which allows the political party members to announce tallied results from polling stations and constituencies.She said Biti's statement must not be criminalised and said the trial can only continue after the High Court give a ruling on the matter in which he was challenging a Harare magistrate's jurisdiction to hear the matter.Biti says he could only be tried in Zambia, whose High Court ruled against his deportation when he fled into the neighbouring country seeking asylum.Mtetwa said the State had confirmed that Zec destroyed evidence despite knowledge of the trial."It would be a gross violation of the accused's right to a fair hearing to deny him access to a server held by Zec for and on behalf of the electorate. The server will speak to what information was posted at each polling station and each constituency with regards to presidential elections," Mtetwa said.Prosecutor Tafadzwa Mpariwa asked for the postponement of the matter to allow him to go through the 56-page (application for exception).The court postponed the matter to today for the State's response on the application for exception.Biti's trial would be broadcast live after the court ruled in favour of the request by Mtetwa to have a live streaming of criminal proceedings.Mtetwa told magistrate Gloria Takundwa that the trial can be live-streamed without disturbing any ground rules of the court. News / National by Staff reporter ESIGODINI, the venue of the ruling Zanu-PF party's annual conference, has been placed under security lockdown ahead of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's visit later this week, six months after he survived a deadly bomb blast at a campaign rally in Bulawayo that killed two aides and injured several senior party officials.Armed soldiers and an avalanche of security agents have besieged the gold-rich Matabeleland South district to provide security to Mnangagwa and the thousands of Zanu-PF party faithful who are expected to attend the first conference without former leader Robert Mugabe, who was ousted in a de facto coup in November last year.Police officers in riot gear were yesterday seen patrolling the town in a district known for harbouring marauding illegal gold panners who often engage in fatal clashes.Several roadblocks have also been mounted on the highway from Bulawayo to Esigodini and to as far as Gwanda and Filabusi, where some delegates are staying for the conference which started yesterday.Although no suspects have been arrested in the blast that rocked White City Stadium as Mnangagwa (76) left the podium, killing two security aides on June 23 this year, the Zanu-PF leader later told BBC that he suspected dissidents from his own party, linked to Grace, the wife of his predecessor Mugabe, were behind the attack.Among the injured were Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga's wife Marry, Defence minister and Zanu-PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri and national commissar, Retired-Brigadier General Engelbert Rugeje.A senior police official who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the Press, confirmed the heavy security deployment for the 5 000 Zanu-PF officials expected to attend."Yes, we are not taking any chances in terms of security. The area is a hotspot for crime because of the presence of panners, who come to Esigodini because of its gold deposits," he said."We have to make sure that the area is cleared of such unruly elements who might want to take advantage and terrorise delegates coming for the conference. We are happy with our deployments, so that the conference goes on without any incident."The security details were evident, even in the nearby Habane township.But the normally sleepy town is also enjoying the fillip of hosting the extravagant gathering, with fuel supplies plentiful in all garages and along the way. Roads leading to the venue have also been patched to spruce up the mining-cum-agricultural town.Attendants at most service stations said they have had regular fuel supplies in the past week and that the deliveries have been consistent despite the rest of the country continuing to suffer from shortages.Mohadi, who is also the second secretary of Zanu-PF and the most senior party official in Matabeleland, on Saturday visited Umzingwane Boys High School, the venue of the conference, for inspection.He said the conference would place emphasis on economic development in line with the party's vision to transform the country to an upper middle income status by 2030.Among the delegates invited to attend the conference include representatives of industry and commerce. News / National by Staff reporter THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has opened investigations into how former Harare town clerk Tendai Mahachi and six other senior council officials allegedly siphoned over $1 million through dubious allowances and perks.While council parted ways with Mahachi four years ago, it has resolved to part ways with two other directors, Tendai Kwenda (finance) and Cainos Chingombe (human capital), while chamber secretary, Josephine Ncube and city health director Prosper Chonzi's fate is yet to be decided.A full council meeting on Monday approved criminal investigations by Zacc against city bosses.Mayor Herbert Gomba confirmed council had given Zacc the green light to probe the matter, although civil proceedings were not yet complete."As you may be aware, I was not in council yesterday, but I have been informed that the matter was already under investigation by Zacc and as council, we had to make a resolution to support the probe and help the commission," Gomba said.The audit, done by the Local Government ministry in 2017, alleged Mahachi, Ncube and other top directors allocated themselves hefty salaries and allowances without council approval and in some cases, looted public funds.According to the report, Mahachi and three other senior directors allegedly siphoned $282 000 from council without explanation.The audit shows that the $282 000 was transferred by Kwenda into personal bank accounts belonging to Mahachi and three other executive members for unknown reasons.Among the senior managers implicated are former water director Christopher Zvobgo, works director Philip Pfukwa and Chingombe.Two months ago, the council resolved to dismiss Kwenda, who is currently on suspension and Chingombe on allegations of financial abuse after a disciplinary hearing.Ncube did not attend the hearings due to ill health, while Chonzi is yet to appear, but remains suspended. News / National by Staff reporter THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has been implored to intensify monitoring of violence hotspots in Harare during the Christmas period, particularly bus terminuses, where women and other citizens can no longer move freely for fear of harassment, rape or murder.This was raised by Katswe Sistahood, an organisation that fights against the abuse of girls and women."The ZRP should establish functional gender responsive police posts at different hotspots, and the identified areas are Copacabana, Fourth Street bus terminus, Market Square, Harare Showgrounds, and Mbudzi, as well as at Karigamombe Centre in order to ensure that only registered and genuine taxi operators are assured parking, and for easy monitoring," Katswe Sistahood said in a statement recently."The crime rate and violence targeted at women continues to escalate at alarming rates, and we demand that these police posts be established this festive season, before December 25, so that women can navigate the city freely and without fear of being harassed, raped or murdered," they said along Simon Mazorodze Road.In May 2016, a pregnant woman was killed by touts at Mbudzi loading and offloading zone.Travellers, particularly women, are manhandled and forced to board certain buses against their wish by touts at bus terminuses.The civic group also implored the Transport ministry to restore normalcy in the public transport system, particularly to ensure that all taxis that operate in Harare are registered, as well as their drivers so that they are easily identifiable."Women, who are users of public transport, are experiencing violence in its different forms, from beatings to robberies. We are especially enraged by the recent spate of murders and gang raping of women in the city."Law enforcement agents last month said they were on high alert following a spate of armed robberies and rape incidents around the country, particularly in Harare, where rogue taxi drivers were terrorising women. News / National by Staff reporter A politburo meeting was held yesterday at the party's headquarters with the party's national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo briefing the media that all provinces have endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.Moyo said yesterday's meeting was held in preparation for the central committee meeting that will be held today."The meeting was aimed at building a consensus on topical issues in preparation for the central committee meeting to be held tomorrow (today)," he said.In the briefing he also indicated that the national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri gave a comprehensive report on the preparations of the 17th national people's conference, with emphasis on infrastructure development at the venue."The conference is ready to begin as scheduled at Esigodini in Mat-South."All roads lead to Esigodini on Thursday the 13th of December," said Moyo.This year's conference runs under the theme "Zimbabwe Is Open for Business: Peace, unity towards an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030" and runs until December 15.Mnangagwa will officiate at this year's conference for the first time in his capacity as First Secretary and President following his election at the party's extraordinary congress in Harare last year.Earlier this week, media reports indicated that the venue of the conference had already been placed under high security with armed soldiers and security agents having besieged the gold-rich Matabeleland South to provide security to Mnangagwa and thousands of Zanu-PF party officials who are expected to attend.THE Zanu-PF National People's Conference which begins this Friday in Esigodini - Matabeleland South Province is expecting 6 000 delegates to attend. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu William Mutumaje (Acie Lumumba) ran a ZANU PF media war room' comprising of an informal grouping of party comrades with expertise in social media and public relations to launch an aerial battle' during the 2018 elections a whistleblower has alleged."I can confirm to you that during the 2018 campaign period Acie Lumumba was running ZANU PF's social media war roorm." The source alleged. "Lumumba was receiving funding under then project which was called 1 say communications from the Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu."The source alleged that ZANU PF had borrowed the concept form the African National Congress War Room which was meant to prop up the image of South Africa's ruling party in the last elections."The project was based in Newlands and was originally the equivalent of ANC's war room project where social media experts were hired to campaign for President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. Many twitter and facebook accounts were opened to flood the social media with positive images of a rebranded President who as the voice of change. If you remember well there was flooding of young pretty girls and young men cladding in ED regalia. Everything was created, perfected in Newlands and marketed to the Zimbabweans. "The source alleges that trouble befell Mutumanje when the elections were over and Obert Mpofu stopped funding 1 Say Communications."When we had won the election Obert stopped sending funds to this project because there was no longer need to do that. Acie began to generate hatred for Obert. You will remember he was forced to change tactic and resort to other forms of making money from social media."This is when mpfana Acie fell into the hands of Chris Mutsvangwa who gave him money. Remember Acie confessed that he was given US$40 000 by Ambassador Chris Mutsvangwa to do a hatchet job against Kuda Tagwirei?"Nyaya ya Chris is that he is a bitter man after losing Norton seat which he thought if he won,it was going to guarantee him the Ministry of Energy position so that he pushes his fuel business agenda. Hence due to his bitterness he is now fighting and sabotaging everything and everyone."These revelations come at a time when ZANU PF is holding its annual National People's Conference in Esigodini Matabeleland South where a number of constitutional amendments are expected to take place. The Conference is also expected to endorse President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the sole candidate of the party in 2023. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia fined Google 500,000 roubles ($7,530) on Tuesday for failing to comply with a legal requirement to remove certain entries from its search results, Russia's communications watchdog was quoted as saying by TASS news agency. Russia said last month that it had opened a civil case against Google as it had not joined a state registry that lists banned websites that Moscow believes contain illegal information and was therefore not compliant with the law. Alexander Zharov, head of watchdog Roscomnadzor, said Russia could open a new case against Google if it did not fall in line with the law, TASS reported. Google did not reply to a request for immediate comment. Over the past five years, Russia has introduced tougher internet laws that require 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. (Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber, Tom Balmforth and Maria Kolomychenko; editing by Jason Neely) By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons have landed in ally Venezuela, a show of support for Venezuela's socialist government that has infuriated Washington. The TU-160 supersonic bombers, known as "White Swans" by Russian pilots, landed at Maiquetia airport near capital Caracas on Monday after covering more than 10,000 km (6,200 miles), the Russian and Venezuelan governments said. 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. 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. Capable of carrying short-range nuclear missiles, the planes can fly over 12,000 km (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." 'HIGHLY UNDIPLOMATIC' The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected Pompeo's criticism, saying it was "highly undiplomatic" and "completely inappropriate." "As for the idea that we are squandering money, we do not agree. It's not really appropriate for a country half of whose defense budget could feed the whole of Africa to be making such statements," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 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 U.S. President Donald Trump's administration denies. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called Pompeo's comments "not only disrespectful, but cynical," highlighting the number of military bases the United States owns abroad. "It's strange the U.S. government questions our right to cooperate on defense and security with other countries, when @realDonaldTrump publicly threatens us with a military invasion," Arreaza tweeted, referring to Trump's Twitter handle. Venezuela's Information Ministry did not respond to a request for details on the bombers. Maduro said the talks with Putin in Moscow this month yielded Russian investment in Venezuela'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. (Additional reporting by Angus Berwick in Caracas and Tom Balmforth and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Rosalba O'Brien) Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Beyond the Great Divide..12 December '18..On November 11, there was a botched Israeli special forces raid near Khan Yunis in Gaza. We cannot know exactly what the mission intended, but Nour Baraka, a regional commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (military wing of Hamas) was one of those killed in the exchange of fire. Following the Israeli operation, Hamas fired over 460 rockets at Israel in twenty-five hours.When situations such as this arise, the Hamas propaganda machine moves from normal mode to overdrive. Hamas have a firm control over the Gaza Strip and it would be logical to assume that includes a grip over the messages that escape from it.When the news first broke, rumours began to fly about kidnapped Israeli soldiers, there were Hamas statements and images of Israeli army helicopters arriving at an Israeli hospital. It took about two-three hours for the story to settle. These two posts were made within a few minutes of each other. Al-Jazeera posted on 11 Nov at 22:30, Robert Inlakesh beat them by twelve minutes, posting at 22:18. Both these screenshots were taken within an hour of the post being made. Missing the forest Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the Social Development Ministry of Province 5 are devising a plan that will require all students, regardless of whether they attend public or private schools, to wear the same uniform. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Algemeiner..11 December '18..Thehas a new favorite talking point about Israel.The talking point has cropped up recently in almost identical terms in two places.A December 7 opinion piece bycolumnist Michelle Goldberg, headlined Anti-Zionism Isnt the Same as Anti-Semitism; American Jews have nothing to fear from the new congressional critics of Israel, includes the claim that Now, however, Israel has foreclosed the possibility of two states, relentlessly expanding into the West Bank and signaling to the world that the Palestinians will never have a capital in East Jerusalem.A news article inprint editions of December 7 includes the same claim, contending, Palestinian officials were incensed by Mr. Trumps decision last year to move the American Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move they feared could undermine their efforts to establish East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.The Goldberg piece is problematic for reasons I hope to get into some other time, but, for now, lets stick with the nonsense about how turning East Jerusalem into the capital of a future Palestinian state was totally plausible until either Prime Minister Netanyahu or President Trump or the combination thereof supposedly scuttled the idea.This is nonsense for at least four reasons. Students and teachers from Monomoy Regional High School and Vigo, Spain, gather for a group photo at a farewell dessert party on Nov. 28. The Vigo students visited the area for nearly two weeks, with MRHS students heading to Spain this spring. Kat Szmit Photo HARWICH Oh, how the time did fly. Just two weeks ago, after sharing Thanksgiving dinners and collecting nearly two weeks worth of memories, it was time for students from Vigo, Spain to enjoy one last event with their Monomoy Regional High School counterparts before hopping back across the pond for home. For the second year, MRHS students hosted a group of students from Spain, during which there were visits to the school, to Plimoth Plantation, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, and even the opportunity to take a cooking class at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod. It was all part of the first leg of Monomoy's Spanish/American School-to-School Exchange. 2016 saw the first two groups of students from the respective countries exchange visits, and proved such a success, the Monomoy family welcomed a new group from Vigo this fall. Spanish students stayed with Monomoy students and their families during their time here, and when the Sharks hop across the water to Spain this spring they will stay with students and their families in Vigo. I think the second exchange was a huge success because of community, family, and school support, said Elizabeth Hoff, a Monomoy Spanish teacher and coordinator of the exchange. The second exchange offered more culturally-rich field trips and personalized educational experiences. The trips were made possible with support from The Art of Charity, the Rotary Club of Yarmouth, the Rotary Club of Harwich-Dennis, Dunkin Donuts in Harwich Port, and the Harwich Cultural Council. For Vigo educator Dolores Estevez, the highlight of the trip was seeing her students put into practice all they had been learning prior to the trip. When you see the kids develop social skills, everything that you have done becomes true, she said. That is very rewarding. This is what you're working for. dress, also love this one, this one and this one | similar heels | similar bag here and here | necklace 1, 2 | bracelet | earrings Yesterday I shared our experience in Marrakech, and today were going to take a deeper dive into La Sultanas sister beach property in Oualidia! Christian and I only spent about 36 hours in this magical little town before we had to leave for the airport so he could get back to San Francisco for a Tuesday morning surgery, but we definitely soaked up the little bit of time we had there! This location was around three hours from Marrakech, and Im really glad we were able to split time between the two properties because they were totally different. Marrakech is exactly what you think of when you dream of Morocco ornate, colorful and a mind and body trip for the senses. Oualidia is its serene and peaceful sister that is bright, airy and water-inspired. I wish we could have spent a little more time at this gorgeous location, but all the more reason to return! Lets get into the nitty gritty Oualidia Where We Stayed We stayed at La Sultana Oualidia, and this charming little property was so beautiful and intimate. Its smaller hotel than Marrakech, and our room had this beautiful screened porch (pictured below) where I would work in the afternoon, while listening to Christmas Trap (#lolol). It was so lovely! We also had a private outdoor tub and fell asleep to the fireplace crackling talk about dreamy. Where We Ate We also had all of our meals in Oualidia at the hotel, and my favorite was this stunning beach picnic we traveled to by boat (pictured below). It was a Sex and the City 2 moment if Ive ever had one in my life, and if I could transport myself back to that day, eating fresh fish while trying to sneak bread to a stray dog we found I would in a heartbeat! Activities We visited the spa in Oualidia as well, and this time Christian got to take part in a massage himself! My massage was so peaceful, I almost fell asleep on the table. One of the most beautiful things about Moroccan spas is that they all have these gorgeous heated pools in the center. Its the kind of place you can spend a few hours, sipping espresso or mint tea, and completely unwind. dress | belt (sold out), love this one and this one | similar heels | sunglasses similar sweater here and here | skirt, also love this one | heels, similar style for less here | belt bag | earrings similar striped top | similar pants | similar heels | similar bag | hat | sunglasses | earrings | bracelet dress | hat | necklace | bracelet | earrings Nannacay | sunglasses | bag Ive had so much fun reliving this experience through these posts, and I hope you guys feel like you got a sneak peek into the trip. I was so honored to be a part of such a OG group of ladies who have personally inspired me since day 1, so it was a very cool full circle moment. A gigantic thank you to the LiketoKnow.it team for including me on this magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thank you so much for reading, and if you have any experience in Marrakech or Oualidia, I would love to hear where you stayed and what you did! XO Photo - Christchurch Anglican Bishop Brian Carrell and Nelsons Tim Newman at the young writers conference. The Kiwi young writers at the 2018 young writer conference held at the Christchurch Salvation Army Centre in September determined to go alone after being part of Australias Press Service International for 7 years. 2019 will be a whole new ball game, (as it were) for the Kiwi young writers. Last September the New Zealand young writers came together in Christchurch and discussed becoming independent as from next year. Press Service International in conjunction with Christian Today established the young writer ministry in 2009 whereby each young writer is published in their own column 10 times a year, once every 5 weeks. The Kiwi young writers were incorporated in 2012. Photo - Kiwi young people meeting last September (1) Kiwi young writers met on the Saturday afternoon The afternoon session of the conference the Kiwi young writers met together to discuss and work through what it might mean to develop their own ministry separate from Australia. Tim Newman a plenary speaker and a former young writer, the chair of the Kiwi young writer gathering explained that this required ownership by the New Zealanders for the New Zealanders. Previous attempts fell over as there was no one available to run and develop it and Dr Mark Tronson explained, later this year he will be 67 and he would need to let go of the Kiwi component at the end of the year. The outcome of the discussion, was that Wellington young writer Esther Koh an English tertiary lecturer was willing to be the editor, Jessica McPherson the one to send out the reminders, and Tim was willing to oversee at the beginning until they got on their feet. Others were prepared to help and use their communications skills with a weekly note and such like. With all this good-will and engagement the Kiwi young writers still have one step to go establish their own legal entity. David Chang of Christian Today had indicated he was willing to work with the Kiwi young writers in developing a banner on the Christian Today site linking NZ Christian Today. Now CTNZ has been re-established with its own separate URL. Photo - Wellingtons Esther Koh being presented the 2018 New Zealand Theology Award by Russell Modlin Bishop Brian Carrell In Bishop Carrells address to the young writers conference including the Australians and the Internationals, a founding panellist for the Basil Sellers Awards, he explained a number of salient points first hed noticed a change over these past 8 years in the young writers pieces - from personalised stories to that of more mature reflections. Bishop Carrell also made the point that in his many years of ministry, with a keen interest with CMS Church Missionary Society this young writer engagement was one of the best understandings as it pointed to the future young people today are the leaders of tomorrow. Bishop Carrell came into the Kiwi young writers meeting for the final 30 minutes of discussion and greatly encouraged them towards 2019 as a new fresh encounter in ministry and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2019 Kiwi young writers focus groups Weeks 1-3 - 18-30 year olds Coordinator - Jessica McPherson - Christchurch Editor - Esther Koh - Wellington Photo selector - Mark Tronson - PSI Week 5 - Over 31s Coordinator - Mussita Ng - Wellington Editor - Joseph Kolapudi - Brisbane Photo selector - Jackson Laninga - Auckland Welcome for Kiwi young people New Zealand young people 18-30 years interested in writing for Christian Today New Zealand with your own international column please connect with Dr Mark Tronson timeout@bushorchestra.com or Esther Koh in Wellington koh_esther22@yahoo.com Photo - Kiwi young people meeting last September (2) Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html I recently had an experience that caused me to reflect honestly on how easily offense can affect the church and render our witness ineffectual. The offensive event My wife and I were out for dinner, and in quick succession I experienced three somewhat offensive events. First, upon enquiring about a gluten free beer for my wife, a woman sitting three feet behind me said to her partner: Gluten free beer? What the (expletive). It was clear that she thought my question was pretentious. Second, after returning with the drinks I noted that my wife had just finished feeding the baby and so I offered to burp him. As I did so, Jane went to order our meals and was confronted by a staff member exclaiming, Why are you ordering the food? Make him (being me) do it! It was clear that this person felt I was being chauvinistic, expecting my wife to order my meal for me. Third, I realised that a certain burping analyst was sitting across the room, watching with interest as I fulfilled my parental duty. Now, whilst I couldnt hear her, it became clear to me, from her look of concern and sporadic whispering, that she didnt approve of my burping technique. Im offended! The cry of the autonomous person By this time, I became angry I was offended! Who did these people think they were to be so openly critical about what I ordered, who placed the order, or how I conducted myself whilst trying to care for my baby. I started to share how offended I felt with my wife, when suddenly I realised My heart wasnt in it. I didnt actually feel offended, I just sort of knew that I was supposed to be offended. Then I was struck by an epiphany: my automatic response was one of offense, because society had taught me to be offended at any perceived wrong against me. Western society teaches us that we are each autonomous, so anybody who encroaches on my autonomy, through critique of my life choices, is wronging me and I ought to therefore be offended by this. Gods response to critique and offense The trouble is, what God teaches in relation to offense is almost the opposite of what society teaches. His word tells us to overlook offense (cf. Proverbs chapter 19, verse 11), to be one who is not easily angered, keeping no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 5), and to be one increasing in self-control, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians chapter 5, verse 23). We are to be like Jesus when He suffered at the hands of the authorities, who, instead of fighting back, entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly (1 Peter chapter 2, verse 23). When considering what would Jesus do, people often quip how flipping tables and chasing people with a whip is in the realm of possibility (see John chapter 2, verses 13-16). This is certainly true in theory (although I dont personally trust myself or my motives enough to allow such a potent expression of righteous anger to be conceivable for me), but the truth is that, most of the time, Jesus opted for non-retaliation when others wronged him and I think God calls us as Christians to do the same. Christians are to be marked by non-retaliation and patience My aim as a follower of Christ is, for the most part, to be one who opts for non-retaliation, trusting that God (who judges justly) will pass judgement where necessary (see Romans chapter 2, verses 1-2). (As a side note, there is biblical warrant for rebuking a brother or sister who has wronged us [Luke chapter 17, verses 3-4], but I would argue that this is only in the spirit of seeking unity among believers [Ephesians chapter 4, verses 2-3] and should always be carried out with gentleness and respect [Galatians chapter 6, verse 1]). By Gods grace on this particular day (and it was grace, because on other days I behave far differently), I quickly realised that God actually wanted me to quash this spirit of offense that society has instilled in me, thereby experiencing freedom from the stranglehold that such offense would cause to me (Proverbs chapter 18, verse 19) and to my witness of Christ. Offense can damage our witness of Christ If Christians are as quick to become offended as those who do not follow Christ, what exactly are we saying to those watching on? That Christians and non-Christians are fundamentally the same? Were not. As Christians, our identity is housed in Christ, not in what others think or say about us. Whereas those outside the faith believe themselves to be autonomous, we know that we are not autonomous; we live under Gods sovereign direction and should therefore be willing to let God be the one to judge those who offend us (James chapter 4, verse 12). Furthermore, we should be patient and long suffering with others because we know God is patient and long suffering with us (2 Peter chapter 3, verse 9). The spirit of offense that the world tells us we should harbour is toxic for the Christian, and for his or her witness of Christ. Instead we should be marked by non-retaliation and forbearance, displaying the sweet unity that believers share in Christ, and shining a light on the potent love that God has for each of us. Brent Van Mourik is the Queensland State Representative for Baptist World Aid Australia and is a registered pastor with the Baptist Union of Queensland. He completed a Bachelor of Theology with honours in New Testament through Malyon College in Brisbane, where he now lives with his wife, Jane. In his down time, he enjoys making and drinking good coffee, and developing his theology of disappointment, whilst putting into practice Ephesians chapter 4 verse 26 (In your anger do not sin) on the golf course. Nepal Electricity Authority agrees to take-or-pay modality A longstanding dispute between the Energy Ministry and the Nepal Electricity Authority has been resolved with the power utility agreeing to sign power purchase agreements (PPAs) with run-of-the-river hydropower projects under the take-or-pay modality until their combined installed capacity reaches 5,250 MW. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The toll of U.S. military service can be steep for female veterans, with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injury each significantly raising the odds of later dementia, new research suggests. The study, of more than 100,000 older women veterans, spotlights the risk factors stemming from military service that can lead to thinking and memory problems down the road, said study author Dr. Kristine Yaffe. "It's really the first time anybody in the world has tried to understand women veterans and their risks for dementia," said Yaffe, a professor of psychiatry, neurology and epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco. "Nothing was known about these older women, yet more and more women are going into the military and more younger women are in combat," she added. Yaffe is also a physician at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. She said her prior research showed similar effects in male veterans. "I thought we should try to understand more about older women veterans and if some of the things we've shown in the past about men also relate to women," she explained. Women accounted for more than 9 percent of all U.S. veterans in 2015. And they're projected to comprise more than 16 percent of all living veterans by 2043, according to the U.S. National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. While traumatic brain injury (TBI), depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) aren't unique to those in the military, veterans are between two and five times more likely to experience these conditions, according to study documents. Yaffe and her team focused on just over 109,000 female veterans (average age 69), none of whom had dementia at the study's start. About 20,400 had depression only, while nearly 1,400 had PTSD only, and close to 500 had traumatic brain injury only. Among those included in the study, more than 5,000 had more than one of the three conditions; nearly 82,000 women had none. Over an average follow-up period of four years, 4 percent of the women developed dementia. But women with PTSD, depression or traumatic brain injury were between 50 and 80 percent more likely to develop dementia than women without these conditions, the researchers found. For women veterans who had more than one of the three risk factors, the risk of dementia doubled. However, the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between the risk factors and dementia, only that an association exists. Yaffe also emphasized that the overall risk for women veterans to develop dementia is still quite small, regardless of the presence of PTSD, depression or traumatic brain injury. For example, in the study, about 3.4 percent of women veterans with none of the risk factors developed dementia, compared to between 3.9 percent and 5.7 percent of those with any of the three risk factors. "It's not inevitable if you have one of these conditions that you'll get dementia," she said. "It just increases your risk slightly -- like a lot of other things. So you may want to be followed [by doctors] more closely." Yaffe noted it's been understood for some time that brain injury raises the odds for dementia. But it's uncertain exactly why depression or PTSD also increase risks, though stress hormones may play a role in the brain's degeneration. There are some clues, she said, that all of these may decrease the brain's defense against neurodegenerative disease. "And all might increase the neurodegenerative process itself," she added. Her theories were echoed by Dr. James Ellison, chair of memory care and geriatrics at Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Del. Ellison, who wasn't involved in the new research, said PTSD and depression influence hormones and inflammation in the brain, which could contribute to the development of dementia. "This study brings attention to the fact that female veterans are subjected to these risk factors, and that they're known risk factors for dementia," Ellison said. Yaffe and Ellison agreed that doctors should screen women veterans carefully for dementia risk factors, especially depression, which they suffer from at a rate nearly twice that of the general population. The study was published online Dec. 12 in the journal Neurology. More information The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs outlines resources for women veterans. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Beirut, December 11, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed grave concern about the fate of Syrian journalist Amjed al-Maleh. According to news reports, Syrian militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham threatened to execute al-Maleh, a Syrian freelance journalist and media activist from the southwestern Syrian city of Madaya whom the group had been holding captive for nearly a year. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Al-Qaeda offshoot previously known as Al-Nusra Front, threatened to execute al-Maleh, according to news reports and the independent London-based human rights organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, citing reliable sources close to al-Maleh, as well as sources from within the militant group. The reports, which were published between December 9 and 11, said the execution is expected to be carried out in the next two weeks and did not mention the exact date on which the threat was made. Al-Maleh has been held by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham since he was taken captive outside his home in Idlib on December 13, 2017, and accused of carrying out media activities against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, CPJ has documented. We are gravely concerned about the threat to the life of Syrian journalist Amjed al-Maleh, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour from Washington, D.C. We appeal to any group with influence to take immediate steps to save al-Malehs life and secure his release. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance of opposition militias that includes the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front, took control of the city of Idlib and some of the provinces towns and villages in July 2017, following clashes with the Turkish-backed militia Ahrar al-Sham. Militant groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have set up their own court systems in areas they control, passing judgment on civilians, including journalists. The execution threat against al-Maleh comes barely two weeks after the assassination of prominent radio host Raed Fares and photographer Hamoud al-Jnaid in the northwestern Syrian city of Kafranbel, in Idlib province. Al-Maleh covered the siege of Madaya by Syrian government troops and the Lebanese Hezbollah, which began in July 2015 and came to an end with the so-called four cities agreement in April 2017. Prior to being taken captive, al-Maleh reported for a number of local and international media outlets. He also posted many of his articles and pictures on the Facebook pages that he managed, including those of the news website Huna Madaya and the Local Revolutionary Council of Madaya, which is a governing body set up in areas held by opposition forces. He occasionally posted articles and pictures of casualties of shellings in Madaya and the destruction of the city on his personal Facebook page. After leaving Madaya on April 14, 2017, al-Maleh worked as a photographer for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In statements to the pro-opposition Step News Agency, al-Malehs family said he was trying to found a center to protect the rights of the internally displaced people and try to get the parties that managed the four cities agreement, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, to compensate those displaced financially for their losses. They added that the reason for his detention was the attempt to open an office without permission, but the allegations against him have been changing during his time in captivity from being in touch with foreign countries to writing reports for foreign agencies. Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi was elected as Vice-Chair of United Nations (UN) Panel of Auditors at its annual meeting held in New York. In this meeting CAG of UK was also appointed as Chair of Panel for another term (2019). The meeting discussed various issues concerning audit of United Nations and the agencies under the United Nations System. The next meeting will be held in in Bonn, Germany in November-December 2019. United Nations Panel of Auditors It was established by UN General Assembly Resolution 1438 (XIV) in 1959. Its main objectives are to further co-ordination of audits for which its members are responsible and to exchange information on audit methods and findings. It is made up of members of United Nations Board of Auditors and external auditors of Specialized Agencies of UN and of International Atomic Energy Agency. Currently, it is chaired by CAG of UK and consists of 11 countries India, Germany, Chile, Canada, France, Italy, Philippines, Ghana, Indonesia, Switzerland and United Kingdom. It may submit to executive heads of organisations audited any observations or recommendations in relation to accounts and financial procedures of organisation concerned. The executive heads of articipating organisations may also, through their auditors submit requests to it for its opinion or recommendation on any matter within its competence. West Bengal: 1,700 Sunderbans fishermen to get boat licence certificates by SOUMITRA NANDI December 12,2018 | Source: Millennium Post The state government will issue as many as 1,700 boat licence certificates (BLCs) to fishermen in the Sunderbans, allowing them the privilege to venture into the rivers for catching fishes and crabs. A majority of the people inhabiting the mangrove forest are dependent on fishing and catching crabs for their livelihood. As per records of the state government, there are a total of 4,700 BLCs issued to the fishermen. Around 1,723 of them are lying inactive, with the licence holders hardly venturing out. The licences were issued over 8 years ago. "We want needy and poor fishermen to reap the benefits of BLC. I have instructed the committee responsible for dealing with the issues of fishermen to ensure this," state Forest minister Binay Krishna Burman said. A high level meeting was held at Aranya Bhavan in Salt Lake on Monday in presence of ministers in charge and higher officials of the state Forest, Fisheries and Sunderban Affairs department and the Fishermen's Association in the area. Apart from Burman, state Fisheries minister Chandranath Sinha and Sunderban Affairs minister (Independent Charge) Manturam Pakhira were also present in the meeting. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had formed a committee in 2017 that has representatives from the ground level to address the issues of fishermen and ensure that they can eke out a decent living. The committee will make a list of the 1,700 fishermen to whom the BLCs will be issued. Meanwhile, an association of fishermen demanded fishing rights in the entire area of Sunderbans Tiger Reserve and also allowance of mechanised boats for fishing. However, officials of the state government made it clear that fishing activities should be carried out in accordance to the rules earmarked for fishing. Tamil Nadu: Navy accused of chasing away over 3000 Tamil Nadu fishermen from island waters December 12,2018 | Source: Colombo Page Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu have accused the Sri Lankan Navy personnel of snapping their fishing nets and chasing them back to Indian waters while they were fishing near the Katchatheevu islet on Monday. A fishermen association leader in Rameswaram has told PTI that over 3000 Fishermen in 500 boats were fishing near Katchatheevu islet when the Sri Lankan Navy personnel came in 10 boats and drove them away. He also alleged the navy men snapped the fishing nets of 50 boats and the fishermen had to return to the shore without a catch. This is the second such incident in the month. On December 6, the Sri Lankan Navy personnel had chased away fishermen while they were fishing near Katchatheevu Island. Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade. Sri Lanka: Naval & fishing communities cautioned of gusty winds December 12,2018 | Source: Adaderana The Department of Meteorology says that the low-pressure area in the South Bay of Bengal to the South-east of Sri Lanka is likely to develop into a depression during next 48 hours and move North-northwestwards, towards Tamil-Nadu coast. Naval and fishing communities are requested to be vigilant in this regards. Mainly fair weather can be expected over the most parts of the island. Fairly strong gusty winds at times up to 40 kmph and fairly cold weather can be expected over the island. Sea areas: Under the influence of the low-pressure system, there is a high possibility for heavy rainfall, sudden roughness associated with the sudden increase of wind speed (up to 70-80 kmph) in the deep sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Trincomalee via Batticaloa and Pottuvil. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the deep sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Trincomalee via Batticaloa and Pottuvil (until 15th December). Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the sea area extending from Hambantota to Trincomalee via Pottuvil. Heavy showers can be expected at some places in the deep sea areas. Winds will be North-easterly in the sea areas around the island and wind speed will be 30-40 kmph. The sea areas to the east of the island can be rough at times as the wind speed can increase up to 50-60 kmph and the sea areas to the west of the island can be fairly rough at times as the wind speed can increase up to 50 kmph. Temporarily strong gusty winds and rough seas can be expected during thundershowers. Bangladesh: From 'basket case' to 'development model' by Abu Afsarul Haider December 12,2018 | Source: The Daily Star In 1971, when Bangladesh emerged from the War of Liberation, many doubted that the country could survive as an independent state but today, 47 years later, those doubts have been put to rest. Despite being dogged by a number of thorny issues such as overpopulation, political turmoil, corruption, natural calamities and poverty, there has been some significant progress in almost all spheres of life. We have made considerable progress in poverty reduction, health, family planning, female education, women's empowerment, and child mortality reduction, and are performing well in many other socio-economic sectors. The country has come a long way since its early days and is now being tagged in some circles as a Role Model for Development. But the question is, how did Bangladesh move from being a basket case to a development surprise? People say, behind every success, there is a story. So, what's the story behind Bangladesh's developmental transformation? Our economy is mainly driven by three major sectors: agriculture, export and remittance. More than half of our population is directly or indirectly involved with agriculture, and its contribution to the GDP growth is 14.10 percent. The sector has made commendable progress over the past 47 years. But its achievements remain an untold story despite having an overwhelming impact on major macro-economic objectives like employment generation, poverty alleviation, human resources development, food security, etc. In 1971, there were 75 million people in the country. Its rice production was only 10 million metric tonnes. Presently, our population is more than 160 million and to accommodate this extra-large population, we have lost a significant amount of cultivable land. Meanwhile, rice production has tripled in the last 47 years to over 33 million metric tonnes, making Bangladesh the fourth-biggest rice producer in the world. The production of jute, pulses, wheat, tea, maize, sugarcane, potato, chili, onion and all other crops has also steadily improved. Once agriculture, livestock, aquaculture and fisheries were thought to represent a backwater sector but today the situation is changing. Bangladeshi youth are looking at these sectors as an opportunity for them to be self-employed. More and more educated youth are now participating in this business. And as a result, Bangladesh is now the third biggest inland fish producer in the world. In the 2016-17 fiscal year, the country had produced 4.134 million metric tonnes of fish. In 2018, it earned Tk 4,500 crore by exporting around 69,000 metric tonnes of fish and fish products. The fisheries sector is currently contributing 3.8 percent of the GDP. Also, a noticeable development has taken place in commercial poultry production that has generated considerable employment through the production and marketing of poultry and poultry products. After the independence of Bangladesh, there were many new developments in industrial spheres. A considerable progress was made by the garments, textiles, leather and leather goods, pharmaceuticals, ceramic, cement and many other sectors. The success story of the ready-made garment (RMG) industry is well known. The sector has emerged as a silent revolution. Today it is creating employment opportunities for 4 million people, of whom 80 percent are women. In the fiscal year 2017-18, the country made approximately USD 30.61 billion's worth of garments export, which established us as the second-largest garments and knitwear exporting country in the world. The tag Made in Bangladesh has also brought glory and honour for us. Undoubtedly, RMG and agriculture have taken the economy to a new trajectory, but it would not be an overstatement to say that the backbone of the economy is remittance. Remittances earned from overseas Bangladeshi migrants have played an important role in lifting the people out of poverty. The inflow of remittance was USD 23.7 million in 1975 and it rose to USD 15 billion in 2018. The revenues earned and sent by the migrant workers make the largest portion of our national reserve of foreign exchange which now stands close to USD 33 billion. Bangladesh, without a doubt, is one of the most promising economies in the region. When the war-ravaged country gained independence in 1971, the size of its GDP was only USD 6.2 billion and in 2018, the GDP grew to USD 286.27 billion (nominal), taking the country to the 42nd position in the world economy. Today our per capita income is USD 1751, which was only USD 135.62 in 1970. Besides our economic growth, we have also made significant social progress. The average life expectancy at birth has risen to 72 years in 2017 from 39.93 in 1971, child mortality rate fell gradually from 224.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1968 to 32.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017, and literacy rate has more than doubled since 1970. Over the years, we have also progressed a lot in terms of empowering our women. The above are a few snapshots of our many successes, and these are all impressive achievements. But that doesn't mean that we don't have challenges. Of course, we have challenges that are threatening to undo some of our hard-earned successes but that's for another day. So, what's the story behind Bangladesh's development surprise? If one looks carefully at the above portrayal, one can easily see that there is no surprise; it's the resilience of the people of Bangladesh, their struggle for survival and their entrepreneurial ability which have contributed in taking the country out of the basket case. Of course, government and non-government organisations (NGOs) also deserve credit. There is no denying that for the past three decades, government socio-economic reforms and policies have allowed the private sector to play an increasingly active role in the economic life of the country, but the real architect of this development surprise is indeed the people of this land. Clearly, things are now looking brighter for us but there is no reason for complacency. We still have a long way to go to reach the desired state for our country. We need a clean and stable government with zero tolerance for corruption, one that respects rule of law and strives for a strong economy. The nation is set to celebrate the 48th Victory Day on December 16, 2018 and with the upcoming parliamentary election only weeks away, now is a good time for our leaders to take a fresh vow to weed out all the wrong practices, oppose wrong traditions and change the present political culture of winners take it alland start thinking of a national reconciliation to further improve our economy. They should strive to create a conducive and supportive environment for the people, especially our youths, to take this development surprise to the next stage. Iran Human Rights (IHR); December 11, 2018: A Prisoner was executed at Urmia Central Prison on December 10, 2018. According to the IHR sources, Younes Azizi was hanged on Monday, December 10, at Urmia Central Prison. He was sentenced to death for drug offenses. Younes was sentenced to death for possessing 100 kilograms of morphine. His case was sent for the revision under the new anti-narcotic law, but the verdict was upheld because he had three other drug-related sentences, the source told IHR. Younes Azizi was transferred to solitary confinement a day before the execution. The Iranian media outlets have not published news related to the aforementioned execution so far. Prisoner Hanged at Qazvin Prison December 10, 2018: A prisoner was hanged at Qazvin Central Prison yesterday. According to Iranian media outlets reports, an unnamed prisoner was hanged on the rape charges on the morning of December 9, 2018. According to the Qazvin chief prosecutor, Mohammad Qasemi, there are 5 defendants in the case and the first defendant was sentenced to death for rape and robbery. The rest of the defendants were sentenced to flogging and long-term prison terms, Qasemi said. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the shooter had evaded a police dragnet and was on the run, raising concerns of a follow-up attack.(Representational Image) Strasbourg: A gunman on a security watchlist killed three people and wounded a dozen others near the picturesque Christmas market in the historic French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening before fleeing. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the shooter 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. We will also reinforce security at all Christmas markets to prevent copycat attacks. 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. Police identified the suspect as Strasbourg-born Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was known to the intelligence services as a potential security risk. Castaner said the gunman exchanged shots with security forces twice as he escaped. His whereabouts now were unknown, and elite commandos and helicopters were involved in the manhunt. The Paris prosecutor said the motive for the attack was not known. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but the US-based Site intelligence group, which monitors jihadist websites, said Islamic State supporters were celebrating. The attack began at about 8 pm (1900 GMT) as stallholders prepared to close down and restaurants filled in the city, which sits across the Rhine River from Germany. Bystanders were swiftly ushered into nearby shops. There was confusion initially but they locked the front doors pretty soon after the gunshots, said U.S. 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. European Parliament lawmaker Emmanuel Maurel said he had heard the shots. From my hotel window I saw passersby dragging someone who was injured and onlookers panicking, he tweeted. Soldiers and police have cordoned off the area. Were being told to stay in the hotel. Christmas Market Security The European Parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, was put into lockdown. On the opposite side of the Rhine river German police also tightened border controls, officials said. The Strasbourg prefecture said the gunman was on an intelligence services watchlist. Sources familiar with the police operation said the suspects home had been raided earlier in the day in connection with a robbery during the summer, but he was not found there. 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. Security was tight this year for the Christmas market, which is popular with visitors to the citys old quarter, with its Gothic cathedral and half-timbered houses. Unauthorised vehicles were excluded from surrounding streets during opening hours and checkpoints were set up on bridges and access points to search pedestrians bags. President Emmanuel Macron was being updated on events, an Elysee Palace official said. Castaner was on his way to Strasbourg. Attack Fears Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Commission, the EU executive body, tweeted: My thoughts are with the victims of the Strasbourg shooting, which I condemn with the utmost firmness. Strasbourg is an excellent symbol of peace and European Democracy. Values that we will always defend. British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was shocked and saddened. Some 26,000 individuals suspected of posing a security risk to France are on the S File watchlist, of whom about 10,000 are believed to have been radicalised, sometimes in fundamentalist Salafist Muslim mosques, online or abroad. European security agencies have feared for some time that Islamist militants who left Europe to fight for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq would return after the jihadist groups defeat, with the skills and motivation to carry out attacks at home. Secular France has been grappling with how to respond to both homegrown jihadists and foreign militants following attacks in Paris, Nice, Marseille and beyond since 2015. In 2016, a truck ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, killing more than 80 people. In November 2015, coordinated Islamist militant 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 offices of satirical weekly publication 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. In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal categorically stated Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities. Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday rejected the United States' pronouncement about religious freedom in Pakistan as politically motivated. In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal categorically stated Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities. He said besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise. The spokesperson said Pakistan was a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together. Around 4 percent of our total population comprises citizens belonging to Christian, Hindu, Buddhists and Sikh faiths. He said ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the constitution of Pakistan. Special seats have been reserved for minorities in the Parliament to ensure their adequate representation and voice in the legislation process, he said. Dr Faisal said a vibrant and independent National Commission on Human Rights was functioning to address concerns on violation of the rights of minorities. Foreign Office spokesperson pointed out that successive governments have made it a priority that rights of citizens belonging to minority faiths are protected as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution. The higher judiciary of the country has made several landmark decisions to protect the properties and places of worships of minorities. He said Pakistan had devised legal and administrative mechanisms to safeguard the rights of its citizens. The spokesperson regretted the proponents of human rights worldwide close their eyes on systematic persecution of minorities subjected to alien domination and foreign occupation such as in the Kashmir. He said an honest self-introspection would also have been timely to know the causes of exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US. The United States clarified on Wednesday that although Pakistan remains on the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) list, there will be no additional sanctions other than those already placed on Pakistan owing to national interest. Oli to face tough questions from party leaders The upcoming standing committee meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party is expected to be a stormy affair. Irked by party Co-chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis way of handling the party and the government, NCP leaders have long been demanding that he convene the committee meeting to face their questions. The logo of Google is pictured during the Viva Tech start-up and technology summit in Paris, France, May 25, 2018. Photo by Reuters A senior Google official says the tech behemoth is studying the process of opening a representative office in Vietnam. Google senior vice president Kent Walker told Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue at a meeting Tuesday that the opening of a rep office in the country would follow the principle of ensuring that host country regulations do not contradict the firms international commitments. A report on the government website chinhphu.vn also quoted Walker as saying that he agreed with the Vietnamese government on the need for cyber-security to ensure a stable society. Google will cooperate with authorities in achieving this goal, he said. The rep office announcement came as Vietnams cybersecurity law is set to take effect next month. The law requires digital businesses like Facebook and Google to open a representative office in Vietnam. Deputy PM Hue said that he appreciated Googles contribution to a draft decree on guidelines to implement the law and ensure cyber-safety and security. "Vietnams market advantages and the adaptability of its young workforce will be attractive factors for Google to open a representative office in Vietnam," he said. Meanwhile, a Google spokesperson told Reuters Wednesday: "We remain very excited to see how technology is being used by businesses and people in Vietnam. There are a number of different factors we look at before opening an office, but we have nothing to announce at this time." Vietnams Cybersecurity Law, which was passed in June, requires tech businesses to store the data of Vietnamese users in Vietnam, and to provide this data to the Ministry of Public Security upon receipt of requests in writing, in cases where any infringement of the cybersecurity law is being investigated. Seventeen U.S. lawmakers in July urged the CEOs of tech giants Facebook and Google to resist changes stipulated by the law. However, Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs reasserted that the cybersecurity law is designed to protect rights of organizations and individuals. The truce in the U.S.-China trade war will not benefit Vietnam, which should instead focus on consummating trade pacts, experts have opined. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month agreed to kick the can down the road. The U.S. will not increase the tariffs slapped on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent for 90 days starting January 1, allowing the two sides to negotiate intellectual property protection, alleged cyber theft, technology transfers, services, and agriculture. Economist Nguyen Tri Hieu said the 90-day delay could hardly result in any concrete measures to resolve the conflicts between the two countries. Besides, the arrest of a top executive working for Chinese tech giant Huawei in Canada at the request of the U.S. government could damage the fragile truce, and even worsen the U.S.-China conflict, experts warned. The U.S. is seeking the extradition of Wanzhou Meng, chief financial officer of the company, after convincing Canada to arrest her on December 1. Since the 10-percent tariffs the U.S. has already imposed on China are still in place, China could seek to export its goods to the U.S. via Vietnam, making Vietnam a possible target for the same tariffs, Hieu said. The moves were being made with steel and aluminum going to the U.S. from China to Vietnam. British newspaper Financial Times quoted Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at consultancy Oxford Economics, as saying Vietnam has the fifth largest trade surplus with the U.S. ($38.4 billion last year) and so is "increasingly at risk of being targeted" by Washington. Le Dang Doanh, a former economic adviser to the Vietnamese government, told VnExpress International that he does not expect the 90-day ceasefire in the trade war to result in any major changes, and Vietnam remains in a difficult and awkward situation. "When the global economy is weakened because of the trade war, so is Vietnam. The negative consequences to the economy will be great." The National Center for Socio-Economic Information and Forecast has warned that Vietnams GDP could take a 0.03 percentage points hit this year from the trade war, 0.09 percentage points next year and 0.12 percentage points in 2020 and 2021. They would be equivalent to VND1.65 trillion ($71 million), VND5.3 trillion ($228 million) and VND8 trillion ($344 million) in 2021. Doanh said that instead of focusing on the trade war, Vietnam should direct its attention to upcoming trade deals with major economies such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Vietnam-EU trade pact. This would help the country stand firm amidst the trade tensions, he added. Vietnam last month became the seventh country to ratify the CPTPP, which is expected to boost trade by reducing tariffs between it and 10 other countries. "Most economies in the CPTPP can play a major role in supporting Vietnams economy," Doanh said. The Vietnam-EU trade pact, set to be ratified by the European Parliament early next year, is also expected to reduce Vietnams reliance on China and the U.S. by eliminating almost all trade tariffs between Vietnam and EU members. "These are better alternatives that could help Vietnam survive and thrive after the 90-day truce comes to an end," Hieu said. Sudhir Shetty, the World Banks chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific Region, said at a forum Monday that if the Chinese economy slows down because of the trade war, Vietnam needs to improve its competitiveness and take advantage of the CPTPP and the Vietnam-EU trade pact to stand firm. The European Parliament is set to ratify the trade deal with the EU early next year. The deal will eliminate almost all tariffs. In Southeast Asia, only Singapore has a similar agreement with the EU. China is Vietnams largest seller of goods while the U.S. is its biggest export market, according to Vietnam Customs. In the first 10 months of this year Vietnam imported $53.39 billion worth of goods from China, or 27.4 percent of its total imports. China was also Vietnams third largest export market, buying goods worth $33.48 billion. Vietnam exported $39.42 billion worth of goods to the U.S., 23.9 percent of its total exports. Que Lua Taxi is one of 17 taxi brands that has joined together to compete against Grab. Photo courtesy of Que Lua Taxi Pressured by inroads made into their market by ride-hailing firms, traditional taxi companies are putting up a united fightback. Members of a new alliance are collaborating by sharing the same technological platform to take back their customers. The Vietnam Taxi Alliance was officially launched in Hanoi on Monday. It will operate countrywide through the ride-hailing application "EMMDI," a vehicle management software developed by scientists with the Hanoi National University. As of now, 17 traditional taxi companies have joined the Vietnam Taxi Alliance, six of which are based in Hanoi: Thanh Nga, Van Xuan, Thang Long, Sao Mai, Long Bien and Que Lua. This month, the alliance will also welcome Open 99 and VIC, increasing its fleet strength to 4,000 units. The alliance will also launch the service in many other provinces like Nam Dinh in the north, and Ha Tinh and Quang Binh in the central region. "We guarantee customers will be connected with drivers in 1-2 minutes without increasing fares during peak hours," said Le Vinh Quang, vice president of the Vietnam Taxi Alliance. Next year, the organization aims to extend its coverage to all 63 provinces and cities nationwide with a fleet of more than 20,000 vehicles. Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said the establishment of an alliance between taxi companies and the use of ride hailing software is a positive signal. Loc said that for traditional taxi companies to succeed, they need to change their way of doing business, using new technologies and adopting the shared-economy model. Previously, three taxi companies, Thanh Cong, Sao Hanoi and Ba Sao had joined to form the G7 taxi union in Hanoi to compete with Grab, Southeast Asias largest ride hailing firm. Together, they have about 3,000 cars, accounting for around 20 percent of taxis in the Hanoi area. Nguyen Cong Hung, chairman of the Hanoi Taxi Association, had said: "Traditional taxis, each with their own app, are now trying to compete with Grab. But we are divided, therefore we need to unite." But Grab, the dominant player in the ride-hailing business in Vietnam, is also working on strategies to compete better with local taxi firms. Several months ago, it introduced Grab for Business in Vietnam, a service that helps a company track the trips its employees make to limit unnecessary trips and control expenses. Grab is also deploying various policies to attract drivers by offering bonuses and opening stops with free wifi and coffee. Securities companies have reduced target prices of bank shares by 10-20 percent, based on result of lower income forecasts. Viet Capital Securities (VCSC) recently lowered share price expectations on a series of bank stocks compared to numbers it had published earlier. According to VCSCs latest report on HCMC Development Bank (HDBank), the securities company has set a target price of VND31,800 ($1.37) per share, down nearly 20 percent on its previous prediction. The main reason for this adjustment is that credit growth is forecast to be lower for HD Saison, a financial company that is a joint venture between HDBank and Japanese securities group Credit Saison. The target price was also reduced as a result of falling loan yields at the parent company. At the time of VCSCs first report for HDB shares in June 2018, loan yields at HDBank were already falling. Loan yield for the first 9 months of the year was 12.1 percent, lower than the 12.6 percent in 2017. The shares of BIDV, Vietnam's biggest bank by assets, are down by 15 percent in the latest publication from the last forecast. The securities company lowered its 2018 and 2019 earnings forecast for BIDV as a result of net interest income forecasts showing a decline of 8.7 percent and 11.7 percent respectively. At the same time, the company also raised provision costs for the bank by 5.5 percent this year and 4.5 percent for the next. "We observed that debt settled, as well as accrued interests and receivables in the first 9 months of the year rose, showing that asset quality could go down at the bank," said Dinh Phuong Anh, an analyst with VCSC said. For other banks, although recommendations remain positive, target prices have also been lowered by between 10 and 20 percent. The shares of Vietcombank (VCB), the third largest bank by assets, are down to VND64,000 ($2.76) in the latest publication, down 11 percent from the last forecast. The estimated price of Techcombank (TCB) stocks is also down 20 percent to VND34,600 ($1.48) per share. The Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corporation (HSC) recently lowered its forecasts of Eximbank (EIB) shares. The target price of EIB was adjusted down from VND18,000 ($0.78) to VND14,700 ($0.63) as its 9 months performance report showed restructuring delays. According to many experts, the performance of the banking sector is unlikely to maintain the strong growth of the last 3 years. HSBC Vietnam CEO Pham Hong Hai said that profitability of the sector will peak in 2018 and gradually fall later. The central bank may not want to maintain such high credit growth in the near future, and could work to bring it down, he explained. Vietnams credit growth in the first 11 months of this year was 15.3 percent, according to the National Financial Supervisory Commission. The countrys banking sector posted an estimated 18.17 percent loan growth in 2017. It has targeted growth of 17 percent this year. In addition, an important factor that will affect the profitability of banks in the following years is the imminent official application of Basel II, which will impact on the banks strategies. The second Basel Accords, or Basel II, prescribe capital of 8 percent of risk-weighted assets for all financial institutions, including in Vietnam, to cover operational risks. By this time, banks will not be able to rely so much on credit income, but have to move to other activities. Profit will most likely fall to levels below this year, he said. Hai said that from 2019 onwards, bad debt may re-emerge as a problem for banks after the recent credit growth and the instability of the global financial markets. This was another reason banking profits will likely see a downward trend next year, he added. State Bank Governor Le Minh Hung said recently that bad debts and potential bad debts of the sector had amounted to 8.61 percent of total credit by the end of September. An ocean of trash washes up on central Vietnam beaches Severe flooding triggered by torrential rains has left Da Nangs seas and beaches filthy with garbage and sewage. The huge amounts of rain dumped by the northeast monsoon over the last few days on Vietnams third largest city, Da Nang, has had some unsavory after effects. The downpours have pushed out a huge amount of waste from domestic sewers into the sea and this has also washed up on Da Nangs beaches. Several beaches including the ones in Son Tra, Thanh Khe and Lien Chieu districts are littered with garbage, and the dumping continues. A pile of waste from the sewer on Ton That Dam Street in Thanh Khe District comes ashore, accompanied by black wastewater. In Da Nang, wastewater and rainwater are collected by the same sewers. When they get flooded by heavy downpours, this is dumped in the ocean. Nguyen Duc Vu, head of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Beaches Management Department, said the large scale dumping of garbage has happened on 15 kilometers of Da Nangs coast. Rotting fish among the garbage made the place stink. A large part of the dumped garbage was plastic waste. My Khe Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, looks like a dumpster now, despite efforts to clean up the trash by municipal employees and residents, as the waves continue to deposit trash. Many foreign tourists took pictures of the beach full of garbage. An angler returns with his "catch." "Ive never seen such a huge amount of waste dumped into the ocean like this," he said. Irrigation expert Huynh Van Thang said that it was not just that the sewer system unable to keep pace with the citys urbanization, but that the huge amounts of garbage stuck inside the sewers led to slow drainage, causing floods each time it rained heavily. "We have collected over 10 tons of garbage on Tho Quang and My Khe beaches in just two days, and this is just only about one-third of what has been dumped," said Vu with the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Beaches Management Department. Da Nang has prioritized cleaning up My Khe Beach for tourism purposes. One official from the Da Nang Beaches Management Department said: "There is so much garbage; we hope people in the city can work together to bring the beaches back to their original state as soon as possible." Heavy beer and alcohol consumption contributes to the increasing liver cancer mortality rate among Vietnamese men. Photo by Shutterstock/Viiviien Liver cancer has become the most common cancer in Vietnam for the first time in history, ahead of lung cancer. Pham Xuan Dung, director of the HCMC Hospital of Oncology, cited a 2018 report by international cancer surveillance database GLOBOCAN, which says 25,335 people in Vietnam newly contracted liver cancer this year, and 25,404 died of it. In comparison, 23,667 people newly contracted lung cancer and 20,701 died of the disease this year. These figures show liver cancer overtaking lung cancer for the first time in history as the most common form of cancer in Vietnam, Dung said. In October, another GLOBOCAN report said Vietnam ranked 4th worldwide in liver cancer fatality rate this year. It also said that the liver cancer rate among the countrys male population was three times higher than among women, with 39 men out of 100,000 succumbing to the disease, third in the world behind Mongolia and Egypt. Heavy smoking and alcohol abuse contribute to the increasing liver cancer mortality rate among Vietnamese men, health experts say. Vietnam has among the worlds highest numbers of smokers. An estimated 15.6 million Vietnamese spend VND31 trillion ($1.36 billion) on cigarettes each year. As a major cause of lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases in the country, smoking costs VND23 trillion ($1 billion) in treatment and labor loss annually, according to the Ministry of Health. Liquor consumption among Vietnamese has also reached alarming levels, with an adult above 15 years of age drinking 8.3 liters of alcohol per year on average, much higher than in China (7.2), Cambodia (6.7), the Philippines (6.6) and Singapore (2), according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO also placed Vietnam at 78th out of 172 countries in the number of cancer patients worldwide this year. According to WHO, liver cancer is among the five most common cancers and kills 782,000 people around the world every year. One Nepali guest worker dies every day in Malaysia One Nepali guest worker dies in Malaysia daily, Embassy of Nepal in Malaysia data shows. Remains of U.S. soldiers from the Vietnam War are carried onto a flight at Da Nang Airport on December 11, 2018. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam Vietnam handed over the remains of three U.S. soldiers killed in the American War at a ceremony in Da Nang Tuesday. Representatives from Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Personnel gave the remains to officials from the U.S. Embassy and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, local media reported. The remains will be sent to the MIA commands laboratory in Hawaii for analysis. They were recovered during a joint exploration carried out with help from 76 American specialists and 200 Vietnamese people in the central provinces of Nghe An, Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue. The search for the remains of American troops is a humanitarian gesture by Vietnam, and this was the 147th occasion since 1973 it has returned them to the U.S. They include the handover of two soldiers remains last July and three last April. Of more than 1,900 U.S. soldiers believed to be missing from the Vietnam War, the joint efforts have so far recovered the remains of 958, and 725 of them have been identified, officials said. The short-necked clam cannot be farmed, so limits are placed on how many kilos a person can dig up a day. In the last months of the year, early in the morning as tide ebbs, residents of Thoi Thuan Commune (Binh Dai District, the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre), go to the beach to dig clams. "Clam fields here are managed by the cooperative, which will distribute leaflets to about 40 local residents a day, giving them permission to dig clams," said Ngo Thanh Phong, a security guard. "Clams at the beach, which only grow naturally, are very difficult to raise commercially. This type of clam is large and has a purplish shell. The market price is about VND140,000 ($5.99) per kilogram, higher than that of the commonly seen white clam," said Phong. "Around mid-year until the Tet Lunar New Year holiday, people in the village start to dig these clams as they are growing in profusion. Every month, we only dig when the waters recede the deepest," said Can, who has nearly 10-year experience of clam digging. "I use a homemade rake and putting the clams into the net with a tong," said 30-year-old Kim Anh. Experienced residents say people should ideally work in pairs from both sides so that they can catch larger number of clams. "This species is not as concentrated as farm-raised clams, so it is possible to go a few rounds of digging without hitting a single one. Sometimes, we dug from early morning to noon but only got a few kilograms," said Trinh Van Tien, 30. Around 10 a.m, when the waters begin to rise the clam diggers leave the beach. The cooperative allows each person to dig a maximum of 30 kg a day to ensure that everyone gets a fair share and that the clam is not overexploited to extinction. Clam diggers in Thoi Thuan Commune usually work in a group. Pointing to her clam basket, a woman named Thoa said: "My three-member family is one group. This is what we got after raking from early in the morning." Many people like Trinh Thi Anh Tuyet, 28, cover their face, arms and legs to protect themselves from the sunlight. Around 11am, the clam diggers gather in a dry area where their employers collect the clams and pay their wages. "The cooperative pays VND25,000 ($1.07) for one kilo. Everyone digs up to 30 kilograms so we earn nearly a million dong ($42.77) a day. But this is just our side job. Our main job is growing watermelons," Tuyet said The clams are washed, sorted and transported to markets in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi as well as HCMC's neighboring provinces like Long An and Dong Nai. 'Bun cha' is a Northern Vietnamese noodle with grilled pork served with fresh herbal. US President, Obama used to try this food in Hanoi when visiting Hanoi in 2016. Photo by Ba Tung Huynh/Shutterstock. UK lifestyle magazine Tatler ranks Vietnams capital city among top 10 food destinations that should be on ones bucket list. Hanoi is 7th on the top 10 list of must go food paradises compiled by Tatler. The magazine tells travelers that the fascinating mix of Vietnamese cuisine with Chinese and French influences is part of the charm of Hanoi. "Look past the obvious must-haves such as pho, banh mi and the fantastic coffee, and youll find gems such as mien xao luon (stir fried glass noodles with deep fried eel), or nem cua be (crispy crab rolls). If youre thinking about taking a trip, our food lovers guide to Hanoi will definitely come in handy," Tatler wrote. Noodle soup pho and banh mi, a kind of sandwich that consists of a Vietnamese single-serving baguette filled with various savory ingredients, are Vietnam's iconic street dishes. Bangkok (Thailand) tops the list, followed by Osaka (Japan), Paris (France), Rome (Italy), Seoul (South Korea), Manila (Philippines), Hanoi (Vietnam), Los Angeles (U.S.), London (U.K.) and Melbourne (Australia). In the ten months of 2018, Hanoi welcomed over 3.4 million foreign visitors, up 16.9 percent year-on-year, according to the Hanoi Statistics Office. Previously, Hanoi was named among the top destinations for every type of traveler by globally renowned U.S. magazine Time. In July, Hello!, another UK weekly magazine named Hanoi the number one city on its seven best destinations in Asia for backpackers. Check out this video about the ultimate Hanoi street food tour by CNN: Saigons fully functional post office is so imbued with history that pleasantly surprised visitors are eager to introduce it to others. The French built the Saigon Central Post Office in the 1886-1891 period. Located then on Cong Xa Paris Street, District 1, the building, designed by a French architect, combines European and East Asian styles. According to the HCMC Department of Culture and Sports, the Post Office has been listed as a national monument since 2010. Visitors have many things to admire about this, starting with its architectural features. It also functions as a museum in how it allows visitors to explore the history of Saigon, be it a mailbox, an old-fashioned telephone booth or a hundred-year-old bench. The facade of the building has arched windows with a domed top and European-style decor. The domed ceiling creates a sense of spaciousness even when the building is crowded. The large arch is supported by four pillars located at four corners. Each pillar supports four iron rails spreading out on four sides. In the hall, there are 14 telephone booths that are no longer in use, having become a museum artifact that people can look at but not touch. On the right side of the hall is a map called "Saigon et ses environs 1892" showing the geography of Saigon and its surroundings. Opposite to the 1982 map is the map "Lignes du Terre Pyramids du Sud Vietnam et du Cambodge 1936" - showing the power lines of Vietnam and Cambodia in 1936. The Sai Gon - Quy Nhon - Da Nang - Hue - Vinh - Ha Noi telegraph line (Post Office system) has a length of 2,000 km and was completed on March 22, 1888. In 1889, the Sai Gon - Bangkok (Thailand) telegraph line was opened to serve businesses. From July 1, 1894, Saigon began using the telephone system. On top of each booth is a clock that shows the time in many big cities in the world. An old fashioned chandelier in the post office. The Central Post Office in Saigon has been operating normally for three centuries with more than 30 service counters. Along with Notre Dame Cathedral, the Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum, this is one of the most visited attractions in Saigon. French man Criss, a first time visitor to Vietnam, said the architecture of the building was very similar to some works in his country. "I am happy to see a French-style structure in Saigon. I sent a postcard to my family in Paris," he said. Located in the middle of the post office is a souvenir shop, which sells many handicraft items and postcards. The shop is mainly frequented by foreign visitors. At the end of the post office, four rows of wooden tables and chairs are arranged to serve people who need to write before sending mails and packages. From left: Alex and Laura from Germany and Samantha from Spain are also first time visitors to HCMC as well as the Central Post Office. All three expressed their admiration for "this masterpiece." "We are glad to see this building well-maintained. I will certainly tell my friends about this place when I return to Germany," Laura said. The building is also an icon for young Saigon residents. Many young people and students use the front yard of the building for dancing and other activities, including taking yearbook photos. It came hours after a former Canadian diplomat was said to have been detained in China, intensifying a diplomatic standoff between the North American allies and Beijing. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, faces extradition to the United States, where she is wanted for allegedly violating Iran sanctions, but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row. "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. The list of strict conditions of her release pending the outcome of the extradition case is lengthy, and includes the surrender of her passports and electronic monitoring. She was expected to be released shortly, and will be allowed to stay at a luxury home owned by her husband Liu Xiaozong in Vancouver. U.S. President Donald Trump said he may intervene in the American case against her to further the trade relationship with China. "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made -- which is a very important thing, what's good for national security I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," he told Reuters. In a statement, Huawei said it is confident the Canadian and U.S. judiciaries will "reach a just conclusion in the following proceedings." "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 U.N., U.S. and E.U." 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, scheduled to start on February 6, could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. The United States must submit details of the accusations for the Canadian court to consider. Earlier, the three-way diplomatic standoff over her arrest intensified with the news that China had detained Canadian national Michael Kovrig. The former diplomat once served in Beijing but was there on unpaid leave, sources told AFP. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced concern over the detention that his ministers said was very troubling. "This has our attention at the very highest level of our government," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, adding to concerns voiced by the International Crisis Group think tank, Kovrig's employer, which first raised the alarm. China had expressed outrage over Meng's arrest in Vancouver and warned of "grave consequences" if she were not 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. Electronic monitoring Meng was arrested on December 1 while changing planes in Vancouver on the first leg of a round-the-world business trip with stops in South America and Europe. "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 argued in 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." The pipeline is one of several Russian projects that would circumvent Ukraine and give the worlds top gas producer direct access to its biggest European markets. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a largely symbolic resolution expressing opposition to Gazprom PJSCs $11 billion Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, on concerns that the project will boost the Kremlins control over Europes energy supplies. The bipartisan bill finds that the pipeline is a "drastic step backwards for European energy security and United States interests," and calls for European governments to reject the project. The measure also urges President Donald Trump to "use all available means to support European energy security," Bloomberg reports. While the resolution is non-binding, it highlights growing Congressional opposition to the Russian project. The Trump administration is reviewing potential sanctions against the European companies involved. The pipeline, which would send Russian gas to Germany, has financing agreements with Engie SA and Royal Dutch Shell Plc, among others. Read alsoRussia gas pipeline to boost grip on Ukraine, Europe: U.S. diplomat media Doing business with Nord Stream 2 is not consistent with shared transatlantic values, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources Francis Fannon said on a conference call earlier in the day. The pipeline is one of several Russian projects that would circumvent Ukraine and give the worlds top gas producer direct access to its biggest European markets. In a Facebook posting, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko praised the unanimous move of U.S. legislators which he says shows Washington's support for Kyiv. Ukraine's Embassy in the United States has also posted the news, reminding that Nord Stream 2 is "Putin's Trojan Horse in Europe." Trump last year signed a law giving him the right to sanction companies involved in Nord Stream 2, arguing it would make Germany captive to Moscow. In response, Moscow said Trumps attacks were an attempt to promote U.S. liquefied natural gas in Europe. Tigipko's TAScombank remains only bidder to buy Russian bank's Ukrainian subsidiary VTB Bank media Since Alfa-Bank did not provide a guarantee fee, TAScombank remained the only bidder. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Nobody knows where Putin next decides to "protect Russian interests," Poroshenko said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called on the European Union and the United States to stop the Nord Stream 2 project as a reaction to the act of aggression in the Black Sea. "It would be absolutely positive if, as a reaction to the act of aggression in the Black Sea, European Union together with the United States makes a sanction against Nord Stream 2 to stop, because nobody knows where tomorrow Putin makes a decision to protect Russian interests," Poroshenko said in an interview with Fox News, according to a video posted on Poroshenko's Facebook page. Read alsoU.S. House passes resolution opposing Nord Stream 2 UNIAN memo. The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction and operation of two gas pipeline branches with a total throughput capacity of 55 million cubic meters of natural gas per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. This new pipeline bypassing Ukraine is to be built next to the existing Nord Stream 1 pipeline. The construction of the pipeline should be completed before the end of 2019. The length of the pipeline will be 1,220 km. It should connect Russia's Ust-Luga and Germany's Greifswald. Firtash's regional gas companies to be inspected over wrong bills In November, Ukrainians received gas bills, where the cost of gas differed from that for the actual consumption volumes. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Naftogaz COO: New York court agrees with Ukraine's demands regarding Gazprom Naftogaz has managed to take the first step to engage U.S. courts in a dispute with Russia's Gazprom to recover $2.6 billion. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Public Accounts Committee forms probe panel to look into NACs Airbus purchase deal The Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament has formed a probe panel to look into the procurement of two wide-body Airbus A330 jets by Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). Nirmala Pant rape and murder case: Relatives of new suspects protest Family and relatives of Pradeep Rawal and Bishal Chaudhari, the latest suspects in the teenage murder mystery, protested on the streets of Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur, on Tuesday stating the government tried to frame innocent people in the crime. Gay Pride parade in Madrid. jaime villanueva It is the eve of another national holiday and thousands of young people are drinking and having a good time in a confined space long after midnight. Police are concerned. This is exactly the kind of scenario that leads to incidents involving sexual abuse, brawls and arrests. And it is the kind of event that has proved unmanageable on more than one occasion. This year has seen multiple fiestas end in tears. But neither the National Police nor the Civil Guard have official statistics. They maintain that the system makes no allowance for registering that a reported incident took place at an outdoor party, and that any data is, in any case, in the hands of the Secretary of State for Security. Cellphone thieves go to these gatherings and have a field day Police spokesperson The last mass gathering that caused trouble was on November 1 in Tres Cantos, at the tail end of Halloween celebrations. Two Civil Guard officers were injured; one of them had his nose broken. These things need a lot of planning, says a Civil Guard spokesman. It means a lot of policing is required, which in turn means putting in extra hours and working on vacation days. We are understaffed. Mobile discos that move around like the Pied Piper, attracting hordes of youngsters, have also proved challenging to control. While there is the option of stopping the music, the resulting conflict is sometimes not worth it. Alcohol-fueled fiestas attended by large crowds pose a challenge to law enforcement. Then there is the not insignificant matter of theft. Cellphone thieves go to these gatherings and have a field day, says a police spokesman. They know how to take advantage of carelessness or drunkenness to get hold of the phones. Another more alarming tendency that has come to light in recent months involves sexual attacks on young women and minors. Incidents were reported at the local fiestas in Alcorcon, Las Rozas, Majadahonda and the Barrio del Pilar neighborhood in the city of Madrid. The police maintain that due to La Manada case when an 18-year-old girl was assaulted at the 2016 Running of the Bulls in Pamplona victims now feel braver about coming forward to report abuse. The same thing is happening with gender violence, says a Madrid police officer. People are increasingly aware of it. Serious offenses during Gay Pride One of the most popular fiestas in the Spanish capital is Madrid Pride (MADO). The Madrid Observatory against LGTB Phobia has a record of incidents that took place this year. Two men between the ages of 18 and 25 were raped, only one of whom reported the incident. The Arcopoli Association, which is linked to the Madrid Observatory against LGTB Phobia, insists that this is the first time there have been rape cases at the event, at least on record. During Mado 2018 there were 35 incidents reported, including three physical assaults, 12 verbal attacks and damage to property. Abuse cases at fiestas in and around Madrid have involved women and girls between the ages of 14 and 18, while their attackers have been individuals or groups of men older than them but under 25. In towns such as Pinto, the local council has decided to suspend macro-discos on account of the problems they generate. In 2017, there were stones and bottles and even paving stones hurled at the police and the Civil Guard officers watching over the area. But the most serious violence occurred in San Agustin de Guadalix, in the north of the Madrid region, when a 19-year-old died from stab wounds during the fiestas. A lot of problems happen because youngsters pour in from other towns and think they can throw their weight around with no consequences, says a National Police source. The National Police say that their workforce is not big enough to control thousands of people at a time. We do get reinforcements from the riot unit, but not always, and not in the appropriate numbers. And we ourselves dont have the training nor the means to tackle a problem this size, says the source. English version by Heather Galloway. Two seniors in Madrids Retiro Park. Jaime Villanueva The natural demographic decline in Spain has reached a historic high, according to provisional data released by the countrys National Statistics Institute (INE) on Tuesday. In the first half of 2018, there were just 179,794 births in Spain, the lowest figure for the same period since records began in 1941, and 5.8% down from the first six months of 2017. Whats more, the number of deaths has also grown: in the first half a total of 226,384 people passed away. Thats the highest figure since 1941, when the population of Spain was 26 million. January saw a particularly high mortality rate. The natural growth for Spain i.e. live births minus deaths came in at -46,590, a statistical record. For fertility to rise there need to be conditions allowing couples to have a sense of security in terms of their medium-term financial outlook Daniel Devolder, Barcelona Autonomous University The negative trend began in 2015, and is forecast to last into the future. Childbirths fell compared to last year in all of Spains regions, but the highest drops were seen in La Rioja (-13.7%), Extremadura (-10.3%) and Cantabria (-7.8%). It is no surprise to see the number of births continue to fall, explains Diego Ramiro, the head of the Population Department at the Institute of Economy, Geography and Demography (IEGD), which is part of the state-funded Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). He points out that the women currently in their fertile period were born from 1978 onward, a small generation, who were born in a time of low fertility. Since 1981, the birth rate has come in at below 2.1 babies per woman, which is the minimum needed to guarantee generational replacement. That figure in Spain currently comes in at 1.3, which has led to a progressively ageing population. A key factor in this change is that couples are having their first child later in life, something that reduces the probability of people having more children, according to Daniel Devolder, from the Demographic Studies Center at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. During the year 2017, first-time mothers were on average aged 32.1 in Spain, a record high. The rise in the age when women are having their first child is the main problem that is affecting Spains fertility rate, Devolder explains. It is no surprise to see the number of births continue to fall Diego Ramiro, IEGD The economy has played a key role in this decline. The birth rate in Spain came in at the highest in three decades in 2008, with 519,779 births. Since then, the number of births has fallen at a rhythm of between 3% and 5% on an annual basis, explains Devolder. According to Ramiro, studies carried out at the CSIC have shown that the economic crisis drastically reduced the fertility rate among workers on temporary contracts and the unemployed, although not so much among employees on fixed contracts. For fertility to rise there need to be conditions that allow couples to have a sense of security in terms of their medium-term financial outlook, he says. Despite the negative natural growth rate, the population of Spain around 46.6 million is rising due to immigration. One in every five babies that were born in Spain during the first half of 2018 had a mother from abroad. They contributed roughly the same as last year to the birth rate, with the general decline this year attributed to the fall in births by Spanish mothers. English version by Simon Hunter. The current cloud of pollution over Madrid, seen from the Vallecas district. The city of Madrid has activated new traffic restrictions aimed at reducing the current high levels of air pollution in the Spanish capital. Police checks are in place to prevent vehicles without the right environmental sticker from entering the city center Starting on Wednesday, the older, most polluting vehicles are not being allowed within the perimeter of the M-30 ring road or on the beltway itself. Additionally, the speed limit on the M-30 has been set at 70 kilometers per hour. Police checks are in place to prevent vehicles without the right environmental sticker from entering the city center, where further regulations apply as part of a new mobility plan from City Hall called Madrid Central, which covers 472 hectares and introduces a raft of new restrictions. Cameras will also monitor license plates of vehicles that enter the area. Environmental stickers are issued by the Spanish traffic authority DGT, and the ones allowing access to central Madrid are those classified as 0 (i.e. electric cars with zero emissions), ECO (hybrid vehicles), C and B (modern diesel and gasoline vehicles). Older vehicles those manufactured prior to the year 2000 in the case of gasoline and 2006 for diesel are not eligible for such stickers, meaning they are permanently precluded from entering the Madrid Central area. Demand for environmental stickers The activation of todays pollution protocol saw huge lines in Correos post offices this week, as Madrilenos sought to get hold of environmental stickers for their vehicles despite the fact that they will not be obligatory until next year. Sources from Correos told the Europa Press news agency that citizens have turned out en masse to get hold of the stickers, creating a huge workload for staff. Some drivers reported having had to wait for at least two hours before they were served, while others left empty handed after post office branches ran out of stickers. Correos said on Tuesday that it has already sold 380,390 throughout the Madrid region. City officials explained that for now there will be no fines for not having the sticker, as these will not be mandatory until April 24, 2019, but they do recommend getting them as soon as possible (they are available at Correos post offices for 5 upon presentation of the vehicles documentation). Only cars with the 0 and Eco stickers will be able to park in regulated parking spaces on Madrids streets today (the green and blue zones), with the exception of residents, the disabled and authorized commercial and industrial vehicles. The DGT says that the measure is aimed at positive discrimination of the most environmentally friendly vehicles and to become an efficient tool of municipal policies. The traffic authority also notes that the sticker is currently voluntary, but since it makes it easy to quickly identify the less-polluting vehicles, it is recommended to place it in the bottom right of your cars windscreen. The DGT website offers the possibility of checking a vehicles category through its license plate number. Traffic problems At 7.30am on Wednesday, there were inbound traffic jams throughout the south of the city, as well as on the A-4, A-2 and A-6 roads, with fog complicating transport. The municipal transportation authority EMT has rolled out additional buses on 55 lines, but the underground Metro system, which is managed by the Regional Transportation Consortium, has not increased the frequency of its trains, arguing that a similar restriction on December 28 of last year only saw passenger numbers rise by 0.86%. The subway system is also experiencing a series of stoppages by drivers over work conditions. As for the Cercanias commuter train system, also controlled by the regional government, there will be no extra services today on top of those already in place due to the Christmas season. The environmental department of Madrid City Hall decided on Wednesday to deactivate the restrictions on Thursday, given that the levels of pollution in the center are falling and weather conditions are improving to help clean the air. Rain is forecast for tonight, which will also help improve the situation. If the level of pollution had increased, vehicles ineligible for an environmental sticker would have been banned from driving in the entire city. A historic step to becoming a car-free city center M. A. M., Madrid The Madrid Central system was launched on November 30, bringing the Spanish capital in line with a global list of pioneering cities fighting air pollution through local initiatives. The project is part of a larger move to improve the quality and safety of a space that is shared by cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, bicycles and a growing number of personal mobility devices. Viewed as a legacy-making project for Mayor Manuela Carmena, of the leftist Ahora Madrid party, Madrid Central has made 472 hectares of the city center off-limits to traffic, except for local residents and public transportation. Non-residents with appropriate environmental labels may enter to leave their vehicle in a public parking lot, and exceptions are made for people with reduced mobility, ambulances, taxis, private-hire cars and delivery vans. Electric vehicles will also be allowed into Madrid Centro. Improving the air quality in cities is a EU mandate, and the European Commission has set 2020 as the deadline for Madrid to meet its targets. City officials say that Madrid Central will reduce emissions by 40% as a result of eliminating through traffic and banning the biggest polluters from the area. English version by Susana Urra and Simon Hunter. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Congress on Wednesday. Zipi (EFE) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday hardened his position on the situation in Catalonia during the first single-issue debate to be held in Congress since he came to power in June. The Socialist Party (PSOE) chief warned the assembled deputies that he would not tolerate breaches of the Constitution, and accused parties that are in favor of an independent Catalonia of creating a narrative of lies and grievances. I will not accept a new violation of the Constitution in Catalonia Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez Sanchezs statements came after another series of disturbances in the northeastern Spanish region, which has been immersed in a situation of political and social turbulence since last year, when an illegal referendum on independence was held and a unilateral declaration of independence was passed through the regional parliament. Grassroots pro-independence groups calling themselves the Committees to Defend the Republic (CDR) blocked a highway and tampered with toll plazas in Catalonia this weekend, without any interference from the regional police force, the Mossos dEsquadra. The protesters staged the action to call for the release of Catalan independence leaders who are currently being held in pre-trial detention for their involvement in the separatist push. Several of the politicians and civic leaders are currently staging a hunger strike in protest at the failure of the Spanish courts to pass their appeals on to the European justice system. I will not accept a new violation of the Constitution in Catalonia, said Sanchez, in reference to the events of last year, which saw the then-Popular Party (PP) government of Mariano Rajoy suspend regional powers under Article 155 of Spains Magna Carta. Sanchez said he would not hesitate to act if there was another omission of responsibilities from Catalan political leaders Speaking in Congress, Sanchez made clear that he would not authorize a referendum on independence for the region, which only leaves room, he added, for the development and refinement of self-governance in Catalonia i.e. reforms to the Estatuto, the statute that lays out the regions powers. Sanchez is currently in a delicate position in power, having become prime minister thanks to winning a vote of no confidence he tabled against Rajoy, whose party had become mired in corruption cases and was also heavily criticized for having let the situation in Catalonia spiral out of control. He is currently leading a minority government with just 84 seats in Congress (an absolute majority is 176 in the 350-seat house), and needs the support of a wide range of parties including Catalan nationalists to pass legislation. Popular Party leader Pablo Casado. EFE During his statements, Sanchez said that he would not hesitate to act if there was another omission of responsibilities on the part of Catalan political leaders, as, he argued, took place at the weekend when instructions were not conveyed to the regional Mossos dEsquadra police force to intervene in the protests. Sanchez warned that he would send national police officers to Catalonia if it were necessary, in order to guarantee safety and maintain public order in the region. His words came two days after he sent three letters to Catalan regional chiefs warning that if they did not comply with their obligations, the state would intervene to do so instead. Gibraltar The prime minister also mentioned the United Kingdoms ongoing process of withdrawal from the European Union, commonly known as Brexit, saying that both it and the situation in Catalonia go against the common European project. He also warned that nothing creates more division than a referendum, adding that the only path for the secessionists is dialogue for more self-governance, but within the framework of the Constitution. He argued that Brexit had divided the United Kingdom and had seriously damaged the future of the younger generation of Britons who dont want to leave the European Union, adding that the Catalan independence movement was undermining the European common project. Post-Brexit rights Sanchez stated on Wednesday that safeguarding the rights of EU citizens in the United Kingdom and vice-versa is an absolute priority for this government. European and British citizens will see their rights protected with this Withdrawal Agreement. He added that the suggestion by current Catalan regional premier Quim Torra that the Slovenian path was the road to freedom for the region was unacceptable, given that the breakaway of the country from Yugoslavia ended with a conflict in which nearly a hundred people lost their lives. In response to the prime ministers statements in Congress, the leader of the conservative PP, Pablo Casado, insisted that the PSOE government must intervene in Catalonia once more and call general elections. Lets go to the Senate to vote on the application of Article 155, he said. There is nothing left to offer here, your adventure is over. The leader of the center-right party Ciudadanos, Albert Rivera, was more respectful but had the same message for Sanchez: Put a date on elections now, he said. Call the people to the ballot boxes, so that a strong government emerges. Until now, Sanchez has resisted calls for a fresh general election, but has admitted in the past that he will have to go back to the polls if he is unable to muster support for his 2019 budget plan. English version by Simon Hunter. A man walks his dog in front of Spanish Congress. Claudio Alvarez Spanish Congress on Wednesday began working on the final version of a bill that aims to change animals legal status from mere objects to sentient beings. This would prevent pets from being seized along with other assets in cases of payment defaults; it would also allow regulators to decide which partner gets to keep the pet after a separation or divorce. There is a constructive attitude that is aimed at adopting decisions more in line with the sensibility of todays society Javier Anton Cacho, PSOE deputy The Spanish Civil Code currently views animals as movable property, as noted in the introduction to a bill that was initially proposed by the Popular Party (PP) a year ago, and backed by all parties in Congress at the time. Now, political groups have begun talks to draft the final text after introducing 115 amendments to the original document throughout this time. The updated draft is expected to be ready by February 2019. The legal changes will address what happens to a pet when its owners split up, with an eye on animal welfare. Mortgage and civil procedure legislation will also have to be modified to ensure animals cannot be confiscated. PP lawmaker Avelino Barrionuevo introduced the initiative a year ago. Claudio Alvarez Sara Carreno, a lawmaker for Unidos Podemos, said that her group had wanted a more ambitious bill, but that the PP didnt want bullfighting to be affected. The new legislation should at least end public subsidies for bullfighting or any other activity that involves animal abuse, she added. Carreno said that the concept of animal abuse should be clearly defined, recalling a recent video that circulated on social media in which hunting dogs are seen falling down a cliff. Avelino Barrionuevo, a PP deputy who first introduced the idea for the bill last year, said that some of the amendments by other parties fall more within the scope of an animal welfare law, which is not the case here. The idea is to achieve maximum consensus, he said, noting that the PP itself has proposed 13 amendments, which is uncommon, as the bill is ours to begin with. Whats required is political determination and courage Javier Moreno, Animal Equality The amendments are the result of conversations with animal associations and other groups that pointed out shortcomings in the original text. One of the amendments adds a pet owners right to moral damages on top of existing civil responsibility when the animal is injured by a third party. Socialist (PSOE) representative Javier Anton Cacho said that there is a constructive attitude that is aimed at adopting decisions more in line with the sensibility of todays society. Animal rights groups have welcomed the measure, although they deem it insufficient. Javier Moreno, spokesman for the international group Animal Equality, said that what Spain needs is a nationwide animal protection law so that it is not up to each regional government to draft policies about issues such as putting down pets. Moreno also supports a national ban on shows that use animals, such as bullfights or circus acts. Right now that depends on municipal authorities, he says. Whats required is political determination and courage, because Spain is trailing at the back of the pack when it comes to animal protection in Europe, even though social awareness has increased in recent years. Eva Ramos, a lawyer for the animal rights party Pacma, says that 115 amendments mean the final text could change a lot depending on what gets included or left out. Ramos said the bill should clearly define what constitutes a pet, and address the possibility of temporary custody of the animal if there is abuse. The lawyer said that animal abuse is often used as a tool of control by a spouse in gender violence cases. We are seeing cases of people who are being themselves abused, but they are incapable of leaving the home because they dont want to abandon their animals. English version by Susana Urra. 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 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 The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft agreement on the European Union's providing technical assistance to Ukraine in the amount EUR 54 million to finance the EE4U-II energy efficiency support program, and also approved draft agreements on two other programs. According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Cabinet of Ministers also approved a draft agreement on financing the "Program of Expanding Contacts between People: the House of Europe" between Ukraine and the European Commission with a budget of EUR18 million for eight years. The aim of the program is to attract technical assistance from the EU to establish contacts, professional relations, cultural exchange between citizens of the EU and Ukraine. In particular, the matter concerns organizing short-term professional internships in EU countries, supporting the House of Europe information center, expanding opportunities for Ukraine to participate in the Erasmus+ program. In addition, the program assumes reimbursement of half the amount of Ukraine's contributions to the Creative Europe program for 2018-2020. In addition, the government approved a draft agreement on financing the technical cooperation program for 2018 with the budget of EUR 37 million to support the implementation of the Association Agreement on the deep and comprehensive free trade area, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade reports. Shanghai group set to hand over Kalanki-Koteshwor road project to Kathmandu The 10.5-km Kalanki-Koteshwor road expansion project is finally going to be handed over to Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project (KRRIP) by Shanghai Construction Group Co Ltd, a Chinese company who had started the project in 2013. Russia-occupation forces have mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has reported. "The invaders opened fire on the positions of our troops 11 times. The enemy continues to use weapons banned by the Minsk agreements ... During the hostilities, on December 11, two soldiers of the JFO were injured," the JFO staff said on Facebook on Wednesday morning. The enemy also employed 82mm mortars to attack the defenders of the village of Opytne in the Donetsk sector. "Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns and small arms, attacking the defenders of Zaitseve in the Horlivka sector, Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, Nevelske, Novomykhailivka, Slavne, Pivnichne in the Donetsk sector, and Chermalyk in the Mariupol sector. "Since Wednesday midnight, the enemy has attacked the Ukrainian positions in the village of Taramchuk in the Donetsk sector. No heavy weapons were used. No casualties among Ukrainian troops have been reported," the JFO staff said. According to intelligence reports, one enemy fighter was killed and another five were wounded. The U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously adopted a bipartisan resolution that condemned the military aggression committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in the Kerch Strait, as well as the resolution in which it opposed the completion of the construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The first resolution condemns the attack of the Russian Federation on the ship of the Ukrainian Navy in the Kerch Strait as such, which violates binding international norms and agreements. "The document calls on Russia to immediately return the ships and their crew to Ukraine, stop violating the sovereignty of our state and repair barriers to Ukrainian shipping through the Kerch Strait, which has the right to do so in accordance with international norms and agreements," the Embassy of Ukraine to the U.S. said on Facebook on Wednesday. The resolution reaffirms the loyalty of the United States in assisting the Ukrainian people to ensure its independence, democratic development and prosperity. Separately, there is an appeal to the U.S. president, as well as to the allies and partners of the U.S. to force the Russian Federation to take responsibility for the aggression against Ukraine. The resolution contains the call against the completion of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline appealing European governments to abandon this gas pipeline. It also supports the introduction of sanctions against this gas pipeline in accordance with Part 232 of the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act." The resolution also notes that Nord Stream 2 is a step in the opposite direction towards ensuring Europe's energy security and U.S. interests and urges the U.S. president to use all available tools to support Europe's energy security through a policy of reducing its dependence on Russian energy. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will run more than 1,200 km across the Baltic Sea, connecting gas suppliers in Russia with consumers in Europe. It will have capacity to carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The project is being implemented by Russia's Gazprom in an alliance with European companies Engie, Uniper, OMV, Shell and Wintershall. Ukraine over the past five years, despite the extremely difficult conditions, has implemented a number of very important reforms, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said at a meeting of the European Parliament dedicated to the implementation of the EU-Ukraine association agreement. At the same time, she dwelt on the numerous problems facing Ukraine, which were not resolved in the process of implementing the reforms. According to her, the fight against corruption remains a serious issue. Brussels is waiting for an anti-corruption court to become a reality. Anti-corruption bodies should be independent, not subject to political pressure. The same, Mogherini added, also concerns prosecutors. Besides, the diplomat noted that the struggle against fraud in the banking sector, which a high-ranking European official called large-scale, requires considerable efforts. Mogherini highlighted attacks against civil society and journalists which disturb the European Union. In this regard, she recalled the attack with the use of sulfuric acid on the Ukrainian activist Kateryna Handziuk. Mogherini expressed wish to conduct an enhanced investigation. The EU High Representative also noted the need for more active work to protect the rights of national minorities. According to her, the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is the most ambitious one that has ever been developed by the European Union with any partner country. Since 2014, the European Union has invested in Ukraine more than in any country in the world. This is the most significant package of assistance in our history, said Mogherini. The EU wants Ukraine to succeed, and the European Union will be working on this. The EU, she explained, made its choice: to render assistance, despite all the difficulties and all the obstacles on the way. Roman Nasirov, reinstated by Kyiv District Administrative Court as head of the State Fiscal Service (SFS), has said he is waiting for the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers about returning to work. Nasirov said he is ready to go back to work. "In accordance with the decision of the court, I have already been reinstated. Now we need a formal procedure, namely, the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers in order for me to take office as SFS head. I expect the Cabinet to decide today or tomorrow," he told the 112.Ukraine TV channel on Wednesday. He said court decision to reinstate him is obligatory for execution, "and non-execution of the decision will be another illegal act." The official stressed that the government already has both a corresponding court decision and enforcement proceedings to enforce the court decision. "The government can theoretically decide to challenge the decision, but first they must execute the decision of the court - this is spelled out in the decision to reinstate me. And thirdly, the court found the decision to dismiss me illegal," he said. When asked whether he would take office after reinstatement of the head of the SFS, or immediately quit, Nasirov said, "Ill return to work." "I think that we need to get back to work and fight smuggling and the shadow economy, which again went into the shadows. And make sure that the budget does not grow by 10% per year, but by 20-30%" he said, adding that he still has plans to run in Ukraine's 2019 presidential election. The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has criticized results of judicial and anti-corruption reform of Ukraine in connection with the reinstatement of Roman Nasirov to State Fiscal Service chief by the Kyiv District Administrative Court. "Yesterdays reported decision regarding Nasirov would indicate that Ukraine's judicial and anti-corruption reforms have a long way to go," the U.S. embassy said on Facebook on Wednesday, adding that Ukrainians "deserve officials who don't abuse their positions and an effective, fair court system that holds powerful individuals accountable." As earlier reported, the Kyiv District Administrative Court on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 ruled that Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers illegally dismissed Nasirov in January 2018. On November 10, 2017, Ukraine's Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office approved an indictment drawn up by detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) following a pretrial investigation in criminal proceedings on suspicion of Nasirov, as well as the head of a SFS department. On the same day, the indictment was sent to court for consideration. On December 7, 2017 Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court held a hearing of the indictment in criminal proceedings on charges against Nasirov and the head of the SFS department. The two officials are accused of committing a crime stipulated by Part 2, Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of office, which entailed grave consequences). In addition, Nasirov is charged with committing a crime under Part 2, Article 366 of the Criminal Code (official forgery, which entailed grave consequences). Normandy Format dialogue at level of advisors to resume in Jan - German govt Dialogue in the Normandy Format for settling the conflict in Ukraine's Donbas will be resumed at the level of advisors in January, Germany government spokesman Steffen Seibert told journalists. "The advisors have had a substantive conversation, which should be continued in January," Seibert said in Berlin on Wednesday, commenting on a meeting held there on Tuesday. The meeting in January will also be held at the level of foreign policy advisors to the leaders of the countries involved in the Normandy Format talks, he said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that presidential aide Vladislav Surkov would represent Russia at a meeting in Berlin of the foreign policy advisors from France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine. Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to arrange such an event at their recent meeting. Natalia Kaplan, a cousin of political prisoner Oleh Sentsov, has accepted in his name in Strasbourg the Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, which her cousin was awarded by the European Parliament. The award ceremony took place as part of the European Parliament's session on December 12. "I cannot be present in this hall but you can hear my words even if they are voiced by someone else... Andrei Sakharov is, without doubt, a man to be looked up to, and to stand somewhere in his vicinity is a very big honor for me. He managed to raise the bar of erudition and talent, intellectuality and manners, and dignity and humanism very high. However, I do hope that I will still be able, will manage to do something to feel that I have earned this prize," Sentsov said in his address to the European Parliament that was read aloud by his cousin at the award ceremony. The ceremony was also attended by Sentsov's lawyer Dmitry Dinze. The prize was handed over to Sentsov's cousin by the European Parliament's president Antonio Tajani. We are giving our debt of honor to Oleh Sentsovthe Ukrainian film director who has been imprisoned for political reasons. This year he is awarded with the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. He took part in a peaceful protest against the illegitimate annexation of Crimea, his native region. The prize goes to him for his boldness, his determination to fight for the rights, dignity, democracy and a lawful state, the European Parliament's president said at the award ceremony. Tajani said that these are the principles the European Union has operated on. The award ceremony was preceded by a demonstration of a small video about Sentsov. Several members of the European Parliament set up stands with posters calling to release the Ukrainian film director. An empty chair was put in the hall, on which the diploma confirming the awarding of the Andrei Sakharov Prize to Sentsov was placed. Sentsov was detained in Russia-occupied Crimea in 2014 and charged with the creation of a terrorist group in the territory of the peninsula. A court in Rostov-on-Don in Russia in August 2015 sentenced him to 20 years in a maximum security penal colony. The film director has refuted all the charges. On May 14, 2018, Sentsov went on a huger strike and demanded that all the Ukrainians that have been illegitimately kept in prisons in Russia be released. On October 6, he announced that he decided to end his hunger strike for the fear of forceful feeding. Sentsov was nominated for the Sakharov Prize by the European People's Party in the European Parliament. The Sakharov Prize has been awarded by the European Parliament since 1988 to people and organizations that defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. The first Sakharov Prize was awarded to the former president of the Republic of South Africa Nelson Mandela and, posthumously, to a Soviet dissident Anatoly Marchenko. In 2017, the Sakharov Prize was awarded to the democratic opposition in Venezuela. In accordance with the tradition, the Andrei Sakharov Prize is awarded at the ultimate plenary session of the European Parliament in a given year. Usually, it happens during the period close to the Human Rights Day, which is celebrated on December 10. In 2018, this date has been marked with the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. KYIV. Dec 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) Foreign interference in Ukraine's 2019 presidential election will be monitored by a team of specialists created by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, the Atlantic Council and the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity. We are here to talk about the initiative to monitor foreign interference in the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine ... This is the idea of Viktor Pinchuk, which he told me about last spring, said Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center Director and ex-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst at a press conference at the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on December 12. He noted that the Razumkov Center and the organization "STOP Fake" became Ukrainian partners of the project, and also invited other Ukrainian organizations to participate in it. The Victor Pinchuk Foundation creates and supports platforms that discuss issues, problems and challenges facing Ukraine. And next years elections, as we all understand, are no exception. They are one of those issues, Victor Pinchuk Foundation National Programs Director Svitlana Hrytsenko said. "We hope for your support and help so that the results we will receive can be conveyed to the audience so that it knows about the interventions that will be, if any," she added. At the same time, team leader and senior researcher at Atlantic Council, David J. Kramer, said the project coordinators met with representatives of the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, as well as Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council. He explained that the working group will focus on identifying external intervention, not eliminating it. The working group will include cybersecurity, misinformation and military security teams. According to information from materials distributed to journalists, in mid-December, the working group will launch an online information panel, where in real time they will inform about the facts of interference in the Ukrainian elections. As reported, during the YES 15th annual meeting in Kyiv, the Atlantic Council's Eurasian Center, the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity agreed to establish the Working Group on Ukrainian Elections. Tehran's embassy in Kabul has officially denied accusations that arms and ammunition recently discovered in the province of Ghazni in Afghanistan are related to Iran. Ghazni governor and police chief said, in a clearing operation on the outskirts of Ghazni city, security forces gained access to a Taliban hideout, where they recovered Iran-made weapons. Around nine light weapons, which have been recovered by the security forces are made in Iran, Wahidullah Kalimzai, Ghazni governor said on December 9. Speaking to RFE/RL Afghan Service, Radio Azadi, Ghazni's police chief, Brig Gen. Ghulam Daud Tarakhel also confirmed December 10 that a significant amount of weaponry and ammunition made in Iran have recently been discovered in a house in Ghazni. The weapons, as you see, are very new. They were in the hands of militants and are made in Iran. The weapons were brought here for the continuation of war, Ghulam Daud Tarakhil, Ghazni police chief told reporters. It appears both officials were speaking about the same event. It is not the first time that Afghan officials are attributing discovered ammunition and weapons to the Islamic Republic. Local Afghan officials have often accused Iran of supplying arms to the Taliban, but they have rarely produced the evidence. Earlier, Pentagon and the U.S. State Department had gone all out on November 29, to show that Iran is breaking United Nations resolutions by aggressively sending arms to rebel groups in the region. The collection of weapons on display included pieces of what the Pentagon said were Iranian weapons transferred to militants in Yemen and Afghanistan.He also pointed out "Iran's relentless commitment to put more weapons into the hands of even more of its proxies regardless of the sufferings." However, Tehran has repeatedly denied that it is supporting ultraconservative Sunni group, Taleban, in Afghanistan. The top State Department official dealing with Iran announced that the issue of family members of senior Iranian officials residing in the United States will be looked upon. Brian Hook, U.S. Special Representative for Iran in a video message released on the State Department Persian language website and social media said many Iranians have sent messages asking why the U.S. does not deport or revoke the visas of the relatives of regime officials. I have to admit that this is another example of the hypocrisy of the regime, Hook answered the question, adding, While regime officials chant Death to America, they send their families to the so called Great Satan to live and study here, using the resources of the Iranian people. Hook went on to say, I can tell you we are working on it and added, we are pursuing all options to pressure the corrupt officials hypocrites in your government to change their behavior. In early December, NBC News reported that families of American being held in Iran have asked the Trump administration to revoke visas for relatives of prominent Iranian officials. According to the report the families have handed over to the U.S. government a list of relatives of top Iranian officials. The list includes relatives of the powerful Speaker of Parliament, Ali Larijani whose daughter is a resident in internal medicine in Ohio. Hassan Rouhanis nephew who studied at City College of New York and now works in New York. The list also includes the son of prominent Iranian politician Massumeh Ebtekar who studies in Los Angeles. Meetings of House committees continue to defer as lawmakers go AWOL In yet another instance of lawmakers insincerity towards their job, a crucial parliamentary committee meeting was deferred on Tuesday as they failed to show up for the pre-scheduled event. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: Bakcell, the First Mobile Operator and the Fastest Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan together with ENGINET the first FTTH provider in Azerbaijan have awarded the winners of the Video reel contest among the students of Baku city schools, held within the frames of the Safe Internet project. The Video reel contest among the students of Baku city schools was conducted as a part of the Safe Internet project, with support of the Ministry of Education. During the project, jointly supported by Bakcell and ENGINET meetings were organized with students and teachers of schools number 165, 280, 291, 211, 225, 177 and 271 of Baku. The participants were provided with extensive information about proper and safe internet usage guidelines, as well as the tools used for protection against the existing threats and dangerous content. Mustafayev Tunjay and Niftali Aysen from Ecology Lyceum 291, Garibova Fidan, Alisattarova Aylin, Ramazanova Madina, Khalilov Vusal, Mirzoyeva Asmat from school 211 and Mammadov Aykhan, Goyushlu Banu, Akbarli Huseyn, Guluzade Nurlan and Suleymanova Madina from school 271 were selected as the winners of contest and received special gifts from Bakcell and ENGINET. It should be noted that Bakcell ensures safe internet browsing for children by means of its Safe Internet package, which was launched several years ago and now has become available in the companys 4G network. Thanks to these internet packages and the Internet Filtering Service of ENGINET, Bakcell customers have the possibility to protect their children from any harmful and unwanted content. Visit https://www.bakcell.com/en/internet-safe-internet for more detailed information about the Safe Internet service of Bakcell. *** About Bakcell Bakcell, the First Mobile Operator and Leading Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan, offers a wide range of products and Services to users of modern mobile communications Services. The company provides its customers with the best-in-class 4G mobile internet. The 4G services of Bakcell are already available in Baku and Absheron peninsula, as well as central parts of more than 40 regions of Azerbaijan. With more than 7000 base stations, Bakcell network covers 99% of the population and 93% of the land area of the country (except for the occupied territories). In 2017, Bakcell network has been recognized as the Best in Test in Azerbaijan by P3 Communications, being one of the most trusted independent authorities in mobile benchmarking. Bakcell has been recognized as the Fastest Mobile Network in Azerbaijan. This award, presented by world-famous Ookla company, recognizes Bakcells commitment to delivering fastest speeds to customers all across Azerbaijan. For more information about Bakcell products and services, please visit www.bakcell.com or call 555. For press releases please see www.bakcell.com/az/news (or www.bakcell.com/en/news for press releases in English). If you are not a Bakcell subscriber, but wish to find out about Bakcell and its products and services, please call 012 498 89 89. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: On December 9, The US-Educated Azerbaijani Alumni Association organized the final round of the Azerbaijan Business Case Competition 2018 at the Hilton Hotel. The competition was performed in virtue of local and international companies operating in Azerbaijan, including: SOCAR AQS, Azercell, BP, Coca-Cola, Engin LTD, Azer Turk Bank, Azsigorta, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, as well as by organizational support of the U.S. Embassy and Hilton Hotel. The Azerbaijan Business Case Competition is the most prestigious business competition among undergraduate and graduate students who are studying in the field of finance, business and economics. During the competition, students were given Cases of Harvard Business School for analysis based on real-life business problems companies had faced. This year 26 teams from 6 universities: ADA University, Baku Engineering University, Azerbaijan State Economic University, Khazar University, the Academy of Public Administration, and Baku Higher Oil School participated in the competition. Only 16 teams out of 26 earned the chance of passing to the semi-final stage, and four teams were left for the finals. Based on the structure of the competition, all the teams had been trained on business analysis, strategic planning, presentation skills, and other topics within two weeks, and applied gained knowledge over different case solutions within 3 weeks. Along with this, teams participated in a Mock Round before the final stage. According to the rules, teams presented their case solutions in front of judges representing local and international business structures at the semifinal round. Four winner teams of semifinal round presented their case solutions to judges in order to fight for the first place. Finalists were required to find solutions for cases, and evaluation of the team was based on their critical business thinking, financial analysis, marketing strategy, presentation skills, including their preparation for Q&A session. Winning teams received 10 000 AZN in total (1st place - 6 000 AZN-, 3 000 AZN - 2nd place, 1 000 AZN - 3rd place). The Azerbaijan Business Case Competition is an annual competition involving students representing leading universities of our country. In this competition, students solve real business problems by applying knowledge gained in areas such as finance, marketing, accounting, technology and management, and present them to the jury consisting of representatives of business circles of Azerbaijan. The competition, which marked the 16th anniversary this year, had been launched since 2002. Volunteers of the MBA Enterprise Corps have laid the foundation for this project, taking into account the shortage of business key analysis in Azerbaijan. Since 2006, the right of conducting this competition has been given to the US-Educated Azerbaijani Alumni Association (AAA). Approximately 1200 very talented students so far participated in this project. Azerbaijan Business Case Competition plays a significant role in the development of students analytical and presentation skills, as well as contributes to the career development and management skills. The U.S.-Educated Azerbaijani Alumni Association (AAA) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that unites alumni of the State Department educational exchange programs in Azerbaijan. The AAA was established in October 2003 by a group of US-educated Azerbaijani alumni with the aim of uniting all alumni of Azerbaijan under one umbrella and using their knowledge and skills to help developing Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 28 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Dec. 12. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. 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. 12 By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend: National leader Heydar Aliyev saved Azerbaijan by ensuring its eternity and inviolability, Vice Speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Bahar Muradova told Trend on the occasion of the 15th death anniversary of the national leader. We are proud to be citizens of such a rapidly developing state, the authority of which in the international arena is increasing, she said. She said that Heydar Aliyev, who is one of Azerbaijans great personalities, will be remembered throughout history. The memory of great leader Heydar Aliyev is honored by both the citizens of Azerbaijan and guests who come to the country, she noted. They always remember and value the life path that he passed. I can definitely say that Heydar Aliyev was a great person. She noted that national leader Heydar Aliyev came to power for the second time in the most difficult period for Azerbaijan. The first time when he came to power wasnt an easy period, either, she said. At that time, Azerbaijan had economic and social difficulties, as part of the USSR, being an agrarian republic, the country was lagging behind in development. Just like in those years, when he came to power for the second time, Heydar Aliyev brought prosperity and development to Azerbaijan, and turned it into one of the most advanced countries. She added that after returning to power by the insistent demand of the people in 1993, great leader Heydar Aliyev ensured safe life of every citizen of Azerbaijan. In the same year, after Heydar Aliyev was elected president, he officially began to fulfill the tasks that were very important for the development of the Azerbaijani state, and a new era began in the life of Azerbaijan, Muradova said. Muradova noted that the second period of Heydar Aliyev's leadership is particularly significant for Azerbaijan. That is because namely in this period, the great leader saved the independence of the Azerbaijani state, ensured its eternity and inviolability, turning Azerbaijan into a master of its capabilities and potential, Muradova added. "Heydar Aliyev was conducting activity on promoting the "Azerbaijani state exists, one should reckon with it, and as long as the world exists, Azerbaijan will also exist opinion, Muradova said. "Today in Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev's ideas dont remain just as ideas, they are real and are being implemented. This work is headed by a worthy successor, President Ilham Aliyev. Under his leadership, we are implementing projects the development directions of which were designed by Heydar Aliyev. She said that Azerbaijan has a bright future, and great leader Heydar Aliyev is definitely creator of this future. Muradova added that the economic model created by Heydar Aliyev and continued by President Ilham Aliyev is being successfully implemented. Muradova stressed that the foreign policy course, the foundation of which was laid by great leader Heydar Aliyev, is being modernized by President Ilham Aliyev, and is developing at the level of the modern system of international relations. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: It is illogical and unreasonable to refer to the mass political show held Dec. 9 in Armenia as "election", Azerbaijani MP Hikmet Babaoglu told Trend. "Despite that only about two million people live in Armenia, the Central Election Commission registers more than 2.5 million voters and draws up a fake electoral list," he said. This fact is enough to talk about the fictitiousness of the election held in that country, he added. "In this case, one cannot seriously talk about any voter activity or inactivity. It was only necessary to finish the political comedy that has been played in Armenia from April 2018 and to give legitimacy to the leader of street democracy, and this was done." He noted that the use of such words as law and democracy in relation to Armenia is considered an insult to law and democracy. He said changing the military junta to the new aggressive dictatorship cannot be attributed to democracy. Armenians, by presenting this 'democracy' game, are trying to prove that there is 'a national consolidation' in the country and they have been able to build 'a democratic society', he added. Apparently, some international organizations and human rights organizations also intend to present this in such a form. But the falsifications at the election in Armenia have reached such a scale and are so indisputable that it is impossible to hide them. Babaoglu noted that under no circumstances the will of only 30 percent of the population can guarantee stability in the country. Therefore, the Armenian society is on the threshold of a serious social explosion, he said. The second factor contributing to this is the lack of any reforms in economy in recent months. He added that Armenia simply doesnt have economic resources that will ensure these reforms. Babaoglu also said a new era in Armenia will come only when the country puts an end to the occupation policy and leaves the Azerbaijani lands. Economy is built on the basis of real resources and communications, the MP noted. Azerbaijan has the key to these resources and communications. Therefore, no matter how hard Pashinyan tries to gain recognition of his legitimacy, that wont happen. After a short time, the population will take to the streets again with economic demands. Therefore, it would be good if the newly elected team thought about taking steps consistent with the common interests of their own and neighboring peoples. After all, Azerbaijans patience also has its limits. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and family members have visited the Alley of Honors to commemorate national leader Heydar Aliyev as December 12 marks the 15th anniversary of the death of the architect and founder of the independent Azerbaijan, world-renowned politician and national leader of the Azerbaijani people. Parliamentarians, ministers, committee chairs, company heads, and representatives of general public also visited the Alley of Honors to pay tribute to the national leader. President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the great leaders grave. The state anthem of Azerbaijan was played. President Ilham Aliyev and family members put flowers at the grave of the national leaders wife, outstanding ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva. Flowers were also put at the graves of prominent statesman Aziz Aliyev and professor Tamerlan Aliyev. Among those in attendance at the commemorative ceremony were Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov, head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and other officials. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: Todays development and progress of Azerbaijan, its transformation into a strong country are connected with the result of the successful policy of great leader Heydar Aliyev, Chairman of the Azerbaijani parliamentary committee for international relations and inter-parliamentary ties Samad Seyidov told Trend. We have inherited independent, strong, economically developed Azerbaijan from Heydar Aliyev, Seyidov, who is also head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said. "Today, we see the contribution of Heydar Aliyev in all spheres of Azerbaijan, he said. The work he has done for the Azerbaijanis is bearing fruit today." Seyidov stressed that in the first years of independence, Azerbaijan was in a very difficult situation, on the one hand, the country was subjected to Armenian occupation, on the other hand the country faced with the threat of a civil war. "Azerbaijan stood face to face with the threat of fragmentation and loss of independence, he said. People saw a way out of this difficult situation in the return of national leader Heydar Aliyev to power. The country was able to avoid troubles and was developing thanks to Heydar Aliyevs prudent policy and firmness. Fundamental reforms were carried out in all spheres of the country." Seyidov stressed that Azerbaijans integration into the world community, Europe, its various structures, including the Council of Europe, is also associated with the name of national leader Heydar Aliyev. "Along with domestic policy, great leader Heydar Aliyev took important steps in the sphere of foreign policy, he said. In a short period of time, Azerbaijan established fruitful cooperation with many countries and international organizations. The country began to implement large-scale international projects. The oil contract signed under the leadership of national leader Heydar Aliyev on September 20, 1994 oil, which went down in history as the Contract of the Century, ensured Azerbaijans future development. Today Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev successfully continues great leader Heydar Aliyevs policy, he said. Azerbaijan reaches new success every year. The 15th anniversary of the death of creator of modern independent Azerbaijan, the world-famous politician, national leader of the Azerbaijanis Heydar Aliyev is marked on December 12. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: Today, Azerbaijani First Deputy Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Colonel-General Najmeddin Sadikov met with a delegation led by Russian First Deputy Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Colonel-General Sadikov said that cooperation between the two countries has been built on relations of friendship, mutual trust and these relations, constantly developing, reached the level of strategic partnership. Touching upon the military-political situation and security issues in the region, Sadikov stressed that the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main threat to regional security. He stressed the importance of achieving a solution to the conflict based on the norms and principles of international law. 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. The ties of the two countries have historical roots, Gerasimov said. Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner of Russia. Gerasimov stressed the importance of expanding bilateral relations, as well as military and military-technical cooperation, organizing and conducting mutual meetings at a high level. Then the sides discussed the current military and military-technical cooperation, prospects for the development of ties in the field of military education and exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest. Gerasimov expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani leadership for the high hospitality and the organizing of a bilateral meeting with NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti in Baku. Details added (first version posted on 15:57) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: Azerbaijan is contributing to formation of strategic dialogue and atmosphere of mutual trust, Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend Dec. 12. He said that NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti met Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov in Baku. Azerbaijan, being a worthy and responsible member of the international community, by hosting meetings in this format, contributes to strengthening of global peace, security and arms control, reducing tensions at the international level and forming strategic dialogue, as well as atmosphere of mutual trust, said Hajiyev. He noted that holding meetings between the US and Russian, NATO and Russian military chiefs has already become a tradition since 2017. Thus, Baku hosted a meeting of US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman with Russian chief of the General Staff in February 2017 and a meeting of chairman of the NATO Military Committee with chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in September 2017, Hajiyev said. As President Ilham Aliyev noted during the reception of NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti, choosing Azerbaijan among many countries to discuss important issues related to global security is a manifestation of respect and trust in Azerbaijan, an indicator of its role in ensuring regional security, development and stability. He noted that Azerbaijan and Russia, which are friendly and neighboring countries, enjoy relations of strategic partnership. Strategic relations between Azerbaijan and the US cover partnership in security, energy and economy, he said. Azerbaijan is a reliable and active partner of NATO as part of the Partnership for Peace program and the agenda of the bilateral cooperation is broad. Azerbaijan, in particular Baku, being the 'diplomatic capital' of the region, isnt only an international arena for the discussion of humanitarian, sustainable development, multiculturalism, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, energy and other issues, but also plays the role of a strategic dialogue platform where global security issues are discussed, he noted. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) hold a ceremony to honor memory of the national leader and architect of independent Azerbaijani state Heydar Aliyev. On the eve of 15th anniversary of death of the great leader of the Azerbaijani people, BHOS Rector Elmar Gasimov, teachers, professors, key staff members and students visited the Alley of Honors, paid the tribute to the memory of Heydar Aliyev and laid flowers at the tomb of the national leader. The Higher School delegation also laid flowers to the grave of Zarifa Aliyeva and paid respect to her memory. The modern history of Azerbaijan and its remarkable achievements in political, social, economic and cultural spheres as well as in the foreign policy are connected with the name of the national leader Heydar Aliyev. Every year December 12 is commemorated as memorial day of the national leader Heydar Aliyev not only in the republic, but also in other countries. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath arrives in Janakpur Chief Minister of the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath arrived in Janakpur to attend Bibaha Panchami, a special Hindu religious event, on Wednesday. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: On Dec. 2, the State Border Service of Azerbaijan prevented a Pakistani citizen, who arrived on the Moscow-Baku flight, from entering Azerbaijan with a fake UK passport, Trend reports referring to the State Border Service. Another Pakistani citizen, who arrived on Dec. 4 on the Istanbul-Baku flight, was stopped with a fake Swedish ID card. Besides, fake date stamps were detected in the passport of an Uzbek citizen who arrived on the Moscow-Baku flight on Dec. 5. The passport of a British citizen, who arrived on the Erbil-Baku flight on Dec. 6, turned out to be counterfeit. During the investigation, it was found that he had an Iraqi passport. An Indian citizen, who arrived in Baku from Dubai on Dec. 7, had a fake electronic visa to Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 Trend: The results of the audit, conducted on July 2-11 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) at the State Civil Aviation Agency under the Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies were disclosed, Trend reports citing the ministry. According to the results, over the past two years, progress has been achieved at 23.3 percent in ensuring compliance of Azerbaijans civil aviation with international standards. Regional Director of the ICAO European and North Atlantic Office Luis Fonseca de Almeida congratulated the delegation of the State Civil Aviation Agency during the meeting held on December 4-5 at the ICAO's European and North Atlantic Regional Office. Almeida stressed that the progress achieved by Azerbaijan is the highest result in the region in 2018. Head of the Azerbaijani delegation Arif Mammadov thanked Almeida for his congratulations and stressed that close cooperation with ICAO will also continue in the future to achieve better results in ensuring aviation security in Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend: The Board of the Chamber of Accounts of Azerbaijan revealed a number of shortcomings while conducting the audit of the use of assets of the National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support in 2015-2017. As a result of the audit, it was revealed that in the reports of some legal entities and individuals receiving concessional loans, the loan amount was not indicated or was indicated incorrectly. Despite repeated violation of the conditions stipulated by the agreement between authorized credit institutions and the Fund, the credit capacity of credit organizations was not terminated. In general, 583.9 million manats were allocated to entrepreneurs over the reported period, which is 27.9 percent of the funds allocated by the Fund so far. Some 170 million manats or 29.1 percent of these loans were issued from the state budget, while 413.9 million manats or 70.9 percent were given by repaid loans and interest income. Monitoring of business entities received concessional loans does not meet the required level. In 2015, 11.63 percent of business entities, in 2016 - 2.55 percent and in 2017 - 7.93 percent were monitored. The Board of the Chamber of Accounts discussed the audit results and decided to send a copy of the resolution to the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan for further action. On August 1, 2018, by a decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support was abolished and the Entrepreneurship Development Fund was established instead. The purpose of the Entrepreneurship Development Fund is the development of entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan and participation in activities to increase business activity of the population and provide them with financial assistance. The authorized capital of the organization is set at 1.09 billion manats. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.12 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: According to secondary sources, total OPEC-15 preliminary crude oil production averaged 32.97 million barrels per day (mb/d) in November, a decrease of 11,000 b/d over the previous month, the cartel said in its Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR). Crude oil output increased mostly in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait, while production declined in I.R. Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria and Iraq, according to the report. OPEC said the share of its crude oil in total global production declined by 0.2 percent to 32.8 percent in November compared with the previous month. Estimates are based on preliminary data from direct communication for non-OPEC supply, OPEC natural gas liquids (NGLs) and non-conventional oil, while estimates for OPEC crude production are based on secondary sources, according to the report. OPEC NGLs and non-conventional liquids for 2018 were revised down by 0.02 mb/d and are expected to grow by 0.10 mb/d to average 6.34 mb/d, said the cartel. For 2019, they are likely to grow by 0.11 mb/d to average 6.45 mb/d, unchanged from last months assessment. Preliminary production data in October and November 2018 shows output at 6.44 mb/d, higher by 0.22 mb/d year-on-year, and 6.43 mb/d, higher by 0.23 mb/d, year-on-year, respectively, the report reads. 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. The 5th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting was held in Vienna, Austria, on December 7, 2018. The meeting participants decided to adjust the overall production by 1.2 million barrels per day, effective as of January 2019 for an initial period of six months. The contributions from OPEC and the voluntary contributions from non-OPEC participating countries of the Declaration of Cooperation will correspond to 0.8 million barrels per day (2.5 percent), and 0.4 million barrels per day (2 percent), respectively. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend: The Concept of Cooperation of the CIS Member States in Digital Development and the Plan of Priority Measures for its Implementation have been approved, Trend reports referring to the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications (RCC). A meeting of an expert group, where the delegation of Azerbaijan also took part, was held on Dec. 11 in the office of the CIS Executive Committee in Moscow. Considering the proposals of the CIS member states on expediency of combining the Concept of Cooperation of the CIS Member States in Digital Development, prepared by RCC, and the Concept of Cooperation of the CIS Member States in Digital Economy Development, prepared by the CIS Council for Industrial Policy, it was decided to request the expert group to support the initiative to merge the mentioned concepts into a single document. Further consideration of this issue is planned as part of the Commission for Economic Affairs at the CIS Economic Council in Moscow in February 2019. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.12 Trend: At last years Bakutel, Sazz announced the signing of a contract with the Israeli company Telrad Networks to build a TD-LTE network and its plan to switch from WiMAX technology to TD-LTE. Summing up the work carried out in 2018, we can say that the company managed to build and optimize the TD-LTE network over the WiMAX network throughout the city of Baku and in a large part of the Absheron Peninsula. The companys president, Jeyhun Mollazade told Trend that for the current year, the company held talks with a number of other technology partners on the launch of such services as SazzTV, IP telephony and Wi-Fi security cameras. "LTE technology provides high-quality bandwidth. This allows us to provide additional services such as SazzTV, Sazz IP-telephony and Sazz Smart-Home. At the current exhibition Bakutel-2018, we announced the service SazzTV, the successful tests of which were conducted with several companies. The launch of this service, which will be based on OTT, is expected in the first quarter of 2019. Custom devices (Set-Top-Box) will be offered for connection to SazzTV subscribers. Owners of Smart-TV will only need to purchase Sazz modems and connect to our network, " C.Mollazade said. Using a mobile services, you can view video content from any gadgets. Service SazzTV, provides access to viewing more than 200 TV channels. "I believe that SazzTV is one of the interesting parts of TriplePlay concept that we want to offer to our users. TriplePlay concept includes three services: IP Telephony voice communication, television and data transmission. It will allow to expand the number of connections to telephony mainly in the places where bringing the cable is not economically feasible. Now we are planning to test IP Telephony service in one of the villages in Baku. Successful tests will allow us to expand the geography of its coverage throughout the Absheron Peninsula. The launch of this service is also scheduled for the first quarter of 2019, " he said. At the same time, one of the additional services that Sazz also intends to offer its users will be the Wi-Fi camera service. These devices can be installed around the perimeter of the house for remote surveillance via mobile devices. As for the WiMAX network, it will function during 2019 and subscribers will gradually switch to LTE. " During the process of switching from one network to another, preferences will be offered to users. The very same LTE network will be improved in terms of increasing bandwidth and expanding the coverage area. Our plans for 2019 include expansion of the geography up to 95 percent on the Absheron Peninsula, and using MU LTE technology, we will be able to increase the data transfer rate of one antenna sector to 220 Mbps. In 2019, we also plan to double the capacity of the network, and in 2020, to make a smooth transition to 5G fix wireless network. Thus, the data transfer rate in Sazz network will reach 1 Gbit / s," said Mollazade. Currently, according to the President of Sazz, world-famous telecommunications operators such as Verizon, AT & T, Softbank Mobile, Docomo, China Mobile and others are preparing for the transition to 5G. And they are going to provide both mobile and fixed services based on the fifth generation network. "Sazz is positioning itself as a Fixed Wireless Access provider (FWA) which learns from the experience of the leading players in the FWA industry to provide high-quality services to its users," he concluded. A meeting of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Chingiz Aidarbekov and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium Didier Reinders took place in Brussels on Tuesday, Trend reports referring to kabar.kg. During the meeting, the sides discussed topical issues on the bilateral agenda, organization of reciprocal visits, trade and economic cooperation, as well as cultural and humanitarian interaction, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. For the purposes of studying the possibilities of investment and development of economic cooperation, the Belgian side informed about its intention to send a group of businessmen from three regions of Belgium to Kyrgyzstan in 2019. Aidarbekov, speaking on the planned establishment of a Council on Economic Diplomacy by the foreign affairs ministry, expressed hope for the further development of the full range of bilateral relations between the countries, as well as within the EU and other international institutions, and expressed readiness to organize a business forum with the participation of the business circles of the two countries. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic informed the Belgian side about the results of the 16th meeting of Kyrgyzstan-EU Cooperation Council, which took place in Brussels on 10 December 2018, noting is productivity and effectiveness. The sides also exchanged views on topical issues of regional and international policy. The Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund of Kyrgyzstan will begin to regulate prices of medicines from 2019. The head of the Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund Marat Kaliev announced this today at a meeting of the Parliament, Trend reports referring to 24.kg. According to MP Aaly Karashev, the quality of the services provided needs to be raised. No one will say that the quality of services is high. Nobody regulates prices. The same drug in pharmacies costs differently, from 20 to 120 soms, he said. Marat Kaliev noted that the law on the regulation of drug prices has been adopted. In 2019, CMIF will be able to control this process. In the future, the fund plans to switch to electronic prescriptions. The Mazhilis (Kazakhstans lower house of parliament) today endorsed a number of draft laws on ratification of several agreements signed between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, including the agreement on the rules of stay of Tajik nationals in Kazakhstan and Kazakh nationals in Tajikistan, Trend reports referring to news.tj. The document provides for increasing the period of stay of Tajik and Kazakh citizens in each others countries without registration to 30 day. Similar rules will be applied to citizens of Kazakhstan intending to visit Tajikistan for a short period. Besides, Kazakh lawmakers today endorsed the draft law on ratification of a government-to-government agreement between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan on cooperation in the field of migration, which was signed on March 14, 2018. The Mazhilis also endorsed the draft law on a government-to-government agreement between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan on readmission. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 12 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Chairperson of the Turkmen parliament Gulshat Mammedova received credentials from the Egyptian Ambassador Ihab Ahmad Talaat Nasr, Trend reports referring to Turkmen media on Dec. 12. The diplomat was informed about the main directions of domestic and foreign policy, as well as Turkmenistans socio-economic programs. Talaat Nasr stressed the high interest of his country in enhancing bilateral relations, including trade, business and cultural contacts, as well as interaction in tourism, where both states have great potential. The two countries intend to expand relations in energy and processing sectors. Meanwhile, medicine and pharmaceutics are considered as the fields of mutual interest. The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas Your choice for flooring in Central Texas! Your flooring is more than just the surface you walk on it's an integral part of your home. With over 35 years of flooring experience, The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas has the resources and knowled Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: European officials have announced their will to establish a special financial mechanism and Iran has no doubt in this regard, head of the Iranian presidential administration Mahmoud Vaezi said. The mechanism will come into effect in 2-3 weeks, Vaezi said, Trend reports citing IBENA. Europe has updated the US and Iran about the problems with the creation of this financial mechanism, he added. However, Iran sees no reason for deliberate postponement of this mechanism, he said. Tehran, Iran, Dec.12 Trend: Iranian President's Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi, has reassured the establishment of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) by the end of 2018. "They (the Europeans) would set up the mechanism, and they told us that in the upcoming two or three weeks, it would start operating," Vaezi told reporters on the sidelines of the weekly Iran cabinet meeting, Trend reports citing ILNA. "The European countries, their leaders, foreign ministers and economic officials have all expressed the importance of establishing SPV in their contacts with Iranian officials," said Vaezi. He further noted that Iran was informed by the European side about the problems and the US pressures on the Europeans. "But we have not witnessed any intentional delay on their side, Vaezi noted. The Iranian official also referred to the basic goods which are being imported by the official foreign currency rate and said that the official rate will be allocated for import of 25 basic goods items in the new budget plan, because it is very important for Iran to meet the needs of people. "The drop of foreign currency rate continues and the commodity prices should be reduced, he said. "We hope to form a good budget plan to cover all aspects and help employees and those that are retired," said the official. Irans Ambassador in Moscow Mehdi Sanaei discussed latest developments in the Middle East, including Syrian and Yemen crises, with Russian president's special envoy, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Sanaei and Mikhail Bogdanov shared views on major regional developments. According to Russian Foreign Ministry, situation in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon were among the topics discussed during the two officials meeting. Iran and Russian share similar stances regarding fighting terrorism in the region, as they both oppose foreign interference in internal affairs of the regional states. Iran and Syria along with Turkey are the guarantor states of the Astana peace process which have so far held 11 rounds of talks to solve the Syrian crisis. In the case of Yemen, Moscow and Tehran are interested to end armed conflict and start of talks for political settlement of the issue. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Azer Ahmadbayli Trend: Jamal Khashoggis killing will have consequences, opening the eyes of a couple hundred million people more about what real politics actually is. If those, who do this policy, think that no one cares and people will swallow it, they are deeply mistaken. This gun is sure to shoot back, and it is not known when and who will shoot it. No one has long since been worried about the reputation of Saudi Arabia. The fight is for the Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), and everyone in this game has their own interests. US President Trump did not want to listen to the audio recording of the murder of the journalist (probably no one would want to), but decided to protect the interests of Saudi Arabia for the sake of the interests of his own country. Quite right are those who say that if it was another country, far less important for the United States, Tomahawks and cruise missiles would be flying up there now. The role of the Crown prince in the murder of the journalist, as well as how to build further relations with the Kingdom, if it turns out that he is directly involved in it those are the big questions that today haunt everyone. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, without irony, is a truly wise woman. She invented a new kind of responsibility that needs to be written into a law encyclopedia, saying that MBS is technically responsible for the journalists murder. Who could explain the difference between responsible and technically responsible? I probably got it. If it had been said bring him here or please, tell him to come home, it would have been regarded as technically responsible, but if MBS had said bring him here dead or alive or kill him and bring me his head, then he would have been considered as directly responsible. The investigation is allegedly in progress, and the question is why Ms. Haley is trying to get MBS off the hook in advance. Technically responsible, to me, means that he has never thought all this deal could possibly lead to actual murder. The US administration, Haley added, must resolve this issue without having to choose between its interests and its values, referring to the US President Donald Trumps arms deals with the kingdom, Reuters reported. I believe the Administration, even if it runs counter to the US national interests, will have to make this choice. When the blood is spilled, there's no easy way out. A top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd wanted by the United States to answer to fraud accusations was granted C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, a move that could help soothe Chinese anger over her arrest, Trend reoprts citing Reuters. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted bail to Meng, who has been jailed since her arrest on Dec. 1. She will be subject to monitoring, a curfew and other conditions. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canadas justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her. U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene in the Justice Departments case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. The arrest of Meng has put a further dampener on Chinese relations with the United States and Canada at a time when tensions were already high over an ongoing trade war and U.S. accusations of Chinese spying. The cooperative, owned by the worlds biggest banks, is starting a search for his replacement as chief executive officer. Liebbrandt notified the organizations 25-member board of his departure Wednesday morning, he said in an interview in Brussels. Swift, a messaging system that directs the flow of trillions of dollars between 10,000 institutions, was long a byword for clunky tech. Payments often took days to reach their destinations and were virtually impossible to track. Leibbrandt spearheaded efforts to modernize Swift and stiffen its defenses against crime, but also presided over a series of episodes that highlighted the 41-year-old systems vulnerabilities. Swift is in very different shape than it was seven years ago, said Leibbrandt, a 58-year-old onetime partner at McKinsey & Co. Theres always going to be a time to hand over the reins and write a new chapter. I think this is indeed the right time. Saudi Arabia is fast catching up with the worlds ever-growing energy and technology scene ahead of 2030. In fact, the King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) may soon prove a global destination for energy industry investors, Trend reports referring to Reuters. The new energy city mega-project is being developed by Saudi Aramco, which received authoritization to embark on the initiative in the summer, and is operated, managed and maintained in partnership with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON). With projections that the megacity will create more than 100,000 jobs, it is considered one of the most up-and-coming energy parks in the world. SPARK will localize more than 300 new industrial services and facilities and will have specialized training centers to cater to the huge influx of manpower. Situated in the Kingdoms Eastern Province, between Dammam and Al-Ahsa, the project will be developed in three phases. The first phase is scheduled for completion by 2021, while the final phase of the project is set for completion in 2035. With all this on track, the 50-square-kilometer project is poised to be a magnet for foreign and domestic investment. Whats more, Aramcos espousal of SPARK will also help businesses indulge in technological development, manufacturing and exports channels and build a world-class energy supply chain. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inaugurated the King Salman Energy Park at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) on Monday. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Energy Minister and Aramco Chairman Khalid Al-Falih declared SPARK a special economic zone (SEZ) in which businesses can enjoy exclusive benefits. We are looking forward to collaborating with our first anchor partners at SPARK, said Saudi Aramco President and CEO, Amin Nasser. SPARK has already attracted investment from foreign and local companies to produce and manufacture goods and services. The first phase of the project is expected to cost about $1.6 billion. The park is set to attract industrial investors in the water, power, petrochemical and wastewater sectors, among others. Facilities at SPARK will also help investors bridge gaps in local production back home, increasing competition in the long run. This energy city is exciting because it brings together a multitude of businesses, Mark McCollum, president and CEO of Weatherford Corp, told SPARK. We firmly believe that collaboration and cooperation among service companies and individual providers to the energy sector is vital in breaking new ground. The King Salman Energy Park is also set to promote small and medium-sized enterprises. With focus on energy production, it also provides opportunities for investment in residential and commercial real estate projects. Nasser said that the King Salman Energy Park will spur a new era of growth for one of the Kingdoms already thriving sectors. Whats more, it will serve as a central gateway to the regions economies since Aramco is at the heart of the global oil and gas industry. Tanzanian authorities on Wednesday signed a three-billion-US dollar landmark deal with an Egyptian company for the construction of the Stiegler's Gorge hydroelectric project in a game reserve, Trend reports citing Xinhua. The signing of the deal between the government of Tanzania and Egyptian state-owned Arab Contractors was witnessed by President John Magufuli and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in the business capital Dar es Salaam. Speaking shortly after the agreement was signed, President Magufuli reiterated his dismissal of environmental concerns saying the project will instead be eco-friendly. He said only a tiny fraction of the Selous Game Reserve, a world heritage site, would be used to build the proposed hydropower dam. Magufuli said 15-percent of the money to be paid to the contractor was already available. He said hydropower was cheaper than any other kind of energy sources. Magufuli said the project will generate 2,115 megawatts which was more than all electricity generated from all other sources in the east African country which currently stood at 1,560 megawatts. For his part, the Egyptian Prime Minister said the project was a symbol of his country's commitment to supporting Tanzania in development. "We believe that this project will be another opportunity to open a new chapter in the relations between the two countries," said Madbouly. The project has attracted intense scrutiny with conservationists both at home and abroad calling for a comprehensive strategic environmental assessment before it is implemented in the Selous Game Reserve. But President Magufuli has made it abundantly clear that his government sees the project as a game changer in its industrialization drive by promising to provide cheap and abundant electricity to the energy-starved nation. Known for its elephants, black rhinos and giraffes, the Selous Game Reserve covers 50,000 square kilometers and is one of the largest protected areas in Africa. A gunman who shot dead at least two people in the center of the French city of Strasbourg was known to Frances internal security services as a suspected security risk, the local police prefecture said in a statement, Trend reports citing Reuters. Some 26,000 individuals suspected of posing a security risk to France are on the Fiche S watch list, of whom about 10,000 are believed to have been radicalized, sometimes in Salafist mosques, online or abroad. The French government said on Tuesday it remained unaware of detailed allegations against Renault SA boss Carlos Ghosn sent to the carmaker a day earlier by Japanese alliance partner Nissan Motor Co Ltd, Trend reports referring to Reuters. Ever since Ghosns Nov. 19 arrest in Japan, the French government, Renaults biggest shareholder, has been demanding to see the findings of a Nissan internal investigation that include allegations of financial misconduct by its chairman. Ghosn was indicted on Monday along with Nissan and alleged co-conspirator Greg Kelly for failing to declare $43 million in deferred income he had agreed to receive, in addition to the $44 million he was paid for the five years ending in March 2015. Renaults board meets on Thursday Dec. 13 amid mounting pressure to dismiss Ghosn as chairman and chief executive. Ghosns declared salaries at Renault and Nissan have been politically sensitive in France, where President Emmanuel Macron is now battling street protests that have shaken his government. Macron and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire had issued calls for Nissan to share findings from its months-long investigation. Were not going to propose that Mr. Ghosn step down for the simple reason that we dont have any evidence, Le Maire said on Nov. 21, two days after the car executives surprise arrest. Nissan, which ousted Ghosn the same week, finally communicated its 400-page dossier on Ghosns alleged misconduct to its 43.4 percent-owner Renault via lawyers on Monday, French daily Les Echos and other media reported. A Renault spokesman would not confirm reception of the Nissan findings. French officials acknowledged that the dossier had been received by Renault, however - while maintaining that the government remained unaware of its content. Renault had requested that the findings be shared under a strict legal procedure that required the agreement of the Japanese prosecutor, a government source said. For the moment we dont have the detailed contents of these documents so we cant take a position. The French finance ministry declined to comment. France holds a 15 percent stake in Renault and two board seats. While Nissan also owns 15 percent of its French parent, the holding commands no voting rights. Martin Vial, who heads the French state shareholdings agency, has been in daily contact with fellow Renault board members including interim Chairman Philippe Lagayette since Ghosns arrest, sources close to the situation say. The boardroom crisis has shaken the foundations of the Renault-Nissan alliance, with Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa calling for changes to weaken the French parents control. Under French government pressure, Ghosn had been exploring a deeper tie-up or even a full merger between Renault and Nissan, despite strong reservations at the Japanese carmaker. Whether or not they broke the law, Ghosns undisclosed compensation plans - effectively doubling his total Nissan package - could be politically explosive in France, especially if the government failed to act upon their discovery. Defense arguments advanced by Ghosns lawyers and supporters have not contested the plans existence. His Japanese lawyer Motonari Otsuru said in a media statement that the compensation agreements had not been properly ratified. Ghosns defense partly rests on the contention that his deferred compensation arrangements were vetted internally and by outside consultants, people familiar with the matter said. Pressure for his formal dismissal from Renault appeared to be growing in the wake of the Japanese indictments. Officials from two centrist Renault unions, the CFDT and CFE-CGC, are privately urging management to replace Ghosn permanently, sources said - joining the leftist CGT, which was quick to call for leadership change after his arrest. Whether or not hes found guilty, his image among staff is so tarnished that I cant imagine him returning to his post, said an official with one of the moderate labor groupings. Its not easy to oust him without appearing to prejudge the case - but thats really a communication problem now. 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 Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.12 Trend: The Embassy of Hungary kindly informs all interested students that the Government of Hungary has launched the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship programme for the academic year 2019/2020, in which 200 students from Azerbaijan can study in Hungary. The scholarship will cover the following provisions: exemption from the payment of tuition fee, a monthly stipend according to the relevant Hungarian legislation, dormitory place, or a monthly contribution of HUF 40.000 to accommodation costs for the whole duration of the scholarship period and health care services according to the relevant Hungarian legislation and supplementary medical insurance. Applicants can submit applications only online on the website: https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu/ till 15th January 2019. Please note, that in the programme only those students or applicants can take part whose applications are supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan as the Eligible Sending Partner. So the applicants have to submit the applications online to the Ministry at the same time (https://edu.gov.az/upload/file/ELAN/2018/11/teqaud-proqrami-macaristan.pdf, https://www.app.htp.edu.az/). Application will not be considered if the applicant was born after 31 August 2001 (= applicants under 18 years old as of 31 August 2019) except applicants applying for Dance study programmes. The applicants can find detailed information about the process, the deadlines, and the necessary documents on the website: http://studyinhungary.hu/study-in-hungary/menu/stipendium-hungaricum-scholarship-programme/call-for-applications-2019-2020.html. We would like to draw the attention of the applicants, that the applications will be only accepted online on the website: https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu/ The French space agency, CNES, has signed an official contract to take part in Russias Bion-M2 bio-satellite project, a spokesperson for the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences told on Tuesday, Trend reports referring to TASS. "Our American, German, Japanese and French colleagues applied for joining the Bion-M2 project. Besides, scientists from Hungary and Bulgaria also plan to take part. An official contract has already been signed with one of the applicants - France," the spokesperson said. According to the official, Ukrainian scientists refused to participate in Bion-M2 due to a complicated political situation. Research carried out as part of the Bion-M2 project would help scientists in their preparations for a spaceflight beyond the Earths magnetic field, to the Moon and even further. Unlike its predecessors, which looked mainly into aspects of physiology, Bion-M2 will focus on effects that space radiation may have on a living organism. "The main task is to investigate the risks that may occur during a human spaceflight beyond the lower earth orbit," said Vladimir Sychev, who heads the project. "The experiment will be carried out mostly on mice, there will be 65 of them in total. Cameras will be installed in their cage, and the video will be regularly transmitted to the earth." Besides, fruit flies will also be sent to the orbit. According to Sychev, the timeframe of the launch remains unchanged and it is scheduled for 2022. The Bion-M2 spacecraft, designed and manufactured by the Progress Rocket Space Center, is expected to be launched from Baikonur atop the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket. For 30 days, the spacecraft will stay at the altitude of about 800-1,000 kilometers. The animals on board are expected to receive a dose of space radiation comparable to a three-year-long flight aboard the International Space Station. Bion-M2 predecessor, Bion-M1, was launched in 2013. Its flight continued for 30 days, at the altitude of 580 kilometers. European Union and Japanese plans to form the worlds largest free trade area cleared their final hurdle on Wednesday when EU lawmakers backed a partnership set to enter force early next year, Trend reports referring to Reuters. The European Parliament voted 474 in favor to 156 against the agreement that binds two economies accounting for about a third of global gross domestic product and also signals their rejection of protectionism. Both face trade tensions with Washington and remain subject to U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on imports of steel and aluminum, although the two have agreed to start separate trade talks with the United States. This will bring clear benefits to our companies, farmers, service providers and others, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement. Our economic partnership with Japan the biggest trade zone ever negotiated is now very close to becoming a reality. Japan had been part of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership that Trump rejected on his first day in office, turning Tokyos focus to other potential partners - such as the European Union. The EU has also sought other partners after TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) negotiations with the United States stalled in 2016. It concluded an updated trade deal with Mexico earlier this year. The EU-Japan agreement will remove EU tariffs of 10 percent on Japanese cars and 3 percent for most car parts. It will scrap Japanese duties of some 30 percent on EU cheese and 15 percent on wines as well as open access to public tenders in Japan. It will also open up services markets, in particular financial services, telecoms, e-commerce and transport. The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28 EU members, said Wednesdays vote paved the way for the agreement to enter force on February 1. Japans parliament approved the deal on Saturday. The flagship deal comes after widespread anti-globalisation protests threatened the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) when a region of Belgium objected to the deal in 2016. It finally entered force in 2017. Israel and Brazil have signed an agreement to invest $5 million in technology cooperation and innovation over the next five years, Trend reports referring to The Jerusalem Post. Israel has been reaching out to Latin American countries, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting twice in less than a year. His wife, Sara, left Sunday for Guatemala at the invitation of Patricia Morales, the wife of the president. She is leading a Foreign Ministry delegation. The memorandum of understanding between the Israeli governments tech investment arm, the Israel Innovation Authority, and the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Research and Innovation was announced Monday. This agreement is an important first step in the path of technological cooperation, and we anticipate an increase in joint technology collaboration between Israel and Brazil in the coming years, said Aharon Aharon, CEO of the Israeli Innovation Authority. The program will support large-scale collaboration projects involving technology, the life sciences, energy and agriculture for up to 24 months, the Ctech news website reported. Investment in innovation and the allocation of resources for technological development are key to sustained economic growth, increased productivity and creating significant economic value, Eli Cohen, Israels minister of economy and industry said. The agreement will be deployed through a joint venture company to be funded by both parties aiming at improving the technological capabilities of companies, promoting activities in the industrial sector and facilitating specific projects, Exame magazine reported. Israeli companies will be entitled to 12 months of support and may renew funding for a second year after reviewing project results. Around 1,000 job openings will be made available to Filipinos who wish to work in Israel following the signing of a new labor agreement between Manila and Tel Aviv, Trend reports referring to Israel media. The agreement, signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Israeli Tourism Secretary Yariv Levin on Tuesday, will allow Filipinos to work as cleaners in various Israeli hotels. Philippine Ambassador to Tel Aviv Neal Imperial said the latest labor pact came three months after an agreement on the temporary employment of home-based Filipino caregivers was signed between the two countries during the historic visit of President Duterte in September. In his visit, Duterte thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for hosting an estimated 28,000 Filipinos who are currently working in Israel. They have been very happy working here, taking care of the aging population of yourscitizens, the President said. Duterte was the first sitting Philippine president to visit Israel since full diplomatic relations were established in February 1958. Aside from the increasing number of Filipino workers, the Israeli government has also acknowledged a 25 percent spike in the number of Filipino tourists visiting the Holy Land for the first 11 months of 2018. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) described the growth in Filipino tourists arrivals for 2018 as by far the best year for Israel tourism in the Philippines and worldwide. Four people have been confirmed dead following a recent outbreak of Lassa fever in a northeastern state of Nigeria, a health official confirmed, Trend reports citing Xinhua. 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. At least three Taliban militants have been killed after Afghan Special Operations Forces launched an airstrike in the country's eastern province of Paktika, the command of special forces said Wednesday, Trend reports citing Xinhua. "Three Taliban militants were killed following Special Operations Forces' airstrike in Waza Khwa district and on the outskirts of provincial capital Sharan," the Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps said in a statement. The militant group has yet to respond to the report. Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants recently as the Taliban militant group has been attempting to take territory and consolidate its positions ahead of winter. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday accused US National Security Adviser John Bolton of preparing a plan to overthrow and kill him, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "John Bolton leads the plan to unleash violence and conduct a coup to introduce a transitional government. Bolton is preparing a plan of my assassination. He is training, in various places, mercenary and paramilitary units' forces jointly with Colombia, whose president Ivan Duque is an accomplice of this plan," Maduro said at a press conference broadcast on his Facebook page. Earlier in the month, Nicholas Madure has already stated that the United States is preparing to topple the Venezuelan government. "An attempt to undermine Venezuela's democratic life and to carry out a coup d'etat against the constitutional, democratic regime in our country has been launched under the coordination from the White House," Maduro was quoted as saying by the AVN news agency on 9 December. The president added that in the coming days, he would hold a press conference to provide details on the alleged plans of Washington to carry out a coup in Venezuela. In early August, Maduro was attending a military parade in Caracas, when his speech was interrupted by what the Venezuelan authorities said was a failed assassination attempt involving explosive drones. Maduro claimed in October that the United States had allegedly instructed Colombia to organize his assassination. The crews of Russias Aerospace Forces and Venezuelas Air Force conducted joint training to perform flights at Maiquetia Airport in the Bolivarian Republic, the Russian Defense Ministrys information and mass communications department said on Wednesday, Trend reports referring to TASS. "In order to exchange the experience of preparing the aircraft personnel, the crews of the two countries examined the area of carrying out flights near Maiquetia Airport, and studied the issues of cooperation with the flights commander and the terminology of radio communication," the statement said. On December 10, two Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers, an Antonov An-124 military transport plane and an Ilyushin Il-62 long-range aircraft arrived in Venezuela. The aircraft covered a distance of 10,000 kilometers and flew over the Atlantic Ocean, the Barents, Norwegian and Caribbean Seas in strict compliance with international rules of the use of airspace, the Russain Defense Ministry said. This is not the first such flight performed by Russias Tu-160 warplanes as they flew to Venezuela in September 2008 and in October-November 2013. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Istanbul police have detained 40 illegal migrants, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. The detainees had planned to move to Europe. There are Algerian, Palestinian and Libyan citizens among the illegal migrants. Some of the detainees are women and children. Turkish Coast Guard had earlier detained 223 illegal migrants in the country's Edirne province on the border with Greece. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu With no end in sight to seven years of conflict in war-torn Syria, the United Nations is looking to support countries hosting refugees more financially, Daily Sabah reported . The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its nonprofit partners announced yesterday what they called a 2019-2020 Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan to that extent. Under the plan, donors are asked for $5.5 billion to support the efforts of Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq to deal with the continued impact of the Syrian crisis. A statement by the UNHCR yesterday said neighboring countries remained "incredibly generous in hosting large refugee populations, offering asylum and protection, making their public services available to refugees and enabling more and more refugees to participate in the local economy despite the toll it has taken on their own development trajectory." Still, the crisis remains as dire as ever and the UNHCR announced that there are some 5.6 million Syrian refugees currently registered in neighboring countries, with around 1 million newly born in displacement. Since 2011, Turkey has received a constant flow of displaced Syrians fleeing the conflict and their numbers have expanded from mere thousands to more than 3.5 million, the largest among refugee-hosting countries. So far, Turkey has spent more than $30.2 billion on their well-being. The conflict in Syria has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced more to flee, while more than 7 million are internally displaced. Refugees mainly took shelter in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. Some have sought to reach Europe via the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, but hundreds died en route to Greece and other littoral countries. The UNHCR statement says up to 250,000 refugees could return to their homeland next year and many others face problems with documentation and property. "Now, by and large, the war has ended. We have a few pockets [of hostilities], including Idlib, as you know that there is a negotiated cease-fire and a de-escalation zone. As the situation in Syria improves, some of these refugees are making the journey home," Amin Awad, UNHCR director for the Middle East and North Africa, said at a news conference in Geneva yesterday. "We are forecasting, in what we call phase one, up to 250,000 Syrians going 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. "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 on the state of refugees. "We are asking donors to stay the course," he added. Ankara has often criticized the international community for not providing sufficient humanitarian aid for the refugees in Turkey and not taking in more refugees. Turkey also looks to ensure the safe and voluntary return of refugees to parts of Syria liberated from terrorist groups. So far, more than 281,000 people have returned home after Turkey launched its first cross-border operation in 2016 to back the Free Syrian Army (FSA) ans liberate northern Syrian towns from the control of the terrorist group Daesh. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will visit Baku Dec. 14 to attend the 39th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), hosted by the Chairmanship-in-Office of Azerbaijan, Turkish Foreign Ministry told Trend. During the meeting, BSECs recent activities in areas such as transport, information and communication technologies, energy, environment, customs, SMEs, combating organized crime, agriculture and culture will be evaluated, according to the ministry. Turkey, a founding member of BSEC, hosts the Organizations Secretariat in Istanbul. Turkey attaches importance to the work of BSEC, which not only contributes to enhancing economic cooperation among the BSEC Member States, but also to cultivating a culture of dialogue and promoting stability in the region, the ministry said. In this context, Turkey will continue its efforts to increase the efficiency of BSEC in the period ahead, the ministry noted. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey will strengthen the defense industry and will become a world leader in the manufacture of defense products, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. Erdogan noted that no obstacles can stop the development of Turkey's defense industry. "I personally instruct all law enforcement bodies not to import defense products from abroad. Turkey is capable of providing itself with relevant products," Erdogan said. Erdogan noted that mass production of Turkish "ALTAY" tanks will soon begin. "Turkey is forced to strengthen its defense industry," Erdogan added. In January-November 2018, exports of the Turkish defense industry grew by 16.05 percent compared to the same period in 2017, reaching $1.782 billion. In the first 11 months of 2018, products of the Turkish defense industry worth $150.5 million were exported to Oman. During the reported period, products of the Turkish defense industry worth $72.3 million were exported to the Netherlands and $71.6 million to India. In the recent years, Turkey has invested about $35 billion in the defense industry. From 2011, Turkey produces mobile outposts that have proved useful in fight against the militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and also the Canik TP9 handguns, unmanned ANKA aircraft and other military equipment to strengthen the domestic defense industry. Turkey is also developing a domestic military laser system. Earlier, the trials of the domestically-made long-range surface-to-surface missiles have been conducted in Turkey. The new rocket, named KAAN, was launched from a firing ground in the province of Sinop in the north of Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey does not hope for NATOs support during a new military operation to fight against terrorists in Syria, a source in the Turkish government told Trend on Dec. 12. According to the source, if NATO wanted to support Turkey in the fight against terrorism in Syria, it would support the Operation Euphrates Shield and the Operation Olive Branch. The source stressed that presently, about 30 percent of the Syrian-Turkish border is controlled by PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist organization. The activity of PYD/YPG at the Turkish border is a real threat to Turkeys national interests, the source said. "The new military operation, to be launched in the next few days, will not be difficult for Turkey. The Turkish Armed Forces have proved their strength in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations," the source said. According to the source, the Arab and Kurdish population living in the territories occupied by the PYD/YPG militants are being oppressed by terrorists. Turkey's Armed Forces will launch a new military operation within three days in northern Syria against PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist organization, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan claimed that there are US soldiers in the detachments of the terrorists in Syria. "Despite that the US has promised Turkey that it would not support PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, the US did not keep its word," Erdogan said. On June 4, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed a road map on Syria's Manbij during talks in Washington. Also, Pompeo and Cavusoglu met in Brussels and discussed the Operation Olive Branch, as well as other issues. 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 the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The United States has finalized the establishment of observation posts in northeast Syria and will be coordinating with Turkey its security efforts in the border region, Department of Defence spokesperson Col. Rob Manning said in a press release, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "At the direction of Secretary Mattis, the US established observation posts in the northeast Syria border region to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey," the release said on Tuesday. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has earlier said Ankara expressed its concerns about US plans to establish several observation posts in Syria. Akar explained that it could lead to a perception that the United States is "somehow protecting terrorist YPG members." "We take Turkish security concerns seriously and we are committed to coordinating our efforts with Turkey to bring stability to northeastern Syria," Manning said in the release. The police is investigating a bomb threat in one of Facebook's buildings in Menlo Park in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, the United States, after it was evacuated, Trend reports citing Sputnik. The police responded to a bomb threat that forced an evacuation of at least one building on the Facebook campus. The police reportedly received an anonymous phone call on the bomb threat. A company spokesman later said that Facebook was looking into a bomb threat at its headquarters campus in Menlo Park, Reuters reported. The spokesman also said that several buildings were evacuated. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that China was buying a tremendous amount of U.S. soybeans and that trade talks with Beijing were already under way by telephone, with more meetings likely among U.S. and Chinese officials, Trend reports referring to Reuters. Trump told Reuters in an interview that the Chinese government was back in the market to buy soybeans after a Dec. 1 truce in the U.S.-China trade war. But traders in Chicago said they have seen no evidence of a resumption of such purchases following Chinas imposition of a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans in July. I just heard today that theyre buying tremendous amounts of soybeans. They are starting, just starting now, Trump said in the interview. Trump also said he believes China will soon cut tariffs on U.S. autos to 15 percent from the current 40 percent level. I think theyre looking to do it immediately, very quickly, he said. A Trump administration official earlier told Reuters that Chinas plan to cut car tariffs was outlined in a phone call between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. U.S. government data has not shown any soybean sales to China since July, when Beijing imposed tariffs on U.S. supplies of the oilseed in retaliation for U.S. duties on Chinese goods. Traders have been watching closely for signs of confirmation of a resumption of Chinese buying of U.S. soybeans, particularly after Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning that very productive conversations were going on with China. Watch for some important announcements! he added. Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures edged higher on Tuesday on hopes that new deals would be signed soon, but there were no signs of increased activity in the cash markets, traders said. U.S. Agriculture Department rules require exporters to promptly report sales of 100,000 tonnes or more of a commodity made in a single day. China last year purchased about 60 percent of U.S. soybean exports in deals valued at more than $12 billion. With those exports gone, soybean prices had tumbled to their lowest in a decade, heaping pain on U.S. farmers, a key Trump constituency. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping called a temporary truce in their trade war on Dec. 1. Trump agreed to postpone for 90 days a Jan. 1 increase in tariffs on Chinese goods while the two sides negotiated over increased Chinese purchases of American farm and energy commodities, an end to forced technology transfers and stronger protections for U.S. intellectual property n China. Trump said on Tuesday that those negotiations were already taking place by telephone. Well probably have another meeting. And maybe a meeting of the top people on both sides, Trump said. If its necessary, Ill have another meeting with President Xi, who I like a lot and get along with very well. Trump did not offer any timetable for further face-to-face meetings among U.S. and Chinese officials. He said he would wait to increase tariffs on Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent until it becomes apparent whether the United States and China can make a deal. U.S. President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen will be sentenced on Wednesday for his role in the payment of hush money to women who said they had affairs with Trump and for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia that was discussed during the 2016 election campaign, Trend reports referring to Reuters. Cohen, 52, pleaded guilty in August to charges by federal prosecutors in New York that, just before the election, he paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 and helped arrange a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal so the women would keep quiet about their relationships with Trump, who is married. Trump denies having the affairs. Cohen also admitted to unrelated tax and bank fraud. He faces sentencing on a separate charge of lying to Congress brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible coordination between Trumps campaign and Russia. Cohen pleaded guilty to that charge last month. The sentencing by U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan will cap the stunning about-face of a lawyer who once said he would take a bullet for Trump but has now directly implicated the president in criminal conduct. Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Muellers team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied U.S. allegations of interfering in the election to help Trump. Prosecutors and Cohen both say the hush money payments violated campaign finance laws and were directed by Trump himself to cover up affairs he had in 2006 and 2007. Federal law requires that the contribution of anything of value to a campaign must be disclosed, and an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700. Trump said on Monday on Twitter that the payments were a simple private transaction that did not violate the law. Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani has argued the payments cannot be considered campaign finance violations because they were made to protect Trumps reputation and would have been made even if he had not been a presidential candidate. Though Cohen asked in a Nov. 30 court filing to be given no jail time based on his assistance in the investigation, prosecutors on Friday asked that Cohen be given a substantial term of imprisonment for his crimes with only a modest reduction to the roughly four to five-year term they say he faces under sentencing guidelines. Though they said he provided useful information about the hush money payments, prosecutors said Cohen declined to sign a formal cooperation agreement, which would have required him to be fully debriefed about his entire criminal history and his knowledge of others crimes. His refusal to cooperate fully, they said, limited his credibility as a witness. In his guilty plea to Muellers charge, Cohen admitted he lied to Congress about the timeline for discussions about plans for real estate businessman Trumps skyscraper in Moscow. He said in written testimony to two committees that the talks ended in January 2016, before the first Republican primaries, when they actually continued until June 2016 after Trump clinched the Republican nomination. Muellers sentencing recommendation was more generous, saying Cohen had provided valuable information about contacts between Trumps campaign and Russia. He recommended any sentence for lying to Congress be served concurrently with Cohens sentence on the charges in New York. Sentencing consultant Justin Paperny said Judge Pauley, has a reputation for being tough on white-collar defendants and that Cohen probably made a mistake by asking for no jail time when he failed to fully cooperate. Its like he wanted to have his cake and eat it too, said Paperny, adding that Cohen would do well to get a sentence in the low end of the guidelines. KYODO NEWS - Dec 12, 2018 - 22:00 | Urgent, All, Japan A Chinese man from Hong Kong set on fire a makeshift memorial tablet in an act of protest Wednesday morning at the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo and was arrested by police for trespassing, according to police and an activist group. The incident occurred at around 7 a.m. in front of a gate located in the middle of the Shinto shrine's premises that leads to the main shrine. There was no damage to the shrine. A Hong Kong-based activist group identified the man as its member Kwok Siu-kit, a 55-year-old civil servant lifeguard, and said he took the protest action on the eve of the anniversary of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre. Video uploaded online by the group showed Kwok at the shrine, next to the burning tablet, holding a commemorative banner and shouting out, "Down to militarism! Forget not the Nanjing Massacre! Japan must apologize!" before being subdued by guards. The tablet was inscribed with the name Japan's wartime Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who is enshrined at Yasukuni. The shrine honors convicted war criminals along with millions of war dead and is often seen as a symbol of Japan's militarist past by neighboring countries including China and South Korea. Visits by Japanese leaders have drawn outcry from those that suffered under Japanese occupation or colonialism before and during World War II. Police said a foreign woman who was with Kwok was also detained. The Hong Kong activist group identified her as journalist Yim Man-wa, one of its members. The group, Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands, claims that Japan-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea belong to China. China calls them Diaoyu. China claims more than 300,000 people were killed in Nanjing during the incident, while Japan disputes the number of people killed in the Chinese city by the Imperial Japanese Army, citing historian estimates that range from tens of thousands to 200,000. KYODO NEWS - Dec 12, 2018 - 19:20 | World, All The military authorities of North and South Korea on Wednesday verified the removal of a total of 22 guard posts along their border, South Korea's presidential office said. The South's verification teams crossed the Military Demarcation Line into the North in the morning to check the removal of 11 guard posts within 1 kilometer of the border with the South, according to the South's Defense Ministry. The North's verification teams crossed into the South in the afternoon to do the same. One guard post per side was retained for historic value but all firearms were removed. The removal of the guard posts was part of an agreement that the two Koreas signed at an inter-Korean summit held between South Korean President Moon Jae In and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang in September to ease military tension between the two sides. It is considered a preliminary measure and the Koreas are expected to discuss removing more guard posts inside the Demilitarized Zone, a 4-km-wide, 250-km-long stretch of land between the two Koreas. Twenty guard posts had been destroyed by the end of last month. N. Korea demolishes 10 guard posts in DMZ as agreed: S. Korea KYODO NEWS - Dec 12, 2018 - 22:52 | All, World Japanese Prince Fumihito, the younger son of Emperor Akihito, arrived in Thailand on Wednesday with his wife Princess Kiko to receive an honorary doctorate for his contribution to animal research. The couple will engage in separate activities in the Southeast Asian country before returning to Japan together on Saturday morning. At a ceremony Thursday at Mahasarakham University in northeast Thailand, the prince will be given the award for his long years of research into Mekong giant catfish and poultry. The ceremony, originally scheduled in August 2016, was pushed back following a series of bomb attacks in the country. Prince Fumihito will also visit a folklore museum in northern Thailand on Friday. Meanwhile, Princess Kiko, the director general of a Japanese organization promoting maternal and child health, will stay in Bangkok to give an address at the opening ceremony of an international conference on maternal and child health handbooks on Thursday. She is scheduled to visit a children's hospital the following day. Princess Kiko has been serving as the director general of the Imperial Gift Foundation Boshi-Aiiku-Kai since 2010 after her predecessor Princess Yuriko, 95, the widow of Prince Mikasa, gave up the post due to her age. Prince Fumihito will become first in line to the imperial throne when his elder brother Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum throne on May 1, 2019, the day after the abdication of Emperor Akihito due to his age and declining health. KYODO NEWS - Dec 12, 2018 - 16:50 | All, Japan East Japan Railway Co. on Wednesday unveiled to the media ALFA-X, the testbed of the next-generation bullet train, which is expected to run at a speed of 360 kilometers per hour. The 10-car silver train with green lines being manufactured at Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.'s plant in Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture will be completed in May. It will go through a high-speed trial run on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line to gather data for sound reduction. The test train's No. 1 car featuring a 16-meter nose-shaped head was shown to the media Wednesday. The nose of the No. 10 car on the tail end is expected be longer at about 22 meters. JR East will study pressure and sound differences between the two noses when the train enters tunnels. Existing trains, such as the E-5 series Hayabusa shinkansen, have noses measuring about 15 meters. The company is also planning to test functions to immediately halt the train or prevent derailment in times of earthquakes as well as new equipment to avoid vehicle vibrations. Tokyo and Sapporo in Hokkaido are expected to be linked by the bullet train services in the spring of 2031 by extending the Hokkaido Shinkansen Line, currently operating between Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate, to Sapporo. Referring to the test car, Koji Asano, head of the frontier railway system development center of JR East, said, "Testing to build trains for the extension of the Hokkaido Shinkansen Line will begin. It will be a 10-year development project by manufacturing cars following prototypes." Read also... GALLERY: New sleeper train "Twilight Express Mizukaze" debuts in Japan Hello Kitty bullet trains start services in Japan Luxury train debuts on Yokohama-to-Shimoda route along Izu coast GALLERY: Luxury sleeper train "Shiki-shima" begins operations in Japan An allegation of sexual offence against a child is now seen as the best way to settle personal scores. It's truly appealing how Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas left for their honeymoon to Oman without anyone knowing about it. Only when Nickyanka started posting pictures of sand, beaches and the sea did fans realize that the newlyweds had fled off to seize some alone time away from all the media glowers. All the posts of power couple without doubt made fans go aww and now the love pair is back in India looking all smiles and head over heels in love for each other. Pceecee appred in pink top and made her way with his love interest Nick walking hand-in-hand that is making fans forget all the world. The two look incredibly pretty together. Nick just celebrated one week wedding anniversary recently. Earlier Priyanka and Nick had a Delhi reception attended by PM Narendra Modi and there were reports that another reception is likely to happen in Mumbai as well but details weren't out so far. It was being conjectured that it might take place on December 15 or 16. Though, as per a report by Mumbai Mirror, the reception is lastly scheduled for December 20. Ckeck out the pics here - By Benjamin Jumbe. The Katikiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has called upon Ugandans to revive the culture of writing as a way of telling stories of the past about the country and cultural institutions. Speaking at the launch of the book, Protection, Patronage, Or Plunder? British Machinations And (B)Ugandas Struggle For Independence by Owek. Apollo Makubuya, Mayiga castigated the low levels of reading and writing among Africans, which he says are contributing to slow growth. Mayiga says Africans writing their own stories from their own perspective in truth and objectivity will ignite an internal debate towards civilization. He warns that if this is not done, African people risk surrendering their very existence to former colonial masters. Meanwhile, the books author Makubuya says it highlights the evolution of Buganda and Uganda before, during and after colonial times with an aim of giving lessons on how different errors continue to impact the country in the political, social, ad economic aspects. By Moses Kyeyune. Parliaments committee on Commissions Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises has resolved to summon auditors of Price Water Coopers (PWC) to explain the 239 billion shillings under-capitalization of Crane Bank Limited. Price Water Coopers is a group of auditors hired by the Central Bank to produce a forensic audit and inventory report on Crane Bank as of October 2016 when the bank was closed. The committee chaired by Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu resolved to summon the auditors after Bank of Uganda for the second time failed to justify and explain how they reached a decision that Crane Bank was under capitalised by Shillings 239 billion leading to its closure. This was after Kasilo County MP Elijah Okupa expressed disappointment for not receiving responses from Crane Bank officials concerning the figures. Related Stories. Bagyenda stole BoU documents COSASSE BOU probe has no impact on the economy By Ritah Kemigisa. The Democratic Party president Norbert Mao has applauded President Yoweri Museveni for attending the IPOD summit. Addressing the summit, Mao said such a gesture is a clear sign of the unity needed for democracy to prevail. Mao says when all the party heads held a closed door meeting today as part of the summit arrangement, all differences were laid aside. He says many concessions were made adding that a common ground is however needed for true democracy to be realized. DP also used the summit to demand for equal and harmonized funding of all political parties If true multi party governance is to prevail. The party secretary general Gerald Siranda said realistic multipartism can not be attained if all parties do not feel equal. Siranda also said its unfair to see the NRM and FDC take up lion share of funding to parties with others receiving piece meals. He proposed that each party at least gets shs 2 billion as seed money. In a bid to strengthen its delivery services, Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN plans to open a regional air hub at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport, which is expected to commence its operations from 2019. This new air hub is also expected to create multiple job opportunities for North Texas residents. The air hub is anticipated to cater to Amazons large-scale needs as it has appropriate infrastructure to manage flights on a daily basis. Notably, the companys focus on expanding its distribution networks is expected to create a better shopping experience. Aided by its aircraft, Amazon One, the company fulfills its one and two-day packaged deliveries for Prime members. The e-commerce giant has revealed that Prime members worldwide have ordered more than 2 billion items throughout 2018 so far by utilizing the power of its faster delivery services, which is a positive. The latest move underscores the companys two basic strategies of continual expansion and increased focus on fulfilling customer needs. Coming to price performance, Amazons shares have gained 40.5% on a year-to-date basis compared with the industrys rally of 1.6%. Prime: A Key Growth Driver Amazon continues to benefit from its robust Prime program, which gives it a competitive edge in the retail business. Prime also boasts a loyal subscriber base. Thus, the company with its offers and fast delivery option, encourages the customer to spend more on Amazon, which helps in boosting the companys revenues. In the last-reported quarter, the e-commerce giant significantly expanded its grocery services, which include delivery as well as pick-up services for natural and organic products. The service is currently available in more than 60 U.S. cities. The company also unveiled Prime Book Box, a subscription service aimed at instilling the habit of reading story books among children. Additionally, Amazon expanded its global footprint by making Prime available to individuals in Canada and Mexico in the last reported quarter. Further, the companys growing initiatives toward enriching its video portfolio with regional and award-winning content remains a tailwind. Amazons offering of free video games via Twitch Prime is also aiding growth. Story continues Amazon.com, Inc. Price and Consensus Amazon.com, Inc. Price and Consensus | Amazon.com, Inc. Quote Amazon Continues to Create Job Opportunities The e-commerce giant has been successful in creating multiple job opportunities while strengthening its freight delivery services. Amazon plans to open a sorting facility in Brooklyn Park and hire 450 workers. The new office will mark its fourth facility in Minnesota and expand workforce in the area. Reportedly, it already has plans to open a huge fulfillment center at a location separate from the proposed sorting facility, which is projected to generate up to 2,500 jobs in Brooklyn Park. The fulfillment center will be located near 109th and Winnetka avenues. The company also hired 200 people to work from home across varied departments including, customer service, human resources and sales, per reports from AJC. Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Currently, Amazon carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader computer and technology sector include Generac Holdings Inc. GNRC, SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. SSNC and Symantec Corporation SYMC. All the three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks Rank #1 stocks here. Expected long-term earnings growth rate for Generac, SS&C and Symantec is 6.5%, 13.5% and 7.9%, respectively. 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 Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Symantec Corporation (SYMC) : Free Stock Analysis Report SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. (SSNC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Generac Holdlings Inc. (GNRC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc.s suppliers will keep making iPhones in China if the U.S. imposes tariffs on the devices -- unless those levies skyrocket. Suppliers figure they can keep production in China at a 10 percent tariff level but will consider shifting out of the country if the U.S. moves to 25 percent, according to people familiar with the matter. Apple and its partners are assessing their supply chains as the U.S. and China fight over trade terms between the worlds two largest economies. iPhones -- the majority of which are made by assembly partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. in China and shipped around the world -- have so far been spared in a tit-for-tat trade war. But President Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal last month that tariffs could be slapped on smartphones and laptops made in China, the worlds largest manufacturer of electronics. Apple has long used China as its production base for everything from the signature iPhone to iPads and Macs. The companys supply chain now spans hundreds of companies, culminating in assemblers such as Hon Hai and Pegatron Corp. Apple didnt respond to requests for comment. Hon Hai and Pegatron declined to comment. Apples manufacturing partners are largely beholden to the U.S. companys wishes. Migrating parts of the sprawling network they underpin will be difficult and the U.S. company seems to be in wait-and-see mode for now, one of the people said. An Apple partner has already suggested alternative locations for non-iPhone production, but the U.S. company has indicated theres little need to make such a move for now, another person said. That may change if tariffs escalate, an outcome now in the balance as Washington and Beijing begin thorny negotiations on a trade deal that could scale back a series of tariffs implemented this year. Apple, already grappling with mounting evidence that its latest iPhone line-up has failed to excite consumers, can ill-afford a sharp hike in import taxes. Story continues A 10-percent tariff could result in an earnings-per-share decline of just $1 for Apple, should all its hardware sold in the U.S. be subject to the levy and the company absorbs the cost, RBC analyst Amit Daryanani wrote in a Nov. 28 research note. That compares with the average 2019 Apple-EPS estimate of $13.32, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. However, a more severe scenario of a 25 percent tariff -- absorbed by Apple -- could result in an EPS decline of about $2.50, he added. In his early years running Apple, Tim Cook would respond to questions about increasing manufacturing in the U.S. by saying the skill sets in China are more conducive to producing the companys products. However, in recent months, he has modified that view, saying in an interview this year that its not true that the iPhone is not made in the United States. Some components, like the smartphones glass cover, are manufactured in the U.S. and shipped for assembly in China. To contact the reporter on this story: Debby Wu in Taipei at dwu278@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan, Peter Elstrom For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. With U.S. trade tensions with China running high, Under Armour (UA) looks to be charting a path away from making sneakers and compression T-shirts in the country. The sportswear maker plans to source 7% of its products from China by 2023, according to a slide presented at the companys investor day Wednesday. Currently, Under Armour gets about 18% of its units made in China. A good chunk of the production will be shifted to Indonesia, Jordan, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines. Oddly enough, products sourced from the Americas is expected to drop to 17% by 2023 from 20% presently. Under Armour will shift some production out of China. Source: Under Armour. It was just in 2016 that Under Armour launched a Made in America marketing blitz. The goal, at least at the time, was to get products to market quicker by using facilities in the United States. The company opened a 35,000-square-foot innovation lab in its hometown of Baltimore, MD. to support the initiative. An Under Armour spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for more details on the companys sourcing plans. Under Armour shares fell more than 8% Wednesday as the company let some on Wall Street down with its long-term sales growth and operating margin guidance. The company by no means is alone in using current trade tensions with China to rethink supply chains in the country. CEOs at Hasbro, Funko and GoPro have confirmed a shift out of China sourcing in recent weeks to Yahoo Finance. Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @BrianSozzi Read Yahoo Finances Exclusives: Hasbro CEO: We will return to growth in 2019 Macys CEO: Mobile shopping is surging Procter & Gamble CEO: We arent splitting up the company Coca-Cola CEO: Why we arent getting into the alcohol business Hershey CEO: We are having a game-changing year Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and reddit. By Ritah Kemigisa. The opposition Democratic Party has lashed out at the members of the Inter Party Dialogue who are opposed attending the summit. IPOD is made up of the FDC, Democratic Party, ruling NRM, UPC and Justice Forum that have representation in parliament. Addressing journalists in Kampala today, DP president Norbert Mao said the decision by FDC to opt out of the summit is unfortunate because it affects quorum. Mao adds that the Democratic Party has nothing to lose by attending the summit. The summit will take place tomorrow at the Speke resort Munyonyo and president Museveni is expected to attend in his capacity as the NRM party national chairman. By Julie Gordon and Anna Mehler Paperny VANCOUVER (Reuters) - A top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver at the request of U.S. authorities sparked a diplomatic dispute. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's [HWT.UL] chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces U.S. claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail to Meng, who has been jailed since her arrest on Dec. 1. The courtroom erupted in applause when the decision was announced. Meng cried and hugged her lawyers. Among conditions of her bail, the 46-year-old executive must wear an ankle monitor and stay at home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Five friends pledged equity in their homes and other money as a guarantee she will not flee. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canada's justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the United States. If so, Meng would face U.S. charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge. The arrest of Meng has put a further dampener on Chinese relations with the United States and Canada at a time when tensions were already high over a trade war and U.S. accusations of Chinese spying. U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Meng's arrest "was a mistake from the start". "We have already made clear our position to the United States and Canada, who should immediately correct their mistake and release Meng Wanzhou," he told a daily news briefing. "Any person, especially if it is a leader of the United States, or a high-level figure, who is willing to make positive efforts to push this situation toward the correct direction, then that, of course, deserves to be well received." China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately, and analysts have said retaliation from Beijing over the arrest was likely. The U.S. State Department is considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens, two sources said on Tuesday. The Canadian government was considering issuing a similar warning, Canada's CTV network reported. Reuters was not able to confirm the report. Earlier on Tuesday, the Canadian government said that one of its citizens in China had been detained. The International Crisis Group think-tank said on Wednesday it had received no information from Chinese officials about the detention of its employee, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, and that it was seeking consular access to him. The Chinese ministry spokesman, Lu, said he had nothing he could say on the details of the case, but said the ICG was not registered in China as a non-governmental organization and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. However, Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: "In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message they will send you a message." ELECTRONIC MONITORING Meng, who was arrested as she was changing planes in Vancouver, has said she is innocent and will contest the allegations in the United States if she is extradited. Tuesday was the third day of bail hearings. Meng's defense had argued that she was not a flight risk, citing her longstanding ties to Canada, properties she owns in Vancouver and fears for her health while incarcerated. Her family assured the court she would remain in Vancouver at one of her family houses in an affluent neighborhood. Her husband said he plans to bring the couple's daughter to Vancouver to attend school, and Meng had said she would be grateful for the chance to read a novel after years of working hard. "I am satisfied that on the particular facts of this case ... the risk of her non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing bail conditions," said the judge, adding that he was also persuaded by the fact that Meng was a well-educated businesswoman with no criminal record. She must remain in Canada and be accompanied by security guards when she leaves her residence. Meng will pay a cash deposit of C$7 million, with five guarantors liable for a remaining C$3 million if she absconds. Meng was ordered to reappear in court on Feb. 6 to make plans for further appearances. Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a "timely resolution" of the case. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion," it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. The case against Meng stems from a 2013 Reuters report https://www.reuters.com/article/us-huawei-skycom/exclusive-huawei-cfo-linked-to-firm-that-offered-hp-gear-to-iran-idUSBRE90U0CC20130131 about Huawei's close ties to Hong Kong-based Skycom Tech Co Ltd, which attempted to sell U.S. equipment to Iran despite U.S. and European Union bans. Huawei is the world's 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. (Reporting by Julie Gordon and Anna Mehler Paperny in Vancouver; writing by Nick Zieminski and Rosalba O'Brien; additional reporting by Ben Blanchard, Christian Shepherd and Michael Martina in Beijing, John Ruwitch in Shanghai and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; editing by Cynthia Osterman and Bill Rigby) The United States had asked the Vancouver court to deny bail for Meng, whose father is a billionaire and a founder of Huawei, calling her a flight risk. The Canada has been expected to extradite Meng to the United States over charges that the company improperly took payments from Iran in violation of sanctions against the country. A Vancouver judge set a $10 million CAD bail ($7.5 million U.S.) for Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou Tuesday, capping a week of increasing trade tensions and strong market reactions around the dispute between the Department of Justice and one of China's largest hardware companies. The United States had asked the Vancouver court to deny bail for Meng, whose father is a billionaire and a founder of Huawei, calling her a flight risk. Canada has been expected to extradite Meng to the United States over charges that the company improperly took payments from Iran in violation of sanctions against the country. Meng's next moves will be closely watched, but it is likely with her corporate and family connections that she will be able to make bail. Meng must be accompanied by security detail whenever she leaves her residence. The U.S. is alleging Huawei used a small third-party tech provider based in Hong Kong called Skycom to conduct business with Iranian companies despite sanctions against doing so by the E.U. and U.S. Growing anxiety for U.S., Canadian executives in China Also Tuesday, a former Canadian diplomat to China named Michael Kovrig was reportedly taken into custody in China without explanation, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Kovrig's employer International Crisis Group and Global Affairs Canada the country's diplomatic organization have said they are working to engage with Chinese diplomats on Kovrig's arrest, and that because of Canadian privacy laws, further details weren't immediately available. Story continues China has threatened "serious consequences" over the arrest, and a Monday op-ed in China's Global Times Communist Party newspaper, said Meng's detention was "inhumane." Meng reportedly was treated at a Vancouver hospital for hypertension following her arrest, a factor in her attorney's arguments for granting bail. The arrest is flaring tensions between China and the U.S. as the two countries try to work out a trade deal . Huawei is one of China's biggest companies, and U.S. officials have been accusing the hardware giant which recently surpassed Apple AAPL in number of mobile phones shipped of a wide range of sanctions violations and cybercrimes for the better part of a decade. More From CNBC Dec 12 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose on Wednesday, helped by shares of energy companies as oil prices gained after an industry report showed a drop in U.S. crude inventories and a cut in Libyan supplies. * All 11 major sectors were trading higher with the energy sector, up 1.77 percent, leading the pack. * U.S. crude prices were up 1.3 percent per barrel, while Brent crude added 1.2 percent. * Fueling optimism was U.S. President Donald Trump's encouraging comments over trade negotiations between the United States and China, which also helped the Canadian dollar strengthen against its U.S. counterpart. * Trump, in an interview with Reuters, said trade talks with Beijing were taking place by phone and he would not hike tariffs on Chinese imports until he was sure about a deal. * Industrial stocks, a sector sensitive to trade-related news, rose 1.36 percent. * At 9:41 a.m. ET (1441 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 140.73 points, or 0.96 percent, at 14,808.56. * The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 1.2 percent as gold futures rose 0.3 percent to $1,245.3 an ounce. * The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was North West Co Inc, which jumped 6.1 percent after its third-quarter revenue beat analysts' estimates. * Torc Oil & Gas Ltd rose 4.7 percent after the company gave its 2019 production forecast and capital budget. * On the TSX, 222 issues were higher, while 18 issues declined for a 12.33-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 19.98 million shares traded. * Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust fell 4 percent, the most on the TSX, after the company announced public unit financing of $250 million. * The second-biggest decliner was Guyana Goldfields Inc , down 3.3 percent. * Among the most heavily traded shares by volume were Cannabis producers Aphria Inc and Aurora Cannabis . * The TSX posted two new 52-week highs and one new low. * Across all Canadian issues, there were four new 52-week highs and 11 new lows, with total volume of 31.38 million shares. (Reporting by Amy Caren Daniel in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) By Moses Kyeyune. Government has this evening acknowledged the financial crisis at the womens hospital characterized with lack of basic medical supplies. The matter was last week brought to the attention of parliament by Kasilo County MP Elijah Okupa who said that many doctors and other medical workers at the facility are scared by the working environment without the tools. In a response her response during plenary this afternoon, the minister of State for Health, General duties Sarah Opendi said Elijahs concerns were correct but the government was taking action to put everything to order. The minister has blamed the problem on budget inadequacies which she promised are being considered for a solution. While opening the facility early this year, the president bragged about the womens hospital as a center for excellence that would save many Ugandans, particularly the women from incurring huge costs on foreign hospitals for highly specialized complications. Related Stories. Shock as Newly opened Mulago Specialized Women Hospital runs out of funds By Chen Aizhu SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) has suspended investment in Iran's South Pars natural gas project in response to U.S. pressure and to minimize tensions amid trade talks between Beijing and Washington, three Chinese state oil executives said. South Pars is the world's largest gas field and CNPC's investment freeze is a blow to Tehran's efforts to maintain financing for energy projects amid the re-imposition U.S. sanctions on its energy sector earlier this year. Iran said on Nov. 25 that CNPC replaced Total as the operator of Phase 11 project at South Pars after the French company ended its participation rather than violate the sanctions. The investment halt followed four rounds of talks in Beijing, including one as recently as October, with senior U.S. officials who urged CNPC to refrain from injecting fresh financing in Iran, said one of the sources, an executive with direct knowledge of the matter. It was not clear if the Chinese government gave direct orders for the halt, but the sources said it is politically sensible amid the trade negotiations between China and the United States. "China sees the relationship with the U.S. as paramount over anything else. As a state-owned entity CNPC will stay clear of bringing any unwanted trouble into this relationship as the U.S. China trade talks are under way," said a second source, an official familiar with CNPC's global strategy. The sources requested anonymity as they are not authorized to speak to the media. Total was the first global energy firm to return to Iran after earlier sanctions were lifted after the U.S., Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain, the European Union and Iran agreed to a pact limiting the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme in late 2015. The U.S. quit the pact in May and re-imposed sanctions because it did not curb Iran's ballistic missile programme and to pressure the country to stop supporting proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. The first source said that Iran has 120 days to review CNPC's role in South Pars and decide whether to keep the Chinese firm as a dormant investor or cancel the deal. Story continues CNPC did not respond to three requests for comment. In Tehran, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh did not confirm that CNPC had withdrawn from the project, but said that a withdrawal would be a breach of contract. "When Total left, the Chinese company (CNPC) was to take over according to the contract, and if it does not this would be a breach of contract and we'll deal with it according to our contractual rights," Zanganeh told state television. Two Iranian oil ministry officials contacted by Reuters declined to comment. While agreeing to halt its South Pars participation, CNPC did convince the U.S. that it needed to continue investing in the North Azadegan and Masjid-i-Suleiman (MIS) oilfields to recoup the billions of dollars spent under buy-back contracts signed years ago, said the first source and a third separate official with knowledge of CNPC's oil activities. Without CNPC providing sub-contracting engineering work and supplying production equipments, the Iranian side will have difficulty maintaining the oil output, the sources said. North Azadegan, in southwestern Khuzestan province, is estimated to be pumping close to 80,000 barrels per day of crude oil after production started in 2016, according to CNPC's website. (Reporting by Chen Aizhu in Singapore; Additional reporting by Dubai newsroom and Parisa Hafezi in Dubai; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Kirsten Donovan) sussex-county-courthouse Sussex County Courthouse On Nov. 30, Craig A. Karsnitz was publicly sworn in for his first term as judge of the Superior Court of the state of Delaware, replacing T. Henley Graves, who retired in April. Superior Court President Judge Jan R. Jurden administered the Oath of Office in Courtroom 1 at the Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown. Karsnitz's children and wife also participated in the swearing-in, holding the Bible and assisting in the robing, respectively. Before assuming his new role, Karsnitz was a partner at Wilmington-based Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, a position he held for 40 years, according to a press release. Investing.com - Major cryptocurrencies slipped on Wednesday morning in Asia as a Singapore-based digital currency exchange operator, ABCC, called for more stringent regulations on the tokens. Bitcoin dropped 1.49% to $3,391.2 and Ethereum dived 2.08% to $87.81 at 10:45PM ET (02:45 GMT). XRP edged down 0.12% to $87.81, while Litecoin fell 3.12% to $23.559. ABCC CEO Calvin Cheng told Cryptovest that security is the main concern for crypto-investors, in response to a November review from CryptoCompare that analyzed the data of 130 digital currency exchanges last month. The report showed that only one-third of these exchanges store the majority of users funds in offline wallets, while one out of 10 exchanges have been hacked. About 14% of the exchanges lack a public privacy policy or even a terms and conditions page. Looking at the industry figures, exchanges with strong security still account for a much higher transaction volume, Cheng said. Meanwhile, the head of Allianz (DE: DE:ALVG) Global Investors Chief Executive Andreas Utermann said on Tuesday that cryptoassets should be outlawed, as they take away peoples savings. I am personally surprised that regulators havent stepped in harder, Utermann said, cited by Reuters. Still, other parties remain bullish toward digital tokens. Cointelegragh reported that Spanish ruling party Partido Popular (PP) is set to introduce a draft bill on cryptocurrencies and blockchain regulation in a few days, seeking to provide more certainty to investors. Related Articles Bank Accounts of CoinFlux Frozen, CEO Arrested This Binance-Backed Crypto Startup Wants to Anonymize Everything Blockchain Platform Rolls Out Two Foundations to Offer Scholarships, Grants (Bloomberg) -- A committee of employees at Amazons recently opened Staten Island fulfillment center is going public with a unionization campaign, a fresh challenge to the e-commerce giant in a city where it plans to build a major new campus. Labor unrest is the latest complication in Amazons plan to invest $2.5 billion and hire 25,000 people in the city over the next 15 years. Several New York City politicians who were shut out of negotiations handled by the governor and mayor have raised objections to a new office park in Queens that threatens to overload mass transit and drive up rents in an already expensive housing market. Now workers in a another borough are saying the company treats them like robots and should be focused on improving conditions there rather than raking in tax breaks to build a new headquarters. The union theyre working with sees the up to $3 billion in incentives offered to bring an Amazon office campus to Long Island City as leverage to prevent the company from retaliating against them for organizing. Employees backing the union effort said in interviews Tuesday that the issues at the warehouse include safety concerns, inadequate pay, and 12-hour shifts with insufficient breaks and unreasonable hourly quotas, after which they lose more of their day waiting unpaid in long lines for security checks. "They talk to you like youre nothing -- all they care about is their numbers," said Rashad Long, who makes $18.60 an hour and commutes four hours a day to work at the warehouse. "They talk to you like youre a robot." As Trump Talks Up the Working Class, Unions Fade: QuickTake A handful of pro-union Amazon employees joined community activists and elected officials at a City Hall press conference Wednesday prior to a city council hearing about the proposed major office development in Queens. There, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer denounced the governments "bad deal" with Amazon, asking, "What do the people get, and what are the workers going to get? Where is the labor agreement?" Story continues Inside, a small group was threatened with being ejected from the council gallery when they chanted slogans and disrupted proceedings. Brian Huseman, Amazons head of public policy, told City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, We absolutely respect the right of any employee to join a union. Another Amazon executive told the council the company expects to work with unionized construction crews on the Queens development. James Patchett, president of NYC Economic Development Corp., voiced concern about some of the reports that weve seen, but said his organization is excited that Amazon is bringing jobs to the city. Amazon spokeswoman Rachael Lighty said in an email that the company "follows all state employment laws," including restricting employees hours to 60 at most per week. She said that during the extra-busy "peak" season, many employees welcome the opportunity to work extra hours at the overtime rate, which at the Staten Island facility is $26.25 to $34.50 an hour. Not all Staten Island workers see it that way. Sharon Bleach said in an interview that shes insulted by the companys "power hours" in which employees are pressured to move extra fast in hopes of winning raffle tickets. "Every day theyre changing the goal -- the finish line is changed every day," Bleach said. Amazon said incentives offered by the company "are part of our company culture, and we want to make sure Peak is a fun time of year for associates who are working hard to fulfill customer orders." Tax Breaks Amazon is slated to reap more than $1 billion in tax breaks and grants from New York as part of the Long Island City deal. Some lawmakers have said the states Public Authorities Control Board should reject the development unless the company makes stronger commitments in areas including infrastructure investment, housing affordability and worker rights. Employees are working with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, or RWDSU, which has also backed organizing efforts at the Whole Foods grocery chain that Amazon acquired last year. Amazons workforce is union-free throughout the U.S.. Theres never been greater leverage -- if taxpayers are giving Amazon $3 billion, then taxpayers have the right to demand that Amazon stop being a union-busting company, said RWDSUs president, Stuart Appelbaum. Its incumbent upon the governor and the mayor to make sure that nothing happens to these workers who are standing up for their rights. If Amazon continues its union-busting activities in New York, they should call off the deal. RWDSU has been meeting workers in person and contacting them over social media since around the time the Staten Island facility opened. Appelbaum declined to discuss the specifics of how Amazon employees were seeking to obtain union recognition, but said the company should sit down with workers and their representatives to discuss how to address their concerns. Federal Labor Law Federal labor law restricts city and state governments ability to directly regulate union organizing and anti-union activities in the private sector. But the law allows local governments to mandate other employment rules like higher pay or predictable schedules, and leaves some leeway for them to require labor peace when the governments own funds are involved. Amazons months-long, continent-wide search for a new campus site spurred cities to outdo each other in lavishing perks on the company, but also fueled heightened scrutiny on how it treats employees. In October, following pressure from progressives like U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Amazon announced it would institute a nationwide $15 minimum wage for its employees, though that change came with elimination of some bonuses and stock awards and didnt extend to workers it classifies as independent contractors. While Sanders, a Vermont independent, praised the companys new wage floor, he and Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, wrote in an Oct. 16 letter to Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos that an anti-union video used by Amazon appeared to violate federal labor law. Training Video Some managers at Whole Foods were shown an Amazon training video highlighting strategies to detect and discourage organizing efforts. The senators said the video, which tells supervisors they may need to talk about how having a union could hurt innovation, which could hurt customer obsession, which could ultimately threaten the buildings continued existence, seemed to be telling them to make illegal threats. The video said that unions could hinder the companys ability to quickly make changes to operations in its warehouse network designed to speed the delivery of packages to customers. When we lose sight of those critical focus areas, we jeopardize everyones job security, says a voice on the video belonging to a cartoonish avatar dressed as an Amazon warehouse manager. A group of East African workers at an Amazon warehouse in Minnesota -- with backing from the Service Employees International Union and a chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations -- have been organizing around issues including Ramadan accommodations. They secured private meetings with management in recent months, an incremental but unusual development. Last month on Black Friday, one of the busiest online shopping days of the year, Amazon workers at fulfillment centers in Germany, Spain and France mounted strikes, and protests were held in Italy and the U.K. Amazon said those European demonstrations didnt disrupt its operations. Successfully organizing Amazon in the U.S. could require millions of dollars and decades of time to accomplish, Hector Figueroa, president of SEIUs East Coast property services affiliate, said in May. By the time you end, it will not be Amazon it will be something else that will be the new way that people buy things. (Updates with city council meeting in seventh paragraph.) --With assistance from Spencer Soper, Matt Day and Henry Goldman. To contact the reporter on this story: Josh Eidelson in Palo Alto at jeidelson@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Wes Kosova at wkosova@bloomberg.net, Peter Blumberg, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. MUMBAI (Reuters) - Regulators in India that are not answerable to any appellate authority should involve other stakeholders for better decision-making, the country's finance minister said, according to the Economic Times newspaper. While the markets regulator, the competition watchdog and the insurance regulator all have a tribunal for appeals, some, including the central bank, do not have one. "There would only be some exceptions where the decisions are final and, therefore, it becomes obligatory on such a regulator to be consistently in consultation at a very wide level with stakeholders, which includes the government, the market players in the field, so that all relevant inputs come," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, without naming the Reserve Bank of India, according to the paper. The government and the central bank have been at loggerheads in recent months over some strict lending and capital rules ahead of general elections due by May. The government wants the RBI to loosen its regulatory curbs on some banks, ease liquidity and capital norms. A debt crisis at a major infrastructure lender in September added to a slowing economy, prompting the government to step up pressure on RBI for boosting lending growth. The persistent demands from the government led to a public spat between New Delhi and Mumbai-based RBI since late October. RBI Governor Urjit Patel, known for his reticent nature, declined to comment on the rift at a monetary policy announcement meeting last week. However, at the same meeting RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya said there was no need for liquidity infusion for non-banking finance companies, going against Jaitley's call for the same after the recent debt crisis. But Jaitley, who will be addressing a union budget in February, said there was stress in some sectors that need to be addressed, according to the daily. "Overall liquidity may not be a matter of concern, but within that overall economy there may be sectors which lack liquidity. Therefore, this sectoral stress in those areas will have to be addressed," Jaitley told the Economic Times. (Reporting by Abhirup Roy; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier) By Ritah Kemigisa. President Yoweri Museveni has told the opposition and those opposed to his presidency that he is not about to leave power until issues of prosperity and strategic security are effectively addressed. Addressing delegates at the IPOD summit this afternoon, Museveni advised all those opposed to his perceived long stay in power to focus the debate on shaping the future and destiny of Uganda and Africa at large. Museveni described the debate of him leaving power as cheap and petty talk thats not important for Ugandas development. His remarks were prompted by calls from the DP president Norbert Mao and his UPC counterpart Jimmy Akena who asked him to reflect on the day he will watch another president being sworn in. He also told to all delegates that he is not a politician like them but rather a cattle keeper Related Stories NRM blasts FDC at IPOD summit DP applauds M7, task him to leave power and want party funding harmonized By John Ruwitch and Michael Martina SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - 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 [HWT.UL] on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. 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. "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 about Kovrig's detention. The exact reason for the detention, which was made sometime early this week, according to the sources, was not immediately clear. The Canadian embassy declined to comment, referring queries to Ottawa. Calls to Kovrig's phones were not answered. DIPLOMATIC SPAT 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. Following Meng's arrest, China on Saturday summoned Canada's ambassador in Beijing and warned of severe "consequences" if Ottawa did not see that she was immediately released. Meng is set to return to a Vancouver courtroom on Tuesday, as the judge weighs final issues in determining whether she should be freed on bail while awaiting proceedings for her possible extradition to the United States. Washington has made accusations that Meng misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of a company operating in Iran, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions and incurring severe penalties. Locked in a bitter trade war, Washington and Beijing earlier this month agreed to delay a planned Jan. 1 increase in U.S. tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, allowing more time to negotiate over China's huge bilateral trade surplus and U.S. complaints that it steals technology. Chinese experts have said that Beijing was trying to separate Meng's arrest from the trade negotiations, but also warned that public anger in China over Canada's move could compel officials there to take measures that would further sour U.S.-China ties and endanger talks. In 2014, a Canadian couple, Kevin and Julia Garratt, were detained a week after Canada accused China of hacking into the national computer system. Kevin Garratt was charged with spying, but released and deported after he spent two years in detention. (Reporting by John Ruwitch in SHANGHAI and Michael Martina and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; editing by Darren Schuettler and Gareth Jones) NORTHVILLE, Mich., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gentherm (THRM), the global market leader and developer of innovative thermal management technologies, announced today that Matteo Anversa will join the Companys leadership team as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer on January 1, 2019. Anversa will lead all of Gentherms financial and IT operations on a global basis, and he will report to Gentherms President and CEO, Phil Eyler. Anversa succeeds Barry Steele as Gentherms CFO. Steele will step down as the Companys Vice-President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer effective upon Anversas start date. Steele will provide transition services through February 15, 2019. I am delighted that Matteo is joining our executive management team as CFO. He is an accomplished financial executive with global experience and strong business acumen, said Eyler. Matteos disciplined approach to financial reporting and analysis and operational excellence will help continue to drive Gentherms focused growth and improved profitability. Eyler added, Barry was Gentherms CFO for more than 14 years and he oversaw the Companys growth from a start-up to $1 billion in revenue. I want to personally thank Barry for his dedication and commitment to Gentherm and wish him well in his future endeavors. Im excited to be part of a company that has so much opportunity ahead, said Anversa. I am looking forward to leading the finance and IT organizations to help deliver the next phase of growth for Gentherm. Anversa joins Gentherm from Myers Industries, Inc., an international manufacturer of polymer-based material handling products and a wholesale distributor of tire repair and retread products (MYE), where he was Executive Vice President, CFO since December 2016. At Myers Industries, he was responsible for driving cash flow, improving working capital, managing business restructuring and M&A activities, strengthening corporate controls and developing the Companys IT strategy. Prior to Myers Industries, he was the Vice President, Group FP&A for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. since April 2015. He joined FCA in 2013 as the CFO for Ferrari SpA, where he helped prepare the company for its IPO. Anversa began his career with General Electric Corporation where he held various leadership roles during his 16-year tenure, including CFO, GE Gas Engines; Global FP&A Manager, GE Transportation; and CFO, GE Consumer & Industrial, Asia Pacific. Story continues Anversa holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Parma, Italy. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Italy. Anversa will be based at Gentherms corporate headquarters in Northville, MI. Investor Contact Yijing Brentano investors@gentherm.com 248.308.1702 Media Contact Melissa Fischer media@gentherm.com 248.289.9702 About Gentherm Gentherm (THRM) is a global developer and marketer of innovative thermal management technologies for a broad range of heating and cooling and temperature control applications. Automotive products include variable temperature Climate Control Seats (CCS), heated automotive interior systems (including heated seats, steering wheels, armrests and other components), battery thermal management systems, cable systems and other electronic devices. Medical products include patient temperature management systems. The Company is also developing a number of new technologies and products that will help enable improvements to existing products and to create new product applications for existing and new markets. Gentherm has over 13,000 employees in facilities in the United States, Germany, Canada, China, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Vietnam. For more information, go to www.gentherm.com . Except for historical information contained herein, statements in this release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent Gentherm Incorporated's goals, beliefs, plans and expectations about its prospects for the future and other future events. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made as of the date hereof or as of the date specified and are based on management's current expectations and beliefs. Such statements are subject to a number of important assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual performance to differ materially from that described in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Those risks include, but are not limited to, risks that new products may not be feasible, sales may not increase, additional financing requirements may not be available, new competitors may arise or customers may develop their own products to replace the Companys products, currency exchange rates may change unfavorably, pricing pressures from customers may increase, and other adverse conditions in the industries in which the Company operates may negatively affect its results. The foregoing risks should be read in conjunction with other cautionary statements included herein, as well as in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. (Bloomberg) -- Midway through Tuesdays congressional hearing on Google, Representative Ted Poe, a Texas Republican, held up his iPhone. He asked Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai what would happen if Poe walked over to the Democrats sitting across the aisle. "Does Google track my movement? Does Google, through this phone, know that I have moved over to the left?" Poe asked. When Pichai hesitated, Poe raised his voice. "Its either yes or no!" he barked. "I wouldnt be able to answer without knowing more details, sir," Pichai replied. That was among the most telling exchanges in three hours of House Judiciary Committee testimony that showed how uncomfortable lawmakers are with the volume of user data Google and other internet companies collect. Pichai fielded a range of queries: On the political slants of his staff and algorithms; on Chinese censorship and surveillance; and "Frazzledrip," a conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton spread on YouTube. Many failed to stick and the deferential, soft-spoken CEO avoided costly blunders in his first appearance in front of Congress. But the hearings focus on Googles information hoard is a risk for the worlds largest internet company as Democrats prepare to take control of the House next month. Lawmakers from both parties returned again and again to the ways Google collects data from mobile phones, web browsers and the real world, and how users often arent aware of the scope of this digital dragnet. Representative David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island on the committee, told Bloomberg TV after the hearing that the U.S. needs "legislation or regulations that make it clear that data belongs to the consumer." "They ought to have full control of what happens to their data" and be able to grant consent to third party access to the information, said Cicilline, whos expected to take over an antitrust subcommittee next year. The power of large tech companies "is a really important issue that were going to get to in the Judiciary Committee," he added. Story continues If interrogation turns into action in the form of regulation, Alphabet Inc.s Google may be left with less information to power their online advertising businesses. "This is an issue of them using personal data to monopolize ad markets," said Matt Stoller, a director at the Open Markets Institute who has called for an antitrust crackdown on Google. Limits on Googles control of so much data would be a blow, while the company is more likely to accept new privacy rules that apply to all companies because that wouldnt threaten the companys lead in the digital ad market, Stoller added. Indeed, Pichai said Google supports new federal privacy laws, even those akin to Europes General Data Protection Regulation, which is considered relatively strict. "As we consider privacy legislation, I think its important we give location protection for our users," Pichai said. "As a company, we want to lead the way." In his exchange with Poe, Pichai likely demurred because of a loophole. Some Google services do collect location information with precise granularity, but not if a user has opted out. Some apps also require opt-ins, and Googles apps arent automatically installed on iPhones -- so Poes handset may not have allowed Google to track the politicians movements. Still, other lawmakers probed in similar areas. Republican Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary committee, 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." Pichai noted that 160 million individuals had checked their privacy settings in the last month. Still, many lawmakers seemed unsatisfied with Pichais responses about what options Google gives users, and the CEO conceded that the company can do more to make it easier for consumers to control what data is collected on them. --With assistance from Emily Chang and Candy Cheng. To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Bergen in San Francisco at mbergen10@bloomberg.net;Ben Brody in Washington at btenerellabr@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Alistair Barr, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Is Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) a good equity to bet on right now? We like to check what the smart money thinks first before doing extensive research. Although there have been several high profile failed hedge fund picks, the consensus picks among hedge fund investors have historically outperformed the market after adjusting for known risk attributes. It's not surprising given that hedge funds have access to better information and more resources to find the latest market-moving information. Is Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) a buy, sell, or hold? Money managers are in a pessimistic mood. The number of long hedge fund bets decreased by 2 in recent months. Our calculations also showed that itw isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds. ITW was in 26 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of the third quarter of 2018. There were 28 hedge funds in our database with ITW positions at the end of the previous quarter. Hedge funds' reputation as shrewd investors has been tarnished in the last decade as their hedged returns couldn't keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. Our research has shown that hedge funds' large-cap stock picks indeed failed to beat the market between 1999 and 2016. However, we were able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the market by 18 percentage points since May 2014 through December 3, 2018 (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that'll significantly underperform the market. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 and they lost 24% through December 3, 2018. That's why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES We're going to review the recent hedge fund action encompassing Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW). How are hedge funds trading Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW)? Story continues At Q3's end, a total of 26 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were bullish on this stock, a change of -7% from one quarter earlier. On the other hand, there were a total of 38 hedge funds with a bullish position in ITW at the beginning of this year. With the smart money's capital changing hands, there exists an "upper tier" of key hedge fund managers who were adding to their holdings significantly (or already accumulated large positions). No of Hedge Funds with ITW Positions More specifically, Renaissance Technologies was the largest shareholder of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW), with a stake worth $95.8 million reported as of the end of September. Trailing Renaissance Technologies was Adage Capital Management, which amassed a stake valued at $86.3 million. Millennium Management, Ariel Investments, and AQR Capital Management were also very fond of the stock, giving the stock large weights in their portfolios. Seeing as Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) has witnessed a decline in interest from hedge fund managers, it's easy to see that there exists a select few funds that decided to sell off their positions entirely heading into Q3. Intriguingly, Clint Carlson's Carlson Capital cut the largest investment of the "upper crust" of funds monitored by Insider Monkey, worth an estimated $24.2 million in call options. Israel Englander's fund, Millennium Management, also dropped its call options, about $13.9 million worth. These moves are intriguing to say the least, as total hedge fund interest dropped by 2 funds heading into Q3. Let's also examine hedge fund activity in other stocks similar to Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW). These stocks are American International Group Inc (NYSE:AIG), Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL), Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS), and Humana Inc (NYSE:HUM). This group of stocks' market valuations are similar to ITW's market valuation. [table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position AIG,41,1759233,5 CCL,36,981167,7 LVS,38,1350452,10 HUM,44,3204559,3 Average,39.75,1823853,6.25 [/table] View table here if you experience formatting issues. As you can see these stocks had an average of 39.75 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $1.82 billion. That figure was $511 million in ITW's case. Humana Inc (NYSE:HUM) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) is the least popular one with only 36 bullish hedge fund positions. Compared to these stocks Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) is even less popular than CCL. Considering that hedge funds aren't fond of this stock in relation to other companies analyzed in this article, it may be a good idea to analyze it in detail and understand why the smart money isn't behind this stock. This isn't necessarily bad news. Although it is possible that hedge funds may think the stock is overpriced and view the stock as a short candidate, they may not be very familiar with the bullish thesis. In either case more research is warranted. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Related Content By Derrick Wandera. At least 30 students have graduated in various categories in airline. Speaking at the graduation ceremony at Protea Hotel, Mr Mike Mukula, the proprietor of the said this is first school in Eastern, Central and Western of Africa save for Ethiopia and Kenya. We shall continue to educate the students and on how to get jobs in top companies. We already are in touch with Fly Emirates, Catar and other to see that our new graduates get jobs there, Mr Mukula said. Mr Francis Babu encouraged the graduates not to despise jobs and work hard. There are many youths in the country. We need to continue t work even hard and get to these jobs which society thinks are useless. We should not despise any job, Mr Babu said. The graduates were awarded in different disciplines, like cabin crew, customer and servicing. French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a special address to the nation, his first public comments after four weeks of nationwide 'yellow vest' (gilet jaune) protests, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France December 10, 2018. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS By Leigh Thomas PARIS (Reuters) - France will overshoot the European Union's budget deficit ceiling next year without deeper spending cuts after President Emmanuel Macron caved in to anti-government protests. Macron announced wage increases for the poorest workers and a tax cut for most pensioners on Monday in an effort to quell a near month-long public revolt. But the measures will leave a 10 billion euro (8.64 billion pounds) hole in the Treasury's finances, pushing France back over the EU deficit limit of 3 percent of national output and dealing a blow to Macron's reformist credentials. "We are preparing a fiscal boost for workers by accelerating tax cuts so that work pays," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told parliament. "That inevitably has consequences on the deficit." Philippe did not give details on the impact of the concessions on public finances or possible spending cuts, saying only that the government aimed to keep spending from increasing. "Under all likelihood, the 2019 public deficit will print above the 3.0 percent benchmark," Societe Generale economist Michel Martinez wrote in a research note. Any failure to respect the EU deficit ceiling could shatter France's fiscal credibility with its European partners after Paris flouted it for a decade before Macron took office. And any sign of leniency from Brussels could complicate the European Commission's tense discussions with Italy about keeping its deficit down. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said Paris should be subject to the same treatment as Rome and now risked EU censure over its budget concessions. "If the deficit/GDP rules are valid for Italy, then I expect them to be valid for Macron," Di Maio said. France's 10-year borrowing costs climbed to their highest level compared with Germany in a year-and-a-half on Tuesday. Europe's Scope credit rating agency said it was unlikely Macron would be able to push through reforms of France's costly pension and healthcare systems if he continued to lose public support. Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin said Macron's concessions would amount to 10 billion euros, including the cancelling of energy tax hikes announced last week. Story continues Darmanin told senators the government now expected a budget deficit of 2.5 percent of GDP in 2019, excluding the one-off impact of a long-planned payroll tax rebate scheme becoming a permanent tax cut at a cost of 20 billion euros. That compares with a previous 2019 deficit/GDP forecast of 1.9 percent without one-offs, or 2.8 percent overall. The new, higher underlying deficit thus implies pushing the overall number towards 3.4 percent next year without measures to rein in spending. Moreover, the "yellow vest" protests are slowing economic growth. Two opinion polls on Tuesday showed roughly one in two French people think they should now end their protests. An Elysee official said on Monday France had some wiggle room on spending if the tax rebate was not taken into account. The European Union's executive arm is to make a final assessment of France's 2019 budget in the second quarter of next year when it releases new economic forecasts, a spokesman said. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas and Simon Carraud, additional reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey and Myriam Rivet; editing by Richard Lough and Robin Pomeroy) 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 (Bloomberg) -- New York City Council members denounced Amazon.com Inc. executives and a city economic development official over its deal that will provide the company with $3 billion of incentives for building a satellite headquarters in Long Island City. We have a crumbling subway system, record homelessness, public housing that is a national embarrassment, overcrowded schools, sick people without health insurance and an escalating affordable housing crisis, said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, a Manhattan Democrat. Is anyone asking if we should be giving nearly $3 billion in public money to the worlds richest company - valued at $1 trillion dollars - instead of focusing on any of those problems? The council has few, if any, tools to block the deal, although lawyers for the legislative body may file a lawsuit to challenge the authority of the mayor and governor and slow the projects process, according to Johnson and Jimmy Van Bramer, the council member who represents the area. Yet a $505 million state grant thats part of the Amazon subsidy package may require unanimous approval of the states five-member Public Authorities Control Board, which oversees many capital spending projects. A probable member of that panel next year, Democratic state Senator Michael Gianaris of Queens, is one of the deals harshest critics. Governor Andrew Cuomo says the deal isnt contingent on the boards approval. The issue may wind up in court. Council members are considering a law that would bar city officials from negotiating non-disclosure agreements with companies that receive public funds as incentives to locate in the city. James Patchett, president of the citys Economic Development Corp., said the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio would oppose it. Non-disclosure agreements are necessary under certain circumstances, Patchett said. We feel very good about the deal we made to get the 25,000 jobs here. Bypass Locals Patchett said the deal hinged on bypassing local land-use review by the City Council, through a state law creating a general project plan, because of its complexity and public importance, consistent with past projects to redevelop Times Square or create a park near the Brooklyn Bridge. The arrangement allows for payments instead of property taxes to be dedicated to the neighborhood, Patchett said. Story continues Johnson asked whether the company needed the incentives. Amazon Vice President for Public Policy Brian Huseman said talent was the key driver but incentives were also a factor. Our project is going to have a positive economic impact and were only going to receive these incentives after we create these jobs and make these investments. Huseman said the company would solicit neighborhood participation to determine how best it could provide jobs, infrastructure funding and other needs to Long Island City. He offered few specifics, though he did say Amazon would spend $5 million on job-training and efforts to seek workers from four nearby public-housing developments. We want to be a good neighbor, Huseman said, vowing to make community investments to benefit the residents. Johnson questioned the companys policies toward union organizing, igniting jeers from spectators in the council gallery, of whom dozens were workers at an Amazon warehouse seeking union representation. Amazon has agreed to use union workers to build out its campus. Amazon workers are under attack, what do we do stand up fight back, the group chanted, silenced by Johnsons threat to have police eject them from the hearing. To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Goldman in New York at hgoldman@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flynn McRoberts at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net, Michael B. Marois, William Selway For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. The logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is seen outside their headquarters in Vienna, Austria December 7, 2018. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/Files By Alex Lawler LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC said on Wednesday it had offset a drop in sanctions-hit Iranian oil exports and lowered the 2019 forecast of demand for its crude, underlining the challenge the producer group faces to prevent a glut even after last week's decision to trim output. In a monthly report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said 2019 demand for its crude would fall to 31.44 million barrels per day, 100,000 bpd less than predicted last month and 1.53 million less than it currently produces. Worried by a drop in oil prices and rising supplies, OPEC and its allies including Russia last week agreed to return to supply cuts next year. They pledged to lower output by 1.2 million bpd, of which OPEC's share is 800,000 bpd. OPEC expects global oil demand to slow next year and sees little support from the economic backdrop. "Rising trade tensions, monetary tightening and geopolitical challenges are among the issues that skew economic risks even further to the downside in 2019," OPEC said in the report. "The upside appears limited." The supply cut was a policy U-turn after the producer alliance known as OPEC+ had agreed in June to boost supply amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to lower prices and cover an expected shortfall in Iranian exports. OPEC changed course after prices dropped steeply from a four-year high above $86 a barrel in October on concern that demand was weakening amid adequate supply. Crude rose on Wednesday to trade above $61 a barrel. In another sign of excess supply, OPEC's report on Wednesday said oil inventories in developed economies had risen back above the five-year average in October. Supply cuts that began in 2017 by OPEC and its allies had previously erased an inventory overhang that weighed on prices. FILLING IRAN GAP In the report, OPEC said its oil output fell by only 11,000 bpd month-on-month to 32.97 million bpd in November, despite the reimposition of sanctions on Iran. Story continues Iranian output posted the biggest decline, of 380,000 bpd. This was offset by increases of 377,000 bpd from top exporter Saudi Arabia and an extra 71,000 bpd from the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia told OPEC it pumped at a record rate of 11.093 million bpd. The figures suggest there will still be a surplus in the market next year should OPEC fully deliver the 800,000-bpd cut and other things remain equal, although this could be eroded by a further decline in Iran or unplanned outages in other nations. Qatar plans to leave OPEC in 2019 but, for now, remains in the OPEC group in the forecasts. (Reporting by Alex Lawler; Editing by Dale Hudson and Mark Potter) Russia sent two bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons to Venezuela, 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. 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." Story continues On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the Russian military flight on Twitter writing: "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." TWEET Meanwhile, the Kremlin rejected U.S. criticism saying Pompeo was wrong and undiplomatic to condemn the deployment to Caracas. "We consider it completely inappropriate," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. More From CNBC (Adds details from interview) WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday praised the new government of Mexico on immigration issues and said the two sides have discussed the importance of stemming the flow of undocumented migrants before they get to the U.S. border. "The incoming administration's been great," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News, citing conversations about how to control traffic from Guatemala and Honduras along Mexico's southern border. "We have to control that border that is ours and they have to control that border that is theirs." Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office on Dec. 1. The next day, Pompeo met with Mexico's incoming foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, to discuss border issues. "We're happy to support them. We're happy to try and do the things we can do to help them," Pompeo said in the Fox interview. U.S. President Donald Trump has called the migrants effort to seek asylum in the United States an "invasion" and has deployed the military to the border to reinforce security measures. He has reiterated his campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, even after Mexico repeatedly rejected his demand that it pay for the billion-dollar project. Funding for the border wall has been a sticking point in spending bills before the U.S. Congress, and Trump clashed with leading Democrats over the issue during an Oval Office meeting on Tuesday. Pompeo said he supports the effort to build a wall. "We have to have the capacity to control entry to our country everywhere," he said. "And a wall is a vital component of that." (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Steve Orlofsky) bitcoin exchange crime money laundering According to a local Romanian news outlet Ziar de Cluj and others, Vlad Nistor the CEO of Romania-based Bitcoin exchange CoinFlux has been detained on behalf of the US government and is awaiting extradition. He was arrested in the city of Cluj-Napoca on Tuesday, according to another outlet. The crypto exchange has not disclosed the arrest on its blog or social media pages, and as recently as Dec. 3 the firm was advertising Nistors impending appearance on a local radio show. According to one report, he will be extradited to the US today, having sat in Cluj and Bucharest since his arrest. Nistor will reportedly be charged with fraud, computer fraud, money laundering, and what amounts to racketeering. CCN has reached out to the US Justice Department for a statement on the extradition and the nature of the charges against Nistor. The three-year-old CoinFlux is an exchange platform so small that it does not register on CoinMarketCaps market lists. There are markets on that page with volumes as small as $10,000, although, admittedly, they are on crypto exchanges with much higher volumes. An editorial in one local newspaper expresses an opinion against the extradition of Vlad Nistor, with a view to the sovereignty of Romania [roughly translated]: Either Romanian Vlad Nistor rushed USSS guest starters yesterday morning, packed him tonight, and today he wants to pack him in the United States. Nobody opposes extradition from the Romanian authorities, even though the Romanian citizen is only in a criminal investigation stage no one knows why he is accused (yesterday even the defenders had no idea what to build their minimal defense). Well, how about human rights, the right to an equitable judge, the equality of arms, and so on? Nistor is also reportedly the son of one of the founders of Banca Transilvania, the second-largest financial institution in Romania. CCN will post more details on this case as they become available. In the meantime, this author believes that it is not recommended to use the CoinFlux bitcoin exchange as the firm has yet to publicly disclose a serious matter like the arrest of their CEO and co-founder. Featured Image from Shutterstock The post Romania: Bitcoin Exchange CEO Vlad Nistor Arrested for Money Laundering, May Face US Extradition appeared first on CCN. * Russian bombers land at Maiquetia airport * Pompeo calls flight a waste of money by corrupt government * Kremlin calls Pompeo's remarks wrong, inappropriate (Adds comment from Venezuela's foreign minister) By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons have landed in ally Venezuela, a show of support for Venezuela's socialist government that has infuriated Washington. The TU-160 supersonic bombers, known as "White Swans" by Russian pilots, landed at Maiquetia airport near capital Caracas on Monday after covering more than 10,000 km (6,200 miles), the Russian and Venezuelan governments said. 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. 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. Capable of carrying short-range nuclear missiles, the planes can fly over 12,000 km (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." 'HIGHLY UNDIPLOMATIC' The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected Pompeo's criticism, saying it was "highly undiplomatic" and "completely inappropriate." "As for the idea that we are squandering money, we do not agree. It's not really appropriate for a country half of whose defence budget could feed the whole of Africa to be making such statements," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 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. Story continues 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 U.S. President Donald Trump's administration denies. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called Pompeo's comments "not only disrespectful, but cynical," highlighting the number of military bases the United States owns abroad. "It's strange the U.S. government questions our right to cooperate on defence and security with other countries, when @realDonaldTrump publicly threatens us with a military invasion," Arreaza tweeted, referring to Trump's Twitter handle. Venezuela's Information Ministry did not respond to a request for details on the bombers. Maduro said the talks with Putin in Moscow this month yielded Russian investment in Venezuela'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. (Additional reporting by Angus Berwick in Caracas and Tom Balmforth and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Rosalba O'Brien) (Bloomberg) -- SoftBank Vision Fund and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. led a $1.1 billion investment in PT Tokopedia, a financing round that will help Indonesias biggest online marketplace venture beyond e-commerce into new areas such as air tickets and insurance. The company was valued at more than $7 billion after the funding, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. That would put it at the top of CB Insights ranking of Indonesian startups. SoftBank Ventures Korea and other existing backers joined the round, Tokopedia said in a statement without detailing its valuation. The funding, which Bloomberg first reported last month, underscores the Jakarta-based companys ambition to broaden its business by investing in logistics, fulfillment, payments and financial services. It aims to help millions of merchants, from mom-and-pop stores to farmers, improve margins, restock faster and gain access to financial services, Chief Executive Officer William Tanuwijaya said in an interview. We ultimately can help these businesses serve their customers better, he said. If we can do all of that, we will be one step closer to our mission, to democratize commerce -- both online and offline -- through technology. Tokopedias latest round comes after a 2017 financing of the same amount, led by Alibaba, the company said. The influx of capital will help it better compete in an increasingly vibrant internet space: Southeast Asias most richly funded startups are starting to resemble Chinese internet giants such as Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd., which offer customers a plethora of on-demand mobile services to go along with digital wallets. Grab and Go-Jek, for instance, began as ride-hailing platforms but evolved into apps offering other services centered around payments and food delivery. Like its backer Alibaba, Tokopedia already offers flight and train tickets as well as access to attractions and events, encroaching on the domain of online travel companies like PT Traveloka. Story continues Tanuwijaya, the 37-year-old son of a factory worker, co-founded the company in 2009 and has capitalized on the countrys rapid adoption of smartphones and increasing comfort in shopping online. He previously cited a 2014 meeting with SoftBanks billionaire founder, Masayoshi Son, as a turning point for the company. Indonesias internet economy is now the largest and fastest growing in Southeast Asia with e-commerce poised to be worth $53 billion by 2025, according to Google and Temasek Holdings Pte. Tokopedia already provides millions of consumers with access to more than 100 million products, said Lydia Jett, a senior investor at SoftBank Investment Advisers, which oversees the Vision Fund. The company is well-positioned to serve millions more as internet adoption continues to grow rapidly in the region. Tokopedia was No. 1 in terms of monthly web visits in the third quarter, according to market researcher iPrice Group, which used SimilarWeb data. It was followed by Bukalapak, Shopee and Lazada, a unit of Alibaba. Tanuwijayas startup currently serves 93 percent of districts in Indonesia. In the past year, it has quadrupled its gross merchandise value and now provides same-day delivery to a quarter of its customers, according to the company. To contact the reporter on this story: Yoolim Lee in Singapore at yoolim@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Growing security concerns surrounding Huawei Technologies Co. may help Samsung Electronics Co. challenge the Chinese behemoth in the market for fifth-generation wireless communications, an executive at the South Korean giant said. While Samsung remains the worlds biggest smartphone and semiconductor maker, Huawei dominates networking by a large margin. But its market position is under threat as one country after another blocks the use of its 5G products, amid concerns they could be used to spy for the Chinese government. Huawei denies any role in espionage. Strategically these concerns help us grab more market share, S. Abraham Kim, a vice president at Samsungs mobile division, said Wednesday at a conference in Seoul. Huawei has held dominance in the network market since the fourth-generation LTE era, but were ahead on 5G technology that goes into smartphones. Samsung said Kims personal views on the networks market dont reflect those of the company as he is part of the mobile phone business. Samsung Electronics has been working in the networks industry for decades building trust with our partners, the company said in an emailed statement. Our priority is working with our partners across the world to unlock the power of 5G. That is why we have made substantial investments in 5G technology since the mid 2000s. Samsung plans to release a 5G-capable handset along with a bendable-screen phone next year, and sees those gadgets as its best shot at reviving sales that have slowed as consumers wait longer to upgrade their smartphones. But technical challenges remain, Kim said. 5G signals can get obstructed depending on how a phone is held, so that means the need to cram more antenna modules around a phones already limited real estate, alongside a large battery. Samsung is now studying how a devices innards can be split into two layers while still minimizing overall thickness, Kim said. Heat poses another challenge because 5G transmits a lot more data and consumes more power, potentially making the phone too hot to hold. Samsung is working to cap the temperature at just over 40 degrees Celsius, Kim said. Story continues Huawei recently replaced Apple Inc. to become the worlds second-biggest smartphone maker and is narrowing the gap with Samsung. But concerns about the Chinese companys global business have escalated since Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested on allegations she conspired to defraud banks and violate U.S. sanctions on Iran. Meng was released on bail Tuesday but faces extradition to the U.S. To contact the reporter on this story: Sam Kim in Seoul at skim609@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan, Peter Elstrom For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. ISTANBUL, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Turkey will start an operation east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria in a "few days" President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, a move that could further complicate relations with the United States. "We will start the operation to clear the East of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days. Our target is never U.S. soldiers," Erdogan said in a speech. Ankara and Washington have long been at odds over Syria policy, where the United States has backed the YPG Kurdish militia in the fight against Islamic State. Turkey says the YPG is a terrorist organisation. (Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Daren Butler) (Recasts with Iraqi PM seeking sanctions exemption) By John Davison and Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD, Dec 11 (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 organised 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 favour 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) (Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration is planning to take several actions aimed at calling out China for efforts to steal intellectual secrets from American high-tech companies, according to two people familiar with the matter. The Justice Department is set to indict a number of alleged hackers it believes work for Chinese intelligence agencies and attacked U.S. technology companies, according to the people. The Justice Department had planned to make one or more announcements related to Chinese espionage, including the indictments, but the plans have been put on hold, according to one of the people. Some of the expected actions include declassifying some U.S. intelligence concerning Chinese espionage activities, according to one of the people. The pending indictments were reported earlier by the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. The tougher steps come as the U.S. continues to pursue a truce with China in an escalating tariff battle. The Trump administration has been trying to negotiate a trade deal on automobiles, agricultural purchases and other issues, even while pledging to keep fighting what it says are intensive ongoing Chinese efforts to steal U.S. intellectual property. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer spoke by phone Tuesday morning Beijing time, exchanging views on a road map for negotiations. Lighthizer has been tasked with reaching a deal over structural changes to Chinas economic model by March 1. But U.S. outreach on the trade talks has sometimes been accompanied by tough actions against China on related issues. On the same day that President Donald Trump was dining with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires at the recent G-20 summit, the U.S. arranged for Canadian authorities to arrest the chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co. over accusations she helped the company evade sanctions against Iran. Story continues A Canadian judge said this week that hes not satisfied with a bail proposal by the executive, Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition to the U.S. Her lawyers reject the accusations. The latest U.S. moves follow debates within the Trump administration about imposing sanctions on Chinese entities caught stealing U.S. intellectual property through cyber attacks, three people familiar with the matter said. The plan being discussed would use an Obama administration executive order that lets the U.S. impose sanctions on individuals or entities engaging in malicious cyber-enabled activities. But it has sparked a heated debate among administration officials, with Mnuchin, who has jurisdiction over the potential sanctions, said to be blocking the effort, according to the people. If the administration chooses to go ahead it could seize or freeze the assets of Chinese companies caught stealing U.S. firms intellectual property. It could also ban them from doing business with American companies. The ongoing debate highlights how the Trump administration has been looking at raising the pressure on Beijing via measures beyond tariffs, in what officials see as an existential war with China over innovation. The president faced bipartisan criticism in May that he was going soft on China after he intervened at Xis request in a Commerce Department case against ZTE Corp. that would have driven it out of business. The Chinese telecommunications equipment company has been accused of repeatedly violating sanctions by illegally selling equipment containing U.S. components to Iran and North Korea. (Updates with delay of planned Justice Department announcement in second paragraph.) --With assistance from Jenny Leonard, Shawn Donnan and Andrew Mayeda. To contact the reporters on this story: Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net;Chris Strohm in Washington at cstrohm1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kevin Whitelaw at kwhitelaw@bloomberg.net, Larry Liebert For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Unwanted Robotexts Are Next Target in FCC Fight Against Spam Messaging (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted Wednesday to clarify that telephone companies may block unwanted text messages in a move the agency said would help prevent spam from polluting the popular service. The action is a loss for messaging company Twilio Inc. and free speech groups that had asked for more protections for text messages, saying carriers sometimes interfered. With the vote, the FCC cleared up the the regulatory status of text messages. Supporters of the measure said it strengthens the legal foundation that allows phone companies to cut off unwanted messages. The agency is empowering wireless providers to continue taking action against unwanted text messages, said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. We stand with American consumers, not those trying to bombard them with spam or scam robotexts. Opponents of the move said carriers already have the ability to block unwanted texts, and might abuse the power to censor speech. Jessica Rosenworcel, the sole Democratic FCC commissioner, voted against the order. Todays decision offers consumers no new ability to prevent robotexts, Rosenworcel said. It simply provides that carriers can block our text messages and censor the very content of the messages themselves. Calling this decision anything else is just doublespeak. Nine Democratic U.S. senators and Vermonts Bernie Sanders, an independent, in a Dec. 7 letter asked the FCC not to take the step, saying it would let phone companies block any text message they wish and charge more to businesses trying to reach clients and consumers. This action undermines the publics right to use text messaging without undue interference from wireless companies, the policy group Public Knowledge said in a Dec. 5 statement. Top U.S. carriers backed the plan. The FCCs proposal is a big win for consumers, said Scott Bergmann, senior vice president with the CTIA trade group that represents AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. Today, more than 50 percent of emails are spam, and no one wants their texts to look like their email inbox. Story continues The spam rate for plain text messages is about 2.8 percent, according to a CTIA estimate. Wireless providers have blocked messages and imposed content restrictions, Twilio said in its petition to the FCC in 2015. Twilios products help corporations including Uber Technologies Inc., and Airbnb Inc. send automated text messages to consumers. Policy groups sought protection for text messages after Verizon in 2007 rejected a request by Naral Pro-Choice America to sign up members to receive text messages that encourage people to support abortion rights legislation. After protests, Verizon reversed that decision and called it incorrect. 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, Elizabeth Wasserman For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. The logo of PDVSA's U.S. unit Citgo Petroleum is seen at a gas station in Stowell, Texas, U.S., June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman By Tom Hals WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - Venezuela is facing the possible unraveling of a pair of billion-dollar settlements aimed at protecting the cash-strapped country's U.S.-based Citgo Petroleum Corp from seizure by creditors. A lawyer for Canadian mining company Crystallex International Corp said on Tuesday Venezuela had breached the $1.4 billion November agreement that resolved a long-running fight over an expropriated gold mine. Separately, Venezuela's $1.3 billion settlement in October with Rusoro Mining of Vancouver, also over expropriated mining assets, has been upended by U.S. sanctions on Caracas, a source told Reuters. Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Both companies had their sights on getting a U.S. court order to auction the parent company of Citgo, which is indirectly owned by Venezuela through its state oil company, PDVSA. While Venezuela has been crippled by an economic crisis and has defaulted on tens of billions of dollars of debt, it has struck deals to protect Citgo's refineries, a key destination for Venezuela's crude. Crystallex attorney Robert Weigel said in a statement that Venezuela breached its agreement because PDVSA continued to try to overturn a court order that allowed Crystallex to seize the stock in Citgo's parent company. A lawyer for PDVSA disputed that a Monday filing with a federal appeals court amounted to a breach. "As far as I'm aware, PDVSA is not a party to a settlement with Crystallex," said Joseph Pizzurro, the Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle. Crystallex plans to restart efforts to auction Citgo, according to Weigel, of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Crystallex also hired the Moelis & Company investment bank to advise it on a possible sale of Citgo, although that process has been stayed during the appeal by Venezuela and PDVSA. Rusoro's deal in October required Venezuela to pay $100 million by the end of November. Caracas transferred some of that payment to a Canadian bank which returned the funds to Venezuela due to concerns about violating U.S. sanctions, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. Story continues An attorney for Rusoro did not respond to a request for comment. Sanctions have become a headline concern since Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of China's telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL], was arrested in Canada on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities. Meng, the 46-year-old daughter of Huawei's founder, was accused of misleading multinational banks about Huawei's business in Iran, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, court documents said. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Additional reporting by Brian Ellsworth in Caracas, Venezuela; Editing by Sandra Maler) STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE Our Mission The Foreign Press Centers support the Department's mission by deepening global understanding of U.S. policy, society, culture, and values through engagement with foreign media. The United States Department of State has Foreign Press Centers in Washington, D.C. and in New York, New York. We promote the depth, accuracy, and balance of foreign reporting from the U.S. by providing direct access to authoritative American information sources. *The FPCs are receiving journalists on an appointment only basis. For assistance, please contact a media relations officer or email the collective dcfpc@state.gov* Pakistan has criticized a U.S. decision to place Pakistan on its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, calling the move "unilateral and politically motivated." The country is a "multireligious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together," the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a December 12 statement. Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities," it said. In a statement on December 11, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he designated Pakistan and several other nations as "countries of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. He said he made the designations for Pakistan as well as China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, on May 28. The countries were designated "for having engaged in or tolerated 'systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom,'" said Pompeo. "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," he said. "The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression. " Pakistan was previously on a special watch list. The downgrade means that Islamabad could face U.S. sanctions, although Pompeo waived the penalties, citing U.S. national interests. The United States said the decision to downgrade Pakistan was largely the result of a law that prescribes death for blasphemy against Islam. Human rights groups have long expressed concern about the treatment of religious minorities, including Shi'a, Ahmadis, and Christians in Pakistan, where the dominant religion is Sunni Islam. President Donald Trumps administration has had tense relations with Pakistan, which it says has failed to combat the Taliban and other extremist groups that launch attacks in neighboring Afghanistan. Islamabad rejects the charges. Washington has issued an annual ranking of countries and their treatment of religious groups annually since the passage of a 1998 law on the issue. Being ranked low, or placed on a watch list, can result in economic sanctions. Pompeo said he had placed Uzbekistan and Russia, as well as Comoros, on the special watch list "for governments that have engaged in or tolerated 'severe violations of religious freedom.' That marks an upgrade for Uzbekistan, which has been a "country of particular concern" since 2006 -- a designation that has irked Tashkent. Uzbekistan has "made substantial changes, and theyre doing it because they want to grow their nation," Sam Brownback, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, told reporters in a teleconference after Pompeo's statement. "A freer society is one less prone and moved and pushed really towards terrorism and one more open to economic reform," Brownback said. "Thats why Uzbekistan, for the first time since 2006, is off the list [of countries of particular concern]." Under the late President Islam Karimov, independent religious expression, particularly by devout Muslims who shunned officially sanctioned mosques, was harshly repressed. Since Karimov's death in 2016, the Uzbek government under President Shavkhat Mirziyoev has sought to lift many of Karimovs more repressive policies and attract investment from Western nations. The State Department said that dozens of religious groups have been targeted in Russia -- including Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, Lutherans, and others -- since a 2016 law was passed criminalizing certain kinds of missionary activity. Several Islamic militant groups were designated as "entities of particular concern" since they do not meet the definition of countries. They include the Al-Nusra front in Syria, Al-Qaeda, the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Somalia's Al-Shabab, Boko Haram in West Africa, Yemen's Huthi rebels, the Islamic State, and the Taliban. With reporting by AFP and AP The United States has placed Pakistan on its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, a move likely to further worsen troubled relations with Islamabad. Washington said the decision was largely the result of a Pakistani law that prescribes death for blasphemy against Islam. And, for the first time since 2006, the State Departments annual report on religious freedom, released on December 11, removed Uzbekistan as a "country of particular concern," a label that had irked the government in Tashkent. However, the State Department did include Uzbekistan on a special watch list. That designation also includes Russia, where the department said dozens of religious groups have been targeted, including Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, Lutherans, and others, since a 2016 law was passed criminalizing certain kinds of missionary activity. Washington has issued an annual ranking of countries and their treatment of religious groups annually since the passage of a 1998 law on the issue. Being ranked low, or placed on a watch list, can result in economic sanctions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he listed Pakistan among "countries of particular concern" in the congressionally mandated annual report. The downgrade means that Islamabad could face U.S. sanctions, although Pompeo waived the penalties, as has been done for other countries in the past. In Pakistan, where the dominant religion is Sunni Islam, human rights groups have long expressed concern about the treatment of religious minorities, including Shi'ites, Ahmadis and Christians. Pakistan criticized the U.S. decision, calling the move "unilateral and politically motivated." The country is a "multireligious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together," the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a December 12 statement. Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities," it said. Others "countries of particular concern," a list that singles out "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom," include China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, was removed from that designation -- for the first time since 2006, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback told reporters. That designation had long irked the government in Tashkent. Under the late President Islam Karimov, independent religious expression, particularly by devout Muslims who shunned officially sanctioned mosques, was harshly repressed. Since Karimov's death in 2016, the Uzbek government under President Shavkhat Mirziyoev has sought to lift many of Karimovs more repressive policies and attract investment from Western nations. Several Islamic militant groups have also been designated as "entities of particular concern" since they do not meet the definition of countries. They include the Al-Nusra front in Syria, Al-Qaeda, the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Somalia's Al-Shabab, Boko Haram in West Africa, Yemen's Houthi rebels, the Islamic State, and the Taliban. "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. "The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression." With reporting by AFP and AP What lurks behind the holiday facade of Its a Wonderful Life is decidedly dark. Its a story about suicide, after all, and main character George Baileys struggle with whether he should stick around for the rest of his life or call it a day. Based on Philip Van Doren Sterns 1944 story The Greatest Gift, the much-loved 1946 film starring James Stewart as Bailey was recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made. AFI also named it No. 1 on its list of most inspirational American films. If you go "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE" By Funky Little Theater Company, opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, 7:30 p.m. Fridays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 23, runs through Dec. 23, Funky Little Theater Company, 1367 Pecan St., $19, $15 Thursdays; funkylittletheater.org Funky Little Theater Company will mount the theater version of the classic story Friday through Dec. 23 at its space on Pecan Street. The essence of the story is being grateful for what you have, said Chris Medina, the companys founder and artistic director. Hell star as Bailey in the upcoming show. Everyone has a bad day or might have a dollar-short situation. But in George, hes such an iconic character in American literature and cinema because hes such the underdog, and even underdogs deserve a good day every once in awhile. Christmas Eve finds Bailey on the verge of suicide, until an angel named Clarence takes on his case so he can earn his angel wings. After Clarence is shown flashbacks from Baileys life, in which he always helps others at his own expense, the angel intervenes before the depressed man can commit the deadly act. When Clarence shows him what life would have been like if hed never been born, Bailey sees all the good hes done and the reasons to live. The theater company mixed things up a bit this year, pairing with University School, a private Christian school, to do a student version of Its a Wonderful Life prior to the adult version. About 30 to 40 kids inhabited the roles, and some of those actors will roll over into the adult show. I never saw Its a Wonderful Life until the school brought it to me, said Medina. The school said, You would be a good George Bailey. I watched it twice, and I cried twice. I thought it was something I could be up for. I wanted to be a mentor for the kids. Medina said inhabiting the Bailey character, who, until he meets Clarence, has no idea of the role hes played in the lives of those around him, has been an eye-opener. They (a person) could be the life force for somebody else, he said. They have no idea. You never know what somebodys going through on a regular day. You also dont know the effect youre having on other people in daily life. JENNIFER MULSON, THE GAZETTE, 636-0270, JEN.MULSON@GAZETTE.COM With a pharmacy in every grocery store, and Walgreens and CVS locations dotting the Colorado Springs landscape, you might think things are tough these days for small, independent pharmacies. And you'd be right but maybe not for the reason you might assume. The competition, local independent pharmacists say, is not their biggest issue. 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May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) RV campers park alongside a road near City Gate in Colorado Springs on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. Parking RV homes like these along city streets could soon become illegal. This proposed ordinance would be enforced through ticketing and eventually impounding of the vehicles. (Photo by Kelsey Brunner/The Gazette) Bicycle parts, tents, sleeping bags, food wrappers, shopping carts, blankets and a plush sofa seat all sat crumpled Tuesday in what had been Colorado Springs largest homeless encampment in years. The people who owned these things had scattered as police and skid loaders descended to empty the so-called Quarry. At dawn, heavy equipment manned by city employees plowed through the roughly 10-acre encampment, removing thousands of pounds of abandoned belongings and loading it all into dumpsters purchased for about $3,000. A drone operator and police officers stood watch, many holding clipboards to write trespassing citations, but no tickets were issued. At one point, the sprawling tent city had an estimated 100 to 150 people trespassing on private property. They lived in tents and tarp-covered structures a short walk from Police Department headquarters. But Tuesday, a couple of campfires smoldered as several stragglers gathered what they could and fled. I just hope they dont come back, said Mark Davis, a city code enforcement supervisor. Thats the frustrating thing. Its just a shell game, and they come back. The operation was one more chapter in a cat-and-mouse routine between people camping illegally and police. Over and over, officers roust the campers from one encampment, then repeat the cycle wherever those campers go next. Often, its only a few hundred yards away. This time, the ouster came a day after Springs Rescue Mission opened a new building with 150 extra beds, bringing its nightly shelter capacity to at least 450 people, plus room for pets. All of those spots are low-barrier, meaning admission is based on behavior, not sobriety. And it came about six weeks after the Salvation Army made 120 beds low-barrier as well at its nearby R.J. Montgomery shelter. Space for scores of people has gone unused lately. And thats where homeless campers need to go, said city and police officials. The fact is people are dying outside. Peoples things are getting stolen outside. People are getting frostbite outside, said Andrew Phelps, the citys homelessness prevention and response coordinator. So I think its just a false narrative that shelters arent safe. And its a narrative thats actually damaging to the people who are surviving outside right now. We need to be encouraging people to seek shelter. No one contacted by The Gazette on Tuesday seemed willing to do that. Brad Rupp, 44, carried his cot and dragged a couple of shopping carts to nearby railroad tracks, the only place he could find safe from skid loaders. He didnt have long. The air was thick with dust kicked up by the heavy equipment emptying the Quarry nearby. It sucks. We knew we had to get out of here. But I didnt have a car to get all this s--- , Rupp said. I didnt know where I was going to go. With deadline day here, he still had no idea. He wasnt alone. Many camp residents said they prefer the freedom of living outside and vowed to keep doing it. Jerima King, a homeless advocate, argued that the Quarry demonstrated a need for a city-sanctioned encampment, an idea that city officials vehemently oppose. Sharron Fiedler-Wood, another homeless advocate, said nothing will change until the campers can find their own apartments. Thats the only way any of this will be solved, if we get a lot more affordable housing, she said. A few days after Thanksgiving, police told campers they planned to remove the camp. The officers returned a week ago with several nonprofits and service providers, plus coffee and doughnuts, to encourage people to seek services that could help them get into shelters and off the streets. Weve been more than accommodating, said police Lt. Mike Lux, head of the Homeless Outreach Team. Tuesday, officers cleared most of the land, while leaving alone one area whose ownership has been in question. Who would want to live like this? Lux asked. I just dont understand it. Its just not dignified. On that remaining parcel, at least 40 tents and tarp-covered structures still stood. More campers were heading there, too. Terry Carrico, 68, stepped out of his tent there and onto a perch overlooking the rest of the Quarry. The sound of skid loaders and dump trucks echoed. He said he didnt know where hed go, but it surely wouldnt be a shelter. Right now, he said, were going to run out of places. A man accused of donning a disguise before fatally shooting his estranged wife through her front door will face trial May 6, a judge said Tuesday. Mark Christopher Peters, 46, will be tried on charges of first-degree murder, stalking and other counts in the July 13 killing of Michelle Ann Peters. Peters pleaded not guilty to all counts during a brief appearance before 4th Judicial District Judge Barbara Hughes. Prosecutors call Peters a stalker who went so far as to abduct one of the womans friends at gunpoint in a successful plot to learn her address. He is accused of donning a wig to make a deadly house call July 13 in the 3400 block of Galleria Terrace on the citys southeast side. Peters and her grown daughter were trying to bar the door and keep Peters out when he fired one shot, hitting his wife in the face at point-blank range, authorities said. His trial is expected to last two weeks. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said Tuesday he was calling a halt to the contractor-selection process for the planned $233 million expansion of the Colorado Convention Center, issuing a statement citing "misconduct" in the process. The city plans a multi-year expansion project at the downtown convention center so it can accommodate larger events. Plans call for adding 80,000 square feet of additional meeting space and a rooftop terrace. The mayor's statement said that "the process of selecting a contractor began earlier this year. Last month, as Denver Public Works was preparing to conduct interviews [with bidders], it was discovered that the required, open, fair and competitive process to select a contractor had been tainted." The statement said that a subsequent investigation by the office of City Attorney Kristin Bronson "uncovered that the integrity of the procurement was irreparably compromised by non-city participants through the: Improper release of city documents to a contractor bidding on the project; Improper discussions about the bidding process; and Altering of approved project plans." Hancock's statement said he was asking Denver District Attorney Beth McCann to investigate the matter. "The city is terminating its contract with Trammell Crow, the company providing program management services for the expansion project," the statement said. "The city will restart the process to secure a design/build contractor with a new selection panel." The statement did not indicate what role, if any, that Trammell Crow played in the alleged misconduct. The city early this year authorized a three-year, $9 million contract with Trammel Crow to oversee construction. The company was to have a role in the selection of a contractor. I was fully briefed by the City Attorney and her team yesterday," Hancock said in the statement. "We believe this is a significant breach of the public trust and a willful violation of a competitive bidding process. We will never tolerate this type of behavior from our contractors and will continue to address this swiftly and aggressively. Downtown Denver hotels in November 2017 voted to raise city lodging taxes in part to generate $4.7 million for the convention center project. Funds from a previous city bond sale also are earmarked for the project. "With the reopening of the bid process, the city will work to minimize any delays and pursue all available legal remedies to recover damages," the statement adds. This is a developing story that will be updated. A half-blind endangered Mexican gray wolf that had been loose in Teller County since escaping from a wildlife center a month ago was captured Wednesday north of Divide. John Oakleaf, field coordinator for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program, said the wolfs right front paw is injured and veterinarians are treating it. After the wolf recovers, he said, it will be moved to another wildlife center rather than risk having it escape again. Once wolves have something beat, theyll test it again, Oakleaf said. Jack, as the wolf is known, was trapped 40 miles northwest and 15 miles west of the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide. Oakleaf said it obviously had no trouble surviving in the wild. Wolves are good at making it in the wilderness, he said. They can take down a deer, if needed. He also may have had some help. Jack was seen eating steaks put out for him this week, according to the centers online conversations. Earlier Wednesday, several staff members did set eyes on him with what was reported at the time as an apparent broken leg and confirmed it was Jack, short for one-eyed Jack because he is blind in his left eye. The wolf is young he was born in captivity last year and had only been at the Divide wolf center one day before he climbed over one fence and got under another and ran off, Oakleaf said. The Mexican wolf is considered endangered. It is a subspecies of gray wolf that was once common throughout the Southwest United States, but was nearly eliminated from the wild by the 1970s. Since the start of recovery efforts, the population has grown to 114 in the wild through captive-breeding programs like the one at the center in Divide, which is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. I want to thank everyone for your overwhelming support for Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center during this very difficult time, Darlene Kobobel, founder of the center in Divide wrote. In a world that is so divided and with so many things that effect our lives, your messages of hope and prayers have helped me more than you know. Oakleaf said the community also was critical in locating the wolf. The folks in Divide and Cripple Creek really helped us figure it out, he said. They deserve a lot of credit. Kobobel started the sanctuary after rescuing a wolf dog hybrid headed for euthanasia in 1993. Colorado State Parks and Wildlife, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Species Survival Program, the Mexican Gray program, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Teller County Animal Control and veterinarian Dr. David Volz also have been involved with the captive-breeding program. When I was young I had a fear of wolves due to the stories that still circulate today, Kobobel wrote on Facebook. As I educated myself I learned how amazing these animals are and why it is so important to teach people to understand the vital role that they play in a healthy ecosystem, and to dismantle the outdated information about how they may eat school children at the school bus stop, and how we can successfully work together with hunters and ranchers. Gazette reporter Liz Forster contributed to this story. Contact the writer: 719-476-1656. Despite a masterful and well-funded public relations campaign, reminiscent of Big Tobaccos old lies, marijuana is not harmless. Military lead Summer reading programs can help young students retain reading skills. There are several options in the Pikes Peak region this summer. With its mission of helping families thrive in mind, Christian ministry powerhouse Focus on the Family has developed a teen suicide-preventi We're sorry, you encountered a page that doesn't exist. English French Press release Paris La Defense, 12 December 2018 Albioma announces the acquisition of 100% of Eneco France, an innovative solar power specialist Albioma, the leader in the solar power market in Overseas France, today strengthened its presence in metropolitan France with the acquisition of Eneco France. Eneco France, which was established in 2008 and has an innovative positioning in power generation for onsite consumption, develops, builds and operates photovoltaic power plants on rooftops and agricultural buildings, serving a clientele of private and industrial customers in southern France. The Group owns a photovoltaic fleet with an installed capacity of 17 MW, as well as a strong portfolio of projects under development. Eneco France also operates a 0.5 MW hydropower plant. This acquisition represents an opportunity for Albioma to enhance its positioning and step up its expansion in the solar power market in metropolitan France, supplementing the Group's existing 8 MW installed capacity. Albioma intends to develop innovative solar power projects, with a target of generating 80% of its energy from renewable sources by 2023. Frederic Moyne, Albioma's Chief Executive Officer, notes: "Eneco France and Albioma are recognised players in solar power development, playing an active role in the energy transition to which France has committed. The specialist skills of Eneco France's expert personnel in southern France will enable Albioma to strengthen its position in the region. We are very proud to welcome Eneco France's staff on board. This strategic deal underscores the importance given to solar power in Albioma's energy mix." Kees Jan Rameau, Chief Strategic Growth Officer of Eneco says: "We are very pleased with Albioma as a buyer, because of its sustainable profile, reliable track record, and its ability to further strengthen our former activities in Southern France. We believe Albioma will offer a good working environment with interesting growth opportunities for our employees, whom we thank for their great efforts over the past years. We wish them and Albioma a great future". Next on the agenda: annual results for the 2018 financial year, on 8 March 2019 (before trading). About Albioma Contacts An independent renewable energy producer, Albioma is committed to the energy transition thanks to biomass and photovoltaics. The Group, which is established in Overseas France, Mauritius and Brazil, has developed a unique partnership for 20 years with the sugar industry, to produce renewable energy from bagasse, a fibrous residue from sugar cane. Albioma is also the leading generator of photovoltaic power overseas where it constructs and operates innovative projects with integrated storage capabilities. Investor Julien Gauthier +33 (0)1 47 76 67 00 Media Charlotte Neuvy +33 (0)1 47 76 66 65 presse@albioma.com Albioma shares are listed on NYSE EURONEXT PARIS (sub B) and eligible for the deferred settlement service (SRD) and PEA-PME plans (ISIN FR0000060402 - ticker: ABIO). www.albioma.com STAMFORD, Conn., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Finacity Corporation (Finacity) today announced that it has facilitated a new EUR 9 million non-recourse trade receivable funding program for Deoleo S.A. (Deoleo), a Spain-based leading global producer of olive oil. The program provides financing for Deoleos subsidiary Carapelli Firenze SpA in Italy and France as well as financing directly to Deoleo in Spain. The new program is committed for 3 years. About Deoleo Deoleo, S.A. manufactures, markets, and sells olive oil worldwide. The company offers olive oil under the Bertolli, Carapelli, Carbonell, Hojiblanca, Koipe, Sasso and Koipesol brands. It also provides seed oils, table olives, vinegars, and sauces; frying oil under the Friol brand; and corn oil under the Maya brand. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain. Its products are sold in more than 100 countries. For further information, visit www.deoleo.com . About Finacity Finacity specializes in the structuring and provision of efficient capital markets receivables funding programs, supplier and payables finance, back-up servicing, and program administration. Finacity currently facilitates the financing and administration of an annual receivables volume of approximately US $100 billion. With resources in the USA, Europe and Latin America, Finacity conducts business throughout the world with obligors in 175 countries. For further information, please visit www.finacity.com . For more information on this transaction, please contact: Finacity Corporation Dublin, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "2nd Biomarkers Conference 2019" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. 2 days of informative, scientific and business development presentations, workshops, 1 to 1 meetings , speed networking sessions and interactive corporate exhibition. Over 50 attendees representing leading pharmaceutical organisations and global biotechnology companies, and internationally renowned academic institutions 60 presentations, case studies, workshops and panel discussions focused on the key issues in biomarker drug discovery and development, clinical applications and companion diagnostics. 4 interactive streams: Biomarkers in Drug Discovery and Development Clinical Biomarker Assay Development Developing Companion Diagnostics Advancement in Biomarker Research 20 pre-scheduled one to one meetings, exhibition and informal networking opportunities A Biomarker is an identifiable and measurable characteristic, which identifies the severity and/or occurrence of a specific disease. It has major applications in the discovery and development of novel therapeutic drugs. Generating annual sales of $17.5 billion in 2013. Global biomarkers, continue to play a vital role in the discovery and development of novel therapeutic drugs. Anticipated steady growth at an annual rate of 18.5% suggests the revenues will reach over $40.8 billion by 2018. Primarily driven by the oncology market, the industry's window will significantly widen. In particular the need to screen and detect tumour cells earlier is expected to propel the market for oncology biomarkers, which is projected to grow at the highest rate over the next 5 years. Earlier detection can help eliminate the need for invasive treatments, often required when cancer is discovered at too late a stage. Discovery technology advances, an increase in partnerships and collaborations to bolster biomarker research, a boost in government and private sector investments and funds for biomarker discovery, and FDA backing for biomarker development and the driving forces behind that trend. But the forecast report points out that challenges in the market still exist. For example the high capital investment and low benefit-cost ratio associated with biomarkers. The biomarker validation procedure is also burdensome, and sample collection and storage remain barriers to market growth. The key players in this market are Roche Diagnostics Limited (Switzerland), Johnson & Johnson (U.S), GlaxoSmithKline, PLC, (UK), Siemens Healthcare (Germany), Aboott Laboratories, Inc (USA), GE Healthcare (U.K), Affymetrix, Inc (U.S), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc (U.S), Epigenomics AG (Germany), Eisai Co Ltd (Japan), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc (U.S), Eli Lilly and Company (U.S), Merck & Co. (U.S), Genomic Health Inc. (U.S), and Agilent Technologies Inc (U.S). Agenda: Day 1 08:30 - Coffee and registration - An opportunity to meet and to network with your conference colleagues. 09:30 - Chairperson opening remarks Thomas Hach, Director of Healthcare Systems, Novartis Biomarkers, Diagnostics and Clinical Research BIOMARKERS IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT 09:40 - Establishing the success and impact of biomarker research in drug development Establishing the success of biomarker research in drug development. Establishing the impact of biomarker research in drug development. How to promote quality of development of biomarker research. 10:20 - Biomarker in drug discovery & development: chronic disease and onco-immunology Biomarker in drug discovery Development Chronic disease Onco-immunology 11:00 - Morning Coffee/Tea & Discussion 11:30 - Demonstrating the value of biomarker in drug industry Analysis of Biomarker market Market Dynamics Market Demographics CLINICAL BIOMARKER ASSAY DEVELOPMENT 11:50 - Clinical assay development- the process and considerations Assessing assay development What are the developmental measures in biomarker design Are there levels of regulation Consulsions/discussion 12:30 - Networking luncheon 13:40 - Panel Discussion - Clinical assay development for cancer protein biomarkers: what works and what does not work Clinical assay development for cancer protein biomarkers Clinical assay development -success stories Clinical assay development - failure stories 14:30 - Best practices fit for purpose biomarker assay validation Safety Issues - What is our current stand? Initiating a new product using auto-contractable syringes, advantages Initiating a new product using manual-retractable syringes, advantages 15:10 - Afternoon Tea/Coffee 15:30 - Incorporating assay development into an overall strategy Changes legislative requirements Safety device assembly machines-prefilled syringes Maintaining quality and safety 16:10 - Application of key technologies for biomarker development 16:50 - Chairperson's closing remarks and end of conference 17:00 - 18:00 - Networking Drinks Session Day 2 08:30 - Coffee and registration - An opportunity to meet and to network with your conference colleagues. 09:30 - Chairperson opening remarks Thomas Hach, Director of Healthcare Systems, Novartis Biomarkers, Diagnostics and Clinical Research 09:40 - Predictive biomarkers and companion diagnostics-value personalized medicine Summary of biomarkers Predictive biomarkers Companion diagnostics Value personalized medicine 10:20 - Integration of diagnostics into drug development Drug development procedures Integration of diagnostics Approval Design Considerations What are regulators looking at? Trends and challenges 10:50 - Morning Coffee/Tea & Discussion 11:10 - The role of companion diagnostics in improving patient care Role of companion diagnostics Improving patient care International regulations 11:50 - The business of successful companion diagnostic partnerships 12:30 - Networking luncheon ADVANCEMENT IN BIOMARKER RESEARCH 13:30 - New Advances in biomarker technologies and platforms New technological advances Benefit of new platforms What should we learn from previous hurdles New approaches to managing biomarker development 14:10 - Advancing the use of biomarkers and pharmacogenomics in drug development Advancing the use biomarkers Commercial Success of biomarkers and pharmacogenomics Considerations for: advancing drug development 14:50 - Safety assessment of Biomarkers Safety regulations Safety inspections Safety legislation 15:20 - Afternoon Tea/Coffee 15:40 - Chip-based technology for detecting biomarkers New chip based technology Design Factors Material Selection Do we learn from previous experiences? 16:20 - Application of key technologies for Biomarker development Current manufacturing practices in the EU & US Enhancing communication between key technologies for biomarker development Evaluate new technology Evaluate market development 17:00 - 17:10 - Chairperson's closing remarks and end of the conference For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9m7dx9/two_day?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK; TSX: EDR) announces that it has completed exploration work and reports positive results from its surface drilling and underground sampling programs at the Parral Project located in Chihuahua state, Mexico in 2018. Bradford Cooke, Endeavour CEO commented, With the success of the 2018 surface drilling, underground sampling and metallurgical testing programs, management now views the Parral Project as having good potential to become a profitable new mine. The Parral Project was our second largest exploration expenditure (after Terronera) this year and represents an important part of our growth strategy. Specifically, we have now mapped, sampled and/or drilled four mineralized silver vein systems that have either underground or open pit mining potential, and the probability to delineate additional new resources remains high. Endeavour plans to complete an updated resource estimate, a preliminary economic assessment and commence mine permitting, in addition to more definitive drilling, underground sampling and metallurgical testing in 2019. The following is a short summary of the Hidalgo de Parral district and Endeavours land holdings there. Parral Project Overview Hidalgo de Parral is an historic silver mining district that produced approximately 250 million ounces (oz) of silver according to the SGM, the Mexican Geological Survey. Several mines are still operating in the district, including the large Santa Barbara and San Francisco mines of Grupo Mexico and Grupo Frisco respectively. Endeavour owns a 100% interest in four historic mines, Veta Colorada, La Palmilla, San Patricio and Cometa, totalling 3,432 hectares, subject to 1% NSR production royalties. The Palmilla mine was famous for supplying silver to the federal mint of Mexico in the late 1800s. The properties are readily accessible by paved highway and well maintained gravel roads only 1-5 kilometres (km) north of the city of Hidalgo Del Parral, with excellent infrastructure including grid power, water, labour, and services. Land access agreements are already in place for exploration. Several large veins are traceable for over 8 km. Veta Colorada is up to 40 metres (m) thick, and includes a higher-grade footwall vein 1-10 m thick and a lower grade hanging wall breccia with mineralized stock-work up to 30 m thick. Historic resources of 32.1 million oz silver contained in 4.0 million tonnes (t) grading 248.5 grams per tonne (gpt) in the Veta Colorada estimated by Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (IMMSA) who discovered three orebodies, Remedio-Argentina, El Verde and Sierra Plata and mined the latter two orebodies until closing in 1990. In early 2018, Endeavour estimated new resources at Remedio-Argentina and Palmilla, and the Company expects to add new resources at San Patricio in Q1,2019. Endeavour has not yet verified the historic resources at Veta Colorada and has previously reported resources at Cometa (see Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates on the website for details). The Veta Colorada resource estimate was prepared by IMMSA in a report dated August 2004 entitled Descripcion Geologica, Proyecto Veta Colorada Mpio. de Hgo. del Parral, Chih.. The resource estimate was established through surface drilling and underground sampling. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Endeavour is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve, has not verified the historical resource estimate and is not relying on it. Historic metallurgy by IMMSA obtained 85% silver recoveries by flotation and leaching of float tails. Limited metallurgical studies by SSR of the Veta Colorada ore indicated >90% recovery by cyanidation. Endeavour metallurgical testing of drill core samples from the Veta Colorada (Sierra Plata, El Verde and Remedios-Argentina zones), Palmilla and Cometa veins on the Parral property in 2018 indicates excellent metal recoveries by flotation and leaching. Cometa is the only vein with significant lead and zinc best suited for flotation, the other veins contain primarily silver and minor gold best suited to leaching. Silver recoveries achieved up to 91% recovery by whole rock leaching of Remedios-Argentina core, up to 91% recovery by flotation of Cometa core, and up to 98% recovery by flotation and leaching of the float tails of El Verde core. Surface Drill Results In 2018, Endeavour drilled 16 surface drill holes totalling 8171 m to test the San Patricio vein system. A new inferred resource estimate for the San Patrico area is anticipated in early 2019. Initial high grade intersections were previously reported (see Endeavour News Release dated May 14, 2018) and the balance of the high grade intersections are reported in the table below (view San Patricio longitudinal section here). Hole Structure From True width Au Ag AgEq Pb Zn (m) (m) (gpt) (gpt) (gpt) (%) (%) SPT-23 San Patricio 321.40 1.9 0.10 660 668 1.298 0.576 Including 321.75 0.2 0.08 1,460 1,466 1.105 0.544 SPT-24 San Patricio 363.20 4.2 0.21 934 950 3.014 5.929 Including 365.35 0.2 0.31 3,210 3,233 7.940 13.500 Silver equivalents are calculated at a ratio of 75:1 silver: gold, excluding base metals Underground Sample Results Endeavour also completed topographical surveys, geological mapping and rock chip sampling underground in the Sierra Plata part of the Veta Colorada mine, mainly on mine levels 5, 5.5, 6 and 7, accessed by the original mine access ramp, which remains in good condition. Significant grades and widths of silver-lead-zinc mineralization were encountered on the 5.5 mine level as follows: Sample ID Width (m) Structure Ag (gpt) Pb (%) Zn (%) PAR-1453 muck Rezaga 331.2 1.420 0.957 PAR-1454 muck Rezaga 274.1 0.214 0.277 PAR-1455 2.00 Vn, HW, STK 204.2 0.594 0.146 PAR-1456 muck Rezaga 192.6 0.244 0.314 Sampling crews were also able to access portions of levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 where they encountered significant volumes of historic mine fill (previously uneconomic broken rock filing old stopes, known as chorros). Grupo Mexico (IMMSA) and SSR each sampled these areas and IMMSA reported historic resources of 214,257 tonnes grading 156 gpt silver. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify this historical estimate as a current mineral resource, Endeavour has not verified the historical resource and is not relying on it as a current mineral resource. Endeavour crews resampled these chorros and confirmed that the historic sample results show that some chorros have the potential to be economic, as shown in the table below: Veta Colorada Chorros Level 2 Sample ID Ag (g/t) Pb % Zn% PAR-1457 38.0 0.1440 0.177 PAR-1458 88.0 0.2000 0.191 PAR-1459 67.0 0.2300 0.244 PAR-1460 47.0 0.4420 0.280 PAR-1461 180.6 0.6250 0.478 PAR-1462 177.7 0.6640 0.622 PAR-1463 84.0 0.3910 0.348 PAR-1464 66.0 1.3600 0.573 PAR-1465 52.0 0.1930 0.296 PAR-1466 153.3 0.2940 0.344 PAR-1467 41.0 0.8510 0.638 PAR-1468 50.0 0.7590 0.372 PAR-1469 195.1 0.7140 0.267 PAR-1470 315.1 0.4530 0.568 PAR-1471 49.0 0.1850 0.289 PAR-1472 242.6 0.3140 0.319 PAR-1473 35.0 0.1680 0.301 PAR-1474 32.0 0.1400 0.245 Veta Colorada Chorros Level 4 Sample ID Ag (g/t) Pb% Zn% PAR-1475 40.0 0.2250 0.1450 PAR-1476 203.2 0.4740 0.7080 PAR-1477 71.0 0.2270 0.4860 PAR-1478 221.8 0.3840 0.5080 PAR-1479 229.0 0.2780 0.5000 PAR-1480 278.1 0.5100 0.5990 PAR-1481 290.5 0.4230 0.6540 PAR-1482 144.4 0.1860 0.2450 PAR-1483 244.8 0.5170 0.5420 PAR-1484 239.1 0.4090 0.3110 PAR-1485 74.0 0.1870 0.1480 PAR-1486 75.0 0.2190 0.1310 PAR-1487 64.0 0.2430 0.4690 PAR-1488 170.2 0.4340 0.3430 PAR-1489 115.0 0.5960 0.3730 PAR-1490 63.0 0.1320 0.2660 PAR-1491 223.7 0.3400 0.4510 PAR-1492 88.0 0.2310 0.4200 PAR-1493 24.0 0.1680 0.2360 PAR-1494 283.4 1.2000 0.5960 PAR-1495 78.0 0.4100 0.4730 PAR-1496 230.0 1.9400 0.7030 PAR-1497 238.3 0.7830 0.7300 PAR-1498 614.6 1.8100 0.5010 Qualified Person Godfrey Walton, M.Sc., P.Geo., Endeavours President and COO, is the Qualified Person who reviewed and approved this news release and supervised the drilling programs in Mexico. A Quality Control sampling program of reference standards, blanks and duplicates is used to monitor the integrity of all assay results. All samples are split at the local field office and shipped to ALS-Chemex Labs, where they are dried, crushed, split and 50 gram pulp samples are prepared for analysis. Gold is determined by fire assay with an atomic absorption (AA) finish and silver by aqua regia digestion and ICP finish, overlimits by fire assay and gravimetric finish. About Endeavour Silver Endeavour Silver Corp. is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that owns three high-grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Endeavour is currently commissioning its fourth mine at El Compas, advancing a possible fifth mine at the Terronera mine project and exploring its portfolio of exploration and development projects in Mexico and Chile to facilitate its goal to become a premier senior silver producer. Our philosophy of corporate social integrity creates value for all stakeholders. SOURCE Endeavour Silver Corp. Contact Information - For more information, please contact: Galina Meleger, Director Investor Relations Toll free: (877) 685-9775 Tel: (604) 640-4804 Fax: (604) 685-9744 Email: gmeleger@edrsilver.com Website: www.edrsilver.com Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States private securities litigation reform act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forwardlooking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding Endeavours anticipated performance in 2018 including changes in mining and operation, anticipated results of exploration and resource determinations, and the timing and results of various activities. The Company does not intend to, and does not assume any obligation to, update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Endeavour and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and Mexico; financial risks due to precious metals prices, operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, development and mining activities; risks and hazards of mineral exploration, development and mining; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Companys title to properties; as well as those factors described in the section risk factors contained in the Companys most recent form 40F/Annual Information Form filed with the S.E.C. and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to: the continued operation of the Companys mining operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, mining operations will operate and the mining products will be completed in accordance with managements expectations and achieve their stated production outcomes, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Thursday, Dec. 13, the Fraser Institute will release a new study on government-run pharmacare. The Unintended Consequences of National Pharmacare Programs in Australia, New Zealand and the UK spotlights how patientsand taxpayershave suffered as a result of government-run pharmacare programs in other developed countries and highlights how a single-payer pharmacare program could negatively impact Canadians. A news release with additional information will be issued via GlobeNewswire at 5:00 a.m. (Eastern) on Dec. 13. MEDIA CONTACTS: Kristina Acri, Senior Fellow Fraser Institute To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact: Bryn Weese Senior Media Relations Specialist, Fraser Institute (604) 688-0221 ext. 589 bryn.weese@fraserinstitute.org Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter | Like us on Facebook Yangling, Shaanxi, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. (OTCQB: KWBT) (Kiwa Bio-Tech or the Company), an emerging agricultural company that develops, manufactures and sells bio-fertilizers is pleased to announce that the Companys Trinity Agricultural Marketing Model (Trinity) was formally implemented in Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi Province. Kiwas representative Ms. Sun, Director of Fertilizer Division, and Ms. Dongxia Ren, the Board Chairman of Zhouzhi County Farm Tourism Fruits & Vegetables Specialty Cooperative (the Cooperative), signed a cooperation agreement on eco-friendly kiwi planting, which marked the implementation of the Zhouzhi Project. The agreement clarified the relevant rules for the implementation of the Companys Trinity Agricultural Marketing Model (Retail Outlet CenterPatented Bio-fertilizerSafe Produce Distribution) in the 5,000 mu (approximately 333 hectare) Kiwi Planting Park of the Cooperative. The kiwi plant in Zhouzhi County is the largest kiwi production park in China with a very long history. Until now, the kiwi industry is an important pillar industry for Zhouzhi Countys economic development; its about 430,000 mu (approximately 28,667 hectare), and the output value of kiwi is more than RMB 4 billion (approximately 580,000,000 USD annually), accounting for more than 70% of the Countys GDP. However, due to the excessive application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in recent years, the quality of kiwi has declined, which has led to a negative impact on the sales and brand reputation of the Kiwi market in Zhouzhi County. Because of this situation, the government of Zhouzhi County has paid more attention to it and has sought ways to improve the quality of kiwi. Kiwa Bio-Tech has built the Trinity Agricultural Marketing Model for a high-quality agricultural product planting park by establishing their Retail Outlet Center, adopting a unified standard for agricultural products, providing an eco-friendly standardized planting plan, introducing financial institutions for financial support, and implementing whole-process with technical services. The implementation of Trinity Agricultural Marketing Model is designed to greatly promote the healthy development of the agricultural industry in Zhouzhi County. The reason Kiwa is cooperating with the Cooperative is to benefit from three advantages: In 2018, Kiwa succeeded in the harmless planting test of the Cooperatives 300 mu kiwi demonstration base; Kiwa has established close cooperation with mainstream produce sales channels, such as Huaguoshan; On the basis of establishing the Retail Outlet Center, Kiwa has integrated resources such as insurance, eco-friendly planting plan, contract farming and financial support, which meets the expectations of the government of Zhouzhi County and the development needs of the kiwi industry. It is agreed in the cooperation agreement that when the Cooperative implements Kiwas eco-friendly planting plan, if there is a loan demand, Kiwa will provide financial institutions and bear unlimited joint and several liabilities for these financing activities. The Cooperative has 4,000 mu (approximately 267 hectare) of kiwi planting that needs loan support. In the process of cooperation, Kiwa Bio-Tech will provide a financial guarantee on the standard of 2,750 yuan / mu ($398 USD/ mu) to the Cooperative, with the total amount of loans being RMB 11 million (approximately $1,600,000 USD). Furthermore, Kiwa will cooperate with the Professional Farmers Association of Zhouzhi County and select qualified fruit farmers to join the Zhouzhi Project. According to the plan, the first phase of Zhouzhi Project promotion target is 30,000 mu (20,000 hectare). Ms. Wang, Kiwas CEO, stated, Its a good start for the Companys Trinity Agricultural Marketing Model (Trinity) implemented in Zhouzhi County, and we strongly believe that once this great program in Shannxi province is implemented, Kiwa Bio-Tech will expanded quickly throughout the Country of China. About Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. Leader in Eco-Friendly Agricultural Industry Chain Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. (KWBT) is a publicly traded company with corporate headquarters in the Yangling, Shanxi, China. The company develops, manufactures, markets and distributes innovative and environmentally safe bio-technological products for agriculture. Kiwas focus is to positively impact the environment by reducing the amount of chemical fertilizers that are being used by agricultural growers in China. Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. products are covered by patent protection and are designed to enhance the quality of human life by increasing the value and productivity of agricultural crops. For more information on Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. or its bio-fertilizer products and smart soil remediation technology, please refer to the Companys website at www.kiwabiotech.com or the Company filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Companys reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Companys estimates as of the date of the press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Companys estimates to change. The Companys actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements depending on a number of risk factors including, but not limited to, the following: general economic, business and environment conditions, development, shipment, market acceptance, additional competition from existing and new competitors, changes in technology, the execution of its ten-year growth plan, the foreign exchange risk amid the unexpected announcements by the PRC government and various other factors beyond the Companys control. Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corp. specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Companys estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Contact: Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corporation ir@kiwabiotech.com SEXSMITH, Alberta, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Angkor Gold Corp. (TSXV: ANK and OTC: ANKOF) (Angkor or the Company) President J.P. Dau is pleased to announce results from the mapping and sampling program on its Banlung Property in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia. The Banlung Property has two primary targets - Okalla East and Okalla West. Highlights of grab sample results include: 13.95 g/t gold and 62.90 g/t silver 11.90 g/t gold and 6.90 g/t silver 10.85 g/t gold and 6.90 g/t silver Okalla East is an exciting, gold target with significant potential, said Dennis Ouellette, Angkors VP of Exploration. The gold and silver assay results from rocks taken during the mapping program again supports our understanding of the geology and presence of high sulphidation epithermal mineralisation. In addition, drilling on the Okalla West target is ongoing where the focus has been placed on several targets including a low sulphidation epithermal gold anomaly. The below table shows the results of 20 grab float samples from the recent Okalla East mapping and sampling program that returned assay results of greater than 0.5 grams per tonne: Sample Number Gold GPT Silver GPT V035926 13.95 62.90 V035936 11.90 6.90 V035939 10.85 6.90 V035924 7.28 46.00 V035925 5.81 0.50 V035948 5.56 0.90 V035935 5.50 3.50 V035944 4.85 0.90 V035927 4.19 1.00 V035947 4.01 12.70 V035946 3.38 0.90 V035928 3.37 2.50 V035949 3.37 11.30 V035932 3.25 1.00 V035921 2.20 2.60 V035933 1.26 7.70 V035923 0.71 2.30 V035934 0.60 18.70 V035938 0.58 0.80 V035922 0.52 11.60 Rock chip and grab samples are selected samples and are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. The samples with the highest gold values consist of brecciated vein material with abundant semi-massive pyrite. This is similar to a previously reported sample from the 2012 diamond drilling program (BL12-026D) which returned 86.0 gpt Au over 1m located approximately 1100 metres to the west of the current sampling area. There were no significant base metal values returned with the gold. The samples occur in clusters suggesting that trenching may be the next step for examining the anomalous areas. Current Exploration Program Highlights: The ongoing drill program consists of approximately 3250 metres of RC and AC drilling on a linear gold anomaly within a previously identified alkalic intrusive complex at Okalla West. The anomaly to be tested is approximately two kilometres in length from north to south and some 1.5 kilometres wide from east to west. Mapping and a continuation of the auger sampling program are currently underway testing the southern portion of the anomaly. The planned aerial survey has been completed using a state-of-the-art eBee drone which flew over both the Okalla East high sulphidation gold/porphyry copper target and the Okalla West low sulphidation epithermal gold target. The survey has provided important relative topographical control and is currently being implemented in planning. Banlung Project Highlights The current drilling campaign underway at Banlung is part of a commitment by Hommy 5 Resources Inc. (Hommy Resources) to fund up $3.65MM USD of exploration work on the Property. Angkors Banlung property includes two primary prospects - Okalla West and Okalla East. The styles of mineralization and alteration observed during Angkors previous exploration at Okalla West are typical of mineralization associated with alkaline systems. Previous testing at Okalla East indicates an epithermal style gold mineralization system which contains elevated gold levels in addition to other base metals. Approximately USD $1.2 million in exploration work has been done at Banlung since the beginning of 2017, including shallow drilling to investigate and better understand the underlying geology and structure. In addition to drilling, the entire license area has previously been the subject of an aeromagnetic survey, satellite imagery geological interpretation, with reconnaissance field truth mapping and multi-element stream sediment geochemical survey, as well as extensive grab sample, termite mound and auger sampling. SAMPLE METHODOLOGY Grab samples are collected as niche samples of rock material of specific style or character of interest. A target sample weight of 3-5kg is collected for assay. Sample preparation is carried out at a commercial off-site laboratory (ALS Phnom Penh). Gold assays are conducted at ALS Vientiane, Laos utilising a 50 gram subsample of 85% passing 75m pulped sample using Fire Assay with AAS finish on an Aqua Regia digest of the lead collection button. Multi-element assay is completed at ALS, Brisbane, Australia utilising a 4 acid digest of a 1g subsample of 85% passing 75m pulped sample and determination by ICP-AES or ICP-MS for lowest available detection for the respective element. Samples are dried for a minimum of 12 hours at 105C. All types of samples are prepared for assay at the NATA accredited ALS Cambodia sample preparation facility in Phnom Penh. Field duplicates of soil samples are also collected routinely (approx. 1 every 20 samples). This sample technique is industry norm, and is deemed appropriate for the material. Industry-standard QA/QC protocols are routinely followed for all sample batches sent for assay, which includes the insertion of commercially available pulp CRMs and pulp blanks into all batches usually 1 of each for every 20 field samples. Additional blanks used are home-made from barren quarry rock. QA/QC data are routinely checked before any associated assay results are reviewed for interpretation, and any issues or anomalies are investigated before results are released to the market. No issues were raised with the results reported here. All assay data, including internal and external QA/QC data and control charts of standard, replicate and duplicate assay results, are communicated electronically. ABOUT ANGKOR GOLD CORP. ANGKOR Gold Corp. is a public company listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange and is a leading mineral explorer in Cambodia with a large land package and a first-mover advantage building strong relationships with all levels of government and stakeholders. ABOUT HOMMY 5 RESOURCES INC. Hommy 5 Resources Inc. is a private company based in Alberta, Canada. It is a family fund of Canadian investors experienced in the resource sector. The Banlung Property is being explored under a USD $3.65 million earn-in exploration agreement with Angkor Gold Corp. announced September 19, 2018. Dennis Ouellette, B.Sc, P.Geo., is a member of The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA #104257) and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). He is the Companys VP Exploration and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this release. On behalf of the Board, Mike Weeks Executive Chairman, Angkor Gold Corp. CONTACT: Stephen Burega, CEO Telephone: +1 (647) 515-3734 Email: sb@angkorgold.ca Website: http://www.angkorgold.ca or follow us on Twitter @AngkorGold. 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. Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute forward-looking information. In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. CLIFTON, N.J., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comodo Cybersecurity, a global leader in threat intelligence and malware cyber defense, today announced the release of the companys Global Threat Report 2018 Q3 , offering unique insights from Comodo Threat Research Lab experts into key cyberthreat trends and the impact of malware on elections and other geopolitical events. Email phishing remains the most common method of attack. Highlights in the latest quarter include: Phishing represents one of every 100 emails received by enterprises The dubious distinction of the most frequently targeted brands by phishing in the quarter went to Microsoft (19%), PayPal (17%) and Google (9.7%) Top three phishing emails ranked by subject line were: Your account will be locked PayPal (40%) Info FedEx (10%) August Azure Newsletter Microsoft (8%) The US ranked No. 1 for both hosting of phishing sites (65%) and country of origin (36%) Phishing URLs are gaining in popularity, representing 40% of the total, although infected attachments remain the majority at 60% Researchers cited one phishing email as representative of the uptick in quality, making it harder for users to identify the risk. An email purporting to be a survey regarding Microsoft Azures newsletter sported an authentic looking URL and logo, and did not have the telltale grammar or spelling errors that often give away phishing emails. Anyone clicking on the Take the survey button was sent to a malware-laden webpage to covertly infect them, except for Comodo Cybersecurity clients who were protected from day zero. Hacking Democracy and Malware in Conflict Zones The Comodo Q3 report also reveals disturbing upticks in malware deployment leading up to major national elections. Comodo Cybersecurity researchers document the impact of malware on elections in Russia, Turkey, Mali, Sierra Leone, Azerbaijan and Columbia. The report also highlights the compelling correlations of malware detection leading up to and immediately following geopolitical crises events in the Syria civil war, the ongoing machinations around the Iran nuclear weapons agreement, the Israel-Palestine conflict and the military operations of Saudi Arabia against Yemen. These correlations clearly stand out in the data, beyond the realm of coincidence, said VP of Comodo Cybersecurity Threat Research Labs, Fatih Orhan. It is inescapable that state actors today employ malware and other cyberthreats as both extensions of soft power and outright military weapons, as do their lesser-resourced adversaries in asymmetric response. About Comodo Global Threat Reports Comodo Cybersecurity collects comprehensive threat statistics and gleans trends from data delivered from the companys global installed base of more than 100 million protected endpoints, including deployments in Iran, North Korea, China and Russia, as well as world financial and technical centers such as Berlin, London, Paris, New York, Sao Paulo, Seoul, the Silicon Valley, Tokyo and Washington DC. Every week, Comodo processes over 1.4 billion files, with over 28 million containing malware. In the millions of emails inspected every day, Comodo discovers over 50,000 with phishing links or embedded malware. The sheer volume of the data we collect and the maturity of Comodo tools and practices in analyzing that data, yield fresh, unexpected insights into the genesis, propagation and impact of malware worldwide, commented Orhan. Our quarterly Threat Reports afford us the opportunity to share our unique perspective with a global community of customers, researchers, analysts and other interested parties. As in other domains, in cybersecurity forewarned is forearmed. For more information and insights, download the complete Comodo Cybersecurity Global Threat Report 2018 Q3. About Comodo Cybersecurity In a world where preventing all cyberattacks is impossible, Comodo Cybersecurity delivers an innovative cybersecurity platform that renders threats harmless, across the LAN, web and cloud. The Comodo One platform enables customers to protect their systems and data against even military-grade threats, including zero-day attacks. Comodo Cybersecurity has experts and analysts that protect 100 million endpoints and serve 200,000 customers globally. Comodo Cybersecurity has a 20-year history of protecting the most sensitive data for both businesses and consumers worldwide. For more information, visit comodo.com or our blog. You can also follow Comodo on Twitter (@ComodoDesktop) and LinkedIn. Contact DENVER, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Phoenix Life Sciences International Limited (OTC: PLSI) (Phoenix Life), an international adaptive healthcare solutions company, today announced that it is now accepting bids from U.S. licensed producers of industrial hemp to supply various products to be used in the formulation of its botanical pharmaceuticals. As we move forward with our mission of transforming the future of global healthcare, our next step is partnering with a GMP licensed hemp producers in the U.S. that shares our values and mission to push botanical pharmaceuticals forward throughout the world, said Phoenix Life CEO Martin Tindall. While we build out our production capacity, we are proud to join other well-respected companies in the space and begin producing our products on a larger scale. Phoenix Life is seeking a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) licensed industrial hemp partner for both U.S. and foreign markets to commence in January 2019. Products requested by Phoenix Life include soft gel capsules, atomizer inhalers and wholesale cannabidiol (CBD) oil. All suppliers must utilize biomass that has been produced under organic conditions, and preference will be on USDA organic certification. The company also encourages new and innovative manufacturers to apply for the partnership. Producers bidding to partner with Phoenix Life must have a minimum production capacity of 24,000 bottles of 120 soft gels per bottle per month (2.8mil soft gels per month) and 1,000 atomized inhalers per month. These capacity requirements are expected to increase in the U.S. market in 2020. Phoenix Life aims to partner with the single-payer healthcare systems of both established and emerging economies to conduct medical studies on cannabis for diabetes and establish programs for diabetes patients to receive the company's botanical products. Through these partnerships, Phoenix Life hopes to recruit the best minds in the pharmaceutical space to join its mission. Interested parties should please contact supply.chain@phoenixlife.co with full contact details and information on which products the company would like to submit. To learn more about Phoenix Life Sciences International, please visit https://www.phoenixlife.co About Phoenix Life Sciences International Limited Phoenix Life Sciences International Limited is an adaptive healthcare solutions company. Our business is to advance research and integrate programs and manufacturing of products that target and treat diabetes, pain, cancer, and address psychological, gastrointestinal, autoimmune, neurological and sleep disorders. We strive to create partnerships and integrate these programs for human health into communities worldwide as part of our Global Health Initiative. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Information contained in this press release regarding Phoenix Life Sciences International, Limited and its subsidiaries, (the Companies) may constitute forward-looking statements or statements which may be deemed or construed to be forward-looking statements. The words plan, forecast, anticipates, estimate, project, intend, expect, should, believe, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve, and are subject to, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance (financial or operating) or achievements to differ from the future results, performance (financial or operating) or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties and other factors are more fully discussed in the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Companies herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by the above-mentioned cautionary statement. The Companies disclaim any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release, except as may be required by law. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and therefore the products sold by Phoenix Life Sciences International are not available on U.S. LEGAL DISCLOSURE Phoenix Life Sciences International does not sell or distribute any products in the United States that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA). This company does not grow, sell, and distribute cannabis-based products in the United States and is solely involved with the legal distribution of medical cannabis-based products within certain international markets outside of the United States. Investor Contact: Phone: 1.888.717.5655 or international +1.720.699.7222 E-mail: investor.relations@phoenixlife.co Media Contact: Kathryn Reinhardt CMW Media Kathryn@cmwmedia.com 619-972-3089 The 185 MW wind farm will sell its power to Bloomberg LP, General Motors and Constellation, an Exelon company Enel invested approximately 325 million US dollars in the construction of the wind farm, which will generate around 570 GWh per year HillTopper brings the total renewable capacity connected by Enel Green Power to grids around the world from January 2018 to date to approximately 1,981 MW ROME and BOSTON, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enel, through its US renewable company Enel Green Power North America, Inc. (EGPNA), has begun operation of the 185 MW HillTopper wind farm, its first wind facility in the US state of Illinois. HillTopper, which is located in Logan County, is supported by three long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Bloomberg LP, General Motors as well as Constellation, an Exelon company. The completion of HillTopper represents our commitment to continued growth, through expansion into new areas and markets to serve new corporate and industrial customers, said Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel Green Power. Through this first project in Illinois, we are helping our customers meet their clean energy goals with competitive solutions that adapt to their power needs and business objectives. The investment in the construction of HillTopper, which is expected to generate around 570 GWh annually, amounts to approximately 325 million US dollars. Under a long-term PPA with Bloomberg LP, Enel will sell the power generated from a 17 MW portion of the wind farm to help the global business and financial information and news leader reach its 100% renewable energy goal by 2025. The energy generated by a 100 MW portion of HillTopper will be sold to the global mobility company General Motors under a second long-term PPA. The wind energy will provide 100% renewable electricity to all of General Motors Ohio and Indiana manufacturing facilities and help the company achieve 20% energy supply from renewables. Under a third long-term agreement, the power produced from a 23 MW section of HillTopper will be sold to retail energy products and services provider Constellation, who will then sell the power to two corporate customers through separate retail agreements. Over the past year Enel signed around 570 MW of commercial and industrial (C&I) PPAs in the US, including 10 MW to Adobe and around 320 MW to Facebook through a gradual purchase of the full output, at its Rattlesnake Creek wind farm and 100 MW to Kohler at its 300 MW Diamond Vista wind farm. Both projects are expected to begin operations this year. With the PPAs for HillTopper, Enel has already signed, directly or indirectly, more than 1.2 GW of power supply contracts in the US with C&I customers to date. Through these agreements, Enel is able to create tailor-made solutions for its corporate customers, with the aim to provide them with long-term access to an affordable, sustainable and reliable source of power. The HillTopper wind farm brings the total renewable capacity connected by Enel Green Power to grids around the world from January 2018 to date to approximately 1,981 MW. EGPNA, part of Enel Green Power, is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America with projects operating and under development in 24 US states and two Canadian provinces. EGPNA operates around 100 plants with a managed capacity of around 4.4 GW powered by renewable hydropower, wind, geothermal and solar energy. In 2017, the company was the fastest growing renewable energy company in the US, bringing approximately 1.2 GW of capacity online. The company is currently the largest wind operator in Kansas and Oklahoma. Enel Green Power is the Enel Groups business line dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of around 43 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies into renewable power plants. Media Relations T +39 06 8305 5699 F +39 06 8305 3771 ufficiostampa@enel.com enelgreenpower.com THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. NEWS AGENCIES SHARES ISSUED: 57,160,221 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asante Gold Corporation (CSE:ASE/ FRANKFURT:1A9) (Asante or the "Company") is pleased to announce that in order to enhance Kubis near term production potential, the Company will now focus its underground exploration and development plans on areas within the current NI43-101 resource* where multiple high grade +10.0 g/t gold drill intercepts have been noted. These target areas, totaling some 88,000 sq metres, are planned to be accessed via a future 4m x 4.5m exploration decline to be driven beneath the previously mined pits. The Company has estimated required exploration and pre-production capital costs at US$20million. On funding, the plan remains to proceed with surface works, portal, permitting, exploration decline and other works including extensive underground resource to reserve upgrade drilling. There is excess mill capacity in Ghana and high grade material can be cost effectively transported as required to an agreeable facility. A vertical long section along the Kubi Main Zone, showing composited gold grades x true horizontal widths**; the previously mined out and back filled pits; the interpreted north plunging high grade zones; and showing the location of all assays in the Kubi Main zone diamond drill and blast hole drilling data base that equal or exceed 15.0 g/t gold, is available at: http://www.asantegold.com/assets/img/KubiMainVertLongSec_compGxW.pdf This interpretation, with the high grade mineralization plunging within the Kubi Main shear zone at -45deg to the north, is modeled after the nearby Obuasi mine where in over 100 years of production more than 33 million ounces have been produced from north plunging high grade shoots (3 to 4 million ounces from each shoot over vertical ranges of +2,000 m). With regard to our continued search for financing, the Company currently has entered into 16 confidentiality agreements with third parties who are reviewing Kubi data with respect to funding a 50:50 joint venture interest, or a 100% buy-out. Finders fees may be payable on any funding on a success basis, and any transfer of mineral title interests in Ghana is subject to Ministerial approval. There can be no guarantee that a suitable financing, JV or buy-out terms will be agreed with any prospective investor. Given golds proven ability to hold its value as real money over the last 5,000 years of recorded history, and its declining supply relative to the worldwide plethora of debt, cryptos, derivatives and depreciating fiat currencies (the US dollar has lost more than 80% of its value relative to gold since just the year 2000), we will continue to invest in gold exploration and work towards our goal of near term gold production. We wish all our shareholders and their families, our employees, advisors and contractors a festive and peaceful Christmas Season and New Year. "Douglas R. MacQuarrie" President and CEO Scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Douglas R. MacQuarrie, P.Geo. (B.C.) Geology & Geophysics, the President and CEO of the Company, who is a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. *Kubi has a current NI 43-101 resource estimate, completed by SEMS Exploration Services Ltd. of Accra, Ghana: Measured Resources 0.66 million tonnes @ 5.30g/t for 112,000 ounces; Indicated Resources 0.66 million tonnes @ 5.65g/t for 121,000 ounces; and Inferred Resources 0.67 million tonnes @ 5.31g/t for 115,000 ounces, which is filed on SEDAR. **Gold assays used for the referenced GxW plot, were composited to a minimum grade of 3.5g/t; with a top cut of 50.0 g/t; minimum downhole length of 1.8m, maximum internal dilution of 1.5m at 0.10g/t; and an edge padding of 2.0g/t gold; true widths were estimated at 55% of downhole intercept length. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This news release contains statements of forward-looking information (or "FLI") including those in respect of future exploration, joint venture, development, permitting and mining at Kubi and the other properties in which the Company has an interest, financings and timing for closing of the various option and purchase agreements. FLI involves risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to vary from the FLI. The risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: the risk of failure to obtain sufficient financing; the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties; the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other exploration data; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the geology, grade and continuity of mineralization; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Companys expectations; accidents, equipment breakdowns, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in production and operations; the availability and costs of suitable toll milling facilities; fluctuating prices of metals and other commodities; currency fluctuations; the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability and the lack of any assurance that the Company will receive all of the necessary governmental title and approvals to proceed with the transfers and development of its projects. The material factors and assumptions on which the FLI is based include the extensive Kubi drilling database and current mineral resource estimate, the previously successful permitting, mining, trucking and milling operations at Kubi, the local availability of skilled labor, plant and machinery, and the positive results from previous metallurgical tests on the Kubi Main deposit mineralization. The Company undertakes no obligation to update FLI except as required by applicable law. Such information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. Readers are advised not to place undue reliance on FLI. For further information, please contact: Douglas MacQuarrie, President and CEO, tel: +1 604-558-1134; E-mail: douglas@asantegold.com Doreen Kent, Shareholder Communications, tel: +1 604-948-9450; E-mail: d.kent@eastlink.ca Valentina Gvozdeva, Business Development, E-mail: valentina@asantegold.com Florian Riedl-Riedenstein, Director; European Investor Relations, E-mail: frram@aon.net Additional information is available on our web site at: www.asantegold.com Further information on Kubi is available at: http://www.asantegold.com/projects/kubi-gold-mine LEI Number: 529900F9PV1G9S5YD446 Neither IIROC nor any stock exchange or other securities regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. English French MONTREAL, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Computers for Success Canada Inc. (CFSC) is proud of the key role it has played in delivering Innovation, Science and Economic Developments (ISED) Connecting Families initiative to increase Internet accessibility for low-income Canadian families. Working with ISED and Internet Service Provider (ISP) partners in the initiative, CFSC managed the development of a secure online portal to qualify and anonymously connect selected eligible families with ISPs voluntarily offering a $10 monthly Internet plan. The portal went live on November 12 and by the end of November, thousands of families were already being served $10 Internet. "Access to affordable home Internet for the lowest income Canadian families creates real opportunities for those most at risk of exclusion from our digital world," said Toby Harper-Merrett, Executive Director of CFSC. "As an organization focused on social impact, we are most proud of the teams commitment to centering the service experience on edge cases those who are also perhaps living with a disability, low levels of literacy, or are facing additional challenges. The Connecting Families Initiative is providing more Canadians with affordable access to Internet services and helping to bridge the digital divide. This initiative is a good example of how Government is working with the telecom industry to ensure that all Canadians can benefit from the digital economy, said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED). This initiative is part of a suite of digital skills, accessibility and Internet programs that encourages the participation of more Canadians in the digital economy, so they can benefit from completing education, finding employment and accessing programs and services. "Working on this initiative has been a unique opportunity as it brings together Government, Canadas telecommunications industry, and the community sector, working towards a common goal of digital inclusion for more Canadian families," added Toby Harper-Merrett. Through the initiative, the Government of Canada is also making available 50,000 refurbished desktop computers through its Computers for Schools program. "We are deeply appreciative of the contributions of the Computers for Schools affiliate organizations across the country that ensure households without a device to connect to the Internet can also take advantage of the Connecting Families initiative". At the end of November, close to 20,000 computers had already been ordered through the initiative. About Connecting Families The Connecting Families initiative has been designed to connect hundreds of thousands of low-income Canadian families to the Internet. Participating Internet Service Providers are voluntarily contributing to the initiative by offering $10 Internet service (plus tax) to randomly selected families who currently receive the maximum Canada Child Benefit. About the CFS program Computers for Schools is a pan-Canadian program that refurbishes computers donated by government, businesses and individuals, for use by schools, registered not-for-profit organizations and low-income families. About CFSC-OPEC Computers for Success Canada Inc. | Ordinateurs pour lexcellence Canada Inc. (CFSC-OPEC) is a not-for-profit organization, established in 2005, supporting the impacts of Government of Canada digital inclusion and economic development programs. CFSC-OPECs services stand in four pillars - marketing and communications, partnership development, strategic planning, and project management. SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Breker Verification Systems , the leading provider of Portable Stimulus-compliant software, today named four distributors to expand the reach of its Trek5 portfolio, including TrekSoC, TrekUVM, TrekSoC-Si and TrekApps, in China, Europe, Japan and South Korea. NewPlus Systems & Technologies Ltd. of Shanghai, China, represents Breker in the fast-growing Chinese semiconductor design and verification industry, while Miguel Koch manages sales in Europe. Synkom Company, Ltd. of Yokohama and INCUSOLUTION in Seoul are Brekers distributors in Japan and South Korea respectively. They join Delphinium Technologies of Bangalore, India, a distributor that has represented Breker in India for five years, as well as the companys U.S East and West sales and AE teams. Each provides sales and application engineering support to users of Brekers Portable Stimulus-compliant software. Each one of our distributors is experienced and well-regarded in their regions where there is growing demand for the Portable Stimulus-compliant solutions we provide, remarks Bill Rothenberg, Brekers vice president of sales. Given their extensive verification knowledge and expertise we are convinced our distribution network will add great benefit to our user base around the globe. The announcement of Brekers expanding distribution channels coincides with the successful early adoption of its new Trek5 product suite. Fully compliant with Accelleras Portable Test and Stimulus 1.0, Brekers Trek5 portfolio leverages innovative testbench and test synthesis technology to accelerate and simplify complex test case generation for universal verification methodology (UVM) and system-on-chip (SoC) verification flows. About Breker Verification Systems Breker Verification Systems is the leading provider of Portable Stimulus solutions, a standard means to specify verification intent and behaviors reusable across target platforms. It is the first company to introduce graph-based verification and the synthesis of powerful test sets from abstract scenario models. Its Portable Stimulus suite of tools is G raph-based to make complex scenarios comprehensible, P ortable, eliminating test redundancy across the verification process, and S hareable to foster team communication and reuse. Brekers Intelligent Testbench suite of tools and apps allows the synthesis of high-coverage, powerful test cases for deployment into a variety of UVM to SoC verification environments. Breker is privately held, and works with leading semiconductor companies worldwide. Engage with Breker at: Website: www.brekersystems.com Twitter: @BrekerSystems LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breker-verification-systems/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrekerSystems/ TrekSoC, TrekSoC-Si, TrekBox and SoC Scenario Modeling are registered trademark of Breker Verification Systems. Breker Verification Systems acknowledges trademarks or registered trademarks of other organizations for their respective products. For more information, contact: Nanette Collins Public Relations for Breker Verification Systems (617) 437-1822 nanette@nvc.com PARSIPPANY, N.J., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acrow Bridge , a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, noted today that its 700XS bridges are being used for training members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on basic and advanced engineering operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In addition, 11 Acrow bridges of varying dimensions have been emplaced throughout the area of operation since late 2016, reestablishing routes which had been destroyed prior to the liberation from ISIS. More than 2,500 SDF and over one million civilians have benefitted from these renewed crossings. Led by the U.S. Army Engineer Regiment, three Multi-Role Bridge Companies have been involved in the training and construction: the 310th, the 200th and the 652d. The inaugural class of the SDF Engineer School focused on the use of Line of Communication Bridges to support SDF military operations. Instruction included reconnaissance of potential bridge sites, bridge design using commercially available solutions, bridge emplacement, bridge maintenance and bridge repair. Following classroom instruction and practical exercises, members of the 652d Bridge Training Team (who completed the required training on Acrow bridges in August 2017) and the SDF Engineers completed a culminating exercise in which a 21 meter-long (68.9 foot) bridge was emplaced in a local village. The two teams continued to operate together and since then have completed dozens of joint missions while providing advanced training to subsequent classes of SDF Engineers. The Acrow 700XS bridge system has been selected as a standard Line of Communication Bridge for logistical support by military organizations around the world, including the U.S. Army, the Canadian Army, the Australian Defence Force, the National Army of Colombia, the Chilean Army, the Israeli Defense Forces, the Indonesian Army and United Nations Peacekeeping operations. In addition to the supply of bridging systems, Acrow provides ongoing training to support the needs of military organizations worldwide. Acrows modular steel bridges are designed to military standards and capable of supporting heavy vehicles under a variety of conditions, said Eugene Sobecki, Director National Sales and Military Business Development at Acrow and a frequent speaker at military engineering conferences. They are ideal for addressing time-sensitive infrastructure needs, both temporary and permanent, and components can be quickly transported, assembled, and reused wherever they are needed. Bill Killeen, Acrow CEO, added, Acrow has a long history of addressing the needs of military forces worldwide. Whether used in combat, peacekeeping operations or humanitarian relief efforts, our bridges have key advantages that include a proven return on investment while providing our military partners with flexibility, redundancy and a capability that supports freedom of movement. About Acrow Bridge Acrow Bridge has been serving the transportation and construction industries for more than 60 years with a full line of modular steel bridging solutions for vehicle, rail, military and pedestrian use. Acrows extensive international presence includes its leadership in the development and implementation of bridge infrastructure projects in over 80 countries, covering Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.acrow.com . Contact: Tracy Van Buskirk Marketcom PR Main: (212) 537-5177, ext. 8 Mobile: (203) 246-6165 tvanbuskirk@marketcompr.com skim wrote: The Police Commissioner's proposal depends on which of the following assumptions? (A) City X experienced a drastic reduction in crime after implementing a proposal similar to that proposed by the Police Commissioner of city Y. (B) The severity of crimes committed in any district of the city decreases when additional police officers are moved into that district. (C) The number of crimes committed in all high-crime districts of city Y is more than triple the number of crimes committed in all low-crime districts of city Y. (D) There are more low-crime districts than high-crime districts in city Y. (E) Districts of the city from which police officers are removed do not experience significant crime increases shortly after the removal of those officers. This question is part of the GMAT Club Critical Reasoning : Assumption" Revision Project. To decrease the number of crimes in city Y, the city's Police Commissioner proposed taking some police officers from low-crime districts of the city and moving them to high-crime districts of the city. His proposal is based on city Y crime data that show that the number of crimes in any district of the city decreases when additional police officers are moved into that district.The Police Commissioner's proposal depends on which of the following assumptions?(A) City X experienced a drastic reduction in crime after implementing a proposal similar to that proposed by the Police Commissioner of city Y.(B) The severity of crimes committed in any district of the city decreases when additional police officers are moved into that district.(C) The number of crimes committed in all high-crime districts of city Y is more than triple the number of crimes committed in all low-crime districts of city Y.(D) There are more low-crime districts than high-crime districts in city Y.(E) Districts of the city from which police officers are removed do not experience significant crime increases shortly after the removal of those officers. OFFICIAL EXPLANATION: (E) CORRECT. The Police Commissioner's proposal hopes to decrease the number of crimes in city Y by shifting police officers from low-crime to high-crime districts. His proposal is based on data that demonstrate that crime decreases when additional police officers are moved into a district. However, the data do not mention anything about the effect on the districts from which the police officers were removed. The commissioner's plan is based on the assumption that the movement of police officers will not have any adverse effects on the low-crime districts.(A) While it is encouraging that a similar plan worked successfully in City X, this fact is certainly not essential for the success of the plan in City Y. The cities may be so different as to make the comparison meaningless. (B) The police commissioner's proposal is focused solely on decreasing the number of crimes in city Y. The severity of the crimes has no bearing on whether the commissioner's proposal will succeed or not.(C) The actual numerical distinction between high and low-crime areas of the city is immaterial to the commissioner's proposal. For instance, if the number of crimes committed in all high crime districts was only double (instead of more than triple) the number of crimes committed in low crime districts, the proposal could still be valid.(D) It would be practically beneficial to the commissioner's plan if there were more low crime than high crime districts in city Y. This would enable the movement of police officers to every high crime district. However, this is not necessary to achieve the commissioner's goal of decreasing the total number of crimes in city Y. Even if there were more high-crime districts than low-crime districts in city Y, police officers could still be shifted to some (though not all) high-crime districts, and thereby possibly reduce the total number of crimes in city Y.The police commissioner's proposal would not make sense if districts of the city from which police officers are removed experience significant crime increases shortly after the removal of those officers. This would at least partially, if not fully, negate the reduction in the number of crimes in the high-crime districts. This choice establishes that, in fact, the low-crime districts do NOT suffer from significant crime increases after the removal of some officers-- an essential assumption upon which the commissioner's proposal depends._________________ Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. 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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 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. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 1 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Make Belief - The Fall of Israel and the Pope THE MESSIAH EL CHRIS User ID: 459987 12-13-2018 12:50 AM Posts: 3,734 Post: #1 Make Belief - The Fall of Israel and the Pope Advertisement In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. I met up with God and he said think of something to talk about! So I thought for a while and said I think we should talk about Israel. How the Jews claim to be Gods chosen people. I said, if Israel considers themselves good friends of the filthy Canadians then they must be retarded filth as well. And how could they possibly go to heaven when they would just ruin its desirability. How as bad people they must be sent to hell and as such how they cant possibly be considered gods chosen people. I said if im Correct then create a face and heart in the sky and it was so! Then I asked if the pope will go to the most evil part of hell create a 314 and it was so! I uploaded the video for you https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZpJT72CEFvs Then me and God played a game for a while and I left to rest. It sure is tough being the best with God! :-D The Hammer of the Gods! Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of the Gods https://1drv.ms/w/s!ApisPjBNTnfKr34umfD42O5g9nb3 https://the-messiah.ca I awoke today to the sound of Angels calling my name. They said come Chris! God wishes to make another video with you. All that kept going through my mind was Daniel 7In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.I met up with God and he said think of something to talk about!So I thought for a while and said I think we should talk about Israel. How the Jews claim to be Gods chosen people. I said, if Israel considers themselves good friends of the filthy Canadians then they must be retarded filth as well. And how could they possibly go to heaven when they would just ruin its desirability. How as bad people they must be sent to hell and as such how they cant possibly be considered gods chosen people. I said if im Correct then create a face and heart in the sky and it was so!Then I asked if the pope will go to the most evil part of hell create a 314 and it was so!I uploaded the video for youThen me and God played a game for a while and I left to rest. It sure is tough being the best with God! :-DThe Hammer of the Gods!Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of the Gods Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread - Late President Corazon Aquino was the first Filipino that TIME magazine named as the Person of the Year in 1986 - She was selected for leading the People Power Revolution against late President Ferdinand Marcos - Years after, TIME magazine named Rappler CEO Maria Ressa as part of the Person of the Year PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed TIME is a prestigious news magazine based in New York. Yearly, the TIME names Person of the Year for individuals, group of people, or ideas that most influenced the news and the world for the past year. KAMI learned that in 1986, the TIME named late President Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco Aquino as the Person of the Year. Aquino was the first ever Filipino who made it as the Person of the Year as reported by ABS-CBN News. Aquino was the wife of slain Senator Benigno Aquino. She also succeeded former President Ferdinand Marcos and became the first female President of the Philippines when she led the People Power Revolution in 1986. Photo courtesy of TIME magazine Source: Facebook According to Associated Press, Aquino was chosen because she managed to lead a revolt and rule a republic without ever relinquishing her buoyant calm or her gift for making politics and humanity companionable. People Power Revolution was with a human face was no less a triumph for women the world over and it held up a candle of hope in some of the worlds darker corners, it said. However, Aquino shared the success of the revolution to all the Filipinos who helped in making it possible. "I dont want to say that this is my achievement. It is the Filipino people together who were able to believe in themselves because of what they were able to do in the election and then in the revolution," Aquino said. Aquino also mentioned being a victim of Marcos. So then, I guess, I started to worry about other people. I guess I identified myself with the victims of Marcos injustice, she stated. 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! In a recent report by KAMI, another Filipino woman made it to TIMEs Person of the Year. As part of The Guardians, Rappler CEO Maria Ressa became part of the prestigious cover. Along with Ressa were journalists Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo, Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi and the Capital Gazette. According to TIME, they chose these journalists 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 for speaking out." Ressa was facing tax evasion charges along with her own news website Rappler. As reported by Philippine Star, Ressa posted P204,000 bail at the Court of Tax Appeals. 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 - The much-awaited wedding of Aljur Abrenica and Kylie Padilla happened on December 11 - It was attended by their family members and showbiz friends - Some of the people who were seen in the ceremony were Sophie Albert and Gabbi Garcia PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed It was on December 11 when Aljur Abrenica and Kylie Padilla have finally ended their boyfriend-girlfriend relationship and embraced a bigger responsibility. KAMI learned that the two promising artists have already tied the knot through intimate wedding rites at Villa Milagros in Rodriguez, Rizal. Their relatives and closest friends were with them during the much-talked-about and much-awaited ceremony. However, aside from these people, a lot of celebrities were also seen gracing the momentous event of Aljur and Kylie. The actress parents Robin Padilla and Liezl Sicangco did not miss the chance to witness their daughters special and most memorable day. Its Showtime host Mariel Rodriguez Padilla was also spotted in the event with husband Robin and cute daughter Isabella as her date. Photo from La Belle Fete Instagram Source: Instagram Aljurs brothers Vin Abrenica and Allen Abrenica were both part of the intimate ceremony as groomsmen. It was also clear in the uploaded photos that Vins girlfriend Sophie Albert joined them during trending occasion. "So much love in the air today, Sophie captioned in her Instagram post. Another showbiz personality who attended the said wedding was actress Maritoni Fernandez who was with her adorable daughter Lexi. The attendance of rumored sweethearts Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos in the Aljur-Kylie wedding was also noticed. They decided to feel the elegance and romance of the ceremony by also posting sweet photos of them on social media. 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! Meanwhile, My Special Tatay star Rita Daniela was invited in the wedding and she also contributed a lot in making the event memorable by singing few songs during the reception. In a previous article by , the details of the trending marriage of Aljur and Kylie were reported. Aljur and Kylie are both part of the Philippines showbiz industry. They got engaged by late January 2017 and they already have a child named Alas who was born on August 4, 2017. POPULAR: Read more news about Kylie Padilla! 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 Archipelago Philippines Ferries Corp., the operator of FasCat ferries, on Wednesday signed a P1.8-billion loan agreement with Philippine National Bank for the construction of five new roll-on roll-off vessels. With the construction and funding of these new vessels, FastCat is moving a step forward in modernizing the industry, APFC president Christopher Pastrana said. The addition of these new vessels will open up new routes, which will connect travellers and tourists to more diverse destinations in the country. It will boost trade among neighboring islands and support the local economy. The domestic farmers, fishermen, craftsmen and various producers will be able to transport their goods to far flung places faster and at a lower cost, he said. The five new ferries are part of its modernization drive to complete its goal of operating 30 RoRo vessels by 2020. The newly designed ferries have incorporated enhanced features for added safety, power efficiency and comfort. Additionally, it uses solar power and has special amenities that are user friendly to the elderly and Persons with Disabilities. We will start construction of their [PNB-funded] ship by first quarter next year. Delivery of those vessels will arrive 2020, Pastrana said. Right now we have 12 vessels in the Philippines. Were servicing the eastern and western part of the central corridor, he said.Were looking at doubling up our routes in the Central Visayas and also tap Mindanao area. We want to open up the Tawi-Tawi-Basilan-Zamboanga area. And also theres going to be a vessel in Davao to shorten land travel, he said. Pastrana said the company would invest $240 million for the 30 RoRo vessels funded by Development Bank of the Philippines, BDO Unibank Inc., Land Bank of the Philippines, United Coconut Planters Bank, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Asia United Bank and PNB. He said the company was targeting to serve between 10 million and 11 million passengers and about 12 million tons of cargo for the additional 30 vessels starting 2021. The company is currently servicing more than 3 million passengers using the existing 12 vessels. Pastrana said that in terms of revenue, APFC was projecting a P4 billion to 5 billion annual revenue starting 2021 from last years P2 billion. FastCat routes include Batangas to Clapan, Mindoro; Bulalacao, Mindoro-Caticlan, Aklan; Matnog, Sorsogon-San Isidro, Northern Samar; Bacolod-Iloilo, Liloan, Leyte-Lipata, Surigao; San Carlos, Negros Occidental-Toledo, Cebu; and Dumaguete, Negros Oriental-Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. 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 THIS STORY IS PART OF HOW TO L.A., OUR ONGOING SERIES OF PRACTICAL GUIDES FOR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING IN LOS ANGELES. The scale of Southern California's homelessness crisis can feel overwhelming. Tens of thousands of people sleep on the streets each night, and officials across the region are scaling up a massive policy effort to open new shelter beds and build new affordable housing units. But for an individual who wants to help, the size of the problem can feel hopeless. Ending homelessness in Southern California will ultimately require a lot more than what we have right now. Though voters have approved significant funding measures for city and county relief efforts, and the number of people counted in the 2018 homeless census reflected a 4 percent decline from 2017, the rate at which Angelenos are falling into homelessness continues to tick up. That is, though thousands of people are being housed by local governments and homeless service providers, those efforts are not necessarily enough to offset the underlying economic factors that cause homelessness: high housing costs and low wages. But experts on the homeless crisis say there's a lot individuals can do to help. We talked to the people working most closely on this issue, and here's what they recommend to Southern Californians who want to spend some time reaching out. PARTICIPATE IN THE LOS ANGELES HOMELESS COUNT Each January, thousands of volunteers participate in the Los Angeles Homeless Count. The massive, three-day volunteer operation is basically a census that aims to determine how many people are experiencing homelessness on any given night in L.A. Knowing how many people are falling asleep without shelter, where they are, and where tent encampments are concentrated is crucial to determine where resources are most needed. The next count takes place during the evenings of January 22, 23, and 24, 2019. On each night, volunteers both walk and drive through neighborhoods looking for people, encampment structures, and vehicles where people may be living. To volunteer, sign up at the Los Angeles Homeless Count's website. VOLUNTEER FOR AN ORGANIZATION IN YOUR AREA L.A. County is divided into eight "service planning areas" (SPAs) for homeless outreach and relief. Each of the SPAs have specific lead organizations that can refer you to volunteer opportunities. Step one is to figure out where geographically you'd like to help. Step two is to see the list below for organizations to contact. Reach out by phone or email, and tell them you want to volunteer. In some areas multiple organizations operate side-by-side. Some specialize in helping a particular group of homeless people, like children or families. Antelope Valley (SPA-1) San Fernando Valley (SPA-2) San Fernando Valley (SPA-2) San Gabriel Valley (SPA-3) Central Los Angeles (SPA-4) West Los Angeles (SPA-5) South Los Angeles (SPA-6) East Los Angeles (SPA-7) South Bay and Harbor City (SPA-8) A map of the eight "service planning areas" in Los Angeles County, and the lead homeless service organizations in each. (LAHSA) USE THE LOS ANGELES HOMELESS OUTREACH PORTAL If you are concerned about the health and safety of a specific person experiencing homelessness -- particularly if their physical or mental health is deteriorating -- you can send that information to outreach workers. The Los Angeles Homeless Outreach Portal (LA-HOP) lets members of the general public provide detailed information about where to look for the person, and what they may need. This information goes to workers dedicated to street outreach in the reported area. Their job is to build trust with people living on the street, and persuade them to accept help from public and private homeless service providers. GET INVOLVED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS The simplest way local governments can tackle homelessness is somewhat obvious: build more housing for homeless people. But initial efforts to do just that are raising thorny questions about what kinds of housing should be built where. Several public meetings on the subject turned chaotic as neighbors voiced concerns over housing formerly homeless people near their homes. In some cases, this leads to projects just getting cancelled outright, as happened to a proposed permanent supportive building in Fullerton and a proposal for temporary 'bridge' housing in Koreatown. Despite the explosive meetings, a poll by United Way found that 69 percent of L.A. County residents support housing for people experiencing homeless in their own neighborhoods. Public officials are skittish creatures, and their choice to embrace or dismiss a proposal for homeless housing basically comes down to whether or not they think it will hurt or help their chances at reelection. The greater number of people who express support for homeless housing in a particular area, the more likely local elected officials are to sign off on it. That basically comes down to figuring out who your local representatives are and telling them you support housing in your area. If you live in the City of Los Angeles, you can figure out who your local city council member is with this online tool. For other cities, this information can be found on the local city website, though it may require a little digging. Ultimately, what you're looking for is how to contact your city council representative. Helping people express support for homeless housing is also why United Way set up Everyone In LA. It's basically a campaign intended to help those who support building housing for homeless people in their neighborhood to get involved in their area's political process. That's done through live events, organizing, and lots of education about the plan for ending homelessness in Los Angeles County. TALK TO YOUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS The more you talk to people who are homeless in Los Angeles, the more you understand how homelessness is an economic condition that, left untreated, mushrooms into something much worse. The majority of homeless people in Los Angeles are long time Southern California residents who fell on hard times. You learn this by treating the people you see on the street with respect, and by talking to them. You can ask about what it's like to be homeless in Los Angeles, how long they've been homeless, or how they ended up homeless and sleeping in a tent beneath a billboard. When you're talking to someone about their experience on the street, you'll inevitably learn about what they individually need. Some people have tarps to protect their belongings from the rain, but others don't. Some people need blankets and socks, some people need hygiene supplies, and some people need food and water. But it's important to emphasize that you can only learn this by engaging with people, and getting to know them. Homeless advocates emphasize that it's generally not helpful to take piles of blankets or prepared food to encampments and just leave them. If someone asks for food or a blanket, then you know it will be used, and won't end up sitting on the curb for days or weeks. But, again, you only learn that by asking people individually what they need. As the pope says, give without worry. READ MORE: Your Homeless Neighbors Have Probably Lived In LA Longer Than You 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 This coming spring, voters will choose a new representative for the Los Angeles Unified School Board. Like the vast majority of registered voters in the area he or she will represent, seven of the 10 candidates running in the special election are Latino. In fact, the peculiar borders of LAUSD Board District 5, which snake through portions of both northeast and southeast L.A., were re-drawn to give a Latino a strong chance to win. But this year, some Latino candidates are concerned that the three most important -- and lucrative -- endorsements in LAUSD politics will end up going to white candidates. In recent years, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) and the Service Employees International Union Local 99 (SEIU) have doled out millions to boost candidates they support. Only one endorsement -- SEIU's -- has been formally announced so far; UTLA is set to decide Wednesday night which candidate to back in the March primary. Still, some Latino candidates fear being locked out of all three endorsements -- and the outside spending that comes with them. 'WE'RE GOING BACKWARDS' Concerns about a white candidate representing a largely Latino district are why I ended up at a Coco's in Highland Park last Friday night, sharing a slice of apple pie a la mode with a handful of rival LAUSD School Board candidates. The five Latino hopefuls invited me to a meeting they'd called to vent their frustrations about the endorsement process. It was an unusual, if not unprecedented, meeting. Around the table: Bell City Councilman Nestor Enrique Valencia, East L.A. College adjunct professor Ana Cubas, LAUSD principal Cynthia Gonzalez, political science professor Chamba Sanchez and county arts commissioner David Valdez. Eduardo Cisneros, who dropped out of the race earlier that day, also attended. To these candidates, the prospect that Latinos might be shut out of the three largest endorsements in the race for what some believe is a "Latino seat" ought to put L.A.'s progressive credentials in question. "This is 2018," said Cubas, who lost a close city council race five years ago. "November was a historic election. We had an unprecedented number of women of color, especially, being elected to office. But here in the city of L.A., it's like we're going backwards in time." A group of six current or former candidates for the L.A. Unified School Board's open seat in Board District 5 meet at Coco's Restaurant in Highland Park on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018: LAUSD principal Cynthia Gonzalez; NALEO organizer Eduardo Cisneros, who recently withdrew from the race; political science professor Chamba Sanchez; public affairs consultant Ana Cubas and Bell City Council member Nestor Enrique Valencia. (Photo submitted to KPCC/LAist by Lewis Myers) WHY THESE ENDORSEMENTS MATTER Campaign finance rules limit LAUSD board candidates from accepting contributions larger than $1,200. But independent political groups face no such limits -- on fundraising or on spending. For a candidate, the endorsements of either of these groups come with an implicit promise: We can't legally coordinate our spending with you, but we'll spend far more to support your campaign from the outside than you can raise on your own. In 2017, CCSA, UTLA and SEIU Local 99 shattered records for independent expenditures, doling out nearly $15 million to boost the school board candidates they endorsed -- and to attack their opponents. In addition, the charter association and the teachers union are often spending against each others' favored candidates. In 2017, CCSA's $9.7 million in spending on three different LAUSD races was more than double what UTLA spent. No candidate can beat that kind of spending on their own. WILL LATINO CANDIDATES BE SHUT OUT? While United Teachers Los Angeles' endorsement is not yet final, the teachers union's leadership is said to have recommended supporting Jackie Goldberg, a local political icon who was a teacher in Compton, an LAUSD board member, L.A. City Council member and state assemblywoman. (Goldberg's campaign, by the way, announced another endorsement Tuesday: civil rights legend Dolores Huerta.) Already, the third-largest spender -- SEIU, which represents some non-teaching LAUSD employees -- has endorsed Heather Repenning, a longtime aide to Mayor Eric Garcetti and former member of the L.A. Board of Public Works. (SEIU spokeswoman Blanca Gallegos noted the union's membership -- which is largely women of color -- votes on endorsements and felt Repenning was the best possible "coalition builder.") It's not clear who's in line for CCSA's lucrative endorsement. There's speculation that Allison Bajracharya, who recently left an administrative post at the Camino Nuevo network of charter schools, has the inside track. "At this time, an endorsement has not been made," said Brittney Chord Parmley, a spokesperson for the charter association's political arm, CCSA Advocates. If Repenning, Goldberg and Bajracharya win these endorsements outright, that means the three largest independent expenditure groups will have backed white candidates. But there's a wild card in the picture: Huntington Park City Councilwoman Graciela Ortiz. As a counselor at an LAUSD high school, Ortiz is a UTLA member -- and was once even active on the union's political committee. Ortiz also hasn't ruled out accepting charter school support, which may leave enough of an opening for CCSA. (Ortiz did not attend the candidate meeting at Coco's on Friday night due to a scheduling conflict, she said.) When I asked Ortiz whether she felt she was still in the running for either the CCSA or UTLA endorsement, her response was diplomatic. "It's really on them," she said. "It's their process. I can't control that." Another possibility: in the past, independent expenditure groups who couldn't settle on one candidate have made multiple endorsements in the primary. The candidates at Coco's weren't only frustrated about the undeclared endorsements that bring the promise of big spending. Several of them expressed frustration that a long list of trade unions announced their endorsements -- many of them for Repenning -- without holding an open endorsement process. SOURCES: 1992 map courtesy of L.A. City Archives; current map courtesy of LAUSD 'THIS ODDLY-SHAPED DUMBBELL OF A DISTRICT' The boundaries of LAUSD Board District 5 are deeply intertwined with race. The seat was redrawn to more-or-less its present boundaries in 2002 to ensure a majority of registered voters in the district would be Latino; those new lines encompass heavily Latino cities southeast of downtown L.A.: Huntington Park, Bell, Maywood, Cudahy and South Gate. Two-thirds of the students in BD5 attend schools in the southeast cities. But there's a rub: voter turnout in BD5 elections is low in the southeast -- and highest in the district's northern, racially mixed and gentrifying neighborhoods like Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Eagle Rock. Even though the map was re-drawn to be a so-called "Latino seat," some of the candidates at Friday's meeting said the boundaries leave candidates from less-white areas of the seat at a disadvantage. "Everyone I show this map to just drops their jaw," said candidate David Valdez. "It's a little shameful this district has been spread out in the way it has to weaken representation." Major endorsements in BD5 races -- from UTLA, CCSA and SEIU -- have gone to both Latinos and non-Latinos in recent years. So has the seat itself: in 1995 -- when BD5's boundaries snaked into the East Valley -- Eagle Rock resident David Tokofsky won his first of three terms in the seat. In 2007, Yolie Flores Aguilar took the seat. Four years later, Bennett Kayser replaced her. Ref Rodriguez ousted Kayser in 2015. But as candidate Nestor Enrique Valencia pointed out, "All of those people lived in the northeast or moved into the northeast. To garner the support you need to win in this oddly shaped dumbbell of a district -- to get that northeast support is big." "If you live in the Southeast," added Valencia, who's from Bell, "just forget about it." THE CHARTER SCHOOL SUBTEXT There's another layer of political tension in BD5: the debate over charter schools, which are publicly funded but operate independently from school districts. The frustrated Latino candidates at Coco's were ideologically diverse on this issue. A few of the candidates sitting around the table said they'd be open to the California Charter Schools Association's support. Others, not so much. Decrying what she called the association's "divisive" agenda, Gonzalez bowed out of the CCSA endorsement process. Sanchez, who had joked at a recent candidate forum that it was unlikely charter school groups would back a former union organizer, said he didn't want pro-charters groups' support anyway. Then there's LAUSD teacher Erika Alvarez, who recently withdrew from the race; she skipped the Friday night coven at Coco's because she felt the meeting's purpose was to pressure CCSA to endorse one of them. Alvarez, a teacher at an LAUSD high school in South Gate, said Latino representation is important, in part, because seeing Latino elected officials sends a vital message to young children of color: "You can't be what you can't see." But in this race, Alvarez thinks opposing charter schools is more important. Charter schools, she believes (and she's not alone here), suck enrollment and funding away from other LAUSD schools, which serves a majority Latino student body. She wondered why Latino candidates would scramble to accept the endorsement of the charter association. "You can't accept that," Alvarez said, "and not be introspective enough and say, 'Hey, how are these charter schools affecting these areas? What will happen to public schooling as a result? Are they overwhelmingly hurting children of color?'" Alvarez said she will run again for the seat in 2020. But for now, she's backing the candidate expected to receive UTLA's endorsement, Jackie Goldberg. UPDATE, Dec. 28: Two weeks after this story was originally published, CCSA Advocates issued a statement announcing they would not endorse an LAUSD board candidate during the March primary. "Community voices in this District have been under-represented in past elections as demonstrated by low voter turnout," wrote the group's spokeswoman, Brittney Chord Parmley. She later added, "This election is an opportunity for the entire community to engage in a dialogue about what it will take to provide an outstanding public education to all Los Angeles students." CORRECTION: This story originally described Ana Cubas as a public affairs consultant. She says a more accurate description of her occupation is as an adjunct professor at East L.A. College and a non-profit executive. 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. COMMUNITY EVENT: Reimagining L.A. Unified Town Hall for Board District 1 on December 11 LOS ANGELES -Moderated by Brotherhood Crusades George Weaver, the Reimagining L.A. Unified Town Hall for Board District 1 will feature a conversation with Deputy Superintendent Ekchian around the feedback collected for the Reimagining L.A. Unified effort, and the frame for the Superintendents plan. L.A. Unified is launching this equity-based effort to reimagine the District by empowering school communities and moving resources closer to schools. You and the young people you serve are invited to attend this event, the details of which are provided below. Reimagining L.A. Unified: A Conversation with Deputy Superintendent Vivian Ekchian December 11, 2018 from 5:30PM-7:30PM Crenshaw High School Library Meeting Objectives: ADVERTISEMENT Inform school communities about the vision to Reimagine L.A. Unified. Share feedback received from thousands of L.A. Unified community members around how L.A. Unified should be Reimagined. Engage communities in a dialogue around the frame for the Reimagining plan. AGENDA I. Welcome & Review of Agenda George Weaver, Brotherhood Crusade 5:30 PM-5:45 PM II. Plan to Reimagine L.A. Unified Vivian Ekchian, Deputy Superintendent 5:45 PM-6:05 PM ADVERTISEMENT III. Conversation with Deputy Superintendent Vivian Ekchian George Weaver, Brotherhood Crusade Vivian Ekchian, Deputy Superintendent 6:05 PM-7:15 PM IV. Closing Reflection George Weaver, Brotherhood Crusade Vivian Ekchian, Deputy Superintendent 7:15 PM-7:30 PM Tuesday, December 11, 2018 A suspension of one year and until further court order has been imposed by the New York Appellate Division for the First Judicial Department The first charge related to a decision and order entered February 11, 2010, in which the Hon. Shirley Kornreich sanctioned respondent $28,600 in attorneys' fees for frivolous litigation conduct as a pro se plaintiff in an action entitled Steinberg v Queens Import Motors, et al. (Supreme Court, New York County), and directed him to pay an additional $5,000 to the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection for what the court characterized as "egregious" conduct. When an automobile at issue in that underlying litigation was sold at a sheriff's auction to satisfy the judgment for legal fees, respondent unsuccessfully challenged the sale as a fraudulent conveyance. Unrelated charges The two remaining charges pertained to a four-page ex parte email respondent sent to the Hon. Gerald Lebovits in an action entitled Washington v Manhattan Automobile Repair, et al. (New York City Civil Court, New York County). Respondent represented the defendants in that action pro bono, and wrote the email in response to Justice Lebovits's order and decision imposing contempt fines against respondent's client for failing to abide by a court order directing the defendant to return the plaintiff's vehicle to him. In the four-page long email (which he also mailed to Justice Lebovits's chambers), respondent stated, inter alia, "[y]ou were irritated at the hearing because you thought you could short-circuit most argument in this case without examination of any of the underlying facts by simply ordering a car returned to its apparent owner. I had frustrated that intention by saying that the Plaintiff had been lying to the court and abusing process for so long (in an attempt to rehear the trial of this case) that the only person who knew the answer to your question of where it was, is lying in bed dying of cancer. With the greatest of respect, while you were entitled to be irritated at not having an answer to your question and not being able to dispose of the case easily, you had no jurisdiction to dispose of the case in a way contrary to the interests of one litigant where you had prevented the litigant from putting forth his case through counsel. Especially after explicitly threatening the party's counsel with prison in an order summarily punishing a contempt' you said was committed in the presence of the court'. Where the only ill was an inability to answer a question you had concerning how the Court could ensure that the Plaintiff's original swindle succeeded. * * * "That you did not find this inexcusable is an egregious failure for a duly appointed New York judge, - though your failure to do this may arise as a result of intentionally blinding yourself to the mass of evidence in this case so that you could find a (serial litigator of abuse of process actions) Plaintiff a credible witness. * * * "Indeed, my affidavit in this very motion, which clearly you had not thought to read demonstrated that the Plaintiff remains in denial about his fraud being uncovered. * * * "Even in circumstances where you were intentionally blinding yourself to the facts because of your irritation at my client having terminal cancer, it can never be appropriate to prevent counsel putting forth his client's case in the best manner possible, so that those facts do not come to your attention. Especially where you cannot easily write a judgment on the contempt being alleged because the Plaintiff has brought a contempt motion asking for damages for indecipherable reasons' and did not know whether he was claiming damages (in response to your direct question) until it suited him to do so and still does not seem to know what his damages are or where the contempt is. "I would respectfully suggest that these are not circumstances where based on that, you should write a judgment pretending that I have made allegations solely to discredit me! Such as the allegation that I had said that the Appellate Term was mistaken in not granting a stay. * * * "I would respectfully suggest that the only proper course should be for you to recuse yourself voluntarily and over the handling of the contempt hearing to another judge. I say that a hearing which has not allowed proper input by both parties because the judge has overstepped the mark' and threatened one side's counsel out of acting is not a properly conducted hearing; and any judge who has knowingly presided over such an improper hearing should consider no alternative course but to withdraw his judgment immediately." Respondent did not file an answer specifically addressing the charges. Rather, he filed a motion to, among other things, transfer the matter to the Third Department. This Court denied the motion, granted the Committee's petition to the extent of deeming the charges admitted on default, and appointed a referee to conduct a hearing as to sanction only. The AGC had sought a two-year suspension. He must satisfy the sanctions order to secure reinstatement. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/12/a-suspension-of-one-year-and-until-further-court-order-has-been-imposed-by-the-new-york-appellate-division-for-the-first-judi.html The stock market rose for the second straight day Wednesday, with investor sentiments lifted by good news on the China-US trade talks. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 37.16 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,488.24 on a value turnover of P11.9 billion. Gainers beat losers, 98 to 85, with 44 issues unchanged. First Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group climbed 3.8 percent to P19.30, while SM Investments Corp. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. advanced 2.7 percent to P945. GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the late tycoon George Ty rose 1.6 percent to P940, but ISM Communications Corp., a member of the group declared by the government as the countrys third major telecommunications firm, sank 8 percent to P5.72. The rest of Asian markets rallied Wednesday, while the pound extended losses as it emerged that Prime Minister Theresa May will face a no-confidence vote. A flurry of positive developments in the tariffs stand-off between the worlds top economies provided some early Christmas cheer on trading floors, fueling hopes they can avert an all-out trade war. Canada on Tuesday released on bail Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, whose arrest last week sparked fury in Beijing and worries about a truce agreed at the G20 by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping this month. Providing some extra support to the news of Mengs release was an interview in which Trump said he could intervene in the case if it helps seal a trade pact with China, adding: Whatevers good for this country, I would do. China added to market-friendly noise by saying it had agreed to cut tariffs on US autos to 15 percent from 40 percentwiping out a levy imposed earlier this year in response to US measures.Investors welcomed the headlinesdespite news China had detained a former Canadian diplomat who served in Beijingfuelling a surge in regional markets. Tokyo ended 2.2 percent higher and Shanghai finished up 0.3 percent, while Hong Kong jumped 1.6 percent. Sydney and Seoul each jumped 1.4 percent, while Taipei climbed 1.1 percent, Wellington put on 0.8 percent and Mumbai gained one percent. Last week, events seemed to conspire to throw the truce into disarray, but the underlying incentives of both sides at the moment are to try to maintain that truce, said Freya Beamish, chief Asia economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told Bloomberg News. Now we are seeing the possibility that China will come through with reductions of tariffs on US autos, and thats another good, concrete step. Car firms across Asia tracked gains in their US counterparts as the China tariffs news lifted optimism in the auto market, with Hyundai 5.3 percent higher in Seoul while in Tokyo Toyota was up more than two percent and Mitsubishi added almost three percent. And energy firms were also well up after data showed a massive drop in US stockpiles, indicating a pick-up in demand to offset worries about a global supply glut that has hurt prices. Both main crude contracts were more than one percent higher. The art of building small wooden boats is being used to help young, at-risk adults in the United States. These young men and women are being trained and working as apprentices in a boat building program in Alexandria, Virginia. The Alexandria Seaport Foundation is providing support for the program, which serves the Washington, D.C. area. It aims to help those who have little hope of attending college or finding a good-paying job. The goal is to give young people the skills, state of mind and self-control to change their lives for the better. The year-round program teaches small groups of people how to build small wooden sailboats and canoes. The apprentices are from 18 to 22 years old. One apprentice is 19-year-old Chris Adkins from Florida. He is learning what it takes to build boats that are beautiful and useful, with hammers, saws and other tools. "It's been fun to learn how to use these tools," he said. Jimmy Gottfried is the head of the boat-building program. He once served as a boat-building apprentice. "Many of the apprentices in our program have faced many challenges in their life, such as lack of family support, dropping out of school, having run-ins with the law. And they're looking for a way to gain back the confidence they need to go back out into the workforce." The apprentices are guided by volunteers who teach them how to build the boats, as well as guide the young people in their personal lives. Some of the apprentices have yet to finish high school. The Alexandria Seaport Foundation works to help them prepare for and pass a series of tests called the GED. Passing the GED is comparable to having completed high school. Apprentices who struggle with mathematics receive help from a volunteer teacher. Adkins says he was a good student in high school. But he had to leave school to work because of family issues. "My mom died when I was 8-years-old, so thats always something thats on me. One reason that I came to the program was because they want to help you. I'm not used to someone wanting to help me, or enthusiastic about it..." Jay Helinski completed the program about one year ago. He speaks of his own experiences as a model for the group. "And they know that I'm living proof of what hard work, dedication, and just the willpower to succeed gets you to." Adkins is now more than halfway through his apprenticeship. He says he feels better about himself. He has passed his high school equivalency and hopes to go to college one day. Im Jonathan Evans. Deborah Block reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story apprentice n. a person who learns a job or skill by working for a fixed period of time for someone who is very good at that job or skill confidence n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something run-in n. an angry argument enthusiastic adj. feeling or showing strong excitement about something; filled with or marked by enthusiasm dedication n. self-sacrifice challenge n. a difficult test or problem A new study of American teachers suggests that there is a major shortage of computer science training in U.S. schools. The study, released last week, was a joint effort between American technology company Microsoft and the international research company YouGov. The study asked more than 500 K-12 educators across the U.S. a series of questions about classroom training for computer science and coding skills. The study found that 88 percent of teachers agreed that computer science is very important to a persons future success in the workplace. Microsoft noted a U.S. government prediction that by 2020, there will be 1.4 million computer science-related jobs available. However, U.S. college graduates are expected to take less than 33 percent of those jobs. The company also estimated that 10 years from now, 77 percent of jobs in the U.S. workforce will require technology-related skills. Microsoft says that currently, only about 40 percent of U.S. schools offer computer science classes that include computer programming. The company said that a shortage of teachers with the necessary skills is also a major concern. In the study, 30 percent of teachers said they felt underqualified in their ability to help prepare students for a future in computer science or coding. Another 20 percent said they felt overwhelmed with that responsibility. In addition, 25 percent of the teachers said computer science was not a subject their students are currently tested on. And about 20 percent said the subject was not taught in their classrooms at all. The most common reason given by teachers for the low level of computer science training is a lack of government money to pay for such programs. About 30 percent blamed a lack of funding for why schools are not providing more technology-related learning. Mark Sparvell is head of education marketing for Microsoft. He said the studys results show that teachers believe computer science education is in high demand in the classroom. Teachers see it as a priority, parents see it as a priority from previous research, Sparvell said. And yet, its in low supply. The study found that 83 percent of teachers believe computer coding can build a students overall creativity. In addition, 80 percent of educators said they believe large technology companies like Microsoft, Google and Apple should be helping schools teach students computer science skills. About 75 percent of the teachers said they were concerned that the government is not doing enough to help teachers to build these skills. Microsoft said it has expanded its cooperation with school systems in recent years to help improve computer science education. One of its programs is called TEALS, or Technology Education and Literacy in Schools. This program places trained computer science professionals in high school classrooms in the U.S. and Canada. The goal is to train teachers in computer science-related subjects. Microsoft announced last week it was providing $10 million to increase computer coding in schools. That money will go to an organization called Code.org. The not-for-profit group based in Seattle, Washington, supports expanding computer science learning in U.S. schools. The group says it especially seeks to increase interest in computer science and coding among females, minority groups and poor students. The Microsoft study followed a recent announcement by Amazon. The big, online seller said that it was launching a new effort aimed at teaching more than 10 million students a year how to code. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press, Microsoft and Amazon. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz - Microsoft: US Schools Short on Computer Science Training Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story K-12 adj. relating to primary and secondary education. The U.S., Canada and other countries use the term to describe publicly supported school grades before the start of college code v. to change information into a set of letters, numbers or symbols that can be read by a computer underqualified adj. not having the necessary skills, qualities of experience to do something overwhelmed adj. completely overcome of overpowered by thoughts or feelings funding n. money provided for something priority n. something considered very important that should be dealt with before other things professional n. a person who does a job that requires special training or education Police in California say they were able to stop a Tesla vehicle that was speeding with the driver sleeping inside. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported the Teslas Autopilot driver assistance system might have made it possible for officers to stop the vehicle. The incident was described in a police report. It happened early in the morning on November 30. The report said the CHP officers observed the Tesla Model S traveling at speeds up to 113 kilometers an hour on a road near San Francisco. The car was violating the speed limit for vehicles in the area. When officers drove up next to the vehicle and looked inside, they saw that the driver appeared to be asleep in the drivers seat. The report said the officers then drove behind the Tesla and turned on their cars warning lights and siren in an attempt to get the driver to stop. But they said the driver did not wake up. The officers knew that Tesla vehicles are equipped with a driver assistance system and thought the driver might have been using it at the time. There are different levels of driver assistance systems. The technology is generally designed to electronically help drivers stay in a lane and keep a safe distance from other vehicles. The systems can also slow or stop a vehicle to avoid an accident or in case of an emergency. The police report said the officers got an idea for how they might be able to stop the vehicle as the driver slept inside. They decided to move the police car directly in front of the speeding Tesla and gradually slow their car down. The officers said that as the police vehicle slowed, the speeding vehicle also reduced its speed. Eventually, the Tesla came to a complete stop, the report said. Officers were then able to wake the driver and they took him to a service station nearby. Police also drove away the Tesla. Its driver, a 45-year-old male, was given a test by officers to see whether he was driving while under the influence of alcohol. He failed the test, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, and sent to jail. The report said the CHP could not confirm whether the Teslas driver assistance system was activated at the time of the incident. But it noted that considering the vehicles ability to slow and stop when the driver was asleep, it appears the driver assistance feature may have been active at the time. The report followed several highly publicized crashes involving Tesla vehicles equipped with driving assistance tools. Tesla says that owners of its vehicles are told that none of its driver assistance tools are meant to fully drive the car by itself. One of the tools, Teslas Autopilot system, is designed to permit full self-driving capabilities. But the company says when using this tool, drivers should still keep their hands on the steering wheel and be ready to take control if the system fails to work. Telsa chief Elon Musk reacted to the incident in a message on Twitter. He said the company was investigating to see what happened. He added that if Autopilot was being used at the time, the system was supposed to gradually slow and stop the vehicle if theres no driver input. A recent study found that driver assistance systems can fail to perform some actions in real-world test situations. The American Automobile Association, known as AAA, tested several vehicles equipped with the technology. It found that test vehicles repeatedly struggled on busy roads when dealing with common traffic situations. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on a report from the Associated Press and online sources. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story siren n.piece of equipment that makes a loud sound as a warning lane n.part of road that is marked by painted lines and used as a single line of vehicles alcohol n.a colorless liquid that acts like a drug when taken feature n.an interesting or important part, quality, ability, etc. steering n.the controlling of a vehicle in one direction or another gradually adv. happening slowly over a period of time eventually - adj. at some later time : in the end The United States is adding Pakistan to its list of nations that have taken part in or permitted systemic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Tuesday that he added Pakistan to the U.S. list of countries of particular concern. The State Department is required by U.S. law to rate religious freedom by country every year. Human rights defenders have long voiced concern about Pakistans treatment of religious minorities, including Shiites, Ahmadis and Christians. The country had earlier been on a U.S. special watch list for religious freedom. The action Tuesday means that Pakistan could become a target of U.S. sanctions. However, such measures have generally been ignored in the past. China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar and North Korea all appear on the new list of countries of particular concern. Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are also named. All of the countries were also named on the list last year. Uzbekistan had formerly been named a country of particular concern, but Pompeo moved it to the special watch list this year. The watch list now also includes the Comoros Islands and Russia. Pompeo also named several Islamic militant groups as entities of particular concern as they do not meet the definition of countries. The groups are the al-Nusra front in Syria, Somalias al-Shabab, Boko Haram in West Africa, Yemens Houthi rebels, the Islamic State, the Taliban and al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. 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. The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression. I'm Anna Matteo. The Associated Press reported this story. Hai Do adapted the report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story egregious - adj. very bad and easily noted particular - adj. used to indicate something specific entity - n. something that exists by itself harassment - n. act of constantly and repeatedly bothering someone spectator - n. a person who watches an activity Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which is into power generation and distribution, banking, food and infrastructure, announced key appointments that will take effect in 2020. AEV said the board approved the retirement of president and chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz by January 1, 2020, but he will continue as director of AEV. Sabin Aboitiz will replace him as president and CEO. Enrique Aboitiz was appointed as chairman of the board from his previous post as vice chairman, while Mikel Aboitiz was named vice chairman from his previous post as director effective December 11. AEV also appointed Ana Maria Delgado as director effective December 11. Delgado was named director to serve the unexpired term of Jon Ramon Aboitiz, who passed away recently. Delgado holds the position of senior vice president, center head of consumer finance and chief customer experience officer of Union Bank of the Philippines. The board, meanwhile, approved the transfer of Horacio Elicano to the companys Gold Coin Group, and the cessation of his function as the companys data privacy officer effective February 1, 2019. The board also appointed Ricardo Lacson Jr. as the companys data privacy officer effective February 1, 2019.Lacson was appointed vice president for strategy of AEV in June 2014. Prior to joining AEV, he was the vice president for administration and customer services at the Visayan Electric Co. from August 2009 to May 2014. AEV posted a net income of P17.3 billion in the first nine months, up nine percent from from P15.9 billion year-on-year. Its core net income stood at P17.7 billion, up four percent from P17.1 billion a year ago. AEV attributed the higher income to the companys power, food and land strategic business units. Power accounted for 72 percent of the income contributions from AEVs SBUs, followed by banking and financial services, food, land and infrastructure at 17 percent, eight percent, two percent, and one percent, respectively. AEV is the public holding company of the Aboitiz Group with major investments in power, banking and financial services, food, infrastructure and land. Several members of the Council for Economic Development (CED) proposed that Macau import non-local dealers based on a maximum percentage of the total. The proposal came out during the CED plenary meeting yesterday. The head of CEDs Human Resources Policies Research section, Vong Kok Seng, reported the aforementioned information after the meeting. According to Vong, the proposal was made in consideration of solving human resource issues. According to the proposal, non-local croupiers can be laid off first if the gaming industry requires a reduction in employees, he mentioned. However, government representatives, including Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong, did not comment on the proposal. U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm says its 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 Peoples Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones. Its 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. Qualcomms general counsel, Don Rosenberg, said in a statement Monday that if Apple doesnt heed the orders, it will seek enforcement of them through tribunals that are part of the Chinese court system. Although its name isnt widely known outside the technology industry, San Diego-based Qualcomm is one of the worlds 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. Qualcomms 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. AP Mohammed Amer Shaaban stood over trays of fresh fish at his tiny store in the coastal Sinai Peninsula city of el-Arish, pointing to his right and left while recalling the tough days when Islamic State militants operated with impunity. They killed a Christian who owns a knife shop there and an informant over there. They also killed one of my cousins, he said. We have enjoyed some stability and peace for the past six or seven months, added the 48-year-old father of five as some two dozen journalists descended on el-Arishs fish market as part of a rare, army-organized trip. The trip was chiefly designed to show off signs of normalcy in el-Arish, northern Sinais largest city, as evidence that the militarys all-out offensive against militants launched nearly 10 months ago has succeeded. But in the city and the surrounding deserts, the signs of war are difficult to miss, particularly the enormous security presence. The Associated Press was required to submit the photos and video accompanying this story to Egypts military censor, which did not say two weeks after submission if or when the material would be released. The carefully scripted trip included visits to an indoor arena packed with thousands of screaming schoolchildren, a new housing project, a school and a factory. No one is claiming the militants have been defeated, but there have been no major attacks for several months, save a recent ambush of buses carrying Christian pilgrims to a remote desert monastery south of Cairo that left seven dead. The fight against militants in Sinai has gone on for years, but the insurgency gathered steam after the 2013 ouster by the military of a freely elected but divisive president, the Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Authorities have since shut down almost all underground tunnels that they suspected militants used to smuggle fighters and weapons into Sinai from neighboring Gaza, ruled by the Islamist Hamas group since 2007. They also razed to the ground much of the town of Rafah on the Gaza border in a bid to deny the militants a safe haven and stop its use as cover for tunnels. Elsewhere in northern Sinai, olive orchards have been bulldozed to deny the militants sanctuary. A brutal militant attack on a Sinai mosque that killed more than 300 worshippers a year ago the deadliest such attack in Egypt in living memory prompted general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to order a major offensive. The operation, with thousands of troops backed by tanks, jet-fighters and warships, got underway in February. Security forces almost completely sealed off northern Sinai, causing shortages of food and fuel. The siege was eased in May, allowing normalcy to gradually return to the mostly desert region, especially in el-Arish. Barely a year ago, militants in el-Arish killed suspected informants in broad daylight, set up bogus checkpoints, shot Christians in their stores, snatched clerics and members of the security forces to later dump their bodies on the streets. Now traffic is heavy, families are out in public, stores are filled with goods, and school classes are packed with children. The military is eager to tout the changes. Terrorism will be completely defeated in a matter of a few months, announced Mohammed Abdel-Fadeel Shoushah, a retired general who serves as the governor of northern Sinai. Now we are focusing on development, which is the basis of security. For now, though, el-Arish shows enduring signs of conflict. A Pharaonic-style building across the road from the governors heavily guarded office has almost every one of its windows shattered. Some streets are blocked by sand berms, while others are sealed off by concrete blocks. Unfinished buildings are everywhere in the city, parts of which look deserted. Many of the date palms in the city look like they have received little care for years. Authorities are building a wall around the citys airport after militants last December rocketed a helicopter used by the then defense and interior ministers while parked on the tarmac. The ministers were unharmed, but one officer was killed in the attack. Another wall with heavily fortified watch towers is being built on the southern reaches of the city to prevent militants from infiltrating through dense olive orchards. The pervasive security, and the great lengths to which the military went to protect the journalists, suggest danger may not be far away. The reporters traveled in armored cars with gunners in full combat gear perched atop, and a signal-jamming vehicle tagged along as a precaution against roadside bombs. The top officials in the convoy were protected by heavily armed policemen in black fatigues and ski masks. In late October, militants twice attacked workers employed by the company building the wall just south of el- Arish, killing at least six and wounding 16. Earlier in November, security forces killed 12 militants hiding in unused buildings in el-Arish. Stay put in the vehicle and dont come out and wander around, an armed plainclothes police officer sternly warned reporters during one stop. It is not as safe as you might think, he said, pointing to the expanse of desert on one side of the road. The magnitude of the counterterrorism task becomes apparent during the nearly 200-kilometer journey through the desert from the east bank of the Suez Canal to el-Arish. All along the road are military positions. At some, tanks are buried in the sand for protection with only their turrets showing. Soldiers on watch towers in the middle of nowhere cut forlorn figures against a backdrop of desert. The checkpoints create long lines of vehicles. Helicopters occasionally hover above. El-Arish resident Hassan Mahdi, a lawyer who came to Sinai from a Nile Delta province as a young boy nearly 30 years ago, said the restored security is a welcome change. To be honest, life was very, very difficult here, he said. Businesses were relocating out of Sinai in search of security and many things were in short supply. Not anymore. Hamza Hendawi, el Arish, AP Top European Union officials yesterday ruled out any renegotiation of the divorce agreement with Britain as Prime Minister Theresa May launched her fight to save her Brexit deal by lobbying leaders in Europes capitals. May began her quest over breakfast with Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte, a day after she abandoned a vote in the U.K. Parliament to secure support for the agreement thrashed out with the EU over more than a year, sensing that it would be rejected in London by a significant margin. While May made no public comment as she met Rutte in The Hague, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned that the Brexit agreement cannot be re-opened for negotiation at a summit of EU leaders tomorrow, but he did say that elements of the deal could still be clarified. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, Juncker told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France, as he briefed them on the summit. Juncker, who is set to meet May on Tuesday evening, underlined that the deal we have achieved is the best deal possible. It is the only deal possible. But he added that if used intelligently, [there] is room enough to give further clarification and further interpretations without opening the withdrawal agreement. EU leaders have often supplemented agreements with political declarations that clarify their interpretation of elements of an accord or provide assurances about how parts of any deal might work. In Brussels, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen also said that EU countries might be willing to clarify parts of the deal. It is always a political option to clarify if that is needed, what is meant, what kind of underlining is needed, Samuelsen told reporters. One of the main sticking points since the Brexit talks began has been how to keep goods flowing between Northern Ireland in the U.K. and EU member country Ireland, and May is sure to seek flexibility on this from her European partners. But Juncker said that the so-called backstop an insurance arrangement to ensure that no hard border appears after Brexit on March 29 must remain, even though it was never meant to be used. 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, he said, and underlined that Ireland will never be left alone. The European Parliaments Brexit point man, Guy Verhofstadt, noted that with the canceled vote in London we have spiraled again into a new mess, and he supported Junckers message. Whatever the request may be we will never let down our Irish friends. It is out of the question to renegotiate the backstop, Verhofstadt said. If the Brexit agreement is accepted by the U.K. Parliament, it must still be endorsed by the European Parliament before March 29. May is traveling to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and to Brussels for meetings with Juncker and EU Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair tomorrows summit. A senior German official said May wont get any pledge of new negotiations while in Berlin. And he stressed that the chief negotiators were in Brussels, not the German capital. Mike Corder and Lorne Cook, The Hague, AP The citys six gaming operators have hired a consultant company to study the possibility of merging casino shuttle buses. According to Wilfred Wong, executive director and president of Sands China Ltd., joint casino shuttle bus operations in Taipa are working well. However, according to Wong it is difficult for the shuttle buses to merge on the Macau Peninsula side, as the results would not be great because all the casinos in Macau have different routes, and the local streets are heavily occupied. CE to visit Jiangsu province today Chief Executive Chui Sai On will lead a government delegation to Jiangsu province today, to review the progress of development plans for the Jiangsu-Macau Cooperation Park. During his two-day visit, Chui is expected to meet leading officials in Jiangsu to discuss further cooperation initiatives between the two places, and to exchange views on the overall planning and construction of the park. The government delegation will visit Changzhou prefecture, Jiangsu, with the aim of selecting a site for the construction of the Jiangsu-Macao Cooperation Park. During Chuis absence, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, will be the Acting Chief Executive. Lawmaker Mak Soi Kun has asked the relevant authorities to explain how the government is ensuring Macaus food safety, in particular for imported foods. Recently, media reports said that Chinese scientists have announced that the worlds first gene-edited baby was born in mainland China, and it is a twin baby girl whose genetics have been modified to have natural resistance to AIDS. The occurrence of [the] gene-edited baby has caused heated talks on genes within the scientific community and the society, the lawmaker wrote in his inquiry to the government. Macau is a place which imports diverse kinds of food. Even though the government claims that the producers have [an] obligation to recall food that is transgenic [], what kind of inspection technology and what kind of standards is the government using to identify whether or not currently imported transgenic food poses an impact on residents? Mak asked. The governments reply [to my previous inquiry] declared that in regards to whether there is a need to attach transgenic food information on the food products ingredients display, the government will continue to be in close contact with relevant technological departments. It means that, currently, in Macau, imported food does not even have any labels about transgenic food products, he added. How can the government help the public to have peace of mind and rest assured when buying food? Mak asked. Some residents deem gene a terrific word, but ordinary residents do not know about genes. In the absence of transgenic labels, it is inevitable that residents will worry about their health when they [do not know more about the food], said the lawmaker. Residents even worry that genetic variations might occur. However, other countries and regions, such as U.S. and Germany, regulate and label transgenic foods. The investigation into the fatal crash of a Boeing jet from Asias second-largest budget airline has turned the spotlight on the ballooning growth of low-cost carriers in the region and the training, staff and facilities needed to support them. Rising wealth is adding a million new Asian fliers a year, spurring entrepreneurs, full-service airlines and regional governments to try their hand in an industry notorious for price wars and outside forces that have doomed dozens of ventures. Vietnams Bamboo Airways is the latest to join the market with its first flight due this month, feeding holidaymakers to the resorts of owner and property billionaire Trinh Van Quyet. AirAsia Group will follow with a joint venture in the same country in August. Japan Airlines Ltd. aims to get a medium- and long-haul budget unit up and running by 2020, while in South Korea, at least four new aspirants have applied for permits. New, longer-range and fuel- efficient planes are encouraging more routes. But the loss of Lion Air Flight 610 last month in Indonesia, and a preliminary accident report that criticized the carriers safety and maintenance regimes without identifying the cause of the crash, has highlighted some of the factors that make the commercial operation of no-frills airlines so precarious. Potential growth in Asia is huge. LCCs accounted for close to 55 percent of all seats within Southeast Asia so far this year and more than 60 percent in South Asia. Yet some of the biggest markets in the region are just getting going. China got its first no-frills airline Spring Airlines Co. in 2005, and Japan and South Korea are also now embracing the trend. Here are five key factors Asias low-cost carriers must navigate to succeed in luring Asias growing army of fliers: 1. Money With the list price of a new 737 MAX starting at around USD100 million, strong financing and deep pockets are a must for setting up an airline. Most budget carriers are either backed by the fortune of an existing business, such as Trinhs property empire, or are affiliates of a full-service carrier, like Singapore Airlines Ltd.s Scoot. But buying or leasing planes is only the start. Budget carriers compete by meticulous attention to trimming costs, using computer algorithms to maximize the number of passengers and seat revenue while dispensing with all but the most basic free amenities. Get the calculation wrong and an LCCs slender margins can rapidly vanish. 2. Fuel The biggest cost of all is fuel and low cost carriers have been suffering. For the airline industry as a whole, fuel will probably account for about 24 percent of costs this year, according to IATA, but for budget airlines the proportion is often much higher. Airlines have had some respite recently as the price of benchmark Brent crude oil tumbled 25 percent in the past two months, bringing the level back to where it was a year ago. That may not be enough to prevent more players from failing after two European operators went to the wall this summer. For carriers pursuing the expanding business of long-haul budget flights, the fuel equation is even more critical. On long haul there are fewer possibilities for LCCs to reduce costs said Joanna Lu, head of Consultancy Asia for FlightGlobal. Passengers expect a bit more in terms of comfort on longer flights and the full-service carriers benefit from having high-yielding premium traffic to achieve profitability and, crucially, to offer competitive fares in economy class. One entrant into the transcontinental budget arena, Norwegian Air, will end its London-Singapore service next month, starting instead a route from the U.K. capital to Brazils Rio de Janeiro. 3. Staff More airlines means more demand for pilots and cabin crew, but there is already a global shortage of trained pilots and the boom in demand in Asia is making the situation worse. Even with an increase in the number of schools training pilots in countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, it takes years for a student to qualify as a co-pilot on a commercial airliner and years more before they have enough experience to take command. Demand for new pilots worldwide is expected to be over 630,000 by 2036, with the Asia-Pacific region alone requiring more than a quarter of a million, according to Boeing Co. 4. Airports A key constraint on Asias aviation growth is the availability of airport facilities, not just landing slots, but quality maintenance, security and air traffic control. China has been adding new civil airports at the rate of about 10 a year for the past decade, according to the nations Civil Aviation Authority, and most major hubs in the region have either been rebuilt or have added terminals to cope with a surge in traffic. Yet most are barely keeping up with demand. Worse still, many airports in the region, especially those in second-tier cities often favored by budget carriers, dont have the body and luggage scanners, maintenance facilities or modern air traffic control systems that meet the security and safety requirements for large-scale traffic. The biggest challenge that LCCs face in Asia is the lack of suitable airports, said Jeffrey Lowe, managing director of Hong Kong-based Asian Sky Group. In Asia these small to medium size airports dont exist yet so you are stuck using the existing big, expensive international gateway airports, which are already at capacity in most cases. 5. Governments One area where Asian airlines face bigger hurdles than their European counterparts is in the regions fragmented regulations and restrictions. The European Unions open skies policies allow carriers more freedom to locate, merge and fly throughout the bloc, while in most of Asia, national interests and subsidized government-owned flag carriers make for a less even playing field. In India, where low-cost Indigo has almost half the total market share and budget carriers compete fiercely for the growing ranks of Indians who are taking to the skies, crippling taxes, government restrictions and devastating price wars have taken their toll. Since 2007, at least a dozen airlines have vanished or merged, including low cost carriers such as Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. and Sahara Airlines Ltd. A continual push by the Association of Southeast Asian nations to open the regions skies, together with a cornucopia of holiday destinations, has made the group of 10 countries a hot-bed for budget airlines. Since Malaysia-based AirAsia Group was turned into a low-cost carrier in 2002, it has become Asias biggest by passengers flown and Southeast Asia now has more than 10 major no-frills airlines, taking about half of the market share. Southeast Asian LCCs have a staggering 1,400 aircraft on order, compared with fewer than 400 for full-service carriers, according to CAPA. In South Asia the budget order book is more than 700 aircraft. Kyunghee Park, Jill Ward, Bloomberg Cemex Holdings Philippines said it will no longer push the plan to close down its cement plant in Davao and temporarily lay off workers. Cemex Philippines said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Apo Cement Corp., its main operating subsidiary in Cebu, resumed operations of the two kilns. The cement firm said it would also cancel the planned closure of its cement plant in Davao and the implementation of the temporary lay-off of regular and contractual employees. The company said it made the decision to resume the Davao cement plant operations as it continued to cooperate with Apo Land & Quarry Corp., which is the companys principal raw material provider, and the national and local authorities to address the situation in Naga City, Cebu. Cemex Philippines announced plans on Nov. 21 to shut one of its two kilns in Cebu and close down Davao cement plant after Apo Land was ordered to stop operations by the local government of Naga City following the landslide that occurred on the site in September. Cemex Holdings said with Apo Cement not being able to source its raw materials from Apo Land, the company incurred considerable costs from sourcing raw materials from different regions in the country. The cement firm said it planned to temporarily lay-off 30 percent of its regular employees and 38 percent of its contractual workers.The Davao terminal holds and dispatches 25,000 bags of cement on a daily basis. Cemex Philippines earlier reported a consolidated net loss of P70 million in the third quarter, a reversal of the P202-million net income in the same period in 2017. Third-quarter sales rose 8 percent to P6 billion from P5.5 billion in 2017, as volume increased 5 percent. The company is also currently building a 1.5-million-metric-ton cement plant in Antipolo, Rizal. The planned cement expansion, which is estimated to cost $235 million, is slated for completion by 2020. The project is expected boost Cemexs total capacity in the country by 26 percent. Chinese director Liu Jie attended the screening of his movie Baby at the third International Film Festival Awards Macao. His movie, which is a part of the New Chinese Cinema category, tackles the disturbing issue of how disabled children are frequently abandoned in China. The film tells the story of how a cleaner at a local childrens hospital encounters a baby born with the same congenital defects she herself suffered from as a child. Faced with a barrage of high-risk operations, the father decides to refuse treatment and take the baby home with him, condemning his daughter to certain death. It is a movie that is not too entertaining, said Liu to the press during the red carpet event this week at the Macau Tower. I surely hope that people can see a place through a movie, and can see the structure of a society. We included such an incident in the movie and maybe [we want to see] what everybodys reaction is, and how the government is doing, and how hospital operations [in mainland China are], the filmmaker added. According to Liu, the film could be compared a documentary, due to its authenticity. The Chinese director has received awards from different film festivals, including his movie Courthouse on Horseback, which won the Orrizonti Award at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival. His second feature Judge was also selected in Orizzonti at the 66th Venice International Film Festival and won the Best Original Screenplay Award at the 47th Golden Horse Film Festival. LV The Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday voted against a proposal from lawmakers Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San to have an audit of the entire situation relating to the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project. In the proposal, the lawmakers wanted not only to have a debate session with the Secretary for Transport and Public Works and other responsible persons for the projects but called for a full audit with both the current and former officials since the projects birth. The lawmakers argued that the audit was needed in order to understand what exactly happened to cause so much delay and budget slippage. Claiming that the many questions and spoken enquiries from AL lawmakers have not obtained a satisfactory reply from the government, Ng and Au were proposing this time to establish a commission to audit the whole project as a way to ascertaining the problems. The proposal was met by the majority of the legislators with a vote against. Several of the lawmakers justified their vote by saying that the government has been replying to the many questions on the topic. One such lawmaker was Ma Chi Seng, who noted that the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) has already issued reports on the topic and even the Final Instance Court has pronounced on some particular cases, saying, I dont think we need to insist more on this. A similar position was expressed by several others including Leong Sun Iok, Ella Lei and Song Pek Kei, who added that the current follow- up committee can perform this task without the need for an audit. Sulu Sou was in favor of the proposal of Ng and Au and, replying to the opinion of Ma, said: We have been asking But there were no concrete replies. Maybe this audit will be the right method to know exactly what is going on. As far as I know the audit method was never used on the government. Maybe we should try. Besides the three democrats, lawmaker Agnes Lam was also in support of the proposal. In her vote declaration Lam explained that the topic was of public interest, adding, the budget doesnt stop hiking and there are few explanations. The Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau 2019 saw local restaurant Jade Dragon and Hong Kongs French restaurant Caprice awarded the three-star echelon. The 11th edition of Hong Kong Macaus red guide also announced that, for the first time, four restaurants have earned two stars and six restaurants have debuted in the one-star category. A total of 63 and 19 restaurants received star recognition yesterday at City of Dreams. When commenting on the 2019 Hong Kong and Macau Guide, Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides, said, Hong Kong and Macau are very special cities within the gastronomic world. They attract many tourists and business people from around the world, and as a result, these cities have been blessed with gastronomic influences that oscillate between traditional Cantonese and Macau cuisine, combined with international flavors. City of Dreams Jade Dragon entered the red guide with one star in 2014 and has held on to two stars since 2016, before acquiring the third star this year. Kelvin Au Yeung, executive chef of Jade Dragon, told the press that the newly-awarded restaurant would continue to enhance its menu. In Jade Dragon, we uphold traditional Cantonese cooking techniques. We showcase the dishes through creative and modern presentation, along with the ingredients. After today, Ill sit with my team and see how we can further enhance the current menu, he said. Chef Au Yeung has been the sous chef since the restaurant opened and was recently promoted to the position of executive chef. With this new addition, Macau now has three three-star establishments, including Robuchon au Dome and The Eight at the Grand Lisboa. Meanwhile, the restaurant Alain Ducasse at Morpheus received two stars, five months after opening. The restaurant offers, in addition to original creations, some of the most famous dishes of iconic French chef Alain Ducasse. Its something amazing and incredible. After five months open, its a great opportunity for us to show what French cuisine is here in Asia, and produce from here and France, said Pierre Marty, chef de cuisine at Alain Ducasse. After five months, you cant expect anything but we [gave] our best and we are very happy to get these two stars. We hope [to] get three stars one day, the chef added. With this new addition, there are a total of five two-star restaurants in Macau, including Feng Wei Ju, Golden Flower, Mizumi and The Tasting Room. One-star restaurants King, Lai Heen 8 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Pearl Dragon and Shinji by Kanesaka, The Golden Peacock, The Kitchen, Tims Kitchen, Wing Lei, Ying and Zi Yat Heen retained their status. 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. Were hoping that folks on the hill will ask Google some hard questions, said Cynthia Wong, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. Gerrit De Vynck, Bloomberg At least 13 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a bomb exploded at a bank in Milan, Italy. Up to 14 people were also injured in simultaneous blasts at a bank and memorial in the capital, Rome. Another bomb was later discovered by police near Milans La Scala opera house. The first explosion happened at about 16.45 local time on the third floor of Milans Banca dell Agricoltura (National Agricultural Bank), in Piazza Fontana. Michelle Carlotto, 27, a clerk at the bank, said: I was sitting at my desk behind the bank counter. I heard a blast, a bolt which stunned me. In the smoke I saw a body fly from the public section above the counter and fall one yard away from me. I was shocked, I couldnt move. Many of the wounded were taken to hospital where they remain in a serious condition. Police said eight kilograms (18lbs) of explosives had been placed in an aluminium box and a slow burning fuse was attached to the device. Within an hour of the blast, at least another 14 people were injured by three further explosions which shook two areas of Rome. Another bomb was discovered by police a few hours later inside a separate bank in Milan, near the La Scala opera house. Officers immediately detonated the device in the courtyard of the Banca Commerciale Italiana. Police in Rome have detained four men so far but no organisation has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. The explosions come at a time of deep social unrest and political uncertainty in Italy. Italian President Giuseppe Saragat condemned the attacks and pledged to restore the law willed by the people and its sovereignty. The Prime Minister, Mariano Rumor, called an emergency cabinet meeting and in a news conference he said the explosions were an act of barbarism which has no precedent in the history of the country. He later sent a telegram to the Mayor of Milan, Aldo Aniasi, which ordered the Minister of the Interior to act with the maximum severity against those who want to poison the peace of the Italian people. Courtesy BBC News In context In total, 16 people were killed and 58 wounded in what became known as the Piazza Fontana massacre. Over 4,000 arrests were made in the aftermath of the bombings and one of the suspects, Guiseppe Pinelli, died after falling out of the fourth floor window of the police station where he was being held. The bombing marked the start of a series of attacks known as the strategy of tension between 1969 and 1974 by the right wing group, Ordine Nuovo. Their aim was to prevent the country falling into the hands of the left -wing by duping the public into believing the bombings were part of a communist insurgency. The attacks appeared to come to an end in 1974 but the worst strike was to come in 1980, when a suitcase with over 18kg (40lbs) of explosives went off in a train station, in Bologna, killing 85 and wounding more than 200 people. One of the original suspects, Pietro Valpreda, was eventually tried alongside two neo-Fascists and numerous other secret service agents in 1974, but all the accused were acquitted in 1985 following numerous trials and appeals. A new trial opened in 1999 after a Milan judge, Guido Salvini, claimed to have discovered the real bombers. Three neo-fascists, Delfo Zorzi, Carlo Maria Maggi, and Carlo Rognoni were sentenced to life imprisonment but the decision was overturned on appeal in March 2004. Three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago were returned to the Philippines yesterday in a move long demanded by Filipino leaders, including the current president, who is critical of Washington and has moved closer to China. U.S. defense officials and the American ambassador handed back the Bells of Balangiga to the Philippine defense chief in a solemn ceremony at an air force base in the capital, closing a dark episode in the treaty allies love- hate relationship. 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. Defense Secretary James Mattis has said the handover is an important gesture of friendship and is in the U.S. national security interest. Some U.S. veterans and officials had opposed the return of the bells, calling them memorials to American war dead. The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride, and their arrival on a U.S. military transport plane and the handover 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 took the bells from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers, who killed 48 U.S. soldiers in the town of Balangiga on central Samar island in 1901 in one of the U.S. Armys worst single- battle losses of that era. One of the bells had been sounded to signal the attack by the villagers, some of whom were disguised as women who hid in the church near an American garrison, historian Rolando Borrinaga said. The Americans retaliated, reportedly killing thousands of villagers above the age of 10, and a U.S. general, Jacob Smith, ordered Samar to be turned into a howling wilderness, Borrinaga said. 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 with the resolution of the issue, Its 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 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. Jim Gomez, Manila, AP MRC Allied to install malls solar rooftop posted December 12, 2018 at 07:15 pm by Alena Mae S. Flores December 12, 2018 at 07:15 pm Listed MRC Allied Inc. signed an agreement to put up a 1.1-megawatt solar rooftop in a mall in Mindanao. .... MRC will be the project developer and owner of the solar facility while a private entity, owning and operating the mall, will be the power off-taker, MRC disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Total investment cost for the project is estimated at P67.4 million. The (agreement) will become effective upon the issuance of the acceptance certificate by the power off-taker to MRC after successful completion of actual performance testing and interconnection, it said.The cooperation period of the parties covers 20 years from the issuance of the acceptance certificate. The signing... is another significant milestone for the Company and its plan to be a key player in the solar PV industry in the country, the company said. MRC announced in February it ventured into solar rooftop projects and started negotiations to install solar rooftop systems of XRC Mall Developer Inc. 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. PH, Israel sign labor accord on hiring hotel workers posted December 12, 2018 at 10:20 pm by PNA December 12, 2018 at 10:20 pm A newly signed labor agreement between the Philippines and Israel is expected to generate as many as 1,000 jobs for Filipinos in hotels across Israel, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said Tuesday night. Cato said the document, signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, would allow Filipino workers to work as cleaners in Israeli hotels. The agreement comes three months after a landmark accord on Filipino caregivers was signed between the two nations during the visit of President Rodrigo R. Duterte in Israel last September. The deployment cost to Israel has been lowered from as high as $12,000 to only more than $2,000 upon a bilateral agreement recently signed by the two states.The deployment process to Israel was also improved on government-to-government basis through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. Citing data from the Philippine Embassy, Cato said there are around 28,000 Filipinos currently working in Israel. 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. THE Metro Rail Transit Line 3 has deployed the second train set purchased from Chinese firm CRRC Dalian. The train set, consisting of three cars, was deployed to the MRT line from 10 am until 2 pm on Tuesday. It will be undergoing test runs for 150 hours during off-peak hours to determine their reliability and performance on the MRT line. The said train set will run during off-peak hours9 am to 3 pm from Dec. 11 to 15 and 6 am to 9 pm from Dec. 16 to 23, the MRT-3 management said in a statement Tuesday. The deployment of the second Dalian train set follows the rollout of the first train set last October. The first train set has concluded its 150-hour test run last Nov. 21 and was brought back to the MRT depot pending the assessment of the Philippine National Railways of its performance. A total of 48 Dalian light rail vehicles were delivered to the country in 2016 but were not deployed to the MRT line due to compatibility issues. Supplier CCRC Dalian eventually agreed to absorb the costs for the adjustments of the trains.Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan earlier said the Dalian trains must first undergo the 1,000-kilometer test run for 150 hours before these are deployed during peak hours of the MRT-3s operations. Meanwhile, unloading incidents in the railway system have declined to 56 from January to November this year compared to 440 and 562 for the same period in 2017 and 2016, respectively. The MRT management attributed this to the ongoing maintenance works on the MRT and the delivery of vital spare parts. This development comes following the signing of the P18-billion loan agreement by the Philippines and Japan for the MRT rehabilitation project last November. The loan agreement covers the repair and maintenance of the MRT-3s electromechanical components, power supply, rail tracks, and depot equipment, and the overhaul of its 72 light rail vehicles. Sumitomo Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will take over the rehabilitation and maintenance of MRT-3 starting January next year. Credit: University of Queensland Dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria could soon be targeted with a drug initially developed to treat Alzheimer's disease. University of Queensland-led research investigated the antibacterial properties of metal transport drug, PBT2. Professor Mark Walker from UQ's School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences said while the drug did not make it to market for Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease, the results suggest it may still have great use. "This particular drug progressed to phase one and two human clinical trials for Alzheimer's and Huntington's, and was shown to be well tolerated by human subjects," he said. "PBT2 is designed to disrupt the interaction between metals and human cells, which was thought would reduce heavy metal levels in the brain. "With this in mind, and knowing that disrupting metal content can induce toxicity in bacteria, we examined the effects of PBT2 against a wide range of antibiotic-resistant bacteria." The results indicated that the drug had the capacity to fight infectious diseases by breaking antibiotic-resistance in bacteria. "Repurposing PBT2 as an 'antibiotic breaker' represents a new strategy in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria," Professor Walker said. "We may be able to reverse it in such a way that ineffective antibiotics become effective again in treating infectious diseases." Professor Mark von Itzstein from Griffith University said it was exciting news, given that antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global public health. "Over the past 30 years, many species of bacteria have acquired resistance to a wide range of antibiotics," he said. "This has rendered current antibiotic treatment therapies ineffective and led to increasing numbers of deaths due to infectious disease agents in Australia. "If new solutions aren't developed, it's estimated that by 2050, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria will account for more than 10 million deaths per year. "We've found one more weapon in our arsenal to help save millions of lives." Explore further Study discovers over 6,000 antibiotic resistance genes in the bacteria that inhabit the human gut More information: Lisa Bohlmann et al. Chemical Synergy between Ionophore PBT2 and Zinc Reverses Antibiotic Resistance, mBio (2018). Journal information: mBio Lisa Bohlmann et al. Chemical Synergy between Ionophore PBT2 and Zinc Reverses Antibiotic Resistance,(2018). DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02391-18 Credit: CC0 Public Domain New research from King's College London identifies a possible mechanism that shows how bullying may influence the structure of the adolescent brain, suggesting the effects of constantly being bullied are more than just psychological. The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, shows that there may be physical structural differences in the brains of adolescents who are regularly victimized, and this could increase the chance that they suffer from mental illness. The research is the first to suggest that chronic peer victimisation during adolescence impacts mental health via structural brain changes. Researchers analysed data, questionnaires and brain scans of 682 participants from England, Ireland, France and Germany. These participants were part of the IMAGEN long-term project that assessed the brain development and mental health of adolescents. As part of this project, high resolution brain scans of participants were taken when they were 14 and 19 years old. At the ages of 14, 16 and 19 these participants also had to complete questionnaires about whether they had been bullied, and to what extent. Overall, the results showed that 36 of the 682 young people were found to have experienced chronic bullying. The data of these participants were compared with those of the others who had experienced less chronic/severe bullying. Changes in brain volume as well as the levels of depression, anxiety and hyperactivity at age 19 were taken into account. The subsequent findings validate and extend the literature linking peer victimisation with mental health problems. But the novel finding is that bullying is linked to decreases in the volume of parts of the brain called the caudate and putamen. These changes were found to partly explain the relationship between high peer victimisation and higher levels of general anxiety at age 19. Lead researcher Dr. Erin Burke Quinlan from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience says: "Although not classically considered relevant to anxiety, the importance of structural changes in the putamen and caudate to the development of anxiety most likely lies in their contribution to related behaviours such as reward sensitivity, motivation, conditioning, attention, and emotional processing." The researchers say it is worrying that as many as 30 per cent of young people could be victimised in one way or another by their peers, with some having to endure such treatment on an almost daily basis, and emphasizes that adolescence is not only a time of new experiences and stresses, but also a period of extensive brain development. They recommend that every effort should be made to limit bullying before it becomes a severe problem that might lead to changes in a young person's brain and the development of mental health issues. Explore further Adolescent brain development impacts mental health, substance use More information: undefined undefined et al. Peer victimization and its impact on adolescent brain development and psychopathology, Molecular Psychiatry (2018). Journal information: Molecular Psychiatry undefined undefined et al. Peer victimization and its impact on adolescent brain development and psychopathology,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0297-9 When Ryan Bayer was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor driven by a rare, devastating genetic mutation, doctors told him the malignancy was invariably fatal, usually within a year. That was two years ago. Today, scans show only a vestige of the cancer. Bayer, 38, no longer has right-side numbness or other disabling symptoms. He has resumed his busy life as husband, father of four, insurance agency co-owner, and part-time farmer. The turning point came a year ago when he went on ONC201, an experimental oncology drug being developed by Philadelphia-based Oncoceutics. It works, at least partly, in an unprecedented way: by blocking dopamine, the chemical messenger best known for its role in the brain's reward-and-pleasure circuitry. ONC201 comes in capsules that Bayer pops once a week, unlike the grueling rounds of radiation and intravenous chemotherapy that caused hearing loss, infections, digestive problems and other serious side effects. "They told me I'd never get the feeling back on my right side, but it's back 90 percent," said Bayer, who lives in Howells, Neb. "I have no side effects on this drug. I could be on it for the rest of my life, which would be fine." "It's been nothing short of amazing for him," said Nicole Shonka, the University of Nebraska Medical Center neuro-oncologist who got the drug for him. As remarkable as Bayer's recovery is, it has to be put in context. Company officials gave him the drug under a compassionate-use program for desperately ill patients, not as part of a clinical trial that could produce data needed for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. And researchers are still deciphering how ONC201 works. It was largely ineffective in a pilot trial of patients with glioblastoma, the most common adult brain cancer. Still, the compound is looking like a lifelinethe first effective drug everfor a subset of brain cancer patients who, like Bayer, have the rare, aggressive mutation called H3 K27M. Last month, researchers presented data on 26 such patients treated in clinical trials. Brain tumors stopped growing in 14 patientsmore than halfwith follow-up ranging from two months to more than two years. Seven of them, including two children, have done even better, experiencing tumor shrinkage or relief of neurological problems, or both. In two adults, the regression has been so complete that the remaining traces may just be scars. - The story of ONC201 begins in 2008. Oncologist Wafik S. El-Deiry, at the time a University of Pennsylvania professor and the scientific founder of Oncoceutics, led an effort to screen a large federal library of chemical compounds. His team wanted to discover a substance that could persistently kill many types of cancer cellsbut spare normal cellsby activating a crucial immune system pathway that selectively causes cell death. While that was a tall order, the scientists knew a lot about the cell death pathway: El-Deiry's lab at Penn had discovered it a decade earlier. "We wanted to find ways of triggering this pathway," said El-Deiry, who is now deputy director of translational research at Fox Chase Cancer Center. In 2013, while at Penn State University, they published a paper describing the compound they identified, which was even better than they hopedat least, in lab dishes and animal studies. ONC201 had the rare ability to penetrate the dense barrier of blood vessels that protect the brain. And its chemical structure had neat spots to attach additional molecules, opening the door to creating a whole class of cancer-fighting drugs. Still, some aspects of the compound were mysterious. The researchers knew how it killed tumor cells, but not what triggered the process. Where did it interfere in tumor cells to turn on the cell death machinery? For clues, Oncoceutics chief executive officer Wolfgang Oster enlisted a Cornell University team to do high-tech computational analyses. The results pointed to a novel mechanism, never before targeted in oncology: ONC201 locked into a binding spot, or receptor, for dopamine, the neurotransmitter involved in mood, memory, and movement. That, in turn, reduced dopamine signaling. "Initially, when the Cornell guys called, they apologized," Oster recalled. "They said, 'We think this thing binds to a dopamine receptor, but it doesn't make any sense.' " Separate research going on around the same time found it made perfect sense. The dopamine receptor is overproduced by several types of cancer, including glioblastoma. Certain malignant brain cells, it turned out, amped up dopamine signaling to help them grow faster. "Dopamine is a pathway for nerve cells to communicate that can be abused by malignant cells to enable them to grow out of control," Oster explained. There is also circumstantial evidence of dopamine's role in cancer. Parkinson's disease patientswho have a dopamine deficithave lower risks of various cancers, including brain cancer, studies show. Logically, blocking dopamine might have psychological side effects, but that doesn't seem to be a problem with ONC201. "It is extremely well-tolerated," El-Deiry said. "It didn't behave in a way one would have predicted from a psychoactive drug." - In 2014, Oncoceutics launched a clinical trial of ONC201 in recurrent glioblastoma at three of the nation's leading cancer centers. The pilot study, published last year, was cut short because tumors in most of the 17 patients continued to grow. However, one patienta 22-year-old woman treated at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Bostonhad an astounding response. Analysis of her tumor sample revealed H3 K27M. Now, 2 { years later, she is finishing college, her disease all but gone, said Dana-Farber neuro-oncologist Patrick Y. Wen. "Until now, nothing has worked for this subset of patients because this cancer is the worst of the worst," Wen said. Indeed, the World Health Organization in 2016 created a separate classification for these mutation-driven "gliomas." Although rareabout 1,500 cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. - the cancer disproportionately strikes children and young adults, and is usually inoperable because it arises in the middle of the brain. While killing cancer is the goal of any therapy, ONC201 has relieved debilitating symptoms in some glioma patients whose tumors stopped growing but did not regress. Caitlin Boyle Wetzel, 27, of Stockbridge, Mich., is elated to be an example. The veterinary assistant was diagnosed a year ago. Her tumor blocked drainage of her cerebrospinal fluid, causing savage headaches, double vision, vomiting, and crippling fatigue. She had surgery to place a drainage shunt, massive doses of steroids, radiation, and Temodar, the standard chemotherapy for brain cancer. Her tumor kept growing relentlessly. But it stopped after she went on ONC201 in March. "Even just the stability of the tumor, we were so happy to see it," said Yoshie Umemura, the University of Michigan neuro-oncologist who obtained compassionate-use access to the drug. "Caitlin went from being in and out of the emergency room, to being able to live her life with manageable symptoms." Wetzel got married this summer, honeymooned in Hawaii, and recently returned to work part time. "Team Caitlin knows how to react in a crisis," she said of her husband and parents. "But now that we're just kind of living with it, that's a new field to negotiate. This drug is saving my life. I can't thank the company enough." Last month, the FDA gave "fast-track" designationintended to expedite the development of therapies for deadly diseases with unmet needto ONC201 for treatment of the mutation-driven glioma. Oncoceutics' scientists hope the glioma is just the beginning. ONC201 is now in trials for a number of cancers. "Glioblastoma is a complex disease," said El-Deiry, the scientific founder. "I think it's very exciting that the drug is working in this very aggressive subtype. It's something to celebrate and build upon. The potential is definitely there to work in other types of brain tumors and other cancer types." Explore further ONC201 may inhibit cancer stem cell self-renewals by altering their gene expression 2018 Philly.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Gemcitabine given in combination with nab-paclitaxel is the standard of care for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. This practice, however, rests on data obtained from several recent clinical trials enrolling patients with pancreatic cancer who skewed younger and in better overall condition than most. Currently, there is limited data regarding the management of patients who are older and in worse health, and gemcitabine alone is recommended. In a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Manuel Hidalgo, MD, Ph.D., and colleagues conducted a phase I/II trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel given in combination with gemcitabine in patients with pancreatic cancer and reduced health status. The teambased at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncologicas (Spanish National Cancer Center), where Hidalgo previously served as Director of the Clinical Research Program and Vice Director of Translational Researchreported that the combination of therapies significantly improved survival even in less robust patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) compared to gemcitabine alone. "While clinical trials are performed in selected patient populations, the clinical reality of this disease is very different," said Hidalgo, who is now Director of the Rosenberg Clinical Cancer Center at the Cancer Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Co-Director of its Pancreatic Cancer Research Program. "Many patients with PDAC are older and have reduced performance status, and, for these reasons, are underrepresented in clinical trials. We designed this study to shed light on possible treatment options for this patient population." Hidalgo and colleagues conducted the multicenter study in two phases, recruiting patients from 15 hospitals in Spain. Phase I compared the safety and tolerability of four dose schedules of the combination therapy in 24 patients. Phase II investigated the two safest regimen from Phase I, assessing their safety and efficacy in 221 patients. All participants rated 2 on the standard Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status scale; that is, ambulatory, up and about for more than half their waking hours and capable of all self-care, but unable to carry out any work activities. The scientists reported that 44 percent of patients in one treatment group and 58 percent of patients in the other remained free of disease progression at six months out. The median overall survival rates were 7.5 months for one group and 8.7 for the othermarkedly higher than the 2.4 month overall survival rate recently reported for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and with reduced performance status treated only with gemcitabine. The data were presented in part at the 2017 European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting held in Madrid, Spain. The study was partially funded by an unrestricted grant from Celgene, Spain. Explore further New study finds two-drug combo slows advanced pancreatic cancer More information: Teresa Macarulla et al, Phase I/II Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Nanoparticle Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel in Combination With Gemcitabine in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer and an ECOG Performance Status of 2, Journal of Clinical Oncology (2018). Journal information: Journal of Clinical Oncology Teresa Macarulla et al, Phase I/II Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Nanoparticle Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel in Combination With Gemcitabine in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer and an ECOG Performance Status of 2,(2018). DOI: 10.1200/JCO.18.00089 Credit: CC0 Public Domain For the first time ever, biomedical researchers from Aarhus University, Denmark, report cellular defects that lead to a rare disease, hereditary angioedema (HAE), in which patients experience recurrent episodes of swelling requiring immediate treatment. This new understanding is an important step toward gene therapy for patients. Symptoms include an upper arm swelling to twice its normal size, swollen stomach with colic pain, vomiting or diarrhoea, or a life-threatening variant with severe swelling of the face, lips, tongue and larynx leading to obstructed airways and death by suffocation. The swelling in hereditary angioedema happens because the lack of a specific blood protein called C1-inhibitor causes the blood vessels to leak fluid. During an attack, patients must be quickly given the correct medicine. Patients therefore have a difficult and medically dangerous lifestyle. Now, more than a half-century after the first molecular details of the disease were described, there is pivotal new knowledge about the disease's biology. "We have succeeded in identifying what takes place in the liver cells that produce the protein C1-inhibitor. This is the crucial first step toward treating these patients with gene therapy, which is the interesting long-term perspective of our study," says Professor Jacob Giehm Mikkelsen from the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University, Denmark. The research project documents that the hereditary genetic mutations, which the patients inherit from one of their parents, have a negative effect on the healthy gene from the other parent. In the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the authors write that the dominant negative SERPING1 variants cause intracellular retention of C1-inhibitor in hereditary angioedema. "One of the mysteries about this disease has been the question of why the patients produce so little of the protein," says MSc Didde Haslund, who is a Ph.D. student and the article's first author. "Because with two hereditary genesa defect from one of the parents and a normal one from the otheryou would think that the production might be around half the normal amount. Yet these patients produce only 10 to 20 percent of the normal level. But now we have an explanation at the cellular level, and this is crucial for the continuing work on gene therapy as a future treatment option," she says. One of the difficulties related to the disease is that it only affects one in 10,000 to 50,000 people. This corresponds to fewer than 330 people in the whole of Scandinavia, which has the unfortunate consequence that medical doctors regularly mistake it for allergy, even though allergy medicine has no effect in the event of an attack. "The diagnosis is made with a blood test that measures the concentration and function of C1-inhibitor in the blood. However, this requires that the medical doctor is aware of the disease," says Jacob Giehm Mikkelsen. "You might sometimes think that with so few patients, perhaps we ought to concentrate on something that can help more people. But on the other hand, we actually have a national strategy for rare diseases, because as a whole, this is a large patient group. The individual rare diseases don't affect many people, but taken together, there are between 30,000 and 50,000 Danes with rare diagnoses." Hereditary angioedema is characterised by attacks occurring suddenly and unexpectedly. They may be provoked by a range of factors ranging from physical exertion and other forms of physical stress to infections, hormonal factors and individual drugs. Generally, the diagnosed patients are assigned to Odense University Hospital, as this is the national competence centre for treatment. Anette Bygum, professor and research director at the hospital, initially contacted Jacob Giehm Mikkelsen to learn more about the possibilities of gene therapy, thereby arousing his curiosity. "For the whole team, Annette Bygum's inquiry turned out to be the beginning of a journey into a world that we who normally work on basic research are not part of on a daily basis. We have discussed our research with practitioners, presented the results for patients and international patient associations and shared our experiences with the medicinal industry. We were invited to join the club, and this has led to both an interdisciplinary project and a crucial research result," says Jacob Giehm Mikkelsen. Explore further Phase 3 trial shows lanadelumab to be effective in reducing hereditary angioedema attacks More information: Didde Haslund et al. Dominant-negative SERPING1 variants cause intracellular retention of C1 inhibitor in hereditary angioedema, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2018). Journal information: Journal of Clinical Investigation Didde Haslund et al. Dominant-negative SERPING1 variants cause intracellular retention of C1 inhibitor in hereditary angioedema,(2018). DOI: 10.1172/JCI98869 THE Department of Information and Communications Technology targets to train some 500,000 unemployed Filipino workers from the provinces to make them globally-competitive digital workers by 2022. In an interview with the Philippine News Agency at the 51Talk press conference in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, DICT Industry Development Bureau head Yvette Cabrera said there was a need to develop the capacities of unemployed workers in the digital fields of software development, health, game animation, and contact centers. We will train them and help them have a job before graduation or even after graduation, she said. Cabrera said they were closely working with local government units outside Metro Manila for the free training of unemployed people to make them full-time, globally competitive digital workers. In Metro Manila, we already have many investors especially in the IT industry, so we want to promote other cities in the rural areas in other provinces to also be a business destination, Cabrera said. There are about 320,000 digital workers in provinces outside Metro Manila at present, Cabrera said. In the same event, Chinese-based company 51Talk shared some success stories of their partnership with the Philippine government as they plan to hire more Filipino teachers to teach English courses online. In an interview with reporters, 51Talk founder and CEO Jack Huang said they have signed a memorandum of agreement with DICT to ensure stable internet connectivity in the country.We hope that internet connectivity in the Philippines can be further improved in the future, Huang said. Cabrera said the DICT is responding to the demands of the business sector with their establishment of free Wi-Fi centers around the country and the entry of a third telco player. Filipino 51Talk teacher Mike Gerald Alfiscar from Bacolod City said one of the advantages of working online is a better work-life balance. You wont miss out significant events of your loved ones because you get to choose your schedule, Alfiscar said in an interview with PNA. Huang said they preferred hiring Filipino teachers due to their neutral English accent. He also noted the cultural compatibility of Filipinos and Chinese and the same timezone of Philippines and China as advantages in hiring Filipino teachers. Huang said his company planned to hire 100,000 Filipino teachers in the next five years. If getting to a full understanding of the brain is a mile, we have walked at least six inches, said Arlotta collaborator Jeff Lichtman, who is working to build a map of neural connections by taking high-resolution images of thin brain slices. Credit: Harvard University Human brain disorders have always presented researchers with a daunting challenge. They're hard to study in laboratory mice because they affect the very organ that separates us from animals. And they're difficult to study in humans because patient safety depends on noninvasive techniques. Enter the brain organoid. Advances in stem cell biology and a new appreciation of the self-organizing powers of developing brain tissue have allowed researchers to create 3-D clusters of living brain that open a new window onto brain development and disease. "I think that these brain organoids hold incredible potential for modeling human neurological disease in completely new ways," says Paola Arlotta, the Golub Family Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and chair of Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology. "I like to imagine a future scenario where we will be able to ask very precise questions about what goes wrong in the context of psychiatric illness, for example." Arlotta has devoted her career to understanding brain development and what goes wrong in disease. She twice has stood accepted wisdom on its head. In 2013, challenging the theory that neurons cannot change, she used lab mice to show that one type of neuron can be transformed into another. A year later, she demonstrated that the insulating sheath of nerve cells, thought to be distributed identically along the axons of all neurons, instead displays distinct patterns in different cells. That led to the reinterpretation of some theories regarding the role of that insulation, called myelin, and how neurons use it in complex behaviors. In recent years, Arlotta has become a pioneer in brain organoids, which she believes may one day shed light on well-known yet little-understood conditions such as autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Arlotta collaborator Jeff Lichtman, the Jeremy R. Knowles Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, has held a front row seat to all this mystery. Through his "Connectome" project, he is working to build a map of neural connections by taking high-resolution images of thin brain slices. "If getting to a full understanding of the brain is a mile, we have walked at least six inches," Lichtman said. "You look at the actual structure of the brain or even an organoid and it's just extraordinarily complicated. It's much more complicated than anything humans have ever built. This is a little humbling." One consequence of that lack of understanding, Arlotta said, is that theories can stagnate. "It is rather daunting," Arlotta said. "How are we going to develop new treatments if we do not know what cell types, among the thousands present in the brain, are involved in psychiatric illness? How are we going to find molecular targets for new drugs if we cannot study the very organ that is affected? This is particularly problematic when diseases that start in the womb, during brain formation, manifest later in life." Arlotta said that creating organoids from people afflicted with brain disorders is akin to going back in time to watch how development plays out. "What if we could somehow go back, so to speak?" she said. "What if we could take a sample of blood from a child with autism, make his or her own stem cells and turn those into a model of their brain? Could we then begin to watch in some small part how the brain had formed? And in so doing, will we have the unprecedented opportunity to shed light on what abnormalities have occurred? These organoids have self-organizing abilities; they know what types of cells to become, said postdoctoral fellow Giorgia Quadrato, who shows an organoid in Arlotta's lab. Credit: Harvard University "I think that if, in the next decade, we will have built on the use of brain organoids to understand what the neurobiological substrate of psychiatric illness may be, then we would look very proudly at the work that we are doing today." 'Liberating' progress Arlotta got her first glimpse of the potential for brain tissue to self-organize into 3-D organoids in 2012. She was watching a time-lapse video of human stem cells forming an early developing part of the eye called the optic cup. The video, recorded in the lab of Japanese scientist Yoshiki Sasai, showed development that seemed spontaneous, as if preprogrammed. "We all stopped for a moment and watchedmesmerizedthe video of a community of stem cells folding, changing, and self-assembling until a primitive retina was made," Arlotta recalled. "That told us that the nervous system may have an incredible capacity for self-making. And that, to me, was the eye-opener. If stem cells can do thatmake an optic cup, layer a human retinaperhaps stem cells know more than we think they do and, with minimal input from outside, perhaps they can form more complex regions of the nervous system, like some parts of the brain." When her lab began growing organoids from pluripotent stem cells about four years ago, she and her fellow investigators knew very little, Arlotta admits. The researchers tapped the expertise of Xander University Professor Doug Melton, who had begun growing pancreatic tissue, and borrowed protocols from other labs developing brain organoids to study early growth, a process in which pluripotent stem cells become brain tissue over the course of a few months. Interested in later stages of development, Arlotta needed to figure out how to extend that growth, a task she handed to postdoctoral fellow Giorgia Quadrato. Quadrato eventually determined that a key variable is how many cells are initially used to "seed" the culture. She also tweaked the timing of when specific signaling molecules would be added to tell the stem cells to become brain tissue. By spring of this year, she had more than tripled the organoids' longevity, allowing cells time to grow and differentiate. "These organoids have self-organizing abilities; they know what types of cells to become," said Quadrato, who recently joined the faculty of the University of Southern California. "The cells have built in themselves the program. They know how to differentiate, they know when to differentiate and what to become." To determine whether the cells her lab was growing related to those of the human brain, Arlotta turned to Lichtman, who for many years had been able to look at the brain in super-high resolution. The goal was to identify protrusions on nerve cells called dendritic spines, where the synapses form that connect one cell to another. Embryonic nerve cells don't have the spines, Arlotta said, so finding them would indicate the organoids were developing more mature neurons. It would also mean that the researchers could hope to explore a theory on schizophrenia that describes abnormal pruning of the spines in the teen years. "The question was, do organoids have neurons, number one, and, number two, if they have neurons, do they have these features that are necessary to make the kinds of neural circuits found in normal brains?" Lichtman said. "Sure enough, there were dendrites and they had spines and the spines were studded with synapses of axons that were contacting them. Credit: Harvard University "So this was good news. It said these organoids to some degree were doing things that normal brains do." Arlotta's lab has started exploring how the brain changes in autism, using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing techniques to insert genetic mutations associated with autism into stem cells and allowing the cells to develop into organoids to study side by side with those without that mutation. "We have stem cells derived from patients with these diseases and already beginning to demonstrate that you can use organoids for the first time to tell what cell types are abnormal among the many, many in the brain," Arlotta said. "That's liberating." Organoids provide a glimpse into previously inaccessible aspects of brain formation, but they are very primitive and plagued by high variability, Arlotta noted. An important next step, she said, is learning how to better control their growth to produce reliable models for specific parts of the brain and the effects of specific conditions. Alert to ethical concerns Though Arlotta strongly disputes characterizations of organoids as "mini-brains" or "brains in a dish"descriptions that give the rice-grain-size lumps of tissue far too much credit, in her viewshe acknowledges the ethical dimension of experimenting with the organ at the center of human consciousness. It's important to make sure that the research goes hand in hand with conversations that bring together scientists, ethicists, and society at large, she said. It's also crucial, she said, that the science be communicated correctly, to prevent ethical concerns fueled by perception rather than data. "There's a need to be more rooted and real about what these models are," Arlotta said. "These are not, I repeat not, 'mini brains in a dish,' and I think that nomenclature has negatively impacted the field. . . . It is important as a community to think about the implications of the work, but at the moment the risk is low." Ethical concerns also exist on the other side of the issue, she said, citing a responsibility to understand and treat psychiatric disease, Alzheimer's, and other conditions. "We have the opportunity to study, understand, and inform treatment on human pathologies that have not seen a real new medicine in over 60 years, at a risk that is frankly not dissimilar to that of experiments that are very accepted in science, like the growing of human cells and neurons," Arlotta said. "Should we not then take this opportunity to transform treatment? "As a society, we must consider the ethical structure of this work. As a scientist, I must consider also the responsibility I have to make a difference, now that we can, for patients affected with some of the most devastating diseases of our time. Is it ethical or unethical not to take this opportunity to understand disease to alleviate suffering? I think the choice there is very clear." Explore further Better way to transplant human stem cells This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. Psychologist Sue Makarchuk with Alberta Health Services interacts with Anna Strachan, 2, who needed a dose of caffeine as a preemie to help her breathe. Credit: Riley Brandt, University of Calgary For many, starting the day off with caffeine from a cup of coffee is a must. In neonatal intensive care units, or NICUs, premature babies born under 29 weeks are given a daily dose of caffeine to ensure the best possible start to life. A new study by University of Calgary researchers shows the earlier the dose of caffeine can be given, the better. "Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the NICU after antibiotics," says Dr. Abhay Lodha, MD, associate professor in the departments of paediatrics and community health sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine and staff neonatologist with Alberta Health Services (AHS). "It's important that we understand the long-term effects of caffeine as a treatment and ensure these babies are not only surviving, but have quality of life down the road." Born prematurely at 27 weeks at the Foothills Medical Centre, Kyle and Avril Strachan's baby, Anna, was given caffeine to help her breathe and to boost lung function. "The doctors told us, with premature babies, their brain hasn't developed quite enough to let them do all the things their bodies should be doing on its own, like breathing," says mom Avril. "In the first few weeks, when Anna was feeding, she would slow down or even forget to breathe. This would cause her heart to slow and for her to not get enough oxygen." To help her breathe more easily, Anna needed a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine to deliver constant airflow to her lungs. A 2014 study by Lodha showed starting caffeine therapy within two days after birth shortened the amount of time babies needed to use ventilators. It also reduced the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a form of chronic lung disease caused by damage to the lungs from use of a ventilator. What was not known was how that dose of caffeine affected brain development. New research by UCalgarys Abhay Lodha shows early caffeine treatment of premature babies born less than 29 weeks gestation has no long-term negative effects on brain development. Calgary mom Avril Strachan says shes pleased to learn the results of the study as her daughter, Anna, was treated with caffeine. Credit: University of Calgary Lodha collaborated with researchers from the Universities of British Columbia, Montreal, Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto to analyze data from 26 NICUs across Canada. They found early caffeine treatment has no long-term negative effects on neurodevelopment, and is actually associated with better cognitive scores, and reduced odds of cerebral palsy and hearing impairment. The findings are published in Pediatrics. The team examined data from followup assessments conducted at age 18 to 24 months. During these followups, children were assessed for their cognitive, language and motor development using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, a standardized scoring system to assess developmental functioning in infants and toddlers. "We look at how children are constructing their understanding, such as solving simple problems or figuring out three-dimensional objects and toys," says Dr. Dianne Creighton, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Paediatrics and retired psychologist with AHS. "We also assess how the little ones are able to understand simple words, or recognize the name of a picture, as well as their motor skills like climbing, crawling, balance and co-ordination." Lodha says it's believed that caffeine may increase the growth of dendrites, the small branches of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons. "Caffeine may also improve better lung stretch and expansion, cardiac output and blood pressure in premature infants, which improves oxygen supply throughout the body and brain, reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation and the risk of chronic lung disease and injury on the developing brain." Now two years old, Anna has completed multiple followup assessments and is participating in dance classes, gymnastics lessons and swimming like a fish, says her mom. "She's very mechanical. She likes to build things, take it apart and figure out how it works," Avril says. "It's wonderful to know that the caffeine treatment has no adverse effects and that if researchers are getting positive findings, it should continue to be the standard of care for premature babies. In that case, I think parents would have no hesitation in having caffeine as part of their child's treatment." Explore further Caffeinated beverages during pregnancy linked to lower birth weight babies More information: Abhay Lodha et al. Early Caffeine Administration and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Preterm Infants, Pediatrics (2018). Journal information: Pediatrics Abhay Lodha et al. Early Caffeine Administration and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Preterm Infants,(2018). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-1348 Micrograph showing prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma (the most common form of prostate cancer) Credit: Wikipedia An international team of cancer researchers from Denmark and Germany have used cancer patient data to develop a computer model that can predict the progression of prostate cancer. The model is currently being implemented at a prostate cancer clinic in Germany. The researchers have also found an enzyme that appears to trigger some of the first mutations in prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in men in the western world, comprising more than 1 million new cases each year. One of the key challenges is to differentiate between aggressive and non-aggressive courses. An international team involving researchers from BRIC at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, the University of Copenhagen, and Rigshospitalet, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg have addressed this challenge with a computer model. The researchers studied the earliest mutational events in prostate cancer to develop the computer model, described in a new study that has just been published in Cancer Cell. The researchers collected patient data from nearly 300 men and sequenced the entire cancer genome of each subject to characterise all mutations present in the tumour. Based on the dataset, the researchers developed the computer model, which can predict how prostate cancer will develop for a given patient. "If we have a patient with a particular set of mutations, we can use the model to predict the most likely next mutation that the patient will experience at some pointand how it will affect the patient's clinical situation. As an illustration, we can predict with some probability that if you have mutation A, you are likely to get mutation B before you get C. We can also predict if the next mutation is likely to change the clinical outcome of the disease." "So far, our data sets comprise around 300 patients, but we expect to collect data from several thousand patients in the coming years. The model will improve with more data," says group leader and co-author of the study Joachim Weischenfeldt, BRIC, UCPH. The computer model is currently being implemented at a clinic in Germany. The researchers expect it will take two to three years to fully implement the model as an integral part of the clinic's processes. In the future, the researchers hope that the model will be introduced at hospitals in other countries, for example, Denmark. With genome sequencing, it becomes possible to tailor the treatment of individual patientsalso referred to as personalised medicine. The subjects in the study are primarily so-called early onset patients. This group is defined as men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer before reaching the age of 55 years. "Prostate cancer develops over many years. We have therefore been particularly interested in the group of patients for whom the cancer is detected at a young age, as this allows us to analyse the tumour at an early stage. This is an important element because in this way, we get a cleaner picture of the first mutations and alterations that occur in the tumour, to determine the initiating factor," says co-author Doctor Clarissa Gerhauser, DKFZ. So far, it has not been known precisely what initiates prostate cancer. However, due to the focus on the earliest detected tumours, the researchers uncovered a mutational mechanism involving an enzyme called APOBEC. This enzyme may help trigger the diseasei.e., trigger some of the very first mutations in prostate cancer. "We hypothesise that this enzyme mutates the prostate cells at a low but constant rate. Each time the cell divides, APOBEC is likely to cause mutations. If you have early onset prostate cancer, you may have a couple of mutations caused by APOBEC. Twenty years later, you may have 10 to 20 mutations," says co-author Doctor Jan O. Korbel, group leader at EMBL. "The most common oncogene in prostate cancer involves a certain fusion gene. The APOBEC enzyme may contribute to the formation of this fusion gene. We cannot say that there is causality, but there is a strong correlation between mutations caused by APOBEC and other alterations such as this fusion gene," says Joachim Weischenfeldt. The researchers have also found a putative novel oncogene in prostate cancerESRP1which is associated with very fast-dividing and highly aggressive prostate cancer. It is located close to an already known oncogene, and the researchers believe this is the reason that it has not been discovered until now. In the study, the researchers show that the oncogene ESRP1 may be used as a possible new biomarker to detect whether a patient will have aggressive prostate cancer, which they validated on a cohort consisting of 12,000 other patients with the same type of cancer. Explore further New genetic marker could help diagnose aggressive prostate cancer More information: Clarissa Gerhauser et al, Molecular Evolution of Early-Onset Prostate Cancer Identifies Molecular Risk Markers and Clinical Trajectories, Cancer Cell (2018). Journal information: Cancer Cell Clarissa Gerhauser et al, Molecular Evolution of Early-Onset Prostate Cancer Identifies Molecular Risk Markers and Clinical Trajectories,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2018.10.016 In a rodent ischemic stroke model induced by transiently blocking the middle cerebral artery, the most commonly affected vessel in human patients, some V-SVZ-derived neuroblasts migrate toward the lesion, where they mature and become integrated into the neuronal circuitry. Credit: Kazunobu Sawamoto Stroke is a leading cause of death and chronic disability in adults, causing a heavy social and economic burden worldwide. However, no treatments exist to restore neuronal circuitry after a stroke. While most neurons are generated during embryonic brain development, new neurons continue to be produced in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of the adult brain. In rodent olfaction, immature new neurons called neuroblasts form chain-like aggregates that migrate to the olfactory bulb, where they differentiate into interneurons. However, in the case of brain injury, the mammalian brain has only a limited ability to regenerate neuronal circuits for functional recovery. In a rodent ischemic stroke model induced by transiently blocking the middle cerebral artery, the most commonly affected vessel in human patients, some V-SVZ-derived neuroblasts migrate toward the lesion (Fig. 1), where they mature and become integrated into the neuronal circuitry. However, the number of these new neurons is insufficient to restore neuronal function. Dr. Kazunobu Sawamoto (Professor, Nagoya City University and NIPS) and Dr. Naoko Kaneko (Associate professor, Nagoya City University) in collaboration with Dr. Atsushi Nambu (Professor, NIPS) and Dr. Yasuo Kawaguchi (Professor, NIPS) have revealed a novel mechanism for neuronal regeneration, using the mouse model for ischemic stroke. Within a few days after stroke, astrocytes, a major population of macroglia, in and around the injured area become activated, exhibiting larger cell bodies, thicker processes, and proliferative behavior. The migrating neuroblasts must navigate through this astrocyte meshwork to reach the lesion. Using three-dimensional electron microscopy and live imaging, the research team demonstrated that neuroblast migration is restricted by the activated astrocytes in and around the lesion (Fig. 2). Neuroblasts (red) migrate toward a lesion through a meshwork of processes from a single astrocyte (blue), as shown by 3D electron microscopy. Credit: Kazunobu Sawamoto In normal, olfaction-related migration, neuroblasts secrete a protein called Slit, which binds to a receptor called Robo expressed on astrocytes. Slit alters the morphology of activated astrocytes at the site of neuroblast contact, to move the astrocyte surface away and clear the neuroblast's migratory path. However, in the case of brain injury, the migrating neuroblasts actually down-regulated their Slit production, crippling their ability to reach the lesion for functional regeneration. Notably, overproducing Slit in the neuroblasts enabled them to migrate closer to the lesion, where they matured and regenerated neuronal circuits, leading to functional recovery in the post-stroke mice (Fig. 3). These results suggest that strategies designed to help migrating neurons reach the lesion may improve stem/progenitor cell-based therapies for brain injury. The study is published in Science Advances. Left: Intact brain. Middle: Post-stroke brain. Astrocytes are activated in and around the lesion, which inhibit neuroblast migration. Neuroblasts use Slit protein to clear the path of activated astrocytes through the transmembrane receptor Robo, but the number reaching the lesion is insufficient to induce functional recovery. Right: Slit overexpression in the post-stroke brain. Slit-overexpressing neuroblasts migrate efficiently toward the lesion through activated astrocytes, resulting in functional recovery. Credit: Kazunobu Sawamoto Explore further Post-stroke delivery of neurotrophic factor MANF promotes functional recovery in rats More information: "New neurons use Slit-Robo signaling to migrate through the glial meshwork and approach a lesion for functional regeneration" Journal information: Science Advances "New neurons use Slit-Robo signaling to migrate through the glial meshwork and approach a lesion for functional regeneration" advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/12/eaav0618 Provided by National Institutes of Natural Sciences Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers A new study has shown that HIV-infected men had lower median bone mineral density (BMD) scores at the hip compared to HIV-uninfected men, and all men who received testosterone had significantly greater BMD scores at the lumbar spine. Further, in HIV-infected men with virologic suppression testosterone was significantly associated with a higher BMD score at the lumbar spine, as reported in AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. The article entitled "Effect of Testosterone Use on Bone Mineral Density in HIV-Infected Men" was contributed by Philip Grant, Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA), and coauthors from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (Baltimore, CA), Northwestern University (Chicago, IL), University of Pittsburgh (PA), Johns Hopkins University, and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The researchers propose more extensive examinations of the risks and benefits of testosterone use in older HIV-infected men, with a particular focus on its effects to reduce fracture risk. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01A095089, U01-AI-35042, UL1-RR-025005, UM10AI-A1-35043, VO1-AI-35039, UO1-AI-35040, UO1-AI-35041, K24 AI1 20834, K23 AI1 1-532. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. "Osteoporosis and fractures are increased in people living with HIV infection. This study reveals that testosterone use can increase bone mineral density, increasing the overall health of men living with HIV." says Thomas Hope, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses and Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. Explore further Hormone treatment restores bone density for young women with menopause-like condition More information: Philip M. Grant et al, Effect of Testosterone Use on Bone Mineral Density in HIV-Infected Men, AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses (2018). Philip M. Grant et al, Effect of Testosterone Use on Bone Mineral Density in HIV-Infected Men,(2018). DOI: 10.1089/aid.2018.0150 (HealthDay)Continuity of care scores are significantly associated with lower expenditures and hospitalization rates, according to a study published in the November/December issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. Andrew Bazemore, M.D., M.P.H., from the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C., and colleagues used Medicare claims data for 1,448,952 beneficiaries obtaining care from a nationally representative sample of 6,551 primary care physicians to calculate four physician-level, claims-based continuity measures. To create physician-level scores, researchers averaged patient-level continuity scores attributed to a single physician. They assessed the correlations between total Medicare Part A and B expenditures and hospitalization. The researchers found that continuity scores were highly correlated (correlation coefficients, 0.86 to 0.99); for each, greater continuity was correlated with similar outcomes. The adjusted expenditures were 14.1 percent lower for beneficiaries cared for by physicians in the highest versus the lowest quintile of the Bice-Boxerman continuity score ($6,958 versus $8,092); between the highest and lowest continuity quintiles, the odds of hospitalization were 16.1 percent lower (odds ratio, 0.839). "In summary, this study contributes to the overwhelming evidence of the value of continuity care," the authors write. "Continuity is one of a handful of core tenets of primary care that should be incorporated into official primary care measures as we shift from paying for services to paying for value." Explore further Seniors with more continuity of care use the ER less Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday welcomed the approval of its P24.17-billion budget for 2019. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the Senates approval of the DENRs 2019 budget would allow the agency to deliver on the priority programs and projects for the protection of the environment, and the conservation and sustainable use of the countrys rich natural resources. We can finalize and carry out our 2019 plans, policies and activities to realize our mandate of improving the lives of Filipinos, while protecting and conserving our rich biodiversity for present and future generations, he said. Last Monday, senators approved the DENR budget. The lawmakers commended DENR and Cimatu for showing sheer political will in carrying out the closure and rehabilitation of Boracay and the plan to rehabilitate other ecotourism sites.For 2019, Cimatu said they have allotted P5.072 billion, or almost 21 per cent of its total budget, to forest and watershed management through the e-national greening program, while almost P890 million have been earmarked to intensify its activities on forest protection and to fight illegal logging. He added that they are also setting aside more than three percent, or P732 million, to carry out its activities in protected area development and wildlife protection and conservation. Other priority areas include improvement of land administration and management with almost P400 million; scaling up of coastal and marine ecosystems with P267.69 million; and cleanup of Manila Bay with P80 million. The DENRs proposed budget for 2019 is almost 3 percent lower than the P24.91 billion budget for the agency in the General Appropriations Act for 2018. A panel in the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the proposed Telecom Tower REIT Act which mandates all telecommunications company to transfer their cell towers to real estate investment trust (REIT) corporations. The House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, chaired by Rep. Victor Yap of Tarlac, passed House Bill 7410, in consolidation with House Resolution 938. The bill mandates all telecommunications companies that are at least five years old and above to transfer all their telecom towers to a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) corporation in accordance with Republic Act No. 9856, otherwise known as The Real Estate Investment Trust Act of 2009. In his sponsorship remarks, Yap said a REIT is a separate juridical entity where real estate owners, mall owners, property owners, tower owners with assets that have recurring incomes can dispose of these assets in the real estate investment trust and sell that REIT to the public. Yap underscored the need to open up the use of highways for the telco industry, to open it up to world players. Citing the Department of Information and Communications Technology report, Yap said the Philippines has one of the lowest cellular tower densities in the world with less than 20,000 towers serving a population of 105 million people. This is mainly the reason why the Philippines has the slowest internet speed in ASEAN. More cellular towers in an area will decongest the network traffic which improves the internet speed, he said. Yap said that in a poll of about 22 Asian countries with fastest internet speed, the Philippines tailed next to the last slot which was occupied by Afghanistan. For a country like us, with a vibrant economy, with a 105 million people, considering that we still want to expand our services to our people, this is unacceptable, he said.Yap gave a comparison of the number of cell sites against the number of internet users in the different countries. We have about 21,000 total cell sites against internet users of around 47 million while Vietnam has 55,000 cell sites for 47 million internet users. Malaysia has about 22,000 cell sites against 20 million internet users. China has 1.18 million cell sites against 688 million internet users, he said. Yap said that this why the President has also been very insistent in looking for a third telco player. But requiring the third telco player to put up their own infrastructure throughout the country is a barrier to competition, Yap said. Because as we all know, one telco tower is going to cost more than P20 million to P30 million and will require close to 30 signatures from the local government unit (LGU) alone, Yap said. He said this is the reason why he filed the proposal. So what happens to the towers here of Globe and SMART or other telcos? They can now take their towers, put it in the REIT and sell their REIT to the public. And they get paid back, he said. House Resolution 936 directs the Committee on Communications Technology and other appropriate committees to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the submitted roll out plans of the telecommunication companies relative to addressing backlog of cell sites with the end in view of enacting regulations to support efforts that would ensure the improvements of the state of Philippine communications. ARCHIVED - October property sales figures higher all over Spain except in the islands The sharpest increases continue to be in Murcia, Navarra and La Rioja This Wednesday saw the publication by the governments central statistics unit of the residential property sales data for the month of October, showing that the total for the whole of the country during the month was 15.8 per cent higher than in the same month last year at 43,536. This result lays to rest any fears that the chaos and confusion regarding who should pay the tax on newly registered mortgages might slow the market down, as the ongoing upward trend continued. October saw the ninth year-on-year rise in the first ten months of 2018, the only exception having been when the figures were distorted in March by Easter falling earlier than in 2017, although there remains a suspicion that the level of activity in the real estate market might be reaching a ceiling in some areas, especially those where the recovery in the market began soonest fallowing the crash which began in late 2007. Once again the Canaries and the Balearics were among the three regions where the figures fell (the other being Aragon), and in Madrid the total of 6,280 was just one higher than in the same month last year, reinforcing the suspicion that the lack of average price increase on a national scale is due to activity becoming more intense in the less expensive of the 17 Autonomous Communities. Indeed, the most significant increases were those reported in the relatively inexpensive regions of Murcia (51.2 per cent), Navarra (41.3 per cent) and La Rioja (35.6 per cent), and all three of these regions continue to enjoy a boom in sales this year, with increases of well over 15 per cent in Navarra and La Rioja and 26.5 per cent in Murcia. However, as is so often the case, the region with most sales per 100,000 inhabitants of property-buying age during October was the Comunidad Valenciana, with a figure of 154. The monthly data also illustrate the continuing generalized upward trend, showing that in the first ten months of 2018 the number of residential property sales registered in Spain reached over 439,000 following a rise of 11.8 per cent. Similarly, over the last twelve months the total stands at 511,860, having risen by 11.8 per cent over the last year and 74.5 per cent since the market bottomed out in February 2014: the figure is now at its highest since January 2009. It should be pointed out that the October figures published by the central governments statistics unit are lower than those released by the countrys notaries earlier in the week, which showed a total of over 49,000 and an increase of 13 per cent. The discrepancy is explained at least in part by the fact that the governments data are gathered when transactions are inscribed at property registries, a formality which is often completed some time after the sale is finalized and the deeds signed before a notary. To view a wide range of properties for sale across Spain consult the Spanish property page. Follow Murcia Today on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news, events and information in the Region of Murcia and the rest of Spain: https://www.facebook.com/MurciaToday/. article_detail --> The Bloodhound SSC project was reportedly shut down recently due to failing to raise $32 million to keep operations running. The goal of the project was to surpass the current land speed record of 1,228km/h in the Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape but this now seems unlikely to be achieved any time soon. Expectations had been that the Bloodhound SSC would have begun running towards the end of 2019 in its bid to break the 21-year-old land speed record. The vehicle is now reportedly for sale for $320,000 (R4.5 million), but the project would cost millions more before it could reach a point where it could attempt the land speed record. MTNs network in the Hakskeen Pan One of the supporting companies for the project was MTN, and saw the operator setting up an LTE network in the Hakskeen Pan for the speed runs. With the project shutting down, however, MTN was asked about its investment in the area. MTN previously supported and were willing to continue supporting the project, said executive for corporate affairs at MTN South Africa, Jacqui OSullivan. We met with the Bloodhound SSC team earlier this year to express our commitment to the project. OSullivan said MTN cannot yet confirm that the project has officially been shut down, despite the projects joint administrator Andrew Sheridan publicly saying as much. We have noted recent media reports regarding Bloodhound SSC but we havent received official communication from them at this stage, said OSullivan. Now read: World land speed record in South Africa shut down Japans three largest mobile phone carriers SoftBank, NTT Docomo, and KDDI announced they will no longer use equipment from Huawei or any other Chinese manufacturers in their 5G network infrastructure, Nikkei Asian Review reports. The Japanese government recently cited security concerns as the reason for blocking Huawei from public procurement, essentially banning the purchase of Chinese telecoms hardware for public enterprises. Its extremely important to avoid buying equipment that includes malicious functions like stealing or destroying information or halting information systems, said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. SoftBank will reportedly be the most affected by this Huawei equipment ban, as its 4G infrastructure is built on Huawei telecoms hardware. These mobile carriers will also be unable to use ZTE equipment. A number of mobile networks in the United States fear they will also be forced to remove all Huawei network equipment from their infrastructure, petitioning the US Federal Communications Commission for funding and time to replace the hardware if ordered. Now read: Qualcomm unveils new chips for upcoming 5G smartphones One unrecognized source of misunderstandings between parents and children, college professors and their students, employers and co-workers is often the result of conflicts arising when people from different generations interact with one another. Researchers identify five generations in the workplace, the political sphere, even families. People born before 1945 are called veterans or the silent generation. Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964; Generation X between 1965 and 1979; and Millennials were born between 1980 and 1995. Ask Boomers for a significant childhood memory and they often mention the assassination of JFK, while Millennials will more likely recall 9/11. San Diego State Professor Jean Twenge examines generational shifts and coined the term iGen to describe people born after 1995. Twenge disagrees that a single cause (such as parenting) can be the basis for shifts and cautions against assuming all members of any generation are the same. Seventy-four million Americans are iGeners, comprising nearly a quarter of the population. Like previous generations, they will shape the future. Rather than judging them, understanding how to adapt to iGeners is essential for communication, collaboration and progress. Twenge provides useful insights and advice in her imposingly titled book, iGen; Why Todays Kids are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy, and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood (and What That Means for the Rest of Us). She identifies 10 important trends shaping the experience of iGen, including, In No Hurry, or Growing Up Slowly. iGeners achieve milestones of adulthood later and are growing up more slowly. While many Baby Boomers recall waiting outside the Department of Motor Vehicles to get their drivers licenses on their 16th birthdays, iGeners frequently get their licenses only after being nagged into it by parents. iGen youth are less likely to have spent time at home without adult supervision; for the most part, they havent been allowed to walk alone, whether to the park or home from school. Many admit their parents know exactly where they are and who they are with whenever they are out. iGeners are less likely to use drugs or alcohol or to have sex; the latter contributing to the decline in teen pregnancies. They also are less likely to rebel against hyper-protective parents, wish they could stay children longer, and have far less experience with adult independence. Twenge finds iGeners less narcissistic and entitled. They strongly embrace equality related to race, gender and sexual orientation, and reportedly are shocked when they encounter prejudice. They overwhelmingly wish people could have open, respectful, and judgement-free conversations about bias, which may account for their hostility toward speakers openly expressing homophobia, racism or misogyny. While iGen youth are not driving or getting high, they are spending more time glued to mobile phones and similar devices. In her book, The Teenage Brain, Frances Jensen describes the amount of time young people spend online as a Digital Invasion of their brains. Social isolation, depression, stress, cyberbullying, even symptoms of ADHD are the downside of technology with young girls being especially susceptible. Jensen claims Internet use stimulates the same brain reward center as drugs. When her phone pings, one girl says, Its like someone tapping you on the shoulder. You have to look around. Rather than responding to iGeners use of technology with punishment, parents must encourage and support children to be balanced and well rounded. There is no escaping the digital world, writes Jensen; however, she says parents should insist that kids turn away if only for brief periods every day. Moderation is key and the earlier limits are placed, the better Twenge recommends delaying giving children mobile phones for as long as possible because older teens are less likely to be adversely affected by social media. She advises parents to stay engaged and guide children to use platforms that allow brief and individual posts, such as Snapchat or Houseparty. These apps dont expose users to wider audiences as do Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Both DTwenge and Jensen observe that young people who spend time in person talking and socializing with friends rather than in online relationships are happier and experience fewer mental problems. Developing interpersonal skills and independence are essential to success in all areas of life. Twenge concludes, iGeners have a solid basis for success, with their practical nature and inherent caution. If they can shake themselves free from the constant clutch of their phones they can still fly and the rest of us will be cheering them on. Tom Brown is a St. Helena resident who served as a dean at Saint Marys College of California for 27 years. He currently is a consultant and speaker at colleges and universities that are seeking to keep more of the students they enroll. Send comments, questions or suggestions for future columns to: thedean@tbrownassociates.com. VCG/VCG via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- American and Chinese leaders are now in an international showdown over the U.S.-orchestrated arrest of a top executive at Huawei Technologies, the Chinese telecom giant that has become the world's biggest supplier of network equipment for phone and internet services. The executive, Meng Wanzhou, was being detained in Canada after a court there delayed a decision Monday on a U.S. request that she be extradited. But -- even as the standoff comes at a particularly sensitive time for U.S.-China relations with the two countries battling over trade - the latest row is hardly the first time that U.S. government concerns over Huawei have pitted American officials against their Chinese counterparts. And it's still unclear whether lingering concerns about Chinese espionage could have played a role in the U.S. governments decision to file federal charges against the executive for financial-related crimes. A Justice Department spokesman declined to answer a question from ABC News about it, but top national security officials from Justice, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are slated to testify Wednesday to the Senate Judiciary Committee about "China's non-traditional espionage against the United States," as the hearing is titled. As far back as 2011, the House Intelligence Committee began investigating what it called "the counterintelligence and security threat posed" by Huawei and similar Chinese tech firms. At the time, the committee even sent a team of investigators to China to press Huawei executives about the matter. Based on available classified and unclassified information, Huawei ... cannot be trusted to be free of foreign state influence and thus pose[s] a security threat to the United States and to our systems, the House panel wrote in its final report. Huawei was unwilling to explain its relationship with the Chinese government or Chinese Communist Party, while credible evidence exists that Huawei fails to comply with U.S. laws, the report concluded. In the years since, the FBI has kept close tabs on Huawei, according to law enforcement sources. And just four months ago, U.S. prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York secretly filed fraud charges against 46-year-old Meng, Huaweis chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder. At the U.S. governments behest, she was arrested earlier this month while traveling through Canada, where court documents say she and others repeatedly lied to international banks about Huaweis ties to businesses in Iran. In particular, Huawei used a Hong Kong-based company, Skycom, as a front for Huaweis operating in Iran despite U.S. sanctions, and Meng falsely claimed to numerous multinational financial institutions that Skycom was not connected to Huawei so that those institutions would carry out hundreds of millions of dollars in otherwise prohibited transactions, according to court documents released in Canada. In the United States alone, one major bank ended up improperly approving $100 million in transactions based on the lies, the court documents allege. But after news of Mengs arrest became public last week, officials in China warned of grave consequences if she is not released, calling her detention unreasonable, unconscionable, and vile in nature." The official Xinhua News Agency said a top Chinese diplomat "lodged solemn representations and strong protests" with Canadian and U.S. authorities over the matter, demanding the United States drop the "extremely egregious charges against Meng. The Chinese governments demands over Meng come as President Donald Trump and his administration are trying to hammer out a deal with China that would alleviate growing tensions over trade and possible tariffs. Those tensions have already rattled U.S. markets, contributing to a substantial drop in the stock markets last week. On Sunday, the U.S. trade representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, insisted the dispute over Mengs arrest shouldnt really have much of an impact on Chinas willingness to negotiate a trade deal with the United States. I can understand from the Chinese perspective how they would see it that way, but Mengs arrest is a criminal justice matter thats unrelated and totally separate from ongoing trade talks, Lighthizer told CBS News. Nevertheless, Lighthizer added that any deal must include assurances from the Chinese government that it will stop trying to steal U.S. technology from American companies and others. China has a policy of theft of intellectual property from America, he said. It's extremely important that China [stops] that. According to U.S. officials, there is one tool in particular that Chinese authorities may be able to exploit to steal intellectual property: Huawei. In fact, a top Homeland Security official, Jeanette Manfra, recently told a congressional panel the U.S. intelligence community is concerned about laws inside China that compel companies like Huawei to take certain actions. And a telecommunication company is particularly problematic because [it] gives a government the capability to have access to communications that are global, Michael Brown, the former CEO of global cyber-firm Symantec, said at a House Intelligence Committee hearing in July. So this represents a particular danger, he added. Meanwhile, a top member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, recently described Huawei and other Chinese telecom companies as arms of the Chinese Communist Party. Now - with the U.S. economy and U.S. national security at stake -- the Chinese government is demanding the release of Huaweis chief financial officer. The U.S. government, meanwhile, has yet to unseal the charges against Meng, which for four months left U.S. prosecutors waiting for Meng to travel internationally so she could be arrested. The only documents released thus far are from the Canadian courts, and the U.S. government has yet to release any information about the case, a Justice Department spokesman noted to ABC News. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The Department of Justice has summoned two executives of the Philippine Childrens Medical Center to appear before the hearings on Friday, Dec. 14 and on Dec. 28, in connection with the complaint filed by families of eight children who died after being inoculated with the anti-dengue vaccine. Required to attend the hearings were Dr. Raymundo Lo, former deputy executive director for professional services of the PCMC and another PCMC executive, Dr. Sonia Gonzales, whom Public Attorneys Office chief, Persida Rueda Acosta accused of facilitating the purchase of the anti-dengue vaccine used by the government in 2016 for its mass vaccination program supposedly to eradicate dengue. Under and by virtue of the authority vested in us by law, you are hereby summoned to appear before the panel on Dec. 14, 2018 at 10a.m. at the Department of Justice, Padre Faura St. Ermita, Manila, and then and there, obtain/be duly furnished with copies of the subject complaints and supporting documents, and where you may examine all other evidence submitted by the complainants, stated the subpoena signed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Dacanay, the head of the prosecution panel. The investigating fiscals also directed Lo and Gonzales to submit their respective counter-affidavits, as well as affidavits of their respective witnesses and supporting documents in the next hearing set for Dec. 28. Last week, Lo and Gonzales were impleaded as additional respondents in the second batch of Dengvaxia-related complaints currently pending for resolution by the DOJ. Acosta said the two facilitated the purchase of Dengvaxia even before the Food and Drug Administration has issued the certificate of product registration. Acosta said that the two former PCMC officials displayed grave recklessness, utter bad faith, lack of foresight, lack of skill, want of care, gross neglect and deliberate, arbitrary and even malicious disregard of the safety and lives of thousands of Filipino children. Last September, former Health Secretary Janette Garin presented Lo as an expert witness being a pathologist specializing in anatomic and clinical pathology to disprove the link between the anti-dengue vaccine and the deaths of the children. However, the following month, the DOJ rejected the bid of Garin saying it was too late for her to do so. The DOJ also said Garin failed to submit an explanation why Los affidavit was submitted late.Apart from the very late submission of Los affidavit, the panel said a full-blown trial and not a preliminary investigation as what the panel is conducting, is the proper venue to discuss and thresh out the evidence of both parties in the criminal case filed against Garin and other former and current DOH officials and executives of Sanofi Pasteur and Zuellig Pharma, the local distributor of Dengvaxia, for the deaths of eight children included in the second batch of complaint. The eight children whose deaths were included in the second batch of complaint against Garin and her co-accused are Clarissa Alcantara, Christine Mae De Guzman, Erico Leabres, Roshaine Carino, Naomi Nimura, John Paul Rafael, Michael Tablate and Christine Joy Asuncion. Including the first and third batch of cases, there are now 29 complaints filed against Garin before the DOJ. Acosta earlier said they have documented 96 deaths connected to Dengvaxia so far. In his testimony before the House committees on good government and public accountability and health, Lo disputed the autopsy findings of the PAO forensic team headed by Dr. Erwin Erfe which earlier linked the deaths of the children to Dengvaxia. He said that some of PAOs autopsy findings were not supported by factual data, including their conclusion that that there were hemorrhage in the heart of some of those who were given the vaccine. He said that congestion, swelling, hemorrhage and edema, which were included in the PAOs forensic report, are all non-specific findings which cannot be assigned to one disease. Lo likewise debunked the latest accusation impleading him in the case saying it was patently false and that the PAO is just trying to intimidate him after his testimony before a House inquiry on the issue that he had presented disproved their claim that the deaths were related to the vaccine. The 29th annual Lessons and Carols Service led by the St. Mary's Episcopal Church Choir and conducted by Travis Rogers will be presented at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16 in church at 1917 Third St., Napa. This Anglican tradition is based on the world-famous "Festival of Lessons and Carols" first celebrated in the chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England in 1918 and continued each Christmas Eve since. To mark this anniversary, all of the selections presented by the St. Mary's Choir in the service in Napa this year have been sung, at least once, in a King's College Lessons and Carols Service. The service itself, based on a liturgical plan created by an Anglican bishop in Truro, England in 1880, involves a fixed sequence of scriptural readings interspersed by carols performed by the choir and hymns sung by all the service participants and attendees. A reception will be held in the Parish Hall following the service. For more information, contact the church at 707-255-0991. California fish and game commissioners are poised to decide Wednesday on a proposal that would extend the closure on recreational abalone fishing another two years to give the ailing species more time to recover from a near-total collapse on the North Coast. The vote would extend until April 2021 an existing closure approved a year ago in the wake of a sharp, multi-year decline in the popular fishery, with no signs of a rebound, a key state official said Tuesday. "There's no positive news," said Sonke Mastrup, environmental program manager for the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the lead expert on abalone matters. "We're still seeing starving abalone this last season during the surveys. We're still seeing fresh empty shells." The likely extension of the closure has been expected but is nonetheless a painful reminder of the uncertain future of a cherished tradition that brings friends and family together and is often passed down from one generation to the next. It could be years before abalone hunting on the level seen in recent decades along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts, the prime destination, is allowed again, Mastrup said. "Frankly, the open access fishery that you've seen? We won't see that fishery probably for a couple of decades," Mastrup said. The jeopardy is clear enough within the avid group of abalone hunters that the proposed extension on fishing isn't drawing much opposition. In fact, one leading voice for the divers said Tuesday he would have supported a longer suspension of the harvest. "Nobody's opposing the closure," said Josh Russo, president of the Watermen's Alliance, which represents diving organizations up and down the state. "I would have gone for five years." Commercial fishing for abalone has been banned since 1997. The recreational fishery for red abalone was the only one left when a wave of environmental stressors began exacting its toll about five years ago. That included a disease that knocked out seastars, a key predator to purple urchins, which are voracious competitors with abalone. After their numbers exploded, the kelp forests on which both species depend were stripped clean across vast swaths of the coast. The Warm Blob, a persistent band of unusually warm water along the West Coast, also did damage to abalone and its habitat. State surveys showed a population that was diminished and starving. Now, some divers say they have seen revived kelp beds and abalone while spearfishing or exploring the water. But those spots are isolated, Mastrup said. Efforts to curb urchin numbers have helped, with volunteers and commercial harvesters collecting 57 tons along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. State commissioners are poised to give another boost to those efforts Wednesday, increasing harvest limits on purple urchins. But "there are still a lot of urchins," Mastrup said. "They're making a dent, but up to this point, we're not sure it's enough to make a bit difference." A Napa man was arrested Monday after an attempted rape of a woman, police say. The woman suffered minor physical injuries and was released from Queen of the Valley Medical Center after some tests, according to the Napa Police Department. Officers headed to the 900 block of Marina Drive around 10 a.m. after receiving a report of an attempted sexual assault. The alleged victim, who knew her suspected attacker, was injured after kicking and trying to pull away from him, Napa police say. Ryan James Cahill, 33, gave up and fled the home, police say. Officers later found Cahill running on West Imola Ave near Freeway Drive and arrested him. Cahill was arrested on suspicion of three felonies related to false imprisonment and attempted rape, according to jail records. He remained in custody as of Tuesday afternoon. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Texting your sweetheart that youre on your way home? California may soon charge you for that. This is no LOL matter, critics say. State regulators have been ginning up a scheme to charge a fee for text messaging on mobile phones to help support programs that make phone service accessible to the poor. The wireless industry and business groups have been working to defeat the proposal, now scheduled for a vote next month by the California Public Utilities Commission. Its a dumb idea, said Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council business-sponsored advocacy group. This is how conversations take place in this day and age, and its almost like saying there should be a tax on the conversations we have. Its unclear how much individual consumers would be asked to pay their wireless carrier for texting services under the proposal. But it likely would be billed as a flat surcharge per customer one of those irksome fees at the bottom of your wireless bill not a fee per text. Business groups, including the Bay Area Council, California Chamber of Commerce and Silicon Valley Leadership Group and others opposing the idea, calculated the new charges for wireless consumers could total about $44.5 million a year. But they add that under the regulators proposal the charge could be applied retroactively for five years which they call an alarming precedent and could amount to a bill of more than $220 million for California consumers. A dense California Public Utilities Commission report laying out the case for the texting surcharge says the Public Purpose Program budget has climbed from $670 million in 2011 to $998 million last year. But the telecommunications industry revenues that fund the program have fallen from $16.5 billion in 2011 to $11.3 billion in 2017, it said. This is unsustainable over time, the report says, arguing that adding surcharges on text messaging will increase the revenue base that funds programs that help low-income Californians afford phone service. From a consumers point of view, surcharges may be a wash, because if more surcharge revenues come from texting services, less would be needed from voice services, said CPUC spokeswoman Constance Gordon in a statement. Generally, those consumers who create greater texting revenues may pay a bit more, whereas consumers using more voice services may pay less. Wunderman said hes unaware of any other local, state or federal program that taxes texting. And the wireless industry has argued the state commission even lacks legal grounds for doing so. The CTIA, which represents the U.S. wireless communications industry including AT&T Mobility, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, said in legal filings to the commission that texting is an information service like email, not a telecommunications service subject to the commissions authority. The Federal Communications Commission is expected to affirm that Wednesday at a meeting, the CTIA said, which would confirm that the state utilities commission has no authority to impose surcharges on text messaging. Beyond that, the wireless industry argues a surcharge on texting would put carriers at a disadvantage with competing messaging services that wouldnt be hit with the new fees, such as Facebooks Messenger and WhatsApp, Apples iMessage and Microsofts Skype. Those kinds of services account for almost triple the volume of wireless carriers share of the more than 3 trillion text messages sent in 2018 alone, according to the CTIA. Subjecting wireless carriers text messaging traffic to surcharges that cannot be applied to the lions share of messaging traffic and messaging providers is illogical, anticompetitive, and harmful to consumers, the CTIA said in its filings. In a letter to commissioners urging them to drop the plan, business groups and other critics added that wireless customers already pay a surcharge for the Public Purpose Programs, which they said are healthy and well-funded, with nearly $1 billion in the budget. But the commission in a proposed decision by an administrative law judge concluded in principle that the commission should assess Public Purpose Program surcharges and user fees on all text messaging services revenue and that it has the necessary authority to do so. Asked about the idea after he checked his text messages in downtown San Jose, Juan Gutierrez, 25, who works for a delivery service, said it sounded absurd. California just doesnt stop trying to get money out of you, Gutierrez lamented. Whats next? Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. SAN FRANCISCO Two women filmed damaging a restaurant on San Franciscos Polk Street during Saturdays unsanctioned SantaCon festival have been charged with felonies, according to the district attorneys office. Natalie Alcantar of San Francisco and Hannah Baughman of Pacifica, both 21 years old, have been charged with felony vandalism. Baughman has also been charged with misdemeanor battery. The pair turned themselves in on Tuesday after videos of them vandalizing the Shalimar Restaurant, located at 1409 Polk St., began circulating on social media. In the videos, one of the women is seen violently breaking a glass door with a chair and in another, the other is seen throwing a jar at an employee. According to police, a restaurant employee told officers that after the women entered the restaurant appearing to be drunk, an argument ensued between them and employees over whether they had paid for food. One of the women then became angry and allegedly began knocking items off the counter, including the cash register. When an employee tried to stop her, she allegedly punched him in the face, police said. The suspect then continued to knock over items, while her accomplice grabbed the chair and shattered the front door. By the time officers arrived, the pair had already left. The rowdy scene happened during the annual SantaCon event, in which people flock to the citys downtown and surrounding areas dressed as Santa Claus. Police said they arrested seven people during this years event on suspicion of being drunk in public. Additionally, 15 people were treated by medics. Prosecutors expect the two women to be arraigned in court sometime this week. 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 many people must take part in such an extrajudicial killing for it to qualify as a lynching (in 1921, the NAACP suggested 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, Kentucky. 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 recently, the prognosis for its passage isnt much better than the fate of its more than 200 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. Scott Martelle is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. "Wouldn't it have been nice if we got Osama bin Laden a lot sooner?" President Donald Trump mused last month. With that conjecture about the leadership of Admiral William McRaven, whom he succinctly dismissed as a "Hillary Clinton fan" and "Obama backer," Trump provoked yet another scandal about presidential comportment. Of course, it's hardly news that Trump criticized someone seemingly unassailable; indeed, his swipe at Chief Justice John Roberts three days later largely displaced the McRaven story. But like Trump's insistence that the late Sen. John McCain was "not a war hero," his criticism of McRaven rankled in a newsworthy way because it grated against our sense that military personnel ought to be publicly venerated. The ritual of saying thank you to the troops is now an established, almost demanded, response to the pervasive notion that military personnel are the best among us, frequently couched as a repayment of our perceived collective debts for their sacrifice. But singling out military personnel for such acknowledgments actually comes at the expense of meaningfully recognizing their service. By taking the easy way out, offering accolades instead of the concrete support they need or careful thought about the human costs of U.S. foreign policy, we may actually be putting our troops at greater risk. Because adoration for the troops has become so central to American militarism (the idea that war is necessary, inevitable, even beneficial), participating in these rituals may, in fact, cement the beliefs that inspire the United States to send its military personnel to war. The expectation that politicians and ordinary citizens alike express their unwavering support for the troops is relatively new. Although our government has provided compensation for injured veterans since before the Revolutionary War, it has often doled out these benefits begrudgingly. During the Civil War, the government established a veterans' pension, and the years after the war were marked by an upwelling of citizen gratitude for the massive conscript army credited with preserving the Union. In his second inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln implored the nation to "strive on. . .to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphans." This pledge later became the foundation for the mission statement of the Veterans Administration. Yet by the end of the 19th century, animosity toward people with disabilities contributed to the social marginalization of injured veterans. Indeed, over time, the initial good will toward veterans morphed into resentment about the special treatment they seemed to be receiving from the state. In public discourse, veterans were often scorned for laziness, criminality and malingering unemployment, a characterization that persisted into the era of World War I. In October 1920, as New York voters considered a state bond that would pay a bonus to veterans, Henry Stimson - Secretary of War under William Howard Taft and again under Franklin Roosevelt, and himself a World War I veteran - wrote a piece in the New York Times warning that this bonus would "inevitably teach the service men to lean upon the State and nation." Although the bond issue passed handily, the nationwide push toward rehabilitation for injured veterans was motivated by a concern that they become productive - gainfully employable - members of society, not any sense that the nation owed them a debt of gratitude. In the midst of the Great Depression in 1932, thousands of jobless World War I veterans converged on Washington to demand immediate payment of service bonuses they were scheduled to receive in 1945. In an attempt to repulse the "Bonus Army," the Hoover administration called in the city police. After this provoked a riot in which two protesters were shot and killed, Hoover dispatched an Army unit equipped with tanks and tear gas that ultimately dispersed the men. Hoover's successor, Franklin Roosevelt, took a gentler approach to veteran activists, even as, in 1933, he gave a speech that would be virtually unthinkable today: insisting that veterans, even disabled veterans, were not entitled to any special benefits. In 1944, Roosevelt - perhaps mindful that the nation could ill afford a return to the mass discontent and unemployment that sparked the Bonus March - signed the GI Bill. Notably, however, even this seminal legislation spawned controversy in both houses of Congress. The GI Bill reflected how, by and large, World War II veterans received a heroes' welcome, supported tangibly with state resources. Yet this treatment of veterans was anomalous in 20th-century American wars and did not last. Sharply divided public opinion about the Vietnam War begot conflicting opinions about the personnel who fought it, with many veterans stung by the sense that they returned home to a hostile public and a government disinterested in their needs. The end of the draft in 1973 and subsequent transition to an all-volunteer force, however, changed the meaning of enlistment, transforming the act into the utmost symbol of patriotism and willing self-sacrifice. Moreover, the belief that an indifferent or even antagonistic civilian population exacerbated the trauma of Vietnam veterans became a cautionary tale about how military personnel ought to be treated. The newfound option for most Americans to avoid military service seemingly endowed them with a new responsibility: expressing gratitude toward military personnel who enlisted so that they didn't have to. This resulted in a crucial transformation: the choice not to enlist became entirely unremarkable - until a civilian criticized U.S. military action, the military or someone in it, at which point their civilian status instantly delegitimized their argument. By the time the Gulf War began, rhetorically supporting the troops became a political imperative, and after September 11, it became the only viable platform, regardless of one's position on our subsequent wars. This historical transformation manifested itself in the two most prominent reactions to Trump's criticism of McRaven: professions of gratitude for the admiral and criticism of Trump's lack of military service. Even many Republican leaders made clear their respect for McRaven, though they dared not criticize the president directly. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., exemplified this, tweeting: "I don't know if Adm. William McRaven shares my political views or not. But I do know that few Americans have sacrificed or risked more than he has to protect America & the freedoms we enjoy. His military career exemplified honor & excellence. I am grateful for his service." Many of the mainstream news stories about Trump's comments cited the five draft deferments that the president received during Vietnam. The stories often referenced this information without elaboration, as if its meaning and relevance were self-evident: Trump was a coward who had no right to criticize McRaven, because McRaven served and he had not. But there is something specious about this popular reverence for the military. While the vast majority of Americans view all branches of the military favorably, they have little interest in enlisting. A recent report by the Council on Foreign Relations revealed that only 0.5 percent of the population (1.29 million people) are active-duty military, down from roughly 1 percent (2.2 million) in 1973. With the exception of a small uptick after September 11, the size of the active duty-military has been steadily decreasing for the last 45 years, and this year the Army fell short of its recruiting goal of 80,000 new enlistees. The disconnect between our regard for the military and our disinterest (my own included) in actually serving deepens the already sharp division between civilian and military populations. Paradoxically, venerating military personnel, even with good intentions, may exacerbate it further. Setting military personnel apart as special and glorifying their combat experiences makes it easier to ignore the costs of war and the deeply uneven ways that they are distributed, both domestically and abroad. Instead of this reckoning, civilians who shoulder few of those burdens can feel as if they've contributed, merely by professing their support and gratitude to the troops. In this way, it becomes easier and easier to consent to militarism and so to guarantee that the same people will be called on to fight again and again. At the same time, the slow-motion crisis at the VA, the recent spike in suicides among young veterans, the ongoing epidemic of untreated mental health issues among military personnel and the financial hardships that many military families encounter all reveal the shallowness of the gratitude that we are compelled to profess. Chastising the president for yet another boorish attack does nothing to solve these problems. Instead, we'd be far better off questioning our own accountability for the suffering of military personnel, which mandatory platitudes will never alleviate. Rebecca A. Adelman is associate professor of media & communication studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and author of "Figuring Violence: Affective Investments in Perpetual War." She wrote this for The Washington Post. All California Democrats who were engaged in the 2018 election are invited to help to select delegates in January to the California Democratic Party (CDP). The California Democratic Party is convening Assembly District Meetings (ADEM) to select delegates in each of the state's 80 Assembly Districts the weekend of Jan. 12-13, 2019 and Jan. 26-27, 2019. The Assembly District Election Meeting delegates are roughly one-third of the governing body of the California Democratic Party, which is also known as the Democratic State Central Committee. The DSCC is made up of approximately 3,200 members. Together, these delegates vote and conduct business at the yearly state conventions, including the elections of party officers, the election of up to 25 State Party Regional Directors, California Democratic Party legislative endorsements, ballot propositions, California Democratic Party Resolutions and the California Democratic Party Platform. Each Assembly District will elect 14 Democrats to be members of the Democratic State Central Committee Delegation for the 2019-2021 term. They will represent their Assembly District for both the 2019 and 2020 State Conventions. Assembly District 4 Democrats will hold their elections on Jan. 13 in Napa at the IBEW Hall 720 Technology Way starting at 10 a.m., and at the Veterans Hall E. 14th St., in Davis starting at 10:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed at both locations. To volunteer or if you have any questions, please contact Lynette Henley at henleyl@aol.com. Note: Pursuant to CDP Equal Division Rule, the 14 delegates to be elected at the ADEM are subject to equal division by gender. Gender shall mean one being either "self-identified female" or "other than self-identified female. G. Anthony Phillips American Canyon Armenia PM attends opening of new power plant (PHOTOS) Failed cult classic: The Big Lebowski Kanye West shocked by Virgil Abloh's death Search for remains of fallen soldiers resumes in Karabakh since November 22 Armenia ex-defense minister to remain in custody for another 2 months Our experiences with the Middle East Classical Music Academy in Dubai allowed us to successfully bring an Academy to RA 189 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia European Parliament official: There are prospects for successful diplomatic solutions, EU will stand with Armenians Australia parliament to debate on Armenian Genocide recognition Mkhitaryan is named man of the match Russia peacekeepers in Artsakh carry out measures against coronavirus US Congressman Schiff says he will not rest until many Armenian captives are returned from Azerbaijan Tom Ford slams Jared Leto's performance in House of Gucci WHO: Those who recovered from COVID-19 can catch Omicron variant Armenia opposition MP: Probability of new aggression by Azerbaijan remains Matthew McConaughey to not run for Texas governor World oil prices going up Ronaldo: Nothing is impossible when you play for Man. United La Liga: Real defeat Sevilla Serie A: Napoli give Lazio no chance Armenia opposition party to hold urgent press conference Rolls Royce introduces car worth $28M Napoli unveil Maradona statue Carrot that kills Covid Ebrahim Raisi, Ilham Aliyev hold their first meeting in Ashgabat Roma defeat Torino, Henrikh Mkhitaryan makes pass for goal (PHOTOS, VIDEO) Founder of Off-White Virgil Abloh dies Chelsea and Manchester United tie the match (PHOTOS, VIDEO) 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 Haroyan included in starting lineup of Cadiz for match against Atletico Madrid (PHOTOS) 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 FC Pyunik-FC Urartu: 2-0 Manchester City had no problem Milan surprisingly defeated 1-3 Erdogan declares that so-called 'Zangezur corridor' is 'important' Pro-government alliance of parties in the lead during parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan Neymar receives injury, removed from field with stretcher PSG win debut match of Sergio Ramos How Kim Kardashian feels about Kanye West trying to win her back Lindsay Lohan is engaged Raisi: Cooperation with countries of Asia and the Caucasus is a priority for Iran Ramos, Messi, Neymar and Mbappe in PSG's starting lineup (PHOTOS) 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 Did you know? The Terminal: 11 interesting facts about the movie 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 Alec Baldwins wife admits to a challenging year after tragedy #SportNetLIFE: Levon Aronian's and Artur Aleksanyan's gifts to war heroes, Karen Khachanov's visit to Armenia, Nazik Avdalyan's performance of "Dle Yaman" Barcelona defeat Villareal 3-1 Inter defeat Venezia (VIDEO) Liverpool defeat Southampton 4-0 Guterres talks Russian role in continuation of contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan Cavusoglu and Bayramov discuss situation in Ashgabat region LeBron James surpasses Kobe Bryant's record Arsenal defeat Newcastle 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 Manchester City demand from Barcelona EUR 70 million for Torres Real Madrid do not intend to meet financial requirements of Pogba Ralph Rangnick to receive EUR 9 million at Manchester United ECHR rules on application of interim measure in respect of 4 Armenian POWs Pretty Woman actor Steve Restivo dies of COVID-19 Guardiola about Sterling: so glad for him, he has helped us for sure Liverpool and Atletico ex-midfielder ends his career 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 Queen has 2 people she answers her personal mobile Stephen Sondheim dies aged 91 Jurgen Klopp intend to sign Juventus midfielder 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 President Rodrigo Dutertes Executive Order 70 institutionalizing the peace talks between the national and local government will weaponize the civilian populations against the communist rebels, Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison said Wednesday. The EO limits the Philippine government to the framework of military suppression and psywar use of fake surrenders and fake encounters, misrepresented as localized peace talks, Sison said in a statement. EO 70 seeks to weaponize the civil bureaucracy for the armed counter-revolution or military suppression of the revolutionary government and movement of the people. Sison made his statement even as an official said New Peoples Army fighters were targeting Indigenous Peoples for recruitment as they did not know the rebel group. Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato made the statement when asked why the rebels were focusing their recruitment efforts on the IPs in Mindanao. Sison said EO 70 would pave the way for more arrests of NDFP peace consultants and the deployment of Duterte death squads in both urban and rural areas against suspected revolutionaries and critics of the tyrannical and corrupt Duterte regime.He said the administration was already sabotaging the peace process with the appointment of former Armed Forces chief Carlito Galvez Jr. as Presidential Peace Adviser. The OPAPP is now emphatically militarized with the appointment of a rabid anti-communist general as secretary, Sison said. EO 70 is one more presidential issuance to terminate and prevent the resumption of peace talks at the appropriate national level between authorized representatives of the Philippine government and NDFP. It is in furtherance of the de facto martial rule and the scheme of imposition a full-blown fascist dictatorship on the people. Duterte terminated the peace talks with the communist rebels in November 2017 by issuing Proclamation 360. The Co-Founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative have announced Dr. Tom Catena, an American physician and Catholic missionary from Amsterdam, New York has joined the organisation as Chair. The appointment was announced during the Aurora Dialogues in Berlin. Dr. Catena joins the organization during a period of significant growth and will be responsible for engaging key humanitarian stakeholders, working with global partners and overseeing Auroras educational and outreach projects, including the internationally recognised, Aurora Prize. Aurora was established three years ago, and has impacted the lives of displaced individuals, children in conflict zones, refugees, migrants and vulnerable citizens around the world. Since 2016, the Aurora Prize has awarded over $3.3 million to unsung heroes and has supported 23 projects in 11 areas of humanitarian assistance globally. This year, the Aurora Prize supported over 375,000 Rohingya refugees. A further 62 students from conflict areas have been recipients of the Aurora Gratitude Scholarships program to study at United World Colleges around the world and the American University of Armenia. In May 2017, Dr. Catena was named as the Aurora Prize Laureate for his courageous work in the Nuba Mountains. Since 2008, he has served more than half a million people as the sole surgeon at the Mother of Mercy Hospital, an institution he has been dedicated to since. He has been based in Sudans war-ravaged territory for the last decade where humanitarian aid is restricted. Known as Dr Tom by locals, he provides treatment for people suffering ailments and war wounds. He will continue his role as Medical Director at the hospital working with a team of doctors, sourced by the Catholic Medical Mission Board in cooperation with the African Mission Healthcare Foundation, to work in the Nuba Mountains in parallel with his new responsibilities with the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. According to a joint statement from the Co-Founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative: We are delighted to welcome the first Chair of the organisation. Dr. Tom Catena truly embodies the spirit of Aurora and will be a driving force in taking our global vision forward by helping to empower individuals to embrace our shared humanity and express gratitude to those making an impact. It is gratifying that the 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate is also the first chair of this organization. Dr. Tom Catena, the new Chair of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative said: It is a true honour to chair the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative I am grateful for the impact of the Aurora Prize on my life and the financial support provided to the Mother of Mercy Hospital that has helped transform the lives of the Nuba people in Sudan. I believe in the simple yet powerful force of humanity in addressing todays critical humanitarian challenges and will remain committed to elevating the Gratitude in Action philosophy in my new role by supporting Auroras work empowering those in desperate need to create their own futures. In 2015, Dr. Catena was recognized by Time Magazine as one of its 100 Most Influential People in the world. He has been recognized with Honorary Doctorates from Brown University and Yerevan State Medical University. He also formerly served as a flight surgeon with the US Navy. As part of the leadership team changes at Aurora, the Executive Board has also appointed Dr. Hayk Demoyan, former Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute as the Chief Operating Officer of the Initiative. He started this position on 19 November 2018. Dr. Hayk Demoyan is author of numerous monographs and academic articles published in Armenian, Russian, English and French. From 2011 to 2015 he was appointed as a Secretary of the State Commission for Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide centennial. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said that they would ask the Davao court handling the criminal cases against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to issue a travel ban against the lawmaker. We are not withdrawing the motion for [the] issuance of an HDO [hold departure order] by the Davao court. As I said earlier, an HDO may be relevant and useful in the future, Guevarra told reporters. The DOJ chief earlier ordered the Bureau of Immigration not to prevent Senator from traveling abroad if no travel ban is handed down by the courts against him. The Davao City Regional Trial Court has given Trillanes five days from last Friday to file his comment or opposition. On Sunday, National Capital Region Police Office chief, Director Guillermo Eleazar said they have already secured a copy of the arrest warrant against Trillanes in connection with the libel cases filed by presidential son and former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio. Davao City RTC Branch 54 Judge Melinda Alconcel-Dayanghirang issued four warrants of arrest and fixed the bail for Trillanes at P24,000 for each case. The court ordered law enforcement authorities to arrest Trillanes within 10 days after receiving the order, which was dated Dec. 7.On Monday, Trillanes arrived at the sala of Judge Rowena Nieves Tan of the Pasay City RTC Branch 118 at 10:30 am and posted bail of P96,000 for the four counts of libel. Paolo Duterte filed three libel cases and Carpio filed one libel charge against Trillanes over the latters alleged derogatory statements against them. Trillanes dragged Paolo and Carpios name into the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling issue and the Uber franchise application. Trillanes had alleged on a dyAB Cebu radio interview that Paolo and Carpio connived with a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board official in Central Visayas in demanding a bribe in return for the approval of an Uber franchise. Paolo and Carpio have denied both allegations. The two also appeared before a Senate inquiry where they strongly denied the senators accusations. The first session of the newly-elected Armenian National Assembly will be held on January 7, Civil Contract Party member Vahagn Hovakimyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. According to him, the CEC will summarize the results of the National Assembly elections on December 16. "The results of the parliamentary elections may be appealed on the fifth day after the CEC decision, on December 21. That is, after December 18, at 18:00 it will be clear whether the NA elections be appealed to the Constitutional Court or not, he said adding that if the results of the elections are not appealed to the Constitutional Court, the MPs are given mandates by the compiled CEC protocol. He recalled that December 22 and 23 are non-working days, thus the CEC may convene a working session on December 24, in order to compile a protocol. Along with giving the mandates, CEC should also approve the day of the first sitting of the National Assembly. If the results of the elections are appealed in the Constitutional Court, in this case, the decision should be made within 15 days from December 22 to January 5. "Accordingly, the first session of the newly elected National Assembly may take place on January 14 or 21, he added. New charges have been filed against Armenias Former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, his attorney said. The body conducting the respective proceedings on Wednesday filed a motion with the court that Armen Gevorgyan be remanded in custody. Gevorgyan is charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the criminal case into the tragic events that occurred in capital city Yerevan, in March 2008. The investigative agency had enforced a signature bond to not leave Armenia as a preventive measure for him. The first session of the newly-elected Armenian National Assembly will be held on January 7, Civil Contract Party member said. Armenias Central Electoral Commission will summarize the results of the National Assembly elections on December 16. Unless the results are appealed, the decision should be made within 15 days from December 22 to January 5. Accordingly, the first session of the newly elected National Assembly may take place on January 14 or 21. The Iranian Foreign Minister Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi has welcomed the recent successful parliamentary elections in Armenia, describing it as a trend of democratic changes in the neighboring country. Ghasemi also hailed the polls as an important event in Armenian internal affairs, expressing hope that as a result of participation of people and after the formation of the new government there will be expansion of the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Armenia. Thee Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction on Wednesday denied the defenses motion for releasing former ranking security officialand former head of security of Armenias third President Serzh SargsyanVachagan Ghazaryan on bail. Ghazaryan who is charged with withholding the information on the true amount of his funds had been remanded in custody once before, but was released on a 1bn-dram (approx. $2,100,000) bail. Ghazaryan issued a statement saying his friend who allegedly possesses the funds, and he are ready to transfer $6 million for the projects toward the enhancement of the security of Armenia and Artsakh. A three-month-old girl from Voskepar village of Armenias Tavush Province has died Wednesday at a hospital in Yerevan after her mother had mistakenly given her potassium permanganate, instead of another medical drug, as medication. The little girl was brought to Yerevan in critical condition, but she could not be saved. Ukrainian authorities suspect Russian Armenian businessmen brothers Sergey and Nikolay Sarkisov of very large-scale fraud. The National Police of Ukraine have announced a search for them. It is noted that the Sarkisov brothers are hiding from the Ukrainian investigative agencies since September 24. But no preventive measure has been enforced regarding them. VancouverA Canadian court granted bail on Tuesday to a top Chinese telecoms company executive wanted in the United States in a case that has rattled the relations between China and the North American allies. 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. Meng, who faces a US extradition bid on charges related to alleged violations of Iran sanctions, was granted Can$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail, ordered to surrender her passport and will be subjected to electronic monitoring. The risk of [Mengs] 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. She was later released and left in a black SUV, according to Global News television footage. She 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 Chinas 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. Huawei is a strategically key company for Chinas 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 Huaweis 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 a break from work and spending time with family, read novels and maybe apply to a doctorate program while the extradition case played out after working hard for 25 years. 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. While Meng secured her release, the International Crisis Group think-tank said its North East Asia senior adviser, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, was detained by Chinese state security in Beijing on Monday night. 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 Mengs 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 Kovrigs detention was likely linked to Mengs 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. Some 20 Chinese police officers patrolled outside Canadas embassy on Wednesday but they refused to explain their presence. Kovrig, a Mandarin speaker, was a political officer at the embassy from 2014-2016 who met with dissidents and traveled to Chinas 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. Its 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, Saint-Jacques said. The US State Department called on China to end all forms of arbitrary detentions. Chinas state security and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to faxed questions. 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. Nobody knows who is the right person to lead economic transformation in Armenia, as the country faces many challenges, entrepreneur Ruben Vardanyan said in an interview with DW. It is a difficult job, because Armenia needs modernization in all areas, he said when commenting on whether Nikol Pashinyan can be a person to lead the economic transformation. We are facing unbelievably good time in Armenia, Vardanyan said. We all need to help him because it will be a disaster for the Armenian nation if he fails. The Russian-Armenian businessman emphasized that the expectation in the Armenian society is very high, and it is a question how Pashinyan can handle the expectations. He has a challenging job, he has no experience to run economic transformation, but I think he will be right consolidator of people around him who are professional and open-minded, he added. Speaking about Russias role for Armenia, Vardanyan said it the biggest market for the Armenian commodities, noting that even if Armenia becomes the EU member, many products will not be competitive there. Russia is a big investor in Armenia and provider of jobs for the Armenians who cannot find job in Armenia, he said. Armenia is a unique country bordering four civilizations, and the best for the country is being a bridge of four civilizations, not a party of any of them, the businessman resumed. LondonPrime Minister Theresa May faces an angry parliament Wednesday after delaying a key vote on her Brexit deal in a desperate move that leaves the agreement and her own future in limbo. The British leader toured European capitals on Tuesday in an attempt to salvage the deal, after MPs savaged its provisions on the issue of the Irish border. May said she wanted assurances from EU leaders that if Britain ever entered the so-called backstop arrangement for the border, this would only be temporary. But she also said it was the best deal available, adding: Theres no deal available that doesnt have a backstop. She received sympathy from EU partners but firm rejections of any attempt to reopen the agreement, which was approved by EU leaders last month following tortuous negotiations. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation but of course there is room if used intelligently, to give further clarification, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said ahead of talks with May on Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was no way to change the deal after meeting May. Meanwhile, EU President Donald Tusk said bloc leaders wanted to help the prime minister but added: The question is how. May on Monday told MPs she was postponing a critical vote on the deal scheduled for Tuesday, admitting that it faced rejection and promising to consult EU leaders in an effort to get additional reassurances on the backstop. She has said the vote will now be held before January 21. On her whistle-stop tour, she also met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and is headed to Dublin on Wednesday for talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before an EU summit on Thursday.I doubt if she really knows what shes going to achieve, said Pippa Catterall, professor of history and policy at the University of Westminster. Catterall said that May could be trying to take it down to the wire... so in the end parliament is faced with the choice: my deal or no deal. After her weekly Prime Ministers Questions at 1200 GMT, May will chair her first cabinet meeting since she announced the vote delay where ministers will discuss stepping up preparations for a no-deal Brexit. If no deal is approved by parliament, Britain will crash out of the European Union on March 29 -- a prospect that could trigger economic chaos. The main opposition Labour Party has said the government is in disarray but is so far holding off on pushing ahead with a no-confidence vote to attempt to topple May. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats, which are both anti-Brexit, have urged Labour to do so and are hoping this could lead to a second referendum. A few EU supporters within Mays own Conservative Party are also calling for another popular vote, while Brexit hardliners are urging fellow Conservative to oust her. A lot will hinge on what the Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 MPs prop up the government, will do. The DUP have indicated they will not vote against May on a confidence motion for now but have demanded that she jettison the backstop. Focused on the future Giovanni Galindo, a senior in cinematography who moved to Peoria, Illinois, from Mexico City, Mexico, when he was six years old, will earn his bachelors degree Saturday at Southern Illinois University Carbondale commencement exercises. (Photo by Russell Bailey) DACA student sees only positives from earning his cinema degree by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. There have been struggles and uncertainty the last 15 months for Giovanni Galindo, but the Southern Illinois University Carbondale senior kept everything in perspective. Galindo will graduate Saturday with a bachelors degree in cinematography and then prepare to move to Burbank, California to pursue a career in screenwriting and filmmaking. Galindo, who is from Mexico City, Mexico, moved with his family to Peoria in 2003 when he was six years old and did not speak English when he arrived. Yet Galindo, a 2015 Richwoods High School graduate, said his faith and a focus toward his career is resolute. Doesnt see negatives even when things go wrong Galindo, 21, approaches a move to California with confidence, which he credits to his faith and trust in God that everything happens for a reason. Galindo came to SIU in fall 2017 and sees his education and graduation from college as an achievement of dreams that his parents had for him. You have to follow your dreams, he said. Even If I go there and I have to find a regular job. Its not what I want to start, but it will be fine with me because I will still make movies when I can. Will participate in commencement exercises Galindo will be one of nearly 1,300 candidates to graduate at commencement exercises at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the SIU Arena. His parents, Claudia and Agustine Galindo, will be among families and friends celebrating the achievement. While attending college was at times a financial struggle, Galindo credits his family for their support. Because Galindo is part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program, he was unable to receive any type of federal aid, including grants and student loans, so he relied on his family, jobs and several scholarships for financial support to complete his education. He also works as a resident assistant in University Housing. It was scary to know I had to find my own money or scholarships and thats not always a guarantee, he said. Galindo was featured in a documentary I, Too, Dream American a film by Tomas Cortez, a junior in cinematography. The film highlighted difficulties that undocumented students face. He was the inaugural recipient of the universitys DACA Student Assistance Award. Debra Sarvela, director of the universitys Center for Environmental Health and Safety, established the scholarship. Found an investment by faculty in his career Galindo earned his associate degree in cinematography and film/video production from Illinois Central College last year before transferring to SIU Carbondale in fall 2017. He chose SIU Carbondale due to its cinema program and affordability. What he also found was integral support from faculty and staff. There has been a lot of investment I have felt from the professors in my work, he said. They want to see me progress and get better. You can feel their support. Galindo participated in Movie Camera Movement and the Hispanic Student Council, both registered student organizations. While some believe that a college education isnt needed to be a filmmaker, Galindo disagrees. Coming to college you get both the production and analytical and I feel when you get both of those you are able to create better movies, he said. A sharing of cultures Galindo is in the process of renewing his DACA protection, which expires in February. When talking with other DACA students, Galindo said that while they each have their respective cultures, the identity is largely American. Maybe not on paper, but we are Americans, nonetheless, too, he said. Its almost like a subculture of people we have created who came here really young but they share both cultures equally. A gifted student who wants to pursue screenwriting Cade Bursell, a professor in cinema and photography, said Galindo is a hard-working, talented yet humble person. She appreciated his eagerness to explore the breadth of cinematic storytelling. His beautiful, quiet and meaningful stories have been about resilience, love and hope, qualities that he also embodies, she said. I am so happy I had an opportunity to work with him. Angela Aguayo, an associate professor in cinema and photography, has been Galindos mentor. He is insightful, motivated and his energy draws people toward his work, she said. His perspective and unique insights into modern life is what we need to see more of on the cinema screen, Aguayo said. Film premiered at Varsity Theater last month Galindo has made several short films and videos while at SIU. A screening of his film, Shoot Em Up, Gavin premiered Nov. 29. The 24-minute film examines depression and what drives a person to reach a point to where they embark on a mass shooting spree. Galindo wrote the script and the film used his original music. I was interested in creating a film that talks about something prevalent in society, Galindo said. Hong Zhou, Galindos cinematography instructor, said the film shows Galindos talent and capabilities in weaving together screenwriting, directing and production skills. Another of Galindos strengths is a willingness to help with other students film projects, Zhou said. I am hopeful that he will continue to grow as a writer and filmmaker and make more personal and meaningful films in the future, he said. Galindo plans to enter the film in upcoming film festivals. Has a peacefulness about him Cristina Castillo met Galindo through the Hispanic Student Council in 2016 when she was an adviser for the organization. Castillo said she still wonders where his peacefulness comes from. Galindo is a student who lives in the moment and puts liveliness into his daily life. Galindo shows up to every Hispanic/Latino-sponsored event, always brings a camera, and participates in various events around the community, Castillo said. Galindo who founded GG Films Productions, plays the piano and guitar and composes and produces his own music and videos. Castillo, coordinator of the Hispanic/Latino Resource Center and the First Scholars Program, played a short part in Galindos film. She sees it as reaffirming Galindos sense of understanding societal issues and a desire to see positive heartwarming outcomes for society. Even while touching on issues that include guns, mental health, depression opioid addiction, faith and religion, the film provides audiences with an unpredictable outcome, she said. The outcome makes you realize that we underestimate our power to make a difference in the life of others and by simple good actions, we may save the life of others, she said. Wants to make films that send messages Galindo wants to focus on screenwriting. He is interested in creating art that you are passionate about instead of going to work for someone else. I like movies that are entertaining but movies that also make you think, he said. When you write for film you want to be able to send a message. When his house went up in flames, 15-year-old Donovan saved his family. (Photo: Getty Images) A 15-year-old boy led his family to safety when their house went up in flames, and hes being hailed as a hero. Lorri Kurer fell asleep with her kids Sunday night after watching a movie in their Muskego, Wis., home, a Milwaukee Fox affiliate reported. She was woken by a popping sound around midnight Monday morning. Kurer, who relies on an oxygen tank, is disabled and recovering from stomach surgery, according to Fox. She was sleeping, she heard a pop, and when she woke up she saw there were flames coming from the area around her oxygen tank, Mike Wojnowski, assistant chief of the local fire department, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. She attempted to put it out with a pillow and the fire was not going out, and it spread to things around the oxygen system. Kurer told a Milwaukee ABC news affiliate, Thought Id put it out with a pillow and all of the sudden my whole bed went up and my clothes went up. The fire started to spread toward the stairwell and up to the second floor, Wojnowski said. With his mom in a wheelchair, Donovan, 15, took charge. He woke up his sister and got her out before helping his mom out of the house. And then he alerted the neighbor in the adjoining house, his aunt, Wojnowski recalls. Shes legally blind. Donovan also called 911. Once everyone was out, Donovan went back inside in an attempt to save their cats, according to Wojnowski. He made it back out but without the cats. Although Donovan saved his family, it was unfortunately too late for the house. When the first unit pulled up, the fire was blowing out of the first floor window and the second floor window, Wojnowski said. By the time we got there, it was pretty far gone. The side that they live on is a complete loss the house and the contents, he said. Theyve been left with nothing, but they are all alive and in good condition. According to Fox, Donovan, his sister and his aunt were not injured, and Kurer suffered second-degree burns on her forearms. According to Fox, she was released from the hospital and was recovering at a friends home. Story continues As of now, Wojnowski does not know how the fire started, but Kurer thinks it was her oxygen tank. [The fire] was right next to my oxygen tank and within a second, everything just boom, she told Fox. If they were up in their beds last night, I might not have them today. And if Kurers son werent so courageous, she might not be here, either. If her son didnt do what he did, she probably would have perished in the fire, Kurers boyfriend, Dean Moyer, told ABC. Wojnowski agrees, but also offers a word of caution. He did a very good job of getting the family out, but I just want to remind people that they really should not re-enter a fire structure once they exit, especially to get pets because animals tend to find their way out, he said. Human life comes first. To Moyer and Kurer, Donovan is simply a hero. The kid is a hero. This couldve gone real bad, real quick, Moyer told Fox. He was moving very quick and this kid is very sharp. He did his due diligence for the night, but the thing is, now they have to deal with this. Its pretty horrific. According to Fox, the family left the house with nothing before everything inside was destroyed by the fire, and 10 of Kurers oxygen tanks exploded. But the community is coming together to help. I know from what Ive seen on social media, they are doing a GoFundMe page and there are businesses in the community that are collecting gift cards and clothing to donate to the family, Wojnowski said. The GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $5,000 for the family so far. They have been through so much and are such an incredibly strong family, the description reads. With dealing with health care and health cost issues with their mother, having personal family problems, and just recently losing their family house to a fire. Wendy Gajewski, who works at the Muskego Food Pantry, is also doing what she can to help the family. They left with nothing on their back, so we want to see what we can do to help, Gajewski told Fox. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Yaounde (AFP) - At least 29 people were wounded Wednesday when a women bomber blew herself up in a border town in Cameroon's Far North, a region frequently hit by Boko Haram jihadists, security sources said. But a second bomber was shot dead by troops deployed in the town before she could detonate her explosives, the source said. "A suicide bomber blew herself up this morning in Amchide" on the Nigerian border, a regional security source said, speaking on condition of anonymity and giving a toll of 29 wounded. The attack occurred on market day when the town was filling up with early-morning shoppers, a local civil defence group official said. "There were many people hurt, I saw about 20," he said. "After the attack, the market emptied." A once-bustling trade hub, in 2014 Amchide was thrust into the forefront of a major battle between Cameroonian troops and Boko Haram militants who held the nearby Nigerian town of Banki for several months. The violence forced most residents to flee the town, although some have now begun to return. After pushing back Boko Haram, the Cameroonian army dug long trenches around Amchide and even inside the town to foil new incursions by the jihadists, with Wednesday's attack the first in many months. On todays episode of Free Lunch, Ryan McQueeney discusses President Trumps latest comments on the trade war and the impending vote of confidence facing U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May. He also recaps earnings results from the retail sector. Later, he highlights three cannabis stocks to watch as the farm bill passes. Want more video content from Zacks? Subscribe to Zacks Investment News now! Free Lunch is presented by Zacks Investment Research. It is streamed live, four times per week, and features breaking news and analysis from Zacks strategists. Free Lunch is available on YouTube, Facebook Live, Twitter, Ustream, and more. U.S. stocks were sharply higher on Wednesday morning, with Wall Street reacting positively to a pair of trade war headlines. First, President Trump himself drummed up optimism by saying in an interview that he would intervene in the arrest of Huaweis CFO if it meant securing a trade deal with China. Also, investors liked a report from China that suggested the country would soon allow foreign companies greater access to its economy. Across the pond, British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a vote of confidence today after hardened pro-Brexit members of her party expressed frustration with her E.U. leave deals. The U.K. government has been in disarray for the past few weeks now, and the future of Brexit appears more uncertain than ever. Reports are that May will receive the support needed to avoid a no-confidence vote, but whether she can negotiate a deal that satisfies Conservatives remains to be seen. Ryan recaps both of these stories on the opening segment of todays episode. He also discusses the earnings results of American Eagle AEO and Dave & Busters PLAY, which saw mixed reactions in morning trading today. Later, Ryan chats about the Farm Bill that was passed through the Senate yesterday afternoon. The House and President Trump are expected to support the bipartisan compromise that would prove billions of dollars in subsidies to American farmers. Story continues The bill also includes language that would legalize the production of hemp throughout the United States. This has cannabis investors excited, as it offers a potential path to the American market for producers with a strategy focused on hemp. The likes of Canopy Growth CGC and Cronos Group CRON have made plenty of headlines lately, but do these cannabis producers have a future in the U.S. hemp business? What about a company like New Age Beverages NBEV, which makes CBD-based drinks? To help answer these questions, Ryan takes a look at the latest charts and trends for each of these three stocks. Make sure to check out the show to hear more! 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 American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY) : 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 The Daily Beast Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via GettyThe legend of the curse of the Grimaldis was first relayed to me under the stars in a hilltop Mediterranean restaurant by an inebriated Monegasque. The tale begins with the first Prince Rainier of Monaco, who was struck by the unattainable beauty of a young Flemish noblewoman.Unhappily for him, she was a powerful witch who decided that she wasnt going to be dishonored by a prince from the little-known principality of Monaco, which was then a rocky, one-ship ha WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a story Dec. 11 about an Opportunity Zone tax break promoted by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the couple jointly own a stake in the real estate investment firm Cadre that is launching a series of Opportunity Zone funds. That stake is in Jared Kushner's name. It clarifies that Kushner's stake of between $25 million and $50 million is in a holding company with an ownership stake in Cadre. A corrected version of the story is below: AP: Ivanka, Kushner could profit from tax break they pushed An Associated Press investigation finds President Donald Trump's daughter and son-in law could benefit from a tax program they pushed By STEPHEN BRAUN, JEFF HORWITZ and BERNARD CONDON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- At an Oval Office gathering earlier this year, President Donald Trump began touting his administration's new real estate investment program, which offers massive tax breaks to developers who invest in downtrodden American communities. He then turned to one of the plan's strongest supporters. "Ivanka, would you like to say something?" Trump asked his daughter. "You've been pushing this very hard." The Opportunity Zone program promoted by Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner both senior White House advisers could also benefit them financially, an Associated Press investigation found. Government watchdogs say the case underscores the ethical minefield they created two years ago when they became two of the closest advisers to the president without divesting from their extensive real estate investments. Kushner holds a big stake in a real estate investment firm, Cadre, that recently announced it is launching a series of Opportunity Zone funds that seek to build major projects under the program from Miami to Los Angeles. Separately, the couple has interests in at least 13 properties held by Kushner's family firm that could qualify for the tax breaks because they are in Opportunity Zones in New Jersey, New York and Maryland all of which, a study found, were already coming back. Story continues Six of the Kushner Cos. buildings are in New York City's Brooklyn Heights area, with views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, where a five-bedroom apartment recently listed for $8 million. Two more are in the beach town of Long Branch, New Jersey, where some oceanfront condos within steps of a white-tablecloth Italian restaurant and a Lululemon yoga shop list for as much as $2.7 million. There's no evidence the couple had a hand in selecting any of the nation's 8,700 Opportunity Zones, and the company has not indicated it plans to seek tax breaks under the new program. But the Kushners could profit even if they don't do anything by potentially benefiting from a recent surge in Opportunity Zone property values amid a gold rush of interest from developers and investors. Ivanka Trump's advocacy for the Opportunity Zone program "creates a direct conflict of interest with her spouse's investment in Cadre," said Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel for the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "Jared Kushner's interests are Ivanka Trump's interests and vice versa." The couple's financial disclosures show their jointly held financial empire is worth between $200 million and $800 million, with much of it in real estate, including Kushner's stake of between $25 million and $50 million in a holding company with an ownership stake in Cadre. Kushner previously had Cadre-related management positions, but he terminated those roles when he joined the Trump administration, holding onto his passive stake. The disclosures require recusal from dealing with policy matters that touch on real estate and "would have a direct and predictable effect on Cadre." Ivanka Trump also has interests in Trump Organization properties which are not located inside Opportunity Zones. "Ms. Trump has divested assets, set up trusts, removed herself from businesses and decisions about her investments," Abbe Lowell, ethics counsel for the couple, said in a statement. "In addition, she adheres to the ethics advice she has received from counsel about what issues she can work on and those to which she is recused." The Kushner Cos. did not respond to requests for comment. President Trump was scheduled to attend an Opportunity Zone event in Washington on Wednesday that would depict the program as a boon to distressed communities. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told the AP that individual state governors of both parties nominate communities for Opportunity Zone designation "based on what underserved areas would benefit most. ... The White House has nothing to do with those decisions." The Investing in Opportunity Act, which became law last December as part of the Republican-sponsored tax overhaul, never gained traction when it was first proposed during the Obama administration, but it quickly found favor in a White House headed and dominated by real estate developers and investors. A significant moment came when the law's key GOP sponsor, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, met President Trump after the violence-plagued white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August of 2017. Trump promised Scott his support for Opportunity Zones as a way to show his administration's outreach to minority communities. But Scott had already found a supporter weeks earlier in Trump's daughter, in conversations that grew out of previous meetings about passing a child care tax credit. Political sponsors and lobbyists told the AP that Ivanka Trump played an important role in promoting the legislation, while Kushner was also quietly supportive behind the scenes. "Ivanka was on board with it," said Sean Smith, Scott's communications director. After their first conversation, Smith said Scott and Ivanka Trump talked by phone and in person nearly a dozen times. He added that Scott also spoke to Kushner about the program, but noted, "It was much more Ivanka than Jared." A team from Economic Innovation Group, or EIG, a Washington think tank that pioneered the Opportunity Zones concept, met with top Kushner aides Reed Cordish and Chris Liddell two weeks before the tax reform bill was passed. Funded by Napster founder and early Facebook investor Sean Parker, EIG spent more than $1.4 million on lobbying over the past two years, both before and after the Investing in Opportunity Act passed. The group met with White House officials every quarter since the start of the Trump administration, and also met with frequently with officials from Treasury and other White House agencies, records show. "Creating the incentive to bring capital into communities that are currently being overlooked is just a tremendous opportunity," Ivanka Trump said as her father and a crowd of supporters nodded during the White House session February 14. Last month, at a dinner in Washington put on by the conservative Kemp Foundation, Scott singled out Ivanka Trump as his point person on the initiative. "When we were looking for help to get the tax bill across the finish line," he said, "I kept looking to the same person for help in the White House." There is no indication the couple directly intervened in the shaping of the Opportunity Zone program specifically to advance their financial interests. And public officials say there is no evidence that any actions were taken to influence the selection of Opportunity Zone boundaries. But backers of the program acknowledge that Ivanka Trump's out-front role drummed up interest from public officials and financial stakeholders. Along with the Kushner-tied Cadre Opportunity Zone funds, more than 50 real estate and private equity interests have made plans in recent weeks to create investment funds under the program, including several with ties to the couple and the Trump administration. Last month, former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci launched an opportunity zone fund tied to his Skybridge Capital investment firm, aiming to build projects worth more than $3 billion. Opportunity Zone funds have also been set up recently by New York-based Normandy Real Estate Partners and Heritage Equity Partners, two firms that have worked with Kushner Cos. on real estate ventures. They are flocking to what financial analysts say are some of the most generous tax benefits they have ever seen. Investors who plow capital gains from previous investments into Opportunity Zone projects can defer taxes on those gains up to 2026. If they decide not to cash out their investment for seven years, they get to exclude up to 15 percent of those gains from taxes. And they can permanently avoid paying taxes on any new gains from investment in the zones if they hold onto the investment for a decade. With capital gains taxes as high as 23.8 percent, the savings can easily add up. Government officials have estimated the program would cost $1.5 billion in lost tax revenue over 10 years, but Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has estimated the zones would attract up to $100 billion in renewal efforts. While the Opportunity Zone program mostly targets census tracts of high poverty and unemployment, it also allows "contiguous" tracts that might not be low-income, but are close enough to deprived communities to be eligible. Critics say that could allow developers to cash in by targeting zones already teeming with investment and gentrified neighborhoods. Amazon's recent decision to locate a new headquarters in the bustling New York City neighborhood of Long Island City, for example, drew rebukes following reports it was in an Opportunity Zone. A study by the Urban Institute in Washington found that nearly a third of the more than 8,700 Opportunity Zones nationwide and all 13 of the ones containing Kushner properties were showing signs of heavy investment and gentrification, based on such factors as rent increases and the percentage of college-educated residents. The most immediate advantage could come from the investment in Cadre. CEO Ryan Williams announced late last month that Cadre was starting up an Opportunity Zone fund that would aim to build major development projects in designated areas of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Miami. The company said the program "fits with Cadre's commitment to identifying opportunities in less-advantaged areas that are primed for growth." In a testy meeting with Democratic leaders in the Oval Office on Tuesday, President Donald Trump demanded billions to build a border wall and said hes willing to shut down the government later this month to get it. If we dont get what we want, one way or the other through you or the military or anybody else, yes I will shut down the government, Trump said, sitting next to leader of the House Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as press cameras rolled. I am proud to shut down the government for border security. Pelosi and Schumer arrived at the White House expecting to have a closed-door meeting to lay out how to fund the government before money runs out on Dec. 21. But the two Democratic leaders seemed to feel ambushed when Trump began making his case for wall funding in front of reporters and reading statistics about the impact of wall construction on illegal border crossings. Read More: Why Negotiating a Border Wall With Trump Is So Difficult I dont think we should have a debate in front of the press on this, Pelosi said. Later, as the back and forth became more forceful, Pelosi told Trump she and Schumer came to the meeting in good faith and you turned it into this kind of discussion in the public view. Democratic strategists point to low overall support among voters for closing the government to fund the wall and believe public support will be with them if they hold their ground. If there is a shutdown, the political posturing from Democrats and Republicans will be over who gets the blame. Consequently, Trumps overt admission then that he would proudly back a shutdown appeared to give Democrats ammunition and backed Republicans into a corner. We did get him to say, to fully own that the shutdown was his, Pelosi told her her colleagues during a meeting at the capitol, according to an aide in the room. This was great for Democrats, another Democratic aide told TIME. It made obvious Trumps take my ball and go home approach on the wall. Story continues Overall, Pelosi described the meeting as wild. It goes to show you: you get into a tinkle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you, she said, according to an aide in the room. Its like a manhood thing for him, she also said. As if manhood could ever be associated with him. This wall thing. Republican Senators were less expressive as they headed into their weekly lunch where the Vice President was expected to brief them about the meeting with several professing they had yet to watch the exchange. Incoming Senate Majority Whip John Thune threw his hands in the air when asked about a reaction to the White House meeting. I heard it was very entertaining television, he said. Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, who chairs the Senate appropriations committee that is helming negotiations on the spending bills, conceded that the meeting was a step in that direction, when asked about the increasing prospects of a government shutdown. We might come together, we might not. I dont know, he said. And Shelby took a long pause when reporters asked him about President Trump expressing pride over backing a shutdown. Ive never said that myself, he said. Ive always worked to fund the government. However, some aides to Trump believe that a shutdown over wall funding would energize his supporters as the 2020 election season kicks off early next year. But such a move is a gamble. An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday, showed that 57 percent of voters surveyed believe Trump should compromise on the wall to avoid a government shutdown. Thirty six percent of Americans and two thirds of Republicans were willing to see the government shut down over the issue, a reflection of Trumps willingness to play his base. Trump has previously threatened government shutdowns over immigration in July, but signed spending bills that did not include it anyway. ...Border Security is National Security, and National Security is the long-term viability of our Country. A Government Shutdown is a very small price to pay for a safe and Prosperous America! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018 Trump wanted to fight harder for wall funding when a spending bill came up in early October but was convinced to hold off on waging another fight while Brett Kavanaughs nomination was still pending in the Senate. With Alana Abramson in Washington Jeffrey Hammes, left, and Jon Ballis, right, of Kirkland & Ellis When Jon Ballis takes over as of chairman of Kirkland & Ellis's 15-partner global executive management committee in 2020, it is likely that he will be leading a group comprising no fewer than six partners who began their careers at other firms, himself included. Part of the legacy Jeff Hammes will leave at Kirkland after leading the firm for a decade is a willingness to pay top dollar for star lateral recruits and also to entrust those partners with leadership positions. US partners Jim Hurst and Andrew Calder and London co-heads Stephen Lucas and David Higgins have all joined Kirkland from rival firms since 2014, and are today part of the firms leadership committee. Ballis joined from Sidley Austin in 2005, and David Fox, another committee member, came on board from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom just before Hammes assumed the chairman title in 2009. Those lateral hires, and plenty of others, have helped Kirkland rise to become the worlds largest law firm by revenue, and one of the most profitable. Leaders of rival law firms will no doubt question whether Kirkland can continue its hiring spree without Hammes. They may be disappointed. Internally, Hammes has been credited with convincing the firms partnership that luring outsiders with big paychecks would raise their own level of performance and compensation. Belief in that model is expected to outlast Hammes tenure, according to sources at the firm and others in the industry. Kirkland will also have the cash to continue offering big paychecks. The firms financial engine its private equity practice continues to perform at a breakneck pace. Through nine months this year, Kirkland handled 234 private equity deals, more than twice its closest competitor, according to Mergermarket. The firm also led the league tables in the value of the private equity deals it had worked on. One current Kirkland partner said the firms revenue is currently estimated to climb again this year by about 15%, assuming a successful collections season in December and January before the firms financial year ends. Last year, the firm's boosted its top line by 19% to more than $3bn, dethroning Latham & Watkins as the worlds largest law firm. A rising tide floats all boats, said the partner, who requested anonymity to discuss the firm. Youre participating in increased value from all these 45-year-olds we went out and hired. But what really fuels that is the quality of the client base, the quality of the people youre working with, and momentum. Once you start really tearing the cover off the ball, then youve got a lot of money to pay new stars. One industry source said he expected Ballis would stay the course from a strategic standpoint. A source inside the firm said the larger transition of power at the firm had already occurred from the litigation department to the transactional side. Hammes became the firms first leader from its private equity practice when he took the reins from trial lawyer Thomas Yannucci. Ballis is a leading private equity partner who has represented key clients such as Bain Capital. For other firms, it means the Kirkland threat of poaching isnt going away anytime soon, and might get worse, the industry source said. Insiders say the biggest change following the transition may be Hammes' and Ballis's differing personal styles. Hammes is often described as hard-charging, while peers have said Ballis is more reserved, with some describing him as a "peacemaker" and a "consensus-builder". Hammes is a phenomenon, an absolute bull of a man, said one former partner. Jon is quite a quiet guy. Whatever their personal styles, Hammes and Ballis have worked in tandem as recruiters for some of the firms highest-profile laterals in recent years, according to three sources, with Ballis serving as the main contact for some of those hires. One industry source said Balliss more reserved manner could be a benefit in negotiations with partners at elite firms. Youre not coming out of Cravath and being quite like Jeff Hammes, said one industry source. So it would have been a one-two punch. Hannah Roberts contributed reporting for this article. Flying EasyJet - What to Expect - Manchester Airport to Dalaman, Turkey Here's what to expect when flying the budget airline EasyJet, from Manchester Airport, including bag drop, check in, duty free, take off and then the 4 1/2 hours on board to our destination, Dalaman, Turkey, on board an Airbus A320, the mainstay of many budget airlines operating short to medium range routes such as Ryan Air and EasyJet. And subscribe to our youtube channel for new videos in our air travel abroad series.. By Anika Walayat http://www.walayatfamily.com Copyright 2005-2018 Marketoracle.co.uk (Market Oracle Ltd). All rights reserved. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. AJG have rallied 18.4% year to date, outperforming its industrys increase of 9% and in contrast to the Zacks S&P 500 Composite indexs decline of 1.4%. With a market capitalization of $13.8 billion, average volume of shares traded in the last three months were 1 million. Reasons Behind the Rally The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in three of the last four quarters with the average beat being 2.82%. Earnings in the first nine months increased 30.4% on 14.9% revenue rise. Solid organic growth, sturdy performance across all segments and a strong margin expansion have been aiding outperformance. The company witnessed positive organic growth for 25 straight quarters in both its Brokerage and Risk Management segments. Return on equity is a profitability measure, identifying how the company can effectively utilize its shareholders money. The companys ROE expanded 190 basis points year over year to 15.9%. The company has been aggressively pursuing strategic acquisitions to ramp up revenues that are geographically diversified with strong domestic and international operations. Notably, most of the acquisitions in the month so far have been outside the United States. Arthur J. Gallaghers leverage ratio of 68.1 betters the industry average of 72.8. Though leverage ratio deteriorated 240 basis points, its interest coverage of 5.1 is higher than the industry average of 4.5, reflecting the companys ability to service debt uninterruptedly. Can the Bull Run Continue? The company evolved from having a small retail presence in Australia, Canada and New Zealand to one of the top five brokers globally Arthur J. Gallagher derives about one-third of its revenues from international operations. It has been acquiring companies that rea based outside United States. Given the number and size of the non-U.S. acquisitions, the Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) insurance broker expects international contribution to total revenues to increase. The insurance brokers inorganic pipeline remains strong with about $500 million of revenues. Increasing health care costs (particularly in pharmacy costs) and increased regulatory compliance required from employers (like Affordable Care Act) are opening up new business opportunities in the employee benefit consulting business. A sustained solid operational performance gives the much-needed push to the companys cash flow. Baking on solid capital and liquidity position, the company has been increasing its dividend every year. Its dividend currently yields 2.2%, better than the industry average of 1.7%, making it an attractive pick for yield seeking investors. The stock has a Growth Score of B. Growth Score analyzes the growth prospects of a company. Back-tested results have shown stocks with Growth Score A or B combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 are the best investment bets. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2019 earnings per share projects an increase of 12.1% on 10.1% revenues rise. The consensus mark for earnings in 2019 indicates 13.7% improvement on revenue increase of 8.2%. The expected long-term earnings growth rate is 10.9%. Other Stocks to Consider Investors interested in insurance industry can also check out stocks like American Equity Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company WLTW, eHealth, Inc. EHTH and MetLife, Inc. MET, each sporting a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Willis Towers Watson operates as an advisory, broking, and solutions company worldwide. It came up with average four-quarter beat of 7.13%. eHealth provides private online health insurance exchange services to individuals, families, and small businesses in the United States and China. It pulled off average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 29.03%. MetLife engages in the insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management businesses. The company delivered average four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.67%. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2. 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. Story continues 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 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (WLTW) : Free Stock Analysis Report eHealth, Inc. (EHTH) : Free Stock Analysis Report MetLife, Inc. (MET) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Lionel Messis new private jet has been personalised and is pretty stunning Barcelona star Lionel Messi has splashed 12m on a stunning personalised private jet. The Argentine is a regular flyer between his native country and Spain, where he has made his name and lived since his teenage years. Now the Messi family will make the trip in some style, after the forward leased the new jet and added his own personal touch to the plane. READ MORE: Pochettino: Spurs achieved mission impossible READ MORE: Mourinho: I care more about Manchester United than the fans READ MORE: Berbatov talks up Man United move for Maguire The steps up to the plane are adorned with his name and that of his family, while the 16 executive seats turn into eight luxury beds if there is an overnight flight. A kitchen and two bathrooms one of which includes a shower are also onboard the Barca stars latest toy. With the renovations, there is no doubting that Messi is most likely to be the man on board even more so with number 10 painted on the tail. Messis wife and childrens names are painted on the steps, while the interior has 16 chairs that can be turned into beds. As well as spending the cash on the actual plane, Messi is having a hangar specially built in a suburb of Buenos Aires to store it. The Barca star signed a new deal at the Nou Camp in November 2017, with the signing-on fee a reported 100m and his weekly take home 1.2m once image rights and bonuses are included. Berlin (AFP) - Germany is taking a softly-softly approach to French President Emmanuel Macron's use of government largesse to calm violent "yellow vest" protests, government sources say, as Berlin puts European stability above fiscal discipline. A reluctance to criticise publicly contrasts with complaints about France from Italy whose populist coalition government is in a stand-off with Brussels over its own big-spending budget which includes a sharp spike in the deficit. "It's good news that things are calming down. France is Germany's most important partner and we have no interest in seeing it destabilised for the long term," a senior German government source said. Ministers have been urged not to stoke confrontation with Paris as Macron attempts to end mass demonstrations against his pro-business reforms, promising tax and spending measures for the lowest earners worth billions of euros (dollars). "We don't yet know all the details of the measures and how they'll be paid for, but in principle it's not up to other (EU) member states to judge them," Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said Wednesday. - Damping down fires - Especially since the financial crisis of 2008, Germany under Merkel has prioritised tight budgets, with deficits held to well under the EU three percent of GDP limit. Her governments have also slashed accumulated total debt, bringing it down towards the EU ceiling of 60 percent of GDP. They have not been shy of passing judgement on less stringent fellow EU members -- such as Italy -- and have opposed reforms to the 19-nation euro single currency that could mean more risk sharing between capitals. But for now Berlin's larger concern is a political crisis across Europe that has been fired by populist victories, including Britons' 2016 vote to quit the European Union. Italy, too, has been largely spared a wagging Teutonic finger this year despite its deficit-busting budget which the EU, in a first, rejected outright, insisting that Rome try again. Story continues "We see it in France, we see it in other countries, we have an urgent responsibility to halt these populist movements in the European elections" next May, another government source said. The tone from the European Commission has meanwhile been notably calm and understanding -- unlike for Rome, as the Italian government has pointed out. Brussels understands that "in the face of social movements and very strong demands to reduce regional or social disintegration, a government may need to take measures," Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici told AFP Wednesday. That could justify "limited, temporary" higher deficits, he added, while insisting there was "no double standard" between France and Italy. "I can't imagine that we'll act as if nothing has happened over demands worth billions from an obivously struggling Macron, while taking on the Italians' wallets," Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said. Despite their public forbearance, German leaders are in private frustrated with Macron's uphill struggle to push through reforms they see as indispensable. One senior official noted how the young president's at times arrogant style has alienated parts of the French public. And any weakening of restraint in French spending policy undermines Macron's bet he could win German confidence by showing France could live within its means and reshape state finances. - 'More Renzi than Schroeder' - German economists greeted sceptically Macron's emergency concessions to the "yellow vests" after repeated weekends of marches, barricades and violence around France. For example, an increase in the minimum wage "will not reduce social tensions in France, where the minimum wage is already so high that it hampers the employment of weaker groups in the labour market, especially young people," said Clemens Fuest, head of Munich's influential Ifo think-tank. German newspapers, which last week celebrated the 50th anniversary of irrepressible Gaulish comic book hero Asterix appearing in the language, see a similar stubbornness in modern France's resistance to its young president. For conservative Die Welt daily, Macron is "more of a Matteo Renzi", whose recent premiership in Italy failed to secure much-needed reforms, rather than a Gerhard Schroeder, the chancellor whose policies are credited with reviving Germany's fortunes after the moribund early 2000s. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Old-time brands such as Baker's used to be one of the only options for baking with chocolate. But today the baking aisle often has a variety of choices, from unsweetened to semisweet to white. You also may find products that have cocoa contents of 70 percent or more (which can be pricier). So how do you know which baking chocolate to choose for your holiday desserts? The right type to use in your cooking depends on the recipe. But experts say you can usually skip the most expensive option. Unless a recipe specifies high-percentage chocolate, stick with chocolate in the 54 to 60 percent cocoa range," says Alice Medrich, author of cookbooks such as Cocolat (Dover Publications, 2017). "Otherwise, youll have to adjust other ingredients." Heres what else you need to know about baking chocolate to make delicious holiday treats. (If you're reading this article on your smartphone, we recommend you rotate your phone to landscape mode to better view the tables below.) Type Description Best for Unsweetened Chocolate Also known as bitter chocolate, it doesn't have sugar, flavorings, or added fat. It's composed only of chocolate liquor (the ground-up nibs) or the roasted and hulled cocoa beans (a paste that is solidified into bars). Any recipe where you want a strong chocolate flavor, especially brownies and fudge. With a little sweetener, it also makes tasty hot chocolate. Bittersweet and Semisweet Chocolate Technically, they're the same. And if they have similar percentages of chocolate, they can be used interchangeably in recipes. Both types are made with sugar and at least 35 percent chocolate liquor. Brownies, cakes, and other baked goodies. They're also good melted into dips, sauces, cake glazes, and hot chocolate. Cocoa Powder Unsweetened chocolate liquor that is processed to remove most of the fat, then ground into cocoa powder. You can buy natural or Dutch-process, which has been treated with alkali to make it darker and less acidic. Brownies, genoise, and chocolate sauce. Natural or Dutch-process cocoa can be used interchangeably as long as the recipe doesn't call for baking powder or baking soda. Baked goods that call for baking soda require natural cocoa or the batter might not rise. Milk Chocolate Milk chocolate is made with at least 10 percent chocolate liquor plus at least 12 percent milk solids (including milk, cream, and condensed milk) with added sugar, cocoa butter, and butterfat. Look for 32 to 45 percent cocoa for a more chocolaty flavor. Snacking. Can be used in frosting, and cookies and other baked goods, but flavor is less intensely "chocolatey" than other types of chocolate. You can also melt it and use as a topping for ice cream. 70-Percent-Plus Cocoa High-percentage chocolates have less sugar and more chocolate liquor (at least 70 percent), which makes the flavor more intense. But higher-percentage chocolate can soak up liquid in a batter, resulting in drier brownies and cakes, grainy mousses, and curdled ganaches. Snacking and in recipes calling for higher-percentage chocolate. White Chocolate White chocolate has none of the cocoa solids that make up the dark stuff, only the fat. By definition, it's at least 20 percent cocoa butter, 14 percent milk solids, and no more than 55 percent sugar. Vanilla and other ingredients are added. But check the ingredients to be sure you're getting real white chocolate; don't buy anything that has fats other than cocoa butter, such as palm oil, says Maricel Presilla, a chef and the author of "The New Taste of Chocolate," (Ten Speed Press, 2009). Fruity desserts. Think cranberry and white chocolate chip cookies. Pastry chef Anna Markow of Esca in New York City says the subtle, sweet flavor balances the acidity in fruit. Cocoa Nibs The crunchy pieces are hulled, roasted, and crushed cocoa beans. When ground, the nibs turn into the liquor and butter used to make all forms of chocolate. Seasoning and baking. They add a sharp chocolatey taste and crunchy texture to baked goodies. They're also great ice cream toppers. Story continues Melting and Storing Baking Chocolate For safer melting: Chocolate burns easily, so use a double boiler or improvise by placing a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Be careful that water doesnt bubble up into the chocolate during melting. Even a tiny splash can make it gritty and grainy. Break bars into smaller pieces for fast, even melting, and stir until shiny and smooth. The quick and easy way to go: Zap it in the microwave. Store it right: Keep chocolate in a cool, dry spot; heat and moisture can cause discoloration or affect baking results. You can also double wrap chocolate and store it in the fridge or freezer. Dark chocolate can last for years; milk chocolate and white chocolate should be used within a year because of their milk content. All chocolate can pick up odors, so dont keep it near anything stinky. If You Don't Have ... Swap in ... 1 ounce of semisweet chocolate 1/2 ounce of unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 ounce of milk chocolate 1 ounce of semisweet plus 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate 3 tablespoons of unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter or vegetable oil 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate (reduce fat in recipe by 1 tablespoon) 3 tablespoons of Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate plus 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda (reduce fat in recipe by 1 tablespoon) More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2018, Consumer Reports, Inc. Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces a setback in Madhya Pradesh, which the BJP has ruled for 15 years - REUTERS Indias ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday lost three key state elections to the opposition Congress party, in a blow to the momentum of prime minister Narendra Modi ahead of a national poll in the spring. The opposition Congress Party is now set to succeed BJP governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and the crucial state of Madhya Pradesh, in the biggest defeat for Mr Modi since taking office in 2014. The three rural heartland states powered Mr Modi to a landslide victory in that years general election, in which the BJP singlehandedly secured a parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years, bringing an era of coalition governments to a close. "We accept the people's mandate with humility," Mr Modi wrote on Twitter. "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." Analysts said the BJPs dissatisfying performance would galvanise the secularist Congress and other regional parties in the run-up to general elections that must be held by next May. The electoral outcome in these three states could seriously dent the BJPs political fortunes in the upcoming general elections, said political analyst Seema Mustafa of the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi. The results indicate that voters have not been wholly convinced that Mr Modi has fulfilled ambitious promises on taking office of economic security, employment and improved social services. Millions of farmers were the worst hit section of voters in all states where polling took place for several weeks till 7 December. Agrarian distress was the BJPs bane in these polls, said Milind Dero of the Congress Party. Around 12,000 farmers have committed suicide each year since 2013 - or around 33 per day- because of debt, declining crop procurement prices, rising fertiliser and fuel costs and corruption. Story continues Farmers in all three states that went to the polls were also adversely affected by the demonetisation of high value currency notes that Modi abruptly imposed in November 2016, leading to widespread hardship. It forced farmers, almost entirely dependent on a cash-based rural system to take on further debt, which in turn, prompted scores to take their lives largely by consuming pesticide. The Congress Party wins were also a major boost for the political credibility and standing of Rahul Gandhi, the fourth generation 48-year old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, who took charge of his party from mother Sonia exactly a year ago. Many analysts and Congress Party insiders had previously dismissed Mr Gandhi as a light weight politician, mocking his many public gaffes, but todays state election outcome is leading to a reassessment. Rahul Gandhi should get full credit, said Congress Party leader Shashi Tharoor, who campaigned against the partys leader, adding that Mr Gandhis hard-fought campaigning had won him over. State-level elections are not perfect indicators of the national mood, analysts noted, but the BJP setbacks are a reversal of the trend that has seen it increase the number of states it controls since 2014. In Rajasthan, initial results showed the Congress Party with 99 seats to the BJP's 73 - 89 fewer than in the last election. And in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, politically the most vital of all states that went to the polls, Congress had taken 113 seats to the BJP's 111, out of 230. In Chhattisgarh the Congress Party was ahead in 68 constituencies in a 90-member assembly with the BJP on just 16. Responding to the tallies, a BJP member of Indias upper house, Sanjay Kakade, said: I am of the opinion the BJP should stick to the development agenda and not to caste, changing names of cities, or temples. We need to revert to the track of development. The Election Commission will formally declare the final results today (Weds). Black Hills Corporations BKH unit Black Hills Electric Generation recently purchased 50% ownership interest of Busch Ranch I Wind Farm from AltaGas Power Holdings (U.S.) Inc. The move came post the companys receipt of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions approval. The purchase of wind farm was completed with a value of $16 million. The farm, located near Pueblo, CO, has 16 wind turbines and the capacity to generate 29 Megawatt (MW). Another unit of Black Hills namely Black Hills Colorado Electric which operates as Black Hills Energy is the owner and operator of the remaining 50% of Busch Ranch I Wind. Black Hills Electric Generation will supply its share of power to Black Hills Colorado Electric under a long-term power purchase agreement that will expire in October 2037. The agreement establishes Black Hills as the sole owner of Busch Ranch I Wind Farm. Expansion of Wind Projects Apart from making strategic acquisitions, the company is expanding wind projects through organic growth. Black Hills Electric Generation is constructing Busch Ranch II wind project with the 60 MW capacities in an adjacent location to Busch Ranch I Wind. The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2019. Another wind generating project adjacent to Busch Ranch is Peak View Wind Project. The project came into service in 2017 to serve 94,000 customers in Southern Colorado with 60 MW capacities. Long-Term Plans Black Hills focuses on wind projects to generate electricity as wind power is cost effective and has high potential. The company plans to invest $0.8 billion through 2018-2022 time frame to strengthen the electric utility operations. The company intends to spend 30% of the projected amount in Colorado. It plans to spend a total amount of $2.54 billion through 2018-2022. We expect to see more such wind farm projects to coming into operation in the upcoming days. Increasing Renewable Focus In the past few years, the U.S. renewable energy industry has witnessed significant growth. Awareness to lower pollution level led to higher usage of renewable energy sources. Per a recent report by Energy Information Administration (EIA), wind, solar, and other non-hydropower renewables comprised about 10% of electricity generation in 2017. EIA expects them to provide 10% in 2018 and 11% in 2019. Price Movement In the past 12 months, shares of the company have gained 11.8% compared with the industrys rise of 0.8%. Story continues Zacks Rank & Key Picks Black Hills currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. A few better-ranked stocks from the same industry are Ameren Corporation AEE, FirstEnergy Corporation FE and Xcel Energy Inc XEL. All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings for Ameren moved up 3.7% in the past 90 days. The company pulled off positive earnings surprise of 15.40% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings for FirstEnergy rose 3.6% in the past 90 days. The company delivered average positive earnings surprise of 3.67% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings for Xcel Energy inched up 0.4% in the past 90 days. The company came up with average positive earnings surprise of 4.51% in the last four quarters. 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 Ameren Corporation (AEE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Black Hills Corporation (BKH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) : Free Stock Analysis Report FirstEnergy Corporation (FE) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A Brazilian court decided on Wednesday that ousted Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn or his daughter should have the right to access a contested Rio apartment to retrieve personal belongings, according to a legal document seen by Reuters. Ghosn and Nissan Motor Co Ltd <7201.T> have battled and appealed several times over the beachfront apartment, which he used while working for the carmaker, since he was accused of financial wrongdoing last month. At the center of the dispute is Nissan's claim that the apartment contains three safes that the carmaker says it found there. Nissan says it has not opened the safes but that they may contain evidence against Ghosn, which could be lost if people close to the former executive gain access to the apartment. The decision allows Ghosn and his daughter Caroline, who has recently traveled to Brazil, to retrieve personal belongings such as "clothes, photos, books, watches, jewelry, documents" and other personal belongings. A Tokyo court on Tuesday rejected Ghosn's appeal to end his detention after he was arrested last month on allegations of financial misconduct. To retrieve the items, representatives for Ghosn will have to go accompanied by two judicial officers, the decision says. A representative for Nissan in Brazil did not have an immediate comment. A representative for the Ghosn family in the United States did not immediately reply to a request for comment. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Christian Plumb and Phil Berlowitz) An Egyptian lawyer has been arrested in the city of Alexandria after he donned a yellow vest, the symbol of protest in France, but banned in Egypt. Mohammed Ramadan has been detained for 15 days following a decision by a prosecutor after he was photographed wearing a yellow vest in solidarity with protesters in France. French protesters, wearing yellow vests, took to the streets and blocked highways to denounce high fuel prices and their dwindling purchase power. Egyptian authorities have prohibited the sale of the industrial equipment for fear that a copycat of the French protests could spark a new revolution, mainly within a month of marking the 8th anniversary of the ouster of former longtime ruler, Hosni Mubarak. Ramadan, according to activist Mahienour El Masry is accused of spreading false news and spreading the ideology of a terrorist group. Current President Fattah al-Sisi and his regime have restricted protests in a move to clampdown on dissent and revolt. Since ascending to power in 2013 in a coup before being elected in 2014, al-Sisi has arrested his opponents and handed his staunch critics, the Muslim Brotherhood members, heavy jail sentences. LONDON Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote in Parliament later Wednesday that could determine whether she will be ousted from power. A no-confidence vote was triggered after 48 lawmakers from May's ruling Conservative Party wrote to an influential parliamentary committee calling for her to step aside amid discontent over a Brexit deal she agreed with the European Union to leave the bloc. May has been prime minister since shortly after Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016. In Britain, a political party is elected to government, not an individual, meaning if May is removed from office the Conservatives would chose a new leader. A fresh election is not needed. The vote is expected to begin at 6 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET). More: Britain's Brexit chaos: Vote on May's deal on hold; future is fuzzy May told reporters outside her official residence on Downing Street she would "contest that vote with everything that Ive got." She warned that if she is forced to step down Brexit could be delayed or even stopped altogether. "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more divisions," she said. "I stand ready to finish the job," May vowed. There are 315 Conservative lawmakers in Britain's Parliament. May needs 158 of their votes to win the contest. If she loses, she must resign and is barred from running in a new leadership vote in which only Conservative parliamentarians can run. There is no obvious choice to replace May if she loses the vote. Among the names favored by British bookmakers are Dominic Raab, who resigned as Britain's top Brexit official last month; Sajid Javid, a former banker serving as interior minister; and Boris Johnson, a tousle-haired, American-born former journalist and ex-secretary of state for foreign affairs under May before he too quit over her Brexit stance. Johnson is the only contender who will be well-known to President Donald Trump. Trump has called Johnson, also London's ex-mayor, a "very talented guy" for whom he has "a lot of respect" and who has "what it takes" to be a "great prime minister." Story continues By contrast, May and Trump have had an awkward relationship that has strained a historic "special" alliance that stretches back decades. Trump has criticized May's Brexit plan and May has publicly disagreed with Trump on a range of geopolitical issues from his withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal to his immigration policies. From the archives: USA TODAY's interview with Boris Johnson The Conservative lawmakers who brought the challenge to May's leadership feel the deal she negotiated with the EU does not go far enough to disentangle Britain's economic and political ties to the 28-nation bloc. They are especially concerned about an unresolved question over the land border between Northern Ireland (part of Britain) and the Republic of Ireland (part of the EU). Decades of peace between Northern Irelands Irish Catholic community and its British Protestant one has been facilitated by the free trade and travel across that border that EU membership allows. May delayed a separate parliamentary vote on the EU deal this week because it was unlikely to pass. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29 next year. But David Gauke, Britain's justice secretary, said it was "vital for the country" May emerge victorious Wednesday. He said if she loses the vote he didn't think Britain would be leaving the EU on that day. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Britain's leader Theresa May to face no-confidence vote amid Brexit turmoil Strasbourg on lock down after a deadly gun attack (Reuters) British politicians spent most of the night in the European Parliament for their own safety after a gun attack in Strasbourg in which two were killed and a dozen more badly injured. The parliament, which is about a 20-minute walk from the city centre, was put on lockdown by the French police when the attack took place at around 8pm local time on Wednesday. Nathan Gill, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Wales, revealed his wife and five children had a lucky escape from the attack. They left the Christmas market where the shooting took place to join him at the parliament just on time, he explained on Twitter. My family (my wife and 5 kids) came to this weeks Strasbourg plenary session and were wondering around the Christmas market stalls right where the attack happened. Thankfully they left about 20 minutes before the attack happened #Strasbourg pic.twitter.com/mFHGpHmj0U Nathan Gill (@NathanGillMEP) December 12, 2018 The parliament was eventually evacuated at around 3am, with those inside given police escorts back to their accommodation. But not before a fierce row broke out between MEPs and the parliaments president, Antonio Tajani, over how the process would be carried out. Tajani called MEPs inside the building to the main plenary chamber to give them an update on the security situation and how the evacuation would work. Some MEPs were concerned that not enough attention was being paid to the welfare of staff. Major debate in the @Europarl_EN in #EPlenary at 2.10am to ensure everyone can leave the lockdown safely. Some members very upset as they perceive the proposals from @PresidentTajani as too exclusive #Strasbourg pic.twitter.com/8mjW7uk5Cb Neena Gill MEP (@NeenaGmep) December 12, 2018 Julie Ward, an MEP for north-west England, said the president cannot tell us anything about the security situation outside and added: We remain very concerned for our staff and victims of the shootings. Story continues Other MEPs had already left the building and were eating in the city centre when the attack happened. Derek Vaughan, an MEP for Wales, explained he was locked into a restaurant before being given a police escort to outside the police cordon which was established around the city centre. Had military escort from restaurant to safe area. Bit scary but out at last. Glad to hear all my colleagues also seem safe. However desperately sad to hear the news about the deaths and injuries. Derek Vaughan MEP (@derekvaughan) December 12, 2018 The parliament resumed its business at 10am on Wednesday despite the gunman still being at large. Tajani opened proceedings by saying: This was a criminal attack against peace, democracy and our way of life. We must react by doing exactly the opposite of those who wish to harm democracy. We must press ahead. We must not change our habits. Thats why last night we continued to work in the plenary. We completed our business at midnight. Today we are here to continue because the strength of freedom and democracy win our against violence of crime and terrorism. MEPs will hold a minutes silence for the victims of the attack later before voting on a package of measures designed to improve European coordination against terrorism. France has raised its security threat to the highest level of alert, with the government urging the public to stay where they are as they hunt for the gunman. The suspect has been named as Strasbourg resident Cherif Chekatt, 29, who had been previously identified as a potential threat to national security. Security forces are involved in a manhunt across northeast France, though the countrys deputy interior minister told French radio it was possible the attacker may have left the country. Border controls have been tightened in both France and Germany, with 600 members of the security forces reported to be looking for the gunman. With files from Reuters VANCOUVER/BEIJING, Dec 11 (Reuters) - A Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd while she awaits a hearing for extradition to the United States, a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by her arrest. Meng Wanzhou, 46, Huawei's chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces U.S. accusations that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. Justice William Ehrcke at a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday granted bail to Meng, subject to a guarantee of C$10 million ($7.5 million) and other conditions. She must remain in Canada and be subject to electronic monitoring and security when she leaves her residence. The courtroom erupted in applause when the judge granted bail. Meng began crying and hugged her lawyers, before being ordered back into the prisoner box for more directions from the judge. She was ordered to reappear in court on Feb. 6. Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a "timely resolution" of the case. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion," it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately. A Canadian citizen has been detained in China, Canada said on Tuesday. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case, but analysts had predicted retaliation from Beijing. Two sources told Reuters the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: "In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message they will send you a message." Story continues Meng was detained as part of a U.S. investigation on Dec. 1 as she was changing planes in Vancouver. The arrest has roiled markets over fears it will exacerbate U.S.-China tensions in trade negotiations that both sides have agreed must be concluded by March 1. The U.S. State Department is considering a travel advisory for China, two sources said on Tuesday. ($1 = 1.3317 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Julie Gordon in Vancouver; writing by Nick Zieminski and Rosalba O'Brien; additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina in Beijing, John Ruwitch in Shanghai and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; editing by Cynthia Osterman and Bill Rigby) 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. The shattered skull of a hunter who lived about 8,000 years ago isnt evidence of cannibalism, as scientists previously thought. Rather, the hunter died in a grisly murder, new research suggests. Although the ancient skull, found in what is now Poland, is severely damaged, a new analysis revealed that the skull showed signs of healing, meaning that the man likely lived a little more than a week after his injury. "It turned out that the damaged skull shows traces of healing that can not be seen with the naked eye," Jacek Tomczyk, a physical anthropologist at the University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski in Warsaw, told the news website Science in Poland. "This means that the person did not die at the moment when the impact occurred, which also destroys the archaeologists' belief that we are dealing with a victim of cannibalism." [In Images: An Ancient European Hunter Gatherer] Researchers originally discovered the Stone Age skull nearly 50 years ago on the banks of the Narew River, in Wieliszew, a district in east-central Poland. In addition, in the late 1950s, archaeologists also found an ancient burned human bone nearby, as well as flint tools, which suggested that the man was a hunter. These artifacts dated to the Mesolithic, the period that followed the last ice age. Jacek Tomczyk, a physical anthropologist, examines the 8,000-year-old skull found in Wieliszew, in east-central Poland. Jacek Tomczyk Because the bone was burned and the skull had obviously been dealt a strong blow, the researchers concluded that the man had been cannibalized. But Tomczyk and his colleagues decided to take a second look. They re-examined the ancient skull with a scanning electron microscope and a computed tomography (CT) scanner, which allowed the researchers to create digital 3D images. The analysis showed a long, horizontal incision on the center of the man's forehead, Tomczyk told Live Science in an email. "Despite the fragmentation of the skull, the edges of the incisions are regular, not ragged," as they would be right after an injury, he said. A closer look at these edges revealed a "subtle callous formation bridging several bone fragments," indicating that the wound was just starting to heal. Story continues "This is the first case from Mesolithic Poland where we see bone damage and healing," Tomczyk told Science in Poland. Now, the only Mesolithic site in Poland thought to contain cannibalized remains is Pomorska, in the Lubuskie Lake District, he noted. As for the bone, it's possible it was burned in a funerary ritual, as people during the Mesolithic both burned and buried corpses. The fragmented, 8,000-year-old skull from Poland. Jacek Tomczyk The ancient hunter was likely in his 20s when he died. "We also did DNA testing, but unfortunately tissue damage caused by high temperatures made it impossible for us to obtain reliable results," Tomczyk told Science in Poland. The skull injury, however, was clear as day. It appears that the hunter "received a sharp hit with the tool," he said. The research has been submitted to a peer-reviewed research journal, but but it is not yet published. Originally published on Live Science. Washington (AFP) - Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said Monday that 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 US government "to keep our country safe and secure." The prepared remarks released Monday, a day ahead of Pichai's appearance at the House Judiciary Committee, come with Google under fire on several fronts, on issues around political bias, data security and its domination of internet search. Pichai strongly denied claims by President Donald Trump 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 earlier 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. "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 US has urged Iraqi authorities to put an end to the countrys dependence on Iran for energy as the White House seeks to replace Iranian suppliers with American companies, The New Arab reports. The time has come for Iraq to break its dependence on others and move forward toward true energy independence, said US Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry after meeting with top Iraqi officials in Baghdad and in the Kurdish region on Tuesday to discuss US investment in Iraq. The US has given a waiver to Iraq to continue temporarily importing energy from Iran despite new US sanctions on the Islamic Republic after President Donald Trump tore in May the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers. Iraq, during the 45-day waiver, will look for alternative energy sources. The Middle East country, one of worlds leading oil exporters, highly dependends on Iran for its energy needs. US firms, Perry said, were prepared to help Iraq develop its own energy sector, the London-based media reports. Prosecutors dropped charges Tuesday against a woman whose 1-year-old son was ripped from her arms by police days earlier at a Brooklyn food stamp office. Jazmine Headley, 23, remained held at a Rikers Island facility, online records showed, following a dispute Friday with security officers that led to her violent arrest. Video published to Facebook shows Headley clutching her infant child on tiled floor as four officers try to forcefully yank the baby out of her arms. One officer brandishes a stun gun, aiming it at the outraged crowd around them. "They're hurting my son! They're hurting my son!" Headley shouts in the video, which has gone viral. After eventually splitting mother from child, police charged Headley with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child and trespassing. Those charges were dismissed by Tuesday afternoon, according to the Brooklyn public defenders office, which planned to file a motion for Headley's release. A New Jersey warrant had also been issued for Headley on a credit card misdemeanor, prosecutors said. Bail was not requested as of Monday and prosecutors were contacting New Jersey officials to "expedite" Headley's release. "This morning my office spoke to the Brooklyn DA about dropping the charges against Ms. Headley," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter. "I applaud the DAs decision to do so. She should be reunited with her child as soon as possible." The struggle over the infant unfolded after Headley, unable to find a chair, sat on the floor of the benefits office for two hours. A security guard asked her to leave, which she refused. That's when police were called. Police said Headley later refused medical treatment for herself and her son, who was handed over to a relative, according to The New York Times. The baby was screaming for his life, Nyashia Ferguson, who witnessed the incident and posted video, told the Times. The lady was begging for them to get off of her. I was scared. Story continues A protest was planned for Tuesday outside Brooklyn's Human Resources Administration offices, CBS New York reported, and administration officers involved in the incident had been placed on modified duty. Police Commissioner James ONeill said the NYPD officer's body cameras would be reviewed. "Ill tell you the video is very disturbing to me as PC, & as a dad," he said on Twitter. "Also, #NYPD cops 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." See the video below: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charges dropped against mother after police rip 1-year-old son from her arms in video 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 Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC). Over the last twelve months Charter Hall Group has recorded a ROE of 14%. One way to conceptualize this, is that for each A$1 of shareholders equity it has, the company made A$0.14 in profit. See our latest analysis for Charter Hall Group How Do I Calculate ROE? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders Equity Or for Charter Hall Group: 14% = 251.2 AU$1.9b (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 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 all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. Shareholders equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company. What Does Return On Equity Mean? ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The return is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, all else being equal, a high ROE is better than a low one. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies. Does Charter Hall Group 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. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. If you look at the image below, you can see Charter Hall Group has a similar ROE to the average in the reits industry classification (12%). Story continues ASX:CHC Last Perf December 11th 18 Thats neither particularly good, nor bad. ROE doesnt tell us if the share price is low, but it can inform us to the nature of the business. For those looking for a bargain, other factors may be more important. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). 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 first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the use of debt will improve the returns, but will not change the equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Charter Hall Groups Debt And Its 14% ROE Charter Hall Group has a debt to equity ratio of just 0.0027, which is very low. The combination of modest debt and a very respectable ROE suggests this is a business worth watching. Careful use of debt to boost returns is often very good for shareholders. However, it could reduce the companys ability to take advantage of future opportunities. The Key Takeaway Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, Id generally prefer the one with higher ROE. Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, youll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So you might want to check this FREE visualization of analyst forecasts for the company. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. 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 Chen Aizhu and Roslan Khasawneh ZHOUSHAN, China/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's port city of Zhoushan is planning to challenge Singapore's dominance of the multi-billion dollar shipping fuel industry, relying on proximity to some of the world's biggest ports and Beijing's support to give it an edge. It will be steep going. The port facilities in the cluster of islands around Zhoushan have annual marine fuel sales of 3.6 million tonnes, less than a tenth of the record 50.6 million tonnes of shipping or bunker fuel Singapore sold in 2017. Zhoushan, though, was ranked fourth in global container traffic in 2016, according to the World Shipping Council, and it sits 150 km (90 miles) from the world's biggest container port at Shanghai, and within a day's voyage of other major ports including Ningbo and Nanjing. Zhoushan wants to go after the fuelling business represented by this traffic, and many shippers and analysts expect it to mount the first serious challenge to Singapore in decades. It's not just bunkers. A thriving bunker market attracts valuable secondary businesses - shipping supplies, maintenance and repairs, insurance and other maritime financial services - worth billions of dollars more a year. "With over 3 billion-tonnage freight handled by Zhoushan and nearby ports, that exceeds Singapore ... We shall not miss the vast market in front of our door," said Ying Zhongmin, head of policy and regulations at Zhoushan Free Trade Zone. Singapore handled almost 630 million tonnes of cargo in 2017, with vessel arrivals totaling 2.8 billion tonnes, according to government data. Zhang Haichao, chairman and general manager of Sinopec Corp <600028.SS> unit Sinopec Sales Co, said at an industry event in October that by 2030 Zhoushan's bunkering volumes will have risen to 30 million tonnes a year, in keeping with targets set by port authorities. Nearby, there are a half-dozen fuel producers, including the 400,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) Zhejiang Petrochemical Corp plant to be launched at year-end. Zhoushan could lure in oil and LNG tankers, dry-bulk carriers bringing raw materials from Australia, and container ships heading to the U.S. West Coast. Story continues "Vessels calling on China close to Zhoushan and north of it, as well as Japan and (South) Korea, will definitely give it a close look," said Ashok Sharma, managing director of shipbroker BRS Baxi in Singapore. Chinese vessels would find it particularly attractive, he said. GRAPHIC: Top 20 Container Ports - https://tmsnrt.rs/2RwkEY0 CLEAN FUEL REGULATIONS Zhoushan plans to take advantage of marine fuel regulations that will cap sulfur content in shipping fuel at 0.5 percent from 2020, down from 3.5 percent. The new International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules mean three-quarters of the 4 million barrels per day (bpd) of high-sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) now consumed by global shippers will shift to low-sulfur fuels like marine gasoil (MGO) and low-sulfur fuel oil (LSFO). While Singapore has three major refineries - owned by Royal Dutch Shell , Exxon Mobil and the joint-venture Singapore Refining Company - they are geared for high-value product exports and not marine fuels. Under the IMO rules, Singapore will have to import these fuels, including from producers in China and the Middle East, inflating costs. "Chinese ports like Zhoushan will be closer to the source of production of the new compliant fuel," said Ralph Leszczynski, head of research at ship broker Banchero Costa in Singapore. "The pricing could potentially turn to Zhoushan's advantage." Sinopec, Asia's biggest oil refiner, moved its global bunker fuel center to Zhoushan from Beijing in May and is preparing to pump IMO-compliant fuel from 2019. Top global independent oil merchant Vitol has also set up a trade office in Zhoushan for bunkers and other oil products in a joint operation with Zhejiang Seaport Group, said Zhoushan government officials and industry sources. Vitol declined to comment. While Zhoushan may chip away at some of Singapore's bunker market share, its success depends on factors such as the cost and efficiency of its fuelling infrastructure, where Singapore is unrivalled, BRS Baxi's Sharma said. "Zhoushan will find it challenging to achieve the same standards and ease of doing business." GRAPHIC: Major Bunker Ports - https://tmsnrt.rs/2RpRyK4 HARD TO TOP China has 11 licensed bunker suppliers, including state-run Sinopec and Chimbusco, and independents such as Herun Group and Zhoushan Seaport Group, all operating in Zhoushan. They are up against more than 50 outfits in Singapore, alongside the world's busiest shipping lane and supplying some of the cheapest marine fuel available. "Zhoushan is gaining some traction in competition to South Korea on bunker prices, but it still is quite a distance behind Singapore in terms of efficiency and infrastructure," said an executive with China's Nanjing Tanker Corp, which refuels some of its 65 vessels at the port. A ship can refuel in around six hours in Singapore, while in Zhoushan it can take much longer due to greater bureaucracy, according to industry participants. Ships take bunkers in Singapore because of its efficiency, transparency and strict standards, which translate into saved costs and time. "The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ... continues to implement and uphold high standards," said an MPA spokeswoman, citing the required use of mass flow meters for fuel oil deliveries from 2017, and the extension of that requirement to gasoil in mid-2019. GRAPHIC: China challenges Singapore's bunker fuel dominance - https://tmsnrt.rs/2RwlILu Zhoushan was approved as a free trade zone in early 2017, and was the first Chinese city allowed to grant marine fuel licenses. In October this year, it announced a new import regulation on marine blending fuels, a move to serve a broader range of shippers' needs. Zhoushan has also asked the Ministry of Finance for a waiver on a consumption tax on bunker sales, and a rebate on value-added taxes for locally produced marine fuels, officials said. ($1 = 6.9435 yuan) (Reporting by Chen Aizhu and Meng Meng in ZHOUSHAN, and Roslan Khasawneh in SINGAPORE; Editing by Henning Gloystein and Tom Hogue) TORONTO (AP) A second Canadian man is feared detained in China in what appears to be retaliation for Canada's arrest of a top executive of telecommunications giant Huawei. The possible arrest raises the stakes in an international dispute that threatens relations. Canada's Global Affairs department on Wednesday said Michael Spavor, an entrepreneur who is one of the only Westerners to have met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, had gone missing in China. Spavor's disappearance follows China's detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing earlier this week. "We have been unable to make contact (with Spavor) since he let us know he was being questioned by Chinese authorities," Global Affairs spokesman Guillaume Berube said. "We are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we continue to raise this with the Chinese government." Spavor is a fluent Korean speaker with longstanding ties to the North through his company, Paektu Cultural Exchange. He was instrumental in bringing NBA player Dennis Rodman to Pyongyang in 2013 and has organized a number of tours and joint cultural projects with the North since then. His disappearance sparked immediate concern in the circle of people who travel to North Korea. Acquaintances said he was due in Seoul on Monday, but never showed up. Canada's announcement came hours after Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said she was worried another citizen had been detained in China following Monday's arrest of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig in Beijing. At the root of the dispute is Canada's recent arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, for possible extradition to the United States. A Canadian court on Tuesday released Meng on bail, confining her to Vancouver and its suburbs while she awaits possible extradition. The U.S. accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to do business with Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Story continues The detention of Kovrig and possible detention of Spavor reflect an increasingly bold approach to international disputes under President Xi Jinping, who has overseen a vast expansion of China's diplomatic, military and economic power. China has often retaliated against foreign governments and corporations in diplomatic disputes, but rarely by holding foreign nationals. The United States and China have taken pains this week to emphasize that their trade talks are entirely separate from the U.S. case against the top Chinese technology executive. But with a few words, President Donald Trump obliterated the distinction on Tuesday, saying he'd wade into the case if it would help produce a trade agreement with China. "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made which is a very important thing what's good for national security I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump told Reuters in an interview. The comment suggests Meng could be a political pawn in negotiations and makes things more awkward for Canada, which arrested her on America's behalf during a Dec. 1 layover at the Vancouver airport. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bristled at Trump's assertion, saying: "Regardless of what goes on in other countries, Canada is, and will always remain, a country of the rule of law." Freeland said it was "quite obvious" any foreign country requesting extradition should ensure "the process is not politicized." Canada has also asked China for extra security at its embassy because of protests and anti-Canadian sentiment and has advised foreign service staff to take precautions, a senior Canadian official told reporters. Meng's arrest came the same day that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed over dinner in Buenos Aires to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade war that has shaken global financial markets and raised worries about the impact on the world economy. The truce was meant to buy time for more substantive talks over U.S. allegations that China steals U.S. technology and forces American companies to hand over trade secrets in exchange for access to the Chinese market. U.S. officials have insisted the sanctions case against Meng had nothing to do with the ongoing trade talks. Top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told "Fox News Sunday" that "there's a trade lane ... and there is the law enforcement lane. They are different." "Both Canadian and American officials have emphasized that the Meng arrest is separate from the trade talks," said Gregory Yaeger, special counsel at the Stroock law firm and a former Justice Department trial attorney. "Trump's remarks could be interpreted as creating the appearance that the arrest also had political motivations. This could undermine the US's reputation as a country that follows the 'rule of law,' and could ultimately undermine both the Meng prosecution and the trade talks." Still, there is precedent for Trump intervening on behalf of a Chinese company accused of violating U.S. sanctions. Trump drew fire from Capitol Hill in June when he reached a deal that spared another Chinese telecommunications company, ZTE, from U.S. sanctions that probably would have put it out of business after it was accused of selling equipment to Iran and North Korea. U.S. regulators planned to bar it from receiving U.S. components that it depended on, effectively a corporate death sentence. But Trump issued a reprieve, perhaps partly because U.S. tech companies, major suppliers to ZTE, would also have been scorched. ZTE agreed to pay a $1 billion fine, change its board and management, and let American regulators monitor its operations. Speaking outside the White House Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross urged reporters not to jump to the conclusion that Trump will actually intervene in Meng's case. "Let's see what he actually decides," Ross said. "Let's see where we go from there." Philip Levy, senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and an economic adviser in President George W. Bush's White House, noted that "there's a real value to keeping these things separate." "Do we want China to seize an (American) executive when they want to get a concession on trade talks in the future?" he asked. ___ Wiseman reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Eric Talmadge and Christopher Bodeen in Beijing and Rafael Wober in Hong Kong contributed to this report. Christian Bale (Credit: Warner Bros) Christian Bale met Donald Trump when he was filming The Dark Knight Rises and it was a bit weird. The Brit actor was speaking on the red carpet of new movie Vice, when he described his encounter with the current president in 2011, before hed decided to run for office. I met him, one time, he told Variety. We were filming on Batman in Trump Tower and he said, Come on up to the office. I think he thought I was Bruce Wayne, he joked, because I was dressed as Bruce Wayne. So he talked to me like I was Bruce Wayne and I just went along with it, really. It was quite entertaining. I had no idea at the time that he would think about running for president. Bale has spent much of the last year embroiled in presidential matters. Christian Bale as Dick Cheney (Credit: Annapurna) He plays former vice president Dick Cheney in forthcoming comedy-drama Vice, directed by Adam McKay. Cheney became one of the most influential vice presidents in US history during his time in the administration of George W. Bush. Bale gained a huge amount of weight of the role, as he also did in order to play Batman after losing an astonishing 63lbs for his previous role in the movie The Machinist. This is the first time I actually did go to a nutritionist cause Im starting to feel my mortality, he went on. I did decide, You know what, I might die, so maybe I should go to see someone who actually knows what theyre talking about instead of just winging it, which is what Ive always done. Vice, which also stars Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell and Tyler Perry is due out in the UK on January 25. Read more The stars we lost in 2018 Incredible actor transformations Most bizarre Disney crossovers With climate change pushing up temperatures, English winemakers are rubbing their hands as their sparkling wines start to give top champagnes a run for their money. Strolling through the Pinglestone vineyard in Hampshire, southern England, under a pale autumn sun, winemaker James Bowerman is smiling broadly. "The (Pinot) Meunier really enjoyed itself this year," the vineyard manager says, surveying the vines. This year's temperatures have taken Vranken-Pommery, the prominent French champagne house that bought the estate in 2014, by surprise. "We had to water the vines in June, which is pretty incredible. Given the reputation of the English climate, we were not expecting that," said Clement Pierlot, director of vineyards and champagne cellars at Pommery. Intrigued by the rapid growth of vineyards in England, Vranken-Pommery jumped into the market after falling in love with the chalk hills of Hampshire. Fifteen hectares (37 acres) of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the three primary champagne grape varieties, were planted here last year. A further 25 hectares will be added over the next two years. While waiting to harvest the first crop of grapes, Vranken-Pommery produced a first sparkling wine with grapes brought in from elsewhere on this side of the Channel. Dubbed Louis Pommery England, the test was deemed a success. "We can have wines which are fine and expressive but with a nice style and freshness," Pierlot said. English sparkling wine will "soon bring a level of cheer to British drinkers greater than that provided by French champagne," said Environment Secretary Michael Gove, talking up the "opportunities of a changing climate". - Sparkling wine 'niche' - While English vintners have made sparkling wines for decades, the number of hectares given over to their production has soared 150 percent in the last 10 years, tripling since 2000. At some four million bottles, sparkling wine represented 68 percent of wines produced in Britain last year -- a share that is set to increase in the coming years. Story continues Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier account for 71.2 percent of the grape varieties planted. "We have gone from a small cottage industry to a real, proper, thriving industry," said Cherie Spriggs, head winemaker at Nyetimber, whose first vines were planted in 1988, also in southeast England. Spriggs was named sparkling winemaker of the year at the 2018 International Wine Challenge in July -- the first time the prize has gone to a vintner outside the Champagne region of northeastern France. She is also the first woman to have won the prestigious award. English vineyards have found their "niche" with sparkling wines, and now produce "delicious" bottles, said Chris Foss, head of the wine department at Plumpton College, Britain's centre for excellence in viniculture. "Thirty years ago, it was impossible to ripen the Chardonnay grapes. The wines were green, hard and very acidic. It didn't work. But now there's no problem," he said. "We have almost the same climate as the Champagne region did 100 years ago." Besides Vranken-Pommery, France's venerable Taittinger champagne house has set up in Kent, just across the Channel in southeast England. Their first sparkling wines are expected to be sold in 2023, after three years in the cellars. Besides English pioneers like Ridgeview and Chapel Down -- official wine suppliers to the British prime minister's Downing Street office -- newer names such as Rathfinny and Gusbourne are also in production. - Moving north - Most vineyards are in the southeast, but climate change is opening new possibilities. A scientific study found that 86,000 acres in England and Wales were suitable for growing grapes thanks to warmer seasons -- including counties north of the River Thames in eastern England such as Essex and Suffolk. English sparkling wines are beginning to nibble into the market, but the champagne giants still dominate. And though the Brits love a bit of bubbly, English sparkling wine is expensive compared with Italian prosecco, an undisputed hit on the supermarket shelves. Land and labour costs are high in England compared with the continent. Brexit is also a concern for winemakers, who often rely on an EU workforce. "The worry for us is the movement of these people in the future," once Britain leaves the EU on March 29, said Bowerman, whose operation currently employs skilled workers from Romania. "They have taken this industry in their hearts and it contributes to the quality of our wines. "If they can't come it is going to be difficult to find enough skilled people." Jerome Greene Hall, the primary home of Columbia Law School. (Courtesy photo) Columbia Law School students are using a software program to create apps to help various legal organizations clients automate the drafting of legal documents. The project came after Columbia Law School Legal Technology Association, a student-led association seeking to expose members to the broad scope of legal technology, and HelpSelf Legal teamed up in the spring 2018 semester to offer HelpSelfs document automation builder software for worthy causes. These Columbia students join a growing group of law students across the U.S. using their burgeoning legal knowledge to create user-friendly apps to help automatize services for legal aid organizations' clients. HelpSelfs document automation builder software allows users to create form-based interviews, which clients fill out with necessary information directly on a site. The clients' answers merge into a specified document and automatically generate execution-ready documents. Sign up for Ahead of the Curve from Law.com to stay up on the latest innovations in legal education. Learn more. HelpSelf Legal is the brainchild of former Sidley Austin associate Dorna Moini. Moini told The Recorder in January that she left Big Law after six years to focus on creating a system that will allow people to have much greater success than they would if they were going it on their own. Columbia law students will use HelpSelf's automated document software to help potential litigants with their legal document preparation. Cecilia Plaza, a second-year law student at Columbia Law School, said she and others have teamed up with the New York City Housing Court to create a mobile- and desktop-accessible app to help tenants. Tenants answer questions created by the students, and their answers will generate a legal document. A legal aid attorney will be available to review and provide pro bono, explained HelpSelf Legal's Moini. After signing up for the project in April, Plaza explained, her group contacted legal aid organizations and nonprofits for feedback on where they thought clients would most benefit. They found that housing matters, such as tenants having to respond to a landlord's allegations of nonpayment, was a pressing legal matter, Plaza said. Plaza said in the near future her team will begin drafting all the potential questions and answers tenants may give or face to provide legal guidance without having a lawyer present. Their app wont just present a blank form to users but instead will autopopulate some answers, such as their name, after theyve answered previous sections. Its programmed to try to figure out what your particular issue is, Plaza explained. After that phase is complete, theyll program the app for use by litigants in New York City Housing Court. Beyond New York, a group of Columbia LL.M. students also is creating an app for low-income individuals in the nation of Colombia. The idea is for us to start with a small pilot with the HelpSelf platform to help low-income families or people to solve any legal topics or perils they have, which are pretty simple but they may think its impossible for them to learn," said Tatiana Segura Rey, an LL.M. Columbia Law student. The group is in the planning and fieldwork stage of the project, reaching out to organizations to decide what legal matter is most important to low-wage Colombians. Ideally, Rey said, the app would be programmed and ready to use by next summer. Although such a project and its deadlines adds more work to a students plate, Rey said it offers a way to provide needed legal assistance. Plaza said her project also offers a lesson in an emerging aspect of legal services: legal technology. I think technology is becoming increasingly important. We use it in a lot of different ways. Its not a replacement for a lawyer, but its useful for clients that cant afford a lawyer or dont require a lawyer present. Plaza added that building an app for clients can serve as a great reminder for law students planning to practice client-facing work. Its a great reminder of what you are here for, what your end goal is. Columbia is no stranger to legal technology. A recent MBA program launched at the school offers a course examining a legal startup's artificial intelligence ability in the business world. Other schools have also pushed their law students to become tech developers. Cornell University, for example, recently launched where law students develop apps to solve legal issues facing three specific legal aid societies. J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University and the University of Arizona's James E. Rogers College of Law also recently partnered to offer parallel courses where students find develop legal tech to reduce evictions in Utah, Arizona and beyond. Dubai-based Emaar Tuesday said it has begun operations in the Asian country where it is planning to launch two showrooms in Beijing and Shanghai. The expansion the company said complements the Belt and Road Initiative announced by President Xi Jinping, in which the UAE will have a significant part to play. The property developer has recruited Chinese staff for the two offices that will be used to promote Dubai and the UAE as an investment destination. Its projects include its 6sqkm Dubai Creek harbor development. Emaar is also planning to build the largest China Town in the Middle East region. To attract Chinese investors, the Gulf country in 2016 removed visa restrictions to Chinese passport holders. The company, which operates in several sectors, is planning to invest in luxury hotels and serviced residences in key Chinese cities under its Address brand. US venture capitalist Draper signs MoU for establishment of joint investment fund with Saudi Venture Capital This weekend will feature an uncommon scene in the night sky as a comet glides past the Earth. Comet 46P/Wirtanen is a small comet that has been growing brighter over the past few weeks, and it is expected to be bright enough to see with the naked eye on Saturday night and Sunday night. "On Dec. 16, 46P will be only 7.2 million miles from Earth and will reach an estimated naked eye magnitude of 3 to 7.5, making this comet's pass the brightest predicted and the brightest close approach to Earth in over 20 years," NASA said. This will be the 10th-closest distance that a comet has come to the Earth since the start of the space age in the 1950s, according to the University of Maryland. Despite its close approach, there is no threat of it colliding with the Earth or the moon. Comet 46p Comet 46p/Wirtanen as seen from Kaua'i, Hawaii. (Photo/Jim Denny) Comet 46P will not look like famous comets, such as Halley's Comet or Comet Hale-Bopp, but it should be bright enough to see from darker spots. Those looking for it in light-polluted areas, such as Chicago or Los Angeles, may have a difficult time seeing it without the help of a telescope or binoculars. The comet will look like a bright, slightly green star with a diffuse glow surrounding it. "It's not expected to have a big spectacular tail; it's going to be a smear," said Matthew J. Holman, senior astrophysicist and director of the Minor Planet Center at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "It may not be obvious to people what they are seeing, and they may need to use what we call averted vision, meaning you don't look right at the thing, but you look away from it and look in your peripheral vision," Holman said. "Your peripheral vision is more sensitive to light and dark, and so with a little practice, you can see a faint thing in the sky with your averted vision that you can't see when directly looking at it," Holman added. Story continues Those with a telescope or pair of binoculars will be able to glean a better look at the celestial object as it glides past the planet. Where to see Comet 46P in the night sky Since the comet is making a speedy flight past the Earth, it will appear in a different part of the sky each night. A sky chart showing the comet's location in the night sky can be found below. It will be easiest to see on Saturday night and Sunday night on its closest approach to the Earth. This is when it will be at its brightest and will be sitting between the famous constellation Orion and the Pleiades star cluster. nasa comet viewing .gif (Animation/NASA) People hoping to see Comet 46P on Saturday night or Sunday night may want to check their local weather forecast and plan accordingly as clouds may interfere with viewing conditions. "The best viewing on both nights will be found in the Rockies and central U.S., where chilly but clear conditions are expected through the weekend," AccuWeather Meteorologist Faith Eherts said. "A storm moving into the eastern U.S. this weekend means many stargazers from the Southeast to New England could have trouble seeing the night sky on Saturday," Eherts said. "In the West, coastal areas from San Francisco northward as well as most of the Pacific Northwest will be encased in clouds," Eherts added. sat night.jpg Breaks in the clouds could lead to better viewing conditions in the eastern U.S. on Sunday night, but clouds could still interfere with viewing conditions, especially around the Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic. "While the eastern third of the nation has slightly better conditions on Sunday night, those in the West will have no such luck. In fact, the clouds are expected to spread as far south as Los Angeles by late Sunday night as a storm moves onshore," Eherts said. If it's too cloudy to see the comet over the weekend, onlookers should be able to see the comet on the days leading up to and immediately following its close pass. However, it will gradually grow dimmer through the second half of December as it moves away from the planet. sun night.jpg Folks heading outside to look for Comet 46P should also keep an eye out for a few shooting stars. The Geminid meteor shower peaks on Thursday night into early Friday morning, bringing up to 120 meteors per hour. Although the peak will have passed by the weekend, onlookers may still be able to spot some meteors. facts.jpg Comet 46P/Wirtanen is less than a mile across, just a fraction of the size of famous comets such as Halley's Comet and Comet Hale-Bopp. "Even though it's only [0.6 of a mile] across, it's coming so close to us that telescopes will allow people to observe things that they don't typically get the opportunity to observe," Holman said. "This is a really great opportunity because this is far brighter than most comets that are studied," Holman said. After Comet 46P/Wirtanen passes, the next comet to make such a close approach to Earth will be 249P/LINEAR 53 on Nov. 4, 2029. A sky chart showing the location of Comet 46P in the night sky into early January: big pictures sky and tellescope.jpg (Image/Sky & Telescope) Questions or comments? Email Brian Lada at Brian.Lada@accuweather.com and be sure to follow him on Twitter! By Harriet McLeod CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - Environmental groups opposed to offshore drilling sued the federal government on Tuesday to prevent future seismic tests for oil and gas deposits in Atlantic waters off the U.S. East Coast. Seismic testing, which uses air gun blasts, violates federal laws that protect marine mammals, endangered species, and national environmental policy, according the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Charleston, South Carolina, against U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The U.S. fisheries service in November gave initial permission to five companies to conduct seismic airgun tests beneath a vast region off the East Coast. The permits allow marine wildlife to be harassed but not killed. Conservationists say the testing, a precursor to oil drilling, can cause disorientation that leads to beachings of an endangered species, the North Atlantic right whale. U.S. President Donald Trump is pursuing increased petroleum drilling as part of an "energy dominance" policy. A proposal to open nearly all U.S. waters to offshore drilling, announced in January, is pending. "The Trump administration has steamrolled over objections of scientists, governors and thousands of coastal communities and businesses to enable this dangerous activity," Michael Jasny, a director and ocean noise pollution expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. A federal marine biologist said last month that no seismic tests have been known to cause whale beachings. A spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency within the Commerce Department, declined to discuss ongoing litigation. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit also included the Southern Environmental Law Center, Sierra Club, Oceana, the Center for Biological Diversity and the North Carolina Coastal Federation. Lawmakers from South Carolina and coastal mayors held a news conference on Tuesday in Charleston to address the issue. Story continues U.S. Representative-elect Joe Cunningham, a Democrat, said drilling threatens fishing industries, jobs, recreation and a tourism industry worth $21 billion. "I'm here not just to say 'no to offshore drilling' but 'hell no to offshore drilling,'" added Cunningham, who said he would introduce legislation next year to reinstate a ban on U.S. offshore drilling that had been renewed by President Barack Obama. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster opposes drilling off the coast of his state. State Attorney General Alan Wilson will send a letter of opposition to Commerce Secretary Ross soon, a spokesman said by phone. More than a dozen states are seeking exemptions from offshore drilling leases. "Oil spills don't respect state boundaries," Catherine Wannamaker, senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center said. (Reporting by Harriet McLeod; Editing by Bill Berkrot) By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) - The head of one of Europe's largest asset managers has called for global regulators to ban cryptoassets, scorning them for wiping out people's savings. After a spectacular boom in 2017, cryptocurrencies have fallen to earth this year. The best known one, Bitcoin, has lost three-quarters of its value while Ripple and Ethereum, the second and third biggest cryptocurrencies, have both slumped nearly 90 percent. "You should outlaw it", Allianz Global Investors Chief Executive Andreas Utermann said during a panel discussion in London on Tuesday. "I am personally surprised that regulators haven't stepped in harder." Utermann made the comments sitting next to Andrew Bailey, the head of Britain's Financial Conduct Authority. Bailey responded saying "that's quite strong actually!" before adding there was "no intrinsic value" in cryptoassets. "We are watching that very closely." Authorities also had crypto coin offerings (ICOs), which firms have used as an alternative way to raise funding, under surveillence too, Bailey said. (Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by Huw Jones and Matthew Mpoke Bigg) L-R:Andrew W. Stern, Benjamin F. Burry, and James Heyworth of Sidley Austin. Fiduciary duties are assigned to those trusted to exercise control over the property of another. In the corporate setting, the board of directors has discretion and management authority over the corporation, which is owned by its stockholders. As such, directors owe fiduciary duties to the corporations stockholders to act in the corporations best interests. Since at least the early 20th century, in certain circumstances, Delaware courts have also imposed fiduciary duties on majority stockholders to act for the benefit of the corporations minority stockholders. Courts reason that where a controlling stockholder directs the actions of the board of directors, then the controlling stockholder also must share the board members fiduciary duty of loyalty to the corporation. In addition to majority stockholders, in even rarer circumstances, minority stockholders also have been deemed controlling stockholders when they are found to have actual control of the corporations decision-making such that they are no differently situated than if they had majority voting control. Over the last several years, Delaware courts increasingly have been confronted with allegations that a minority stockholder should be deemed a controlling stockholder, with a concomitant fiduciary duty, due to certain contract rights concerning the corporation held by that stockholder. In recent actions before the Delaware Court of Chancery, plaintiffs have alleged that contractual rights create blocking or veto power of important corporate transactions, and thus give the defendant the actual control sufficient to constitute a controlling stockholder. The trend in modern corporate finance toward preferred stock, specialized debt, and large private equity holdings in public companies has made this an important issue with significant implications for private investment firms, corporate directors, and public stockholders alike. For transactions ranging from strategic investment in early-stage companies to corporate debt issuance, it is common for corporations to agree to contract provisions giving investors approval rights over mergers, acquisitions, or significant asset sales. These can be very powerful contract rights, to be sure, but imposing fiduciary duties by deeming the holders of such rights to have actual control over the corporation has profound implications. When confronted with these allegations, and in light of the consequences flowing from deeming a person or entity a controller, some Delaware courts have been reluctant to find that contract rights impart controlling stockholder status on an investor. For example, last year in In re Morgans Hotel Group, (Del.Ch. Oct. 24, 2017), the Chancery Court held that a preferred stockholder with contractual blocking rights was not a controlling stockholder that owed fiduciary duties when it asserted these rights during a period of financial distress leading up to the companys merger. The court found that Delaware courts have rejected the argument that the ability to foreclose important transactional alternatives amounted to effective control. In Thermopylae Capital Partners, (Del. Ch. Jan. 29, 2016), the Chancery Court similarly rejected an effort to impose fiduciary duties on a minority stockholder by virtue of its blocking rights over certain financing transactions. There, the court recognized an important distinctiona stockholder who through majority stock ownership or control of the board operates the decision-making machinery of the corporation may be a controlling stockholder, whereas an individual who owns a contractual right, and who exploits that righteven in a way that forces a reaction by a corporationis simply exercising his own property rights, not that of others, and is no fiduciary. On the other hand, some decisions have cited the exercise of contract rights to block or restrict alternative choices by the corporation as a factor that supports finding that an investor is a controlling stockholder. In Superior Vision, for example, the Chancery Court held that a minority stockholder that withheld its consent to dividends, allegedly to strong-arm individual stockholders or the company to further its own agenda, was only taking advantage of its specific and fairly negotiated contractual rights and could not be deemed a controlling stockholder bound by fiduciary obligations on this basis, see Superior Vision Services v. ReliaStar Life Insurance, (Del. Ch. Aug. 25, 2006). But the court also acknowledged that there may be circumstances where the holding of contractual rights, coupled with a significant equity position and other factors, will support the finding that a particular shareholder is, indeed, a controlling shareholder, especially if those contractual rights are used to induce or to coerce the board of directors to approve (or refrain from approving) certain actions. Meanwhile, Chancery Court complaints that seize on a minority stockholders contract rights as a basis for alleging that it is a controlling stockholder who breached its fiduciary duties are becoming increasingly common. Most recently, in Bash Technologies Holdco B v. Georgetown Basho Investors, (Del. Ch. July 6, 2018), the Chancery Court found a preferred stockholders strategic use of its blocking rights that enabled it to control Bashos access to capital exercised actual control over the company, thereby rendering to a fiduciary for purposes of evaluating that transaction. Delaware deserves a serious examination of the circumstances under which an investor who holds valuable contract rights may be required to act as a fiduciary. A willingness to impose fiduciary duties based on powerful or strategic contract rights held by significant debt or private equity investors would be transformative, largely in a negative way. Imposing fiduciary duties means requiring that third parties with such contract rightswhich may be pooled investment vehicles with fiduciary duties to their own investorsare bound to act in the best interests of the stockholders of the corporation in which they have invested and/or to which they have loaned money. Moreover, while assigning fiduciary duties to large equity-holders has a natural limiting principle, a corporation that issues debt or executes contracts that confer consent rights over corporate decision-making could potentially create several or many controlling stockholders, all acting independently. The Chancery Court will continue to face novel theories of controlling stockholder liability based on contract rights, and Delawares ability to impose clear limits on when an investors contract rights render it a fiduciary to the company will have significant consequences for corporate finance and strategic investments under Delaware law going forward. Fairly negotiated contract rights providing for consent or blocking power do not constitute operating the decision-making machinery of the corporation in the fashion of a board of directors or majority stockholder. Delaware should be very reluctant to deem someone a controller based, not on rights as a stockholder, but on contractual rights. Andrew W. Stern, a co-leader of Sidley Austin's securities and shareholder litigation practice, focuses on securities litigation and litigation matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance issues and proxy contests. These matters frequently involve allegations of violations of the federal securities laws and common-law fiduciary duties, as well as claims of market manipulation and antitrust violations. James Heyworth is a partner in the firm's New York office. He defends companies and directors and officers in securities class actions, shareholder derivative cases and litigation regarding mergers and acquisitions. Benjamin F. Burry is an associate in the firm's New York office where he focuses his practice on commercial litigation and disputes and securities and shareholder litigation. Skattestyrelsen (SKAT), the Danish tax agency, has accelerated crackdown against a large number of nationals who secretly traded bitcoin on a Finnish crypto exchange. According to information shared by the Swedish Tax Agency, a total of 2,700 Danes purchased circa $5.80 million worth of bitcoins from the exchange but sold them back for $6.1 million in local currency. That marks approximately $12 million worth of bitcoin trading that went unreported between the financial years of 2015 and 2017. Karin Bergen, the directorate at SKAT, confirmed that they are reviewing the figures as of now and will go after every individual that ignored to mention their offshore bitcoin trades. If you have traded with bitcoins on the specific Finnish bitcoin exchange and have not specified any winnings, then you can hear from us so we can get your taxes in place, she warned. Tip of the Iceberg Local media reports indicate that Danish tax inspectors and IT specialists are carefully studying the gains and losses made by bitcoin traders. It finds that while some traders invested inadequately in the crypto space with amount lesser than 10,000 Kroner, a notable number among all also purchased and sold cryptocurrencies for amounts exceeding 1 million Kroner. There are two types of trades, explained Ole B. Srensen, chairman of the personal data department of SKAT. One is what I want to call a curious trade, which is about a few thousand dollars. And then there are those who have been trading for some enormous amounts. Reports also indicate that SKAT has already contacted the big whales involved in institutional-level bitcoin trading activity. The tax agency also plans to go after more such individuals in the coming months. Its probably just the tip of the iceberg, said Bergen. Although the Finnish company is a relatively small bitcoin exchange, the information they have revealed is a precious source, which clearly shows trends and patterns in the area. Story continues Bitcoin is like Paintings Danish nationals who have traded bitcoin over the years are now caught in a legal gray zone which, in the utmost consequence, may inadvertently put them in line with the law. Payam Samarghandi, a lawyer and bitcoin expert from Denmark, confirmed that bitcoin is a taxable asset in the country. According to the 1903 Tax Act, the Danish tax agency imposes charges when a property is purchased and sold again for profits. An expensive painting or vase, for instance, resembles how bitcoin taxation functions under the jurisdiction of SKAT. Its a little bit like Kahlervasen, a vase whose value increased five years after the first purchase, Samarghandi explained. At the time of purchase, the owner didnt need to pay any tax on it. But when he sold it for at a significantly increased rate, then the profits he made became taxable. But again, a painting or a vase cannot be transferred online as a payment. SKAT realizes that it would be a difficult task for them to categorize bitcoin holders into those who speculate on the digital currency and those who utilize it. Louise Schack Elholm, who is also a member of the Tax Council, said that there might be instances where bitcoin and other virtual currencies get purchased for purposes other than speculation. But, she added, it will be in sporadic cases. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Denmarks Tax Agency Targets 2,700 Nationals for Hiding Bitcoin Trades appeared first on CCN. NEW YORK Did President Donald Trump's ex-personal lawyer Michael Cohen come clean about every crime he knows about? Federal prosecutors in New York don't know for sure and that's one reason they're not recommending leniency for the 52-year-old attorney at his sentencing on Wednesday. The uncertainty also explains the contrast with the more forgiving sentence recommendation the Washington-based Special Counsel Robert Mueller proposed for the attorney who once served as Trump's fixer. Cohen met with the prosecutors from the Southern District of New York only when he knew he faced likely indictment, prosecutors from the Southern District of New York wrote in a sentencing memo filed on Friday. And when they met, the prosecutors wrote, Cohen agreed to discuss only the participation of others in the campaign finance violations to which he pleaded guilty in August. He "specifically declined to be debriefed on other uncharged criminal conduct, if any, in his past," the prosecutors wrote. He declined meetings "about other areas of investigative interest." "In order to successfully cooperate with this office, witnesses must undergo full debriefings that encompass their entire criminal history, as well as any and all information they possess about crimes committed by both themselves and others," they wrote. Cohen, they said, did not undergo such debriefings. Michael Cohen. As a result, the prosecutors wrote, Cohen is not officially a cooperating government witness and is ineligible for a leniency recommendation from them. They acknowledged that Cohen provided information to Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, for which they wrote that he deserves some credit. But they wrote that he should not be spared prison time, as he had requested. They urged U.S. District Court Judge William Pauley to sentence him to roughly 42 months less than the 51 to 63 months indicated by federal sentencing guidelines, but still a "substantial term of imprisonment." Story continues Their recommendation stems from a longstanding legal protocol. "Federal prosecutors are crystal clear that when a defendant begins the process of considering cooperation that it's an all-or-nothing proposition," said Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor. Mintz, who once served as deputy chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force Division for the District of New Jersey, has no involvement in the Cohen case. He's now managing partner of the McCarter & English law firm in Newark. Cooperating witnesses "don't have the ability to pick and choose the areas of potential criminal conduct they want to disclose to prosecutors," he said. "What Michael Cohen attempted to do here is to have it both ways." resident Donald Trump's former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty on Nov. 29, 2018, to one count of lying to Congress about his work on a project to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Mueller, in his separate sentencing recommendation, said Cohen committed a serious crime by lying to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. But Cohen cooperated with Mueller's Russia investigation and pleaded guilty to the lies late last month. Based on the admission and the assistance, Mueller's legal team recommended that any prison term Pauley might impose for Cohen's lies be served concurrently with any sentence the judge orders for the case brought by the New York federal prosecutors. The final decision rests with Pauley, a senior judge nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton and confirmed in 1998. More: Five bombshells from Cohen memos, including information he's given Mueller More: Feds: Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen should get 'substantial prison term' More: From Trump fixer to Mueller informant: Timeline of Cohen's role in Russia probe Cohen pleaded guilty in New York this month to campaign finance violations. Prosecutors say he paid hush money at Trump's direction to buy the silence of onetime Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels. The women said they had sexual affairs with Trump before he became president, claims that could have jeopardized his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied their allegations. Prosecutors say the payments amounted to unrecorded campaign contributions that exceeded giving limits. The New York prosecutors essentially endorsed Cohen's account of the payments in their sentencing memo, thereby implicating Trump in the felonies committed by his attorney. It is unclear what other evidence they have, if any, to corroborate Cohen's account. Cohen also pleaded guilty this month to income tax evasion and lying to federally insured banks. Prosecutors say Cohen hid income from his accountant and the IRS to avoid paying more than $1 million in federal taxes, and lied to banks about his income and liabilities as he sought loans. In the case handled by Mueller's legal team, Cohen admitted he lied when he told congressional committees last year that planning for the Moscow construction project ended in January 2016, before the start of the Republican presidential primaries. Cohen said the Russia construction discussions actually continued until roughly June 2016, at which point Trump was the presumptive GOP nominee. Mueller's team said Cohen also disclosed contact "in or around November 2015" from a Russian national who claimed to be a "trusted person" in the Russian Federation who could offer the Moscow construction project "synergy on a government level." That's an earlier contact than was previously known publicly. Trump announced his candidacy for president in June 2015. Trump on Monday tweeted that Cohen was "trying to get his sentence reduced." He again called Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt." Trump attacked unnamed "Dems" for "wrongly" calling the hush money payments arranged by Cohen a "campaign contribution ... which it was not." "But even if it was, it is only a civil case, like Obama's but it was done correctly by a lawyer and there would not even be a fine," Trump tweeted. "Lawyer's liability if he made a mistake, not me." He did not clarify what "civil case" of President Barack Obama, if any, he was referring to. Democrats cant find a Smocking Gun tying the Trump campaign to Russia after James Comeys testimony. No Smocking Gun...No Collusion. @FoxNews Thats because there was NO COLLUSION. So now the Dems go to a simple private transaction, wrongly call it a campaign contribution,... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2018 ....which it was not (but even if it was, it is only a CIVIL CASE, like Obamas - but it was done correctly by a lawyer and there would not even be a fine. Lawyers liability if he made a mistake, not me). Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced. WITCH HUNT! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2018 Follow USA TODAY reporter Kevin McCoy on Twitter: @kmccoynyc. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen disclose every crime he knows about? Donald Trump has declared he will "shut down the government" just days before Christmas during an extraordinary on air press conference in which he clashed with Democratic leaders over a funding deal. The US president claimed that if the Democrats will not approve funding for his border wall, he was willing to allow a lapse in federal government funding which would see large parts of the government close down. I am proud to shut down the government for border security. I will take the mantle, I will shut it down, Mr Trump said. Mr Trump was meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, the most senior Democrats in the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively, to agree on a package of funding. But in an extraordinary turn of events, Mr Trump invited reporters into the private Oval Office negotiation and argued heatedly with the Democratic leaders in front of the cameras. Donald Trump invited the cameras in to watch his sparring match Credit: AP During the heated exchange Mr Trump threatened to stop funding the US government if he doesn't get the money to continue building a wall on the border with Mexico. "If we don't get what we want, I'll shut down the government," Mr Trump said during a heated exchange. "I will be the one to shut it down." Vice President Mike Pence sat beside Mr Trump, silent and stone faced. Swaths of federal funding will expire on December 21, forcing a partial shutdown unless a new deal can be reached. Donald Trump argues about border security with Nancy Pelosi as Vice President Mike Pence looks on Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Mr Trump wants Congress to agree to $5 billion (3.9 billion) he says is needed to fund a large border wall along hundreds of miles of the US-Mexican border. However Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi have offered to extend funding at current levels, around $1.3 billion. That is less than the $1.6 billion a bipartisan Senate committee approved. 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 insisted major wall funding was necessary, saying "we don't want criminals and drugs coming into our country". Story continues Mr Trump also 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 in one notable moment. The president asked whether Republicans had won the Senate in the November election. Mr Schumer, the ranking Democratic senator, retorted with a smile: "When the president brags he has won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble". Opponents say the wall, one of Mr Trump's most memorable campaign promises in his 2016 election, is not only a waste of money but has been used by the president to whip up xenophobia. Ms Pelosi, who is seeking to become House speaker when the new Congress convenes in January, said she and many other Democrats consider the wall "immoral, ineffective and expensive" and noted that Mr Trump promised during the 2016 campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall, an idea Mexico has repeatedly rejected. Mr Trump insisted that the US military could be brought in to build his wall if Democrats will not vote for the funding. At the Pentagon, Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Davis said there were no plans now for the US military to build sections of the wall. He added that under current law, however, the Defence Department could fund some border barrier projects "such as in support of counter-drug operations or national emergencies. Donald Trump has previously said Mexico would pay for the border wall Credit: AP After the meeting, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement it was a "constructive dialogue" and said Mr Trump was "grateful" cameras captured him fighting to protect the border. Back on Capitol Hill, Schumer accused Mr Trump of throwing a tantrum but said Mr Trump told the Democrats he would consider their budget proposals, Schumer told reporters. Ms Pelosi told reporters she had asked Mr Trump to pray about resolving the dispute, recounting the biblical story of King Solomon asking God for wisdom. But the harsh words continued during a closed meeting of House Democrats. According to an aide in the room, Ms Pelosi said Mr Trump's fixation with building a wall was "like a manhood thing for him. As if manhood could ever be associated with him." Despite the rancor, 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." Ms Pelosi told reporters that later in the day that she and Mr Trump spoke by telephone, and the president said he was reviewing the offer made by Democrats during the White House meeting. De Nederlandsche Bank bitcoin blockchain crypto regulation The Dutch Central Bank, De Nederlandsche Bank, wants to regulate crypto companies by requiring them to get licenses in order to operate. The bank claims the measure will deter money laundering and the use of cryptocurrencies to fund terrorism, according to a short brief in Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf. To qualify for a license, crypto companies must report unusual transactions and know who their customers are. The Dutch Central Bank said the regulation was necessary because the decentralized, anonymous nature of the crypto market makes it a target for money launderers. Crypto Exchanges Used to Launder Money According to one investigation, more than $88 million was laundered over 46 cryptocurrency exchanges around the globe during the past two years. ShapeShift AG which is incorporated in Switzerland but operates out of the United States allegedly processed more than $9 million in illicit funds since 2016. The altcoin exchange service previously let people trade bitcoin and other virtual currencies anonymously, though it has since adopted mandatory KYC. Similarly, the classified sex-advertising website Backpage used cryptocurrency exchanges to launder millions of dollars in bitcoin, as CCN reported. In a bombshell 93-page federal indictment, the US Department of Justice accused the online sex marketplace of money laundering, conspiracy, and facilitating prostitution. The Department of Justice shut down Backpage in April 2018 amid revelations that it promoted underage prostitution and sex trafficking since its launch in 2004. Sex Marketplace Laundered Millions in Bitcoin backpage money laundering bitcoin crypto The Justice Department also found that the sleazy website laundered tens of millions of dollars using cryptocurrency. Backpage furthered its money laundering through the use of bitcoin processing companies, the Justice Department alleged. Over time, Backpage utilized companies such as Coinbase, GoCoin, Paxful, Kraken and Crypto Capital to receive payments from customers and/or route money through the accounts of third parties. Story continues It is because of these high-profile crackdowns on money laundering that many regulators remain leery of the decentralized, anonymous cryptocurrency industry. John Williams, the CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, says cryptos persistent issues with scams is a major deterrent to mass adoption. The setup or institutional arrangement around bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies [is problematic], Williams said. They have problems with fraud, problems with money laundering and terror financing. Report: Crypto-Centric Illegal Activity is Overblown That said, money laundering also occurs using fiat currencies. In April 2018, the office of Quebec Chief Scientist Remi Quirion published a report concluding that bitcoin is wrongly blamed as a go-to vehicle for money laundering and criminal activity because the facts dont support these claims. Bitcoin is not above the law, nor is it a magnet for illicit transactions: it forms only a tiny part of the criminal money circulating around the planet, the report stated. The reason: it is less attractive for anyone who wants to make transactions without leaving a trace. Similarly, a January 2018 report by blockchain analytics company Elliptic also found that less than 1% of all bitcoin activities conducted between 2013 and 2016 involved money laundering. Bitcoins illicit use is mainly based on anecdotal evidence, usually without supporting data analysis of how it is used across geographical regions, or trends over time, the report stated. Images from Shutterstock The post Dutch Central Bank Wants to Regulate Crypto Companies to Stem Money Laundering appeared first on CCN. Tim Draper, one of US and global venture capitalists has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Venture Capital Company for the establishment of a joint capital investment fund. The future fund will be used to finance SMEs in the fields of health, education, agriculture, finance, and energy, Trade Arabia reports. Draper, considered as a leading US and world class investor, is renowned in venture capital, blockchain and financial technologies. The US businessman, also known in the Silicon Valley, has co-founded a number of companies and investment funds, such as Draper Associates, and DFJ. The Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company seeks to contribute to the growth and diversification of Saudi Arabias economy. The company also supports SMEs and encourages entrepreneurs to explore new fields. Cairo (AFP) - Egyptian authorities have launched an investigation into images said to show a naked couple who scaled the Great Pyramid that has sparked outrage in the conservative Muslim country, an official said Tuesday. In a video titled "Climbing the Great Pyramid of Giza", Danish photographer Andreas Hvid appears to scale the 4,500-year-old tomb on the outskirts of Cairo at night with an unidentified woman who is later seen taking off her top. Hvid says the video was taken in late November but it was published on YouTube on December 8. A photograph released by Hvid appears to show the couple completely naked on top of each other while looking in the direction of a nearby pyramid with the horizon illuminated. "The public prosecution is investigating the incident of the Danish photographer and the authenticity of the photos and video of him climbing the pyramid," Mostafa Waziri, the secretary general of Egypt's supreme antiquities council, told AFP. If the video was actually filmed at the top of the pyramid, that would make it a "very serious crime", Waziri said. The nearly three-minute video has taken social media by storm and has been the subject of late night talk shows. It has notched up almost three million views on YouTube alone. "A 7,000-year-old civilisation has turned into a bed sheet," a Twitter user in Egypt lamented. Another protested that "they want to soil the dignity and pride of Egyptians because the pyramid reflects the glory and grandeur of the Egyptian people". The authenticity of the images has been disputed with some arguing the photograph showing the pair naked appears to be very bright whereas the video showed them scaling the pyramid at night. Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Enany told government newspaper Al-Ahram that the video has stirred "anger and outrage among Egyptians", and that officials in charge of guarding the pyramids would be punished if found to have been negligent. Story continues Hvid, 23, explained back home to the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet that he had "dreamed for many years of climbing the Great Pyramid" as well as of taking a naked photograph. "I'm sad that so many people have got angry but I've also received a lot of positive responses from many Egyptians," he said in an interview. The young Dane, who runs his own YouTube channel, said he had absolutely no interest in stirring up a crisis such as that triggered by cartoons in Western newspapers of the Prophet Mohammed. As for the girl in the video, she was not his girlfriend. "It was just a pose. We did not have sexual relations," Hvid said. The Great Pyramid, also known as the Khufu pyramid, is the largest in Giza, standing at 146 metres (480 feet) tall, and the only surviving structure of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Climbing pyramids is forbidden in Egypt. 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. Cairo (AFP) - Egyptian authorities have unofficially restricted the sale of "yellow vest", traders in Cairo told AFP Tuesday, signalling fears of possible protests inspired by those in France. The move comes ahead of the eighth anniversary of the uprising that toppled Egypt's longtime president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 and left the country in political and economic turmoil. "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 vest shipments were currently en route to Egypt and that no instructions had been issued to halt such imports. However, a rights lawyer, Mohamed Ramadan, was Tuesday remanded in custody for two weeks over charges including the distribution and possession of leaflets and yellow vests. He was arrested on Monday in the northern city of Alexandria, his lawyer Abdelrahman al-Gohary said. 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. In a downtown Cairo street, several yellow vest sellers told AFP that their sale was being "prohibited" under instructions from police. "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 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 has repeatedly criticised the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011, 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 aiming to revive Egypt's economy. Liz Hurley has spent a large chunk of 2018 modelling her swimwear range on her Instagram account. [Photos: Instagram/Liz Hurley] Words by Maggie Parker. Whether its a bikini, a gown with a plunging neckline or simply a towel, Elizabeth Hurley wows in whatever she wears. The actress, model and swimwear pro turned a lot of heads in 2018, gifting her Instagram followers with what seemed like a little more skin in each post. Its not just a mad ego trip, Hurley told Yahoo in March about her frequent swimsuit pics. Its not just me going nuts on holiday. Its a business. If I didnt have my own bikini line, I probably wouldnt be posting pictures of myself in a bikini. Still, no one was complaining (except for when Hurley dared to step out in a dress with a plunging neckline and her teenage son as her date but more on that later). Other women over 45 also took their turns in breaking the internet (sometimes with joy, other times angry judgment) in their bikinis Jada Pinkett Smiths mum Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Brooke Shields and Jennifer Lopez, for example. And that, Hurley shared with Yahoo, makes her very happy. There has been such a big movement in the last few years, which I think is such a positive one. That not everybody has to be 24 and 90 pounds, she said. People are feeling much more comfortable with their own body shape, with their own body type, and I think thats a really great thing. At any age, its fantastic. For a full lineup of reminders about how little age matters in confidence (or just to gawk repeatedly at Hurley), continue scrolling for all the times shes shown extra skin this year. The new year officially got off to a good start on Jan. 7, when Hurley posted a video of her dancing on a beach in a tiny pink string bikini. With 644K views, this is one of her most watched Instagram videos ever, and after watching, youll understand why. Story continues In the video set to a guitar soundtrack with a sunset in the background, the actress can be seen twirling and shimmying her heart out in a bikini of her own design from Elizabeth Hurley Beach. Hurley kept hearts racing for the next week by posting a series of other swimsuit shots. Trends come and trends go, but nothing beats a string bikini, she captioned one photo of her in a blue two-piece. She dived into February headfirst with a bikini-clad handstand, proving that the Elizabeth Hurley Beach bathing suits are cute and supportive. She showed her followers some love on Valentines Day by forgoing her bikini top altogether, covering her breasts with a pink garment. Hurley enjoyed Valentines Day from her beach hammock, and commenters wrote things like stop that grinnin and drop that linen! She re-created that photo in June, except instead of a hammock, it was a beach chair. And instead of a pink garment covering her breasts, it was a straw hat. She captioned the post, Three cheers for a divine English Summer. Most of her followers are not fans of the hat. Remove the hat please, more than one commenter wrote. Stupid hat! someone else said. Three cheers for you to move your hat lol, wrote another. Others want to be the hat. Three cheers for wanting to be a sun hat. Her love affair with one particular bikini from her collection began Feb. 23. She posted another video of her dancing in a two-piece, this time in the bright blue Olivia Bikini. She posted another photo of her wearing that swimsuit on March 1, with the caption, Oh lord, take me back. Shes referring to Fregate Island, a private isle in the Seychelles that has 16 villas and seven beaches. Bloody hell youre like a female Benjamin Button, one commenter said of the 53-year-old beauty. The unashamed outfit-repeater threw on that two-piece months later. In May, she graced the Maldives with her presence and brought her favorite bikini with her. She posted a fresh-out-of-water photo in which she sparkled more than the bright turquoise water behind her. You put a Victorias secret model to shame! one fan so boldly stated. And nobody argued. Lets not get ahead of ourselves, though. There were plenty of other bikini photos in between March and May. At the end of March, she was in the Maldives. But instead of showing fans the glorious island she was vacationing on, she took followers into her bathroom for an even more exclusive view. In this unique mirror selfie, Hurleys rocking her cheetah print Victoire Bikini. And there are two reflections in the photo, one shows her whole body, and the other is a magnifying mirror, giving followers a close-up of her cleavage. This shot earned her a few marriage proposals. The next month, she jetted to Spains Tagomago Island. She posed straight on in a blue room in a blue bejeweled bikini giving her followers a full view of her impeccable body. She celebrated International Bikini Day in a tiny turquoise string bikini, showing off her flat stomach, toned arms and amazing life thanks to a breathtaking backdrop. Then, she took it to the next level, practically breaking the internet with a video of her goofing around in a pool. Topless. In the video shes attempting to swim off the calories and then she pops out of the water, covering her breasts with her arms. The video is her most watched of the year, with over 1.3 million views. She continued teasing her fans the following month by posing in nothing but a towel while enjoying a steam. Of course, her fans begged her to ditch the towel. Many tried coming up with excuses for her to lend them her towel. Ouch, I got soap in my eye.Quick give me a towel! one wrote with a winking emoji. The sauna dont work with towels, another follower said. Countless followers used the Chevy Chase quote, Can I borrow your towel? My car just hit a water buffalo. They took the teasing further when she posted a video of her nearly naked body writhing on the floor as she sang along to Besame Mucho. Shes wearing nothing a teeny blue triangle bikini. Her followers cant stop commenting on how good she looks at 53, one asking, where did you find the fountain of youth? And another asked, whats your secret to looking so great? Then there were all the times in 2018 when she attempted to cover up but failed. In February she wore her Pixie Robe. But it barely covered everything her Cheetah Bikini left exposed. A week later, she debuted her crochet Lizzie Robe, which she wore over nothing. She was completely topless under this soft garment, and her fans loved it. Yes free the nipples! someone joked. In July, she dared to jump on a trampoline with little on and had to hold her sheer cover-up down to keep it front over-exposing. And just last month she did a striptease on Instagram. She started in in her brands Kashmir Robe and stripped down to a tiny patterned pink bikini. She was dancing to the song, Venus (Baby Shes Got It), further proving she is the bikini-dancing queen. But 2018 wasnt all bikinis and beaches for Hurley. This woman could make a sweatshirt sexyand she did once or twice this year. But usually when she wasnt wearing a bathing suit, she was rocking a gown, one of which got her into trouble. Her son Damian Hurley turned 16 in April and his mum celebrated by posting a photo of them together. In the image, Hurley is in a plunging dress with colorful crystal embellishment. Commenters were quick to pass judgment on the 53-year-olds attire, with one fan even calling her an embarrassing mum. Another added, Using this moment to showcase her assets and focus the attention back on her. Someone else called the number a tiny bit inappropriate, with a user adding, Your dress is way too revealing for a sophisticated elegant lady like you. Others jumped to The Royals stars defense, with multiple people calling her stunning and beautiful, while one individual wrote, If youve got it flaunt it. She turned heads again at a Thanksgiving dinner at United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnsons London residence. Hurley posted a series of photos to Instagram from the dinner, including a close-up of her black dress featuring a deep V-cut with a string detailing down the front. It was an interesting choice for a formal Thanksgiving dinner among diplomats, but her fans were grateful for it. While Christmas is coming, cold weather wont cause Hurley to cover up. In early December, she posted a mirror selfie debuting a new bathing suit from her brand, the hot pink Marissa Bikini. Plenty of va va boom push up, she wrote in the caption. Someone pointed out, You dont need any va va boom! Another quipped, Push up?! Id rather pull down. Another said, I should have asked Santa for you ! Believe it or not, her most liked photo of the year isnt even the most revealing. Its a mirror selfie from September featuring the bombshell in a purple one-piece. Of course, she isnt completely covered up. The swimsuit has a plunging neckline, making it one of the most cleavage-baring bathing suits shes rocked all year. 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: Liz Hurley defies her age in a series of bikini shots on Instagram Elizabeth Hurley celebrates International Bikini Day Liz Hurley moisturises 10 times a day: Overkill or a skincare regime to follow? Brussels (AFP) - The European Union faces fresh existential doubts as 2018 comes to a close, with Germany and France gripped by leadership uncertainty and the bloc they anchor facing a rising populist tide. Britain leaves the 28-nation EU on March 29, either in a bitter but orderly divorce or a disruptive "no-deal" Brexit, and just two months later voters across the bloc elect a new European Parliament. "2019 will be a pivotal year with major challenges," said Jonathan Faull, a former senior administrator at the European Commission, the union's Brussels-based executive arm. The elections in May will be a confrontation between mainstream parties and eurosceptic movements tapping into popular anger over migration. France's President Emmanuel Macron's authority as a liberal champion has been dented by the "yellow vest" protests rocking his country, and the long reign of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is ending. "We must manage Brexit, the rise of populism and its causes, Merkel's departure, all that without knowing whether Macron can regain the upper hand," Faull told AFP. Even if indicators suggest Europe's finances have recovered from the 2008 crisis, the scars of its bitter aftermath still criss-cross the bloc's diverse and now politically-divided economies. "Europe has until now held up during crises thanks to the Franco-German couple. But today, it is attacked from inside and threatened with collapse," an official from a major EU country told AFP. Hungary and Poland have elected leaders who have received warnings from Brussels that they pose threats to the EU's founding democratic values. The extreme right has made electoral gains across Europe, to the point of even joining governing coalitions in Austria and Italy. - 'Yellow vests' - "Merkel must think well before leaving office. There remain very few leaders capable of reviving the situation. Macron has problems and all the others are doing badly," the official said. Story continues A diplomat said the 2015 refugee crisis, Europe's worst since World War II, was badly managed. Merkel and others pushed for quotas to relocate asylum seekers from frontline countries like Italy and Greece, only to fuel the populist forces rising in areas long spared large-scale immigration. "It was a political blunder," the EU diplomat told AFP on the condition of anonymity. Exploited by authoritarians and rightwing populists, the debate over migration has fractured the EU. More than three years on, seven EU countries refused to sign the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted this week in Morocco by more than 160 governments. The political deadlock over migration had steadily weakened Merkel even before rebels within her CDU party forced her to step aside. With an ally installed in the party leadership, Merkel has pledged to stay in office until her term ends in 2021, but experts refuse to rule out the possibility of elections whose results are uncertain. In France, Macron faces a broadening challenge to his leadership, from traditional opponents as well as the unpredictable "yellow vests", who have staged weeks of protests against his policies. Nor can he use his drive to reform the governance of the EU to regain traction, as "Germany was unable or unwilling" to follow him, according to Luxembourg's foreign minister Jean Asselborn. - 'A great fear' - "Macron's determination to rebuild Europe fell on deaf ears outside France," said Dutch political analyst Luuk van Middelaar. Long marked by low voter turnout, the European elections in May face other problems. No strong personality is yet in the running for Brussels' top job, president of the European Commission. In France, the vote could turn into a referendum on Macron's leadership. Eurosceptic parties could also make big gains in the European Parliament elections, even if the departure of British MEPs will deprive them of many allies. "We must avoid having Europe fall under the grip of those who want to destroy it," Asselborn told AFP. However, former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta refused to be alarmist. "It will be very complicated for the populists to group together," he said. "I don't discount the risks. We hear a great fear expressed pretty much everywhere. But not everything is going in the wrong direction." "When the populists are under fire, they retreat," said Letta, who now heads the Jacques Delors Institute think tank. "The European Union is not about to break up. The Brexiteers in the United Kingdom and the populists in Italy understand this," he told AFP. Faull, who now head international business consultants Brunswick, also offered a measured assessment. "The bloc remained united in the face of Brexit, the institutions are working and nobody wants to abandon the euro anymore," Faull said. Brussels (AFP) - The European Parliament on Wednesday approved an accord with Japan that has been dubbed the world's biggest trade deal, covering economies that represent a third of the world's GDP. The agreement will go into effect in February and was celebrated as a victory for Europe as a free trade champion in the face of US President Donald Trump's protectionism and Britain's decision to leave the EU. "Our economic partnership with Japan - the biggest trade zone ever negotiated - is now very close to becoming a reality," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said. Talking to AFP before lawmakers voted by 474 votes to 152 to back the deal, Malmstrom called it "a symbol, a signal" and added: "We're showing that for our part, we're in favour of open but regulated trade." The deal was confirmed even as British Prime Minister Theresa May defended her faltering attempt to negotiate Britain's orderly departure from the European Union before a boisterous House of Commons. But, ironically, some EU leaders see the wide-ranging deal they have agreed with far-off Japan as a possible model for future commercial relations with the United Kingdom, once it formally quits the bloc. "Everything is uncertain with the United Kingdom for the moment, but one day or another we'll have to negotiate something," Malmstrom said, predicting a British deal would "go even further" than Japan's. Covering more than 630 million people and economies that add up to around a third of global output, the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement has been under discussion since 2013. When it goes into effect it will regulate almost all commerce between the Asian giant and the 27 remaining EU economies and, according to Malmstrom, will benefit in particular European farmers. The pro-business lobby welcomed the deal. "Approving the EU-Japan EPA, the European Parliament delivers on what business and citizens need in a time of political and economic uncertainty," said BusinessEurope Director General Markus Beyrer. Story continues "This agreement is projected to increase exports between the two economies by 34 percent for the EU and 29 percent for Japan, liberalising up to 99 percent of bilateral trade," he argued. "The elimination of tariffs will save consumers and importers one billion euro per year in the EU and will support a substantial increase of jobs, maximising benefits for both companies and citizens." Once the is fully implemented, some 85 percent of EU farm products will be eligible for tariff free export to Japan, although in some cases this will come after a period of transition. Customs duties on beef, for example, will be progressively reduced, and rice, a source of national pride in Japan, will be excluded from the deal. Tokyo has also agreed to recognise more than 200 "geographic signifiers", allowing iconic European products like Roquefort cheese, Tirolean speck and Polish "Wodka" to protect their brand value. For their part, the Japanese will win free access to the European automobile market after a multi-year transition period. - Consumer choice - In a nod to the environmental and anti-globalist groups who have lobbied against this and other EU trade agreements, it includes chapters on sustainable development and the Paris climate change accord. This was not enough to appease at least three NGOs -- the Foundation for Man and Nature (FNH) the Veblen Institute and Foodwatch -- who denounced a deal they said was "negotiated in the shadows". "The European Parliament agreed to a trade agreement that damages European democracy," Lena Blanken of Foodwatch said. The deal "restricts the legislative authority of the EU and its member states, jeopardises the European precautionary principle and establishes committees without sufficient democratic control." But Malmstrom was unrepentant. "With or without a deal, we do trade with far off countries. That's commerce," she told AFP. "In the end, it's consumers who decide," she said, adding that, while many might prefer to buy locally, Europe would work with Japan to reduce the environmental impact of long-distance shipments. With the deal, the EU is seeking access to one of the world's richest markets, while Japan hopes to jump-start an economy that has struggled to find solid growth for more than a decade. EU leaders are ready to offer Theresa May a helping hand out of the political crisis over the Brexit deal, which is threatening the prime ministers grip on power and could push the UK towards a no-deal divorce. May will travel to Brussels for crunch talks over Brexit at the European Council summit on Thursday weakened by a confidence vote called by Conservative MPs. But her continental counterparts are keen to send her back to London on Friday with enough ammunition to defeat the rebels in her party and get the Brexit deal through the UK parliament. We are acting under the current circumstances and want to provide her a helping hand to overcome her domestic situation, an EU source told Yahoo Finance UK on the eve of the summit. Senior EU figures also expressed their displeasure at moves to displace May from Downing Street. A spokesperson for European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker reiterated his support for prime minister May and her role in managing a very difficult process. And European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said EU-UK relations were being put at risk by an internal Conservative party catfight. Once again, the fate of EUUK relations, the prosperity of businesses & citizens' rights are consumed by an internal Conservative party catfight over Europe. I hope that, whatever happens, at least the vote will make clear that a disastrous nodeal is off the table. #Brexit Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) December 12, 2018 The situation is a complete reversal on previous summits, where May faced derision from EU leaders for pursuing policies designed to please the most ardent Brexit supporters in her party. They are rallying around May as they fear further instability is more likely to lead to a no-deal situation than Brexit being called-off. Story continues If theres a problem with the ratification [of the deal] in the House of Commons and time is running out, then of course the probability of a no-deal scenario is not decreasing but increasing, said a senior EU diplomat. Any renegotiation over the 585-page withdrawal agreement has been ruled out by the EU and that has been officially accepted by the UK government. I dont know what is possible, but I know what is impossible, said the diplomat. What is impossible is to renegotiate the deal, the rest can be discussed. Instead, the leaders of the EU institutions and the heads of government of the other 27 member states are set to give written assurances over what the current deal will mean. MORE: Juncker warns May there is no room whatsoever to change Brexit deal They are particularly keen to set the record straight over the Irish border backstop the top concern for many of Mays internal detractors. I know from following the debate in the UK that there is this suspicion that the backstop will be a prison or the objective of the EU to put the UK in the backstop, that is not true, said the diplomat. EU leaders could issue a joint statement on the issue or add a legally binding annex to the deal in a bid to reassure MPs, depending on what the prime minister tells them would be most beneficial. German chancellor Angela Merkel offers her hand to prime minister Theresa May at a crisis meeting over Brexit (Getty) The European parliament joined efforts to de-dramatise the backstop, issuing a joint statement from its political group leaders which reaffirmed that the backstop is in any case to be used only as a measure of last resort. However, the statement also underlined the importance of the issue for the EU side by vowing any deal without a backstop would be vetoed. Its unlikely that May will request an extension of Article 50, but an EU source signalled one would be granted. The duration would depend on the reason why it was needed, they added. READ MORE: EU politicians dismiss almost insane idea of renegotiating Brexit deal If youve had a urinary tract infection, then you know theres no mistaking the pain and burning that comes along with it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these are the most common infections people can get. A UTI the acronym for urinary tract infection is one of those pesky urological problems that many people (especially women) will experience, and likely never forget, at least once in their lifetime, says S. Adam Ramin, M.D., a urologist and the medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles. In fact, UTIs are responsible for millions of trips to the doctors office every year. Understanding why a UTI occurs can go a long way towards preventing the pain and discomfort that can accompany them. Which is kind of why youre here, right? Below youll find the lowdown on UTI infections, including what causes them, the symptoms you can expect and how to prevent them from happening in the future. Whats The Deal With UTIs? For starters, its important to understand that urine, according to Ramin, is the bodys liquid waste produced by the high-powered filtration system in the kidneys. From the kidneys, urine then travels to the bladder where it hangs out until you find a toilet and let it out. In the simplest terms, a UTI can occur when bacteria enter the urethra and travel to the bladder or kidneys, he explains, adding that all humans have a significant number of bacteria on the skin surrounding the rectum and genitals. In women specifically, the urethra is shorter than the male urethra and is also closer to the rectum, thus increasing the chances of bacteria entering the urinary tract and causing an infection. The CDC notes that women are more likely to develop a bladder infection than men, especially if they are pregnant or have gone through menopause. Ramin says sex also automatically introduces even more bacteria to the area, and certain forms of birth control, like a diaphragm or spermicidal foam, can also increase the risk. If you have recurrent UTIs, you probably already know that past UTIs also have a way of increasing the potential for future infections. Story continues VIDEO: 5 Natural Ways to Fight PMS What Are UTI Symptoms? There are a few warning symptoms that occur prior to a full-blown UTI that could indicate a looming infection. For example: a change in the way your pee smells. For most healthy people who properly hydrate, urine should be nearly odorless or in some cases should only have a slight scent of ammonia to it, Ramin says. Sometimes, one of the early signs of an impending UTI is a distinctly unusual smell or cloudy appearance of your urine. A sudden foul smell means its time to head to the doctor. If you catch it early, theres a better chance of treating it before more unpleasant symptoms arise, Ramin says. Other common UTI symptoms can include abdominal pain, a burning feeling while urinating, or a frequent urge to pee even when hardly anything comes out. Ramin adds that you may also have less control over your bladder. And take note: Urinary tract infections that have reached the kidneys can include all of those symptoms, but are also frequently accompanied by back pain and fever. While these kidney infections are less common, the CDC pointed out that they are more serious than a run of the mill UTI, noting that nausea or vomiting, chills and/or night sweats may also occur. If you suspect you have a UTI, dont delay seeing a doctor (not that youd want to deal with any of these symptoms longer than you have to). Especially for expectant mothers, Ramin says, adding that a UTI can be dangerous for both mother and child. How Is a UTI Diagnosed? UTI tests are pretty straightforward: Ramin says to diagnose a UTI, the doctor will require a urine sample which will be examined for the presence of specific bacteria or white blood cells, which would indicate an infection. RELATED: 7 Gynecologists on the #1 Question Patients Ask What Is UTI Treatment Like? From there, youll have to follow doctors orders for UTI treatment, which typically includes a round of antibiotics. If your infection is treated with antibiotics, its important to follow directions carefully and finish all the medicine, even after you start to feel better, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). If you stop taking antibiotics too soon, you may get another infection that is harder to treat. Ramin says that, while you can usually wipe out a UTI with antibiotics and plenty of fluids, some can be tougher to treat. Infections that have reached the kidneys may require IV antibiotics as well as oral antibiotics. Can I Prevent UTIs? OK, so now that youre feeling better, you never want to experience a UTI again, right? Ramin says the first step to prevention is hygiene through simple steps like urinating after sex, regularly washing the genital area with a mild soap and warm water and, for women, wiping front to back to keep bacteria out of the urethra. If you use a diaphragm or spermicidal foam for birth control method and you have had recurrent UTIs, then Ramin says you might want to discuss other possible birth control options. Sherry Ross, M.D., an OB-GYN and author of She-ology: The Definitive Guide to Women's Intimate Health. Period., also recommends drinking plenty of water in order to keep urine and any unwanted bacteria moving out of your body quickly. Which leads both experts to another point: Stop holding your pee. Be sure to go as soon as you feel the urge and make a conscious effort to empty the bladder every time you urinate, Ramin says. Both actions can increase the chances of expelling UTI-causing germs from your body, thereby further reducing your risk of developing an infection. Ross says cotton underwear also help to prevent sweat and, therefore, decrease bacterial buildup in a vulnerable place. She also recommends menopausal women consider vaginal estrogen as a means for hydrating the vagina and making the tissue less prone to a UTI. And guess what? That age-old advice to drink cranberry juice to prevent UTIs isnt so bad, either, Ross says. Even though the research isnt definitive, it helps to keep things moving which is a win-win in the case of UTIs. New York (AFP) - Donald Trump's former lawyer apologized Wednesday for covering up the "dirty deeds" of his ex-boss as he was sentenced to three years for multiple crimes including hush money payments implicating the US president. Pleading for leniency in a packed Manhattan courtroom before US District Court Judge William H. Pauley III, Michael Cohen said he had been led astray by misplaced admiration for Trump. An emotional Cohen, 52, Trump's longtime "fixer," told the court he accepted responsibility for his personal crimes and "those involving the President of the United States of America." Cohen's lawyers had argued for no jail time after he admitted charges brought by federal prosecutors in New York of tax evasion, providing false statements to a bank and illegal campaign contributions. Cohen also pleaded guilty to making false statements to Congress -- a charge stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into whether Trump's 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia to get him elected. But Pauley said Cohen -- as a lawyer -- "should have known better" and sentenced him to three years in federal prison, ordering him to surrender to custody by March 6. He was also ordered to pay $2 million in fines and restitution. "Each of these crimes standing alone warrant considerable punishment," Pauley said, adding that Cohen was "motivated by personal greed and ambition." "A significant term of imprisonment is fully justified in this highly publicized case to send a message," the judge said. Before Pauley passed sentence, Cohen addressed the court, saying it was his devotion to Trump that caused him to choose "a path of darkness over light." "Today is the day that I am getting my freedom back," he said. "I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen I deeply admired," Cohen said. Story continues "I now realize there was little to admire," he said. - 'Dirty deeds' - Cohen referred to a recent tweet from Trump calling him "weak," saying his only weakness had been "blind loyalty" to his former boss. "Time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds rather than to listen to my own inner voice and my moral compass," he said. Among the charges against Cohen was making secret payments to silence two women threatening to go public during the election campaign with claims they had affairs with Trump. Cohen told prosecutors the payments totaling $280,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal were made "in coordination with and at the direction" of Trump -- referred to by prosecutors as "Individual-1." Both women have claimed to have had sexual encounters with Trump before he was the Republican candidate for president and prosecutors have characterized the payments as illegal campaign contributions intended to influence the election. "Cohen deceived the voting public by hiding alleged facts that he believed would have had a substantial effect on the election," prosecutors said. The payment to McDougal was funnelled through American Media Inc, publisher of the National Enquirer, and prosecutors announced following Cohen's sentencing that AMI had been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for its cooperation. Trump this week sought to minimize the importance of the payments to the two women saying they were a "simple private transaction" and were "wrongly" being called campaign contributions. "Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced," Trump tweeted. "WITCH HUNT!" There was no immediate reaction from Trump to Cohen's sentencing. - Lied to Congress - While federal prosecutors said Cohen's cooperation was limited and selective, the Special Counsel's office said Cohen had "gone to significant lengths" to assist their investigation. Last month, Cohen acknowledged that he had lied to Congress about his contacts with Russia during the election campaign about building a Trump Tower in Moscow and the extent of Trump's own involvement in the negotiations. Cohen, wearing a dark suit with a light blue tie, arrived for the sentencing with his wife, son and daughter, who was walking with a crutch. Other family members were also in the audience including his 83-year-old wheelchair-bound father. For 12 years, Cohen was vice president of The Trump Organization, the umbrella company for Trump's real estate businesses, and one of the principal confidants of the New York billionaire. Investigators raided Cohen's offices and New York home in April, seizing stacks of documents and electronic devices. Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn does not deserve jail for lying about his contacts with Russians after Trump's 2016 election win, his lawyers argued in a memorandum on Tuesday. In a court filing before his December 18 sentencing in Washington, the lawyers asked that he be sentenced to a maximum of one year on probation, with minimal supervision conditions along with 200 hours of community service. The request is in line with a recommendation last week from Special Counsel Robert Mueller. He said Flynn need not be incarcerated because he has given "substantial" assistance to Mueller's probe of possible links between Russia and Trump's election campaign, as well as to other unspecified investigations. The revelations in Mueller's sentencing recommendation appeared to place Trump increasingly under threat from the probe, as did court documents filed later that week in the cases against Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and his ex-campaign manager Paul Manafort. Flynn's sentencing has been postponed four times over the past year. Those delays indicate that although Flynn was once hostile to the Mueller probe, the retired three-star general had possibly become a valuable witness. "A term of probation with minimal conditions of supervision is just punishment," Flynn's lawyers said in the 178-page memorandum. The filing included 50 testimonials, many of them from military officers. In arguing for no prison time, Flynn's lawyers cited his "extraordinary" army service as well as a lifetime of devotion to family, fellow service members and veterans. "General Flynn has accepted responsibility for his conduct. He has cooperated extensively with several Department of Justice investigations," and did so before his guilty plea, the lawyers said. In total, Flynn met 19 times with the special counsel's office and others, for almost 63 hours, they said. Among the falsehoods he admitted to, Flynn lied to the FBI on January 24, 2017, about conversations he had the previous December with Russia's ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak. While Flynn admits his actions were wrong, his lawyers argued that "a just punishment" must also consider that, prior to their January 24 interview with him, FBI agents did not warn Flynn of the penalties for making a false statement. By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, staunchly denied ever meeting with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday, after the Guardian newspaper published a story alleging the two met at least three times, including once in 2016. This story is totally false and deliberately libelous. I have never met Julian Assange or anyone connected to him," Manafort said through a spokesman. "We are considering all legal options against the Guardian, who proceeded with this story even after being notified by my representatives that it was false. Manafort's statement came one day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office told a federal judge that Manafort had breached his plea agreement by lying repeatedly to the FBI despite pledging to cooperate with the probe. In the same court filing, Manafort denied lying, but both sides agreed the court should move ahead and set a date to sentence him for his crimes. Prosecutors said they plan to file a report before sentencing laying out the alleged crimes Manafort committed after pleading guilty in September. The surprise development came as Mueller is working toward finalizing a report on his probe into whether Russia and Trump's campaign colluded in the 2016 presidential election. Part of that probe has involved looking into whether any of Trump's associates may have had advance notice before WikiLeaks published emails stolen by Russian hackers from Democratic computer networks to damage Trump rival Hillary Clinton. In recent months, Mueller's team has subpoenaed associates of Trump's political adviser and Manafort's former business partner, Roger Stone, who has denied having access to the emails. In the Guardian's story published on Tuesday, the paper reported that Manafort held secret talks with Assange in Ecuador's embassy in London in 2013, 2015 and March 2016 - before the damaging emails were released months later. WikiLeaks also denounced the story on Twitter Tuesday, saying it was "willing to bet the Guardian a million dollars and its editor's head that Manafort never met Assange." It also reported that it has launched a legal fund to sue the newspaper for publishing a "fabricated story." (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; editing by Jonathan Oatis) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who was received Tuesday in Rabat by King Mohammed VI, commended the constructive role played by Morocco in boosting South-South cooperation based on solidarity and shared interests. Mr. Guterres arrived on Sunday in Marrakech to take part in the UN conference on migration marked by the adoption of the first ever-global agreement pledging to ensure a safe, orderly and regular migration. After the closing ceremony of the UN conference, King Mohammed VI welcomed the UN Secretary General who thanked the Sovereign for the successful organization in Morocco of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) crowned with the adoption of the Marrakech Pact, says a statement issued by the Royal Office. On this occasion, Mr. Guterres praised Moroccos South-South cooperation, human rights achievements, the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development & climate change, added the statement. The UN chief also lauded the countrys contributions and steadfast commitment to peacekeeping operations, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. Talks between Mr. Guterres and the Moroccan Monarch also covered the situation in the Maghreb region, Africa and the Sahara issue in the light of the 1st round-table meeting held in Geneva Dec. 5-6. King Mohammed VI availed this opportunity to reaffirm Moroccos firm support to the efforts made by the UN Secretary General and his personal envoy to reach a final political solution to the Sahara regional dispute. By Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The White House is delaying additional payments from a $12 billion aid package for farmers stung by President Donald Trump's trade war with China because it expects Beijing to resume buying U.S. soybeans, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The move comes despite a lack of evidence in agricultural markets of any return by China to the U.S. soy market. China last year purchased about 60 percent of U.S. soybean exports, but it has not inked any new soybean deals since Beijing imposed tariffs on U.S. supplies in July. Trump told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday that discussions to resolve U.S. trade disputes with Beijing were taking place by telephone, and that China was "just starting" to buy "tremendous amounts" of U.S. soybeans. The Office of Management and Budget at the White House is now holding up approval of the second and final tranche of aid payments Trump had promised farmers stung by the trade disputes due to concern over the cost of the program, and because it wants to see if the trade issues with China are resolved, the three sources told Reuters. The sources asked not to be named because the matter had not yet been made public. "It has been no secret that OMB has not been terribly excited about the trade aid package," one of the sources said. The source added, however, that the payments will likely eventually be approved after some "back and forth." The U.S. Department of Agriculture in July had authorized up to $12 billion in aid for farmers and ranchers hit by the fallout from Trump's escalating trade war with China and the agency outlined payments for the first half last August. An announcement on the second tranche had been expected in early December. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Dec. 3 that OMB was deliberating on the second round of trade aid, and that it could be outlined by the end of that week. On Tuesday, USDA spokesman Tim Murtaugh told Reuters that the agency was still in the "final stages" of the process of approving the second tranche of payments. "We are in discussions with the White House and anticipate that the second payment rates for the Market Facilitation Program will be published before the end of the year," Murtaugh said in a statement. The Office of Management and Budget declined to comment. CHINA COMEBACK? The sources said the White House was delaying its approval mainly on hopes China will soon resume purchases of soybeans, which has raised questions over how much aid farmers will need. China had imposed a 25 percent tariff on American soybeans in July in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. Perdue said last week China will probably resume buying American soybeans around Jan. 1, after talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the G20 meeting about a potential trade ceasefire. However, little concrete evidence has emerged of a purchase looming and farmers have been on edge. Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures edged higher on Tuesday on hopes that new deals would be inked soon, but there were no signs of increased activity in the cash markets. U.S. Agriculture Department rules require exporters to promptly report sales of 100,000 tonnes or more of a commodity made in a single day. John Heisdorffer, the chairman of the American Soybean Association and a farmer in Iowa, said he feared the government was going to reduce the size of the aid payments to farmers on misplaced beliefs the trade pain was ending. "There are a lot of farmers that sold beans out of the field and that is done," Heisdorffer said. "They need to get the extra (support) to make sure that they're taken care of." (Additional reporting by Chris Prentice and Tom Polansek in Chicago, writing by Chris Prentice; editing by Richard Valdmanis, Chizu Nomiyama, Jonathan Oatis and Lisa Shumaker) Expedia Group EXPE has announced traveler friendly coupons offering 50% off on flights and 90% off on hotels which will be available from Dec 13 to Dec 14. Additionally, the company will roll out coupons offering 20% off on hotels, available from Dec 13-17, once the 90% coupons are over. Notably, the offer on hotels is valid for travelers who are planning to travel between Dec 13, 2018 and Jan 5, 2019. Meanwhile, the flight coupons which include $100 and $200 discount coupons are valid for travel in the United States from Dec 13, 2018 and Jun 30, 2019. Benefits of the Move These coupons can be availed only by Expedias mobile app users. We believe the deep discounts will bolster the download rate of its app which in turn will increase the traffic on its platform. With the recent initiative, the company intends to deliver a cost-friendly travel experience to its customers during this holiday season, consequently enriching their vacation. This in turn will help Expedia in gaining momentum among the travelers by providing year-end savings on their travel costs. Further, the latest move of the company bodes well for its strengthening holiday strategies. Consequently, these factors will help Expedia in attracting more customers to its platform which is likely to boost its gross bookings and drive top-line growth during this holiday season. Expedia Group, Inc. Revenue (TTM) Expedia Group, Inc. Revenue (TTM) | Expedia Group, Inc. Quote Gaining Competitive Edge Reportedly, the global travel industry is projected to witness growth of 12% over a period of 2017 to 2023. Further, a report from Technavio, the worldwide online travel booking platform market is expected to witness a CAGR of 11% between 2018 and 2022. The immense growth potential in both the travel space as well as in the online travel booking market is luring enough to attract other players like Booking Holdings BKNG and TripAdvisor TRIP, intensifying the competition further. However, Expedia is likely to gain competitive edge over these two companies with its latest holiday initiative by offering high-value coupons to travelers. Notably, both the companies have not made any significant advances to boost their holiday sales. Zacks Rank & Stock to Consider Currently, Expedia carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors interested in the retail-wholesale sector can consider a better-ranked stock like Stamps.com STMP, which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Long-term earnings growth rate for Stamps.com is currently pegged at 15%. 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 Expedia Group, Inc. (EXPE) : Free Stock Analysis Report TripAdvisor, Inc. (TRIP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Stamps.com Inc. (STMP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research WASHINGTON The so-called farm bill that Congress passed this week will mostly benefit big farms, and Sen. Chuck Grassley is mad about it. Youre subsidizing big farmers getting bigger, where the purpose of the farm program is to protect the family farmer and the people who cant protect themselves, and thats the medium- and midsized farmer, Grassley (R-Iowa) told HuffPost on Tuesday. The farm bill reauthorizes federal programs that dole out about $17 billion annually to help farmers, including some $13 billion to cover price fluctuations and revenue loss. (The legislation also reauthorizes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.) Though the vast majority of farms in the United States are small family operations and smaller farmers are sometimes praised by the farm bills proponents the big ones get most of that money. The top 10 percent of farm payment recipients received 62 percent of the funds in 2016, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that advocates for changes to farm programs. Most of the rhetoric around the farm bill is to make sure iconic family farms survive, the groups Craig Cox said, but the way the subsidies are distributed accomplished the opposite. Grassley was one of only 13 senators to vote against the farm bill, which passed the Senate on Tuesday and the House Wednesday with large bipartisan majorities. The legislation sets policy for the next five years with only modest changes to the federal agriculture safety net. Current law disallows payments to farmers with annual incomes above $900,000, or $1.8 million for a married couple. Grassley had sought to lower the limit to $700,000, but the final version of the legislation omitted his proposal. And the bill included a House provision that would allow more farm family members to qualify for subsidies, which are capped at $125,000 per person annually. When you start including nephews and nieces to be in a farm operation, thats how you get bigger farms. Its the subsidization that comes through people getting millions of dollars [from farm programs], Grassley said. Story continues Theres no doubt that farms are getting bigger. In 1987, midsize farms that had 100 to 999 acres controlled 57 percent of the cropland in the U.S, according to the Department of Agriculture, while farms with more than 2,000 acres operated only 15 percent. By 2012, the percentage of cropland operated by bigger farms more than doubled, while the midsize share fell to a third of the total. Federal subsidies are probably not the primary culprit. A March USDA report noted that crop payments mainly cover field crops but that consolidation has also occurred in livestock and specialty crops. Another reason for farm consolidation is that the companies that sell farmers seeds and buy their crops have themselves consolidated. Because the processing, transport and distribution networks are so concentrated, farmers face lower prices for their goods, said Austin Frerick, a fellow with the Open Markets Institute, a think tank that advocates against corporate monopoly power. He noted that in the 1980s, farmers got 37 cents of every dollar consumers spent on food. Nowadays, according to USDA data, farmers get less than 15 cents of every food dollar. This drives farms to survive on volume, creating a system where only the largest farms can eke out a living, pushing out most midsized operations, he said. If the federal government wanted to help farmers, then, it could start by stopping mergers between giant companies like the one between Bayer and Monsanto this year that the Justice Department approved. Bayer will now control 37 percent of the corn seed market, according to Open Markets. DowDupont, the product of a merger approved last year, controls an additional 41 percent. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said Grassleys payment limits would have helped, but the problem of corporate concentration in agriculture is too big for the farm bill. She said she planned to reintroduce legislation next year that would make it easier for antitrust regulators to prevent mergers. She said she hoped to get a Republican co-sponsor. You cant do antitrust in the farm bill, she said. Its complicated enough. The farm bill is mainly designed to make sure that farmers can grow food, said Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), a former House Agriculture Committee chairman. He suggested that if Congress wanted to keep farms small, it would have to outlaw high-tech tractors and other advances that especially benefit firms with lots of capital. The bottom line has never been using the farm bill to decide which crop you should raise or what size farm you should be, Lucas said. Igor Bobic contributed reporting. This story has been updated to reflect the House passing the farm bill. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Federal judge orders Stormy Daniels to pay Trump nearly $300K in legal fees originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A federal judge in California ordered adult film actress Stormy Daniels to pay President Donald Trump just under $300,000 in legal fees on Tuesday after her defamation suit against the president was thrown out in October. The judges ruling marks the latest legal setback for Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and her attorney, Michael Avenatti. Earlier this year Daniels filed a defamation lawsuit against the president in New York, claiming Trump acted with "actual malice" and "reckless disregard for the truth" when he posted a tweet mocking her claim that she was threatened by an unknown man to keep silent about her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. The case was later transferred to federal court in California. (MORE: Judge dismisses Stormy Daniels defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump) PHOTO: Adult-film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, speaks outside U.S. Federal Court with her lawyer Michael Avenatti in New York, April 16, 2018. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AFP/Getty Images) Trump has denied the sexual encounter ever took place. In October, U.S. District Judge S. James Otero dismissed Daniels suit and characterized Trumps tweet as "'rhetorical hyperbole' normally associated with politics and public discourse in the United States." (MORE: Trump won't enforce Stormy Daniels nondisclosure agreement) On Tuesday, Otero ordered Daniels to pay $292,052.33 in attorneys' fees and costs. Lawyers for Trump initially sought $389,000 in fees plus an equal amount in sanctions. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 11, 2018, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP) The courts order, along with the courts 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, an attorney for Trump, Charles Harder, wrote Tuesday afternoon. Avenatti sought to downplay Judge Oteros ruling on Tuesday in a series of tweets. Trump and his attorney's attempt to fool the public about the importance of the attorneys' fees in the defamation case, which are a fraction of what they owe my client in the main NDA case, is an absolute joke. People are smarter than that. (MORE: Stormy Daniels fighting to keep Trump, Cohen mired in 'hush money' lawsuit) Avenatti has already filed to appeal Oteros October dismissal of Daniels case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but it is not clear if he will seek to appeal the legal fees awarded to Trump on Tuesday. First Solar, Inc. FSLR recently issued its 2019 financial guidance that reflects a significant improvement over its current-years expected achievements. Also, the view offered a detailed note about the success of its latest product Series 6 photovoltaic (PV) module launched last year. 2019 Outlook First Solar expects to generate revenues of $3.25-$3.45 billion in 2019 with solar power systems net sales constituting 55-60% of the total net sales, while the rest will be realized from third-party module sales. Notably, this guidance when compared with the top-line range of $2.3-$2.4 billion expected for 2018 reflects a solid annual improvement of 41.3-43.8%. Moreover, $3.35 billion the mid-value of the guidance range came ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.95 billion for 2019. On the bottom-line front, the company projects GAAP earnings per share (EPS) in the range of $2.25-$2.75. This includes production ramp costs of approximately $20-$30 million and production start-up expenses of $90-$100 million associated with the deployment of Series 6 capacity in 2019. This bottom-line guidance also exceeded the companys 2018 expected EPS range of $1.40-$1.60 by 30.7-40.6%. However, $2.50 the mid-value of the earnings guidance range fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.89 for the next year. Coming to First Solars cash-generating expectations, the company expects its operating cash flow to be breakeven and net cash balance in the range of $1.6-$1.8 billion at 2019-end. While the operating cash flow figure is favorable when compared to the cash outflow of $100 million anticipated in 2018, the net cash balance figure reflects year-over-year decline. Factors Influencing 2019 View In the context of First Solars aforementioned guidance, it is imperative to mention that a solid production ramp-up in its Series 6 modules will be a prime contributor to managements anticipated improvements for 2019. Story continues Year to date, the company has started up three Series 6 factories. Going ahead, its second Vietnam factory is scheduled to start production in the middle of the first quarter of 2019, with management aiming to put up six Series 6 factories over 2019-2020 period. Surely, production from these factories is likely to boost the companys revenues and, in turn, earnings. Also, the company expects to generate strong system sales of over 1 gigawatt, including approximately 900 megawatts of development project sales. In 2019, its module sales are expected to grow significantly to approximately 4 gigawatts. These should contribute to First Solars improved expected results next year. To this end, management expects 2019 total module production in the range of 5.2-5.5 gigawatts (GW), which includes approximately 2 GW of Series 4 production. For Series 6 capacity expansion next year, First Solar plans to spend $600 million, which will boost this production. Also, the company expects to invest $325-$375 million in Safe Harbor inventory during 2019, which in turn will hurt its full-year operating cash flow. Our View Demand for alternative energy sources has been on the rise due to an increase in carbon emissions. In particular, solar energy has gained the maximum popularity due to its easy and cheap availability as well as declining price of solar panels. Notably, the United States is a pioneer in the solar industry despite Trump having walked out of the Paris agreement. Evidently, according to the latest short-term energy outlook by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the nations solar power consumption is projected to rise 12.6% year over year in 2019. Being a steady performer, First Solar is gaining further momentum with the increasing demand for solar energy in the United States and across the globe. The increased production expectation for its Series 6 modules is an evidence to that. Currently, other solar majors like SolarEdge Technologies SEDG, Canadian Solar, Inc. CSIQ and SunPower Corporation SPWR are also making significant efforts to reap the benefits of the expanding solar market. Price Performance In a years time, First Solar stock has lost 38% compared with its industrys 16.7% decline. Zacks Rank First Solar 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 First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) : Free Stock Analysis Report SunPower Corporation (SPWR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) : Free Stock Analysis Report SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (SEDG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. While the storm moving into the eastern United States will be warmer when compared to last weekend's storm, it may create trouble in the South in the form of flooding as rain and thunderstorms into the weekend. Wet stretch ahead for southeastern US In areas where there is little or no snow on the ground, the saturated state of the soil and a general 1-3 inches of rain forecast can be enough to cause urban and small stream flooding and lead to rises on some of the major rivers in the region. Rain from last weekend's storm has already forced some of the rivers in the Carolinas and Georgia out of their banks. The Lumber River at Lumberton, North Carolina, which was hit hard by flooding Florence late this past summer, is forecast to reach major flood stage this weekend. Expect travel delays to expand as the rain wets the roads, areas of fog develop and the cloud ceiling lowers around the airports, including Atlanta, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Orlando, Florida. SE regional 12.14 AM Flash flooding and severe thunderstorms may occur Heavy to locally severe thunderstorms are likely over Florida and may extend northward along the southern Atlantic coast into early Saturday. "The greatest threats from the storms are expected to be flooding downpours and strong wind gusts," according to AccuWeather Lead Storm Warning Meteorologist Eddie Walker. Heavy storms SE 12.14 AM "However, a few isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out," Walker said. Some of the heaviest rainfall from the storm may fall from Florida to the Carolina coast. "It is in the southeastern corner of the U.S., especially in parts of Florida, where downpours may train and lead to flooding on a more regional basis," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Maggie Samuhel. Lingering snow to be a problem Rain on snow 12.14 AM Snow has been melting and will continue to disappear in some areas in the wake of last weekend's heavy snowfall. However, enough will remain on the ground over the southern Appalachians and in many Piedmont areas as rain falls into Saturday. Story continues At the very least, where snow is piled up and is blocking storm drains, urban flooding is likely. Static Snow Mountain South A man sits on a mountain of snow at a shopping center parking lot as he waits for his boss to pick him up after plowing in Greensboro, N.C., Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) In some cases where the snow partially melted and turned to ice, it may take a long time for this wintry concoction to go away. Ice ruts on driveways and back roads may remain through the storm over the countryside in the mountains. Where heavy snow remains on roofs, especially flat or shallow pitched roofs, there is the risk of collapse. Enough rain may fall at first to add a great deal of weight to the roof, since the snow may act like a sponge. For example, one gallon of water weighs about 10 pounds. So, in some cases, there may be parts of the roof that have imaginary gallon jugs stacked 2 to 4 layers deep where snow has drifted. Often, it is the uneven snow load on a shallow roof that leads to failure as rain pours down. Only remove snow from a roof if you can do so safely, such as using a roof brush or contact a professional that is properly insured. In terms of wintry precipitation, there is likely to be a period of wet snow and/or sleet over the highest elevations as the storm begins on Friday. The storm may end as a bit of snow or snow showers in some of these same areas and others spanning Sunday and Sunday night. What will impacts be in northeastern US? Like the storm from last weekend, this storm will have a northern edge. This time, precipitation is forecast to reach farther north when compared to last weekend. The northern edge may set up somewhere from northern Pennsylvania and southern New York state to southern or central New England. Even with this more northern edge, much of the affected area in the mid-Atlantic and New England can expect rain to be the main form of precipitation. Areas of fog and a low cloud ceiling may lead to airline delays in Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia to New York City from Saturday to Sunday. The same wet conditions are forecast to spread over Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Cleveland for a time this weekend. A few pockets of snow and ice may occur over the central Appalachians and the storm may begin as snow and/or ice along the northern edge. Download the free AccuWeather app to see your pinpointed forecast and any weather-related warnings. Forecaster Challenge News Story Banner Test your weather prediction skills by clicking the image above and playing Forecaster Challenge. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Volunteers gathered around folding tables Friday to begin a painstaking hand recount in Florida's acrimonious U.S. Senate contest, with a goal of determining the intent of about 93,000 voters whose ballots for Republican Gov. Rick Scott or Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson could not be counted by machine. The hand recount is required by state law whenever candidates are separated by 0.25 percentage points or less. Unofficial results showed Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.15 percentage points, or fewer than 13,000 votes out of more than 8 million cast. In Broward County, officials relied on a color-coded system to tally some of the last ballots by hand. Ballots with clear votes for Republican Gov. Rick Scott went into a bin with a red tag. Clear votes for Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson went into one with a blue tag. Blank ballots went into a bin with a yellow tag. Anything that needed further examination by the canvassing board was dropped into one with a green tag. Dozens of volunteers sitting behind the bins stacked on folding tables in a Broward County warehouse cheered loudly when they finished their hand recount Friday morning. Results were not immediately announced. At the election supervisor's office in Tampa, volunteers were joined by observers from both political parties at 12 tables as the recount started. The ballots were in a locked wire basket on a rolling cart when they were delivered to the room. An elections office employee cut the lock off the basket, and the ballots were distributed to the tables, where teams of two volunteers examined each one. The hand recount does not review all votes. It involves ballots that were not recorded by voting machines because voters cast either two votes for one race, which is called an overvote, or appeared to choose no candidate, which is an undervote. The idea is to figure out a voter's intent. Broward County which experienced numerous problems throughout the election had the most overvotes and undervotes of any Florida county almost 31,000. Story continues Just a day earlier, the county missed the deadline to submit its machine recount results by two minutes. But it finished its manual recount in just a few hours, which Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes attributed to the large number of volunteers assembled for the task. The contest for governor appeared all but over Thursday, with a machine recount showing Republican DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Democrat Andrew Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race, which had a margin of 0.41 percent. Gillum, who conceded on election night only to retract his concession later, said in a statement that "it is not over until every legally casted vote is counted." On Friday, however, President Donald Trump tweeted: "Congratulations to Ron DeSantis on becoming the new Governor of Florida. Against all odds, he fought & fought & fought, the result being a historic victory. He never gave up and never will. He will be a great Governor!" The overall recount has been fraught with problems. One large Democratic stronghold in South Florida could not finish its machine recount by the Thursday deadline because of machines breaking down. A federal judge rejected a request to extend the recount deadline. "We gave a heroic effort," said Palm Beach Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher. If the county had three or four more hours, it would have made the deadline to recount ballots in the Senate race, she said. Two election-related lawsuits were pending in federal court in Tallahassee. On Thursday, the situation drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, who slammed the state for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems. He also said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. "We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this," Walker said at a hearing. Incoming Florida Senate President Bill Galvano said Friday that lawmakers will discuss changes to the state's election laws. By the next election cycle, he said, "voters are going to want to have more in terms of assurance that their votes are going to be properly counted." In the meantime, Florida voters have until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they haven't been counted due to mismatched signatures. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mail-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signatures on the envelopes did not match the signatures on file. If those voters can prove their identity, their votes will now be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Also Friday, Walker rejected a lawsuit that challenged Florida's vote-by-mail deadlines. A veterans' voting rights group and Democrats challenged the law that said ballots mailed inside the United States could not be counted unless they were received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. The groups said that was unconstitutional and asked that the ballots be counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and received within 10 days after the election. Walker said those rules were in place for more than a decade and to change them now would "undermine the electoral process." ___ O'Meara reported from Tampa. Associated Press writers Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, Curt Anderson and Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this report. Wellington (AFP) - Vigils were held around New Zealand for murdered British backpacker Grace Millane on Wednesday, as her father thanked the South Pacific nation for an "outpouring of love" towards his slain daughter. Mourners in major cities across the country lit candles and held pictures of the 22-year-old, whose body was found Sunday in parkland just outside Auckland after she disappeared on December 1. Millane's father David, who flew to New Zealand to search for his child but arrived shortly before her death was confirmed, said his family had been "astounded" by the concern locals had shown. "We would like to thank the people of New Zealand for their outpouring of love, numerous messages, tributes and compassion," he said in a statement. "Grace was not born here and only managed to stay a few weeks, but you have taken her to your hearts and in some small way she will forever be a Kiwi." He also praised police involved in the investigation, which resulted in a 26-year-old man being charged with murder on Monday. The alleged killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was staying in the same central Auckland hotel as Millane, according to court documents. The death has rocked 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. The fate of a young traveller alone in a strange land has resonated with New Zealanders, who regard an "overseas experience", or OE, away from their remote homeland as a rite of passage. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern choked back tears this week as she apologised on behalf of the nation to Millane's family. "Your daughter should have been safe here and she wasn't, and I'm sorry for that," she said. Millane had planned a year-long worldwide holiday after graduating from university and her father said the "heinous crime" that claimed her life should not stop other young travellers. Story continues "We all hope that what has happened to Grace will not deter even one person from venturing out into the world and discovering their own OE," he said. Members of the Millane family did not attend the vigils but David said he and brother Martin participated in a traditional Maori blessing on Tuesday at the site where Grace's body was found. He said it was "a lovely and peaceful experience". Millane's body will be returned to Britain at the weekend, her father said. WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn requested on Tuesday a sentence of a year's probation for lying to FBI agents in a case stemming from a probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office said last week Flynn had provided substantial cooperation with its investigation, as well as with other probes. Flynn held the White House job for only 24 days. He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia and will be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Dec. 18. Flynn participated in 19 meetings with the special counsel's office and other government bureaus and produced thousands of documents to the U.S. Justice Department, his lawyers said in a court filing. "As the Government has made clear, his cooperation was not grudging or delayed. Rather, it preceded his guilty plea or any threatened indictment and began very shortly after he was first contacted for assistance by the Special Counsel's Office," his lawyers said in the filing. Flynn is the only Trump administration official to plead guilty to a crime connected to Mueller's sprawling probe into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 U.S. election. Both Trump and Moscow have denied wrongdoing. Trump has repeatedly described the probe, which threatens to cloud his presidency, as a "witch hunt." Flynn's lawyers have asked the court to "sentence him to a term of probation not to exceed one year, with minimal conditions of supervision, along with 200 hours of community service." The lawyers said the retired Army general was not warned before a meeting with FBI agents in January 2017 that it was a crime to lie to them. They contrasted Flynn's case with that of Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan, a lawyer who worked with Trump campaign associates, who have pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities and were both informed of the seriousness of the crime. The filing also included dozens of letters from people attesting to Flynn's personal character, along with honors he had garnered and Army evaluation reports. (Reporting by Makini Brice Editing by Mohammad Zargham, Peter Cooney and Paul Tait) A vocal Member of the Somali parliament had filed a motion with the speaker of the House to impeach the countrys president, Mohamed Abdullahi, on allegations that he secretly signed agreements with other countries including Ethiopia and Eritrea. According to the parliaments administration, the agreements cited by the MP touched on the use of Somali ports and economic and security cooperation. We have filed an impeachment against the president of the federal republic of Somalia, Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh said in a statement. The Parliament may debate the motion next week. In July, Ethiopia has agreed on a joint investment in Somali ports in what could be seen as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds move to legitimize logistical deals initially questioned by Mogadishu. On March 1 state-owned Emirati company DP World announced that Ethiopias government had purchased a 19 percent stake in the Port of Berbera in Somaliland, a breakaway territory without international recognition. The deal is advantageous to landlocked Ethiopia, which is in serious need of port access. The deal drew the ire of Mogadishu with MPs saying it had violated the Provisional Constitution as well as the sovereignty of Somalia. A successful impeachment vote requires the backing of two thirds of all MPs. Somalias parliament has 275 lawmakers in total. Guy Cormier (right) was part of a panel at the International Economic Forum of the Americas in Toronto on Dec. 10. Guy Cormier has a tough task ahead of him. As CEO hes tasked with leading Desjardins Group though something of an evolution for the industry. Desjardins Group has operations in three sectors: Personal and business services, wealth management and life and health insurance, and property and casual insurance. The Quebec-based companys property insurance arm is trying to make inroads into Ontario, where a bill to end auto insurance postal code discrimination is in play. For example, Brampton drivers pay nearly $1,000 more than the average driver in Toronto. Thats because the average claim per vehicle is 41 per cent higher in Brampton. Cormier told Yahoo Finance Canada theres a real problem in Ontario. There are some claims out there where we think there is fraud, says Cormier. We are in discussion with government agencies. Cormier says he wants to be fair, but lowering premiums for risky clients will just mean higher premiums for everyone else. Desjardins hasnt connected fraud to specific areas. Cormier says the problem is deep in the system, which has many parties making claims along the way. Careful about cannabis Cormier has been cautious when it comes to cannabis. On the banking and business side we will continue to help our members and clients who want to transition their business into the cannabis industry, says Cormier. Big investments arent part of Cormiers plan. He says Cannabis positions will not be found in Desjardins investment and pension funds. Cormier points out Desjardins has been integrating therapeutic cannabis into its life and health insurance for years. He is still working with government officials to better understand the property side of legalized pot. Embracing artificial intelligence Although Cormier is treading carefully when it comes to pot, hes all in on AI. It helped Desjardins be proactive during Septembers tornados in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. We knew a storm was coming so we alerted members and clients, says Cormier. 30 minutes later we sent another alert, we asked if people were okay. Are there any problems with your house or car? Do you want to start a claim right now? Additionally, Desjardins launched Ajusto car insurance about two years ago. It uses telematics to help you save on car insurance. Based on driving habits, you could get savings of up to 25 per cent on your car insurance premium. Cormier says, for the first few months, drivers were noticeably changing their behaviour for the better. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. STRASBOURG, France (AP) A man who had been flagged as a possible extremist sprayed gunfire near the famous Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg Tuesday, killing three people, wounding up to a dozen and sparking a massive manhunt when he got away. France immediately raised its terror alert level. It was unclear if the market a popular gathering place and the nucleus of an al-Qaida-linked plot in 2000 was the intended target. The assailant got inside a security zone around the venue and opened fire from there, Mayor Roland Ries said on BFM television. The market, France's largest, is set up around the city's cathedral during the Christmas season. Authorities did not give a motive for the shooting, though prosecutors said they had opened a terrorism investigation. Strasbourg, located in eastern France, is home to the European Parliament, one of several places put on an emergency lockdown after the shooting. The prefect of the Strasbourg region said the man identified as the alleged gunman was on a watch list of potentially radicalized people. Authorities did not name him publicly or provide details such as his age and nationality. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who traveled to Strasbourg, said the suspect had convictions in France and Germany for crimes unrelated to terrorism and served time in prison. He did not elaborate. Hours before the shooting, French gendarmes went to the suspect's home to arrest him, but he wasn't there, Stephane Morisse of police union FGP said. They found explosive materials during a search, he said. Many of Europe's deadliest terror attacks in recent years took place in France. In response to Tuesday's shooting, the government decided to take the country's attack risk up a level on the official threat index and to send security reinforcements to Strasbourg, Castaner said early Wednesday. Strasbourg, a city about 500 kilometers (310 miles) east of Paris on France's border with Germany, promotes itself as the "Capital of Christmas" and the market set up around the local cathedral is a holiday tradition. Two years ago, a Tunisian man drove a hijacked truck into a busy Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people in the German capital. Story continues Some 350 officers and two helicopters were searching for the assailant, who had been radicalized for "several years" and confronted law enforcement officers twice, exchanging fire, while he "sowed terror," Castaner said. The death toll stood at three early Wednesday, the minister said. Two police union officials said earlier there were four victims. Officials did not explain the conflicting numbers. More than seven hours after the bloodshed, the regional prefect said 11 other people were injured, five of them seriously, downgrading Castaner's earlier count of 12 injured. The shooter was also shot and wounded by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, according to the FGP union's Morisse. French military spokesman Col. Patrik Steiger said the shooter didn't seem to be aiming at soldiers patrolling in and around the market, but appeared to target civilians instead. Witnesses described hearing gunshots, screams and shouts of police officers 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. (1855 GMT), 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," Yoann Bazard, 27, who lives in central Strasbourg. "I thought maybe it's 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 friend's apartment when they heard the gunfire, which she at first mistook 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 didn't 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 has been hit in recent years with 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. Tuesday's attack followed four weeks of protests against President Emmanuel Macron that have stretched the police forces deployed to clear blocked roads and to quell rioting, looting and other protest-related mayhem. Macron adjourned a meeting at the presidential palace Tuesday night to monitor the emergency, his office said. The president tweeted "Solidarity of the whole nation for Strasbourg, our victims, their families" and at midnight presided over a meeting at the Interior Ministry's crisis center. The office of the Paris prosecutor, who is in charge of France's terror investigations, said the Strasbourg probe was being conducted on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise. The latter charge suggests officials do not exclude links between the shooter and an extremist cell. Authorities urged the public to remain indoors at the height of the drama. People dining out at restaurants were held in place for hours. So were thousands of basketball fans who attended a game at a sports stadium and European Union lawmakers in the locked down Parliament. They eventually were allowed to leave the buildings. People with nowhere to go were offered shelter in a gymnasium, the prefect tweeted. The Christmas market is set to stay closed Wednesday, when flags in Strasbourg will be flown at half-staff in mourning for the people killed, Mayor Ries said. The attack revived memories of a new millennium terror plot targeting Strasbourg's 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 Year's Eve ushering in 2000.. The Algerian and French-Algerian suspects including an alleged associate of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden went on trial in October on charges they were involved in the foiled plot for the attack. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to nine years. ___ John Leicester and Angela Charlton contributed. Investors looking for stocks in the Banks - West sector might want to consider either Guaranty Bancorp (GBNK) or Peoples Utah Bancorp (PUB). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look. There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits. Right now, both Guaranty Bancorp and Peoples Utah Bancorp are sporting a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. But this is only part of the picture for value investors. Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels. The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value. GBNK currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.69, while PUB has a forward P/E of 13.60. We also note that GBNK has a PEG ratio of 1.17. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. PUB currently has a PEG ratio of 1.70. Another notable valuation metric for GBNK is its P/B ratio of 1.55. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, PUB has a P/B of 1.93. Story continues These are just a few of the metrics contributing to GBNK's Value grade of B and PUB's Value grade of C. Both GBNK and PUB are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that GBNK is the superior value option right now. 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 Guaranty Bancorp (GBNK) : Free Stock Analysis Report People's Utah Bancorp (PUB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. By David Shepardson and Paresh Dave WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Google has "no plans" to relaunch a search engine in China though it is continuing to study the idea, Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a U.S. congressional panel on Tuesday amid increased scrutiny of big tech firms. Lawmakers and Google employees have raised concerns the company would comply with China's internet censorship and surveillance policies if it re-enters the Asian nation's search engine market. Google's main search platform has been blocked in China since 2010, but the Alphabet Inc unit has been attempting to make new inroads into the country, which has the world's largest number of smartphone users. "Right now, there are no plans to launch search in China," Pichai told the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. But he added that internally Google has "developed and looked at what search could look like. Weve had the project underway for a while. At one point, weve had over 100 people working on it is my understanding." Pichai said there are no current discussions with the Chinese government. He vowed that he would be "fully transparent" with policymakers if the company brings search products to China. In a letter in August to U.S. lawmakers, Pichai said providing such a search engine would give "broad benefits" to China but that it was unclear whether Google could launch the service there. 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-entered the market. Under questioning from Democratic Representative David Cicilline, Pichai said he would "happy to engage" to discuss legislation that would empower the Federal Trade Commission to address discriminatory conduct online. Story continues Cicilline told Pichai it was "hard for me to imagine that 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." The company's rivals in shopping and travel searches have long complained about being demoted in Google search results. Much of the House hearing focused on Republican concerns that Google's search results are biased against conservatives and that the company had 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 the company paid for Latino voters' transportation to polls in some states. "We don't engage in partisan activities," Pichai told the panel. (Reporting by David Shepardson and Paresh Dave; Editing by Will Dunham and Paul Simao) The awaited hearing of Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabets GOOGL Google, in front of the House Judiciary Committee at Capitol Hill finally took place on Tuesday on sensitive and crucial topics. Pichai faced questions and strong claims against Googles search results and data security measures from the lawmakers. The Republicans are of the view that there is a significant political biasness on Googles search platform, and hence questions were raised against its search algorithms. This was also strongly supported by the President Trumps previous allegations that the company suppresses the voice of Conservatives, and displays algorithmic biasness against Trump-related news. Further, the company was accused of the data privacy issues. The lawmakers were of the view that the users of Android, Google apps and products are not aware of how much of their data is collected by Google, which is unethical. Additionally, there were questions regarding the companys plans for its search engine in China. Pichais Stand at the Hearing Pichai, drawing upon the companys policies and principles, which are strictly against any political biasness, testified that Googles search platform is not biased against the Republicans. Moreover, he said that the company never forgot its American roots while expanding into the international markets. In reply to the queries related to Chinese search engine, the CEO revealed that the company is not planning to go forward with it right now given the concerns raised by lawmakers and Google employees. Now in terms of data privacy, the company undoubtedly collects huge amount of user data. However, Pichai stressed on the companys strong efforts toward data privacy. He said that the company offers choice and control to its users. Notably, the company plans to shut its social media service, Google+ in April, four months ahead of schedule. The reason behind the decision is the second significant security breach faced by it this year. Story continues Alphabet Inc. Price and Consensus Alphabet Inc. Price and Consensus | Alphabet Inc. Quote To Conclude All these allegations do not bode well for Google stock. However, the companys strong initiatives toward enhancing its search results and ensuring high security of data to the users of its apps and products should not be ignored. Google already has a Data and Personalization dashboard for the users to track the information that is being shared. This proves the companys dedication toward keeping its user data safe and secure. Further, the companys growing investments on its search platform to deliver better results remain a tailwind. Reportedly, Google underwent 200K experiments last year and brought in 2,500 changes in its search engine. Recently, it rolled out a new search engine called Dataset Search along with a number of useful search updates to innovate its search platform. Per StatCounter, Google holds 90% share in the global search market, thus becoming the dominant player. These strong endeavors are likely to continue aiding the stocks performance. Notably, shares of Alphabet have returned 12% on a year-to-date basis against the industrys decline of 9.4%. Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Currently, Alphabet carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Few better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Akamai Technologies AKAM, Etsy ETSY and Marchex MCHX. All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Long-term EPS growth for Akamai Technologies, Etsy and Marchex is currently pegged at 14.67%, 15% and 15%, respectively. 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 Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Etsy, Inc. (ETSY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marchex, Inc. (MCHX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Google CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before a congressional committee amid questions about the massive corporations market domination of online search and digital advertising, digital privacy practices, manipulation of search to favor its own products and whether it plans to produce a search engine for the Chinese market. Pichai instead spent a huge chunk of time answering questions based on the false premise that Google is biased against conservatives. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) wanted to know why Google search results for the Republican Partys healthcare repeal bill were so negative. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) wanted answers for why his granddaughter saw a mean article about him on his iPhone, a product made by Apple. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) wanted Google to investigate its own employees for being liberal. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) held up a study showing that Google was biased because 96 percent of search results about President Donald Trump came from the liberal media. Liberal media outlets in the study included such noted bastions of progressivism as CNBC, Fortune Magazine, People Magazine, Variety and The Military Times. Some Democrats took the bait, and they defended Google from accusations of anti-conservative bias as if that were the point of the hearing. Some came to Googles defense. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) presented Pichai with a softball question about why image searches for the word idiot brought up pictures of Trump. Pichai easily explained how the search algorithm crawls indexed sites to produce results that reflect what people are posting to the internet. See, there is no partisan behind the curtain. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) also defended the corporate giant by claiming that anti-conservative bias questions are a waste of time because Google has corporate free speech rights that the government cannot infringe. This was exactly the hearing Google wanted and likely why Pichai agreed to appear before a lame-duck Republican Congress instead of waiting for Democrats to take the committee gavel in January. Story continues Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Dec. 11. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) But beneath the surface of anti-conservative bias claims, committee members from both parties snuck in questions about the real issues pertaining to Googles dominant role in the world. While Pichai effortlessly dodged many of these questions, what the lawmakers asked him revealed an emerging bipartisan consensus that the industry status quo on issues like digital privacy is no longer sustainable. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) gave a preview of what a Democratic Party-led committee hearing could look like next year by needling Pichai about Googles anti-competitive search practices, which prompted the European Union to slap it with a $2.7-billion fine in 2017. Pichai said that he disagreed with findings of anti-competitive search bias. Cicilline fired back that he was concerned about Googles discriminatory approach in the marketplace and stated his support for structural antitrust enforcement, meaning he favors breaking up anti-competitive monopoly power. This matters greatly as Cicilline will likely head the House Judiciary Committees Antitrust panel for the next two years and be able to call Google executives to testify about these very issues. Cicilline also pressed Pichai on his evasive responses over whether Google was going to re-enter the Chinese market, a major concern considering the ethical questions about working to support Chinas surveillance state. Pichai refused to rule out going back to China after Google famously pulled out of the country in 2010. Will you, Mr. Pichai, rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while youre CEO of Google? Cicilline asked. Congressman, one of the things thats important for us as a company, we have a stated mission of providing users with information, and so we always think its in our duty to explore possibilities to give users access to information, Pichai answered. I have a commitment, but as Ive said earlier on this, well be very thoughtful, and well engage widely as we make progress. Roger Stone, a confidant of President Trump, left, and radio show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, right, enter the House Judiciary Committee hearing room. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) Both Republicans and Democrats pressed Pichai about the companys privacy practices. Most of their questions revolved around a New York Times article that detailed how Googles location tracking data made available through apps on its Android devices could be used to track and identify an individual person based on their every movement. Pichai fell back on Googles common defense that users are able to turn off location tracking, although many users are not aware of their settings. What stood out about the questions about privacy at the hearing was that both parties appeared to oppose the current lack of digital privacy. Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas), a very conservative Republican, declared his support for instituting some form of the European Unions General Data Privacy Regulation in the United States. Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) criticized Google for failing to make changes to its privacy policy easy to understand for users. Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Doug Collins (R-Ga.) both asked Pichai specific questions about the companies data tracking and collection policies. Collins asked Pichai how long Google retains user data. Pichai said that absent any change in the users settings data will be retained indefinitely. This was a key point in the European Unions data regulation, which called for data minimization, a principle that data should only be collected for a specific task and not retained to be repurposed. Deutch pressed Pichai on why it was necessary to allow third-party apps to collect so much location data that they could determine the identity of an individual user. These kinds of questions may not have caused any kind of live television revelation or spectacle from the soft-spoken Pichai. They did reveal that Democrats and Republicans share the same misgivings about Silicon Valleys power as it relates to data privacy and China. These are areas where continued oversight and possibly privacy legislation could be done in a bipartisan fashion. Pichai may have walked out of the committee, like Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg before him, unscathed. But Congress takes its sweet time to reach a conclusion on everything it considers. The emerging bipartisan anger over the lack of any federal data privacy rules should worry these big data conglomerates. Sebastian Murdock contributed reporting. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Egypts president, AbdelFattah al-Sisi on Monday unveiled plans to promote intra-African trade when he takes over as chair of the African Union next year. Egypt has hosted a high-level business forum on Saturday and Sunday with a focus on exchanges between countries on the continent. President Sisi in a speech during the forum encouraged investors from inside and outside Africa to take advantage of opportunities on the continent as countries including his own pursued economic reform. As chair of the African Union, we will seek with sincere effort to build on what has been achieved over the past years and to complete our continents development agenda, Sisi told the forum. Egypt increased its investments in Africa by $1.2 billion to $10.2 billion in 2018, Sisi said. The North African nation is hosting also the Intra-Africa Trade Fair 2018 (IATF2018) this December 11 through 17. The Intra-African Trade Fair, organized by Afreximbank, in collaboration with the African Union, would bring together more than 1,000 exhibitors from across Africa and beyond and is expected to attract more than 70,000 visitors, generating over $70 billion in trade deals, the organizers said. 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 to avert a government shutdown was possible ahead of a deadline next week. 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 paying for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border that they see as ineffective and wasteful. "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. While Trump's fellow Republicans control both the House and the Senate until next month, Democratic support is needed to pass any 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. Trump has asked Congress for $5 billion for border security, while Schumer and Pelosi have offered to extend funding at current levels, around $1.3 billion. That is less than the $1.6 billion a bipartisan Senate committee approved. While the battle over border security is contentious, the money being negotiated is a small portion of a $450 billion bill to keep agencies operating through next September. In an interview with Reuters later in the day, Trump did not rule out a compromise on the funding. "We have to see what else is entailed," he said. HARSH WORDS CONTINUED The meeting did not last long after reporters were ushered out of the Oval Office. But the harsh words continued during a closed meeting of House Democrats. According to an aide in the room, Pelosi said Trump's fixation with building a wall was "like a manhood thing for him. As if manhood could ever be associated with him." Pelosi told reporters she had asked Trump to pray about resolving the dispute, recounting the biblical story of King Solomon asking God for wisdom. Pelosi told reporters that later in the day that she and Trump spoke by telephone, and the president said he was reviewing the offer made by Democrats during the White House meeting. Despite the rancor, 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." If there is no deal, 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, and visitors would not be allowed into federal parks. At the Pentagon, Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Davis said there were no plans now for the U.S. military to build sections of the border wall, though the Defense Department could under current law pay for some border barrier projects "such as in support of counter-drug operations or national emergencies. 'IT'S CALLED TRANSPARENCY' The rocky White House 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. Trump told Reuters he thought it would be possible to work on legislation with Democrats - unless they launch a barrage of investigations into his administration and policies. "Were either going to start the campaign and theyre going to do presidential harassment. Or were going to get tremendous amounts of legislation passed working together," he said. Tuesday's 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. "I don't think we should have a debate in front of the press on this," Pelosi said, adding, "Let's call a halt to this." "It's not bad, Nancy - it's called transparency," Trump said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Susan Cornwell, Doina Chiacu, Amanda Becker, David Alexander, Lisa Lambert, Idrees Ali and Susan Heavey; additional reporting by David Morgan; writing by Richard Cowan; editing by Phil Berlowitz, Cynthia Osterman and Lisa Shumaker) Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson is the favourite to replace Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party and UK Prime Minister if May loses todays vote of confidence in her leadership. However, betting markets expect the prime minister to weather the challenge to her leadership. Boris Johnson is 6/1 to be the next prime minister, according to OddsChecker.com, which compares betting prices across a number of online bookmakers. Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab is 7/1 to be the next UK leader, followed by home secretary Sajid Javid. Other runners and riders include: Michael Gove 8/1 Jeremy Hunt 9/1 Amber Rudd 20/1 Jacob Rees-Mogg 20/1 David Davis 20/1 However, a Labour government is seen as more likely than Raab or Javid entering 10 Downing Street, according to OddsChecker.com. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is 6/1 to be the next prime minister, according to the website. Corbyn is also the most popular bet among punters, according to Oddschecker.com, with the Labour leader accounting for around 40% of all money stakes in the next prime minister market. READ MORE: Theresa May vows to fight leadership challenge at vital moment in our history Betting markets expect Theresa May to survive to challenge to her leadership however. William Hill are offering odds of 4/6 that May wins the vote, while the market on the vote on betting exchange Smarkets is pricing a 71% probability of May winning the vote. In contention: Conservative MP Boris Johnson. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images The odds suggest Theresa will be safe but it could be a close run thing, said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams. Graham Brady, the head of the Conservative partys 1922 Committee, announced on Wednesday morning that Theresa May will face a vote of no confidence in her leadership of the party. The vote was triggered after 15% of her MPs delivered letters of no confidence in May. There has been widespread unhappiness with Mays Brexit deal, which the prime minister has insisted is the best possible agreement. READ MORE: Analysts fear Brexit delays after the Theresa May confidence vote Story continues If May loses the vote of no confidence then she would lose her position as the leader of the Conservative party and therefore prime minister. A new leadership contest within the Conservative party would then occur. Whoever won that contest would likely be able to form a government as the Conservative party is the single largest party in the House of Commons. However, the Conservatives do no hold an outright majority in the House of Commons and the Labour party may seek to form a minority government or even push for a general election. READ MORE: Pound jumps as Theresa May pledges to contest leadership challenge with everything Ive got Former London mayor Boris Johnson served as foreign secretary from 2016 until July this year when he resigned in protest at the governments Brexit strategy. Johnson refused to rule out a challenge to Mays leadership when he appeared on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show last weekend. Alex Donohue, a Bookmakers.tv political analyst, told Yahoo Finance UK: Boris backers might be waiting longer than they thought for a payout with the odds now coming out unequivocally in favour of May surviving the vote of no confidence. He added: It might feel like turmoil for the nation but one winner regardless of the outcome is the betting industry as the ongoing speculation fuels a multi-million pound political punt of epic proportions. Photo credit: The CW From Seventeen You might already be familiar with common STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, which are all easily curable and temporary. But when it comes to herpes, things are a little ~trickier~ as it's a disease that stays in your body forever. However, regardless of people's misunderstanding of the STD, herpes is completely manageable and so common. Seventeen spoke to Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, family physician at One Medical, to find out everything you need to know about herpes. What exactly is herpes? Herpes is a virus that causes painful sores on your mouth or genital area. According to Dr. Bhuyan, though herpes is actually a collection of eight different viruses, the two most common strains are HSV-1 and HSV-2. While HSV-1 is commonly referred to as the oral herpes (aka cold sores) that 90 percent of people have, HSV-2 is typically the genital STD. But confusingly, you can actually get either strain on the genitals or orally. Though it's true that herpes lives in your body forever once you contract it, don't freak out - this doesn't mean that you'll be experiencing pain for the rest of your life. Dr. Bhuyan explains that once you contract herpes, while the first outbreak will probably be very painful, future outbreaks - if you even have any - are not as distressing. Outbreaks can last anywhere from two to 20 days, but she usually tells her patients to expect an average of two weeks. How can I get herpes? Herpes is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact, whether that's through kissing, oral sex, or sharing lip balm. Dr. Bhuyan says this means that even if you have a cold sore on your mouth that's a source of HSV-1, it's possible for you to transfer that virus to your partner's genitals through oral sex. Though one might have the HSV-1 or HSV-2 virus in their system, the only way they can transmit the virus is if they have a blister or sore that you come into direct contact with. So if you contract herpes and have any sores, Dr. Bhuyan advises patients to be super careful when it comes to any skin-to-skin contact. "You're most contagious when there's liquid that's oozing," she says. Story continues How do I know if I have it? According to Dr. Bhuyan, before you're about to have an outbreak, you'll get a "tingling or burning sensation" on the mouth or genital area, as well as pain when peeing. Plus, some people will also get flu-like symptoms, such as tiredness, aches, and swollen glands and lymph nodes in the pelvic area and neck. Usually, you'll start seeing painful sores after a day or two of experiencing these symptoms. These painful lesions present as blisters or sores that will have fluid or erupt, Dr. Bhuyan says. They often show up in a cluster of sores, rather than just one or two on their own. But if you find painful bumps, particularly in your vulvar area, instead of guessing and speculating, it's probably safe to just see your primary care provider for a test - especially if you get that tingling sensation or burn when urinating. "The way we diagnose herpes is pretty simple," she says. "A lot of times, clinicians can just look at the sore, and we'll know exactly what it is. Sometimes we'll do a swab of the sore and send it into the lab to confirm the diagnosis." How do I treat herpes? Dr. Bhuyan explains that there are two ways physicians approach treatment for herpes. For genital herpes, they'll always prescribe an antiviral medication, such as Valacyclovir or Acyclovir. "Some patients get an initial outbreak and we treat them with the antiviral medication, and although the virus will forever be living in their system, it can sometimes just remain dormant on the nerves," she says. "It's not active or transmittable, it's just living there, and they might not have an outbreak ever again." However, others might get additional outbreaks after the initial one. In this case, Dr. Bhuyan says that physicians will prescribe daily suppressive antiviral medications to prevent them from getting future outbreaks. Sometimes these flare-ups are triggered by stress, a weak immune system, or an illness, but it's ultimately impossible to predict whether or not you'll get a future outbreak after the first. How do I prevent contracting herpes? The key is to avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone who has sores present - that means both sexually and non-sexually. Remember that cold sores can also be transmitted through sharing drinking cups or chapstick, not just sex! But the most important thing is to use barrier methods such as condoms and dental dams, to really reduce (but not totally eliminate) the risk of transmitting and contracting herpes or any other kind of STD. In addition, Dr. Bhuyan advises becoming more in tune with your own body to prevent spreading or contracting any STDs. "Be aware of when you might have symptoms and what things are (ingrown hairs vs. lesions)," she says. "Get comfortable with using mirrors and knowing what your genital area looks and feels like!" Can you get tested for herpes specifically? Something that many people don't realize about STD tests is that generally, physicians don't test for herpes. In a general STD panel, they check for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, but not herpes, says Dr. Bhuyan. While there is a blood test for herpes, it's not recommended - it can detect antibodies, so it shows up positive even if you had a prior infection you've already fought. This means that it can't test for an active infection, so it might cause unnecessary stress to you. So if you suspect that you might have a herpes-related lesion, specifically let your doctor know, so that they can do a swab test for herpes instead. ('You Might Also Like',) Horace Mann Educators Corporation HMN has agreed to acquire National Teachers Associates Life Insurance Company for $405 million. The acquisition will help the company consolidate its presence as a provider of financial solutions to the education market. Following the fulfillment of closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2019. Dallas-based National Teachers Associates (NTA) has been providing supplemental insurance products to the education market for about five decades. It specializes in developing, marketing and underwriting supplemental insurance products, including cancer and heart. The company wrote $130 million premiums and delivered core earnings of $30 million for the twelve months ended Sep 30, 2018. Post closure, National Teachers Associates will operate as a separate Horace Mann business segment under its current leadership team. The addition of NTA will enhance the acquirers portfolio and expand its distribution network and scale. The transaction is estimated to be accretive to Horace Manns earnings by $15-20 million and to return on equity by 100 basis points. The company will also enjoy cross-sell opportunities, which will add to the long-term upside potential. President and CEO of Horace Mann, Marita Zuraitis stated this transaction brings together two organizations that share a deep commitment to the education market, increasing our reach and distribution by more than 30% with limited geographic overlap. The acquirer intends to deploy its cash balance and issue debt worth $250 million to fund the transaction. Horace Mann has always pursued strategic opportunities that help it ramp up growth and enhance its product portfolio. Earlier, to cater to the requirement of educator employer market, Horace Mann agreed to buy Benefit Consultants Group, a retirement plan provider and record keeper. Shares of Horace Mann have lost 13.1% year to date compared with the industrys decline of 20.5%. The stock carries Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). The companys investments to better serve the education market and achieve double-digit return on equity should help the stock rebound. Story continues Other Insurers on the Same Track Given the insurance industrys all-time high available capital resource, there has been a conspicuous increase in consolidations in the space of late. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. AJG recently acquired Pavey Group in an effort to expand outside the United States. Brown & Brown, Inc.s BRO subsidiary, Brown & Brown of Kentucky, Inc., acquired Dealer Associates, Inc. to ramp up its dealer services team in Southwest United States. Arch Capital Group Ltd ACGL acquired McNeil & Co. to boost its underwriting business. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. (NOTE: We are reissuing this article to correct a mistake. The original version, published yesterday, December 11, 2018, should no longer be relied upon.) 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 Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Arch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research FRANKFURT/DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - Incoming Thyssenkrupp supervisory board member Martina Merz has emerged as favorite to become head of the steel-to-submarines conglomerate's supervisory board, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. A proposal by the supervisory board to appoint Merz as chairwoman could be included in the invitation to the company's Feb. 1 annual general meeting (AGM), which will be sent out next week, the people said. If appointed, she would be the first woman to take the post. Outgoing Daimler finance chief Bodo Uebber, who had been a candidate to be Thyssenkrupp's next chairman, failed to win the backing of labour representatives to join the board last month. No final decision has been made on Merz's possible appointment and there is no guarantee that an agreement will be reached, the people said. Merz was appointed as a supervisory board member last month. She would first need to be confirmed as an ordinary board member by shareholders at the AGM, before she could be put forward as chairwoman. She would become chairwoman at a pivotal time for the German industrial conglomerate, which in September announced a move to split in two following years of shareholder pressure that led to the resignation of both its CEO and chairman. If she gets the job, Merz would replace Bernhard Pellens, who took over as chairman at the end of September but can only stay on until 2020 under German corporate governance rules. A Thyssenkrupp spokesman declined to comment, only referring to the pending invitation to Thyssenkrupp's AGM. German markets newsletter Platow Brief first reported that Merz was being discussed as a potential chairwoman. A former chief executive of Dutch firm Chassis Brakes International, Merz is currently chairwoman of automotive supplier SAF Holland and sits on the supervisory board of Deutsche Lufthansa . She is also a member of the board of directors of truck maker Volvo , Belgium's NV Bekaert SA and French roofing business Imerys SA . (Reporting by Christoph Steitz and Matthias Inverardi; writing by Caroline Copley; editing by Thomas Seythal and Adrian Croft) By Sanjeev Miglani and Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's 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 national polls next year. The results in the heartland rural states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh could force the federal government run by Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to raise spending in the countryside, where more than two-thirds of India's 1.3 billion people live. Political analysts said the BJP's defeat would underscore rural dismay with the government and could help unite the opposition led by the Congress party. Modi is personally popular but has been criticized for failing to deliver jobs for young people and better conditions for farmers. Reacting late on Tuesday to the results, Modi wrote on Twitter: "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." The results came as a shot in the arm for Rahul Gandhi, president of the left-of-center Congress, who is trying to forge a broad alliance with regional groups and present Modi with his most serious challenge yet in a general election that must be held by May. Congress has ruled India for most of its post-independence era after 1947 but was decimated by Modi's BJP in national polls in 2014. Since then, it had struggled to make major inroads, even in state polls. Gandhi, the fourth generation scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, has sought to build a coalition of regional groups. On Tuesday, celebrations erupted outside the Congress party headquarters in New Delhi, with supporters dancing, setting off fircrackers 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. "There is a feeling among people that the promises made by the prime minister ... have not been fulfilled." In Chhattisgarh, Congress was ahead in 68 of the 90 seats at stake, with the BJP on 16, according to data from the Election Commission. In Rajasthan, the Congress was leading in 99 of the 199 seats contested, against 73 for the ruling BJP. CONGRESS CONFIDENT In Madhya Pradesh, the most important of the five states that have held assembly elections in recent weeks, Congress was leading with 113 seats while the BJP had 110 out of 230. Regional parties were leading in two smaller states that also voted, Telangana in the south and Mizoram in the northeast. Congress said it was confident it could form governments in all three big states. The BJP previously ruled all three, for three terms in two of them. The BJP said the state results would not necessarily dictate what happens in next year's general election. Investors said the BJP had not fared as badly as feared, and nationally would still likely have an edge over an opposition coalition in the general election. "A disappointing set of state election results ... suggests that the ruling national party has lost some goodwill," London-based economic research consultancy, Capital Economics, said in a note. "That said, we maintain our view that the BJP will secure victory in the general election, which would allow PM Modi to get his reform agenda back on track after a lackluster 2018." Markets recovered from sharp early losses and ended marginally higher, though the central bank governor's sudden resignation on Monday kept investors nervous. A lawmaker for the BJP said it had erred in focusing its campaign on partisan themes, such as the building of a Hindu temple 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. (Reporting by Krishna N. Das; additional reporting by Savio Shetty in MUMBAI, Aditya Kalra in New Delhi and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; editing by Robert Birsel, Andrew Roche and Gareth Jones) JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police shot and killed a Palestinian driver who they said tried to ram his vehicle into a group of officers in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the man's death, but gave no further details of the incident near the city of Hebron. "A suspect Palestinian drove his vehicle at a security vehicle and them attempted to drive into border police officers who were securing the area. They responded to the threat at the scene and opened fire at the vehicle," spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. In a separate incident in the West Bank, police said they arrested a second Palestinian driver whom they suspected had tried to run over troops. On Sunday a suspected Palestinian gunman wounded six Israelis in a drive-by shooting at a bus stop next to a West Bank Jewish settlement. Israeli troops have been carrying out searches and raids in Palestinian towns and villages in recent days, including on the offices of the official Wafa news agency in Ramallah. Clashes have broken out in some areas between Palestinians throwing stones and Israeli soldiers firing teargas. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014. The Palestinians hope to establish an independent state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip - territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Ali Sawafta, Editing by Angus MacSwan) Jerusalem (AFP) - Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini accused the European Union of being biased against Israel, in remarks during a visit to the Jewish state on Tuesday. "The European Union in recent years has been absolutely unbalanced... in its management of the conflict in the Middle East, condemning and punishing Israel every 15 minutes," he told journalists. Salvini met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday during his 24-hour visit to the country. He referred to Israel as "a safe haven for European and Western values in the region", while adding that "whoever wants peace supports Israel". Asked why he did not have any plans to meet Palestinian leaders, the Italian minister said he would do so on his next visit as his schedule was full this time. Salvini, who heads Italy's anti-immigration League party, rejected criticism he has faced over his visit. "This is the fourth time I have come to Israel, and the fourth time I have been to Yad Vashem," he said, referring to the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem that he is scheduled to visit on Wednesday. "Our government will fight all forms of anti-Semitic violence, regardless of how it manifests itself," he said. The Israeli left has accused Netanyahu of letting some foreign leaders use the country to counter allegations of anti-Semitism against them or their parties while promoting hardline rhetoric against Islam. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has not met with Salvini officially because of "agenda issues", but the real reason is thought to be a desire to distance himself from the Italian minister. In an interview with CNN late last month, Rivlin voiced regret over the return of neo-fascism to some European countries, without naming them. "You cannot say, 'We admire Israel and want relations with your country, but we are neo-fascists'," Rivlin said at the time. "Someone who is neo-fascist is truly a person who is totally against the spirit, principles, and the values of the State of Israel." Salvini is the latest so-called populist leader received by Netanyahu, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in July and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in September. The European Union on Monday extended sanctions on the ruling partys candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary for the presidential polls slated for December 23 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary was designated by incumbent president as his successor for the polls. The EU sanctions include assets freeze and entry ban. This is the third extension since it was imposed in December 2016. According to the EU, Shadary is responsible for the recent arrests of activists and opposition members, as well as the disproportionate use of force. Shadary was involved in planning, directing, or committing acts that constitute serious human rights violations in DRC, the EU said. The flag bearer of the ruling coalition rose to the fore in December 2017, when Kabila bolstered his power as permanent secretary of the ruling Peoples Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). The extension of sanctions by the EU means that the lobbying by the African Union and the Congolese government to have the sanctions lifted had failed. The AU council in the past has condemned what it called extra-continental interferences in AU member states affairs. The mineral-rich Central African nation on Dec. 23 faces what could be its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power. Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege has warned that the forthcoming elections could lead to conflict if they are not free, fair and peaceful, adding that indications show that they will not be. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau speaks to BNNBloomberg anchor Amanda Lang at the International Economic Forum of the Americas in Toronto on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (Yahoo Finance Canada) Canadas trade and finance ministers are clinging to optimism that economic ties with China will be unscathed by the arrest of a high-profile Huawei Technologies Co. executive, characterizing the volatile situation as a phase and a difficult moment for the two nations. Speaking on the sidelines of the International Economic Forum of the Americas in Toronto, federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau and International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr struck an upbeat tone on Chinese-Canadian relations in the wake of Meng Wanzhous arrest in Vancouver at the request of United States officials. The opportunity for us to work together with China, both for the Chinese, but also for Canadian jobs and business opportunities, is enormous, Morneau told reporters Wednesday morning. That will, from time to time, have some issues that we need to deal with. Thats the real world. Were in one of those phases right now. Wanzhou was released on $10 million bail on Wednesday, following a 10-day stint in prison. The Huawei chief financial officer and daughter of the Shenzhen-based telecom giants founder has been ordered to stay in the Vancouver area under around-the-clock surveillance. Wanzhou is fighting extradition to the U.S., where she faces multiple fraud charges related to her companys alleged dealings with Iran. The United States has until the start of February to file for extradition. The Dec. 1 arrest prompted threats of serious consequences from Chinese officials, who maintain Wanzhous innocence. On Tuesday, Ottawa confirmed the arrest of Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, by Chinese authorities in Beijing. We have gone to the Chinese government to make the case for that particular situation. Weve been speaking with the family, Morneau said. We recognize that this is a developing situation, and I dont have anything more to say other than we will continue to support him and press our case. The Canadian government has not issued any changes to its travel advisory for China since late November. Asked about pending changes by reporters, Carr deferred to Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, whom he said will be making an announcement on that subject later this afternoon. Story continues Both Carr and Morneau reflected fondly on a recent trip to China, touting a surge in trade and tourism between Canada and the worlds second largest economy, while at the same time downplaying the impact of Wanzhous arrest and the legal battles on the horizon. International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr speaks to reporters at the International Economic Forum of the Americas in Toronto on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (Yahoo Finance Canada) This is a difficult moment. But we will endure difficult moments, Carr told reporters. I asked a friend when his company did their first deal with China. The answer was 1910. We will continue to have relations and do business with China for a long, long time. Carr and Morneau said the Wanzhou case is in no way political. Morneau declined to comment on reports that U.S. President Donald Trump would consider intervening in order to forge a better trade relationship with China. We have an extradition treaty with the United States. We will continue to assure that our judiciary system is independent from government, he said. My goal, and certainly the goal of our government, is to make sure that we continue to provide opportunities for Canadians through trade. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Duchess of Cambridge, Christmas 2011 Kate experienced her first Christmas as a royal at Sandringham in 2011, when she wore an aubergine coat by an independent British designer, with a matching hat from Jane Corbett. (Getty) It has been a long-standing tradition for the Royal Family to spend the festive period at Sandringham and attend the annual Christmas Day service at Church of St Mary Magdalene. Proceedings have certainly got more fashionable since Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011. The Duchess of Cambridge has wrapped up in an array of chic wool jackets and tartan coats to walk to church. Kate and William did not travel to Sandringham in 2012, as the Duchess was suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum during her pregnancy with Prince George. Kate recovered at her parents Carole and Michael Middletons home in Bucklebury, Berkshire. They were back in Norfolk in 2013, but opted to leave a five-month-old baby George at home. Although the couples permanent residence is in London, they also have nearby Anmer Hall, which is just 3 miles from the Sandringham estate. 2016 was the first year we saw the Cambridges as a family of four, where they all trooped to St Marks Church in Kates home village. The crowds were delighted to see George, then three, and his then one-year-old sister Charlotte clutching red and white striped candy canes as they departed. This year Meghan celebrated her first Christmas at Sandringham as the Duchess of Sussex. Last year saw the Queen deviate from tradition when she invited the former actress to join the royals. Harry and Meghan had announced their engagement the month before and the pair were married in May. The couple are expecting their first child in spring 2019. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also joined the Sussexes this year, alongside the Prince of Wales. Take a look back at what the duchesses have worn on Christmas Day. 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: The Duchess of Cambridges best outfits Every outfit the Duchess of Sussex has worn in public The Duchess of Cambridges top maternity fashion moments Kathie Lee Gifford is leaving the "Today" show in April , she announced Tuesday morning. The longtime host, 65, revealed the news on the NBC morning show, alongside her co-host Hoda Kotb, who was choked up. Her last day on the show will be April 7, and her replacement has not yet been determined, NBC president Noah Oppenheim told the show's staff in a memo obtained by USA TODAY. "I have something to share with everybody, and it's bittersweet as these things always are," a visibly emotional Gifford told viewers at the top of "Today's" fourth hour. "I've been here almost 11 years; thought I would stay one year, something happened along the way. I fell in love..." she said, pointing to Kotb. "And now, when it's our eleventh anniversary, I am going to be leaving the 'Today' show." "Its bittersweet, as these things always are@kathielgifford announces she will be leaving TODAY on her 11th anniversary in April 2019. pic.twitter.com/YsHIq6c9ev TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 11, 2018 Gifford said she was leaving to focus on other projects, such as an 11-minute film, "The God Who Sees," filming in Israel. The minute you stepped into my life everything changed," Kotb said to Gifford. "Everything good that has happened in my life has happened because you came." Both dried their eyes with tissues as they gushed over their time together. Kotb recalled first meeting Gifford and being invited to her home. She emotionally described an interaction with the her co-hosts late husband Frank Gifford, who let Kotb know she was going to be working with the most trustworthy person. I want to thank everyone who has watched us all these years as well because we started out as a nothing burger and we were outside on the plaza and the wind was blowing and the cards were flying and it was a disaster," Gifford recalled. Story continues She added, "I know somebody wonderful will be sitting in this seat afterward. I have my idea of who might be absolutely wonderful, but there's a great pool of talent and beauty and heart right within our own family. And if they come from outside the ('Today') family, they will soon become family because you all treat everybody that way." Gifford joined the "Today" staff in 2008. She told viewers she only stayed with the show for a decade because she loved the people she was working with. "I've been in this business 120 years," she quipped, "and I've never worked with a more beautiful... group of people, who just give, give, give every day for four hours of live television every day five days a week And we do life together and nobody more so than my Hoda Youre just so special, Hoda. Thank you so much. Gifford has long been a staple on morning television, co-hosting "Live" with Regis Philbin for 15 years, until 2000. She earned Daytime Emmy nominations during her run with Regis, but took home her first award as a member of the "Today" staff in 2010. She also stayed with the "Today" show as it weathered several controversies, including the ousting of disgraced host Matt Lauer amid sexual assault allegations last year and the controversial departure of Ann Curry in 2012. In 2015, she memorably addressed a personal tragedy on the air when her husband Frank died. NBC President Noah Oppenheim informed staff of Gifford's departure via a company memo sent Tuesday morning. "When we first launched this incredible hour, no one could have predicted the lightning (or rather, wine) in a bottle that is Hoda & Kathie Lee," he wrote. "Whether in studio or on one of their many road trips, they have delighted our audience with their distinct brand of fun, friendship and adventure. During that time, Kathie Lee has cemented her status as one of the most enduring and endearing talents in morning television. In short she is a legend." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kathie Lee Gifford announces she's leaving 'Today' show Katowice (Poland) (AFP) - "Key political issues" deadlocking UN climate talks "remain unresolved", UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday after an unscheduled stop at the troubled negotiations in Poland. The fight against climate change is a "matter of life and death today," he told ministers and delegates at the 195-nation UN forum tasked with beating back the threat of global warming, barely 48 hours before the meet in the coal town of Katowice was set to adjourn. The two-week talks are tasked with breathing life into the 2015 Paris Agreement, which vows to cap global warming at "well under" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and funnel hundreds of billions of dollars to poor countries already feeling the sting of deadly storms, heatwaves and droughts made worse by climate change. But efforts to elaborate a "rule book" for the Paris pact and to boost the carbon-cutting pledges of all nations have run aground, even as a barrage of scientific reports have warned that only immediate and radical measures can avert catastrophic climate impacts. "The eyes of the world are upon us," said Guterres, who had not planned to return to the talks after addressing the opening plenary 10 days ago. "To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change," he said. "It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal." A major report called for by the UN climate body concluded in October that Earth's rise in temperature must be capped even lower -- at 1.5C -- to avoid the danger of runaway warming. But several countries at the talks, led by the United States and Saudi Arabia, have blocked efforts to endorse the report, which many developing countries see as essential. "The IPCC report on 1.5C is the basis for all future action, on what we need to do," Vanuatu Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu told AFP. Endorsing the report's findings at the conclusion of the UN forum "is a red line issue for us." MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected U.S. criticism of Russian military flights to Venezuela, saying it had been inappropriate and wrong for U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to condemn the flight of two nuclear-capable strategic bombers to Caracas. Two Russian TU-160 strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela on Monday in a symbolic show of support for the government there. Pompeo condemned the deployment 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," Pompeo wrote. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that Pompeo's comments were undiplomatic and wrong. "We consider it completely inappropriate," said Peskov. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; Editing by Tom Balmforth) Cabinet ministers have all given Theresa May their backing ahead of a vote on her leadership this evening. Despite the threshold for a no confidence vote being met, the PM could still win the vote and continues as leader, boosted by the support from her ministers. Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, said a ballot would be held between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday in the Commons. Allies of Theresa May have insisted that the time is not right for a leadership contest (Getty) Mrs May said today she would contest this vote with all Ive got, refusing to back down in the face of mounting criticism over her Brexit deal. Just moments after the news about a vote was announced, prominent Tories quickly backed the PM, and 100 Conservative MPs have so far tweeted in support of Mrs May. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt tweeted: I am backing @theresa_may tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. COUNTDOWN TO BREXIT LATEST ANALYSIS FROM YAHOO UK Where do Theresa Mays ministers stand on Brexit? Post-Brexit trip to Europe? Try these non-EU alternatives Bank of England governor confident about UK banks Brexit readiness Dont be fooled the biggest battle over Brexit starts now Hard Brexit could cripple UK science warn Nobel Prize winners Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March. I am backing @theresa_may tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29 Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) December 12, 2018 Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) December 12, 2018 The Prime Minister has worked hard in the National interest since the day she took office and will have my full support in the vote tonight. Her deal means we leave the EU on time, whist protecting our jobs and our businesses. Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) December 12, 2018 I will support the Prime Minister @theresa_may tonight. This is a totally inappropriate time to have a contest. The country expects us to provide stability not damaging division. Dr Liam Fox MP (@LiamFox) December 12, 2018 Chancellor Philip Hammond followed suit to come out in support of Mrs May, tweeting: The Prime Minister has worked hard in the national interest since the day she took office and will have my full support in the vote tonight. Her deal means we leave the EU on time, whist protecting our jobs and our businesses. Story continues Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said: Strongly support @theresa_may to continue as Leader of @Conservatives and Prime Minister. Now is not the time for this distraction and even more uncertainty. We need to get behind the Prime Minister in the best interests of our country. Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: Im voting for the Prime Minister tonight and urge all colleagues to do the same. Any colleague who believes changing our leader during the negotiations is in our countrys interest should think again. I will be supporting the Prime Minister tonight. Stephen Hammond MP (@S_Hammond) December 12, 2018 Clearly Im disappointed that some in my party have triggered a vote of no confidence just as the PM is having a series of international meetings to deliver Brexit. I will, of course, be voting in support of Theresa May. James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) December 12, 2018 I shall be supporting the Prime Minister this evening. This is no time for the self indulgent spasm of a leadership election. Nothing fundamental will be altered by it. This is a time to show loyalty and discipline in supporting the PM in discharging the duties of government. Geoffrey Cox QC MP (@Geoffrey_Cox) December 12, 2018 The Prime Minister has my full support, not least because she has always done what she firmly believes is in the national interest. Our country needs us all to fight for a good deal and prepare for a no deal senario. All eyes and hands should be on that task. Penny Mordaunt MP (@PennyMordaunt) December 12, 2018 Vital to support @theresa_may today. She is working hard in the interest of the U.K. to get a good Brexit deal and she has my full support. Andrea Leadsom MP (@andrealeadsom) December 12, 2018 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. Gavin Williamson MP (@GavinWilliamson) December 12, 2018 International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt posted: The Prime Minister has my full support, not least because she has always done what she firmly believes is in the national interest. Our country needs us all to fight for a good deal and prepare for a no deal scenario. All eyes and hands should be on that task. And Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said Mrs May has his full support. Justice Secretary David Gauke said he was disappointed that the letters have gone in, but said: I hope that the Prime Minister will win tonight and win well. Environment Secretary Michael Gove tweeted: I am backing the Prime Minister 100% and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same. She is battling hard for our country and no one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British peoples decision to leave the EU. Transport Secretary and prominent Brexiteer Chris Grayling said: I will be backing Theresa May tonight. At this crucial point, the last thing the country needs is a prolonged and introspective leadership contest. The Prime Minister faces being ousted as leader if she loses the confidence ballot (Getty) While the Cabinet publicly backs her, other Tory MPs have stated they will vote against her in an attempt to trigger a leadership election. Jacob Rees-Mogg, Andrea Jenkyns, James Duddridge and Nadine Dorries are among those who will vote to bring down Mrs May. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jasen Moreno-Garci From Popular Mechanics The USS Lyndon Johnson, the third and final Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyer, floated out of its drydock over the weekend. Meanwhile, the second of the class, USS Michael Monsoor, arrived at its future home port of San Diego, California. While the launching of the Johnson completes the construction of the controversial destroyers, the program-which was cut by more than 90 percent, and still lacks ammunition for the six advanced gun systems-remains deeply troubled. The 610-foot-long USS Johnson launched on Sunday, after a multi-day operation that saw the ship moved from dry land into a drydock, then the drydock filled with water to float the ship. As gCaptain reports , the ship is expected to be christened in the spring of 2019. Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jacob I. Allison The USS Johnson is the third and final destroyer of the Zumwalt class that includes sister ships USS Zumwalt and USS Monsoor. Once upon a time, the Zumwalts were planned to be a mighty class of destroyers meant to replace the firepower of the Navy's four Iowa-class battleships. The retirement of the four Iowas left a gaping hole in the U.S. Navys ability to provide fire support for the Marine Corps during amphibious landings. To make up for the shortfall, and to support land wars in the post-9/11 era, the Navy had planned to 32 Zumwalt class destroyers. Instead of 32 ships, the U.S. got three. Rising production costs, combined with the huge cost of those land wars and an economic recession, truncated the number of Zumwalts from 32 to seven, and finally to just three. According to the Congressional Research Service (PDF) the three destroyers will wind up costing taxpayers a grand total of $13 billion. Thats enough to buy seven Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers at current prices. And unlike the Zumwalts, the Burkes are a proven design with a full suite of working sensors and weapons. Photo credit: Portland Press Herald - Getty Images One major, lingering, embarrassing problem with the Zumwalts: The Navy has no plans to buy ammunition for the main guns. Each destroyer was built with two 155-millimeter Advanced Gun System weapons, which lower into the ships stealthy profile when not in use. The AGS was meant to be armed with the Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP), a GPS-guided shell with an effective range of 60 miles. Story continues In 2001, at the very beginning of the Zumwalt program, Lockheed Martin estimated each LRLAP round would cost about $50,000-expensive, but fair considering each was practically guaranteed to hit its target. But cutting of the number of ships built from 32 to 3, along with the rising development costs, dramatically increased the cost of each round to up to $800,000 each. That was too expensive even for the U.S. Navy, and the service announced it would not buy the LRLAP. Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan D. McLearnon You can see where this leaves the Navy with a dilemma. The service now has three destroyers with no ammunition for their long range guns, which was the entire point of building them to begin with. The Navy is reportedly planning to reconfigure the destroyers as hunter-killers, meant to seek out and attack enemy ships and land targets with precision-guided missiles. In such a case, the Zumwalts would rely on the 80 vertical launch missile silos per ship to provide offensive firepower. Meanwhile, the U.S. Marines are still awaiting the fire support replacement for the Iowa-class battleships, 26 years after the last battleship was retired. Now that the Zumwalt program has become a billion-dollar misfire, the Marines are unlikely to ever get a dedicated naval gunfire platform again. In the future, the Marines will rely on a mix of 5-inch guns on cruisers and destroyers, F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35 Joint Strike Fighters operating from aircraft carriers, Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, and their own fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, and drones. ('You Might Also Like',) 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. Georgia to Sign another Deal with France on Purchase of Anti-Air Systems By Gvantsa Gabekhadze Georgia and France will sign another deal today about the purchase of anti-air systems, Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria stated on Thursday.The minister announced his plans to visit France today with the goal and stated that the purchase will take place to boost the countrys self-defense capabilities."We have significant progress and achievements. For the first time, we addressed 20 percent of the defense budget to armament; we are buying modern defense systems.We bought anti-tank systems from the United States at the beginning of the year. This evening I will travel to France to sign a new contract with the French side regarding the purchase of the anti-aircraft system. This process continues and this is one of the priority directions," Izoria said.Izoria did not provide details concerning the anti-air systems Georgia intends to buy.The Georgian defense ministry has been in air defense cooperation with the French since 2015, signing deals for ground-based surveillance radars and air defense command and control systems.Georgia paid more than 80 million Euros for the systems.On November 21, 2017, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that it made a decision approving a possible foreign military sale to Georgia for Javelin anti-tank Missiles and Command Launch Units for an estimated cost of $75 million.However, it added that the sale would be possible to conclude only if backed by Congress.After a month Congress agreed the sale and Georgia received Javelins in January this year.Izoria says after Javelins, in the near future, Georgia will receive the most modern, man-portable air defense system- FIM-92 Stingers from the United States. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) The Latest on a jury's recommended sentence of life plus 419 years for a man convicted of murder for driving his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally (all times local): 1:50 p.m. The mother of a woman killed by a man who drove his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally says she is "content" with a jury's recommendation that he spend the rest of his life in prison. On Tuesday, a Virginia jury recommended a sentence of life plus 419 years for James Alex Fields Jr., who was convicted last week of first-degree murder and other charges in the car attack on Aug. 12, 2017. Thirty-two-year-old paralegal and civil rights activist Heather Heyer was killed, and dozens were injured. Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, said "justice has him where he needs to be." Judge Richard Moore scheduled sentencing for March 29. Under Virginia law, the judge can impose a lower sentence than what the jury recommends, but cannot increase it. ___ 1 p.m. A judge has set a March date to issue a sentence for a man convicted of murder for driving his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia last year. Judge Richard Moore set a date of March 29 after a jury on Tuesday issued its recommendation of life plus 419 years for James Alex Fields Jr. 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. Last week the jury convicted Fields of first-degree murder and other charges for driving into the counterprotesters during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12, 2017. Thirty-two-year-old paralegal and activist Heather Heyer was struck and killed and others were injured. ___ 12:15 p.m. A jury has recommended life in prison plus 419 years for a man convicted of murder for driving his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally last year. Story continues The jury made its recommendation on Tuesday, a day after listening to emotional statements from the mother of a woman who was killed and from numerous people who were injured. James Alex Fields Jr. plowed into the counterprotesters during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12, 2017. The jury reached its sentencing verdict shortly before noon Tuesday, after about four hours of deliberations over two days. Jurors also recommended 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. On Friday, the same jury convicted Fields of first-degree murder and other felonies, rejecting his lawyers' arguments that he had acted in self-defense. ___ 11:20 a.m. Jurors in the trial of a man convicted of murder for driving his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally have asked a judge if his sentences would run consecutively or concurrently. The jury began its second day of deliberations Tuesday on a sentencing recommendation for James Alex Fields Jr., whom they convicted last week of first-degree murder and other charges. The jury forewoman asked Judge Richard Moore how his sentences would be imposed on the 10 charges against Fields. Moore told jurors that they must come up with a sentencing recommendation for each charge. He said sentences normally run consecutively, but the jury can recommend concurrent sentences if it chooses. The judge has the final say on the sentence. Fields faces up to life on six of the 10 charges against them. ___ 12:39 a.m. A Virginia jury is set to resume deliberations on a sentencing recommendation for a man convicted of killing a woman and injuring dozens when he drove his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally. Jurors spent just under two hours Monday considering a sentence for James Alex Fields Jr. They are scheduled to return Tuesday morning. The 21-year-old Fields of Maumee, Ohio, faces up to life in prison after being convicted last week on first-degree murder and other charges. On Monday, the jury heard emotional testimony from the mother of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal and activist who was killed. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump's promised U.S.-Mexico border wall (all times local): 4:35 p.m. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says President Donald Trump thinks Mexico will pay for the border wall through the new trade deal. Pelosi told colleagues privately that Trump insisted during an Oval Office meeting that Mexico will pay for the wall "one way or another." She told him Mexico isn't going to pay for it. The president responded that Mexico would pay with money the U.S. will make from the revised North American Free Trade Deal, known as USMCA. Pelosi told the president "that's terrible" and told him she's going "go out and tell people that you think that Mexico is paying for it with money that should be going into our economy." Pelosi's remarks to Democrats were described by an aide in the room who was not authorized to speak publicly. By AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro ___ 4:15 p.m. After squabbling about a border wall with Democratic leaders in front of reporters, President Donald Trump is now saying that the private part of their meeting was "very friendly." He said at a bill signing Tuesday afternoon that after reporters left the morning meeting with Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, they all had a good discussion. Trump said: "Believe it or not, I think it was a very friendly meeting. You just saw the beginning of it." He went on to say that he has liked the two Democrats for a long time. The president says he doesn't mind taking the blame for a government shutdown if the two sides can't agree on funding for border improvements. ___ 3:05 p.m. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is unloading on President Donald Trump after their Oval Office confrontation over government funding. Speaking to Democratic lawmakers back at the Capitol, Pelosi boasted on Tuesday that she and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer goaded Trump to "fully own that the shutdown was his." Story continues Pelosi's comments were described by an aide who was in the room but was not authorized to speak publicly. Trump threatened again to shut down part of the government next week if Democrats did not agree to fund his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to the aide, Pelosi said: "It's like a manhood thing for him. As if manhood could ever be associated with him. This wall thing." She adds of the meeting: "It goes to show you: You get into a tickle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you." By AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro ___ 3 p.m. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should get off the "sidelines" and help persuade President Donald Trump to avoid a government shutdown. The New York Democrat told reporters after a combative Oval Office meeting with Trump on Tuesday that the president should accept a Democratic offer to fund the government before Dec. 21, the deadline for a deal. If an accord is not reached, many operations of the U.S. government will halt. Trump on Tuesday threatened to let that happen if the Democrats do not agree to provide funding for a southern border wall. Schumer says McConnell "can no longer stay on the sidelines. He's got to persuade President Trump." McConnell says he hopes the dispute will be resolved without a shutdown. ___ 2:55 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he is hoping for a "smooth ending" to the dispute over government funding that avoids a partial shutdown. The Kentucky Republican told reporters he hopes the standoff doesn't run past the Dec. 21 deadline for funding parts of the government. President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to force a shutdown if Congress doesn't fund his border wall. McConnell says "we all watched" the combative Oval Office meeting earlier in the day with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. He says, "I'd like to see a smooth ending here. I haven't given up hope." McConnell also said "magic" sometimes happens in the halls of Congress ahead of Christmas, when lawmakers are eager to leave Washington. ___ 12:45 p.m. A closed-door meeting between President Donald Trump and congressional leaders lasted barely 30 minutes Tuesday after a heated televised opening session "spiraled downwards," in the words of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Speaking outside the White House after the Oval Office meeting, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted Trump over his renewed threat to shut down part of the government over funding of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Schumer said, "This temper tantrum that he seems to throw will not get him his wall." Pelosi said Trump does not have the votes in the House to secure the billions he wants to fulfill his promise to build a wall. Schumer says if Trump doesn't change course, "He will get no wall and he will get a shutdown." Government funding for some agencies is set to expire on Dec. 21, threatening a partial shutdown. ___ 12:05 p.m. President Donald Trump is escalating his shutdown threat over U.S.-Mexico border wall funding at a heated White House meeting with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. Trump said during the open-press session Tuesday that, "If we don't have border security, we'll shut down the government." He says his long-promised wall will be built one way or another. Government funding for some agencies is set to expire on Dec. 21, threatening a partial shutdown. Schumer and Pelosi are urging the president to find another solution, with Schumer saying "we shouldn't shut down the government over a dispute." Trump is responding by saying he's "proud to shut down the government" and says he will "take the mantle." Pelosi is also commenting on the meeting's acrimony, noting "this has spiraled downwards." ___ 7:50 a.m. President Donald Trump says the military will build his promised border wall "if Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country." Trump tweets Tuesday that immigration and border patrol agents and the military have done a "FANTASTIC" job securing the border with Mexico. But Trump says "A Great Wall" would be a "far easier & less expensive solution." He claims Democrats don't want border security for "strictly political reasons." Some government funding expires on Dec. 21 and the risk of shutdown looms if Trump and Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi can't reach agreement when they meet Tuesday at the White House. Trump wants at least $5 billion for the wall in the next funding package. Democrats are offering $1.3 billion for fencing and other border security measures. ___ 12:20 a.m. President Donald Trump is set to meet at the White House with Democratic congressional leaders as the deadline for a partial government shutdown looms. Trump wants a funding package for the next fiscal year to include at least $5 billion for his proposed border wall with Mexico, an idea Democrats have flatly rejected. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer are to discuss the wall and other issues with Trump on Tuesday. They have urged Trump to support a bill that includes a half-dozen government funding bills largely agreed upon by lawmakers, along with a separate measure that funds the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through Sept. 30. The homeland bill includes about $1.3 billion for fencing and other security measures at the border. STRASBOURG, France, Dec 11 (Reuters) - 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. 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 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. 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." The Christmas market was being held amid tight security this year, with unauthorized vehicles excluded from surrounding streets during opening hours and checkpoints set up on bridges and access points to search pedestrians' bags. A source at the prosecutor's office said the motive for the shooting was not immediately clear. 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. PRESIDENT INFORMED President Emmanuel Macron was informed of the shooting and was being updated as events unfurled, an Elysee Palace official said. Castaner was on his way to Strasbourg, which lies on the border with Germany. A spokesman for the European Parliament said the building had been shut down and staff ordered to stay inside. "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." Story continues European security agencies have feared for some time that Islamist militants who left Europe to fight for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq would return after the jihadist group's defeat, with the skills and motivation to carry out attacks at home. In 2016, a truck plowed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, killing more than 80 people, while in November 2015, coordinated Islamist militant 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. (Reporting by Gilbert Reilhac in Strasbourg and Christian Hartmann, Emmanuel Jarry, Michel Rose and Inti Landauro in Paris and Kevin Liffey in London; writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Washington (AFP) - An American neo-Nazi who drove his car into a group of counter-protesters last year during a white supremacist rally in Virginia, killing a woman, was sentenced to life in prison by a jury on Tuesday. James Alex Fields Jr, 21, was found guilty of murder and other charges last week following a two-week jury trial in Charlottesville. The same seven-woman, five-man jury that convicted Fields sentenced him to life in prison plus an additional 419 years. Fields will be formally sentenced by Judge Richard Moore on March 29. The judge can reduce the sentence imposed by the jury but is not allowed to increase it. Fields rammed his car into the counter-protesters on August 12, 2017, killing 32-year-old paralegal Heather Heyer and injuring dozens of other people. Those counter-protesters had gathered in opposition to a group of white supremacists who came to the university town to protest the removal of a Confederate statue. President Donald Trump drew broad criticism in the aftermath of the mayhem when he spoke of "blame on both sides," appearing to establish a moral equivalence between the white supremacists and those who opposed them. The incident turned Charlottesville into a symbol of the growing audacity of the far right under Trump. Fields had driven overnight from his hometown of Maumee, Ohio, to support the "Unite the Right" rally to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E Lee, the top general of the pro-slavery Confederacy during the 1861-1865 American Civil War. Dressed in a white polo shirt and khaki pants, the uniform of the white supremacists, he took part in racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic chants, according to footage played in the courtroom. The prosecution played videos that showed Fields stop his car and reverse up a hill before commencing his deadly assault on counter-protesters who were singing and celebrating after city officials had ordered the far-right demonstrators to leave. Story continues In order to build their case of a pre-meditated attack, prosecutors presented a text Fields sent to his mother before departing for the rally after she had asked him to be careful "We're not the one (sic) who need to be careful," he replied, alongside a photo of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, whom he has long admired. They also showed the jury two Instagram posts Fields uploaded in May last year that depicted a car ramming into a group of protesters, arguing that he ultimately chose to live out that fantasy when the opportunity arose three months later. A look at where the investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him: WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? Trump is facing criminal investigations in Washington and New York. Special counsel Robert Mueller is looking into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia and whether the president obstructed the investigation. Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say Trump directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to make illegal hush money payments to two women as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. ___ WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW TODAY? Shaken and facing a prison term, Cohen said Friday that Trump directed him to buy the silence of two women during the 2016 campaign because he was concerned their stories of alleged affairs with him "would affect the election." He says Trump knew the payments were wrong. 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 "gave loyalty to someone who, truthfully, does not deserve loyalty." Cohen spoke in an interview with ABC that aired Friday on "Good Morning America." ___ SO ... DID THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN COLLUDE WITH RUSSIA? There is no smoking gun when it comes to the question of Russia collusion. But the evidence so far shows a broad range of Trump associates had Russia-related contacts during the 2016 presidential campaign and transition period, and that several lied about the communication. There is also evidence that some people in Trump's orbit were discussing a possible email dump from WikiLeaks before it occurred. American intelligence agencies and Mueller have said Russia was the source of hacked material released by WikiLeaks during the campaign that was damaging to Hillary Clinton's presidential effort. ___ OTHER QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: WHAT ABOUT OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE? That is another unresolved question that Mueller is pursuing. Investigators have examined key episodes such as Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey and his fury over the recusal from the investigation of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Story continues WHAT DOES TRUMP HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ALL THIS? Trump has repeatedly slammed the Mueller investigation as a "witch hunt" and insisted there was "NO COLLUSION" with Russia. He also says his now-former lawyer, Cohen, lied to get a lighter sentence in New York. In a Fox News interview Thursday, he also denied directing Cohen to break the law. ___ For more in-depth information, follow AP coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) holds a media availability on November 7,2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington,DC. WASHINGTON Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday the Senate would take up a long-awaited bipartisan bill that aims to reduce the number of people in the nation's crowded prisons. "At the request of the president and following improvements to the legislation that has been secured by several members, the Senate will take up the revised criminal justice bill this month," the Kentucky Republican said. He added he would turn to it as early as the end of the week. An unusual coalition of Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, civil rights groups and the White House have rallied around criminal justice reform pushing for action on the latest effort: a Senate bill called the First Step Act." Despite the bipartisan push to act on the criminal justice bill, the effort had seemed to stall in the Senate. Pressure mounted in recent days with President Donald Trump urging McConnell to call up the bill for a vote. The measure, however, faced fierce opposition from some Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who said it would free too many prisoners, such as violent felons. Cotton said he looked forward to debating a revised measure and introducing amendments to address his concerns, including the early release of felons who commit certain crimes. "Unfortunately, the bill still has major problems and allows early release for many categories of serious, violent criminals,'' he said in a statement Tuesday. Republican leaders had said there wasn't enough support within the party to pass the measure. But support continued to grow in recent days. By Monday, at least 34 senators, including Democrats and Republicans, had signed onto the bill. We have the votes. Were very confident, George Hartmann, a spokesman from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told USA TODAY Tuesday. Grassley, one of the lead sponsors, and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois had launched a full-court press to push for action on the measure. Story continues The effort is not new. Republican and Democratic lawmakers had pushed for years to reform the criminal justice system, but efforts stalled often over issues such as mandatory minimum sentencing. The House passed a criminal justice reform bill earlier this year, but advocates complained it didn't address the controversial issue of mandatory minimum sentencing. The Senate bill among other things includes provisions that give judges more discretion in sentencing offenders for nonviolent crime, particularly drug offenders, and aims to improve rehabilitation programs for former prisoners. Weve never been closer," Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said last Tuesday at a panel hosted by the Washington Post Live Center. Theres no reason why we shouldnt take a vote. This bill needs to pass this year." Supporters of criminal justice reform said action on legislation is long overdue. Mass incarceration is probably one of the largest civil rights atrocities that currently exist,'' said Inimai M. Chettiar, director of the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. Some advocates complain the Senate bill doesn't go far enough to address concerns, such as systemic racism that leads to unfair sentencing. Meanwhile, some applaud the effort to at least begin overhauling the criminal justice system. Whats important is that if Washington does it, I think it encourages more states to do it as well, Chettiar said. With a busy legislative agenda, McConnell said senators should be prepared to work during the holiday week if necessary. More: Criminal justice system reform: Trump, senators on board, so what's the holdup? More: Trump embraces bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: In major shift, Mitch McConnell announces the Senate will vote on criminal justice reform bill Bamako (AFP) - A four-man "terrorist cell" suspected of planning New Year's Eve attacks in Mali, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso has been dismantled by Malian intelligence services, a statement said on Wednesday. The suspects, two from Burkina, one from Mali and one from Ivory Coast, who were arrested last week, earlier "took part in the double attack on March 2 in Ouagadougou" as well as the abduction of a Colombian nun in February 2017 in southern Mali, it said. They were "apprehended as they were preparing to carry out attacks" on the Malian capital Bamako, the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou and the Ivory Coast capital Abidjan "during New Year's Eve celebrations", the statement said. Eight soldiers were killed and scores injured in the twin attacks on Ouagadougou on March 2. France helped Malian forces stave off a jihadist insurgency that took control of large parts of northern Mali in 2012, but swathes of the country remain out of the government's control. The former colonial ruler has deployed the 4,500-member Barkhane force in the region to repel attacks and stem insurgency. In Burkina Faso, bordering Mali and Niger, authorities have been battling jihadist attacks over the last three years. Attacks initially began in the north of the country but have since spread to the east, near the border with Togo and Benin. According to a report in late September, jihadist attacks have claimed 229 lives in the country since 2015. Executive Director of TI Georgia Continues Court Dispute Over Defamation Case The court case of Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, Eka Gigauri, against Goga Khaindrava and Guram Adamashvili ended on November 30 in the court of the first instance. Although the court didnt confirm the participation of Eka Gigauri with the dispersal of the protesters on November 7, 2017, the court ruled that G. Khaindrava and G. Adamashvili were solely expressing their opinion and were not committing an act of defamation against Eka Gigauri.We want to publicly state that the decision of the court goes against the standards set on the national level, as well as international best practice, since Khaindrava and Adamashvili made several public statements, including during the court proceedings, asserting the involvement of Eka Gigauri in the dispersal of the protesters on November 7. However, they were unable to prove these accusations at the court through witnesses and evidence.Notably, it took the court an extended period of three years to rule whether or not the public statements made by Guram Adamashvili and Goga Khaindrava throughout 2014-2015 were an act of defamation against the dignity, honor, and reputation of Transparency International Georgias Executive Director Eka Gigauri.The decision of the court did not come as a surprise to Transparency International Georgia, given that the Minister of Justice, Tea Tsulukiani, and leader of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, were actively involved in the campaign to discredit Eka Gigauri and the entire civil society sector through similar defamatory public statements. We think that this could have had an influence on the outcome of the case.It is clear from the decision of the court that Eka Gigauri did not participate in the dispersal of the protestors on November 7. Transparency International Georgia and Eka Gigauri will continue the dispute and will take the case to the court of appeals. If further decisions of the courts on the national level are not independent and objective, we will address the European Court of Human Rights. A judge has granted bail to detained Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou, potentially preventing the escalation of an international row between China and the US. Almost two weeks after the 46-year-old was detained in Vancouver at the request of US authorities seeking her extradition, a judge granted bail to the Huawei executive. The judge said the executive, the daughter of the firms founder, had to pay a bond of C$10 (USD $7.5m) and follow several conditions, including the surrendering of her passports and the wearing of an ankle bracelet. The detention of the executive had threatened to further complicate relations between the US and China, which Donald Trump has previously threatened with a trade war. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Ms Meng immediately. On Tuesday, Justice William Ehrcke, at a hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, granted bail to Meng, who has been accused of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. Reuters said a Canadian citizen had been detained in China, according to the authorities. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case, but analysts had predicted retaliation from Beijing. Two sources told the news agency that the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who now works for a think tank. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the detention of Mr Kovrig, was a coincidence, said: In China there are no coincidencesIf they want to send you a message they will send you a message. Ms Meng was detained as part of a US investigation on December 1 as she was changing planes in Vancouver. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer at Chinese technology giant Huawei, was arrested on suspicion of fraud charges: REUTERS Donald Trump has vowed to intervene in the case of a Huawei executive facing fraud charges in the US if it would help to secure a trade deal with China. The American president said he would step in if I think its good for the country, after Meng Wanzhous arrest sparked fury in Beijing. Ms Meng, the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecoms giant, was bailed by a Canadian court on Tuesday but could still be extradited to the US on fraud charges. The 46-year-old, who is the daughter of Huaweis founder, was detained in Vancouver earlier this month at the request of US investigators probing alleged violations of American sanctions on Iran. China last week summoned the US ambassador to Beijing to demand American authorities revoke an arrest warrant for Ms Meng. Beijing also warned Canada there would be severe consequences if she was not quickly released. Mr Trump, who wants China to open up its markets to more American-made products, has not yet spoken to president Xi Jinping about the case. But he said: If I think its good for the country, 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. A former foreign policy adviser to Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, described Mr Trump's apparent willingness to use the case as a bargaining chip as "troubling". "Canada is acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a US extradition request," added Roland Paris. Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador and senior officer in the National Security Council, said: "I so hope this is not true. We can't be arresting people to do trade deals." A judge in British Columbia granted Ms Meng bail of $10m (6m) after three days of hearings. She is also required to wear an ankle bracelet, surrender her passports, remain in Vancouver and remain at home between 11pm and 6am. Story continues The decision was greeted with applause in a packed courtroom, where members of Vancouver's Chinese community had turned out to show support. She left the court late on Tuesday surrounded by security guards and was driven away in a black SUV without responding to questions from reporters. The US Department of Justice has accused Ms Meng of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. If a Canadian judge rules the case against her is strong enough, the countrys justice minister must decide whether to extradite her to the US, where she faces charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions. The charges each carry a maximum sentence of 30 years. Ms Mengs arrest sparked a diplomatic furore between Canada, China and the US at a time when tensions were already high over a trade war and American claims of Chinese spying. A former Canadian diplomat was detained by Chinese security services on Monday night during a visit to Beijing in apparent retaliation over the executives arrest. China's foreign ministry claimed to have no information on Hong Kong-based Michael Kovrigs arrest but said his current employer, the International Crisis Group, was not registered as a non-governmental organisation in the country. "Once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law," ministry spokesman Lu Kang added, before repeating Beijings demand for Ms Mengs release. According to news agency Reuters, the US State Department is considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens in China amid fears of reprisals. Canadas government may issue a similar warning, reported the countrys broadcaster, CTV. Cohen once said he would 'take a bullet' for the president but sensationally turned on the him - REUTERS Michael Cohen issued a stinging rebuke of his former boss Donald Trump on Wednesday as he was sentenced to three years in prison, insisting it had been his job to cover up Mr Trumps dirty deeds. Cohen, who served as Mr Trumps lawyer and fixer for a decade, likened his sentencing to a moment of freedom as he would no longer be bound by his relationship to his former employer. The sentence hearing followed Cohen pleading guilty earlier this year to four crimes: tax evasion, lying to a financial institution, lying to Congress and breaking campaign finance laws. The last of those involved paying two women who claimed affairs with Mr Trump porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to stay quiet before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen has claimed in court that Mr Trump directed the payments - something the US president has denied. Mr Trump has also suggested such payments would not amount to crimes. Michael Cohen served as Donald Trump's personal lawyer for a decade Credit: AP Appearing in a New York federal court on Wednesday, Cohen appeared to fight back tears at times as he made his case for leniency while his parents, children, wife and in-laws watched on. This may seem hard to believe but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life," Cohen said. "The irony is today is the day I get my freedom back. I have been leading a personal and mental incarceration ever since the fateful day that I accepted the offer to work for a famous real estate mogul whose business acumen I greatly admired." He accepted full responsibility for his crimes, but added of Mr Trump: It was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds. Cohen said he would not be remembered as the villain" when a history of Mr Trump is written. There was also an apology to the American people, with Cohen acknowledging that you deserve to know the truth and lying to you was unjust. The comments underscored Cohen's remarkable about-turn this year, from Mr Trumps most ardent defender who boasted he would take a bullet for the US president to an open and hostile critic. Story continues Cohen had hoped that his co-operation with the Russian election meddling investigation, being led by special counsel Robert Mueller, would spare him jail time for his crimes. However New York federal prosecutors, who along with Mr Muellers team pursued the cases, chastised Cohen for not fully co-operating by revealing all about his past behaviour. William Pauley, a US district judge, said that Cohen should get some credit for his part co-operation but that it was not enough to wipe the slate clean. Mr Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass," Judge Pauley said, adding, that he had committed a "veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" motivated by "personal greed and ambition". He suggested that Cohens actions amounted to an insidious crime to our democratic institutions and insisted his sentence needed to act as a deterrent. Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay close to $2 million in fines and other financial penalties. He closed his eyes and shook his head as the sentence was read. The three years was at the lower end of sentencing recommendations. Cohen must voluntarily surrender on March 6 raising the prospect of striking a new co-operation agreement with prosecutors before that date. Mr Trump played down the significance of the hush money payments in an interview with Reuters before the sentencing, saying they did not amount to campaign contributions. Michael Cohen should have known what he was doing. I hope he did. My lawyers say frankly that everything he did was fine, Mr Trump said. Michael Cohen has warned that he has more to say about what he called the dirty deeds of Donald Trump as the presidents former lawyer and fixer was sentenced to three years in prison for facilitating payments to two women who have had alleged affairs with Mr Trump. Cohen was sentenced to 36 months for tax fraud and for his role in the payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and the former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had affairs with Mr Trump before the 2016 presidential election. The judge in a district court in New York also handed Cohen an extra two months for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. The payments have implicated Mr Trump directly in criminal conduct according to a court filing from prosecutors last week, which said that Cohen was working in coordination with the president. Cohens adviser Lanny Davis, who was his attorney for the case, said after the sentencing that Cohen will disclose more information concerning Mr Trump, once Robert Mueller wraps up his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and possible collusion with Trump campaign officials. At the appropriate time, after Mr Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr Trump and that includes any appropriate congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies, Mr Davis said in a statement. Mr Trumps repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts, Mr Davis added. Cohen is due to surrender and begin his sentence on 6 March 2019. He must also forfeit $500,000 (395,000) restitute $1.4m (1.1m) and pay a $50,000 (39,500) fine. He had pleaded guilty to the charges against him. US district judge William H Pauley III said Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging the illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Trumps presidential campaign. Story continues While Mr Cohen pledges to help in further investigations that is not something the court can consider now, the judge added. The sentencing capped a stunning about-face for Cohen who had previously said he would take a bullet for the president. In an emotional statement to court which included tears, Cohen described his disillusionment with Trump and that he had committed his crimes out of blind loyalty to the president. I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired, Cohen said. I know now, in fact, there is little to be admired. It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light, Cohen said. I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds, referring to Mr Trump. As the sentence was imposed Cohen stood and faced the judge before sitting with his head in his hands and then exchanging hugs with his family, including his son and daughter who sobbed at the sentence. Federal prosecutors in New York alleged that Cohen, just before the November 2016 election, paid Ms Daniels $130,000 (102,000) and helped arrange a $150,000 (118,000) payment to Ms McDougal so the women would keep quiet. Mr Trump has denied the alleged affairs. Federal law requires that the contribution of anything of value to a campaign must be disclosed, and an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700 (2,100). After the sentencing, the New York prosecutors also announced that the publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper has struck a deal to avoid charges over its role in paying hush money to Ms McDougal. As part of the deal, publisher American Media Inc (AMI) admitted that it made the $150,000 payment to Ms McDougal, in concert with Mr Trumps presidential campaign to make sure her story was not published and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. It marked another potentially worrisome legal development for the president. In a tweet, prominent supreme court lawyer Neal Katyal also called the sentence for Cohen bad news for Trump. In most jurisdictions, subordinates who carry out felonies at the direction of their boss get lower criminal sentences than the boss, Mr Katyal said. The judge rejected arguments by Cohens lawyers that he should be spared jail time because he cooperated in investigations involving Mr Trump. The New York federal prosecutors who handled the tax and payments case said Cohen had not entered a full cooperation deal with them and so should face a substantial term of imprisonment. However, in a separate filing Mr Muellers team had asked the judge to give consideration to Cohens work with them, saying it went to the crux of the investigation into potential collusion. Judge Pauley said Cohens cooperation with prosecutors does not wipe the slate clean of his crimes, and that Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass. He added that Mr Trumps former lawyer should have known better than to dodge taxes, lie to Congress and violate campaign finance laws. Addressing the court, the judge equated Cohens actions to a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct. Cohens crimes included evading $1.4m (1.1m) in taxes and misleading Congress about his talks with Russians about the Trump skyscraper project in Moscow. Cohen said in written testimony to two congressional committees that the talks ended in January 2016, before the first electoral contests to select the Republican presidential nominee, when they actually continued until June 2016 after Mr Trump clinched the Republican nomination. The project never went ahead. Mr Trump denied the payments to the women were campaign contributions earlier this week. If it were, its only civil, and even if its only civil, there was no violation based on what we did, he said. Mr Trump has called for a tough sentence for Cohen, whom he labelled a liar. Mr Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Mr Muellers team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied US allegations of interfering in the election to help Mr Trump. Michael Avenatti, Ms Daniels lawyer, attended the sentencing and said outside the courthouse: Michael Cohen is neither a hero nor a patriot. He lied for months about his conduct Michael Cohen was sentenced today, President Trump is next, he added. Agencies contributed to this report. NEW YORK Michael Cohen was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison, making the longtime personal attorney for Donald Trump the first member of the presidents inner circle to serve time in a case that could place the former real estate mogul in legal jeopardy. Cohen, known for years as Trumps fixer in legal and business matters, had pleaded guilty in August to a series of crimes, including campaign-finance violations and tax evasion in the Southern District of New York. And Cohen admitted last month lying to Congress as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. "My own weakness was blind loyalty to the man that caused me to choose the path of darkness," Cohen said, his voice cracking at times. Time and time again, I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." Cohen said he took "full responsibility" for the nine felonies to which he had pleaded guilty "the personal ones to me and those involving the president of the United States of America." Cohen must surrender for prison on March 6. He was also ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution for his unpaid taxes, and another $100,000 in fines. Manhattan U.S.District Court Judge William Pauley walked through each of the counts against Cohen, saying "each of these crimes is a serious offense against the United States." Pauley agreed to a modest reduction of Cohen's prison sentence to reward him for his cooperation, but said his "veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" required a punishment to match. "Somewhere along the way, Mr. Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass," Pauley said. Our democratic institutions depend on the honesty of our citizenry in dealing with the government. After Pauley announced his sentence to a crowded Manhattan courtroom, Cohen's father, Maurice Cohen, 83, who had entered in a wheelchair, held his face in his hands. "I'm dizzy as hell," he said. "My world is spinning out of control." Story continues Cohen's daughter Samantha had limped into court on a crutch and started to sob as soon as sentencing was pronounced. Cohen, who once said he would take a bullet for Trump, has been cooperating with Muellers team, and has provided prosecutors with a potential bounty of information about the Trump campaign's contacts with the Kremlin. Prosecutors have said he given them information about "core" aspects of the Russia probe, based in part on his connections to Trump's private company and his administration. Cohen said his cooperation with prosecutors against his onetime boss was a way of "ensuring that history will not remember me as the villain of this story." He apologized to his family and the public, who he said "deserved to know the truth." Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and Trumps personal attorney, dismissed Cohen as a complete liar and a scoundrel and said that what the presidents former associate has told prosecutors doesnt matter. Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, arrives with daughter Samantha Blake Cohen and wife Laura Shusterman, at right, at U.S. District Court New York on Dec. 12, 2018. He was to be sentenced for campaign-finance violations and lying to Congress. Cohen and Trump once seemed a united team. Trump's fame and wealth grew with the licensing of his name and his starring role in The Apprentice, while Cohen took on the real estate developer's critics in legal combat. But their relationship ruptured this year as federal prosecutors and Mueller investigated both men. Cohen seemed to cement the split as he sought leniency on Wednesday, telling the judge that he had been in a form of "personal and mental incarceration" since the day he began working for the businessman he admired so much that acquaintances said Cohen referred to him even privately as "Mr. Trump." "Today," he said, his voice cracking, "is the day I am getting my freedom back," he said. Cohen is the first member of Trump's inner circle to be sentenced in the tandem criminal investigations that have cast a shadow over his presidency. Three other senior aides former national security adviser Mike Flynn, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months after they too pleaded guilty to federal crimes. And a former aide to Trump's campaign, George Papadopoulos, recently completed a 14-day prison sentence for lying to the FBI about a person he thought was a Russian offering "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. Lanny Davis, a lawyer representing Cohen, said his client will continue to share what he knows about his former boss. At the appropriate time, after Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump and that includes any appropriate Congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lie, Davis said. Mr. Trumps repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts. Mueller's ongoing investigation began in May 2017. The New York prosecutors executed search warrants at Cohen's office, home and hotel room last year after being referred by Mueller's team. More: Did Michael Cohen disclose every crime he knows about? More: From fixer to informant: Timeline of Michael Cohen's role in Russia probe The New York prosecutors say Cohen paid hush money to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep them from publicizing claims they had sexual affairs with him, potentially jeopardizing his presidential campaign. Trump has denied the women's accounts. President Donald Trump's former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty on Nov. 29, 2018, to one count of lying to Congress about his work on a project to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who represented Daniels, called it an outrage that Cohen did not get a stiffer sentence and said the case suggested trouble for Trump. Michael Cohen is neither a hero nor a patriot. Only when his back was against the wall and he faced significant prison time, did he choose to come clean, Avenatti said. "Michael Cohen was sentenced today. Donald Trump is next." The Manhattan prosecutors endorsed Cohen's assertion that the payments to the women, without required public disclosure and over campaign contribution giving limits, were made at Trump's direction implicating the president in the crime. Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to banks about his income and assets as he sought loans, and to evading more than $1 million in federal tax payments. Separately, Cohen pleaded guilty last month to lying to the Senate and House intelligence committees as the panels examined allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Cohen admitted he lied last year when he told the panels that plans to build a potential Trump Tower in Moscow were dropped in January 2016, before the start of the Republican presidential primaries. He acknowledged that discussions actually continued into June 2016. By then, Trump was the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. In a sentencing memo filed last week, Mueller's team said Cohen also provided information showing that someone claiming to have Russian ties reached out to the attorney and by extension the Trump presidential campaign as well as Trump earlier than was known publicly. Trump has repeatedly criticized Cohen since their relationship ended. He told reporters last month that his erstwhile attorney was a "weak person," and accused him of providing false testimony to Mueller in the hope of a lighter sentence. Trump later called Cohen a liar, and said he should "serve a full and complete sentence." Michael Cohen asks judge for no Prison Time. You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term? He makes up stories to get a GREAT & ALREADY reduced deal for himself, and get..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018 ....his wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott Free. He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018 Cohen acknowledged the tweet, but called himself "weak in a different way." My weakness can be characterized as blind loyalty to Donald Trump," Cohen said. The New York prosecutors recommended last week that Cohen serve roughly 42 months in prison. Federal sentencing guidelines suggest 51 to 63 months. The prosecutors said Cohen merited some reduction for cooperating with Mueller. But they said he did not qualify as a cooperating witness because he "repeatedly declined to provide full information about the scope of any additional criminal conduct in which he may have engaged or had knowledge." Mueller's team called Cohen's assistance "useful." The team cited information he provided about his contacts with Russian interests during the presidential campaign, as well as his contacts with persons connected with the White House in 2017 and 2018. The team wrote that Cohen provided information about matters "core" to Mueller's investigation that the attorney obtained "by virtue of his regular contact" with executives of the Trump Organization during the presidential campaign. Mueller's team had recommended that any sentence Pauley imposed for Cohen's lies to Congress run concurrently with any sentence the judge ordered for the crimes investigated by the Southern District of New York. Cohen's attorneys argued that he should be spared prison time because he had pleaded guilty and given information to both investigative teams. They noted that Cohen also met with the New York Attorney General's office and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance about issues related to Trump and or his charitable foundation. And they pointed out that Cohen did not join Trump's repeated criticism of Mueller's investigations. "He could have fought the government and continued to hold to the party line, positioning himself for a pardon or clemency," the attorneys wrote, "but, instead for himself, his family, and his country he took personal responsibility for his own wrongdoing and contributed, and is prepared to continue to contribute, to an investigation that he views as thoroughly legitimate and vital." Follow USA TODAY reporter Kevin McCoy on Twitter: @kmccoynyc. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, is sentenced to three years in prison for 'dirty deeds' WASHINGTON Attorneys for former national security adviser Michael Flynn requested late Tuesday that the retired Army lieutenant general spend no time in prison and be sentenced to one year of probation based on his cooperation with Russia special counsel Robert Mueller. Flynn's attorneys made their case in court documents filed in advance of his Dec. 18 sentencing date. "General Flynns respect for the law is demonstrated by his decision to accept responsibility for his actions soon after the Special Counsels Office reached out to him and sought his cooperation," Flynn's lawyers said. The attorneys, however, did offer a new account of Flynn's interactions with FBI agents during a Jan. 24, 2017 interview in which the newly installed national security adviser, without a lawyer present, lied about his contacts with Russia ambassador Sergey Kisylak. Prior to the interview, the attorneys said, FBI officials had decided that they would not warn Flynn about the criminal consequences for lying to federal agents. "One of the agents reported that General Flynn was 'unguarded' during the interview and 'clearly saw the FBI agents as allies,' " the Flynn document stated. The attorneys noted that the interview had been arranged by then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, who was subsequently fired for unauthorized disclosures to reporters. One of the interviewing agents was Peter Strzok, a senior counter-intelligence agent who was ultimately dismissed for making disparaging comments about candidate Donald Trump in text messages exchanged with an FBI lawyer, who was Strzok's girlfriend. "Even when circumstances later came to light that prompted extensive public debate about the investigation of General Flynn, including revelations that certain FBI officials involved in the Jan. 24 interview of General Flynn were themselves being investigated for misconduct, General Flynn did not back away from accepting responsibility for his actions," Flynn's attorneys said. Story continues Last week, Mueller's prosecutors provided an account of Flynn's extensive cooperation, citing the former general's "substantial" assistance to the Russia inquiry and at least two other undisclosed investigations in recommending that he serve no prison time. Flynn, according to prosecutors, has met with investigators 19 times since he pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Kislyak during the run-up to President Donald Trump's inauguration. Flynn's expansive discussions with Mueller's team stand in stark contrast to the interactions involving former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, whose lawyers were due in court Tuesday to respond to prosecutors' assertions that Manafort had repeatedly lied to them, in violation of a cooperation agreement brokered in September. Manafort pleaded guilty to financial fraud to avoid a second trial in the District of Columbia following his August conviction on related financial fraud charges in a Virginia federal court. The collapse of the plea agreement exposes the 68-year-old Manafort to a possible decade-long prison sentence in the D.C. case alone. Prosecutors, meanwhile, lauded Flynn's assistance, claiming that his early guilty plea and decision to cooperate "likely affected the decisions of related firsthand witnesses to be forthcoming with the (special counsels office) and cooperate. More: Michael Flynn re-emerges as major witness in Robert Mueller's inquiry and at least two others More: Mueller probe: Michael Flynn has offered 'substantial' assistance to investigation; no prison time recommended "The defendants record of military and public service distinguish him from every other person who has been charged as part the (special counsel's) investigation," prosecutors said. "However, senior government leaders should be held to the highest standards. The defendants 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." Flynn, who memorably called for the jailing of Democrat Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Republican convention, admitted to lying during an FBI interview about his conversations with Kislyak, Russias former ambassador to the United States. Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions with Kislyak on Trumps behalf during the presidential transition and said members of the presidents inner circle were aware of, and in some cases directing, his efforts, according to the plea. Flynn had urged Kislyak not to respond to sanctions imposed by the Obama administration in response to Russian election interference. Flynns FBI interview came just weeks before he was forced to resign in February 2017. The White House said he was fired for misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other senior officials about the content of his conversations with Kislyak. As part of his plea, Flynn also admitted to lying about Turkish lobbying and research work. He belatedly registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for the work weeks after he left the White House. In court documents Tuesday, Flynn's lawyers also cited the Army general's extensive public service record of more than three decades, including testimonials from a long list of former military colleagues, friends and family. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michael Flynn's lawyers request no prison time, defend cooperation with Mueller team Brach Eichler Adds Five Associates Five associates joined various practices at Brach Eichler in Roseland: Susan Frankel, Cynthia Liba, Regina Rodriguez, Andrew Russo and Ella Yusim. Firm managing partner John D. Fanburg said in a statement that the associates "bring a wealth of varied experience to their practice groups and will provide valuable counsel to Brach Eichlers clients. Their diverse backgrounds will serve our clients well in their respective areas of practice, and we look forward to their contributions. Five attorneys have joined Brach Eichler LLC in Roseland as associates in the firms health law, trusts and estates and personal injury practice groups. Susan Frankel Photo Credit: Dennis Degnan.Frankel, previously the director of operations and compliance for a multi-state physician practice, joined the health law practice. handling regulatory and litigation matters on behalf of providers and facilities. She has experience in commercial litigation, employment law, real estate, business disputes, securities matteres and intellectual property. She previously worked in law firm senior management in New York. She is admitted in New Jersey and New York, and U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. She earned her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, an LL.M. in health law from Loyola University in Chicago, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Binghamton University (SUNY). Five attorneys have joined Brach Eichler LLC in Roseland as associates in the firms health law, trusts and estates and personal injury practice groups. Cynthia Liba Photo Credit: Dennis Degnan.Liba joined the health law practice group to handle business transactions and regulatory compliance issues. She previously was an agency attorney at the New York City Human Resources Administrations Office of Legal Affairs, Health and Community Services Litigation and Program Counseling Unit. She interned with the civil division of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania; the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Risk Management; and the New York State Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. She is admitted in New Jersey and New York. She earned her J.D. and a certificate in health law from University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and graduated magna cum laude from Binghamton University (SUNY) with a B.A. Story continues Five attorneys have joined Brach Eichler LLC in Roseland as associates in the firms health law, trusts and estates and personal injury practice groups. Regina Rodriguez Photo Credit: Dennis Degnan.Rodriguez joined the personal injury practice group. She has been in private practice for several years, most recently as an associate at Dario, Albert, Metz & Eyerman in Union City, where she handled landlord-tenancy, civil, and real estate cases. Rodriguez also served as a public defender in Union City Municipal Court. Prior to practicing of law, Rodriguez worked at Prudential Financial, serving as a senior analyst of business, quality and control, and then as manager of compliance. She is admitted in New Jersey. She holds a J.D. from New York Law School and a B.A. from New York University. Five attorneys have joined Brach Eichler LLC in Roseland as associates in the firms health law, trusts and estates and personal injury practice groups. Andrew Russo Photo Credit: Dennis Degnan.Russopreviously an associate at Frier & Levitt representing specialty and retail pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, and other providers on litigation and regulationjoined the health law practice group. He counsels providers, systems and facilities on transactional and regulatory compliance matters. He is admitted in New Jersey and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He earned his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, with a concentration in health law, and is certified in health care compliance through Seton Hall Laws compliance certification program. Russo earned a B.A. from Franklin & Marshall. Five attorneys have joined Brach Eichler LLC in Roseland as associates in the firms health law, trusts and estates and personal injury practice groups. Ella Yusim Photo Credit: Dennis Degnan.Yusim joined the trusts and estates practice. She concentrates on estate administration matters. She previously was an associate at Connors and Sullivan in Brooklyn, New York, where she counseled clients on estate planning, created estate and wealth-preservation plans, handled post-death administration, and represented fiduciaries, heirs, and beneficiaries in contested trust and estate matters. She led the firms pro bono initiative to assist veterans with estate-planning issues. She is admitted in New Jersey and New York State. She earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, where she was notes editor of the Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial, and Commercial Law. She earned a B.B.A, cum laude, from Baruch College (CUNY Honors College). Little Muggles will love the Harry Potter Film-Inspired Collector Doll , just $20.97 at Walmart. Whether your child is a fan of Harry Potter books, movies or both, Harry Potter gear is always a hit. And anything that can allow kids to act out their favorite Harry Potter scenes (or make up their own) is sure to go over big. Mattel has created a line of Harry Potter Film-Inspired Collector Dolls, including one of Harry himself, at the parent-friendly price of $20.97 at Walmart.com. Your little Muggle will love Harrys lifelike features, complete with his iconic scar and glasses. Harry is also easy to move he has 11 joints in his neck, shoulders, hips, knees, elbows, and wrists to help him create whatever poses your child can dream up. Photo: Walmart Harry comes in his signature Hogwarts uniform and Gryffindor robe, along with a personalized wand just like the one he uses onscreen. And heads up: There are other Harry Potter dolls out there that your HP fan can add to the mix, including Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Professor Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall. Shown in box: Harry Potter Film-Inspired Collector Doll, $20.97 at Walmart. (Photo: Walmart) The Harry Potter doll is big with online reviewers. Be still my heart, Lola from Sunny and Lola told her 7,200 subscribers, adding that shes also really excited about the dolls. I love the fact that they are movie accurate, she says. Theyre just so pretty and so well done. When I saw the dolls, I fell in love, BratzPowerGirl says in her YouTube review. The wands are really, really detailed, she says, adding that the dolls can hold their wand on their own. This Harry Potter doll is great for any Harry Potter collector! nchen writes on Walmart.com. Doll is a true replica and has great details such as Harry Potters iconic scar and glasses. Outfit and wand also make the doll look just like his character in the movies. One thing to keep in mind, according to reviewer Kim: Harrys eye color reflects that of the movie character not the book character. The book makes such a big deal about his green eyes, she points out. For just $20.97, your child can have his or her very own Harry Potter doll. The Wizarding World awaits Story continues Check out more of the Walmart toys that kid experts and their parents are loving from our Holiday 2018 Top Toys Guide. This article was paid for by Walmart and created by Yahoo Lifestyle. The Yahoo Lifestyle editorial staff did not participate in the creation of this content. 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. 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. PLAN 31st fleet ships sailing to the Gulf of Aden (Credit: CGTN) 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. Moving on: Outgoing Barclays Chairman John McFarlane. Photo: Bryan Thomas/Getty Images The chairman of British investment bank Barclays says the government should move forward with a Brexit deal and that walking away from the European Union without a deal in place could send the United Kingdom into a recession. On Tuesday, a day after postponing a vote on the Brexit negotiation in order to avoid defeat, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May met with European leaders in a last-ditch effort to help get a deal past through parliament. With the March 29 deadline for the United Kingdoms exit from the EU looming, the pressure has ramped for Mays government to finalize and pass a deal. Speaking at the International Economic Forum of the Americas in Toronto on Tuesday, Barclays chairman John McFarlane said that letting the March deadline pass without a deal in place would be detrimental, not only for the EU, but especially the U.K. He said the anything other than remaining in the EU would be negative, but the consequences of no deal would be significantly worse for both partners, with the U.K. plunging into a very difficult recession. Weve been trying to make sure, particularly the business community, that a no deal does not happen, because its bad for everybody, he said. Therefore weve been very supportive of the Prime Minister in trying to get the best deal possible. But a no deal exit has been looking increasingly likely in recent days, as May struggles to get the support in Parliament to pass a Brexit deal through. May met with European leaders on Tuesday in an effort to salvage the deal, but did not get support to reopen negotiations. According to Reuters, German Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled out more negotiations on Brexit in a meeting with May, a sentiment that was also echoed by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. There is no room whatsoever for negotiating, Juncker said during a speech to the European parliament hours ahead of his meeting with May. This will not happen. Everyone needs to know the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. Story continues Still, McFarlane, who is also the chairman of the financial sector advocacy group TheCityUK, said he thinks the most likely scenario is that May will go back to the EU and get another arrangement regarding the contentious Ireland border backstop. He acknowledged that another referendum is a possibility, but he is hopeful that a new deal will be passed and that the no-deal scenario is avoided. However, if it does, McFarlane says there are contingency plans in place. This is all manageable, he told reporters after his fireside chat. It would be better if we didnt have to manage it. With files from Yahoo Finance UK. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Photo credit: DEA PICTURE LIBRARY - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics One of Americas very first warships, and a vessel that would become the namesake of a distinguished line of warships, was just discovered in waters off the United Kingdom. The Bonhomme Richard, commanded at the time by Captain John Paul Jones, was sunk during a duel with two Royal Navy warships during the Revolutionary War. The ship, from which Jones uttered his famous line, I have not yet begun to fight, was found literally yards from shore. As American schoolkids know, the thirteen colonies received substantial, war-winning assistance from France during the American Revolutionary War. French help included sending naval and ground forces to bolster the colonial rebels, and also material support-including warships. One of those warships was the ex-merchant ship Duc De Duras, which had been assigned to the French East India Company. When the company shut down, it was handed over to the French Navy, who donated the ship to the U.S. Continental Navy. American captain John Paul Jones arrived in France to take command. He armed the ship with 40 deck guns, 20 per side, and commissioned the ship Bonhomme Richard, or Good Man Richard. (The Richard in this case was the fictional Richard of Poor Richards Almanac , authored by then-ambassador to France Benjamin Franklin.) Photo credit: Archive Photos - Getty Images On September 23, 1779, an American/French squadron led by Bonhomme Richard made contact with a convoy led by the British warships Serapis and Countess of Scarborough. During the course of battle the Bonhomme Richard sustained heavy damage, and at one point the captain of the Serapis asked Jones if his ship had "struck its colors," a naval tradition signifying surrender in battle. Jones famously replied, Struck sir? I have not yet begun to fight! His sailors and Marines rallied, Jones ended up capturing the Serapis-which came in handy when Bonhomme Richard sank the next day. Over the years numerous American search crews have gone looking for the Bonhomme Richard, but none of them were successful. The Yorkshire Post, a publication located near where the wreck was found, estimates that $200 million has been spent locating the sunken warship. Bruce Blackburn, the head of the maritime archaeology firm that found the wreck, told the Post , You can walk out onto the wreck from the shore. You can literally go to the beach and look in the water and see where it is. And you can go on the cliffs and look down on it and see the shadows outline. Story continues Although the wreck lies in British waters, under U.S. law it is subject to the Sunken Military Craft Act . Passed into law in 2004, the act states that the U.S. Navy's sunken military craft remain property of the U.S. regardless of their location or the passage of time and may not be disturbed without the permission from the U.S. Navy. Photo credit: Newspix - Getty Images Since then, two other U.S. Navy warships have borne the name Bonhomme Richard. The USS Bonhomme Richard ( CV-31 ) was an Essex-class fleet aircraft carrier that fought in the Pacific during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The latest ship to bear the name USS Bonhomme Richard ( LHD-6 ) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship with the home port of San Diego. ('You Might Also Like',) The pair have expressed deep remorse and have said they will try to repay the sum: Getty 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. 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. In a letter sent to pupils parents earlier this month, the school said it hoped families had not lost trust in the institution. By Alex Lawler LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC said on Wednesday it had offset a drop in sanctions-hit Iranian oil exports and lowered the 2019 forecast of demand for its crude, underlining the challenge the producer group faces to prevent a glut even after last week's decision to trim output. In a monthly report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said 2019 demand for its crude would fall to 31.44 million barrels per day, 100,000 bpd less than predicted last month and 1.53 million less than it currently produces. Worried by a drop in oil prices and rising supplies, OPEC and its allies including Russia last week agreed to return to supply cuts next year. They pledged to lower output by 1.2 million bpd, of which OPEC's share is 800,000 bpd. OPEC expects global oil demand to slow next year and sees little support from the economic backdrop. "Rising trade tensions, monetary tightening and geopolitical challenges are among the issues that skew economic risks even further to the downside in 2019," OPEC said in the report. "The upside appears limited." The supply cut was a policy U-turn after the producer alliance known as OPEC+ had agreed in June to boost supply amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to lower prices and cover an expected shortfall in Iranian exports. OPEC changed course after prices dropped steeply from a four-year high above $86 a barrel in October on concern that demand was weakening amid adequate supply. Crude rose on Wednesday to trade above $61 a barrel. In another sign of excess supply, OPEC's report on Wednesday said oil inventories in developed economies had risen back above the five-year average in October. Supply cuts that began in 2017 by OPEC and its allies had previously erased an inventory overhang that weighed on prices. FILLING IRAN GAP In the report, OPEC said its oil output fell by only 11,000 bpd month-on-month to 32.97 million bpd in November, despite the reimposition of sanctions on Iran. Iranian output posted the biggest decline, of 380,000 bpd. This was offset by increases of 377,000 bpd from top exporter Saudi Arabia and an extra 71,000 bpd from the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia told OPEC it pumped at a record rate of 11.093 million bpd. The figures suggest there will still be a surplus in the market next year should OPEC fully deliver the 800,000-bpd cut and other things remain equal, although this could be eroded by a further decline in Iran or unplanned outages in other nations. Qatar plans to leave OPEC in 2019 but, for now, remains in the OPEC group in the forecasts. (Reporting by Alex Lawler; Editing by Dale Hudson and Mark Potter) Ricardo Montalban smiling at swimsuit wearing Esther Williams in a scene from the film Neptunes Daughter, 1949. (Photo by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images) The decrees are coming daily now: The righteously indignant are rooting through the attics of our collective nostalgia, dusting off the cultural touchstones they have decided should be relegated to bonfire of history, and holding them up to the increasingly glaring light of social media. This politically-correct housecleaning reached a new pitch in early December, as we have seen cultural markers A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeers 1964 TV special, and songs from Disneys Little Mermaid brought up on the P.C. charges of being insensitive, cruel or sexist. Even James Bond a fictional character, remember was recently excoriated in a Scottish medical journal for never once in his 56-year career as a womanizing spy mentioned using a condom in his many dalliances. Most prominently, it was the banishing of a 74-year-old song from North American airwaves that caused the greatest consternation and debate. Baby Its Cold Outside, written by Frank Loesser in 1944, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for 1949s Neptunes Daughter. A perennial favourite ever since, recorded hundreds of times, it has become a meme and even a stand-up target in recent years, with wags calling it out as a stalker song or being just a bit rapey. A Cleveland disc jockey recently decided to pick up the #MeToo flag and claimed the song was in fact predatory in nature. Initially seen as click-worthy news fodder, it caught fire and by weeks end, several very large media companies like Rogers and the CBC panicked and decided the song should be shelved. Many have rushed to the songs defence, saying it was a product of its time, when women were not permitted to say yes, for fear of ruining their reputations. A dispassionate reading of the lyrics will clearly show it is a clever verbal dance, and putting modern day twists into the lyrics such as Say, whats in this drink? that must mean roofies, are patently ridiculous. Story continues The songs most popular version was recorded for 1959s A Winter Romance, by Dean Martin. Dino sings his version with not one, but a chorus of women. His daughter Deana Martin has kept her famous fathers legacy alive by writing a touching biography and sings many of his songs in her own club act, including the number in question. Baby Its Cold Outside is a cute, flirtatious and romantic song. Its been recorded by dozens of the worlds top recording artists for over 60 years including my dad Dean Martin, The King Of Cool, Martin said in a statement to Yahoo Canada. Im very proud that it has become an evergreen favourite that is played every holiday season. I personally love performing Baby Its Cold Outside and will continue to do so. And theres the issue. The good intentions of #MeToo, the Parkland anti-gun protests, a societal glumness and the constant outrage over Donald Trump have created a conflict mentality. Those wishing to preserve traditional norms (and whats more traditional than Christmas?) and lifestyles are slamming into a wall of change brought about largely by Millennials and others so disaffected they see the their parents lives as antiquated, parochial and worthy of derision. The political correctness we experience today is reinforced by a burgeoning culture of victimhood that goes well beyond the original context of the term, which was often easily dismissed as the talking points of radical ideologies gone too far. People now believe they have licence to say whatever they think, much like the American president, and are finding fault with everything. Last month, Canadian comedian Howie Mandel said he wanted to give up stand-up. He felt he couldnt joke about anything even remotely controversial because he will be instantly pilloried on social media, his career could be ruined in 140 characters and the overly sensitive were destroying his profession. He points to the problem inherent with this new instantaneous political correctness, which is more about preventing individual emotional distress than holding up broad protections for society. And it has no logical conclusion. Finding fault with something or someone leaves an intoxicating feeling of superiority, and by shaking ever-larger moral sticks, we feel better in our snowballing righteousness and perceive that we have greater power over others. Predictable as the old-guard backlash against bans on Christmas songs or TV specials may be, the demographic shift to a society of young people who have never heard of Charlie Brown or Dean Martin is imposing its will; one that is noisily setting a tone of personal indignation that will last for decades. Frank Loesser was right: Baby, its bad out there. Hebron (Territoires palestiniens) (AFP) - 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. Story continues "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. Peter F. Vaira. Peter F. Vaira. Honored Peter Vaira, of counsel to Greenblatt, Pierce, Funt & Flores, was awarded a special commendation by the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers on Nov. 16 at the groups annual White Collar Practice Seminar in Philadelphia. He was commended for his many years of service on behalf of PACDL, particularly for his efforts to cause changes to Pennsylvania grand jury practice. The state Supreme Courts Grand Jury Task Force is currently considering changes to grand jury procedure. Vaira has handled complex criminal and civil matters in state and federal court throughout his 50 years of practice. He directs Greenblatt Pierces alternative dispute resolution practice. He is also a certified national and international arbitrator who serves as a special master in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Commerce Court program. In his role as special master, he arbitrates and mediates commercial litigation disputes; oversees court-authorized settlements; arbitrates litigation discovery disputes, litigation ethical conduct complaints and labor union trusteeships; mediates ongoing construction disputes, and more. ***** Michele Hangley was honored by Nationalities Service Center for completing two terms of service on its board. Hangley is a shareholder with Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller. Her commercial litigation practice covers a broad range of areas, including business tort and breach of contract claims and intellectual property disputes. Elise Fialkowski, Nationalities Service Centers board nominations and governance committee chair, and NSC executive director Margaret OSullivan helped honor Hangley at the NSCs annual meeting Nov. 29. Speakers Ellen C. Brotman and Margaret Cassidy presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute Business Law Institute. Their topic was Managing Government and Internal Investigations. Brotman is founder and owner of BrotmanLaw. Her practice focuses on the areas of professional responsibility and ethics, criminal defense, and appellate advocacy. She has defended a variety of high-profile criminal cases, including political and public corruption, securities fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, currency structuring and other white-collar crimes involving complex trial, sentencing and appellate issues. Cassidy is the founder and owner of Cassidy Law. Cassidy advises businesses on ethics and compliance requirements and represents businesses and individuals facing civil or criminal investigations or audits when working with the federal government or doing business internationally. Story continues ***** Announcements Attention young lawyers! Send in your questions for a new Q&A advice column for the Young Lawyers page in The Legal. A panel of experts from the law firm Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis will answer a few selected questions in each monthly column, advising young lawyers about their career, professional development, office politics, business development, pro bono work, relationships with mentors and colleagues, and so on. Email your questions to krearick@alm.com. Spain is set to approve increasing the country's monthly minimum wage in 2019 by 22%, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez parliament on Wednesday. He said raising the minimum wage to 1,050 euros($1,192) is "the biggest since 1977," adding that it will be submitted to a cabinet meeting in Barcelona on December 21. The measure was part of his minority Socialist government's draft 2019 budget which he is struggling to pass in parliament so it will now be approved by decree. Amidst some discord, world leaders in Poland for the COP24 U.N. climate summit are fine tuning steps to curb the wide-reaching devastation of global warming. Nearly 200 countries are attending the 12-day climate talks in Katowice, where they are finalizing regulations arising from the 2015 Paris accord. On Tuesday, U.N. climate chief Patricia Espinosa encouraged delegates to work in a spirit of unity, the Associated Press reported. Just one day earlier, the U.S. received faint support for an event promoting greenhouse-gas-causing fossil fuels, the Guardian reported. Only Australia showed support, while several dozen environmental activists chanted Shame on you, and Keep it in the ground, according to the Guardian. Countries attending the talks are being encouraged to take on a more vigorous approach to decreasing ozone-depleting emissions. Developing countries, meanwhile, are looking for financial assistance in tackling the issue. There are national realities that are different, and national capabilities that are different. And translating this into rules is very hard, Espinosa said of the talks over the weekend, Politico reported. Hoesung Lee, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told attendees that urgent action is needed to tackle global warming, the AP reported. We are moving in the right direction in many areas, but we need to do more and faster. Several foreign activists have denounced Polands Border Guard for detaining or deporting them since the start of the conference, according to the AP. Maria Kolesnikova, an activist who came to the summit from Kyrgyzstan said these actions took away the opportunity to voice my concerns. The talks conclude Dec. 14. Meanwhile, Germany announced Tuesday it is hesitant to host the 2019 U.N. climate panels. Deputy environment minister Jochen Flasbarth told reporters Berlin would not be able to host an event on the scale of last year. By Vincent Kessler and John Irish STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - Police searched through eastern France on Wednesday for a man suspected of killing at least two people in a gun attack on a Christmas market in Strasbourg and who was known to have been religiously radicalized while in jail. Witnesses told investigators the assailant cried out "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greater) as he launched his attack on the market, the Paris prosecutor said. The prosecutor, Remy Heitz, also suggested the suspect may have chosen his target for its religious symbolism. "Considering the target, his way of operating, his profile and the testimonies of those who heard him yell 'Allahu Akbar', the anti-terrorist police has been called into action," Heitz told a news conference. Police issued a wanted poster for the suspect identifying him as Strasbourg-born Cherif Chekatt, 29, who is on an intelligence services watch list as a potential security risk. (For a graphic on Strasbourg attack click, https://tmsnrt.rs/2QQL0XG) An investigation had been opened into alleged murder with terrorist intent and suspected ties to terrorist networks with intent to commit crimes, Heitz said. Two people were killed and a third person was brain-dead and being kept alive on life support, he said. Six other victims were fighting for their lives. France raised its security threat to the highest alert level, strengthening controls on its border with Germany as elite commandos backed by helicopters hunted for the suspect. French and German agents checked vehicles and public transport crossing the Rhine river, along which the Franco-German frontier runs, backing up traffic in both directions. Hundreds of French troops and police were taking part in the manhunt. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said an additional 1,800 soldiers would be put on anti-terror security patrols with a special focus on Christmas markets. Sylvaine Jardin, director of the Porcus charcuterie, just metres from where the shooting took place struggled to hold back tears saying she needed to work so as not to think about what had happened. "We can't let ourselves be submerged by fear, but we'll feel better when he is caught," she said, adding that traders had last year been given training and advice in preparation for a possible attack. SERIAL CONVICT The gunman struck at about 1900 GMT on Tuesday, just as the picturesque Christmas market in the historic city was shutting down. He engaged in two gunfights with security forces as he evaded a police dragnet and bragged about his acts to the driver of a taxi that he commandeered, prosecutor Heitz said. No one has yet claimed responsibility, but the U.S.-based Site intelligence group, which monitors jihadist websites, said Islamic State supporters were celebrating. French and German security officials painted a portrait of Chekatt as a serial law-breaker who had racked up more than two dozen convictions in France, Germany and Switzerland, and served time in prison. "It was during these spells in jail that we detected a radicalization in his religious practices. But we there were never signs he was preparing an attack," Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. One German security source said the suspect was jailed in southern Germany from August 2016 to February 2017 for aggravated theft but was released before the end of his 27-month sentence so that he could be deported to France. "He was banned from re-entering Germany at the same time", the security source in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said. "We dont have any knowledge of any kind of radicalization." BORDER CONTROLS The attack took place at a testing time for President Emmanuel Macron, who is struggling to quell a month-long public revolt over high living costs that has spurred the worst public unrest in central Paris since the 1968 student riots. The disclosure that Chekatt was on a security watchlist will raise questions over possible intelligence failures, though some 26,000 individuals suspected of posing a security risk to France are on the "S File" list. Of these, about 10,000 are believed to have been radicalized, sometimes in fundamentalist Salafist Muslim mosques, in jail or abroad. Police had raided the suspect's home early on Tuesday in connection with a homicide investigation. Five people were detained and under interrogation as part of that investigation. At the Europa Bridge, the main border crossing in the region used by commuters traveling in both directions, armed police inspected vehicles. Police were also checking pedestrians and trains arriving in Germany from Strasbourg. Secular France has for years grappled with how to respond to both homegrown jihadists and foreign militants following attacks in Paris, Nice, Marseille and beyond. In 2016, a truck plowed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, killing more than 80 people. In November 2015, coordinated Islamist militant attacks on the Bataclan concert hall and other sites in Paris claimed about 130 lives. There have also been attacks in Paris on police on the Champs-Elysees avenue, the offices of satirical weekly publication Charlie Hebdo and a kosher store. A man drove a trunk into a crowd at a Christmas market in Berlin in December 2016, killing 12 people. (This story has been refiled to add dropped name paragraph 17) (Reporting by Vincent Kessler, Geert De Clercq, Sophie Louet, Sudip Kar-Gupta, Leigh Thomas, Emmanuel Jarry and Richard Lough in Paris, Vincent Kessler, John Irish and Gilbert Reilhac in Strasbourg, Sabine Siebold and Andrea Shalal in Berlin; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Richard Balmforth) Cardinal George Pell is facing prosecution for historical child sexual offences - AFP Two leading cardinals allegedly linked to sexual abuse have been dismissed from Pope Francis' inner circle. Australian Cardinal George Pell and Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz have been removed from the so-called C9 Council of Cardinals, an advisory body set up by Francis, the Vatican said on Wednesday. Cardinal Pell, appointed head of the Vaticans economic secretariat by the pope in 2014, has taken a leave of absence to fight allegations of historic sexual misconduct in Australia. He is still officially in charge of Vatican finances, a position considered one of the most powerful in the Catholic hierarchy. Francisco Errazuriz Ossa has been accused of covering up allegations against abusive priests in Chile. Congolese Laurent Monsengwo, 79, who retired as archbishop of Kinshasa in November, is also leaving the advisory council. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke announced the changes on Wednesday, saying Francis had written to the three prelates individually in October, "thanking them for the work they have done for the past five years." In a statement Mr Burke said the Pope had reflected on the work, structure and composition of the council after meeting council members in September. Chile's Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa has also been removed Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File At its latest meeting this week the advisory body discussed a variety of issues from Vatican spending constraints to the special conference on the protection of minors to be held at the Vatican at the end of February next year. The Catholic Church has been hit by a series of child abuse scandals in recent years in countries including the US, Ireland, Chile and Ireland, with widespread allegations of cover-ups against clergy, including the pope himself. Mr Errazuriz, long considered a close papal ally, was archbishop of Santiago from 1998-2010. He has come under fire in recent months amid claims that he hid the crimes of Chiles allegedly abusive priests including Fernando Karadima, who has been accused of a string of child sex offenses going back to 1984. Story continues Mr Pell, former archbishop of Sydney, has consistently denied allegations of sexual abuse made against him. Specific details of the accusations have been suppressed by a court order and Australian law strictly limits reporting on proceedings. Mr Burke declined to comment on court proceedings against 77-year-old Mr Pell saying: "The Holy See has the utmost respect for Australian judicial authorities. We are aware that there is a suppression order in place by the court and we respect that order. The Pope created the council of cardinals after his election in 2013, tasking the group with helping him reform the Vatican bureaucracy known as the Roman Curia. Mr Burke said the three cardinals would not be replaced immediately, leaving the council temporarily with six members. Our country cannot afford a Trump Shutdown, the Democrats said, adding that 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. Republican congressional leaders have repeatedly said its up to Trump to cut a deal with Democrats, an acknowledgment of their own inability to produce spending bills with Republican votes alone. That gives Democrats some momentum heading into the closed-door talks, which also could veer into Trumps request for emergency funding for deadly wildfires in California and a Republican-sponsored bill to extend expiring tax breaks and delay some health care taxes. Before lawmakers adjourn for the year they also may consider a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller and a plan to overhaul the system for handling sexual harassment complaints on Capitol Hill. By far the biggest unresolved issue is the border wall. Trump wants the next funding package to include at least $5 billion for it, an idea Democrats have flatly rejected. Pelosi and Schumer have urged Trump to support a bill that includes a half-dozen government funding bills largely agreed upon by lawmakers, along with a separate measure that funds the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through Sept. 30. The homeland bill includes about $1.3 billion for fencing and other security measures at the border. If Trump does not agree to that, Democrats will likely urge a continuing resolution that funds all the remaining appropriations bills at current levels through Sept. 30, an aide said. The aide was not authorized to discuss strategy by name and requested anonymity. Trump said Friday that Congress should provide all the money he wants for the wall and called illegal immigration a threat to the well-being of every American community. At an appearance in Kansas City, Missouri, Trump accused Democrats of playing a political game and said it was one he ultimately would win. Story continues I actually think the politics of what theyre doing is very bad for them, Trump said of Democrats. Were going to very soon find out. Maybe Im not right. But usually Im right. Pelosi, who is seeking to become House speaker in January, said she and many other Democrats consider the wall immoral, ineffective and expensive and noted that Trump promised during the 2016 campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall, an idea Mexico has repeatedly rejected. Protecting borders is a responsibility we honor, but we do so by honoring our values as well, Pelosi said last week. Schumer said Democrats want to work with Trump to avert a shutdown, but said money for border security should not include the concrete wall Trump has envisioned. Instead, the money should be used for fencing and technology that experts say is appropriate, Schumer said. We do not want to let a Trump temper tantrum govern our policies or cause the shutdown of a government, which everyone on both sides of the aisle knows is the wrong idea, Schumer said. If Trump wants to shut down the government over Christmas over the wall, thats his decision, he said. Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Trump was all that stands between fully funding the government and a shutdown. Time and again, President Trump has used the government of the American people as a bargaining chip for his fabricated solution to his manufactured crisis, Leahy said Monday in a Senate speech. Trump wants to score a made-for-reality-TV moment and he doesnt care how many hardworking Americans will suffer for it, Leahy said. This is not about border security. This is about politics, pure and simple. But House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., said Democrats were the ones playing politics. Trump wants to secure the border. He got elected president on that platform, Scalise told Fox News Channel. If theres a better way to secure the border than the $5 billion plan Trump has laid out, Democrats need to come with an alternative, Scalise said Monday. They cant come and say they want to shut the government down for no reason because they dont want border security. Theyll lose that argument with the American people. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said Monday he does not believe Trump or Democrats want to shut the government down. When I was with him the indication was he didnt want to shut the government down, but he did want his wall, Shelby said. ___ AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. By Aziz El Yaakoubi and Maha El Dahan RIMBO, Sweden/ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties agreed on Wednesday to reopen Sanaa airport in the Houthi-held capital and resume oil and gas exports, sources said, as Western nations pressed them to accept confidence-building steps before the end of U.N.-led peace talks in Sweden. The Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi were still discussing a United Nations proposal on the contested port city of Hodeidah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis facing starvation. Hadi's premier, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, told reporters in the government's base in the southern port of Aden that there might not be enough time for full agreement on Hodeidah as the talks, the first in over two years, conclude on Thursday. "We talked about (it) a lot but with the limited time we have, we cant talk about all the points in this round. The important thing is to build confidence and then go into the details of the Hodeidah file," he said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was due to attend the final day of talks to support efforts to launch a political process that would end the nearly four-year-old war. Gueterres called Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss Yemen, Saudi state news agency reported. Another round of talks could be held in early 2019. The Houthis hold most population centers, including Hodeidah and Sanaa from which it ousted Hadi's government in 2014. A U.N. spokeswoman said both parties had received a "final package" of agreements covering the status of Hodeidah, Sanaa airport. "We hope to receive positive responses," she said. The two parties agreed that international flights would stop at a government-held airport for safety s to be carried out before flying in or out of Sanaa, two sources familiar with the talks said. Houthi delegate Abdelmajid Hanash said international flights from and to Sanaa would stop in Aden and the airport in Sayun in the south, but the U.N. would oversee the safety procedures. The U.N. declined to comment. As part of confidence-building measures, both sides agreed to resume oil and gas exports to help shore up central bank coffers. Revenues would be used to pay salaries in both government and Houthi-held areas, delegates from both sides told Reuters. The Saudi-led military coalition that intervened in the war in 2015 to restore Hadi's government controls Yemen's air space. The coalition has faced increased scrutiny from Western allies, some of which supply it with arms and intelligence, over the war that has killed tens of thousands of people. TRUMP GESTURE U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he could abide by legislation to end U.S. support for coalition forces in the war following outrage over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "I hate to see what's going on in Yemen," Trump said. "But it takes two to tango. I'd want to see Iran pull out of Yemen too." The conflict is seen in the Middle East as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which welcomed peace efforts. Asked about the U.S. Senate deliberations, Saeed said Yemen's stability was important for regional security: "The U.S. cannot overlook what Iran is doing in Yemen." U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths, trying to avert a full-scale assault on Hodeidah, where coalition forces have massed on the outskirts, is asking both sides to withdraw from the city. His proposal envisions an interim entity being formed to run the city and port and international monitors being deployed. Both sides have agreed to a U.N. role in the port, the entry point for most of Yemen's commercial imports and vital aid, but differ on who should run the city. The Houthis want Hodeidah declared a neutral zone, while Hadi's government believes the city should fall under its control as a matter of sovereignty. "The devil is in the details - withdraw how far (from Hodeidah), the sequence, who governs and delivers services," said one diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. The sides have also yet to agree on a transitional governing body, although a deal was struck on a prisoner swap that could see 15,000 prisoners freed. A small group of Yemenis demonstrated outside the talks venue in Rimbo, north of Stockholm, waving the flags of former South Yemen in support of a separatist movement that is fighting alongside the coalition while trying to undermine Hadi's government. (Additional reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Aden and Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton in Washington; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Richard Balmforth) Watch the full episode 13 of The Royal Box available here from Friday 14 November. Prince Harry was once seen as the worlds most eligible bachelor, but hes actually quite shy around women says royal biographer Duncan Larcombe. Speaking to Yahoo UKs The Royal Box, Larcombe claims Harrys very easily dominated by [women] and says hes the guy thats under the thumb very quickly. Its happened with every single one of his girlfriends, Larcombe continues. Meghan is renowned for her success and her confidence, but the media appear to have turned on her in recent weeks, having branded her as difficult and demanding. Harry is protective of his wife Meghan, the couple are pictured here in Ireland in July [Photo: Getty] It was claimed in Robert Jobsons book Charles at Seventy that Harry told staff before the couples wedding: What Meghan wants, Meghan gets. According to sources, the outburst came after the bride reportedly wanted to wear a tiara with emeralds, but was told she couldnt because its origin was unknown. Larcombe says: He wouldnt ever demand it for himself but he sticks up for his other half. There have also been reports of tensions, fall-outs and drama between the Cambridges and the Sussexes over the past couple of weeks. It all began after the announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan are moving to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor in the new year, instead of living next to William and Kate. While rumours of a feud between the two couples is speculation, Harry has had a tense and complicated relationship with the press, since his mother Princess Diana died in 1997. Harry has had a complicated relationship with the press [Photo: Getty] But Larcombe, who was royal editor of The Sun for 12 years, warned that Harry needs to calm down when it comes to his attitude towards the press. The couple reportedly did not invite the media to a reception on the day they got engaged in November 2017 and invited a minimal number of journalists to the wedding in May. Larcombe believes Harry excluded the press, from the day he issued a personal press release, urging them to respect his and Meghans privacy (who was then his girlfriend). Story continues While the royals regularly undertake private engagements, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have had a number of unannounced meetings, without any media present lately. He added: Im not speaking from my own personal experience, but I would tell you now that some of the viciousness weve seen aimed towards Meghan in the past few weeks is probably a result of the fact that the press have been shut out by them. 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: Prince Harry reportedly accused William of trying to wreck his relationship with Meghan Babies, birthdays and weddings top list of most searched-for royal moments The Royal Family doesnt need to respond to rumoured rifts, says PR expert Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Sleeplessness is complicatedbut that hasnt stopped millions of Americans from craving a simple chemical solution. In a July 2018 Consumer Reports survey of 1,767 U.S. adults, nearly one-third of people who complained of sleep problems at least once per week said they had used an over-the-counter or prescription sleep drug in the previous year. But many of those people dont get the restful nights sleep they seek. Only about a third of people who took sleep medicationseither OTC or prescriptionreported very good or excellent sleep on those nights. And they often dont wake refreshed: Nearly 6 out of 10 people taking sleep medications reported side effects such as feeling drowsy, confused, or forgetful the next day. Three percent admitted to dozing off while driving. Among the most common reasons Americans gave for taking a sleep drug is that they thought it would work better than other approaches. But drugs arent the cure-all many people expect. In terms of improvement of total sleep time, the benefits of sleep medications are pretty modest, says Michael Sateia, M.D., emeritus professor of psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Plus, some of the most commonly used drugs, notably OTC sleeping pills, should never be used long-term, and have little published research backing up even their short-term use, Sateia says. And all sleep medicationsincluding OTC productshave important and often underappreciated risks. Whats more, our survey found that about 40 percent of people who take sleep aids use the drugs in potentially harmful waysby, for example, taking them more often or longer than recommended, or combining them with other medications or alcohol. Heres what you need to know about the benefits and risks of the drugs, the situations when taking them makes the most sense, and how to use them safely. Story continues How Sleep Drugs Work Different types of sleep medications affect the brain and body in different ways. All OTC sleep drugs rely on older antihistaminesdiphenhydramine (Sominex, ZzzQuil, and generic) or doxylamine (Unisom SleepTabs and generic)which have drowsiness as a side effect. A wider variety of sleep medications are available by prescription. The oldest type is anti-anxiety drugs, such as temazepam (Restoril and generic) and triazolam (Halcion and generic), from a class of medications called benzodiazepines, or benzos. These drugs make you feel drowsy or sedated by slowing activity of the brain and central nervous system. The next generation of medications, the so-called Z drugs, including eszopiclone (Lunesta and generic), zaleplon (Sonata and generic), and zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist, and generic), target the same brain receptors. But they do so more selectively, which is thought to reduce some of the side effects, such as lingering grogginess and the risk of becoming dependent. The newest type of prescription sleep drugs, ramelteon (Rozerem) and suvorexant (Belsomra), affects brain chemicals that regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Doctors also sometimes treat sleeplessness with an older type of antidepressantmost commonly trazodonebecause it also has sleepiness as a side effect. Although the Food and Drug Administration has not approved trazodone for insomnia, doctors can legally prescribe a drug for any reason they see fit. See A Quick Guide to Sleeping Pills, below, for more information on different sleep drugs. Limited Benefits One thing all these medications have in common: limited benefits. Sleep drugs can help people fall asleep faster or return to sleep if they wake up in the middle of the night, but the benefits are usually modest, says Daniel Buysse, M.D., UPMC professor of sleep medicine and professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Most only increase total sleep time by about 20 to 30 minutes, he says. Buysse, along with Sateia and other researchers, reviewed 46 studies of sleep drugs for the most recent treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) (PDF), published in 2017. Some drugs have even less benefit. For example, studies show that, on average, people taking ramelteon fall asleep 9 minutes faster than those taking a placebo; those taking suvorexant got only 10 minutes more shut-eye than those who took a placebo. Most surprising: Some commonly used sleep drugs havent been shown to help at all. Take OTC products, for example. About 1 out of 5 people from Consumer Reports nationally representative samplewhich translates to about 50 million U.S. adultsreported using these in the past year. But these old-school antihistamines simply havent been studied for sleep. People think that because something is available over the counter it is safe and effective, Buysse says. But theres shockingly little evidence on the efficacy of these drugs. Similarly, although doctors commonly prescribe the antidepressant trazodone for sleeplessness, theres little data to support that use. Because trazodone and OTC drugs such as diphenhydramine have known risks and theres little evidence of their benefit when used for sleep, the AASM treatment guidelines dont recommend either type of medication for chronic insomnia. The 'Morning After' Effect As shown in A Quick Guide to Sleeping Pills, below, all sleep medications have side effectsmost commonly causing people to feel drowsy, dizzy, mentally less sharp, or unsteady the next day. More rarely, people taking sleep medications have reported sleepwalking, hallucinations, memory lapses, and odd behavior, such as eating or driving while asleep. With most medications, long-term use can be habit-forming and stopping the drugs can lead to a rebound effect, where insomnia actually gets worse. In the Consumer Reports survey, one of the most common reasons people gave for taking OTC drugs is that they thought they were safe. But the sedating effects of OTC drugs frequently linger into the next day. In fact, 40 percent of respondents taking an OTC sleep drug said that they felt foggy or drowsy the next morning, compared with 32 percent of those taking a prescription drug. In addition, the older antihistamines used in OTC sleep drugs can cause confusion, constipation, dry mouth, and trouble urinating. The side effects of sleep drugsparticularly excessive drowsiness, unsteadiness, and confusiontend to worsen as people age. Older people metabolize these drugs more slowly and so are at increased risk of impairment, Sateia says. Thats particularly concerning when you consider that nearly 1 out of 10 respondents to the Consumer Reports survey who took sleep aids reported feeling uncoordinated, tripping, or falling. Indeed, research shows that older people who take sleep drugs are more likely to fall and suffer broken bones and brain injuries. For example, a 2017 analysis of 4,669 people 65 and older found that, over a two-year period, people taking sleep drugs recommended by their doctor were 34 percent more likely to fall than those who werent. Women may also be more susceptible to next-day drowsiness because they clear some drugs from their bodies more slowly than men. To address that difference, a few years ago the FDA required drugmakers to cut in half the recommended dosages of medications containing the Z drug zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR, and generic; Edluar; Intermezzo; and ZolpiMist). The agency said that physicians should also consider prescribing lower doses for men. (Drug labels already called for lower doses in older people.) But many doctors ignore these recommendations, according to a study in the September 2018 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed data on adults taking zolpidem from the U.S. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the largest publicly available national survey of prescription drug use. They discovered that about two-thirds of women and people 65 and older were taking higher doses of the drug. The Risky Business of Sleep Drugs The risks of sleeping drugs are magnified when the medications are misused. For example, combining sleeping pills with other sedatives, prescription pain drugs, or even alcohol puts you at real risk for serious side effects such as dangerously slow breathing and mental and physical impairment that may linger into the next day, Sateia says. Buysse says that people should take warnings to use sleeping pills only as directed seriously. For example, most sleep drugs caution that you shouldnt take them unless you can spend 7 or 8 hours in bed. I especially worry about people who take a sleep medication with 4 hours or less available to them to sleep, he says. After 4 or 5 hours, you can still have the drug circulating in your blood, so you will be less alert at precisely the time you need to be doing things that require your concentration. Its the exact same reason that people shouldnt drink and drive, Buysse says. Even if you feel relatively alert, you could still be a danger to yourself and others. Research backs up that concern. People prescribed sleeping pills are nearly twice as likely to be in a car crash, according to 2015 study in the American Journal of Public Health (PDF) that looked at the medical and driving records of nearly 410,000 adults. The researchers estimated that people taking sleep drugs were as likely to be in a car crash as those driving with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit. Buysse says that he is also concerned by the number of respondents in the Consumer Reports survey who said that they exceeded the recommended dose, combined different types of drugs, or took sleep drugs with alcohol and other recreational drugs. In our survey, one out of 10 Americans who take prescription sleep drugs reported taking an opioid to sleep, a drug that is especially dangerous when combined with other sedatives or alcohol. All these drugs can cause your breathing to become more slow and shallow, Buysse says, so if you combine an opioid with a benzodiazepine or alcohol, you could stop breathing altogether. Safer Use of Sleeping Pills Because of the limited benefits and important risks of sleeping pills, the drugs should be used with great caution. In general, sleeping pills should be reserved for short-term insomniasuch as that caused by jet lag, anxiety after the death of a family member, or stress from a job lossSateia says. For sleeplessness lasting more than a couple of weeks that is affecting your daily life, the AASM recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), a form of counseling that helps people identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that contribute to sleep problems. CBT-I is at least as effective as medications, the benefits are long-lasting, and its manifestly safer than any pill, Sateia says. Some people with severe sleep problems may benefit from taking a prescribed sleep drug for a few weeks in conjunction with CBT-I and then gradually tapering off the medication as the therapy takes effect. In the Consumer Reports survey, 40 percent of Americans who take OTC drugs and 55 percent of those who take prescription drugs have been taking the meds for a year or longer. But long-term use is typically not recommended because the drugs may become less effective over time and, in some cases, people become hooked, or dependent on them. They may crave the drug, take more than recommended, and not be able to stop even if the drug is no longer helping or is causing side effects. Very few people need sleep drugs long-term, Sateia says. And in those cases patients should be monitored carefully to make sure that the drugs are still effective and that they are not developing a dependency. For the limited situations where a prescription or OTC sleep drug is warranted, follow these precautions: Tell your doctor about all the medications you take, including supplements and herbal products (such as St. Johns wort). Many common drugs, such as certain antibiotics and antidepressants, can interact dangerously with sleep drugs. Take the drugs only if you have 7 or 8 hours of time available to sleep. Even if that much time has passed, dont drive if you feel drowsy. Dont take a sleep drug if theres a chance you may need to be up and alert during the nightif your job requires you to be on call, for example, or you are the sole caretaker for young children. Do not take an extra dose if you wake up in the middle of the night. Never mix sleeping pills with alcohol, recreational drugs, or other sleep drugs or supplements, including OTC nighttime pain relievers and antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine in Benadryl Allergy, that also act as sedatives. Start with the lowest recommended dose, especially until you know how the drug affects you. Be cautious about long-term use. Taking sleep drugs regularly for longer than two weeks can breed dependence and raise the risk of adverse effects. A Quick Guide to Sleeping Pills Drug Type: Benzodiazepines (benzos) Examples: Flurazepam, quazepam (Doral), temazepam (Restoril and generic), and triazolam (Halcion and generic). Side effects and risks: Next-day drowsiness, dizziness, and feeling uncoordinated or mentally less sharp. Benzos slow breathing and can worsen sleep apnea or other breathing problems. Long-term use can be habit-forming, and insomnia may worsen when stopping the drug. More rarely, people have reported behaviors such as walking, driving, eating, making calls, or having sex while not fully awake. Recommended for: Helping people to fall asleep faster (triazolam); helping people to fall asleep faster and sleep longer (temazepam). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) did not find sufficient evidence to make recommendations for flurazepam and quazepam. Precautions: Be cautious driving the day after taking a benzo until you know how it will affect you. Dont take the drugs with opioids or alcohol because that increases the risk of slow or difficult breathing and death. Note: The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) advises against benzos for most people 65 and older because they increase the risk of cognitive impairment, delirium, falls, fractures, and car crashes. Drug Type: Z Drugs Examples: Eszopiclone (Lunesta and generic), zaleplon (Sonata and generic), and zolpidem (Ambien and generic). Zolpidem is also available as a dissolvable tablet (Edluar and Intermezzo) and an oral spray (ZolpiMist). Side effects and risks: The same as for benzos, although research suggests that side effects of Z drugs are generally milder and less common. Higher doses increase the risk of next-day impairment. Recommended for: Helping people to fall asleep faster (zaleplon); falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer (eszopiclone and zolpidem). Precautions: To reduce the risk of side effects, start at a low dose. The extended-release version of zolpidem, Ambien CR, carries a warning not to drive the next morning. Dont combine with alcohol, opioids, or other sedatives. Note: As with benzos, the AGS advises against Z drugs for most people 65 and older. Research shows that older people taking Z drugs are more likely to be hospitalized or require treatment in the hospital emergency room. Drug Type: Medications That Affect the Sleep-Wake Cycle Examples: Ramelteon (Rozerem) and suvorexant (Belsomra). Side effects and risks: Ramelteon can cause dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and headache. The most common side effects of suvorexant are headache, dizziness, and lingering sleepiness. The drug may also cause sleepwalking or other nighttime behaviors, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and worsening of depression and suicidal thoughts. Recommended for: Falling asleep faster (ramelteon); staying asleep longer (suvorexant). Precautions: People taking suvorexant may be less alert the next day, and the risk of impairment is greater with higher doses. The 20-mg dose of suvorexant carries a warning not to drive the next day. Drug Type: Antidepressants Examples: Doxepin (Silenor and generic) and trazodone. Side effects and risks: Both drugs may cause nausea and dizziness. In addition, trazodone has a long list of other potential side effects, including next-day drowsiness, abnormally low blood pressure, heart-rhythm disorders, a persistent erection in men, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and adolescents. Recommended for: Staying asleep longer (doxepin). Because of a lack of evidence that trazodone is effective for insomnia and uncertainty about the risks, the AASM does not recommend the drug for treating insomnia. Precautions: People 55 and older should be cautious taking trazodone because they are more susceptible to abnormal heart rhythms and falls caused by dizziness or drowsiness. Use the drug cautiously if you have heart, liver, or kidney disease, or weakened immunity, and avoid it if youve had a heart attack. Note: While doxepin is FDA-approved for treating insomnia, trazodone is not. Drug Type: OTC Sleep Drugs Examples: Diphenhydramine (Sominex, ZzzQuil, and generic) and doxylamine (Unisom SleepTabs and generic). Side effects and risks: Next-day drowsiness, constipation, dizziness, difficulty urinating, vision problems, and feeling mentally less sharp. Recommended for: Due to limited evidence of benefits and known risks, the AASM does not recommend diphenhydramine for insomnia. The experts Consumer Reports consulted with dont recommend doxylamine, for the same reason. Precautions: Like prescription sedatives, OTC sleep drugs cause next-day drowsiness and slowed breathing, so follow the same precautions you would with those medications. To avoid inadvertently taking too high a dose, dont combine OTC sleep drugs with other medications that contain older antihistamines, including allergy drugs such as Benadryl; nighttime pain relievers such as Advil PM and Tylenol PM; and cough-and-cold drugs such as Robitussin Severe Multi-Symptom Cough Cold + Flu Nighttime and Sudafed PE Severe Cold. Note: The AGS advises against the use of OTC sleep drugs and other medications containing older antihistamines in people 65 and older because of risks such as confusion, constipation, dry mouth, and cognitive decline. Source for recommendations: AASM Clinical Practice Guideline for the Pharmacologic Treatment of Chronic Insomnia in Adults, published in the February 2017 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2018, Consumer Reports, Inc. Mark Karpeles Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles has run into trouble in the Japanese legal system, and prosecutors are pursuing a 10-year jail sentence for alleged embezzlement during his tenure at Mt. Gox. According to a local Japanese news outlet, Karpeles is under indictment for embezzling 341 million yen ($3 million USD) of customer funds into his own personal account. The indictment apparently also alleges that Karpeles manipulated data on his company's trading system to pad the balance. As Mt. Gox was based in Tokyo, it has been the responsibility of the Japanese legal system to prosecute Karpeles, just as it placed Mt. Gox into bankruptcy proceedings in 2014. By the end of the companys shutdown, theyd lost 48 billion yen worth of bitcoin and 2.8 billion yen in fiat. Karpeles has claimed that such losses were due to a hack. Mark Karpeles is a notorious name in the crypto space, a long-term player who has been involved with some of the most infamous business ventures of bitcoins first major price spike. In Mt. Goxs heyday in 2013, it was the largest functional crypto exchange. In addition to his stewardship of Mt. Gox, of particular note to Karpeles career is his alleged bankrolling of the Silk Road, the now-defunct darknet marketplace. As federal agents began trying to take down the website for narcotics trafficking violations, agents on the case directly notified Karpeles who was able to cover his involvement. Now, however, Karpeles seems to have run into more direct legal trouble. In Tokyo, prosecutors alleged that the French-born Karpeles diverted company funds to such uses as investing in a software development business for personal interest" and "played a great role in totally destroying the confidence of bitcoin users." In response to this, Karpeles pleaded innocent to these charges in July 2017, saying during his first hearing that I swear to God I am not guilty. The trial is apparently set to move forward in the immediate future, with unclear prospects for Karpeles. This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine. MOSCOW (AP) Kremlin officials and Russia's opposition on Tuesday gathered to pay tribute to Russia's most prominent human rights activist, Lyudmila Alexeyeva, who died at age 91. Alexeyeva, a staunch and uncompromising rights advocate, made a name for herself in the 1960s and '70s protesting the treatment of Soviet political prisoners. She returned to Russia in 1993 after spending more than two decades in exile, and continued to be an energetic champion for human rights. Alexeyeva has been lauded as a bridge-builder. A scathing critic of the Kremlin's ongoing crackdown on rights and activism, she nevertheless sat on the government's council for human rights and tried to work with officials to help people in need. Friends, family as well as political figures including President Vladimir Putin and opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday came to pay their respects at a community center in central Moscow where the wake was held. Putin sat down with Alexeyeva's family for a couple of minutes before leaving. In his message of condolences he hailed her as a "courageous and strong person who has always been true to her beliefs." Later, Putin called a moment of silence in Alexeyeva's memory before chairing the presidential council for human rights. In a chilling reminder of the state of Russian civil society, one of Alexeyeva's associates, Lev Ponomaryov, was sentenced last week to 16 days in prison for reposting a Facebook post, calling for an unsanctioned protest. He petitioned to be released to say his goodbyes to Alexeyeva, but a court rejected his motion. A member of Putin's human rights council pleaded for Ponomaryov at Tuesday's session, telling the president that it is preposterous to jail a 77-year-old man for a social media post. Putin, however, replied with a reference to violent protests in the French capital earlier this month, saying: "We don't want what has happened in Paris to happen here, do we?" Story continues Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev hailed Alexeyeva as a "believer in Russia's democratic future" while Navalny, speaking to the television channel Dozhd, said Russia's human rights movement "has lost its mother." Alexeyeva's son Mikhail, who teaches economics in the United States, thanked the gathering for messages of support. He said that Alexeyeva was not only a person who helped a lot of people but also "was the best mom anyone could imagine." Alexeyeva will be cremated at a cemetery in Moscow and her ashes will be taken to the U.S., where her husband is buried. U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, have announced that Boko Haram, aw well as al-Nusra, al-Qaeda, Houthis, ISIS and others have been designated entity "of particular concern" in a statement "On November 28, 2018, I designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom. "I also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. "Finally, I designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa'ida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern," Pompeo said. Pompeo decried the continued harassment, arrests, or even killing of individuals for their beliefs, adding that safeguarding religious freedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity. He said: "The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression. "Protecting and promoting international religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority of the Trump Administration. "In July, I hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which brought together some 85 like-minded governments and more than 400 civil society organisations to harness global attention and motivate forceful action to advance respect for the human right of religious freedom". The US top diplomats noted that the aim for the designations was to "improve the lives of individuals and the broader success of their societies." He urged leaders of the countries listed to work towards improving their respect respect for religious freedom and assured of the US commitments to working with governments and all relevant bodies to advance religious freedom globally. A quick-hitting storm may drop just enough snow to create slippery travel from the Great Lakes to the central Appalachians into Thursday morning. While this will not be a blockbuster storm for the area, it can drop just enough snow to create travel difficulties for motorists. During Wednesday, the snow spread from northern Wisconsin to part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The snow stayed north of Milwaukee and only a rain and snow mix is likely around Detroit. Snow will then move into into Pennsylvania by Thursday morning, according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams. Static Snow NE X People heading to work and school on Thursday morning from Buffalo, New York, to Erie and State College, Pennsylvania,should be wary of slick spots on any untreated roads and sidewalks. This includes along stretches of interstates 76, 80, 81, 86, 90 and 99. Download the AccuWeather app to get the latest snowfall forecasts for your area. A rain or snow shower can reach New York City around midday Thursday, with the northern and western suburbs at greatest risk for a slippery coating of snow for part of the morning rush and lunchtime hours. Any snow can end as a period of freezing drizzle, further heightening the risk of slippery travel. Thursday NE 12.12 PM Outside of any lingering patches of freezing drizzle, precipitation will largely wind down by Thursday night. Still, anyone out and about should be wary of lingering icy patches. Enough mild air will move in ahead of the next storm for it to be mainly a rain event across the region at the end of the week and this weekend. The city of Oakland filed a federal lawsuit against the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday, and when Raiders owner Mark Davis spoke about it publicly for the first time on Tuesday night, he didnt have much to say. In fact, he spared only two words, but theyre both pretty strong. [Play in our Week 15 DFS contest: $1M prize pool. $250K in overlay. Join now!] Davis spoke to ESPN about the lawsuit, calling it meritless and malicious. He went on to say my feeling is were 3-10 and were still relevant. Its a legal issue, and Ill let the attorneys make any further comment. The citys lawsuit against the team calls the Raiders move to Las Vegas illegal, and seeks compensation to make up for lost revenue, the remaining debt on the Oakland Coliseum, and punitive damages. Publicly, Davis has gone through a range of emotions about the Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders currently have nowhere to play home games in 2019, and Davis told ESPN last month that the team returning to the Coliseum is up to the city council. I personally want to play in Oakland, he said. I absolutely want to play in Oakland. We have a completed lease sitting with the city council, that all they have to do is agree to it and were here next year. Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis thinks the city of Oaklands lawsuit against the team is a waste of time. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Images for NFL) Previously, Davis had said that he wouldnt play at the Coliseum if the city was suing him, but he walked that back somewhat during that same interview with ESPN. Emotionally, I would say, why would I give them $3 (million), $4 (million), $5 million in rent that theyre going to turn around and use to sue me? he said. But, at the same time, if theyll have us, I cant turn on the fans. I cant do it. And this is terrible negotiating Im doing now. Im going to get killed. But thats just the way I am. But, if in fact it does get ugly, and cant be bridged, we do have options. Davis said that before the city of Oakland had filed a lawsuit against the Raiders, so his feelings may have changed. The Raiders have a few options for home games in 2019, including Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, and Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. More from Yahoo Sports: Coroner releases report on college athletes death Franco: Mexicos tragic MSG history awaits Canelo Oakland files federal lawsuit against Raiders, NFL cartel Paylor: 7 jaw-dropping throws from Chiefs Mahomes Outgoing Republican House Speaker Greg Hughes, left, receives a handshake from Republican Sen. Evan Vickers after the Utah House of Representatives passed a compromise plan to legalize medical marijuana during a special session, Dec. 3, 2018. (Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP) By a margin of roughly 53-47, or about 58,000 votes, the citizens of Utah approved a ballot measure last month to legalize medical marijuana, allowing doctors to prescribe, and dispensaries to distribute, the drug for specified conditions. Anyway, they thought thats what they were doing. But within 27 days of passing, Proposition 2 was overturned in a special session of the state Legislature and replaced by the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, which does the same thing but under much more restrictive terms. Among other changes, the law requires that marijuana be dispensed by a licensed pharmacist and narrows the list of conditions for which it is authorized. The referendum is, in theory, the purest expression of democracy: Voters get a direct say on the law, bypassing the cumbersome legislative process. But in Utah and many of the other 26 states and the District of Columbia whose constitutions allow for ballot initiatives, it comes with a hitch: Legislators can preempt, change or even overturn ballot initiatives approved at the polls. Legalizing marijuana, even for medical uses, was always going to be a hard sell in Utah, whose politics are heavily influenced by its large Mormon population. In August, when the church whose tenets ban the consumption of alcohol and even caffeine announced its opposition, it seemed as if Proposition 2 was probably doomed. Instead, though, proponents and opponents in the legislature hammered out the compromise measure that became the Medical Cannabis Act, and pledged they would support it whether the ballot initiative passed or failed. Thats legal under the Utah Constitution, but it raises a question: Why bother holding a referendum on the measure at all, if the legislature could decide the issue on its own? In May 2018, Willow Hennessy sits on the wheelchair of her adopted brother Hestevan, who has cerebral palsy and suffers from chronic nerve pain, during a news conference at the Utah state Capitol, as supporters of a medical-marijuana ballot initiative fend off opponents' efforts to keep them off the ballot. (Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP) Matthew Schweich, the deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project, worked on the Proposition 2 campaign and told Yahoo News the deal was unique in his experience of working on ballot initiatives but a step forward for the cause. A pair of advocacy groups sued last week to stifle the new law and reinstitute the language of Proposition 2, stating that the Mormon church violated state law by attempting to influence the election. Schweich said that other organizers have shared frustration with the pared-down law but that the compromise was the best deal supporters could get at this time. Story continues I respect where theyre coming from and I understand why they think this deal was wrong, but when I look at all the facts, including the internal polling, I was certain that this was the right thing to do, said Schweich. Its not about winning ballot initiatives and getting a notch on your belt, its about delivering a public policy outcome for the people that need it. In this case, those people were Utah medical marijuana patients. If we had rolled the dice and we had not made the deal and we had lost Prop 2, medical marijuana patients would have been left with absolutely nothing, and that was an outcome we would not tolerate. Michigan is another state where the Legislature can override the results of a referendum, although it requires a three-quarters supermajority to do it. Theres a catch, though: If an initiative petition gathers enough signatures to go on the ballot, legislators can preempt the public vote and pass the measure directly in which case it is treated like an ordinary bill, which can be rescinded or amended by a simple majority. And lo and behold, in September, with urging from the business community, the Republican-controlled Michigan Legislature passed minimum- and tipped-wage hikes in addition to paid sick leave before they could go to the ballot. The initiatives would likely have passed, in a year in which Michigan voters elected a Democratic governor and passed progressive initiatives to legalize marijuana, eliminate gerrymandering and expand voters rights. Minimum-wage-hike ballot initiatives also won in Missouri and Arkansas, states considered far more conservative than Michigan. If the measures had been approved by the voters in a referendum, the three-quarters threshold to change them in the Legislature would have been in effect. Instead, a few weeks after the midterm elections, the Michigan Legislature did exactly what supporters had feared and gutted the labor-friendly bills at the behest of local business groups. Those in favor of the minimum-wage hikes and paid-sick-leave campaigns vowed to sue and stated that the Legislature had subverted the will of voters by not allowing the initiatives to reach the ballot. Danielle Atkinson, a member of the MI Time to Care group, which submitted signatures for a ballot initiative to mandate paid sick time, speaks in support of the measure in Lansing, Mich., in May 2018. (Photo: Alice Yin/AP) Most of the [senators] that are hearing these [bills] have been voted out or are term-limited, said Danielle Atkinson, one of the organizers of the MI Time to Care ballot committee, which backed the sick-leave initiative, in an interview with Bridge magazine. Theyre not going to have to live with the consequences of their constituents telling them that this is bad. Its a broken system, Atkinson added, and we really need to have a process that lets people put their input in. And we also need representatives and senators that respect the ballot initiative process enough not to gut a bill that they passed a few months ago. Outgoing Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, has yet to sign the bills. If he doesnt sign them, they would need to be voted on again next year under new Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. But its not just Republican-led legislatures overturning ballot initiatives. In June, residents of Washington, D.C., voted to eliminate the tipped minimum wage, gradually phasing it out through 2025. Initiative 77 passed with 55 percent of the vote, but after lobbying from the citys restaurant industry, the predominantly Democratic City Council voted in October to overturn the measure by a vote of 8-5, calling it a bad law that would hurt the citys dining scene. Its the fifth time the D.C. Council has overturned a voter initiative, most recently in 2001 when it eliminated term limits on local politicians. Congress also has the ability to overturn laws in the district, which does not have voting representation in the body. Supporters of Initiative 77 are attempting to gain enough signatures to trigger a special referendum to repeal the Councils repeal. In Maine, it was the governor who stopped the implementation of Medicaid expansion via ballot referendum. The measure passed in November 2017 with 58 percent of the vote, but Republican Gov. Paul LePage denied 70,000 low-income adults access to health care, stating that it wasnt funded. I will go to jail before I put the state in red ink, said LePage in a July radio interview. And if the court tells me I have to do it, then were going to be going to jail. The matter went to courts but will be resolved in January when Gov.-elect Janet Mills, a Democrat, takes office. Mills, the states attorney general, campaigned on seeing through the expansion, and its expected to be one of her first acts as chief executive. Volunteer Allie Christianson sorts petitions in Lincoln, Neb., in July 2018. The group Insure the Good Life, seeking to expand Medicaid in Nebraska, announced it had gathered more than 133,000 signatures, well above the required minimum of 85,000 to place the issue on the November general-election ballot. (Photo: Nati Harnik/AP) Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, said he would not raise taxes in order to pay for the Medicaid expansion passed last month by voters there. Ricketts told the Associated Press that the money could come from funding for education or roads. The courts are also involved with health care expansion in Idaho, where 60 percent of voters said yes on a proposal that would give Medicaid access to tens of thousands of residents. The Idaho Freedom Foundation filed a lawsuit attempting to stop the implementation, stating that it violated the states constitution by tying Idaho to potential changes in federal law. The IFF, a libertarian think tank, is being opposed in its suit by the Idaho Medical Association, which represents 3,000 of the states doctors, and two moms. The whole purpose of our structure of our government is to make sure laws passed by the legislative branch or by the people themselves can be challenged on a constitutional basis in the court system, said Fred Birnbaum, vice president of the IFF. There are plenty of examples of laws that have been passed and deem unconstitutional, so this isnt exactly new ground. The Idaho Supreme Court is set to hear the case on Jan. 29. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: 38694689 Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democrat who is expected to lead the House Intelligence Committee next month, said President Donald Trump could "be the first president in quite some time to face the real prospect of jail time." "There's a very real prospect that on the day Donald Trump leaves office the Justice Department may indict him," the California lawmaker said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" when asked about a Friday court filing by federal prosecutors that appeared to link Trump to a campaign finance violation. While there has been a lot of speculation in the news media about potential presidential pardons for people convicted of crimes as a result of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, Schiff said the bigger question may come when "the next president has to determine whether to pardon Donald Trump." 'No one should be above the law': Rubio warns Manafort pardon would be 'terrible mistake' Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York appeared to implicate Trump in one of the felonies committed by his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen. Cohen pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance laws when he made hush payments before the 2016 election to two women alleging past sexual encounters with Trump. According to prosecutors, Cohen carried out the payments "in coordination with and at the direction" of Trump. "The prosecutors in New York make a powerful case against" a future pardon for Trump, Schiff said. Such a pardon would send the message that "while people are out walking precincts and doing what they should do in campaigns, the rich and powerful seem to live by a different set of rules," he said. More: Here's a look at Michael Cohen's allegations about President Donald Trump But Schiff said "I think we need to wait until we see the full picture" before declaring that the president should be impeached. After Cohen's allegation, Schiff said the question becomes: "Is a crime directed and coordinated by the president which helped him obtain office sufficient to warrant his removal from that office?" Story continues He said it would first be necessary to see the full "quality of the truth" behind the allegation. "But I think we also need to see this as 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. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said Friday's court filings "show that the president was the center of a massive fraud." Nadler who will likely be the next chairman of the House Judiciary Committee told CNN's "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper on Sunday that the campaign finance violation alleged by Cohen would be "impeachable offenses." But "whether they are important enough to justify an impeachment is a different question," Nadler added. "You don't necessarily launch an impeachment against the president because he committed an impeachable offense," Nadler explained. "An impeachment is an attempt to, in effect, overturn or change the result of the last election. And you should do it only for very serious situations." Opinion: Mueller is close to answering Russia collusion question that could end Trump's presidency Robert Mueller: Cohen provided details 'core' to inquiry into Russian coordination with Trump campaign This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rep. Adam Schiff says Trump may 'face the real prospect of jail time' when he leaves office WASHINGTON Rep. Zoe Lofgren wants to know why so many pictures of President Donald Trump appear when does a Google search for "idiot." "Right now, if you Google the word 'idiot' under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that," the California Democrat told Google CEO Sundar Pichai during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday in Washington. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., talks to media on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 18, 2013. "How would that happen? How does search work so that would occur?" Lofgren asked Pichai. The Google CEO who was at the hearing to address allegations of political bias in his company's widely used search engine said the results are based on billions of keywords ranked according to more than 200 factors such as relevance and popularity. "So it's not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we're going to show the user?" Lofgren asked rhetorically. "It's basically a compilation of what users are generating." More: 'I lead this company without political bias,' Google CEO Sundar Pichai to testify before Congress A Google image search for the word "idiot" by USA TODAY found that Trump was not the top result. That honor went to a copy of Evert Larock's painting, "The Idiot," which is linked to by Wikipedia. But Trump appeared in 13 of the top 17 results. A combination photo of Trump's sons Donald and Eric came in at No. 6. Republicans have long accused Google of political bias, which the company has strongly denied. In August, Trump said in a tweet that a Google search for "Trump News" showed only reports from "Fake News Media." He concluded it was "RIGGED" against him so "almost all stories & news is BAD." "Illegal?" he wondered. Google search results for Trump News shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake News 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. Illegal? 96% of.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2018 This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rep. Zoe Lofgren asks Google CEO why she got Trump pictures when she searched for 'idiot' In this photo taken on Sunday, April 21, 2013, Maria WASHINGTON Accused Russian agent Maria Butina will plead guilty to conspiracy Wednesday and cooperate with U.S. prosecutors, according to ABC News and CNN. Her lawyers and prosecutors notified the court Monday that they resolved this matter and she wanted to change her original plea of not guilty. She signed a plea deal Saturday and has been cooperating with investigators, according to CNN. The plea agreement states that Butina "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," according to ABC and CNN. The charge carries a prison term up to five years, but prosecutors estimated a sentence up to six months, according to CNN. More: This week's news on Cohen, Manafort, Flynn and other Russia-related cases Butinas cooperation will focus on the interactions she and her boyfriend, longtime Republican operative Paul Erickson, had with Russian handlers, according to ABC and CNN. Erickson hasnt been charged. But prosecutors notified Erickson that he is a target of an ongoing investigation, according to ABC. 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, according to ABC. Spokesmen for the U.S. Attorneys Office in D.C., for Butina and for Erickson didnt respond to requests for comment. The case was brought by federal prosecutors in D.C. and not by Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference with the 2016 election. Butina, 30, has been in jail in northern Virginia after prosecutors accused her of interacting with groups such as the National Rifle Association, and exploiting those connections to try to advance Russian interests. She met with political figures, including Donald Trump when he was a candidate for president, according to ABC. Story continues Butinas Russian gun rights group called Right to Bear Arms hosted a delegation of former NRA presidents, board members and major donors in Moscow in 2015, where she appears to have succeeded in arranging a meeting between NRA insiders and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to ABC. Prosecutors alleged Butina was in regular contact with her Russian backers, including Torshin, a Kremlin-linked banker sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury. At one court hearing, prosecutors showed a photo of Butina dining with a Russian diplomat suspected of being an intelligence officer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Reports: Accused Russian agent Maria Butina ready to plead guilty and cooperate with U.S. prosecutors President Donald Trump said at a White House meeting Tuesday that he'd be willing to see a government shutdown in his fight for border wall funding. (Photo: Mark Wilson via Getty Images) WASHINGTON After a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders turned into a Washington spectacle Tuesday, Republicans on Capitol Hill were suddenly trying to figure out how they could turn Trumps promises to shut down the government over border wall funding into something other than a suicide mission. For months now, Republican leaders have privately thought Trump would give up on the wall. They thought hed hem and haw, as he has in the past, and then reluctantly sign the omnibus spending bill thats been working its way through Congress all year. Republicans recognize that Democrats have hardly any incentive to give Trump wall funding, and the Democrats have most of the leverage in this fight. If Trump insists on a shutdown over the wall, Democrats can wait him out, pass a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the affected agencies when they take back the House in January, and then dare the GOP-controlled Senate and Trump to object. But with Trump indicating Tuesday that he welcomes a shutdown and would even be happy to take the credit or blame for one Republicans are now reevaluating. During a meeting with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) dared Trump to put up an omnibus spending bill with the $5 billion he wants for a wall on the House floor and see if it could pass. Trump thinks it could. Pelosi is confident it wouldnt, figuring that enough conservatives would balk at the spending increases that GOP leaders would need Democratic votes traditionally a good bet with these end-of-year spending bills, which typically draw the opposition of about 60 Republicans. But GOP leaders are now wondering if theres something to Trumps plan. Could House Republicans pass an overarching spending bill with wall funding with only Republican votes? I think we could do it, a senior GOP aide told HuffPost on Tuesday. It would be tight but doable. Story continues The senior aide warned that it would still be a suicide mission, though, because we either shut down the government or cave and pass a CR into January. Or we pass an omnibus with nothing much for the wall, the aide added. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) told HuffPost on Tuesday that he thought Republicans could pass the spending package if it contained money for a border wall. Moderates would be more of an issue on wall funding than the HFC, Meadows predicted. Another Freedom Caucus conservative, Raul Labrador of Idaho, who has voted against a number of spending agreements in the past, said he thought conservatives could get onboard with a spending bill if it had wall funding and closed asylum loopholes. Thats the position the Freedom Caucus took Monday night, at least, he said. Republicans seem to believe they could pass the spending bill on their own through a combination of Trump pressure and team spirit. It could be one final diss of Pelosi if the House GOP could come together and prove her wrong, particularly after she seemed to get the better of Trump repeatedly Tuesday. During the White House meeting in front of the press Trump said Pelosi wasnt in a position where she could speak freely about negotiations. Pelosi shot back that Trump shouldnt characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting. And when Pelosi returned to Capitol Hill, she further skewered the president in a meeting with Democrats. Pelosi said the wall was like a manhood thing for the president. As if manhood could ever be associated with him, she said, according to an aide in the room. The comments have already been widely reported, and Pelosi almost seems to be goading Trump into a doomed shutdown that hes already taken the blame for. Schumer particularly got Trump to clarify that, if there was a shutdown, it would be Trumps doing a political gift for Democrats. But theres still a good chance Republicans and Democrats come to some small agreement and Congress and the president avoid a shutdown entirely. While its an interesting thought-experiment whether Republicans could pass an omnibus spending bill with only GOP votes, that bill would still need to pass the Senate and its 60-vote threshold. Even if Republicans could peel off a few centrist Democratic votes, theyre unlikely to get enough to muscle it through the Senate and onto the presidents desk. And, at some point, Republicans have to face those facts. Theyve gone down the path before of pretending they can bend Democrats to their will by shutting down the government. Trying to corral Republicans, many of whom are departing for the holidays and are already missing floor votes, to shut down the government over a wall that Trump had promised Mexico would pay for is a dangerous proposition, one that Republicans would likely lose anyway. But with Trump suddenly vowing to fight, Republicans arent ready to roll over. According to that same aide in the room, Trump told Pelosi and Schumer that they could go two routes with this meeting: with a knife or a candy. Pelosi responded, Exactly. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Sarah Sanders made an appearance at Politicos Women Rule Summit in Washington, D.C., for a fireside chat with Politico reporter Eliana Johnson to discuss Sanderss role in the White House and how shes put her stamp on the role as press secretary. Sanders got herself in some hot water when touching on President Trumps treatment of female reporters, specifically: when she suggested that the president treats them no differently from male reporters, to ensure that they are treated as equals. SEI Investments Company SEIC recently announced that its board of directors has given consent to an additional share buyback program of up to $250 million with immediate effect, to enhance shareholder value. This, thus, increased the repurchase authorization to around $268 million. So far in 2018, the company has repurchased shares worth $352.4 million. Further, SEI Investments has announced its semi-annual dividend of 33 cents, reflecting a 10% hike from the previous payout. It will be paid on Jan 8, 2019 to the shareholders on record as of Dec 27, 2018. Considering last days closing price of $48.47 per share, the dividend yield is currently 1.36% Notably, the company has been increasing dividend annually since 2009. Previously, in December 2017, the company hiked its dividend by 7.1%. Given the solid liquidity position, along with lower debt/equity and dividend payout ratios than its peers, SEI Investments is expected to sustain its capital-deployment activities, thereby continuing to enhance shareholder value. Despite the impressive capital deployment activities and continued growth in revenues, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock has lost 32.5% year to date compared with 25.9% decline recorded by the industry. Wondering why the stock is losing its steam? Lets have a look at some of the factors that might have led to the decline. Looking at the cost front, SEI Investments continuously rising expenses remain a major cause of concern. Expenses witnessed a CAGR of 7.7% over the last six years (20122017) mainly due to an increase in compensation costs. Further, management expects expenses to remain elevated over the next couple of years due to additional investment spending on services. Also, SEI Investments high dependence on asset management, administration and distribution fees as a source of revenue could adversely affect the companys financials in the near term. This is because fluctuations in markets and foreign exchange translations or regulatory changes may hamper growth of assets under management. Story continues Apart from the above concerns, ongoing trade war tension and other issues might perhaps have been the reason for the dismal price performance of SEI Investments. However, the company has been witnessing consistent improvement in revenues over the past few years. Further, its diversified product and revenue mix as well as strong global presence and the acquisition of Archway Technology Partners, reflect promising near-term prospects. Stocks to Consider A few better-ranked stocks in the same space are Woori Bank WF, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), KKR & Co. L.P. KKR and TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation AMTD, carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Wooris Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings has moved up 18.4% over the past 60 days. In two years time, the companys shares have gained 25.2%. KKR & Co.s Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2018 earnings has moved 10.5% north in the past 60 days. Also, share price of the company has increased 24.1% in past two years. TD Ameritrade Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has been revised 2.6% upward over the past 60 days. Also, the companys shares have risen nearly 15% in the past two years. 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 TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (AMTD) : Free Stock Analysis Report KKR & Co. L.P. (KKR) : Free Stock Analysis Report SEI Investments Company (SEIC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Woori Bank (WF) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. 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. Stacey Abrams is not done yet. The Georgia Democrat said Tuesday that she will run for political office again after narrowly losing the race to become the states first black governor. Yes, I will run again, Abrams said at Fortunes Most Powerful Women Next Gen conference. Now, if you could all move to Georgia. Abrams, a former leader of the Georgia House, lost by less than 55,000 votes to Republican Brian Kemp, who was serving as Georgias secretary of state, making him the states election overseer while running for governor. She refused to concede the race, instead acknowledging her loss to Kemp last month after lambasting what she called widespread voter suppression efforts. Words matter. For me, concession, theres a legal and moral nature to conceding, Abrams said Tuesday. It means you accept that something is right, that it is just, that it is proper. What happened was not just. The state saw various difficulties for voters both before and on Election Day, including people being denied ballots and being turned away from the polls, along with efforts by Kemp to put about 53,000 voter registration applications on hold due to a controversial exact match law that disproportionately affected African-Americans. More than a million citizens found their names stripped from the rolls by the secretary of state, including a 92-year-old civil rights activist, Abrams said at the time, noting that democracy failed Georgia. Kemp will assume office in January to serve a four-year term. During her speech on Tuesday, Abrams called her effort extraordinarily successful despite the loss but once again slammed a miasma of voter suppression efforts. That anyone had their vote tarnished or restricted or narrowed is wrong, said Abrams, who is backing a federal lawsuit that would force Georgia to change how it runs elections. This isnt a partisan issue. This is a people issue. This is a democracy issue. Abrams didnt say what office she planned to run for but didnt rule out another bid for governor. Story continues Being in office is an effective way to get better done, she said. I havent quite decided, because I try not to make decisions out of anger too often. I want to make sure what I run for next is the right job not just because it has a good title, but because the mission matches my skills and matches the moment. So, stay tuned. Related Coverage Stacey Abrams Acknowledges Loss In Georgia Governor's Race Stacey Abrams Says Georgia Gubernatorial Election Was Neither Fair Nor Free Stacey Abrams Says She Faced Issues Voting In Georgia's Midterm Election Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Steven Spielbergs influence on Bumblebee extends beyond his role as executive producer on the film. The Jurassic Park director has exec produced all the Transformers films to date, and director Travis Knight has revealed that Spielberg actually came up with the concept for the first Transformers spin-off. The original idea for this film actually was Steven [Spielbergs], Knight tells Yahoo Movies UK. We can thank him for this film even existing. Bumblebee is a prequel to the first five Michael Bay-directed Transformers films which began in 2007. Set in 1987, it sees Bumblebee or B-127 as hes known to his Autobot chums landing in California to scout out Earth as a potential home for a group of Cybertron rebels, led by Optimus Prime. Hailee Steinfeld and her Autobot friend Bee (Paramount) Wiped of his memory and having lost the ability to speak, he strikes up a friendship with Hailee Steinfelds Charlie Watson who adopts Bee as her car, and her confidant. However Sector 7, a shady government agency working with the Decepticons, and headed up by John Cenas Agent Burns, is after Bee for their own nefarious needs. So far, so E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, a Spielberg film that Knight admits has a huge influence on the film. At heart of it [Bumblebee] is a film about relationships, and this beautiful love story between these two characters, Knight, who last directed Kubo and the Two Strings, explains. UNIVERSAL CITY, CA MAY 24: Filmmaker Steven Spielberg at Universal Studios Transformers: The Ride-3D at Universal Studios Hollywood on May 24, 2012 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images) I wanted to pay tribute to some of the movies that meant a lot to me in the 80s, specifically those were those classic Spielberg and coming-of-age movies, those Amblin movies, which always had this beautiful sense of wonder, of laughter, of tears, that really had a deep and strong beating heart at the core of it. Bumblebee certainly shares a lot of DNA with Spielberg classics like E.T., Goonies, and Gremlins, but the cast say they were really just jumping off points for the film to explore classic tropes with a fresh twist. E.T. was referenced a bit [on set], Steinfeld adds. Story continues It was easy to relate to moments of iconic pictures from back then [in the 80s], Cena expands. But you want Travis to have the freedom to make his movie, not a copy of a movie that was made 30 years ago. There are a lot of moments that are similar, only because a lot of those iconic movies of the 80s were about adolescence and becoming an adult, and thats certainly a theme we have in Bumblebee. John Cena in Bumblebee (Paramount) As the recent reviews for Bumblebee have shown, Knights film is easily the warmest and most vibrant Transformers film to date, and its clear the directors affection for those classic Spielberg adventures helped to add an element of fun to the film that was perhaps eschewed for grit and spectacle in the previous films. If you would have told an eight-year-old me, who was in a movie theatre sobbing my eyes out while watching E.T., that someday I would direct a movie that was executive produced by Steven Spielberg, adds Knight. I would have thought you were mad. I still think youre mad, I cant believe Im here. Michael Bay, the mastermind behind the Transformers franchise, set up a writing room for the film series after the release of Transformers: Age of Extinction in 2014 to brainstorm ideas for future instalments. Headed up by Akiva Goldsman, the team of writers came up with concepts for Transformers: The Last Knight and Bumblebee before it was disbanded in 2017. However, if Knight is to be believed, they werent the ones responsible for the best-reviewed Transformers film to date, their big boss Steven Spielberg was. Bumblebee arrives in cinemas on Christmas Eve, 24 December, but you can see it early with extensive previews nationwide on Saturday 15, Sunday 16 and Thursday, 20 December. Watch a new clip exploring the films villains below. Read more Rave reviews for Bumblebee Megan Fox reveals LaBeouf romance Stars who will be huge in 2018 By Tracy Rucinski CHICAGO (Reuters) - With many rival airlines scaling back plans to add travel routes and seats in a bid to protect margins, Oscar Munoz is taking United Airlines in a different direction. The No. 3 U.S. air carrier is forging ahead with a strategy to boost its flight network by another 4 percent to 6 percent next year after an estimated 5 percent network growth in 2018, Munoz, CEO of United Airlines since 2015, said on Wednesday. The growth plan has allowed United to claw back market share in a competitive U.S. airline sector and boost its profitability. Traditionally capacity growth in the airline business has come at a cost to yields because it can drive down fares. So far, United has bucked the industry trend, increasing unit revenues - a closely watched metric that compares airlines' sales to available seat miles - at a faster pace than rivals American Airlines and Delta Air Lines . When the airline unveiled an aggressive plan to add capacity in the middle of a price war with low cost carriers in January, the stock of parent company United Continental Holdings fell 7 percent. But United investors have more than reversed course, sending its shares up about 30 percent so far this year against a roughly 2 percent drop on the S&P 500. United has overhauled its hubs in Chicago, Houston, Denver, Newark, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco with 220 new flights and better coast-to-coast connecting options. (For graphic on U.S. domestic market share, see: https://tmsnrt.rs/2SLzKcA) Munoz offered new details to his growth strategy on Wednesday, saying United will add flights to New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne from San Francisco to tap higher-paying international routes. "The strategy is working," Munoz told journalists. The expansion comes after United revamped its home base - Chicago O'Hare Airport - in a way that allows passengers to make easier connections when traveling to the two U.S. coasts and cities in between. Story continues A similar overhaul at Denver, its fastest growing and most profitable hub despite heavy competition from low-cost carriers Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines, will be launched in February. San Francisco is now set for its largest international route expansion, subject to government approval. Much of United's domestic expansion so far has targeted a portion of the market share lost when the airline cut 1,200 flights following its post-bankruptcy merger with Continental Airlines in 2010. "It's not predicated on anything other than where does it make sense for us to fly. Where are the customers? Do we have the right aircraft, and in essence, can you make money?" Munoz told Reuters in an interview. "We're not chasing that 1,200." The growth plans and investor optimism have allowed Munoz to put the passenger and animal scandals of 2017 in the rear view mirror, and focus on improving relations with its own passengers and labor force. To turn around its image, Munoz has provided "compassion" training to employees and empowered flight attendants and gate agents to resolve passenger complaints on the spot with travel credits or vouchers. "United's No. 1 challenge is to avoid any more notable public relations disasters. Customers, investors and Twitter users will not forgive as easily the next time," Jim Corridore, equity analyst at CFRA in New York. (Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; editing by Edward Tobin) The bluestones of Stonehenge may have been dragged by animals The mystery of how Stonehenges bluestones were transported 160 miles from Wales to Wiltshire has puzzled archaeologists for generations. Some experts say glaciers picked up and deposited the huge rocks in the last ice age, while others have suggested the stones were dragged on rollers or sleds by manpower. Yet new research may point to a far simpler explanation - that cattle were used to shift the massive cargo. Archaeologists at University College London have found that cattle were being used as engines to pull heavy loads as early as 6,000BC. In a new study, published in Antiquity, archaeologists discovered that the bones in the feet of Neolithic cattle in the Balkans demonstrated distinctive wear patterns, indicating they were being used for traction, almost 2,000 years earlier than previously thought. It means that Neolithic farmers had already been using cattle to move loads for thousands of years before Stonehenge was constructed 5,000 years ago. Lead author Dr Jane Gaastra, of UCL Archaeology, said: Our current identification of systematic traction at around 6000 BC makes it even more likely that there would have been traction animals available for labour during the construction of Stonehenge. So, yes, that would certainly be a good avenue for more research. The part of the Balkans where we found the bones was heavily forested in the Neolithic period, so chopping trees to create settlements would have required a lot of manpower. Cattle would therefore have been a vital asset helping to transport items such timber for housing. The study was conducted in the central and western Balkans and shows that the earliest European farmers were not simply using cattle as a source of meat or dairy products, but also as a source of propulsion. Previous research suggested that animals were not used for traction until much later with the invention of the plough and the cart, but there was no evidence for either at Stonehenge so it was believed animals were not used to move the stones. Story continues Co-author Dr Marc Vander Linden, formerly of UCL Archaeology, now at University of Cambridge, said: "Until now it has generally been considered that traction only emerged by the 5th and 4th millennium BC, parallel to the introduction of the plough and the wheel, but our study demonstrates that this is not the case. We reveal that when the wheel and the plough became available farmers were already experienced in using cattle for traction, and this could have facilitated the spread of these innovations. The bluestones were moved in the second half of the 3rd millennium BC, a period for which cattle traction was already established. From this point of view, our study only shows that cattle traction was practiced by early European farmers much before what was generally considered. Frankly, there is no reason to think that it was not used. The researchers investigated 12 cattle foot bone samples, from both male and female cattle , from 11 Neolithic sites in the central and western Balkans, modern-day Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina, spanning from 6,000 to 4,500 BC. They found that the foot bones of animals had extra growth on the inner side, the area which takes most of the load. Stonehenge expert, Professor Mike Parker Pearson of UCL added: "There's no evidence that the Stonehenge cattle were used for traction. "But we do have a cattle jaw at Stonehenge from the same date as the bluestones' arrival around 3000 BC, which is from an elderly cow that grew up on geology compatible with that of west Wales. " The research was published in the journal Antiquity. Nairobi (AFP) - Tanzania on Wednesday awarded a $3-billion (2.64-billion-euro) contract to two Egyptian firms to build a hydro-electric dam in a renowned nature reserve. The 2,100-megawatt scheme will straddle the Rufiji River in the Selous Game Reserve, a 50,000-square-kilometre (19,000-square-mile) protected area which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Arab Contractors and El Sewedy Electric, which won the tender for building the dam, signed the deal on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam with Tanzanian President John Magufuli and Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbuli in attendance. In a televised speech, Magufuli dismissed fears about the scheme's impact on the environment. "We are determined to strengthen the development of our economy. We need reliable, sufficient energy. We will not retreat," he said. The dam would not only meet national electricity needs, it would also provide surplus power to export to neighbouring countries, he maintained. Tanzanian Energy Minister Medard Kalemani said there was a three-year deadline for building the dam. The scheme was first mooted more than half a century ago, but only revived after Magufuli was elected in late 2015. He has declared it to be a key goal of his presidency. But conservationists are deeply worried about the impact on biodiversity, especially that caused by a giant reservoir that will be created when the river is dammed. UNESCO has repeatedly called for the scheme to be scrapped, saying it is "incompatible" with the site's World Heritage status, which it earned for being one of the largest remaining wildernesses in Africa. The immense park is a haven for elephants, black rhinoceroses, cheetahs, giraffes, hippopotamuses and crocodiles. In 2014, elephant poaching caused UNESCO to place the reserve on its list of World Heritage in Danger. Mining and lack of funding are other major problems. Three teenage girls have concussions after adults attacked them in a mall parking lot. On Friday night, Taylor McFadden, 18, Tatum Bohanon, 19, and Alexandra DeRusso, 19, visited the Deptford Mall in New Jersey to buy Christmas gifts and get their eyebrows threaded. After leaving the mall at 8 p.m., McFadden sat in the drivers seat of her car while Bohanon and DeRusso smoked a cigarette outside in the parking lot. A white Pontiac carrying two women and two men stopped behind them. They had their turn signal on like they were waiting for us to leave the parking space, McFadden tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Allie signaled to them that we were staying so they took another parking spot. The group walked past McFaddens car on their way to the mall. I heard them mumbling but I wasnt really listening, she says. One of the women said, I hope you arent talking about us. We didnt understand. Allie said, Maam, youre too old to be dealing with people our age. The attack is shown in the upper right-hand corner of the mall surveillance video. The tall woman smacked Allie in the face and the man grabbed Tatum and threw her toward the front of the car where she hit her head, McFadden tells Yahoo Lifestyle. She left her car while dialing 911 and read the license plate number to the operator. I just remember repeating the plate numbers over and over again. McFadden says there was a mall security van parked nearby but it was empty. Bohanon ran into the mall screaming for help and McFadden tried to assist DeRusso who received most of the blows. One woman yelled, You dumb white girls, dumb b****es are stupid, she says. I told her, I am half-black and half-white and she said, Im not talking to you then.' While trying to pull DeRusso from the fray, McFadden says a man punched her in the face and head. It took me a minute to realize it was a man, but I knew from the force, she says. At the same time, a woman grabbed her face and pushed her neck back. Story continues Teens Tatum Bohanon (L), Alexandra DeRusso (R), and Taylor McFadden (not pictured), were attacked by a group of adults in the parking lot of the Deptford Mall in New Jersey. (Photo: Courtesy of Taylor McFadden) Suddenly, the attack, which McFadden says lasted only a few minutes, was over. They got in their car and drove off but first sped forward us as if they were going to hit us, she says. After the police arrived, the girls went to Jefferson Washington Township Hospital where all three were diagnosed with concussions. It feels like I have a constant migraine and its tough to move my neck, she says. Additionally, McFadden has a cervical sprain in her neck, DeRusso two black eyes and Bohanon a cervical sprain and bruised ribs. Representatives from the Deptford Mall and The Deptford Township Police Department did not return Yahoo Lifestyles requests for comment. McFadden tells Yahoo Lifestyle that their case has been assigned to an investigator and shes optimistic the alleged assailants will be located. Were not angry, we just want to know why adults attacked a group of kids, says McFadden. Over a parking space? Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Suzannah Gonzales (Reuters) - The state of Texas on Tuesday executed an inmate convicted of shooting a man to death and sexually assaulting his wife after trying to rob the newly married couple on the campus of a community college near Dallas 25 years ago. Alvin Braziel, 43, was pronounced dead at 7:19 p.m. local time, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He was executed by lethal injection in the state's death chamber in Huntsville. Asked by the warden if he had any last words before he was put to death, Braziel expressed thanks to "all those overseas, Italy and France, for their support for death row prisoners. "I would also like to apologize for Lori for the second time for her husband dying at my hand," he added, before telling the warden, "You may proceed." Braziel was convicted and sentenced to death in 2001 for attacking Douglas and Lora White at gunpoint while they were on a walk along a jogging trail at Eastfield College, a Dallas-area community college, on Sept. 21, 1993, according to court documents. The couple told Braziel they had no money before he shot Douglas and sexually assaulted Lora, according to her testimony in court. The case remained unsolved for the better part of a decade. Braziel was serving a sentence for another sexual assault seven years later when authorities made a positive DNA match that placed him at the scene of the crime against the Whites, court documents showed. Braziel appealed his conviction on several grounds, arguing he was denied adequate legal representation and due process and that he is intellectually disabled and thus ineligible to be executed. His appeals were denied by several courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016. Braziel became the 13th inmate to be executed in Texas and the 24th in the United States this year, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, an organization that tracks executions in the United States. (Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Scott Malone and Matthew Lewis) Jacob Anderson, pictured in court in Waco, Texas, on Monday as he learnt he was being spared jail time - Waco Tribune Herald The former president of a fraternity at a private Christian university in Texas has been spared jail time after being accused of raping a fellow student at a party, in a decision which has devastated the victim and her family. Jacob Anderson, 23, was accused of repeatedly raping a woman at a party in 2016, after she was plied with drink. A Texas judge on Monday accepted a plea bargain, allowing the former Baylor university student to walk free and serve only community service. The woman, who was 19 at the time, attacked Anderson and the district attorneys in her victim impact statement expressing her fury that they did not show up in court for Mondays decision. "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. Jacob Anderson, in a photo released by McLennan County sheriffs office Turning to the man she accused of repeatedly raping her, she said: It must be horrible to be you. 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 told police she woke up choking on her own vomit. By the grace of God I am alive today to fight this injustice, she wrote. One breath either way and Jacob Walter Anderson would be on trial for murder. Anderson had been indicted on sexual assault charges and the deal allowed him to plead no contest to a lesser charge of unlawful restraint. A no contest plea means a person does not admit guilt, but will offer no defence. He was expelled from Baylor after a university investigation, and be placed on deferred probation. Anderson, the ex-Phi Delta Theta fraternity president, also agreed to seek counselling and pay a $400 fine. He will not be forced to register as a sex offender. Abel Reyna, McLennan County district attorney, defended the plea deal in October. Story continues "This office stands by the plea offered and believes we have achieved the best result possible with the evidence at hand," he said, adding that evidence did not support the allegation that the victim may have been drugged. Judge Strother said on Monday that in making the decision he had the benefit of arguments filed by attorneys on both sides, and a background report assembled by a probation department. He said much of the comments he saw on social media or in emails were "not fully informed, misinformed or totally uninformed." Yet the decision was not the first time that the judge has sentenced men accused of sex crimes to probation. Last year, he sentenced a man to deferred probation after he pleaded guilty in the 2013 rape of a former Baylor student. The judge ordered the man to pay for the woman's counselling. The man told police the woman had been drunk, according to an affidavit. And 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. The man, who was a student at the time and told authorities the sex was consensual, was allowed to serve the jail time on the weekends. The Anderson case bore strong parallels to that of Brock Turner, the Stanford university swimmer who was convicted in 2016 of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman outside a fraternity party. A judge in that case rejected a prosecutor's demand for a lengthy prison term and instead sentenced Turner to six months in jail. He was released from jail in September 2016 after serving three months. Theresa May has survived a significant rebellion by her own MPs to continue as Prime Minister. Conservative MPs voted by 200 to 117 in the secret vote of confidence on Wednesday night. The result means the Prime Minister cannot be challenged for another 12 months. Speaking shortly after the vote, Mrs May accepted that a significant number of Tory MPs had voted against her but said she now wanted to get on with the job. Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, was met with cheers and applause as he announced the result to a room of press and MPs. But rebel Tories immediately claimed the result was a terrible one for the PM and called for her to quit. Sir Graham Brady announced that the party did still have confidence in Theresa May (PA Images) Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mrs May should resign as soon as the Queen has a moment in her diary to see her. He added: Its a terrible result for the Prime Minister, it really is. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said: Tonights vote makes no difference to the lives of our people. The Prime Minister has lost her majority in Parliament, her government is in chaos and she is unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first. Mrs May, who has vowed to stand down before the 2022 general election, had needed 159 votes in her favour to win the ballot and stay in power. After the vote, she said a Brexit which brings the country back together rather than entrenching division was needed. That must start here in Westminster with politicians on all sides coming together and acting in the national interest, she added. A party still at war Throughout Wednesday more than 180 Tories publicly said they would vote to keep Mrs May in her job, compared to around 35 who said they would vote to bring her down. Mrs May earlier warned a change of Prime Minister would put the UKs future at risk or could even stop Brexit altogether. The ballot was triggered after 48 MPs, including prominent Brexiteers and European Research Group (ERG) members Steve Baker and Rees-Mogg, submitted letters of no confidence in their leader. Story continues Theresa May arrives back at 10 Downing Street after voting in a confidence ballot in her own leadership (Reuters) And though Mrs May has survived the leadership challenge, her party remains riven in two. On top of Mr Rees-Moggs comments, Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said that his party has missed an opportunity by not getting rid of Theresa May. Backing Mrs May, Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said calls for her to resign had been completely absurd. Defence minister Tobias Ellwood suggested that members of the hard Brexiteer ERG should consider their position in the event that the coup to oust May failed. They have tried for the second time to thwart the prime ministers ambitions, he said. They should fall in line. Unless they do they should ask themselves if should they be part of the party. Pro-Brexit demonstrators who oppose Theresa May hold placards outside the Houses of Parliament. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) MP Sarah Wollaston echoed the sentiment, saying: I hope the ERG loose badly and we can see the back of their pompous threats for a year. The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, earlier labelled some of the rebels extremists. What next? Having shored up her position, the Prime Minister will now return to Brussels in a last-ditch attempt to secure concessions on the Brexit deal she negotiated with the EU. She will then put her deal to MPs for a meaningful vote before 20 January. Her decision to postpone the vote by MPs on the deal in the face or a humiliating defeat was the final impetus for a number of Conservatives to submit letters of no confidence in her leadership. Mrs May insisted earlier she would stay on to finish the job she has set herself as Prime Minister of addressing priorities like the economy, public services and housing as well as delivering on the result of the 2016 referendum. Nigel Dodds, Deputy Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, tweeted: The message from tonight is very clear. The (Irish) Backstop must go. Theresa May speaks outside Number 10 after winning a vote of no confidence in her leadership (PA Images) Theresa May has warded off a challenge to her leadership, winning a vote of confidence by 200 votes to 117. This means she will continue as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, and another no confidence vote cannot be held for the next twelve months. A warring party Even after weathering a no confidence vote, Mrs May is still at the helm of a deeply divided party, with Remainers and arch Brexiteers entirely at odds as to how she should now proceed. Senior Tory MP Sarah Wollsaton said she hoped Eurosceptics coup to oust May would lose badly so she could see the back of their pompous threats forever. Security Minister Tobias Ellwood said a strong win for Mrs May should make hard Brexiteers consider their position within the Conservative Party. Brexit supporters on the other hand accuse Remainers of attempting to overturn the result of the referendum by standing in the way of quitting the EU. Brexit Having secured her position, Mrs May will now turn to the arduous task of getting her Brexit deal through Parliament after delaying the vote in the face of a bruising defeat. She will travel to Europe this week for crisis talks with European leaders in an attempt to rescue her deal, despite the EU maintaining it is not willing to reopen negotiations. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said ahead of talks with May there was no room whatsoever for renegotiation However EU leaders have said they are willing to offer the Prime Minister a helping hand to get the deal past warring MPs. The PM will hope to win enough concessions to persuade rebel MPs to vote her deal through. The backstop In particular she will attempt to gain clarification over the Irish Backstop the issue that most infuriates hard Brexiteers, who claim the plan could see the UK trapped in a permanent customs union with the EU. Although the EU will not renegotiate the backstop, they could provide a legally binding text to sit alongside it to reassure MPs it is extremely unlikely to be used. After the meaningful vote was postponed this week in an embarrassing step-down, Number 10 has said the vote will take place some time before 20 January. Story continues If she does manage to win support for the deal, it will be enshrined into law before Britain leaves the EU on 29 March. Trade Negotiations for a free-trade deal with the EU will then commence, with a view to securing an agreement before the end of the transition deal on 31 December 2019. If Mrs May fails to manhandle the deal through, she has committed to bringing forward a motion outlining what she plans to do next. MPs will have the power to amend this motion, which could see Remainers and soft Brexiteers try to push-through a Norway-style close future relationship with the EU. If she does lose, Labour could trigger a vote of no confidence in the entire government in an attempt to bring about a general election. This could get through with the support of hard Brexiteers hoping to install a new Tory leader in the two weeks before the country goes back to the polls. 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. 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. Story continues 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." By Andy Sullivan and Letitia Stein (Reuters) - Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams admitted defeat in her effort to become the first black female U.S. governor on Friday, but said she planned to sue the state over voting problems and "gross mismanagement" of the election. Abrams' announcement effectively hands victory to Republican Brian Kemp in a bitter race that has drawn national attention both for her historic campaign and for Kemp's role as the state's top election administrator. Abrams accused Kemp of using his position as Georgia Secretary of State to interfere with the vote - an allegation he has strongly denied. "To watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in this state baldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the peoples democratic right to vote has been truly appalling," Abrams told supporters in Atlanta. "So lets be clear: This is not a speech of concession, because concession means to acknowledge an action as right, true or proper," she said. State officials were expected to certify Kemp as the winner as soon as Friday night. "The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward," Kemp said on Twitter. "We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgias bright and promising future." Kemp, 55, resigned his post as Secretary of State after the Nov. 6 election and did not oversee the final ballot review. Abrams, 44, had considered a court challenge to force a runoff, which is allowed by state law if neither candidate gets a majority of the vote. Initial results showed Kemp just over that threshold. Instead, she said she would sue the state for what she called "gross mismanagement of this election" and to protect future elections. She said she would start a new organization, Fair Fight Georgia, to advocate for voting rights. Voters in Georgia reported long lines at polling places as aging technology was swamped by the volume of people seeking to cast ballots. Prior to election day, groups has sued to prevent Kemp from throwing out more than 50,000 voter-registration forms that had been put on hold because personal information did not exactly match state databases. The lawsuit alleged that the "exact match" law disproportionately affected black voters. Story continues RECOUNT IN FLORIDA Abrams's announcement comes as several other races across the country remain unresolved. In neighboring Florida, election officials were slogging through a hand recount of ballots to determine who won a hard-fought U.S. Senate contest. Outgoing Republican Governor Rick Scott held a narrow lead over incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson after an electronic recount was completed on Thursday. Officials have until noon on Sunday to tally any votes missed by electronic voting machines. Scott's campaign has called on Nelson to drop out, saying it was mathematically impossible to make up the difference of about 12,600 votes, 0.15 percent of the more than 8 million ballots cast. Nelson's lawyer, Marc Elias, has said he expects Scott's lead to ultimately disappear as the recount continues. On Friday, a federal judge rejected one of the limited paths to carry Nelsons chances forward. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee denied an appeal by Nelsons supporters to allow mail-in ballots that arrived after the state deadline to be counted. In another tight Florida contest, Republican Ron DeSantis appeared to secure the governor's seat over Democrat Andrew Gillum after the electronic recount showed DeSantis with a 0.4 percentage point lead, outside the threshold to trigger a hand recount. The state is scheduled to certify results on Tuesday. Scenes of thousands of people across the state reviewing ballots brought back memories of Florida's 2000 presidential recount, which ended only after the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in, effectively handing the presidency to Republican George W. Bush. The result of the Nelson-Scott race will not change the balance of power in the Senate, where Republicans extended their lead in the Nov. 6 midterm vote, while Democrats took a majority in the House of Representatives. Along with the unresolved Florida senate race, Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi is headed to a Nov. 27 runoff against Democrat Mike Espy after neither candidate secured a majority of the vote in a four-way race. About 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives remain up in the air. (Additional reporting by Eric Beech and Mohammad Zargham in Washington; editing by Scott Malone, Bernadette Baum and Tom Brown) Morgan Ben-David, with AXS Law Group. During the past several years, joint employer liability has been a hot-topic affecting franchisors and franchisees alike, due to the lack of clarity surrounding when two or more businesses may be deemed joint employers. On the one hand, there are laws that require brands to protect their federally registered trademarks by exercising certain brand controls. However, there are also competing laws that can create joint-employer liability when a company exercises such controls. In franchising, the argument has been that by placing controls to promote uniformity on franchisees contained in franchise agreements, franchisors are also controlling working conditions at the franchised location. As a result, franchise businesses often find themselves in a catch-22. The joint-employer dilemma faced by franchise businesses largely is a result of the controversial 2015 National Relations Boards (NLRB) decision in Browning-Ferris Industries of California, which expanded the definition of joint employer under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Browning-Ferris abandoned the previous test applied by the NLRB, which measured joint-employer liability on whether there was direct and immediate control over the employees essential terms and conditions of employment. As a result of Browning-Ferris, indirect or potential control over employees working conditions was now sufficient for finding a joint-employment relationship. The Browning-Ferris decision inevitably had an immediate impact on a wide array of businesses, including franchises. Indeed, franchisors and other businesses that license their trademarks are required to police the use of their intellectual property licensed to third parties pursuant to the Lanham Act. Uniforms worn by employees, the logos used and the shape and weight of a hamburger patty are all ingredients of consumer experience. Without imposing a certain level of controls on franchisees, franchisors not only risk losing the hallmark of uniformity in the franchise system, but they also risk losing protection of their trademarks. In response to the legal minefield surrounding joint employment, the NLRB recently issued a notice of proposed rulemaking, which is intended to restore the pre-Browning-Ferris joint-employer framework. However, the proposed-rule must go through the comment period and still faces uncertainty. The Browning-Ferris decision is also not over, as it is still proceeding though the appeals process. Notably, some critics have also pointed out that the NLRBs notice fails to address the unique concerns of licensors and licensees of intellectual property. In relationships such as franchising, distributorships and dealerships, the trademark owner will often dictate significant quality control standards. This begs the question whether such efforts to police the licensed rights will be considered direct and immediate, thus triggering joint employment liabilityeven under a new proposed rule. Legislative efforts are now underway to address the legal predicament faced by intellectual property owners. At the state level, there are several states that have enacted legislation to exempt franchise relationships from joint employment liability, but their scopes are not uniform, and they do not apply to federal claims. Fortunately, U.S. House Small Business committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) introduced a bipartisan bill, the Trademark Licensing Protection Act of 2018. The bill, which has been praised by the International Franchise Association (IFA), is intended to provide clarity that the licensing of a mark, and any control or exercise of control for purposes under the Lanham Act does not create an employment relationship. Specifically, the bill would provide a more stable solution by amending the Lanham Act and adding the following language to Section 5, if enacted: "The licensing of a mark for use by a related company, and any control or exercise of control over thereof for the purpose of preserving the goodwill, reputation, uniformity, or expectation of the public of the nature and quality of goods or services associated with the mark, may not be construed as establishing an employment or principal-agent relationship between the owner of the mark and the related company." n the meantime, despite recent efforts to tackle the uncertainty surrounding joint employment liability, the legal landscape is far from being resolute. Franchisors and other owners of intellectual property who license their trademarks should still remain cognizant of the level and types of controls placed on licensees and franchisees that extend beyond the necessary standards put in place to protect their trademarks and the integrity of their brands. The good news is that recent legislative and rule-making efforts demonstrate that the tide is shifting in the joint employment framework, and that franchise and similar businesses may eventually have the legal clarity and comfort knowing that they will not be penalized for requiring the proper use of their trademarks. Morgan Ben-David is a partner with AXS Law Group in Wynwood. She focuses her practice on franchise and distribution law, licensing, hospitality and emerging businesses. She may be reached at morgan@axslawgroup.com By Andrew Chung (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to let his order barring asylum for immigrants who enter the United States illegally take effect even as litigation over the matter proceeds. The U.S. Justice Department asked the court to lift a temporary restraining order against the asylum rules issued by San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar. Trump has taken a hard line toward legal and illegal immigration since taking office last year. Citing what he called an overwhelmed immigration system, Trump issued a proclamation on Nov. 9 that authorities process asylum claims only for migrants crossing the southern U.S. border at an official port of entry. Tigar blocked the rules on Nov. 19, drawing Trump's ire. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused on Friday to lift Tigar's injunction pending an appeal by the administration, saying the government "has not established that it is likely to prevail." The Justice Department said in its request to the Supreme Court that the injunction frustrated the government's effort to re-establish control over the southern border and reduce illegal crossings. Trump issued his proclamation alongside a new administration rule that effectively prohibited asylum for migrants crossing from Mexico outside a port of entry. The policy came as the government sought ways to block thousands of Central Americans traveling in caravans to escape violence and poverty at home from entering the United States. Immigrant rights groups immediately sued, arguing the policy violated federal immigration and administrative law. In his ruling, Tigar said Congress clearly mandated that immigrants were eligible for asylum regardless of where they enter the country. The ruling prompted Trump to blast the 9th Circuit as a "disgrace" and dismiss Tigar as an "Obama judge." Tigar was appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama, a Democrat. That criticism led to an extraordinary rebuke by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, who issued a public response to Trump. "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges," said Roberts, a conservative who was appointed by Republican former President George W. Bush. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham and Peter Cooney) Washington (AFP) - The US government on Tuesday unveiled a plan to roll back clean water rules protecting the nation's waterways and wetlands, fulfilling a pledge from President Donald Trump to farmers and supporters who view environmental regulations as too strict. The proposed changes to the Clean Water Act would "remove and replace" rules set by the administration of Barack Obama in 2015, which was widely praised by environmental protection activists. That rule limited the runoff from pesticide and fertilizer products allowed in a majority of the nation's waterways, from large rivers to swampy areas located on private property. Trump had previously called the Obama-era regulation "horrible" and said it impeded economic development in rural areas -- an issue that was important to his electoral base. The new law, which was drafted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), applies a stricter standard to determine which waterways would fall under federal control. It would cover main shipping lanes, tributaries of those waterways, certain lakes and reservoirs created by using a dam. But individual states, which often have more lenient standards, would have the final say over streams, "ephemeral" bodies of water created by precipitation and certain artificial lakes. This reframing of the law "puts an end to the previous administration's power grab," said the acting head of the EPA, Andrew Wheeler, a former energy industry lobbyist. The previous rules were "really about power in the hands of the federal government, over farmers, developers and land owners," he added. Because it was the subject of several court challenges, the 2015 law had only taken effect in 22 of 50 states. Representatives from rural states heralded the stripped-back regulations at a ceremony at the EPA headquarters in Washington. The proposal "brings back some common sense with regulations which try to achieve this balance between federal and state relationships," Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska said. Story continues But environmental protection advocates said the new rules would cause significant damage. "The Trump administration will stop at nothing to reward polluting industries and endanger our most treasured resources," said Jon Devine of the Natural Resources Defense Council. The new guidelines are set to take effect in 2019, according to the EPA. They will be subject to a 60-day comment period, and then could be revised before being finalized. After taking office, Trump immediately began rolling back many of the environmental rulings made during Obama's eight years in office. In addition to withdrawing the US from the Paris accord on combatting climate change, the Trump administration has canceled an anti-pollution plan targeting coal-fired power plants and made moves to undo car pollution restrictions that were set to start in 2025. But the deregulation process has been challenged in court by multiple states, which could delay its potential implementation. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, is at the centre of a diplomatic dispute between China, the US and Canada - REUTERS Donald Trump, the US president, has said he would intervene in the case of arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou if it would help secure a trade deal with Beijing. If I think its good for the country, 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, he said in an interview on Tuesday with Reuters. Ms Meng, 46, the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecoms giant and daughter of its founder, was granted a 6m bail deal, also on Tuesday, by a Canadian court while she awaits an extradition hearing to the US following her arrest on December 1 at Vancouver airport. She has been accused of conspiracy to defraud banks after the company allegedly violated sanctions against Iran. The charges have been denied. China on Sunday summoned the US ambassador to Beijing to lodge its strong protests, calling the case extremely egregious. Her contentious arrest comes amid an increasingly bitter trade dispute between Washington and Beijing, and the growing row over the case destabilised stock markets further last week. Protestors gather outside the Supreme Court in Vancouver Credit: James McDonald/Bloomberg Ms Mengs detention has also soured Beijings relations with Canada, with China warning Ottawa of grave consequences if she was not immediately released. Chinas arrest on Monday of Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, immediately prompted speculation of a retaliatory move by Beijing. The detention of Mr Kovrig, a China expert currently working for the International Crisis Group as its North East Asia adviser, was being taken very seriously said Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister. Chinas foreign ministry on Wednesday said it had no information about his case, but then claimed that the ICG, where Mr Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and that its activities in the country were illegal. Story continues I do not have information to provide you here, spokesman Lu Kang said when asked about Mr Kovrig. If there is such a thing, please do not worry, it is assured that Chinas relevant departments will definitely handle it according to law. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are having a trade spat Credit: Jim Watson/AFP Because Mr Kovrigs organisation is not registered as a nongovernmental organisation in China, once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law, Mr Lu said, in comments reported by the Associated Press. He also repeated Chinas demand for the immediate release of Ms Meng, whose company has strong connections to the countrys government and military. Our request is very clear, that is, the Canadian side should immediately release the detained Ms. Meng Wanzhou and to protect her legitimate rights and interests, he said. Mr Kovrig was previously a diplomat in China and elsewhere. His current employer said he was taken into custody by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, which handles intelligence and counterintelligence matters, during one of his regular visits to Chinas capital. Rob Malley, president of the Brussels-based group, said Canadian consular officers had not been given access to Mr Kovrig, who he believed had travelled to Beijing on personal matters. His sudden detention sent chills through the foreign charity, research and journalist communities, many of whom rose to his defence on social media. Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, has been arrested in China Credit: AP Those who track human-rights cases in China worry that people around the world are becoming numb to their concerns, wrote journalist Joanna Chiu, who declared herself to be a friend of Mr Kovrig, in the Vancouver Star. Please, pay attention to what is happening with Michaels case. In her opinion piece, Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said he believed the case was part of Chinas efforts to put pressure on Canada on the Huawei case. Others pointed to similarities with the arrest of Canadians Julia and Kevin Garrett in 2014, in a move widely seen as a reprisal for Canadas apprehension of Chinese citizen Su Bin, who was later sentenced by the US to nearly four years in prison for his role in the hacking of technical data for military aircraft. Meanwhile, what appeared to be a screenshot of a bailed Ms Meng, who may now reside in one of her luxury Vancouver properties, thanking Huawei and her country, generated praise on Chinese social media. In a statement on Sina Weibo, Chinas answer to Twitter, Huawei stressed it had complied with all international laws and sanctions. We look forward to a timely and fair closure of this incident from the American and Canadian governments... We believe the Canadian and American legal systems will draw a fair conclusion. Additional reporting: Paula Jin Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump's administration asked the Supreme Court Tuesday to allow him to enforce a ban on granting asylum to illegal immigrants, after suffering two lower court setbacks. The Justice Department told the high court that the ban, announced by Trump on November 11, needed to be enforced immediately to deter thousands of Central Americans now at the US southern border from crossing into the country illegally in search of asylum. "These measures are designed to channel asylum seekers to ports of entry, where their claims can be processed in an orderly manner; deter unlawful and dangerous border crossings; and reduce the backlog of meritless asylum claims," read the petition, filed in Trump's name. Eleven days after Trump announced the controversial action, US District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order against its implementation, while the full case faces legal challenges. Human rights groups argue that the order violated the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which states that any foreigner who arrives in the US, "whether or not at a designated port of arrival," may apply for asylum. The Justice Department appealed the restraining order. But on Friday an appeals court sided with the lower court against enforcement, saying Trump's ban was at odds with existing law. The fight over asylum seekers was the latest in a series of battles over immigration that Trump has waged with his own courts since he came into office in January 20 promising a crackdown on the borders. The administration is fighting to stem the surge of migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador who travel to the US border with Mexico to request asylum, claiming their countries are too dangerous for them to remain there. Currently, if they do cross the border illegally, they must be allowed to apply for asylum and are often set free inside the country while their case is pending. There was no immediate response from the Supreme Court on whether or when it would review the Trump petition. President Donald Trump has undoubtedly been one of the most controversial presidents in American history. Since he took over the Oval Office, Mr Trump has been accused of colluding with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election, allegedly suggested his former attorney to commit campaign finance violations, and defended the use of tear gas on migrant children at the US-Mexico border. For his critics, these incidents all beg the question of when, if ever, will Mr Trump get impeached? On Thursday, the Atlantic published the cover story of the March issue calling for Mr Trumps impeachment. Yoni Appelbaum, the senior editor of the magazine, wrote the piece, arguing that the president has repeatedly trampled on the US Constitution with his policies, handling of investigations involving his administration and his attack on political rivals and the press. These actions are, in sum, an attack on the very foundations of Americas constitutional democracy, Mr Appelbaum wrote. With a newly seated Democratic majority, the House of Representatives can no longer dodge its constitutional duty, he added. It must immediately open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump, and bring the debate out of the court of public opinion and into Congress, where it belongs. With the partial government shutdown reaching its 25th day mark, the longest federal closure in American history resulting in over 800,000 federal employees working without pay, Mr Trumps approval rating is on the decline. Some Democrats have also already called for Mr Trumps impeachment. Texas Representative Al Green happens to be one of the Democrats making those calls. I think [Trump] has to realise that the countdown to impeachment has already started, Mr Green said. He, at some point, will have to choose if he will face impeachment or if he will resign. It will be his choice. The congress will have no choice but to act. But to some senior Democrats, impeaching the president would be political suicide. House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi has repeatedly called for fellow colleagues to back off on the impeachment proceedings, saying We shouldnt impeach the president for political reasons and we shouldnt not impeach the president for political reasons. Story continues The San Francisco liberal also cited former President Bill Clintons impeachment 20 years ago and how it backfired on Republicans in the following 1998 midterm elections. Ms Pelosi said Mr Clintons impeachment was so bad, it was so wrong, and [the Republicans] had no right to do it, and it disrupted the public confidence in what we do. She was right. On midterm election day, the Democrats crushed the GOP and gained five seats in the House despite polling finding 70 per cent of American voters believe Mr Clinton was guilty of perjurya crime. But, lets say for instance, that Mr Trump does get impeached. The crucial question to ask then is: what would the president and the US look like if Mr Trump were to be impeached? Could Mr Trump resign before he is officially impeached? Yes, it is a possibility. Former President Richard Nixon took that route when he resigned from the Oval Office in August 1974. Historians believe that if he would have not resigned, he would have been impeached and removed from the office. Some legal experts believe Mr Trump could take a rule out of Mr Nixons playbook. California Congresswoman Jackie Speiera Democrat sitting on the House permanent select committee on intelligencereportedly said that based on the growing evidence on the Trump campaigns ties with Russia, she believes he might resign before impeachment. I have always thought that he was never going to fulfil his full term, Ms Speier said. I am more convinced that he will leave before any impeachment would take place. What needs to be done to get Republicans to join in on impeachment proceedings against Mr Trump? There are two possibilities for this to happen. The first depends on attitudes from Republican voters. If Republican voters end up turning on Mr Trump, it is likely for the GOPwho are eager to keep their seats in Congresswill follow suit. The other possibility, according to some political theorists, is that Republicans view Mr Trumps impeachment as an opportunity to get the president they wanted all along: Vice President Mike Pence. If Trump gets impeached, who will replace him? Vice president Mike Pence. But for some progressives, Mr Pencewidely favoured by Republicans is seen as an conservative ideologue with impenetrable views on abortion and LGBTQ rights. Thus making a possible Pence administration seem far more volatile and nefarious than the current administration. What would a Pence administration look like? There are stark differences in the way Mr Trump and Mr Pence handle political business. Firstly, Mr Pence takes more of a traditionalist approach in communicating with the American people. Unlike Mr Trump, Americans probably wont see Mr Pence tweeting out threats against world leaders or insults towards the press in the middle of the night. When it comes to reproductive rights and womens healthcare, Mr Pence is likely to vow overturning landmark Roe v. Wade and might champion the GOP agenda to defund Planned Parenthood. During his tenure as an Indiana congressional representative, Mr Pence made a name for himself through his stalwart commitment to reducing government spending. In 2003, Mr Pence fought tooth and nail and led GOP caucus members to prevent a prescription drug entitlement from being added to Medicareproving that the vice president is willing to take on his own political party for limited government. Essentially, Mr Pence is married to the concepts of limited government, deregulations, shrinking government and returning the powers to the states. One thing for certain is that this could mean bad news for Medicare, womens reproductive rights, civil rights, public education and climate change. Could Mr Trump face jail time? The Justice Department have taken the position that a sitting president cannot be indicted or prosecuted. But that could all change if Mr Trump is impeached from office. Some top Democrats think so. California Congressman Adam Schiff, the incoming Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday that Mr Trump may be the first president in quite some time to face the real prospect of jail time, saying it could be the case the Justice Departments indict Mr Trump once he leaves office. If new court filings in Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation can prove that Mr Trump advised Cohen, his former attorney, to pay illegal hush money to women who allegedly had sexual relations with the president, he would could be found guilty of campaign finance violations. Prosecutors argued that Cohen acted in coordination with and at the direction of Trump before the election to silence two womenStormy Daniels and Karen McDougalabout their alleged affairs with the former reality tv star. Mr Schiff believes prosecutors have also made the powerful case for Cohen, who plead guilty to campaign finance violations in August, to serve a prison sentence that could equally apply to Mr Trump. Prosecutors are recommending Cohen serve a 42-month sentence for campaign finance law violations, and charges for tax and bank fraud. Donald Trump has insisted he is not concerned about the threat of impeachment because the people would revolt if that happened. The president, who has been implicated in campaign finance violations admitted by his former personal lawyer, claimed it would be hard to impeach somebody who hasnt done anything wrong. Federal prosecutors said last week that Mr Trump had directed Michael Cohen to make six-figure payments to two women to stop them speaking about alleged affairs with the Republican candidate ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Mr Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to eight charges and will be sentenced on Wednesday, has also said the hush money was paid at the direction of the candidate to prevent the allegations scuppering his campaign. In court documents filed last week in New York, prosecutors said the payments broke laws that stipulate all campaign contributions must be disclosed and limited to $2,700 per person (2,150.) Democrats have suggested violating such laws would be an impeachable offence, although senior party leaders in congress have questioned whether it would be serious enough to warrant politically charged proceedings. Impeachment requires a simple majority to pass the House of Representatives, where Democrats will take control in January. But removal of the president from office requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, where Mr Trumps fellow Republicans hold sway. Asked if he was worried about the threat of being removed from office, Mr Trump told Reuters on Tuesday: Im not concerned, no. I think that the people would revolt if that happened. He added: Its hard to impeach somebody who hasnt done anything wrong and whos created the greatest economy in the history of our country. Mr Trump has wrongly claimed dozens of times that the US economy is stronger under his presidency than it has ever been before. The president has denied colluding with his former lawyer over the hush-money payments, claiming that Mr Cohen was lying about his involvement to secure a lighter sentence. Story continues Michael Cohen is a lawyer. I assume he would know what hes doing, he added. The president also insisted the money, paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, wasnt a campaign contribution. He repeated his claim that the campaign finance violations would be a civil offence, rather than criminal. Mr Trump said: Number one, it wasnt a campaign contribution. If it were, its only civil, and even if its only civil, there was no violation based on what we did. OK? Asked about prosecutors assertions that at least 14 people who had worked for him met or had business dealings with Russians before and during his 2016 presidential campaign, Mr Trump said: The stuff youre talking about is peanut stuff. The president has repeatedly dismissed special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into alleged collusion between his campaign team and a Moscow as a witch hunt. An Oval Office meeting between Donald Trump and senior Democrats rapidly escalated into anger and disagreement after the president threatened to shut the government if he did not receive funding for a border wall. In dramatic scenes that may have been partly staged to appeal to their respective supporters, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer repeatedly clashed with Mr Trump over his insistence that border security could only be guaranteed by building such a wall. He has asked for $5bn to construct it. I will be the one to shut [the government] down, said Mr Trump, as vice president Mike Pence sat in silence and watched the encounter. Im proud to shut down the government for border security. Such scenes in the Oval Office have rarely been seen by the US public. When Ms Pelosi appeared to protest about the in-front-of-the-cameras nature of the spat, Mr Trump said: Its called transparency. But with Mr Trump having invited the media to witness the meeting, it is likely that all the participants understood in advance what might transpire. Mr Trump, desperate to secure funding for a wall, is trying to make a breakthrough before Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in the new year. He also knows few issues are more popular with his base than a hardline approach to immigration. At the same time, while it now seems likely Ms Pelosi will become the next speaker of the House, the 78-year-old has faced questions about her leadership, even though an actual challenger has not yet emerged. Ms Pelosi is very aware that the new congress will include a number of young, progressive members who want her to take a tough line with the president. The heated comments, and the equally stark body language, came after the president demanded $5bn in congressional funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border. He has said he will refuse to agree a spending deal with Democrats unless he gets the money. Mr Trump tweeted earlier: 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. Story continues Mr Schumer said to Mr Trump: You say my way or well shut down the government. Mr Trump responded by saying border security was necessary, and that a wall was essential for such security, a claim that Democrats and many independent experts dispute. Yes, if we dont get what we want ... I will shut down the government, Mr Trump said. Mr Schumer then said: We do not want to shut down the government. Ms Pelosi told the president: You will not win. Congress is seeking to finalise spending before some federal government funding expires on 21 December. Reuters said while Mr Trumps fellow Republicans control both the House and the Senate until next month, Democratic support is needed to pass any spending legislation. Republican congressional leaders have repeatedly said it is up to Mr Trump to cut a deal with Democrats, an acknowledgement of their inability to produce spending bills with Republican votes alone. Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer have urged Mr Trump to support a bill that includes half a dozen government funding bills largely agreed upon by politicians, along with a separate measure that funds the Department of Homeland Security at current levels until next September. The homeland bill includes about $1.3bn for fencing and other security measures at the border. We do not want to let a Trump temper tantrum govern our policies or cause the shutdown of a government, which everyone on both sides of the aisle knows is the wrong idea, Mr Schumer later told reporters. Asked what advice she had given the president, Ms Pelosi said: I asked him to pray over it. Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump pointed Wednesday to the mass shooting at a Christmas market in France to bolster his demands for funding to build a US border wall with Mexico. Trump's tweet linking the issues came despite the fact that the suspect in Tuesday's attack in Strasbourg, France, is a native of the city with a criminal past and extremist views. A French prosecutor said the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar" -- Arabic for "God is greatest" -- before opening fire in a popular Christmas market in the city's medieval center, killing two people, leaving a third brain-dead and wounding 12 others. Trump mentioned the attack only glancingly, using his first public comment on the incident to buttress his arguments for funding a US-Mexico border wall. "Another very bad terror attack in France. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security!," he said. Trump clashed angrily with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on funding for the wall Tuesday in an Oval Office meeting carried live on television. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also cited the Strasbourg attack to support a border wall, which was a signature promise of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. "Every time we add to people here who have the risk of becoming radicalized, we increase the risk to American citizens," Pompeo told Fox News. "We should build it out," he said of the wall. "We should do all the things we need to do to control the flow of people into our country in a way that is lawful only." But Pompeo did not answer on whether Mexico will pay for the wall -- a favorite line of Trump at his rallies -- and said he was working with Mexico to prevent emigration at its source in conflict-ridden El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. "Frankly, the most important thing we can do is turn off the flow from those three countries," he said. Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump said in an interview Tuesday that he may intervene in the US case against a top Huawei executive detained and bailed by Canada if it helps seal a trade deal with China. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, is wanted by US authorities for violating Iran sanctions but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention in Vancouver, ratcheting up tensions in the US-China trade dispute. Asked by Reuters if he would intervene with the Justice Department in her case, Trump was quoted as saying: "Whatever's good for this country, I would do." "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made -- which is a very important thing, what's good for national security - I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump said. He added that White House officials had communicated with the Justice Department and Chinese officials about the Meng case but said he had not personally spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Questioned on domestic and international affairs, Trump also stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince over the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and said he was not concerned that he would get impeached over scandals mounting at home. But his comments on the Meng case are likely to garner the most attention as it has become a flashpoint in the already fragile trade relationship with the world's top two economies, locking them in a dispute that has begun to eat into profits. - 'Very good ally' - Beijing has expressed outrage over Meng's arrest at the request of Washington on December 1 and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row. Meng was granted bail in Vancouver earlier, but the list of strict conditions of her release pending the outcome of the extradition case is lengthy, and includes electronic tagging. Asked about Washington Post columnist Khashoggi's October 2 murder at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul, Trump refused to comment on the CIA's reported assessment that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was likely complicit, and instead offered his unequivocal backing. Story continues "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump said, adding that standing by the kingdom meant backing Prince Mohammed. His remarks came as pressure builds on the president over the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to swing the 2016 election. Trump told Reuters the American people "would revolt" if the Mueller probe -- or separate allegations by federal prosecutors that he ordered illegal hush money payments during the campaign to cover up affairs -- led to impeachment proceedings. "It's hard to impeach somebody who hasn't done anything wrong and who's created the greatest economy in the history of our country," the president said. Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer of New York WASHINGTON The two top Democrats in Congress head to the White House on Tuesday for a meeting with President Donald Trump as the two sides work to end an impasse over border security funding and approve must-pass spending legislation before the end of the year. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will sit down with Trump in the Oval Office with less than two weeks until some government departments and agencies run out of money. The meeting had been scheduled for last week but was delayed because of the death of former President George H.W. Bush. Trump is demanding that Congress give him $5 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and has warned that hed be willing to shut down the government unless Congress allocates the full amount a claim he echoed in a series of early morning tweets in which he said he would have the military build the wall anyway if Congress refuses full funding. "If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall," Trump claimed in one tweet. "They know how important it is!" Pressing his demand for a wall, Trump tweeted that Democrats "will fight it at all cost, and Nancy (Pelosi) 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! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018 Lawmakers have until midnight Dec. 21 to resolve the dispute or risk a partial government shutdown. "Republicans still control the House, the Senate and the White House, and they have the power to keep the government open," Schumer and Pelosi said in a joint statement late Monday. Story continues "Our country cannot afford a Trump shutdown, especially at this time of economic uncertainty," the Democratic leaders said. "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." Budget talks have essentially been on pause pending Trumps meeting with Schumer and Pelosi. A short-term spending bill that has kept the government operating expired last Friday, but lawmakers passed a two-week extension to buy them more time to negotiate. Congress already has passed five spending bills for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, but seven others still await congressional action. The bills that need approval would fund the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Homeland Security, Interior, State, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, as well as several smaller agencies. Those are the departments and agencies that would be impacted if there is a partial government shutdown. Border security funding remains the major sticking point in passing the remaining spending bills. Building a wall along the U.S-Mexico border was one of Trumps pivotal promises during the 2016 presidential campaign. Though at the time he said repeatedly that Mexico would pay for the wall, Trump is now demanding that Congress provide $5 billion to erect the barrier. In his tweet storm, Trump said U.S. troops, the border patrol, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have done a "FANTASTIC" job of securing the border, but a "Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution." He again accused Democrats of opposing it "for strictly political reasons." 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....... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018 House Republicans have backed Trumps call for the funding. The House Appropriations Committee approved the spending in July. But a bipartisan Senate bill has earmarked only $1.6 billion for border security. Schumer has been adamant that Democrats will not provide the full $5 billion. Whats more, the $1.6 billion the Senate has earmarked cannot be used to construct any part of a border wall, Schumer said last week, adding that the money could be spent only on fencing where necessary and for technology currently deployed at the border. Pelosi, who is expected to become House speaker when Democrats retake the majority in that chamber in January, suggested last week that lawmakers pass six of the remaining spending bills and continue to fund Homeland Security at current levels, which include $1.3 billion for border security. Meanwhile, four Senate Republicans have introduced legislation that they said would fully fund Trumps wall. The WALL Act sponsored by GOP Sens. John Kennedy of Louisiana, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Ted Cruz of Texas would provide $25 billion in border wall funding by closing loopholes that the senators say allow undocumented immigrants to receive benefits and tax credits. Parents, for example, would be required to prove citizenship to apply for benefits such as food stamps and welfare assistance and would need a valid Social Security number to claim refundable tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit. The bill also would increase the minimum fines for crossing the border illegally and establish a minimum penalty for visa overstays. The legislation is unlikely to gain any traction. More: Another government shutdown? Congress has a week to pass a spending bill to keep the lights on More: The Ghost of Shutdowns Past haunts latest talks to keep the federal government open This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump, top Democrats to discuss border security funding as government shutdown looms The scene as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Mike Pence, President Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer met in the Oval Office on Tuesday. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) WASHINGTON In one of the more eye-popping comments in his unusual and heated Oval Office exchange with Democratic congressional leaders on Tuesday, President Trump seemingly suggested that 10 terrorists were recently apprehended trying to enter the country. However, when pressed about the presidents comments, officials could not provide evidence of any such apprehension. The president sparred with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi for over 10 minutes in full view of reporters and press pool cameras. During the exchange, Trump said he is willing to shut down the government if Democrats dont appropriate funding for his proposal to provide $5 billion for a wall along the Mexico border next year. Democrats have said Trump should accept a stopgap measure that would provide $1.3 billion for border fencing and barriers in 2019, which is the same amount Congress authorized for this year. If the two sides do not agree on a budget, parts of the federal government will shut down at the end of next week. Trump shared the dramatic story of terrorists being apprehended as he argued for the wall. 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, Trump said. Our border agents, all of our law enforcement has been incredible what theyve done. But we caught 10 terrorists. These are people that were looking to do harm. Trump followed up his claim about the terrorists by declaring we need the wall. Yahoo News reached out to Customs and Border Protection to ask for details about the 10 terrorists Trump referred to. A spokesperson for the CBP pointed to comments made by an unnamed Department of Homeland Security official in a fact sheet that was distributed by the White House on Tuesday. On average last year, DHS prevented 10 individuals tied to terror known or suspected terrorists each day from traveling or attempting to travel to the United States. These are individuals that hit against U.S. terror watchlists. This is in addition to the 17,000 criminals and 3,000 special interest aliens that CBP apprehended at the border last year, the statement said. Story continues However, this statistic is far different from the recent terrorism bust Trump described in the Oval Office. There are more than 1 million people on U.S. terror watchlists. This includes people suspected of having links to terrorism and some cases of mistaken identity. On some occasions, people are prevented from entering the country simply because their name and birthdate is similar to someone who is on the list. CBP referred Yahoo News to the White House for further questions about Trumps claim. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Contractors work to reinforce a section of the U.S. border wall between San Diego and Tijuana, where scores of Central American migrants have crossed illegally in recent weeks. (Photo: Rebecca Blackwell/AP) Trump has previously made assertions about terrorism threats at the border that were not backed up by evidence. In October, as he railed against a caravan of migrants who were headed from Central America to the United States, Trump claimed the group included unknown Middle Easterners who were mixed in. But, when pressed, no government agency provided evidence to substantiate that claim. On Tuesday, hours before Trumps Oval Office meeting with Democratic leaders, the Washington Post published an article announcing that its fact checkers had come up with a new rating to designate false claims that have been repeated more than 20 times. Trumps assertions about the border wall were among the first claims to earn this new Bottomless Pinocchio rating from the paper. The border wall was Trumps signature campaign promise during his 2016 White House bid, and he has repeatedly insisted that Mexico would pay for it, even as construction had already begun with only U.S. funding. Schumer pointed to the Posts assessment of Trumps claims as he answered the president. 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, Schumer said. Trump responded to the Senate Democratic leader with a laugh. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Ankara (AFP) - Any unilateral military action in northern Syria would be "unacceptable", the Pentagon said Wednesday after Turkey announced it would launch an operation against a US-backed Kurdish militia. The warning came after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would soon begin a mission targeting the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a "terrorist" group. "We will start an operation to free the east of the Euphrates from the separatist terrorist organisation in the next few days," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara, referring to territory held by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). American forces have worked closely with the YPG under the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, which has played a key role in the war against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group The Pentagon has repeatedly warned that any fighting between the Turks and the SDF is a dangerous distraction from the core US mission in Syria of fighting IS. Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson said any unilateral military action in northeast Syria would be a "grave concern", as it could potentially jeopardise US troops working with the SDF in the region. "We would find any such actions unacceptable," he said in a statement. Turkey says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. "The target is never American soldiers but terrorist organisation members active in the region," Erdogan told the audience at a defence industry summit. American forces are with the SDF east of the Euphrates as well as in the flashpoint city of Manbij, which is west of the river. "We should not and cannot allow (IS) to breathe at this critical point or we will jeopardise the significant gains we have made alongside our coalition partners and risk allowing (IS) to resurge," Robertson said. Story continues The YPG also said a Turkish offensive would be to the benefit of IS. "The (Turkish) threats coincide with the advance of our forces against the terrorists, this time with the entrance into the town of Hajin," YPG spokesman Nuri Mahmud said. The SDF launched an offensive on September 10 to expel IS from the Hajin pocket, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River close to the Iraqi border. "Any attack on the north of Syria will have a direct impact on the battle of Hajin. The forces who are fighting (there) will return to defend their areas and their families," Mahmud said. - 'Compel a change' - Washington's relationship with the YPG, seen as a key ally, is one of the main sources of tensions between the United States and NATO member Turkey. Ankara has repeatedly lambasted Washington for providing military support to the Kurdish militia. Erdogan has previously threatened to attack areas held by the YPG. In a bid to avoid any clash, the NATO allies agreed a "roadmap" for Manbij in June. Erdogan's comments came a day after the Pentagon announced the setting up of US observation posts on the northeast Syria border region intended to prevent altercations between the Turkish army and the YPG despite calls from Ankara not to go ahead with the move. Erdogan claimed Turkey was not being protected from terrorists but "terrorists were being protected" from possible action by Turkey. Elizabeth Teoman, analyst at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said Erdogan may be threatening the attacks "to compel a change in US policy regarding the US observation posts along the Syrian-Turkish border". She added that "Turkey may attempt to target YPG rear areas without a definitive US presence in the form of an observation posts." Turkey has previously launched two operations in northern Syria. The first offensive began in August 2016 with Turkish forces supporting Syrian opposition fighters against IS and was completed by March 2017. Then in January 2018, Turkish military forces backed Syrian rebels to clear the YPG from its northwestern enclave of Afrin. In March, the operation was completed with the capture of Afrin city. By Ezgi Erkoyun ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey will launch a new military operation in northern Syria within days, targeting Kurdish militia fighters who are supported by U.S. troops east of the Euphrates river, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. Ankara and Washington have long been at odds over Syria, where the United States has backed the YPG Kurdish militia in the fight against Islamic State insurgents. Turkey says the YPG is a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the state in southeastern Turkey for 34 years. Turkey has already intervened to sweep YPG fighters from territory west of the Euphrates in military campaigns over the past two years, but up until now, it had not gone east of the river - partly to avoid direct confrontation with U.S. forces. But Erdogan's patience with Washington over Syria - specifically a deal to clear the YPG from the town of Manbij, just west of the Euphrates - seems to have worn thin. "We will start the operation to clear the east of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days. Our target is never U.S. soldiers," Erdogan said at a speech at a defense industry summit in Ankara. "This step will allow for the path to a political solution to be opened and for healthier cooperation." Turkey has repeatedly voiced frustration about what it says are delays in the implementation of the Manbij deal, saying last month that the agreement should be fully carried out by the end of this year. Turkish and U.S. troops began joint patrols near Manbij last month, but that cooperation has also been complicated as Turkey has shelled Kurdish fighters to the east of the Euphrates. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Erdogan's comments had created concern in the Pentagon that the fight against Islamic State militants could be affected. The official said there was concern that a Turkish operation could distract Kurdish YPG fighters away from the middle Euphrates River Valley. In March, another Turkish offensive against the YPG affected the fight against Islamic State and led to an "operational pause" in eastern Syria. OBSERVATION POSTS The Pentagon says it has about 2,000 troops in Syria. Last month the United States said would establish observation posts on the border between Kurdish-held northern Syria and Turkey after Turkish cross-border shelling killed four Kurdish fighters. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said the Turkish attacks had led to a temporary halt in the U.S.-backed campaign the SDF are waging against Islamic State near the Syria-Iraq border. Three observation posts have now been set up, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday. The official said the positions were clearly marked and any force attacking them "would definitely know they are attacking the United States". Erdogan's announcement came after Turkish officials held talks in Ankara this week with the U.S. special representative for Syria, Jim Jeffrey. An SDF military source said Jeffrey met the SDF leadership in northern Syria on Wednesday. Erdogan said Turkey was the victim of a "stalling tactic" over Manbij and Islamic State no longer posed a threat in Syria. "Now, it's time to realize our decision to disperse the circles of terror east of the Euphrates. The fact that we have deep differences in perception with the United States is no secret," he said. "A stalling tactic has been used in Manbij and is still being used... There is no threat named Daesh in Syria anymore. This is a fairytale," he said, using an Arabic acronym for the militant group. The YPG still controls a large swathe of northeast Syria, on Turkey's southern border. Turkey regards the YPG as an extension of the PKK. More than 40,000 people, mostly Kurds, have died in the PKK's conflict with Ankara. Turkish authorities fear the conflict could be stoked by the YPG presence across the border. (Additional reporting by Sarah Dadouch in Istanbul, Ellen Francis in Beirut and Idrees Ali in Washington; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alistair Bell) Will electric cars ever really be the sexy choice? Well all be forced into them within the next 10 years, but thats not the same as a driver in the market for a rare supercar actively choosing electricity over gas. Is it possible that the sound of silence will become as desirable as the thrum of a naturally aspirated V-12 gasoline engine? Will wires and plugs and a 30-minute charge really appeal to the time-is-money brigade who can refuel and be on the way to the next appointment in 10 minutes? (The ultimate solution to that, by the way, is Bentleys Filld trial, which, via an app, sends someone with fuel to a destination of your choosinghome, office, gymto fill your Mulsanne while youre busy spending your time more productively.) I recently talked to the CEO of Automobili Pininfarina, Michael Perschke, about whether electric ownership can be a sexy proposition. Pininfarina is the legendary Italian design house; what it doesnt know about the beauty of the motorcar isnt worth knowing. In 2020, Automobili Pininfarina will bring to market its own electric hypercar. Not only is the company not bothered about the lack of exciting engine noise (Perschke talks about the sound signature of an electric vehiclesilencebecoming the luxury experience), but Pininfarina is not even bothered by plugs and cables for charging. I assumed the brand would follow the lead of McLaren, which showed me its $2.25 million three-seater hybrid hypercar, the Speedtail, at a secret warehouse near its HQ in Woking, England. McLaren let slip at the time that the 250 mph Speedtail will use wireless induction charging, which deploys the magnetic qualities of electricity to draw up charge to the batteries when the car drives over a pad. McLaren will install pads in the 106 Speedtail owners homes and is counting on a spread of the current wireless-charging trials in mainland Europe. Pininfarina, on the other hand, thinks an induction plate bolted onto the car will add too much weight, so it is sticking with good old-fashioned plugsas is Bentley, with its electrified Bentayga. You can bet these cords will be encased in smart, bespoke luggage sets, but still. Im not convinced a long cable sticking out of your work of art is the right choice for owners who, in many cases, view their limited-edition prized possessions as aesthetic investments. Story continues McLaren has surely made the right choice: Most charging of electric cars is destination charging, done at home or work, so an induction pad will suit most owners. It means keeping the silhouette smooth, the lines unhindered, and the carbon-fiber surfaces flowing like liquid mercury, without a sudden rupture for a socket cap. Also, crucially, unlike the fabled McLaren P1 and other hybrid hypercars, the Speedtail will never run in electric-only mode; its hybrid tech is there solely for faster acceleration and the 250 mph top speed. Sure it will save on gas, but it looks like McLaren has given up on the eco hair-shirt pretense and has decided to be honest in its manipulation of hybrid technology for rude power. Now thats what I call a sexy use of electricity. Erin Baker is an automotive writer on the female advisory board for Lamborghini. Related stories Go Off-Road with One of These 8 Top Luxury SUVs Your Supercar and Watch Now Have More in Common Than You Ever Imagined The New McLaren 720S GT3 Race Car Is Ready to Compete TOKYO (Reuters) - The U.S. military ended a search on Tuesday for five Marines missing in the sea off Japan since two Marine Corps aircraft were involved in an accident during an air-to-air refueling exercise on Dec. 6. The five missing crew of a KC-130 Hercules refueling plane were officially declared deceased. "We know this difficult decision was made after all resources were exhausted in the vigorous search for our Marines," Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell Maury, commander of the U.S. Marine Corps' (USMC) Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron, said in a statement. "Our thoughts are heavy and our prayers are with all family and friends of all five aircrew." Two marine pilots flying an F/A-18 Hornet jet fighter and the five crew members onboard the KC-130 Hercules went missing in waters about 320 km (200 miles) off the Japanese coast following what U.S. officials have said may have been a mid-air collision. One of the two Hornet pilots found by search and rescue teams died. The other was injured. U.S. and Japanese ships and aircraft did not, however, locate the crew of the Hercules. Both aircraft flew from the USMC's Iwakuni air station in Japan. The accident added to a lengthening list of U.S. military aviation accidents around the world in recent years. The spate of incidents has prompted Congress to hold hearings to address concern over the toll on personnel and equipment taken by continuous combat operations, deferred modernization, lack of training, and aging equipment. (Reporting by Tim Kelly. Editing by) RIMBO, Sweden (Reuters) - The United Nations is proposing that all armed forces from Yemen's warring parties withdraw from the port city of Hodeidah and that an interim entity be set up to run the city, a lifeline for millions of people in the country's war, sources said. The proposal is still being discussed at U.N.-sponsored peace talks between the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government in Sweden. The sources familiar with the talks said the U.N. proposal envisions a "joint committee or independent entity" to manage the city and port after both sides withdraw and the possibility of deploying U.N. monitors. (Reporting by Aziz El Yaakhoubi; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) UAE ICOs Its confirmed. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia will work on cross-border digital currency. The exact date when it would be issued is still unknown but we know one thing, the digital currency is not targeted at consumers. Its strictly for banks. Arabian news outlet Gulf News reports that the central bank of the UAE, along with its Saudi counterpartthe Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (Sama) will jointly issue a cross-border digital currency that will be used between both countries. It could be recalled that CCN first reported about a collaboration between the monetary authorities of both countries as far back as 2017. At the time, UAE Central Bank governor Mubarak Rashid Al-Mansouri had informed the public that the institutions were still studying the technology needed to execute the digital asset. Al-Mansouri was, however, cautious about the implementation once its finalized, stating that the cryptocurrency would be used between the central monetary authorities and would not be available to retail consumers, at the time. Per the reports on Gulf news, Al-Mansouri informed the audience at a high powered banking meeting that both monetary authorities were still not done with the study, as both authorities have not put a framework when the study will be completed and who will be involved from both parties. This is probably the first time that witnesses the cooperation of monetary authorities from different countries on this topic, and we hope that this achievement will foster similar collaboration in our region, he noted. He also confirmed that the soon-to-be-issued cryptocurrency wont be available for consumers, but would strictly be a means of exchange between the banks in both countries. The UAE has been warming up to blockchain and cryptocurrencies at large. In October, CCN reported the Emirates plans to approve Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) as a means of funding for private companies in the Emirates, promising to push out a regulatory framework before the end of the first half of 2019. Story continues UAE securities market regulator chief Omar Saif al-Zaabi was also quoted in the report, saying: The board of the Emirates Securities & Commodities Authority [ESCA] has approved considering ICOs as securities. As per our plan, we should have regulations on the ground in the first half of 2019. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post UAE and Saudi Arabian Central Banks to Jointly Launch a Cross-Border Cryptocurrency appeared first on CCN. Rimbo (Sweden) (AFP) - With just hours left before the close of negotiations, UN mediators rushed to broker a truce Wednesday between government representatives and rebels in Yemen, a country teetering on the brink of famine. The UN talks opened last week in Sweden, the first meeting in two years between Yemen's Huthi rebels and the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, backed since 2015 by a behemoth military coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Taiz, the southwestern city controlled by the government and surrounded by the rebels, is no longer under discussion at the talks, scheduled to close on Thursday. The city has been the scene of some of the most intense fighting in a war that has pushed 14 million people to the edge of famine. Intense talks, however, were continuing on Sanaa airport, shut down for years in the conflict between the Saudi-backed government and northern rebels linked to Iran. Negotiators are also seeking a de-escalation of violence in rebel-held Hodeida, a port city vital to the supply of humanitarian aid, and a cooperation deal on the country's crumbling economy. Hodeida, the lifeline to millions dependent on aid to survive, is home to major frontlines. - 11th hour - Another round of talks has been tentatively scheduled for January, according to UN and Yemeni officials. The head of the Huthis' revolutionary council, Mohammed Ali Huthi, on Wednesday said the insurgents had proposed Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa, to host the next round. A UN official said the organization had received no such request. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was due at the talks in Rimbo, Sweden, for Thursday's closing round of consultations. Ahead of the UN's chief's arrival, his office said it had evidence the rebel Huthis were using Iran-made missiles -- a charge the Saudi-led alliance levels against the rebels as grounds for restrictions on the Hodeida port and Sanaa airport. Both government and rebel representatives have traded accusations of unwillingness to negotiate, particularly on rebel-held Hodeida, the main route for 90 percent of food imports and nearly 80 percent of aid deliveries. Story continues UN special envoy Martin Griffiths has submitted a proposal on a political framework for the future of Yemen, an agreement on the reopening of Sanaa airport, a paper on addressing the economic situation and a draft agreement on Hodeida, spokeswoman Hanan Badawi told reporters. "The two parties have officially received the drafts and we are waiting on a response," Badawi said. Members of both delegations contacted by AFP said agreements could be signed by morning. Yemeni Prime Minister Moeen Abdulmalik Saeed told AFP a full agreement on Hodeida was unlikely "given the time constraints". - Airport, port - Abdelmagid al-Hanash, of the Huthi delegation, told AFP an agreement on Sanaa airport was close, with the rebels open to a government proposal for flight searches in Sayoun or Aden, two cities under the control of the state. "For now, the search will be in Aden but will not cause harm or trouble. No one will be asked to disembark," Hanash said. An advisor to the government team, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his delegation would not confirm any agreement until the documents had been signed. Yemeni ministers Othman Mujalli and Marwan Dammaj told reporters Wednesday their camp would hold firm to UN Security Council Resolution 2216 -- which calls for the Huthis to withdraw from all areas seized in a 2014 takeover, including Hodeida. Representatives of both the Huthis and government contacted by AFP late Wednesday blamed the other party for the lack of a truce on Hodeida. The last official statement by a spokesman for the Saudi-led government coalition said military operations were ongoing in Hodeida on Monday night. - Saudi soldiers on missing list - The two camps signed a mass prisoner exchange deal at the Sweden talks, which two Yemeni government officials confirmed include Saudi soldiers fighting alongside state troops. The Huthis had said Tuesday that the list included Saudi soldiers. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition and a UN official did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The prisoner swap includes the names of more than 15,000 detainees and disappeared persons taken on frontlines since 2015. The deal will be overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which warns the exchange could take weeks. The Yemen conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since the Saudi-led coalition joined the war in 2015, according to the World Health Organization, 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. 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. Los Angeles (AFP) - Two California nuns who stole around $500,000 dollars from the school where they worked and splashed out on travel and gambling in Las Vegas are facing criminal charges, their order confirmed Tuesday. Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, who are said to be best friends, reportedly embezzled the huge sum over the course of a decade from St James Catholic School in Torrance, south of Los Angeles. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said the money was discovered missing during a routine audit after Kreuper, who was principal at the school for 29 years, retired earlier this year. Chang was a teacher at the school for 20 years and also retired this year. The nuns' order confirmed it had been informed the Archdiocese had filed a criminal complaint against the pair. "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," it said in a statement to AFP. It added the two sisters have been removed from their residence, placed in a religious house under supervision, and banned from all public ministry. "This has definitely been shocking to the entire school and parish community," Adrian Alarcon, head of media relations for the Archdiocese, told AFP. She added the case was all the more disquieting given the Church's teachings that clearly spell out "thou shall not steal." The order on Monday said Kreuper and Chang admitted to their misdeeds and were cooperating to determine the full amount of money taken. The sisters expressed remorse over their actions in a letter shared with parents at a school meeting last week, and their order has vowed to make full restitution. "Justice demands this of us," it said in its statement. churchs chicken dash venezuela crypto Churchs Chicken, an international fast-food franchise known its hand-battered fried chicken, has reportedly partnered with Dash Venezuela to become the first fast-food franchise to accept cryptocurrencies throughout its locations in Venezuela. According to a press release, a strategic alliance between Dash Venezuela and Churchs Chicken Venezuela will see 13 establishments start accepting the privacy-centric cryptocurrency as payment, after extensive and rigorous days of training to understand cryptocurrencies. Churchs Chicken is the fourth largest chicken fast-food fain in the world, as it has 1,700 restaurants spread throughout 25 countries. Per the release, the franchises representatives in the country are looking to promote the cryptocurrency as part of the move. The press release reads: Representatives of the franchise, indicated that soon will develop a series of promotions to encourage the use of Dash in their establishments, which are added to the more than 2,200 establishments in Venezuela that have this fast and easy mode of transactions. Orlando Nayas, the director general of Churchs Chicken Venezuela, noted that he worked hard with the cryptocurrency advocacy group to train the franchises staff to accept crypto payments. He added the move goes to show that we trust Dash and that it will become a growth agent in this new financial world. Bradley Zastrow, the global director of business development ad Dash Core, commented the community did an incredible job encouraging the cryptocurrencys growth in Venezuela and that the Churchs Chicken integration is exciting. KFC Venezuela Denies Report it Accepts Dash The announcement notably comes shortly after Antonio Sampaya, the CEO of KFC Venezuela, revealed the fast-food chain isnt accepting Dash payments in the near future, directly denying claims made by Dash proponents that it would. Sampayo, speaking to Spanish news outlet Critponoticias, revealed that testing crypto payments was indeed being discussed, but that nothing had been finalized. He added publications about a potential partnership werent authorized. Story continues Dash Merchant Venezuela, an organization promoting the cryptos adoption in the country, later on tweeted out a public apology to KFC Venezuela. Disculpas publicas de Dash Merchant Venezuela debido a los reportes en medios de nuestra relacion con KFC Venezuela, y nuestros esfuerzos para que acepten Dash como forma de pago. @KFC_VZLA pic.twitter.com/6nl1LONYUQ Dash Merchant Venezuela (@dashmerchant) December 11, 2018 Per the tweet, the announcement was premature and reflected our optimism instead of the actual state of our conversation with KFC Venezuela. Talks between the cryptocurrencys representatives in the country and KFC Venezuela are reportedly still ongoing. CCN reached out to Sampayo for comment but hadnt heard back at press time. As CCN reported, Alejandro Echeverria, the co-founder of Dash Merchant Venezuela and Dash Text an SMS-based cryptocurrency transaction service that doesnt require a smartphone or internet hopes Dash will have 10,000 merchants accepting it next year. In Venezuela, fast-food chains that have accepted Dash at least one location include Subway and the Papa Johns pizza chain. Featured Image from Dash Venezuela The post Venezuela: Churchs Chicken Accepts Crypto Payments after KFC Denies Rumors appeared first on CCN. Saint-Etienne (France) (AFP) - A day after President Emmanuel Macron announced measures to help quell a mass revolt over living standards, "yellow vest" protesters picketing outside a shopping centre in central France on Tuesday pledged to stay put. The two dozen or so demonstrators gathered near the entrance in St Etienne said they would only stop once the government had taken "real" measures to reduce inequalities. "France's motto is 'liberty, equality, fraternity'. Fraternity we've found through our movement, but where is equality? There isn't any equality of opportunity in this country," a 36-year-old social worker, who gave her name as Nadine, told AFP. "The real issue is wealth distribution," said a student called Jerome and who -- like many of his fellow protesters -- would have liked to hear Macron renege on his decision, taken a year ago, to scrap a top-up tax on the wealthy. It's much the same story at the entrance to the A8 motorway in La Barque, near Aix-en-Provence in southern France, where "yellow vests" who have occupied the toll booths letting traffic drive past for free. "I'm pleased with what we've achieved. After three weeks we've forced him to cave in," said Arnaud Ansermier, a construction worker, speaking of Macron's tax concessions. "We've pushed the door open, but it's not enough," he said. "I'm prepared to spend Christmas and New Year here, we can get what we want," he added. What he really wants, he said, is a better standard of living. With two children, he earns "2,000 euros ($2,290) and a bit" and finds it hard to make ends meet. - 'Trying to trick us' - Etienne Royer, a 34-year-old part-time driver, has just turned up to join around a dozen "yellow vests" gathered around an open fire next to a wall of floor-board pallets thrown up to protect them from an icy wind. Story continues "Before, I just watched all this on the television," he said, adding that he decided to join the protest last weekend. "It's important not to let the movement run out of steam because Macron is really trying to trick us," he added. "Closing the toll booths is one of our better weapons. Just holding up traffic quickly annoys people. And we must keep people on our side," he added. According to police, there were 1,900 "yellow vest" protesters blockading some 40 sites across France on Tuesday morning. Support for the "yellow vest" protesters has nevertheless dropped sharply following Macron's concessions, though the country remains largely split, two opinion polls showed Tuesday. One poll, carried out by Opinionway, said 54 percent of those surveyed wanted the protests to stop, while 45 percent still backed the rallies. Another, carried out Odoxa, showed nearly reverse figures, with 46 percent wanting protests to stop and 54 percent wanting them to continue. Both polls also revealed a major shift in public opinion overall as more than two out of three people had previously supported the grassroots movement, which sprang up on November 17 in opposition to fuel taxes but snowballed into broad opposition to Macron's pro-business agenda. Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon announced Tuesday that American observation posts in northern Syria, meant to prevent altercations between the Turkish army and US-supported Kurdish militia, have been erected, despite Ankara's request to scrap the move. US support for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) has strained relations with Turkey, which fears the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish region on its southern border. "At the direction of Secretary (James) Mattis, the US established observation posts in the northeast Syria border region to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey," Department of Defense spokesman Rob Manning said. Mattis announced in November that the US military was in the process of installing the observation posts. The measure aimed to reassure the YPG, which Turkey considers a "terrorist" group but which is the spearhead of the international fight against the Islamic State (IS) group. "We take Turkish security concerns seriously and we are committed to coordinating our efforts with Turkey to bring stability to northeastern Syria," Manning added. The Turkish army since 2016 has already launched two military operations against Kurdish forces in Syria, the last of which saw Ankara-backed Syrian rebels take the border city of Afrin in March. After Turkey shelled Kurdish militia posts in northern Syria in late October the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of which the YPG is the backbone, announced the suspension of their operations against IS for several days, to the embarrassment of Washington. During a meeting with US Special Envoy to Syria, James Jeffrey, in Ankara on Friday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar had asked that Washington scrap the observation posts. Akar also called for the US to end its cooperation with the YPG. Syria's long-oppressed Kurdish minority has established a semi-autonomous region in the north of the war-torn country. Graphic: Yahoo Finance/Katy Bowman If youve had a bad boss at work, its likely they resemble a goat. Goats are inquisitive, reactive, and aggressive and when they feel threatened they attack. But perhaps the Judas goat is one of the most toxic bosses you will ever encounter. A Judas goat is a trained to lead either sheep or other goats to slaughter, while its own life is spared. Essentially, in the world of work, its someone who repeatedly lead their own teams into trouble and escape with no consequence to themselves. But the effects of working in an environment where managers cultivate that toxic atmosphere doesnt just lead to job losses; it can also have a long-term effect on individuals mental health. In the latest episode of our 10-part series Yahoo Finance Presents Its a Jungle Out There podcast, we discussed bad bosses, how it affects mental health in the workplace, and what are the ways in which individuals and companies can tackle toxic management techniques. The carrot and stick approach, a combination of reward and punishment to induce good behaviour which seems more prevalent in male bosses is one of the techniques these types of boss use. Matilda Long, journalist, editor and co-host of Yahoo News podcast Britain is a Nation Of points out that if someone has experienced this as an employee, its likely theyll use it themselves. I think some people can respond well to that to pressure, to aggression and maybe those people who have experienced that as employees then go and do that when theyre bosses as thats what theyve found to be a good technique, said Long. Stuart Henderson, head of news at Yahoo UK and co-host of Britain is a Nation Of added bosses are likely to act that way as a defence mechanism where they are the manager, they feel the need to contribute, they feel the need to assert their authority in whatever form that may be and sometimes theyll get [the technique] wrong. Making sure the workplace has a healthy culture isnt just down to value for the social good, its also a necessity from a business point of view. A recent major report by the Institute of Directors showed how mental health affects the economy and businesses. Story continues The IoD said 15.9% of the UK working population in 2015 had mental health problems and this has collectively led to 15.8 million work hours being lost. In September, Prince William launched a website dedicated to improving mental wellbeing in the workplace. The website, an online gateway to resources, training and information, allows companies and managers to better understand and support staff that may be struggling at work. It aims to remove the stigma when it comes to mental health issues, including stress, depression, anxiety as well as manic depression and schizophrenia. To find out what strategies workers can employ to survive a toxic boss and what individuals and companies can do to foster a healthier work environment, listen to the full episode above, or download it on Apple Podcasts, ACast, or Google podcasts to listen while on the go. It's not news that Donald Trump's White House is anti-LGBT: At every chance, he's chosen anti-gay appointees, backed anti-trans policies, and chosen vocal homophobes for ceremonial events. And those actions make sense electorally, since the coalition that he's put together can't keep him in power without the support of right-wing religious groups. And in the quest to keep those leaders happy, the administration has been quietly pulling the plug on medical research that relies on fetal tissue, ordering reviews of all federally funded research that uses donations from elective abortions. According to Science, in September the Food and Drug Administration had to stop using fetal tissue to test drugs, which it does to produce vaccines for diseases like Zika. A contract between the Department of Health and Human Services and UC San Francisco looks to be on the chopping block. And, in a huge blow to HIV research, scientists at the National Institutes of Health have been ordered to stop acquiring fetal tissue altogether. Per Science: The suspension, imposed this past September without a public announcement, came as the government launched a review of all fetal tissue research funded by the federal government. The pause affects two laboratories run by the Bethesda, Marylandbased agency, NIH officials say. In one case, it disrupted a study probing how the virus that causes AIDS initially colonizes human tissues. We were all poised to go and then the bombshell was dropped, says HIV researcher Warner Greene, director of the Gladstone Center for HIV Cure Research in San Francisco, California, who was collaborating with an NIH laboratory that received the order. The decision completely knocked our collaboration off the rails. We were devastated. This isn't just a blow to HIV treatment, it's cutting out the legs of efforts to "cure" the disease by preventing its spread in the first place. And it's not the first time Trump's White House has shown contempt for HIV/AIDS relief. The president dismissed every member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS one year ago and hasn't replaced a single one of them yet. At the start of December, the White House had Mike Pence deliver a speech commemorating the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Pencewho at various points in his political career has endorsed redirecting federal funds for HIV/AIDS patients to support gay-conversion therapy and sluggishly allowed a massive HIV outbreak to spread uncheckeddidn't even mention gay people in his speech. That bears repeating: The vice president refused to acknowledge LGBT people in a speech about the impact of AIDS. The White House's main goal with this ban may be to keep abortion opponents happy. But Trump and his underlings have shown that they're willing to deliberately exacerbate the AIDS crisis just to score those political points. The single most generous thing anyone can say is for them that's a sacrifice worth making. Simple, secure purchase & transfer Once payment is complete, we then transfer the domain to your account. Trusted by customers globally With 80+ million domains under management, we have more experience than anyone. Even if you count the time television cameras lingered on her face after she left the packed Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room, Christine Blasey Fords appearance on the public stage lasted less than 4 hours. For any other well-known figure, that would be a blink of an eye. But for Ford, it was long enough to establish herself, for millions, as something of an American hero. As she described having been sexually assaulted by then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh when she was 15 years old, protesters in the Capitol scrawled We Believe on the palms of their hands. The hashtag #WhyIDidntReport exploded on social mediaboth a rallying cry for survivors and a rebuke to those who doubted that a woman might wait decades to come forward. Shirts emblazoned with Fords face went on sale across the Internet; celebrities from Julianne Moore to Lady Gaga voiced their support for her; and Ford herself received more than 150,000 personal letters, from teenagers and middle-aged women and octogenarians, all of whom recognized themselves in her pain. But in the weeks and months after that whirlwind, were still grappling with her legacy. A year into a massive reckoning on sexual harassment, her experience was at once a galvanizing illustration of how much had changed and a poignant reminder of all that had not. After all, her decision to speak out despite her terror failed to move the needle among those in power on Capitol Hill. Just over a week after Fords emotional Sept. 27 testimony, the Senate vote on Kavanaugh, who has categorically and unequivocally denied her claims, unfolded exactly as it might have had she not come forward at all. The man she had accused in such excruciating detail was honored with a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land. It was in this context that millions of Americansand perhaps especially those who related to Fords description of the aftereffects of sexual assaultfelt something akin to a gut punch: What was the point? Story continues Part of the frustration arose from the fact that Ford was, in many ways, an ideal witness. She was likable, relatable and, as a professor of psychology, able to offer fluent explanations of brain science. When asked to account for the certainty of some of her recollections, she patiently explained how norepinephrine and epinephrine encode memories into the hippocampus. When asked how sure she was that it was Kavanaugh who attacked her more than three decades ago, she was unflinching. One hundred percent, she said. Ford was also perhaps an ideal witness in another way. Because her demeanor did not challenge persistent stereotypes about how a good woman should behave, viewers were forced to focus solely on the facts. During her testimony, Ford, who is a wife and mother, was unflaggingly gracious, soft-spoken and deferential. Not once did she interrupt a Senator. Not once did she refuse to answer a question. Not once did she become threatening or frustrated orto use the word so often weaponized against passionate womenshrill. Particularly when contrasted with the distinctly male anger on display when it came time for Kavanaugh to speak, the gender dynamics surrounding her demeanor were hard not to notice, but she appeared to navigate their perils. After her testimony, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, congratulated her for her bravery, and President Trump, rarely one to give credence to the claims of female accusers, called her a very fine woman and a credible witness. The reaction among the top male Senators of the Judiciary Committee gave many people a jolt of hope, if only because it stood in sharp contrast to the reaction that met similar testimony 26 years earlier. In 1991, when Anita Hill had come before the same committee to accuse then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment, she had been discredited, mocked and dismissed. This time around, Ford had been commended. The moment seemed to confirm that a profound and wished-for cultural sea change had taken place. So when Kavanaugh was nevertheless confirmed, many who had done such wishing were devastated. If a woman like Ford could not halt the machinery of power, there seemed to be little hope for anyone else. In responding to reporters questions, Senators who voted to confirm the new Justice tended to perform a rhetorical balancing act. Some defended their votes by deflecting questions of Fords credibility. They believed that shed been assaulted, they explained; they just didnt believe Kavanaugh had done it. Others sidestepped the issue. Even if the assault did happen as she described, they seemed to suggest, it simply didnt matter: no adult should be accountable for his behavior as a teenager many decades ago. Whether fully sincere or merely wary of backlash, they were nicer to Ford than their counterparts had been to Hillbut the system that undergirds their power forged ahead just the same. And President Trump, after initially describing Fords testimony as compelling, showed that perhaps the optics hadnt changed that much after all. At political rallies in the lead-up to the midterm elections, he began mocking Ford, imitating her inability to remember some details about the evening she was assaulted. I dont know. I dont know, Trump said, waving his hands. What neighborhood was it in? I dont know. Wheres the house? I dont know. Soon conservative media jumped on the bandwagon. Right-wing firebrand Rush Limbaugh labeled Ford the product of a Democrat Party operation, while Fox News pundits questioned the timing of her decision to go public, despite her explanations of how shed made up her mind. Just weeks before the November elections, the controversy surrounding Kavanaughs nomination had become a political liability for Democrats. Polls reported that Republican voters, motivated by Fords testimony and Kavanaughs impassioned rebuttal, were now more likely to vote. And yet, around dinner tables and in online discussions, Fords supporters defended her legacy. Here was someone who had sacrificed her privacy and her familys security because she believed it was her civic duty to tell her story. Here was someone who believed that a consideration of a mans character was incomplete unless it took into account credible accusations of sexual assault. Here was someone who believed, ultimately, that a single voice could still make a difference. That those ideals are not always reflected in real life does not diminish them. In the days after Kavanaugh was sworn in, the leaders of the #MeToo movement made this point in an open love letter to Ford. She showed that speaking up does matterthat the world is listening, even if the people in front of you are not. Acts of heroism, after all, are not merely a means to an end. Even those who believe that Kavanaugh belongs on the bench may be hard-pressed to disagree. Ventura County Sheriffs Sergeant Ron Helus, who rushed into the Borderline Bar & Grill during a mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on Nov. 7, was no less valiant because he was killed by friendly fire. The late Senator John McCain, who refused to use his fathers connections to be released from a prison in Vietnam, was no less selfless because he was captured. Courage is not transactional. In coming before the American public for not quite 4 hours, Ford was regarded as a hero not because of the results she delivered but because, in doing what she believed to be right, she reminded the rest of us how its done. This story is part of TIMEs Person of the Year 2018 issue. Discover more stories here. Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). Well use ROE to examine Convenience Retail Asia Limited (HKG:831), by way of a worked example. Over the last twelve months Convenience Retail Asia has recorded a ROE of 26%. That means that for every HK$1 worth of shareholders equity, it generated HK$0.26 in profit. View our latest analysis for Convenience Retail Asia How Do I Calculate ROE? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders Equity Or for Convenience Retail Asia: 26% = 160.543 HK$613m (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.) Its easy to understand the net profit part of that equation, but shareholders equity requires further explanation. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. You can calculate shareholders equity by subtracting the companys total liabilities from its total assets. What Does ROE Signify? ROE measures a companys profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The return is the profit over the last twelve months. A higher profit will lead to a higher ROE. So, all else being equal, a high ROE is better than a low one. That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses. Does Convenience Retail Asia 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. As is clear from the image below, Convenience Retail Asia has a better ROE than the average (6.6%) in the consumer retailing industry. SEHK:831 Last Perf December 12th 18 Thats what I like to see. I usually take a closer look when a company has a better ROE than industry peers. One data point to check is if insiders have bought shares recently. Story continues How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity? Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. 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. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Combining Convenience Retail Asias Debt And Its 26% Return On Equity One positive for shareholders is that Convenience Retail Asia does not have any net debt! Its impressive ROE suggests it is a high quality business, but its even better to have achieved that without leverage. After all, when a company has a strong balance sheet, it can often find ways to invest in growth, even if it takes some time. The Bottom Line On ROE Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. Companies that can achieve high returns on equity without too much debt are generally of good quality. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, Id generally prefer the one with higher ROE. But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So I think it may be worth checking this free this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow . But note: Convenience Retail Asia may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with 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. Michigan Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer (D) speaks at the Detroit Economic Club on Oct. 31. She is not joining a Wednesday protest against the GOP's lame-duck power grab. (Photo: Carlos Osorio/Associated Press) Hundreds of progressive Michigan activists plan to mount a rally at the state Capitol in Lansing on Wednesday against efforts to undermine the authority of incoming statewide Democratic elected officials, weaken public-sector unions and do an end-run around popular policies on the minimum wage and paid sick leave. Among those not expected to attend? Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer, the states most prominent Democrat and arguably the person with the most at stake in Republican deliberations. Whitmer has denounced Republican lawmakers attempts at a lame-duck power grab and warned of the political consequences for Republicans. But as Wednesdays rally reflects, she and other party leaders have been content to let rank-and-file activists from organized labor as well as from Indivisible and other Resistance groups do the heavy lifting. Asked about Whitmers plan of action against the lame-duck GOP lawmakers, Whitmer spokeswoman Clare Liening referred HuffPost to Whitmers Dec. 4 statement blasting Republican lawmakers incivility and discord. Whitmer is in regular contact with a broad array of stakeholders in the lame-duck fight, Liening added in a follow-up exchange. Whitmers posture mirrors the approach top Democrats have taken in Wisconsin. Gov.-elect Tony Evers has condemned Republican bills undercutting his power that sailed through the Legislature in a special session last week. He expressed openness to legal challenges but has not played a major role in coordinating grassroots pressure, let alone rile up demonstrators from behind a megaphone. A spokeswoman for his campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Whitmers and Evers approaches have at least some detractors. These critics believe the two chief executives are acting cautiously in the interest of building Republican goodwill that wont be forthcoming anyway. From the point of view of public leadership, its a mistake, said a Michigan Democratic strategist who requested anonymity for professional reasons. Story continues For the most part, though, progressive activists in Michigan and Wisconsin were sympathetic to the difficult choices facing Democratic leaders who have decided against more hands-on involvement. They see their role as providing boots on the ground so newly elected executive officers have a chance to plan for the transition to governing in January. I know that the transition people are really busy, said Larry Lipton, a retiree from Bloomfield Township, who is active in Indivisible Fighting #9, a group in Michigans 9th Congressional District. Lipton has been at two previous anti-Republican protests at the Capitol in recent weeks and plans to return Wednesday. Mike Browne, the deputy director of One Wisconsin Now, a Madison-based liberal activism group, had a similarly accommodating analysis of Evers calculus. Wisconsins incoming governor and attorney general are moving forward with the mechanics of actually being in a position to take over and govern as effectively as Republicans will let them once the administration changes on Jan. 2, Browne said. In Michigan, where organized labor remains formidable, unions are content to play a quieter organizing game. The Michigan AFL-CIO has rallied its members to make calls to lawmakers asking them to vote against the raft of lame-duck bills. It brought about 200 union members to lobby against the bills in person at the state Capitol in Lansing. Ron Bieber, a former union autoworker who runs the state labor federation, is optimistic that the legislation will fail, making an effort to pressure Republican Gov. Rick Snyder to veto it premature at this stage. Wisconsin and Michigan have mobilized mass civil disobedience to confront Republican assertions of power in the not-so-distant past. When Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) gutted public-sector collective bargaining rights in February 2011, Democratic lawmakers initially fled the state to deny the Republican majority a quorum while thousands of protesters occupied the Capitol. And when Republicans tried to pass legislation making Michigan a right-to-work state in December 2012, thousands of protesters also came out in force. But the Republican victories in both cases, which allowed them to further undermine Democrats by weakening their union backers, have devastated progressive morale in the two states and sapped Democrats appetite for similar showdowns. Wisconsin Gov.-elect Tony Evers (D) speaks at a campaign rally on Oct. 26. Like Whitmer, he has not taken part in public demonstrations against Republican power grabs. (Photo: Morry Gash/ASSOCIATED PRESS) To make matters worse, Wisconsin Republicans have argued, somewhat convincingly, that protests just embolden them and give them material for propaganda to rail against Madison liberals, according to Dana Schultz, executive director of the Milwaukee-based democracy reform nonprofit Wisconsin Voices. We need to stop the bleeding, she said. People are so thirsty for some kind of positive direction that it can stifle creativity and courageousness in terms of tactics. National groups have taken their leads from state-level activists and Democratic leaders, which is one reason why there have not been high-profile visits from the likes of Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez. Wisconsin activists, in particular, thought they could have more success pressuring individual Republican state senators without national interference, according to Rebecca Lynch, political director of the Wisconsin Working Families Party, a progressive group that has played a lead role in organizing during the lame-duck legislative session. Their efforts bore at least some fruit: One Republican senator voted against a bill curtailing early voting. Lynch and other activists believe the defection helped spook Republican leaders out of ramming through a measure that would have moved up the states presidential primary from April to March 2020. The date change would have separated the primary from a state Supreme Court election in April, likely depressing Democratic turnout for the court vote when a conservative judge is up for re-election. The next step in Wisconsin is pressuring Walker to veto the Republicans bills, though Walker indicated Tuesday that he planned to sign them. Once the various bills become law, the legislation restricting early voting would likely be ripe for a challenge in federal court. One Wisconsin Now successfully sued to strike down a previous iteration of the restrictions in 2016. In Michigan, if the legislation reaches Snyders desk, activists are somewhat more optimistic about the chances of prevailing. Due to terms limits, Snyder, unlike Walker, is leaving the governors mansion voluntarily. In the run-up to the midterm election, Snyder declined to endorse his partys nominee to succeed him, and back in September 2013, in another contrast with Walker, he signed Michigans Medicaid expansion into law. He has shown that he can be fair and independent-minded when he wants to be, said Bieber, the Michigan AFL-CIO president. In an interview last week at the Harvard conference for new members of Congress, Rep.-elect Andy Levin (D-Mich.) called the fight to stop the GOP legislation an existential question for Gov. Snyder about what his legacy is going to be. A Michigan politics watcher familiar with Democratic thinking in the state believes those sorts of appeals are more likely to work on the image-conscious Snyder than will mass protests. If that strategy goes bad, they can throw down the gauntlet, said the politics watcher, who asked to remain anonymous to address sensitive party matters. Even if Snyder signs the bills repealing minimum wage and paid sick leave laws, Democrats think they have a solid chance of defeating the repeals in the state Supreme Court because of the way Republicans preempted a referendum on the two policies. A spokesman for Snyder said the governor would not comment on the various bills until they have made their way through both legislative chambers. That is likely to occur in the coming weeks. Without legislative majorities, however, there are simply limits to what Democrats can do in Republican-dominated states. And given the extreme gerrymandering that protects those Republican majorities, it could take until 2022 to retake both legislative chambers in the two states. Despite winning a solid majority in Novembers popular vote, Wisconsin Democrats flipped just one seat in the state Assembly. Retaking the governors mansion in Wisconsin was one step in a multi-year organizing strategy, Lynch said. Now the WFP is pivoting to turn out progressive voices in Evers town halls on the budget, as well as channel the energy provoked by the GOP-controlled Legislatures power grab into more electoral progress. Democrats have the chance to defend a liberal seat on the state Supreme Court in April and in 2020 flip the state Senate, where Republicans will have a smaller, five-vote advantage. Lynch credits voter registration during the Democratic gubernatorial primary for helping propel Evers victory and hopes to get a similarly early start on state Senate races. State Senate recapture has to start now, she said. One thing no Democrat who spoke with HuffPost endorsed was inflicting a comparable fate on Republicans if they had the power to do so. Abdul El-Sayed, a former progressive gubernatorial candidate whose PAC, Southpaw Michigan, has encouraged its members to call Michigan lawmakers and join Capitol protests, said a vindictive approach would feed the cycle of polarization. I would hate to see the tit-for-tat game destroy our entire approach to governing, he said. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Also on HuffPost ALABAMA STATE CAPITOL Montgomery, Alabama Year completed: 1851 Architectural style: Greek Revival FYI: A bronze star marks the spot where Jefferson Davis, newly named president of the Confederate States of America, gave his inaugural address. Visit: Guided tours are offered on Saturdays at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 pm. ALASKA STATE CAPITOL Juneau, Alaska Year completed: 1931 Architectural style: Art Deco FYI: The limestone and marble used to construct the buildings facade is also native to Alaskait hails from the Prince of Wales Island. Visit: Guided tours are available from mid-May to mid-September, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE Boston, Massachusetts Year completed: 1798 Architectural style: Federal FYI: The gleaming dome of the Massachusetts State House was not always metal. The original wooden topper leaked, so it was remodeled and covered in copper by a noteworthy company: Paul Revere and Sons. Visit: Guided tours are offered Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Reservations are required. ARIZONA STATE CAPITOL MUSEUM Phoenix, Arizona Year completed: 1900 Architectural style: Classical Revival FYI: The building, once home to the territorial government, is now a museum dedicated to the history of Arizona. The governors office and state House and Senate floors are located in other buildings in the same complex off Wesley Bolin Plaza. Visit: The museum exhibits are open from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with staff available to answer questions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Or, reserve a guided tour (from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) ARKANSAS STATE CAPITOL Little Rock, Arkansas Year completed: 1915 Architectural style: Neo-Classical FYI: Dont forget to look up. The rotunda of the capitol is a 17-foot-tall, 12-foot-wide brass chandelier made by Mitchell Vance and Company. Keep an eye out for decorative elements, such as an eagle perched on top of the Liberty Bell. Visit: Guided tours are offered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations are encouraged. CALIFORNIA STATE CAPITOL AND CAPITOL MUSEUM Sacramento, California Year completed: 1874 Architectural style: Neo-Classical FYI: Look for Minerva. Youll find the Roman goddess pictured in the Great Seal, on tile groupings on the floor, peering down from arches leading to the second-floor rotunda walkway, and the pediment in the buildings exterior. According to myth, Minerva was born fully grown, the way California became a state without first being a territory. Visit: Public tours leave on the hour daily, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. COLORADO STATE CAPITOL Denver, Colorado Year completed: 1893 Architectural style: Neo-Classical FYI: In the capitols rotunda, 16 stained glass windows depict the states Hall of Fame, which includes figures such as frontiersman Kit Carson and Alexander Majors, co-founder of the firm that established the Pony Express. Visit: Historical tours leave hourly Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The House and Senate chambers open for tours mid-January to mid-May (from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) Gallery guides are on hand to answer any questions. CONNECTICUT STATE CAPITOL Hartford, Connecticut Year completed: 1879 Architectural style: Eastlake FYI: An 18-foot bronze statue of a winged woman, titled The Genius of Connecticut, resides in the capitol rotunda. Its a replacement for the statue that once sat at the top of the capitol dome, but was destroyed by a hurricane in 1938. Lasers scanned the original plaster model to make a mold for the new version. Visit: Weekday tours leave hourly from 9:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. In July and August, a 2:15 p.m. slot opens up. DELAWARE LEGISLATIVE HALL Dover, Delaware Year completed: 1933 Architectural style: Georgian Revival FYI: In addition to the current government building, you can visit The Old State House in Delaware. The Georgian-style building was the seat of government from 1791 until 1933, when operations moved to their current digs. Visit: Make reservations for guided tours (non-session weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in-session weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.). Additional tours are available the first Saturday of each month and on some holidays. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE Columbia, South Carolina Year completed: 1903 Architectural style: Greek Revival FYI: On the outside of the capitol, six bronze, star-shaped markers denote the spots where the building was hit with artillery during General Shermans Civil War march. Visit: Guided tours are offered weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are recommended for groups. FLORIDA STATE CAPITOL Tallahassee, Florida Year completed: 1977 Architectural style: New Classicism FYI: The current 22-story state capitol towers over its predecessor, a Classical Revival building completed in 1845 that is now the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. Try to spot it from the new capitols observation deck, located on the 22nd floor, 307 feet in the air. Visit: Self-guided tours are available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for weekday holidays. Groups of 15 people or more can arrange a guided tour during the week. GEORGIA STATE CAPITOL Atlanta, Georgia Year completed: 1889 Architectural style: Neo-Classical/Renaissance Revival FYI: The Georgia Capitol Museum, the on-site museum dedicated to the history of the state, has existed within the Capitol walls for just about as long as the building has been around. It moved into its fourth-floor headquarters in 1890. Visit: Reservations are usually required for the weekday guided tours. January through April, they leave at 9:30 a.m, 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. From May to December, there are three tours each weekday: 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. No reservations are required for the days last tour, but each time slot has a slightly different focus, so check the website for details. HAWAI'I STATE CAPITOL Honolulu, Hawaii Year completed: 1969 Architectural style: Hawaiian International FYI: The eight columns in the front and back of the building are supposed to represent the eight islands of Hawaii, and the curved walls of the legislative houses recall the states volcanoes. Visit: Scope out the capital on your own on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (except for holidays), or arrange a guided tour through the Governors Office of Constituent Services. IDAHO STATE CAPITOL Boise, Idaho Year completed: 1912 Architectural style: Neo-Classical FYI: The Idaho State Capitol has the nickname The Capitol of Light for the way architect John E. Tourtellotte used shafts, skylights, and reflective marble to illuminate the interior of the building. Today, its the only capitol building heated by geothermal water. Visit: During legislative sessions, you can visit on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5p.m. Visiting hours during the interim are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Guided tours are available from groups of 10 to 100. ILLINOIS STATE CAPITOL Springfield, Illinois Year completed: 1889 Architectural style: French Renaissance FYI: Before it became the site of the capitol, the locationthe highest in Springfieldwas proposed as a burial place for Abraham Lincoln. Mary Todd Lincoln wanted him buried in the Oak Ridge Cemetery instead. Visit: The capitol is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Coordinate group tours through the Physical Services department. INDIANA STATEHOUSE Indianapolis, Indiana Year Completed: 1888 Architectural style: Renaissance Revival FYI: Many capitol buildings feature a dome or rotunda, but the Indiana Statehouse has three: a rotunda, topped by a smaller dome, with an even smaller sphere at the very top. The room inside the middle dome is painted white so the colors of the stained glass windows reflect on the walls. Visit: Guided tours leave the rotunda on Saturdays at 10:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. IOWA STATE CAPITOL Des Moines, Iowa Year completed: 1886 Architectural style: Renaissance FYI: The Iowa State Capitol has something for fashion lovers as well as history buffs: glass cases inside the first floor of the capitol building display 42 dollsone for each governors wifewearing a replica of the dress she wore to the inaugural ball. Visit: Guided tours leave Monday through Friday at various times. On Saturdays, tours depart every hour from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. KANSAS STATE CAPITOL Topeka, Kansas Year completed: 1903 Architectural style: French Renaissance FYI: In 1901, sculptor J.H. Mahoney won a design contest for his 16-foot statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, to be placed on top of the capitol dome. People balked at both the price and the idea of a pagan goddess topping the capitol, so the dome went unadorned until 2002. After a new competition was held, Richard Bergen's bronze Ad Astraa sculpture of a Kansa warriorwas installed. Visit: Guided tours depart on weekdays: January through May, 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.; June through August, 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m.; September through December, 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. KENTUCKY STATE CAPITOL Frankfort, Kentucky Year completed: 1910 Architectural style: Beaux-Arts FYI: Inside the building, two oil murals by artist T. Gilbert White depict Kentuckys most famous frontiersman, Daniel Boone. One shows Boone and his party as they first discover the area; the second shows him at the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, purchasing the land that eventually became the state. Visit: The capitol is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call the office for information on guided tours. LOUISIANA STATE CAPITOL Baton Rouge, Louisiana Year completed: 1932 Architectural style: Art Deco FYI: You approach the capitol via a grand, 48-step staircaseone stair for every state in the union (with an amendment for Alaska and Hawaii). But dont let that be the highest you get on your visit. The Louisiana State Capitol has an observation deck on its 27th floor, 350 feet above ground. (It is the tallest state capitol building, after all.) Visit: The building is open from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. daily, except for major holidays. MAINE STATE HOUSE Augusta, Maine Year completed: 1832 Architectural style: Greek Revival FYI: The portico and front and rear walls are all that remain of the original, 1832 structure (designed by architect Charles Bullfinch). A major remodel in 19091910 enlarged the wings of the building and replaced the buildings original dome with a more elongated one. Visit: Arrange a guided tour through the Maine State Museum, or check it out yourself Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MARYLAND STATE HOUSE Annapolis, Maryland Year Completed: 1797 Architectural Style: Georgian FYI: The Maryland State House has been holding government meetings for more than two centuries. The Continental Congress actually met in the buildings Old Senate Chambers in 1783 and 1784. Visit: The capitol is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for Christmas and New Year's Day. The Office of Interpretation will arrange specialized, curatorial tours of the building and its artwork. MICHIGAN STATE HOUSE Lansing, Michigan Year completed: 1879 Architectural style: Neo-Classical FYI: Dont let the faux marble pillars and walnut wainscoting trick your eyesdecorative painting techniques cover up the fact that the capitol building was made with more inexpensive materials, such as cast iron and pine. Visit: Guided tours are offered Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tour times vary. MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL St. Paul, Minnesota Year completed: 1905 Architectural style: Beaux-Arts FYI: Famed architect (and Minnesotan) Cass Gilbert designed the capitolbefore he blueprinted the United States Supreme Court building. Visit: Hourly guided tours are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 pm; and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE Columbia, South Carolina Year completed: 1903 Architectural style: Greek Revival FYI: On the outside of the capitol, six bronze, star-shaped markers denote the spots where the building was hit with artillery during General Shermans Civil War march. Visit: Guided tours are offered weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are recommended for groups. MISSISSIPPI STATE CAPITOL Jackson, Mississippi Year completed: 1903 Architectural style: Beaux-Arts FYI: There are 750 lights in the capitol's rotunda alone. That makes it easy to see the figure of Blind Justice, as well as scenes of two Indians, a Spanish explorer, and a Confederate general. Visit: Guided tours depart Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MISSOURI STATE CAPITOL Jefferson City, Missouri Year completed: 1917 Architectural style: Classical Revival FYI: The first floor of the capitol houses the Missouri State Museum, with exhibits detailing the states cultural and natural history. But that's not the only place to find interesting artifacts. In the buildings and around the grounds, look for James Earle Frasers 13-foot statue of Thomas Jefferson, Karl Bitter's bronze relief of the signing of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, a frieze by Alexander Stirling Calder (father of th famed mobile-maker of the same name), and Thomas Hart Bentons murals of everyday Missouri life. Visit: The Missouri State Museum offers free guided tours every 20 minutes, beginning at the top of the hour, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except for noon). June through February, tours leave every half hour, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding a 12 p.m. lunch break). MONTANA STATE CAPITOL Helena, Montana Year completed: 1902 Architectural style: Neo-Classical FYI: When the Capitol underwent an expansion in 1909, a conscious decision was made to feature art by Montana-based artists, including Charles M. Russell (his Piegans sold at auction for $5.6 million in 2005) and Edgar S. Paxson (known for painting Custer's Last Stand), among others. Visit: The Montana Historical Society offers guided tours. From May through September, tours leave on the hour (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) Monday through Saturday, and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. From October through April, tours are only on Saturdays and leave on the hour from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. When the legislature is in session (odd numbered years), hourly tours are also offered from January through April, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. NEBRASKA STATE CAPITOL Lincoln, Nebraska Year completed: 1932 Architectural style: Streamline Moderne FYI: Dont forget to look down. Hildreth Meires mosaics decorate both the ceiling and the floor of the building. Although Meire worked on the National Academy of Science in Washington D.C. and St. Bartholomews Church in New York City, she called the Nebraska capitol her crowning achievement. Visit: Guided tours are available every hour on the hour (except noon): Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and holidays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. NEVADA STATE CAPITOL Carson City, Nevada Year completed: 1871 Architectural style: Neo-Classical Italianate FYI: After Nevada became a state, the constitutional convention made a provision that no state capitol would be built until after three legislative sessions, in case future leaders wanted to move the center of government away from Carson City. A ten-acre site set aside for the building remained empty. In his book Roughing It, Mark Twain describes the empty plaza as a useful spot for public auctions, horse trades, mass meetings, and likewise for teamsters to camp in. Visit: The capitol is open Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (it is closed on weekends). Call the Education Program at the Nevada State Museum to arrange guided tours. NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE HOUSE Concord, New Hampshire Year completed: 1819 Architectural style: Greek Revival FYI: The stately eagle installed on top of the New Hampshire State Houses dome may look gold, but its actually painted wood. The original was removed for preservation and is on display at the New Hampshire Historical Society. A new, gold-leafed eagle was put in its place in the 1950s. Visit: Self-guided tours are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Arrange guided tours through the Visitors Center. NEW JERSEY STATE HOUSE Trenton, New Jersey Year completed: 1792 (original structure) Architectural style: Various FYI: The New Jersey State House has always been a work in progress. The original building was first completed in 1792, and a few extensions were added shortly after. In 1885, a fire destroyed a portion of the State House, which was rebuilt in the Second Empire style with a new rotunda and dome. In the 1890s, a Victorian-style addition was made to the Assembly wing. Then in 1903, the Senate wing was renovated in the American Renaissance style. A four-story office was added three years later; it finally reached its present size in 1911, and so on... Visit: Guided tours leave hourly Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as the first and third Saturday of each month (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) The State House is closed Sundays and on state holidays. NEW MEXICO STATE CAPITOL Santa Fe, New Mexico Year completed: 1966 Architectural style: New Mexico Territorial/Greek Revival FYI: New Mexicos Capitol is the only one housed in a completely round building, earning it the nickname The Roundhouse. When seen from above, the shape is meant to evoke the Zia sun symbol. Visit: Tour the capital on your own Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guided tours are available by appointment. NEW YORK STATE CAPITOL Albany, New York Year completed: 1899 Architectural style: Italian Renaissance/French Renaissance/Romanesque FYI: The Western staircase inside New Yorks capitol has been dubbed the Million Dollar Staircase, because it cost more than a million dollars to buildin the late-1800s, no less. The 444 steps took 14 years to complete, and more than 500 stonecutters and carvers earned $5 a day to work on the project. The staircases main feature is 77 carvings of faces, which include prominent Americans such as Abraham Lincoln and Susan B. Anthony, as well as images of the carvers friends and relatives. Visit: Guided tours are available Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). Tour times vary; call the Office of General ServicesVisitor Assistance for more information. NORTH CAROLINA STATE CAPITOL Raleigh, North Carolina Year completed: 1840 Architectural style: Greek Revival FYI: The North Carolina State Capitol boasts two impressive statues of George Washington. Outside on the grounds sits a bronze statue cast from a mold of Jean-Antoine Houdon's statue of George Washington in Richmond, Virginia. At the focal point in the rotunda, there's a copy of a statute that stood at North Carolinas previous state capitol until 1831. The Italian sculptor, Antionio Canova, carved George with a Roman generals uniform and haircutand hes writing in Italian. Visit: Self-guided tours are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 pm; and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours for groups of 10 can be scheduled through Capital Area Visitor Services. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. PNM Resources (PNM) hits 52-week high on the back of dividend hike and investments. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL December 12, 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: UnitedHealth UNH, Broadcom AVGO, CVS Health CVS, FedEx FDX and Oracle ORCL. Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog: Top Analyst Reports for UnitedHealth, Broadcom & CVS Health The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. 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CVS Healths shares have underperformed the Zacks Retail Pharmacies and Drug Stores industry in the past six months, gaining +10.5% versus +14.9%. On November 29, CVS Health completed the $70-billion consolidation of insurance-giant Aetna. The culmination of this huge deal marks the creation of a new healthcare powerhouse, which combines CVS Healths broad pharmacy business with Aetnas giant insurance base. In this regard the Zacks analyst stresses that over the past few quarters, the company has consistently demonstrated strong Pharmacy Services performance, benefiting from the upside in the specialty services. Also, Retail/LTC comparisons are encouraging of late. Strong 2019 PBM selling season is another upside. On the flip side, the company fears it will witness fewer RFP (Requests for Proposals) opportunities in the market than what it has seen over the past few years. 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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 Oracle Corporation (ORCL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) : Free Stock Analysis Report UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) : Free Stock Analysis Report CVS Health Corporation (CVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report FedEx Corporation (FDX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro lashed out Wednesday at what he said was a plot to assassinate him directed by the White House -- and involving the right-wing governments of Colombia and Brazil. Maduro accused US National Security Advisor John Bolton of personally directing a plan to sow chaos on Venezuelan soil, with the aim of overthrowing his socialist government. The Venezuelan leader told foreign correspondents in Caracas that his government had "good information" that Bolton had been "assigning missions for military provocations on the border." "I come again to denounce the plot which is being prepared from the White House to violate Venezuelan democracy, to assassinate me and to impose a dictatorial government in Venezuela," he said. Troops were being trained in the United States and Colombia to carry out the plot, he alleged. US President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque have been sharply critical of Maduro's leftist regime, and Trump in October hinted at a potential military response to resolve Venezuela's crippling economic crisis. "Mr John Bolton has been assigned as chief of the plan, of the plot, to fill Venezuela with violence and seek a foreign military intervention, a coup d'etat, and impose what they call a transitional government council," said Maduro, who said he had corroborating foreign sources for his claims. "Brazil's military forces want peace. Nobody in Brazil wants the incoming government of Jair Bolsonaro to engage in a military adventure against the people of Venezuela," Maduro said. The Venezuelan leader had already castigated Washington in a speech on Sunday, saying it planned to carry out a coup with support from Colombia, although on that occasion he did not mention Brazil. Bolton and Bolsonaro met late last month in Rio de Janeiro -- the first high-level meeting between a senior US official and the far-right leader, who takes office on January 1. Maduro, 55, begins a second six-year term on January 10, having won elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition. Venezuela's President Nicolas made tough accusations against the US, Brazil and Colombia during a press conference with foreign correspondents at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas Who the fuck asked, Fif? Reply Thread Link Lifes too short to be staying with a cheater Lifes too short to be messing up your relationship by cheating. How about that? Reply Thread Link mte what is the point of being in a relationship with someone you can't trust? especially since she doesn't depend on him for money. Reply Parent Thread Link His tweet is so stupid. Like??? Life is too short to settle for trash. Reply Parent Thread Link THIS Reply Parent Thread Link There was a stupid comment on The Breakfast Club about her: "If you love love somebody enough you let them cheat on you at least once. Male or female" Reply Parent Thread Link jfc the amount of people who have no clue what a healthy relationship looks like is really sad Reply Parent Thread Link wait..what..you know damn well this only applies to men not women. Reply Parent Thread Link Seriously Reply Parent Thread Link mg can he go somewhere. he likes that person that wants to be friends with u and the more u ignore them the more u see them everywhere, instagram, twitter, parties, etc. like go away, you're annoying af! Edited at 2018-12-12 12:56 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link your boy don't love you, 50 he needs to stfu permanently Reply Thread Link She shouldve left him forever ago. Shes cute and successful in her own right, wtf does she need a cheater for? Reply Thread Link Its stupid to even attempt to respond to these comments with logic. Men really dont see anything they do as wrong. Reply Thread Link Boy, if you don't stfu... Reply Thread Link Yeah, cause hes the shining example of a good man who knows how to treat a woman. Reply Thread Link love 2 put my 50 2 cents in drama that doesnt involve me Reply Thread Link So do they feel the same way about women who cheat? Because I'm guessing they don't...just a hunch. Reply Thread Link mte. if the tables were turned, especially with her just having a baby, they'd be screaming bloody murder. Reply Parent Thread Link lol bye Reply Thread Link No one asked you, fool. Reply Thread Link Lil Duval and TI also told her to take him back. Birds of a feather... Reply Thread Link that boy love you do you even love your son? The fuck you doing here, telling other people to chill and love one another. Fiddy wrote: Thats a cute outfit but you gotta go home. That boy love you girl. He added in another comment: No divorce, ok chill out. Fuck you, "gotta go home" she IS home just not with him. Edited at 2018-12-12 01:08 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link To add onto that, girl bought HER house. Girl is grown ass woman. Fuck all these cheating ass mofos. Reply Parent Thread Link For many, the Northeast Passage through the Arctic could one day be a Northern Suez Canal. While icy waters have frozen such dreams, recent advances in nuclear technology might finally unlock the full economic potential of the once-daunting Arctic waters. There is no shortage of interest in the High North. In October, the Trump administration in the U.S. approved a project to extract oil from beneath the Beaufort Sea, though melting ice has since forced changes to those plans. That same melting ice, while raising major environmental concerns, simultaneously creates other possibilities: among them, the prospect of dramatically shortened sea routes between Europe and Asia which could cut transit times by two weeks compared to the Suez Canal passage. Those reduced travel times translate to savings of 40% on both fuel and shipping costs, while lowering CO2 emissions by 52%. However, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) along the Russian Arctic coast a key leg of the Northeast Passage has historically been traversable only from July to October. It has mainly been used by domestic Russian players, and requires the use of icebreakers and specially equipped ice class vessels. In short, a thriving NSR has been nothing more than a dream, even with the melting ice, because its simply impossible to sail in the region for most of the year. Going nuclear New technologies, however, present one possible solution: nuclear-powered ships. The concept isnt new. Russia, for instance, has used nuclear power on its icebreakers since the 1970s. However, the reactors of these early ships (at 90-170 MWt) werent strong enough to allow bigger ships to power through the thickest ice sheets. The icebreakers were just 30 metres wide at most, with a displacement of 25,000 tonnes, and could only clear the way for small freighters of up to 70,000 tonnes. But a new generation of icebreakers could break through those limitations. These ships can leverage 175-315 MWt of energy and are almost 50 metres wide, with a displacement of 70,000 tonnes that would meet the needs of the biggest tankers. These ships will make the passage navigable all-year round. Related: Morgan Stanley Slashes Oil Price Forecast For 2019 Some of these new icebreakers could be operational as early as 2020. The technology they rely on small modular reactors (SMRs) could also help solve the second big problem of traversing these waters: a lack of coastal infrastructure. The reactors generate about 110MWe, compared with the 1GWe of classic reactors, and dont require power lines which are practically impossible to construct across hundreds of miles of Arctic terrain. A boon to trade? Designed for efficient operation and enhanced safety, SMRs have the potential to become economically competitive. They can power ports and isolated communities, while supporting search and rescue posts. This shift to mobile nuclear power generation is already underway: the Akademik Lomonosov, the first functional floating nuclear power plant, is set to become operational in 2019 and provide energy for the remote port town of Pevek in Chukotka in Russias far east. Rosatom, Russias state nuclear energy corporation, says its nuclear-fuelled icebreaker fleet has already escorted as much as 7.3 million tonnes of cargo through the NSR, and projects up to 80 million tonnes transported annually by 2030. These figures are a far cry from the Suez Canal (which welcomes one billion tonnes of cargo per year), but the promise of fewer days in transit along with no queues and no pirates would create new opportunities for Asia in terms of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia and facilitating exports to Europe. According to the UK Government Office for Science, the NSR would also create commercial opportunities for British ports, which could serve as transit hubs to transfer goods from conventional ships to ice class vessels. The West is missing out on the Arctic Age But despite this British interest, Western countries are some way behind. China and Russia are investing billions in the development of the NSR, with similar progress not being seen in the alternative Northwest Passage off the coast of Canada. While a Danish ship, the Vesta Maersk, was the first of a new 42,000 ton ice-class vessel to sail the NSR in late September 2018, the Chinese have been sending smaller cargo vessels of up to 19,000 tons through the passage since 2013. Russia occupies a leading position in small nuclear technologies more generally, and is already marketing its on-shore and floating plants based on 55MWe and 6.6MWe SMRs. China is expected to come up with its own indigenous floating 50 MWe SMR by 2020 and on-shore 100 MWe systems in the coming decade. These countries will have a head-start once the scramble for the Arctic begins in earnest. The new Arctic Age presents opportunities, but it also raises serious concerns. Related: The Dangers Of Chinas Growing Oil Demand Nuclear power could help address the environmental challenges that are causing the ice to melt in the first place. The authors of The Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study published in September, say that unless nuclear energy is meaningfully incorporated into the global mix of low-carbon energy technologies, the climate change challenge will be more costly and difficult to solve. The study analyses the reasons behind the stall of nuclear energy capacity, which accounts for just five per cent of global primary energy production. Nuclears potential is essential for a decarbonised energy future in many regions, said Jacopo Buongiorno, study co-chair, TEPCO Professor and associate department head of MITs Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering. Incorporating new policy and business models, as well as innovations in construction that may make deployment of cost-effective nuclear power plants more affordable, could enable nuclear energy to help meet the growing global demand for energy generation while decreasing emissions to address climate change, he said. More than any other region, the Arctic is being transformed by the real and tangible impact of climate change. With the ice sheets retreating and SMRs becoming a staple of ice-breakers, using low-carbon nuclear energy to make the NSR accessible year-round offers a responsible means of unlocking a shorter global shipping routes. By Victor Nian for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After Chevron last week said it will increase its capex for 2019 for the first time in four years, this week two more oil majors joined the ranks of optimists in the oil industry: although they are not raising their budgets in any significant way. Hess Corp. and ConocoPhillips both expect to perform better next year. Conoco issued a statement presenting its spending plans on Monday, saying it would allocate US$6.1 billion for capital expenditures, expecting production of between 1.3 and 1.35 million bpd, excluding Libya, versus 1.356 million bpd in 2017, also excluding Libya. However, the 2015 figure would be higher than the latest quarterly production figure available from Conoco: the company said in its third-quarter report it produced 1.224 million bpd of crude. In moreand more significantgood news, Conoco said it expected to generate free cash flow at West Texas Intermediate prices of US$40 or higher. As investment banks begin to revise downwards their price forecasts for oil benchmarks, the ability to be free cash flow positive at WTI of US$40 per barrel would certainly help Conoco enhance its attractiveness for shareholders. A plan to increase dividend payouts to more than 30 percent of cash from operations from 20-30 percent will likely help as well. Hess Corp., for its part, said it expected production, excluding Libya, to increase to 270,000-280,000 bpd of oil equivalent from this years average of 245,000 bpd of oil equivalent. To do this, Hess will invest US$1.89 billion of its US$2.9-billion 2019 budget into production growth. The rest will be divided between project development and exploration, with US$570 million to go into development and US$440 million in exploration and appraisal drilling. Related: Analysts: Output Cuts To Balance Oil Markets In 2019 Its worth noting here that Hess Corp. plans to spend the whole development allocation on the Liza project off the coast of Guyana, where the company has partnered with operator Exxon and where earlier this month both announced a tenth discovery, raising the reserve estimate for the Stabroek deposit by 25 percent to 5 billion barrels of crude oil and gas. Of the production capex, Hess Corp. said it will spend US$1.425 billion on expanding its production in the Bakken shale play where it will drill 170 new wells and begin production from 160 of these. These are certainly ambitious plans amid increased price volatility, reflecting the effects of cost discipline among many U.S. energy players. Indeed, both companies signaled a continued focus on cost control in their budget statements. This makes perfect sense in an environment of stubborn oil prices and pessimistic global economic growth forecasts. The fact that even OPEC+s announcement of a 1.2-million-bpd cut from global oil production failed to push oil prices higher for more than a day was a clear sign cost discipline must continue. Related: Canadian Crude Rises 70% On Unprecedented Output Cuts We no longer think of our value proposition as merely disciplined, we view it as the new order, Conocos chairman and chief executive Ryan Lance said in the statement. We believe we have designed ConocoPhillips to offer investors both resilience to lower prices and participation in higher prices via an approach that rations capital across a low cost of supply portfolio, competes on per-share versus absolute growth, and pays out a significant portion of cash from the business to shareholders. Hesss CEO, John Hess, said Our capital and exploratory expenditure program is designed to deliver strong returns, production growth and significant future free cash flow. As we focus spending on our high return investment opportunities, we will continue to reduce our unit costs to drive margin expansion and improve profitability. Chevron, Conoco, and Hess are firmly on the way of growing production without incurring additional costs. Quite the contrary, these companiesand they are not the only onesplan to expand their production and continue lowering costs. That must be OPECs worst nightmare. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The global oil market is going through a metamorphosis, and if the signs are right, a possible long-term partnership between OPEC and its former rivals, especially Russia, looks to be forming. UAE Minister of Energy, and OPEC chairman, Al Mazrouie reported yesterday that Saudi Arabia has proposed a conference to institutionalize an OPEC and non-OPEC Alliance. Al Mazrouie indicated that there will be a cooperation agreement signed between non-OPEC, led by Russia, and OPEC in the next three months. Next to this, the UAE minister said that the declaration of co-operation will be used as a base and will be hopefully finalized in the next three months. Looking forward, more developments can be expected after the signing of the March 2019 agreement. With the Christmas season in mind, the statement indicates that for 2019 the Three Kings will not be meeting on the 7th of January (as the Christian Holy Calendar indicates) but the OPEC Non-OPEC Kings will be waiting for another 2 months. A new child seems to be born that day, presenting the global oil market with a fait-a-compli only to be strengthened by a formal new organizational structure, ending the current OPEC producers alliance and replacing it with a much stronger NOPEC. Analysts have already been talking about a full restructuring of the oil cartel for years, with some even predicting a doomsday scenario based on Peak Oil or Renewables. Others have been assessing the option of a new NOPEC, including Russia and others into the cartel. Al Mazrouie bluntly stated that he is unconcerned about exits from the group following Qatar's departure. The impact of members leaving the cartel in the last couple of years, with Qatar as the most recent example, is unlikely to erode the cartels influence on global oil markets. OPECs main producers, led by Saudi Arabia, already have been actively assessing and supporting a potential NOPEC approach for years. The importance of such a new alliance should not be underestimated. By taking Russia on board as a member, OPECs grip on the oil market would increase substantially, looking at the current Russian production volumes. By allowing minor producers, such as Qatar, to leave and at the same time sidelining Iran, the effective power is in the hands of the new Triumvirate (Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Moscow). A possible inclusion of Russia, officially or unofficially, will increase the production levels of OPEC+ by around 11+ million bpd. At the same time, other options also still exist, as Azerbaijan, Egypt and others could be looking to join too. Related: Former Venezuelan General Takes Helm Of OPEC A stronger NOPEC also will be able to diminish U.S. claims of energy market dominance. Already, U.S. president Trumps claims are based on the wrong assumptions, as true energy dominance remains a long shot. Demand for OPEC oil continues to be strong and is predicted to increase in the next couple of years. At present, the real impact of U.S. energy and shale oil production is most likely overestimated by the media. Overall market fundamental power of U.S. shale oil is less, especially when taking into consideration that the U.S. has virtually no spare capacity. OPEC or NOPEC have an existing spare production capacity, and the capability to act as a swing producer to stabilize the market. U.S. shale does not have the same capabilities, based on technical and geological factors. A stronger NOPEC is also needed to counter or mitigate the current market developments. OPECs current production cut agreement is NOT enough. To counter the market sentiment at present a real cut should be made of around 1.7-1.9 million bpd. This will not be taken for granted by the market, as most of the parties are still questioning the OPEC-Russia cooperation. When formalizing or institutionalizing the cooperation, maybe by a full membership of a new organization, statements are taken as a fact, not as a political view or media proposition. The new NOPEC could grow into a powerful organization which offers counterweight to a booming U.S. shale sector By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com More Top Reads Form Oilprice.com: Autonomous vehicle trial runs are growing in real numbers in California, and so are the crashes coming from the self-driving cars. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has increased the number of companies given testing permits up to 65 this year, with 18 being added since 2017. These companies are now testing 658 AVs with more permits issued this year, nearly doubling the test fleet from 326 vehicles in 2017. Vehicle collisions have more than doubled up to 67 so far this year, up from 29 last year. The biggest challenge for companies testing AVs in California and other parts of the world has been having their test cars rear-ended. Since the beginning of 2016, 111 AV crashes have taken place in California with 71 being in fully autonomous modes during the collisions. Of the 71 incidents, 51 of them involved the test vehicle being struck from behind. General Motors Cruise division has seen the most crashes over the past three years in the state 41 in autonomous mode, with 27 of them reported as rear-end crashes. During that time, Alphabets Waymo subsidiary has been in 26 crashes in California, with 21 of them struck from behind. California has been the global showcase for autonomous vehicle test launches starting with Googles self-driving car nearly a decade ago, before parent company Alphabet launched the Waymo autonomous vehicle subsidiary. In October, Waymo announced it had hit the 10 million-mile milestone with much of it being done in California in the Silicon Valley area, and in Arizona, the next state over. Arizona and other states dont seem to be tracking the numbers on self-driving car miles driven, fleet vehicles, and crashes; or at least making them public like California. Waymo has built up a fleet of 400 test vehicles in Arizona, but California still gets more of the attention. And overseas companies like Bosch, Baidu, Didi, and Changan, have received permits for testing in California. The more the AV test fleets grow, the greater the likelihood of crashes increases. "We have more permit holders testing more vehicles than we have had in years past, so the likelihood of an incident is naturally going to be higher," said Marty Greenstein, a spokesman for the California DMV. Related: 2019: A Pivotal Year For OPEC Tesla and Uber had been seeing most of the pressure following fatal collisions involving their self-driving car systems. Waymo is feeling some of the pressure as well, after recently becoming the first company to be allowed by California to test cars without drivers on public roads. The company had been allowed by Arizona to operate without backup drivers over the past year. Waymo and motor vehicle regulators around the world emphasize safety as the most critical issue to be resolved before the vehicles go mass market and receive support from the general public. Safety regulators in the U.S. have become more concerned about traffic fatalities increasing with much of it associated with distracted driving, as the drivers become fixated on their smartphones while behind the wheel. In 2017, there were 40,100 people killed in vehicle accidents in the U.S., according to an estimate by the National Safety Council, up about 6% from 2015. While automakers have added numerous connected car and semi-autonomous vehicle features in recent years (with more airbags and collision avoidance systems being the most common), distracted driving has been blamed for most of it. Waymo One was launched on December 5 by the company, becoming the first business unit generating revenue by offering the public rides in autonomous cars. As for now, its taking place in the Phoenix, Ariz., area. GM, Ford, Tesla, Nissan, Apple, Amazon, and several other global companies expect to see autonomous mobility services become the norm in crowded, growing cities around the world over the next decade; and a fast-fast-growing revenue stream for their companies. The fleets are expected to be dominated by electric vehicles, as governments become more stringent over air quality and emissions. GM and Cruise have been using the electric Chevrolet Bolt in test runs, with GMs Maven car-sharing service expected be a channel for renting out automated Bolts in the near future. Related: OPEC+ Succeeds, Whats Next For Oil? Legal analysts predict that AV collisions are likely to come from defects in programming, with software developers taking the blame. Their employers will take the brunt of it, many of them being major automakers and Silicon Valley tech giants. Its also likely that a new regulatory structure would take over, with federal governments taking the lead and corresponding changes being made to state tort laws where AVs are allowed to operate. U.S. Senate Democrats are worried that a compromise bill wending its way through the lame-duck session in Washington could take away some of the safeguards protecting drivers on roadways. Many provisions still do not go far enough to protect American consumers, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), said of the American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies Act, or AV START. We can do better, said Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.). Some automakers are making the case for lightening up the federal regulations governing AVs, with the idea being that less regulation will speed up the advent of self-driving cars. They say that rolling out thousands of AVs will reduce the traffic fatality rate, while others argue that safety standards must be strengthened to protect the public and gain their support in purchasing and operating their AVs. As with electric vehicles, the biggest challenge will be getting the public to trust the technology and spend their money on it. By Jon LeSage for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Last winter, China gobbled up spot cargoes to meet soaring natural gas demand in freezing temperatures, upending the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, which was thought to be on the verge of oversupply just a year ago. The Chinese coal-to-gas switch policy for millions of households backfired with severe gas shortages last winter, lifting domestic Chinese LNG prices to more than US$20/mmBtu and driving Asian spot LNG prices up. This winter, Chinas authorities are determined to avoid another natural gas supply crunch. And they are handling supplies much better than past winterdomestic natural gas production is rising, state energy giants are boosting gas pipeline infrastructure and connectivity, and the coal-to-gas switch is more measured and moderate, taking into account expectations of demand. Chinese natural gas imports are soaring, but procurement for this winters demand started early to avoid a last-minute rush and a repeat of the 2017-2018 winter. Chinas natural gas storage tanks are close to full. The element of surprise that pushed LNG prices soaring last winter has been eliminated. This year, weather is also in favor of Chinese authorities. Milder weather a month into the heating season and forecasts for a milder-than-usual winter have led to expectations that China wont see another supply crunch between December and February. As a result, spot LNG prices in Asia fell last week to their lowest level in six months, with spot prices for January delivery down US$1 in one week to US$8.80/mmBtuthe lowest price since May this year and down from last year for the first time in 2018. Thats because demand is softer, storage is nearly full, and buyers from China to South Korea to Japan had moved in as early as in September and October to procure LNG cargoes to avoid last years rush and surging market prices. A drop in spot LNG prices in Asia is not typical for the winter season in the northern hemisphere. Related: Citi: Oil Prices Are Going Nowhere Next Year Prices and natural gas demand soared last winter as China was scrambling to procure supplies in a colder-than-usual season. The authorities had to backtrack on the coal ban in some areas to ease the crunch. This year, milder weather has surely helped, but China started to carefully plan supply, as soon as last winters season ended. Chinese importersunder political pressurewere buying LNG all throughout this year to spread out the costs and to build up supplies for the winter well in advance, Chinese end-users told S&P Global Platts. Chinas domestic natural gas production increased by 7.5 percent on the year in October 2018 and by 6.3 percent between January and October, compared to the same period last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics of China. State major PetroChina said last month that the Central Asia-China gas pipeline would operate at 100 percent capacity this winter season and would supply the highest ever gas volume. Another major state-owned company, Sinopec will raise its natural gas supply this winter by 17.7 percent compared to last winter, with supply in seven provinces and cities up by 29.1 percent, the company said days before the winter heating season in China began. Aaron Xiao, an energy analyst with Jefferies Hong Kong, told Bloomberg, commenting on the Chinese preparedness: We estimate 2018 gas supply, which is in the range of 282 to 285 billion cubic meters, will fully cover the increased gas demands in China, barring extreme weather conditions. Unlike last years chaos over demand, price surges, and supply shortages, China now fares much better in planning and handling this winters natural gas supply. Analysts expect Chinese supply would be enough to meet rising demand, unless a severe cold snap sweeps through north Asiaa possibility that hasnt shown yet on weather maps. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Michigan Legislature approved the Great Lakes pipeline project that envisages the replacement of a section of Enbridges Line 5 pipeline, which is 65 years old, and agreed to set up a state authority to oversee the construction of a tunnel for a section of the new pipeline, the Associated Press reports. Outgoing Republican Governor Rick Snyder plans to sign the bill into law quickly, the AP notes, in the face of criticism this effectively ties the hands of incoming Democrats in the offices of the governor and the attorney general. Snyder is in a rush to complete the agreement for the replacement of the underwater segment of Enbridges Line 5 pipeline that carries crude oil and natural gas from Ontario to Wisconsin across the Straits of Macinac. Signed in October, the agreement needs some final touches before it enters into effect. As part of the agreement, Enbridge will pay between US$350 and US$500 million for the construction of a tunnel for the pipeline in the Straits of Macinac. The project could take between seven and 10 years to complete, the AP reports. Like other pipeline projects, the Line 5 replacement project faces opposition from environmentalists and native American communities from the region but it doesnt seem to be as stiff as elsewhere, which has improved the projects chances of completion. However, a recent report from a joint U.S.-Canadian advisory organization, the Science Advisory Board, suggested the Straits of Macinac is among more than a dozen locations in the region of the Great Lakes that are vulnerable to oil spills. Because the lakes provide the largest source of fresh surface water for almost 40 million people and drinking water for many of these residents, the risk of a spill affecting drinking water may be significant, particularly when currents transport crude oil to the vicinity of drinking water intakes, the authors of the report said. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Despite assurances that Nigeria is working to diversify its economy away from oil, the African OPEC member continues to depend heavily on oil exports, and consequently, on oil prices, for its international trade and export revenues, as the latest data from Nigerias National Bureau of Statistics showed on Tuesday. The value of Nigerias crude oil exports in the third quarter accounted for a good 85.4 percent of the value of all exports, according to the bureaus foreign trade statistics Q3 2018 report. Other oil products accounted for 11.2 percent of Nigerias total exports, while non-oil products made up a mere 3.4 percent of the countrys export transactions in the third quarter. The value of Nigerias crude oil exports rose by 10.03 percent from Q2 and by 39.5 percent compared to the third quarter of 2017. Europe was the number-one destination for Nigerian crude oil exports in Q3 2018, followed by Asia and the Americas. Following a wave of militant violence in 2016 and early 2017, Nigerias oil production started to recover in the latter half of 2017, when attacks on oil infrastructure began to subside. This year, after some hiccups and pipeline outages during the spring and early summer, Nigerias crude oil production started to rise, with production set for further increases with the imminent start-up of the Total-operated Egina oilfield. Despite some concerns over the stability of Nigerias oil operations ahead of the February elections, the country wasnt exempted this time around from the new OPEC+ production cut deal signed last week. Fellow African producer Libya, alongside Iran and Venezuela, were granted exemption from the cuts, but Nigeria wasnt. Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Kachikwu told local news outlet THISDAY that the country hadnt asked for an exemption, saying that it could contribute up to 40,000 bpd in production cuts out of the 800,000 bpd OPEC has pledged to cut next year. The 40,000-bpd figure is some 2.5 percent of Nigerias current crude oil production of 1.7 million bpd, the minister said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As countries meet in Poland from all over the world this week to discuss measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, US delegates showed up ready to discuss the role of coal and fossil fuels in the worlds energy mix, including the rising star of the energy worldnatural gas. As one might imagine, such talk was met with staunch criticism from the forums nearly 200 attendees. It is important to the overall climate discussion that we consider whats realistic and pragmatic, Wells Griffith, special assistant to the president for international energy and environment, said at the forum, as cited by Time, adding that energy innovation and fossil fuels will continue to play a leading role. When former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said that the US still had a major role to play as a global leader of climate change issues, we doubt thats what he had in mind. On the sidelines of the event, Schwarzenegger yesterday referred to President Trump as meshugge which roughly translated means crazy. Crazy or no, the Trump Administrations message is clear: coal is still necessary, as it accounts for a significant portion of the energy mix, and natural gas is now a clear front runner as its replacement. The two combined account for about 62% of the United States electricity generation, according to the EIA. Source, EIA And despite various subsidies for wind and solar, together they account for just 7.6% of all electricity generation. While coals influence is assuredly waning, it is being displaced at a healthy clip by natural gasanother fossil fuel, and not a renewable source, much to the chagrin of environmentalists who are eager to abandon fossil fuels, and fast. Related: Analysts: Output Cuts To Balance Oil Markets In 2019 While coal use has indeed declined in the last few yearssome would say courtesy of President Barak Obamas war on coal, others would say due to the rise of cheap natural gas amid the shale boomthe Trump administration is still working on easing emissions regulations for coal plants, in line with President Trumps campaign promise to revive the coal industry, which has indeed resulted in a modest increase in coal-industry jobs in the last couple of years. US delegates did push for increased transparency from other countries, so everyone was held to the same standard when evaluating any progress related to climate change. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The page you are looking for cannot be found. Please try using the site search located at the top to find your page. On the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmars largest city, two young reporters sit in a prison said to be the darkest hellhole in Burma. Millennials, we would call them in AmericaWa Lone is 32 years old; Kyaw Soe Oo is 28. The genesis of their arrest, one year ago on Dec. 12, is their reporting for the Reuters news service that later exposed a mass execution of 10 Rohingya Muslims, part of a violent campaign against the minority group by Myanmars military. I never expected he would be arrested, says Kyaw Soe Oos wife Chit Su Win. I was more concerned about him getting shot. It has long been the first move in the authoritarian playbook: controlling the flow of information and debate that is freedoms lifeblood. And in 2018, the playbook worked. Today, democracy around the world faces its biggest crisis in decades, its foundations undermined by invective from on high and toxins from below, by new technologies that power ancient impulses, by a poisonous cocktail of strongmen and weakening institutions. From Russia to Riyadh to Silicon Valley, manipulation and abuse of truth is the common thread in so many of this years major headlines, an insidious and growing threat to freedom. As Facebook faced an overdue reckoning on how to control the driverless car of social media, hazards to traditional sources of information continued to mount. On Nov. 28, owners of more than 400 media outlets in Hungary donated control to a pro-government conglomerate created by allies of its nativist Prime Minister. This spring, two journalists in India, the worlds largest democracy, were killed in separate, deliberate hit-and-run attacks in the span of 24 hours. In June, a subject of a local newspapers coverage was accused of having marched into its Maryland newsroom and killing five staffers. This fall, CNN has twice had to evacuate its New York offices because of bomb threats. In its highest forms, influencethe measure that has for nine decades been the focus of TIMEs Person of the Yearderives from courage. Like all human gifts, courage comes to us at varying levels and at varying moments. This year we are recognizing four journalists and one news organization 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, Md. Story continues They are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the worldas of Dec. 10, at least 52 journalists have been murdered in 2018who risk all to tell the story of our time. *** For all the insults hurled by the President at the press, rhetoric which has been deployed by dangerous actors around the world, the U.S. remains a beacon for truth and free expression. This is a nation where, as we saw this year, a news organization can sue the White House and win, even at the hands of a judge appointed by that very White House. One of the people who sought refuge in these freedoms was Khashoggi, the most visible representative of this harrowing year for truth. This marks the first year TIME has named someone who is no longer alive a Person of the Year. But it is also rare that a persons influence grows so immensely in death. Directed by a killer whose motive was control of information, as Khashoggis fellow Washington Post columnist David Ignatius noted, the murder has prompted a global reassessment of Saudi Arabias crown prince, who a CIA assessment concluded likely ordered the killing, and the devastating war he has waged in Yemen. Ressa is the founder and editor of a Philippine news site, Rappler, known for its fearless reporting on President Rodrigo Dutertes propaganda machine and extrajudicial killings. In return, she has faced a barrage of government lawsuits aimed at the site, and violent hate messages on social mediaat one point, 90 of them an hour. Now is certainly not the time to be afraid, she said on Dec. 3 after turning herself in and posting bail on tax-fraud charges that would carry jail sentences of up to 10 yearscharges widely viewed as an effort to stifle her work. The repercussions arent always from above. The gunman at the Capital Gazette allegedly was a local man aggrieved, years after the fact, that the papers reporting had brought his harassment of a woman out of the shadows. The massacre he perpetrated made America the fourth deadliest country in the world to be a journalist this year. But while the loss was immense and intensely personal, that day the staff at one of the nations oldest news outlets did what it has done since before the American Revolutionthey put the paper out. The press always has and always will commit errors of judgment, of omission, of accuracy. And yet what it does is fundamental. Says Andrea Chamblee, whose husband John McNamara was one of the five Capital Gazette staffers killed: A lot of people dont understand how important what goes on in their community is to them and how it affects their quality of life until its gone. 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 for speaking out, the GuardiansJamal Khashoggi, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, Maria Ressa and the Capital Gazette of Annapolis, Md.are TIMEs Person of the Year. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno MANILA, Philippines Unless there is evidence presented that supports the allegations being thrown against Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, he will continue to enjoy the confidence and trust of President Rodrigo Duterte. This was the statement of Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on the issues facing the embattled budget secretary, among which is the P51-B addition to the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the alleged conflict of interest in the multi-billion-peso worth of infrastructure projects in Casiguran and Sorsogon. Mr. Diokno is known to be the Mr. No, meaning, hes a man of integrity. So, when he says he is not involved, I believe it, unless you show me, as a lawyer, competent evidence, Panelo said. He added that the accusers should bear the burden of proof. Nevertheless, Malacanang will still look into the allegation of House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., that 30 government infra projects worth billions of pesos went to a single contractor. Andaya further alleged that some Cabinet members are benefactors of the said contractor. Since there is allegation of corruption, it follows that we have to investigate, Panelo said. Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue The post Duterte still trusts Diokno says Malacanang appeared first on UNTV News. A French tourist was gunned down early Wednesday by an off-duty Thai cop after a drunken bar fight in a seedy Bangkok district, police said. The 41-year-old Parisian was shot dead at a downtown apartment block after an altercation with the police sergeant major who had approached the tourist's Thai girlfriend. "They were drunk... they started to argue and then had a fist fight but the policeman couldn't fight back," the Chief of Thailand's Immigration Police Surachate Hakpan told AFP. "The policeman followed him back to his place and shot him twice," he said, adding the victim had been in Thailand for several months. The officer has been arrested and "will be fired... and prosecuted on a murder charge", Surachate added. Police are hunting a second suspect seen on CCTV. Gruesome pictures circulated on Thai media showed the victim lying in a pool of blood in front of a doughnut shop at his apartment block. Bangkok is one of the world's most visited cities, famed for its food and racy nightlife, much of it around Nana district where the murder took place. Thailand has a grim reputation for its gun culture, with drunken arguments, business disputes and soured romances frequently resolved by violence. Separatist Papuan rebels who killed at least 16 construction workers at a remote jungle camp refused Indonesia's demand to surrender Wednesday, as claims surfaced that the military murdered civilians after the massacre. The work camp killings last week were a marked escalation in decades of mostly sporadic skirmishes between poorly armed and disorganised guerrillas and an Indonesian military long accused of gross human rights abuses against civilians. The rebels said they would continue their insurgency and to fight for an independent Papua, which shares a border with island nation Papua New Guinea, just north of Australia. "Indonesia came to Papua as a thief -- do you think it's right for a homeowner to surrender to thieves?" rebel spokesman Sebby Sambom told AFP Wednesday. The former Dutch colony declared itself independent in 1961, but neighbouring Indonesia took control of the region two years later on the condition it hold an independence referendum. Jakarta annexed mineral-rich Papua in 1969 with a UN-backed vote that was widely seen as a sham. The rebels' refusal to surrender comes after Indonesia's chief security minister Wiranto ruled out any discussions with the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB). The group is an armed wing of the independence movement which claimed responsibility for the jungle camp massacre. "I won't hold talks with criminals," Wiranto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told reporters Tuesday in Jakarta. "Whatever they say is a lie. They've committed inhumane crimes." The victims, employees of a state-owned contractor, were building bridges and roads in a major infrastructure push for Indonesia's most impoverished region. The rebels claimed the project was military controlled and the workers were legitimate targets. Indonesia said most of the 16 victims' hands were tied together with some suffering gunshot or knife wounds and blunt-force injuries. One worker was almost decapitated. At least four more workers remain missing, while a soldier was also killed by rebels, authorities said. Meanwhile, a local Papuan has alleged that security forces killed at least four civilians as it hunted for the rebels. The reports could not be independently confirmed. Indonesia has denied the claim. Human Rights Watch called for a probe into the jungle camp massacre and allegations of subsequent civilian deaths. "A Papua militant group's attack on a work site raises grave concerns that require a full investigation," HRW's Elaine Pearson said in a statement. "Militants and responding security forces should not inflict harm on ordinary Papuans," she added. With just hours left before the close of negotiations, UN mediators rushed to broker a truce Wednesday between government representatives and rebels in Yemen, a country teetering on the brink of famine. The UN talks opened last week in Sweden, the first meeting in two years between Yemen's Huthi rebels and the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, backed since 2015 by a behemoth military coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Taiz, the southwestern city controlled by the government and surrounded by the rebels, is no longer under discussion at the talks, scheduled to close on Thursday. The city has been the scene of some of the most intense fighting in a war that has pushed 14 million people to the edge of famine. Intense talks, however, were continuing on Sanaa airport, shut down for years in the conflict between the Saudi-backed government and northern rebels linked to Iran. Negotiators are also seeking a de-escalation of violence in rebel-held Hodeida, a port city vital to the supply of humanitarian aid, and a cooperation deal on the country's crumbling economy. Hodeida, the lifeline to millions dependent on aid to survive, is home to major frontlines. - 11th hour - Another round of talks has been tentatively scheduled for January, according to UN and Yemeni officials. The head of the Huthis' revolutionary council, Mohammed Ali Huthi, on Wednesday said the insurgents had proposed Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa, to host the next round. A UN official said the organization had received no such request. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was due at the talks in Rimbo, Sweden, for Thursday's closing round of consultations. Ahead of the UN's chief's arrival, his office said it had evidence the rebel Huthis were using Iran-made missiles -- a charge the Saudi-led alliance levels against the rebels as grounds for restrictions on the Hodeida port and Sanaa airport. Both government and rebel representatives have traded accusations of unwillingness to negotiate, particularly on rebel-held Hodeida, the main route for 90 percent of food imports and nearly 80 percent of aid deliveries. UN special envoy Martin Griffiths has submitted a proposal on a political framework for the future of Yemen, an agreement on the reopening of Sanaa airport, a paper on addressing the economic situation and a draft agreement on Hodeida, spokeswoman Hanan Badawi told reporters. "The two parties have officially received the drafts and we are waiting on a response," Badawi said. Members of both delegations contacted by AFP said agreements could be signed by morning. Yemeni Prime Minister Moeen Abdulmalik Saeed told AFP a full agreement on Hodeida was unlikely "given the time constraints". - Airport, port - Abdelmagid al-Hanash, of the Huthi delegation, told AFP an agreement on Sanaa airport was close, with the rebels open to a government proposal for flight searches in Sayoun or Aden, two cities under the control of the state. "For now, the search will be in Aden but will not cause harm or trouble. No one will be asked to disembark," Hanash said. An advisor to the government team, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his delegation would not confirm any agreement until the documents had been signed. Yemeni ministers Othman Mujalli and Marwan Dammaj told reporters Wednesday their camp would hold firm to UN Security Council Resolution 2216 -- which calls for the Huthis to withdraw from all areas seized in a 2014 takeover, including Hodeida. Representatives of both the Huthis and government contacted by AFP late Wednesday blamed the other party for the lack of a truce on Hodeida. The last official statement by a spokesman for the Saudi-led government coalition said military operations were ongoing in Hodeida on Monday night. - Saudi soldiers on missing list - The two camps signed a mass prisoner exchange deal at the Sweden talks, which two Yemeni government officials confirmed include Saudi soldiers fighting alongside state troops. The Huthis had said Tuesday that the list included Saudi soldiers. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition and a UN official did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The prisoner swap includes the names of more than 15,000 detainees and disappeared persons taken on frontlines since 2015. The deal will be overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which warns the exchange could take weeks. The Yemen conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since the Saudi-led coalition joined the war in 2015, according to the World Health Organization, 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. [Phuket, 6 December 2018] Kishore Samtani, an entrepreneur from Hong Kong, hosted a reception banquet and 5 day destination wedding celebration for more than 1,300 guests at his sons wedding in the 19-hectare [47-acre] grounds during November 28 December 3, 2018. The wedding of Kunal Samtani, son of Kishore Samtani, to Divya Vaswani was the largest wedding ever held in Thailand with five-day of festivities held at Splash Beach Resort where a 3,200 square metres air-conditioned marquee, Thailands largest, was built for the wedding celebrations. The wedding entourage occupied the entire resort of 615 rooms, villas, all function space and F&B outlets. Guests at the wedding reception were entertained by a number of world-class performances by international artistes, Akon, Jason Derulo, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan. The resort served guests more than 25,000 meals, 12,000 coconuts, over 1,500 bottles of premium liquor and champagne including Dom Perignon, Yamazaki Single Malt throughout the 5-day celebrations. It was a real honour and privilege to be the venue of choice for the wedding of Kunal and Divya. To be part of Thailand largest wedding ever was a great opportunity for Splash Beach Resort. Our team worked diligently and extremely long hours in the months leading up to the wedding to make everything perfect and memorable for every guest. says John Oshea, Managing Director, Splash Beach Resort. One of the key features of the resort is the 1,000 square meter pillar-less Convention Centre, the largest single-structure conference facility on Phuket. The Convention Centre can flexibly cater to all types of events, the facility can seat 1,000 guests theatre style and cater up to 1,300 guests for a standing cocktail reception, adds Oshea. King Mohammed VI received, Tuesday afternoon, at the Royal Palace of Rabat, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. The two men discussed several topical issues, including the intergovernmental Conference on migration, the situation in the Maghreb region and the African continent, and the Moroccan Sahara. When touching on the Sahara issue in light of the round table held in Geneva on December 5-6, the Sovereign reiterated to Mr. Guterres the Kingdoms support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to reach a final political solution to this regional dispute, a statement of the Royal Office said. Mr. Guterres expressed to the Sovereign his gratitude for the successful organization, in Morocco, of the Intergovernmental Conference that adopted Monday the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Ordinary Migration, dubbed the Marrakech Pact. The UN Chief also underlined the Kingdoms achievements in human rights and its constructive role in promoting South-South cooperation and in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, the statement said. Likewise, the UN Secretary-General commended the Kingdoms generous and constant commitment to peacekeeping and peace-building operations, including the large contingents of the Royal Armed Forces deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. The UN Chief arrived in Marrakesh Sunday and opened Monday the Intergovernmental Conference on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration that was adopted by over 150 countries. Walter Suza hopes a review of 58 scientific studies related to Bt corn and biotechnology will encourage more African nations implement technology capable of helping farmers combat emergent pests such as the fall armyworm. Credit: Bob Elbert Anti-GMO sentiment holds back agricultural advancement in the developing world, but an Iowa State University agronomist hopes his research will clarify the scientific consensus and spark wider acceptance of the technology in Africa. A paper recently published in the academic journal Global Food Security analyzed dozens of previous scientific studies on the safety of Bt corn, a genetically modified, or GM, crop capable of resisting pests. The study upheld the conclusion that the GM crop is safe for humans and the environment. Walter Suza, an adjunct assistant professor of agronomy at Iowa State and a co-author of the study, said Bt corn could help farmers in Africa to combat an emerging pest capable of devastating their crops, but fear of GM crops in Africa has slowed adoption of the technology. "My hope is that policymakers in Africa will take hold of this paper and implement this technology that's been tested for many years," Suza said. "There's a real need for this in Africa." Bt corn is a transgenic organism altered by transferring a gene found in soil bacteria to corn plants to help the crop fight off insect pests such as the European corn borer. U.S. farmers first received permission to plant Bt corn in 1996, and it accounted for 82 percent of U.S. corn acreage in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Suza, who grew up in Tanzania and has worked on food security projects in Angola and Zimbabwe, said misunderstanding of GM technology, both globally and specifically in Africa, has held back progress for many African farmers. Suza said 13 African countries are testing GM crops, but only South Africa has approved Bt corn for commercial availability to farmers. Suza said that's a problem because an emerging pest called the fall armyworm is spreading rapidly through Africa and threatening corn harvests. He said Bt corn could help to fight the pest immediately, while developing resistance through traditional plant breeding will take years. Suza worked with a research team to review the scientific literature concerning the safety of Bt corn. The review included a risk assessment that found delaying the adoption of genetically modified crops such as Bt corn in the developing world presents risks to both humans and the environment. The study cites 58 references on a range of topics including the application of genetic engineering in agriculture, the food and environmental safety of Bt crops and the importance of educational outreach regarding biotechnology. The publication fits with Suza's ongoing work as the director of the Plant Breeding E-Learning in Africa program, which develops online learning materials intended for use by faculty and students at African universities to train a new generation of plant breeders. The program collaborates with Makerere University in Uganda, University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, but the curriculum modules are free and available to anyone who wishes to see them. The modules cover critical topics such as molecular plant breeding and crop genetics with an emphasis on conditions specific to Africa. "I believe that all humans at all times have the right to sufficient and nutritious food, but lack of human and institutional capacity for agriculture in Africa is a key barrier to food security," Suza said. "I am helping to improve food security in Africa by leading a project to train the next generation of scientists to develop farmer-preferred crop varieties that are nutritious and adapted to changing climate." Suza said the prosperity of African agriculture and food security depends on African farmers and scientists working together, as opposed to external actors and considerations dictating the direction of African agriculture. "To me, this is the future, Africans identifying and developing their own technology to address their particular situations," he said. Explore further High-protein corn also resistant to parasitic weed More information: Andrea K. Carzoli et al. Risks and opportunities of GM crops: Bt maize example, Global Food Security (2018). Andrea K. Carzoli et al. Risks and opportunities of GM crops: Bt maize example,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2018.10.004 Credit: NOAA Headquarters NOAA's annual report card on the Arctic, released today at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in Washington, D.C., measures the changing climate of the polar region including warmer air and ocean temperatures and declines in sea-ice that are driving shifts in animal habitats. Now in its 13th year, the 2018 Arctic Report Card is a peer-reviewed report that provides an annual status update on the region and compares these observations to the long-term record. It was compiled from the research of 81 scientists working for governments and academia in 12 nations. This information can be used to inform decisions by local, state and federal leaders as Arctic residents confront the challenges and opportunities posed by a rapidly changing climate and ecosystem. "The environmental changes in the Arctic underscore why NOAA continues to invest in Arctic research and activities, which improve the nation's economic competitiveness, national security, and the sustainable management of natural resources," said retired Navy Rear Adm. Timothy Gallaudet, Ph.D., acting under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA, who led the news conference to release the report card. "This report will also help guide NOAA's 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." Highlights from the 2018 Arctic Report Card. Credit: NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory This year's report shows that the Arctic region experienced the second-warmest air temperatures ever recorded; the second-lowest overall sea-ice coverage; lowest recorded winter ice in the Bering Sea; and earlier plankton blooms due to early melting of sea ice in the Bering Sea. In addition to annual updates on ocean temperature, snow cover, tundra greenness and melting on the Greenland Ice Sheet, the report card also includes reports on multi-year environmental changes, including a long-term population decline of the region's iconic wildlife species, the caribou. Other multi-year essays focused on the expansion northward of toxic harmful algae and significant concentrations of microplastic pollution that are transported by ocean currents into the Arctic Ocean from other parts of the global ocean. This report card is just one of many aspects of NOAA's role in the Arctic region. NOAA, alongside many partners, is monitoring Arctic conditions, pioneering innovative technologies, and creatively collecting data and other scientific information. Declining Arctic sea ice: The 2018 Arctic Report Card found the Arctic region had the second-lowest overall sea-ice coverage on record. The map shows the age of sea ice in the Arctic ice pack in March 1985 (left) and March 2018 (right). Ice that is less than a year old is darkest blue. Ice that has survived at least 4 full years is white. Maps were provided by NOAA Climate.gov and based on data provided by Mark Tschudi./University of Colorado/CCAR. Credit: NOAA Climate.gov For example, new technology is revolutionizing our understanding of the Arctic's changing environment, beginning to fill critical gaps in ocean and atmospheric observations. This technology is unmanned, fast, cost-effective, sturdy enough to withstand icy temperatures, and able to collect quality data for lengthy periods. Further, NOAA Polar-orbiting satellites fly over the Arctic 28 times daily, collecting data vital to improve weather forecasts, help fisheries increase catch, and support safe, efficient navigation in challenging waters. Additionally, as Arctic waters become increasingly ice-free, and commerce and other interests grow, NOAA is working to update nautical charts and calculate tide and current predictions. Arctic caribou and wild reindeer populations dropped sharply from 4.7 million to 2.1 million grazing animals in two decades, with the largest declines in Alaska and Canada. Scientists attribute the declines to Arctic warming, which is increasing the frequency of drought, affecting the quality of forage. Longer, warmer summers also increase flies, parasites and disease outbreaks in the herds. These caribou were spotted in Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve. Credit: Rick Thoman/Univ. of Alaska-Fairbanks Muostakh Island is part of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf which is the most vulnerable part of the Arctic coastline when it comes to permafrost thaw. Image credit - Prof. Igor Semiletov. Credit: Prof. Igor Semiletov. As temperatures rise in the Arctic, permafrost, or frozen ground, is thawing. As it does, greenhouse gases trapped within it are being released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, leading to previously underestimated problems with ocean acidification and potential mercury poisoning. About one quarter of the region is covered in permafrost, which is soil, sediment or rock that has been frozen for at least two years. With its retreat, the carbon that is released could contribute significantly to global warming. "We call it the sleeping giant of the global carbon cycle," said Professor Orjan Gustafsson, an environmental scientist at Stockholm University in Sweden. "It's not really accounted for in climate models." Prof. Gustafsson and his colleagues are trying to determine exactly what permafrost consists of, how quickly it is warming and what happens when it thaws. To do this, they are drilling into three types of permafrost around the East Siberian Sea as part of a project called CC-Top. In addition to the most common type found in soil on land, they will also be looking at high-carbon permafrost that formed about 50,000 years ago called Yedoma, and another type found under the seafloor of shallow coastal shelf areas that were flooded as sea levels rose about 11,650 years ago. '(This) subsea permafrost is the most vulnerable of the three so that's the major focus of the project," Prof. Gustafsson said. The researchers have been comparing the temperatures of permafrost on land and underwater. About 10,000 years ago, the temperature of both permafrost types was about -18C. They found that permafrost on the ground has now warmed up to about -10C but under the sea it has reached 0C. "That was surprising," Prof. Gustafsson said. "I had no idea that subsea permafrost was thawing so quickly." Ocean acidification They've also examined what happens when thawed permafrost from land reaches the sea. Some of the released carbon reacts with water to form carbonic acidthe same gas present in fizzy water. Although it's a weak acid, Prof. Gustafsson and his colleagues found that it contributes significantly to acidification of the Arctic ocean. This affects marine biodiversity. Acidic water, for example, dissolves the carbonate skeletons of organisms such as plankton. The team's findings point to much higher levels of ocean acidification than that predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in their report published in 2014, which largely considered the effect of anthropogenic carbon emissions. "Acidification could be 100 times more severe," Prof. Gustafsson said. "Ocean acidification by permafrost carbon from land is a new mechanism we hadn't thought about much, and we didn't think it was so strong." Next, the team plans to investigate the methane that is escaping from subsea permafrost. In many parts of the Arctic, the concentration of the gas in seawater is high but the researchers aren't exactly sure of its source. It could be the result of thawing permafrost soil or methane hydrates solid methane buried underwater. Or it might originate from natural gas much deeper down that is reaching the surface through cracks in permafrost as it melts. "We really need to understand that to predict how methane releases will develop in the coming decades or centuries," said Prof. Gustafsson. Permafrost thaw is already a growing concern for those living in the region who experience its effects. In coastal areas, where it is particularly prone to thawing, buildings constructed on permafrost are collapsing or becoming damaged due to thaw while roads are cracking. Escaping carbon and organic matter are also likely to have an impact on the wildlife that communities rely on for food. Dr. Hugues Lantuit, a researcher at Alfred-Wegener Institute in Potsdam, Germany, and his colleagues are interested in what happens to carbon and other substances that seep out from permafrost in these coastal areas as part of a project called Nunataryuk. They will be conducting fieldwork in Russia, Svalbard, Greenland, Canada and Alaska. The project is involving local communities in their work. In Aklavik, a hamlet on the Yukon coast in Canada, for example, the team is consulting Inuit communities to pin down relevant sites for their research, such as areas where fish is plentiful or where erosion is pronounced. Through meetings, the researchers gain insight into local issues that could be addressed in their research. In Svalbard, for example, where the coastline is rocky, permafrost thaw is mostly affecting infrastructure on land whereas coastal erosion is more of a concern in Russia and North America. At the same time, locals can learn scientific techniques from researchers. "It's truly a learning experience on both sides," Dr. Lantuit said. Subsistence Some communities are worried about the effect of climate change on wildlife, which they depend on for subsistence. One of the project's goals is therefore to investigate the release of organic matter from thawing permafrost into the Arctic Ocean. "This has a direct impact on the fish population but we do not exactly understand how," Dr. Lantuit said. The team is trying to figure out whether thawing permafrost will make the sea cloudy by releasing sediment into the water, thus allowing less light to penetrate. This could result in fewer fish as the algae and plants they depend on for food can't photosynthesise in dark water. Alternatively, it could have a positive effect. "More carbon could also mean more nutrients, so big party time for microorganisms, phytoplankton and potentially fish," said Dr. Lantuit. Thawing permafrost is also a health concern as it is expected to release contaminants and pathogens. In a study published earlier this year, members of the team found that permafrost contains more mercury than any other source on the planet when it was previously thought to contain an insignificant amount. Since mercury is a poison, it could have serious health implications, ranging from impaired memory to vision problems if it gets out. "Now we're trying to quantify the release of mercury and to see which regions are susceptible," said Dr. Lantuit. Eventually, the team hopes to come up with solutions to manage the effects of thawing permafrost. They're developing models that should help. In one project, they are looking at what would happen if permafrost was the source of an outbreak of Anthrax a bacteria that can infect the skin, lungs and intestines. They are also creating models to predict damage to infrastructure. Improvements are already underway. Nunataryuk researchers have been working on developing buildings that can better resist thawing permafrost by getting communities in North America and Russia to exchange strategies. In North America, for example, there was a tendency to build lightweight constructions using wood or metal whereas buildings are made from concrete in Russia. "There is a move towards using some of the knowledge on both sides to create new and better infrastructure," said Dr. Lantuit. "We now have 40 to 50 years of warming in some areas so we can really see what works and what doesn't." Students testing for arsenic in Pakistans Punjabi wells. Credit: Junid Ali Khattak While most Americans have access to safe, potable water, populations in some regions of the world are not as fortunate. In fact, the majority of some 90 million people who live in the Punjab areas of Pakistan and India drink and cook with untreated well water that they collect themselves from privately-owed wells on their properties. The main contaminant of the well water in this region of South Asia is arsenichigh levels of which can cause a range of illnesses, including cardio-vascular disease for adults and impaired cognitive function in children. A new study uncovers how widespread the arsenic contamination problem is in Punjab wells, as well as a relatively easy way to solve it. In the studywhich was published online in Science of the Total Environment in NovemberColumbia University earth scientists partnered with Southeast Asian research professors and students to test more than 30,000 water wells in nearly 400 Pakistani and Indian villages. These villages are located within the floodplain of the Indus River and its tributaries, which transport arsenic-laden sediment down from the Himalaya mountains. In the Bengal basin in Bangladesh, well-water arsenic causes approximately 40,000 adult deaths per yearequivalent to about five percent of the country's overall mortality rate. Arsenic is likely causing premature, preventable deaths in Punjabi communities as well. But as India and Pakistan lack the financial resources and manpower to install centralized water supply systems in the foreseeable future, the only way to address the problem is regularly testing the village wells. "The villagers need to know where the safe wells are," explained Lex van Geen, a research professor at Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the study's lead author. About 45 students from local Pakistani and Indian collegesunder the supervision of Ph.D. students from Quaid-i-Azam University and the TERI School of Advanced Studiesvisited 383 select villages and knocked on every residential door, requesting to test the homeowners' wells with their field kits. Map of the Punjab area shown in white. Credit: Ktims at English Wikipedia They found that nearly a quarter of all the tested wells contain more than 10 micrograms per liter of arsenic, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) threshold in safe drinking water. Fortunately though, the study found that 87 percent of households with a high-arsenic well live within 100 meters (or about 330 feet) of a private well that meets the WHO guideline for arsenic. Proximity to wells is important, as the villagers have to manually fill and carry buckets of water back to their homes, noted van Geen. "If it's 500 meters away instead of 50 meters," he said, "that makes a big difference." The students advised Punjab households with unsafe well water to switch to neighbors' wells that are considered safe based on the test results. They also asked villagers with safe wells to allow their less fortunate neighbors to use them. "We can't force anyone, but as part of our campaign, we say, 'You have an unsafe well, you should really consider switching, especially for the health of your children,'" said van Geen. "'We hope you can [get along] with your neighbor so you can use their well.'" When the researchers returned to five of the Pakistani villages a year later, about two-thirds of the 150 surveyed households with high-arsenic wells claimed to have switched to a neighbor's safe well. (Funding constraints prevented them from returning to more of the Punjabi villages.) In a previous test involving some 12,000 villagers' wells across 60 Bangladesh villages, about 60 percent of households surveyed also made the switch to safe wells. The studies have found that households that don't switch, despite being notified of the risks, are likely to be less educated and poorer, and may have more urgent daily issues to attend to. Van Geen and his team are hoping that the latest rounds of testing will encourage the Pakistani and Indian governments to conduct "blanket" testing of as many of the 9 million or more Punjabi wells as possible. The testing campaign closest in magnitude to this kind occurred between 2000 and 2005, when Bangladesh's national government tested nearly 5 million wellsan effort that convinced approximately 10 million local villagers to switch to safe wells. But most of these wells have since been replaced. "Since water treatment or pipewater [supply] isn't going to happen anytime soon," said van Geen, "the only realistic solution is for villages to share the subset of safe wells. And the only way to do that, is to actually test them all." Explore further Villagers follow the geology to safer water in Bangladesh More information: Alexander van Geen et al. Field testing of over 30,000 wells for arsenic across 400 villages of the Punjab plains of Pakistan and India: Implications for prioritizing mitigation, Science of The Total Environment (2018). Journal information: Science of the Total Environment Alexander van Geen et al. Field testing of over 30,000 wells for arsenic across 400 villages of the Punjab plains of Pakistan and India: Implications for prioritizing mitigation,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.201 Provided by State of the Planet This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu. New research suggests that populations of the Northern Cardinal one of the most ubiquitous backyard birds in the United States are undergoing speciation in two adjacent deserts. This study, which analyzed genetics and vocal behavior, gives clues about the early steps in bird speciation. The study is published in the journal Ecology and Evolution. "In general, songs are really important for describing and identifying birds," said lead author Kaiya Provost, a comparative biology Ph.D. Candidate in the American Museum of Natural History's Richard Gilder Graduate School. "Most studies assume that differences in song are important in the process that gives rise to new bird species. But looking at speciation using both genetics and behavior in wild birds can be really difficult. We went out to test both of these spheres of biology on wild desert birds to look at the full story." The researchers focused on Northern Cardinal populations in two deserts: the Sonoran Desert, which covers parts of Arizona, California, and Mexico; and the Chihuahuan Desert, which covers parts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico. The deserts are separated by about 120 miles of high-elevation plains. Analysis on the DNA of the birds in these areas shows that the two populations have been separated for at least 500,000 years and possibly for as long as 1 million years, which "might be old enough for the speciation process to finish," Provost said. A Northern Cardinal song recording made by the researchers in Arizona. Credit: AMNH/K. Provost In parallel, the researchers examined the song-related behavior of these populations. Songs play a crucial role in a bird's ability to attract and impress a potential mate. If two birds can't communicate with each other, for instance, by singing different types of songs, they are less likely to breed. Over time, populations that don't reproduce with each other will accumulate more and more genetic differences. As time goes on, these two processes can feed back into each other and lead the populations down the path of speciation. To investigate, Provost and her collaboratorsBrian Smith, an assistant curator in the Museum's Department of Ornithology, and William Mauck III, a researcher at the New York Genome Centercreated a bird song experiment that they played in each desert. Each audio series contained four recordings of male birds: neighboring cardinals, cardinals from the same desert but a distance away, cardinals from the adjacent desert, and a control recording of a Cactus Wren. In the Sonoran Desert, male cardinals reacted to the recorded songs from neighboring birds with aggressionflying around looking for the "intruder" and singing loudly. Songs from birds living further away, both from within the same desert and from the adjacent one, were ignored. A Northern Cardinal song recording made by the researchers in New Mexico, just over the border with Texas. Credit: AMNH/K. Provost "We saw that the birds are really aggressive to songs by their next-door neighbors, as you would expect, but once there is enough distance between them, they don't understand the songs anymore," Provost said. "It's like if you speak Portuguese in Portugal, you can probably understand Spanish, and you might understand French, but if you keep going further and further away, eventually you'll hit German or Arabiclanguages that are unfamiliar, that you can't parse." In the Chihuahuan Desert, the cardinals also acted aggressively to songs from close neighbors. And, just like the Sonoran birds, they ignored songs from birds across the plains. But, in contrast to Sonoran cardinals, they were aggressive to songs from distant neighbors in the same desert. "We're not sure why there's a difference, but you can think of it as these Chihuahuan birds singing in Portuguese and hearing songs in Spanish. It's a little different but they still understand it, and they still think it's an intruder," Provost said. "There's something that's keeping those two groups of songs linked together." One of the major challenges taxonomists face is how to identify young species, or draw the line between species and populations. In the case of the Northern Cardinal, the authors say there is mounting evidence that there are multiple species in the United States. "By combining behavioral experiments with genetic estimates of population history, we found corroborating evidence that the speciation process is well advanced," Smith said. "It is getting harder to argue that they are a single species." Explore further New research suggests bird songs isolate species More information: Kaiya L. Provost et al, Genomic divergence in allopatric Northern Cardinals of the North American warm deserts is linked to behavioral differentiation, Ecology and Evolution (2018). Journal information: Ecology and Evolution Kaiya L. Provost et al, Genomic divergence in allopatric Northern Cardinals of the North American warm deserts is linked to behavioral differentiation,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4596 Clouds come in all shapes and sizes, and now a deep learning model can help detect the finer details in cloud data. Credit: Adriel Kloppenburg on Unsplash Kids lying on their backs in a grassy field might scan the clouds for imagesperhaps a fluffy bunny here and a fiery dragon over there. Often, atmospheric scientists do the oppositethey search data images for the clouds as part of their research to understand Earth systems. Manually labeling data images pixel by pixel is time-consuming, so researchers rely on automatic processing techniques, such as cloud detection algorithms. But the algorithms' output is not as exact as the scientists want it to be. Recently, researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory teamed up to find out if deep learninga distinct subset of machine learningcan do a better job at identifying clouds in lidar data than the current physics-based algorithms. The answer: A clear "yes." The new model is much closer to the answers scientists arrive at but in just a fraction of the time. Lidar is a remote sensing instrument that emits a pulsed laser and collects the return signal scattered back by cloud droplets or aerosols. This return signal provides information about the height and vertical structure of atmospheric features, such as clouds or smoke layers. Such data from ground-based lidars are an important part of global forecasting. Earth scientist Donna Flynn noticed that, in some cases, what the algorithms detected as clouds in the lidar images did not match well with what her expert eye saw. The algorithms tend to overestimate the cloud boundaries. "The current algorithm identifies the clouds using broad brushstrokes," says Flynn, a co-principal investigator on the project. "We need to more accurately determine the cloud's true top and base and to distinguish multiple cloud layers." Upgrade initiated Until recently, computing power limited artificial neural networks, a type of deep learning model, to a small number of computational layers. Now, with increased computing power available through supercomputing clusters, researchers can use more computationseach building off of the last onein a series of layers. The more layers an artificial neural network has, the more powerful the deep learning network. Figuring out what those computations are is part of the model training. To start, the researchers need properly labeled lidar data images, or "ground truth" data, for the training and testing of the model. So, Flynn spent many long hours hand-labeling images pixel by pixel: cloud or no cloud. Her eye can distinguish the cloud boundaries and cloud versus an aerosol layer. She took 40 hoursthe equivalent of a full work weekto label about 100 days of lidar data collected at the Southern Great Plains atmospheric observatory, part of DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user facility, in Oklahoma. Given how time and labor intensive the hand-labeling process is, PNNL computational scientist and co-principal investigator Erol Cromwell used learning methods that required minimal ground truth data. The model learns through self-feedback. It compares its own performance against hand-labeled results and adjusts its calculations accordingly, explains Cromwell. It cycles through these steps, improving each time through. Cromwell will be presenting the team's findings at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision in January. Goal achieved With the training, the deep learning model outperforms the current algorithms. The model's precision is almost double and much closer to what a human expert would findbut in a fraction of the time. The next steps are to evaluate the model's performance on lidar data collected at different locations and in different seasons. Initial tests on data from the ARM observatory at Oliktok Point in Alaska are promising. "An advantage of the deep learning model is transfer learning," says Cromwell. "We can train the model further with data from Oliktok to make its performance more robust." "Reducing sources of uncertainty in global model predictions is especially important to the atmospheric science community," says Flynn. "With its improved precision, deep learning increases our confidence." She adds: "Plus, it gives us more time to be outside looking at real clouds!" Tsetse fly in its habitat. Credit: O. Esnault Tstetes flies have been eradicated in an entire region of Senegal. This victory was due to be announced by Senegal's president at a ceremony on Dec. 8. It is the fruit of a longstanding collaboration between CIRAD, the Institut Senegalais de recherches agricoles (ISRA), Senegalese veterinary services, the Ministry of Agriculture and the International Atomic Energy Agency. After several other stages, releasing sterile males finally eradicated the last remaining wild tsetse flies. 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 percent of the country's population. Tsetse flies transmit parasitic diseases called 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 percent 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 percent reduction in sampling costs. 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 each day at some sites," Jeremy Bouyer recalls. "By July, we were finding one or two per month. We're now down to zero!" Eradicating tsetse flies will allow farmers to switch from disease-resistant cows, which are less productive, to more productive breeds. The resulting increase in production should generate around 2.8 million 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. 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. 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. Explore further Eliminating the fly or the disease? The Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) and the Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus). Credit: Petra Druschky, Wandlitz The Natura 2000 network of protected areas runs across the EU as a conservation network for biodiversity. However, only a few studies have so far analysed whether these refuges actually have a positive effect on species diversity. Studies have predominately focussed on birds and have not shown any clear trends. Using long-term data from the "Butterfly Monitoring Germany" citizens' research project, scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Halle, Germany, and the Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic, have now investigated the matter using butterflies as an example. According to the research, there are more butterfly species in Natura 2000 areas than elsewhere. However, in the journal Diversity and Distributions the researchers reported the same decline in the numbers of species regardless whether the communities are located within or outside the protected areas. The idea in itself is sound: A mosaic of protected forests, grasslands, lakes, rivers and other habitats designed to provide shelter for Europe's endangered plants and animals. The EU has been developing this Natura 2000 network of protected areas since 1992. It now covers over 18 percent of the EU's land surface and is one of the most important building blocks for European nature conservation. But the question remains how effective this network actually is. Can it indeed stop the rampant loss of species? A research team led by Martin Musche from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Halle investigated this question using butterflies as an example. It is no coincidence that the researchers used this species group for their analysis. On the one hand, there are numerous butterflies with particular habitat requirements and are therefore representative for many other species. Consequently, they are regarded as highly suitable indicators for the conditions of a landscape. What is more, they also play an important role in the ecosystem as pollinators, herbivores, and as a food source for birds and other animals. Above all, the occurrence of butterflies is relatively well investigated. They are conspicuous insects, many of which are easy to identify, even for laypersons. The UFZ is therefore coordinating a citizens' science project called "Butterfly Monitoring Germany" since 2005, where all interested parties are able to participate. Between April and September, participants all over Germany gather information about the occurrence and abundance of the species. Week after week, every participant walks pre-determined routes (which are called "transects") up to one kilometre in length, noting all the active butterflies they see along the way. "Over 500 people are now participating nationwide," explains UFZ biologist Elisabeth Kuhn, who is coordinating the monitoring project. Many new participants registered to take part last summer in particular. Headlines about insect decline have probably shaken many nature lovers who now want to contribute to investigate this phenomenon. "As part of this discussion, we are always asked for more information about the occurrence of insects in Germany," says Elisabeth Kuhn. "We already have some great data on butterflies." Observers have been active on around 300 counting routes for at least eight years, thus researchers are able to calculate initial trends from the data gathered so far. As part of the Natura 2000 check, the researchers have chosen 245 of these routes that have been monitored particularly regularly. These transects are spread across Germany, with around 28 percent located within Natura 2000 areas. The scientists were used statistical methods to analyse whether the conservation status of their habitat made a difference to trends in species richness of local communities comprised of 122 butterfly species recorded in total. At first glance, the efficiency of Natura 2000 sites seems positive. On the routes outside the protected areas, butterfly investigators counted an average of 18 species, while the figure rose to 21 species within the protection areas. "This is not necessarily because the habitats in the Natura 2000 might generally be more suitable for butterflies," explains Elisabeth Kuhn. "Also, they are probably in a better shape." And this is not only noticeable in the protected area itself, but also in its surroundings. The closer a transect is to such a refuge, the higher its number of species. It might well be that these habitats act as butterfly sources, from which the insects flutter into the surrounding countryside. And in many cases, the actual protected areas are only the most valuable areas in an overall diverse landscape. All this sounds like some thoroughly positive findings. "In fact, these results suggest that the Natura 2000 sites have been well chosen," says Elisabeth Kuhn. They do indeed appear to protect a good cross-section of particularly valuable areas. However, the verdict on the ecological rescue network is not entirely pleasing. The researchers also analysed how butterfly populations have changed between 2005 and 2015. According to the results, at the beginning of this period, an average of more than 19 species fluttered over the transects, but by the end of the period this number had fallen to 17. "This is a significant decline of around ten percent," says Elisabeth Kuhn. "And this was observed both inside and outside the protected areas." The Natura 2000 network does not yet appear to have had any effect at least in the case of butterflies on its actual task of halting species decline. Using further analyses, the researchers now hope to find out why. They believe that this could be due to large-scale effects, such as climate change or changes in land use, which affect the entire landscape, irrespective of conservation status. But it could also be that the cause lies in the protected areas themselves. The vast majority of these areas are cultural landscapes that cannot be completely left to their own devices. Nutrient-poor grasslands, for example, should be regularly mown or grazed. Otherwise, shrubs spread there over time and open-land species lose their habitat. However, such management can be structured differently. And this may be where the problem lies. "So far, these measures have often been geared to the needs of other groups, such as birds," explains Elisabeth Kuhn. "And butterflies do not necessarily benefit from this." For example, mowing times of many grasslands are not adapted to the development of butterfly caterpillars, where the requirements can vary greatly from species to species. "We can only resolve such conflicting goals if we look more closely at individual species and habitats," says Elisabeth Kuhn. She and her colleagues hope that their wealth of data will also make this possible and they can derive ideas on how nature conservation areas can be managed even more effectively than before. Explore further First-ever habitat connectivity report using species data shows positive impact of policies on butterflies More information: Stanislav Rada et al. Protected areas do not mitigate biodiversity declines: A case study on butterflies, Diversity and Distributions (2018). Journal information: Diversity and Distributions Stanislav Rada et al. Protected areas do not mitigate biodiversity declines: A case study on butterflies,(2018). DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12854 Thylacoleo carnifex reconstructions. (A) Reconstruction of the skeleton of T. carnifex. (B) Body outline based on examination of musculature evident in x-ray imaging of marsupials Vogelnest and Allen. Credit: Wells et al., 2018 Thyalacoleo carnifex, the "marsupial lion" of Pleistocene Australia, was an adept hunter that got around with the help of a strong tail, according to a study released December 12, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Roderick T. Wells of Flinders University and Aaron B. Camens of the South Australia Museum, Adelaide. These insights come after newly-discovered remains, including one nearly complete fossil specimen, allowed these researchers to reconstruct this animal's entire skeleton for the first time. A marsupial predator with an estimated weight of over 100kg, Thylacoleo was unlike any living animal, and paleontologists have long tried to interpret its lifestyle from incomplete remains. The new fossils, discovered in Komatsu Cave in Naracoorte and Flight Star Cave in the Nullarbor Plain, include the first known remains of the tail and collarbone of this animal. The authors used this new information to re-assess the biomechanics of Thylacoleo, and by comparing its anatomy to living marsupials, reach new conclusions about the biology and behavior of the "marsupial lion". The tail of Thylacoleo appears to have been stiff and heavily-muscled, probably allowing it to be used along with the hind limbs as a "tripod" to brace the body while freeing up the forelimbs for handling food or climbing, as many living marsupials do. The analysis suggests that Thylacoleo had a rigid lower back and powerful forelimbs anchored by strong collarbones, likely making it poorly suited for chasing prey, but well-adapted for ambush hunting and/or scavenging. These features also add to a list of evidence that Thylacoleo was an adept climber, perhaps of trees or steep-walled caverns. Among living marsupials, the anatomy of Thylacoleo appears most similar to the Tasmanian devil, a small carnivore that exhibits many of these inferred behaviors. The authors add: "The extinct marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex has intrigued scientists since it was first described in 1859 from skull and jaw fragments collected at Lake Colongulac in Victoria Australia and sent to Sir Richard Owen at the British Museum. Although Australia's largest marsupial carnivore it retains many features indicative of its diprotodont herbivore ancestry and its niche has been a matter of considerable debate for more than 150yrs. Recent cave finds have for the first time enabled a description and reconstruction of the complete skeleton including the hitherto unrecognised tail and clavicles. In this study, Wells and Camens compare the Thylacoleo skeleton with those of range of extant Australian arboreal and terrestrial marsupials in which behaviour and locomotion is well documented. They conclude that the nearest structural and functional analogue to Thylacoleo is to be found in the unrelated and much smaller Tasmanian Devil, Sarcophilus harrisii, a scavenger /hunter. They draw attention to the prevalence of all age classes within individual cave deposits as suggestive of a high degree of sociality. Those ancestral features Thylacoleo shares with arboreal forms are equally well suited to climbing or grasping a prey. They conclude that Thylacoleo is a scavenger, ambush predator of large prey." Explore further Climate change the likely killer of Australian marsupial lion More information: Wells RT, Camens AB (2018) New skeletal material sheds light on the palaeobiology of the Pleistocene marsupial carnivore, Thylacoleo carnifex. PLoS ONE 13(12): e0208020. Journal information: PLoS ONE Wells RT, Camens AB (2018) New skeletal material sheds light on the palaeobiology of the Pleistocene marsupial carnivore, Thylacoleo carnifex.13(12): e0208020. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208020 Prof. Luis Bettencourt discusses how we can map urban growth in places like the Galapagos Islands to improve sustainable development. Credit: UChicago Creative The Galapagos Islands remain one of the most biodiverse spots on the planetwith tortoises, finches and iguanas dotting just 3,000 square miles of land. But the volcanic archipelago that once inspired Darwin is also home to nearly 30,000 people, not to mention the tens of thousands of tourists who visit each year. Those two forces have created a delicate balancing act, and a difficult question: How can residents live and flourish without wrecking the ecosystem that makes their islands so iconic? This past summer, University of Chicago scholars took a step toward figuring out what such a solution might look like. UChicago's Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, which produces ways to foster and support sustainable urban development, sent a research team to map the islands' capital city of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The UChicago team measured the shape and quality of the buildings using a combination of drone and satellite imagery, which they then converted into 3-D topographical models. They also created a detailed street-view map by strapping a GoPro camera to a bicycle helmet, enabling them to cover parts of the town that were inaccessible to cars. Collaborating with an architectural studio hosted by Universidad San Francisco de Quito, the UChicago researchers hope their new map will serve as a baseline for tracking how neighborhoods develop over time. Because construction in the Galapagos is often the result of individuals augmenting their own homes to cater to tourists, cities are growing with minimal organized engineering and urban planning. "People talk about sustainability in terms of climate change, urbanization or human development," said Prof. Luis Bettencourt, the Pritzker Director of the Mansueto Institute and a leading researcher in urban science and complex systems. "But these things need to happen together, and be understood in a way that creates outcomes which are good for both people and the environment." "We all want to live better in the future, which means there's going to be continued economic growth," he added. "Does that mean that we need to consume more in ways that are detrimental to ecosystems? That's the dilemma." Bettencourt knows the allure of the Galapagos well. Trained as a theoretical physicist, he remembers reading Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle for the first time as a teenager. When Bettencourt first glimpsed several years ago the same bay that Darwin visited, he couldn't help but tear up. Bettencourt joined UChicago in February 2017 as the inaugural director of the Mansueto Institute. The following spring, the organization selected a pair of scholars to accompany him to the Galapagos for four weeks: Daniel Zunda postdoctoral fellow at the Instituteand Andrew Mao, who was then studying computational analysis at the Harris School of Public Policy. Universidad San Francisco de Quito and the Melbourne School of Design had already laid a foundation of research with the architectural studio started in 2015, combining architecture with data modeling systems to examine the built environment. What UChicago provided was technical expertise in computing and mapping, as well as a perspective on social sciences and policy research. Mao, AB'17, became the project's cyclista role that came with its own unique hazards. While collecting street-view images with the GoPro-outfitted helmet, he found that certain blocks were patrolled by several dogs. They didn't take well to interlopers. On one journey, a dog broke its leash, forcing Mao to use his bicycle as a shield. "You have to have a little bit of grit," said Mao, now a product analyst at PayPal. Scholars used mapping technology to identify and label physical features around the city. Credit: Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation The Mansueto Institute researchers also encountered other obstacles. Internet service on the islands was often slow, forcing them to wait until residents and tourists had gone to sleep to upload photos and videos. Their drone also crashed toward the end of the trip after being carried off course by high winds. "The lucky thing is, that was really the last flight," Zund said. Added Bettencourt: "There are fundamental constraints there, which allow you to see that technology is not a magic bullet. It enables you to do certain things, but you have to use it in the right ways." The UChicago scholars stored the street-view images on Mapillary, a crowd-sourced service for sharing geotagged photos. That software also identifies physical elements of the landscape, producing additional data layers for everything from water and vegetation to fences and trash cans. The studio's collaborating researchers recently published "Urban Galapagos: Transition to Sustainability in Complex Adaptive Systems," which provides a detailed framework for the unique challenges faced in the islands' ecosystems. The final chapter of the book, which Bettencourt authored, argues for a holistic systems view as an effective means of producing sustainable solutions. The work is far from over. The new map is rich in useful data, but will only lead to novel breakthroughs if researchers return to the Galapagos to see how streets and buildings have changed. From there, UChicago and its partners hope to continue working with local leaders, surveying residents to learn more about their living habits and empowering communities to be stewards of sustainable development. By taking an integrated systems approachlooking at environmental, physical, and social indicators togetherthe Mansueto Institute can create a more complete picture of the ecological and urban landscape. The Galapagos Islands represent a good starting point for this sort of research, offering a controlled environment in which to study the in-and-out flows of people, resources and other markers of human development. One reason? They are located nearly 600 miles from the nearest continental coastline. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978, the archipelago is home to nearly 30,000 people, and saw a nearly 40 percent increase in visitors from 2007 (161,000) to 2016 (225,000). Given that tourism is one of the best ways for residents to make a living, those numbers will only continue to rise. All of these factors only highlight the urgency of the Mansueto Institute's project. Change is happening rapidly in urban settlements all over the world. By utilizing technological innovations, data mining, and computational analysis, Mansueto Institute researchers aim to understand how development patterns on the Galapagos could lead to solutions for managing urbanization elsewhere. If scholars can work toward sustainability in an ecosystem as delicate as these islands, then there may be hope for other environments across the globe. "The Galapagos," Bettencourt said, "gives us a laboratory where that kind of thinkingthat kind of actionis both necessary and possible." More information: Urban Galapagos: Transition to Sustainability in Complex Adaptive Systems. Urban Galapagos: Transition to Sustainability in Complex Adaptive Systems. link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-99534-2 The Tunisian parliament approved earlier this week the 2019 budget, which does not provide for any new taxes on individuals in a move to buy social peace. Earlier this year, People had taken to the streets to protest against the governments austerity measures. The protests broke out after activists and politicians denounced increases in VAT and the introduction of social contributions. The 2019 budget, adopted on Monday, by 113 votes out of 217, projects a fall in the deficit to 3.9 percent of gross domestic product. While Tunisia is widely seen as the only democratic success story since the Arab spring uprisings erupted in 2011, it has since had nine governments, none of which has been able to tackle growing economic problems. The General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT), which boasts more than half a million members (about 5 per cent of Tunisias total population), and a branch in every province, has been engaged in a months-long stand-off with the Tunisian government over the need to increase pay in the public sector. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said earlier this year that 2018 would be the last difficult year for Tunisians. In 2018, the government raised taxes on cars, alcohol, telephone calls, the internet, hotel accommodation and other items in an effort to help balance the books. ZeniMax Media, whose Bethesda Game Studios' presentation at an industry event is seen here, said it settled its lawsuit with Facebook's Oculus unit over copyright infringement ZeniMax Media on Wednesday said it struck a deal with Facebook-owned Oculus to settle a lawsuit over the video game giant's virtual reality technology. A US jury early last year ordered that Facebook and creators of Oculus Rift pay $500 million in a lawsuit that contended that Rift virtual reality gear was developed using source code illegally obtained from the Maryland-based gaming firm. The jury dismissed the charge that Oculus stole or misappropriated trade secrets but did find Oculus liable for copyright infringement and other violations. The federal court in Texas where the trial took place subsequently cut the damages award to $250 million, and the case was appealed. Terms of the settlement were confidential, according to the companies. "We're pleased to put this behind us and continue building the future of VR," a Facebook spokesman told said in response to an AFP inquiry. Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014 for more than $2 billion and now sells Rift headsets as part of the social network's push into virtual reality. ZeniMax released a statement by chief executive Robert Altman saying the company was pleased and "fully satisfied" by the deal to resolve the litigation. "While we dislike litigation, we will always vigorously defend against any infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property by third parties," Altman said. Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey departed Facebook not long after Facebook was hit with a big tab in the ZeniMax lawsuitand after he was criticized for covertly helping an online "troll" group that promoted memes in favor of Donald Trump during the US presidential election. The ZeniMax lawsuit accused Luckey and his colleagues who developed Rift virtual reality gear with the help of source code from the gaming firm. Luckey was ordered to pay $50 million of the jury award and another former Oculus executive, Brendan Iribe, $150 million. ZeniMax had sought $4 billion in damages in the case, in which Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg testified to defend his company. Explore further Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey gone from Facebook 2018 AFP A south tropical disturbance has just passed Jupiter's iconic Great Red Spot, and is captured stealing threads of orange haze from the Great Red Spot in this series of color-enhanced images from NASA's Juno spacecraft. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstadt/Sean Doran On Dec. 21, at 8:49:48 a.m. PST (11:49:48 a.m. EST) NASA's Juno spacecraft will be 3,140 miles (5,053 kilometers) above Jupiter's cloud tops and hurtling by at a healthy clip of 128,802 mph (207,287 kilometers per hour). This will be the 16th science pass of the gas giant and will mark the solar-powered spacecraft's halfway point in data collection during its prime mission. Juno is in a highly-elliptical 53-day orbit around Jupiter. Each orbit includes a close passage over the planet's cloud deck, where it flies a ground track that extends from Jupiter's north pole to its south pole. "With our 16th science flyby, we will have complete global coverage of Jupiter, albeit at coarse resolution, with polar passes separated by 22.5 degrees of longitude," said Jack Connerney, Juno deputy principal investigator from the Space Research Corporation in Annapolis, Maryland. "Over the second half of our prime mission - science flybys 17 through 32 - we will split the difference, flying exactly halfway between each previous orbit. This will provide coverage of the planet every 11.25 degrees of longitude, providing a more detailed picture of what makes the whole of Jupiter tick." Launched on Aug. 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter on July 4, 2016. Its science collection began in earnest on the Aug. 27, 2016, flyby. During these flybys, Juno's suite of sensitive science instruments probes beneath the planet's obscuring cloud cover and studies Jupiter's auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, interior structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. "We have already rewritten the textbooks on how Jupiter's atmosphere works, and on the complexity and asymmetry of its magnetic field," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno, from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. "The second half should provide the detail that we can use to refine our understanding of the depth of Jupiter's zonal winds, the generation of its magnetic field, and the structure and evolution of its interior." Two instruments aboard Juno, the Stellar Reference Unit and JunoCam, have proven to be useful not only for their intended purposes, but also for science data collection. The Stellar Reference Unit (SRU) was designed to collect engineering data used for navigation and attitude determination, so the scientists were pleased to find that it has scientific uses as well. "We always knew the SRU had a vital engineering job to do for Juno," said Heidi Becker, Juno's radiation monitoring investigation lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "But after making scientific discoveries in Jupiter's radiation belts and taking a first-of-its-kind image of Jupiter's ring, we realized the added value of the data. There is serious scientific interest in what the SRU can tell us about Jupiter." The JunoCam imager was conceived as an outreach instrument to bring the excitement and beauty of Jupiter exploration to the public. "While originally envisioned solely as an outreach instrument to help tell the Juno story, JunoCam has become much more than that," said Candy Hansen, Juno co-investigator at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. "Our time-lapse sequences of images over the poles allow us to study the dynamics of Jupiter's unique circumpolar cyclones and to image high-altitude hazes. We are also using JunoCam to study the structure of the Great Red Spot and its interaction with its surroundings." The SRU and JunoCam teams both now have several peer-reviewed science papers -either published or in the works - to their credit. Reproduction scientist Robert Hermes performs a lung lavage in a rhino. Credit: Jonathan Crackne Diseases and tuberculosis in particular can pose considerable challenges for wildlife. In order to avoid epidemics within populations or to treat individual animals belonging to highly endangered species, fast and reliable tests are paramount. However present tuberculosis testing in rhinos relies on skin tests developed in the 1960s and designed for cattle bearing high risk of false diagnosis in rhinos. To improve diagnostic standards an international team of scientists lead by institutes in Berlin and Jena, Germany, performed repeated lung lavage as a new approach for tuberculosis diagnosis in rhinoceros. Subsequent genetic tests reliably identified mycobacteria in the animals' respiratory fluids with minimal stress and risk for the rhinos. The study has been published in the journal PLOS ONE. Conventional immunological tests for tuberculosis in rhinoceros are substantially insecure and bear high risk of false negative or false positive diagnosis with sometimes fatal consequences for the animal. At present only examinations carried out on deceased animals allow a reliable tuberculosis diagnosis. This situation has been the starting point for the team of scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Agency for Animal Health, FLI) to genetically analyse lung lavage fluids for mycobacteria as a new approach for tuberculosis diagnosis in these two-tonne animals. This required a short standing sedation, endoscopic exploration of the rhinoceros lung and collection of respiratory fluids. The collected fluids were tested for the presence of genetic material from mycobacteria in general and tuberculosis pathogens in particular. In parallel, the samples were cultured under special conditions to foster the growth of viable mycobacteria. "There are two groups of mycobacteria, differing in their hazardous nature", explains Robert Hermes from Leibniz-IZW. "On the one hand there are a few mycobacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex which can cause tuberculosis. On the other hand there are numerous mostly harmless mycobacteria not associated with any disease." The latter ones are very common in the environment and rhinoceroses as strict grazers are immensely exposed to them. For that reason tests for tuberculosis pathogens need to be very fail-safe in differentiating these two groups of mycobacteria. Conventional immunological skin and blood tests for rhinos often indicate immunological reactions which turn out to be reactions to harmless mycobacteria after euthanasia of 'tuberculosis-suspicious' animals. Here, repeated lung lavage was performed on 7 rhinos from European Zoos with a total of 21 fluid collections with subsequent laboratory analysis. The study proved the superiority of the new endoscopic approach. It was found that lung fluids of all animals revealed the presence of DNA from only harmless mycobacteria. The danger of false diagnosis of the tuberculosis (false positive result) could now be reduced in the future using lung lavage. "Precluding an infection with tuberculosis pathogens, however, cannot be achieved by a single examination", adds Stefanie Barth from the National Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis at the FLI. In order to rule out false negative results (where an animal is infected while the test does not indicate that) the scientists recommend repeated tests on tuberculosis-suspicious rhinoceros. A guarantee does not come with this, but the approach delivers results that are far closer to a reliable diagnosis than conventional tests, for example skin tests, on living rhinos. Infections with tuberculosis pose a threat to humans and livestock. In regions where wild and farmed animals get into contact the risk of bidirectional spill-over is a real and pressing problem. Scientists assume that the African buffalo population in South Africa became infected by bovine tuberculosis through its interaction with infected domestic cattle. The buffalos are now acting as maintenance hosts and spread the disease to carnivores feeding on them as well as to other species with which they come into contact. To date a large number of wildlife species among them critically endangers specieswere tested positive for bovine tuberculosis including lion, greater kudu, cheetah, spotted hyena, leopard, and rhinoceros. The disease is a zoonosis, which means it can be naturally transmitted between animals and humans. Therefore, in this case, research into wildlife diseases is also targeting the benefit of mankind. Explore further By analyzing the chemicals in the blood, scientists can find out who develops active tuberculosis More information: Robert Hermes et al. Differential detection of tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria by qPCR in lavage fluids of tuberculosis-suspicious white rhinoceros, PLOS ONE (2018). Journal information: PLoS ONE Robert Hermes et al. Differential detection of tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria by qPCR in lavage fluids of tuberculosis-suspicious white rhinoceros,(2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207365 Miami is now officially home to its first unicorn. On Monday, ParkJockey, founded in 2013 by entrepreneurs Ari Ojalvo and Umut Tekin and based on Brickell Key, announced an investment by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. The companies declined to state the exact figure, but according to sources familiar with the matter, the investment is in the hundreds of millions, making ParkJockey worth more than $1 billion. Simultaneously, ParkJockey announced that, along with Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Capital and debt financing from New York-based Owl Rock, it had acquired Vancouver-based Impark and New York-based Citizens Parking Inc., two of the largest parking operators in North America. In a stroke, the investment and acquisitions make ParkJockey one of the most valuable parking companies in the world. It is also an unusual example of two brick-and-mortar businesses getting bought out by the technology platform they will now be using. The news says "a lot about the ability to build a business in Miami and take it to significant size," Ojalvo told the Miami Herald. "It should be good news for entrepreneurs and the people in this ecosystem that (creating) something like ParkJockey is feasible here." Through ParkJockey's platform, parking managers have a channel through which they can coordinate with other large-scale enterprises to monetize parking spaces. For instance, ParkJockey allows a landlord to host or stage Lyft or Uber drivers at their garage or parking lots. ParkJockey already serves as a parking management platform for PortMiami, Port Everglades, and AmericanAirlines Arena. It also handles parking for special events, including the Miami International Boat Show. But ParkJockey says its biggest market is the real estate industry. Ojalvo said a platform like ParkJockey's will only grow in importance as demand for urban living grows, and as building residents increasingly call on vehicles to bring goods or services to them. To manage this growing congestion, he said, landlords will need to turn to a platform like ParkJockey's. Ojalvo is also positioning ParkJockey as the main platform through which parking for autonomous vehicles will be coordinated. "Real estate needs to be ready for this," Ojalvo said. "Our cars are smart, our phones are smart, but real estate is not connectedit's pretty dumb. A whole infrastructure is needed to bring real estate to the standard of smart cars so they can communicate with each other." Michael Ronen, managing partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, said ParkJockey "is ideally placed to capitalize on these themes and transform the parking industry." "The parking industry is a significant market but remains fragmented with many opportunities for technological innovation," he said in a statement. "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." Ojalvo, whose background is in management consulting, said ParkJockey has purposefully been operating "under the radar" so that it could prove out its technology and value proposition. Prior to Monday's news, the company counted more than 100 employees across offices in multiple cities. It plans to hire more, including in Miami, to fuel its growth. The next market it is hoping to grow in is Atlanta. Given its primary focus as a business-to-business company, Ojalvo said it is not clear whether ParkJockey will become a household name. He said it will be up to operators whether they want to make it clear whether they are using ParkJockey's platform. Either way, ParkJockey will continue to call Miami home for the foreseeable future. And Ojalvo said Miami residents will soon be experiencing the transition from traditional to "smart" parking. "Parking requires a city-wide solution; you can't go cut a deal with every garage," Ojalvo said. "That's where we come in." Explore further How self-driving cars will make our cities more charming 2018 Miami Herald Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Nearly half of firms run by ethnic minority entrepreneurs have experienced an "existential crisis" threatening their survival in the past five years, a major new survey of London firms has revealed. The startling figure 15 percentage points higher than firms not run by someone from a minority group is among survey data providing fresh insight on the challenges faced by firms led by ethnic minority entrepreneurs, who represent a growing but poorly-understood proportion of UK companies. The findings form part of a major five-country study of 3,000 European firms looking at how entrepreneurs can 'shock-proof' their businesses. The research project, titled 'Building Better Business Resilience', is led by the Enterprise Research Centre based jointly at Aston University and the University of Warwick and supported by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. The project will lead to the development of a practical toolkit that will enable SMEs to overcome major setbacks, based on the survival techniques of firms that have been able to rebound from adversity. Hang Ho, Head of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America said: "We've seen that many of London's entrepreneurs build viable businesses and aim to create employment in their communities. However, some entrepreneurs face much higher barriers to growing their business than othersand some of their challenges correlate significantly with ethnicity and gender. Through this study, we're looking forward to supporting the creation and sharing of tools that will enable these businesses to compete on a level playing field and thrive in London's vibrant business community." The researchers interviewed 600 business owners in six London boroughs three categorized as lower income (Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Hackney) and three middle income (Hammersmith and Fulham, Camden and Ealing) to understand their experiences. Half of the firms were led by women and around 30 percent by someone from an ethnic minority. The research found that around two-thirds of London businesses were taking formal steps to think about risk. The top three threats were perceived as loss of key staff, rising costs and cashflow problems. Firms with leaders from a minority background were significantly more likely to have experienced a crisis threatening their survival in the past five years 48 percent of this group of firms were faced with a major shock, compared to 33 percent of the non-ethnic minority-led firms. In lower income boroughs, this figure rose to more than half. Overall, across all firms, 37 percent of London businesses said they had experienced a survival-threatening crisis in the past five years. The researchers will explore the reasons for these differences further in the next phase of the research. However, they suggest that financial issues including under-capitalisation and the absence of available support networks could help to explain why ethnic minority-owned businesses may be more likely to experience shocks. The data also show major differences in the types of threats entrepreneurs are most concerned about. Female business leaders worry more than any other group about personal circumstances such as illness and staff issues, while minority leaders express more concern about cybercrime and data theft. And both groups judge several challenges to be more potent threats to their businesses than their male and non-ethnic minority counterparts, including competition from new and existing sources, cost rises, problems with premises and changes in regulation or legislation. There are also big differences in the motivations behind starting a business, with both women and ethnic minorities much more likely to cite contributing to their local community as a factor (63 percent and 65 percent respectively, versus 44 percent and 48 percent for male and non-minority respondents). And when it comes to getting external advice, women and ethnic minority entrepreneurs are more likely to consult friends and mentors and less likely to consult lawyers or accountants than non-ethnic men. UK data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), published earlier this year show that people from ethnic minority and immigrant backgrounds are twice as likely as their white British counterparts to be early-stage entrepreneurs. The study found that in 2017, the total entrepreneurial activity (TEA) rate among non-white Britons was 14.5 percent, compared to 7.9 percent for white Britons a gap which has widened substantially since the Great Recession of 2008-9. There are around 300,000 ethnic minority-led businesses in the UK, representing just over 5 percent of the 5.7m total, according to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). These firms are estimated to contribute about 20bn annually to the UK economy. Maria Wishart, Research Fellow in business resilience at the ERC, said: "The fact that minority-led firms are more likely to report experiencing a crisis could be down to a number of factors. We know that under-represented groups face greater hurdles when accessing business advice and finance and some of that could relate to discrimination or unconscious bias. "And while we found no significant difference in the resilience of different groups of entrepreneurs to setbacks, female and ethnic minority business leaders are more likely to perceive certain factors like staffing and fixed costs as major threats to their firms. We need to understand how well-founded these concerns are and whether policy interventions could alleviate some of them." Explore further Why do some firms survive a crisis and others don't? More information: Building Better Business Resilience: Building Better Business Resilience: www.enterpriseresearch.ac.uk/s ce-project-jpmorgan/ Credit: University of Kansas For decades, increasing numbers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have lived their adult lives under legal guardianships. A new book co-authored by University of Kansas and Syracuse University researchers is among the first to explore a fundamentally new way of empowering people with disabilities to retain legal agency while still receiving necessary assistance: supported decision-making. "Supported Decision-Making: Theory, Research, and Practice to Enhance Self-Determination and Quality of Life" comprehensively examines supported decision-making and how it can be applied in policy and practice for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Published by Cambridge University Press, the text was authored by Karrie Shogren, professor and senior scientist and director of the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities; Michael Wehmeyer, Ross and Mariana Beach Distinguished Professor in Special Education and director of the Beach Center on Disability; and Jonathan Martinis and Peter Blanck of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, New York. "Supported decision-making is receiving increased attention in the U.S. and internationally. Essentially, it's all about providing alternative models to plenary guardianship that can enhance self-determination and quality of life," Shogren said. "The wholesale removal of legal rights under traditional plenary guardianship modes can be problematic, and we need alternatives that fully engage people with disabilities in decisions about their lives." Research has shown that people with disabilities can be effectively supported to engage in decision-making about their education, employment, health care and legal matters. Further, this can lead to enhanced quality of life. The new book examines how individuals with disabilities and their families and support providers can use supported decision-making as a framework to enable people with disabilities to be fully engaged in the decision-making process and empower them to identify the people who will support them in that process. The text summarizes research in supported decision-making and practical applications both within the United States and from other countries. The book highlights ongoing research to develop intervention and assessment strategies to enable support decision-making in practice. The legal section gives an outline of the frameworks to establish supported decision-making as an alternative to legal guardianships. Examples of legislation in various jurisdictions, including Texas and Delaware, are highlighted. "It's exciting to see the concept of supported decision-making gain traction in the U.S.," Shogren said. "By focusing on legal, policy, research and practice implications, we can build the systemic supports to make supported decision-making a reality, and we attempt to target all of these areas in this text." The book's practical application section includes guidelines and suggestions for how supported decision-making can be implemented, in practice, by individuals, their families, support providers and communities, even in states or jurisdictions where there is not legal precedent. Specifically, the practical applications provide guidance and recommendations for how families, individuals, communities, schools and support providers can work together across the lifespan to plan for and implement supported decision-making models. Guidelines for establishing legal and financial tools as well as community supports are covered as well, with an emphasis on the importance of thinking about all aspects of life in which decisions are made. "I think this can help families who are wondering about what this kind of arrangement would look like in practice and enable the creation of more tools and resources that can be used to build systems of supports for people with disabilities across the life course," Shogren said. "Supported decision-making cuts across multiple areas and can help us think about how we work across sectors without limiting or artificially restricting an individual's potential." "Supported Decision Making" is part of a Cambridge University Press series on disability law and policy edited by Peter Blanck, who is also an author on this text. The book aims to provide a new way of looking at disability while also providing a roadmap for states, families, attorneys, policymakers, caregivers and others. "The predominant model of legal guardianship is rooted in an antiquated understanding of disability. Supported decision-making is rooted in new ways of understanding disability that recognize the interaction of the person and the environment and focus on identifying and building the right system of supports to enable a person to fully participate in their lives and communities without artificially restricting their rights," Shogren said. "We all need supports. People with disabilities may need more supports in some areas of life, but we just need to be creative in devising these supports while ensuring the person has agency over the decisions in their lives." Explore further Research finds people with intellectual disabilities not receiving support for big decisions More information: Karrie Shogren et al. "Supported Decision-Making: Theory, Research, and Practice to Enhance Self-Determination and Quality of Life." Karrie Shogren et al. "Supported Decision-Making: Theory, Research, and Practice to Enhance Self-Determination and Quality of Life." www.amazon.com/Supported-Decis bility/dp/1108475647 Credit: CC0 Public Domain The year is 2030, and artificial intelligence has changed practically everything. Is it a change for the better or has AI threatened what it means to be human, to be productive and to exercise free will? You've heard the dire predictions from some of the brightest minds about AI's impact. Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk worries that AI is far more dangerous than nuclear weapons. The late scientist Stephen Hawking warned AI could serve as the "worst event in the history of our civilization" unless humanity is prepared for its possible risks. But many experts, even those mindful of such risks, have a more positive outlook, especially in health-care and possibly in education. That's one of the takeaways from a new AI study released Monday by the Pew Research Center and Elon University's Imagining the Internet Center. Pew canvassed the opinions 979 experts over the summer, a group that included prominent technologists, developers, innovators and business and policy leaders. Respondents, some of whom chose to remain anonymous, were asked to weigh in on a weighty question: "By 2030, do you think it is most likely that advancing AI and related technology systems will enhance human capacities and empower them?" Nearly two-thirds predicted most of us will be mostly better off. But a third think otherwise, and a majority of the the experts expressed at least some concern over the long-term impact of AI on the "essential elements of being human." Among those concerns were data abuse, loss of jobs, loss of control as decision-making in digital systems is ceded to "black box" tools that take data in and spit answers out, an erosion in our ability to think for ourselves, and yes, the mayhem brought on by autonomous weapons, cybercrime, lies and propaganda. "There's a quite consistent message throughout answers...that some good things would emerge and there were some problems to worry about," says Lee Rainie, director of internet and technology research at Pew Research Center. Janna Anderson, director of Elon University's Imagining the Internet Center, added that some respondents thought we'd be OK through 2030, "but I'm not sure after that." A sampling of viewpoints Andre McLaughlin at Yale, who had been deputy chief technology officer in the Obama Administration and a global public policy lead at Google, said that "My sense is that innovations like the internet and networked AI have massive short-term benefits, along with long-term negatives that can take decades to be recognizable. AI will drive a vast range of efficiency optimizations but also enable hidden discrimination and arbitrary penalization of individuals in areas like insurance, job seeking, and performance assessment." Technology blogger Wendy M. Grossman writes: "I believe human-machine AI collaboration will be successful in many areas, but that we will be seeing, like we are now over Facebook and other social media, serious questions about ownership and who benefits. It seems likely that the limits of what machines can do will be somewhat clearer than they are now, when we're awash in hype. We will know by then, for example, how successful self-driving cars are going to be, and the problems inherent in handing off control from humans to machines in a variety of areas will also have become clearer." Leonard Kleinrock, Internet Hall of Fame member, replied, "As AI and machine learning improve, we will see highly customized interactions between humans and their health care needs. This mass customization will enable each human to have her medical history, DNA profile, drug allergies, genetic makeup, etc., always available to any caregiver/medical professional." Robert Epstein, senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology says that, "By 2030, it is likely that AIs will have achieved a type of sentience, even if it is not human-like. They will also be able to exercise varying degrees of control over most human communications, financial transactions, transportation systems, power grids, and weapons systems...and we will have no way of dislodging them. How they decide to deal with humanityto help us, ignore us or destroy uswill be entirely up to them, and there is no way currently to predict which avenue they will choose. Because a few paranoid humans will almost certainly try to destroy the new sentient AIs, there is at least a reasonable possibility that they will swat us like the flies we arethe possibility that Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk and others have warned about." A social scientist who remained anonymous said, "My chief fear is face-recognition used for social control. Even Microsoft has begged for government regulation! Surveillance of all kinds is the future for AI. It is not benign if not controlled." Yet another anonymous respondent offered a different concern: "Knowing humanity, I assume particularly wealthy white males will be better off, while the rest of humanity will suffer from it." Ben Shneiderman, founder of the Human Computer Interaction Center at the University of Maryland, offers a very bullish take: "Automation is largely a positive force, which increases productivity, lowers costs and raises living standards. Automation expands the demand for services, thereby raising employment, which is what has happened at Amazon and FedEx. My position is contrary to those who believe that robots and artificial intelligence will lead to widespread unemployment." And Wendy Hall, a professor of computer science at the University of Southampton and executive director of the Web Science Institute said, "It is a leap of faith to think that by 2030 we will have learnt to build AI in a responsible way and we will have learnt how to regulate the AI and robotics industries in a way that is good for humanity. We may not have all the answers by 2030, but we need to be on the right track by then." Explore further Intelligent robots threaten millions of jobs (c)2018 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Defiant. Credit: Shutterstock/Ryan Rodrick Beiler Climate change, deforestation, widespread pollution and the sixth mass extinction of biodiversity all define living in our world today an era that has come to be known as "the Anthropocene". These crises are underpinned by production and consumption which greatly exceeds global ecological limits, but blame is far from evenly shared. The world's 42 wealthiest people own as much as the poorest 3.7 billion, and they generate far greater environmental impacts. Some have therefore proposed using the term "Capitalocene" to describe this era of ecological devastation and growing inequality, reflecting capitalism's logic of endless growth and the accumulation of wealth in fewer pockets. As social inequality and ecological breakdown escalate, steady change may no longer be enough to avoid civilisational collapse. Environmentalists cannot rely on timid appeals to power any longer. Enter 'radical' greens I've had the pleasure of getting to know radical environmentalists from numerous groups throughout my doctoral research. I'm especially interested in uncovering their worldviews how they diagnose the root causes of ecological decline and what motivates them to engage in often high-risk interventions on behalf of the natural world and other species. They reject human superiority and separateness from other species. They blame such views, in addition to capitalism and endless economic growth, for the dire state of modern ecosystems. Many follow a burning desire for a more viable and inclusive future for all. Notable radical green groups include Earth First!, Extinction Rebellion, the Hambacher forest occupation, and Sea Shepherd. Early Earth First! activists in the US sat in trees and dismantled tractors to prevent old-growth forests from being felled. For years, Sea Shepherd vessels successfully intervened and protected countless whales from Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean. However, last year they ended their anti-whaling campaign due to, among other things, advancements in military grade technology by the Japanese whaling industry. Activists have occupied the ancient Hambach forest in Western Germany for a remarkable six years in an ongoing effort to keep coal giant RWE at bay. Many were violently evicted by police recently. Traditional environmental organisations like the WWF tend to focus on making industrial capitalism more sustainable rather than questioning capitalism itself. The radical green movement was born in response to the perceived inability of these mainstream environmental organisations to curb ecological decline. They advocate direct action in the form of civil disobedience, blockades, tree-sits, and even the dismantling of machinery for halting ecological destruction. The resurgence of the 'Green Scare' Criminalising and repressing non-violent activists could fatally delay an effective response to climate change. In the UK, anti-fracking activists were arrested recently after blocking a convoy delivering equipment to the Preston New Road fracking site in Lancashire. They were initially given excessive prison sentences but were eventually released. Political theorist Steve Vanderheiden referred to such incidents in his 2005 article on the "Green Scare". The "Green Scare" at its height in the mid-2000s saw the US government mount full-scale persecution of environmental activists. The FBI classed radical environmental groups such as the Earth Liberation Front as the nation's lead domestic terrorist threat, even though it never targeted living beings. Even the legal definition of "terrorism" was altered to include property destruction. This sought to target radical greens and their attacks against ecologically harmful infrastructure. Lengthy prison sentences and fines befell "eco-terrorists" caught engaging in direct action deemed threatening to economic interests. These are desperate times. We've lost a staggering 60% of monitored vertebrate life within just 40 years. Climate change will endanger millions through disease, extreme weather, starvation, and rising seas. Occupying trees or blockading a road to a fracking site is clearly justified resistance during times of widespread injustice. These are the ideas that environmental protectors are attempting to bring to the forefront. As George Monbiot noted, a "hopeless realism" in the form of piecemeal "tinkering around the edges" has led us to our present predicament. Similar approaches simply won't fix the mess. Radical responses direct action and mass political mobilising might be our only hope for building the better world that is still within our reach. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Quantum biology, a young and increasingly popular science genre, isn't as new as many believe, with a complicated and somewhat dark history, explain the founders of the world's first quantum biology doctoral training centre. In a paper published by the Royal Society journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society A, Professors Johnjoe McFadden and Jim Al-Khalili from the University of Surrey trace the origins of quantum biology as far back as the late 1920s when the Danish physicist, Niels Bohr, delivered an influential lecture on whether the then new 'atomic theory' could help solve the mystery of life. In their paper, The origins of quantum biology, McFadden and Al-Khalili examine nearly 100 years of pioneering and improbable questions about the relationship between the fuzzy and almost magical world of quantum physics and the rigid and organised field of biology. Quantum biology seeks to understand whether quantum mechanics plays a role in biological processes. Recent research has already shown phenomena such as photosynthesis, respiration, bird navigation and even the way we think are all influenced by quantum mechanics. Earlier this year, Professors McFadden and Al-Khalili opened the doors to their new Doctoral Training Centre for Quantum Biology. The centre, which is supported by the Leverhulme Trust, trains a new generation of scientists who can operate across the boundaries of biology, chemistry and quantum physics to pioneer research in quantum biology. Johnjoe McFadden, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Co-Director of the Centre for Quantum Biology at the University of Surrey, said: "Quantum biology is wrongly regarded as a very new scientific discipline, when it actually began before the Second World War. Back then, a few quantum physicists tried to understand what was special about life itself and whether quantum mechanics might shed any light on the matter. In this paper we tell the story of how it all began and why it is only now making a comeback." Jim Al-Khalili, Professor of Physics and Co-Director of the Centre for Quantum Biology at the University of Surrey, said: "With the University of Surrey now hosting the world's first doctoral training centre in quantum biology and training Ph.D. students in this interdisciplinary field, we felt it was a good time tell the world something about its origins. "We had wanted to lay out the history of quantum biology as far back as 2015, when Johnjoe and I wrote our popular science book,Life on the Edge, which has already been translated into 16 languages and was shortlisted for the Royal Society Winton Book Prize." Explore further How Einstein's equivalence principle extends to the quantum world Postdoc Imtiyaz Khanday and Professor Venkatesan Sundaresan with cloned rice plants in a UC Davis green house, December 2018. Khanday, Sundaresan and colleagues have solved the problem of propagating cloned, hybrid plants from seed -- a long-sought discovery with big implications for global agriculture. It could make it easier for the world's poorest farmers to grow high-yielding, disease-resistant or climate-tolerant crops and save their seeds for future use. Credit: UC Regents Plant biologists at the University of California, Davis have discovered a way to make crop plants replicate through seeds as clones. The discovery, long sought by plant breeders and geneticists, could make it easier to propagate high-yielding, disease-resistant or climate-tolerant crops and make them available to the world's farmers. The work is published Dec. 12 in the journal Nature. Since the 1920s, many crops have been grown from hybrid seeds created by crossing two varieties. These hybrids can have superior qualities in areas such as yield or pest resistance. But the seeds of hybrid crops do not produce plants with the same qualities. The ability to produce a clone, an exact replica, of a plant from its seeds would be a major breakthrough for world agriculture. Instead of purchasing expensive hybrid seeds each year, which is often beyond the means of farmers in developing countries, farmers could replant seeds from their own hybrid plants and derive the benefits of high yields year after year. About 400 species of wild plants can produce viable seeds without fertilization. Called apomixis, this process seems to have evolved many times in plantsbut not in commercial crop species. The discovery by postdoctoral researcher Imtiyaz Khanday and Venkatesan Sundaresan, professor of plant biology at UC Davis and colleagues at UC Davis, the Iowa State University and INRA, France is a major step forward. "It's a very desirable goal that could change agriculture," Sundaresan said. "Baby boom" gene is key Khanday and Sundaresan discovered that the rice gene BBM1, belonging to a family of plant genes called "Baby Boom" or BBM, is expressed in sperm cells but not in eggs. After fertilization, BBM1 is expressed in the fertilized cell butat least initiallythis expression comes from the male contribution to the genome. BBM1, they reasoned, switches on the ability of a fertilized egg to form an embryo. The researchers first used gene editing to remove the ability of the plants to go through meiosis, so that the egg cells formed instead by mitosis, inheriting a full set of chromosomes from the mother. Then they caused these egg cells to express BBM1, which they would not normally do without fertilization. "So we have a diploid egg cell with the ability to make an embryo, and that grows into a clonal seed," Sundaresan said. So far the process has an efficiency of about 30 percent, but the researchers hope that can be increased with more research. The approach should work in other cereal crops, which have equivalent BBM1 genes, and in other crop plants as well, Sundaresan said. Explore further Plants cloned as seeds More information: Imtiyaz Khanday et al, A male-expressed rice embryogenic trigger redirected for asexual propagation through seeds, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Imtiyaz Khanday et al, A male-expressed rice embryogenic trigger redirected for asexual propagation through seeds,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0785-8 Mauritanian capital Nouakchott is hosting this week a business forum aimed at boosting Mauritanian-Moroccan partnership in the energy field. The forum, held under the auspices of the Pan-African Confederation of Electricity (CAFELEC), is co-organized by the Moroccan Federation of Electricity, Electronics and Renewable Energies (FENELEC Morocco) and the Mauritanian Electricity Company (SOMELEC). The forum featured a seminar as well as B to B meetings between the 21 Moroccan companies present in Nouakchott and their Mauritanian peers. Chairman of the Mauritanian-Moroccan Business Council, Ahmed ould Hamza, an industrialist and former mayor of Nouakchott, hailed as very positive the momentum witnessed lately in bilateral economic relations. He said strengthening business relationships is likely to speed up political rapprochement. Moroccos ambassador to Mauritania, Hamid Chabar, welcomed, the intensification of relations between Mauritanian and Moroccan operators in the area of energy, which, he described, as a cross-cutting element in all economic performance. Morocco has been helping Mauritania, which is diversifying its resources by investing in renewable energy, to harness the full potential of its extensive renewable energy resources. Although there is a wide-range of renewable energy technologies that are currently being deployed in Mauritania, the country currently lacks the know-how and human capital needed to support the continued growth of this new economic sector. Credit: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) Flooding and water scarcity in Europe will increase in the coming decades, but to a much lesser extent if the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change are met. A new JRC study looks at the impact of the changing climate, land use and water usage on Europe's water resources. "We used a water resources model to estimate the impact of the changing climate under two 30-year scenarios. In one scenario, the targets of the Paris Agreement to keep global temperature rise below 2C are met. In the other, global temperatures increase by more than 2C. We modelled the consequences on Europe's water resources under these two scenarios", said JRC researcher Ad De Roo. Researchers concluded that while the impacts would be substantially less severe if the Paris Agreement targets were met, flooding and summer water scarcity are projected to increase under both scenarios. "To minimise future consequences, it is essential that the targets of the Paris Agreement are met sooner rather than later, and it is even better if we manage to stay well below those targets. We also believe that mitigation alone is not enough but that adaptation strategies such as water saving and efficiency measures will also be needed to cope with the future climate change impacts", Ad De Roo said. Pressure on water resources exacerbated in Southern Europe Southern European countries particularly Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Turkey are projected to face increased water shortages. Significant reductions in groundwater recharge are estimated for Spain, Portugal and Greece, with negative impacts on the environment and water availability for irrigation. Increasing droughts will lead to water scarcity and reduced hydropower resources in the Mediterranean region. This is likely to have knock-on effects on agriculture, energy, transport and food security. Central and northern Europe will have more water Central and northern European countries will see an increase in annual water availability, with France, Belgium and the UK projected to experience wetter winters and drier summers. Increased precipitation and water availability will lead to water excess problems, flooding and sewer overflows in cities and potential dam safety issues in northern Europe. Most (80-90%) of the projected changes are triggered by climate change, with land and water usage together contributing 10-20%. Meeting Paris Agreement targets essential The rising temperatures mean that even if the objectives of the Paris Agreement are met, the number of people affected by water scarcity in the EU-28 is projected to increase from 85 to 94 million. But under the extreme warming scenario which will lead to a decreasing water availability and an increased water demand -, the number of affected people could rise to 295 million. Some adaptation measures to these impacts are already being implemented by EU Member States within the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive. Adaptation measures to water scarcity may include irrigation practices that lower pressure on water resources, planting more drought-resistant crops, water pricing for irrigation and industrial water resources, developing more efficient cooling technologies in energy generation and shifting to renewable energy production. Several of these measures were suggested in the Commission's 2007 Communication on water scarcity and droughts (COM/2007/0414). However, while planned water efficiency measures would improve the state of water resources under current climate conditions, they may not be sufficient under a climate warming scenario. Substantial water efficiency changes are needed to cope with the reduced water availability, especially in the Mediterranean region. In Central and northern European countries, which will see an increase in annual water availability, flood protection, prevention and preparedness measures should be implemented. JRC modeling exercise The assessment was made using the JRC's LISFLOOD water resources model combining, for the first time, 11 state-of-the-art climate scenarios (EURO-CORDEX), the JRC's new LUISA (Land Use-based Integrated Sustainability Assessment) 2010-2050 reference land use projection, reference population and GDP projections, and new projections of water consumption. The European Commission adopted on 12 November 2018 a report on the implementation of the EU Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change, which includes evidence of worsening climate impacts and, in particular, water stress and other linked effects in Southern Europe. The Commission also adopted on 28 November a proposal for a strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy by 2050, kick-starting an EU-wide debate on how the EU can make a fair contribution to meeting the long-term temperature goals of the Paris Agreement and how this transformation can be achieved. Explore further Gauging the effects of water scarcity on an irrigated planet Satellite imagery of Africa. Credit: Public Domain Later and more intense rainy seasons across parts of Africa due to climate change could have damaging consequences, a new study has found. The fourth IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Assessment Report states that "Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change and climate variability." This is partly due to high dependency on climate, in particular the one or two wet seasons that occur each year. Scientists at the University of Reading have used a new method to investigate the impact of climate change on these wet seasons. Among other findings, this revealed wet seasons would start later in western and southern Africa in future decades, while rainfall would be more intense and damaging to crops with delicate flowers like cocoa and coffee plants. Caroline Dunning, lead author of the study at the University of Reading, said: "Shorter heavier rainy seasons will have a direct impact on lives of people living in Africa and the ability to adapt to these changing weather patterns will have a number of implications. "Suitable adaptation may be required, for example, using crop varieties that can cope with a shorter growing season, altering farming practices to minimise soil erosion and improved management of rainwater in urban areas to minimise flooding. Other adaptation may be required to protect crops from increasing intensity of rainfall." Rainfall is projected to alter as the planet warms in response to rising concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases. The new research, published in the Journal of Climate, indicates future changes in the timing and characteristics of the rainy seasons over Africa with important implications for impacts of climate change on vulnerable societies. The scientists applied a method they devised in 2016 to climate model simulations for Africa. This analysed seasonal progression of rainfall in Africa to predict the start, end, length and intensity of wet seasons under future climate change. They found the wet season would start later across much of western and southern Africa. In regions like west Africa, where there was little change in the end date, or southern Africa, where the wet season ended earlier, a later onset made the wet season shorter. This may be problematic for crops, as a shorter wet season can lead to a shorter growing season and result in crops not reaching full maturity. It could also impact the recharge of reservoirs, the supply of electricity from hydro-power and the lifecycle of mosquitoes, which transmit diseases like malaria. Across much of central Africa, projections suggest that the amount of rainfall occurring during the wet season will increase. However, over Southern Africa projections show lower rainfall totals, with possible impacts on farming. The Horn of Africa (Somalia, southern Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda) and equatorial regions experience two wet seasons per year; one in the northern hemisphere spring (known as the long rains) and one in the autumn (known as the short rains). The results show the long rains ending earlier, and the short rains ending later. The most notable result, however, is the large increase in the amount of rainfall occurring during the short rains. These changes in seasonal rainfall timing were linked with the summer heat low over the Saharan Desert. Another important finding was that, within the wet season, rainfall will be more intense but less frequent. As well as damage caused to crops by heavy rainfall, long dry periods can reduce soil moisture and harden the surface layer, meaning when heavy rainfall events do occur flash flooding and soil erosion is more likely. Dunning said: "Overall, we found that climate change will alter the timing of wet seasons over Africa, with shorter wet seasons over southern Africa. Seasonal rainfall totals are projected to increase over central regions, but decrease over southern Africa. "For the large proportion of the population dependent upon rain-fed agriculture for their income and subsistence, the timing of this wet season and amount of rainfall is of high importance." More information: Caroline M. Dunning et al. Later Wet Seasons with More Intense Rainfall over Africa under Future Climate Change, Journal of Climate (2018). Journal information: Journal of Climate Caroline M. Dunning et al. Later Wet Seasons with More Intense Rainfall over Africa under Future Climate Change,(2018). DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0102.1 Students at a school in India caught more tigers on their camera traps (16) than researchers did in nearby Bor Tiger Reserve and Pench National Park. India has the largest populations of these endangered species. Credit: eMammal Children all over the world are learning science by collecting data and running experiments in their classroom. But what if the data they collected during their school day could be used to help scientists? Turns out, it can. Researchers at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and NC State University, running a large-scale camera-trap study called eMammal, recently enlisted the help of K-12 students from 28 schools and four countriesthe United States, India, Mexico and Kenya. What the researchers, and the kids, discovered was surprising. "At first, we were worried the cameras would mostly photograph dogs, cats and rodents," says Stephanie Schuttler, Museum Research Associate and lead author of a new paper highlighting the results of the study. "We were surprised by the results. The camera traps set by these kids yielded thousands of images with a total 83 native mammal species, including 12 that were threatened or endangered. For example, students photographed the endangered black rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, Grevy's zebra and Asiatic wild dog. And in one instance, students at a school in India caught more tigers on their camera traps than researchers did in nearby Bor Tiger Reserve and Pench National Park." Schuttler and her colleagues initially worked with participating teachers to match eMammal's scientific protocols to the education standards that the teachers needed to cover. Then over the past four years, the teachers would help their students (as young as nine years old) set up motion-activated cameras on or near their school grounds, upload resulting photos into the eMammal software, and identify the species that were photographed. Scientists later verified each photo to make sure the identifications were correct. In Mexico students photographed jaguarundis multiple times including images of hunting and mothers with kittens. Jaguarundis are a listed species in Mexico and overall very little is known about this elusive cat. Credit: eMammal What's so important about discovering school-ground species? Due to the large-scale decline of biodiversity across the globe, scientists need to monitor trends for conservation purposesparticularly in the spaces near where people live, work and go to schoolto understand how people and wildlife can coexist. To determine how school habitat measured up to natural areas, researchers compared species diversity from this study to previous studies involving adult citizen scientists and professional researchers in nearby protected areas. They found that in most countries, species diversity at schools was comparable to those of parks. They also found that children performed as well as adult citizen scientists in setting and monitoring camera traps. "Citizen science is hardly ever implemented in classrooms and when it is, it is very labor-intensive on the scientists' behalf," Schuttler notes. "With eMammal, we have kids collecting camera trap images on a variety of mammal species from four countries, making it an effective and non-labor intensive way to gather data that helps us understand the distribution, abundance and behavior of mammals across the world, all while providing students with a hands-on lesson in real science." Additionally, teachers reported that eMammal engaged their students and provoked their curiosity, and that the students were more willing to participate in eMammal than in other classroom activities. When the students became aware that the photos they collected would be stored in a Smithsonian repository acting as digital museum specimens, it gave their classroom activities meaning and purpose, resulting in the students' setting cameras more carefully and caring more about the data. The students also learned real-world lessons about communication and conservation. Schools organized events in which their photographs were displayed, leading to community discussions about the management and conservation of local mammals. Students in Mexico even engaged directly with government officials, presenting their results to the mayor of Guadalajara. Overall, the researchers found that children can collect valuable mammal monitoring data using camera traps while connecting with nature and learning through their own scientific discoveries. Detection rates of endangered Grevy's zebras were higher on school property than in nearby conservancies in Kenya. Credit: eMammal Explore further Wild suburbiamore mammals than expected live near people Pair of reef manta (manta alfredi) in a lagoon in the Chagos Archipelago, viewed using an aerial drone during a survey to identify their habitat use throughout the region. Credit: Alex Nimmo-Smith 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 seasand the species living within themso 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." Provided by University of Plymouth Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Months before Vine died, 50 of the platforms top creators met with executives with a proposition. Pay each creator just over $1 million and change some features on the app in exchange for guaranteed, regular content. Vine declined and was dead a year later. The creators moved on to greener pastures, continuing to grow their careers on other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Snapchat, though, has recently had trouble keeping its own creators happy. In February, Snap announced it would be rolling out viewer analytics the numbers content creators use to demonstrate their reach for business deals to a select group of influencers and creators. It seems like that hasnt been enough. They [Snapchat] suck, Shaun McBride, a.k.a. Shonduras, one of the very first Snap stars, told Ad Age this month. They always sucked. Theyve never been nice to us [creators]. They literally sucked from day one. He says hes all-but abandoned Snap for other platforms and outlets. They should know that if they dont help creators, they will fail. This is the fate Instagram is trying to avoid. Its currently testing new, creator-only features that are expected to be released next year. Per The Hollywood Reporter: Creator-specific tools that will be part of the new accounts include growth insights such as data around follows and unfollows; direct messaging tools that allow users to filter notes from, for example, brand partners and friends; and flexible labels that allow users to designate how they want to be contacted. The new features are being tested with a small beta group before they roll out to the wider community next year. Back when Vine was gasping its last, dying breaths in 2016, a number of teens told New York that their favorite creators from the platform were migrating to Facebook instead. So they migrated there to watch. Facebook offered a wider audience and better opportunities for making money. In the years since, Facebooks push on video or bust went, well, bust. But Instagram, Facebooks beloved and much less embattled social-media platform, has more than filled that space. And it has clearly learned what not to do, likely by watching the very company it aped. (August 2018 marked two years since Instagram stole the Stories functionality from Snapchat and then effectively beat them at their own game.) If you want to keep your general user population engaged and happy, youre going to need to coddle your influencer and creator population. With IGTV, an in-app hub for long-form video and original content launched this summer, Instagram tried to fashion itself a YouTube killer. It hasnt worked. Most of the creators Instagram partnered with for IGTVs launch never followed through with actually creating content. (Likely because there was no incentive to do so.) Which meant the average user has nothing to watch. Which in turn meant other creators havent seen the point in expending time and energy to create videos for a platform where relatively nobody will watch them. (Compared to YouTube, where creators see greater returns.) These new creator feature tests indicate Instagram is still trying to find ways to keep talent happy. Ashley Yuki, an Instagram product manager, told The Hollywood Reporter its part of an internal effort to create this space where we can now start to specialize the experience for the needs of creators, calling creators an important part of our community. Shes absolutely right about that. Anybody who thinks otherwise should just open up Vine and see whats being posted. Oh, thats right. You cant. Because Vine is dead. Mayor Bill de Blasio address a 12th grade English class at Boys and Girls High School in the Brooklyn. Photo: Bebeto Matthews/AP/REX/Shutterstock In the weeks before her election on November 27, Cindy Hyde-Smith looked vulnerable. Not enough, perhaps, to scuttle her chances at winning: She was a white Republican, after all, running for U.S. Senate against a black Democrat in Mississippi, with the countrys least-elastic electorate all but guaranteeing a 60-40 split in her favor. But the knocks against her were damning, and there seemed to be new ones every week. She joked about public hangings and suppressing unfavorable votes in a state where white supremacists once made a pastime of lynching black people to deter them from voting. She wore a Confederate soldiers hat and described it on Facebook as Mississippi history at its best! And in arguably the most flagrant example of her ties to the states racist history, local reporters found she had attended an all-white segregation academy as a teenager and sent her daughter to one years later. The last two were framed as especially scandalous. They seemed deeper-rooted, more fundamental to Hyde-Smiths character than the racist tongue-slips that had preceded them. The Jackson Free Press story about her schooling was circulated breathlessly on social media, sparking a national discussion about racism and so-called seg academies private schools that cropped up across the South during the 1960s and 1970s to accommodate white children whose parents wanted to avoid integration. But it also generated talk cautioning outsiders against casting segregation as uniquely southern. Some observers pointed to purportedly liberal New York City as having some of the most segregated schools in the country. As if on cue, a group of Manhattan parents gathered on Monday to oppose integration. Facing a proposal from New York mayor Bill de Blasio that would expand the admissions process for the citys coveted specialized public high schools thereby securing more spots for black and Hispanic students at institutions that are currently dominated by Asian and white children they made impassioned arguments for why it was a bad idea. One white parent disparaged it as a dangerous social experiment. Another claimed it would be unfair to the new black and Hispanic students, who would find themselves floundering and underprepared. Asian parents and their advocates saw the schools current admissions policy which relies on a single, high-stakes standardized-test score as a rare color-blind means of upward mobility in a city where Asians face high poverty rates but thrive academically. But the single-mindedness of these warring interests belies a larger, more fundamental point. Every American wants their child to have a quality education, but few seem invested in a quality education for all children. In a country where the school districts with the most students of color receive 15 percent less money per child in state and local funding than the whitest, it is an unavoidable conclusion that advantage is distributed, and hoarded, according to race. During the civil-rights movement, integration was framed as the remedy to such inequality. More than half a century later, its promise remains unrealized. Americans from New York to Mississippi internalized the idea that some kids deserve good schools and some do not. Even those who admit that segregation undercuts American platitudes about liberty and justice balk at solutions that require them to sacrifice their own childrens advantages. We are left with a system that looks strikingly like it did in the 1960s. In some parts of the country, school segregation today is as stark as it was after Jim Crow, only now it is maintained under the auspices of a false meritocracy rather than the Black Codes. As then, black children find themselves at or near the bottom of most educational indicators. And as demographics change and the country grows more Latino and Asian and less white, it is becoming equally clear that Americas decades-old promises to deliver justice to black students will almost certainly go unfulfilled. New York City is an edifying case study. It did not require Jim Crow laws to achieve separate schools for black and white children, but did so through strategic city planning and housing segregation. As a result, the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which found segregated schools to be inherently unequal, did not upend New Yorks racial caste system as it did Mississippis. But even though segregation was not enshrined in their laws, local officials still recognized they had a problem. The citys Board of Education released a statement committing itself to [preventing] the further development of such schools and [integrating] the existing ones as quickly as practicable. [Public] education in a racially homogenous setting is socially unrealistic and blocks the attainment of goals of democratic education, it said, adding that this was true whether segregation occurred by law or by fact. But white opposition guaranteed that fact went unaltered. White flight over the following decades and open resistance to solutions like busing made integration politically untenable, as Nikole Hannah-Jones has reported. Meanwhile, federal judges sided frequently with anti-integration efforts across the country, including recently, as in Supreme Court cases like 2007s Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1. The case ended in a split decision, with five justices finding a Seattle school districts use of race when assigning students to certain public schools unconstitutional. The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote famously in the courts opinion. But swing vote Anthony Kennedy also maintained, along with the four dissenting justices, that promoting diversity and avoiding racial isolation was in a school systems compelling interest. This dubious approach touting the benefits of diversity while neutering the means required to achieve integration has done little to solve the actual problem. According to a 2014 study from UCLAs Civil Rights Project, schools in the American Northeast grew more segregated after federal desegregation orders took hold in the late 1960s, with 51.4 percent of black students attending schools that were less than 10 percent white in 2011 compared to 42.7 percent in 1968. Other regions like the West and the South have resegregated more recently, after sporadically successful integration efforts were abandoned wholesale in the 1980s and early 1990s. The South has still managed to become the least-segregated region for black students, but midwestern and northern states like Illinois and New York more than make up for it. New York state schools are the most segregated overall, with 64 percent of black students attending facilities that are less than 10 percent white. In New York City, black and Latino children constitute nearly 70 percent of the student population. Half of the citys schools are more than 90 percent black and Latino, with students often isolated in facilities marked by low test scores, inexperienced teachers, and disproportionately poor student bodies. This concentration of disadvantage is exacerbated by the veritable refugee crisis of fleeing families it has sparked. A recent study found that black parents in New York City were the group most likely to send their children to kindergartens outside their neighborhoods, at a rate of 59 percent. Citywide, those who stuck with their local schools were usually the wealthiest often white and Asian parents satisfied with their circumstances or the poorest, who had little choice and were mostly black or Latino. The flight of white families was most dramatic in gentrifying neighborhoods in Brooklyn with still-significant black or Latino populations. But the impetus was the same. Parents with the means to find better options than their local schools took advantage and ran, often further concentrating poverty in those they left behind. A handful of crown jewels have emerged as the prize for those striving to secure the best education for their own kids. New York Citys specialized public high schools, which include high-performing institutions like Stuyvesant, Bronx High School of Science, and Brooklyn Technical High School, reside on the opposite end of the desirability spectrum from the schools being abandoned. The benefits for black students attending these specialized schools have been demonstrated. They include an on-time graduation rate of 96.1 percent, compared to 68.1 percent for black students citywide. Yet just 10 percent of offers to attend these schools go to black or Hispanic students each year. Fifty-two percent, conversely, went to Asian students in 2018, who make up just 16 percent of the citys students but 62 percent of those at its specialized high schools. This asymmetry is driven almost entirely by Asian admits performance on the Specialized High School Admissions Test, or SHSAT. It is the only metric used to determine admission to these schools, and as a result, is a point of singular focus for those who can spend an outsize share of their time studying for it. Asians have done that, and reaped the benefits. [Asians in New York] believe and have proved that the constant practice of test-taking will improve the scores of whoever commits to it, writes Wesley Yang in New York. All throughout Flushing, as well as in Bayside, one can find cram schools, or storefront academies, that drill students in test preparation after school, on weekends, and during summer break. The success of the children who pass through these cram schools is not entirely the result of economic privilege though test prep does cost money. Asians have the highest poverty rate of any racial group in New York City, at 24.1 percent in 2016. As a corollary, Yang casts the SHSAT as something like pure meritocracy no formula to encourage diversity or any nebulous concept of well-roundedness or character is taken into account. But the devil is in the details. Asian poverty, though more widespread, is shallower than black or Latino poverty marked by higher rates of employment, lower rates of arrest and incarceration, and more two-parent households, suggesting day-to-day concerns around financial, food, and housing security are less likely to be foisted upon children. A 2016 survey of incoming freshmen at Stuyvesant High School found that Asian admits were the most likely to start studying for the SHSAT more than one year before taking it, as well as to take test-preparation classes and have parents pressure them to attend Stuyvesant. Black and Latino students, on the other hand, were the least likely to face parent pressure, and the most likely to pursue Stuyvesant of their own volition. I was never encouraged by an adult to go somewhere such as Stuyvesant or Brooklyn Tech, said Brianna Marquez, a high-school junior in Manhattan, at a forum on Monday discussing the barriers black and Hispanic students face to improved educational opportunities. Instead, we were told to just transfer to a regular public high school. I didnt know what were the good schools. Mayor de Blasios proposed solution to this gap is multipronged. He has already made public test-prep programs more widely available, which has not made a meaningful difference for integration so far. He is also in the process of expanding the number of spots reserved for low-income students which has had the converse effect racially, increasing the share of low-income white and Asian students while black and Latino numbers stagnate. But the third proposal is the most controversial, and will require a change in state law. De Blasio is seeking to scrap the SHSAT altogether and instead offer admission to the highest-performing 7 percent of students at every middle school in the city. In a system with an overwhelming black and Latino majority, this would likely increase their representation significantly. And this is not sitting well with some white and Asian parents. At least 30 cheered each other on and booed New York City Department of Education deputy chancellor Josh Wallack on December 3, when the proposal was discussed before a crowd of 300. You people are proposing a grand experiment on our children, NYU professor Alan Siegel told Wallack, according to Chalkbeat while deigning to consider whether segregating them in the first place was equally so. According to Politico, in 1971, when the Hecht-Calandra Act passed through the New York legislature and enshrined into law the use of the SHSAT as the sole admissions criteria for New York Citys specialized public high schools, a New York Times reporter remarked on how white New Yorkers felt about the system. Some parents particularly, but not exclusively, white parents view [the specialized schools] as a last resort (some say refuge), the alternative to sending their children to private schools, if they could afford them. Today, white families enjoy an equally broad range of educational opportunities. Their children are vastly overrepresented in the citys nonpublic schools, including Jewish, Catholic, and secular private schools. By virtue of their relative wealth and residential segregation, they have access to many of the citys better neighborhood schools at all levels. And, despite being outnumbered by Asians at New York Citys specialized high schools, they enjoy respectable representation therein. But resistance from Asian parents and advocacy groups stems more from their exclusion from the decision-making process on an issue that has been the subject of acute focus and academic preparation in their communities for so long, according to reports. As much as we understand and applaud the mayors efforts to diversify the specialized high schools, there is tremendous anger among parents around the lack of engagement prior to the announcement, Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American Federation, told the New York Times. Neither cohort with few exceptions challenged the fundamental wisdom of how the current system works. By no coincidence, it has served both of their communities well, allowing their children soaring success even as others languished in subpar conditions. They have justified this system by saying it is based on merit giving the highest-quality education only to those who have earned the right to it. As is likely the case with many American parents, racial equity is secondary to their own childrens access to opportunity. This is an old story that has always favored those with capital. White Americans, in particular, have rarely been interested in meritocracy beyond its rhetorical usefulness. They have maintained competitive advantages in education across history by excluding, denying, and degrading black people under Jim Crow and its northern equivalents. They have used their social and political dominance to concentrate resources in their own neighborhood, specialized, or private schools, then worked to maintain perpetual majorities therein by restricting admission to those who meet a combination of criteria that they choose including skin color, grades, connections, and ephemeral culture fit criteria. When these advantages seemed on the verge of crumbling, they have moved the goalposts, or jumped ship. They have violently opposed integration in southern cities like Little Rock and busing in northern ones like Boston. They fled Cupertino, California, earlier this century when an influx of Asian residents made its schools too brutally competitive for their children to cope. They eased requirements in their schools including [adding] no-homework nights, an end to high school midterms and finals, and a right to squeak initiative that made it easier to participate in [a highly-competitive] music program, according to the New York Times when the same happened in Windsor, New Jersey, a few years ago. New York City provides more school options for white children than either of these places. But resistance to Mayor de Blasios current integration proposals seems more preoccupied with maintaining this kind of access and, for white parents, hoarding whats left of its spoils amid intractable Asian dominance than determining if the metrics used to decide who gets a good education are actually just. Such a system, rooted so firmly in racial inequality, only stands to grow more contentious with time, as demographics change. The largely biracial America that birthed Cindy Hyde-Smiths segregation academy is no more. In 1960, there were fewer than 1.7 million Asians living in the United States less than 0.9 percent of the population. Today, there are more than 20 million, constituting roughly six times their 1960 population share. The same education system that has beaten black children into the ground for decades has, by and large, served as a vital means of upward mobility for Asian children. But it remains that this system is incompatible with justice. Integrating schools is not something Americans can achieve in a pretend meritocracy. Segregation ensures that white advantage and black disadvantage concentrate and perpetuate themselves. Key questions must be answered to gauge the feasibility of changing this decades-old reality, many of them more straightforward than so many moving parts might suggest. First, was not a massive, unique, and self-replicating series of atrocities committed against black Americans, for which this nation owes significant restitution beyond merely reducing barriers to access to some of its institutions? Second, has the resulting disadvantage not been perpetuated, mostly uninterrupted, by an education system that, in many places, remains as segregated now as it was in the immediate aftermath of Jim Crow? Third, did the U.S. Supreme Court not determine that school segregation must end so that racial inequality could as well? Are Americans committed to taking drastic measures so this can come to fruition for black people, regardless of how demographic change reshapes the citizenry? And lastly, is the country willing to sacrifice entrenched white advantage, and discard the idea that the only children who deserve a high-quality education are those who live in the right place, get good grades, and perform well on standardized tests? The answer to the latter two questions seems to be a resounding no. But that Americans have treated so few of these questions with the seriousness they warrant mocks any national pretenses toward justice and equality. The very fact that this country has schools so bad that, in New York City, a sterling public education is concentrated in a handful of highly selective institutions to which precious few are granted entry, is a farce, and should haunt every corner of this country. That the children worst positioned to reap their benefits are the descendants of the same black families to whom the city vowed justice after Brown v. Board of Education only compounds the tragedy surrounding them. That vow and the concept on which it was based that education in a racially homogenous setting is socially unrealistic and blocks the attainment of goals of democratic education have been stubbornly ignored. New Yorks segregated schools have become as much a national stain as the Mississippi segregation academies for which Hyde-Smith was shamed in November. Yet because they remain so desirable, and rich with opportunity for those who attend them, their basic premise goes largely unquestioned. As is the guiding principle that sustains them that in America, a good education is something to be hoarded rather than guaranteed to all children. Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Getty Images After ducking behind Facebook and using that company as a not-quite-human shield for most of the year, Google finally had its turn in the hot seat. Yesterday, CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before Congress to answer questions about everything? Pichai was grilled on potential bias in Googles search rankings, employee politics, location tracking, YouTube, its possible entry into China, and many other murky topics. As was the case with most of the marquee congressional tech hearings this year, it was meandering and unfocused and didnt accomplish much. Both sides are to blame: Congressmen and women, inexact and inarticulate in in their questioning, indicated that they did not entirely comprehend the issues at hand, and Pichai took advantage of this by being vague or elusive. It was similar to the Zuckerberg hearings, in which, given any opportunity to evade a question by citing a technicality, he took it. We dont sell user data is technically true, even though Facebook obviously heavily monetizes user data. One thing that the hearings have demonstrated over the course of this past year is how closely guarded the oft-cited algorithms are. An algorithm, in this tech context, refers to a complex bundle of software powering a service. Googles search-ranking algorithm, Facebooks News Feed algorithm, and the like, are not simple formulas. They crunch the numbers on dozens, if not hundreds of signals things like what you click on, or type, or hover your mouse over, or how long you spend staring at a photo, and who your friends are, and your physical location, and sites youve visited, and so on and make a determination. Heres how Pichai put it, explaining why Donald Trumps picture appears when a user searches idiot: Any time you type in a keyword, as Google we have gone out and crawled and stored copies of billions of pages in our index. And we take the keyword and match it against their pages and rank them based on over 200 signals things like relevance, freshness, popularity, how other people are using it. And based on that, at any given time, we try to rank and find the best search results for that query. And then we evaluate them with external raters, and they evaluate it to objective guidelines. And thats how we make sure the process is working. Thats about as much as we know, because algorithms are black boxes. Its unclear how, precisely, an algorithm analyzes the data that users feed it. Queries go in and results come out. And the results are good enough that nobody feels compelled to ask how they were produced. Data-powered companies like Google and Facebook are reluctant, to put it lightly, to explain how these black boxes work, for a number of reasons. One, they view them as trade secrets, like the KFC herbs and spices or the formula for Coke. If Pichai explains the intricacies of Googles program, then someone can copy it. Secondly, if the intricacies are laid bare, it becomes easier to game the algorithm. But heres another reason why Pichai didnt explain how Googles search algorithm works in detail: he cant. Im not saying Pichai is stupid, Im saying that nobody can fully explain how Google gets from Query A to Result B. Consider this excerpt from Eli Parisiers The Filter Bubble, which was published all the way back in 2011 and has been embedded in my brain ever since: Even to its engineers, the workings of the algorithm are somewhat mysterious. If they opened up the mechanics, says search expert Danny Sullivan, you still wouldnt know what to do with them. The core software engine of Google search is hundreds of thousands of line of code. According to one Google employee I talked to who had spoken to the search team, The team tweaks and tunes, they dont really know what works or why it works, they just know the result. Right out of the bag, lets acknowledge that this is second-hand info from almost eight years ago that should be taken with a grain of salt (also, fun fact: Sullivan now works for Google). Okay. But in the intervening years, has Google gotten any better at explaining why its search results are the way they are? Not really. If anything, the problem has grown even larger. A recent study (conducted by privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo) found that even users who were logged out and using a private browsing mode received dozens of variations for identical queries. The Google search algorithm is very complex, and even the act of logging every step taken by the program for every one of the millions of queries Google sees every day is a huge undertaking. But those same logs would go towards illuminating how automated software goes through its processes. Lets bring back the fast food analogy: Imagine McDonalds made a machine that took a bunch of random ingredients and turned those ingredients into a burger. Maybe it doesnt even use all of the ingredients, only the relevant burger ones. After years of tinkering with the machine, McDonalds figured out how to get the machine to produce a burger customers love. Then, what if people started getting sick from those burgers? Youd probably want to know how the mysterious burger machine worked. Can you imagine if McDonalds answered that with, Well, the burger machine takes a bunch of ingredients and processes them and does it differently every time and we dunno precisely how it gets to the end-result burger? That would be infuriating, and it is currently how algorithm-powered companies are responding to Congress. The point is: Google is the burger machine. A decent starting point for Congress moving forward might be to ask not why the search engine behaves a certain way but whether Google can even explain why it does so. Thats a pretty simple yes-or-no question, that a CEO should be able to answer, and the answer to which would be very illuminating. If Google and similar companies like Facebook (or self-driving car companies like Uber) are deploying automation they cannot fully explain, then they are not acting responsibly in the public interest. In the midterms African-American voters gave another decided thumbs-down to the president and his party. Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Getty Images Donald Trump said a lot of preposterous things while running for president in 2016. But for my money, this was the most preposterous thing of all: Speaking before another largely-white audience in a town whose population is 93 percent white, Trump said, And at the end of four years, I guarantee you that I will get over 95 percent of the African-American vote. I promise you. Because I will produce. Hes going to have to kick it in gear if hes to fulfill that promise. Because as of 2018, he and his party are as unpopular as they were in 2016, when he lost the African-American vote to Hillary Clinton by a 8- to 89-percent margin. According to midterm exit polls, the GOP lost the black vote this year by a 9-to-90 margin. An election eve poll of African-American voters, moreover, showed that 83 percent said Trump made them feel disrespected, and 79 percent angry. In the same poll 48 percent of African-Americans labeled Trump a racist who is deliberately trying to hurt minorities. These are the sort of benchmarks that represent quite the challenge to the many conservatives who have claimed that Trump is slowly winning over this community (though no one has been foolish enough to embrace his 95 percent prophecy). At FiveThirtyEight Perry Bacon Jr. suggests that Trump-era Republicans have really stopped trying to appeal to African-Americans: The Republican Party has struggled to get significant support from black voters for decades. Whats different now is that many GOP officials seem to have stopped trying to speak to them, no longer paying even minimal lip service to their concerns. Changes in both parties bases of support have shifted the incentives for elected Republicans, and you can see that in their rhetoric. Trump himself is a font of insensitive rhetoric. And he has gone out of his way to embrace even more insensitive Republican pols such as Georgias vote-suppressing Brian Kemp and Mississippis Confederate-loving Cindy Hyde-Smith. It was telling also that African-American Republican senator Tim Scott had to put a stop to the effort by Trump and Senate Republicans to place an old vote-suppressing compadre of Jesse Helmss, Thomas Farr, in a lifetime federal judgeship. While Trump has a lot to do with African-American hostility to the GOP, it must be recognized that the support of that party for basic civil rights has devolved a long way very quickly. As recently as 2006, President George W. Bush signed a reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. By 2013, five Republican-appointed Supreme Court Justices moved to gut enforcement of the VRA in the Shelby County v. Holder decision, holding that the formula for jurisdictions under the regular supervision of the Justice Department for voting rights irregularities needed to be updated. Interest among congressional Republicans in enacting a modified VRA faded quickly. And now Republicans have stopped even talking about it, and instead are full of the dog-whistle rhetoric of phantom voter fraud. So how do you expect black voters to react? If by 2020 the economy goes south as a majority of economists now project then African-American antipathy for Trump and the GOP will only grow. And if a black Democrat (two, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, are widely expected to run for president) is on the national ticket opposing Trump, then Barack Obamas 95 percent of the African-American vote in 2008 is a pretty good expectation. Maybe Trump just had it all backwards. Reproductive rights advocates protest on the steps of New York City Hall on June 8, 2018. Photo: Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images With a new Democratic trifecta set to take power in the state of New York, reproductive rights activists are preparing to demand passage of a new abortion rights law. The New York Daily News reported on Wednesday that the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund is launching a $500,000 media campaign to promote the Reproductive Health Act, which would expand access to late-term abortions and regulate abortion as a health-care procedure. NIRH also intends to target some newly elected state legislators to bolster their commitment to the bill and demonstrate widespread public support, NIRH president Andrea Miller told the Daily News. Governor Andrew Cuomo told the paper he supports both the campaign and the RHA. The RHA has repeatedly passed the House only to die in the Senate, where Republicans held a majority for many years, thanks to a group of rogue Democrats. New York might be blue, but NIRHs campaign is only necessary because the states abortion laws are surprisingly archaic. The state of New York has regulated abortion access in the criminal code since 1970. At the time of its passage, New Yorks abortion law was notably forward-thinking, and thousands of women traveled to the state from 1970 to 1973 to undergo abortions they couldnt access elsewhere. But postRoe v. Wade, the law has aged badly. The state restricts, significantly, the pool of medical professionals who are authorized to perform the procedure, and abortion is illegal in most cases after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Nationwide, over 90 percent of women who choose abortion undergo the procedure before 13 weeks of pregnancy; New Yorks law mostly penalizes women who need late-term procedures as a result of fetal non-viability or some other health crisis. Erika Christensen, a New York City resident who originally shared her story of needing a late-term abortion anonymously to Jezebel, outlined her struggles in a follow-up story for Rewire.news. After Christensen and her husband learned that their unborn baby suffered from severe health conditions incompatible with life, state law forced them to travel back and forth from Colorado to New York. Its an expensive trip, financially and psychologically, stacking burdens on top of burdens. My internal questions played like a tape over and over in my mind: Why am I here? Did New York expect me to carry this baby to term, only to watch him suffer and die? Christensen wrote, urging passage of the RHA. If the state legislature passes the RHA and Cuomo signs it into law as hes promised to do, abortion will move from the criminal code to the health code, and it will be easier for physicians assistants and nurse practitioners to perform abortions. By expanding the pool of medical professionals authorized to perform abortions, RHA advocates like NIRH believe the procedure will become easier for women to access. With the RHA, New York legislators also have an opportunity to establish the states progressive bona fides in distinct opposition to the administration of Donald Trump. One of the clearest through lines of Trumps presidency has been his willingness to appoint far-right Christians to influential positions. From allowing Scott Lloyd, the head of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement, to block teenage refugees from accessing abortion to putting Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court, the Trump administration actively facilitates the erosion of abortion access in the U.S. But now that New York is fully controlled by Democrats, theres an opportunity to take a different path. With Trump in power, the state may well find itself in a position it occupied before the Supreme Court handed down Roe in 1973 that of a national beacon for womens rights. A variant of the Shamoon malware that hit Saudi Aramcos servers six years ago is back, Axios reports, citing a release from the cybersecurity unit of Alphabet, Chronicle. According to the Chronicle release, the company had detected a file infected with Shamoon in its database VirusTotal. The malware, Chronicle said, was uploaded from Italy and is different from the previous two variants. Those moved through networks via pre-programmed credentials while this one stays on the computer it is installed on first. There is no command and control infrastructure that would allow the attackers to communicate with the virus, and what the virus does this time is encrypt all files irreversibly rather than replacing them with politically significant images, Axios reports. While the cybersecurity experts at Chronicle figure out what the malware is all about this time, they do note it comes on the heels of a report from Italys oilfield services major Saipem that it had become the target of a cyberattack, with the most severe blow suffered by its network in the Middle East. Reuters quoted Saipems head of digital and innovation operations, Mauro Piasere, as saying the companys servers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait had been affected by malware, with the origin of the attack Chennai, India. The servers involved have been shut down for the time being to assess the scale of the attack, Piasere said. Chronicles experts, for their part, said "While Chronicle cannot directly link the new Shamoon variant to an active attack, the timing of the malware files comes close to news of an attack on an Italian energy corporation with assets in the Middle East." In January 2017, Saudi Arabia issued a warning to local organizations that the Shamoon virus that had hit state-held oil giant Saudi Aramco in 2012 has resurfaced in a new variant. The Shamoon 2, which completely wiped out computer disks, reportedly targeted 15 government agencies and private organizations, state media reported at the time. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com A messy Brexiteer who lives for drama. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images The United Kingdom faces many genuine challenges. Its economy is exceptionally unequal, while its wage growth is the weakest of any G20 nation. Its nigh-impossible to find affordable housing in London, and nearly as hard to find a well-paying job anywhere else. Its public services are underfunded, its deindustrialized regions in despair. And yet, instead trying to solve these problems, far-right Tories decided in 2016 to engineer an utterly pointless crisis that would make their countrys troubles even worse (if only by consuming energy and attention that could have been spent on more productive purposes). Now, Theresa Mays government faces many genuine challenges. After months of negotiation, it has put together a Brexit plan that the City of London and the European Union can both live with but that Parliament still cant. After delaying a vote on her deal, May has mere weeks to cobble together a majority from loyal Tories and Labour defectors before Britain crashes out of the E.U. or else, the Conservatives will face the grim choice of either reneging on Brexit, or presiding over food shortages. But instead of helping May confront these problems, far-right Tories are trying to engineer an utterly pointless crisis (within an utterly pointless crisis) that will make their partys troubles even worse (if only by consuming energy and attention that could have been spent on more productive purposes). Specifically, hard-line Brexiteers led by MP Jacob Rees-Mogg have successfully forced a vote of no confidence on Mays leadership. If the prime minister fails to win the votes of 158 Conservative MPs later today, the party will hold a new leadership election in which May could not run. That election process could take up to six weeks during which time, it will virtually impossible to make meaningful progress on a Brexit agreement (which, as already mentioned, the E.U. is adamantly opposed to renegotiating). To be fair to the hardliners, their dissatisfaction with Mays deal is understandable. In their view, Brexit means freeing Britain from the E.U.s regulatory authority, and empowering the U.K. to pursue bilateral trade agreements with nations the world over. And Mays draft agreement would not achieve Brexit in that sense: In order to preserve an open border between Northern Ireland (a member of the United Kingdom) and Ireland (a member of the E.U.) the foundation of the Good Friday Agreement and thus, peace in that region Mays deal would temporarily keep the entire U.K. in the E.U.s customs union. Which is to say: In order to prevent people and goods from having to go through customs when crossing from Ireland into Northern Ireland, the U.K. will continue to be subject to many E.U. trading rules and regulations (only now, they will have less voice in shaping them). This arrangement would also bar Britain from cutting its own, independent trade deals. May insists that this a mere temporary backstop, until a more satisfying solution to the Irish border problem can be found. But the deal does not put an expiration date on said backstop. And its unclear how the U.K.s simultaneous demands for an open border with Ireland and total sovereignty over its trade and regulatory policies could ever be reconciled. So, the hard-line Brexiteers have reason to be unhappy. But they have none for thinking that the problems inherent to their (stupid) signature idea can be resolved, if only they put one of their own in power. May drove home this point in remarks Wednesday. A leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the Parliamentary arithmetic, May said in a statement. Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. For the moment, it looks like a majority of Conservative MPs agree. According to the BBC, 158 Tory MPs are on the record in support of Mays leadership exactly the number of votes she needs to stay prime minister while just 33 Tory MPs are officially opposed. That said, the vote will be conducted in a secret ballot, so its conceivable that some of Mays public supporters are bluffing. If May is defeated, the victory could prove pyrrhic for her Conservative critics. While some far-right Tories are comfortable with a no-deal Brexit, a large majority of Parliament is not. Without Mays deal as an option, a second referendum or a Norway-style agreement, in which Britain would secure better economic terms in exchange for continuing to accept the free movement of people between the U.K. and E.U. may suddenly become viable. Regardless, the current Conservative-led government appears to be secure for the moment. While many in Labour are eager to force a vote of no-confidence on the entire ruling coalition thereby forcing a general election the party believes such a vote would fail badly, if taken today. An odd piece of news last week was that Colombia is now one of the fastest-growing countries, popularity-wise, for Europeans to take a holiday to. The reason: series likeshow how beautiful that land is, and with the civil war gone (and the drug-news being scarier in Mexico), people are flocking to visit it.A beautiful country it is indeed, and the filmwill do little to dissuade that fact. Likeit tells a story about Colombia's drug trade, but that's where all similarities end. Here, the focus lies on the indigenous people in the deserts of Northern Colombia, and how the sudden influx of money and violence changed them.starts with a song and a ritual. Zaida, a young Wayuu woman, prepares for adulthood and marriage, and a suitor appears. Her family demands a very high dowry, and the suitor, named Rapayet, sets about to collect it. A seemingly impossible task...Then one day, Rapayet discovers that by selling marijuana to Americans in bulk, he can actually make enough money to achieve his goals. He returns to the Wayuu as a rich man, marries Zaida, and brings prosperity to her family. But as his wealth and influence grows, so do the stakes, and jealousy and greed rear their ugly heads. Worse even: the meaning of respect and traditions change.Directed by Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra,is an ode to the culture of the Wayuu. The depiction of the disappearance of a people's traditional identity through outside influences plays out like a tragedy, just as it did in their previous film of which you can read Patrick Holzapfel's review here ). Just check the difference between the way conflicts are settled at the beginning of the film, versus how they are settled at the end.The early part of the film is almost a documentary about the Wayuu way of living as it was in the 1960s. It looks amazing, and whilewas in black and white, here we get bombarded with brilliant, bright color. Natalia Reyes and Jose Acosta make for a fine and likable central couple as Zaida and Rapayet, and their courtship initially seems like a legend or fairy-tale. Indeed, dreams, visions and premonitions play a part in the story, and while that approach could have been hokey, here it is just beautiful.could so easily have been just another rise-and-fall gangster tale, but Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra work wonders with the setting, the background and the focus of the story. By showing the beginning of the modern drug trade (rather than re-visiting its heyday again), and showing it from the point of view of the Wayuu, this film is something special indeed. Highly recommended!played at the Shivers film festival in Konstanz, Germany, where it got into the audience-ratings Top-5 . The film is planned for a US release on February 13th. Another reminder that clemency grants bring "much needed hope to many families during the Holiday Season" | Main | Any recommendations or predictions for Michael Cohen's upcoming sentencing? December 11, 2018 Michael Flynn in sentencing memo requests probation "not to exceed one year ... along with 200 hours of community service." As reported in this Politico article, headlined "Flynn pleads with judge for no jail time," a high-profile defendant is asking for a low-impact sentencing outcome. Here are the basics: Michael Flynns attorneys asked a federal judge on Tuesday to spare the former Trump national security adviser any jail time because of his extensive cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller. In a 178-page sentencing memo, Flynns attorneys pleaded for leniency by citing their clients exceptional record of military service and his genuine contrition for the uncharacteristic error in judgment that brought him before this court. Flynn, who pleaded guilty last December to lying to the FBI during the early stages of its counterintelligence investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, should instead be sentenced to one year of probation with minimal supervision conditions and 200 hours of community service, his lawyers said. The retired Army general, his lawyers added, has shown he has a deep respect for the law, as reflected in his extensive cooperation with the governments efforts to get to the truth and to enforce the laws. U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan is scheduled to sentence Flynn on Dec. 18 for his guilty plea for making false statements to the FBI. Muellers office last week highlighted Flynns cooperation including 19 interviews with the special counsel and other Justice Department prosecutors in their own memo suggesting that Flynn get little or no jail time for his behavior. The full filing is available at this link, and it runs 178 pages due to dozens of exhibits mostly in the form of letters in his support. The memo itself runs only just over a dozen pages and it starts with this "Preliminary Statement": The defendant, through his attorneys, submits this Memorandum in Aid of Sentencing and respectfully requests that the Court grant the Governments Motion for Downward Departure pursuant to 5K1.1 of the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and sentence him to a term of probation not to exceed one year, with minimal conditions of supervision, along with 200 hours of community service. General Flynn has accepted responsibility for his conduct. He has cooperated extensively with several Department of Justice investigations, as detailed in the addendum to the Governments Memorandum in Aid of Sentencing. As the Government has made clear, his cooperation was not grudging or delayed. Rather, it preceded his guilty plea or any threatened indictment and began very shortly after he was first contacted for assistance by the Special Counsels Office. Following extraordinary public service in the United States Army, during which his innovations as a highly decorated intelligence officer saved countless American lives, and a lifetime of faithful devotion to his family and fellow service members and veterans, as described in the powerful letters of support that accompany this submission, a sentence of non-incarceration is both appropriate and warranted. Prior related posts: December 11, 2018 at 10:15 PM | Permalink Comments I predict that the judge will not sentence Flynn to prison. As for what the judge *should* do, I can't help but notice that the recent FBI investigations seem to target Republicans selectively, that the FBI came up with a flimsy excuse for running agents against the opposing party's political campaign, that no one has been prosecuted for the above, that Hillary Clinton was not charged with any violation of 18 u.s.c. 793, that no one was prosecuted for the IRS-tea party scandal, and, above all, that Flynn was interviewed by Peter Strzok, whose text messages speak volumes, and upon whose 302 form the plea is based. In light of this, and the lopsided nature of plea negotiations, what the judge should do is throw out the charges and plea. Of course that won't happen. Posted by: William Jockusch | Dec 12, 2018 8:36:37 AM Post a comment 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. Photo: Timur Emek/Getty Images Finding the perfect holiday gift can be maddening is this the color theyd want? Is it something they already have? Is it so last year? but really, once you have a sense of a persons taste, its not impossible. This season, well be talking to members of various tribes (were calling them the Hard-to-Shop-Fors) to find out exactly what to get that serious home cook, skin-care Redditor, or gamer in your life. Think of it as a window into their brain trust or at least a very helpful starting point. You hear the phrase for the person who has everything a lot during the gifting season, but when youre talking about those whose job it is to influence on Instagram people who make a living by promoting things on social media that characterization is particularly apt. To find out what (if anything) the wizards of sponcon are pining for during the holidays, we asked Natalie Lim Suarez (@natalieoffduty, 564,000 followers), Alyssa Coscarelli (@alyssainthecity, 185,000 followers), and Dan Chizzoniti (@danchiz, director of influencer marketing at Ogilvy who himself has earned 41,000 followers) for a short list of their holiday wishes with the caveat that they not include anything from brands theyre currently promoting or have worked with in the past. Dont miss all of the Strategists holiday gift coverage right here, too. Beauty Sisley Paris Express Flower Gel Mask $140 The person whos traveling all the time might want something that can help with staying moisturized in high altitudes. Suarez, for one, is obsessed with sleeping masks and rehydrating throughout the day. She always likes to refresh on the go with a mini cream, which is why shes asking for this Sisley Paris gel mask for the holidays. This mask looks like one that I can use and easily wipe off before a crazy morning or right before bed. Its Sisley Paris, and I always trust in their products to do my skin good. $140 at Nordstrom Buy Cle de Peau Lip Gloss in Dream Stone $36 For winter skin, a hydrating tinted lip gloss would come in handy, too, and the colors would pop in a photo shoot. I live in Cle de Peau lip glosses in the winter because they are extra hydrating, with a hint of color, says Suarez. Lately, Ive been wearing Fire Ruby, but Im dying to try out this gorgeous fresh pink-red color, Dream Stone. $36 at Nordstrom Buy Boscia Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask $34 Chizzoniti relies on weekly charcoal masks for keeping his pores clear, so hes looking to re-up for the holidays: Every Sunday I meal prep for the week while I put on a face mask. Charcoal masks are my favorite and Ive been looking to add the Boscia Charcoal Mask into my rotation because its peel-off. $34 at Ulta Beauty Buy Reliquia Jewellery Melissa Clip $69 And in the realm of decorative hair accessories, Coscarellis been wearing a lot more hair clips recently. Shes partial to the vintage-leaning ones from Reliquia, which is why she likes this pearl-festooned one. Every piece is meant to look like its been borrowed from your grandmothers closet: As if Im 10 years old again, I cant get my hands on enough hair clips lately, and this one specifically is aesthetic goals. $69 at Reliquia Jewellery Buy Fashion Cutler & Gross Tortoise Shell Sunglasses $285 A good pair of face-obscuring shades can always come in handy for travel. Last year, Adam Selmans Last Lolita cat-eye specs were everywhere. This season, the shape is still popular, but showing up in different colors and styles, like these tortoise-y ones from Cutler & Gross that Suarez is eyeing. These are a classic, old Hollywood pair of glasses that I can wear with everything, she says. Cutler & Gross make insanely good Elton John-esque glasses. I want to grow my collection. $285 at Farfetch Buy Rotate Ruched Jacquard Mini Dress $390 And a new statement dress couldnt hurt. Heres one from Danish brand Rotate that Coscarelli wants, which feels very Dynasty-meets-In the Mood for Love. If you ask me, this is the most perfect dress ever created, she says. The gorgeous fabric, the puffy sleeves Its like me, in garment form. $390 at Net-A-Porter Buy Dora Larsen Maddie High Apex Underwire Bra $78 Suarez is sometimes photographed in lingerie for her Instagram shoots, so you might see this colorful Dora Larsen bra make an appearance if she gets one for the holidays. This is such a romantic bra with a really cool and beautiful color palette. Its easy and will work so well under little silk dresses. $78 at Nordstrom Buy Shrimps Buttercup Bag $715 The mini bag is a big staple on Instagram, and the ones from Shrimps are especially popular these days. UK brand Shrimps really blew up for its pearl bags over the last couple of seasons, Coscarelli explains. Its part of a bigger trend of beaded bags that includes Susan Alexandras fruit-shaped minis, but she feels that the latest season of Shrimps bags is still fresh and relatively uncharted, which is why she wants one. This is a new variation on [beaded bags] that not a lot of people have yet, and thats what makes it so appealing. $715 at Shrimps Buy Shrimps Quinn Pearl and Bead Bag $472 A sign that the bags are truly making the rounds: Suarez wants one, too; specifically, this yellow beaded bag that she describes as both glamorous and quirky. Shes hoping that it will add some cheer to the next few dreary months. Its amazing for the winters here in New York because its like a little burst of sunshine that I carry with me. $472 at MatchesFashion Buy Maryam Nassir Zadeh Venus Boots $582 A pair of sensible, non-boring stompers will always have mileage in New York streets. Suarez is okay with a little more height, so shes considering these suede-heeled Maryam Nassir Zadeh boots. The heel on these black boots make them feel super special. They have a cool retro feel that makes me want to wear them with everything from my favorite trousers to jeans! $582 at Farfetch Buy Chanel Small Classic Handbag $5,000 And although Suarez has already invested in a few Chanel bags, shes looking to add some variety to her rotation, which is so far exclusively classic black. Im ready to take that leap and go for something with an amazing, unexpected color. This blue reminds of me of Santa Monica, CA, where I was born. A girl can dream! $5,000 at Chanel Buy Girls in Paris Milla Knickers $18 Even though underwear and socks can feel like uninspired gifts, Coscarelli says shes always happy to receive them because she doesnt really buy them for herself. Shed at least be inspired by these culottes from French brand Girls in Paris: These are the cutest darn undies on the internet right now, Im convinced. $18 at Girls in Paris Buy Sabrina SL Earring $92 Photo: Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Since she already owns a ton of statement jewelry, Suarez says the thing shes missing in her collection is more pared-down pieces. Im looking for something more simple and chic, that feels very artistic and handmade, she says. Sabrina SLs pieces feel perfect to wear with just about anything and I love supporting local NYC designers. $92 at Sabrina SL Buy Wwake Small Rhodes Herringbone Necklace $1,050 On the splurge-y end of minimal, everyday jewelry, Coscarelli wants something from sustainable Brooklyn jewelry brand Wwake. Im partial to gold jewelry, and this chain, in particular, would really round out my collection. Its the perfect width. And theres something to be said for its cost-per-wear: Its solid gold, so I would never have to take it off Ever. $1,050 at Ylang 23 Buy The Last Line Mini Rainbow Flower Stud $299 But if youre only going to get one standout piece of jewelry, it might as well be from L.A. jewelry store The Last Line. Coscarelli says, In a perfect world, I would overhaul my entire earring collection with pieces from The Last Line. The concept behind the brand is that its an assortment of jewelry youve always been searching for, she tells me, so its really the last jewelry line youll ever need. Thats how I feel about every single piece, especially this adorable rainbow stud. $299 at The Last Line Buy Home DS & Durga Big Sur After Rain $65 Home comforts are essential when youre always on the go. For Suarez, its all about lighting up a candle when she gets home. I burn them like mad so I need to stock up, she says. Big Sur After Rain smells like the trees and the earth on a gloomy, crisp day. This is my scent of the season. $65 at Saks Fifth Avenue Buy Lafco Champagne Penthouse Candle $65 Chizzoniti prefers to create more of a celebratory atmosphere at home. The Champagne Penthouse scent is his favorite: I always need this candle in my apartment. When one dies, I need another. The Lafco ones also do double duty since they come in such big jars. What I also love about these candles is that you can repurpose the chic glassware after. Im currently repurposing mine as succulent pots. $65 at Amazon Buy $65 at Amazon Buy Areaware Gradient Puzzle $35 Chizzonitis trying to wean himself off his phone, so he says this Areaware puzzle will do the job of distracting and challenging him: I love testing my mind but I also want to decrease my screen-time, so puzzles are a fun way to accomplish both. I want the gradient puzzle because it looks intense. It will definitely keep me busy for a while. $35 at Amazon Buy $35 at Amazon Buy Kaye Blegvad Flash Embroidered Pillow Case $38 Coscarellis still in the midst of decorating, so this pillow from Brooklyn illustrator Kaye Blegvad is calling to her. I have a tattoo designed by Kaye Blegvad and it just so happens she has a ton of cute merch and printed matter featuring her designs, like this throw pillow that my couch is basically begging for. $38 at Kaye Blegvad Buy Food and kitchen Truff Hot Sauce $18 Chizzonitis even been influenced himself when it comes to food, which is why this truffle hot sauce is on his list: I love truffles and I am a hot sauce feen. All the Instagram ads [for Truff] have lured me in! $18 at Amazon Buy $18 at Amazon Buy Pure Change Lean Body Protein $50 Though he wouldnt mind also getting some chocolate-flavored protein to supplement his workouts. Ive become obsessed with the taste of this protein. I usually consume a bit midday before I head out to a workout. I can never have enough. Chocolate is easily my favorite flavor. $50 at Pure Change Program Buy Tech 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. SINGAPORE (Dec 12): Hong Lai Huat Group (HLH Group) is terminating its $15.7 million sale of DSeaview Hotel, a component of the groups mixed-use development project in Cambodia. This is because buyer has failed to make fulfil the requisites for payment for the project after only making partial payment to HLH Group its Cambodian subsidiary PH One Development, the projects vendor. The decision was arrived at after PH One sought legal advice from its Cambodian counsels. To recap, HLH Groups sale of the 10-storey, 98-room DSeaview Hotel was first announced in March this year. It was last announced that 80% of the entire projects commercial units, as well as 60% of the residential units were presold, mainly to local Cambodians and overseas buyers from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, the United States, Russia and Belgium. The group is currently reviewing the overall impact of the sale termination, and says it will update its shareholders on related material developments when appropriate. Shares in HLH Group closed half a cent higher at 22 cents on Tuesday. (PHOTO: Getty Images) Amendments to Singapores Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act will take effect on 1 January, when a list of criminal acts in which the suspects may be detained without trial will be spelled out. To be detailed in a new Fourth Schedule to the Act, the list of criminal acts will include secret society activities, unlicensed moneylending, drug trafficking and those covered under the Organised Crime Act. Previously, there was no such prescribed list. The amendments were passed in Parliament on 6 February, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a media release on Tuesday (11 December). Act is to be used judiciously The Act, which has been in force since 1955, provides for the maintenance of public safety, peace and good order through the detention and supervision of persons associated with activities of a criminal nature, through the issuance of Detention Orders or Police Supervision Orders (PSO). MHA said it is to be used judiciously and only in cases where prosecution in court is not possible, like when witnesses are fearful or unwilling to testify. It has been used against secret societies, drug syndicates and in serious crimes that threaten public safety, peace and good order. The amendments are a response to a Court of Appeals decision in 2015 to free alleged match-fixing kingpin Dan Tan, a Singaporean. The court said his detention under the Act was unlawful as his offence did not fall within the scope of the legislation. List will restrict Ministers exercise of powers MHA said in its media release that setting out the list will, in effect, restrict the Ministers exercise of powers. It also increases accountability on which types of activities could be the subject of a detention order, it added. Following the changes, the law will also be extended for another five years when the current Act expires on 21 October, 2019. It will be the 14th extension of the Act, which lapses every five years unless renewed by Parliament. Story continues The Act will also clarify that the Ministers decisions are final on matters such as as whether a person has been associated with activities of a criminal nature, and whether it is necessary to detain such a person in the interests of public safety, peace and good order. Holistic rehabilitation The ministry statement on Tuesday also said the changes would allow holistic rehabilitation for those under PSOs, as the minister can prescribe new obligations, like counselling, to cater to individuals needs and risks. The amendments generated a four-hour debate in Parliament when it was proposed in February, as MPs had questioned whether the finality clause would limit judicial review. Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam had clarified during the debate that it would not, because the courts can still review the ministers decisions based on the traditional tests of illegality, irrationality and procedural impropriety. The number of suspects detained under the Act has been falling, according to the annual reports of the prison service. There were 136 in 2014; 118 in 2015; and 109 in 2016. Other Singapore stories: Jailed: Man who got drunk and called cops 31 times on day of prison release 2 weeks jail for bouncer who punched nightclub patron in drunken rage Alcohol abuse on the rise in Singapore, according to mental health study Chew Eng Han and the motorised sampan in which he attempted to leave the country on. (FILE PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore) Former City Harvest Church (CHC) fund manager Chew Eng Han was found guilty on Wednesday (12 December) of attempting to leave Singapore illegally by boat and intentionally defeat the course of justice by not serving his sentence. Chew, 58, claimed trial to the two charges in September. He had attempted to leave the country on a motorised sampan on 21 February this year, a day before he was due to serve a jail term for past offences involving the misuse of millions in CHC funds. Acting on a tip-off, the Police Coast Guard (PCG) intercepted Chews sampan and arrested him about 2.4 kilometres off Pulau Ubin, in the vicinity of Chek Jawa Wetlands and Pulau Sekudu. He is currently serving a sentence of three years and four months for his CHC-related offences, which involved criminal breach of trust. During the half-day trial, defence lawyer Adrian Wee argued that the prosecution had failed to substantiate the charge of leaving the Republic illegally, as Chew was en route to another rendezvous point and had not left Singapore waters when he was caught. He said that the charge would only have been made out had Chew embarked on the second leg of the journey from the second point of embarkation, but he was intercepted during the first leg of his journey. Wee also argued that, since the course of justice ended with the Court of Appeal hearing in January, Chew could not have defeated or perverted the course of justice. However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong said that the charge was made out and it was only because Chews boat was intercepted that he failed to leave Singapore illegally. As for the second charge of obstructing the court of justice, DPP Ong said that the course of justice continues even after an offender is convicted and sentenced. On the immigration charge, District Judge Victor Yeo said he was not persuaded by the defences argument to split Chews journey into two parts and say that his route to the first rendezvous point did not apply in this case. Story continues By the time the accused embarked on the first boat, he was clearly on his way to leave Singapore. as long as he was on the way to embark on the second boat, it would constitute an immigration offence, said DJ Yeo. As for second the charge, the judge said the course of justice continues even until an offender begins his sentence upon conviction. The course of justice will be defeated if a convicted person is able to avoid the sentence given by the court, he added. Chews escape plan Chew previously admitted that he wanted to leave Singapore as he felt injustice and unfair over his High Court case and that he did not want to be convicted. He had sought to flee Singapore as early as October last year, when he went to the Queen Street bus terminal to seek drivers. He met Khoo Kea Leng, a Malaysian freelance driver who ferried people between Singapore and Malaysia. Chew initially rejected Khoos quoted price of $18,000 but later asked Khoo to arrange a departure by boat. Khoo made the arrangements and settled for a price of $12,000. He told Chew to meet him at Marine Drive at 8pm. He also asked Chew to prepare fishing equipment to disguise himself as a fisherman. Shortly after midnight on 21 February, Chew received instructions to meet at Changi Village at 7.30am. His elder brother dropped him off at the location with the fishing equipment at 7.20am. He was later directed to take a boat to Pulau Ubin Jetty as there were PCG patrol boats in the vicinity of Changi Village. Chew took a boat to the jetty and later boarded another boat, which was piloted by Singaporean fish farmer Tan Poh Teck. The boat was intercepted by PCG shortly after, and the two men were arrested. For the charge of attempting to leave Singapore from an unauthorised port of embarkation, he could be jailed up to six months or fined up to $2,000. He also faces maximum jail term of three and a half years and/or a fine on the charge of defeating the course of justice. Chew will be sentenced on 29 January. Related stories Ex-CHC leader Chew Eng Han wanted to leave Singapore as he felt injustice for his High Court case Former CHC leader Chew Eng Han starts serving jail term 2 men who helped ex-CHC leader Chew Eng Hans failed escape jailed Romania hopes to adopt the euro "by 2024" and wants to use its forthcoming EU presidency to reduce tensions between the bloc's eastern and western members, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said Wednesday. "Our aim is for Romania to adopt the euro by 2024," Dancila told parliament, less than three weeks before Romania takes up the EU's rotating president for the first time on 1 January. Romania joined the EU in 2007 and had intially hoped to join the monetary union in 2019. However, it recognised in 2015 that it would not meet the currency's convergence criteria in time, and since then had not set a new one. Romania is the EU's second poorest country but has one of the bloc's highest GDP growth rates, standing at 6.9 percent in 2017. Dancila said that Romania would try to use its time at the head of the bloc to help "remove the dividing lines and imbalances" within it. "We will have to overcome attitudes along the lines of 'old members versus new members' or 'West against East'," she said. Romania's presidency would aim at "ensuring equal opportunities and advantages for all" so that "there are no more first- and second-class citizens," she added. Last month the European Commission adopted a highly critical report on the judicial reforms brought forward by Romania's left-leaning government. According to Brussels, the measures risk undermining the independence of judges and prosecutors. Along with neighbouring Bulgaria, since joining the EU Romania has been under special monitoring targeting the judicial system and the fight against corruption, where progress has been slow. Dancila once again criticised this monitoring mechanism, which Bucharest has branded discriminatory. "Romania wishes to enjoy respect and equal rights within the Union," she said. A new play by two of the world's top theatre directors about the "cultural genocide" of Canada's indigenous peoples has infuriated some of the country's own First Nations "consultants" who say they were not listened to by its creators. "Kanata", produced by Quebec's Robert Lepage and France's Ariane Mnouchkine, which opens this weekend in Paris, tells how children were forcibly taken from their parents and sent to residential schools notorious for their abuse and neglect. More than 3,000 children died in or trying to escape from them, a Canadian government report later admitted. Students' names were taken away and they were addressed by a number in many of the schools, the last of which closed in 1998. But the play's attempt to bring their suffering to the stage -- and to touch on the murder and disappearance of up to 4,000 First Nations women since the 1980s -- has hit a raw nerve, with Lepage and Mnouchkine accused of cultural appropriation, shoddy research and deafness to indigenous concerns. Three First Nations artists and activists that the producers consulted about the play told AFP that they were not listened to. Others who later met Lepage accused him of "whitewashing" and falling for stereotypes from Western films with costumes that look like they were "bought at a Halloween store". Cowboy Smithx, a filmmaker from the indigenous Blackfoot nation, said he did not "appreciate being name-dropped" to defend the play when "I gave him tons of advice and he obviously took none of it." But their major gripe is that Lepage and Mnouchkine are telling their story with their voice -- and without a single indigenous actor, writer or meaningful cultural advisor. The row comes after the Montreal International Jazz Festival pulled Lepage's last show, "Slav", after only two performances in July over his use of a mostly white cast to play black slaves. - Insult to injury - Margo Kane, a leading figure in the indigenous arts scene, said "Kanata" -- which has been renamed "Kanata, Episode 1, the Controversy" -- risked adding insult to injury, she warned. "The anger is coming from people robbed of their identity. We have been denied so much and now to be denied any hearing on this is depressing," she told AFP. "What is shocking is that someone from Quebec which has fought for its own cultural survival and sovereignty cannot see other voices should be heard too and not always be mediated through some white guy. "This was a man who was a visionary... It is bizarre and weird. How dare he now turn around and deny a proper hearing to the voices he is purporting to speak for," she said. "His ego as the 'Great Artist' has deafened and blinded him to what he is doing," Kane said. Lepage, a hero in his native Quebec and the maker of some of Cirque du Soleil's biggest hits, had already admitted that he "misjudged" the way he developed the show, telling Radio Canada that "I've lost lots of friends in all this". But he and Mnouchkine have dug in, insisting on the universalist right of artists to tell a story as they wish. "You don't have to be Danish to play Hamlet," said Mnouchkine. And Lepage said he is "the opposite of offended" when he sees a straight man playing a gay man like him. Both declined repeated interview requests from AFP, saying they needed to concentrate on the production. However, many in the Quebec political establishment have jumped to their defence with then Parti Quebecois leader Jean-Francois Lis saying artistic freedom was compromised when Lepage was forced to cancel the Canadian run of the show in July when US backers withdrew funding. - 'Appropriation is normal' - Mnouchkine said she saw no problem in her famously multiracial Theatre du Soleil troupe taking on the fraught history between white and indigenous Canadians, despite none coming from North America. And she warned that it set a dangerous precedent to limit who actors can play by race. "If we start saying 'We Jews' or 'We blacks' because of our legitimate bitterness about the past, we will only reproduce the same crazy irreparable suffering," Mnouchkine told the Montreal daily Le Devoir. People have always "appropriated what they liked from neighbouring tribes, sometimes before or after having invaded or massacred them." Nakuset, a Cree who runs a refuge for indigenous women in Montreal, said she got hate mail from Lepage's supporters after signing a protest letter about the show after seeing publicity shots resembling "the Hollywood version of Indians in buckskin and teepees". "We told him that we didn't want the play cancelled... if he would listen to us it could only make it better." But Lepage was dismissive, she told AFP. She said "Kanata" was his "own interpretation and whitewashing of native realities... it is not us. It is like the Westerns. We are in 2018 and you are doing the same thing." My (partially used) eucalyptus Necessaire body wash. Photo: Rio Viera-Newton Because of my high-maintenance, eczema-prone skin, its always been difficult for me to find a body wash. If its too stripping, my skin will erupt in itchy, scaly patches, but if its too balmy my skin feels sticky and not properly cleaned. A scented body wash is something Ive never been able to use because perfumes have been known to trigger eczema flare ups, Ive been selecting no fragrance body washes since I was a kid. That is, until two weeks ago. If Im being perfectly honest, I was initially attracted to Necessaire on a superficial level the products are pretty in the way products at a Parisian apothecary are pretty. Launched by Into the Gloss co-founder Nick Axelrod and Estee Lauder alum Randi Christiansen, its a pH optimized body care brand designed for sensitive skin. I thought the stuff would look nice in my bathroom. I also liked the convenience of the bottles twist caps. While they offer a fully no fragrance body wash, I decided to try the eucalyptus scent (I assumed the body wash wouldnt work on my eczema anyway, but that my boyfriend might enjoy that scent.) Still, I decided to give it a try, and the first thing I noticed was the body washs unique texture: its fatty acid and antioxidant-rich formula feels almost like a very thick oil. Its reminiscent of honey. As you rub it into your wet skin, it doesnt foam up in that super sudsy car-wash way that is so harsh on my skin. Instead, it gently emulsifies and washes away. I was first drawn to its twisty cap. Photo: Courtesy of Necessaire Now, whenever I try new body washes, the shower is the calm before the storm: once I get out and my skin starts to dry, my arms, legs, and feet typically get increasingly hot and itchy as the eczema flares up. But, ladies and gents, Im thrilled to say this did not happen after using Necessaire instead, my skin was calm as I awaited my post-shower lotion. I put on Necessaires no-fragrance version its infused with marula, cacay, and meadowfoam oils and became very fond of that, too. Its not the one you reach for to combat a scaly flare up (I rely on prescription creams and this arsenal for that), but its a completely neutral, thick, moisturizing cream that gives winter skin the nourishment and hydration it needs. Ive been using this body wash and lotion as a part of my shower routine for a couple weeks now, and Im happy to say my eczema and I are in a good place. Not to get ahead of myself, but Im thinking about trying out the sandalwood scent. 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. A television ad featuring members of K-pop supergroup Blackpink dressed in miniskirts has been banned from Indonesian airwaves, prompting a furious backlash from fans. The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission ordered 11 domestic TV stations to yank the commercial late Tuesday, saying it was indecent. The order followed a petition signed by more than 100,000 people asking the commission to cancel the ad -- which in turn sparked a tit-for-tat campaign calling for the expulsion of the woman who launched the original petition. The ad features four members of the top-selling Korean girl band singing and dancing to promote Shopee, an Indonesian online retailer. Indonesia's broadcasting watchdog said the ad flouted moral norms in the world's biggest Muslim majority country. "Companies need to be careful when they're making a commercial that they don't associate their product with something Indonesians see as negative," commission head Hardly Stefano said in a statement Tuesday. Shopee called the commission's remarks "very valuable input", but added that the ad had been greenlit by another government agency prior to its airing. The decision to ban the ad was widely panned by Blackpink fans in Indonesia. "This is too much -- you can see women dressed that way in any mall in Indonesia," Disna Harvens told AFP. "It's not vulgar at all." Blackpink has quickly become a household name at home and among K-pop fans overseas with their signature hip hop-infused music, impeccably choreographed dance routines and edgy fashion styles. They also stand out in a K-pop industry largely dominated by boy bands. burs-dws/pb/amu Tokyo prosecutors on Wednesday demanded a 10-year jail term for the former head of collapsed bitcoin exchange MtGox, local media reported. France-born Mark Karpeles, 33, faces charges that he fraudulently manipulated data and pocketed millions of dollars' worth of the virtual currency. The Tokyo-based exchange -- once the world's biggest bitcoin exchange -- collapsed in 2014 after cryptocurrency worth half a billion dollars disappeared from its virtual vaults, a mystery that remains unsolved. Karpeles faces charges that he embezzled about 340 million yen ($3 million) and altered other data related to MtGox, and went on trial in the case last July. But those charges are not directly related to how MtGox lost 850,000 coins -- worth around $480 million at the time. Tokyo prosecutors argue that Karpeles's alleged acts "were extremely vicious, as they completely undermined confidence in trading," according to national broadcaster NHK. He has denied the charges and has previously told the court: "I swear to God I am not guilty," reading out a prepared statement in Japanese, according to Kyodo News. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office declined to confirm the reports and refrained from commenting on when the trial was expected to finish. In Japanese courts, the verdict and sentence are often handed down at the same time. MtGox was shuttered in 2014 after admitting the massive disappearance of the coins. The company initially said there was a bug in the software underpinning bitcoins that allowed hackers to steal them. Karpeles later claimed he had found some 200,000 of the lost coins in a "cold wallet" -- a storage device that was not connected to other computers. The French national -- who cannot leave Japan as a condition of his bail -- was originally arrested in August 2015. He was released in July 2016, after reportedly paying 10 million yen ($88,000) to secure his release. MtGox, which once said it handled around 80 percent of global bitcoin transactions, filed for bankruptcy protection soon after the cyber-money went missing, leaving a trail of angry investors calling for answers and denting the virtual currency's reputation. The spectacular failure of MtGox temporarily slumped the value of bitcoin before it soared to its all-time high of $19,511 in December 2017. Since then, the unit has lost its earlier glamour and now trades around $3,343 per coin. Japan issued new regulations after the MtGox case, but the virtual currency exchange Coincheck was forced earlier this year to refund customers more than $440 million in virtual currency that disappeared from its holdings. The citys new HK$1,000 banknotes appeared to receive a lukewarm response from the public on the day of their release, failing to draw crowds with their improved security features. Outside the HSBC branch in Mong Kok on Wednesday morning, only about 20 people, most of them elderly, queued to obtain the newly launched bills. A 66-year-old man surnamed Hui was the first to arrive at the branch. He turned up at 8.10am, well before the banks 9am opening time, to avoid being stuck in a long queue. I came here before to exchange for banknotes of smaller values, like HK$100 banknotes, and there were many people waiting, he said. Hui, who exchanged a total of HK$20,000 (US$2,560) for 20 new bills, said he would put some of the new banknotes into red packets for his grandson for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. A man in his 40s surnamed Lee said he had been collecting banknotes for about 20 years and had gathered bills from more than 70 countries during his travels. This is the first time Ive collected a new Hong Kong banknote on its debut, Lee said. He added that he collected banknotes as an investment, as their value would keep increasing. A total of 90 million of the new HK$1,000 bills became available to the public on Wednesday. They can be obtained at HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) and Bank of China (Hong Kong) branches. The tepid public response was echoed at branches of the other two note issuers. Few people turned up at Standard Chartereds branch in Causeway Bay to get the new notes, a bank employee said, describing the debut as just a normal day. It was the same story at a Causeway Bay branch of Bank of China. Not many people came, a staff member said. Every hour we had some customers come to switch to the new notes. No details were available from the banks on the number of notes exchanged. The lack of interest in the notes may be partly because some stores refuse to accept large-denomination bills out of concern that they may be counterfeit. Story continues A worker at a cosmetics shop in Causeway Bay said they did not accept HK$1,000 bills. Some stores reject HK$1,000 bills, even authentic notes, fearing fake bills, said Hui, adding that he thought the improved security features of the new notes would change the situation. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority unveiled the design of the new notes featuring advanced security features to prevent counterfeiting in July. The elements include an enhanced watermark and concealed denomination a numeral visible only when the bill is tilted at an angle. The designs on the new notes showcase Hong Kong as an international financial centre. Each of the three issuing banks has its own design based on the stipulated themes. HSBC said its new banknote features Stitt, one of the lion statues that have guarded the banks headquarters building since 1935. Bank of Chinas bills feature a bauhinia flower the floral emblem of Hong Kong and its bank tower, while Standard Chartereds design displays the landmark Lion Rock, a symbol of the Hong Kong spirit. The next set of new banknotes, in HK$500 denominations, will be available on January 23 next year, about two weeks ahead of the Lunar New Year, according to the authority. Three other denominations HK$100, HK$50 and HK$20 will enter circulation between mid-2019 and early 2020, but the issuance dates have not yet been fixed. This article Lukewarm response as Hong Kong releases new HK$1,000 banknotes first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan addresses reporters at the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) building about ongoing bilateral disputes between Singapore and Malaysia, on Wednesday, 12 December 2018. PHOTO: Nicholas Yong/Yahoo News Singapore Malaysia is using its objections to the Instrument Landing System (LS) procedures for Seletar Airport as a technical excuse to trigger an unfriendly act towards Singapore, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Wednesday (12 December). Speaking to reporters at the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) building, Khaw noted that the shared airspace arrangement between the two countries had been brokered by global aviation authorities in 1973 and has worked very well, benefitting all stakeholders in this region. But the key point is, if it were a technical concern, with goodwill, Im confident a mutual satisfactory technical solution can be found. But I think the situation is, they seem to be using this technical excuse to trigger a demand to change the airspace arrangement, said the 66-year-old. Stressing that the transport ministries from both sides have worked well together in the past, the minister questioned Malaysias motives behind the ongoing dispute, and added that he was truly baffled by it. Then suddenly in October, they started a row in air, in water. What next? Land transport too? I wonder why? Rising bilateral tensions Tensions between Malaysia and Singapore have risen in recent months on the back of aviation and maritime disputes. On 25 October, Putrajaya arbitrarily extended the port limits of Johor Bahru without consulting the Republic, and proceeded to notify the maritime community about it. Last Thursday, Khaw revealed at a media conference that there had been 14 intrusions by Malaysian government vessels into Singapore territorial waters between 24 November and 5 December. In response to Malaysias blatant maritime provocations in recent weeks, Khaw said that Singapore had extended its port limits off Tuas. In late November, Malaysia also registered its objections to Singapores ILS procedures for Seletar Airport, citing sovereignty and other issues. The ILS procedures refer to an assisted navigational aviation facility that provides vertical and horizontal guidance to pilots at an airport while the flight is descending and approaching a runway. Story continues On Tuesday, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke shared a Facebook video detailing his countrys reasons for objecting to the ILS. When asked by reporters, Khaw said that it contained inaccuracies. Singapore transport officials are expected to give a fuller response to Lokes video. Firefly request rejected Malaysian budget carrier Firefly suspended all flights to Singapore on 1 December, the day it was supposed to move its turbo-prop flight operations from Changi to Seletar Airport. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, there are regulatory and outstanding airspace issues that need to be resolved over the proposed move. Firefly is currently attempting to reclaim its Changi landing rights. When asked about Fireflys request, Khaw noted that Firefly had known about the move long in advance. And as a result, months ago, they applied for slots in Seletarand their slots in Changi have therefore been given up, redistributed to other airlines. The minister also alluded to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamads description of the two countries as a pair of twins. Urging goodwill from the Malaysian twin, Khaw said, As twins, you ought to embrace each other, and help each other grow and help each other succeed, and celebrate each others achievements. Then I think it is so much better. Khaw then cited a classical Chinese proverb: (We are all from the same family, so why be in such a hurry to kill each other?). Related stories MOT releases documents detailing extensive discussions on Seletar Airport airspace issue Changes to airspace arrangements need consultations with stakeholders: Singapore MOT Malaysian vessels in Singapore waters raise tensions, risk causing dangerous incident: MFA Malaysia rejects Singapores counter-proposal on maritime spat, willing to take steps to de-escalate situation The tech innovation centre will consist of a co-working space, a prototyping lab and a retail store The Mills Fabrica has announced the launch of a multi-faceted tech innovation centre based in The Mills in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. The Mills Fabrica is the innovation arm of The Mills, a revitalization project by Hong Kongs Nan Fung Group aimed at transforming their old textiles factories into a new heritage and innovation centre. The new 15,000 sq ft space will comprise a co-working area, called Fabrica Space, a prototyping lab, called Fabrica Lab, and an experimental retail store to showcase innovative products, called Techstyle X. Fabrica Space will house private offices and fixed and hot desks, and an atrium with a three-storey-high skylight. Fabrica Lab will include 20 machines and equipment, donated by 11 sponsors including the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textile and Apparel (HKRITA), so that entrepreneurs, students and corporates can turn their projects into real products. Check out some photos of the tech innovation centre below: The atrium at the Fabrica Space Fabrica Spaces hot and fixed desks Fabrica Lab Fabrica Labs array of machines and equipment Techstyle X Another side of Techstyle X Investment in two startups In the same announcement, Mills Fabrica announced that, through its fund, it has made two new investments in Hong Kong-based startups. The first is a US$1.5 million Series A investment in ORII, a wearable tech company. ORII has developed a smart ring that allows users to listen to their text messages through bone conduction. They can also use the smart ring to communicate with voice assistant applications. During its Kickstarter campaign, ORII raised over US$300,000. The company plans to use the new investment to scale up its B2B business and enhance its products features. The Mills Fabrica Fund also put in a US$600,000 seed investment in fashion tech company Unspun. The company uses 3D automated weaving technology and other software to make customized apparel for customers. Story continues Unspun will use the new investment to grow its global brand partnerships and further develop its 3D weaving machine. Also Read: After raising US$1.1B, Tokopedia will remain focussed on Indonesian market Both ORII and Unspun are existing incubatees of The Mills Fabricas 12-month incubation programme, which is designed to help companies increase their brand exposure through global showcases and product launch events, as well as access corporate and investor partners. Both companies will move their headquarter offices into The Mills, and through that gain access to Fabrica Labs prototyping facilities. Unspun will also launch its flagship pop-up store at Techstyle X. Fabrica Fund is very excited to lead the investments in ORII and Unspun, our incubatees, and help them scale their business to next levels, said Alexander Chan, Co-director of The Mills Fabrica. Over the past year, we witnessed both ORIIs and Unspuns strong visions in innovation and sustainability for tech style and have been working extensively with them through our incubation to take their technologies to market and expand their brand globally, he added. Image Credit: The Mills Fabrica The post [In photos] Hong Kongs Mills Fabrica opens tech innovation centre, invests in 2 startups appeared first on e27. Also, LightInTheBox acquires EzBuy despite struggling freefalling in the stock market, Ubers sued right after announcing IPO Vietnam-based travel impact startup Triip launches blockchain booking feature [press release] Triip, a Ho Chi Minh City-based travel impact company announces its new payment network that has two new blockchain currencies option. The company claimed that its the first time ever a travel booking platform features blockchain currencies. Targeting upcoming mid-December, Triips visitors will be able to book their travels with Ethereum, followed by a new currency of Tomochain called TOMO by the end of the month. Triip has been around for four years now and has been open to innovations with their moves in adopting blockchain currencies. The reason the company has TOMO currency is also due to the companys support towards Tomochains recent Mainnet launch for TOMO and its partnership with the cryptocurrency. After the blockchain payment launch, Triip plans to expand its user base in Indonesia alongside as a part of its collaboration move with photo-editing app PicMix. Within Triip as well as in the blockchain world at large, big things are happening. Were glad that we are on this ride, closed Hai Ho, the CEO of Triip in addressing Triip Protocols partners. China-based e-commerce firm LightInTheBox acquires Singapores Ezbuy for US$85M [Singapore Channel Asia] The discount e-commerce service firm LightInTheBox announced that it has closed the acquisition of Ezbuy, Singapores cross-border selling service operating in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Pakistan. The deal first emerged in November with LighInTheBox taking 100 percent ownership of the company as a way for the struggling e-commerce firm to survive. The company has spent the last few months at a price less than US$1 with the initial price entering the stock market at US$9.50. Its stocks today is worth US$0.64 and it is reflected in the companys Q2s net loss US$9.5 million. Story continues Also Read: Vietnamese SaaS platform Base raises US$1.3M in pre-Series A funding round The Ezbuy deal comes in as the last hail mary that is expected to will inject new blood beyond its markets. Ezbuy CEO Jian He has become CEO of LightInTheBox taking over from Alan Guo, LightInTheBoxs founder, while Meng Lian, a partner with IDG Ventures, Ezbuys backer, has joined as a director. Taiwans big data company Accupass expands to Malaysia to boost event ecosystem [Press Release] Taiwanese AI and big data company Acupass officially expands its footprint to Malaysia through a brand launch called Shape Future Events Take your events to the next level today at the Selangor Digital Creative Centre (SDCC) in i-City, Shah Alam. Accupass provides an O2O (online to offline) model and event planning consultancy that also boost the development of event industry. It works by applying AI and Big Data technologies into event planning, which then enables clients to increase their efficiency with event organization. The reason Accupass enters Southeast Asia through Malaysia is that the company has seen Malaysia as having a mature digital economy environment with its internet infrastructure and a population that is fluent in both Chinese and English. Accupass recently has been devoted to applying AI (artificial intelligence) to event planning services, such as FACEPASS, Chatbot (automatic ticket selling), and Accupai (photo optimization service). We look forward to creating an ecosphere for the event industry in Chinese region, said Freeza Huang, Asia Pacific General Manager of Accupass. Uber is sued by the company that claims to have the first on-demand ride-hailing concept [Channel News Asia] Uber Technologies Inc is reportedly being sued by Sidecar Technologies Inc, the company that claims to pioneer the on-demand ride-hailing concept. The bitter Sidecar has accused the unicorn startup to engage in what it describes as predatory pricing and anticompetitive practices that ultimately put Sidecar out of business. The lawsuit is filed in U.S. district court in San Francisco on Tuesday, December 11, morning stating that Uber became hell-bent on stifling competition from competing for ride-hailing apps, and used subsidies and made fake ride requests to competitors in a bid to dominate the market. According to Sidecars lawsuit, Uber gave bonuses and other subsidies to drivers, reduced passenger fares and lost money on every ride. Furthermore, in the lawsuit, Sidecars co-founder Sunil Paul also mentioned that Ubers senior officers and executives directed clandestine campaigns to place fraudulent ride requests on the Sidecar app that were canceled before drivers arrived at the pick-up destinations. Sidecar went out of business in December three years ago and was forced to sell its assets to General Motors Co in 2016. Indonesias e-commerce unicorn Tokopedia raises US$1.1B, in development to become an infrastructure-as-a-service platform [e27] Indonesian e-commerce unicorn Tokopedia today announced that it has raised a US$1.1 billion funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund and Alibaba Group, with participation by Softbank Ventures Korea and other existing investors. Tokopedia stated that it will continue its focus on the Indonesian market, specifically in driving economic development and financial inclusion. To support its mission, Tokopedia commits to building the technology and infrastructure to empower small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as improve customer experience. Leading into our tenth year, Tokopedia is evolving our ecosystem to infrastructure-as-a-service where our logistics, fulfillment, payments and financial services technologies will empower commerce, both online and offline, said Tokopedia CEO and Co-Founder William Tanuwijaya. Also Read: Singapore VC fund TNB Aura makes final close of first fund at US$22.64M Tanuwijaya noted that this approach will broaden Tokopedias scale and reach while improving operational efficiencies for businesses and partners in the companys ecosystem. Image Credit: Accupass The post Todays top tech news, December 12, 2018: Vietnam-based travel company Triip now allows blockchain booking appeared first on e27. Trade talk movement as China agrees to slash tariffs on US auto imports from 40 to 15 per cent, report says Beijing has agreed to lower import tariffs on US-made autos from 40 per cent to 15 per cent, the first measurable action to come out of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinas Xi Jinping on December 1, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. The commitment was communicated in a call on Monday among Chinese vice-premier and designated lead trade negotiator Liu He, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the Journal said, citing an unnamed source. Opening up a new round of discussions aimed at bringing an end to the trade war, the call was described by Chinas ministry of commerce as an exchange of views about a time frame and road map for realising the consensus agreed upon at the summit of the countries leaders after the recent G20 meeting in Argentina. Reducing auto tariffs was not mentioned in official statements from Beijing after the dinner meeting in Buenos Aires, though Trump tweeted the next day that China had agreed to reduce and remove tariffs on cars coming into China from the US. The Treasury Department and Office of the United States Trade Representative did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. Chinas trade surplus with US reaches record level American auto exports to China fell sharply after tariffs were imposed in early July in retaliation for Trumps 25 per cent tariffs on US$34 billion of Chinese imports. The export value of vehicles in August stood at just over US$460 million, down 55 per cent on the same monthly figure for 2017, according to US census figures. The year-to-date value for 2018, around US$5.6 billion, was down just over 30 per cent compared with export numbers for 2017 through October. Despite the notable impact of the tit-for-tat barrage of tariffs, a reduction in auto duties may be more symbolic than substantive, given that the Chinese market constitutes just under 11 per cent of all global exports of US motor vehicles, according to census figures for 2018 through October. Story continues After a short-lived rebound in US auto stocks on Tuesday, stock prices for General Motors, Ford and Tesla all came back down at sessions close to an increase of less than 1 per cent. It is important to keep this in context: this removes a higher tariff imposed in retaliation for Trumps tariffs, and brings the tariff level back down to where it would have been anyway, said Patrick Chovanec, chief strategist at a New York-based investment advisory firm Silvercrest Asset Management, which manages more than US$20 billion in assets. In fact, China has been steadily cutting its tariffs on all imported cars, just not from the US, for several years. So China now charges the same tariff on US autos as it does on all other imported autos, which would already have been the case had Trump not initiated his own tariffs." Tesla may have the most to gain from the pullback in tariffs. The maker of electric cars, which plans to open a factory in Shanghai next year, produces most of the cars exported to China in the US; General Motors and Ford already build most of their cars for the Chinese market in China. Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning that there were very productive conversations going on with China and that some important announcements were to be expected. In other signs that both sides remain optimistic about the progress of trade discussions, the Trump administration is holding off on the next payment of a US$12 billion subsidy package to US farmers affected by tariffs, according to Reuters, citing three people familiar with the matter. Hopes that Beijing will resume imports of US soybeans at the beginning of 2019 prompted the delay, the sources said. An increase in imports of US goods was one of the commitments to emerge from Trump and Xis dinner meeting, though, unlike an official statement from the White House that said China had agreed to start purchasing agricultural products from our farmers immediately, a Chinese foreign ministry readout of the summit did not mention agricultural goods specifically. Progress on the trade front has come despite rising tensions over the arrest in Canada of Huawei chief financial officer Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, who was detained on December 1 at the request of the US, which wants to extradite her on charges of financial fraud. China urged to exercise restraint in response to Canadas arrest of Meng The dispute between Beijing, Washington and Ottawa over Mengs arrest reached new heights on Tuesday after reports that a former Canadian diplomat, Michael Kovrig, had been detained by Chinese authorities on unknown charges. US and Chinese officials have taken steps to prevent the furore over Mengs arrest from derailing trade talks, with Lighthizer saying on Saturday that it was a criminal justice matter that was totally separate from anything I work on or anything that trade policy people in the administration work on. On Monday, a spokesman from Chinas foreign ministry, which has frequently called on the US to act in good faith over the course of trade talks, insisted that Beijing hoped both sides can work together to achieve the consensus reached between our two countries leaders. But a commitment to keep trade talks quarantined from other disputes may be further tested this week when multiple US agencies reportedly will announce measures to counter what they say are efforts by Beijing to steal trade secrets and hack government computer systems. The moves, reported by The Washington Post on Tuesday, include indictments by the US Justice Department of a number of hackers over alleged attacks on US networks at the behest of a Chinese intelligence service. Additional reporting by Jodi Xu Klein This article Trade talk movement as China agrees to slash tariffs on US auto imports from 40 to 15 per cent, report says first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. More from South China Morning Post: Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential , independent , neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish from , mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely. Some other variants include: Austria -- Ombudsstelle Croatia -- pravobranitelji France -- mediateur/defenseur Germany -- Ombudspersonen Italy -- difensore Netherlands -- ombudspersoon Norway -- ombudet Poland -- Rzecznik Portugal -- provedor Russia -- Spain -- ombudsman organizacional Sweden -- studentombud Hundreds of French anti-terror police are hunting for a fugitive gunman who attacked Christmas shoppers at a market in the eastern city of Strasbourg while shouting "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest), officials said Wednesday. The attack in the heart of the medieval city as the annual Christmas market was closing on Tuesday night left two dead, 13 injured and crowds of traumatised witnesses. The suspect, a 29-year-old Strasbourg native identified as Cherif Chekatt, opened fire with a handgun and stabbed passers-by during his rampage, France's anti-terror prosecutor Remy Heitz said Wednesday. Chekatt, who was on a watchlist for suspected religious extremists, had already been sentenced 27 times in France, Germany and Switzerland for crimes including violence and robbery. His mother and father, as well as two brothers, were detained for questioning Wednesday. Chekatt was flagged by French security forces in 2015 as a possible extremist while in prison, after he "called for practising a radical form of religion," deputy interior minister Laurent Nunez told France Inter radio Wednesday. He lived in a rundown housing estate a short drive from the Christmas market, which draws some two million people each year to its wooden chalets selling festive decorations, mulled wine and food. "His family has lived around here for a while, but he lived on his own nearby," Zach, a 22-year-old in the Poteries area of Strasbourg, told AFP. "He was discreet, not a thug." Much of the centre of the city as well as the European Parliament building were locked down through the night as teams of police and soldiers searched for the gunman. On Wednesday, the market was shut and theatre performances and other shows were cancelled as reinforcements joined a manhunt that also involved police in neighbouring Germany. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told lawmakers in Paris that three people tried to stop Chekatt, one of whom was stabbed but not killed. During his rampage, he was injured in an exchange of fire with soldiers who were patrolling the Christmas market as part of regular anti-terror operations. The gunman then fled the scene in a taxi, getting out in the city's southern Neudorf district, where he again exchanged fire with police before disappearing, a source close to the inquiry told AFP. Around 720 police officers and other security forces are searching for him, Castaner said, and the public is being urged to alert police of any tips on his whereabouts. - 'People running everywhere' - The government has raised the security alert level for terrorism to its highest, reinforcing border controls and patrols at all Christmas markets across France. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced Wednesday that France's anti-terror Sentinelle operation, which counts around 7,000 soldiers, will be boosted by a total of 1,800 troops over the coming days. Among the victims in Strasbourg, two were killed outright and another has been declared brain-dead, while 12 more were injured, six critically, Heitz said. The shooting spree comes as French leader Emmanuel Macron faces the biggest crisis of his presidency after three weeks of anti-government demonstrations sparked by fuel tax rises. Security forces were already stretched by the often violent demonstrations during which five people have died and more than 1,400 been injured. Police had wanted to arrest Cherif on Tuesday morning as part of an investigation into a robbery gone bad and an attempted murder, Nunez said. He was not at home, but police found a grenade, four knives and a loaded .22 calibre pistol. Strasbourg mayor Roland Ries said most of the victims were men, including one Thai tourist who was among the dead. In Rome, the foreign ministry said one of the injured was an Italian journalist covering the European parliament, but did not confirm media reports that he was in a serious condition. According to a tweet by Poland's embassy in Paris, a Polish citizen was also among the injured. The market was to remain closed Thursday, city officials said. - France shaken by attacks - France has been targeted by a series of attacks by Islamist gunmen since 2015, and the Strasbourg market was long considered a target. Strict vehicle restrictions, security checks and patrols by armed police and soldiers amid the revellers have become the norm. The SITE intelligence group, which monitors jihadist activity, said in November that a group aligned with the Islamic State group had warned of a Strasbourg attack with a social media post titled "O Christmas here we come - Strasbourg, 01 January 2019." Some 25,000 people are currently on France's "S" extremism watchlist, 9,700 of them for radicalism "linked mainly to Islamist terror movements," according to the interior ministry. Most recently in France, a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris in May, killing one person and injuring four. At least 245 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. burs-adp-js/nla Vietnam uses US-China trade war to rebalance its economic and security relationships As the rivalry between China and the US intensifies and uncertainty hangs on whether they can resolve their trade war beyond the current 90-day truce, its an uneasy time for Asian nations caught between the two powers. In this special investigative series the South China Morning Post explores how the China-US rivalry is affecting four countries in Asia. In part one, Keegan Elmer looks at Vietnam. Heightened US-China rivalry is transforming Vietnams relationship with its big neighbour to the north, and allowing the Southeast Asian nation to diversify its economic and security relationships. Vietnam relies on China for the steadfast support of a fellow communist government and, as its biggest trading partner, to propel its rapidly growing economy but there are signs it is rebalancing the relationship. Public reaction to a plan to create three special economic zones in Vietnam brought tens of thousands on to the streets in June to protest what was widely seen as a direct Chinese presence on Vietnamese soil. The Vietnamese authorities stressed that the zones on a total of 1.3 million hectares, including one site just 100km from the northern border with China would be open to all foreign investors. But elements of the draft law, combined with years of disputes with China over investment projects and territorial claims, made some citizens feel the plan was just another way for China to strong-arm its neighbour. Legislators responded by voting to postpone the decision until October, only to quietly delay it once again until May next year. The decision is seen as a sign that Vietnam is more alert to Chinese influence and is taking advantage of the heightened US-China rivalry to rebalance the relationship. In terms of great power politics, [the] balancing is very good for Vietnam, said former Vietnamese ambassador Nguyen Ngoc Truong, president of the Centre for Strategic Studies and International Development (CSSD) in Hanoi. Story continues The good relationship [between China and US] is not necessarily so good for Vietnam, and a worsening relationship [between China and the US] is not that bad for Vietnam. When the two major powers have a good relationship, its more dangerous for small nations like Vietnam, he said. During very good times between the United States and China, under Obama, China tried to do very harmful things regarding artificial islands in the sea, Truong added, referring to what Beijing calls the South China Sea and which Hanoi refers to as the East Sea. There is a view that Hanois conflicting claims with Beijing in the disputed waters have a louder voice when joined with a more assertive Washington. In trade, Vietnam has capitalised on the fallout of the US-China trade war to become a top destination for manufacturers looking to avoid tariffs. Destination Vietnam for companies People are on the move, said John Rockhold, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnams Ho Chi Minh City chapter. Rockhold has seen a major increase in the number of firms interested in moving from China. Since September, he said, four companies a week have approached the chapter for advice on relocating to Vietnam four times the rate of previous months. Others are noting the increased interest in Vietnam. One company, Hang Sinh Business Service Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, has been busy helping manufacturers in auto parts, apparel and consumer electronics to relocate from China to Vietnam. It started at the end of August. [The increase was] extremely clear, Zhang Diansheng, general manager of Hang Sinh Business Service Centre, said. Zhang received inquiries from more than 100 companies over three months, two to three times the number of cases compared to the same time last year. We believe this is only the beginning, he said. The truce reached between China and the US following the meeting between their two presidents on December 1 may curb the surge but, Zhang said, the ceasefire is only a temporary phenomenon, because the China-US trade conflict cannot stop. The trade war has also highlighted Vietnams historic economic dependence on China, and increased the risks for Vietnam. Im afraid that Chinese goods will come here, be stamped [as made in Vietnam], and shipped on to the United States this is not good for Vietnam, said Bien Bang Bui, chief executive officer of CSSD. Bui explained that the more trade war-related relocation there was to Vietnam from China, the more likely it would be that Washington may come down on Vietnamese products. In May the US slapped tariffs on Vietnamese steel, saying China was using Vietnam to avoid US-imposed anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel. The trade war has increased Vietnams resolve to diversify its risks, and pushes to build on its already highly active efforts to pursue trade agreements with a wide variety of partners. Its not a coincidence that Vietnam has tried to develop relationships with other major investment partners, like Korea, Japan or Taiwan, Maxfield Brown, head of Dezan Shiras business intelligence unit for Asean, said. They provide a counterbalance, from an investment perspective, to China. It allows them to counterbalance Chinese influence without having to restrict Chinese investment in the country. Vietnam has also aggressively pursued major trade agreements in recent years, increasing its number of partners. This month Vietnam ratified the CP-TPP, a trade agreement of 11 Pacific Rim countries, excluding China, and the US, and negotiations for the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement were concluded this year. It doesnt have the opportunity to become a dominant power in this region because China is right there, but it can play its cards right to become a really developed and successful economy by playing the field, Brown said. Foreign relations Vietnam has tried to apply the principle of diversity to its foreign relations as well, which has also helped it to hedge against China. Lack of political trust and insufficient real security has caused Vietnam to attempt to increase its relationship with the US and others to counter China, said Zhang Jie, researcher on Southeast Asia at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In the South China Sea, Vietnam has pushed hard for a multilateral solution through Aseans code of conduct, and has found support from a more assertive Trump administration. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met in Shanghai in November, pledging to deepen cooperative bilateral ties, but that did not stop Phuc from bringing up touchy subjects like sea-related issues. Just days later, Beijing took a tongue-lashing from both Washington and Hanoi over the Spratly Islands, subject of an ongoing territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Vietnam demanded China stop operating its new weather stations on the artificially constructed islands, saying the installations which Beijing considers to be public utilities seriously violated Vietnams sovereignty over the archipelago. Washington echoed Vietnams criticism of Beijings claims and made an unprecedented call for China to remove its missile installations from the Spratlys, immediately after its own high-level meetings in Washington on security issues with a Chinese delegation. Vietnam and an increasingly assertive Washington are finding more synergies in the area of security. At the Asean summit in Singapore in mid-November, Phuc met with US Vice-President Mike Pence and thanked the US for its support of Aseans position on the South China Sea. Pence, in turn, pledged to uphold freedom of navigation throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Hanoi has been strengthening defence relations with multiple powers, including and most significantly with the US, to complicate any Chinese attempts to further change the status quo in the South China Sea in the future, said Derek Grossman, senior defence analyst at Rand Corporation. Vietnam is one of the loudest voices in Asia in countering Beijing at sea, according to Collin Koh, research fellow at the Maritime Security Programme, part of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. The Vietnamese have been consistently protesting as and when there are issues that take place in the South China Sea, Koh said. Vietnam will respond while the rest keep quiet, and China will not want to make any further outburst. Still, Vietnam adheres to its core foreign policy principles like the three nos: no participation in military alliances, no foreign military bases on Vietnamese territory, and no reliance on one country to fight against another. Even without the US, Vietnam continues to diversify its security partners, which help it to confront its differences with China. Indian President Ram Nath Kovind made a three-day trip to Vietnam last month, where he addressed the National Assembly and met with the countrys new President Nguyen Phu Trong for closed door talks. The two leaders agreed to boost bilateral trade and expand cooperation in oil, gas and defence during the visit. In his address to the National Assembly, Kovind said the two countries had a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region a pet term of the US with a commitment to freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce at sea. Kovinds visit to Vietnam was followed by a high-ranking delegation to India from the Vietnam Peoples Navy in the first week of December. The cost for Vietnam Last year US President Donald Trump suggested Vietnam increase its arms purchases to draw down its large trade surplus with the United States, but no deal has yet been announced. The Vietnamese government should not be seen as getting too close for comfort with the Americans, Koh said. Trump wants to sell arms, yes, but the issue is Vietnam cannot afford them. Instead, Koh believes, Vietnam will likely focus on low level purchases, like electronic devices, rather than big ticket items. Vietnam does not want to be too beholden to the US, Koh said, instead aiming to maintain a broad, diversified base of arms partners, from South Korea to India, but primarily from its traditional source of arms, Russia. Vietnam purchased more than US$1 billion in Russian arms in September according to Reuters, and has also bought attack submarines, warships and jet fighters from Russia. Rebalancing away from China will occur under US-China competition, but smaller countries like Vietnam fear things getting out of control, Zhang Jie, from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said. For Vietnam, competition between China and the United States is indeed beneficial to an extent, and it can use this to counter China, Zhang said. However, she added, China would not bend so easily to changes in the relationship. China will not make concessions to Vietnam on the South China Sea issue because of US-China competition. Regardless of tensions, Vietnam and China still rely on exchanges between their respective communist parties, as well as other forms of limited cooperation. Both sides have chosen to paper over their differences in the South China Sea not only with rhetoric, but by conducting confidence-building activities, such as joint coastguard patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin, said Rands Grossman. This article Vietnam uses US-China trade war to rebalance its economic and security relationships first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. More from South China Morning Post: Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who was named this week as a Time magazine "Person of the Year", has extensive experience in conflict zones, but is now fighting a war to fend off government moves to put her behind bars. Hours after meeting bail Tuesday on fresh tax fraud charges that the 55-year-old insists are "manufactured", Ressa was named to the prestigious award. The accolade, also given to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and imprisoned Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, highlighted those taking "great risks in pursuit of greater truth," Time's chief editor said. Ressa's news site, Rappler, has taken a critical stand on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly anti-drug crackdown and now says it is the target of attacks from authorities. "It is easier to navigate a conflict zone, a war zone than it is to navigate the legal weaponisation of laws in our country. But we will hold the line," the Princeton graduate said last week. Ressa and the site have been hit with multiple counts of misleading the government on taxes, and if convicted on one count alone she faces up to a decade behind bars. - 'We did not hide' - It caps a tumultuous year for Ressa, which began with the government moving to revoke Rappler's licence in January. At the same time she has received a series of global awards from press freedom advocates, including from the Committee to Protect Journalists. Ressa has been battling what she calls disinformation under Duterte, who won elections in mid-2016 on a promise to rid society of drugs by killing tens of thousands of people. Rappler has been among a small number of Philippine media outfits producing investigative reports on the killings in Duterte's anti-crime crackdown and is critical of his leadership. A journalist for more than 30 years, Ressa is no stranger to threats. As CNN's former bureau chief in Manila and Jakarta, Ressa specialised in terrorism where she tracked the links between global networks like Al-Qaeda and militants in Southeast Asia. "I've been shot at. I almost got thrown out of a country. I've been imprisoned for a night," she told AFP last week. However Ressa, who holds both American and Filipino citizenship, returned to the Philippines as news chief of the largest television network ABS-CBN for six years. In 2012, she launched her own startup, Rappler, in the social media-obsessed Philippines. However that website is now fighting for survival as Duterte's government has accused it of violating a constitutional ban on foreign ownership in securing funding, as well as libel and tax evasion. Reacting to the Time award, Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Wednesday that charges against government critics were legitimate and free expression remained "robust". Ressa, who denies all the charges, has vowed to fight back. "We at Rappler decided that when we look back at this moment a decade from now, we will have done everything we could: we did not duck, we did not hide," she said while accepting an award last month. "You don't really know who you are until you're forced to fight to defend it." Zhejiang province pledges billions to drive tech in latest example of Beijings top down approach to innovation Chinas Zhejiang province, home to e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, has pledged tens of billions of dollars to drive tech and innovation in the next five years, state media Xinhua news agency reported. The investment plan is part of a new technology policy rolled out by the provincial government on Monday, with the goal of building itself into a global high ground of technology innovation in internet and medical research by 2020. Zhejiangs provincial, municipal and county-level governments will spend 120 billion yuan (US$17.5 billion) over the next five years to drive technology and innovation, according to Xinhua. We will also guide social capital and financial institutions to invest around 290 billion yuan, Gao Yingzhong, head of the provincial Science and Technology Department, was quoted as saying by Xinhua. He added that the total investment in research and development (R&D) in Zhejiang province over the five year period is expected to reach 900 billion yuan, the equivalent of US$26 billion per year. 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 or funds that act as venture capital investors and private equity firms. As of October, various levels of governments in China had set up 2,041 government guidance funds, raising a total of 3.7 trillion yuan, according to a report by Tsinghua University last month. While the investment by the Zhejiang government is not a government guidance fund, it is part of a broader top-down innovation approach by the Chinese government as it steps up efforts to boost the private sector and increase the competitiveness of its home-grown tech sector, which still relies heavily on foreign suppliers for core technologies such as semiconductors. Zhejiang is home to many of China's most successful private businesses, which made up nearly two-thirds of the provincial economy in 2017, according to local statistics. Story continues Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, said in October that it expects to invest US$15 billion in R&D over the next three years. Last year the company spent US$3.6 billion on R&D, according to a PwC survey. Apart from the investment, Zhejiang province is aiming to increase the ratio of R&D expenditures to the equivalent of 3 per cent of provincial GDP by 2022. Chinas total investment in R&D was equal to about 2.2 per cent of GDP last year. The province also set goals to create advanced innovation platforms and cultivate 100 leading innovative enterprises. The central government in Beijing has said it wants provincial governments to pursue high-quality developments rather than just focus on getting the biggest growth in GDP. Chinese President Xi Jinping has on multiple occasions called for the construction of an innovation-driven economy and has been forthright about his ambition to make the country a global leader in innovation by 2035. This article Zhejiang province pledges billions to drive tech in latest example of Beijings top down approach to innovation first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. More from South China Morning Post: Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai testified before the US House Judiciary Committee yesterday - a first for the Internet giant. The 3.5 hour long hearing was titled "Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use, and Filtering Practices", and Pichai was grilled by lawmakers on issues ranging from the company's perceived anti-conservative bias and privacy breaches to its plans to re-enter China with a censored version of its search engine. "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 reportedly said at the top of the hearing. At the very least, the past year has seen a growing disconnect between tech firms and Capitol Hill, especially in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Google had drawn a lot of flak in September for refusing to send a suitably high-ranking executive to a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about efforts to counteract foreign influence in US elections and political discourse. Facebook's chief operating officer and Twitter's chief executive had testified at the hearing, where an empty chair was pointedly left for Google after the committee rejected Google's offer to send its legal and policy chief Kent Walker as its representative. According to Bloomberg, the much-watched hearing yesterday 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 he entered the room. "You bet on the wrong country, Sundar!" Jones said, calling the company "absolutely the most evil corporation on Earth". However, Pichai reportedly managed to remain calm and collected through the hearing. In his opening remarks, the Google top boss played up the company's American roots. "Even as we expand into new markets we never forget our American roots. It's no coincidence that a company dedicated to the free flow of information was founded right here in the US," said Pichai. "As an American company, we cherish the values and freedoms that have allowed us to grow and serve so many users. I am proud to say we do work, and we will continue to work, with the government to keep our country safe and secure." His testimony also highlighted that over the past three years, Google had made direct contributions of $150 billion to the US economy, added more than 24,000 employees, and paid over $43 billion to US partners across Search, YouTube, and Android. Pichai also addressed allegations of political bias head-on, saying: "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." During the hearing, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Tom Marino questioned Google on its plans to re-enter China, code-named Dragonfly. "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," said Marino. In response Pichai made it clear that "Right now, there are no plans for us to launch a search product in China". According to him, project Dragonfly currently is simply an "internal project" being undertaken by Google's Search team. Significantly, he did not rule out future possibilities in that direction but guaranteed transparency with lawmakers on such developments. "Our core mission is to provide users access to information and getting access to information is an important human right," said Pichai, adding, "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." According to the news portal, US 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 US military. But there is no denying the siren song of China. As the world's largest internet market it is bound to be attractive to any global company. The concern among lawmakers - and some its own employees - is that re-entering the country could signal that Google is prioritising its business over human rights. In his prepared remarks, Pichai also reiterated Google's support for a national privacy law, which could gain momentum next year, in part because diverse business groups have backed plans to that would pre-empt California's 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's day in Congress comes against a backdrop of growing criticism against the tech industry in the US for spreading misinformation and extreme content online, while privacy breaches and other mishaps have shaken the public's faith in the ability of tech firms to keep customer data safe. "We're long past that high water mark of Silicon Valley's belief that they can solve these problems on their own or ignore the public pressure,'' Danny O'Brien, international director with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advocacy group, told Bloomberg. So, going forward, focussing on neutralising allegations of political bias and concerns over privacy practices is expected to be right on top of Pichai's agenda. "It's an honor to play this role in people's lives, and it's one we know comes with great responsibility. Protecting the privacy and security of our users has long been an essential part of our mission. We have invested an enormous amount of work over the years to bring choice, transparency, and control to our users. These values are built into every product we make," he told the Senate committee yesterday. The FBI investigation that shadowed Andrew Gillum throughout the 2018 Florida governors race entered a new phase on Wednesday when prosecutors charged Tallahassee Commissioner Scott Maddox with fraud, bribery, extortion, and racketeering. A 44-count indictment alleges that Maddox and an associate, political consultant Janice Paige Carter-Smith, led a lucrative conspiracy to extort and bribe businesses. Both defendants pleaded not guilty. While Wednesdays revelations point to appalling corruption in Tallahassees City Hall, one name is conspicuously absent from the indictment: Gillum himself. It looks increasingly likely that the former Tallahassee mayor is not implicated in the FBI probe, as he insisted throughout the 2018 race. Instead, it appears that Gillum may have been the victim of a political hit job by a Republican lawyer who represented one of the players at the center of the investigation and is now working for the man who defeated Gillum in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gillums connection to the FBI inquiry has always been indirect. It seems to spring from his friendship with a Tallahassee lobbyist named Adam Corey. In 2015, Corey befriended an undercover FBI agent posing as a developer named Mike Miller. Corey then introduced Gillum to Miller, and scheduled a meeting between the two men while he and Gillum were on vacation in Costa Rica. (Gillum says he paid his share of the trips costs; Corey says he did not.) Later, Corey, Miller, and Gillum visited New York City along with Gillums brother. Miller obtained Hamilton tickets for the group, though Gillum said his brother purchased them. It is, no doubt, unwise for a mayor to accept lavish gifts from a lobbyist and a developer. It may also be unethical; the Florida Commission on Ethics is currently looking into Gillums trips to Costa Rica and New York City. But is it a federal crime? It certainly would be if Gillum had engaged in a quid-pro-quo, using the power of his office to benefit his benefactors. Advertisement Yet there is no evidence that he did. Miller did claim that he wanted the city to pass a measure that would grant him taxpayer money to develop land, and enlisted Corey to help him. But when city officials approved the plan, Gillum missed the vote. Again, theres no indication that Corey or Miller pressured Gillum to aid their venture, or that he ever did. Advertisement That doesnt mean Corey is off the hook. The lobbyist was a key target of FBI subpoenas issued in July, revolving around a restaurant that Corey developed with the help of taxpayer money. He has yet to be indicted, though prosecutors signaled on Tuesday that the probe isnt complete. Heres where the election comes in. After Corey learned of the investigationand Gillum severed their friendshiphe hired Chris Kise as his attorney. Kise is a Republican operative who served as legal counselor to Gov. Rick Scotts transition team. Scott later appointed Kise to the board of Enterprise Florida, which hands out tax incentives. Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, two weeks before Election Day, Kise released hundreds of pages of records from the Florida Commission on Ethics inquiry. These disclosures rocked the race, drawing nationwide attention to Gillums questionable relationship with lobbyists. They led to speculation that the Costa Rica and New York City trips may be at the center of the FBI probe. The Tallahassee Democrat, which broke much of the FBI story, credited these bombshells as a major reason why Gillum narrowly lost the election. Kise asserted that he divulged the records to clear his clients name, asserting that Corey is plain tired of being in the middle. In December, however, Ron DeSantisthe Republican who defeated Gillum in the governors raceappointed Kise to his transition team. The move led Democrats to speculate that Kise released the documents in exchange for a future job with DeSantis. (There is no proof that the two colluded.) Advertisement Advertisement Whatever his intention, Kises October surprise indisputably contributed to Gillums defeat and DeSantis victory. The documents he released from the Florida ethics inquiry contributed to the narrative that Gillum may have exchanged political favors for luxury travel and Hamilton tickets. But Gillum was not subpoenaed and had exactly one conversation with FBI agents, who allegedly told him that he wasnt the focus of the probe. Corey, on the other hand, has received lengthy subpoenas regarding development projects with, at most, a tenuous connection to Gillum. And Wednesdays indictment seems to confirm that Maddox and Carter-Smithlong known to be subjects of the investigationare the FBIs primary targets. This story isnt over yet: Its still unknown how Corey is linked to Maddox and Carter-Smith, if he is at all. But the FBI investigation is moving further away from Gillum, who surely wishes Wednesdays indictments had dropped before Election Day. The former mayor made himself vulnerable to political attack by palling around with lobbyists. But its ever more doubtful that he committed a federal crime. A Canadian court released Meng Wanzhou on bail Tuesday, allowing the chief financial officer of Chinas largest privately held company to await her next court appearance nearby from one of the two multimillion-dollar homes she owns in the Vancouver area. The 46-year-old Huawei Technologies executive was held for 10 days after she was arrested at Vancouver International Airport on Dec. 1 at the request of American authorities. The U.S. says Meng misrepresented the link between Huaweithe worlds largest supplier of telecommunications hardwareand the Hong Kongbased company Skycom, which was believed to be selling American goods to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Meng and Huawei said they severed ties with the company in 2009, but U.S. and Canadian authorities believe Huawei continued to run Skycom as an unofficial subsidiary. That meant Mengs statements amount to fraud, according to American authorities, and on Aug. 22 they issued a warrant for her arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrest comes at particularly tense time in U.S.-China relations, as the Trump administration has gone after what it sees as Chinas unacceptable and unfair trade practices by imposing tariffs and imposing stricter national security-based standards on certain Chinese companies access to the American market. Beijing believes those national security standards, like Mengs arrest, are a political ploy by Washington to extract economic concessions and reacted angrily to her detention. Mengs release Tuesday came shortly after China arrested a former Canadian diplomat and current analyst for the International Crisis Group, Michael Kovrig. Its unclear if Kovrigs arrest is related to Mengs detention. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasized that the arrest is a legal matter, not a political one. President Trump, not so much. Advertisement EXCLUSIVE - @realDonaldTrump tells @Reuters in interview that he would consider intervening in case of Huawei CFO if it would serve national security and help with a China trade deal Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) December 11, 2018 Advertisement Mengs bail was set at $10 million, of which she and her husband are responsible for $7 million, and the balance will be put up by acquaintances in Canada. On Tuesday, her team suggested four other Vancouver residents willing to vouch for her, including her Vancouver realtor, an insurance agent who once worked with her at Huawei, a womans whose husband once worked at Huawei and a neighbor, the Washington Post reports. All agreed to put up their homes, or cash, as collateral should she flee. There are concerns, given Mengs wealth, she could walk away from the bail money and return to China, which does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S. As Meng awaits her next court date on Feb. 6, she will be subject to 24-hour physical and electronic surveillance, as well as a curfew. The United States has 60 days from Ms. Mengs arrest on Dec. 1 to file a formal extradition request with Canadian authorities, according to the New York Times. Canada grants around 90 percent of extradition requests that are heard in court, owing to 1999 changes to its extradition laws. If an extradition request is granted, Ms. Meng will have several options to appeal, and the process could take many months. Cardinal George Pell, the third-highest ranking member of the Vatican and the top Catholic official ever to go to trial over the churchs sex abuse scandal, was found guilty Tuesday in Australia of charges of sexually abusing two choir boys in the late 1990s, the Daily Beast reports. On Wednesday, the Vatican announced Pope Francis had removed Pell and Francisco Javier Errazuriz, a cardinal from Chile, from the group of his nine close advisers, according to the BBC. Errazuriz has been accused of covering up allegations of abuse and actively working to discredit victims while serving as the archbishop of Santiago. As of now, Pell officially remains the secretariat for the economythe treasurer of the Vatican, handpicked by Francis, and the third-highest role in the Vatican hierarchybut he took an indefinite leave of absence to defend himself against the accusations in Australia. Pell has maintained his innocence of the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks to a ruling by an Australian judge, a suppression order to prevent risk of prejudice banned any press coverage of the trial in Australia, where the gag order remains in place. As a result, many details about the allegations and decision are not known. The unanimous verdict this week comes after a hung jury resulted in a mistrial in an earlier trial, which began in June in Melbourne. Before being appointed to the position at the Vatican in 2014, Pell held senior positions in Australia, including as the archbishop of Sydney and the archbishop of Melbourne. He is Australias most senior Catholic, and some speculated, before the allegations came to light, that he could replace Francis upon the popes death, according to the Guardian. According to the Daily Beast, the trial has been referred to as the cathedral trial to differentiate it from separate allegations against Pell involving a swimming pool. Advertisement According to the Guardian, author Louise Milligan last year published claims Pell had sexually abused two teenage choir boys at St. Patricks cathedral in Melbourne while serving as archbishop there in the 1990s. She reported that one of the two boys died from an overdose in 2014. Pell called the accusations a scandalous smear campaign. Advertisement Though not part of the trial, Pell has also been accused of abuse in incidents in the 1960s and 70s. An Australian website called Broken Rites published complaints from the early 1960s from a Catholic youth camp in which a boy accused Pell, then a seminarian, of touching his genitals. According to the Daily Beast, the allegation, which was made in 2002, was investigated by an Australian judge, who concluded it could not be verified. Advertisement More recently, in 2015, a woman signed a statement to police after hearing one of her sons childhood friends accuse Pell of abusing him in a swimming pool in the city of Ballarat, Pells hometown, when he was a child and Pell a young priest in the 1970s, according to the Guardian. That friend has since died, and prosecutors withdrew the charge against Pell. But the womans son then made similar allegations. These accusations make up the second, swimmers trial, which is expected to begin early next year, according to the Daily Beast. Pell hired an all-star legal defense team, which includes Robert Richter, who reportedly charges as much as $11,000 a day, the Daily Beast reported. His legal fees will likely add up into the millions, and, as the Daily Beast noted, as Pell is the Vaticans treasurer, only he is guaranteed to know who will bear the costs. Congress now has a plethora of options to dial up the pressure on Saudi Arabia over the war in Yemen and the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. But time is running short, and its unclear if lawmakers will pursue any of them. In a useful Twitter thread, Scott Anderson of the Brookings Institution runs through the five separate pieces of legislation on Saudi Arabia that may come up for debate this week. The most dramatic option is the joint resolution sponsored by Sens. Chris Murphy, Bernie Sanders, and Mike Lee, which would invoke the War Powers Resolution to halt U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in the war in Yemen. The long-gestating measure passed a key procedural vote last week and then another one Wednesday, when the senate voted 6039 to open debate. A final vote could take place later Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But meanwhile, in the House, Rep. Ro Khanna again reintroduced his own War Powers Resolutionbased measure. Last time this measure came up, in November, House leaders inserted a clause in a bill about removing gray wolves from the endangered species list to prevent debate on it. On Wednesday, they again prevented it from coming to a vote with a line inserted into a rule related to the farm bill. Five Democrats voted for the rule, preventing what would have been an embarrassing failure for Republicans. The bill could be reintroduced again in January, when Democrats take over the House, but then the Senate would have to renew its approval. This will be tougher with the net loss of two Democratic seats, plus Republican Jeff Flake, who has criticized Trump on a number of foreign policy issues. Advertisement On the other end of the intensity scale is a nonbinding sense of the Senate resolution by Republican Sen. and newly converted Saudi critic Lindsey Graham, which would condemn Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans role in Khashoggis death and the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Outgoing Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker is reportedly planning a somewhat tougher version of Grahams bill that would be a joint resolution requiring action by the House, meaning it would land on Trumps desk. These would probably be taken up after a final vote on the Murphy-Sanders-Lee resolution. Advertisement A third path is represented by a bill introduced by Sens. Bob Menendez and Todd Young and still being fought over in the Foreign Relations Committee. This one would suspend arms saleswith some exceptionsto the Saudis until the Yemen conflict is resolved and would use the Global Magnitsky Act to impose sanctions that the President determines, based on credible evidence was responsible for, or complicit in, ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing an act or acts contributing to or causing the death of Jamal Khashoggi. Advertisement Advertisement The crown princes name does not appear in this bill, but its very much about him. President Trump has continually refused to acknowledge the evidence linking MBS to Khashoggis death, most recently in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday. But U.S. intelligence agencies clearly believe theres compelling evidence of his involvement, which is evident based not only on media reports but also on senators outraged reactions to last weeks classified briefing by CIA Director Gina Haspel. Menendezs bill still leaves it up to Trump whether to hold MBS accountable, but as Brookings Scott Anderson told me, it is intended to shame the Trump administration and impose political costs if it implements this provision in a way lacking in credibility. This assumes that shame is a meaningful motivator to this administration, which is an optimistic assumption. Advertisement Advertisement Since all these measures, with the exception of Grahams, would require action from both chambers and have to overcome a Trump veto, theyre all long shots. But the forthcoming debate over them should be instructive. Namely, members of Congress have to articulate exactly what their problem is with Saudi Arabia. In the American public debate over Saudi Arabia in the past few weeks, the Khashoggi killing and the war in Yemen have been linked, but theyre hardly the same issue. You can make a logical argument that while Khashoggis killing was inexcusable, the fight against the Houthis in Yemen is a key U.S. interest, and the importance of the strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia to combat Iran outweighs the negatives. This is more or less the argument made by outgoing Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in an interview with NBC on Wednesday. Advertisement You can also make the argument that U.S. involvement in the Yemen war has been morally unacceptable and strategically dubious from the start and that the larger U.S.-Saudi relationship needs to be rethought. This position has gotten more popular with Democrats since Trump became president, but a few senators in a both parties took this stance under Obama as well. Advertisement Advertisement Whats a little harder to fathom are those who seem to believe that the death of one journalist in Istanbul, rather than tens of thousands of civilians in Yemen, should change the U.S. stance on the war. Graham has had the most dramatic transformationI changed my mind because Im pissedbut hes hardly alone. Ten Democrats including Menendez changed their votes on the Murphy-Sanders-Lee resolution between March and last month, a change of heart that almost certainly had more to do with the outrage over Khashoggi than any new information on whether the Yemen war is constitutional. Likewise, theres been a dramatic shift from a few months ago, when MBS was widely viewed in Washington as a promising reformer, to the prevailing view today that hes, as Corker put it, out of control. As I wrote last week, MBSs own rivals for power in Riyadh have been more than happy to feed this new narrative. The question then becomes: Is Saudi Arabia a reliable and important ally that just happens to have a bloodthirsty, impulsive crown prince in charge of its foreign policy, or is the problem with the kingdom itself? Weddings in Delhi may shrink significantly if the Delhi government's plans come to fruition and big, fat weddings may not remain so big anymore. The Delhi Chief Secretary told the Supreme Court that the government will form a policy to limit the number of guests invited to weddings or similar big celebrations. The idea behind it is to prevent food wastage, excessive use of water and traffic congestion. The Supreme Court said such wastage is 'unacceptable' in a city that is witnessing water crisis and has seen alleged starvation deaths. The apex court, noting the issue, had sought for the help of the Chief Secretary. Chief Secretary Vijay Dev, who appeared before a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur, Deepak Gupta and Hemant Gupta, said that the government shared the court's concern. He said that a "balance has to be maintained between the requirements of the rich and the poor" living in the city. Chief Secretary Dev further added that there is unanimity between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor on the issue to discourage "vulgar and extravagant display" by the wealthy, as mentioned in a report in The Times of India. Referring to a case in which three siblings starved to death, the Supreme Court said that thousands of litres of water and tonnes of food were wasted in such extravagant celebrations while common people didn't even get safe drinking water. The Chief Secretary also added that wastage of food and misutilisation of scarce water resources is looked at by the LG and the government. Arrangements to serve the excess food to the poor with the help of NGOs must be looked at, CS Dev said. CS Dev said a policy regarding the same could be drafted within six weeks, wherein the management of farms and motels in and around Delhi would also be reviewed. Following this the court set a deadline of January 31 for the policy framework. Lawyers for Michael Flynn asked a federal judge Tuesday to sentence the former Trump National Security Adviser to probation, allowing Flynn to avoid jail time in return for his plea deal with prosecutors. The special counsel recommended little to no time behind bars for Flynn in a court filing last week ahead of Flynns Dec. 18th sentencing date. In Muellers sentencing memo, prosecutors said the retired Army lieutenant general provided substantial assistance and deserves credit for accepting responsibility in a timely fashion and substantially assisting the government. The prosecutors memo said Flynn sat with investigators for 19 interviews, but didnt elaborate on the tone and substance of Flynns input into the Russia investigation. Flynns lawyers, however, in making the case for their client to receive leniency from the court, added new details about Flynns participation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From Politico: [Flynns] lawyers said he spent about 62 hours and 45 minutes meeting with the government. Flynn also produced thousands of documents for the Justice Department, including materials before he pleaded guilty dealing with his two security companies. He also made five additional document productions to the government after his plea agreement last December. As the Government has made clear, his cooperation was not grudging or delayed, Flynns lawyers wrote. Rather, it preceded his guilty plea or any threatened indictment and began very shortly after he was first contacted for assistance by the Special Counsels Office. Flynns attorneys asked the court for a sentence of no more than a year of probation and 200 hours of community service. Flynn is expected to receive a sentence from zero to six months for pleading guilty to a single felony count of making false statements. Five years ago on Wednesday, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act of 2013, or FAMILY Act, was first introduced in Congress. Remarkably, it still has not been passed into law. This bill would make sure that all of us can take paid time off from work for those critical moments of life: when we have or adopt a baby, or when we or our close family members are seriously ill. It is time to renew the promise of the FAMILY Act. The new Democratic leaders in the House will almost surely renew the bill and pass it in the House, while Republicans in the Senate should prove once and for all whether they are actually the party of family values. Advertisement How can it be that our country still doesnt have a national paid family and medical leave law, when basically every other developed country does? A United Nations study of 185 countries revealed that we are in club of two, with Papua New Guinea, in failing to ensure paid leave for new mothers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), passed in 1993, provides job protection for 12 weeks of leaveso workers cant be fired for taking leavebut the law has stringent eligibility rules that leave almost half of workers uncovered. FMLA leave is also unpaid and therefore out of reach for many low- and middle-wage earners; in one 2016 Fed survey, almost half of adults said they couldnt cover an emergency expense costing $400 without selling something or borrowing money. Advertisement Some employers voluntarily provide paid leave, but many do not: Only 14 percent of private sector workers had access to paid family leave in 2016, and only 41 percent had medical or short-term disability leave. Hence the need for FAMILY Act, which would provide up to 12 weeks of partial pay when workers take time off for the birth or adoption of a child, for serious health conditions or that of a close family member, or for certain military caregiving and leave purposes. It would cover workers regardless of company size, and the leave would be funded through a modest payroll contribution split between the employer and worker. On this half-decade anniversary of its initial introduction, lets take a look back, and consider whats happened in the intervening years. Advertisement Advertisement In the absence of federal action, state and local governments have taken up the banner. Since 2013, three statesMassachusetts, New York, and Washingtonplus Washington, D.C., have passed their own paid family and medical leave laws, joining three statesCalifornia, New Jersey, and Rhode Islandthat had already done so. Over 20 localities have passed paid sick days laws, most within the past five years. (Paid, or earned, sick leave laws grant a limited number of days, often in the five- to eight-day range, for needs related to both serious and every-day, short-term illnesses.) Advertisement Although initially resistant to the concept, employers have largely adapted in states with these laws. California was the first state to have a paid family and medical leave law, and a study six years later found that the program was a non-event for businesses, with minimal impact on morale, productivity, and profitability. Advertisement These advances at the state and local levels reflect the growing national consensus on the need for paid leave. A survey conducted in July found that 84 percent of voters supported a comprehensive national paid family and medical leave policy covering all people who work. Other surveys have found similar levels of support. Advertisement Democrats have been the champions of these laws at the local, state, and federal level. Widespread public support has led even some high-profile Republicans to get behind paid leave as a concept, from first daughter Ivanka Trump to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. Unfortunately, theyve come up with some wacky ideas about how to structure a program, like shoehorning it into the already-overburdened unemployment system, or making people borrow from their Social Security retirement money to cover parental leave. Meanwhile, many Republicans at the state level have been recalcitrant on the issue of paid leave. In Michigan, the Republican-controlled legislatures power grab includes weakening a paid sick leave law passed months ago. In Texas, the state attorney general sued to stop Austins paid sick days law. And in more than a dozen jurisdictions, states have passed laws pre-empting local paid leave requirements. Advertisement What has happened in peoples lives in our country in the five years since the FAMILY Act was introduced, but not passed? These advances at the state and local level reflect the growing national consensus on the need for paid leave. In 2016, more than 3.9 million babies were born. Assuming that number was typical, that works out to almost 20 million babies over the past five years. In 2012, over 119,000 children were adopted, for a likely total of almost 600,000 since 2013. How many parents didnt get to spend bonding time caring for their new children? How many infants didnt get as much time with their parents as they really needed to feel safe and comfortable? How many older kids, recently adopted, didnt get enough time at home with their new parents? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some more numbers to illustrate our situation: In 2018, an estimated 1.7 million people will have been diagnosed with cancer; in 2015, around 2.4 million people were injured in non-fatal car accidents; and there were over 2.7 million deaths nationally in 2016. Again, assuming these years were typical, this means that over the past five years there were around 8.5 million cancer diagnoses, 12 million non-fatal car accident injuries, and more than 13 million deaths. How many people couldnt accompany someone they loved to chemotherapy, or couldnt be there for their parent or spouse or sibling in hospice care? How many will forever regret missing the chance to say goodbye because they had to be at work to cover the costs of food and rent? Advertisement These statistics arent just numbers. Think of your own family and your friends families. Most of us have had a number of these events in our lives. We have children. Adopt a baby. Some kids have serious health issues, and others have more everyday ones like broken bones. We reach midlife and need surgery for a herniated disc or an ACL tearand those are the positive scenarios, because some people face much more difficult diagnoses. Our parents grow old and need help. Advertisement Advertisement Maybe there are some single childless twentysomethings somewhere, with parents in perfect health, who wouldnt have needed any paid family or medical leave in the past five years. But most of us do. And anyhow, twentysomethings turn thirtysomething, so this fate awaits us all. Advertisement Could this be an issue where we can finally find common ground? There is overwhelming public support for paid leave. The Republican Party has long claimed to be the party of family values, and this is a chance to prove it. There are millions of families and lives that will be made better in concrete and visceral ways by this laws passage. There is a tired and demoralized public, wanting to see signs of progress from Congress. How to solve this? Theres the usual plan B: federal paralysis, with the states taking action to fill the gap. But five years is enough. Its time for plan A. Its time to get this done. The same coin: John Kelly, President Trumps departing chief of staff, was supposed to be the adult in the room of the administration, reining in the executives worst instincts. But really, Kelly mostly agreed with the presidents ideology and was committed to seeing it through. Jamelle Bouie takes stock of Kellys tenure. On the border: An unexpected voice has spoken out against Donald Trump on immigration: Ammon Bundy, the infamous anti-government militia leader. After he expressed sympathy for Central American asylum-seekers and criticized President Trumps fearmongering, several of Bundys extreme followers reacted harshly. Yet in this context, the phenomenon of Woke Ammon Bundy isnt so surprising, Ruth Graham points out. Advertisement Meh TV: Critic Willa Paskin was underwhelmed by the output from the small screen this year, finding that the era of Peak TV has settled into a habit where greatness is mere happy accident. Still, she found a few shows worth her time, including her favorite, which is an escape from politics but not escapist. Strange bedfellows: Massachusetts police have a history of punishing citizens who record them doing their jobs. But on Monday, a federal court affirmed the First Amendment right to secretly record law enforcement officials, ruling in favor of the ACLUand right-wing troll operation Project Veritas? Mark Joseph Stern explains. For fun: Can you buy dinosaur fossils? What about, like, science? Nitish A federal judge in Manhattan has sentenced Donald Trumps former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to three years in federal prison for crimes that include a felony in which the president is said to have participated. The sentence covers Cohens guilty pleas to a number of charges, including two related to a 2016 scheme to fund nondisclosure agreements with women who say they had extramarital affairs with the now-president. Cohen and prosecutors say the payments were made at Trumps direction in order to protect his presidential campaign and should have been disclosed as campaign expenses; Trump has said they were a private transaction and that any blame for their illegal structure is Cohens. Advertisement Cohen also admitted to lying to Congress about the Trump Organizations efforts to develop an apartment tower in Moscowhe said the project had been abandoned in January 2016, before presidential primaries began, when in fact it was actively pursued until that Juneand to having committed tax evasion and bank fraud related to his personal investments. (The pursuit of the Moscow project does not on its face appear to have been illegal but could conceivably have been related to a larger election-related scheme to conspire with Russian officials.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a classic case of insult being added to injury, Cohen received the sentence after his own lawyer, Guy Petrillo, argued that he should be shown lenience because he was too bumbling of a businessman to have really hurt anyone: Advertisement Petrillo calls Cohen a man who "does not engage in sharp business practices." Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Petrillo: "No bank has ever lost money dealing with Michael Cohen." He repeats that line twice. Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 12, 2018 Cohen was prosecuted by Robert Muellers special counsel office on the congressional perjury charges and by the U.S. attorney from New Yorks Southern District on the other charges. Representatives of the Southern District had urged the judge to give Cohen a substantial sentence, arguing that despite his guilty pleas he has not fully cooperated with its investigation into his activities. As former prosecutor Frank Bowman wrote in Slate recently, the government can still ask for a reduction in Cohens sentence, but only if he offers further cooperation within the next year. A gunmans attack on the Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, that left two dead and more than a dozen wounded on Tuesday was an act of terrorism, a French prosecutor announced on Wednesday. Witnesses say the suspect shouted, Allah Akbar and fired into the crowd at the market, which is a major winter tourist attraction at the center of the border city. He later took a taxi and tried to justify his actions to the driver. The suspect, who remains at large, was identified by the French government as Cherif Chekkatt, a 29-year-old Strasbourg native with more than two dozen convictions on his record, in addition to stints in prison that authorities speculated may have led him to be radicalized. He was on the Fiche S, the governments list of residents who pose a security risk. On the morning of the attack, the French interior ministry said, police attempted to arrest him in connection with an attempted murder. He wasnt home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attack was reminiscent of the 2016 attack on the Berlin Christmas market, in which a Tunisian national who had pledged allegiance to ISIS killed 12 people. In France, it was an unwelcome reminder of the spate of jihadi terrorism that hit the country between 2015 and 2016, including attacks on the magazine Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan concert hall in Paris and the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The Christmas market in Strasbourg, which has occupied the center of this city on the Rhine since 1570, was closed on Wednesday, but the citys mayor, Roland Ries, said it would reopen on Thursday. President Trump thinks hell win a fight with Democrats over paying for a wall on the Mexican border. If we dont get what we want I will shut down the government, Trump told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speakerdesignate Nancy Pelosi in a televised Oval Office meeting on Tuesday. 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. Advertisement When Trump talks about the people of this country, hes saying that hell win because polls are on his side. Hes also confident because nearly a year ago, Democrats caved under fire after a three-day shutdown over DACA, a program that protected undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as kids. The last time you shut [the government] down, you got killed, Trump told Schumer and Pelosi in Tuesdays meeting. But Trump is misreading history and the polls. If he ends up in a shutdown over a wall, hell lose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump lives in a partisan bubble. In the White House, he surrounds himself with sycophants. In Congress, he works only with Republicans. When he goes out, he speaks at rallies full of worshipful followers. When he watches TV, its Fox News. So when he sees polls, he focuses on his base. By that measure, building a wall looks like a winner. In surveys taken during last winters shutdown fight, the percentage of Republicans who supported a wall ranged from 65 to 75. This summer, it was even higher, between 73 and 87 percent. Advertisement But step outside the Republican bubble, and you soon discover that enthusiasm for the wall is shaky even among Trumps strongest constituencies. Consider whites without a college degree, two-thirds of whom voted for Trump in 2016. In a CNN poll taken in January, non-college whites opposed a wall, 51 percent to 46 percent. In Quinnipiac surveys, non-college whites support a wall, but just barely, with majorities in the low 50s. When theyre told that the cost is $25 billion, they oppose it by a narrow plurality. Venture further from the bubble, and the numbers get worse. A year ago, Public Policy Polling found that 65 percent of Republicans supported building a wall if taxpayers have to pay for it. (Trump originally promised that Mexico would pay for it.) But whites as a whole rejected a wall on those terms, 51 percent to 42 percent. In the CNN poll, whites opposed a wall, 57 percent to 41 percent. In a CBS/YouGov poll taken in June, 63 percent of Republicans said a wall was a good idea that can probably be completed. Only 37 percent of whites agreed. In Quinnipiac surveys, most whites opposed building a wall. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps second mistake is that he thinks Democrats will lose a shutdown fight over a wall because they lost the shutdown fight over DACA. He doesnt understand that the current fight is different in two ways. This time, Trump is the one making demands. And popular support for a wall is much weaker than popular support for DACA. In every survey that has asked about both issuesCBS, CNN, Gallup, Quinnipiac, and the Washington Postonly about 35 to 40 percent of Americans have supported a wall, while more than 80 percent have supported allowing young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to remain in the country if they meet certain requirements. Advertisement Step outside the Republican bubble, and you soon discover that enthusiasm for the wall is shaky even among Trumps strongest constituencies. These two gapsbetween DACA and a wall, and between Republicans and the rest of the countryshow up vividly in surveys that ask specifically about shutting down the government. If you focus on Republicans, as Trump does, a shutdown over a wall looks winnable. In a Politico/Morning Consult poll taken in January, Republicans said by a 4-point margin that a wall was worth a shutdown. When Politico repeated the question last month, the margin among Republicans was 15 points. In a PBS/NPR/Marist survey that ended last week (the survey dates were Nov. 28 to Dec. 4), 65 percent of Republicans said Trump should not compromise on the border wall even if it means a government shutdown. Only 29 percent said Trump should compromise on the border wall to prevent gridlock. Advertisement Advertisement But outside the bubble, a shutdown over a wall is deeply unpopular, even among whites. In the January Politico poll, whites said by a 21 ratio, 60 percent to 28 percent, that funding a wall wasnt worth a shutdown. In the November Politico poll, whites expressed the same view, 54 percent to 32 percent. In the Marist survey, 55 percent of whites said Trump should compromise on the wall to avoid a shutdown; only 39 percent said he should stand his ground. Even among supporters of a wall, the January CBS poll found that a plurality, 50 percent to 44 percent, said it wasnt worth risking a shutdown. Politically, a shutdown over a wall would be far more disastrous than a shutdown over DACA. In the January Politico survey, voters were evenly split on whether legislation to protect young people who were brought to the United States illegally when they were children was important enough to prompt a government shutdown. But on a wall, they were clear: 59 percent said a wall wasnt worth a shutdown; only 27 percent said it was. When Politico repeated those questions last month, it got almost the same results. Trump has lied about the wall all along, and the bill for his lies is coming due. He said Mexico would pay for it, but Mexico refused. Then he demanded that Congress pay for it on his terms, but Congress refused. If the wall gets funded, you know who will end up paying for it: you. But if it doesnt, and if we end up in a shutdown, Ill tell you who will pay politically: Donald Trump. Last week, prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleged in court filings that Donald Trump directed his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to make hush money payments that violated campaign finance laws. The prosecutors recommended serious prison time for Cohen, and commentators remarked widely that Trump could be facing his own indictment if he were not president, because the Department of Justice has a policy of not indicting a sitting president. But this news highlights a major problem with this policy: statutes of limitations. The intractability of that problem is a compelling argument for why prosecutors must be able to indict a sitting president. Otherwise, a president could escape prosecution for many felonies by running out the clock. Advertisement The campaign finance felony Trump may have directed has a five-year statute of limitations, after which time a defendant cannot be tried if he has not been indicted. What if President Trump wins a second term? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Or hypothetically, what if a president had committed such felonies earlier in a campaign, so that the clock would run out by the end of the first term? Should a president be above the law because of the statute of limitations? Some have argued that the solution is something called equitable tolling. In civil cases, like contracts or torts, there are statutes of limitations for a plaintiff to start a lawsuit. This legal deadline makes sure that plaintiffs give defendants adequate notice, that witnesses memories are fresh, and that justice is served and not delayed. The clock can be tolledthe deadline can be extendedif, for example, the defendant engaged in fraud or deception, which induced the plaintiff to miss this deadline. Equitable tolling is rare, but it is firmly established in civil litigation. Advertisement Should a president be above the law because of the statute of limitations? Over the past few days, commentators have suggested that the same principle should apply to the criminal prosecution of a president: that the statute of limitations might automatically toll because of the possibility of presidential immunity from prosecution. In fact, the Office of Legal Counsels legal opinion that the president should not be indicted relies on a courts possible authority to recognize an equitable tolling to allow for a postpresidential criminal case to go forward notwithstanding the statute of limitations. Advertisement But can courts actually equitably toll a criminal statute? The OLC acknowledged in a footnote that equitable tolling is invoked only sparingly, in the rare situation where [it] is demanded by sound legal principles as well as the interests of justice. In fact, the OLC couldnt even cite a single case where a court granted it to prosecutors. Rather, the OLC memo cited three appeals court cases: two criminal cases that discussed the possibility only in speculative dicta, and one civil case. Even the cases dicta give no indication that it would apply in something like a presidential immunity case. Some cases have involved specific tolling statutes for criminal fugitives, but that is not the same thing as equitable tolling, and those statutes do not apply here. Legal scholars have struggled to identify a single precedent in which a federal court equitably tolled the statute of limitations for any criminal defendant. In fact, the term equitable tolling comes up so rarely in the legal literature in connection to criminal prosecution, it appears to be something more imagined than real. Advertisement Advertisement The bottom line: It is far from clear that equitable tolling for criminal prosecution exists even in the clearest circumstances. Advertisement The OLC memos reliance on something that might not exist does not inspire much confidence in its overall reasoning or research. Additionally, even if criminal equitable tolling were a thing, how would a court know when to invoke it? In a civil context, there are concrete obstacleslike the defendants fraud or the plaintiff having been imprisonedthat allow a court to stop the clock. What would be the concrete event for a court to stop the clock for a president? Some commentators assume the tolling would be automatic. Why? No federal court has ever ruled specifically on presidential immunity, so its not a matter of settled precedent. The OLC memo is not law. If federal prosecutors decline to indict because they have an internal policy, then that was their own decision, their own (potentially silent) inaction. Such a defendant could easily object that equitable tolling doesntand shouldntapply, and that he should be protected by the statute of limitations like anyone else. Why should a court hold a prosecutors silent inaction against a defendant, even a presidential defendant? Advertisement Second, lets say Mueller or the Southern District of New York wants to bring an indictment, but the effort is blocked by the attorney general because of a view that sitting presidents are immune. Even if this effort became public, Trump would not have to invoke presidential immunity; it would have been invoked for him by the attorney general. When a tolled case ultimately went forward, a court could still say that it was not the presidents fault that prosecutors internally disagreed on policies and sat on indictments. The president could later argue that immunity wasnt settled law and wasnt something he ever asked for. It would be the prosecutors failure to bring a timely indictment and to seek a judicial ruling on this constitutional questionnot the presidentsand the president shouldnt be punished for it, the argument would go. It might be unclear whether the DOJ declined to indict for constitutional reasons, lack of evidence, or other discretionary reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One solution might be for a prosecutor to issue a report stating, but for presidential immunity, we would seek an indictment. This would serve to give notice to the president of the allegations and notice to the courts of the reasons. It would give the president the opportunity to waive his rights under the statute of limitations, and if he did not, a court might be more likely to toll and pause the clock. However, such a report potentially could be suppressed by the attorney general, and it is still doubtful whether such a statement would be enough to toll. And if such a statement is permissible, why would an actual indictment be any more burdensome on a president? If prosecutors can write such reports saying that a defendant would otherwise be indicted, why not have an actual indictment while delaying the trial? Indictment with delayed trial is consistent with the original Framers writings. For example, in Federalist No. 69, Alexander Hamilton wrote: Advertisement The President of the United States would be liable to be impeached, tried, and, upon conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors, removed from office; and would afterwards be liable to prosecution and punishment in the ordinary course of law. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecution here might likely refer to the trial. The Framers did not discuss indictments, and there is no sign that they were concerned about indictments as a burden. As long as prosecution-as-trial is delayed, this procedure would be consistent with their vision. (Walter Dellinger and Andrew Crespo have offered deeper analysis on this approach.) If statute-of-limitations concerns allow sitting presidents to be indicted in some cases with short statute-of-limitation deadlines, then why not indict in cases with longer statutes of limitations? The argument against the burdens is no longer compelling, and crimes with longer statutes of limitations tend to be more serious felonies. Prosecutors must be able to bring indictments for the sake of giving defendants fair notice of the allegations and for the sake of the public. If federal prosecutors have solid evidence that Trump committed a serious felony, the DOJ has a duty to indict a sitting president. Trumps attorney general might still try to block such an indictment anyway, but lets be clear: That attorney general may have to explain under oath his reasons for impeding justice, and presidential immunity is simply not an adequate answer. Every time major news broke this year, the best place to find historians perspectives on the latest Trump calumny or #MeToo revelation was on Twitter, where their carefully argued threads were going viral. Im on record as being somewhat skeptical of Twitter as a format for writing popular history; historians recent perfection of the thread, which allows for a much more developed argument over a long, connected series of tweets, has proven me wrong. But is this new mode of public writing helping get history to more readers? And how much time do these little masterpieces take for their authors to create? Advertisement Heres your Year in Notable Twitter History Threads, with commentary, when available, from those who wrote them. The developing Nike story @ChavieLieber charts @Racked is (like all #MeToo narratives) disheartening, and shares much with @lululemon story: fitness brands w big women's line of biz AND branding message around empowerment AND apparently serious antifeminism in their ranks. /1 https://t.co/o5OGyJKuh4 Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, Ph.D. (@nataliapetrzela) March 18, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Natalia Petrzela, of the New School, is a favorite Twitter follow of mine for commentary on gender and culture. I especially love her tweets about the history of the fitness industry. This image-laden thread about the Nike brands fraught track record with gender politics, written in response to news about sexual harassment at the company, eventually led to this article in the Washington Post as well as two appearances on NPR. Charles Ball was born enslaved in Maryland around 1780. Enslavers tore his family apart when he was five years old. He remembered: My mother had several children, my brothers and sisters, and we were all sold on the same day to different purchasers. 1/ Joshua D. Rothman (@rothmanistan) May 26, 2018 Advertisement Probably the best thing about a Twitter thread is speed, Joshua Rothman, of the University of Alabama, wrote in an email. Rothman posted a thread about the 19th century writer Charles Balls experience of family separation during the slave trade just as we were learning about the worst effects of the Trump administrations border policies. For historians, even writing an op-ed might have a delay of a couple of days. But Twitter allows for the transmission and circulation of historical knowledge and context in real time, as events are unfolding. And even though that speed does lead to less careful consideration than a lot of people might like to see, the news cycle moves so quickly that context sometimes never appears unless its provided on the spot. Advertisement Advertisement At 9 years old, my grandfather was separated from his family and placed in immigration detention. He was still talking about that 9-12 month ordeal decades later, up to the week he died. The wound had never closed. After he passed ... 1/4 pic.twitter.com/nEeE96hXrl Beth Lew-Williams (@BethLewWilliams) June 14, 2018 Here was another example of a historian invoking the stories of a specific childs experience to highlight the trauma of the separation policy. Beth Lew-Williams, of Princeton, wrote about her grandfathers separation from his family due to immigration detention in this brief and devastating thread. Advertisement Advertisement For those historians on Twitter who dont mind confrontation with trolls, this was the summer of dunking on the charlatan Dinesh DSouza. Kevin Kruse, a very Twitter-active historian at Princeton who is probably the reigning monarch of the historical Twitter thread, did this most visibly with this convincing offering addressing DSouzas, um, alternative history of the American political parties. This one, followed by a couple other smaller fact-checks of DSouzas claims, led to a massive increase in followers that month, Kruse wrote to me. I was at 80k at the start of July and up to 120k by the end of the month, with most of that happening in the first two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement A good thread usually takes about an hour. The argument is usually one I can rattle off immediatelywhich is why I set out to do these things, they seem deceptively straightforward at the start, Kruse said. But I soon remember that the hardest part is tracking down the supporting evidence I like to use. Ill often know something is available in a book, for instance, but if Im at home and its in my office, I have to get creative to find the text online somewhere. Or theres a specific fact I want to illustrate (an illustration of a vote on a measure or a particular image), that again can take some time to track down. The more instances like that, the longer it takes. Advertisement I transcribed a collection of 18thC student disciplinary records once. Let me give a quick overview of the things that generation were doing... 1/ https://t.co/RZ5aTTJ7N0 Jenny Bann (@calluna_) July 19, 2018 Jenny Bann, a recovering academic in Scotland, responded to a millennial-bashing editorial with a hilarious series of tweets about student misbehavior, showing that a thread simply showcasing primary sources works very well, especially if the tweets are individually delicious. Advertisement Tfw youve been dunked on so much by American historians, you have to give the Germans a shot. https://t.co/ZJUWrUNwzr David Walsh (@DavidAstinWalsh) August 4, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I compiled this thread on the German Nazi Party platform in response to a Dinesh DSouza tweet while on the subway, David Austin Walsh, a graduate student in history at Princeton (yes, another Princetonian; call it the Kruse Effect), wrote. That was completely spontaneous. Im not even a historian of Germany, but Id read the document before and his claim struck me as both utterly ludicrous and easily debunkable if you spent more than two minutes with the text. So, I pulled it up on Wikipedia and away I went, making posts every time the train hit a new station. Advertisement 1. As a descendant of Jewish immigrants who settled around Johnstown, PA in the early 20th century, my family history also intersects with Stephen Miller's. Here's some of that history, and why it leads me to revile Miller's politics. https://t.co/Ek2nqxfEWX Seth Cotlar (@SethCotlar) August 17, 2018 Advertisement I tried to model what it looked like to be rigorously honest about ones own family history, Seth Cotlar, a historian at Willamette University, wrote about this thread, what it looked like to express love for ones ancestors while also acknowledging parts of them that are regrettable. Cotlar responded to Stephen Millers uncles Aug. 13 op-ed about immigration by offering a family story thats got a twist near the end. To me, this is what a healthy historical culture does it strives to balance respect for the past with a willingness to tell rude truths about it. Advertisement Advertisement I'm seeing some misinformation here re: non-slaveholding southerners fighting in the #CivilWar since @TheTattooedProf 's #RobertELee thread went viral. So let's get a few things right: Keri Leigh Merritt (@KeriLeighMerrit) August 17, 2018 Advertisement Keri Leigh Merritt, a historian and writer in Atlanta, said that her more viral threads, like this one responding to the controversy over Sen. Chris McDaniels Aug. 15 defense of Robert E. Lee, do seem to correlate with higher than average sales of her books. Ive found that the more time investment, generally the more likes and RTs, she told me. Historical threads with visuals take a LOT of time. If I just rant politically, that takes much less time. Advertisement Let's talk for a second about how we count murders, and how numbers hide the real story.https://t.co/WkD8AjnID9 Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) August 20, 2018 Advertisement Kruse explained that this thread, taking a Charlie Kirk claim about police shootings and looking at the bigger picture behind the assumption, was his favorite. Of all the big threads Ive done, this one most closely replicates what I try to do in the classroombecause its modeled on a lecture I give each yearand it takes pains to make a single, important point, Kruse wrote. More than simply fact-checking historical lies, which is what a lot of these do, this one uses the past to challenge the way we think about things in the present, which is an essential role for the discipline, I think. Advertisement The GOP effort to slam through the Kavanaugh nomination is a flashpoint because it reveals the essence of today's GOP: a belief that some people are better than others, and should rule the rest of us. That has been the heart of GOP since 1980; the Kavanaugh case exposes it. 1/ Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) (@HC_Richardson) September 30, 2018 Heather Cox Richardson, of Boston College, said of her rare-but-rich threads, like this one about the place of antidemocratic thought in the history of the GOP: I usually have to be goaded into it, and I think you can hear that in my tone, which is not the same as the tone in my more measured pieces. As in: Ive let these comments go by for hours, but Im past the point of tolerance. Advertisement Richardson sees 25 tweets as her outer limit for a thread. I try to use words as sparingly as possible, and I try to make each tweet self-contained, she wrote. This is not an easy process, but I find it enormously fun. I think of it kind of like history Sudoku: How can I fit this massive amount of material into 1525 self-contained packages? Richardson told me that it takes her three to five hours to write a typical 15- to 25-tweet thread. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not interested in linking to #megynkellyblackface, but want to explore how racist blackface caricatures have been conflated with patriotism, classic American songbook (Stephen Foster), & Americana convincing millions for generations blackface is inoffensive or even celebratory RL Barnes, Ph.D. (@DigitalHistory_) October 24, 2018 Advertisement Rhae Lynn Barnes (also of Princeton!) wrote this thread about Megyn Kellys show-ending blackface comment that tapped a decade of research on the many ways minstrelsy has been embedded in American culture. Barnes calls the big reaction to her thread a blessing. I received hundreds of e-mails from Americansliberal and conservativethankful to learn more about how their own racial imaginations had been shaped in childhood by these insidious threads in popular culture, Barnes wrote. I suddenly was able to talk with the audience and readership I had to convince myself for a decade was real and existed. Advertisement Barnes told me she has been contacted by agents and editors and invited to speaking engagements as a result of her Twitter threads, all of which has been extremely helpful in selling her book project (Darkology: When the American Dream Wore Blackface, forthcoming and sure to be amazing). What I gained from having hundreds of people commenting on my Twitter thread was insight into how to sell my bookdata on which populations might be interested in it, a list of publications and radio stations who had expressed interest. Advertisement Advertisement Barnes has one caveat about threading. For those pursuing a degree or tenure, Twitter threads can feel productive as you are reaching the public, but regrettably schools are not yet accepting epic tweets for promotion, Barnes wrote. While Ive joked with Kevin Kruse that Twitter threads are absolutely peer reviewedif hundreds of historians read your work they will let you know if there is a mistake or if they disagreewe will have to keep pushing for how institutions recognize digital labor and public engagement. With today's Fox 'News' hysteria over a migrant caravan supposedly carrying leprosy and smallpox, I'm reminded of a late-19th century detergent ad that I use when teaching that era. Ideas about hygiene and cleanliness have long been weaponized against immigrants (mini-thread) pic.twitter.com/rIdWDLuHrg Kevin Gannon (@TheTattooedProf) October 30, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevin Gannon, of Grand View University, often uses GIFs and images in his threads. This isnt his most viral example, but its one of my favorites because of its use of imagery to contextualize the caravan hysteriaa classic example of the threads power to showcase primary sources familiar to historians of American culture that are utterly shocking to people who dont study history professionally. I tend to do threads quickly, so just the time it takes to type out the tweets and grab screenshots of sources I want to usemaybe 2030 minutes, tops? Gannon wrote about his methods. Quicker if Ive had enough coffee. If Im moved to write a thread, the source material I know I want to use tends to pop into my head immediately, so that helps. In my own case, I think if I spent a lot of time polishing and planning, they would lose some of what makes them effective. Threads, for me, should have both an immediacy and an authoritativeness about them. I think theyre a good way to let a general audience peek under the hood, so to speak, and see what we as historians domodel the process, basically. President George Bush wanted to show America what crack cocaine looked like at his first Oval Office address on Sept 5, 1989. He wanted to show you could even buy crack in front of the White House. Thats how bad the crisis had gotten. Thats how Bush announced his War on Drugs. pic.twitter.com/exGGPxJ6f2 Joshua Clark Davis (@JoshClarkDavis) December 1, 2018 More than one of the historians I interviewed pointed me to this thread by Joshua Clark Davis of the University of Baltimore. This is a story thread, about a kid George H.W. Bush used to set up his famous you can buy crack in front of the White House! photo op. It was told with an appropriate degree of moral outrage, yet also had a tone of sadness and tragedy about it, Seth Cotlar wrote in recommending it. The thread starts off matter-of-fact in tone and builds to a startling crescendothe perfect argument for looking more closely at George H.W. Bushs record during a period of national mourning. In a congressional hearing Tuesday that teetered between drama and farce as members of Congress attempted to grill Google CEO Sundar Pichai, one exchange managed to capture both moods. It also neatly illustrated the paradox of entrusting befuddled legislators with the complex task of regulating perhaps the worlds most powerful information broker. Texas Rep. Ted Poe, a Republican, glowered from the dais at Pichai. I have an iPhone, he said, holding up an iPhone. If I move from here and go over there and sit with my Democratic friendswhichll make them real nervousdoes Google track my movement? As Pichai tried to think of how to respond, Poe moved in for the kill. Its either yes or no, he said, his voice rising in aggravation. The Google chief began to stammer out an answer about how he needed more information, but Poe wasnt having it. Its not a trick question! You know, you make $100 million a year, you ought to be able to answer that question! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On one level, the scene was classic drama: a fed-up lawmaker demanding straight answers from a cagey tech geek who refused to answer the simplest of questions. Its just the kind of accountability that Silicon Valley has been lacking. But it was also absurd. The reason Pichai couldnt give a simple answer is because it wasnt a simple question. Poe was asking him about an iPhonea device famously made by a rival company that does not come with any Google software installed. Whether Google can track him, then, depends on what apps Poe has installed, what permissions he has granted them, and whether he has GPS turned on. The moment was emblematic of a hearing in which representatives zeal for grandstanding was often undermined by their technological illiteracy. Much of the session was taken up by Republican committee members allegations that Google is somehow skewing its products or search results to benefit Democratsa concern that may be understandable but receives attention far out of proportion to the evidence backing it. (Grasping for such evidence Tuesday, GOP lawmakers came up instead with a slew of self-owns.) Its also unlikely to lead to successful legislation, given that Democrats are about to retake the House. Advertisement Advertisement But the hearing also brought forth a more bipartisan beef with Googles data collection, location tracking, and privacy policiesone in which Congress bewilderment only underscores the need for it to act. While Poes question was poorly framed, the reality is that Google probably is tracking the movements of many iPhone users, and a lot of them probably have no better understanding of how that works than Poe does. To the tech-savvy, the ignorance built into Poes line of attack came across as underscoring the lawmakers ability to intelligently regulate a company such as Google. But any of Poes fellow Luddites who happened to catch the exchange probably came away thinking it was Pichai who had been cornered and exposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poe was a stand-in for probably the majority of Americans: They sense that the big internet companies are doing nefarious things with their data, but they cant articulate just what those things are. Also firmly in this camp was Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat, who informed Pichai, I use your apparatus often, before asking why Google doesnt have some kind of online school where you could log in and, kind of, ask questions of individual Google reps. Advertisement Tempting as it is to mock members of Congress whose questions evinced confusion (Poe was not the last to mistake the iPhone for a Google product), the lesson here is not just that our lawmakers are old and out-of-touch. That neither Poe nor most Americans understand how Googles vast digital surveillance network operates is not an indictment of them; its an indictment of Google. Yes, the company offers a privacy checkup that walks users through an array of settings, as Pichai pointed out to lawmakers. But like rival Facebook and others in the online advertising game, it also tracks and targets people in all kinds of ways that remain opaque even to industry experts. These companies benefit from our ignorance because its easier to use their services when were not fully aware of the trade-offs to our privacy. And to some extent, they also benefit from Congress ignorance because it allows them to dismiss tough questions on technicalities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the long run, though, legislators inchoate frustration about internet privacy seems likely to curdle into resolve. Poe himself sang the praises of Europes landmark privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation, and said that the United States should be embarrassed at playing second fiddle to the Europeans when it comes to protecting individuals privacy. Privacy regulation as patriotism is exactly the sort of framing that could finally lead to bipartisan action. Poe may have gotten all the details wrong, but he got the big picture right: The correct response to Congresss confusion on data privacy is legislation that compels tech companies to make their data privacy policies less confusing. On Tuesday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to testify in a hearing on the companys data collection, use and filtering practices. Pichai committed no grave errors, though some of his answers were revealing of how the company views its responsibilities. Over the course of the 3-hour interrogation, Pichai was more prepared and adept at answering Republicans questions about filtering practices than anything else. Conservatives have long alleged that Google and other big tech companies like Facebook and Twitter are biased against conservative viewpoints on their platforms. Pichai delivered his staunchest rebuttals when it came to such allegations, categorically denying them outright. Advertisement At the beginning of the hearing, Texas Rep. Lamar Smith tried to needle Pichai with a series of studies and statistics claiming to show suppression of pro-Trump viewpoints in Google search results. Smith cited a claim from conservative outlet PJ Media that 96 percent of results for a search on news about Trump were from left-wing media and findings from psychologist Robert Epstein that Google could have swung 2.6 million votes in Hillary Clintons favor during the 2016 election. Pichai responded that Google had investigated the specific findings, which allowed him to pivot the line of questioning to a debate over the studies methodologies all while maintaining that Google in no way discriminates against conservatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later on, Ohio Rep. Steve Chabot brought up his own grievances, claiming that Google had given lower page ranks to positive coverage of bills to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and to the 2017 Republican tax cut. I understand the frustration at seeing negative news. I see it on me on Google, Pichai responded, performing a bit of rhetorical jiujitsu. There are times you can search on Google, and page after page there is negative news, which we reflect. Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat, later helped to underscore that point by complaining in jest that Breitbart and the Daily Caller seemed to dominate the first page of search results when he Googled himself. Advertisement These allegations of conservative bias also produced the hearings most glaring gaffesfrom the representatives. They played into criticisms that Congress lacks basic knowledge of the tech industry. In arguing that Google relies too heavily on liberal Wikipedia, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert admitted that his staff was altering his own Wikipedia page every night for two weeks, only to be rebuffed by the sites editors. (Wikipedia guidelines state that editing an employers page is a conflict of interest.) Iowa Rep. Steve King, after issuing several stern threats to impose regulations on Google to deal with political bias, ended his time asking why his granddaughter had come across a profane meme featuring his picture while using an iPhone. Pichai responded, Congressman, iPhone is made by a different company. Advertisement Advertisement Many Democratic members used all or a portion of their time questioning Pichai to refute bias allegations coming from Republicans, rather than pressing Google on a range of other criticisms that the company has faced. California Rep. Ted Lieu spent his time arguing that Google is a private company entitled to free-speech protections, a point that hes made at several previous hearings, and lobbed softball questions like You have the absolute right to promote dog and cat videos isnt that correct? California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat, did ask why Google produces pictures of Donald Trump for the image search idiot. Pichai explained that Google uses over 200 signals for conducting searches, though he didnt address how people are able to game the system to influence image searches with a tactic called Google bombing. Advertisement Advertisement However, when Pichai answered questions on other issues from both Republican and Democratic members of Congress, he was vaguer and strayed away from definitive statements. The representatives generally had more luck gathering insights with these lines of questioning as well. For example, Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal applauded Googles decision to discontinue some of its forced arbitration practices, which amount to mandating in contracts that employees must handle all complaints against the company in private meetings, rather than giving them the option to litigate in public court. However, Jayapal pointed out that Google only got rid of the policy in cases of sexual misconduct and asked Pichai if he would commit to ending forced arbitration in other cases. The CEO said that he was happy to think about more changes but notably avoided making any other commitments, even when Jayapal pressed him on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Multiple members of Congress on both sides of the aisle also pressed Pichai on reports that Google has been developing a censored search engine for users in China, an effort that the company calls Project Dragonfly. Pichai acknowledged that there was such an effort but said that there were no current plans to follow through with the project. He also revealed, during questioning from Pennsylvania Rep. Keith Rothfus, that Google at one point had more than 100 people working on the effort. Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline also asked, Will you, Mr. Pichai, rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while youre CEO of Google? The CEO talked about the importance of providing information but would not make any commitments on this issue either. Near the end of the hearing, California Rep. Eric Swalwell even seemed to elicit Pichais support for a national privacy law in the U.S. Im of the opinion that we are better off with more of an overarching data-protection framework for users, and I think it would be good to do, Pichai said. When asked about the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation, a thorough set of consumer-privacy policies, the CEO called it a well-thought-out, crafted piece of legislation. The Hindi heartland states--Madhya Pradesh (MP), Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where Congress is forming governments, indicates how they are likely to vote in the Lok Sabha election 2019. First point is that these states voted for the same political party in the previous three national elections that they voted for in the preceded legislative assembly elections. MP and Chhattisgarh voted completely in favour of BJP in the state elections in 2003, 2008 and 2013, but when it came to Lok Sabha in the following years, the vote share further increased between 5-10 per cent for BJP. Rajasthan, voted for BJP in the same manner in 2004 and 2014 national elections and for Congress in 2009. Here the question is whether they will vote more explicitly for Congress in 2019 election? The popular perception is that state and central elections are fought in completely different set of issues. But the statistics indicate that voters prefer the same political party for both state and centre, at least in these three states. The previous trends in Madhya Pradesh (MP) show that the voters carry forward the same perception while going for the Lok Sabha election. In the last three Lok Sabha elections, the voters decisively voted in favour of BJP -- Congress put up a better fight in 2009, but BJP was 4 seats ahead. These were less than one year after the assembly elections, in which the pattern was the same. In 2004 and 2009 national elections, Congress-led government came to power, but MP voted against the national trend. So the trend indicates that Congress is expected to dramatically improve its Lok Sabha seat numbers in MP from 3 to almost half of total 29 seats and it may not be one-sided. As the influencing factors in the 2018 assembly election, it will be Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, agrarian crisis, lack of jobs and some corruptions will dominate voters' mind. In the assembly election in 2003, when Congress faced the highest anti-incumbency of previous 10 years of Digvijaya Singh government's rule, BJP had bagged a sweeping victory, winning 173 seats with a vote share of 42.50 per cent. Uma Bharti was the campaign leader and the she sworn in as the chief minister. Congress won just 38 seats with 31.61 per cent vote share. But MP had seen three CMs in that five-year term. Uma Bharti quit a year after she sworn in because of her alleged involvement in the riot in Hubli. Soon after, she had a public fall out with Advani during a meeting at the BJP headquarters and it led to her suspension from the party. Followed by Uma Bharti, BJP appointed Babulal Gaur as the CM of MP for over a year. Shivraj Singh Chouhan came into the picture after Gaur quit in November 2005. When it came to the Lok Sabha election in May 2004, BJP continued the sweep with 25 seats of the total 29, leaving Congress at just 4. The influential factors were the then incumbent AB Vajpayee government's 'India Shining' campaign and the young leadership under firebrand Uma Bharti in the state. In 2008 assembly election, BJP had won 143 seats, while Congress under the leadership of senior leader Suresh Pachouri won 71 seats and the popular vote share was 37.64 per cent and 32.30 per cent, respectively. But when it came to Lok Sabha election in the next year, BJP had won 16 seats out of the 29 under the leadership of L.K. Advani and the vote share was 48.13 per cent. Congress had managed to win 12 seats with a vote share of 34.07 per cent, while BSP captured the last one. In the November 2013 state election, Chouhan improved the tally when corruption allegations were looming large over the Congress-led government at the centre and amidst the fragmented state Congress leadership. BJP swept 165 seats with a vote share of 44.88 per cent and Congress' share was 58 seats (36.38 per cent vote share). The same trend repeated in the Lok Sabha election in 2014, when Narendra Modi was BJP's flag-bearer. BJP won 26 seats against 3 of Congress. BJP under Vasundhara Raje's leadership won the state election in Rajasthan in 2003. BJP bagged 120 seats riding on anti-incumbency and the incumbent CM Ashok Gehlot-led Congress managed to win just 56 seats. In the following year, the voters stood with Vajpayee-led BJP in the national election, giving them 21 of the total 25 seats. The same pattern repeated in the following assembly and national elections--- voted for Congress in the state (96 seats of the 200 & 36.82 per cent vote share) and the centre (20 out of 25 & 47.19 per cent vote share). In the 2013 assembly election, in which Raje made a comeback with a clean sweep of 163 seats (45.17 per cent vote share), Congress had decimated to 21 seats (33.07 per cent). It repeated in the following year and Congress couldn't win a single Lok Sabha seat from the state. BJP bagged the entire 24 seats that went for voting in the state. Chhattisgarh election pattern is interesting as there is no change, literally, in the three assembly and Lok Sabha elections between 2003 and 2014. In the 2003 legislative assembly election, Raman Singh-led BJP came to power with 50 seats and 39.26 per cent vote share. Congress' tally was 37 and 36.71 per cent, respectively. But in the Lok Sabha election, it was BJP's sweep with 10 out of 11. The trend continued the same in the following elections in 2008 & 2009 with BJP scoring the same numbers in the assembly and Lok Sabha. The numbers are miraculously same in 2013 and 2014 elections. Now the only elected CM of Chhattisgarh since its formation, Raman Singh is out. Chouhan and Raje have become powerless and it will impact the election campaigning in 2019. It will be interesting to see how Modi-Amit Shah duo will take up this challenge. Semiconductors are essential to make the devices and technologies that power modern society and infrastructureincluding military assets, utilities, and everyday devices like smartphones and computers. Maintainingor obtaininga leading edge in the research, development, and production of semiconductors has been highlighted as a national security priority for numerous nations, including China and the United States. It is the third-highest castle location in Slovakia. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide The reconstruction work at a commanders house and bricklaying were among the main points of this year Muran Castle renovation near Revuca. Nine unemployed people renovated it during the summer season. A vault was made at the commanders house above its entrance last year and this year they focused on the north-west part of the structure. Our plan is to roof it, so we need to reinforce the walls, said Roman Goldschmidt, mayor of Muran village, as quoted by the TASR newswire. He added that other work was being conducted at the vaults of main palace, its interior and northern part. The Ministry of Culture donated 28,000 for the reconstruction and the village obtained another 4,000 from the foundation of Slovenska Sporitelna bank. The village will try to get money for the reconstruction next year as well, according to the mayor. It is necessary to reconstruct caverns on the anti-Turks bastions. As the work has to be done at heights, it requires experts with climbing equipment. Visitors appreciate the reconstruction work, opined Goldschmidt, adding that when they visit after longer time, they see what was done, as quoted by TASR. Muran Castle is situated 935 metres above sea level on Ciganka Hill. It is the third highest castle location in Slovakia. Its history goes back to the 13th century. The Szechy and Kohary family belong among the most significant owners. The castle burnt down twice in the 18th century, abandoned and becoming dilapidated. The first attempts to renew arose in the 1970s and 1980s. More intensive renovation work has been ongoing in the last five years. Eset warns against attacks on internet banking users. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. ZUNO is part of Raiffeisen Bank International, which also owns Tatra bank in Slovakia. (Source: Sme) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Czech internet banking users may be susceptible to a new kind of cyber attack. Harmful codes are being embedded in suspicious email attachments, according to security software company Eset. The malicious BlackSwap code can change the data of the payment order and thus avoid double verification, according to Robert Suman, head of Esets Prague-based detection and analytics team. [The attackers] then send 60,000-200,000 Czech crowns to the account of the so-called strawmen, Suman explained, as quoted in a press release. Their accomplices then withdraw the money from cash dispensers. Banks have been identified The attacks, which are now targeting internet banking users in the Czech Republic, have repeatedly occurred in Poland and Spain. Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: Cyber incidents and attacks threaten our modern economies Read more It isnt an accident that the campaign is being spread these days, said Miroslav Dvorak, technical director at the Czech subsidiary of ESET, as quoted in the press release. Spam and phishing campaigns are regularly spread in times when multiple invoices are distributed. The end of the year, when companies finalise accounting and users buy Christmas presents online, is one of the busiest periods. Based on the analysis of malicious code, ESETs researchers have already identified the banks targeted by the attackers and have informed their representatives. Though they cannot specify the financial damage caused, the losses in the past were significant. Local sector leaders have to constantly fight to keep their branches globally cost competitive, always deliver service to their customers at the requested quality and embrace new technologies. The Forum of Business Service Centres, running under the auspices of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic, held an annual conference on business service sector in early December 2018. (Source: Courtesy of AmCham) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled During the last couple of years, a sector of the shared service centers has continuously grown to become one of the most important pillars of the Slovak economy. It has created thousands of well-paid jobs for young Slovak and non-Slovak professionals. It has brought new management standards into this country, helped to improve the business ethics and paid its due share of taxes and social insurance contributions. It happened, among other things, also because Slovakia heeded the advice of international organizations how to improve its business environment and in return, it got on the radar screen of headquarters of many multinationals. In the meantime, the pace of global technological changes has accelerated, other countries also learned their lessons how to attract global investors and positive economic winds of the last years created many new opportunities for the Slovak labor force. All these factors pose new challenges for the local sector leaders. They have to constantly fight to keep their branches globally cost competitive, always deliver service to their customers at the requested quality, embrace new technologies and remain employers of choice for skilled professionals. Now, is there a way how to square a circle of keeping costs down, making public representatives happy by contributing more to the state coffers plus paying higher wages to the employees while preserving the jobs in the future? This is the question which is probably not unique to this sector and its answer depends on the ability of leaders to understand and adapt to current and future industry trends. Adapting does not have to mean accepting as it comes. As the great late physicist Stephen Hawking said: I have noticed that even people who claim everything is predetermined and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road. It can also mean trying to shape the future to our liking and in line with our vision. Ronald Blasko is Executive Director of AmCham Slovakia After growing up under Communism, Slovak Diana Fabianova found freedom of expression in France and Spain and directed a documentary on menstruation. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled My parents were intellectuals and they were against the regime They were also university professors, whose family member emigrated, which is why the state took away their passports. We couldnt travel anywhere during communism and after the regime fell, we were very poor. I saw the sea for the very first time when I was 16-years old My parents passed on their desire to travel to me, which is why I developed such a strong impulse to see the world. As soon as I could, I boarded the Eurail and even slept on the beach just to save money. Read Also: Read Also: Slovak migrant shares the stories of other migrants to understand her own Read more After I finished university in Slovakia, I decided to apply my foreign language skills I landed an internship in Spain and later got accepted into the international film academy ESCAC. Thats where I first began developing my movie idea about female menstruation. The producers in Spain told me my film had potential They didnt seem to mind that I was not Spanish. They even gave me money to go out and make it. This sum grew when French ARTE joined in. The only catch was that we had to live in France to spend the money. That was my dream job; I got to live in Paris for 6 months, all expenses covered Just like in Spain, the French accepted me. It didnt bother them that I was a young and inexperienced Slovak. They liked my idea and in the end, it paid off; The Moon Inside You was a success. Read Also: Read Also: Blog: Civic ownership is a good thing, says NGO founder Read more The movie was viewed by more than 10 million people, just through one U.S. platform It has since been translated into Chinese, Hindi, Taiwanese and the list goes on. Its turned into an education aid for many women and girls, because nothing like it exists. Activists and institutions are travelling around the world, showing my movie to educate girls. Why did I come back? Because you cannot trick your roots Even though I felt good abroad, it didnt feel like my home. Where you come from is not something you can just wipe away, like our mutual history and culture. Growing up in communism is something that is so specific, too. When I returned, I had a hard time getting support for my projects After being embraced in Spain and France, I couldnt believe I was actively rejected by funds in Slovakia . In the end, they co-produced my film, only after they found out that a French channel was already doing so. The sad truth is that its easier for me to find funding abroad than from my own country People were actually disturbed that I wanted to continue to make international films. They saw my ambition as a handicap rather than a virtue, even though Canada, Australia and Spain aired it in movie theatres. In Slovakia, they told me they were not interested Apparently, it was not the right format. It seems like such a waste to me, that we cant do more at home. For me, its not about the money, but patriotism Our country is so beautiful and we have so much potential, but sometimes I think we are all just suffocating under the corruption. Change is happening In a sense, its already here. The new generation is different. This testimony was originally published in Zuzana Palovics book, The Great Return. You can learn more about the book as well as Palovics own journey as a Slovak migrant that later returned to Slovakia at http://thegreatreturn.eu/. Will Uber return to the streets of Bratislava? News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled New conditions for running a taxi business are expected to prevent illegal work and introduce a more efficient manner of checking taxi drivers. The amendment to the Road Traffic Act, adopted by the parliament in early December, will become effective in April 2019. Fewer obligations The Transport Ministry admitted that the changes introduced back in 2012 have not worked out well. Under the new rules, taxi drivers will have fewer obligations. The practice since 2012 has shown that some conditions had to be revised, the Transport Ministry explained, as quoted by TASR. Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: Dissatisfied taxi drivers hit Bratislava streets, again Read more The ministry also wants to prevent illegal work in this business. Drivers will have to hold a driving license. They will also have to possess their own car or, at least, a car they have the right to use, TASR wrote. Moreover, drivers will have to be clean-handed and obtain a taxi service licence, which is still the case. Cars will have to be clearly identified as a taxi. Today, taxi drivers have to prove their financial solvency as well as hold a document certifying their professional competence. They have to be additionally insured and own a taximeter at all times. Most of these obligations will be lifted, as reported by TASR. The amendment regulates other conditions regarding a taxi driver and his/her car. Taxi dispatching Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: Road Transport Act shall be amended to suit new trends Read more The changes supplement a new form of business, namely taxi dispatching, TASR reported. The law therefore regulates the conditions under which dispatching can be operated as well as introduces a new definition of dispatching. It is described as the mediation of passenger transport services by vehicles with a maximum of nine people, including the driver, by phone, digital platform or other means. Its about adapting conditions to the trend, because the future lies in the electronisation of services, the ministry said, as quoted by TASR. More checks Even if administration is reduced, checks will be stricter, TASR wrote. Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: Uber suspends its services in Slovakia Read more Only municipalities had been allowed to carry out checks. The municipal or the state police, the Slovak Trade Inspection (SOI) and the National Labour Inspectorate will be able to stop and check a car, the new rules suggest. Penalties for breaching the law will also increase, TASR reported. But they do not know who owns the media, as the recent Focus poll suggests. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled As much as 76 percent of Slovaks believe the information presented by the media is believable. Moreover, 51 percent think that public media is more objective than private media. Only a quarter is interested in who owns the media, as stems from a poll carried out by the Focus agency for the Centre for Independent and Objective Journalism (CenPress) between November 7 and 14, on 1,012 respondents. It also surveyed how prestigious the journalist profession is in the eyes of Slovaks, the TASR newswire reported. Television wins The poll has confirmed that television networks are among the key sources of political and social information, said Martin Slosiarik of Focus, as quoted by TASR. Out of the hundreds of spontaneously mentioned media, 41 percent of respondents claimed private broadcaster TV Markiza is the source of their information on political and social affairs. The public-service broadcaster RTVS came second with 33 percent, followed by the private TV JOJ with 31 percent and the TA3 news channel with 22 percent. Radio Slovensko, as the first radio station appearing in the survey, came fifth with 13 percent. The Novy Cas tabloid daily is the most popular print medium from which to obtain political information, which was mentioned by 12 percent of the respondents, TASR reported. Journalist wins over police officer The profession of a journalist lags behind in perception in terms of the prestige of professions such as doctor, a fire-fighter, scientist, teacher, or farmer. Yet, it is higher than police officer, official or priest. Among the most frequent reasons reducing the prestige of journalists are objectivity, deception or manipulation, said Slosiarik, as quoted by TASR, naming unethicality, amorality, and an effort to seek sensation at any price as other reasons. More than half of the respondents were able to name three Slovak journalists. On the contrary, 46 percent of people could not remember or name any journalist, he added, as quoted by TASR. Fighter jets worth 1.6 billion are to be delivered by 2023. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Slovakia will buy American fighters F-16 Block 70/72 for 1.6 billion. The respective documents were signed by Slovakias Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (Slovak National Party) and Ana Wugofski, vice-president of US company Lockheed Martin. The order includes 14 aircraft, aviation equipment, logistic support and the training of aviation and ground staff. Fighter jets are to be delivered by the end of 2023, the TASR newswire reported. Were looking forward to strengthening our partnership with the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, said John Neilson, spokesperson for Lockheed Martin, as quoted by TASR. F-16 jets to be delivered by 2023 We have completed the process of procuring new fighter aircraft,said PM Peter Pellegrini (Smer), as quoted by TASR. Slovakia will stop using MiG-29 aircraft for protesting its airspace and will buy F-16 aircraft, the most up-to-date version. Slovakia will buy 12 single-seat and a pair of two-seat jets for training purposes. Read also: Read also: The ministry reportedly signed a contract to purchase F16s but later corrected the statement Read more Lockheed Martin has claimed the government will increase its defence capabilities by purchasing modern fighters and will also support a strategic partnership with NATO and the United States, TASR reported. Slovakia will be fully compatible with NATO and EU states after purchasing the fighters, Gajdos added. Slovakia has made a commitment to increase expenditures and thus strengthen and achieve the desired target of two percent of GDP, Pellegrini said, as quoted by TASR. The American aircraft producer will first deliver four fighter jets by 2022. In 2023, the remaining 10 will arrive. The contract also includes the training of aviation personnel and pilots, while 160 soldiers will be travelling to the USA. Though the opposition party Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO) respects the governments decision, it said that the government could also choose a cheaper and more advantageous alternative to the exchange of supersonic fighter jets, TASR wrote. The government approved the document and plans to end coal mining in the Upper Nitra region by 2023 instead of 2030. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Slovaks will stop subsidising the mining of coal used to generate electricity after nearly 20 years. The government has approved a document concerning the transformation of the Upper Nitra region and proposes shortening the period of coal mining in the Upper Nitra region from 2030 to 2023. We will not threaten Nitra in terms of the socioeconomic situation and at the same time, we will ensure energy security for people, Economy Minister Peter Ziga (Smer) said, as quoted by the private news channel TA3. The document was prepared by the Governments Office, the Economy Ministry and the Hornonitrianske Bane Prievidza (HBP) mining company. However, environmental activists from Greenpeace are critical of the approved document. It does not mean a decline in coal mining in Slovakia, the organisation claimed in its press release. The document is far from the end of coal mining and incineration in Slovakia, said Julia Sokolovicova from Greenpeace in a press release. Club 500 welcomes the proposal The Club 500 organisation, which unites the biggest employers hiring 500 employees and more, considers the document a good step. Read also: Read also: Greenpeace activists protest coal mining Read more It's best if the proposal does not set a fixed date for stopping coal mining, but rather enables it to end sooner. Club 500 believes that coal mining and the subsidies will end as soon as possible since every year represents 115 million in savings for end customers, it wrote in a press release. Regarding the employment in this region, were convinced that people from Upper Nitra will easily find jobs since the employers in this region struggle with the lack of labour force, Club 500 wrote in the press release. Coal mining will continue Greenpeace activists claim that the Cary mine, owned by the HBP, will remain open without restrictions. The other mines owned by the company are due to close in 2027. Moreover, another mining project is due to start in the Novaky mining area, which would make coal mining last longer in the region, until 2034, Greenpeace claimed. The governments document is not a dignified basis for the transformation of Upper Nitra, but a plan to secure the profit of a private mining company, Sokolovicova said. In the October survey carried out by the Median SK polling agency, 80 percent of Slovaks said that PM Peter Pellegrini should support the transformation of the Upper Nitra region into a region of renewable energy. A day after he was appointed as the RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das said on Wednesday that the government is not just a stakeholder but also manages major policy decisions. He was addressing his first media briefing after joining as the RBI Governor. Shaktikanta Das said the RBI and the government needed to have discussions. Regarding the December 14 RBI Board meeting, the new governor said it will proceed as scheduled and that the board will talk about all the issues that were slated for the discussion. Exhibiting confidence over his new role as the RBI governor, Das said he would do everything to uphold the core values and the autonomy of the RBI. "...(I) have interacted with RBI officials at various levels over the last 10 years," said Das. On his equation with other members of the RBI Board, Das said: "I had tea with Viral Acharya some time ago; as far as I know he's very much there." Elaborating on the RBI's relationship with the government, Das said: "I don't know if the relationship is good or not but we have to have stakeholders consultation. The government is not just a stakeholder but also runs the country, economy & manages major policy decisions. So, there has to be the discussion between govt and RBI." Also read: Shaktikanta Das, PM Modi's Man Friday Earlier, the new governor took to Twitter to inform about his new role: "Assumed charge as Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Thank you each and everyone for your good wishes." Assumed charge as Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Thank you each and everyone for your good wishes. - Shaktikanta Das (@DasShaktikanta) December 12, 2018 Das has been appointed as the RBI Governor for a period of three years. He will be the 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Shaktikanta Das had previously served as the secretary of the economic affairs and is believed to be close to both Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and top officials at the Prime Minister's Office. He has worked closely with the RBI as a member of its board. He is currently a member of the 15th Finance Commission of India and has represented the country at the G-20 as a Sherpa. It is the job of a G-20 Sherpa to chalk out the details regarding the Development Track before the world leaders meet. Edited by Manoj Sharma Batavia Downs current meet will come to a close this Saturday (Dec. 15), and thus the upstate New York chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association has announced its horses of the meet. Horse of the Meet - In Runaway Bay N In Runaway Bay N (Mach Three-Pullover Brown) raced in the top pacing class at Batavia 13 times in 2018, which was more than any other horse at the meet. From 17 total starts, he won five times, finished second twice, notched five third-place finishes, and earned $39,455 in purses (that total surpassed any other male pacer at the track this season). He also defeated the legendary Foiled Again on Saturday (Sept. 22) in that great horses last career appearance at Batavia. In Runaway Bay N is owned by Mark Jakubik, trained by Angelo Nappo, and driven primarily by Kevin Cummings. Mare of the Meet - Sportsmuffler Sportsmuffler (Sportsmaster-Whatiftheresmore) competed in 14 Mares Open Paces at Batavia Downs this year and won six of them and when she won, she did it with an exclamation point. In her 16 total starts this meet, Sportsmuffler also had three seconds and three thirds, which gave her a Batavia earnings total of $42,363. Sportsmuffler is owned by Rose Campbell, trained by Steve Kiblin, and driven primarily by Billy Davis Jr. Trotter of the Meet - Lougazi Lougazi (Lous Legacy-Winning Blade) had a rough start to the meet, as he made breaks with frequency. Although, everything changed in mid-September, as he turned into a monster. Making his way up through the classes, Lougazi hit the Open I level and looked unbeatable there for a month. He won three in a row and four out of six and took a lifetime mark of 1:56.3 in the process. When the dust settled, Lougazi had made 14 starts and recorded six wins, three seconds, one third and earned $38,231. Lougazi is owned by Mary Warriner, trained by Ryan Swift, and driven by Ray Fisher Jr. Iron Horse of the Meet - Empire Earl N Empire Earl N is a 10-year-old son of Earl who came to North America from New Zealand in 2016. In the little over two years that hes been racing here, he has more than doubled his previous lifetime bank account and almost tripled his wins, as well. His steady work continued at Batavia this meet where he raced 19 times, won four, finished second six times, and third four more. These efforts earned him $43,736 in purses. Empire Earl N is owned by Kim Asher, trained by the 2018 Rising Star Award winner Riley Asher-Stalbaum, and driven primarily by Drew Monti. The connections of all four horses will receive their trophies in the Purple Haze Winners Circle during the Night of Distinction at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Dec. 14). (With files from USHWA) The Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund has announced the date for the 2019 New York Sire Stakes Finals. The 2019 New York Sire Stakes Finals will be hosted on Saturday, September 14 at Batavia Downs. The richest night of racing in New York, the Night of Champions will hand out $1.8 million in purse money to the top state-bred two- and three-year-old Standardbred horses. The funds Board of Trustees previously selected Batavia based on its impressive proposal to host the event and offer an exciting fan experience. This will be Batavia Downs first time hosting the event. (Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund) A lack of documentation and the destruction of home is discouraging refugees from returning to Syria writes Asharq al-Awsat. Up to 250,000 Syrian refugees could return to their devastated homeland in 2019, while many others face problems with documentation and property that the Damascus government must help resolve, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday. Some 5.6 million Syrian refugees remain in neighboring countries Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq Amin Awad, UNHCR director for the Middle East and North Africa, said. They include 1 million Syrian children born abroad whose foreign birth certificates the regime of Bashar Assad has agreed to recognize, he said. Some 37,000 refugees have returned to Syria this year, UNHCR figures show. They went mainly to the governorates of Daraa, Damascus and Homs, Awad said. The Russian military said, however, that nearly 114,000 Syrian refugees have returned from abroad in 2018. Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev said that over 177,000 internally displaced people have also returned home this year. He said those coming home see that the war is over and the countrys restoration is proceeding at full pace. Russia, which has waged a military campaign in support of Assad, has pushed for refugees repatriation. Western governments say its too early to encourage return. As for Awad, he told a news briefing in Geneva that now, by and large, the war has ended. We have a few pockets (of hostilities), including Idlib, as you know that there is a negotiated ceasefire and a de-escalation zone. As the situation in Syria improves some of these refugees are making the journey home, he said. We are forecasting, in what we call phase one, 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. The most important obstacles are 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, he added. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. There are two bakeries that serve the people on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, who are suffering from a shortage of flour reports Zaman Al Wasl. Regime-held areas in the province of Deir ez-Zor have been experiencing a shortage of bread for weeks, as regime officials attribute the increased demand for bread to the influx of people fleeing the battlefield where the Islamic State (ISIS) and US-led forces have been fighting in the eastern countryside. Despite promises to address the crisis, thousands of people are still waiting to get their bread from the two bakeries on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. The regime said the severe bread shortages is due to the lack of adequate amounts of flour. The two bakeries provide bread to 70,000 people, and receive just five tons of flour while 14 tons are needed. Local newspaper al-Furat reported that the government had agreed to raise the allocation of the Albukamal Bakery from five tons to eight tons a day, in order to cover the needs of the returnees to their homes. Meanwhile, US-led coalition warplanes hit a hospital in Deir ez-Zor. The Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) said in a press release that ISIS terrorists used Hajin Hospital in Deir ez-Zor province as a platform to engage partner forces on Sunday, Anandolu Agency reported. With these actions, ISIS caused the hospital to lose its protected status afforded by the Law of Armed Conflict, by using a facility otherwise protected under the Geneva Conventions, said the Coalition. In a briefing, Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning said using hospitals is unacceptable, which he said was a standard tactic used by ISIS. Manning said US forces came under fire from the hospital. He had yet to comment on the casualties from the hospital strike. In October, several mosques were targeted by the coalition in Hajin, which left dozens of residents dead. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Amjad al-Maleh was arrested in December 2017 and is expected to be executed in the next two weeks reports Zaman Al Wasl. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the radical islamist militant group, has decided to execute a Syrian citizen-journalist after one year in captivity, accusing him of contacting Hezbollah and Israel.They claims he helped them to plan attacks against the Islamic State (ISIS) and jihadists groups in northern Syria, local activists and monitoring groups said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Tahrir al-Sham had issued a death sentence against Amjad al-Maleh, who is from the town of Madaya, near the capital. The execution is expected to be carried out in the following two weeks. Maleh is being held on charge of giving the coordinates of ISIS positions to Israel and the US-led International Coalition, according to the Observatory. Last June, Malehs colleague Hossam Mahmoud was released, but since then Maleh has not found his way to freedom. Tahrir al Sham arrested Maleh at the same time as Mahmoud, on Dec. 10, 2017, as they reported near the northern city of Idleb. Formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is the dominant force in Idleb and has killed most of its opponents including citizen journalists and human rights advocates. Tahrir al-Sham and other hardline groups have refused to pull their fighters back from Idleb, despite the demilitarized zone, which was announced by rebel backer Ankara and Moscow in September, and aimed to separate regime troops from rebel fighters in Idleb and adjacent areas. At least seven journalists and media workers have been killed by the Syrian regime army and its allies since the start of the year. Ranked 177th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders 2018 World Press Freedom Index, Syria continues to be one of the worlds most dangerous country for journalists last year. Since the Syrian revolution erupted in 2011, more than 470,000 people have been killed, and more than six million people have been displaced. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Razan Zeitouneh and three of her friends were kidnapped in the city of Douma, at a time when Jaish al-Islam was in control of the area reports Syrian Snack. The Syrian Revolutionaries Gathering said that the Jaish al-Islam faction bore responsibility for the disappearance of the activist Razan Zeitouneh, Nazem Hamadi, Sameer al-Khalil, and Wael Hamadi from the city of Douma in 2013, which was under the groups control at the time. The group issued a statement, which Syrian Snack obtained, on the fifth anniversary of the disappearance of Zeitouneh and her friends, which has occupied public opinion for half a decade. They called for an independent investigation into the issue, while condemning the crime of kidnapping activists and civilians by any party, whether a rebel group or the government. The statement added, We hold Jaish al-Islam responsible for the disappearance of the four activists, given that they were the force in control of the city of Douma at the time of the kidnapping, and given that the investigation promised by the leadership of the faction was marred by serious flaws, especially in terms of the silence surrounding the proceedings of the investigation and its results, its lack of seriousness and objectivity, and in light of the fact that it was carried out without representation from the prosecution and families of the abductees. The group called on the rebel faction to declare that it would accept a transparent, independent investigation into the issue. It called for its leaders to reveal information in their possession and the facts of the four activists disappearance. It called on the relevant agencies in the Syrian opposition and Arab, Syrian and international rights organizations to mobilize immediately and carry out a transparent investigation into the issue of Zeitouneh and her friends disappearance. It said that the issue of their disappearance was not separate from the issue of the freedom of the Syrian people they were defending. This crime of forcible disappearance will not be limited and the perpetrators will be held to account sooner or later. Zeitouneh, 41, is a Syrian lawyer and activist. She was selected by the European Parliament with four other Arab citizens to win the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. With other activists, she established local coordination committees in Syria, and obtained the Anna Politkovskaya Award from Reach All Women in War. She disappeared with three of her friends on Dec. 9, 2013, when an armed group broke into her violations documentation office in Douma and kidnapped them. To this date, their fate is unknown. Zeitouneh is not the only one to disappear into Jaish al-Islams prisons. Hundreds of civilians have been held in the groups notorious al-Tawba Prison, and have disappeared without any information about their fate, which was considered a great mystery not resolved until after the group and its leaders left for northern Syria in accordance with a reconciliation with the government in April. 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. Two events - the exit of Urjit Patel, former RBI governor, and below expectation-election results in the five states - may force PM Narendra Modi's regime to undergo course correction, especially as BJP was thought to have a stronghold in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. These states will send nearly 60 MPs to the lower house of the Parliament. In 2014, BJP had swept almost all of these seats. The government is besieged on other fronts too. Also read: We defeated BJP today, we'll defeat them in 2019 Lok Sabha polls too, says Rahul Gandhi Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's hands are tied as revenues from GST collections are not increasing. There are only about 60 days left to when the election commission may announce dates for the General Elections. However, there are certain external positives that are in favour of the government. This includes the softer crude oil prices and the US Federal Reserve's reluctance to increase rates. Both these factors have stabilised the rupee's depreciation. Finance Minister Jaitley is expected to present an interim budget on February 1. But before that, the PM has convened a meeting of country's top economists at NITI Aayog on December 13. Most economists expect corrections in the implementation of farmer oriented schemes; this includes working out farm debt waivers and improvement in procurement methods. In the past 10 years, Madhya Pradesh has remained at the forefront with double-digit growth rate in agriculture, but due to poor procurement methods, BJP witnessed a slide in popularity in the state. Similarly, though farm debts in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were waived, it was only a temporary solution. In Madhya Pradesh, despite schemes such as Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana and bonus on wheat with direct procurement, corruption at local level and poor implementation marred the sentiment. In Rajasthan, too, farmers complained about faulty procurement of wheat. Another question that BJP needs to focus on whether the Hindutva card works for it or not. BJP is under immense pressure from its ideological parent RSS to commit itself to the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. The RSS is pushing BJP to bring in an ordinance to change the stated law and start the construction of the temple. The matter is pending in the Supreme Court. This issue has a strong resonance in the Hindi belt of the country. In fact, BJP used Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as a star campaigner in the recent elections. Those linked to RSS say that BJP will have to commit to the task and a half-hearted approach might backfire, but there is also a strong lobby inside BJP which wants to sell the development model. In addition to this, BJP also believes that MSMEs and smaller traders are yet to come out of the GST hit and they are getting dissuaded. A correction in the PM Mudra Scheme is expected, which may allow NBFCs to extend loans. With the exit of Urjit Patel from RBI, a liquidity window for NBFCs may open. These changes may include dilution of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) norms, under which 11 public sector banks at present are unable to extend debt, even for low-risk projects. Moreover, the PCA exit routes for banks that show improvement can be worked out. It may take time to improve liquidity, but the sentiment can seep in. This move can be in addition to easing the GST filing rules for small and micro businesses. The MSME sector was the worst hit by demonetisation and GST implementation. The government tried to heal some of the wounds with a series of reforms and doles announced in the first week of November. Patel's exit from RBI might also allow the government to seek an early resolution for 56 road projects' financial closures and salvage 34 stressed power projects. But all this will require some time. The to-do list is long and time is short; PM Modi will have to run faster if he wants his party to perform better in General Elections 2019. This Page has moved to a new address: Sorry for the inconvenience Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service Reliance Jio, the third-largest telecom operator in terms of subscriber market share, continues to dictate the financial performance of its archrivals Vodafone Idea Ltd and Bharti Airtel. The telecom tariff war, which was kicked off in September 2016, refuses to make way for the "rational pricing". It seems that large-scale consolidation didn't have effect on raising tariffs, and bailing out telcos from their tough times. The tariff war was triggered by Jio to take its subscriber base to a considerable size. The tariffs were kept low to lure customers from other telcos. Indian telecom subs are dominated by prepaid customers - over 90 per cent - who don't have allegiance to a particular brand. Jio did achieve some landmarks in the initial days - reaching 100 million subs in 170 days. With the passing of time, the company's ambitions are soaring too. According to reports, Jio is now targetting to achieve 100 million subscribers in 15 months. Its subscriber base stood at 252.25 million at the end of September, as per TRAI data. Brokerage firm CLSA estimates that Jio's subscriber base will hit 414 million by 2020, a milestone that many analysts believe could be the beginning of the end of the tariff war. In August, telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan had said that the tariff wars will likely to continue until 2019 or the first quarter of 2020 after which the fundamentals of the market will take over, and the operators will start focussing on monetisation. "I think that even for Jio, there's a trend towards monetisation. Jio has the same compulsion as others? once they have a respectable [subscriber] share, they will come in line with the rest of the sector," she had said. Technically, nothing really stops Jio (and others) from raising tariffs even today. Going purely by the financial situation of three telcos, Vodafone Idea Ltd and Bharti Airtel have a greater compulsion to raise tariffs than Jio, but it's unlikely that they would do so as it might benefit Jio in gaining more subs. For Jio, raising tariffs would not result in the loss of subscribers as this point because others may likely to follow suit. Ratings agency ICRA thinks otherwise. In a December 4 note, ICRA said that the key drivers to improve profitability would be pricing improvement, and identifying new use cases for the telecom services. "The latter is a longer-term goal and would require more investments. But in the immediate term, it is the push for higher realisation which is achievable. But the competitive headwinds remain strong with most operators looking for greater entrenchment. Thus, the outlook for pricing restoration remains hazy and not so imminent," says ICRA. Indian telecom market has reached a point where there's greater price inelasticity, which means that raising tariff would not affect demand. Telcos are now offering more or less similar plans to their prepaid subs, and have largely done away with smaller recharge packs, particularly Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea Ltd. One telco increasing tariffs followed by the two other, and the subs would not have any option but to pay more for the same services. 2 hours 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 A top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver at the request of U.S. authorities sparked a diplomatic dispute. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces U.S. claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail to Meng, who has been jailed since her arrest on Dec. 1. The courtroom erupted in applause when the decision was announced. Meng cried and hugged her lawyers. Among conditions of her bail, the 46-year-old executive must wear an ankle monitor and stay at home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Five friends pledged equity in their homes and other money as a guarantee she will not flee. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canada's justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the United States. If so, Meng would face U.S. charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge. The arrest of Meng has put a further dampener on Chinese relations with the United States and Canada at a time when tensions were already high over an ongoing trade war and U.S. accusations of Chinese spying. U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately, and analysts have said retaliation from Beijing over the arrest was likely. The U.S. State Department is considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens, two sources said on Tuesday, while the Canadian government confirmed that one of its citizens in China had been detained. Two sources told Reuters the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. However, Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: "In China there are no coincidences... If they want to send you a message they will send you a message." The Chinese embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment. ELECTRONIC MONITORING Meng, who was arrested as she was changing planes in Vancouver, has said she is innocent and will contest the allegations in the United States if she is extradited. Tuesday was the third day of bail hearings. Meng's defense had argued that she was not a flight risk, citing her longstanding ties to Canada, properties she owns in Vancouver and fears for her health while incarcerated. Her family assured the court she would remain in Vancouver at one of her family houses in an affluent neighborhood. Her husband said he plans to bring the couple's daughter to Vancouver to attend school, and Meng had said she would be grateful for the chance to read a novel after years of working hard. "I am satisfied that on the particular facts of this case ... the risk of her non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing bail conditions," said the judge, adding that he was also persuaded by the fact that Meng was a well-educated businesswoman with no criminal record. She must remain in Canada and be accompanied by security guards when she leaves her residence. Meng will pay a cash deposit of C$7 million, with five guarantors liable for a remaining C$3 million if she absconds. Meng was ordered to reappear in court on Feb. 6 to make plans for further appearances. Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a "timely resolution" of the case. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion," it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. The case against Meng stems from a 2013 Reuters report here about Huawei's close ties to Hong Kong-based Skycom Tech Co Ltd, which attempted to sell U.S. equipment to Iran despite U.S. and European Union bans. Huawei is the world's 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. The Sensex and Nifty closed higher today a day after Congress defeated BJP in three key states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and the government announced Shaktikanta Das as new RBI governor. While the Sensex rallied 629 points higher to 35,779 level, Nifty gained 188 points to 10,737. Hero MotoCorp (7.01%), Bharti Airtel (6.69%) and Adani Ports (5.35%) were the top Sensex gainers. The Sensex has jumped 819 points in the last two sessions signalling positive outlook for the market in the near term. Here's a look at why Sensex, Nifty closed 1.79% each in trade today. Focus on rural spending The expectations of higher spending on farmers and agriculture-related activities by the newly formed state governments in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to fulfil their electoral promises and hopes from the Narendra Modi govt to address farmers' concerns ahead of the Lok Sabha elections led to a rally in two-wheeler and rural theme-based stocks. With more money in the hands of farmers, spending on auto and consumer goods is expected to rise considerably. Among 19 BSE sectoral indices, BSE auto, (715 points or 3.58%) and capital goods (438 points or 2.45%) indices led the gains in trade today. Relief for banks Hopes that there would be some easing of Prompt Corrective Action (PCA ) norms for banks and infusion of additional liquidity into NBFCs after the new RBI governor Shaktikanta Das took charge in morning today led to strong buying in banking stocks. Hence, the BSE Bankex ( 576 points or 1.97%) was among the top sectoral gainers. Bank Nifty too gained 480 points to 26,643 level. Banking and non-banking financial companies stocks rallied. Among banking stocks, Corporation Bank was up 3.46%, Dena Bank 4.33%, UCO Bank 3.21%, Central Bank of India 3.21%, Indian Overseas Bank 4.75%, Andhra Bank 5.04%, Syndicate Bank 7.66%, Allahabad Bank 4.40% and Bank of India 7.46%. Among NBFC stocks, Indiabulls Housing Finance rose 5.63%, Edelweiss Financial Services 3.02%, Can Fin Home 8.09%, IIFL Holdings 3.67%, Bajaj Finance 2.15% and Bajaj Finserv 2.48%. Crude oil price With brent crude oil price hovering near $60 per barrel, oil imports for India which meets 80% of its energy requirement s via imports would remain very affordable and prove to be blessing for the Indian economy. Mustafa Nadeem, CEO at Epic Research said, "Crude oil is the sole factor that is in favour of India as an economy and its getting priced in. But that also has raised the concerns over global demand that is seen subdued while OPEC seems split. That is keeping the markets abreast on any downside as we have seen at 10,100 levels." Global market action Global shares rose today amid hopes for progress in US-China trade talks. France's CAC 40 edged up 0.9 percent to 4,849.45 in early trading, while Germany's DAX added 0.7 percent to 10,850.39. Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.5 percent to 6,837.35. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 jumped 2.2 percent to finish at 21,602.75. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged up 1.4 percent to 5,653.50. South Korea's Kospi was up 1.4 percent at 2,082.57. Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 1.6 percent to 26,186.71, while the Shanghai Composite index rose 0.3 percent to 2,602.15. Shares also rose in Taiwan, India and most Southeast Asian markets. Recent media reports say China has agreed to reduce tariffs on US autos. That has raised hopes the two countries can make progress on their trade dispute. Investors are concerned that weaker global trade would dent economic growth and corporate profits around the world. Election uncertainty ends The market was hit by uncertainty arising out of election results in three key states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. On Monday, the Sensex closed 713.53 points, or 2 per cent, lower at 34959.72, and the NSE Nifty ended at 10477.3, down by 216.4 points or by 2.02 per cent. The market fell after exit polls on Friday indicated a defeat for the ruling BJP in three states. Yesterday too, the Sensex fell over 500 points intra day but managed to recover losses and closed 190 points higher after uncertainty over the election results came to an end. Edited by Aseem Thapliyal Mastercard released its annual Global Destination Cities Index, measuring the rise and fall of travel to and within 162 cities around the world. These are the creme de la creme, the best of the best, the ones to watch, the busiest, the elite... These are the TOP GUN of cities. Or they are overly busy, overly expensive, tourist traps. Cyprus on Monday dismissed opposition calls to sack its commerce minister after a government blunder saw it lose the trademark rights to its famous white cheese halloumi in Britain. The UK is the biggest market for the popular squeaky cheese, absorbing 40 percent of halloumi exports generating around 80 million euros ($91 million) a year. Cyprus expects to yield 300 million euros in exports from halloumi by 2023. The government has admitted it was culpable in losing the British legal battle, but rejected demands to fire Commerce Minister George Lakkotrypis, who also holds the important energy portfolio. "For the president, it is not a question of trust in the minister, but there is an issue of serious responsibility within the ministry, and there is an investigation to attribute where those responsibilities lie," Cypriot government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou told Alpha TV. "Of course, the government assumes its political responsibility and will correct everything that has happened," he added. Opposition parties such as centre-right DIKO say blaming the gaff on a few civil servants in the commerce ministry is not good enough. "The bottom line is that what happened with halloumi is a monument to incompetence in managing a matter of significance for the Cypriot economy, " said DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos. "It is a product that generates millions in revenue for the Cypriot economy and the halloumi trademark is one of the most important, if not the most important trademark of the Republic of Cyprus," he added. Communist party AKEL has also called for the minister's resignation after the government itself described the halloumi fiasco as "suicide". Cyprus lost the trademark in Britain on November 28 due to the commerce ministry's failure to respond on time to applications filed by a British company, John & Pascalis Ltd, to invalidate or revoke the trademark. A UK court ruled in favour of the company because the Cyprus government took more than a reasonable length of time to present its case. According to the high court judgment: "The ministry's internal procedures were so disorganised that the letter enclosing the application was passed from official to official after receipt on 9 February 2018, but no action was taken." An internal probe was launched to see who was responsible while the matter will be discussed in parliament. Meanwhile, Cyprus has already reapplied to register halloumi in Britain. "This development, although not visible now, may endanger our future halloumi exports to the UK," the president of the Cyprus Dairy Producers' Association, George Petrou, told the Financial Mirror newspaper. "What this means is that it may be possible for someone in the future to produce any cheese product they like and label it as halloumi," he added. Caritas and Fairtrade Luxembourg premiered their new campaign docudrama Rethink your clothes, which is part of a campaign by the same name, at BENU in Esch-sur-Alzette yesterday. The event was attended by, among others, Marie-Josee Jacobs, president of Caritas Luxembourg, Jean Louis Zeien, president of Fairtrade Luxembourg, Claude Turmes, minister for land use planning and for energy, and Raymond Aendekerk, director of Greenpeace Luxembourg. The premiere was hosted by Georges Kieffer of BENU Luxembourg (also featured here), which repurposes donated clothing into new couture pieces designed and produced in Luxembourg and promotes the circular economy, at the new BENU Village shop in Esch-sur-Alzette. We have an audio interview with Kieffer coming soon, so stay tuned for that. Before the screening, Jacobs noted that the aim of the movie is not to shock people by exposing horrendous working conditions. Rather, it aims to get people to think about their own consumption habits and the impact this has along the very long production chain through which clothes travel before reaching us. Rethink Your Clothes Rethink Your Clothes Rethink Your Clothes Rethink Your Clothes The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. The film, for which you can see a trailer above, addresses the problem of human rights violations in the garment and textiles sector. In it we follow two women, one a consumer in Luxembourg and the other a garment worker in Bangladesh, both of whom are looking for alternatives to fast fashion. The film is intended as an educational tool focused on global citizenship, and is mainly intended for a young audience of public school system. It is available on request through the campaign website, rethinkyourclothes.lu. The screening was followed by a presentation by Carole Crabbe, director of the Belgian NGO achACT, who drew a distinction between the minimum wage often paid to textile workers and the living wage actually needed. Unlike the minimum wage, a living wage must cover food, health, education, clothing, and transport, as well as a small amount for savings and recreation. Crabbe noted that despite a living wage being a human right, the garment sector often offers wages 3 to 5 times lower. This means that garment workers often work multiple shifts in a day to get by. Throughout the film, which carefully balances the difficult topic of human exploitation with humour and charm, there is a clear message that we all need to rethink our consumption patterns and its impact. This message was also thoughtfully reinforced during the subsequent panel discussion, where Kieffer noted that Luxembourgers throw away several tonnes of clothing every single year - a practice that is both wasteful and unsustainable. Indeed, Luxembourgers spend the most on clothing per capita in the EU. The Rethink your Clothes campaign will be hosting further events in the future. For more information or to get involved, visit the campaign's website and Facebook page. Facebook owned messaging platform, WhatsApp, has raised concerns regarding the delay in getting an approval for its payment business proposal in India. RBI, in its response, has asked National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to share their standpoint on the matter. In response to RBI's letter to the MeitY, a senior official of the ministry said that the concerns it had with WhatsApp Payments have already been raised with NPCI and RBI. Also Read: WhatsApp yet to give data localisation compliance timeline to NPCI On April 5, 2018, RBI had said that all payment system operators will have to ensure that data related to payments is stored only in India and firms would have six months to comply with it. WhatsApp was also asked to not store any mirror copies of the data outside of India. NPCI has also maintained that WhatsApp isn't fully compliant yet. "Right now, they (WhatsApp) are mirroring data in India," Dilip Asbe, CEO of NPCI, said according to the Economic Times, adding that he cannot comment any further on the issue. Earlier, WhatsApp's global CEO Chris Daniels had written to the Reserve Bank seeking permission for a full-scale rollout of the feature. Also Read: WhatsApp to go 'dark' on both iOS and Android devices "I write to request your formal approval to immediately expand WhatsApp's BHIM UPI (Unified Payments Interface) compliant payments product to all users in India, giving us the opportunity to offer a useful and secure service that can improve the lives of Indian people through digital empowerment and financial inclusion," Daniels had said in the letter addressed to the RBI Governor. WhatsApp's payment service has been in beta testing for almost a year now. However, Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma had earlier this year alleged that WhatsApp's UPI payment platform has security risks for consumers and is not in compliance with the guidelines. Edited By: Udit Verma Also Read: OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition India launch today, check out expected price, features As information comes out about the accused Strasbourg terrorist shooter Cherif Chekatt's history, the judicial authorities have confirmed that his DNA was found in the Grand Duchy in 2012. The French authorities are still on the hunt for Chekatt, the accused perpetrator of Tuesday evening's devastating attack in Strasbourg, where a terrorist killed three people and injured 13 individuals at the Strasbourg Christmas market. During the investigation, the authorities have announced that the suspect has had a previous criminal record including 27 sentences in France, Germany, and Switzerland. During Wednesday's parliamentary session in Luxembourg, CSV MPs Leon Gloden and Gilles Roth submitted an urgent parliamentary question to the prime minister concerning the terror threat level in Luxembourg, given its proximity to Strasbourg. In his verbal response, Xavier Bettel specified that there is no direct threat to Luxembourg following the shooting in Strasbourg, which is why the national threat level has been moved down to 2 from 4. The prime minister further explained that judicial authorities have confirmed that the perpetrator's DNA was found in the context of a break-in in Luxembourg back in 2012. As long as the suspect is still on the loose, the government has requested additional police reinforcements. Bettel also confirmed that the Luxembourg authorities are permanently in contact with their French counterparts for updates on the situation. In addition to this, the Grand Duchy's security services have already met in a crisis conference on Wednesday morning, although few details have emerged from this meeting. All that is known is that the High Commission for National Protection is in charge of this operation. Foreign affairs minister Jean Asselborn has confirmed that according to initial information, no Luxembourgers are amongst the victims of the attack. Luxembourgish student provides a witness account Candy Steffen, a Luxembourger student in Strasbourg, was currently revising for her exams at the time of the attack. She explained that the news spread incredibly quickly over social media, with friends warning each other and providing assurances of their safety. In a Facetime call with RTL, as seen below in Luxembourgish, Steffen explained how the atmosphere in the city changed instantly and spoke of a sense of instability on Wednesday. Thankful that she hasn't got any classes today, Steffen said she would try and stay in as much as possible until the situation is resolved. In the interview, Steffen said that she felt uneasy and constantly questions whether the shooter might be in her neighbourhood or whether he's still armed and dangerous. She told how friends of hers were at the Christmas market and how they heard the shots, but that security services quickly came to the scene to evacuate everyone. Of particular note was the solidarity between individuals, as people unable to get to their neighbourhoods were offered places to sleep by others living closer. According to Steffen, certain faculties of the university have cancelled classes and exams, whereas others have urged students to continue revising and to not let this disrupt their studies. During the session in Luxembourg's parliament on Wednesday, minister Francois Bausch requested that the opposition cease using the term 'Gambia' to refer to the coalition government, calling it a matter of respect, then proceeded to fumble on which parties actually form part of that government. In his quick speech about terminology Bausch requested that Martine Hansen, head of the CSV in the Chambre des deputes, cease using the term 'Gambia' to refer to the government. In this request, Bausch compared this with using the term 'Pafen' to refer to the CSV. 'Pafen' is a pejorative way to refer to Christian conservatives. With both words, Bausch specified that they lacked respect and highlighted that the government had been democratically elected. In his speech, he proceeded to say that the government formed of the "CSV, DP, and the Greens" had been elected democratically, before interrupting himself with a laugh and correcting it to "LSAP, DP, and the Greens". Hansen responded that she would attempt to avoid using the word, but might let it slip out of habit. Hunt for gunman: 3 dead, 14 injured in Strasbourg shooting - new toll Hundreds of French anti-terror police are hunting for a fugitive gunman who attacked Christmas shoppers at a market in the eastern city of Strasbourg while shouting "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest), officials said Wednesday. The attack in the heart of the medieval city as the annual Christmas market was closing on Tuesday night left two dead, 13 injured and crowds of traumatised witnesses. The suspect, a 29-year-old Strasbourg native identified as Cherif Chekatt, opened fire with a handgun and stabbed passers-by during his rampage, France's anti-terror prosecutor Remy Heitz said Wednesday. Chekatt, who was on a watchlist for suspected religious extremists, had already been sentenced 27 times in France, Germany and Switzerland for crimes including violence and robbery. Flowers and candles were placed on Strasbourg's Place Kleber on Wednesday in tribute to the victims of the terror attack at the city's bustling Christmas market / AFP His mother and father, as well as two brothers, were detained for questioning Wednesday. Chekatt was flagged by French security forces in 2015 as a possible extremist while in prison, after he "called for practising a radical form of religion," deputy interior minister Laurent Nunez told France Inter radio Wednesday. He lived in a rundown housing estate a short drive from the Christmas market, which draws some two million people each year to its wooden chalets selling festive decorations, mulled wine and food. "His family has lived around here for a while, but he lived on his own nearby," Zach, a 22-year-old in the Poteries area of Strasbourg, told AFP. "He was discreet, not a thug." Much of the centre of the city as well as the European Parliament building were locked down through the night as teams of police and soldiers searched for the gunman. French officials are urging the public to alert the police with any tips on the whereabouts of Cherif Chekatt, the suspected Strasbourg gunman / AFP On Wednesday, the market was shut and theatre performances and other shows were cancelled as reinforcements joined a manhunt that also involved police in neighbouring Germany. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told lawmakers in Paris that three people tried to stop Chekatt, one of whom was stabbed but not killed. During his rampage, he was injured in an exchange of fire with soldiers who were patrolling the Christmas market as part of regular anti-terror operations. The gunman then fled the scene in a taxi, getting out in the city's southern Neudorf district, where he again exchanged fire with police before disappearing, a source close to the inquiry told AFP. Around 720 police officers and other security forces are searching for him, Castaner said, and the public is being urged to alert police of any tips on his whereabouts. - 'People running everywhere' - The government has raised the security alert level for terrorism to its highest, reinforcing border controls and patrols at all Christmas markets across France. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced Wednesday that France's anti-terror Sentinelle operation, which counts around 7,000 soldiers, will be boosted by a total of 1,800 troops over the coming days. Among the victims in Strasbourg, two were killed outright and another has been declared brain-dead, while 12 more were injured, six critically, Heitz said. Shortly after the shooting, lines of police vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the "capital of Christmas" / AFP The shooting spree comes as French leader Emmanuel Macron faces the biggest crisis of his presidency after three weeks of anti-government demonstrations sparked by fuel tax rises. Security forces were already stretched by the often violent demonstrations during which five people have died and more than 1,400 been injured. Police had wanted to arrest Cherif on Tuesday morning as part of an investigation into a robbery gone bad and an attempted murder, Nunez said. He was not at home, but police found a grenade, four knives and a loaded .22 calibre pistol. Strasbourg mayor Roland Ries said most of the victims were men, including one Thai tourist who was among the dead. Strasbourg shooting / AFP In Rome, the foreign ministry said one of the injured was an Italian journalist covering the European parliament, but did not confirm media reports that he was in a serious condition. According to a tweet by Poland's embassy in Paris, a Polish citizen was also among the injured. The market was to remain closed Thursday, city officials said. - France shaken by attacks - France has been targeted by a series of attacks by Islamist gunmen since 2015, and the Strasbourg market was long considered a target. Strict vehicle restrictions, security checks and patrols by armed police and soldiers amid the revellers have become the norm. The SITE intelligence group, which monitors jihadist activity, said in November that a group aligned with the Islamic State group had warned of a Strasbourg attack with a social media post titled "O Christmas here we come - Strasbourg, 01 January 2019." Some 25,000 people are currently on France's "S" extremism watchlist, 9,700 of them for radicalism "linked mainly to Islamist terror movements," according to the interior ministry. Most recently in France, a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris in May, killing one person and injuring four. At least 245 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. burs-adp-js/nla Wonder Caves: Ideal Spot for Hikers and Cave Explorers From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... Two students at a major college in Ho Chi Minh City created floor tiles from a novel mixture of sand and plastic that gives promising results, albeit using quite a rudimentary method. After many days of hard work and sleep deprivation, Vu Van Duong and Pham Manh Dinh, sophomores at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (UTE), combined sand and nylon to form a new material for floor tiles. While more testing is needed, the material can provide practical applications and become an important solution to the plastic waste issue in Vietnam, said Le Anh Thang, a lecturer at the schools faculty of civil engineering. Dinh, who majors in information technology at the institution, shared a tile-making idea inspired by one of his high school teachers with Duong, his dormitory roommate who studies at the engineering faculty. They dried plastic bags collected from a market, used any item available to them, and spent their own money on sand and the equipment from which they built a compressing tool. The students experimented with over 60 tiles baked at different temperatures for more than two months by dropping the objects from the fifth floor of a building. They finally found the sturdiest tile with an appropriate sand-plastic ratio in its composition, and named the material UNC, which represents the name of their university and the Vietnamese words for plastic and sand. Dinh and Duong presented the material at the universitys undergraduate scientific research contest and it was impressive to lecturer Le Anh Thang. I was instantly attracted by their idea, Thang said. When I asked them how they had made the material, I found it amusing and moving at time that they did research that followed no scientific procedures at all. Thang has allowed Dinh and Duong to use equipment at a workshop at the school an opportunity the students said went beyond their wildest dreams. Their tile prototype met domestic technical standards, they said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! SHANGHAI -- The International Crisis Group (ICG) said on Wednesday it had received no information from Chinese officials about the detention of its employee, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, and that it was seeking consular access to him. ICG, a policy forum focused on conflict resolution, said in a statement sent to Reuters Kovrig was detained by state security officials in Beijing on Monday night. His detention, first reported by Reuters, came after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, a move that has infuriated Beijing. Neither Chinas Foreign Ministry nor Ministry of Public Security has responded to requests for comment. Chinas Ministry of State Security has no publicly available contact details. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. Diplomats in China said the apparent involvement of the secretive state security ministry, which engages in domestic counter-espionage work, among other things, suggests that the government could be looking at leveling spying accusations. However, ICG President and CEO Robert Malley said the group did not engage in such activity. I dont want to speculate as to whats behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about whats not behind it, and whats not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security, Malley told Reuters. Everything we do is transparent, its on our website. We dont engage in secretive work, in confidential work, he said. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, was asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence after the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message, they will send you a message, he said. A Western diplomat in China, who asked not to be identified, was even more blunt: This is a political kidnapping. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately and analysts have said retaliation from Beijing over the arrest was likely. Meng was granted bail by a Canadian court late on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver on U.S. claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions sparked a diplomatic dispute. Malley said Kovrig, who was based in Hong Kong, had been working on issues related to Chinese foreign policy in Asia and Africa. Im just going to hope that whatever process is under way is going to be a fair one and one that will quickly show that theres nothing against him, he said. The U.S. State Department was considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens, two sources said on Tuesday. The Canadian government was considering issuing a similar warning, Canadas CTV network reported. Reuters was not able to confirm the report. A number of visitors braved cold weather and light rain to participate in the second Day of Pho in Hanoi on Wednesday. Day of Pho, or Pho Day (December 12), was an event held by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in celebration of the iconic Vietnamese dish which has won over diners worldwide. Following the inaugural event in Ho Chi Minh City in 2017, this years Pho Day was organized at AEON MALL Long Bien in Hanoi, the widely accepted birthplace of pho. By 9:00 am, popular pho stores and brands in the Vietnamese city, including Thin Bo Ho, Vuong, Hung Ben, and Hai Thien had already had their booths at the event ready, with all ingredients, from slices of beef and noodles to the vegetables pho is served with and the herbs needed to prepare its unique broth. Located just opposite these booths were those displaying pho spices and herbs and a special area showcasing the process of making a bowl of pho. A small exhibition on the process to make pho. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Visitors were captivated by not only the colorful scene created by the white noodles, red beef, and green vegetables, but also the pleasant scents of star anise and cinnamon -- the key spices to make a delectable broth of pho. Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama was among the first visitors to the Pho Day on Wednesday morning. Salama eagerly shared with Tuoi Tre his personal experience with pho as a Palestinian student in Vietnam back in the 1980s. The ambassador said at that time he found it hard to adapt to Vietnamese cuisine as he was not into the smell of fish sauce. The other day a Vietnamese friend took Salama to a pho store in the Hanoi Old Quarter, and it was then when he realized how good pho is. The Palestinian diplomat said he was addicted to pho right from that first dish he ever had, adding that he now eats pho at least once a week. Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama. Photo: Viet Dung / Tuoi Tre I once had to wait for 20 minutes at a Vietnamese pho restaurant in England, he told Tuoi Tre. Vietnamese pho is a great dish in other countries. Salama underlined that pho is the passport of Vietnamese cuisine as it helps introduce the country to the world. Foreign visitors to Vietnam will definitely try pho; and once doing so, they will have a great memory to tell their friends and family when they return home. Tuoi Tre editor-in-chief Le The Chu (right) and Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama. Photo: Viet Dung / Tuoi Tre Tasty pho variations Many pho restaurants have taken advantage of the Day of Pho to showcase special variations of the dish. Hoang Thi Minh Hieu, a visitor from Ho Chi Minh City, tried the special pho rolls, a Hanoi delicacy, at the Hung Ben store at the event and was totally in love with the dish. Pho rolls just whet the appetite of both northern and southern Vietnamese, Hieu told Tuoi Tre. Visitors at the pho rolls shop Hung Ben. Photo: Viet Dung / Tuoi Tre Pho rolls are made by filling thick sheets of rice noodle with beef, herbs and vegetables that are normally used in the ordinary soup-based pho. The rice noodle sheets will then be rolled up and piled on a plate and are served with a small dish of fish sauce for dipping. Miss Vietnam World 2010 Diem Huong tried the pho rolls at Hung Ben before visiting the nearby booth by Hai Thien, an eatery known for its unique colorful pho rolls. Hai Thien uses different vegetables to dye the rice noodle sheets. The colorful pho rolls are not only eye-catching but they also taste good, Diem Huong said. Miss Vietnam World 2010 Diem Huong (center) is seen at the Hai Thien pho shop. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre The beauty queen said she always misses her father whenever she eats pho. When I was young, my father would take me to eat pho and I always felt like I was going to a big party with him, she recalled. I felt like I was a princess whenever I went to eat pho with dad. Diem Huong said her father would use those times eating pho with his daughter to teach her about life. So whenever life gets tough, I will go eat pho, just to have the feeling that dad is by my side again, she said emotionally. Kajiwara Junichi, general director of Acecook Vietnam. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A day to love pho In his opening remarks at the second Day of Pho in Hanoi, Tuoi Tre editor-in-chief Le The Chu said the event was meant to allow visitors to experience a wide variety of pho, and spend a day loving pho and sharing the value of this dish with international friends. Speaking of the origin of the Day of Pho, Chu said the Vietnamese have our Japanese friends to thank. Pho is the national dish of Vietnam, but the Japanese have beaten us to honor it by dedicating April 4 of each year to the Day of Pho in Japan since 2017, he explained. After that, Tuoi Tre has decided to observe our own Day of Pho on December 12 each year to honor this very special dish. He expressed his delight that the Pho Day this year was held in Hanoi, the birthplace of the specialty. I hope all the famous pho shops present here today will bring visitors not only good bowls of pho to warm you up with in this cold weather of Hanoi, but also a more profound experience with the Vietnamese pho, he said. Spices to make pho are on display. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Spices to make pho are on display. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Colorful pho rolls are seen at Pho Hai Thien. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Colorful pho rolls are seen at Pho Hai Thien. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre People wait to eat Pho Thin. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ho Chi Minh City would like to promote cooperation with French localities, especially in climate change response, education, and technology, when Vietnam and France celebrate 45 years of diplomatic ties, a vice-chairman of the city said on Tuesday. The southern Vietnamese hub is seeking more collaboration with French regions on quality human resource development, cultural exchanges, science, urban lighting, particularly on climate change response, education, and technology, Tran Vinh Tuyen, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee announced at an event to mark the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Hanoi and Paris. This is to help the city develop rapidly and sustainably, Tuyen added. Ho Chi Minh City and France have implemented many projects over the past 20 years, such as the lighting of the City Hall, the Municipal Theater, and the Fine Arts Museum, he said. Vietnam and France established formal relations on April 12, 1973. A musical performance at at an event to celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France In Ho Chi Minh City, December 11, 2018. Photo: Viet Toan / Tuoi Tre News The two countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in 2013, indicating an upgrade in their political trust and marking a milestone in their relations, the official said. He recalled General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs visit to France in March this year and Prime Minister Edouard Philippes arrival in Vietnam in November as evidence of the close relationship between the two nations. Hanoi and Paris share common viewpoints and interests in international arenas, Tuyen said, citing PM Philippes speech in Ho Chi Minh City on November 4. Vietnam and France expect a new world order where multilateralization, trade liberalization, and international law are respected. French Consul General Vincent Floreani said at the event organized by the Peoples Committee that this year is important for the Franco-Vietnamese relationship, as the two countries celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations and five years of strategic partnership. Since my arrival [in 2017], I have noted that the atmosphere of cooperation is very good between France and this part of Vietnam, Consul General Floreani said. We have already made progress in a number of areas, he added, citing work across culture, economy, education-training, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food, infrastructure and technology. A musical performance at at an event to celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France In Ho Chi Minh City, December 11, 2018. Photo: Viet Toan / Tuoi Tre News He said French business delegations frequently come to Ho Chi Minh City to look for possible investments and partnerships. Nearly 300 French companies are present in the economic capital of Vietnam, some since the early 1990s, and are developing rapidly, the diplomat elaborated. A few weeks ago, we also had the pleasure of witnessing the signing of a new partnership between the city of Lyon and Ho Chi Minh City. Consul General Floreani added that more cooperative projects will be carried out in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019. France ranks 16th among 100 countries and territories investing in Ho Chi Minh City. Trade between the Vietnamese city and the European country amounted to US$867 million in 2017. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Heres the news you shouldnt miss today. Politics -- A ceremony marking the 45th anniversary of Vietnam France diplomatic ties and five years of bilateral strategic partnership was held in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday. Society -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications on Tuesday held a conference to solicit suggestions to help the southern metropolis realize a goal to establish a modern press center to serve important events by 2020. -- Google is researching the procedures for opening a representative office in Vietnam to ensure that its compliance with local regulations is in line with its international commitments, senior vice president Ken Walker said as he was received by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue in Hanoi on Tuesday. Business -- The State Bank of Vietnam has licensed South Koreas Kookmin Bank to open a branch with a chartered capital of $35 million in Hanoi under a 99-year contract. -- Vietnam Airlines will list its shares on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange by early April, the national flag carrier said on Tuesday -- Hanois tourist numbers are estimated to hit 26.04 million this year, a 9.3 percent increase from 2017, according to statistics released at a regular press conference of the municipal administration on Tuesday. -- Vietnams economic growth this year is projected at nearly 6.8 percent, the World Bank said in its Taking Stock: An Update on Vietnams Recent Economic Developments report released on Tuesday. -- Chinese buyers accounted for 31 percent of the total customers who purchased apartments in Ho Chi Minh City through CBRE Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, the commercial real estate services provider said in a report. Lifestyle -- The inaugural Vietnam Brocade Culture Festival is poised to take place in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong from January 5 to 7 as part of a series of activities to celebrate the 15th founding anniversary of the province, organizers said at a press conference in Hanoi on Tuesday. Education -- A six-member team of Vietnamese tenth-graders have brought home four gold medals and two silver from the 2018 International Junior Science Olympiad that wrapped up in Botswana on Monday, the Hanoi education department said on Tuesday. Sports -- A US$426.63 million horse racing track is slated to be put into use in the outlying district of Soc Son in Hanoi in 2021. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Two executives from a near-bankrupt state-run shipbuilding company have been arrested in Vietnam on accusations of embezzling US$4.5 million in collusion with a scandal-plagued bank, as the country 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 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 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. 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. Ohio Gov. John Kasich reappointed John Leland, University of Dayton vice president for research, to the Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Technology Committee for a one-year term. It's the third term for Leland, whom Gov. Kasich first appointed to inaugural committee in 2014 for a two-year term. Kasich reappointed Leland for another two-year term in 2017. The committee will help legislators and members of the aerospace and aviation community, including military personnel, academic experts and industry leaders, explore ways to boost Ohio's aerospace enterprises. Strategies include: * Promoting the aviation, aerospace and technology industries throughout the state, including through the commercialization of aviation, aerospace and technology products and ideas; * Encouraging communication and resource-sharing among individuals and organizations involved in the aviation, aerospace and technology industries, including business, the military and academia; * Promoting research and development in the aviation, aerospace and technology industries, including research and development of unmanned aerial vehicles; * Providing assistance related to military base realignment and closure. Created with the passage of House Bill 292, sponsored by State Rep. Rick Perales, the committee includes three Ohio senators, three Ohio representatives, 14 individuals appointed by the committee's legislative members and one gubernatorial appointee. Leland became the University's vice president for research in 2015 and oversaw a record research volume $135.9 million for the University in fiscal year 2017. The figure places the University eighth in total research expenditures among private four-year U.S. universities that do not perform medical research. According to the most recent National Science Foundation research statistics (FY 2016), the University ranks No. 1 among all colleges in the nation in federally funded materials research and development and second for all materials research and development. The University also ranks among the top 25 nationally in research and development sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, federally sponsored engineering research and development, federally sponsored aerospace research and development, all sponsored aerospace research and development, all sponsored engineering research and development, and all sponsored research and development in industrial and manufacturing engineering. If You Enjoy My Articles, Please Consider Supporting My Writing By Giving A Donation Of Any Amount. Thank you! The star of Free Solo is the only person to climb El Capitan without ropes. The only climber to scale the 3,000ft sheer granite wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without ropes has said he thought about what it would like to bounce down as you fall off the mountain. Alex Honnold, 33, who is one of the worlds most renowned climbers, said he knew it would not be shocking to people if he died in an accident. His successful ascent up the sheer rock face is documented in the new film Free Solo, named after the form of free climbing where the climber performs alone and without using any ropes, harnesses or other protective equipment. He told the Press Association: I think that I probably thought about all the potential negative outcomes much more than you might think from seeing the film, just because I have been dreaming about free soloing El Cap for maybe six years before we even started filming. In those years I had always wanted to free solo it and then I would look at it and think that is horrifying, there is no way I can do that and so I thought about what it would be like to bounce down El Cap as you fall off the mountain and what it would be like to blow a foot and slip off something and go tumbling down the wall. He completed the climb shortly after the death of his friend Ueli Steck, who died in a fall in Nepal while preparing to climb Mount Everest, and Honnold said rather than put him off, it motivated him to prepare even more. He said: I put a lot of time thinking about El Cap and its not that that would throw you off, that further motivated me to prepare and be ready. For something like Uelis accident, that doesnt throw me off because I have already spent so much time thinking about those kinds of things and those kinds of things potentially happening to me and those kinds of things happening on El Cap. Story continues Having it actually happen doesnt really change how much you thought about it in the past and the fact that you know it could happen. After learning about Stecks death, he can be seen in the film discussing his widow, saying: What did she expect to happen? Asked if that means that is what he expects to happen to him too, he said: If I were to die in an accident climbing, not necessarily falling free soloing but in any kind of climbing accident, it wouldnt be that shocking as a professional climber who is doing things at the edge of climbing. I do my very best to limit the risk I take and I try to do things carefully and intentionally but if I made a mistake and somehow died in an accident, Im sure most people would look at that and be like well yeah, no kidding. That seems obvious to anybody looking at it from the outside. Honnold said he thinks that film shows how much preparation he put into the climb to make it as safe as possible, adding: For a lot of people, their vision of free soloing is people just walking up to a cliff and then climbing it. Then when you see years of work spent on the side of the cliff preparing it suddenly seems a lot less crazy. Director Chai Vasarhelyi added: The premise of the film is based on that its always been oversimplified, people think about free soloing and they think about death but the whole film is constructed in a way to accurately reflect his process. Free Solo is released in UK cinemas on December 14. Sky News The head of the group that runs women's tennis worldwide has said he "remains deeply concerned" about Chinese player Peng Shuai, after she accused a powerful politician of sexual assault. A spokesperson for the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) told the AFP news agency its chairman Steve Simon believes Peng's responses to his emails to her were "clearly" influenced by others. Peng reappeared last weekend after she had not been seen or heard from publicly since she said on social media on 2 November that former vice premier Zhang Gaoli had coerced her into having sex. FILE PHOTO - Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald talks to the media after a meeting with European Union Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, July 23, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Northern Ireland's largest Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein stepped up calls on Wednesday for a split from the United Kingdom, saying a referendum on Irish unity should be held in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit. Sinn Fein has been regularly calling for a vote for Northern Ireland to leave the UK and unite with the Republic of Ireland since Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016 while most voters in Northern Ireland voted to remain. However its leader, Mary Lou McDonald, raised the demand for the second successive day in the Dublin parliament, where - separate to their colleagues in the devolved assembly in Belfast - its lawmakers make up the third largest party. "A crash out Brexit will be catastrophic for our island. It will rupture our economy, our social fabric and our peace accords so the contingency planning required goes well beyond the recruitment of additional officials," McDonald told Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. "In the event of a no deal situation arriving, it is the strong view of Sinn Fein that a referendum on unity must be advanced as a matter of urgency and priority." Varadkar dismissed the timing of Sinn Fein's call as "destructive and disruptive", a day after McDonald said she raised it in a telephone call with British Prime Minister Theresa May, whom she said also disagreed with her. "I don't believe now is the time for us to start talking about border polls," Varadkar said. Under a 1998 peace deal that ended 30 years of sectarian violence in the province, the British government can call a referendum if it appears likely a majority of those voting would seek to form part of a united Ireland. A LucidTalk/Times newspaper poll on Friday showed that if there was a referendum next year, 30 percent of voters would definitely vote for a united Ireland if Britain leaves the EU on the terms Theresa May is currently proposing, but that would rise to 48 percent if Britain quit the bloc without a deal. Story continues The pollsters said the opposition to holding a referendum was driven by pro-British unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK with the province's Irish nationalists leading calls for a vote. When deferring a parliamentary vote on her deal this week, May told lawmakers that if they cared about preserving the union between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, they should listen to the people of Northern Ireland who she said supported her deal. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Photo credit: Instagram From ELLE Priyanka Chopra said in her first interview after her wedding that she and Nick Jonas were delaying their full honeymoon due to the couple's work commitments in December. But they've found time to take a mini honeymoon, reportedly in Oman, and have been sharing ample photos and videos from it. The two did the whole heart drawn in the sand thing with their newlywed initials, NJ and PCJ (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), inside it, which Chopra shared on her Instagram Story. That was their first hint they were on vacation: Photo credit: Instagram Chopra also shared a selfie of her and Jonas cuddled up in paradise. "Marital bliss they say.. " she captioned it. Jonas, meanwhile, has been a little more limited with his documenting of their vacation. He shared footage of Chopra watching Elf. "Her first time watching Elf. @priyankachopra," he captioned the shot with. Chopra left her own comment on the 'gram, calling him out for his sneaky footage of her. "Lol!!!! Husband taking sly videos when I'm so invested in Santa is so husband like.." Photo credit: Instagram Chopra and Jonas's trip comes after the two did multiple events together in India last week. They celebrated the launch of Bumble in India, which Chopra has a stake in, at launch parties in both New Delhi and Mumbai. Photo credit: PALLAV PALIWAL - Getty Images Photo credit: SOPA Images - Getty Images Chopra explained why the two chose work over immediately vacationing in her first post-wedding interview to India's NDTV. "My work and Nicks work are very important to us," she started. She then said that she committed to Bumble's launch party events before she set her wedding date. "My commitments matter to me a lot," she explained. "My word is my bond. And we had decided to do this a long time ago before anyone was getting married and so I stuck to my commitment." ('You Might Also Like',) A gibbon with a Star Wars name and a toad from Middle Earth are among newly discovered species in Asias Greater Mekong documented by scientists in 2017. Some 157 species new to science in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam were described by last year by researchers who had ventured into jungles, mountains, rivers and grasslands to make the discoveries. A new report, New Species On The Block from WWF, reveals the three mammals, 23 fish, 14 amphibians, 26 reptiles and 91 plant species discovered for the first time. The newly discovered species include a tiny toad with sharp horns that was named after an elf due to its discovery in a foggy, mountainous, mossy elfin forest in Vietnam. The horns and the place it is found have led some to liken it to a toad from Lord Of The Rings Middle Earth. A tiny toad from Middle Earth has been described by scientists in 2017 (Nikolay A Poyarkov/WWF/PA) And the Skywalker hoolock gibbon has been described as a new species, after a decades work, and is now listed as one of the top 25 most endangered primates on the planet. The gibbon was given its name due to its ability to move through the forest canopy and scholarly history in China which often regarded the animals as having noble or mystical characteristics. A pancake shaped catfish from Burma, a leaf-toed gecko with racing stripes from its snout to the tip of its tail found in Thailand and a bat with frosted tips hair are among the other discoveries. A bat with a hairstyle with frosted tips has been discovered in Burma (Pipat Soisook/WWF/PA) Also newly documented in 2017 were a Thismia herb species from Laos that is already endangered because its habitat is leased out for limestone mining and a bamboo species from Cambodia that grows alongside roads, making it vulnerable to being cleared. Paul De Ornellas, chief wildlife adviser at WWF said: The Greater Mekong is one of the richest regions on the planet for wildlife and every year scientists discover new species, identifying previously unrecognised fauna and flora. Story continues Sadly, the Greater Mekong is under threat from large infrastructure development, deforestation and the illegal wildlife trade meaning many of these species are already facing extinction. Others, undiscovered species, may already have been lost. Thats why we need to take urgent action to protect our most important places. Global wildlife populations have declined by 60% on average since 1970, according to a recent report by WWF, with the charity warning the situation is likely to be worse in the Greater Mekong due to large-scale destruction of wild areas and poaching. Celebrate Tony G's Birthday at King's Casino with a 200K PLO Event December 12 2018 Jason Glatzer Antanas Guoga, who is more commonly known as simply Tony G in the poker world, is celebrating his birthday in a grand style at King's Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic on Dec. 15-16 with an epic pot-limit Omaha event, a party, and of course cash games at all stakes running around the clock. Learn About the 200,000 Guaranteed Tony G PLO Tournament The Tony G PLO Birthday Tournament will be one of the biggest pot-limit Omaha events ever held in Europe with a 1,100 buy-in and a massive 200,000 guaranteed prize pool. The tournament is a deep-stacked affair with players starting off with 50,000 in chips and blinds increasing every 30 minutes. The structure is deeper on the second and final day with blinds increasing every 40 minutes. Players can re-enter up to two times until Level 13, which is the second level of Day 2. To add to the fun, there will be a bounty on Tony G. The amount of the bounty will be determined at a later date. While players can directly buy into the event, they can also opt to enter the tournament with partypoker LIVE dollars. In addition, there are four satellites with 40 seats guaranteed to the PLO Birthday Tournament running at King's Casino where players can qualify into the event for a fraction of the cost. Tony G PLO Birthday Tournament Satellites Date Time (CET) Buy-in Seats Guaranteed Dec. 13 8 p.m. 110 5 Seats Gtd. Dec. 14 8 p.m. 220 15 Seats Gtd. Dec. 15 11 a.m. 220 10 Seats Gtd. Dec. 15 8 p.m. 110 10 Seats Gtd. Partypoker Grand Prix King's Running at the same time as the Tony G PLO Birthday Tournament is the partypoker Grand Prix King's tournament featuring a reasonable 220 buy-in and a mouth-watering 500,000 prize pool. The no-limit hold'em event features eight opening flights on Dec. 13-16. Blinds increase every 30 minutes during the first six opening flights and every 12 minutes during the last two opening flights. Players bagging chips will compete for two more days on Dec. 16-17 until a winner is crowned. King's Casino is also hosting a handful of satellites where players have the opportunity to win a seat for just 35. About King's Casino King's Casino is conveniently located approximately 90 minutes from Prague. King's Casino is offering a free shuttle service from Prague to Rozvadov. Be sure to pre-register online for the Tony G PLO Birthday Tournament. Danilo Velasevic Leads Final Six in 1,100 EPT Prague National December 12 2018 Will Shillibier The final six in the 2018 1,100 EPT Prague National are all guaranteed 71,800 (~$81,301), but when play resumes tomorrow, they will all have eyes on the 382,750 (~$433,399) in prize money that awaits the winner of this event. Leading the way is Danilo Velasevic after the last hand of the night saw him soar to the top of the chip counts. The Serbian slow-played aces, just calling a three-bet. He flopped a set and then got it in on the turn against the pair and flush draw of Mohamad El-Rais. The river bricked out allowing Velasevic to move over twenty million in chips. 1,100 EPT Prague National Final Table Draw Seat Name Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Ali Al Saidy Norway 14,850,000 59 2 Walter Treccarichi Italy 16,725,000 67 3 Ondrej Lon Czech Republic 8,975,000 36 4 Danilo Velasevic Serbia 20,675,000 83 5 Boris Mondrus Israel 9,525,000 38 6 Ut Tam Vo France 5,400,000 22 "It was an up and down day," Velasevic told PokerNews. "I played really good, I think. I made a few bluffs, and just now that last hand was so sick. I saw this guy three-betting too much and I just thought he was fooling around. That's why I just called. "I prefer having a big stack going into the final day. I'll try to put some pressure on people and I hope to win!" For large portions of the final table, it looked like either Walter Treccarichi or Ali Al Saidy would bag the chip lead. Treccarichi recovered from two early doubles to come into the unofficial final table as chip leader, with Al Saidy eliminating two players back-to-back in 12th and 11th, and continuing to chip up at the final table. However, it will be Velasevic who goes to bed tonight as the chip leader, no doubt dreaming of the title, trophy and over 300,000 in prize money. 1,100 EPT Prague National Day 3 Action There were a series of doubles to start the day before Charlie Carrel became the first elimination, immediately jumping into the 50,000 Super High Roller. That trickle became a flood, as seven more players exited, bringing the tournament to three tables within the first level's play. Overnight chip leader Iliya Iliev was still in the lead at this point, with Preben Stokkan not far behind. However, not long later Stokkan would hand over almost three million in chips to Boris Mondrus after the Norwegian bet flop and turn with a straight draw, and then bluffed the river when his draw missed. Mondrus called with ace-high, pushing him to the top of the counts. Like Stokkan, Jean-Noel Thorel had come into the day with a big stack, but lost a big pot to Al Saidy's kings, and would lose a flip against Ut Tam Vo to bust in 18th, narrowly missing out on the two table redraw. By the redraw, it was Al Saidy in the lead with Mondrus and Tam Vo in second and third respectively. However, by the time the next break came around it was Treccarichi into the lead after securing a big double with ace-king when he rivered a king to crack fellow Italian Alessandro Mazzilli's nines. Start of day chip-leader Iliev got it in with a suited ace against the pocket tens of Ondrej Lon, only to come out second best. He was soon eliminated in 13th place as the tournament barrelled onwards. Czech bracelet winner Lukas Zaskodny was eliminated in 11th place after ace-nine failed to catch up against the ace-queen of Velasevic, and Florian Duta was out in 10th bringing the tournament to an unofficial final table of nine. Start of day chip leader Iliya Iliev was eliminated in 13th place. Final Table Action Treccarichi was still in the lead, with Mondrus, Lon and Al Saidy the other three players with seven-figure stacks. Bringing up the rear was Canadian Harpreet Padda who got it in good against El-Rais, only to emerge second best and bust in ninth place. Al Saidy had a late surge with just two eliminations remaining in the day, moving to the top of the chip counts as Treccarichi dropped back, despite eliminating Vasileios Tsaknis in eighth place. But El-Rais's elimination meant that Velasevic overtook him and will be in pole position when play resumes at midday Wednesday. Walter Treccarichi heads to the final day second in chips. Stay tuned to PokerNews.com to see who emerges victorious in the 1,100 EPT Prague National. We are a company from Estonia who is searching for a long-term partnership. We are interested in sunflower husk briquettes. We speak Russian and English. On the 10th-21st of September 2018 was held the Atelier of Restoration of St. Sergius and St. Bacchu Church & Conservation of Rural Heritage in Himara Historic Centre, jointly organized and financed by the Institute of Cultural Monuments Gani Strazimiri, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage Vlore, GIZ Albania through the "Integrated Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region" programme, and European Heritage Volunteers in cooperation with the Municipality of Himara. Interior of the Church. Image Armand Habazaj, Copyright GIZ The historic town of Himara was the perfect host for the 11-days-long activity and a melting pot for the 14 young professionals from European countries and the locals that welcomed them. The work was focused on the restoration of the roof of the old Church of Saint Sergius and Bacchu. The team of thirteen participants from European Heritage Volunteers, including here 2 coordinators was aided by the three masters carpenters and experts from the Institute of Monuments of Culture as well as the Regional Directorate of National Culture, Vlore. Maria Paula ODonohoe, one of the main coordinators, gives her recounts of the activity. As a student of Anthropology she specialized in the topics of heritage and memory. Her involvement with European Heritage Volunteers started as a desire to get a more hands-on approach in the field of heritage. I stayed a week in Lohra Castle (Thuringia) where we had an introduction week for coordinators. After that, we all went to our different projects. In total, this summer I've been a coordinator in four different projects. First in Freudenstadt (Baden-Wurttemberg), where we work on the documentation of the inside of the Grand Hotel Waldlust from 1898 and the maintenance of the surrounding park. After two weeks there, I went all the way to Weimar to work on the reconstruction of a dry stone wall and maintenance of historical path system at the Belvedere Schloss Park. My next project was in Halberstadt (Saxony-Anhalt) focused on the cleaning and documentation of a Jewish Cemetery from the XVII cemetery. Then, before going to Himare I joined a project in Freiberg (Saxony) regarding technical heritage in a mining area, we did wood shingles for the roof. And at last but not least, I joined the project in Himare The groups days in the Historic Town of Himara were divided into working hours and educational activities - including presentations and tours. The structure of the roof was taken down in the first days which was an intensive work for the volunteers, but it was all managed through the help and expertise of the master carpenters, who helped guide in the reconstruction of the wooden roof while instructing the team with local techniques. The project was unique in the sense that it was a fundamental part of the local community. As the volunteers themselves recall, many would visit the siteworks and express their wishes, slowly recovering their space. The community was a large influencer and an ever-present facet of the experience. The local pub, below the site of the church, right beside the road, welcoming few guests only during the summer season, now hosted a lively group of youngsters at all hours of the day. Natives would visit the site daily and would bring water and housemade goods to the volunteers. The amalgamation of these small acts was the communitys way of participating in the process of the restoration of the church. Local shops and markets were open and serving the volunteers, and some would sell herbs directly cultivated by them. These acts serve as proof of the activization of the historic town for the small intervention occurred from the 10th to the 21st of September. The restoration project of the XI century St. Sergius & St. Bacchu Church in Himara Historic town was presented in the Volunteering for European Cultural Heritage Conference on November 8th, 2018 in Leipzig / Germany, as a best practice model of volunteering for European Cultural Heritage. The conference was organized by European Heritage Volunteers in cooperation with Europe's Leading Trade Fair for Conservation, Restoration and Old Building Renovation denkmal in Leipzig, Germany. It is held on the occasion of the European Year of Cultural Heritage and will be the final event of European Heritage Volunteers overall project Best practice models of volunteering for European Cultural Heritage. The conference showcased the importance of volunteering as an appropriate tool for the awareness raising, the rescue and the conservation of cultural heritage as well as for the non-formal education in the field of heritage. It served as a platform to present good practice examples, to exchange experiences and to stimulate further heritage volunteering projects all over Europe. Good practice examples of heritage volunteering projects from Germany and other European countries [including Albania] illustrated the potential of volunteering for cultural heritage. The examples demonstrated the applicability of volunteering for various types of heritage, for various heritage-linked tasks and for different constellations of cooperation between non-governmental organizations, public authorities, foundations and enterprises active in the field of heritage. Conference "Volunteering for European Cultural Heritage". Image European Heritage Volunteers The church of St. Sergius and Bacchu is located in Himara Historic Town, and is a Ist Category Monument. Built at the highest peak of the historic town, on the southwestern side and next to the ancient castle walls, the church retains traces of numerous reconstructions. It was built in two phases: the first was focused on the naous, with lower parts of the walls, because the upper parts were built several times. An auxiliary facility on the western side, where the water tank is located was built later. The iconostasis frames are decorated with floral motifs. The naos is accessed through an entrance on the west side, and one on the south - which leads to the courtyard. The fresco of the church is better preserved on the interior sides of the semi-circular apse. In the southeastern corner stands a tower bell. A vault, where two eagles are carved, is walled at the northern entrance of the secondary area. The old church walls are made of limestone of medium and small sizes. The special feature of the old walls is the presence in it of the tile pieces, placed above one-another, in between the stones, or even in short segments between the rows of stones. Top Image Joerg Daiber, Medienproduktion GmbH. Copyright GIZ All Images Eneida Berisha, unless otherwise stated > via: The Integrated Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region, European Heritage Volunteers,Institute of Monuments of Culture and DRKK Vlore Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) has announced the six winners of the 2019 cycle of the Richard Rogers Fellowship, a research-focused residency program at the Wimbledon House, designed by Lord Richard Rogers in the late 1960s. Now entering its third cycle, the Fellowship is inspired by Lord Rogerss commitment to cross-disciplinary investigation and engagement, evident across his prolific output as an architect, urbanist, author, and activist. The six fellows named for the 2019 cycle were chosen from nearly 140 applicants from around the world. In addition to a three-and-a-half-month residency, each fellow receives travel expenses to London and a $10,000 cash purse. They will pursue research on a variety of issues, ranging from materiality of steel and brick in the City of London to historical and multimedia investigations of the citys estates, markets, and edges. Image Iwan Baan Harvard GSD introduced the Richard Rogers Fellowship in October 2016, and named its inaugural class of fellows in February 2017. Since its inception, the Richard Rogers Fellowship has drawn serious scholars from a range of fields and backgrounds to London, where they have engaged with that citys great research and design institutions and studied topics including housing, social housing, and so-called property guardianship; food, cooking, and their role in city development; and the potential of computational and digital fabrication in large-scale urban construction. Harvard GSD has also engaged the Wimbledon House and the 2017 and 2018 Richard Rogers Fellows in salon-style discussions on Londons urban development and other topics. Image Iwan Baan The 2019 Fellowship Selection Committee includes: Alison Brooks, K. Michael Hays, Sharon Johnston, Hanif Kara, Mohsen Mostafavi, Patricia Roberts, Lord Richard Rogers, and Simon Smithson. In 2015, Lord Richard and Lady Ruth Rogers generously gifted the Wimbledon House to Harvard GSD to ensure its continued use as a residence and site for experimentation and to provide research opportunities for future generations of practitioners and scholars. See the 2019 Richard Rogers Fellows: Spring Fellows Esther Choi (New York, NY) "The Organization of Life: Architecture and the Life Sciences in Great Britain, 1929-1951" Esther Choi is a PhD candidate in the History and Theory of Architecture and the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in the Humanities at Princeton University. She received a Master of Arts in the History and Theory of Architecture from Princeton in 2014, and a Master in Design Studies from Harvard GSD in 2008. Her research interests center on the entanglements between architecture and the life sciences in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and the intersections between artistic and architectural movements throughout the twentieth century. Her Richard Rogers Fellowship proposal will explore the exchanges that took place between scientists, architects, artists, and designers to reimagine Great Britain as a scientifically-ordered world after the economic crash of 1929. Spanning twenty years, four case studies organized according to evolutionary themesnatural selection, adaptation, heredity and mutationrevisit schemes that championed the belief that the human mind and behavior are thoroughly shaped by the environment. John Paul Rysavy (New York, NY) "A Brick is a Brick: Material and its Image in Postwar London" John Paul Rysavy is an architect and Senior Associate at SHoP Architects in New York City where he has overseen work on the Botswana Innovation Hub, Uber Headquarters, Wave/Cave Pavilion, and US Embassy in Tegucigalpa. He has been a collaborator with Jenna Dezinski in the design and research practice And-Either-Or and worked previously with Will Bruder, Brian MacKay-Lyons, and David Heymann. He has been a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome and the Charles Moore Foundation. Rysavy received a Master of Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin following study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a recipient of the Stewardson Keefe LeBrun Grant from the Center for Architecture Foundation and the Francis J. Plym Fellowship from the Illinois School of Architecture. He taught previously at The University of Texas at Austin. While in London, Rysavy will explore cultures of brick construction associated with late modern and postmodern practice. Through writing and photogrammetry, research expands from a larger study investigating technical and rhetorical applications of brick following introduction of the cavity wall in Western Europe. The project traces antecedent models of material representation as an image and graphic in contemporary architectural production. Summer Fellows Sarosh Anklesaria (Ithaca, NY) "Embedded Resistances within Neoliberal Regimes: Activist-Architects and the Contested Spaces of Londons Traditional Markets" Sarosh Anklesaria is an architect and educator. He has worked as an architect with Diller Scofidio + Renfro (New York), Herzog & de Meuron (Basel), and Sangath, the office of Balkrishna Doshi, in Ahmedabad. He is currently a Visiting Critic at Cornell Universitys College of Architecture, Art and Planning and has taught design studios at The Pratt Institute and Syracuse University. Anklesaria has a diploma in architecture from CEPT University and a Master of Architecture from Cornell University. He runs an independent practice based in New York and Ahmedabad and has been a member of the Architecture and Design panel at NYSCA. His writing, work and research has been published in a variety of media, including Architectural Review, Domus, Architects Newspaper, and Design Today, among others. His proposal stitches together two broad themes of research that have occupied his creative pursuits: architectures capacity to generate inclusive forms of public space, especially in the context of the neoliberal city, and the traditional market as the site of these contestations. The primary objective of the research is to study the traditional markets of London as well as the role of activist architects in generating spaces of empowerment within, or of consequence to, traditional markets. Maria Letizia Garzoli (Novara, Italy) "The Leasehold Uncanny Persistency: Shaping London Great Estates" Maria Letizia Garzoli is an architect and researcher. She holds an architecture degree from the Politecnico di Milano and a Master in Design Studies from Harvard GSD. She has worked at practices including Machado Silvetti and Johnston Marklee, and is currently a researcher at Foster + Partners. As she argues in her proposal, the leasehold property is a centuries-old form of ownership that corroborated the lasting presence of large aristocratic estates in West London. Today, given the transition of these family holdings into proper corporate investment companies and the increased levels of frustration among small homeowners, the meaning and study of this persistent structure is especially important. The land ownership monopoly entails a monopoly of culture, form, and identity. Her Richard Rogers Fellowship research seeks to represent how this form of property law shaped and shapes the architectural and social panorama on the lands of the great estates of West London. The final product will consist of an illustrated atlas. Fall Fellows Peter Christensen (Rochester, NY) "Materialized: the Global Life of Architectural Steel" Peter Christensen is Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of Rochester, and earned a PhD from Harvard University in 2014. His specialization is modern architectural and environmental history, particularly of Germany, Central Europe and the Middle East. His theoretical interests center on issues of geopolitics and multiculturalism. He also maintains a strong interest in infrastructure and its history. Christensen plans to use the Richard Rogers Fellowship towards research for his forthcoming second book. By following the life of steel from the collection of raw minerals and metals to the distribution of finished goods in the long nineteenth century, instead of examining heroic architectural forms made from steel, Christenens book aims to challenge the traditional narrative that architectural steel was the primary and heroic material responsible for architectural modernism. He intends to achieve this revisionist interpretation by combining the methods of environmental history, which focuses on ecology and the macro scale, with localized sources of business and trade history, especially corporate archives. Michael Waldrep (Berlin, Germany) "Finding the Green Belt: Preservation, New Towns, and Development on the Urban-Rural Landscapes of Greater London" Michael Waldrep is a media artist and researcher focused on architecture and urban planning. With degrees in Film Studies and City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, respectively, he was selected as a member of the first generation of Fulbright - National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellows in 2014. Currently, he works in research and filmmaking at Studio Olafur Eliasson. As a culmination of an ongoing multimedia investigation into the global spread and differentiation of suburban planning and architecture, his proposal for the Richard Rogers Fellowship is to document the edges of Greater London. Waldreps practice, as a trained city planner and media artist, has been honed through similar studies of Mexico City, Cape Town, and Berlin. His project will seek to bring to light, through writing, interviews, archival research, and, above all else, first-hand photographic investigation, the myriad interacting factors that permeate the Metropolitan Green Belt and the symbiotic New Towns can be teased apart and brought to light. The 2020 Richard Rogers Fellowship cycle will begin accepting applications in October 2019. Top image courtesy of Harvard GSD > via Harvard GSD 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 It was supposed to be a service to reflect upon their son's life. Instead, a local family says a priest used their pain as a platform to condemn those who die of suicide. Now the family is speaking to 13abc about their loss and a funeral they will never forget. Troy Vettese in the Boston Review: A century ago in late October, a mutiny broke out in the Imperial German Navy. In Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea, hungry, demoralized sailors refused to follow orders in preparation for one last skirmish with the British for the sake of their officers vainglory. Unsure of the crews loyalty, the officers ordered the fleet to port in Kiel, but by November 4 the rebels had taken over the city and established a workers and soldiers council. Their cries for peace and bread reverberated throughout the empire, and over the following week revolutionaries captured a string of towns and provinces. On November 9 the red tide had swept over Berlin, forcing Kaiser Wilhelm II to abdicate and ushering in the end of World War I two days later. The November Revolution was swift because Germans had been starving for years thanks to the British blockade, as recent historical work has finally proven. But the success of the blockade depended upon German mismanagement. As a populous nation with an economy driven by industry rather than agriculture, Germany had been a major importer of foodstuffs and fertilizer before the war; it faced extreme shortages once fighting broke out. Yet, as detailed in economic historian Avner Offers study The First World War: An Agrarian Interpretation (1991), it could have achieved agricultural self-sufficiency had it abandoned animal husbandry. Dairy and meat production were extremely inefficient, then as now. As a visiting U.S. physiologist wrote in 1916: Had the Germans been vegetarians, there would have been no problem. To the people of India, the ratio of grain to population would have constituted luxury. For people accustomed to eating a great deal of meat and animal products, the natural impulse was to cling as closely as possible to established habits. As liberal democracies wilt the world over, it may increasingly feel in the United Statesand elsewhereas though one lives in the Weimar Republic, but perhaps the more useful historical parallel is Wilhelmine Germany. The new special report released by the UNs International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Global Warming of 1.5C, hints at a dynamic not so dissimilar to that facing German leaders in 1914. More here. Maggie Messitt at Poetry Magazine: By the time Eisenberg started as an apprentice, several events suggested that the gender barrier in construction, and in other industries, could finally be cracked. It had been 15 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, which prohibited wage differentials based on sex, and 14 years since the Civil Rights Act, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, andat the eleventh hoursex. (Labor unions strongly opposed the latter.) Almost a decade earlier, Gloria Steinems article After Black Power, Womens Liberation, published in New York magazine, created small seismic shifts in homes and workplaces across America. The Equal Rights Amendment had finally passed, nearly a half-century after it was introduced, and was awaiting state ratification. (The ERA remains in constitutional limbo to this day. A faction of conservative women thwarted its passage, arguing that it would lead to the draft and eventually to unisex bathrooms.) In 1975, three years before Eisenberg started working on Boston construction sites, Time magazine awarded its annual Man of the Year honor to American Women, in recognition that the patriarchal gender balance was shifting across the country. more here. Donald Rayfield at Literary Review: In 1905, defeated by Japan and facing insurrection in the major cities and financial catastrophe, Russias tsar and his government were forced to retreat from autocracy and create a parliament (the Duma). Censorship, already weak and inconsistent, virtually collapsed. By then, there were plenty of printing presses, legal and illegal, along with cheap paper and card and, most surprisingly, an efficient postal system of a kind that modern Russians can only dream of. Moscow and St Petersburg had six collections a day; a letter sent from the Crimea to France took just four days to arrive. By 1913 Moscow alone handled thirteen million letters a year. Postcards, first introduced in 1872, were the cheapest form of communication a mere three-kopeck stamp took a card anywhere in the empire. It was some time before cards could be illustrated, and it was later still that it became no longer obligatory to confine the message to a line or two scrawled over the illustration. Regulations eventually relaxed so much that giant postcards much larger than the standard 9 x 14 cm were accepted. more here. En espanol | You probably know someone whos traded a worn-out hip bone for ceramic or cobalt chrome. Some 370,000 Americans undergo hip-replacement surgery each year (the average age for this is 65). But the operation isnt a cure-all: At least 1 in 10 hip-replacement recipients will need a second procedure to repair a dislocation, mechanical failure or infection. And hip pain, with or without surgery, can be a struggle. Chronic hip pain was a factor in the accidental opioid overdoses that claimed the lives of musicians Tom Petty, 66, and Prince, 57. With the stakes so high, doesnt it make sense to do all you can to strengthen and protect your hips? Even if you have arthritis in a hip the reason for 8 in 10 replacements you may be able to manage pain with exercise. In a 2017 pilot study published in the Journal of Osteoporosis, women 65 and older who exercised three times a week in a supervised 12-week program reduced arthritic hip pain by over 30 percent, with similar gains in strength, and joint range of motion. The four exercises here will fortify the muscles that surround and support your hips, says trainer Robert Linkul, owner of Be Stronger Fitness in Sacramento, Calif. He advises doing these simple moves, two to three sets of five to 10 reps each, three times a week. Compare how you feel after three weeks. 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. A new report from the Commonwealth Fund has found that New Mexicans who get their health insurance through their employers have the potential for more burdensome out-of-pocket costs than workers in almost any other state in the country. In 2017, the combination of average premiums and deductibles for workers in New Mexico totaled $6,652 annually, or the equivalent of 14.8 percent of the median income in the state. While the national average for such costs is higher at $7,240 per year, so too is the countrys median income. For the average American, the combination of premiums and deductibles is the equivalent of 12 percent of median income. Only Louisiana at 15.5 percent and Mississippi at 15 percent have more burdensome potential costs than New Mexico, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based health care nonprofit. David Radley, a senior scientist at the organization, said in an interview that New Mexicos ranking is primarily a reflection of the states lower-than-average incomes. Whats interesting about New Mexico is that its total premium cost is pretty close to the national average, said Radley. Deductibles have risen a lot, but the overall cost is still a bit lower than average. But incomes in New Mexico tend to be lower than other parts of the country, and when health care becomes a larger share of what individuals and families are spending, that creates a big burden. Radley pointed to several policy recommendations that he said could alleviate the burden for New Mexicans. The first is addressing the so-called family coverage glitch in the Affordable Care Act. Under the legislation, employees whose premium expenses exceed 9.5 percent of their income are eligible for subsidies that make marketplace plans more affordable. But the formula takes into account only the cost of covering a single employee, not that employees spouse or other dependents. As a result, according to Radley, many families including thousands in New Mexico are stuck with employer-sponsored health insurance they can barely afford because the marketplace plans are more expensive. Among the other recommendations made by Radley and the report: mandating that insurers provide a larger swath of services at low or no cost to patients, and creating tax credits for Americans whose out-of-pocket costs exceed a certain percentage of their income. SANTA FE New Mexicos revenue boom is pushing more money into a rainy day fund created in 2017. The tax stabilization reserve an idea championed by the late Rep. Larry Larranaga of Albuquerque is expected to take in about $123 million this fiscal year and another $147 million next year. New Mexicos revenue boom is heavily dependent on the volatile oil industry, so the rainy day reserve is way to ensure the state automatically saves some cash when times are good. SANTA FE The wife of an ex-teacher whos accused of molesting female fourth-grade students said she never saw her husband inappropriately touching the girls. But the woman did say she got jealous of Gary Gregors fourth graders when the girls would hold his hand and write him love letters. One of Gregors alleged victims previously testified that Gregor made her write such letters. Gregor, 62, is on trial in state District Court on 13 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor, criminal sexual contact of a minor and kidnapping for repeatedly molesting two of his fourth grade students at Fairview Elementary School in Espanola during the 2007-08 school year. Its the first of four scheduled trials Gregor faces for similar crimes against students in Santa Fe and others in Espanola. Judith Gregor, a 32-year-old Philippines native, testified Tuesday that she became pen pals with Gregor and married him in the Philippines in January 2006. She moved to Espanola in March 2008 and spent every day in Gregors class for about a month until someone complained that she was in the classroom without a background check, she said. Although Judith Gregor said she has never seen her husband touch anyone inappropriately, she did say that girls would hold his hand. That, coupled with the love letters that female students would write to Gregor, made her jealous. The girls were the ones who grabbed his hand first, and I didnt like that, Judith Gregor said. As a wife you would feel jealous a little bit. Last week, Nallely Hernandez now a young woman and who had gone public previously about the alleged abuse by Gregor when she was in the fourth grade testified last week that Gregor would make her write him letters saying how much she loved him. Both she and another former student of Gregor student testified about the teachers alleged sexual abuse that took place while they were seated in the classroom or under his desk or in a closet. Judith Gregor also testified Tuesday that Gary Gregors students would hug her and her husband, which she said is something she wasnt used to in the Philippines. The students will just come to you and hug you, she said. Mrs. Gregor was the last witness to testify in the trial and the only defense witness. The jury is expected to hear closing arguments from lawyers Wednesday morning before deliberating. The Espanola school district has already paid $9.2 million to settle civil lawsuits filed by Gregors former students who allege sexual abuse. A third civil suit from students of Gregor during his time at Santa Fe Public Schools is pending. Ive been a New Mexico attorney for over 50 years and many years ago was responsible for advising the governor about appropriate judicial appointments. Ive also been a statewide candidate for office lieutenant governor and attorney general. The editorial in (the Nov. 30) Journal, Shut the revolving door on NMs slots on the bench, was written with evident good intentions; however, some points need to be made that the editorial missed. Ill address the points in order. First, we often have highly qualified judicial candidates, mixed in with some not-so-qualified who see a judicial appointment as a means of earning a decent living as compared to taking the time and considerable effort required to build a successful law practice. The non-partisan judicial nominating commission is something of an old boy network that is subject to the usual influences, but on balance, the commissions usually send qualified nominees to the governor. Secondly, the requirement of our current judicial selection and retention system that obligates an appointee of the governor to rather immediately run for office is indeed a problem, but not exactly for the reasons suggested in the editorial. Expecting the voters to fairly evaluate such things as the individuals service as a judge, judicial temperament and ability to move cases by allowing an additional year for such evaluation is an unrealistic expectation. Voters rarely know the names of or anything about the qualifications of long-time sitting judges, let alone recent appointees to the bench. Our ballot in New Mexico is too long, contains too many statewide offices, and the judicial positions are at or near the bottom of the ballot. Allowing an additional year for the voters to evaluate the new appointees isnt going to change anything. Voters will continue to usually either vote along party lines or leave the ballot blank in the judicial races. Finally, related to my last comment, it is probably unwise to elect judges on a partisan basis for a couple of reasons, including that doing so often will determine the outcome of the balloting. Aside from the issue of judges needing to avoid rulings that are partisan in nature, the major problem recently appointed judges face when required to run is the all-too-likely outcome: Democratic judicial candidates will win and Republican judicial candidates will lose, which is both unfair to the GOP appointees and bad public policy. I say this as an active Democrat who believes judges should not be elected on a partisan basis. This overlooks the fact that governors will more often than not appoint judges of their own party to the bench, which may be considered to be another problem, depending on your point of view. But this fact is a function of elections that have consequences. Requiring judicial candidates to run on a partisan basis need not be such a consequence. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Two former Albuquerque priests alleged to have participated in sex parties with children in the 1990s gained access to boys in another arena by becoming Boy Scout leaders, according to a new lawsuit. One vulnerable boy, who started in Cub Scouts and Webelo scouting, was groomed by the then-priests as early as 1980, culminating in sexual abuse of all kinds by 1983 to 1985 and for several years after he left scouting, according to a lawsuit filed against The Boy Scouts of America and the organizations Great Southwest Council in New Mexico. The lawsuit filed against the Boy Scouts and its New Mexico nonprofit organization contends that then-Catholic priests Robert Malloy and Ronald Bruckner were leaders in an officially sanctioned Boy Scout troop that operated out of Our Lady of Assumption parish through a charter with the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Both Bruckner and Malloy are on the Archdiocese of Santa Fes list of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse. Their names surfaced in a recent lawsuit that alleges the two took children to sex parties that were sometimes filmed. That lawsuit, filed against the archdiocese and the parish Nov. 26, is now part of a Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy case filed by the archdiocese last week. The case against the Boy Scouts alleges that the organization was negligent because it knew or had reason to know that Malloy and Bruckner had abused boys in their care at a time prior to, or during the time the plaintiff in the case was in their troop. At no time did officials of the Boy Scouts of America inform the boy or his family that the organization kept a list of known pedophiles, which they themselves called the perversion files, the lawsuit contends. From at least the 1960s, if not earlier, (the Boy Scouts) knew that Scout Leader positions were being used by predatory child molesters to victimize children and that defendants had an institution-wide or systemic child abuse problems, but Plaintiffs family was never so informed, the lawsuit says. Both Malloy and Bruckner, through the power granted to them by Boy Scouts, befriended the plaintiff in the case, now in his 40s, and his family, and they gained the support of his family to spend substantial periods of time alone with him, even sleeping together on camping trips, the lawsuit says. The abuse started on Cub Scout events such as trips to Cochiti Lake and the Jemez, and included trips to Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico. The unidentified plaintiff continues to suffer debilitating and severe physical, mental and emotional injury, the lawsuit contends. It also says that it was not until 2018 that the plaintiff knew or had reason to know that the abuse arising from grooming and raping while in Cub Scouts and Webelo Scouts, resulted in the injuries alleged. Malloy and Bruckner couldnt be reached for comment on Tuesday. The Boy Scouts organization, like the Catholic Church, has faced an onslaught of sexual abuse lawsuits in recent decades, and in 2010 an Oregon jury ordered the Boy Scouts to pay $18.5 million in damages to a former scout who claimed he was abused in the 1980s. Chris Shelby, scout executive/CEO at the Great Southwest Council, told the Journal in a statement Tuesday that the organization cannot discuss pending litigation but said, Youth protection is always our top priority, and nothing is more important than the safety of our youth members. One incident of child abuse is one too many. We care deeply about all victims of child sex abuse and sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed in our programs. Shelby said the Boy Scouts continues to strengthen its efforts to protect youths by screening adult leaders and staff, with criminal background checks. Two or more adult leaders must be present with youths at all times during Scouting activities. Prompt reporting of any allegation or suspicion of abuse is required. SF victims sought after priests arrest Federal authorities are looking into reports that an American Catholic priest arrested last week for sexually abusing minor boys in the Philippines worked at a Santa Fe school in the 1970s. The arrest of Kenneth B. Hendricks, 77, of Cincinnati, in the Philippines came after federal Homeland Security Investigations received information on Nov. 13 alleging sexual exploitation of minor Filipino boys. Hendricks is charged as a U.S. citizen with engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. He is being held in Manila. Records indicate Hendricks was at St. Catherine Indian School in Santa Fe in the 1970s, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of Ohio. He left the school in July 1979, but federal authorities said Tuesday that they didnt know when he arrived there. Potential victims and those with information about his alleged conduct are being asked to call an Homeland Security Investigations hotline, 513-246-1461. Bernalillo County will pump another $4.3 million into deputy salaries starting next year as leaders try to keep law enforcement personnel in place. The County Commission on Tuesday approved by a 5-0 vote a new agreement with the Bernalillo County Deputy Sheriffs Association that will raise starting deputy pay to $30 per hour from $27.03. The deal will also bolster longevity pay and compensation for specialties like K-9 officers and SWAT team members. The new scale tracks closely with the Albuquerque Police Departments, and the unions president called the package more than fair. I am very happy. I dont know how much (the county) can or cant afford, but the fact they were able to listen to our concerns and address them in a timely manner, that shows that they care about the safety of their citizens and care about their officers and deputies as well, Deputy Chris Toledo, union president, said in an interview Tuesday. The raise kicks in January 1. Budget estimates put the cost at $4.26 million for the first full fiscal year, and the price will go up slightly in ensuing years. County Manager Julie Morgas Baca, who signed the deal with the union, urged the commission to give it final approval. I just want you to know that we thought about this. We want to retain our skilled professional deputies, she said prior to Tuesdays vote as 10 law enforcement officers, many in uniform, stood behind her. Thats very important; its very important to the county; its very important to our citizens. Toledo said he believes the bump will stop the outflow of deputies to other departments that pay more. Some have left BCSO in recent months to join the Albuquerque Police Department, which has increased salaries in an effort to grow the department by about 100 officers this year. APD has conducted two lateral academies specifically to train officers coming aboard from other departments; 11 of the 59 participants so far came from BCSO. But Toledo said deputies have also fled for better paying jobs in out-of-state departments or other law enforcement agencies like the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office. Its kind of heartbreaking to know that we train them and then they move over to APD because theyre already trained and they go in at a higher scale, Commission Chair Steven Michael Quezada said before voting on the new deal. I know were not completely competing with APD, but were making it as comparable as we possibly can in the county. This is the second time this year the commission has approved a raise. The board in January approved an 8 percent deputy pay hike, which was made retroactive to July 1, 2017. BCSO becomes just the latest New Mexico law enforcement agency to adjust compensation to attract or keep officers. Santa Fe, Rio Rancho and the University of New Mexico have each boosted officer pay or incentives for new hires in recent months. STRASBOURG, France Hundreds of security forces combed eastern France for a 29-year-old man with a long criminal record who shouted God is great! in Arabic and sprayed gunfire during a deadly rampage in Strasbourgs famous Christmas market, officials said. Tuesday nights attack at the Christmas market in Strasbourg killed two people, left a third brain-dead and injured 12, and was a stark reminder to a nation wounded by previous assaults that terrorism remains a threat, even as anti-government protests roil the country. National police distributed a photo of the wounded fugitive, identified as Cherif Chekatt, with the warning: Individual dangerous, above all do not intervene. France raised its three-stage threat index to the highest level and bolstered troops around France. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told lawmakers that the French native, born in Strasbourg, had run-ins with police starting at age 10 and his first conviction at age 13. Chekatt had been convicted 27 times, mostly in France but also in Switzerland and Germany, for crimes including armed robbery. He had been flagged for extremism and was on a watch list, but the interior minister said the signs were weak. The emerging profile seemed to point to an increasingly common hybrid extremist who moves from acts of delinquency to sowing terror. Its a large zone and the search is difficult, senior Interior Ministry official Laurent Nunez said on France-Inter radio. Strasbourg is on the border with Germany, where the suspect was convicted in 2016 of breaking into a dental practice and a pharmacy in two towns. His parents and two brothers, also known for radicalism, were detained, a judicial official said. Prosecutor Remy Heitz said the man attacked with a handgun and a knife about 8 p.m. Tuesday, and was shot in the arm during an exchange of fire with soldiers during his rampage. He then took a taxi to another part of the city, boasting of the attack to the driver, and later exchanged more gunfire with police and disappeared, Heitz said. Witnesses described shots and screams after the gunman opened fire and yelled God is great! in Arabic, the prosecutor added. Swaths of the city were under lockdown for hours. The dead included a Thai tourist, 45-year-old Anupong Suebsamarn, according to Thai Foreign Ministry and the website of the Khao Sod newspaper. It quoted his uncle as saying he and his wife had originally planned to visit Paris, but the protests there prompted them to change plans and go to Strasbourg instead. One Italian was reported to be among the wounded. Italian media said Antonio Megalizzi, 28, was in critical condition. Italian daily La Repubblica reported he was in Strasbourg to follow the session of the European Parliament. After initially reporting that three people had died, authorities revised that and said one was brain-dead, while 12 people were wounded, six of them gravely. About 720 police, soldiers and SWAT team officers in Strasbourg were being reinforced with 500 more soldiers and another 1,300 in the coming days to guard public places, especially other Christmas markets, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said after a crisis meeting. The government raised the security level after the attack. The attack in the heart of old Strasbourg, near its famous cathedral and within the Christmas market that draws many tourists, unsettled the border city that also is home to the European Parliament. The German government said it had stepped up controls on the border with France but did not change its threat level. All terrorist attacks touch all of France, and its plain to see each of the attacks have hit a highly symbolic point or moment, Philippe told parliament. He listed violence since 2015 that killed more than 200: at the Charlie Hebdo satiric newspaper, a Kosher store, restaurants, bars and a concert hall in Paris; along the famed seaside promenade in Nice; and even inside a church in a quiet suburb of the northern city of Rouen, among others. Strasbourgs Christmas market is a family and brotherly celebration that speaks about hope and what unites us. Its this celebration that was hit yesterday by a terrorist act, he said. The city was in mourning, with candles lit at the site of the attack, and the Christmas market was closed at least through Thursday, according to regional prefect Jean-Luc Marx. The attack came as President Emmanuel Macron sought to take back control of the nation after a month of anti-government protests that have spread violence across the country. It came only 24 hours after he broke a long public silence and appealed for calm amid the mushrooming yellow vest protest movement that seeks a better standard of living for ordinary citizens. He offered a package of measures, but it wasnt clear if that would halt the weekend protests. The terrorist threat is still at the core of our nations life, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux quoted Macron as saying at the weekly Cabinet meeting. Reflecting the distrust and anger at Macron, some social media said they viewed the Strasbourg attack as a handy distraction. Interior Ministry official Nunez said Chekatt had been radicalized in prison and had been monitored by French intelligence services since his release in late 2015, because of his suspected religious extremism. Nunez told France-Inter that police went to his apartment in an outer neighborhood of Strasbourg on Tuesday morning. Authorities said he was not there, although five other people were detained. Police seized a grenade, a rifle and knives in the operation, Heitz said, and began guarding the apartment building. A neighbor, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the gunman was still at large, said Chekatt was rarely home and last saw him Monday from her window, which looks out on a common hallway, with another man. Young men from the apartment block said they knew him as someone who seemed destabilized by his time in prison. You can just tell, said one, touching the side of his head. They, too, spoke on condition of anonymity because he was still on the run. ___ Ganley reported from Paris. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton, John Leicester and Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Kaweewit Kaewjinda in Bangkok and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed. Eddy and Lea counties are the source of almost half a billion dollars in state revenue, coming from lease sales of federal land in southeast New Mexico to the oil and gas industry. The Bureau of Land Managements September lease sale of federal land to the oil and gas industry generated about $972 million, with about $486 million going to the State. The sale included 142 parcels and grossed more revenue, records show, than all of the BLMs 2017 sales combined. Thirty-one parcels, many near the boundary of Carlsbad Caverns National Park were deferred following protest from environmentalist groups. Representatives from the BLMs Washington D.C. headquarters presented a check for the state revenue, Tuesday at the BLMs Carlsbad Field Office. Katharine MacGregor, deputy assistant secretary of land and minerals management at the U.S. Department of Interior, commended the work at the Carlsbad office and vowed continued support for the surrounding rural communities. Were so proud of having a lease sale of this size, she said. I cant tell you how thrilled we were to give away the biggest check we ever have. I think its clear President (Donald) Trump and (Secretary of the Interior) Zinke are committed to rural prosperity. MacGregor said the Carlsbad Field Office holds about 40 percent of BLM activity nationwide the busiest office in the country reporting 1,533 applications to permit drilling in fiscal year 2018. The next closest office was the entire state of Wyoming with 1,227 during that same time frame. But MacGregor said the BLM is committed to uses other than oil and gas, such as grazing and recreation. She said a balance must be struck to encourage the ongoing economic benefit of extraction, while preserving traditional uses such as farming and ranching and the local way of life. It will always be multiple use, MacGregor said. What is clear is that this is a unique basin. Its really a matter of striking that balance. Rural prosperity isnt just energy. Ken McQueen, cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department said the boost from the lease sale will continue to support education across New Mexico, along with local infrastructure in southeast New Mexico. He said the Permian Basin region is an important priority for the states administration, as it provides a significant portion of New Mexicos revenue. Earlier this year, the State reported about $1 billion in surplus funds, mostly driven by oil and gas revenue. And with the majority of active rigs in southeast New Mexico, McQueen said the priority should be obvious. Were just glad to have this really unexpected bonus into the state government, McQueen said. The fact that most of these leases are in Eddy and Lea counties is just an indication of whats to come. This is an indication of billions of investments to come. McQueen pointed to the New Mexico Department of Transportations $60 million project to upgrade U.S. Highway 285, where much of the oilfield traffic travels in and out of Carlsbad, and $43 million in state funds appropriated to remediate the Carlsbad Brine Well beneath the South Y the main highway junction in southern Carlsbad. I think there is a lot of interest in Santa Fe that the investments here keep up with the development, he said. We just need to collaborate as we move forward. We need to find a way to spend the money in the best interest of the citizens of New Mexico. That also means continuing to support the oil and gas industry at the state level through, McQueen said, as oil production in the Permian is not expected to slow down. The U.S. Geological Survey reported last week that the biggest oil and gas shale ever discovered could be beneath southeast New Mexico and west Texas. The report estimated that the Wolfcamp Shale and overlying Bone Spring Formation could contain about 46.3 billion barrels of oil, 281 trillion cubic feet of natural and 20 billion barrels of natural gas liquids (NGL). The stage has already been set, McQueen said. This is an important precedent. Oil and gas will continue to be the largest contributor to the state budget for years to come. Its important to safeguard that resource. Jim Stovall, director of the BLMs Pecos District said activity at the Carlsbad Field Office has continued busy and steady. He said the office is hiring more staff to work with the State office to identify parcels ideal for mineral leasing. State headquarters handles the actual bidding, but Stovall said his employees are instrumental in determining which parcels of land should be opened to drilling. We work closely with the state office. Its a collaboration, Stovall said. The employees are the unsung heroes. These guys work very hard. Meanwhile, the BLMs quarterly lease sale in December generated about $39 million for 107 parcels or 86,814 acres in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. The highest bid per acre was $35,003 by Oklahoma-based Reagan Smith Energy Solutions Inc., for 40 acres in Lea County. The highest per-parcel bid was by Flat Creek Resources LLC for $2.9 million for 160 acres in Eddy County. The BLM is a key contributor to the Trump Administrations America First Energy Plan, which is an all-of-the-above plan that includes oil and gas, coal, strategic minerals, and renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, and solar all of which can be developed on public lands, read a BLM news release. Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter. 2018 the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) Visit the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) at www.currentargus.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ALAMOGORDO National parks have experienced record-breaking visitation, with more than 1.5 billion visitors in the last five years, according to a White Sands National Monument press release. Throughout the country, the combination of aging infrastructure and increased visitation has put a strain on park roads, bridges, campgrounds, waterlines, restrooms and other visitor services and led to an $11.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog nationwide. According to the release, revenue from entrance fees remains in the National Park Service and helps ensure a quality experience for all who visit. In White Sands National Monument, 80 percent of entrance fees stay in the park and are devoted to spending that supports the visitor, the release states. Entrance fees will increase starting January 2019 In April, the National Park Service announced service-wide fee increases for all entrance-fee charging parks. Therefore, White Sands will modify its entrance fees to provide additional funding for infrastructure and maintenance needs to enhance the visitor experience. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, the entrance fees to the park will be $20 per vehicle, $10 per person and $15 per motorcycle. For instance, a car with three passengers would pay the $20 per vehicle fee and not $30 for the three individual passengers. There are also five fee-free days each year. In 2019, the fee-free days are Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 21, the first day National Park Week April 20, National Park Service Anniversary Day Aug. 25, National Public Lands Day Sept. 28 and Veterans Day Nov. 11. According to the release, all of the money received from entrance fees remains with the National Park Service with 80 percent of the revenue staying at White Sands. The revenue from entrance fees at White Sands has enabled rehabilitation of the monuments 1930s era sewage system and replacement of all cedar rail fences. Currently, needed repairs to the parks accessible Interdune Boardwalk trail and restoration of the porch poles of the historic Spanish pueblo-adobe visitor center are in progress, the release states. Entrance fees collected by White Sands for the last 10 years have totaled $4.6 million and have been used to add new vault restrooms and picnic shelters in the dunes area, install new museum exhibits in 2010, add new interpretive signage to road pull-offs and hiking trails, and develop education curriculum for K-12 students, the release states. White Sands has charged an entrance fee since 1937 and the current rate of $5 per person has been in effect since 2016. The park is one of 117 National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee; the other 301 national parks remain free to enter. The National Park Service has a standardized entrance fee structure, composed of four groups based on park size and type. Some parks not yet aligned with the other parks in their category will raise their fees incrementally and fully incorporate the new entrance fee schedule by Jan. 1, 2020, according to the release. The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. On Jan. 1, 2019, the complete fee schedule at White Sands will change according to the following: $20 per vehicle, $10 per person, $15 per motorcycle and $40 for Park Specific Annual Pass. These rates will go up by $5 in 2020. The price of annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and Lifetime Senior Pass will remain $80. The Access Pass remains free. For more information, go online at nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm or nps.gov/whsa. 2018 the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.) Visit the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.) at www.alamogordonews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHOENIX The Arizona Supreme Court has again upheld the death sentence of a man convicted of first-degree murder for one of two killings during a 1991 series of Phoenix-area burglaries. The state Supreme Courts ruling Monday says that mitigating evidence supporting leniency for Charles Michael Hedlund didnt outweigh aggravating evidence supporting a death sentence. The justices had previously upheld Hedlunds death sentence but the sentence was overturned by a federal appeals court in a ruling that prompted the state high court to review Hedlunds sentence again. The justices in September upheld two death sentences for James Erin McKinney, Hedllunds half-brother and co-defendant, in the killings of Christine Mertens and Jim McClain in 1996. WASHINGTON With just days left to enroll, fewer people are signing up for the Affordable Care Act , even though premiums are stable, more plans are available and millions of uninsured people can still get financial help. Barring an enrollment surge, the nations uninsured rate could edge up again after a yearslong coverage expansion that has seen about 20 million people obtain health insurance. A status report Wednesday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services showed nearly 20 percent fewer new people signed up than at about the same time last year. New sign-ups drive the growth of the HealthCare.gov marketplaces, helping keep premiums in check. The sign-up deadline in most states is this Saturday, for coverage beginning Jan. 1. A few states that run their own health care websites have later deadlines. Trying to encourage enrollment, former President Barack Obama posted a whimsical video on social media Monday encouraging young adults to sign up for his signature program. That same day, a crush of people tried to enroll in what was the highest traffic this open enrollment season. Disappointing sign-ups will add to the long-running political blame game over health care. Democrats accuse the Trump administration of sabotage on the health law. Republicans counter that pricey Obama-law premiums are too high for solid middle-class people who dont qualify for taxpayer-financed subsidies. The Trump administration said in a statement this week our primary goal is to provide a seamless open enrollment experience for HealthCare.gov consumers and ensure that those who want coverage offered through the (program) can enroll in a plan. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar also posted his own straightforward video pitch on Twitter. The new numbers suggest there may be less demand for government-subsidized insurance during a time of strong economic growth. But interviews with current and former officials, consumer organizations and independent experts also revealed several factors that appear to be cutting into enrollment. Lack of a strategy for expanding HealthCare.gov, the federal insurance marketplace. The Trump administration didnt set sign-up targets for the health overhaul, according to a report this summer from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office. Such targets are a standard management tool for government agencies. Marketing does matter, said Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, a state-run insurance marketplace. Not doing active promotion millions of Americans are not going to find their way to HealthCare.gov. The administration has been using targeted emails and social media messaging , but thats nowhere near the effort expended in the Obama years. Administration officials say they are focused on providing a smooth sign-up experience for consumers who want coverage. No penalty for being uninsured. The GOP-led Congress repealed the fine for being uninsured, effective this Jan. 1. The tax penalty was the most unpopular part of Obamas law. The really big change taking effect for this open enrollment period is repeal of the individual mandate penalty, so that is very likely a major factor, said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. The administration also increased access to lower-cost plans that provide less coverage than the more comprehensive insurance offered under the overhaul. Short-term health insurance plans dont have to offer basic benefits such as prescription drugs, and insurers can turn down people with medical conditions. But such plans may appeal to healthy people looking for a measure of financial protection against an unexpected illness. Immigration fears. Organizations working to enroll low-income workers report heightened concerns among immigrants that applying for health insurance could have negative consequences due to the administrations crackdown on illegal immigration. Only legal immigrants and citizens can get coverage through HealthCare.gov, but that hasnt calmed the fears. Weve had a lot of green card holders coming in because they think they might be affected, said Kori Hattemer of Foundation Communities, a nonprofit organization in Austin, Texas, that helps enroll people for coverage. Pretty much every day we have someone asking us about it. Hattemer says their enrollment numbers are about 9 percent below the same time last year. Last year about 11.8 million people signed up for subsidized private health insurance during the ACAs open enrollment period. Some 10 million are still enrolled. Current customers who dont want to make any changes will get coverage automatically renewed for 2019. Separately, another 12 million low-income people are covered through the health laws Medicaid expansion. A former Republican Senate health care staffer who launched Rhode Islands health marketplace said ongoing consumer education is needed to grow enrollment. Christine Ferguson said many healthy people dont realize the value of coverage until something bad happens to them. But boosting sign-ups was not a priority for the Trump administration, said Ferguson, now a consultant. President Donald Trump failed to outright repeal the ACA last year. The APs VoteCast survey during this years elections showed that 59 percent of voters want the government to ensure coverage for all Americans. But voters had mixed views of the ACA, with about half saying it should be repealed totally or in part. About a third said it should be expanded. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal A Taiwanese manufacturing company is opening a $50 million plant in Santa Teresa, with an expected workforce of nearly 350, the company announced Wednesday. Admiral Cable, which makes electrical cords and industrial cables and wires, will build a 195,000-square-foot plant in Santa Teresas intermodal park, where it will have access to a rail spur, said Jerry Pacheco, CEO of the Santa-Teresa-based Border Industrial Association. It is expected to open in 2020. This is a reaffirmation to the world that Santa Teresa is a world-class global manufacturing center, Pacheco said. That a company that could go anywhere picks our region just affirms how competitive we are in attracting companies. Admiral Cable will receive $3.92 million in Local Economic Development Act funds, with Dona Ana County to act as the fiscal agent. Also announcing a move to the Santa Teresa area in recent months was Stampede Meat, which expects to hire more than 1,200 employees over the next five years, and Corrugated Synergies International, bringing 120 manufacturing jobs. Mitch Samuels, a consultant to Admiral Cable who spoke at the announcement, said in a phone interview that the company also looked at the El Paso area but said the Santa Teresa proposal just felt better. We liked the community, we liked the people, (and) the job site was wonderful, said Samuels. State Economic Development Director Matt Geisel said he and Gov. Susana Martinez were in Taiwan earlier this year and spoke to Admiral Cable officials while there. Pacheco and Samuels said the company would spread the word about Santa Teresa as it seeks to have more of its suppliers locate nearby. Some are already in the area, Pacheco said. Were looking at this as the priming of the pump in getting more Taiwanese companies, Pacheco said. ANDERSON, Calif. - The Anderson Police Department is starting up its fight against porch pirates this holiday season. They say they are looking for volunteers to help watch out for the thieves in neighborhoods. As far as what residents can do on their own, the department has a few suggestions: Rajya Sabha adjourned briefly for half an hour after passage of The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021. TULARE, Calif. (AP) - Authorities say a man who shot a dog with an assault rifle for peeing on his yard and vehicle was arrested and is facing animal cruelty charges. The Tulare County Sheriff's Office the dog's owner contacted officials Saturday after noticing her dog was missing and told authorities she suspected her neighbor, 23-year-old Modesto Ramos. The office says Ramos was arrested later Saturday after he told investigators he became angry at the dog for urinating on his yard and car, fatally shot him and then buried it. Deputies searched his home and found two assault rifles - an AR15 and an AK47- that are banned in California. The sheriff's office says Ramos also faces possession of banned assault weapons and negligent discharge of firearm charges. (CNN) - At least one person has been killed and 10 others injured after gunshots were fired in the center of the northeastern French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening, the national police spokesman told CNN. He also confirmed that there was only one shooter, who remains at large. Live images from the scene indicate the incident took place near the Christmas market in the center of the city and there is a large police presence. The interior ministry said in a tweet that there was an "incident" in Strasbourg and urged the public to stay indoors. French President Emmanuel Macron is monitoring the situation and has asked the Interior Minister to go to the scene, an Elysee spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman said: "The President of the republic is being informed in real time of the situation in Strasbourg. He decided accordingly to shorten his current meeting and asked the minister of the interior to go there. He continues to be kept informed of developments." Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries tweeted that the incident was a "serious event" and that his thoughts go out to the victims. SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. - A Red Bluff woman, who killed a man after she drove head-on into freeway traffic in an apparent suicide attempt, has been sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. Grace Ward, 29, of Red Bluff, was sentenced during a highly emotional hearing on Dec. 7. Ward was arrested in the Jan. 7 crash that killed Ryan Folsom, 29, of Medford, OR, on I-5 in Redding. Prosecutors say three cars swerved out of the way before Folsom's car was hit. Folsom attended medical school in San Antonio, TX. He was heading to Sacramento for a hospital interview before the crash. GroupM has announced that Himanshu Shekhar will be taking over from Ed Thesiger as CEO, GroupM Indonesia effective January 1, 2019. He will continue to be based in Jakarta and will report directly to Mark Patterson, CEO GroupM APAC. Shekhar has been based in Indonesia since March 2010, when he joined as the Managing Director for Mindshares business with Unilever. He was later promoted to CEO of Mindshare Indonesia in December 2011. Whilst at the helm of Mindshare Indonesia, he delivered consistently strong growth for the agency and positioned Mindshare as the market leader in digital transformation. In January 2015, Shekhar was promoted to his current position, CEO of Mindshare South East Asia. Thesiger, CEO GroupM Indonesia and Vietnam, will be relocating to the UK at the end of March 2019 to set up his own consulting business. Commenting on the appointment, Mark Patterson said, Indonesia continues to be a key growth market for us, and I am delighted that we have been able to promote from within for this important leadership position. Himanshu has a proven track record with a depth of experience and industry relationships that is second to none in that market. I would also like to thank Ed for his energy, passion and outstanding leadership over the past 7 years. We are sorry to see him leave the region and wish him every success on his new venture back in the UK. Amrita Randhawa, CEO Mindshare APAC, added here, Himanshu has built Mindshare into a titan of an organisation in Indonesia and driven its strength, reputation and leadership stature across South East Asia. His knowledge of Indonesia and our clients core needs in the market is unparalleled and therefore, there is no one better suited to step into the GroupM leadership position. We are rooting for Himanshus success in this next chapter of his career and are confident that he will continue to be an incredible partner for Mindshare and our clients growth story in Indonesia. Speaking of his promotion, Himanshu Shekhar noted, Leading GroupM Indonesia is a massive responsibility. Across our agencies, Mediacom, Mindshare, Wavemaker and Essence, we have some of the brightest minds working with super successful brands on creating media for business growth. I am thankful to our leadership and teams for building trusted partnerships with clients, media and tech ecosystems over the years. Today, Indonesias media is among the most vibrant globally. We have global innovation originating here and best practices taking shape in some areas. Our global networks have been deeply committed to this already, and I am excited to add my efforts to this journey. I am thankful for the trust, and look forward to working together with our wonderful teams and partners. Thesiger added, It has been an absolute privilege leading such a talented group over the past 7 years. Himanshu has been a cornerstone of the team for the duration of my tenure and I look forward to seeing him drive the business on to the next level in the coming years. Thesiger will work closely with Himanshu to ensure a smooth transition over the coming weeks. Details of Eds successor replacement in Vietnam and Shekhars successor replacement will be announced in the days to come. Note: You can smell the irony in this story like a horse farm behind a pig farm next to a cow farm on a hot Texas day. New Jersey has one of the highest autism rates in the nation. The cute kids everyone buys blue light bulbs for in April in a do nothing feel good effort are going to grow into adulthood. The ones who aren't killed by a restraint or murdered by a distraught parent or drowned as a result of wandering, that is. For those who grow into adulthood the questions never end for families: Where will they live? What will they do all day? How will they survive financially? Who will care for them now and when we die? The stress and anxiety is crippling in so many ways. So imagine the revulsion we feel toward people who would be so against a community of people with autism that they would defile the property bought to create a loving, safe home. A home for people like your sons, daughters and my daughters. I picture a bunch of Hunter booted women in $100 yoga pants creeping across the property to wreak havoc late at night in a last ditch effort to chase away the...autistic. In some states, group homes for autism are also including SEX OFFENDERS. Can you imagine a more dangerous "roommate" for our loved ones? In 2019, we are launching a new member of the Autism Age non-profit family called Autism Ages. We'll be a community of diverse voices sharing ideas, helping each other learn how to navigate the future for our loved ones and I hope, learning from adults on the spectrum who will join us. Stay tuned. If you want to be an early participant, email me at AutismAges@gmail.com. We also have sponsorship opportunities. ### Neighbors debased farm for autistic adults with graffiti and horse manure: lawsuit MIDDLETOWN - When a charitable organization tried to buy a farm on Middletowns affluent Navesink River Road to use as a home for adults with autism, neighbors went to great lengths to block the sale and even tried to bribe the seller to back out of the deal, court papers allege. When that didnt work, and the sale went through, neighbors embarked on a pattern of harassment that included debasing the property with menacing graffiti and dumping hundreds of pounds of horse manure on the grounds, the court papers said. Superior Court Judge Dennis R. OBrien, sitting in Monmouth County, last year dismissed a lawsuit brought by Oasis Therapeutic Life Centers Inc. against its neighbors, saying the charitable organization failed to set forth a valid claim under the states Law Against Discrimination. But a panel of appellate judges on Monday reinstated the lawsuit, saying the overarching goal of the Law Against Discrimination is nothing less than the eradication of the cancer of discrimination." Read more at NJ's App.com. Note: How is it that even when vaccine injury is a apparent as an elephant in the room, the push continues to paint vaccines as always safe? Parents are rightly afraid of the risk, especially in India where so many children were harmed, even killed. It's almost impossible to fathom. For those reading the complete report a "crore" is an Indian unit of 10m and the reference to "41 crore" is to India's 410m children between 1 and 15. ### By Jyoti Pandey, DownToEarth.org After Gujarat and Punjab, now Uttar Pradesh has lost two children to Measles-Rubella vaccination and several other schoolchildren have fallen sick in Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur districts. School administrations are now so scared to organise such drives that the government has sought help from the Indian Medical Association to spread awareness among people. The vaccination drive was launched in UP on January 26 and the same day several cases of children falling sick were reported from various parts of the state. While Kanpur saw admission of 100 school-going children in hospitals, Shahjahanpur reported 30 such cases, Lakhimpur Kheri 22, Mainpuri 12, Unnao 29, Firozabad four and Mahoba and Tundla reported eight cases each. After both Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur lost one kid each, the health department went into a tizzy. Zainab, 12, a resident of Chandoi village in Pilibhit, fell sick the day after she got vaccinated. She was admitted to a hospital right after she started puking, but she died. Similarly, Shahjahanpur's Chandpur village saw eight-year-old Prince fall ill two and a half hours after he got the vaccine. He also started puking and the same night he was declared dead, says his father Sudhir Dikshit. Earlier, Punjab had also witnessed a girl die and several other fall sick. After the death in Bhatinda, the vaccination drive was halted. Even in Gujarat, the kin of the two schoolchildren who died blamed the vaccine for the deaths. The protests forced the state government to launch an investigation. Read more here. 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. Oman Air has unveiled a unique feature panel for the first class cabins of its Boeing 787-9 aircraft, recently launched on its Muscat to London route. The front-textured panel frames the airlines modern logo in a a shaped arch, reminiscent of Omans culture and history. The concept design was originated by Teague, in collaboration with the Oman Air guest experience and branding team, before going through the industrial-design process at AIM Altitude., which manufactured the panel in the UK. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Xia Cai, SVP of guest experience & branding at Oman Air said, The feature panel offers a significant enhancement to the atmosphere of the whole cabin. It is a dramatic piece that reflects our Omani architectural heritage through a modern interpretation without taking up valuable space. The lighting techniques mean that it takes on new emphasis at different points in the flight and can transition between calming subtlety and uplifting opulence. The panel includes Aim Altitude-engineered lighting, with LEDs from the pelmet, washing out onto the textured panel. The translucent center logo has colored opaque inserts, allowing a further LED light to project through only the main features of the logo. All the LED lighting is controlled via a sensor, which harmonizes with the aircraft cabin lighting. Peter Niemeyer, principal engineer at AIM Altitude, explained the design, We utilized painted thermoplastic for the front-textured panel, and the polyurethane logo was produced using a silicon casting. The LED lighting is extremely effective, and we are delighted with the extra dimension it brings to the panel. Five members of Egypt's national police force are under investigation in Italy in connection to the murder of Giulio Regeni, an Italian researcher whose body was found on the side of a highway in Egypt in February 2016. The news has increased tension in Italian-Egyptian relations, with the Italian side growing increasingly frustrated at the lethargic pace of the Egyptian investigation. We have been waiting for three years, said Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who is also Italy's deputy premier, in a Dec. 4 statement. I want to maintain good relations with Egypt and I'll do everything to have good economic, cultural, trade and social relations with a friendly country. But as an Italian, I expect the names and surnames of the culprits. From the Italian perspective, the Egyptian authorities have been stingy with information and have frequently deflected attention from the Egyptian security services. Egypt's official position was initially that Regeni had been killed in a traffic accident. But in March 2016, just weeks after Regeni's body was discovered, Egypt acknowledged he had been murdered, but held that it was by a criminal gang whose members had all been killed in a shootout with Egyptian security forces. The Italian public has grown frustrated with the Egyptian inquiry into Regeni's death. Handpainted signs still hang from some buildings in Milan and other cities calling for justice and the truth around the circumstances of Regeni's demise. Italian authorities believe Egypt is stalling and not providing all the information it holds. The general perception is that the Italian government is using the Regeni case to drive nationalist sentiment, Laura Silvia Battaglia, an Italian journalist and analyst who has worked in both countries, told Al-Monitor. The relations between the two countries will not be touched, though, due to the mutual industrial interests, including infrastructure, arms and energy. Meanwhile, Regeni's parents have come forward and made a statement through their lawyer. The statement, issued Dec. 5, said that their personal investigations have uncovered 20 names mostly high-ranking officials in the Egyptian National Security forces, the Italian newswire ANSA reported. They said the list could grow to as many as 40 people connected to their son's murder. A public prosecutor in Rome placed five Egyptians under investigation on Nov. 29. The Italian press named them as Gen. Tareq Sabir, Col. Acer Kamal, Maj. Sherif Magdi, Cpt. Hesham Helmy and Mahmoud Nejm. There are no formal charges against the named officers yet, but they are considered suspects. Egypt's State Information Service sees the investigation as an affront, saying in a Dec. 5 statement the charges should be based on evidence and not suspicions. The Italian action comes just shy of three years since Regeni's death. In that time, Italy has experienced three different governments. Each has brought up the issue of Regeni with Egypt, but with little or no progress. The Italian public and media have grown exasperated and accusatory. Regeni was a doctoral candidate at Cambridge in the United Kingdom studying trade unions in Cairo when he disappeared on Jan. 25, 2016 the five-year anniversary of the uprisings that led to Hosni Mubarak's abdication of the Egyptian presidency after 30 years. The issue of trade unions is sensitive in Egypt, where the military oversees the economy, and the Italian authorities believe Regeni's death may be related to his research. His body was found nine days later on the outskirts of Cairo. His parents later said they could only identify him by the tip of his nose. An Italian forensics investigator revealed that he was tortured before his execution, his body mutilated. About a year before Regeni's death, a spate of disappearances began in Egypt. The disappeared were last seen in places like classrooms and would later turn up dead. Others have occurred since. Many are believed to have been outspoken critics of government policy. The police were widely believed to be behind these disappearances but the state did not confront the security forces. In April 2016, Rome recalled its ambassador to Egypt, citing the Regeni case. However, a new envoy was named a year later. Italian and Egyptian prosecutors met in early December but failed to produce anything of note. Relations between the two nations will continue to be strained as long as no answer is unveiled. Italy seems determined to proceed with the investigation regardless of Egypt's wishes. Today, we can say that [Egyptian] control [over the investigation] has led to an insufficient judgment, at least in determining an ascertaining of the facts that took place, reads a Nov 28 article in Italian daily Corriere Della Sera written by Giovanni Bianconi. But all the Italian governments have been able to obtain are vain promises, Bianconi said. Republican Mark Harris hired consulting firm Red Dome Group. The firm then contracted Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr., who was previously accused of interfering with absentee ballots back in 2016, for absentee ballots and early voting efforts. Multiple people have said they were paid by Dowless to illegally collect absentee ballots. The race was only decided by 905 votes. The North Carolina GOP has pushed restrictive voter ID laws for years as a solution to widespread voter fraud -- a problem that didn't exist -- but now they're ignoring a serious allegation of absentee ballot fraud. The seriousness of these allegations cannot be ignored. Officials are already calling for a special election -- so it's up to us to ensure every voice is heard in North Carolina and nationwide. Will you make a $3 donation today to help give Democrats in North Carolina and nationwide the resources they need to fight to defend our democracy? DONATE: $3 DONATE: $10 DONATE: $25 DONATE: $50 DONATE: $100 Or donate another amount. Defending the right to vote means staying vigilant all year long -- not just in the weeks leading up to an election. In 2018, Democrats built a nationwide voter protection infrastructure that put boots on the ground in key states and ran a voter protection hotline. We must continue our efforts to ensure every eligible vote is counted in 2019, 2020, and into the future. It's not going to be easy. This work is expensive and requires long-term investment. So it's going to take all of us, from North Carolina to California and nationwide, working together to defend our democracy. Donate $3 today to ensure every voice is heard in our elections. Any amount you give will help elect Democrats who will defend our country, our democracy, and our fundamental rights. Thank you for fighting for our democracy. Tom Tom Perez Chair Democratic National Committee P.S. Republicans will stop at nothing to win elections, and it's up to us to fight back. Donate $3 right now to defend our democracy. Friend -- There are now serious allegations of election fraud in NC-09 to steal an election for the Republican candidate. Here's what we know so far:The seriousness of these allegations cannot be ignored. Officials are already calling for a special election -- so it's up to us to ensure every voice is heard in North Carolina and nationwide.For decades, Republicans have relied on restrictive voter ID laws and gerrymandering to gain and keep power. Since the 2018 midterm elections, they have passed legislation in Wisconsin to limit the power of Governor-elect Tony Evers and they're trying to pass a similar bill in Michigan to the reduce the power of the newly-elected Democratic governor, attorney general, and secretary of state.Defending the right to vote means staying vigilant all year long -- not just in the weeks leading up to an election. In 2018, Democrats built a nationwide voter protection infrastructure that put boots on the ground in key states and ran a voter protection hotline. We must continue our efforts to ensure every eligible vote is counted in 2019, 2020, and into the future.It's not going to be easy. This work is expensive and requires long-term investment. So it's going to take all of us, from North Carolina to California and nationwide, working together to defend our democracy.Thank you for fighting for our democracy.TomTom PerezChairDemocratic National CommitteeP.S. Republicans will stop at nothing to win elections, and it's up to us to fight back. Armenias reformist prime minister says hes ready to establish relations with Turkey after his bloc won a landslide victory in Sundays parliamentary elections. Nikol Pashinian, a former journalist who was swept into power in May after leading mass protests that forced out his predecessor, said his government was ready to forge ties without preconditions with Armenias historic rival and hoped Ankara was ready to do the same. Why it matters: Pashinian, 43, won on a mandate of ending the rampant corruption, poverty and joblessness that have bedeviled the former Soviet state since its independence in 1991. Establishing diplomatic ties and reopening the border with Turkey would help ease the grip of the oligarchs who monopolize Armenias economy. More critically, it would strengthen Yerevans hand in talks to end the long-running conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over the contested mountainous enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-majority region that Armenia wrested from Azerbaijan in 1993. Turkey sealed its border with Armenia in solidarity with its ethnic kin in Azerbaijan, which it had secretly armed throughout the conflict. Normalization with Turkey would also help offset Armenias dependence on Moscow and allow Azerbaijan to export gas to Europe via Armenia, a shorter and cheaper alternative to existing lines through Georgia. The Washington connection: Meanwhile, peace with Armenia would win Ankara much needed brownie points in Congress, where Turkeys continued detention of US nationals and US Consulate employees, as well as its plans to buy Russian-made S-400 missiles, have triggered bipartisan fury. Both the Senate and the House are threatening a slew of sanctions. And long-touted congressional efforts to formally recognize the mass murder of more than a million Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as genocide would be even less likely to pass. Turkic solidarity: In an ideal world, Turkey would seize the olive branch being extended. But it has steadfastly refused to do so until Armenia makes peace with Azerbaijan, ceding at least some of the territories it seized around Nagorno-Karabakh. This was not always so. In 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed a set of Swiss-brokered protocols to establish diplomatic relations and eventually reopen their border. But no sooner had the ink dried that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, buckling to Azerbaijani pressure, did a U-turn, saying Armenia needed to make concessions on Nagorno-Karabakh first. Since then, "the ball squashed by pressure from Baku, has rested squarely in Ankara's court," said Khatchig Mouradian, a lecturer at Columbia University. He told Al-Monitor, There is little faith in Yerevan that Turkey will decouple the normalization of relations with Armenia from the Karabakh conflict anytime soon. Whats next: Erdogan continues to view Azerbaijans president, Ilham Aliyev, as a chief regional ally. And there are allegations documented by the Black Sea investigative journalists collective that the Turkish presidents family benefits personally from business ties with Azerbaijan. In any case, Erdogans tactical partnership with Turkeys ultra-nationalists make it highly unlikely that he will respond favorably to Pashinian. Russia, which thrives on regional divisions, will remain the big winner. Know more: Amberin Zaman wrote about the plight of ethnic Armenian lawmaker Garo Paylan as Erdogan courted the far right ahead of the June elections in Turkey. And just last month Sibel Hurtas brought us the story of why Syrian Armenian refugees scarred by the memory of 1915 are avoiding neighboring Turkey. - Amberin Zaman Since February 2011, Iranian opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi, his wife Zahra Rahnavard and Mehdi Karroubi have been effectively under house arrest with virtually zero access to the outside world. The punishment without trial came after Mousavi and Karroubi, two of the defeated candidates in the country's 2009 presidential elections, leveled accusations of vote rigging and called for public protests. Supported by a large majority of disillusioned voters, the two continued their unyielding defiance as the protests led to hundreds of deaths and left thousands behind bars. Ever since the three were placed under house arrest, Iran's Reformist figures have been pushing for their release or at least some easing of the restrictions imposed on them. The debate was renewed Dec. 9 after a top adviser to President Hassan Rouhani said their release was just around the corner. Hesamoddin Ashna told a gathering of students in Tehran there is "only one last hurdle to be removed." In a strongly worded statement, Kaleme, a website affiliated with Mousavi and his wife, denied the claim, stressing that the three are still continuously guarded behind barred windows and locked doors. Karroubi's son was even more pessimistic. "I have to make it clear that the house arrests will never be lifted," said Hossein Karroubi, lamenting that the problem "has never been seriously followed up by the authorities." Mojtaba Zolnour, a hard-line lawmaker and a relentless critic of the opposition leaders, believes that there will be no lifting of the house arrest "because all efforts meant to do so faced a deadlock after Karroubi's public letter." In that letter issued in September, Karroubi defiantly reaffirmed his anti-establishment positions. Even politicians such as deputy parliament speaker and a popular moderate figure Ali Motahari, who have been exhausting all channels to put an end to the detention, are now voicing frustration. "There is no solution at the moment. The only way is for members of the Assembly of Experts to intervene and raise the matter with the supreme leader." Motahari added that he had already conveyed his message to the country's leadership that a continuation of the house arrests will harm Iran's national interests. The question of the final say has also been a key element of the whole debate. While Reformists insist that the supreme leader has stood against their release, hard-liners claim the decision is in the hands of the Supreme National Security Council, which is chaired by Rouhani. During his re-election campaign in 2017, Rouhani openly supported the three and promised an end to their ordeal. But his failure to bring it about has led many voters to argue that the president only jumped on the bandwagon to garner votes rather than genuinely advocating for the opposition leaders. The Iranian leadership seems to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. It continues to be pressed by Reformists for their unconditional release, but adamant hard-liners still demand that the trio face trial for "the sedition," a term originally used by the supreme leader to describe the opposition leaders' calls for protests following the disputed elections. WASHINGTON While Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on the UN Security Council today to impose tougher measures to restrain Irans ballistic missile activities, European allies said they doubt the Donald Trump administrations maximum pressure campaign will achieve its stated objective of a better agreement with Iran. Instead, they fear it is more likely over time to provoke Iran to lash out in ways that could lead to military escalation. Today, Iran has the largest ballistic missile force in the Middle East, Pompeo said at a UN Security Council session Dec. 12 on Resolution 2231 that enshrines the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It has hundreds of missiles which pose a threat to our partners in the region, Pompeo added. So the question now: What steps ought we take to confront this Iranian malign activity? he asked. Pompeo said the United States would work with member states to seek to reimpose the restrictions on Irans ballistic missile activity contained in an older, 2010 resolution, which was superseded by the one that enshrined the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Beyond addressing Irans ballistic missile activities, the council should not lift the arms embargo in 2020 on Iran, Pompeo also proposed. While several other UN envoys said they share Washingtons concerns about Irans ballistic missile launches and alleged transfer of missile technology to Yemens Houthi rebels, they unanimously stressed that they considered preservation of the Iran nuclear deal a greater international security priority. Trumps withdrawal from the deal in May and reimposition of harsh sanctions on Irans oil and banking sectors last month threaten to deprive Iran of the economic benefits it was promised in exchange for the constraints on its nuclear program that it made and has complied with, according to 13 reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency, they noted. But for how long? We call on Iran not to conduct any further ballistic missile launches and to refrain from unacceptable rhetoric accompanying these activities, German Ambassador to the UN Christoph Heusgen told the body. But, he added, We believe the American position is throwing out the baby with the bath. The JCPOA has significantly rolled back Irans nuclear program and ensures it does not develop a nuclear weapon, eight European nations said in a joint statement before the session today. However, the JCPOA faces considerable challenges following the withdrawal by the United States and the reimposition of US sanctions against Iran, said the European nations. It is essential that the JCPOA continues to work for all its participants, including by delivering economic benefits to the people of Iran, they said. European diplomats who have closely engaged with the US administration on Iran say they see little prospect that Iran will take up Trumps offer of talks anytime soon. They also mock the prospect that Iran would accept anything resembling Pompeos 12-point plan for Iran to become a normal country, as Pompeo frequently puts it. Some allied diplomats have wondered if some members of the Trump administration instead would prefer to provoke Iran to take rash action that would provide a pretext for military confrontation, even as Trump has told European counterparts he does not want a war with Iran. On so-called maximum pressure on Iran at some stage you need to act carefully with Iran, a European diplomat, speaking not for attribution, said in a meeting with a small group of journalists. If you put too much pressure on Iran, at some stage it will resume its nuclear program. It increases the risk of them misbehaving," he added. Keeping some flexibility in this policy is essential, he said, adding, Some pressure is necessary. Excessive pressure will be a mistake. The big question mark, beyond maximum pressure what is the strategy? What does the US expect? he added. The diplomat continued, President Trump has said he wants Iran to go back to the negotiating table. But when we ask the Iranians, When [will] you go? they refuse. Why would they go? They made a compromise. Then they are invited to make a compromise along Pompeos 12-point plan. At some stage, they may get back to talks with the US. In the short term, that is pretty unlikely." The US has replaced [an Iran] policy with a sanctions policy, he said. The effect of maximum pressure policy can have two results: Either at some stage, it works according to plan, meaning Iran get down on its knees, signs Pompeos new agreement no nukes, no weapons, the diplomat, belittling the prospect, said. Thats option one, he added. He continued, Option two, supported by some people within this administration, is an escalation plan. To impose so much pressure, it is pushing Iran to default. That is a serious risk." If at some stage, Iran cannot export any oil, the risk of Iran misbehaving will increase, he said, adding, If Iran decides to get back to its nuclear program, then there could be military action. That could be one of the effects of maximum pressure, and I am not sure it is off the table. So a lot depends on what we are able to do to mitigate this, he said. Pompeo, speaking to journalists at a stakeout after the UN session, vowed that the United States would rally an international coalition to pressure Iran over its missile activities. Now its time for this Security Council to get serious about this real risk from proliferation from the Iranian regime, Pompeo said. Were going to exert American leadership to build a coalition to build out a set of responses that deliver deterrence against Iran and its continued proliferation of ballistic missiles, he added. But the European diplomat had a harsh assessment of how many countries the Trump administration has persuaded to its approach of trying to kill a nuclear deal Iran was complying with while simultaneously blaming Iran for every single problem in the Middle East. As of right now, the attempt by this administration to build a coalition against Iran has failed, he said. Albert Einstein, the greatest of Jewish scientists, came to speak at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1923, when it consisted of but a single building on Mt. Scopus and hadn't officially opened. Einstein was to speak on the theory of relativity, and he wanted to do so in French, but some of the lecturers as well as activists for the Hebrew language protested. Einstein acceded, opened with greetings in Hebrew, and then apologized before announcing that the scientific lecture would have to be delivered in French. Ninety-five years later, a similar conflict has resurfaced at the leading university in Israel. At various meetings and conferences, Hebrew University President Asher Cohen has said that the emphasis during his tenure would be on internationalism, on boosting student exchange programs, receiving faculty from abroad and sending Israeli faculty to universities in other countries. In conjunction with this focus, the university administration would be examining the possibility of transitioning to instruction in English for courses toward advanced degrees, masters degrees and doctoral studies in the sciences, as well as adding one or two required courses in English for a bachelors degree. Reports about such a move have drawn sharp criticism, especially on the political front, and not only from the nationalist right. To wit, Knesset member Ofer Shelach, from the centrist Yesh Atid, wrote that it is ridiculous that for the sake of international status and the desire to attract foreign students, the university would take a step to reverse 150 years of Zionism and the essence of a free people in its land. Further, he threatened that if the university failed to abandon the idea, the political establishment would have to cause it to reverse it. Yaakov Haguel, deputy chairman of the World Zionist Organization, wrote in a sharply worded letter to Cohen, The reviver of the Hebrew language, Eliezer Ben Yehuda, would certainly turn in his grave in light of this insane decision. In conversations with Al-Monitor, university lecturers who spoke on the condition of anonymity also called the decision into question. One lecturer warned that it is impossible to disconnect bachelors degrees from advanced studies because the lecturers are the same. A switch in language would therefore marginalize those who are not fluent in English and favor those who are. According to him, it appears that the university is acting based on economic reasoning, because foreign students pay higher tuition. Another lecturer complained that the move would disconnect the university from Israeli society. He argued that if researchers are instructed to write articles in English only, their studies will likely be geared toward foreign journals only. This would create a situation where studies in Israel would no longer touch on whats happening in Israel, because it wouldn't interest the editors of those journals. Who, he asked, would be left to study Israeli society or Judaism? Another critique touches on the exclusion of students whose English-language skills are not strong. Yuval Elbashan, dean of the law school at Ono Academic College, argues, For children of professors, who spent their sabbaticals abroad and are fluent in English, perhaps it wouldnt make a difference, but for students who come from disadvantaged populations, language could be an insurmountable obstacle. Thus, the academy would once again become the playground of only one group in Israeli society, which is dangerous in itself. By disadvantaged populations, Elbashan meant students who struggle to learn English as well as ultra-Orthodox students, who hardly learn any English in their educational systems, as they do not follow the national core studies curriculum. Arab students are another vulnerable group because the level of English instruction is uneven among the schools they attend. According to one of the lecturers, the ideological critique is the strongest. He remarked that Hebrew University was born out of the struggle for the establishment of Israel as a Hebrew state, much like the Hebrew Academy and the revival of the Hebrew language. Replacing Hebrew with English would lead to a reversal, disconnecting the academy from Israeli society and language. The lecturer also noted that the issue has a political dimension. The international emphasis comes at the expense of Israeliness and parallels a universalist approach that pushes nationalism aside. Barak Medina, the rector of Hebrew University, told Al-Monitor that alongside a commitment to research and instruction in Hebrew, the university administration recognizes the importance of advancing the international standing of the university, and that in order to do so it is necessary to increase the number of excellent foreign students and to continue receiving leading faculty from abroad. According to Medina, studies for a bachelors degree will by and large continue to be taught in Hebrew. Certain courses in the social studies and humanities that do not have a significant local component are already taught in English, and the university plans to add a few more courses in English to these. At the same time, instruction for masters degree studies in the exact sciences will mostly be in English, Medina said. This is already the case in agriculture studies and the dentistry schools and will be applied to the rest of the natural sciences. The universitys position stems from the fact that in the global academic environment, Hebrew, like most other languages, is nearly irrelevant except in specific fields in the case of Hebrew, in Bible, Talmud and Israel studies. For Hebrew University to maintain its position as the top-ranked institution in Israel and one of the best in the world, as per the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings, Israeli researchers must retain their prominence in research internationally, not only in Israel. This is the only way to draw top researchers to Israel and to enrich the Israeli academy. Hebrew University also competes with other institutions in Israel, like the Weitzman Institute for Science, which grants advanced degrees and instructs primarily in English. Even today, in most Israeli labs involved in the natural sciences, research is conducted in English. These labs attract doctoral students and researchers from abroad to conduct postdoctoral research. Most prominent universities in Scandinavia, Belgium and Holland teach primarily in English, and this has contributed to the broad presence of researchers from these countries in all fields of academic research, where English is the common, professional language. France is an exception in not adopting English for higher education and academic research, and according to advocates for switching to English, the status of French scientists has declined over time, especially in the social sciences. The question is whether Israelis want to be separatist, like the French, or internationalist, like the northern Europeans, and whether national pride in Hebrew is more important than the level of research at Hebrew University. Maybe Einstein took the best approach when he began his speech in Hebrew, and when he got to the theory of relativity, switched to the then-common scientific language, French. That is, adopt English where it is necessary as an international language for study and research but continue to use Hebrew as the primary language in all other courses and programs of study. An accusation that a popular Jordanian member of parliament made earlier this month in the legislature has left a strong impression on many officials. The accuser is Khalil Attiyeh, a parliamentarian of Palestinian origin who regularly chalks up some of the highest vote counts in the country. During the Dec. 4 legislative session, held to discuss the 2019 annual budget, Attiyeh demanded that Prime Minister Omar Razzaz look into reports that a Jordanian notary public had certified the paperwork for the attempted sale of a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem to Israelis. Attiyeh distributed to Razzaz and the media copies of the agreement, conducted on behalf of the seller through a power of attorney and allegedly notarized by a Jordanian lawyer. Razzaz issued a statement on Dec. 5 indicating that the documents in question had been forged. Mohammad Bakirat, the grandson of the notary public in question, explained in a statement issued the same day that an ID that was published indeed belonged to his grandfather, but that he has been dead for decades. Anis F. Kassim, editor of the Palestine Yearbook of International Law, told Al-Monitor that he is sure that the power of attorney was forged, given the legal language used. Jordanian legal documents do not use such language, he said. Further, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry explained on Dec. 4 that Jordanians do not issue or notarize powers of attorney for the sale of land in Palestine because the Palestinian government is the competent agency for such documentation. Nour al-Emmam, a Jordanian lawyer of Palestinian origin and a member of the Palestinian National Council (PNC), told Al-Monitor that the office of the PNC in Jordan is following up on the case with the relevant Palestinian officials in Palestine. When we realized that the national ID that was listed is not among the records of the Jordanian Bar Association, we immediately asked help from Palestinian officials in Ramallah, who assured us that this document is a forgery, Emmam said. Israeli media and officials have remained silent about the case, which has shocked the Jordanian public. Israel has previously been accused by Israeli and international human rights organizations of turning a blind eye to forgery cases involving property in order to ensure further Jewish settler control over the occupied territories. A comprehensive Human Rights Watch report, Occupation Inc. (2016), details how fraudulent land sales are made and how the Israeli government turns a blind eye to such cases. In 2006, the Associated Press conduced an in-depth investigation into how forged documents, including in the United States, are made to help facilitate the transfer of land from Palestinians to Israelis. Attiyeh told Al-Monitor that he and Razzaz had meet in person and that he was satisfied with Razzaz's response. I am now satisfied, but I plan to continue pursuing these cases with more specific questions to the government, he said. Khalil Assali, editor of the East Jerusalem-based website Akhbar el-Balad told Al-Monitor that the atmosphere in East Jerusalem is fraught. The situation in Jerusalem is at a historic low, and because of the absence of political or social leadership, people have become very jittery and easily swayed to believe fake news, he said. Two months ago, Jerusalemites in the Old City were shocked to learn that a large four-story home not too far from Al-Aqsa Mosque that had belonged to a well-known Palestinian family, the Jodehs, had been secretly sold to a right-wing Jewish organization. Kassim puts part of the blame on the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA should do more to support the people of Jerusalem, he said. They should use the fact that 330,000 Palestinians live in Jerusalem and ensure that they have the tools needed to resist Israeli Judaization efforts. Israel has lately been active in trying to suppress local Palestinian leadership. Adnan Gaith, the PA-appointed Palestinian governor of Jerusalem, has been arrested multiple times in recent months for questioning concerning the apprehension of Palestinians involved in the sale of land to Jewish extremists. Gaith, after being detained in late November, was released Dec. 2 and ordered by the judge not to enter the West Bank for six months. While the case that Attiyeh raised turned out to be a forgery, and no sale actually took place, the situation in Jerusalem, absent any ray of hope of a political settlement, is greatly contributing to the problems concerning property in Jerusalem. TUNIS, Tunisia Allegations are flying in Tunisia as the president and a political party have exchanged perceived threats, and a group investigating assassinations dropped a bombshell of speculation. In a Nov. 29 speech to the Tunisian National Security Council in Carthage, President Beji Caid Essebsi accused the Ennahda political party of personally threatening him. He said he will not let this threat pass and will resort to the judiciary in this regard. Essebsi was responding to Ennahdas Nov. 26 statement on its official website warning against the dangers of involving the presidency in judicial affairs, saying that would undermine the judiciarys independence and place the presidency in the middle of political clashes. Ennahda had posted the statement just hours after Essebsi met with some members of a group calling itself the "Committee for the Defense of Martyrs Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi," two politicians who were assassinated in 2013. The committee comprises lawyers who weren't satisfied with the initial investigation and have been pursuing their own probe. The committee charged in October that Ennahda was not only involved in the assassinations, but that it had formed a secret group that infiltrated state institutions to steal thousands of related documents from the Tunisian Ministry of Interior. The committee is demanding that the judiciary reopen the case. During the November meeting with Essebsi, the committee revealed new data alleging that Ennahdas secret organization had also planned in 2013 to assassinate Essebsi and then-President Francois Hollande of France. Ennahda strongly denies the claims. Ennahda spokesman Emad al-Khamiri told Al-Monitor there is no evidence and such accusations only aim to tarnish Ennahdas reputation. In its Nov. 26 statement, Ennahda stressed the importance of maintaining the alliance with Essebsi and all political forces. Khamiri told Al-Monitor that the movement, which has 68 of the 217 parliament seats, believes the presidency is a unified institution for all Tunisians. But unfortunately there are some political parties, which he did not name, that want to drag the presidency into the midst of this political conflict, he added. Khamiri claims the committee for Belaid and Brahmi is a political one, representing the Popular Front (a leftist coalition) but operating under the guise of a defense committee. Zuhair Hamdi, a deputy with the secular Popular Front party, which holds 15 seats in parliament, told Al-Monitor his party isn't seeking to dissolve Ennahda, but only wants to uncover the circumstances of the assassinations of two of its most prominent leaders. Belaid founder of the Popular Front party, which opposes Ennahda was shot dead by anonymous gunmen in front of his Tunis residence Feb. 6, 2013. Five months later, on July 25, 2013, Popular Front leader Brahmi was assassinated the same way. Rida al-Radawi, a member of the defense committee, told Al-Monitor the chief of the investigation into the assassinations of Brahmi and Belaid had listened Nov. 21 to the security agent who had logged the documents that were found in the "black room" at the Ministry of Interior and who announced there had been a 2013 plan to assassinate Essebsi and Hollande "before the document related to this scheme was stolen. He added that a committee delegation met with Essebsi and demanded formation of a committee headed by a national figure to scrutinize data related to Ennahdas alleged secret organization and assassination plans. Radawi noted that the delegation stressed the need for the National Intelligence Center to issue periodic reports on this case. The center is in charge of collecting information and coordinating between the various Tunisian intelligence bodies. Nizar al-Senoussi, a member of the defense committee, told Al-Monitor that Abdel Aziz al-Deghzani, the brother-in-law of Ennahda leader Rachid al-Ghannouchi, was responsible for manufacturing the machine that was used to burn the documents. He has never been heard by the judiciary despite the fact that Mustafa Khadr who is currently serving an eight-year sentence for the Belaid and Brahmi assassinations and for being affiliated with Syrias Jabhat al-Nusra (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) had mentioned Deghzanis name while he was being interrogated. The defense committee also said Khadr had possessed stolen documents from a judicial file. Ennahda, and Ghannouchi in particular, sacrificed Khadr to conceal the identity of Ghannouchi's brother-in-law, as well as to hide the identity of Reda Barouni, who served as Ennahdas administrative and financial official at the time, Senoussi said. Political analyst Yusuf al-Waslati told Al-Monitor that if the judiciary produces evidence of Ennahda involvement in political assassinations, there would be a demand to dissolve the group, which would cause an earthquake on the political scene. Five years have elapsed since Istanbul's Gezi Park demonstrations, which started as a simple environmental protest but quickly escalated into a nationwide protest of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans rule by predominantly secularist quarters. The fear and loathing caused by those demonstrations which were suppressed with overwhelming police force and left eight demonstrators and two policemen dead remain very much alive for Erdogan and his diehard supporters. This was discernible in their reactions to the Yellow Vest protests in Paris, which also provided Erdogan and his supporters with an opportunity to delight in the difficult situation President Emmanuel Macron now faces. The barely concealed sense of satisfaction over these events is on parade, from President Erdogan down to members of his government, as well as the pro-government media. None of them have held back from using the events in Paris to reveal their visceral resentment of the West. Underlying Ankaras rancor is the hatred generated by European governments and the Western media during the Gezi protests. Erdogan, who was prime minister at the time, was harshly criticized over his handling of the protesters, most of whom had nothing to do with the rioting and vandalism of extremist groups. True to character, Erdogan is now self-righteously gloating over what is transpiring in France. Addressing an opening ceremony in Istanbul on Dec. 8, he contrasted European reactions to the situation in France with the positions taken during the Gezi protests in Turkey. Erdogan blasted Europe for what he said was its low-key response to the Yellow Vest demonstrations, even though these were marked by police violence and rioting. Europe has fallen short of its own standards of democracy, human rights and freedoms, he said. Addressing another audience two days later, during an event organized for World Human Rights Day, Erdogan ratcheted up his criticism. Its no coincidence that those in the world who shout the most about human rights today are the ones that have always had the worst record on human rights, he said, going on to blast European hypocrisy. Erdogan also pilloried the Western media for what he said was its unequal coverage of events in Paris and Istanbul. Those who championed human rights during the Gezi street demonstrations in Istanbul are blind and deaf to what is happening in Paris, Erdogan claimed. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu echoed similar sentiments during an address in his hometown of Antalya. We are opposed to vandalism, but the excessive force used by the French police is worth noting," Cavusoglu said. "The attitude of the press in this case is also a disaster. This is what we refer to as double standards. This is what we refer to as being two-faced." Erdogan had used the live coverage by the Western media throughout the Gezi protests to reinforce his contention that these protests were part of a Jewish-inspired Western plot, involving a shadowy international interest-rate lobby, to undermine him and his Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP). This belief remains firmly embedded in Erdogans mind and those of his followers, and their resentment of Europe remains strong. This is especially discernible in the pro-government media, which represent the greater portion of the Turkish media today. Abdurrahman Dilipak from the Islamist daily Yeni Akit believes that what is happening in France is a simple case of what goes around comes around. Those who talked during the Gezi events are silent now. They did not expect the crow they fed to turn around one day and poke their eye out, Dilipak wrote. Ufuk Ulutas, the director for foreign policy at the government-funded Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) in Ankara, believes that the events in France have once again revealed the lack of Western empathy toward Turkey. Reproaching the vandals in France while romanticizing the vandals in Turkey is, to put it simply, a case of double standards, Ulutas wrote in his column in the daily Aksam. There is little effort on the part of these commentators to understand the socio-economic reasons for the current demonstrations in Paris. Instead, the events in France have elicited a slew of conspiracy theories involving international plots. Little consideration is also given to the fact that the demonstrations in Paris have forced Macron to backpedal on the decisions that sent the protesters to the streets in the first place. Appearing to be spurred on by President Donald Trumps controversial remarks about the events in Paris, Dilipak alleged that Macron faces a US conspiracy. It was clear that these events would take place after Macron started talking about the need for Europe to establish an alliance similar to NATO, which would be independent of the US, Dilipak wrote. Those who caused the turmoil in France are not friends of Turkey either. We must not forget this, he warned. Ibrahim Karagul, the firebrand editor-in-chief of the Islamist Yeni Safak daily, also sees a US hand behind the events in France. What is happening in Paris is a punishment meted out to those who reject US tutelage. It is an Anglo-Saxon-Israeli intervention that is being serviced through the Saudi crown prince and the UAE crown prince, who represent the leg of this intervention in our region, Karagul outlandishly reasoned. Despite the self-righteous satisfaction in Turkey over developments in France, the Yellow Vest protests also serve as a reminder that such mass demonstrations can erupt unexpectedly at any time and spread fast. There is, therefore, also the fear in Ankara that the events in France might ignite copycat demonstrations in Turkey, where the rapidly rising cost of living is also hitting millions of households. Erdogan is currently preparing for crucial local elections in March and can ill afford such a crisis at a time when he already faces difficult domestic and foreign issues. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which acts as an unofficial coalition partner for Erdogans AKP, issued a dire warning in this respect. If there is anyone who wishes to emulate the Yellow Vest terror, they will pay a heavy price for this. Those who wear yellow vests should be prepared to sleep naked, Bahceli told a gathering on Dec. 12. Kurtulus Tayiz, another avid Erdogan supporter who writes for Aksam, pointed out that the street demonstrations in France had excited the usual quarters in Turkey. These quarters are burning to set the streets on fire again and to destroy the country, Tayiz wrote. Today we understand much better how right and justified President Erdogans uncompromising and firm stance during the Gezi events was, he added. Despite his criticism of European double standards, when referring to events in Paris, Cavusoglu also sounded a conciliatory note during his remarks in Antalya. Whatever the case may be, it is to our advantage that these events in Europe end as soon as possible, because the stability of those countries is important for us also. We would not want to see the economies of those countries harmed, Cavusoglu said. As usual the Turkish reactions to the events in Paris, which received wide coverage in the Turkish media, appear to tell us more about what is happening in Turkey than what is happening in France. A bombshell Washington Post story alleging Roy Moores inappropriate past behavior with teenage girls did not help Doug Jones pull off one of the biggest Alabama political upsets in recent memory, the senator said Tuesday. I dont think it helped me, Jones said during an interview with AL.com recalling the election on its first anniversary. When that story broke, I didnt think it would help me. I think the election became much more tribal at that point. People went into their corners and said it was fake news. Jones said his campaign attempted, in the weeks following the release of The Washington Post story, to focus on what he described as kitchen table issues such as rural health care and the economy. It was a difficult task for us to stay on that message, and stay in our lane the whole time, said Jones. Moore, in a statement to AL.com through his spokeswoman Hannah Ford, labeled Joness comments as absolutely ridiculous. Moore, a former Alabama State Supreme Court chief justice, has long denied the allegations against him. He has since filed defamation lawsuits against his accusers. Doug Jones is an ultra-liberal who used the slanderous story from the Washington Post to confuse the electorate with millions of dollars from liberal out-of-state donors like George Soros, Moore said. Opposite effect The differing views expressed by the two candidates mirror s the views coming from members of their political parties. Republicans, including 2020 GOP Senate hopeful Bradley Byrne, believe the story played a major impact in the Jones victory. But Joness media strategist, who has long been involved in national Democratic campaigns, said the story had an opposite effect by generating more interest among Moore supporters. The Washington Post story, published on November 9, 2017, detailed four womens accounts of how Moore pursued them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s working as a prosecutor in Gadsden. The story won the newspaper a Pulitzer Prize in investigative journalism, with the publication describing their work as a single story that upended what was expected to be a predictable Senate race. Joe Trippi, who worked on the Jones campaign as a national media specialist, said that polling from the day before the story broke showed a 1-percentage point difference between the two candidates. Trippi, who served as national campaign manager for Howard Deans 2004 presidential run, credits earlier successes for the Jones campaign on a commercial that aired in October 2017 which used the Civil War as a backdrop and highlighted the themes of compromise and civility. We saw the initial reactions to the accusations was for people to go back to their corners, said Trippi. It had this opposite effect of what the talking heads thought, and didnt make (the voters) move toward Doug Jones initially. While polling varied wildly throughout the final month of the campaign, Trippi said the Jones campaign had internal numbers showing a 2-percentage point lead for the Democrat on the eve of the election. Jones won by 1.5 percent. Before the Post story broke, Trippi said: We felt we could win this without hoping some shoe would drop that would help us make this. The opposite turned out. When the shoe dropped on Roy Moore, it actually moved people to him and not away from him. They came back. Jones called the journalism an example of phenomenal reporting which he said is missed from American media these days, during a podcast interview with The Washington Posts Jonathan Capehart. I dont think that is the only reason, though, that we won, Jones told Capehart, adding that he believed his campaign wouldve been able to exploit flaws on the other GOP hopefuls had Moore not won the primary. Would it have been a tougher race with one or two of those other folks? Absolutely. But we looked at the race from the very beginning back in May, and saw a path regardless of who the nominee was. I believed it then and I believe that now. Major impact Republicans believe Jones may be telling a tall tale when it comes to the Washington Post storys impact. To them, it was the main factor in an upset that sent the first Democrat from Alabama to Washington, D.C., to serve in the U.S. Senate. Said Byrne, a U.S. House member from Fairhope who is weighing a run at the Senate in 2020: I think it had a major impact on the campaign. There is no question it did. The way it played out in the national news media Alabama got a black eye we did not deserve. Without the Washington Post story, 85 percent of Alabamians have no idea who Doug Jones is, said Angi Stalnaker, a Republican strategist based in Montgomery. Hes just an also-ran. If not for the story, Doug Jones is another has-been Democratic politician no one has heard of. Stalnaker said the number of write-in votes made up the difference 22,852 write-in votes were recorded; Jones defeated Moore by 21,924 of the 1.35 million votes cast overall. The push for write-in votes was attributed to Republican Senator Richard Shelby, who urged supporters to write in the name of a distinguished Republican, and declined to endorse Moore. Stalnaker said, Doug Jones was put into the Senate because Alabama voted against Roy Moore. Exit polling showed a mixed view on whether the story was the main factor in the upset. According to an Edison Research poll for the National Election Pool which includes the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, among other major media publications a small majority of voters said the Moore allegations were a minor factor or not a factor in their vote. Fewer than 1 in 10 said allegations against Moore were the single most important factor in their vote. The Fox News Voter Analysis, however, showed that nearly 64 percent of voters it surveyed claimed the allegations were an important factor in their vote, with a majority of those voters going with Jones. David Hughes, a political science professor at Auburn University at Montgomery, said Moore struggled in the election because of a lack of business-wing Republicans who, long before the Washington Post article surfaced, opted to stay out of the race. Chief among them was the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which opted to stay out of the race after former Senator Luther Strange lost to Moore in the September 26, 2017, GOP runoff. But Hughes also said that Shelbys call for write-in votes, made after The Washington Post story was published, almost certainly had an effect on the outcome. Said Hughes: So did the Washington Post story ossify Moore support among the grassroots? Probably. And did it ossify Jones support among Democrats, thereby turning them out? Definitely. But I dont necessarily see the evidence that it turned Moore voters out at a disproportionate rate compared to Jones voters, and it almost certainly caused many conservative Republicans aligned with the business wing of the party to write in a candidate. Looking ahead Byrne said Republicans feel a real commitment to make sure the right politician is nominated ahead of the 2020 general election. He said the Republican nominee will have to have fundraising skills in order to stave off the challenge from Jones, who was able to raise more than $24 million to win the Senate contest last year. The 2020 Senate race will be considered one of the few potential gains for Republicans, and is likely to draw the interest of the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. We have to be prepared for a serious and hard-fought campaign, said Byrne. Alabama State GOP Chairwoman Terry Lathan believes the dynamics in 2020 will be different than during the 2017 special election, which was the only Senate election occurring in the country last year. The lack of other contested contests in the country, and serving as the first Senate election in the U.S. since President Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, helped the Alabama contest draw an unusual surge of international media attention. Lathan said a Republican reset will take place in 2020, in an election that will include President Donald Trumps re-election on the ballot. Trump carries high approval ratings in the state. Lathan also points to the recently-completed midterm elections in Alabama, in which Republicans easily won election to every statewide seat. Said Moore, A massive red wave just swept the entire state of Alabama and Doug Jones cannot survive it in 2020. Trippi said Republicans will underestimate Jones at their own peril. He and Jones both noted the national and state pundits who predicted, in the months and weeks before the election, that it was nearly impossible for a Democrat to win a Senate seat in one of the most conservative states in the country. I think just as there were a lot of people who underestimated Doug Jones in 2017, said Trippi. I think there still are and will be even more Republican women and younger Republicans and others who have seen what he has done and will respond. He said Trump may not be as much of a factor in 2020, and pointed to the presidents support of raising tariffs that affect Alabama industries like farming and trade. Trippi said that Jones is likely to stick to his campaign strategy from 2017, backing an economic message and positioning himself as a consensus seeker who wants to come together and work on problems. Said Jones: I got a job to do and Im doing it in a way that I said I would do it and Im an independent voice. I will continue to do that and wont let the politics dictate where I am. No matter how long Im up here, from my perspective, I will always run like Im an underdog. Alabama parents will no longer have to wait three years or more to get help paying for child care. Earlier this year, the federal government gave Alabama an extra $40 million through the Child Care Development Fund. Its a 76 percent increase over last year. The Alabama Department of Human Resources, which oversees child care licensing and administers the grant money, has used the bulk of it to virtually eliminate the waiting list for child care subsidies to low-income families. It used to be that youd better get on the waiting list before you even think about having a baby, said Joan Wright, executive director of Childcare Resources of Birmingham, a nonprofit that assists parents with finding and affording child care. She was joking, to make a point about the length of the waiting list. Now, she said, children wait just a few weeks to be approved. Alabama families who earn minimum wage or just above can qualify for a subsidy a sum of money granted by the government to help them afford child care. In 2016, children were waiting two or three years before their names came up. In Alabama, nearly two-thirds of all children under age 6 have all available parents in the workforce. Wright said child care should account for about 10 percent of a households income. But childcare in central Alabama costs an average of nearly $7,000 per year for one infant, she said, and the median income is about $46,000. We know child care is expensive for families, and working families are spending 30 to 35 percent of their budget on childcare alone, she said. Nearly 37,600 Alabama children receive a subsidy for child care, according to DHR. The subsidies are offered on a sliding scale, depending on the familys income. Parents or guardians must be employed or enrolled in school to qualify, and their income must be 130 percent or less of the federal poverty level. In recent years, Alabama DHR also cut down on costs by moving to a paperless system, where parents are given a card that they swipe at the day care each day they drop off their children. The payment then goes directly to the center. We had an issue where we werent sure the children were at the centers each day, so I think we saved quite a bit of money by using the cards, said Jeanetta Green, director of childcare services for Alabama DHR. We used to rely on the center operators to tell us which children were there (but) there was no way for us to verify whether the children attended. The extra funding has also allowed DHR to increase the rate at which it reimburses day cares that accept subsidies. The rate ranges between $75-$156 per child per week, depending on location, age of the child and a few other factors. More licensed day cares The funding increase comes on the heels of new federal requirements that could change Alabama child care dramatically in the coming year. Alabama is one of a handful of states that still allow church-affiliated day care centers to be exempt from licensing. They dont have to follow most of the inspection requirements that other day care centers must meet in order to stay open. But now, if those license-exempt centers choose to accept subsidies, theyll have to be fully licensed by August 2019. That could change the child care landscape in Alabama, which has been tilting toward more unlicensed centers than licensed centers over the past decade. (Recently) weve seen the number of licensed centers increasing, not hugely, but were seeing it, said Green. Ive seen an 8 percent decrease in the number of license-exempt programs. She expects the trend to continue as the August 2019 deadline looms. Last year, about half of Alabamas roughly 1,900 child care centers claimed a religious exemption from licensing. But a series of high-profile injuries and even death in unregulated day cares has garnered media attention in recent years. Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, even led a two-year legislative campaign to pass tighter regulations on child care centers. Her Child Care Safety Act was signed into law earlier this year. It added some basic requirements to unlicensed centers but stopped short of requiring them to be fully licensed. Right now, about 366 of those unlicensed centers most of them faith-based receive government subsidies. Theyll all have to become licensed by August or stop accepting subsidy children. About 611 licensed centers accept subsidies. Wright said shed seen a decrease in the number of child care centers that accept subsidies. In some cases, particularly when just a handful of children at a center were on subsidies, it wasnt meaningful enough to the childcare program to now have to comply with these new rules and regulations, so the child care center dropped out of the (subsidy) program. Support dollars In April 2018, the state spent about $7.6 million in subsidies for about 30,000 children. Alabamas most populous counties receive the most in child care subsidy dollars, though every state receives some amount. 1. Jefferson County, $2 million in April 2018 for about 7,400 children 2. Mobile County, $1.9 million in April 2018 for about 7,300 children 3. Montgomery County, $672,000 in April 2018 for about 3,000 children 4. Madison County, $430,000 in April 2018 for about 1,500 children 5. Lee County, $276,000 in April 2018 for about 1,140 children In 2018, the federal government gave Alabama DHR nearly $135 million. The state pitched in about $16.7 million, nearly $1 million less than the year before. The eight Democrats who serve in the Alabama Senate have chosen their leaders for the current four-year term that started with the November election. They elected Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, to serve as Senate minority leader. Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, was elected chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, which includes both senators and House members. Figures will serve in that position for two years. A House member will chair the Black Caucus the following two years, as is customary. The senators elected Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, as Minority Caucus chair. In a press release, Singleton thanked his colleagues for their vote of confidence. As the minority leader we will be looking at a robust agenda; not just for the Democrats, but for the State of Alabama. Hopefully, we can work across the aisle with the majority, Singleton said. Republicans hold 27 of the 35 Senate seats. Figures said she was humbled by her selection as chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. I am very excited to work with all members to develop an agenda with goals and objectives to move Alabama forward. Together, we will explore all opportunities as we strive to raise all boats so that we can be the best that we can be, Figures said. The new Legislature will meet in an organizational session beginning on Jan. 8. The regular session begins March 5. Alabama and national politics. Gov. Kay Ivey announced some changes on her staff today as she prepares for a full term in office starting in January. The governor promoted Adam Thompson from appointments director to deputy chief of staff for policy. Thompson joins Liz Filmore, who serves as deputy chief of staff for administration. Both deputies will report to chief of staff Steve Pelham. The governor is promoting Catherine Gayle Thrash to appointments director. Thrash is currently Iveys confidential assistant and was already managing judicial appointments for the governor. William Filmore, who serves as legislative liaison, will take on new responsibilities as legislative liaison and director of local government relations. Adam, Liz, Catherine Gayle and William are valuable assets to my staff, and I look forward to continue working alongside them to better serve the state of Alabama, Ivey said in a press release. The appointments are effective December 16. Ivey announced two weeks ago that former Congressman Jo Bonner was joining her administration as senior adviser. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson has ordered the Alabama Department of Corrections to show why it should not be held in contempt of court for failure to meet the courts deadlines for increasing mental health staff in prisons. Thompson granted a request by lawyers representing state inmates to reopen contempt proceedings against the ADOC that Thompson suspended in September. In todays order, Thompson directed the ADOC to show in writing and at an evidentiary hearing on Jan. 7 why it should not be held in contempt. The written response from the ADOC is due by noon on Dec. 21. Todays order is the latest turn in the lawsuit filed on behalf of inmates in 2014 by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program. In June 2017, Thompson ruled that mental health care in prisons was horrendously inadequate and violated the Constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Thompson found that persistent and severe shortages of mental health staff was a key cause of the problems. In February, he set deadlines for the ADOC to increase mental health staff. Lawyers representing the ADOC have said the agency has made diligent efforts to meet the courts deadlines for hiring staff but cannot. They said the ADOCs contract with its healthcare provider, Wexford Health Sources Inc., is based on hours of service provided, not positions filled. They asked the judge to amend his order changing the way staffing is calculated. Since Thompsons ruling last year, the Alabama Legislature increased the ADOCs funding by $80 million over two years, with much of that money intended to increase mental health staff and correctional staff. Four U.S. Postal Service workers from Mobile are facing federal charges including stealing packages, the distribution of marijuana, and firearm offenses. United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama said Tuesday that all four had been accused of embezzling the packages while additional drug and firearm charges would also be applied to one of them. Unterria J. Rogers, 33, was indicted Nov. 27 in two cases for allegedly conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute quantities of marijuana, distribution and possession with intent marijuana, use of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and embezzlement of packages from the U.S. mail entrusted to him for delivery, according to federal law enforcement. Mobile court records indicate that Rogers had a marijuana trafficking charge from May 2018 dismissed in early November after the arresting agent failed to turn up for court. Its unclear if there is any connection between that dismissed charge and the current indictment. Devon Donald, 26, along with Shambria Hill, 25, and Sade Martin, 26, will face charges of conspiring to embezzle packages from the U.S. mail entrusted to them for delivery and embezzlement of packages from the U.S. mail entrusted to them for delivery Most postal workers are honest and conscientious about their work and they would never become involved in the kinds of crimes that these four defendants have been charged by the grand jury, United States Attorney Moore said. They citizens of this district should not have to worry about whether the U.S. mail is being compromised and particularly by employees of the U.S. Postal Service. We take this kind of alleged conduct by Postal Service employees very seriously and I appreciate law enforcement partners who aggressively investigated these cases and brought them to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Back in 2013, the internet was abuzz with news of a mysterious blob showing up on weather radars in North Alabama. The image popped up on a radar on a Tuesday afternoon, setting off a wave of conspiracy theories related to everything from mysterious military testing on nearby Redstone Arsenal to a giant swarm of bugs. After days of speculation, it was confirmed the blog, along with white particulates found on the ground, was created by chaff emitted from an aircraft as part of what it described as routine testing. Chaff is reflective particles designed to help aircraft avoid detection by military radar. The Redstone testing included chaff which, showed as an anomaly on local weather screens as weather conditions caused it to linger longer than normal, officials said at the time. End of story, right? Well, sort of. The National Weather Service in Mobile recently tweeted out a radar image showing a similar blob showing up on a radar in Paducah, Kentucky. Check out what our colleagues to our north discovered on their radar! No that is not ET phoning home. It is likely chaff, which is used by the military to create fake radar signatures (can confirm it works). We see this a lot over the Gulf on clear days, Mobile NWS said. Check out what our colleagues to our north discovered on their radar! No that is not ET phoning home. It is likely chaff, which is used by the military to create fake radar signatures (can confirm it works). We see this a lot over the Gulf on clear days. #TheMoreYouKnow https://t.co/X7i6Ro7Lyt NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) December 11, 2018 Unlike the speculation in Alabama, Paducahs blob seems to have been identified quickly. The leading theory is chaff, Paducah NWS tweeted. Mystery solved. One year ago today, Democrat Doug Jones pulled off a stunning victory and defeated Republican Roy Moore in Alabamas special Senate election by a razor-thin 1.5 percentage points. The result has confounded the politicians and pundits who point to the states lack of a Democrat serving in the U.S. Senate since 1992. President Donald Trump is still reportedly stunned. The president asks me all the time, Why did Roy Moore lose? White House budget director Mick Mulvaney was quoted as saying in September. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, last week, called the Jones victory over Moore, the Alabama mistake of 2017. But was this election stunner the biggest upset to occur since Trump won the presidency in his own 2016 election surprise? Experts say its a nuanced conversation, though polling somewhat missed improbable outcomes in U.S. House seats in Oklahoma and South Carolina. Jones, though an underdog headed into December 12, 2017, was polling as a tossup or within the margin of error in the days leading to the election. But experts almost entirely agree on one thing: The 2017 Alabama special election outcome was an outlier as evident in the Republican dominance during the 2018 midterms in Alabama. Also, they believe Jones faces an uphill battle for re-election in 2020. David Hughes, a political science professor at Auburn University at Montgomery, said, Jones is certainly among the most endangered incumbents. Anomaly Within Alabama, Joness victory is considered the biggest political upset in a generation. Regardless of the dynamics that produced the outcome, the Doug Jones victory would be up there in the pantheon of Alabama political surprises, said retired Athens State University political science professor Jess Brown. Not since the days of George Wallace had a political contest received as much media attention as the Alabama special election Senate contest. Much of that attention focused on Moore after The Washington Post reported in early November 2017, that he had allegedly made sexual advances on teenage girls when he was in his 30s while serving as a county prosecutor decades ago. It was the only show in town, and the only race in the country, said Steve Flowers, a former Republican member of the Alabama House and commentator on state politics. The best way to describe that election is to use the word, anomaly. It was a complete anomaly which will never occur again in my lifetime or your lifetime. Flowers said the only comparable election stunner in Alabama occurred in 1986, when Guy Hunt became the first Republican since Reconstruction to win a governors race when he defeated Democrat Bill Baxley. The Hunt win came after a controversy erupted on crossover voting during the Democratic primary runoff election. Initially, the results showed that conservative Democrat Charles Graddick as the winner. Baxley then challenged Graddicks win. The Democratic Party eventually selected Baxley as their nominee. It defied fairness and logic, said Flowers. The voters went in (during the general election) and voted against the Democratic Party and ended up voting for Guy Hunt, who was an unknown Amway salesman and probate judge. Said Flower: George Wallace used to say this all the time, but more people vote against someone than vote for them. You need to find a boogeyman and run against him. Roy Moore was the ultimate boogeyman. Im surprised that there wasnt at least a blue ripple in Alabama, said Brown, who claims that Republicans did not face any political accountability for scandals that have occurred in Montgomery since they won supermajority legislative status in 2010. In spite of the situation in Montgomery, I cant tell the Democrats made a small dent it the Republican dominance. Jones is also the lone Democrat in the Senate who is from a Deep South state after Democratic incumbent Senator Bill Nelson of lost to Republican Rick Scott last month. Republicans gained two seats in the Senate to up their majority to 53-47, and Trump has criticized the political media for not focusing more attention on those Senate gains. Oklahoma upset But the Senate wins were not unexpected. Its in the House where the surprises occurred which led the Democrats to a 40-seat win, and where political observers might draw comparisons with Alabamas special senate election. Political pundits have pointed to Oklahomas 5th congressional district, which encompasses Oklahoma City, as the years biggest upset. FiveThirtyEight.com, which analyzes available polling data, listed the race as the biggest upset of the political year which was won by Democrat Kendra Horn over incumbent Republican Rep. Steve Russell. The website gave Horn a 1 in 15 chance at winning. Horn won the congressional race with 50.7 percent of the vote to Russells 49.3 percent, flipping what was once labeled as a reliably safe Republican district for the first time since 1975. James Davenport, a professor of political science at Rose State College near downtown Oklahoma City, said Horns aggressive campaign targeting issues like education and health care coupled with Russells lackluster campaigning and a changing demographic within the district, were the necessary ingredients for an upset. Davenport believes the Horn win should be considered a bigger upset than Jones in Alabama. Russell was not nearly as controversial as Moore, said Davenport. There were no real comments or votes that made Russell especially vulnerable. He added, Russell was an incumbent, whereas Moore was running for an open seat. Most people do not understand how difficult it is to defeat an incumbent member of Congress. South Carolina stunner Democrats Kendra Horn of Oklahoma and Joe Cunningham of South Carolina scored surprising victories during the November 6, 2018, midterm elections. (AP photos) However, South Carolinas 1st congressional race in which Democrat Joe Cunningham defeated Republican Katie Arrington may have presented an even bigger upset. It was listed as the No. 2 midterm upset of 2018. Defeating a Republican there was almost unthinkable, said David Woodard, a retired professor of political sciences at Clemson University, who also works as a GOP consultant. Every statewide office, and both houses of the Legislature are in the hands of the party. Both senators and every congressman, expect the majority black district, are GOP. Cunningham won by 4,000 votes after Arrington had defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Sanford during the June 12 Republican primary. Sanfords loss was largely attributed to his frequent criticism of Trump, who endorsed Arrington. Woodard said he viewed polling before the primary which indicated that Sanford was vulnerable, but I never once thought a Democrat would win, he added. Arrington, though, suffered serious injuries during a car crash in June, and Woodard said it really hurt her campaign. He said, The injury kept Arrington out, and a grassroots campaign could make headway. This is a small district and anyone with shoe leather has a chance. That happened to be this case. Jordan Ragusa, an associate political science professor at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, said he believes Cunninghams victory over Arrington to be a bigger upset than Joness win. Special elections tend to be somewhat idiosyncratic given that they occur in a non-national environment, often with low voter turnout, said Ragusa. In regular biennial elections, the fundamentals are much more potent, and many of the fundamentals worked against Cunningham. GOP upset While Republicans suffered big losses in the House, there was one race that has been singled out as a GOP upset win. In the 1st congressional district in Pennsylvania, Republican Brian Fitzpatrick defeated Democrat Scott Wallace by a margin of 51.3 percent to 48.7 percent. Though the district was redrawn in February, Fitzpatrick became the first Republican to win it since 1949. He was also one of only three Republicans to survive the midterms in a district that had voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Christopher Borick, professor of political sciences at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said Fitzpatrick was an outlier in that he survived in a mostly suburban, wealthy district that includes suburban Philadelphia areas such as Bucks County. Fitzpatrick worked extremely hard to insulate himself from Trump and remained fairly popular in his district despite the GOP brands erosion in places like Bucks County, said Borick. He also was the benefactor of getting an opponent that was not the strongest option Democrats could put up. If Fitzpatrick faced any of the Democratic women that won the other suburban Philly districts, I believe the outcome may have been very different. Senate upsets Aside from House district upsets, the Jones victory stands alone in the Senate. There were no major Democratic shockers in Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Indiana or Missouri even if the party lost seats. Likewise, the Republicans couldnt pull off upsets in West Virginia, Montana and Minnesota. David Mayhew, a professor of political sciences at Yale University and a leading scholar on Congress, said a better comparison with the Jones win is with another well-known off-November special Senate election that occurred in 2010 in Massachusetts. That year, which was at the height of the conservative tea party movement in America, Republican Scott Brown defeated Democrat Martha Coakley by a margin of 51.9 percent to 47.1 percent. The Senate seat was left vacant after the death of Ted Kennedy, the so-called liberal lion, who held the seat from 1962 until his death in 2009. Jones, in his victory, filled a vacated seat left open after ultra-conservative ex-Senator Jeff Sessions was confirmed as Trumps choice for attorney general. That was really unexpected, said Mayhew, referring to Scott Browns victory in 2010. Doug Joness victory was pretty much expected, or at least seen as a tossup, as of election day, notwithstanding the oddity of a Democratic victory in Alabama, generally speaking. Brown lost his bid for a full Senate term to Democrat Elizabeth Warren during the 2012 general election. Will Jones face a similar fate? Mayhew, like other political observers, said the Jones win looks to me chiefly a GOP nominating mistake. But I wouldnt count Jones out in 2020, said Mayhew. As I see it sitting up here in New England, he is a canny politician, he will draw East and West Coast money, the state GOP could crash again, and anyway, Senate incumbents generally get re-elected. Said Mayhew: Yet, he will need to decide how to position himself on immigration and judgeship nominations during 2019-20. And the Alabama GOP might get its act together and field a candidate attractive to the states median voter; losing is among other things a lesson. 2020 chances Flowers said he cant see Jones winning, given the dominance displayed by Alabama Republicans on November 6. All statewide seats held by Republicans were easily retained by voters during last months midterms. Trump, for one, is likely to be on the 2020 ballot. The president has maintained strong popularity in Alabama, even as his support has eroded in more swing states. Trump will be the Republican nominee, and whoever the Republican nominee is, is going to carry Alabama probably 65 percent to 35 percent, said Flowers. That hurts Jones. Hughes said the outlook for Jones could be daunting after analyzing the average percentage of Republican candidate support during U.S. Senate elections between 1994 and 2016. According to Hughes analysis, Republicans won 66.5 percent of the vote during those elections in which Moore was not the GOP candidate. Jones won with 50 percent. Thats tough, said Hughes. Who the Republicans nominate to run against him will matter, said Flowers. Roy Moore he could run again, said Flowers. He likes running, and he could run again and his 20 percent could be enough. I dont think it happens. Plus, (the 2020 Alabama Senate election) wont be the only show in town. Brown said the Republican primary could be a blood bath in two years, and that whoever is nominated will be a decisive factor on whether Jones can win an unlikely six-year term. McConnell has already signaled the Alabama Senate contest as a top priority of his party headed into 2020, and the race could be expensive. Jones, according to the website Opensecrets.com, has raised more than $24 million. I dont count out Senator Jones in terms of adequate funds to run, said Brown. The reason the candidates with the weaker party dont compete is they dont have the money. Hell have a campaign treasury. Brown thinks Jones has an uphill fight to win a six-year term to the Senate. But, he added, This idea hes a Democrat and thereby hes toast in Alabama, I dont think that is the case. He is the face of the Emantic E.J. Bradford protests in Hoover, but above all, Carlos Chaverst, Jr., wants to be the voice the slain black Hueytown man no longer has after being killed by Hoover police. Any time there has been controversy or perceived injustices against minorities in and around Birmingham and beyond during the last eight years, Chaverst has been there to demonstrate. Quality-of-life issues like gun violence in the black community. High-water bills. Police-involved shootings in Ferguson, Missouri and Cleveland, Ohio. President Trumps travel ban. Campaign rallies in Birmingham. All have prompted Chaverst to put on his protest shoes. But the controversies that Chaverst courts, and his provocative protesting style, have also come to backfire on him. On Tuesday, he was arrested during a protest at the Hoover jail on four outstanding warrants -- three for disorderly conduct and one for loitering -- stemming from his protesting of Bradfords death. The apple hasnt fallen far from the tree when it comes to Chaversts activism; he said his grandmother participated in the Childrens March and was hosed down on orders from Birmingham Public Safety Commissioner Bull Connor during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. The paddy wagons and prison buses deployed by Hoover police during the Chaverst-led protest one night last week reminded him of those struggles from 50 years ago. Its in my blood, he said of protesting during an hour-long interview Wednesday at AL.coms Birmingham office. Unfortunately,when you look at whats going on in todays climate we havent seen hoses, we havent seen dogs and things of that nature just yet, but thats kind of a direct replica of what we saw years ago. But the tactics that have been employed by Chaverst often holding a megaphone and yelling insults at police has stirred up protesters. And protesters, again led by Chaverst, have angered shoppers as they move into stores shouting protests or blocking traffic. Before Tuesday, there have been only a few arrests but no violence on either side. 10 Hoover mall shooting protests at Ross Bridge and Hoover YMCA First foray into politics Activism was not Chaversts first love. The 25-year-old Pratt City native started out in community organizing and politics, when he worked on then-Congressman Artur Daviss gubernatorial campaign in 2010. By 2012, Chaverst said he was the regional field director in Santa Rosa Beach for President Obamas re-election campaign in Florida. From there, Chaverst volunteered at the office of then-City Councilwoman Sheila Tyson (Tyson, now a Jefferson County commissioner, could not be reached for comment for this story) and rose to become a paid staff member. He said he was fired in late January 2017 for what he called activism. Chaverst went to the Birmingham City Hall parking deck and went live and social media to lambast a prominent black minister, Bishop Jim Lowe of Irondales Guiding Light Church, for allowing then-U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore to enter and speak at the church. He suggested his termination was due to political pressure from Lowe. It didnt cross my mind [that Id be fired] because it wasnt during work hours. But because of personal relationships thats what happened, he said. Finding a calling While Chaverst was volunteering for Tyson, he organized a gun violence symposium at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to commemorate National Gun Violence Prevention Week. Looking for speakers for the event, Tyson told Chaverst to book activist Frank Matthews. Matthews, the head of the Outcast Voters League, became a mentor and father figure to Chaverst, whose father died just months before the symposium. Never one to shy away from controversy, Matthews has been inconspicuously absent from the Hoover protests a move Matthews said is by design. Im letting him establish himself, said Matthews, who went on to name Chaverst secretary and youth president of his organization. Hes calling all the calls. This is Carloss thing. Hes coming out of my shadows. After the symposium, Chaverst, who heads the Birmingham youth chapter of the Rev. Al Sharptons National Action Network, told Matthews that he wanted to attend a NAN conference in New York but couldnt afford to pay. Matthews, along with Tyson, who heads the Birmingham chapter, was among several people who paid for Chaversts plane tickets. Matthews said that early investment paid off, noting that Chaverst has accompanied him to gun smashing and burning protests in Ohio and several state capitals after 13-year-old Tamir Rice was killed by Cleveland police in 2014 and demonstrations in Atlanta and Birmingham later that year calling for the ouster of then-federal judge Mark Fuller following revelations that he physically abused his wife. Carlos is a quick study, Matthews said, adding that Chaverst follows his methods of research and hurt, or preparing for protests with facts. If Carlos or myself come, 99 percent of what we say has already been authenticated, Matthews said. Carlos is a tireless trooper. He gets the truth. A (very brief) return to politics After leaving Tysons office, Chaverst prepared to run for mayor of Birmingham in 2017 but was disqualified because he not yet reached the qualifying age of 25 yet. Chaverst said he changed course and established the political consulting firm Chaverst Strategies, where he oversaw mayoral, city council and local elections, including then-Birmingham City Council President Johnathan Austins re-election campaign, Matthews run for mayor and Tysons re-election campaign for the council. In late 2017, Chaverst said his firm was hired by the progressive political consulting firm Terra Strategies to be field director for Jefferson County during Doug Joness successful U.S. Senate run, although Federal Election Commission records do not corroborate his account. FEC records do show however that Chaverst was paid $500 as an individual by Democratic Senate primary candidate Jason Fishers campaign. He said the job on behalf of Joness campaign entailed driving up turnout for the black vote a constituency that helped push Jones to victory against Moore. Chaverst Strategies, according to Chaverst, has since assisted the campaigns for Democrats Chris Christie for attorney general and Gary Richardson for Jefferson County Commission. Chaverst said the firms strong suit is opposition research a skill he tuned from his activism , social media management and direct canvassing. State campaign finance records show that Richardson paid Chaversts company $1,750 and $8,100 to Chaverst individually for campaign work. But there are no records corroborating that Chaverst or his company worked on Christies campaign. Our job is to connect with voters on a local level, he said. Chaverst was also involved in last years gubernatorial campaign, although he claimed he was not paid for his role. During the Democratic primary, Chaverst started a petition calling on former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Sue Bell Cobb to withdraw from the race because she supported then-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions nomination for U.S. attorney general. The petition inflicted damage on Cobb to the benefit of Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, who went on to win the nomination. Maddox hired the powerhouse Democratic consulting firm Matrix LLC., but Chaverst denied being a subcontractor of Matrix, saying he put out the negative information on Cobb as a private citizen. Do I know Matrix? Of course, I know who they are but as far as like working through [Maddoxs] campaign and race and all that, no, not at all, he said. It was on behalf of the citizens because I feel the need for the citizens to know the truth. We didnt slander Sue Bell Cobb; we made her eat her own words. Wheres the receipts? While Chaverst touts the successes of his company, there are several issues. Chaverst Strategies has not filed incorporation papers with the Alabama secretary of state. A search of business records on the secretary of states website shows that Chaverst reserved the name Chaverst Strategies in October 2018 but did not register the business. Its not the only business purported to be established by Chaverst that cannot be independently verified. He also says he owns an ice cream truck under the business name Chaverst Mobile Creamery, but there are no records of a business with that name with the secretary of states office. The Jefferson County Health Department, which conducts inspections of food trucks, has never inspected a business named Chaverst Mobile Creamery. Chaverst's Facebook page for Chaverst Mobile Creamery features this ice cream truck My businesses run themselves Chaverst said his companies have enabled him to devote all his time to protesting, and that his businesses havent been a distraction as he aims to disrupt Hoover following Bradfords killing. My businesses run themselves. I have my strategy firm, he said. I can sleep all day long if I choose to. Chaverst denies claims by some critics that he takes money to protest certain issues. Hezekiah Jackson IV, the former head of the Metro Birmingham NAACP who was ousted in September, for his alleged role in the North Birmingham EPA scandal, was a feather in Chaversts cap. Jackson said protesters with high profiles draw the interest of nefarious interests who seek to hire the gadflies to influence their own agendas. In a video where Chaverst and other activists confronted Jackson outside the Birmingham federal courthouse over the summer, Jackson said, most of the style that youre all operating on I brought into town in my former life. Jackson said he had no inside knowledge that Chaverst was being paid for his protest activities, and Chaverst denied being paid, but Jackson said his background in organizing demonstrations gives him insight into how the world of Birmingham activism operates. Jackson also denied taking money. I was just talking about the current style that he has. We started that all the way back in the 70s when the police killed Bonita Carter in Kingston, Jackson said, referring to the shooting death that galvanized Birminghams black community and helped usher in the citys first black mayor and police chief. Jackson said the effectiveness of the movement perked up the ears of the citys major players in business and politics. With Bonita Carter --- we were really activists, but we found out as we moved along in the 70s, we were approached by people if we would take on their causes for pay, the former NAACP head said. And a lot of those same entities are still around so I dont think they changed their M.O. Asked to name those entities, Jackson laughed and then declined. But he said they include law firms, lobbyists and major corporations. We actually make stuff happen here Its difficult to quantify the impact of Chaversts protests, but he takes credit for the results, such as the resignations of Jackson and Birmingham Water Works General Manager Mac Underwood, who stepped down Wednesday. Underwood, who could not be reached for comment for this story, maintained he was resigning to pursue other opportunities, but the utility has been under a storm of controversy amid the indictment of its former president, Sherry Lewis. Lewis also declined to talk to AL.com. Contrary to what people think, we actually make stuff happen here, Chaverst said. We have really done a lot of work here in just a short period of time. Chaverst is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit against President Trump, the Trump campaign and the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex that claims the then-presidential candidate created an atmosphere that led to the alleged assault of protester Mercutio Southhall during a November 2015 campaign rally. Southhall and Chaverst are seeking damages north of $1 million on the grounds of negligence, recklessness, assault incitement to riot and other charges. Attorneys for Trump and the BJCC sought to get the case dismissed in late May and early June. Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Carole Smitherman has yet to rule on the motions. Besides fighting Trump in the courtroom, Chaverst has also organized protests in Birmingham against the president. When Trump ordered the controversial ban of travelers from the Middle East to the United States nearly a month after he took office, Chaverst led a demonstration at Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport through baggage claim and the ticketed areas. Other protests and issues that Chaverst has participated in include: A Black Lives Matter protest in Kelly Ingram Park in July 2016 Interrupting a police press conference in Homewood to question the arrest of a black woman at Walmart Getting into an argument with Fairfield police after an officer was caught on video punching a man at a gas station. Chaverst was arrested for the confrontation. Calling for the resignation of Jefferson County School Board Member Donna Pike for sharing a racist image of former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. Pike ultimately kept her job. Protesting a Birmingham Subway after an employee was videotaped making a racist rant that went viral. The employee was fired. 28 Protesters shut down I-459 in Hoover As for the Hoover demonstrations, Chaverst said he and other demonstrators have no plans to hang up their protest shoes, claiming neither the city nor the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency are meeting its demands of releasing video of the shooting and to have the mayor and police chief resign. There is nothing thatll get us to stop because it looks like theyre not going to budge, he said. A Birmingham man is behind bars, accused of shooting a woman Friday night. Birmingham police on Tuesday evening announced the arrest of 32-year-old James Larry Wilson. He is charged with attempted murder. The shooting happened about 8:30 p.m. Friday. Officers from the citys East Precinct responded to the Shell gas station located in the 9200 block of Roebuck Parkway to investigate a report of a person shot. Once on the scene, they found a woman inside her vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder. The victim told officers she was shot at another location by an unknown male. Officers responded to the reported location but were unable to find anyone matching that description. Sgt. Johnny Williams said a follow-up in the investigation by detectives led to the arrest Wilson. The treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the shoulder. Williams said the two did not know each other and a motive has not yet been released. Wilson is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on $100,000 bond. A man charged in the weekend attack of a Jefferson County store clerk is now also charged in last weeks carjacking at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover. Sheriffs officials on Monday announced the arrest of 33-year-old Albert Ward. The robbery happened Saturday evening, just before 6:30 p.m., to a report of a holdup at a convenience store in the 6700 block of Alabama Highway 79. Chief Deputy Randy Christian said the 73-year-old male clerk told deputies the suspect entered the store and jumped over the counter. Ward then began punching the clerk in the face and told him he was going to shoot him. The suspect turned from the clerk and snatched the cash drawer from the register before running out of the store. Deputies were able to view surveillance video from the business and broadcast a description of the suspect and his vehicle to surrounding agencies, Christian said. A short time later, the Blount County Sheriffs Office reported that they had the suspect detained near Locust Fork. Hoover police on Tuesday obtained warrants against Ward in connection with Thursdays carjacking in the mall parking deck. It all began Thursday morning when a woman contacted Birmingham police to report her car had been stolen while she was inside a convenience store on Fourth Avenue in Birmingham, said Hoover police Lt. Keith Czeskleba. The victims phone was inside the vehicle and she was able to track its movements via a phone tracking app. The woman contacted a family member who brought her another vehicle which enabled her to locate her car as it was entering Hoover. While calling 911, the victim pulled up beside her stolen vehicle while it was stopped in traffic in the 1500 block of Montgomery Highway. She confronted the suspect and fired two shots into the vehicle as he was pulling away. The suspect fled the area and the victim went to Hoover City Hall to report the incident. Just 13 minutes later - at 10:27 a.m. - police responded to the Riverchase Galleria on a report of a robbery that happened in the North Parking deck. A female shopper told police she was getting out of her vehicle when a black male with a handgun approached her. The suspect demanded the keys to her SUV and she complied, Czeskleba said. The suspect fled the area in the second victims vehicle, which is described as a black 2013 Nissan Pathfinder with Alabama tag 1BC1345. Detectives learned that the Pathfinder was spotted in the Atlanta area hours after it was stolen. The original stolen vehicle from Birmingham was recovered in the J.C. Penney parking lot. Czeskleba said Hoover detectives were contacted Monday by Jefferson County Sheriffs investigators about their armed robbery at the convenience store. The suspect in that case was arrested and evidence was discovered that provided a break in the Hoover robbery case. Ward is now charged with first-degree robbery in the Galleria case. His bond is set at $150,000 for the Hoover charge. Jail records, however, indicate he is being held with no bond. A man and a woman were taken into custody early Wednesday during a drug raid at a Walker County home. The investigation began when Cordova police said they received multiple complaints about possible illegal activity taking place at a home on Jent Road. Cordova police narcotics Investigator Krimson Culverson set up surveillance on the home and was able to gather enough information to obtain a search warrant. About 6 a.m. Wednesday, Cordova police officers and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency agents carried out that search warrant. Police described the raid as a rude awakening. Arrested were Cassie Jo Busby, 36, and Steven Joseph Sherer, 32, both of Cordova. They are charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Steven Joseph Sherer The pair is being held in the Walker County Jail and each are expected to face additional charges. Over the past five years, Cordovas crime rate has dropped over 80 percent. We intend to keep it that way, said assistant police chief Tony Reid. Its unrealistic to expect all crime to be prevented, but let it be known that we will not tolerate illegal activity in the city of Cordova. An Alabama scientist has been awarded a national changemaker research grant from Microsoft and National Geographic AI. Africa Flores of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville will use the funding to develop an early warning system for harmful algae blooms at a landmark lake in Guatemala. Flores is originally from Guatemala, and Lake Atitlan is a key example Guatemalas biodiversity and culture, the grand judges said in making Flores one of 11 changemaker grant recipients. Each recipient of the AI for Earth Innovation grants will receive between $45,000 and $200,000 to support his or her project. More than 200 scientists applied, and the funding partners increased their award total from $1 million to almost $1.3 million because of the quality of science proposed. The recipients will use artificial intelligence to monitor the natural systems they are studying and model ways to manage those systems for a more sustainable future. Other projects funded include using machine learning and satellites to improve irrigation in Uganda, creating online maps and tools to monitor land use change and groundwater use, and using more than 1 million historical aerial photographs to study the effects of drought and climate change on human migration in Africa. Human ingenuity, especially when paired with the speed, power and scale that AI brings, is our best bet for crafting a better future for our planet and everyone on it, Lucas Joppa, chief environmental officer at Microsoft Corp, said in a statement. "The caliber of the applications we received was outstanding and demonstrates the demand weve seen for these resources since we first launched AI for Earth. We look forward to seeing these talented individuals create solutions to some of the most challenging environmental issues of the 21st century using the most advanced technologies available today, said Jonathan Baillie, executive vice president and chief scientist of the National Geographic Society. (Updated Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018 to include the name of the grant) Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg Why has work at the intersection of Florida and Dauphin streets been such a mess? At least in part its because workers found one drainage system literally running through another, the Mobile City Council heard Tuesday. Amicable discussion of the issue at the councils preliminary session was overshadowed by unrelated controversy at the official meeting later Tuesday morning. But it did shed a little light on a project that has disrupted traffic through a major Midtown intersection for months now and inspired some public concern about the businesses affected. At the beginning of October, the intersection of Dauphin and Florida was shut down for a project to improve storm drains along Florida Street, northward from Dauphin to Old Shell Road. For a brief period the intersection was completely closed, a substantial impediment to Midtown traffic flow. Dauphin was reopened first, then access to Florida Street south of the intersection. More recently Florida Street has been partially reopened north of Dauphin, though it remains unpaved and sometimes rough. After Councilman Joel Daves asked for an update, City Engineer Nick Amberger said the project had been complicated by decisions made in the distant past. "What we found when we got into it and excavated and actually got access to the storm drainage system is a dozen if not 20 sewer laterals and other utilities going through the storm drain system," Amberger said. "Unfortunately, that did cause our consultant to have to go back and redesign some work to try to design these two competing gravity systems to not compete with one another." Amberger illustrated the situation as a big pipe (for storm runoff) with a smaller pipe (a sewer lateral) passing crossways through it. It's "fairly complicated in that both of these systems are basically on the same elevation with one another," he said. He said it didnt appear the sewer laterals were leaking untreated water into the storm drains, but that the crossings were likely a large source of reduced flow in the storm drains. "That's what happens when you build a city that's nine feet above the water table," said Daves. Amberger said there were other complications. The old system had been built with insufficient manhole access. "It was a way to save money," he said. "The only way to get access to it is literally to dig the street up." While engineers thought they had a good plan, the inability to scope out the situation ahead of time left them vulnerable to such surprises. Councilman Fred Richardson said hed gotten complaints from people alleging that equipment had sat idle on the site for a week or more. Amberger said the need to address problems uncovered by the digging had caused the delay. Some of that was the redesign process going on and subsequently materials had to be ordered, he said. Richardson urged Amberger to be aware of the way such stoppages could leave passersby thinking the city wasnt on the job. However, Amberger added that while some specific details had emerged as surprises, they hadn't turned a small project into a big one. This one always was going to be involved, he said, due to the number of utilities under the road. "We made it crystal clear this was at least a year-long project," he said. Amberger said the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System was supporting the project and had committed $400,000 of its own money to what was essentially a city storm drain project. The update on this particular project prompted Mayor Sandy Stimpson to ask about plans for future work on Florida Street. He referenced the fact that past projects farther south had been protracted affairs that caused misery for affected residents and businesses. "Florida Street has been a terrible experience for 15 years," said Stimpson, asking how many more projects remained. Amberger said the stretch of Dauphin Street between Florida Street and a railroad crossing to the west -- a section of road subject to flooding after heavy rains -- was "another segment there that could and should be upgraded." A separate project would parallel the railroad tracks northward, past UMS-Wright Preparatory School to the point where the tracks cross Old Shell Road on an elevated trestle. That effort would be particularly complicated and likely would cost more than $3 million, Amberger said. Councilwoman Gina Gregory brought up a recent social media stir in support of Butch Cassidys, a Florida Street restaurant impacted by the work. She said it appeared the call had done some good and urged Stimpson to use the citys social media presence to promote affected businesses. Stimpson embraced the proposal. They need support right now, he agreed. Its been more than a year since the bodies of two missing men were found dead in rural Macon County and the mother of one of them said the grief seems to be getting worse, not better, with time. Atlanta-based rapper Edward Reeves, also known as Bambino Gold, and promoter Kendrick Stokes, also known as Skooly, disappeared from Montgomery on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2017. Their bodies were discovered Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, 2017, about four miles apart. No arrests have been made in the double slaying and Stokes mother said that compounds the pain. I know that as he was being ambushed, in his mind or heart he was saying, My mothers not going to give up. Shes not going to stop until they find the killers, Felecia Stokes Webster said of her firstborn. He always knew his mother would be there for him. Reeves, 29, and Stokes, 30, were cousins by marriage and longtime friends. Both originally from Montgomery, Stokes was in his hometown that Saturday Nov. 3 - to promote a party at Sky Bar on Debby Drive. Reeves came to town on Sunday and shortly after 9 p.m. they left Stokes' house to attend the Alabama National Fair. "A lot of people saw them there,'' Webster said in a previous interview. Then, she said, "They just vanished into thin air.'' Edward Reeves After a couple of hours, they left to head back to Atlanta, but Reeves said he had to make one stop at a friend's house. That was at about 10:55 p.m. Reeves and the friend talked briefly, and then Reeves and Stokes left. The friend said the two men were supposed to return and when they didn't, he began to try to reach Reeves by cell phone. By 1 a.m., Reeves' phone was going straight to voicemail. The following morning, other loved ones also tried to call both men but, again, they only got voicemail. Their loved ones spent the next two weeks searching until Friday, Nov. 17, when Reeves' body was found off County Road 13. Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson said somebody walking in the area made the discovery and told a friend, who then called law enforcement. Sheriff's officials, including Brunson, responded to the scene and confirmed what the person saw was indeed a body. The scene was secured, and an investigation launched. A deputy searched overnight in the area and discovered Stokes' body about 4:30 a.m. the following day off Highway 80. Stokes leaves behind three children: A 4-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 10 and 6. He started working as a promoter when he was just a young teenager and was focused on community outreach. Reeves, also a father, has appeared on over 150 mixed tapes since 2011 and has been featured with artists such Sy Ari Da Kid, Boosie Badazz, Ray Vicks, Eldorado Red, and Doe B. Alley Boy, according to published reports. The case remains under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation, the Macon County Sheriffs Office and the Montgomery Police Department. SBI Special Agent Jason DiNunzio earlier this year said both men died from multiple gunshot wounds. A vehicle they were traveling in was found abandoned in Atlanta. They had traveled from Atlanta to Montgomery in a white 2016 Honda HR-V sport utility vehicle. Investigators determined they were last seen alive near South Court Street and East South Boulevard between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 5. The Honda vehicle was found early on Nov. 6, the day after the men were last seen, abandoned off Interstate 85 south just east of Atlanta, DiNunzio said. Evidence taken from the vehicle is being examined by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. We know they were killed here in Montgomery, but were trying to find out where, Webster said. There has been a lot of talk, but we havent gotten the right people yet. Webster said she stays in contact with investigators. They have some leads, but they arent ready to release those, she said. Somebody had to see something and right now we just need them to come forward. There is an $11,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Were trying to get that increased, she said. We want the public to come forward with leads. Webster said the murders haunt her. When her son was missing, she said she searched every day until dark. Now when nightfall comes, she cant help but think of him. It has been tremendously worse this year, she said. When it first happened, youre trying to find out where they were and what happened. I never had a chance to mourn. Finally, my mind has settled down and I realize I havent seen him in a year or talked to him. I dont see him on Facebook, she said. Its all hitting me now. When I go places and people ask about him, reality sets in. I thank God I havent lost my mind, but when somebody brings it up or I see his picture, the whole inside of my stomach wants to come up, Webster said. I think about it 24 hours a day. Half of the night I dont even sleep. Its been over a year since Ive had a good nights sleep. Webster said her son was successful in both promoting and production. Its very heartbreaking that somebody can take a young man and do him like that when his goal was to make people happy and help them make their dreams come true, she said. I just miss him. I truly do. Theres a piece of my heart missing that can never be restored. Still, she wants closure. I think if I could get that, she said, I could take his legacy and move forward. Anyone with information is asked to call Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP. The Yemen Peace Newsroom aims to offer objective reporting from talks in Sweden against a backdrop of partisan coverage. Rimbo, Sweden It was -3 degrees Celsius, snow was beginning to fall, and there was a strong wind battering those waiting in the freezing cold. A representative from the Yemeni government had just left the latest round of closed-door discussions involving the United Nations and insisted on holding his press briefing outside. As the big three the Associated Press, the AFP and Reuters began jostling for position in the damp and slippery grass, up strolled Ahmed Baider, a burly Yemeni journalist from the war-ravaged countrys capital, Sanaa, eager to grab an exclusive line from what he thought was the biggest story of the day. Carrying just his camera and mobile phone, he managed to weave his way through the media melee to within inches from where the official was standing. 181202101535422 After 20-odd-minutes of questions and answers, he raced past into a neighbouring press room where 11 of his colleagues, the biggest media team on location, were preparing to file the story. We want to be in the middle, we want to produce news as we see it with our eyes, he told Al Jazeera, peppering every sentence with the colloquial English slang word, mate. If we do lives [live interviews] with the Houthis, then well do lives with the Yemeni government. If we do an interview with this person, well do an interview with that person. We give both sides an opportunity to speak. Were balanced. Ahmed Baider takes part in an interview with a Yemeni official at the Yemen Peace Newsrooms temporary office [Faisal Edroos/Al Jazeera] Giving Yemenis the full picture Officials from the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels have been meeting in the Swedish town of Rimbo, around 60km north of the capital, Stockholm, since Thursday for talks discussing ways to end fighting that has killed more than 60,000 people. After seven days of discussions, the two sides have made significant breakthroughs, including an agreement to swap a total of 16,000 prisoners within the next 30 days. Despite this, they appear to be at a major loggerhead over Sanaa airport and Hodeidah port; the latter a major humanitarian lifeline for the countrys 28 million hungry and dispirited population. Since the talks started on December 4, 12 Yemeni journalists from across the country, including Baider, have been regularly filing stories for the Yemen Peace Newsroom, a new initiative that aims to give Yemenis a full and objective picture of the meetings. Supported by the French media development agency (CFI) and the UN body UNESCO, they relay developments directly from the talks to potentially millions of Yemenis via Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. In the past few days, some of their content has gone viral, having been picked up by both local and international media. We send content to a long list of local news websites and I sense that we are the top source of information for dozens of media outlets, said Aseel Sariyah, an award-winning Yemeni journalist. The sponsors, [CFI and the UNESCO] understand that local [Yemeni] journalists are the best type of journalists to cover such an event. Thats why they sponsored this initiative. The Yemen Peace Newsroom is made up of 12 journalists from various backgrounds [Faisal Edroos/Al Jazeera] Worlds fifth highest number of jailed journalists While the war in Yemen has been raging for more than three years, the conflict has only begun to receive significant media attention since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Arabias foreign policy. Western powers have expressed their outrage over the killing, with senators in the United States questioning Washingtons strategic partnership with Riyadh. Under the leadership of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de-facto ruler of the kingdom and alleged architect of the war, the Saudi-led coalition has carried out more than 18,000 air raids with weddings, funerals, schools, and hospitals not spared from the bombardment. Saudi Arabia intervened in the war after the Houthis overthrew President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and were about to seize the last remaining government bastion of Aden. Within a matter of weeks, the media became a major battleground between the opposing sides with the Houthis launching a crackdown on dissent, ransacking the offices of several TV channels, including Suhail TV, Yemen Shebab TV, and the offices of Al Jazeera. Yemen used to have around 295 media publications, according to the countrys National Information Center, with four official state-owned TV channels and 14 privately-owned TV channels, but within a matter of months, most were co-opted by the Houthis. An unspecified number of journalists were arrested and are still languishing in Houthi prisons. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported late last year: If the Houthis were considered a governing authority, Yemen would have the fifth highest number of journalists in jail in the world. The initiative has developed a strong following on Facebook and Twitter, with videos garnering thousands of views [Faisal Edroos/Al Jazeera] We interview everyone Saudi Arabias intervention further worsened the media landscape with both sides investing vast sums of money in their propaganda operations. 160904085423569 In an attempt to control local and international narratives, the Houthis began detaining journalists without charge, while an army of pro-Saudi Twitter bots began pushing anti-Houthi propaganda and started stifling reports on social media, which documented the killings of civilians in air attacks. As a result, the Yemeni public and its diaspora began receiving a distorted picture of the war, with both sides either focusing on the other sides atrocities or producing content glorifying their humanitarian work. Usually Yemenis say if you side with one party to the conflict, you have one enemy. But if youre neutral, you have two enemies, Baider said. Thankfully, the feedback weve received has been very positive. People are now aware of whats going on. [Yemenis] are being kept informed and updated and were growing bigger and bigger on social media. The Israel anti-Boycott Act is the pro-Israel lobbys latest attempt to criminalise any criticism of Israel in the US. In the United States, before the new Congress is seated in January, some legislators hope to pass a piece of legislation that would penalise support for the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against the Israeli occupation. The controversial measure is another attempt by the pro-Israel lobby and the Israeli government to paint support for Palestinian human rights as anti-Semitism, and to characterise BDS activists and supporters as criminals, terrorists and racists. Some politicians have decided to capitalise on the rise in anti-Semitic violence in the US by demonising BDS a social justice movement to end the oppression of Palestinians, which is inspired by the struggles decades ago to end apartheid in South Africa rather than addressing domestic white supremacist terrorism. The legislation, known as the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, would criminally penalise individuals, including companies or their employees who participate in international boycotts of Israel and the occupied territories. In its earlier form, the bill would have provided for imprisonment. While the revised legislation has eliminated imprisonment as a penalty, civil liberties groups still vehemently oppose the legislation as an unconstitutional infringement on freedom of speech which would impose potentially exorbitant criminal financial penalties against those who support a boycott of Israel. From the campaign to divest from apartheid South Africa to the recent boycott against the National Rifle Association, boycotts have always been a key feature of American politics, noted Brian Haus, a staff lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union. If state and federal governments could outlaw boycotts they dont like, all sorts of social movements would suffer. In addition to the proposed federal legislation, 26 US states have enacted anti-BDS laws, with legislation pending in 13 states, according to Palestine Legal. 170429104109485 That the US government would consider criminalising criticism of Israeli policies speaks to the hold the pro-Israel lobby has on many legislators. In 2018, the lobby spent $3.8 million on politicians, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) accounting for the lions share. AIPAC has achieved its goals of pushing the Trump administration to open the US embassy in Jerusalem and end the Iran deal. Newly elected members of Congress are expected to participate in AIPAC-sponsored junkets. The all-expenses-paid trips which cost between $9,300 and $10,500 for each freshman legislator and their family member provide a one-sided view of Israel and are designed to consolidate US support for its government. Incoming Rep Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a Palestinian American whose mother lives in the West Bank, will reject the AIPAC-sponsored trip in favour of her own congressional delegation to the West Bank. Tlaib and newly elected Rep Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, both members of the Democratic Party and the first Muslim women elected to Congress, are BDS supporters. 181210102910020 The bill in Congress enjoys far more Republican than Democratic support, with Democrats with 2020 presidential aspirations have stayed away from the legislation, save Sen Cory Booker. Booker, who says he is a staunch BDS opponent, is a co-sponsor of the anti-BDS bill. Weve seen the alarming rise in anti-Semitism in the United States and across the world in recent years manifest itself in many deeply concerning ways, including in the actions of foreign governments targeting Israel and the Israeli people, the senator said, arguing the legislation will prevent international entities from imposing their will on US businesses with regards to their decisions, consistent with US law, to conduct commerce with our close ally Israel and its citizens. Booker, like Trump and other pro-Israel politicians, has used the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in which a white supremacist gunman killed 11 people to demonise BDS for political gain. Israels Ministry of Strategic Affairs works with front groups such as the Israel Project and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) to spy on US citizens who support Palestinian rights and smear them as anti-Semites, in a covert campaign that smacks of McCarthyism and Islamophobia. Recent examples include the attacks against Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill after he gave a speech at the United Nations for the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and Lara Alqasem, a Palestinian American student at Hebrew University who was detained by Israeli authorities for 15 days. The Israeli government reportedly detained Alqasem because her name appeared on the Canary Mission a website bankrolled by American Jewish establishment which maintains a list of BDS supporters, academics, students and others. The Israeli government and its supporters have made it clear that with their support of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land, they will not tolerate a two-state solution in which Israel and Palestine live side-by-side with self-determination. Nor will they tolerate a one-state solution in which Israelis and a Palestinian majority share the land and enjoy equal citizenship rights in a vibrant democracy. The only alternative is the current state of affairs, an apartheid system and a military occupation that denies basic human rights and dignity to the Palestinian people. Maintaining the occupation requires the demonisation of those who oppose it. In the US, this also means the branding of pro-Palestinian movement activism as terrorism, and any disagreement with the Israeli government as anti-Semitism. Supporters of the anti-BDS bill in Congress aim to quash any discussion of Palestinian rights and the occupation, in the hope that the Palestinian people and their movement for freedom will simply go away. The result is a repressive, anti-democratic piece of legislation that violates civil liberties and free speech, including a fundamental right to engage in political boycotts. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. It is the first time ex-executives from a foreign company have been convicted for crimes during Argentinas Dirty War. An Argentine court on Tuesday convicted two former Ford executives of involvement in the torture of workers during the countrys 1976-83 military dictatorship, according to the victims lawyers. Former production director, Pedro Muller, 85, and former security manager, Hector Sibila, 90, were found guilty of helping the regime kidnap and torture workers at a factory in Pacheo, north of the capital, Buenos Aires, following a 1976 coup. While more than 2,700 people have been charged over dictatorship-era crimes, though less than half have been convicted. This is the first time former executives of a multinational company have been convicted of crimes committed during military rule, a period known as the Dirty War. Muller and Sibila were sentenced to 10 and 12 years respectively and will likely serve their sentences under house arrest because of their advanced age, according to local media. 2014197957935199 The case concerns the 1976 kidnapping and torture of 24 workers employed by Ford at their factory on the outskirts of Buenos Aires during the military regime of General Jorge Rafael Videla, who died in prison in 2013. The men provided photographs, addresses and other personal information on left-wing union leaders to agents of the dictatorship so that they could be abducted. The pair also allowed a detention centre to be set up inside the premises of that factory, in the recreational area, so that the abductees could be interrogated, according to court papers. There they were handcuffed, beaten and had their faces covered so they could not see who was interrogating them, the accusation against Muller and Sibila said. The court said the two men were necessary participants in the illegal deprivation of liberty, aggravated by the use of violence and threats with the aim of political persecution. The court also found that Sibila was present during at least one torture session. The Dirty War Several former Ford workers who became political prisoners at the camp, including Carlos Gareis (R), were present for the verdict [Juan Mabrmata/AFP] Victims and their families linked arms and held photos of their relatives as the verdict was announced. Some held or wore white scarves, an emblem of Argentinas Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an association of women whose family members were disappeared during the Dirty War. Some 30,000 people disappeared during the dictatorship, according to rights groups including Amnesty International. Victims were abducted, tortured and even thrown into the sea from helicopters while still alive, many are still unaccounted for. Children of the disappeared were also kidnapped and given to wealthy childless couples, in some cases with the assistance of the countrys Catholic Church. Following two decades of amnesty after Argentinas return to democracy in 1983, the state threw its weight behind trial and punishment for Dirty War crimes under the presidencies of Nestor Kirchner and his wife Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner from 2003 to 2015. The countrys current president, Mauricio Macri, has said independent courts, not politicians should administer justice, however, his critics accuse him of being soft on the dictatorship. US lawsuit Following Tuesdays ruling, lawyers for the victims said they may sue Ford in the United States Federal Court, with one of the lawyers, Tomas Ojea Qintana, telling Reuters news agency that Ford Motor Company had direct control of its Argentinian subsidiary. However, they will face an uphill battle in bringing a successful lawsuit in the US, according to analysts. 20148612455479359 Foreign nationals can sue in US courts, but several decisions by the US Supreme Court over the past years have made it harder for plaintiffs to sue corporations for alleged violations abroad. A 2013 Supreme Court decision held that plaintiffs have to show their claim touches and concerns the US, a high bar to clear, legal experts said. The workers would need to prove that the actions of the Argentinian subsidiary were completely controlled by Fords US parent, a fact that is hard to show in most cases, Ralph Steinhardt, a law professor at the George Washington University told Reuters. Ford Argentina said in a statement that it was not part of the case and had participated fully with prosecutors. Ford in the US could not be immediately reached for comment. A year since the arrest of Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, media battle official distrust, repressive laws. Yangon, Myanmar Screams of Let them speak! filled the air as a group of journalists stood in front of the police wagon holding Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo soon after they were convicted in September of violating Myanmars colonial-era Officials Secrets Act. The gathered journalists beat on the vehicles sides but police shoved them away, allowing it to lurch forward. Inside the van, the pair gave one last smile through the barred windows as they were driven away to Yangons Insein Prison. Both were given jail terms of seven years. Wednesday marks a year since Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested for investigating the killing of 10 Rohingya civilians by Myanmar soldiers during last years brutal crackdown in Rakhine state that saw hundreds of thousands fleeing to Bangladesh in search of safety. The reporters case has become emblematic of the increasing problems faced by Myanmars media, despite a landmark election in 2015 that brought Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) to power. Hopeful moment During the decades of military rule, Myanmars media was severely restricted. Many journalists were forced to flee or work as dissidents reporting from the countrys border regions. Others were jailed or killed. But when Thein Sein, a leading member of the military government, came to power in 2011, things began to change. There was a very hopeful moment during the Thein Sein period when censorship ended and jailed journalists were set free, Shawn Crispin, senior Southeast Asia representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, told Al Jazeera. But even then journalists knew they werent really free to report on the military and their endemic corruption. While official censorship of publications had ended, journalists reporting on military activities continued to be killed or arrested. When Aung San Suu Kyi a democracy advocate who spent some 15 years under house arrest during Myanmars military dictatorship won the countrys first democratic election in decades, many assumed it would also be a victory for the freedom of the press. We very quickly realised that wouldnt be the case, Crispin said. Ambiguous laws Shortly after the NLD was elected, several high-profile political prisoners, including journalists, were pardoned and released. But the hope was short-lived. The party quickly adopted a policy of not speaking to journalists without approval from the top levels of government. Meanwhile, officials with a history of animosity towards international media were hired for high-ranking communications roles, while repressive laws that fell short of international free-speech standards remained on the statute books. Journalists stand in front of the police vehicle carrying Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo to prison after the court verdict was announced in September [Myo Kyaw Soe/Reuters] Suddenly, there was a spike in cases brought under Section 66D of the 2013 Telecommunications Law. An ambiguously-worded section, intended to safeguard against defamation, created an environment where people could be sued for anything from sharing a Facebook post to insulting the government. According to an October statement from Athan, a freedom of expression advocacy organisation, more than 44 journalists in Myanmar have faced trial since the NLD took power, with a majority of the cases being filed under Section 66D. When we documented and published a list of journalists being sued under the Telecommunications Law, it clearly showed freedom of expression is declining in Myanmar, said Maung Saungkha, one of Athans founders and a former political prisoner convicted under Section 66D. Without freedom of expression, we cant protect human rights, including access to information. Other policies continued to hinder press freedom as well. Access to large parts of the country largely in ethnic areas where the military was active remained off limits to reporters. Getting permission to visit these areas, including the Rohingya refugee camps in Rakhine State, became increasingly difficult. International and former dissident journalists began to face more restrictive visa requirements and, in the wake of the Rohingya crisis, started to receive harsh pushback from the Myanmar government and Aung San Suu Kyi, who claimed international media were publishing hate narratives that were driving Myanmar communities apart. A trap for journalists Perceptions of journalists, in general, have certainly shifted in recent years, said Kimberly Phillips, a freelance journalist who used to work with dissident media outlet Democratic Voice of Burma. In 2015, many people knew names and had positive relations with the [publication], but a few years later nearly three-quarters of people wouldnt want to talk to me or voiced criticism when I told them who I worked for. Myanmar was ranked 137th out of 180 countries in this years Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, dropping six places compared with 2017. Kyaw Soe Oo leaves court in Yangon after being sentenced to seven years in prison for violating Myanmars Official Secrets Act [Ann Wang/Reuters] Reuters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were picked up on the evening of December 12 after they had been invited to meet police officials over dinner on the outskirts of Yangon. There they were handed a set of documents that they were told were related to their investigation into the massacre in the Rohingya village. Despite one officer testifying that the duo was deliberately set-up and military officials admitting the murders took place, the journalists were found guilty of breaking the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years in prison. A year ago, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested in a set-up by police, intended to interfere with their reporting on a massacre in Myanmar, Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J Adler said in a statement on Wednesday. The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmars commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law. For Crispin, the decision was a clear and chilling message that no journalist is safe when reporting critically on the government or military. Wa Lone gives the thumbs-up as he leaves a Yangon court after being convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act [Myat Thu Kyaw/Reuters] The conviction of the two journalists came in the same week that the International Criminal Court ruled it had jurisdiction to investigate the crimes that had been committed against the Rohingya. In response, government Spokesperson Zaw Htay told reporters that he would no longer take phone calls, but instead hold fortnightly press briefings. The government is basically very tightly controlling information, which means it is hard for us to deal with rumours, combating fake news and gathering correct information, said Zayar Hlaing, a member of the Myanmar Press Council. They do not allow freedom of access to information. Its like a trap for journalists you can write what you want, but after you publish its uncertain what will happen. Democracy cannot flourish Foreign diplomats, United Nations officials and even celebrities have condemned the verdict against Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, calling for their release. Activists in Myanmar are also mobilising. But progress has been slow. Late last month, Aung San Suu Kyi met representatives of the Myanmar Press Council. She told them that she didt trust the media and was sceptical about allowing journalists greater access to information. There is certainly friction between [her] and journalists, said Zayar Hlaing. But the press council is not giving up. We are trying to create a dialogue to find a solution, but she is turning away from the problem, Zayar Hlaing said. The government needs to care about press freedom. If it fails to create a free press, then it fails to create a successful democratic reform. More than 100 people injured in clashes between political rivals weeks before general elections in South Asian nation. Two people have been killed in pre-election violence in Bangladesh, according to police, as clashes between armed rivals left dozens injured. More than 100 people have been hurt in violence on the campaign trail since Monday, when candidates from the two major parties began campaigning ahead of the December 30 poll. Police on Wednesday said two supporters from the Awami League, the ruling party headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, died from injuries sustained in brawls with opposition rivals late on Tuesday. Mobs armed with knives and batons faced off at a rally in Noakhali, a southern district, where a pro-government demonstrator was seriously injured. 181105083725516 He died on the way to hospital. Some 30 to 35 people were also injured in the conflict, Mahmud Nasir, the deputy district police chief told AFP news agency. In central Faridpur district, another pro-government demonstrator was beaten to death by opposition supporters from the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), police said. He was rushed to hospital but declared dead by doctors on arrival, Faridpurpolice chief Jakir Hossain Khan said. Hasinas long reign Sheikh Hasina is running for a record fourth term in the December election [File: Amr Alfiky/Reuters] Bangladeshs 2014 election was also marred by political violence. Hasina won the poll unchallenged after a boycott by the BNP, who said the vote was rigged. The opposition decided to contest the elections later this month but says ruling party thugs have interfered with their campaign rallies. It has already accused police of jailing hundreds of its activists in a pre-election sweep. 181202155221948 The BNPs organising secretary, Ruhul Kuddus Taludker, was arrested Wednesday after a court ruled he could not contest the poll. The party also blamed the police for the death of one of their campaigners in Dhaka, who fell to his death from a rooftop. Police denied the allegation. Hasina, whose tenure has seen allegations of rights abuses and creeping authoritarianism, is seeking a record fourth term in office. Her chief rival, BNP leader Khaleda Zia, is behind bars on corruption charges she says are politically motivated. Between them, the two women have ruled Bangladesh for more than two decades. The newly-formed opposition alliance, Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front), led by renowned jurist Kamal Hossain, is challenging Hasina. BNP is part of the alliance. Around 100 million voters have registered for the vote on December 30. Trump has threatened to shut down the government if Congress does not fund a wall on the US-Mexico border. Arivaca, Arizona Across the 19km stretching from the US-Mexico border to Arivaca, a 600-person unincorporated town in southern Arizona, rock-studded peaks jut skyward, deep valleys carve the terrain and border patrol vehicles sit idly along the dusty makeshift roads. Dissecting the mountainous region is the border, where US President Donald Trump hopes to raise a 9.1-metre concrete wall to block entry for refugees and migrants fleeing economic devastation and violence in Central America and elsewhere. Surveillance drones occasionally buzz overhead, while low-flying helicopters seek out undocumented immigrants and others who cross the frontier. The existing border barrier includes a series of disparate and often unconnected fences and walls that span around one-third of the 3,201km border dividing the US and its southern neighbour. Swaths of the border remain without a barrier. Megan Davern, a 30-year-old Arivaca resident, argued that the billions of dollars spent on a wall would be better suited for education programmes in poor and marginalised communities. The wall wouldnt work, and there are a lot of kids who are illiterate in Arizona, she told Al Jazeera. The barrier is seen in Sasabe, Arizona [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera] In a public spat with Democratic leaders on Tuesday, Trump again threatened to shut down the government if Congress does not allocate $5bn in funding for a border wall by December 21. 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, adding that he would be proud to do so for border security. But time is working against Trump. During November midterm elections, the Democratic Party gained a majority in the House of Representatives after two years of Republicans controlling both congressional chambers. 181204164501954 Democrats and several rights groups have condemned Trumps proposal, while six out of 10 Americans are opposed to expanding the existing structure, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center, published in January. The same Pew poll found that an estimated 37 percent of Americans support the presidents plans to deter irregular immigration by erecting the concrete wall. Symbol of hate During the last two years, retired game warden Rich Glinski has spotted a few groups of migrants crossing a dry-grassed wash, specked with cacti and blanketed in brush, across the hills on his 10-acre (4.05 hectares) plot in Arivaca. Sitting in his home, Glinski described Trumps call for a border wall as totally nonsensical that has been used as a great marketing tool. Whats infested our politics now days is hate, he told Al Jazeera. When they say the wall, its a symbol of all the hate they have for [migrants] who are coming across. Glinski points to water left by human rights groups for migrants crossing the border [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera] Explaining that much of the border is not easily accessible by vehicle, he added, The wall wont do any good. But Arivaca has also attracted supporters of the wall, including the Utah Gun Exchange, an online gun marketplace known for following survivors of the February mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. Earlier this year, Utah Gun Exchange launched BuildTheWallTV, a right-wing online media project that claims to crowdfund money for the construction of the wall. The group ventured to Arivaca, where it collaborated with anti-immigrant armed vigilante groups. 181204221909448 Bryan Melchior, Utah Gun Exchange co-owner, cruised through the town in an armoured BearCat vehicle emblazoned with the words Build the wall. Since coming to office, Trump reduced the number of refugees resettled in the country to an historic low, banned nationals from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the US and oversaw a spate of policies designed to hinder immigration. Trump has also called for increased deportations, cutting down on refugee resettlement in the US and the erection of a border wall. Trumps proposed border wall is estimated to cost billions of dollars [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera] During the midterm elections, Trump stoked fear over a US-bound caravan of Central American migrants and refugees, falsely deeming it an invasion. On Friday, the president claimed the wall could cost between $15bn and $20bn. I could even do it cheaper if I have to, and it will be better than anyones ever seen a wall, he said at a Project Safe Neighborhoods conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Congress must fully fund border security in the year-end funding bill, Trump added. Republican politicians have thrown their support behind Trumps proposed wall. Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham urged Trump not to give in when it comes to the wall. Hate as a political tool Last Thursday, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi insisted that her party will not accept an agreement that would see funds put towards the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme in exchange for border wall funding. Pelosi described the wall plan as immoral, ineffective and expensive. Human rights organisations and advocacy groups have issued similar criticisms. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) published a report in September, saying border walls do not make the US safer or significantly reduce smuggling or immigration. The report also found that border walls cause environmental devastation, hurt the economies of towns and cities nearby and contribute to the ongoing humanitarian crisis of migrant deaths as they push migrants into more remote desert areas. The existing border barrier includes a series of disparate and often unconnected fences and walls that span around one-third of the 3,201km border dividing the US and Mexico [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera] In Arivaca, Dan Kelly, who lives 20km from the border, recalled recently sitting with a group of friends at a local bar while discussing their differing views on migration. Despite disagreement, he said, they shared a desire for more compassionate immigration policies. We are pretty unanimous in recognising that the failure is a lack of a cogent immigration policy, he told Al Jazeera, arguing that the Trump administration drums up fear and hate as a political tool. Back in his home, Glinski asked, Right here at the border where we live, are we going to generate [hate] or are we going to act with kindness? Editors note: This blog has now been archived. Click here for all the latest updates on Brexit. The United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union at 23:00 GMT on March 29, 2019, but many Britons are questioning Prime Minister Theresa Mays handling of the upcoming divorce from the EU. Brexit, or Britains exit from the union of 28 states, was officially initiated last March after nearly 52 percent of Britons more than 17 million people voted to leave the EU. Turnout at the poll was more than 72 percent. Here are all the latest updates since January 1: Wednesday, January 30 May and Corbyn clash ahead of meeting Theresa May has clashed with the leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn in parliament, hours before the two were scheduled to meet to discuss the way forward on Brexit. During Wednesdays Prime Ministers Questions session, Corbyn called for May to rule out a no-deal Brexit, criticised the red lines in Mays negotiating strategy with the EU and implored the PM to outline potential alternatives to the so-called backstop. May said that Corbyn has no plan for Brexit and urged him to provide clarity on what kind of deal the Labour party could support. The leaders are due to meet again at 15:00 GMT. Tuesday, January 29 EU: Brexit divorce deal not up for renegotiation European leaders moved quickly to reject an attempt by May to re-open negotiations on Britains divorce deal with the European Union, after British members of parliament voted to demand changes. EU Council President Donald Tusk called round the other 27 EU capitals to coordinate a response and issued a firm statement ruling out renegotiation. 190130040730030 The Withdrawal Agreement is and remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, Tusks spokesman said. We continue to urge the UK government to clarify its intentions with respect to the next steps as soon as possible. Tusks response mirrored that of Frances President Emmanuel Macron, who had earlier warned May not to expect Europe to bend to British demands. During a regional summit in Cyprus, Macron declared that the existing Brexit deal is the best agreement possible and is not renegotiable. Macron urged London to promptly lay out to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier the next steps that will prevent an exit without an agreement, which nobody wants but for which we must all prepare ourselves. UK MPs back Brady amendment, sending May back to Brussels to renegotiate British MPs have back the Brady amendment in Tuesdays crucial vote, meaning they expect Prime Minister Theresa May to go back to Brussels to renegotiate the Brexit deal currently on the table. The amendment was introduced by Sir Graham Brady, the influential head of the Conservative Partys 1922 Committee. He wants to overcome the main hurdle to Mays deal by replacing the Irish backstop, which he claims would give May enormous firepower to demand concessions from Brussels and could simply be appended to her withdrawal agreement. The Brady amendment rests on Conservative hopes that a clear statement of intent by MPs will prompt the EU to compromise, but there is no sign it will. Earlier on Tuesday, May called with several European leaders in an attempt to reopen Brexit negotiations since she still does not have support of parliament to go ahead with the Brexit deal as it was signed by both Mays government and European leaders. Those leaders, however, had already told May they would not reopen negotiations for Britains departure from the EU. Parliament back amendment rejecting a no-deal Brexit British MPs have backed an advisory amendment rejecting a no-deal Brexit by 318 votes to 310. This so-called Cooper amendment, put forward by the Labour chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Yvette Cooper, sought to prevent a no-deal Brexit, something economists warn would be disastrous, by directing the government to extend the deadline if there is no agreement by February 26. MPs reject plan to delay Brexit, increasing chances of no-deal Brexit Members of UK Parliament have rejected a plan to delay Brexit on Tuesday evening. The delay was a plan to prevent a possibly disastrous no-deal Brexit, which could If the amendment, which was defeated 321 to 298, had passed, parliamentarians would have secured time to vote on a draft bill which would grant parliament power to request a Brexit extension if Prime Minister Theresa May did not receive support for the deal by 26 February. The vote came on the same day Prime Minister Theresa May said she would try to get European leaders to agree to reopen negotiations on the deal. However, European leaders had already said they would not renegotiate the deal. May wants to reopen negotiations with EU ahead of series of votes Theresa May has said she wants to reopen negotiations with the EU in an attempt to solve the issue of the Irish backstop. Despite the EU saying it does not want to renegotiate the Brexit deal, May said she will talk to several European leaders on Tuesday in an attempt to sway them into reopening talks. Her comments come shortly ahead of a debate and a series of votes in the House of Commons in which she will ask for support of her deal. MPs who support Brexit have said they would possibly support May if she gets legal assurances regarding the Irish backstop. The vote, expected later tonight, is another important moment for May and Brexit. Monday, January 28 McDonalds, Sainsburys and Waitrose warn of price hikes, shortages Food retailers in Britain are warning of higher prices for food as well as shortages in a starkly worded letter to the MPs urging them to avoid leaving the EU without a deal. McDonalds, Sainsburys and Waitrose were among those saying Monday they were extremely concerned about disruptions in the food supply chain, given that nearly one-third of the food Britons eat comes from the EU, the AP news agency reported. The industry says that this complex, just in time supply chain will be significantly disrupted in the event of no deal, and that there will be pressure on food prices from higher transport costs, currency devaluation and tariffs. Britain unlikely to withdraw Article 50: EU diplomat Britain is unlikely to withdraw Article 50 and Prime Minister May will probably stick to the March 29 divorce date from the bloc, an EU diplomat has said. Regarding a possible extension of the Brexit date, the EU diplomat also indicated that if Britains withdrawal was delayed until after elections for the European Parliament in May, it would have to take part in the vote as it would still be a member of the bloc. Sunday, January 27 Ireland says no change to Brexit backstop Ireland has dealt a blow to PM Mays attempts to break the deadlock over Brexit by saying it would not accept any changes to an agreement aimed at preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland. Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said on Sunday the backstop was already a compromise drawn up to meet Mays negotiating red lines, and the EU and Ireland were united in the view it was not going to change. There is no magic solution here for this problem, he told the BBCs Andrew Marr show. That is why Ireland will insist on the United Kingdom keeping its word, both to Ireland and to the EU and to people in Northern Ireland in terms of protecting a fragile but hugely valuable peace process, he added, referring to a peace that has broadly held for two decades following years of conflict between pro-British and pro-Irish elements in Northern Ireland. The European Parliament will not ratify a withdrawal agreement that doesnt have a backstop in it, its as simple as that, he said. Saturday, January 26 Brexit delay worth considering: French minister Any request by Britain to delay its departure from the EU would be worth considering, Frances European Affairs minister has said. But Nathalie Loiseau also told reporters that the Brexit deal agreed between London and Brussels, which has been rejected by the British parliament, could not be renegotiated. If a British government, backed by a majority in parliament which would constitute real progress came up with new ideas about the future of UK-EU relations and asked us for a delay, that would be worth considering, she said. A delay is no solution, it is a means towards a solution, said Loiseau who, as junior minister, reports to Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. There has to be a new and credible political objective, she told a news conference during a youth rally for President Emmanuel Macron. That means a British government has to propose a solution that does not reopen the withdrawal agreement, she said. We agreed on this withdrawal agreement and it cannot be renegotiated. The House of Commons last week rejected the EU withdrawal deal struck by Prime Minister Theresa May with Brussels, leaving Britain without a plan and Brexit day looming on March 29. Brexit date could be pushed back by a couple of extra weeks: Leadsom The date Britain leaves the EU could be pushed back by a couple of weeks to give time for legislation to be approved by legislators, the leader of Britains lower house of parliament said, the most senior figure to make such a suggestion. We can get the legislation through and I think we do, in spite of everything, have a very strong relationship with our EU friends and neighbours and I am absolutely certain that if we needed a couple of extra weeks or something then that would be feasible, Andrea Leadsom told the BBC. Queen urges UK to find common ground as Brexit crisis deepens Friday, January 25 Novartis urges Britain to secure drug supplies before Brexit One of the worlds biggest drugmakers has called on Britain to urgently guarantee the movement of drugs in the event of a chaotic Brexit and said it was stockpiling to maintain the delivery of the 120 million packs it exports to Britain from Europe each year. Swiss company Novartis said the risk of Britain leaving the European Union, its biggest trading partner, without a deal had risen after Prime Minister Theresa May failed to get her deal through parliament last week. Given the complex nature of the supply chain, government needs to implement a comprehensive continuity plan rapidly, Novartis said in a statement. It is vital that government makes minimising disruption to the medicines supply the highest priority as it prepares for a potential hard or disorderly Brexit and ensures cooperation over medicines regulation in this event, Novartis said. Britain has called for drugmakers to produce an additional six weeks of medicines to cope with potential supply disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit a target the industry has said would be challenging. Queen Elizabeth II has emphasised the need for Britons to come together to seek out the common ground, in what is being viewed as an appeal to overcome bitter divisions over Brexit. Government ministers quickly interpreted the comments a rare foray for the 92-year-old monarch into the political sphere as broadly supportive of their desperate search for a compromise over Brexit. Every generation faces fresh challenges and opportunities, she said. As we look for new answers in the modern age, I for one prefer the tried and tested recipes, like speaking well of each other and respecting different points of view, coming together to seek out the common ground, and never losing sight of the bigger picture. LOreal hoards cosmetics in Britain as Brexit looms LOreal, whose beauty brands range from Lancome creams to Maybelline make-up, is stocking up cosmetics in Britain as part of its preparations for Britain leaving the European Union, its chief executive said. Were preparing for all scenarios, Agon told Reuters on the sidelines of a media event late on Thursday. He said that a no-deal Brexit would not have a major impact on the group, however, with Britain accounting for roughly 3 percent of sales, though it was also bulking up stocks in the United Kingdom, where it no longer has a manufacturing base. The company is processing the paperwork needed to smooth truck deliveries of its products between France and Britain in the event the United Kingdom leaves the European Union without a negotiated deal, boss Jean-Paul Agon added. Irish PM says army might be needed at border after chaotic Brexit Bloomberg Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said soldiers might have to return to the border with Northern Ireland if Brexit went wrong, Bloomberg reported. In a worst-case scenario, a hard border could involve people in uniform and it may involve the need, for example, for cameras, physical infrastructure, possibly a police presence, or an army presence to back it up, Varadkar told Bloomberg. The problem with that in the context of Irish politics and history is those things become targets, he said. Thursday, January 24 Airbus CEO warns it could move in event of no-deal Brexit The chief executive of Airbus has warned that the aviation giant could move its UK operations out of Britain if the country leaves the European Union without a deal on trade relations, in one of the starkest assessments yet of the economic impact of a no-deal Brexit. 190123235123883 CEO Tom Enders said Brexit threatened to destroy a century of development in Britains world-leading aviation industry. Aerospace is a long-term business and we could be forced to re-direct future investments in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Enders said. And make no mistake there are plenty of countries out there who would love to build the wings for Airbus aircraft. Trade unions urge May to delay Brexit The leaders of Britains two largest trade unions have called on Prime Minister Theresa May to delay Brexit to prevent a no-deal exit from the EU. In separate meetings with May, Len McCluskey of Unite and Dave Prentis of Unison discussed the severity of leaving the EU without a deal and the need for an extension of Article 50, the section of the EU treaty under which the UK is leaving. I have also made it clear that, in my opinion, if she is serious about negotiating and seeing if theres a deal that has support in parliament, then there has to be an extension of Article 50, McCluskey said after the meeting. I cant conceive any British prime minister taking us out of Europe with a no deal. It would be catastrophic. Shes been told that from all parts, he added. Monday, January 21 Theresa May has said the European Union is very unlikely to extend Article 50 without a plan for a deal, as she rejected calls to delay Britains departure from the EU. 190119082641310 There is widespread concern about possibility of the UK leaving without a deal. There are those on both sides that want the government to rule this out, said May. But we need to be honest with the British people about what that means. The right way to rule out a no-deal Brexit is for this house to approve a deal with the EU. That is what this government is seeking to achieve. The only other guaranteed way to avoid a no-deal Brexit is to revoke Article 50, which would mean staying in the EU. This is not ruling out no-deal but simply deferring the point of decision. And the EU are very unlikely to extend Article 50 without a plan for how we are going to approve a deal. Wednesday, January 16 Embattled PM Theresa May survived a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, a day after MPs dealt a crushing blow to the Brexit plan she negotiated with the European Union. Parliament members voted 325 to 306 against the motion called by Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, who had earlier urged May to resign. I am pleased that this House has expressed its confidence in this government tonight, May said, welcoming the result and vowing to continue to deliver on the result of the [Brexit] referendum. My government will continue its work to increase our prosperity, guarantee our security and to strengthen our union. Tuesday, January 15 British politicians have overwhelmingly rejected PM Theresa Mays Brexit agreement, complicating the UKs departure from the European Union on March 29. Members of parliament on Tuesday voted 432 to 202 to rebuff the deal, giving May a crushing defeat with a margin of 230. The House has spoken, and the government will listen, May said following the vote, even as she predicted more uncertainty, more bitterness and more rancour. Monday, January 14 Theresa May has warned MPs that if they reject her deal to leave the EU, they risk either leaving without a deal or not leaving at all. Speaking at a factory in the northern city of Stoke-on-Trent on Monday, May said she was looking to close the debate on Brexit. What is important is that we deliver on the result of the referendum, the prime minister said, arguing any attempt to stay in the bloc would be a betrayal of the British electorate. Sunday, January 13 Theresa May has warned legislators ready to reject her EU divorce deal that failing to deliver Brexit would be catastrophic for the countrys democracy. Writing in the UKs Sunday Express newspaper, May urged MPs not to let down the Britons who voted in favour of exiting the European Union in a June 2016 referendum. Doing so would be a catastrophic and unforgivable breach of trust in our democracy, she wrote. So my message to Parliament this weekend is simple: it is time to forget the games and do what is right for our country. Tuesday, January 8 Britains parliament has dealt Theresa Mays government a narrow defeat by passing an amendment designed to put roadblocks in place to make a no-deal Brexit more difficult. Legislators on Tuesday backed an amendment to the Finance Bill that would prohibit the government from spending on preparations to leave the EU without a deal unless authorised by parliament. The 303 to 296 defeat highlights Mays weak position as leader of a minority government, a divided party and a critical parliament just days before she is due to hold a pivotal vote on whether to approve the Brexit deal she has negotiated with the EU. Leader of the main opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, described the result as an important step towards preventing a no-deal Brexit. Sunday, January 6 British PM Theresa May has reiterated that a delayed parliamentary vote on her widely maligned Brexit deal will go ahead later this month and warned that the UK would enter uncharted territory should it be rejected by MPs. In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, May pledged to set out new measures to address the contentious Northern Irish backstop clause in her withdrawal plans in a bid to win over sceptical legislators. She also promised a greater role for the British Parliament in negotiations over future trade relations with the European Union. If the deal is not voted on at this vote thats coming up then we are going to be in uncharted territory and I dont think anybody can say exactly what will happen in terms of the reaction we will see in parliament, May told the BBC. Thursday, January 3 Britain is more likely to end up leaving the European Union without a deal if parliament rejects the agreement Theresa May has negotiated with Brussels, according to Brexit minister Stephen Barclay. In an article published on Thursday in the UKs Daily Express newspaper, Barclay, who has been tasked to oversee Britains departure from the EU bloc, urged MPs to unite behind Mays plans ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote. No deal will be far more likely if MPs reject the governments Brexit deal later this month, Barclay wrote. British politicians have been unable to agree on any alternative Brexit course, deepening concerns the UK will, as May has warned, drop out of the worlds biggest trading bloc without a deal. For more on Brexit, click here. May says UK government has renewed mission to deliver the Brexit people voted for following poll on her leadership. London, United Kingdom British Prime Minister Theresa May has survived a secret vote of confidence on her leadership of the ruling Conservative Party triggered by rebel MPs disgruntled by her Brexit deal. Of the Conservatives 317 members of parliament, 200 voted in support of May during the poll on Wednesday evening, while 117 went against her. The vote took place after Conservative Party MPs reached the threshold of 48 demands needed to trigger a confidence ballot on Mays leadership. Having survived the poll, which came two days after she pulled a parliamentary vote on her proposed divorce plan, May is now immune from another internal leadership challenge for 12 months. Whilst Im grateful for that support, a significant number of colleagues did cast votes against me. And Ive listened to what they said, May, who reportedly told her party on Wednesday she would not seek to lead it into Britains next general election in 2022, said in a televised statement after the ballot. May added that her government had a renewed mission to deliver the Brexit people voted for, one that brings back control of our money, borders and laws, during the United Kingdoms 2016 referendum on the countrys decades-long membership of the European Union. That must start here in Westminster, with politicians on all sides coming together and acting in the national interest, she said. Changes nothing But dissatisfied Conservatives and opposition politicians said the result of the vote would not alleviate the chaos gripping Mays government as it seeks to navigate the UKs departure from the 28-member EU. Jacob Rees-Mogg, a hardline pro-Brexit Conservative MP and one of the at least 48 who demanded a say on Mays leadership, described the outcome as terrible for the prime minister and called on her to resign. Fellow pro-Brexiter Conservative Owen Patterson also suggested the ballot produced a very poor result for the British leader. V poor result for PM setting aside the Payroll, she has secured well under half of the Backbench vote. She must now listen to those of us concerned that she is failing to deliver our clear Manifesto pledges to leave Single Market, Customs Union and remit of ECJ. Owen Paterson (@OwenPaterson) December 12, 2018 Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, which has previously threatened to table a no-confidence motion against May, said Wednesdays vote changes nothing. Theresa May has lost her majority in parliament, her government is in chaos and shes unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first. She must now bring her botched deal back to parliament next week, he wrote on Twitter. Irish Border issue The UK is poised to leave the EU on March 29 next year, two years after it triggered Article 50 and kick-started arduous negotiations with European leaders over a divorce deal. But May is under intense pressure from across the political spectrum over the withdrawal agreement she has brokered with European counterparts. At the heart of the unrest is her divorce plans contentious backstop clause a safety net provision designed to guarantee no hard border is erected between Northern Ireland a British territory and the Republic of Ireland an EU member in the event that post-Brexit trade negotiations between the UK and the bloc prove unsuccessful. 181201182945771 The clause proposes that the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, 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 of the plan, including from within the Conservative Party, argue it could tie the UK into the EUs orbit indefinitely. The Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which May relies on to command a majority in parliament, have also cautioned it could lead to Northern Ireland being treated differently to the rest of the UK. Parliamentary arithmetic is the same Earlier this week, the British leader pulled a parliamentary vote on her proposed divorce plan, acknowledging it would have been roundly rejected by the UKs lower chamber House of Commons. She has promised to reschedule the vote for before January 21. Analysts said Mays political survival on Wednesday wouldnt resolve the fundamental problem she faces in attempting to get her withdrawal proposal signed off by MPs. This vote wont change anything with regards to how it will be difficult for her to get her version of Brexit through parliament and if she cant do that she wont be able to stay on as prime minister or leader anyway, Oliver Patel, institute manager and research associate at University College Londons European Institute, said. The parliamentary arithmetic is the same: the only thing we know for certain is that most MPs dont want a no-deal Brexit, he added. EU: No renegotiation May will now head to a preplanned EU Council summit in Brussels on Thursday to seek legal and political reassurances on the backstop clause in a bid to assuage the concerns that members of parliament have on that issue. But European leaders have so far refused to countenance changes to any aspects of the withdrawal agreement, including the backstop proposal. On Thursday, the European Parliaments governing body issued a statement saying the Brexit deal was not open to renegotiation. The Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration are fair and balanced and represent, given EU principles, current UK red lines and the commitments set out in the Good Friday Agreement, the only deal possible to ensure an orderly withdrawal from the European Union, the statement said. Analysts, meanwhile, cautioned that Mays government ought to be careful what it wishes for in pushing for revised terms. Some EU capitals are not perfectly happy with some aspects of this deal, including the final shape of the backstop, said Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform. Any reopening of negotiations could result in opening Pandoras Box and EU states saying we dont like this and that [in the deal]. The EU are already close to losing their patience and the clock is still ticking [towards Brexit] the UK is not a predictable partner any longer. Ongoing uncertainty over Britains Brexit process has raised fears the country could crash out of the EU without a deal on the terms of its departure and played havoc with the countrys currency valuation against the US dollar and the euro. The UKs central bank has warned that Britains gross domestic product could shrink by up to eight percent in such a scenario. The government, for its part, has forecast a potential economic slump of more than nine percent in the wake of a no-deal Brexit. Budapest, Hungary Thousands of Hungarians have taken to the streets of capital, Budapest, to protest several measures adopted by the parliament, including a controversial amendment to labour laws. The demonstrations on Wednesday, which began in front of the Hungarian parliament, spread through the city, stopping traffic in some of the citys busiest areas and reaching the headquarters of the ruling Fidesz party. The demonstrators belonging to various trade unions held Hungarian and European Union flags and chanted Free country as they marched. 181029060026570 The protest came in response to the parliaments approval of amendment to the labour laws, proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbans right-wing party. Critics slammed the proposed legislation as a slave law that benefits employers. They also protested the creation of a new administrative court system, allowing the justice minister to appoint judges who would hear matters relating to voting, corruption and the right to protest. Protestors blocking the Chain bridge, relaying by megaphone an old Orban speech re the people have the right to chase away a govt in a democracy pic.twitter.com/8eL4DKmKuv Peter Murphy (@MurphyPeterN) December 12, 2018 Controversial amendment Earlier, during the voting on the amendment in parliament, members of Hungarys opposition parties resorted to whistling and blocking the speakers podium in an attempt to prevent the controversial changes. However, the rare scenes of chaos in parliament could not prevent the amendment, which was passed by a 130-52 vote secured by the ruling, right-wing Fidesz party. The amendment, proposed last month, hikes the maximum annual overtime hours that employers can require from 250 to 400 hours. It also triples the time period for calculating overtime payments to three years. Fidesz, which in April won a two-thirds majority with 49 percent of the vote, often steamrolls bills through parliament. Trade unions expressed concern over the changes to the labour law, which also allows employers to agree on overtime arrangements directly with workers and enter into negotiations or bargaining agreements without having to include the unions. The government says the measures are meant to help ease Hungarys employment shortage. It argues the changes will benefit both those wanting to work more hours and employers who need more manpower. Hungarys official unemployment rate is a low 3.7 percent as companies expand operations in the country, thanks in part to low taxes and wages. Workers, opposition groups protest Opposition parties said the vote was invalid on procedural grounds and the far-right Jobbik party said it would hold a protest later on Wednesday asking Hungarian President Janos Ader to refrain from signing the amendments into law. Orban was seen smiling and laughing as the rare chaos unfolded in parliament. A Hungarian government spokesman later said the protest by the opposition was shameful. Gabor Guzslovan, a member of the Hungarian Steel Workers trade union, told Al Jazeera that he had never seen the kind of obstruction and complete chaos that occurred in the parliament. Before the voting, protesters gathered at the Kossuth Lajos Square, the seat of the Hungarian parliament, to demonstrate against the changes to the labour law. Last weekend, trade unions and student groups angry over alleged lack of academic freedom in the country protested against the changes to the labour law in Budapest, raising slogans and blocking highways. Attila Vajnai, a left-wing activist and representative of the European Left party, told Al Jazeera that trade unions and leftist parties have expressed their solidarity with Hungarian workers over the amendments. The protests in Budapest appeared to be organic on Wednesday evening, with Hungarians demonstrators as they marched through the city. Various trade unions protesting in Kossuth Lajos Square called on workers to go on strike on Thursday. Gina Haspel gave classified briefing to House leaders as pressure mounts to take action over the writers murder. CIA Director Gina Haspel gave a classified briefing to leaders of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday on the what the intelligence agency knows about the murder of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi. The CIA has reportedly concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) must have at least known about the plot to kill Khashoggi. Wednesdays briefing came just over a week after Haspel gave a similar one to Senate leaders. After that briefing, top senators said there is zero chance Prince Mohammed wasnt involved in the murder of Khashoggi. The views that I had before have only solidified, Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said after the Senate briefing. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters, You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organised by people under the command of MBS. Khashoggi was killed on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents needed for his planned marriage. After offering contradictory statements for several days, Saudi Arabia admitted that Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate and his body was dismembered. The kingdom has repeatedly said Prince Mohammed had no knowledge of the killing, which Turkey said was ordered at the highest level of Saudi leadership. Yemen bill Also on Wednesday, the Senate began debating a bill aimed at limiting US involvement in the war in Yemen, where a Washington-backed Saudi-UAE coalition launched an intervention in 2015 through a massive air campaign targeting Houthi rebels. 181212073639270 Meanwhile, House leadership have used stalling tactics to try to prevent a vote on a similar measure. On Wednesday, the Republican leaders in the House move to block any bill related to Yemen from coming to a vote this year. The White House strongly opposes any measure that would end US involvement in the conflict in Yemen. Last month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told the Senate behind closed doors that weakening US-Saudi ties over the killing would hurt national security. After the briefing, Pompeo said there is no direct reporting connecting the crown prince to the order to murder Jamal Khashoggi. On Wednesday, Pompeo told Fox News that investigations into the killing of Khashoggi were ongoing, but the US would hold those responsible to account. His comments came a day after President Donald Trump told Reuters news agency he was standing by MBS despite mounting pressure from Congress to condemn the crown prince over the murder. Michael Kovrig was arrested in Beijing days after the detention in Canada of Chinese Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Chinese authorities are questioning former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig detained days after the arrest in Canada of a Chinese businesswoman on suspicion of engaging in activities that harmed Chinas national security. State-run Beijing News said on Wednesday that Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group (ICG), had become the subject of an investigation by the Beijing State Security Bureau. He was detained after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies on December 1 at the request of US authorities, infuriating Beijing. 181208152835591 The Canadian government has said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on December 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm Chinas state security, the newspaper said in a brief report. The case continues to be under investigation, it added, without elaborating. Accusations of harming state security could cover a wide range of suspected crimes, and in China are often very vague when first levelled. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa was engaging with Chinese officials about the case, which in the short term at least looks to have hurt his governments bid to forge closer trade ties with China. This is obviously an issue that we are taking very seriously and it is ongoing, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. Alleged spy? The ICG, a think-tank focused on conflict resolution, said in an earlier statement Kovrig was detained by security officials in Beijing on Monday night. Diplomats in China said the apparent involvement of the secretive state security ministry, which engages in domestic counter-espionage work, among other things, suggests the government could be looking at levelling accusations of spying. However, ICG President and Chief Executive Robert Malley said the group did not engage in such activity. I dont want to speculate as to whats behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about whats not behind it, and whats not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security, Malley told Reuters news agency. Everything we do is transparent, its on our website. We dont engage in secretive work, in confidential work. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said he had nothing he could say on the details of the case. He said the ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organisation and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law. If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then thats already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organisations operating in China, Lu said. No coincidences William Nee, China researcher for Amnesty Internationals East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong, said Kovrigs detention was alarming, especially as it appeared to be the first time the law has been used to detain a foreign NGO worker. We need to wait for the official explanation from the Chinese side, but this detention could have a chilling effect on the foreign NGO and business communities in terms of their feeling safe while travelling in China, he said. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, was asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. In China, there are no coincidences If they want to send you a message, they will send you a message, he said. A Western diplomat in China, who asked not to be identified, was even more blunt: This is a political kidnapping. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately and analysts have said retaliation for the arrest was likely. Meng was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver on US claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions caused a diplomatic dispute. Philippines Commission on Human Rights urges government to follow due process with suspects instead of shooting them. Marrakech, Morocco Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs will lead to a killing field if the Philippines president is allowed to continue his crackdown, the countrys Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has warned. While officials have put the death figure close to 5,000 since Duterte came to office in 2016, rights groups and opposition politicians say more than 20,000 people have been killed by police. We are questioning the very framework of this war on drugs and the intention behind it, Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana, commissioner of the CHR, told Al Jazeera on the sidelines of an intergovernmental conference in Marrakech, Morocco. You just cant kill everyone. One life is one too many already. If it continues like this, it will become a killing field. When the president came into power, he said this crackdown would be over in six months. Later, he said it will continue throughout his term. One particularly affected province is Cebu, where residents remain worried as the drug-related killings continue and police say they will be relentless in trying to achieve the presidents mission. The police have to fight back. There will be collateral damage and even the innocent people will be victims, said Royina Garma, Cebu city police director. The CHR is demanding authorities undertake due process when dealing with the suspects instead of shooting them dead. The suspects should be arrested and taken through a legal process and not killed, Pimentel-Gana said. Thats why there needs to be a paradigm shift on the governments part and it needs to change its perspective on this war on drugs. Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) launched an investigation into Dutertes war on drugs, opening a preliminary examination into the deaths to determine if the gravity of the crimes fall under its jurisdiction. Duterte immediately announced his countrys withdrawal from The Hague-based court, saying it has no jurisdiction nor will it acquire jurisdiction over him. In August, activists and families of eight victims filed a complaint with the ICC, calling for his indictment over thousands of extrajudicial killings, filing a complaint with the ICC. The following month, Duterte appeared to take responsibility for the killings, saying my only sin is extrajudicial killings. Dutertes statement should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed his career. But it should spur efforts domestically and internationally to ensure he is indeed held to account for the drug war deaths he has instigated and incited, Phelim Kine, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia division, said in a statement at the time. The CHR, meanwhile, is vowing to keep talking and pushing in order to protect Filipinos human rights in their own country. We are fighting for human rights and every Filipino must realise he or she has basic human rights and that dignity of life is very important. We need to educate people and advocate the cause, said Pimentel-Gana. Restrictions imposed to ward off France-style protests ahead of the anniversary of Egypts 2011 uprising. An Egyptian prosecutor ordered the arrest of a lawyer after the publication of a picture of him wearing a yellow vest similar to those worn by protesters in France, a local rights activist said. The arrest came in the northern city of Alexandria as traders said Egyptian authorities were blocking the sale of the vests to ward off any copycat protests ahead of the anniversary of Egypts 2011 revolution on January 25. The yellow safety vests have become the trademark of French demonstrators whose violent weekend protests since mid-November have forced President Emmanuel Macron to cancel planned fuel tax increases and increase the minimum wage. Rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan was ordered to be held for 15 days, according to Mahienour El Masry, an activist in Alexandria. 181204153014250 Authorities considered the photo an incitement to hold similar protests, she said, adding that Ramadan was also accused of spreading false news and spreading the ideology of a terrorist group. Two security sources told Reuters that eight yellow vests had been found in Ramadans possession, but the Alexandria prosecutors office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In central Cairo, traders said they had been stopped from selling the vests to walk-in customers. They made us sign statements that we wont sell yellow vests, said one trader who did not want to give his name. 160124191716737 Anyone who sells a single vest will put himself in big trouble. He refused to sell any of the yellow vests in his shop window, which were priced at around $1. Now they are for display only, he said. Caution rather than fear An employee at another shop said the restriction on selling the vests had started on Saturday and would continue until Jan 25, the eighth anniversary of the popular uprising that toppled then-President Hosni Mubarak. At a third shop, a worker said the vests could only be supplied for commercial orders. Security sources confirmed that authorities had prevented industrial security suppliers from selling the yellow vests. 160122114637805 It is a question of caution, rather than fear, said one of the sources, when asked if authorities were afraid of protests ahed of the anniversary. Since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi came to power in a 2014 coup, there has been a crackdown on political opposition and dissent that activists say is the most severe for decades. Thousands of opponents and critics of Sisi have been arrested, including those allegedly linked to the banned Muslim Brotherhood organisation, and secular rights activists. Mass demonstrations in Cairo in 2011 turned led to the overthrow of Egypts then-President Hosni Mubarak [File: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters] El-Sisis backers say he is working to keep Egypt stable as it recovers from political turmoil after the 2011 uprising and tackles deep economic challenges. One activist told Reuters that spontaneous protests like those in France were now impossible in Egypt. Opposition political movements do not have a presence on the ground and current political parties are part of the regime, said the activist who asked to be identified only by his first name, Mustafa. 170702072016494 More importantly, the location of all activists is not known They are either in prison or in their houses subject to police supervision. Egypt is classified as not free by Freedom House, an international watchdog. In the groups Freedom in the World index, countries are given ratings on political rights and civil liberties ranging from one to seven, with one being most free and seven being least free. On both indicators, Egypt has six, the second-lowest score. Founder of Proud Boys gang denied visa to enter Australia, but many warn right-wing groups arent going away. Melbourne, Australia Tommy Robinsons real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon. He changed it to hide the fact he is a life-long Nazi, said an activist addressing a rally outside Australias Department of Home Affairs in Melbourne in late November. He was a member of the fascist British National Party in the 2000s and a march of 15,000 people organised while he was in jail in June this year saw marchers giving the Nazi salute in his honour. For months, anti-racism campaigners in Australia have called for the denial of visas to Robinson and Gavin McInnes, both prominent figures in the global far-right movement. McInnes was a cofounder of Vice magazine before leaving the organisation in 2008 and founding the Proud Boys, who describe themselves as a pro-Western fraternal organisation for men who refuse to apologise for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists. McInnes and the Proud Boys were banned from Twitter this August and after the Guardian revealed the FBI had listed the organisation as an extremist hate group with ties to white nationalism, while the Southern Poverty Law Centre classifies it as a hate group. During 2017, the Proud Boys joined alt-right and white nationalist groups in rallies around the United States. The pair intended to do an Australia-wide Deplorables speaking tour, embracing former presidential candidate Hillary Clintons pejorative description of supporters of US President Donald Trump. Tickets for the tour are listed as starting from 85 Australian dollars ($61), with pre-show private dinner tickets demanding $995 Australian dollars ($719). It has been organised by Penthouse Australia, a pornographic mens magazine that last year hosted a tour by anti-Islam, anti-feminist commentator Milo Yiannopoulos. Danger to Australia Last month, Shayne Neumann of the opposition Australian Labor Party wrote to Immigration Minister David Coleman calling on him to deny McInnes a visa on the basis he had repeatedly and publicly advocated for violence against women and has pledged to assassinate his enemies. You, as the responsible minister, have the power to refuse visas for individuals if there is a significant risk that the individual would: vilify a segment of the Australian community or represent a danger to the Australian community, Neumann wrote. A Change.org petition started by prominent African-Australian lawyer Nyadol Nyuon calling for McInnes to not be allowed into Australia gathered more than 81,000 signatures. The same day that protesters took to the streets of Melbourne, McInnes was reported to have had his visa denied on character grounds. Aboriginal rights activist and academic Professor Marcia Langton, who along with Nyuon handed the petition to parliament in Canberra, told Al Jazeera there was an enormous sense of relief at the decision. I dont want people like McInnes recruiting for the far right and setting up branches out here. Penthouses promotional page makes no mention of McInness calls for violence, describing him as famous for his use of humour and satire to lampoon the excesses of political correctness and promising audiences to bring a unique blend of comedy and politics to the stage for an unforgettable evening. Robinson, meanwhile, is described as a man of the British people. Penthouses publisher Damien Costas did not respond to Al Jazeeras requests for comment. 201461982321610712 White Australia Weve got to draw the line somewhere, Mehreen Faruqi, the first female Muslim senator in Australian history and a speaker at the Melbourne rally, told Al Jazeera. These are people who are inciting violence and hate and misogyny. Especially because of violence, we have to just say no. There are limits to freedom of speech. Even if the Deplorables tour is called off, many worry the racist ideas of McInnes and Robinson are fomenting among fringe elements of the Australian population. Over half our support in recent months has come from Australia, declares the Deplorables tour page. Were coming to say thank you. This Australian ultranationalism is importing its major themes from overseas, said Shakira Hussein, an expert on Islam in Australia from the University of Melbournes Asia Institute, noting far-right Australian Senator Pauline Hansons assertions that Islam is not a religion but a political ideology. Pat Robinson was making comments like that in the United States and the first time I heard that line was when Geert Wilders visited Australia in 2014. Members of far-right parties have enjoyed increased electoral success in Australia in recent years. Hanson, who rallied against Asian migration and Aboriginals in the 1990s, was re-elected to the Senate in 2016 on a policy platform hostile to Muslims and refugees. Her party One Nation which has called for a travel ban from Muslim countries, a boycott of halal-certified products and an end to government funding of radical Islamic politics, dressed up as arts and culture' won nine percent of the popular vote in the state of Queensland. There are interesting parallels between the halal certification panic mongering and the far right in the United States, which has had similar scares about kosher certification, Hussein told Al Jazeera, including the conspiracy theory that there is a Kosher Nostra, as the far right like to call it. That its a tax to support Jews. Fraser Anning, another far-right senator who, due to a peculiarity in Australias electoral system, was elected with just 19 votes, drew criticism for calling for a final solution on immigration in his maiden speech to parliament. He has echoed calls for a ban on Muslim immigration and a return to the racist White Australia Policy, which lasted some seven decades from the time the Australian nation was founded in 1901. In recent months, the state broadcaster ABC uncovered a plot by self-proclaimed fascists to infiltrate the Sydney-based youth wing of the Nationals Party, part of the countrys conservative ruling coalition. According to Mario Peucker, a Victoria University researcher on racism, far-right groups although electorally marginal can exert disproportional power in shifting the social norms of what is acceptable to say in public and introducing certain themes to the public discourse. 150901120444255 The discussion around banning Muslim immigration is a good example for this mainstreaming and pushing the boundaries of social norms. Five years ago, we wouldnt have had opinion polls asking Australians about their view on a religiously discriminatory immigration regime, he said. In October, Senator Hanson introduced a motion to the Australian Senate declaring it is OK to be white a known slogan of white supremacists which was narrowly voted down 31-28. Several government ministers voted in favour of the motion and later apologised, blaming an administrative error. In Australian society, we already are hearing people in the highest office legitimising, amplifying this hate against communities who are already marginalised, Senator Faruqi said. Were seeing this rise of Islamophobia and I think what this tour will do is further exacerbate that. Potential for violence Beyond hostility to migrants and other minority groups, some say there is also the growing threat of far-right violence in Australia. Community legal services are reporting there have been many incidents of racist violence, said Langton. Blair Cottrell, an Adolf Hitler sympathiser and founder of the anti-Islam United Patriots Front, was formerly jailed for stalking his former partner and attempting to burn down her new partners house. In August, cable network Sky News came under fire for hosting Cottrell for an interview and he later tweeted: I might as well have raped [presenter Laura Jayes] on the air. Like McInnes, Cottrell regularly tweets about executing enemies and recently expressed that human races of the world are not equal. What we are seeing on social media platforms is a lot of hate speech and talk about violence, verbal threats of violence, incitement to violence, said Peucker. The main risk is not so much that any of the well-known far-right figures commit a violent act, an act of terrorism. But there is always the risk that someone at the margins of these groups wants to demonstrate his commitment to the nationalist far-right cause. 150223102756878 These risks are real and we need effective police intelligence to stop this from happening, he said. A spokesperson for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) told Al Jazeera the sources of politically motivated violence in Australia are diverse encompassing anyone who believes that violence is a justified means to further their political interests, which can include extreme right-wing ideologies. In 2016 plans by a Melbourne-based man to conduct attacks in support of his extreme right-wing ideology were disrupted and he became the first person in Australia to be charged with terrorism offences motivated by an extreme right-wing ideology, the spokesperson said. The so-called Lads Society an organisation reminiscent of the Proud Boys that is linked to the Cottrell and the UPF, as well as the neo-Nazi Antipodean Resistance was recently met with a backlash when it was revealed to have opened a branch in Sydneys multicultural inner-city suburb of Ashfield. A group calling itself Ashfield Community Action plastered posters around the suburb, stating the Sydney branch is known to be led by committed Nazis The Lads Society trains white men for racist violence. Migration nation From the time White Australia was dismantled, the country has become one of the most multicultural on Earth. The 2016 Census showed almost half of the country was born overseas or had at least one parent not born in Australia. More than 300 languages were spoken at home while there were adherents about 100 religions. Only 2.6 percent were Muslim. The Social Cohesion 2018 report recently released by the Scanlon Foundation found 85 percent of respondents agreed multiculturalism has been good for Australia. I do not think that far-right ideas have much appeal, author of the report, Professor Andrew Markus, told Al Jazeera. In my judgement, a good indication is the proportion that indicates strong agreement with propositions in favour of discrimination in immigration policy on the basis of race or religion it does not get beyond 11 percent. The proportion strongly negative towards multiculturalism is only 6 percent. Nevertheless, almost one-third supported some degree of discrimination in immigration restrictions based on religion. The level of negative sentiment towards those of the Muslim faith, and by extension to immigrants from Muslim countries, is a factor of significance in contemporary Australian society, the report noted. Racism sells and it sells very well, said Langton. I guess thats a sad fact about Australia. A federal election is scheduled for April. Senator Faruqi worries it could be fought on hate and fear and division. I think that is very damaging and harmful for marginalised communities, Aboriginal communities, LGBTQI communities, she said. We should not allow that to happen in Australia. Authorities say the suspected attacker was wounded in a firefight with police before turning gun on himself. A man opened fire in a cathedral in southern Brazil after Mass on Tuesday, killing four worshippers and wounding four more before taking a bullet in the ribs in a firefight with police and then shooting himself in the head, authorities said. The shooting happened right after the midday service had ended at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas, a city about 100km north of Sao Paulo. Its so sad, said Wilson Cassante, a press officer with the archdiocese. Its hard to imagine the pain this has caused. Hours after paramedics were seen taking bodies and injured out of the church, authorities identified the shooter as 49-year-old Euler Fernando Grandolpho from Valinhos, a nearby city in the densely populated state of Sao Paulo. Grandolpho, a systems analyst, was not a member of the church, authorities said. According to public records, he had held various jobs with government entities, including a stint as an assistant to the prosecutor in the public ministry in Sao Paulo. Authorities said they had not determined a motive. A backpack found near the dead gunman had his identification but no note or other clues, police investigator Jose Henrique Ventura told reporters outside the church. Thanks to the intervention of police, something much bigger was avoided, Ventura said, adding that the four injured were in stable condition. Police stand guard outside the Metropolitan Cathedral after a deadly shooting in Campinas [Victor R Caivano/AP Photo] I saw people getting shot Danielle Coutinho told EPTV that she was sitting in the church chatting after Mass when the gunfire began. A man sitting close to her was shot as she and others ran. I saw people getting shot. I cant get it out of my head, she said in tears. It was horrible. Brazil has long struggled with gun violence, and is routinely the world leader in total homicides, though mass shootings are rare. Last year, nearly 64,000 people were killed. Far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain, campaigned on promises to crack down on violence, in part by loosening gun laws so more civilians could arm themselves. Hamilton Caviola Filho, a police investigator, told news portal G1 that authorities had reviewed surveillance footage from inside the cathedral. The attacker came into the church, sat on a pew, with time to think, and then got up and starting shooting, Caviola Filho said. 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, Caviola Filho said. People stand outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas, Brazil [Victor R Caivano/AP Photo] Father Amaury Thomazi, who celebrated Mass before the shooting, posted a video recounting the chaos that followed the burst of gunfire. Nobody could do anything or help in any way to stop the rampage, Thomazi said. He called on people to pray for the dead, the injured and the attacker. UN chief says failure of negotiations in Katowice will compromise best chance to stop runaway climate change. Failure by countries to agree on rules to implement the 2015 Paris climate agreement on global warming would be suicidal, the United Nations chief said on Wednesday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told delegates from more than 130 countries meeting in the city of Katowice, Poland, they had less than three days to find the political will to reach the difficult compromises, sacrifices and common ground needed for a deal. The two-week talks are tasked with breathing life into the Paris accord, which vows to cap global warming at well under 2 degrees Celsius and funnel hundreds of billions of dollars to poor countries already feeling the sting of deadly storms, heatwaves and drought made worse by climate change. Key political issues deadlocking UN climate talks remain unresolved, said Guterres. Failing here in Katowice would send a disastrous message to those who stand ready to shift to a green economy, he said. To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change. It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal. Clock is ticking As delegates grappled with how the accord will be implemented, the slow progress also prompted Michal Kurtyka, the Polish president of the talks, to tell delegates time was precious and they needed to find wording acceptable to all. Environmental activists and some developing countries also raised concerns that the rule book could fall short of pushing countries towards curbing their emissions to meet the Paris targets. The clock is ticking. While we spend time debating texts and demanding their implementation, the planet outside is deteriorating. Species are becoming extinct. Habitats disappearing. Emissions piling up, Brazilian Environment Minister Edson Duarte said. 181210103453993 Guterres said a recent report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change acknowledged global warming beyond 1.5C will threaten billions of people, especially those who live in small island states. The report outlined a catastrophic future if no action was taken by countries immediately, he said, adding the window of opportunity was quickly closing. This may sound like a dramatic appeal, but it is exactly this a dramatic appeal, Guterres said. A handful of countries at the talks led by the United States and Saudi Arabia have blocked efforts to endorse the report in question, which many developing countries see as essential. Jakarta rules out talks with separatists who vow to continue their armed campaign and fight for an independent Papua. Separatist rebels in Indonesias far-east Papua province who killed a group of construction workers earlier this month have refused to surrender. The jungle camp killings of at least 16 labourers last week were a marked escalation in decades of mostly sporadic skirmishes between poorly armed and disorganised fighters and an Indonesian military long accused of gross human rights abuses against civilians. The rebels said they would continue their armed campaign and fight for an independent Papua, which shares a border with island nation Papua New Guinea, just north of Australia. Indonesia came to Papua as a thief do you think its right for a homeowner to surrender to thieves? rebel spokesperson Sebby Sambom told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. The resource-rich former Dutch colony declared itself independent in 1961, but neighbouring Indonesia took control of the region two years later on the condition it will hold an independence referendum. Jakarta annexed Papua in 1969 with a United Nations-backed vote that was widely seen as a sham. In a video posted on YouTube on Monday, Sambom read an open letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo demanding he holds another referendum for native Papuans to decide whether they want to be integrated with Indonesia. TPNPB will not surrender under any circumstances before the independence of the nation of Papua is realised from Indonesian occupation, Sambom said, referring to the West Papua National Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) which claimed responsibility for the jungle camp killings. The war will not stop before the demands of the TPNPB are carried out by the government of Indonesia, he said, standing behind the banned separatist Morning Star flag. Sambom also called for unrestricted access to Papua for foreign journalists, as well as for the UN refugee agency and the international Red Cross to help take care of civilians caught up in the conflict. Foreign media need permission to report from Papua and obtaining reliable information is difficult. The rebels refusal to surrender comes after Wiranto, Indonesias chief security minister who, like many in the country goes by one name, ruled out any discussions with the TPNPB group. I wont hold talks with criminals, Wiranto told reporters in Indonesias capital, Jakarta, on Tuesday. Whatever they say is a lie. Theyve committed inhumane crimes. Calls for full investigation The 16 victims, employees of a state-owned contractor, were building bridges and roads in a major infrastructure push for Indonesias most impoverished region. The rebels claimed the project was military controlled and the workers were legitimate targets. Indonesia said most of the 16 victims hands were tied together with some suffering gunshot or knife wounds and blunt-force wounds. One worker was almost decapitated. At least four more workers remain missing, while a soldier was also killed by rebels, authorities said. The OPM had accused the military of killing civilians in its operations which it said included bombings. Wiranto rejected that accusation but said soldiers did use grenades in clashes. Two soldiers were wounded on Tuesday and three separatists had been killed in clashes, the military said. Human Rights Watch called for a probe into the jungle camp killings and allegations of subsequent civilian deaths. A Papua militant groups attack on a work site raises grave concerns that require a full investigation, HRWs Elaine Pearson said in a statement. Militants and responding security forces should not inflict harm on ordinary Papuans, she added. Since coming to power in 2014, Widodo has tried to ease tension in Papua by freeing prisoners, addressing rights concerns and stepping up investment, including through a Trans Papua road. Activist groups say Ghaith, who posted tweets critical of Emirati officials, has been on hunger strike for over 45 days. Imprisoned Emirati academic Nasser bin Ghaith has been on hunger strike for more than 45 days, according to activist groups. The economist, who taught at the Abu Dhabi branch of Paris-Sorbonne University, is serving a 10-year-sentence handed down in March 2017 for tweets critical of the UAE authorities. Bin Ghaith is being held at the Al-Razeen maximum security prison in Abu Dhabi, which is home to a number of Emirati dissidents, and where he claims to have experienced torture at the hands of Emirati officials. 181123175140880 Amnesty International has previously reported allegations of torture and sexual harassment at Al-Razeen. The academic has been on hunger strike twice before over his conviction and the conditions of his imprisonment. In the last year bin Ghaith has been regularly beaten by warders, held in solitary confinement and routinely denied access to basic medical care, said Joe Odell of the UK-based rights group, the International Campaign for Freedom in the UAE. As the UK celebrates the release of Matthew Hedges, we must not forget the Emirati academics unjustly detained in the UAE, he added. We urge the British foreign secretary to raise bin Ghaiths case with his Emirati counterpart, as he did for Matthew. Al Jazeera contacted UAE authorities for their response to the allegations but did not receive one. News of bin Ghaiths hunger strike comes just weeks after the release of British academic Hedges. The Durham University researcher was sentenced to life in prison over accusations of spying but was pardoned shortly afterwards, following an international outcry. Hedges alleged he was tortured and forced to make confessions against his will. Prisoners of conscience Speaking at the time of bin Ghaiths sentencing in 2017. Amnestys Lyn Maalouf called the courts decision ludicrous. The authorities have left no room for doubt: those who dare to speak their minds freely in the UAE today risk grave punishment, she said. According to rights groups, the UAE has detained scores of human rights activists and academics, often without charge. Many are imprisoned for lengthy periods of time in trials described as unfair. Others imprisoned include Ahmed Mansoor, an award-winning human rights defender who like bin Ghaith, was also convicted for posts on social media, and lawyer Mohammed al-Roken, who was one of 94 reformists imprisoned in 2013. US president refuses to condemn MBS despite CIA assessment that the crown prince ordered the killing of Khashoggi. US President Donald Trump has reiterated his support for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, despite CIA assessment that the Saudi royal ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul. Trump refused to comment on whether the crown prince was complicit in the murder, despite pleas from Senators to condemn the gruesome murder of the Washington Post columnist more than two months ago. Hes the leader of Saudi Arabia. Theyve been a very good ally, Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office. Asked by Reuters if standing by the kingdom meant standing by MBS, Trump responded: Well, at this moment, it certainly does. Trump said that the crown prince vehemently denies involvement in a killing that has sparked outrage around the world. The US president has come under fierce criticism from fellow Republicans in the Senate over the issue, particularly after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed them. Last month, the CIA assessed that MBS ordered the killing, which Trump called very premature. You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organised by people under the command of MBS, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, said last week. A bipartisan group of Senators introduced a resolution last week saying MBS was complicit in the murder. Trump also said he hoped US senators would not propose stopping arms sales to the Saudis, deals he has doggedly fought to save ever since the gruesome details of Khashoggis murder were leaked by Turkey. And I really hope that people arent going to suggest that we should not take hundreds of billions of dollars that theyre going to syphon off to Russia and to China, Trump said. Trump and his cabinet members have dismissed reports of a CIA assessment that Prince Mohammed ordered the killing. We have no smoking gun the crown prince was involved, not the intelligence community or anyone else. There is no smoking gun, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said last week. The US president himself said last month that the truth may never come out regarding the Khashoggi murder. It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event maybe he did and maybe he didnt, Trump said in a much-criticised statement. This week, the US Senate will consider a joint resolution condemning the crown prince for the killing, something that the president would have to sign or veto if passed by Congress. Trump has said he would meet senators. The US president said he is more open to ending US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, something several US politicians have pushed for in recent weeks. Well, Im much more open to Yemen because frankly, I hate to see whats going on in Yemen, Trump said. But it takes two to tango. Id want to see Iran pull out of Yemen too. Because and I think they will. Latest 1MDB charges relate to removal of references to financier Jho Low in 2016 audit report; former CEO also charged. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been charged with tampering with the audit report into state investment fund 1MDB, the latest in a string of charges against him in relation to the scandal. Najib, who lost power in Mays general election, is accused of altering part of 1MDBs 2016 audit report to remove references to the presence of Low Taek Jho, the now-fugitive financier better known as Jho Low, at a 1MDB board meeting. He pleaded not guilty after appearing in court in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. The ex-prime minister, who is out on bail, faces a maximum 20 years in prison and a fine if found guilty, state news agency Bernama reported. Arul Kanda, who was 1MDBs chief executive when the scandal exploded into public view in 2015, was charged alongside Najib. The former banker was fired in June. Worldwide investigation Established by Najib in 2009, 1MDB is the subject of money-laundering investigations in at least six countries, including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore. Investigators say money siphoned from the fund was spent on diamond jewellery and a luxury yacht, gambled away in Las Vegas and used to finance the Hollywood movie Wolf of Wall Street. Some of the money went into Najibs personal bank account. The US Department of Justice charged Jho Low and two former Goldman Sachs bankers with misappropriating funds from 1MDB last month. The Malaysian remains a fugitive. Najib is now facing nearly 40 money laundering and corruption charges related to 1MDB and losses at other government entities. His first trial is set to begin in February. Najibs wife, Rosmah Mansor, has also been charged in relation to 1MDB and other corruption cases. The couple have denied any wrongdoing. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested after being entrapped in a setup by a senior police officer. Journalists and rights groups rallied in downtown Yangon on Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of the detention of two Reuters journalists, who are serving seven-year sentences for reporting on a massacre of Rohingya by the military in Myanmar. Protest organisers handed out flyers and shirts that read Journalism is not a crime! and called for the reporters release. The two reporters were among a group of journalists named by Time magazine as its Person of the Year. The demonstrators near Myanmars High Court carried placards with the cover of some editions of Times next issue that show a picture of the mens wives holding photos of their husbands. They also released black balloons into the sky and lit candles. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested by plain-clothes police on December 12, 2017, after being entrapped in a setup by a senior police official with the aim of suppressing their reporting, according to a police officer who was involved in the Inn Din massacre, which took place in September 2017 in northern Rakhine state. The massacre is one of several documented by UN investigators, who say that so-called counterinsurgency operations in the area, starting in August 2017, were carried out with genocidal intent. In February, Reuters published a detailed account of the massacre and, in April, a military tribunal sentenced seven soldiers to 10 years in prison for murder. Myanmars military campaign drove 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. There have been many reports of mass killings, gang rape and the torching of entire villages. Immediate release Journalists and rights groups renewed calls for the reporters unconditional release and for the courts to overturn their convictions. Maung Saung Kha, founder and executive director of Yangon-based freedom-of-expression advocacy group Athan and the protests organiser, spoke to the small crowd after lighting candles on the pavement. They were unjustly arrested they were charged [under] an unjust law, Maung Saung told journalists and protesters. Our demands remain the same: the immediate release of these two journalists, he added, before asking the small crowd to observe a minute of silence. Paling Soe Oo, one of the journalists who joined the rally, said Times focus on the jailed journalists was an honour for Myanmar and its journalism community. But I dont think the government feels shame for its part, and isnt considering releasing them, not even a little, he said. UN Committee against Torture accuses Riyadh of torture, sexual harassment and other ill-treatments against activists. A United Nations human rights watchdog urged Saudi authorities to free more than a dozen rights activists detained in the kingdom, alleging some had been tortured or mistreated during interrogation. The UN Committee against Torture, in a letter dated Tuesday and posted online, advanced serious allegations that activists have been detained without charge in Dhahban prison near Jeddah since May. It said activists including Loujain al-Hathloul, Eman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Yousef, Samar Badawi, Nassima al-Sada, Mohammad al-Rabea and Ibrahim Modeimigh suffered torture, sexual harassment and other forms of ill-treatment during interrogation. The panel called for their release and that of six other activists, including blogger Raif Badawi. Badawi has been publicly flogged for expressing dissenting opinions online and is serving a 10-year sentence handed down in 2014 for breaking technology laws and insulting Islam. The panel of 10 independent experts also sought information on whether an impartial investigation is under way into allegations that high-level officials were involved in the torture and extrajudicial execution of Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and critic of the nations de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Riyadh has denied that Prince Mohammed ordered the killing. Panel asks for information Given the serious nature of the cases involving reprisals against and harassment, intimidation and arrest of human rights defenders and journalists, the UN panel asked the kingdom to provide information within 90 days. Saudi Arabia should acknowledge, in law and in practice, the legitimacy of peaceful criticism and advocacy, it said. 181212073639270 There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities. Riyadh has previously denied using torture and said arrests were made on the basis of suspicious contacts with foreign entities and offering financial support to enemies overseas. On Khashoggi, the panel asked whether Saudi Arabia would allow international experts to be involved in the investigation, as requested by both the UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet and Turkey. Saudi Arabia, which has joined the UN treaty banning torture, is obliged to ensure that all perpetrators are prosecuted and to ensure that the relatives of the victim obtain redress, the panel said. US senators briefed by the CIA have said they are certain Prince Mohammed was responsible for Khashoggis killing a view US President Donald Trump is sceptical of. Washington, DC The Republican leadership in Congress has moved to stall until next year a broadly supported congressional resolution aimed at ending the United States support for Saudi Arabias bombing campaign in Yemen. The move came as part of a tight procedural vote on Wednesday in the US House of Representatives on an $837bn, five-year agriculture bill. Tucked within the rules governing the bill is a provision that says the War Powers Resolution, which fast-tracks certain bills, wont apply to any resolution related to Yemen for the rest of this Congress. The move will effectively block the House from taking up any bill on Yemen this year, even if one makes it through the Senate. The House is expected to pass the farm bill later on Wednesday. The 206-203 House vote is a temporary win for President Donald Trump who has advanced a policy of US support for the Saudi Arabia in Yemen and its wider, regional standoff with Iran. Trump has avoided blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of writer Jamal Khashoggi while members of Congress say US intelligence clearly points to the Saudi leader. Advocates of the resolution to end the US involvement in Yemen decried the Republican action. The only reason the leadership is doing this is because they know that there are dozens of Republicans who will stand with Democrats to stop the killing in Yemen, said Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, whose party will control the House in the newly elected Congress. 181209065801936 I urge my colleagues to look at the pictures of five-year-old, seven-year-old kids starving to death. A Yemeni child is dying every 10 minutes. They tell us to wait until January. That would mean thousands of more Yemeni kids dead, Khanna said. The Khashoggi murder sparked outrage in Washington and brought renewed attention to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. CIA Director Gina Haspel, who travelled to Turkey to review evidence of the Khashoggi killing, briefed House leaders behind closed doors earlier on Wednesday. House Republicans said a closed-door briefing by US secretaries of Defense and State scheduled for Thursday would give members of Congress an opportunity to review and discuss the situation in Yemen with senior Trump officials. Undercuts debate in Senate The House action on Wednesday effectively undercuts the debate over Yemen in the Senate where a bipartisan majority voted 63-47 earlier this month on a preliminary procedure to advance the measure blocking US military action in Yemen. Outgoing Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who is retiring from Congress, had said he would support the Trump White House and oppose the measure on Yemen. Meanwhile, the Senate voted on Wednesday to move ahead with a resolution on Yemen. Any final vote in the Senate, however, would be seen as largely symbolic because of the House measure. While some Republicans in the Senate are in favour of the Yemen resolution, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and most other Republicans prefer senators vote on separate measures condemning Saudi Arabia for the Khashoggi murder and expressing non-binding sentiment against the US support for Saudi conduct of the war in Yemen. Members on both sides have legitimate concerns about the war in Yemen, about the US interest, and especially about the horrible plight of Yemeni citizens caught in the crossfire, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican whose party retains control of the Senate in the next Congress. I think every single member of this body shares grave concerns about the murder of Khashoggi and wants accountability. We also want to preserve a 70-year partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and we want to ensure it continues to serve American interests and stabilises a dangerous and critical region, McConnell said. 181010133542286 On November 9, the US military announced it was suspending aerial refuelling of Saudi and UAE jets engaged in bombings over Yemen. More than 10,000 civilians have died in the war, according to the United Nations. Rights groups and monitors estimate the death toll to be much higher. The Yemen plan was offered in both chambers of Congress by proponents under rules established by the War Powers Act of 1973, a Vietnam War-era law designed to check the US presidents ability to deploy American forces without approval by Congress. Senate advances measure aimed at ending USs role in the war, while House moves to stall taking up Yemen bill this year. The Senate is debating a resolution aimed at ending the US involvement in Yemen. The measure has won new support in the aftermath of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Senate voted 60-39 on Wednesday to open debate on the resolution, signaling there is enough support to win the 50 votes needed. But its unclear how amendments to the measure will affect the final vote, which could come later Wednesday. The advancement of the resolution was largely symbolic because the House of Representatives is not expected to take the matter up this year, and Trump has threatened a veto. But backers of the resolution said it sent an important message that lawmakers are unhappy with the humanitarian disaster in Yemen, and angry about the lack of a strong US response to the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. The Trump administration had urged lawmakers not to oppose US fueling and other support for the Saudi-led coalition as it battles the Houthis, Shiite Muslim fighters Yemens neighbors view as agents of Iran. While some Republicans support the resolution, which was sponsored by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and most other Republicans oppose it. 181010133542286 I think every single member of this body shares grave concerns about the murder of Khashoggi and wants accountability, McConnell said. We also want to preserve a 70-year partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and we want to ensure it continues to serve American interests and stabilizes a dangerous and critical region. I believe MBS is responsible for it Senators have been enraged over Khashoggis October killing and the White House response. US intelligence officials have concluded that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman must have at least known of the plot, but President Donald Trump has been reluctant to pin the blame. 181212202356088 That outrage prompted several Republicans to support the Yemen resolution because it would be seen as a rebuke to the longtime ally. Others already had concerns about the war in Yemen, which human rights groups say is wreaking havoc on the country and subjecting civilians to indiscriminate bombing. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, is preparing a separate, alternate resolution condemning the journalists killing. McConnell urged senators to vote for Corkers measure, which he said does a good job capturing bipartisan concerns about both the war in Yemen and the behavior of our Saudi partners more broadly. Corker has not released the full text of that resolution. On Wednesday, Corker said, I believe he directed it. I believe he monitored it. And I believe he is responsible for it. Earlier on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the Trump administrations handling of Khashoggis killing, stressing Saudi Arabias importance as a US ally against Iran. Pompeo repeated his assertion that there was no direct evidence linking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the October 2 murder of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, despite a CIA assessment it was likely he ordered the killing. CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leaders of the House of Representatives behind closed doors about the killing. After the classified briefing, House members declined to comment beyond saying they had not heard anything that had changed their minds about Khashoggis death. Marrakech, Morocco Moroccos treatment of sub-Saharan African migrants returned to the spotlight this week as the North African country hosted a two-day intergovernmental conference on migration. Leaders from 164 UN member states on Monday agreed to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in Marrakech despite opposition and withdrawals by several countries, including the United States. A non-binding agreement, the GCM aims to better manage migration at local, national, regional and global levels, including reducing the risks and vulnerabilities faced by migrants or refugees at different stages of their journey. But as the host country faces allegations of ongoing human rights violations and a cruel and unlawful crackdown against sub-Saharan African migrants, its minister of foreign affairs defended Moroccos handling of the situation. Morocco gave residency permits to 50,000 migrants, easing access to the job market, health and education, Nasser Bourita said at the conferences closing on Tuesday, calling Marrakech the capital of migration. At the same time, Morocco is fighting smuggling and human trafficking networks that are using the territory to endanger the lives of these migrants. Weve dismantled the trafficking cells and worked to save the lives of a large number of migrants. 181211145423298 Rights groups, activists and migrants have shared details with Al Jazeera of routine police raids against those from sub-Saharan African countries. The migrants in the north of the country, hoping to either enter Ceuta or Melilla the two Spanish enclaves in Africa or take the sea route through the Mediterranean, are routinely taken to the south of the country. Some complained of their possessions being destroyed. According to Amnesty International, at least 5,000 people have been swept up in the raids around Morocco, piled on to buses and abandoned in remote areas close to the Algerian border or in the south. The UK-based rights group has termed the large-scale crackdown as cruel and unlawful. I have been taken to the south 10 times, a migrant from Ivory Coast, who did not wish to be identified, said at a camp by the main bus station in the port city of Casablanca. I was arrested and put in a police car with dogs. From the police station, I was put on a bus with other migrants and taken near the Algerian border. I then had to beg on the streets to make enough money for a bus ride back up. Moroccan authorities have labelled such abuse and harassment claims baseless, arguing that the evictions are taking place in accordance to the countrys laws. 181129112830538 We encourage migrants to settle down in Morocco but cant allow behaviour that is against our laws and act before a crime (undocumented migration into Europe) is committed, Khalid Zerouali, Moroccos border control chief, said. Bourita, meanwhile, blamed decisions taken elsewhere for the situation that Morocco finds itself in, arguing that with Italy closing its ports to migrants, the movement of these people increased in the western Mediterranean between the North African country and Spain. Traffic on the central route from Libya to Italy has gone down by 150 percent, which means that we are facing networks who are adapting their strategies to the reaction of different European countries. But in dealing with this, Morocco is applying its law, he said. Despite that, the situation in Morocco leaves room for improvement, according to the Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Morocco is an important part of the migratory route. This is not a recent issue. It will always be affected by that, Rocca told Al Jazeera. I think theres room for improvement. But this conference being hosted in Morocco must be seen as a good signal towards improvement. We know there have been difficulties and Morocco has faced a lot of challenges. But this pact on migration will surely create more awareness. Government has been using anti-terrorism law to seize properties of dissidents and their families. The Syrian government has been using an anti-terrorism law to seize properties of dissidents and their families as it takes back control of areas that were held by rebel groups, rights groups and some of the people affected say. With Syrias conflict stabilised, at least for now, and President Bashar al-Assad back in control of the biggest cities, there is an increasing focus on how he will handle the areas where the 2011 uprising against him flared. International attention has focused on policies, such as legislation known as Law 10, that could eventually enable the government to dispossess people in the opposition strongholds worst damaged in the war. 181211134022694 But while Law 10 has not yet been put into effect, the separate anti-terrorism law has already been used to seize property, including from people who had no hand in violence, according to human rights groups. One man, an architect who joined street protests against al-Assad early in the uprising, and posted anti-government material online, lost his house, office and farmland in Ghouta in southwestern Syria as well as his car, he said. I built my house brick by brick. I built it with my bare hands, tended to every corner and to every inch, the architect told the Reuters news agency. He now lives in the northwestern province of Idlib after fleeing with many other Ghouta residents after its surrender in April. As they stand to lose property permanently, and because in many cases they have family members still living under government control, none of the six people who spoke to Reuters after being named in seizure orders wanted to be identified. Lists circulating online which rights groups believe to be accurate show that hundreds of such orders have been made, affecting potentially thousands of people. Seizure The architect first knew a government security order had targeted him when the Architects and Engineers Syndicate terminated his membership because of a security order and cancelled his pension. He had joined the protests against al-Assad early on, but said he never took up arms or played a role in local government in his area of eastern Ghouta, which the army recaptured in April. In 2016, he tried to sell his car. 180929150446410 The broker in Damascus told me that a seizure for security had been imposed on all the properties owned by me, my partners, my wife and children, he said via a messaging app. The family needed money, so he sold the car for parts for $796.57 at that time. When they left for Idlib along with thousands of others as part of a surrender deal with the government covering eastern Ghouta, the family had to abandon their home, office and farmland that were forfeited. Initially, assets are frozen under these orders, preventing owners from selling, or using them commercially. When the seizures are executed, the state will auction the assets. A doctor from the eastern Ghouta town of Douma who left in April and now lives in Turkey said his house, land, clinic and car had been seized. The Syrian regime has labelled all the opposition activists as terrorists, tried them in absentia and seized their properties, he said. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the orders to freeze assets were among numerous laws the Syrian government used to punish political dissidents and opponents. Damascus denies targeting peaceful dissidents with its anti-terrorism laws, or unlawfully dispossessing people. HRW said it could not verify lists of people affected by the court orders that are circulating online, or the scale of the property freezes. But it said it had confirmed several cases of people whose names it found on one such list. Two Syrian rights groups, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, said they had verified numerous cases. The network said it had registered at least 327 individuals affected by property seizures from 2014 to 2018. The Observatory said it had recorded 93 cases of property seizures affecting opposition activists. It was aware of many other cases, but was not able to verify them because those involved were too scared to speak freely, it said. Those affected, already fearing for their lives if they return after being branded terrorists, also face a loss of property that could discourage family members from going home. They left the people whose property they seized with nothing to return to, not even hope, said the architect, who now lives in rebel-held Idlib province with his family. Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to charges that he paid two women to keep quiet about past relationships with Trump. Michael Cohen, former personal lawyer for US President Donald Trump, was sentenced to a total of three years in prison on Wednesday for his role in making illegal hush-money payments to women to help Trumps 2016 election campaign and lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. US District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan sentenced Cohen to three years for the payments, which violated campaign finance law, and to two months for the false statements to Congress. The two terms will run concurrently. Judge Pauley said Cohens cooperation with prosecutors does not wipe the slate clean of his crimes. He also said that Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass and that lawyer should have known better. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to charges by federal prosecutors in New York that, just before the election, he paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 and helped arrange a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal so the women would keep quiet about their past relationships with President Donald Trump, who is married. Trump denies having the affairs. Cohen also admitted to unrelated charges of tax evasion and making false statements to banks. Prosecutors say the hush money payments violated campaign finance laws and they concurred with Cohens assertion that the payments were directed by Trump, implicating Trump in a possible campaign finance law violation. In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Trump denied the payments were campaign contributions. If it were, its only civil, and even if its only civil, there was no violation based on what we did, he said. Federal law requires that the contribution of anything of value to a campaign must be disclosed and that an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700. 181207214905016 Cohen also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of lying to Congress brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible coordination between Trumps campaign and Russia. The sentencing caps the stunning about-face of a lawyer who once said he would take a bullet for Trump but has now directly implicated the president in criminal conduct. Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Muellers team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied US allegations of interfering in the election to help Trump. Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani has argued the hush payments cannot be considered campaign finance violations because they were made to protect Trumps reputation and would have been made even if he had not been a presidential candidate. Substantial term Although Cohen asked in a November 30 court filing to be given no prison time based on his assistance in the investigation, prosecutors asked on Friday for Cohen to be given a substantial term of imprisonment for his crimes, with only a modest reduction to the roughly four to five-year term they say he faces under sentencing guidelines. They said Cohen declined to sign a formal cooperation agreement, which would have required him to be fully debriefed about his entire criminal history and his knowledge of others crimes. His refusal to cooperate fully, they said, limited his credibility as a witness. 181208174602506 In his guilty plea to Muellers charge, Cohen admitted he lied to Congress about the timeline for discussions of plans for real estate businessman Trumps skyscraper in Moscow. He said in written testimony to two committees that the talks ended in January 2016, before the first contests to select the Republican presidential candidate, when they actually continued until June 2016, after Trump clinched the Republican nomination. Muellers sentencing recommendation was more generous, saying Cohen had provided valuable information about contacts between Trumps campaign and Russia. He recommended any sentence for lying to Congress be served concurrently with Cohens sentence on the charges in New York. Cohen will tell all about Trump Meanwhile, on Wednesday, an adviser to Cohen said the lawyer will state publicly all he knows about Trump after Mueller completes his investigation. Lanny Davis said Cohen continues to tell the truth about Donald Trumps misconduct over the years. Davis, who was previously a lawyer for Cohen, said he will assist the former political fixer in testifying before any Congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies. Cohen has been ordered to turn himself in to begin his prison sentence on March 6. Turkey said an operation east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria will commence in the coming days. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will start a military operation east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria in a few days. The operation, announced on Wednesday, could further complicate already strained relations with the United States, which has troops stationed in the area currently controlled by Kurdish forces. We will start the operation to clear the east of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days. Our target is never US soldiers, Erdogan said in a speech televised live. This step will allow for the path to a political solution to be opened and for healthier cooperation. 180728170524768 The US is supporting Kurdish forces east of the Euphrates, where Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, troops have been fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). But Ankara recently again voiced frustration about what it says are delays in the implementation of a deal with the US to clear the YPG from the town of Manbij, located west of the Euphrates in YPG-controlled areas. Last month, Turkey said it wanted the agreement on Manbij to be fully carried out by the end of the year, followed by joint patrols by Turkish and US troops in northern Syria. In January, Turkey and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) an Ankara-backed armed Syrian opposition group launched what it called Operation Euphrates Shield in the Afrin district in northern Syria in an attempt to remove the Kurdish fighters, who it claims are affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). As the Syrian war progressed, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) umbrella organisation gained significant amounts of territory in eastern and northern Syria in its fight against ISIL. 180901184357969 Turkey, however, sees the territorial expansion as a threat as it has battled with Kurdish separatists who want a state of their own for decades. The US support for the SDF infuriated Turkey and created an ongoing diplomatic crisis between the two NATO allies. That relation was further damaged by Turkeys imprisonment of an American pastor and a tepid response by the US to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Ahmed Abu Abed succumbed to wounds in Gaza after being injured by shrapnel during protests against Israels blockade. A four-year-old Palestinian boy has died after being injured by Israeli gunfire at a routine protest near the fence with Israel, Gazas health authorities said. The Ministry of Health spokesperson, Ashraf al-Qidra, said that Ahmed Abu Abed died late on Tuesday. Ahmed Abu Abed, aged four years and eight months, died as a result of wounds he received last Friday east of Khan Younis, al-Qudra said in a statement on Tuesday. Ahmeds father, Yasser Abu Abed, told Al Jazeera his son was injured by shrapnel when he was shot during regular Friday protests, dubbed the Great March of Return. My son saved my life, the 36-year-old said. Yasser is a father to four other children and has been unemployed for the past seven years. According to him, Ahmed, who was the youngest among his siblings, insisted on joining his father on December 10. I never used to take him with me, Yasser, who regularly attends the Friday demonstrations, said. Were simply asking for basic rights. Israeli snipers began shooting at the Palestinians as soon as they arrived at the scene, in the most random manner, Yasser said. We were a few hundred metres away from the fence when the Israeli soldiers started firing at us. It felt more like a bomb, so loud and frightening, he said. While Yasser was shot in the arm, Ahmed suffered injuries from shrapnel in his stomach, neck and right eye, which affected his brain and central nervous system. He spent four days in intensive care before he succumbed to his wounds. It all happened so fast. From the moment we arrived until the moment we were shot at, only less than two minutes had passed, he said. All we ever wanted was to see the blockade on Gaza come to an end. The Israeli army said on Wednesday it was reviewing the incident while accusing Hamas the group governing the Gaza Strip of using residents as cover for attacks, local media reported. More than 195 Palestinians killed The killing of four-year-old Ahmed follows months of demonstrations by Palestinians in Gaza along the fence with Israel, demanding their right to their ancestral lands from which they were expelled 70 years ago. The Great March of Return rallies culminated on May 15 to mark what Palestinians refer to as the Nakba, or Catastrophe a reference to the forced removal of 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and villages to clear the way for Israels establishment in 1948. So far, more than 195 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, one of the most densely populated places on earth. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed since the protests began on March 30. Ahmeds mother, Ikram Abu Abed, said her son only ever lived in poor conditions under the Israeli siege. I was hoping one day to give my children a better life, Ikram, who is expecting, told Al Jazeera. When we enrolled him in a nursery we had to take him out just two months later because we couldnt bear the expenses any more, she said. He was always a good boy. These past few weeks, in particular, he was cheerful and playful with everyone around him, she said tearfully. Its as if he was saying goodbye. In September, seven protesters were killed by Israeli gunfire, including two boys aged 12 and 14. It was the bloodiest day since May 14 when more than 60 Palestinians were killed in Gaza during protests against the inauguration of the US embassy in Jerusalem. Additional reporting by Maram Humaid in Gaza Former Congressman John Dingell, Jr., a partisan Democrat whose immediate family has controlled the same seat in the House of Representatives for 86 years, has some suggestions for fixing Congress. We should abolish the Senate and the Electoral College because they're undemocratic, "despite the constitutional hurdles of doing so." In 2015, Dingell retired from the U.S. House seat he's held since 1955, the seat he inherited from his father, John Dingell, Sr., who first won it in 1932. The seat has passed to John Jr.'s much-younger wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, who was just re-elected in November. (Full disclosure: For 20 years, my wife and I have lived in Dearborn, Michigan, which is inside the Dingell fiefdom and looks as though it may be in perpetuity.) Dingell is kvetching about "the complete collapse" of respect for government since he first held office and "an unprecedented cynicism about the nobility of public service itself." Things were much better in 1958, when "73 percent of Americans trusted the federal government 'to do the right thing almost always or most of the time.'" Now it's down to 18%, and Dingell blames this decline mostly on Republican wrongdoing like Watergate, the Iraq War, and "Ronald Reagan's folksy but popular message that government was not here to help." "[W]orst of all by far," he writes, is "the Trumpist mind-set" held by "jackasses who see 'deep state' conspiracies in every part of government[.]" What really burns Dingell is how his party's numerical electoral advantage widely expected to continue growing as caravans of illegal aliens flood into the country isn't translating into an America run strictly according to Democrat ideas. Why not? Because "sparsely populated, usually conservative states can block legislation supported by a majority of the American people." Flyover Republicans, and the protections for political minorities built into the Constitution, are holding up progress! This is especially the case in the Senate, where California's 40 million people have only two senators, "while the 20 smallest states have a combined population totaling less than that ... have 40 senators." We have this "antiquated" and "downright dangerous" political imbalance only "because of an 18th-century political deal" a deal, it should be noted, that someone thought should be preserved under glass at the National Archives. Dingell never specifies how the current structure of the Senate is "downright dangerous," nor does he explain why the Great Compromise over Senate representation made sense in the 18th century, when a tiny Rhode Island could object to being bullied by Massachusetts, but it's now "plain crazy" for the 20 smallest states (and a lot of the bigger ones) to resist being bullied by California. It's obvious that Dingell positively resents the minority, whom he variously describes as "usually conservative," a "vocal rump ... of obnoxious asses [who] can hold the entire country hostage to extremist views." He dismisses 63 million Trump-supporters as "jackasses ... a minority of a minority ... the weakest link in the chain of more than three centuries of our American republic." (That makes twice in one article he calls Americans who won't vote Democrat "asses." Did I mention I'm one of his family's constituents?) The reality remains that while Hillary Clinton did win the popular vote with 48%, Trump still won 46%, which isn't the insignificant minority Dingell imagines. He shares the conceit of his party that Democrats' less than half of the electorate constitutes "a majority of the American people" and that the slightly smaller less than half of us is a negligible fraction of extremists. Other proponents of erasing the Senate, like Parker Richards at The Atlantic, point to the confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh as evidence of Senate "disproportionality," because the majority "represented just 44 percent of the country's population." Jay Willis at GQ has the same complaint. "An undemocratic body yields undemocratic results. The 50 senators who voted to confirm the wildly-unpopular Brett Kavanaugh represent only 44 percent of the population." Yes, Kavanaugh's unpopularity was wild wild, baseless, and irrational, stoked by false witnesses, a lying media, and a hyper-cynical Senate minority willing to destroy an innocent man to mollify their abortion-industry backers. The speed with which a credulous public was turned into a hysterical mob baying for Kavanaugh's blood on no evidence whatsoever reveals the genius of the Framers' interposing a safeguard between the often naked madness of an inflamed majority and what James Madison called "the propensity of all single and numerous assemblies to yield to the impulse of sudden and violent passions, and to be seduced by factious leaders into intemperate and pernicious resolutions." To say the Kavanaugh confirmation is proof that the Senate is undemocratic is essentially to say that a truly democratic body reacting to the shrieks of the #MeToo movement and a public opinion distorted by sound bites and Twitter would have denied the nomination. That result might have been more democratic, but it would also, based on false witnesses and the slanders of the mob, be the kind of "pernicious" result Madison wanted to prevent. Dingell says the "jackasses" who share Trump's mistrust of government are "the weakest link in the chain" of the republic, but he's wrong. People who mistrust government understand the republic better than he does, because it was people who mistrusted government who created it. "If men were angels," wrote Madison in Federalist 51, "no government would be necessary." As it is, while the people are "the primary control on the government," because people aren't angels "experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions." But if it's progressives trying to throw off those precautions, and not we, how are we the weakest link? On the other hand, Democrats are growing increasingly exasperated with how the Constitution's auxiliary precautions keep putting the brakes on their agenda. In 2001, when Barack Obama was an Illinois senator and law professor, he complained about the Constitution as an impediment to the goal of radical income redistribution. While it dictates "what the Federal government can't do to you," he said, it fails to command "what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf." This past year has seen the sudden rise of mainstream Democrats wanting to abolish ICE, which enforces constitutionally mandated naturalization and immigration laws. Large segments of the party are embracing democratic socialism, heedless that socialism requires the extinguishment of guaranteed individual liberties. Nearly 40% of Democrats support repealing the Second Amendment. Now John Dingell, the "Dean of the Congress," in addition to abolition of the Senate and Electoral College, is calling for the "elimination of money in campaigns" at the expense of the First Amendment. Oddly, Dingell repeats Ben Franklin's warning about "constant vigilance" if we're to protect the "precious but fragile gift" the Founders gave us. But their gift was a Republic, "if you can keep it." Some of us are trying to keep it. Dingell and many of his fellow Democrats sound awfully anxious to throw it away. T.R. Clancy looks at the world from Dearborn, Michigan. You can email him at trclancy@yahoo.com. American-Russian relations are characterized by irreconcilable contradictions and the aloofness of history. The American official position is that Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine. Moscow's position is that Crimea has been "returned" back to Russia. The Crimea and Eastern Ukrainian conflicts are two of many ethnic conflicts that have become common in the post-Cold War period. In many countries arbitrarily created after the Second World War the unifying principle was the power of the state that forced citizens to tolerate a plethora of incompatibilities. Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine are prime products of this geopolitical engineering. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent demise of the so-called "socialist camp" resulted in weakening or overthrowing the authoritarian regimes. The absence of enforcement gave rise to nationalistic aspirations that challenge the cohesiveness of the established order, in some instances, to the point of no order at all. Modern Ukraine is an agglomeration of the territories of the original Ukrainian People's Republic created after the disintegration of the Russian Empire in 1917 and the neighboring countries with some historical and cultural links to Ukraine, and Novo-Russia, or Eastern Ukraine. The most recent addition was Crimea, which Nikita Khrushchev, with proletarian generosity and in violation of the Soviet Constitution, transferred to Ukraine. A fter the collapse of the USSR, the Russian population of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine found itself trapped under Ukrainian rule. Pro-Russian sentiments ranging from the recognition of the official status of the Russian language to outright secession have always been prevalent in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine and are the roots of the current conflict. The United States has to synthesize the complex legacies and develop a strategic view of the process it so imprudently got involved in. Here are some suggestions. If Crimea is a fait accompli, Eastern Ukraine offers some interesting dynamics. Usually, in conflicts, each side is pursuing an outcome incompatible with the strategic ambition of its adversary. In this case, however, neither Petro Poroshenko nor Vladimir Putin wants Eastern Ukraine. Putin could occupy Eastern Ukraine within 48 hours and face no resistance. Poroshenko could accept a limited autonomy for the belligerent East, which it demanded from the outset, and avoid a bloody conflict altogether. But the rulers in Kiev are not motivated by "one country, one destiny"; they are not motivated by concern for the stability and integrity of Ukraine. Rather, they are moved by billions in financial aid. The aspiration of Poroshenko and his cronies is to become in some sense the Palestinians of Europe, victims of Russian aggression, just as the actual Palestinians are perceived as being victims of Israel. Defeated by superior force, they want the E.U. to adopt them and make Ukraine a black hole for billions of dollars and euros, with no end in sight. The fact is that despite international support, Kiev lacks the means to preserve Ukraine as a unitary state. Therefore, Poroshenko's survival is predicated on defeat. Just as in the case of the Palestinians, whose every defeat functions as a catalyst to attract worldwide sympathy and international donors, the continuation of hostilities, for Poroshenko, is an inevitable necessity. This should explain indiscriminate bombing of East Ukrainian cities and a recent border incident between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Putin's predicament is that although two million Eastern Ukrainians have already voted against Kiev with their feet, seeking refuge in Russia, unlike predominantly Russian Crimea, which voted overwhelmingly to join Russia, the binational population of Eastern Ukraine is hesitant to replace the Ukrainian mess with the uncertainty of joining the Russians' bedlam. The prospects of having their sons drafted into the Russian army do not appeal to them, either. Furthermore, heavily industrialized Eastern Ukraine can survive and prosper on its own. Within this context, if the West accepts Crimea as part of Russia and recognizes the independence of Eastern Ukraine, paradoxically, all sides will achieve their respective objectives. The populations of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine will acquire national identity; the United States and Russia could resume non-adversarial relations; Western Ukraine becomes an orphan of Europe; Poroshenko and his cronies, who provoked the conflict by declaring their intent to join the E.U. and NATO, get their payoff; and the E.U. adopts a much smaller country. Woodrow Wilson would have no difficulty endorsing this approach. Wilsonian principles of national self-determination should apply to Crimea and Eastern Ukraine just as they were applied to Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Scotland, the Falkland Islands, and Cyprus. So the central question is, why do we even care if there are two Ukraines or even three or four? Dealing with absolutes, those who promulgate adversarial relations with Russia have lost their grip on reality and are driven by hatred rather than American national interests. The Russians see the acquisition of Crimea as a geopolitical issue paramount to their security as well as a fulfillment of nationalistic aspirations and are ready for sacrifices way beyond the West's comprehension. In this manner, the outcome of the sanctions is preordained; even if sanctions are kept in place for the next hundred years, they will not weaken Russian's resolve. If a strategy does not accomplish its stated objectives, a reasonable observer may conclude that the strategy has failed. It is the time to distinguish between the desirable and the achievable. Alexander G. Markovsky is a senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, a conservative think-tank hosted at King's College, New York City, which examines national security, energy, risk-analysis, and other public policy issues. He is the author of Anatomy of a Bolshevik and Liberal Bolshevism: America Did Not Defeat Communism, She Adopted It. Mr. Markovsky is the owner and CEO of Litwin Management Services, LLC. Which is worse: candidate, businessman, and then still private citizen Donald Trump using his own money to make what Hillary Clinton might call "bimbo eruptions" go away to protect his brand and himself from personal embarrassment, or Congress using taxpayer money in a slush fund to pay off those sexually harassed by sitting officeholders? As Penny Nance, president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, notes in USA Today: Literally a year ago as the #MeToo era was erupting the nation was waking up to news that a secret congressional "hush fund" had been used by Members of Congress to pay off accusers of sexual misconduct. Taxpayer money yours and mine was used to pay off these alleged victims[.] ... Nobody knows how many congressmen and Senators are involved, and if [Pelosi] is a willing participant to keep all of this a secret she will forfeit credibility on every other issue[.] ... What we know already is devastating. We know congressmen John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Blake Fahrentold (R-Tex.) used this "hush fund" to settle with alleged victims. Both men have already left Congress. We also know that none of the beneficiaries of this slush fund has been threatened with indictment and incarceration for campaign finance violations since suppressing such information, as Rep. Nadler puts it, amounts to committing a fraud on the American people using their own money. How many of Trump's accusers are guilty of the very infraction they accuse him of? How many defended the practice and fought to keep it secret and escape accountability with the voters? In Trump's case, Professor Alan Dershowitz points out, if he was using his own money to contribute to his own campaign, there is no crime: Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz frustrated MSNBC's coverage of Donald Trump's payments to former Playmate Karen McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, repeatedly siding with Trump on the issue of the legality of a candidate paying "hush money to anyone he wants during a campaign." "The president doesn't break the law if, as a candidate, he contributes to his own campaign," said Dershowitz (transcript via RCP). "So if he gave $1 million to two women as hush money, there would be no crime. If he directed his lawyer to do it, and he would compensate the lawyer, he's committed no crime." ... [A] president is entitled to making such payments: The president is entitled to pay hush money to anyone he wants during a campaign. There are no restrictions on what a candidate can contribute to his own campaign. So if, in fact, the president directed Cohen to do it as his lawyer and was going to compensate him for it, the president committed no crime. If Cohen did it on his own then Cohen commits the crime. Veteran campaign finance lawyer Dan Becker agrees with the assessment by Dershowitz that private citizen Trump committed no crime and was merely protecting his brand: Meanwhile, an expert campaign finance lawyer said in an interview published Monday that he is not impressed with the Department of Justice's evidence that effectively links Trump to campaign finance violations after the recent release of the Cohen sentencing memo. Dan Backer, the lawyer, told Forbes that there appears to be no evidence to corroborate the DOJ's apparent assertion of any illegality on Trump's part. Backer, a veteran campaign counsel, said it is common practice for high-profile individuals and companies to take part in these kinds of payment arrangements. He said Trump is a brand, he has carried out similar payments for years and these so-called "hush-buys" will likely continue. "Brand protection is not a campaign contribution," he told the magazine. As former FEC chairman Bradley Smith pointed out in an interview with Fox News host Mark Levin, hush money payments are not a campaign finance violation if it can be shown they would have happened in the absence of a campaign: So, what the courts and what the statute says very clearly what the FEC has said in its regulation is if something is not an expense that arises directly out of a campaign, for example, you rent offices for a campaign headquarters, you hire a campaign manager, you pay for TV ads, you print up buttons and bumper stickers, those are all things you're doing because you're running for office. But the fact that something helps your campaign doesn't make it a campaign expense. For example, I decide I'd look better on the campaign trail if I had teeth whitened. Not a campaign expense. I want a new suit to look good at the debate, not a campaign expense. Where it takes something that's more relevant to what we are seeing going on recently, as you alluded to sort of the Trump payments to some of these women who alleged various affairs and so on. If I'm a successful businessman and I decide I want to run for office and I said, I've got all the lawsuits against me as businessmen often do against their companies and so on, these are all a bunch of BS, there is no merit to them, but I don't want them out there. I don't want people asking me about them, I don't want them dragging my campaign, settle those lawsuits, tell my lawyer. I can't pay the settlements with campaign funds, that's not a campaign expenditure, the obligation did not arise out of my running for office. So that's the long answer to your question, the short answer is a simple no, paying somebody for something to be quiet about something that was done or alleged years before is not a campaign expense. Over a year ago, H.R. 4494 the Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act was introduced. It's a bill that called for publicizing the names of those who used the hush fund to pay for these so-called "settlements." Many in both parties co-sponsored his bill, but it went nowhere. It is time it should go somewhere. As Penny Nance notes: If Pelosi doesn't move immediately to disclose the names of those in Congress who used this hush fund, she will be part of the biggest sexual misconduct scandal in history. Even bigger than Stormy Daniels. Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. By presidential proclamation, December 15 is Bill of Rights Day. President Donald Trump urges Americans to take time to "recognize the key role of the [federal] Bill of Rights in protecting our individual liberties and limiting the power of government." While we are better off for having the first ten amendments to the Constitution, it is intellectually dishonest for the media and our national leaders to pay such obeisance to the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is a mere shadow of the protections the states originally urged Congress to pass and pales in comparison to the rights guaranteed in many state constitutions. James Madison, the primary architect of the Bill of Rights, merely sought to mollify Anti-Federalist critics of the Constitution without imposing real limits on the powers of the federal government. The various states had sent Congress many substantive amendments that would have limited federal power and protected individual liberty. For example, Virginia offered a lengthy amendment aimed at limiting federal judicial power. Massachusetts suggested amendments on the power of taxation as well as prohibiting gargantuan congressional districts, where the people would have little chance of truly knowing their representatives. New York wanted an amendment requiring two thirds of Congress to approve any borrowing on the credit of the United States. Unfortunately, Madison and Congress ignored these proposals. Madison followed the advice of Samuel Johnston, the governor of North Carolina, who had counseled that amendments should be "a little Flourish & Dressing" and no more. Americans desiring real protections and limits on federal power were not deceived by the final product. Virginian William Grayson, writing to Patrick Henry, complained that Congress's proposed amendments "are so mutilated & gutted that in fact they are good for nothing." Theodorick Bland of Virginia lamented that the congressmen "have not made one single material" alteration to the Constitution. South Carolina's Thomas Tudor Tucker thought the amendments sent to the states were "calculated merely to amuse, or rather to deceive." Amusement and deception aside, today, when we think of the Bill of Rights and landmark cases, we typically think of restrictions on state power. It does not occur to modern Americans that the Bill of Rights originally applied only to the national government. As the preamble to the Bill of Rights declares, "further declaratory and restrictive clauses" were adopted because the state conventions wanted some security to "prevent misconstruction and abuse of" powers delegated to the national government. The people of the states were satisfied with their own bills of rights and restrictions on state power appearing in the various state constitutions. It was not until 1925 that the U.S. Supreme Court began applying selected provisions of the Bill of Rights against the states a practice that is still questioned by a number of legal scholars. While most Americans have some general familiarity with notable provisions of the Bill of Rights, such as guarantees to free speech, the right to bear arms, and the free exercise of religion, it's doubtful they have any comprehension of what is contained in the bills of rights of their home states. This is a pity. Most state bills of rights have far more extensive protections than those found in the federal version. For example, in addition to the "usual" protections associated with its federal cousin, New Hampshire's bill of rights recognizes that the people possess the "natural rights" of acquiring and using property; are entitled to an "open, accessible, accountable and responsive" government; and have a constitutional right to revolution if government becomes oppressive. South Carolina's bill of rights provides constitutional protections for crime victims, prohibits imprisonment for debt, and guarantees court review of the decisions of administrative agencies. California's bill of rights specifically secures the property rights of noncitizens, the right of a victim to receive restitution from the perpetrator of a crime, and the right to have all relevant evidence introduced in criminal proceedings. Americans should pause on December 15 and contemplate their rights. But their time would be better spent on the texts of their state constitutions rather than idolizing the "Flourish & Dressing" of James Madison's offering. William J. Watkins, Jr. is a research fellow at the Independent Institute and author of Crossroads for Liberty: Recovering the Anti-Federalist Values of America's First Constitution. Almost from Day One of his presidency, Donald Trump has been stymied by judges on lower federal courts issuing restraining orders to stop his executive orders and bring his agenda to a screeching halt. On November 10, National Review ran "Obama's Judges Continue Thwarting Trump," a fine analysis by Andrew C. McCarthy, who explains what's really going on with the injunctions issued by these "rogue" judges: You may have been under the impression that Trump won the election, and that choosing among competing policies is what elections are about. That is how it is supposed to work in our free, constitutional republic. But day by day, the space for free choice is shrinking. To the Lawyer Left, elections represent a policy choice only when Democrats win. The rest of the time, the courts are there to consolidate the Left's gains, to repel democratically driven policy shifts. McCarthy demonstrates that, contrary to Chief Justice John Roberts, at least some of our federal courts have become politicized. It's simply not the case that "[w]e do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges," as Roberts alleges. Perhaps Roberts is confused about what should be and what is. McCarthy touches on the judicial overrides of Trump's decisions on DACA and the Keystone Pipeline. And let's not forget the travel ban, key provisions of which SCOTUS reinstated. McCarthy began his article by predicting that the president's new policy on asylum claims would soon be stopped: As I write on Friday, the restraining order hasn't come down yet. But it's just a matter of time. Some federal district judge, somewhere in the United States, will soon issue an injunction blocking enforcement of the Trump administration's restrictions on asylum applications. That's exactly what happened nine days later on Nov. 19. The next day at The Corner, Mr. McCarthy wrote that the injunction "took a few days longer" than he expected. (His blog post didn't contain a link to Judge Jon Tigar's restraining order, but one can find it here and here.) It is thought that the only way to deal with misbehaving judges is impeachment. We read at Ballotpedia that a total of fifteen federal judges have been impeached: "Of those fifteen: eight were convicted by the Senate, four were acquitted by the Senate, and three resigned before an outcome at trial." Eight convictions over America's 230-year history might indicate that federal judges are a fairly decent lot. However, by 2003, there had been sixty-one impeachment investigations of federal judges. Here's the list. Impeachment is a difficult means of dealing with rogue federal judges, and it may be even more difficult once the House is taken over by Democrats in January. So what can be done to rein in a runaway federal Judiciary? Well, in 2005, the Brookings Institution ran "Reining In a Runaway Federal Judiciary?" by Alan Murphy and Thomas E. Mann. It's worth reading, but they offer no solution: Throughout American history, legislators and presidents have attempted to bring independent-minded jurists into submission through other means as well, such as packing and unpacking the courts, restricting their jurisdiction, cutting judicial budgets, defying court orders, and investigating individual judges. Yet, as with impeachment, these tactics have met with minimal success and now are widely viewed as illegitimate and threatening to judicial independence. In 2006, however, the Yale Law Journal ran "Removing Federal Judges without Impeachment" by Saikrishna Prakash and Steven D. Smith, who argue that judges can be removed through other means than impeachment. They examine the history of the term "good behavior," as required by the second sentence of Article III: Those who think judges may only be removed by impeachment might suppose that history reveals that "good Behaviour" was a term of art that meant something like "tenure for life defeasible only by impeachment." History actually proves that good behavior was independent of impeachment. When judges on lower federal courts issue restraining orders that stop a president from performing his duties or that override his judgment, they need to have the Constitution on their side, because their orders can be reversed by higher courts. Though they have their judgeships for life, judges should pay a price when they so presumptuously overstep. Unlike the Legislative and the Executive Branches, the Judicial Branch of the federal government doesn't police itself; it's left up to Congress to get rid of bad judges. Perhaps that should be changed. Perhaps judges who are routinely overridden need to be relieved of their duties with an automatic "three strikes" mechanism. In the real world, professionals who repeatedly foul up lose their jobs. Why can't the federal Judiciary, not the Congress, get rid of judges who demonstrate a warped appreciation of the Constitution or who are just plain incompetent? It doesn't seem right that one person in one branch of government can summarily stop the activities of another branch of government. Something needs to be done. But if impeachment is too much, then what's to be done about these lower-court judges throwing monkey wrenches into the executive? At the very least, appeals of these injunctions need to be greatly expedited. What President Trump is trying to do with his executive orders is protect America by stopping invasions. What Chuck and Nancy and the open borders crew want is to import poverty, and with it new Democratic voters. They don't care about the cost to taxpayers, nor do they care about how these invasions are changing America and her culture. When it comes to obeying unconstitutional injunctions or defying them in order to protect America, a decent president does the latter. The tyranny of the Judiciary must end. Although judicial gnats have been pestering him, President Trump has been fairly judicious with his executive orders. One E.O. he'd surely get some blowback on from "Obama judges" is an E.O. to end birthright citizenship. However, such resistance may be the very reason for the president to go ahead and do it. For Trump to have a truly transformative presidency, he must confront and ratchet back the Deep State and the Lawyer Left. Article III of the U.S. Constitution outlines the role of the Judiciary in our system. It's rather shorter than the first two articles, as it consists of 377 words and can easily fit on a single page. In the first sentence of Article III, we read that the "judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish." Article III gives Congress the authority to create and to destroy "inferior courts." During our entire history, such federal courts have been abolished only twice. There was the Judiciary Act of 1801 that backed out the "midnight judges" of President Adams. Then there was the short-lived Commerce Court in 1913. Except for the Supreme Court, it would seem that Article III gives the Congress carte blanche to abolish the entire federal judiciary. If such a radical reorg of the judiciary seems "a bridge too far" right now, then perhaps Congress could abolish just the Ninth Circuit just to send a message. Jon N. Hall of ULTRACON OPINION is a programmer from Kansas City. After a two-day trip to Italy, ostensibly to meet businessmen, the Iranian regime's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, returned on a Friday at the end of November, and his deputy, Abbas Araghchi, and Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization, went to Brussels on Saturday. The main purpose of these tag-teaming trips, according to Araghchi, is to save what's known by its initials as the JCPOA, or, more commonly, the Iran deal, which is not at all in good condition. In fact, the Obama administration-led signature deal is currently at a critical point of being scrapped altogether. Iran's state TV channel 2 on Nov. 26 broadcast a segment titled "Europe's Controversy at the Political Heart of the Green Continent" and interpreted the news as follows: Araghchi, deputy foreign minister, and Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization, who went to Brussels to participate in the Iran-EU negotiations on nuclear cooperation, criticized the slowness of the union in its efforts to save the nuclear deal. Araghchi said in the meeting that Europe says the JCPOA is alive and active, but it is only Iran that fulfills its obligations, and the benefits of this agreement for Iran have not been materialized. The deputy foreign minister, pointing out that saving the JCPOA is an international responsibility, said: "The fact is that Europe has not yet managed to create a mechanism such that the resumption of US sanctions will not be able to ruin this deal. Araghchi warned that unfortunately the balance of the agreement is lost, and if Iran fails to win, this agreement cannot last." The head of the Atomic Energy Organization told reporters after the meeting: "If the promises made by the Europeans are not fulfilled, the situation will be disastrous and unpredictable." Government websites, far more explicit than state television, reflected the concerns of Salehi, Araghchi, and Rouhani's government regarding the ambiguous situation of the JCPOA through its engagement with Europe. According to these sites, Araghchi warned: "The truth is that the JCPOA is at stake and in very bad shape." According to the media, Araghchi expressed gratitude to the E.U. for its efforts but made the point: "We appreciate their positions and the statements they have issued ... [b]ut the truth is that no practical action has been offered. They have not been able to develop a mechanism so that we can take advantage of the agreement." Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization, also told Europeans: "I hope the political positions expressed by the European Union, China and Russia will turn to action. " Salehi then warned: "If this agreement collapses, things will surely change, and everything will be stirred up by chaos." In response to the efforts of Rouhani's government to save the JCPOA, his rival factions pretended to welcome its negation and are pushing Rouhani's government hard to respond to the European problem brought on by non-compliance with its own commitments to the agreement. In this regard, the Javan newspaper addressed Araghchi's remarks and wrote in its Nov. 28 issue: "Zarif deputy statements were full of phrases in which 'fear' of losing JCPOA was visible, an agreement that Araghchi and his team of diplomats had been working on for at least two continuous years to achieve." Nabi Habibi, a member of the Mu'talefeh faction, also attacked the regime's foreign ministry that has been begging Europe to save the JCPOA and said, "In what language must Europe say that Europe follows America in violation of JCPOA and increasing demands?" He added: "Reciprocating action is the only way according to parliamentary resolutions and government powers. The government must stop part of its JCPOA commitments for the West to pay for its abjuration. " What is clear is that the European JCPOA has so far been nothing but a mirage, and the regime, in dire need of maintaining it, tries to cover its petitions and requests to the European countries with a threatening tone, but the reality of the scene, as the regime's elements and media also acknowledge, is that Europe doesn't benefit the regime, and the regime is in, at best, a stalemate in this regard. At worst, it is the end of the road for this JCPOA agreement, and the consequences of that loom large for the Iranian regime. Hassan Mahmoudi is a human rights advocate, specializing in economic issues relating to Iran. Follow him on Twitter at @hassan_mahmou1. Kathmandu, Nepal: The Nepali Congress (NC), the only oldest democratic party of the country, has concluded its almost all preparations for Mahasamiti meeting, which is going to be convened in Kathmandu from December 16. Likewise, the party unveiled its program-schedule for the Mahasamiti meeting. Issuing a press note on Wednesday, the registration of the participants and welcome program will take place at the central office in Sanepa on Thursday from 2 to 5 pm on December 16, Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, are throwing a hissy fit and claiming President Trump is throwing a temper tantrum because he wants money to enforce laws that Congress passed. Democrats overwhelmingly voted for border security in 2006, when they were trying to retake the House, but after they took over government they showed they didn't mean what they promised because they never funded it. Sulking during the Oval Office meeting, 12-11-18. (CBS screen grab via YouTube.) There is no doubt that almost all the media will blame Trump for the Democrat stubbornness, because that is what they always do. In 2015, Democrats threw a temper tantrum and threatened to shut down government if they didn't get their special interest group (not a government agency) Planned Parenthood $500 million in taxpayer money. Isn't that amazing threatening to shut down government for funding a non-government agency? Senate Democratic leaders declare again they will block any bill that defunds Planned Parenthood, even if that bill funds the government. They calculate that voters will blame Republicans for the shutdown, as polls show they did after the government shutdown over Obamacare two years ago and as polls suggest would again be the case. It is no surprise that the public continually blames Republicans because the sycophant media always take the side of Democrats and repeat over and over again that it is the Republicans' fault. President Trump clashed with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over funding for Trump's border wall Tuesday in an acrimonious Oval Office encounter played out live with cameras rolling. With a partial government shutdown looming at the end of next week, the three leaders argued over Trump's demand that taxpayers must pay for a wall along the Mexico border or he will shut down part of the government. They pointed fingers and interrupted each other and disagreed repeatedly about politics and policy. "Elections have consequences, Mr. President," Schumer said to Trump toward the end of the nearly 20-minute sparring match. One comment that was especially rich was Chuck Schumer saying elections have consequences. Not once has Schumer cared that Trump won the presidency in 2016, but now that Democrats have taken over the House, he pretends Democrats have control of the government. Last week, we got to see the media and other Democrats pretend they loved George H.W. Bush when he was in office. The truth is that when Bush nominated Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court, he and Thomas were treated no better than Trump and Kavanaugh. The race of the candidate made no difference. They will always seek to destroy candidates they are afraid will tilt the court. For the next two years, we will see the media circus pretend Pelosi and Schumer are willing to compromise and blame Trump for the lack of bipartisanship. There was also little in Obama's eight years that indicated he wanted to bring the parties together. When he couldn't get something done through Congress, he just dictatorially implemented it as with DACA. He also pretended that the Paris Climate Accord was a done deal even though he did not take that to Congress, either. That was just too inconvenient. I hope the Republicans are able to recognize the tactics of journalists and other Democrats because the agenda and tactics are always the same. I agree with the Washington Post's Catherine Rampell that it is a shame that the government doesn't prosecute white-collar criminals enough. For a party that claims to be "tough on crime," Republicans seem pretty confused by what it means to hold criminals to account. Particularly when it comes to white-collar crimes, or really any crimes committed by rich people. In reality, the reason Manafort wasn't prosecuted ages ago despite the many red flags over the years has little to do with politics and more to do with the fact that the United States has basically stopped prosecuting white-collar crimes. Consider the sweetheart plea deal given to Palm Beach billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, which the Miami Herald recently reported on in damning detail. But she is tremendously confused when she pretends journalists like her and other Democrats have ever cared about pardons by Democrat presidents and criminal activity by powerful Democrats. She and other Democrats absolutely can't stand it if Trump pardons Manafort and they say Trump is guilty of campaign finance law violations. The Epstein story was out there when Hillary was running, but the mainstream media didn't care about it. Putting Bill and Hillary back in the White House was more important. But now, all of a sudden, journalists care about the case. Hillary, her aides, and Obama repeatedly violated the nation's security laws, and Democrats, including the media, didn't care. White-collar scientists have repeatedly committed fraud on the public by manipulating climate data, and not only don't Democrats care, but they just repeat the fraudulent numbers as if they are true. Planned Parenthood crushed and crunched babies while preserving body parts to sell illegally, and not only didn't Democrats care, but they threatened to shut down the government if they didn't continue to get a $500-million taxpayer allowance. Powerful Democrats Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelick, and James Johnson committed massive fraud at Fannie Mae, and Democrats didn't care. Senior executives at Fannie Mae manipulated accounting to collect millions of dollars in undeserved bonuses and to deceive investors, a federal report charged Tuesday. The government-sponsored mortgage company was fined $400 million. Obama and Clinton pardoned terrorists. Would pardoning Manafort be worse? The Justice Department that did everything to let people off throughout Obama's eight years clearly targeted people around Trump for special prosecution. That certainly doesn't pass the smell test for equal justice. Bill Clinton also sold a pardon to the rich Marc Rich for political donations. The Clintons continued to sell access throughout their political careers, and journalists and Democrats knowingly supported putting them back in the White House showing laws don't matter, only the agenda. Clinton pardon of Rich a saga of power, money President Clinton's pardon of Marc Rich is a saga of secrecy, tenacity, sleight of hand and pressure from Rich's ex-wife and one of her friends, who together have steered millions of dollars to Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton's causes and those of fellow Democrats. Whether it is a story of bribery as well or illegal gifts from abroad is the subject of congressional inquiries and a criminal investigation by the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office in New York. Members of Congress from both parties used taxpayer funds to keep the public from knowing about sexual harassment claims, but now Democrats, including journalists, say Trump should be charged with a crime for using personal funds to pay off blackmailers. Shouldn't all members of Congress be charged with campaign finance law violations, since these hidden settlements were kept from the public so politicians could be re-elected? When sexual harassers agree on confidential settlements with victims, at least the payments come out of the harassers' own pockets or from companies that choose to employ them. But not, as the nation has learned this month, when the harasser serves in Congress. Then, taxpayers foot the bill. And the entire episode remains hidden. It is a joke to call Democrats the party of law and order. They are the party that wants the government to have power. They gladly supported the corrupt Senator Menendez for re-election. People who supported putting the Clintons back in the White House, who support sanctuary cities and states that refuse to abide by laws Congress passed, and who had no problem with the Justice Department protecting Hillary and others who worked for Obama, no matter which laws they broke, while targeting Trump and those surrounding him, have zero credibility talking about law and order and equal treatment under the law. Photo credit: Chris Savas. This strange apparatus hanging at the Cite de la Mer museum in Cherbourg, France, looks like some kind of a medieval torture device, but is actually the worlds first diving machine. And a very successful one at that. Its inventor, John Lethbridge, was a wool merchant of Newton Abbot, a market town of Devon, England. Not much is known of his childhood or what inspired him to create a diving machine. A BBC article simply notes that John Lethbridge had a lot of mouths to feedhe had 17 childrenwhich necessitated him to come up with an ingenious method of making money. Before his invention, diving was conducted with the help of a diving bell which is essentially an inverted cup, or a bell without the clapper, that is lowered into the water with the person inside breathing the air that is trapped inside the chamber. The diver could come out of the open bottom, do whatever work he was sent to do, and then go back inside the bell. John Lethbridge was the first person to design a working diving suit, which he called a diving machine. Related: This Wooden Barrel Was The Worlds First Military Submarine The machine looked like a wooden barrel about six feet long, inside which the diver lay on his stomach. It had a round window to look outside and two holes to stick the arms out. Oiled leather cuffs around the upper arms formed an almost water proof seal. The diving machine had no air supply other than the air trapped inside before the chamber was closed. While that doesnt sound like much, it was enough air for Lethbridge to stay underwater for thirty minutes at a time. The chamber had two air valves at the top through which fresh air could be pumped inside using bellows whenever the diver surfaced. The device was raised and lowered with the means of a cable, but Lethbridge also provided the diver with weights that he could discard and rise to the surface without assistance. Lethbridge hoped to reach great depth but when he tested his machine he found that beyond fifty feet the water pressure caused leaks around the armholes, window and entrance hatch. Lethbridge found he could easily dive to 18 meters and up to 22 meters with some difficulty. Despite its limits, Lethbridge made good use of his diving machine in the waters of the British Isles and elsewhere in the Atlantic salvaging valuable cargoes from underwater shipwrecks. He soon came to the notice of many London-based shipping companies such as the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company, who employed him for salvaging work. In 1794, the Dutch East India Company ship Slotter Hooge was en route to Java from Holland when it sank during a gale near Porto Santo on Madeira island. Of the 254 on board, only 33 survived. In the flooded hold 60 feet below were three tons of silver ingots and three massive chest of coins. Lethbridge was hired at 10 pound sterling a month, plus his expenses and bonuses. In his first attempt, Lethbridge recovered 349 ingots and more than 9,000 coins, as well as two guns. Throughout that summer he made several trips to the wreck and recovered nearly half of the lost treasure. Over the next thirty years Lethbridge dived on a number of wrecks and made a great deal of money. From an unsuccessful wool merchant struggling to support his family, Lethbridge rose to became a man of wealth, owning the estate of Odicknoll in Kingskerswell. Lethbridges original diving machine didnt survive, but his drawings did, from which several replicas have been built and exhibited at various maritime museums across the world, including one at his hometown at the Newton Abbot. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch were among more than 50 human rights organizations and individuals that recently called out Google CEO Sundar Pichai in an open letter over the companys widely-reported China-specific search engine project Project Dragonfly, Bloomberg reports. The letter, including high-profile individuals such as Edward Snowden and journalist-centric organizations like the Hong Kong Journalists Association, is specifically addressed Mr. Pichai and three other executives with the company. Those include VP of Search Ben Gomes, SVP of Global Affairs Kent Walker, and VP Greater China & Korea Scott Beaumont. It laments that the companys leadership has left behind Googles 2010 commitment against censored searches in the region and asks that they work to return to those standards, abandoning Project Dragonfly. Failing to do so would, the letter states, implicate Google as a complicit actor in the Chinese governments oppression assisting the authorities in the arrest or imprisonment of people for expressing their opinions online. Background: The new letter is just the latest in a string of indirect exchanges between the groups and the search giant. Rather than responding directly to the organizations, the company has been openly responding to some of the concerns brought forward in media reports about the project. Those responses have not met the satisfaction of the signing groups though and appear to have made matters worse, serving only to heighten concerns the company might move forward with Project Dragonfly and enable abuses. Amid those reports are implications that the search engine and the associated application would be overseen at the behest of the Chinese government. That would include wide-ranging censorship with search terms such as human rights, student protest, or Nobel Prize blacklisted. While the company has repeatedly claimed the project is not near finalization and not set in stone, subsequent reports have suggested the response may just be a facade. Among the more serious accusations leveled against the company, and a chief concern to the recent letters signers, are claims that it is actively stifling dissenting voices against the project. As a result of the outflow of reports, Google has been under increasing scrutiny over the past several months, not only for its reported work on Project Dragonfly. In addition to challenges to its search tool, the search giant is also facing accusations of political bias in its search results and other products, culminating in its CEO facing a House Judiciary Committees hearing this week. That covered a barrage of topics including the reports about Googles intention to launch a censored search in China, as well as questions about whether or not search results in the US are deliberately biased against conservatives. Advertisement Impact: During this weeks hearing, Mr. Pichai has flatly denied that Google has any plans to launch its search tools in China with any kind of coherence to the countrys censorship rules or that its algorithms are biased. It also explained how those algorithms work to some extent and vowed to work with the US government with regard to its search products, in a bid to keep US consumers safe. The history surrounding Project Dragonfly and reports that the search giant has gone to lengths to continue keeping the project under wraps, those statements arent likely to assuage the concerns of human rights groups. Huawei CFO, Meng Wanzhou has been released on bail in Canada. According to local reports, the Canadian court set bail at $10 million CAD ($7.5 million USD) pending extradition proceedings stemming from the US. The sureties put forward to secure the executives release included a cash deposit of $7 million CAD with the additional $3 million surety that has reportedly been put forward in a joint effort that included an offer of $50,000 from Ms. Mengs neighbor, $1.35 million from coworkers, and $1.8 million from her husbands realtor. Further surety was put forward by Lions Gate Risk Management CEO Scot Filer, who will assist in overseeing Ms. Mengs monitoring. Conditions of the release were also set above the standard procedures ensuring that the executive follows the rule of law while awaiting future court appearances. For example, Ms. Meng has been placed on a limited house arrest, including requirements to pay for and use an ankle bracelet monitoring system, surrender her passports, and remain indoors between 11 PM and 6 AM. Ms. Meng is also required to remain in a predetermined area of Richmond, North Shore, and Vancouver as set by Lions Gate. Initially, the defense in the case had argued that Liu Xiaozong should act as the primary surety in the case as the US has until January 8 to formally file an extradition request. However, Mr. Lius visa in the country expires on February 6 and Ms. Meng is required to reappear before the court on that same date to set a future court date pending extradition to the US. Background: Meng Wanzhou was detained by Canadian officials on December 1 following claims of fraud and other allegations related to US trade sanctions imposed against Iran. Details of that have not been completely divulged because of an initial publication ban instigated by Ms. Meng but the case is reported to have stemmed from allegations involving an illegal banking scheme and similar misconduct. The arrest has not been without consequence to the already strained relationship between Beijing and Washington either. The Chinese government has responded to the US Department of Justice request to detain the executive with threats of retaliation. The statements are currently thought to be mostly a formality based on previous actions from the Chinese government, bearing little the possibility of harsh recourse against the US. Beijing has denounced the actions of the US and Canada as baseless, and the Chinese media has lambasted the action, openly accusing the US of foul play and motivated by a desire to upend Huawei amid accusations that the telecom is spying for the Chinese government. Advertisement Impact: The sureties put forward in the case are intended to represent what would be a substantial loss if the executive attempts to flee the country to avoid the possibility of extradition. Although not impossible, it doesnt appear that is likely to happen regardless since Ms. Meng is required to turn over all passports and additional copies of passports in addition to her submission to close monitoring. A further stipulation of the release states that the CFO must allow both the monitoring company and police access to her property at any time and that she can be remanded to the custody of either enforcing agency at any time if deemed a flight risk. Huawei and other Chinese tech companies pose a major security risk to the European Union, according to Estonian politician Andrus Ansip, the current Vice President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Digital Single Market. In his recent remarks on the arrest of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, the 62-year-old asserted the average consumer and politician both ought to be afraid of the potential consequences of allowing the Chinese tech sector to continue operating on the Old Continent unchecked. Mr. Ansip reiterated many previous concerns voiced about Huawei by other government officials and industry watchers in the West, including the possibility that the Shenzhen-based company is implementing intentional backdoors into its hardware and software with the goal of spying on its customers on behalf of Beijing. Huawei dismissed that notion as baseless on countless occasions, arguing any such allegations are merely an attempt to stifle its unprecedented growth and prevent it from competing with otherwise technologically inferior Western rivals. The firm did as much in response to Mr. Ansips comments as well, with one of its spokespeople saying its leadership is disappointed with his remarks and never did anything to warrant such suspicion as part of a statement provided to media outlets. An unprecedented leadership crisis Advertisement The Chinese original equipment manufacturer is currently going through an unprecedented leadership crisis following Ms. Mengs arrest which occurred in Vancouver on December 1. The industry veteran and daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei was released on bail just yesterday after depositing $10 million CAD ($7.5 million USD) with a Canadian court. The arrest itself was made on the request of the U.S. Department of Justice thats suspecting Huaweis CFO of organizing a banking scheme and establishing secret ties with a company called Skycom operating in Iran with the intention of violating stateside trade sanctions imposed on the Middle Eastern country. Most other details of the case are unknown as Ms. Meng already won a publication ban, limiting the medias ability to uncover and report on the thereof. Growing EU distrust Mr. Ansips latest comments on Huawei are far from the first occasion on which a senior European official expressed distrust toward the Chinese company. Skepticism about its intentions and the overall level of security offered by its products and services have been on the rise in recent times, even in European countries which were traditionally its strong allies such as the United Kingdom. The British government is presently pressuring Huawei into addressing a number of security concerns identified in its networking solutions as part of an alarming July report that the firm is still largely ignoring. Following an unprecedented level of public pressure, Huawei vowed to do so last week but has yet to provide any significant details on how it intends to go about doing so. This months reports from Belgium indicate Brussels is considering banning Huawei from its buildouts of fifth-generation mobile networks planned to start in the near future. The EUs strongest economy, Germany, isnt expected to follow suit for the time being, having repeatedly said it doesnt see a point in singling out and penalizing any single vendor solely based on their country on origin. Advertisement The U.S. anti-China initiative continues Simultaneously, the United States is pushing its allies to ban both Huawei and ZTE from 5G rollouts, citing a variety of security concerns. Washington has a long history of issues with Huawei and has repeatedly blocked the company from doing business in its jurisdiction on any significant scale. This year, it first did so by pressuring AT&T into dropping the plan to carry Huaweis Mate 10 series of Android flagships, then went on to ban all government agencies from purchasing or licensing not just the firms technologies but any solutions merely associated with it in any shape or form. The penalty was included as an amendment to this years spending bill voted through by Congress and also included ZTE. All roads lead to Iran Advertisement Iran is not only connected to Ms. Mengs arrest in Vancouver but has also been the cause of significant friction between the EU and the U.S. in recent months. The Trump administration withdrew from the countrys nuclear deal with Iran earlier this year, whereas the European political bloc is still supporting the initiative, claiming Tehran is fulfilling its part of the bargain and isnt working on weaponizing its nuclear technologies. Broken trade sanctions imposed against Iran were also the reason why state-backed ZTE was nearly pushed into bankruptcy this summer after it also violated a 2017 settlement with the Commerce Department meant to put an end to that affair. In response, Washington hit the firm with a denial order that prevented it from purchasing and licensing American technologies, rendering it unable to continue producing contemporary smartphones and networking equipment. It wasnt until President Trump personally called for the Commerce Department to make peace with ZTE in order to facilitate trade talks with China that the agency agreed to a new settlement with the company, lifting its denial order but demanding it to pay a $900 million fine, make another $400 million eschew payment for cases of future violations, and replace the entirety of its management and board. The deal allowed ZTE to stay in business but forced it to take out a $10 billion loan in order to cover its near-term losses, which is why many industry analysts now believe its overall operations are overleveraged. Huawei is now bound to be examining ZTEs disastrous episode with the U.S. government closer than ever as one of its top executives is now accused of similar Iran-related transgressions. However, unlike ZTEs case, Ms. Meng is personally accused of an embargo-violating scheme and is hence facing up to 30 years in prison under U.S. federal law. The Department of Justice is currently trying to extradite her and while her bail has already been set and paid, shes been restricted in her movement in Canada and is under a limited house arrest, having been forced to wear and ankle bracelet and surrender her passport due to being a perceived flight risk despite repeatedly arguing to the contrary. Motorola Solutions Chief Executive Officer Greg Brown on Tuesday reminded the world of the alleged trade secret theft Huawei committed against the company about a decade ago, proclaiming Huawei definitely stole trade secrets in an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox. Motorola filed a lawsuit against the Shenzhen-based firm over the matter in 2010, though the episode ultimately concluded with an out-of-court settlement. The plaintiff claimed some of its Chinese employees were paid by Huawei to steal company secrets, directly damaging one of the first multinational corporations that set foot in China. As the case was settled out of court, Huawei never had to admit to any wrongdoing, though Mr. Brown believes the fact it didnt want to enter the courtroom at all is telling enough, having said as much during his Tuesday interview. A long history of trade secret theft accusations Motorola is neither the first nor the last Western company to accuse Huawei of trade secret theft; Cisco Systems did as much long before it and also resolved the matter with a settlement, albeit one wherein Huawei essentially admitted to copying its patented wireless router code in 2004. T-Mobile clashed with the Chinese electronics juggernaut several years back, filing a lawsuit alleging some of its engineers visited its Bellevue labs on official business, only to sketch and steal components of its mobile user experience testing robot Tappy. The wireless carrier even won its case in court last year but without managing to prove the incident was ordered by Huaweis management, hence not winning anywhere close to the about half a billion dollars it was originally seeking. Advertisement Two months back, Dell- and Microsoft-backed startup CNEX Labs also accused Huawei of trade secret theft, alleging the Shenzhen-based firm stole its semiconductor designs and even attempted to abuse the U.S. judicial system in order to obtain them in an unlawful manner and under false pretenses during a bad-faith trial. All of those issues come on top of numerous problems Huawei had with the U.S. government itself. After seeing its agreed device distribution partnership with AT&T collapse in early 2018, the tech giant also ended up being sanction by this years spending bill wherein Congress decided to ban federal agencies from purchasing and licensing any and all equipment or software solutions produced or merely associated with the Chinese firm, with the same provision also applying to ZTE. The spotlight is once again on Huawei With Huaweis Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou currently facing extradition to the U.S. over suspected involvement in an illegal banking scheme intended to violate trade sanctions imposed on Iran, the worlds spotlight is once again directed at Chinas largest privately held company. The timing of the latest scandals is also inopportune given how Huawei is currently trying to win 5G buildout contracts around the world, yet the emerging issues with regulators and U.S. lobbying efforts against the firm in the West that are painting it as a security threat due to its close ties to Beijing are making many countries growingly distrustful of the telecom juggernaut, casting doubt on its prospects in the 5G world of the future. OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau, got interviewed by CNET recently, and the company has now shared the details of that interview. The main top of the interview was the companys upcoming 5G-enabled smartphone, and it seems like it will arrive later than expected. Pete Lau said that the company is aiming to launch its first 5G smartphone before the end of May, while it was expected to arrive in the first quarter of the year, at least based on previously shared info. In any case, it seems like OnePlus will not be the first company to launch a 5G-enabled device, as a mistake happened during Qualcomms press conference, where it was hinted that OnePlus 5G-enabled smartphone will be the first to support 5G connectivity, but that will not happen, though OnePlus will be one of the first to bring it to market. In any case, Pete Lau said to CNET that OnePlus is not making a 5G smartphone for the money, instead, the company is doing it for strategy reasons, as 5G will develop quite a bit in the coming years, and this move will give OnePlus a head start. Mr. Lau also said that it is not expecting the companys 5G handset to attract a ton of consumers, as 5G is not here yet for consumers, but he is expecting everything to change by 2020, once the adoption of 5G increases. Now, OnePlus may not release the very first 5G-enabled smartphone, but the company will be the first in Europe to offer a Snapdragon 855-powered smartphone, due to its partnership with the UK carrier EE, which will get a short exclusive. We recently found out that the companys 5G-enabled device will be quite pricey, it will be $200-$300 more expensive than the regular variant of the OnePlus 6T, and Mr. Lau says that the price hike can be attributed to pricier 5G components, compared to 4G components. Mr. Lau also said that the company is still trying to decide what extra features will this phone sport over the regular OnePlus flagship, as the company may differentiate it in more ways than one. Mr. Lau was also asked to share the name of the upcoming 5G smartphone, but declined to do so, which was to be expected. Advertisement Background: The company has been talking about its 5G-enabled smartphone for quite some time, and based on its teasers, and some rumored info, the phone was expected to arrive in the first quarter next year, but it seems like that will not happen. The companys 5G-enabled handset will arrive mid-2019, which is the same time the companys OnePlus 7 flagship is expected to arrive. The OnePlus 7 will probably launch in either May or June, though the companys 5G-enabled device may mess with that release date, as the company probably doesnt want to reveal both phones at the same time, and will look to leave some space between those two launches. OnePlus had recently introduced its new flagship, the OnePlus 6T, and even though the phone originally arrived in two variants, Mirror Black and Midnight Black, OnePlus had introduced two other variants soon after. The Thunder Purple OnePlus 6T arrived soon after the initial launch of the device, while the McLaren Edition of the device was announced yesterday. The McLaren Edition of the OnePlus 6T actually comes with faster charging (Warp Charge 30), and more RAM (10GB) compared to the regular version of the OnePlus 6T, which includes 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on which variant you opt to get. The OnePlus 6T features a 6.41-inch fullHD+ Optic AMOLED display, while the device is fueled by the Snapdragon 845 SoC. The phone is made out of metal and glass, while it includes an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a teardrop notch. Bezels on the device are extremely thin, while the phone ships with Android 9 Pie out of the box, with OnePlus OxygenOS skin on top of it. A 3,700mAh battery is included in the package, while there are two cameras on the back of the device. The companys 5G-enabled smartphone is a real mystery at this point, in both design and spec departments. Some rumors did surface, but nothing concrete, so we can only guess what will OnePlus include in the device. That smartphone will definitely be fueled by the Snapdragon 855, that much had been announced already, and it remains to be seen what build materials will OnePlus use, but chances are it will be made out of metal and glass. The phone will include at least 6GB of RAM, though considering how much more expensive than the OnePlus 6T it will be, OnePlus may include 10GB from the get-go. A large battery will definitely be included in the phone, while it remains to be seen if the company will go for a fullHD+ or a QHD+ panel, in any case, were expecting to see an OLED panel included in the phone. The device will ship with Android 9 Pie out of the box, and chances are that an in-display fingerprint scanner will be included as well, same goes for facial scanning. Advertisement Impact: We knew that the companys 5G-enabled phone is coming but its release date was quite the mystery. Well, Mr. Lau now suggested that it may arrive later than anticipated, and it will be interesting to see how will OnePlus coordinate the OnePlus 7 and 5G OnePlus handset launches, as the two phones are expected to launch rather close one to the other. The companys 5G smartphone definitely wont be its best-selling handset in 2019, as the OnePlus 7 and 7T are still expected to arrive, as planned, and chances are that both of those smartphones will support 4G only, well, the OnePlus 7 will for sure, that much had been confirmed thus far. The OnePlus 7 will also be fueled by the Snapdragon 855, though it remains to be seen how will it differentiate from the companys 5G-enabled device, both in terms of hardware and software, though chances are OnePlus will not make many software-related changes between the two devices, as it will want to stay true to its OxygenOS Android skin. The different versions of Samsungs upcoming next-generation flagship, the Galaxy S10 will each feature a 2K resolution Super AMOLED display, according to a recent leak from known industry insider Ice Universe. The shared information goes further to corroborate previous leaks too, indicating that a minimum of three variants on the design will be available in different sizes. Samsungs Galaxy S10 Lite will reportedly feature a 5.8-inch panel set at a display ratio of 18.5:9, while the Samsung Galaxy S10 and + models are each listed with a ratio of 19:9 but will be set at 6.1 or 6.4-inches respectively. Background: Leaks and rumors surrounding Samsungs flagships have been widespread almost since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 family of devices. There has been some variance to the information over the past several months but the discrepancies between the leaks also seem to be slowing down. As might be expected from that, this latest set of details lines up well with the most recent tips from separate sources including one from renowned tipster Evan Blass who on December 10 suggested that Samsungs Galaxy S10 devices would arrive in exactly the same sizes with the same apparent ratios, in addition to providing some pre-render sketches. In each of those, Samsungs premium gadgets were shown with a punched-out camera hole instead of the largely rebuked notch other OEMs have been using in recent handsets. Rumors starting before that have suggested that each model will be available in two SoC variants. Consumers in the US and China will likely see their version powered by a Snapdragon 855 SoC while the in-house Exynos 9820 will power the international versions driving Samsung-skinned Android 9 Pie out of the box. The smallest and most budget-friendly variant, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite has also been speculated to ship with a side-embedded fingerprint scanner instead of a rear-facing or under-glass reader. Camera distinctions between the handsets are expected too. The smallest handset will most likely arrive with just three sensors in a dual-rear camera configuration. The models above that are predicted to arrive with four or five sensors in total depending on the report in question. Advertisement Neither the abovementioned image or this most recent leak mentions the long-expected premium variation of Samsungs flagship at all. The South Korean smartphone giant has been expected to unveil another take on its phablet at the presumed launch of its devices in February of next year ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. That device will allegedly step up from the reported 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB of memory predicted to arrive in the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10 + to include a massive 12GB RAM. It will also be the only one of the four handsets to include out-of-the-box support for 5G networking. Its also expected to measure at 6.7-inches and feature a total of six cameras, split between front and rear panels. Impact: The comparatively small Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is expected to feature a flat front panel while all of the other versions will have edge displays. Although not confirmed, the use of Super AMOLED may come as a relief for any who were concerned about whether or not the screen tech would be held back alongside the use of a flat panel. At the same time, that might have implications about the pricing of these devices since Super AMOLED will most likely come at a premium. Stacked with other premium features, that could ultimately equate to a much smaller gap in costs than some might have hoped once these smartphones launch. NEW YORK Time magazine on Tuesday named a group of journalists, including a slain Saudi Arabian writer and a pair of Reuters journalists imprisoned by Myanmars government, as its Person of the Year, in a cover story headlined The Guardians and the War on Truth. The honor went to a series of journalists including Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, who the government of Myanmar convicted on Sept. 3 under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act in a case seen as a test of democratic freedoms in Myanmar. Also honored was Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Arabias de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi was killed two months ago at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul when he went there to collect documents for his forthcoming marriage. The 95-year-old magazine also honored Maria Ressa, the founder of the Philippine news site Rappler that has been a frequent critic of that nations President Rodrigo Duterte, and the staff of the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, where a gunman shot and killed five people in June. Time said it chose to honor journalism at time when the practice critical democracy is under threat both from governments and technological advances. Its annual distinction is intended to recognize the person, group, thing or idea that had the greatest influence on world events that year. 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 for speaking out, the Guardians Jamal Khashoggi, the Capital Gazette, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are Times Person of the Year 2018, Time editor-in-chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal said in a statement. Ressa and her site were charged with tax evasion by the Philippines justice department in November. IDC has just put out a new report citing that it believes smartphone shipments will drop about three-percent worldwide in 2018, before it returns to growth in 2019 through til 2022. This isnt surprising news, considering the smartphone market has plateaued for quite a few years now. While there are more smartphones being made, and more companies making smartphones, users are keeping their smartphones even longer. Thus, people arent upgrading their smartphones as often. IDC is expecting about a three-percent drop in shipments in 2018, and then itll switch over to growth in 2019 in the low single digits. According to the chart below from IDC, it is expecting the Android platform to drop about three-percent. iOS is expected to drop about 2.5-percent and Others will drop a massive 72.2-percent year-over-year. With Android having 85-percent market share and iOS at around 14.8-percent market share. Thats not quite three-percent overall, like IDC is quoting though, and its important to note that these are Shipments and not sales. These are essentially smartphones that have been shipped to partners to be sold, but not particularly sold. Advertisement In its report the IDC states that while the ongoing US-China trade war does have the industry on edge, it is unlikely to really impact the shipments worldwide just yet. It is still expecting to see growth next year. It believes that continued developments from emerging markets, mixed with potential around 5G and new product form factors, will bring the smartphone market back to positive growth. However, if the trade war does escalate it could lead to more drops in the smartphone market in the coming years. This is because virtually every smartphone is made in China. Not to mention the parts for those smartphones are also made in China (with a few being made in South Korea). But IDC is expecting a rather flat year in 2019, then returning to decent growth in 2020 through 2022. Background: With 5G becoming a big deal for smartphones in 2019, it wont be too surprising to see more smartphone shipments, of course the numbers will be artificially inflated a bit. Seeing as youre going to have many smartphone makers making the same smartphone twice. One as a 4G LTE smartphone and the other as a 5G smartphone for a specific carrier in a certain country. Of course, none of this is really different compared to the industry went through with 4G LTE about ten years ago when LTE smartphones started to launch. Carriers and smartphone makers were making specific phones for each carrier, since each carrier was doing LTE a bit differently and some didnt launch LTE until a few years later. So you had a smartphone that was basically the same, but available under about eight different names in the US, between all the carriers. That also means carrier exclusivity is going to be coming back, and in a big way in 2019. And that will be unfortunate, and confusing for many. 5G isnt going to be the only selling point for smartphones in 2019, however. It will also be the fact that youll be able to pick up a foldable smartphone. Now these foldable smartphones will not be massively popular, partly due to the fact that they are not being mass produced and thus are much more expensive. But foldable phones are coming and users are going to be pretty excited for them. Samsung showed off its first foldable phone at its developer conference not to long ago, and while its not final, it is expected to ship in 2019. It is also expected to be close to $2,000 for a single phone, so it wont be super popular, but this could get people interested in smartphones once again. And that is going to mean that smartphone shipments will again be on the rise. Advertisement Impact: The trade war with China could really affect the smartphone industry, and theres a number of reasons why. China is still the largest market for smartphones with the US at number two and India at number three (quickly coming for that number two spot though). So not only are these smartphones made in China, but its also a big market for many of these manufacturers. And if China slaps some pretty steep tariffs on these smartphones, it could really affect how many smartphones are sold. For instance, a 25-percent tariff could take an already overpriced, $999 smartphone and make it $1249, just because. Hopefully President Trump and President Xi are able to strike a deal and keep this trade war from happening. President Trump has said that he is working on a deal with China and is getting close to finalizing it, so hopefully that trade war can be avoided here. The smartphone market has been in an upward trajectory for over a decade, almost two decades. So it was about time that it did start to decline a bit. It can only grow so much before it ends up shrinking a tiny bit. The smartphone market has also plateaued in recent years, with smartphones coming out every year and not being all that much different than what came out the year before. This is part of the reason why we are seeing smartphone prices rising (that and components prices are rising as well), and why people are keeping their smartphones longer. They dont see a need to upgrade every single year, especially when these smartphones are not all that different from what they already have. The fact that $1000 is now the new normal for a flagship smartphone is pretty crazy, when flagships were just $650-700 about two years ago. Thats a pretty big jump and it didnt really stop in the middle at all, just jumped around $300 thanks to Apple with the iPhone X last year. The smartphone industry is not going to start shrinking this year or next year, itll continue to grow, but the growth rate wont be anything like it has been in the past decade. That is because there are less and less people without a smartphone these days. Which means there is less room to grow. Top technology executives from the United States and China are fearful of the consequences of Huawei CFOs recent arrest in Vancouver, new reports indicate. American networking juggernaut Cisco Systems is understood to have warned employees of going to China on non-essential trips until the current situation is resolved, specifically citing the ordeal as the reason for the recommendation. In a subsequent statement provided to media outlets, the San Jose, California-based firm described the communication as an error, claiming its management isnt officially looking to prevent employees from traveling to the Far Eastern country. No one is safe Huawei Chief Financial Officer arrested in Canada is none other than Meng Wanzhou, a 46-year-old thats been with the firm since its startup days in 1993. Shes also the daughter of the companys founder Ren Zhengfei and one of the conglomerates most high-profile figures, with her detainment indicating no one is safe from the U.S. judicial system when it comes to allegations of broken trade sanctions. The Department of Justice suspects Ms. Meng of an illegal scheme involving banking activity and secret ties with Skycom, a Hong Kong-based firm operating in Iran. Shes alleged to have used those connections to violate trade sanctions the Commerce Department imposed on Iran. Not many details on the case are currently public knowledge, especially as Ms. Meng already won a publication ban in Canada, dealing a major blow to the medias ability to uncover and report details about the case. Advertisement The Canadian government is now representing the Commerce Department in the ongoing extradition trial which started on Friday. While the plaintiff opposed the idea of granting bail to Ms. Meng, arguing shes a flight risk, a Vancouver court allowed her to exit jail in exchange for a $10-million CAD ($7.5-million USD) deposit. Her freedom is still heavily restricted as shes under a limited house arrest while wearing a tracking ankle bracelet and has had her passport taken. One of Ms. Mengs attorneys recently argued she would never dishonor her father by opposing a court order, i.e. flee the country. The extradition process may take up to several months to be concluded, assuming both sides exhaust all of their legal remedies. U.S.-China tensions reaching unprecedented heights The Chinese government labeled the executives arrest as a politically motivated move made in bad faith, demanding to see evidence of any wrongdoing of Ms. Mengs part. Huawei itself also said it wasnt aware of any transgressions conducted by its executive, reiterating calls for her immediate release. State-sponsored media in China is presently pushing a narrative of the ordeal being a coordinated attempt to stifle Huaweis growing global presence motivated by fear of its rising technological prowess. Huawei has been making similar arguments in the past when pressed on its close ties with the communist regime that go all the way to its founder who was an engineer and official of the Peoples Liberation Army before founding whats now the largest manufacturer of networking gear in the world. Advertisement The White House already denied having any direct knowledge of the Justice Departments plan to request Ms. Mengs arrest, with the same sentiment being echoed by the top of the Trudeau administration. The arrest itself was made during the latest G20 summit in Argentina where President Trump and President Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day truce in their ongoing trade war. Several reports suggested the Justice Department consciously didnt brief the President on the arrest plan so as to avoid jeopardizing the talks, though thats exactly what the Chinese side claims already happened. Most signs are now indicative of the trade war continuing early next year as both countries keep insisting the other side is trying to force an unfair deal. But U.S. troubles are nothing new for Huawei Huawei has been at odds with the American government for the entirety of the current century and also clashed with privately held companies in the U.S. on numerous occasions, with those conflicts including episodes with the likes of Cisco and T-Mobile, both of whom accused the Chinese OEM of trade secret theft. And while Cisco settled with basically no concessions, T-Mobile won its lawsuit against the company earlier this year, albeit it wasnt able to prove corporate intent on Huaweis part and only won several million dollars due to the fact Huaweis engineers sketched and stole parts of its user experience testing robot Tappy. That history of issues is what kept many American companies from collaborating with Huawei in the past and the U.S. governments renewed interest in the Chinese electronics giant continues to do so to date. Advertisement Ms. Mengs arrest prompted a strong response from users of Chinese social media, with many of them calling for Beijing to respond with identical measures and detain someone of Satya Nadella or Tim Cooks profile, according to an investigation performed by AndroidHeadlines. The Chinese government already summoned U.S. ambassador in order to register an official complaint regarding the development, which remains its most high-profile act of opposition to the executives arrest to date. Industry analysts are now fearing a massive blow to the global economy, with Huaweis stock already dropping following the ordeal, together with the shares of its major suppliers which are largely reliant on its business but also cooperate with many other manufacturers across a variety of industries. The U.S. is currently also pressuring its allies to ban Huawei from contributing to their incoming deployment of the fifth-generation of mobile networks, citing security concerns. 5G technologies are expected to enable many new solutions, create jobs, and consequently boost the global economy, though their guaranteed prevalence would also make them the perfect solution for spying in the wrong hands, much like the Western intelligence community argued on numerous occasions. Australia already followed the U.S. example and prevented Huawei from joining its 5G race, with the likes of Japan, Belgium, and South Korea reportedly considering a similar course of action. How Ms. Mengs legal process affects the current geopolitical situation remains to be seen, though any potential consequences of the thereof will largely depend on whether the Justice Department manages to extradite her. Posted on: December 12, 2018 4:38 PM Christians from many of the churches in Royston, Hertfordshire, will gather in the local Roman Catholic parish church on Friday for a united time of prayer following the arson attack on the towns Anglican parish. Severe damage was caused to the towns St John the Baptist Church, following the fire, which broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning. The Roman Catholic parish of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs is hosting the Churches Together in Royston and District prayer gathering on Friday night. On its Facebook page, the church said: We offer our deepest sympathies to our friends and neighbours at the Anglican Parish . . . following the dreadful fire there on Sunday. In their invitation to the prayer service, they add: Let us work together to be a community of care and hospitality. Hertfordshire Constabulary are working with the local Fire and Rescue Service to investigate the cause of the fire. A specialist fire service sniffer dog and a drone have been used to gather evidence at the scene. The officer leading the investigation, Detective Inspector Mike Keane, said this week: Thankfully nobody was hurt during the incident but the church is of great significance to the local community. It is devastating to see damage caused to such a historic building and I would like to reassure the community that we are doing all we can, with assistance from our colleagues at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, to find out the cause of the fire in what is a difficult working environment. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service control centre also thanked the local community for their support, saying: we would like to say a massive thank you for the general community support the firefighters received and to the local pubs for providing refreshments. In particular, The Jolly Postie, Banyers & Manor House. Also, we would like to thank the anonymous member of the public who kindly bought 50 coffees for our firefighters from a fast food restaurant out of his own pocket! The Vicar of St John the Baptist, Heidi Huntley, offered her thanks to our whole community for the outpouring of concern and offers of practical help following the fire, as well as to our wonderful fire and police services who spared no effort to lessen our loss. She added: The building is obviously very significant for those of us who worship there, but the amazing response has been a reminder of the very special place that the church has at the heart of Royston in every way geographical, spiritual and communal. Specialist fire investigation sniffer dog Reqs at St John the Baptist parish church in Royston, Hertfordshire, yesterday (Sunday). Photo: Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service via Twitter The parish is in the process of setting up an online fundraising page; and in the meantime has asked people to join them in prayer, firstly in thanksgiving that nobody was injured and for the response from the community and emergency services. They also ask for prayer for strength and comfort for our clergy and for all those grieving the devastation of a place that has played such an important role in their lives and for guidance on arrangements for the immediate future, particularly for the Christmas season. They continue their request for intercessions for the grace to acknowledge that God is sovereign, even when things happen that we cannot understand, and which sadden, anger and frustrate us; for reassurance that God loves us and grieves with us the message of the Christmas season and Jesus life and death on earth; for discernment of Gods will for us as we move forward, and for courage to seize the opportunities that he presents. The church has announced that services in the coming weeks will take place at a local hotel and school: Banyers House and Meridian School. Despite the devastating fire . . . St John Parish Church continues to serve the local community, the church said on its website. The building currently remains under the control of the police and fire service as a crime scene. Once they hand it back to church officials, work will be done to make the building safe as assessments of the work needed to repair the damage are carried out. WHEN LOVE COMES TO TOWN U2 mixed the blues and the gospel - rock and roll and B. B. King - to create a genre-bending sound that honored tradition while creating something new. My sense is that the holy continues to break through our popular culture in startling but creative ways if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. John O'Donohue writes: "Beauty does not linger, it only visits. Yet beauty's visitation affects us and invites us into its rhythm, it call us to feel, think and act beautiful." More than ever before I sense that this era cries out for a spirituality of tenderness in small, real ways that touch our ordinary lives. Artist Anita Rolls gets it right with "Jesus on the Tube." Our View: The cost of a dream home in the tall timber is likely going up a good bit Buyers might be able to afford the house, but not be able to afford the fire insurance theyll need If due to ego you think: I shall not fight; this resolve of yours is vain. Because your own nature will compel you to fight. Bhagavad Gita 18.59 Last Friday, the same day when the State celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution with a display of pomp, was the seventh day since my friends and colleagues Jordi Sanchez, Jordi Turull, Josep Rull and Quim Forn began a hunger strike. Also on Friday the head office of Omnium Cultural (1) was the target of a new fascist attack when a display bearing the word democracy was destroyed. We are having a black and white flashback: Spains monarchy and politics are stuck in a time tunnel. In contrast, today marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is a reminder that rising against tyranny and oppression is a duty when basic rights are not protected by the state. Not only is civil disobedience legitimate, but it becomes a universal civic duty in the face of injustice and the global drift towards authoritarianism. The totalitarian procedure repeats itself under the umbrella of xenophobic populism, an adaptation of pure fascism that never went away. Fear-mongering and pointing fingers at a common enemy as the target of all the irrational hatred have always been useful tools for the conquest of power. The likes of Hannah Arendt, Viktor Frankl, Palmiro Togliatti, Neus Catala, Amos Oz and Rob Riemen set an example that we can use as an antidote and historical memory. With the strength that stems from determination, Leone Ginzburg urged us to show courage shortly before being shot dead by a Nazi firing squad. In the Spanish state, the continuity of the Franco regime is pervasive in the defence of the holy unity of the country through police and institutional violence, through the judicial persecution of dissidence and the violation of individual and collective rights and liberties. The electoral rise of the far right [Vox] is further proof of the charade that we call the Transition (2). By allowing the crimes of the Franco regime to go unpunished, we condemned ourselves to amnesia and to continue suffering their consequences. For this reason the Catalan Republic also becomes an exercise in democratic culture and radicalism. Democracy is about to be put on trial in Catalonia, with the far right and the State working as one, once more, against anyone who dares to question the 1978 regime (3). The lawsuits filed by Vox provided the ideal electoral platform, hence the Supreme Courts dismissal of the challenge we filed. Still, we will put in the dock the only EU member state that keeps nine political prisoners in jail, over ten people in exile and hundreds of people prosecuted for defending the right to self-determination. For all that, we will turn our trial into an international denunciation in support of human rights. The EU keeps ignoring its own fundamental and foundational values, but calls such as those made by Amnesty International and the World Organisation Against Torture are evidence to the fact that the Spanish case will never remain an internal affair. European society cannot put up any longer with the institutional cynicism of recognising political prisoners in Russia (on Wednesday Oleg Senstov, the Ukrainian filmmaker imprisoned by Putin, will receive the European Parliaments Sakharov Prize to the defence of human rights), while flagrant violations of basic rights are permitted in Hungary, Poland and Spain. As Benet Salellas wrote in his 'Jo acuso. La defensa en judicis politics' [I Accuse. Defence in Political Trials], we cannot sit on the fence and believe that a political solution will crop up following a hypothetical favourable ruling by the European Court of Human Rights. Sixty years after the Declaration, our fate is bound to this bill of love and courage for which so many men and women gave their very best. This is our humble contribution: we do not wish to leave as free men but as honourable people. The democratic solution to the conflict is a collective cause where we stand for the human condition, its rights and liberties. Today four good men have been on hunger strike for ten days. Next Sunday it will be one year and two months since we first held in pre-trial detention. But what goes around, comes around: no fear, no sadness, we foster hope and determination. Against the snakes egg of fascism we know there are thousands of fighters all over the world willing to pursue a decent, shared future. This makes us both enormously happy and unshakeable. Always forward! Jordi Cuixart is the president of Omnium Cultural and has been held on remand since 16 October 2017 __________ Translators notes: (1) Omnium Cultural is a pro-independence grassroots platform that promotes Catalan culture and language. It has over 100,000 paid members. (2) and (3) In Spain the Transition is the period immediately after Francos death when the country formally transitioned from a dictatorship to a parliamentary democracy. Those who are critical of the current political system often refer to it as the 1978 regime because the current Spanish Constitution was approved in 1978. 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. Mahoney Smith has joined Clyde & Co in Brisbane as special council in the hospitality and real estate practice. She joins the firm from Dentons where she was a director in the Brisbane office. Her previous experience includes DibbsBarker as a partner and DLA Piper. With extensive experience in the hospitality and real estate sectors over 15 years, Smith has advised on hotels and other projects across Australia, New Zealand, and the wider region. 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. MQB Were still not sure why Volkswagen took this decision, more so when you remember the Chattanooga plant in Tennessee is tooled up for-based vehicles such as the Atlas mid-size crossover. Adding insult to injury, America also receives the MQB- and European Passat-based Arteon fastback sedan from the Emden plant in Germany.Larger than the outgoing generation, the 2020 Passat sticks with the old underpinnings because the segment is shrinking according to product manager Kai Oltmanns. If sedan sales are indeed dwindling, why even bother in the first place? Take the Ford Motor Company and General Motors as prime examples of automakers who had the insight and fortitude to discontinue this once-popular body style.Worse still, the narrow-angle V6 isnt coming back for the 2020 model year. The 2.0-liter TSI (174 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque) will have to make do, droning at highway speeds as it propels a mid-sized sedan with passengers and their cargo. Also worthy of mention, the Passat soldiers on with a six-speed automatic of the torque-converter type.The sportiest configuration will come in the guise of the R-Line appearance package, which will feature a firmer ride thanks to 19-inch wheels compared to the standard 17s. Aerodynamic improvements should also help with mileage, besting the 29 miles per gallon on the combined cycle of the current generation.No less than four trim levels are in the pipeline, coming with 8.0-inch infotainment as standard along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Blind-spot monitoring, LED headlights, and automatic emergency braking are also standard. The digital instrument cluster in the European Passat and Arteon won't be offered, and thats because the American Passat rides on an antiquated platform.In regard to pricing, Volkswagen has to take Toyota and Honda into consideration before deciding on this matter. The current generation kicks off at $25,295 excluding destination, making the Passat more expensive than the Camry ($23,845) and Accord ($23,720). Thanks to budget constraints and bureaucratic wrangling, investigators still havent recovered the cockpit voice recorder from a Lion Air 737 MAX that crashed into the Java Sea off Jakarta six weeks ago. Indonesian investigators told Reuters this week that they need a specialized ship to find the CVR. We dont have further funds to rent the ship, a source told the news agency. Lion Air JT610 crashed into the Java Sea off Jakarta on Oct. 29, killing all 189 people aboard. The 737 MAXs flight data recorder was recovered quickly and an initial report based on its data was released in late November. Investigators initially said the aircraft wasnt airworthy but later clarified that claim by saying press reports misinterpreted the initial findings. The crash, the first of Boeings new MAX design, shed light on Boeings failure to fully document a new autotrim and stall protection system called MCAS. It automatically rolls in nose-down stabilizer trim if the aircraft flight computer senses impending stall angle of attack. The initial report said the flight data showed that MCASManeuvering Characteristics Augmentation Systemwas active during the minutes leading up the crash. Investigators say they need to retrieve the CVR to determine how the crew was diagnosing and reacting to what appears to be a faulty angle-of-attack sensor. Indonesias National Transportation Safety Committee says it needs a specialized ship to retrieve the wreckage believed to contain the CVR, but thus far hasnt produced the money to pay for it. The airline may be asked to foot the bill. Meanwhile, the airline is sticking to its plan to cancel $22 billion worth of orders to Boeing because its unhappy with the plane makers response to the crash. Still, the airlines co-founder, Rusdi Kirana, told Bloomberg News that despite scrapping the Boeing orders, the company still plans to continue expanding its fleet. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Lion Air crash has prompted some airlines flying the MAX to reconsider their training programs and add tasks related to MCAS and runaway trim conditions. Pilot unions for at least two U.S. airlines complained that crews werent adequately briefed about MCAS and Boeing responded by sending technical representatives to mend fences. A government report released this week says that the Air Force missed six total opportunities to notify law enforcement about the man who shot and killed 26 people in a Texas church last year, but should have previously been barred from purchasing firearms due to a domestic violence conviction. The big picture: The report published by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (OIG) says that despite an investigation and ultimate conviction of Devin Kelley for domestic violence, his fingerprints and final disposition report were not submitted to the FBI "at any time." The OIG concludes that "there was no valid reason for the USAFs failures." Details: The Air Force failed to submit Kelley's fingerprints to the FBI in accordance with DoD policy four times June 2011, February 2012, June 2012, and when he was convicted in November 2012. Two times after his conviction in November, and in December 2012 the USAF failed to submit his final disposition of the court's findings to the FBI. Kelley had a history of violence, the OIG report details. His history included reports of Kelley hitting his stepson and choking his wife, dragging her by the hair and waterboarding her, threatening to kill her and himself, sexually assaulting her, and more. The report also details a history of mental illness, which resulted in his admission into the care of the Peak Behavioral Health Services (PBHS). Staff at the facility diagnosed Kelley as having "an adjustment disorder with depressed mood," the OIG reports. A number of other instances after his 2012 conviction are mentioned in the OIG report, including an alleged rape in 2013, an animal cruelty charge by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office in 2014, and a threatening message Kelly sent to his former 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron supervisor on Facebook in 2016 telling her she "should have been put in the ground a long time ago." The bottom line, per the OIG report: "The USAFs failure to submit Kelleys fingerprints and final disposition information allowed Kelley... to purchase four firearms from Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) dealers. Kelley used three of those four firearms on November 5, 2017, to kill 26 people and wound 22 others at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Sutherland Springs, Texas." What's next: The OIG details eight recommendations to the Air Force and Defense Department, including revision of the USAF Records Information Management System, a review of the implementation of formal training programs in regards to collection and submission of fingerprints, possible disciplinary action against those described in the report, and more. Read the full report here. Israel and the U.S. are in talks to resolve their differences over the arms deal between Israel and Croatia involving $500 million worth of F-16 fighter jets. State Department officials told me the U.S. wants to see the deal go forward, but also stressed that Israel has to adhere to several conditions. Why it matters: Israeli and Croatian officials are concerned the deal will collapse over conditions the U.S. presented. The Croatians are furious and demand Israel and the U.S. resolve the crisis. The Croatian deadline for approving the deal is the end of the budget year Dec. 31. Details: Yesterday, the State Department formally notified Congress of the potential deal between Israel and Croatia, according to a U.S. official. Congress has to be notified due to the price tag of the deal and because the F-16s that Israel wants to sell to Croatia were originally given to Israel as part of a U.S. military aid package. Congress now has a 15-day period to review the deal. State Department officials and Israeli officials told me that although the notification to Congress is a step forward, there are still a number of differences that need to be solved. "Although certain details are pending, the Department would like to see cooperation from all parties involved to come to a successful resolution." State Department official U.S. officials said the Trump administration wants to approve the deal before the end of 2018, but in order to give a green light to the deal, Israel must remove the Israeli systems that were installed in the F-16s and return the jets to their original condition before transferring the jets to Croatia. The Croatians are not thrilled with the U.S.' demands mainly because Israel won the tender in the first place because it proposed an upgraded version of the original jet it bought from the U.S. decades ago. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic threatened today to cancel the deal over the U.S. demands. "We will not accept modifications to what has been selected in the tender. Either we buy the jets that were offered or the deal will be canceled. Everything else would undermine the tender," Plenkovic said. A leader of a nationalist party who stormed a police base in Yerevan together with his supporters in 2016 has reiterated its claims that early parliamentary elections will again be held in Armenia in the near future. Varuzhan Avetisian said the newly elected Armenian parliament dominated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians allies will have to be dissolved because it will fail to cope with challenges facing the country. That this parliament will not be able to fully serve its [five-year] term is obvious to us, he told RFE/RLs Armenians service (Azatutyun.am). Avetisians Sasna Tsrer party is a rebranded version of Founding Parliament, a radical movement that challenged the former Armenian government. The recently established party is named after an armed group that seized the police base in Yerevans Erebuni district in July 2016. The three dozen gunmen led by Avetisian demanded that then President Serzh Sarkisian free Founding Parliaments jailed leader, Zhirayr Sefilian, and step down. They laid down their weapons after a two-week standoff with security forces which left three police officers dead. Despite standing trial on serious charges, Avetisian and the vast majority of the other arrested gunmen were set free shortly after Pashinian came to power in May in a wave of anti-Sarkisian protests. Sefilian was also released from prison following the velvet revolution. Sasna Tsrer was one of the 11 political groups that ran in the December 9 parliamentary elections. According to the official election results, it won only 1.8 percent of the vote, compared with 70.4 percent polled by Pashinians My Step alliance. Avetisian and his associates declared at the start of the election campaign last month that the new National Assembly will have to be dissolved within two years. Pashinian reacted furiously to those statements on November 26. He warned that Sasna Tsrer leaders and activists will feel the taste of asphalt if they attempt to destabilize the political situation in Armenia. The party condemned Pashinians threats. Avetisian insisted that the holding of another snap ballot is a matter of time. He did not specify just how his party will strive to force such polls, saying only that life and public opinion will necessitate their conduct. He also said: Im sure that Mr. Pashinian is a farsighted and reasonable person, and when conditions become ripe he will opt for that solution. It will only help to maintain his approval rating. By Trend The Board of the Chamber of Accounts of Azerbaijan revealed a number of shortcomings while conducting the audit of the use of assets of the National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support in 2015-2017. As a result of the audit, it was revealed that in the reports of some legal entities and individuals receiving concessional loans, the loan amount was not indicated or was indicated incorrectly. Despite repeated violation of the conditions stipulated by the agreement between authorized credit institutions and the Fund, the credit capacity of credit organizations was not terminated. In general, 583.9 million manats were allocated to entrepreneurs over the reported period, which is 27.9 percent of the funds allocated by the Fund so far. Some 170 million manats or 29.1 percent of these loans were issued from the state budget, while 413.9 million manats or 70.9 percent were given by repaid loans and interest income. Monitoring of business entities received concessional loans does not meet the required level. In 2015, 11.63 percent of business entities, in 2016 - 2.55 percent and in 2017 - 7.93 percent were monitored. The Board of the Chamber of Accounts discussed the audit results and decided to send a copy of the resolution to the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan for further action. On August 1, 2018, by a decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support was abolished and the Entrepreneurship Development Fund was established instead. The purpose of the Entrepreneurship Development Fund is the development of entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan and participation in activities to increase business activity of the population and provide them with financial assistance. The authorized capital of the organization is set at 1.09 billion manats. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova In January-October, legal entities and individuals of Azerbaijan carried out trade operations with 178 countries, products were exported to 104 countries and imported from 171 countries. The State Statistical Committee told AZERTAC that in January-October 2018 foreign trade turnover of the country amounted to $ 26.534,3 billion, while export amounted to $ 17.281,7 billion, import - $ 9.252,6 billion. This resulted in a positive trade balance of $ 8.029,1 billion. Foreign trade turnover increased by 36.4 percent compared to January-October 2017. In the mentioned period, export increased by 38.3 percent and import by 33 percent compared to the previous year. In real terms, the turnover increased by 1.3 percent, including exports by 1 percent and imports by 1.9 percent. According to the State Customs Committee, 27.7 percent of exports were exported to Italy, 9.3 percent to Turkey, 6.3 percent to Israel, 4.7 percent to India, 4.5 percent to Czech Republic and Taiwan (China), 4.3 percent to Germany , 3.5 percent to Canada, 3.4 percent to Indonesia, 3.2 percent to Russia, 3.0 percent to Portugal, 2.8 percent to France, 2.7 percent to Georgia and 20.1 percent to other countries As many as 16 percent of the total value of imported products in Azerbaijan accounted for Russia, while 14.2 percent for Turkey, 10.3 percent for China, 5.7 percent for Germany, 4.9 percent for the U.S., 4.4 percent for Switzerland, 3.9 percent for Ukraine, 3.7 percent for Japan, 3.3 percent for Iran, 3.0 percent for Italy, 2.1 percent for the United Kingdom, 1.8 percent for South Africa and 26.7 percent for other countries. Export and import operations develop and expand national economies as well as constitute the basis of successful business. A countrys economy develops by exporting wealthy assets and importing goods that it lacks. Countries want to be net exporters rather than net importers. Export potential, as part of the country's economic potential, is the ability to produce and export various types of material goods and services that meet the requirements of foreign market consumers as a result of the full utilization of production facilities of the national economy and its separate industries. Energy projects have played a special role in expanding export markets in Azerbaijan. It should be noted that at present, oil and gas account for the main share in export, although export of non-oil products also shows an upward trend. According to the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in January-October 2018, oil exports from Azerbaijan totalled 24.195 million tons worth $ 12.923 billion, while gas export made 6.184 billion cubic meters in the amount of $ 1.209 billion. Made in Azerbaijan brand and organization of the export missions for its promotion in foreign markets further developed export share of non-oil products of Azerbaijan. In January-October 2018, the export on non-oil products amounted to $1.351 billion, that is $132 million or 11 percent more compared to the previous year Most of the non-oil products were exported to Russia - $467.1 million (10 percent more compared to the previous year). Non-oil exports to Turkey amounted to $293.8 million (21 percent more), $114.4 million - to Switzerland (1 percent more) and $38.4 million to Kazakhstan (48 percent more). Export to Georgia decreased to $106.5 million (4 percent less). The first place among non-oil sector goods exported in ten months is occupied by tomatoes ($ 149.9 million), second place - gold ($ 99.9 million) and third place - polyethylene in primary form with a specific weight below 0.94 ($ 68.5 million). The export value of fruits and vegetables in January-October 2018 amounted to $ 405.5 million, plastics and plastic products - $ 103.6 million, aluminum and aluminum products - $ 102.7 million, electricity - $ 60 million, ferrous metals and products from them - $ 72.2 million, cotton fiber - $ 64.5 million , chemical products - $ 63.9 million , cotton yarn - $ 19 million. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Afghanistan is preparing to export the first shipment of products through the Lapis Lazuli route (Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey). The train which will pass from Turan to Torghundi station, will further go through whole Turkmenistan to the Turkmenbashi International Sea Port. Then it will leave for Azerbaijan through the Caspian Sea. According to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first shipment will be realized on Thursday, December 13, 2018. Afghan products will be sent to Turkey and then to European markets via Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Among the products to be exported in the first shipment are more than 175 tons of cotton, dried fruits and sesame, and 50 percent of transport costs will be provided by Afghanistan. Officials of Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries have called on the government to take into account more opportunities for the business community to export their products via such routes. This Thursday, the first export of our products to Turkey through the Lapis Lazuli corridor, will be carried out with the participation of high-level government officials and representatives from member countries, said Hassan Soroosh, Acting Director General for Economic Cooperation of the Afghan Foreign Ministry. The Lapis-Lazuli route will allow the participating countries to diversify their access to regional and continental markets. This, in turn, will lead to the economic development of the countries lying along this corridor. Azerbaijan, for inctance, will get huge benefits being a transit country. Afghanistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed an agreement on the creation of the Lapis Lazuli transport corridor set to connect five countries at the 7th Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan on November 15, 2017. The trans-regional corridor will encompass mainly railways and highways, which will connect the city of Torghundi in the Afghan province of Herat with the port of Turkmenbashi on the shore of the Caspian Sea via Ashgabat. From Turkmenbashi, goods will be able to travel further by ferry to Baku, where they would be placed on train cars and continue westward to Europe across the South Caucasus via the newly launched Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. Further, the corridor will pass through Tbilisi to Ankara with branches to Poti and Batumi, and, then, from Ankara to Istanbul. Barriers to regional trade and transit and transaction costs will be reduced, in part, through a new Custom Integration Procedure and, between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, a new Cross-Border Transport Agreement. Its projected impact is considerable not only because most of the needed infrastructure is already in place, but also because most of the investment required will focus on improving policy and governance. The name Lapis Lazuli is derived from the historic route that Afghanistans lapis lazuli and other semiprecious stones were exported along, over 2,000 years ago, to the Caucasus, Russia, the Balkans, Europe, and North Africa. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova The next talks on Azerbaijans accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be held in Geneva next week. Negotiations will depend on both commodities and services. At present, the process of joining the WTO is slowly going on. There are still many things to do in the legislation, commodities and services. A number of laws should be adopted, Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev told Report. Azerbaijan launched negotiations with the WTO member states in 2004. Azerbaijan submitted to the organization 400 documents, including 300 legislative acts, and also answered more than 2,000 questions of WTO member countries. As of today, the country has completed negotiations and signed protocols with Turkey, Oman, the UAE, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. Azerbaijan is at the stage of signing protocols with China and Moldova. Presently, the country is in talks with 13 countries. Azerbaijan has had an observer status in the WTO since 1997. The World Trade Organization was established in 1995. The headquarters of the organization is located in Geneva, Switzerland. The WTO, one of the youngest international organizations, is a continuation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), established in 1947. As many as 98 percent of world trade belongs to the member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Azerbaijan has been negotiating 20 years to join this organization, but no results have been achieved so far. Joining the World Trade Organization could help increase Azerbaijan's non-oil exports. The regulatory framework of the organization is multilateral trade agreements. These agreements govern the trade and service trade, intellectual property, trade policy oversight and conflict resolution issues. The WTO's main goal is to maximize liberalization of international trade and its solid foundation, thereby increasing economic growth and improving people's living standards. The last, 14th meeting on Azerbaijan's accession to the World Trade Organization was held in Geneva on July 28, 2017. At the meeting, the Azerbaijani side requested the Working Group members to make the concessions including 10 percent minimis (from the value of goods produced in the agricultural sector); global Support Indicator Capacity of $ 1 billion (all sources of subsidies); additional support for the restoration of agricultural lands after the return of occupied territories (Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts); the possibility of allocating subsidies in accordance with Article 6.2 of the WTO Agricultural Agreement. The last bilateral talks in the process of joining the WTO, were held in July 2017 with the EU, U.S., Switzerland, Japan, India, the Russian Federation and Thailand. EU funded project The Support and Strengthening Capacity of the Trade Policy and WTO Department of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the WTO Accession Negotiations covering the period from 2018 to 2020, has as an overall objective to strengthen the trade policy of the Government of Azerbaijan and to provide support to the ongoing WTO accession negotiations. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The five hundred euro notes will continue to be used as legal currency in circulation, the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) told Trend Dec. 12. At the same time, it is allowed to store and use in all commercial structures banknotes with a face value of 500 euros (including banks, specialized cash institutions, exchange offices, etc.), the bank said. These banknotes will be also exchanged by the central banks of the Eurosystem. The CBA reminded that the European Central Bank (ECB) decided to suspend production of 500 euro banknotes May 4, 2016 and re-issue banknotes with this face value at the end of 2018. In this regard, according to the message by the ECB dated November 23, 2018, the Deutsche Bundesbank and Oesterreichische Nationalbank will issue 500 euro banknotes until and including April 26, 2019. All other national central banks in the Euro area will provide their customers with 500 euro banknotes until and including January 26, 2019. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova The 9th Future Stars International Festival of Classic Music solemnly ended in Baku. The awarding ceremony of the festival took place at the International Mugham Center, Trend Life reported. The festival, co-organized by the secondary Bulbul Secondary Special Music School and Artists Union of Georgia, brought together the representatives from three countries - 53 participants from Azerbaijan, 23 from Georgia and 4 from Iran. In their remarks, Director of Bulbul Secondary Special Music School , Peoples Artist of Azerbaijan Teymur Goychayev, Head of the Future Stars Festival and Artists Union of Georgia Nino Kupatadze stressed successful performance of the festival participants. They expressed confidence that in the future each of the participants could be able to represent their countries at prestigious international music competitions. Then the winners were awarded diplomas. Fifteen young participants were awarded the first prize. The Grand Prix of the festival was awarded to clarinetist Mammadali Pashazade (Azerbaijan) and pianist Tsotne Sidamonidze (Georgia). The festival ended with a spectacular concert of with the contest winners. Young talents brilliantly performed the works by Azerbaijani and foreign composers. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova A solo exhibition of Georgian artist Vajiko Chachkhiani will open at YARAT Contemporary Art Space on December 14. Presenting a newly commissioned body of work the show synthesizes different media used by the artist in the past to create an immersive universe of Chachkhianis interest in radically tackling ideas of myth, tradition and heritage. A monumental forest of dead trees encircles sculptures borrowed from both antiquity and history. Perched on wooden pedestals, the worn and cracking sculptures are studded with wedges, which either hold them together or threaten to tear them apart. They refer to the fragmented nature of history as storytelling, which in Georgia seems to be entrenched between ancient mythology (legend has it that Prometheus was chained to the rocks in Caucasus Mountains) and its more recent, often traumatic past. Just outside this impenetrable forest stand 3 wooden barns, put together as traditional Georgian country constructions. Two of the larger ones, with intricate glass windows are reminiscent of Georgian verandas and are similar in form to the construction Chachkhiani used for his Venice Biennale pavilion in 2017. Nostalgic places of leisure and time spent with family, they too point to a difficult relation with ones memories and heritage, on a more personal scale. Lending the exhibition its title, one of the smaller barns shows a newly commissioned video, Flies Bite, Its Going to Rain. A dark and daring contemporary interpretation of a popular Georgian fairy-tale, in which a son sacrifices his mothers heart for an impossible love, the video is a Lacanian expose of the fragile relationship between desire, life and death carried through generations by help of myths and folklore. In his inquisitive and bold manner, the artist probes the tales that often pass unexamined yet have a tremendous effect on our understanding of identity family, national belonging and the self. In artists own words, this show is about history and mythology and the way they define contemporary psychology. The exhibition will last till April 14, 2019. Exhibition curator is Suad Garayeva-Maleki. Vajiko Chachkhiani (b. 1985 in Tbilisi, Georgia) lives and works in Berlin and Tbilisi. He studied at the University of the Arts (UdK), Berlin, with Prof. Gregor Schneider until 2013. Previously, he studied Mathematics and Informatics at the Technical University Tbilisi. Numerous exhibitions have followed since, including the solo exhibition "Both" at the Museum fur Gegenwartskunst, Siegen and "Many Lives Passing Through While Imitating Death" in 2015, an outdoor installation at Kunsthaus Dahlem, Berlin in collaboration with the Neue Berliner Raume, and Freie Universitat, Berlin. In 2017, his work was shown in two group exhibitions at the Hamburger Kunsthalle: "WAITING. Between Power and Possibility "and" wieder und wider". His latest solo exhibition was "Heavy Metal Honey (Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn). In 2018 Chachkhiani received Villa Aurora Fellowship in Los Angeles and a Residency Grant Tokas in Tokyo. In 2017, his work "Living Dog Among Dead Lions" was shown in the Georgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, curated by Julian Heynen. Vajiko Chachkhiani was awarded the Rubens Promotional Award in 2017. He is currently nominated for the Kunstpreis Bottcherstrae 2018, which is affiliated to an exhibition in the Kunsthalle Bremen. Chachkhianis work includes films, sculptures, performances, photographs and large-scale installations. He is represented by Daniel Marzona, Berlin and Scai the bathhouse, Tokyo. Vajiko Chachkhianis individual works are characterized in their overall compositions by a dense narration that suggests various tracks and interweaves everything in dramaturgical density. On the finely balanced interface between the reality of the outside world and the inner human psyche, they delve into existential questions of life, human perception and the culture of remembrance. YARAT is an artist-founded, not-for-profit art organisation based in Baku, Azerbaijan, established by Aida Mahmudova in 2011. YARAT (which means 'create' in Azerbaijani) is dedicated to contemporary art with a long-term commitment to creating a hub for artistic practice, research, thinking and education in the Caucasus, Central Asia and surrounding region. It comprises YARAT Art Centre, ARTIM Project Space, YARAT Studios, YAY Gallery and an extended educational and public programme. YARAT Art Centre, a 2000m converted Soviet-era naval building, opened in March 2015 and is the organisation's main exhibition space. The exhibition programme features new commissions by artists responding to the region. It supports and provides access to artists from the region, while engaging and introducing established, international artists. In October 2015, YARAT opened ARTIM, a central, accessible and dynamic space in Baku's Old City. ARTIM (meaning 'progress' in Azerbaijani) shows experimental practices and new work by emerging Azeri art professionals (selected through open call) and the international artists from the residency programme. It features multiple small-scale projects each year and hosts ARTIM Lab, a programme enabling young artists to engage in workshops and daily studio practice to generate new ideas and works. In 2016 YARAT launched a renewed residency programme. Aimed at developing young Azerbaijani voices and emerging international artists, the focus is on new, innovative practices and artists with an interest in the region. The residency programme hosts 6 international and 4 local artists a year at YARAT Studios spaces. Education has been at the heart of YARAT's activities since its creation. With a dedicated public programme that includes courses, workshops, lectures, screenings, festivals, literature and theatre clubs and family weekends, YARAT aims to give access to broad audiences of all ages. The public programme invests proactively in building communities and nurturing a wider understanding of, and participation in, contemporary art. Exhibition opens Tuesday through Sunday, 12 pm 8 pm . Admission is free. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A positive result may be achieved next year on the appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, who are illegally held hostage by the Armenian side, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Bar Association Anar Bagirov told reporters in Baku Dec. 12, Trend reports. Talks on the issue continue, he said. Bagirov noted that the documents and appeals from the ECHR are addressed to both parties. He added that this issue is in the center of attention of the Azerbaijani state and the public. The illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories grossly violated the rights of our citizens, he said. The Council of Europe and the ECHR are also paying the necessary attention to this issue. Earlier, Bagirov said that documents and video footage of torture applied to Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilgam Asgarov by Armenians, were submitted to the ECHR. During an operation in July 2014 in Shaplar village of Azerbaijani Kalbajar district occupied by Armenia, the Armenian special forces killed an Azerbaijani, Hasan Hasanov, and took hostage two other Azerbaijanis, Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilgam Asgarov. A "criminal case" was initiated against them. Afterwards, a "court" sentenced Asgarov to life imprisonment and Guliyev to 22 years in prison. 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 Leman Mammadova Implementation and prospects of the national water supply and sanitation project in six regions of Azerbaijan were on the agenda as the Regional Director of the Islamic Development Bank Group Regional Hub Turkey, Saleh Jelassi, visited Baku. Azersu OJSC met with a delegation led by Saleh Jelassi on December 11. Azersu Chairman Gorkhmaz Huseynov recalled that the Islamic Development Bank was closely involved in the infrastructure projects implemented in our country, and highly appreciated the bank's participation in water supply and sanitation system reconstruction projects. The chairman informed about work done within "National Water Supply and Sanitation Project in 6 Regions of Azerbaijan" It was noted that the creation of new infrastructures in the cities covered by the project contributed to the improvement of the population's access to drinking water and sanitation services. Jelassi expressed his satisfaction with implementation of the projects. He noted that all the necessary measures will be taken to complete them. It should be noted that under the project financed by the Islamic Development Bank, construction of water and sanitation systems in Tartar and Gadabay and water networks in Astara has been completed. At present, the project is underway in Dashkesan. Project on reconstruction of drinking water supply and sanitation infrastructure in Gazakh will be launched in 2019. Currently, IsDB Group has an overall portfolio of about $1.1 billion in the country comprising $947 million financing by IsDB. IsDBs Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) development portfolio in Azerbaijan consists of 35 operations with approvals of $945 million (excluding cancelled operations) which includes 31 completed operations worth $676 million and 2 active projects (4 operations) worth $266 million. The largest portion of IsDB development operations in Azerbaijan is in the Energy Sector (53 percent), followed by Water & Sanitation (27 percent) and Agriculture (13 percent). In line with IsDB Groups overarching emphasis on supporting Economic and Social Infrastructure in its Member Countries, IsDB is currently providing support to Azerbaijans National Water Supply and Sanitation Program in Six Regions through a Project worth $200 million. This project aims to provide clean and safe drinking water and sewerage connections to more than 320,000 inhabitants (including refugees and internally displaced people) in the six regions by constructing new water and wastewater treatment plants and installation of new water distribution networks and sewerage collection systems. IsDB is also implementing an Integrated Rural Development Project with an approved amount of $66 million to support reduction in rural poverty in Agdash, Yevlakh, Sheki and Oghuz regions through increased food security and enhanced income earning opportunities for small farmers. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group maintains a Regional Hub in Turkey, which in addition to serving Turkey, also oversees and coordinates the IsDB Group operations in its Member Countries such as Albania and Azerbaijan as well as Muslim Communities in Non-Member Countries within Europe. IsDB Groups cooperation with the Republic of Azerbaijan is growing ever stronger since it joined the IsDB on 4 July 1992. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By 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 us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and family members have visited the Alley of Honors to commemorate national leader Heydar Aliyev as December 12 marks the 15th anniversary of the death of the architect and founder of the independent Azerbaijan, world-renowned politician and national leader of the Azerbaijani people. Parliamentarians, ministers, committee chairs, company heads, and representatives of general public also visited the Alley of Honors to pay tribute to the national leader. President Ilham Aliyev laid a wreath at the great leaders grave. The state anthem of Azerbaijan was played. President Ilham Aliyev and family members put flowers at the grave of the national leaders wife, outstanding ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva. Flowers were also put at the graves of prominent statesman Aziz Aliyev and professor Tamerlan Aliyev. Among those in attendance at the commemorative ceremony were Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov, head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev and other officials. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan has established strategic cooperation with both Russia and the US, Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov told reporters in Baku Dec. 12. He was commenting on the upcoming visit of Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov to Baku Dec. 12, Trend reports. On Dec. 12, Baku will host negotiations between Gerasimov and NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti. Khalafov noted that the talks in Baku are an indicator of a trusting attitude towards Azerbaijan, which was chosen as a platform where important issues are discussed. I think that this is an indicator of the influence of our country, added Khalafov. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Todays development and progress of Azerbaijan, its transformation into a strong country are connected with the result of the successful policy of great leader Heydar Aliyev, Chairman of the Azerbaijani parliamentary committee for international relations and inter-parliamentary ties Samad Seyidov told Trend. We have inherited independent, strong, economically developed Azerbaijan from Heydar Aliyev, Seyidov, who is also head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said. "Today, we see the contribution of Heydar Aliyev in all spheres of Azerbaijan, he said. The work he has done for the Azerbaijanis is bearing fruit today." Seyidov stressed that in the first years of independence, Azerbaijan was in a very difficult situation, on the one hand, the country was subjected to Armenian occupation, on the other hand the country faced with the threat of a civil war. "Azerbaijan stood face to face with the threat of fragmentation and loss of independence, he said. People saw a way out of this difficult situation in the return of national leader Heydar Aliyev to power. The country was able to avoid troubles and was developing thanks to Heydar Aliyevs prudent policy and firmness. Fundamental reforms were carried out in all spheres of the country." Seyidov stressed that Azerbaijans integration into the world community, Europe, its various structures, including the Council of Europe, is also associated with the name of national leader Heydar Aliyev. "Along with domestic policy, great leader Heydar Aliyev took important steps in the sphere of foreign policy, he said. In a short period of time, Azerbaijan established fruitful cooperation with many countries and international organizations. The country began to implement large-scale international projects. The oil contract signed under the leadership of national leader Heydar Aliyev on September 20, 1994 oil, which went down in history as the Contract of the Century, ensured Azerbaijans future development. Today Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev successfully continues great leader Heydar Aliyevs policy, he said. Azerbaijan reaches new success every year. The 15th anniversary of the death of creator of modern independent Azerbaijan, the world-famous politician, national leader of the Azerbaijanis Heydar Aliyev is marked on December 12. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Today, Azerbaijani First Deputy Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Colonel-General Najmeddin Sadikov met with a delegation led by Russian First Deputy Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Colonel-General Sadikov said that cooperation between the two countries has been built on relations of friendship, mutual trust and these relations, constantly developing, reached the level of strategic partnership. Touching upon the military-political situation and security issues in the region, Sadikov stressed that the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main threat to regional security. He stressed the importance of achieving a solution to the conflict based on the norms and principles of international law. 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. The ties of the two countries have historical roots, Gerasimov said. Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner of Russia. Gerasimov stressed the importance of expanding bilateral relations, as well as military and military-technical cooperation, organizing and conducting mutual meetings at a high level. Then the sides discussed the current military and military-technical cooperation, prospects for the development of ties in the field of military education and exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest. Gerasimov expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani leadership for the high hospitality and the organizing of a bilateral meeting with NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti in Baku. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Narmina Mammadova SOCAR Ukraine, a subsidiary of the Azerbaijani State Oil Company (SOCAR) supplied the Ukrainian Defense Ministry 13,050 tons of jet fuel this year. In general, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry purchased 57,280 tons of jet fuel worth 1.7 billion hryvnias (UAH) during the year, the Ukrainian media reports. The biggest supplier for the ministry was OKKO, which delivered 21,020 tonnes of fuel. OKKO was followed by Torum (16,210 tons), SOCAR (13,050 tons) and WOG (6,900 tons).Thus, SOCAR became the third in terms of jet fuel supplies to Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry previously signed a contract for 42,000 tons of jet fuel. On November 5, SOCAR Ukraine and Ukrainian Defense Ministry signed an agreement on the supply of 1,100 tons of jet fuel. The ministry has today announced a tender to purchase extra 10,283 tons of jet fuel. The tender consists of two lots and the supply should be carried out within 60 days after the signing of the contract - by March 26, 2019. SOCAR entered the Ukrainian market back in 2009. The main activity of SOCAR Energy Ukraine is to improve the network of petrol filling stations and organize wholesale of petrol and oil products in the territory of Ukraine. The network of SOCAR filling stations includes 59 filling stations and 2 oil loading bunkers located in 11 regions of Ukraine. In addition to the retail sector, SOCAR is one of the five largest importers of natural gas in Ukraine, the company said. SOCAR is also involved in developing the aviation fuel market in Ukraine, according to the message. SOCAR doubled the volume of LPG supplies and increased its presence in the countrys diesel fuel market in 2017. SOCAR Energy Ukraine considers it important to maintain leadership in terms of innovation and continue creating unique, thought-out products while moving at the right pace, the company stressed. So far, SOCAR has invested more than $5 million in the development of socio-cultural projects in Ukraine, according to the companys website. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Narmina Mammadova The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised its forecast for 2018 on the increase in oil supply from non-cartel countries by 190,000 barrels per day compared to last month - up to 2.5 million barrels per day the monthly report of the cartel reported. The main contribution to the growth of supply was made by the U.S., Canada, Russia and Kazakhstan. At the same time, the forecast for supply growth for 2019 has been lowered by 80,000 barrels per day, to 2.16 million barrels, due to the fact that Canada will limit production, and also against the OPEC + agreement to reduce daily production by 1.2 million barrels in the first half of 2019. The publication noted that the main contribution to the growth in supply in 2019 will be made by the USA, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom, while Mexico and Norway will demonstrate the strongest decline in production among others. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 1014, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. It was created by oil-producing states to control production quotas. Currently, the Organization has a total of 15 Member Countries. OPEC includes Algeria, Angola, Venezuela, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Congo, Kuwait, Qatar, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Equatorial Guinea and Ecuador. Members of the organization control about two thirds of world oil reserves, they account for up to 45 percent of all world production and half of exports. 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Kyrgyzstan and EU discussed key aspects of cooperation, in particular, negotiations were held on a draft new agreement on expanded partnership. The 16th meeting of the Kyrgyzstan-EU Cooperation Council was held in the city of Brussels on December 10, press service of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. The European side highly appreciated the democratic changes in Kyrgyzstan, in particular, the development of parliamentary democracy in the country and expressed support for the ongoing reforms of the electoral and judicial systems, as well as law enforcement agencies. EU representatives noted the importance of further development of cooperation in the field of ensuring human rights and the development of civil society in Kyrgyzstan, the message says. The European side reaffirmed the planned allocation of 36 million euros to the education sector of Kyrgyzstan and announced the decision to allocate the second tranche of 5.75 million euros and the remainder of the first tranche of 750,000 euros protection of Kyrgyzstan. In addition, the parties discussed the results of the meeting of EU-Central Asian foreign ministers, which was held in Brussels on November 23, 2018. Minister Chyngyz Aidarbekov confirmed the support of the Kyrgyz side for the EU-developed new strategy on Central Asia, which is expected to be adopted in 2019. During the meeting, the parties also discussed issues of trade and economic cooperation, taking into account the status of Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+). The Kyrgyz side noted its readiness to export environmentally friendly products to European markets that meet quality and safety standards. The importance of attracting investments from the European Union countries to the economy of Kyrgyzstan was also noted, and due to the status of the GSP +, the country's trade turnover with the EU has more than tripled since 2016, the message says. In addition, during the meeting, the parties exchanged views on issues of the international and regional agenda. Kyrgyzstan received the GSP+ status in January 2016. It allows exporting more than 6,000 items of goods to the European market on a duty-free basis. Previously, customs duty for Kyrgyz exporters was 14.6 percent for some types of fruits and vegetables and 5-9 percent for clothing. The partnership between the EU and Kyrgyzstan is based on the republic's commitment to undertake reforms to strengthen democracy, fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, and to promote sustainable economic development. EU has supported the Kyrgyz Republic in these efforts through its long-term development cooperation, including support to the reform of its electoral system. EU is currently discussing with the Government of Kyrgyzstan a new program of budget assistance in the amount of 35.760 million euros for the period 2019-2021 to help in the implementation of reforms and relevant indicators presented in the Action Plan of the Education Development Strategy for 2018-2020. This program is also funded under the assistance program for 2014-2020. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The total investment of a Chinese company in Kazakhstan's auto industry will be approximately $ 1.1 billion. In Astana, an investment agreement was signed on the entry of a transnational Chinese state company for the import and export of SMS vehicles (China National Machinery IMP. & EXP. CORP), a member of Genertec (China General Technology Group), into the capital (51 percent of the share) of the largest Kazakhstan automaker LLP Saryarka AvtoProm. The first deputy prime minister of Kazakhstan, Askar Mamin, during the signing of the document noted that this is a strategic project for the domestic automotive industry. He added that it will increase the pace of development of the industry and the export potential for entering foreign markets. As he said, the project is an important component of the Silk Road Economic Belt program and is included in the list of Kazakhstani-Chinese cooperation in the field of industrialization and investment. As part of the development of the joint venture, the partners plan to increase production volumes in the industry to 100,000 vehicles and localization level to 50 percent. The development of car assembly production in the city of Kostanay will create new jobs in the automotive industry. Genertec Chairman Lu Yimin noted that the joint project will significantly deepen the localization of production, expand the brand portfolio, introduce the latest technologies. Component suppliers will be selected on the territory of Kazakhstan and the Eurasian Economic Union, and work will continue to ensure quality service for cars to consumers. China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC) was founded in 1950. It was one of the major foreign trade corporations affiliated to the former Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (the predecessor of the Ministry of Commerce). As New Chinas first large-scale state-owned foreign trade company specialized in import and export of mechanical and electrical products as well as international engineering contracting business, CMC had always been the main channel of machinery and electrical products trade during various historical periods in Chinas economic construction and development. Its total business revenue had reached $100 billion. Therefore it had made historic contributions to the nations economy and the establishment of the national industrial system. In 1998, CMC became a founding member and wholly-owned enterprise of China General Technology (Group) Holding Ltd. (Genertec), which is an important backbone state-owned enterprise under the direct supervision of the central government. China General Technology (Group) Holding Genertec is an important backbone of state-owned enterprises system, directly administered by the central government. Genertec is specialized in three sectors, including pharmaceutical industry, technical consulting and advance manufacturing, trade and engineering contracting. With sound capacity, full credentials and renowned reputation built in over 50 years, most of the key subsidiaries have played significant role in Chinas relevant industries or industry segments and made great contribution to economic construction and social development. At present, with more than 45,000 employees, Genertec has 58 overseas organizations and 32 domestic subsidiaries among which three are listed in Shanghai stock market, eight branch offices in Europe, three Research and Development Centers and has formed steady trade and cooperative relations with more than 100 countries and regions. With a turnover of more than $24 billions in 2017, and assets of more than $18 billions, Genertec is one of the leading State Owned Enterprises in China and in 2014 was ranked for the first time within the Global Fortune 500. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Russia will take part in the development of a feasibility study for the construction of the Mullalak and Verkhnepskemsk hydro power plants on the Pskem river in Uzbekistan, Uzbek media reported. Chairman of the Board, General Director of PJSC RusHydro Nikolai Shulginov and Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Minister of Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov held talks in Moscow on December 11. "The main theme of the meeting was the development of cooperation between RusHydro and Uzbekistan in the field of hydropower. During this meeting, the parties discussed the current state of cooperation, as well as prospects for expanding joint activities in the design, construction of new and reconstruction of existing hydropower plants in Uzbekistan," the Russian company said. The parties confirmed their intentions to adhere to the previously reached agreements, including the creation of a joint group between Institute Hydroproject JSC (institute of the RusHydro Group) and Hydroproject JSC (Uzbekgidroenergo company), as well as concluding an agreement between the organizations on the feasibility study of the project "Construction of the Mullalak Hydropower Plant" (240 MW). Members of the Uzbek delegation informed the management of RusHydro about the current state and plans for the development of the country's power industry. In particular, the Uzbek colleagues noted that in the country's energy balance, hydropower generation makes only 13 percent, and Uzbekistan sees expedient further development and modernization of hydropower, both within the country and through the implementation of import-oriented projects in water-rich neighboring countries. Nikolay Shulginov noted that the companies of the RusHydro Group have been in close contact with their Uzbek colleagues for more than a year and are ready to implement mutually beneficial projects in the field of research and development works and the design of hydroelectric power plants and hydraulic structures. In November 2017, PJSC "RusHydro" and JSC "Uzbekgidroenergo" signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation in the field of hydropower, and JSC "Lengidroproekt" signed an agreement on the implementation of certain types of work and the provision of consulting services in the development of a feasibility study for an investment project for the construction of Pskemskaya HPP ( 404 MW) on the Pskem River in the Tashkent region. During the first Forum of interregional cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan, with the participation of the heads of state, an agreement of mutual understanding and cooperation in the field of hydropower was signed between PJSC RusHydro and JSC Uzbekgidroenergo. The key point of the agreement is the creation on the basis of design institutes of a working group, which in the first quarter of 2019 will begin the development of a feasibility study for the construction of the 240 MW Mullalak and the 200 MW Verkhnepskemsk HPPs on the Pskem River in Uzbekistan, including the design and survey and research papers. At the conclusion of the negotiations, the parties confirmed their readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation and agreed to expand the list of projects for which subsequent negotiations and pre-project elaboration will be conducted. In the first half of 2018, Russia ranked first among the trade partners of Uzbekistan with a share of 16 percent of its foreign trade turnover, and Uzbekistan is also one of Russias leading economic partners in the CIS. The bilateral trade in the first half of the year grew 32 percent (to more than $2 billion), while Russian exports increased by 41.6 percent and imports by almost 10 percent. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Turkey's Armed Forces will launch a new military operation within three days in northern Syria against PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist organization, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. Erdogan claimed that there are American soldiers in the detachments of the terrorists in Syria. "Despite that the US has promised Turkey that they would not support PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, the US did not keep its word," Erdogan said. On June 4, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed a road map on Syria's Manbij during talks in Washington. Also, Pompeo and Cavusoglu met in Brussels and discussed the Operation Olive Branch, as well as other issues. 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 Turkey will strengthen the defense industry and will become a world leader in the manufacture of defense products, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. Erdogan noted that no obstacles can stop the development of Turkey's defense industry. "I personally instruct all law enforcement bodies not to import defense products from abroad. Turkey is capable of providing itself with relevant products," Erdogan said. Erdogan noted that mass production of Turkish "ALTAY" tanks will soon begin. "Turkey is forced to strengthen its defense industry," Erdogan added. In January-November 2018, exports of the Turkish defense industry grew by 16.05 percent compared to the same period in 2017, reaching $1.782 billion. In the first 11 months of 2018, products of the Turkish defense industry worth $150.5 million were exported to Oman. During the reported period, products of the Turkish defense industry worth $72.3 million were exported to the Netherlands and $71.6 million to India. In the recent years, Turkey has invested about $35 billion in the defense industry. From 2011, Turkey produces mobile outposts that have proved useful in fight against the militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and also the Canik TP9 handguns, unmanned ANKA aircraft and other military equipment to strengthen the domestic defense industry. Turkey is also developing a domestic military laser system. Earlier, the trials of the domestically-made long-range surface-to-surface missiles have been conducted in Turkey. The new rocket, named KAAN, was launched from a firing ground in the province of Sinop in the north of Turkey. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Greg Gallion has been president and CEO of the Houchin Community Blood Bank for the past 18 years and will retire at the end of the month. Looks like a lot of Bakersfield residents will have to find a new Mexican restaurant to indulge in. Within recent months four of Bakersfield's You can reach Sam Morgen at 661-395-7415 or smorgen@bakersfield.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @smorgenTBC. Also during the same period under review, 1,323 employers were detained for hiring or hiding illegal immigrants, most of them had been brought to court. Director General Mustafar Ali reiterated that his department rejects all the applications to enter Malaysia that fail to meet requirements. A total of 72,361 individuals have been denied of entries into Malaysia in 2018 due to passport and visa issues, he said. Those who have been blacklisted and categorized as prohibited immigrants under the immigration law were also turned away from the country, he added.-VNA Maps marking a green line along the length of the Bolivar Peninsula have the coastal community fearing the worst. The line, part of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Texas General Land Office study, proposes two miles of flood wall, 20 two-lane highway gates and 25 miles of levee along the peninsula beginning north of High Island and ending at Port Bolivar. "With the line in front of my house, I see my house going away," said Huey Menard, a Bolivar resident. Menard was one of several Bolivar Peninsula residents who spoke at a Tuesday night public hearing in Winnie regarding the Coastal Texas Study, a comprehensive plan that calls for an integrated coastal storm risk management system and environmental restoration from the Sabine River to the Rio Grande. Launched in November 2015, the 5-year study proposes building physical infrastructure as well as boosting the state's eroding coastline and nearby habitats, what officials called "multiple lines of defense" toward storm protection. With hurricanes hammering the coast and bringing with it a destructive combination of storm surge, high winds and rainfall, a new plan is needed to protect Texas communities and industries, said Col. Lars Zetterstrom, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Galveston District. But residents like Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president Brenda Flanagan aren't sold. "It's already destroying our peninsula," Flanagan said of the plan. She said local real estate has been hit as people are "afraid" to buy homes on what could be the site of a future levee. Zetterstrom said the barrier's alignment hasn't been finalized. But when that happens, it could involve real estate acquisition, he said. RELATED: Proposed coastal barrier will enforce eminent domain as a 'last resort' Residents on the "storm side" of the barrier would have to flood-proof, raise or relocate their homes, he said. According to Zetterstrom, the estimated $14 billion to $19 billion needed to build the project's barrier is "economically justifiable" for local and national security reasons. The Texas coast, where nearly a quarter of Texans live, produces the majority of the nation's petrochemical products, he said. Protecting the coast and the people who live and work here would reduce damage from future storms, Zetterstrom said, and also reduce the amount of federal, state and local taxpayer dollars spent rebuilding after a storm. Total project costs are estimated to range between $23 billion and $31 billion, 40 percent of which would be spent on environmental restoration. David Green, the General Land Office's Deputy Director of Coastal Resources, said the barrier would be "as far gulfward as possible so that it protects as many people as possible, as many homes, as many businesses as possible from the storm surge." But Azure Bevington, a coastal ecologist who lives in High Island, noted that the peninsula has only so much width to accommodate the barrier. Residents such as Flanagan said the line appeared "real close" to their properties. She requested the green line be moved farther to the north or on the dune line. Lt. Col. Mark T. Williford, chief of public affairs with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said that the study was still in its early stages and that the organizations were working "in good faith" to garner community feedback. General Land Office and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials have been traveling along the Texas coast and presenting the plan as part of the public comment period ending on Jan. 9, 2019. The lines could be redrawn as a result of public comment, after which the plan will be presented to the Texas Legislature, officials said. In total, the study proposes 78 miles of coastal barrier, spanning from Bolivar Island to the San Luis Pass. A separate 27-mile earthen levee system is also planned for Orange County. The study is expected to be complete in 2021 and will be presented to Congress for authorization and funding. The plan was unveiled by Senior Vice President of Google Ken Walker at the meeting with Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue yesterday. At the meeting at the the governments headquarter, Mr. Hue highly appreciated Googles goodwill in supporting Vietnams digital economic development by training many Vietnamese students. This is one of vital measures contributing to Vietnam's efforts to develop one million successful enterprises by 2020. Stressing that Vietnam considers information technology as a foundation for future growth, Mr. Hue expected Google to give more assistance to the Southeast Asian countrys long-term development and innovation ecosystem. He added that Vietnam's marketing advantages and young employees are attractive enough for Googles to establish the representative office. For his part, Walker expressed his agreement with Vietnams cybersecurity for a stable society affirming that his firm will join hands with relevant agencies towards this goal. By LAM NGUYEN - Translated by ANH QUAN [December 12, 2018] TRUSTID Releases 2019 Fraud and Customer Authentication Predictions TRUSTID, the leading provider of pre-answer caller authentication, has outlined its top five fraud and customer authentication predictions for 2019 in a new brief. Following is an overview of these predictions. For the full brief, click here. 1. The social engineering aspect of cybercrime will become increasingly prevalent. Organizations in every industry are suffering data breaches, including social media providers. The large amounts of personal information flooding the dark web as a result of these breaches are extremely useful for social engineering and account takeover attempts, particularly as fraudsters seek to impersonate customers via the phone channel. 2. Fraud efforts will continue to move to the phone channel. Because security chips have made credit card fraud much more difficult, criminals are turning to account takeovers. And although account takeovers are usually identified in the online channel, most fraudsters actually start in the call center, where they use social engineering to manipulate agents and reset online account passwords. Call centers are vulnerable to these attacks because most rely on knowledge-based authentication (KBA) - using customers' knowledge of personal information to verify their identity and grant access to accounts - even though this personal informaton can be easily purchased or gleaned from social media. 3. The window for accurate verification on financial transactions will continue to close. As real-time payments become more widely adopted, there will no longer be a built-in lag in the payment process to provide extra time for fraud defenses and verification. Financial institutions will need to quickly adopt real-time authentication solutions across all channels to combat fraud. 4. Expect an increase in health care organization hacks. The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that more than 175 million patient records have been exposed in more than 2,000 data breaches since 2010. A health care record can sell for more than a credit card number on the dark web, due to the much richer information, which can be used not only for financial fraud but also to illegally acquire medical supplies and services. 5. 2019 starts the final countdown for KBA: it will be gone in 5 years. Business executives, security experts and customer contact center operators all recognize the weaknesses of KBA. At the 2018 Money 20/20 USA conference, Ellen Richey of Visa predicted that even passwords, a key KBA stalwart, will be fully eliminated in about five years. TRUSTID predicts that identity interrogation in the call center will meet the same fate by 2024. Smart businesses are moving rapidly to implement multi-factor authentication, for example, using voice-biometric and ownership-factor authentication solutions for the phone channel. In this era of rampant data breaches and increasingly sophisticated social engineering attacks, implementing proactive security measures to identify legitimate callers faster and flag suspicious calls for further review is more important than ever. Organizations should be moving to replace KBA as quickly as possible. Deploying emerging technologies that automate caller authentication, either before the call is answered or alongside other customer identity tools during the call, creates a stronger, multilayered defense to help fight fraud in the phone channel. For more information about pre-answer caller authentication solutions, please visit www.trustid.com. About TRUSTID Founded in 2007 in Portland, Oregon, TRUSTID is a caller authentication, identity and risk assessment company. TRUSTID's software-as-a-service products provide a layer of protection for the call centers of organizations that deal with customers' sensitive personal information and that must authenticate or identify callers and assess call risk. TRUSTID has developed a patented telephone network forensic approach that enhances security, improves customer interactions and agent experience, and reduces costs in the phone channel. For more information, visit www.trustid.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005137/en/ [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] A West Texas ranch that's roughly the size Abilene is on the market. The Lely Ranch, advertised as the largest ranch currently for sale in Texas, sits in Presidio County and spans about 70,000 acres. The price is still being determined as the broker gauges interest and determines the value of the ranch's natural resources, according to Dallas-based international broker Icon Global's Owner Bernard Uechtritz. "This property hasn't been on the market ever since it was bought by this foreign investor in the 1960s, and that alone makes it a very unique piece of property," Uechtritz said. "Then there's the size. There's very few pieces of large, western-style frontier lands out there in the size." FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox A third appeal to the property is its location, adjacent to the Big Bend State Park, bordering the Cibolo Creek Ranch and only about 45 miles from Marfa. The property is also contiguous with the Presidio Lely International Airport, an old weather service airport that's just 100 feet from the edge of the Lely Ranch, Uechtritz said. The land itself contains a modest foreman's home but is otherwise "wide open spaces," Uechtritz said. It contains eight named creeks, 11 solar wells for wildlife and cattle, a mountainous terrain with a 4,286-foot Cerro Tren Peak, arroyos, underground water and several species of wild animals. "It's highly speculative mineral country. This ranch has never been developed or really explored properly for minerals or underground water. There really hasn't been anything going on in this ranch since the '60s, or even before that," Uechtritz said. "No one's occupied it. No one's lived here. It hasn't been a recreational or a hunting or a cattle ranch. It's just been a big ranch that's been sitting there through decades and decades and decades." RELATED: West Texas ghost town for sale for $1.75 million Icon Global is still preparing an electronic data room of information on the property, according to Uechtritz. Because of the ranch's size and significance, he put it on the market last week, but the data room and showings won't be available until about March, he said. His properties typically only take between nine and 15 months to sell, he said, which means the ranch could have a new owner come 2020. "Truly the last frontier and a chance to buy your own Big Bend," a press release from Icon Global said. "Cowboys and Indians lived and worked here. Come explore the last frontier." S. M. Chavey is a breaking news and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | sarah.chavey@express-news.net | @smchavey The recent report by HHS, "Reforming America's Healthcare System through Choice and Competition," calls for removal of practice barriers and is a positive step for both patients and non-physician healthcare providers. The report sends an important message to policymakers, the medical profession, allied health professionals and the public about the importance of fully utilizing all healthcare professionals to ensure patient access to safe and affordable healthcare. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists supports these efforts to ensure non-physician professionals like CRNAs can provide all patients convenient access to safe, cost-effective healthcare, specifically: 1. Broaden scope of practice: States should consider changes to their scope-of-practice statutes to allow all healthcare providers to practice to the top of their licenses and use their full skill sets. Broadening scope of practice will allow for more effective, expedient delivery of essential healthcare and prevent gaps in access to vital services such as anesthesia care, especially in rural and other medically underserved parts of the country. 2. Improve workforce mobility: State-based licensing often inhibits delivery of healthcare services across state lines by making it more difficult for qualified healthcare professionals licensed in one state to practice in another, even though most healthcare providers complete nationally certified education and training programs and sit for national qualifying exams. States should consider adopting interstate compacts and model laws that improve license portability. This would greatly improve patient access to care by recognizing nationally certified healthcare providers who are hindered by current state laws. 3. Loosen network adequacy requirements: Strict network adequacy standards, including narrow networks, could limit the number of providers or types of providers included in health plan networks. This prevents enrollees from having adequate choice or access to providers and may leave some enrollees with only the option of more expensive care from out-of-network providers. Consistent with the federal government's goal of establishing provider networks that ensure extensive access to care, health carriers should loosen their requirements to ensure patient access to a range of beneficial, safe and cost-efficient professionals, including CRNAs. Garry Brydges is president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, which represents nearly 53,000 nurse anesthetists. Here are 10 hospitals and health systems that opened or announced plans for ASCs in November: Tempe, Ariz.-based Atlantis Health System plans to develop an ASC in leased space in the Arrowhead Professional Medical Plaza in Glendale, Ariz. Fleming Island, Fla.-based Baptist Clay Medical Center will open its surgery center in Fleming Island in late December. Stillwater, Minn.-based Lakeview Health hired a construction crew to clear debris at the potential future site of Lakeview Hospital campus in Stillwater. Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Health System plans to open an ASC at Green Spring Station in Lutherville, Md. Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Health plans to open its $140 million medical campus with an ASC in Estero, Fla. Tennessee's Health Services and Development Agency approved Nashville, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Health's application to relocate its Madison, Tenn.-based joint venture ASC. Bel Air-based University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health is building an outpatient pavilion with a surgery center in Bel Air. Hendersonville, N.C.-based Pardee Hospital is awaiting a decision from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on whether the hospital's proposed ASC will be approved. Atlanta-based Grady Health System filed a letter of intent to develop an ASC. Athens, Ala.-based Athens-Limestone Hospital will hold a grand opening for its new surgery center in late 2018. The owner of the former Midtown Medical Center in Chicago pled guilty to illegally selling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of opioids prescriptions, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Here are five things to know: 1. Mohammed Shariff, the former owner of the Midtown Medical Center, a now closed medical clinic, pleaded guilty to a felony count of, "conspiracy to knowingly dispense controlled substances outside the usual course of private practice and without medical purpose," according to the Sun Times. 2. Midtown's physician, Theodore Galvani, MD, allegedly sold oxycodone, hydrocodone and prescription pills without medical reason, under Mr. Shariff's direction. The prescriptions often occurred without conducting medical tests or physicals, and according to the report, Dr. Galvani at times met with 70-plus patients per day. 3. Dr. Galvani previously pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges but has not yet been sentenced. 4. Patients typically paid up to $200 in cash for prescriptions, and the co-conspirators admitted to prescribing more than 595,000 hydrocodone pills and 190,000 Xanax pills. 5. The scheme brought in $584,000, and Mr. Shariff took $292,094, according to the report. The two also prescribed pills to Medicare patients and then submitted false claims. 6. Mr. Shariff could receive up to 20 years in prison and pay a $1 million maximum fine. Here's a snapshot of the six legislative issues that dominated healthcare coverage in 2018: 1. Price transparency and 'surprise billing' The New Mexico legislature saw a new bill focused on preventing surprise medical bills introduced in early 2018. The changes would restrict out-of-network billing for some procedures as well as increase provider disclosure requirements. Minnesota Rep. Jeremy Munson, R-Lake Crystal, introduced a bill in the state legislature that would mandate hospitals and clinics to publish price information on their 25 most common procedures. The ASC Payment Transparency Act of 2018 passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and advanced to the U.S. Senate for consideration. A bill introduced in Georgia aimed to promote transparency in medical billing for outpatient procedures. Under House Bill 678, a consumer receiving outpatient services from a hospital, physician practice or treatment facility would, upon request, receive information on whether the providers are in the patient's insurance network, projected costs and what the policy will pay. A proposed bill from New Jersey lawmakers that would protect patients from unexpected healthcare charges is was opposed by physicians, who viewed it as a partial fix. On Feb. 5, Democratic Oklahoma state senator and anesthesiologist Ervin Yen, MD, introduced the Clinician Out-of-Network Act. Senate Bill 1478 would tackle the much-discussed topic of surprise billing. 2. The opioid crisis Legislative committees for both U.S. government branches introduced legislation targeting the opioid epidemic. Anesthesia Business Consultants President and CEO Tony Mira estimated 30 bills were introduced related to Medicare and Medicaid coverage and payment, with some having the potential to impact anesthesia and pain medicine practices. A bill that could reverse reimbursement cuts for post-operative injections in ASCs advanced to the House of Representatives. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Post-Surgical Injections as an Opioid Alternative Act May 17. It was one of 57 measures sent to the House to address the opioid crisis. A bill aimed at addressing opioid prevention, treatment and recovery passed the Senate Oct. 3 and was sent to the White House for President Donald Trump's signature. 3. Health insurance Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., introduced the Consumer Health Insurance Protection Act to increase affordability and competition on the ACA marketplaces March 21. No further action has been taken on it. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced the Choose Medicare Act in the U.S. Senate to provide consumers and employers the option to enroll into a newly created universal Medicare option. New Jersey became the second U.S. state to implement a statewide individual mandate pertaining to health insurance. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, every resident in New Jersey will be required to buy health insurance or will be forced to pay a penalty. President Trump signed a $1.3 trillion spending bill passed by Congress March 23. The 2,232-page spending bill included $78 billion in discretionary funding for HHS, a $10 billion increase from fiscal year 2017 level, according to a summary released by the House Appropriations Committee. 4. Medical devices and suppliers In July, the House voted to repeal the ACA's medical device tax. The 2.3 percent tax on sales of medical devices had been enacted to help pay for the ACA and set to go into effect in 2020. Rep. David McSweeney, R-Ill., and Rep. Gregory Harris, D-Ill., proposed new legislation with the potential to end cuts in payments to medical equipment providers and supplies for Medicaid patients in Illinois. House Bill 5930 addressed concerns stemming from the 10 to 50 percent cuts to reimbursements given to medical supply companies. 5. Quality and safety At his confirmation hearing, New Jersey's Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal, MD, said he'd soon introduce a mandatory adverse event reporting requirement for all surgery centers, including one-room facilities not licensed by the Department of Health. Oregon House Bill 4020 was unanimously passed March 12, allowing extended stay recovery centers in the state. Under the bill, patients can spend 48 hours recovering from procedures at an ASC. Previously, Oregon ASCs were required to discharge patients within 24 hours of admission. State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-Calif., pushed legislation that would make California the first state to require physicians to inform patients if they are on probation for wrongdoing, including sexual misconduct. Rhode Island passed legislation requiring all licensed hospitals and ASCs to implement smoke evacuation system policies for surgical procedures generating plume. Rhode Island is the first state to pass legislation tackling the issue of surgical smoke. Facilities have 90 days to notify the state's health department they've adopted policies addressing surgical smoke ventilation. Virginia legislators introduced a bill that would direct health plans to develop protocols to pay physicians for services performed once a credentialing application is received, instead of waiting until all the paperwork has been received and processed. 6. New developments Olympus Medical Systems Co., and former Olympus executive Hisao Yabe both pled guilty to failing to report adverse events related to infections connected to Olympus' duodenoscopes. Here's what you should know: 1. Olympus pled guilty to three counts and Mr. Yabe pled guilty to a single count of distributing misbranded medical devices in interstate commerce. 2. The Department of Justice fined Olympus $80 million and ordered the company to forfeit $5 million. 3. Mr. Yabe also admitted to failing to alert the FDA to the infections. Mr. Yabe was Olympus' Division Manager for the Quality and Environment Division at the time, and the company's top regulatory official. 4. Mr. Yabe could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. He'll be sentenced in March 2019. 5. Olympus admitted to failing to report adverse events in 2012 and 2013 related to its TJF-Q180V duodenoscope. Approximately 30 patients suffered from infections tied to the duodenoscope. 6. Olympus must also implement extensive compliance reforms. Olympus did not release a statement related to the settlement, but outlined the deal in a document posted online. Here are Becker's ASC Review's top 10 total joint-related articles from 2018: 1. Total joints are still booming. The Hartford Business Journal outlined the growth of outpatient orthopedic care in Connecticut and across the country. Andrew Caputo, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, told the Hartford Business Journal many procedures are being performed on an outpatient basis rather than inpatient. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons projects the number of total knee replacements performed in the U.S. will increase 189 percent to 1.3 million by 2030, and then increase to 2.6 million in 2060. By comparison, 680,000 total knee replacements were performed in 2014, according to the AAOS. 2. Total joints continue to move outpatient. There are a variety of reasons why total knee replacements are becoming outpatient procedures, according to the Healthcare Financial Management Association. For instance,payment models that push the risk to providers encourage cost reductions and better outcomes. Low cost and the opportunity to recover at home make outpatient surgery appealing to patients. Increases in standardization for total knee replacements has increased care management. 3. Surgery centers are high-quality, low-cost options. Jim Ballard, MD, and Chris Nanson, MD, the physician partners at the Beaverton-based Oregon Surgical Institute, an orthopedic ASC focused on total joint replacement, spine and pain management, discussed how the changing healthcare system is driving total joint replacement to the ASC setting with Westchester, Ill.-based Regent Surgical Health. Surgery centers are typically considered the high-quality, low-cost care site, which is one of the reasons total joint replacement is migrating to the ASC, Dr. Nanson said. 4. Data collection is imperative. Daniel Hoeffel, MD, an arthritis and joint reconstruction specialist practicing in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., area, shared his insights on the importance of data collection in outpatient arthroplasty in the ASC Association's Physician Focus newsletter. As the popularity of total joint arthroplasty increases due to economic and efficiency factors, accurate outcome and processes are needed. Measuring outcomes through standardized care pathways and achieving simple data collection from EHRs and patients should be the goal for outpatient total joint arthroplasty providers. 5. How to add total joint procedures and lower infection rates. Springfield (Ill.) Clinic's ASC and endoscopy center expanded its services to include outpatient joint replacement procedures such as total knee and shoulder replacements. The ASC also installed a Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot that is used to disinfect operating rooms. The robot works by using UV light to kill bacteria. The LightStrike robot has been shown in clinical trials to reduce the rate of infections by 46 to 100 percent. 6. Insight from a total joint surgeon. James Van Horne, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in outpatient hip and knee replacements who practices at the Grants Pass, Ore.-based Paragon Orthopedic Center, shared his thoughts on the benefits of outpatient joint surgery at ASCs with DePuy Synthes and the Johnson & Johnson Institute. Dr. Van Horne said performing outpatient total joints is beneficial for both patients and surgeons. The procedures cut costs for patients and allow them to recover faster, and they let surgeons provide quality care. 7. How many ASCs with total joints do large management companies have? The number of ASCs with total joint replacements is growing among both independent centers and ASC chains. More than 215 ASCs across the country offer total joint replacements, including at least 150 affiliated with ASC companies. 8. Compare total joint costs in ASCs vs. HOPDs. CMS released a new tool allowing patients to compare the average payment of select procedures in hospital outpatient departments and ASCs. The Procedure Price Lookup Tool shows the national averages for the amount Medicare pays an ASC or hospital, as well as the national average copayment amount a patient without Medicare supplemental insurance owes in each setting. This article lists how five orthopedic procedure costs compare in HOPDs and ASCs. 9. Key insights on outpatient joint replacement. Brian P. Flanagan, MD, an orthopedic surgeon practicing at Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Centegra Physician Care-McHenry County Orthopedics shared three insights on outpatient joint replacement surgery with the Northwest Herald. 10. Insights on physician alignment and payer negotiations for total joints. When it comes to total joints in ASCs, it is no longer a question of, "Is it possible?" but rather, "How is it reimbursed?" Here are five insights into outpatient joint surgery performed in ASCs: 1. Here's what CMS pays for six orthopedic procedures at ASCs vs. HOPDs CMS released a new tool allowing patients to compare the average payment of select procedures in hospital outpatient departments and ASCs. The Procedure Price Lookup Tool shows the national averages for the amount Medicare pays an ASC or hospital, as well as the national average copayment amount a patient without Medicare supplemental insurance owes in each setting. 2. Arthroplasty procedures can be performed safely in an ASC Research published in the Journal of Arthroplasty examined and compared the safety and outcomes of outpatient and inpatient joint arthroplasty at an ASC and a hospital. 3. Three key reasons total knee replacements are migrating to the ASC setting There are a variety of reasons why total knee replacements are becoming outpatient procedures, including payment models that push the risk to providers. These models encourage cost reductions and better outcomes. 3. Three insights on the economics and trends driving joint replacements to ASCs Jim Ballard, MD, and Chris Nanson, MD, the physician partners at the Beaverton-based Oregon Surgical Institute, an orthopedic ASC focused on total joint replacement, spine and pain management, discussed what's driving total joint replacement to the ASC setting with Westchester, Ill.-based Regent Surgical Health. 4. Three ways collaboration can help outpatient total joint programs achieve success ASCs are constantly striving to improve patient satisfaction, while confronting inventory limitations and avoiding complications. Strategic collaborations can help ASCs overcome these obstacles in the outpatient setting. 5. Outpatient shoulder surgery at ASCs is safe for Medicare patients Research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons examined the safety of outpatient shoulder surgery performed at ASCs for patients ages 65 and older. Scott Miller, MD, an orthopedic surgeon practicing at the Melbourne, Fla.-based Health First Viera Hospital, described a patient's success with outpatient knee replacement surgery in Florida Today. Here are the key details to know: 1. Dr. Miller said the trend of increasing outpatient surgery volume is ongoing as postsurgical pain management solutions improve. 2. He said one of the main reasons patients can go home so soon after outpatient surgery is that the facilities can manage pain effectively. 3. An ideal candidate for outpatient surgery is motivated and in good health, Dr. Miller said 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. Nashville-based Aspire Health is abandoning its search for a hacker that stole 124 emails in a phishing scam in September after an internal investigation determined the emails were intercepted before the hacker opened them, according to the Tennessean. A company executive was tricked by a phishing email in September into giving up his or her email account credentials to a hacker. That hacker then forwarded 124 company emails to an external account. Some of the compromised emails contained protected health information. The outpatient palliative care company said the illicit email originated from a website with an Eastern European IP address that lists Google as the registrar. Aspire sought voluntary help from Google to identify the hacker, but Google refused and told Aspire it would need a subpoena, which Aspire filed for Sept. 25. After Aspire's own investigation found that the stolen emails were never opened, the company said it is ending its legal effort to identify the hacker. Aspire dismissed its court motion to subpoena Google in late November, according to the Tennessean. Redwood Eye Center in Vallejo, Calif., notified 16,055 patients after it learned its EMR vendor IT Lighthouse experienced a ransomware attack in September. Here are four things to know: 1. IT Lighthouse hosts and stores Redwood Eye Center's EMR, and the Sept. 19 ransomware attack locked the server that stored some of the center's patient information. 2. Redwood Eye Center does not believe its patients' information was at risk of misuse, and it provided the notification out of an abundance of caution. 3. Potentially compromised information includes patient names, dates of birth, addresses, health insurance information and medical treatment information. 4. The center said it is taking steps to change its EMR vendor and enhance the security of its patient information. Pagosa Springs (Colo.) Medical Center has agreed to pay $111,400 to the HHS Office for Civil Rights and adopt a corrective action plan to settle allegations that it failed to terminate a former employee's access to protected health information held online. The settlement resolves a complaint alleging that a former employee of Pagosa Springs Medical Center continued to have remote access to the critical access hospital's web-based scheduling calendar, which contained patients' protected health information. The civil rights office's investigation determined that, as a result of this continued access, Pagosa Springs Medical Center disclosed health information of 557 patients to the former employee. The office also found that the hospital had disclosed this patient data to the scheduling calendar vendor without a business associate agreement, as required by HIPAA. Under the two-year corrective action plan, Pagosa Springs Medical Center has agreed to update its security management and business associate agreement, among other policies. "It's common sense that former employees should immediately lose access to protected patient information upon their separation from employment," OCR Director Roger Severino said. "This case underscores the need for covered entities to always be aware of who has access to their [electronic protected health information] and who doesn't." To download Pagosa Springs Medical Center's resolution agreement and corrective action plan, click here. Harrisburg, Pa.-based UPMC Pinnacle plans to close its hospital in Lancaster, Pa., early next year and transition inpatient services to another facility. The health system decided to close UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster and transition inpatient services to UPMC Pinnacle Lititz (Pa.) "after careful assessment of healthcare services in and around Lancaster County," UPMC Pinnacle said in a press release. The two hospitals are about 7 miles apart. "Moving inpatient services from UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster to UPMC Pinnacle Lititz will combine the strengths of the outstanding patient care teams from both hospitals, unifying employees and expanding UPMC's high quality of inpatient care and efficient operations in the most modern facility," said David Simons, DO, president of UPMC Pinnacle Lititz medical staff. "UPMC Pinnacle Lititz is an updated facility well-equipped to handle additional services while offering the opportunity for future expansion and growth." The transition of inpatient services from the Lancaster to the Lititz hospital will be completed by March 2019. UPMC Pinnacle said many employees affected by the closure of the Lancaster hospital will be moved into other jobs within the system, according to PennLive. More articles on healthcare finance: Partners HealthCare's annual operating income soars 489% Trinity Health gets $86M revenue boost from new hospital Private equity pushes into healthcare: 9 latest deals Burlington, Vt.-based UVM Children's Hospital gathered clinicians, patients and their families to celebrate a $1 million donation from the New England Federal Credit Union for the hospital's NICU, according to Vermont Business Magazine. The proposed renovations to the NICU would improve improve efficiency by consolidating the department on one floor. "We've come to understand the exceptional work that all of the professionals here perform, which has an impact that lasts the entire lives of these tiny patients," said John Dwyer, president and CEO of the credit union. "When we heard that they were preparing to renovate their NICU, we wanted to kick off the fundraising for the project in a significant way." Springfield (Vt.) Hospital, a nonprofit, critical access hospital, is struggling to pay its bills amid budget woes, according to VTDigger. Seven things to know: 1. The hospital's hardships reportedly have affected its employees and community members. Physicians told VTDigger they have had trouble getting supplies, with one saying he and other lab technicians have borrowed supplies from other facilities. Some also say the hospital's health insurance payments have been late. Some local businesses reportedly no longer work with the hospital, and some physicians have left the organization. Tony Masuck, a pathologist who said he is leaving the hospital Jan. 1, said of the situation: "The whole administration seems in their own little world. It's very unnerving and very frustrating." 2. The hospital's CFO, Scott Whittemore, has left. Springfield Hospital CEO Tim Ford announced the departure in a Dec. 3 letter to hospital employees, but he did not disclose a reason, according to the report. This year "has been a challenging year in many respects," Mr. Ford wrote. "We missed several of our financial targets, primarily due to declining revenues and increasing benefits and locum expenses." 3. The hospital said it expects to name a temporary CFO soon. It also expects to receive a report on its finances from independent consultant Quorum Health Resources in February or March, VTDigger reported. 4. Springfield Hospital saw an operating deficit of $3.8 million in fiscal year 2017, and its net patient revenue that year was $52 million, down from $55.9 million in fiscal year 2015 and $53.6 million in fiscal year 2016, according to the report, which cites state documents. Results for fiscal year 2018 are not yet reported. However, hospital administrators several months ago projected an operating loss of $2.5 million for fiscal year 2018. 5. Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board, which oversees the state's hospitals, is aware of Springfield Hospital's financial situation. The regulatory body told VTDigger that it does not know of any inappropriate conduct but is keeping an eye on the hospital. 6. When hospital leaders submitted the fiscal year 2019 budget to the care board, they said: "Access to the appropriate care in the appropriate setting for all residents of our service area remains paramount in our planning and our day-to-day operations. Given our difficult payer mix, challenging demographics, economic outlook, the comparatively poor health status of our residents and the ever-increasing social challenges (poverty, low educational attainment, drug use, crime, etc.), this represents a formidable challenge." 7. Anna Smith, a hospital spokesperson, told VTDigger the hospital is "working diligently to improve cash flow," and the report from Quorum "is an important part of that process." Access VTDigger's report here. More articles on healthcare finance: Texans still vulnerable to surprise medical bills despite year-old state law to prevent them More than a quarter of providers now offer text-based payment options, survey finds New York providers were overpaid nearly $33M for giving free vaccinations, audit finds Punit Soni, CEO and co-founder of Suki, an artificial intelligence, voice-enabled digital assistant for physicians, discusses how voice technology is helping decrease physician burnout as well as his predictions for how voice recognition software will affect the future clinician experience. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length. Question: Can you tell me a little bit about your background and why you first started Suki? Punit Soni: I spent eight years at Google working on diverse areas from search to mobile apps, from social to games, as well as software management for Motorola once we acquired it. Most recently, I served as head of product for Flipkart the largest e-commerce company in India. I often joke that after working in all these spaces, it's only logical I dabble in healthcare. The starting point of any company is users and their problems. Technology comes later. It's key to find a constituency that has a deep problem where the solution aligns with an incoming technology trend. I found constituency in physicians. After spending several months looking at our healthcare system, one of the problems that jumped out was clinician burnout. Q: What sparked your interest in voice recognition software for physician use? PS: Physicians work on the most important aspect of our lives our health. But between regulatory burden, documentation requirements and underlying technology they use, physicians are spending two to three hours a day just typing and entering data into their computers. I contend that physician burnout is one of the most critical public health issues we face today. Couple all this with the fact that voice technology is increasingly getting commoditized and more sophisticated by the day. This trend will have the same impact on complex enterprise data and solutions such as those in healthcare that mobile and touch interface has had in the consumer world. But, so far, voice has only been used as a speech-to-text technology. For example, verbatim conversion of what the physician says into words. The next generation of speech technology will understand what the physician says, understand intent and generate documentation, among other things, based on that understanding. This key difference between transcription and understanding is going to be the driver of a new kind of technology stack in healthcare one that is assistive yet invisible, omnipresent yet unobtrusive and, importantly, all in service of the clinician. With this, clinicians will be free to focus on doing what they love, which is taking care of their patients. Q: What are some of the ways Suki can benefit physician workflow? PS: Today's record keeping systems in healthcare were built for back-office functions and serve an administrative purpose that can diminish the physician-patient experience. Suki is a digital assistant for physicians that starts by helping with the most onerous of their administrative tasks clinical documentation. The prime focus of the company is to ensure various physician workflows are streamlined and automated based on the physician-patient interaction. Physicians using Suki in clinical practice experience an overall 70 percent reduction in the amount of time spent on medical notes, but over time, it needs to do even more. Consequently, many areas like order entry, pulling up patient data as needed and prompting helpful pieces of information as the physician goes about their work have become areas of interest. Once you have the permission to be in a physician's office with an experience that helps their workflow and saves time, it becomes possible to use healthcare technology in a way that benefits both physicians and their patients. Q: What is the most important factor that goes into designing voice recognition software? PS: Understanding your user. I contend that one of the big reasons a powerful technology company of the order of a Google or Amazon has not emerged out of healthcare is because no one has figured out how to marry the technology chops of great engineers with clinical thought process. The key part of designing a digital assistant is not just the technology, but an understanding of how physicians, our users, think. We must get into their head and think hard about what matters to them which workflows are the most complex, what are the most significant stress points, where can a voice command shortcut 10 clicks to get to the desired outcome and start from there. The other aspect is designing a simple, easy user experience. We can't lift the burden of medical documentation and replace it with the cognitive burden of learning and remembering rigid voice commands. Our voice software needs to be obvious, flexible, thoughtful and minimalistic. We should not do one more thing that is absolutely needed till we are sure it is going to add value. Q: What are your predictions for the future of automated clinical documentation? Where would you like to see the technology continue to advance? PS: In a few years, key aspects of a physician's workflow that do not deal with direct patient care will be automated, allowing the physician to focus on their core work. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Physicians want to be able to walk in and ask who they are seeing next, understand the context for that interaction, pull up data on-demand, and ask technologies like Suki to pay attention when they talk to a patient. Most of their workflows will get increasingly automated, and the resulting structured data generated will create a virtuous loop that allows the physician to let go of technology and focus on patient care. Over time, this is an opportunity to work with existing EMRs to rethink the entire health stack, such that all aspects of it are assistive, invisible and immediate. This will help physicians become more effective, but in time will seep into better patient care and outcomes. The largest, most relevant technology company ever will be built in healthcare. And it is my prediction that automated clinical documentation will be a starting point for any effort in that direction. A direction that will lead to happier physicians, healthier patients and more efficient health systems. To learn more about clinical informatics and health IT, register for the Becker's Hospital Review 2nd Annual Health IT + Clinical Leadership Conference May 2-4, 2019 in Chicago. Click here to learn more and register. To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Jackie Drees at jdrees@beckershealthcare.com. Debi Pasley, MS, BS, RN, is system senior vice president and CNO of Irving, Texas-based Christus Health, a system with more than 600 facilities, including more than 60 hospitals and long-term care facilities. She became permanent CNO in January 2017 after serving as interim CNO since August 2016. In her role, she leads nursing strategy across the system, which operates hospitals in Texas and two other U.S. states, as well as in Mexico, Chile and Colombia. Becker's caught up with Ms. Pasley to discuss the primary initiative she will focus on next year and her view on healthcare innovation. Question: What do innovators/entrepreneurs from outside healthcare need to better understand about hospital and health system leaders? Debi Pasley: Reimbursement for what we do has been and continues to diminish. We can no longer afford to expend resources on bright and shiny toys. We must prioritize our goals and not be distracted by those with a great idea or product which does not address our identified priorities. If we are to be effective stewards of the resources entrusted to us, we must stay focused and address those initiatives most important to operations and strategy. Potential innovators/entrepreneurs need to seek first to understand the need at hand. Q: What strategic initiative will demand the most of your time and energy in 2019? DP: My extraordinary team and I will spend much of our year improving upon the model of care we have developed for our acute care environments. It has shown great promise, but just having enough people at the bedside is not sufficient. We must also continue to improve upon the quality of the care we deliver and assure that our outcomes and patient experiences are on a reliably upward trajectory. That will not happen without well controlled roll-outs of the new model, careful and consistent monitoring of the performance, and course corrections as indicated. Christus is honored to serve communities and three states and four nations. Those communities deserve the safety and quality they trust us to provide. Q: Healthcare takes a lot of heat for not innovating quickly. What's your take on this? DP: Innovating quickly brings with it risk that we will harm those we serve. As tempting as it is to reach for a solution which seems to have dropped from the heavens, exercising caution to assure a robust investigation and assurance that we will cause no harm is not a responsibility we can sidestep. More articles on leadership and management: 4 areas of health policy state legislators agree on NIH director apologizes after hospital excludes patient's portrait during exhibit NYC Health + Hospitals is 'under attack' by Trump proposal, CEO says Miami-based Baptist Health South Florida and Boca Raton (Fla.) Regional Hospital signed a formal letter of intent to merge next year. The decision comes after the 400-bed Boca Raton hospital conducted a nearly two-year search for a strategic health system partner. BRRH chose Baptist Health from a list of five competitors. "Our goal was to use our success in recent years to attract other providers and establish a partnership that would enhance our capabilities and mitigate the challenges of a stand-alone hospital in a complex and evolving healthcare industry," Jerry Fedele, president and CEO of BRRH, said in a press release. With 10 hospitals and more than 100 physician offices and outpatient locations, Baptist Health is the largest nonprofit health system in south Florida. Baptist Health and BRRH intend to reach a definitive agreement early next year and expect to finalize the deal by summer. More articles on transactions and valuation: California county buys 2 hospitals to $235M Mosaic reaches final agreement to buy St. Francis Hospital in Missouri Would M&A benefit your rural hospital? 5 insights Corpus Christi, Texas-based Nueces County Hospital District voted to sell Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, also in Corpus Christi, Dec. 10, according to the Caller Times. The Nueces County Commissioners Court needs to give its final approval on Dec. 12. The sale would include the hospital and its surrounding land, as well as the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office. However, the hospital's Hector P. Garcia Memorial Family Health Center would be excluded. The report did not list appraisals for the hospital, but its surrounding land is being appraised at $4 million. While the board voted to seek bids for the hospital, the Ed Rachal Foundation, also in Corpus Christi, has surfaced as a potential buyer. Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial and the Nueces County Hospital District agreed in 2014 to demolish the hospital's main building in late 2020, according to the Caller Times. The hospital will continue to operate behavioral health services until a sale is finalized. The hospital also has a 10-bed emergency department, but often transfers patients to Christus Spohn Hospital Shoreline in Corpus Christi. More articles on transactions and valuations: Mount Sinai finalizes partnership with South Nassau Rural Connecticut residents fight hospital merger, cite broken promises by Health Quest Orlando Health takes over 170-bed Florida hospital New York City-based health insurer EmblemHealth agreed to pay New Jersey $100,000 to resolve allegations it disclosed the personal information, including Social Security numbers, of more than 6,000 residents, according to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said that under the terms of the settlement, EmblemHealth must implement significant compliance reforms aimed at safeguarding the confidential information of its policyholders. EmblemHealth's subsidiary Group Health is included in the settlement. The agreement follows New Jersey's investigation into an alleged October 2016 privacy breach involving EmblemHealth. At the time, EmblemHealth improperly displayed the Medicare Health Insurance Claim Numbers of its members in mailings, the Division of Consumer Affairs alleged. Medicare HICN numbers mirror Social Security numbers, but are being replaced with a randomly-assigned 11-character Medicare beneficiary identifier composed of numbers and uppercase letters. The breach allegedly affected 81,000 policyholders, with 6,443 of them residing in New Jersey. More articles on payers: CMS' final rule on risk adjustment payments: 3 things to know BCBS of Wyoming customers overcharged due to banking error ACA plan enrollment falls 11%: 3 things to know The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak hit 500 cases this week, according to an Dec. 11 update from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at Minneapolis-based University of Minnesota. Here are three things to know: 1. Of these cases, 452 are confirmed and 48 are suspected. The outbreak has also caused 289 deaths, 241 of which are confirmed. Congo health officials said they are investigating another 80 people for suspected infections. 2. Health officials are still having trouble identifying transmission chains in Congo. Of five new Ebola cases identified Dec. 8, only two occurred in known contacts of other Ebola patients. "Particular challenges lie in investigating new confirmed cases without clear epidemiological links to other cases," the WHO regional office said in a Dec. 11 update, adding that contact tracing still proves difficult due to insecurity and continued community resistance. 3. As of Dec. 11, health workers have vaccinated 44,447 people with Merck's experimental Ebola vaccine. The WHO said it has 4,290 doses left in its stockpile for the city of Beni, which has been the outbreak's epicenter. About 30 percent of the 119 cases confirmed between Nov. 18 and Dec. 8 occurred in Beni. Patients discharged around Christmas may have a higher risk of mortality or readmission compared to those discharged in November or January, according to a study published in the BMJ. For the study, researchers examined data on 217,305 patients discharged from hospitals in Ontario, Canada, between 2002-16. Researchers focused on discharges that occurred during the two-week holiday period encompassing Christmas and New Year's Day. They also analyzed data on 453,641 patients discharged in the last two weeks of November and January. Here are four study findings: 1. Patients discharged during the holidays demonstrated a higher risk of death and readmission within the next seven, 14 or 30 days. Those discharged during the holiday season were also less likely to attend follow-up appointments. Only 36.3 percent of patients discharged during the holidays had a follow-up within seven days, compared to 47.8 percent of patients discharged in November and January. "We did see a big drop off in follow-up visits during this period of time and that could explain why the patients do worse," study author Lauren Lapointe-Shaw, MD, a general internist at Toronto General Hospital, told Reuters. 2. Researchers noted this difference could be due to understaffing or patients wanting to make an appointment after the holidays. 3. Overall, there were 2,999 fewer follow-up appointments, 26 more deaths, 188 extra hospital admissions and 483 extra emergency department visits per 100,000 patients discharged during the holiday season. 4. Researchers said healthcare providers should take staffing shortages into consideration when planning for the holiday season. "They need to pay a bit of extra attention to people being discharged over the holidays," Dr. Lapointe-Shaw told Reuters. "Maybe providers need to do a little bit more to make sure follow-up appointments are made and coordination takes place." Bethlehem, Pa.-based St. Luke's University Health Network has already seen seven flu-related hospitalizations this season, all of which occurred among individuals who skipped their flu shots, according to The Morning Call. Jeffrey Jahre, MD, senior vice president of medical and academic affairs at St. Luke's, said some patients needed to be put on a ventilator or a heart-lung machine. "We've seen that every year," he told The Morning Call. "Almost inevitably, people who have gotten the vaccine rarely have the very severe complications in comparison to people who have not gotten the vaccine." The Pennsylvania Department of Health received 122,000 reports of flu during the 2017-18 flu season, and 258 people died, including seven children. This figure marks the highest death toll since the state began recording flu rates. Employees of a hospital that sustained significant damage during the California Camp Fire in November now face uncertainty as leaders determine next steps, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report. Feather River Hospital in Paradise, Calif., was partially destroyed in the deadly wildfire. The 101-bed hospital, operated by Roseville Calif.-based Adventist Health, plans to rebuild, but details of what that will look like and where rebuilding will occur remain unclear. About 1,000 hospital employees don't yet know what work opportunities will still be in the area and how they will move forward, according to the Chronicle. More decisions from leadership are expected soon. "We dont have it all figured out yet," Adventist Health CEO Scott Reiner told employees, according to the Chronicle. "But every day we're getting close to understanding what to do next. This is a long journey, and it will be for all of us." The report states some hospital workers have applied to work at other nearby Adventist facilities, others are leaving California after challenges finding area housing, and many expect to be unemployed. Adventist Health reportedly has agreed to pay all employees' full salaries through Feb. 5, and employees will have health benefits at least through May. Access the Chronicle's full report here. Olympia (Wash.) Orthopaedic Associates launched new opioid protocol to educate residents and limit the number of prescriptions written, according to Gray's Harbor Talk. Here are the three steps: 1. The Bree Collaborative This was established in 2011 by the Washington State Legislature. A pain management standard was created for various procedures performed at Olympia Orthopaedic Associates, including hip replacements. 2. Alternatives to opioids for pain management Surgeons at Olympia Orthopaedic Associates are looking at other ways to manage patients' pain, including non-narcotic therapies. Physicians utilize acupuncture and massage therapy. 3. Proper disposal of narcotics Olympia Orthopaedic Associates is educating staff and patients on the correct way to dispose unused opioids, such as delivering them to police stations and local pharmacies. Here are nine orthopedic surgeons making headlines. David A. Padden, MD, opened a new orthopedic practice with Tenet Florida Physician Services in Boca Raton. Beebe Medical Foundation bestowed its philanthropy award upon Wilson Choy, MD. Christina Care's Center for Advanced Joint Replacement at Wilmington (Del.) Hospital orthopedic surgeon James Rubano, MD, performed free hip replacement surgery on a local patient Dec. 4 through the hospital's partnership with Operation Walk USA. FundamentalVR welcomed orthopedic surgeon Claudette Lajam, MD, to its global medical panel. Jamestown (N.D.) Regional Medical Center orthopedic surgeon Timothy Volk, DO, began seeing patients in Valley City, N.D. Watford, N.D.-based McKenzie County Healthcare System welcomed Ravindra Joshi, MD. Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) and Lt. Gov.-elect Jeanette Nunez (R-Fla.) appointed orthopedic surgeon Andrew Borom, MD, to the Transition Advisory Committee on Health and Wellness. Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston orthopedic surgeon Vani Sabesan, MD, changed her patient-physician approach to surgery to curb opioid dependency among the elderly. New Albany, Ohio-based Joint Implant Surgeons' Adolph Lombardi, Jr., MD, spoke with Becker's Spine Review about Operation Walk USA. Johnathan Krystal, MD, is an orthopedic spine surgeon and clinical instructor of orthopedics at New York-based Montefiore Health System. He joined the hospital's orthopedic surgery department in August 2018 and specializes in spine treatment. Dr. Krystal completed a fellowship in spine surgery at Rothman Institute at Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia and focuses his research on advanced technologies for spinal diseases. Here he discusses the biggest trends for early-career spine surgeons. Question: What are the biggest concerns for your practice today? Dr. Jonathan Krystal: The short answer is my patients. I think all young surgeons come out of training excited and eager to use their skills and knowledge to help their patients not only feel better but also to improve quality of life. Treatment of spinal disorders is complex. My primary goals with my patients are to make sure they understand their health issue, can comfortably participate in joint decision-making to improve their health, and to help facilitate recovery. I find the actual surgery to be the most straightforward aspect of my work. The surgical decision making and long-term care requirements for each person are not as straightforward each person has different needs and life goals that must be considered. Q: What are you most excited about in terms of technology advancement in the spine space? Where do you see the best opportunity for growth? JK: This is a very exciting time to be in spine surgery. There have been major advances in implants and imaging over the past few years, but for me, the most exciting changes on the horizon involve robotics and robotic assisted surgery. Right now there is a growing base of technology being refined regarding robotic technologies. I think that as robotic surgery becomes even better, it will allow us to perform more complex surgeries faster, with smaller incisions and quicker recoveries. Q: Where do you see your practice growing or evolving in the next five years? What is the next step or evolution in your career? JK: I think over the next five years we're going to see the evolution of the multidisciplinary spine team. Many spinal disorders can be successfully treated without surgery, and in order to treat all patients in the most effective way, a team of physicians including surgeons, pain specialists and physiatrists need to work together to help guide people to the most appropriate care. The Spine Center at Montefiore is a leading example of how a multidisciplinary approach to care provides individualized and appropriate treatment options. As we continue to build and grow, I believe our patients will continue to benefit from individualized care plans to achieve their best outcome. To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com. For a deeper dive into the future of spine, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-5, 2019. Click here to learn more and register. J. Brian Gill, MD, is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon at Nebraska Spine Hospital in Omaha. He has a special interest into deformity conditions, minimally invasive procedures and disc replacement. Here, Dr. Gill discusses three observations about the healthcare industry and predicts the biggest opportunity for growth next year. Question: What are the 3 biggest business / healthcare trends you expect to affect your practice in 2019? Dr. Brian Gill: A. Over the past year, patients have had a greater responsibility for out-of-pocket expenses for medical care, with higher deductible plans becoming more of the norm to offset rising premiums. This is only going to continue for the foreseeable future as employers try to offset their costs by pushing their employees into these type of plans. Additionally, insurers are promoting these plans to employers and consumers as it shifts the risk to the patient to make the decision. B. Bundled-payments continue to gain traction as Medicare has launched a program for hospitals in an attempt to control costs. There is more pressure to be more vertically integrated in an attempt to control costs from start to finish for procedural episodes such as spine surgery. Ongoing reports show independent practices are continuing to dwindle as healthcare systems drive to control costs and gain market share. As a partner in an independent practice, we have to continue to work with our healthcare systems to provide value with mutual strategic goals and alliances. C. This year, more than any other year that I can remember, insurers have taken longer to approve procedures and imaging. There has been a greater burden of proof placed on providers to show documentation of medical records, which can be difficult to obtain at times. Additionally, the number of modalities necessary to be done has placed an undue burden on patients wasting time and money. I only see this trend continuing as insurers place roadblocks up for patients and providers. Q: Where do you see the best opportunities to grow? BG: Any progressive practice is always searching for continued growth in services, volume, revenue, etc. A status quo practice is one which gets passed by. From a service standpoint, we are looking at adding new services that can continue to allow us to be a comprehensive spine practice. For example, we are developing telemedicine outreach clinics and weight loss clinics to address our outreach patients and obese patients, respectively, to name a few. In order to increase volume, we are developing strategies to be more efficient in how we use our physician extenders. Additional outreach clinics within the community and in rural markets are under consideration as well. We continue to develop relationships with other providers in our community and how to best treat their respective patients. These initiatives help to drive revenue towards the practice. It is also important to keep expenses in check when developing new service lines or clinics as this can hurt the profitability of the practice. I am an eternal optimist, so I am hopeful that 2019 will be better than 2018. We will continue to do what is right for the patients that we serve. To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com. For a deeper dive into the future of spine, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-5, 2019. Click here to learn more and register. Fayetteville-based Washington Regional's Northwest Arkansas Neuroscience Institute welcomed neurosurgeon Daniel Shepherd, MD. Here are three details: 1. Dr. Shepherd specializes in cranial and complex spine surgery. 2. He is a member of the North American Association of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. 3. After earning his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Dr. Shepherd completed his residency and underwent enfolded complex spine fellowship training at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. A Northern Ireland man was rewarded with a year's supply of free coffee after he waited for over 14 hours to be the first person through the new Tim Hortons drive-through at Connswater Shopping Centre. Dedicated Michael Kane from Dundonald was rewarded for the long wait with a years supply of free Tim Hortons coffee - two cups a day for a whole year. The first 50 people through both the restaurant and drive-through were given free lunches following the official opening at 12pm on Wednesday, December 12. Hundreds lined up for the opening of the chain's first drive restaurant in Northern Ireland. We are thrilled to see such a great response to the opening of our first drive through restaurant in Belfast, Northern Ireland at Connswater retail park," said Kevin Hydes, chief finance and commercial officer of the UK Tim Hortons franchise. "This is our second restaurant in Belfast and it is great to see so many people enjoying our famous brewed coffee, delicious baked goods and freshly-prepared food. We look forward to welcoming the local community to our restaurant. Hotelier Lawrence Kenwright, who has hit out at Belfast City Council Secretary of State Karen Bradley joins PA Consulting to announce 400 new jobs in September Belfast has been named the world's most business-friendly small city by the Financial Times. Belfast has been ranked number one in a list of 10 small to mid-sized world cities for business friendliness in the report by fDi Intelligence, a service run by the FT. It's also ranked number two for its overall receptiveness in attracting overseas investment, just behind Zurich in Switzerland. However, it is only given a middle-ranking in a list of cities with the most economic potential, with locations including Luxembourg and Geneva pulling ahead. Belfast's high ranking for business friendliness comes just days after Liverpool developer Lawrence Kenwright issued an open letter to the city council, accusing it of a "system of anti-development", which he claimed was damaging Belfast and Northern Ireland's economy. Mr Kenwright, who is behind the 15m George Best Hotel and two other proposed hotel projects in the city, said he will cut his planned investment in the city from 80m to 40m. He claimed his company's relationship with Belfast City Council had "turned into a living nightmare". Significantly, the efforts of Invest NI appear to have helped Belfast leapfrog New York and Frankfurt to be recognised for its strategy in attracting foreign direct investment. The report from fDi Intelligence acknowledged Invest NI's offices in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Recent successes in attracting inward investment includes global outfit PA Consulting's announcement of 400 new jobs in September, with US-based cybersecurity firm Imperva announcing 220 jobs for the city earlier this month. In June, Cork native Darragh McCarthy announced an Invest NI-backed plan to create 605 jobs over the next five years in Belfast and Londonderry for his company FinTrU. Meanwhile, fDi Intelligence added: "The city council employs more than 100 people to promote Belfast as a leading destination for investment, tourism and study, and enjoys sister city networks with Boston, Nashville and Shenyang." It further describes the 100m of office space developed since 2015, with a further 100m currently under construction. The FT service also acknowledged recent web innovations, set up to aid development. "Developers and those applying for planning permission can also access VU.City, a digital 3D model that gives interactive views of Belfast and can inform pre-planning application discussions," it said. Steve Harper, executive director for international business at Invest NI, said: "Northern Ireland continues to attract global businesses and over the past five years has created more jobs from inward investment than any other region in the UK on a per capita basis. "This is testament to the skills and talents of our workforce." Cllr Donal Lyons, who chairs Belfast City Council's City Growth and Regeneration Committee, added: "It reflects our commitment to attracting inward investment as part of our Belfast Agenda goal of growing the economy and also working with Invest NI to complement their work in attracting foreign direct investment to the region." Exports from Northern Ireland to Britain fell by 20% last year, while sales to the Republic increased by 16%, new economy data has revealed. Sales to GB dropped for the first time on record by 2.9bn to 11.3bn in 2017. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) said the slump in sales was driven by a substantial fall in sales in the manufacturing sub sector of food, beverages and tobacco. The fall meant the total value of export sales by Northern Ireland firms fell 10.1% last year to 21.4bn, down from last years record high of 23.8bn. Meanwhile exports to the Republic increased by 540m or 16.2% over the year to 3.9bn, the highest figure since the survey began in 2011. The report states that "Ireland remains our single largest export market". Exports to rest of EU fell by 269m (12.1%) to 2.0bn, while sales to the rest of the world increased by 195m (4.8%) over the year, to 4.3bn. Total sales by companies in Northern Ireland were estimated to be worth 66.6bn in 2017, down 1.1bn on 2016 (1.7%). Within Northern Ireland, sales increased by 1.3bn to 45.2bn, up 2.9% over the year the highest since the survey began in 2011. Meanwhile Northern Ireland recorded the highest rate of GVA growth per head in the UK last year. Gross value added (GVA), which measures of the value of goods and services produced in an area, industry or sector of an economy, rose 3.1% in 2017, compared with 2.9% in England, 2.7% in Wales and 2.8% in Scotland. The figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed a disparity between council areas in parts of Northern Ireland. Causeway Coast and Glens saw 8.9% real GVA growth last year, while Mid and East Antrim fell 7%. Economist Richard Ramsey said he believed the data reflected the impact of the closure of the JTI tobacco plant in Ballymena. Loans approved for small and medium enterprises in Northern Ireland totalled 415m in the three months to the end of September. The figures, released by UK Finance, formed part of 69,980 new loans and overdrafts worth 7bn which were approved in the UK during the third quarter of 2018. The banking and finance analyst found that lenders approved eight out of 10 applications for SME finance in the UK, though it was higher here. Finance partner at Arthur Cox in Belfast Stuart Mansfield said: "The level of borrowing illustrates that, while demand for finance remains subdued since the peak levels experienced prior to the second quarter in 2016, the appetite of SMEs to invest and grow their businesses remains steady despite ongoing uncertainty regarding Brexit and the future trading landscape. "This is reflective of what our finance team is observing in the marketplace." He added: "There were 2,438 new loans approved over the period and, although the value is marginally lower than the corresponding three months in 2017, the figure is the highest quarterly total recorded this year. "The real estate sector received the highest total value of loans, amounting to 124m, which represented a 53% rise on the previous quarter and was 17% up on the corresponding period last year. "Overall, 92% of loans were approved for Northern Ireland-based SMEs, which compared to 8 out of 10 applications being given the green light across the UK as a whole." Northern Ireland hit a record 765,880 people in the workplace during September, new labour market data has shown Northern Ireland hit a record 765,880 people in the workplace during September, new labour market data has shown. However, a leading economist has said that while the private sector is producing a considerable number of jobs here, the low levels of economic output suggest a sector more focused on quantity than quality. Northern Ireland's unemployment rate fell slightly to 3.9% for the three months to the end of October, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), equivalent to 34,000 people, or 2,000 fewer than the previous quarter. The employment rate also fell over the quarter to 68.7%, with 18,000 more people now considered economically inactive compared to the data from May to July. Northern Ireland hit a record low unemployment rate of 3.1% in the first quarter of 2018. Ulster Bank's chief economist Richard Ramsey said despite a significant reduction in public sector employment, there are now 33,000 more jobs in the labour market here than in the pre-recession peak of mid-2008. "Northern Ireland's private sector has been growing continuously for 17 quarters (since June 2014). "Over that period, private industry has generated a net gain of 77,000 jobs. That's an average of 4,500 jobs per quarter over the last four-and-a-bit years. "Impressive stuff until you consider what has been happening to output. As of Q2 2018, private sector output was still over 3% below where it was a decade ago. This is despite the fact that there are an additional 44,000 jobs contributing to this output. "Clearly this highlights that Northern Ireland's job machine is producing quantity rather than quality." He said 40% of the job gains this year have been within the accommodation, food, wholesale and retail trade. "Traditionally these are low paid and low productivity sectors," he said. "Over eight times as many jobs were created in these sectors as compared with new positions in higher productivity and higher wage sectors." The economist said while huge strides had been made in high productivity sectors ranging from cyber-security to advanced manufacturing and financial services and added: "We simply need more of these types of jobs." Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses in Northern Ireland, Tina McKenzie, said the figures reflected "a rebalancing of the economy", with private sector jobs replacing those lost in the public sector. However, she said the lack of a functioning Executive left Northern Ireland struggling to introduce "targeted action" to address the province's historically high levels of economic inactivity. Thousands queued outside the new Primark store in Castle Street, Belfast city centre. Belfast is poised for a 5m Christmas cash injection now that Primark has reopened in the city centre, a leading economist has said. Festive shoppers have welcomed its new smaller store with open arms. The retailer said more than 15,000 people queued up to get into the Castle Street premises in its first three days of trading. But industry experts have told the Belfast Telegraph that at least 30,000 customers are likely to have visited the store from Saturday to Monday - with that figure expected to hit 50,000 by the end of the week. Primark's return to the city centre at Commonwealth House last Saturday brought an end to a three-month hiatus following a devastating fire at its flagship store in Bank Buildings. The blaze, which raged for three days, subsequently forced nearby shops to close, while other businesses struggled with a catastrophic drop in footfall. Now Primark's new four-floor store, which covers 26,700 sq ft, has been welcomed by Northern Ireland Retail Consortium director Aodhan Connolly. "The opening of the new Primark store seems to have gone down very successfully and was a huge hit with our shoppers," Mr Connolly said. "This is a really good omen with less than 15 shopping days to Christmas. We hope this translates into sales, not only for Primark but for the traders in the area. And while everything is being done by the shops in the city centre, it is now over to the shoppers." Fans of the store travelled from all over Northern Ireland and queued from 4.45am to visit the new outlet, situated just around the corner from its former site at the 118-year-old Bank Buildings. Primark said: "While we're not in a position to disclose the total number of customers who have visited the Castle Street store, during the course of the past three days approximately 15,000 customers queued to enter the store at various stages." Industry insiders have said the bargain retailer will be "extremely pleased" with its trading performance so far. Economist John Simpson said he believes the store is likely to generate 2.5m in turnover each week in the immediate future. "Primark's reopening will be worth around 5m in terms of household expenditure to the city centre economy in the run-up to Christmas," he said. "Things are looking up but it's a long way short of being a buzzing city centre. Although it has improved, the main business in Belfast is now taking place in the outskirts in places like in Newtownabbey and Forestside." A new temporary walkway reconnecting Royal Avenue to Donegall Place opened on December 3 and has also proved to be a timely boost for the city centre retail sector, with Belfast One BID (Belfast Improvement District) confirming that it has attracted one fifth more people into the area. "Footfall in Belfast city centre is up 21.5% since the new walkway opened," managing director Clare Maguire said. Belfast City Council said that Saturday was the busiest day last week, with 200,974 visitors recorded across the city centre, according to their data. It is now hoped that the new Primark store, which can be accessed from the west side of the city centre, coupled with the newly-built walkway, will help restore footfall during the festive period and beyond. Irish department store chain Guineys also opened for the first time last week, offering a timely fillip to the city centre ahead of Christmas. McDonald's, Argento, Skechers and Spar all resumed trading earlier in the week. Zara, Tesco Metro and British Heart Foundation remain closed however. They are unlikely to reopen until at least Easter. Next spring, Primark is planning to open a second store in Belfast city centre at Donegall Place, where the retailer's first Belfast store opened in 1975. The chief executive of Independent News & Media (INM) has said the company will ask Irish High Court inspectors to examine allegations that hard drives and emails of editors and other senior staff were searched without their permission. Michael Doorly told a staff meeting at the group's Dublin headquarters yesterday that he was "deeply concerned" about the allegations. INM publishes a number of leading titles, including the Belfast Telegraph. It has been alleged Mr Doorly's predecessor Robert Pitt ordered a search of hard drives and emails of up to six editors after details of an internal memo were published in The Phoenix magazine. Mr Pitt has declined to comment on the claims, outlined in a letter sent by IT consultant Derek Mizak to the data protection commissioner. 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 staff. 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 was prompted by protected disclosures by Mr Pitt and INM chief financial officer Ryan Preston, and led to the appointment of High Court inspectors to the company in September. Mr Doorly said INM was now going to suggest to the inspectors that they investigate Mr Mizak's claims. Last week, mum and I had the privilege of being invited to visit Paul's Parlour. No, that's not the kidney kitchen I've been talking about, but the Mayoral pad of Councillor Paul Michael who is Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey. Just after my renal appointment at Belfast City Hospital, mum and I hot-footed it to Antrim to meet Paul who has been so generous in his support for local kidney patients through a donation to Kidney Care UK. We were there to say a special thank-you for his support and to talk to him about the needs of kidney patients. It was lovely to meet a councillor who cares, to present him with a 'thank-you' certificate and to take the time to talk to Paul about our own experiences and the many challenges and medical miracles experienced by kidney patients right across Northern Ireland. Thank-you Mr Mayor - we are looking forward to linking up again in the New Year! Earlier in the day, while we were at the renal unit, we also delivered some presents to the nurses and wonderful staff who care for me throughout the year. We wanted to say a very festive 'thank-you' and to pass on our Christmas greetings as my next appointment will be a few days after Christmas Day. This just goes to show once again that these amazing 'superheroes' work right throughout Christmas and are constantly deserving of our praise and admiration. Meanwhile, given all the debate which has been brewing around Brexit, I thought I would take a short break in Donegal over the weekend and ended up enjoying a relaxing seaweed bath as well as proving that seamless borders help to break down barriers in so many different ways. Regular readers of my column will know that I've raised the potential implications of Brexit for dialysis and transplant patients. This is a crucial issue for patients across the country given the fact that, while travelling across the EU, people receiving dialysis treatment have the ability to get that life-saving procedure because of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) arrangements. The 29,000 and more dialysis patients across the country can't just skip out a session or leave longer times between them because it is literally a matter of life and death. The EHIC makes travelling inside Europe possible because it ensures continuous treatment as renal units are reimbursed - this helps patients to travel for both holidays and, for many, to continue to work. In all the political clamour for a solution it must be remembered that patients should retain the right to travel and receive their treatment just as they do under the current arrangements. I know that so many people are working hard to make sure that this is the case but it would be a travesty if we were to look back on something which patients take for granted now, only to realise that it was no longer there. Closer to home, a massive thank-you to everyone who packed out St Mark's Church in Portadown on Friday night to hear the uplifting voices of the choir under the expert baton of Gordon Speers. This was the 21st annual service in the church and this year was in aid of mum's charity, Kidney Care UK, and the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance. From Handel's Messiah to the Twelve Days of Christmas, everyone was treated to a festive sprinkling of Christmas cheer and all in aid of two worthy causes. Thank-you Gordon and everyone involved for thinking of kidney patients - it really does mean the world to us! Long-range weather forecasts are predicting snow could fall in Northern Ireland this side of Christmas. However, the snow shovel and tyre chains might not be required just yet. The Met Office forecast for the next two weeks show snow possibly hitting some more mountainous parts of the country, but with mild conditions remaining in most areas. The period between December 15 and Christmas Eve will have more blustery conditions, with rain and colder temperatures moving east gradually across the UK. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, meteorologist Craig Snell said: "For the rest of this week things will be on the mild side for temperatures at this time of year. There wont be any snow for the rest of the week. Generally for Northern Ireland it will be rain. "Going into the week before Christmas it looks like it will become more unsettled. There is a chance with some odd spell of snow in the Mournes and the Sperrins. "It's still a little bit too early to say for certain what is going to happen in the lead up to Christmas, from 21 December onward, the most likely scenario is we continue with this unsettle regime, with temperatures hovering around normal for this time of year." Mr Snells said the chances were "fairly low" there would be snow lying in residential areas in this timeframe, but said chances of this would increase in the New Year. According to figures gathered by the Guardian, there have been 14 white Christmases in Northern Ireland since the start of the 1960s. The warmest Christmas on record in Northern Ireland came in 2016, when the mercury hit a high of 14.8C in the Newforge area of Belfast. Coldest temperatures came in 2010, when a freezing -17.5C was recorded in Hillsborough, where snow of a depth of 17cm was also recorded. The UK-wide forecast from Met Office for the coming weeks reads: "There could be some snow where the colder air meets the wet weather, most likely over the hills in the north, but it may fall to lower levels in places too. "Thereafter, the weather is likely to be changeable and often windy and cloudy, with showers or longer spells of rain at times. "Any snow is most likely on high ground in the north. During the following week,there may be some drier spells for a time with more sunshine, but clearer colder nights would lead to some night frost. "Overall, temperatures are likely to be around normal for the time of year." An "improvised weapon" discovered after a security alert in west Belfast was aimed at police, but could easily have led to members of the public being killed, the PSNI has said. The device found in the Upper Dunmurry Lane area was made safe by Army bomb disposal experts and taken away for further examination. The alert caused significant traffic disruption and some residents were evacuated from their homes at one point. PSNI 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 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. 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." 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 mouth of Christmas. "If anyone has any information they should bring it forward to the police." Officers from the Terrorism Investigation Unit have commenced an investigation and are appealing for anyone who may have noticed any suspicious activity in the Upper Dunmurry Lane area in the past number of days to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference 363 10/12/18. Information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous. A former resident of a children's home in south Belfast who claims she was subjected to cruelty by the woman in charge said she was struck so hard on the head she thought her "brains were going to fall out", a court heard yesterday. The woman, who is now 53, spent all of her childhood in care which included a period in Bawnmore Children's Home. At the time the complainant was a resident in the mid-70s, the home was run by Ruth Colvin. Described as "matron", "house mother" or "auntie", she has been accused of, and denies, attacking the then-youngster on a number of occasions. In a trial which started earlier this week at Belfast Crown Court, Colvin - who is 75 and formerly of Glendhu Manor but now residing in a nursing home in the east of the city - has been charged with six separate counts of child cruelty between September 1974 and December 1976. The wheelchair-bound pensioner has denied all the charges levelled against her. In her second day in the witness box, the former resident said she was beaten by Colvin with a wooden Scholl sandal and with a stick. She also claimed that Colvin pulled her hair and told her things like "you won't be a blue-eyed dolly". The Belfast woman told the jury of nine men and three women that what Colvin said to her as a child still haunts her. Claiming she was beaten with shoes and sticks, the woman said: "It's not even the hitting, it's what she said to me. "I've travelled round the world, I've been to different places and her voice haunted me," she added. Under cross-examination by David McDowell QC, the barrister who is representing the defendant, the woman was asked about an alleged assault in a laundry room. She replied: "I got hit on the head with a Scholl sandal. "I got hit that hard my nose bled and I thought my brains were going to fall out." The woman denied suggestions by the defence that she was making things up and confirmed she had a criminal conviction linked to chequebook fraud dating back to 1996. When it was pointed out to her that there were inconsistencies between various statements and allegations she made, she admitted she was "a wee bit sketchy" when it came to specific dates, but insists the assaults did occur. At hearing. A High Court battle is looming over attempts by nine retired Northern Ireland police officers to secure hearing loss payments. The Northern Ireland Policing Board has commenced judicial review proceedings after a medical expert decided they met the criteria. Proceedings due to get underway today were put on hold for more information to be provided. The officers sought injury on duty pension awards, claiming they suffered hearing loss while employed on the force. Their applications were initially refused following an assessment by a medical officer, the court heard. But the ex-policemen successfully appealed that determination to an independent medical referee. That determination has now prompted a judicial review challenge by the Policing Board. According to the authority, which provides oversights of the PSNI, there was an error in law around the independent medical referee's decision. The case centres on the criteria applied and interpretations of a Home Office circular. Lawyers for the retired officers claim the bar has been raised for meeting the test to secure a hearing loss payment. Six of the nine are legally represented in the case. They have been given anonymity due to issues around their medical and service records. Following exchanges with the parties, Mr Justice McCloskey requested more information on the legal status of a Home Office circular and Policing Board web page linked to the case. The judge agreed to adjourn the hearing until next April. Prosecutors claimed Thompson flashed his lights at officers from across the border A banned motorist allegedly "taunted" police when he crossed into the Republic of Ireland during a pursuit near the border, the High Court heard today. Prosecutors claimed Alan Thompson flashed his lights at officers after driving erratically and narrowly missing a group of people outside a Co Tyrone bar. Thompson denies involvement in the incident earlier this month, claiming he was with an unnamed married woman at the time. The 32-year-old labourer, of no fixed abode in the Castlederg area, is charged with driving while disqualified and two counts each of dangerous driving and failing to stop for police. During a bail application Crown lawyer Mark Farrell alleged Thompson was behind the wheel of a pickup truck observed by a police patrol in Strabane late on December 2. He said the vehicle took off, mounting a pavement and just missing patrons of a nearby pub. Police followed the truck until it crossed a bridge into Lifford, Co Donegal, the court was told. It was claimed that officers spotted it for a second time on the Listymore Road in Castlederg as they travelled to an address linked to Thompson. Mr Farrell claimed the driver of the vehicle ignored sirens, swerving erratically into the middle of the road. At that point police backed off from the pursuit amid concerns for public safety. According to the prosecution Thompson again crossed into the Republic, stopping just 300 metres into the Republic and flashing his indicator lights. "The police view is that the applicant was taunting them, saying 'You can't get me'," Mr Farrell contended. "Police could do nothing." Thompson was arrested three days later, but denied being the driver of the truck. "He gave an alibi, saying he was with a married woman," Mr Farrell added. Defence counsel Craig Patton explained that Thompson has not yet provided her name due to her marital status. "It's hopeful she will make a statement outlining that they were in town, they had some drinks and went back to her house," he said. Granting bail, the judge ordered lodgment of a 5,000 cash surety being offered by Thompson's boss. The accused must also abide by a curfew, electronic monitoring and alcohol ban. DUP MP Ian Paisley apologising to the House of Commons for failing to register two family holidays funded by the Sri Lankan government (PA) DUP MP Ian Paisley has denied any wrongdoing after he was given a complimentary holiday at a luxury Maldives resort months after advocating on behalf of its Government, according to new evidence. The evidence - obtained by BBC NI Spotlight's Lyndsey Telford - suggests the visit was requested by the Maldivian Government and facilitated by the resort owner, who had political links. Read More Last night's programme examined whether the MP should have declared the holiday in 2016. He said he paid for part of the holiday and the rest was paid for by a friend. Mr Paisley did not reveal the identity of this friend. He said the friend was unconnected with his work and has received no benefit as a result of his work. Read More The MP was recently suspended from the Commons for 30 sitting days for serious misconduct after he failed to declare two family holidays to Sri Lanka in 2013. Mr Paisley, his wife and his two sons received the full-board five-day stay at the luxury Maldives resort in October and November 2016, eight months after he was part of a controversial parliamentary visit to the islands. Gavin Millar QC, an expert on parliamentary rules, told Spotlight the Nolan principles on standards in public life place an onus on Mr Paisley to be transparent about why he has not registered the trip to the Maldives. Mr Millar added: "MPs should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands. "Now his decision in this case, his decision was not to register the benefit, after the trip in late 2016, and he has an obligation to give reasons for that decision. "My judgment in this instance, given the issues that have been raised, is that unless he can come up with some wider public interest argument for not saying more, he should be saying significantly more about any considerations that are relevant to the motive of that source in paying that money." Expand Close BBC Spotlights Lyndsey Telford in the Maldives / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp BBC Spotlights Lyndsey Telford in the Maldives Mr Paisley has been contacted by Spotlight about Mr Millar's comments but has not responded. In a statement to Spotlight yesterday, Mr Paisley said: "I have responded in clear and categoric terms to your questions. "For the record, the Government of the Maldives did not organise or pay for my family vacation in 2016, which I do not intend to go into with you. I'm satisfied the vacation did not have to be recorded on the register." Mr Paisley visited the Maldives in February 2016 with two other MPs from an All-Party Parliamentary Group. At the time the Maldives Government, headed by President Abdulla Yameen, was being criticised by organisations including the United Nations and the Commonwealth for human rights abuses. Mr Paisley, however, appeared to advocate on behalf of the regime, speaking out against economic sanctions. With the other two MPs, he also visited the prison where opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed had been held, and described the conditions as quite luxurious. Later that year Mr Paisley travelled to the Maldives again for a holiday with his wife and two children. Spotlight's evidence, including an image which appears to be from the resort's internal records provided to the programme by an anonymous source, suggests that full board and transfers were provided complimentarily at the request of Mr Yameen's Government and facilitated by the resort owner, Hussain Hilmy. Mr Hilmy is a former minister in the Maldives Government and has held a number of other important public posts. Gavin Millar QC said that if, as Spotlight's documentary evidence suggests, the benefit was requested by the Maldives Government and facilitated by Mr Hilmy, Mr Paisley should not have accepted it. "But having accepted it, he certainly should have registered it undoubtedly," he said. "There are very strict rules about lobbying and creating an interest for yourself that may be perceived as lobbying. The moment you know these facts, that are disclosed in this document, the perception is that this is a reward for him having advocated for the Maldives Government." Mr Paisley has denied that the trip was connected with the Government of the Maldives. Last week he told Spotlight that he had discussed the holiday in the Maldives with the parliamentary commissioner for standards Kathryn Stone during her investigation into his Sri Lanka holidays. Mr Paisley claimed that as a consequence of that conversation, he had satisfied himself that he did not need to register the holiday. After Spotlight contacted the commissioner's office, Mr Paisley got in touch with Spotlight again to clarify that he had not spoken to the commissioner as he had claimed. He said he had in fact spoken to the parliamentary registrar, who administers the register of members' interests. Mr Millar QC said the registrar's role was limited. "The one thing they can give you as an MP is a clear account of what the rules require and what they don't require. But I understand that is as far as they will go. They will not give a licence to an MP not to declare in a particular situation nor will they say you must declare in a particular situation. "That's not how the code works. The way the code works is that it is ultimately always a matter for the MP." Mr Paisley also told Spotlight he had evidence which, he said, "categorically disproves that the trip was connected to the Government". Two emails from contacts linked to the regime and the resort. The first was from Ahmed Shiaan, who was the Maldivian Ambassador to the UK at the time of the visit. He said the holiday had not been arranged by the embassy or paid for by the Government of the Maldives. Mr Paisley also sent Spotlight an email from the resort's commercial operating officer, Andrew Ashmore, who said invoices for the stay had been settled and paid for privately, although he could not say by whom. When the Daily Telegraph published revelations about his holidays to Sri Lanka in 2017 Mr Paisley initially said that the articles were "devoid of logic" and threatened legal action. He also referred himself to the standards watchdog. But Ms Stone found Mr Paisley had failed to properly declare two holidays and engaged in paid advocacy for the Sri Lankan Government. Her findings were supported by Parliament, which suspended Mr Paisley from the House of Commons for 30 days. However, a petition to trigger a by-election in his North Antrim constituency fell short by 444 votes, an outcome described by Mr Paisley as a "miracle". On his return to the House of Commons following his suspension, he said "a smaller man than me would have crumbled". The DUP has told Prime Minister Theresa May tinkering with the Brexit withdrawal agreement will not suffice and they want a fundamental legal change to the withdrawal agreement. Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds met with the leader of the Conservative party just before she addressed the backbench 1922 committee in a bid to continue on as leader and Prime Minister. Read More Earlier the DUP leader shared a platform with former Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab to push for changes to the withdrawal deal. They and other Brexiteers launched the 'A Better Deal' document, which outlined a number of alternatives including a new proposal on replacing the controversial backstop which has united most of the Commons against the Prime Minister. It was an absolute pleasure to catch up with @DUPleader, Arlene Foster, this morning. We shared a platform for the release of "A Better Deal" - a plan for an improved Withdrawal Agreement. It's vital that we push for a real alternative to the Government's proposal. David Davis (@DavidDavisMP) December 12, 2018 Delighted to speak at the launch of A Better Deal. The WA would undermine the economic & constitutional integrity of the UK. There are alternatives. London, Dublin & Brussels have all ruled out a hard border in any circumstance. Backstop is not needed. pic.twitter.com/n1SWHgrpYn Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) December 12, 2018 In a statement after their 45-minute meeting with Theresa May in the House of Commons Arlene Foster expressed frustration that their warnings on the backstop had gone unheeded. We had a useful meeting with the Prime Minister. It was an opportunity to outline why the current Withdrawal Agreement is dangerous to our economy and the Union. Read More "We emphasised that tinkering around the edges would not work. We were not seeking assurances or promises. We wanted fundamental legal text changes. "The Prime Minister has known our position. We have been consistent which is why it is so frustrating that our warnings about the backstop have not been heeded." Read More The DUP has a confidence and supply deal to prop up the minority Conservative government. It has been strained since the withdrawal agreement was published with the DUP saying Theresa May has broken pledges to the party over the controversial backstop. Mrs Foster continued: "The DUP wants a sensible deal which our MPs can support in the House. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to work towards that. "Unionism in Northern Ireland and across the House of Commons has rightly stood against this Withdrawal Agreement. It should be utterly unacceptable to any unionist. "For Northern Ireland traders to be expected to treat GB as a third country is ridiculous and was never going to receive support in Parliament. North Antrim MP Ian Paisley is facing questions over a holiday to the Maldives (Brian Lawless/PA) The DUP is to investigate claims MP Ian Paisley failed to declare another luxury holiday to parliamentary authorities. A spokesman described the allegations levelled in a BBC NI Spotlight investigation as very serious, and said party officers would be considering them. Read More Tuesday nights programme claimed a Paisley family holiday to the Maldives in autumn 2016 was paid for by the Indian Ocean nations government. The party officers will want to consider these very serious matters being mindful of the high standards we require of elected representatives.DUP spokesman The trip came months after Mr Paisley travelled to the country on parliamentary business. The North Antrim representative had argued against sanctions being taken against the Maldives over alleged human rights abuses. Mr Paisley denied the holiday was paid for by the authorities in the Maldives and said he is satisfied he did not need to declare the trip on the register of interests at Westminster. The MP said he paid for part of the holiday himself, while the rest was paid for by a long-term friend who was unconnected to his work. He declined to reveal the identity of the friend. The claims aired by Spotlight came days after Mr Paisley returned to Parliament having served a 30-day suspension for failing to declare two holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government and lobbying on its behalf. It really is time for Ian Paisley to resign. If he doesn't, then the onus is on Arlene Foster to remove him from the DUP. Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) December 11, 2018 He narrowly avoided facing a by-election after Parliaments first ever recall petition fell short of the number of constituent signatures required to oust him by around 450. He was suspended from the DUP pending a party investigation into the Sri Lankan controversy but the censure was subsequently lifted. On Wednesday morning, a DUP spokesman said: The party officers will want to consider these very serious matters being mindful of the high standards we require of elected representatives. In a statement in response to the programme, Mr Paisley said: The government of the Maldives did not organise or pay for my family vacation in 2016, which I do not intend to go into with you. Im satisfied the vacation did not have to be recorded on the register. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has called for Mr Paisley to resign. It really is time for Ian Paisley to resign, he tweeted. If he doesnt, then the onus is on Arlene Foster (party leader) to remove him from the DUP. Expand Close Ian Paisley has said he is satisfied he did not need to declare the holiday to the Maldives to parliamentary authorities (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ian Paisley has said he is satisfied he did not need to declare the holiday to the Maldives to parliamentary authorities (Brian Lawless/PA) Mr Paisleys record suspension from Parliament was imposed following the findings of an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. It is unknown whether commissioner Kathryn Stone intends to launch an investigation into the latest claims, as she is prevented from publicly confirming details of any probe until it concludes. A spokeswoman for the commissioner said: The House of Commons took a decision on July 19 2018 that the Commissioner should not publish information, other than statistics, about complaints received and about inquiries started, unless and until she had concluded an inquiry and her decision had been published. I can therefore neither confirm nor deny whether the Commissioner has received a complaint, nor whether she has begun or might begin an inquiry. Mr Paisley has been MP for North Antrim since 2010. His father Ian Paisley, a former first minister of Northern Ireland and Democratic Unionist leader, had previously held the seat since 1970. TV star James Nesbitt has been refused permission to build a plush new pad on Co Antrim's north coast. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council voted to back their planning committee's recommendation to refuse permission for a luxury house, which is almost complete, being constructed in Portrush. The original application submitted in October 2016 was initially rejected after neighbours expressed concerns over a bedroom window overlooking their property. Designs were redrawn to remove the window and the application was re-submitted by London-based property developer Nesbro Ltd in September 2017 before being given the green light. However earlier this year the firm, which is co-directed by the Ballymena-born Cold Feet star, submitted updated plans - which included a first-floor balcony with the controversial window back in the frame. The Coleraine Chronicle reported that Nesbitt's agent claimed the property was only redesigned to bypass the council's planning committee and that it always intended to reinstate the original plans under "permitted development rights". CCTV footage of the man police suspect of murdering Jim Donegan in Belfast last week Chilling new footage has emerged of the gunman who murdered Jim Donegan walking alongside unsuspecting school children just moments before he opened fire. Police released the CCTV pictures yesterday afternoon as they returned to the crime scene in west Belfast one week on to issue a fresh appeal for information. Mr Donegan - who was waiting to pick up his son from St Mary's Christian Brothers School on the Glen Road - was shot eight times after the lone gunman approached his Porsche Panamera. The 43-year-old died instantly after he was hit in the chest and head just as hundreds of children were leaving school. His teenage son missed the assassination by seconds. The newly released footage shows the gunman using a pedestrian crossing with primary school pupils just before he carried out the killing. Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery, who is leading the murder investigation, described the images as "extremely chilling". He said: "To do this in broad daylight, in the presence of children, is just barbaric. No child should have to witness what happened here last week. 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. Children who should be dreaming of presents and the magic of Christmas are now, instead, having nightmares." The officer said he believed the gunman - described as a "cold, callous and calm individual" - had killed before. It was also revealed that the killer held his hand up to stop traffic in order to cross the Glen Road and make his escape. He was wearing a high visibility, hip-length yellow jacket, with 'Security' written on the back, dark bottoms, a grey hat or hood and carrying a black or dark bag over his shoulder. A dissident republican element is the main line of investigation. A 47-year-old man arrested yesterday in Turf Lodge in connection with the attack was later released unconditionally. This was the third arrest made by detectives. Police also stopped traffic and spoke with parents arriving to pick up children from schools in the area yesterday. DCI Montgomery has appealed for anyone in the vicinity at the time last week to contact police. He said the investigation was the largest he had ever assembled in his career with 40 detectives working on the case. He added: "I need to remove this dangerous man from our streets - a man who thought it was acceptable to traumatise young children. I don't believe he wears a mask. He walks among this community and I hope someone will recognise him. "His murderous actions have left Jim's family devastated, which is even more poignant at this time of the year. Jim was a husband, brother, father to two sons and stepfather." Many floral tributes have been left at the murder scene by family members, including Mr Donegan's wife of two years, Laura, which read: "To my baby. I can't believe you were taken from us in such a cruel way. I promise to get justice for you. I won't stop! We always said to each other 'I wish I found you sooner, so I could love you longer'. You will forever be my always!" Mr Donegan's funeral will take place tomorrow with requiem mass at St John the Evangelist Church in Belfast at 10am followed by a service at Roselawn Crematorium at 1pm. Any return of a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit risks reviving memories of the worst days of the Troubles, Sir John Major has warned. The former prime minister called for the immediate revocation of the Article 50 withdrawal process in order to give politicians on all sides time to work through the present morass. The clock must be stopped, he said. It is clear we need the most precious commodity of all time. Time for serious and profound reflection by Parliament and people. Speaking in Dublin, Sir John one of the architects of the peace process said Brexit had already injected its very own poison into the politics of Northern Ireland. He said Theresa Mays dependence on the support of the DUP in the Commons was hampering efforts to restore the power-sharing administration at Stormont. In the two years since its collapse, he said relations between the unionist and nationalist communities had deteriorated, while Brexit had the potential to make the situation worse through the return of the border. Any border between North and South risks re-awakening memories of the worst of days; nearby graveyards bear witness to how bad were those days. No sensible person can wish to return to them, he said. A border would not just be a trade barrier. It would be a visible manifestation of us and them. If the DUP and Sinn Fein let old wounds, old suspicions, old enmities take fresh root and live again then the people of Northern Ireland will be the first to loseSir John Major In the past, it not only divided communities, it divided minds; it created sides; it was the justification for conflict and murder; and its disappearance was one of the best days in the long history of Ireland. While under the Withdrawal Agreement, the return of the border would be deferred for a while, Sir John expressed concern the hoped for technical solutions which would avoid the need for border controls may prove to be a mirage . He said there was now an onus on the two main parties at Stormont the DUP and Sinn Fein needed to find a way to restore power-sharing. Everyone must realise that sectarianism has not yet gone: Northern Ireland is still far from a community that votes solely on policy and not identity. Historys legacy is not yet forgotten or put aside. No-one should forget that, he said. But let me be blunt if the DUP and Sinn Fein let old wounds, old suspicions, old enmities take fresh root and live again then the people of Northern Ireland will be the first to lose. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) They may not be alone: subsequent losers may include the culpable politicians. Both parties are elected to take up their responsibilities, and every day they find excuses not to do so is a dereliction of their duty to their electors. He stressed the need for the UK and Irish governments to establish permanent bodies which guaranteed continued regular meetings between their respective premiers and other senior ministers and officials after Brexit. Inside or outside the European Union, we will always have much to discuss with our nearest neighbour, he said. This is not just about trade. The relationship between our two countries can be good or bad; close or distant; but whatever it is will have an effect on community relations in Northern Ireland. 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 in Co Down last weekend. Police said the man is due before Newtownards Magistrates' Court this morning. He will appear along with a 26-year-old man who has been charged with perverting the course of justice. Mr Fox (29) was found dead at around 1.45pm on Saturday inside a flat on Burrendale Park Road in Newcastle. Mr Fox had only moved into the block of flats a few months ago. The PSNI launched a murder investigation following the results of a post-mortem examination on Sunday. Earlier this week neighbours described Mr Fox as a "very vulnerable young man". Thomas Menagh (47) lives in the same building and said his friend never got into trouble or drank alcohol. "He was a good kid who would do anything for anyone," he said. "He didn't deserve this." Police are at the scene. Police have confirmed a 93-year-old man has died in a fatal Co Armagh crash. He was John Joseph Milsop from the Portadown and had been driving his red Nissan Micra on the Derrycoose Road near Annaghmore when the crash happened just after 2.15pm on Wednesday. The Ambulance Service said it attended to the scene after it was reported a car entered the water. No other vehicles were involved in the incident. DUP MLA Jonny Buckley knew Mr Milsop describing him as a highly respected member of the local community. Offering his condolences, he said: I know the gentleman and the family. Its very said to hear that another life on our roads has been lost. This gentleman was a very well-respected and long-standing member of the community. It was a one-vehicle collision involving an elderly man and I understand that the car left the road, going through a hedge into a field. Its heart-breaking that this has happened at the mouth of Christmas, with a family left with one less face at the table this festive season. I would urge everyone to take extra care on our roads, and be safe this winter. The Ambulance Service said two rapid response paramedics, two members of the hazardous area response team and one emergency ambulance crew was sent to the scene. The Charity Air Ambulance also attended. "No one has been transported from the scene," an Ambulance Service spokeswoman added. The Derrycoose Road has been reopened to traffic. Charities have called for reform after "shocking levels of abuse" were revealed in a leaked report on Muckamore Abbey Hospital. The BBC reported details from a damning probe into procedures for caring for adults with learning difficulties. Commissioned by the Belfast Health Trust, the report looked at safeguarding procedures over five years up to 2017 and discovered a "culture of tolerating harm". The findings included the lives of patients being "compromised", safeguarding procedures not being followed, a seclusion room that wasn't monitored, and the likelihood that patients would be harmed by their peers. CCTV footage also recorded patients being harmed by staff, something which no workers at any grade spoke out about. Margaret Kelly, director of learning disability charity Mencap NI, said the future of Muckamore was now in doubt. "The culture of silence which enabled such abuse to take place and the failure to address the concerns and complaints raised by parents on a number of occasions is deeply worrying," she said. "This is further compounded by the knowledge that many people with severe learning disabilities were trying to communicate their distress via their behaviour and this was not acted upon." She called for an urgent discussion on how adults with severe learning disabilities in Northern Ireland are treated, calling for community-based care instead of long hospital stays. The same demand was made by Agnes Lunny, chief executive of Positive Futures. "As long as we continue to fund establishments like Muckamore Abbey Hospital, we will continue to have people living in hospitals like Muckamore," she said. "We need to redirect resources to the community." A total of nine families have been affected and there have now been calls for a full public inquiry, with many said to be "distressed and angry" that no one intervened. The father of one patient told the BBC: "It's time for heads to roll." CCTV footage showed his son, who has autism and epilepsy, being punched in the stomach and staff swinging him around by the arm. "I want proper accountability, I want people to be held to account and people to be sacked," he said. "I thought the report would have mentioned middle and senior management, there have been massive failures in the system." The Belfast Trust has said senior staff were meeting with the affected families to share the final report before making further comment. Brenda Creaney is director of nursing for the Belfast Health Trust. She admitted the regime at Muckamore had at times been "cruel" but promised those responsible would be held to account. Further failings detailed in the report showed many hospital records could not be found, including those on staff subjected to disciplinary action. The routine involvement of the police was called "bewildering" and hospital leadership was found to be distributed in an unhelpful way for patients. Authors of the report commented it was "shattering that no one intervened to halt the harm and take charge". The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority has called the findings shocking. According to the BBC, 13 members of the nursing staff at Muckamore have been suspended, with two senior nursing managers off on long-term sick leave. A total of eight people have also been referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Earlier this month the National Crime Agency confirmed it was assisting the PSNI in an investigation into abuse at Muckamore. Tributes have been paid to a man shot dead while sitting in his car outside a west Belfast secondary school. Jim 'JD' Donegan was killed while waiting for his 13-year-old son outside St Mary's Grammar School on the Glen Road. He was shot eight times after the gunman approached his Porsche Panamera. Mr Donegan's funeral is set to take place on Thursday, with a number of tributes being placed in the family notices section of the Irish News. Tribute was paid to him by his wife, children, father, siblings, extended family, and friends. A message from his wife Laura and his son Max reads: "On Tuesday afternoon December 4th my whole world fell apart. You were taken from us in such a cruel and evil way. My heart aches for you babe, I have never known pain like it. No one will ever be able to take away our love and memories we shared." A message from his father Jim reads: "Jim where do I begin. All I know is I will always miss and long for you. My heart hurts and will never feel the same. There is no greater ache than my son, my eldest, going before me." The message from his uncle John and the McQuillan family reads: "I think of him living in the hearts of those he touched, for nothing loved is ever lost and we loved him so much." On Tuesday night the PSNI released further CCTV footage of Mr Donegan's killer, showing him crossing the road with children moments before carrying out the attack. Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery, who is leading the murder investigation, described the images as "extremely chilling". A 47-year-old man arrested yesterday in Turf Lodge in connection with the attack was later released unconditionally. This was the third arrest made by detectives. Police also stopped traffic and spoke with parents arriving to pick up children from schools in the area yesterday. Mr Donegan's funeral will take place tomorrow with requiem mass at St John the Evangelist Church in Belfast at 10am followed by a service at Roselawn Crematorium at 1pm. Former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson has become the latest Tory MP to call for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May amid claims she is on the brink of a leadership challenge. Westminster was awash with speculation the threshold of 48 letters needed to trigger a vote of Conservative MPs is close to being reached following her decision to delay a Commons vote on her Brexit deal. The warnings came as the Prime Minister earlier embarked on a whistle stop of European capitals in an attempt to secure fresh assurances to save her Brexit deal. PM @Theresa_May continues her discussions with European leaders on the Brexit deal by meeting President Donald Tusk in Brussels. pic.twitter.com/UfzbCntvGt UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) December 11, 2018 The BBC reported the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady the only person who knows for certain how many letters have been submitted has requested a meeting with Mrs May on Wednesday. In his letter, published in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Paterson said her 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. The former Northern Ireland and environment secretary and prominent Brexit supporter, said Mrs May had become a blockage to an agreement which Parliament and the country could support. Expand Close Former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson (PA) 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, he wrote. 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. Earlier, Mrs May, in Brussels for talks with Mr Tusk and European Commission President, tried to brush off reports that a confidence vote was imminent. Asked whether she had been told of reports some Brexiteer MPs were claiming the 48 target had been reached, she said: No, I have been here in Europe dealing with the issue I have promised Parliament I would be dealing with. The Prime Minister had been seeking support from key EU figures for her call for additional assurances on the Northern Ireland backstop in the hope it will be enough for her to get it through the Commons. 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 After breakfast talks with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte she flew on to Berlin for lunch with Angela Merkel before heading to Brussels. 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. Speaking to reporters in Brussels Mrs May acknowledged any deal with the EU would have to include a backstop to ensure there could be no return of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. We don't want the backstop to be used and if it is, we want to be certain it is only temporaryTheresa May 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, she said. 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. Meanwhile 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. 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. Following a delayed Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Mrs May will travel to Dublin for last-minute talks with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar ahead of a European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday. Mr Varadkar told the Dail 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, he said. 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. North Antrim MP Ian Paisley is facing questions over a holiday to the Maldives (Brian Lawless/PA) Ian Paisley is facing fresh calls to quit amid claims the DUP MP failed to declare another luxury holiday to parliamentary authorities. Political rivals have urged the North Antrim representative to resign after allegations he holidayed in the Maldives courtesy of the Indian Ocean nations government. The DUP has pledged to examine the very serious claims levelled in a BBC Spotlight NI investigation. Mr Paisley has denied the holiday was paid for by the Maldives government, instead insisting an unnamed friend part-funded the 2016 vacation. Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Ulster Unionists have written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone urging her to investigate the case. Mr Paisley himself contacted Ms Stones office on Wednesday to seek a meeting to discuss the claims made. Sinn Fein and the SDLP said Mr Paisley should resign and, if he did not, DUP leader Arlene Foster was obliged to take action against him. Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said the programme raised serious questions over his rivals judgment. Expand Close Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill, second left, told reporters in Belfast that Mr Paisley should have resigned months ago (David Young/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill, second left, told reporters in Belfast that Mr Paisley should have resigned months ago (David Young/PA) The claims aired by Spotlight came days after Mr Paisley returned to Parliament having served a 30-day suspension for failing to declare two holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government and lobbying on its behalf. He narrowly avoided facing a by-election after Parliaments first ever recall petition fell short of the number of constituent signatures required to oust him by around 450. Commenting on the latest claims, Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill said the MP should have resigned months ago. Its the latest in a long line of scandals associated with the DUP and Ian Paisley in particular, she said. I think Ian Paisley should have resigned many months ago and I think where he finds himself again today at the centre of another scandal is not anything befitting of someone who holds public office. At last months party conference in Belfast, DUP leader Mrs Foster apologised after acknowledging that standards of conduct within the party had fallen short in a number of areas. At a press conference on Wednesday, Mrs ONeill said: I think that what we need to see now is more than fine words at a party conference, I think those fine words need to be acted upon and I think this will be the first test of Arlene Fosters comments at her party conference. I've written to the Parliamentary Commisioner for Standards asking her to investigate Spotlight's allegations on Ian Paisley. pic.twitter.com/wGxxgJJxr8 Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) December 12, 2018 SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has called for Mr Paisley to quit. It really is time for Ian Paisley to resign, he said. If he doesnt, then the onus is on Arlene Foster to remove him from the DUP. UUP leader and fellow North Antrim representative Robin Swann said: There is an onus on Mr Paisley to cut the bluster and offer openness and transparency to the people of North Antrim. The allegations raised by Spotlight are extremely serious and deserve a credible response from Ian Paisley and the DUP. The DUP also need to be open about when they learned of these allegations and what they know. They cannot simply hide behind a statement saying they will investigate. This is yet another stain on North Antrim and the reputation of politics in Northern Ireland. Mr Allister, a North Antrim Assembly member, said the circumstantial case raised by Spotlight was very persuasive. Following the Sri Lankan scandal, fresh allegations from the compelling Spotlight programme about a luxury family holiday in the Maldives, paid for by a third party, and the non-declaration of same to the Commons authorities, reopens serious questions about Mr Paisleys judgment, he said. The party officers will want to consider these very serious matters being mindful of the high standards we require of elected representativesDUP spokesman The trip under scrutiny came months after Mr Paisley travelled to the country on parliamentary business. The North Antrim representative had argued against sanctions being taken against the Maldives over alleged human rights abuses. Mr Paisley denied the holiday was paid for by the authorities in the Maldives and said he is satisfied he did not need to declare the trip on the register of interests at Westminster. The MP said he paid for part of the holiday himself, while the rest was paid for by a long-term friend who was unconnected to his work. He declined to reveal the identity of the friend. Mr Paisley had been suspended from the DUP pending a party investigation into the Sri Lankan controversy, but the censure was subsequently lifted. I'm satisfied the vacation did not have to be recorded on the registerIan Paisley On Wednesday morning, a DUP spokesman said: The party officers will want to consider these very serious matters being mindful of the high standards we require of elected representatives. In a statement in response to the programme, Mr Paisley said: The government of the Maldives did not organise or pay for my family vacation in 2016, which I do not intend to go into with you. Im satisfied the vacation did not have to be recorded on the register. Mr Paisleys record suspension from Parliament was imposed following the findings of an investigation by the standards commissioner Ms Stone. It is unknown whether she is investigating the latest claims, as she is prevented from publicly confirming details of any probe until it concludes. Mr Paisley has been MP for North Antrim since 2010. His father Ian Paisley, a former first minister of Northern Ireland and Democratic Unionist leader, had previously held the seat since 1970. Questions have been raised over the approach to transparency of Northern Irelands gas and electricity regulator. A public inquiry into a botched green energy scheme, which sparked political chaos in the region after its costs spiralled, has been examining the handling of an application from a Democratic Unionist special adviser. Ofgem received anonymous allegations of fraud in the application by Stephen Brimstone for the Renewable Heat Incentive. Expand Close Former DUP special adviser Stephen Brimstone appeared before the RHI inquiry earlier this year (PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former DUP special adviser Stephen Brimstone appeared before the RHI inquiry earlier this year (PA) The RHI scheme, designed to encourage businesses to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, hit the headlines in 2016 after it ended up paying out more than it cost to fuel the burners earning it the nickname Cash for Ash. The result was an anticipated massive overspend, falling to the Northern Irish taxpayer to pick up. Mr Brimstone applied for the scheme after installing a new biomass boiler in a shed next to his home which provided heat to both buildings. Expand Close Eco-friendly wood chip boilers similar to the batches used as an incentive in the RHI scheme (Niall Carson/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eco-friendly wood chip boilers similar to the batches used as an incentive in the RHI scheme (Niall Carson/PA) A number of anonymous complaints were made about the installation, making allegations of fraud. Ofgem audited Mr Brimstones RHI boiler and concluded he joined the scheme legitimately. However the inquiry heard on Wednesday that Ofgem did not provide all the documentation it held about Mr Brimstones application to the Police Service of Northern Ireland when it launched an investigation into allegations of fraud. Ofgem lawyer John Jackson told the inquiry in a written witness statement that there was nothing in the documents, or the conclusions that they reached, that wouldve assisted the police in a criminal prosecution of Stephen Brimstone. No crime was detected by police during its investigation. Expand Close Junior Counsel for the RHI Inquiry Joseph Aiken begins three days of final submissions (RHI Inquiry/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Junior Counsel for the RHI Inquiry Joseph Aiken begins three days of final submissions (RHI Inquiry/PA) Junior counsel to the inquiry Joseph Aiken said it is difficult to look at the Data Protection Act as intended to create some sort of guessing game for law enforcement agencies trying to prevent or detect crime. He put to the panel: The inquiry may want to consider whether thats an illustration of wider cultural issue about Ofgems approach to transparency and information sharing. The RHI Inquiry led by retired judge Sir Patrick Coghlin will make findings at a later date. On Wednesday the inquiry returned to Stormont where Mr Aiken said closing oral submissions will be heard over three days. RHI Inquiry has started its scheduled three days of oral final submissions. Amongst evidence heard today will include the investigation into former DUP Spad Stephen Brimstone's boiler Rebecca Black (@RBlackPA) December 12, 2018 These include from the three core participants the Department for the Economy, Department of Finance and Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). Oral submissions will also be heard from some of the 27 individuals and organisations who were granted enhanced participatory rights. Among those are Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster, former Democratic Unionist minister Jonathan Bell, a number of the partys special advisers and some senior civil servants. The inquiry will hear Ofgems closing statement on Wednesday afternoon. A woman whose brother was shot dead by Paratroopers on Bloody Sunday has branded comments by one of the soldiers present, who said it was "a job well done", as deeply hurtful. Kate Nash - whose brother, William, was among 14 people fatally wounded in Londonderry when the Paras opened fire on civilians - also criticised Defence Secretary, Gavin Williamson, after he said he expects to have the means to prevent former soldiers being brought before the courts in the New Year. The soldier and Mr Williamson were among contributors to a BBC documentary aired last night. The soldier, who is being investigated by the PSNI about his role in Derry on January 30, 1972, refused to answer any questions put to him by police officers. However, he told journalist Peter Taylor: "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 also reiterated previous comments about the actions of the Paratroopers on Bloody Sunday as a job well done. Ms Nash, who was invited to take part in the programme, but wasn't available, said the soldier's statement to the programme must be used by the PSNI as an admission of his role on Bloody Sunday. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Ms Nash said: "To describe the killing of 14 innocent people and the wounding of so many more as 'a job well done' is deeply hurtful to me, our family - and all the Bloody Sunday families. "If he thinks he isn't a murderer, let him come to court and see what evidence there is." Ms Nash said that "everyone in the world recognises that the people on the march that day were not armed with anything", including former Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Lord Saville, who chaired the second Bloody Sunday Inquiry, "and they know the soldiers lied". 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 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 Hugh Gilmore (third left) seen clutching his stomach as he is shot during Bloody Sunday. PA 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 Paddy Doherty, who was killed on Bloody Sunday. A scene showing a British paratrooper near Glenfada Park in Derry where Bloody Sunday took place. 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 St Mary's Church, on the Creggan Estate, during the Requiem Mass for the 13 who died on 'Bloody Sunday' in Londonderry. PA 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. Scenes from 'Bloody Sunday' in Londonderry, Northern Ireland 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 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 Bloody Sunday. 30/1/1972 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 30th January 1972: An armed soldier and a protestor on Bloody Sunday when British Paratroopers shot dead 13 civilians on a civil rights march. "This soldier boasted on the programme that he didn't tell the police anything when he was interviewed, but then he publicly talks about shooting three gunmen and that it was a job well done. Why didn't he tell that to the police when he sat through his 'no comment' interview? But I do think his admissions should now used by the police." Mr Williamson told the programme he did not support the prosecution of former soldiers, saying: "No one would really want to see service personnel, who've served their country, being dragged through the courts. "We need to find a way to bring closure to events of the past." Ms Nash said this showed a lack of respect for the justice system. She continued: "That soldier has shown disdain for the legal process, but the words of the Defence Secretary shows how little respect he has, too. "Him saying he is going to try and stop soldiers being prosecuted is an attempt to take hope from us that we will get justice for our loved ones. "At the same time as the Defence Secretary is coming out with how he plans to save the soldiers from prosecution, we have the Public Prosecution Service telling us they are getting to us very, very soon. I think the Government has lost the plot to allow a Defence Secretary to come out with statements like that," Ms Nash added. "But Theresa May has shown she isn't in favour of the soldiers being treated the same as every other citizen who, if they do wrong, deserve to be brought to justice." Sinn Fein Foyle MLA, Raymond McCartney, said the words of the soldier were typical of attitudes that still prevail within the UK military and establishment. He said:"These comments 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. "The very fact that someone who was involved in the events of that day, and has been arrested by the PSNI team investigating Bloody Sunday, should feel justified in making these comments also goes a long way to explaining the kind of attitudes that still exist within the British military and establishment. "They want to blame victims for their own murder rather than accept British culpability for crimes committed in Ireland. This is an attitude which has been actively promoted at the highest levels of the British Government - including by the British Prime Minister - through false claims that legacy investigations are skewed against former state forces. "Those lies cannot go unchallenged and there can be no immunity or impunity for British soldiers guilty of murdering Irish civilians." Theresa May was looking set to see off a challenge to her leadership of the Conservative Party, as scores of Tory MPs made public statements of support ahead of a confidence vote. But there was speculation in Westminster that she might be assuring colleagues that she would not stay for long after the Brexit process is complete, after a senior Downing Street source noted that MPs were not being asked to choose a leader to take them through the next general election. Mrs May responded with defiance to the news that the threshold of 48 letters from Tory MPs demanding a confidence vote had been passed, declaring that she would fight for her job with everything Ive got. Every MP in her Cabinet swiftly issued statements of support and she was greeted by loud cheers from the Tory backbenches when she faced the House of Commons for her weekly session of Prime Ministers Questions. By early afternoon, the number of Conservative MPs saying publicly that they would vote for her had passed the 159 required for her to survive the attempt to oust her. There was loud banging on desks when the PM arrived to address MPs at a meeting of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee ahead of the crucial vote. The target for victory, representing half of the parliamentary party plus one, increased from 158 during the day, as the Conservative whip was restored to Burton MP Andrew Griffiths and Dover MP Charlie Elphicke. Mr Griffiths, a former chief of staff to Mrs May who had been suspended over suggestive text messages, immediately confirmed he would back the PM. However, uncertainty remained over whether all of them would make good on their promises in the secret ballot taking place in a Commons committee room between 6pm and 8pm. Downing Street aides declined to discuss whether the PM would stay on if she won by only a slender margin. A senior source insisted he was not aware of Mrs May floating a departure date in conversations with Cabinet ministers and backbench MPs. Expand Close Theresa May speaks during Prime Ministers Questions hours after being told she faces a confidence vote (Mark Duffy/House of Commons/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May speaks during Prime Ministers Questions hours after being told she faces a confidence vote (Mark Duffy/House of Commons/PA) But he told reporters: This vote isnt about who leads the party into the next election, it is about whether it makes sense to change leader at this point in the Brexit negotiation. The source added: She has said on a number of occasions, in fact she said immediately after the last election in 2017, that she would serve as long as her colleagues want her to, he said. Failure in the ballot would trigger a leadership contest in which Mrs May could not stand. But if she wins, another challenge cannot be mounted against her position as Tory leader for a year. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Mrs May was informed that she would face a ballot by the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, in a phone call at 10.35pm on Tuesday. She had just returned to 10 Downing Street from a day of travels which had taken her to The Hague, Berlin and Brussels for Brexit talks with EU leaders. As day broke in Westminster on Wednesday, Sir Graham issued a press release announcing that the threshold had been reached and a confidence vote would be held later that day. In a dramatic early morning statement outside the door to 10 Downing Street, Mrs May responded: I will contest that vote with everything Ive got. Warning that a change of prime minister would put the UKs future at risk and could delay or halt Brexit, she insisted she would stay on to finish the job. Expand Close The announcement of the confidence vote was made in a press release by the 1922 Committee (PA Wire/PA Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The announcement of the confidence vote was made in a press release by the 1922 Committee (PA Wire/PA Images) Mrs May said securing a Brexit deal which will deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum was now within our grasp and said she was making progress in securing reassurances from EU leaders on MPs concerns about the proposed backstop for the Irish border. But she warned: A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now would put our countrys future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. Mrs May said: The new leader wouldnt have time to renegotiate a withdrawal agreement and get the legislation through Parliament by March 29, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart would only create more division, just when we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. The only people whose interests would be served are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. Husband Philip showed his support by watching Prime Ministers Questions from the public gallery, while Tory elder statesman Kenneth Clarke told MPs that a leadership contest would be irresponsible and unhelpful. None of the PMs Brexit-backing critics took the opportunity to attack her, while there were strong words of support from backbenchers including Neil OBrien (Harborough), who condemned headbangers from all sides for undermining her. But she faced a call to stand down from the Scottish National Partys leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, who said: This Government is a farce, the Tory Party is in chaos and the Prime Minister is a disgrace Prime Minister, take responsibility, do the right thing, resign. I am backing @theresa_may tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29 Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) December 12, 2018 Ministers touted as possible successors to the Prime Minister were among those voicing support for her. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Mrs May is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29, while Home Secretary Sajid Javid said a leadership contest would be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) December 12, 2018 But in a joint statement, Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers, and his deputy Steve Baker said: Theresa Mays plan would bring down the Government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it. Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs Mays leadership. In the national interest, she must go. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Mrs May cleared the decks to lobby Tory MPs for their backing, cancelling a planned meeting of Cabinet and a trip to Dublin for talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar. Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said: With only weeks left before Britain leaves the EU, Theresa Mays weakness and failure has completely immobilised the Government at this critical time for the country. The Prime Ministers half-baked Brexit deal does not have the backing of her Cabinet, her party, Parliament or the country. The Conservative Partys internal divisions are putting peoples jobs and living standards at risk. Theresa May has told Conservative MPs she will not lead the party into the next general election. The promise came after the Prime Minister vowed to fight with everything Ive got to retain her place as Tory leader as she faced an attempt to oust her through a confidence vote. Mrs May looked set to see off the challenge to her leadership, as scores of Tory MPs made public statements of support. Expand Close Conservative MPs in a meeting addressed by Theresa May in Committee Room 14 of the Houses of Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Conservative MPs in a meeting addressed by Theresa May in Committee Room 14 of the Houses of Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA) And she received an enthusiastic welcome as she addressed Conservative MPs at the backbench 1922 Committee moments before the crucial vote began at 6pm, with backers banging their desks to show their support. Afterwards, solicitor general Robert Buckland told reporters: She said In my heart I would like to lead the party into the next election and then that was the introductory phrase to her indication that she would accept the fact that that would not happen, that is not her intention. And Cabinet minister Amber Rudd said: She was very clear that she wont be taking the general election in 2022. Proud to have voted in support of the PM, thank you to the many people who have contacted my office today to urge me to do just that pic.twitter.com/pF5ChA4xHh Margot James (@margot_james_) December 12, 2018 Other MPs indicated that Mrs May had promised to find a legally binding solution to ensuring that the UK does not get permanently trapped in a backstop arrangement to keep the Irish border open after Brexit. Anger over the backstop among Tory backbenchers and their Democratic Unionist Party allies was the main obstacle to Mrs May getting her Brexit deal through the House of Commons earlier this week. Her decision to defer the vote sparked a new wave of letters of no confidence which pushed the total beyond the threshold of 48 needed to trigger a ballot. As Tory MPs voted in a Westminster committee room, Croydon South MP Chris Philp said: I attended the 1922 Committee this evening. The Prime Minister pledged to find a legally binding solution to the danger of getting stuck in a permanent backstop. She also said she would not lead us into the next election. We now need to unite around Theresa May to deliver Brexit. But DUP leader Arlene Foster, who met Mrs May shortly before the vote, insisted that tinkering around the edges of the Prime Ministers EU Withdrawal Agreement would not be enough to win her partys support for the deal. Mrs Foster, whose 10 MPs prop up the minority Conservative administration, said she told the PM that we were not seeking assurances or promises, we wanted fundamental legal text changes. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said he was not persuaded by the Prime Ministers assurances to vote for her in the ballot. He told the Press Association: It was all the same old stuff. Nothing has changed. Mrs May was informed that she would face a ballot by the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, in a phone call at 10.35pm on Tuesday. She had just returned to 10 Downing Street from a day of travels which had taken her to The Hague, Berlin and Brussels for Brexit talks with EU leaders. As day broke in Westminster on Wednesday, Sir Graham issued a press release announcing that the threshold had been reached and a confidence vote would be held later that day. Expand Close Press release issued by the 1922 Committee confirming that a confidence vote would take place (PA Wire/PA Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Press release issued by the 1922 Committee confirming that a confidence vote would take place (PA Wire/PA Images) In a dramatic early morning statement outside the door to 10 Downing Street, Mrs May responded: I will contest that vote with everything Ive got. Warning that a change of prime minister would put the UKs future at risk and could delay or halt Brexit, she insisted she would stay on to finish the job. Mrs May said securing a Brexit deal which will deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum was now within our grasp and said she was making progress in securing reassurances from EU leaders on MPs concerns about the proposed backstop for the Irish border. Every MP in her Cabinet swiftly issued statements of support and she was greeted by loud cheers from the Tory backbenches when she faced the House of Commons for her weekly session of Prime Ministers Questions. Expand Close Theresa May speaks during Prime Ministers Questions hours after being told she faces a confidence vote (Mark Duffy/House of Commons/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May speaks during Prime Ministers Questions hours after being told she faces a confidence vote (Mark Duffy/House of Commons/PA) By early afternoon, the number of Conservative MPs saying publicly that they would vote for her had passed the 159 required for her to survive the attempt to oust her. The target for victory, representing half of the parliamentary party plus one, increased from 158 during the day, as the Conservative whip was restored to Burton MP Andrew Griffiths and Dover MP Charlie Elphicke. Mr Griffiths, a former chief of staff to Mrs May who had been suspended over suggestive text messages, immediately confirmed he would back the PM. However, uncertainty remained over whether public statements would translate into votes in the secret ballot taking place in a Commons committee room between 6pm and 8pm. Downing Street aides declined to discuss whether the PM would stay on if she won by only a slender margin. Failure in the ballot would trigger a leadership contest in which Mrs May could not stand. But if she wins, another challenge cannot be mounted against her position as Tory leader for a year. Husband Philip showed his support by watching Prime Ministers Questions from the public gallery, while Tory elder statesman Kenneth Clarke told MPs that a leadership contest would be irresponsible and unhelpful. None of the PMs Brexit-backing critics took the opportunity to attack her, while there were strong words of support from backbenchers including Neil OBrien (Harborough), who condemned headbangers from all sides for undermining her. But she faced a call to stand down from the Scottish National Partys leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, who said: This Government is a farce, the Tory Party is in chaos and the Prime Minister is a disgrace Prime Minister, take responsibility, do the right thing, resign. Mrs May cleared the decks to lobby Tory MPs for their backing, cancelling a planned meeting of Cabinet and a trip to Dublin for talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar. One of the paintings by Terry Bradley that was stolen last week Paintings by one of Northern Ireland's most famous artists have been stolen from a south Belfast home. Police say five works by Terry Bradley were taken last Friday from the house in Knockbreda Park between 8.30am and 4.30pm. The owner has appealed for information on social media, with images of the framed paintings shared nearly 800 times. Thieves have targeted Mr Bradley's work before, with 50 of his original paintings - worth thousands of pounds - stolen from a pop-up gallery in 2016. Several were returned last year following a police raid in the Beechmount area of Belfast. One of the recovered paintings was a large-scale work entitled 'Lucky'. At the time Mr Bradley's wife, gallery manager Ashley Bradley, said she had been "devastated" by the loss, but was hopeful the police raid would lead to more of the works being returned. In 2010 another Bradley original, entitled Girl With a Tattoo and worth around 3,000, was stolen from an apartment in the Bryansford Road area of Newcastle. Earlier this year, the Bangor-based artist unveiled a specially commissioned portrait for the world-renowned Dead Rabbit bar in New York. Other clients have included Bono, Madonna, Michael Flatley and the Bee Gees. Mr Bradley's signature style has seen him focus on a diverse variety of subjects, from characters in the Sailortown area of Belfast to burlesque dancers in Paris. His work has also attracted the attention of major corporate clients including Harley Davidson and Absolut Vodka. Police say a number of other items were taken in the latest robbery, including a quantity of jewellery and an Oris Pro Diver Watch with a dent on the watch face. "Enquiries are continuing and we would appeal to anyone with any information to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 887 7/12/18," said a police spokesman. "Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous." Little Daithi MacGabhann was the star of the show at the launch of a new policy to increase the number of organ donors in Northern Ireland. Born with a congenital heart defect, the west Belfast two-year-old had his first open heart surgery when he was just five days old. He almost died as a result of the operation. Dad Mairtin (28) explained: "The doctors told us they didn't think he was going to make it. "His heart began to fail, they had to put him on a special machine, but said he could only stay on it for five days because of the risks that go with it, like stroke. "He was on it for six days, the doctors were about to give up on him, but then Daithi opened his eyes and it just made us realise how hard he was fighting to live." Read More Daithi went on to have further surgery from which he recovered well and was finally able to go home. Mairtin said: "He was doing so well I was thinking he would just have his third surgery and we would get on with life as normally as possible." However, the family suffered a devastating blow earlier this year when doctors told them they were unable to repair a leak in his heart, meaning the life-saving third surgery he required was no longer an option. Daithi's only hope now is a heart transplant. "Every time the phone rings you jump, you automatically think it could be the call to say they have found a heart," said Mairtin. "Life without Daithi in it is unimaginable and we're asking everyone out there to sign up to the donor register. "Me and my wife are both on the register now and we've even signed up Daithi as well. It really is a matter of life and death." To sign the NHS Organ Donor Register, visit www.organdonationni.info Issues: Micheal Martin said Fianna Fail is ready to fight an election / Credit: Gerry Mooney There will be no election before 2020 after Fianna Fail "reluctantly" concluded that Ireland cannot afford to have an election amid Brexit uncertainty. Micheal Martin has told the Dail today "business as usual is not acceptable". While criticising Taoiseach Leo Varadkars government for being complacent on key issues such as housing, Mr Martin said: "The chaos will not spread here from London The national interest will come first." The details of the arrangement will still have to be negotiated but the Fianna Fail leader said his party will help pass a budget next year. He indicated an election would then take place in early 2020. Mr Martin said under normal times there would be an immediate election but "these are not normal times and Ireland is immediately confronted with one of the biggest threats in many decades". He noted that a lengthy election campaign was likely to result in months of negotiations before a new government is formed. And on that basis he was publicly offering an "unprecedented" level of stability for a minority government. He said it was a tough decision but the "right one for Ireland". Speaking about the chaotic scenes emerging from Westminster, Mr Martin said: "This period of growing chaos and uncertainty is not one we can assume comes to an end by March 29." And he insisted that Irish politics would not be affected by the same sense of drift at a time when the risk of no deal had risen "dramatically". In his contribution prior to Mr Martins speech, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it was "noteworthy to recognise the contrast" between politics in Ireland and the UK. He said the level of stability in the Dail was helping Ireland cope with the threat of Brexit. "That makes our country a much better place and puts our country in a much stronger position," he said. The confidence and supply arrangement has already facilitated the passage of three budgets. It ties Fianna Fail to abstaining on votes of confidence in the Government or ministers, and when the Dail votes on financial issues. In return, the Government has agreed to consult the Opposition party on key budgetary decisions. The original three-year deal was heavily focused on water charges. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed today the two parties are "running away from the electorate". Meanwhile, insisting that the Government is prepared for a worst case scenario, Mr Varadkar told the Dail today that the economy is so strong, wed continue to grow and not go into recession. However, he repeatedly sought to avoid direct questions on the plans in place to soften the blow of the UK crashing out of the EU next March. DUP leader Arlene Foster has held a meeting with Sajid Javid, one of the senior Cabinet members being floated as a possible challenger to Theresa May. The meeting took place on Tuesday evening in Westminster, with Mrs Foster saying the discussion focused on immigration and the ongoing issue of the backstop. Mrs Foster is currently in London to hold talks with the Prime Minister on the withdrawal deal. Scheduled to take place after Prime Minister's Questions, the meeting was pencilled in ahead of the announcement on Wednesday morning that the number of letters submitted to the Conservative party's backbench 1922 Committee had reached the threshold of 48 - triggering a vote by her party's MPs on her leadership. Read More Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mrs Foster said she was not surprised by the announcement the Prime Minister would be facing a leadership challenge, as there was "a lot of conservations going on" on Tuesday. "I think what we need to do is to focus as we did during the confidence-and-supply negotiation," she said. "What we need to do now is focus on the outcome. I will be saying to her today that I want her to stand up for the United Kingdom as a nation. Both in a constitutional fashion but also in an economic fashion. "Because of course the withdrawal agreement at present puts a border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and that is not something that we can support. She knows that, weve been clear and consistent on that at all times." The contest to Mrs May's leadership of the Conservative party will take place this evening between 6pm and 8pm, with all 315 MPs casting their votes. Promoted to the role of Home Secretary in April, Mr Javid's name has emerged after an interview he gave to the Spectator in which he appeared to lay out his broader vision for the UK - focusing on social mobility and the UK's immigration policy. Writing on Twitter on Wednesday morning, Mr Javid said a contest for the leadership of the Conservative party was "the last thing" the country needs at the moment. "Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March," Mr Javid wrote. The Duchess of Cornwall meets Ollie the donkey and Harry the mini Shetland pony outside the Guards Chapel in central London ahead of a carol concert in aid of the animal welfare charity Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys. Heathcliff OMalley/Daily Telegraph The Duchess of Cornwall has paid tribute to the dedication of pioneering equine welfare charity founder Dorothy Brooke. Camilla is president of the Brooke, which helps improve the lives of donkeys, horses and mules around the world, and joined its staff and supporters at their annual Christmas carol service. During the event attended by Brooke supporter and Olympic gold medal cyclist Victoria Pendleton, the duchess read from a new biography of Dorothy Brooke by Grant Hayter-Menzies. Expand Close The Duchess of Cornwall gave a reading during the Brookes Christmas Carol service (Heathcliff OMalley/Daily Telegraph) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duchess of Cornwall gave a reading during the Brookes Christmas Carol service (Heathcliff OMalley/Daily Telegraph) She told the congregation the senior officers wife was moved by the plight of abandoned First World War horses she saw pulling cabs in Cairo in 1930. Reading the extract the duchess added: She would spend the next quarter-century of her life working to help ease the sufferings of these betrayed warriors. Once she had rescued all of the war horses that she could find, she turned to the sufferings of native horses, mules and donkeys. And she developed a philosophy for their human owners, caught in the same wheel of pain as their working animals. Blame poverty, Dorothy said, not the men degraded by it. Today Brooke operates in more than 10 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, using a network of mobile teams and field clinics to improve the health and welfare of equine animals and educating owners and workers on how best to care for them. Expand Close The duchess pictured leaving the carol service with the Reverend Stephen Dunwoody, Chaplain to the Household Division (Heathcliff OMalley/Daily Telegraph) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The duchess pictured leaving the carol service with the Reverend Stephen Dunwoody, Chaplain to the Household Division (Heathcliff OMalley/Daily Telegraph) The charitys campaign Every Horse Remembered ended in November after 12 months raising awareness for the millions of horses, donkeys and mules from all forces who died during the First World War. Before the carol service began at the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks in central London, Camilla met Ollie the donkey and Harry the mini Shetland pony outside. And when the event was over she joined some of the guests in the nearby Guards Museum for a short reception. ANNAPOLIS (December 12, 2018)With about a month until the 2019 Maryland General Assembly reconvenes on Jan. 9, the new Democratic state House Majority Leader is looking to continue the progress made last session on gun violence prevention by banning 3D and ghost guns in the state. House Majority Leader Delegate Kathleen Dumais, D-Montgomery, said she will be introducing a bill banning the possession of 3D-printed gunsplastic guns capable of shooting live ammunition and made in a 3D printerand ghost gunsnearly complete and without serial numbersin Maryland. Federal law already prohibits the creation of untraceable guns. Dumais said her bill would provide legislative support to the legal actions already taken by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh. In July, Frosh joined a lawsuit filed by Washington state's attorney general to block the release of instructions for 3D guns to the public by Defense Distributed Inc., an organization that sought to distribute the digital schematics. A final ruling on the case is expected to be made this month. "Obviously, the state can't regulate the internet, but we can certainly indicate what is allowable in Maryland or what you can possess in Maryland," Dumais said of the plastic guns. "They might be legal otherwise, but you're not going to be able to create them or have them in Maryland." Specifics on how the ban will be implemented are not yet clear, but a draft of the bill would be available in the coming weeks, she said. Mark Pennak, the president of Maryland Shall Issue, a Second Amendment advocacy group, called the potential legislation "absurd" and would represent a ban on "the possession of knowledge." "No one has ever used it in a crime," Pennak said. "It would cost far more to 3D-print (a gun) than to acquire a gun from on the street. It's just hysteria and nothing more." Most 3D printers, devices that create three-dimensional objects from a computer-generated model, cost hundreds of dollars, while the more complex models can reach several thousand. This makes acquiring a 3D gun cost-prohibitive, Pennak said, and the guns are designed to shoot one low-caliber round at a time, making it an ineffective way to carry out a crime. But newly appointed vice chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Sen. Will Smith, D-Montgomery, said that 3D gun technology is rapidly evolving, which should spur the General Assembly to address the issue. "In the last five years, we've gone from being able to essentially print figurines, to operable firearms," Smith said. "We're trying to keep ahead of the curve but this is still something that has proliferated so fast we're still behind. The last thing we want is for the next gun tragedy to be the result of a 3D-printed gun." Of more concern, are what are known as "ghost guns," said Cassandra Crifasi, assistant professor of health policy and deputy director of the Center for Gun Policy and Research at Johns Hopkins University. Ghost guns are incomplete kits of metal weapons available for purchase online. The nearly complete guns, as Crifasi called them, do not require serial numbers because they are not technically complete guns but may be made functional with some parts purchased separately. "It's an actual metal gun that's much more like what you would buy from a federally licensed firearms dealer. Far more effective and functional than something that's plastic," Crifasi said. "I would be more concerned about people being able to purchase nearly complete firearms, finishing it either themselves or using a gunsmith to finish them up and then you have something that is equivalent to what you can get in the store with no serial number." Last session, the Democrat-controlled General Assembly passed three bills to tighten gun laws in the wake of school shootings in Parkland, Florida, and Great Mills, Maryland. Calls to address gun violence were renewed after a shooting in June at the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis. Two of the bills aimed to restrict firearm access for individuals who have been previously convicted of domestic violence, or have shown "red flags," like being a danger to themselves or others. The red flag law passed largely along party lines, while the domestic violence bill received nearly unanimous support in both chambers. The third bill, banning bump stocksa device that makes guns fire more rapidlyalso passed along party lines. Bump stocks are most notably known for being used in a mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas in October 2017. To the dismay of Second Amendment advocates like Pennak, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan signed all three bills. In response, the National Rifle Association downgraded Hogan from an "A" grade to a "C-" and declined to endorse his reelection bid for governor after doing so four years ago. Crifasi applauded the General Assembly for focusing on removing guns from at-risk individuals but said imposing bans on weapons and devices like 3D guns and bump stocks can sometimes have the reverse effect. Bans can draw people's interest to something they were previously unaware of, she said, equating it to cities warning people about a dangerously strong batch of drugs. "Rather than people taking it as a warning and avoiding the risk, it could have the unintended consequence of drawing people in," Crifasi said. Here are some other legislative issues that the General Assembly is expected to address next month: Recalculating income share models for child support payments: These models are required by law to be reviewed every 10 years. The state will work with an economist to make "major changes" to how those income models are calculated, Dumais said. Pretrial services: Stemming from the 2013 case DeWolfe v. Richmond, which required the state of Maryland to provide legal representation to defendants at their pre-trial appearance, Dumais said more work can be done to fund these services for all jurisdictions. Parole reform: After the Justice Reinvestment Act of 2016, which sought to reduce the state's prison population and improve parole and probation systems, Dumais said more can be done to further improve the parole system, especially among older inmates. "When does it make sense if someone is ill and elderly and really needs constant medical careis there a point we should consider nursing homes instead of prisons if they are not a danger to themselves or others," Dumais said. Debt reform: Smith hopes to eliminate the use of "body attachments," which are debt-related arrest warrants, for amounts less than $5,000. Hundreds of these arrests were made in the last year, according to a Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition report, forcing some in the state to spend time in jail awaiting a hearing. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex (Paul Edwards/The Sun/PA) 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 pain 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. So far this year in the capital, there have been more than 120 homicides. 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. 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. The DUP has teamed up with former Brexit secretaries / Credit: DUP/Arlene Foster DUP leader Arlene Foster has joined forces with former Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab to push for changes to the withdrawal deal. It comes as news emerges that Theresa May plans to tell MPs she will stand down before the next election in a bid to secure their support in Wednesday night's confidence vote. As Mrs May set about meeting with a number of backbench colleagues to secure their support, a spokesman for Downing Street said the Prime Minister does not believe the vote is about who "leads the Conservative party into the next election" but was about whether it was "sensible to change the leader" at the current stage of the Brexit process. Her spokesman declined when asked to name an exact departure date. At an earlier event in the British Academy in central London on Wednesday DUP representatives appeared with high-profile Brexiters to launch the 'A Better Deal' document, which outlines a number of alternations. Delighted to speak at the launch of A Better Deal. The WA would undermine the economic & constitutional integrity of the UK. There are alternatives. London, Dublin & Brussels have all ruled out a hard border in any circumstance. Backstop is not needed. pic.twitter.com/n1SWHgrpYn Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) December 12, 2018 On Twitter on Wednesday, Mrs Foster wrote: "London, Dublin & Brussels have all ruled out a hard border in any circumstance. Backstop is not needed." Included in the document is a proposal for a new Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland to replace the backstop. The document states that "nothing in the New Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland shall imply the creation, existence or maintenance of a single customs territory between the European Union and the United Kingdom". The protocol would be in place from the end of the transition period at the end of 2020 if no alternative arrangements are in place to guarantee the absence of a hard border. British Transport Police believe Bethan Roper was killed while leaning out of a train window (Family handout/PA) The family of a woman killed while reportedly leaning out of a train window have paid tribute to her. Bethan Roper, 28, died on the Bristol Temple Meads-bound service on December 1 while returning from a Christmas shopping trip with friends. On Wednesday her father, Adrian Roper, 63, released a statement describing his daughter as being beautiful in every way. Mr Roper said: She worked in Cardiff for the Wales Refugee Council, Sobeys Vintage Clothes Shop, the Coproduction Network for Wales, and Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative. She chaired the Cardiff branch of the Socialist Party of Great Britain, and was a Unite union convener. Our pain couldnt be sharper or more justified, but I know that her goodness and fullness of spirit will live on in our hearts and actionsAdrian Roper Bethan had a big close network of friends with whom she loved to go to music festivals and clubs or just spend time with, talking and laughing. She also travelled the world for six months with her soul-mate, Lizzy, making more friends from around the world. They also went cage-diving with sharks in South Africa several times together. She was an avid reader, podcast listener and film watcher, with a deep insight into the world around her. She enjoyed life to the full whilst working tirelessly for a better world. She was also a much loved sister, daughter, grand-daughter and niece. Expand Close Bethan Roper died from serious head injuries suffered on a train between Bath and Keynsham (Cardiff School of Journalism/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bethan Roper died from serious head injuries suffered on a train between Bath and Keynsham (Cardiff School of Journalism/PA) All of us who knew Bethan have been very privileged. She was beautiful in every way. Our pain couldnt be sharper or more justified, but I know that her goodness and fullness of spirit will live on in our hearts and actions. Miss Roper, from Penarth, South Wales, was pronounced dead at Bristol Temple Meads station after 10.10pm on Saturday December 1. She was returning to Penarth after spending the day at Baths Christmas Market when she suffered a fatal blow to her head. British Transport Police said initial inquiries suggested Miss Roper may have been leaning out of a carriage window at the time. An inquest is expected to open next week. Margaret Thatcher leaves Downing Street for an audience with the Queen after announcing her resignation (PA) Theresa May is not the first Conservative leader to vow to fight to save her position in the face of rebellious MPs. Margaret Thatcher famously declared I fight on, I fight to win as she battled a challenge from Michael Heseltine in 1990, only to stand down after senior Tories advised her she was heading for defeat. Lady Thatcher is the only Prime Minister to be removed from office by a party leadership ballot among her own MPs. Under the different rules in place in 1990, Mrs Thatcher defeated Mr Heseltine by 204 to 152 in a vote of Tory MPs after he challenged her position. Expand Close William Hague won the Conservative leadership after John Majors resignation (David Giles/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp William Hague won the Conservative leadership after John Majors resignation (David Giles/PA) But she failed to achieve the 15% margin of victory to prevent a second-round ballot. Despite her defiant statement that she would fight on, she withdrew from the contest two days later after a succession of Cabinet ministers told her they thought she would lose. Her departure allowed John Major to come through and defeat Mr Heseltine for the leadership. Mr Major himself called a back-me-or-sack-me contest in 1995, resigning as leader to fight for the job after coming under pressure from rebels over Europe. He easily saw off his challenger John Redwood by 218 votes to 89 and went on to lead the Tories into the 1997 general election, resigning after his landslide defeat by Tony Blair. Expand Close Iain Duncan Smith with his wife Betsy outside Conservative Party central office after losing a confidence vote of Tory MPs in 2003 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Iain Duncan Smith with his wife Betsy outside Conservative Party central office after losing a confidence vote of Tory MPs in 2003 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Party rules had changed by the time of the next challenge to a Tory leader, requiring Iain Duncan Smith to face a confidence vote after MPs submitted letters to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee in 2003. He lost the vote by 90-75 and resigned shortly afterwards, clearing the way for Michael Howard to take over as leader without a ballot, after no other contenders stood against him. Mr Howard himself eventually stood down voluntarily as leader after losing the 2005 general election, as did David Cameron after losing the 2016 EU referendum and William Hague after the 2001 general election. Edward Heath stayed on as Tory leader after losing power in 1974 but was forced out by Mrs Thatcher in a leadership contest the following year. The new BBC Scotland channel will include its own Question Time-style debate show, MPs have been told. The Scottish Affairs Committee heard plans are on track to launch the channel on February 24 next year, with a nightly hour-long news programme and shows such as Still Game to feature on the channel. BBC Scotland head of news Gary Smith said a political debate show is also being commissioned. He told the Westminster committee: This is something Ive wanted to do for a long time and its fantastic to have the opportunity to do this now. Itll be a really significant addition to what we can offer on TV as a proper, in-depth political debate programme. We havent quite worked out the format yet but there will clearly be some kind of panel and some kind of audience and a presenter, and well be able to look at all the issues of the day but from a Scottish perspective. In shorthand terms its kind of like our own BBC Scotland version of the Question Time format. Donalda MacKinnon, BBC Scotland director, said the outcome of an ongoing consultation on how licence fees for over 75s are paid could impact the channel and all BBC services. Asked by committee chairman Pete Wishart if there were any plans to deal with a potential hit to allocated funds, Ms MacKinnon said: I think we all have to plan with a view to there being a future and certainly launching a new service I wouldnt be advocating we do anything other than that. The BBC will have to look across all its services and ours would potentially be part of that landscape. Asked what roles the new channel will have, Ms MacKinnon said: I think it will have a number of roles, culturally, politically and economically, and I suppose critically the most important role we will have will be to serve audiences better. A new mother has died in hospital after she reportedly got lost and collapsed as she returned to her ward from seeing her premature son. A search was launched after Amanda Cox was reported missing from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at around 5pm on Monday. She was found within the hospital at around 10pm that evening. The Edinburgh Evening News reports that the new mother, who had given birth to a premature baby boy four days earlier, was found in a rarely used stairwell having suffered a suspected haemorrhage. The death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious, and a report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.Police Scotland She died a short time later. It is thought the patient may have got lost while returning to her ward from the neo-natal unit downstairs. In a statement, police said: We can confirm that missing woman Amanda Cox was discovered collapsed within the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary around 10pm on Monday December 10. She sadly passed away a short time later. The death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious, and a report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Amandas family and friends at this time. NHS Lothian deputy chief executive Jim Crombie said: My thoughts and sympathies are with the family of Amanda Cox at this sad time. A police investigation is ongoing and we are assisting with their inquiries. Gift was born intersex, but his mother raised him as a female. Now, 32 years old, Gift is self-administering hormone therapy because the procedures to get them properly prescribed were too costly, he told the Global Press Journal. Homosexuality in Zambia is a crime, and some intersex people who are mistaken to be gay face discrimination and sometimes arrest. So when Gift tried to level his testosterone medically four years ago, he had to go through a series of tests, and even though he paid a lot of money for them, they kept getting rescheduled. Health professionals in Zambia are blaming this on a lack of trained endocrinologists. The hospital process was just too cumbersome, he says. I kept going back and forth for medical examinations for two years, and it was costly, as well as time-consuming. So Gift took matters into his own hands by buying the hormones without a prescription from South Africa. Prime Minister Theresa May making a statement in the House of Commons, London, where she told MPs that tomorrows meaningful vote on her Brexit deal had been deferred. Enough Tory MPs have requested a vote of no confidence in Theresa May to trigger a contest, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee has announced. Sir Graham Brady said the threshold of 48 letters 15% of the parliamentary party needed to trigger a vote has been reached and a ballot will be held between 6pm and 8pm in the House of Commons and the result announced this evening. The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made as soon as possible in the evening, he said. Mrs May is expected to make a statement responding to the development outside the door of 10 Downing Street on Wednesday morning, a senior source told the Press Association. She has spoken by phone with Sir Graham this morning, said the source. Mrs May will address Conservative MPs at a meeting of the 1922 Committee at 5pm this evening, immediately before voting begins. A source said she would also be speaking to individual Tory MPs during the day. She needs the support of 158 MPs in the ballot half of the parliamentary party plus one in order to remain as leader. But some observers believe that a large vote of 100 or more against the PM might be enough to make Mrs May question whether it is worth carrying on. She also has to face the Commons at what may prove to be her last session of Prime Ministers Questions at noon. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) A string of Cabinet ministers, including some touted as possible replacements for Mrs May, have swiftly come out with statements of loyalty to her. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: I am backing Theresa May tonight. Being PM (is the) most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29. I am backing @theresa_may tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29 Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) December 12, 2018 Environment Secretary Michael Gove, another Cabinet minister seen as a possible leadership contender, tweeted: I am backing the Prime Minister 100% and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same. She is battling hard for our country and no-one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British peoples decision to leave the EU. Brexit-backing International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt posted: The Prime Minister has my full support, not least because she has always done what she firmly believes is in the national interest. Our country needs us all to fight for a good deal and prepare for a no-deal scenario. All eyes and hands should be on that task. Others voicing support for the PM included Chancellor Philip Hammond, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Justice Secretary David Gauke, Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd and Communities Secretary James Brokenshire. Expand Close Jacob Rees-Mogg is among those challenging Mrs May (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jacob Rees-Mogg is among those challenging Mrs May (PA) But in a joint statement, the chairman of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers Jacob Rees-Mogg and his deputy Steve Baker said: Theresa Mays plan would bring down the Government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it. Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs Mays leadership. In the national interest, she must go. The pound fell briefly in response to news of the challenge to Mrs Mays position, but later rallied. A wave of new letters was submitted to Sir Graham amid anger at Mrs Mays dramatic decision on Monday to put on hold the crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal after admitting she was heading for a heavy defeat. Former cabinet minister Owen Paterson was the latest MP to declare he had submitted a letter to the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee. 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. Expand Close Chief Whip Julian Smith leaves Downing Street (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chief Whip Julian Smith leaves Downing Street (Victoria Jones/PA) Speculation about Mr Javids possible leadership ambitions was fuelled by an interview in the Spectator magazine in which he set out a broad-ranging vision for the Conservatives as the party which can make a real difference to you as an individual in your life. He also appeared to take a swipe at Mrs Mays approach to immigration, saying that establishing control over the system was far more important than someone saying: our immigration policy is about bringing numbers down, and nothing else. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) In his letter, published in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Paterson said Mrs Mays conduct of the Brexit negotiations had eroded trust in the Government, to the point where I and many others can no longer take the Prime Minister at her word. The former Northern Ireland secretary and prominent Brexiteer said she had become a blockage to an agreement which Parliament and the country could support. 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, he wrote. Theresa May is fighting to save her Brexit deal and potentially her premiership amid renewed claims Tory MPs are close to forcing a vote of no confidence in her leadership. Westminster was awash with rumours that rebels were on the brink of or had actually reached the threshold of 48 letters needed to trigger a vote. Former cabinet minister Owen Paterson became the latest MP to declare he had submitted a letter to the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. It followed reports of a wave of new letters amid anger at the way Mrs May dramatically put on hold the crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal after admitting she was heading for a heavy defeat. Expand Close Chief Whip Julian Smith leaves Downing Street (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chief Whip Julian Smith leaves Downing Street (Victoria Jones/PA) 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. And unconfirmed reports suggested Sir Graham has asked to meet Mrs May after Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday afternoon. In his letter, published in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Paterson said Mrs Mays conduct of the Brexit negotiations had eroded trust in the Government, to the point where I and many others can no longer take the Prime Minister at her word. The former Northern Ireland secretary and prominent Brexiteer said she had become a blockage to an agreement which Parliament and the country could support. 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, he wrote. Expand Close Owen Paterson has submitted a letter calling for a vote of no confidence (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Owen Paterson has submitted a letter calling for a vote of no confidence (Victoria Jones/PA) In the meantime, the Prime Minister is set to continue her whistle stop tour of European capitals as she seeks to win additional assurances on the Northern Ireland backstop which she hopes will persuade critics to back her deal. However, given the scale of the opposition, it is unclear anything she could bring back would be enough to get it through the Commons She will fly out on Wednesday evening to Dublin for talks with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, before travelling on to Brussels for a summit of EU leaders starting on Thursday. Her visit follows meetings on Tuesday with German chancellor Angela Merkel, Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, European Council president Donald Tusk and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. Before heading to Ireland, she is due to chair the weekly meeting of the Cabinet postponed from Tuesday as well as holding talks with DUP leader Arlene Foster, whose party props up her minority Government in the Commons. Ahead of their meeting, Mrs Foster underlined the precarious nature of Mrs Mays position as she reaffirmed the DUPs implacable opposition to the backstop which, it says, impose a border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. We need to remove the backstop. This has been our message from the day a backstop was conceived, she said. It is not a case of repackaging or varnishing. Tinkering around the edges will not work. Assurances or reassurances are not what we are seeking. We want to see to see the Withdrawal Agreement fundamentally changed. PM @Theresa_May continues her discussions with European leaders on the Brexit deal by meeting President Donald Tusk in Brussels. pic.twitter.com/UfzbCntvGt UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) December 11, 2018 Following his talks with Mrs May, Mr Tusk described their meeting as long and frank, adding: Clear that EU27 wants to help. The question is how. Mr Juncker insisted that while there was no room whatsoever for renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement, there was scope for further clarifications and further interpretations. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Mrs May acknowledged any deal with the EU would have to include a backstop to ensure there could be no return of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. 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, she said. 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. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, speaks to her lawyer during a bail hearing (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) President Donald Trump has said he would consider intervening in the case against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou if it would be in the interest of US national security and help forge a trade deal with China. Mr Trump told Reuters in an interview 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 Ms Meng, who was arrested at the United States request in a case that has set off a diplomatic furore among the three countries and complicated high-stakes US-China trade talks. Hours before the bail hearing in Vancouver, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for the December 1 arrest of Ms Meng, 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 dollars (6 million) to Ms 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 11pm to 6am. Expand Close Courtroom sketch of Meng Wanzhou listening to the judge during a bail hearing in Vancouver (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Courtroom sketch of Meng Wanzhou listening to the judge during a bail hearing in Vancouver (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) The decision was met with applause in the packed courtroom, where members of Vancouvers Chinese community had turned out to show support for Ms Meng. She left the courthouse late on Tuesday surrounded by a security detail and was driven away in a black car 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 Ms Mengs arrest. Were deeply concerned, Mr 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. Expand Close Supporters hold signs outside the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Supporters hold signs outside the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) 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 Mr 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 Mr Kovrig. He thinks Mr Kovrig was in Beijing on personal matters and was definitely not there for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. Canada had been bracing for retaliation for Ms Mengs 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 Ms Mengs detention. In China there is no coincidence, Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said of Mr Kovrigs detention. Unfortunately Canada is caught in the middle of this dispute between the US and China. Because China cannot kick the US 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 did not mention Ms Meng by name. But ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Mr Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Ms Mengs. Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. It says Ms Meng and Huawei misled banks about the companys business dealings in Iran. On Tuesday, US 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, Mr Palladino said. Canada is acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a US extradition requestRoland Paris, former foreign policy adviser to Justin Trudeau Ms Meng has denied the US 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 US 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. The US and China have tried to keep Ms Mengs case separate from their wider trade dispute and suggested on Tuesday that talks to resolve their differences may resume. But Mr Trump undercut efforts to distinguish between trade talks and the Huawei case in his interview with Reuters. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, called Mr Trumps comments troubling. Canada is acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a US extradition request, Mr Paris tweeted. The Chinese government said its economy czar had discussed plans with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for talks aimed at settling the two countries differences. Mr Lighthizers office confirmed he had spoken by phone with Chinese vice premier Liu He. Police stand guard outside the Metropolitan Cathedral after a deadly shooting in Campinas (Victor R. Caivano/AP) 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. Expand Close People gather outside the Metropolitan Cathedral after a fatal shooting (VIctor R. Caivano/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 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. Expand Close Two people shot by a gunman lie wounded at the entrance of the Metropolitan Cathedral (Campinas City Hall/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 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. Expand Close The Metropolitan Cathedral after the shooting (VIctor R. Caivano/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 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. A Sinn Fein MEP and her staff were among those forced to flee when a gunman opened fire, killing three people at the Christmas market in Strasbourg. Martina Anderson and three members of her staff were among the crowds enjoying the Christmas market at Place Kleber when they heard the shots. The 29-year-old alleged gunman has a criminal record and, according to officials, was known by the security services as a suspected extremist. The market visit had been part of a leaving do for one of Ms Anderson's staff members. "We had just been walking away from the market down a street deciding what restaurant to go to, the incident was at the bottom of that street, and suddenly it was pandemonium," she said. "I heard the first shot and thought it was fireworks, I didn't initially think shots, then there was another one, and another one and I knew then, obviously with growing up in the Bogside and what we had gone through in the conflict. "We were running in the other direction, telling people to run back and get back. "There were people coming out of apartments and hotels, one woman came out with a child and I told her to go back in. "We knew something was wrong, but there was so much confusion, it was only when we went on social media we saw footage of people lying injured. "The three staff members who were with me wouldn't have had the same life experience as me and are quite traumatised," she said. Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson said he and his team were safe, while the DUP's Diane Dodds was at a restaurant near the scene. Mrs Dodds described it as a "terrible incident". She tweeted: "City centre is on lockdown. We are safe. Police entered our restaurant near the scene. Now waiting for the area to be declared safe." The suspect was shot and injured by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, but he escaped. Stephane Morisse from the FGP Police union said that authorities went to the alleged gunman's Strasbourg home earlier yesterday to arrest him, but he was not there. Grenades were found during a search. James Nesbitt is not just a successful actor who has deservedly won the affection of the public, but a great humanitarian who is not afraid to speak out and act as an advocate for the voiceless and marginalised in our society. His empathy for the underdog was exemplified some years ago when he spoke out for the families of the Disappeared as they were campaigning for more detailed information surrounding the final resting places of their loved ones from the IRA, which had secretly buried them in the most remote parts of the Irish countryside. Last week, Mr Nesbitt visited the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast to launch an impressive portrait exhibition of 10 victims who were very severely injured in the Troubles. During this emotional public event, he listened with great sympathy to the harrowing experiences of victims of the Troubles, still suffering even today from physical and mental pain inflicted many years ago in the violence. He made a heartfelt plea for the introduction by the State of special pensions to help the most seriously injured victims of the Troubles in order for them to cope with their horrendous injuries as they approach the end of their lives. He said that victims weren't looking for sympathy, or pity, despite living through "experiences that almost defied imagination". Of all those who suffered directly as a result of the Troubles, it is undoubtedly the thousands of victims of paramilitary violence who have suffered most. Their injuries are many and varied, but there is a small and special group of victims of the Troubles who have been so severely injured that they have been forced to campaign over the past number of years to receive a pension that could relieve their continued suffering in their declining years. According to the WAVE Trauma Centre, of which Mr Nesbitt is patron, around 500 severely injured victims of the Troubles face living out their latter years on modest incomes. Therefore, they are pushing for a separate pension for those permanently injured and severely disabled. While many received criminal injuries compensation years ago, this compensation has by now been exhausted. This compensation turned out to be inadequate, not least because it was calculated on the basis that these victims were not expected to survive into old age. But, because of wonderful medical advances, remarkably, they have survived into old age. However, they have entered into old age without the financial security that they might otherwise have enjoyed if they had been capable of working throughout their lives. Alan McBride, whose wife, Sharon, and father-in-law, Desmond Frizzell, were killed in the Shankill Bomb, and who co-ordinates the injured victims' campaign group at WAVE, described how there has been an insolvable stand-off between the DUP and Sinn Fein over who should be eligible for such a pension. Because of this impasse, the victims campaigners are of a mind that, if these two local parties still fail to agree on this issue, Westminster should step in and legislate, because the plight of the severely injured is as much a legacy issue as anything else, and should properly be addressed at Westminster. They do not see this as undermining devolution, and believe that it would be scandalous if the plight of these victims was to continue to be neglected. Given the unlikely restoration of the Assembly for a very long time, they believe it imperative that the British Government now legislates for this discrete group of severely injured victims, who continue to suffer grievously as a result of the shameful political failure of the two major parties to agree. Naturally, there is a profound sense of hurt and disappointment among these victims about the way their needs have been so badly neglected. There is also a striking sense of abandonment. One such victim is Mary Hannon-Fletcher, injured in a drive-by shooting when she was a teenager in 1975. She was paralysed as result of this shooting. She said: "Every day, all of us are living in pain and suffering. On top of that, we have been ignored and left alone to suffer and struggle by ourselves." Mark Kelly, who lost his legs in a no-warning bomb attack on the Glen Inn in Glengormley, added: "At times, it feels like we are knocking our heads against a brick wall, but we are survivors and we are persistent." The time has come to end the excessive delay in establishing a special pension for those, like Mary Hannon-Fletcher and Mark Kelly, who are still enduring the wounds of the Troubles. As Christmas rapidly approaches, we should be more sensitive to their plight, and actively support Mr Nesbitt's courageous humanitarian plea to end this outrageous scandal. Do lost lives count for less in Northern Ireland? It was reported this week that the average minimum term handed down by our courts in life sentences for murder was almost 10 years lower than in England and Wales last year. That's quite a disparity. The difference of an entire decade, in the average length of time that killers are recommended to serve, on each side of the Irish Sea. Figures obtained by the BBC showed that the average minimum tariff for murder in Northern Ireland in 2017, before a prisoner was considered for parole, was 11 years and four months, compared to 21 years and one month in England and Wales. This represents a fall of three years from the Northern Ireland figure in 2016. The statistics leap about dramatically from year to year: 15 years was the Northern Ireland average in 2013, which then dropped to 11.5 years in 2014. But when you see that the lowest figure in England and Wales in the five-year period between 2013 and 2017 was 20 years and 10 months, the contrast remains stark. So, what is going on? Are Northern Irish murderers treated more leniently than English or Welsh murderers? Do killers get an easier ride here, rather than in other parts of the UK? Not quite. A spokesperson for the Lord Chief Justice's office responded to the findings by saying that the number of murder cases in Northern Ireland was significantly smaller than in England and Wales, which apparently "explains why there is so much variation in average tariffs year-on-year in this jurisdiction". The spokesperson also said that the tariffs depended on "specific factual circumstances in each case" and there were "many examples of tariffs of 15 years or more being imposed in this jurisdiction where premeditated murders are carried out with weapons by persons of bad character". These answers help, but only up to a point. The fact that proven killers are, on average, consistently serving shorter sentences here than in England and Wales is undeniable. The average sentence for manslaughter in Northern Ireland was also significantly lower than in England and Wales last year. Sentencing, both in Northern Ireland and beyond, is subject to strict guidelines and is rightly a matter for the independent judiciary. But as Victim Support NI has observed: "Some victims tell us that they do not feel the sentence fully reflects the impact the crime has had on their lives and this leads to a sense that justice has not been done." The pain of believing that a loved one's squandered, irreplaceable life has been treated with insufficient gravity by the courts must be immense. There is the horror of the loss, which is then compounded by a sentence which, in their eyes, falls far short of a commensurate response. If there was increased transparency and accountability when it comes to determining the "specific factual circumstances", which are used to allocate the appropriate tariff, it could be highly beneficial to victims. What we really need is our own sentencing council, similar to the body set up in England and Wales in 2010, "to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, while maintaining the independence of the judiciary". As an independent, non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice, one of the sentencing council's key functions is to raise awareness among the public "regarding the realities of sentencing", as well as to develop public confidence in sentencing and the criminal justice system. It is also responsible for considering the impact of sentencing decisions on victims. Of course, we do have mechanisms in place in Northern Ireland for when sentences plainly do not fit the severity of the crime. For example, the paralytically drunk and drugged driver who knocked down and killed Queen's University student Enda Dolan in 2014 was originally sentenced to seven years - three-and-a-half years in prison and the same on licence. Following a public outcry and a subsequent appeal, the time that the driver, David Lee Stewart, would spend in jail, was increased by one year. Some cases linger painfully in the mind, longer after they have left the headlines. Enda's story was one of those. He was only 18 when his young, talented life was snuffed out in an instant by a boozed-up waster at the wheel. The details were awful. Enda had just started studying architecture and he was heading back to his halls at Queen's Elms on the Malone Road. Stewart's car mounted the kerb and hit him so hard that the young man was flipped on to the roof of the vehicle, breaking his neck, but Stewart kept on driving for another 800 metres before stopping. Judge Kerr, who was responsible for the initial sentence, told the court that "no sentence can ever reflect the pain and suffering of all who knew and loved this young man". But the brevity of the sentencing clearly added to the Dolan family's already unimaginable pain. Their agony was magnified by a helpless sense of anger at the legal system and its apparent disregard for victims' families. I remember the Dolans saying that they were suffering their own life sentence: "The missed family celebrations, the Christmases, the family holidays, the 21st birthday he won't have, the exams that he never sat, the graduation never attended, the engagement, the wedding, the grandchildren that will never be." I don't know if the extra year added to Stewart's short time in prison made any difference to the Dolans in their terrible grief. It still seems such a brief sentence for the taking of a young life. But I do know that Enda's father, Peter, has called for the review of sentencing in Northern Ireland - which has been dragging on for years now - to be fully completed. Last year, Mr Dolan told this paper that there had been numerous cases where the people involved received poor and inadequate sentences. He said that having to appeal the "unduly lenient" sentence in Enda's case added "extra stress" on his family and that he would like to see a minimum tariff of 20 years to life for causing death by dangerous driving. In the arcane world of the judiciary, a life sentence does not mean life. We know that. But surely it must approximate, at some level that we can all understand, to the nature of the crime committed. Our confidence in the criminal justice system depends on it. If MPs say what they mean and mean what they say, Theresa May is on course to win tonights no confidence vote. The Prime Minister needs 158 MPs behind her to survive and a Sky News tally shows 171 have so far have publicly made statements of support. But this is the Tory Party where looking your leader in the eye one minute and stabbing her in the back the next is second nature. Read More As Mrs May pledged to contest this evenings vote with everything Ive got, its worth recounting that the first female Conservative leader vowed to do the same when challenged by Michael Heseltine. Margaret Thatcher secured 55% support but quit days later. Conventional wisdom has it that a similarly narrow win would so damage Mrs Mays authority that shed also have to resign. Read More But were hardly living in conventional times. There are no set precedents as to what happens next and who would be surprised that, with a not so handsome win, the Prime Minister might just limp on? Heavy hints have come from team May in the past few hours that if MPs back her tonight she will not lead the Tories into another election. That suggests her side arent as confident of victory as theyre saying. You dont give throw out something like that unless youre desperate. Read More If the Prime Minster wins well, her hand is hugely strengthened with the Brexiteers and shell be immune from another challenge for a year. Shes not a woman given to passion or rhetorical flourishes but shell have to make the speech of her life to the backbench 1922 Committee before the vote. Read More Margaret Thatcher had won three general elections but that couldnt save her and she departed from Downing Street in tears. Theresa May has no great political successes under her belt. But shes not hated on the streets like her female predecessor was, and the Brexit clock is ticking on. The huge instability caused by her departure, in already politically precarious times, is the best argument she can make tonight to keep her job. An island in the Bay of Bengal developed to house tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees likely wont be opened this year, Bangladeshi officials acknowledged Wednesday after earlier announcing that the prime minister would inaugurate the controversial facility in October. Bangladeshi officials raced this year to finish building a residential complex on Bhashan Char island to ease congestion in Coxs Bazar district, where most of the more than 700,000 Rohingya fled following a military crackdown in Myanmars Rakhine state in 2017. She has been very busy with electioneering. So the possibility of her visit to Bhashan Char before election is very slim, Ihsanul Karim, the press secretary for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told BenarNews, referring to the 71-year-old leader who has started a countrywide campaign for the Dec. 30 parliamentary polls. Hasina told reporters in February that the plan to house the refugees on the flood-prone island would be temporary. Her government budgeted U.S. $276 million in the housing complex, a two-year construction project built under supervision of the Bangladeshi Navy. Chinese construction company Sinohydro was involved in constructing a 13-km (8-mile) embankment designed to protect the island from flooding and HR Wallingford, a British engineering consultancy firm, had been involved on the projects coastal stabilization measures. The embankment, protected by steel sheet, would allow the island to withstand flooding and cyclones, an official involved in the Bhashan Char project told BenarNews on condition of anonymity. The embankment will gradually be made 21-foot high, he said, adding that some people had been farming freshwater fish and raising cattle inside the island to prepare for the possible arrival of refugees. The official said there would be adequate water pumps to supply drinking water to the refugees on Bhashan Char, where workers had finished constructing two helipads. Two big ships and 20 high-speed boats would also be stationed on the island to help transport goods and refugees, he said. Earlier on, human rights groups opposed the plan to bring Rohingya to the island and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) emphasized that the relocation plan must be based on and implemented through voluntary and informed decisions. Last month, Rohingya refugees who live at camps in Coxs Bazar staged a loud protest against a bilateral plan by Bangladesh and Myanmar to start repatriating Rohingya to Rakhine, as empty buses stood nearby, waiting to transport them across the border. The process of sending the first batch of refugees was scheduled to begin Nov. 15, but officials called off the repatriation plan indefinitely amid the protests. Bangladesh officials had said previously that the island relocation plan would involve up to 100,000 Rohingya refugees from ramshackle camps in Coxs Bazar, where they face flooding and landslides. But that plan, they said, would not take place without Hasina leading the inauguration ceremony on the island, about 30 km (21 miles) from the mainland. On Wednesday, Joseph Tripura, a press officer with UNHCRs Dhaka office, told BenarNews that a team the U.N. refugee agency had visited the island on Oct. 23. We need more such visits. We are yet to certify that the isle is habitable, as we do not know its latest condition, he said. Tonmoy Das, deputy commissioner of Noakhali district, which encompasses Bhashan Char, told BenarNews on Wednesday that Hasina was supposed to visit the island on Nov. 3 and inaugurate the relocation, but then officials cancelled that schedule. We are busy with election duties. We have not received any instruction to relocate the Rohingya before election, Das said, emphasizing that it was difficult to predict whether the relocation would start before the end of December. Hasina, during a news conference in Dhaka early this year, described Bhashan Char as very nice, adding that even though her government was planning to transfer 100,000 refugees there, the island was large enough to accommodate up to 1 million people. Shah Rezwan Hayat, a joint secretary and chief of the Rohingya cell under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, told BenarNews that about 90 percent construction work in Bhashan Char had been completed. The Rohingya can live there now, he said. But it will not be opened before the prime minister formally opens it. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is escorted to his appearance at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, Dec.12, 2018. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and the former chief executive of 1MDB both pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one charge each in connection with alleged tampering of a 2016 audit into the beleaguered state development fund. Najib, who is facing 38 other charges relating to a financial scandal around 1MDB, was accused of abusing his position as prime minister to shield himself from legal action by ordering amendments to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad final audit between Feb. 22 and 26, 2016. Both Najib and Arul Kanda, the ex-CEO of 1MDB, were charged under the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Act of 2009. If found guilty, each man could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to five times the gratification amount. The allegations against Najib went public on Nov. 25 when Auditor General Madinah Mohamad announced that several parts of the 2016 audit were expunged under the former prime ministers orders. The expunged sections allegedly included a mention of fugitive financier Low Taek Jho (better known as Jho Low) attending a 1MDB board meeting. Malaysian officials said they wanted to extradite the financier who was charged in absentia earlier this month for his role in the 1MDB scandal. Najibs Barisan Nasional coalition was driven from power when it lost the May 9 general election to the Pakatan Harapan coalition led by Mahathir Mohamad, who took over as prime minister and appointed new leadership throughout the government. Mahathir also ordered the investigation into 1MBD to resume. Previously, the U.S. Justice Department had described 1MDB as the worst kleptocracy scandal in recent times, alleging that almost $4.5 billion (18.7 billion ringgit) from the state fund was embezzled and laundered through real estate and other assets. 500,000 ringgit bail Najib, who arrived at Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with his son, Norashman, appeared calm while the charge was read by a court official. The court allowed bail at 500,000 ringgit (U.S. $119,310) to be paid today, Judge Azura Alwi said. Before Azura ruled, lead defense attorney Shafee Abdullah argued against lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Rams request for bail to be double that figure. Shafee pointed out that Najib and Arul were charged with the same offense, and questioned the disparity in the bail figures. Arul, who appeared earlier before Judge Rozina Ayob where he was charged with abetting Najib in tampering the audit, was granted 500,000 ringgit bail. Sri Ram argued that Najib was the principal offender while Arul is facing his first charge. The principal offender is always treated differently than the abettor. The fact that he had been charged before should not be a privilege, Sri Ram said. Shafee argued that Najib had paid a total of 5.5 million ringgit ($1.3 million) to stay out of jail since being charged for the first time on July 4 and asked that he face no additional bail. If your honor press for further bail that would be oppressive, Shafee said. Former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda arrives at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, Dec.12, 2018. (S.Mahfuz/BenarNew) Aruls lawyer, N. Sivananthan, asked Rozina to allow his client to pay the bail in two equal installments of 250,000 ringgit (U.S $59,645) on Wednesday and Thursday. But Rozina questioned the request. He has been unemployed since May, your honor, Sivananthan said. The judge was not moved. The accused will surrender his passport to the court until the end of the case and the court orders the payment of a 500,000 ringgit bond to be made today, Rozina ruled. Both men were released and their cases are to resume on Jan. 4. Speaking to reporters in the courthouse lobby, Shafee said the charge against Najib specifically referred to him ordering the amendment of a draft and should not be considered tampering. It was not the final audit report, it was a draft report, Shafee said. The last few days the allegation was that he tampered, now the prosecution agrees this is an allegation that he directed certain things while the draft report was ongoing. Since the auditor generals announcement in November, former government officials including Madinahs predecessor, Ambrin Buang, have denied her allegations. Ambrin, who was questioned by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission for seven hours on Dec. 5, maintained there was no tampering in the final audit accepted by parliament in 2016. Madinah defended her previous comments, saying she had submitted all evidence to parliaments Public Accounts Committee and gave a three-hour explanation to the committee two weeks ago. Soldiers patrol the southern Philippine city of Marawi at the height of gunbattles with pro-Islamic State militants, June 13, 2017. Updated at 3:45 p.m. ET on 2018-12-12 Philippine legislators approved an extension of President Rodrigo Dutertes martial law for one more year in the southern Mindanao region Wednesday, following claims from security officials that militants linked to Islamic State continued to pose threats. A joint congressional session, with 235 members voting in favor and 28 against, agreed to extend military rule on Mindanao beginning on Jan. 1 and ending on Dec. 31, 2019. Salvador Medialdea, Dutertes chief aide, told Congress that rebellion in Mindanao still subsists more than a year after the military defeated pro-IS extremists who had taken over the southern city of Marawi, in one of the countrys biggest security challenges that killed 1,200 people, most of them militants. While there has been a significant decimation of foreign and local terrorist groups in the south, and a general weakening of communist guerrillas strength, martial law was still needed because actual rebellion still clearly persists, Medialdea said. He said that remnants of those who fought in Marawi still remained a problem, while members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have remained adamant in their pursuit of establishing an independent Islamic state. The BIFF is a splinter group from the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which signed a peace deal with Manila four years ago. Duterte signed a law this year that establishes Muslim autonomous region in the south, but it needs to be ratified in a plebiscite scheduled next month. The BIFF supported last years Marawi siege, but did not send fighters to the area. Instead, its fighters concentrated in bombing activities in the central Mindanao region, the military said, adding that foreign fighters have continued to train in BIFFs jungle camps in the south. These complications are further worsened by the presence of other foreign terrorist elements, who, despite differences in ideologies share the same purpose of overthrowing our government, Medialdea emphasized. Medialdea also said that members of the New Peoples Army (NPA), the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, have continued to commit armed hostilities in the south. He argued that the government was in the cusp of ending rebellions in the impoverished south, but we cannot afford to show our enemies a moment of weakness in our resolve to defeat them. While Isnilon Hapilon and other leaders of the Marawi siege had been slain after five months of gunbattles, dozens of other militants escaped from the ruined city and were continuing to recruit youths from impoverished, far-flung areas, according to a military intelligence report. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra stressed that extending military rule in the south was dictated by circumstance. The matter of declaring martial law is not a matter of policy, its a matter of exigency, he said. Thousands of families remain displaced But Drieza Abato-Lininding, leader of the Moro Consensus Group, an organization that pushes for rights of the internally displaced in the south, scored the military for claiming victory against IS and allied groups on one hand, and pressing for martial law on the other. The remnants of the IS group have long been gone, either neutralized or surrendered, so what threat are we referring to? said Lininding, a Marawi resident whose ancestral home was among those destroyed in last years battle. Lininding said at least 28,000 families from Marawi have remained displaced, more than a year after the military won against the militants. This martial law has so many effects on us. It continue to hound us. Until now we cant return to our home. It is being used by the government to silence us and take what is legally ours, he said. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who voted against the extension, said he was bothered by the reasoning of the governments top security officials. "You made statements yesterday that martial law makes governance more effective. These are very disturbing thoughts. These are very disturbing conclusions. We cannot make martial law as an instrument to make governance more effective," Drilon said. Rep. Edecel Lagman, a House opposition member, said another extension of martial law showed the failure of security forces to achieve their objectives. It is an admission by the military and police authorities that they have failed to achieve the purported objectives of martial law," he said. As Congress voted, communist leaders ordered their guerrillas to mount tactical offensives across the country in response to the extension of martial law in Mindanao. All NPA units must exert all possible effort to punish the worst fascist units and officers of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) who have committed grave crimes against the people, the CPP said in a statement Wednesday. The statement did not say if the order supersedes an earlier declaration of a unilateral Christmas ceasefire the CPP had ordered to allow its guerrillas to join their loved ones. Lawmakers from across Southeast Asia warned on Wednesday that Dutertes move to extend martial law in Mindanao would put human rights at risk. The continued imposition of martial law threatens to facilitate a culture of impunity in Mindanao and intensify human rights violations already taking place there, said ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) Chairman Charles Santiago, a member of the Malaysian Parliament. We urge the Philippine authorities to scrap the plans for extending martial law, and instead take steps to end the ongoing abuses on the island," he said in a statement. Jeoffrey Maitem from Cotabato, Nonoy Espina from Bacolod and Karl Romano from Dagupan contributed to this report. Thailands junta chief on Tuesday lifted a four-year ban on political activities ahead of the nations first election since a 2014 coup, but critics called for leaders of the military government to step aside to allow fair polls in February. In a Royal Gazette posting effective Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha determined that now was the time to lift political restrictions because a royal decree on the general election was approaching. He also leads the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) the official name of the junta. It is apparent that there will be an election in the near future, which is a crucial transition for the countrys future, therefore, people should take part in choosing political parties to govern the country freely. And it is appropriate to allow parties to campaign and present policies to the people, an excerpt from Prayuths announcement in the Royal Gazette stated. Prayuth, a former army general who led a coup that toppled a civilian government in May 2014, installed himself as prime minister and head of the NCPO. As a result of decrees enforced soon after the coup, the junta barred more than five people from gathering in public, muffled dissenters voices and prohibited parties from conducting political activities. In Tuesdays gazette announcement, Prayuth partially or fully revoked nine orders including the one banning political gatherings of more than five people. The action is not retroactive. The posting also called for the releasing of bank accounts of some politicians who saw their assets frozen for alleged law violations. King Maha Vajiralongkorn is expected to endorse the royal decree next month, setting the election date for February, according to a government spokesman and politicians running for office. On Friday, the Thai election commission announced that nationwide polls would be held on Feb. 24, 2019. The announcement followed a meeting between Prayuth and leaders of about 100 political parties the same day. Earlier this year, police charged seven pro-democracy activists with sedition and defying a ban on public gatherings for leading a demonstration in January that drew about 100 people in downtown Bangkok. They had allegedly violated the junta order prohibiting public political gatherings of five or more people. Opposition leader reacts Sombat Boonngamanong, the leader of a small party who faced a sedition charge and had his finances frozen, reacted negatively to Prayuths announcement. The lifting, the fanfare of the day, doesnt mark the return to democracy but it means the junta is ready to jump into the election. It is also a player, Sombat told BenarNews in a phone interview. Previously, political observers said Prayuth was seeking to retain his grip on power through at least one proxy, the Palang Pracharat Party (PPP), which announced that it would nominate him for prime minister. The PPP is accused of poaching MPs from other parties, including Pheu Thai Party, the militarys arch rival that has been led by the Shinawatra family. A hindrance to freedom Prayuth assumed power after overthrowing the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, which was elected in 2011. Her brother, Thaksin, was ousted from the prime ministers office in 2006 through a similar military coup. Both are living abroad in exile. Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the political science faculty at Ubon Ratchathani University, said the junta should revoke Section 44 of the constitution, or leaders should step down from power in the run-up to the election. Section 44 replaced martial law and gave Prayuth and his government sweeping powers to censor the media, make arrests without court warrants and take civilians to military court. It also gave him power to impose orders to cover anything he wanted including the ban on political gatherings. If they want to run in the election, the NCPO should announce that its members wont exercise Section 44 or just stop their roles in politics for the sake of fair and free election, Titipol told BenarNews. To have the NCPO in power is a hindrance to freedom. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 53F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A clear sky. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable. 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 12, 2018 Contact: Patrick Sullivan, (415) 517-9364, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org As U.S. Airbase Construction Starts in Okinawa, Legal Action Aims to Save Endangered Dugongs SAN FRANCISCO As workers prepare to begin construction of a new U.S. military base in Henoko Bay in Okinawa, Japan, U.S. environmentalists are gearing up for legal action and blasting the destructive project. The planned base could wipe out the Okinawa dugong, one of Earths most endangered marine mammals. As early as Friday ships could start dumping tons of dirt and sand into Henoko Bay. This landfill is part of a process of destroying and paving over many acres of rich coral and seagrass habitat crucial to the handful of surviving Okinawa dugongs, a manatee relative. But the U.S. Department of Defenses base plan still faces legal action by the Center for Biological Diversity and other U.S. conservation groups. Under the U.S. National Historic Preservation Act, American officials must avoid or mitigate harm to places or things of cultural significance to another country. Dugongs are cultural icons in Okinawa. We will never stop fighting to protect the Okinawa dugong from extinction at the hands of the U.S. military, said Peter Galvin, cofounder of the Center. This base is an environmental atrocity. Wiping out these gentle, culturally important animals would forever stain Americas international reputation. Briefing begins in January in the groups appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled last year that the issue deserved a full hearing. The appeal challenges an adverse district court ruling. The U.S. base is also opposed by Okinawas new governor, Denny Tamaki, who has strongly urged Japans Defense Ministry to halt construction. Okinawas assembly recently approved holding a popular referendum on the base. Background A landmark 2017 ruling by the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the right of conservation groups to sue to compel the U.S. military to fully consider the bases impacts. The plaintiffs, including the Center, Turtle Island Restoration Network and Okinawan residents, are represented by Earthjustice. Dugongs have long been revered by native Okinawans and even celebrated as sirens that bring friendly warnings of tsunamis. The dugong is listed as an object of national cultural significance under Japans Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. Under the U.S. National Historic Protection Act and international law, the United States must avoid or mitigate harm to places or things of cultural significance to another country. Roche has announced that Daniel O'Day, CEO Roche Pharmaceuticals and member of the Corporate Executive Committee, will be stepping down from his role as of 31 December 2018. Roche has announced that Daniel O'Day, CEO Roche Pharmaceuticals and member of the Corporate Executive Committee, will be stepping down from his role as of 31 December 2018. Until the end of February 2019 and prior to assuming new responsibilities outside of Roche, he will provide his support to ensure a smooth transition of activities. William (Bill) Anderson, currently CEO of Genentech, will be appointed CEO Roche Pharmaceuticals effective 1 January 2019. He will be based in Basel, report to Severin Schwan, Roche Group CEO and become a member of the Corporate Executive Committee. Roche's CEO Severin Schwan said: "Dan has had an outstanding 31-year career at Roche and has played a key role in bringing a large number of new, innovative medicines to patients. Roche today has one of the strongest pipelines of medicines in the industry and is well positioned to shape digitalisation in healthcare. We are very grateful for all of Dan's contributions." Schwan added: "I am very pleased that with Bill Anderson we are appointing a new CEO of our Pharmaceuticals Division with an impressive track record. Bill brings both in-depth knowledge of our industry and extensive global leadership experience." Daniel O'Day began his career with Roche Pharmaceuticals in 1987 and held various roles in the United States before moving in 1998 to Basel, Switzerland in Global Marketing and then Lifecycle Management. In 2001, he was appointed Head of Corporate Planning for Roche Pharmaceuticals in Japan and subsequently became General Manager Pharma Denmark. He returned to the United States to head up Roche Molecular Diagnostics in 2006 before being appointed to lead the Diagnostics Division in 2010. He was appointed to lead the Pharmaceuticals Division in 2012. Bill Anderson joined Roche in 2006 leading the Immunology Business Unit in Genentech and then took responsibility for Oncology Sales and Marketing. In 2013, he was appointed Head of Global Product Strategy based in Basel before assuming his current role as CEO of Genentech in 2017. Bill Anderson holds Master of Science degrees in Management and Chemical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Formal And Festive, Priyanka And Nicks Fashion Statements Were Strong As Ever Bollywood Wardrobe Devika Tripathi Isha Ambani Wedding: Priyanka Chopra stuns in a pastel style lehenga | Boldsky Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas returned from Oman today to attend the wedding ceremony of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. They looked resplendent and sported minimal looks for the occasion. While Priyanka went for a traditional number, Nick kept it western for the occasion- they looked like one awesome global couple. So, Priyanka wore separates from the label Jade by Monica and Karishma. She wore a coral-hued ensemble that came from their A/W' 18 collection, 'Shreedha'. Priyanka wore a full-sleeved blouse and teamed it with a floor-length voluminous skirt. Her ensemble was meticulously embellished and came alive with vibrant details. She also carried a matching subtly-done dupatta with her and accessorised her look with dazzling bangles and stunning maangtikka. Priyanka's makeup was dewy and the sleek middle-parted tresses rounded out her stunning avatar. Nick, on the other hand, wore a tuxedo and paired it with a classy watch and formal black shoes. Priyanka and Nick swooned us over yet again and we are waiting for their reception too. Don't you think they looked amazing? Let us know that in the comment section. PR Newswire CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Dec. 12, 2018 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brigham Young University student rocketeers blasted their way into history today, setting a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for Highest launch of an Alka-Rocket* in the 2018 Bayer Alka-Rocket Challenge. Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8460551-bayer-alka-rocket-challenge-2018-guinness-world-records/ A panel of judges, along with a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Adjudicator, affirmed the Brigham Young University team broke the record after the team's Alka-Rocket soared 883 feet into the air a height more than double the record set by the University of Minnesota in 2017 during finals held here today at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. In addition to the world record, BYU also received $30,000 from Bayer for receiving top honors. Created by Bayer, the Challenge is an out-of-this-world competition to design and launch an Alka-Rocket as high as possible. Alka-Rockets are model rockets often built using a 35mm canister propelled by the chemical reaction that occurs when effervescent tablets are mixed with water. The Cougar team competed with the four other finalist teams from California Polytechnic State University, Texas Tech University, the University of Georgia and the University of Minnesota. More than 50 Florida-area school children were also on hand to witness history in the making. Bayer today also awarded the team from the University of Minnesota a $30,000 prize for the highest Alka-Rocket launch ending in a safe recovery. "It has certainly been a blast being a part of this annual competition," said Dr. Mae Jemison, former NASA astronaut and the first woman of color in space. "My fellow judges and I are continuously impressed with the creativity, design, execution and commitment of each team to develop their Alka-Rockets." "We're certain that each of these students will make their mark in science, engineering or innovation the areas that are extremely critical for our country's success," she added. In addition to Dr. Jemison, judges of the Challenge were Cliff Ransom, Executive Editor of Scientific American Custom Media, and John Hochheimer, President of the National Association of Rocketry. Bayer created the Challenge to generate awareness about the country's need for more scientists, engineers and innovators. For more than 20 years, Bayer has had a longstanding commitment to science literacy and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. "This competition celebrates incredible collegiate talent and our next generation of STEM leaders," said Raymond F. Kerins Jr., Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Bayer. "It is amazing to see the imagination of these talented teams and the creative rockets that they generated with Alka-Seltzer effervescent tablets and water." "We congratulate all the finalists who participated and Brigham Young University for setting the new world record," he added. Alka-Rockets are often used in American science classes to demonstrate principles of chemistry and physics. For more than a quarter century, Alka-Rockets have been a staple experiment in Bayer's award-winning science literacy initiative in the United States. *The official title recognized and recorded by GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS is Highest launch of an effervescent tablet rocket. Bayer: Science For A Better Life Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2017, the Group employed around 99,800 people and had sales of EUR 35.0 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.4 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.5 billion. For more information, go to www.bayer.us. Contact: Carolyn Nagle Bayer U.S. Email: [email protected]: 862-404-5955Mobile: 201-419-0337 Social Media Channels- Facebook: BayerUnitedStates- Twitter: BayerUS- Instagram: BayerUS- YouTube: BayerUS Bayer and the Bayer Cross are registered trademarks of Bayer. Forward-Looking StatementsThis release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brigham-young-university-makes-history-sets-new-world-record-in-bayer-alka-rocket-challenge-300764670.html SOURCE Bayer Tanzanian police are breaking into gay peoples houses and arresting them as part of the anti-gay campaign by the government. After Paul Makonda, the anti-gay governor of Dar es Salaam, called on citizens to notify police of homosexuality in their communities, gay people are fleeing Tanzania and going into hiding, according to Religion News Service. Im fearing for my life they dont want us to stay here. The gay community is very scared because police are breaking into homes of suspected homosexuals and arresting them. I dont want to be the next person. Im going into hiding, Joseph Omar, 28, told Religion News as he was crossing the border into Kenya. Homosexuality is illegal in Tanzania and punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Countries around the world including the U.S. and Denmark have condemned the crackdown, saying its a violation of human rights. Canada NewsWire VANCOUVER, Dec. 12, 2018 VANCOUVER, Dec. 12, 2018 /CNW/ - Trading of US and Canadian softwood lumber last week continued it's usual annual slide to seasonal holiday sawmill closures and curtailments. Friday's print in Madison's Lumber Reporter was again US$354 mfbm on benchmark Western Spruce-Pine-Fir KD 2x4 #2&Btr. The price of that construction framing dimension lumber commodity stayed level with the previous week, as did many other standard North American homebuilding wood materials. Current Softwood Lumber Prices Compared to Recent and Historical Highs: Dec 2018 Demand for 2x6 sizes in all species and regions was very hot, even as prices also remained flat from the previous week. A big run on 2x6 at the end of the year is unusual, as this is usually a slower time for lumber manufacturing and for US home building. Such a jump in 2x6 sales is notable because that size is used more often for 2-to-4 structure building (meaning condominiums) as opposed to single-family home building, which uses predominantly 2x4 sizes. Demand for six-inch commodities well exceeded supply in an otherwise quiet market. Madison's Lumber Reporter www.madisonsreport.com A huge surprise arrived Sunday afternoon in the form of cancellation of the current British Columbia forestry trade mission to China. These regular trade missions have always been extremely successful; within a couple of years following each one, numerous Canadian and BC companies have signed supply agreements for their lumber with companies in China. The trade mission lead by BC Forest Minister Doug Donaldson this year includes approximately 40 company executives, civil servants, and Indigenous leaders on a 10-day sales trip to Korea, Japan, and China. A BC government press release explained the Province of British Columbia has suspended the China leg of its Asian forestry trade mission due to the international judicial process underway [in Vancouver, BC ed.] relating to a senior official at Huawei Technologies. Government officials returned home after the Japan leg of the trip, but industry and company representatives continued to China and held all their meetings as originally intended. The trade mission is expected to be rescheduled. Below is a graph of the highest volume, or benchmark, North American lumber prices from January 2017 to December 2018. SOURCE: Madison's Lumber Reporter www.madisonsreport.com It is normal, as a year winds down, that producers and resellers want to deplete their existing inventories to end the year with their supply yards empty. For their part, customers also don't want to be caught at year-end with wood-on-hand, so they order only for immediate needs of existing building projects. All players want to end each year with as little wood in their possession as possible. The usual seasonal curtailment and closures during the holiday season allows manufacturers and end-users each to examine their inventories against their near-term (spring) plans. Once January starts going, it becomes obvious if US builders will be needing large supplies for the coming building season. Sawmills adjust their production plans accordingly, in an effort to keep supply with demand. Producers extended their sawmill order files on most items into the week of December 17th, with some dimension widths as well as recently-hot studs items pushing into the first week of January 2019. Madison's Lumber Reporter This means there is little likelihood of prices dropping further before the end of this year. Sawmill order files are already to mid-December or the beginning of January, so producers will simply not book more wood orders for future delivery. They would rather wait until after the New Year, at which time manufacturers will be better able to see where price levels are. The below table is a comparison of June 2018 and December 2018 prices for benchmark dimension softwood lumber 2x4 prices compared to historical highs of 2004/05: 2x4 Dimension Lumber madisonsreport.com US$ per thousand board feet Current 12/07/2018 June 2018 % Change All Time High (Previous or Current) % Change Current vs. All Time High SYP East Side KD #2&Btr $ 425 $ 550 -22.7% 3Q2005 $460 -7.6% WSPF KD #2&Btr $ 354 $ 622 -43.1% 2Q2004 $443 -20.1% ESPF KD #2&Btr $ 405 $ 690 -41.3% 2Q 2004 $529 -23.4% Douglas fir Green $ 292 $ 590 -50.5% 2Q 2004 $500 -41.6% STUDS (PET) $ 282 $ 445 -36.6% 2Q 2005 $445 -36.6% SOURCE: Madison's Lumber Reporter www.madisonsreport.com SOURCE Madison's Lumber Reporter 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? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION Nearly 30 years ago, Scott Johnson was pushed off a cliff where gay men were known to meet in Sydney, Australia. He was a 27-year-old mathematician, and his death was ruled a murder just last year. Coroners previously thought his death was a suicide. The police announced on Dec. 2 that they are offering about $720,000 as a reward for information regarding the investigation. They think Johnsons murder is linked to a string of hate crimes from the 1980s and 1990s, according to the New York Times. Johnsons brother, Steve Johnson, flew to Sydney for the announcement. Im very encouraged, he said in a phone interview with the New York Times. The million-dollar reward is speaking to the community that the police are taking this seriously and they need peoples help. The biggest issue during the investigation was witnesses not coming forward. But the police think the reward will motivate people to share information on the challenging case. A kindergarten teacher in China sued the school that fired him for being gay in a landmark case, and last month, he lost. The Qingdao labor arbitration committee, which solves disputes outside of court, rejected the teachers, who goes by the pseudonym Ming Yue, claim he was fired for being gay, according to Gay Star News. The committee did order the kindergarten to give Yue six months pay for failing to sign an employment contract. Yue said he isnt mad with the relatively fair result, but is disappointed that there is no clear indication in this labor arbitration that companies cannot discriminate against homosexuals. Yues lawyers are saying the case brought attention to the fact that employers shouldnt fire someone based on their sexual orientation, and are considering bringing the case to court. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres. When Greyhound left Western Canada at the end of October, it left not just passengers, but also local businesses in the lurch. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us When Greyhound left Western Canada at the end of October, it left not just passengers, but also local businesses in the lurch. It has caused headaches for Jeff Brown, general manager at European Auto, who needs to order car parts and have them shipped to Brandon quick from Winnipeg. He said his suppliers used to ship using Greyhound buses, but now they use Purolator. "My freight shipments have changed drastically because for the most part I get them over the noon hour now, as opposed to when I used to get them for the beginning day for eight oclock," Brown said. He said it has had a huge impact on the car repair business because sometimes there just isnt enough time in the day to get a job done. "Greyhound was pretty reliable in the sense that as long as there was no mishaps in the transfer location in Winnipeg, I knew I would have may parts in the morning or even on weekends," Brown said. "Now Purolator doesnt run weekends, so if you order a (part) on Friday, the soonest youre going to see it is on Monday." He said it has been an issue for rural customers, which make up a large part of the business. They might not be able to take their car home the same day simply because it takes too long for the auto part to get to Brandon. "It holds up the customers as well as us as a business," Brown said. In response to Greyhound leaving most of Western Canada, Brown said he started doing some shipping with E & C Courier, a Brandon-based company run by former Brandon Greyhound depot manager Eugene Johnson. Johnson said he was able to come in after Greyhound left and take over some of the freight shipping they used to do. He said the business has been steadily growing and is now in its second month. Johnson said he has tried to keep the shipping experience as close to that of the bus company as possible and he has picked up many of their former customers. "Theyve been good to their word and Im cheaper than most of the other courier companies because I dont have the high overhead and all that, so its been pretty good," Johnson said. He said he mostly ships small truck parts and heating and plumbing supplies between Brandon and Winnipeg. On average, he said his company delivers between 20 and 25 parcel between the two cities every day, which is only a part of the business Greyhound was doing on freight. "The market was there for freight for Greyhound, I dont know why they decided to just drop everything and leave." E & C Courier has two vans for now, Johnson said, so the company cant do the larger parts that Greyhound buses could accommodate. After picking up packages in Winnipeg, Johnson said he meets another driver halfway to Brandon, where they exchange vans and drive back the way they came. Afterwards, each driver delivers parcels in their respective cities. "I promise next-day service for one thing and weather permitting, it has been pretty good." However, Greyhound's departure has not been all good for its competitors. Maisie Hicks, general manager at Maple Bus Lines, said they do some freight shipping, but could always use more. "I dont think people realize the service that Greyhound was giving, so with them leaving, theres a big huge void and nobody really realizes it because these smaller companies have stepped up for the time being, but its going be a struggle if people dont start using the bus or supporting the bus service. It truly is going to be tough." One of the new smaller bus lines is Brandon Bus Lines, which has partnered with Maple Bus Lines to move people and packages between Brandon and Winnipeg. Natalie Hrechka, co-owner of Brandon Bus Lines, said on average they are only taking one package per trip and the company wants to focus on moving passengers. Hicks said shipping packages helps Maple Bus Lines afford to run the smaller routes when there arent many people in the seats. Part of the problem, Hicks said, is that many people dont know mailing on a bus line is even an option, so its mostly businesses who use the service. "Its not about making millions because trust me there is not a million to be made or Greyhound would be here, but it is just about to sustain service and keep it somewhat profitable," she said. Hicks said that shipping freight on bus lines is about keeping money local and it ensures they can continue running buses up and down the highway. She said much of Greyhounds former business has gone to large shipping companies, away from companies that operate locally. "Were not freight people, but we understand the importance of having a bus service that can get the freight there." In the future, Maple Bus Lines is going to to aim for more freight shipping so they can maintain profitability and keep the buses running, Hicks said. "Our target is going to be the local businesses that are shipping with us, thats clearly what needs the service. They need that daily service where youre getting you car part tomorrow morning, not three days from now on a big skid." dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ A new program set to start up in the Brandon School Division in early 2019 will help newcomers to the city adjust. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us A new program set to start up in the Brandon School Division in early 2019 will help newcomers to the city adjust. The program, called the "Settlement Workers in Schools Program," is a partnership between the Brandon School Division, Westman Immigrant Services and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Theyve been planning it out for months, said Westman Immigrant Services executive director Lois MacDonald. "Weve been working with the Brandon School Division to kind of lay out the overall program and get everything in place so that we can provide the support that a lot of our newcomer families need within the school system," MacDonald said. They were able to carry out the idea for the program after they received federal funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, she said. The program is in line with one of the Brandon School Divisions goals to reduce the gap between English as a second language students and the rest of the student body. MacDonald presented information about the program to the Brandon School Division board of trustees on Monday evening. The language support the program provides will be one of the main benefits, she said. "If theres language support that is required lets say for information that goes home then our settlement workers would be able to provide that language support, and make sure that the parents and the family understood what it was that was trying to be communicated," she said. When it gets underway in Brandon, theyll have three settlement workers rotating between schools in the Brandon School Division that have been identified as having a high number of newcomer families. Each settlement worker will work with approximately 100 students each, giving them a capacity to see up to 300 students. Having the organization at the Brandon School Division will be helpful to families, Supt. Marc Casavant said. "The beauty of this partnership is as soon as the families make contact with the school they can make contact with Westman Immigration Services," Casavant said during the BSDs board meeting on Monday evening. The schools theyre looking at rotating workers in are all of the high schools, as well as Ecole New Era School, Riverheights School, King George School and Betty Gibson School. Theyll be working together with teachers in the schools to help identify students who might need extra assistance, MacDonald said. "Theyll be our staff, but they will have the ability to work within the schools on a really regular and ongoing basis," she said. "They can provide supports and language support, and some of the other things that are required for newcomer students and families to help them really succeed in the school system and settle into their new life here." mverge@brandonsun.com Twitter: @Melverge5 OTTAWA - The Canadian government is under intense pressure to fill a leadership void as countries try to hammer out how they will hold themselves accountable for implementing the Paris climate-change accord. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Syncrude oil sands extraction facility is reflected in a tailings pond near the city of Fort McMurray, Alta., on June 1, 2014. The Canadian government is facing heavy pressure to be one of the leaders in getting the rules for how the Paris climate change accord will be implemented at a United Nations climate change conference this week in Poland. Heads of state and environment ministers from most of the world's nations arrived on the scene this week in Katowice, a small coal-mining city in southern Poland, to try and hammer out exactly how the world will be held accountable for cutting emissions and slowing the rate of global warming. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson OTTAWA - The Canadian government is under intense pressure to fill a leadership void as countries try to hammer out how they will hold themselves accountable for implementing the Paris climate-change accord. Political leaders from most countries are in the small, coal-mining city of Katowice in southern Poland for the 24th meeting of the United Nations "Conference of the Parties," where the rulebook for the Paris agreement is supposed to be finalized. With the United States preparing to leave the Paris agreement altogether, the host country less than enthusiastic about it and the biggest European powers distracted by domestic events like the Brexit crisis and riots against a fuel tax in France, Canada is being pushed to lead where they can't or won't. The rules decided at Katowice are to dictate everything from how carbon markets work to what each country must do to report on their own emissions cuts and how they've helped finance the decarbonization of the developing world. There is also a push for them to agree to make deeper emissions cuts, after the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported earlier this fall that global targets must be substantially higher if the world has any hope of slowing catastrophic global warming. Catherine Abreu, executive director of the Climate Action Network Canada, said at the moment the only developed country really fighting for tougher cuts to emissions is New Zealand. "They need help," she said. Other countries know that Canada is struggling to meet its own targets, that the Liberal government is facing legal and political pressure over its planned carbon tax and that Canada is continuing government support for developing oil and gas reserves. Some officials are snarking that Canada is good for talking points but not action. McKenna told The Canadian Press last week Canada will be ready as the Paris agreement requires to increase its targets for cutting emissions in 2020. It was a departure from an earlier line that McKenna had no plans to increase Canada's ambitions until policies were in place to realize its existing ones. Abreu was thrilled about the change of tone but said she will be happier if McKenna says it at Katowice as well. Thus far she has not. In a call with reporters Tuesday, McKenna said only: "We are absolutely committed to meeting our target." She also said the Canadian government is well aware there are just 12 years in which to act, after which hope will be lost to keep the world from getting more than 1.5 C warmer than it was in pre-industrial times. The existing policies under the Paris agreement have the world on track to exceed 3 C in warming. That report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says Canada would have to double its planned emissions cuts to do its share to keep the world to the 1.5 C goal, but Canada's existing policies don't even get us all the way to our current target, let alone anywhere close to a tougher one. Abreu said bits and pieces of the draft set of rules put together by officials over the last week were released Wednesday but the politicians now have to do the heavy lifting to overcome some of the biggest obstacles. Acknowledging the extent of the challenge could be Job One. This week started with the U.S., Russia and Saudi Arabia refusing to endorse the IPCC report. They were willing to "take note" of it but not "welcome" it, which was what Canada and most other countries wanted. COP rules are such that without a consensus, neither phrasing will appear in the final agreement in Poland. The pressure to set the rules, and the risk that won't happen, is so acute United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres flew back to Poland Wednesday to try to light a fire under the political leaders. Were running out of time, he told the meeting Wednesday. To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change. It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal. SAINT JOHN, N.B. - One of the most baffling aspects of the Richard Oland murder case was the focus of attention at his son's trial on Wednesday: What happened to the multi-millionaire's cell phone, the only thing taken from the crime scene? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Dennis Oland walks to the Law Courts in Saint John, N.B., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. A talkative Dennis Oland chatted with police at length about his relationship with his difficult dad, Richard, initially unaware that investigators were narrowing in on him as the prime suspect in his father's murder. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan SAINT JOHN, N.B. - One of the most baffling aspects of the Richard Oland murder case was the focus of attention at his son's trial on Wednesday: What happened to the multi-millionaire's cell phone, the only thing taken from the crime scene? Const. Stephen Davidson, lead investigator of the Oland homicide for Saint John police, is on the stand at Dennis Oland's second-degree murder trial, describing the steps he took to track cell phone calls and texts in an effort to see where the missing iPhone went. "We made test calls in the city of Saint John and in Rothesay," Davidson said under questioning by Crown prosecutor P.J. Veniot. The phone, which was never found, and its last known route are key pieces of evidence for the prosecution, which is continuing to lay out its case at the Oland retrial in Saint John. This is the second trial for Dennis Oland after his jury conviction in 2015 was set aside on appeal in 2016. It is proceeding before judge alone in the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench. When the bludgeoned body of 69-year-old Richard Oland was found on July 7, 2011, on the floor of his uptown Saint John office, the only thing missing was his iPhone. He was wearing a valuable watch, the keys to his expensive car were on the floor near the body and cash in the office was untouched - all indications to police that robbery was not a motive. Dennis Oland, 50, an investment adviser, is the last known person to have seen his father alive. He was in his father's office from about 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on July 6, 2011. Most of the time, the two were alone. Oland told police that when he left the office at around 6:30 p.m., he headed back to his home in nearby Rothesay, with a stop at the local Renforth wharf to see if his children were swimming there. Police and prosecutors say the missing phone also was on the move at that time. The last communication received by Richard Oland's cell was a text message from his mistress at 6:44 p.m. on July 6, 2011, and it appears to have pinged off a tower in Rothesay, near the wharf. Davidson told the court he also did tests to establish distance and time to make the drive, for instance, from the Oland office in uptown Saint John to the Renforth wharf in Rothesay. "It took 12 minutes and 24 seconds to get to the Renforth wharf," he said, adding that traffic and driving conditions could affect driving time on any given day. Rogers Communications, Richard Oland's service provider, established the iPhone's movements through data records. Prosecutors have already told the court they intend to call a cellular network expert to testify that cell phones typically connect with the closest tower since that provides the strongest signal. Davidson said he made the test calls on a phone, similar to the one Oland had owned, in March, 2012. "I stopped at several places as I travelled to Rothesay, including the Renforth wharf," he said, testing to see how the phone worked and which towers were involved. As recently as February 2018, Davidson was adding to the cell phone evidence. He said that at the request of the cellular network expert, Joseph Sadoun, he took a series of photographs of cell phone towers in the area. Sadoun will testify for the prosecution in the new year. Davidson also described to the court an extensive police search of Dennis Oland's home and property several days after the murder, including the garage where officers hunted unsuccessfully for a possible weapon. During the search, police seized the brown jacket Oland was wearing on the day his father was killed. It had been dry cleaned and did not appear to have blood on it, but later testing turned up small blood stains and Richard Oland's DNA profile. Autopsy results show the multi-millionaire businessman and member of the well-known Maritime beer-brewing family was killed by over 40 blows to his head with both an axe-like and hammer-shaped weapon, possibly something like a two-sided drywall hammer. The weapon was never found. The trial is expected to last until March. OTTAWA - The federal ethics watchdog says the head of an agency overseeing important federal sites in and around Ottawa violated conflict-of-interest rules a dozen times. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. NCC CEO Mark Kristmanson is pictured at the National Capital Commission headquaters in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan 12, 2016. The federal ethics watchdog says the head of an agency overseeing sites in and around the national capital violated conflict interest rules in a dozen instances. Mario Dion's report being made public today says Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission, ran afoul of ethics laws when he accepted invited to events from organizations with official business ties to the commission. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - The federal ethics watchdog says the head of an agency overseeing important federal sites in and around Ottawa violated conflict-of-interest rules a dozen times. Mario Dion's report, issued Wednesday, says Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission, ran afoul of ethics standards when he accepted invitations to events from organizations with official business ties to the commission. The organizations that had Kristmanson and his wife to events include the National Arts Centre, the Canadian Museum of Nature, Via Rail and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Kristmanson was "personally involved" in decisions about construction projects at the arts centre and nature museum, the approval of Via Rail's design for Ottawa's train station, as well as the society's lease of a prized federal property at 50 Sussex Dr., on the Ottawa River. Dion says there was no evidence to suggest Kristmanson was asked to perform an official function at any of the events, which would have made the invitations exempt from ethics rules. In his report, Dion says the examination started more than a year ago, when his office received an anonymous letter. A review dating back to Kristmanson's appointment in 2014 found multiple events that he should have publicly disclosed, including one where tickets were valued at $200. Kristmanson was fined this past August for failing to publicly declare events where he was invited to present, or act in his capacity as CEO of the National Capital Commission. He argued he was following the practice of past CEOs and expectations from his board. He said his attendance at events "reflected the expectation that the NCCs CEO should act as a community leader assuming a visible public role at events and ceremonial occasions in the national capital," Dion's report says. Kristmanson also questioned whether accepting an invite from another Crown corporation could be problematic because all reported to the government. Dion rejected the argument. "I see no distinction that can be drawn on the basis of the corporate status of the donor and see no reason to treat donors from federal public sector entities differently than private sector counterparts," his report says. OTTAWA - The federal government is enacting strict new measures to address mounting concerns about tired flight crews on commercial planes big and small. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Transport Minister Marc Garneau speaks to reporters during a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on October 2 2018. The federal government is enacting strict new measures to curb airline pilot fatigue to address mounting concerns about tired flight crews. New regulations the government is introducing will set lower limits for the number of hours a pilot can be in the air and on duty before needing a break. Transport Minister Marc Garneau says the management system provides specialty airlines, such as those in the North, with a bit flexibility. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - The federal government is enacting strict new measures to address mounting concerns about tired flight crews on commercial planes big and small. New regulations will set lower limits for the number of hours pilots can be in the air and on the job before having to take a break, taking into account the times of day they fly and how often they take off and land. Rules will set out how many hours a pilot can be on the job in one month, in three months and in a year. And new rules are being set for how many nights in a row a pilot can fly. A daily maximum is also being set between nine and 13 hours, depending on what time of day a pilot starts work. Higher minimums are also being set for rest periods that will vary depending on whether a pilot is at home or away. The new regulations come almost a decade after Transport Canada first looked at the issue. "We rely on professional flight crews who have the training and experience to make sure that we travel safely. To do that, they need to be well-rested and fit for duty," Transport Minister Marc Garneau said. "I'm confident that the new regulations will reduce pilot fatigue and make air travel safer." Canada's regulations on rest and duty time were excoriated in an American report this fall that pinned part of the blame on pilot fatigue in a July 2017 incident involving an Air Canada jet. The Airbus A320 nearly landed on a taxiway at San Francisco's airport where other planes loaded with passengers awaited their turns to take off. The Transportation Safety Board has repeatedly raised concerns about operator fatigue. The board said in its most recent annual safety report that since the early 1990s, it has identified 34 aviation incidents where fatigue was an issue. It's also a problem in rail and marine operations, the board said. "Effective fatigue management and the reduction of associated risks require profound changes in attitudes and behaviours, both at the management and operational levels," the board said in its 2018 report. The board recommended the government require airlines to create "fatigue risk-management systems" designed for their specific operations. Garneau said Wednesday the government will do just that, particularly for smaller airlines like those serving the North. "We have accommodated to try to recognize the reality that exists in some of our smaller regional and northern airlines," Garneau said. "We have tried to be sensitive to this without compromising on safety." Speciality services like medical and firefighting aircraft will be exempt from the time limits. New rules are also being introduced to prohibit alcohol consumption for flight crew members 12 hours before duty, an increase from eight hours. OTTAWA - Remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump could be used by Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou to fight her extradition to the United States, Canada's foreign minister said Wednesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. President Donald Trump attends a ceremony before signing an executive order establishing the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) OTTAWA - Remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump could be used by Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou to fight her extradition to the United States, Canada's foreign minister said Wednesday. Chrystia Freeland said any comments made in the United States could be used by Meng's lawyers before Canadian courts, which would have to judge their relevance in deciding whether to follow through on the American extradition request. The Liberals have gone out of their way to show they are keeping politics out of the extradition process of the high-profile Chinese executive, warning it could impact the case in Canada. Trump's musing Tuesday about interfering in Meng's case is fuelling Beijing conspiracy theories about Canada's true intent behind detaining Meng. Canadian officials cited the mounting criticism against Canada in China, including on social media, behind their reason to bolster the security of diplomats in the People's Republic. Trump complicated Canada's stance after he told Reuters Tuesday evening he would "certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary" in Meng's case, if it would help him forge a trade deal with China. China's state-run media was already ridiculing Canada's assertion that Meng would be dealt with fairly and transparently by an independent judiciary, the same view U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft put forward. Freeland carefully avoided mentioning Trump by name, but she said she spoke with her U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, about the case on Wednesday. The minister said it was "quite obvious" that anyone "seeking an extradition from Canada" has to recognize Canada is a rule of law country and that "any extradition request is about ensuring that justice is done, is about ensuring that the rule of law is respected and is not politicized or used for any other purpose." Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed Canada's commitment to the rule of law, "regardless of what goes on in other countries." The government dispatched five senior officials to hammer home the message, while Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said Wednesday that she takes her "extradition responsibilities and obligations very seriously" and reiterated that the final decision lies with her. If Canada's courts approve Meng's extradition a process that officials suggested could take years "then as the minister of justice, I will ultimately have to decide on the issue of surrender of the person sought for extradition," Wilson-Raybould said in a statement. The minister said she wouldn't say any more because that "would risk undermining both the independence of the court proceedings and the proper functioning of Canadas extradition process." Canadian diplomats in China have been advised to take extra precautions because of Chinese criticism, including on social media, over the arrest of a Chinese business executive, officials said Wednesday. A senior Canadian government official, briefing reporters on the condition of anonymity, said the federal government expressed concerns to the Chinese government over the criticism and asked the Chinese for extra security around its embassy and other places in China. China, as the host country, is responsible for the security of foreign diplomats on its soil, the official said. "We have made them aware of our concerns and they have stepped up," said an official. "We have asked our staff to be prudent." Two former policy advisers in the Prime Minister's Office said Canada has only one choice: stay true to its adherence to the rule of law and hope that Trump's involvement can somehow be treated as one more impromptu comment by an unpredictable president. "I think we're lonelier than we've been in a long, long time," said David Mulroney, who served former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper as his first foreign-policy adviser and later as ambassador to China. "(Trump) gave credibility to an outrageous Chinese accusation that the RCMP basically works as an extension of the U.S. government to capture a hostage who can be used in their trade negotiations." Roland Paris, who was Trudeau's first foreign-policy adviser, said Canada has for decades enjoyed the luxury of operating in "a very comfortable international context," but not any more. "Now, a lot of the assumptions that have guided our foreign policy are in question, including whether the United States has our back," said Paris, a University of Ottawa international-affairs professor. Both pointed to the fact that just hours before Trump sounded off, his ambassador to Canada was extolling the same separation of the law and politics as the Trudeau government. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared to double down on Trump's line on Wednesday in a televised interview with Fox and Friends. "We always have to balance American interests. Any time there's a law enforcement engagement, we need to make sure we take foreign-policy ... considerations into effect," said Pompeo. "It's totally appropriate to do so. The president's mission is very clear. It's America First, right?" Paul Evans, a China expert at the University of British Columbia, says the Chinese are listening and taking note. "From a realist Chinese perspective, the Trump comment and the followup from Pompeo signal that law and politics are not separable, something they know in their bones," said Evans. "Here in Canada, abiding by the rule of law is a way of detaching the government from taking a position on a US-China conflict that they desperately want to duck. In this case we are neither hypocritical nor naive." Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Ontario ombudsman Paul Dube holds a news conference at Queen's Park to discuss his annual report for the 2015-2016 fiscal year in Toronto on Wednesday, November 2, 2016. The interim commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police is asking the province's ombudsman to investigate the appointment of Premier Doug Ford's family friend for the force's top job. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Five stories in the news for Wednesday, Dec. 12 OMBUDSMAN ASKED TO PROBE HIRING OF OPP COMMISSIONER The interim commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police is asking the province's ombudsman to investigate the appointment of Premier Doug Ford's family friend to the force's top job. Brad Blair, who has been leading the force since November, filed a formal request on Tuesday "amid growing concerns of political interference" in the hiring process of Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner. In a letter to the ombudsman, he says the hiring process has deeply affected the morale of rank and file officers. Blair says he wants to repair the apprehension of bias over this process and the potential damage to the reputation of the OPP. NO INFORMATION ON EX-CANADIAN DIPLOMAT: CHINA China's Foreign Ministry says it has no information about a former Canadian diplomat believed to have been detained in Beijing in retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. While declining to confirm the detention of Michael Kovrig, ministry spokesman Lu Kang says the International Crisis Group, for whom Kovrig is an analyst based in Hong Kong, was not registered in China and its activities in the country would be illegal. The International Crisis Group says Kovrig, who previously was 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. B.C. JUDGE GRANTS $10M BAIL FOR HUAWEI EXEC A top executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei was released on $10 million bail and must agree to wear an electronic tracking device. Meng Wanzhou also agreed Tuesday to be monitored by two employees of a company that provides surveillance using former police and military personnel. The chief financial officer of Huawei is facing possible extradition to the United States on allegations she misled financial institutions about business the company did with Iranian telecom companies, violating international sanctions. Meng has denied the allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited. APPEAL OF WOMAN CONVICTED OF HIDING INFANT REMAINS An appeal hearing is being held today for a Winnipeg woman who was convicted of hiding the remains of six babies in a rented storage locker. Andrea Giesbrecht was sentenced in July to 8 1/2 years in prison for concealing the remains. Her trial was told she had conceived the babies over many years and put the remains in plastic bags and containers inside a U-haul storage locker. Giesbrecht's lawyer, Greg Brodsky, has said the appeal will argue she was saving the bodies of the fetuses, not disposing of them. Giesbrecht never testified and the trial never heard a motive for her actions. RESULTS OF THUNDER BAY POLICE REVIEW RELEASED TODAY A police watchdog is set to release the results today of its systemic review of how a northern Ontario force deals with Indigenous people. The Office of the Independent Police Review Director began its probe of the Thunder Bay Police Service in November 2016. Director Gerry McNeilly says Indigenous leaders sounded alarm bells about the way police investigated the deaths and disappearances of Indigenous people in the city. He says they reported that officers devalued Indigenous lives, reflected differential treatment and exhibited behaviour based on racist attitudes. ALSO IN THE NEWS: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a brief address in the House of Commons to mark the closing of Centre Block for a decade-long renovation. Transport Minister Marc Garneau holds a new conference regarding Canada's flight crew fatigue management regulations. The trial of Dennis Oland continues today in Saint John, N.B. The 50-year-old is being retried for second-degree murder in the death of his father, multimillionaire Richard Oland. OTTAWA - A second Canadian is missing in China after alerting Global Affairs Canada that he was being questioned by Chinese authorities, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 12/12/2018 (1082 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - A second Canadian is missing in China after alerting Global Affairs Canada that he was being questioned by Chinese authorities, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday. Michael Spavor, the founder of a non-profit that organizes cultural-exchange trips to North Korea, "is presently missing in China," according to a statement from Global Affairs Canada. 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 The information comes mere days after the Beijing Bureau of State Security rounded up Michael Kovrig, a Canadian diplomat who is on a leave from his job, in a move that escalated a tense diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Freeland told reporters Wednesday evening that the government has been unable to make contact with Spavor whom she did not identify at the time since he raised concerns with officials. She said the government does not know his whereabouts and that she has raised the case with Chinese authorities. Freeland added that Ottawa is in touch with the missing man's family, but declined to say anything more about his situation. "It's a situation that's, perhaps, delicate," she said in French. "And I want to respect this individual and his family." Hours later, Global Affairs spokesman Guillaume Berube confirmed in an email that the second missing Canadian is Spavor. "We are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we continue to raise this with the Chinese government," Berube added. The website for Paektu Cultural Exchange, the organization Spavor founded, says it is "dedicated to facilitating sustainable co-operation, cross-cultural exchanges, tourism, trade, and economic exchanges between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and international organizations, businesses, and individuals." The website says Spavor is originally from Calgary, although he has spent more than 20 years living in both North and South Korea. It says he speaks Korean and French fluently and is learning Chinese. "In 2013 and 2014, he organized the Dennis Rodman visits, and the basketball match between the DPRK and former NBA players, where he also became friends with the country's leader Marshal Kim Jong Un," the website states. On Monday, China took Kovrig into custody after Beijing warned Ottawa of severe consequences for its recent arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of tech giant Huawei. Meng was arrested in Canada earlier this month at the request of the United States, which is hoping to have her extradited over allegations she tried to bypass American trade sanctions on Iran and lied to U.S. banks about her actions. A senior government official said China confirmed to Canada very early Wednesday that the Beijing Bureau of State Security had detained Kovrig. Ottawa, however, doesn't know what the allegations against him are nor does it know where he is, the official said. The Beijing News has reported that Kovrig "was suspected of engaging in activities that endanger China's national security." A former Canadian ambassador to Beijing, who was Kovrig's boss in China, said he would have been under the close watch of Chinese authorities years ago as he travelled the country and talked to dissidents on behalf of Canada's government. Kovrig took on political-reporting assignments on highly sensitive subjects, Guy Saint-Jacques said in an interview. Saint-Jacques said Kovrig tried to "get the pulse" of many groups, such as displaced Tibetans scattered around China and Muslim minorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where Beijing has been accused by the international community including Canada of mass detentions. "He went to remote locations trying to meet with people from these communities to try and understand what they were going through, in terms of the challenges they faced, protecting their cultures," Saint-Jacques said in an interview. "So, all of this, obviously, would have attracted the attention of security people." The former ambassador added that Chinese authorities have extensive files on all diplomats in China, especially those, like Kovrig, who speak fluent Mandarin. Kovrig gave up diplomatic immunity when he took an unpaid leave of absence from Global Affairs Canada in late 2016 at the end of his posting. A senior government official, briefing reporters Wednesday on condition of anonymity before Freeland spoke, said he remains a federal government employee. Saint-Jacques said Kovrig, who served under him in China between 2014 and 2016, loved the country and chose to stay. In February 2017, Kovrig continued reporting on some of the touchiest subjects involving China after he joined the International Crisis Group as an adviser. His work for the non-governmental organization has covered a range of subjects, including the North Korean nuclear crisis, China's relationship with the U.S. and its expanding presence in Africa. A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry said earlier in the day that the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig has been a Hong-Kong-based analyst, is not registered in China and alleged its activities in the country are illegal. Because Kovrig's group is not registered as a non-governmental organization in China, Lu Kang added that "once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law." Lu also repeated China's demand for Meng's immediate release. Based on his experience observing past cases, Saint-Jacques said he believes Kovrig is already enduring long interrogations by Chinese authorities. He said they typically take detainees to secret locations, where they are monitored 24 hours a day with the lights always kept on. Saint-Jacques said Kovrig will likelyface sleep and food deprivation as well as interrogations at all hours. "They try to create as much psychological pressure as possible to make you crack," said Saint-Jacques. "This will go on until they are satisfied, until they extract a confession. We have known people who are ready to admit to anything just to get out of there." He added that Kovrig likely won't be officially charged and arrested until after this process, which can take months or more. "In the Chinese system, once you are officially charged in 99.9 per cent of the cases you are also found guilty," he said. "So, the odds are against you." A hard Brexit has the potential to halve the growth of the Irish economy next year. The Economic and Social Research Institute is warning that the UKs withdrawal from the EU could have significant implications for the economy here in 2019. A record 103 cruise liners are booked to visit Cork next year, including several which will dock in the port for the first time. New ships such as Celebrity Cruises MV Celebrity Reflection and Ocean Cruises MV Scenic Eclipse, billed as a contender for the world's most luxurious cruise ship, will make their maiden visit to the deep water quay in Cobh, along with Holland American Lines MS Nieuw Statendam. With one more cruise ship left to dock this year, the Port of Corks 2018 cruise season is drawing to a close. In total 92 cruise ships will have visited in 2018, which represents the most significant cruise season ever for the Port of Cork. More than 157,000 passengers and 69,000 crew will have stepped ashore, boosting the local economy by an estimated 12m. The increased cruise calls to Cork are indicative of the wider global cruise business which has seen huge growth. It is estimated that 27.2m people will have taken a cruise on over 450 cruise ships worldwide this year. With the global cruise ship order book for new build contracts reaching 113 ships between now and 2027, Cork cruise business is set to grow further in the coming years and the Port of Cork is eager to attract these new ships. Port of Cork chief executive Brendan Keating said even though its cruise business has grown 30% in the last year, the biggest beneficiary is the regional economy. "This is a significant boost which we are delighted to facilitate," Mr Keating said. "In 2019 we anticipate over 100 cruise calls to Cork and realistically this is how we expect the cruise business pace to continue." Last October, Port of Cork officials visited all the major cruise lines calling to Cork and feedback from the companies was very positive in terms of their passenger experiences when visiting Cork. Currently, all cruise operations are handled in Cobh, which is Irelands only dedicated cruise berth. However, with the continued growth in calls, the Port of Cork is now keen to explore the option of a second cruise berth in Cobh. In that regard, the Port of Cork recently launched its Expressions of Interest to the market inviting submissions from potentially interested parties to develop and/or operate a new cruise berth at Lynchs Quay Cobh. Port of Cork chief commercial officer Conor Mowlds said by launching the Expressions of Interest they will see if there is an appetite in the market to develop a new cruise berth in Cobh. "From the ports perspective, we know this business is growing and we want to have every possible option ready to capitalise on this business," Mr Mowlds said. The number of people travelling to Ireland from overseas increased over the months of July to September, when compared with the same period last year. 3.3 million trips were made to Ireland in that quarter - a rise of 7.6%, according to the Central Statistics Office. Cork University Hospital has apologised to the family of a 58-year old man who died over two days after his admission with severe chest pain. Dr John O'Mahony SC told the High Court it was their case if Cork farmer Philip Leahy's exact heart condition had been picked up on,he could have been operated on and would have had an 80 per cent chance of survival. A letter of apology from Cork University Hospital was read out in court as the wife and sons of Philip Leahy settled their action against the HSE for 110,000. The Cork hospital CEO Mr Tony Mc Namara in the letter offered sympathy to the family on the death of Mr Leahy of Ballyhoolely, Co Cork. "In addition, I would like to offer our most sincere apologies to you and your family for the loss, pain, and suffering caused following your late husband's admission to Cork University Hospital in April 2014," it said. It added: "We are very sorry that your husband's condition was not diagnosed earlier." The letter further stated: " I do not underestimate how traumatic this has been for you and your family but I can assure you that lessons have been learned and acted upon with the ultimate aim of ensuring the safety of our patients at all times." Counsel for the Leahy family, Dr John O Mahony SC told the court the farmer who was also a local election candidate for Fine Gael in 2014 had gone to the hospital with chest pain. Counsel said a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome was made but unfortunately it turned out that Mr Leahy had a dissection aneurysm of the thoracic aorta and he died two days later. Counsel said experts on the Leahy side would have said there was ample time to diagnose this heart condition and if it had been picked up on, Mr Leahy could have been operated on and would have had an 80 per cent chance of survival. Mr Leahy he said was a Fine Gael candidate for the local elections and his family and community were distraught over his death. Counsel said the family has since suffered another tragedy when one of Mr Leahy's three sons, Philip Jnr died in the United States. Student Philip Leahy died four days after getting into difficulties while swimming at Ocean City in Maryland in August 2017. Ann Leahy, Castleblagh, Ballyhoolely, Co Cork had sued the HSE over the circumstances of her husband's care at Cork University Hospital when he went there after getting chest pains on April 3, 2014. A diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome was made and Mr Leahy was given medication. A chest X-ray carried out on April 4 and it is claimed reported on four days later showed an enlarged heart. Mr Leahy also had a coronary angiogram and an echocardiogram which showed fluid around the heart. This finding it was claimed is a classical finding in aortic dissection. On April 5, 2014, Mr Leahy was complaining of mild chest pain and he had further tests. On April 6, he was told his bed on the ward was ready but as he went out to the toilet he collapsed with cardiac arrest and died over half an hour later. It was claimed there was significant blood tests and imaging evidence to alert to the possibility of an acute aortic dissection and the alleged failure to establish it as a correct diagnosis represented substandard care. Approving the settlement Mr Justice Kevin Cross noted the apology tendered in the case and he said he was sure it was a comfort to the family. He sympathised with the Leahy family on their loss. By Ann O'Loughlin The DPP is seeking a retrial, on public interest grounds, of former Fine Gael town councillor Fred Forsey Junior on corruption charges. The application is opposed by Mr Forsey. The five-judge Supreme Court, having heard both sides today, will give its ruling on December 21. Mr Forsey last month won, by a four to one majority, a Supreme Court order quashing his conviction. He had already served his sentence after being jailed in 2012 for an effective four years over receiving, while a member of Dungarvan Town Council in 2006, payments totalling 80,000 from a developer. The matter was adjourned to allow the DPP decide whether to seek a retrial and Mr Forsey was in court today when Noel Whelan SC, for the DPP, sought a retrial. Mr Whelan said this was a serious offence and a retrial was in the public interest, including in retaining confidence in the administration of justice, public officials, local government and the planning process. It was relevant Mr Forsey was a public official, a vice chairman of Dungarvan town council at the time. The fact Mr Forsey had served his sentence did not mean there should be no retrial and the test was where the balance of justice lay, he said. That balance was in directing a retrial for reasons including Mr Forsey won his appeal due to a fault in the trial and the available prosecution evidence against him was overwhelming. Prosecutions are not just brought for the purpose of imprisonment, they are also brought to hold a person to account for the offending, he argued. Counsel accepted, if there was a retrial and conviction, there was no prospect Mr Forsey would have to serve any further time in prison. Remy Farrell SC, for Mr Forsey, said his client had not just served his sentence, the longest ever imposed for corruption here, but had also endured the consequences of that, including having the breakdown of his marriage dissected by the media. It was extraordinary for the DPP to argue the prosecutorial process is not primarily about punishment when it is, he said. It was contended this was a serious offence but there are much more serious offences and corruption offences also do not just apply to the public sector, he added. Counsel also disputed there was overwhelming evidence against his client. To advance such an argument raised serious concerns in relation to the presumption of innocence which the DPP appeared to completely ignore, he said. Mr Forsey, of Coolagh Road, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Acts (POCA) in connection with receiving a total 80,000 in 2006 in three separate payments from Michael Ryan, a developer with an interest in a planning permission for the development of land at Ballygagin, Co Waterford. He was also accused of behaving corruptly in trying to persuade officials and councillors in Waterford County Council to grant permission for the development, and when that was refused, attempting to alter the zoning of the land. It was further alleged he tried to get Dungarvan UDC, of which he was formerly an elected member, to bring the lands into its control. He denied the charges and claimed the monies were loans. He was convicted at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to six years, with the final two suspended. Last month, the majority Supreme Court overturned the conviction over a legal error in the approach at Mr Forsey's trial to the onus of proof on a corruption charge as set out in Section 4 of the POCA, which Acts have since been replaced. In his dissenting judgment, Mr Justice MacMenamin agreed with the majority's statement of the applicable law but disagreed the conviction should be quashed because he did not consider any "fundamental injustice" occurred at trial. Gardai in Irishtown are investigating an alleged sexual assault on a woman on Sunday that they say took place between 12.45am and 3.44am. The alleged incident is believed to have occurred in the vicinity of Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Merrion Road, Serpentine Avenue areas of Dublin 4 that night. Update: 15.45am: The man in his 30s who was arrested in relation to the sudden death of a 65-year-old yesterday has been released without charge. A file will be prepared for the DPP. Update: 11.52am: The man in his 30s who was arrested in relation to the sudden death of a 65-year-old yesterday remains in Garda custody. Gardai are conducting further inquiries and awaiting forensic tests in relation to their investigation into the death of a man at his home in Co Meath. Robert Tancs, aged 65, was found dead at his home at Johnswood Drive, Ashbourne shortly after midnight on Tuesday. A 33-year-old male who was arrested in relation to the death was released without charge this evening. Gardai and emergency services were alerted at around 12.30am. When they arrived they discovered a man at the bottom of the stairs unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Gardai suspect that the deceased was involved in some sort of altercation with another individual at the top of the stairs. They suspect Mr Tancs may have been punched and then fell down the stairs. Detectives were in contact with the Director of Public Prosecutions and subsequently released the man in custody. Officers will now try and gather further evidence, including from an analysis of the scene, and prepare a file for the DPP to consider. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ashbourne Garda station on 01 8010600 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. A patient with cervical cancer who campaigned to ensure girls get the HPV jab, is to be given an honorary degree at UCD today. Laura Brennan from Ennis, County Clare who is 26-years-old has encouraged parents to have their children vaccinated against cervical cancer. A mother felt it necessary to have her 14-year-old son charged over a serious arson at her home after she met with closed doors when she tried to get him help for mental problems, a court has heard. The teenager, now aged 15, appeared at the Dublin Childrens Court. Judge John OConnor described the situation as a sad indictment after the mother explained her son was a danger to himself and others and needed help. The boy was charged with stealing his mothers car, damaging it and driving without a licence or insurance on July 3 last. He was also charged with arson of a shed and the gable end of his home in Tallaght, criminal damage to a bedroom and threatening to damage to his fathers home on another date. Detective Garda David Jennings told Judge John OConnor the teenager made no reply after he was charged today. There was no objection to bail with conditions. The court heard the Director of Public Prosecutions has recommended trial on indictment, meaning it should go to the circuit court which has tougher sentencing powers. However, the judge at the Childrens Court would have to rule on the trial venue issue. Judge OConnor was furnished with a letter from the boys mother who explained difficulties she had accessing support services for her son's mental health problems. Addressing the court, she told Judge OConnor, I felt at the time, I had no choice but to press charges to get help. He was a danger to himself and others. I tried to access help previously but there was closed doors. Sorry, I had to use the justice system but I had no choice. An application for special care has been made and the woman has to attend a meeting next week, she said. A youth worker, who has been assigned to help the boy, said the teen was engaging with the Assessment Consultation Therapy Service (ACTS). ACTS is Child & Family Agency service that provides multidisciplinary consultation, assessment and focused interventions to young people who have high risk behaviours associated with complex clinical needs. After listening to the mother, Judge OConnor described their situation as a sad indictment He described her as being at her wits but he told the teen that she loved him very much. Judge OConnor said the teen need a broad approach from his solicitor in relation to obtaining support services. The assistance of a psychiatrist and speech and language specialist may be necessary for his legal team, the judge said. The criminal justice system, however, cannot be used for child welfare, he explained. The teenager spoke once during the hearing saying yeah when Judge OConnor remarked he had very serious issues that needed to be addressed. He was remanded on bail with conditions including a curfew and an order to co-operate with support agencies Disclosure of prosecution evidence to the defence was ordered and the teenager was remanded to appear again in January. A hearing will take place at his next appearance to decide his trial venue. The defence is entitled to make submissions under Section 75 of the Children Act to plead with the juvenile court to accept jurisdiction and not send the case forward on indictment to the circuit court. This allows the boys lawyer cite age and maturity of the defendant as well as any other relevant factors in setting out grounds pleading for a serious case to remain in the Childrens Court. An Irish woman who stabbed her fiance to death in Australia has been jailed for eight years. Cathrina Cahill attacked David Walsh, who was 29, in February last year. The Court of Appeal will rule later on an appeal by Kenmare Resources over a 10m libel award, the highest in the history of the State, to its former deputy chairman Donal Kinsella over a press release issued by the firm. The finding of defamation of Mr Kinsella, and particularly the size of the award, has done "a great injustice" to the company, Paul Gallagher SC, for Kenmare, said. He was unaware of any similar award in the UK or other European country. It is "obscene" to say a defamation of this nature is worth over 20 times an injury that would cause someone to be a quadriplegic for the rest of their life, counsel added. A sum of 500,000 has been paid to Mr Kinsella, plus 200,000 in costs, but a stay applies on payment of the remaining sum pending the appeal outcome. The two-day appeal hearing concluded today and Ms Justice Mary Irvine, sitting with Ms Justice Maire Whelan and Ms Justice Marie Baker, reserved judgment. The award was made in 2010 after a High Court jury found Mr Kinsella was defamed in a company press release issued on July 10, 2007 concerning an incident in Mozambique in May 2007, where a company board meeting was being held, when Mr Kinsella sleep-walked naked to the bedroom of company secretary Deirdre Corcoran. The press release referred to an incident and said Mr Kinsella was being asked to resign from the companys audit committee. An investigation by an independent solicitor on behalf of the company had found there was no conscious attempt on Mr Kinsellas part to enter Ms Corcorans room and no improper motive in opening her door. Mr Kinsella was prone to sleep-walking. Mr Kinsella sued the company and its chairman Charles Carvill. In its verdict, the jury found the press release wrongly meant Mr Kinsella had made inappropriate advances to Ms Corcoran. Kenmare Resources has appealed both that finding and the level of the award, comprising 9m in compensatory damages and 1m aggravated damages. Mr Kinsella, now aged in his mid 70s, was in court accompanied by family members. In submissions for Kenmare, Mr Gallagher argued there were "significant errors" by the trial judge, Mr Justice Eamon De Valera, during the trial, particularly concerning how he directed the jury. The jury verdict was "unsafe in every respect", Mr Gallagher said. In opposing the appeal, Eoin McCullough SC, for Mr Kinsella, said the trial judge had made "perfectly adequate" directions on the crucial issues in the case. He said, as a result of the press release, damaging stories about Mr Kinsella were circulated across the world and, absent a substantial wrong or a miscarriage of justice, an appeal court should not interfere with a jury verdict. Declan Doyle SC, also for Mr Kinsella, said this was a "very serious" defamation involving a very serious allegation of improper sexual advances to a junior employee. When Ms Justice Irvine asked was Ms Corcoran not a company secretary, Mr Doyle agreed she was but said she was a person with "less clout" than Mr Kinsella. The press release resulted in Mr Kinsella being made an international laughing stock, he said. While accepting the 10m award was extraordinarily high, that must be seen in the context of Mr Kinsellas reputation in Irish business and society and the impact of the matter on him, he said. The jury did not "pluck this sum out of the air", he added. In reply, Mr Gallagher said Mr Kinsella was not that well known in business circles and there was no evidence before the jury as to the effect on his business. The intended target of a gunman was running for his life when the attacker opened fire and shot the wrong man. Martin ORourke (24) sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head as he crossed the street at lunchtime on April 14, 2016. A witness described seeing the gunman arrive at Sheriff Street, Dublin 1 at 12.25pm where a crowd was gathered outside Noctors pub. Shouts rang out to alert the intended target as the gunman took the weapon from his pocket. Dublin Coroners Court heard that the gunmans target began to run for his life and as he did so, the assailant discharged a total of 13 shots. The target passed close by Martin ORourke, who was struck by a stray bullet. He suffered extensive brain damage and collapsed onto the road. Relatives of Mr ORourkes partner Angeline Power gave evidence at the inquest. Her father Laurence Power paid tribute to Gardai. I want to thank the Gardai for everything they have put into this. To be honest, Id prefer Martin to be where he is now, Mr Power said. He spoke to Mr ORourke shortly before he was killed. He said he was going to Sheriff Street. He was asking about the kids, Mr Power said. They made arrangements to meet at lunchtime but Mr O'Rourke did not appear. Mr Power made calls to his phone but these went unanswered. I wasnt sure what happened. I actually walked down to Sheriff Street but I didnt know it was him that had been shot," Mr Power said. Ellen Power, a sister of Angeline Power, met Mr ORourke in the city the morning of his death. He thanked me for minding the kids. He gave me a hug and said he loved me and that was the last time I saw him, she said. Witness Killian DArcy was sitting in his car when the gunman arrived at Sheriff Street on a bike. He cycled real slow. He took a handgun from his right pocket. He fell off the bike. When he came off the bike the intended target ran. The fella who was shooting went into the road... he stood in the street shooting towards Noctors pub, he said. 'I stopped counting at 12 shots' Witness Geraldine Brennan said she heard a number of shots and saw the gunman on the street with his arm outstretched. I saw him trotting. It wasnt a run. He was firing a gun as he went. It was definitely a lot of shots. I stopped counting at 12 shots, she said. Detective Inspector Shay Dalton said the gunmans target fled as others shouted to warn him. The assailant fired a total of 13 shots in the direction of the fleeing target. Martin ORourke was making his way from Sheriff Street towards Oriel Street. Tragically at the corner he became caught in the cross fire, DI Dalton said. Mr O'Rourke collapsed onto the street and was unresponsive as Gardai arrived and began chest compressions. He was rushed to the Mater Hospital where he was pronounced dead. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy conducted a postmortem. The cause of death was a single gunshot wound that penetrated the back of Mr ORourkes head causing extensive brain injuries and rapid death. Gardai followed 657 lines of inquiry, collected 281 statements and made three arrests as part of a comprehensive investigation. A file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecution but no charges were brought. The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing by person or persons unknown. Tragically Mr ORourke was just in the wrong position, coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said and offered condolences to Mr ORourkes extended family and to his children. A man who bit off part of his friend's ears has been jailed for four years. The court heard that Anthony Dempsey went berserk after suspecting his friend John Kelly of performing a sexual act over his sister. He attacked Mr Kelly leaving him needing extensive plastic surgery following the gruesome incident on November 5th last year in Letterkenny. Dempsey, aged 24, appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal where he pleaded guilty to a savage assault on John Kelly. The court was told that Gardai were first alerted to the brutal attack when a woman noticed a man on the upstairs window ledge of a house at St Eunan's Terrace in Letterkenny. The man had a bloodied face and was in a distressed state as another man tried to pull him back into the house. The man managed to run away and was taken into another house by two women. The women contacted Gardai and they found John Kelly in a distressed and emotional state. He was rocking back and forth and was bleeding heavily, was in a lot of pain and the tops of his two ears were missing. Gardai called to the house where Mr Kelly has first been seen and Dempsey answered the door. Garda Gerry Fee said it was obvious that Dempsey has washed his face and that there had been blood splattered on the walls but they had been wiped in an attempt to hide it. He said everyone in the house was under the influence of an intoxicant and that Dempsey had become agitated and had punched the wall and the worktop. He was arrested but was initially unfit to be interviewed. He later admitted punching Kelly in the face and in the body but denied biting off his ears. He said the reason for the attack was because he allegedly caught Kelly masturbating over his sister when she was asleep in a room. Garda Fee said he did not believe this saying he did not believe Dempsey's sister was in the room or that Kelly had masturbated over her. Dempsey and Kelly had first met a year earlier when both were undergoing a drug rehabilitation programme in Tullamore. Dempsey suggested that when they completed the course, they should travel to Donegal and stay with his sister. Garda Fee said the victim was due to give evidence of his injuries in court and that he had emailed him and sent him a message on Whatsapp but he received no reply. Medical report A medical report showed Kelly suffered numerous injuries including swelling, a laceration to his nasal bridge, swelling to his upper lip and extensive tissue loss to both ears. He had been referred to a plastic surgeon in Northern Ireland but no report was available despite efforts of Gardai to get one. Judge John Aylmer was told that Dempsey had 46 previous convictions for a range of offences including dangerous driving, not having insurance, criminal damage, public order, misuse of drugs, possession of a knife and possession of an explosive substance. Barrister for Dempsey, Mr Shane Costelloe, SC, said his client has a very strong bond with his sister and was convinced that something of a sexual nature was going on. He said that both Dempsey's parents had been drug-addicts and that he had spent three-quarters of his life in either care or in incarceration. Judge John Aylmer described the attack as "a very serious assault." He said the incident merited a six-year jail sentence but there were mitigating circumstances including an early guilty plea, the fact that he had a very difficult upbringing and that he had offered Mr Kelly an apology. Judge Aylmer said that because of Dempsey's early guilty plea he was reducing the six-year sentence to four years and backdated that sentence to when he entered custody on April 5th, 2017. Scott Olson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Accusations of a blatant power grab, personal appeals from the incoming Democratic governor to his Republican predecessor, protesters marching on the State Capitol and the ongoing situation unfolding in the state of Wisconsin have all the hallmarks of a classic political drama. Now, with a deadline to sign the bills into law fast approaching, Democrats in the state are ramping up their pressure campaign on outgoing Republican Gov. Scott Walker, hoping he will heed calls not to make a series of bills stripping incoming Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and other statewide elected officials of an array of consequential powers. But this week, Walker signaled the clearest sign yet that he is dug in on support for the bill, despite national blowback and rebukes from some in his own party, including former Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott McCallum. "It appears completely political, [like] a power grab," McCallum said in a recent interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. In a statement released Tuesday, Walker defended the legislation, which would limit the governor's power over several state agencies and prevent the state's newly elected Democratic attorney general from pulling out of a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act, saying Evers will still maintain some of the strongest powers of any governor in the country. "Lets set the record straight -- the new governor will still have some of the strongest powers of any governor in the nation if these bills become law," Walker wrote. "He will have the power to veto legislation and he will have some of the broadest line-item veto authority of any governor in the nation." Evers defeated Walker, who was seeking a third term to the governor's office in the Badger State, by a margin of just over 30,000 votes last month, while Democrats simultaneously swept elections for all statewide offices, including attorney general and state treasurer. The Democrat said over the weekend that he has spoken with Walker about a potential veto, but that his predecessor was "noncommittal" during those talks. "I'm not particularly encouraged at this point in time," Evers said in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press. "But it's around Scott Walker's legacy. He has the opportunity to change us and validate the will of the people that voted on Nov. 6." Walker's office confirmed to ABC News that he has not yet received the bills passed by the state legislature during the lame-duck session. The governor has not yet called for the bills to be delivered, but the legislation will automatically be sent to his desk by the chief clerk of the Wisconsin State Senate on Dec. 20. He then has six days from that point, excluding Sunday, to either sign the legislation into law, veto the legislation or not sign it and have it automatically become law. That means the latest the bill could become law would be Dec. 27th. The episode continues to raise questions about the acceptability of partisan responses to election losses, and a potentially destabilizing precedent set by this and a similar situation playing out across the lake in the state of Michigan, where the Republican-controlled House and Senate are seeking to limit the power of incoming Democratic state officials, including Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer. "This really is shocking, and it really is profoundly to the central, democratic norm, which is when one side loses power, they turn over power peacefully," said Kenneth Mayer, a professor of American politics at the University of Wisconsin. "If is how its going to work from here on out, that is just really unhealthy for democratic stability." The situations in Michigan and Wisconsin are reminiscent of a 2016 attempt by the GOP-led state legislature in North Carolina to limit the powers of an incoming Democratic governor. The courts eventually ruled that the legislation violated the state's constitution. But if the efforts in Wisconsin and other states are ultimately successful, the worry becomes a fundamental shift in the allowable terms of political warfare in the wake of defeat. "You dont want to bring a Nerf gun to a knife fight. If one player is violating norms and the other player says well Im still going to behave as if they still exist, then youre at a real disadvantage," Mayer said. "Over time, if voters are OK with that, or in a position where they cant respond, then you have serious questions about the meaning of democratic rule." Republican leaders in the state have fervently defended the legislation, claiming the firestorm of the last few weeks is the result of hyperbolic rhetoric from Democrats and the news media. "The extraordinary session of the state legislature was not a 'coup' or a 'power grab,'" Robin Vos, the Republican speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, wrote in an op-ed this week defending his party's actions. "The extraordinary session was merely an effort to ensure that in divided government, every branch of government has an equal seat at the table." Top Democrats in the state say they are hopeful they can mount a pressure campaign strong enough to influence Walker. "Were hoping that the pressure from other Wisconsinites, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, whoever will cause him to back down. Because this will be his legacy," Wisconsin Democratic Party chairwoman Martha Laning told ABC News in a phone interview. Evers and other Democrats in the state have said legal action is one of many options "on the table," but that they are waiting for a final decision from Walker before proceeding in that direction. "Were all looking at what the precedent is out there and whats happened before," Laning said. "And were ready to do whatever is necessary to protect our democracy." The episode all but ensures a bitter brawl in the Badger State come 2020 when control of the state legislature is at stake and it returns to its status as a key presidential battleground. Democrats say in 2020 that they won't let voters forget what happened in 2018. "We will bring this back to light to let people know that Republicans did not accept the word of the people and its time to replace them and be sure that we get leadership that voters choice," Laning said. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. NASA's InSight lander isn't camera-shy. The spacecraft used a camera on its robotic arm to take its first selfie -- a mosaic made up of 11 images. This is the same imaging process used by NASA's Curiosity rover mission, in which many overlapping pictures are taken and later stitched together. Visible in the selfie are the lander's solar panel and its entire deck, including its science instruments. Mission team members have also received their first complete look at InSight's "workspace" -- the approximately 14-by-7-foot (4-by-2-meter) crescent of terrain directly in front of the spacecraft. This image is also a mosaic composed of 52 individual photos. In the coming weeks, scientists and engineers will go through the painstaking process of deciding where in this workspace the spacecraft's instruments should be placed. They will then command InSight's robotic arm to carefully set the seismometer (called the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure, or SEIS) and heat-flow probe (known as the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package, or HP3) in the chosen locations. Both work best on level ground, and engineers want to avoid setting them on rocks larger than about a half-inch (1.3 cm). "The near-absence of rocks, hills and holes means it'll be extremely safe for our instruments," said InSight's Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "This might seem like a pretty plain piece of ground if it weren't on Mars, but we're glad to see that." InSight's landing team deliberately chose a landing region in Elysium Planitia that is relatively free of rocks. Even so, the landing spot turned out even better than they hoped. The spacecraft sits in what appears to be a nearly rock-free "hollow" -- a depression created by a meteor impact that later filled with sand. That should make it easier for one of InSight's instruments, the heat-flow probe, to bore down to its goal of 16 feet (5 meters) below the surface. About InSight JPL manages InSight for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the InSight spacecraft, including its cruise stage and lander, and supports spacecraft operations for the mission. A number of European partners, including France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are supporting the InSight mission. CNES and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) provided the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument, with significant contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany, the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) in Switzerland, Imperial College London and Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and JPL. DLR provided the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) instrument, with significant contributions from the Space Research Center (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland. Spain's Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB) supplied the wind sensors. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. An Algerian man who a court heard had left his country on an improvised boat and travelled across Europe using at least four different names has been sent to jail for trespass and possessing cannabis. The accused came to garda attention for trespassing at a house in Cork where he was squatting and two counts of having cannabis for his own use. He pleaded guilty to all charges and wanted to be sentenced today. Judge Olann Kelleher was reluctant to finalise the case today as Sergeant Gearoid Davis confirmed that when his fingerprints were checked through Interpol there were four different aliases used in Germany in relation to those fingerprints. However, he did not have any convictions. Defence solicitor, Pat Horan, said the main difficulty was that Algerian authorities were not cooperating in terms of enquiries made of them in relation to fingerprints for the accused. Judge Kelleher said it would be better to wait until the Algerian authorities came back with information for Interpol before the case at Cork District Court was finalised. Mr Horan said he understood, but suggested it was a balancing act in terms of the rights of the accused not being remanded in custody indefinitely where it was not likely that the Algerian authorities would ever come back with information. The judge agreed to finalise the case. He imposed an overall sentence of four months, backdated to September 6 when he went into custody. Mr Horan said that since the date the accused went into custody he consistently gave his name as Bayou Karim who was a refugee from Algeria with a French PPS number under that name. However he said that, because he had been remanded in custody, he had no documentation in support of that claim. Earlier in yesterdays hearing the judge said he was concerned the defendant had given them his name as Sammy Akrich, aged 26. Mr Horan said the defendants name was Bayou Karim, aged 32. He pleaded guilty to trespassing in a building at Kinsale Road, Togher on September 3. He was squatting there at the time. He also admitted having cannabis for his own use on two occasions in early September. A man who helped a criminal organisation murder Noel Duck Egg Kirwan has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for 10 years. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt today called the facts of Mr Kirwan's murder "chilling and disturbing". The non-jury court previously heard that Jason Keating played a role of real significance in the murder as he was present at the scene of the shooting in Clondalkin, was in contact with the person who monitored movements recorded by a tracking device and provided this information via a phone to the assailant who had approached Mr Kirwan's car and discharged the firearm. A 'Gotek7 tracking device was put under Mr Kirwan's car in the weeks leading up to his killing and this could be linked to Keating in the days preceding the murder. Mr Kirwan was sitting in his new Ford Mondeo car on December 22, 2016, when a gunman shot him six times with a Makarov handgun which was later recovered at the scene. The 62-year-old, a long-time friend of Gerry the Monk Hutch, suffered eight gunshot wounds in total to his head, right arm, chest and abdomen. The murder of Mr Kirwan arose from a "notorious feud" between two criminal factions but the deceased had no connection with either side. Jason Keating (aged 27), of Lower Main Street, Rush, Co Dublin, admitted in October to participating in or contributing to activity intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence, namely the murder of Mr Kirwan at St Ronans Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 between December 20 and 22, 2016, both dates inclusive. The offence is contrary to organised crime legislation brought in by Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and has a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Keating was originally tried for the murder of Mr Kirwan but midway through his trial on October 18 he pleaded guilty to facilitating a criminal organisation in committing murder and this plea was accepted by the DPP. The three-judge court entered a nolle prosequi on the original charge of murder. This means the State will not be proceeding with the prosecution in relation to the count of murder. Prosecution counsel Paul Greene SC said at Keatings sentence hearing last month that the activities by the criminal organisation could be traced back to early November 2016 but the defendants individual contribution began on December 20 that year. The Special Criminal Court Sentencing the defendant today, Mr Justice Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chualachain and Judge Cormac Dunne, sentenced Keating to 10 years imprisonment, backdated to May 2, 2017, when he went into custody. The father-of-three has 25 previous convictions which include road traffic and public order offences. Parents of children with special needs say it will not be acceptable for the Government to dilute their education supports by failing to provide more special teachers next year to cater for a growing school population. Special Needs Parents Association (SNPA) chair Lorraine Dempsey questioned the level of priority placed on children with a range of extra needs when the Department of Education made no provision in its 2019 budget to increase the number of special teachers. The department provided an extra 900 special education teachers in 2017 to support the introduction of a new system of allocating them to primary and second-level schools, with another 100 posts provided for schools this year. But despite increasing numbers attending primary and second-level schools next year, and continuing growth for at least another seven years at second-level, no additional special teachers were sanctioned by outgoing minister Richard Bruton in October's budget. As reported in today's Irish Examiner, the challenges that will result were highlighted by department officials to Mr Brutons successor Joe McHugh when he took office a week after the budget. It will be made particularly difficult by the fact that next summer will see an end to a guarantee that schools would not lose any of their resources during the first two years of the new allocation system. This could lead to hundreds of schools having fewer special education posts in September if a review of their profile means staff have to be moved to those found to need more special teaching hours. The formula used to decide a schools allocation is based on factors that include overall enrolments, but with a strong weighting given to issues like the number of pupils with complex needs, overall scores in standardised tests, the gender of children attending, and a schools disadvantage status. Ms Dempsey said everyone understood the potential for changes in individual schools from 2019 when the new allocation model was introduced, and it is inevitable that some would be unhappy about losing teaching hours on that basis alone. Well just have to accept that if [the new model] accurately reflects the needs of children in schools, she said. But, Ms Dempsey said, using the same calculation tools as in 2017 should almost certainly result in a rise in the total number of special teachers needed across the country's 4,000 schools. If the number is more than the 13,300 who are currently in schools, well be clearly able to see it. It could be a couple of hundred teaching hours a week, across the system, or it could be thousands, she said. The SNPA chair said schools are spending the first two years of the new system to establish how to deploy their special teacher hours for the best benefit of children. Diluting those hours would be unacceptable when we now have a system that is based on the individual needs of schools. We dont want to then be told that this is not sustainable from a financial point of view, she said. For the Government not to give provision for demographics, it shows a lack of focus on special education, when there is a known prevalence for special educational needs and for children with complex needs, Ms Dempsey said. Political representatives have criticised the main opposition party after it announced it would extend the confidence and supply arrangement with the Government for another year. It was announced on Wednesday after weeks of discussion that the Fine Gael Government would continue with the support the countrys second biggest party, Fianna Fail, until 2020 due to Brexits impact on Ireland. Tanaiste and Fine Gael deputy leader Simon Coveney hailed the maturity of opposition leader Micheal Martin and said the deal ensures certainty for at least another year, probably more. Fine Gael welcomes the announcement that the Confidence and Supply Agreement will be extended. This allows us to prepare, not just for Brexit, but for so many other important issues. Tanaiste @simoncoveney. pic.twitter.com/VDh7xNMGqr Fine Gael (@FineGael) December 12, 2018 Sinn Feins leader Mary Lou McDonald labelled the negotiations as political theatre and said it was astonishing that Fianna Fail have agreed to keep Fine Gael in government for another year without achieving one additional thing. They seem happy to have more of the same, the same failures. All the things Micheal Martin apparently had a problem with, apparently now he has no problem with, she said. The truth is you cant be in government and opposition at the same time. It is clear he (Martin) has full confidence in Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach, and will have achieved nothing by way of additionality, and will ensure that government continues on. After the 2016 general election, Fianna Fail agreed to support Fine Gael in power for three budgets, by committing to not bring down the Government or vote against key votes. However it remains unclear whether Fianna Fail received any new commitments from the Government for extension, Mr Martin said that there was disagreement on issues of delivery but they would continue to keep the government under pressure. There is no new document or agreement, the current document in relation to confidence and supply is still in use. Similarly, Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin was quick to criticise Fianna Fail for entering into an extended agreement. This do-little arrangement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail does the people of Ireland a disservice and shouldnt continue until the middle of 2020. pic.twitter.com/Nklpzxyqag BrendanHowlin (@BrendanHowlin) December 12, 2018 The six weeks of the labours of Hercules have produced exactly nothing, he said. Apparently there is to be a deal with no consequences, no requirements, all the analysis about the failures in housing and health are meaningless because there is no new target to be set, conditions to be met, it is a blank cheque being signed for a Government thats doing very little by common consensus. The Taoiseach is looking for a mandate and cant bring himself to ask for one. Weve had a period of inaction, we need to address fundamental issues confronting us, on housing and healthcare and inequality in society generally. The current Irish government has come under criticism domestically for the ongoing homeless crisis, lack of affordable housing, hospital waiting lists and what political opponents call rising inequality.- Press Association No election until 2020 as confidence and supply deal extended Earlier: Fianna Fail have agreed a deal to keep the Government in power for another year. A General Election in early 2020 is now on the cards after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin agreed to extend the Confidence and Supply deal. Citing the threat and chaos Brexit poses Mr Martin said "business as usual is not acceptable" and while in normal times it would be the "right thing" to call a General Election he said the national interests must be put ahead of party interests. "In normal times there would be no issue. An election now would be the right thing for our country," Mr Martin told the Dail. "These are not normal times and Ireland is immediately confronted with one of the biggest threats for many decades." He said an election campaign followed by Government formation talks would take up a lengthy period at a critical time for this country. Mr Martin said: "Fianna Fail is determined that the political chaos we see in London will not be allowed to spread to Ireland. "We simply do not believe that the national interest could in any way be served by taking up to four months during next year to schedule and hold an election campaign and then form a government. "With business and communities already fearful about the impact of Brexit and with Ireland manifestly not ready for many of the potential outcomes, how could it possibly be in the national interest to have extended political uncertainty next year? "This is why Fianna Fail will extend a guarantee that government will be able to operate throughout 2019. This will allow the introduction of any emergency legislation and budgets, as well as the full end of year Budget and associated legislation. This will in turn allow the holding of an election early in the following year. "Free of Brexit uncertainty there can be an election about the need for a new approach to housing, about ending systematic political failures in health and about addressing the needs of people who want a government which understands their concerns." Mr Martin said this decision had been reached reluctantly but said it was unavoidable. A showbiz journalist who claimed he tripped on a step at the Helix Theatre dislocating his elbow while attending a Christmas panto has settled his High Court action. Irish Sun journalist Kenneth Sweeney told Mr Justice Michael Hanna he fell on the side aisle steps as he left the performance of Cinderella thirty 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 in to 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 (52) Newtownparks, Skerries, Co Dublin had sued Dublin City University , Collins Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin the operators of the Helix Theatre over the accident on November 30, 2014. He 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 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 were denied.Mr Justice Michael Hanna said the issue in the case is "was there was a disguised step." When the case resumed today the court heard it had been settled. Theresa May will meet the Taoiseach in Dublin later as part of her whistlestop European tour. She's seeking assurances from EU leaders to help get her Brexit deal through Parliament. The British Prime Minister is said to be on the brink of a leadership challenge this morning over her plans. It's after she delayed the crucial House of Commons vote on her deal. Yesterday, the Prime Minister met with her German and Dutch counterparts. Earlier:No-deal Brexit edges closer as Theresa May's bid rejected By Fiachra O Cionnaith The spectre of a no-deal Brexit is a step closer after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and EU leaders poured cold water on UK prime minister Theresa Mays last-ditch bid to change the deal and save her political career. Ms May will meet Mr Varadkar for showdown talks in Dublin this evening with time running out to salvage any kind of compromise she can sell at home to an increasingly rebellious parliament. The British prime minister is seeking deal concessions needed to win over parliament and fight off a renewed backbench coup before a delayed vote on the agreement which is crucial to preventing a no-deal Brexit. The leaders of four British political parties have also urged Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to join them in a no-confidence motion. However, in a whistlestop tour of EU capitals, Ms May was repeatedly told there will be no renegotiation. Mr Varadkar will repeat this position this evening in a meeting in which he will tell the UK it can still revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit itself. In another day of Brexit drama, Ms May was yesterday told by European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and European parliament president Donald Tusk that no new deal will be allowed. During meetings in Brussels, Berlin, and other European capitals, Ms May was told that, despite the dire need for a breakthrough, the EU will not return to the negotiating table. Speaking before meeting with Ms May, Mr Juncker said the existing deal is the only deal possible and that there is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, while Ms Merkel told Ms May that there is no way new talks will take place. And, while Mr Tusk indicated a middle ground could still be reached, the hardline stance is set to be repeated by Mr Varadkar during the meeting in Dublin, with a Government spokesperson last night ruling out any compromise with the UK on the deal. Asked about the mounting standoff and the growing risk of a no-deal Brexit unless the UK backs down on its renegotiation demands, Mr Varadkar told the Dail Ireland wants to help the UK to ensure the deal is passed. However, warning there can be no compromising on the basic fundamental substance of the backstop, he said the only options now on the table for the UK are to back the deal, cancel or delay Brexit, or to crash out with no deal in place. It remains in the hands of the United Kingdom to decide that we do not end up in a no-deal scenario, he said. There is the option to revoke Article 50 [the legislation which triggers the March 29, 2019, EU-UK divorce date] and the option to extend Article 50. 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. The hardline position has significantly increased the risk of a no-deal Brexit which could cause havoc to Ireland as Ms May is facing equal levels of pressure from her own party and the DUP to ensure the Brexit backstop is scrapped. With no breakthrough in sight, Mr Varadkar said the Government needs to ramp up contingency plans for a hard Brexit, with Tanaiste Simon Coveney bringing a detailed memo on the crisis plans to cabinet. However, despite the memo outlining a series of supports for at-risk businesses, extra customs officials on borders and at airports, and emergency legislative changes if a no-deal Brexit occurs, the Government has continued to say it is not planning for a hard border. The standoff comes before tomorrow and Fridays EU summit in Brussels, and as Ms May returns to Westminster amid the possibility of a fresh Conservative party no-confidence motion push against her premiership. Strasbourg, Dec 11, 2018 (SPS) - Frente POLISARIO representative to Europe Mohamed Sidati has denounced on Tuesday the adoption by the European Parliaments Committee on International Trade (INTA) of the report of the controversial Eurodeputy Patricia Lalonde, which provides for the expansion of the EU-Morocco Agricultural Agreement to the occupied Western Sahara territory It is "shameful" to approve a document which author has been forced to step down over "conflict of interests". During their meeting in Strasbourg, at the European Parliament headquarters, the "INTA" Committee members adopted the report of the controversial MEP, Patricia Lalonde, who provides for the extension of the agricultural agreement between the EU and Morocco to the occupied Western Sahara territory, while the European justice rejected the deal, in its decisions, citing the non consent of the Sahrawi people. In reaction to the Committee decision, the Frente POLISARIO denounced, in a statement, "a vote that marks the European leaders willingness to ignore the precise and clear terms of the decisions of the EU Court of Justice." The Frente POLISARIO representative added that "this agreement is clearly illegal". In its December 2016 ruling, the EU "Court of Justice has ruled that Western Sahara is a separate and distinct territory from that of the Kingdom of Morocco by virtue of the principle of self-determination. No agreement with Morocco may include the territory, the adjacent waters, or the outer space of Western Sahara," Sidati added.SPS 125/090/TRA Tottenham's Premier League home game against Manchester United on January 13 will be played at Wembley, the London club have announced. There have been several delays to the opening of Spurs' new stadium and the club say they are expecting an update from contractors in the week commencing January 7, 2019. A statement on the Tottenham website read: "As promised we wanted to update you, our supporters, on the status of the new stadium. "The past few months have been spent rectifying issues with the critical safety systems. Testing is being conducted both during the day and night and our contractors will continue to work during the Christmas period. Barring no further significant issues we should then be in a position to schedule Test Events." Spurs chairman Daniel Levy added: "We are acutely conscious that we are asking fans to go to Wembley for far longer than any of us wanted to. However we are now seeing the progress that we needed to see. "What I don't want to do is set any firm dates until we have finally achieved a safety certificate. So many people tell me to look at other major schemes that run late and, whilst I know it happens often, we are still hugely frustrated. "Once again I want to apologise to fans and to thank you for your ongoing support. We have a busy time ahead both on and off the pitch, particularly after last night's amazing qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League. What a memorable night." PA A City banker in England texted his partner to say "It's too late, I'm sorry, life isn't going to work for me" in the hours after he allegedly bludgeoned a high-class escort to death on her 29th birthday, a court there has heard. Helen Jervis asked her partner of 12 years, Zahid Naseem, "What have you done?" when she received the message on May 25, Lewes Crown Court heard today. The next morning police found the body of Christina Abbotts in a flat where she was housesitting in Crawley. Naseem was lying naked on the sofa pretending to be unconscious, prosecutor Christopher Tehrani told jurors. Ms Abbotts, who was born in the West Midlands and lived in London, had been hit 13 times on the head with a pestle and is thought to have died around 12 hours earlier, jurors were told. A still taken from CCTV dated 24/05/18 of Christina Abbotts and Zahid Naseem. The pair were last seen together in the West Sussex town's Asda supermarket buying alcohol on the night before she is thought to have died. Jurors were shown CCTV images of Naseem kissing her on the head while they stood in one of the aisles. As the 48-year-old's murder trial continued, the court heard how the "privately educated city girl" lived a secret life as a high-class escort but told her friends and family she worked in IT. Naseem paid her up to 3,500 a time when they met and "the social media addict" led a lavish lifestyle partying with "posh", wealthy friends living in Westminster and other parts of London while frequenting the theatre, polo and Ascot. Her father Michael Abbotts, who lives in Stourbridge, said he was "never fully aware" of what she did for a living but she had "very posh friends" and travelled a lot, visiting countries including Brazil and Mexico. After school she studied business at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, England, and dropped out of a course to Oxford Brookes University when she was offered a job, he said. He last heard from her when she texted him to say "love you" shortly after midnight on May 25. In a statement read to the court, he added: "She was a pretty woman. I'm sure she had more boyfriends than she told us about." Commercial airline pilot Howard Joseph said Ms Abbotts liked to party and was "very personable and a very enjoyable person to share time with". He met her through his brother, a fellow pilot, about a year earlier and they became friends, travelling to Rome together. They were never romantically involved and he "absolutely did not know" she was a sex worker, but in hindsight was "a little naive", he told the court. A still taken from CCTV dated 24/05/18 of Christina Abbotts and Zahid Naseem. He knew she drank a lot and was aware she took cocaine, adding: "It's a situation in London in that kind of social group, she had probably used it at times." Mr Joseph said his ex-girlfriend Natalia had been "jealous" of Ms Abbotts, wrongly assuming they were in a relationship. Jurors also heard Ms Abbotts had been "hassled" online and in person by a "female stalker". Friends began to worry when she failed to turn up to her birthday party, fearing it may have been linked to her concerns about a stalker. She had been due to meet close long-term friend Roshan Pariag at the Park Plaza County Hall hotel in London, where she was planning to stay, at 5pm but never arrived. No-one could find her later in the evening at Janet's Bar in South Kensington and nearby cocktail bar Eclipse, where the party had been arranged. When Mr Pariag drove from London to her flat in Crawley to look for her he could see a "glow" from a computer screen in the flat but no-one answered the door so he raised the alarm with police. He told the court: "Everyone was wondering where she was." A still taken from CCTV dated 24/05/18 of Christina Abbotts and Zahid Naseem. After police broke down the door and found her body, he said: "I could just tell by the look on their face something tragic had happened." Describing her as a "sociable, happy and outgoing person", he suspected she might be an escort although she denied it. He added: "She was always happy, she was always trying to look after friends. She was just a really, really lovely person. She was willing to give anybody a chance. "She was quite politically and strong-minded. She had her views but never let it affect when she met somebody." A fellow sex worker, who became good friends with Ms Abbotts when they met through escort work, last saw her around a week before she died when they visited a client together. They exchanged messages on her birthday but she noticed after a while she stopped responding and became worried. In a statement read to the court, she said: "She drank a lot and took cocaine most days. I think she was addicted. "I don't think she liked the thought of getting older. "I thought she was quite reckless towards her work. I don't think she carried out many checks on her clients." Naseem, who had been working for Toronto-Dominion Bank's London office, denies murder, claiming the pair had a drug and drink-fuelled night together after which he woke to find her dead. Paramedic Stewart Plumbley, who assessed Naseem at the flat, said he was awake because his eyes were flickering and his eyelashes moved when touched, adding: "My belief was the patient was attempting to feign unconsciousness." The trial continues. Update: 15.53pm: More than 158 Conservative MPs have publicly declared they will be supporting Theresa May's leadership during tonight's confidence vote. The tally represents a majority of the party's MPs, and, if all follow through as they have stated they will, it means Mrs May will remain leader of the party and British Prime Minister. The total was calculated by the Press Association from comments by MPs on social media or in statements to media outlets. The vote will be held from 6pm to 8pm, and with the restoration of the whip increasing the number of Tory MPs to 316, Mrs May now needs 159 votes - half of the parliamentary party plus one - to secure her position. Government ministers in the House of Lords issued a statement in support of Mrs May. The statement read: "The Government front bench team in the House of Lords fully supports the Prime Minister. "Theresa May is the right person to lead both the country and the Conservative Party and we urge our colleagues in the Commons to vote to support her this evening." Earlier: 'Determined' Theresa May 'fighting for every vote' Asked whether Theresa May was confident of winning this evening's vote, a senior Downing Street source said: "She is fighting for every vote. We have seen support from across the parliamentary party this morning but there is a lot more to do this afternoon." The source added: "This vote isn't about who leads the party into the next election, it is about whether it makes sense to change leader at this point in the Brexit process." The source said he was "not aware" of any plans by Mrs May to give Tory colleagues a date for her departure as PM or Conservative leader. He said: "She has said on a number of occasions - in fact she said immediately after the last election in 2017 - that she would serve as long as her colleagues want her to. "She believes it is her duty to serve as long as the party wants her to." The Downing Street source said that Mrs May was informed by Sir Graham Brady that the 48-letter threshold had been crossed in a telephone call some time before 11pm on Tuesday. She had returned to 10 Downing Street at around 9.30pm after a day of travel which took her to The Hague, Berlin and Brussels for talks with EU leaders. Asked how she was dealing personally with the challenge to her position, the source said: "A lot of people have talked about her resilience in different situations and I think we have seen that again today. "As ever, she is determined and focused." Earlier: No-deal Brexit plans needed now, says Donald Tusk European Council president Donald Tusk has said the EU must "discuss the state of preparations for a no-deal" Brexit at Thursday and Friday's EU summit "as time is running out" for a breakthrough, writes Fiachra O Cionnaith. In an open letter to European Council members before the crucial meeting in Brussels this week and as British prime minister Theresa May faces a no-confidence vote this evening, Mr Tusk said focus must now turn to a no-deal crisis. Outlining the schedule of the two-day meeting this week, Mr Tusk said: "given the seriousness of the situation in the UK, let me start with Brexit". "The intention is that we will listen to the UK prime minister's assessment, and later, we will meet as 27 [EU member states] to discuss the matter and adopt relevant conclusions. "As time is running out, we will also discuss the state of preparations for a no-deal scenario," he wrote. While Mr Tusk's letter is couched in carefully worded diplomatic terms, the fact a potential no-deal Brexit cliff edge in just four months time is the main item on the EU summit agenda underlines the crisis facing the continent. Previous EU summits in November, October and earlier this year have attempted to find a solution to the stand-off without any long-lasting success, with pressure now mounting on politicians to cut their losses and finalise no deal plans vital to businesses and communities in all nations. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he still believes that the Withdrawal Agreement will be ratified by Westminster and the European Parliament. Speaking in the Dail, he said: "We have a meeting with the European Council on Thursday and Friday and will have an opportunity to engage with Prime Minister May and an opportunity to speak with my colleagues. "I'll be taking a call with President Juncker later on today to see what assurances we can give the United Kingdom parliament that might assist them to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement. "However, that cannot be a change in the substance of that agreement including the substance of the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. But that is what we are going to work towards." Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said the Irish Government needed to "remain firm" on the border backstop despite the "debacle" at Westminster. "It is about making sure the backstop is the only show in town, it is the bottom line, it is the insurance policy," she said. Ms O'Neill said the leadership challenge against Mrs May was the latest twist in a "civil war" engulfing the Conservative Party. "Regardless of what goes on at Westminster the backstop has to be firm, it has to be a commitment, it has to be something that everything stands by," she said. Sinn Fein's Stormont leader said the UK Government was only interested in British interests and said the Irish Government, along with other EU nations, had to protect the interests of the people of Ireland. Earlier: On-screen 'exchange' between two Tory MPs shows how divided party is over Brexit An exchange between two Conservative MPs on the BBC News Channel has caught the attention of Brexit-watchers on Twitter. Live on the Victoria Derbyshire Show on the channel, Ms Derbyshire just finished talking to Tory MP Andrew Bridgen and said she was going to talk to his party colleague James Cleverly, who is vice-chair of the Conservative Party. She spoke to Mr Bridgen saying: "I gather that you don't necessarily want to talk to each other. Are you happy to?" Mr Bridgen replied: "I'll go, if that's fine," before leaving. Meanwhile, Democratic Unionist Party MP Sammy Wilson said it was a matter for the Conservatives to choose who was their leader, but that their policy on Brexit must change. Mr Wilson said in a tweet: "Our confidence and supply agreement is with the Conservative & Unionist Party. "The current Brexit policy is totally unacceptable to us and the House of Commons. It is entirely a matter for Conservative MPs to decide who their leader is... but the policy must change!" Earlier: Tories hope to elect Theresa May's successor 'as swiftly as possible' if she loses no-confidence vote Sir Graham Brady has said that if Mrs May loses the vote of confidence, the party would hope to elect a successor as quickly as possible. He said that he believed that balloting among MPs could be concluded before Parliament breaks for the Christmas recess on December 20. Under party rules, there is a process of "exhaustive" ballots of MPs until all but two leading candidates are eliminated. They would then go forward to a final postal ballot of the entire party membership. "I think it is perfectly likely that if there were to be a contest and if there were to be a very large field, as is occasionally speculated, it is entirely possible we could do it in two or three rounds (of voting among MPs)," he told reporters at Westminster. "I would have thought we want to conclude that process as swiftly as possible and allow the matter to move on to the party in the country to decide. "We could operate ballots on successive days. If it were to happen our goal would be to conclude the parliamentary stages, if possible, before the Christmas recess." Mrs May won the backing of the Tory Reform Group, the largest membership group within the party, which represents its liberal wing. In a statement, the group said: "This is a critical time for our country. It should not be about the Conservative Party, but about our national interest, implementing the decision taken on June 23 and taking our country forward. "MPs voting tonight must think carefully before casting their ballot. Our party is, and must be, about more than Brexit - our country will not forgive us if we forget that. "With the very real prospect of a hard-left Corbyn government, now is the time for unity. "We urge our parliamentary colleagues to support the Prime Minister." Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley came out in support of the current leader, posting on Facebook: "I will be voting for the Prime Minister, Theresa May in the leadership challenge." DUP leader Arlene Foster told Today: "I can't say I'm surprised because being here in Westminster yesterday I did realise there were a lot of conversations going on, however my focus, of course, has to continue to be on the Withdrawal Agreement and the fact that the backstop needs to be taken out of that Withdrawal Agreement." Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote on Twitter: "Today is a stark reminder that the UK is facing chaos and crisis entirely because of a vicious civil war within the Tory party. What a self-centred bunch they are. They all need to go, not just the PM." Today is a stark reminder that the UK is facing chaos and crisis entirely because of a vicious civil war within the Tory party. What a self-centred bunch they are. They all need to go, not just the PM. Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 12, 2018 1922 Committee Chairman Sir Graham Brady said he spoke with Theresa May last night to inform her that the threshold had been reached and a leadership ballot would take place. "The Prime Minister was very keen that the process should be concluded as quickly as reasonably possible," he told reporters on Wednesday morning. "She will come at 5 o'clock this afternoon to speak to colleagues in the 1922 committee and then we will conduct the ballot immediately after that, between 6 and 8 o'clock, with a result announced as quickly as we are able. "It was clear she was keen to have resolution. She wanted to have this process concluded as quickly as possible. I think you can take it she was keen to get on with business." Sir Graham said it was "not a surprise" to reach the threshold given the months of "endless speculation". He said Conservative MPs who are unable to be present in Westminster tonight will be able to vote by proxy. "So I think all colleagues will have a fair, open opportunity to participate," he said. - Digital Desk and PA Earlier: Conservative MP 'acutely appalled' at confidence vote aimed at PM May Conservative MP Anna Soubry has apologised to the Irish people for the actions of her party and government in the Brexit debacle. She told RTEs Morning Ireland that she was acutely appalled at the confidence vote in Prime Minister Theresa May. Not even the Conservative party could be so politically irresponsible at this critical stage with the most important decision since the end of World War 2. The confidence vote is coming from a group of far-right Brexiteers who have blighted the Conservative party for decades, she added. Theresa May has got to bring this blasted vote back to the House of Commons and has to have a peoples vote, to take this mess back to the British people. It is the most irresponsible thing to do to change leader at this time, she said. It wont make Brexit go away. There is a danger that the Conservative party could end up with Boris Johnson as leader, she warned. These wretched people cant face up to Brexit reality. Ms Soubry said she did not have a problem being a rule taker not a rule maker within the EU if that is the price we have to pay for peace and British business. She described the signatories of the letter calling for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May as being like children. They cant get their own way, so they stamp their feet. They need to grow up. Let the British people vote. I hope they see sense and that the best deal is the current deal with the EU. Earlier: May's future in the balance as no confidence vote set for this evening By Fiachra O Cionnaith British prime minister Theresa May will face a confidence motion in her leadership tonight in a vote that could kill off her time in power and all but guarantee a hard Brexit. Conservative party rebels triggered the vote after sending in 48 letters seeking her resignation just hours after Ms May was warned by EU leaders there will be no changes to the Brexit backstop deal. In a statement this morning, the chair of the Conservative party's 1922 committee Graham Brady said the required 48 letters needed to force a vote has been reached. Confirming the ballot will take place between 6pm and 8pm this evening - the same time as Ms May was due to meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin - Mr Brady said the crucial vote is now imminent. The threshold of 15% of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of no confidence in the leader of the Conservative party has been reached," he said. Ms May, who was told of the imminent vote late last night, is due to give a statement at Downing Street this morning in which she is expected to announce plans to fight on. If Ms May wins tonight's vote, she will be untouchable for a year. However, should she lose, it will not only kill off her career but will all but guarantee a hard Brexit and depending on when a British leadership race takes place could delay the March 29, 2019, Brexit divorce date. The dramatic events in Britain have also called into doubt Ms May's crunch meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin this evening. The meeting was due to take place at Government Buildings before the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. However, even if the meeting still goes ahead, Mr Varadkar is not expected to give Ms May any solace after yesterday saying he and EU leaders will not budge on the existing deal. In a whistle-stop tour of Europe yesterday, Ms May was repeatedly told by European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European parliament president Donald Tusk no new deal will be allowed. During meetings in Brussels, Berlin and other European capitals, the British prime minister was told despite the dire need for a breakthrough the EU will not return to the negotiating table. Speaking before meeting with Ms May, Mr Juncker said the existing deal "is the only deal possible" and that "there is no room whatsoever for re-negotiation", while Ms Merkel told her counterpart there is "no way" new talks will take place. And, while Mr Tusk indicated a middle-ground could still be reached, the hard-line stance is set to be repeated by Mr Varadkar during their meeting in Dublin, with a Government spokesperson last night ruling out any compromise with Britain on the deal. Asked on Tuesday about the mounting stand-off and the growing risk of a no deal Brexit unless Britain backs down on its re-negotiation demands, Mr Varadkar told the Dail Ireland wants to help Britain to ensure the deal is passed. However, warning there can be no "compromising on the basic fundamental substance of the backstop", he insisted the only options now on the table for Britain are to back the deal, cancel or delay Brexit, or to crash out with no deal in place. "It remains in the hands of the United Kingdom to decide that we do not end up in a no-deal scenario. There is the option to revoke Article 50 [the legislation which triggers the March 29, 2019, EU-UK divorce date] and the option to extend Article 50. 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," he said. The hard-line position has significantly increased the risk of a no deal Brexit which could cause havoc to Ireland as Ms May is facing equal levels of pressure from her own party and the DUP to ensure the Brexit backstop is scrapped. With no breakthrough in sight, Mr Varadkar said the Government needs to "ramp up" contingency plans for a hard Brexit, with Tanaiste Simon Coveney bringing a detailed memo on the crisis plans to cabinet. However, despite the memo outlining a series of supports for at risk businesses, extra customs officials on borders and at airports, and emergency legislative changes if a no deal Brexit occurs, the Government has continued to insist it is not planning for a hard border. Donald Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen has been sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including hush-money payments that US prosecutors say Mr Trump ordered. US District Judge William H Pauley III said that Michael Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Mr Trump's presidential campaign. You win some, you lose some. That may well be how some of Australia's media chief executives and their regulatory departments are feeling right now. The media sector scored a major win this week when the competition regulator declared that digital behemoths Google and Facebook have substantial market power in the digital advertising market, and then sent shockwaves through the global technology industry by announcing a suite of measures designed to curb that power. The ABC and SBS have been found to be competing fairly with commercial media. Credit:Christopher Pearce But the sector also had a loss, of sorts, with another, separate inquiry into Australia's public broadcasters finding the ABC and SBS are in fact competing fairly with commercial media, and not encroaching on the turf occupied by their for profit peers. Like the ACCC probe into Google and Facebook (an idea of Nick Xenophon's Centrist Alliance) this inquiry is the product of jockeying over the repeal of cross-media ownership laws last year. It was the brainchild of Pauline Hanson's One Nation, but it was seized upon by commercial media companies who have grown frustrated with what they see as over-reach by the ABC and SBS. Instead, certain scribes are in a huff over Margot Robbie's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth. They've panned everything from the Australian actor's British accent to the fact she's supposedly too beautiful for the role. Critics have sharpened their axes over a new film called Mary, Queen of Scots. Their major gripe? Never mind that the movie completely makes up a face-to-face meeting between Queen Elizabeth and her rival, Mary Stuart. (In reality, the two royals only conversed via letters the 16th century equivalent of Facebook messaging a long-lost cousin.) Let's also ignore the fact Mary was raised in France and therefore didn't speak with a Scottish accent. Those words appear to be relevant five centuries later, just not in the way England's second female monarch would have anticipated. The comments are in stark contrast to the reactions of history and movie buffs earlier this year when Universal Pictures debuted Robbie's on-screen look (complete with facial prosthetics, frilly collars, wigs and enough white face paint to fill Windsor Castle). Social media was flooded with positive comments, with some going as far as to say the Australian deserves an Oscar based on her costumes alone. Margot Robbie stars as Queen Elizabeth I in Mary, Queen of Scots. Credit:Parisa Tag Flash forward several months, and the professionals aren't impressed. The Guardian's Benjamin Lee gave the film a respectable four stars, but saved his harshest criticism for Margot Robbie. He recently described the Australian as a skilled actor who "never really convinces with the accent or the appearance". "You can almost feel her focusing on both so much that she forgets to add much else to the role," he wrote. "It's a glaring miscast that means one side of the film is always lacking, and given how many superior Elizabeths we've seen on big and small screens, it is the film's biggest stumble." Across the Atlantic, the New York Post was even more scathing. In a one-and-a-half star review, writer Johnny Oleksinski described the film as a "royal chore". A heartbreaking open letter to tech companies from a woman, who lost her baby at 30 weeks gestation, has gone viral globally. Gillian Brockell, a video editor in the opinions section at The Washington Post, wrote to tech companies asking them not to target bereaved mothers with insensitive ads. She asked how, if tech company algorithms were smart enough to target her with maternity advertising when she was pregnant, they were not smart enough to know her baby had been stillborn. "Dear Tech Companies: I know you knew I was pregnant. It's my fault, I just couldn't resist those Instagram hashtags #30weekspregnant, #babybump. And, stupid me!, I even clicked once or twice on the maternity-wear ads Facebook served up," she wrote. Three children will have to live under the cloud of their father's death forever, a Canberra magistrate said in sentencing the man who caused the fatal crash. Appearing in front of Magistrate Louise Taylor, Matthew Thomas Wootton, 47, was sentenced to an 18 month good behaviour bond, 100 hours of community service and a three month licence disqualification. Heartbreaking images, drawn by children of a motorcyclist killed in Belconnen, were tendered in the ACT Magistrates Court. This image shows one of the girls and her father. Wootton had pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent driving occasioning death. In handing down her sentence, Ms Taylor acknowledged the "monumental impact" of the 37-year-old man's death on his three children, partner and extended family. Earlier this year, I spoke to Jaime Ribeiro, who discovered that her family is linked to the first Aboriginal man to circumnavigate Australia while doing a project for her HSC Aboriginal Studies course. Jaime Ribeiro, who was awarded top marks for Aboriginal Studies, is off to do a gap year with the RAAF. Credit:Kate Geraghty The Northern Beaches Secondary College, Mackellar Girls Campus student said she wants to do the Australian Defence Force's "Gap Year" program back in March, and I'm happy to report that she is very happy with her HSC results and has been selected to begin the Royal Australian Air Force program next year. "It was a long process of interviews and testing that has been going since March," Jaime said. "I will leave for military training on 22nd January. I will be training and working on the VIP aircraft out of Canberra. "I'm so excited and also a little nervous for the 80 days of hardcore training." She achieved a band 6 for maths and high band 5s for her other subjects. A pair of hikers missing since the weekend in bushland west of Nowra have made contact with emergency services and are alive and well, taking shelter as severe thunderstorms batter the region. Police confirmed on Thursday evening that 60-year-old Francisca Boterhoven De Haan and 59-year-old Canberra lawyer William McCarthy had been in touch via mobile phone and let searchers know they were safe. Francisca Boterhoven De Haan and William McCarthy are believed to be missing in bushland west of Nowra. Credit:NSW Police "Theyve told us that theyre safe, theyre in good spirits, good health, they have shelter and they are not injured," a spokeswoman for NSW Police said on Thursday evening. The pair were advised to stay put under shelter and wait out the storms. The mother of Jack and Jennifer Edwards, the teenage siblings shot by their estranged father in Sydney, has been found dead at her home in West Pennant Hills. Olga Edwards was found dead by police around 10am on Wednesday, when they responded to a report from a neighbour with a concern for welfare at the same home where the bodies of the children, 15-year-old Jack and 13-year-old Jennifer, were found riddled with bullets in July this year. Olga Edwards was found dead by police around 10am on Wednesday. Credit:LinkedIn Ms Edwards' family, who live in Russia, have been notified. It is understood her mother had only recently returned to Russia from Sydney, where she had been staying with Ms Edwards to support her in the months since the shooting. The cause of Ms Edwards' death has not been released by police. A doctor on a solo visit to Christmas Island left her keys and phone in the car while she went off to explore a cave, thinking her visit would be brief. She was wrong - but leaving her valuables behind may have saved her life. Kath Comparti, a 33-year-old doctor from a small town south-west of Perth, was exploring Freshwater Cave within the island's national park on Saturday in what she'd intended to be a short, 20-minute visit when she became disoriented in the dark, and unable to locate the exit. Kath Comparti became disorientated during what was supposed to be a short trip into one of Christmas Island's caves. After a quick swim in the cave's groundwater, "the plan was to then turn around and come straight back up and out," she told reporters on Tuesday. The state's corruption watchdog is set to hold public hearings into the police handling of the investigation surrounding the 1998 murders of policemen Gary Silk and Rodney Miller. The Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission announced on Wednesday it would hold public hearings into "alleged serious misconduct" by Victoria Police officers relating to certain aspects of the investigation into the high profile murders. Jason Roberts was convicted alongside Bandali Debs of murdering Sergeant Silk and Senior Constable Miller, who were gunned down in a Moorabbin street on August 16, 1998. However, Roberts claims he was not there when the officers were shot. Electricity distributor Powercor will plead guilty to almost 200 breaches of bushfire safety laws over its failure to keep trees clear of powerlines last summer, including cases that sparked three fires. It will be the first time Victorias energy safety watchdog has prosecuted an electricity distributor for failing to safely control vegetation in fire-prone areas. Powercor will plead guilty to more than 50 charges related to powerline bushfire safety. Credit:Jason South The court case follows an official warning to Powercor about its poor management of vegetation. The company faces potential fines of well over $1 million, including for the serious charge of failing to comply with its own bushfire mitigation plan, a legally binding plan to keep people and property in its distribution area safe from fire. WARNING: This story has distressing content. A Glenroy man, with an appalling history of family violence against his first wife, has pleaded guilty to a series of assaults against his second wife, including choking her with electrical cord and whipping the woman because she struggled to speak English. Houssein Hawli married his second wife in Lebanon. After a particularly vicious attack in January 2016, Houssein Hawli said to his former wife who had emigrated from Lebanon in 2014: I will break your back, so you end up in a wheelchair and can never play with your son. In the County Court of Victoria, Hawli, 44, pleaded guilty to four assaults between June 2015 and May 2016, along with multiple breaches of apprehended violence orders. This governments meanness towards the deserving battling on so many fronts is legendary, but this weeks Foodbank news, coming in the context of the AWM philanthropy, has a special power to agitate, to bolshiefy. If only, if only we were somehow able to poll the 416,809 Australians who enlisted to fight in the Great War, to find out where they stand on the issues of our own times. The prime ministers reflection at Sundays Armistice ceremony that For our tomorrows they [our Great War dead] gave their today echoes the familiar sentiment that we somehow owe todays multiply-blessed Australia to those Great War men and women. If only, then, we were somehow able to enfranchise these glorious dead so they could express their important-to-listen-to opinions about the Australia theyve enabled and bequeathed. Leading politicians, whether being sentimental or artful (and probably being both at once) like to portray these venerated warriors as still the disembodied embodiment of all thats the very best about Australians. But what if this is, from the politicians, only fake reverence? How often do those who praise the soldiers achievements of mateship ever display any mateship in their own lives and dealings? Did the qualities displayed by our boys on Gallipoli ever cross the amoral, anti-mateship minds of any of those (of both major parties) who in recent years have plotted against and stabbed their leaders? Our political leaders say and do so many things that must surely be contrary to what they, these leaders, like to call the ANZAC spirit. What if, able to poll the 417,000, we found a majority of them quietly appalled by ostentatious commemoration (in grand buildings like the AWM and in grand, toff-attending ceremonies like the ones that happen there) of their service in a regrettable war? What if, polling them about Australias poverty rate, about Foodbanks struggles, we found a majority of them saying that they had fought for an Australia theyd hoped would grow up to have a far bigger heart, a more generous soul than this? What if a majority of them, seance-polled like this, said they felt perhaps some of the AWMs breathtaking earmarked millions could go instead to humanely increasing the niggardly Newstart Allowance, to more generously funding Foodbank to enable it to express the true ANZAC spirit by feeding many more of those down on their luck? 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. Defence Minister Christopher Pyne says the government has ironed out its major disagreements with French submarine builder Naval Group and will finally sign an overarching contract early next year to build the new fleet. Mr Pynes announcement that the hard-fought negotiations over the $50 billion program have concluded comes as a group of former admirals has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison urging him to consider a submarine "plan B". Top Australian navy and defence officials have been locked for months in sometimes heated talks with the French government-owned shipbuilder - which will help Australia design and build the new fleet - over issues such as warranties and penalty clauses for budget blowouts and delays. "I can ... announce the negotiations between the Commonwealth and Naval Group on all key provisions of the strategic partnering agreement have been completed, Mr Pyne said. He will formally announce the breakthrough on Friday. The agreement - the critical document that sets a roadmap for the program - would be signed in early 2019, he said. An involuntary mental health patient was given more than 140 shock therapy treatments over more than two years before his case was escalated to the Supreme Court. The details were revealed in the Public Advocate's latest annual report. There were 568 applications for ECT approved for people without the capacity to give informed consent in 2017-18. Credit:Fairfax Media/Jessica Shapiro Public Advocate Mary Burgess said a sizeable share of her time, and the resources of her small office were involved in legal interventions in the case of the mental health patient who was detained in a mental health service. Ms Burgess said the patient came to her attention in July 2016, when she became aware of an application for guardianship for the man. A Queensland man will stay behind bars for a year after his sentence ended because he was never offered a place in a jail rehabilitation program. The 28-year-old man was jailed for sexual crimes against early- to mid-adolescent boys, with psychiatrists arguing he was at risk of committing a serious sexual offence if he did not complete a sexual offenders program before being released. The man would likely have been released under supervision in late 2018 if he had been offered a place in a sexual offenders course earlier. Credit:Greg Henderson Despite being in custody since June 2017 he was not approached to undertake a sexual offender treatment program. The Supreme Court ruled the man would remain in detention, so he could take part in a "getting started" program in January 2019, and a high-intensity sexual offenders program, which runs for 39 weeks, from April. Beijing: US President Donald Trump has said he would potentially intervene in the extradition case against Huawei finance executive Meng Wanzhou if it helped get a better trade deal with China. Trump's comments came before a Vancouver court made a decision on Tuesday, US time, to grant Meng $US7.5 million ($10.3 million) bail, and prompted a strong response from analysts who feared it would confirm suspicions in China the arrest of Meng was politically motivated. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, listens to the judge during a bail hearing in Vancouver, Canada. Credit:The Canadian Press/AP The diplomatic fallout from her arrest by Canadian authorities, acting on behalf of the US, has deepened with a former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig detained in China. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government was taking the "the situation of a Canadian detained in China" very seriously and had been in direct contact with Chinese diplomats and were offering consular assistance to the family. We'll continue our coverage here at The Herald & The Age. Thanks for joining me today for what's been a very Australian-esque day in Westminster. London: Theresa May has survived an attempt to oust her from the British prime ministership, winning a secret ballot of her MPs 200 to 117. However, her critics immediately demanded she stand down, declaring her victory too narrow to maintain her authority. The result, anounced by Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 backbench committee at 9pm local time, is one vote higher than the votes May received in the second round of the leadership contest she eventually won unchallenged in 2016, But it means that more than a third of her partyroom opposes her leadership. Berlin: The identity card, issued more than three decades ago by East Germany's Stasi secret police, would be of little interest were it not for the name of the man staring out: Vladimir Putin. The card was issued in 1986 when Putin was a mid-ranking KGB spy stationed in Dresden in communist East Germany, then under Russian occupation. A Stasi ID pass used by Vladimir Putin when he was a Soviet spy in former East Germany has been found in the secret police archives in Dresden. Credit:BStU. US historian Douglas Selvage found it in archives where it has lain since at least 1990, when the two Germanys were reunified. The card was trumpeted by Bild newspaper on Tuesday as evidence that Russia's now long-serving President was also working for the hated East German security service, which was wound up in 1990. 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 The Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) has said recent figures show customers continue to turn to customer owned banks. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) released banking figures yesterday (12 December) for the September 2018 quarter, a separate publication to the banks property exposures. The figures show growth in mutuals total assets, rising from $113billion to almost $116billion. COBA chief executive Mike Lawrence said the figures show that Australians are turning to a model that focused on the customer first. He said, After the year long exposure of misconduct at the Financial Services Royal Commission, Australians are looking to banking institutions that put them first. With the customer owned model, 100% of profits are used to benefit the customers. Our sector is profit-making but not profit-maximising. Were not trying to squeeze our customers to please shareholders. Were not perfect but we are not conflicted about who we are working for. APRAs September 2018 quarterly ADI Performance Statistics also show that the sectors deposit and housing loan growth outperformed the major bank and the system on both an annual and quarterly basis. The customer owned sector grew at around double the rate of the major banks over the year and deposits in the sector nearly reached $99billion at 5% growth year on year. Housing loans were at more than $86billion and grew by 6.5% from the year before. While the major banks deposits are at more than $2trillion, the growth has slowed to 2.2% year on year. The majors housing loans were at $1.6trillion, but with a 3.4% growth. Lawrence said that while consumers are continuing to put their faith in the customer owned model, more can be done to create a more competitive banking sector. Its clear that greater competition leads to greater customer outcomes, he said. While our sector continues to grow, more needs to be done to improve the regulatory system to make a fairer environment for the customer owned sector to compete against the Big Four. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC 88th Precinct Fort GreeneClinton Hill Street attack Cops cuffed a guy for attacking a man and then stealing his cellphone on DeKalb Avenue on Dec. 3. The victim told police he was leaving work near Clermont Avenue a little before 9 am when the suspect attacked him from behind, cutting his face, and grabbed his phone from his hand, according to authorities. Booze bozo Some sneak stole a bottle of alcohol and an electronic from a Flushing Avenue restaurant on Dec. 3, police said. The jerk pried open the front door of the eatery near Clermont Avenue a little before 8 am and ran out with a bottle of Grey Goose vodka and a Samsung tablet, cops said. No tip A nogoodnik swiped cash and an electronic from a Myrtle Avenue bar on Dec. 4, police said. The cur broke into the bar near Classon Avenue at about 10:45 am and stole a wad of cash, a jar of change, and a tablet, according to authorities. Not caught on camera Some lout stole a guys pricey camera from a park bench on S. Oxford Street on Dec. 6, police said. The victim told cops he was sitting on a bench inside a park near DeKalb Avenue at about 9:20 pm when a baddie ran up and grabbed his Canon camera with several lenses on it and run away towards Brooklyn Hospital. The victim was sitting with his back towards the good-for-nothing and didnt see who it was, cops said. Julianne Cuba 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 Realty major Wednesday said its group CFO Saurabh Chawla has resigned from the company to explore new professional opportunities. Ashok Kumar Tyagi, the company's whole-time director, would be the new group chief financial officer (CFO), said in a filing to the BSE. Chawla, who joined in April 2006, became CFO in December last year. Tyagi was the group CFO before Chawla. Both Tyagi and Chawla were instrumental in the big ticket deal where DLF promoters sold their 40 per cent stake in rental arm Ltd (DCCDL) for Rs 120 billion. Singapore's sovereign fund GIC had invested Rs 90 billion in this deal for 33.34 per cent stake. "Saurabh Chawla, Group CFO, DLF Ltd, has expressed his wish to move on, in his desire for exploring new professional opportunities and tendered his resignation," it said, adding that the board has accepted the resignation. "The Board and audit committee also decided that Ashok Kumar Tyagi, Whole-time Director, who was the Group CFO till December 2017, will assume responsibility and functions of the Group CFO and will work with Saurabh Chawla to ensure a seamless transition," DLF said, adding that the transition should be complete by January 2019. Chawla is a B.Com (Hons) graduate from the University of Delhi and an MBA (Finance) from Pace University, New York. He has over 20 years of work experience in the field of corporate finance. Prior to joining DLF, Chawla worked with Global Capital Management Group, First Capital, GE Capital, Intellistudent Services Pvt Ltd and Moser Baer India Ltd. In the filing, DLF also sought fresh approval from its shareholders through postal ballot to launch its qualified institutional placement (QIP). The board approved offering up to 173 million equity shares of Rs 2 each in one or more tranches by way of private placement, including QIP, subject to the approval of the shareholders. "It is clarified that the Company is seeking the approval of the shareholders afresh, since the earlier approval granted by the shareholders for the aforementioned offer (vide Special Resolution passed at the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting held on December 27, 2017) is valid until December 26, 2018...", the filing said. DLF had earlier said it planned to raise more than Rs 40 billion through QIP. At current market price, the company would be able to raise Rs 30 billion. NASSCOM Foundation hosted Indias largest Tech for Good driven conference The CSR Leadership Conference 2018 in Bangalore. The two-day conference brings over 400 delegates consisting of CEOs, CXOs, CSR Heads from the industry, policy makers, influencers, NGO Leads, Tech4Good champions, and social innovators under one roof to discuss innovative approaches to CSR and help create a roadmap to a new, developed and inclusive India. The event was supported by Accenture, discussing Skills to Succeed. Societe Generale and Wells Fargo also came forward to support the knowledge platform, along with Sonata Software. The event saw leaders like Debjani Ghosh, president, NASSCOM call for collaboration across the industry to solve larger national issues. Rekha Menon, Chairman and Senior Managing Director, Accenture India, talked about how India needs to upskill and re-skill its workforce to remain relevant. Arun Seth, Chairman, NASSCOM Foundation, reflected on NASSCOM Foundations role in using technology for social good to create an inclusive India. Mr. Ashok Pamidi, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation, said, Sabka Saath, Saka Vikaas, (together with all, development for all) has been one of the cornerstones of the public policy of the Government of India. The conference takes this vision forward by providing a platform for the IT-BPM industry to collaborate and solve Indias most pressing problems. He further added, With Industry Revolution 4.0 technologies, we are at the threshold of what could be history in the making. On the one hand, we plan to use CSR funds to skill people on these new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Robotics, etc. and bridge the skills gap. On the other hand, we plan to use the power of these technologies to address various day-to-day problems and needs of common people while helping improve the social fabric. This conference aims at the discussing opportunities and challenges of these technologies apart from addressing the present implementation needs. According to a report from Accenture on creating a future workforce, 95% workforce believes that it needs new skills to remain relevant. Addressing the critical question on future of work and where does India stand in re-skilling its workforce, the Skills to Succeed partner for the conference, Accenture called for an innovative approach, aided with intelligent technologies, to help people develop future-ready skills. The panel consisting of leaders like Gayathri Vasudevan from LabourNet Services India Pvt. Ltd., Clement Chauvet, UNDP, Anita Rajan, Tata STRIVE, Rituparna Chakraborty, TeamLease Services Ltd, and Gaurav Kapoor, NSDC moderated by Kshitija Krishnaswamy, Accenture further discussed on how Indias skilling challenge can be transformed into an opportunity. Around 80% of the jobs created in the future will require STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths skills. A session focusing on STEM education for children highlighted how CSR initiatives had stepped in to energize the ecosystem by building makerspaces, tinkering labs, collaborating to develop curriculum and expose the students to new technologies at a young age. Collaboration in CSR can help bring impact at scale for some of the most challenging of the social problems we face today. Prakriti Panvar from Wells Fargo took the lead in discussing various collaboration models and highlighted best practices in a cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder environment. According to a report, 9 out of the ten most polluted cities in the world are in India. Increasing air pollution, water pollution, inadequate waste disposal, increasing e-waste, growing scarcity of natural resources are some of the few immediate and imminent environmental threats the country faces. Societe Generale has been at the forefront of promoting clean and renewable energy and brought its knowledge to the conference where Sowmya Suryanarayanan talked about how can organizations embed sustainability within the values and culture of an organization. The first day of CLC also had other interactive panel discussions and impacted talks, Rural Development, Reimagining Healthcare and making development efficient. The day ended with business leaders like Sandhya Vasudevan, DB Group, Rostow Ravanan, Mindtree, Sarv Saravanan, Dell EMC giving an insight into how they balance business goals with social imperatives. The CSR Leadership Conference also had a host of networking opportunities and enabled NGOs and Corporates to find relevant partners. CLC also hosted some of the best social innovation project demos. The second day of CLC will deep dive into engaging learning experiences in Employee Volunteerism with a session by MyGov on Self4Society, Mapping CSR to SDGs, Design Thinking for Development and Best Practices for Monitoring and Evaluation. The CLC has grown over the years to become the largest IT-BPM specific CSR conference. This year the CLC hosted the leadership from across all relevant stakeholder groups involved in the CSR ecosystem The IT Industry, NGOs, Social Enterprises and Ecosystem support agencies. Some of the participating organizations included IBM, Intel, Teamlease, Labournet, Atal Innovation Mission, NSDC, Tata Strive, Accenture, Akshaypatra, ACC Limited, Cognizant, Vodafone and Deutsche Bank, Dalberg, PwC, Sattva Consulting, and Storywallahs. The NASSCOM Foundation CSR Leadership Conference, therefore, delivered on its promise to provide a 360-degree opportunity for all stakeholders to connect, learn from peers and experts, and strive to solve the most significant challenges facing development and diversity in India. @Technuter.com News Service Googles chief executive, in perhaps the most public display of lawmakers unease with his companys influence, was grilled on Tuesday about everything from search result bias and the data Google collects about its users to plans for a censored service in China. Sundar Pichai, an engineer who rose through Googles ranks to become its leader three years ago, faced more than three hours of questions from the House Judiciary Committee. Republicans expressed concerns about unfair treatment of conservatives, and lawmakers in both parties zeroed in on privacy ... Sajjan Jindal-led Wednesday said its output grew 2 per cent to 1.39 million tonnes (MT) during November this year. The company had produced 13.62 LT in November 2017, it said in a statement. It has registered a fall of 5 per cent in the production of flat-rolled products to 9.15 MT as against 9.59 MT in the same month last year. However, the company registered a 17 per cent growth in the output of its long rolled products at 3.48 MT in November as compared to 2.99 LT in the year-ago month, said. Last week, ratings agency Icra had said that domestic flat steel manufacturers may have to brace for a downward revision in prices, as a threat of cheap imports into India in near-term has increased. Domestic flat are likely to face temporary pressures from cheaper imports, it had said in a research report. is a part of the diversified $13 billion JSW Group, which has a presence in steel, energy, infrastructure, cement, ventures and sports. It is the leading integrated steel company with an installed steel-making capacity of 18 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in India. ALSO READ: JSW Steel plans to increase manufacturing capacity up to 45 mtpa by 2030 The company's Vijayanagar plant in Karnataka is the largest single location steel producing facility in the country with a capacity of 12 MTPA. The on Wednesday suspended the membership of journalist-turned-politician M J Akbar, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a number of women journalists. "A majority of the members suggested that the membership of Akbar should be suspended. The majority view is that Akbar should be suspended from the Guild till such time that the court case he has filed is concluded," the Guild said in a statement. The Guild also suspended the membership of former Tehelka editor-in-chief who has been charged with raping a junior colleague in Goa in 2013. Accused of sexual misconduct by over a dozen former colleagues, Akbar stepped down as the Minister of State for External Affairs in October. The allegations were first levelled by journalist Priya Ramani, against whom he later filed a defamation case. Akbar was also accused of committing "rape" by US-based journalist Pallavi Gogoi. Nobody should try to make India another Islamic country and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was defective as many foreigners become Indians and original Indians are left out which is very sad are some among the many observations made by Meghalaya High Court judge Justice S R Sen in a judgment on deciding the domicile of a resident of the state. In the judgment, delivered on Monday, Justice Sen said that India was one of the largest kingdoms of the world, which was ruled by Hindu kings but the Mughal came to India and captured the different ... The on Wednesday stayed the arrest of Twitter CEO but refused to quash the FIR against him, lodged by a representative of a Brahmin organisation for allegedly defamaing the Brahmin community. Hearing a petition by Dorsey to quash the FIR, Justice P S Bhati rejected the plea but provided a breather by staying his arrest during the course of the investigation. "Dorsey's counsels moved a Criminal Miscellaneous petition in the high court praying for the quashing of the FIR and stay the investigation against Dorsey. But the court rejected it, however, the court stayed the arrest," said H M Saraswat, the counsel of petitioner Rajkumar Sharma of the Vipra Foundation. Dorsey's counsel told the court there was no case made out against Dorsey as he did nothing to disseminate hatred against the Brahmin community and accord an institutional proportion to the hatred. "The court asked them to submit any document or evidence in support of their arguments in the court," said Saraswat. The court had on December 1 directed an FIR be filed against Dorsey, after which this was registered against him at the Basni police station. Petitioner Rajkumar Sharma had moved the court after Dorsey had shared a picture on his Twitter account posing with six female journalists during his India visit with a poster in his hand reading "Smash Brahminical Patriarchy". Though the image was later been removed an apology tendered, Sharma said that Dorsey's act was unforgivable and deserved punishment for targeting Brahmins in an abominably humiliating way. The on Wednesday extended to December 31 the deadline for filing claims and objections for inclusion of names in the Register of Citizens for Assam by those who have been left out in the The was published on July 30 in which names of 2.89 crore of the 3.29 crore people were included. The names of 40,70,707 people did not figure in the list. Of these, 37,59,630 names have been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 are on hold. A special bench comprising Chief Justice and Justice R F Nariman considered the plea of Assam government that the deadline of December 15, fixed for filing claims and objections by those left out in the draft NRC, be extended by till January 15 next year. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Assam government, said that out of 40.70 lakh left out persons, so far 14.28 lakh persons have filed the claims and objections with the authorities for inclusion in the NRC. There has been surge in such applications in last few weeks and hence, the deadline be extended by one more month, he said. The apex court, however, said that it would extend the deadline by another 15 days and now the left out persons can file their claims and objections till December 31. It also made clear that the deadline for verifying the claims for inclusion in the NRC would be now February 15, 2019 instead of February 1. The bench also ordered that the copies of the be made available for inspection by common people at District Collector, subdivisional, circle, gram panchayat offices so that people can either seek inclusion or object to wrongful inclusions in the NRC. The bench took note of submission of senior advocate Kapil Sibal that NRC authorities are not considering legally valid documents, which have come into being after August 31, 2015, for verifying claims for inclusion. August 31, 2015 was deadline for registration of names in the draft NRC. "We direct the NRC authorities to accept such documents which are legally valid and permissible regardless of the date of issuance of such documents," the bench said. Earlier, the apex court had allowed the use of five more documents by claimants for the draft Assam NRC, saying the premise "better to exclude genuine person than to include a wrongful person" can't be accepted. It had over-ruled the objections of state NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela that the documents to be relied upon to stake claim such as refugee registration certificate and ration card can be forged. The claimants for draft can now stake claim with the help of total 15 documents provided in List-A of the claim form. The five new documents allowed by the bench to prove the legacy for the claimants include extract of names in NRC, 1951; extract/certified copy of Electoral Rolls up to the midnight of March 24, 1971 and Citizenship Certificate and refugee certificate issued by competent authority (up to March 24, 1971 midnight). The other two legacy documents include Certified copies of pre-1971 Electoral Roll, particularly, those issued from Tripura and the ration card. The court had also accepted the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) prepared by Centre and had fixed the time line for various stage in publication of draft final NRC. The apex court had on September 5 had allowed use any one of the 10 of a total 15 documents provided in List-A of the claim form to be used by the claimants for proving legacy. The ten legacy documents which were made admissible include land documents like registered sale deed, permanent residential certificate issued from outside the State, passport and LIC insurance policy of the relevant period. The first draft of the NRC for Assam was published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 in accordance with the top court's direction. Names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated then. Assam, which had faced influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state to have an NRC, first prepared in 1951. The industry might have to live up with the current structure of the authority of advance rulings (AARs) under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) since there is no consensus between the union government and states over the uniform central body, said a key member of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). "The Centre is also trying to push for that there has to be a single, uniform, advance ruling authority. But unfortunately, think about a situation, every state says, I am having an equal right as the Centre," John Joseph, CBIC member (budget) said addressing ... The first central board meeting of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday with Shaktikanta Das as governor is expected to focus on the liquidity situation in the financial system. The Centres proposal to call for governance reform in the RBI could, however, take a back seat, a source privy to the development said. The governance issue (in the RBI) no longer holds immediate importance, the source said. 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 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. After the victory of the Congress in all three Hindi heartland states in the tightly-fought assembly elections, some contours about the political scenario in the next few months are becoming sharper. With general elections barely six months away, both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition parties will have drawn lessons from the results and the voting patterns. The coming days will see the granular details being discussed and analysed, but it is now apparent that the big themes of these elections were three: rural distress is real and can impact voting; religious ... The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energizing opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general next year. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". It was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics," she said. In Rajasthan, the contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. "We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form a government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. In Chattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T S Singhdeo. The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. "The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P L Punia and other senior leaders will be present there," state party unit's general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. After a see-saw battle on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation on Wednesday to Governor Anandiben Patel, who then met a Congress delegation here at noon after party leaders staked claim on the government. Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced their parties' support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BSP got two and SP one seat in the MP Congress has also claimed support of the four independents, all Congress rebels, who emerged victorious. After meeting the Governor, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia came out of the Raj Bhavan and flashed victory signs. In Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Assembly election results mark the "beginning of a change" and a "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the SP and the BSP throw their weight behind Congress. Referring to the constant criticism of by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being "ridiculed". "People have expressed disappointment against the .. the Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change... people rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi," Pawar told reporters here. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people have brought "those flying in the air back to the ground". In an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the party alleged that the country was being run according to the "whims" of four-five businessmen, and this was "breaking" important institutions like the Reserve Bank of India. The BJP first "drove away" allies and later lost important states, it said, adding that cannot be won merely on the back of big talks. "The results clearly show that Prime Minister and (BJP president) Amit Shah's dream of making the country Congress-mukt has gone to the dust in BJP's own regime. People of these states have indicated at a 'BJP-mukt' regime," the Marathi publication said. Some local factors worked against the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, which saw a close fight, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Wednesday. The BJP won 109 seats and the Congress bagged 114 in the polls, emerging as the single largest party in the 230-member assembly. "In a democracy, the final decision of voters should be accepted. We accept the results," Pradhan, the BJP's Madhya Pradesh election in-charge, said at India Economic Conclave organised by Times Network. ALSO READ: How Ajit Jogi saved BJP from further embarrassment in Chhattisgarh polls "I have worked in Madhya Pradesh. We did not expect the fight to be so close. In MP, there were some local factors which worked against us. "If we could have managed a few small things, then we would have retained power," he said without elaborating. The Congress also emerged as the largest party in Rajasthan and wrested Chhattisgarh from the BJP. Pradhan, however, said work done by the BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan helped the party "perform well" in these two states. He said the BJP's performance in Chhattisgarh, which the party ruled for 15 straight years, was not what it had expected. The petroleum and natural gas minister said 2019 Lok Sabha election would be fought on the agenda of development. Asked why the reduction in excise duty on petrol ahead of the polls did not help the BJP in the three Hindi heartland states, Pradhan said the price cut was not linked to the state "The reduction in excise duty on petrol during the last few days was not due to the assembly elections, but we tried to give the benefit of cut in global crude oil prices to the people of the country," he said. Even states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, where no were due, reduced excise duty on petrol to provide relief to the common man, he added. The story of Mizo National Front (MNF), which has won the majority in the State Assembly elections now is intertwined with the flowering of a native bamboo species, an ecological phenomenon known as Mautam or the Bamboo death. With a population of 1.09 million as per the 2011 census, it is the second least populous state in the country and almost 91 per cent of the state is forested. It has around 88.93 per cent forest and bamboo is grown in a large area in the state. A species of bamboo, named melocanna baccifera, is widely seen here and it flowers all at one time, once in ... Amid hectic lobbying for the post of chief minister in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Congress president has asked the party workers to tell their top choice for the chief minister post in each of the three states, party sources said. Using an internal messaging platform for the party workers, Gandhi sent out to them a pre-recorded audio message seeking their feedback for selection of the chief minister in their respective states, the sources said. Despite repeated attempts, the party spokespersons did not comment on the message and its content. The exact time when the message was sent could not be ascertained. Sources, however, said the message has been sent to a large number of party workers in the states that went to polls. ALSO READ: As BJP loses 3 states to Congress, battle for 2019 has become more exciting With more than one name doing the rounds for each of the three states where the Congress has secured numbers to form the government, Gandhi said in his message the party workers' choice would reach him directly and would not be known to anyone else. ALSO READ: Congress picks Kamal Nath as MP chief minister, Scindia loses out A senior MLA in one of the three states also confirmed having received the pre-recorded message through the ShaktiApp used by the Congress chief for communicating with the party workers. The MLA said he recorded his choice for the chief minister post in a direct message to the party chief through the application. With the reigns of RBI (Reserve Bank of India) governorship passing to an ex-bureaucrat, former Wednesday said central bank autonomy is "sacred", which should not be compromised. Progress on the steps taken by Governor Shaktikanta Das' predecessor to restore financial system integrity will be a key thing to assess any damage to the institution. "What is going to be key is whether this (restoring financial system agenda) is maintained going forward. That is going to be the yardstick to measure what is happening on the bigger institutional front," he said, speaking at the Fifth Economic Conclave here. "RBI has a very good reputation for very good reasons (and) maintaining the functional autonomy in decision-making and governance is absolutely sacred, we must not compromise on that," he added. ALSO READ: LIVE: New RBI governor Shaktikanta Das addresses media after taking charge He said under Patel, the RBI has done a "commendable" job on decisions like prompt corrective action (PCA), dealing with and also with individual private It can be noted that the weeks before Patel's resignation, differences between the RBI and government on at least two fronts, PCA and NBFCs, were widely reported. The government wants the RBI to liberalise the PCA framework so that more are able to lend liberally, while it had pitched for strong liquidity support to the NBFC sector, which was outrightly rejected by RBI. Subramanian hinted there was a bit of "oversight" by the RBI when it comes to and the IL&FS crisis. Meanwhile, speaking at the same event, former RBI governor also made a strong pitch for independence of financial regulators. "These (regulators) are structures which we must strengthen, they have to stand as independent bodies to ensure our growth is healthy and stable," he said. ALSO READ: Shaktikanta Das' to-do list at RBI: Easing liquidity to deciding on PCA Subramanian said the second agenda that was being pursued by Patel was improving on the strengths of RBI and added that this needs to continue. He reiterated that there is excess capital with the RBI, but underscored that it has to be used only for recapitalising dud-assets saddled state-run and that too only when they reform their functioning. The economist warned that using the excess capital for bridging the fiscal gap would be akin to "raiding the RBI" and hoped that the soon-to-be-appointed committee to look into excess capital will address these aspects. ALSO READ: Shaktikanta Das: New RBI Governor's journey from North Block to Mint Street Patel resigned Monday citing personal reasons, while the government appointed Das as his successor, who took charge Wednesday. On the NBFC crisis, he said there is a need for an asset quality review (AQR) similar to the one done at banks in 2015 for understanding the exact strengths of the non-bank lenders. He said by definition, the risk-reward ratio at such bodies is very high and hence, there is a case for closer monitoring. On the broader growth, he said global economic adversities are a challenge which can hit our growth because of a dip in exports. Much beyond trade wars, US and are entering debt wars and geopolitical strategic re-allignment which will have consequences for the entire world. The only way to deal with it is through strong policy responses on the domestic front, he said, adding that financial sector and agriculture are the key areas of challenge within On the election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got trounced in three important states, along with the events of the last two years suggest that every political manifesto in the next election will have a universal basic income-like scheme for the farmers, Subramanian said. He seemed to suggest that it will be better for the states to take the tab of such populist measures as finding resources will be difficult for the Centre. (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.) Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no-confidence triggered by her own party lawmakers over her controversial deal, as she vowed to fight it out with "everything I have got". May is set to face a vote of no-confidence in her leadership after the required 48 MPs from her filed letters with the influential 1922 Committee, which represents rank-and-file Conservative MPs in the House of Commons. "I will contest that vote with everything I have got," May said in a statement at Downing Street, warning that the leadership challenge will delay or even cancel "I stand ready to finish the job," she said. The vote, triggered amid ongoing divisions over her deal, takes place in the form of a secret ballot on Wednesday evening. May will need to convince a majority of MPs (158) to be able to win the vote and then her leadership cannot be challenged for a year. ALSO READ: Theresa May faces angry parliament with Brexit deal in limbo today However, if she loses, the party will have to elect a new leader who will then go on to become the next British Prime Minister. The leadership challenge comes as she was desperately trying to rescue her Brexit deal as she tried to convince (EU) leaders to offer some concessions to convince Britain's MPs to vote for it on Tuesday, a day after she postponed a crucial parliamentary vote scheduled for this week over the Withdrawal Agreement struck with the EU. She was due to travel to Dublin on Wednesday but will now remain in London to contest the no-confidence vote. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who held talks with the British PM in Brussels on Tuesday, said the EU would not "renegotiate" the deal but there was room for "further clarifications". "The deal that we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible," he reiterated. Britain's MPs have to give the go-ahead for May's deal if it is to come into effect when the UK leaves the EU on Brexit Day March 29, 2019. But deep divisions remain on all sides of the House of Commons over the so-called "backstop", a temporary customs arrangement designed to prevent the need for checkpoints at the Irish border if a long-term solution between the UK and EU cannot be agreed post-Brexit. Critics of the arrangement are unhappy that under the terms of the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement, the UK cannot exit the backstop without the EU agreeing to it, which could effectively leave the UK bound by EU customs laws beyond Brexit. Downing Street had said a House of Commons vote on the agreement will be held on the deal before January 21, as that is the deadline enshrined in the (Withdrawal) Act 2018. That deadline now looks more and more uncertain. British Prime Minister on Wednesday won a crucial vote of confidence in her leadership, with 200 votes cast in favour of her and 117 against out of a total of 317 of her MPs. The vote had been triggered earlier in the day after the required 48 MPs from her Tory party filed letters of no-confidence with the influential 1922 Committee. The verdict was formally announced by Graham Brady, Chair of the 1922 Committee made up of Tory backbenchers, who revealed that the Parliamentary Party "does have confidence in as of the Conservative Party". Under the party's rules, May's leadership of the party cannot be challenged for at least a year now. The MPs, unhappy with the deal she has struck with the (EU), began on May's future Wednesday evening over a tense few hours. A majority of the MPs had publicly said they would be for the PM, but as it was a secret ballot, there was uncertainty over the result. May was reportedly greeted with applause and the traditional banging of desks as she went into a House of Commons Committee Room reserved for the vote to address her MPs before they began casting their ballots. In her impassioned plea to the 1922 Committee, she told her colleagues that she had listened to all their criticism and confirmed that she would only hang on to Downing Street to see through before stepping down. This would mean she would not lead the party into the next General Election, scheduled for 2022. "She was very clear that she won't be taking the General Election in 2022," said UK work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd. The plea seemed to have paid off in the end as she survived the vote, turning the attention back to securing a deal that is acceptable to all sides of her deeply divided party as well as a fractured Parliament. "I will contest that vote with everything I have got," May had said in a statement at Downing Street, warning that the leadership challenge will delay or even cancel Brexit. "I stand ready to finish the job," she said. May needed to convince a majority of her party MPs and a minimum of 159 votes to win the contest. If she had lost, the party would have had to elect a new who would then go on to become the next British prime minister. May would not have been able to stand for such a leadership contest but would have to remain in Downing Street as caretaker PM while the process to select a new is conducted. Some possible frontrunners named in the UK media included former UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson, current foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, home secretary Sajid Javid and Rudd. But there did not seem to be a candidate with consensus across the pro and anti Brexit wings within the Tory party. In her defiant statement on the steps of Downing Street soon after the no-confidence vote was announced on Wednesday morning, May said changing the leader would "put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it". She said: "A leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the Parliamentary arithmetic. "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest." She said she was making progress in her talks with EU leaders and vowed to "deliver on the referendum vote and seize the opportunities that lie ahead". The Conservatives had to build a "country that works for everyone" and deliver "the Brexit people voted for". "I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became prime minister and I stand ready to finish the job," she said. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Tory MP who has led backbench calls for her to go, said: "Theresa May's plan would bring down the if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it. "Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go." The leadership challenge came as May was desperately trying to rescue her Brexit deal as she tried to convince EU leaders to offer some concessions to convince Britain's MPs to vote for it on Tuesday, a day after she postponed a crucial parliamentary vote scheduled for this week over the Withdrawal Agreement struck with the EU. She was due to travel to Dublin on Wednesday but remained in to contest the no-confidence vote. Jean-Claude Juncker, who held talks with the British PM in on Tuesday, said the EU would not "renegotiate" the deal but there was room for "further clarifications". "The deal that we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible," he reiterated. Britain's MPs have to give the go-ahead for May's deal if it is to come into effect when the UK leaves the EU on Brexit Day -- March 29, 2019. But deep divisions remain on all sides of the House of Commons over the so-called "backstop", a temporary customs arrangement designed to prevent the need for checkpoints at the Irish border if a long-term solution between the UK and EU cannot be agreed post-Brexit. Critics of the arrangement are unhappy that under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK cannot exit the backstop without the EU agreeing to it, which could effectively leave the UK bound by EU customs laws beyond Brexit. Markets are likely to remain range-bound in trade today as they assess and interpret the outcome of assembly polls announced Tuesday. However, bank and NBFC stocks are likely to be in focus following the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the new RBI governor. At 08:31 am, the Nifty futures on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) were trading 12 points or 0.11 per cent lower at 10,588, indicating a flat to negative opening for the market. Here's a look at the top stocks that may remain in focus today - Wipro: The company on Tuesday said it has set up an automotive ... In an interview with Namrata Acharya, S S Mallikarjuna Rao, managing director and chief executive officer of Allahabad Bank, says strain in the bank's balance sheet is likely to continue for the next two quarters, and sectors such as agriculture and the micro, small and medium enterprises need aggressive provisioning. Edited excerpts: When do you expect to return to profitability and come out of Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework? In the next two quarters, we will still have ... 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 Eleven fugitive criminals from various foreign countries, including the alleged middleman in 3,6oo crore VVIP chopper scam, Christian Michel, were successfully brought back to India, in the last three years, MoS External Affairs VK Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Singh made the claim while replying to a question posed in the Lower House regarding extradition of criminals from foreign nations. "Four extradition treaties were signed in the last three years. In the last three years, 11 fugitive criminals from various foreign countries, including the recent extradition of Christian Michel from UAE, were successfully brought back to India," said Singh. Singh in his reply also stated that, "It is the policy of the Government of India to conclude extradition treaties with as many countries as possible so as to ensure that fugitive criminals do not escape justice. As of now, India has signed extradition treaties with a total of 50 countries and entered into extradition arrangements with 10 more countries to facilitate extradition." 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gunman went on a shooting spree in a Catholic cathedral near Sao Paulo city in Brazil, claiming lives of four people and leaving four others injured, before killing himself. The incident took place at a church in Campinas, a city located in the state of Sao Paulo. Brazilian police said that the gunman, who was an employee of a tech company, entered the cathedral, observed mass prayers and then fired about 20 shots at a congregation of worshippers, NHK reported. The shooter, aged 49 years, turned the gun on himself before the police arrived at the scene. An investigation has been initiated by the police to ascertain the motive behind the shooting. The latest incident comes after at least 12 people, including six thieves and a child, died during an attempted robbery of two banks in Milagres city in Ceara state last week. The casualties were inflicted during a shootout between the armed robbers and the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dukhtaran-e-Milat (DEM) chief Asiya Andrabi and her two associates, Sofi Fahmeeda and Naheeda Nasreen, arrested on charges of waging war against India, were produced in a Patiala House Court here on Wednesday. The court asked the Investigation Agency (NIA) to supply electronic documents of speeches, videos, social media links, and so on in connection with the case. The copy of the documents including the charge sheet was supplied to the accused. According to NIA charge sheet, Asiya and other two accused were using various media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and TV channels including channels in Pakistan to spread "insurrectionary imputations and hateful messages and speeches against India." The three were arrested in July on the charges of waging war against India and sedition charges were also filed against them for spreading hate speeches. DEM, a banned outfit under the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, was allegedly involved in anti-India activities by inciting the general populace of Kashmir for an armed rebellion against the Government of India with aid and assistance from various terrorist organisations based in Pakistan. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 17, 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The leaders of the European Union (EU) on Tuesday clearly said that the United Kingdom's withdrawal agreement on leaving the bloc would not be renegotiated, in what was a setback for embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May. May, who was on a whirlwind tour in the EU region, flew to The Hague to meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for talks on the Brexit deal. She then paid a visit to Berlin to hold deliberations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She also went to Brussels and met European Council President Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, CNN reported. In all the meetings, the leaders reiterated their stand that the agreement would not be given a relook, adding that it was the only deal possible. May, who is holding frantic meetings with the EU leaders is hoping to get "reassurances" from the EU over the arrangements pertaining to the Irish border. The Irish backstop is a part of the deal to prevent the return of border infrastructure between Northern Ireland and Ireland, as per the report. "The backstop is a necessary guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland," the British Prime Minister said after meeting with Merkel in Britain. She is set to meet her Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar in Dublin on Wednesday. On Monday, May postponed a crucial parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal that spurred a major furore in the House of Commons, with many British MPs calling for her resignation. Although she did not divulge a new date for the crucial vote, May acknowledge that she would lose the vote by a "significant margin", while expressing hope that the problems in the backstop agreement, the main sticky point for the British MPs, would be resolved. The British Parliament has been debating on 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Chinese tech giant Huawei. A British Columbia Supreme Court judge ordered that the Chinese executive should be released under various conditions, which also includes electronic surveillance 24 hours a day. Meng was released on a 10 million Canadian dollars bail, which includes seven million Canadian dollars in cash from her husband and the remaining three million Canadian dollars from sureties, Global News reported. However, Meng is still facing a possible extradition to the United States to face fraud charges linked to the alleged violation of sanctions on Iran. During the three-day hearing, Meng's lawyers argued that she would not pose a flight risk if she was granted bail. The lawyers also clarified that Meng is a Chinese citizen and she came to Canada on a visitor visa. Meng was arrested on December 1 while transferring planes at Vancouver International Airport en route to Mexico from Hong Kong. The Huawie CFO, who has been accused of fraud with a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, was held by Canadian authorities at an extradition request of the US. Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, allegedly allowed company's subsidiary SkyCom to do business in Iran, thereby violating US sanctions against the country. The Chinese tech giant reportedly also received several warnings over violating Washington's sanctions against Tehran. Earlier, China opposed the arrest of the Huawei's CFO and urged Canada to release the officer. "At the request of the US side, the Canadian side arrested a Chinese citizen not violating any American or Canadian law. The Chinese side firmly opposes and strongly protests over such kind of actions which seriously harmed the human rights of the victim," Xinhua quoted a spokesperson of the Chinese embassy saying in a statement. The spokesperson further said that the Chinese side has lodged stern representations with the US and Canadian side and urged them to immediately "correct the wrongdoing and restore the personal freedom of Meng." "We will closely follow the development of the issue and take all measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens," the spokesperson added. Huawei has also denied any wrongdoing by its CFO and stated, "The company has been provided very little information regarding the charges and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Meng. The company believes the Canadian and US legal systems will ultimately reach a just conclusion. Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, US and EU. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Canadian national employed in the International Crisis Group has been reportedly detained in China, the non-profit organisation said on Tuesday. Michael Kovrig, who is northeast Asia senior adviser for the International Crisis Group and a former Canadian diplomat has been working with the group since February last year, CNN reported. "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," the International Crisis Group said in a statement. According to the non-profit organisation, Kovrig served as a diplomat in Beijing and Hong Kong and has penned about China's role in geopolitics, including its deliberations with North Korea and ties with the United States. Kovrig's reported disappearance comes days after Canadian authorities arrested a top Chinese executive of tech giant Huawei earlier this month in Vancouver. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that BJP will present a strong and constructive opposition in the state with 109 seats in its tally, Madhya Pradesh's former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday reminded the Congress of its promise to waive off loan to farmers within 10 days of coming to power. Addressing a press briefing here, hours after tendering his resignation to the Governor, Chouhan said: "Opposition is also strong and we have 109 legislators. We will fulfil the responsibility of a powerful, constructive opposition. Now it is our time to be on guard and we are not the ones to stay quiet." "Congress has made promises such as farmer loan waiver in 10 days. Rahul Gandhi had said that if it doesn't happen in 10 days they will change the chief minister. I have complete faith that they will fulfil this commitment made to the public," he added. Expressing gratitude towards citizens of the state for imposing faith on his governance for 13 years, he added: "I am grateful to citizens of the state and have received immense love from people throughout the tenure. I worked to the best of my capability and worked for the development of the state. When we took the reins of government, the state was in a depleted state. Issues such as road, water and electricity were major problems. We did work hard to make Madhya Pradesh a better state. We made policies to resolve the problems that I had seen in the public since childhood. We worked with the vision that benefits of development must reach the poor and downtrodden". Chouhan was also quick to outline the seat share and voting percentage while providing a comparative figure of 2008 assembly elections and that of 2018. "In 2008 we got 38 per cent votes and won 143 seats, this time we have got 40 per cent votes and have won 109 seats. Sometimes arithmetic of people's mandate is very different. It is true that we did not get a majority and did not get expected success. If someone is responsible for this it is me because despite such support and great policies of the government we did not get an expected victory," he said. Urging the next government to continue the public welfare policies started by his government, Chouhan said: "I want to request to the new government that there should be continuity in the public welfare work. Change in government should not lead to change in the policies of public welfare. I hope public friendly initiatives will be continued by the new government." He also said that the Leader of the Opposition will be decided by the party and strategy will be chalked out for 2019 General Assembly elections. Present at the presser, MP state president Rakesh Singh acknowledged that BJP didn't get the expected majority. "We got more votes than Congress but it is the number which matters in a democracy. With complete humility, we accept this mandate of the public. Just because we have lost some seats, we will not stop working for the welfare of the public and the people." Earlier in the day, Congress formally staked claim to form a government in Madhya Pradesh. A Congress delegation of MP CongressCommittee (MPCC) chief Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia and other party leaders, submitted a letter of support from 121 MLAs to Governor Anandiben Patel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Having garnered the numbers to form the government in Madhya Pradesh, the next big challenge for the Congress is to overcome the issue of chief ministership. With Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Kamal Nath and party's campaign committee in-charge Jyotiraditya Scindia being the two front-runners for the top post in the state, the Rahul Gandhi-led party is treading very thin ice as the appointment of either of the two may lead to internal rifts ahead of the crucial 2019 General elections. Supporters in both camps have long been demanding their respective leader be appointed as the next chief minister. As the December 11 counting day edged closer, the mini-rivalry became more prominent as supporters, including party workers and MLAs, raised slogans outside the Congress' state unit headquarters here. However, sources close to the developments told ANI that Kamal Nath, a nine-time MP from the Chhindwara constituency, is the favourite among the two to be appointed as former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's successor. Sources informed that Kamal Nath's cause is also being backed by former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh. Earlier today, the two Congress veterans were part of a delegation that submitted a letter of support from 121 MLAs, including the seven legislators the party roped in from BSP (2), SP (1) and Independent candidates (7), apart from the 114 victorious Congress candidates, to Governor Anandiben Patel, staking claim to form the government. Kamal Nath and Scindia received party observer AK Anthony from the Bhopal Airport and later travelled in the same car to attend the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting at the party's headquarters, where the final decision for the state's next chief minister is likely to be made. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Tuesday managed to dethrone BJP's Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan and registered a comeback by winning 99 seats out of 199 in the 2018 Assembly elections. The final tally saw BJP finishing second with 73 seats, CPI-M 2, BSP 6, Independents 13 and others 6. The Congress party, however, fell short of a clear majority and will now have to look for allies to cross the half way mark. Already RLD, with one seat, has announced support to the Congress while the CPI-M, that opened its account in the state, too is expected to back. The Congress is expected to stake claim to form the government in Rajasthan on Wednesday. The total assembly strength in Rajasthan is 200. However, the election for Alwar seat was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate. The Congress had in the 2013 Assembly election managed to win only 21 seats in the state. On Tuesday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot gave credit to the party workers for their hard work in the state. However, suspense over the Chief Minister remained as both top contenders for the post-Pilot and Gehlot-maintained silence and AICC observer KC Venugopal said the decision will be taken after wider discussions. Pilot won from Tonk while Gehlot was declared winner from Sardarpura seat. Among prominent Congress winners in Rajasthan were CP Joshi, former union minister in Dr Manmohan Singh government, who won from Nathdwara, and former minister in Gehlot's Cabinet in 2013, Babu Lal Nagar who won from Dudu. At the same time, Congress' top leaders like Leader of Opposition, Rameshwar Lal Dudi lost to BJP's Biharilal and Girija Vyas was defeated by Gulab Chand Kataria in Udaipur. For BJP, Vasundhara Raje was among the prominent winners who defeated Congress candidate Manvendra Singh to retain Jhalrapatan seat. Manvendra, son of former BJP leader Jaswant Singh, lost by 34,980 votes. Another top leader of BJP Rajendra Rathore managed to win by a margin of 1850 votes from Churu against Rafique Mandelia of Congress even as ministers in Raje's Cabinet--Ram Pratap, Arun Chaturvedi, Rajpal Singh Shekhawat and Prabhu Lal Saini-- lost. Another big loss was of Col Sona Ram Choudhary, the BJP MP, who had contested from Barmer. "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," Raje said after submitting her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh. The Congress party has been making efforts for its revival in the state with Sachin Pilot literally stationed in Rajasthan for the last four years. Though Rajasthan has a tradition of going for change every five years, the Congress is hoping to consolidate its gains and at least make a dent in BJP's vote bank during the upcoming 2019 General Elections. Pilot said that the people of the state had expressed their anger against the ruling BJP through the ballot in the state. He added that the BJP had "betrayed the trust" of the people over the last five years and the Congress had got what it had expected. 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. This is a victory of the public. I thank the voters for giving us this mandate," Pilot said. CPI-M also made inroads in the Rajasthan Assembly winning Shri Dungargarh and Bhadra seats. CPI-M was the party behind the major farmer movements in the state demanding loan waivers, better pricing for their produce and implementation of Swaminathan Committee recommendations. Apart from farmers' distress, issues of mob lynching by cow vigilantes and unemployment also dominated the election atmosphere in Rajasthan. The Congress in its manifesto made several lucrative promises such as farm loan waiver, allowance of Rs 3,500 to educated unemployed youths, free education to girls and bringing an Accountability Bill within 30 days of coming into power. Congress also announced to free farm equipment from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and pensions for the old farmers. To woo the Hindu voters, the party also promised to set up the 'Gauchar Bhumi Board' to ensure adequate fodder for cows. "Our manifesto is not just a document, but a commitment," Pilot had said at the time of manifesto release. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had campaigned heavily in this state and the party also used its star campaigner Navjot Singh Sidhu in Rajasthan. In Rajasthan Congress did exceptionally well in the rural areas. The BJP too tried to woo the voters through incentives and sops. BJP promised jobs for the youths in private and public sectors and Rs 1 lakh crore loans to farmers in the next five years. It announced a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 5,000 for the 21-year-old educated unemployed youths. Keeping in view the huge vote bank of farmers, the BJP vowed to disburse loans to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore co-operative farm loans, double their income, and spend Rs 6,060 crore to address the problem of water shortage in Jawai dam. Outgoing Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje claimed to have completed 630 promises out of a total of 665 that were made in the previous manifesto of the BJP. Highlighting the work done in the state for the welfare and safety of women, Raje said that her government had adopted several measures for the welfare of women and girls. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during the manifesto release said that developing infrastructure projects like highways and ports have been a priority of the BJP government in the state and once called 'Bimaru Rajya,' Rajasthan was now a state with revolutionary development all around. Despite all this, the voters had made their mind for a change. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress made an impressive comeback in Chhattisgarh by winning 68 seats in the 90 seat Assembly. BJP finished second with 15 followed by JCC 5 and BSP 2. The Congress party that never got to govern the state ever since it was bifurcated from Madhya Pradesh in 2000, had its last Chief Minister as Ajit Jogi who was in office for a little over than three years. Though a prominent face in Chhattisgarh Congress politics, Jogi slowly became unpopular in the party and was seen more close to the BJP in the state than to Congress. He recently broke away from Congress and floated his own party - Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) - and managed to get four seats in its maiden contest. The Congress had in the 2008 Assembly polls made inroads in the Left Wing Extremism affected belt of Bastar, winning 8 out of 12 seats here in 2013. This time the party managed to gather all the 12 seats here. In Rajnandgaon, outgoing Chief Minister Raman Singh was in close contest with Congress candidate Karuna Shukla whom he managed to beat. Raman Singh was hoping for a fourth successive term this year. However, following the debacle, Raman Singh promptly submitted his resignation to the Governor. Later, while addressing the media, Raman Singh said: "If in 2013 I was given credit for the victory, now in 2018 I take the moral blame for the party's defeat." "BJP has an ideology. We will fight against it and defeat them. We have defeated them today and we will do this again in 2019. But we don't want to erase anyone from the face of India," Congress President Rahul Gandhi said after the party's victory. Congress leaders Bhupesh Bhagel, T.S. Singh Deo, Charan Das Mahant and Tamradhwaj Sahu are the top contenders for the CMs post. Mahant was the state party president in 2008 and current chairman of the election campaign committee of Chhattisgarh. Sahu is considered to be close to Rahul Gandhi. Singh Deo, represents the erstwhile royal family and is a respected name in Chhattisgarh while Baghel has come up as a prominent leader after the Congress lost its top leaders during a Maoist attack in 2013. Among the four, Baghel is seen as the front runner for the CM's post. However, Bhagel and Congress in-charge of Chhattisgarh P.L. Punia said that the CM candidate will be picked after proper consultations. Reacting to the big victory for Congress in the state, Bhagel said that Congress has managed to make a mark despite "conspiracy" and abuse of "state power" by the BJP. TS Singh Deo said that such a big victory leads to bigger expectations and the party will have to work hard to meet them. "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," Deo said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a significant acquisition that will help in Indian Navy's capability in deep submarine rescue, the first flyway Deep Sea Submarine Rescue System was formally inducted by Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Naval Staff, at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on Wednesday. The Indian Navy now joins a select league of nations worldwide with the sovereign capability, in fly away configuration, to search, locate and rescue crew from a disabled submarine. The Deep Sea Rescue System would have a global footprint and can be mobilised from the Naval base at Mumbai to the nearest mobilisation port by air, land or sea to provide rapid rescue to the submarines in distress. The newly acquired capability would be operated and deployed by the crew of Indian Navy's newly formed Submarine Rescue Unit (West) from its base in Mumbai. Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, as well as the senior management of the Original Equipment Manufacturer, James Fisher and Sons Pvt. Ltd, UK were present during the induction ceremony. The Indian Navy currently operates submarines of the Sindhughosh, Shishumar, Kalvari Classes as well as nuclear-powered submarines. The operating medium and the nature of operations undertaken by submarines expose them to high degree of inherent risk. In such an eventuality, traditional methods of search and rescue at sea are ineffective for a disabled submarine. To overcome this capability gap the Navy has acquired a third generation, advanced Submarine Rescue System considering of a non-tethered Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) and it's associated equipment. The Indian Navy's Deep Sea Submarine Rescue System considered to be the most advanced system currently in operation globally, is capable of undertaking rescue from a disabled submarine up to 650 m depth. The DSRV, which is operated by a crew of three, can rescue 14 personnel from a disabled submarine at one time and can operate in extreme sea conditions (up to Sea State 6), Indian Navy said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Ecuadorian court will consider on Wednesday the appeal submitted by the defense of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who is living in the country's embassy in London, against the demand of the country's government to comply with a protocol containing rules specially developed for him, Assange's lawyer in Ecuador, Carlos Poveda, told Sputnik. The whistleblower has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy since 2012. Assange has repeatedly suggested he might be apprehended outside the embassy and extradited to the United States. Over the past months, the Ecuadorian authorities have been putting various restrictions on the conditions of Assange's stay in the embassy, which the whistleblower's defense called the violation of human rights. "We hope that the court will adequately analyze our petition and accept 15 facts of evidence that were requested in order to leave the protocol and restrictions on visits in place," Poveda said. According to the lawyer, these arguments include letters from individuals and organizations that were not allowed access to Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Earlier, the EFE agency reported citing sources familiar with the situation that Assange had refused to comply with this protocol. The regulation defines norms of behavior and communication for Assange, regulates the order of visits, communication with the outside and provision of medical care to him. The new order came into effect on October 13. In late October, the court has already refused to satisfy Assange's appeal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Michael Cohen, the former attorney of United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday was sentenced to three years in prison for a series of federal crimes he committed while working for the US President. A New York court awarded the prison sentence to Cohen, who once said that he "would take a bullet for Trump". The 52-year-old lawyer admitted to lying to Congress, violating campaign finance laws and tax evasion, CNN reported. "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to -- The personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America," Cohen said. Cohen was ordered to pay USD 1.39 million in restitution, forfeit USD 500,000 and cough up an additional USD 50,000 fine by US District Judge William Pauley. The judge also ordered the lawyer to surrender himself to the authorities by March 6 next year. Although Cohen admitted to the crimes he committed, he continued his tirade against Trump, saying he was living in a "personal and mental" prison since he started working for him and acknowledged that he was doing his duty to cover up the "dirty deeds" of the US President. "Recently the President tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds. This may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life. I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired," the attorney said in a statement. Cohen, thus, became the member of Trump's "inner circle" to be handed a prison sentence in connection to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. In August, Cohen pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges -- two campaign finance violations over the payments of the hush agreements he had orchestrated to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels during Trump's election campaign to stay silent about their alleged sexual encounters with the US President. This also includes five counts of tax fraud and one count of making inaccurate statements to a bank. For these federal crimes, the New York court sentenced the lawyer to three years of jail term, as per the report. Last month, Cohen also pleaded guilty to a charge from Mueller's office of lying to the US Congress about how long the duration of deliberations involving a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow was extended into the campaign. Prior to the sentencing, prosecutors had asserted that Cohen should receive "substantial prison time" for the crimes, despite cooperating with law enforcement investigations, which also includes Mueller's Russia probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced on Wednesday strengthening of the anti-terrorism measures in the country after the shooting of Strasbourg. "Currently, the anti-terrorism measures have been boosted in France," he said at a press conference in Strasbourg. France also tightened border controls after the incident, Castaner added. "The authorities decided to declare terrorism alert. Enhanced control at borders will be implemented. Also, enhanced control will be exercised in all Christmas markets in the country," the minister said. According to the Interior Ministry, three people were killed as a result of the shooting near the Christmas fair in Strasbourg, another 12 were injured. The shooter is still at large. According to media reports, the suspect is a 29-year-old native of Strasbourg, who was previously convicted for an armed attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sundar Pichai here on Tuesday said that any results shown by search engines are based on stored copies of billions of keywords ranked according to more than 200 factors such as relevance and popularity. According to The Hill, the Google CEO during a session of the United States Congress was asked by Democrat Representative Zoe Lofgren to explain the reason why pictures of President Donald Trump appear on the Google Images when someone types the word 'idiot' in the search engine. "Right now, if you Google the word 'idiot' under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that," asked Lofgren. Pichai responded, "We provide search today for any time you type in a keyword. we have gone out and stored copies of billions of pages in our index, and we take the keyword and match it against the pages and rank them based on over 200 signals." "Things like relevance, freshness, popularity, how other people are using it. And based on that, you know, at any given time, we try to find the best results for that query," Pichai added. Congresswoman Lofgren responded to the reply of Pichai by asking, "So it's not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we're going to show the user? It's basically a compilation of what users are generating." The Google CEO was asked to attend the Congressional hearing over allegations from the conservatives that Google and other tech giants have biased and discriminatory policies. Earlier in July this year British newspaper The Guardian rolled out a story over the people who cite differences with the policies of President Trump have started to influence the Google search engine results, making sure that President Trump's images appear when searched for the term 'idiot. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commenting on the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said that the judgment made by an Italian court to acquit two former Leonardo (earlier Finmeccanica) executives in the case should be respected worldwide. In January this year, a Milan appeals court gave a clean chit to Giuseppe Orsi, former president of Leonardo, and the former head of the subsidiary AgustaWestland, Bruno Spagnolini for want of evidence. Orsi and Spagnolini were accused of bribing Indian officials and make false billings, in order to obtain the 556-million euro contract (Rs 3,600 crore) for around 12 helicopters in India. Responding to the same, Letta told ANI, "In my political life, I always respected the independence of justice. I did it when I was the Prime Minister. After three rounds, the Italian justice had exonerated. This judgment of complete exoneration was their decision and now we hope that this decision can be respected worldwide and we hope that this decision can help in cooperation between India and Italy." "As we respected all procedures, it was a long procedure. We have to take into account that the decision was a total exoneration. So, I hope that the future will be better and as I respect the decisions of Italian justice, I also respect the decisions of Indian justice. Our democracies are based on the independence of judges. Those who have political responsibilities, they have to respect this independence," he added. 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 Christian Michel, an alleged middleman is an accused in the case along with former India's Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi among others. Michel was extradited to India on December 4 after the Dubai Cassation Court approved his extradition on November 19. On Monday, a CBI special court had extended Michel's custody by five days before approving the British High Commission's request for consular access to Michel. He was earlier sent to five-day CBI custody on December 5. According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a charge sheet filed in a Delhi court two years back, Michel had received kickbacks to the tune of 30 million euros from AgustaWestland for the deal involving a purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters. The deal, signed in 2007, was scrapped in 2013 following bribery allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lingayat Dharma Sabha on Wednesday sought the support of the Minority Commission for legal recognition of Lingayats as a distinct religion. In its letter to the minority commission, the Sabha asserted that the commission's recommendation will help the community in getting the Prime Minister on board. The NDA-led central government on Monday outrightly rejected the Karnataka government's proposal to accord a separate religion status to the Lingayat community. In a statement, it stated that it is impossible to approve the state's proposal on the issue. However, the community in the letter demanded recognition of Lingayat as an independent religion, declare the Lingayats as a religious minority and issue a special order to record Lingayats in a special column in the forthcoming census (2021). The letter further emphasised that if the commission lends its support to the community, the Lingayatism could be recognised as an independent religion after a struggle of 850 years. Seers and members of the Lingayat community also held a protest at Jantar Mantar. On Saturday, Members of Veerashaiva Lingayat held a protest in front of District Commissioner's office in Karnataka's Kalaburagi. They demanded a reservation model for themselves similar to that of Maratha reservation in Maharashtra. In March, the Karnataka Government declared minority status to the Lingayats community. The Lingayats also known as the Veerashaiva community owes loyalty to the social reform movement of the 12th century initiated by Basaveshwara. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has also agreed to discuss, under the same rule, some other matters raised by the Opposition parties like "unemployment and demonetisation" and the "issue of federal structure," the sources told ANI on Wednesday. With the agreement being reached on the issue of discussions, the Winter Session of Parliament, which could not function properly on the first working day on Wednesday, is expected to be a smooth affair from Thursday onwards. The session, which will have 20 sittings, began on Tuesday but the first day was adjourned without transacting any business as a tribute to some sitting members who passed away during the inter-session period. As the session began, various Opposition parties gave notices for discussion on a number of issues under the Adjournment Motion, which means suspension of all business to take up a particular matter. However, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has agreed to hold debates on some of these issues under Rule 193, the sources said. The notice for discussion on the need for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to look into the Rafale fighter deal was given by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and some others. The Congress has been alleging corruption in the deal for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault. The House will also discuss the agrarian crises and drought in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the sources said. The Shiv Sena had given a notice for Adjournment Motion for discussion on the "need for legislation for Ram Mandir in Ayodhya". Trinamool Congress has given notice for discussion on the resignation of Urjit Patel as RBI Governor while RJD has given notice for discussion on "alleged misuse of CBI." A number of legislations, including the one on instant Triple Talaq, have also been listed for consideration and passing in the House, the sources informed. The Union Cabinet had, in September, promulgated an Ordinance top make instant Triple Talaq a penal offence. The practice of instant Triple Talaq was banned by the Supreme Court last year but the bill has been brought as a need was felt for a legislative framework to implement the ban. Among other legislations listed for consideration and passing are 'The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018, 'Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2018', 'The Dam Safety Bill, 2018'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar and ex Tehlka magazine editor, Tarun Tejpal have been suspended from the Editor's Guild of India (EGI) over the allegations of sexual misconduct. Both Akbar and Tejpal will remain suspended until the court pronounces a verdict in their cases. The EGI further stated that they have sought an official response from Gautam Adhikari, founding editor DNA Mumbai over the sexual misconduct allegations against him. The decision was taken after discussion with the members of its Executive Committee. "Office-bearers of the Guild discussed the EC's comments and took the decision on the matter. It has concurred with the majority view that Mr Akbar should be suspended from the Guild till such time that the court case he has filed is concluded. Using the same logic, the Office-bearers decided that Mr Tejpal too should be suspended from the Guild. For Mr Adhikari, the Office-bearers decided that the Guild will write to him seeking a formal response to the charges against him," the EGI said in a statement. The trio were included in the EGI's updated member list, released on November 17, despite calls from several members demanding their ousting. 67-year-old Akbar, who has been a "dormant member" of the EGI, the Guild said in the statement, resigned from his post of Minister of State for External Affairs on October 17 owing to the growing flak he faced over the allegations. The journalist-turned-politician was accused of sexual misconduct by at least 20 women. Meanwhile, Tejpal, a former Tehelka editor, was accused of rape by a junior colleague in November 2013. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister of Yangon Phyo Min Thein along with other dignitaries welcomed them at the Yangon International airport. The President along with the First Lady will participate in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Martyr's Mausoleum, which is the resting place of General Aung San, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's late father. They are also scheduled to pay a visit to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in the city. Later in the evening, there will be a short meeting and a photo opportunity with veterans of the Indian National Army followed by a community reception. Earlier in the day, President Kovind paid a visit to the Advanced Center for Agricultural Research and Education and the Rice Bio-park in Nay Pyi Taw and launched a mobile application for agricultural technology. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter, saying, "#PresidentKovind launches a mobile app on Agritech while dedicating Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education -ACARE to people of #Myanmar in Yezin Agricultural University" Both the Advanced Center for Agricultural Research and Education and the Rice Bio-park are funded by the Government of India under the bilateral Friendship Project. The institute will help scientists of Myanmar in research and capacity building. President Kovind also visited some of the labs at the institution. "Government of India assisted project - Advanced Center for Agriculture Research and Education - ACARE focuses on Genetics, Post Harvest Technology, Participatory Knowledge Management and capacity building for farmers in #Myanmar!" Raveesh Kumar tweeted. President Kovind dedicated a Rice Bio Park in the Yezin Agricultural University to Myanmar, set up under the mentorship of MS Swaminathan Research Foundation. Expressing President Kovind's delight, the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted, "Happy to dedicate to the people of Myanmar the Rice Bio-Park, another India-Myanmar friendship project in Nay Pyi Taw. We are happy to share India's experience of using rice biomass to enhance livelihoods of farmers of Myanmar. I wish the project all success #PresidentKovind". The President of India and the First Lady are scheduled to depart for India on December 14, after completing his engagements with Myanmar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi would hoist tricolour at the Red Fort in near future. "After the Congress' remarkable performance in the just-concluded Assembly polls, I am sure Rahul Bhai will hoist the tricolour at the Red Fort in near future," he said. "However, we are not complacent despite victories in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh," he added. "Rahul Gandhi fought for the welfare of farmers, youth and the poor. The way the fragrance of fresh rain from the soil fills you with happiness and contentment, this victory has instilled a similar feeling among crores of Congress workers. While one victory can change the map, we have registered three. And we have conquered the BJP's impregnable forts," he said. Indian Prime Minister on the Independence Day (August 15) every year unfurls the flag at the historic Red Fort and the address the country. The new Prime Minister will hoist flag next year as the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be completed during April-May next year. Sidhu said that the victories for the Congress in three out of five states were possible because of the passion that Rahul Gandhi has been able to instill among the party workers. "All the workers were lauding him. Every worker on every street and in a neighborhood is enthusiastic. I am sure that these three wins will change India's fate, and fortune," he added. Replying to questions regarding his 'strained' relations with Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Sidhu said: "The matter was inflated and hyped up. A mountain was made from a molehill. There was no truth in all this. Sometimes, things are misinterpreted. Chief Minister Singh is my elder, and I won't say much on this." Earlier on Wednesday the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister, on his return from New Delhi called on Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh at his official residence in Chandigarh. An official spokesperson of Punjab government confirmed that Sidhu enquired about the Chief Minister's health and wished him a speedy recovery. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After missing the magic number by a whisker in Rajasthan, the Congress party headed by Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting with six Independent candidates in an attempt to stitch an alliance to form government in the state. The meeting was chaired by the former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at his resident situated in Civil Lines, Jaipur in the morning. Speaking to ANI Gehlot stated, "Congress will make the final announcement in the evening." He also added that "the opinions and sentiments of every MLAs will be taken into account The decision of the high command will ultinately be followed". In the 2018 Vidhan Sabha election, the Congress bagged 99 seats out of 199 while the rival BJP only managed to get 73. On the other hand, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party also got as less as 6 seats, however, 21 Independent candidates won in their respective constituencies. Not only that, the MLAs of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RDL) party also came to visit Gehlot at his residence at around 9 am. The RLD contested two seats in Rajasthan in alliance with the Congress and won in the Bharatpur constituency. Interestingly, this seat was with the BJP from the past two terms. The party's candidate Subhash Garg won by a margin of 5,464 votes with 28.5 per cent of the vote share. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sachin Pilot, one of the chief ministership hopefuls of the Congress party in Rajasthan, on Wednesday, informed that the decision on the position will be taken today by party president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the party. "Whatever the MLAs have to say they will say in the meeting and final decision is left to the Congress president and other party leaders. We will take a call today," Pilot told reporters here. Along with Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot is also a contender for the top post in the state. The Congress on Tuesday was set to dislodge BJP's Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan and registered a comeback by winning 99 seats out of 199 in the 2018 Assembly elections. The final tally saw BJP finishing second with 73 seats, CPI-M 2, BSP 6, Independents 13 and others 6. After winning 99 seats in Rajasthan -- though short of a clear majority-- the Congress had the support of RLD with one seat in its kitty. On Wednesday, BSP supremo Mayawati also extended her support to the Congress to help the party form Government in the state. The Congress is expected to stake claim to form the government in the state today. The total assembly strength in Rajasthan is 200. However, the election for Alwar seat was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate. The Congress had in the 2013 Assembly election managed to win only 21 seats in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A US judge on Tuesday ordered adult film star, Stormy Daniels, to pay USD 294,000 to President Donald Trump as legal fees in her defamation case against the US President, which was dismissed two months ago. US District Judge James Otero, who had rejected Daniels' suit against Trump in October, ordered Daniels to pay the legal fees. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, had alleged that Trump, in a tweet in April, ridiculed her claims that a man had threatened her to keep mum about her alleged affair with the US President, The Hill reported. After the defamation case was rejected, Trump's lawyers had demanded that Daniels should pay USD 340,000 in legal fees. However, Judge Otero reduced the amount to USD 294,000. The judge said that Trump's lawyers had spent "excessive" time on the case and ordered the adult film star to cough up 75 per cent of the US President's legal fees and an additional USD 1,000 in sanctions, as per the report. Daniels is locked in a legal battle against Trump and his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. She is seeking to invalidate a USD 130,000 non-disclosure agreement that the adult star signed days before the 2016 presidential election. The 39-year-old revealed that the deal was not valid because the US President "never signed it himself". The adult film star first came into the limelight after she publicly claimed that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. The US President, however, denied the allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has given a notice in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 to "immediately discuss the threat to nation's institutions like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)". The Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha is related to suspension of rules which says "Any member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day and if the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being." The session, which commenced on December 11, will have 20 sittings spread over a period of 29 days. The Opposition parties are also expected to raise issues like Rafale deal and alleged government interference in the functioning of institutions like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). TMC's move came after the post of RBI Governor fell vacant on Monday when Urjit Patel resigned, weeks after differences between the central bank and the government became public. Patel, 54, quit the post about nine months before his three-year term was to come to an end in September 2019. Patel, who cited "personal reasons" for quitting the prestigious post, is the first RBI governor to resign since 1990. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The market extended gains and hit fresh intraday high in mid-afternoon trade. At 14:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 460.92 points or 1.31% at 35,610.93. The Nifty 50 index was up 138.90 points or 1.32% at 10,688.05. The swift appointment of the former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das as the new Reserve Bank of India governor boosted sentiment. In addition, investors took fresh position in shares after the outcome of Assembly election results. Positive news about fresh talks for a US-China trade deal also infused optimism in markets. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was up 2.13%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 2%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On BSE, 1772 shares rose and 671 shares fell. A total of 137 shares were unchanged. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories was down 5.29%. The company will reportedly have to wait a little longer before it can start selling a generic version of Indivior Plc's Suboxone Film opioid addiction treatment, a US appeals court ruled Tuesday. The sales ban will remain in force to give Indivior time to challenge a 20 November 2018 appeals court decision it lost, reports added. Telecom shares were in demand. Bharti Airtel (up 4.02%), MTNL (up 3.21%), Reliance Communications (up 2.73%), Vodafone Idea (up 1.31%) and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (up 1.03%), edged higher. Cement shares advanced. Ambuja Cements (up 1.69%) and UltraTech Cement (up 0.54%), edged higher. Grasim Industries was up 0.85%. Grasim has exposure to cement sector through its holding in UltraTech Cement. ACC was up 3.28%. The company announced during trading hours today, 12 December 2018, that its board has approved setting up a Greenfield Integrated Cement Plant at Ametha, Madhya Pradesh (Clunker capacity of 3 MTPA and Cement capacity of 1 MTPA) along with expansion of the existing grinding unit in Tikaria, Uttar Pradesh (Cement capacity of 1.6 MTPA) and a third grinding unit also in Uttar Pradesh (cement capacity 2.2 MTPA). The board also approved the setting up of 1.1 MTPA Cement Grinding Facility at the existing location at Sindri, Jharkhand. The above projects are estimated to cost approximately Rs 3000 crore, which is proposed to be funded through internal accruals. The company has an existing capacity of 33.41 MTPA. In 2017, the utilisation rate was 79%. The above projects are proposed to be completed within a period of three years. The projects will allow the company to strengthen its presence in its markets. Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday appointed Shaktikanta Das, member of the fifteenth finance commission, as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), a day after Urjit Patel resigned. Das has been appointed for a term of three years. On the political front, the Congress party is set to form governments in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. However, in Mizoram, Congress gave way to the MNF while in Telangana, the TRS retained power. The Election Commission on Wednesday released the final tally of seats for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. The Congress won 114 seats, with the BJP coming in a close second with 109. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one seat. Four seats went to independents. The Congress is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh met Governor Anandiben Patel at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday to stake claim to form the government after emerging as the single-largest party in the state. Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kamal Nath along with senior Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijay Singh submitted the claim citing figures showing absolute majority. Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja told the media that the party has a total support of 121 MLAs. Overseas, shares in Europe and Asia were trading higher Wednesday, as President Donald Trump said he was upbeat about the chances of securing a trade deal with China. Meanwhile, sterling was weighed down on news that British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no-confidence from members of her own Conservative party later in the session. In a media interview, Trump said talks were taking place with Beijing by phone and he would not raise tariffs on Chinese imports until he was sure about a deal. He also said he would intervene in the Justice Department's case against a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal. Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to the executive in a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by the arrest. US stocks closed mostly lower Tuesday in a session that saw the key indexes weave in and out of positive territory as investors weighed mounting political tension in the nation's capital against renewed optimism over US-China trade talks. The US and China launched formal trade talks with a phone call. In the call, China informed US officials that it had agreed to reduce tariffs on US autos to 15%, down from 40%. On the data front, the National Federation of Independent Businesses issued its small business optimism index for November, showing it fell to 104.8 from 107.1 in October. Further, the wholesale cost of goods and services rose by 0.1% in November. Year-over-year rises in producer prices, however, fell to 2.5% from 2.9%, according to the Labor Department. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices were trading higher in early trade. At 9:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 113.26 points or 0.32% at 35,263.27. The Nifty 50 index was up 15.50 points or 0.15% at 10,564.65. The government on Tuesday appointed Shaktikanta Das, member of the fifteenth finance commission, as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), a day after Urjit Patel resigned. On the political front, the Congress party is set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and is locked in a close fight with BJP in Madhya Pradesh. However, in Mizoram, Congress gave way to the MNF while in Telangana, the TRS retained power. As per Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election 2018 results status on Wednesday morning, Congress has won 114 seats. On the other hand, the BJP has won 109. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and independents have till now managed to claim 2, 1 and 4 seats, respectively. The majority mark in the state is 116. Among secondary barometers,the BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.58%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.42%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On BSE, 621 shares rose and 228 shares fell. A total of 24 shares were unchanged. Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading higher as US President Donald trump sounded upbeat about a trade deal with China. In a media interview, Trump said talks were taking place with Beijing by phone and he would not raise tariffs on Chinese imports until he was sure about a deal. He also said he would intervene in the Justice Department's case against a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal. Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to the executive in a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by the arrest. US stocks closed mostly lower Tuesday in a session that saw the key indexes weave in and out of positive territory as investors weighed mounting political tension in the nation's capital against renewed optimism over US-China trade talks. The US and China launched formal trade talks with a phone call. In the call, China informed US officials that it had agreed to reduce tariffs on US autos to 15%, down from 40%. On the data front, the National Federation of Independent Businesses issued its small business optimism index for November, showing it fell to 104.8 from 107.1 in October. Further, the wholesale cost of goods and services rose by 0.1% in November. Year-over-year rises in producer prices, however, fell to 2.5% from 2.9%, according to the Labor Department. Back home, Unichem Laboratories was up 1.78%. The company received a tentative approval from the United States food and Drug Administration for its Tadalafil tablets in the strengths of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 December 2018. Reliance Industries was up 0.05%. The board of directors of Reliance Industries accorded its approval to a scheme of arrangement for transfer of its fibre undertaking, on a going concern basis, to a separate company and a scheme of arrangement for transfer of its tower undertaking, on a going concern basis, to a separate company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 December 2018. Zydus Wellness (ZWL) was up 1.52%. The company announced that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has granted approval for ZWL's acquisition of Heinz India jointly with Cadila Healthcare. The definitive agreement in relation to this acquisition was signed on 24 October 2018. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 December 2018. UFO Moviez India was up 3.69%. The company informed about a reduction in purchase consideration for the transfer of shares of Qube Digital Cinema (QDCPL) from Nomura Asia Investment (MB) Pte., CSI BD (Mauritius), Intel Capital Corporation and/or Streetedge Capital LP to UFO Moviez India and India Advantage Fund S4 I, a fund managed by ICICI Venture Funds Management Company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 December 2018. PNC Infratech was up 3.16%. The company informed that PNC Challakere (Karnataka) Highways, the company's wholly owned subsidiary, has submitted duly executed financing documents to NHAI for the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) Project in Karnataka worth Rs 1157 crore. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 December 2018. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The market rallied for the second consecutive session amid broad based buying support. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 625.96 points or 1.78% to 35,775.97, as per the provisional closing data. The Nifty 50 index rose 188.45 points or 1.79% to 10,737.60, as per the provisional closing data. The rally was supported by firmness in Reliance Industries, HDFC twins and ICICI Bank. The Nifty ended above the 10,700 mark. The swift appointment of the former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das as the new Reserve Bank of India governor boosted sentiment. In addition, investors took fresh position in shares after the outcome of Assembly election results. Positive news about fresh talks for a US-China trade deal also infused optimism in markets. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was up 2.56%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 2.50%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On BSE, 1911 shares rose and 652 shares fell. A total of 140 shares were unchanged. Hero MotoCorp (up 7.88%), Yes Bank (up 5.30%), Bharti Airtel (up 5.19%), Adani Ports (up 5.23%), Bajaj Auto (up 3.79%) and Tata Motors (up 3.67%), were the major Sensex gainers. Reliance Industries rose 1.43%. The board of directors of Reliance Industries accorded its approval to a scheme of arrangement for transfer of its fibre undertaking, on a going concern basis, to a separate company and a scheme of arrangement for transfer of its tower undertaking, on a going concern basis, to a separate company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 December 2018. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories fell 4.33%. The company will reportedly have to wait a little longer before it can start selling a generic version of Indivior Plc's Suboxone Film opioid addiction treatment, a US appeals court ruled Tuesday. The sales ban will remain in force to give Indivior time to challenge a 20 November 2018 appeals court decision it lost, reports added. ACC rose 3.51%. The company announced during trading hours today, 12 December 2018, that its board has approved setting up a Greenfield Integrated Cement Plant at Ametha, Madhya Pradesh (Clunker capacity of 3 MTPA and Cement capacity of 1 MTPA) along with expansion of the existing grinding unit in Tikaria, Uttar Pradesh (Cement capacity of 1.6 MTPA) and a third grinding unit also in Uttar Pradesh (cement capacity 2.2 MTPA). The board also approved the setting up of 1.1 MTPA Cement Grinding Facility at the existing location at Sindri, Jharkhand. The above projects are estimated to cost approximately Rs 3000 crore, which is proposed to be funded through internal accruals. The company has an existing capacity of 33.41 MTPA. In 2017, the utilisation rate was 79%. The above projects are proposed to be completed within a period of three years. The projects will allow the company to strengthen its presence in its markets. Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday appointed Shaktikanta Das, member of the fifteenth finance commission, as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), a day after Urjit Patel resigned. Das has been appointed for a term of three years. On the political front, the Congress party is set to form governments in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. However, in Mizoram, Congress gave way to the MNF while in Telangana, the TRS retained power. The Election Commission on Wednesday released the final tally of seats for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. The Congress won 114 seats, with the BJP coming in a close second with 109. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one seat. Four seats went to independents. The Congress is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh met Governor Anandiben Patel at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday to stake claim to form the government after emerging as the single-largest party in the state. Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kamal Nath along with senior Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijay Singh submitted the claim citing figures showing absolute majority. Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja told the media that the party has a total support of 121 MLAs. Overseas, shares in Europe and Asia were trading higher Wednesday, as President Donald Trump said he was upbeat about the chances of securing a trade deal with China. Meanwhile, sterling was weighed down on news that British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no-confidence from members of her own Conservative party later in the session. In a media interview, Trump said talks were taking place with Beijing by phone and he would not raise tariffs on Chinese imports until he was sure about a deal. He also said he would intervene in the Justice Department's case against a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal. Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to the executive in a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by the arrest. US stocks closed mostly lower Tuesday in a session that saw the key indexes weave in and out of positive territory as investors weighed mounting political tension in the nation's capital against renewed optimism over US-China trade talks. The US and China launched formal trade talks with a phone call. In the call, China informed US officials that it had agreed to reduce tariffs on US autos to 15%, down from 40%. On the data front, the National Federation of Independent Businesses issued its small business optimism index for November, showing it fell to 104.8 from 107.1 in October. Further, the wholesale cost of goods and services rose by 0.1% in November. Year-over-year rises in producer prices, however, fell to 2.5% from 2.9%, according to the Labor Department. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 10 points at the opening bell. The government on Tuesday appointed Shaktikanta Das, member of the fifteenth finance commission, as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), a day after Urjit Patel resigned. On the political front, the Congress party is set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and is locked in a close fight with BJP in Madhya Pradesh. However, in Mizoram, Congress gave way to the MNF while in Telangana, the TRS retained power. As per Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election 2018 results status on Wednesday morning, Congress has won 113 seats and is leading in 1. On the other hand, the BJP has won 109. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and independents have till now managed to claim 2, 1 and 4 seats, respectively. The final results of one seat is yet to be declared. The majority mark in the state is 116. Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading higher as US President Donald trump sounded upbeat about a trade deal with China. In a media interview, Trump said talks were taking place with Beijing by phone and he would not raise tariffs on Chinese imports until he was sure about a deal. He also said he would intervene in the Justice Department's case against a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal. Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to the executive in a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by the arrest. US stocks closed mostly lower Tuesday in a session that saw the key indexes weave in and out of positive territory as investors weighed mounting political tension in the nation's capital against renewed optimism over US-China trade talks. The US and China launched formal trade talks with a phone call. In the call, China informed US officials that it had agreed to reduce tariffs on US autos to 15%, down from 40%. On the data front, the National Federation of Independent Businesses issued its small business optimism index for November, showing it fell to 104.8 from 107.1 in October. Further, the wholesale cost of goods and services rose by 0.1% in November. Year-over-year rises in producer prices, however, fell to 2.5% from 2.9%, according to the Labor Department. Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 2421.06 crore on 11 December 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 2255.68 crore on 11 December 2018, as per provisional data. Domestic stocks logged modest gains led by index pivotals. Intraday volatility was high. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 190.29 points or 0.54% to settle at 35,150.01. The Nifty 50 index rose 60.70 points or 0.58% to settle at 10,549.15. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices were trading near day's high in mid-morning trade. At 11:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 385.24 points or 1.10% at 35,535.25. The Nifty 50 index was up 117.25 points or 1.11% at 10,666.40. Auto and realty shares advanced. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was up 2.05%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 1.75%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On BSE, 1659 shares rose and 460 shares fell. A total of 106 shares were unchanged. Auto shares advanced. Hero MotoCorp (up 4.89%), Ashok Leyland (up 2.87%), Escorts (up 2.86%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 2.55%), Bajaj Auto (up 2.52%), Tata Motors (up 2.47%), Eicher Motors (up 2.44%), Maruti Suzuki India (up 2.24%) and TVS Motor Company (up 1.48%), edged higher. Realty shares were trading strong. Housing Development and Infrastructure (HDIL) (up 12.23%), Indiabulls Real Estate (up 9.99%), D B Realty (up 7.64%), Anant Raj (up 5.92%), Peninsula Land (up 5.18%), Prestige Estates Projects (up 3.79%), Godrej Properties (up 3.23%), Phoenix Mills (up 2.25%), Oberoi Realty (up 2.1%), DLF (up 1.92%), Mahindra Lifespace Developers (up 1.86%), Parsvnath Developers (up 1.6%), Sunteck Realty (up 1.2%), Omaxe (up 0.59%) and Sobha (up 0.59%), edged higher. Unitech was down 1.9%. Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday appointed Shaktikanta Das, member of the fifteenth finance commission, as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), a day after Urjit Patel resigned. On the political front, the Congress party is set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and is leading in Madhya Pradesh. However, in Mizoram, Congress gave way to the MNF while in Telangana, the TRS retained power. The Election Commission on Wednesday released the final tally of seats for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. The Congress won 114 seats, with the BJP coming in a close second with 109. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one seat. Four seats went to independents. The Congress is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. Overseas, Asian stocks were trading higher as US President Donald trump sounded upbeat about a trade deal with China. In a media interview, Trump said talks were taking place with Beijing by phone and he would not raise tariffs on Chinese imports until he was sure about a deal. He also said he would intervene in the Justice Department's case against a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal. Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to the executive in a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by the arrest. US stocks closed mostly lower Tuesday in a session that saw the key indexes weave in and out of positive territory as investors weighed mounting political tension in the nation's capital against renewed optimism over US-China trade talks. The US and China launched formal trade talks with a phone call. In the call, China informed US officials that it had agreed to reduce tariffs on US autos to 15%, down from 40%. On the data front, the National Federation of Independent Businesses issued its small business optimism index for November, showing it fell to 104.8 from 107.1 in October. Further, the wholesale cost of goods and services rose by 0.1% in November. Year-over-year rises in producer prices, however, fell to 2.5% from 2.9%, according to the Labor Department. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to tampering with a 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund audit report. Najib, 65, was charged with using his position to order changes in 1MDB's final audit report in February 2016, months after he was accused of diverting money from the state fund to his private accounts, Efe news reported. The charges claim that Najib sought personal gain by trying to avoid legal or disciplinary action against him in relation to 1MDB. Earlier, then-president and CEO of 1MDB, Arul Kanda Kandasamy, 42, was charged in the same Kuala Lumpur court with abetting Najib. Both pleaded not guilty to the indictments, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The new indictment raises the total number of charges against Najib to 39 since his removal from power in the May elections. He served as prime minister of Malaysia since 2009 - the year he set up 1MDB as an investment arm of the state. The 1MDB corruption scandal was revealed in 2015 by an investigation carried out by The Wall Street Journal and the Sarawak Report that revealed the diversion of 2.6 billion ringgit ($681 million) to his private accounts. Najib claimed that the money was a donation from a Saudi prince, and the prosecution, the Anti-Corruption Commission along with the fund exonerated him of any crime. The US Department of Justice estimates that about $4.5 billion was diverted from the 1MDB, $1 billion of which may have been laundered in the country with the purchase of real estate, yachts, jewellery, and works of art among other goods. --IANS ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gunman shot and killed four people at a church in Brazil on Tuesday before turning the gun on himself, media reported. 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, Xinhua news agency reported. 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." --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 500 Indian fishermen are lodged in various jails in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the government said on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh said that while 482 Indian fishermen were lodged in Pakistani jails, 18 were in Sri Lankan prisons. There were 1,050 Indian fishing boats in Pakistan's custody while 10 were with Sri Lanka, according to Singh. He said that Pakistan acknowledged the custody of only 391 fishermen, but not the number of Indian boats in custody. In all, 388 Indian fishermen have been released this year by the two countries -- 174 by Pakistan and 214 by Sri Lanka. "The government attaches the highest priority to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen," Singh said. "Our missions and posts regularly seek consular access to Indian fishermen detained in foreign countries, ensure their welfare and also pursue their early release and repatriation, along with their boats." Singh also added that given the humanitarian and livelihood dimensions of this issue, the government had put in place several bilateral mechanisms to ensure cooperation and understanding between India and the countries concerned to promote the safety and security of Indian fishermen. --IANS ab/soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commercial vehicles major Ashok Leyland Ltd on Wednesday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with defence systems company Elbit Systems in Israel. In a statement issued here, Ashok Leyland said as per the agreement it will provide High Mobility Vehicles (HMV) for mounting Elbit Systems' artillery guns and systems. "The integrated systems are targeted for worldwide export markets. Ashok Leyland has expertise in design, manufacturing of logistic vehicles, combat support HMVs and armoured vehicles for the defence forces," the statement said. Speaking on this milestone partnership, Vinod K. Dasari, MD, Ashok Leyland, said: "Ashok Leyland is proud to be associated with Elbit Systems and we are certain this partnership will expand our reach globally. It underlines our capabilities of making and designing in India, for the world. "This step is also in line with our strategy of increasing contribution from our defence business which will help us de-risk our overall business," Dasari was quoted as saying in the statement. --IANS vj/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The newly elected Congress MLAs in Chhattisgarh will meet here on Wednesday to decide on a the new Chief Minister, with informed sources indicating that state party chief Bhupesh Baghel was the front runner. All India Congress Committee observer Mallikarjun Kharge will preside over the meeting with all newly elected MLAs, set for the evening, Baghel told IANS. "A decision regarding the Chief Minister will be taken there." Among others to attend the meeting will be Congress in-charge for the state, P.L. Punia. The race for the Chief Minister's post is primarily between Patan MLA Baghel, party veteran T.S. Singh Deo, who was the Leader of Opposition in the former Assembly, and the party's lone Lok Sabha MP from the state, Tamradhwaj Sahu. Besides the three, former Union Minister Charan Das Mahant is also said to be in the reckoning. A former state Minister, Baghel is widely seen as the frontrunner for the top post. "Baghel led from the front working at the grassroots as well as coordinating with the central and state leaders. As state party president, he has worked very hard and is most likely to be chosen as the Chief Minister," said a party source. Decimating the Raman Singh-led BJP, the Congress returned to power in the state after 15 years bagging 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly. --IANS and/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking moral responsibility for the defeat in the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, outgoing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that the BJP will now play the role of a "vigilant and constructive opposition". He said that he did his best to get Madhya Pradesh out of the "pathetic situation" after he took as chief minister 13 years ago and made every effort for the welfare of the people and development of the state. "Despite all the support from the central leadership and pro-people schemes of the Central and the state governments, we could not get the results to our expectations. We fell short of majority and I take all the responsibility for the party's defeat in the state. I could not meet the expectations of people and I failed," he said. He was addressing a press conference after tendering his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel at the Raj Bhavan here. Chouhan said the BJP, which got 109 seats in the 230-member assembly, would play the role of a "strong and responsible opposition". "We will play a constructive role for the development of the state and if need be we will protest and act as a vigilant watchman. We are not those who will take rest after getting defeated. We will start working as opposition from today itself," he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader hoped that the new government would continue with the pro-people schemes and projects run by his government. He said that now it was the Congress' turn to fulfil the poll promises it made to the people of the state in its 'vachan patra' (manifesto). "Rahul Gandhi (Congress President) had said that his party would implement the loan waiver for farmers within 10 days after assuming office. And he had also said that if the Chief Minister fails to implement the farm loan waiver then he shall be changed. So it is their turn now to fulfil the commitments," he said. He added that the BJP would also start preparing for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the state from now on. Asked what he discussed with Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath, Chouhan said, "It was a courtesy meeting. I congratulated him for the victory." "Even when we lost, I called up Kamal Nath to congratulate him," he added. --IANS bns-aks/vsc/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The results in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan came as a major shock for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has won all the major states barring Delhi, Bihar, Punjab and Karnataka in elections held after the sweeping 2014 Lok Sabha victory. The BJP was routed in Chhattisgarh and defeated in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in closely-fought contests. The party mostly banked on the image of Chief Ministers Raman Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan to lift the party's fortunes. In Rajasthan, where opinion polls had written off the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah put in extra efforts, besides banking on the hardcore Hindutva image of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, to take the battle to the Congress, but still lost. The BJP, however, managed to open its account in Mizoram, where the Mizo National Front (MNF) ousted the ruling Congress partty, but saw its numbers fall from five to one in Telangana, where the Telangana Rashtra Samithi swept the polls. The results of these five states, which were dubbed the semifinals ahead of the next general elections in April-May 2019, could be a factor in the battle between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led opposition. The major issues raked up by Congress, specially the farm loan waiver amid an agrarian crisis across the country, employment and anger among upper caste, seems to have worked in its favour and could haunt the ruling dispensation if remedial measures are not taken. The BJP is not ready, however, to accept the defeat as a referendum on the Modi government. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley 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 pointed out. The general elections in 2019, he added, would be fought around Modi's performance, with people voting for a tried and tested leadership instead of a non-ideological opposition coalition which is bound to collapse sooner than later. 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 after defeating the BJP in a direct contest in the 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. Out of total 678 Assembly seats in the five states in the current round of elections, the Congress has won close to 300 seats while the BJP managed to win over 200 seats. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 377 seats in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram while the Congress had won only 122 seats in these states. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 62 out of total 83 Lok Sabha constituencies of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram. Now the three Hindi heartland states will be ruled by Congress and the its impact would definitely be felt in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the first instance of a party getting majority on its own in 30 years, BJP won 282 seats in Lok Sabha in 2014. The BJP-led NDA had won 336 seats out of 543. Its allies include the Shiv Sena, which has been on the war path for a while. Similarly, N. Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) have walked out of the NDA. Since 2014, BJP has managed to retain just six Lok Sabha seats in by-polls. It won Lakhimpur in Assam, Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh, Beed and Palghar in Maharashtra, Vadodara in Gujarat and Shimoga in Karnataka. In the last four years, the party has lost Lok Sabha by polls in Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, Gurdaspur in Punjab, Alwar and Ajmer in Rajasthan, Kairana, Phulpur and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Bhandara-Gondiya in Maharashtra and Bellary and Mandya constituencies in Karnataka. The BJP, however, maintained the verdict was a mandate against the state governments and not against the Modi government. "The results in five states clearly show there is no uniform trend across the country and local factors determined the outcome in each state. This is evident from the fact that even Congress suffered massive defeats in Mizoram and Telangana. "Despite 15 years of anti-incumbancy in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has put up a fight in Madhya Pradesh and has a major comeback in Rajasthan. The BJP's and Congress' vote share in both the states in Mandhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is almost tied which clearly show that the BJP has the potential to comeback with big victories in 2019 Lok Sabha polls," BJP Spokeperson G.V. L. Narsimha Rao told IANS. He also said whenever Congress has tied up with a regional party, it cost them votes. (Brajendra Nath Singh can be contacted at brajendra.n@ians.in) --IANS bns/vsc/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Playing Sudoku or crosswords may not arrest age-related mental decline, as earlier studies suggested, but can boost mental ability over a lifetime, shows a research. The new study challenged previous studies that suggested mental agility can be maintained or improved by exercising the mind with such brain teasers. Led by a team from the University of Aberdeen in the UK, the study found that such activities had no effect on the rate of mental decline associated with ageing. However, regularly engaging in intellectual activities boosts mental ability throughout life, providing a "higher cognitive point" from which to decline. The study, published in the BMJ, did not show that they decline any slower. 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", said Roger Staff, lecturer at the varsity. For the study, the team looked at 498 people born in 1936 who had taken part in a group intelligence test at the age of 11. They examined the association between intellectual engagement and mental ability in later life. The current study started when they were about 64 years old and they were recalled for memory and mental-processing-speed testing up to five times over a 15-year period. The researchers found that engaging in intellectually stimulating activities on a regular basis had the largest association with improving cognitive performance during the course of life. --IANS pb/rt/in/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Canadian court has granted bail to Chinese tech company Huawei's Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who has been accused of helping the firm dodge American sanctions on Iran, while she awaits a hearing on extradition to the US. Meng Wanzhou's bail on Tuesday night comes after three days of hearings, the Guardian reported. Meng, 46, was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 at the request of American authorities. Meng spent more than a week in custody and cited her poor health - including previous cancer surgery and difficulty eating solid foods - as grounds for bail. In granting her release, Justice William Ehrcke of the Supreme Court outlined 15 provisions including Meng submitting to constant surveillance and wearing a GPS tracking device, surrendering both her passports and providing a bond of C$10 million (US $7 million). She is also subject to a curfew between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Government lawyers had pushed for house arrest but she will remain in her Vancouver home pending the extradition hearing, with significant travel restrictions. The decision by the court in Vancouver on Tuesday came as US President Donald Trump said in an interview that he would intervene in the case if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China, the Guardian said. It also follows news that former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who previously served as political lead for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2016 visit to Hong Kong, has been detained in China. Meng 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. She faces "serious charges of fraud" in the US involving "millions of dollars", where she could receive substantial jail time if convicted. The US has not yet submitted a formal request for Meng's extradition. If no formal notice is given within 60 days she will be released. She is due back in court on February 6, 2019. --IANS ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Paris Saint-Germain produced their most confident performance yet for a 4-1 win over Red Star Belgrade that sent them into the Round of 16 of the Champions League without needing to depend on the outcome of the Liverpool-Napoli match. Uruguay's Edinson Cavani, Brazil's Neymar and Marquinhos and France's Kylian Mbappe gave PSG a win over Red Star who only in the first period of the second half was disquieted when Marko Gobeljic scored, reports Efe. A first goal made by Cavani in the ninth minute was a prize for the authority with which PSG jumped on the field against an enraged opponent with a thirst for revenge after conceding six goals in the Parc des Princes. Neymar scored the second goal in the 40th minute, served by Mbappe, to achieve his 32nd goal in the competition - more than any other Brazilian. In the second half, Red Star looked for a draw and in the 56th minute scored thanks to a goal from Gobeljic, well served by Veljko Simic and deflected by Thiago Silva just enough to destabilize Gianluigi Buffon. In a set-piece play, a free-kick brilliantly taken by Di Maria found the head of his compatriot Marquinhos to calm the French team. Mbappe scored a goal after a great pass from Neymar that left him in a hand-to-hand with a Serbian goal that he didn't waste. --IANS ajb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The newly-elected Congress MLAs are scheduled to meet late on Wednesday to decide the name of the Chief Minister, a party official said here. Party's state unit General Secretary Shailesh Trivedi said that AICC observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC General Secretary in-charhge of Chhattisgarh P.L. Punia, Secretary in-charge Chandan Yadav and Arun Oraon would also be present at the legislative party's meet. Trivedi said the name might be announced after the meeting. State Congress unit President Bhupesh Baghel, T.S. Sighdeo, Tamradhwaj Sahoo and Charandas Mahant are some of the names in the race for the top job. The Congress has won 67 out of the 90 seats in the state Assembly elections, dethroning BJP's Raman Singh after 15 years. He said that the Congress President has also sought the opinion of party workers through a mobile app on who should be the next Chief Minister. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state Congress president Sachin Pilot reached the Pradesh Congress Committee office on Wednesday to attend a meeting which will choose the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, who will be the Chief Minister. Both Pilot and Gehot are leading contenders for the top post. The newly-elected Congress MLAs from across the state came to attend the meeting. --IANS arc/in/vsc/bns/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The path for the formation of a Congress government in Madhya Pradesh was cleared with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigning from the post on Wednesday declaring that the BJP was not going to stake claim. "As we have not got clear majority, we are not going to stake claim to form the government. And I am going to the Governor to resign as the Chief Minister," Chouhan said here. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Governor Anandiben Patel has invited Congress leader Kamal Nath, who on Tuesday night wrote to her that his party has emerged as the single largest party in the state and has majority support in the 230-member Assembly, staking claim. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, whose party won two seats in the state, announced to extend support to the Congress on Wednesday. The Samajwadi Party (SP) which won one seat in the state also extended its support to the Congress. The announcement was made by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. "The Samajwadi Party extends its support to the Congress to form a government in Madhya Pradesh," Yadav tweeted in Hindi on Wednesday. According to the Election Commission, the final tally for the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly showed Congress with 114 seats, while the ruling BJP came close with 109 in a battle that went to the wire on Tuesday. --IANS aks/vsc/in/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government will convene a two-day special Assembly session next week, on December 20 and 21, the government announced on Wednesday. Announcing the session, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said a number of important issues will be discussed during the session. "There will be a two-day session of the Delhi Assembly on December 20-21 during which several issues will be discussed," Sisodia told reporters here. The session is likely to see discussions on several issues including financial proposals and an amendment related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). A special session of the Assembly was called last month to discuss the chilli powder attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, among other issues. --IANS nks/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With three major states in the Hindi heartland slipping out of its hands, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is worried in Uttar Pradesh where even party insiders complain about poor governance and growing lawlessness. "What if this repeats here too?" is a question that is haunting many in the BJP. For a party that stormed to power after 16 years of political exile, the stunning 2017 Assembly victory is beginning to look like history. Barely a year-and-a-half later, the popularity ratings of the state government, specially Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, are worryingly down. Many of his decisions, like renaming Faizabad to Ayodhya and Allahabad to Prayagraj and his use of acidic language, have soured his appeal, even among BJP supporters. BJP's allies too are openly speaking against the way the state is run. "There is a lot of corruption all round. Officials are not even listening to the Chief Minister's directives," said Om Prakash Rajbhar, who heads BJP ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and is a cabinet Minister. A perpetual rebel who has often broken ranks with the ruling party, Rajbhar's disillusionment, unlike that of others, is out in the open. There are, however, many senior Ministers in the ruling party who complain in private over what they feel is the poor and lacklustre performance of the BJP government. "The government is directionless and has failed to inspire confidence," says a party veteran who taunts the party leadership for not meeting the people's aspirations. "We are bogged down by a haughty bureaucracy which refuses to fall in line. As a result, our party workers and supporters are disgruntled," he added. A BJP General Secretary is accused by a Minister of trying to corner major tenders in irrigation and PWD departments. The Minister moaned that party leaders failed to understand the public mood. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi for once agrees with the BJP leaders' assessment and points out that except for "hatred and rumour mongering", the BJP government has failed to achieve anything in one-and-a-half years. Lawlessness, he adds, continues in the state. And despite lofty claims and reckless police "encounters", in which critics say many innocents have died, criminals continue to have a free run. An Apple executive was shot dead by a policeman in cold blood. And now a police officer too was shot dead during mob violence in Bulandshahr. Many children have died in poorly-managed state-run hospitals. "So what has changed?" asks a senior BJP leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Former Minister and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) President Shivpal Yadav says the government was not only anti-farmer but was also fanning communal passions which he says was not in the interest of the state. The BJP's defeats in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh show that the time for the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "fast running out", he added. Another Minister, also not wishing to be named, told IANS that after initial bravado Adityanath had failed to control the bureaucracy and was dependent on a small coterie of officers. He pointed out how while the previous Samajwadi Party regime made giant strides in infrastructure, the present one had not been able to deliver results. "The 308-km Agra-Lucknow Expressway was built from scratch in 18 months flat. We have not been able to even start the Poorvanchal Expressway," he rued. The coming together of bitter rivals Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls is also sending the saffron camp into jitters. (Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in) --IANS md/mr/soni (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former Canadian diplomat who is currently an employee of the International Crisis Group (ICG) has reportedly been detained in China, the non-profit organization said on Wednesday. It said in a statement that Michael Kovrig, who is ICG's northeast Asia senior adviser, was detained on Monday night by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security and called for his "immediate release", CNN reported. "Crisis Group has received no information about Michael since his detention and is concerned for his health and safety," the ICG said. Kovrig's reported disappearance came in the wake of Canada detaining Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, on December 1 in Vancouver. Tensions have been high between the countries since then. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau said his officials were in direct contact with the Chinese authorities regarding Kovrig who has been working with the non-profit organisation since February 2017. "We are engaged on the file, which we take very seriously, and we are of course providing consular assistance to the family," Trudeau said. The Chinese government did not comment on Kovrig or his possible whereabouts. US State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said that Washington was concerned about the reports on Kovrig. "We urge China to end all forms of arbitrary detention and to respect the protections and freedoms of all individuals under China's international human rights and consular commitments," he said. Kovrig's social media accounts were active up till Sunday. According to the ICG's website, he had been a diplomat before in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the UN in New York. He primarily wrote about China's role in geopolitics, including the North Korea negotiations and relations with the US. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told journalists in Ottawa that the government was "deeply concerned by the situation". The minister said there was currently no "explicit indication" of any link between Meng Wanzhou's arrest and Kovrig's reported detention. Meng could face extradition to the US over the alleged violation of US sanctions on Iran, a move that has provoked fury in Chinese state media. She could be jailed for up to 30 years if found guilty. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jharkhand Minister Enos Ekka was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday in connection with a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case. CBI sources said that he was arrested here. Ekka had not appeared in the CBI court despite repeated summons. Ekka was a minister in the Madhu Koda government from 2006 to 2008. A compliant was registered against him in the State Vigilance Department in 2009 for amassing assets exceeding his known sources of income. Later the case was transferred to the CBI at the directive of the Jharkhand High Court. In 2013, the CBI filed a closure report saying the assets were of small amounts. However, the CBI court refused to accept that closure report and asked the probe agency to proceed in the case. Sources in CBI said that Ekka had disclosed Rs 60,000 cash and a Maruti vehicle in his name in the 2005 election declaration. Between 2005 and 2009, Ekka purchased a flat worth Rs 8 crore in posh Vasant Vihar area in New Delhi. The payment for the flat was made by a private construction company, which was awarded the contract of stadiums of the 2011 national games in Ranchi. There were also allegations that the former minister purchased 100 acres of land in the name of his relatives. Ekka had won the Assembly poll for the first time in 2005. He lost the 2014 Assembly elections. At present he is part of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajantraik (JVM-P). --IANS ns/in/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn has asked a federal judge to spare him from prison time, saying that his cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe "was not grudging or delayed". "Rather, it preceded his guilty plea or any threatened indictment and began very shortly after he was first contacted for assistance by the Special Counsel's Office," Flynn's defence team wrote in a memo on Tuesday. The former official has also offered to do 200 hours of community service, CNN reported. Judge Emmet Sullivan of the US District Court for the District of Columbia is scheduled to sentence Flynn on December 18. Last week, Mueller told the court that Flynn has provided "substantial assistance" to the investigation and should be spared from going to prison. Court filings revealed that Flynn met 19 times with Mueller's team and other Justice Department offices, suggesting vast cooperation. Flynn is the highest-ranking Trump official to face charges in the Mueller probe. He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about his contacts with the then-Russian ambassador to the US. Flynn initially denied but eventually said that they had discussed sanctions and a UN resolution during the presidential transition. The saga led to his early exit from the White House. Flynn's likely sentence is between zero and six months in prison. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Families, friends and colleagues of two Reuters journalists, imprisoned in Myanmar, on Wednesday called for their immediate release one year on from their arrest. Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were on Tuesday honoured among other persecuted or killed journalists as "Time magazine's Person of the Year". The pair was sentenced to seven years in prison for allegedly compromising state secrets, while investigating a story on the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state. The case has been widely seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. "A year ago, Reuters reporters... were arrested in a setup by the police, intended to interfere with the reporting on a massacre in Myanmar," the news agency's Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler was quoted as saying by Efe news. "The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmar's commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law," he said. Supporters of the pair planned to gather in central Yangon on Wednesday evening, while people from around the world posted photos on social media of the "thumbs up" gesture that became a symbol of the pair's court appearances, the BBC reported. On December 24, the two will appear for an appeal hearing against their seven-year jail term that was handed out by a Yangon court in September for violating the archaic Official Secrets Act. "For 12 long months, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been torn apart from their wives and baby daughters -- simply because they reported the news. These journalists exposed mass murder and should be applauded for their public service, not imprisoned for it," said Amal Clooney, Barrister and Counsel to the Reuters journalists. The pair was arrested on December 12, 2017 for possessing confidential documents, which they claimed were given to them by two police officials with whom they had met during the reporting of the story. The reporters were investigating a mass grave of 10 Rohingyas in a village in Rakhine state during a military operation in August 2017 in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya rebels on government posts in the region. The investigation had subsequently led to the conviction of seven Burmese soldiers to 10 years in prison, the only crime to have been recognized by the Myanmar authorities since the military offensive began in Rakhine leading to the exodus of over 723,000 members of the mostly-Muslim minority community to neighbouring Bangladesh. The government and the military deny the UN special commission's report that claimed the military campaign to be intentional genocide. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fifteen international organisations on Wednesday jointly announced a commitment to make their operations climate neutral at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 24) in this Polish city. They will measure their greenhouse gas emissions, reduce them as much as possible and compensate the currently unavoidable ones with credible carbon credits. Representing over two million tons of CO2 per year in emissions, and more than 50,000 staff, the aggregate action by these organisations sets an important example that can inspire all levels of society. While some participating organisations are only just starting their journey, others have already achieved full climate neutrality. The rest have already developed advanced sustainability strategies to step up their climate action by committing to reach climate neutrality. Through this commitment, organisations with more evolved plans will support those at earlier stages and share best practices. By joining this initiative, organisations not only demonstrate a clear commitment to climate action and to implementing the global climate neutrality goal contained in the Paris Agreement, but they also serve as models for others to follow suit. The international organisations that announced their commitment to climate neutrality include the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Secretariat Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa Secretariat, Eastern Africa Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank and World Travel & Tourism Council. By doing so, they have joined the United Nations agencies, which adopted a strategy and a roadmap in 2007 to reach climate neutrality by 2020. Over half of all UN system entities are now climate neutral, representing 39 per cent of the total UN emissions as per the 2018 Greening the Blue report. The UN Headquarters have reached climate neutrality for the first time in 2018. Some of the climate actions that these organisations are implementing to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions include the installation of solar photovoltaic systems, policies for reduction of air travel, upgrading of insulation and lighting systems in buildings, reduction of paper used at conferences, installation of efficient cooling systems and promotion of car-pooling schemes among employees. (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/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China and his current empolyer, non-profit organization International Crisis Group (ICG), on Wednesday said it is seeking his immediate release. The ICG said in a statement that Michael Kovrig, who is ICG's northeast Asia senior adviser, was detained on Monday night by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security and called for his prompt and safe release, CNN reported. Kovrig's reported disappearance came in the wake of Canada detaining Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, on December 1 in Vancouver. Tensions have been high between the countries since then. Meng was granted bail on Tuesday night. According to the ICG, Chinese authorities had not notified it of Kovrig's detention and it was unaware of the reasons for his arrest. Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed the arrest and said that the non-profit for which he works in the country was not registered. "If ICG said its personnel was conducting activities in China, then according to the Chinese NGO law of 2016, they will be violating Chinese law because they have not registered in China," said ministry's spokesman Lu Kang, without giving more details or disclosing whether charges had been pressed against the Canadian. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau said his officials were in direct contact with the Chinese authorities regarding Kovrig who has been working with the non-profit organisation since February 2017. US State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said that Washington was concerned about the reports on Kovrig. "We urge China to end all forms of arbitrary detention and to respect the protections and freedoms of all individuals under China's international human rights and consular commitments," he said. Kovrig's social media accounts were active up till Sunday. According to the ICG's website, he had been a diplomat before in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the UN in New York. He primarily wrote about China's role in geopolitics, including the North Korea negotiations and relations with the US. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told journalists in Ottawa that the government was "deeply concerned by the situation". The minister said there was currently no "explicit indication" of any link between Meng Wanzhou's arrest and Kovrig's reported detention. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four persons, including three women, were killed in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur district on Wednesday after a speeding truck rammed into an auto-rickshaw in which they were travelling, police said. The accident happened near Kursana village. Five persons sustained critical injuries in the accident. Angry over the loss of lives, the villagers pelted stones at a police team which reached the spot. --IANS md/pgh/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Sunil Grover, who will be next seen in Ali Abbas Zafar's directorial "Bharat", has said that he has not seen a disciplined human being and artist like Salman Khan in the film industry. Sunil was interacting with the media at the 18th edition of Indian Television Awards (ITA) 2018 here on Tuesday. Sunil, who is sharing screen space with Salman for the first time in "Bharat", said: "I haven't seen a disciplined human being and artist like him (Salman). He does so much work at one time. He does shoots for his current film and at the same time, he listens to scripts which he is going to do in year 2032. "He is a very busy artist. He does television, travelling and also looks after his 'Being Human' charitable organisation. Apart from that, every day he spends his two hours at the gym. Few days back, I saw that he fractured his rib while exercising but on the third day again, I saw him exercising so, I feel he is made of some another soil." Sharing his experience of being a part of "Bharat", Sunil said: "I feel really happy and I thank god that he made me a part of such a huge and good film. It was really a beautiful journey... I am happy and honored to be a part of the film." Wishing his former colleague Kapil Sharma who is set to wed his girlfriend Ginni Chatrath on Wednesday, Sunil said: "We both have done some good work together so, there is an emotional connection. I congratulate him on his wedding. I pray that he remains more happy than earlier. "I hope that lady luck works for him. Earlier he used to create jokes on people's married life now, he will know how it feels after getting married." Sunil and Kapil had a mid-air fight when they were returning from Australia after doing a show and soon after that the former left "The Kapil Sharma Show". When asked is he was going to attend Kapil's wedding reception, Sunil said: "Yes I will be attending his wedding reception which he is hosting in Mumbai." "Bharat" is a drama film directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and jointly produced by Atul Agnihotri, Alvira Khan Agnihotri, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Nikhil Namit and Salman Khan. The film stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Tabu, Sunil Grover, Nora Fatehi and Disha Patani in key roles. It is scheduled for a theatrical release during Eid 2019. --IANS iv/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Privacy of patients who go for HIV testing and counselling in the national capital's government hospitals remains a prime concern as many of them don't have separate counselling rooms for males and females, a study has found. The study, titled "Integrated Counselling and HIV Testing Centres of Delhi: An Evaluation", by Dr Anita Khokhar, Director Professor, Community Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, along with Dr Vinoth Gnana Chellaiyan of the Department of Community Medicine at Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Kelambakkam, Chennai, revealed that a majority of the Integrated Counseling and HIV Testing Centres (ICTCs) in the national capital lacked separate rooms for male-female counselling and nor was there adequate space inside the allocated room. According to the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), 93 medical facilities under the Centre and the state governments in Delhi have ICTCs. Eleven medical facilities provide Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). These include AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Lok Nayak Hospital, RML Hospital and GTB Hospital, among others. "There is a guideline by NACO for the ICTCs. Ideally and logically, if there are two persons from both genders, they can neither sit together nor can be made to wait and go in one after the other. There have to be two counsellors from both genders and two rooms," Dr Chellaiyan told IANS. This IANS correspondent visited the premier AIIMS medical institute and the adjacent Safdarjung Hospital to check out the counselling rooms for ICTC. At AIIMS, only one small room to seat two people at a time was assigned for ICTC counselling. There were no directions to the ICTC centre anywhere on the AIIMS campus and posters related to HIV/AIDS awareness were lacking even inside the counselling space. "The counsellor sits inside the room depending upon the patient's gender. If a female patient comes in then the male counsellor doesn't sit inside. But yes, this often consumes time (due to the changeover)," an AIIMS counsellor, who did not wish to be named, admitted. However, Safdarjung Hospital has two separate ICTC counselling rooms and sufficient wall posters related to awareness. The study also found that of the 20 ICTC centres surveyed, only 12 had both male and female counsellors. It says the majority of counsellors were found deficit in skills like greeting patients and introducing themselves. "Many-a-times, it is the lab technicians who are seen to be doing the counselling in the absence of proper counsellors and, therefore, confidentiality is not maintained. They don't know how to counsel. Infrastructure also remains an issue at most of the hospitals in the city," Nandini Mazumder, who was earlier associated with India HIV/AIDS Alliance, a non-for-profit Indian NGO, told IANS. "Training is satisfactory, but the counsellors are appointed on a contractual basis by NACO and not by the hospitals. And many times it has been seen that the seats remain empty at hospitals as the counsellors usually join for a year and then leave," Dr Chellaiyan pointed out. It was also observed that the information about other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was given only by 6.2 per cent of the counsellors out of the 20 surveyed during the pre-test counselling sessions. The study also revealed that awareness among people and awkwardness to talk about HIV and AIDS still remains a major concern. A majority of the patients were facility-referred and walk-ins constituted only 10 per cent of the 291 surveyed. "Every day around 100 people come in and the first thing that a patient visiting the ICTC centres here says is, 'I have not done anything wrong.' Most of the patients at AIIMS are youths aged between 20 and 40 with cases also coming from the neighbouring towns like Mathura or Faridabad, where they cannot talk about undergoing an HIV test. "Talk on HIV is sensitive. We try to make the patients as comfortable so that they are able to express or narrate in a better way," the counsellor from AIIMS added. According to NACO, HIV counselling and testing services were started in India in 1997. The main functions of an ICTC are conducting HIV diagnostic tests, providing basic information on the modes of HIV transmission, and promoting behavioural changes to reduce vulnerability and link people with other HIV prevention, care and treatment services. (Somrita Ghosh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in) --IANS som/vm/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 38-year-old Indian man has been charged with conspiring to smuggle six of his countrymen into the US on commercial airline flights, authorities said. Bhavin Patel was arrested at the Newark Liberty International Airport last week and was charged on Monday with one count of conspiracy and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, the US Attorney's Office for New Jersey said in a statement. The conspiracy count carries a maximum 10-year jail term while the smuggling counts each carry a five-year maximum term. Patel is due in federal court in Newark on December 18, NJ.com reported on Tuesday. According to court papers, Patel was the ringleader of a group that smuggled at least six Indian citizens into the US by paying an unspecified undercover law enforcement agent hundreds of thousands of dollars over a two-year period beginning in 2013. He first arranged for his clients to travel from India to Thailand, where they boarded flights bound for New Jersey, officials said. The six people illegally entered the US in pairs on December 13, 2013; April 10, 2014; and October 2, 2014, according to authorities. Charging documents didn't specify how much money Patel made from the operation. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six veteran international diplomats have been honoured with the Diwali "Power of One Award" for their work at the global organisation for "a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all". The awards were presented on Tuesday here at an event that also commemorated the issuance of Diwali stamps by the UN Postal Administration in October and by the US Postal Service in 2016. India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin, who called it an "ode to diversity and multiculturalism", said the work of the honourees reflected the UN's collective determination to promote peace. The awards were cosponsored by 26 UN missions, the Observer of Palestine and the International Atomic Energy Agency and the event was co-hosted by the missions of India, Belaraus and Georgia, and the Diwali Foundation USA. Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga, who had earlier served as her country's permanent representative at the UN, was among the awardees from three continents. The awards announcement said that along with her, the nation of Vietnam was also being honoured for the rapprochment with the US that was brought about by the late US Senator John McCain in the aftermath of the war between the two countries. As a navy pilot during the war, McCain was shot down while on a bombing mission and held a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. The "open embrace" of McCain and Vietnam helped "usher in a better future bilaterally and regionally", the announcement said. The chair of the Diwali Foundation USA, Ranju Batra, dedicated the ceremony to late US President George H.W. Bush, who died last month. In promoting volunteerism, Bush spoke of a "thousand points of light", she recalled and added that this makes for "Diwali everyday". Belarus Permanent Representative Valentin Rybakov said that Diwali's spirit of peace and charity was in "lockstep with the ideals" of the UN. Thailand's US Ambassador Virachai Plasai was honoured for his leadership while he was at the UN of the Group of 77 that represents developing countries and is the largest bloc there. The other awardees were Andrej Logar, the State Secretary of Slovenia, former Permanent Representatives Catherine Boura of Greece, Agshin Mehdiyev of Azerbaijan and Permanent Representative Mohamed Khaled Khiari of Tunisia. A glaring omission from the list of recipients of the award that honours former or "soon to be 'former' permanent representatives" was Nikki Haley of the US who will leave her post at the end of the year. She is the first person of Indian descent to hold the post and to serve in the US cabinet. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) --IANS al/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel appear to have emerged as the frontrunners in the race for chief ministership in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh respectively as the party put in motion the process of government formation in the three states where it dislodged the ruling BJP from power in the just-concluded Assembly elections. The newly-elected members in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan met in the presence of high command observers and passed a unanimous resolution leaving it to Congress President Rahul Gandhi to take the final call on who will be the Chief Cinister in their states. The central observers are expected to reach Delhi and apprise Gandhi of their assessment, which included consultations with individual MLAs. Party leaders and contenders for chief ministership Kamal Nath and Jyotiradtiya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh and Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan, met the Governors of their states and staked claim to form the government. In Jaipur, outside the venue of Congress legislature party meeting, Pilot's young supporters raised slogans hailing his leadership. Their claim to form the next government was made easy with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party extending the support of three of their MLAs to Congress in Madhya Pradesh to keep the BJP out. BSP chief Mayawati also announced that her six MLAs in Rajasthan would support Congress if necessary. In both the states, the Congress fell short of securing an absolute majority by just two seats while in Chhattisgarh it scored a landslide victory by securing 68 of the 90 seats. Senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters in Raipur that the MLAs would meet and follow the Congress procedure of electing a new leader in which they will be consulted. Amidst pressures and counter-pressures, the Congress President could be weighing the option of preferring experience to youth in view of the nature of the verdict in which the party could only manage to barely defeat BJP which requires deft handling of the political situation. While Kamal Nath, a nine-time MP, was appointed the Madhya Pradesh unit chief early this year, the other aspirant, Scindia, was later made the campaign committee chief. Both are MPs and did not contest the assembly polls. In Rajasthan, Gehlot, a former two-time Chief Minister, was pitted in the elctoral fray along with Pilot at the last minute and both of them have won their seats. Pilot's claim to chief minsitership rests on the work he had done to galvanise the party in the last more than four years as state party chief. Both of them met Governor Kalyan Singh on Wednesday along with several other Congress leaders. Chhattisgarh may not pose much of a challenge for Gandhi as Baghel is widely-credited with organising the party, specially after the assassination of its top leaders, including Vidya Charan Shukla, Nand Kumar Patel and Mahendra Karma, by Maoists more than five years ago. The other names doing the rounds are T.S. Singh Deo, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, party MP Tamradhwaj Sahu and former union minister Charan Das Mahant. Earlier, accompanied by Scindia, Kamal Nath met Governor Anandiben Patel and staked his party's claim to form the next government in the state. "We have staked claim," he told reporters after the meeting at Raj Bhavan. Asked who would be the Chief Minister, Kamal Nath shot back: "I don't know." Late on Tuesday, Kamal Nath wrote to the Governor urging her to give him an appointment so that he could stake claim as the Congress had emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly with "majority support". The Congress won 114 seats, two short of a majority in the 230-member house. After the meeting with the Governor, Scindia said "of course it would be a privilege" when he was asked whether he would like to be the Chief Minister. He said the Congress has the legislative majority with the backing of all four Independents and three MLAs of BSP and SP. Kamal Nath said the top priority of new Congress government will be to work for "farmers and unemployed youth". The statement came after his meeting with the outgoing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "We have to create a new environment of trust in Madhya Pradesh," he added. Asked about the farm loan waiver promised by the party within 10 days of taking power, he said: "Let the government be formed first." Before meeting the Governor, Kamal Nath described Chouhan as "my friend" and said "he fought a good election". Meanwhile, Chouhan tendered his resignation to the Governor, taking moral responsibility for the party's electoral loss in the state. "Ab mai mukt hoon. (Now I am free)... The responsibility of defeat is totally mine," Chouhan said. "No one has got the mandate. Since we have also not got the mandate, we did not stake claim to form the government," Chouhan added. --IANS and-aks-bns-ps/vsc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath met Governor Anandiben Patel on Wednesday and staked his party's claim to form the next government in the state. "We have staked claim," he told reporters after the meeting at Raj Bhavan. Asked who would be the Chief Minister, Kamal Nath shot back: "I don't know." Late on Tuesday, Kamal Nath wrote to the Governor urging her to give him an appointment so that he could stake claim as the Congress had emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly with "majority support". The Congress won 114 seats, two short of a majority in the 230-member house. After the meeting with the Governor, Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said "of course it would be a privilege" when he was asked whether he would like to be the Chief Minister. He said the Congress, which has won 114 seats, has the legislative majority with the backing of all four Independents and three MLAs of BSP and SP. Scindia, one of the contenders for chief ministership, also attacked outgoing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "You were claiming that BJP is going to win 200 seats this time. Even if we count all the BJP seats in all five states, the party has not crossed the 200 mark," he said. Earlier on Wednesday, Kamal Nath said the top priority of new Congress government will be to work for "farmers and unemployed youth". He said this after meeting the outgoing Chief Minister. He added: "We have to create a new environment of trust in Madhya Pradesh." Asked about the farm loan waiver promised by the party within 10 days of taking power, he said: "Let the government be formed first." Before meeting the Governor, Kamal Nath described Chouhan as "my friend" and said "he fought a good election". Meanwhile, Chouhan tendered his resignation to the Governor taking moral responsibility for the party's electoral loss in the state. "Ab mai mukt hoon. (Now I am free)... The responsibility of defeat is totally mine," Chouhan said. "No one has got the mandate. Since we have also not got the mandate, we did not stake claim to form the government," Chouhan added. --IANS aks-ps-and/vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath met Governor Anandiben Patel on Wednesday to stake claim to form the next government in the state. The meeting, in which he was accompanied by party leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh, came after the Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party pledged their support to the Congress. Late on Tuesday, Kamal Nath wrote to the Governor urging her to give him an appointment so that he could stake claim as the Congress had emerged as the single largest party with "majority support". The Congress won 114 seats in the Assembly, two short of a majority in the 230-member house. --IANS ps/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday said the proposed Federal Front will extend across the country 'Rythu Bandhu', an investment support scheme for farmers currently being implemented in Telangana. A day after announcing that a consortium of regional parties would soon take shape at the national level, Rao told reporters that he would like to replicate across the country what he has achieved in Telangana. On the eve of taking oath as the Chief Minister for a second consecutive term, KCR said he had done the calculations about the funds required for implementation of 'Rythu Bandhu' across the country. "It requires Rs.3.5 lakh crore. We will spend it," said KCR, who has taken the initiative to build a non-BJP, non-Congress alternative. Under 'Rythu Bandhu' launched in April, the Telangana government is providing financial assistance of Rs 4,000 to every farmer per acre per crop. Every year, a farmer gets Rs 8,000 per acre. About 57 lakh farmers in the state have benefited from the scheme. The TRS has now promised to increase this assistance to Rs 5,000 per acre per crop. The TRS chief said the proposed Front would place before nation an alternate economic model and a new agriculture model. He believes the proposed model would give freedom to the country from recurring droughts, end farmer suicides and transform agriculture through full utilization of 70,000 TMC of water. He reiterated that his idea of alternative politics was not bringing some parties and leaders together. "We will directly approach the people of this country with a roadmap, which will be released shortly," he said, adding that he was taking ideas from farmers groups, NGOs and activists. KCR also said that he will share his idea with parties and leaders. "Some may come, some may not come." The TRS leader alleged that both the Congress and BJP had failed the country due to political opportunism and cheap politics. He said both the parties wanted to keep unlimited powers with them. "As far as centralization of powers is concerned, both the parties are one and the same." Stressing the need for devolution of powers to the states, he said the Centre should immediately transfer five subjects. "There is no need to keep agriculture, rural development, urban development, health and education with them. What Delhi has to do with a primary school or a primary health centre in a remote part of a state?" he asked. Defending his support for demonetisation, KCR said it was a good programme but Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped it midway. "The intention was good behind it but halfway it was stopped." --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The powerful Khasi Students' Union (KSU) on Wednesday "disagreed" with the Meghalaya High Court order to allow Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to become citizens without production of any document. "The recent appeal by the Meghalaya High Court to the Prime Minister to grant instantaneous citizenship to the aforesaid groups once they seek refuge in India which the Union completely disagrees without taking into account all the aspects including the demographic structure of the north eastern states of India," KSU General Secretary Donald Thabah said. Noting that KSU is not against any humanitarian venture by India, Thabah said "the humanitarian perspective of the microscopic indigenous communities of India's northeast should also be taken into account". The student leader said it is known that there are approximately 14 million Hindus in Bangladesh. "In north east, for example in Meghalaya, there are more than 1 million ethnic Khasis who are currently facing the wrath of unabated influx from migrants belonging to other communities. In the capital city of Shillong itself, the indigenous Khasi population constitutes not more than 50 percent compared to past statistics," Thabah said. The KSU leader argued that if such a bill is passed or if immediate citizenship is granted to the said migrants then the indigenous communities of northeast India are bound to be wiped out by these migrants. On December 10, Justice Sudip Ranjan Sen requested the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Law Minister and Members of the Parliament to bring a law to allow the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist, 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 documents. Sen noted that "Pakistan declared themselves as an Islamic country and India since was divided on the basis of religion should have also been declared as a Hindu country but it remained as a secular country." However, Sen said that he was not against my "Muslim brothers and sisters" who are residing in India for generations and abiding Indian laws, they should also be allowed to live peacefully. Requesting the government that a uniform law should be made for all Indian citizens and they are bound to abide by the law of the country and its Constitution, the high court said: "Anybody opposing the Indian laws and Constitution, they cannot be considered as citizens of the country. We must remember that first, we are Indians, then good human beings and thereafter comes the community we belong." --IANS rrk/pgh/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon on Monday after Trinamool Congress (TMC) members created ruckus over the alleged misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation in West Bengal. Soon after the House met for the day, the Trinamool's Saugata Roy urged the Chair to suspend the Question Hour. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not allow it, instead asked him to raise the issue during Zero Hour. She then proceeded with the Question Hour. Congress member Rajiv Satav who was to ask the first question, did not do so and instead urged Mahajan to first discuss the Bengal issues raised by Roy. As the Speaker tried to continue the Question Hour, Trinamool members trooped near the podium and started sloganeering against the government. As the din continued, Mahajan adjourned the House till 12 noon. --IANS bns/ksk/in (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 Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday without transacting much business amid unrelenting protests both by the opposition and NDA's ally Shiv Sena. While the opposition rallied over the Rafale fighter jet deal, BJP ally Shiv Sena demanded early construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. The House witnessed a ruckus during Question Hour soon after it met for the second day of the winter session. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge got up from his seat and wanted to speak on a notice given by party member Sunil Jakhar for moving an adjournment motion on the Rafale deal. But Kharge was not allowed to do so. In the Monsoon session in August, the Congress had raised the same issue accusing the government of trying to mislead the nation on the defence deal with France. The Congress was soon joined by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and other opposition members, who trooped near the Speaker's podium and started sloganeering. Unable to conduct the Question Hour, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan initially adjourned the House till noon. However, soon after the House reassembled, members of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, TDP and other opposition parties were again on their feet. They again trooped to the Speaker's podium. Once again the Rafale deal was raised by the Congress, while the DMK raised the Cauvery waters distribution issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and the TDP demanded special status for Andhra Pradesh. The Shiv Sena members also trooped near the Speaker's podium raising their demand for early construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. They raised slogans saying all Hindus demand the Ram temple. Mahajan urged the agitating members not to disturb the functioning of the House but the opposition as well as the Shiv Sena members did not listen. Amid the din the Dam Safety Bill was introduced by Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal. As the noisy protests continued, Mahajan adjourned the House for the day. Of the business that could be transacted during the day was the oath taking by two newly elected members V.S. Ugrappa from Bellary and L.R. Shivarama Gowda from Mandya in Karnataka. Ugrappa from the Congress and Gowda from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) had defeated BJP candidates in the November by-polls. There were obituary references to 11 former members including Madan Lal Khurana, N.D. Tiwari, C. K. Jaffer Sharief earlier in the day. Before the House met for the day, the TDP and the Shiv Sena were seen protesting outside Parliament. --IANS rak/ps/in/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Manipur government on Wednesday paid floral tributes to the intrepid women crusaders who had revolted against the British rule in 1939, officials said. The women had raised their voice against unpaid forced labour and free export of the Manipuri rice which left the people on the verge of starvation. They were also vocal about other oppression. On December 12, 1939, they had protested against some British officers in the Imphal Telegraph office. In retaliation, the Assam Rifles troopers bayoneted several women. Since the women could not be dispersed, the British government banned rice export. Speaking at the event, Manipur Chief Minster N. Biren Singh stated: "Manipuri women are actively associated with the panchayat level elections and works. Men should also encourage them to take active part in the law making bodies." Underlining that the women of his state are not lagging behind their male counterparts, the Chief Minister said there are 3 women secretaries, 5 district collectors, 9 Superintendents of Police, 10 Additional SPs and commanding officers of paramilitary forces. --IANS il/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday won by a large margin a confidence vote by her fellow Conservative members of parliament. The prime minister won the secret vote, which started at 1800 GMT and ended two hours later, with 200 out of 317 Tory MPs supporting her to stay on as the party leader, reports Xinhua news agency. "The result of the vote is that the parliamentary party does have the confidence in Theresa May," Graham Brady announced the result. Brady is the head of the so-called 1922 Committee which organised the vote after reaching required threshold that 48 Tory MPs called in their letters for the ballot to be held. May needs 159 votes to win, and with the new victory, there can not be another challenge for her for a year. An applause erupted in the hall upon the vote outcome. During the secret vote, all 317 Tory MPs ticked one of the box on the ballot: "I have confidence in Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party" or "I do not have confidence in Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party." MPs had lined up to enter Committee Room 14 in parliament to cast their votes in the secret ballot from 1800 GMT. The secret vote was closed at 2000 GMT. First in the queue was Digital Minister Margot James who said, "I'm first in the queue giving my support 100 per cent (to the prime minister)." The Wednesday vote was the first of its kind in nearly four decades in the country. Just hours before the vote started, the prime minister made a last-minute appeal for support at an emotional meeting of backbench MPs. She told them she will not lead the party into the next scheduled election in 2022, but she wants to stay on to deliver her Brexit deal. After the vote, James said she was "proud" to have voted for the prime minister, tweeting a picture of her ballot paper. Conservative Party rules say that if she wins tonight she can stay on as leader, undisturbed, for another 12 months. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Wednesday inducted the Indian Navy's first flyaway deep-sea submarine rescue system at the naval dockyard in Mumbai. The acquisition is a significant jump in the Indian Navy's capability in deep submarine rescue. The Indian Navy currently operates submarines of Sindhughosh, Shishumar and Kalvari classes as well as nuclear-powered submarines. The operating medium and the nature of operations undertaken by submarines expose them to high degree of inherent risk. In such an eventuality, traditional methods of search and rescue at sea are ineffective for a disabled submarine. "To overcome this capability gap, the Navy has acquired a third generation, advanced submarine rescue system considering of a non-tethered Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) and its associated equipment," an official release said. "The system would have a global footprint and can be mobilised from the naval base at Mumbai to the nearest mobilisation port by air, land or sea to provide rapid rescue to the submarines in distress," it added. The newly acquired capability would be operated and deployed by the crew of Indian Navy's newly formed Submarine Rescue Unit (West) from its base in Mumbai. The Indian Navy's Deep Sea Submarine Rescue System, considered to be the most advanced system currently in operation globally, is capable of undertaking rescue from a disabled submarine up to 650-metre depth. The DSRV, which is operated by a crew of three, can rescue 14 personnel from a disabled submarine at one time and can operate in extreme sea conditions, it said. Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, was also present during the induction ceremony. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Attacking the government for appointing Shaktikanta Das as RBI Governor, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that he would play to the tunes of the government and that choosing a bureaucrat who defended demonetisation, instead of an eminent economist, will diminish the institution. Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said Das was the second person to be appointed at a key post for defeinding the 2016 demonetisation move and it showed the government's insensitivity towards common people. The Congress leader was apparently refering to the recent appointment of Krishnamurthy Subramanian as the Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) as the first such instance. "Government has appointed two persons who vocally supported demonetisation to two key posts. What does it say about the Modi government? Is government telling the people of the country 'we don't care what you think, we will do exactly as we please'?" Chidambaram said in a tweet. The government on Tuesday appointed Das, who as Economic Affairs Secretary steered the monetary situation post-demonetisation, as the new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, a day after Urjit Patel resigned amidst a tiff with the government on the central bank's autonomy. Das emerged as the face of the government post-demonetisation, strongly defending the move as a step that would curb black money. Earlier, the government had appointed Krishnamurthy Subramanian, a strong supporter of demonetisation and a critic of dynastic politics, as its CEA after Arvind Subramanian resigned. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal also attacked the government on Das's appointment saying the new incumbent would play to the tunes of the government. "Shaktikantadas our new RBI Governor... A bureaucrat not an economist... Defended demonetisation. The Pied Piper will play the tune and the RBI will follow. Inevitable outcome will be that RBI's reserves will be used for government doles. Yet another institution will diminish," he said in a tweet. Das' appointment came 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. --IANS vv-and/ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus on Wednesday unveiled the new 10GB "6T McLaren Edition" for Rs 50,999 in the Indian market. The device with 256GB internal storage will house a new charging technology called "WARP Charge 30". OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition will go on sale from December 13 at the new experience store in New Delhi, the company announced at its 5th anniversary event here. The device will be available for open sale, starting December 15, at online and offline sales channels. The 3700mAh battery that powers the OnePlus 6T comes with "Warp Charge 30" that will not let the device slow down in charging while being used simultaneously, and can provide users with a full day's charge in just 20 minutes. The massive 10GB RAM makes OnePlus the first company to release a global flagship smartphone to meet the demands of graphic-intensive games, photo editing, and other demanding apps. --IANS na/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As Washington announced that Pakistan had been added to a list of violators of religious freedoms, Islamabad on Wednesday rejected the "unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement". "Pakistan rejects the State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement... Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions over the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise," Dawn news quoted a Foreign Office (FO) statement as saying. The FO explained measures that the government had taken to safeguard the rights of its citizens, including legal and administrative mechanisms. "Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities," the statement said. The FO suggested that honest introspection on Washington's part would have been a timely move in order to ascertain the causes behind the exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US. "Sadly, the proponents of human rights worldwide close their eyes to the systematic persecution of minorities subjected to alien domination and foreign occupation...," the statement added. --IANS ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua has said that Islamabad would continue with its efforts for peace in its neighbourhood despite New Delhis negative attitude. Speaking on Tuesday at a conference on "Conflict and Cooperation in South Asia: Role of Major Powers" hosted by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Janjua stated: "We are convinced that we will continue to try for peace and stability in the region," Dawn news reported. Referring to India's approach on ties with Pakistan, Janjua said that New Delhi was "spinning hatred" and perpetuating "dynamic rivalry". This, she maintained, was not only unhelpful for improving Pakistan-India ties, but was also stopping South Asia from making progress and attaining peace. The Foreign Secretary recalled that India, by refusing to attend Saarc summit in Islamabad, was holding the regional body's summit process "hostage". About the new government's policy on India, Janjua spoke of Prime Minister Imran Khan's first nationwide address after elections in which he had offered to take two steps for every single step that India would take for normalisation of ties with Pakistan. She said Khan in his letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi later expressed willingness to discuss all issues that were part of the 'Composite Dialogue'. "Unfortunately we haven't seen the kind of reciprocation that was required," Dawn news quoted Janjua as saying. The Foreign Secretary also criticised New Delhi for "spending massively on force modernisation" and questioned the support being extended to it by the world powers in its acquisition of weapons. "Recently held India-US 2+2 dialogue provides India access to advanced and sensitive US military hardware, technology and weaponry," Janjua said while taking a jab at Russia for signing a deal for provision of advanced S-400 air defence system to India. "This would undermine the delicate strategic balance in the region and beyond," she said. Contending that Pakistan's foreign policy has been successful, Janjua said it was proven by the successful counterterrorism operations, the progress achieved by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the emerging consensus on seeking a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict. --IANS ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJPs defeat in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Assembly polls is a clear indication of the "peoples discontent and anger" over its policies at the Centre and states, the CPI-M said on Wednesday. The party also said the election results "shattered the myth" of the Bharatiya Janata Party's electoral invincibility. "Instead of addressing the people's issues, the policies of the BJP government only deepened people's misery and tried to divert their attention into issues aimed at sharpening communal polarization," the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) said. The party stressed that attacks on Muslims and Dalits and an atmosphere of hatred and violence "fostered to divide the people" did not succeed. "The new governments that will be formed in the former BJP-ruled states must respect the people's verdict and adopt policies aimed at improving the people's livelihood and reducing their miseries. "These governments must also ensure that the unity of the people and the integrity of the country are not further damaged by the BJP's of communal polarisation," it added. Two CPI-M candidates were elected to the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday from Dungargarh and Bhadra constituencies. In the five state Assembly polls, the Congress wrested Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from the BJP. In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) ousted the Congress from power while Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao led his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to a fascile win in the state. --IANS mak/pgh/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) attacks on the Nehru-Gandhi family and subverting national institutions did not go down well with the voters who rejected the party. Speaking to mediapersons on his 78th birthday, Pawar said the BJP indulged in "a very vicious campaign" in the five states, even making personal attacks on the Nehru-Gandhi family. "This was not approved by the electorate The modern generation has never seen Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi. They have only witnessed what happened in the past 10 years. This is the reason they rejected outright such personal attacks on these personalities and wiped out the BJP in all the states," Pawar said. He added that the Centre has attempted to undermine various institutions in the country and did not spare even the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). "It is indeed a matter of serious concern The people have adopted the ballot box method to choose Congress and express their unhappiness with Prime Minister Narendra Modi." In view of these developments, he urged the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party to join the opposition United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Dodging a question on whether Congress President Rahul Gandhi would become the Prime Minister if the opposition won the 2019 election, Pawar countered: "When Rahul himself has indiated he is not in the race for the PM's post, why is the media so concerned?" The Maratha strongman and a three-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra and who has also been a union Minister many times, Pawar is now a Rajya Sabha member. He has not lost a single election since 1967. Starting his political career as a youth leader with the Congress in the early 1960s, he left the party in 1999 and launched the NCP, which is allied with the UPA, both in Maharashtra and at the centre. --IANS qn/mr/and (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind will lay the foundation stone for the upcoming Kevadiya railway station, providing easy access to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat that was inaugurated in October, an official said on Tuesday. The new railway station will come after the guage conversion project of the 18-km long Dabhoi-Chandod section with an extension of the line upto Kevadiya by 32 km. An ultra-modern railway station will also come up at Kevadiya, just five kilometers from the Statue of Unity, proving a boon for thousands of tourists who have started visiting it. The President will do the honours on Saturday in the presence of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other dignitaries, said Western Railway chief spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar. The three-level station building will be constructed within by September 4, 2019, at a cost of Rs 20 crore. It will be the first railway station in India with a Green Builidng Certification since inception and will incorporate the best of technology, environmental conscious and aesthetically pleasing components in its design. --IANS qn/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even as suspense over the name of next Rajasthan Chief Minister continued, a Congress party delegation on Wednesday met Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim to form the next government in state. Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are the frontrunners for the coveted post. The delegation comprising Pilot, Gehlot and other Congress leaders reached the Governor's House in Jaipur after a series of meetings at the Pradesh Congress Committee office the state capital. The newly elected MLAs from across the state had come to attend the meeting to elect their leader. However, no consensus could be reached, with both Gehlot and Pilot supporters strongly backing their leaders. Meanwhile, Congress leaders have confirmed that after a meeting with the Governor, Pilot and Gehlot will leave for Delhi to meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan with 99 seats, though they are one seat short of a majority. Its pre-poll alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal has won one seat and together, they have garnered 100 seats, which makes for the majority mark. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party gained 73 seats in the Assembly elections held in Rajasthan on Dec 7 for 199 seats out of 200. Election in Ramgarh constituency was countermanded following the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh. --IANS arc/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The rental housing segment needs government's intervention as there are many people who cannot afford buying a home, a MagicBricks report said here on Wednesday. The report also observed that affordable rental homes are required in cities for professionals and students. "A large population in India can't afford buying a home and rental housing can be an alternative to such people. This is one area where the government's intervention is required," said the "Residential Real Estate" report, adding that in Indian cities, the rentals are very high and many people cannot afford a house with even basic amenities. "It is important to ensure the right of housing to even those who can't afford to buy. Rental housing is going to be the next big step," it said. The Central government is reportedly preparing a National Urban Rental Housing Policy. Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said in March that the policy would be released after due consultation between the concerned ministries. Regarding the scheme of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), the report said that more than nine lakh houses of up to Rs 50 lakh each were completed in the last three years. The real estate sector is likely to constitute 13 per cent of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025, it added. "The $120 billion real estate sector in 2017 is expected to reach a market size of US$1 trillion by 2030 (Source: India Brand Equity Foundation) and contribute 13% of the country's GDP by 2025," it said. During the January-June period, a total of $4.9 billion (Rs 33,700 crore) was invested across 31 deals, with an average investment of $158 million per deal, it said. Further, private equity investments in real estate are estimated to grow to $100 billion by 2026 with tier one and tier two cities as prime beneficiaries. During January-March 2018 private equity investments increased 15 per cent to $2.56 billion (Rs 16,530 crore) on a year-on-year basis, said the report. --IANS rrb/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Given the varied use of government spending, the question remains on how important it is to focus on the "basic" infrastructure services such as roads, electricity and water -- the classic troika of "sadak-bijli-paani". Essentially, "basic" infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity are critical drivers of economic growth. Creating the "basic" backbone infrastructure not only delivers value through the usage of the asset or service but, inter alia, offers even greater value through the ecosystem that can be built around the core assets. A recent tweet by Vinayak Chatterjee, Chairman, Feedback Infra Group, illustrates an example of the value-creation through building "basic" infrastructure: "As per Power Ministry, 15 states now have 100% household electrification. Likely consequences are also emerging like increased sales of electrical appliances." It drives home the point that electrification infrastructure has a critical impact on creating value through multiplier effects on the economy, boosting demand for goods and services down the consumption chain. For all the talk of FMCG companies accessing rural markets, consumer durable companies would do well to pay more attention to the infrastructure creation trends in the economy. For example, increased electrification creates entirely new markets for electronic goods-focused consumer durables companies. However, the creation of a new market is not limited only to the product being sold. Given the relatively higher ticket-value nature of consumer durables, there is a new market for lending businesses as well. This opportunity in the lending space is to finance some part of the consumption trend. This opportunity is applicable mainly to well-entrenched incumbent lending institutions looking for the next phase of growth. For instance, there might be a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) with a significant business in financing the two-wheeler market in and around the areas seeing increased electrification. The increased electrification trend allows the NBFC to now access a substantial component of existing customers for a new product line of consumer durables. Thereby, the NBFC can deliver value to its stakeholders by building on an existing distribution network and credit information repository. Additionally, there is a business opportunity for the logistics sector as well. A new market in consumer durables creates the need for transportation, storage and distribution of products in new areas. The above is an example of how "basic" infrastructure creation creates positive multiplier effects throughout the economy. Most importantly, new industries are established, and existing industries can expand into new areas thereby creating jobs and facilitating investments. For investors focused on India, both in the private and public markets, current trends such as increased electrification create investment opportunities. For example, more electrification begs an important question: Which segment of the supply chain does the investor want to invest in to generate investment returns? Do investors want to invest in consumer durable companies that can tap into new markets? Do they want to invest in financial firms that can benefit through funding of the consumption? Or do they want to invest in the logistics needed to create the new supply chain? Regarding direct versus non-direct investments, investors have a choice of directly investing in logistics real estate versus investing in publicly-listed companies that have significant exposure to the new markets. The single biggest takeaway is that the creation of "basic" infrastructure creates investment opportunities for all types of investors across the spectrum. It is also important to note that besides the creation of new infrastructure, significant value creation is possible through improving the quality and maintenance of existing "basic" infrastructure. While new projects tend to grab most of the headlines, gradual quality improvements and effective maintenance of infrastructure is value-additive as well. In summary, the creation of "basic" infrastructure delivers value on many fronts. Crowding in private capital, job creation, a higher standard of living, access to basic amenities and expansion of business opportunities are some of the obvious advantages that come to mind. Going forward, both central and state governments would do well to build and improve the "backbone" infrastructure. (Taponeel Mukherjee heads Development Tracks, an infrastructure advisory firm. Views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at taponeel.mukherjee@development-tracks.com or @Taponeel on Twitter) --IANS taponeel/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a plea by low-cost airline IndiGo and SpiceJet challenging the Meghalaya High Court order directing them to start the flights from Shillong from December 15. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi agreed to hear the plea by IndiGo after senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter for an early hearing. The Meghalaya High Court had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Civil Aviation Ministry and the airlines to finalize the plans for commencing flights from Shillong from December 15. The High Court order of December 7 followed a PIL. The High Court said that its earlier suggestions to start flights from Shillong had not been taken seriously by the two airlines. The airlines told the top court that they can't commence commercial operations from Shillong airport as it lacked infrastructure facilities to handle large aircraft. --IANS pk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "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. As he and state party chief Kamal Nath are in the race for the Chief Ministerial post, Scindia expressed his willingness to accept the top post. "Of course, it will be a privilege," replied Scindia to a query on if he would like to hold the top post. With the support of the Bahujan Samaj Party (2 seats), Samajwadi Party (1 seat) and four independents, the Congress with 114 seats of its own in the 230-member Assembly met Governor Anandiben Patel to stake claim to form the next government in the state. --IANS and/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday assumed charge as RBI Governor after Urjit Patel abruptly resigned from the post amidst a tiff with the government on the central bank's autonomy. "Assumed charge as Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Thank you each and everyone for your good wishes," the new incumbent said in a Tweet. Das, who as Economic Affairs Secretary steered the monetary situation post-demonetisation, was appointed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor on Tuesday. His appointment came 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. 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 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/ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress-entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty Kundra is set to attend the Global Gift Gala, hosted in Dubai, along with Hollywood actress Eva Longoria Baston and other celebrities. The evening promises to be a glittering fusion of celebrity and philanthropy. Launched by philanthropist Maria Bravo, the Global Gift Gala Dubai, in association with the Global Gift Foundation, aims to elevate the well-being and lives of children and families. Returning to Dubai for the sixth time, the black-tie event will be held at Dubai's Grosvenor House, on Thursday. The star-studded affair will feature a gala dinner and auction of both luxury goods and experiences. Funds raised at this charity event will go towards UAE-based charity Dubai Cares and the Global Gift Foundation, which seeks to help underprivileged children around the world. According to a source, among one of the four Indians in this high-profile event, "Shilpa Shetty Kundra will attend as a special guest for the high-impact charity gala. Having been a part of several fundraisers, she has been known for her philanthropic work. "Apart from donating the earnings from a celebrity game show she was part of, to rebuilding an orphanage, Shilpa has invested in improving the lives of the underprivileged, with the Shilpa Shetty Foundation that provides shelter and education to orphans. She has also taken several children's homes under her wing, underwriting the cost of running them." The actor's non-profit organisation in India has been actively working towards the education of orphans. "I really feel privileged to have got this opportunity where I can do my bit and make a difference in the lives of these kids. I never gave a second thought when asked to be a part of this change through a common friend (of Shilpa and Longoria)," Shilpa said in a statement. "I hope we are able to meet the necessity of this cause and have a positive impact for future generation to look up too," she added. --IANS nn/rb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka's Parliament on Wednesday passed a vote of confidence on ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with 117 lawmakers from the 225-member Parliament voting in his favour. The vote came as incumbent Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and parliamentarians loyal to him boycotted sessions for the third consecutive week, alleging that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was acting in favour of Wickremesinghe and his United National Party (UNP), Xinhua news agency reported. Following the vote, Wickremesinghe thanked all the parliamentarians who voted for him and promised to protect democracy in the island country. Rajapaksa loyalists, however, termed the vote as "invalid", saying former strongman was appointed the Prime Minister and there was a government in place as the Court of Appeal had only temporarily suspended the government from performing its duties. Meanwhile, the Speaker informed President Maithripala Sirisena on the results of the confidence vote, officials said. Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a political turmoil since President Sirisena surprisingly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in late October and appointed former President Rajapaksa in his place. --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A huge swing of votes in its favour helped Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to score landslide victory in Telangana Assembly elections, according to poll officials. The regional party on Tuesday polled about 46.9 per cent votes winning 88 seats in the 119-member Assembly. It garnered a little over 97 lakh votes. The Congress-led four party People's Front polled 32.8 per cent votes (67.95 lakh) but finished with just 21 seats. Congress party's vote share was 28.4 per cent (58.83 lakh) winning 19 seats while the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) secured 3.5 per cent votes (7.25 lakh) with two seats. The Congress had contested 94 seats and TDP 13. Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), which drew a blank, got only 0.5 per cent and 0.4 per cent votes respectively. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which contested all seats on its own and got only one seat, polled 7 per cent votes (14.50 lakh). The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which won seven out of eight seats it contested in Hyderabad, polled 2.7 per cent votes (5.61 lakh). Among other parties, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) polled 2.1 per cent, Bahujan Left Front 0.7 per cent, Forward Block 0.8 per cent, Communist Party of India-Marxist 0.4 per cent and Independents 3.3 per cent. Forward Block bagged one seat while one Independent was also elected. According to Election Commission, 1.1 per cent voters (2.24 lakh) exercised the NOTA (None Of The Above) option. Out of 2.8 crore voters in the state, 73.2 per cent had cast their votes in the elections held on December 7. There was an increase of 4 per cent in the polling compared to 2014 elections. The TRS had polled 33 per cent votes bagging 63 seats in 2014. Thus its vote share has increased substantially, reflecting in its victory in majority of the constituencies with huge margin. This time the vote share of Congress also increased by 4 per cent but this was not sufficient to stop TRS juggernaut. TDP had contested 2014 elections in alliance with TDP, winning 15 seats with a vote share of 14 per cent. The BJP's vote share remained unchanged at 7 per cent but its number of seats came down to one from 5 in the previous elections. --IANS ms/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Christian Bale, who features in political dramedy "Vice", says current US President Donald Trump treated him like the famous fictional character Bruce Wayne when he met him while filming "The Dark Knight Rises" in 2011. On the red carpet for the premiere of "Vice" here, Bale, who stars as former Vice President Dick Cheney in the film, recounted the past meeting with Trump. "I met him, one time. We were filming on 'Batman' in Trump Tower and he said, 'come on up to the office'. I think he thought I was Bruce Wayne," Bale told Variety. "Because I was dressed as Bruce Wayne. So he talked to me like I was Bruce Wayne and I just went along with it, really. It was quite entertaining. I had no idea at the time that he would think about running for president," he added. On his weight gain for the role of Cheney, Bale said he consulted a nutritionist this time around rather than "winging it", as he did for his other transformative roles. "This is the first time I actually did go to a nutritionist cause I'm starting to feel my mortality. I did decide, 'You know what, I might die, so maybe I should go to see someone who actually knows what they're talking about instead of just winging it', which is what I've always done." --IANS rb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the crucial multilateral climate negotiations by 197 nations draw closer to finale with the possibility of "weak" outcomes, UN chief Antonio Guterres is expected to join talks on Wednesday for evolving rules for implementing the Paris agreement. While Guterres will have no direct role in the negotiations, his presence was expected to help nudge the talks towards a positive conclusion, say negotiators. A day earlier, UN's climate chief Patricia Espinosa and other top UN officials made passionate pleas to governments to finish the work they set for themselves and conclude the summit with an effective outcome. The main objective of the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP24, is to finalize the implementation guidelines of the landmark 2015 Paris agreement on climate change. "He (Guterres) is coming back because he understands how important this is. He wants to do everything he can to make it absolutely clear what leadership looks like and what the expectation is," a post quoting UN Special Envoy for Sustainable Energy Rachel Kyte said. Amid the presence of 100 ministers in Katowice to provide political guidance, Espinosa said on Tuesday: "Many political divisions remain. Many issues still must be overcome. "But I believe it's within our grasp to finish the job. Let's complete the Paris agreement work programme," she said. Climate negotiators told IANS that Espinosa's plea came in the wake of sharp differences between the rich and poor countries over climate finance, transfer of technology, capacity building and mitigation. "The developed countries have effectively taken a stand that the differentiation between the developed and developing countries can no longer be operationalized in the Paris rulebook," one negotiator said. With 2018 chosen by the parties themselves as the deadline for the adoption of implementation guidelines or a "work programme" to move forward with, the 197 parties of the UN Climate Chance Convention were gathered to agree on how they will achieve the Paris commitments collectively, build trust between nations and bring the 2015 agreement to life. Last week, the four big oil and gas producers -- the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait -- faced off against every other country who wanted to formally "welcome" in the UN text the landmark 1.5 degrees Celsius IPCC report that focussed on urgency and also scaled up ambition by the world. The US stood alone among the world's countries in refusing to endorse the findings of the report. India-based independent public research and advocacy think tank Centre for Science and (CSE) on Tuesday said "it is clear now that the talks are progressing towards a weak outcome". Deputy Director General Chandra Bhushan of the CSE, one of the observers, told IANS that it was better to have no rulebook for the Paris agreement than a weak and incomplete rulebook. "By blocking progress on climate finance, rich countries are backtracking on previous commitments," Global Lead on Climate Change at ActionAid Harjeet Singh said. (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/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Seventh Fleet and Indian Navy on Wednesday convened the 21st Executive Steering Group (ESG) on bilateral naval cooperation here. Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Phil Sawyer co-chaired the two-day conference with Deputy Navy Chief Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar. "The commanders reviewed progress of current initiatives and renewed their commitment to expanding exercises, exchanges and port visits that benefit both navies," an official release said. Held annually since 1995, the conference focused on enhancing cooperation in several areas, including carrier strike group operations, maritime domain awareness, at sea logistics, naval medicine, port visit opportunities and expanding exercise Malabar, it said. The Indian and US navies conducted Exercise Malabar in June this year off the coast of Guam, joined for the second time by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Malabar was followed by the Indian Navy's participation in exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) off the Hawaiian Islands. In October, members of US Navy's P-8A and Indian Navy's P-8I maritime patrol aircraft squadrons held a professional exchange in Goa. "The U.S-India partnership is more important today than ever before. Events like the ESG allow us to come together and forge a vision of how our forces will work together for the years to come," said Lieutenant Commander Jerry Tzeng, Seventh Fleet South Asia Regional Theatre Security Officer. Seventh Fleet, which celebrated its 75th year in 2018, is the US Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet. It boasts of around 70 ships and submarines, 140 aircraft and 20,000 sailors. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress recorded its best-ever performance against the BJP since the disastrous 2014 Lok Sabha polls capturing power in the three Hindi heartland states and reviving its hopes in the next general elections. But the outcome has also sent signals that defeating the BJP nationally may not be an easy task. Except for Chhattisgarh, where the party won a two-thirds majority, the results were not as resounding as the Congress would have liked, especially in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where it failed to cross the half-way mark on its own by just two seats. It lost power in Mizoram, the only northeastern state it had, and was routed in Telangana where its decision to go with the Telugu Desam Party evidently boomeranged. The verdict, with the Congress poised to form governments in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, coincided with the first anniversary of Rahul Gandhi's elevation as party chief, raising his stature as a leader and enhancing his image as a serious politician. The outcome is expected to energize the Congress rank and file who have been largely starved of election victories since its 2014 debacle. The latest victory is the first time since 2014 when the Congress has defeated the BJP in a straight contest. Questions remain if the verdict is strong enough to dent the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an effective campaigner and communicator but it is likely to give some confidence to Congress workers that the party has a chance to turn the tables if there is a "Modi versus Rahul" contest in 2019. The outcome will strengthen the position of the Congress in the emerging alliance of opposition parties to take on the BJP-led alliance in 2019 and increase worries of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah in the Hindi heartland states where the BJP won most seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle. The Congress has performed well as a challenger but has found it hard to defend its incumbent governments. The results showed that the Congress can build its campaign around the issues of agrarian distress, unemployment, demonetization, corruption, security of women, Goods and Services Tax (GST), autonomy of institutions and "misuse" of investigative agencies. The outcome has given the opportunity to Congress to pose a challenge to the BJP though it would be an uphill challenge to implement its promise of farm loan waivers. It had attacked the BJP governments in the states and the Centre on the issue. Rahul Gandhi ran an energetic campaign since the announcement of polls in the five states in October and held 62 rallies, targeting Modi in every meeting. He addressed 19 public meetings and held one roadshow in Chhattisgarh, 25 public meetings and four road shows in Madhya Pradesh, 19 public meetings and two roadshows in Rajasthan, 17 public meetings in Telangana and two rallies in Mizoram. Gandhi was able to effect an organisational coherence in the poll-bound states, overcoming one of the party's weaknesses. He made organisational changes and put Kamal Nath as party chief in faction-ridden Madhya Pradesh. The decision was made in April, barely seven months before the Assembly polls leaving the new state chief little time to build his campaign. The results are expected to lead to questions in the Congress if its decision not to project a Chief Ministerial candidate was the best strategy. The BJP's strong performance in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh despite anti-incumbency apparently shows that the 2019 election will need a much more sustained effort by the Congress to dislodge the Modi government. Though the Congress won more seats than BJP in both these states, the two parties have nearly the same vote share. The victory of TRS in Telangana has boosted the profile of state Chief Minister K. Chanrasekhar Rao who has pledged to form a third front that does not include BJP or Congress. This could counter the efforts of his rival, TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, to bring opposition parties, including Congress, on one platform. The Congress could not win a full majority in Rajasthan, falling short by two seats in a cyclical rotation in which both BJP and Congress have been forming governments alternately in the last 20 years. In Madhya Pradesh, where BJP has been in power for the past 15 years, it could not secure a thumping majority like it did in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh and is all set to form a government with the support of BSP and SP. In Chhattisgarh, it won after parting ways with former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi who floated his own party. Gandhi has indicated that the Congress will continue to build its campaign in the Lok Sabha elections around the issues it raised during the Assembly polls. He has also said that the opposition parties will unitedly fight the polls. With the opposition unlikely to project a Prime Ministerial candidate, the BJP is likely to play this to its advantage in the Lok Sabha elections by making it "Modi versus who" battle. --IANS ps/vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will meet his fate the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi did in the just-concluded assembly elections, sufering at the hands of the Congress in three states, Ramesh Chennithala said on Wednesday. "Modi suffered a debacle because the people of those states gave it back to him for his arrogance. Likewise, here also people are watching everything. Vijayan is also heading for a similar fate like Modi's," the Congress leader told reporters in the Kerala Assembly. The BJP's hopes in the just concluded five states elections were dashed as it lost Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to the Congress, while the Telangana Rashtra Samithi took Telangana and the Mizo National Front won in Mizoram. The Leader of Opposition Chennithala noted that the state government has enforced prohibitory orders in Sabarimala ever since the temple opened on November 16, turning a deaf ear to the protest by both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. "The state government is not doing anything to end this impasse even as three of our legislators are on a protest," he said. The protests by three UDF legislators in the foyer of the House entered the 10th day on Wednesday. "The government has to withdraw the prohibitory orders," he added on the penultimate day of the Assembly session, as the opposition again created ruckus inside the House. The opposition went to the well of the house and shouted slogans, besides blocking the vision of Speaker P.Sreeramakrishnan with a banner. "You have crossed all limits of decency of behavior in the house and this is too much," a visibly angry speaker said and rushed through with the listed business and adjourned the house for the day. Thursday is the last day of the assembly session. The Kerala Police earlier in the day recommended extension of the prohibitory orders in Pathanamthitta district where the temple town is located. It is to end at midnight. The police's move came even as the Kerala High Court while hearing a bunch of petitions on Wednesday asked the State Police chief to ensure that certain barricades in and around the temple town is removed to enable the pilgrims to move freely. The court's directive was on the basis of a recommendation by the high court appointed three member observer team. "Even the high court has asked for relaxations at Sabarimala and here Vijayan is adamant. In a democracy, to end the impasse, Vijayan should call for a discussion," said State Congress chief Mulapally Ramachandran. --IANS sg/in/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, in an effort to understand how Google search algorithms work, asked its CEO Sundar Pichai why so many pictures of President Donald Trump appear when she does a Google search for "idiot". "Right now, if you Google the word 'idiot' under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that," the California Democrat told Pichai during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday here. "How would that happen? How does search work so that would occur?" Lofgren asked Pichai, according to the Washington Post. The Google CEO -- who was at the hearing to address allegations of political bias in his company's widely used search engine -- said the results were based on billions of keywords ranked according to over 200 factors such as relevance, popularity, how others were using the search term, to determine how to best match a query with results. "So it's not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we're going to show the user?" Lofgren asked. "It's basically a compilation of what users are generating." Republicans have long accused Google of political bias, which the company has strongly denied. In August, Trump said in a tweet that a Google search for "Trump News" showed only reports from "Fake News Media." He concluded it was "rigged" against him so "almost all stories and news was bad." House Republicans said they wanted to hold the hearing -- entitled "Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use and Filtering Practices" -- to make sure the search giant was being impartial. "Americans put their trust in big tech companies to honour freedom of speech and champion open dialogue," Republican House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia said in a statement before the hearing. The House committee had also questioned YouTube, Twitter and Facebook executives at separate hearings on bias in big tech. In response to Republicans who complained about Google searches, Democratic Representative Ted Lieu said: "If you want positive search results, do positive things. If you don't want negative search results, don't do negative things." "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." --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 15,700 Indian websites were reported hacked this year up to November, Parliament was informed Wednesday. "As per information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), 33,147, 30,067 and 15,779 Indian websites were hacked during the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 (up to November) respectively," Electronics and IT Minister said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. He added that the government has taken following measures to enhance the cyber and prevent cyber attacks in the country. The minister said Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issues alerts and advisories regarding latest cyber threats and countermeasures on a regular basis and cyber exercises are conducted regularly to enable assessment of cyber posture and preparedness of organisations in government and critical sectors. Besides, the government has also formulated a Crisis Management Plan for countering cyber attacks and cyber terrorism for implementation by all ministries/departments of central government, state governments and their organisations and critical sectors, he added. In response to another question, Minister of State for Electronics and IT SS Ahluwalia said a total of 9622, 11592 and 12,317 cyber crime cases were registered during the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively, as per the data maintained by Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). "This includes cases registered under the (IT) Act, 2000 and related sections of Indian Penal Code and Special & Local Laws involving computer as medium/target," he added. Ahluwalia said according to CERT-In data, a total of 3, 14 and 6 financial fraud incidents affecting ATMs, cards, Point of sale (PoS) systems and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) were reported during 2016, 2017 and 2018 (upto November) respectively. "Further, the (RBI) has registered a total of 1,191, 1,372, 2,059 and 921 cases of frauds involving ATM/Debit Cards, credit cards and Internet Banking frauds reported (amount involved Rs 1 lakh and above) during the year 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 (up to September 30, 2018) respectively," Ahluwalia said. An ambitious one million pound programme that will bring several artificial intelligence (AI) companies from the UK to help tackle diseases in Indian hospitals and health centres was announced here Wednesday. The announcement was made at the India-UK FutureTech Fest (FTF) which brought together over 200 companies and 1,000 delegates, British High Commission said in a statement. The festival featured several Indian and UK Tech companies, along with scientists, policy-makers and entrepreneurs, the statement said. One of the programmes launched at the event aims to bring some of the best AI health companies from the UK to deploy their solutions in India's hospitals and primary health centres, it said. The programme focuses on diagnostic AI that can tackle some of the biggest diseases in India. Five companies have been short-listed for the first phase and were announced at the Festival. "When Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Theresa May announced the India-UK Tech Partnership back in April, they put the enabling power of tech at the heart of our bilateral relationship," Dominic Asquith, British High Commissioner to India said in the statement. "The UK-India partnership has embraced wholeheartedly the challenges and opportunities tech brings, with an exciting agenda promising to maintain both countries' position at the forefront of the tech revolution," he said. "The UK is a natural partner to India in our mutual interests and ambitions in technology, and our collaboration is overseen by the highest offices in both countries," the statement quoted Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog, as saying. "India could potentially be the Tech Garage for the rest of the world, and we are keen to invite the best technology companies and solutions to India -- in areas like healthcare, manufacturing, mobility, finTech etc," Kant said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Normal life in central Assam's Dima Hasao district was hit on Wednesday in a 24-hour shutdown by various student organisations demanding autonomous state status, official sources said. The shutdown from 5 am was called to press for autonomous state under Article 244 (A) and withdrawal of Clause 8 of BLT Accord that grants ST (Hill) status to Bodos living in Assam's two hill districts of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong. The shutdown has been called by Dimasa Students' Union, Kuki Students' Organisation, Hmar Students Association and Karbi Students' Association among others. The bandh is in response to a 48-hour bandh called by various organisations on December 12 and 13 in the two hill districts. Markets, shops, banks, business establishments, some offices, educational institutions remained closed in headquarters Haflong town and other parts of the district like Maibang, Mahur, Diyungmukh, Umrangso, the sources said. Public transport and private vehicles kept off the roads, they said. Train services in the district were, however, not affected by the shutdown, the sources said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 28,523 Indian nationals died in the of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and in the last four years, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday. The highest number of deaths of Indian nationals was recorded in between 2014-2018 at 12,828 followed by the at 7,877, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh told the Lok Sabha in response to a question. About 1,021 deaths of Indian nationals between 2014-2018 was recorded in while 2,932 deaths were recorded in About 2,564 deaths of Indian nationals were recorded in while 1,301 deaths were recorded in Qatar, he said. Singh said that in order to prevent workers' death such as suicides and road accidents in the Gulf countries, awareness campaigns are conducted by the missions and posts through labour camps organised by Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra in collaboration with the Indian missions. The highest number of deaths in these in the last four years was recorded in 2016 when 6,013 Indian nationals died followed by 2017 when 5,906 Indian nationals died in these countries. Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department on Wednesday seized 288 gram of heroin here and arrested three persons from Myanmar border Champhai town in this connection, an official said. The contraband worth around Rs 11 lakh was reportedly smuggled from Myanmar, a spokesman of the department, Peter Zohmingthanga, told PTI. The three have been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and produced before a local court, he said. The court has remanded the three accused to judicial custody for 14 days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- Data Science is an emerging field which is now being integrated with industries across all sectors. This year Analytics India Magazine, in association with Great Learning, decided to find out what goes on behind the making of a good Data Scientist. A thorough research was done to find out the tools and techniques used by the new technology professionals during this study. From language to coding and GPUs, this study encompasses interesting and insightful answers from the sector. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/690836/Analytics_India_Magazine_Logo.jpg ) The samples were collected by asking respondents to fill in a survey created by AIM about what tools and techniques data scientists use at work. This included various sub-topics such as data visualisation tools, preferred operating systems and programming languages, among others. This also includes opinions from all those who practice data science - from professionals with less than two years of experience to CXOs - to get a thorough idea of the working environment in this growing field. This survey was met with much enthusiasm - and it includes some great insights. Some of them were expected, and many of them were real eye-openers. One of the key findings of the study was the fact that the favourite language for coding for data scientists in today's era is Python, as almost 44% of professionals use it regularly. A close second is R at 35% - another clear favourite with data scientists, due to its versatility. It was also found out that Python users preferred the Pandas library most, at 41%, followed by Numpy at 24%. With a plethora of data analytics tools available online, the survey asked data scientists if they were willing to use open source tools at work. The answer was a resounding yes. Almost 89% of the data scientists said that they preferred to work with open sourced tools. Only 8% data scientists said that they liked to work with custom-made tools which are tweaked and personalised for their particular projects. Data visualisation might be tricky for many data scientists. Crunching numbers is one thing, but telling a story with numbers is a whole different deal. When asked about their favourite data visualisation too, the respondents had one clear winner: Tableau. More than half the respondents, 51%, said that they preferred to use Tableau as a dashboard or visualisation tool. It was followed by Microsoft BI at 12% and IBM Analytics at 11%. AIM also asked the data science practitioners about their preferred cloud services provider. Amazon Web Services was a clear winner at 45% with Google Cloud following at 34%. Bhasker Gupta, CEO and Founder of Analytics India Magazine said, "The study is indicative of a fact that a majority of data scientists in India prefer cutting-edge tools which are in sync with the global trends. Most of them are on a clear path to using simple, programmable tools which can help them draw actionable insights." Hari Krishnan Nair, Co-founder and Director at Great Learning, said, "Today the most relevant data analytics tools include Python, R and Tableau. Just 5 years back, this was very different. This is not surprising as the technology is evolving every day and offering better solutions to harness and make sense of data. All knowledge professionals will have to keep pace with this change and upskill regularly in order to solve the latest challenges at work. Data Science, Analytics, Machine Learning and AI are career-defining opportunities today and these are also fast-evolving fields. Lifelong learning is the way forward for all professionals who want to succeed in the Digital Economy."Here's the complete study: https://www.analyticsindiamag.com/data-science-skills-study-2018-by-aim-great-learning/About Analytics India MagazineFounded in 2012, Analytics India Magazine has since been dedicated to passionately championing and promoting the analytics ecosystem in India. It chronicles the technological progress in the space of analytics, artificial intelligence, data science, big data by highlighting the innovations, players in the field, challenges shaping the future, through the promotion and discussion of ideas and thoughts by smart, ardent, action-oriented individuals who want to change the world. It has been a pre-eminent source of news, information and analysis for the Indian analytics ecosystem by covering opinions, analysis and insights on the key breakthroughs and developments in data-driven technologies as well as highlighting how they are being leveraged for future impact. Visit: http://www.analyticsindiamag.com About Great Learning Great Learning is an ed-tech company which offers programs in career critical competencies such as Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Deep Learning. Their programs are taken by thousands of professionals every year who build competencies in these emerging areas to secure and grow their careers. Great Learning is on a mission to make professionals proficient and future ready. They believe learning a new skill is tough and high-quality education has to be rigorous. In addition to all their programs being extremely comprehensive, a core part of the learning experience is the learning assistance provided to candidates. They use technology, content and a wide network of industry experts (Great Learning Gurus) to help candidates learn in the most impactful manner, whether it be through their unique blended model of classroom sessions and online content or online content with personalised weekend mentorship sessions. Source: Analytics India Magazine Pvt. Ltd. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 500 Indian fishermen are languishing in various jails of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday. Altogether 482 fishermen are languishing in Pakistani jails while 18 are in custody in Sri Lanka, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh said in a written reply. However, he clarified that Pakistan has acknowledged custody of only 391 Indian fishermen. Singh also said as many as 174 Indian fishermen were released by Pakistan this year while 214 fishermen were set free by Sri Lanka. The Pakistan has also seized 1050 boats while 10 boats are in Sri Lanka custody, he added. Pakistan and India regularly arrest each other's fishermen who inadvertently enter into their waters due to absence of any proper technology to confirm the coastline border between the two countries near Sir Creek in the Arabian Sea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five Rwandans will go on trial in Belgium over their alleged role in war crimes and genocide in Rwanda in 1994, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday. "This is the first time that a Belgian (criminal court) will have to deal with facts qualified as genocide crimes," the prosecutor's office said. Four trials linked to the massacres in Rwanda were held in Belgium between 2001 and 2009, although the defendants faced only charges of war crimes. But the prosecutor's office said the criminal court in Brussels will "also have to rule on the crime of genocide" in the new cases. "The five accused still benefit from the presumption of innocence," it said in a statement. It said pre-trial authorities last week ruled that the five appear in the criminal court "for acts committed in 1994 in Rwanda in connection with the genocide of Tutsis and the massacre of moderate Hutus." The five were divided into two cases. In the first, one defendant is referred to the court for murders and rapes; another for murders, attempted murders and rape; and a third for murders and attempted murders. In the second case, one individual is referred for murders, and another for murders and attempted murders. All the defendants are only identified by their initials. In 1993, a law was adopted that allows courts in Belgium -- the former colonial power in Rwanda -- to try Belgian residents, whatever their nationality, for crimes allegedly committed abroad. In 2001, four Rwandans, including two nuns, were convicted by a Brussels court. In 2005, a Brussels court sentenced two Rwandan businessmen to 10-12 years in prison after they were found guilty of war crimes and murder linked to the genocide. Then, in 2007, a former Rwandan army commander, ex-major, Bernard Ntuyahaga, was also convicted. In 2009 a Brussels court sentenced Rwandan Ephrem Nkezabera, dubbed the "genocide banker", to 30 years in prison for war crimes including murders and rapes during the bloodbath. UN figures said 800,000 people were killed, most of them from the Tutsi minority. Trials have also been held in other European countries like Sweden, the Netherlands, Finaland, and Norway as well as in Canada and Rwanda itself. Cases have also been heard in Tanzania, whose northern city of Arusha hosts the UN-backed International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 759 incidents of stone pelting were reported in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year, the Rajya Sabha was informed Wednesday. Union minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir also said 238 terrorists were eliminated by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir till December 2, 2018. "There are instances of stone pelting during anti-militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The state government has reported that 759 cases have been registered against stone pelters in 2018," he said replying to a written question. There were 587 incidents of terrorists violence in the state till December 2 this year in which 86 security personnel and 37 civilians were also killed. In the corresponding period in 2017, there were 329 incidents of terrorist violence in the state in which 200 militants were eliminated while 74 security personnel and 36 civilians were also killed in these incidents. Ahir said the violence in Jammu and Kashmir has been "sponsored and supported" from across the border and it has direct links to the infiltration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP government has decided to convene a two-day special session of the Delhi Assembly starting December 20, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Wednesday. A Delhi government official said that the session will be convened to discuss several issues, including financial proposals and an amendment related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). "There will be a two-day session of the Delhi Assembly on December 20-21," Sisodia told reporters here. Last month, the government had convened a special session of the Delhi Assembly to discuss the recent chilli powder attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other issues. During the session, legislators had discussed the alleged deletion of names in the voters list in the city. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 A section of Delhi BJP leaders has expressed reservations over party veteran LK Advani's reported acceptance of an invitation to join silver jubilee celebrations of Delhi Legislative Assembly, which is dominated by Arvind Kejriwal's AAP. Many leaders, on the condition of anonymity, said that Advani should abstain from the function. "The AAP leaders specially its chief Arvind Kejriwal are known to push their political agenda on almost any platform. Advani may inadvertently become their tool in this case," said a senior Delhi BJP functionary. The Delhi Assembly Speaker has invited Advani as the chief guest to the function held to mark the 25th anniversary of its first sitting. Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had told PTI that Advani accepted the invite for the function to be held on December 15. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari overruled objections of party leaders in the matter saying, Advani should join the function as he may succeed in ending "negativity" of the AAP dispensation. "I do not see any problems in Advani joining the function. I feel some people should go nearer to AAP leaders and Kejriwal so that their negativity could be removed," Tiwari told PTI. The AAP and BJP share a bitter relation over a host of issues. The two sides traded barbs on many occasions most recently in case of inauguration of Signature Bridge and an attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the Delhi secretariat. "Kejriwal's outlook is negative. I know, he has not invited Advan with a positive mindset but still he should go there," Tiwari said. Advani had been the first chairperson of the Delhi Metropolitan Council, the body that preceded the Assembly, from 1966 to 1970. The Delhi Assembly had its first sitting on December 14, 1993. Besides Advani, other invitees to the function include former members of the Legislative Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Budget carrier AirAsia Wednesday announced it would operate flights on the Chennai-Hyderabad sector and that services would begin from December 21. Passengers can book tickets via the airliners' mobile application and avail promotional fares from Rs 1,399 for flights between Chennai and Hyderabad and Rs 1,899 from Hyderabad to Chennai. The booking of tickets commenced Wednesday and would go on till December 23 for travel from December 21 to February 4, 2020, a company statement said. "We are happy to launch a new route connecting Hyderabad and Chennai and are proud to have created a demand for air travel", AirAsia India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Sunil Bhaskaran said. "A study conducted by us shows that 26 per cent of flyers are first-time flyers, which goes on to show how we have enabled a lot more people to experience air travel", he said. Bhaskaran said the inaugural flight would leave Chennai at 1905 hours and reach Hyderabad at 20.45 hours on December 21. In the return journey, the flight would leave Hyderabad at 2110 hours and reach Chennai at 2240 hours, he said. AirAsia currently operates to 21 destinations and has three hubs in Bengaluru, New Delhi and Kolkata, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asked him to "reveal" caste of other deities so he could pray to the God of his caste. Yadav's remarks come days after the chief minister described Lord Hanuman as a Dalit. Adityanath had, during a poll rally in Rajasthan's Alwar district, said, "Hanuman was a forest dweller, deprived and a Dalit. Bajrang Bali worked to connect all Indian communities together, from north to south and east to west." "Caste of only some Gods have been revealed. It will be good if he tells caste of all of them. I will also pray to the God of my caste," Yadav told reporters Wednesday. Adityanath was strongly criticised by the opposition for his remarks while one of its own Dalit MP quit the party. Bahraich BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule claimed that Lord Hanuman was "a Dalit and a slave of 'manuwadi' people" and alleged that Dalits and backwards were being called 'bandar' (monkey) and 'rakshas' (demon). The Lok Sabha member quit the BJP last week, charging it with playing to divide the society. Asked to comment on the results of the just-concluded assembly elections in five states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Akhilesh said the outcome was "encouraging". "Results of assembly polls are out. I thank people of these state especially of Chhatisgarh, MP and Rajasthan and welcome the 'janadesh'. Though our (SP's) performance was not good, we won a seat in MP and stood at second at some places," he said. To a question on forging future alliance, he said, "Presently I am seeing how strong my party is and emphasising on its preparations upto booth level. The SP always stood against communal forces and its objective it so see happy and prosperous India." Yadav said that his party did not contest many seats so that it did not ruin the political pitch of other parties against the BJP. "We did not contest too many seats. We contested on seats where we had some base. We did this to not botch political prospects of other parties against the BJP," he said, adding that his party has already offered support to the Congress in MP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh lashed out at his predecessor, Parkash Singh Badal, on Wednesday for accusing him of sabotaging the Kartarpur Corridor. Amarinder Singh said it was not him, but the Akali veteran who was trying to sabotage the interests of the Sikh community and Punjab with his "injudicious" statement made. "Badal's statement is in line with his approach of exploiting religious issues to further his political interests," Amarinder said in a statement here, adding that the former chief minister was trying to mislead the state's people with baseless allegations. The chief minister pointed out that it was the Congress leadership, from Indira Gandhi to Manmohan Singh, that had always striven for opening the corridor, and he had been raising the issue with Pakistan and the central government. Amarinder Singh added that it was idiotic to suggest that he could try to block the corridor and sabotage the fulfilment of the aspirations of the Sikh community. Badal had said Amarinder Singh's recent statements on the corridor were "extremely ill-advised and ill-timed" and that he was trying to sabotage it. Amarinder Singh had on Sunday claimed that Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had broken the of opening of the corridor to state minister Navjot Singh Sidhu even before Imran Khan was sworn in as their prime minister, dubbing the whole affair a "bigger conspiracy" hatched by the ISI. The chief minister said Wednesday he was proud of the fact that the Punjab government had worked closely with the Centre in successfully overcoming the strong security concerns and infrastructural challenges in opening up the Indo-Pak border in the face of the "huge dangers" posed by the Pakistan and its agencies. "By choosing to close his eyes to the harsh and sad reality of the Pak threat, (P S) Badal has once again shown he was least concerned about the welfare of the people of Punjab and was only bothered about the political gains he could make from the opening of the Corridor, which his party had been trying to take undue credit for," he said. While it was a dream for him to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, he could not turn a blind eye to the terror being perpetrated in his land by the ISI-backed forces, nor could he ignore the killings of innocent soldiers by the Pakistani army, the chief minister added. The much-awaited corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur -- the final resting place of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak Dev -- with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday said it was an "honour" to attend the 'Vivah Panchami', the symbolic wedding of Lord Rama with Sita at Janakpur in Nepal. Adityanath Wednesday attended the Vivah Panchami and offered prayers at the famous Janaki temple in Nepal's historic Janakpur city. Janakpur is known as the birth place of Sita. A massive Janaki temple was built in memory of Sita in 1910. The three-storied structure made entirely of stone and marble is 50-metre high and spread over 4,860 sq feet. "It is my privilege to participate in 'Vivah Panchami' celebrations at Janakpur in Nepal... Nepal organised the celebrations on a grand scale where lakhs of people participated," he told reporters here after offering prayers at Mahavir Mandir. The UP chief minister said with strengthened cultural ties, both India and Nepal can become partners in each other's progress and development. Adityanath arrived here on Wednesday from Janakpur. He called on his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar at his official residence 1, Aney Marg, officials said. Adityanath also called on Bihar governor. "UP CM Yogi Adityanath gave a courtesy call to the Governor Lalji Tandon at Raj Bhavan here," a Raj Bhavan release said. This is the first time Adityanath visited the Bihar capital after becoming UP CM, the release said. Official sources said that the UP CM would stay at Raj Bhavan in the night and leave for UP the next morning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Arctic region experienced second lowest overall sea-ice coverage on record this year, due to the continuing global warming trend, according to a US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report. The report also found that the number of grazing animals in the region, such as the Arctic caribou and wild reindeer populations, dropped by 56 per cent in two decades, with the largest declines in Alaska and Canada. NOAA's annual report card on the Arctic measures the changing climate of the polar region including warmer air and ocean temperatures and declines in sea-ice that are driving shifts in animal habitats. The 2018 Arctic Report Card is a peer-reviewed report that provides an annual status update on the region and compares these observations to the long-term record. It was compiled from the research of 81 scientists working for governments and academia in 12 nations. This information can be used to inform decisions by local, state and federal leaders as Arctic residents confront the challenges and opportunities posed by a rapidly changing climate and ecosystem. "This report will also help guide NOAA's 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," said Timothy Gallaudet, acting under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA. The report shows that the Arctic region experienced the second-warmest air temperatures ever recorded as well as the second-lowest overall sea-ice coverage. The region also experienced earlier plankton blooms due to early melting of sea ice in the Bering Sea. The report also includes multi-year environmental changes, including a long-term population decline of the region's iconic wildlife species, the caribou. Other multi-year essays focused on the expansion northward of toxic harmful algae and significant concentrations of microplastic pollution that are transported by ocean currents into the Arctic Ocean from other parts of the global ocean. Arctic caribou and wild reindeer populations dropped sharply from 4.7 million to 2.1 million -- a 56 per cent decline -- grazing animals in two decades, with the largest declines in Alaska and Canada. Scientists attribute the declines to Arctic warming, which is increasing the frequency of drought, affecting the quality of forage. Longer, warmer summers also increase flies, parasites and disease outbreaks in the herds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hinduja Group flagship firm Ashok Leyland Wednesday said it has inked a pact with Israel's Elbit Systems. As part of this agreement, Ashok Leyland will provide high mobility vehicles (HMV) for mounting Elbit Systems' artillery guns and systems. The integrated systems are targeted for worldwide export markets, Ashok Leyland said in a statement. The Chennai-based firm has expertise in design, manufacturing of logistic vehicles, combat support HMV and armoured vehicles for the defence forces. "We are certain this partnership will expand our reach globally. It underlines our capabilities of making and designing in India, for the world," Ashok Leyland MD Vinod K Dasari said. This step is also in line with the company's strategy of increasing contribution from defence business, which will help it de-risk its overall business, he added. Elbit Systems is engaged globally in a range of defence areas, including land systems, artillery systems and platforms, howitzers, mortars and ammunition. This collaboration with Ashok Leyland will strengthen its defence business and provide an opportunity to export these integrated systems. Ashok Leyland shares were trading 2.96 per cent up at Rs 105.95 apiece on the BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hinduja Group firm Ashok Leyland Wednesday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Israel's Elbit Systems for high mobility vehicles. "As part of this agreement, Ashok Leyland will provide high mobility vehicles (HMV) for mounting Elbit Systems' artillery guns and systems. The integrated systems are targeted for worldwide export markets," Ashok Leyland said in a regulatory filing. Ashok Leyland MD Vinod K Dasari said this partnership will expand the company's reach globally. "It underlines our capabilities of making and designing in lndia, for the world. This step is also in line with our strategy of increasing contribution from our defence business which will help us de-risk our overall business," he said. Elbit Systems, is engaged in a range of defense areas including land systems, artillery systems and platforms, howitzers, mortars and ammunition. Shares of Ashok Leyland were trading 2.58 per cent higher at Rs 105.55 apiece on BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government on Wednesday said India has repeatedly called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation and it made this assertion to Islamabad last month as well. Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India's "consistent and principled" position is that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and shall be an integral part of India. Pakistan has been in illegal occupation of approximately 78,000 sq km of Indian territory in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Swaraj said. "Under the so-called 'Boundary Agreement' signed between China and Pakistan on March 2, 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to China," she said in her written reply. "We have repeatedly and consistently called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation, most recently on November 30, 2018," Swaraj said, without elaborating on where the issue was raised with Pakistan. Pakistan continues to be in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of Jammu and Kashmir, she asserted. To another question in Lok Sabha on the number of incursions in Doklam during 2014-2018, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said: "Doklam is part of the territory of Bhutan." Government regularly takes up any transgression along the Line of Actual Control with the Chinese side through established mechanisms as well as through diplomatic channels. To a question on whether the Ministry of External Affairs or any other officials have any involvement or signed any agreement with the French government for the procurement of Rafale jets, Singh said, "No". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Most exit polls failed to predict the massive mandate that the Congress got in Chhattisgarh, but got their forecast of a tight finish in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh right. In Rajasthan and Telangana, the exit polls got the winner right but failed to gauge the level of the victory margins for the assembly elections for which the votes were counted on Tuesday. They predicted a clear win for the Congress in Rajasthan, but when the results were out, the party could not achieve the magic figure on its own, getting 99 of 199 seats, just shy of the majority mark. In Telangana, it was a landslide victory for the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti, which got 88 of the 119 constituencies, leaving the Congress trailing far behind with 19. In the northeastern state of Mizoram, where the Congress was ousted from power, the regional Mizo National Front performed much better than the exit poll prediction, bagging 26 of 40 seats. In Madhya Pradesh -- where the results went down to the wire with the Congress getting 114 seats, just two short of a simple majority in the 230-member assembly, and the BJP 109 -- ABP predicted a clear defeat for the BJP (94 seats) and victory for the Congress (126). While Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat gave 108-128 seats to the BJP and 95-115 to the Congress, India Today-Axis said the saffron party could win 102-120 seats as against 104-122 for the Congress. The Times Now-CNX exit poll predicted a majority for the BJP in MP with 126 seats and gave the Congress a tally of 89 seats. In Chhattisgarh, the BJP was reduced to 15 seats while the Congress bagged 68 seats in the 90-member assembly seat. The Ajit Jogi-led Janta Congress Chhattisgarh and the BSP alliance together bagged seven seats. Quite in contrast to the declared results, the ABP and the Times Now-CNX exit polls predicted victory for the BJP. Though India Today-Axis said the Congress would triumph, it did not get its numbers right. Times Now-CNX gave a simple majority to the BJP in Chhattisgarh, saying it may win 46 seats while the opposition Congress may bag 35 seats. ABP said the BJP may get up to 52 seats against 35 of the Congress. The India Today-Axis predicted that the Congress would end Chief Minister Raman Singh's 15-year reign by winning anywhere between 55-65 seats. The BJP, it said, may be reduced to 21-31 seats. All the exit polls said the alliance of former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (Jogi) and the BSP may win between three and eight seats, which may help him to emerge as a king-maker in the event of a hung house. This was fairly accurate with the BSP getting two seats and the JCC five In Rajasthan, India Today-Axis said the opposition party may win 119-141 out of 199 seats for which elections were held. The BJP, it added, may win 55-72 seats. Times Now-CNX forecast 105 seats for the Congress and 85 for the BJP. ABP also predicted a victory for the Congress, saying it may bag 101 seats while the BJP may end up with 83 and others with 15 seats. Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat forecast a tighter race between the two parties. It gave the Congress and the BJP 81-101 and 83-103 seats respectively. In Mizoram, almost all exit polls predicted a win for the MNF and defeat of the Congress but none could assess the margins of defeat and victory. In Telangana as well, most exit polls said TRS would win without getting being able to make an assessment of the margins. Republic TV forecast 50-65 for the TRS and Times Now gave it 66 seats. TV9 Telugu was closer with a 75-85 tally for the TRS but India Today was the most accurate, forecasting 75-91. In Mizoram, where the Congress has been in power for two consecutive terms, Times Now-CNX said the ruling party may get 16 seats. It predicted 18 seats for Mizo National Front (MNF) in the 40-member assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The award-winning Chinese photojournalist who vanished last month in the restive northwest region of Xinjiang was "officially arrested" by local authorities, his wife said Wednesday. The wife of Lu Guang wrote on Twitter that police in Kashgar had called and confirmed that her husband had been arrested, though no charges were mentioned. "Currently, the family is entrusting lawyers to get in touch with the office handling this matter," Xu Xiaoli posted. She has not yet received any official paperwork regarding his arrest and does not have permission to see him, said Xu, who had previously said that she had heard of his detention through a friend. Kashgar police told AFP they had no "relevant information". Lu's 25-year career as a photographer has produced many award-winning photos which examine the dark side of China's economic development and societal changes, documenting industrial pollution, worker abuse, AIDS-plagued villages, and the illegal export of African timber to China. A World Press Photo awards winner, Lu had planned to travel from Xinjiang to southwestern Sichuan on November 5 and meet with a friend, who was unable to reach him, his wife said in an earlier Twitter post. Xu said she lost contact with him on the night of November 3 when he was in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, a heavily policed region where authorities are accused of running a network of internment camps. Lu, who lives in the United States, was visiting the region as a tourist and to teach and interact with local photographers, Xu Xiaoli said from New York, where she resides. Xinjiang, home to the mainly Muslim Uighur minority, has undergone a security crackdown prompted by clashes that have killed hundreds in recent years. Up to a million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking minority groups have been placed in political re-education camps in the region, according to estimates cited by a United Nations panel. Foreign journalists travelling to the region are frequently detained and followed by police to prevent and obstruct reporting on the internment camps and treatment of Uighurs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bandhan Bank would add another 40 branches by December 31, taking the total number to 978, the Kolkata-based lender's founder and CEO C S Ghosh said on Wednesday. Ghosh said five new branches would be opened on Wednesday. The total number of ATMs would be 476, he said. The Reserve Bank of India had earlier imposed restrictions on Bandhan Bank's branch expansion, after it failed to pare promoters' stake to 40 per cent from close to 82 per cent, within the stipulated three-year time frame. The lender commenced operations on August 23, 2015. "The bank had received prior approval from the RBI for opening the new branches," Ghosh told PTI. "We are working on the process of stake dilution of the promoting company in the bank," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A top Huawei executive facing US accusations of Iran sanctions violations was granted bail in Canada on Tuesday, hours after a former Canadian diplomat was said to have been detained in China, intensifying a diplomatic standoff between the North American allies and Beijing. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, faces extradition to the United States, where she is wanted for allegedly violating Iran sanctions, but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row. "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. The list of strict conditions of her release pending the outcome of the extradition case is lengthy, and includes the surrender of her passports and electronic monitoring. She was expected to be released shortly, and will be allowed to stay at a luxury home owned by her husband Liu Xiaozong in Vancouver. US President Donald Trump said he may intervene in the American case against her to further the trade relationship with China. "If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made -- which is a very important thing, what's good for national security -- I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," he told Reuters. In a statement, Huawei said it is confident the Canadian and US judiciaries will "reach a just conclusion in the following proceedings." "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." 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, scheduled to start on February 6, could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. The United States must submit details of the accusations for the Canadian court to consider. Earlier, the three-way diplomatic standoff over her arrest intensified with the that China had detained Canadian national Michael Kovrig. The former diplomat once served in Beijing but was there on unpaid leave, sources told AFP. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced concern over the detention that his ministers said was very troubling. "This has our attention at the very highest level of our government," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, adding to concerns voiced by the International Crisis Group think tank, Kovrig's employer, which first raised the alarm. China had expressed outrage over Meng's arrest in Vancouver and warned of "grave consequences" if she were not 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. Meng was arrested on December 1 while changing planes in Vancouver on the first leg of a round-the-world business trip with stops in South America and Europe. "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 argued in 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." During a break in the proceedings, Martin said Meng had confided that she had been "working hard for 25 years" and actually looked forward to a break to spend with family, read novels and maybe apply to a doctorate program while the extradition case played out. Her husband Liu Xiaozong presented 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 telecom 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," State Department Deputy 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 focussed on her proposed release plan, with a judge expected to come to a decision in the afternoon on whether to free her on bail. 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 had 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 1 million Canadian dollars in cash -- for a total value of 15 million Canadian dollars -- 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. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP president Amit Shah has often asserted that his party will better its 2014 tally of 282 seats in the next Lok Sabha polls, but such a task now appears a stiff climb as it battles a united and energised opposition in the states that fuelled the saffron surge. Before the disappointment of the latest round of assembly polls, the Narendra Modi juggernaut was rolling ahead since the spectacular victory of 2014, when the BJP won close to 80 per cent of Lok Sabha seats in eight states including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Now, its assembly election loss in these three Hindi heartland states has added to the BJP's woes, as the party faces challenges from a resurgent Congress and alignment of opposition forces in states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar for the 2019 elections. These eight states had given the BJP a whopping tally of 221 out of their 287 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. While an alliance of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party threatens to upset the BJP's equation in Uttar Pradesh, where it had won 71 of 80 seats against a divided opposition, the tie-up between the Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka has made the going tough for the party. The BJP had won 17 of 28 Lok Sabha seats in the southern state in 2014 when the Congress and JD(S) had fought separately. In Gujarat, the Congress had given the BJP a scare in the 2017 assembly elections, winning 81 seats against its 99. With the Congress on an upswing, a repeat of the 2014 clean-sweep in 2019 appears far from certain for the BJP in Prime Minister Modi's home state which had elected his party's nominees in all 25 seats. A recalcitrant Shiv Sena has been giving the BJP a headache in another western state, Maharashtra, where the alliance of the two parties had won 41 of the total 48 seats in the last general elections. Peeved with its junior status in the state, Sena has announced that it will not ally with the BJP in 2019, though there are indications that it may bury the hatchet if the BJP offers its traditional Hindutva ally a better deal. The BJP has also suffered a setback in Bihar after its ally and RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha severed their ties and indicated that he may join the opposition camp of Lalu Prasad's RJD and the Congress. The saffron party was also dumped by its Dalit ally and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi last year. However, the BJP did get a major boost in the eastern state by winning over the JD(U) president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The BJP had won 22 of the state's 40 seats in 2014 while its allies picked nine seats. Its loss of power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattigarh means that it will have to face a resurgent Congress in the three states where it had emerged victorious in 62 of 65 Lok Sabha seats. Shah has marked states like Kerala, Telangana, Andhra, Odisha and West Bengal as the growth region for his party in 2019. The BJP had fared poorly in these states in 2014 and its top brass is of the view that they may make up for the losses the party may suffer in other states. However, political watchers are of the view that the saffron party has not so far made much inroads in the southern states, highlighted by its poor show in Telangana where its tally in the assembly polls fell to one seat from the earlier five. The view within the BJP, although, is that the Lok Sabha polls will be a different ball game, and the 'Modi factor' coupled with the absence of a opposition leader to match his charisma will help it retain the power at the Centre in 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The state Congress unit said Wednesday the BJP lost three state polls due to its "anti-farmer" stance and predicted a similar fate for the ruling BJD in Odisha as it is "insensitive" to peasant's problems. The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. The assembly poll results show that the process has begun for the Congress to ascend to power, Odisha PCC president Niranjan Patnaik told reporters here. Results of the assembly election in the three states amply prove that farmers' problems and issues pertaining to the farm sector played a major role in the voting, he said. "Congress will bounce back to power both in Odisha and at the Centre as people are unhappy over the anti-farmer approach of BJD and BJP," he said. "Political parties and governments which are insensitive towards the issues of farmers are bound to face defeat in the next elections," Patnaik said. The OPCC president described BJD and BJP as "two sides of the same coin", saying both the political parties are "incapable" of safeguarding the interests of farmers. Their inaction on MSP and implementation of the M S Swaminathan committee report showed that both the parties are working against the interests of farmers, he claimed. The assembly poll results also proved that based on religion and cast has been rejected outright by the people, Patnaik asserted. Stating that farmers in Odisha are facing serious problems, Patnaik said reports of suicide by debt-ridden peasants have been pouring in frequently from different parts of the state but the state government has done "little" to mitigate their plight. On the other hand, attempts were made to suppress the voice of the farmers and police force was used by the BJD government to stop them when they were proceeding to Bhubaneswar to highlight their grievances and demands, he alleged. The OPCC chief exuded confidence that the Congress will be voted to power in Odisha if it fights elections in a united and disciplined way. He said if the party comes to power in Odisha, it will waive farm loans and provide solar pump sets to farmers. In Odisha, where assembly polls are due early next year along with the Lok Sabha elections, Congress will be locked in a direct fight with the ruling BJD, he claimed. Monthly old-age pension would also be enhanced from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000, while farmers would be provided with adequate financial assistance, the PCC President said. Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, who was also present at the press meet, said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has himself admitted that farmers' issues played a major role in the assembly polls, results of which were declared on Tuesday. He said the chief minister should realise that his government is also indifferent to the problems of farmers. "The anti-farmer policy of the BJD government will pave way for a change in the next elections in Odisha," Mishra said. Naveen Patnaik had on Tuesday found fault in the BJP-led NDA government's farmers policy. Noting that the elections were held in predominately agrarian states, he had said the BJP government at the Centre has done "very little" for peasants as regards MSP and implementation of M S Swaminathan Committee recommendations. BJP's state unit vice-president Samir Mohanty also took a swipe at the BJD government accusing it of neglecting the farmers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal government Wednesday asked the state BJP leadership to meet officials led by the chief secretary and the director general of police at the Lalbazar police headquarters to discuss the party's 'rath yatra' programme, a top leader said. West Bengal BJP vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar said the party received a letter from the government, asking it to go to the Lalbazar police headquarters here on Thursday to discuss the schedule of the programme. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court had on December 7 directed the West Bengal chief secretary, the home secretary and the director general of police to hold a meeting with three representatives of the BJP by December 12, and take a decision on the 'rath yatra' by December 14. "We have been asked to come to Lalbazar at 5.30 pm tomorrow. We will be there on time." he said. The BJP delegation will include party leaders Mukul Roy, Pratap Banerjee and Majumdar himself, he added. BJP national president Amit Shah was slated to kickstart the campaign, titled 'Save Democracy Rally', from Cooch Behar district on Friday, from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 9, and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum district on December 14. The 'rath yatras' were to cover all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bengal. The BJP moved the division bench of the Calcutta High Court after a single judge bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty had refused permission to hold the yatra. A BJP delegation had on December 8 submitted letters to the West Bengal government, stating its readiness to join discussions over its 'rath yatra'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe emphatically proved his majority in Parliament on Wednesday, weeks after being sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the island nation into a political turmoil. As many as 117 out of 225 lawmakers in Parliament voted to pass a confidence motion in his leadership. The motion's approval could be seen as a blow to President Sirisena who has steadfastly refused to reappoint 69-year-old Wickremesinghe due to his personal dislike of the ousted prime minister. Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. Rajapaksa has so far failed to prove his majority in Parliament. The main Tamil minority party TNA voted in favour of the confidence motion. However, the Marxist JVP, which has protested Sirisena's extra constitutional action, abstained from voting. If the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)'s six lawmakers had voted in his favour, Wickremesinghe would have commanded an unassailable majority in the House despite the president's refusal to reinstate him. Sirisena's United People's Freedom Alliance continued its boycott of Parliament when Sajith Premadasa, Wickremesinghe's deputy, moved the motion in the morning. Premadasa urged Sirisena to end the October 26 unconstitutional action and reinstate Wickremesinghe to take the country back to the pre-October 26 position. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya later adjourned the Parliament session until December 18. Legislators supporting Sirsena and Rajapaksa have been boycotting Parliament since November 17 when there were violent scenes of fighting, breaking up of furniture and throwing chilli powder. Two key court orders on the legality of Sirisena's action await delivery. The one on Parliament's sacking is expected this week. Sirisena, after sacking Wickremesinghe on October 26, dissolved Parliament and called for a snap election on January 5. However, the Supreme Court overturned his decision. Sirisena said that he has always taken decisions in the best interest of the country and the people. United National Party (UNP) leader Wickremesinghe last week urged the President not to "be like Hitler and some of the other dictators who used the referendum". Sirisena has said that Wickremesinghe is a stubborn, headstrong person who was following far right wing neo-liberal policies. Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa both claim to be the prime ministers with the former claiming that his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Prior to the crisis, Wickramasinghe's UNP had the backing of 106 parliamentarians while Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine had 95 seats. The President has said that due to sharp personal differences with Wickremesinghe, he would not reappoint him as the Prime Minister. However, Wickremesinghe's UNP claims that Sirisena will be left with no choice as he would be the man who will command the confidence in the House. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The constituencies with high population of Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) communities in Chhattisgarh, have contributed hugely in steering Congress towards a thumping victory in the state. The state has 29 seats- in the 90-member assembly- reserved for ST candidates, and the Congress won 25 of them, besides bagging seven of ten SC reserved seats. Both the leading parties- BJP and Congress had been focusing on the tribal region- Bastar (south) and Surguja (north)- ahead of the polls to woo tribal communities that comprise around 32 per cent of the state's population and said to have always influenced the outcome of the assembly polls. Despite winning 18 of the 29 tribal- reserved seats in 2013 polls, Congress had failed to form a government in the state. However, this time it has improved it tally and won 25 of the total number of ST seats. The BJP, which had won 11 ST reserved seats in the previous polls, finished with just three this time. Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who heads the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), has won Marwahi (ST) this time. In the previous the poll, his son Amit Jogi had won this seat as a Congress candidate. In the 2008 assembly election, the BJP had formed the government by winning 50 seats (out of 90) with the blessings of tribals as it had won 19 out of 29 ST reserved seats, while the Congress had won only 10 ST seats in 2008. Three ministers from the erstwhile Raman Singh government, who hail from tribal community, have lost this time. Forest minister Mahesh Gagda lost at the hands of Congress' Vikram Mandavi by 21,584 votes in Bijapur (ST) seat. School Education minister Kedar Kashyap was defeated by Congress' Chandan Kashyap by a margin of 2,647 votes in Narayanpur-ST. Home Minister and a prominent tribal leader Ramsevak Paikra was defeated by Congress' Premsai Singh Tekam by 44,105 votes in Pratappur seat. Similarly, SC vote bases shifted significantly to the Congress during this poll. The Congress has won seven out of ten SC reserved seats this time, which was just one in the 2013 polls. SCs make up roughly about 12 per cent of the states population. They are largely settled in the plains. A majority of the SC population follow the Satnami sect. The BJP has managed to win only two SC seats, seven less than what it had won in the last polls. However, it has snatched Masturi (SC) seat from the incumbent Congress MLA this time. Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) woman candidates Indu Banjare has won one SC seat- Pamgarh this time. Cooperative Minister Dayaldas Baghel was defeated by Congress' Gurudayal Singh Banjare by 33,200 votes in Navagarh (SC) seat. According to the political observers, anti-incumbency factor, coupled with promises made by the Congress in its manifesto- particularly for farmers, helped it in weaning away SCs and STs from the BJP in the recently-concluded polls. The Congress has registered a landslide victory in Chhattisgarh polls, winning 68 seats in 90-member House. The BJP was reduced to just 15 seats, while the Ajit Jogi led JCC(J) managed to win 5 seats. Jogi's ally BSP has won two seats. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 49 seats, the Congress 39, while one seat each was bagged by the BSP and an independent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Traders' body CAIT Wednesday slammed industry chamber CII for favouring 100 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail and said any such move would affect livelihoods of crores of people. In a joint report released Tuesday, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and global management consultancy firm AT Kearney said the government should consider permitting 100 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail and further improve ease of doing business for the sector to promote growth in the segment. Reacting to the CII report, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) issued a statement alleging "the CII is a mouth-piece of MNCs and corporates who are destined to capture and monopolise the retail trade of India. Its demand for allowing FDI in multi-brand retail is to keep such companies in good humour as they are funding CII". The industry chamber's 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. However, Chairman of CII's Retail Committee Shashwat Goenka said: "The report talks about creating a common law for all formats of retail. So either we do 100 per cent FDI in all formats of retail or in none." "It is interesting to note that the report is prepared in association with a foreign company AT Kearney which obviously will forward and advocate the agenda of MNCs. It is none of the business of CII to speak for retail trade and it will be better if it keeps itself to the issue of corporates," the traders' body asserted. The traders' body said foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail is a crucial issue affecting livelihood of crores of people in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Canadian judge granted bail Tuesday to a top Huawei executive after her arrest on a US warrant, in a case that has frayed relations between the North American allies and China. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, is wanted by US authorities for violating Iran sanctions but Beijing has expressed outrage over her detention and is holding a former Canadian diplomat in China, intensifying the row. "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. The list of strict conditions of her release pending the outcome of the extradition case is lengthy, and includes the surrender of her passports and electronic monitoring. She was expected to be released shortly, and will be allowed to stay at a luxury home owned by her husband Liu Xiaozong in Vancouver. 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, scheduled to start on February 6, could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. The United States must submit details of the accusations for the Canadian court to consider. Earlier Tuesday, the three-way diplomatic stand-off over her arrest intensified with the that China had detained Canadian national Michael Korvig. The former diplomat once served in Beijing but was there on unpaid leave. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One person was killed and another injured Wednesday evening when their car fell into the Nandakini river in Chamoli district, officials said. The car was returning from a marriage ceremony when it slipped off the road and rolled down around 35 metres into the river, the district disaster management office here said. The car with its two occupants met with the accident on the Ghat-Sitel motor road, killing one person and leaving the other badly injured, it said. The injured was first rushed to the Ghat community health centre, from where he was referred to a hospital in Srikot. The deceased was identified as Chandra Singh Bisht and the injured Jaiveer Singh, the disaster management office said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI has booked the then principal, vice principal and administrative officer of prestigious Sainik School, Tilaiya for alleged leak of All India Sainik School Examination 2018 question papers, officials said Wednesday. The then principal Col Nabarun Roy, vice principal Sanjay Kumar and administrative officer Lt Col Shishir Kumar along with teachers Dhananjay Kumar and Manoranjan Pathak besides officer superintendent V K Trivedi were named in an FIR by the CBI. It is alleged that these officials entered into a criminal conspiracy and indulged in corrupt activities and cheated the Sainik School Society. It is alleged that AISSEE 2018 was held for admission of boys to classes 6 and 9 by Sainik School Society at different centres including 12 in Jharkhand. The agency has registered the case on a reference from the Defence Ministry which alleged that corruption in several activities including the leak of question papers while printing of Hindi version for All India Sainik School Examination for 2018. It also alleged manipulation in preparation and publication of merit list, calling candidates for medical test in violation of laid down norms and anomaly in awarding interview marks, selection of large number of children of primary residential school, and palpable breakdown of working relationship between officers posted in the school. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 47-year-old woman was killed after being hit by a celebratory gunshot fired during a marriage procession in Varachha area of the city in the wee hours on Wednesday, police said. The victim, Savitriben Vadgujar, was declared brought dead at a government hospital where she was rushed after the incident, a police official said. "The incident took place between 12.30 am and 1 am when the victim was standing at the balcony on the first floor of the building where she lived. She was watching the marriage procession passing by when some unidentified persons, who were part of the procession fired in celebration," the official from Varachha police station said. "A randomly-fired bullet hit Vadgujar on her face. She was seriously injured in the incident and rushed to the government hospital, where she was declared brought dead," the official said. According to him, how many rounds were fired by the revellers was being investigated. An FIR was registered against unidentified persons under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC and section 25 (1)(A) of the Arms Act and investigation has been initiated, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied knowledge of the detention of a former Canadian diplomat, as Chinese citizens rejoiced over a Canadian court's decision to release a top Huawei Technologies executive on bail. The release of Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, prompted an outpouring of support on social media for her and her company, which is based in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Zeng Yuan, a university student in Beijing, was among many who believe the detention of former diplomat Michael Kovrig was related to Meng's case. "It is a kind of declaration to the Canadian government," the finance student told The Associated Press. "This makes sense. China cannot sit and await its fate, and let them make ambiguous accusations against Chinese citizens." Meng was detained Dec 1 at the request of the US, which accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. After three days of hearings, a British Columbia justice granted bail Tuesday of 10 million Canadian dollars (USD 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 pm to 6 am. While declining to confirm Kovrig's detention, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and its activities in the country were illegal. "I do not have information to provide you here," he said. "If there is such a thing, please do not worry, it is assured that China's relevant departments will definitely handle it according to law." Because Kovrig's organization is not registered as a non-governmental organization in China, "once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law," Lu said. He repeated China's demand for the immediate release of Meng, whose father founded Huawei, a leading telecommunications equipment maker that has strong connections to the Chinese government and military. Meng's case has set off a diplomatic furor among the three countries and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed Kovrig's detention. The International Crisis Group said he was taken into custody Monday night by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, which handles intelligence and counterintelligence matters in the Chinese capital, Rob Malley, president of the Brussels-based group, said he thinks Kovrig was in Beijing on personal matters at the time of his arrest and was definitely not there for any illegal purpose or for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An eight-year-old Dalit girl, who had gone missing after she went to graze cattle, is suspected to have been strangled to death after being raped in a village in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district, police said Wednesday. The deceased, a Class III student, was missing since Tuesday night and her body was found in a mustard field in her village on Wednesday. Prima facie, the girl was strangulated and she was also raped, a police officer said. There were no visible injury marks on her body except a slight scratch on her chest. She lived with her maternal grandparents in a village, said Station House Officer (SHO) Radha Kishan. After coming from school on Tuesday, she went to graze cattle near her home with other children of the village, but when she did not return home till late in the evening, her family members started looking for her, the SHO said. Her body was spotted the next morning in the mustard field, about 200 to 300 metres away from her home, the officer said. Police is suspecting a 20-year-old youth of the same village, who attempted suicide by holding live electric wire in the morning after the girl's body was recovered. He was rescued in time and is undergoing medical treatment in a hospital, the SHO said. The youth became a key suspect as he was drunk and was spotted near the minor girl on Tuesday evening. He could not not be interrogated as he was still unconscious, the officer said. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said. The body has been handed over to the family members after post-mortem, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Supporters choked roads to the Rajasthan Congress headquarters on Wednesday as the party celebrated its victory in the assembly polls and held discussions there to pick the state's next chief minister. Similar crowds of party workers and supporters were witnessed a decade ago when the Congress got the mandate to form the government in 2008. Ashok Gehlot was picked as the chief minister then by the party. This time also he is a frontrunner for the post along with the Pradesh Congress Committee head Sachin Pilot. The Congress Legislature Party met in the morning and passed a single-line resolution leaving the final decision to party president Rahul Gandhi. Meetings between office bearers from the All India Congress Committee and individual MLAs continued inside even after this. Amid these consultations at the Sansar Chandra Road office, some Sachin Pilot supporters shouted slogans outside. A large number of policemen were deployed outside the party office. After Gandhi takes a call on the next Congress Legislature Party leader - who will then go on to become the chief minister - a second CLP meeting is expected to take place. Then a delegation will meet Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim to form the government. MLAs loyal to both Pilot and Gehlot have been in touch with the two main contenders since the results came in Tuesday. Some rebel MLAs who contested as independents after being denied the party ticket were in touch with Ashok Gehlot, party leaders said. The Congress won 99 seats and its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal got one out of the 199 seats for which elections were held on December 7. The House has 200 seats but elections were put off on one seat because of the death of a candidate. The party is also looking for support from independents MLAs and non-BJP parties. The Bahujan Samaj Party won six seats in the state. Earlier in the day, BSP chief Mayawati offered support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In 2008, Ashok Gehlot was nominated as the Congress Legislature Party leader after intense consultations. Last time, there was a pressure from the Jat lobby for a chief minister from the community, but Gehlot who comes from the Mali community was finally picked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress will form the next government in Chhattisgarh, ending the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 15-year reign in the tribal state. The Congress has won 66 seats and is leading in two more in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP has been relegated to a distant second spot, winning just 15 seats, according to the results available at 5.30 am on Wednesday. The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has won two seats, while the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi has won five. The two parties fought the polls in an alliance. After it became clear that the Congress was heading for a massive victory, Chief Minister Raman Singh submitted his resignation to the governor. Singh told reporters Tuesday that he accepted the responsibility for the loss, refusing to pass the buck to the BJP's national leadership. "The election was solely contested on a state agenda and it was not related to Delhi. We will sit with the party workers and analyse the defeat in detail. "This will not reflect on the 2019 Lok Sabha election," he said. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 49 seats, the Congress 39, while one seat each was bagged by the BSP and an Independent. The today gave a notice for suspension of business in the to discuss the alleged corruption in the purchase of 36 fighter jets from France under a government to government deal and demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe into the issue. Deputy Leader of in Anand Sharma moved a notice under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Council of States seeking suspension of all business of the House to discuss the purchase. The notice read, This House expresses its serious concern over the irregularities and alleged corruption in the acquisition of jets. The arbitrary decision has resulted in loss of technology transfer, manufacture of 108 fighter jets by HAL and massive loss to exchequer. The scam be investigated by a JPC to fix accountability. President has been alleging corruption and favour to private industrialists in the purchase and leading the demand for a JPC in the matter. The issue of Rafale purchase was also discussed at a meeting of opposition parties held on Monday to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the BJP in 2019. had said after the meeting that "there was consensus in the opposition that the Rafale scam needs to be probed. Congress' Prathap Chandra Shetty was Wednesday unanimously elected Karnataka Legislative Council chairman, with a miffed aspirant for the post from coalition partner JDS Basavaraj Horatti accusing the Congress of using chief minister H D Kumaraswamy as a "rubber stamp". Furious over being left out "at the last minute", Horratti, who was the pro-tem Chairman, also alleged that the Congress party that is in alliance with JD(S) was not following the "coalition dharma". Four-time MLA from Kundapura and three-time MLC Prathap Chandra Shetty was elected, belying expectations that Horatti would occupy the post. Horatti, a former minister, along with Congress' S R Patil were considered as contestants until the grand old party sprung a surprise by nominating Shetty as its candidate. "Violating coalition dharma, feeling that they (Congress) have majority, they fielded their candidate...they did not listen to what party (JDS) leadership said," Horatti said claiming that his party supremo H D Deve Gowda had also taken up the matter during his visit to Delhi recently. Speaking to reporters, at 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha' (the legislature complex) here where the winter session of the state legislature is on, he said, for the Congress, majority was "bigger" than "coalition dharma". Horatti said he had advised his party the JD(S) also, that the Chief Minister was just not limited to being a "rubber stamp" "Promise made while forming the government has not been followed, so they (JDS) will have to take a strong stand," said adding whatever Congress had agreed -- from appointment of principal secretaries to nomination of public representatives -- should be followed. The former education minister also said he had told the Chief Minister not to become a rubber stamp for every thing. "Until today I was (pro-tem) Chairman, so could not speak more on such things, but now I don't fear," he said. When specifically asked whether the Congress was trying to use the Chief Minister as its rubber stamp, Horatti responded "that is what happening." JDS had to get the opportunity in the Council. "... until yesterday morning our party had asked me to file the nomination, but things changed at the last moment while filing the nomination," he said. Other key contender S R Patil of Congress too is said to be unhappy with the party choosing Shetty. Patil along with Horatti claimed in the council that injustice was being meted out to north Karnataka to which they belong to as adequate representation was not given to the legislators from the region. The coalition government had earlier witnessed disgruntlment among several Congress leaders over not finding berth in the ministry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu credited Congress's victory in three Hindi heartland states to party chief Rahul Gandhi and said the win will change the "picture and fate" of the country. Sidhu, who had gone to see chief minister Amarinder Singh at his residence, told reporters that now the farmers could talk about their rights. The party won assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. "The Congress's win in the three states will change the picture and fate of the country," he told reporters. He said even one win can change the picture and the Congress has registered three wins. "The win has opened the doors of prosperity for farmers, employment for youth and better days for the poor," he said. He said the polls were a "battle of truth" which have laid the foundation for a change on political front in the country in 2019. He, however, sounded a word of caution for the partymen and claimed the Congress will not become complacent despite the victory. Asserting that the Narendra Modi government had to pay for its "arrogance", Sidhu said "dictatorial" approach is not acceptable in democracy. "You beat people, put them in jails...this is not acceptable," he said. With the Congress's win, now the farmers could talk about his rights, he said. Sidhu said that he addressed 85 rallies in 17 days in the three states which damaged his vocal cords. "I was on verge of losing my voice as I had injured my vocal cords, but now I have recovered totally," he said, adding that he did not speak for four days on advise of doctors. Sidhu, who was recently in Pakistan for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor, said that the decision to open the corridor was a "good and positive omen". "Everything has started getting right (after Kartarpur corridor)...The Congress won elections in three states...," he said. He said that the issue of the Kartarpur Corridor should not be looked through "political lens" and "no one should go for credit". He said that the opening of the corridor will open "many closed doors". Sidhu had attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the corridor in Pakistan. Kartarpur is located in Shakargarh in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab. Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, had spent more than 18 years of his life there. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Congress delegation met Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh Wednesday evening to stake claim to form the government in the state but the party was yet to decide who should be the chief minister. Discussions spread over hours between AICC office bearers, sent to Jaipur from Delhi, and the newly elected MLAs failed to resolve an apparent division over picking former chief minister Ashok Gehlot or the state unit chief Rajesh Pilot. In its first meeting of the day, the Congress Legislature Party passed a one-line resolution leaving it to Congress president Rahul Gandhi to take a final call on leader of the CLP, who will go on to become the chief minister. The discussions with the AICC general secretary Avinash Pande and observer K C Venugopal continued till late evening, when it was apparently decided to put them on hold. Pande, Gehlot and Pilot were part of the delegation that left for a meeting scheduled earlier with Kalyan Singh. A Congress MLA said there could be another meeting of the Congress Legislature Party Thursday morning to resolve the deadlock. The party won 99 seats and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal got one seat out of the 199 for which elections were held on December 7. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting began at the party's state headquarters here on Wednesday to discuss the name of the next Rajasthan chief minister. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The CLP will file a resolution and the observer will apprise party president Rahul Gandhi about the opinion and views of the MLAs, a party leader said. The final decision will be taken by Gandhi based on the feedback, he added. PCC president Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both MLAs and front runners for the coveted post, are in the meeting besides other party MLAs. The name of the chief minister will be announced in the evening and a delegation of the party then meet Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim to form the government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Rajasthan will meet here Wednesday to discuss the name of the next state chief minister. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and PCC President Sachin Pilot, both MLAs, are in the race for the top post. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will be present in the meeting and seek opinion of party MLAs. "The CLP is meeting at 11 am," Pilot said. The CLP will file a resolution and the observer will apprise party president Rahul Gandhi about the opinion and views of MLAs as well as senior leaders of the party. The decision will be taken by Gandhi based on the feedback. A second meeting of the CLP will take place in the evening and the name of the chief minister is likely to be announced then. The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan, winning 99 seats, while the BJP got 73. The Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats, CPI(M) 2, Independents 13 and other parties got 6. The Congress is one short of a simple majority, 100 seats, to form the government in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With numbers in place to form governments in Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, the elected MLAs on Wednesday authorised the party's national to decide the chief ministers as senior leaders including top contenders held hectic parleys through the day and till late in night. As suspense mounted on who would get the top job in the three states, party leaders said the names could now be announced on Thursday after Gandhi meets the observers appointed for the three states and other senior leaders. Gandhi, on the other hand, has also reached out directly to the party workers in the three states to know their top choice for the chief minister post through an internal mobile messaging app, party leaders said. Among other two states that also went to polls, K Chandrashekar Rao would be sworn in as Chief Minister on Thursday with his party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, storming back to power for the second consecutive term and with a bigger mandate. In Mizoram, where Mizo National Front has trounced to wrest power of the hill state, the party Zoramthanga would be sworn in as chief minister on Saturday. In all the three states where has emerged victorious signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks to stop the BJP juggernaut before the 2019 general elections, the newly-elected MLAs met in the presence of party's central observers, while party leaders also met governors in and to stake government formation claims. In Rajasthan, the top contenders for the top post are Pradesh Congress Committee and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. After a late night meeting, Pilot told waiting reporters that the process of getting the feedback was almost complete and the party high-command would take the final decision on Thursday. He did not give any direct reply to a pointed question on whether he was ready to take the responsibility, saying "Let's see, what happens". In Madhya Pradesh, where three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel, the Congress team that later met the governor to stake government claim included two top contenders for the top job -- and Scindia also later told reporters that a final decision was expected Thursday. The MLAs in also met late evening in Raipur in presence of the party's central observer There are as many four names doing the round for the state chief minister post -- member Tamradhwaj Sahu, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel, of opposition in the outgoing assembly T S Singhdeo and senior Charandas Mahant. The legislature party meeting in lasted for almost seven hours, while and Raipur also saw long-running meetings. The top leaders from the three states, as also the central observers, are expected to meet Gandhi on Thursday, while hectic lobbying was expected to continue through the night on Wednesday. Central observers A K Antony for and K C Venugopal for took the opinion of newly-elected MLAs, party leaders said. Senior party leaders in the national capital said the meetings of MLAs and authorising the party chief is part of an established process within the party for selecting the chief ministers. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. Former Congress president described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the won 6 seats. BSP on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state The Congress victory in ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. After a see-saw battle on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. and chief announced their parties' support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, where BSP has got two and SP one seat. Congress has also claimed support of the four independents, all party rebels, who have emerged victorious. In Mumbai, NCP chief said the Assembly election results mark the "beginning of a change" and a "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people have brought "those flying in the air back to the ground". With the Congress being seen on a path to resurrection post electoral successes in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, political pundits feel it is still faced with the twin challenge of building strong anti-BJP coalitions and strengthening its state organisations. Buoyed with electoral gains in these three states, the grand old party is now in power in a total of six states including Punjab, Karnataka and Puducherry, but the real challenge before the Congress is defeating the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and it is widely felt it would need help of other opposition parties for that. For the moment, the Congress has stemmed its electoral decline by sweeping Chhattisgarh and edging out the BJP in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, signalling its preparedness for 2019 elections which are building up as a "BJP-versus-all" battle. The fact that it just missed the majority mark on its own in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh underscores the continuing importance of bringing allies on board. Its loss in Telangana, despite forging an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), also brings out the party's internal organisation weaknesses. The victory sealed by regional forces in Telangana, as also in Mizoram which is the latest state to slip out of the Congress fold, in the just-concluded assembly polls also underscores the importance of non-BJP and non-Congress parties in a politically diverse democracy. Telangana's loss comes despite the Congress being seen by its leaders and many others as its creator and Sonia Gandhi making a fervent appeal to the electorate there. In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress had to seek the support of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) both to form a government and in Rajasthan also the Congress had to seek the support of two independent MLAs to reach the majority mark in the 200-member state assembly. Congress president Rahul Gandhi appears to be conscious of the relevance of workable anti-BJP coalitions for challenging the BJP in 2019 and said in his victory speech that a resurgent Congress and a combined opposition will make a difference to defeat the BJP. While the need for various parties to fight 2019 polls unitedly has been stressed by many opposition leaders, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav told PTI that the Congress needs to treat the Opposition in a better way, while noting that the moment Congress gets strong it does not treat the opposition well. He also felt that the results of these assembly polls could have been better had the Congress leadership coordinated well with the SP. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said his party will build a people's narrative, a positive paradigm and a module to find lasting solutions to the "pain caused by the Modi Government at war with its own people". "We will carry everyone along in this battle, despite our ideological differences, in order to save democracy, save the Constitution and protect the integrity of out institutions intrinsic to the very subsistence of our polity," he told PTI. Former union minister and senior Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said the spectacular victory of his party in assembly elections is a clear pointer to the "decimation" of BJP in 2019 elections. "It is also imperative, however, for the Congress to lead in the formation of a winning secular alliance against the BJP in order to avoid the fragmentation of votes," he said. Kumar also said the organisational inadequacies of the party, wherever noticeable, have to be addressed on a war-footing and a clear picture of intra-party unity at all levels needs to be demonstrated. "It is equally important for us to focus on the core issues of the people where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has miserably failed to deliver. The 2019 election will represent a choice of the Indian people between freedom and fear, besides inclusion and exclusion," he said. As the party moves forward into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it not only needs to strengthen the state units and reach out to the grassroots level, but also forge alliances with like-minded parties, said another party veteran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Conservative Party MPs in Britain began two hours of voting Wednesday on a no-confidence motion in Prime Minister Theresa May, initiated by anti-EU lawmakers opposed to her Brexit plan. The British leader, who earlier vowed to fight "with everything I've got", needs a majority of her MPs -- 159 -- to back her in the vote to remain in Downing Street. The result is expected around 9:00 pm (2100 GMT). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Consumers of Adani Electricity Wednesday walked to the office of the firm in Sakinaka protesting "inflated" bills and sought refund. The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) had already appointed a committee to look into the reasons behind 'inflated' power bills. Hundreds of residents of Sakinaka marched to the firm's office demanding that "incorrect" power bills be withdrawn for the sake of transparency and also raised slogans. The protest march was organised by Abbas Mirza who heads Rashtriya Ekta Foundation. "Even though the regulator has initiated an enquiry into inflated bills of Adani Power, the hassled citizens will not tolerate high-handedness of the firm", he said. RTI activist Anil Galgali, who also attended the protest march, demanded that the power firm upload a statement detailing its income and expenditure on its portal. "In our demand to Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd (AEML), we have said that individual metres be installed for each consumer", he said. From September 1 this year, over 30 lakh consumers of Reliance Energy were technically migrated to Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd (AEML), after Adani Group acquired Reliance Infrastructure's Mumbai power business. The issue of alleged inflated bill was taken up by political parties, including the BJP and the Congress. AEML had stated that the bills reflected only seasonal rise in consumption of power during October and November. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court Wednesday directed NIA to hand over certain documents to Kashmiri separatist Aasiya Andrabi, arrested in connection with a case of allegedly waging war against the country with support from Pakistan. Special Judge Rakesh Syal directed the agency to hand over the copy of the charge sheet and other documents filed along with it to Andrabi, chief of the banned outfit Dukhtaran-e-Milat, and two other accused. The charge sheet and the documents, which also included electronic copies of the accused's speeches, videos and social media links, were handed over to the accused. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on January 17. In its charge sheet, NIA had claimed that a probe revealed that the accused were running a concerted campaign to elicit support from the neighbouring country and accused them of being involved in conspiracy and acts to "severely destabilize the sovereignty and integrity of India". Besides Andrabi, her associates Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen were also sent to judicial custody. The case was registered against the three women in April this year. Andrabi was in a prison in Srinagar after the Jammu and Kashmir High Court cancelled her bail last month. The NIA, on directions of the Union Home Ministry, registered a case against them as well as the organisation, which is banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in April this year. According to the FIR, the "central government has received information that Aasiya Andrabi and her associates namely Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen are actively running a terrorist organization named as 'Dukhtaran-E-Millat' (DEM) which is proscribed under the First Schedule to the UAPA". The agency also said in the FIR that Andrabi and her associates had allegedly spoken, written and also published "visible representations that bring into hatred and contempt apart from exciting disaffection towards the Government of India". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A federal judge in California has ordered adult film star Stormy Daniels to pay nearly USD 300,000 in attorney's fees, costs and sanctions to the lawyers representing Donald Trump in a defamation suit she brought against the US President earlier this year, according to a media report. Trump's attorney, Charles Harder, had asked for a total of nearly USD 780,000 from Daniels -- USD 389,000 in attorney fees and another USD 389,000 in sanctions in a hearing last week, the CNN reported. Harder termed the order to pay USD 293,052.33 a "total victory" for Trump. "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," the report quoted Harder as saying. The defamation was brought earlier this year after Trump called an allegation by Daniels that an unknown man threatened her in a parking lot to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump a "total con job" in a tweet. The law suit is separate from the original lawsuit about the nondisclosure agreement Daniels signed with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen that's now at the center of a federal criminal case against Cohen, the report said. Daniels slammed that she had an affair with Trump in 2006, an allegation denied by the US President. Daniel's attorney Michael Avenatti acknowledged that Tuesday's ruling was a partial win for Trump. "Trump asked for USD 800,000 in attorney's fees, costs and sanctions from the minor defamation case, The cost court awarded well less than 1/2, recognising that the request was gross & excessive," Avenatti said in a tweet that has since been deleted, according to the report. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The decks are clear for Congress to form the next government in Madhya Pradesh after three-time chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan Wednesday tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel. Patel met a Congress delegation here at noon after the party leaders wrote to her last night, seeking a chance to form the new government in the central Indian state. Chouhan made it clear that BJP will not stake claim to form government in the state. The Congress emerged as the single largest party in MP by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced their parties' support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BSP got two and SP one seat in the MP Assembly polls, held on November 28. Congress has also claimed support of the four independents, all Congress rebels, who emerged victorious. After meeting the Governor, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia came out of the Raj Bhavan and flashed victory signs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government Wednesday cleared a proposal of redeveloping five road stretches, including Ring Road from Maypuri to Moti Bagh junction, in the national capital. The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) also approved another proposal of installing CCTV cameras in three jails -- Tihar, Rohini and Manodli -- a move aimed at achieving maximum coverage in the internal areas of prison complex. The five road stretches which will be redeveloped are Shivdaspuri Marg and Patel Marg, Wazirpur Depot crossing to Rithala metro station, Mayapuri to Moti Bagh junction, Vikas Marg to Chungi Karkari Crossing and Narwana Road Mother Dairy to Puch Mahal Newas. Talking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who chaired the EFC's meeting, said that the projects are aimed at giving aesthetic look and to provide maximum basic facilities to road users. In the estimate, provisions have been considered for dismantling of existing footpath, construction of RCC drain, construction of cycle track, ramp, parking and other road engineering improvements, Electrical lighting, Horticulture and Irrigation facilities. The committee has also approved a proposal of construction two bridges on the Najafgarh Drain. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government has unearthed a cyber-tax fraud totalling Rs 262 crore committed by over 8,700 traders who were found showing fraudulent tax deposits into 13 banks since 2013, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Wednesday. Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that the Trade and Taxes Department has registered a complaint with the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for registration of FIRs in the matter. "Delhi govt tax authorities have unearthed a big cyber-tax fraud. More than 8,000 registered dealers have been found showing fraudulent tax deposits into 13 banks. The matter has been handed over to EOW, Delhi Police. AAP govt believes in zero tolerance to any corrupt practice," he tweeted. Earlier in the day, the deputy chief minister said during the scrutiny of suspected fraud transactions, it was noticed that the fraud had been continuing since 2013. "The government has detected cyber-tax fraud of Rs 262 crore. As per our initial investigation, around 8,700 traders were involved in the fraud. It is a very serious issue that should be investigated thoroughly by probe agencies," he said. Sisodia also said the traders who were found involved in this fraud had tracked bank IDs and passwords, and also showed that they have deposited tax online, but in reality, they were not depositing tax. The Delhi Police said Reena Toppo, VAT officer, Delhi, has lodged a complaint against some business firms which had claimed input tax credit under GST on the basis of fictitious documents and non-existent bank accounts. Preliminary amount involved is Rs 9.97 crore and the complaint is being examined by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Police has entered the Limca Book of Records by training over two lakh women and girls under their self-defence programme in 2017, police said Wednesday. Started in 2002, the Delhi Police's self-defence programme is carried out by the Special Police Unit For Women and Children (SPUWAC) and 9,80,456 women under 5,140 programmes have been trained till November this year, they added. The SPUWAC had written to Limca Book Of Records in February citing they have trained 2,08,125 participants under 989 programmes in 2017. The Delhi Police shared press releases, press clippings and data of all the schools, colleges and other places where the programmes were carried out, said an officer, privy to the development. After authentication by the Limca Book Of Records, the SPUWAC received an email informing them about their achievement. "We had shared details about the number of women trained under this programme with the Limca Book of Records officials and, after scrutinising the number and other aspects, they informed us today (Wednesday) about our feat," Geeta Rani Verma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (SPUWAC), said. The Delhi Police will receive the award in February 2019, Verma added. "We did not work for the award. We achieved our target and after getting this award, it has boosted our confidence and we will train more participants next year. Our target for 2019 is to train around 3.5 lakh women and make them strong to deal with any kind of situation," she said. The officer said it had not been an easy journey for them. In 2002, they trained only 57 women in two programmes. "It took time to create awareness about the programme and once the women started showing their interest, the number of participants increased every year," said another officer. This is not the first time Delhi Police's name will figure in the Limca Book Of Records. In 2016, the Delhi Police had entered the Limca Book of Records for solving the biggest cash heist case of the country in November 2015 by recovering Rs 22.49 crore of stolen money. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police teams have been formed to nab the accused involved in the killing of a 34-year-old man in Delhi's Shahdara in a suspected case of road rage, officials said on Wednesday. Police said they have not been able to gather any clues about the identity of the accused as there were no CCTV cameras in the area and they could also not get the scooter's registration number. The deceased, Sushil Chauhan, was returning home with his friends after having dinner at a restaurant in Shahdara's Geeta Colony area on Monday when his car collided with a scooter, a senior police officer said. An argument broke out between Chauhan and the scooter driver. The scooter driver allegedly attacked Chauhan and fled the spot, a senior police officer had said. According to preliminary investigation, Chauhan, a resident of New Usmanpur area, was allegedly shot dead. However, the post-mortem examination report revealed that he was stabbed in the thigh and no bullet was found in his body. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker H A Safwi passed away at a city hospital Wednesday morning after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments, family sources said. He was 73. A former IPS officer, Safwi was elected from Uluberia (East) Assembly seat on Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket twice, in 2011 and 2016. He held the folios of inland water transport and correctional administration under the TMC regime. Safwi was appointed as the deputy speaker of the House on June 23, 2016. Condoling the deputy speaker's death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said his death was a great loss for the state. "I am deeply saddened to know that Haider Aziz Safwi, Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly is no more. He was a very senior and respected person associated with us over a long time. His passing away indeed is a great loss," the CM tweeted. "I convey my deep condolence to members of his family, friends, followers and well-wishers. These moments of sorrow are really very hard for us to digest but there is nothing that we can do but accept," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An unauthorised biography of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was released by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday. Written by journalist-turned-author Shutapa Paul, her debut novel, 'Didi, The Untold Mamata Banerjee', profiles the feisty leader from her school days to her time as the Trinamool Congress supremo. It tracks Banerjee's life by talking to those closest to her, including her teachers, her political adversaries like Somnath Chatterjee, former Lok Sabha Speaker who passed away in August; Ratan Mukherjee, her political secretary for 30 years, and others. "I had approached her in February and told her about the book. She refused to give me an interview. However, she did not in any way stop me from writing it," said Paul. The book launch was followed by a panel discussion on Banerjee by Ramesh, Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta and Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, all of whom praised the leader for her perseverance and tenacity. "She is a street politician, a fighter. She has been steadfastly anti-Left for 25 years and now she has shown the same tenacity in her against the BJP. ... Her may be regional, but she's a national figure," Ramesh said. In fact, it is her tenacity as a young political worker in the streets of Bengal that Paul said she enjoyed writing about it the most. "She would write posters against the Left herself and put them on walls. They would remove them, but they would be up again. She would do the same over and over again. This is what brought her to the notice of the senior Congress leaders," Paul said. Published by Penguin India, the book, which also probably has the last interview given by Chatterjee, who was also a former CPI(M) leader, highlighted how the veteran leader, who was on a winning streak, was blind-sided by the young Banerjee, to whom he lost his Jadavpur seat in 1984. "Mamata would be remembered in history for her seminal role in removing and decimating the Left in Bengal. What really strikes me is her tenacity and perseverance. ... I believe she was a little mad. You needed to be mad to take on the Left at that point in tie. You had to be crazy. She persevered like a battle axe," Dasgupta said. Singh said Banerjee knew the pulse of the people and, as a leader from the streets, he looked up to her for inspiration. "The democratic challenges we face in Delhi are similar to the ones that Mamata Banerjee faces in West Bengal." No one from the TMC was present at the launch. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Film director A R Murugadoss has moved the Madras High Court, seeking to quash a case filed against him over certain scenes in the Vijay-starrer 'Sarkar' that were critical of the welfare schemes of the ruling AIADMK. When the petition by the film director came up Wednesday, Justice Anand Venkatesh adjourned the matter to Friday and orally directed the additional public prosecutor representing the Tamil Nadu government not to take any action till then. The police have registered an FIR under various sections of the IPC, including 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 153A(1)(a) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, language etc.). The case was registered following a complaint by G Devarajan, who objected to some scenes in the movie that were critical of the government's distribution of freebies such as grinders and mixies. In his petition, Murugadoss submitted that no prima facie case was made out against him. In a free democracy, criticising government policy was not an offence, he claimed. In fact, it is a fundamental right guaranteed to the citizens under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, Murugadoss added. Pointing out that disputed scenes in the movie had already been removed by the Board of Film Certification, the petitioner said no offence as claimed by the complainant was committed by him. AIADMK workers had staged protests against the film, which released last month, after several ministers took exception to scenes in it criticising welfare schemes and a reference to late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DMK president M K Stalin Wednesday hoisted a giant-sized party flag atop a 114-feet-tall pole here, saying it was symbolic of future electoral victories and the party's lofty ideals. Unfurling the 30 feet wide x 20 feet high flag at the party headquarters "Anna Arivalayam," here, Stalin said the "DMK will emerge victorious in the electoral battle," and the high flying flag was a prelude to it. The flag will fly all time with two high-beam lamps facing upward the mast to reflect its light on the red and black party flag during night, he said. The day and night flag drove home the point that party cadre should work tirelessly all the time for electoral win. DMK leaders T R Balu and Duraimurugan took part in the flag unveiling event. Later, in a letter to party cadres, Stalin said his recent visit to Delhi to meet several leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, to invite them for the inauguration of Kalaignar's (late M Karunanidhi) statue on December 16 here, showed that all opposition parties were on the same page in dislodging the BJP regime at the Centre. Hitting out at the BJP as it was "against pluralism and autonomy of States", he said the defeat of the saffron party in election to five States would continue in other parts of the country as well, including Tamil Nadu, in the Lok Sabha polls. The flag mast was manufactured in Pune and flag at Mumbai. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Scott Derrickson is all set to return to helm the sequel to his smash-hit Marvel Studios film "Doctor Strange". According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 52-year-old director has quietly finalised a deal with Marvel for the film's sequel. "Sherlock" star Benedict Cumberbatch had portrayed the eponymous superhero in Derrickson's 2016 film. The actor later reprised the role in Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Avengers: Infinity War". Cumberbatch is expected to return for the sequel to the original. The story follows a talented neurosurgeon, Dr Stephen Strange, who, after a tragic car accident, must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions. Actors Rachel McAdams and Benedict Wong, who played surgeon Christine Palmer and Master Wong respectively in the first part, are also expected to be back for the sequel. The studio also has started searching for a writer to pen the sequel. Derrickson had co-written the original with C. Robert Cargill and Jon Spaihts. "Doctor Strange", which also featured Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton, had grossed over USD 670 million worldwide. (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 Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking his support for resolution of roster issue and regularisation of teachers in the varsity. The central government has displayed cynical apathy towards the plight of talent joining the teaching profession and standards of higher education, the DUTA said. In July, the appointment of academic staff in higher institutions (HEI) was put on hold by the University Grants Commission till the Supreme Court issued its verdict on a special leave petition filed by the HRD Ministry against a court order curtailing reservation for SC, ST and OBCs. The UGC had announced in March that an individual department should be considered as the base unit to calculate the number of teaching posts to be reserved for Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) candidates following an order by the Allahabad High Court in April last year. The DUTA said the central government has responded neither to their plea to bring in a legally sound provision for regularisation or absorption of temporary and ad hoc teachers nor to bring about a just resolution to the issue of the reservation roster through an ordinance. It seems to be content with indefinite stoppage of appointment processes across universities or appointment on the basis of a roster that, by its own admission, is unjust, it added. "We appreciate the initiative taken by the Governing Bodies of Delhi Government colleges under Delhi University for regularisation or absorption of temporary and ad hoc teachers. Thousands of teachers in colleges of Delhi University have been working on ad hoc basis for past several years as the posts have been kept vacant," the letter said. The teachers' body appealed to Kejriwal to take further the initiative of regularisation or absorption of teachers. It will help to build pressure on the central government to bring about a legally sound procedure for it, it said. The DUTA said it has approached all political parties so that these issues get resolved in the winter session of Parliament and permanent vacancies in the Delhi University can be filled up soon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Drug maker Lupin Wednesday said a court in Europe has upheld a decision to impose a fine of 40 million euros (over Rs 325 crore) on the company by European Commission (EC) in a litigation over blood pressure lowering drug Perindopril. The Mumbai-based company said the General Court of the European Union has delivered its judgment concerning Lupin's and other companies appeal against the EC 2014 decision in the Perindopril litigation. "The General Court upheld the EC's decision holding Lupin liable to pay a fine of euro 40 million," the company said in a regulatory filing. The company added that it will study the court's judgment and evaluate further course of action. In 2014, Lupin and Unichem Laboratories are among six global drug makers on which the European regulator had imposed a collective fine of 427.7 million euros for striking deals to prevent entry of cheaper version of blood pressure drug Perindopril in the EU. Shares of the company Wednesday ended 1.62 per cent down at Rs 821.85 on the BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat BJP leader and former state minister Jay Narayan Vyas Wednesday took a dig at the educational qualifications of the new Reserve Bank governor Shaktikanta Das. Referring to the MA (History) degree of the RBI chief, Vyas said he hoped that the RBI governor did not make the central bank itself history. "The New RBI Governor Das's educational qualification is MA (History). Hope and Pray he doesn't make RBI also a History. May God Bless the New Arrival!!" Vyas tweeted. Vyas, who was health and family welfare minister in Gujarat till 2012, has been sidelined in the party now. He lost the Assembly elections in 2012 and 2017. Das, a former bureaucrat, was named the RBI governor Tuesday following Urjit Patel's sudden exit. Besides post graduation in history, Das has done an advanced financial management course from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and another in development banking and institutional credit from Pune's National Institute of Bank Management. He also got in-service professional training in financial management in Institute Public Enterprises and did a diploma in basic project management from Administrative Staff College of India, according to reports. Das has been the target of ridicule in social media over his educational qualifications vis as vis predecessors Patel and Raghuram Rajan who had doctorates in economics. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Our eyes could serve as a window to how stressed we are, say scientists who found that pupil dilation can be used to indicate the mental workload of a person when they multitask. The demands of work productivity in today's society seem to have increased tenfold. Workers have to multitask to cope with the insistence that tasks be completed almost immediately. Previous studies on workload and productivity include physical aspects, such as how much a person walks or carries, but they do not take into account a person's state of mind. "If your vitals are bad, then something is wrong with your body and doctors will work to figure out what's wrong with you," said Jung Hyup Kim, an assistant professor at University of Missouri-Columbia in the US. "Many people multitask, but currently there is no measurement for someone's mental well-being. However, we found that the size of a pupil could be the key to measuring someone's mental state while they multitask," Kim said. Everyone experiences stress differently. Researchers wanted to find a data-driven way for different industries to universally measure the levels of stress in their employees while they are multitasking, or performing work-related duties with simultaneous low and high complexity tasks. To do this, they compared data from a workload metric developed by NASA for its astronauts with their observations of pupillary response from participants in a lab study. Using a simulated oil and gas refinery plant control room, researchers watched as the participants reacted to unexpected changes, such as alarms, while simultaneously watching the performance of gauges on two monitors. During the scenario's simple tasks, the participants' eye searching behaviours were more predictable. Yet, as the tasks became more complex and unexpected changes occurred, their eye behaviours became more erratic. Researchers discovered that pupil dilation could be used to indicate the mental workload of a person in a multitasking environment. The findings can give a better insight into how systems should be designed to avoid mentally overloading workers and build a safer working environment, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Santa, who parked his car in a mother and child space at a shopping centre in the UK, has been given a ticket. Father Christmas said he was "stunned" to receive the notice for wrongly parking at Thornaby's Pavilion Shopping Centre in Stockton-on-Tees in north east England. "Santa Claus gets a parking ticket? It's unheard of," he told the BBC. People on Facebook called for the parking attendant to get a lump of coal for Christmas, but the centre defended the ticket saying it was "unfortunate". Sam Wise, who photographed the incident, said Santa was "fuming" when he returned to discover he had been fined on Tuesday. Santa said: "I parked at Thornaby to do a few little jobs as I'm busy this time of year, and I parked at the parent and toddler bay and put my disabled blue badge in the window. "I came back about half an hour later and they had put a ticket on my car. "I was in my silver sleigh, and I was stunned." Well-wishers have rallied around Santa after he was given a ticket for parking in the wrong space. Leslie Harrison wrote on the Facebook group Thornaby Alert that the centre was taking the rules "far too seriously", while Linsey Catchpole added "you can't fine Santa". But shopping centre manager Oliver Westley is not amused. "Unfortunately, Santa parked his sleigh in the wrong bay," he said. Responding to accusations on social media that the parking attendant had "no Christmas spirit", Westley added: "He has plenty. Santa wasn't at the car when the ticket was issued." Father Christmas said he would appeal against the ticket, but confirmed the incident would not affect deliveries on 24 December, saying: "No it hasn't ruined Christmas. Ho ho ho. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) FDI inflows to South and South-West Asia decreased by 6 per cent in 2017 due to a drop in foreign funding flow to countries like India and Turkey, a United Nations report said Wednesday. As per the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) report, the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow to South and South-West Asia stood at USD 63 billion in the last calender year. "This relatively modest performance was due to a drop in FDI inflows in South-West Asia, including India and Turkey," it said. The report noted that while India remains the largest investment destination in the subregion, largely due to its large and growing market and attracted USD 22 billion FDI in the first half of 2018, the country slipped three notches to eleventh ranking in 2018, from 8th ranking in 2017 according to the AT Kearney FDI Confidence Index 2018. This is the first time it has fallen out of the top 10 since 2015, said the 'Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR) 2018' report. UNCTAD recorded a 9 per cent drop in FDI in India in 2017. The UNESCAP further said Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka witnessed sharp rises of 49 per cent, 87 per cent, 13 per cent and 53 per cent respectively in FDI. However, with the US announcing the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran in May 2018 with implementation starting in August 2018, the country's attractiveness to foreign investors is falling. On services export, it said the growth is driven by a handful of economies, especially China and India. The Asia-Pacific region has outperformed the rest of the world with higher growth of commercial services exports and imports. The share of world exports in commercial services captured by the Asia-Pacific region increased from 22 per cent in 2005 to 28 per cent in 2017, while its share of world imports grew from 28 per cent to 32 per cent, the report said. "The positive services trade performance was driven mainly by the rapidly growing roles of China and India. These two economies, together with Japan and Singapore, accounted for more than half of the services trade in the region," it said. It also noted that a further escalation of the US-China trade war is possible in 2019. In the first half of 2018, the world's largest economy initiated a number of trade remedy procedures, unilaterally raising tariffs on targeted products, especially steel and aluminium products. China and other affected countries, including Canada, India, the European Union, Mexico and Turkey, filed WTO disputes against the US and some retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on selected imports from the country. "The threat to include all imports from China on the increased tariff lists has made the escalation of the bilateral conflict between the world's two largest economies a real possibility in 2019," the UNESCAP said. However, the 90-day truce agreed between President Trump and President Xi Jinping on the side of the G20 summit in December provides some hope of a compromise, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday made a passionate appeal to governments to find a common ground to tackle climate change as nations from across the globe continued deliberations at the UN climate talks here to finalise the implementation guidelines of the Paris accord. Noting that the deadline to finalise the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP) was a target the nations imposed upon themselves at the COP22 in Moroccan city Marrakech in 2016, Guterres said both the Convention and the Paris Agreement recognise that all countries have different realities, capacities and circumstances. "We must find a formula that balances the responsibilities of all countries. This will allow us to have a regime that is fair and effective for all," he told the delegates at the 195-nation UN forum tasked with finding solution to global warming. "Failing here in Katowice would send a disastrous message to those who stand ready to shift to a green economy. So, I urge you to find common ground that will allow us to show the world that we are listening, that we care," Guterres said at the closing of the high-level segment of the Talanoa Dialogue at the COP-24 here. Amidst differences among nations on number of issues, including finance, the UN chief said the developed countries must scale up their contributions to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion annually by 2020. Guterres said he has appointed the French President and the Jamaican Prime Minister to lead the mobilisation of the international community, both public and private, to reach the target of USD 100 billion. "We need to strengthen the Green Climate Fund," Guterres said, hailing Germany's pledge to double its contribution in the current replenishment process. He said Germany's move is a very positive sign and he hope that it will inspire other nations to do the same. The 2015 Paris Agreement vows to cap global warming at two degrees Celsius and funnel hundreds of billions of dollars to poor countries worse hit by deadly storms, heatwaves and droughts. "The eyes of the world are upon us...more than 32,000 people have come here to find solutions to climate change. They are inspired, engaged and they want us to deliver. They want us to finish the job," Guterres said. "To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change," he added. The UN chief also said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which called for capping Earth's rising temperature at 1.5 deg C to avoid the danger of runaway warming, cannot be ignored. His comments came in the wake of several countries, including the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait, blocking the efforts to endorse the report during the climate talks. "The IPCC special report is a stark acknowledgment of what the consequences of global warming beyond 1.5 degrees C will mean for billions of people around the world, especially those who call small island states home... we cannot afford to ignore it," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fire broke out at a furniture shop in west Delhi's Kirti Nagar on Wednesday, the Delhi Fire Service said. A call about the blaze was received at 2.50 pm and 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, a senior officer from Delhi Fire Service said. The fire broke out on the first, second and third floor of the furniture shop and it has been brought under control, the officer said. No casualty or injury has been reported so far, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a big blow to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), former Army Chief Gen J J Singh resigned from the party Wednesday over "disillusionment" with the party leadership. Singh, who also served as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, had joined the Akali Dal with much fanfare ahead of the Punjab assembly elections in early 2017 and had unsuccessfully contested against Chief Minister Amarinder Singh from the Patiala assembly constituency. While Singh cited personal reasons behind his resignation, he said he was unhappy with the actions of the Akali Dal leadership in the last few years, including those raised in the social media and TV channels. "I have resigned with a heavy heart from the Shiromani Akali Dal on December 11, 2018 and from the position of president of SAD Ex-Servicemen Wing. "I am unhappy with actions of the leadership of the SAD in the last few years, such as those raised in the social media and TV channels and various demonstrations, morchas and protest marches," he said in an open letter to Punjab. The former Army chief, who was the first Sikh to hold the post, said he entered active with the aim of serving the people, after "very satisfying tenures" as the Army chief for almost three years and as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh for 5.5 years, where he claimed was given the sobriquet of a "People's Governor". "Today, I feel disillusioned particularly with what I have seen and experienced in Punjab since 2016. Further, my mission to serve the people will not be affected by this decision," he said in his open letter. In his resignation letter to SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, he said he was resigning from the party for personal reasons. "I wish to inform you with a heavy heart that I have resigned from Shiromani Akali Dal and from the position of president of Shiromani Akali Dal, Ex-Servicemen wing with immediate effect due to personal reasons," he said in his letter. Asked about his future course, he said he wished to serve people and kept his political options open. "I want to serve the people and the country," he told PTI. Gen (retd) Singh was the first Sikh officer to become the Army Chief. He fought the 1965 and 1971 wars, apart from being among the architects of defeating Pakistani intruders in Kargil. He served as the 22nd Chief of the Indian Army from January 31, 2005, to September 30, 2007. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A CBI team Wednesday arrested former Jharkhand minister Bandhu Tirkey in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case, an official of the investigating agency said. He was produced before the special CBI court of A K Mishra, which sent him to judicial custody till December 15. An anti-corruption division team of the CBI arrested the former minister from his residence at Banhora in Ranchi district, the official said. The arrest was made following a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by the CBI court in a disproportionate assets case, he said. Tirkey was the HRD minister in the Madhu Koda government between 2006 and 2008. Koda himself was convicted by a court of law, sentenced to three years in jail and fined Rs 25 lakh in December 2017 in a coal scam case. Tirkey is at present the general secretary of the Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. Goa Health Minister and BJP MLA Vishwajit Rane Wednesday sought intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in resumption of mining activity, which came to a halt following a supreme court order in March this year. Rane and a host of politicians from Goa Wednesday met mining dependents who are on a sit-in protest at the Ramleela Maidan in Delhi. Mining, which used to be one of two major mainstays of 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. Around one thousand people under the banner of Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF) have been protesting at the venue since Tuesday demanding an amendment to the mining law during the ongoing winter session of Parliament to enable resumption of mining activity. "Only an intervention by prime minister Narendra Modi will help resolving the mining issue", the minister told PTI over phone from Delhi. "The amendment to the existing mining laws has to be made to ensure that mining resumes as early as possible", the minister said, Another Goa politician, Churchill Alemao of NCP also visited the protesters. "I met Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu and he has assured that the issue would be taken up in Parliament. The closure of mining activity in Goa has created livelihood issues for several thousand people", he said. Meanwhile, Prasad Gaonkar, one of the three Independent MLAs who are part of the BJP-led coalition government in the coastal state, said he would reconsider supporting the ruling dispensation if it fails to resolve the issue. Other constituents of the coalition government are Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP). "The political parties and Independents who are supporting the government are responsible for creating this mining mess. All of us who supported the government are responsible as we brought BJP to power. "We should have pressurised the BJP to solve this issue on priority. Now it is high time that we should reconsider our support to the government, if this issue is not resolved", he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- - To Highlight the Role of Corporates and Civil Society in Doubling Farmer Income Godrej Group, a diversified conglomerate, today, hosted an agri-conclave focusing on '#FarmerNomics - Shaping the Future of Indian Agriculture'. In the run-up to Kisan Diwas (23 December), the aim of the conclave was to focus on the role of allied stakeholders, such as corporates, civil society, and academia, in doubling farmer's income. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797254/Adi_Godrej_FarmerNomics_Conclave.jpg ) Thought leaders from Corporates, Non-Profit Organisations,Academiaand Media came together to discuss agri-interventions that will empower farmers to significantly improve household income and also explore how the sector can be made more attractive for women and youth. In addition, they also discussed the role of millets and protein sources from both a nutrition and livelihood standpoint. (Watch the video here)Speaking on the occasion, Mr Nadir Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Agrovet Limited and Managing Director, Godrej Industries Limited, said, "With the government laying special emphasis on the agriculture sector with the vision of doubling farmer's income by 2022, we are positive about the growth and foresee a lot of potential for farmers. The coming together of like-minded professionals and academia will create much needed awareness on the areas of importance in agriculture."Women farmers, Kalavathi V, Rathnamma M, Maya Bai and Neelam Sahu shared their experiences and stories from the farm. The conclave witnessed participation from industry stalwart such as Dr Avinash Kishore, Research Fellow, IFPRI; Dilip N Kulkarni, President, Sustainable Agriculture & Strategy, Jain Irrigation Systems Limited; Raghunathan N, Co-Founder of Vrutti; Jinesh Shah, Founding Partner, Omnivore; Arun Ambatipudi, Founding Trustee & Advisor Chetna Organic; Dr. Yasmeen Ali Haque, Head, UNICEF India; Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi and Kurush Dalal - Culinary Anthropologists, and Balakrishnan S, COO, Vrutti. Adding further, Mr Balram Singh Yadav, Managing Director, Godrej Agrovet, said, "The agriculture sector offers tremendous opportunities and we at Godrej aim to be at the forefront of these developments. With our focus on research and technology, we strive to offer innovative solutions to enhance the productivity of the sector." Vikas Goswami, Head - Sustainability, Godrej Industries Ltd., said, "Women farmers are the backbone of Indian agriculture. To create a vibrant rural economy it is important that in partnership with women farmers we revive sustainable agricultural practices. The revival of millets along with sustainable agricultural practices will also positively impact long-term soil health and productivity. With this conclave, we aim to not only acknowledge but also bring in the forefront, the important role women play in agriculture landscape." Godrej is a prominent player in agriculture and is dedicated to improving the productivity of Indian farmers by innovating products and services. About Godrej Group Established in 1897, the Godrej Group has its roots in India's Independence and Swadeshi movement. Our founder, Ardeshir Godrej, lawyer-turned-serial entrepreneur failed with a few ventures, before he struck gold with a locks business. Today, we enjoy the patronage of 1.1 billion consumers globally across consumer goods, real estate, appliances, agriculture and many other businesses. In fact, our geographical footprint extends beyond Earth, with our engines now powering many of India's space missions. With revenue of over USD 4.1 billion we are growing fast, and have exciting, ambitious aspirations. Our Vision for 2020 is to be 10 times the size we were in 2010. But for us, it is most important that besides our strong financial performance and innovative, much-loved products, we remain a good company. Approximately 23 per cent of the promoter holding in the Godrej Group is held in trusts that invest in the environment, health and education. We are also bringing together our passion and purpose to make a difference through our Good & Green strategy of 'shared value' to create a more inclusive and greener India. At the heart of all of this, are our people. We take much pride in fostering an inspiring workplace, with an agile and high performance culture. We are also deeply committed to recognising and valuing diversity across our teams. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gold prices fell 0.45 per cent to Rs 31,790 per 10 gram in futures trade Wednesday as speculators cut down their bets amid weak demand cues. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold prices for delivery in February next year fell sharply by Rs 145, or 0.45 per cent, to Rs 31,790 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 15,285 lots. The gold for delivery in far-month April, too, was quoting lower by Rs 119, or 0.37 per cent, at Rs 31,970 per 10 gram in 1,875 lots. Analysts attributed the fall in prices to trimming of positions by participants, tracking a weak trend in domestic market. However, internationally gold prices were steady early on Wednesday, supported by expectations of fewer rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve next year. The US gold futures rose 0.10 per cent at USD 1,243.28 an ounce. Meanwhile, gold rose 0.11 per cent at USD 1,243.09 an ounce in Singapore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar Wednesday directed the government to look into the alleged ill-treatment meted out to an MLA at a government fuction recently. He said respect and prestige of the House was of utmost importance, and MLAs were its integral part. Kumar warned against repeat of such incidents in future. The speaker made these remarks in the State Assembly as Bantwal BJP MLA Rajesh Naik narrated an incident where he was allegedly ill-treated during the inauguration of the 'Indira Canteen' (subsidised canteens run by the government) in his constituency, over which he had presided. He alleged that slogans were raised against him by a group of people and he was manhandled in the presence of district in-charge minister. Later when he complained to the police, his case was not taken up, Naik said. Taking strong exception to this, the speaker said "I may take it up as a privilege (issue) next time. Dont give that opportunity...elected representatives should be given respect." He also directed deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, who also holds the Home Portfolio, to look into the matter and get the case investigated. "Once elected a MLA, he or she is part of this House, ask your officials to do their duty, instead of showing their loyalty to those who got them transferred or posted," he told the Home Minister. District in-charge Minister U T Khader, who was present at the inauguration, expressed regret over the alleged ill-treatment to the MLA. BJP MLAs took strong exception and raised their voice when he said it was not as grave to file a police complaint. They said many BJP MLAs have experienced similar ill-treatment in their respective constituencies and alleged that government events these days looked like Congress programmes. They also accused police of siding with those who create such disturbances. There was a moment of chaos in the House as BJP and Congress MLAs indulged in a heated exchange, resulting in the speaker threatening to walk out. Intervening, Leader of Opposition B S Yeddyurappa seeking protection from the Chair, asked the Home Minister to take the issue seriously and investigate the case. Home Minister Parameshwara said he would look into the matter and issue directions to the police. "It is the duty of police to work in accordance with the law and protecting it," Parameshwara said. Subsequently, Naik informed the House that he just got information that a case was registered about the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has detected GST evasion worth Rs 120 billion in 8 months till November, a senior tax official said Wednesday. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) member John Joseph said despite the electronic way or E-way bill mechanism there has been rampant evasion and there is a need to increase compliance. "We started anti-evasion measures from April onwards, and from April-November we have detected Rs 120 billion of GST evasion. This is huge compared to what happened in central excise or service tax side. There is huge evasion. There are smarter guys outside who knows how to pocket the money," Joseph said addressing an event. Joseph, who looks after investigation in the CBIC, said almost Rs 80 billion worth GST evasion has been recovered by the tax officials. (GST), which subsumed 17 local taxes, including excise duty and service tax, was introduced on July 1, 2017. Since it was a new tax, the government had decided to go slow on enforcement action in the initial months of its implementation. Joseph said only 5-10 per cent of the 120 million assessees are evading GST and bringing a bad name to the industry. "We need to improve compliance mechanism." On industry concerns as to whether a change in government might lead to an overhaul of the GST process, Joseph said: "With all the apprehensions that you have, whether the election results are going to be bad for the GST or not, I can tell you very clearly that the same politicians whether in opposition or ruling party, they all came together to conceive this. "There may be some changes in law, some procedural changes can definitely happen, but it will not be lock, stock, and barrel as in the case of Malaysia." He said the GST Council, comprising the Centre and states, had taken all decision relating to the new indirect tax regime. The CBIC member also said the new GST return forms will have a beta version initially, so that industry has enough time to suggest what could be done to improve the quality of returns. In July, the CBIC had put up in public domain draft GST return forms 'Sahaj' and 'Sugam' and sought public comments. These forms will replace GSTR-3B (summary sales return form) and GSTR-1 (final sales returns form). The new forms are slated to be launched in April 2019. With regard to industry concerns over varied orders passed by the Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR), Joseph said the Centre was pushing for a national bench for AAR but it hit the roadblock as the bench was required to have about 40 members with representations from every state. "I do agree, there is a real serious issue in that (Advance Ruling). The Centre is trying to push that there has to be a single advance ruling authority but unfortunately think about a situation where every state says I have equal right as the Centre. So, think about a situation where a national bench is constituted with 39/40 people sitting, how do you think it will work. That is where the problem is coming in," Joseph said. He said even for setting up regional benches there is a huge disagreement between the states. Currently, what the government is doing is they are going through the entire thing, studying the issue and then issuing a clarification, the member noted. "Once the clarification is issued, the entire advance ruling thing becomes null and void. For some time, you have to adjust to that situation till a trust is developed between the Centre and states," Joseph added. As per the law, all states are required to set up at least one AAR for seeking advance ruling over GST levy and one appellate authority to hear appeals against the AAR order. In March, the New Delhi bench of the AAR had held that duty-free shops at airports are liable to deduct GST from passengers. However, these shops were exempt from service tax, and Central Sales Tax in the earlier regime. Further, the solar industry too was left in a vexed situation when the Maharashtra AAR said that 18 per cent GST rate would be levied for installation works, but the Karnataka-bench of AAR passed an order levying 5 per cent GST on the same. On concerns over availing input-tax credit, Joseph asked the industry to submit their representations, backed by data, along with suggestions. Gunmen kidnapped passengers from abus near Nigeria's southern oil hub of Port Harcourt, witnesses said on Wednesday, in the latest of a series of kidnappings in the restive region. Witness Precious Awuse told AFP the incident happened on Tuesday morning on a road in the Emohua area of Rivers state, a frequently travelled kidnapping hotspot. "We were driving a few kilometres (miles) behind the 18-seater bus when the hoodlums struck and we had to abandon our own bus and flee for safety before the arrival of the police to the scene of the incident," Awuse said. "They were dressed in police uniform and had barricaded the road," said Alaowie Tonye, another passenger who also saw the kidnapping. After they fled, the attackers vandalised the bus in apparent anger, he said." Rivers state police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said the kidnapping was being investigated but did not give an exact figure of those abducted. Kidnapping for ransom has long been a problem in southern Nigeria and has typically targeted prominent individuals and their families. In August and September 2017, there were a wave of attacks against at least three commercial buses, indicating sustained economic hardship was making anyone a target. While Nigeria's economy is fuelled by the oil pumped in the south, the region suffers from chronic poverty and pollution. In 2016, oil militants demanding a greater share of crude revenues slashed production with a wave of attacks on pipelines, tipping Nigeria into a recession from which it is only starting to recover. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court Wednesday sought the Maharashtra government's reply on a PIL, which cited the recent killing of tigress Avni and sought an SIT probe into deaths of protected animals in Maharashtra and Goa in the last 10 years. A bench of Justices Ranjit More and Revati Mohite-Dere posted the plea for further hearing on January 7 next year. The public interest litigation was filed by local activist Nitin Deshpande, through his lawyers Ashish Mehta and Sujay Kantawala. The petitioner has sought that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), under the supervision of a retired judge of the Bombay High Court, be constituted to ascertain causes, and probe all incidents of unnatural deaths of Schedule-I protected animals in Maharashtra and Goa in the last 10 years. The tigress, T1 as she was officially known, was shot dead by a sharp shooter hired by the forest authorities in Yavatmal in Maharashtra in November this year following a massive search operation launched by the forest officials. Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act lists down various animal and bird species, and prohibits one from hunting or killing such animals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court Wednesday imposed a cost of Rs one lakh on the Maharashtra government for failing to construct a new district sessions court complex in Sangli district within the prescribed time-frame. A division bench of Justices A S Oka and M S Sonak directed the government to pay the amount to the Sangli Bar Association in a month. "The association shall use this amount for setting up a permanent fund to provide legal aid to poor and needy litigants and for holding literacy camps in villages," the court said. The bench passed its judgement in a petition filed by the association challenging the government's decision to only construct one wing of the sessions court and refusal to construct 'B' wing of the court. After the petition was filed in 2015, the state government issued a resolution on August 1, 2016, approving construction of both the wings and made budgetary allocation for the same. While 'A' wing of the court was to be constructed by August 2017, 'B' wing was to be completed by December this year. The state government later informed the court that work on 'A' wing of the building was still on and would be completed only by October last year. The court in its order passed Wednesday noted that till date the government has not completed the work on both the wings. "The state government has not abided by the time-frame set by it and this court. In such matters pertaining to setting up of courts and construction of the same, the government should on its own do the work and also provide additional facilities," the court said in its order. It added that, however, the government has failed to do so and has not even complied with court orders. "Hence, we feel that exemplary cost of Rs one lakh needs to be imposed on the state government," the court said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajasthan High Court Wednesday stayed the arrest of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey but refused to quash an FIR against him for allegedly defaming the Brahmin community. Senior counsels Mahesh Jethmalani and Sandeep Kapur had moved a criminal miscellaneous petition praying for quashing of the FIR and staying the probe against Dorsey. Justice P S Bhati rejected the appeal but stayed his arrest, said H M Saraswat, the counsel of petitioner Rajkumar Sharma. While arguing, Dorsey's counsel told the court there was no such case made out against him as he did not do anything to disseminate hatred against the community and accord an institutional proportion to hatred. "The court asked them to submit any document or evidence in support of their arguments in the court," Saraswat said. A court had issued directions to file an FIR against the Twitter CEO on December 1, following which a case was registered against him at the Basni police station. Petitioner Rajkumar Sharma, a member of Vipra Foundation, had moved the court after he shared a picture on his account showing him with six women holding a poster in his hands that said "Smash Brahminical Patriarchy". Though, the picture of his visit to India was removed later and an apology tendered, Sharma claimed it was unforgivable and deserved punishment for targeting Brahmins. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Christian Bale recalled the time he met Donald Trump and says the US President thought he was his Batman character Bruce Wayne. Speaking at the red carpet for the premiere of his upcoming political comedy "Vice", Bale revealed that during the filming of "The Dark Knight Rises" at the Trump Towers, the business mogul invited him to his office. "We were filming on Batman in Trump Tower and he said, come on up to the office," Bale told Variety. "I think he thought I was Bruce Wayne because I was dressed as Bruce Wayne. So he talked to me like I was Bruce Wayne and I just went along with it, really. It was quite entertaining," he added. Back then, Bale said, he had no inkling that Trump would go on to become the President of the United States. "I had no idea at the time that he would think about running for president," he said. The 44-year-old actor plays Dick Cheney, the former US vice president, in Adam McKay's "Vice", which also features Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell and Steve Carrell in pivotal roles. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Having scored a thumping win in the December 7 Assembly elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is expected to get a head start in the next year's Lok Sabha elections. On the other hand, it will be an uphill task for the Congress, TDP, BJP and other parties to get their act together as the Lok Sabha polls come close on the heels of their humiliating defeat in the the state's assembly polls. TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao's clever move to go for early assembly polls, delinking them with Lok Sabha elections to avoid the situation of 'Modi vs Rahul Gandhi', is expected to help him in a big way as he can now focus on the national elections without worrying about state polls. It is anybody's guess whether Rao would go in for the kill to win the highest number of Lok Sabha seats as he declared Tuesday that the Assembly poll results would enable the TRS to play a crucial role in national Hinting at a role at the national level, Rao said he would give a "new definition" to the national political scenario. During the recent election campaign, Rao had asked voters to ensure victory of TRS in all the seats in Lok Sabha elections so as to fight for the party's promise of increase in reservations for Scheduled Tribes and Muslims. The Telangana Assembly had passed resolutions last year seeking a hike in quotas for STs and Muslims and the matter has been pending with the Centre ever since. Rao is expected to urge the voters to make TRS victorious in the Lok Sabha elections so that it can fight in the best interests of the state. Rao's son K T Rama Rao, considered number two in the TRS, had also said during the campaigning that Telangana should realise its rights from the Centre "not by begging, but by dictating". In the Lok Sabha elections, TRS would have the advantage of being in power. The presence of party MLAs in the Lok Sabha constituencies would also help the party. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM has been an ally of TRS and the friendship between the two parties could help TRS get Muslim votes. On the other hand, the main opposition Congress faces a litmus test in Telangana as the national party aims to return to power at the Centre in 2019. Facing the onslaught of Chandrasekhar Rao, it would be a tall order for Congress to convince voters that it is the best bet for them. The opposition Congress, TDP and BJP would not have the advantages of power. For the BJP, which had identified Telangana as one of the states for future growth, the assembly polls have been a major disappointment. The BJP would conduct its campaign projecting its tallest leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the achievements of his government. The N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP has suffered a massive setback in the Telangana Assembly polls, winning only two seats. TDP candidate Ch Malla Reddy was elected to the Lok Sabha from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 elections. He, however, had switched over to TRS. Reddy had been elected to the assembly as a TRS nominee in the December 7 polls. In Telangana, TDP had been banking on the pro-development image of Naidu and the perceived strength of voters who are natives of Andhra Pradesh. However, the party has failed to win even a single Assembly seat in the Greater Hyderabad limits where the Andhra Pradesh native voters are said to be in considerable numbers. With TRS backing him, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi regaining his Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat is believed to be only a formality. For the others, including CPI and CPI(M) and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), the Lok Sabha elections pose a major challenge as they drew a blank in the Assembly elections in the state. There are a total of 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana. TRS had won 11 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 General Elections. However, TRS Lok Sabha member from Chevella Konda Vishweshwar Reddy recently joined the Congress. Since 2014, TDP MP Ch Malla Reddy, Congress MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy and YSRCP MP P Srinivasa Reddy have switched over to the TRS. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) These are the top stories from the northern region at 9.40 pm JAIPUR ELX31 RJ-POLL-LD-GOVT Jaipur: After discussions that lasted hours, the Congress Wednesday failed to bring about a consensus in its ranks in Rajasthan on who should be the chief minister even as it staked its claim to form the government. JAIPUR ELX23 RJ-CONG-MLA-DISAGREEMENT Jaipur: Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh has expressed disagreement over the process of seeking opinion of party legislators to select the chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan when party president Rahul Gandhi will decide the face for the coveted post. LUCKNOW DES14 UP-AKHILESH-GODS Lucknow: Taking a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asked him to "reveal" caste of other deities so he could pray to the God of his caste. LUCKNOW DES17 UP-HOARDINGS-FIR Lucknow: A case was registered Wednesday against Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena, a fringe group batting for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the next prime minister, for putting up hoardings in Lucknow terming PM Narendra Modi as "jumlebaaz". SRINAGAR DEL42 JK-CONSTABLES-LD MEMORIES Srinagar: A Bollywood song, the excitement of a father to be, the anticipation of a wedding yet to happen... snatches of memories are all that the families of the four Jammu and Kashmir policemen killed by terrorists have to hold on to. KOTA DES38 RJ-DALIT-GIRL-DEATH Kota (R'than): An eight-year-old Dalit girl, who had gone missing after she went to graze cattle, is suspected to have been strangled to death after being raped in a village in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district, police said Wednesday. CHANDIGARH DES39 PB-SIDHU-CONG Chandigarh: Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu credited Congress's victory in three Hindi heartland states to party chief Rahul Gandhi and said the win will change the "picture and fate" of the country. CHANDIGARH DES26 PB-SIDHU-AMARINDER Chandigarh: Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu called on Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at his residence Wednesday and held "cordial talks". JODHPUR LGD23 RJ-HC-DORSEY Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court Wednesday stayed the arrest of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey but refused to quash an FIR against him for allegedly defaming the Brahmin community. DEHRADUN LGD14 UKD-HC-GOVT BUNGALOW Dehradun: The Uttarakhand High Court asked the state government Wednesday to submit before it the amount to be recovered from former chief ministers for occupying government bungalows for years after demitting office. SRINAGAR DEL61 JK-HIBA-OPERATION Srinagar: Doctors on Wednesday successfully removed the pellet lodged in the right eye of an 18-month-old girl, Hiba Nisar, the youngest pellet victim in Kashmir who was injured after getting hit inside her house last month. NEWDELHI DES44 DL-BJP-ADVANI New Delhi: A section of Delhi BJP leaders has expressed reservations over party veteran LK Advani's reported acceptance of an invitation to join silver jubilee celebrations of Delhi Legislative Assembly, which is dominated by Arvind Kejriwal's AAP. NEWDELHI DES22 DL-DELHI POLICE-LIMCA New Delhi: Delhi Police has entered the Limca Book of Records by training over two lakh women and girls under their self-defence programme in 2017, police said Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 USD 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. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of security forces were Wednesday deployed in the hunt for a lone gunman who killed at least three people and wounded a dozen others at the famed Christmas market in Strasbourg, with the French government raising the security alert level and reinforcing border controls. Some 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. The killer opened fire at around 8pm (1900 GMT) on one of the city's busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Castaner said the gunman had killed three people and wounded 12. Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and wounded him, but could not stop him escaping, police sources said. A soldier was slightly injured by a ricohet from a shot by the gunman. Castaner also said France had raised its security alert level to "emergency attack" with "the implementation of reinforced border controls and tightened controls on all Christmas markets in France to avoid the risk of a copycat" attack. The gunman has been identified and was on a watchlist of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said. France's security forces, already on high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country. "I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium," one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. "People were running everywhere." He said he had seen three people injured on the ground only a few metres (feet) from the giant Christmas tree in the centre of the city. Shortly after the shooting, lines of police vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the "capital of Christmas." "We heard several shots, three perhaps, and we saw people running," one witness told AFP, asking not to be named. "One of them fell down, I don't know whether it was because she was tripped up or if she was hit," the witness said. President Emmanuel Macron expressed on Twitter the solidarity of the whole nation after holding a crisis meeting with cabinet officials in Paris. Two separate security sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that the shooter was believed to be a 29-year-old from the city, whose name was given as Cherif, and who was set to be arrested on Tuesday morning. He was being investigated over an attempted murder, one of the sources said. Several areas neighbouring the Christmas market were sealed off on Tuesday night and residents were being told to stay indoors. Many people took refuge in local restaurants and bars which pulled down their shutters. "We let everyone inside, down into the wine cellar. They're locked in there," local restaurant owner Mouad, 33, told AFP. A police source, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said security forces had opened fire in an area of the city where the suspect was thought to be hiding. The source did not give the address and it was unclear if the shooter had been located. Specialist anti-terror prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident in Strasbourg, which lies on the border with Germany. Several residents of the city have been detained in recent years for trying to reach jihadist groups in Syria, or have been arrested upon their return. "Shocked and saddened by the terrible attack in Strasbourg. My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people," British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote on Twitter. The Strasbourg-based European Parliament was also on lockdown, with MEPs, staff and journalists unable to leave the building. In a parliament bar usually reserved for MEPs, EU commissioners, powerful legislators and staffers huddled in small groups waiting for developments. "Our first thought was for colleagues who had already made it to the centre of town, who are safe," Belgian MEP Kathleen Van Brempt told AFP. "Now we just wait." The Christmas market in Strasbourg and the city's illuminations are an annual attraction that draws hundreds of thousands of people. Security has been stepped up in recent years after a series of attacks in France by Islamist gunmen and the Strasbourg market was long considered a possible target. In 2016, a 23-year-old Tunisian killed 12 and injured 48 others when he ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, it was an occasion to celebrate as Indian American Sunder Pichai, the Google CEO, appeared before a Congressional committee for a grilling by lawmakers on the search engine's data privacy. The two, now holding reputable positions in different spheres of lives -- one in politics and the other in the corporate world -- were born in the same Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Jayapal, the first ever Indian American Congresswoman made this point during the Congressional hearing. "Let me just take a point of personal privilege to say that I was born in the same state as you in India and I am excited to see you leading a company and continuing to show that immigrants to this country contribute great value, in spite of some of the rhetoric we hear. Thank you Mr Pichai," she told the Google CEO. Pichai, 46, was born in Chennai. A graduate from the IIT Kharagpur, he joined Google in 2004 and in 2015, was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company. Jayapal, 53, too was born in Chennai and came to the US as a student. Both passed through a similar immigration pathway, involving H-1B visa and Green Card, before becoming US citizens. During the hearing, Jayapal asked questions to Pichai on sexual harassment and hate speech. "Do you agree with the UN high commissioner for human rights assessment that social media played a role, for example, in perpetuating genocide against the Rohingya and what is Google's response ability to moderate hate speech on your platforms?," she asked. "We feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to moderate hate speech. You know, we have defined hate speech clearly as inciting violence or hatred towards groups of people," Pichai said. "It is absolutely something which I think we need to take a very strict line on and we have stated our policies clearly and we are working hard to make our enforcement better and we have gotten a lot better. But it is not enough and so, we are committed to doing more here," he added. In her remarks, Jayapal expressed her deep concerns about employers mandating forced arbitration rather than allowing for people to pursue justice. "Forcing people into arbitration when they have already experienced a violation of their basic rights I think is a deep injustice and it subjects people who have already been victimised to further victimisation and we have seen research that shows that it discourages people from coming forward to report abuses to begin with," she said. Pichai said Google's arbitration agreements did not require any confidentiality provisions. "That is how we have done it. But for sexual harassment, we agreed that it should be up to the employees and we give them a choice," he said. "We are definitely looking into this further. It is an area where I have gotten feedback personally from our employees, so we are definitely reviewing what we could do and you know, I am looking forward to consulting and happy to think about more changes here," Pichai said. Following Jayapal's remarks, Congressman Keith Rothfus said both the Indian Americans were success stories of immigrants. "I just want to echo what my colleague Ms Pramila Jayapal had said. I am glad you are here at the committee but I am glad you are here in our country. You are a success story and I can just think of you sitting as a teenager in India, thinking that this was probably never even on your radar," he said. "But you came to this country, because this country had that promise out there and I want to thank you for being here today and encourage you to continue collaborating with this committee," Rothfus said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to preserve the depleting groundwater level, Punjab Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria urged Wednesday the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) to share technical expertise to augment state's efforts in this direction. Highlighting the various steps being taken towards promoting crop diversification, Sarkaria asked ICID president Felix Britz Reinders, who called on him here, to complement the state efforts to save this precious resource. Underlining the importance of diversification of crop pattern, Sarkaria emphasised that the paddy-wheat cycle had lowered the groundwater level which was a main cause of concern, a Punjab government release said. He further said that the state government is sensitising farmers to shun the paddy-wheat cultivation practise and adopt crop diversification to save the state from turning into a "desert". Sarkaria also asked the Principal Secretary Water Resources Sarvjit Singh to explore the modalities for further cooperation with ICID. As per the release, Reinders, who holds specialisation in water resources management and irrigation engineering, including research, design and training, has suggested to adopt the micro irrigation systems like sprinkler and drip system to save ground water. He also assured to the minister of all possible assistance and cooperation in this regard. ICID is a professional network of experts from across the world in the field of irrigation, drainage, and flood management. The main mission is to promote sustainable agriculture water management. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut Wednesday said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted, he could resolve the issues plaguing Goa's mining industry in "five minutes". Raut met mining dependents who are staging a sit-in protest at the Ramleela Maidan here, and criticised the Centre over the halt in the iron ore extraction industry in Goa, saying even the British and the Portuguese rulers in the country never went against people's livelihood. Mining, which used to be one of two major source of revenue in Goa, the other being tourism, came to a halt in March this year after the Supreme Court quashed the renewal of 88 mining leases. Around 1,000 people, under the banner of the Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF), have been protesting at the Ramleela Maidan in Delhi since Tuesday, demanding an amendment to the mining law during the ongoing winter session of Parliament to enable the resumption of mining activity. Addressing the protesters, Raut said, "We witnessed British rule (in the country) and in Goa, you have seen the Portuguese rule, but they never went against the livelihood of the people." "If the prime minister wants, he can solve the issue of mining dependents in five minutes," the Rajya Sabha member said. The Sena leader appealed to all political parties to come together and fight for the cause. He also suggested that a Goa bandh be observed to press for the demands. "I would request Goa Congress MLA Digambar Kamat to lead the protest. All the political parties will join Kamat," he said, referring to the former state chief minister, who was present at the venue when Raut was addressing the protesters. This is not about any political party, but about the livelihood of people who are looking at a "bleak future", he said. Kamat said the BJP-led government should find a legislative solution to ensure that mining is resumed in the state. "The BJP, which is in power in Goa and at the Centre, should provide an immediate solution for the lakhs of people dependent on this industry," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The commerce ministry's IIFT said it is organising a two-day research conference starting from Thursday to provide a platform for academic debate and knowledge sharing on issues related to international trade and finance. The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), a deemed-to-be-university, is under the administrative control of the ministry. The conference, to be inaugurated by Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, will be attended by renowned academicians from across the globe, policymakers and economists from various multilateral agencies such as OECD, ILO, and UNESCAP. The participants will exchange views and knowledge in different domain of research in trade and finance. "The sixth research conference on Empirical Issues in International Trade and Finance will be organised at its New Delhi campus," IIFT said in a statement Wednesday. Besides lectures by guests and technical sessions, there will be four policy forums on trade and employment challenges in South Asia, bilateral investment treaty, emerging issues in international trade negotiations, and trade, technology and global value chain, it added. The conference assumes significance as the global trade is at a standstill. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India is far from being perfect on global competitiveness and is saddled in the "middle class" of the rankings, World Economic Forum (WEF) founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab said Wednesday. "It's far from being perfect. I also think the very important indicator is that how long it takes to create business and you have some places today where it takes half a day. India is still in the middle class here," he added. Schwab, who is in the financial capital ahead of the WEF's annual meeting in the Swiss resort town of Davos, was replying to a question on how the country fares on the ease of doing business front. The country has moved eight places to be at 58 among 140 countries in WEF's global competitiveness rankings, while it has climbed much sharply to 77th in World Bank's ease of doing business ranking, from being 144th a few years ago. Schwab said the country should work towards creating the necessary ecosystem to boost entrepreneurship. Speaking to reporters here, he said most jobs in the future will be self generated and the country should have an education system that is future-ready. "The education system has to be tailored to provide skills that we need tomorrow. The country also has to create the necessary ecosystem for all entrepreneurial activities," he said. Schwab highlighted that it will be smaller companies which will provide jobs in the future and hence, it is absolutely essential to facilitate startups. Schwab said it is important for young entrepreneurs to be able to create companies faster because the jobs of the future will not be created by large companies. "It will be by young entrepreneurs who have the courage to create an enterprise," he added. He further said that future richness of a country will not only be measured by the potential of its young generation, but data will also be a key factor. "India, which has began getting digital information of its 1.3 billion population, has special competitive advantage only matched by China," said Schwab. Highlighting the need for more technological development, he said, the most innovative country will be the most competitive and ultimately the most wealthy and most powerful one in the future. "India has to make efforts to keep up, particularly with the US and China," he added. He said India will have to bring in an important message to 'Davos 2019', in a world which has many challenges, including polarisation. "India represents largest functioning democracy in the world and is one of the few countries which has a growth rate of over 7 per cent. It's the fastest growing G20 country. "It has a history of successful reforms and I expect a strong presence from India (in Davos 2019) and I hope India has a strong message despite the forthcoming elections," he added. WEF organises a meeting of the global elite of business, finance, and politics in Davos, Switzerland, in January every year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (WEF) founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab Tuesday said is still in the "middle class" in and the country should work towards creating the necessary ecosystem to boost Speaking to reporters here, he said most jobs in the future will be self generated and the country should have an education system that is future-ready. "The education system has to be tailored to provide skills that we need tomorrow. The country also has to create the necessary ecosystem for all entrepreneurial activities," he said. Schwab highlighted that it will be less, not-so-big companies which will provide jobs in the future and "to facilitate startups is absolutely essential". Talking about ease of doing business, he pointed out that in global competitiveness, is ranked the 58th among 140 countries, which is five places up over 2017. "So, it's far from being perfect. I also think the very important indicator is that how long it takes to create and you have some places today where it takes half a day. is still in the middle class here," he added. Schwab said it is important for young entrepreneurs to be able to create companies faster because the jobs of the future will not be created by large companies. "It will be by young entrepreneurs who have the courage to create an enterprise," he added. He further said that future richness of a country will not only be measured by the potential of its young generation, but data will also be a key factor. "India, which has began getting digital information of its 1.3 billion population, has special competitive advantage only matched by China," said Schwab. Highlighting the need for more technological development, he said, the most innovative country will be the most competitive and ultimately the most wealthy and most powerful one in the future. "India has to make efforts to keep up, particularly with the US and China," he added. He said India will have to bring in an important message to ' 2019', in a world which has many challenges, including polarisation. "India represents largest functioning democracy in the world and is one of the few countries which has a growth rate of over 7 per cent. It's the fastest growing country. "It has a history of successful reforms and I expect a strong presence from India (in 2019) and I hope India has a strong message despite the forthcoming elections," he added. organises a meeting of the global elite of business, finance, and politics in Davos, Switzerland, in January every year. The Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested an Indian Information Service officer while allegedly accepting a bribe from an artist-cum-magician, it said Wednesday. Manish Gautam, the accused, is a class-1 officer serving as director of the Regional Outreach Bureau (ROB) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, an ACB statement said. This is the first case in Gujarat where a civil service officer has been caught red-handed in a graft case, it added. Gautam was arrested Tuesday while accepting Rs 20,000 from a man who wanted to be empanelled as a magician with the ROB, it said. The ROB uses magicians and other performing artists in programs aimed at spreading awareness about government schemes, the ACB said. "The complainant had applied to get himself registered as a magician with the ROB. Gautam allegedly demanded Rs 20,000 to select him in auditions," said Deputy Superintendent of Police D P Chudasama. "We laid a trap at the ROB office in Nehrunagar and nabbed Gautam while accepting the bribe. We also recovered Rs 2.5 lakh from him at the time of arrest," the officer said. Gautam was remanded in police custody till December 13 by a local court later Tuesday, he added. Gautam had passed the UPSC exam in 2001 by securing 402nd rank, Chudasama said. He had also worked as 'correspondent' at the Indian Embassy in Nepal for three years, the ACB officer added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian-origin man was sentenced to seven years in jail and six strokes of the cane for stabbing his pregnant wife, who used to be a sex worker. Jayselan N Chandrasegar flew into a rage after he spotted his pregnant wife talking to a man, he assumed was a pimp, reported The Straits Times Wednesday. He used a knife with a 10-cm blade to stab his wife, Mayuri Krishnakumar, in her abdomen twice. He also slashed her back before fleeing the scene. The court heard on Tuesday that the unborn baby was not harmed in the attack. Jayselan, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to the 27-year-old woman with a weapon, and one count of failing to provide his urine sample after he was caught for suspected drug-related offences earlier. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Houston Johannus told the court the couple married in 2013, but their marriage soured in October last year due to frequent quarrels over money and their older child, who was then three years old. When Mayuri told Jayselan, who worked as a cleaner, that she was pregnant, he refused to believe that the child was his and accused her of infidelity. Unable to tolerate his aggression and verbal abuse anymore, she ran away from their home on December 24 last year and sought refuge with her former friends, who were mainly sex workers in a "red-light" area. She also lived with them in their rented rooms, the court heard. At around 11 am on December 30, Mayuri was buying breakfast in the area when she spotted an old friend, known only as Nanda, and started chatting with him. Jayselan, who happened to be in the vicinity, became angry when he spotted the pair as he suspected that Nanda was a pimp. He confronted them and accused his wife of becoming a sex worker again. Nanda then walked away, the court heard. Before Mayuri could reply, Jayselan punched and kicked his wife, then attacked her with the knife. He fled the scene after that and a passerby alerted the police. Jayselan was arrested later that day. His wife was taken to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where she was found to have injuries, including two small bowel perforations. The court heard that the baby was at an unknown gestational age. Mayuri was discharged from the hospital on January 5 this year, said DPP Johannus. Before the attack, police officers on patrol had, on October 26, nabbed Jayselan for suspected drug-related offences. The court heard that he had refused to provide a urine sample to the police. Defence lawyer Gregory Fong pleaded for a jail term of between five and five-and-a-half years. He also said Mayuri had forgiven Jayselan and the couple remained married. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indonesia's top e-commerce site Tokopedia said Wednesday it has raised $1.1 billion in funding from investors including Japanese tech giant SoftBank and Chinese online store Alibaba. The latest financing round for Tokopedia, which lets users to set up online shops and handles transactions, underscores a push by foreign firms to tap the Southeast Asian nation's soaring online market. Major investors, also including Expedia and China's Tencent, have been pumping billions of dollars into Indonesia's tech start-ups to capitalise on a burgeoning digital economy. Tokopedia, which was set almost a decade ago, said it would continue its focus on the market in Indonesia, a sprawling country of some 260 million people with a swelling middle class. "The company expects to use the funds to build technology and infrastructure that empowers millions of local businesses to grow," it said in a statement. Internet use is growing faster in Southeast Asia than any other region in the world, according to research by Google and Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek. By 2020, an estimated 480 million people are expected to be connected to the internet, up from 260 million in the region in 2016, according to the report. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Industry body COAI on Wednesday asserted that there is an agreement among all operators on need for immediate relief on issues like cut in licence fee and spectrum charges, as well as release of GST input tax credit locked up with the government. The Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) stressed that there is no divergence of opinion on pain-points like need for reduction in levies, and all industry players as well as the sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) have highlighted these issues. "On the larger issue of need for a telecom relief package, a view can be taken by the telecom department based on their due diligence. On policy matters, government decisions ought not be based on majority or minority views but the facts of the situation," COAI Director General Rajan Mathews told PTI. The telecom department can undertake a comprehensive exercise to determine whether or not the industry is under financial stress, Mathews said. The COAI had earlier also written to telecom secretary stating that industry be granted refund of accumulated input tax credit, as refund of unutilised credit is "widely accepted and prevalent concept" in other jurisdictions. "...and the same has been quite prevalent in India under the erstwhile Value Added Tax regime," COAI said. As much as Rs 30,000 crore is estimated to be locked up on account of GST payment under 'reverse charge mechanism'. In the letter dated November 27, the COAI also demanded regulatory levies like spectrum payment, licence fee and spectrum usage charges be exempt from GST levy. "Exemption of telecom regulatory levies from payment of GST would ease overall working capital burden of telecom operators and would ease out cases of accumulation of credits," the COAI said. The association said that of the accumulated GST input tax credit (ICT) of mobile operators, a significant portion is on account of spectrum and licence fee and spectrum usage charges related payment. In another letter to the Department of Telecom (DoT), the COAI has also demanded that 4G and 5G related network products along with Long term Evolution (LTE) products, and other equipments be exempt from customs duty. This, said COAI, is critical given the "essential nature of these imports to meet the national vision of digital India". Currently, the customs duty on these products stands at 20 per cent. "With the hike in customs duty for 4G/5G related network products, the operators will incur additional cost and this will be an additional burden as the industry is already debt-ridden and facing severe financial distress. Additional duty will result in more financial challenges in the long run," the COAI said in the letter dated November 29. The telecom sector has been bruised by falling tariffs, eroding profitability, and mounting debt, in the face of stiff competition triggered by disruptive offerings of Reliance Jio, owned by Mukesh Ambani. But a senior DoT official had recently noted that the government may find it "difficult" to respond to calls for relief package for the telecom sector given the differences among operators on financial stress. The official familiar with the ongoing parleys, had said action has been initiated for a way out on two of the concerns -- review of import duties for telecom equipment and GST payments locked up with revenue department. Without naming any particular company, the official had said while certain operators had expressed concerns on severe liquidity crunch in the sector and high spectrum payments, one of the key players had disagreed with the position. This polarisation reflected in the industry association's representation to the government too. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Altogether 15 countries from across the globe would take part in the first International Conference on "Sexual Exploitation of Children in a Digital Era" to be held here from Thursday, organisers said. The two-day programme would see the participation of senior police officers, government representatives, prosecutors and judges from the 15 nations including Germany, Uganda, Canada, Kenya, the US, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka. Representatives of major corporates besides and chairpersons of state commission from protection of child rights as well as chairpersons from women commission of states would also attend the conference, WBCPCR chairperson Ananya Chakraborti told a press conference here on Wednesday. The programme is being organised by the West Bengal Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) and and the International Justice Mission (IJM), a global body that protects the most vulnerable from violence and oppression. The key discussions at the conference would include four panel sessions - trends, challenges, bridges and solutions. The recommendations accrued from the conference would be submitted to the governing bodies globally, Chakraborti said. She unveiled the logo of the conference amid the presence of director of operations director Saji Philip. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After its good show in the assembly elections, the Congress Wednesday asked if Trinamool leaders were having "sleepless nights" fearing their dream of becoming the prime minister may not be fulfilled. At a rally in Kolkata, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi also questioned why has not given credit to Rahul Gandhi for the massive victory. "When the entire country has congratulated Rahul Gandhi and the Congress for its victory in three states, only has not. Is she not happy with the victory of Congress?," Gogoi said. Although the chief minister had congratulated the winners, she had stopped short of naming either Congress or Gandhi. The Congress won three Hindi-heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where BJP was in power. Senior Congress lawmaker Adhir Chowdhury said the Trinamool is having "sleepless nights" as victory of Rahul Gandhi in the three states has put a big question mark on the party's "dreams of Banerjee becoming the next prime minister has gone for a toss". "Now their ( leaders) dreams are shattered as they know that Rahul Gandhi will be the next prime minister. That is why they are not ready to give Congress and Rahul Gandhi their due credit," Chowdhury said. ALSO READ: Semifinal proves BJP is nowhere: Mamata Banerjee on poll results Criticising the "political duplicity" of the Trinamool, Gogoi said speaks against the undemocratic attitude of BJP but itself functions in an "undemocratic and authoritarian way" in Bengal. "This political duplicity will no longer work. On the one hand speaks of democratic values when it goes to opposition meets in Delhi and when it comes back to Bengal it tries to throttle the voice of opposition parties in most undemocratic ways. The Congress high-command is very well aware of the double standards of TMC," Gogoi said. ALSO READ: Election results LIVE: MP Congress MLAs ask Rahul Gandhi to select CM Several senior Congress leaders addressing the rally blamed the ruling Trinamool and its policies for the "growth of communal forces" in the state. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) protested at the varsity's library on Wednesday against the closure of the 24/7 library. The students' union had accused the varsity administration of cutting down library funds from Rs 8 crore to Rs 1.7 crore, a charge denied by the administration. The JNUSU staged a protest at the library, alleging that the students were not being allowed to take books outside the library. "JRF-NET (junior research fellowship-National Eligibility Test) exam is around the corner and the insensitivity of the librarian and the administration shows in the way they have reduced library budget by 80 per cent, and is continuously mismanaging and diverting funds for personal luxury," the JNUSU said. It had a word with the librarian about the closure of one of the reading halls and the denial of permission to take books outside. The students' union also had a meeting with her regarding the closure of 24X7 library through a decision taken at one of the meetings of the university's executive council. "JNUSU gave the administration 24 hours to act on our solution. JNUSU warned the administration that it will not tolerate attack on JNU's Library," they said. The students' union will be protesting again on Thursday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The judiciary is independent and capable of handling its matters, the government said in the Lok Sabha Wednesday in reply to a question on whether the judicial system is "working under pressure". The question was raised apparently against the backdrop of retired Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph's claim that the previous Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, was working under "external" influence. "The then CJI was working under some influence of some external source. He was remote-controlled by an external source," Justice Joseph, who retired on November 29, had said. In a written reply, Minister of State for Law P P Chaudhary said, "Judiciary is an independent organ under the Indian Constitution and is fully empowered and capable of handling all its matter." The minister also said the government was committed to the independence of the judiciary and "does not intervene in its functioning". Responding to another question, Chaudhary rejected suggestions that the government had accused the judiciary of delaying the process of judicial appointments. "It is not correct to say that the government has accused the judiciary for delay in appointments," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of the key takeaways of the Telangana Assembly elections is the remarkable transformation of the "friendship" between the TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi into a "full-fledged partnership." AIMIM fielded eight candidates in the December 7 polls to the 119-member House and supported the TRS -- the two describe themselves as friendly parties, in the remaining segments. In fact, Owaisi, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha member, campaigned for the TRS candidates in some constituencies, bringing the two parties even closer. AIMIM won seven seats, while the TRS got 88. KCR, as Rao is popularly known, and Owaisi are on the same page as far as bringing together regional parties and promoting a non-BJP and non-Congress federal front are concerned. Both have been wholesome in praising each other. "Asaduddin Owaisi is a very good intellectual of this country," KCR has said, citing his participation in debates in the Lok Sabha and on television. "He (Owaisi) is not a fundamenalist, he is a secular political leader. He is with me. We will go together across the country (for the cause of bringing regional parties together) and we will work together," the TRS chief said. Owaisi, for his part, never misses an opportunity to return the compliments. "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," he said after the TRS returned to power with a thumping majority. "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. He said he was "pretty much sure" that KCR 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Wednesday welcomed TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao to the state, a day after the latter said he would soon tour AP to "expose" the Telugu Desam Party chief. Naidu said everyone had a right to go anywhere in a democracy. Soon after his Telangana Rashtra Samithi registered a thumping victory in the Telangana Assembly polls drubbing the Congress-TDP led 'People's Front', the TRS chief hit out at Naidu for targeting him during the Telangana election campaign. "He (Naidu) has come and worked in Telangana (poll campaign), so I too have to go to AP and do the same. If Naidu gives me a gift, should I not return it? Otherwise I will be called cultureless," KCR said Tuesday. "So, I have to return the gift to my friend Chandrababu Naidu and 100 per cent I will definitely give it and show what impact its going to play," KCR said. The TRS chief said he would soon tour AP to "expose" Naidu. Reacting to this, Naidu said in a democracy anyone could go anywhere and work. "He (KCR) is talking about a return gift. One can go anywhere to impress people," the AP CM said at a students' meeting in Ongole. Naidu said the TDP was established for the sake of Telugu people. "Some may compromise here and there but I will work for the well-being of Telugus," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) K Chandrasekhar Rao, who led his party to a power-packed performance in Telangana assembly polls that left the opposition in tatters, was today elected unanimously the leader of the TRS legislature party. Set to become the chief minister of India's youngest state for a second time, Rao's has been an enviable political journey. From living a life of near anonymity as a Congress foot soldier to becoming the mascot of Telangana pride who brought the then mighty Congress down to its knees and wrested statehood, he has navigated the choppy waters of with the adroitness 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 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. 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. 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 22.6 crore, 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. After his stupendous win in Tuesday's vote count, he took a dig at Naidu, whose party fared abysmally, pocketing just two seats, saying he would give a "return gift" to his former boss for contesting elections in Telangana. "Hundred per cent. I will give Chandrababu Naidu the return gift and you will see the impact it will play," he said, hinting at his party contesting elections in Andhra Pradesh. 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. 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 should a non-BJP, non-Congress front materialise amid growing aspirations of regional satraps eyeing a piece of New Delhi's power pie. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The second wife of North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung -- the step-grandmother of Pyongyang's current leader Kim Jong Un -- has died, the South's government said Wednesday. Kim Song Ae, who was born in 1924, is said to have been sidelined in a power struggle decades ago and put under house arrest after failing to promote her own son Pyong Il -- now the North's ambassador to the Czech Republic -- as the founder's heir. "We are going to update our Who's Who of North Korea by factoring in her death," a spokesman at Seoul's Unification ministry said, without saying when she had died or giving any further details. Kim Song Ae reportedly married North Korea's founder and leader Kim Il Sung in 1953, four years after the death of his first wife Kim Jong Suk -- the mother of his successor Kim Jong Il and grandmother of the incumbent. She was seen standing alongside her husband greeting former US president Jimmy Carter when he visited Pyongyang in 1994 during the first crisis over its nuclear development. This is not the first time reports of her death have emerged. In 2014 North Korean Intellectuals' Solidarity, a group of North Korean defectors in the South, said she had died in Kanggye where she had been living incommunicado. The North is highly secretive and the last time she was mentioned by its state media was in 1995, when she was listed as a mourner at the funeral of former defence minister O Jin U. Kim had another son and a daughter. Her second son Kim Yong Il died in Germany in 2000, aged 45, while the daughter lives in Austria with her husband, according to the South's Yonhap agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dozens of South Korean soldiers are visiting the site of front-line North Korean guard posts to verify their removal as part of measures to reduce tensions. The two Koreas each dismantled or disarmed 11 of their guard posts inside their 248-kilometer (155-mile) -long border. They later agreed to exchange inspection teams to verify each other's works. A small group of journalists was allowed to enter the border to watch one of the South Korean teams departing to the site of a North Korean guard post on Wednesday morning. Seven helmeted South Korean soldiers wearing backpacks were met by North Korean troops at the borderline where a signboard marking the military demarcation line stands. North Korean soldiers are due to conduct similar verification on the South Korean side later Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday laid a wreath at the Myanmar martyrs' mausoleum where he honoured the supreme sacrifices of General Aung San, father of State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi. The mausoleum in Yangon is dedicated to Aung San and other leaders of the pre-independence government, all of whom were assassinated in July, 1947. Kovind is in Myanmar on a two-city visit to continue India's high level bilateral engagements under the rubric of the 'Act East Policy' and the 'Neighbourhood First Policy'. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the martyrs of Myanmar were honoured by Kovind. "A wreath is laid by President Kovind at Martyrs mausoleum in Yangon to honour the supreme sacrifices of General Aung San, father of Aung San Suu Kyi, Cabinet Ministers and others on July 19, 1947," Kumar said in a tweet. Kovind and First Lady Savita visited the holy Shwedagon Pagoda which is believed to be possessing relics of eight stands of hair of Gautam Buddha along with other relics of three preceding Buddhas, he said. "Shwedagon means Reliquary of Four," Kumar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday addressed the Indian community in Myanmar and invited them to invest in India, saying the country is full of opportunities for business, social enterprise and cultural links. Kovind, who is in Myanmar to continue India's high level bilateral engagements under the rubric of the 'Act East' and the 'Neighbourhood First' policies, said that India is at the cusp of a transformative change. "I bring you good wishes of 1.3 billion citizens of friends and families in India," he said while speaking at the Indian community reception here. Myanmar has embarked on an exciting but challenging journey, he said. "I am here to reassure Myanmar that India is always ready to help it fulfil its aspirations for a brighter future. "India and Myanmar must pair hard infrastructure being created with soft infrastructure of legal arrangements, like a motor vehicle agreement, for people to travel legally and easily. This will help realise the full potential of our projects," Kovind said. He said that today, India is full of opportunities for business, social enterprise and cultural links. "I invite each one of you to join us in this journey, and to make this partnership more meaningful," the president said. "Our Northeast and Myanmar's North West share strong commonalities of culture, language and traditions. These regions are central to our bilateral vision for growth, prosperity and security. "This is my first visit to Myanmar. It is both a pilgrimage and a homecoming. This country has a proud, millennia-old tradition of Buddhist thought and philosophy. It is home to one of the leading schools of Buddhism," Kovind said. Myanmar, like India, is an enormously diverse country, with different ethnicities and faiths co-existing. The two countries shared civilisational ethos shows that all faiths share fundamental truths, which guide all, he said. "Myanmar is undergoing multiple and simultaneous transitions towards democracy, peace and economic development. Success here, under the courageous leadership of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, is important for this country, South Asia and the ASEAN family. "As a sister democracy and a civilisational friend, India is fully conscious of the challenges Myanmar faces. We are ready to offer Myanmar any assistance in addressing the challenges of national reconciliation, reconstruction and economic development," Kovind said. The central tenets of India's foreign policy are guided by recognition that the road to development runs through the region. The "Act East" and "Neighbourhood First" policies are key aspects of India's foreign policy and Myanmar is a focus country in both, the president said. "We share our expertise with neighbours and others by building infrastructure, creating capacity, and setting up institutions. We do so in the conviction that a peaceful, prosperous and stable neighbourhood is in everyone's interest," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday launched a mobile app for farmers in Myanmar and dedicated a centre to promote agriculture research and education to the people here. Kovind is in Myanmar on a two-city visit to continue India's high level bilateral engagements under the rubric of the 'Act East Policy' and the 'Neighbourhood First Policy'. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the president launched the mobile app on agritech while dedicating the Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education (ACARE) in Yezin Agricultural University to the people of Myanmar. ACARE, a project assisted by the Indian government, focuses on genetics, post harvest technology, participatory knowledge management and capacity building for farmers in Myanmar, Kumar said. President Kovind also dedicated the Rice Bio Park in Yezin Agricultural University to the people of Myanmar which was set up under the mentorship of M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, he said. Later, the President and First Lady Savita arrived at the Yangon International Airport on their second leg of two-city visit to Myanmar. They were welcomed by Phyo Min Thein, Chief Minister of Yangon along with other dignitaries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Sri Lankan court on Wednesday postponed until next month the hearing of a petition restraining Mahinda Rajapaksa and his purported government from functioning amidst a political crisis that erupted after the sacking of premier Ranil Wickremesinghe. Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. The Appeal Court ordered to hear the petition filed by 122 Members of Parliament on January 16, 17 and 18. Parliamentarians of Wickeremesinghe's UNP, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Tamil National Alliance on November 23 filed the petition in the Court of Appeal challenging Rajapaksa on continuing to hold the office of Prime Minister after a no confidence motion was passed in Parliament against him. The order means that the current political crisis will spill over to the new year. When the case was taken up on Wednesday, Rajapaksa's lawyers pleaded that the case be dismissed for not sending notices with full briefs to all respondents. However, the court overruled the objection, saying that notices had been sent to all parties. On December 3, the Court of Appeal issued an interim order which stripped Rajapaksa of his prime ministerial position. Rajapaksa's appeal filed against the interim order is to be taken up on Wednesday afternoon, lawyers said. Another crucial ruling to be delivered by the Supreme Court this week in a case against Sirisena's alleged illegal sacking of Parliament. Sirisena, after sacking Wickremesinghe on October 26, dissolved Parliament and called for a snap election on January 5. However, the Supreme Court overturned his decision and halted the preparations for snap polls. Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa both claim to be the prime ministers with the former claiming that his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Prior to the crisis, Wickramasinghe's UNP had the backing of 106 parliamentarians while Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine had 95 seats. Rajapaksa has, so far, failed to prove his majority in Parliament. The President has said that due to sharp personal differences with Wickremesinghe, he would not reappoint him as the Prime Minister. However, Wickremesinghe's UNP claims that Sirisena will be left with no choice as he would be the man who will command the confidence in the House. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government on Wednesday said legacy staff cost, cut throat tariff war, and absence of 4G services are some of the major reasons for losses at state-owned telecom firm MTNL. Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha informed the Lok Sabha that the Department of Telecom has has received revival plan of MTNL, which has been declared 'Incipient Sick', as per the Department of Public Enterprises guidelines. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) has licence to operate in Delhi and Mumbai. "One of the major reasons for losses of MTNL is huge legacy staff cost. Besides, the service revenue is declining due to intense competition resulting into cut throat tariffs, inability of MTNL to infuse capital expenditure (CAPEX) to upgrade its network. All private telecom operators are offering 4G services leading to churn in mobile segment of MTNL. Due to this MTNL's revenue from operation has reduced," Sinha said. In the second quarter ended September 30, 2018, MTNL reported widening of its loss to Rs 859 crore and the company's total income declined by 21 per cent to Rs 621.26 crore on standalone basis. The employee cost accounted for 92.2 per cent of total income of the company and around 29 per cent more than its revenue from operations at Rs 572.83 crore. The annual loss of MTNL has been stagnant at Rs 2,970 crore during 2016-17 and 2017-18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people belonging to the Lingayat community Wednesday gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to demand declaration of Lingayat as a religious minority and its recognition as an independent religion. The members, hailing from various states, said a memorandum declaring Lingayats as religious minority and issuing special order to record Lingayats in special column in forthcoming census, among others, will be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Requisition for - Recognition of Lingayat religion as an independent religion, declaring Lingayats as religious minorities and issuing special order to record Lingayats in special column in forthcoming census (2021)," the memorandum said. A copy of the memorandum will also be submitted to President Ram Nath Kovind, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and BJP President Amit Shah and National Minorities Commission. "It (Lingayat) is now at present considered as a caste in Hinduism because of ignorance. In certificates, it appears as Hindu Lingayat. Lingayatism is not a caste. It is an independent religion just like other religion," Jagadguru Mate Mahadevi of Basava Dharma Peetha said. "We want centre to give minority religious status to Lingayat community and extend facilities. We also want independent column for Lingayat in the forthcoming censes," she said. Several Lingayats from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu joined the protest. Last year, the Siddaramaiah government had approved a report given by Justice Nagamohan Das Committee, stating that Lingayat is an independent religion and is not a part of Hinduism. That report was passed by the Karnataka government and was sent to the Centre for approval. The report has been pending with the Centre for the last one year, said Siddaveer, a member of Rashtriya Basava Dal. "The Centre has now rejected the proposal. We are here to protest against it. We want Lingayat to be recognised as an independent religion," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Buoyed by the party's win in three states, the Congress in West Bengal on Wednesday said it would like to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state alone. WBPCC president Somen Mitra said the state state unit would convey the decision to the party's central leadership. "Our party high command has never asked us to go for an alliance. Rather it has asked us to strengthen our organisation in the state. We want to fight Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal," Mitra said at a party programme here. His comments came a day after the resurgent Congress won the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan defeating the BJP and emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh. Recently opposition parties including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress have met in Delhi to discuss ways to defeat the BJP led government at the centre. The Trinamool Congress leadership in West Bengal has maintained that they want to contest in all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Theresa May will face a confidence vote today between 6 and 8 p.m. local time (1 to 3 p.m. Eastern time). The result is expected no later than 9 p.m. London time. What is a confidence vote, how does it work, and what happens afterwards? What is a confidence vote? Under the UKs parliamentary system, the ruling partys leader becomes prime minister. If the leader loses his or her support, Conservative members of Parliament vote to express their confidence, or lack of confidence, in their leadership. How does a confidence vote come to be held? Under the rules of the UKs Conservative Party, 15 percent of its members of Parliament trigger a confidence vote by sending letters to the 1922 Committee. The committees leader, Sir Graham Brady, informed Theresa May last night that at least 48 of the 315 eligible Conservatives in Parliament had submitted such a letter. Some, like Mark Francois, released those letters publicly. In a public statement this morning, May responded, I will contest that vote with everything Ive got. Brady announced that MPs had both added, and revoked, letters of no confidence on the eve of the vote. What caused this confidence vote? Theresa Mays government has been imperiled for months. She called a snap election for June 2017, which resulted in her losing 13 seats and her partys majority. May, who voted to remain in the European Union in 2016, regularly gave way to the EU during Brexit negotiations and hammered out a deal that crossed the red lines she set forth in her Lancaster House speech. Her Brexit deal would have left the UK implementing EU regulations without having any vote over their content, imposed a different regulatory regime on Northern Ireland that the rest of the UK, and potentially left the entire UK in the customs union with no unilateral way to leave. Her critics had been split amongst themselves about how to respond. Jacob Rees-Mogg publicly announced on November 15 that he submitted a formal letter of no confidence in the leader of the party. Others believed that May is likely to survive, and the European Research Group should wait until her Brexit plan failed in Parliament to replace her. The final straw came Monday, when May announced she was delaying Parliaments meaningful vote on her Brexit deal, after tallies show she was likely to lose by as many as 200 votes. What happens during a confidence vote? All eligible MPs vote in a secret ballot, on paper ballots. The party leader survives by winning a bare majority. Theresa May will need the support of at least 158 Conservative MPs to remain party leader. What if the prime minister wins a confidence vote? The prime minister continues to serve as party leader. Under Conservative Party rules, another confidence vote cannot be held for at least a year. What if the prime minister loses a confidence vote? The party leader must step down and cannot take part in the ensuing leadership contest. New candidates may be nominated to stand for Conservative Party leader with the backing of at last two Tory MPs. If only one candidate is nominated, that candidate wins. In the event that more than two candidates enter the leadership contest, multiple rounds of voting are held, with the lowest vote-getter eliminated each round. When only two candidates remain, the broader membership of the Conservative Party then vote via postal ballots. The party rules state that all the members of the Conservative party in good standing who have been members for not less than three months prior to the date of the announcement of the vote of confidence may vote. This reform was adopted in 1998. If the prime minister loses a confidence vote, does he/she immediately step down as leader? Not necessarily. The prime minister may continue as a caretaker until the party chooses a new leader. How long would a leadership contest take? The 2005 leadership contest took three months. If May loses this vote, the leadership contest will likely take less time in part because, under Article 50, the UK will leave the European Union on March 29, 2019. (Photo credit: Shutterstock / Editorial use only.) 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. Observing that it is the duty of the Army to motivate youngsters to join the armed forces not only for good salaries but better service conditions, the Madras High Court has set aside an order transferring an army man in the last leg of his service. Justice S Vimala set aside the order transferring Havildar B Sakthivel from Chennai to Jammu and Kashmir in the last leg of his service as he is due to retire in 2020. "It is the duty of the Army to motivate youngsters of the country to join the armed forces not only with just superior salaries, but better service conditions and other compensatory packages," the judge said while setting aside the transfer order dated August 20, 2018 and allowing the writ petition by the havildar. She observed that the purpose behind last leg posting at a place of choice is that the member of the force can find an accommodation where he can live peacefully in his twilight years. "The policy of the last leg tenure posting is a recognition that a member of the armed force, who has served the country well and has spent more than 50 per cent of the tenure in non-family stations, is entitled to settle his personal affairs before he retires, so that, post-retirement he can live in peace," the judge said in her recent order. The petitioner had submitted that he has an aged father, an amputee with only one leg in terms of functional efficiency, who would not be able to take care of Sakthivel's family. Besides, he had submitted that his wife is in advanced stage of pregnancy and would not be able to take care of their two other children, who were studying in classes I and VI. Recording the submissions, the judge said the petitioner cannot discharge his duty in between the two extreme difficulties and is entitled to be retained in Chennai. In addition, the petitioner has served at various states in various area profiles and had worked in Jammu and Kashmir alone for a period of a little over 10 years, which is defined as a hard area and field area for the purpose of posting, the judge observed. Sakthivel was posted at Chennai on last leg transfer on April 30, 2016 for 36 months, but ordered to be transferred to Jammu and Kashmir by an order dated August 20. The judge set aside the transfer order and directed the authorities to permit the petitioner to remain in Chennai for the remaining period, ie, till his superannuation. Also, Justice Vimala observed: ''Managing human resources is vital to any organisational set-up and the armed forces are no exception...The task ahead is to recognise the nature of problems faced by the soldiers and improve the service conditions, so that Indian military officers is a dream job of all the bright, ambitious and motivated youngsters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 35-year-old Buddhist monk was Tuesday killed by a leopard while he was meditating under a tree in Ramdegi forest in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district, an official said Wednesday. The monk, identified as Rahul Walke, was attacked by the big cat in the deep forest in the east Maharashtra district, located over 150 kms from here. The deceased was meditating at the spot since the last one month, the official said. "The incident occurred around 9.30-10 AM yesterday (December 11) when the monk was meditating under a tree deep inside the forest", Deputy Director, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (Buffer) Gajendra Narwane told PTI. The tree is located some distance away from a historical Buddhist temple in the forest. "Two monks used to visit Walke with food since the last one month", Narwane said. He said forest officials had warned the monks about presence of wild animals around the spot. "But, unfortunately before the monk (Walke) could leave the place, the incident occurred Tuesday," Narwane said. Walke's body has been recovered from the spot. In the wake of the leopard attack, the forest officials have cordoned off the area and are allowing visitors to the historical site, a temple, during stipulated hours only, he said. A solar fencing is put around the temple premises to ward off threat of wild animals, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra government is planning to disclose information related to certain projects and schemes online so that people do not need to file applications under the Right To Information (RTI) to obtain the same. A provision for this is likely to be made in the RTI Act, official sources said. At present, information about government schemes or projects comes through official statements released by the concerned ministry which may not contain all information, or it is disclosed when someone files an RTI query. "Proactive disclosure" would ease the burden on the state machinery which receives hundreds of RTI applications every month, said an official. "The idea is to introduce 'proactive disclosure' of files and minutes of meetings online to bring transparency in the administration, as well as to ease the burden of applications seeking information under the RTI Act," he said. "We have begun the process of introducing this clause providing for proactive disclosure in the rules under the RTI Act," said another official. A secretary-level officer will be assigned the responsibility of making proactive disclosure of files. The official, however, clarified that this clause will not be applicable to every piece of information. "We cannot put each and everything online. There has to be certain criterion as to what should be disclosed," he said. Former Central Information Commissioner and RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi said that section 4 of the RTI Act talks about such disclosure. "It applies to most of the information which has to be in the public domain. But many times a rule has to be spelt out separately for it to be followed," he said. "If the government is introducing this clause of proactive disclosure specifically then it is a welcome step," he said. Gandhi, however, voiced another concern. "There have been cases where officials refused information saying it is available online. If this move of introducing proactive disclosure clause is for legitimising this reply, then it will go against the spirit of the Act," he said. State Information Commissioner (Brihanmumbai) A K Jain said the idea was being discussed for some time. "This has been going around for some time. I cannot tell you when this will be done as the state government will take the decision," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mahindra Electric and SmartE, an electric vehicle fleet operator, Wednesday announced a partnership with plans to deploy 10,000 electric three-wheelers across the country by 2020. Under the partnership, SmartE will introduce 1,000 Mahindra Treo and Treo Yaari electric three-wheelers in Delhi-NCR by March 2019 with an aim of transforming last mile connectivity. "To start with, SmartE has already taken 50 Treo range of electric three-wheelers from us. The plan is to deploy 1,000 such vehicles in Delhi-NCR by March 2019," Mahindra Electric CEO Mahesh Babu told reporters here. The partnership has the potential to expand pan India, he said, adding "the plan is to deploy 10,000 such vehicles by 2020". Last month, Mahindra Electric had launched its first lithium ion electric three-wheeler range Treo and Treo Yaari with starting price of Rs 1.36 lakh (ex-showroom Bengaluru). SmartE Co-Founder and CEO Goldie Srivastava said the company plans to roll out a total of one lakh vehicles by 2022 through its fleet. "We believe Mahindra Electric's solutions will play a critical role in our growth strategy," he added. SmartE, which already has an ongoing partnership with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation among other partners, plans to deploy the Treo three-wheelers at metro stations in Delhi-NCR region, he added. The partnership, he said will play a key role in making the last mile commute eco-friendly besides making it more convenient and safe. Srivastava said SmartE has already built captive EV charging network for 800 vehicles concurrently and will be ramping it up further to support 1,000 vehicles in Delhi-NCR. With the additional vehicles, the company will cross 2,000 mark by March 2019 and would help ferry 2 lakh commuters per day, he added. When asked about the company's expansion, he said the plan is to have network across India. He, however, declined to comment on details and the next cities where SmartE planned to foray in the near future. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 40-year-old man was arrested in Arunachal Pradesh's West Siang district for allegedly raping a minor girl for the last five months, police said Wednesday. The man was arrested on December 9 after an FIR was lodged at Aalo police station against him for allegedly raping the minor girl, they said. The accused, a manager of a private insurance company was allegedly raping the girl for the last five months when her family members were absent, the police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday urged women to take part in and influence positive changes in the system, while acknowledging the fact that their involvement in panchayat-level affairs has increased over the years. The BJP government in the state is committed to work for the empowerment of women, the chief minister asserted. "Time has come for women to engage in beyond the panchayat level. Ever since the BJP-led government came to power, around 1.5 years ago, it has been working relentlessly to check crimes against women," Singh said at a memorial here on the occasion of Nupi Lan Day. Nupi Lan Day is observed annually in memory of women who opposed oppresive colonial policies in 1904 and 1939. The Britishers had forced Manipuri men to work as bonded labourers. In retaliation, a group of Meitei women torched bungalows of British officers during the first uprising. A similar protest in 1939 saw womenfolk demanding an immediate end to rice export from Manipur as the state was experiencing a near-famine situation. "History speaks volumes about the spirit and courage of Manipuri women. However, paying tributes and organising functions is not the objective, we need to take inspiration from their deeds in our everyday life," Singh said. The present government does not pay "lip services", it focusses on implementing schemes and policies for women's empowerment, he said. "A special fast track court was established last year and 12 persons have been convicted for various crimes committed against women," Singh maintained. Talking about his government's initiatives, the CM said the number of women personnel in the police force has increased since his party came to power, with some of them occupying ranks of superintendent of police and commanding officer of Manipur Rifles. "We wish to provide a platform where women police officers can prove their mettle and work in tandem with their male counterparts," he said, adding that the government has also made provisions to ensure that girls get proper education in schools. Top government officials on Wednesday paid floral tributes to the 'Meira Paibis' (women torch bearers) at the memorial. Artistes also performed a play reconstructing the events of 1904 and 1939. Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar Singh, who was present at the programme, said if efforts made by women to "cleanse the society" is supported by men, the multi-ethnic state can take giant leaps towards development. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Solicitor General of India Harish Salve will represent the Maharashtra government in the Bombay High Court which is hearing petitions against the decision to give 16 per cent reservation to the Marathas. Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil told reporters Wednesday that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, chief secretary D K Jain and he met Salve here earlier in the day. "After a detailed discussion, he agreed to represent the state government in the Bombay High Court," Patil said. The Maharashtra legislature last month passed a bill providing reservation in government jobs and education to the Maratha community following a long-standing demand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Sajid Khan has been suspended for one year by Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) over the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by several women following an investigation. IFTDA said acting on the recommendations of the Internal Complaints Committee's (ICC), it has suspended Sajid's membership for a period of one year with immediate effect, which will be reviewed after a year, the organisation said in a statement. Three women, including a journalist and two actors, have accused Sajid of sexual harassment. IFTDA president Ashoke Pandit said, "The reason we have set up a committee is to assure women and men that there is an avenue, which is gender neutral, for seeking redressal if they have been wronged by someone. "By suspending Sajid for a year, we have only tried to put forth a word that there is redressal as long as you have the courage to speak up and bring out the complete truth, better late than never," he added. Pandit believes the increasing awareness about the POSH Act guidelines and the #MeTooIndia Movement have encouraged women to speak up. "It has given them the confidence to speak against sexual harassment. A complainant, who shows courage to speak against unwelcome behaviour regardless of who is the perpetrator, is not merely an object of pity or sympathy, but a survivor setting the world on fire with her truth. Now, it's our duty to uproot such unwelcome behaviour around us," he added. Sajid, who was working on his next directorial venture "Housefull 4", had to step away from the project following the allegations against him. The committee, in a statement, said the allegations in the complaints are serious instances of sexual harassment, unwelcome sexually determined behaviour, unwarranted contact by poking and advances, demands for sexual favours and abuse of power by Sajid. Sajid was given an opportunity to put forth his defence but he did not give any explanation, response or defence to the allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Liberal liquor policy, advent of the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and anti-incumbency factor were believed to be reasons due to which the Congress government in the Christian-majority Mizoram, the party's last bastion in the northeastern region, fell. In the assembly election results declared Tuesday, the Congress failed to break the 10-year-jinx and came a poor third behind the Mizo National Front (MNF), which won 26 seats and the ZPM, which won 8 seats and is a new entrant in the state poll scenario. The Congress managed to bag only five seats compared to the 34 it had won in the 2013 Assembly elections. Chief minister-designate Zoramthanga of the MNF on Wednesday said the people might have rejected the Lal Thanhawla regime for its liberal policy towards liquor as against the expressed will of the churches. He has already announced that his government would impose total prohibition. Outgoing chief minister Lal Thanhawla said his party's electoral setback might be due to the opening of liquor shops in the state in 2015, after a spell of prohibition for 20 years. Though he stopped short of accusing the churches of campaigning against his government and the Congress, Thanhawla said, "Campaigning from the pulpit should be prohibited." The powerful Presbyterian Church had organised mass prayers in all member churches across the state twice in 2014 against repeal of the prohibition. Total prohibition was imposed in this highly-literate state since February 20, 1997 by the then Congress government. However, it was lifted in early 2015 by enforcing the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control Act, 2014. The ZPM, a conglomerate of two political parties and four groups, captured eight seats. Its nominees, contesting the polls as independents, bagged 22.9 per cent votes. Congress spokesman Lallianchhunga said the ZPM harmed both his party and the MNF, but it eroded the vote bank of the Congress more than the MNF because of the anti-incumbency factor. In the election held on November 28, the MNF garnered 37.6 per cent votes, while the Congress managed 30.2 per cent. A strong anti-incumbency wave worked against the 10- year-old Congress regime, Zoramthanga further said. The Congress and the MNF have been in the driver's seat at different times since 1987, when Mizoram became a full-fledged state, but none has so far been able to form governments thrice in a row. The MNF had also ruled the state for 10 years between 1998 to 2008, and was defeated by the Congress thereafter. Some quarters also cited another reason for the Congress' dismal performance - resignation of the assembly speaker, home minister and two former ministers. The five-time chief minister denied any serious internal fighting in the party but admitted that some people campaigned against Congress candidates due to denial of party tickets. The BJP opened its account with a solitary seat in this Christian majority state. It won from a constituency in the minority Chakma dominated area in southernmost Mizoram bordering Bangladesh. It garnered 8 per cent votes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 36 out of 40 newly-elected MLAs in Mizoram are crorepatis, while the average asset of the assembly members has risen from Rs 3 crore to nearly Rs 5 crore, a study showed said on Wednesday. However, the new assembly does not have a single woman MLA. The maximum 22 crorepati MLAs are from Mizo National Front, which has won the majority with 26 seats as per the election results announced on Tuesday, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said in its report. The outgoing assembly had 30 crorepati legislators. The crorepati-club in the new assembly also includes five from Congress, eight independents and the lone BJP legislator, each of whom have declared assets valued more than Rs one crore, the ADR said. "The average of assets per MLA in the Mizoram 2018 assembly elections is Rs 4.84 crores. In 2013, the average assets per MLA was Rs 3.10 crore," the report said. There are nine MLAs with assets valued over Rs 5 crore, while two have declared assets between Rs 10-50 lakh, the ADR said citing their self-declared election affidavits. It put the average asset of the 26 MLAs from the MNF at Rs 4.97 crores and at Rs 5.13 crrore for the five winning candidates from Congress. The average asset for the eight independent MLAs is Rs 4.39 crores, while the lone BJP MLA has declared assets worth Rs 3.31 crores. Regarding criminal records, the ADR said only two MLAs (both from the MNF) have declared cases against them, as against none in the outgoing assembly. Ten MLAs have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th and and 12th class, while 29 elected MLAs have an educational qualification of graduate or above. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The assembly elections to five states were seen as a litmus test for Narendra Modi's popularity, and as the counting of votes began Tuesday morning there was an air of suspense over the outcome -- will it be a setback for BJP? Will the party continue its winning streak in the Hindi belt and prove some of the exit polls wrong? But in the midst of all the tension, the prime minister paid no attention to the hype around the elections and attended to his routine work and scheduled engagements, preparing his speech that he had to deliver on Wednesday at a health conference, and attending the first day of Parliament's winter session. "For the prime minister, Tuesday was a busy working day like any other day," said an aide of the prime minister. Modi reached Parliament at 10.30 AM, and in his customary interaction with media called for healthy debate and discussion on all subjects of concern to the people. He attended the Lok Sabha, which was adjourned for the day after obituary references to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and former Union minister Ananth Kumar. "In the afternoon, the prime minister reviewed development work in Uttar Pradesh. Thereafter, he attended to other important official meetings," said another official. Modi will be launching development projects in Rae Bareli and Prayagraj on the December 16. By the evening, it was clear that BJP suffered defeat in all the three Hindi heartland states. However, the official said, Modi, late in the evening, gave finishing touches to his speech he was to deliver on Wednesday morning at the Partners' Forum for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. The day after the shock defeats in three key states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Modi began his day early on Wednesday, attending the health forum at 9 AM at Vigyan Bhavan and then drove straight to Parliament from the event. "After the customary meeting with senior party members on Parliament matters, Modi reviewed the progress of development works in Kalyan and Pune in Maharashtra," said the official. He will be visiting these areas on December 18 and launch the projects. "He also finalised the plan for a video call with booth level workers in Kerala and Tamil Nadu on December 14 and 15," added the official. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Advocate General P K Kaurav resigned Wednesday following the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) defeat in the Assembly elections. Kaurav sent his resignation to the Principal Secretary, Law Department, official sources said. "I have resigned from the post of advocate general following the change of government in the state," he said in the letter. Kaurav had been appointed as advocate general by the BJP government in June 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats after the vote count ended on Wednesday morning, according to the State Election Commission Office. The party is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. The BJP was close behind with 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one. Independents bagged four seats, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told PTI. The BJP, however, edged ahead of the Congress in the vote share by a slender margin. It got 41 per cent of the total votes polled, while the Congress got 40.9 per cent. With the Congress and the BJP falling short of a simple majority, the focus now shifts to smaller parties and Independents who will play an important role in government formation. The Congress and the BJP declared their intention to form government with the help of others, including Independents, even before the final results were out. Congress state president Kamal Nath submitted a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel, staking claim to form government late Tuesday night. He later said his party had the numbers to form government in the central state. "We have majority numbers with us to form the government. Even Independents, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party have also supported us. We have sought an appointment with the governor and we will apprise her about the majority figure that we have and request her to invite us to form the government," Nath told reporters in the early hours of Wednesday. He said the party has called a meeting of its newly elected MLAs on Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, the BJP said the Congress did not get people's mandate to form government in the state and claimed that it was in touch with some Independents and other parties. "The Congress has not got the mandate. Many Independents and others are in contact with the BJP. We will meet Governor tomorrow (Wednesday)," state BJP president Rakesh Singh said in a tweet late Tuesday night. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Newly-elected Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh Wednesday asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to nominate the new legislature party leader. At a meeting here in the evening, they unanimously passed a resolution authorising Gandhi to name the CLP leader. "The resolution was moved by senior MLA Arif Aqueel and seconded by other MLAs. They passed it unanimously, authorising the Congress president to nominate the legislature party leader," state Congress media cell chairperson, Shobha Oza told reporters. The meeting lasted for about two hours, she said. Senior Congress leaders A K Antony and Bhanwar Jitendra Singh attended the meeting as the central observers. Oza said Gandhi will be conveyed the decision of the newly-elected MLAs, after which he will name the CLP leader. The observers are also talking to the MLAs to seek their views, she said. All the four independent MLAs, elected in the November 28 poll, were also present in the meeting, she said. The Congress Wednesday emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority of 116 in 230-member house and claimed that it has the support of 121 members. BSP supremo Mayawati Wednesday morning extended support of her party to the Congress. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan Wednesday tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel, who met a Congress delegation here at noon after the party leaders wrote to her last night, seeking a chance to form the new government in the central Indian state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ANaxalitewas killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Wednesday, a senior police official said. A cache of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), frequently used by Naxals to target security personnel, was also recovered from the encounter spot, he said. The skirmish took place around 9 am near Tarrem village, located nearly 450 km from the state capital Raipur, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg told PTI. Acting on a tip-off that a group of 25 to 30 Naxalites was trying to damage the Basaguda-Tarrem road by triggering a landmine blast, a joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police rushed to the spot, he said. The security personnel were cordoning off a forest patch near Tarrem when ultras fired at them, leading to the gun-battle between the two sides, he said. After guns fell silent, the body of a Maoist and a muzzle loading gun were recovered from the spot, Garg said. Around 25 IEDs, Naxal literature and other items were also seized from the site, he said. The identity of thekilledrebelwas yet to be ascertained, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights will conduct inspections at 56 randomly-selected children's home in 19 districts of Odisha in the aftermath of the alleged sexual abuse of minor girls at a shelter home in Dhenkanal district. An NGO-run shelter home in Dhenkanal -- 106 km from state capital Bhubaneswar -- was sealed last Sunday and two people, including its managing director, were arrested following allegations of sexual harassment. NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo, in a letter to Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi and Principal Secretary at the Women and Child Development Department Anu Garg, said the first phase of inspection by the NCPCR is scheduled from Wednesday and a meeting with the state government and authorities would be held on Thursday. District Child Protection Units and Child Welfare Committees would also participate in the inspections at their respective districts. The inspections are being conducted on the direction of Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi who asked the NCPCR to get all the homes inspected. Gandhi, in a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik dated December 7, said it is a matter of great concern that the incident only came to light when some of the girls residing there confided in media and accused the shelter home in-charge of sexual abuse. The WCD minister has also set up an inquiry in the case which would be headed by WCD Secretary Rakesh Srivastava. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union health minister J P Nadda Wednesday stressed on the need for increasing domestic resources as, he said, 85 per cent cost of the global health targets can be met internally. Nadda said that the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs set by the UN General Assembly estimate the costs of health related targets in 67 low and middle-income countries that account for 75 per cent of the world's population. "Under the ambitious scenario, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals health targets would require new investments increasing over time from an initial USD 134 billion annually to USD 371 billion, or USD 58 per person, by 2030," he said while speaking at the 2018 Partners' Forum here. He added, "The analysis shows that 85 per cent of these costs can be met with domestic resources. We therefore need to strengthen our approach to increasing domestic resources." Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark about India's commitment to increasing health spending to 2.5 per cent of the GDP by 2025, Nadda said that the government is exploring new financing mechanisms and has introduced health cess that will generate additional USD 1.5 billion. "India pledges to continue leveraging more resources for boosting health services, honouring its commitment to the Every Woman Every Child Movement as we aim to deliver universal health coverage," he said. He also highlighted the need for capitalising on private sector, which provide a substantial proportion of services, and stressed on a better collaboration between governments and the private sector. Titled 'Partners' Forum', the focus of this year's meet is on improving multi-sectoral action for results, sharing country solutions and capturing the best practices and knowledge within the health and its allied sectors. A 'marketplace' showcasing some of India's best practices and innovations in reproductive maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health has also been set up. Over 24 best practices and innovations have been selected to be showcased at the marketplace. These include best practices under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Anaemia-Mukt Bharat, Mera Aspataal and LaQshya, among others. The previous chapters of the meet were held in Johannesburg in 2014 and Dar es Salaam in 2007. This is the second time India is hosting the meet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday inaugurated the newly built administrative building of Dr Kalam Agriculture College in Kishanganj district, an official release said. After inaugurating the new building, he visited the digital classroom, agriculture entomology, insects museum and computer lab of the college located at Arrabari in Pothia block of the district, it said. Kumar asked officials to install solar plates on the roof top of all the buildings of the college which would help generate power in meeting its energy requirement. Kumar also inspected the various stalls put up at the 'Krishi Vikas Mela 2018' organised at College campus. Agriculture minister Prem Kumar, MP Santosh Kushwaha, chief secretary Deepak Kumar and other senior officials were present on the occasion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government Wednesday said no formal invitation was sent to US President Donald Trump to visit India in January. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh stated this while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha on whether the government invited the US president to visit India in January. In October, a White House official said Trump was unable to participate as Chief Guest of India's Republic Day celebrations in January due to scheduling constraints. "The India-US joint statement issued on June 27, 2017 states, 'President Trump gladly accepted Prime Minister Modi's invitation to visit India.' No formal invitation has been sent to the US President to visit India in January 2019," Singh said in the written reply. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Trump to visit India during their talks in Washington in June 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There will be "no renegotiation" of the Brexit divorce deal concluded between the European Union and Britain, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned Wednesday. "There will be no renegotiation," he told the French National Assembly as British Prime Minister Theresa May fights to sell the deal to the British parliament. "There were long negotiations lasting several months that ended with a text agreed by both parties, which was to have been submitted yesterday to the British parliament, and which the British prime minister decided to hold back because of lack of support," Le Drian said. The key stumbling block is the so-called "backstop" which aims to avoid the return of a "hard border" between the two Irelands, he added. May is to meet Thursday in Brussels with leaders of the 27 remaining EU leaders to discuss the deal, "but there will be no renegotiation" of the deal, Le Drian said. "Observations might be made, and, as you know, the prime minister is in trouble with her own party and faces a confidence vote this evening so we are looking at a complex situation," he added. May faces a revolt within her own ranks, sparked by MPs from the anti-EU wing of her Conservative party, her biggest crisis since taking office after the 2016 Brexit referendum. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Azernews By Kamila Aliyeva History recognizes Heydar Aliyev as an amazing political figure with an exceptional personality, who truly can be called the architect of modern Azerbaijan. The memory and respect for national leader Heydar Aliyev lives in the heart of every Azerbaijani -- the prominent politician has a huge role in the formation of Azerbaijani statehood. December 12 sees the 15th anniversary of the national leader of Azerbaijan. His memory is honored by the Azerbaijani people, since all remarkable achievements of the country, its high international prestige, stability, and sustainable development are associated with Heydar Aliyevs name. The fate of the Azerbaijani state is tightly intertwined with the life of the national leader. Today, Azerbaijan is on a path of constant development which promises bright future to our country due to the wise policy and strategy that has once been pursued by Heydar Aliyev. The period of leadership of the great leader of Azerbaijan fits into the historical memory of the people as the era of Heydar Aliyev. This era is one of the most glorious pages of Azerbaijans histortical development. The great leader created the long-term model of Azerbaijans development. Heydar Aliyev built his strategy on three fundamental values. These are factors of a strong independent state, a diversified dynamic economy and a free person. The harmony of all three values is a trend aimed at the comprehensive progress of the country. The modern independent state of Azerbaijan was established on the foundation created during the first period of Heydar Aliyevs political leadership in 1969-1982. However, the clearest manifestation of his charismatic leadership, firm will, political foresight, managerial talent, leadership and global outlook took place in the early 1990s - during the struggle of Azerbaijan for independence and national statehood. During the period when the Azerbaijani people faced serious problems, Heydar Aliyev undertook a mission to save the nation from the threat of destruction. Thus, his historical merits in preserving the independent statehood and national unity are unprecedented. He managed to inspire the nation, withdraw it from the crisis, and ultimately turn Azerbaijan into a stable and rapidly developing country. In 1993, Heydar Aliyev was back to state power at the insistent call of people. The political crisis of power, anarchy and arbitrariness ended only since summer of 1993, and a new historical period began in Azerbaijan - a period of strengthening independence and real state-building. Foreign partners of our country openly declare that Heydar Aliyev linked the state foreign policy concept with strengthening Azerbaijans role as a bridge connecting East with West, North with South, built a concept that laid the foundation for modernization in the most balanced form, connected with global trends of international development. Along with achieving a political stability in Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev laid the foundations for the economic independence of the country. Contract of the Century signed with the Western oil companies in Baku on September 20, 1994 was of vital importance for Azerbaijan and played a crucial role in the establishment of internal stability in the country, and achievement of success in foreign policy. Heydar Aliyev's economic policy made a special focus on attracting foreign investments into the country. Foreign investments, which were initially invested in the implementation of the new oil strategy of Azerbaijan, gradually began to spread to other sectors of the economy, infrastructure projects. Moreover, Heydar Aliyev initiated the development of a new Constitution, which was adopted in 1995 and created a legal framework for the modernization of the country, the transition to a new economic system. Political activity of Heydar Aliyev is an honorable page of national history, and on December 12 the people of Azerbaijan pay tribute to the loving memory of the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, wise politician and genius personality. Soldiers from North and South Korea crossed into each other's territory peacefully for the first time on Wednesday, Seoul said, as they began checking the dismantlement of guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone. The North invaded the South in 1950, triggering the Korean War, and Seoul went on to change hands four times as Pyongyang's Chinese-backed forces and the US-led UN troops supporting the South fought their way up and down the peninsula and back again. The conflict ended in an armistice in 1953, leaving the two technically still in a state of war, but a rapid reconciliation has taken place this year. The South's President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un, leader of the nuclear-armed North, agreed to remove a limited number of guard posts along their heavily-fortified frontier at a September summit in Pyongyang, among other measures. North Korea blew up 10 of its facilities in November, while the South tore 10 down on its own side using excavators. South Korean inspectors visited each of the guard posts on the North's side on Wednesday to make sure they had been dismantled and all firearms and troops removed, Seoul's defence ministry said. North Korean inspectors carried out the same process at the South's bunkers in the afternoon, it added. Video footage showed armed South Korean soldiers shaking hands with North Korean personnel at the military demarcation line in the centre of the DMZ, before crossing to the other side. Led by the North Koreans, the Southerners walked along a path where the North's guard posts had once stood, soldiers from both sides taking photos and filming the process as they chatted. "This marks the first time since the division that the soldiers of the North and South... are peacefully crossing the military demarcation line," the ministry said in a statement. The North is known to have more guard posts -- which include both surface structures and underground elements -- and according to Yonhap agency it now has around 150 in the DMZ, with the South having about 50. Despite its name, the area around the DMZ is one of the most fortified places on earth, replete with minefields and barbed-wire fences. But under the plans to ease tensions agreed in Pyongyang, the two Koreas have demilitarised the border truce village of Panmunjom, leaving it manned by 35 unarmed personnel from each side. Officially called the Joint Security Area (JSA), the enclave is the only spot along the 250-kilometre (155-mile) frontier where soldiers from the two Koreas and the US-led UN Command stand face to face. The dovish Moon has pursued a policy of engagement with the North, in increasing contrast to Washington, which insists pressure should be maintained on Pyongyang until it denuclearises. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed hope that the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh would be resolved soon after the change of government in the neighbouring state. The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Tuesday also said that there could be some relief in store for the state on the matter. Replying to a question on the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, BJD president Patnaik said, "We hope of finding a resolution soon." Chhattisgarh has been accused of constructing projects on the upstream of Mahanadi river and blocking the flow of water down stream to Odisha. The Congress has all along stood by Odisha in the water dispute. The matter is now pending before a tribunal. The Congress will form the next government in Chhattisgarh, ending the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 15-year reign in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than two lakh Indian nationals have been repatriated by the government from different parts of the world in the last four years, the Lok Sabha was told Wednesday. Out of the 2,08,186 Indians, about 16,821 Indians were rescued from the troubled areas in Ukraine, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh told the Lok Sabha in response to a question. He also said that 7,198 Indian nationals were saved from punishment from May, 2014 to May this year and the major countries where such assistance was rendered include the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Maldives, Iran, Cote d'lvoire, Saudi Arabia and Belarus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 280 cases of Zika virus infection, including two deaths, were reported from three states in India from September to November, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel informed the Rajya Sabha Wednesday. Total 159 cases of the infection were reported from Jaipur in Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh witnessed 159 cases with Bhopal reporting 54, Vidisha 50, Hoshangabad 2, Sehore 21, Sagar 2 and Raisen 1. One confirmed case of Zika virus was reported from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Zika virus has the potential to spread given the wide geographical distribution of the mosquito vector (aedes mosquito that also spreads dengue and chikungunya) in India, a lack of immunity among population in newly affected areas and the high volume of international travel, the minister said. "Two laboratory confirmed Zika deaths reported from Madhya Pradesh. In both these cases, death was due to concurrent co-morbid conditions (due to septic shock with dengue encephalitis in one case and multi-organ failure due to septic shock in the other)," Patel said. The Ministry of Health initiated several steps to contain further spread of Zika virus disease. The Zika action plan was implemented in all the affected states and central teams were deployed in Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Vidisha, Sehore and Sagar to assist these states in containment operations. Advisory were issued to all states/UTs to strengthen vector control activities and surveillance for Zika virus disease while the ministry officers reviewed the situation on regular basis and modulated the action for containment. The Indian Council of Medical Research supported the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) in the affected states for testing clinical samples and financial support was ensured through National Health Mission. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Assembly poll results in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh mark the "beginning of a change", NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Wednesday, dubbing the outcome as "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies. He also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "personal attacks" on the Gandhis, saying it "did not behove" the person holding highest office to speak so. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to join the opposition's fold ahead of the 2019 general polls. Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress chief being "ridiculed" and called as Pappu by the ruling party. Pawar said the results also showed that people accepted Gandhi as the Congress president. Asked whether Gandhi will be the opposition's joint candidate for the prime minister's post in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Pawar curtly replied he "was not aware of any such discussion". He also said the issue of Ram temple would not fetch votes for the ruling party if used again in the 2019 polls, contending people do not respond to a certain issue if raised twice. The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energizing opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year. "This is the beginning of the process of change...The sentiment among the people is that the BJP leadership has become arrogant due to power. Hence, the results mark changing times," Pawar told reporters here. He made the remarks after meeting party leaders and workers who had turned up to greet him on his birthday. He said the Congress played a "key role" in giving an alternative to the BJP in the states which went to polls, while the like-minded parties chose to ensure there was no division of votes. "People have clearly expressed disappointment over the BJP's four-and-half-year tenure at the Centre, its decisions and aggressive campaigning...People have rejected the policies of Modi government," he said. Slamming Modi, Pawar said he kept making "personal attacks" on the Gandhis as the PM did not have "anything concrete" about the development plank raised before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Referring to Modi's remarks made after a middleman in the August Westland VVIP chopper deal was extradited to India ahead of the Rajasthan polls, Pawar said Modi allegedly issued a threat saying "he (Modi) would show what a chaiwala could do" in the case. At his rally in Rajasthan on the last day of campaigning before the Rajasthan polls, Modi had said, "The government has brought the middleman (Christian Michel) involved in a helicopter scam from Dubai. He served politicians and will now disclose secrets." Pawar said, "Such threats do not behove someone who has occupied that (PM's) post. He talked about a single family throughout the campaign (in these states)...the move backfired on the BJP. Rather, people were surprised by such an attack and they did not welcome it." On the Shiv Sena's frequent criticism of the BJP, he said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party may be critical of its senior ally, but the two would come together for elections in the future. "I don't not have any doubt about it (the coming together of the two parties)," he added. Pawar also alleged that the Modi government took the decision of demonetisation without consulting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). People did not like the government's attack on such institutions, he claimed. Prime Minister Modi had announced invalidation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 old currency notes on November 8, 2016. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana Rashtra Samithi alleged Wednesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not done enough to empower States and is paying only lip-service to federalism. The TRS would play a "very vital role in Delhi, and should be able to influence Delhi to the extent that states will get more powers," party leader K T Rama Rao, son of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), said. Noting that Modi was earlier Chief Minister of Gujarat for three terms, he said: "We would have believed, we would have hoped that he being former Chief Minister himself would have empowered states much much more because stronger the states, stronger the country; that's true federalism; can't just be federalism for lip-service. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy took part in a protest held by the CPI(M) here Wednesday,demanding immediate recall of the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi over her "style of functioning" and against the Centre. Narayanasamy and PWD Minister A Namassivayam, who were attending a private function in the vicinity of the agitation were informed of it, following which they reached the spot with a few party functionaries and joined the protest. During the protest, slogans were raised against the Lt Governor for "trampling" principles of democracy and "standing in the way" of smooth functioning of democratically-elected government in the Union Territory. The protesters also condemned the "injurious policies" adopted by the NDA government at the Centre, which "affected" the economy. The Congress government in Puducherry has been at loggerheads with Bedi on several issues. Last year, the Congress and DMK MLAs had demanded that the Centre recall Bedi, accusing her of having a "dictatorial" style of functioning which bypassed the elected legislature. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pope Francis has removed two prominent cardinals from his inner circle months after they were tainted by paedophile scandals and ahead of a Church-wide meeting on the "protection of minors" next year. Australian Cardinal George Pell and Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz were both removed from the so-called C9 Council of Cardinals, an international advice body set up by Francis himself, the Vatican said Wednesday. The last time the C9 met in September, Errazuriz, who is accused of ignoring reports of abuse in Chile, and Pell, who faces charges in Australia related to historical child sexual offences, were both absent, and the council said it was considering restructuring. Despite being removed from the C9, Pell, 77, remains in charge of Vatican finances, the third most powerful position in the Roman Catholic Church. The Church has been hit by a series of child abuse scandals in recent years, with widespread allegations of cover-ups, including against the pope himself. The pope clarified the composition of the C9 ahead of a February meeting with leaders of bishops' conferences from around the world dealing with the "protection of minors", to which victims of priest sex abuse have been invited. The meeting of bishops from around the world will also have to deal with some Asian and African bishops conferences who say they are not concerned by the "Western" abuse problem. "February's meeting can't resolve all the problems, because there's too much world diversity in the Church. The American (US) episcopacy is panicking, they want to be as radical (against sexual abuse) as possible, while Africans don't want any measures taken," said a source close to the pope. "A code of silence has been our culture for too long, February's meeting should mark a new beginning for bishops' responsibility, or even for a new control system," the source said. Allegations in August from a conservative archbishop that the pope had ignored abuse suspicions concerning a prominent US cardinal have triggered an internal investigation into Vatican archives ordered by Pope Francis. They also confirmed a rift in the Church between some ultra-conservative Catholics and a pope they see as a dangerous progressive interested in social issues to the detriment of Church doctrine. The Church was also rocked in August by a devastating US report on child sex abuse which accused more than 300 "predator" priests of abusing more than 1,000 minors over seven decades in the state of Pennsylvania. The commission set up by Francis has said that the fight against abuse must be a Church priority and emphasised the importance of listening to victims. While Pell faces prosecution in Australia, he is also up for renewal in February as the Vatican's finance chief. Francis has in the past preferred to give the accused the presumption of innocence and has therefore not named anyone to replace Pell, despite a senior Vatican official saying this week that Church expenses were growing "unacceptably". Chilean Cardinal Errazuriz appears at the very least to have given Francis bad advice. The pope's mistaken defence of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up for an old paedophile priest overshadowed his trip to the South American country in January and heaped embarrassment on the Church. Errazuriz, 85, met Francis last month and subsequently announced his '"withdrawal" from the C9. A third cardinal, Democratic Republic of Congo's Laurent Monsengwo, will also no longer attend C9 meetings, effectively reducing the body to a "C6". Monsengwo, 79, has for years played an important political as well as spiritual role in the war-torn African nation, but recently gave up his position as archbishop of Kinshasa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The two Houses of Parliament were Wednesday adjourned without transacting much business as the opposition staged protest on a variety of issues, including Rafale jet deal, Ram temple and Cauvery river water. Wednesday was the second day of the Winter session. On the first day on Tuesday, both Houses were adjourned after paying obituary to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and union minister Ananth Kumar. In the Rajya Sabha, the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill was passed amid slogan shouting by opposition members. The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day just after noon following protests by opposition members on various issues including the Rafale deal, construction of Ram Temple and Cauvery river water. Immediately after the House re-convened at noon, Congress, Shiv Sena, TDP and AIADMK members trooped into the well with placards and started shouting slogans in support of their demands. Similar scenes were earlier witnessed when Question Hour began after obituary references to former MPs. Congress members were demanding a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the alleged corruption in the Rafale aircraft deal while Shiv Sena MPs staged protests demanding immediate construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Members belonging to the AIADMK raised slogans demanding justice for Tamil Nadu farmers living along the Cauvery delta and TDP members demanded a railway zone at Vishkhapatnam. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan tried to pacify members but in vain. As the ruckus continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice in the pre-lunch period and for the day around 2.15 pm as the two main political parties of Tamil Nadu -- the AIADMK and DMK -- staged protests on the Cauvery river issue. The Upper House was first adjourned till noon soon after laying of papers and then again till 2 PM soon after the Question Hour started at 12 pm. Soon after ministers laid listed papers on the table of the House, AIADMK members trooped into the Well carrying a banner that read 'protect the lives of Cauvery delta farmers'. DMK members too entered the Well raising issues related to the Cauvery river. Chairman Venkaiah Naidu urged them to return to their seats. He said notices have been received from several parties for discussion on issues of urgent importance. The Chairman said though he has not allowed the issues to be raised under Rule 267 (suspension of business to take up a matter), all issues would be taken up for discussion. As the two parties continued to protest, Naidu said only on Tuesday people in some states have shown their "confidence in democracy" and asked members to respect sentiments of the people. "I am not going to be dictated in this way (protest)," Naidu said. With protesting members not relenting, Naidu adjourned the House till noon. When the House met at 12, AIADMK members trooped into the well and raised protests carrying placards. "If the House wants to function and discuss issues of public interest, we will do it. If you don't want, why waste time of people....So many issues are there," Naidu told the House. The protests continued when the House met again at 2.00 PM. Amid noisy scenes, The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was passed. The proposed amendments entail fixing the term of the Chairperson of the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism and other Disabilities. Moving the bill for consideration and passage, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said a Chairperson could not be appointed even after several attempts since 2012 as a suitable candidate meeting the stringent selection criteria could not be found. Gehlot said the amendments will ease the procedure related to appointment of a Chairperson. "The Chairperson will have a three-year term now and the selection process for his successor will be initiated six months before his tenure ends and completed before he retires," said the minister. As the protests continued, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Goel said: "This Bill is for the disabled and there is a consensus among all parties. I am requesting all parties to pass it". The Bill was passed in the Upper House shortly before the House adjourned for the day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two workers of the ruling Awami League party were killed and dozens others injured in political clashes in Bangladesh, police said Wednesday, as tension soared before the December 30 general elections in the country. Scores of people were also injured in the clashes between the campaign workers of the two main political parties, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on Tuesday, they said. Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League is seeking a third consecutive term as formal electioneering began on Monday. Her rival and ex-premier 73-year-old Khaleda Zia, who is the chairperson of the main opposition BNP, is currently serving jail terms in two graft cases involving charities named after her slain husband Ziaur Rahman. Awami League and BNP workers clashed on Tuesday in the districts of Noakhali and Faridpur, leaving two campaigners of the ruling party dead, police said. According to police, the ruling party campaigner was beaten to death by BNP supporters in Faridpur, known to be a Awami League stronghold, while eye witnesses said opposition workers equipped with knives and sticks killed the AL worker at a rally in Noakhali. Awami League spokesman Hasan Mahmud accused the BNP of staging the attacks to upset the "peaceful election atmosphere". The BNP denied the allegation, saying that the ruling party was trying to create panic among the opposition's candidates and workers. It also alleged the Awami League of attacking the motorcade of BNP general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The Opposition also alleged that scores of its workers were detained by police in recent months on fictitious charges. The BNP, which boycotted the 2014 elections under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League (AL) government over fears that it would be rigged, has set up an alliance with the newly formed National Unity Front (NUF) led by eminent jurist Kamal Hossain. Bangladesh is deeply divided with rivals Hasina and Zia, popularly referred to as "Battling Begums", ruling the country alternately since 1991, when democracy was restored in the Islamic nation. Both the women emerged from political dynasties. While Zia is the widow of Ziaur Rahman, a general-turned-president who was assassinated in 1981, Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's first president who was assassinated in 1975. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 28 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Dec. 12. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. 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. Kerala government would soon implement a project to prevent inundation of the Kochi airport and nearby areas as witnessed during the August deluge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Wednesday. The airport, one of the busiest in the country, was rendered non-functional for two weeks from August 14 due to the unprecedented flooding triggered by torrential rains. While making it clear that the inundation of Kochi airport area had nothing to do with the airport construction, Vijayan said the government would soon implement a project to prevent recurrence of such flooding. "The project is designed based on the studies jointly carried out by the state Irrigation department and Kitco, a premier technical consultancy firm. "Dutch Engineering experts too were consulted before giving shape to the plan of action which the government will implement on a war-footing," the chief minister said, inaugurating the renovated heritage terminal of the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL). Earlier, there were charges from certain quarters that the region was flooded due to construction of the airport, Vijayan said. "It's not true. All low-lying areas in the district got inundated, and not just the airport region, after the water level in Periyar rose suddenly following intermittent rains. The whole of the state was affected by the floods," the chief minister added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after the BJP's poll debacle in three Hindi heartland states, NCP chief Sharad Pawar Wednesday said the Ram temple issue might not work in favour of the saffron party again, unlike in the past, if it is raised ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He alleged that the BJP may try to create a communal divide on the temple issue which is a "matter of concern". The BJP is under pressure from its ideological mentor RSS, alliance partner Shiv Sena and Hindutva organisations which are demanding a parliamentary law or an ordinance for construction of Ram temple. Sena MPs on Wednesday staged a protest in the Lok Sabha demanding immediate construction of the temple. "The issue of Ram temple was used once in the past and the BJP stood benefited by it. In case they (the BJP) raise the issue again, people do not accept an issue twice... So, I don't think it (Ram temple) will benefit them (the BJP)," Pawar said. The veteran politician was speaking to reporters after meeting scores of party workers who had gathered here to greet him on his 78th birthday. The BJP, which was in power in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh since the last 15 years, lost to the Congress in the assembly polls, results for which were announced Tuesday. The Congress also looks set to form government in Rajasthan, ruled by the saffron party until now. Stating that people do not accept the same issue twice, Pawar referred to the general elections held post Emergency and the assembly polls held in Maharashtra over the issue of 'Samyukta (joint) Maharashtra' in 1950s and 1960s. He said Indira Gandhi-led Congress had to taste defeat in the 1977 Lok Sabha polls which was held after imposition of Emergency. The Janata alliance of parties, opposed to the ruling Congress party, had won that elections riding on the anti-Congress wave. "But that issue (Emergency) did not appeal to the people when the (Lok Sabha) elections were held again (in 1980)," he noted. Pawar also recalled the Congress was defeated in Maharashtra in 1955-56 Assembly polls over the issue of the Samyukta Maharashtra. "But in the 1962 Assembly polls, the Congress came back to power as people did not accept the Samyukta Maharashtra issue," he added. In his annual Vijaya Dashmi rally held in Nagpur this October, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had demanded a law to pave the way for construction of the temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya. Many Hindu organisations have been demanding construction of the temple, as promised by the BJP before coming to power in 2014. The BJP has been saying that it was committed to the construction of the temple, but is silent on bringing an ordinance in Parliament for the purpose. The matter of Ayodhya title suits is currently pending in the Supreme Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala High Court Wednesday directed police to remove barricades at prime spots in the temple complex of the Lord Ayyappa hill shrine at Sabarimala. It also directed police to lift restrictions like blocking pilgrims at Sharankutti, en route to the 'sannidhanam' or temple complex, after 11.30 PM. A division bench of justices Ramachandra Menon and N Anil Kumar said its earlier order that there should not be any protest in Sabarimala stands intact. The bench also approved the report of the three-member monitoring commission appointed by it on November 28 to oversee the pilgrimage at Sabarimala temple. The court had appointed the three-member panel to oversee the pilgrimage at Sabarimala temple and said there should not be any more protests at the shrine, which witnessed a series of violent incidents after the September 28 Supreme Court verdict, allowing women of all ages into the shrine. It had, while hearing a bunch of petitions questioning restrictions at the temple, said the three observers would monitor the pilgrimage and report to the court. The court Wednesday said that depending on the intensity of the crowd, police can take appropriate measures to manage the crowd and inflow without causing inconvenience to pilgrims. Restrictions can be requisite or to the optimum extent, but not beyond that, the court held. It also was of the view that police were at liberty to maintain law and order in the hill shrine complex. Meanwhile, Crime Brance IG S Sreejith has been given the charge of security of the Pamba and Sannidhanam areas from December 15 to 30, DGP Lok Nath Behra said Wednesday. Intelligence DIG S Surendran would be in charge of Nilackal, Vadasserikkara and Erumeli, the DGP said in a release. Kozhikode Rural Police chief G Jayadev, Crime Branch SP P B Rajiv have been appointed as police controllers at the Sannidhanam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A media reports suggest Beijing is scrapping its "Made in China" industrial policy criticised by the Trump administration in favour of one that allows greater access for foreign companies. The Wall Street Journal said Wednesday that the revised plan would play down China's bid to dominate manufacturing, and allow more outside competition. The US and China are locked in a trade standoff, though President Donald Trump agreed this month to postpone more US tariff hikes on Chinese goods for 90 days while negotiations continue. China's economy czar and US trade envoys discussed plans for talks on a tariff battle, the government said Tuesday, indicating that negotiations are going ahead despite tension over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive. The new program is expected to launch early next year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian rupee Wednesday plunged 32 paise to 72.17 per US dollar in early trade on the forex market after the appointment of former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das as the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Das Tuesday was named the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India after Urjit Patel abruptly resigned amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank. At the Interbank Foreign Exchange, the rupee opened weak at 72.10 against the US dollar, then depreciated further to 72.17, showing a decline of 32 paise over its previous closing. On Tuesday the Indian rupee had plunged 53 paise to 71.85 per US dollar. Forex traders said factors such as significant foreign fund outflows and rising crude oil prices also weighed on the domestic currency. Foreign funds sold shares worth Rs 2,421.06 crore from the capital markets on a net basis, while domestic institutional investors bought shares worth Rs 2,255.68 crore. The global benchmark Brent crude was trading higher by 1.08 per cent at 60.85 per barrel. Meanwhile, domestic equity market opened on a higher note. The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex, was trading at 35,285.85, up 135.84 points in early trade. The wide-based Nifty was also trading with gains of 53.40 points at 10,602.55. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Russian communications official has threatened to block Google in Russia unless it complies with a law banning certain websites. The Russian government has been putting pressure on internet companies in what it has described as a campaign to block harmful content. Russia adopted a law in September requiring search engines to comply with the state registry of banned websites and omit the banned content from search results. While the registry does contain websites promoting hate speech and self-harm it also includes a plethora of websites blacklisted for explicitly political reasons, such as a Ukrainian website. Russian agencies on Wednesday quoted deputy Communications Oversight Agency chief Vitaly Subbotin as saying that authorities may push for amendments that would let them block search engines like Google if they fail to comply with Russian law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Africans, who participated in the India's ITEC programme that provides free training to candidates from developing countries in diverse areas, have praised the country's advancement in the arena of science, technology and innovation research. The Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation Programme (ITEC) is a bilateral programme of assistance fully funded by the government of India, enabling candidates from developing countries to participate in training courses in the premier training institutes of India with the primary purpose to "train" or build capacity among India's partner countries. It is a visible symbol of India's role and contribution to South-South co-operation which constitutes a fundamental pillar of country's foreign policy and diplomacy. The participants from South Africa, who underwent the recently held ITEC programme, said that they benefited after receiving training in diverse areas that included corporate governance, running elections, advanced statistical analysis and telecommunications. "My 10 months in India was truly an eyeopener," Cavin Andrew Tolman, statistical assistant, said during a function at the Indian High Commission in Pretoria on Tuesday. He said that Indian students were quite advanced in terms of pursing their doctoral research. "It was amazing to find that Indians were studying for doctorate degrees at just 23 years of age, and also that they were so highly advanced in statistics that many of them are in top positions in this field in Europe and the US," Tolman said. Kim Kresvelder, an election manager at the South African Independent Electoral Commission, said witnessing the actual electoral planning process for millions of voters in India was an extremely gratifying experience. "It was really an eye-opener to see that in a country that is so large and has such a huge population, that they have such a flawless and seamless process in terms of registering their electorate," Kresvelder said. The participants praised India's advancement in the arena of science and technology. "I didn't realise that India was this far ahead in science, technology and innovation research. India has shown that you don't even have to be a developmental nation to be a leader," Nandi Madiba, chairperson of the Board at the provincial Eastern Cape Development Corporation, said. Thabo Mahlase, who works for the provincial government in Gauteng province, said: "Learning about the technologies used in the telecommunications industry in India will benefit us at the government in South Africa because here we mostly outsource our services and we don't do things on our own, so now we can do our own things ourselves". Indian High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj congratulated the participants and said that it was very encouraging to note from the comments of some of the participants that India was moving in the right direction with the ITEC programme. Kamboj emphasised that the ITEC programme was open to both the public and private sector, with a number of positions reserved for South African citizens. Responding to calls for Indian trainers to also come to South Africa to assist groups here, Kamboj said : "This will start happening from the new fiscal year in April next year". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Air India's union representing narrow body pilots Wednesday alleged a majority of its members were defaulting on bank EMIs due to the salary delays which was also putting them under a lot of "stress". In a letter to AI chairman and managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) also claimed the loss-making carrier had only partially paid the pilots for October as they were yet to receive the flying allowance, which constitutes 80 per cent of their total monthly salary. Notably, the flying allowance to the pilots at state- run airline is disbursed after 60 days. "There is already a backlog of one month flying allowance. This unspecified delay has impaired our financial planning, especially (pilots are) defaulting on loan EMI... majority of us have defaulted on bank loans and credit card payments while the rest had to arrange funds by taking further loans," ICPA said in the letter. Air India spokesperson was, however, not available for comments on the issue. Stating that despite several requests in the past not to bifurcate salary and flying allowance for pilots, the ICPA said, "It (our request) is being ignored. We are awaiting flying Allowance for the work done in the month of October." This financial problem has made it extremely difficult for the pilots to work "stress free", it added. "Stress jeopardises decision-making relevance and cognitive functioning which is fatal to flight safety," the ICPA said in the letter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi government to provide 150 additional temporary courtrooms in district courts here by March 2020 to enable 147 lower court judges, who are being recruited, to function. The apex court had on October 22 taken note of over 5,000 vacant posts of judicial officers in lower courts across the country and sought information from all the 24 high courts as also states about the steps taken to fill them up. The top court is also monitoring aspects of lack of infrastructure and man power in lower courts and they include lack of courtrooms and residential units for new judges. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul took note of the undertakings and submissions on behalf of the Delhi government and asked it to provide 150 temporary courtrooms by March 2020 to enable 147 new judicial officers to hold courts. "We direct the Public Works Department of the Government of NCT of Delhi to act accordingly and also all authorities concerned in the matter of allotment of land to finalise the process of allotment so that the 150 temporary units are available on scheduled time to enable the additional courts to start functioning from March or so of the year 2020," the bench said. The bench also noted the submission of the Delhi High Court registry that 147 lower court judges, whose recruitment process is on, would complete their training and will be in a position to hold courts by March 2020. In the meantime, the AAP government told the court that besides constructing 150 temporary courtrooms, it would construct 201 permanent court rooms, 525 lawyers chambers and 100 residential units for judges by February 2021 with an estimated cost of Rs 504 crore provided the lands are made available to it by DDA and other authorities. The bench asked the authorities to expedite the land allotment process "at the earliest". The Delhi government said it would construct 201 new court rooms at Shastri Park, Karkardooma, Rohini and Rouse Avenue. One hundred residential units for housing lower court judges would also be built at Anand Vihar, it said, adding that 525 lawyers' chambers would be constructed at Shastri Park, Rouse Avenue and Rohini by February 2021. The apex court took note of the undertakings of the Delhi government and the high court and said that the recruitment of judges as well as availability of infrastructure including housing in Delhi will not require any further orders from it. "However, it will be open either for the High Court of Delhi or the Government of NCT of Delhi to make a mention of the matter before this Court in the event any further order/orders is/are required," the bench said. Earlier, the bench was critical of the Delhi High Court and the city government for their approach on filling up of vacancies and providing infrastructure for the lower judiciary respectively. "The judges have to be appointed by the High Court. Why you people are not doing this. The manpower and infrastructure have to be provided by the Delhi Government and the high court must appoint judges," the bench had said. It had said the apex court would ensure that the Delhi government provides the infrastructure for trial courts and their judges. It had asked the Delhi High Court and the city government to give their representations on or before December 12 on completion of the courtrooms and the residences for judges in the national capital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Dubai Municipality has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the city of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, seeking bilateral cooperation in various fields of common interest. "This strategic partnership reflects our commitment to open new channels of effective dialogue and constructive collaboration with the leading players in infrastructure services and business development, in a move, we trust, will be positively reflected on the municipal sector in Dubai and San Salvador," remarked Dawood Al Hajiri, director-general of Dubai Municipality, after signing the deal with Ernesto Mason Garcia Prieto, mayor of San Salvador. A high-level visiting delegation also discussed ways of enhancing cooperation and bilateral relations and exchanging experiences and best practices in various municipal areas. "We look forward to the transfer of our recent knowledge and successful experiences in the fields of research, development, innovation, environmental services, health and human investment, which is the solid foundation of Dubai's leadership that has proved that Dubai has been an active partner of global communities," remarked Al Hajiri. The signing of the MoU is only a basic building block for future work. This was the result of a joint effort by both sides to exchange information and experiences and the care to deepen the bonds of friendship and cooperation that unite the two parties, he stated. The MoU included the formalisation of cooperation in various civic areas through the promotion of business meetings and encouraging the exchange of experiences in business development, as well as enabling investment opportunities. It also included the development of municipal services through the promotion of bilateral projects aimed at improving the overall promotional projects, based on the integration of innovative practices previously agreed upon, he added. The MoU also provided for the promotion of various administrative, technological, educational, developmental and management practices as well as the field of risk management and renewable energy, and the exchange of field visits to identify the latest developments in global municipal areas. Dubai Municipality has succeeded in establishing a wide network of cooperation and friendship with many countries in Europe, Africa, America, Australia and Asia.-TradeArabia News Service The Supreme Court Wednesday asked a former apex court judge, who chaired a committee monitoring the probe into the Gujarat encounter cases, whether he had shared his final report with other members of the panel. Former apex court judge Justice H S Bedi was appointed chairman of the monitoring committee probing encounter cases from 2002 to 2006 in Gujarat by the Supreme Court. The monitoring committee had submitted its report to the court in a sealed cover in February this year. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph was hearing a plea to make the report public. The Gujarat government has objected to putting it in public domain, contending that it was not clear whether the views expressed in the final report were unilateral of Justice Bedi or he had shared it with other members of the monitoring committee. The bench asked Justice Bedi to give his view on the questions raised to the apex court expeditiously. "Let the chairman confirm to us whether he had shared the final report with other members of the monitoring committee," the bench said. The top court was hearing two PILs on the matter which were filed in 2007 by veteran journalist B G Verghese and poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar, seeking a direction for a probe by an independent agency or the CBI so that the "truth may come out". Verghese passed away on December 30, 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked forensic auditors to examine the trail of around Rs 3,000 crore, the home-buyers' money allegedly spent by the Amrapali Group on buying shares of its sister companies and asset creation. Amrapali Group CMD Anil Sharma, directors Shiv Priya and Ajay Kumar returned to the court a total amount of Rs 1.55 crore of home buyers money "lying" with them. The top court grilled several accountants of the group as to how they have prepared the accounts statements which were submitted in the court and on what basis they created the accounts this year for financial years 2015-16, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. It directed the forensic auditors to ascertain the numbers of flats which were 'benami' property, doubly booked or booked on a nominal value by Amrapali Group. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and U U Lalit directed Debt Recovery Tribunal, Delhi to conduct the valuation of Amrapali's five-star hotel Tech Park in Greater Noida and sell it by January end. It also questioned Sharma about the sub-leases granted to the family members of Amrapali directors and where the Rs 3,000 crore of home-buyers' money has gone. The bench after failing to get a satisfactory reply asked the two forensic auditors Pawan Kumar Aggarwal and Ravi Bhatia to examine the trail of around Rs 3000 crore. "More than Rs 2,990 crores were taken out from nine companies of Amrapali Group in the name of assets creation and purchase of shares of sister companies. You should examine the trail of the money as to how and where did it go, and the assets created by the fund", the bench told the forensic auditors. The court asked the company to file the details of the assets it created with Rs 2,990 crore and the board resolutions which allowed Rs 1,100 crore to be spent for purchasing share capital. It directed the forensic auditors to also examine whether any siphoning of funds was done by granting sub-leases or any favours were doled out in such transactions. The top court noted that pursuant to its last order in which one last window was given to the directors and other officials of the company to return home buyers money, Sharma and two directors Shiv Priya and Ajay Kumar returned Rs 1.25 crore, Rs 20 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively. The court sought an affidavit from Sharma and the two directors to declare that they do not have any more money of home buyers lying with them. The bench directed Amrapali CFO Chandra Wadhwa and statutory auditor Anil Mittal to deposit Rs 9.69 crores and Rs 27 lakh of home buyers money lying with them by January 2. It allowed the 86 luxury cars and SUVs, which were earlier attached by the court to be brought to the corporate offices of Amrapali Group where the car dealers can hold a physical inspection and later sell them. When Sharma was questioned by the bench about the sub-leases the company granted, he replied that firm has received over Rs 66 crore by granting sub-leases and denied any wrong doing. "The Forensic auditors should examine the sub-leases granted by Amrapali Group by next date of hearing," the bench said, adding that the real estate firm should comply with all the requests made by the forensic auditors in 24-hours. The court posted the matter for further hearing on January 16. The apex court had on December 5, ordered attachment and sale of the realty firm's five-star hotel, cinema hall, malls and factories across India, calling it "a worst kind of cheater" and "a perfect liar" for not complying with the court's direction. The top court had also ordered attachment of four swanky corporate offices of Amrapali Group situated in Noida and Greater Noida, and asked the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), Delhi to auction them. The top court gave a window to the firm's directors and their family members to return home-buyers' money, if they have it, by December 10. It had sought response from Amrapali Group CMD Anil Sharma and its directors, Chief Financial officer and statutory auditor Anil Mittal, asking them why a criminal case for breach of trust should not be lodged against them. In a comprehensive affidavit placed before the apex court Anil Sharma has admitted diversion of Rs 2,996 crore to other group companies but claimed that money had not gone outside the company as it was used for purchase of share and assets creation. On November 13, in a massive crackdown on Amrapali Group for "wilful disobedience" of its orders, the apex court had attached the company's 100-bed multi-speciality hospital, bank accounts, the building which houses its office, certain firms and a "benami" Villa in Goa. The apex court had earlier initiated contempt proceedings against Sharma and its directors for prima facie violating court's order and thwarting the course of justice. The court is seized of a batch of petitions filed by home buyers who are seeking possession of around 42,000 flats booked in projects of the Amrapali Group. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday commuted the death sentence awarded to a man for raping and murdering a three-year-old girl in 2007 and directed that he be not released from jail for the "rest of his normal life". A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur observed that the trial court, the Bombay High Court and also the apex court had earlier not taken into consideration the probability of reformation, rehabilitation and social re-integration of the convict into society while awarding him death penalty. Rajendra Pralhadrao Wasnik was awarded death sentence by a trial court in Amravati in September 2008 for raping and murdering a minor girl in the intervening night of March 2-3, 2007. The trial court's verdict was upheld by the high court in March 2009 following which Wasnik had moved the apex court. The apex court had dismissed his appeal in February 2012 and later, his plea seeking review of the judgement was also rejected by the top court in March 2013. However, in March 2015, his review petition was restored following a constitution bench judgement in which the apex court had held that appeals pending before it in death sentence cases be heard only by a bench of three-judges. While commuting the death sentence, the bench said the prosecution was "remiss in not producing the available DNA evidence and the failure to produce material evidence must lead to an adverse presumption against the prosecution and in favour of the appellant (Wasnik) for the purposes of sentencing". "For all these reasons, we are of opinion that it would be more appropriate looking to the crimes committed by the appellant and the material on record including his overall personality and subsequent events, to commute the sentence of death awarded to the appellant but direct that he should not be released from custody for the rest of his normal life," said the bench, also comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta. Dealing with the aspect of death penalty, the bench said that the words - 'sentenced to death' - would have a chilling effect on anyone, including a hardened criminal and though the society demands such punishment, there was no conclusive study on its deterrent impact. It said there were views which suggest that punishment for a crime must be looked at with a more "humanitarian lens" and the causes for driving a person to commit a heinous crime must be explored. "There is also a view that it must be determined whether it is possible to reform, rehabilitate and socially reintegrate into society even a hardened criminal along with those representing the victims of the crime," it said. "These conflicting views make it very difficult for courts to take a decision and without expert evidence on the subject, courts are ill-equipped to form an objective opinion," the bench said. Referring to various judgements rendered by the court earlier, the bench observed the law clearly and unequivocally mandates that probability that a convict can be reformed and rehabilitated in society must be seriously and earnestly considered by the courts before awarding death sentence. "Therefore, we should not forget that the criminal, however ruthless he might be, is nevertheless a human being and is entitled to a life of dignity notwithstanding his crime. Therefore, it is for the prosecution and the courts to determine whether such a person, notwithstanding his crime, can be reformed and rehabilitated," it said. The bench noted that there could be instances where the social re-integration of the convict may not be possible and in such a case, the option of a long duration of imprisonment was permissible. "In other words, directing imprisonment for a period greater than 14 years (say 20 or 25 years) could unquestionably foreclose the imposition of a sentence of death, being an alternative option to capital punishment," it said. It said the remarkable technological advancements in forensic science and scientific investigations must be fully used and the "archaic methods" of probe must be given up. The court said mere pendency of one or more criminal cases against a convict cannot be a factor for consideration while awarding a sentence as it violates the fundamental presumption of innocence a human right - that everyone is entitled to. "It must be appreciated that a sentence of death should be awarded only in the rarest of rare cases, only if an alternative option is unquestionably foreclosed and only after full consideration of all factors keeping in mind that a sentence of death is irrevocable and irretrievable upon execution," it said. The bench, while noting that there were more than one criminal case against the convict, expressed shock and anguish that he had the opportunity to commit the offences alleged against him on more than one occasion. "This could have been possible only if the appellant had been on bail and our shock and anguish is that in the background of the facts before us, the appellant was actually granted bail," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Wednesday commuted to life imprisonment the death penalty awarded to a man for hacking to death six members of a family in Kerala in 2001. A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur observed that the trial court, the Kerala High Court and also the apex court had overlooked the probability of the convict's reform and his social reintegration into the society while awarding him the capital punishment. M A Antony was sentenced to death by a trial court in Ernakulam in January, 2005 for murdering six members of a family within three hours in the intervening night of January 6-7, 2001 due to a financial dispute. The trial court's order was upheld by the high court in September 2006 after which the convict had approached the apex court. The apex court had dismissed his appeal in April 2009 and subsequently, his plea seeking review of the judgement was also rejected in April, 2010. However, his review petition was re-opened for consideration by the top court following a constitution bench verdict in which the apex court had held that appeals pending before it in death sentence cases be heard only by a bench of three-judges. While commuting to life term the death sentence awarded to Antony, the court said the trial court and the high court should have taken into consideration his "socio-economic condition" while considering the punishment. "While the socio-economic condition of a convict is not a factor for disproving his guilt, it is a factor that must be taken into consideration for the purposes of awarding an appropriate sentence to a convict," said the bench, also comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta. Dealing with the aspect of rehabilitation of the convict, the bench said, "there is no meaningful discussion on why, if at all, the appellant could not be reformed or rehabilitated". The top court also said the trial court had erred in proceeding on the basis that the convict was a hardened criminal as there was no such evidence on record. Considering the socio-economic aspect of the convict, the bench said: "There is no doubt that the socio-economic factors relating to a convict should be taken into consideration for the purposes of deciding whether to award life sentence or death sentence. "One of the reasons for this is the perception (perhaps misplaced) that it is only convicts belonging to the poor and disadvantaged sections of society that are awarded capital sentence while others are not". The court noted in its judgement that quality legal aid to disadvantaged and weaker sections of society was an area that required great and urgent attention and "we hope that a vigorous beginning is made in this direction in the new year". The bench said it did not think it necessary to consider the period of incarceration of the convict as a factor for deciding whether or not he should be awarded the death sentence. "There are a number of cases where convicts have been on death row for more than six years and if a standard period was to be adopted, perhaps each and every person on death row might have to be given the benefit of commutation of death sentence to one of life imprisonment," it said. "The long delays in courts must, of course, be taken into account, but what is needed is a systemic and systematic reform in criminal justice delivery rather than ad hoc or judge-centric decisions," the bench said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indigo airlines Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Meghalaya High Court direction to all commercial operators and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to urgently take a decision to start flights from Umroi airport, 30 km from capital Shillong. The apex court was told that the high court on its own had last week taken up the matter and asked the Director General of Civil Aviation, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India Chairman to hold a meeting within a week on the issue of making the airport operational. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Indigo Airlines, mentioned the petition before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which agreed to give it an urgent hearing on Thursday. The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, was told that the airport was not ready for landing of big aircraft and does not have fire-fighting facilities. "The operation can't start," Rohatgi submitted before the bench. The high court on December 7 had directed that the exercise for taking decision to make operational the airport has to be completed within seven days and had posted the matter for further hearing on December 14. Besides Indigo, other operators were also represented by their advocates before the high court. The brief hearing also witnessed lighter moments when the bench told Rohatgi that he will now be identified as as Indigo's counsel. "You will have tremendous disadvantage," the CJI said indicating there would be lot of requests to him. When Rohatgi mentioned the matter, the CJI asked him "Who are you?" He replied "I am Indigo." "We are always going to remember you are Indigo. You may have tremendous disadvantage since you are Indigo," Justice Gogoi said evoking quick response from Rohtagi that "I will get it fixed if there are difficulties". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Markets regulator Sebi Wednesday said it is examining the whistleblower complaint against Dilip Shanghvi-led Sun Pharmaceutical Industries. A whistleblower had last month approached Sebi with a document alleging various irregularities by the company, its promoter Shanghvi and others. "There is whistleblower complaint which we are examining. I have nothing more to add," Sebi Chairman Ajay Tyagi told reporters after its board meeting. Sources had told PTI last month that Sebi may reopen an insider trading case against Sun Pharma and as well as probe alleged lapses by some of its promoters and other entities in raising funds overseas. Following this, Shangvi, who is also the managing director of the pharma firm, had said it has not received any query so far from the markets regulator regarding the whistleblower complaint. "We are following highest levels of corporate governance at Sun Pharma," Shanghvi had said. In August 2017, Sun Pharmaceutical, Shanghvi and nine other entities settled an insider trading probe on payment of Rs 18 lakh towards settlement charges. However, reports have stated that the regulator is likely to reopen the case as it has powers to reopen cases of settlement related to insider trading on various grounds. The sources had said that alleged irregularities by the company's promoters and others in raising funds through Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCBs) are also likely to be investigated by the watchdog. In August 2017, the regulator had not disclosed the details of the insider trading case. However, it had appeared to be related to the acquisition of Ranbaxy by Sun Pharma from Japanese drugmaker Daiichi, as the settlement with the regulator has also been done by former Ranbaxy CEO Arun Sawhney, Daiichi's director Kazunori Hirokawa, its ex-Chairman Takashi Shoda and its former senior executive officer Tsutomu Une. Shoda is said to have led Daiichi's acquisition of Ranbaxy in 2008, though the Japanese giant had to eventually sell its stake in the company to Sun Pharma in 2014. Besides, the settlement was done by Ranbaxy's former secretary S K Patawari; Sun Pharma's directors Sudhir V Valia and Sailesh Desai; and its company secretary Sunil Ajmera. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman militant was arrested by the security forces in Manipur's Imphal West district, the police said Wednesday. A combined team of Manipur police and Assam Rifles while conducting search operation at Langthabal Kunja Meitei Lamkhai in the district on Tuesday arrested the woman cadre of the proscribed militant outfit People Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), a press release issued by PRO Manipur Police said. A case has been registered at Singjamei police station for further investigation, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Planning a business negotiation? Choose an Indian or Chinese restaurant, say scientists who have found that sharing plates during a meal -- a custom in both cultures -- can help people collaborate better. Researchers from University of Chicago in the US said that since sharing plates -- customary in Indian and Chinese cultures -- require people to coordinate their physical actions, it might in turn prompt them to coordinate their negotiations. To find out, they asked study participants, all strangers to one another, to pair off in a lab experiment that involved negotiating. The participants were invited to have a snack of chips and salsa with their partners. Half of the pairs received one bowl of chips and one bowl of salsa to share, while the others each had their own bowls. Next came the negotiation scenario, in which one person in each pair was randomly assigned to act as management and the other as a union representative. Their goal was to arrive at an acceptable wage for the union within 22 rounds of negotiation, with each round representing one day of negotiations, and with a costly union strike scheduled to start on the third round. The costs of the strike accrued quickly for both sides, giving the parties an impetus to reach a mutually agreeable deal quickly. Teams with shared bowls took nine strike days, on average, to reach a deal, four fewer than pairs that had eaten from separate bowls. This difference translated into significant dollar values, saving both parties a combined, if hypothetical, USD 1.5 million in losses, according to the study pubished in the journal Psychological Science. This phenomenon was unrelated to how two people in a negotiating team felt about each other. Rather, what mattered was how well they coordinated their eating. While technology allows people to conduct meetings remotely, there is value in getting together over a meal. The same is true outside of business negotiations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla Wednesday morning received season's first snowfall which has brought cheers on the faces of tourists and local hoteliers. Tourists have gathered on the Ridge and Mall Road to experience snowfall. Snow frozen on the leaves of the trees and on the rooftops of the buildings especially located on the Ridge, Mall Road and Jakhu is giving a pleasant look. Shimla has so far received 3.8 cm snowfall, the Meteorological department said. Snowfall is still continuing and hotels expect that tourists from nearby areas of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will soon visit Shimla in a large number to experience the snowfall. Another tourist destination Kufri located in Shimla district also received 7 cm snowfall, the MeT Centre Shimla director Manmohan Singh said. Besides tourist spot Dalhousie in Chamba district got 1.5 cm snowfall while Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district also received 6 cm and 3 cm snowfall respectively, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From being called "Paon paon wale bhaiya" (foot soldier) by villagers to being addressed as "Mama" (maternal uncle) by children, Shivraj Singh Chouhan just four days ago said he is the "biggest pollster" and predicted a BJP victory in Madhya Pradesh. But the BJP remained short by 7 seats for a simple majority on its own in the crucial Hindi heartland state and Wednesday's outcome in the Assembly polls put paid to Chouhan's hopes of seeking a record fourth term as chief minister. Having a carefully cultivated image of a family man coupled with simplicity, Chouhan, 59, led the BJP's campaign, presenting himself as one among the people, promising further development. Assiduously working on his 'son of the soil' image, the soft-spoken leader easily identified himself with the socio-economic concerns of farmers, villagers and commoners. He maintained a low profile, ignoring comparisons with Prime Minister Narendra Modi but concentrated on MP. "I am the biggest surveyor (pollster) as I remain in the midst of public all day long. The BJP will win, " said Chouhan after visiting the famous Shree Pitambara Peeth temple in Datia in Madhya Pradesh last Saturday. He was asked by reporters about the exit polls the previous day that predicted a close fight between the BJP and the opposition Congress. "Abki baar, 200 par (this time, over 200 seats)," Chouhan said repeating the BJP's slogan for the MP polls. At the end of a cliffhanger, BJP garnered 109 seats in the 230-member Assembly. It won 163 seats in the 2013 Assembly polls. The BJP, however, drew comfort from the fact that its vote share at 41 per cent was marginally higher than that secured by the Congress which bagged 40.9 per cent of the votes. The Congress got 114 seats, two less than the majority mark of 116. During his 15-year-tenure in the office, Chouhan transformed himself from being a shy, simple and vulnerable politician to a wily leader with mass appeal. Though the Opposition Congress linked Chouhan to the multi-crore Vyapam scam, he emerged unscathed. The CBI gave a clean chit to Chouhan. The Vyapam scandal was an entrance examination, admission and recruitment scam that was unearthed in 2013. It involved politicians, senior and junior officials and businessmen systematically employing imposters to write papers, manipulate exam hall seating arrangements and supply forged answer sheets by allegedly bribing officials. Born on March 5, 1959 to a farming family of Prem Singh Chouhan and Sundar Bai Chouhan at village Jait in Sehore district, Chouhan's political journey began with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) when he was just 13 years. His leadership skills first came to the fore when he was elected as president of the Model Higher Secondary School students' union in 1975. He participated in the underground movement against Emergency and was imprisoned in 1976-77 and also on many other occasions for political agitations and public causes. A volunteer of the RSS since 1977, Chouhan is a gold medalist in Masters of Philosophy from the Barkatulla University in Bhopal. Chouhan replaced Babulal Gaur as chief minister on November 29, 2005 and remained in the saddle since then unchallenged till the party's defeat at the hustings Wednesday. He also served as general secretary of the BJP and president of the party's MP unit. Chouhan was first elected to the state Assembly from Budhni constituency in 1990. He was elected a Member of Parliament for the first time from the Vidisha constituency the following year. He was re-elected from the seat in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. He won his fifth Lok Sabha election with an impressive margin of over 2,60,000 votes. His fortunes, were, however, set to take another direction two years after the BJP, led by fiery sanyasin-politician Uma Bharti, swept the state Assembly polls in 2003. At that time, Chouhan contested the polls unsuccessfully against the incumbent chief minister Digvijay Singh from Raghogarh. Soon, Bharti resigned and Gaur became the chief minister in 2004, only to be replaced by Chouhan the next year. Chouhan's Ladli Laxmi Yojna, Mukhya Mantri Kanyadan Yojna, Mukhya Mantri Teerth Darshan Yojna, bicycle scheme for school children, Re 1 per kg rice and Rs 2 per kg wheat schemes and the Sambal Yojna offering electricity at Rs 200 were emulated by some other states. Under his leadership, the state became self-dependent in power sector and was supplying uninterrupted electricity for 24 hours to non-agriculture consumers and 10-hour dedicated supply to agriculture consumers. Under Chouhan's leadership, Indore and Bhopal got the "cleanest city" awards under the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. Chouhan also undertook the 'Namami Devi Narmade yatra' to initiate steps for conservation of Narmada, considered as the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh, by planting a large number of tress on the banks of the river. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Experts, researchers and academics in the electricity industry are discussing the latest systems and developments at the ongoing 8th Saudi Arabia Smart Grid Conference being held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, said a report. The Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources conference and its accompanying exhibition under the patronage of the Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Engineer Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Falih. More than 35 speakers from around the world are attending the event which will conclude tomorrow (December 13), added the Saudi Press Agency report. The conference is an opportunity for experts, researchers to discuss the development of electrical networks through advanced smart systems to strengthen the electricity system in the kingdom and the region. As well as highlight the role of linking renewable energy sources with electrical networks to meet the growing demand for electricity and reducing carbon emissions caused by electricity generation process. The conference was preceded by seven specialised preparatory workshops, added the report. Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu called on Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at his residence Wednesday and held "cordial talks". The meeting follows demands for Sidhu's resignation from his cabinet colleagues after he had said Congress president Rahul Gandhi was his "captain" while Amarinder Singh was an "Army captain". He made the remarks when asked by media that why did he attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan despite the CM's disapproval. "The talks between us were cordial," Sidhu told reporters after visiting the chief minister. Without divulging much details, he said they talked on many other things and Amarinder's health is now better. The chief minister was unwell due to bout of viral fever. "The love and affection which I got from the CM after meeting him is indicative of the fact that the whole issue had been blown out of proportion," he said, adding that "the CM did not say anything to me in this respect(controversy)...many times certain things are misinterpreted". This was Sidhu's first meeting with Amarinder Singh after a controversy erupted over his remarks. Sidhu, however, had later described Amarinder Singh as a "fatherly figure" and had said he will sort out the issue with him. "You don't wash dirty linen in public. He (Amarinder Singh) is a fatherly figure. I love him. I respect him. I will sort it out myself," Sidhu had told reporters during poll campaigning in Rajasthan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Olympic silver medallist shuttler PV Sindhu eked out a hard-fought win over world number two and defending champion Akane Yamaguchi in the opening women's singles group A match of the World Tour Finals, here Wednesday. Sindhu, who had finished runner-up at the last edition in Dubai, dished out a superb game, mixed with patience and aggression, to defeat the Japanese 24-22 21-15. Making her third successive appearance at the tournament, Sindhu, who had a 9-4 head-to-head record against Yamaguchi, produced a controlled game in the slow conditions, never letting go despite lagging behind many times in the match. The first game clocked 27 minutes as both the shuttlers fought tooth and nail for supremacy. Sindhu was trailing 6-11 at the first internal but she fought back to catch up with the Japanese at 19-19 with a smash on her rival's back hand. A battle of mind and body ensued as leads changed hands but it was Sindhu who showed better mental fortitude to claim the opening game after a stretched Yamaguchi sent her forehand return at the net. In the second game, Yamaguchi tried to put pressure on the Indian's backhand but Sindhu was up to the challenge as she made some superb retrieves to lead 3-1 initially. Persistent pressure worked as Yamaguchi levelled par and went to a 4-3 lead when Sindhu made a judgement-error and soon moved to 6-3. Sindhu however soon grabbed the lead at 8-7 after her rival went wide and then hit the net. A fantastic rally ended with Sindhu on her knees at the forecourt. She then went long but the Japanese too erred as it was 9-9. At the break, Yamaguchi held a slender 11-10 lead after Sindhu could not properly connect at the forecourt. Sindhu took a 14-11 lead after the break, following two mistakes from the Japanese and a superb disguised flick at the back court. Sindhu dominated the proceedings after the break, grabbing a six-point cushion at 18-11. Yamaguchi took two points before another long shot gave Sindhu another point. The Indian grabbed six match points when Yamaguchi hit the net again. The Japanese saved one before faltering at the net to hand over the match to Sindhu. The top two players from each group will qualify for the semifinals, after which a knockout draw will be conducted. Only eight top players compete in the prestigious season-ending event. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with meet her Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Thursday during which they will discuss ways to strengthen defence ties between the two nations, officials said. Shoigu's visit to India assumes significance as India had in October signed a deal to buy Russian S-400 air defence missile system. The two countries have also signed a deal to build two frigates in Goa for the Indian Navy. Russia's state-owned arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, has also emerged as the lowest bidder for India's USD 3 billion tenders to source short-range air defence missile systems. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six eminent diplomats from around the world have been honoured with 'The Diwali - Power of One' award, recognising their efforts at the United Nations to ensure a perfect, peaceful and secure world for all. The 'The Diwali - Power of One' award has been established by NGO Diwali Foundation, USA, under the aegis of Ranju Batra, Chair of the Diwali Stamp Project, to celebrate and highlight the vital work done by eminent diplomats across the world, especially at the UN. In its second year, the awards were given to former Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN Catherine Boura, the Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the UN Mohamed Khaled Khiari. To the former Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the UN Andrej Logar, Azerbaijan's former envoy to the UN Agshin Mehdiyev, Vietnam's former Permanent Representative to the UN Nguyen Phuong Nga and Thailand's former Permanent Representative to the UN Virachai Plasai. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said the event is an "ode to diversity and multiculturalism and a celebration of excellence at the United Nations." He said Diwali symbolises the eternal struggles and eventual triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. The UN Postal Administration has brought out its first ever Diwali commemorative stamp in October this year. "In many ways the celebration of Diwali at the UN reflects our collective commitment to promote peace, prosperity and dignity for all as envisaged in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." The 2018 Power of One Awards, given at a ceremony here Tuesday, were co-hosted by the Permanent Missions of India, Belarus, Georgia to the UN and the Diwali Foundation USA. This year, the awards were co-sponsored by 26 Permanent Missions to the UN, including Albania, Cyprus, France, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, as well as the Permanent Observer of State of Palestine and the NY Office of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Batra had spearheaded efforts for nearly seven years to get a commemorative Diwali stamp issued by the US Postal Service in 2016, reaching out to the Indian-American community members and influential lawmakers, garnering support for petitions for the stamp. A historic number of 24 nations, led by Belarus and India as co-organizers, and the US Postal Service had come together on December 5, 2016 at the UN to celebrate The Diwali Forever Stamp' issued that year and honour Batra for her years-long journey to get the commemorative stamp issued. Dedicating the ceremony to late former US President George H W Bush, she said his signature movement "thousand points of light" is "Diwali everywhere." She said the award is "essentially the Oscars of Diplomacy" honouring "world class diplomats" for their service and "lifetime of principled efforts" and have "truly achieved many victories of good over evil and light over darkness." "Whatever the UN Charter dreams of, the Diwali Foundation's Power of One awardees have helped make it happen and make it a reality." Eminent Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra said the awards celebrate and highlight the "vital and important work done across the world in a peaceful manner, especially at the United Nations." The award is given only to either a former Permanent Representative or former high level member of the UN Secretariat, or soon to be former, "who has toiled selflessly to help form a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The support extended by the SP and the BSP to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh has raised hopes of a grand alliance of anti-BJP parties in states like Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year, analysts said. Ramesh Dixit, former head of Political Science department at Lucknow University, said doubts over a mahagathbandhan of anti-BJP parties have been cleared by the manner in which the SP and the BSP have risen to the occasion. On Monday, both BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav skipped a meeting of non-BJP parties to discuss opposition unity. But on Wednesday morning, Mayawati said in statement that her party would extend support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh to form a government and, if needed, in Rajasthan. Yadav also extended support to the party in Madhya Pradesh. In both states, the Congress fell slightly short of the halfway-mark on its own as results of the December 7 elections came in. "There was already an understanding between the SP and the BSP and with this step of theirs it has become clear that they understand the necessity of accommodating the Congress also in Uttar Pradesh, where the national party has been left with a limited support base," Dixit told PTI. Another academician Nadeem Hasnain said the results will give the Congress more bargaining power. "With these results, the regional parties will no doubt take the Congress more seriously, realising that they will need the Congress at the national level to effectively challenge the ruling party," he said. But he added a note of scepticism over Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati's offer. "If Mayawati had been more reasonable she could have easily got into an alliance in these Assembly polls itself. Today also she said that her party was extending support with a heavy heart," he said. Both analysts said the Congress and other constituents needed to be reasonable in their expectations on seat-sharing. Hasnain said the latest election results had dented the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invincibility. While the SP has got one seat in Madhya Pradesh, the BSP bagged two seats there. In Rajasthan, it won six. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) is all set to host the first India chapter conference on Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) on 13th and 14th December 2018. The conference brings together management and leadership from universities, management schools, corporates and civil society across the Asia-pacific region. The Forum is open to academic, corporate and the social sector audiences, and is not limited to members of the PRME Chapter in the region or signatories of the UN-supported PRME. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/688342/SPJIMR_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797274/PRME_Conference.jpg ) The conference discussions will be centred around why and how 21st century corporations can provide principled leadership, meaningful jobs and a sustainable, inclusive agenda in a changing world. Over the last nine months, SPJIMR has led meetings in different regions of India to promote conversations and partnerships around education, corporate citizenship and sustainable futures, leading up to the conference this weekend. "The conference will explore choices which allow for varieties of voices and for representation and social sensitivity. We hope to explore ways in which various individuals and organisations are in their own way making a difference," said the Conference Chair and faculty member at SPJIMR, Dr. Chandrika Parmar. Dr. Parmar added: "The deliberations are particularly important because we live in times where we must think of sustainability as a way of life today and not something for the future. All of us at SPJIMR are proud to host the forum, given the Institute's deep commitment and long-standing work in the larger idea of building value-based leaders for tomorrow who are socially sensitive and can meet the needs of our changing times." SPJIMR Dean, Dr. Ranjan Banerjee said: "Corporations today are a very powerful part of society. It is important that academics and business talk together and figure out ways that we can build models of sustainable corporations who can create better outcomes not only for themselves but for the society as a whole. A forum like the PRME conference is a great forum to get a number of people from different areas to think together on these issues and hopefully design ideas which will make the world a better place." The conference will cover topics relevant to knowledge and future, ecology, well-being and sustainability, building inclusive economies and challenges of CSR for 21st century leaders. The event will have four plenary panels and 15 tracks with topics like: management education and pedagogy; social entrepreneurship; sustainable cities; extreme events; Asian way of thinking; rethinking CSR and sustainable business. Among those speaking in the forum are Magsaysay award winners Aruna Roy and T M Krishna, besides several public intellectuals, environmentalists and industry leaders. The speakers include Ashis Nandy, Shiv Visvanathan, Aseem Shrivastava, Saamdu Chettri, Santosh Desai and Anirban Ghosh. PRME is a United Nations-supported initiative founded in 2007 as a platform to raise the profile of sustainability in schools around the world, and to equip today's business students with the understanding and ability to deliver change tomorrow. Its vision is to realise the Sustainable Development Goals through responsible management education. As a voluntary initiative with over 650 signatories worldwide, PRME has become the largest organised relationship between the United Nations and management-related higher education institutions. The forum comes to India for the first time at SPJIMR, a top ranked school of management that works with the mission of influencing practice and promoting value-based growth. About SPJIMR S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) (http://www.spjimr.org) is a constituent of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and is ranked among the top ten business schools in India. As a premier school of management, SPJIMR is noted for pedagogic innovations and pioneering programmes, which have helped the Institute stand out for its unique and distinctive path in management education. SPJIMR's mission is to 'influence practice' and 'promote value-based growth'. The Institute currently operates from its 45-acre campus in Andheri, Mumbai, and a campus in New Delhi. To avoid confusing us with any other institution, look for the five strokes logo and the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan association. Source: S.P. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As has been the precedent in previous sessions, it was a stormy day in the Lok Sabha Wednesday with the opposition protesting and raising slogans against the government over various issues. The opposition stormed into the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the government. This time around, NDA ally Shiv Sena also joined protests seeking a law for a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. Members of the treasury benches shoutrf back at the opposition till the House was adjourned twice -- first for nearly an hour and then for the entire day. The results of the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh seem to have bolstered the Congress members, who were at the forefront of the protests, seeking a probe by a joint parliamentary committee into the alleged Rafale aircraft deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, senior BJP leader L K Advani, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge besides others were present in the House. The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats after the vote count ended on Wednesday morning. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress has won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP was relegated to a distant second spot, winning just 15 seats, according to the results available Wednesday. In Rajasthan, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party Wednesday, winning 99 seats, while the BJP got 73. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The gunman who carried out a mass shooting in Strasbourg cried "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Greatest") as he opened fire, France's anti-terror prosecutor Remy Heitz said Wednesday, adding the attack was being investigated as a terrorist incident. The gunman was still on the run, but four people connected to him were detained overnight in the eastern French city, Heitz told a conference. The shooting is being investigated by the anti-terrorist section of the Paris prosecutor's office because of "the place targeted, the way the attack was carried out, the gunman's profile" and reports of his shouting Allahu Akhbar, the prosecutor added. The gunman has been sentenced 27 times in France, Germany and Switzerland for crimes including violence and robbery, Heitz said. He was flagged by security forces in 2015 as a possible extremist while in prison. Two people were killed, another was declared brain-dead, and 12 others were wounded, six very seriously, Heitz said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The suspect in the deadly shooting attack at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg was jailed for burglary in Germany but was not deemed a potentially dangerous Islamist, German authorities said Wednesday. "For us, he was a blank slate," said a spokeswoman of the Federal Criminal Police Office, which takes charge of cases related to terrorism. An interior ministry spokeswoman also said that there has been no indications suggesting an Islamist link to the suspect. The 29-year-old suspect was sentenced to two years and three months for burglaries in the city of Mainz and in Baden-Wuerttemberg state, and jailed in 2016. "He served a year in Germany before being expelled to France," a spokesman from Baden-Wuerttemberg's interior ministry told AFP. 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 teeth fillings. Four years later, he hit a pharmacy in the Lake Constance town of Engen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, pocketing cash. German authorities were on the lookout for the fugitive "along the Rhine" river region, the ministry spokesman said. "But at the moment we do not believe that he has crossed into the country," he added. The gunman opened fire Tuesday evening at the famed Strasbourg Christmas market, which draws thousands of visitors every year. The shooting left three people dead and 13 wounded. French authorities said the attacker had been on their list of extremists and "is actively being hunted by security forces". Meanwhile, German police said they had detained three people in a taxi with French licence plates, after tipoffs given by the public following the Strasbourg attack. The vehicle was halted on the A1 motorway close to the city Bremen, a police spokesman in Delmenhorst told national agency DPA. One of the passengers was masked, according to the report. There was so far no indications that they were linked to the Christmas market attack, but police were checking the taxi for any suspicious traces and interrogating the three people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde Wednesday handed over the condolence motions adopted by the state cabinet and the legislature, mourning the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to the adopted daughter of the late leader in New Delhi. A statement issued by Tawde said the condolence motion of the state cabinet and the one passed by the legislature along with the copies of the speeches made by leaders of different political parties were personally delivered to Vajpayee's adopted daughter Namita Bhattacharya and her husband Rajan Bhattacharya. Normally condolence motion copies are delivered to the families by post. On the occasion, Namita Bhattacharya recalled Vajpayee's close association with Mumbai, where he used to watch Marathi plays at Shivaji Mandir, and also his friendship with Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and composer Sudhir Phadke. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) announced today that it has signed a new four-year unsecured revolving credit facility arranged by Emirates NBD as sole mandated lead arranger and bookrunner. The initial commitment of $535 million is from a group of eight regional banks. The accordion feature allows the facility to be increased to up to $600 million at any time after the initial closing. The facility will support the future financing needs of the business. Firoz Tarapore, chief executive officer of DAE, said: We are pleased to sign this facility with Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the UAE and the Middle East. This facility reinforces the strong availability of liquidity in the market and the confidence in DAEs strategy and reputation. The addition of this facility substantially enhances our financial flexibility and provides yet another element of diversification to our funding strategy. Ahmed Al Qassim, executive vice president and head of corporate banking for ENBD said: This transaction demonstrates Emirates NBDs strong commitment to supporting DAE as part of our long-term strategic partnership. This facility brings DAEs total unsecured revolving credit facilities to $2.1 billion. - TradeArabia News Service Messages of solidarity poured in Wednesday from around the world on the one-year anniversary of the arrest of two Myanmar Reuters journalists who exposed a massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in Yangon on December 12 and handed seven-year jail sentences under a state secrets law as they probed the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men during the military's brutal crackdown on the stateless minority last year. The guilty verdict sparked global condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, and Reuters hired prominent rights attorney Amal Clooney to assist with the case. The reporters were also honoured alongside other persecuted or slain journalists in Time magazine's Person of the Year issue this week as concerns grow for deteriorating press freedoms in Myanmar and elsewhere in the world. Despite a tenacious advocacy campaign the two men remain behind bars, with an appeal set for later this month. "The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmar's commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law," Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen J. Adler said in a statement on the anniversary of the arrest. Social media platforms have filled with images of supporters making the "thumbs up" gesture that became a hallmark of the pair's court appearances. A rally with journalists and activists is due to take place in downtown Yangon on Wednesday afternoon. "We will face it (the verdict) with stability and courage," Wa Lone said after the sentence was handed down in September. "The government can detain us in the prison but... don't close the ears and eyes of the people," Kyaw Soe Oo said. Their personal ordeal has also moved many who have followed the case. Both men are fathers and Wa Lone's wife Pan Ei Mon gave birth to their first child shortly before he was convicted. One of the Time covers shared widely online features Pan Ei Mon and Kyaw Soe Oo's wife Chit Su Win holding photos of their imprisoned husbands. The magazine jointly honoured a number of journalists -- including the slain columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Philippine journalist Maria Ressa and the workforce of the US newspaper Capital Gazette, five of whose staff were killed in a June shooting -- "for taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths". The reporters' trial was widely regarded as a sham -- and punishment for reporting on the September 2017 massacre in Inn Din village led by Myanmar security forces. One whistleblowing police officer told the court his superior ordered a sting to entrap the reporters -- testimony the judge chose to ignore. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remained defiant when pressed on the case, insisting that due process was followed. Her reaction further tarnished her image as a democracy icon overseas after she refused to speak up for the Rohingya during the crackdown. More than 720,000 Rohingya Muslims fled over the border into refugee camps in Bangladesh, bringing with them horrific reports of widespread murder, torture, rape and arson. UN investigators have called for top generals to be prosecuted for genocide and accused Suu Kyi and her government of complicity. Myanmar rejects almost all allegations, saying it was defending itself against Rohingya militants. But a court did convict soldiers accused of carrying out the Inn Din massacre to 10 years each. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kevadiya, a small town with a population of 6,788 people and just 3.5 km from the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, is all set to get its own railway station, sources involved in the planning told PTI. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are slated to lay the foundation stone for the same on December 15, they said. The Statue of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is located in Gujarat's Narmada district and to reach it, one has to reach Kevadiya first. "During the first 11 days of its opening, the monument has already been visited by around 1.3 lakh tourists. This is great for tourism in the state. However, this area is plagued by connectivity issues and we needed to address that. This will be a modern railway station and will see huge footfall. Other than a boost in tourism, the project will lead to development in the area, create employment among other things," a source said. Currently, there is no direct air or train connectivity to Kevadiya. The nearest stations to Kevadiya are Vadodara (71.94 km), Bharuch (75.36 km) and Ankleshwar (77.95 km). A smaller station, Miyagam Karjan is 63.02 km from the town. By air, one has to take a flight to Surat. Kevadiya is 83 km from Surat. From the Ahmedabad airport, the Statue of Unity is almost 200 km away. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Governor Om Prakash Kohli will also be present at the foundation stone laying function, the source added. The statue is being touted as the latest in Gujarat's list of tourist attractions and the government is keen to ensure that no stone is left unturned to ensure a regular tourist inflow, the sources said. In fact, the Gujarat government has written to the chief ministers of all states to consider setting up guest houses near the Statue of Unity and a few states have already shown interest, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Gujarat's minister for Education, Law, Justice and Civil Aviation said in Kolkata on Tuesday. The Gujarat government built the 180-feet statue of Sardar Patel at a cost of around Rs 3,000 crore. On an average, 15,000 visitors visit the statue every day, according to the state government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the statue on October 31. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A meeting of TRS MPs would be held here Thursday to formulate the party's strategy for the ongoing Parliament session, party sources said. The meeting is being held on a day when TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao will be sworn in Chief Minister of Telangana for the second straight term. Also, a meeting of the party's state executive would be held in the party headquarters, Telangana Bhavan, on Friday, the sources said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TRS leader K T Rama Rao Wednesday said his party was yet to decide on the issue of campaigning for the YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh. "We have friends across the political spectrum and we are not particularly friendly with just one political party or the other. They become our opponents when they are fighting against us....Jaganmohan Reddy and his party is also fighting a tough battle in Andhra Pradesh. We wish them well. Let the dust settle here. Why rush into so many things at once," Rama Rao, son of TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, said when asked if they would campaign for Reddy in the 2019 polls. The TRS president Tuesday sarcastically had said he would offer "return gift" to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by entering AP The Congress and TDP had cobbled together the People's Front which also comprised the TJS and CPI, to take on the TRS, but came a cropper in the elections. Thanking the people of Telangana for the TRS victory, Rama Rao said the poll results established a fact that there was space for "non-Congress and non-BJP political spectrum." "The intent is to change the narrative in Delhi. The intent is to show the world that non-BJP and non-Congress formation can also work," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years of imprisonment Wednesday on multiple charges, including campaign finance violations for paying hush-money to two women who said had affairs with the US President. In court, Cohen said he took "full responsibility" for his actions while working for Trump. His sentence will be the longest thus far for anyone involved with the President or stemming from special counsel. "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: The personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America," Cohen said. Cohen, 52, was sentenced to 36 months in prison by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. US District Judge William Pauley also handed him an additional two months for the special counsel Robert Mueller's charge. Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election. This charge will be served concurrently with the US attorney's New York office term. Cohen has been ordered to surrender on March 6. The judge agreed to recommend Otisville prison, in upstate New York, as the prison where Cohen will serve his sentence. Pauley described the crimes that Cohen had pleaded guilty to as "a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" before announcing his sentence. Cohen also said he was living in a "personal and mental" prison since he started working for Trump. "This may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life...I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired, he said. Cohen's attorney, Guy Petrillo, had sought leniency for his client, saying his "cooperation here should be viewed against a non-standard framework". The special counsel's office "investigation is of utmost national significance, no less than seen 40 years ago in Watergate". In August, Cohen had pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion, making false statements to a federally-insured bank, and campaign finance violations. The plea was entered followed the filing of an eight-count criminal information, which alleged that Cohen concealed more than USD 4 million in personal income from the Internal Revenue Service, made false statements to a federally-insured financial institution in connection with a USD 500,000 home equity loan, and, in 2016, caused USD 280,000 in payments to be made to silence two women who otherwise planned to speak publicly about their alleged affairs with a presidential candidate, thereby intending to influence the 2016 presidential election. Trump was not named in the charges but it was clear Cohen was acting on his behalf. The payments included USD 130,000 to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, which the government considers an illegal donation to Trump's campaign since it was intended to improve his election chances. The charges against Cohen also include paying money to the two women in 2016 "to suppress" their stories from publishing in media "so as to prevent it from influencing the election". "Cohenwas able to arrange for the purchase of two stories so as to suppress them and prevent them from influencing the election," the federal prosecutors had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two men have been arrested with 1.1 kilogram of charas, valued at Rs 1.1 crore in international market, from north Delhi's Civil Lines area, police said on Wednesday. The accused persons were identified as Sobhe Ram alias Saurav Thakur (25) and Sanu Thakur alias Tilak Thakur (21), residents of Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, they said. They were arrested on Sunday following a tip off that two men, who supply drugs in Delhi and Rajasthan, would come near Chandgi Ram Akhara at Outer Ring Road with a huge quantity of charas, the police said. During a search, 1.1 kilogram of charas was recovered from under speedometer of the accused persons' car. It is worth Rs 1.1 crore in the international market, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajeev Ranjan said. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they are relatives. They used to supply charas to one Tony in Rajasthan and Janu in Gurgaon, he said. They revealed that they started out by selling charas to tourists visiting Malana and Kasol in Himachal Pradesh, the police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttarakhand High Court asked the state government Wednesday to submit before it the amount to be recovered from former chief ministers for occupying government bungalows for years after demitting office. The direction in this regard was issued by a division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Ramesh Chandra Khulbe. They asked the Advocate General appearing on behalf of the state government to calculate the amount in accordance with the market rate and submit it before the court before the next date of hearing of a PIL seeking recovery of the amount from the respondents. Though the court did not set the next date of hearing the PIL, it said the matter will be heard soon after the winter vacation comes to an end in mid February, Counsel for the petitioner Kartikeya Hari Gupta said. The Government of Uttarakhand and former chief ministers ND Tiwari, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Vijay Bahuguna have been made respondents in the petition. All the former CMs had to vacate the government quarters after the court's intervention in the matter following a PIL filed by Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, a city based NGO headed by noted social activist Avadhesh Kaushal. The PIL seeks recovery of the amount from the former CMs on the plea that it was a burden on the state's coffers. Submitting its own calculations, the NGO claimed that the former CMs including those who are no more (Nityanand Swami and ND Tiwari) together should pay more than Rs 13.33 crore by way of rent, electricity, phone, security and other facilities. Taking note of the fact that three of the former CMs had paid their rent dues at the rate of Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,200 per month, the court said it will examine the adequacy of the amount when the matter comes up next for hearing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Urging countries to make "political compromises" and "sacrifices", UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday made a passionate appeal to governments to find a common ground to tackle climate change as nations from across the globe continued deliberations at the UN climate talks here to finalise the implementation guidelines of the Paris accord. Acknowledging that tough political decisions are needed to be taken for the nations to reach an agreement, Guterres said, this is the time for consensus. "This is the time for political compromises to be reached. This means sacrifices, but it will benefit us all collectively. I challenge you to work together. I challenge you to accelerate and finish the job. And I challenge you to raise ambition on all fronts," he said. Noting that the deadline to finalise the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP) was a target the nations imposed upon themselves at the COP22 in Moroccan city Marrakech in 2016, Guterres said both the Convention and the Paris Agreement recognise that all countries have different realities, capacities and circumstances. "We must find a formula that balances the responsibilities of all countries. This will allow us to have a regime that is fair and effective for all," he told the delegates at the 195-nation UN forum tasked with finding solution to global warming. The UN chief said meeting the deadline means the nations can immediately unleash the full potential of the Paris Agreement and its promise of a low-emissions climate-resilient future. "Failing here in Katowice would send a disastrous message to those who stand ready to shift to a green economy. So, I urge you to find common ground that will allow us to show the world that we are listening, that we care," Guterres said at the closing of the high-level segment of the Talanoa Dialogue at the COP-24 here. Amidst differences among nations on number of issues, including finance, the UN chief said the developed countries must scale up their contributions to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion annually by 2020. Guterres said he has appointed the French President and the Jamaican Prime Minister to lead the mobilisation of the international community, both public and private, to reach the target of USD 100 billion. "We need to strengthen the Green Climate Fund," Guterres said, hailing Germany's pledge to double its contribution in the current replenishment process. He said Germany's move is a very positive sign and he hope that it will inspire other nations to do the same. The 2015 Paris Agreement vows to cap global warming at two degrees Celsius and funnel hundreds of billions of dollars to poor countries worse hit by deadly storms, heatwaves and droughts. "The eyes of the world are upon us...more than 32,000 people have come here to find solutions to climate change. They are inspired, engaged and they want us to deliver. They want us to finish the job," Guterres said. "To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change. It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal," he added. The UN chief also said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which called for capping Earth's rising temperature at 1.5 deg C to avoid the danger of runaway warming, cannot be ignored. His comments came in the wake of several countries, including the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait, blocking the efforts to endorse the report during the climate talks. "The IPCC special report is a stark acknowledgment of what the consequences of global warming beyond 1.5 degrees C will mean for billions of people around the world, especially those who call small island states home... we cannot afford to ignore it," he said. Guterres said the IPCC report outlined a catastrophic future if no action was taken immediately. "It also clearly states that the window of opportunity is closing. We no longer have the luxury of time. That's why we need to have our work here in Katowice finalised and finalised in less than three days," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With 24 hours left before the scheduled close of UN-brokered talks on Yemen, mediators pushed Wednesday for a truce between warring parties as a crucial step to allow aid deliveries. Mediators are seeking a de-escalation of violence in two flashpoint cities: rebel-held Hodeida, a port city vital to the supply of humanitarian aid, and Taiz, Yemen's third largest city, scene of some of the war's most intense fighting. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was due in Rimbo late Wednesday for Thursday's closing round of consultations. Both government and rebel representatives traded accusations of unwillingness to negotiate, particularly on rebel-held Hodeida, the main route for 90 per cent of food imports and nearly 80 per cent of aid deliveries. Multiple draft proposals have been submitted to the two delegations over the past week. None have found consensus as yet. "I think there is some progress, even if it's with much difficulty. It's slow progress," rebel representative Abdelmalik al-Ajri told AFP. "We are faced with the intransigence of the other side. "Things should become clearer today." Askar Zaeel, a member of the government delegation, said his camp would hold firm to UN Security Council Resolution 2216 -- which calls for the Huthis to withdraw from all areas seized in a 2014 takeover, including Hodeida. The Yemen conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since the Saudi-led coalition joined the war in 2015, according to the World Health Organisation, 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. Guterres' arrival comes hours after his office said it had evidence the Huthis were using Iran-made missiles. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have waged in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the UN says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "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," it added. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting on Iran, scheduled to start at 1500 GMT. Guterres' report mainly addresses Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with six major powers. The United States pulled out of the accord in May and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. The report concludes that Iran continues to abide by the nuclear accord, under which it won sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. The UN has said in the past that Yemen's Huthi rebels have fired Iranian-made missiles at Saudi Arabia. But it said it could not be certain that these weapons were in fact supplied by Iran in what would be a violation of UN resolutions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate, has officially opened a new state-of-the-art Crew Reporting Centre at its hub in Muscat. The purpose-built crew terminal, is one of the most advanced of its kind in the region, and is fitted with cutting-edge baggage handling systems, electronic check-in kiosks and security and customs scanning equipment. Serving the burgeoning requirements of flight crews and Oman Air Operations Team, the Crew Reporting Centre eliminates the need to access the Departure Terminal at the airport. The airline will provide user-friendly technology and convenience for its 691 pilots and approximately 1,757 cabin crew during the check-in and briefing processes prior to boarding their flights. Operating crews will be provided with up-to-date flight information such as flight plans, weather reports, destination information, service protocol and passenger data, for review in dedicated briefing areas within the premises. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Airs chief executive officer, said: We are extremely proud to open this spectacular facility, which has been designed and built to provide our operating crew with the latest technological advances and the utmost convenience. Providing Oman Air with a much-needed facility as it caters to the increasing demand for air travel in the region, this Centre will allow us to pursue further opportunities for growth. The Crew Reporting Centre will allow us to meet the challenges of an ever-transforming business and to meet the phenomenal growth of both Oman Air and Oman well into the future. This is particularly important in the period following the opening of the new Passenger Terminal in Muscat International Airport. Located adjacent to the New Passenger Terminal at Muscat International Airport, the new RO7.6 million ($19.7 million) investment built on approximately 25,000 sq m will also host several Oman Air operational offices as well as a duty free, coffee shop, rest areas and banking facilities, among others. TradeArabia News Service United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the last day of talks between warring Yemeni parties in Sweden on Thursday, the world body said. Guterres will participate in UN-brokered negotiations between Yemen's government and Huthi rebels in the rural village of Rimbo, north of Stockholm. 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. The talks aim to broker deals on major issues in the Yemen war, a complex conflict between the Huthi rebels -- armed northern tribes backed by Iran -- and the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, allied with a powerful military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The war has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 14 million people facing imminent starvation and one child dead every 10 minutes from preventable causes. While the talks do not aim for a mutual ceasefire, 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 in the war. But Hodeida has proved a point of contention between the government and the rebels. The Red Sea city is controlled by the Huthis. Shipments through its ports are severely restricted by the Saudi-led coalition, which controls Yemen's maritime borders and airspace. UN envoy Martin Griffiths has guided both parties through intensive political consultations on various sensitive issues "with the aim of putting Yemen back on the path of peace, and alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people," the UN said. Last week, Guterres appealed to the Yemeni government and rebels to de-escalate violence around Hodeida, through which 90 per cent of food imports and three-quarters of humanitarian aid reach Yemen -- where the UN says close to 75 per cent of the population will need humanitarian assistance in 2019. The World Health Organisation estimates nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed since 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition joined Hadi's fight against the Huthis. Other estimates put the toll at as high as 50,000. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that Sri Lanka was forced to surrender the sovereignty of its deep-water port, Hambantota, a powerful US lawmaker on Tuesday sought an end to the Chinese debt trap. China was defrauding small countries with nonviable infrastructure projects and was charging exorbitant rates that the poor countries could not afford, alleged Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats. "When countries cannot make their payments, China seizes physical control of the assets, with strategic deep-water ports being its top target," he said. "This debt trap must stop. We are seeing it across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Sri Lanka is now in a terrible constitutional crisis, in part because the country is drowning in unsustainable debt to the Chinese Communists. Sri Lanka has been forced to surrender its sovereignty of its deep-water port, Hambantota," Rohrabacher said. "The Sri Lankan people are being robbed of their sovereignty and steps -- including a national plebiscite," the top American lawmaker said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Senate has passed a crucial bipartisan legislation that seeks to impose a visa ban on Chinese officials who deny American citizens, government officials and journalists access to Tibet, the remote Himalayan homeland of the exiled Dalai Lama. 'The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act', seeking unhindered access to Tibetan areas to US officials, journalists and common citizens, something which is routinely denied by the Chinese government, was passed by the House of Representatives in September. The legislation, passed unanimously, comes amidst the Trump administration imposing massive trade import duties on China that has started impacting the Chinese economy. The bill now heads to the White House for US President Donald Trump to sign into law. "The Senate tonight passed the House companion to my Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, critical legislation based on the principle of reciprocity that has long been missing from our relationship with China," Senator Marco Rubio, a key sponsor of the one of bill said Tuesday night. "Looking forward to the President signing this into law soon," he tweeted. The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018which was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Jim McGovern and Randy Hultgren and in the Senate by Marco Rubio and Tammy Baldwin -- is bipartisan legislation designed to address China's exclusion of American journalists, diplomats and citizens from Tibet. "The Tibet Reciprocity Act is an important statement of our values, and I am happy to see it sent to the President's desk before the end of the year," said Senator Robert Menendez, one of 14 cosponsors of the bill. "This legislation is simply about fundamental fairness. Chinese citizens enjoy broad access to the United States, and I think that is terrific," he said. Menendez said it is unacceptable that the same is not true for US students, journalists or diplomats going to Tibet, including Tibetan-American constituents just trying to visit their country of origin. "If China wants its tourists, officials, journalists and other citizens to be able to travel freely across the US, American citizens must be able to travel freely in China, including Tibet. The International Campaign for Tibet should be commended for its work on this bill and for being a steadfast champion of fairness and decency for all people, including Tibetans," Menendez said. The bill received support from both sides of the aisle in Congress. The 14th Dalai Lama, who is 83 lives on exile in India. He fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in his homeland. The bill requires the Secretary of State to assess the level of access to Tibet for US citizens within 90 days of the enactment of the legislation and to send a report to Congress identifying Chinese officials who are responsible for keeping Americans out of Tibet. The Secretary of State will then ban those officials from receiving visas to enter the US. The bill is predicated on the widely accepted diplomatic principle of reciprocity, based on which countries should provide equal rights to one another's citizens. "When it comes to Tibet, Beijing does not reciprocate," said International Campaign for Tibet. Although Chinese citizens, journalists from state-sponsored propaganda outlets and bureaucrats of the Chinese Communist Party travel freely throughout the US and lobby the American government on Tibetan issues, Beijing effectively prevents American diplomats, politicians, journalists, aid workers and tourists from entering Tibetexcept on strictly controlled official tours that hide the truth about the immense suffering there, it said. "This is truly a historic moment in the United States' support of the Tibetan people and for its strategic security interests in the region," said ICT president Matteo Mecacci. "By passing this landmark bill, which implements the diplomatic principle of reciprocity, Congress is saying loud and clear that Tibet's future is and will continue to be a foreign policy priority for the US. Furthermore, the American people's overwhelming support for Tibet shows that the citizens of the free world are opposed to unfair policies that foster Beijing's authoritarian rule and influence all over the world, Mecacci said. Since Trump assumed office, the impact of human rights issues on Sino-US ties has been waning largely because of Trump's policy preferences. But Washington, especially the US Congress, is still paying close attention to human rights issues and has been constantly raking them up. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has lashed out at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over alleged sexual exploitation of inmates at a shelter home in Dhenkanal district, saying the incident reveals a "deep and utter failure" of the state government. An NGO-run shelter home in Dhenkanal -- 106 km from state capital Bhubaneswar -- was sealed last Sunday and two people, including its managing director, was arrested following allegations of sexual harassment of its inmates. Gandhi, in a letter to Patnaik dated December 7, said it is a matter of great concern that the incident only came to light when some of the girls residing there confided in media and accused the shelter home in-charge of sexual abuse. The women and child development minister has also set up an inquiry in the case which would be headed by the secretary in her ministry, Rakesh Srivastava. "It is alleged that shelter home was rife with incidents of sexual harassment and was being used as a front for illegal religious conversion. Investigations have also revealed that the 'Good India' organisation running these homes has been operating in Odisha for the past two years without registration under Juvenile Justice Act," she said in the letter. "This is gross violation of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) and highlights a lack of oversight by state government authorities on statuary compliance of running a shelter home," she said. "I am horrified to learn that 'Good India' NGO in question is currently operating more than 25 such shelter homes in Odisha," she added. Gandhi said the incident "reveals a deep and utter failure on the part of state government in taking basic precautionary measures for the safety and welfare of children, leading to such a heinous incident". She also instructed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to inspect all homes in Odisha immediately, following which the apex child rights body has decided to conduct inspections in children homes in 19 districts, including homes of 'Good India NGO'. "Nine teams comprising 21 officials, including experts and members of Odisha SCPCR, would conduct the inspections," an official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal government is committed to the welfare of its people, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted Wednesday. The CM, on the occasion of Universal Health Coverage Day, said all government-run hopitals and health centres provide treatment for free to those in need. "Today is Universal Health Coverage Day. In #Bangla, healthcare is free at govt hospitals and health centres. We have also set up fair-price medicine shops and diagnostic centres, ICCUs, HDUs, CCUs, mother & child hubs and more. We are committed to the welfare of all," she tweeted. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, observed every year on December 12, marks the anniversary of the first unanimous United Nations resolution calling for countries to provide affordable and quality healthcare to every person. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has always been the land of multiplicities, and the fourth edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale, which opened here on Wednesday, is a bitter-sweet awakening to the possibility that the country's fundamental spirit to embrace these differences may be getting lost. Themed Possibilities of a Non-Alienated Life, the 108-day art event features renowned contemporary artists like Anju Dodiya and Shilpa Guta and B V Suresh. It also gives space to artists who have risen from the ground to discover a voice of their own such as Kolkata-based auto rickshaw driver Bapi Das, tribal couple Durgabai and Subhash Vyam from Madhya Pradesh and Dalit artist V V Vinu from a village in the suburbs of Kochi. We must realise that differences can co-exist. We don't need exhibitions that have a kind of mono-culture. Any kind of mono-culture is killing us. We need to get back our diversity, said Anita Dube, curator of the Biennale. Dube, an artist herself, said that it is important that the Biennale is happening at this historic junction in time, not 10 years before, not 10 years later. I really want to open up as many possibilities for us to feel healthier and to feel better. What we are facing in our country right now, that is important to how I have conceived the Biennale, she said. The 60-year-old artist has breathed life into the city's architectural spaces by putting together clusters of exhibitions which were conceived as fragments. She has sewn independent artistic ideas to deliver a narrative that attempts to uphold the relevance of inclusivity in the politically dark times that we live in. Nothing represents the present intolerant India better than B V Suresh's Canes of Wrath. The very contemporary installation -- ahead of the 2019 elections -- is eerie in its suggestions of the disturbing recent past and the possibilities, if unchecked, of the turn events may take, for the worse. With walls lined with laathis that alternatively hit the ground, the work desperately calls out for attention to the ongoing spree of mob vigilantism, almost transporting the viewers to the crime scenes. Perhaps aware of how Suresh's spine-chilling work might leave the heart and mind anxious, Dube has devised what is clearly a recuperative mechanism for viewers in the form of works such as the Gond art (tribal art from MP) installation by Durgabai and Subhash Shyam. When Dube said not an inch on the walls was left uncovered, she isn't exaggerating. Both recognized artists from the Gond School of Painting, the Shyams have covered their art site, from ceiling to floor, with wall-based installations in the form of wood cut-outs to tell stories from their tribal traditional folklore in the language of Gond. It is a world full of animals and plantsfull of stories from their Dalit lives. This is very different from the kind of aesthetics we have embraced universally," the curator said. While the tribal couple's work might be a refreshing break from the unkind realities of the times, Dube's intention behind making the project a part of the Biennale was more than just offering a beautiful artwork. She wants to make a point -- that there is no hierarchy in art. What I have tried to do is to mix up all kinds of styles and languages. There is no hierarchy. None at all. I am not taking contemporary art as top of the hierarchy. I am not letting its aesthetics overpower, Dube said. The works by B V Suresh, and Durgabai and Subhash Shyam are among the 95 Indian and international artist projects, being showcased at the Biennale. Also lined up is an exciting set of ancillary events, including talks, presentations and discussions by artists and thinkers, film screenings as well as the Music of Muziris concert series featuring artists like the Three Seas Project, T M Krishna, Imphal Talkies, and Insurrections Ensemble among others. Slated to conclude on March 29 next year, the Biennale is being hosted across nine heritage venues -- Aspinwall House, Durbar Hall, Pepper House, Cabral Yard (Biennale Pavilion), David Hall, Kashi Town House, Uru Art Harbour, Dutch Warehouse, and Anand Warehouse. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Organisational weaknesses, the tie-up with the TDP not working on the ground and some shortcomings of the state party leadership could be the reasons for poor performance of the Congress in the Telangana Assembly poll, party leaders said here Wednesday. Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily, who was part of the central party unit tasked with the poll strategy, blamed poor organisation at the state level for it. "Organisationally....we have not organised well. I have always been telling them (Telangana Congress unit)..you should organise much better, lack of organisation...the real bane of Telangana (Congress)", the former Union Minister told PTI. He said there was an anti-KCR (Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao) mood, but the Congress could not encash on it. Setting aside decades-old rivalry, the Congress and TDP had forged an electoral alliance for the December 7 Telangana poll to take on the TRS. But the Congress-led alliance, of which the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and CPI were a part, came a cropper in the poll, with the Congress winning 19 seats and the TDP a mere two. The TJS and CPI drew a blank. The TRS returned to power, bagging 88 seats in the 119-member Assembly. Some Congress leaders said the party and TDP may have failed to fully transfer votes to each other. "Could be one reason...vote transfer could not be possible, maybe because TDP and Congress, they were not working together (earlier)", the AICC in charge of Telangana Congress affairs R C Khuntia told PTI. Khuntia said joint meetings of TDP and Congress workers had not been organised at the booth, mandal and block levels, where "there will always be dispute", and was done only at public meetings and rallies. "So probably vote transfer at ground level could not be possible 100 per cent", he said. Senior Telangana Congress leader Marri Shashidhar Reddy said the party "failed to talk to the people all the shortcomings of the Government and its failures". Reddy, former Vice-Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, termed his party's election strategy as "hotch potch". "PCC President (Uttam Kumar Reddy) did not act like a leader. He was more like a group leader, trying to impose persons favoured by him", alleged the four time MLA and a former Minister. Meanwhile, Moily, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, rejected the perception in some quarters that the Congress-TDP alliance flopped. "You can't say that. Ultimately, the Congress should win on it's own strength in Telangana. Our party itself was not so well organised", Moily added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Who goes to attend a meeting with "300 bags", the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asked Vijay Mallya's lawyer in a special court here Wednesday, countering the claim that the liquor baron had left India in March 2016 only to attend an event in Geneva and did not flee the country. Amit Desai, Mallya's lawyer, had Tuesday told special judge for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases M S Azmi that his client 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, Switzerland))," he had said. However, ED counsel D N Singh countered Desai's claim. "They don't have anything to show that he left India to attend a meeting.... Who goes to attend a meeting with 300 bags and huge cargo," he said. Singh made the submission while arguing before the court on the Central agency's plea to declare Mallya a "fugitive" under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA). The beleaguered business had left India on March 2, 2016 and is now based in Britain. A court in London Monday ordered the extradition of Mallya, wanted in India for alleged financial irregularities. Responding to another claim of the defence, Singh said the application to declare the former MP a fugitive was filed before the court after all means to bring him back failed to yield any result. Despite issuance of summonses and three NBWs (non-bailable warrants), Mallya refused to join the probe against him, the ED lawyer said. The extradition process is a proof enough that he is not willing to return, he said. "He is fighting not to come to India. Mallya claimed that he doesn't want to return as the case was 'politically motivated. "He complained the condition in the jail, where he is supposed to be kept, is bad. A video of prison was sent and UK court (which ordered his extradition) was satisfied with the same," he said. The ED counsel also countered Desai's claim that FEOA was "draconian". It is not a "draconian" law but just an Act to bring back a person to India to join probe and face trial for offences listed under it, Singh said. Singh said Mallya's lawyers, during their arguments and replies in the court on the ED application, have not said anything about his return to India. "Neither during their reply or arguments they have said anything. Even now (after the extradition order) he has not made any statement that when he is coming or how he is coming," the ED counsel added. Mallya, facing charges brought by the CBI and the ED, is wanted in India for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh has expressed disagreement over the process of seeking opinion of party legislators to select the chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan when party president Rahul Gandhi will decide the face for the coveted post. Congress legislature party (CLP) in Rajasthan Wednesday passed a single-line resolution authorising the party national president to decide name of the chief minister. "What is the point of seeking individual opinion from the MLAs when the decision is to be taken by the party high command? Why would I waste my time in giving my opinion to the party observer?" Singh asked after attending the CLP meeting. A Jat leader, Singh has won Deeg-Kumher constituency of Bharatpur district. Congress observer K C Venugopal is holding consultation with the party MLAs. The feedback collected from them will be shared with the party president Gandhi and then the announcement of the chief minister's name would be made. "This is just a point of disagreement but I am not annoyed or unhappy with the party. I agree with the resolution that the party high command is authorised to take the decision but the exercise of the party observer meeting individual MLA to seek their opinion has no worth because the decision has to be taken by the party high command," he told PTI. State Congress chief Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both frontrunners for the post, were present in the meeting. The name of the chief minister will be announced in the evening and a Congress delegation will meet Governor Kalyan Singh at 7 pm to stake claim on government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Women should be honoured and treated with dignity at workplace, the Delhi High Court said Wednesday and observed that employers must be considerate and sympathetic towards a pregnant employee. The high court said the employer must realise the physical difficulties that a woman would face in performing her duties at the workplace while carrying a baby in her womb or looking after the child after birth. The court's observations came while directing the Delhi government to include a woman in the panel for guest teachers and utilise her services as and when required by any school here, subject to her medical fitness. "Women who constitute almost half of the segment of our society have to be given due weightage and honoured and treated with dignity at places where they work to earn their livelihood. To become a mother is the most natural phenomena in the life of a woman," Justice Suresh Kait said. "Whatever is needed to facilitate the birth of child to a woman who is in service, the employer has to be considerate and sympathetic towards her and must realise the physical difficulties which a working woman would face in performing her duties at the workplace while carrying a baby in the womb or while looking after the child after birth," the court added. It directed the office of Deputy Directorate of Education of the Delhi government to issue necessary order to this effect within two weeks. It allowed the woman's plea to quash the government's order which had stated that her candidature may be considered for the post of Guest Teacher PGT (Hindi) in future, subject to availability of the vacancy and production of medical fitness certificate from the competent authority. The woman had said that the department had advertised a notice on May 26, 2017 for 'Drawing a Panel for Guest Teachers for Empanelment in Delhi Government Schools for the Academic Year 2017-18'. She had said in her plea that later, the department took out another notice in September 2017 calling all the selected guest teachers for verification of their documents and later, the woman got selected and got her credentials verified. On January 28, this year, she gave birth to a child through caesarean and two days later, the authorities asked the selected candidates to appear at their office between February 1 to 3 for further verification of documents. The woman said despite the fact that she had a caesarean delivery only few days prior, she went to the office on February 3 for final verification of her documents but the officials "behaved differently and even harassed her by not marking her attendance". Despite communications, she was not issued the joining letter, the plea said. The department told the court that the public notice was issued only for making a panel of guest teachers and once the panel has been finalised, further engagement as guest teacher is to be taken on the basis of requirement expressed by any school. "Therefore, any person who was engaged pursuant to the said public notice was enrolled in the panel of guest teachers. Such person, who is enrolled as guest teacher in the panel, has not any vested or legal right to be further engaged as a guest teacher. Thus, there is no merit in the petition and deserves to be dismissed," it had said. The court said that the department did not entertain the woman's case thinking that she recently delivered a child through caesarean process, therefore would not be able to work if any requirement comes from the school. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS ) now offers its travellers the option of booking a variety of destination packages to explore Switzerlands iconic sights and cities within a couple of days. The new Stopover Switzerland programme is a collaboration between SWISS, Switzerland Tourism and Switzerland Travel Centre, and offers an initial range of eight different tourist packages covering all Swiss regions and with all accommodation and public transport included. Travellers on Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), The Airline of Switzerland, can now both get to their final destination and explore Switzerland en route. Both leisure and business travellers can extend their stopover in Switzerland by one to four nights by adding a customizable travel package under the new Stopover Switzerland offer, which SWISS has launched in close collaboration with Switzerland Tourism (ST) and Switzerland Travel Centre (STC). Stopover Switzerland takes full advantage of the sheer density and variety of Switzerlands many attractions: nowhere else can visitors experience so much in so little time. And to ensure that all this Swissness can be enjoyed as smoothly and comfortably as possible, Stopover Switzerland offers, in collaboration with Switzerland Travel Centre, a range of eight customized single or multi-destination travel packages which all include accommodation in a three- or four-star hotel at the chosen destination plus all public transport. With the single-destination Stopover Switzerland packages, which are bookable for one to four nights, guests choose one Swiss city such as Zurich, Interlaken or Lucerne as the base for their excursions and discoveries. The package also includes tips on possible local trips and activities, to help the guest make the most of their stay. All packages also include a Swiss Travel Pass for 1st or 2nd class travel, giving unlimited rides on Switzerlands extensive public transport system for the duration of the stopover. The multi-destination Stopover Switzerland packages, which are bookable for two to four nights, offer a fixed itinerary including transport with different locations for the overnight stays in three- or four-star hotels, as well as a flexible range of activities.. Guests can, for example, choose the Best of Switzerland package, which includes excursions to some of the most popular Swiss lakes and mountains. An initial eight Stopover Switzerland packages, all customized by Switzerland Travel Centre, can now be booked at swiss.com/stopover, in connection with a flight or even independently of any flight arrangements. The range of these stopover packages will be steadily expanded, too, a SWISS statement said. TradeArabia News Service A top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd wanted by the United States to answer to fraud accusations was granted C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, a move that could help soothe Chinese anger over her arrest. Meng Wanzhou, 46, Huawei's chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces U.S. claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted bail to ... By Euan RochaMUMBAI (Reuters) - The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), the country's biggest public pension fund, plans to continue deploying capital in China, despite political tensions between the two nations, Chief Executive Mark Machin said on Wednesday.Following the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's chief financial officer on Dec. 1, China warned Canada it would face severe consequences if it did not immediately release her.Wanzhou, who was granted bail on Tuesday, faces extradition to the United States, which alleges she covered up her company's links to a ... By Julie Gordon and Michael MartinaVANCOUVER/BEIJING (Reuters) - A Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd while she awaits a hearing for extradition to the United States, a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by her arrest. Meng Wanzhou, 46, Huawei's [HWT.UL] chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces U.S. accusations that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions.Justice William Ehrcke at a court hearing in ... DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzania has signed a deal with Egypt's El Sewedy Electric Co and Arab Contractors to build a $3 billion hydroelectric plant on a World Heritage site in the country, that will more than double Tanzania's power generation capacity.The project has faced opposition from conservationists, who say the construction of a dam on a river that runs through the Tanzania's Selous Game Reserve, known for its elephants, black rhinos and giraffes, as well as many other species, could affect the wildlife and their habitats.Energy Minister Medard Kalemani, said in comments broadcast ... By Ritsuko Ando and Laurence FrostTOKYO/PARIS (Reuters) - Renault told alliance partner Nissan to stop contacting the French company's directors ahead of a Thursday board meeting as the Japanese automaker tried to share evidence of wrongdoing by its ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn, two sources said.Ever since Ghosn's Nov. 19 arrest in Japan, Renault and the French government, the automaker's biggest shareholder, have demanded to see the findings of a Nissan internal investigation that include allegations of financial misconduct by the 64-year-old executive.Ghosn was charged on Monday in Japan ... By Roberta Rampton and Jeff MasonWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that China was buying a "tremendous amount" of U.S. soybeans and that trade talks with Beijing were already under way by telephone, with more meetings likely among U.S. and Chinese officials.Trump told Reuters in an interview that the Chinese government was "back in the market" to buy soybeans after a Dec. 1 truce in the U.S.-China trade war.But traders in Chicago said they have seen no evidence of a resumption of such purchases following China's imposition of a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans in ... By Jeff Mason and Steve HollandWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would intervene in the Justice Department's case against a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies [HWT.UL] if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada Dec. 1 and has been accused by the United States of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions.When asked if he would intervene with the Justice Department ... By Tom MilesGENEVA (Reuters) - Global airlines will see rising profit growth and record carbon dioxide emissions next year as strong demand offsets cost pressures that trimmed profitability in 2018, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday.Industry profits are expected to rise to $35.5 billion in 2019 from $32.3 billion in 2018, IATA said."The aviation industry is on a more solid financial footing than at any time in its history," IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac told reporters at IATA's annual media day in Geneva.IATA chief economist Brian Pearce ... (Reuters) - U.S. home improvement chain Lowe's Cos Inc on Wednesday approved a $10 billion share repurchase program and reiterated its full-year forecast for sales growth that was roughly in line with Wall Street expectation. Lowe's has been shutting underperforming stores and cutting back on slow-moving inventory, an attempt by new Chief Executive Officer Marvin Ellison to address investor concerns over its inability to compete with Home Depot Inc."We have substantially completed a detailed reassessment of our business," Ellison said during the company's investor day, adding that the ... The fourth edition of ArtBAB 2019 (Art Bahrain Across Borders), the Middle Easts youngest and most promising art fair, will be held under the theme of Legacies in March next year, even as cutting-edge conversations about art, culture, tech and commerce will dominate the event. The event, being held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeekha bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain and a keen supporter of the Kingdoms cultural heritage, will take place from March 6 to 10, 2019 at the Bahrain Exhibitions & Convention Centre. The exhibition will explore the nearly 50-year-old Bahraini contemporary art scene and its foundation in the kingdoms rich art heritage. At the same time, the exhibition is pushing boundaries and will offer visitors a truly multi-layered and multi-dimensional experience through exposure to a Virtual Reality Corner that allows exploration of some of the worlds leading private museums and a diverse Speakers Programme that will bring together art foundations, cultural districts and museums with FinTech, blockchain, AI and VR specialists. We are proud of the unique conversations that we have started about Bahraini art around the world in 2018 alone, our supporting project Artists Across Borders has taken 25 Bahraini artists to Paris, Moscow, Singapore and the UK, said Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, director of the Office of Her Royal Highness Wife of the King of Bahrain. In the 2019 edition of the fair, we shall explore not just the heritage and legacies that inspire Bahraini contemporary art but also the new directions of art on the global stage. We shall also have a beautifully curated Artisanal Room featuring special installations and large masterpieces rooted in the traditional skills of Bahraini crafts heritage. Kaneka Subberwal, fairs and programme director of ArtBAB 2019, said: The art fairs 2019 edition would be an exciting amalgam of Bahraini art and cutting-edge trends discussed during the conference. This year, in a first for the region, ArtBAB will take visitors beyond the canvases of the gifted artists of Bahrain and the gallerists who bring some of the famous contemporary artworks to showcase at the fair and take them not just across borders but across time-frames too. Kaneka said: Our Virtual Corner at ArtBAB 2019 truly takes the art experience beyond borders the public will be able to have three different VR experiences using Vive Pro Headsets and literally touch celebrated contemporary Chinese art collections, 17th century Dutch and Flemish masterpieces as well as millennial VR artwork. dslcollection, a VR Private Museum from France will feature world prominent Chinese Contemporary Artists- Cao Fei, Tang Song, Ge Guanzhong, Jia Aili, and Chen Wenbo; The Kremer Collection, a VR Private Museum from Netherlands will feature 17th Century Dutch and Flemish great masters such as Gerrit Dou, Pieter de Hooch, Frans Hals, Jan Lievens, Rembrandt, Michael Sweerts & Gerrit van Honthorst and Khora Contemporary, a VR Production house, co-founded by Faurschou Foundation, a private museum in Denmark will showcase works of other prominent contemporary artists. About art, culture and technology In its effort to decode the intersection between art, culture and technology, ArtBAB 2019 will host an impressive array of speakers through a series of panel discussions, debates and interviews. The Bahrain art fair will also be launching a world premier on Art & Islamic Finance during the conference, as a debate between Deloitte Art & Finance and Deloitte ME Islamic Finance and Knowledge Centre (IFKC). The use of big data and analytics in helping collectors better manage liquidity, risk and volatility will also be explored with valuable insights from Christies and ArtTactic alongside live demos from CollectorIQ, MutualArt and Pi-eX. Industry leaders underpinning the conversation about the blockchain art market revolution to improve provenance and unlock digital trade routes will include Bahrain Fintech Bay, BlockchainHub, Artory, Verisart, Arius Technology, ID4ARTS and Dadiani Syndicate. The conference will also discuss topics around arts philanthropy and arts patronage to empower cultural development in the Arab World and the growth of cultural and educational districts in building a creative economy, moderated by Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and Global Cultural District Network (GCDN). Jason Bailey, Founder of Artnome, the world's largest analytical database will chair one of the art world's biggest debates on AI and Artistic Creation, exploring the role of AI and machine learning in replacing humans. Robbie Barrat, a 19-year old who developed the code for the first AI Generated Portrait of Edmond de Belamy by the Paris collective, Obvious that was auctioned at Christie's will take center stage with Mario Klingemann, a pioneer in the use of computer learning in the arts and a Google Arts and Culture resident, and Nature Morte Gallery. KlarisLaw will explore copyright issues on AI-Generated Art. VRFocus, a virtual reality specialist website will close the conference with an exclusive interview with VIVE Arts and moderate a panel discussion on VR as a Game Changer for the Arts with dslcollection, The Kremer Collection, Khora Contemporary, Vastari and The National Gallery London. Bahraini platform We are excited about the return of our showcase of Bahraini artists, BAB, which has attracted over 100 artists this year, said Kaneka, Our Selectors Panel consisting of Amal Khalaf- Projects Curator, Serpentine Galleries, London; Nathalie Angles- Co-founder and Executive Director of Residency Unlimited, New York; Rebecca Anne Proctor- Editor-in-Chief, Harpers Bazaar Art Arabia; and Snejana Krasteva- Curator, Garage Museum, Moscow shall be finalising the artworks that we shall display in the central space at the venue, putting the focus firmly on our Bahraini artists. Another major impactful move from ArtBAB 2019 will be the redefining of Bahrains rich crafts heritage through a contemporary design input. Visitors can view large modern installations of Bahraini crafts seen from a fresh perspective and explore chic, contemporary modernized Bahraini crafts that will take to the world a new portrait of Bahrain as a country which is open to contemporary thought and where the timeless old traditions adapt to new thought without losing their essence. Strategic Partner of the event is Tamkeen, Bahrains change management agency which supports the building of human resources and the Kingdoms industrial and knowledge growth management. ArtBAB aims to reinforce Bahrains position in the Gulf as a regional arts hub, inspiring entrepreneurship, art education and local skills development. TradeArabia News Service By Alex LawlerLONDON (Reuters) - OPEC said on Wednesday it had offset a drop in sanctions-hit Iranian oil exports and lowered the 2019 forecast of demand for its crude, underlining the challenge the producer group faces to prevent a glut even after last week's decision to trim output.In a monthly report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said 2019 demand for its crude would fall to 31.44 million barrels per day, 100,000 bpd less than predicted last month and 1.53 million less than it currently produces.Worried by a drop in oil prices and rising supplies, OPEC and its ... By Dmitry ZhdannikovLONDON (Reuters) - The first cargo of Iraqi Kirkuk crude to change hands since flows resumed last month has been sold to Litasco, the Swiss-based trading arm of Russian oil producer Lukoil, ship-tracking data and a shipping document showed.The Rava tanker, loaded with about 600,000 barrels of Kirkuk oil, left the Turkish port of Ceyhan on Dec. 10 for Lukoil's refining system in Italy, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.Reuters also saw a bill of lading for the Rava, confirming details of the trade.Litasco is scheduled to take two more cargoes of Kirkuk oil in December, a ... (Reuters) - Mutual funds in India can separate distressed and illiquid assets in their portfolios to deal with any potential credit crisis, the market regulator said on Wednesday.The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was in talks with the industry to allay fears of contagion effect on mutual funds due to a liquidity crisis faced by the country's non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), its chief had said last week.NBFCs were hit by a credit crunch in September and October after Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) defaulted on a series of debt obligations spreading ... By David ShepardsonWASHINGTON (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 ... By Sonya DowsettMADRID (Reuters) - Zara owner Inditex missed sales and profit forecasts on Wednesday, hit by adverse currency moves and an unusually warm September, leading investors to wipe more than $5 billion off the fashion retailer's market value at one stage.The Spanish group, which also owns upmarket label Massimo Dutti and teen brand Bershka, is highly sensitive to fluctuations in the euro as it sells from China to Russia to India across its thousands-strong global portfolio of stores.Controlled by founder Amancio Ortega, one of the world's richest men, Inditex generates more than ... The last few years have seen phenomenal development and deliberations around the globe with respect to the issue of privacy of the digital data. The GDPR has been one such mega-development in the European Union wherein a full-fledged legal framework has been structured to regulate digital economy with an aim to protect the privacy rights of the citizens. In India, the Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, is seen as a big step towards the consolidation and strengthening of data protection regime in India. The Bill introduces certain path-breaking provisions such as Right to be ... Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro received great response from the customers in India during the flash sales. However, no more flash sales from today onwards. To meet the high demand, the phone will be available on open sale from 12 pm today on Mi.com and Flipkart. Mi fans! #RedmiNote6Pro the Quad camera all-rounder is now even more accessible! Get it on open sale starting 12th December, 12 noon on @Flipkart and https://t.co/cwYEXeds6Y. RT to spread the word! pic.twitter.com/9ZoNFiLhxT - Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) December 10, 2018 During the open sale, all the variants of the Redmi Note 6 Pro will be available for purchase. The base model of the Redmi Note 6 Pro comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage and is priced at Rs 13,999, while the high end model of the phone with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage will be available for Rs 15,999. The biggest selling point of Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is its cameras, two at the back and two in front. The rear has a 12 MP primary sensor capable of dual pixel auto-focus, and a 5 MP sensor for depth perception. The dual camera setup at the front has a 20 MP primary sensor with pixel binning technology and a 2 MP sensor for depth perception. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro features a 6.26-inch Full-HD+ display with of 19:9 an aspect ratio. It is driven by an octa-core Snapdragon 636 processor. The smartphone comes with 64GB on-board storage which can be expanded via microSD card (up to 256GB). Also Read: OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition India launch today, check out expected price, features The phone gets its juice from a massive 4,000mAh battery which comes with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. The Xiaomi redmi Note 6 Pro comes in Black, Blue, Red, and Rose Gold colour options. The bundled offers at Mi.com include Rs. 2,200 cash back with Jio and a free 3-month Hungama Music subscription. On Flipkart, Axis Bank Buzz credit card users can avail an extra 5 per cent discount. Additionally, a no-cost EMI option starting at Rs. 2,334 is also available for the Redmi Note 6 Pro buyers. Edited By: Udit Verma Nine months after online education startup Byju's joined the unicorn club, it has managed to nearly quadruple its valuation in its latest funding round. The edu-tech startup run by Think and Learn Pvt. Ltd. has raised $400 million in a fresh round led by South Africa's Naspers Ventures, valuing the company at about $3.8 billion, a person privy to the development told BloombergQuint. This makes the Bengaluru-based Byju's the country's fifth most valuable startup, following Flipkart, Paytm, OYO Hotels & Homes and Ola. According to filings with the Registrar of Companies, Byju's raised about Rs 1,236 crore from Naspers and about Rs 864 crore from Canada Pension Plan Investment board, while existing investor General Atlantic also participated in the round. The source added that the Byju Raveendran-founded company plans to use the funds to expand to the US, UK and Australia, with the US expansion set to take off in the next six to nine months. Byju's is reportedly the most well-funded edu-tech player in the country, counting Tencent, Verlinvest, Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and Aarin Capital (Manipal Group) among its investors. In fact, it was the first Asia investment by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's philanthropic arm in September 2016. The investor interest is understandable given the potential of the sector. According to a recent Research and Markets' report, the online education market in India is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 20.03% during the period 2018-2022. Byju's claims to have grown consistently at 100% annually for the past three years. It clocked around Rs 520 crore in revenue in FY18 and is reportedly gunning for a target of Rs 1,400 crore in FY19. Many believe we are living within the fourth industrial revolution, as the impact of smart technologies overtakes every area of our lives, including the engineering industry. It is marked by emerging technology breakthroughs in robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, additive manufacturing/3D printing and fully autonomous vehicles. In some ways it's an extension of the computerisation of the third Industrial Revolution or Digital Revolution, but with deep impact for every mainstream and niche, from industrial surface preparation to freeze-drying. This revolution is expected to impact all disciplines, industries, and economies as connected machines begin to interact and, ultimately, even make decisions autonomously. Growth of additive manufacturing The growth of additive manufacturing, a process that builds parts layer-by-layer from sliced CAD models to form solid objects, has the potential to become a new key technology. Electronics, engineering and medicinal electrical devices specialist Siemens has been investing in this innovative technology right from its inception, and is now driving the industrialisation and commercialisation of these processes. It achieved a world first last year (2017) with the production of a successfully tested 3D printed gas turbine blade. On the announcement of a 27 million investment in a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for Worcester-based Materials Solutions Ltd this year, Juergen Maier, Siemens UK CEO, said: This significant investment underlines our belief that there is huge potential for innovation and growth within the additive manufacturing sector. It is also the next step towards achieving our ambition of pioneering the industrialisation of 3D printing and demonstrates how we are leading the way for the fourth industrial revolution. If the UKs manufacturing sector is to grow and thrive, we must embrace digital technologies and build new industries based on them. More women in the industry The push to encourage more women into the still male dominated world of engineering is nothing new, but will continue to gain momentum. Digital Industrial Company GE has a goal to have 20,000 women in technical roles by 2020. Within the next ten years 77 per cent of jobs are expected to require tech skills (compared to 50 per cent now). Brenda Yearsley, Siemens UK Education Manager, has said : It is vitally important for girls and young women to aspire to highly-paid and rewarding careers in science, technology, engineering and maths not just to remedy the persistent lack of diversity in the industry but also to ensure that women are central to shaping the world we live in for future generations. Year of Engineering As we approach the end of the Year of Engineering, the UK Government campaign to bring young people face-to-face with inspiring engineering experiences throughout 2018 the one thing that is certain is the exciting times ahead. At a national celebration event Andrew Wyllie CBE, ICE President, summed it up. He said: As we come together to celebrate the passion, creativity, and commitment which exists across all engineering, we also recognise the importance of inspiring and nurturing a new generation of engineers. Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, aded: Engineering expertise will be critical to tackling the global challenges we face in the years to come. Engineers will play a central role in addressing the effects of climate change and rising sea levels, and in ensuring that our growing population will have access to food, water, clean energy and affordable healthcare. We hope future generations will be inspired by the opportunities engineering offers to shape their world, to discover new ways to improve lives in the future and to help meet the needs of the twenty first century and beyond. At City Journal, Solzhenitsyn scholar Daniel J. Mahoney offers A Centennial Tribute marking the 100th anniversary of the Russian authors birth. Mahoney, who holds the Augustine Chair in Distinguished Scholarship at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, describes Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn as the centurys greatest critic of the totalitarian immolation of liberty and human dignity. The Russian novelist and historian was a thinker and moral witness who illumined the fate of the human soul hemmed in by barbed wire in the East, and a materialist cornucopia in the West, the mature Solzhenitsyn remained remarkably faithful to the twin imperatives of courage and truth. A modern Saint George, he slew the dragon of ideological despotism with rare eloquence, determination, and grit. For that alone, he deserves to be forever remembered. Citing French scholar Georges Nivat, Mahoney points to the two great literary cathedrals produced by Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago and The Red Wheel, or experiments in literary investigation, that will keep readers, historians and literary researchers busy for decades. Mahoney: Many silly and even pernicious things have been written about Solzhenitsyn by those who confuse love of truth with dogmatism, and the active struggle with evil, as Solzhenitsyn once described it, with moral fanaticism. And among these tendentious critics are those who mock patriotism, repentance, self-limitation, and liberty under Godthat is, all of Solzhenitsyns enduring themes and commitments. It was Solzhenitsyns own time spent in the prison camps that, as he describes it in The Gulag Archipelago, caused the scales of ideology to fall from his eyes and was completely cleansed of Marxist belief. Mahoney again: His cellmates helped him see the light of truth and the unparalleled mendacity of the ideological lie, the destructive illusion that evil is not inherent in the human soul, that human beings and societies can be transformed at a revolutionary stroke, and that free will is subordinate to historical necessity. Solzhenitsyns life is marked by this great paradox: in the camps, cold and hungry, and subject to limitless repression by camp guards and camp authorities, he recovered an appreciation of the purpose of things. And what of the claims that Solzhenitsyn supported Russian messianic nationalism? He loved Russia profoundly but refused to identify his wounded nation with a Soviet despotism that stood for religious repression, collective farm slavery, and the elimination of political liberty and a tradition of literary reflection that spoke to the health of Russia and the permanent needs of the soul. He wanted Russia to abandon destructive dreams of empire and turn inward, but without forgetting the sorry fate of the 25 million Russians left in the near abroad after the break-up of the Soviet Union. In 1998s Russia in Collapse, he forcefully attacked radical nationalismthe elevation of ones nationality above our higher spiritual plank, above our humble stance before heaven. And he never ceased castigating so-called Russian nationalists, who preferred a small-minded alliance with [Russias] destroyers (the Communists or Bolsheviks). He loved his country but loved truth and justice more. But as Solzhenitsyn stated with great eloquence in the Nobel Lecture, nations are the wealth of mankind, its generalized personalities. He did not support the leveling of nations in the name of cosmopolitanism or of a pagan nationalism that forgot that all nations remain under the judgment of God and the moral law. In this regard, Solzhenitsyn combines patriotism with moderation or self-limitation. One does not learn from Solzhenitsyn to hate other peoples, or to deny each nations right to its special path, one that respects common morality and elementary human decency. Read the whole thing, all the way to Mahoneys conclusion: We owe gratitude to this great man and writer for his courage, his fidelity to truth and to freedom (rightly understood), and his timeless reminder that, among the clamor of modern life, we should not lose focus on the underlying purpose of the human adventure, or the freedom granted to us. Beyond totalitarianism, there is the task of building regimes of self-government worthy of all the possibilitiesand limitsof the human soul. In that great task, Solzhenitsyn remains as relevant as ever. And his artand the profound philosophical reflections and insights embedded in his worksremain a gift to us all. Homepage photo by Gerald Praschi, Wiki Commons: The fence and guard tower at the Soviet forced labor camp Perm-36 100 km northeast of the city of Perm in Russia, part of the prison camp system operated by the Soviet Union in the Stalin era known as the GULag. The last remaining example of a GULag labor camp, the site has been preserved as a museum and is open to the public as The Museum of the History of Political Repression Perm-36. Dnata, one of the worlds largest air services providers, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of New York-headquartered inflight and VIP caterer, 121 Inflight Catering. The acquisition allows dnata to significantly expand its operations in the US, further strengthening its global network of catering businesses. Founded in 2007, 121 Inflight Catering offers premium catering services to commercial airlines and private jets from its facilities at New York JFK and Nashville International Airport. Employing a dedicated team of more than 350 highly-skilled culinary professionals, 121 Inflight Catering serves 21 international airlines and hundreds of private aviation customers. Over the past year, dnata has invested significantly in growing its global catering network. The companys most recent milestones include the opening of a new catering facility in Dublin, Ireland, and the acquisition of Qantas Airways catering division in Australia. dnata is also in the final stages of completing its new Vancouver facility - its first catering facility in Canada which will formally open in 2019. As one of the worlds leading inflight caterers, dnatas catering team now operates from 62 locations in 11 countries, producing over 320,000 world-class meals every day. We are excited to expand our operations in the United States, the worlds largest aviation market, said Robin Padgett, divisional senior vice president for dnatas catering division. The 121 team has the right combination of extensive experience and deep market knowledge which will support our ambitious growth plans in North America, while maintaining the customer-first approach were known for. Equally, the teams impressive dedication to culinary excellence will ensure that we continue to deliver best-in-class products to our customers. We are delighted to be joining forces with dnata, a global player in the catering industry, said Joe Savino, managing partner at 121 Inflight Catering. Leveraging the strengths and synergies provided by our partnership, we look forward to offering an even more outstanding value proposition in the market. We are sure our stakeholders will benefit from this cooperation. Besides the flight catering facilities at New York-JFK and Nashville International Airport, the acquisition also includes two separate restaurants. 121s flight catering operations will be rebranded to dnata and continue to operate under the guidance of the existing 121 management team. - TradeArabia News Service Prime Minister Theresa May has secured indications of support from at least 158 of her Conservative Party lawmakers, which would be enough to ensure she wins a confidence vote later on Wednesday, based on statements they have made to the media and on social media. May needs a simple majority -- from 158 of 315 Conservative lawmakers -- to remain leader. A secret ballot will be held between 1800 and 2000 GMT. However, some lawmakers who have backed May publicly have said in private that they will vote against her, according to British political commentators. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Saudi-based Elaf Group said its key property in Jeddah, Hotel Galleria, has won the 'Luxury Architecture Design Hotel' at this year's edition of the World Luxury Hotel Awards, a premier global event recognising luxury hotels for their world-class facilities and service excellence provided to guests. The award further consolidates the Elaf Group's leading position across Saudi Arabia's thriving tourism segment and recognises Hotel Galleria's continuing success in offering an elegant destination combined with key aesthetic elements and unique architectural features, resulting in a well-rounded and excellent experience for its visitors and guests, it stated. Group CEO Ziyad Bin Mahfouz said winning the 'Best Luxury Architectural Design' category has helped reinforce Hotel Galleria's success, further strengthening the hotel's strong presence and reputation as an architectural masterpiece located in the heart of Jeddah. The hotel's elegant design was inspired by the 'Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II' in Milan, Italy, which successfully showcases high-end services that celebrate Saudi and Arabian traditions, he explained. Bin Mahfouz expressed pride in the hotel's latest achievement, which demonstrates the global level of service being offered by the Elaf Group. He stressed that the win has inspired the group to continue in its journey towards excellence, especially in the provision of world-class services based on international standards of quality and efficiency, including best practices in hospitality and tourism. Bin Mahfouz pointed out that the Elaf Group continued to remain steadfast in its efforts to promote the kingdom as a highly attractive tourist destination on the global map. Hotel Galleria is strategically located in the central area of Jeddah, close to some of the city's most famous tourist attractions and heritage sites. It offers a complete portfolio of state-of-the-art amenities and modern facilities, including 364 rooms spread across seven floors, providing guests with an unparalleled experience.-TradeArabia News Service news, latest-news Newborn Finley Newton joins a baby boom in Canberra, where women have among the highest number of babies in the country, second only to the Northern Territory. Canberra is also the only state or territory to record an increase in the fertility rate over the past decade, up from 1.75 babies per woman in 2007 to 1.83 in 2017. Nationally, the rate fell from 1.99 to 1.74. Finley was born on Sunday to Nicola Newton, who nearly fits the profile of a typical Canberra mum. Canberra's most fertile suburbs are in the outer reaches of Gungahlin and Belconnen. The Newtons live in Harrison, not where the biggest number of babies are born, but close. At 32, Mrs Newton is right on the median age for mothers to give birth in Canberra in 2017. The median age of Canberra mothers remains the highest in the country, at 32.2. Canberra fathers were also the oldest in the country in 2017, at a median age of 34.1. Finley's dad, Simon Newton, is 35. The fertility and births data was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. Mr and Mrs Newton, who are from Wales, looked to Canberra as a family friendly place to live when Mr Newton, a pathologist, was looking for work. "The [National Health Service in Britain] wasn't the best at that time so [Simon] was looking around for other jobs. And then he saw one posted in Canberra, so we had a look at reviews and things and we saw it was very family friendly, a really good place to work," Mrs Newton said. The Newtons moved to Canberra in December 2011 and now live in Harrison in a house they built in the Gungahlin suburb. "It's definitely kind of up and coming, a growing population out there," Mrs Newton said. "We're definitely getting more families moving out there." Finley has joined big sister Madelyn, 2, and he may have a younger sibling in the future. "It all depends financially," Mrs Newton said. There were 170 babies born in Harrison in 2017, and the suburb had a fertility rate of 1.68 births per woman. The fertility rate, which is the average number of births per woman, has continued to fall nationally but in the ACT the rate rose from 1.551 in 2016 to 1.833 in 2017. There were 6202 babies born to people living in the ACT last year, compared to 5148 in 2016. Macgregor is the most fertile suburb in Canberra, with a fertility rate of 2.31 children, followed by Bonner (2.30), Crace (2.27), Scullin (2.23) and Casey (2.22), all suburbs in Gungahlin or Belconnen. Ngunnawal welcomed the most babies in 2017, with 229 born to people living in the suburb. While Tuggeranong is still home to some of Canberra's most fertile suburbs, it is no longer nappy valley, with the majority of the city's most fertile suburbs now found in Gungahlin. Some of Canberra's oldest suburbs have the lowest fertility rates. Braddon is Canberra's least fertile suburb, with 0.79 babies born per woman, followed by the city centre (0.88), Forrest (0.97), Turner (1.01) and Reid (1.05), all in the inner north or inner south. Women aged 30 to 34 have the highest fertility rate nationally, ABS data shows. The data also shows that the fertility rate of Australian woman aged over 35 continues to rise, against a downward trend in other age groups. Since 2007, the median age of mothers in Australia has risen from 30.7 years to 31.3 years. Teenage fertility has nearly halved in the last 30 years, the director of demography at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Anthony Grubb, said. Finley was set to be discharged on Tuesday afternoon, with his mum, dad and big sister in tow. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/60f5124a-e8b7-4948-ba0b-f21ac5078fb7/r0_218_4256_2623_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg comment, editorial Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton and their minions within the Australian Border Force want to have it both ways in the latest debate over the "pull factors" that might, or might not, launch thousands of people smugglers's boats. On the one hand they say the extension of basic humanity towards sick asylum seekers trapped in indefinite detention on Manus Island and Nauru would unleash a human tidal wave of would-be economic migrants willing to pay the people traffickers almost any price to make it downunder. On the other they see no harm in pulling border force vessels from active ocean patrols in a bid to save on fuel costs ahead of next year's election budget. Incredible as it may seem, given border protection is one of the Morrison government's headline policies, the treasurer doesn't seem to be able to come up with the cash to keep the Border Force fleet at sea defending the realm against the starving, the tortured, the abused and the stateless. An internal Australian Border Force email that found its way into the media this week said "operational limitations" would be imposed to achieve a saving in the annual fuel budget and, as a result, "ships will cease active patrolling to achieve this fuel saving measure". It is believed the cuts would apply to the Cape and Bay class vessels patrolling Australia's vulnerable north west coast. Peter Dutton has disputed the report, saying it is "inaccurate", despite the fact journalists obtained confirmation of the instructions from several insiders. The revelation makes a mockery of suggestions by Morrison, Dutton and outgoing commander of Operation Sovereign Borders, Air Vice Marshal Stephen Osborne, that the ongoing debate over Dr Kerryn Phelps's private members bill could restart large scale people smuggling. While Osborne took pains to avoid referencing the bill, which would allow sick asylum seekers detained on Nauru to be brought to Australia for medical treatment if two doctors agreed it was necessary, his meaning was clear on Wednesday. "We have to be careful of whatever we do," he said. "We are being watched... [people smugglers] will use any means they can, whether they are true or not... all they need is that bit of a lever, that bit of a wedge... to try and sell [the message] that the path to Australia is open again." Osborne, who offered to brief crossbenchers and other MPs, at the government's request, on the implications of the private members bill last week, did not see fit to mention the curtailment of on-water operations during his exit interviews with the media. This seems strange given the news the risk of boat turnbacks has been reduced would appear to be far more enticing to people smugglers than possible changes in how medical emergencies in off-shore detention centres could be handled. The suspension of active patrolling is consistent with recent ABF decisions to slash the number of casual airport staff processing travellers and their luggage over the Christmas period and to suspend a fleet of fast-response patrol boats operating in the Torres Strait. If people smuggling does resume on a large scale in 2019 these cutbacks, not the Phelps private members bill, will be more likely to be to blame. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/65dc669b-c32b-40fa-a9db-2ab06cad2294/r0_46_900_554_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news A Waramanga couple is keeping their dog inside and police are investigating after the dachshund-labrador cross was found with a bullet in its back leg last week. Alice Hanks and her wife, Amanda's dog Ruby was shot sometime between 8.20am and 5.30pm on Monday, December 3. Alice Hanks rushed Ruby to the vet when she saw the dog was not putting its back paw down. "The vet's words were, 'You better come and have a look at this. There's something in your dog's legs that shouldn't be there'," she said. A vet's X-ray revealed a bullet, which had to be surgically removed. "I didn't have an inkling [it would be a bullet]," Mrs Hanks said. "It was very unexpected." Police are now investigating the incident. Removing the bullet cost $2100 with follow up costs to come. Ruby is expected to make a full recovery but the dog was being kept inside during the day indefinitely. "We're too afraid to put her outside again," Mrs Hanks said. "Maybe I trusted people more than I should." The bullet was found lodged between the dog's back leg bone and ligament. Ruby will be monitored over the next year after the injury, she said. Neighbours have told her that Ruby only barks when its owners arrive home from work in the evening and that they were shocked the dog had been shot. "We don't know for sure, but we have been told that this is not the first incident in the street." Alice Hanks said her mother's German shepherd was shot three times in the same backyard in 2016. The injury was not found for five weeks because of the dog's thick fur, she said. "It can go easily undiagnosed because you don't expect [to find a bullet]," she said. In a separate incident in the same suburb, a German shepherd died after apparently eating poisoned meat in Waramanga in June 2017. ACT Policing has confirmed it is investigating a dog injury in Waramanga on Monday, December 3. People with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, quoting reference number 6337344. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/f1c513aa-a816-4d8d-91b0-ecfa76fb331e/r0_356_6720_4153_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg 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. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has released an employment notification calling out aspirants to apply for the post of Management Trainee. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. The application fee is INR 2,200. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 50,500 per month. The last date to apply for this government job is Jan 26, 2019. PGCIL Recruitment 2018 For Field Engineer And Supervisor BSNL Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Management Trainee (Telecom Operations) Organisation Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Educational Qualification Engineering degree in relevant discipline Skills Required Managerial skills Job Location India Salary Scale INR 24,900 to INR 50,500 per month Industry Management Application Start Date December 26, 2018 Application End Date January 26, 2019 Air India Recruitment 2018 For Utility Hand And Driver Posts How To Apply For BSNL Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for BSNL Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the BSNL official website. Step 2: The list of notifications will be displayed on the screen. Step 3: Click on the application link under the text that reads, Recruitment of Management Trainee (External) of Telecom Operations in BSNL. Step 4: Enter your details in the fields provided. Step 5: Submit the details and complete the application process. Follow the link - http://www.bsnl.co.in/opencms/bsnl/BSNL/about_us/pdf/MT_EXT_NOTIFICATION_111218.pdf to read the detailed official notification. Employees State Insurance Hospital, Basaidarapur has released an employment notification calling out aspirants to apply for the post of Senior Resident. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. There are 69 vacancies in total. Selected candidates can earn up to industry standards. The selection process is through a walk-in interview held on Dec 17 and 18, 2018. The application costs INR 300. The vacancies are open in departments such as haematology, pathology, skin, MRI, radiology, medicine, anaesthesia, surgery, paediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics, eye, gynaecology, casualty, blood bank, ENT, tuberculosis, microbiology and orthopaedics. The position is available in two categories - regular and contractual. SAIL Recruitment 2018: Vacancies Open For 30 Nurses ESIC Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Senior Resident Organisation Employees State Insurance Hospital Educational Qualification MBBS with a post graduate degree or diploma in respective field Experience Desirable Job Responsibilities Treat patients at ESIC Skills Required Clinical judgement Job Location New Delhi Salary Scale Not mentioned Industry Medicine Application Start Date December 10, 2018 Application End Date December 18, 2018 Maximum Age Limit: 37 years Also Read: AIIMS Recruitment 2018 For Senior Residents At Bhubaneswar How To Apply For ESIC Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for ESIC Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the ESIC official website. Step 2: Read the detailed advertisement carefully. Step 3: Write your application on a paper. Step 4: Attend the walk-in interview on the stipulated date with the application form. Venue Academic Block, ESI-PGIMSR, Basaidarapur, New Delhi-15. Follow the link - https://www.esic.nic.in/attachments/recruitmentfile/8c3454c21991fc08103f0d71b390fe6b.pdf to read the detailed official notification. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has released an employment notification calling out aspirants to apply for the posts of technicians in various ranks. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 31,500 per month. The last date to apply for this government job is Jan 1, 2019. ONGC Recruitment 2018 For Various Posts: Apply Before Dec 27 ONGC Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Assistant Technician, Security Supervisor, Assistant GD, Marine Radio Assistant, Junior Technical Assistant, Junior Fire Supervisor, Junior Roustabout, Junior Motor Vehicle Driver and Junior Health Attendant Organisation Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited Educational Qualification Degree or diploma in relevant field Experience Desirable Skills Required Technical skills Job Location India Salary Scale INR 24,000 to INR 31,500 per month Industry Oil Application Start Date December 12, 2018 Application End Date January 1, 2019 Age Limit: 18 to 40 years Also Read: IOCL Recruitment 2018 For Environment Associate How To Apply For ONGC Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for ONGC Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the ONGC official website. Step 2: Hover over the Career tab on the home page. Step 3: Select Recruitment Notice. Step 4: The list of notifications will be displayed on the screen. Step 5: Click the link that reads, Recruitment Advt. No. 04/2018, WOU, Mumbai. Step 6: Click Online application. Step 7: Click on the button to register as a new user. Step 8: The registration form will open. Enter your details in the fields provided. Step 9: Click Save & Next and follow the subsequent pages to complete the registration process. Step 10: Log in using your credentials and complete the application process. Follow the link - https://www.ongcindia.com/wps/wcm/connect/03fabc8f-5287-44fd-bcef-4e619aa1c94d/detailed_04mumbai.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-03fabc8f-5287-44fd-bcef-4e619aa1c94d-mu6VfWS to read the detailed official notification. Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next. Photo: The Canadian Press Aerial view of Fort McKay, Alta. An Alberta First Nation is suing the province over development approvals that the band says threaten sacred land the government has promised to protect. The Fort McKay First Nation filed the lawsuit in an Edmonton court late last week. It says Alberta has approved or is about to approve developments that encroach on Moose Lake. The First Nation says that area is one of the last remaining in its traditional territory where it can pursue traditional practices. The government released a draft plan in February that would offer the area some protection. But over the summer, the provincial energy regulator OK'd an oilsands project that would come within two kilometres of the lake. No one from the government was immediately available for comment. Photo: The Canadian Press A street is lit-up outside the house of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani ahead of the wedding of his daughter Isha in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. In a season of big Indian weddings, the Wednesday marriage of the scions of two billionaire families might be the biggest of them all. The bride, Isha Ambani, is the Ivy League-educated daughter of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, thought to be India's richest man. Forbes estimates his net worth at over $43 billion. The groom, Anand Piramal, is the relative pauper. His father, industrialist Ajay Piramal, is thought to be worth $10 billion. The wedding is being held in Mumbai on Wednesday but festivities began weeks ago, starting in September with an engagement party at a lakeside Italian palace. Over the weekend, thousands attended pre-wedding parties at a 16th century palace in the Indian desert city of Udaipur, where videos shot by partiers showed Hillary Clinton dancing with Shah Rukh Khan, one of India's biggest movie stars, as former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry danced just a few feet away. A highlight was a performance by Beyonce, who sang "Crazy In Love," among other hits, with a band backing her up and a series of costume changes that included at least one India-inspired outfit. "Beyonce Lights Up Udaipur," the Times of India shouted in a Tuesday headline. Indian weddings are famously elaborate, driving many families into debt with expectations that they invite hundreds or thousands of people, and arranging professional song-and-dance shows. Among India's rich, weddings are displays of almost unimaginable wealth, with guests flown in on chartered jets from around the world and celebrities paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for brief appearances. In 2004, a daughter of Indian steel baron Lakshmi Mittal held her engagement party at Versailles. The Indian media noted that the actual Ambani wedding, in Mumbai, was expected to be a relatively small affair, with just 600 or so people in attendance. More parties will follow the marriage ceremony. Antilla, the Ambanis' 27-story Mumbai home, has been strung with lights for the wedding, looking like a small skyscraper at night. The family is said to have reserved hundreds of hotel rooms for their guests. Indian grooms traditionally ride to their weddings on horses, but Piramal arrived at the Ambani home in a classic Rolls Royce, with marching bands playing alongside. ACC announces INR30bn expansion plans 12 December 2018 The board of India's ACC has approved a proposal for setting up an integrated greenfield project at Ametha, Madhya Pradesh, with a clinker capacity of 3Mta and cement of 1Mta. The plans also include the "expansion of the existing grinding unit in Tikaria, Uttar Pradesh and a third grinding unit also in Uttar Pradesh," said the company in a press release. The board has also approved a further 1.1Mta grinding project at its existing plant in Sindri. Meanwhile, the company will fund the expansion plans valued at INR30bn (US$416.5m) through internal accruals. "The projects are proposed to be completed within a period of three years," the company stated. Published under Construction ban on high-rise buildings withdrawn 12 December 2018 The Supreme Court of Pakistan has withdrawn its order banning high-rise constructions beyond six floors in the metropolis. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ), Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard a petition filed by the Association of Builders and Developers (ABD) against the ban on high-rise constructions at the SC's Karachi Registry. Earlier, ABAD repeatedly have drawn the attention of President of Pakistan, Dr Arifur Rehman Alvi; the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar; Prime Minster of Pakistan Imran Khan and Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah for the removal of ban on the construction of high rise building in Karachi city, Sindh Province of Pakistan. Speaking to the media outside the SC Karachi Registry following the order, the ABAD delegation said, "The court has withdrawn the ban that was placed two years ago. Now, buildings will be constructed as per the law. Over 500 projects and investment worth PKR1000bn (US$7.27bn) had been stopped owing to the ban," they added. Published under We know psychologically that there is a connection between feeling of self-worth and actions. When teachers lose hope in their career, eventually they change the direction of their own future and in turn it impacts the future of our children. If you are an educator or have friends who are educators, you have undoubtedly discussed teacher morale in public education and thoughts on the future of education. Sadly, those thoughts were most likely negative. Educators who enter the field are often bright-eyed, confident, and enthusiastic. Teacher turnover is continuing to climb higher, yet those entering the field is going lower. What happened? That is the problem we must solve. Teacher turnover holds back our schools and our students. How do you improve morale? It will take multiple strategies, which differ from community to community, district to district, school to school. Lets look at four of the most prominent issues: educator compensation, lack of respect for educators, testing and out of control students. Educator Compensation. Compensation is everything that is provided to the educator for their services. Compensation alone will not impact teacher morale. Governor Bill Haslam made teacher salaries a priority, and should be recognized for his efforts. It is debatable if dollars allocated for salary increases reached all classroom teachers. This may be attributed to district implemented pay plans. Educators should be involved in the development of those plans. Governor-elect Bill Lee indicated he intends to develop a pipeline of well-trained, highly compensated educators who can flourish in the teaching profession. This will likely include incentive compensation programs, together with stipends, and associated benefits that are based on professional employee performance that exceeds expectations. Compensation can also be used to aid in hiring, and/or retaining highly qualified teachers for hard-to-staff schools and subject areas. Lack of Respect for Educators. Teaching, a profession once held in high esteem, is being de-valued both by stakeholders and policymakers for a variety of reasons. Teachers, who are on the frontlines of parental dissatisfaction with the system, are often made scapegoats by people who have lost trust in the system. This lack of respect is reflected by lack of parental support and engagement. In fairness, some parents are supportive and work with educators to help ensure their children get the best possible education. Yet more often than not, parents simply blame the teacher for the problems at school. But even more than that, teachers often lack the support of their administrators, district, and even the state. Bureaucrats keep piling on more requirements of educators with barely a nod of appreciation. Teachers, above all other professions, deserve the recognition and gratitude of a job well-done. Doing so on a regular basis will be a small step toward improving the teacher turnover rate. Testing. The testing culture has killed the enthusiasm of many educators. Nobody would object to testing that benefits the teaching and learning process of students. As it stands currently, the data is not received in a timely manner and the results yield little or no benefit to the students. Educators would welcome a robust, practical solution to current assessment issues. A portfolio-based assessment model is also problematic. However, it may be a preferred model of student evaluation if it is not too time-consuming. It is based on a wide range of student work done over a long period of time, rather than on a single, paper-and-pencil test taken over a few hours. We must work to ensure that our assessments and the subsequent results are empowering and informing without being a time drain. Assessments should not inhibit quality instruction but provide accurate feedback for educators, parents, and students. Most importantly, assessments should be not used a punitive measure against teachers. Out of Control Students. Effective educators consider the root causes of misbehavior and develop appropriate solutions on a consistent, ongoing basis. However, some students need attention and intervention beyond the scope of what a classroom teacher can provide. It is imperative that a school and district adopt policies that support effective classroom management, as well as student instruction for all students. One possible policy has to be a better tracking of the time an educator has to spend on discipline issues. Do parents have the right to know, for example, if one student disrupts their own childs education so frequently, they lose instruction time? School districts must balance their responsibilities toward the community with the responsibility to nurture students. Without discipline, students cannot learn. Students themselves must respect rules and authority regardless of underlying disabilities/issues. Districts must have policies in place that protect all students right to learn. There is no one size fits all strategy that will work in every school or district. This is a recurring theme among those who believe in local control in public education. Together, we can work to address teacher morale issues. Once a plan is in place, it is very important to examine, evaluate, and adjust as necessary. JC Bowman Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee The former Alstom industrial site on the riverfront and the former Harriett Tubman housing site in East Chattanooga both have a lot of redevelopment potential. And yet the city of Chattanooga seems to view them quite differently. Alstom is the fair-haired child; Tubman is the forgotten child. The Alstom area was recently designated as an "opportunity zone" in a new program related to the 2017 federal cut. The program's purpose is to encourage private investment in "distressed, low income census tracts" by giving developers substantial savings in federal capital gains taxes if they develop there. The county and city also prioritized the Downtown, MLK, South Broad and Erlanger areas, all places where development is already occurring or planned. Guess which census tract was not prioritized high enough to make the cut? Avondale, home of the Tubman site, where the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 61 percent of families have a family income below $25,000. But wait, there's more. The application submitted by Hamilton County--with help from the city of Chattanooga, the Chamber of Commerce and the Enterprise Center--mentions other potential local tax incentives for the Alstom site, including PILOTs and tax increment financing (TIF). The narrative even says that--because the site is included in two city plans--"development on the site is eligible for bonding financing." I doubt seriously if our city councilors or county commissioners realize this wording is in a document they likely have never seen and concerns a funding concept they have never discussed. Let's talk zoning. At the Alstom site, the local owners have talked about keeping one of the two manufacturing plants and redeveloping the other and the area around it into a mixture of light industrial, residential, retail and office uses. The entire site is currently zoned M-1 (Manufacturing). When the owners apply for a zone change to accommodate the change from M-1 to a mixed use zone, expect the Planning Commission and City Council to enthusiastically support it. The Alstom vision of mixed use is the same vision shared by many residents of Avondale/East Chatt for the city-owned Tubman site. But here, Mayor Berke's staff proposed that the site be rezoned from residential to M-1, even though a city-sponsored planning process involving neighborhood residents is not yet over and some say the M-1 zone is too limiting. An East Chattanooga resident said this at Planning Commission: "There's no way a proposal for M-1 zoning would EVER make it to this point in more affluent neighborhoods throughout town. It feels as if this "M-1" designation is just being pushed on us because those in political power believe we lack the unity or willpower to fight." The Planning Commission recently recommended approval of the city's request. Everyone agrees that the Tubman site should be used to help produce jobs. However, industrial development in a residential neighborhood is not the only way to produce jobs. The proposed M-1 zoning would risk precluding all kinds of development that may be a better a fit. Mixed-use zoning could allow living wage jobs through small business development, retail, commercial and light industrial, while also addressing other community needs like affordable housing. The City Council will make the final decision on Jan. 8. Will the Council assert itself as a co-equal branch of government and deny this zone change to M-1, allowing for time to complete the Area 3 plan and explore mixed use zoning? Stay tuned. Helen Burns Sharp Chattanooga State Community College hosted its first annual Girl Scouts STEM Day for middle and high school girls on the main campus. Thirty-eight Girl Scouts participated in eight, two-hour workshops. This free event provided opportunities for the scouts to learn about CAD, robotics, nuclear science, website design, chemical engineering technology, coding, 3D printing and computer technicians. Girl Scouts received a specially designed Chattanooga State Community College patch for their participation. Additional patches were earned for participation in Nuclear Science (sponsored by RC-Net) and Chemical Engineering (sponsored by BASF) workshops. The event was sponsored by DC Blox, TVA, Chattanooga State Community College and CHAtech. Dr. Tremaine Powell, dean of engineering & information technologies (E&IT), welcomed the girls and their parents, volunteers, faculty and staff. Becky Lunsford, community relations manager for Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians, recruited girls for the event. These workshops provided exposure to STEM careers with hands-on activities. In the web design workshop, girls learned basic HTML and CSS. Each participant created a one page website consisting of multiple images on a topic of their choosing. In the robotics session, girls learned how two robots were programmed and operated. Next, they teamed up in pairs to build a line tracking robot. A car race powered by carbon dioxide demonstrated chemical engineering technology. In the coding workshop, students learned about basic computer logic and programmed using Python Language. They also were able to view a demonstration of a VEX cortex robot, Ozobot, and code made with Google using Blockly language. In the 3D printer lab, girls learned about 3D printing and received a special 3D printed badge. In the AutoCAD workshop, Celtic knot-style drawing was designed. In the nuclear science workshop, radioactive decay was simulated by building cloud chambers to see how various forms of radiation travel through matter. Girls also learned safe laboratory practices in the handling of dry ice and the importance of eye protection. In the computer technician workshop basic components of a computer were discussed and students built a virtual computer. Approximately 40 TN Promise student volunteers helped with the event by providing support in labs and the cafeteria, while earning eight community service hours in the process. It was fun, informative, and I would recommend that others volunteer, said Brendan Hilton. Volunteers enjoyed the educational opportunities almost as much as the students. I enjoyed helping the students with the seminars as well as learning something myself, stated Jackson Antinore. Corbin Reinhard said, I really enjoyed it and learned a lot. Recognizing the importance of STEM programs, Sam Zhang felt that it offered interactive, educational programs providing girls with the initiative to get involved in STEM. Besides being a great volunteer opportunity, Hayley McNeal called it a great, eventful day. I think it went smoothly and I made friends with several of the Girl Scouts, she said. Classes were conducted by Chattanooga State Community College faculty and staff members and community business partners that included Crystal Smith, Jerry Roberts, Lisa Miller, Samantha Travis, Jeremy Burchfield, Ashley Thompson (BASF staff), Savitha Pinnepalli, Justin Joshuva, Randy Ricketson, Jill Wentworth, Lance Narramore and Lynda Pickett. The Girl Scouts STEM day was organized by Savitha Pinnepalli, Computer Information Technology department head and Lyn Potter, E&IT department head. Contact Savitha Pinnepalli at Savitha.pinnepalli@chattanoogastate.edu or call 423-697-4756 for more information. The Vocal Rhapsody Ensemble of Cleveland State Community College will present a concert celebrating the holiday season on Sunday at 3 p.m. in the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center.The celebration will include many different styles and types of music. Some of the songs include Rhythm of Rejoicing, Christmas spiritual Whisper, Whisper, John Rutters I Wish You Christmas, Pentatonixs White Winter Hymnal and alumni will be invited to come sing March of the Kings, with Vocal Rhapsody at the opening of the concert.Solos will include Gesu Bambino/O Holy Night, All I Want for Christmas is You, Una Furtiva Lagrima, The Gift Goes On and others.Both choirs are under the direction of Karen Dale, associate professor of music.According to Ms. Dale, The students are excited about sharing their music with family, friends and the community. The concert is free, and we hope that everyone will come and help us celebrate the conclusion of a successful semester of study. MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Moss Point police are investigating the death of a man who's body was found in a car, according to Chief Brandon Ashley. On Tuesday, Dec. 11 just after 3 p.m., police received a call and responded to the area of Earl Boulevard in reference to a suspicious vehicle in the area. When they arrived at the scene, officers discovered a red, 2007 Chrysler 300 in an abandoned wooded area. During their investigation, officers discovered a deceased black male, identified as Willie Burns Jr., inside the vehicle. Circumstances surrounding Burns death is unknown and detectives are currently investigating. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to please contact Detective Kevin Johnson or the Moss Point Police Department at 228-475-1723. You may also contact Crime Stoppers at 800-787-5898, or visit the Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers website at mscoastcrimestoppers.com. Ill admit it I would rather hurt than take an opioid pain pill. Hydrocodone and its cousins scare the willies out of me because once when I was drug sick, it was the worst sickness I have ever known. For somebody who always has somewhere that it hurts, I know that opioids are wonderful when used properly but because they are increasingly abused by society, there are now over 100 Americans who die each day from an overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us there is no doubt drug addiction has become our greatest health concern and I applaud the steps we are making on the federal and state levels but there is also a flip side and, very candidly, it is uglier. It is now believed between five and seven million people are purposely tortured because they cannot legally get the drugs they need to function. Chronic pain is very, very real but listen to what one man said publicly in Georgia. I have three choices every day I can do illegal drugs, I can suffer for the rest of my life in pain, or I can end my life. I am not going to do the first two, he said in a very level voice and, two weeks later, walked into a park, stood under a tree where he had proposed to his wife, and took his life. You know what is happening. Tennessee is among 33 states that have enacted legislation to curtail prescription drugs and many other states are now copying the Tennessee format towards common-sense treatment. But because we get all jumpy and hysterical in our over-reaction, my beloved Blue Cross-Blue Shield will no long approve some opioids. Because of a no-nonsense approach towards those who made prescription drugs a lucrative cash cow, weve gone from over 300 prescription-based pain centers in the state to just below 100. Worse, one chain of pain centers abruptly closed under legitimate pressure, mind you this fall and some 60,000 Tennesseans had nowhere to turn. It was catastrophic. Dont you see? Their need for drug therapy is very real, and properly prescribed our neighbors can live normal lives. When the CDC key word RECOMMENDED opioid dosages, too many lawmakers and law enforcement officials took the figures and hijacked and weaponized them as an excuse for draconian legislation, Michael Schatman, a noted pain doctor and the editor of the Journal of Pain Research, recently said in a Fox News special. Stefan Kertesz, an addiction specialist at UA-Birmingham, can tell you what happened. We are targeting the most vulnerable and sickest people who have been on opioids a long time. Insurers are issuing rules that say we wont cover long-term opioids over 90 milligrams. Well, five percent of the people who receive opioids account for 60 percent of those prescribed. What we are really doing is dragging down the dose for disabled people, he said. Curtailing prescriptions seems like an easy answer but it isnt stopping addiction. This is the truth. The CDC never, ever, made a recommendation to take patients off of opioids, or to taper down doses involuntarily. It was only meant to provide updated guidance to family practice physicians. A far bigger fact: Over 60 percent of Americas raging epidemic is caused by ILLEGAL drugs, not legal prescription scrips. Just this year a public health report from Massachusetts revealed that of 477 overdose victims, the illegal drug fentanyl was found in 423 of them that is 90 percent of damage that our reactionaries are blaming on prescription drugs and it aint true. The second-leading cause of death of Tennesseans who are between the ages of 25 and 34 is suicide. For adults between 15 and 24 it is the third leading cause of death and for those between the ages of 35 and 54 suicide ranks fourth. The CDC projects that the final nationwide figures from 2017 will show 72,222 deaths in the United States from drug overdose. Want a more horrifying number? If you will multiple 72,000 by 10, that is how many overdoes were treated in our nations emergency rooms in just 12 months. Two years ago, deaths from drug overdoses was 52,404 -- thats an increase of 20.9 percent from 17.2 in 2015 to 20.8 in 2016. But whats equally alarming Barbara McAneny is the president of the American Medical Association. At a recent gathering of the top doctors in the country, she stood and said, I share the nations concern that more than 100 people a day die from drug overdose. But I have a patient who almost died from drug under-dose. My patient suffered in part because of the crackdown on opioids When I visited him in the hospital he was recovering from a suicide attempt. I apologized for not knowing his medication was denied. I failed him, the acclaimed physician said. The patient was denied benefits by his insurer. The pendulum swung too far when pain was designated as a vital sign, and now we are in danger of it swinging back so far that our patients are being harmed. Thomas Kline, now a practicing physician in North Carolina after being a program administrator at Harvard Medical School, told FOX reporters. We have a terrible problem. We have people committing suicide for no other reason than being forced to opioids for chronic pain. It is mass hysteria. A witch hunt. It is one of the worst health-care crisis in our history there are between five million and seven million people being tortured on purpose, said Kline. Given the choice, who among us would ever pick death over addiction? But when your opioids are no longer available, there is no choice available except one. Our legislature must address this immediately. This is inhumane. oyexum@aol.com The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Hixson Council will host an expo for guests to experience all the Hixson business community has to offer. The Hixson Business Expo takes place at the North River Civic Center on Dec. 19 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes lunch from a variety of local vendors. All proceeds go toward grants to the eight public schools in the Hixson footprint. "There will be several industries and services represented at our Hixson Business EXPO Dec. 19, with a festive and fun atmosphere, said Christi Broom, Hixson Council president. Come visit and network with us, and try local Hixson eateries as we raise money to support our Hixson area schools." During this networking event, guests may interact with a variety of local businesses in the Hixson footprint, from service businesses to local restaurants catering the event. RSVP and get event updates here. The Chattanooga Chamber's 12 area councils are the backbone of the chamber's volunteer presence. The Councils support businesses in specific geographic areas within Hamilton County, providing opportunities for chamber members to get involved in solving problems, discussing issues and supporting events and civic projects that benefit businesses, schools and other constituencies within the council's footprint. At monthly meetings, members enjoy networking opportunities and stimulating speakers. Each council serves the unique needs of its members with its own board, strategic plan, annual budget, programs and initiatives. Thomas A. Caldwell, 94, of Signal Mountain, died on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. He was predeceased by his wife of over 60 years, Anne Gunter Caldwell; his parents, Mamie Hartwig Caldwell and Thomas Allison Caldwell; and his sister, Polly Caldwell Kimball. He is survived by his children and 11 grandchildren. His children are Thomas A. Tac Caldwell III (Nancy W.) and Joanne Caldwell Beckman (Ken), both of Signal Mountain; Grant H. Caldwell (Beth) of Richmond, Virginia; and Craig J. Caldwell (Bridget) of Brewster, Ma. His 13 grandchildren are Lillian and Annie Caldwell of Signal Mountain; Conrad of Austin, Texas; Nathan Beckman (Sonya) of Chattanooga; Hannah McDonald (Thomas), Rachel, Noah and Ellie Caldwell of Richmond, Virginia; and Caleb, Mia and Ben Caldwell of Brewster, Ma. He is also survived by 3 step-grandchildren, Colleen, Evan and Shea Cahill of Brewster, Ma.. Tom was a long-time member of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church on Signal Mountain where he served as a Sunday School teacher, Sunday School superintendent, lay reader and member and Junior Warden of the Vestry. Tom was born in Chattanooga, on Sept. 4, 1924. He was raised in North Chattanooga, attended Normal Park Grammar School, Northside Junior High School and City High School. He became an Eagle Scout in 1938. He graduated from City High School in 1942, having been president of his Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes. After working as an apprentice sheet metal worker at Combustion Engineering in the summer of 1942, he entered Harvard College in September 1942 on a scholarship, where he waited on tables his freshman year. He entered the Naval ROTC program and went on active duty on July 1, 1943, while attending Harvard. He graduated in October 1944 with a Bachelor's Degree, with Honors, and also received his commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy. He then proceeded to Guam for his first assignment as a deck officer and Communications Officer on an aviation supply ship during World War II. After sailing around in the Western Pacific, his ship was located at Okinawa at the time the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan ending World War II in August of 1945. He was discharged from the Navy in June 1946 and returned home. He entered Harvard Law School in September 1946, which he attended on the GI Bill until his graduation in June 1949. After graduation, he went to work for the Marshall Plan in Paris, France in September 1949. He worked for the Marshall Plan in Paris; the Hague, Netherlands; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Ljubljana, Slovenia until February 1952, when he returned to the United States and accepted a position with the General Counsel's office of the Marshall Plan in Washington, D.C. He returned to Chattanooga in March 1953, working with the firm of Witt, Gaither, Abernathy & Finlay (later Witt, Gaither, Abernathy, Caldwell & Wilson) until March 1964 when he joined the firm of Stophel, Caldwell & Heggie. In 1986, after John and Glenn Stophel left the firm, its name was changed to Caldwell, Heggie & Helton. That firm, in turn, merged with the Memphis firm of Heiskell, Donelson in 1993, and through subsequent mergers became Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, a regional law firm with over 750 lawyers. As a lawyer, he practiced primarily in the corporate, tax and estate planning fields with litigation experience in local county courts, the U. S. Tax Court, the U. S. Court of Claims, and the U. S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the Chattanooga Bar Association and was also the first president of the Chattanooga Legal Aid Society in 1965, later being named to the Legal Aid Hall of Fame in 2011. He was a Fellow of the Chattanooga Bar Foundation and of the Tennessee Bar Foundation. He was also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and the American College of Tax Counsel. He received the Chattanooga Bar Association's Ralph Kelley Humanitarian Award in 1999. He served as a trustee of and President of the Southern Federal Tax Institute of Atlanta, Georgia, was President of the Chattanooga Estate Planning Counsel, and was employed by the Tennessee Law Revision Commission as draftsman of the Tennessee General Corporation Act enacted in 1976. In addition to his legal career, he was involved in a number of civic and community activities. The most important to him was his long time service at The Orange Grove Center. Shortly after his return to the city in 1953, he had joined the Chattanooga Jaycees. The Jaycees were asked by the parents who organized The Orange Grove School, which was opened in October 1953, to assist with its organization and financing. Tom prepared the charter of The Orange Grove School in November 1953. He became a member of its first board of directors which first met in December 1953. He continued to serve on that board for over 60 years until his death. He served in many capacities on the Orange Grove Board including president from 1955 to 1957 and 1971 to 1973. He also provided legal services to the School on a pro bono basis during his service on the Board. While serving on the Orange Grove Board, he was also named as Tennessee Volunteer of the Year in Tennessee in 1996 by TNCO, an organization of agencies across the state providing services for the intellectually disabled. He served as a chairman of the Tennessee Regional Health Commission which provided some of the funds needed for the construction of the new facilities of The Orange Grove Center on Derby Street in 1970. While serving, he was also appointed by Governor Winfield Dunn as an original member of the first State Health Facilities Commission. He also participated in various capacities in Fund Drives for Orange Grove in 1970, 1991 and 2009. He was also involved in a number of other civic and community activities. He was named Chattanooga Young Man of the Year in 1958. He was active in the United Way, serving in a number of United Way drives. He served on the United Way Board and as a member of the Executive Committee for many years and also served as Chairman of the United Way's Allocations, Admissions and other committees. In 2011, he was named to the United Way Hall of Fame. He also served as a member of the board and as president of Chattanooga Tumor Clinic for several years, serving on the Board from 1964 until 2009. He was a member of the Friends of Signal Mountain High School, which was instrumental in expediting the funding and construction of the Signal Mountain Middle High School. His other civic and community activities included President of Adult Education Council in the 1950's, member of the Board of East Fifth Street Day Care Center, Speech and Hearing Center, Chattanooga Venture, Caldsted Foundation, and Chattanooga Jaycees Board. He was named to the Chattanooga High School Hall of Fame in 2012, served on the Board for the Metropolitan Council for Community Forces, and served as Co-Chairman of the Joint City-County Committee which planned the financing and construction of the Courts Building on Market Street. More recently, he was awarded the 2017 Chattanooga Bar Association Jac Chambliss Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in the legal profession. He was also honored by Orange Grove Center as a "Living Legend" in 2017. This year he was named "Colonel Aide de Camp" by Governor Bill Haslem. Tom's remains will be laid to rest at a private family ceremony. A celebration of his wonderful life will be held at a later date. A lot of mystery still surrounds First Lady Melania Trump. While many admire her for her fashion and charitable causes, shes still one of the most private first ladies in many years. This doesnt mean we havent written about things we do know about Melania. Whats still speculative, though, is exactly who she hangs out with the most. We dont even know exactly how much quality time she spends with her husband, Donald Trump. So what kind of close friends does she have in or outside the White House? Melania Trump has a separate schedule and priorities from her husband As The Washington Post reported back in May, Melanias life is far different from President Trumps. While they clearly travel together once in a while, Melania is usually doing other things to uphold her agenda. Part of this involves her considerable focus raising their son, Barron. Working on childrens causes are near and dear to her heart, and this is her own personal path away from the White House bustle. A lot of rumors have popped up about how close she and the President really are. Is Donald really Melanias best friend when theyre behind closed doors? The Washington Post report above notes her old-world European upbringing is one reason they arent always seen holding hands in public. Overall, they apparently see little of one another during their free time. Then again, others say the President relies on her for advice during their time together. Melanias old friends from her modeling days When Melania lived in Slovenia, she had many school friends. She developed further close relationships there and when moving to the U.S. to work as a model. One close friendship she had was with Petra Sedej, one of her fellow high school students. They hung out together in Slovenia when Melania was discovered by photographer Stane Jerko in 1987. After moving to the U.S to start a lucrative modeling career in 1996, she had a huge coterie of friends. During her time modeling, she reportedly designed and sewed clothes for her closest confidantes. Once she met Donald Trump, everything changed, as it has for everybody who moved into his orbit. Hanging out with billionaires and one close friend Marrying Donald Trump meant Melania was soon spending time at galas and cocktail parties to schmooze with the billionaire class. Nobody can say this is the best place to meet close friends, especially when many of those people were closer to Donald than Melania. If it seems shes had a lonely existence living this life, shes still managed to nurture some close friendships. Even if they only see one another once in a while, a friendship is a friendship. A most notable one is Melanias friendship with the wife of the U.K. ambassador, Woody Johnson. Her name is Suzanne Johnson, formerly known as Suzanne Ircha. Both have a lot in common: They both married rich men and have children the same age. Suzanne had to move from New York to the U.K. for her husbands new role. Melania and Suzanne only see one another occasionally when the Trumps go to London. Melanias closest friend may be her sister No doubt Melania confides with their son Barron, with hopefully both supporting one another when things become tough. However, Melania has an older sister named Ines Knauss whom she reportedly turns to for strong family support. Knauss lives in New York City, not far from the luxury apartment where Melania lives with Barron when away from the White House. Despite the two being very close, the media has seldom done stories about Knauss. One good reason is Melania doesnt want her blood family examined under the microscope by the media. We understand that, and we should respect her desire for privacy when it comes to confiding in people she can truly trust. Oak Island is one of the most mysterious places in the world. From its alleged buried treasure to those rumored to have visited (and deposited on) it, the island has the potential to rewrite history and unearth some of the most valuable riches in the world. What treasure is buried on Oak Island? Find out, ahead. What treasure is buried on Oak Island? For hundreds of years, the rumored treasure buried on Oak Island has attracted dozens of individuals, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. Most recently, Marty and Rick Lagina (and their Oak Island Tours Inc. team) have conducted extensive excavations on the island all of which can be viewed on History Channels hit series, The Curse of Oak Island. But, what makes the decades of digging on the Nova Scotia island worth it? Below, we share some of the rumored treasures buried deep within Oak Islands mysterious Money Pit and other areas of the island. Marie Antoinettes lost crown jewels Marie Antoinettes crown jewels might also lie beneath Oak Island. The jewels went missing in the 1700s and many think they made their way to the safety of Oak Island. Rumor has it, Frances last queen gave her jewels to her lady-in-waiting during the French Revolution. According to some accounts, the woman fled to Nova Scotia not long after. A sunken Viking ship The Oak Island treasure doesnt just consist of jewels. Some suggest a Viking ship sank deep within the island to create what is referred to as the Money Pit many years ago. According to the History Channel, the quicksand-like texture of the islands surface might have sucked the ship inward and turned it vertically in the process of doing so. Those that believe this Oak Island theory say the wood planks found at regular intervals within the pit are actually backrests for rowers. The Holy Grail and Ark of the Covenant Religious artifacts could also be lying deep within the Money Pit. Another Oak Island theory suggests that the Knights Templar might have buried the Holy Grail and Ark of the Covenant. While no one knows for sure how accurate this theory is, Knights Templar symbolism has been found on the island and a journal entry from one of its members suggests they were in the presence of both treasures. Shakespeares manuscripts Many believe that a 16th-century author by the name of Sir Francis Bacon was the one who wrote Shakespeares manuscripts and quite possibly buried them in the Money Pit on Oak Island. Parchment paper found deep in the money pit furthers the alleged theory. British treasures Treasure hunters and Oak Island enthusiasts also believe that the British might have buried treasure found in Havana, Cuba. In 1762, the British forces captured the city and came into possession of a vast treasure. To protect it from American revolutionaries, the British allegedly buried their newfound treasure near their Halifax, Nova Scotia naval base, which could very well have been Oak Island. Captain Kidds treasure Pirate treasure is one of the most widely-believed Oak Island theories, as many think the 17th-century pirate, Captain Kidd buried his treasure on the island. Legend suggests one of the captains dying crewmembers claimed 2 million in treasure was on the island. In the 19th-century, treasure hunters came across a stone with Forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried engraved on it. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! After 50 years as a military zone, the area which houses seven monasteries and is known as the land of monasteries, is being cleared of landmines and given back to the various surrounding churches. According to Haaretz, the area, which is thought to be the site where John the Baptists baptized Jesus, was under Jordanian control until 1967 when the Six Day War claimed the area as a war zone and it was mined and booby-trapped. Now, more than five decades later, the Mine Action Authority at the defense ministry, the Halo Foundation, the Engineering Corps and 4CI are working together to remove all of the mine and unexploded ordinance there. So far, the group has removed the mines from three monasteries. Once the traps and explosives are completely removed, the Mine Action Authority intends on returning the area to the surrounding churches and opening them up to tourists, as they once were. According to Haaretz, 50 out of the 250 total acres have been swept and cleaned of mines. The Mine Action Committee plans to finish the project by the end of 2019. Col. Max Nudelman from the Engineering Corps told the outlet that more than 1,000 mines have been removed so far. They are anticipating the removal of at least twice as many mines in the remaining land. Jordan has also played an important role in the mine removal process, as they agreed to lend a hand in clearing the eastern bank of the river. Photo courtesy: Julie Kwak/Unsplash John Chau first heard of North Sentinel Island about 10 years ago, when the Washington state native made it his calling to evangelize the residents of the remote island on the other side of the world. But evangelicals in mainland India have known about the indigenous tribes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islandsterritories under their countrys federal rulefor decades. Two Indian missiologists shared their perspectives with CT on the young Americans failed attempt to evangelize the Sentinelese and how the story of his death may impact future efforts to reach tribal groups in the islands. Even in India, Chau Raised Awareness of the Sentinelese Atul Y. Aghamkar India is a complex land with the most sophisticated, well-educated, urban, globalized, wealthy elites on the one hand, andas recent news has reminded ussome of the most isolated people living in primitive conditions on the other. The Anthropological Survey of India has identified at least 4,635 distinct people groups, including a large tribal population of about 10 million people (78% of the country), often referred to as adivasis, meaning original inhabitants, or scheduled tribes in government records. The Andaman Islands are home to four Negrito tribesthe Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, and Sentinelesebelieved to have arrived from Africa some 60,000 years ago. The neighboring Nicobar Islands are home to two Mongoloid tribesthe Shompen and Nicobaresebelieved to have come from the Malay-Burma coast 1,000 years ago. The number of original inhabitants of these islands is slowly diminishing, and some are even on the verge of extinction. The Sentinelesethe tribe missionary John Chau famously tried to reachis the most inaccessible. Their original name and language is unknown; the Sentinelese are called that because the British dubbed their home the North Sentinel Island. Most Christians in the Andamansboth Protestants and Catholicsare not native inhabitants, but believers who migrated there from the mainland Indian states of Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Though some among the natives on major islands have responded to the gospel, there has not been much initiative toward reaching the aboriginal people of other small islands. Indigenous missions including Indian Evangelical Mission, Christian and Missionary Alliance of India, and others have attempted, but none of them have any reported ministry among the aboriginal tribes of the Andamans. Andaman Tribes: Neglected by Indian Missions? Evangelizing the huge unreached and diverse population in India is so overwhelming that reaching beyond the mainland is considered impractical. In fact, the India Missions Association claims that more than 253 indigenous missionary societies oversee 40,000 cross-cultural missionaries in the country, mostly working among the Dalits and scheduled caste population in the mainland of India as well as the tribal population there. With limited personnel, resources, and infrastructure, it is not surprising that they are confined to areas where they can invest their resources and personnel in a most productive manner. Further, Indian missions literature seldom includes any information about the Andaman Islands. There is apparently a lack of awareness among mission leaders on these aboriginals, and hence very little effort, if any, is made to reach out to them. Moreover, strong restrictions from the Indian government have hindered Indian missionaries from reaching these tribes. Visits to the Sentinel Island, in particular, are illegal without prior permissions. No commercial or private ferry boat services are available, so one has to hire private boats illegally to travel within view of the coast. Article continues below The language of the Sentinelese is not known, and so this is a major barrier in communicating with them. Since the community is unreachable both by the government officials as well as social scientists, Christian missionaries also find it difficult to establish any contact with them. Indian Reactions to Chaus Death Media reports of Chaus dangerous trip and death at the hands of the Sentinelese have evoked mixed responses in India. Many Indian TV channels initially showed him as an American tourist who foolishly dared to enter the Sentinelese territory. Others argued he violated the Indian tourist visa provisions. Still some have marveled at the courage of the young American to travel this far to connect with this remote tribal group with the desire to reach them with the gospel. However, when more information on Chaus purpose became known, some sections of the media reacted by coloring this as an American evangelicals attempt to interfere in the religious affairs of India as well as its people and culture. Still others continued to brand this as a foolish act on the part of the overenthusiastic young American. After Chaus attempt to reach the Sentinelese, some mission leaders and organizations in India have now became more aware of the need to identify unreached tribal populations beyond mainland India. Others have sensed the need for partnership and proper networking with any group undertaking such an adventure in reaching the tribal population. Further, Chaus effort has created some interest among missions groups to do something for these unreached people who are drastically neglected by Christian missions in India. For some, the American missionarys daring venture has given boost to their missionary instinct for reaching such unreached people. On the other hand, publicity around Chaus death has also alerted hardline Hindutva groups, as they smell an evangelical American conspiracy to disturb Indian culture. Some are now asking that more stringent restrictions be put on any Christian activities in the Andaman Islands. Obviously, the government would now be more vigilant and restrictive against any Christian initiative to reach the aboriginal tribal population of the Andaman Islands. If that happensand it is most likely to happenany attempt to reach the Sentinelese or other unreached people groups would become extremely difficult in years to come. Still, some of Indias missions leaders are optimistic by saying the Lord of the harvest is sovereign and will help us to reach every people group for Christ in Indiaincluding the most unreached Sentinelese. Atul Y. Aghamkar is a former professor of missiology in India and now serves as director of the National Centre for Urban Transformation in Bangalore. The Case for an Indigenous Missionary: Why John and Not Rajesh? Finny Philip John Chau showed genuine passion for people who others had left to live in their undesirable destiny. His desire to share the love of Jesus with the Sentinelese is commendable. But will his story affect the way we in India do our mission towards the unreached? It should not, though it challenges our perceptionsraising questions around why we set out to share the gospel with isolated tribes and who is best to do it. The Sentinelese Deserve to Hear the Gospel If you travel to the northeast Indian state of Nagaland, particularly to the Mon district, you will see old men and women from the Konyak tribe. They walk around the market with tattoos on their faces and bodies, colored beads around their necks, and impressive animal tusks in their ears. Article continues below The last of the tattooed headhunters, the Konyaks now live peacefully. They once believed that power lies in the human skull, taking the heads of their enemies. That changed around 1970 as they converted to Christianity. Key to their transformation was when an outsider visited them and told them the way of peace. What would a Konyak think as she or he hears of the Sentinelese killing of John Chau? Would she or he say these Sentinelese should remain a museum display of a stone-age tribe, or instead are their lives worthy to hear the gospel? Why would we let them live to an unfavorable destiny? Why should we deny the gospel to the Sentinelese? The Sentinelese are strong and have rebuffed outsiders for centuries. Their aggression may stem from their fear of being taken away from their island. Although they look tough, they are vulnerable. Indian anthropologist Madhumala Chattopadhyay, who had visited North Sentinel Island in 1991, wrote in response to Chaus death: Considering their dwindling population and vulnerability, it was decided that the Indian government would not interfere in their lives. These tribes will anyway die out because of their small numbers as well as their limited gene pool. But if we interfere, they will die out sooner. So why bother? Chau believed the Sentinelese were worthy of hearing the gospel, writing, I think it is worth it to declare Jesus to this people. Please dont get angry at them or God if I get killed. His passion was built on a higher calling to go to the ends of the earth and to every tribe with the gospel. He has been accused of going to North Sentinel Island illegally and unethically bribing fishermen to assist him. But Chau was not the first one to do so, nor were his strategies unusual. Many foreigners have tried to approach the Sentinelesesome from nearby Myanmar and Indonesiaand they also asked local fishermen to take them. Giving gifts to the Sentinelese has also been common practice. Chattopadhyay, from the Anthropological Survey of India, is considered to have made the first-ever friendly contact with the tribe. Her team also offered coconuts floated on the water to the island. The tribe, she said, shouted, Nariyali jaba jaba, or more and more coconuts in Onge dialect in response. They eventually exchanged fruit in person, after a long enough wait that the Sentinelese let their guard down. Since the Sentinelese are incredibly protective of their women, Chattopadhyay, coming in as a female member of the survey team, helped them feel that these visitors meant no harm. Chattopadhyays success in getting the Sentinelese to put their arrows down holds lessons for anyone attempting to visit remote and hostile tribes. Gift-giving and patience are essential to trust-building. A group effort, including female missionaries, would have made a difference for Chau, as would a longer timeline for contact. After all, it took over 80 years after Christianity spread to Nagaland for missionaries to reach the Konyaks with the gospel. The Global South Has Resources for Missions Milale milale is the term for friend used by the tribes in the Andaman Islands, particularly the Jarawas and the Onge. Chau wanted to make friendly contact with the Sentinelese, but instead of becoming a friend, his story will go down in the file as another wasted attempt. The immediate question for Indian missionaries upon hearing of the death of an American in the Andamans is: Why didnt Chau or the All Nations mission agency partner with a local agency? Local partners would know the cultural dynamics of reaching these unreached tribes in the island territories. The gospel has already reached the Nicobarese; but the Jarawas, Ongis, Shompen, and Sentinelese are still considered as most unreached. Article continues below Would it not have been wiser for a Western mission agency to work with the Nicobarese Christians, the nearest culturally similar group, for a mission to the Sentinelese? Sometimes a we can do it alone in our way mindset endangers our missional purpose. The Sentinelese see no difference between a tourist, journalist, researcher, police officer, or missionary approaching them. But we as Christians know there are differences between cross-cultural and indigenous missionaries. Chau was a cross-cultural missionary with a passion for reaching one of the most unreached groups in the world, while Rajesh is a typical indigenous missionary working in the rural belt of India. Unlike Chau in the US, Rajesh encounters similar threats daily as he shares the gospel to animists like the Sentinelese. Sentinelese pray to the sky, water, and land. They make wooden replicas of those who die and leave out food and water for them. Many indigenous missionaries regularly face violence or even death as they share the gospel. These stories arent reported and may never make headlines as missionary heroes. However, they continue to pursue their passion from a place of close cultural proximity. As a result, the gospel is spread at a faster pace. Should not the church or missions agencies in India be prepared to reach out to people groups like the Sentinelese? When will it dawn on western Christianity that Global South has the human resources to pick up such challenges as the Sentinelese? The gospel needs to reach every corner of the world, and missionary lives are precious, whether indigenous or cross-cultural. Finny Philip is a member of the international Lausanne Movement Board, principal of Filadelfia Bible College in North India, mission director for Filadelfia Fellowship Church of India, and one of the theological editors for South Asia Bible Commentary. Hundreds of women and men have accused leaders of independent fundamental Baptist churches of sexual misconduct in a major investigative report published last weekend by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The series uncovered 412 allegations of abuse across nearly 200 churches and institutions, which by definition exist apart from denominational affiliations and in contrast to more mainstream Baptist or evangelical bodies like the Southern Baptist Convention. From Connecticut to California, the stories are tragically similar: A music minister molested a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina and moved to another church in Florida, the Star-Telegram wrote. Another girls parents stood in front of their Connecticut congregation to acknowledge their daughters sin after she was abused by her youth pastor, beginning at 16. This year, four women accused a pastor in California of covering up sexual misconduct and shielding the abusers over almost 25 years. In all, 168 leadersincluding some of the most prominent pastors among the groups thousands of US congregationsfaced abuse accusations over incidents spanning from the 1970s to present-day. More than 130 of them have been found guilty of rape, kidnapping, sexual assault, and a litany of other crimes, with most victims being children and teens, according to a database compiled by the Star-Telegram. Dozens of abusive pastors had multiple victimsone raped 11 girls in his congregationand several had abused children as young as 7 years old. Victims repeatedly cited deference to pastoral authority as a factor for why they initially trusted their abusers and why it became so difficult to bring their wrongdoing to light. Though 21 cases were made public for the first time through the recent Star-Telegram investigation, several influential independent fundamental Baptist church leaders have been accused of abusing young women in their flocks over the years. The fact that such abuse occurs anywhere, anytime, is horrendous, Shelton Smith, editor of Sword of the Lord, an independent fundamental Baptist newspaper, told CT. He said he was familiar with most of the cases discussed in the recent news report. Smith referenced abuse scandals among independent Baptists and others in an article earlier this year, urging leaders to immediately report allegations to authorities and remove the accused from positions of influence while cases undergo investigation. Honesty and integrity are the backbone and the bedrock of all that we do, Smith wrote for the 84-year-old publication, founded by the late fundamentalist evangelist John R. Rice. However sad the day, whatever the day may bring and whoever is involved, as Bible-believing, Christ-honoring Christians, we must step up, bear the load, and do our best to do right. CT previously covered the scandal involving Jack Schaapformer pastor of the largest independent Baptist congregation, First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indianawho was fired in 2012 and sentenced to prison for his inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old. Fifteen years before, Schaaps predecessor and father-in-law Jack Hyles was sued, along with the church, for failing to protect a woman who alleged she was raped multiple times while attending Sunday school there, CT reported. Chicago magazine went on to find more than a dozen men with ties to the congregation who had been arrested or sued for abuse while in ministry positions across the country. At least four women in the Star-Telegram report came forward with allegations against Jack Hyless son, Dave Hyles, who pastored a church in the Dallas suburbs and now runs Fallen in Grace Ministries. He has never faced charges and declined to comment for the investigation, which suggested that Hyles and others accused of abuse had been shuffled among independent Baptist churches. The Texas newspaper reported that at least 45 pastors who faced allegations remain in leadership. No doubt, that has happened in some rare instances, but that has not been standard practice, said Smith, who explained that churches have become more legally savvy in their procedures for handling allegations and keeping abusers out of positions of power. If a man fouls up morally in independent Baptist circles, he will find it very difficult to get another church. Todd Cook, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Bensenville, Illinois, and author of Hope for the Brokenhearted, a book about ministry to abuse survivors, agreed that independent Baptists have grown more serious about pastor accountability and safeguards for children, citing the fallout from a sex abuse scandal at Bob Jones University. Within our churches, we are very aware this is becoming a public issue, Cook said in an interview with CT. Many Baptist churches are setting policies around children to try and prevent abuse and make it more difficult for predators to do those things. No one is above falling in sin, but thats no excuse. Cook said that his own two children had attended Camp Joy, which was mentioned in the Star-Telegram investigation as a location where two church volunteers had abused young girls. Around 2.5 percent of Americans identify as independent Baptists, according to the Pew Research Centermore than belong to the Assemblies of God, Churches of Christ, or Episcopal and Anglican churches. Yet independent Baptists, by design, are less familiar to outsiders than other Christian traditions. For one, they lack a unified presence since individual churches largely operate on their own. The label can be used by a range of autonomous, Bible-believing Baptists (fundamental being a reference to the core doctrines of the Christian faith). Independent fundamental Baptist churches include those loosely affiliated in fellowshipsmore common in the Northas well as those whose pastors may share particular networksmore common in the South Central Baptist Theological Seminary professor Kevin Bauder told Quick to Listen for the CT podcasts explainer on such churches. Additionally, many independent Baptist fundamentalists practice second-degree separatism, distancing themselves not only from the world but also from fellow Christians who do not share their fundamentalist beliefs, noted Messiah College historian John Fea, who researched 20th-century Protestant fundamentalism in America. During the movements formation in the 1940s, and its growth in the decades following, voices such as Jack Hyles and Bob Jones contrasted with neo-evangelicals (think Billy Graham) as they remained committed to fundamentalism and separatism, Fea wrote. These leaders and their institutionsHyles-Anderson College and Bob Jones Universityhave come to represent a loose subset of independent Baptists sometimes referred to with capitals or an acronym: Independent Fundamentalist Baptists (IFB). Perhaps the most well-known Independent Fundamentalist Baptists today are the Duggars, the quiverfull family made famous by the reality show 19 Kids and Counting. Though not all in the movement look the same, the Duggars showcase several theological and cultural distinctives common among independent fundamental Baptists: adhering to strict biblical inerrancy, usually based exclusively on the King James Version (KJV); homeschooling; abstaining from pop culture as entertainment; and dressing modestly. Among independent Baptists, the local church is autonomous, and the local church is controlled by the pastor, so variation does exist because of the dependence on the pastor, said Beth Allison Barr, a Baylor University history professor and Southern Baptist pastors wife. Yet there is also remarkable consistency among independent Baptists. The stereotype of women in long skirts and the Bible limited to KJV versions is often true. On IndependentBaptist.com, a site sharing articles from Jack Hyles as well as more contemporary leaders, various posts critique contemporary worship, defend the KJV-only approach, offer strategies for soulwinning, and explain why they dress up for church. The site says it has 13,000 subscribers. One post recently pushed back against rumor-driven internet justice in the #MeToo era, saying, If 20 people accuse someone of doing the same thing that person is no more guilty than if one person accused. Many false accusers rose up against Christ but that did not make Him guilty. Justice still must be carried out and the person must still be presumed innocent. Despite the lack of formal denominational ties or hierarchy, the Star-Telegram described systemic, widespread abuse in independent fundamental Baptist churches, noting Bible college networks and pastor friendships tie leaders together. The report indicates there are at least 6,000 independent fundamental Baptist churches in the US, according to one online directory. When a spiritual leader or a church refers a fallen pastor to another church, it is fair to blame those who knowingly referred him. It is not fair, however, to throw the larger group or denomination under the bus for lack of scriptural action that we as Baptists believe is to be handled by the local church body (Matthew 18), wrote Paul Chappell, senior pastor of the Lancaster Baptist Church and president of West Coast Baptist College, following Schaaps scandal in 2012. Chappell, whose California congregation is considered the second largest independent Baptist church after First Baptist Hammond, called on pastors to provide accountability for one another. It is dangerous for pastors to operate in an untouchable bubble of authority structure, he said. Although there are different ideas about how it should be structured, every spiritual leader needs genuine opportunities for fellowship, transparency, and accountability. His brother, Mark Chappell, pastors a church in Phoenix and was named in the Star-Telegram investigation over an alleged incident reported to a previous congregation where he was a youth pastor. Mark Chappell did not comment for the Texas papers story. [Update: Paul Chappell blogged on Thursday in response to the recent coverage, saying, We are always saddened to hear of sin and abuse in the Christian world and in Baptist ranks in particular. In such instances, we are reminded of the need for an awakening of conscience as to how these issues are dealt withboth in the removal of those who no longer meet biblical qualifications for ministry and in the aid, counsel, and comfort of those who have been taken advantage of. Ministry-related abuse damages the name of Christ and damages hearts, lives, and spiritual growth of the victims.] Former members quoted by the Star-Telegram also critiqued how teachings on pastoral authority and male headship play out in independent fundamental Baptist circles. Cook explained that independent Baptists vary on church structure, some sticking to a model similar to Jack Hyles, where authority is concentrated around a single lead pastor, and others adopting more of a pastor-led, congregation-ruled approach. He described abusers in their congregations as wolves in sheeps clothing and brought up resources designed to help spot pedophiles who were grooming children. As Smith noted in his article in May, incidents of alleged moral turpitude span Christian traditions. The independent Baptist crowd has many thousands of good men in positions of leadership, Smith said to CT. When anyone of them commits an immoral and/or illegal act, it hurts all the rest. If it happens, it must be dealt with scripturally and legally. It must never be tolerated or condoned. This year brought a reckoning over harassment and sexism in the Southern Baptist Convention that led to the ousting of one of its most influential denominational leaders, Paige Patterson. Additionally, the Catholic Church uncovered new batches of abuse cases in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and across the country, leading to another round of criticism over how the church has handled priest misconduct. Catholics and Fundamentalists need to clean their house. But, so do evangelicals, wrote the Billy Graham Centers Ed Stetzer and Laurie Nichols in a response to the Star-Telegram report. Churches across denominational and geographic lines are all falling short of who we are called to be. It isnt an issue for one group. It is an issue for many religious groups. Few of our faith traditions are in the position to cast stones, but all of us need to be aware and take action. Tomorrow their Wheaton College center hosts a one-day conversation on the #metoo and #churchtoo movements, entitled Reflections: A GC2 Summit on Responding to Sexual Harassment, Abuse, and Violence. Jamal Bryant gets rock star welcome at New Birth, offered full support of county gov't Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Megachurch Pastor Jamal Bryant got a rock stars welcome and an offer of full support from the Dekalb County government as he officially took over as the new senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia on Sunday. Addressing the churchs packed sanctuary, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said the gathering at the church to welcome Bryant, whom he called an anointed, spirit-filled, young new pastor, showed that the spirit of Bishop Eddie Long was still alive and well. I offer to you, pastor, the full total support of our county government. New Birth is Dekalb and Dekalb is New Birth. And I commit to you that we will work with the congregation to continue to move forward in the 21st Century, he said to wild applause. For those who may have thought that New Birth may have fallen the devil is a liar! Bryant was chosen from a pool of 138 candidates to take the reins of New Birth, which once boasted 25,000 members in its heyday. Membership at the church has since dropped to about 10,000 after Long, the churchs late preacher, was hit in 2010 by a series of sex scandals involving allegations from multiple young men that haunted him until his death in January 2017. Bishop Stephen A. Davis, who took over leadership of New Birth shortly after Longs death, resigned from the church in June. Thomas W. Dortch Jr., an Atlanta businessman and chairman of New Births board, said part of the reason Bryant was chosen was because he had a plan to reduce the churchs $31 million debt. He didnt come in talking off the cuff, Dortch said. This is one guy whos an architect for religion. On Sunday as he welcomed Bryant, he told the congregation that their new pastor who had been leading the 10,000-member Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, didnt come to New Birth because he needed a job. In his remarks on Sunday, Bryant took time to honor Longs widow, Vanessa, as the First Lady as well as his children, including Bishop Longs eldest child. Elder Edward Long who publicly declared that Bryant was not his choice. Im a third generation preachers kid. So I know what its like to live in a fish bowl, to be undervalued and to be underappreciated. But in this place, we honor and respect and we love the children of Bishop Long and thank God for them. Would you join me in thanking God for the Long family? They are our Royal family, Bryant said. He further noted, New Birth is a resilient people. No matter what pit they try to throw us in, God always throws us a trampoline for us to be able to bounce back. Just days before he officially took the helm of New Birth, Bryant was forced to dismiss a claim from an Ohio businesswoman that she is pregnant with his child. Bryant doesnt know who this person is and has no current ties, no past relationship of any sort, nor any form of past history with this person. Regrettably, this is the unstable behavior of a social media stalker, a spokesman for Bryant said in a statement to V-103 Atlanta late Thursday. The woman, Tenola Oliver, 43, who says she is a domestic abuse survivor, first made the claim in a letter to The Christian Post last month. She repeated the claim on Thursday night in an Instagram post from V-103 Atlanta. Previously, Bryants former ministry at Empowerment Temple was almost destroyed after he admitted to an extramarital affair while he was married to now ex-wife Gizelle Bryant, who stars on Bravo TVs Real Housewives of Potomac. Since his divorce, he was also alleged to have fathered a child with 34-year-old Latoya Shawntee Odom. Despite his controversial past, New Birth congregants on Sunday lined up to greet and take pictures with Bryant. Bryants mother, the Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant, his sister, Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, a tenured professor at Pepperdine University, and several other supporters from Baltimore joined him at New Birth on Sunday for his first sermon as senior pastor at the megachurch. '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. Conservatives slam Church of England's new transgender guidance, re-dedication ceremony Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Conservative voices in the Church of England are warning that the Anglican branch is moving toward a "denial of God" through its new guidance on transgender people. The new pastoral guidance, released on Tuesday, says that it encourages clergy to be creative and sensitive in the use of liturgy when acknowledging so-called "gender transition" for those suffering from gender dysphoria, the belief that their gender doesn't match their biology. "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 new guidance declares. The document advises clergy to respect transgender people's chosen name and gendered pronouns, and says that the existing rite of Affirmation of Baptismal Faith, a ceremony used for those who have already been baptized, can be used at church services to mark a person's gender transition. The emphasis is placed not on the past or future of the candidate alone, but on their faith in Jesus Christ, the text adds. The Affirmation therefore gives priority to the original and authentic baptism of the individual as the sacramental beginning of the Christian life, allowing someone who has undergone a serious and lasting change to re-dedicate their life and identity to Christ. The image of God, in which we are all made, transcends gender, race, and any other characteristic. Christian Concern's chief executive Andrea Minichiello Williams, who is a lay member of the Church of England's General Synod, slammed the new guidence, however. Williams warned that the Church of England is continuing its "devastating trajectory towards an outright denial of God and His word." "There is no need for Christians to sacrifice truth in a misguided attempt to be loving. It is not loving to mislead people and wider society into the falsehoods and myths of transgender ideology," she added. Williams continued by stating that there is "no question that God calls us to love our neighbors." However, she added that using baptism to celebrate a gender transition turns the point of baptism upside down, by "encouraging people to follow their own feelings and live in identities contrary to how God created them." "Very sadly, the guidance colludes with the unproven and untrue notion that a person can be born in the wrong body, rejecting the truth that God saw His own creation of humans as male and female as very good. As God is eternally the God of truth not lies Christians cannot and must not fall over themselves to accommodate transgender ideology," she argued. "The Bible, Gods revealed and perfect word, does not recognize postmodern gender theory. Neither does the official doctrine of the Church of England. It is time for bishops to teach faithfully on this issue and for the clergy to speak with love, compassion and truth." The Rev.'s Tina Beardsley, Sarah Jones, and Canon Rachel Mann, three Church of England members that were consulted in the writing of the guidance, clarified that the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith is not a second baptism, however. The Bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson, chair of the House of Bishops Delegation Committee, added: "We are absolutely clear that everyone is made in the image of God and that all should find a welcome in their parish Church." Henderson added: 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." Back in October, Church of England leadership further sided with U.K. government plans to make the process of gender recognition easier. The Rev. Malcolm Brown, the church body's director of mission and public affairs, spoke out against "excessive bureaucracy in the process of gaining a gender recognition certificate," saying it does not help transgender people. Evangelical group derides Trump admin.'s immigration rule proposal as 'deeply troubling' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Leaders of an evangelical immigration group are voicing their concerns with the Trump administrations proposal to change an immigration regulation that could give the Department of Homeland Security more discretion in denying visas and green cards to immigrants who would rely too heavily on public assistance. Leading Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore joined five of his colleagues on the Evangelical Immigration Table in issuing a statement condemning the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys proposal to alter the public charge rule. The proposal was published on Oct. 10 in the Federal Register and would change how the federal government determines whether an applying immigrant is likely to need government benefits like Medicaid or food stamps and whether they would become a public charge under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under the current rule, only cash assistance programs are considered to determine if an immigrant is a public charge. The new proposal would allow for things such as food stamps, housing assistance and Medicaid to be taken into account. Monday marked the last day of the proposals 60-day public comment period. In a statement of concern issued Monday, the evangelical leaders argued that the proposed policy would keep families separated and make it more difficult for immigrants to obtain visas and green cards. The leaders asserted that the new regulation wouldn't change policies that already restrict family-sponsored migrants from accessing most means-tested public benefits and does not change a requirement for U.S.-based sponsors to make legally-binding commitment to be financially responsible for their immigrant family members. Instead the proposal gives broad new discretion to government employees to deny applications for family reunification and other lawful immigrant visas based on the suspicion that an individual might someday apply for public benefits, taking into account considerations such as current income, family size, credit history and education level, the statement reads. The evangelical leaders added that the policy change could lead to a significant reduction in immigration to the U.S., especially for those applying on the basis of marriage or family ties. By one estimate, as many as 200,000 married couples annually could be denied immigrant visas, forcing the couple (and in many cases, their children) to either live separately or to live abroad, the statement reads. This is a deeply troubling shift in policy. Such a program, the evangelical leaders say, would disadvantage immigrants with multiple children, single-income families, immigrants with medical issues or special needs. They also believe it will lead to an increase in illegal immigration. Along with Moore, the statement was signed by Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; Scott Arbeiter, president of the evangelical refugee resettlement agency World Relief; Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; Jo Anne Lyon, general superintendent emerita of The Wesleyan Church; and Hyepin Im, president of Faith and Empowerment (Korean Churches for Community Development). Over the past several years, thousands of evangelical pastors and ministry leaders have joined a call for an immigration policy that prioritizes the unity of the immediate family, the statement explains. Evangelicals believe that marriage is an institution created by God and that the family is the most foundational building block of society. While Christians may disagree at points on the exact role of government in caring for the poor through public benefit programs, we are unified in our commitment to maintaining the unity of the family whenever possible. According to Vox, the proposal would define a public charge as a person who receives one or more public benefits including Medicaid, food stamps, or financial housing benefits. The proposal received over 210,000 public comments. I came to this country as a child from China through an open door policy that permitted those who served in World War II to bring their families. If it had not been for this policy honoring those who risked their lives for America, none of us could have escaped the peril of our situation, M Chung wrote on his public comment. It angers, distresses, and saddens me to see the U.S. turning away from this virtuous position to one that ignores the desperation of those seeking asylum in favor the financially privileged. It is the opposite of the words of hope held by the statue of liberty. The proposal came before the Trump administration announced new rules last month in which immigrants who illegally cross the southern border between ports of entry into the United States would be automatically denied asylum. However, a federal judge in California blocked the rule from going into effect. While critics of the proposal call it cruel and unusual, proponents of the Trump administrations proposal say it's consistent with our nation's goal to prioritize self-reliant immigrants, and to reserve welfare benefits for refugees and others who have arrived specifically for humanitarian reasons. In my opinion, the proposed rule is a significant improvement over the status quo, but it does not go far enough. Many ordinary immigrants will still consume welfare under the new rule, Jason Richwine, an independent public policy analyst based in Washington, D.C., wrote in his public comment. Data from the Census Survey of Income and Program Participation analyzed by the conservative think tank Center for Immigration Studies found that 51 percent of immigrant-headed households reported using at least one welfare program in 2012. By comparison, 30 percent of native households said the same. However, those numbers seem to have increased. Last week, the CIS released an analysis from 2014 Census data showing that 63 percent of households headed by a noncitizens are using a welfare program, while 35 percent of native-households said the same. That number grows to 70 percent of households headed by non-citizens who have been here for 10 years or more. Welfare use rises to 63 percent for households headed by noncitizen immigrants, and to a remarkable 80 percent for noncitizen households with children, Richwine wrote. Clearly, immigrants not only consume welfare but do so at high rates. There is no indication yet on when the Trump administration plans to finalize the proposal. Ex-minister stole $800K from Houston megachurch; church explains silence Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Gregg Matte, pastor of Houston's First Baptist Church, explained why the megachurch did not tell its congregation that an ex-minister stole more than $800,000 of the churchs finances. Unfortunately, due to the sensitive nature of the legal and investigative procedures triggered by this matter, we have not been able to provide these details until now. While we were unable to inform the church body because of the ongoing investigation, we informed and kept updated the related church committees, including personnel, finance, and missions committees, along with key staff and the deacon body, throughout this process," Matte said in a statement to KPRC2 on Tuesday. "These past months have been challenging and painful for us as the extent of Jerrells actions came to light and as we wrestled with the tension of wanting to inform the congregation, while also carefully following law enforcements lead in the investigation, balancing legal constraints with church procedures." Jerrell G. Altic, the former minister in question, is accused of embezzling the large sum of money over a six-year period at the church from 2011 to 2017. KTRK reported that Altic surrendered to authorities on Tuesday morning after being indicted by a Harris County grand jury. Prosecutors said that the theft involved a number of misrepresentations and forgery. Altic apparently used the money to fund overseas trips, get a doctorate from Lancaster Bible School and for other expenses. James Alston, Altic's attorney, said that his client is "cooperating fully with the district attorney's office." "He feels horrible for what has happened and the pain that has caused everyone at the church and his family members, and he would want me to tell everyone that he's sorry," Alston shared. The attorney added that Altic has contacted church elders to talk with them about ways he can start paying back the money he took. Matte revealed in his statement that Houston's First Baptist Church found out back in November 2017 that Altic had been involved in suspicious financial activity. When he was confronted, the now former minister in charge of missions handed in his resignation. What followed was both an internal and external investigation, which uncovered more than $800,000 of the churchs finances being embezzled. The senior pastor insisted that although the fraudulent activities involved missions funds, "all of Houstons First ministry partners received their designated monies, as his actions did not prevent our church from providing resources to local ministries, church plants or other strategic partners." He also revealed that the megachurch's insurance coverage has paid out $500,000 to reimburse a significant part of the loss. "As challenging as this discovery has been for everyone involved, we have also been encouraged by the continued generosity and passion for missions work from our congregation including through generous, unsolicited financial gifts from those who have come to know of his wrongdoing, Matte stated. "We pray for Gods work to continue to be done at Houstons First, and for Jerrell and his family. Houstons First remains committed to the advancement of the Gospel in our city, our nation and around the world (Acts 1:8). We understand and take seriously our responsibility to properly steward the resources God gives us through the generosity of our church family." Former atheist-turned-Bible worker reveals why he thought Christians didn't really believe the Bible Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A former atheist who found faith and now works with the Australian Bible Society says he used to think Christians didn't really follow Jesus because so many would rather give to humanitarian causes than share the Good News. David Lepore, who's now a church relations manager with the Bible Society in Melbourne, told Eternity News on Tuesday that there were several questions concerning God and the world that didn't sit well with him when he was an atheist. One of my really strong debating points was you have this picture of this loving and caring God and yet there are millions and millions of people around the world who dont even know the Bible exists or dont even have access to it, so what kind of loving and caring God is that? he asked. Lepore continued: From that Id take it a step further and I would say, Christians who say they believe in this Word and that they love it dont really do anything to bring it to people. Theyd much rather support humanitarian things rather than what they claim to be spiritual, everlasting things. So do they really believe in that stuff, because it doesnt seem like it to me? He decided to read books by famous atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, along with material from John Lennox, a Christian apologist and math professor at Oxford University, and began suspecting that there could be a Creator after all. Lepore then read the Bible multiple times in his search for truth, along with the Quran, the Islamic holy book, and talked with pastors and other leaders about faith. He eventually decided to become a Christian mainly because of the evidence around Jesus, His authenticity and His character. Like a number of other Western nations, Australia has been experiencing a decline in religious identification. The country's 2016 census revealed that as much as one third of the population now say that they have "no religion." The two largest Christian denominations, Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism, represented a 22.6 and 13.3 share of the population respectively, marking a continued decades-long decline. When Lepore became a Christian, he said he realized that he had to switch his focus onto following Jesus. My mind said, move from making the most amount of money possible to thinking how can I serve this Creator? he recalled. Lepore eventually joined the Bible Society to reach young people and let them know why the Bible is important. I wanted to be part of the people who were doing it on the ground, talking about the importance of Scripture and letting people know that there are people who dont have it, he said. While the majority of Australians profess Christianity as their belief, a national census in 2011 revealed that the number adherents to Eastern faiths, like Buddhism and Hinduism, is on the rise. The Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that between 1986 and 2006, the number of Hindus in Australia increased sevenfold, while the number of Buddhists increased fivefold. GOP Congressmen grill Google for making SPLC a 'trusted flagger' on YouTube Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Republican members of Congress were critical of Google CEO Sundar Pichai for his companys decision to give the Southern Poverty Law Center power to help monitor the content of videos on YouTube. Pichai gave testimony on Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee regarding issues of Google political bias, privacy concerns, and transparency. Congressman Louie Gohmert of Texas began his remarks by commending Pichai for what his company does and by noting that he opposes excessive government regulation of Google. Rep. Gohmert then noted that his problem with Google was when the government gives it immunity from lawsuits over to a private corporation whose leader doesnt even realize that there is political bias run amok in his company. As an example, Gohmert cited Googles decision to make the Southern Poverty Law Center one of more than one hundred non-government entities that monitors YouTube's content as part of the sites "Trusted Flaggers" program. The Southern Poverty Law Center really has stirred up more hate than about any other group I know, stated Gohmert, who then cited the 2012 attempted mass shooting at the Family Research Council headquarters by Floyd Lee Corkins. A gay rights activist, Corkins explained to authorities that he decided to target the FRC because of their placement on the SPLCs list of hate groups. They stirred up hate against the [FRC] and a guy goes in shooting, Gohmert told Pichai. You consider them a trusted flagger and yet they keep creating problems for people who are not haters. Youre so surrounded by liberality that hates conservatism, hates people that really love our Constitution and the freedoms its afforded people like you, that you dont even recognize it. Gohmert argued that Google should be liable when his company and the companies they are connected to use their technology to attack conservatives. Congressman Mike Johnson of Louisiana also asked Pichai about SPLCs trusted flagger status, questioning what the standards are for a group to be considered a trusted flagger. The Google CEO responded that as of the present day the liberal group had never flagged a single video on our platform. Pichai also noted that Google has reached out to a wide variety of organizations, including conservative organizations for their trusted flagger program. He also welcomed suggestions for conservative groups to add to their list. Our trusted flaggers dont remove content. They can flag content for us to review and we review flagged content, explained Pichai. Its mostly used by law enforcement, many nonprofit agencies in important areas like child safety, terrorism, and so on. In recent times, YouTube and other social media sites have been criticized for their reported censorship and mistreatment of conservative accounts and posts. Last October, popular conservative YouTube account PragerU filed a lawsuit against the social media video site and Google over accusing them of using their restricted mode filtering ... as a political gag mechanism to silence PragerU. In February, YouTube restricted access to a video posted by the conservative nonprofit PragerU featuring pro-life activist Lila Rose criticizing Planned Parenthood. Titled "What You Need to Know about Planned Parenthood," the video was restricted within hours of being uploaded, making it harder for it to be viewed by people with certain privacy settings. In 2017, conservative theologian and radio host Dr. Michael Brown saw his YouTube videos demonetized and saw a drop in viewership after Google deemed his videos unsuitable for advertisers. HHS Civil Rights Office head slams Obama's treatment of Christian groups Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WASHINGTON The Department of Health and Human Services top civil rights official criticized the former Obama administration on Tuesday for the way it treated Christian organizations who objected to Obamacares contraception mandate. Roger Severino, the director of the HHS Office of Civil Rights, spoke among friends at a lunch event Tuesday hosted by the social conservative-libertarian think tank American Principles Project Foundation in which he declared that the APP mission statement calling for public policy with human dignity at its heart should be the mission statement of his department. HHS, after all, is dedicated to the health and well-being of every American, Severino explained. We are everywhere. We are the largest federal agency. If we were to separate our budget as a country, we would be among the top-10 biggest countries in the world. With such incredible power, we can do a lot of good to respect human dignity, he added. You may note that in our recent mission statement for HHS strategic plan, we said that all Americans from conception until natural death deserver our protections. That was a change. Severino, who previously served as the director of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at conservative think tank Heritage Foundation and is at the forefront of Trumps attempt to promote religious freedom at HHS, warned that there are times that big federal agencies forget those foundational principles. The most striking example is with the Little Sisters of the Poor, Severino said, referring to the legal battle the order of Catholic nuns had against the U.S. government beginning under Obama administration as it faced crippling fines for refusing to abide by an Obamacare birth control mandate. The Little Sisters of the Poor was among many religious organizations, colleges, associations and institutions that sued the HHS over the mandate that they provide health care coverage of contraception to employees. Although the organizations were provided with an opt-out process that would allow the government to help facilitate birth control coverage to employees, many of the organizations felt that it still made them complicit in violating tenets of their religious beliefs against contraception and abortion. Many sought the same exemption to the mandate that was provided to churches. The groups faced millions of dollars in fines for not complying with the mandate, which threatened their existence. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Little Sisters of the Poor and other groups by remanding the cases back to the lower courts and vacating their earlier rulings. The Trump administration ended the federal governments defense of the Obamacare mandate in court and courts have issued rulings in favor of the religious organizations in the last two years. [The Little Sisters of the Poor were] dedicated to being there for the elderly in their last days, literally, so they do not die alone so that they know that they are loved, so their life has dignity and worth, Severino explained in his remarks. Instead of supporting this incredible organization, the HHS went after them, threatening to shut them down with millions in fines because they would not assist in the provision of contraceptives to their fellow nuns. I dont know how we got to this place but it is a very topsy-turvy world where that was the official position of the federal government and the Department of Justice for years until very recently when we undid the contraceptive mandate through regulatory rulemaking, he added. Last year, the Trump HHS instituted two new rules to allow non-profits and for-profit entities to make a religious or moral objection in order to obtain an exemption to the birth control mandate. I have learned that sometimes to counteract some of the defects of bureaucracy, you need a bureaucracy, Severino told the crowd. Which is why we have stood up a Conscience and Religious Freedom Division [at HHS] to institutionalize protection of 25 conscience protection statutes that Congress has passed that have either been neglected or have been completely forgotten. Severino took a minute from his remarks to praise leaders from the HHS Office of Civil Rights and the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division. They are the foot soldiers of OCR, he asserted. We engaged in rulemaking as one of the first acts of the new division to give the same enforcement tools as with every other civil right so that people are not just discriminated against when they object to abortion, covering or paying for abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide. Severino pointed out that HHS received over 242,000 public comments to its proposed rules through Regulation.gov. I wish it were everyone. This is, in fact, democracy 2.0. This is a way you can impact agency rulemaking, Severino said. We are required to read the catalog and respond to every comment submitted to our proposed rules. I encourage you to watch Regulations.gov and when the time comes to make comments on the rules, submit the comments to become part of the official record and part of the litigation. Only good can come from having people from all stripes of society contribute their thoughts on how the government is doing business. Since taking over as the head of the HHS Office of Civil Rights, Severino has drawn the ire of left-wing activists and liberal media pundits over the fact that he has voiced opposition in the past to the political lefts LGBT agenda and has also advocated for pro-life policies. Earlier this year, The New York Times reported on the Trump administrations plans to eliminate another Obama-era regulation that critics said required faith-based hospitals, insurance providers and doctors to perform, provide or cover gender-reassignment surgeries even if they have religious convictions against such procedures. Severino said at the time that the Obama administrations interpretation of civil rights law that extended protections on the basis of sex to include gender identity "was contrary to law and exceeded statutory authority." Hundreds of sexual abuse allegations in Fundamental Baptist churches, investigation finds Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Hundreds of sexual abuse allegations have been found in Independent Fundamental Baptist churches spanning 40 states and Canada, according to a new report. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram released an extensive, eight-month investigative report Sunday recounting the stories of women who were victims of sexual misconduct, including molestation and rape when they were minors, in IFB churches. Yet their perpetrators, who were in positions of church leadership, were able to weave away from accountability, and never faced criminal charges. As has been similarly uncovered in the Roman Catholic church in recent years, the network of these churches often covered up their actions and facilitated the relocation of offenders to other congregations. Over 200 current or former church members, young and old alike, shared what happened to them with the Texas newspaper pointing to a culture of strict, unquestioned male authority. The Star-Telegram exclusively uncovered 21 of the 412 allegations they found in their investigation, but victims say the numbers are much larger as most who were assaulted never speak of what they endured. "One hundred and sixty-eight church leaders were accused or convicted of committing sexual crimes against children, the investigation found. At least 45 of the alleged abusers continued in ministry after accusations came to the attention of church authorities or law enforcement," the Star-Telegram reported. Victims who spoke with the Fort Worth publication emphasized "cult-like" dynamics within the church structures that allowed abuse to continue, namely, a climate of fear and cultural pressure to never dispute with or undermine the "man of God" pastoring the church. We didnt have a compound like those other places, but it may as well have been, said one former member, who spoke with the Star-Telegram on condition of anonymity because, like many others, she remains intimidated by the church. Our mind was the compound. Independent Fundamental Baptist churches (not to be confused with Independent Fundamental Churches of America, a completely separate denomination) use the labels "Independent," "Fundamental," "Fundamentalist," "Bible-Believing" or "KJV-Only," according to Got Questions. Even the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, is deemed too liberal by the independent fundamental groups and church members are to separate themselves from them and any other worldly influence. It is estimated that over 6,000 IFB churches are in operation in the United States and in other nations. In IFB churches, the authority system that enabled such psychological manipulation was bolstered by their particular interpretations of the Bible. "Children learn the story of Elisha and the she-bears: As the prophet Elisha walks up the path toward Bethel, a group of children surrounds him and makes fun of his baldness. Two she-bears emerge from the woods and maul 42 of the children. The lesson: Dont challenge the man of God," the Star-Telegram explained. Those who left churches recount that when unfortunate events happen to them they wonder if their woes came to be as punishment from an angry God. The Star-Telegram's reporting focused considerably on Dave Hyles, who reportedly sexually assaulted many women across the country. Because his father's church was among the largest in the nation in the 1970s and 80s, he developed a celebrity persona within the movement and used it to his advantage to exploit women sexually. The investigative report traces the journey of Joy Evans Ryder, who says then Hyles raped her in his office when she was 15 years old and when he was a youth director of First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana, which at the time was considered the flagship parish for thousands of loosely affiliated IFB churches and universities. Hyles, who now runs a group called Fallen In Grace Ministries, a ministry hosted in Family Baptist Church in Columbia, Tennessee, says he is being slandered. In fact, I have come to realize that there is nothing we could do to satisfy them. The more we tried the less we would satisfy them, he wrote to the Fort Worth newspaper in September. Today, Ryder runs Out of the Shadows, a nonprofit group she started with other church abuse victims that helps sexual abuse survivors, particularly from the IFB movement. The extensive report comes approximately one year after the #metoo movement gained steam with the exposure of Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. Hundreds of women began revealing their own stories online of similar kinds of abuse they endured in religious and ministry-related settings, using the hashtag #churchtoo. Earlier this year the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office released a grand jury report detailing how 301 priests abused over 1,000 children over the past several decades and how the church hierarchy shuffled the offenders to other dioceses and shielded perpetrators from accountability. Is the Ark of the Covenant inside a church in Ethiopia? Historians claim of having seen the Ark disputed Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The search for the Ark of the Covenant has led to renewed speculation that the biblical artifact may be hidden inside a church in Ethiopia, but historians have pushed back against the theory. Archaeologists have searched for centuries for clues and hints of where the Ark, containing the stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God, could be. The BASE Institute has sent research teams to Ethiopia, Egypt, Israel and Rome and it believes the evidence points to Ethiopia. Although it has not found the actual Ark, it stated, "As unusual as this may sound, the BASE team has uncovered compelling evidence that the Ark may well have been spirited up the Nile River to an eventual resting place in the remote highlands of ancient Kushmodern-day Ethiopia." Some claim that the artifact lies specifically inside the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Aksum, Ethiopia. Monks serving as guardians do not allow historians and archaeologists to come investigate. The chapel is said to be "off-limits to all but a few members of the Ethiopian Christian church hierarchy, hindering any independent confirmation of their authenticity. Fueling the speculation are old accounts by late British scholar and historian Edward Ullendorff, who claimed to have seen the Ark inside during World War II. Live Science spoke last week with Tudor Parfitt, who was also a professor at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies, and heard Ullendorff's claim firsthand. Parfitt, now a professor of religion at Florida International University, clarified that what Ullendorff saw in 1941, when he was a British army officer leading forces into Ethiopia, was a copy, and not the actual Ark. Furthermore, he clarified that Ullendorff never actually believed it was the real Ark, but kept the pretense due to his work in the African country. "He went to the Church of Mary of Zion with a couple of soldiers," Parfitt said, but Ullendorff was refused entry by the guards, who said the church is holy. "He said, 'Well, I'm sorry, but I want to go in,'" and "he did go in with his soldiers behind him. They couldn't do anything to stop him," Parfitt explained. "What he saw was what you find in any Ethiopian church, which is a model of the Ark of the Covenant," the professor stated. Ullendorff privately admitted at the time that the artifact didn't differ in any way from many arks he had seen in other churches in Ethiopia," and that it wasnt the original biblical Ark. Since Ullendorf continued working in Ethiopia after the war and became a personal friend of the emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, he did not want to hurt the peoples feelings and claim that the Ark inside the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion was not the real one. Ullendorff made such an admission in a Los Angeles Times article in 1992 but hoped that Ethiopian authorities would not become aware of it. His supposed claim to have seen the real Ark was not challenged in Ethiopia itself. In other research, archaeologists working at Shiloh in the West Bank found 10 pre-First Temple pottery jugs in July 2017, which they said could point in the direction of the Ark of the Covenant. As the Bible describes in the Psalms and in the book of Jeremiah, Shiloh was destroyed when the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines, who stole the Ark. "This is a very exciting find. The destruction could have been caused by the Philistine invasion and the fire that raged [at Shiloh]," Hanina Hizami, coordination officer for archaeology at the Civil Administration, said at the time. John Gray says he made faith deposit on wifes $200K Lamborghini as she defends lavish gift Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As he continues to draw flak for gifting his wife a $200,000 Lamborghini Urus for their eighth wedding anniversary, Relentless Church Pastor John Gray revealed it was God who made the posh acquisition possible after he made a faith deposit on the vehicle in February. He also urged his haters, who are troubled by his decision to buy a lavish gift for his wife, to be blessed. [Eight] years. New beginnings. New hope. New life. And for her, a new whip. I put a faith deposit down in February and God helped me to make my wifes dream come true. Why not? Shes made mine come true! #GodIsMyWitness #BookContract #HatersBeBlessed, the leader of the Greenville, South Carolina, church wrote in a post on Instagram Tuesday night. Gray, who just two weeks ago was drawing praise for allowing congregants in need to take cash directly from his offering baskets, saw that praise quickly turn to scorn this week after a video of him gifting his wife the Italian luxury vehicle was posted on Instagram. The video has since been removed but several clips showing Aventer Gray exulting over the gift remain online. Sue Mayweather, who posted the original video clip, said Aventer Gray also gifted her husband the green box Rolex, a term used to describe the Rolex Explorer II which comes with a price of approximately $8,000. While the Lamborghini Urus can be had starting at about $200,000, according to Fortune, Aventer Gray suggested that her husband might have paid more for the luxury SUV which comes with a 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo engine that produces 650 horsepower. It also boasts an automatic eight-speed transmission, can travel 0 to 62 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 189 mph. In a post on Instagram Tuesday night, the preachers wife confirmed that when her husband introduced her to the Lamborghini Urus and had her build one online in February, she didnt believe she would really get it. Now that she has it, she remains adamant that she will not apologize for enjoying the fruit of their hard work. I saved to give you one of the best gifts and a dream timepiece and my God, you blessed me, significantly when in Feb at the All-Star hotel, we sat in this phenomenal new SUV, then you allowed me to build one online and DREAM...not really believing it would happen for real, but then, we WIN FROM WITHIN Lololol &...It DID! Aventer Gray wrote. I will never apologize for how hard we work and how we want to bless each other... PSALM 112:1-3... I love you. You are mine and I am yours. Thank you for taking care of me, for the past 8, and I trust the Lord by faith that for the next 88 you will do the same, so will I, and much more. Highs, lows, mistakes, misfortune, we are STILL HERE AND THE DEVIL IS MAD BECAUSE GOD GETS THE GLORY...with God all lead back to true love! There is no one I would rather do this life with than You! she added. Leading college faculty union says belief in only 2 genders is based on ideology,' not fact Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment One of Americas leading college faculty unions is decrying attempts to define gender as binary, and claims that the Trump administration and the religious fundamentalists who support such a definition are moved by ideology, not fact. The American Association of University Professors, which has 500 chapters and 39 state associations, released a statement last month titled The Assault on Gender and Gender Studies. The statement, which was created by AAUPs subcommittee of Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure and the Committee on Women in the Academic Profession, railed against the Trump administration for considering a plan to define gender as a biological, immutable condition defined by a persons sex at birth. The plan stoked fears that the word transgender could be defined out of existence. The AAUP statement also condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for issuing a decree prohibiting gender studies courses from being taught in universities throughout the country. The statement also went after administrations in Poland, Brazil and Bulgaria for attempts to refute the scholarly consensus that gender identity is variable and mutable. Biologists, anthropologists, historians, and psychologists have repeatedly shown that definitions of sex and sexuality have varied over time and across cultures and political regimes, the AAUP statement reads. Some of their work suggests that state-enforced preservation of traditional gender roles is associated with authoritarian attempts to control social life and to promise security in troubled times by pledging to protect patriarchal family structures. AAUP claims that those authoritarian efforts lead to a justification of racial, class, and sexual policing that disciplines forms of kinship and homemaking. Politicians and religious fundamentalists are neither scientists nor scholars, the AAUP statement asserts. Their motives are ideological. It is they who are offering gender ideology by attempting to override the insights of serious scholars. By substituting their ideology for years of assiduous research, they impose their will in the name of a science that is without factual support. This is a cynical invocation of science for purely political ends. The statement also asserts that defining gender as binary and immutable not only hurts transgender individuals and other nonbinary and gender nonconforming individuals but that it will also disproportionately impact poor people and poor people of color. There is also a potential threat to academic freedom: like attacks on climate science, the effort to establish a legal definition of gender as binary could lead to denying research funding to scholars and to impugning the value and validity of their scholarly work, the statement warns. Fixing the meaning of gender in this way may undermine the open-ended forms of inquiry that define research and teaching in a democracy. Despite accusing politicians and religious fundamentalists of having ideological motives with no factual support, AAUP failed in its statement to provide any sort of citation to the biologists, anthropologists, historians, and psychologists it relies on to form its own argument. Although the AAUP statement wants to present politicians and religious fundamentalists as the main purveyor of the argument against beliefs in mutable gender, doctors and academics are also calling on the Trump administration to define gender as a biological, immutable condition. Leaders from the conservative American College of Pediatricians signed onto a petition sent last week to Trump administration officials to praise the administration for its intent to uphold the scientific definition of sex in federal law and policy. The norm for human design is to be conceived either male or female. Human sexuality is binary by design for the obvious purpose of the reproduction of our species, the petition reads. This principle is self-evident. XY and XX are genetic markers of male and female, respectively, and are found in every cell of the human body including the brain. Sex is established at conception, declares itself in utero, and is acknowledged at birth. The petition declares that sex differences are real and consequential. The Institute of Medicine recognized the singular importance of sex to health and the field of medicine nearly two decades ago, the petition explains. Sex chromosomes impart innate differences between men and women in literally every cell of our bodies. There are over 6,500 shared genes that are expressed differently in human males and females. These differences impact our brains, organ systems, propensity for developing certain diseases, differential responses to drugs, toxins and pain, differential cognitive and emotional processes, behavior and more. Along with ACPs Dr. Michelle Cretella and pediatric endocrinologist Quinton Van Meter, the petition was signed by professors and academics from institutions like the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, the University of San Diego and Johns Hopkins Medical School. The petition was also signed by social conservative activists such as the Family Research Councils Tony Perkins, Liberty Counsels Mat Staver, and Alliance Defending Freedoms Michael Farris. Michael Brown, a conservative radio host and prominent Messianic Jewish author, questioned in an op-ed what the AAUP thinks of the doctors and academics who signed onto the petition. They are obviously bigots, and bigots cannot be taken seriously, Brown sarcastically joked. In other words, we know better. We are educated. We are scientists. We are free of bias. We have no agenda, no ideology, no underlying worldview. We only utter the truth. Brown said that the AAUPs argument breaks down when you look at some of the initial signatories of the statement, which includes professor J. Michael Bailey of Northwestern University, who is celebrated in LGBT circles for his book The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism. Of course, this argument breaks down immediately, based on verifiable facts, Brown wrote. Evolutionary psychology professor Geoffry Miller at the University of New Mexico also criticized the AAUP statement. Disgraceful that the leading union for American faculty, @AAUP, has sided with gender feminism ('serious scholars doing years of assiduous research') over evolutionary science in defining sex & gender, he wrote in a tweet. Why take such a blatantly partisan & biased position? Planned Parenthood case shows Kavanaugh supports abortion rights, pro-choice senator says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A pro-choice Republican senator who believes Justice Brett Kavanaugh will uphold abortion rights feels vindicated after the Court declined a Planned Parenthood funding case Tuesday. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who was a key vote in favor of Kavanaugh's confirmation, reportedly told Bloomberg's Steven Dennis upon learning of the Supreme Court rejection of the appeal that "vindicated" ... "is the right word" to describe how she felt. In an order released Monday, the high court declined to hear an appeal in the cases of Andersen v. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri and Gee v. Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Kavanaugh were part of the six-judge majority. Senator Collins had voted to confirm Kavanaugh earlier this year, explaining in a lengthy speech on the Senate floor that she believed Kavanaugh would not overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade or otherwise work to curb abortion access. "Justice Kavanaugh clearly demonstrated his independence and his respect for precedent and I am very pleased with the ruling and it demonstrates that the analysis that I presented was correct," Collins told Dennis on Tuesday. When Dennis asked whether the case indicated that Kavanaugh would not vote to overturn Roe, Collins replied, "I have always felt that way. Yes." Kavanaughs joining the majority led many pro-life conservatives to express disappointment. However, conservatives like attorney and Dobson Policy Center Director Jenna Ellis have defended the newest member of the high court, arguing that the cases rejected were not truly about abortion. The bottom line is that this is NOT an abortion series of cases; its a Medicaid issue, tweeted Ellis on Monday. Though there was a diversity of opinion as to @Scotus taking up the matter for review, this does not signal Kavanaughs position on Roe v. Wade. Philip Klein of the Washington Examiner posted an update to a piece on Kavanaughs decision, quoting a Supreme Court watcher who said the first vote for granting a hearing would have taken place before Kavanaugh's appointment. I assume Kavanaugh did not want to be the late-arriving fourth vote for cert, and that's a reasonable call for a brand-new justice to make, read the update. Less defensible is Roberts apparent concern about the atmospherics of taking a case with 'Planned Parenthood' in the title. The National Sentinel also took issue with the claim that Kavanaugh was guilty of abandoning conservative constitutionalists over the issue of abortion. At some point Kavanaugh may issue a ruling or take a side that conservative constitutionalists will dislike its bound to happen. But this case isnt one of those occasions, stated the conservative website. After the mans bitter confirmation hearings which involved heaps of Democrat chicanery and death threats to his family, were fully prepared to cut the man some slack. Hes not yet been a justice for three months. Pro-life activists, including Americans United for Life President Catherine Glenn Foster, said in a statement that 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, continued Foster. Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, authored a dissent in which he claimed the Court was avoiding the case due to Planned Parenthood being highly controversial. 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. Later he added, "Some tenuous connection to a politically fraught issue does not justify abdicating our judicial duty. If anything, neutrally applying the law is all the more important when political issues are in the background." South Asian nations deploy tactics to thwart conversions to Christianity, minority faiths: Report Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Countries in South Asia are increasingly employing various tactics to stop people from converting to Christianity and other minority faiths in the region, a report has warned. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released on Tuesday its latest report, arguing that such prohibitions have grown over the past decade in several South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and others. The report explained that India, for instance, uses state legislatures to limit cases where people choose to convert from Hinduism. Christian pastors and churches have been attacked in rural areas for years, often accused of carrying out forced conversions, which they deny, several watchdog groups have warned. In Pakistan, the government was accused of continuing to use blasphemy laws meant to protect Islamic sensitives as a means to accuse Christians and other minorities of crimes and deter them from leaving the Muslim faith. In Nepal, officials were found to be cracking down on nongovernmental organizations, particularly foreign missionary groups, for fear they might lead people away from the Hindu-majority religion. A significant problem in Bangladesh was identified as forced marriages, especially when it comes to Hindu women being forced to change their religion and marry Muslims. Anti-conversion laws are frequently abused by extremists who seek to prevent anyone from leaving the majority religion, said USCIRF Commissioner Nadine Maenza. 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. USCIRF Commissioner Tony Perkins said that such laws "are a major obstacle to efforts pursuing peace and tolerance among those of different faith as extremist and majority religious groups use these laws as tools to intimidate and prevent religious minorities from exercising their right to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience." He added, These laws also disproportionately affect vulnerable and disfavored groups, such as Dalit Hindus and foreign humanitarian and aid workers. One of the most famous cases of Pakistan's blasphemy laws concerns Christian mother of five Asia Bibi, who spent eight years on death row after being accused of insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad, something which she denied. Bibi was finally acquitted by the Pakistani Supreme Court in October and granted her freedom, though she and her family still await asylum and are fearing for their safety. In its conclusions, USCIRF urged for governments in South Asia to look for patterns of false accusations of unethical conversions, especially when religious minorities are concerned. It called on state actors to "properly investigate and punish those acts." "Societal actors also need to ensure that social pressure is not applied to individuals who consensually wish to change faiths," it added. Among its recommendations to the U.S. government, USCIRF called for the organization of a regional conference to bring together activists, provincial politicians, police, judges, and attorneys working on religious freedom. The goal of this roundtable would be to recognize regional trends that can be addressed with cooperative efforts by stakeholders at various levels in each country, it explained. Students walk out to protest firing of Christian teacher for opposing transgender pronoun use rules Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Students at a public high school have demonstrated their support for a Christian teacher fired from his position because he refused to refer to a trans-identified student by their preferred pronoun. Less than 24 hours after the West Point, Virginia school board unanimously voted to terminate high school French instructor Peter Vlaming, a large group of students walked out of their classes to protest the decision. He's an amazing man, student Wyatt Pedersen told WWBT News. I think he really was going with what he believed was right and it's really unfair that hes being punished for that, especially in such a dramatic way. I feel like everyone should have the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion as well, said Junior Zachary Gonzalez. Forrest Rohde, the West Point High School junior who organized the walkout, emphasized that the protest was not about the transgender student. Rather, he said students took issue with the school board trying to force the teacher to conform to their ideologies with the threat of removal from the school. The child is going through a lot, Rohde said. We shouldnt be directing this towards her, we should be directing this towards the school board. Following a brief suspension, Vlaming was fired after the school board accused him of engaging in discrimination and contributing to a hostile learning environment. The teacher explained that while he agreed to use the student's chosen name, he drew the line at pronouns, as doing so violated his conscience. I won't use male pronouns with a female student that now identifies as a male though I did agree to use the new masculine name but avoid female pronouns, said Vlaming in response to the suspension. Administration is requiring that I use masculine pronouns in any and every context at school. I was informed that any further instances of using female pronouns would be grounds for termination. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page set up to help Vlaming cover legal fees and provide for his family has raised over $20,000 as of Wednesday afternoon. With four children under the age of 10, Vlaming, who had taught at West Point for seven years, was the only source of income for his family, the page notes. Wrote one supporter: Our prayers are with you and your family. Thank you for standing up for your beliefs; God will have the victory! A teacher that has the support of his students deserves to be supported by everyone, added another. Vlamings attorney, Shawn Voyles, maintained that the school system was not respecting the constitutional rights of his client, but praised West Point for permitting students to participate in the walkout. We are glad to see that West Point Public Schools permitted this peaceful protest today, Voyles said. That was not the case in November when the students began circulating a petition to return my client to his job. As a student testified at the hearing yesterday, the high school principal actually confiscated the petition. It unfortunately took a threat of legal action by a student to have it returned. Voyles said he is considering how to proceed, including a possible appeal with the circuit court, adding that tolerance should be a two-way street. Unfortunately, tolerance on the part of the school division has been noticeably absent, he said. It chose to impose its own orthodoxy on Mr. Vlaming and fired him because he didn't relinquish his rights protected by the First Amendment. Why Black Church Leaders Often Get Away With Sexual Misconduct, and the Woman Breaking the Silence Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment It was Halloween night at the 5,000-member Inspirational Bible Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Pastor Victor S. Couzens was wielding the "blood" of Jesus like a "weapon" against everything he believes is attacking him and his congregation. Nattily dressed with well-coiffed dreadlocks, he exuded a self-assured confidence as he spoke in tongues while sauntering across the stage toward a sleek, cross-adorned pulpit that rose automatically from the ground. "I plead the blood. I take the blood as our defense. I take the blood as our offense. I take the blood as our weapon. I take the blood as our shield. I take the blood as our response. I plead the blood of Christ over you," he declared forcefully as his affirming followers joined him with hands raised in a din of prayers. It was the ninth day of special prayer at Couzens' church. On this night, he seemed confident he was covered under the blood of Jesus and forgiven of all his sins. No weapon formed against him would prosper while he is covered by the blood of Jesus. It had also been nine days since Andrea Garrison, a 30-year-old New York City model, sparked calls for his resignation. Garrison announced on Facebook Live that Couzens had been involved in a long-term sexual relationship with her and several other women simultaneously, and she won't stop speaking her truth until the church sits him down. In recent months, Garrison said, she thought her relationship with the preacher was exclusive. He even led her to believe that she could become his wife. And Couzens kept her believing until one cold day in October, Garrison discovered he had proposed to another woman and didn't bother to tell her. Couzens initially denied Garrison's claim in a now deleted Facebook post. She quickly responded, however, by releasing a trove of evidence of the relationship they had racy emails, text messages, photos and checks allegedly showing the use of money from the church's account. Portions of this trove were also shared directly with The Christian Post. "I didn't take that kindly," Garrison told CP in a recent interview about the preacher's decision to brand her as a liar. "I approached him and said can you please take that (Facebook post) down. Don't call me a liar because we both know that I can destroy you with what I have. Don't do that. And he became arrogant, so I said, 'OK. If that's what you want to do.' And so I made my [Facebook] Live [video] and when I made my Live it just blew up from there." Now, after hearing from several other deceived women she says are too afraid to speak out publicly against Couzens, Garrison wants to use her voice as a wrecking ball against the culture of silence that has enabled rogue pastors like Couzens to exploit women in the black church without penalty. She is also pushing to mobilize other women who have also been mistreated to force churches that have tolerated their behavior to start renouncing their sin. "I feel like, at this point, it's no longer what he did to me, what he did to the other women. It's no longer about that. It's about the fact that the Church allows this. That the Church is OK with this. The Church is OK with sending threats to people who are just trying to expose something that's bad happening," Garrison said. "I'm tired of this type of stuff being swept under the rug and I'm tired of being hushed when all this could have been avoided with him just keeping it real." Prevalence of Misconduct The Rev. Donald H. Matthews is an ordained minister who has taught at numerous universities and seminaries in the areas of black studies, religious ethics, sociology, and psychology. He has more than 40 years of experience in ministry. In his 2012 book, Sexual Abuse of Power in the Black Church: Sexual Misconduct in the African American Churches, Matthews pointed to research suggesting that black females are likely to experience three times the amount of sexual abuse compared to their counterparts in white churches. And the cultural secrecy with which the issue is treated, he explained, are among several reasons that have prevented black churches from properly addressing the issue. "It is important to recognize the suffering of African Americans in this area and to try and remedy it as well. This cannot be done as long as the ... taboo of discussing sexual matters continues in the African-American community and churches," Matthews said. "This kind of sexual abuse of power represents a deep betrayal and leaves a woundedness and pain that has long-lasting and lingering effects that may never be fully healed. The pastoral abuse of power does not only negatively affect the persons directly and intimately involved with the pastor in his misconduct, it also has a harmful effect on the entire church," Matthews wrote. Failed Attempt to Discipline For now though, Garrison is one of few women who has come forward and publicly called out a black pastor over his sexual behavior. Meanwhile, Couzens has continued to lead his congregants in prayer and the blood of Jesus. "Thank you Lord that all of our sins are under the blood ... that where sin abounds grace much more abounds and all of our sins are under the blood," he said on Halloween. "That the sins of the people are under the blood. The sins of the priest are under the blood. The sins of the naysayers are under the blood. The sins of the yaysayers are under the blood. I command us to accept the blood of Jesus Christ," he urged. As chatter about Couzens' lifestyle went viral in late October, Paul S. Morton, founding presiding bishop of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, was forced to weigh in after Garrison begged him to do something. "The only reason I truly, honestly believe that Paul Morton did something is because I called him out," she said. "I posted a tweet and I said Paul Morton, the church has no faith in you. And I sent him a screen shot of people saying he won't do anything." Morton responded with a public statement confirming that Couzens, a former key leader in his organization and a "spiritual son," had indeed been involved with "multiple" women. He also noted in an earlier statement that Couzens repented and promised to step down as pastor of Inspirational Bible Church. In a since deleted suicidal statement on Facebook shortly after Morton's soft rebuke of his behavior, however, Couzens denied promising to step down. He also downplayed his multiple relationships. He later claimed the statement was the result of his account being hacked. "People put words in my mouth. I never said I was resigning from anything. I never said I was stepping down from my church. I never said I have issues that I have to deal with and that I am guilty of anything. Yes! I have enjoyed female companionship. But no, it never was about sex or leading anyone on! If it was about sex, I could buy sex! They have Apps for that! But people print it and they write it and say I said it because that's what they want me to do and say! And it makes them look big," the deleted post said in part. Even though Couzens blamed the suicidal statement on unconfirmed hacking, Morton removed the portion of his statement about Couzens being "sat down" from his duties as pastor and declined to explain why it was done when his office was contacted by CP. Elders at Inspirational Bible Church have also refused to publicly address their pastor's behavior even as he continues to speak with tongues, promising to defend the Gospel of truth and light. In his prayer on Halloween night, Couzens, without specifically referencing Garrison's campaign, said his church was under attack from evil forces and rallied his congregation to not respond like the world after Garrison reported to police that someone had tried to blackmail her into silence. "I plead the blood over this ministry. I cover this house in the blood. No schism and no ism shall be able to separate or divide us. We are people of God. We live by grace. We live by mercy. We live by authenticity. We live by confession," Couzens said. "We will not be conformed to this world, we will not respond like the world. We won't fight like the world. We won't act like the world." New York gives Christian group 'ultimatum': change gay adoption policy or end placement program Christian group sues New York over ultimatum to change gay adoption policy or end program Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The state of New York has given a Syracuse-based Christian adoption agency an ultimatum to either change their adoption policy forbidding placement with same-sex couples or no longer be able to provide adoption services, a new lawsuit details. New Hope Family Services has filed a federal lawsuit against the acting commissioner of the states Office of Children and Family Services on the ground that the nonprofit could be forced to phase out its adoption program if it doesnt change its policy prioritizing placement in homes with both a mother and a father. The organization, which was founded in 1965 and also provides foster services and pregnancy resources, has placed over 1,000 children in adoptive homes throughout the state since its founding. According to the legal nonprofit representing the organization, Alliance Defending Freedom, New Hope was founded to be Christs hands extended to offer hope and help to people with pregnancy, parenting, adoption or post-abortion needs in the Syracuse area and throughout the State of New York. According to the lawsuit, New Hope does not accept state funding and funds its ministry through churches, donors and private grants. The lawsuit details that the troubles for New Hope in late October after OFCS reviewed the organization's policy and procedures manual and took issue with the organization's placement policy. The review of the policy came after an agent of the agency did a site visit to New Hope and even took note of the number of strengths of New Hopes adoption program. But after reviewing the New Hopes policies, OFCS labeled New Hopes policy on gay adoption discriminatory and impermissible. In a letter to New Hope, OFCS said the agencys policy pertaining to not placing children with those who are living together without the benefit of marriage or same sex couples violates Title 18 of the New York Code, Rules and Regulations. The letter provided an ultimatum that New Hope either revise the present policy and continue the existing adoption program or fail to bring the policy into compliance with the regulation, in which case OCFS will be unable to approve continuation of [New Hopes] current adoption program and [New Hope] will be required to submit a close-out plan for the adoption program, the lawsuit explains. The lawsuit argues that the states ultimatum for New Hope would force the agency to choose either to violate its faith or cease exercising its religion by closing its adoption ministry. New York State has never changed its adoption laws to make it mandatory for adoption providers to place children with couples other than an adult husband and his adult wife, the lawsuit asserts. Instead, unelected bureaucrats in the New York Office of Children and Family Services have purported to do so through their adoption, interpretation, and enforcement of a new regulation. Erik Stanley, director of the ADF Center for Christian Ministries, said in a statement that adoption services exist only to help children not to affirm the desires of adults. Theres no reason for the state to single out and punish those who hold the belief that the best home for a child includes a father and a mother, Stanley argued. Children in Syracuse, throughout the state, and across the country will suffer if this hostility toward faith-based adoption providers becomes the status quo. New Hope is asking the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York to protect the adoption agency from any government-imposed punishment because of its decision to uphold its decades-old placement policy. Every child deserves a forever home with loving parents, ADF Legal Counsel Jeana Hallock said in a statement. For over 50 years, New Hope has served New York by offering a comprehensive, arm-around-the-shoulder ministry and walking with adoptive couples and birth parents to place children with adoptive families. Protecting these nonprofits does nothing to interfere with other adoption providers who hold different convictions. But eliminating New Hope as a faith-based adoption provider means fewer kids find a forever home, fewer adoptive parents will ever welcome their new child, and fewer birth parents enjoy the exceptional support that New Hope has offered for decades. In short, everyone loses if the government forces New Hope to shut down. New Hopes legal battle comes as adoption agencies in various parts of the country have faced similar ultimatums in the past decade. Elsewhere in upstate New York, Catholic Charities of Buffalo halted its adoption and foster services in August over conflicts with state and local non-discrimination policies relating to LGBT couples. Earlier this year, Bethany Christian Services of Greater Delaware Valley altered its placement policies to allow for children to be placed in homes with same-sex parents after the city of Philadelphia stopped placing foster children with BCS and Catholic Social Services because of their gay adoption policies. While BCS changed its policy to meet the demands of Philadelphia government leaders, Catholic Social Services filed a lawsuit against the city. But a federal judge in July ruled in favor of the city. CSS has appealed the judges ruling. In the past several years, faith-based adoption and foster care providers in Massachusetts, Illinois, Washington, D.C., and California have had to halt their adoption services in the last decade-plus because of policies forbidding agencies from barring children from being placed with same-sex couples. To eliminate faith-based agencies from the field of service over ideology, to take away their licenses, which is happening in states, to prevent them from entering into contracts to provide these services for public entities ..., it is going to end up with seeing fewer resources for children in foster care and children will go unadopted," Chuck Johnson, president of the nonpartisan National Council for Adoption, warned in April. Supreme Court rejects state attempts to defund Planned Parenthood; Kavanaugh part of majority Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed lower court rulings stopping Louisiana and Kansas from defunding Planned Parenthood to stand, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh joining the majority. In an order released Monday, the high court declined to hear an appeal in the cases of Andersen v. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri and Gee v. Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Kavanaugh were part of the six-judge majority. Earlier this year, Kavanaugh weathered a heated confirmation process in which many progressive activists claimed that if he joined the Supreme Court, he would represent a militantly anti-abortion presence. Justice Clarence Thomas authored a dissent to the decision to not hear either appeal, being joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch. Justice Thomas argued that the Supreme Court should have heard the appeals since they deal with an important and recurring question of whether Medicaid recipients have a private right of action to challenge a States determination of qualified Medicaid providers. Five Circuits have held that Medicaid recipients have such a right, and one Circuit has held that they do not. The last three Circuits to consider the question have themselves been divided, wrote Justice Thomas. Because of this Courts inaction, patients in different Stateseven patients with the same providershave different rights to challenge their States provider decisions. Thomas also speculated in his dissent that the majority of the high court might have refused to take the cases because they had to do with Planned Parenthood. 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, continued Thomas, adding that he considered this trouble because the question surrounding the cases technically has nothing to do with abortion. 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 But these cases are not about abortion rights. They are about private rights of action under the Medicaid Act. Planned Parenthood of the Gulf Coast posted a celebratory statement on Monday on their Twitter account regarding the Supreme Courts decision to not hear the appeals. Today's #SCOTUS ruling means that Louisianans can continue to access lifesaving health care at Planned Parenthood, which they have relied on for more than thirty years, tweeted the Planned Parenthood affiliate. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life SBA List, expressed disappointment, noting that the pro-life citizens of states like Kansas and Louisiana, through their elected representatives, have clearly expressed their will: they do not want Medicaid tax dollars used to prop up abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood." "We support their right to redirect taxpayer funds away from entities that destroy innocent lives and instead fund comprehensive community health care alternatives that outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities at least 20 to one nationwide," she added. The pro-life grassroots will not stop fighting until every single tax dollar is untangled from the abortion industry led by Planned Parenthood. We urge the Trump Administration to quickly finalize the Protect Life Rule, which would prevent taxpayer funding of the abortion industry under Title X, Planned Parenthoods second biggest stream of taxpayer revenue after Medicaid. Principal placed on leave after banning all things Christmas, saying candy canes symbolize Jesus Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 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). Sinclairs 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 Sinclairs 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 weve 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.. A slap on the wrist: Justice, from the Holocaust to Rwanda to Nineveh Any day now, Theoneste Bagosora, a mastermind of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, will be eligible to apply for early release. In 2011, Bagosora's life-in-prison verdict was reduced to 35 years by Theodor Meron, the American judge heading the international court administering sentences; the genocidaire has now served two thirds of his sentence. Meron has been criticised for freeing other architects of the slaughter that killed 70 per cent of the Tutsi ethnic group living in Rwanda. In the words of a survivor who was eight years old when he saw his parents and four siblings hacked to death: 'This is just a slap on the wrist of the ones who wanted to eliminate my people.' He continued, 'It is not easy to heal while we know there are not enough perpetrators behind bars.' In his forthcoming book about the Rwandan genocide, UK academic Andrew Wallis says Meron has narrowed the interpretation of 'specific direction', the direct intention to commit a crime as it applies to commanding officers. He implies there are political motives for raising the bar, reducing the likelihood that US military commanders can be liable for atrocities committed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The same issue, concerning the conduct of British soldiers during the Northern Ireland Troubles and in Iraq, recently prompted the UK government to act. Yet, it cannot be beyond the capacity of legislators and jurists to formulate a legal definition that protects soldiers from 'vexatious' prosecution or witch-hunts, without making it increasingly difficult to prosecute those suspected of contemporary genocides, such Islamic State's attempt to eliminate the Christians and Yezidi people of Iraq. It is vital to maintain the integrity of the Genocide Convention. Moreover, hundreds of suspected war criminals Rwandan, Bosnian Serb, and Nazi remain at liberty, many of them in North America and Europe. This loss of appetite for holding genocidal killers to account is not new: according to Elizabeth Barry White of the US Holocaust Memorial and Museum, high-ranking Nazi officers were charged with lesser offences because proving direct responsibility for the killing was hard within narrow German jurisdiction. By 1960, murder and abetting murder were the only Nazi-era crimes that prosecutors could act on. Equally important, in the 1950s and 1960s, Germany preferred not to consider its collective complicity. 'In many cases, German perpetrators of National Socialist crimes simply returned to their normal lives and professions in German society,' notes the museum website. Moreover, justice requires resources. Jens Rommel, the Chief Prosecutor of Germany's Central Office for the Investigation of Nazi Crimes, admits: 'There are entire death camps we haven't yet been able to get to.' The Office's staff has shrunk from 120 in the 1960s to eight active prosecutors today. Still, the Simon Wiesenthal Center gives Germany top marks for prosecuting suspects. In contrast, Ukraine has never investigated a single one of its citizens for involvement in the extermination of 1 million Jewish Ukrainians. The cause of justice is not helped by the cost and lack of productivity of some special tribunals. The Rwanda trials cost $2 billion, resulting in 50 trials of which 29 led to convictions, while Cambodia's tribunal cost $300 million; in 2018 it finally delivered a judgment against two Khmer Rouge leaders, 40 years after the killing fields. Some critics question how valuable proceedings are after so many decades. Yet, if you interview genocide survivors, as I have in Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur and Iraq, you know closure is impossible without official recognition that an appalling injustice was done to a particular group of people. My charity, Network for Africa, trains local NGO staff and community leaders to provide trauma counselling in post-conflict societies. Helping people manage their flashbacks is essential to healing. But so is justice. Justice is also a matter of principle: given the opportunity, and a credulous media, people too readily deny genocide has taken place. The Hungarians cannot open their Holocaust Museum because the government refuses to admit Hungarian participation; Lithuania celebrates as heroes the paramilitaries involved in killing 95 per cent of the Jewish population; Poland changed the law to forbid the mention of Polish deathcamps. In July this year, Russia vetoed a UN resolution on Srebrenica, protecting its clients, the Bosnian Serbs. And the Japan Times has changed the definition of 'comfort women' from 'those who were forced to provide sex for Japanese troops' to include women who worked in brothels out of choice. What hope is there that survivors of recent genocide in Iraq, the Christians and the Yezidis, will see their persecutors, Islamic State, arrested and charged with genocide? There is no political will on behalf of the Iraqi government or the international community to recognise, let alone prosecute, IS for its systematic intention to eliminate the Christians and the Yezidi. Until Iraq legislates for a specific crime of genocide, there will be no domestic prosecutions of the IS members who enslaved Christian and Yezidi women, killed their men, and destroyed their communities between 2014 and 2017. Justice may be overdue, costly and inadequate, but it is a clear warning for future generations, and a means of puncturing our current complacency. Watering down the requirements for culpability helps no one but the perpetrators, while leaving the survivors feeling disbelieved. Rebecca Tinsley's charity, Network for Africa, trains local NGO staff to give trauma counselling. Between a rock and a hard Brexit: What Would Jesus Do? It's fair to say we're living through one of the most remarkable periods in political history. Phrases like 'unheard of', 'unprecedented' and 'historic' seem to be so frequently used that one wonders if they have been stripped of all meaning. Right now, the prime minister is facing a leadership challenge, having announced a vote on the infamous 'deal' which then got cancelled and then touring the EU to try and renegotiate or get assurances that never materialised. I need to say that because by the time I've finished writing, this whole situation could be different. So much so that it would be entirely plausible to suggest that by the time I start to proof-read this, the vote could be back on, the deal could be re-negotiated and the prime minister could no longer be the prime minister, and none of those things would be surprising. In fact, I've now written that paragraph four times because every time I finish, another news alert pings on my phone and I have to go back and do it again. It turns out leaving the EU is really tricky. I'm not being glib, it really is tricky. It's been two and a half years since the referendum. Divorce bills, customs unions, Canada plus, Norway minus the lutefisk, borderline technology, agreements, disagreements, letters to Graham, Boris Johnson's new haircut...and that was just Monday afternoon. It can be difficult to know what to make of it all. I know uncertainty is perhaps genuinely unprecedented right now. Being convinced of the deal, confident of leaving without one or seeing no problem whatsoever with a second referendum seems to be the order of the day. Certainty of opinion is ramped up as uncertainty of outcome is ratcheted up. And everything seems to be binary: Leave or remain. This deal or no deal. Border or borderless. Vote or no vote. Even the issue of a second referendum seems to be either the best and only option for democracy or the least democratic thing ever. A woman has been brought before him 'caught in the act of adultery'. There's no sign of the man involved in the story. The people who have 'caught' the woman want to catch Jesus out, they're looking for a way to discredit him. The woman is merely collateral damage for them. The religious leaders say that the law says this woman should be stoned to death, what does Jesus think? It's a binary choice. Stone the woman or let her go? Dead or alive? Jesus does this weird thing. He gets down on the ground and starts drawing in the sand. And then he looks up and he essentially says, if we're going to be literal here, then whoever here has never broken any one of the same set of laws can throw the first stone. People have interpreted the story so many ways, and there are loads of theories about why he started writing in the sand (to be one less set of eyes on what may have been a terrified and partially dressed woman) and what he was writing (the law they were quoting in full to show them he knew what he was talking about or every single one of the men's names to really freak them out). The story ends with the men dropping their stones as they walk away and Jesus standing up to comfort the woman. I have no idea why he knelt down or what he was writing; no one does. Like with Brexit, it's uncommon for people to tell you they don't know or aren't certain when it comes to the Bible. Certainty is a strong commodity and often comes from the loudest voices. Great biblical scholars would be able to tell you why each theory is flawed. Terrible biblical scholars most definitely would tell you why each is flawed (the good ones tend to less annoying about rushing to point out everyone else's flaws). I don't know why he did it, but I have an idea that I'm trying out. Anger is an incredibly strong emotion and the scene facing Jesus is an angry one. Talk of execution, hands carrying stones, law being quoted, accusations, judgments. This is an angry moment. Psychology teaches that one of the best ways to defuse a situation is to simply do something else. Not with a big fuss or announcement but just calmly do something else. It's why therapeutic parenting teaches that if a child is having an outburst one of the things a parent can do is slowly begin to shift their focus to looking out of a nearby window. Distraction works. Distraction can defuse. In a scene filled with looming men and religious experts. Jesus lowers himself onto the ground and begins marking the dirt. You can almost sense the anger lowering as confusion replaces it while the men wonder what on earth he's doing. They've given him his choice. Dead or alive. The woman is here. And Jesus just marks the ground with his hands. They keep asking him. We've told you the facts, the law says stones, so are you going to go against that? The story says he had to 'straighten up' to speak, so he is crouching on the ground as he writes in the dirt, and they're asking him and asking him. Every time having to look down or lean further to try and get his attention, all the while the anger is draining from the scene as they have to respond to his posture which means adjusting theirs, getting down from their height both literal and otherwise. Eventually he speaks. And in doing so, he forces them to reappraise their position. This group of men, so certain of their view, so confident in their interpretation of the law, so sure that there are only two ways out of this. So angry. So very very angry. This or that. Dead or alive. And Jesus draws in the dirt and offers them a chance to think again. I'm not a fan of trying to paste Jesus into modern political scenarios (fun fact 100 per cent of Christian writers who write about how Jesus would have voted, end up concluding that he would have voted exactly the way they themselves did). So let me be clear, I have no idea how Jesus would have voted in the referendum and I have no idea what he would say to Prime Minister May, I have no idea if he'd want a second referendum, or if he'd vote for Jezza. What I do know, is that when faced with people who were all certain they were right, when forced to take choose between A and B, he got on the ground, took a breath and drew in the dirt. And then, when he'd given everyone a moment, he asked them to look again I'm not totally naive. We need an outcome to Brexit. The political uncertainty is bringing its own unique challenges and causing its own divisions to emerge. I also know that Jesus didn't end stoning. He didn't forever smash the patriarchy that day. But maybe in this moment, like that one, what we need isn't more certainty, bigger stones, louder accusations or legal decisions, but to take a step down, and to take a moment to draw in the sand. To lower ourselves from our lofty certainties. To drop the stones of our firmly held opinions. To distract ourselves from our anger and division. And to see if there isn't another way to approach each other while we try to work out the details. Matt White is a Northern Irish TV producer living in Essex and working in London. Follow him on Twitter @mattgwhite EU citizens feel 'unwelcome' and 'threatened' in the UK EU citizens living in the UK no longer feel welcome after the Brexit vote, the Catholic Church in England and Wales has said. Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migration and Asylum, said that the 'appalling' rise in hate crimes has left many residents from mainland Europe feeling 'unwelcome or even threatened in the country that has become their home'. Adding to the insecurity, the bishop warned, was the ongoing uncertainty about their future status in the UK. 'Although the reassurances offered by senior politicians are important, people have been given far too little information or binding commitments about their right to stay,' he said. 'For some this has been worsened by the appalling rise in hate crime, which has left them feeling unwelcome or even threatened in the country that has become their home.' His comments come as the Government prepares to launch its new Settlement Scheme for EU citizens. The scheme is currently in its pilot stage and is due to open in earnest by 30 March 2019. It gives EU citizens who have lived here for at least five years by 2020 the opportunity to stay beyond Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. The bishop criticised aspects of the scheme, particularly the 65 fee, which he called 'unprincipled' and said posed a barrier to large families or those on low incomes. 'While this is an important step we understand that, especially for people who have contributed to our society over many years, it may feel unjust and divisive that they are now required to apply for permission to stay,' he said. 'We also expect that some people, particularly those who are already vulnerable, may face difficulties in practically accessing the scheme, leaving their immigration status at risk.' GAFCON chairman tells orthodox Anglicans to have courage The chairman of GAFCON has used his Advent letter to warn orthodox Anglicans that the threat of false teaching is as real as ever. Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, who is also Primate of All Nigeria, said Advent was a time for the GAFCON movement to renew its courage 10 years on from its founding. 'A decade later, we thank Almighty God that the Gafcon movement continues to expand and to gather those who are committed to proclaiming Christ faithfully to the nations,' he wrote. 'But we still need the same courage as in those pioneering days because the temptation to compromise with false teaching has not gone away. 'On the contrary, it has become greater as the number of provinces rejecting the authority of Scripture grows.' GAFCON - which stands for Global Anglican Future Conference - was established in 2008 as a response to parts of the Anglican Communion departing from orthodox Anglicanism. Recalling the movement's beginnings in 2008, Archbishop Okoh said its founding members had been 'prepared to be unpopular and break with the abuse of tradition'. As the worldwide Anglican Communion prepares for the next leadership gathering, the Lambeth Conference, in 2020, Archbishop Okoh said he wanted to 'congratulate' the provinces of Rwanda, Nigeria and Uganda in declining to attend 'unless the Archbishop of Canterbury includes all faithful bishops of the Communion, and declines to invite those who continue to accept the jurisdiction of provinces which have stepped outside the boundaries of apostolic faith'. The Archbishop also praised Anglicans living out their faith in places where they face severe restrictions as he claimed that others, including 'most notoriously' those in North America, are being persecuted from within the Church. He criticised the Episcopal Church in the USA for ordering all dioceses to permit same sex marriage rites - a mandate the Bishop of Albany has rejected - and for 'relentlessly pursuing' the dioceses of South Carolina and Fort Worth in the courts over property ownership. He said the next GAFCON conference taking place in Dubai in February 2019 would be a chance to encourage Anglicans in such contexts. He continued: 'This season of Advent is a time to renew our courage as we look up and look forward...May we take this lesson to heart and know that whatever losses we may risk in this life, nothing can take away the glory to come.' 'Lead us not into temptation': Should the wording of the Lord's Prayer be changed? Moves to change the wording of the Lord's Prayer used by Catholics around the world appear to be gathering pace as the Italian Bishops' Conference has submitted a new version to the Vatican for approval. At issue is the wording of the line usually rendered in English as 'and lead us not into temptation'. Pope Francis last year took issue with that, saying it was wrong to imagine God could tempt people to do wrong and that it was 'not a good translation'. 'A father does not lead into temptation, a father helps you to get up immediately,' he said. He suggested the French version, 'do not let us enter into temptation'; Spanish-speakers have also changed their version, from 'lead us not into temptation' to 'forgive us our mistakes', though German bishops have declined to change the prayer. The version suggested by Italian Catholics is, 'abandon us not when in temptation'. At issue is not so much the literal translation of the Bible in Matthew 6:13, which does clearly imply that God is being asked not to do something. The Greek eisenenkes, means to 'lead into' or 'bring in'; it is a second-person singular verb, in the active voice and the subjunctive ('expressing wish or desire') mood. If anything it is even more emphatic in the Latin favoured by the Church: 'Et ne nos inducas in tentationem.' But questions of translation always involve some consideration of what words mean in context; some interpretation is not only permissible but is required. In this context, the verse concludes with 'but deliver us from evil', seeming to make God both responsible for evil and responsible for deliverance from it, with very little room in the middle for human choice. And this, of course, reflects a certain understanding of the mysterious sovereignty of God. But it's also true to say that while in the providence of God we may go through tempting and testing times, these are not to be sought after or welcomed (after all, we might fail the test!) so this is a prayer of humility, showing a proper trust in God. If a translation can make that clear, without doing violence to the text, it should be welcomed; as things stand, the version commonly used in English raises many questions which it isn't always easy to answer. One short and snappy alternative is Eugene Peterson's in The Message: 'Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.' Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Pakistan furious at blacklisting by US for religious freedom violations Pakistan on Wednesday denounced the United States for placing it on a list of countries violating religious freedoms, calling the designation politically motivated. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Tuesday added mainly Muslim Pakistan to the US list of 'countries of particular concern', which have violated religious freedoms or tolerated abuses against religious groups. The move is likely to put further strain on relations between Islamabad and Washington, who have repeatedly clashed over how to deal with Islamist militants waging war in Afghanistan. Pakistan's addition to the list comes despite efforts to end what in recent years has been its most controversial case involving a member of a minority religion. The Supreme Court in October acquitted a Christian woman held on death row for more than eight years on a charge of blasphemy that she denied. Asia Bibi's acquittal sparked days of violent protests by hardline Muslims. Pakistan's foreign ministry said preserving the rights of minorities was a 'cardinal principle' of the constitution, and it denounced the inclusion on the US list. 'Pakistan rejects the US State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement,' the ministry said in a statement. Last year, the United States put Pakistan on a watch-list of countries that violate religious freedom. This year came the designation, along with Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Pakistan was created out of Muslim-majority areas in colonial India in 1947, and for decades portrayed itself as a progressive Islamic nation. Starting in the 1980s, however, it has drifted towards a more conservative interpretation of Islam that has reshaped the political landscape, fuelled militancy and cowed champions of tolerance and members of minorities into silence. The vast majority of Pakistan's 208 million people are Muslims, with minorities accounting for about four per cent of the population, including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and members of the Ahmadi Muslim sect, who say they are singled out for persecution. Human rights minister Shireen Mazari said Pakistan's inclusion on the US list was 'pure political blackmailing' and an attempt by the United States to pressure Pakistan to implement US policy goals in Afghanistan. Pompeo urged counties on the list to increase respect for religious freedom. '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,' he said in a statement. Pakistan must allow Asia Bibi to migrate and stop misuse of blasphemy laws, says Christian legal group A Christian legal support group is fearing the worst for the future of believers in Pakistan after the horrific treatment of Asia Bibi. The Christian mother-of-five remains in hiding due to threats against her life after being acquitted of blasphemy charges and released from death row last month. The Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS-UK) said that Pakistan needed to allow Bibi and her family to safely migrate in light of reports that she is being hunted down by hardliners. The group said that Bibi would 'never be safe in Pakistan' despite being acquitted of all charges and that she needed a 'fresh start' in another country. It also voiced fears that instead of challenging the blasphemy laws, the Pakistani government appeared to be entrenching them further and that the future did not bode well for the country's minority Christian community. 'The situation for Christians and other religious minorities has become even more precarious as governments and politicians are hesitant and lack the will to discuss this matter in parliament because of the threats from the hardliners,' said director Nasir Saeed. 'This is a huge setback for Christians and other minorities who see no future in Pakistan if this law is not amended accordingly.' Despite appeals for asylum from the UK, US and Canada, no country has confirmed an offer to date. The UK Government has faced accusations that it is not doing enough to support Bibi, something it denies. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that speaking in detail about her case could put her at risk. 'Our primary concern is for the safety and security of Asia Bibi and her family, and we welcome a swift resolution to the situation. A number of countries are in discussions about providing a safe destination once the legal process is complete, and it would not be right for me to comment further at this stage,' he told MPs. He added: 'It is not appropriate for me to talk about a particular case, especially if there is a risk that it might put the individual or their family in some kind of further risk, but I assure him that my first concern is the safety of Asia and her family. We are working with a number of countries and I will do anything I can to keep her safe.' Mr Saeed said that any international aid and trade deals with Pakistan needed to take its track record on human rights into consideration. 'The Pakistani government also has a responsibility to ensure extremists do not simply get away with their hate crimes against minorities,' he said. People 'have not been listened to' on Brexit, says Bishop of Leeds The Bishop of Leeds has called for a cross-party solution as Westminster continues to fight over the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. In the House of Lords on Monday, Bishop Nick Baines said it was time for Prime Minister Theresa May and the Government to 'stop playing a zero-sum game' on Brexit. 'My Lords, the Prime Minister says in her statement [on exiting the EU] that those who continue to disagree need to shoulder the responsibility of advocating an alternative solution that can be delivered,' he said. 'Surely that is everybody's responsibility. She goes on to ask people to be honest about the implications of what they want. However, it seems to me that people have been honest for the last couple of years but they have not been listened to.' The bishop said that cross-party engagement could help the nation's leaders 'find a credible way ahead'. In last week's Lords debate on Brexit, the bishop had called for a withdrawal agreement that presents a bigger vision for the nation than 'just trade relationships'. He warned that the legacy of Brexit was starting to look like 'a corruption of public discourse, polarisation between people and communities, and a too frequent reduction of the polity to the merely economic'. He also said it was 'fantasy' to think that a better deal could have been negotiated, although he stopped short of giving it his outright support. 'That does not address the question of whether this compromise is acceptable but the options were never vast, even if some of the fantasies about Brexit were ridiculous,' he said. 'It was clear from the beginning that some circles were never capable of being squared, and the Government should have been honest about that from the word go.' May was forced to delay the vote on her deal in the face of a likely defeat. Persecution is a blessing, Chinese elder told church before his arrest Li Yingqiang, an elder of the Early Rain Covenant Church in China's Chengdu metropolis who was among around 100 Christians detained by authorities as part of an ongoing crackdown on believers, wrote to his church before his arrest on 'How the Church Should Face Persecution'. The Christians including the church's pastor, Wang Yi, were detained on Sunday. Li Yingqiang was discovered and arrested the following day. He wrote to the church in a post shared on Facebook that the persecution they were facing was a 'reward', and that those who had been taken before him were 'within the gracious, sovereign providence of the Lord. He will be with them in the midst of their chains and trials.' He said those who were suffering were 'blessed', adding: 'Those of us brothers and sisters standing on the front lines of the gospel war will earn great spiritual riches!' He said: 'Thank the Lord for being with us in this trial. Thank the Lord for cultivating us according to his true Word! Thank the Lord for training us through these days of hardship! Thank the Lord for sculpting us through today's persecution! May the Lord give us great joy and true hope and make us strong through reliance on him.' He said persecution might become the 'status quo' for the church in the future and warned of police divide-and-rule tactics. Li said elders who remained free should take up the responsibility of pastoring the church and resist pressure to register with the Religious Affairs Bureau or the official Three-Self Church. He said the church should strive to retain its building, but that 'if we must meet in small groups and encounter opposition while doing so, we are willing to pay an even greater price to bear witness to the great work of the gospel in our lives. 'We are willing to have 200, 300, or 500 people arrested and imprisoned. May the whole world know that we are joyfully willing to receive this persecution for the sake of our faith.' The church has been under increasing pressure to register with state-approved religious bodies, but has resisted because of its belief in the absolute separation of church and state. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said it was 'extremely concerned' by reports of the arrests. 'These actions, in addition to the continued systematic repression of Uighur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners, continue a pattern of escalating violations of religious freedom and other human rights under President Xi Jinping,' it said in a statement. 'USCIRF strongly condemns these actions by Chinese authorities and calls for the immediate release of Pastor Wang and all of his fellow church members.' US returns church bells looted after Philippines massacre Church bells taken as war trophies by US forces more than a century ago arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday, ending Manila's decades-long quest for the return of some of the most famous symbols of resistance to US colonialism. The 'Bells of Balangiga' landed in a military cargo plane at a Manila air base ahead of their return on Saturday to a church in Samar, the central island where US troops in 1901 massacred hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Filipinos to avenge an ambush that killed 48 of their comrades. General Jacob H Smith ordered that Samar should be turned into a 'howling wilderness' in retaliation and that any male over the age of 10 should be shot. He was court-martialled for 'conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline' and sentenced to be admonished. The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, praised the government for its campaign to have the bells returned and thanked the country's president Rodrigo Duterte for 'bringing a most successful and happy conclusion to all these efforts." The bells' return 'affords us an opportunity to understand and appreciate history better with a more mature perspective', he said, adding: 'It also demonstrates that the path to healing and reconciliation may be arduous but is never impossible.' 'I'm a little bit excited and a little bit emotional. At last we have seen the bells,' Father Lentoy Tybaco, the parish priest of Balangiga, told domestic television as the bells were lifted from boxes and displayed on a runway. Two of the bells had been on display at an air force base in Wyoming, the other at a US army museum in South Korea. Their return follows years of lobbying by former presidents, priests and historians, and challenges from Wyoming veterans and lawmakers opposed to dismantling a war memorial, resulting in legislation that barred their removal. The battles in Balangiga that took place towards the end of the 1899-1902 Philippine-American War marked one of the darkest chapters of US colonialism. Historians say the bells were rung to signal the start of the surprise attack on American forces, who retaliated with a massacre in which women and children were killed. Last year US secretary of defence Jim Mattis promised Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte that he would push hard for their return, which Duterte had demanded during his annual state of the nation address. The move could help to appease Duterte, who has made a point of lashing out regularly at Washington, despite a tight US-Philippines defence alliance. He has condemned what he sees as the United States' history of hypocrisy, arrogance and political interference. Duterte has yet to visit the United States as president, calling it 'lousy', although his foreign minister last month hinted the bells' return might prompt a change of heart. Giving the bells back was 'overwhelmingly viewed as the right thing to do', said Sung Kim, the US ambassador to the Philippines. 'Our militaries have fought together, bled together, at times died together,' he wrote in the Philippine Star newspaper. 'As your ally and friend, we will forever honour and respect this shared history.' Additional reporting by Reuters. World Vision and other groups expelled from Pakistan accused of spreading disinformation The government of Pakistan has expelled the evangelical relief charity World Vision, Catholic Relief Services and 16 other foreign aid groups and NGOs. The nation's 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 government's 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 group's 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 Vision's 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 Government's 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 government's 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, Switzerland's 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." Courtesy of The Christian Post Click through the slideshow above to see how your favorite Buc-ee's travel centers stack up against each other... For those traveling around Texas, Buc-ee's, that most Texas of convenience stores, is a hard place to pass up. But not all of the larger, travel center-style locations are the same. Just like Walmart, most take on the characteristics of the area around them and are molded to the needs of the customers stopping through. A BEAVER PRIMER: 25 amazing things you probably didn't know about Buc-ee's Patrons probably won't find a wide selection of river tubes at the location in Madisonville, as they would at the New Braunfels location. That river-ready Buc-ee's is the largest travel center in the chain so far according to the company. The Fort Worth location isn't as Cajun-friendly as the Baytown location. Swap TCU gear for fleur-de-lis decorations. You get the idea. LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE: The best holiday shopping finds at Buc-ee's The chain has become savvy at culturally blending in with its surroundings, or at least as much as a gas station with 60-plus pumps can blend in. We still say that the Katy location has way, way too many Dallas Cowboys trinkets. When a new location opens, the locals and those passing through end up making their mark on it and we don't mean inside the immaculate restrooms. CLEANEST IN THE LAND: Buc-ee's installs 'Tooshlights' inside a handful of roadside locations to ease restroom lines It's all about the region. As everyone knows, there exist many distinct regions in Texas each with their own culture. As seasoned Texas travelers, we've come up with a guide to the chain's biggest locations throughout the state. Each one has its own language and culture, although the hunger for Beaver Nuggets and beef jerky are universal at each one. 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... Economists report that workers are starting to act like millennials on Tinder: They're ditching jobs with nary a text. "A number of contacts said that they had been 'ghosted,' a situation in which a worker stops coming to work without notice and then is impossible to contact," the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago noted in December's Beige Book, which tracks employment trends. National data on economic "ghosting" is lacking. The term, which normally applies to dating, first surfaced on Dictionary.com in 2016. But companies across the country say silent exits are on the rise. Analysts blame America's increasingly tight labor market. Job openings have surpassed the number of seekers for eight straight months, and the unemployment rate has clung to a 49-year low of 3.7 percent since September. Janitors, baristas, welders, accountants, engineers - they're all in demand, said Michael Hicks, a labor economist at Ball State University in Indiana. More people may opt to skip tough conversations and slide right into the next thing. "Why hassle with a boss and a bunch of out-processing," he said, "when literally everyone has been hiring?" Recruiters at the global staffing firm Robert Half have noticed a "ten to twenty percent increase" in ghosting over the past year, D.C. district president Josh Howarth said. Applicants blow off interviews. New hires turn into no-shows. Workers leave one evening and never return. "You feel like someone has a high level of interest only for them to just disappear," Howarth said. Over the summer, woes he heard from clients emerged in his own life. A job candidate for a recruiter role asked for a day to mull over an offer, saying she wanted to discuss the terms with her spouse. Then she halted communication. "In fairness, Howarth said, "there are some folks who might have so many opportunities they're considering they honestly forget." Keith Station, director of business relations at Heartland Workforce Solutions, which connects job hunters with companies in Omaha, said service workers in his area are most likely to skip out on low-paying service positions. "People just fall off the face of the Earth," he said of the area, which has an especially low unemployment rate of 2.8 percent. Some employers in Nebraska are trying to avoid unfilled shifts with apprentice programs that guarantee raises and additional training over time. "Then you want to stay and watch your wage grow," Station said. Other recruitment businesses point to solutions from China, where ghosting took off during the last decade's explosive growth. "We generally make two offers for every job because somebody doesn't show up," said Rebecca Henderson, chief executive of Randstad Sourceright, a talent acquisition firm. And if both hires stick around, she said, her multinational clients are happy to deepen the bench. While ghosting in the United States does not yet require that level of back-up planning, consultants urge employers to build meaningful relationships at every stage of the hiring process. Someone who feels invested in an enterprise is less likely to bounce, write Melissa and Johnathan Nightingale, co-authors of "How F*cked Up Is Your Management?: An uncomfortable conversation about modern leadership." "Employees leave jobs that suck," they said in an email. "Jobs where they're abused. Jobs where they don't care about the work. And the less engaged they are, the less need they feel to give their bosses any warning." Some employees are simply young and restless, said James Cooper, former manager of the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone Park, where he said people ghosted regularly. A few of his staffers were college students who lived in park dormitories for the summer. "My favorite," he said, "was a kid who left a note on the floor in his dorm room that said 'sorry bros, had to ghost.'" Other ghosters describe an inner voice that just says: Nah. Zach Keel, a 26-year-old server in Austin, made the call last year to flee a Texas bar-slash-cinema after realizing he would have to clean the place until sunrise. More work, he calculated, was always around the corner. "I didn't call," Keel said. "I didn't show up. I figured: No point in feeling guilty about something that wasn't that big of an issue. Turnover is so high, anyway." Environmentalists are threatening to file a lawsuit to block a proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville after the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality decided against holding a special hearing for the project's permit application. TCEQ commissioners met at the agency's headquarters in Austin on Wednesday morning to decide whether or not to hold a contested case hearing on an air pollution permit application filed by Houston-based NextDecade for the company's Rio Grande LNG project. NextDecade has been seeking permission from both TCEQ and federal regulators since May 2016 to build a pipeline that will move natural gas from the Agua Dulce hub near Corpus Christi to the Port of Brownsville where the company also wants to build an LNG plant that will liquefy the gas and allow it to be shipped overseas. A coalition of environmentalists, fishermen, shrimpers, neighboring cities and concerned residents opposing the project asked TCEQ to hold a contested case hearing to discuss health, safety and property concerns. In a four-minute decision, commissioners voted against holding the hearing, which means that the project's permit application will move to the next step of the process. The decision quickly drew criticism from members of a coalition named Save RGV From LNG. "This is yet another example of the TCEQ rubber-stamping air permits for the fossil fuel industry, but it's not a done deal," Save RGV From LNG organizer Rebekah Hinojosa said in a statement. "Locals, along with allies across the state, will continue to pressure the regulators to deny all permits for Rio Grande LNG." Gov. Abbott: Texas now an exporter of LNG NextDecade has yet to receive approval the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the Rio Grande LNG project but that decision is expected to be made in July 2019. If TCEQ grants an air permit to Rio Grande LNG, Save RGV From LNG said in a statement that the group can file a lawsuit against the agency alleging that the permit is deficient under state law. A potential lawsuit, the environmental group reported, could delay construction of the terminal for one to two years. TCEQ Chairman Jon Niermann explained his decision during the meeting. Under state law, contested case hearings are reserved for people, organizations or cities who are given "affected person" status. That status is only given to requesters who are personally affected by the permit decision in ways not shared by the general public -- such as impairing their health or safety or by interfering with the use or enjoyment of their property. Niermann said almost all of the requesters lived too far away to quality as affected persons. Although the City of Port Isabel requested affected person status and its city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction potentially qualified for that status, Niermann said there is no developed property near the proposed site due to an easement for a nearby wildlife refuge. "With this unusual permanent buffer, the traditional public health and welfare interest that can create affected persons status for a city on behalf of its residents, is just not present here," Niermann said. "And in addition, the economic and tourism related concerns at the city cites don't differentiate it from members of the general public." Port Isabel City Manager Jared Hockema said the city remains opposed to the project and is exploring its next steps. "To say that a facility should escape scrutiny of its environmental impact because it is located adjacent to a wildlife refuges is truly perverse," Hockema said. Politics: Houston mayor takes heat from activists for backing LNG project The Mexican government has cancelled bidding on two auctions that would have allowed hydraulic fracturing in the border state of Tamaulipas and brought more foreign oil companies south of the border. Mexico's National Hydrocarbon Commission announced late Tuesday afternoon that it was cancelling its Round 3.2 and Round 3.3 auctions and postponing farmouts with national oil company Petroleos Mexicanos. Metrostudy and Meyers Research -- competitors in the residential construction data and consulting industry -- are merging as part of a larger acquisition and consolidation by MidOcean Partners, a New York private equity firm. MidOcean announced Wednesday its acquisitions and merger of Washington D.C.-based Hanley Wood, the parent company of Metrostudy and Meyers Research, previously a subsidiary of real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson. Southern California-based Meyers Research developed the Zonda data platform. Jeff Meyers, founder and president of Meyers Research, will lead the new company as CEO. Meyers formed Meyers Research in 2006 after having led Hanley Wood Market Intelligence, the predecessor of Metrostudy. The combined company will offer data from land acquisitions to new home sales and marketing. RELATED: Houston ranks as a bargain for first-time homebuyers "Today marks a historic moment for Hanley Wood and Meyers Research. I am thrilled that our organizations have come together as one and look forward to working with these talented teams to continue to push the boundaries of innovation in our industry. The combination of these complementary offerings will enable us to accelerate new product development and deliver the most robust capabilities and services in the industry to our customers," Meyers said in an announcement. Hanley Wood CEO Peter Goldstone will stay on during the transition. "My 18 years at Hanley Wood have been incredibly rewarding and exciting. It has been an honor to work with all of the outstanding professionals that have made Hanley Wood a company that is respected by all, both within the construction and design markets, and the broader B2B information and media landscape. The past chapter has been one of growth and transformation, positioning Hanley Wood to thrive and expand in the future," Wood said in the statement. MidOcean will be the controlling shareholder of the combined company, and Kennedy Wilson will retain a minority ownership position. Other financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher advised MidOcean. Evercore and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom advised Hanley Wood. Vaquero Capital and Latham & Watkins advised Meyers Research. Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District students in the West Houston Mobile Home Community and Weiman Mobile Home Park now have access to the CFISD servers and internet thanks to the iConnect initiative. The iConnect program gives students who may not have access to internet the ability to work online from home by allowing CFISD students to check out laptops from the library with secure Wi-Fi connectivity. In late October, the school district announced the programs implementation in West Houston and Weiman with iConnect Festivals at both mobile home communities. Leslie Francis, assistant superintendent for communication and community relations for CFISD, said the district researched which communities should receive the service. "An assessment was conducted based on STAAR data, the identification of communities with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students that feed into Title I campuses, and the need to provide students with additional academic resources outside of the school day," Francis said. The school district first introduced the program in May 2018 at the Tanner Road mobile home community. Linda Macias, associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction and accountability for CFISD, said the program is the result of Title IV funds CFISD received during the 2017-2018 school year, allowing CFISD to initiate the program with Layer 3 Communications, a network systems integrator. The iConnect program provides opportunities for more students to have school-to-home technology opportunities, she said. In the 2018-2019 school year we were awarded the Technology Lending Grant [of $150,000] from the Texas Education Agency. Those funds along with Title IV funds and our partnership with Layer 3 Communications allowed us to expand to the Weiman and West Houston mobile home communities. Yvette Garcia, Truitt Middle School principal, said the initiative has allowed teachers to expand their teaching methods. Students can access assignments and documents teachers have given them to study or complete. Kids are spending more time on reading and math programs and this is making a positive impact on instruction in the classroom, Garcia said. Many teachers are creating daily videos and reviews for students to access at home. Students are also accessing online reading materials at home. Along with internet access, the iConnect program lets students the access e-books, connect to Google Classroom and use the computers during summer break for supplemental education. Lanette Bellamy, principal of Labay Middle School, said the iConnect program motivates students to be more intuitive and creative. Our students are definitely taking more ownership in their learning and working to be creators of the learning, Bellamy said. The students are able to utilize the technology to create products that were not possible before; they are excited to be able to take the devices home as their own and are empowered to take part in innovative learning experiences. Although the program is only at the Tanner Road, Weimann and West Houston mobile home communities, Macias said CFISD plans to expand the program after monitoring usage as funds become available. Currently, teachers are working with CFISD to expand activities available through the iConnect program. chevall.pryce@chron.com 3 1 of 3 Humble ISD Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Humble ISD Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Humble ISD board of trustees approved the final design of Elementary No. 29 designed by Joiner Architects during Tuesday nights regular meeting. Elementary No. 29 is a $35-$40 million project that is funded through a $245 million bond that was approved in 2008. A grand jury in Tulsa, Okla. indicted Kingwood resident and physician Jerry Keepers along with two other men in connection with an alleged conspiracy to commit $4.7 million in health care fraud. Keepers, named as a defendant in the indictment is charged with soliciting and receiving over $860,000 in illegal bribe and kickback payments from Tulsa residents Christopher Parks and Gary Lee, who is also a physician. According to a news release from the Department of JusticeNorthern District of Oklahoma, the criminal indictment alleges that since November 2012, Parks and Lee formed a conspiracy to pay kickbacks and bribes to physicians to write compounding prescriptions to pharmacies with whom Parks and Lee were affiliated with, including NBJ Pharmacy and Airport McKay Pharmacy in Houston. The indictment alleges physicians were provided pre-printed prescription pads that listed compounding formula choices. Physicians participating in the scheme would check a box with their preferred selection and then faxed it directly to the affiliated pharmacies, rather than writing a prescription tailored to the patient who could take it to a pharmacy of their choice. PATIENTS-FOR-HIRE: Houston clinic owner sentenced in $17 million Medicare fraud scheme Payments to physicians were disguised through various business arrangements, according to the indictment. For example, physicians would allegedly enter into agreements with a pharmacy to serve as medical directors. However, the physicians would provide no actual services as medical directors, according to the charges. Instead, physicians were allegedly paid kickbacks for writing prescriptions for medications whether or not their patients needed them and sending the prescriptions to pharmacies affiliated with Parks and Lee. As a result of Parks and Lees scheme, federal health care programs suffered a total estimated loss of at least $4.7 million. Conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute carries a possible maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while violating the anti-kickback statute carries up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 possible fine. A conviction of health care fraud without injury or death carries also carries a possible maximum of 10 years in prison, but if resulting in injury or death, the maximum penalty climbs to 20 years or life in prison, respectively. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody N. Nelson and Richard M. Cella are prosecuting the case. The Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Service-OIG, FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services-OIG conducted the investigation. SOUTHEAST TEXAS: Medicare fraud takedown nets 48 defendants Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. It has a costly effect on the taxpayer and beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, TRICARE, and workers compensation coverage under the Federal Employees Compensation Act, said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. The Justice Department will not stand idly by while physicians exploit federal programs designed to help American families. I encourage the public to report suspicious health care practices and billing to federal authorities. We will investigate and bring to justice those defrauding our system for their personal benefit. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law. kaila.contreras@chron.com Filmed in Houston, a new stand-up comedy special by Gabriel Iglesias, known as "Fluffy" to fans, is heading to Netflix. Taped at Toyota Center in September, "One Show Fits All" is scheduled to debut on the streaming service January 29, 2019, according to a Facebook post by the downtown arena on Wednesday. Conroe resident Jean Landrum is overcome with sorrow when she reflects on Christmas 2007. It was the last one she spent with two of her children before they were killed the following year in separate vehicle crashes two months apart. Its still hard, Landrum said weeping. The pain doesnt go away. Its been 10 years, but when I wake up its right there. As a recording of Silent Night played Tuesday evening, Landrum, 62, and several other family and loved ones of violent crime victims devotedly hung angel ornaments on the artificial tree standing in the Montgomery County Courthouse lobby during the 22nd annual Tree of Angels dedication. Attached to the figurines were small notes addressed to the departed. It is very important, keeping their name alive, Landrum said. Its beautiful, but it breaks your heart. Landrum, and her husband Gary, 62, lost their 26-year-old son Adam when his motorcycle was struck by a drunken driver on the Interstate 45 feeder road. The incident followed the death of their 17-year-old daughter Jaclyn in another I-45 feeder road wreck. Law enforcement officials tasked with helping win the victims justice accompanied the bereaved during the bittersweet Christmastime reunion. Delivering the invocation, a visibly shaken Assistant District Attorney Andrew James expressed his sympathy for many of the attendees loss. I have always been so impressed by the strength and the grace that so many of yall exhibit over the years, James said. By being here you are serving and supporting each other in memory of those who are no longer here with us. A statewide tradition, Tree of Angels was begun in 1991 by the Austin-based People Against Violent Crimes advocacy group. Some years later, Tree of Angels made it to Montgomery County. The anti-impaired driving group DWI Tracker currently sponsors the event. For the groups co-founder Margaret Smith, whose 18-year-old daughter Meghann Marie was killed by a drunk driver 10 years ago, the tree serves as catharsis. After the first time you come, you realize Hey, thats my daughter. Thats my angel, Smith said. We never want to forget. As the gathering drew to a close, Landrum read a poem. Someday I know all will be well and Ill see you again with stories to tell of how you were missed and how we have hurt and how good it is to finally be home. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx With his final words, Alvin Braziel admitted guilt. After a flurry of last-minute appeals, the 43-year-old met his end in the Huntsville death chamber at 7:19 p.m., a quarter century after he forced Lora White to watch as he killed her husband before dragging her into the bushes and raping her. "I would like to thank all those overseas, Italy and France, for their support for the death row prisoners," he said, according to a prison spokesman. "I would also like to apologize to Lori for the second time for her husband dying at my hand." He took nine minutes to die. Barely an hour before his execution, Braziel's attorneys begged a Texas appeals court to call off the Dallas County man's date with death, alleging the state had just admitted to prosecutorial misconduct that occurred 17 years earlier. Braziel was the 13th and final execution in Texas this year, but at 11 a.m. - seven hours before the planned death by lethal injection - state prosecutors reached out to Braziel's attorneys with an admission. They said they'd gotten a call the night before from Tom D'Amore, who prosecuted the case during nearly two decades earlier. D'Amore allegedly confessed that, during the 2001 trial, fellow prosecutor George West implied he'd purposefully provoked the slain man's wife into an emotional outburst on the stand when he showed her an autopsy photo of her murdered husband. At the time, Braziel's attorneys moved for a mistrial - but the court turned it down after West said he wasn't trying to get that response. After this week's admission laid out in court filings, Braziel's attorneys on Tuesday asked the trial court to call off the execution. The trial court agreed - but only if the prosecutor would submit a sworn statement. With the clock ticking down to 6 p.m., defense attorneys David Dow and Jeff Newberry filed a similar request with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals just before 5 p.m., in case they couldn't get a sworn statement in time. "The State only disclosed this information today," the lawyers wrote. "Had trial counsel had made this disclosure as recently as a month ago, there would have been sufficient time to develop the claim." Yet, even after they managed to secure an emailed statement from D'Amore, the trial court rejected Braziel's appeal just before 6 p.m., and the appeals court - over dissents from Judge Elsa Alcala and Judge Scott Walker - turned him down as well. Calling it the sort of "unique and extraordinary" circumstances that should merit a stay, Alcala wrote that it was "wholly unrealistic and patently unreasonable" to expect defense lawyers to resolve unanswered questions so quickly. "It is axiomatic that a death sentence is irreversible," she wrote, "and no one could reasonably believe that it should be carried out with such serious allegations of possible prosecutorial misconduct pending." The last-minute legal wrangling came after decades of litigation and investigation. On the evening of Sept. 21, 1993, Lora and Douglas White went on an after-dinner walk on a jogging trail at a Dallas-area community college. Sometime after 8:45 p.m, a man emerged from the bushes, brandishing a gun and demanding money from the terrified newlyweds. But the couple didn't have cash, and their attacker instead forced them to their knees, according to court records. They started to pray - and their assailant mocked them. "Where is your God at now?" he asked. Then, he shot Douglas in the head, kicked him and shot him in the chest, according to court records. Lora heard the air rush out of her husband's chest before the attacker dragged her back into the bushes and raped her while she prayed. Afterward, he kissed her and told her she'd done "real good," records show. For years, the brutal crime at Mesquite's Eastfield College went unsolved. Then in 2001, DNA testing matched evidence from Lora's rape to a man already behind bars - convicted criminal Alvin Braziel. Braziel was serving a five-year sentence for an unrelated sexual assault of a child when testing done at a Department of Public Safety lab in Garland flagged him as a possible match to the suspect who attacked Lora. Ten days later, Braziel was indicted. In a lineup, Lora picked out Braziel as the man who attacked her. But Braziel said he wasn't there - though he couldn't remember where he was that night, according to Dallas Morning News coverage of the trial. In court, family and friends testified on his behalf, saying he was trustworthy and a good father. Prosecutors told the court about prior offenses, including a high-speed chase and a carjacking. And, just before Lora's dramatic outburst on the stand, West allegedly told his co-counsel, "Watch this." After seeing the morbid picture, Lora left the courtroom crying so loudly that jurors could still hear her inside. But, 17 year later, it was not her tears but those two words from the prosecutor that sparked the futile last-minute appeal. When the jury convicted him in 2001, even his trial team admitted they weren't surprised; attorney Richard Franklin said the evidence against him was "overwhelming." After he was sent to death row, his attorneys on appeal raised claims of sub-par representation earlier in the case, saying trial lawyers failed to bring up his abusive upbringing, family history of mental illness and childhood head injury as possible reasons to consider a life sentence instead of death. The appeals attorneys also alleged that prosecutors withheld relevant evidence - including a police report - and that Braziel was denied due process when investigators used an "unduly suggestive" photo line-up to help the surviving victim identify him. Days before his scheduled execution, his lawyers asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to consider whether he is too intellectually disabled to execute - but a day later the legal team withdrew their motion. Texas has executed 13 men so far in 2018, more than any other state. There are six already scheduled to die in 2019. Authorities are searching for a pair of armed robbers who opened fire with an AK-47 during an armored truck robbery in broad daylight Monday. The robbers targeted an armored truck while it was parked at the Chase bank in the 10900 block of Scarsdale Boulevard around 11 a.m. A Loomis truck was servicing the bank's drive-thru ATM when two men rushed the truck, according to the FBI's Houston field office. The driver of the truck honked the horn to alert the other worker about the men, authorities said. The worker servicing the ATM dropped the money bag and ran into the truck for cover. As that happened, one of the suspects opened fire toward the truck as the two grabbed the cash bag and fled the scene. No one was injured. MUGSHOTS: Houstonians behind bars for murder in 2018 The suspects are described as two black males, wearing hooded jackets and bandanas to cover their face. Only one of the suspects had the long gun, authorities said. They were seen fleeing the bank in a dark-colored SUV. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is urged to call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). 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 At the end of last week, the negotiations between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place in Moscow. The Greek leader spoke on a possibility of moving the Turkish Stream through Turkey and Greece to Italy and further to Europe, adding that there are double standards inside the European Union when on the one hand, they encourage, and on the other hand, hinder the development of the Turkish Stream towards Greece and Italy. There is a stable position within Italy and within the European Union, and we believe that the mutual understanding will be reached on these issues in the future so the double standards cannot be applied by the European Commission. " As Hurryiet Daily News writes in the article Analysis: Why Europeans should lose sleep over Italy and not Turkey? the financial net worth of the general government sector is the total value of its financial assets minus the total value of its outstanding liabilities. Positive financial net worth signals the strength and health of public finances. It also shows the government will be able to continue its policy programs without experiencing financial stress. Conversely, negative financial net worth points toward a level of fragility that requires policy actions such as tax increases and/or government expenditure decreases. It is true that this measure only reflects the financial side of the public sectors balance sheet and does not consider the non-financial part. While a governments non-financial assets include buildings, infrastructure, land, and machinery, its non-financial liabilities comprise pensions and health care related costs. Since the measurement of the non-financial part of the balance sheet is not standardized across OECD countries, drawing conclusions based on non-financial assets is rather challenging. For example, many macroeconomists claim that the negative financial net worth of countries like the U.S. and Japan isnt worth worrying about because these countries are asset-rich. The following analysis focuses on the financial side of the balance sheet and uses Financial Net Worth (as percentage of GDP) to shed light on the current situation. Based on 2017 OECD figures, the financial net worth of general governments across countries (excluding Norway) averaged a negative 74 percent of the GDP, meaning that for every 1 percent of the GDP in assets, governments owed 1.74 percent of the GDP. It is worth noting that Nordic countries such as oil-rich Norway and Sweden have the best financial net worth levels, whereas Greece and Italyhave the worst standings. The situation in Greece is well-known, the country has been struggling financially since 2010. However, now is when Italy has its moment of reckoning. The countrys governmental financial net worth stands at -126 percent of their GDP. It is a country that has been plagued by various problems for years. It ranks among the countries with the largest debt ($2.3 trillion) and the most unemployment. Moreover, Italys eclectic ruling coalition comprised of the Five Star Movement and the Lega Nord announced a budget that foresees a more-than-expected spending deficit in 2019. Given the countrys negative net worth, this is exactly the opposite of what markets are expecting. As a matter of fact, financial players were hoping for more responsible fiscal discipline and a plan to reduce the countrys debt. Moreover, Italys populist government and anti-EUR rhetoric have not helped either. This, in sum, explains the current anxiety surrounding Italy and why European financial markets have been under such pressure. Italy is simply too important for the EUR project and Europeans, especially Germans, cannot afford to have it exit the single currency. In contrast, the Turkish governmental financial situation is much better with a financial net worth of -17.4 percent of the GDP, which is much more manageable. Naturally, we should strive for a situation like that of Swedens as we carry on with fiscal discipline. In sharp contrast to Italian policy makers, Turkish economic policy makers have recently been taking a cooperative stance with their European partners, Germany and France. This is not to say that everything is rosy for Turkey. There are serious issues such as private sector debt and asset-liability mismatch that need to be addressed. It is also true that the Turkishgovernment has less non-financial assets than the Italian government. However, we can comfortably argue that it is much easier for Turkey to overcome its difficulties than it is for Italy, as the scale of the debt problem is much smaller. Of course, this argument is only valid on the condition that Turkey continues to determinedly tackle its financial issues in a serious manner. The government also needs to be creative in how it goes about fixing its problems. Rather than following traditional recipes, the Turkish state can afford to have an entrepreneurial role in order to transform its economy. All in all, it will be a hard road, but it will be a road worth taking. A nonprofit formed by city of Houston leaders may seek temporary control of up to 15 Houston ISD campuses in neighborhoods with historically low-performing schools, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Tuesday. The nonprofit, created by Turners education czar and led by Turner-appointed board members, marks the citys effort to improve academic performance at chronically low-rated schools while helping HISD stave off state sanctions tied to academic failures at some of those campuses. The director of Turners Office of Education Initiatives, Juliet Stipeche, unveiled several details about the nonprofit for the first time last week in an interview with the Houston Chronicle. In a press release Tuesday, Turner added two new pieces of information to the nonprofits plans: The organization is eyeing control of as many as 15 schools, and six people likely will be added to the nonprofits current three-person governing board. The campuses likely would be clustered in a few geographic areas, where elementary and middle schools funnel students to the same high school. Turner did not name specific schools under consideration. When our schools perform better and we retain local control over them, we prevent our children from failing, we prevent ourselves from failing our children, we improve our future as a city and we control our own fate as a community, Turner said in a statement. HISD faces the possibility of forced campus closures or a state takeover of the districts locally elected board of trustees if any one of the districts four longest-struggling campuses fails to meet state academic standards in 2019. The district, however, could preempt those sanctions for two years by temporarily surrendering control of the four campuses to an outside organization, such as a nonprofit, charter school network, higher education institution or governmental entity. The city-backed nonprofit likely would seek control of those four campuses Highland Heights Elementary School, Henry Middle School, and Kashmere and Wheatley high schools as well as campuses neighboring them. HISD administrators and trustees have shown little appetite for relinquishing control of district schools, though that could change as a February 2019 deadline for submitting partnership plans to the state approaches. Trustees are expected to consider and possibly vote Thursday on authorizing Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan to issue a request-for-proposal seeking potential partners, according to the posted board agenda. Lathan has said she does not believe members of the public want outside organizations running campuses, and trustees have offered relatively little public support for the idea to date. As HISD officials have spent the past few months making few moves on the private partnership front, Stipeche and other civic advocates have worked to form a nonprofit capable of operating HISD campuses. They have worked at the behest of Turner, who has advocated for avoiding a state takeover of HISDs school board. It is widely believed that Texas Education Agency leaders, who would decide which sanction to impose if one of the four campuses fails to meet standard, would prefer to replace HISDs school board rather over close schools. The group ultimately formed a nonprofit in late November called the Coalition for Educational Excellence and Equity in Houston. City officials have not released a proposal or framework for their plans to operate HISD campuses, though Stipeche said she envisions working through a collective-impact approach to lock arms with the community, to reimagine what we can do to support our schools. The nonprofits leaders have not held public meetings, though engagement with the effected communities would take place if discussions with HISD turn more serious, Stipeche said. For Tamika Whitmire, whose son is a senior at Kashmere High School, her top priority is to keep the campus open in the long term. She said the nonprofits efforts could be a good idea, particularly given Turners deep Houston roots, but she would prefer HISD retain control over the campus. I would like to know more about what theyre planning to do, Whitmire said. Nobody has said anything to us. Are the teachers going to be certified? Whats their plan? Whos going to be running it? What kind of equipment are they going to be using? The statement from the mayor noted that the coalition would rely on state per-student funding and private contributions. Under Texas law, the nonprofit likely would be entitled to an additional $1,200 per student in state funding, on top of current allocations. The nonprofits three initial board members are Trinidad Trini Mendenhall, the co-founder of the grocery chain Fiesta Mart and president of the real estate investment firm Fulton Shopping Center; Stephanie Nellons-Paige, the vice president of external affairs for Texas Central Railway and wife of former HISD superintendent Rod Paige; and Corbin Robertson Jr., CEO and chairman of the mining company Natural Resources Partners. Stipeche would serve as a non-voting board member. The three voting board members have extensive Houston ties, long histories of civic engagement and close connections to many community networks that could provide resources to underperforming schools. However, the trio does not have deep personal connections to campuses likely under consideration for partnerships, and the still-unpublished proposal will be met with skepticism given the fast-approaching February 2019 deadline. A vocal contingent of Houston residents adamantly has opposed partnerships, arguing they represent an improper privatization of public schools. jacob.carpenter@chron.com twitter.com/chronjacob Who is running for president in 2020? Potential candidates are lining up to go head-to-head with President Donald Trump. In a crowded field, we've rounded up the 15 democrats most likely to run in the next presidential election, according to the Washington Post, along with five Republican candidates who could challenge Trump, per TheWeek.com. In a federal case that is likely the first of its kind, wealthy Brazilian grandparents were sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for helping kidnap their grandson from Houston where their daughter had joint custody with the boys father. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett noted that the 2013 kidnapping happened in the wake of a broken marriage that had been volatile and fraught with domestic violence, which swayed him to hand down sentences for both defendants that were well below federal guidelines. The judge sentenced the grandfather, Carlos Guimaraes, 68, to three months in prison and the boys grandmother, Jemima Guimaraes, 66, to one month in a federal facility, after which both defendants must serve one year of supervised release. The couple may not contact their daughter, a co-defendant in the case, but the judge did not prohibit them from communicating with their grandson. The couples daughter, 40-year-old Marcelle Guimaraes, was indicted in the same kidnapping case but remains in Brazil with the child, Nicolas Brann, now 9. Though her whereabouts in the Brazilian beach city of Salvador is no mystery, the federal government considers her a fugitive. The Guimaraes, a businessman and a primary school director, were convicted in May. The case was one of only 53 international parental abduction prosecutions brought by the Justice Department and the first conviction the U.S. Sentencing Commission could document involving noncustodial grandparents, the judge said. There was one other prosecution of an abducted childs uncle, according to the lead prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack. The Guimaraes case garnered international media attention, in part because the boys physician father, Dr. Christopher Brann, advocated for courts, legislators and diplomats in two countries to intervene and testified at hearings on Capitol Hill. A letter from four U.S. Senators urging the boys prompt return coincided with the grandparents trial, a detail the judge said he was glad the jury never discovered. One of the most notable backers seated on the fathers side in the packed courtroom Wednesday was David Goldman, a New Jersey father who inspired an Obama-era law giving the State Department more tools to help so-called left behind parents. Goldman was reunited with his son in 2009, five years after his former wife left for Brazil with the boy. Most recent international kidnappings involve a mother taking a child from a father, and in almost every case the parent accused of abducting a child makes a claim of family violence, said Laura Dale, a Houston lawyer specializing in international child abductions. It was a point the grandparents defense raised repeatedly throughout the case. The only thing that brought them into the judicial system was their love of their daughter and their belief that she was a victim of domestic violence, said attorney Jennifer Brevorka. The judge also said that determining a sentence in this case was complicated by the fact that he had heard evidence of such violence. Carlos Guimaraes also cited similar concerns. Holding his wifes hand at a podium, he told the judge, We supported our daughter Marcelle and Nico for fear, due to abuse and violence they faced in her marriage. The grandfather said Brazil law obligates parents to support their children even after they are adults. He did not express regret for helping his daughter get her footing in Brazil after she fled the U.S., but added, We deeply regret where we are today we are at your mercy. Jemima Guimaraes, who was tearful throughout the four-hour hearing, told the judge in Portuguese through a interpreter, I would only like to say that we have nothing against this country. After sentencing, their daughter told a crowd of reporters via Skype from her Brazilian apartment that she was horrified her parents were going to prison. Im shocked, paralyzed, scared, Marcelle Guimaraes said. I dont know what Im going to say to Nico today. What would you say to your 9-year-old? Moments later the lanky young man at the center of the international legal spat wandered into the frame and draped his arms around his mothers neck. Brann, the boys father, read a lengthy statement about how his life unraveled after his wife left Houston with their preschooler, whom he called, my greatest joy. For years, I have begged and begged and begged them to bring my boy back, but they refused, he said. Brann said he experienced panic attacks and nightmares and his elderly father was forced to work past his planned retirement to help Brann cover the cost of his six lawyers and related costs. He blamed his former in-laws for inflicting such trauma upon him and his son and other relatives on the boys fathers side. He said the boy will probably never meet his little brother, a child from Branns second marriage. This was not their decision to make, he said. He doesnt know his aunts uncles, cousins, grandmother and grandfather. Theyve done everything they can to destroy his relationships with his family. The protracted conflict began when Marcelle Guimaraes took then 3-year-old Nicolas with her to a family wedding in July 2013 and never returned. In 2017, Marcelle and her parents were charged under seal, and the grandparents were arrested when their plane touched down in Miami. Witnesses at the 10-day jury trial said the boys grandmother helped her daughter land a job at her school and enrolled the boy there. The grandfather helped pay tuition for the boy at schools in both countries and bought a series of return tickets for Marcelle and the boy that prosecutors said were part of a coverup. Evidence indicated the grandparents provided housing and helped pay attorney fees. Marcelle said Wednesday, via Skype, that she kept her son in Brazil because she was afraid for their safety, even though they were separated. She said Brann hit her, slammed her against a wall and caused her to temporarily lose her hearing. Brann, who said most of combative episodes were mutual, said he just wants his child back home. The sentencing likely wont change that, he acknowledged. The overarching impact of an abduction on a child is devastating. Either no explanation or explanation that is horrible, said Dale, an experienced lawyer on these cases who has no connection to the Guimaraes case. What happens today will ultimately send a very clear message about what the United States thinks about parental child abduction, said Jared Genser, the attorney for Brann. It would be a shot in the arm of hope for so many thousands of other left-behind parents who are struggling often in silence and enormous anguish to bring their own children back home. But the judge focused on the person he considered the real victim. Most important, the judge said, the court is mindful of the significant impact this case has had on young Nicolas himself torn between two parents and two countries, prevented by his mother to be permitted to return to the country of his birth. gabrielle.banks@chron.com The city of Houston has alleged in a legal claim that the voter-approved charter amendment granting firefighters equal pay to police officers is unconstitutional and preempted by Texas local government code, echoing a similar contention from the Houston Police Officers Union. The claim, filed in state district court as part of the police unions lawsuit against the Houston Professional Fire Firefighters Association and the city, comes 10 days after a judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of Proposition B, which passed with 59 percent of the vote last month. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday. In its argument, the city contends that the pay parity amendment, which applies to firefighters and police officers of corresponding status, directly conflicts with the collective bargaining process and guidelines for firefighter compensation laid out in the Texas Local Government Code, meaning it is expressly preempted and therefore invalid. The city filed the claim against both the fire and police unions because it is listed as a defendant in the police unions suit. An attorney for the fire union initially called the lawsuit a ruse, predicting the city would flop once the police sue over this charter amendment. It is a fairly common legal maneuver to bring suit against someone on your side in order to involve them in the lawsuit, said Jay Kumar Aiyer, an assistant professor of public policy at Texas Southern University. In this case, it made sense for the police union to file the suit, he said, because it is raising the argument that the charter amendment ties the unions contract negotiating processes together. You have this sort of odd situation where a defendant and the plaintiff are on the same side, Aiyer said. Strategically, it was a smart way of being able to sort of control the process. Amid the developing legal battle, fire union president Marty Lancton has urged Mayor Sylvester Turner to work out a contract that Lancton says would supersede the amendment. Turner has refused, saying a judge first should settle a number of legal questions surrounding the issue, namely whether state law preempts the amendment. Lancton has argued that a legally negotiated contract with firefighters would settle this issue, once and for all. The citys claim further includes a previous legal argument that the amendment is unconstitutionally vague, in part because it does not lay out the amount of compensation for each firefighter. Separately, it says the ballot item failed to meet the requirement of the Local Government Code section that says the referendum needed to include a proposed minimum salary for each firefighter rank. Lancton previously noted that the city was tasked with drawing up the ballot language; a mayoral spokesperson said the city used the wording included on the union petitions seeking to put the charter amendment to voters. Turner, who recently received City Council approval to hire an outside law firm to handle Prop B matters, has made the same arguments included in Mondays counterclaim. In a statement, he said that any salary negotiations requested by the union are nothing more than a distraction and an attempt to confuse the issue. Lancton has said the union sought to negotiate with Turner for more than a year, and its offer to meet any place, any time, remains open. On Tuesday, he took issue with Turners use of the outside firm, Norton Rose Fulbright, to file a claim against the fire union. In a statement, he accused the mayor of using his army of city and corporate lawyers to defy the voters will. The mayors million-dollar demand for taxpayer-funded legal fees to defend Prop B litigation was just a phony pretext to fund his continuing political and legal war against Houston firefighter families, Lancton said, contending the legal battle is a waste of taxpayer funds. City Council last month approved a $500,000 contract with Norton Rose, roughly half Turners initial request. Aside from arguments about the local government code, the citys counterclaim states that if the amendment is implemented, the city will suffer particularized injury, such as severely reduced staff, loss of essential city services, and erosion of the citys credit outlook. Turner has said passage of the parity measure would results in the layoff of as many as 1,000 city employees, including firefighters and police. Lancton called warnings a scare tactic, arguing it is possible to implement parity without slashing staff. Fitch Ratings last month downgraded Houstons credit outlook following Prop Bs passage. Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, who announced in late October that he would run for mayor next year because he was disappointed in Turners performance, has offered to mediate the Prop B feud, an offer the mayor is unlikely to accept. Buzbee appeared to side with the fire union when he said in a joint statement with Lancton that the city should equally value our police and fire first responders. Hanging over the ongoing legal battle is the prospect of mass layoffs of city employees, which Turner has said would be necessary due to the cost of implementing pay parity. The mayor and Controller Chris Brown have said the amendment would cost nearly $100 million a year, and Turner instructed each city department in September to submit budget reduction plans. jasper.scherer@chron.com twitter.com/jaspscherer A suspected killer whose been wanted for months by Houston police is now behind bars. Levar Knox, 39, is accused of gunning down 25-yea-rold Ryan White after an argument outside Knox's Alief apartment Sept. 24. White was at Knox's apartment in the 8800 block Boone Road that night when the two got into an argument, a witness told Houston Police Department homicide detectives. The witness, whose statements were outlined in an arrest warrant affidavit against Knox, saw Knox pull out a handgun from his waist before ducking for cover behind a fence. POLICE SHOOTING: Wounded Harris County deputy 'in good spirits' The witness said he heard several gunshots before re-emerging from behind the fence and finding White critically wounded, he told detectives. He said Knox was the only other person with White when he heard the gunshots. Knox fled into his apartment immediately after the shooting and had been on the run ever since. He was HPD's number one suspect since that day but managed to evade arrest for at least three months. Authorities with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force arrested Knox on Wednesday. He's facing up to life in prison, if convicted. 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 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. As Korea Times reports, 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. Despite the harsh reaction to the sanctions, the U.S. remained firm in its position to continue taking measures on the North's human rights issues. "The U.S. 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," Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, said in a statement. The ongoing Washington-Pyongyang dispute came against the backdrop of a recent crack in their bilateral dialogue momentum. In recent months, the U.S. has pushed for working-level dialogue to arrange a schedule for a possible second summit between Trump and Kim. Steve Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, was supposed to lead the Washington delegation for dialogue with its northern counterpart headed by Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. But with the North remaining mum over the working-level talks, both sides have failed to fine-tune the details for the second Trump-Kim summit The deteriorating Washington-Pyongyang relations are also expected to lessen the likelihood of a possible visit by Kim to Seoul this year. Expectations were that the North Korean leader would visit as agreed upon with President Moon Jae-in during the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in September. But with the U.S. and the North declining to "make concessions" for each other over the ongoing denuclearization talks, chances have become slim for Kim to visit in the next couple of weeks. The North wants the U.S. to take reciprocal measures, such as easing economic sanctions, in exchange for the regime's continued moves for denuclearization. But the U.S. continues to maintain its posture that no sanctions will be lifted unless the North undertakes complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization. South Korea is seeking to play a mediating role in getting a resumption of the Washington-Pyongyang dialogue. But the North Korean leader is unlikely to make the high-profile Seoul visit in the near future as he would be pressured to speak on the timeline and roadmap for denuclearization. Several Houston restaurant were dinged for a black or pink slime buildup in ice machines, while one restaurant employee cut iceberg lettuce using their bare hands during inspections from Dec. 3 to Dec. 9. PREVIOUS WEEK: Roaches rampant at Houston restaurant during inspections Nov. 26 to Dec. 2 Each week, Houston health inspectors distribute violations that carry a weight between 1 and 25, increasing in severity. The term "demerit" is used by city health inspectors to describe the weighted value assigned to each violation. The Houston Chronicle obtained the results of routine health inspections throughout the city and tallied each restaurant's demerits for a comprehensive list of violations. To view inspection reports online or learn more about food inspections, visit the health department website. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message Construction has begun on the mega $65 million expansion of Houston's River Oaks Baptist School, the Christian private school announced via a press release last week. The record amount, raised by the educational institution earlier this fall, is one of the largest fundraisers in the U.S. for a school ending in eighth grade, according to the National Association of Independent Schools. Ranked: The best private high schools in Houston for 2019 Several prominent Houstonians made generous donations to the campaign, including Elizabeth and Gary Petersen and Mindy and Jeff Hildebrand, who gave $5 million each, as well as Alice and Keith Mosing who donated $10 million. School leaders broke ground on the 18-month building project in early December. It will include a new middle school building, underground parking garage, and leadership center. The Mosing's are the namesakes of the new four-story Keith and Alice Mosing Middle School, which features an advanced robotics lab and maker space, dedicated music rooms for instrumental and choral groups, visual arts studios, and science labs. What's more, the middle school will have a state-of-the-art performance space with retractable seating called the Blue Box Theater. Underneath the structure, a 150-space parking garage is designed to improve traffic flow and maximize green space. Named in recognition of Susan and Fayez Sarofim, The Sarofim Leadership Center will become the new main entrance to the school and administrative wing. Fayez Sarofim was No. 1,290 on Forbes 2017 ranking of the world's billionaires with a net worth of $1.6 billion. See who made the list: 13 Houstonians earn spot on Forbes billionaires list "We believe children become stronger thinkers when they are active learners. The new building will be a mecca of active learning space where our kids can build robots, get messy in a workshop, problem-solve in group settings, or rehearse for a performance," head of school Leanne Reynolds said via the release. In 2015, River Oaks Baptist School acquired an adjacent property (formerly occupied by a Walgreens store) for the expansion. The project will ultimately allow the school to increase its student population by about 10 students per grade level and decrease the student-teacher ratio in classrooms. The $65 million expansion is expected to be completed in time for the 2020-2021 school year. Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter specializing in social media, the famous, and food. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message With Alvin Braziel's execution Tuesday night in Huntsville, 13 men have been executed by the state of Texas in 2018 more than the last two years. Braziel was convicted of murdering Douglas White and sexually assaulting his newlywed bride, Lora White, in a botched robbery as the couple enjoyed an evening jog in a Dallas-area community college in 1993. Braziel wasn't caught until new DNA evidence pointed to him as the main suspect in 2001. He was serving a five-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a child when he was convicted in Douglas White's murder. He was immediately sentenced to death. EXECUTION SET: Second-to-last 'Texas 7' escapee gets March execution date Prior to Braziel's execution, 12 others including a Houston serial killer have been given a lethal injection for capital murder in 2018. Texas executed seven people each in 2017 and 2016. There are already five executions scheduled for 2019, the soonest of which is for Blaine Milam on Jan. 15. Milam killed a 13-month-old girl in Henderson in 2008, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. See the slideshow above to see all 13 men who were executed and the crimes that sent them to death row. 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 WASHINGTON Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, distanced himself Wednesday from President Donald Trump's remarks welcoming a government shutdown over funding for a border wall. "I've been here during government shutdowns," Cornyn said. "When the government reopens, the same problem is staring you in the face, because the government shut down in the first instance. So I don't understand the strategy. Perhaps the president has a strategy. I heard him talk about getting the military to build some of those physical barriers. That just remains to be seen. But I can tell you that right now I don't see the benefits of a shutdown strategy." Cornyn said he shares Trump's "concern about border security" and "fully" supports the president's efforts to fund it. Cornyn, however, has long argued that border security involves more than physical barriers, but personnel and technology enhancements as well. Erica Grieder, only at HoustonChronicle.com: Border security debates should be grounded in reality Cornyn's remarks to Texas reporters echoed reservations among other top GOP leaders about Trump's on-camera clash Tuesday with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "I am proud to shut down the government for border security," Trump said to Schumer and Pelosi in an unusual Oval Office encounter. "I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I won't blame you for it." Trump's willingness to shoulder the blame for any government shutdown stunned many Republicans in Congress and delighted Democrats, who view it as a political victory. With time running out, it remains to be seen if Trump has painted himself into a corner or if he might settle for anything short of the wall, his central campaign promise. Democrats have noted, however, that Trump's original promise was that Mexico would pay for it. Now he wants U.S. taxpayers to pick up the bill, which is estimated at about $25 billion. Republicans had sought to put off a damaging shutdown fight until after the midterm elections in hopes of retaining control of the House. But with Democrats flipping 40 Republican-held seats to win back the majority, the GOP now finds itself fighting a rear-guard action to provide Trump with the wall money he wants before the new Congress convenes in January. FIRST STEP: Sen. Ted Cruz pitches $25B border wall funding bill So far, Democrats have agreed to the White House's original request of $1.6 billion for 2019. Trump has since upped that amount to $5 billion. Meanwhile, Schumer has proposed ending the standoff by simply extending the current $1.3 billion in wall funding for the next year, pushing the two sides even farther apart. Although most of the government is funded into 2019, there are half dozen departments and agencies hanging in the balance, including NASA and the Department of Homeland Security, which covers money for the border wall. A temporary funding measure keeping those agencies open expires on December 21, exposing thousands of "non-essential" government workers to the threat of unpaid furlough through the holiday season. Prospects for a compromise seemed elusive Wednesday. "We almost always find a way to come up with a compromise, but right now it's not real clear exactly what that would be," Cornyn said. "I would tell you that people's desire to go home and be with their family during the Christmas holidays is a strong inducement toward negotiation and hopefully compromise. But I sure didn't see much of that yesterday." WASHINGTON - While President Donald Trump and top Hill Democrats hurtle toward a potential holiday shutdown over his long-promised border wall, Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is backing a longshot plan to cover the $25 billion cost by tightening rules so as to deny food stamps, tax credits and other federal benefits to people living in the country illegally. The proposal, a fixture of conservative immigration policy, comes amid a standoff over Trumps bid to win more wall funding from Congress before a Dec. 21 deadline for averting a government shutdown. Cruz and his allies say that further restricting welfare and tax benefits - most are already barred for undocumented immigrants would solve the White House funding dilemma. Democrats argue it would shift the costs of an unneeded wall onto children, many of them living legally or born in America. The proposal has faint hopes of resolving the wall standoff in a sharply divided Congress, but it stands as a symbolic marker of how deep the split remains on the intractable problems of immigration and border security. Trump clashed Tuesday with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi in an unusual on-camera encounter at the White House. The two sides remained far apart, with Trump telling the Democratic leaders he would be proud to shut down the government over border security." So far, the Democrats offer has been the $1.6 billion bipartisan agreement reached earlier this year, far short of the $5 billion Trump wants for wall construction and border security in 2019. They also have offered to continue the current $1.3 billion in wall funding for the next year. We gave the President two options that would keep the government open, Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement. Its his choice to accept one of those options or shut the government down. With no agreement in sight, Trump also suggested in a series of tweets Tuesday that he might be willing to declare victory with the current collage of newly built Walls, makeshift Walls & Fences, or Border Patrol Officers & Military. Republicans, who are losing their House majority at the end of this year, have sought to include more wall funding in a last-ditch spending package, though they have not identified a funding source. Although most of the government is funded into 2019, there are half-dozen departments and agencies hanging in the balance, including NASA and the Department of Homeland Security, which covers money for the border wall. Cruz, in a conference call with supporters Monday night, expressed deep reservations about the GOPs end-game, saying they missed a chance to secure wall money with a filibuster-proof budget measure that could pass without any Democratic votes. Our leadership chose not to go down that road, and I think that was a serious missed opportunity" said Cruz, who has become one of the leading Senate backers of a border wall, which Trump originally promised would be paid for by Mexico. Cruz added that he sees little chance that the Democrat-controlled House will pony up money for the wall, which critics see as wasteful and unnecessary. "In the next two years, I dont anticipate a Nancy Pelosi Democratic House passing positive border security legislation," Cruz said. Cruz also expressed frustration with the current negotiations, saying rank-and-file lawmakers have been left out of the process. The way this operates, Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer are negotiating this behind closed doors, Cruz said, they dont tell the rest of us whats happening." But with time running out on a year-end deal, Congress watchers see little chance of passing the Cruz-backed legislation targeting federal benefits and tax credits. The bill involves highly-controversial changes to the tax code and steep political obstacles. Targeting tax credits The bill - introduced last week with Republican Sens. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and John Kennedy of Louisiana - is not Cruzs first attempt to scrounge up wall money. Last May, he filed a bill to use funds forfeited by alleged Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman Loera, known as El Chapo. That bill went nowhere. Cruz and his allies say their WALL Act would more than cover the projects proposed $25 billion price tag by closing loopholes that they say provide welfare and tax benefits to people living in the country illegally. The proposal comes on top of a Trump administration plan to restrict immigration benefits and citizenship opportunities to non-citizens who have received public benefits or government assistance. As a general rule, undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, are not eligible to receive government benefits such as food stamps, cash welfare payments, health care subsidies, and non-emergency medical care. Conservatives, however, have long argued that some illegal immigrants can claim certain types of earned income and child tax credits, either with invalid Social Security numbers or by using the Social Security numbers of their American-born children. The new proposal would require parents claiming tax benefits to have their own work-eligible Social Security numbers. The measure would also enhance verification procedures for people claiming citizenship to receive food stamps, welfare, housing, and other government benefits. Together with increased fines on illegal border crossers and new penalties for visa overstays, the bills backers say it could save $33 billion over ten years. If you want to receive food stamps and other benefits, then you should prove your citizenship, Kennedy said in a statement. While the bill targets tax credits and food assistance claimed by the low-income, undocumented workers, Houston Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee said those ultimately affected would be their minor children. Philosophically, its a stretch, she said, and thats a mild word. Democrats and immigrant rights activists argue that funding a border wall is a poor trade for targeting children who cant be held responsible for their predicament, including some of the estimated 126,000 Dreamers in Texas. Throwing $25 billion to fund a border wall that most Texans dont want is a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars, said San Antonio Democrat Joaquin Castro, the incoming chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Cutting off health care and food assistance for kids and families to pay for a border wall across Texas makes even less sense. On HoustonChronicle.com: Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro steps into key role on immigration policy Some critics also have questioned the timing of the bill, noting that its tax, health and Social Security provisions are too far-reaching and complex to iron out in the remaining two weeks of the current lame duck Congress. The new Democratic-led House is even less likely to go along in the coming year. This is not a serious policy proposal, said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, a Washington-based advocacy group. This proposal summarizes the Republican approach to immigration policy. You think up every desperate idea that you can, and hope the American public isnt paying attention. Jackson Lee, a ranking member of the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, called the plan unworkable, in part because many social safety net programs such as food stamps and Medicaid are administered jointly with the states. Jeremy Wallace contributed to this report. Invitations to Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination on the rise Bump in 2018 invitations reflects rising prominence of Canada's Provincial Nominee Program Invitations to Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination on the rise Bump in 2018 invitations reflects rising prominence of Canada's Provincial Nominee Program Invitations to Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination on the rise Bump in 2018 invitations reflects rising prominence of Canada's Provincial Nominee Program Stephen Smith Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Invitations issued to Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination for permanent residence are up this year, according to new data from the Government of Canada. Of the 62,500 Express Entry candidates invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence between January and September, 12 per cent or roughly 7,500 had a provincial nomination. During this same period in 2017, Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued to Express Entry candidates nominated by a Canadian province or territory stood at just over nine per cent of all invitations issued. Canadas Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) works to spread the benefits of immigration more evenly across Canada by allowing participating provinces and territories to nominate a set number of economic immigration candidates for permanent residence each year. Every province and territory with an immigrant nominee program now has at least one immigration stream that is linked to the federal Express Entry system, which manages the pool of candidates for Canadas three main federal economic immigration programs the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and the Canadian Experience Class. Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Express Entry ranking score, which effectively guarantees an ITA in a subsequent Express Entry invitation round held by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). To find out if you are eligible to enter the Express Entry pool, fill out a free assessment. The rising number of candidates in the Express Entry pool with a provincial nomination and the 600 points that go with it may be partly responsible for the increase that weve seen in Express Entry minimum scores in 2018, which havent gone below 440. If this trend continues, obtaining a provincial nomination may now be one of the best bets for receiving an ITA for Express Entry candidates with scores below 440. PNP growing exponentially The increase in ITAs issued to provincial nominees reflects the growing importance of the PNP to the federal governments overall immigration strategy. Canadas new multi-year immigration levels plan has admissions through the PNP set to rise by 6,000 next year, to 61,000. By 2021, these admissions are expected to reach 71,300 an increase of nearly 30 per cent over 2018s target of 55,000. In its 2018 report to Parliament, IRCC noted that the PNP has grown exponentially since its implementation in 1996 from 233 admissions in 1996 to 49,724 in 2017. Of these nearly 50,000 new permanent residents admitted through the PNP in 2017, 13,531 were Express Entry candidates and their family members. IRCC said this was an increase of 73 per cent over Express Entry admissions in 2016. Looking for more information on Canadas Provincial Nominee Program? Use the interactive Canada PNP Finder to explore programs, filter your search, and keep up to date on all PNP-related news. PNP reshaping settlement patterns in Canada The PNPs growth is also helping alter settlement patterns away from Canadas largest cities, which have long attracted the vast majority of newcomers to Canada. Provinces like Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and Saskatchewan all have Express Entry-linked nominee programs that have been active in 2018. IRCC reported that 34 per cent of economic immigrants who arrived in Canada in 2017 were destined outside Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec the provinces where Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal are located compared to just 10 per cent in 1997. A similar trend was identified in a new report by Statistics Canada, which also found that most economic immigrants remain where they first settle, be it a larger city or outside one. The initial location decision of [economic principal applicants, or EPAs] is a very strong predictor of their location years later, the study said. Indeed, only about 11 per cent of EPAs have moved to or out of [Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver] by 10 years of landing. Express Entry candidates should really get to know Canadas various provincial nominee programs, especially given their rising star status in Canadas immigration strategy, said David Cohen, senior partner with the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal. The allure of big cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver shouldnt obscure the great things that provinces like Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have to offer. To find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration program, fill out a free assessment. 2018 CICNews All Rights Reserved Tajikistan abolished customs duties for the goods imported from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other CIS countries that signed the Free Trade Zone Agreement. This might be Dushanbes first step on its way to joining the Eurasian Economic Union. The Government of Tajikistan has decided to "apply a zero rate of import duty for the goods originating from the member states that signed the Free Trade Zone Agreement on October 18, 2011," Radio Ozodi (Tajik Service of Radio Liberty) reported in the Customs Service of Tajikistan. The exceptions are the goods withdrawn from the free trade regime. At the same time, the goods imported from these countries are not exempt from other taxes and fees, explained Shahri Sharipova, customs broker at Eastham-2015, which provides services related to customs clearance of goods in Tajikistan. Independent expert Kubat Rakhimov called a logical step the decision of Dushanbe to null the customs duties on the most goods from the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which amount to the half of all Tajik imports. "This is a consistent movement towards the rapprochement of Tajikistan with the countries of the EAEU. We must look at the realities - the structure of Tajikistans trade is a clear projection of this vector. Therefore, its time to prepare for joining the EAEU, since there is such a tendency. Another matter, that the EAEU cannot provide any political guarantees for the transit of power in Tajikistan. Though, it is quite possible to lay the foundation for Tajikistan to become a full member of this integration association, " Rakhimov told Vestnik Kavkaza. The Russian authorities have repeatedly stated that the doors to the EAEU are open to Tajikistan. Tajikistan expert Andrei Zakhvatov does not believe that the abolition of customs duties on the goods produced in the EAEU countries can be considered the first step towards the accession of Tajikistan to the EAEU. "Tajikistan has been receiving invitations to the Eurasian Union regularly for more than 5 years, and recently at the leadership level of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Tajikistan has been offered to join this integration association as an observer for a start," Zakhvatov told Vestnik Kavkaza. According to the expert, the abolition by Tajikistan of the customs duties on the imported goods produced in four countries of the Eurasian Union is clear, forced and quite accurately calculated step made by the government of the republic. For example, Tajikistan imports from Kazakhstan the most important food product - flour - as well as wheat. But as soon as the flour production in Tajikistan was increased, Kazakhstan announced the possibility of reducing the export of grain to Tajikistan, up to the complete abolition of export. In this situation, the abolition of customs duties on Kazakh grain will allow maintaining price stability in the food market of Tajikistan in the foreseeable period. "Russia and Kazakhstan were and remain the main suppliers of fuels and lubricants and petroleum products for Tajikistan, and Tajikistans need for them is growing. Most likely, the government of Tajikistan also considered the cancellation of customs duties on this group of imports more preferable than the problems that the republic may encounter on the fuel and energy market, maintaining the same level of customs duties ", Zakhvatov explained. So far, Tajik officials have given one answer on the invitation to join the EAEU: "We are studying the pros and cons." Apparently, Tajikistan is not in a hurry to enter the EAEU due to one reason, which, in my opinion, Arkady Dubnov, an expert on Central Asia, formulated very precisely in 2015: Tajikistan will join the EAEU when it is not able to refuse Moscows offer. " As far as one can see, there is no such proposal yet, Andrei Zakhvatov said. Earlier, one of the Tajik governments officials, speaking to the author on the condition of anonymity, said that the experience of Kyrgyzstan and Armenia after the integration shows, that Tajikistan will likely lose a part of its political and economic sovereignty. This may create tension in the relations with Washington and Beijing. But the decision, in any case, is up to the leader of the nation, the source at the Tajik government told Vestnik Kavkaza. The issue of Tajikistans integration into the EAEU is under consideration by the government of the republic. The deputy director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Saifullo Safarov, in an interview with Radio Ozodi, said that a special group had been established at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan, which is studying the experience of the EAEU member countries, including Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. According to him, the authorities of Tajikistan prefer to act according to the principle look before you leap. "It is now clear that Tajikistan cannot accept all the conditions for joining this union, as some of them do not meet the interests of the country. If the leadership of the EAEU reconsiders some conditions, the Government of Tajikistan will take a final decision on membership in the organization, the Tajik expert believes. Experts see China as one of the obstacles for Tajikistan to join the EAEU, as it has invested millions of dollars in the development of the country's economy and infrastructure. Today, China is the main external creditor for Tajikistan. Tajikistans total debt to China is $ 1.2 billion. This amounts to more than 52% of the total external debt of Tajikistan, which has exceeded $ 2.3 billion. In exchange for financial assistance, Tajikistan is obliged to import goods, provide control over the deposits, and fulfill other, often unprofitable, terms of agreements. As Kubat Rakhimov noted, Chinese interests in some sectors of Tajikistan will suffer due to the specific structure of investments and sooner or later will enter into conflict with the requirements of the EAEU. For example, in Kyrgyzstan, the Chinese side built two oil refineries, and their products no longer meet the requirements and regulations of the EAEU, Rakhimov told Vestnik Kavkaza. Unlike the last time Congress held a hearing designed to put Google on the hot seatan August session of the Senate intelligence committee that featured a prominent empty chair with Googles name on itCEO Sundar Pichai actually showed up to this one, a question-and-answer session with the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. And if nervousness or apprehension about a possible grilling contributed to Pichais desire not to attend the August hearing, Tuesdays event likely convinced him those fears were unfounded. The vast majority of questions from both parties were either shallow attempts at grandstanding or technologically uninformed, or both. In many ways, the hearing was a replay of the congressional hearings with Facebookincluding two in Aprilonly with Pichai playing the role of punching bag instead of Mark Zuckerberg. It even opened the same way a hearing into Facebook did in September, with Infowars founder and bogus health-supplement pitchman Alex Jones shouting in the hallway about YouTube infringing on his free speech rights (his channel was blocked earlier this year by Googles video-sharing site). This was followed by a parade of congressmen and women asking hard-hitting questions like: If I take my iPhone across the room to sit with the Democrats, would Google be able to tell? Pichai was able to deflect most questions not just with a rhetorical wave of his hand, but by answering astonishingly basic questions about technology. A question about why a photo showed up on a congressmans granddaughters phone, for example, was easily dismissed when Pichai pointed out that the phone was an iPhone. ICYMI: The internet, with its irreverence and short attention span, is a perfect vehicle for crassly delightful send-up humor And Google had an ace up its sleeve: unlike Facebooks CEO, Pichai usually comes across as friendly, well-intentioned, and above all, humanin part because of his extraordinary life story (he grew up sleeping on the floor of a tiny two-room house in India). He seems avuncular, given to sweaters and self-deprecating comments. As friendly as Zuckerberg might be in one-on-one situations, he often comes off as emotionless in group settings, which plays into the popular view that the social network is a misinformation engine run by robots and robot-like humans. Zuckerberg also had some difficulty during his April hearing responding to questions about the companys data collection policies, and had to promise to get back to Congress later with answers, whereas Pichai never seemed rattled (in part because none of them were very detailed). There were a few actual tough questions for Pichai, including some about the companys reported plans to move back into China with a censored version of its search engine, a project codenamed Dragonfly. Google has come under significant pressure for this potential move, including an internal protest involving hundreds of employees. Pichai brushed off concerns that Googles proposed partnership with Chinas repressive regime would ramp up the countrys already aggressive digital surveillance of its citizens and embolden other totalitarian states by saying there are no plans right now to re-enter China. In fact, Dragonfly at one point reportedly had more than 100 staffers working on it, and The Intercept has said the project is ready to launch and that Google is committed to rolling it out as soon as it can get China to agree. In the end, much like other hearings into Google, Twitter, and Facebook, the congressional Q&A was a missed opportunity to hold the search giant accountable for things that are actually importantsuch as the tracking of smartphone users even if they have actively chosen to turn location services off. Instead, members of the House opted for self-aggrandizement and questions that served mostly to illustrate how little they understand about either search specifically or technology in general. Sign up for CJR 's daily email ICYMI: How Facebook and Google became two of the biggest funders of journalism in the world Heres more on Google and its approach to privacy, misinformation and China: Hoax Tube : If members of Congress wanted to ask a tough question of Google, they might have asked about YouTubes propensity for recommending conspiracy theory videos, something a former Google engineer spoke to CJR about earlier this year. : If members of Congress wanted to ask a tough question of Google, they might have asked about YouTubes propensity for recommending conspiracy theory videos, something a former Google engineer spoke to CJR about earlier this year. Hate Tube: A Washington Post investigation found that despite Googles promises to clean up YouTube, the video site still hosts hateful videos, including those expressing racist, anti-Semitic and white supremacist views. A investigation found that despite Googles promises to clean up YouTube, the video site still hosts hateful videos, including those expressing racist, anti-Semitic and white supremacist views. Friends With Benefits : Wired magazine obtained leaked audio of a meeting from earlier this year in which Googles director of public policy talked about how the company had reached out to Republican groups and conservative leaders, and how this was starting to pay off for the company in Washington. : magazine obtained leaked audio of a meeting from earlier this year in which Googles director of public policy talked about how the company had reached out to Republican groups and conservative leaders, and how this was starting to pay off for the company in Washington. Search and Surveil : Mia Shuang Li, a former Beijing-based reporter, has written an analysis for Columbia Universitys Tow Center for Digital Journalism about how Googles re-entry into China would help expand the regimes surveillance of its citizens. : Mia Shuang Li, a former Beijing-based reporter, has written an analysis for Columbia Universitys Tow Center for Digital Journalism about how Googles re-entry into China would help expand the regimes surveillance of its citizens. Google Minus: No one brought it up at the Google hearing, but the day before Pichai appeared, the company announced it had found a security vulnerability that could have exposed private personal data belonging to more than 50 million users of its ill-fated Google+ social network. Other notable stories: A New York Times feature looks at the impact of the opioid crisis on vulnerable addicts, many of them mothers, including some who appear in videos posted to social media of them overdosing in public. feature looks at the impact of the opioid crisis on vulnerable addicts, many of them mothers, including some who appear in videos posted to social media of them overdosing in public. Verizon admits that its media ambitions got the better of it, taking a $4.6-billion writedown on its Oath subsidiary. Thats about half the previous value of the unit, which includes AOL, Yahoo, and HuffPost. The student newspaper at the University of Michigan, the Michigan Daily , published an in-depth investigation of a music instructor at the school, including evidence of multiple cases of sexual harassment going back 40 years. , published an in-depth investigation of a music instructor at the school, including evidence of multiple cases of sexual harassment going back 40 years. A controversial Bloomberg investigation into alleged Chinese hacking of motherboards has come under further criticism, with motherboard maker Supermicro saying a third-party investigation found no evidence of such a hack. Cherie Hu writes for CJR about how music critics are lamenting the arrival of an algorithm-driven world in which musicians try to duplicate proven predetermined musical formulas instead of engaging in real creativity. Newspaper chain McClatchy said in order to cut costs, it is consolidating the design and copy-editing functions for its 30 newspapers in a single hub located in North Carolina. About 30 staffers have been offered the opportunity to work remotely. A Pew Center survey found that for the first time since it has been doing its surveys, more people say they get the news from social media than say they get it from print newspapers. Social media and digital news sites are the number one source of news for those under 50, while TV is still the main source for those over 50. Writers and editors at the newly-unionized online magazine Slate have voted in favor of a strike, although they havent chosen a date. The union is asking for cost of living increases and is also protesting an attempt to make union dues optional. Correction: A previous version of this newsletter said that 30 people affected by McClatchys centralization of its design and copy desks would lose their jobs, but they have been offered the opportunity to work remotely. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg. Before the networks and international newspapers took over Bladen County, North Carolina, Joe Bruno, a political reporter with WSOC-TV in Charlotte, noticed a national story unfolding in a rural community that pointed to alleged election fraud. In late November, local news outlets such as WSOC and the Raleigh News and Observer reported that the bipartisan North Carolina State Board of Elections had refused to certify the results of the 9th Congressional District race, in which Republican Mark Harris led Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes out of more than 280,000 ballots cast. The state board announced it would look into irregularities, Charlotte station WSOC-TV reported. Within 24 hours, local coverage had spurred national headlines. More than a month after the midterm elections, the race remains uncertified. Related: Election fraud fears in North Carolina keep the midterms story alive Bladen County, the source of the ballot irregularities, is two-and-a-half hours from Charlotte, and outside of WSOCs typical coverage area. Still, Bruno and colleagues delved deep. WSOC obtained affidavits related to the race that identified a man named Leslie McCrae Dowlessa veteran political operative now at the heart of allegations concerning the illegal handling of absentee ballots. Bruno, along with cameraman Corey Gensler and investigative producer Mike Stolp, met with Braden County residents who told Bruno people had come by to collect their absentee ballots. Soon after, he met two women hired by McCrae Dowless who admitted to picking up ballots. BREAKING- I have obtained 6 sworn affidavits related to the #NC09 investigation. A team of a dozen @wsoctv employees and I working on this. Huge allegations and potential implications. Stories at 5 and 6 @wsoctv #NCPOL Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) November 29, 2018 Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project As television networks and national outlets descended on Bladen County, they frequently championed Brunos reporting. CNNs Chris Cillizza said Bruno was doing amazing work on the ground, while The Washington Post credited his shoe-leather reporting and spoke with Bruno about the civic concerns at the core of his recent work: I feel like it has helped with at least the publics knowledge of helping understand what the heck is going on in Bladen County, Bruno said. It has also shown that there is something out there that is worth taking a look at, he said. That this wasnt delayed for nefarious reasons. That there is something serious out there that deserves a closer look. CJR spoke with Bruno about how his investigation kickstarted a national story, competing for scoops, and what comes next in his coverage. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. We didnt reach out on Facebook first, we didnt call ahead of time. Eventually, we found two people who were home, talked to us, and admitted they were participating in this elaborate absentee ballot scheme. When did you know you had to go to Bladen County? When the State Board of Elections started tossing around words like fraud and irregularities, we were like, Wow, we must have something big down there, because that stuff does not just happen. So, instantly, we recognized this was probably going to be a big story. The congressional district runs from Charlotte to Bladen County, so it was still a Charlotte story in that sense. Some news directors may be hesitant to dive right into a story on the ground in a place so far away when the news story is still fleshing out. My news director and my producers jumped on it right away. As soon as we were able to break the news story wide open with the affidavits, I told my producers we should go to Bladenboro, and they agreed. Do you think you had an advantage in obtaining those affidavits first? As a local reporter, I think I had a leg up because sources knew they were providing information they knew I would handle with care. But at the same time, when youre competing with national resources, at times, it can be overwhelming. So what we decided to do when we got there was to hustle as much as possible because we knew we were competing with newsrooms who would have a ton of people working on the storyif not on the ground, then back at their respective stations and papers. When we received them, I sat in the middle of the newsroom and everybody who was working in the newsroom surrounded me as we tried to put all the pieces together. It was me and a dozen employees who dropped everything we were doing at 3pm to make sure we could figure out what we could do to get a story on by 5pm that was accurate. Back in Charlotte after 5 days in Bladen County. Thank you for all the messages. I am truly overwhelmed. This photo was taken last week after a source provided me with documents. Everything you have seen has truly been a team effort. So much more to come on #NC09 pic.twitter.com/8JNO4OOXzU Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) December 7, 2018 Were really committed to the story. Our producer allowed the stories to be three minutes long. A typical story is about a minute fifteen seconds and they let me tell the story as long as it needed to be so the audience understood what was happening. It was a team effort to make sure the story was told correctly. You broke story after story those first few days. How did you and your team make that happen? It was me, my cameraman, and the investigative producer. Over three days, we drove 550 miles and knocked on dozens of doors and we talked to so many people to get this story told. When a source provided me a list with the absentee ballot envelopes, covers of the absentee ballots that were mailed in, we plugged all the information into an excel sheet and checked it by hand. We discovered that there were just these eight people signing as witnesses for all these ballots. So once we figured that out, we just went down the list and started knocking on doors. We didnt reach out on Facebook first, we didnt call ahead of time. Eventually, we found two people who were home, talked to us, and admitted they were participating in this elaborate absentee ballot scheme. Two weeks from now, Ill probably be covering Charlotte City Council. So this is all kind of surreal to me. You were able to get people who had potentially committed crimes open up to you on camera twice. It was really just important to me to make sure I was authentic when I approached people and did not come off as a big- city reporter, coming down to make people feel bad or uncomfortable. I thought it was so important for me to treat everyone with respect so they would feel more comfortable telling their story. Thats important to keep in mind when covering stories you might not usually, and meeting people you dont usually interact with regularly. I also think I was in the right place at the right time. I think we got to them first. It just came back to hustling and doing the research. Multiple outlets, yours included, reported absentee ballot schemes may have gone on for a while in Bladen County, but have gone mostly unnoticed by the media. Is Bladen County in a black hole of coverage? Bladen County is in the Wilmington media market, and then Robeson County is on the outskirts of the Myrtle Beach market. I didnt even see a local newspaper down in Bladen County. Its a really underserved media market, so Im glad that if these issues have been going on for years and people have been trying to raise the warning signs as they say they have for years. [Editors note: UNCs Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media identified a single newspaper, published weekly, in Bladen County.] How did WSOC-TV keep this going as a national story for nearly two weeks? My producers and news director pitched an hour-long live special that we advertised to people who might not live in Charlotte. We told people to download it on Roku and Apple TV or on mobile from wherever they live. We got some great feedback. People said it helped them understand what was happening. There was a wow moment when The Washington Post credited my journalism to expose the election fraud. Two weeks ago, I was covering Charlotte City Council. Two weeks from now, Ill probably be covering Charlotte City Council. So this is all kind of surreal to me. Im so embedded in this story. Unfortunately, I had a dream about Mark Harris and Dan McCready last night. How did residents react when you arrived to report? They all knew why we were there. They all knew someone who knew someone who was involved. A lot of them knew Bladen County had always had some issues surrounding elections. What people told us, this has happened for years. They didnt think anything of it: people came around for years collecting ballots. They didnt think anything of it until local media and national media came swarming into Bladen County. ICYMI: Read midterm dispatches from CJRs States of the Union Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Khushbu Shah is a freelance journalist in Atlanta covering immigration, politics, and social justice. She previously covered officer-involved shootings, the migrant caravan, and worked on the team investigating Hurricane Maria's death toll in Puerto Rico as a field producer for CNN. A diplomatic standoff over a single word could set the stage for a bigger showdown during the second half of this years U.N. climate summit. Negotiators took time out Sunday to rest after the first week of talks ended on a sour note the previous night, when the United States sided with Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in blocking endorsement of a landmark study on global warming. I think it was a key moment, said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists. The fact that a group of four countries were trying to diminish the value and importance of a scientific report they themselves, with all other countries, requested three years ago in Paris is pretty remarkable. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes special report on what would happen if average global temperatures rise by 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), and how to ensure they dont go higher, was widely regarded as a wake-up call for policymakers when it was released in October. As diplomats wrapped up a week of technical talks Saturday, almost all 200 countries present in Katowice, Poland, had wanted to welcome the IPCC report, making it the benchmark for future action. But the U.S. 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 U.S. State Department said in a statement. 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. While none of the four-oil exporting countries spelled it out, their objection to the report likely included its suggestion that fossil-fuel use needs to be phased out by 2050. Oil, gas and coal are major sources of carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere. The 2015 Paris agreement set a target of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), ideally 1.5 C by the end of the century. A 1.5 C and a 2 C worlds are very different in terms of mean climate, extremes, sea level rise, and climate-related risks, said one of the reports leading contributors, Valerie Masson-Delmotte. The higher threshold increases the likelihood of climate change hot spots challenging basic water, food, economic security and the risk of irreversible loss of wildlife, she said. Observers at the talks said the two Gulf countries objection to the IPCC report came as no surprise. The Saudis with their sidekicks the Kuwaitis have long been troublemakers in this in this process, said Meyer, who has followed international climate negotiations for many years. Russias intentions were unclear, he said, while the U.S. position appeared to be driven by what he called President Donald Trump s cavalier attitude toward science in general and climate science in particular. Its really an embarrassment for the worlds leading scientific superpower to be in this position of having to disbelieve a report that was written by the worlds scientific community including a large number of pre-eminent U.S. scientists, Meyer said. Saturdays floor fight casts doubt on whether countries will be able to reach consensus on important issues by Friday, including the need to step up national targets to curb carbon emissions. While many countries are sending ministers or even national leaders to the talks, the U.S. and Britain are among the countries that will be represented only by bureaucrats. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. This past week, we introduced Arctic char in the Seafood Department at Big Y. This beautiful light pink/orange-colored fish typically comes from the icy waters of Canada and Iceland, with ours being sourced from Iceland. Being a fatty fish, its flavor and texture profile is closest to trout and salmon - but tends to have a milder and sweeter flavor than salmon. When it comes to nutrition, Arctic char is a top performer. Because it's a naturally fatty fish, it provides an abundant source of heart-healthy omega-3 fats, providing about 1 gram omega-3s per 3.5-ounce cooked serving. Additionally, it delivers 20-25 grams high-quality protein and is considered a "best choice" in terms of sustainability. Arctic char is also extremely versatile. You can grill it, bake it and serve with lemon butter or use it in your favorite trout almondine recipe. I reached out to our friend Chef Andrew at North Coast Seafoods in Boston, where we source the majority of our seafood. He was kind enough to share this fantastic recipe with me, which can also be used with salmon or haddock. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Arctic Char with Swedish Mustard Sauce Recipe courtesy of Chef Andrew Wilkinson Ingredients: 6 ounces (about 2/3 cup) honey mustard 3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons superfine sugar 2 ounces white wine vinegar 12 ounces canola oil 1/4 - 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill - Salt and pepper, to taste 4 slices white bread, crusts removed (Chef Andrew recommends Pepperidge Farms Sandwich Bread) 2 tablespoons butter, melted 4 (5-ounce) fillets Arctic Char - Extra virgin olive oil Directions: 1. Prepare Swedish mustard sauce by whisking together honey mustard, Dijon mustard, sugar and vinegar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until ingredients are incorporated together. Stir in dill and season with a pinch of salt. 2. Prepare breadcrumbs by cubing white bread and pulsing in a food processor until reaching crumb consistency. Transfer breadcrumbs to a small bowl and mix with melted butter to moisten. 3. Season fish fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place fish flesh-side down in pan and sear to a nice golden brown color, about 3-4 minutes. Turn fish over and cook on skin side about 1 more minute. Remove fish from skillet and transfer to a sheet pan, skin-side down. 4. Spread mustard sauce liberally on top of fish fillets and gently top with breadcrumbs, patting down slightly to adhere. 5. Place sheet pan in oven and broil until golden brown and fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve immediately and store excess mustard sauce in refrigerator for no more than 5 days. Author's Note: Andrea Luttrell is a registered dietitian nutritionist for the Living Well Eating Smart program at Big Y Foods. Have a nutrition question? E-mail livingwell@bigy.com or write Living Well at 2145 Roosevelt Ave, Springfield, MA 01102. The U.S. considers training the People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria a vital step toward stability in the region, despite Turkey's repeated warnings about its connections with the PKK terrorist group. As Daily Sabah writes in the article Despite Turkey's repeated warnings, US keeps training YPG terrorists, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford said Sunday that in order to bring stability to eastern Syria, the training of 35,000-40,000 local forces should be completed, referring to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a group dominated by the YPG and backed by the U.S. under the pretext of fighting Daesh (banned in Russia). The support remains a source of tension between Washington and its NATO ally Ankara, which has been suffering from the PKK's decades-old deadly terrorist campaign against the state. Although the U.S. recognizes the PKK as a terrorist organization, it denies the group's connection with the YPG despite the ideological and organizational links between the groups. Speaking at a Washington Post event, Dunford said they could only have completed 20 percent of the training so far. "We are far from reaching stability [in the region] right now. For now, our [U.S.] existence in Syria will continue and the future of this situation will be determined according to the new circumstances," he said. Meanwhile, Talal Silo, the former SDF spokesperson who surrendered to Turkey last year, claimed that the U.S. is planning to replace the incumbent head of the terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, with the most-wanted PKK terrorist Sahin Cilo, codenamed Ferhat Abdi Sahin, who is strongly supported by Ocalan. Speaking to the Turkish-language daily Yeni Safak, Silo said the PPK is planning to move its headquarters to Syria, while the current senior figures, including Murat Karaylan, Cemil Bayk and Duran Kalkan, will also be dismissed. Earlier in November, the U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program authorized up to $12 million in rewards for information leading to the identification or location of three senior members of the PKK terrorist group. Up to $5 million was offered for information on the PKK acting leader Murat Karaylan, $4 million for Cemil Bayk and $3 million for Duran Kalkan. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- State tax credits aimed at historic preservation will help developers transform two underused downtown Cleveland office buildings into hotels and breathe life into other Northeast Ohio properties ranging from a former agricultural hub in Medina to a onetime Akron performance hall. The Ohio Development Services Agency announced more than $36 million in tax-credit awards Wednesday, with nearly $11.7 million of that money earmarked for nine Northeast Ohio projects. Every Cleveland applicant won an award - a notable achievement, since the state program has a limited pool of funding and is fiercely competitive. The Ohio Bell Building, in downtown Clevelands Gateway District, was the largest local victor. Todd Interests, a Dallas-based developer, plans to turn the largely vacant upper floors of the 22-story building into a Canopy by Hilton hotel. The project, with an anticipated price tag of almost $42.4 million, landed $4.2 million in credits. A former corporate headquarters and central telephone hub, the building at 750 Huron Road now houses AT&T servers and other equipment on its lower floors. Under Todds plans, AT&T would continue to own that space and the 22nd floor through a condominium structure. The developer would acquire the balance of the building, with the goal of starting construction in the spring and opening the hotel by mid-2020. The Art Deco tower, which opened in 1927, often is described as the inspiration for The Daily Planet newspaper building in the Superman comics. And it certainly looks the part. But news articles indicate thats unlikely. The 11-story Fidelity Building, often called the Baker Building, in downtown Cleveland is earmarked for a makeover as a hotel. A second, less visible downtown building, on East Sixth Street, also is in play for a hotel. The 11-story Fidelity Building, often called the Baker Building, could be rehabilitated as a hospitality project, with ground-floor retail and restaurant spaces. Bookended by the Leader Building and the under-construction Beacon apartment tower, the Fidelity Building is the missing link in a chain of recent revitalization projects along East Sixth between Euclid and Superior avenues. Its unclear who the developer - and the hotel flag - will be. Property owner J. Scott Scheel, a local investor, has been marketing the building for sale for years. He didnt return a phone call Wednesday morning. The $17 million proposed overhaul won a tax credit of nearly $1.7 million. Elsewhere in Cleveland, developer Rick Foran secured $1.6 million in credits for his planned $16.1 million revamp of the longtime Astrup Company Building at 2937 W. 25th St., about a mile north of the MetroHealth Systems main hospital campus. The historic complex, where workers once labored over canvas sails for ships and window awnings for downtown buildings, will become a hub for arts, cultural and community-focused tenants. New rental homes, including affordable housing, could rise on adjacent land. Foran has letters of intent with occupants including the Cleveland Museum of Art, which has been eyeing a large chunk of the space for community arts programming and a gallery. This state historic tax credit has been pivotal, because it assures that the project will go ahead, Foran said. Without it, the other financing components would not have been as enthused to participate in the deal. In the Ohio City neighborhood, property owners secured credits to restore the dilapidated Belden Seymour house, at 3805 Franklin Boulevard, and the Rhodes Mansion, one of the former Cuyahoga County archives buildings at 2905 Franklin Blvd. Belden Seymour, a 144-year-old Italianate home thats been sitting empty, will be revived as apartments, with $222,000 in credits to support a $2.2 million project. The Rhodes Mansion, once reimagined as housing for developmentally disabled adults, will instead become market-rate apartments. Local investors Brent Zimmerman, Sam Messina and Tom Gillespie purchased the property early this year from Welcome House, Inc., after the nonprofit group repeatedly struck out in its quest for funding for affordable-housing construction. In addition to remaking the historic home, the developers have set aside neighboring land for new construction townhouses. The $13 million project won almost $1.4 million in credits. Cleveland's Masonic Temple and Performing Arts Center, on Euclid Avenue in Midtown, is being repositioned as a concert venue. In Midtown, a $1.4 million credit will help the owners of Clevelands Masonic Temple and Performing Arts Center on Euclid Avenue make additional improvements to the massive building, which is being repositioned as a venue for concerts and events. The total cost of the project exceeds $14 million. Beyond Cleveland, Akron landed a $470,500 credit for a $4.7 million renovation of the Everett Building, at 39 E. Market St., into apartments over offices and commercial space. The building, originally constructed to hold a performance hall, is fire-damaged and vacant. In Cuyahoga Falls, a $156,727 credit will aid in the $1.35 million makeover of the Levinson Building, on Front Street in the citys downtown historic district. The building will become apartments atop retail and offices. A rendering shows what the vacant Medina Farmers Exchange Co. Building will look like after renovations. And Medina landed its first-ever state tax credit, for a long-desired redevelopment of the Medina Farmers Exchange Co. Building at 320 S. Court St. Once a grain-processing, sales and storage hub for farmers, the building was condemned when developer Charles Marshall started pursuing it. He purchased the property this year and has invested in stabilization, but a $545,000 tax credit will help him realize a $5.5 million restoration. Marshall plans to turn the buildings upper floors into apartments. The ground floor will house a restaurant, a butcher shop and an indoor farmers' market with a coffee shop. Construction could wrap up in early fall 2019. It really surprised me that no one in the city over the years had taken advantage of historical tax credits, because its such a beautiful downtown, Marshall said. The state awards the credits up front, but property owners dont actually receive them until their projects are complete. The credits, typically paired with federal tax credits for preservation, help developers offset the costs of often-complicated deals involving vacant or neglected structures. Statewide, Wednesdays awards will touch 28 historic buildings in 10 communities, acting as a springboard for an estimated $250 million in private investment, according to the development services agency. COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio Board of Pharmacy, one of the regulators in the states nascent medical marijuana program, has cleared a Jefferson County business to open as a dispensary, the state announced Wednesday afternoon. CY+, located at 180 Main Street, Wintersville, is the first among dozens of businesses that have received provisional dispensary licenses from the state. Wintersville is located in eastern Ohio, just outside Steubenville. Wednesdays news from the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program is the latest as it ramps up. Last week, the Patient and Caregiver Registry went live. Marijuana was being harvested throughout the state. The provisional licenses allow the dispensaries to work to become fully operational businesses. Once they believe they have built up their businesses and are in compliance with the Ohio law and state medical marijuana rules, they invite state regulators to inspect them. If they clear inspection, they can get a certificate of operation. Twenty-one conditions, from cancer to post-traumatic stress disorder, can qualify someone for a recommendation from a doctor from medical marijuana. The state is accepting proposals through Dec. 31 for additional conditions. COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Senate passed a bill banning abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, however they amended the bill to give women some more time to legally end pregnancies than previously proposed. Under the version of House Bill 258 that passed in the House, abortions were prohibited as soon as six weeks, when a transvaginal ultrasound can detect the heartbeat. However, senators changed the bill to clarify that transvaginal ultrasounds werent required and that other forms of heartbeat detection technology could be used. In abdominal ultrasounds, the other common imaging technology, heartbeats are detected at around 12 weeks. The result of the amendment is that women would have more time to make a choice about a pregnancy. At six weeks, many women dont even know theyre pregnant. Its my understanding a transvaginal ultrasound could possibly detect a heartbeat earlier than an external heartbeat detection method, said Sen. David Burke, who was behind the amendment. But we found that process is possibly intrusive. We wanted to protect the rights of women who didnt wish to have that done to them because their doctor may be under the impression that thats the only thing that bill allows. Jaime Miracle of NARAL-Pro Choice Ohio said that abdominal heartbeats are detected closer to the end of a pregnancys first trimester. This makes it much more similar to Arkansas version (of the bill) than to Iowas and North Dakotas version, she said. So by pushing to an abdominal ultrasound or other methods, this will push back the point at which they can detect a fetal heartbeat. Miracle said the bill remains dangerous, however, since there arent exceptions for rape and incest and only limited exceptions for the womans health. She hopes Gov. John Kasich will make good on a previous threat to veto it. HB 258 heads back to the Ohio House, which has to vote on whether to concur with the Senates changes. If it does, then the bill heads to Kasichs desk. He vetoed a similar ban in 2016. Its unclear whether the changes this year would make the bill any more appealing to the Republican. Senate changes The Senate passed the bill 18 to 13, largely on party lines. Two people were absent from voting. For the Senate to override any potential Kasich veto, the chamber would need 20 votes. In addition to the ultrasound change, a Senate committee made another change Wednesday morning to allow the State Medical Board of Ohio to call an emergency meeting after a physician is accused of performing an abortion after a heartbeat is detectable. At the meeting they could determine whether to suspend or revoke her license. Normally, the board would have to wait for a criminal conviction, which takes time, Burke said. Miracle, of NARAL Pro-Choice, opposes the amendment because Mike Gonidakis, an attorney and lobbyist who is president of Ohio Right to Life, sits on the panel. That amendment just gave the president of Ohio Right to Life a blank check to go after doctors in our state, she said. The Senate committee also considered five amendments proposed by Columbus Democrat Sen. Charleta Tavares, some of which were taken up again, unsuccessfully, on the Senate floor. Among the amendments: To make exceptions in the bill for rape and incest, which are currently absent; to broaden the medical exceptions under which a woman can proceed with an abortion; and to offer young people factual sex education since abortions will likely not be an option. She also offered an amendment that would require health insurances to cover maternity services, since women will have to give birth. Interestingly, Sen. Peggy Lehner, a Republican who is a vociferous abortion opponent, asked Tavares if shed be willing to sponsor the message as a stand-alone bill. Tavares replied that shes tried to get provisions passed, and theyve all failed. Bill in the House The 132nd Ohio General Assembly officially ends Dec. 31, the remaining days when lawmakers push through bills at a frenzied pace is known as lame duck. In addition to HB 258, there is another abortion bill being pushed by the Republican supermajority during lame duck, Senate Bill 145, which would ban the surgical abortion procedure known as dilation and evacuation -- or D&E -- which is used The procedure is used typically from weeks 13 to 24, and is the most common type of second-trimester abortion. The Senate previously passed SB 145. The House could pass it as soon as Thursday. COLUMBUS, Ohio Creditors seeking payment of unpaid bills cannot go to a deceased persons spouse before first attempting to collect payment from the estate, according to an Ohio Supreme Court decision released Wednesday. The high court ruled 5-2 that Embassy Healthcare, which does business in Southwest Ohio as Carlisle Manor Healthcare, was required to first file a claim with Robert Bells estate before it could pursue money for his care from his widow, Cora Sue Bell, under Ohio law known as the necessaries statute. Justice Judith French, wrote in the majority opinion that Ohios necessaries statute directs a spouse to care for the other if the spouse is unable to do so. Because the nursing home did not attempt to find out if Robert Bell, through his estate, was able to pay the bill, it could not pursue Cora Sue Bell for payment. In a dessent, Justice R. Patrick DeWine argued that language of the necessaries statute does not require that a creditor first pursue payment from the estate. Justice Patrick Fischer also dissented without a written opinion. PARMA, Ohio -- Drug abuse, Tuxedo Avenue: On Dec. 5, police were dispatched to Tuxedo Avenue regarding a disturbance. An arriving officer located the man causing the commotion. It turned out that the Parma resident was also in possession of suspected felony drugs. He was arrested for drug abuse and cited for disorderly conduct. Theft, Fernhill Avenue: On Dec, 6, a Fernhill Avenue resident called police after discovering someone had withdrawn money from her bank account. There are no suspects. The woman wanted a police report while the bank is investigating. Stolen vehicle, Pleasant Lake Boulevard: On Dec. 7, a Pleasant Lake Boulevard resident discovered that someone had taken his car, which had been parked in the apartment complex parking lot. There are no suspects. Police are investigating. Robbery, Day Drive: On Dec. 5, a Giant Eagle shopper called police after he was robbed leaving the store. The Parma resident said the incident took place in the parking lot. There are no suspects. Police are investigating. Theft, Laurent Drive: On Dec. 5, a Laurent Drive resident called police after discovering that a package, which had been delivered to her apartment complex, was missing. The woman said there are no suspects. Police are investigating. Drug abuse, Snow Road: During a Dec. 5 traffic stop, police discovered that a Parma man was in possession of suspected felony drugs. He was arrested for drug abuse. Breaking and entering, State Road: On Dec. 4, a Precision Mechanical employee called police after discovering that someone had broken into a locked mailbox at the business. There are no suspects. Police are investigating. Theft, State Road: On Dec. 4, police were dispatched to Cuyahoga Title Services after an employee discovered that someone had removed property from outside of the business. There are no suspects. Police are investigating. Drug abuse, Brookpark Road: During a Dec. 4 traffic stop, police discovered that a Warrensville Heights woman was in possession of suspected felony drugs. She was arrested for drug abuse. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, Ohio At least three labor unions contacted Ohio House Democrats in recent days to express their support for Republican Rep. Larry Householder as House speaker next session. And a number of House Democrats told cleveland.com that theyre not ruling out the possibility. Householder and fellow Republican Ryan Smith, the current House speaker, have been in a behind-the-scenes battle for months for control of the speakers gavel when the next two-year legislative session begins in January. The speaker has enormous power over which bills pass the House and which are doomed to fail. But while Smith appears to have at least a slight edge among the 60 incoming Republicans, neither he nor Householder so far have the 50 votes needed to win a majority of the 99-member House. As a result, officials with at least three labor unions the Ohio AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 8 and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 683 confirmed theyve made calls to House Democrats expressing their support for Householder. The reason, according to union officials, is that Householder unlike Smith has said he would not support anti-union measures that have repeatedly popped up in the Republican-dominated legislature. That includes so-called right to work legislation to prohibit private-sector labor union membership as a condition of employment and anti-collective bargaining bills such as Senate Bill 5, which was repealed by voters in 2011 amid a firestorm of criticism. When you talk about a representative reaching out and saying that they oppose right to work legislation and Senate Bill 5-type legislation, that is the bread and butter of organized labor, said Robert Davis, political and legislative director for AFSCME Council 8, who said he has spoken with numerous lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about Householders views. Davis said he believes its best for House Republicans to decide among themselves who should be speaker. Now, should neither one of those candidates have enough votes, and they do need Democrats to vote for [a speaker], he added, then I would hope that Democrats would take into consideration those issues that are important to organized labor. IBEW Local 683 President Robert Hook also confirmed to cleveland.com that hes reached out to Democratic lawmakers in support of Householder for speaker. Its true that the IBEW has supported Larry Householder for speaker," Hook said. "I dont think thats any secret. The Ohio AFL-CIO has also been contacting House Democrats about supporting Householder for speaker, according to union spokesman Mike Gillis. When Smith was elected speaker last spring after weeks of deadlock among House Republicans, every House Democrat supported Minority Leader Fred Strahorn of Dayton for speaker save one: state Rep. Bernadine Kent of Columbus, who voted for Smith. But the calculus for Democrats is different this time, said state Rep. Kristin Boggs, because the House will be electing a speaker to serve for two years rather than just a few months, as happened with Smith. I think anything is possible, Boggs, a Columbus Democrat, said when asked whether Householder might attract Democratic votes. Boggs said several people mostly from labor have contacted her in support of Householder, but shes not sure yet how shell vote. I think were just trying to be open-minded and figure out who the best person is to be speaker of the House, she said. Minority Whip Emilia Sykes, an Akron Democrat, said she wouldnt vote for Householder or Smith for speaker unless either one asked her directly for her support which, so far, hasnt happened. Rep.-elect Mary Lightbody, a Westerville Democrat, said she was contacted by both Davis and Hook in the past couple days. They were being very discreet, but the word was that each caller very much supports Larry Householder for speaker and hoped that I would consider voting for him," said Lightbody, who will take office next month. Lightbody also said she hasnt decided yet who to support for speaker. Im not ready to make any kind of commitment, she said. Spokesmen for Strahorn and Smith didnt respond to requests for comment late Tuesday afternoon. Rotunda Rumblings Abortion bill advances: While the heartbeat bill remains in a Senate committee, calling into question whether the bill will become law, another bill that would ban the dilation and evacuation procedure was cleared in a House committee, cleveland.coms Laura Hancock writes. In the House: Just three bills are on the agenda for the Ohio House today, although concurrence votes to bills changed in the Senate are likely going to be added. One of them, House Bill 81, is a bipartisan measure that would prohibit Ohio from sending people who are seriously mentally ill to death row when they are convicted of aggravated murder. O, Christmas tree bill: Following a tradition of previous lame duck sessions when the legislature runs against the clock, lawmakers have taken a straight-forward bill and tacked on a huge amendment with provisions that have nothing to do with the original. This year, the victim is Senate Bill 51: The House Finance Committee added $20 million to rebuild the Statehouse underground parking garage, $15 million to help construction for a new Columbus Crew stadium, $2 million for repairs to the governors residence and approved the transfer of the Ocasek Building to the city of Akron, among other changes. Pay bump: State Rep. Bill Seitz wants Ohio lawmakers, who earn a $60,584 base salary, to get a pay raise to earn about $69,000. He also tells the Dayton Daily News Laura Bischoff he wants statewide executives to get a raise, and that neither the legislature nor the executives have had a raise in a decade. New registry: Ohio lawmakers sent to Gov. John Kasich Sierahs Law, last week, a bill that creates a database of violent offenders. Offenders would have to register after being released from prison, according to the Associated Press. Surprise gift: State Sen. Bob Hackett is not happy that a House committee added language to his bill giving tenants less time to react to eviction notices. Why are we doing this around Christmas? the London Republican told the Toledo Blades Jim Provance. Hackett says he expects the language will be removed from his bill by the time it hits the House floor. Black history: New Ohio House legislation seeks to create a $70,000 state study of African-American history in the U.S. and Ohio, including black Americans achievements and the problems black Ohioans face today, according to Jackie Borchardt of the Cincinnati Enquirer. As seen on TV: In a meeting with the Columbus Dispatch editorial board, Kasich mused on his future after he leaves the governors office and predicted he would end up somewhere on TV. He made it clear he was still leaving the option open to run for president either as a Republican or independent in 2020, but the former Fox News personality said he was likely to end up somewhere in the media, though did not have any firm offers yet. Cs get degrees: Looser graduation requirements for high schoolers helped stave off a drop in the graduation rate that many expected could happen, the Dispatchs Catherine Candisky reports. Lawmakers last week extended the eased restrictions through the class of 2020. You read that right: U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge talked with TMZ yes, that TMZ about Michael Cohens hush money payment to Stormy Daniels and whether President Donald Trump demanded the payment to keep his wife, Melania, from finding out. Listen, let me just say this to you, Fudge said. With his history, I dont think it wouldve shocked his wife. So, I dont think that was the reason for it, no. Capitol Letter is just as confused about the events of this item as you are. Cant blame him for trying: During a Tuesday morning interview on CNNs New Day, outgoing Rep. Jim Renacci may have subtly floated his own name as a possible White House chief of staff. The person I think that needs to be in that position is somebody who can work with both sides of the aisle, Renacci said, adding he was about to head to one of his bipartisan breakfasts. Renacci later tweeted a screenshot of himself on TV, reiterating that the next chief of staff needs to be able to work with Rs and Ds. Galaxy brain food: Have you been wondering about the mechanics of how Kasich might conceivably run as a third-party candidate? In a piece for Politico Magazine, Republican consultant Juleanna Glover makes the case for a unity ticket led by Joe Biden, with a principled conservative as his vice-president. Possible names? A number of Republicans stand out: Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich and newly minted Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, Glover writes. New Hampshire: Trump-aligned activists in Kasichs preferred presidential primary state are trying to make it harder for someone to make a primary run against the president in 2020, Politicos Christopher Cadelago reports. Pro-Trump elements within the New Hampshire Republican Party are pushing for an endorsement, a first for the party that would make a potential primary challenge much more difficult. Your Sloopys winners We have a sneaking suspicion it was one of the less productive days for state government staffers Tuesday. With the Sloopys categories shifting to staff awards, more than 2,100 votes were cast in Round 2, which yielded the closest race thus far an 8-vote victory for Best House Democratic Staffer. Be sure to keep those votes coming! Lets take a look at the winners: Best House Republican Staffer: Abe Jacob Best House Democratic Staffer: Stephen Harris Best Senate Republican Staffer: Liz Connolly Best Senate Democratic Staffer: Nate Shipman Best Executive Office Staffer: Bridget Harrison Best Communications Person: Faith Oltman Congratulations to the winners! Round 3 voting is open now on the categories below at this link. Voting is open until 4 p.m. today. Winners will be announced in tomorrows Capitol Letter. Best Legislative Orator Biggest Windbag Biggest Self Promoter Most Humble Politician Nicest Lawmaker Most Arrogant Lawmaker Most Power Hungry Lawmaker Best Dressed Worst Dressed Funniest Note: Capitol Letter would like to apologize to Stephen Harris, a policy adviser for the House Democratic Caucus and Sloopy award winner for Best House Democratic Staffer, whose name was misspelled as Stephan on the ballot. Our only excuse is that we may have been thinking about your suave alter ego. Straight from the Source I was very careful during the campaign not to say that I am going to restore the Local Government Fund to a certain level. What I have said is that we want to be a partner and we want to work with you. - Gov.-elect Mike DeWine, quoted by the Statehouse News Bureaus Karen Kasler after meeting with leaders of Ohios 88 counties Monday. Under Gov. John Kasich, money for local governments was slashed significantly, and leaders have been pressing DeWine to restore funding. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. Presentation of the book "Kiselev vs Zlobin. Deeply Personal Battle" was held in Moscow. Journalists Dmitry Kiselev and Nikolai Zlobin, representatives of diametrically opposing political positions, discussed their contradictions on the pages of this book. "It's time to discuss relationship between the US and Russia, and I'm not talking about provocations and news that we see everyday, which we can consider either hostile, neutral, or positive. We must get out of information space and discuss our view of each other, things we want from each other, as well as the way we see the world. This is exactly what we did in ten conversations with Nikolai," Dmitry Kiselev, director general of the Rossiya Segondnya, said. According to him, Zlobin told him all American stereotypes: We had an honest conversation, friendly, without any screams and offenses. That's why we had these conversations not in television studio, where format itself involves some kind of dramatic conflict, and dramatic conflict makes us forget about topic we're discussing. Our conversations were turned into book, and it's a completely different responsibility. I think both sides had pretty convincing text. What we consider to be American stereotypes, Americans consider to be truth." Nikolai Zlobin, president of the Washington-based Global Interests Center, said: I was extremely interesting for me to talk with Dmitry for several reasons. First of all, if someone can explain structure of the Russia's view on major political issues, including the media, their content, method of selection of materials, it's him." Zlobin believes that Russia lives in self-deception paradigm when it comes to many things: There were several things that we could clarify in conversation with Dima. I think it's a fascinating and catchy book. Thanks to it, you can visually compare positions, and these positions are very different." andresr | E+ | Getty Images Location: Brooklyn, New York Salary estimate: $39-$60 an hour Job description: "Use advanced technology and best-practice techniques to restore and maximize patient mobility; provide one-on-one therapies that are tailored to meet the individual needs of our patients." Product Manager at Spreetail Location: Austin, Texas Salary estimate: $69,000-$105,000 Job description: "Build, inspire and develop your product management team; support the recruiting efforts of the company as we establish and grow Spreetail's Austin office; collaboratively partner with internal stakeholders including marketing, merchandising, customer service and engineering to develop a roadmap and backlog of site functionality." Manufacturing Engineer, Electrical at Intuitive Surgical Location: Sunnyvale, California Salary estimate: $57,000-$136,000 Job description: "This position requires an extremely motivated individual with high capacity to learn, analyze and drive technical problems to closure in the manufacturing environment. It requires both proactive mindset to build a strong technical understanding of the product/processes, and a high level of urgency to react to unplanned problems when they arise." Nurse Practitioner at Great Lakes Caring Hero Images | Hero Images | Getty Images Location: Kokomo, Indiana Salary estimate: $102,000-$131,000 Job description: "Provides diagnosis, treatment, consultation and follow-up under the supervision of one or more physicians; Provide age- and specialty-appropriate medical care at the level of training achieved; Act as an extension of a physician with the ability to provide full hospice across all patient types." Human Resources Manager at driversselect Location: Dallas, Texas Salary Estimate: $27,000-$76,000 Job description: "Provide management oversight of HR policies and procedures; support area and on-site management in achieving operational goals through effective HR practices;pProvide direction to recruiters for recruiting efforts in the market; ensure compliance with FMLA and other applicable statutes and regulations related to HR; keep management and staff advised of new regulations and company policies related to HR." Operations Business Analyst at Emser Tile Location: Los Angeles, California Salary estimate: $69,000-$111,000 Job description: "Provide process and systems support to the defined region. This includes, but is not limited to, business systems, policies, and procedures, reporting metrics and monitoring internal controls. Self-initiated implantation of best business practices, originating process design and recommendation of systemic process solutions is required." DevOps / Infrastructure Engineer at Moogsoft Location: San Francisco, California Salary estimate: $121,000-$179,000 Job description: "Help in building and scaling our development and production infrastructure, specifically on the product deployment/upgrade/rollback orchestration. As part of our engineering team, you will be given autonomy to lead critical features for our SaaS offering." Technical Accounting Manager at Apple The Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images Location: Santa Clara, California Salary estimate: $105,000-$149,000 Job description: "Perform technical research on complex matters and effectively communicate accounting issues to business partners, ensuring that relevant accounting issues are identified, debated, resolved and documented; review contractual arrangements with business partners to ensure proper accounting; support cross-functional implementation of new accounting standards, serving as the accounting subject matter expert; prepare accounting memoranda supporting complex transactions." Executive Assistant, People Executive at Ryan Szepy | iStock | Getty Images Location: Dallas, Texas Salary estimate: $44,000-$70,000 Job description: "Use experience and professionalism to support the Chief People Officer; provide outstanding executive support in a fast-paced, high pressure environment while representing the human resources department and Ryan in a professional manner. Daily tasks can be challenging and demanding and should be handled with the utmost confidentiality." Project Manager, Global TSG Software at Bain Location: Boston, Massachusetts Salary estimate: $116,000-$162,000 Job description: "Independently manage software solutions projects across operational firm initiatives. This could include playing a key role in Bain's new business acquisitions by supporting the IT integration process or managing the successful delivery of software projects from a TSG perspective. To be effective in this role, you will need to establish a comprehensive understanding of Bain's business needs in order to support strategic planning, and implement solutions that generate value for the firm." Management Consultant at Slalom Location: Portland, Oregon Salary estimate: $108,000-$157,000 Job description: "Understand the business of the client to design effective processes, organizations, and change and learning programs to drive real business benefit; create and execute improvement plans adapted to the client environment; mentor clients, work on projects independently, participate as a team member, or lead teams of less experienced consultants and/or clients to successful project delivery; work in multiple disciplines across industries and build client knowledge and credibility quickly." Site Reliability Engineer Solution Technology, Risk at McKinsey Location: Chicago, Illinois Salary estimate: $117,000-$173,000 Job description: "You will work in small teams including product and project managers, developers and technical operations firm members in a highly collaborative way, use the latest technologies and enjoy seeing the direct impact from your work. You'll combine 'Agile' with expertise in cloud, big data and mobile to create and maintain custom solutions that help clients increase productivity and make timely decisions. You will design, develop and implement IT cloud-based solutions, systems and processes and will advance engineering by architecting design to ensure HA/FT standard." Audit Manager at Hilti North America Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma or Dallas, Texas Salary estimate: $67,000-$103,000 Job description: "Responsible for actively monitoring, analyzing and assessing business risks, providing input to management on process optimization, and controlling improvements in all areas of Hilti's business." Speech Language Pathologist, Senior Living at Bayada Home Health Care wanderluster | E+ | Getty Images Location: Westminster, Maryland Salary estimate: $72,000-$115,000 Job description: "Per diem/part-time position performing home health visits within senior living communities. Will service adult and geriatric clients within senior living facilities on a per visit basis in territories throughout Carroll and Howard, Maryland. Responsibilities include: facility visits to clients in designated geographic territories; perform thorough evaluations to assess, diagnose and provide therapeutic interventions for clients who are experiencing, speech, language, communication or swallowing difficulties; develop a treatment plan based on the evaluation, physicians orders and recommended goals." Systems Analyst 3 at Sammons Financial Group Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota Salary estimate: $49,000-$95,000 Job description: "Under general direction, formulates and defines system scope and objectives; devises or modifies procedures to solve highly complex problems considering computer equipment capacity and limitations, operating time and form of desired results; prepares detailed specifications to write programs; designs, codes, tests, debugs, documents and maintains those programs. Competent to work on and responsible for nearly all phases of applications systems analysis and programming projects. Regularly provides guidance and training to less experienced analysts/programmers." Oracle Database Administrator at Fast Enterprises Location: Atlanta, Georgia Salary estimate: $98,000-$139,000 Job description: "Work in coordination with our client's DBA team at the Atlanta project site; assist the conversion team and all the other functional area teams to ensure that the delivery of the software during implementation is on-time, on-budget, and to specifications. After go-live, continue to perform monitoring and database support during the maintenance phases of the project." Senior Executive Communications Manager at SAP Location: Bellevue, Washington Salary estimate: $63,000-$114,000 Job description: "Drive all facets of executive communications for a C-level executive, including speech writing, blog posts and development of content for internal and external presentations. In this role, you will research topics, prepare talking points, and draft speeches and PowerPoint presentations, which could include rich media such as customer testimonials and product demos or overviews. You will work directly with the executive to incorporate their feedback and ensure their communications are authentic and connected to core corporate messaging." Platform Software Engineer at NVIDIA alvarez | E+ | Getty Images Location: Durham, North Carolina Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $88,000-$142,000 Job Description Preview: "Drive and deliver innovations for NVIDIA's revolutionary GPU-based DGX Server family of AI computing appliances with a focus on system management of server components (processors, memory, storage devices, NICs and PCIe buses); define, implement and validate backward- and forward-compatible, secure, robust RESTful APIs; integrate these APIs with industry-standard tools for system and service monitoring; develop automated unit test suites and strive to achieve 100 percent code coverage and delicately ensure delivery of enterprise quality software applications with enhanced supportability." Marketing Manager, North America Regional Marketing CMF at Johnson & Johnson Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania Salary estimate: $101,000-$145,000 Job description: "Achieve U.S. business plan objectives of sales, net income, gross profit, inventory and price on an annual basis; help manage expenses within budget; increase company's leadership position in the U.S. CMF market; support the development and execution of strategies to protect and grow company's leadership position in the U.S. market; Work collaboratively with other functional areas to ensure business issues are addressed." International Tax Manager at Crowe Location: Sherman Oaks, California Salary estimate: $97,000-$133,000 Job description: "Consulting with the federal tax group on all international tax matters; researching international tax issues and opportunities; managing and coordinating the tax services of Crowe Global member firms when consulted; managing, supervising and reviewing the preparation of all forms and disclosures regarding the international compliance practice; develop a team with expertise in international taxation." Technology Partner Solutions Engagement Manager at VMware Location: Palo Alto, California Salary estimate: $90,000-$139,000 Job description: "Collaborate with VMware Technology partners and account managers to craft joint solutions collateral focused on positioning technology partner solutions for VMware selling partners; build standard templates and process for technology partners to plug in their solutions allowing VMware to scale; engage with global and field-based route to market leaders to identify which solutions areas they are focusing on and to help them integrate this collateral to their current sales and partner training each quarter." UX Product Designer- Digital Health at Boston Scientific Location: Maple Grove, Minnesota Salary estimate: $63,000-$97,000 Job description: "Design full-service consumer and business applications, translating complex user needs, technical constraints and business goals into thoughtful, effective digital experiences; innovate user experience and interaction design, user research and visual design for products; lead products from discovery through iterative development and delivery." Facilities and Process Engineer at John Deere Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images Tobacco giant Altria Group's investment in cannabis company Cronos Group may have been a smart move for the cigarette maker, but Canopy Growth Corp. remains the best investment in the cannabis space, says CNBC's Jim Cramer. "Even with Altria investing in Cronos, I believe that Canopy Growth remains the best way to play the Canadian cannabis market," Cramer, host of "Mad Money," said Tuesday. Altria announced its $1.8 billion investment in Cronos on Friday. The companies cast the deal as mutually beneficial, with Altria getting an edge in Canada's newly legal cannabis market and Cronos being able to expand more quickly and get ahead of U.S. regulatory hurdles. But even though some Wall Street analysts embraced the deal, with one calling it a "unique entry into cannabis" for Altria, Cramer said Canopy Growth's scale gives it a significant advantage over Cronos. Canopy has the added advantage of a multi-billion-dollar infusion from U.S. alcohol producer Constellation Brands, he noted. "Can Cronos compare to Canopy Growth? Honestly, it isn't really a fair comparison," he said. "Canopy's significantly larger than Cronos we're talking about an $11.4 billion company versus a $2.3 billion company. Canopy's got scale, and scale matters in this business." Cramer acknowledged that few companies know "how to market socially stigmatized, heavily regulated, morally dubious products" better than Marlboro parent Altria. But, he said, Canopy Growth is already leading Cronos in 12 out of 13 cannabis product categories, according to Canopy's founder and co-CEO, Bruce Linton. "Cronos leads in one out of those 13. That's because Canopy sells many more types of products: flowers, oil, pre-rolls, soft gels, and vapes. Cronos only sells flowers, oil and pre-rolls," Cramer said, noting that Canopy already has patents on 137 types of products. The comparison holds in medicinal marijuana, Cramer continued. Last quarter, Canopy shipped nearly 2,200 kilograms of medicinal product, which equated to about $23.3 million in sales. Cronos shipped 514, which totaled about $3.8 million. The backers here matter, too, said the "Mad Money" host. Constellation Brands, which has a 38 percent stake in Canopy, has a history of successfully acquiring and growing smaller brands, he said. Better yet, Canopy has been receiving Constellation's funding for more than a year. Altria, on the other hand, has struggled to diversify away from its core cigarette business, only reportedly holding talks with market share cannibal Juul this year, Cramer noted, adding that its deal for a 45 percent stake in Cronos won't close until the first half of 2019. "To me, it seems like Constellation took its time [and] thoughtfully picked the best player to invest in, whereas Altria's move feels a little rushed, maybe even intemperate and impulsive," he said. "When I say Canopy has a head-start, we're talking about a big lead over the competition." As it stands, shares of both Canopy and Cronos are expensive on a price-to-sales basis, but Canopy's stock, which Cramer regards as the space's "best player," still trades at a discount to Cronos, which shouldn't be happening, he said. All in all, Cramer preferred Canopy over Cronos, but added that "you could just as easily buy shares in ... Constellation Brands, which has a very good revenue stream and fast-growing beer. I think it's less risky." "Now, I don't mind [buying shares] in Cronos. I don't," the "Mad Money" host said. "But Canopy is the better company. Oh, and look for more marijuana buyers, especially liquor companies, because if they don't jump on the bandwagon, competition from legalized pot is just going to tear into their sales." Shutterstock Inc.: "Look, this is a pure growth stock in a market that suddenly hates pure growth. If you sell a pure growth stock at this particular time, I think you're going to end up regretting it. I want you to hold on. You can sell it higher." Zillow Group Inc.: "I'm not a fan. I don't like their plan to flip houses. I think they picked the absolute top to be able to do that. I think they've got to reconfigure. I think they have to accept the fact that some of the business is slowing and own it." GreenSky Inc.: "Our favorites [in the financial technology space] are PayPal and Mastercard. PayPal's owned by the trust; Mastercard's in the bullpen, as is Visa, by the way." Cypress Semiconductor Corp.: "Remember, it's a semiconductor company in a market that is down dramatically. Look, banks, tech, business with China these are all in a bear market. Cypress yields 3.3 [percent]. When it yields 4 percent, I would actually buy some." Electronic Arts Inc.: "I'm not going to recommend EA even though it's down a lot because we like Take-Two Interactive, which is the only one that has the great refresh of games." Also at court was controversial lawyer Michael Avenatti, whose porn star client Stormy Daniels' hush-money deal with Cohen and Trump set the case against Cohen into motion earlier this year. Cohen, 52, walked slowly into the courthouse in lower Manhattan looking somber, watched by a throng of reporters and television camera crews. He walked with his hand supporting the arm of his daughter, who was on crutches, as his son and wife walked closely behind them. Michael Cohen, the former longtime personal lawyer and fixer for President Donald Trump, arrived in federal court in New York on Wednesday morning with his wife and children to face sentencing for a slew of crimes, including ones potentially implicating Trump in illegal conduct. Cohen, who was Trump's lawyer until earlier this year, when his residences and homes were raided by the FBI, is due to hear his fate from a judge in U.S. District Court, where he pleaded guilty to charges lodged by federal prosecutors in New York and by special counsel Robert Mueller. The New York prosecutors have asked Judge William Pauley to impose "a substantial term of imprisonment" on Cohen, perhaps five years. Cohen's lawyers have asked Pauley to impose a sentence that does not include any time in prison, citing his cooperation with Mueller and other investigators, which began even before he first pleaded guilty last summer. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to tax evasion, lying to banks and violating campaign finance laws. Those charges were filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. The campaign finance charges relate to his facilitation of two hush-money payments to Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Both women say they had sex with Trump in the prior decade. The White House has denied Trump had sex with either woman. Prosecutors say the payments were made "in coordination with and at the direction of" Trump, who is called "Individual-1" in a sentencing recommendation filed last week. Cohen's crimes were intended "to influence the election from the shadows," prosecutors wrote. Avenatti on Wednesday said in a tweet that Cohen "thought we would just go away and he/Trump would get away with it. He thought he was smart and tough. He was neither. Today will prove that in spades." Tweet Trump has not been criminally charged in the case. But Cohen's guilty plea has raised speculation that prosecutors would charge him for the payoffs after he leaves the White House. In November, Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about the Trump Organization's ultimately aborted plans to develop a Trump Tower in Moscow. In that case, lodged by Mueller, Cohen admitted that he understated Trump's knowledge of and involvement in the project. Cohen also lied to Congress by claiming the effort to build the tower died in early 2016, when in fact he and the Trump Organization continued pursuing the deal as late as June 2016, at a time when Trump had effectively secured the Republican nomination for president and only five months before the election. Federal sentencing guidelines suggest that Cohen should get a prison term of up to six months for lying to Congress. Mueller has said that Cohen has in recent months "gone to significant lengths to assist the Special Counsel's investigation." Cohen has met with Mueller's team seven times and has given information that is helpful to the special counsel's ongoing probe of Russian efforts to contact members of Trump's presidential campaign, according to a sentencing memo filed by Mueller. Mueller has asked that any prison term that Cohen receives for lying to Congress should run concurrently with the sentence for the charges brought by federal prosecutors in Manhattan. Mueller is continuing to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible coordination by the Trump campaign. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. In Azerbaijan, a routine expedition of the international volunteer program The Russian Language Ambassadors in the World", initiated in 2015 by the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute in the framework of the implementation of the Program for the Development of Student Associations in the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, continues. The program's goal is to popularize the Russian language, culture and literature in Russia and abroad, as well as to develop and strengthen inter-university and international partnerships, promote cultural values of tolerance and organize a dialogue of cultures. The program provides opportunities for internships for undergraduate and graduate students in the format of educational expeditions in Russia and abroad. Participant of the volunteer program, an associate professor at Kazan Federal University Aigul Salakhova told Vestnik Kavkaza: "I teach Russian to foreigners in Russia. I worked a lot in Germany. This is my first visit to Azerbaijan. But I am an ethnic Tatar, so I feel at home here, understand the Azerbaijani language a little bit. I am pleased that so many bilinguals have gathered in Baku - this is the most correct way to get to know the world and get educated. The partner universities of the Kazan University work here. " Assessing the level of the Russian language in Azerbaijan, Salakhova said: "I like that people here speak on literary language. Azerbaijanis speak Russian magnificently, bringing the delicate style of Turkic and Azerbaijani to the language. At the same time, those who do not speak Russian, show interest in learning this language. They do not consider it as exotic, alien and distant. Ambassador of the Russian Language to Azerbaijan Larisa Churkina is also for the first time in Azerbaijan. "I became an ambassador in 2016. Our task is to travel to different countries of the world, as well as to the regions of Russia with an educational mission. We carry the Russian language, Russian culture to the masses, raise the level of language and the level of culture of children who are interested in it. We have already visited many CIS countries, as well as Ecuador, Bahrain, Iran. We are going with our mission to the All-Russian camps - Orlyonok, Ocean, Artek. We visited two universities In Baku - the Institute of Foreign Languages and the Economic University. Students are very interested in the Russian language. I like being in Azerbaijan. Here is a very interesting architecture. Yesterday we went to a restaurant in the Old Town - it was amazing. I like the fact that they add pomegranate to every dish. It is so unusual and very tasty, " Churkina said. Before being sent to the educational expeditions, volunteers undergo a serious competitive selection and thorough training. Responding to a question about how the volunteers were selected, Larisa Churkina said: The selection is carried out in two stages. We fill in the questionnaires on the website, attach a poem by a famous author, which we also post in social networks - Vkontakte, Facebook, Youtube. The organizers from the Pushkin Institute consider our applications and invite about hundred candidates to Orenburg. They are selected among about five thousand applications. We study in Orenburg. Seminars are held there, and we have to present lessons for those who study Russian as a foreign language, as well as for those who have not yet learned the language. Based on these two lessons, we are selected further and then taught. " Google could run into problems with privacy policies if Congress is more receptive to consumer advocates than to the company's views on regulations, former Facebook privacy and public policy advisor Dipayan Ghosh told CNBC on Tuesday. "If things do go in that direction, then I think the business model underlying Google, and companies like Google, will be under a more direct threat," he said on "Closing Bell." The comments came after Google CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before a congressional committee, the first time Google parent Alphabet has sent an official to Capitol Hill for a hearing since skipping a Senate hearing on foreign interference in elections earlier this year. Pichai testified before the House Judiciary Committee, whose members pressed him on a variety of concerns including data privacy, transparency and Google's development of a censored search engine in China. Shares of Alphabet had a relatively uneventful day, falling 1.5 percent before climbing to close up nearly 1 percent at $1,061.65. It's imperative for Google, Ghosh says, to engage and lobby policymakers and regulators in Washington, D.C., to set the tone for the broader tech industry. "That is going to be in this industry's greatest interest because the U.S. policy environment still has the most influence on other policy environments around the whole world," he said. When a tech player can get government officials "on the same page as the industry, the better for the industry," Ghosh added. David Garrity, who is chief market strategist for Laidlaw & Co. and appeared on the segment with Ghosh, argues it would "pay dividends down the road" if U.S. regulations mirror standards in Europe. The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, which went into effect in May, gave consumers in its 28-nation bloc control of their personal data that companies collect. Similar policies would also bode well for the U.S. to align with the EU and "counterweigh" China's internet interests. The approach would "make it easier for technology companies . . . to only have two standards to deal with rather than a fragmentation of standards" in doing business in the American, European and Chinese markets, Garrity said. President Donald Trump answers questions from the press while departing the White House in Washington, DC. The Trump administration on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let it enforce a policy limiting asylum claims from those crossing into the U.S. from Mexico illegally. The controversial policy was temporarily blocked from going into effect by U.S. District Court Judge Jon Tigar in November. That ruling was affirmed by a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday. Solicitor General Noel Francisco asked the justices to permit the policy to go forward. In an appeal submitted to Justice Elena Kagan, Francisco wrote that the district court injunction is "deeply flawed" and argued that it will have "significant implications for ongoing diplomatic negotiations and foreign relations." Kagan has asked for a response to the government's appeal by Monday. Trump blasted Tigar for his November ruling granting the preliminary injunction in the matter, calling him an "Obama judge." That earned a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts, who issued a statement saying that America does not have "Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges." Francisco wrote Tuesday that if the injunction remains in place, there is a "reasonable probability" that the Supreme Court will agree to take the case and "more than a fair prospect" that it will do away with it altogether. He argued that the four advocacy groups who brought the original suit lack standing because they are not undocumented immigrants. "Enjoining the rule will continue to cause irreparable harm to the government and the public," Francisco wrote. "Respondents, by contrast, have not demonstrated any irreparable harm to themselves or to any actual clients." The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill by Congress moves Canadian pot producer Canopy Growth one step closer to activity in the United States, the company's chief executive told CNBC on Wednesday. The "Farm Bill is the first step to active" involvement in the U.S. by Canopy Growth, CEO Bruce Linton told CNBC Wednesday. " The world's changing: This is the first step in the U.S. to manage cannabinoids." The $867 billion bill includes a provision for industrial hemp legalization that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had introduced. The bill was passed by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday and the House of Representatives on Wednesday, sending it to President Donald Trump's desk for signature. McConnell's provision removes industrial hemp from the federal government's list of controlled substances, making it a lawful agricultural commodity. But of interest to public cannabis companies is the bill's implications for the U.S. market for cannabidiol, a "non-psychoactive" chemical found in hemp and marijuana. The legislation has been cited by numerous public cannabis companies as the catalyst to formally enter the American CBD market, according to Cowen analyst Vivien Azer. "This new [bill] version creates far more certainty around the legality of the commercial sale of hemp-derived products (with less than 0.3 percent THC, namely CBD), and codifies the legality of interstate commerce," Azer wrote Tuesday. Industry publication Hemp Business Journal estimates the total retail value of hemp products sold in the U.S. in 2017 to be at least $820 million, with help derived CBD products constituting 23 percent of sales. Laws involving CBD products vary from state to state. CBD proponents claim the compound doesn't produce a high like marijuana, but produce benefits such as anxiety relief and inflammation reduction. Shares of Canopy Growth were down 2.8 percent Wednesday afternoon, though are up 36 percent year to date. To be sure, Linton said, the passage of the bill is a "big deal, but it's not a finish line." The CEO said that approval of the Farm Bill would pose "a lot of 'what's-next?'" questions, including how much CBD could be added to food or beverages. Canopy recently bought Colorado-based hemp researcher, Ebbu, which specializes in the purification and study of cannabinoids for product development. It also uses patented plant genetics to maximize cannabinoid output by "boosting in-plant cannabinoid production and creating rare-cannabinoid-specific plants." The Farm Bill also includes a provision that preserves the Food and Drug Administration's regulatory authority, meaning it's still illegal to add THC and CBD to food products. Currently, food products aren't allowed to include active ingredients that have been approved as drug products or are involved in clinical research. However, this regulation applies only to products that are introduced in interstate commerce. WATCH: Six experts on the cannabis craze A trailer is filled with soybeans at a farm in Buda, Illinois, July 6, 2018. Daniel Acker | Reuters China is back in the market for U.S. soybeans, but the recent purchases represent just a fraction of sales American farmers have lost since the Trump administration embarked on a trade war with Beijing in July. Chinese state-owned companies bought at least 500,000 tons of U.S. soybeans on Wednesday, two U.S. traders told Reuters, in the first major purchases since U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in early December. The deals - valued at some $180 million - helped propel U.S. soybean prices to a 4-1/2-month high on the futures market Wednesday. U.S. stock prices were also buoyed by signs that the soybean purchase could represent a thaw in the trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. The two nations are currently negotiating to end the tariff tiff. One trader knew of nine cargoes traded and said there were probably more. A second trader with direct knowledge of the deals said Chinese state-owned firms bought at least 12 cargoes for shipment between January and March. But the purchases will do little to make up for lost sales by American soybean producers, who have been scrambling to find other buyers as this year's harvest has backed up in storage facilities. China is the largest buyer of U.S. soy, but has purchased little since Beijing slapped steep tariffs on U.S. shipments on July 6 in retaliation for duties on Chinese goods. So far this year, American farmers have sold some 8.2 million metric tons of soybeans to China, down from 21.4 million metric tons during the same period in 2017, according to the latest USDA figures. For the month of October, soybean sales to China fell from 7.1 million metric tons last year to just 300,000 metric tons this year. U.S. soybean farmers have made some strides in finding new markets, but export shipments in October were a little more than half the level seen last October. China last year purchased about 60 percent of U.S. soybean exports in deals valued at more than $12 billion. With those exports gone, soybean prices had tumbled to their lowest in a decade, heaping pain on U.S. farmers, a key Trump constituency. U.S. soybean farmers have largely stood by the president in his efforts to put pressure China on its trade policies. Congressional districts that encompass much of American soybean production largely elected Republicans during the latest midterm elections. But Democrats narrowed the margins of victory in many of those districts. For its part, China faces shortages of soybeans if it can't find sufficient supplies from other producers. In September, Chinese officials floated the idea of cutting the soy ration for hogs to reduce domestic demand. China slapped a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybean imports after the Trump administration imposed 10 percent tariffs on some $250 billion of Chinese goods. Trump had threatened to boost those tariffs to 25 percent next month, but recently agreed to postpone the increase for 90 days after meeting with Xi at a recently gathering of world leaders in Argentina. WHEN: Today, Wednesday, December 12, 2018 WHERE: CNBC's "Power Lunch" The following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on CNBC's "Power Lunch" (M-F 1PM 3PM) today, Wednesday, December 12th. The following is a link to video of the interview on CNBC.com: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/12/04/watch-cnbcs-full-interview-with-commerce-secretary-wilbur-ross.html. All references must be sourced to CNBC. TYLER MATHISEN: China trade tensions, the Huawei CFO drama, the fight to keep the government open just a few of things on the Trump administration agenda this week. And also on the docket, financial leaders meeting at the Commerce Department today for a Space Investment Summit. Joining us exclusively from the White House is the Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Our Morgan Brennan also with us to talk about the final frontiers in space. But Secretary Ross, welcome first of all. It's always great to see you, sir. WILBUR ROSS: Thank you. Good to have me on. TYLER MATHISEN: We're happy to have you here. The report we want to begin with from "The Wall Street Journal" that China plans to scale back its 'Made in China 2025' policy to give foreign companies greater access to its economy. There's that. There's the idea that they're going to buy more beans. There's the idea that they're going to reduce tariffs on U.S. made automobiles. These are all, I assume, encouraging steps in our trade negotiation with them. But do they go far enough? Do they miss critical points about intellectual property, market access, and technology transfer? WILBUR ROSS: Well, the first thing I think they do is they prove that President Trump was right when he announced his summary of the talks of President Xi. You'll remember there was some controversy at that time, what President Trump then said about reducing the tariff on auto, and that will help a lot and, in fact, interestingly one of the big beneficiaries of that is BMW. They are the largest exporter of autos from the United States, period, and they export about 40% of their vehicles to China. So that's a very direct help to us and probably will be helpful in the talks we've been having with the German auto manufacturers. On the soybeans, same thing. The President had said there would be a relatively immediate resumption of soybean purchases. It now turns out that he's accurate. As for the 2025, we don't object to them trying to become more involved in high tech. We do object to using inappropriate methods like stealing secrets, like forced technology transfers, that sort of thing. We're perfectly happy to compete with them toe to toe as long as it's a level playing field. TYLER MATHISEN: So what can you tell us about this, quote, scaling back of the 'Made in China 2025' initiative? What in practice do we -- do we know that they're willing to do or scale back? WILBUR ROSS: Well, it's a very complicated thing. For one thing it encompasses about 11 different industries and they had originally announced it back around 2015 and then it was part of their ten year roadmap. And it essentially said they wanted to get 70 to 80% market share and a whole big list of very interesting new technologies. That provoked a very big response from the U.S. and from some other countries, so since then they've been playing down 2025. If you'll search the recent clips, you'll find they haven't been talking that much about it. That doesn't mean they've dropped it. They clearly are going to move up the technology value added spectrum. They have to because they're no longer the world's cheapest place to manufacture. A lot of other parts of Southeast Asia and even Africa that are much lower wage and so they have to move up technology. KELLY EVANS: Mr. Secretary, what else can the U.S. do to make sure that China's not stealing intellectual property, that it's not stealing guest lists from Marriott and using them to track its own citizens or international citizens? What more can the U.S. companies do and the U.S. itself, in that regard, other than tariffs? WILBUR ROSS: Well, what we need is enforcement mechanisms. And I think part of the error in the way China was admitted to the WTO is that the then administration admitted them on the theory that they would play by the western rules of the road. The error was they didn't put in place a real enforcement mechanism in case they didn't. So what you will see if we did get to a trade agreement with China is there will be verification procedures, there will be enforcement mechanisms because the paper itself is one thing but you really need detailed implementation and a means to correct. In many cases it will also take legislative change on the part of the Chinese government. And in other cases it will have to require the change in practices and the change in the court system. So we're talking about some fairly fundamental structural changes that over time will be needed to accomplish at least our end purposes. KELLY EVANS: And given that they're unlikely to accept those changes, should we expect more announcements from the U.S. such as the travel advisory that reportedly may go out, saying, you know, perhaps it's not wise for U.S. citizens to travel to China. Are those all tools in the tool kit for effecting those changes? WILBUR ROSS: Well, there are all kinds of tools in the tool kit. I'm not so sure what provoked the rumor about the travel advisory. It could be something as simple as the former Canadian embassy official that went missing yesterday in China. But we haven't made any announcement and as far as I know haven't made any decision about changing travel advisement. TYLER MATHISEN: Should American business people who are in China feel safe? WILBUR ROSS: I think so. Because after all, their employees are mostly Chinese employees. So if the Chinese did something detrimental to those businesses, they'd be hurting their own people. Most of them also have 50/50 joint venture partnerships with Chinese entities and therefore if the Chinese took some action against those entities, it would also hurt the Chinese partners. So I think it's a lot more complicated than that. MORGAN BRENNAN: Secretary Ross, Morgan Brennan here. Great to speak with you. This morning you held a Space Investment Summit. WILBUR ROSS: Oh, yes. MORGAN BRENNAN: Big focus there was this idea of large scale infusion of capital and how you get larger institutions to invest in this emerging sector. I mean, as the old saying goes, space is hard, potentially great reward but also great risk. What is the role that government plays in essentially growing and boosting and fortifying space? WILBUR ROSS: Right. Well, originally government was almost the sole funder of space. Remember next Friday is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 Mission. So it's a long time ago in one sense but a very short time ago in another. In those days it was essentially government funded. Now space is a $400 billion industry, 80% of which is private sector. So it started to change a lot from government to private. The real good rule for government is to take the adventurous part, the far out scientific research, and propel that into a state where someone else can commercialize it. And that's what's starting to happen. You see this little pin I'm wearing is from the International Space Station. They were one of the exhibitors at our investment summit today. And there are fascinating things going on there. There's one company testing osteopathic pharmaceuticals on mice and they're being charged 70,000 a pop for doing it. There's another one that's using the centrifuge to test other material. There's all kinds of stuff going on, pushing the outer parameters of science in space that will lead to more finite things. What's really happening in the commercial side is quite a few things. First of all, you're getting to reusability of the parts of rockets. Think how few people would be able to afford a 747 ride if it could only take one trip and then you had to scrap it. Now you already have the launch mechanism, which was 77% of the total cost of the launch, reusable. They're working now on getting the payloads, getting the fairings, getting other parts, that's a big help. The other thing that's a big help, we're starting to get into repetitive manufacturing of the same unit. When it's science driven, each scientist wants a little curly-q here, a little curly-q there, so they're one off production. Now that we're getting to these large constellations on small satellites, you get into repetition. That drives down unit cost because once you have learning curve, you're amortizing your R&D over a larger universe, and it's changing the math of things considerably. And that's important because one of the next big frontiers will be space tourism. Richard Branson already announced that he's going to take a test run of his plane that has already had 600 people signed up. KELLY EVANS: I think he should take Steph Curry. But that's another another issue. TYLER MATHISEN: Let me turn the conversation to a meeting that I believe you're going to go to shortly regarding empowerment or opportunity zones, which was one of the provisions in last year's tax law that has very favorable tax treatment for investments in certain neighborhoods or regions. I'd like you to explain that because it has got a lot of investors very, very enthusiastic. Quick description of what this event is and how important do you think these tax provisions involving empowerment or opportunity zones will be? WILBUR ROSS: OK, well, I don't want to front run the president's announcement, but I can tell you, I addressed a real estate group in Florida last weekend. Half the questions there were about these zones. There are already some 7,000 communities that have been designated for this factor. That's a lot of communities. And they're all, needless to say, communities that are somewhat depressed, often with all sorts of people unemployed and they're communities that really need help. So I think directionally it's a wonderful next step and it's a great way to bring up the very bottom income people in this country. You'll have more details about it at around 2:30 this afternoon. KELLY EVANS: Mr. Secretary, before we let you go, just one more question going back to this extraordinary hack of Marriott by the Chinese. So, what is your message to U.S. companies? Forget even the ones operating in China. What should companies here do knowing that China is targeting this information, even after they struck a deal with the Obama administration promising they wouldn't do things like that. What are U.S. companies supposed to do about this? WILBUR ROSS: Well, a couple of things. Many companies have been scrimping on the cyber security budget. They haven't been as protective of their own resources as they should have been. So the first thing they should be doing is trying to make sure that they've done more to protect themselves than they have been doing before. Second, in terms of the agreement that President Obama had, agreements aren't really useful, unless you have an enforcement mechanism and unless you have some sort of a penalty that adheres to a wrongdoing. KELLY EVANS: Right. WILBUR ROSS: Otherwise, it's just a scrap of paper. TYLER MATHISEN: Secretary Ross, thank you for your time today. Always good to see you. WILBUR ROSS: Oh, thank you. It's good to be on again. TYLER MATHISEN: Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce. For more information contact: Jennifer Dauble CNBC t: 201.735.4721 m: 201.615.2787 e: jennifer.dauble@nbcuni.com Emma Martin CNBC t: 201.735.4713 m: 551.275.6221 e: emma.martin@nbcuni.com China may now be recognizing its ambitious 2025 policy for "world domination" was a bad idea to reveal after all, CNBC's Jim Cramer argued Wednesday. "It's rather remarkable that they agreed to get rid" of it, said the "Mad Money" host, shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese officials are drafting a replacement for Made in China 2025. The plan, championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, was meant to enhance China's competitiveness and foster the country's high-tech industries. Peter Navarro, one of President Donald Trump's top trade advisors, has called for a repeal of China 2025, according to Cramer. "I think this would be a sign that it admits that this is about worldwide hegemony from the Chinese," Cramer said. Though he admitted he's unsure whether China will stick with working on a replacement. According to the Journal, China is working on a new program set to be introduced early next year to provide increased access to the world's second-largest economy for overseas companies. The report comes amid a 90-day truce between Washington and Beijing on any new tariffs on each other's goods while talks to settle their disputes continue. In the latest moves, the Trump administration in September levied 10 percent duties on $200 billion worth of goods from China, prompting Beijing to put tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods. On "Squawk on the Street," Cramer said the White House needs to get China to admit that it does "reckless stealing," possibly referring to theft of intellectual property by China. Cramer later added to his CNBC remarks on Twitter, by tweeting, "2025 must be renounced by word AND deed and the PRC must stop ordering espionage NOW." 2025 must be renounced by word AND deed and the PRC must stop ordering espionage NOW The logo of Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse is seen on October 17, 2017 in Zurich. Credit Suisse on Wednesday announced a share buyback of up to 1.5 billion Swiss francs ($1.51 billion) in 2019 and plans to increase its dividend by at least 5 percent from 2019 onward, confirming its strategy as it wraps up a three-year revamp under Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam. "The actions taken during the restructuring mean the bank is now more resilient in the face of market turbulence," Thiam said in a statement ahead of the bank's investor day. Switzerland's second-biggest bank last year announced new 2019 and 2020 yield targets and a plan to distribute half of net profit to shareholders primarily through share buybacks or special dividends, saying it had made strong progress in an ambitious quest to become a leading wealth manager with strong investment banking capabilities. By attracting a growing number of entrepreneurs especially in Asia to its client base, Credit Suisse hopes to increase profitability over coming years even as it faces headwinds from shaky markets and a hit to investor mood. "We believe that global wealth will continue to grow, with ultra-high net worth and high net worth being the most attractive segments in wealth management," the bank said. "Both emerging and mature markets have attractive growth dynamics, while industry-wide trading revenue pools continue to decline." The bank has cut thousands of jobs over recent years and reduced its financing costs. It aims to operate at a cost base of between 16.5 billion and 17 billion Swiss francs in 2019 and 2020, compared to the 2018 target for a base below 17 billion francs. The bank on Wednesday said it expects to achieve pre-tax income of 3.2 - 3.4 billion francs in 2018, anticipating a full-year profit for the first time since Thiam took over in 2015. Its goal to achieve a group reported return on tangible equity (ROTE) of between 10 percent and 11 percent for 2019 and between 11 percent and 12 percent for 2020 places its estimated earnings at 4.2 - 4.6 billion francs in 2019 and 5 - 5.5 billion francs in 2020. "As a result of known actions that are under our control, we expect to achieve at least a 10 percent ROTE in 2019," Thiam said on Wednesday. New York struck a "bad deal" with Amazon to bring one of the tech giant's East Coast headquarters to Queens, New York state Sen. Michael Gianaris told CNBC on Wednesday. Gianaris, a Democrat whose district includes Long Island City, where the Amazon facility would be located, called Jeff Bezos' HQ2 search process "one of the great PR scams" and said New York responded by handing out $3 billion to the company. "Why is it the state and the city's responsibility to provide billions of dollars to Amazon, which is probably the one company in the country that needs it the least?" Gianaris said on "Squawk Box." The senator mentioned that big tech companies such as Facebook and Google parent Alphabet have expanded in Manhattan and created thousands of jobs without the bait of tax relief. Additionally, the state is providing "completely discretionary" incentives that could go instead toward funding affordable housing, schools and subway infrastructure repairs. "I don't think it's worth providing $3 billion and setting a precedent, by the way, that every other company around the country is going to look at and say 'Well, I guess New York's got its pockets open to be picked. Maybe we should get next in line,'" Gianaris said. Gianaris' comments came before the New York City Council questioned Amazon executives and the New York City's Economic Development Corporation chief on Wednesday. Several council members are critical of what they saw as a clandestine negotiation process and worry that the project won't benefit the local Queens community. New York Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen has defended the $1.5 billion in tax credits that Amazon could get through the city's real estate and employee tax subsidy programs. Amazon took advantage of the programs that were designed to spur development outside of Manhattan and the deal could produce $12.5 billion in future tax revenues, she told CNBC last month. "If they're worried about the outer boroughs so much, I'll tell you what: Let Amazon go to Manhattan, like Google and everybody else, and give us $3 billion worth of affordable housing in Long Island City," Gianaris said. "We take that deal in a second." Gianaris, the Democratic Conference chair, also disputed the idea that the Long Island City office will be an East Coast headquarters given that Amazon is opening a twin center in Northern Virginia. The Seattle-based e-commerce mammoth kicked off a competition in 2017 to choose a city for its second headquarters, where it would create 50,000 jobs, before deciding to split the project in half between the two regions. Amazon now promises to create 25,000 jobs at each location over a decade. "They set up this process to squeeze as much money as they can out of these various localities, and New York fell for it," Gianaris said, framing the 25,000 jobs over 10 years as a drop in the bucket compared with the 90,000 jobs created in the city each year. "It's relatively modest in the scope of the size of New York City and the economy and the way it's been growing," he said. Representatives from the New York mayor's office and Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince despite a CIA assessment that he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and pleas from U.S. senators for Trump to condemn the kingdom's de facto ruler. Trump refused to comment on whether Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the murder, but he provided perhaps his most explicit show of support for the prince since Khashoggi's death more than two months ago. "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office. Asked by Reuters if standing by the kingdom meant standing by the prince, known as MBS, Trump responded: "Well, at this moment, it certainly does." Some members of Saudi Arabia's ruling family are agitating to prevent MBS from becoming king, sources close to the royal court have told Reuters, and believe that the United States and Trump could play a determining role. "I just haven't heard that," Trump said. "Honestly, I can't comment on it because I had not heard that at all. In fact, if anything, I've heard that he's very strongly in power." Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will visit Azerbaijan to attend the 39th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), hosted by the Chairmanship-in-Office of Azerbaijan. During the meeting on December 14, BSECs recent activities in areas such as transport, information and communication technologies, energy, environment, customs, SMEs, combating organized crime, agriculture and culture will be evaluated, Trend reported with reference to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. European stocks closed higher on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump said he was upbeat about the chances of securing a trade deal with China. Meanwhile, sterling climbed away from 20-month lows on news that British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no-confidence from members of her own Conservative party later in the day. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally up by 1.69 percent, with all sectors and major bourses in positive territory. Europe's basic resources stocks with their heavy exposure to China were the top performers Wednesday afternoon, up 2.84 percent after Trump said he would not raise tariffs on Chinese products until he was sure about a deal. BHP Group, Boliden and Rio Tinto were all traded higher on the news. Looking at individual stocks, shares in Germany's biggest lenders Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank have risen 5.81 percent and 5.61 percent respectively after a report that the German government is conducting high-level discussions to smooth the path for a possible merger. France's Pernod Ricard was also among the top gainers in Europe. Its shares surged after the company said senior management had held talks with Elliott Management, following reports that Paul Singer's activist hedge fund had taken a stake in the drinks firm. The stock surged 5.91 percent and hit a fresh record high. Meanwhile, Danish jewelry maker Pandora slumped to the bottom of the index after Carnegie reportedly cut its price target for the firm by 7 percent Wednesday morning. It comes after weak sales momentum for the Copenhagen-listed company, with its shares tumbling 11.51 percent. UK leadership challenge The Chinese and European Union flags Nelson Ching | Bloomberg | Getty Images The European Union has a vested interest in promoting technology exchanges with China, but any transfers should be regulated, said the trade bloc's ambassador to China on Wednesday. "For the last 40 years, EU companies have provided most of the foreign tech that is in China, about 50 percent of what is today in China," said Nicolas Chapuis, ambassador of the EU delegation to China. However, the diplomat expressed concerns about China trading market access for technology. We believe in an open economy, we believe in globalization, but we need to make sure that these investments are conducive to growth. Nicolas Chapuis EU ambassador to China Beijing sometimes forces foreign companies to hand over their technological know-how in exchange for access to its massive domestic market. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that China cease forced tech transfers, which have become a flashpoint in the U.S.-China trade war. "This has to stop or to be regulated," Chapuis told CNBC at the European Chamber Annual Conference 2018 in Beijing. "Of course if a company wants to open its tech books to a Chinese company all right, that's not an issue, but it has to be regulated so that there is no so-called 'forced tech transfer,'" Chapuis said. Beijing has claimed it will step up protection of intellectual property rights, but experts point out that the country still wields its state-controlled legal system to take whatever trade secrets it wants for its own companies. Chapuis said he is confident that China will be able to keep to its reform plans, but Beijing needs to ensure a consistent and unified countrywide approach to enforcing these regulations. He said he was optimistic that the plans will eventually play out as Beijing knows that such reforms are crucial to future growth. Former Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak is escorted by police to the courthouse in Kuala Lumpur on October 25, 2018. Malaysian prosecutors on Wednesday filed new graft charges against former prime minister Najib Razak and the former chief executive of scandal-linked state fund 1MDB, in the latest cases over alleged theft of billions of dollars from the fund. Anti-graft investigators this week questioned Najib and the former fund official over accusations that the former premier's office had tampered with a 2016 government audit into the fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The audit was commissioned amid reports of skyrocketing debt and financial mismanagement at the fund, founded by Najib in 2009. Najib had "secured protection from disciplinary, civil or criminal action related to 1MDB" by directing for the audit report to be amended before it was finalised, according to a prosecutors' charge-sheet read to him in court. Najib pleaded not guilty to a charge of abusing his position as prime minister, a conviction on which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, or a fine of $2,402, or both. The fund's former chief executive, Arul Kanda Kandasamy, pleaded not guilty to abetting Najib. Najib's lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said his client could not have tampered with the audit, as he was only accused of having directed changes to a draft of the report, rather than the final version. "In this charge, it's quite clear that it is no longer the allegation...that he had in fact tampered with the audit report," Muhammad Shafee told reporters. Malaysian officials had said the audit report changes Najib ordered had included removing a mention of the presence of financier Low Taek Jho at a 1MDB board meeting. Low, who is at large and has previously denied wrongdoing, has been charged by both Malaysian and U.S. authorities, who describe him as a central player in the alleged theft of about $4.5 billion dollars from 1MDB. Civil lawsuits filed by the United States say billions of dollars were diverted from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, and that about $1 billion made its way into Najib's personal bank accounts. Najib, who was ousted in May by a coalition led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, faces 38 charges of money laundering, graft and breach of trust, most of them linked to 1MDB. He has denied wrongdoing and his trial is due to begin next year. Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and other officials of his administration have also been charged with corruption. All have pleaded not guilty. Bugcrowd, a company that provides a platform for coordinating ethical hackers, holds an event at California Polytechnic University in July. Bugcrowd Freelance elite hackers can make more than $500,000 a year searching for security flaws and reporting those issues at big companies like Tesla and organizations like the Department of Defense, according to new data released by ethical hacking platform Bugcrowd. The company, founded in 2012, is one of a handful of so-called "bug bounty" firms that provide a platform for hackers to safely chase security flaws at companies that want to be tested. Hackers work on a clearly defined contract for a specific company and get paid a bounty when they are able to find a flaw in a company's infrastructure. How much they're paid depends on how serious the problem is. Companies are increasingly looking for alternatives for cybersecurity testing as millions of jobs in the field go vacant, said Bugcrowd CTO Casey Ellis. By some estimates, as many as 3.5 million cyber jobs may be left open by 2021. Last year, the company saw it's largest payout for a single exploit $113,000 for a bug found at a large tech hardware company, Ellis said. Payouts rose 37 percent year over year in 2018, according to the data. Half of the ethical hackers or security experts hired to penetrate networks and computer systems on behalf of their owners reported having full-time jobs, according to the survey. About 80 percent said the endeavor helped them land a job in cybersecurity. For the top 50 hackers, the average yearly payouts were around $145,000, Ellis said. According to Ellis, the hackers making the most money have certain essential skills. "They found a particular vulnerability class and they go after that over and over again at different companies. They will go all around cyberspace and try to find as many opportunities to exploit that vulnerability as they can," Ellis said. "They also have good reconnaissance skills and are able to operate on an understanding of what might cause the most damage to an organization. A good sense of how businesses work, or how their infrastructure is built, is really helpful," he added. And while 94 percent of Bugcrowd's hunters are ages 18 to 44, several are still in high school or middle school. The cost of entry is low and based on skills, Ellis said. About a quarter of the hackers on the platform do not have a college degree. Companies seeking to get hacked Billionaire and liberal philanthropist George Soros has been telling his aides that he may not back a candidate during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary as the potentially large field sorts itself out. "He doesn't plan to pick a horse in this race," Michael Vachon, Soros' chief spokesman, told CNBC in an email after being asked where his boss stands on the growing list of possible Democratic candidates for president. Vachon explained that the Democrats who will be in the running for the nomination will likely not see a commitment from Soros because "he thinks there are several good candidates." Vachon did not name the candidates Soros praised. Holding off on backing a candidate during the primary would mark a change in tactics for Soros. In the buildup to the 2016 general election, Soros supported Hillary Clinton over liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. His backing included a $343,000 contribution to the Hillary Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee supporting Clinton and the Democratic National Committee, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Morgan Stanley hosted its first "Space Summit" in New York City on Tuesday, as the firm is telling clients to pay attention to space companies. The event "included participation from private and public space companies and investors, with discussions centered on bandwidth, national security, and capital formation in the private domain," Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said in a note to clients on Wednesday. Read more: Morgan Stanley says 2019 could 'be the year for space,' led by the likes of SpaceX and Blue Origin A dozen space-related companies spoke at the event, as well as a host of Morgan Stanley analysts with backgrounds on everything from telecommunications to the future of transportation. Seven companies building space hardware spoke at the summit, according to a copy of the event's agenda seen by CNBC: OneWeb, Telesat, ViaSat, Maxar Technologies, Rocket Lab, Spaceflight Industries and Spire Global. Additionally, five venture capital and consulting firms spoke: Seraphim Capital, Razor's Edge Ventures, In-Q-Tel, RRE Ventures and TMF Associates. Morgan Stanley asked three questions of the 12 companies and firms that spoke: How urgently does the Department of Defense need a Space Force? When will a human being next step foot on the moon? What is their best single investment idea for the space industry? Here's what Morgan Stanley said about their answers: Need for a Space Force: "On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the greatest sense of urgency. The average of the responses was 3.5." When a human will next step on the Moon: "The answers ranged from 2022 to 2030, with an average answer of 2025. 10 out of the 12 presenters believe China will be the next to put a human on the moon before the US." Single best space investment idea: "Blue Origin and in space manufacturing got the most frequent mentions." Attendees who spoke to CNBC after the event called remarks by OneWeb CEO Adrian Steckel the highlight of the day. According to two attendees, Steckel revealed OneWeb plans to launch only two-thirds of the previously announced 900 satellites for its broadband internet constellation. Steckel explained that OneWeb only needs to put 600 satellites in 12 orbits, rather than 18, to get global coverage, the people attending said. Additionally, Steckel talked about focusing initially on large enterprise customers such as aviation and marine for its broadband networks, attendees said. That would mark a noted shift from OneWeb's stated mission, which the company's website says "is to enable affordable Internet access for everyone, connect every school on Earth, and bridge the digital divide by 2027." OneWeb has raised more than $2 billion to fund its massive satellite network, with investments from SoftBank, Qualcomm, Airbus and Virgin. WATCH: This small-rocket unicorn wants to be the FedEx of space A House panel delayed a hearing on the minimum wage planned for Wednesday after a homophobic blog post written by a Republican witness surfaced. Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce decided not to go on with the hearing after they discovered the post from San Diego State economics professor Joseph Sabia, said Marty Boughton, a press secretary for the panel. Politico first reported the reason for the delay. As Democrats push for a $15 per hour federal minimum wage, Republicans who hold a House majority until next month scheduled the hearing about the policy's "consequences for workers and small businesses." Sabia was set to testify on the effects of raising the wage floor. In the 2002 post captured in the internet archive Wayback Machine, Sabia proposes to "tax and regulate homosexual acts" along with any taxes on smoking and fatty foods. The professor writes: In gay sex, we have an activity that is clearly leading to disastrous health consequences. What rational person would engage in this sort of activity? There is only one solution let's tax it. He goes on to write: In all seriousness, the bottom line is this the government has no business interfering in the lives of smokers, fatties, or gays. In America, each citizen ought to be free to choose the risks he is willing to take and the potential rewards (or costs) he may receive. He should be free to make choices that could lead to heart disease, diabetes, or HIV. And if these bad outcomes materialize, he should not look to the public dole for relief. In a statement, Sabia apologized and said the post was satirical. "I regret the hurtful and disrespectful language I used as a satirical college opinion writer 20 years ago," he said in an email. "My peer-reviewed professional work on veterans' health, school shootings, discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, the opioid crisis, and the minimum wage are a more accurate representation of my more than 14 year career as an applied microeconomist." In a subsequent statement, Sabia also denied allegations of homophobia. He said he is "a gay man in a long-term, committed relationship and these charges of homophobia deeply hurt both me and my family." San Diego State also said it "unequivocally rejects any sentiment which seeks to undermine or devalue the dignity of any person based on their gender, orientation, ability, or any other difference among people which has been an excuse for misunderstanding, dissension or hatred. Rep. Mark Takano, the California Democrat and ranking member on the subcommittee that scheduled the hearing, called it "an absolute shame and a disgrace" that the GOP invited Sabia as a witness. The writings "should automatically disqualify anyone from speaking as an expert" before a congressional committee, he said. "Instead of simply postponing this hearing which would have been the first hearing on the federal minimum wage that Republicans have held in 8 years my Republican colleagues on the Committee should have issued a strong rebuke disavowing this witness and let the hearing go on," he added. Before Sabia released his statement, Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, a New Hampshire Democrat and committee member, said Sabia should apologize "for these deeply hateful words" or "attempt to defend the indefensible to his students at UNH and San Diego State University." She contended that Republican members "wanted to avoid the embarrassment of having [Sabia] in the witness chair." Boughton, a spokesperson for the majority side of the committee, declined to comment on the Democrats' criticism. Rep. Bobby Scott, the Virginia Democrat who will likely lead the Education and the Workforce committee next month, plans to quickly push for a $15 per hour federal minimum wage. While many states and cities have raised their pay floor in recent years, the federal minimum wage has not increased since 2009. It stands at $7.25 an hour. Democrats see it as a winning issue as they try to cast themselves as better for the working class than the GOP. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. WATCH: Women aren't saving enough for retirement U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would intervene with the U.S. Justice Department in the case against a Chinese telecommunications executive if it would help secure a trade deal with Beijing. "If I think it's good for the country, if I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made which is a very important thing what's good for national security I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary," Trump said in a wide-ranging interview with Reuters in the Oval Office. Trump expressed optimism that he could strike a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two countries struggle to resolve a dispute that has contributed to recent U.S. stock market declines and raised questions about whether economic turmoil could beset the president in the new year. At the request of U.S. authorities, Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested earlier this month in Vancouver on charges of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran. The arrest came the same day Trump and Xi declared a 90-day truce in their trade war during summit talks in Buenos Aires. Trump, who wants China to open up its markets to more American-made products and stop what Washington calls the theft of intellectual property, said he had not yet spoken to Xi about the case against Huawei's executive. In the wake of his meeting with Xi in Buenos Aires, Trump said during the interview that trade talks with Beijing were under way by telephone, with more meetings likely among U.S. and Chinese officials. He said the Chinese government was once again buying large quantities of U.S. soybeans, a reversal after China in July imposed tariffs on U.S. supplies of the oilseed in retaliation for U.S. duties on Chinese goods. "I just heard today that they're buying tremendous amounts of soybeans. They are starting, just starting now," Trump said. Commodity traders in Chicago, however, said they have seen no evidence of a resumption of soybean purchases by China, which last year bought about 60 percent of U.S. soybean exports in deals valued at more than $12 billion. Already fraught, relations between the United States and China have been further complicated by the arrest of Meng, 46. She faces U.S. accusations she misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of a company operating in Iran, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions and incurring severe penalties, court documents said. If extradited to the United States, Meng would face charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions. A Canadian court on Tuesday granted Meng bail while she awaits an extradition hearing Trump has intervened on behalf of a Chinese company before. Earlier this year he revisited penalties for Chinese company ZTE for lying to the U.S. after the company pleaded guilty to violating U.S. sanctions on trade with Iran, saying the telecom maker is a big buyer for U.S. suppliers. Trump said Meng could potentially be released. "Well, it's possible that a lot of different things could happen. It's also possible it will be a part of negotiations. But we'll speak to the Justice Department, we'll speak to them, we'll get a lot of people involved," he said. Asked if he would like to see Meng extradited to the United States, Trump said he wanted to first see what the Chinese request. He added, however, that Huawei's alleged practices are troubling. "This has been a big problem that we've had in so many different ways with so many companies from China and from other places," he said. CNBC contributed to this report. New York City Public Advocate Letitia James - In response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions to announcing the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. New York Attorney Gen.-elect Letitia James says she plans to launch sweeping investigations into President Donald Trump, his family and "anyone" in his circle who may have violated the law once she settles into her new job next month. "We will use every area of the law to investigate President Trump and his business transactions and that of his family as well," James, a Democrat, told NBC News in her first extensive interview since she was elected last month. Read more from NBC News: In public fight with Democrats, Trump says he would be 'proud' to shut down government over border wall Trump team advocates burning fossil fuels, even as U.S. scientists sound alarm on melting Arctic Michael Flynn's lawyers ask judge for no jail time James outlined some of the probes she intends to pursue with regard to the president, his businesses and his family members. They include: Any illegalities involving Trump's real estate holdings in New York, highlighting the October New York Times investigation into the president's finances. The June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with a Russian official. Examine government subsidies Trump received, which were also the subject of Times investigative work. Whether he is in violation of the emoluments clause in the U.S. Constitution through his New York businesses. Continue to probe the Trump Foundation. "We want to investigate anyone in his orbit who has, in fact, violated the law," said James, who was endorsed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. James campaigned on passing a bill to change New York's double jeopardy laws with an eye on possible pardons coming out of the White House. James told NBC News she wants to be able to pursue state charges against anyone the president were to pardon over federal charges or convictions and whose alleged crimes took place in the state. Under current New York law, she might not be unable to do that. "I think within the first 100 days this bill will be passed," she said, adding, "It is a priority because I have concerns with respect to the possibility that this administration might pardon some individuals who might face some criminal charges, but I do not want them to be immune from state charges." She's also enlisting help from some prosecutorial heavy hitters, like former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, as a part of her transition to help her identify important hires for her office with an eye on bringing in experts for its Trump-related investigations. New York is home to the president's namesake business, the Trump Organization, and it is where Trump's presidential campaign was headquartered and his reelection campaign as well. And it is where a number of key events under special counsel Robert Mueller's microscope, such as the controversial June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, took place. All of that falls within James' jurisdiction. As a result, she is about to become one of the most recognizable and powerful state attorneys general in the country. "Taking on President Trump and looking at all of the violations of law I think is no match to what I have seen in my lifetime," James said. Currently the city's public advocate for a few more weeks, James is set to take over for New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood. She was appointed to fill in for the remainder of Eric Schneiderman's term after he resigned earlier this year following accusations of sexual misconduct. The most prominent litigation between the attorney general's office and the president involves the Trump Foundation. Schneiderman began probing the charity in 2016 and Underwood later filed the lawsuit against Trump, his adult children and the foundation in June. The foundation is accused of engaging in illegal political coordination with the Trump campaign, self-dealing and violating legal obligations. The Trumps and the foundation could face millions of dollars in penalties as a result. Trump's lawyers tried and failed to have the case thrown out in New York state Supreme Court, alleging the probe was politically motivated. Underwood also was investigating whether Trump has violated the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution, which generally prohibits federal officials from receiving gifts or payments from foreign or state governments. The White House, Trump Organization, an attorney representing the company and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani did not respond to requests for comment. Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz told NBC News that the president has "considerably more vulnerability" when faced with New York state investigations because he can't hold out the offer of pardons or fire investigators, though he said James' scope would be limited to matters occurring before Trump became president. He added that it remains an open question as to whether a sitting president can be charged with a state crime. For her part, James said she thinks Mueller's "doing an excellent job." "I think he's closing in on this president," she said, "and his days are going to be coming to an end shortly." WATCH: Trump's White House has been a money-making machine An ordinance that would add new regulations for short-term rental housing on Airbnb and other vacation rental websites was approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Council. The ordinance would limit short-term rentals to people renting out their primary residence for vacation rentals and prohibit apartment conversions into what some have called "rogue hotels." The regulation defines a primary residence as one where the host lives onsite for at least six months. "We have lost thousands and thousands of units," said City Councilman Paul Koretz. "We have contributed to homelessness. We've contributed to the higher prices that make the city so unaffordable, and we have to take action today to change this." Yet Airbnb was critical of the move, insisting a more comprehensive policy was needed by the city to avoid "bad actors" from skirting the rules. The measure would allow homeowners with a good record as a short-term rental host to petition to go above a cap of 120 days. However, the city could deny the right to rent year-round to hosts who have nuisance violations. Passage of the ordinance follows three years of debate on regulations involving Airbnb, which in 2016 struck a three-year deal with the city of Los Angeles to pay hotel taxes on behalf of hosts. The company's hosts have been responsible for more than $100 million in transient occupancy tax collections for California's largest city since August 2016. "There are definitely studies that have linked the relationship between rising rents and the size of the short-term rental market" said Gary Painter, director of the USC Sol Price Center for Social Innovation. The ordinance, approved unanimously by the council, is set to take effect July 1, 2019, although that date could be delayed to later when the city is expected to take up an ordinance regulating nonprimary residences. "This doesn't satisfy anybody 100 percent," said City Councilman Mike Bonin, one of the sponsors of the measure. "But this comes about as close as this body can come after years of work to striking a balance between those interests." The ordinance requires short-term rental property hosts to obtain registration numbers from the city in order to advertise units for rent on Airbnb and other platforms. Units that are allowed to be rented and meet the city's criteria would get be eligible for the registration numbers. Hosts without registration would be considered in violation of the city ordinance. The measure also requires services such as Airbnb and HomeAway to keep track of the number of days a host has rented properties and makes the vacation rental websites subject to penalties of $1,000 daily for violations. "Homesharing and vacation rentals play an important role in allowing Angelenos to directly benefit from 48 million visitors who travel to Los Angeles every year," said Mattie Zazueta, a spokesperson for San Francisco-based Airbnb. "The city needs a comprehensive short-term rental policy that regulates all short-term rental activity, including its long standing vacation rental market." Zazueta added that without such a policy, the city of Los Angeles "will create a loophole that allows bad actors to jump from platform to platform in an attempt to evade the rules. We believe we can work with the city to enact the rules that preserve the economic benefits of short-term rentals for residents, while minimizing concerns regarding housing affordability." A recent report about vacation rentals and Airbnb shows there were 1.5 million housing units in LA in 2017 and nearly 13,600 of them listed as vacation rentals. That represents about 0.9 percent of the city's total housing stock. Airbnb, meantime, had listings last year for nearly 0.3 percent of the city's housing stock, or fewer than 3,000 full-time rentals. The ordinance allows accessory dwelling units, or so-called granny flats, permitted prior to Jan. 1 of last year or later to be exempted. City officials estimated there have been thousands of the accessory dwelling units built since that time due to eased state rules that allow more backyard home units to ease the state's housing shortage. At the same time, it bars short-term rentals of units that fall under the city's Rent Stabilization Ordinance. There are about 631,000 units in 118,000 properties in the city that fall under this ordinance, including apartments and condominiums, according to the city's Housing and Community Investment Department. Bonin, the city councilman, said the ordinance will likely need to be reviewed after six months or a year to determine "where it works and where it's weak." Indeed, one of the changes could be to allow some low-income residents in the rent-stabilized units to become hosts for short-term rentals. According to Bonin, the council could eventually "tweak and revise it to adjust to the reality on the ground to make sure what we're passing today does its intended job of protecting rental housing and preserving our neighborhoods." He also said it was important to allow "people who are genuinely trying to use their personal property, their primary residence, to make ends meet." It remains to be seen how well the city can enforce the regulation of short-term rentals. `The key to this has been enforceability," Bonin conceded. "The city, I'm the first to admit, does not have a great track record in enforcing a lot of the legislation that we approve." WATCH: Timeshares may sound idyllic but the fact remains - millions of owners want out Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry commented on today's visit of Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov to Baku. Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov said that Azerbaijan has established strategic cooperation with both Russia and the U.S. In addition, he noted that the talks in Baku are an indicator of a trusting attitude towards Azerbaijan, which was chosen as a platform where important issues are discussed. "I think that this is an indicator of the influence of our country," Trend cited Khalafov as saying. Yellow vest (gilets jaunes) protestors take notes as thet watch French President Emmanuel Macron's speech on TV on December 10, 2018 at a restaurant with French deputy Richard Damos, in Fay-au-Loges, near Orleans, Center France. Left-of-center lawmakers in France have tabled a motion of no confidence in the French government following repeated protests and scenes of violence. The "gilets jaunes" ("yellow vests") crisis started as a demonstration against a carbon tax policy and planned fuel tax increases, but have morphed into wider discontent at the leadership of President Emmanuel Macron. Now representatives from the French Communist Party, the Socialist Party and the far-left populist movement France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) have come together to table the motion against Macron's government. The government of Georges Pompidou in 1962 was successfully toppled by such a motion but few believe this one will pass as Macron's centrist La Republique En Marche! party enjoys a strong majority in the 577-seat house. "The French political system makes it extremely difficult to remove a President from office," said the Deputy Director of Research at Teneo Intelligence in a note Wednesday. "The only political tool available to the opposition to expel Macron is the constitution's impeachment procedure, which no one is currently considering," he added. The motion is expected to be debated at 10:30 a.m. eastern time on Thursday, according to media reports. While it might be the most wonderful time of the year for things like hot chocolate and gift-giving, it's not so much for traveling. With winter weather and hundreds of millions of travelers, the holidays are a prime time for crowded airports and delayed or canceled flights. That can mean lots of wasted time and money a 2017 study found that the average American traveler surveyed spent $141 while killing time at the airport. Some airports, however, fare better than others for holiday travel, according to a new report from personal finance site Magnify Money. The report analyzed 10 years of Department of Transportation flight data, ranging from 2008 to 2017, for the 50 busiest U.S. airports for travel dates spanning from Dec. 20 to Dec. 31 each year. It looked at flight delays at those airports for those travel dates, defining a flight delay as one that arrived at its destination 15 minutes or more behind schedule, or one that was canceled altogether. Magnify Money found that Chicago airports in particular are plagued with delayed and canceled flights, in fact, the worst airport for on-time holiday travel is Chicago's Midway airport, with Chicago's O'Hare airport snagging the second place spot. Meanwhile, the two best airports for on-time holiday travel can be found in Hawaii; the best airport goes to Honolulu, and the second best is the Maui airport. These are the top 10 worst airports for holiday travel, according to Magnify Money, with the 10-year average percentage of flights departing the airport that arrived at their destination on-time, and the 10-year average percentage of flights that were canceled. 1. Chicago, Illinois: Midway International Airport (61.5 percent on-time, 3.2 percent canceled) 2. Chicago, Illinois: O'Hare International Airport (61.6 percent on-time, 4.7 percent canceled) 3. Newark, New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport (62.2 percent on-time, 4.5 percent canceled) 4. Denver, Colorado: Denver International Airport (64.1 percent on-time, 1.9 percent canceled) 5. New York, New York: John F. Kennedy International Airport (64.8 percent on-time, 4 percent canceled) 6. Houston, Texas: William P. Hobby Airport (66 percent on-time, 1.4 percent canceled) 7. Oakland, California: Oakland International Airport (66.1 percent on-time, 0.9 percent canceled) 8. Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati Municipal Airport (66.2 percent on-time, 4.3 percent canceled) 9. Salt Lake City, Utah: Salt Lake City International Airport (67.5 percent on-time, 1.1 percent canceled) 10. Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore-Washington International Airport (68 percent on-time, 1.7 percent canceled) These are the top 10 best airports for holiday travel, according to Magnify Money, with the 10-year average percentage of flights departing the airport that arrived at their destination on-time, and the 10-year average percentage of flights that were canceled. 1. Honolulu, Hawaii: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (84.2 percent on-time, 0.5 percent canceled) 2. Maui, Hawaii: Kahului Airport (83.7 percent on-time, 0.7 percent canceled) 3. Fort Myers, Florida: Southwest Florida International Airport (77.2 percent on-time, 1.7 percent canceled) 4. Tampa, Florida: Tampa International Airport (76.5 percent on-time, 1.1 percent canceled) 5. San Antonio, Texas: San Antonio International Airport (76.5 percent on-time, 1.1 percent canceled) 6. New York, New York: LaGuardia Airport (76.4 percent on-time, 4 percent canceled) 7. Austin, Texas: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (75.9 percent on-time, 1.1 percent canceled) 8. Orlando, Florida: Orlando International Airport (75.7 percent on-time, 1.1 percent canceled) 9. Charlotte, North Carolina: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (75.7 percent on-time, 1.2 percent canceled) 10. Miami, Florida: Miami International Airport (75.5 percent on-time, 1.2 percent canceled) You can find Magnify Money's full study here. Don't miss: These are the hottest travel destinations for 2019, from Savannah to Singapore Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Hackers infiltrated dozens of companies around the world with advanced malicious software that extracted information from their systems, according to McAfee. Research released by the cybersecurity firm on Wednesday showed that the infiltration campaign called "Operation Sharpshooter" targeted defense and government organizations. The report said that between October and November, the cybercriminals targeted individuals at 87 companies using social media, sending them messages disguised as recruitment campaigns to get them to open a malicious document. Once opened, another program called "Rising Sun" was installed, opening a "backdoor" portal that gave hackers the ability to extract intelligence and send it on to a control server. Attackers gained access to usernames, IP addresses, network configuration and system settings data. "We know that this campaign was intended to conduct espionage, indeed it was only recently launched. The question of the ultimate purpose remains to be seen," Raj Samani, chief scientist and fellow at McAfee, told CNBC via email on Wednesday. "In many cases such attacks are a precursor for something else, however we are hopeful that identifying and sharing the details will prevent the true nature of the campaign from being carried out." It appears the attack could be linked to the Lazarus Group, a cybercrime collective that has been associated with North Korea by various cybersecurity firms, because it drew from the source code of a hack that targeted South Korean firms in 2015. However, McAfee researchers said it appeared "too obvious" to conclude that Lazarus was responsible, adding the attack could be a "false flag" aimed at diverting attention toward the notorious organization. "The original malicious documents were hosted in the U.S.," Samani said. "In terms of attribution, certainly there are similarities with tactics and code previously attributed to the Lazarus Group, however we are conscious that this may be an intentional tactic to make it appear so." Born into a working class family on the South Side of Chicago, Obama says she questioned whether her humble beginnings would make her a good fit for "one of the finest universities in the world." "You're more than enough, Miche," she writes. "You always have been and you always will be. And I can't wait for you to see that." Like many young women making the transition from high school to college, former first lady Michelle Obama struggled with self-doubt and insecurities. As part of CBS News' " Note to Self " series, Obama shared a letter filled with advice and reassurance for her teenaged self as she entered Princeton University. "You're smiling, and you should be, you worked hard for this," she tells herself. "But even now, after you reached your goal, you're still not quite sure if you belong and can't get one question out of your mind: 'Am I good enough?'" These doubts grew, she writes, when she encountered very few kids who looked like her on campus. "Some arrived on campus in limousines. One of your classmates is a bona fide movie star, another is rumored to be a real-life princess. Meanwhile, you got dropped off by your father in the family sedan." Obama, who has been open about her upbringing by a close-knit family in a tiny apartment, reveals in the letter that she later found out her parents opened new credit cards to help pay for her tuition. She tells her younger self that "what you'll come to realize one day is that you're only seeing what you lack and not everything that your story has given you." On a recent stop in London to promote her bestselling memoir "Becoming," Obama revealed that despite her prestigious education, remarkable career and historic position in the White House, she still grapples with some of the same insecurities today. "It doesn't go away, that feeling that you shouldn't take me that seriously," she told telling Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie during the event, according to Newsweek. "What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is." Obama continued by saying that this feeling is especially true for women of color, who are often made to feel like they don't belong in certain spaces at a very young age. "My advice to young women," she said, "is that you have to start by getting those demons out of your head." Most people in these elite spaces, she emphasized, are no smarter than anyone else. "I have been at probably every powerful table that you can think of, I have worked at nonprofits, I have been at foundations, I have worked in corporations, served on corporate boards, I have been at G-summits, I have sat in at the U.N.," she said. "They are not that smart." Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Don't miss: Michelle Obama shares the No. 1 lesson she learned from her mom WASHINGTON From combat aircraft to ships, Middle Eastern countries are the biggest buyers of U.S. military equipment. Between 2013 and 2017, the Middle East accounted for 49 percent of U.S. arms exports, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Saudi Arabia is America's No. 1 overall weapons buyer. In the last five years, Riyadh accounted for 18 percent of total U.S. arms sales, or about $9 billion. Read more: Saudi Arabia is the top US weapons buyer but it doesn't spend as much as Trump boasts Saudi Arabia's oil-rich monarchy is one of America's most crucial strategic partners and a significant patron of U.S. defense companies. The Saudi defense deals, which have been brokered over multiple U.S. administrations, have recently come under scrutiny due to Riyadh's role in the Yemen war and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has denied knowledge of the attack on Khashoggi, although the CIA reportedly concluded that he ordered the writer's death. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has cited the importance of defense deals in defending his decision to stick with the kingdom in the aftermath of the slaying. The Saudis have agreed to purchase Lockheed Martin's Littoral Combat Ships for $6.5 billion and Raytheon's Patriot missile defense system for $1.6 billion. In November, CNBC learned that Saudi Arabia signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the United States for Lockheed's THAAD missile system, a significant step forward in the $15 billion deal. What's more, the Saudis are the top buyers in the British, Canadian, and Swiss defense markets, and spend heavily on Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Finnish arms. After Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates are the next largest buyer of U.S. arms in the Middle East. The UAE is responsible for 7.4 percent, or about $4 billion, of sales. According to the State Department, the Emirates' $1.9 billion for Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters, Kuwait's $5.1 billion for Boeing's F/A-18 fighter jets, and Bahrain's $2.1 billion for Lockheed Martin's F-16 fighter make up some of the top sales to the Middle East. All told, the U.S. State Department announced that the U.S. sold more than $55 billion in military equipment to foreign governments this fiscal year, which is a 33 percent increase from 2017. Jeff Bezos, founder and chief executive officer of Amazon.com Inc., listens during an Economic Club of Washington discussion in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. Council members expressed frustration over the stealthy nature of the deal between the city and state governments with Amazon and pressed the officials on how they would ensure the local Queens community is not negatively impacted by the deal. NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett answered questions alongside Amazon's Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy, and Holly Sullivan, who led Amazon's search for HQ2. Amazon executives and the head of New York City's Economic Development Corporation were grilled over the nearly $3 billion in city and state performance-based incentives the company was offered to bring half of its "second headquarters" to Long Island City, Queens. "I don't know who I'm more angry at," said Councilman Jumaane Williams, referring to Amazon and the government. Later in the session, Williams, who represents Brooklyn's 45th District, decided "I'm more angry at the administration because we could have used the power of NYC to force them to change." The hearing erupted at several points and ended on a tense note after Huseman initially dodged a question from Council Speaker Corey Johnson about whether Amazon would be willing to show up at future hearings. Huseman first said he "cannot commit today" to appearing at future hearings, before eventually conceding after Johnson said the council will plan around his schedule to make sure he could be there. "It's insulting. It's unacceptable. It's not how you be a good neighbor," Johnson said to Huseman after pointing out Amazon's memorandum of understanding says they will attend the hearings. "And I don't understand the level of tone deafness in trying to give an acute, evasive answer on this." Huseman said he did not mean to offend and was simply saying he could not yet commit to a specific date. Johnson said they will plan for hearings in January and February. Representatives also questioned why the city needed to offer such hefty incentives if Amazon itself said the talent pool in New York City was the primary incentive for them to choose this location. Sullivan said that incentives were an important consideration for the company, even though the primary driver was talent. Williams called Amazon's testimony "flowery." "It doesn't mention anything about the helipad. It doesn't mention much about the land use but it makes it seem like that was not the reason you came," he said, referring to the incentives offered to Amazon. "So if that is not the reason you came it does not seem like we needed to offer it to you." Throughout the hearing, council members asked the Amazon executives about how they would ensure that diverse members of the local community could get jobs at the tech giant. Huseman said they plan to hire New Yorkers and also want to work with the city council and community leaders to develop a pipeline for both technical and non-technical workers. Patchett said he has already begun working with local community college leaders to create a straightforward path to jobs at Amazon, but Councilman Donovan Richards, representing District 31 in Queens, said the work needs to go beyond community colleges to reach people of color, since "a lot of times we are locked out" of higher education. Several members were frustrated over the process of Amazon's dealings above all. "I see this as Walmart 2.0 and we're going to continue to fight because we object to the process that has brought us to [this] point," said Inez Barron, who represents District 42 in Brooklyn. "You're in for a battle. You're in for a fight." Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Former President Barack Obama and other high-profile Democrats are on a social media blitz to remind people to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act before the open enrollment period ends in most states on Saturday. Sign-ups are lower this year, and Democrats are blaming changes enacted by President Donald Trump and Congress that took effect this year. The Trump administration also scaled back the health law's advertising budget by 90 percent to $10 million last year, which was expected to impact enrollment in the ACA, commonly known as Obamacare. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are trying to fill in the gap, along with other Democrats. They urged people to enroll for health coverage over the past few days. The biggest push seemed to come from the former president, who posted a 90-second video on social media Monday calling on people to sign up. Former first lady Michelle Obama reposted her husband's ad on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Tweet 1 Democratic Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan posted a video Tuesday on Twitter. Sign-up rates for Obamacare in Whitmer's state are down 17 percent this enrollment season compared with last year, according to data released Thursday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "Hi everybody, I just wanted to take a moment to remind you that the days are going by quickly here," Whitmer said. "On December 15th, that is the last opportunity to sign up for health care through the Affordable Care Act, so I'm encouraging you to take that time right now and get signed up, 'cause every one of us deserves access to affordable, quality health care." Open enrollment began Nov. 1 and runs until Dec. 15 in most states. People who do not sign up for an Obamacare plan by the end of open enrollment will not be able to obtain coverage until the fall of 2019, unless they have a so-called qualifying life event such as getting married or having a child. The last-minute push comes as sign-up rates are down 11 percent this year on HealthCare.gov, the federal health insurance exchange that serves much of the United States. According to the most recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 24 percent of Americans ages 18 to 64 are aware of the current open enrollment deadlines. Consumers still have three days to sign up, so researchers can't draw any hard conclusions on impacts until the final numbers are in. Despite weaker enrollment, most policy researchers expect to see a surge in enrollment as states near Saturday's deadline. The CMS said it saw the highest traffic of this open enrollment period on Monday. WATCH: Here's what will happen if Republicans repeal Obamacare The Georgian opposition will hold a peaceful rally in Telavi on December 16, when it will host the presidential inauguration ceremony, former opposition presidential candidate Grigol Vashadze said. According to Vashadze, "no elections" were conducted in Georgia and that the government ignored the demands of the opposition. "There were no elections held in Georgia, it looked like a special operation more than the elections. We have offered a political dialogue to the government, but they rejected our offer that is why we will hold a peaceful rally in Telavi," Agenda.ge cited Vashadze as saying. The opposition have already addressed the court to annul the election results. During their rally after the November 28 presidential elections, the opposition urged the government to create a working group with the opposition to find a solution from the current political crisis. They gave the government time until December 16 to create the working group, but the government ignored the demand by saying that Georgia has a new president who was recognised to the role by the international community. The government called upon the opposition to refrain from staging provocations on the inauguration day. College-sponsored bank accounts ding students with millions of dollars in fees each year, according to a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Education Department under President Donald Trump never published the analysis but advocacy groups recently obtained it through a Freedom of Information Act request. The bureau reviewed 573 colleges across the country with marketing agreements with banks. It found that 1.3 million students attending these colleges had open and active accounts with their colleges' account providers. Students using accounts at these schools paid more than $27 million in fees during the 2016-2017 academic year, including overdraft and penalty charges. Wells Fargo charged students $46.99 a year in fees, on average. College students who used accounts with PNC were typically dinged $15.84 a year. (Most Americans pay around $9 a month, or $108 a year, for their checking accounts, according to Bankrate). "A lot of college students are on really, really tight budgets," said Whitney Barkley-Denney, a specialist in student finance at the Center for Responsible Lending. "Any kind of disruption in that cash flow can be devastating." Wells Fargo waives monthly fees on debit cards in its campus program, and so any charges are a result of how the card is used, said Jim Seitz, a spokesman for the bank. "[C]ustomers use their accounts in different ways, so saving, spending and other transaction activity varies," Seitz said. PNC does not charge a monthly fee on student accounts and it waives the first overdraft fee in the account's first year, said Amy Vargo, vice president of media at the bank. To be sure, at most colleges, a majority of students paid no fees when using sponsored accounts, the bureau found. Tweet Banks can compensate colleges based on the number of students who open and use their accounts, a practice that has raised concerns for consumer advocates. "When you promote marketing of one financial product over another, it tends to remove the students' incentive to comparison shop," said Colleen Campbell, associate director of postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress. Nearly 120 colleges report being rewarded by a bank to promote its financial products, according to the bureau. Wells Fargo paid $2,127,554 to colleges last year. PNC paid $7,562,570. Education Department rules require that the financial products colleges promote are "not inconsistent with the best financial interests" of their students. However, Campbell said, "an argument can be made that these institutions aren't acting in the best interest of their students." Education Department press secretary Liz Hill said the bureau's research confirmed the importance that the department's upcoming pilot program, in which certain students receive their financial aid on a debit card, include a fee-free option. A spokesperson for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said the bureau doesn't comment on unpublished studies. People take part in a protest outside The New York Times on February 26, 2017 in New York. Despite the White House ramping up its rhetoric, the United States remains a free and fair press, Ben Goldberger the assistant managing editor of Time magazine told CNBC on Wednesday. The year 2018 has been marked by manipulation, abuse of truth, along with efforts by governments to instigate mistrust of the facts, the magazine said in an essay when it named killed and imprisoned journalists as Person of the Year for 2018 on Tuesday. "There's no doubt that the rhetoric from the White House about the demonization of the media as 'the enemy of the people,' or the willingness to dismiss anything including credible news reporting as fake news, is incredibly worrisome and chilling," Goldberger said. "But that said, I return to what I said about the United States this remains a free and fair press." "Journalists here enjoy legal protections that are the envy of those in virtually every other country," he added. Michael Cohen, former personal lawyer and fixer for President Donald Trump, was ordered imprisoned Wednesday for three years for a range of crimes, including ones which helped cover up Trump's "dirty deeds" and put the president in legal peril. "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to the personal ones to me and those involving the president of the United States of America," an emotional Cohen said in federal court in Manhattan. "It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light, Cohen said. "Time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." The 52-year-old attorney also was ordered by Judge William Pauley to pay $1.39 million in restitution, $500,000 in forfeiture and $100,000 in fines. Trump later Wednesday refused to answer reporters when asked about his former personal lawyer. Cohen's own misdeeds included a range financial crimes, lying to Congress, and playing a key and illegal role in keeping two women quiet about purported affairs with Trump so that tawdry tales did not swing voters to support Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Pauley called Cohen's crimes "a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct," and said "each of these crimes standing alone warrant considerable punishment." Cohen told Pauley he lamented his past association with the president, saying he had been in "personal and mental incarceration" working for Trump. Cohen said that while he once looked up to the Queens, New York-bred real estate developer and reality TV star, he added, "I now know there's little to be admired" about Trump. He also spoke contemptuously about Trump's Twitter attacks against him, saying that the president "publicly mocks me, calling me a rat and a liar." Cohen said it was wrong for Trump to create "the false sense" that a U.S. president "can weigh in on" cases that affect him. "I brought undeserved pain and shame on my family," said Cohen, whose wife and two children were in the packed courtroom. "I deserve that. They do not." "I'm sorry," he said, as he turned to look at his family before breaking down. "I promise I will be better." Cohen is due to surrender to prison on March 6. Pauley agreed to recommend he do his time in the federal facility in Otisville, New York. Although there is no parole in the federal prison system, Cohen will be eligible to be released after serving 30 months, assuming credit for good behavior. After his release, Cohen will be on supervised release for three years. President Donald Trumps former attorney Michael Cohen arrives at US Federal Court in New York on December 12, 2018, where he is expected to be sentenced after pleading guilty to a number of charges. Corey Sipkin| AFP | Getty Images The 36-month sentence was on the low end the "substantial term of imprisonment" that federal prosecutors in New York had suggested was appropriate for Cohen's crimes. But it was more than the sentence of no time behind bars that Cohen's lawyers had requested, citing his cooperation with authorities in recent months. The White House has no immediate comment on Cohen's sentence. But Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, whose nondisclosure agreement with Trump effectively set in motion the criminal case against Cohen, had a word of warning for Trump. "Michael Cohen was sentenced today. Donald Trump is next," said Avenatti outside of court after attending the hearing. "Michael Cohen is neither a hero nor a patriot. ... He deserves every day of the 36-month sentence that he will serve." Tweet Trump has not been criminally charged in the case. But Cohen's admissions to several crimes leave open the possibility that Trump could face prosecution, particularly once he leaves the White House. Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, in asking Pauley for leniency in the sentence, said: "Life is tough and Michael Cohen accepts that. We accept that." "Mr. Cohen had the misfortune to have been counsel to the president." Cohen pleaded guilty in August to eight charges, which included tax crimes, lying to banks and violating campaign finance laws. Those charges were filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Cohen received the 36-month sentence handed down Wednesday in that case He pleaded guilty in November to lying to Congress about an aborted deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. That case was lodged by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is continuing to investigate the possibility that the Trump campaign colluded with Russians to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Cohen was sentenced to two months in prison for that case. But that time will run concurrent with his other sentence. Michael Cohen in court Source: Christine Cornell Cohen admitted to lying to Congress by understating Trump's knowledge of and involvement in the Moscow project. Cohen falsely claimed the effort to build the tower died in early 2016. But he and the Trump Organization continued pursuing the deal as late as June 2016, when Trump was on the verge of getting the Republican nomination for president and only five months before the election. Cohen's other crimes included campaign finance violations relating to his facilitation of two hush money payments to Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Both women say they had sex with Trump a decade earlier. Prosecutors said the payments were made "in coordination with and at the direction of" Trump, and that the money was paid to "influence the election." The White House has denied Trump had sex with either woman. Mueller has said Cohen went "to significant lengths to assist the special counsel's investigation." Petrillo, in asking Pauley for a light sentence, said Wednesday that Cohen offered "his relevant knowledge" to Mueller's team, before ever pleading guilty, "knowing that he'd face a barrage of attack by the president." "He knew that the president might shut down the investigation," Petrillo said. Cohen, he said, "came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country." Tweet A prosecutor in Mueller's office, Jeannie Rhee, said Cohen gave the special counsel "valuable information" about links between Trump's presidential campaign and Russians. Rhee noted Cohen's "substantial cooperation." But a prosecutor from the Southern District of New York, Nicholas Roos, in contrast told the judge that Cohen "didn't come anywhere close to assisting this office in an investigation." Roos said the charges against Cohen "portray a pattern of deception, of brazenness and of greed." Roos also said that in assisting in paying off Trump's purported paramours to have them keep quiet before voters went to the polls on Election Day in 2016, "Mr. Cohen has eroded faith in the electoral process and compromised the rule of law." Donald Trump's then-personal attorney Michael Cohen stands behind him as a group of supporters lay hands on Trump in prayer during a campaign stop at the New Spirit Revival Center church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, U.S. September 21, 2016. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters Cohen's lawyer, Petrillo, objected during the hearing to the "strident tone" by the Southern District prosecutors, which was much harsher than the stance toward Cohen from Mueller's team. Petrillo had previously served as a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. "We've treated Mr. Cohen just the way we treat every other defendant that deals with the U.S. Attorney's office," Roos said. After Petrillo sought to highlight Cohen's charitable work and attest to his client's character as a generous friend and family man, Pauley noted that Cohen's apparent generosity was "laudable." But the judge also said that Cohen had at one point "lost his moral compass." A significant term of incarceration, Pauley said, was "fully justifiable" as a deterrent. Tweet Trump in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, when asked if he had talked about campaign finance laws with Cohen, said: "Michael Cohen is a lawyer. I assume he would know what he's doing." Tweet "No. 1, it wasn't a campaign contribution. If it were, it's only civil, and even if it's only civil, there was no violation based on what we did. OK?" Trump said. When asked about statements by prosecutors that some people who had worked for Trump either met or had business with Russians before and during the presidential campaign, Trump said, "The stuff you're talking about is peanut stuff." In a statement after the sentencing, Cohen's advisor, attorney Lanny Davis, said, "Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump, continues to tell the truth about Donald Trump's misconduct over the years." "At the appropriate time, after Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump, and that includes any appropriate congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies. Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts," Davis said. Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, attended a bilateral meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the Executive Suite at UN Headquarters. The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Tuesday he planned to introduce this week a joint resolution condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which could force President Donald Trump's hand on the issue. Republican Senator Bob Corker said he expected the measure to pass the Senate, noting that its co-sponsors include Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. If it passes the House of Representatives, it would go to the White House for Trump to sign or veto. Corker said he hoped to introduce the legislation as soon as Tuesday, but a spokeswoman said later it would not be before Wednesday. "Hopefully, we'll have a very, very strong vote on a resolution condemning the crown prince," Corker said. Aides to Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the House planned to vote on the measure if it passed the Senate. Separately, a House aide said that CIA Director Gina Haspel would hold a classified briefing on the Khashoggi case for House leaders and the heads of national security committees on Wednesday. Two Democratic senators, Ed Markey and Jeff Merkley, said they sent a letter on Tuesday asking Energy Secretary Rick Perry to brief Congress on any talks he had with Saudi Arabia on a civilian nuclear agreement on a recent trip to the kingdom. Department of Energy officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Joint congressional resolutions must be signed by the president and have the force of law. The resolution's content has not been released, so it was not clear whether the joint resolution would prompt any specific punishment against the crown prince or the kingdom beyond a statement of condemnation. Corker said it was largely similar to a resolution introduced last week by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and other Republicans and Democrats that condemned Khashoggi's death and said the Senate "has a high level of confidence" that the Saudi crown prince was complicit in his murder. Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who was a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. 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. Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy and NATO Secretary Generals Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said at the meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze that the alliance will further boost its support for Georgia next year and the assistance will also be revealed in many high-level visits from Brussels. Appathurai noted that 2018 was particularly successful in NATO-Georgian relations and said that the alliance is well aware of its responsibilities to the country. "Prime Minister Bakhtadze told me that the government is eager to meet the will of the Georgian people regarding the countrys integration into NATO. It is our responsibility to provide firm support to achieve this goal," Agenda.ge cited Appathurai as saying. Georgias role in Black Sea security and the Georgian presidential elections were also discussed during the meeting. Appathurai also met with Georgian president-elect Salome Zurabishvili. One of the last discussions during the 2021 Colorado Water Congress summer conference was to figure out just what's going on with the Waters of the United States rule and where it's headed. 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 Relations between Russia and Europe are undergoing a renaissance, Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin said at a meeting with representatives of the Association of European Businesses (AEB). He noted that trade and investment demonstrating an upward trend, while Russian companies implementing large projects in Europe. "The main goal is not to spoil it, but to support the positive trends that exist, maintain cooperation with businesses that work in Russia and with Russia," the minister stressed. Oreshkin said that percentage-wise for the second year in a row mutual trade has seen soaring growth. "If we look at investment dynamics, we will see that now, for example, Russian companies in Europe are implementing a whole set of major investment projects," TASS cited him as saying. He named the Nord Stream 2 project and construction of nuclear power plants in Hungary and Finland, adding that "cross-border cooperation projects between Russia and the European Union are actively being developed". The Russian Economic Development Minister noted that as far as Europe is concerned, relations with Russia are now one of the most significant drivers of economic growth. The professor at the department of the stock market and investments at the Higher School of Economics, Alexander Abramov, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that economic renaissance in Russia-Europe relations is encouraged by the escalation of tension in relations with U.S. "Russia is trying to more actively develop economic relations with European countries. At the same time, I would not say that there are any radical changes in our business. Certain areas have become a bit more active, but the old problems have not gone away," he explained. Among the incentives, Alexander Abramov named the U.S. financial sanctions. "Talks are under way to transfer oil and gas settlements with Europe to the euro. In this case, it stimulates some economic development, especially since Europe is Russia's main economic partner. But still it is too early to call it a renaissance," the professor at the department of the stock market and investments at the Higher School of Economics stressed. Professor of the RANEPA faculty of Finance, Money Circulation and Credit, Yuri Yudenkov, explained the increasing trade turnover between Russia and Europe with low base effects. "In 2014, our economic relations sharply cooled and remained at a very low level in 2015-2016, but the last two years showed Europes need for Russia and vice versa. This, by the way, is clearly seen from the reaction of America, which sees Russia as its main competitor in the European commodity market for gas, oil and other goods. That is, its not about renaissance, but rather about the vital need of Russia and Europe in each other," he explained. "Unfortunately, so far our contacts with Europe depend very much on the will of the President and the U.S. Congress. America applies sanctions against any project it deems necessary. Therefore, due to the growth trend in labor productivity, the global turnover increases, and the fact that Russia has increased trade with Europe is an objective thing - if there were no sanctions, it would have increased many times," Yuri Yudenkov concluded. Two years after its launch, Microsoft Teams is outpacing team chat rival Slack largely thanks to Teams free availability as part of Office 365 subscriptions. Thats according to a survey of 900 IT decision makers in North America and Europe conducted by Spiceworks. The results indicate that Teams is now the second most popular business chat app and is used by 21% of respondents, up from 3% in a similar Spiceworks survey in 2016. That ranks it ahead of third-place Slack, the popular standalone team chat tool in use by 15% of businesses polled. (That represents a slight increase from 13% in 2016.) The most popular tool is another Microsoft app, Skype for Business. Its used by 44% of surveyed businesses, up from 36% two years ago. Another rival, Google Hangouts (now Google Hangouts Chat), meanwhile, saw use drop to 11%, from 16% two years ago. Facebooks Workplace remained at 1%, while stats for Ciscos Webex Teams (formerly Cisco Spark) were not provided. Furthermore, the Spiceworks report claims that Teams is set for the fastest growth of all business chat apps over the next two years. The survey indicates that 41% of respondents expect to use Teams by 2020, compared to 18% for Slack. Credit for Microsoft Teams growth lies in its availability within Office 365 subscriptions. The office productivity suite is used by 155 million businesses worldwide, thus putting Teams in the hands of a massive audience. The rise in use of Microsoft Teams is likely influenced by the fact that its available at no additional cost to Office 365 users, Spiceworks wrote in a company blog post. And considering more than half of businesses use Office 365, its enticing organizations to give Teams a try. Inclusion in Office 365 is just one factor in Teams growth, according to Larry Cannell, a research director at Gartner. More importantly, by supplanting Skype for Business Online, Microsoft can introduce Teams to many customers, he said. As a result, IT organizations are scrambling to find the best way to deploy Teams successfully and sustainably. Teams was unveiled in 2016 as a rival to Slack, and has since been placed at the core of Microsofts communication and collaboration strategy, replacing Skype for Business Online over time. Microsoft has also launched a free version of Teams in a bid to attract a user base outside of Office 365 subscribers. Teams is now used by 329,000 organizations worldwide, Microsoft said during this years Ignite conference, up from 125,000 a year ago. That is about twice the rate [of growth] that we see from Slack, said Frank Shaw, Microsofts corporate vice president of communications ahead of the conference. That said, the Spiceworks report and Microsofts statistics show only part of the picture; actual usage rates are less solid. Microsoft has not provided total daily active user figures for Teams, unlike Slack, which touts 8 million daily active users, including 3 million paid users. Slack declined to comment on the Spiceworks report. According to Cannell, while Microsoft has certain strengths due to its existing relationships, enterprise deployments of team chat apps are still at an early stage. We are just starting to introduce really good enterprise collaboration tools, he said. Microsoft isnt a guaranteed winner here, but their success in the email, IM and productivity application spaces certainly influences enterprise decisions. According to Spiceworks, Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams are most frequently used by large and mid-sized businesses, while Slack is commonly deployed by smaller organizations. It also shows that, while email is still the most popular workplace communication tool (used by 99% of respondents), overall demand for business chat apps continues to grow. Adoption is highest among large organizations (70%, compared to 53% in 2016), followed by mid-size firms (61%, up from 38% two years ago) and finally, small businesses (58%, up from 42%). Google is shutting down its Fusion Tables cloud service, a Google Drive option that offered an easy way to create online visualizations, especially maps. Google announced today that the service will end on Dec. 3, 2019, and "maps using the Fusion Tables Layer in the Maps JavaScript API v3.37 will start to see errors in August 2019." The news highlights the risks of relying on "free" cloud services from for-profit private companies. "Mapserver, Geoserver, PostGIS, GEOS, and all the other open source software you were using 9 years ago when Google Fusion Tables was the new hotness are still available [and] will not be shut down next year," taunted open-source advocate Paul Ramsey on Twitter. Deemed "experimental" for more than a decade, Fusion Tables nevertheless was relied on by its users, including data journalists, some of whom felt more confident about the longevity of the tool after seeing Google employees tout the service at conferences. In its shutdown notice, Google said it has developed several new tools over the years that might fit Fusion Tables users' needs. And the company said it has also created "internal tools that can create powerful map visualizations" some of which will likely be made publicly available in the future. That, however, doesn't help users now. Fusion Tables' integration with Google Sheets along with some built-in geocoding allowed a fairly seamless experience for creating maps from spreadsheet data, including information from Excel that was uploaded to Sheets. That helped make it popular among teams without coding expertise, or those first starting to experiment with data work beyond spreadsheets. "It was a great intro for journalists to figure out joining and mapping data," tweeted Andrew Ba Tran, an investigative data reporter at The Washington Post. Despite its ease of use, some tech-savvy users built fairly sophisticated applications on top of the Fusion Tables platform, such as the Searchable Map Template from DataMade's Derek Eder. Among those who used that technology: New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs (to develop a map of free tax preparation sites) and The Hollywood Reporter (to map vaccination rates). I also used it to work with Dr. Sam Wang at the Princeton Election Consortium to develop a tool that allowed people to search for nearby competitive Congressional districts if they wanted to get involved in campaigns that might help sway the balance of power in Washington. "While this is a bummer, it is not surprising considering the big changes Google made this year in charging for their Maps and Places APIs. Fusion Tables wasn't included on that list, so its days were numbered," Eder wrote in a post to a Google Group devoted to his Fusion Table map template. Tweeted John Ness of SB Nation: "Archives relying on Fusion Tables exist in approximately [does math face] every local digital newsroom." It's as yet unclear how or whether all that work will be saved and archived. Here is a range of possible outcomes from today confidence ballot in Theresa May. There are 317 potential voters: Charlie Elphicke and Andrew Griffiths have the whip returned for the day (if not longer). Emphatic May win For May: 250 Against May: 67 A quarter of those eligible to vote comes in at 79 MPs. At below a quarter, a win on this scale for the Prime Minister would be decisive. Clear May win For May: 225 Against May: 92 A third of those eligible is 106. With opposition below this level, Mays win would be marked though perhaps not overwhelming. Problematic May win For May: 200 Against May: 117 Once the opposition to May climbs above a third of the electorate, it becomes harder to assert legitimacy. Marginal May win For May: 175 Against May: 142 This total of votes against the Prime Minister isnt far off half 159. She would surely find it hard to hang in this circumstance. May defeat For May: 150 Against May: 167 So where is the danger zone for May the range at which senior Cabinet Ministers and/or the 1922 Committee move against her, and tell her to go, as some of Margaret Thatchers ministers did in 1990? Where it should be is very much a matter of individual taste, prejudice and judgement. We would have thought that opposition of about a third of Tory MPs would indicate a very substantial loss of confidence. But as we pointed out this morning, John Major was able to hang on in the 1995 leadership contest with over a third of Conservative MPs against him, having won the College Green post-vote spin war decisively. Where it is may be different. Our rough finger to the wind test is that the danger zone is somewhere between 110 125 votes against May and somewhere between about 210 225 votes for her. The 215 mark seems a reasonable enough test of strengh. Readers will have worked out that these figures presume no abstentions or spoilt ballot papers, which wont happen real life, and which complicate such calculations. Daniel Hannan is an MEP for South-East England, and a journalist, author and broadcaster. His most recent book is What Next: How to Get the Best from Brexit. Widen the shot to see what is going on. News developments are now battering us so fast that we can become punch-drunk. The contempt motion, the pulled vote, the collapse of Theresa Mays two-year negotiating strategy and now, reportedly, the 48 letters. It can seem overwhelming. But stand back for a moment and look at the big picture. All these events stem from one cause. In June 2016, 17.4 million of us voted to leave the EU. Although MPs and peers had voted heavily the other way, most of them initially accepted the verdict and initiated the disengagement process. But there were some who refused to accept the verdict. They were not interested in softening Brexit. They wanted to overturn the result. Some launched campaigns for a second referendum. Some brought legal challenges. Some operated campaign grids, co-ordinating scare stories in a rerun of the 2016 poll. As the months passed, many MPs who had initially been shell-shocked by the result began to see a way to thwart it. The best way to stop Brexit, they reasoned, was to ensure that the terms on which it was offered were so dreadful that even Leavers would see them as a deterioration of our current position. They encouraged Brussels to take the hardest possible line. You dont need to worry that Britain might walk away, they whispered to Eurocrats. Well make sure that Parliament wont allow a no-deal Brexit. Does that sound like a conspiracy theory? Am I alleging that British politicians would side with EU negotiators against their own country? That they would actively work against a mutually advantageous deal? Yes, thats precisely what Im alleging, but its not a conspiracy except possibly in the sense of what H.G. Wells once called an open conspiracy. On the contrary, it has been brazen. Two months ago, for example, John Major, Nick Clegg and Michael Heseltine a former Prime Minister and two former Deputy Prime Ministers co-authored an article in a German newspaper urging the EU to hang tough. Such is the Kulturkampf that has raged here since the vote that, instead of being disowned by patriotic Remainers, they were applauded. Not that Eurocrats needed much persuasion. They are accustomed to overturning referendum results, having done so across the EU, from Ireland to Greece. The truly surprising thing the unforgivable thing, indeed was the reluctance of our own Government seriously to prepare for a no-deal outcome. As Theresa May swallowed one humiliating demand after another the sequencing, the non-voting membership period, the money, the backstop EU negotiators concluded that, in the end, she would sign whatever they put in front of her. Which brings us to where we are, facing terms that no self-respecting democracy could accept. The EU has made calculatedly vindictive demands: the regulatory annexation of Northern Ireland, unconditional financial transfers, permanent control of UK trade policy. Yet even as it issues those demands, it is careful to let us know that we can always drop the whole idea. As Donald Tusk put it in Buenos Aires, with a knowing smirk, its either these terms or no Brexit. On cue, and with unprecedented haste, the ECJ declared that we could cancel Article 50 at the stroke of a pen. (In this case, incidentally, there had been no alleged breach of the treaties. A court concerned only with the letter of the law would have ruled it inadmissible. But, of course, Euro-judges have always made up the rules in order to advance the project.) At least the EUs strategy or, if you prefer, Continuity Remains strategy is now in plain sight. The idea is to offer us a choice between Mrs Mays abominable terms and staying in. From a Leave point of view, such a referendum would be as the Nobel Prizewinning novelist Mario Vargas Llosa once described an election in our native Peru a choice between AIDS and cancer. If there is a second referendum, Leavers will surely organise a boycott. Having listened to all the assurances that the 2016 referendum would be final and binding assurances that were made especially strenuously, funnily enough, by Nick Clegg and John Major why legitimise a rerun? After all, the people demanding a new referendum are, by definition, people who dont accept referendum results. So wed presumably end up with a 99 per cent Remain vote on a turnout of less than 40 per cent, invalidating the whole exercise. And in the meantime? In the meantime, Britain would have suffered a reputational collapse worse than Suez, having tried and failed to recover its independence. Our democracy would go through its worst trauma since 1832. And it seems almost a small thing given the scale of the national tragedy, but for what its worth the Conservative Party would be finished. Is there a way to avert this disaster? Yes. We are where we are as a result of the decisions made by May. She believes in the proposed deal, she tells us, with every fibre of her being. A new Prime Minister could remove the backstop and offer the EU the rest of the Withdrawal Agreement. Brussels would initially reject this proposal, but a different leader might do the one thing that she has not been ready to do, namely prepare, fully and spiritedly, for a no-deal withdrawal while leaving the offer on the table. Would the EU junk the most uncontentious elements of the agreement, such as reciprocal rights for each others citizens, over a backstop that London, Dublin and Brussels all say they never want to see come into effect anyway? Its hard to say. Negotiators can be backed into irrational positions. Still, the logic is clear enough. The EUs choice would be between no backstop and nothing else either; or no backstop and agreement on everything else. At that stage, we might well find some alternative, such as a UK-Ireland bilateral treaty guaranteeing no new border infrastructure. We still have time to switch course. Just. Its up to Conservative MPs to decide now. 8am update: The vote is on. The ballot will take place this evening. Downing Streets clear aim is to stampede Conservative MPs into voting to endorse Mays leadership before her opponents have time to push their case. Graham Brady and the 1922 Executive want the same timing, though perhaps for a different reason: they will want the whole divisive business over as soon as possible. None the less, many Brexiteer MPs will be unhappy at their decision. Cabinet members and other senior Tories are launching a shock and awe Twitter barrage intended to throw Mays critics on the defensive see here and here, for example. Cabinet takes place this morning, and we look forward to PMQs later. Godot is within sight, the boy is crying wolf at the top of his voice and Wesminster is assuming that a ballot of confidence in Theresa Mays leadership will be declared today. Graham Brady has reportedly received at least 48 letters demanding one. Sir Graham being Sir Graham, he is keeping mum, exactly as he should, and it is still possible that the reports are wrong. This being so, we will simply report that, if they arent, the confidence ballot is likely to take place later this week or early next. If the Prime Minister isnt successful in it, there is time for the Parliamentary stage of a leadership election to take place next week indeed, more than enough, since the Commons doesnt rise until next Thursday, December 20. The membership stage would take place after Christmas. We write about May being successful (or not successful) rather than winning (or losing) because of an important point. It is being claimed that 158 is the magic number since 157.7 is what one is left with if one divides the 315 MPs in receipt of the Conservative whip in half. But imagine for a moment that 159 MPs express confidence in her leadership, if a ballot takes place, and 156 do not. Could she then carry on as Party leader? We dont think so. The ballot would not have found sufficient consensus for her leadership. We cite a precedent. 204 votes were cast for Margaret Thatcher during the 1990 Conservative leadership contest, and 168 were not 152 Tory MPs opted for Michael Heseltine and 16 abstained. She won a clear majority of those voting. But she was forced out none the less. In reply, you may quote the 1995 leadership contest, in which over a third of Conservative MPs didnt back John Major a substantial proportion. But he stayed on. We would counter-object that there is a difference between a third and, say, just under half. At which point, others might join the conversation, pointing out that the rules of Tory leadership contests have changed since 1995, let alone 1990. Which reinforces our point: deciding what does and doesnt count as success in a Conservative leadership contest is an art, not a science. As much depends on expectation not to mention who spins loudest and longest as figures. Personality, mood, psyops and that glorious Burkean word, circumstances: all play their part in deciding the drama. There is no magic number at all. Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and other Cabinet members with leadership aspirations will tremble at the possibility of the Prime Minister winning any ballot, but not winning well. That would set up a conflict between loyalty and ambition from which they might not emerge unscathed. Our snap survey. Almost two-thirds of Party members want the Prime Minister out now. Over a third back her. Last month, 50 per cent of our panel said that the Prime Minister should resign as Party leader now, 30 per cent before the next election is due in 2022. Eighteen per cent backed her staying on. In very rough terms, two thirds of that 30 per cent seem to have have swung behind Theresa May in this special survey, and a third to have done the opposite. Obviously, its a shocking result when almost two-thirds of your own activists oppose you, but the Prime Minister can take some comfort in winning the support of over a third and in the result of the forced choice that this survey presented. None the less, if Downing Street is pumping claims of membership backing at Conservative MPs, it wont be able to cite this survey as evidence. Not long now until we have a proper result. Nokia, Elisa and Efore have commercially deployed a liquid-cooled base station system in an apartment building in Helsinki, Finland. Heat emitted by the base station is redirected into the building. The liquid-cooled base station was made at Nokia's Oulu facility in Finland and the liquid-cooled power system was developed by power supplier Efore, with Elisa deploying the base station in Helsinki. By eliminating the need for air conditioning and fans, Nokia Bell Labs said liquid cooling for a base station can deliver a reduction of up 80.percent in CO2 emissions and up to 30 percent in energy operating expenses. Pekka Sundstrom, head of the Elisa customer team at Nokia, said: "Nokia and Nokia Bell Labs have conducted extensive research and testing to explore the possibilities of using a liquid-cooled base station in an operator's network. This first commercial deployment will enable us to understand the real-world benefits for customers such as Elisa as they transition toward 5G, and how the system can be implemented on a wider scale to help reduce the environmental impact of information and communications technology. We continue to explore ways of introducing efficiencies and reducing emissions across our portfolio, and this project marks a significant step in that journey." United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had a phone conversation with Georgias President-elect Salome Zurabishvili to congratulate her on her election victory. The sides discussed U.S.-Georgian cooperation on common global security priorities, Washington's unwavering support for Georgias sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity as well as the importance of electoral and judicial reforms for Georgias democratic development and Western integration, according to the U.S. State Department. The inauguration ceremony of Zurabishvili will take place on December 16 in Georgias Kakheti. We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will address a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Wednesday. At the meeting he will underscore the Trump administrations resolve to address the Iran ballistic missile threat, the State Department said in a press release. "Pompeo will travel to New York City to participate in a UN Security Council meeting on Iran on Wednesday, December 12, 2018," the release says. "During the Security Council meeting, Secretary Pompeo will underscore the Administrations unyielding resolve to address the Iranian regimes threats to international peace and security through their continued development and proliferation of ballistic missiles in defiance of United Nations Security Council Resolutions." Previously, the Iranian Foreign Ministry refuted Pompeo's claim that the Iranian missile program allegedly violated the UN resolution, Sputnik recalls. Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said that Iran would continue to conduct missile tests without asking other countries for permission. He stressed that the missile test had been aimed at ensuring the country's defence in relation to national security. Time is limited and the only constant in tech is change. In this environment, our challenge at TMC has been to evolve our conference ITEXPO, into a #TechSuperShow. We hope youll make it Jan 30th-Feb 1st, 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Simply stated, we have spent years, making ITEXPO (photos) the one place where purchasing decision-makers need to go to learn everything they need for the new year. We have done this by listening to you, our industry advisors, analysts and our editorial team as we put together one event with a blend of participants found nowhere else. As a result, the ITEXPO Super Show is one of the few events appealing to a diverse audience of participants from the enterprise, medium and smaller companies, resellers, MSPs and communications service providers consisting of rural, wireless and cable. The reason is the all-encompassing content below: ITEXPO itself focuses on unified communications, UC and UCaaS as well as other leading-edge telecom solutions. Asterisk World is the only independent event targeted at teaching you about the exciting open-source world of communications solutions. The Blockchain Event was one of the first to teach you about the importance of this incredible decentralized ledger technology. Blockchain is potentially going to change everything from logistics and commerce to the medical industry and cybersecurity And thats just a start. SD-WAN Expo is the only exposition focused on the multi-billion dollar software-defined WAN technology and explaining how it can save companies money and make them more secure. MSP Expo is THE independent conference for MSPs there are other events focusing on managed service providers but most are put on by companies in the market pushing their point of view and products. AIOps Expo is the one event focusing on Algorithmic IT Operations simply stated, using the power of machine learning and AO to determine real and upcoming network/compute issues so they may be found and remediated rapidly. Future of Work Expo is the only expo focusing on how AI and machine learning will totally transform how workers do their jobs and how companies produce products and services. IoT Evolution Expo is the defacto conference focusing on the Internet of Things or IoT. Through a series of conference tracks, workshops, keynotes and general sessions, you will hear about Enterprise IoT adoption, implementation and the enormous impact these technologies will have on driving operational efficiencies and increasing revenue. Industrial IoT Conference showcases IIoT in the real-world where just-in-time everything is the next big thing. IoT Evolution Healthcare Conference is laser-focused on showing attendees how IoT technologies, and associated business initiatives, can improve patient outcomes, drive down costs and expand patients treatment options. This is the leading education and networking forum for Healthcare Enterprises, IoT developers, suppliers, and Health OEMs. All attendees will have an opportunity to learn from each other and collaborate on solutions that will lead to improved efficiencies, new profit centers and better health outcomes for patients. LPWAN Expo allows participants to explore the technologies and deployment benefits associated with Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) and related technologies. Understand the technology solutions that will enable the deployment of worldwide IoT networks that support smart, sustainable and profitable IoT applications Make plans to attend the LPWAN Expo at IoT Evolution and take a deep dive into low power, long range technologies as well as Narrowband IoT, CAT M1 and Cellular. The Smart City Event allows participants to discover the nearly limitless potential of Smart Cities and how connected solutions will drive city-wide improvements, better quality of life for residents and business opportunity for enterprises. IDEA Showcase is the ultimate tech startup and ICO pitch event. Many of the companies featured at this event over the decades have been sold for a total of tens of billions of dollars. Skype was most recently sold to Microsoft for $8.5 billion, BroadSoft sold to Cisco for just under $2 Billion and Jamie Siminoffs Ring was sold to Amazon for $1 billion. We can only imagine what amazing disruption and incredible exits await 2019s participants! The keynotes will be amazing from Google, Cisco, Cradlepoint and MasterCard as well as McAfee, Uber and a second, Google keynoter. In addition, dont miss the opening night reception Wed, Jan 30th at 5pm, the networking party Thurs, Jan 31st 8-10 pm at the Atlantic Spa and Hotel. The other exciting part of the event is the Grand prize giveaway: $10,000, $5,000, 3 TVs, a new Apple Watch Series 4 and more. (Thanks sponsors: airespring and this Solution) This will be one of the most important conferences of the year a cant miss event and we hope to see you there. Here is more: December 12 marks the 25th anniversary of the Russian Constitution. On December 12, 1993, Russia held a nationwide constitutional referendum, in which 58.4% voted in favor of the document. Russia's constitution came into force on December 25, 1993. For the first 12 years after its inception, December 12 remained an official holiday. Beginning January 1, 2005, it became a working day under amendments to the national Labor Code (Federal Law of December 29, 2004), passed by the State Duma. In July 2005, Russian Constitution Day was listed among other memorable dates. In his article published by the Zakon magazine, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev noted inviolability of values fixed in the Constitution. "Our devotion to the founding principles of the Constitution gives us grounds to believe that Russia will never again become an arena of violent civilian conflicts, mass repressions, death and humiliation of millions of people, totalitarianism and cruel social experiments." Russia's Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that the 1993 constitutional referendum paved the way for social accord. "The country was trudging through a severe political crisis back then, so the adoption of a constitution - which clarified development goals and principles of state building-eased societys tensions," the senate speaker said. "Everyone dreamed of Russia once again becoming a strong, powerful and respected nation, where human rights and freedoms are protected, where law rules and the government reports to the people, where defense capabilities and national security are guaranteed. Everyone wanted our country to have respect and credibility worldwide, pursue an independent foreign policy and so on. And surely, everybody wanted Russia to be a social welfare state," the Federation Council chairperson noted. In her view, the Constitution "provides clear and understandable responses" to societys demands. "As 25 years have passed, we can say with a high degree of confidence that the Constitution is an expertly composed document and its provisions do work. I dont see any serious reason to review them in any foreseeable future," she noted. "I think a huge positive aspect is that it enshrines the federal structure of our country. It is a matter of concept because we are a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation," TASS cited the senate speaker as saying. First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, stressed importance of the Constitution in the formation of modern Russian society. "We remember the conditions in which it was accepted after the 1993 crisis between the parliament and the president - and, nevertheless, we have been living with it for 25 years, the country and civil society institutions have been developing all this time. It may not be perfect, but there is no doubt that it played a positive role in shaping our modern society. The country has united around a national leader, and we are moving forward," he emphasized. "It is possible that in time there will be changes in the Constitution, but in any case they will not be cardinal, because Russia is a democratic state, which is inherent in our Constitution by three branches of government - executive, legislative and judicial. It is clear that they had to develop it very quickly in those conditions, perhaps, there were some defects left, but its contribution to the development of Russia as a state and society is still huge," Vladimir Dzhabarov said. Director of the Institute of Political Studies Sergei Markov, agreed with Dzhabarov. "Russia has a very good Constitution, made on the basis of vast experience by magnificent constitutionalist professionals. I would mention Alekseev, who unfortunately passed away; Oleg Rumyantsev, a former member of the Constitutional Commission, and Shahrai, who joined the work already after Yeltsin took the reins of power. These are very good specialists who have done a great job and built the Constitution on the basis of the best world experience," he explained. "This is the Constitution of a modern social democratic state, which sets Russia's strategic guidelines. It ensures the separation of powers. It provides human rights and freedoms and the possibility of developing civil society and power," Sergey Markov concluded, also admitting that certain improvements to certain articles of the Constitution are possible in future. Russian cybersecurity firm Group-IB discovered login credentials for over 40,000 accounts that unlock government services in more than 30 countries. The credentials were harvested via phishing attacks that distributed spyware tools such as Pony Formgrabber, AZORult, and Qbot. It is believed the logins may have already been sold on underground hacking forms. As the researchers pointed out, Even one compromised government employees account can lead to the theft of commercial or state secrets. Other cybersecurity news: Seedworm group backdoors telecoms, IT firms and more; 131 victims so far A cyber-espionage group dubbed Seedworm managed to compromise 131 victims with its Powermud backdoor from late September to mid-November. The backdoor, part of the groups MuddyWater campaign, steals credentials. Symantec researchers revealed that telecommunications providers and IT services sectors were hit the hardest, although oil and gas production, embassies, universities, and public health agencies were also targeted. City in Oregon and German manufacturer recover from ransomware attack The City of North Bend, Oregon, was hit with a ransomware attack. In October, the citys police department was initially targeted, but the infection quickly spread from the cops server to a server for other interconnected departments. North Bend opted not to pay the $50,000 in bitcoin ransom and instead contacted the FBI. The FBI reportedly traced the ransomware attack back to Romania, but agents were unable to identify any cyber thugs who were directly involved with placing the ransomware. North Bend has since recovered from the attack and has decided to add firewall security. Meanwhile, KraussMaffei, a German manufacturer of injection molding machines, is also recovering from a ransomware attack that hit on Nov. 21. The plant in Munich, with 1,800 employees, was hit the hardest, although the company had to scale back production at several plants. Like the city in Oregon, KraussMaffei didnt name the ransomware variant, but a Xinhua article points out that the German feds recently issued a warning about Emotet malware. Saipem Engineering Energy hit with cyber attack Italian oil services company Saipem Engineering Energy admitted (pdf) that 400 of its servers were hit with a cyber attack on Dec. 10. The attack came out of India on Monday and primarily affected Saipems servers in the Middle East. Reuters reported, Servers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait had been attacked, as too, partially, had infrastructure in Aberdeen in Scotland. The servers of the main operating centers in Italy, France, and Britain were not affected. Saipems biggest client is Saudi Aramco, which was the victim of a huge hack back in 2012, followed by several more over the years. Variants of Satan ransomware can exploit 10 server-side flaws Researchers warned that variants of Satan ransomware can exploit 10 server-side flaws. Windows and Linux systems are vulnerable to the self-propagating Lucky malware, a new variant of Satan. Researchers find Certificate Authorities to be weak point in web crypto On another depressing note, a BlackHat Europe presentation (pdf) found that five out of 17 Certificate Authorities are vulnerable to spoofed Domain Validation via IP fragmentation attacks. Super Micro audit found no malicious chips in motherboards Super Micro said an audit found absolutely no evidence of any malicious chips in its current or older-model motherboards. Super Micro sent a letter about the investigation findings to its customers. The audit is the latest attempt by Super Micro to deny allegations made by Bloomberg in October. Bloomberg claimed Chinese spychips had been planted in Super Micros motherboards allegations that were also hotly denied by Super Micro customers Apple and Amazon. DoD considers cybersecurity certification for its contractors Within the next year, the Pentagon hopes to come up with a method to certify the cybersecurity of Defense Department vendors. Kevin Fahey, assistant secretary of defense for acquisition, said as it is now, vendors are just asked if they are NIST compliant. But he asked, Is there a way that we certify industry to be cyber-compliant to protect our data? We need to figure it out, and we need to figure it out fast. Google+ to shut down early due Google+ API breach that put 52.5M users at risk Google+ will shut down in April 2019 instead of August 2019, since there was another Google+ API breach. For six days in November, developers could have been able to access profile information that was not set to public. The vice president of Googles G Suite claimed there is no evidence the bug, which impacted 52.5 million users, was exploited. Rapid7 released Industry Cyber Exposure Index report With the Marriott breach, one of the biggest in Fortune 500 history, fresh in our minds, Rapid7 researchers released its Industry Cyber Exposure Index report, which reveals the level of exposure represented by Fortune 500 organizations. The findings divulge that these companies often leave up to 2,500 or more devices or systems exposed and potentially vulnerable. Those with higher attack surfaces include business services, financials, technology, aerospace, chemicals, and retail. The top five industries that have not adopted anti-phishing defenses (DMARC) are chemicals, aerospace, household products, engineering/construction, and energy. Other highlights include third-party risk exposure via social media, advertising, analytics, and CDN, as well as Fortune 500 companies with the most DNS and WannaCry attacks. The Russian government did not remove the topic of privatization from the agenda, continues to work in this direction, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin said at a meeting with representatives of the Association of European Businesses (AEB). "Privatization was not removed from the agenda. We continue to work on it," TASS cited the minister as saying. Oreshkin added that the government continues to search for strategic investors for several assets. On December 8, Head of the Russian Accounts Chamber Alexey Kudrin said that the topic of reducing the states share in the economy was removed from the agenda of the Russian government. Every Thursday into the new year, the Connecticut Post will publish brief stories about local residents or families in need of a helping hand to get through the winter months. Each case includes an estimated amount to help people pay bills, afford presents for the holidays, pay for groceries and more. Every dollar donated to the Giving Fund goes directly to the people in need. The names of those included have been changed to protect their privacy. So far this season, 43 Connecticut Post readers have donated $8,750. The needs have been fully met for cases 001, 010, 019, 021, 027 and 030. At this time last year, 32 readers had raised $5,220. Brandy Case 031 Brandy, a single mother of one daughter, has had numerous serious health challenges that affected her ability to work. She has worked closely with her physicians and has gotten her health under control. Throughout this time, she has maintained a positive attitude toward life and her future with her daughter. Brandy is working part-time to provide for her family. A gift of $300 would help Brandy get through the holidays. Nova Case 032 Nova is a 41-year-old single mother of two children and is currently unemployed because of her health. Nova is battling the HIV virus and recently recovered from pneumonia, which has forced her to leave her full-time job. She has applied for supplemental assistance and is awaiting a response. In the meantime, she has maintained her monthly utilities and rental costs with her saving and with help from her family and friends. A gift of $500 would help Nova fill up her oil tank to get through the winter. Aden Case 033 Aden is an 18-year-old client of LifeBridge Tech Connections program living in Bridgeport. Aden lost his mom about two weeks ago and is living with his grandparents who are struggling to pay their light bill because Adens mom typically paid the bills in the house. A gift of $500 would help keep Adens familys power on and give them some financial relief during this difficult time. Mindy Case 034 Mindy is a 16-year-old, living with her single father and two younger siblings. Mindys dad has been between jobs for the past year and they have been having a hard time. She was trying to help her father this past summer and get a job but she was unable to find a place to hire her. Mindy knew her family wouldnt be able to celebrate the holidays the same way they have in the past because of a lack of incoming money. A gift of $350 would help Mindy and her family enjoy the holidays. Susie Case 035 Susie is a 31-year-old single mother with twin daughters and a newborn son. Susie, who has been living with the HIV virus for nine years, moved to Connecticut to provide a better living for her children. She has been living with her elderly aunt who is now in an assisted living facility, causing Susie to relocate and find stable housing for her and her children. A donation of $500 would help her buy beds for her twin daughters. Gary Case 036 Gary is a single working father with two children. He does not qualify for state assistance and has been living paycheck to paycheck. Gary recently started to have car problems, causing him to fall behind on his rent. He needs his car to get to work and take his children to school. Gary owes half of this months rent and a gift of $400 would help him maintain his housing costs. Amy Case 037 Amy is a recently widowed elderly deaf woman living in Fairfield. She relies on her Social Security but has struggled to make ends meet since losing her husband this year. Amy is in the process of trying to sell her home, where she has lived for more than 55 years. Amy found herself struggling to buy food once her bills were paid and she tries to visit the food pantry whenever possible. A gift of $350 would help Amy afford groceries through the winter. Cora Case 038 Cora is a 20-year-old Bridgeport resident and a client of LifeBridge Tech Connections program. She attends Housatonic Community College and is in need of a laptop get her homework done at home. Cora is working part-time but doesnt make enough money to save up for a laptop. A gift of $300 would help her buy a laptop. Misty Case 039 Misty is a 56-year-old HIV-positive woman caring for her four grandchildren, who are between the ages of 2 and 15, because her daughter is incarcerated. Misty has continued to work full-time and remain healthy, despite working hard to provide for her grandchildren. She has fallen behind on her United Illuminating bill. A donation of $350 would help Misty and her family pay off the bill. Lyla Case 040 Lyla is a 14-year-old Bridgeport resident and freshman at Capital Prep High School in the city. She is a client of the LifeBridge Tech Connections program. She is in need of a laptop so she is able to work on her homework at home instead of staying after school to use a computer in the library. Sometimes, she needs more time to get her homework done, but the library closes and she isnt able to finish it. A gift of $300 will help Lyla afford a laptop to keep up with her schoolwork. BRIDGEPORT Police Chief Armando Perez is not only getting five years of job security, but an early lucrative payout for a few decades of unused vacation, personal and sick days now that he will no longer be a union member. Mayor Joe Ganim promoted Perez from acting to permanent top cop in early November following a several-months-long national search that resulted in three finalists Perez, Bridgeport Police Captain Roderick Porter and Assistant New Haven Police Chief Luiz Casanova. Now the City Council has to approve the five-year-contract that goes along with the job. The councils Contracts Committee unanimously voted for the deal Tuesday night, but not before amending the document forwarded to it in late November. At Perezs request, the contract was changed to provide him two lump-sum payments in 2018 and 2019 for time off accrued since he joined the department in 1983 money that officers in the union typically receive upon retirement. Becoming permanent chief excludes Perez from the union. These payments, are they large enough we need to discuss this as a budgetary thing? asked Councilwoman Maria Zambrano Viggiano, a Contracts Committee member who is also the councils budgets co-chairwoman. Those payments may be large. Councilman Kyle Langan added: Its probably going to be nice right before Christmas. I have no idea what the number is, but it is what it is, Mark Anastasi, a lawyer for the city, said as Perez stood quietly to the side. You have officers retiring every year and some have very significant amounts theyve accumulated. In March 2017, Deputy Chief James Honis, who had a reputation for only being out sick six days total during his 47 years on the beat, retired with a $308,639 payout after taxes. Honis gross, the city said at the time, was $453,814. Perez, in a brief interview following Tuesdays vote, joked he would not be receiving the same amount of money as Honis, but estimated it will be six figures. Its gotta be, Perez said. Its a long time. He said that during his first 10 years patrolling Bridgeport, he used up all of his holidays, but then was advised by a partner to plan for the future by not taking all of those days off. The city has said Perezs salary $145,428 remains the same as it was before he became permanent chief. He will also, like many other longtime employees from the mayor down to rank-and-file staff, continue to receive annual longevity bonuses for years of service. Anastasi emphasized to council members that Perez, because of changes to police officer pensions, will not enjoy a benefit provided his predecessor, Joseph Gaudett. Gaudett and then-Fire Chief Brian Rooney were allowed to collect their pensions while still working. He doesnt get to collect the pension as well as the salary, Anastasi said. Perez may need as much money as he can since he has pledged to move to Bridgeport now that he is permanent chief of police. While technically Perez, who lives in Trumbull, is required to do so by the charter, that requirement has been waived for others like Gaudett, and was not written into Perezs contract. Perez said he would try hard to relocate to Bridgeport within the year. I wanna be here, he said. I wanna be in Bridgeport. Councilman Ernie Newton thanked Perez for that decision, saying, Maybe other police officers and firemen new recruits might just say, If its good for the chief, its gonna be good for us. Councilwoman Jeanette Herron told Perez and her colleagues that his five-year-contract was overdue. Ganim, a close friend of Perezs, promoted him from captain to acting chief in March 2016 soon after Perez helped elect Ganim mayor. He should have had a contract two-and-a-half years ago, Herron said. But there has been speculation that Ganim held off on launching the charter-required chief search in order to allow Perez, who did not have a college degree, to garner the experience running Bridgeports Finest and prove he was capable. Viggiano, a freshman council member, reiterated her past praise for Perezs responsiveness when she and her constituents have public safety issues. Keep your arms open to the community and work with us (and) continue to have an open door policy, she told Perez. BRIDGEPORT - A retired city police officer has been given a suspended sentence for sexually assaulting an employee in the Trumbull mall. Garfield Burns, 62, pleaded guilty second-degree breach of peace and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Frank Iannotti to a suspended 6-month term followed by three years of probation. The judge ordered Burns to undergo sex offender treatment and to have no further contact with the victim. Senior Assistant States Attorney Tatiana Messina told the judge that this is the second time Burns, a police officer for 20 years until he retired in 2005, has been accused of sexually assaulting female store employees. Trumbull police said on Sept. 12, 2017, Burns approached a female employee in the Brookstone store at the mall and identified himself as a former police officer. During a subsequent conversation with the 26-year-old woman, police said Burns told her, You have such large breasts, and then suddenly leaned over and kissed the employees chest. When the woman became upset, police said Burns, who is married, then got down on one knee and offered to give her a ring. Police said the stores surveillance video confirmed the womans account. In November 2011, Burns was arrested after police said he sexually assaulted a female Walmart employee in Stratford. Another store employee told police that Burns had told him at some point he wanted to drink the female employee's bathwater. Burns was granted accelerated rehabilitation, a pretrial probation program, for the Walmart incident. TRUMBULL - A 20-year-old Trumbull man has been arrested in connection with a Halloween shooting in 2017. Although multiple shots were fired that night, no one was injured. Anthony Digirolamo, of White Plains Road, was arrested Tuesday on charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree criminal attempt of assault, illegal discharge of a firearm, discharge of a firearm on a public highway, carrying a pistol without a permit and interfering with investigation of an officer. Lt. Douglas Smith said the charges stem from an incident that happened around 9 p.m. when police received multiple repots of gunshots being fired in the area of Leffert and Unity roads. Officers located shell casings in the area, but were unable to locate the shooter or any victims. Neighborhood residents reported hearing several shots around the same time a group of about 20 youths were in the area. Some witnesses told police that a man jumped out of a black vehicle and fired a semi-automatic handgun at the youths. Police then located the large group of youths walking on White Plains Road. Police learned that while trick or treating, the group had been at a home on White Plains Road where Digirolamo resided with his parents, Smith said in a release. A dispute reportedly occurred where one of the youths allegedly threatened a member of Digirolamos family. The youths left the property when they were told that police were being called. Digirolamo then also left the home in his car, which matched the description given by witnesses as the one involved with the shooting. Digirolamo was later questioned at this home that night, but denied any involvement. Smith said the arrest followed an extensive investigation. Trumbull police detectives obtained evidence from the scene, reviewed nearby video surveillance footage, conducted numerous interviews and served several search warrants over the past year in their effort to identify those responsible for the shooting. Forensic tests were conducted and provided critical evidence and eyewitnesses were located who identified Digirolamo as the person who fired the gun. Syria's Minister of Communications and Technology Iyad Khatib stressed the need to develop the country's space programme and launch its first satellite into orbit. The minister visited the Syrian space research agency General Organisation of Remote Sensing (GORS) and met with its management and staff, who presented their projects to Khatib. "The minister said that GORS should develop a road map for the Syrian space programme, as well as for the launch of the first artificial satellite into Earths orbit, like other Arab countries", Spunik cited the ministry as saying. According to Khatib, the creation of the satellite will be one of the ministry's main goals. Somerset area merchants expect good things on Small Business Saturday Small businesses across Somerset County are hosting events and specials for the annual crowds of Christmas shoppers. The United States has finalized the establishment of observation posts in northeast Syria to prevent altercations between the Turkish army and Kurdish militia, Department of Defence spokesperson said in a press release. "At the direction of Secretary James Mattis, the U.S. established observation posts in the northeast Syria border region to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey," Department of Defense spokesman Rob Manning said. "We take Turkish security concerns seriously and we are committed to coordinating our efforts with Turkey to bring stability to northeastern Syria," the statement added. Mattis announced in November that the U.S. military was in the process of installing the observation posts. The measure aimed to reassure the YPG, which Turkey considers a "terrorist" group but which is the spearhead of the international fight against the ISIS group. Ankara fears the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish region on its southern border, claiming that the YPG presence near its border hampers its national security. The great showdown, it seems, is almost upon us. After all the exaggerated claims, the bragging and boasting, Theresa May's critics have reportedly reached the magic figure of 48 letters to trigger a no-confidence vote in her. In a remarkable echo of history, they apparently reached the threshold while she was away negotiating with EU leaders in Brussels, thus recalling the no-confidence vote that sank Margaret Thatcher while she was in Paris signing the deal to mark the end of the Cold War in November 1990. If I were in the mood, I might have some fun with the fact that, just as in 1990, the pinstriped Tory plotters are so gutless, so cowardly, that they wait until their mistress is abroad before plunging in the daggers. But the situation seems to me too grim even for mordant humour. In any case, the coup, it seems, is on. After all the exaggerated claims, the bragging and boasting, Theresa May's (PM pictured today in Brussels) critics have reportedly reached the magic figure of 48 letters to trigger a no-confidence vote in her, writes DOMINIC SANDBROOK But what do the conspirators possibly think they can achieve? Do they seriously think they can topple Mrs May, promote a new leader after a bloody leadership contest, strike a new deal with the EU's leaders (who have made it clear they are not going to renegotiate) and steer the country safely to shore and all this by the end of March? If they do, they are even greater fantasists than I thought. Their projected coup strikes me as ill-conceived, ill-executed and unforgivably irresponsible, a childish exercise in political posturing when the country is crying out for grown-up leadership. A perfect metaphor, in other words, for our politicians' handling of Brexit. Have our MPs ever been as self-indulgently reckless as they are now? The pound falls to its lowest level for almost two years, slumping to below $1.26, yet here they are, plotting and scheming like pound-shop Machiavellis. It would be comical if it were not so depressing. There is, of course, plenty of blame to go around. I have made no secret of my admiration for Mrs May's resilience and sense of duty, but her so-called masochism strategy, in which she stands there for hours taking abuse from all sides, has turned into a tragic exercise in self-mortification. So when, every Monday morning, Mr Johnson (pictured in London yesterday) produces some new scenario for the readers of his newspaper column, he is literally wasting everybody's time, writes DOMINIC SANDBROOK If she has a cunning plan for getting the deal through Parliament, I would love to know what it is. But I fear that like Dickens's Mr Micawber, she is simply waiting for something to turn up. What on earth will she do if it doesn't? The Tory whips, who reportedly deluded themselves that they could still sway the doubters until it was far too late, seem to be completely out of their depth. Then you have the ultra-Brexiteers: Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and their various cronies and hangers-on. I sometimes get letters from readers who think I am too hard on this crew. And yes, it is absolutely true that Mrs May's deal is not perfect. Do I like the Northern Ireland backstop? I do not. Do I like the prospect of staying in the customs union indefinitely? No, I certainly don't. But it can't be said too often that the Brexit hardliners have not come up with a workable deal the EU would accept. So when, every Monday morning, Mr Johnson produces some new scenario for the readers of his newspaper column, he is literally wasting everybody's time. He is the equivalent of a teenage boy working on his plans for world domination after his election as President of Earth. Does anybody really believe people such as Mr Johnson and Mr Rees-Mogg are entirely untainted by personal ambition? Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured in Westminster last week) is among the others rumoured to be vying for the PM's job Isn't it blindingly obvious that they are far more interested in posturing on television, playing to the gallery and boosting their leadership prospects than in protecting British businesses and British jobs? I still cannot quite credit that the ultra-Brexiteers are serious about crashing out without a deal, which would almost certainly send our economy into a devastating recession. (And no, this isn't Project Fear it's Project Reality.) As free-market economist Christopher Snowdon, a Leaver, has pointed out, a No Deal scenario would almost certainly see the EU impose third-party tariffs on our exports: 16 per cent on tractors, 10 per cent on cars, 8 per cent on clothes, and so on. 'For some items,' he writes, 'tariffs exceed 20 per cent. Some even exceed 100 per cent.' The British people may have voted to leave the EU, but they never voted to commit economic hara-kiri. How many exporters would have to go to the wall, I wonder, before the hardliners admitted their folly? As for the preening 'People's Vote' enthusiasts such as Dominic Grieve, Anna Soubry and Chuka Umunna, they are close to being the worst of the lot. More interested in flaunting their much-advertised consciences than in doing the right thing for the future of the country, they seem determined to drive the Brexit process to the cliff edge, convinced Mrs May will blink and give them their referendum. In my experience, a politician who is always lecturing us about his principles invariably turns out to be a dreadful charlatan. And the likes of Mr Grieve and Ms Soubry, not to mention the pointless Lib Dems, seem blind to the damage a second referendum would do to our democracy, creating a sense of betrayal that would endure for decades. For his part, Commons Speaker John Bercow has long since become an embarrassment, so obviously biased against the Government for example, by calling an endless succession of speakers opposed to Mrs Mays deal that he cannot reasonably pretend to be impartial. 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 What is missing in almost all these cases is a sense of responsibility. Perhaps because so many of our MPs have barely known adult life outside the political bubble, they seem incapable of leaving their petty ambitions and ideological prejudices on one side, and putting the good of the country first. Contrary to what you often read, politicians are not all the same, and they have not always been equally self-indulgent. Older readers may remember the crisis of 1976, when a bankrupt Britain was forced to seek a $4 billion bailout (the equivalent of almost 16 billion today) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In return, the IMF demanded deep spending cuts, much to the horror of Jim Callaghans Labour government. But after gruelling Cabinet negotiations, even his most Left-wing ministers fell into line. Plenty of them hated it. But nobody resigned, flounced out or made straight for the nearest television studio. They did the right thing. All of this naturally brings me to the current Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who still refuses to set out a clear position on Brexit, but is determined to oppose whatever Mrs May proposes on the entirely spurious grounds that he could magically get a better deal. Even by the standards of todays MPs, Mr Corbyns cowardice, hypocrisy and dishonesty are unsurpassed. He stood for the Labour leadership promising something new, but his current manoeuvring lays bare the crude, shameless cynicism at the heart of his so-called project. Obviously, I expect no better from Mr Corbyn. I do expect better, though, from his more intelligent and sane backbenchers, such as Hilary Benn, Chris Leslie and Yvette Cooper. If they genuinely cared about the country, they would already have come out in support of a compromise deal with the EU, honouring the pragmatic spirit for which British politics was once renowned. Instead, like far too many of their counterparts on the other side of the House, they prefer to play their petty party games, sniping at Mrs May while offering nothing concrete in return. The pound sinks, the clock ticks on, and still our political pygmies embarrass us in the eyes of the world. How on earth can they look themselves in the mirror? On Monday, as he left the Commons after Theresa May's humiliating climbdown over the Brexit withdrawal deal, Jeremy Corbyn stopped by the Speaker's chair. To the astonishment of several onlookers, the Labour leader addressed its beaming occupant, John Bercow. 'Thank you for all your help,' he said. The gushing praise confirmed the Tories' worst fears: Bercow has abandoned all pretence of impartiality and is manipulating Commons procedures to undermine the Government on Brexit at every possible turn. Minutes earlier, Bercow had accused Mrs May of being 'deeply discourteous' in pulling the 'meaningful' vote on the Government's deal scheduled for that evening. In an extraordinary reprimand directed at the PM, the Speaker urged ministers to put the decision to delay it to an MPs' vote. On Monday, as he left the Commons after Theresa May's humiliating climbdown over the Brexit withdrawal deal, Jeremy Corbyn stopped by the Speaker's chair There was an immediate and icy reaction from Downing Street, with one source saying: 'The Prime Minister has the authority to pull a vote. She leads the Government, not the Speaker.' But last night, as rumours of a Tory leadership challenge spread through Westminster, there was little disagreement among his critics that the Speaker had played his part to perfection. Arrogant, high-handed and calculatedly indiscreet, during his tenure Bercow has ridden roughshod over the centuries-old convention that Speakers stay scrupulously above the political fray. When it comes to the EU, he's never hesitated in making his allegiance known. Earlier this year, his car was spotted bearing a sticker which said 'B******s to Brexit, it's not a done deal'. While addressing students at Reading University in 2017, he revealed he'd voted to Remain in the 2016 referendum, and hoped some EU rules, including equality laws, would continue after Brexit. On immigration, a touchstone issue for many, he commented: 'If you asked me if I think freedom of movement has been a positive, the honest answer is that it has been a positive, certainly for the country.' Flouting Bercow also attacked the 'untruths' told by Leavers during the campaign. This is in direct contravention of the rules laid down in Erskine May, the parliamentary bible on procedure: 'The Speaker is the chief officer and highest authority of the House of Commons and must remain politically impartial at all times . . . therefore, on election the new Speaker must resign from their political party and remain separate from political issues, even in retirement.' Flouting this edict again and again, Bercow has sided with the Labour Party and Tory Remainers. He has lined up with Brussels, the BBC and even France's President Macron as a one-man Brexit wrecking ball. Minutes earlier, Bercow had accused Mrs May of being 'deeply discourteous' in pulling the 'meaningful' vote on the Government's deal scheduled for that evening During Monday's debate on the withdrawal deal, Bercow selected MP after MP who were opposed to it, creating the impression that Mrs May was totally isolated. He also took a lenient stance when the Labour MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, snatched the Parliamentary mace, a symbol of royal authority, from the Commons chamber in protest at the vote being deferred. Russell-Moyle was suspended for the sitting but readmitted the next day. The last Labour MP to grab the mace back in 2009 was a little-known Labour backbencher called John McDonnell, angry at a Heathrow expansion plan. He was suspended for five days. Last Tuesday, there was more fury in the Government ranks when Bercow controversially selected an amendment proposed by arch-Remainer Dominic Grieve, the former Tory Attorney General. It was designed to hand Parliament power over what would happen if the withdrawal deal fell through and was, on every level, highly contentious. The result was catastrophic for Mrs May in the space of one hour she suffered three Commons defeats but no doubt it left the sanctimonious Bercow purring with pleasure at the Government chaos. Pompous Ministers tend to suffer in silence the relentless grand-standing of the pompous Bercow, a man who is never happier than when he's interrupting ministers. But yesterday Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the Commons, finally snapped. In an interview on Radio 4's Today programme she came close to accusing him of bias. 'He's made his views on Brexit on the record, and the problem with that, of course, is that the Chair's impartiality is absolutely essential,' she said. Yesterday Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the Commons, finally snapped. In an interview on Radio 4's Today programme she came close to accusing him of bias Asked whether she believed his position was 'tainted', she added: '. . . it's a matter for him, but nevertheless it's a challenge and all colleagues need to form their own view of that.' Chief Whip Julian Smith also expressed his frustration in an ill-judged but revealing ITV programme last week about the operation of the Whips' Office in the run-up to the vote. Smith said he was not just battling Tory rebel MPs. 'We are up against some other issues, like the Speaker. He's got a strong view on this [Brexit].' And in a highly unusual move at a Cabinet meeting last week, two ministers openly accused Bercow of trying to poison the Brexit process. Liam Fox, the International Development Secretary, went furthest. 'The Speaker is a disgrace to his office,' he told colleagues. Chancellor Philip Hammond was also critical. Bercow, who was elected as the Tory MP for Buckingham in 1997 and became Speaker in June 2009 with the support of Labour MPs and only a handful of Tories is unrepentant about the breakdown in relations with ministers. When appointed, he pledged to go after nine years, as is the convention, but typically broke that promise. Earlier this year, Dame Margaret Beckett, a former acting leader of the Labour Party, said Bercow should not quit despite the bullying allegations He is now expected to leave next year following an investigation by a High Court judge, Dame Laura Cox QC, into bullying and harassment of staff in Westminster. Her report, published in October, found that a culture of 'deference, subservience, acquiescence and silence' had allowed the mistreatment of Commons staff to thrive. Three Tory MPs stepped down from the Commons Reference Group On Representation And Inclusion, which is chaired by Mr Bercow, but he ignored calls for him to quit that, too. While Bercow was not named in the Cox Report, it was clear Dame Laura believed he should consider his position. One senior Tory source said last night: 'It's Bercow's swan song, which means he couldn't care less what we think about him. All he cares about is keeping in with the Labour MPs who put him in the job in the first place and whose bidding he appears to fulfill.' Despite the fact that Bercow has also faced claims which he denies that he personally bullied two former officials, Labour cynically refuses to call for him to stand aside to enable the cases to be investigated. Bullying Earlier this year, Dame Margaret Beckett, a former acting leader of the Labour Party, said Bercow should not quit despite the bullying allegations. Asked if that meant Labour would tolerate bullying, she said: 'Abuse is terrible; it should be stopped. Behaviour should change anyway, whether the Speaker goes or not. 'But yes, if it comes to the constitutional future of this country, the most difficult decision we have made, not since the war but possibly, certainly in all our lifetimes, hundreds of years, yes it trumps bad behaviour.' One senior Tory figure told me: 'Bercow has worked out he can have two legacies. Being forced out of his job over bullying. Or the Speaker who killed off Brexit. 'We can see what he's chosen. He will do everything he can to duck and dive and bend the rules to ensure a difficult hand for the Government.' Westminster can be a bubble. And sometimes it needs to be pricked. That is why I have a simple message for those Conservative MPs who thought the best Christmas present they could give the country was a leadership election. Look at your folly. Look at your self-regarding idiocy. And look at yourselves as the public at large mostly see you: a cabal of whey-faced, pin-striped boors attempting to bring down a brave and determined woman just trying to do her best against impossible odds. It was bad enough that Jeremy Corbyn referred to Mrs May's exhausting tour of European leaders on Monday as 'your little travels' during PMQ's today. (That actually made my blood boil. He said it as though she'd been off shopping in Bond Street, not busting a gut negotiating on behalf of the nation.) Far worse was the treachery from her own side, as the back-stabbers, grudge-bearers and preening self-promoters coalesced in their contempt for the will of the people. Theresa May arriving at 10 Downing Street for the result of a confidence vote today For the millions who voted in the Referendum and just want it delivered, all this has been a monumental distraction and diversion. Worse, it has risked delaying or diluting Brexit and handing the initiative to Corbyn and his crew of Marxist zealots. MPs had one job: to negotiate, agree and secure an orderly Brexit. Instead, too many have spent the best part of the last two years bickering and point scoring and throwing spanners in the works - undermining the public's already fairly shaky faith in democracy. At a point in time where Britain ought to have been looking forward to an exciting new chapter in this island's history, we instead found ourselves facing terrifying uncertainty. The prospect of a new Prime Minister - or worse, a general election and the threat of a Labour government. Parliament has not so much fallen short of its duty as fallen flat on its face. We knew right from the start that getting a deal through the Chamber was going to be tricky. Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, referred to Mrs May's exhausting tour of European leaders on Monday as 'your little travels' during PMQ's today After all, only 24 per cent of MPs supported Leave, so any Prime Minister intent on delivering the result of the Referendum was always going to have to stroke a few egos. But I don't think anyone seriously imagined they were going to be quite this venal and self-interested. As for the Conservative party itself, this could have been a golden opportunity to lead by example and consolidate its reputation as the party of grown-ups. Armed with a clear mandate from the people, it should have rallied behind its new leader, setting aside personal differences of opinion, minds focussed as one on getting the job done swiftly, safely and with minimal possible disruption. Instead it has proven itself to have more divas than a drag artists' convention. But it is not too late. There is still time to remedy this disaster. Now that she has survived this vote, it is time for the party to break the habit of a lifetime - and show some genuine unity. Not least because she's earned it. I've said it once and I will say it again: Theresa May was not my first choice for Prime Minister. She didn't behave well when she was appointed leader, and she made serious mistakes early on, not least calling a disastrous general election and triggering Article 50 too soon, before anyone had really had a chance to work out Britain's best negotiating position. But since then she has worked tirelessly to repair the damage of those naive and misguided early days. She has learnt some very hard lessons along the way, and each time she has sought to come back stronger and more determined. She has negotiated a deal that, while by no means perfect, is pretty damn impressive given the determination in Brussels to keep us in the EU, leads the country broadly in the right direction while ensuring minimal disruption to our (incidentally very healthy, certainly by the standards of other member states) economy. MPs had one job: to negotiate, agree and secure an orderly Brexit. Instead, too many have spent the best part of the last two years bickering and point scoring and throwing spanners in the works - undermining the public's already fairly shaky faith in democracy At the same time she has presided over historic improvements in employment and wages and a lively domestic agenda focused on key areas such as house building and the environment. Quite why all this hard work has been rewarded by a vote of No Confidence from her own party is a mystery to me - as it is also to many voters, most of whom are keen for her to stay on and finish the job (according to a youGov poll today, 45 per cent of Leave voters want her to remain in office, while the general public wants her to stay by a margin of 40 to 34 per cent). Another mystery, of course, is how she continues to put one foot in front of the other. There are many half her age who would be utterly ground down by what she faces day in, day out, hour after hour at the hands of her own party. Truth is, for all Theresa May's faults, for all her mistakes and setbacks, they are lucky to have her. Lucky to have a woman who gets knocked down time and again, but who always gets back in the saddle. A woman who, in the face of intolerable rudeness, persistent mockery and downright sexism, simply smiles and keeps on going. A woman who, for all she may be bloody difficult, is also, in many ways, bloody remarkable. The Downing Street switchboard logged the call at 10.35pm on Tuesday. It was Sir Graham Brady for the Prime Minister. It was bad news. The chairman of the 1922 committee confirmed what the Westminster rumour mill had suggested hours earlier that 48 MPs had lodged letters of no confidence in the PM and that she would therefore face a vote by the Parliamentary party. If a majority voted against her, she was out. Mrs May told Sir Graham she was 'keen to get on with it and settle the matter'. Theresa May (pictured above) was backed by a margin of 200 to 117 in a no-confidence ballot It was a brutal end to a gruelling day. The PM had arrived back at RAF Northolt at 9pm after visiting the Hague, where she met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Berlin for a meeting with Chancellor Merkel and then Brussels to meet EU Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as she tried to gain assurances over the Northern Ireland backstop that might persuade Tory rebels to back the Government's Withdrawal Agreement. The whistlestop tour came after she had pulled the vote on the Brexit deal on Monday, knowing that she faced a heavy defeat. Now she was fighting for her political life. No 10 strikes back Yesterday the first meeting in No.10 began at 7am an hour earlier than usual. At 7.40am Sir Graham issued a press release confirming the no confidence vote would be held. An hour later Mrs May stood in Downing Street and vowed to fight 'with everything I've got'. She set out several arguments to convince wavering MPs. Firstly, she warned, no new leader could be in place before January 21, the date by which the 'meaningful vote' on the Withdrawal Agreement is due to take place. This would mean handing control of negotiations to opposition MPs who could force an even softer Brexit, or a second referendum. Mrs May also warned it could result in Britain's departure date under Article 50 being either delayed or put off indefinitely. Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured above) was driven out the Houses of Parliament following no confidence vote to Prime Minister Theresa May And she said a leadership contest would see the party spend 'weeks tearing ourselves apart just as we should be standing together to serve our country.' She added: 'The only people whose interests would be served are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.' No time to lose The realisation that she would face a vote of no confidence was a blow, but it was not wholly unexpected. In mid-November Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the European Research Group (ERG) of hardline Brexiteers publicly called for Mrs May to go. That coup attempt failed miserably, but by signalling his intent he handed Downing Street one crucial advantage: time to prepare. Aides began planning how to manage a no confidence vote. By contrast, the rebels appeared disorganised. At least one member of the ERG was reported to be 'furious' at the speed with which the vote was called they had expected it to be next Monday, giving more time to prepare. The rules of the 1922 committee say a vote should be held soon as practically possible, so Sir Graham was well within his rights to go quickly. The quick vote also suited No 10. Senior aides who discussed timing on Tuesday concluded it would have been impossible to go to the EU Council on Thursday to try and extract concessions from EU leaders with the vote 'hanging over our heads'. Michael Gove (pictured above) leaving the Houses of Parliament in Westminster Loyalists rally The Downing Street machine went into overdrive. Loyalist MPs took to TV and radio stations to hammer home the PM's message, following the lead of Justice Secretary David Gauke, who appeared on the all-important 8.10am interview slot on Radio 4's Today programme. No 10 hammered MPs with polling data. It showed two-thirds of Tory councillors wanted Mrs May to stay and three-quarters of Tory voters want her to see through Brexit. The public don't believe rivals would get a better deal, by three to one. Internal party polling also revealed three-quarters of Tory voters say it is the 'wrong time to change Prime Minister' and that Mrs May is the most popular leader among Tory voters of all potential candidates. British Secretary for International Development Penny Mordaunt (pictured above) Twitter takes off On social media, the Cabinet swung in behind Mrs May and other ministers followed. Within minutes of Sir Graham announcing the vote, party chairman Brandon Lewis tweeted his support for Mrs May, saying the party had a 'duty to deliver for our country'. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd all seen as potential leadership candidates followed with supportive tweets within the next 20 minutes. Business Secretary Greg Clark tweeted to say he admired Mrs May's 'grit and determination' and Michael Gove said he was backing her '100 per cent'. Jeremy Hunt (pictured above) had a glum expression on his face when leaving Parliament At 10am Julian Smith, the chief whip, also tweeted his support. The only ministers not to tweet, including Transport Secretary Chris Grayling and Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright, do not have personal Twitter accounts. One of last to declare his support was Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who was in No 10 and did not have his phone. Meanwhile, the battle was being fought in the corridors of the House of Commons. The whips, charged with enforcing discipline , were arm-twisting and cajoling potential rebels and also went to work on their 'flocks' of MPs, feeding back the voting numbers to Smith There was a notable absence of new opponents declaring they would not vote for May. Former Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced his intention to do so on Tuesday night, and Sir Bernard Jenkin on Wednesday morning, but neither declaration was a big surprise. More worrying for No 10 were those MPs said to be 'making up their minds'. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Amber Rudd (pictured above) leaves parliament on December 12 Xmas cancelled Some MPs pointed to one factor in play other than high principle: Christmas. One loyalist said, voice dripping with sarcasm: 'Obviously in many ways I'd rather have a hugely acrimonious leadership contest over Christmas. But also in many ways not.' Some interventions by ministers were unhelpful. Chancellor Philip Hammond said the vote would 'flush out the extremists' behind an agenda for Brexit which would damage Britain a comment Mrs May later contradicted. Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer a critic of the Government but not a Brexiteer called it 'woefully misjudged'. Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, and flanked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (left), Bob Blackman, and Cheryl Gillian (right), announced that Theresa May survived an attempt by Tory MPs to oust her as party leader with a motion of no confidence at the Houses of Parliament in London The same Cabinet ministers who were publicly eviscerating their colleagues for not supporting the PM were, at the same time, phoning MPs to gather support for their own leadership bids, he claimed. Arch-Remainer Anna Soubry accused Boris Johnson of being a 'great charlatan' and of 'cruising around the tea rooms' to gather support. Meanwhile, Labour MPs could barely keep the smiles off their faces. 'We're going to have a lunch then come back and put our feet up. Merry Christmas,' one Labour aide said. 'A win is a win' The Prime Minister (left) had met with Mark Rutte (right) on Tuesday to discuss the Brexit deal Just after lunch, the number of MPs who had publicly declared in Mrs May's favour was up to 172. This gave officials hope, although they were not counting their chickens. One senior Tory said: 'This is a sophisticated electorate some may be lying.' There was also an elaborate game of 'managing expectations'. One senior Tory critic of Mrs May said she would have to go if 80 MPs rebelled because she had lost a majority of backbench MPs. By contrast, one Cabinet minister said she could lose by 100 and still continue as leader. Others insisted 'a win is a win' and she would press on regardless even if she won by one vote. Facing PMQs Mrs May arrived at the Commons in her ministerial car at 11.10am. Her husband, Philip, there for Prime Minister's Questions, and told the Mail he was 'very confident' of victory. Mrs May sailed through PMQs Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sounded angry and failed to land a blow. Then in the post-PMQs briefing of lobby journalists a No 10 aide dropped a bombshell. He said Mrs May 'doesn't believe the vote today is about who leads the party to the next election. It's about whether it's sensible to change leader at this point in the negotiations'. This was a major signal to MPs that the PM would not seek to fight the next election, due in 2022. It was seen by some as a sign that No 10 was not confident about the vote. Rebuff from DUP Just after 1pm, Mrs May met with DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds in the PM's Commons office in an attempt to try to rebuild relations. The Northern Irish party has all but abandoned its support for the Government over the Northern Irish backstop. Jacob Rees Mogg (pictured above) said he 'accepted the confidence vote' but said the PM should resign anyway After the meeting, Mrs Foster demanded 'fundamental changes' to the legal text of the agreement. Several Tory MPs intending to vote against the PM pointed to the collapse of the DUP deal to support the Government and the loss of its majority in the Commons being key to their decision. Shock and tears Just after 5pm Mrs May made the earlier hint explicit, as she addressed the crunch meeting of Tory MPs in Committee Room 14 the room where, shortly afterwards, they would vote to decide her fate. She told them: 'In my heart I would have loved to have led us into the next election, but I realise that we will need a new leader with new objectives for the 2022 election.' Sources said the mood in the room was 'sombre' and there was 'shock and a few tears in the eyes' when she said it. Cabinet minister Chris Grayling (pictured above) immediately insisted Mrs May would now go to Brussels to try and renegotiate the deal One Tory MP described it as a 'powerful and moving moment' and the PM had 'listened, heard and respects' the will of the party. When pressed, Mrs May refused to set a clear date for her departure as Tony Blair was forced to following the 'Curry House plot' in 2006. She also slapped down Mr Hammond for his earlier 'extremists' jibe, saying 'there are no extremists in this party'. The result Shortly before 9pm, Sir Graham entered Committee Room 14 which was packed withMPs, minister and journalists, to announce Mrs May had won. The announcement was greeted with the loud banging of desks by loyalists. Then Sir Graham announced the result 200 for and 117 against, meaning more than a third of the party voted against the PM. Cabinet minister Chris Grayling immediately insisted Mrs May would now go to Brussels to try and renegotiate the deal. Allies also pointed out the PM had won more votes than she did in the first round of the leadership contest in 2016. Rees Mogg said he 'accepted the confidence vote' but said the PM should resign anyway. Half an hour later outside No 10, a chastened Mrs May accepted it had been a 'long and challenging day'. For millions of moderate, pragmatic people across the nation, the unseemly events unfolding in Westminster must have appeared an act of monumental (and masochistic) self-indulgence. A little more than 100 days before the biggest moment in Britain's post-war history when we leave the European Union in search of a bright new future Tory MPs were shamefully embarking on a bout of navel-gazing. A group of egotistical and power-hungry plotters sought to wield the blade against Theresa May, a leader who is admired by the great majority of Conservative voters for her unflagging efforts to achieve a sensible Brexit compromise. Theresa May (pictured in the House of Commons for PMQs) put a brave face on her situation last night as she reacted to the outcome of the Tory no-confidence ballot The Prime Minister's apparent crime? Failing, during tortuous months of painstaking negotiations with the EU, to secure a deal pure enough to satisfy the most ardent Brexiteer. Her fate for tirelessly thrashing out a pact that both honours the referendum result and ensures that our departure will be orderly and amicable? Enduring the humiliation of a no-confidence vote and possible ousting from No 10. Fortunately, at 9pm yesterday, there was an indication that the irrational fever gripping the Tories might be lifting. Votes were counted . . . and Mrs May had won with the vast majority of the party behind her a victory for cool heads. For the mutineers, it was a painful blow to their ambitions as the coup fizzled out. The result means she cannot be challenged for a year. But she placated rebels by announcing she would not stand at the next General Election. Yet, out in the real world, where people have jobs, incomes and mortgages that rely on a stable government, the unsavoury antics must have been bewildering. At a time of grave national crisis, was there anything more unhelpful and irresponsible than for a small group of Conservative rebels to waste time risking a leadership election? Their attempted coup was a juvenile exercise in political posturing when the country is crying out for grown-up leadership. To ordinary citizens, the bid to depose Mrs May just as the most complicated negotiations ever undertaken by this country entered their endgame was ill-conceived and deeply disloyal. There were cheers as 1922 committee chairman Graham Brady announced the result in the Commons tonight. Business was also aghast at more disruption to UK PLC. In a stinging rebuke, the British Chambers of Commerce said it was 'unacceptable' that Westminster politicians focused on themselves, rather than the needs of the economy. Heads of companies were 'tearing their hair out', said the Institute of Directors along with the rest of a frustrated, irritated nation. Only this week, figures showed how the British economy is thriving: the number of people in work has hit record levels; unemployment is at a 40-year low; wages are rising at their highest level for nearly a decade; and GDP is in good health. But investment has been put on ice because of Brexit unpredictability. Firms are desperate for the PM's withdrawal agreement to succeed. Let us be crystal clear: that is the best way to protect UK jobs not destabilising them with acts of political folly. The Mail believes Tory rebels, for all their ambitions and machinations, must now sober up and start acting in the national interest. It is impossible to put it better than Mrs May herself when she spoke in Downing Street yesterday morning, minutes after it was revealed that Tory backbenchers had submitted the 48 letters required for a no-confidence vote. Displaying her trademark fortitude and resilience, she said a change of leadership would put the country's 'future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it'. 'Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division, just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. The British people want us to get on with it.' How right she is! The Mail is the first to admit Mrs May's Brexit deal is not perfect. Yes, there are understandable concerns that Britain could be temporarily stuck in the Irish backstop and governed by EU rules hindering our chance to do trade deals with economies in the rest of the world. The PM said she would not give up after Eurosceptics secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to force a ballot that could end her time as leader Yes, perhaps she could have played her hand better with Brussels using as leverage the fact that we have the world's fifth-largest economy, peerless security and intelligence agencies and extraordinary military muscle. And yes, it was an error not to begin properly preparing two years ago for leaving the EU with no deal. That would have guaranteed food in shops, medicines in abundant supply and supply chains kept open so that firms can operate. But look at the overwhelming positives. She is ending free movement, gargantuan payments into EU coffers and the rule of the European Court of Justice over the UK all manifesto commitments. She also insists that the backstop is not permanent. With luck, her victory will focus minds in Brussels, when she travels there today, on what exactly is at stake. Wringing out a better settlement would avoid a catastrophic no deal calamitous to both the UK and EU. It is undoubtedly a long shot so far, the intransigent bloc has shown little interest in listening, let alone talking. However, she must explain that she cannot break the Commons impasse without a legal 'assurance' that the backstop has an end date. She has no majority without DUP backing and they have rejected the current terms. In an ominous intervention, international trade secretary Liam Fox warned the Cabinet would block her deal without such an assurance. Pragmatic MPs may conclude that a few years staying in sync with EU laws is a small price to pay to finally regain sovereignty. It is also imperative she delivers a deal on security. The ghastly terror attack at a Christmas market in Strasbourg is another horrific spectre of what lies in store if UK-EU co-operation drops off a cliff edge. But if she is successful, the British public, desperate to avoid the economic disaster of no deal or no Brexit at all, will doubtless approve. So now the saboteurs must realise it is time to put Britain's interests first and support Mrs May. We know that the PM has indicated she will not serve a full term, so the rebels (if they have a shred of decency) will ditch the distracting and damaging internecine warfare that so appals the public. It is time to start behaving responsibly. It needs emphasising that the Brexit hardliners have not come up with anything that the EU would accept. Yesterday, in the febrile atmosphere of Westminster, ex-Cabinet ministers Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab and Esther McVey all confirmed their interest in being the next leader. Yesterday, in the febrile atmosphere of Westminster, ex-Cabinet ministers Boris Johnson (pictured leaving parliament last night), Dominic Raab and Esther McVey all confirmed their interest in being the next leader Sajid Javid and Amber Rudd (left to right) were both seen leaving parliament last night and were also tipped by the bookies as favourites to succeed Mrs May as leader Even current members of the Cabinet, including Sajid Javid and Amber Rudd, were sizing up the curtains in Downing Street. But, even if they had forced a vacancy, could any of them do the job more impressively or get a better deal from Brussels? Our poll shows today that two thirds of Tory councillors and three quarters of Tory voters think not. Facts must be faced: the only person whose interests are served by ongoing instability is Jeremy Corbyn, who might end up in No 10 by default. Despite refusing to set out a clear position on Brexit, the Labour leader spuriously claims that he could magically get a better deal. Are the Tories really ready to risk a Marxist, IRA-supporting Prime Minister who would destroy the economy, the Union and everything they hold dear? If the party does not rally round the Prime Minister now that the bid to topple her has failed, it will plunge the country into a crisis. Indeed, it may find itself fatally damaged and out of office for many years. So this needs to be the moment when it unites. The civil war needs to stop. If it doesn't, they will never be forgiven. A man decided to propose to his fiance in a way that she'll never forget - and neither will those who enjoy a crossword. Doctor Dennis Neuen, 27, from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, decided to propose to his girlfriend of three years Melissa Rosamond Godwin, 27, in a very unique way. They are both eager crossword puzzlers and do them together on a weekly basis, which is a ritual that started when they first started dating. And so on Saturday, a puzzle appeared in the Australian magazine Good Weekend and only those who made it to question 25 would have noticed the hidden marriage proposal he had organised secretly. Dennis Neuen, 27, (left) from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, decided to propose to his girlfriend of three years Melissa Rosamond Godwin, 27, with a quiz (pictured together) 'I got up to "will you marry me Mel" and I just started crying,' Melissa told Fairfax. Originally Mr Neuen emailed Good Weekend to see if they could provide him with a mock up he could use but the team behind the magazine had an even better idea. The quiz's 25th question read: 'Establish the message hidden in today's quiz: it has been constructed using the first letter of every question.' Once the couple finished the quiz, and anyone else playing along, the letters would have spelled out 'Will you marry me Melissa Rose'. On December 8 a puzzle appeared in Good Weekend and only those who made it to question 25 would have noticed the hidden proposal he had organised Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland said she's relieved she read Mr Neuen's email in a full inbox, back in September when he first contacted the magazine. She was so excited by the idea she forwarded the email on to the paper's quizmaster, Conal Hanna and creative director, Tim Beor. 'Writing it was definitely a bit more challenging than normal,' Mr Hanna said. 'Most of our quiz questions usually start with 'w', who, what, where, which and so on, and this one took a bit of creative thinking. I think keen readers probably noticed it seemed a bit unusual but I figured they'd forgive us when they got to question 25.' Many people who were invested in the story took to Twitter to find out whether she said yes Many people commented on the heart-warming photo with their congratulations Everyone at the paper were told about the plan to ensure that nothing was changed so the proposal wasn't ruined when the magazine went to print. Many people who completed the quiz were desperate to find out whether she said yes so they took to Twitter to try and find out. Soon a variety of hashtags were started to get to the bottom of it and Mr Neuen confirmed the news with a photo of himself and Ms Rosamond Godwin. 'She said yes!' He captioned the heart-warming photo. They shot to fame as the wine-quaffing Kent couple whose television commentary left Gogglebox viewers in stitches. However, despite Steph and Dom Parker's mid-life rise to fame, the couple have rarely talked about their two children, Max, 18, and Honor, 15. The B&B owners say they've deliberately kept teenager Max, who has autism and severe epilepsy, out of the media limelight to protect him. Scroll down for video Steph, 51, and Dom, 53, Parker, who shot to fame on Gogglebox, have revealed the reason they rarely talk about their disabled son Max, 18, saying his story 'is not theirs to tell' The wine-loving duo said they also didn't want their drinking to be seen as a reaction to Max's condition; the teenager has severe epilepsy and autism Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, the couple pair revealed the difficulties they faced during Max's younger years, saying there was a lot of 'weeping' for him, after they first noticed something was wrong at just four months' old. Steph says: 'We are not the X Factor couple with the sad back story. We are not defined by it. 'You can imagine it could have turned into, "Oh, Steph and Dom have turned to drink because of all their problems."' Max has, they say, not 'moved on' much since the age of six but that they refuse to let his health problems grind them down. Dom added: 'Youve got to keep a brave face, there is no room for wailing and self pity, it doesnt get you anywhere.' After leaving Gogglebox two years ago, the couple, who have been married for 20 years, have enjoyed regular stints on television and radio, with a new series of Celebrity Call Centre At Christmas coming up. Dom told the Sunday Mirror that the couple haven't the right to share Max's story, saying: 'We are not the X Factor couple with the sad back story. We are not defined by it' The show sees the pair advising families with festive-related worries. The Age UK special sees eight celebrities taking calls from the public, from yuletide issues to 'troublesome affairs of the heart'. The couple decided to leave Gogglebox after their own B&B proved a huge hit... but they were never there to greet guests due to the gruelling Gogglebox schedule. Dom said: 'For us, it was lucrative the hotel was booming and we had to put our business first. Wed be filming for eight hours straight and werent spending time with our guests. He added: 'Also I felt like wed said enough, it was like, "Oh, its the Antiques Roadshow again."' IBM and H2O.ai today announced that Vision Banco has deployed H2O Driverless AI, H2O.ai's automatic machine learning platform, on the IBM Power Systems AC922 server, the best server for enterprise AI. This collaborative solution will help position Vision Banco to gain a competitive edge in providing financial services to their customers. Vision Banco, based in Asuncion, Paraguay, provides financial services to small and micro-sized companies in Paraguay. It offers credit card services, remittances, utility and tax collection services, pension plan contribution plans and payment transfer services. Vision Banco's data scientists were challenged to expand the credit card services of existing customers, easily determine credit risks with better accuracy and better predict payment defaults. Since deploying H2O.ai's software on IBM Power Systems, Vision Banco's data scientists have saved time and increased revenue by building and deploying models that have doubled the number of credit products per customer. Additionally, its team was able to pinpoint credit and default risks with greater accuracy than previously. "We started using H2O Driverless AI for critical use cases: propensity to buy, default prediction and credit risk scoring," said Ruben Diaz, data scientist at Vision Banco. "By using Driverless AI on IBM Power Systems, we have been able to significantly improve the accuracy, in less time, of our credit risk scoring model. These new models are now in production doing credit scoring in real-time. We were also able to double the propensity for our banking customers to accept an offer of credit products, such as credit cards, which is a great result. We plan to use the platform for more use cases in the future." IBM and H2O.ai began their collaboration earlier this year so H2O.ai and IBM can provide enterprise customers with leading-edge capabilities designed specifically for machine learning workloads. IBM resells Driverless AI, advanced automatic machine learning platform, on IBM Power Systems to allow customers to harness the power of machine learning for competitive gain. "Vision Banco is an inclusive bank focused on improving communities with the creativity of its teams and operations. Its successful deployment of H2O Driverless AI on IBM Power Systems showcases how automatic machine learning can empower financial institutions to deliver data services to protect and enrich its brands and communities," said Sri Ambati, CEO and founder at H2O.ai. "Our work with IBM to bring accurate and easy to use machine learning on faster and cheaper systems is transforming customers - equipping them to win in a fast-changing world." "The powerful combination of IBM Power Systems and H2O Driverless AI gives businesses, such as Vision Banco, the ability to apply automatic machine learning to generate extensive value and a competitive advantage," said Sumit Gupta, VP of Cognitive Systems IBM. "We couldn't be more pleased with our collaboration with H2O.ai to create value in our customer base." Powering the world's two most powerful supercomputers, the US Dept of Energy's Summit and Sierra, the IBM Power Systems AC922 server is the best server for enterprise AI. With the industry's only CPU-to-GPU NVIDIA NVLink interface, the IBM Power Systems AC922 server has up to 9.5x greater memory bandwidth so data can flow across the system stack. This positions data scientists to train ML/DL workloads up to 4x faster than competitive hardware. H2O Driverless AI empowers data scientists, data engineers and scientists in all industries to work on projects faster and more efficiently by using automation and state-of-the-art computing power to accomplish tasks that can take months and can potentially be reduced to hours or minutes by delivering automatic feature engineering, model validation, model tuning, model selection and deployment, machine learning interpretability, time-series, NLP and automatic pipeline generation for model scoring. The latest version of H2O Driverless AI on IBM Power Systems is available immediately for download and use. A young intern doctor with tattoos all over her body has revealed the challenges and judgement she has faced over the years because of her heavily inked body. Dr Sarah Gray, from Adelaide, has always been intrigued by body art and got her first piece of ink when she was 16. The 30-year-old said she's now 'the world's most tattooed doctor' and is seen as a positive role model within the tattoo community, but this doesn't mean she hasn't had to deal with adversity. Like the film Pretty Woman, Dr Gray said she has been ignored by shop assistants in high end stores. When she was hunting for a pair of designer heels for her birthday three separate shop assistants paid no attention to her when she was wanting a correct size to try on. Scroll down for video Dr Sarah Gray, 30, from Adelaide, has always been intrigued by body art and got her first piece of ink when she was 16 Dr Gray said she's now 'the world's most tattooed doctor' and is seen as a positive role model within the tattoo community 'They all served other customers first and wouldn't even make eye contact with me,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I waited politely for ages and eventually gave up and left. They did themselves out of a sale and I saved myself $1,000, so I guess that's one bonus!' This isn't the only time she's been treated differently as she said something similar happened when she once went for lunch with her husband. 'I was out for lunch in a restaurant with my partner on the Gold Coast when we were seated at a table,' she said. 'After being seated for lunch, management then came up to us and asked us to leave as they had a "no visible tattoo policy" for diners. That was a little disappointing to say the least.' She hopes that being in the public eye will help teach people to not judge a book by its cover Similarly to the film Pretty Woman, the 30-year-old said she has been ignored by shop assistants in high end stores She revealed that previously her and her friends have even been denied access to a casino due to their visible tattoo policy. When this happened it was after a body art expo, so the majority of them were heavily tattooed. After being seated for lunch management then came up to us and asked us to leave as they had a "no visible tattoo policy" for diners. 'I was able to discuss my concerns for unfair discrimination based solely on our appearance with management and they bent the rules to allow us access,' she said. 'Quite a few night venues seem to have this policy and although it doesn't affect me very often as I hardly go out, it can be super frustrating when we get categorised as "bad people" or being gang afflicted due to our colourful skin.' When she was hunting for a pair of designer heels for her birthday, three separate shop assistants paid no attention to her when she was wanting a correct size to try on This isn't the only time she's been treated differently as she said something similar happened when she once went for lunch with her husband Originally Dr Gray had only planned on collecting a few small pieces of ink from specific artists as well as a large scale back piece but slowly her collection grew. She never thought she'd have a body suit when she first started but now she's close to completion. Dr Gray refers to herself as an 'art collector' as instead of hanging art on a wall she wears it on her skin. She said she isn't fazed by the tattoo process and is easily able to sit in a studio for upwards of 12 hours in any one session. 'I don't enjoy the pain (although it's more of an annoyance that you adjust too) but I certainly enjoy the outcome,' she said. 'The outcome far outweighs the adversity! Watching a tattoo evolve from the stencil process to a completed piece by layering is mind blowing.' She revealed that previously her and her friends have even been denied access to a casino due to their visible tattoo policy Originally Dr Gray had only planned on collecting a few small tattoos from specific artists as well as a large scale back piece but slowly her collection grew She never thought she'd have a body suit when she first started but now she's close to completion Dr Gray disagrees with those who call it an addiction because she said could give it up if she needed to. 'I think it is possible to catch the "tattoo bug" where you start with one piece and find yourself drawn to wanting more,' she said. The doctor explained that she thinks the reason people want more tattoos after they get their first is because it's a good way for them to wear their personalities on their skin. Dr Gray said tattoos have definitely helped her find positive body confidence because they have allowed her creative expression of her individuality. Dr Gray refers to herself as an 'art collector' as instead of hanging art on a wall she wears it on her skin The doctor explained that she thinks the reason people want more tattoos after they get their first is because it's a good way for them to wear their personalities on their skin Dr Gray doesn't know how many tattoos she has because rather than having individual pieces her body is now a cohesive canvas. She does know that she has spent more than 300 hours of her life being tattooed. Dr Gray aims to complete her body suit and she only has a few small gaps to fill before she's all done. 'My tattoos don't all necessary have personal meanings behind them, some I had no say in the design process as I admired the artist's work and pursued them for a piece as a collector,' she said. 'On the other hand, some of them signify times in my life or things that are important to me, like my career, my Vegas wedding, my love of anatomical skulls and all things horror or my love of cheese.' The 30-year-old doesn't know how many tattoos she has because rather than having individual pieces her body is now a cohesive canvas Dr Gray aims to complete her body suit and she only has a few small gaps to fill before she's all done Although negative situations have eventuated because of her tattoos, Dr Gray said being tattooed has also affected her life in a positive way. 'Through the tattooing industry I found my soul mate, I have friends scattered all around the world and I'm able to be a positive role model for those around me as a colourful professional in a traditionally conservative industry, like medicine,' she said. When she went through medical school she was conscious of having visible tattoos as she feared colleagues and patients wouldn't take her seriously. She has since found out that people's views of body art in modern society are very different to what they used to be. Some of her tattoos signify things that are important to her, like her career, her Vegas wedding, her love of anatomical skulls and all things horror or her love of cheese Although negative situations have eventuated because of her tattoos, Ms Gray said being tattooed has also affected her life in a positive way 'Having colourful skin in no way affects your skill level and with all the anti-discrimination laws now it wouldn't be appropriate to compartmentalise or treat me differently based on my appearance,' she said. 'I've worked really hard to develop good professional relationships as I'm fairly memorable, so I've made sure I'm memorable for the right reasons through hard work, determination and an always positive attitude.' I've worked really hard to develop good professional relationships as I'm fairly memorable, so I've made sure I'm memorable for the right reasons Dr Gray said that being so colourful has acted as a great conversation starter and people often find her quite approachable. 'Sometimes people will inappropriately grab your arms though which is a massive overstep of a personal boundary, so don't be that person,' she said. The young doctor said the days are gone where tattoos represent criminals or unsavoury behaviour When she went through medical school she was conscious of having visible tattoos as she feared colleagues and patients wouldn't take her seriously Dr Gray said that being so colourful has acted as a great conversation starter and people often find her quite approachable 'Occasionally someone disapproving will say a negative comment under their breath or shake their head at me, but these situation are rare,' she said. Dr Gray, who was previously crowned Miss Inked Australia and New Zealand, has just gained her medical degree and has career aspirations to be an orthopaedic surgeon. She hopes being in the public eye will help teach people to not judge a book by its cover. The young doctor said the days are gone where tattoos represent criminals or unsavoury behaviour. 'We should all be able to love the skin we're in, regardless of how we choose to decorate it,' she said. 'For those that don't like tattoos, that's entirely their prerogative, I just urge them to at least consider the artistic skill that goes into creating body art, before they judge someone harshly at face value for choosing to wear them.' A couple from California, who are famous for their funny Christmas cards have released their 2018 edition - and it's just as funny as you might expect. Mike and Laura Bergeron have been trying to outdo themselves year after year with their creative Christmas cards for more than a decade, starting with just the two of them goofing around before incorporating their family in more recent years. Mike has been posting the progress of the tradition on Reddit using the handle berjon1, where he shared the family's latest card, The West Texans. Howdy! The Bergerons' 2018 Christmas card saw the family dressed up in western-inspired clothes including cowboy boots, double denim, cowboy hats, and beauty pageant sashes The photo sees each of the family members dressed up in traditional Texas uniform. Both parents wore a classic Texas-tuxedo that consisted of a denim crop top and lace-up blue jeans for Laura, and a denim waistcoat, blue jeans and a stand-out gold belt. The two children, Gigi and Juju, wore tutu-style pageant dresses and cowboy boots. They completed the look with perfectly curled hair, cowboy hats and sashes that rad 'Lil Mis West Texas' and 'Lil Mis El Paso'. Writing about their decision to go with a western theme this year, Mike said: 'We thought we would try to capitalize on the girls cuteness this year and leave most of the awkwardness to the adults.' Mike, who shared the photo to imgur this year, wrote: 'When we went into the JC Penney Portrait Studio, Gigi was quick to let the staff know that we are famous. 'Laura then told Gigi that , Youre not famous if you have to tell people that you are famous. 'I can say from experience that the whole Dont you know who I am? approach is pretty much useless if youre looking for any free perks or special treatment, but it is almost certain to make you come off as a douche! 'Gingers in paradise': Last year's Christmas card (pictured) saw the family pictured with red-frizzy hair and 'burned' skin as they pose on a hot beach Strike a pose! Mike and Laura Bergeron pose for an awkward Christmas card every year - and have done so for the past 14 years Strutting: Back in 2015 the family went high-fashion with this card, dubbed 'Les Modeles' Swapping it out: In 2014, the whole family cross-dressed (left), and in 2013 they opted for a dance-inspired theme (right) He added: 'Anyway, after we did our various poses and finished the photo shoot, I showed the staff our catalog of cards on my phone and, sure enough, one of them said with a smile, Oh yeah, Ive seen these before! 'So, Gigi was right, we are famousits just that nobody knows what any of us looks like, since were pretending to be different people in all of our cards. 'So, it seems that we Bergerons have our own unique brand of fame to be seen by many, yet recognizable to no one!' Mike shared the new card along with a run-down of all the other family cards over the years, including 2016's 'Cussin Jerry' card featuring the family dressed up like Joe Dirt-style redneck stereotypes. Many of the photos appear to have been modeled off real vintage Christmas cards, with the couple donning bald caps and or wigs to great cheesy 70s and 80s-style photos. In some, Laura's hair is teased sky-high, while in others, Mike is sporting a cringe-worthy comb-over. In several, both of them are sporting matching sweaters. In 2004, the couple took on the trailer trash stereotype, with Mike in a mullet wig and a T-shirt reading 'Who farted', and Laura sporting a crop top over a fake baby bump with a beer in hand. Creepy: In 2012 the couple welcomed their second child in time for the family card, and celebrated the milestone with some rather Gothic ensembles Take a brow! All three members of the family appeared with monobrows in the 2011 offering, while both Laura and Mike appear to have worn wigs for the occasion A throwback: Over the years, the parents have brought in their children to the tradition, starting in 2010, when they snapped this 1981-style family portrait On his Reddit post, Mike explained that, in this case, the costume was actually a little bit too convincing as far as some people were concerned. '[The JC Penney sales lady said to me}: "I hope you'll be coming back to JC Penney for your baby pictures." I explained to her that [Laura] wasn't really pregnant, and if she was, I wouldn't let her drink or smoke. 'She just stared at me blankly and confused. I said, "And I don't really have a mullet, as you can see. We do joke cards for Christmas." 'She continued to stare at me in confusion, but the kid on the other register stopped what he was doing, came over and looked at the card and said, "Dude, that is awesome!"' In another, the couple are morphed using a bit of Photoshop assistance into the couple from Grant Wood's famous American Gothic painting - albeit with a bit of Christmas lighting added to the farmhouse in the background. Things get even more silly once the years move on with their growing family. One card, from 2013, features the family sporting glittering leotards and disco-era hairstyles above a caption telling loved ones: 'May your holiday sparkle'. Face swapping, painted-on unibrows and fully-balded heads - for a 'Merry Krishmas' - are all covered in the hilarious Christmas card canon. Tough love: Things took a turn for the rugged in the 2009 card, which was inspired by Latin culture, and used a Spanish language greeting in place of the traditional 'Merry Christmas' Chill out: In the 2008 card, the couple donned the traditional ensembles worn by the Hare Krishna monks - and even paid homage to the religious sect in their Christmas greeting Inspiration: In 2006, the couple took inspiration from a 'delightfully goofy and uncomfortable' card that they had seen, and then attempted to recreate it for themselves Year after year: In 2007, the couple took on Grant Wood's iconic painting American Gothic (left), while in 2005 they opted to dress as 'your aunt and uncle who live in the Midwest' Three's a crowd? For the 2004 offering, the couple faked a pregnancy to inject additional humor into the image, with the 'mom-to-be' pictured swigging alcohol and smoking This year's cohort of Nobel prize winners donned their finery for a lavish banquet at Stockholm's royal palace this evening. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, who kept away from the cameras, welcomed the Nobel Laureates at the traditional dinner tonight following the awards ceremony on Monday. They were also joined by Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Phillip, and Princess Sofia, who were not pictured at the event. Among this year's winners were Donna Strickland, who won the physics award for her work on optical pulses, and James P. Allison, who took home the medicine award for his cancer therapy discovery. Nobel Laureates were honoured at the annual gala banquet hosted by the King of Sweden at the Royal Palace in Stockholm (Left to right) Queen Silvia of Sweden,Nobel Foundation chairman Carl-Henrik Heldin,Donna Strickland, laureate of the Nobel Prize in Physics and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden attend the Nobel Prize Banquet 2018 at City Hall Prince Carl Phillip of Sweden, with his wife Princess Sofia of Sweden Japanese immunologist Tasuku Honjo, who won the physiology or medicine laureate, was joined by his wife Shigeko Honjo James P. Allison (left with his wife Padmanee Sharma), was also a winner of the physiology or medicine laureate for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation. Paul M. Romer, who won the economic sciences award, was joined by his wife Caroline Weber Physics laureate Donna Strickland (left) and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (right) arrive to the Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Prince Daniel at the Kings dinner for the Nobel Laureates the day after the Nobel Prize ceremony Donna Strickland, pictured left with her husband Douglas Dykaar, became one of just three women to win the Nobel Prize for Physics. Economic sciences laureate William D. Nordhaus was joined by his wife Barbara Feise Nordhaus Canadian physicist Donna Strickland became one of just three women to win the Nobel Prize for Physics, the last being 55 years ago. This year's Nobel Peace Prize went to sexual violence survivor Nadia Murad and Dr Denis Mukwege for their fight against sexual violence used as weapons in war and armed conflicts. Ms Murad and Dr Denis collected their joint prize in a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, while the winners of other prizes received theirs in Stockholm. The Nobel Laureates have been honoured by a gala banquet at Stockholm's Royal Palace every year since the tradition began in 1904. Guests are treated to a four-course meal including roe deer from the King's autumn hunt. Physics laureate Donna Strickland (left) receives the prize from king Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (right) during the Nobel Prize 2018 Award Ceremony at the Concert Hall in Stockholm, Sweden Chemistry laureate George P. Smith and his wife Marjorie R. Sable (left) attended the four-course meal hosted by the King of Sweden. The other chemistry laureate, Gregory P. Winter, also attended with his wife Marina Vaysburd The third chemistry laureate Frances H. Arnold (left) also attended the dinner, which includes roe deer from the King's autumn hunt. Physics laureate Gerard Mourou, pictured with his wife Marcelle Mourou, won the award for their work on optical pulses A mother-of-seven has revealed she had both her feet and one hand amputated during her debilitating battle to survive a life-threatening illness. Tamara Impellizzeri, from Sydney, led a normal, healthy life until she was struck down with sepsis - a fatal blood infection caused by bacteria - earlier this year. Within 24 hours, the blood stopped flowing to her feet and one hand, and her distraught family were told she needed to undergo surgery to have them amputated. Speaking to The Project's host Lisa Wilkinson, the 42-year-old was reduced to tears as she spoke out about the terrifying ordeal that nearly claimed her life. Scroll down for video Tamara Impellizzeri, led a normal, healthy life until she was struck down with sepsis Speaking to The Project 's host Lisa Wilkinson, the 42-year-old spoke out about the terrifying ordeal that nearly claimed her life (pictured together) The mother had both her feet and one hand amputated during her debilitating battle to survive a life-threatening illness 'I was happy, running around. Nothing could stop me. I have seven children to run around for. I didn't have time to get sick. If I was sick, I would just shrug it off and just continue,' she said. But in May, her health started to deteriorate after she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was prescribed antibiotics but within 24 hours, one of her lungs had gone septic and her organs started shutting down. She was rushed to hospital before being placed into a coma after collapsing. When she up from her coma, she noticed her toes and hand were slowly turning black. 'I saw my hands, I saw my legs, I was shocked... it was black up to my elbows, and it was black up to my knees,' she recalled. 'When I went back to sleep, it was probably be the scariest. [I had] a lot of nightmares. I still remember them, I was burning in a lot of my dreams. 'I couldn't get out. In myself, I knew I couldn't walk but in reality, I didn't know that my legs couldn't move.' The mother-of-seven said she has not let the illness deter her from enjoying life with her seven children and her husband of 27 years John She has remained positive throughout her battle as she hopes to go home for Christmas As her fingers and toes continued to blacken and shrivel as a result of poor blood circulation, the mother was told she needed to undergo surgery to have the legs below her knees and one hand amputated What is sepsis? Sepsis, also known as the 'silent killer', is a serious blood infection caused by bacteria. It can start with any bacterial infection. That infection can be in the bladder, or in the chest, or even on the skin. But when you have sepsis, the infection worsens and spreads through the blood. The symptoms of sepsis vary. They can include: fever chills rapid breathing and heart rate tiredness headaches If sepsis gets worse, symptoms can include: confusion nausea and vomiting difficulty breathing mottled skin sudden drop in blood pressure Advertisement As her fingers and toes continued to blacken and shrivel as a result of poor blood circulation, the mother was told she needed to undergo surgery to have the legs below her knees and one hand amputated. Despite the condition, Ms Impellizzeri said she has not let the illness deter her from enjoying life with her seven children and her husband of 27 years John. 'There's seven beautiful children and my husband who has got my back. I know he's always had my back but this has been something that I'll never forget he has done - sticky by me,' she explained, as she broke down in tears. As her battle continues, the brave mother - who has been learning to walk again with prosthetic legs - hopes she will be home for Christmas. To help Tamara Impellizzeri with medical expenses, please visit the GoFundMe page. Princess Beatrice has gone public with her new millionaire boyfriend weeks after they started dating. The Queen's granddaughter, 30, reportedly started dating property developer and father-of-one Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, known as Edo, in early October. And the new couple finally confirmed their relationship when they attended the annual gala for the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture in New York earlier this week. Although they were not pictured together, Hello! magazine reports that the pair were seen chatting with Beatrice's model pal Karlie Kloss, Rupert Murdoch's ex-wife Wendi Deng, and prize-winner, American philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum. The outing marks the new couple's first public event together, amid controversy over their fledgling relationship after the family of Edo's ex-fiancee claimed Beatrice was instrumental in their split. Princess Beatrice with her model pal Karlie Kloss at the Berggruen Prize Gala at the New York Public Library this week, the royal's first official public outing with her new boyfriend Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi The couple are believed to have started dating a month before Princess Eugenie's wedding in October, where Beatrice acted as maid-of-honour. Edo had been engaged for three-and-a-half years to his fiancee Dara Huang - the mother of his two-year-old son Wolfie - and sources say that pair continued to live together for weeks after he began a relationship with the Queen's granddaughter. In an interview earlier this week, Dara's father Po-Tien, a retired scientist with US space agency NASA, said: Why would they want to go and break this up? 'I cant understand it. Its not fair but the Royal Family are so powerful. What can I do? I cant do anything. Beatrice and her new beau were not pictured together at the event, but were spotted mingling with A-list pals. The royal looked chic in a long balck belted dress, teamed with a fringed cape Beatrice's London-based boyfriend Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (pictured), is a multi-millionaire property tycoon and has reportedly been in the royal's social circle for years Dara Huang, left, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, right, continued to live together for weeks after he began his romance with the Queen's granddaughter at the October 12 nuptials A palace aide has previously said: She [Beatrice] would never allow herself to break into another couples happiness, especially if there was a small child. Beatrice and Edo are thought to have been an acquainted for years and share the same circle of friends, but have recently seen their friendship evolve into a romance. Edo the son of Count Alex Mapelli-Mozzi, who skied for Britain at the 1972 Olympics and socialite Nikki Shale has been a fixture on the royal scene for years. Friends in high places! Princess Beatrice is close pals with model Karlie Kloss who recently married Ivanka Trump's brother-in-law Joshua Kushner He and his sister Natalia, 32, were just toddlers when their parents divorced and their mother married Christopher Shale, a close friend and constituency manager of former Prime Minister David Cameron. Shale died aged just 56 after collapsing at the Glastonbury music festival in 2011. His family were forced to deny widespread gossip that drugs were involved after he was found slumped in a toilet. An inquest later found he died of a heart attack brought on by an 'undiagnosed' heart defect. Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson together with Beatrice and Eugenie attended Shale's memorial service in Oxfordshire. Viewers of BBC2's hit cookery MasterChef the Professionals have slammed the programme for serving up a final that features only white men. The latest episode of the show saw London chefs William and Michelle depart, leaving Lawrence, Luke and Sean to go for glory in next week's final alongside three other male contestants, Matthew, Dean and Oli. On social media, some viewers said they'd already anticipated an all-white male final. However, the programme's makers have hit back at the criticism saying all the chefs progressed only on merit. Scroll down for video Last night's MasterChef the semi-finalists saw Michael, far left, and Michelle, third from left, leave the show after an intense final cook-off round Michelle told the show she was proud to be the 'last woman standing' in this year's competition. Michael said he felt it wasn't his day but that he'd definitely left his mark on MasterChef the Professionals with his daring and creative dishes Judges Marcus Wareing, Gregg Wallace and Monica Galetti told the Following a tense last challenge, judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace revealed to the five chefs who would be leaving and who would fight for the chance to be crowned champion alongside three chefs already through. The show saw William falter after he created a white chocolate parfait that wouldn't set, leaving him to serve up a mousse with apple spaghetti instead in the crucial final round. Lawrence had a similar nightmare but managed, according to Gregg Wallace, to 'grasp victory from the jaws of defeat' with his strawberry dessert. Judge Marcus Wareing said he'd expected more from Michelle's food, with Gregg saying he'd hoped for more North African flavours. Co-judge Monica agreed. However, on Twitter, many viewers said they'd already anticipated an all white male final. @Kate_Bod wrote: 'I knew it wouldnt be long until we had an all-white, male #Masterchef line-up.' @LucyFindlay added: 'More white men #mastercheftheprofessionals' A tale of two parfaits: While Lawrence conjured up a dessert the judges loved after facing disaster, William fared less well The London-based chef was forced to serve up a chocolate mousse, with apple spaghetti, after his parfait faltered during the final round William told the show that 'it wasn't his day': his campaign to be MasterChef the Professionals champion came unstuck after his white chocolate parfait wouldn't set Judges Monica, Gregg and Marcus agreed that Michelle had held back on the spices, something they'd previously loved about her cooking @MarrRed penned: 'All white, all male final.. such a turn off.' @BeesBugsNBass said: 'Such a surprise. three white dudes go through.' @ikosak agreed, saying: 'This is so typical: all black people and women evicted. We are left, as usual, with white men and I am sure that the poshest will win. And they say this is a classless multicultural society...' However, others argued the show simply rewarded those who'd cooked better on the day. @woofmachine wrote: 'Racist accusations doing a disservice to the great chefs competing and the judges integrity, anyone watching can see correct finalists chosen purely on performance on day.' PREVIOUS WINNERS OF MASTERCHEF THE PROFESSIONALS 2017: Craig Johnston, (far right), proved victorious in last year's show 2016: Gary Maclean, (far right), walked away with the title two years ago 2015: Mark Stinchcombe (far right) was part of an all white male line-up three years ago 2014 Jamie Scott, (far right), scooped the title four years ago 2013: Steven Edwards (far right) was one of three male finalists five years ago Advertisement A MasterChef the Professionals spokesperson said: 'The final eight chefs in last nights line-up was diverse, and as fans of the show will know the chefs who cook the best dishes on the day go through to the next round.' Luke, Lawrence and Sean will now join Matthew, Dean and Olli to fight for the title. Two chefs will then depart, with just four chefs facing the final competition. Since the show began ten years ago in 2008, just two women have won MasterChef the Professionals, Claire Lara in 2010 and Keri Moss, who was awarded the title jointly with fellow contestant Anton Piotrowski in 2012. For most, a week or two away in the sun is enough to unwind following the excitement of their wedding day - but not for one British couple. Instead, teachers Philippa, 26, and Liam Doherty, 32, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, sold their possessions to take a honeymoon that lasted two years. They spent 730 days travelling to 20 different countries, which they say cost them less than the average wedding. The adventurous spouses have finally returned home after visiting 123 of the world's most stunning destinations and incredibly spent less than 20,000 over the 24-month break. They quit their jobs and to pay for it, sold virtually everything they owned, including their car, Apple laptops, iPads, a record collection and clothing and homeware. Philippa and Liam, who have always shared a love of travelling, were desperate to save money for the honeymoon, and spent just 12,000 on their big day. They quit their teaching jobs and sold their possessions so they could travel for two years The adventurous newlyweds spent 730 days travelling to 20 different countries. Above, the happy pair at Machu Picchu in Peru The teachers visited 123 of the world's most stunning destinations, including Chicen Itza in Mexico, where they walked hand-in-hand They quit their jobs and to pay for it, sold much of what they owned, including their car, Apple laptops, iPads, a record collection and clothing and homeware. Above, pictured in Havana, Cuba Incredibly, the spouses spent less than 20,000 over the 24-month break and have made enough memories to last a lifetime - including watching the sunrise in Bagan, Myanmar, above 'People often put these things off and say they'll do it next year. But then it never happens,' said Liam. 'Your situation might change, you might have kids or develop health issues. But I am glad that we did it when we were a bit older. 'I think we treated it differently and appreciated it more.' According to a survey of 4,000 brides by bridal website Hitched in 2017, the average cost of a UK wedding is now a whopping 27,161. But for Philippa and Liam, who have always shared a love of travelling, they were desperate to save money for the honeymoon, and spent just 12,000 on their big day. And after failing to narrow down which places they were most keen to visit, they decided to embark on the holiday of a lifetime. 'We didn't plan to go on such a long honeymoon but before we got married we did a lot of short-term trips,' explained teaching assistant Philippa, who worked in her husband's classroom at Cheshire College. 'And we'd go on longer holidays for a month or six weeks when we were both off work in the school holidays. 'So we booked a one-way flight and decided that we'd just take the plunge!' In May 2016 the pair tied the knot at Lake Cuomo in Italy. They then moved in with Liam's parents in a bid to save money for their two year adventure The loved-up couple left the UK with savings of 10,000 and a small regular monthly income guaranteed from renting their house out After tying the knot in May 2016 at Lake Cuomo in Italy, the pair moved in with Liam's parents in a bid to save money. 'It was kind of a reverse! Going back a few years, you would get married and then move in together,' said Liam. 'But we lived together, got married and then moved in with my parents.' The loved-up pair left home on August 31, 2016, and visited 20 countries before returning in September 2018. The couple started their trip in India, where they spent two months. Phillipa said: 'It was really cheap and we didn't spend much' They left the UK with savings of 10,000 and a small regular monthly income guaranteed from renting their house out. Through a mixture of volunteering opportunities, hitch-hiking, working in hostels and couch surfing, they managed to keep their costs down. Some countries were much cheaper than others, meaning they spent much less in places such as south-east Asia but more in countries like Japan and New Zealand. They shared their journey on their blog Hitched Hikers, as well as on Instagram, where they gained thousands of followers. And as their blog began to attract attention, they were offered some sponsored stays in exchange for publicity. 'We scrimped and scraped ahead of travelling but it was difficult as we were saving for a wedding at the same time,' added Phillipa. 'We tried to budget for around 1,000 a month for both of us which worked out in our favour.' She continued: 'In some countries such as India, it was really cheap and we didn't spend much but others like Australia, we spent more. 'We weren't very strict but we managed to stay in budget. Some people we met whilst travelling had a spreadsheet breaking down everything they spent. 'We didn't fancy that, we weren't that strict.' Despite living on a budget, Liam and Philippa managed to enjoy plenty of amazing experiences - from hiking in the Himalayas, staying with a monk in Japan and swimming with wild dolphins in New Zealand. Highlights of the trip included drinking rum with the locals in Havana, skydiving in Australia and visiting Tayrona National Park in northern Colombia - but the lucky pair also got to pose with a tortoise at the Galapagos Former teaching assistant Phillipa took in the stunning views as the pair arrived at Iguazu Falls in Argentina Ticking off their bucket list: Phillipa and Liam look chuffed to have made it to one of the seven wonders of the world - the Great Wall of China Feeling festive - despite the glorious sunshine they experienced in Chang Mai, Thailand. The couple donned Christmas hats as they cooled down in the pool Other highlights included drinking rum with the locals in Havana, skydiving in Australia and visiting Tayrona National Park in northern Colombia. And they spent their second wedding anniversary sleeping in a suspended transparent capsule hanging off the side of a Peruvian mountain. Dubbed the 'million star hotel', the pods allowed the couple to enjoy panoramic views of the Milky Way whilst toasting their wedding bliss. The couple took in the breathtaking views when they stayed in the Million Star Hotel in Peru on their second wedding anniversary 'We started in India, where we spent two months, then we went to Hong Kong, China, and made our way through South East Asia,' explained Liam. 'We tried to do around a month in each but if they were small or we didn't like it so much, we'd spend less time there. 'Then we went to Japan and then the Philippines as Japan was getting chilly. 'And finally we went down to Australia and New Zealand before flying to South America, and ending up in North America before finally going home.' The loved-up couple headed to the Philippines (left) when Japan was 'getting chilly' and later headed to Australia where they braved skydiving - which was one of their trip highlights The couple are now back in the UK but claim their trip of a lifetime has completely changed their outlook on life - and they are considering setting up a travel business. They say it is possible to keep the cost down by booking hotel rooms on arrival instead of advance, volunteering, couch surfing and taking advantage of freelance work. And by taking buses instead of quicker forms of transport to travel between cities, the price can be halved and you get to see more of the country. 'Since returning, Philippa has already been to Prague, I went to Poland, and then in a few weeks, we're heading to Morocco,' said Liam. 'Just because we've come back to England, it doesn't mean it has to be a permanent move. 'We might stay here for a year and then go abroad for a year in Canada, Japan or somewhere. It hasn't really set in that we are back for good. 'We know we'll be in the UK for the next 12 months as we have weddings to attend!' Queen Mathilde of Belgium, 45, looked chic in check as she stepped out in Brussels, Belgium earlier today. With her sophisticated navy coat balancing elegantly on her shoulders, in the trendy 'shrobing' style loved by celebrities, she looked the picture of sophistication in her brown and green tartan shirt dress as she stepped out of the chauffeured car. The mother-of-four opted for a suede dark green belt which cinched her in at the waist before the dress continued to run into flattering pleats. She accessorised with earrings which dangled just above her shoulders and coordinated with matching heels and a clutch bag which she held in her right hand. The Belgian royal was meeting with representatives of sustainable development companies. Arriving in style: The royal visited Brussels earlier today and opted for a navy coat, which she elegantly hung over her shoulders, and a checked tartan shirt dress Queen Mathilde was meeting with representatives of several companies that have expressed their commitment to sustainable development earlier today After stepping out of the car, Mathilde was all smiles as she was greeted by an excited royal fan, who seemed only too pleased to see her. The royal engaged in conversation with the well-wisher before offering a royal handshake and then heading inside to the formal meeting. There, she entered discussion with representatives of several companies who have expressed their commitment to sustainable development. The meeting comes after a busy few months for the royal, who joined her husband King Phillippe on a visit to the Odoo company in Ramillies, yesterday - a company that creates corporate software and apps. The Belgium royal beamed as she was greeted by royal fan when she arrived ahead of her formal meeting After offering a handshake, Queen Mathilde engaged in conversation with the well-wisher as a passerby looked on Glamorous in green: Queen Mathilde joined her husband King Philippe on a visit to the Odoo company in Ramillies yesterday. All smiles: One of the stops on the visit was to Verger de la Chise in Incourt, which is where fruit juices are produced They were visiting the Brabant Wallon region with different stops including the Verger de la Chise in Incourt, where fruit juices are produce, and the Jodoigne's city hall. Just last month, the 45-year-old joined her husband on a visit to Berlin. They were welcomed to the capital by the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke, as they marked the centenary of the end of the First World War. Queen Mathilde opted for a flattering, calf-length checked black, white and maroon tweed coat dress with button and belt detail for the occasion which took place on 23rd November Queen Mathilde looked in high spirits as she and Elke inspected the guard of honour outside Bellevue Palace ahead of the commemorative occasion. Just a few weeks prior to this, on 25th October, the Belgian royal family released a new portrait of Princess Elisabeth to mark her 17th birthday. Elisabeth, who is the eldest daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, looked stylish in a pink blouse and floral trousers as she posed in the grounds of the Royal Palace in Brussels. Twitter users have expressed their incredulity at the sight of a panel of senior military figures gathering to discuss gender balance in the Armed Forces. The photo, circulating on social media, shows five senior warrant offices sitting in front of a screen that reads: 'Gender balance in the armed forces, what more can be done?' Labour MP Stella Creasy led the comments, writing: 'This has to be photoshopped surely#21stcenturycalling'. Scroll down for video Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy shared Women in Defence's photo, which showed five men, all senior warrant officers, on a panel to discuss 'gender balance in the Armed Forces' The image was taken at an event organised by Women in Defence on Monday night and posted to the organisation's Twitter account along with the comment: 'Fantastic Command Warrant Officers event this evening!' Quickly, those who saw it commented on the irony of an all-male panel - a 'manel' - discussing issues of gender. @HeatherTelley wrote: 'I'm surprised not one female you invited was available to sit on the panel...Im assuming you invited AT LEAST one female?' @AN_Goldstein added: 'Well. A pictures worth a thousand words.' @ryhbrmn wrote: 'Certainly says it all. And probably explains many shortcomings in our forces its procurement and political support. Time for real radical positive important changes.' BBC presenter Susannah Streeter added: 'As a former member of the armed forces, having represented the RAF Reserves at other gender balance events, please ask me in the future for guest ideas. It doesnt look great that no women were on the panel.' The photo includes Gavin Paton, an Army Sergeant Major, Glenn Haughton OBE, senior enlisted advisor to the chiefs of staff committee, the Navy's Nick Sharland, Marines' DP Mason and chief of the air staff, Jonathan Crossley. This photo was posted to the Women in Defence's social media accounts along with the caption: 'Fantastic Command Warrant Officers event this evening' The Women in Defence Twitter account has since posted a link to its website featuring an all-female team @frasbren added: 'Guessing from the organisation behind this event it was women who decided the composition of the panel?' @ryanramsey14 penned: 'I'm assuming that in the absence of female leaders at this level, you are relying on advocates - we sometimes forget that advocates are vital to progression.' MailOnline has contacted Women in Defence for comment. In a statement, the organisation said:' The Women in Defence UK panel was co-chaired by two women both of whom have served in the UK Armed Forces. 'Attendees at the event included men and women from defence industry, the Armed Forces and Civil Service. 'Women in Defence UK works to promote the value of women in the sector and its annual awards ceremony has received over 900 nominations. 'Women in Defence UK is passionate about promoting the value of women in defence and since it was founded in 2011 it has worked to encourage women to succeed at all levels across the defence sector.' Princess Eugenie looked chic in a faux leather dress as she hosted a reception at the Queen's Gallery. Eugenie, 28, looked stylish in the forest green frock from Topshop, priced at 55, which she previously wore when she attended the Frieze Art Fair three years ago. Wearing her glossy locks up off her face, she showed off her glowing complexion with a subtle make-up look. The newlywed looked in high spirits as she mingled with guests at the event, held at the art gallery at Buckingham Palace. Princess Eugenie looked chic in a faux leather dress from Topshop as she hosted a reception at the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace Eugenie, 28, looked in high spirits as she mingled with guests at the reception, which she attended in her role as royal patron of Tate Young Patrons Eugenie shared several snaps of her at the Queen's Gallery reception on Instagram on Tuesday, including one showing her addressing guests with a short speech. Posting the pictures with her 617,000 followers, she said: 'As patron of the Tate Young Patrons, I was happy to host a reception at The Queens Gallery where we got to see two magnificent shows on Russia. 'A must see in London. @royalcollectiontrust @tate #queensgallery #buckinghampalace' There are two exhibitions on at the Queen's Gallery about Russia: Russia, Royalty & the Romanovs and Roger Fentons Photographs of the Crimea, 1855. Eugenie previously wore the same forest green dress, priced at 55, when she attended the Frieze Art Fair in 2015 (above) Eugenie, who works for art gallery Hauser & Wirth, became royal patron of the Tate Young Patrons - which connects art lovers to the Tate Galleries - in May this year. It comes after she and Jack Brooksbank, 32, were spotted enjoying a double date with Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber in London over the weekend. According to Page Six, the couples enjoyed a night out at celebrity hangout the Chiltern Firehouse. Cindy, 52, and Rande, 56 - who is co-founder of the Casamigos tequila brand that Jack works for - were in the UK to attend Monday's British Fashion Awards 2018. Prince Andrew's youngest daughter showed off her glowing complexion with a subtle make-up look, while wearing her glossy locks up off her face Eugenie shared a series of snaps from the reception on Instagram with her 617,000 followers The woman behind Holly Willoughby's wardrobe has lifted the list on her styling secrets - from picking the perfect jeans to her strict ban on skinny trousers. London-based stylist Angie Smith, who curates the presenter's outfits for This Morning and I'm A Celebrity, is widely credited with sparking the 'Holly effect' which sees her outfits sell out within minutes of her wearing them. Speaking to The Times, Smith also revealed the process that goes into making Holly look flawless for every on-screen appearance - comprising two days of shopping per month, which results in 16 outfits plus 'extras'. Smith, who also works with Spice Girls Emma Bunton and Geri Horner, says her aim is to help clients look 'comfortable' and 'relaxed'. London-based stylist Angie Smith (second right) with Holly Willoughby and her glam squad in Australia. The fashion guru has shared her tricks of the trade in an interview with The Times Jungle Jane: Holly in one of her I'm A Celebrity outfits - a white dress from Aussie designer Spell, Maje boots and an Isable Marant belt - which has sparked a sales boom 'You look at someone's figure and say, "Right,I love this about you, and this is what I want to draw attention to," she explained. 'And then it's about playing up the good bits and forgetting about anything else.' When it comes to shopping, Smith has one piece of advice for deciding whether or not a garment suits you: 'Take a picture of yourself in an outfit, then chop your head off. Then you can look at the outfit more objectively.' It is a tip she follows herself, and her 77,000 Instagram followers are rarely treated to pictures of the stylist's face. And as for fashion dos and don'ts, Smith says she has one strict rule: skinny jeans are strictly banned. 'Who actually looked good in skinny jeans?' she said in The Times this week. 'They're awful. They are leggings essentially, and we all agreed leggings weren't OK ages ago.' An investigation by the Daily Mail this week found that Holly's jungle wardrobe cost a total of 19,000. On the fourth show of I'm A Celebrity in November, Holly teamed a pale blue shirt with a denim skirt, paired with brown hiking boots by Grenson (pictured on set in Australia) Holly wore a stylish checked shirt by Isabel Marant with a pair of leather boots by Maje for the third episode of I'm A Celeb, which has seen her stylist Angie Smith shoot to fame Holly, 37, wore an all-red ensemble for the second episode, teaming a Rag & Bone T-shirt with a matching denim skirt by Scandinavian brand Ganni - the outfit was the brain child of Smith Holly Willoughby has shown off a stream of stylish outfits while on I'm A Celebrity. On the first show, she wore an Isabel Marant top and matching skirt, along with Grenson hiker boots With Smith's help, Holly showed off a stream of stylish outfits while presenting I'm A Celebrity this year - causing some of her outfits to sell out within minutes. For instance, as soon as she tagged the AllSaints Tala Shirt Dress - 128 - she wore on day three, the brand's website crashed as fans clamoured to buy one. The dress has since sold out at other stockists too, such as John Lewis. Holly mixed up her usual A-line skirts and pretty blouses with some edgier looks, along with a number of Australian labels including Zimmerman and Auguste The Label. She also caused a surge in the popularity of hiking boots, after swapping her trademark heels for several sturdy designs in the jungle - resulting in almost every pair shes worn to sell out. It started with some brown Grenson boots, followed by a black pair from Topshop and then the 295 Heidi boots from designer Camilla Elphick, leaving retailers scrabbling to get them back in stock. The Duchess of Cambridge's Christmas will be an 'ordeal', a royal biographer has claimed, amid rumours of a rift between her and Meghan. Christopher Wilson - who has written biographies on Charles and Camilla - suggested Kate, 36, will be wanting to get away to her own family in Bucklebury, following Christmas at Sandringham with the Queen and other royals. He added that the recent suggestions of tensions between the Cambridges and the Sussexes 'won't make things any easier between the girls'. Kate and William, along with children George, Charlotte and Louis, will be at the Queen's Norfolk residence for Christmas this year, despite previous reports that they would be spending the day in Bucklebury with the Middletons. Kate's Christmas will be an 'ordeal', royal biographer Christopher Wilson has claimed. He said that she will be wanting to get away to her own family in Bucklebury (above, Kate, William, George and Charlotte, going to church in Berkshire on Christmas Day in 2016) Speaking to new!, Christopher said: 'Kate's a homebody and loves being with her own immediate family at Christmas - off-duty and relaxed. 'Sandringham Christmases can be an ordeal, even for those born royal - and generally those who've married into the family often can't wait to get away. 'As with many seasonal family gatherings, there can be undercurrents and the publicity over the Meghan clash won't make things any easier between the girls.' Prince Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37 - who are expecting their first child together in the Spring - are expected to stay at Kate and William's Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, this Christmas, as they did last year. Kate and William will be spending Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham this year, along with Harry and Meghan (above at church on Christmas Day at Sandringham last year) Royal biographer Christopher Wilson described Kate as a 'homebody' who would be wanting to get away to spend time with her own family. Pictured are Carole and Michael Middleton, along with Pippa and her husband James Matthews at Prince Louis' christening There were previous suggestions that the Cambridges would be spending Christmas Day with the Middletons, as they did in 2016. Kate's mother Carole revealed in a recent interview with the Telegraph that her grandchildren have Christmas trees in each of their bedrooms at Bucklebury 'so that they can decorate it themselves'. It comes after rumours of a rift between the Cambridges and Sussexes, after it was announced that Harry and Meghan would be moving away from Kensington Palace to Frogmore House in Windsor. There were claims that Kate was left in tears following Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid's dress fitting, ahead of Meghan and Harry's wedding in May, as well as suggestions the pair had clashed over staff. Kate (above during an engagement in London this week) 'loves being with her own immediate family at Christmas', which is 'off-duty and relaxed', the biographer says However, royal insiders have insisted that there has been no falling out between the Cambridges and the Sussexes, but admitted the pair are 'very different people'. A source previously told the Daily Mail's Rebecca English: '[W]hile there are some tensions behind the scenes, Kate is pretty unflappable and nothing has become bad enough to make Harry and Meghan want to move out. 'People are genuinely pleased to see them so happy. 'The truth is that there simply isn't enough room at Kensington Palace for them and I know they have been looking at Windsor as a possibility since before the wedding.' If you've ever dreamed of working for the Queen you're in luck - the royal family is hiring a housekeeping assistant to work at Buckingham Palace. The candidate will be based in either London's royal residence or Windsor Castle, and will be required to work full time five days a week - although the hours may be spread over the weekend too. The successful applicant does not need previous hospitality experience, as they will be 'proactive' and open to 'tackle new challenges'. The ideal employee is also required to have an eye for detail, be 'well organised' and have good time management skills. Queen Elizabeth (pictured in London in October) is hiring a housekeeping assistant for Buckingham Palace, although the role may mean the applicant travels to Windsor Castle too The successful candidate will also be trusted to work 'front-of-house' when there are royal engagements or other functions held at the London royal residence (pictured) The job description, which is listed on Royal.uk, reads: 'Previous housekeeping or hospitality experience would be an advantage but is not essential. We're more interested in your proactive approach and ability to tackle new challenges. 'Well organised and with good time management skills, you can meet deadlines and work efficiently to get jobs done.' The lucky employee will have the opportunity to 'develop' their skills in the area with additional training on hand.' The successful candidate will also be trusted to assist when royal functions and other events are underway. 'Youll take care of guests and work front-of-house to support functions and events too', it states. Staff will need to be extra flexible, as the position will involve travelling across the UK to other royal residences, including Windsor Castle, as well as weekend work. The description reads: 'This role will be based in either London or Windsor Castle, and will involve travelling to other Royal residences.' The royal household are also looking for a daily cleaner at Windsor Castle to work Monday to Sunday at the royal residence The British monarch's employee will receive an impressive benefits package, which will include live-in accommodation at the royal residence, as well as pension scheme. The job specification states: 'In return you will be rewarded with a comprehensive benefits package, including 33 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays), a 15 per cent employer contribution pension scheme (with the option for flexibility - to increase contributions or draw down as salary), with training and development, as well as a range of catering and recreational facilities. 'The role also offers the option to live-in (for which there is a salary adjustment).' As part of the application hopefuls will be required to provide their personal details, complete an 'About You' section, as well as an 'Equality Monitoring' page before going through to the 'Declaration' page and submission. The salary has not been stated on the application, however earlier this year a job to clean for the monarch offered 16,955-a-year to staff. The 92-year-old royal is also advertising for a daily cleaner at Windsor Castle, to ensure the Surrey site is spotless Monday to Sunday. The deadline for both roles is New Year's Day. Married men, who have been happily together for over a decade, invited a man they met on Tinder to join their relationship to form a closed triad and say that traditional monogamy is not the only option out there. Customer care manager Edson S, 39, met his husband, English teacher Emerson M, 46, while they were both living in Madrid for work in 2008. The pair fell helplessly in love and were married two years later. Over the course of their relationship, Edson and Emerson had discussed the possibility of polyamory but didn't think it would be for them. Interesting: Married couple Edson (left) and Emerson (right) invited a third man (middle) to join their relationship after meeting him on Tinder In Love: Edson, 39, (middle) and his husband Emerson, 46, (right) had a 10-year marriage before deciding to add Sebastian, 31, (left) to the mix Happy together: Although the couple didn't ever consider a polyamorous relationship, they decided to try one after meeting Sebastian on Tinder Interesting: The three men currently live in Barcelona, Spain, and met up for dinner one night back in October 2017 However, in October 2017, things changed for the couple after they met their now partner, research editor Sebastian M, 31, on Tinder. 'Emerson and I had never considered polyamory until Seb appeared. We had conversations about the possibility of it happening but we never expected it to happen to us as we always had a closed relationship,' Edson said. After a few weeks of exchanging messages, the three had their first date at an Italian restaurant in Barcelona, Spain, where they now live. Making it work: At the time, Sebastian was living in Copenhagen and they all thought it would be a quick fling The three men instantly clicked, all bonding over their shared love for yoga. At the time, Sebastian was living in Copenhagen, so it didn't cross anyone's minds that their feelings would run deeper, but the distance showed that Edson and Emerson's feelings for Sebastian were much more than just sexual. 'We fell deeply in love with each other,' Edson said. 'We don't see ourselves without the third. Our lives have changed completely, and we realized that it's possible to love more than one person at the same time.' After discussing how they felt about him together, Edson and Emerson asked Sebastian to join their relationship in December last year. The men formed a closed triad, meaning that they don't have sex with anyone else outside of their three-way relationship. 'None of us had ever been in a triad and Seb had never done a threesome before,' Edson explained. 'Emerson and I had met a few people together, but there were never feelings involved. With Seb it was totally different.' Different: The men formed a closed triad, meaning that they don't have sex with anyone else outside of their three-way relationship Making moves: Edson and Emerson discussed the relationship between each other before inviting Sebastian to join their relationship Bonding: The men all got along because they each have a love for yoga Together: The men explained how they are all 'equals' in their relationship even though Sebastian joined it later All smiles: 'We have a closed relationship which basically means that we do not have sex with anyone else,' Emerson said He continued: ''There was no sex chat on Tinder before meeting up, we arranged to go for dinner at an Italian restaurant when Seb was visiting Barcelona with a friend. 'Seb was living in Copenhagen at the time, so it did not even cross our minds that we could fall in love, let alone that he would eventually move to Barcelona so that we could have a relationship. 'Em and I had a talk about it before telling Seb that we had feelings for him and things progressed slowly until we all felt more secure about the whole thing.' Some people criticize their relationship and wrongly assume that Edson and Emerson were having problems in their 10-year marriage before meeting Sebastian or question Sebastian as to why he would want to get involved in their marriage. But they insist that their relationship is just the same as any monogamous one, just with an extra person to share the love and attention with. 'We are all equals,' Emerson said. 'Edson and I had a ten-year relationship before meeting Seb, but Seb has the same power of decision as we do. The triad is newer than the couple before but it's not less important because of that. 'We all decide by voting and trying to accommodate what the others like or dislike. We have a closed relationship which basically means that we do not have sex with anyone else. 'We sometimes have sex without the third one, like when one is away travelling but we always try to be together.' Celebrate: The triad, who celebrated their one-year anniversary earlier this year, said they put things up to a vote Priorities: 'We sometimes have sex without the third one, like when one is away travelling but we always try to be together,' Emerson said Always together: The men admitted most people don't understand their relationship, but it works for them Fun: 'People are very opinionated about our relationship, even the ones that have no experience of being in a triad nor even had successful relationships,' Sebastian said Date night! The three men started an Instagram account to raise awareness about closed polyamorous relationships Emerson continued: 'If anyone needs more attention or is feeling down, he speaks up and the others make the necessary adjustments. When we have disagreements, if they are between two, the third tries to mediate, which can be quite helpful. Otherwise, we just talk things through. 'No one takes sides, we try to keep it simple and fair. There are a lot of emotions involved, so we are always patient with each other and remind ourselves of what makes us happy and move on. 'Honest communication is really important. Compromises are required obviously, and we normally make them.' The three set up their Instagram page a few months ago in order to share their love with the world and to also connect with others in closed polyamorous relationships. The men would like to show people that monogamy, although it might work for some couples, isn't the only option out there. 'People are very opinionated about our relationship, even the ones that have no experience of being in a triad nor even had successful relationships,' Sebastian said. Letting you know: The triad said most people think the relationship is just about sex, but they said it isn't at all Hanging out: 'We care deeply for each other like any couple would do,' Sebastian said Spreading the love: The triad said they want people to understand it is their own choice to be in different kinds of relationships He continued: 'People often think that it's all about sex and it's not really, obviously there is sex involved because we are in a relationship, but it's not the only thing that we have. 'We care deeply for each other like any couple would do. But here, one gets attention from two instead of one so that is a bonus. There are many people that do approve and are very supportive even though they could not do it themselves. 'Love is love and among consenting adults, there is no right or wrong. We are not harming anyone by choosing to live in a triad, so we should be allowed to love each other and marry each other if we want to. 'Monogamy is not the only choice out there and clearly it doesn't work for a lot of people given the divorce rates, cheating and so on. This works for us but it doesn't mean we want more people to try it. 'Just do whatever makes you happy as long as you are not harming anyone, period.' A young girl has made headlines for her letter to Santa Claus that asked for a change to her dad's work shift instead of toys. In a letter to Santa Claus before Christmas, a girl from Springfield, Massachusetts, named Zoe asked for a change for his dad's work shift because 'he would be so happy'. According to WWLP, the letter read: 'Dear Santa (Saint Nick), I want very little things for Xmas. I've been OK this year.' Heartwarming: A young girl named Zoe from Springfield, Massachusetts, wrote Santa Claus to ask for him to change her dad's work shift (stock picture) She continued: 'But out of all the things you bring me, I would want one of them to come true, and the only people that can grant my wish are you and my dad's boss. This is a very special request. 'I would like you to change my dad's work shift time.' The young girl went on to explain what she would like her dad's schedule to be instead of the shift time he currently works. 'Now it's 4:30-1:00,' Zoe wrote. 'I would like you to change it to 6:30-3:00. He would be so happy and when he is happy, I'm happy.' Selfless: In the letter (pictured), the little girl said Santa could even skip her house if he wanted because she just wanted to help out her dad Her dad's happiness was so important to Zoe that she even offered for Santa Claus to skip her house this year if it would convince him to change the work shift. She continued: 'I'll tell you this: I'll even let you skip my house (I only want 3 things) but can you please just change his shift?' Zoe's grandmother sent the letter into the WWLP news station to show off the selflessness from the young girl before the festive season. Gasps of astonishment must have echoed around the packed hall when Michelle Obama said that even she, a former First Lady with a new book thats smashing international sales records, feels like shes not really good enough. Shed been asked how she felt about being seen as a symbol of hope. Far from smugly accepting the accolade, she told her audience of admiring schoolgirls: I still have a little [bit of] imposter syndrome. She went on to say: It doesnt go away, that feeling that you shouldnt take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is. Michelle Obama! How can this incredibly smart, warm, confident, highly educated, attractive and famous woman with, incidentally, biceps any of us would kill for think shes an imposter? And if she does, what hope is there for the rest of us? Linda Kelsey (pictured) who has suffered with impostor syndrome since age 26 spoke to three other successful women that have had similar experiences And yet research shows that imposter syndrome, that gut-wrenching sense of being a fraud about to be found out, is if anything more common among successful women than in those who arent such high-flyers. If you didnt know this, you might almost be tempted to accuse Obama of false modesty. But in fact, just like Facebook boss Sheryl Sandberg, comedian Tina Fey, actresses Meryl Streep and Emma Watson and poet Maya Angelou, she is honestly giving voice to something so many celebrated women know they shouldnt feel, but do. Ive been one of them ever since 1978, when I was 26. I had just been appointed features editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine and was completely puzzled by my promotion to that elevated position. Fortunately, around that time I came across a ground-breaking study on The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women. Its two female authors had spent five years working with 150 successful women, who nonetheless believed they werent very bright and had somehow conned anyone who thought otherwise. Thats me to a T, I thought although my inner imposter went on to add that, as a university drop-out, surely I had more claim to being a fraud than anyone. The women in the study might imagine themselves phonies, but I was the real deal an authentic phony if you like. Its a worry that has dogged my every achievement. When I became editor of Cosmopolitan, I thought my bosses had lost their senses. Its not rational, but its how I felt. Young women I meet today appear much more confident and articulate than I was at their age but their imposter syndrome doesnt seem to be going away. Girls generally outperform boys at school, yet when asked what they expect to earn five years after graduating, they come up with a figure thats 20 per cent less than men suggest for themselves. Even as they climb the workplace ladder, which they increasingly do, women have less confidence than their male peers. Karen Blackett OBE, 47, (pictured) is the UK's top advertising executive but says an inner voice often tells her that she 'shouldn't be here' when in meetings where she is a minority In a report for the Institute of Leadership and Management, half of female respondents reported doubt about their performance, compared to fewer than a third of males. Men doubt themselves too as Daily Mail columnist Max Pemberton rightly pointed out at the weekend. But they dont let it hold them back as much as women. One well-known report found men apply for a job when they meet 60 per cent of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100 per cent of them. Yes, there are many more women in top positions now, but it seems we all sometimes feel like imposters. So what causes this feeling, and how can it be defeated? I asked three incredibly successful women, each of whom admits suffering from self-doubt, what they believe lies behind those nagging fears and how theyve overcome them to build businesses, influence government and support other women . . . Should I even be here? i thought Karen Blackett OBE, 47, is the UKs top advertising executive as country manager of agency WPP and chair of its agency MediaCom. She has one son, Isaac, six. Sometimes when Im at the Houses of Parliament or No 10, I have to pause, take a deep breath and remind myself why Im there: for my business knowledge and my expertise. Its when youre in a minority in the room which is most of the time for me that the inner voice saying, I shouldnt be here, tends to come out. Things are changing in my industry but unfortunately, for now in advertising, there arent many people like me. By that I mean there arent many senior women, there arent many senior black women and there really arent many senior black women from a working class background. Feeling like an imposter makes you work harder and thats how you get ahead But Im lucky, because I had fantastic preparation for this from my parents. Get comfortable being memorable, my dad always told me. Dont try and blend in, youve got to be who you are. When doubt kicks in, I remember him. Dad came over from Barbados in the Sixties. He was a bus conductor for a year, then got an apprenticeship and became an electrical engineer. My mum trained as a nurse and worked in the NHS for over 30 years. Now I do a lot of work to support young women in the industry. Although they have fewer hang-ups than my generation, I still see areas where they struggle to be heard, to get their voices across. My advice to any woman would be to find your cheerleaders supportive peers at work or in your home life. Everybody has moments when they lack self-belief; cheerleaders will give you the verbal slap you need to remember the true you. Remember, too, that its okay to show vulnerability. It shows youre human. I also think everyone needs a bit of fear. It makes your adrenaline kick in, and pushes you to do plenty of preparation and practice. Feeling like an imposter makes you work harder and thats how you get ahead. Sophie Cornish MBE, 53, (pictured) worked in advertising before co-founding Not On The High Street. She spent her career with a fear of being caught out each time she was promoted I bashed myself not the system Sophie Cornish MBE, 53, is the co-founder of shopping website Not On The High Street, which had sales of 165 million last year. Sophie is mum to Ollie, 21 and Honor, 19. Shes executive director of new lifestyle business Busby & Fox. Every now and then, that crushing why on earth would they want to listen to me? feeling hits me. I might be about to address 500 people, or just leading a routine meeting. Looking back, Ive suffered from imposter syndrome most of my life. At school, I didnt feel clever enough, sporty enough, or pretty enough. I learned a lot from my mum, the novelist Penny Vincenzi. She taught me and my three sisters that some people are going to be successful, so it might as well be you! And yet every novels publication day brought her the terror that this one, this time, was going to bomb. I didnt go to university, and in the Eighties I worked on magazines as a beauty writer. Colleagues were generous with training and encouragement and I learned, for a while, to believe in myself. were all pretty much as clever as each other, but with different talents and motivations Then I moved into advertising. The more I got promoted, the more I found myself holding my breath, waiting to be caught out. All the jargon and hype made little sense to me but instead of criticising the system, I assumed that was a failing on my part. Around the same time, I became a mother. I remember being told I wasnt going to get a promised pay rise now I was pregnant again. Such was my lack of self-belief that to my eternal shame I just nodded and agreed. Then Holly Tucker and I set up Not On The High Street in 2006. It was my first venture outside advertising, and I was surprised to find I felt more confident than ever unstoppable, even. Suddenly there was no right way to do things, no establishment to live up to. It was only when the business got bigger, and I had to deal with people more traditionally educated and qualified, that I felt it all creeping back. Eventually, though, I got to realise (most of the time) that were all pretty much as clever as each other, but with different talents and motivations. I know now that growing businesses is my talent, and Im lucky to do what I love. And I do believe self-doubt abates as you get older at 53, Im finally getting there. I questioned why i was invited Jude Kelly CBE, 64, is the founder of WOW, Women of the World Festival. A former artistic director of the Southbank Centre, she led the cultural team for the 2012 London Olympic bid. Shes mother to Caroline, 30, and Robbie, 27. Jude Kelly CBE, 64, (pictured) revealed she's experienced feeling like a child whilst sat on government committees My favourite cartoon shows a couple in evening outfits pressed up against a windowpane, looking in at a party. Everyone inside the room looks sophisticated. This couple have an invite, and look just the same as those inside. And yet they also look petrified. Yikes, grown-ups! one says to the other. For me that sums up imposter syndrome. So many of us continue to feel like children, always looking up to somebody and never quite believing weve got to the place we want to be even though to anyone else, we look just like everybody in that place. Ive felt it when Im sitting with civil servants on government committees. I even created one of them! And yet I always have the strongest feeling that everyone else in the room knows how to operate committees, sound intelligent, be intelligent. Im terrified that the first time I open my mouth theyre going to think, whats she doing here?. When a woman is clearly an achiever and has the right skills and talent, being self-deprecating gives off confusing signals But each time you have to think, well, have I got something I really want to communicate? Because if so, even if I feel frightened and foolish, keeping my mouth shut would not be a grown-up thing to do. This does apply to men as well as women but in my experience women tend to have a much more advanced version of imposter syndrome. Thats because if you have ingested, from when you were tiny, a philosophy that tells you women arent as good as men, girls arent as good as boys, it becomes extremely difficult to put yourself forward and feel entitled to do so. Looking at the confidence levels of young girls, which seem still to be very low, I dont think this imbalance has much been driven out of the system at all. As a theatre director I look at womens body language, the shying away, the waving of arms, the apology in the voice. That sort of thing doesnt help anyone. We have to work at those gestures. Yes, its attractive not to assume youre the bees knees but it doesnt help for women to be overly modest. When a woman is clearly an achiever and has the right skills and talent, being self-deprecating gives off confusing signals. Baristas expect oat milk to be the next coffee craze, pushing aside soy and almond as the best lactose alternative in our lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites. Australia is set to catch up with the foreign trend for new alternatives to traditional milks. 'The biggest change in 2019 will be what people put into their coffee rather than the way they have it, Melbourne cafe Proud Mary general manager Tom Gunn said. 'We have another cafe in America and oat milk has completely dominated the market there - completely destroyed almond milk, and soy is now minimal.' He said compared to other dairy milk alternatives, oat milk tastes better, matches coffee better, froths more easily and importantly has funding behind it from large US companies. Baristas are predicting oat milk to be the next coffee craze as Australians thirst for a latte declines Pippa Ainsworth, the owner of the Darwin cafe The Trader, said she was surprised Australia was behind on the craze on what she sees a yummy, environmentally sustainable option. 'I was just in London and oat milk was in every cafe - no question,' she told AAP. But Ms Ainsworth says people are fickle about their brew, and often chase the next craze. The way Australians consume their coffee has been tipped to change, with new data showing a shift in coffee culture across the nation While people may be experimenting with milk alternatives, their choice of coffee styles still tends toward the familiar. National data released on Wednesday from payment platform Square said the humble latte made up one in every three orders (33 per cent) in 2018. But that's lower than two years ago when it was ordered 43 per cent of the time. And while the latte, cappuccino and flat white still make up about three-in-four orders, the states and territories are split on the best way to get a caffeine hit. Lattes remained the top choice in Victoria (42 per cent) and Tasmania (32 per cent) while flat whites were the preferred choice in Queensland (26 per cent), Western Australia (37 per cent), ACT (39 per cent) and Northern Territory (29 per cent). New South Wales - often derided by Victorians for having a weaker coffee culture - had a more varied taste, with cappuccino the leading coffee at 26 per cent. The Square coffee data was based on millions of orders made through Square point-of-sale devices. Caffeine addicts have favoured the humble latte for years but the number of punters placing an order for the hot drink has dropped by 10 per cent over the past two years It is less than a fortnight until the nation will sit down to its Christmas lunch - whether that's a roast turkey or braised beef. And already M&S is reporting sky-high sales on its festive food as it announces its best-selling Christmas produce. When it comes to the main event it is no surprise that the supermarket is racking up reams of orders for turkeys. The retailer claims that one in four Brits will be tucking into an M&S turkey on December 25 with top choice proving to be the traditional fuss-free British Boneless Oakham Turkey Breast with Pork, Sage & Onion Stuffing. M&S has unveiled its bestselling Christmas foods for 2018 and is expecting a quarter of Brits to tuck into one of its turkeys on the big day However, other meat mains have also been flying off the shelves with the top side of beef the most popular meat behind turkey and the half leg of lamb is also a best-seller. In the run up to the festive break M&S has seen predictably high sales of its seasonal sandwiches with the Turkey Feast seeing a ten per cent sale increase on last year. M&S expects to sell over 1.2 million turkey feast sandwiches and during Christmas week predicts to sell twice as many as any other sandwich. The new addition of the vegan No Turkey Feast, made with soya, has also been a runaway hit the most popular of the store's new sandwiches. When it comes to the trimmings M&S predicts it will sell over 720 tonnes of stuffing as well as 6.5 million pigs in blankets, including the newly launched foot-long take. Just behind turkey in the sales ranks for the main is M&S top side of beef (pictured) The vegan No Turkey Feast sandwich is the store's best-selling new sandwich for 2018 The top choice for desserts on food orders has been the M&S Chocolate Pine Cones (pictured) Love them or hate them sprout sales are anticipated to reach 30 million over the Christmas period, enough to stretch from London to Switzerland. And it seems that customers are doing away with the traditional Christmas pudding in favour of a chocolatey treat when it comes to dessert with the top choice being the Chocolate Pine Cones. The supermarket saw its earliest ever interest in festive foods with searches up by 35 per cent in October. Christmas started earlier than ever before this year at M&S and in October food searches on the M&S website were up 35 per cent, with Christmas related food and drink being the most sought after and searched for items. The search term turkey crown was huge 284 per cent on the same time last year. A California man got just about the opposite of a value meal when he purchased a couple of burgers, fries, and drinks at Burger King and was charged over $1,000. Boyce Harvey recently visited a franchise in Quartz Hill and tried to take advantage of the chain's limited-time 1 Whopper deal. After being told that the franchise in question wasn't participating, he bought $8.99 worth of food instead and was shocked when he noticed he'd been hit with a $1,093.91 charge on his debit card. All goes wrong: Boyce Harvey tried to take advantage of Burger King's 1 Whopper deal at a Quartz Hill, California location What the...? When he left, he looked down at his receipt and saw that he'd somehow been charged $1,093.91 Big mistake! Harvey had been denied the deal and instead bought $8.99 worth of food, which still doesn't explain the charge Last week, Burger King announced that for a limited time, customers could get a Whooper for just 1 as long as they order it on the app while within a short distance of a McDonald's. The promotion, which ends today, caused a surge of app downloads, though at least one customer doesn't seem quite happy with it. Harvey ordered a 1 Whooper on the app, but when he arrived to pick it up at Burger King, the manager denied him. 'First he said it didn't come through, and then he said that he wasn't sure that they were even a part of the promo,' he told KABC. Still wanting some food, Harvey gave up on that promo and instead ordered a couple of burgers, fries, and drinks for $8.99, paying with his debit card. Deal: Burger King is selling the 1 Whoppers to people who order on the app near a McDonald's Yikes! Harvey had big overdraft on his bank account because of the charge Hence the name: One Twitter user joked that Harvey got a 'Whopper of a bill' It's him! Another accused Ronald McDonald of making mischief While the outrageous charge would have been bad enough, Harvey also didn't have enough money in his bank account to cover the charge, so he had a huge overdraft. According to KABC, Burger King is trying to rectify the situation. A spokesperson told Today: 'We can confirm that the case concerning this guest is related to an isolated technical issue, and were taking this very seriously. Weve been in direct contact with the guest to ensure a full refund is issued immediately.' One in four Americans admit to secretly double dipping, but there has never been a way to catch offenders in the act until now. To combat the disgusting party foul, the cream cheese brand Philadelphia has created a 'Double Diptector' that sounds an alarm after someone takes a bite out of a chip and goes in for a second dip. The clever smart device may look like an ordinary chip and dip bowl, but whenever it catches someone committing the party crime, it loudly alerts other guests by loudly repeating: 'Double dipper!' Scroll down for video Party foul: The cream cheese brand Philadelphia has created a 'Double Diptector' that sounds an alarm after someone takes a bite out of a chip and goes in for a second dip Guilty: Whenever the bowl catches someone committing the party crime, it loudly alerts other guests by loudly repeating: 'Double dipper!' The pressure sensitive bowl uses chip recognition technology to follow each person's dips, but it may implicate those who aren't exactly guilty. People who purposefully flip their chips around to dip the unbitten ends a more socially acceptable act may have a hard time explaining themselves in the presence of this bowl. Using the Diptector app, the device pairs with the owner's cellphone camera and takes a snapshot of the offender, making it nearly impossible for anyone to run away and pass the blame on someone else. While there are undoubtedly plenty of people who would like to try the bowl out for themselves, there is currently only one Double Diptector available. Motion detected: The pressure sensitive bowl uses chip recognition technology to follow each person's dips The prototype is listed on eBay and available for bidding up until Saturday, and it looks like people are willing to pay hundreds for some peace of mind at their parties. At the time of publication, bidding has reached $315 dollars with 28 people showing interest in the device. However, not everyone was impressed with the technology. 'I think we have finally reached rock bottom as a society with this double diptector,' one person tweeted, while another added: 'I refuse to be told how to live my life. Sorry.' Double dipping has been hotly debated over the years, and it even inspired an episode of Seinfeld, 'The Implant.' Nowhere to hide: Using the Diptector app, the device pairs with the owner's cellphone camera and takes a snapshot of the offender Technology: The smart device looks like a regular chip and dip bowl, but it is loaded with sensors Going for hundreds: The prototype is listed on eBay and available for bidding up until Saturday In the famous scene, George Costanza double dips a chip at a wake and is reprimanded by another guest who told him double dipping is like 'putting your whole mouth right in the dip.' Scientists at Clemson University analyzed what happened when crackers were double dipped into three different dips: salsa, chocolate, and cheese. Immediately after double dipping the salsa took about five times more bacteria (1,000 bacteria/ml of dip) from the bitten chip when compared to chocolate and cheese dips (150-200 bacteria/ml of dip). However, two hours after double dipping, the salsa bacterial numbers dropped to about the same levels as the chocolate and cheese. The differences had to do with the dips thickness and acidity. Although it may seem relatively harmless, it can spread bacteria from mouth to dip. They may be the favourite bit of your Christmas dinner. But pigs in blankets, however harmless they appear to be, pose a serious threat to asthma sufferers, a charity has warned. Asthma UK today revealed sulphites found in processed meats can trigger potentially life-threatening asthma attacks. They may be the favourite bit of your Christmas dinner. But pigs in blankets, however harmless they appear to be, pose a serious threat to asthma sufferers, a charity has warned The charity also warned how Christmas trees, mulled wine and yuletide stress can also play havoc for millions of sufferers. Figures show there are around 5.4million people who have the common condition in the UK. Asthma affects the small tubes or airways that carry air in and out of the lungs, with attacks triggered by so-called allergens. Allergens are substances that are harmless to the majority of people, but can cause an immune system reaction in those with the illness. This response leads to the lining of the lungs becoming inflamed and swollen, so the airways narrow, making it harder for air to pass through. Dr Andy Whittamore, of Asthma UK, said: 'Don't let Christmas party essentials like mulled wine and Christmas trees trigger an asthma attack and ruin your festive fun. As well as processed meat, sulphites - a group of preservatives - can also be found in red wine, used for the festive mulled tipple And both real and fake Christmas trees can prove dangerous to asthma sufferers keen on getting into the festive spirit While stress - which can be a huge concern over the festive period - is a known trigger for almost half of asthma sufferers 'Following simple tips could be life-saving, like taking your preventer medicine every day and always having your reliever inhaler with you.' He added that doing so could help you stay well so you can concentrate on enjoying yourself over the busy period. Dr Whittamore added: 'It's important that you do know the danger signs of when your asthma is getting worse and you need to get urgent medical help.' He said needing to use a reliever inhaler three or more times each week can be a sign they need medical help. As well as processed meat, sulphites - a group of preservatives - can also be found in red wine, used for the festive mulled tipple. While stress - which can be a huge concern over the festive period - is a known trigger for almost half of asthma sufferers. And both real and fake Christmas trees can prove dangerous to asthma sufferers keen on getting into the festive spirit. Asthma UK warned real trees release mould spores into the air, which are an irritant, while fake ones can gather dust while they are stored. Other key triggers during the festive season include cigarette smoke, the smoke from roaring log fires or the scent from fragranced candles. In a separate poll by the charity, they discovered one in 14 asthma sufferers have had an attack in the festive period of December. If the proportion was applied to the true numbers of patients in the UK, an estimated 300,000 would have endured an attack over Christmas. Asthma UK warned all attacks can be life-threatening, pointing to figures that show three people die from one each day across the home nations. Michelle Obama told students at an all-girls school in London today that she has struggles with 'impostor syndrome' a nagging feeling of self-doubt and fear that she is not what people perceive her to be, the BBC reported. Impostor syndrome is not in fact a 'syndrome' in the clinical sense, but rather a term coined to describe these haunting insecurities. Like many afflicted by it, the former first lady is by all measures successful and intelligent, yet admitted she thinks that 'it doesn't go away, that feeling that you shouldn't take me seriously.' Dr Kevin Cokley, a University of Texas, Austin, psychologist and scholar told Daily Mail that 'impostorism' commonly affects women of color who find success in white- and male-dominated contexts - including both Obama and Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis. Former first lady Michelle Obama told students of an all-girls school in London today that she still experiences 'impostor syndrome' that makes her feel insecure in spite of her success If there's anything that rising incidence of mental illness in the US tells us, its that psychological issues do not discriminate. They can affect the lives of people of all races, genders, ages and income levels. But Dr Cokley says that women, people of color and especially women of color are particularly prone to the pervasive anxieties of impostorism. Impostor syndrome was first described in a 1978 study that defines the phenomenon as 'an internal experience of intellectual phonies, which appears to be particularly prevalent and intense among a select sample of high achieving women.' And Obama certainly fits that profile: an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a law degree from Harvard University. It was during her time at Harvard that Obama's biographer describes her conclusion that she could be 'both brilliant and black.' This rather painful phrase revealed the conflict Obama saw between her black family and the very white environments where she earned her degrees. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is Michelle Obama That feeling, and impostor syndrome itself, 'makes a lot of sense to examine within the context of predominantly white colleges and African American students,' says Dr Cokley. 'Students of color indeed have pretty high feelings of impostorism, which have links to when you're a minority in predominantly white spaces and there hasn't historically been a lot of representation of you particular group.' In fact, Obama's own undergraduate sociology thesis was on how black graduates of Princeton identified: with their racial community, their (likely predominantly white) college and career peers, or both. Dishearteningly, she found the alumni did not identify with the African-American community. Being in a minority at her school combined with 'stereotypes that might exist about your group, the feeling that you don't belong or you'er getting messages that you don't belong ... that can make for a pretty bad situation for an individual who just wants to prove that they're capable and deserving to be there,' Dr Cokley says. Obama has certainly proven herself, but that feeling of needing to do so hasn't left her. During her talk at the London girl's school, someone asked Obama how she felt abot being a 'symbol of hope.' Speaking to 300 girls (left), Obama (right) opened up about her doubts, an effort that an expert says may help the young women feel less alone as they work to prove themselves Obama replied, 'I still have a little impostor syndrome.' She's far from alone. Some estimates suggest that as many as 70 percent of millennials suffer from the phenomenon at least once in their lives. And Dr Cokley points out that there is a higher incidence of anxiety and depression among people who experience impostor symptoms. But disclosures like Obama's, Dr Cokley says, are important reassurances that may even help keep symptoms like anxiety at bay for others. 'When Michelle Obama made that statement, it was really powerful and I think it was very freeing for people who look to her as a role model and have felt similar feelings to hear it articulated by someone as prominent as [her],' he says. 'Having both [Obama and Viola Davis] state it openly and honestly is incredibly helpful.' Dr Cokley also advises that speaking with people similar to themselves may help those who feel isolated by impostorism to feel less burdened. 'You'll find that you are not alone and that more people than you realize struggle with those same feelings,' he says. Generally speaking, 'you have to go out of your way to remind yourself how competent you are and how deserving of whatever position you are in,' Dr Cokley adds. In a nod to the power of that solidarity, Obama told the 300 students listening to her: 'What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is.' Dr Cokley also suggests that keeping a journal may help make to solidify that there's is nothing fake about your achievements. 'Make sure that you jot down or document all the things you've done well and when you see it, you're like, "oh, wow, I've done a lot!"' A massive extension of prostate cancer scanning is being set out by NHS watchdogs today. The hope is that thousands of lives could be saved if all men suspected of having the disease had the checks. Currently only 51 per cent of patients have the 315 MRI scans because they are not available at every hospital. Provisional guidance, published today by the NHS watchdog NICE, said the scans were cost-effective and should become the standard first-line investigation for prostate cancer. If, as expected, the advice is confirmed next year it will revolutionise treatment. The Daily Mail has campaigned for urgent improvement of prostate cancer treatments and diagnosis (pictured stock image) This is an important moment, bringing an end to the postcode lottery in the UK in terms of MRI provision, said Professor Mark Emberton, who has pioneered the technology at University College London. MRI for all men prior to biopsy of the prostate is the most important development in the management of men with early prostate cancer that we have had in the last 100 years. The UK has led the evidence gathering for MRI in men at risk of prostate cancer and it is great to see the UK being the first country to make a formal recommendation that it should be used in all men prior to a biopsy. The Daily Mail has campaigned for urgent improvement of prostate cancer treatments and diagnosis, which are lagging years behind other diseases such as breast cancer. Studies published over the past two years have suggested thousands of lives could be saved if all men were given MRI scans as soon as suspicions are raised. The scans raise the number of dangerous tumours identified by 46 per cent. Studies published over the past two years have suggested thousands of lives could be saved if all men were given MRI scans (pictured stock image) as soon as suspicions are raised Currently any man thought at risk of prostate cancer has a biopsy where a small tissue sample is removed from their prostate. Some 100,000 middle-aged British men undergo the procedure each year, usually after a blood test has picked up raised levels of prostate-specific antigen, known as PSA. But biopsies are notoriously painful and come with a risk of side effects including infections and bleeding. They are also inaccurate, because without a scan, samples are taken at random. Move will close gap with breast cancer Prostate cancer has become a bigger killer than breast cancer, with 11,800 men dying a year compared with 11,400 women. This is because breast cancer treatment has improved hugely over the last few years but advances for prostate cancer have been far slower. The key problem has been a failure in early diagnosis. All middle-aged women are invited for mammogram scans every three years as part of the national screening programme, which is credited with saving 1,400 lives a year by flagging breast cancer before it spreads. The equivalent for prostate cancer had not been possible because the standard blood test is unreliable and needs to be confirmed with a painful biopsy, itself inaccurate. The breakthrough in MRI scanning is a first step to closing that gap. MRI scans are far more accurate than biopsies alone spotting 46 per cent more tumours and they improve the accuracy of the treatment. More than a quarter of men are given the all-clear by the MRI alone, without a biopsy. Advertisement If doctors do an MRI scan first, 28 per cent 28,000 patients nationally can be sent home straight away without needing a biopsy. For the remainder, doctors are able to conduct the biopsy with far greater accuracy, using the MRI scan to sample directly from suspicious tissue only. As a result, doctors can diagnose 46 per more clinically significant cancers 38 for every 100 men scanned, compared with 26 for every 100 who have a biopsy alone. The scans also slash by 59 per cent the number of insignificant cancers diagnosed those that would never cause a problem. Around 47,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Rapid treatment for those with more aggressive forms of the disease is vital because it claims 11,800 lives a year. But if the cancer stays contained within the prostate, and does not spread, it is often best to offer no treatment at all, in an approach known as active surveillance. Yet until now many doctors have been unwilling to take the risk. This means 20,000 men a year undergo radiotherapy or surgery which may be unnecessary. Using MRI scans allows doctors to rapidly treat those with high-risk aggressive cancers, but also to identify those who are suitable for active surveillance. Paul Chrisp, director of the NICE centre for guidelines, said: This diagnostic pathway will hopefully improve survival, reduce unnecessary surgery and benefit both patients and the NHS in the long term. We are pleased to announce that we will be recommending multiparametric MRI for patients with prostate cancer. This diagnostic method aims to improve survival, reduce unnecessary biopsies and benefit both patients and the NHS in the long term. Professor Caroline Moore of UCL said: The challenge now is to ensure the availability of high quality MRI across the NHS. And Heather Blake, of Prostate Cancer UK, said: Now that NICE has endorsed this breakthrough diagnostic technique as being both clinically and cost-effective there should be no further delay in making sure all men can benefit from the increased accuracy of diagnosis. We want to see the new recommendations taken up by commissioners and clinicians in all parts of the country. Thousands more women have been caught up in the latest cervical screening scandal, it emerged last night. NHS England confirmed an additional 3,591 women had not been sent cervical screening invitations or test results and may require further treatment. It follows the revelations last month that 48,000 women had been put at risk by the failure of contract firm Capita to send letters to women on behalf of the NHS. Of the latest patients embroiled in the scandal, about half should have received results letters which would have detailed if further treatment was needed. Health bosses said there was no evidence that any women had come to any harm as a result of the embarrassing glitch, but the Royal College of General Practitioners said NHS workers have lost confidence in Capita's ability to do its job properly. Experts warned it is too early to tell whether women will suffer, and fear it will further damage public confidence in screenings, which are already at a 20 year low. More than 50,000 women in England did not receive letters inviting them or reminding them to attend cervical screening tests, or letters expected to reveal the results of tests they had already had, which can pick up on early warnings of cancer (stock image) Those affected and their GPs are now being written to and asked to attend further tests if necessary. The patients should have received at least one notification because women with abnormal results should be sent letters from two or three sources. About 4.5million invitations for cervical screening are sent out every year. Women aged 25 to 49 are invited for screening every three years, while those aged 50 to 64 are asked to attend every five years. If the regular tests spot precancerous cells, these can be treated before they develop into tumours that can spread throughout the body by early treatment. Doctors fear the blunder could reduce uptake, which at 71.4 per cent is already at the lowest levels for two decades. The screening scandal first came to light last month, when the Government's public health minister Steve Brine slammed it as 'unacceptable'. As a result Professor Sir Mike Richards, former cancer director for the Department of Health, has been asked to carry out a review into the NHS's screening programmes. Around 180 of the original 48,000 women affected had abnormal results, putting them at higher risk of cervical cancer, and a further 252 women needed an early repeat screening test. WHO ARE CAPITA AND HAVE THEY MADE ERRORS BEFORE? Capita won a seven-year contract worth 330million in 2015 to run back-office services for the NHS in England, such as sending out invitation letters to people eligible for screening programmes. The firm, based in London, employees 70,000 people and specialises on administrative services for the private and public sector. Capita, whose chairman is Sir Ian Powell, had nearly 1billion wiped off its value in January as shares plummeted to a 15-year low. The fall came after bosses blamed weak sales and said the company had spread itself too thinly. Reports suggest the giant, listed on the London Stock Exchange, receives nearly half of its income from Government contracts. Capita was considered responsible for 12 out of 18 serious NHS data blunders between July 2016 and July 2017. Sacks of medical records were delivered to the wrong surgeries, emails sent to private firms and confidential details published on websites. At the time the British Medical Association's Dr Richard Vautrey said: 'This is yet another serious failure of a service run by Capita. Capita is also responsible for collecting the BBC licence fee from households and running the London Congestion Charge. Last month, the Ministry of Defence acknowledged Capita, which has had the contract for Army recruiting since 2012, had 'underperformed'. The disclosure drew an angry response from MPs on the committee who warned the service was 'withering on the vine' and called for the contractor to be sacked. Advertisement The news comes just months after it emerged 450,000 women had not been invited for breast cancer screening after mistakes went undetected for almost a decade. A spokesman for Capita apologised for the latest mistake, which came to light after it carried out a review following the scandal. The company blamed human error for the system of 'uploading, organising and checking' not being followed and said disciplinary action was being taken. But it has reignited calls for the company to be stripped of its contracts. Dr Richard Vautrey, BMA GP committee chair, said the latest revelation shows 'this was not an isolated failure'. He said: 'Just weeks ago, it was revealed that almost 48,000 women had not received important correspondence relating to cervical screening this year due to Capita's incompetence, and this latest revelation shows this was not an isolated failure. 'This is just the latest in a long line of failures since Capita took over a number of GP services in 2015. 'And yet, NHS England have not demonstrated to the profession that they are serious at addressing what ultimately they are responsible for. 'We therefore repeat our demand that NHS England strip the company of its contract and return this service to an in-house delivered activity that can regain the confidence of practices and patients.' Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'This is simply not good enough. 'Less than a month since we initially heard about this cervical screening error, we are now hearing it is more serious, and has affected thousands more women. 'Cervical screening is a successful national programme that has potentially saved thousands of lives, yet take up especially among younger women, is falling. 'We should be doing our utmost to encourage more to have smear tests but errors, such as this, will only serve to further damage women's confidence in the programme. 'Capita has been shown time and time again to be unable to deliver on the work it has been contracted to do in the NHS. 'This is completely unacceptable people working throughout the NHS have lost all confidence in Capita, and it really is time for NHS England to reconsider its contract with them.' An NHS England official said: 'There is no current evidence of any harm having resulted from these issues and all women affected, and their GPs, are being written to today advising them on what they need to do. 'These administrative failures were uncovered by a clinically led panel, convened by NHS England following a serious incident confirmed by Capita earlier this year.' A new method of birth control for men currently being tested by couples can boost muscle but also trigger acne flare-ups, scientists warn. Researchers testing the contraceptive gel - which is rubbed onto a man's shoulders - believe it will be more effective than condoms. The clear gel, which is absorbed after applying it to the man's arm or shoulder, reduces the amount of sperm a man produces. In an earlier trial of the gel, some men gained weight, although mostly in muscle, and other men who had trouble with acne as a teen had recurrences. 'The potential of this new gel is huge,' said Dr William Bremner, of the University of Washington one of the universities involved in the study. A new method of birth control for men is being tested by couples in the US in the form of a contraceptive gel that is applied to a man's arm or shoulder Currently, the only approved male contraceptives are condoms or vasectomies, surgical procedures to block sperm. There are myriad forms of birth control for women and they often come with complicated and disruptive side effects. If it proves safe and effective, it would be the first new birth control for men since the condom was introduced in the 1800s. The National Institutes of Health-funded trial is recruiting 420 couples to test the gel over the next three years. The University of Washington is one of three institutes recruiting couples to try out the birth control gel, called NES/T. Dr Bremner added: 'There is a misperception that men are not interested in, or are even afraid of, tools to control their own fertility. We know that's not the case. 'Among other things, there's been a perception that pregnancy is 'the woman's problem', in some people's view. 'Attitudes have changed in both men and women in what they find acceptable. We think the time is right. People are ready for it.' NES/T contains two hormones - progestin and testosterone - that are absorbed through the skin when the gel is rubbed onto a man's back and shoulders. DOES HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL INCREASE A WOMAN'S RISK OF DEPRESSION? Hormonal birth control does not increase women's risk of depression, research suggested in February 2017. Contrary to popular belief, contraceptive pills, implants or injections do not make women more likely to suffer from the mental-health condition, a study found. Lead author Dr Brett Worly from Ohio State University, said: 'Depression is a concern for a lot of women when they're starting hormonal contraception. 'Based on our findings, this side effect shouldn't be a concern for most women, and they should feel comfortable knowing they're making a safe choice.' The researchers blame platforms such as social media for making contraception complications seem more common than they are. Dr Worly said: 'We live in a media-savvy age where if one or a few people have severe side effects, all of a sudden, that gets amplified to every single person. 'The biggest misconception is that birth control leads to depression. For most patients that's just not the case.' The scientists add, however, certain women are at a greater risk of the mental-health disorder and should be monitored closely. Dr Worly said: 'Adolescents will sometimes have a higher risk of depression, not necessarily because of the medicine they're taking, but because they have that risk to start with. 'For those patients, it's important that they have a good relationship with their healthcare provider so they can get the appropriate screening done - regardless of the medications they're on.' The researchers reviewed thousands of studies investigating the link between contraceptives and people's mental health. Such studies included various methods of contraception, including injections, implants and pills. Participants in the trials were made up of teenagers, women with a history of depression and those who had given birth in the past six weeks. Advertisement Progestin - found in most hormonal female birth controls - naturally blocks the action of testosterone, keeping the testes from producing sperm. But testosterone is also key to male physical features and sex drive, so the gel also delivers a dose of replacement hormone. The gel is anticipated to be more than 90 per cent effective, making it roughly three per cent more reliable than condoms. The participants, in Seattle, Los Angeles and Kansas, will apply the gel to their shoulder or arm once a day. Within eight to 16 weeks, the sperm count is predicted to be low enough to prevent pregnancy. At this point, the couples will test the gel as their only method of birth control for a year. The current trial started on November 28. The results are expected by 2020. Researchers have plans to later include participants from Chile, England, Italy, Kenya, Scotland and Sweden. The effects of the gel are reversible within three to four months of use, bringing sperm production to the man's normal level, the researchers said. If the trials are successful, the substance may become available to couples, who have been relying on women's options such as the Pill, within 10 years. 'We are neglecting fifty per cent of the population with our current methods,' Dr Stephanie Page, of the UW School of Medicine, told The Seattle Times. 'There's every reason for men to be more engaged.' The female pill is used by more than 100million women worldwide, but researchers have been trying to develop a male version for decades. But the search for a male contraceptive has been beset by difficulties. Many attempts have had an impact on libido, while others had affected virility. NES/T has been in development for over a decade by NIH and the Population Council, an international non-profit focused on reproductive health. Creating a new birth-control is time consuming for scientists because dampening the negative side-effects are crucial. Currently for women who say they should not have all the responsibility for family planning, these can include low sex drive, weight gain or skin issues. The first oral contraceptive, Enovid, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as contraception in the 1960. This was despite very early clinical trials in 1956 in Puerto Rico (because there was an existing network of birth control clinics there) finding that 17 per cent of women had significantly unpleasant side effects. These included dizziness and nausea, as well as headaches and vomiting. Some women withdrew from the trials because they felt so ill. The Ministry of Health nevertheless approved its availability on the NHS after varying results of clinical trials - the first, in Birmingham, saw 14 of the 48 participating women become pregnant due to a wrong dosage. Doctors regarding it as completely safe led to half a million British women in the first three years. More research in the following years linked the use of the pill to an increased risk of breast cancer, strokes, heart attacks and blood clots. But the FDA said that even if the pill caused such events, such as medical reports of heart failure and pulmonary tuberculosis, the rate of them 1.3 out of 100,000 users was much lower than the rate of women who would die from pregnancy complications 36.9 out of 100,000 pregnant women. The gel, pictured, has been in design for ten years, as scientists have wanted to minimise negative side effects as much as possible Condom use fails us only occasionally, but people fail to use them correctly much more often, leading to a failure rate of about 13 percent. Failure to use a condom at all or to use one properly is a primary reason that 45 percent of pregnancies in the US are unwanted or unintended. Researchers at the UW School of Medicine have previously trialed a contraceptive pill for men, called dimethandrolone undecanoate, or DMAU. Taken once a day like its female counterpart, the pill was found to lower level of testosterone and two other hormones required for sperm production. The results, published in March, showed that a month-long use of the pill dropped hormones with few side effects. Simply looking into a person's eyes may indicate how stressed they are, research suggests. Scientists discovered the size of our pupils change erratically when we are forced to multitask and faced with unexpected changes. They hope this will lead to a tool that employers can use to monitor how their staff are coping, before they become overwhelmed. Simply looking into a person's eyes may indicate how stressed are, research suggests (stock) Researchers based at the University of Missouri, Columbia, looked into how stress affects a person's state of mind. They felt too much emphasis was placed on how a high workload impacts the body, such as by causing back problems. Lead author Dr Jung Hyup Kim said: 'If your vitals are bad, then something is wrong with your body and doctors will work to figure out what's wrong with you. 'What about your mental health? Many people multitask, but currently there is no measurement for someone's mental well-being. 'However, we found that the size of a pupil could be the key to measuring someone's mental state while they multitask.' Thirty-six volunteers were tracked via motion capture and eye-tracking technology while they sat in a simulated oil and gas refinery plant control room. TOP TEN STRESS BUSTERS The NHS has the following ten tips to help people cope when it all gets too much: Exercise Take control of the situation if you can Reach out to people for support Have some 'me time' Set yourself goals and challenges Avoid relying on alcohol, smoking or caffeine Help others Prioritise your time Stay positive Accept what you cannot change Advertisement The participants had to respond to unexpected changes, such as alarms, while overseeing two monitors. Results showed during the simple tasks, the participants' eye movements were fairly predictable but they became more erratic as unexpected changes occurred. The researchers compared their findings against NASA data that assessed how the pupils of astronauts change in response to stress. Combining the two data sets suggested the size of a person's pupils changes abnormally when stressed. The researchers hope pupil dilation will one day be used to monitor how well staff cope in a stressful environment, such as hospitals, offices and factories. 'It would be great if people could work perfectly every time,' Dr Kim said. 'But when you're tired, you often make a mistake. 'So, if we can monitor a worker's mental well-being, then we can hopefully prevent future mistakes from happening.' The researchers plan to repeat the experiment in people of different ages, as well as assessing how their heart beat, brain signals and muscle reactions change in response to stress. The study was published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. It comes after a study released earlier this year by the Mental Health Foundation revealed that of its 4,619 participants, 74 per cent admitted to feeling so stressed they became overwhelmed and unable to cope. Of those who felt stressed, 51 per cent went on to develop depression while 61 per cent reported feeling anxious. Recent evidence suggests increased stress at work is a key driver of anxiety. Data from the Office of National Statistics Labour Force Survey reveals that anxiety cases increased by 34 per cent from 444,000 in 2007/08 to 595,000 in 2017/18. As well as the devastating impact mental-health disorders have on the individual, they also affect businesses. The ONS survey found a staggering 115,913,000 work days have been lost over the past decade due to stress and anxiety. Deloitte estimates this costs the economy 7.9billion a year. And a Trades Union Congress survey of health and safety representatives from earlier this year found that nearly seven in ten cite stress as a problem in their workforce. Doctors should stop saying they have to 'act down' when they undertake nurses' tasks because it it is insulting, according to a royal college. The Royal College of Nursing accepted doctors are 'being roped in to plug gaps' caused by the crippling shortage of nurses in the NHS. But the 435,000-strong union argued that describing this as 'acting down' was insulting to the thousands of nurses working in the health service. The phrase was mentioned by doctors in a General Medical Council report, which delved into the state of the NHS staff shortage. Half of the doctors surveyed said they 'acted down' once a week, because of the staff shortages, which they found 'demotivating and inefficient'. Doctors who have said they regularly need to 'act down' to undertake nurses' tasks are 'insulting' nurses, according to the Royal College of Nursing NHS workers were outraged about the comments from doctors that they 'acted down' to undertake nurses tasks. 'That's quite offfensive,' tweeted Professor Alison Leary, London South Bank University chair of healthcare and workforce modelling Professor Alison Leary asked the General Medical Council to address the findings of the survey, which they published in a report The latest edition of the GMC's annual report found that, of the 700 doctors polled, nearly a quarter had 'acted down' every day. The report said although doctors accept this as part of their role, the impact was felt to be detrimental to those in training. 'Many felt that it was now a normalised aspect of being a doctor, particularly at busy times,' added the GMC report. 'Senior doctors expressed concern that frequently, if not constantly, working like this can contribute to burn out at all levels. 'They see this as risky, demotivating and inefficient.' In response, an RCN spokesperson said: 'Doctors and other healthcare professionals are now being roped in to plug gaps left by the increasing number of nursing vacancies. 'However, describing this as "acting down" is insulting to nursing staff.' The GMC defended the term 'acting down' and said doctors are 'not trained to provide the nursing interventions needed for high-quality specialised critical nursing care'. Children's nurse educator Rebekah (surname unknown) said seeing nurses and doctors as unequal was disappointing Michael Carter, a student nurse tweeted: 'Good to know our place as nurses is beneath doctors, not alongside them... Are we not past this yet? HOW BAD IS THE NURSING CRISIS? The shortage of NHS staff in England is continuing to worsen, official figures show. Figures published by the regulator, NHS Improvement, for the April to June period showed that 11.8% of nurse posts were not filled - a shortage of nearly 42,000. According to Health Education England, around 33,000 of these positions are filled temporarily by agency staff an unwelcome extra expense for local NHS trusts. A report by three leading health sector think-tanks estimates that if demand rises as predicted, the NHS will need 250,000 additional staff by 2030. But if skilled workers cannot be attracted from abroad the shortage could reach 350,000 roughly a quarter of the 1.2million workforce. Experts say low pay and long hours are two of the main factors which make finding nursing staff difficult. This, paired with student debt, makes the profession unappealing for young people. Of those quitting, more than half are under 40, with many citing stress and rising workloads for being behind their decision to leave. In January the Royal College of Nursing warned the NHS was 'haemorrhaging nurses', as around 3,000 more nurses quit their jobs than started new ones in 2017. Advertisement A GMC spokesperson said: 'We are in no doubt that those doctors describing the situation as "acting down" were doing so not in a pejorative manner.' They added it was more likely they chose the term to 'convey the pressure that all healthcare teams, regardless of role or seniority, are working under'. Outraged medics have also described the phrase as 'offensive' and 'disappointing' on Twitter. 'That's quite offensive,' tweeted Professor Alison Leary, chair of healthcare and workforce modelling at London South Bank University. 'It's an unfortunate view of colleagues worth but not a surprising one.' Children's nurse educator Rebekah (surname unknown) said: 'No task should be seen as "acting down"... if it is required and you are available at that moment to do so, then do it. 'Anything else implies superiority....medicine & nursing are seperate professions working collaborarively. [sic] So I thought anyway. Disappointing.' On the other hand, around three of ten doctors said they regularly see nurses or other healthcare staff 'acting up' to perform tasks usually completed by a doctor. Both, the GMC said, is negatively impacting on the level of care to patients, Nursing Standard reports. 'Acting up contributes to pressure. Acting down is usually necessitated by excessive workloads, exacerbated by staff shortfalls,' the report said. 'It disrupts the scheduled learning of doctors in training, prevents experienced doctors undertaking personal development, and adds additional tasks and pressures to an already heavy workload.' Health leaders have repeatedly warned of the danger of dwindling numbers of nurses, with 42,000 posts currently vacant across the UK. The recruitment crisis meant that some parts of the country were only hiring one nurse for every 400 jobs advertised, NHS Digital statistics revealed in January. Advertisement Girls born in Camden and boys from Hart in Hampshire will lead the longest lives of anyone in the UK, official figures revealed today. The life expectancy data is laid bare in an interactive map which shows where people can expect to live the longest around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Women born in the London borough of Camden have the highest life expectancies overall, with a predicted 86.5 years of life. And men from Hart, a district containing the town of Fleet, will be the most long-lived of their sex at 83.3 years, while the longest lives for males and females combined are in Kensington and Chelsea. Meanwhile, people living in Glasgow have the shortest lives, living just 76 years on average 10 years less than the Camden-born women. The numbers reveal a clear north-south divide, with good news for people living in London, the south and the home counties, but damning data for those in Scotland and the north of England. And they come just a day after experts warned efforts to lengthen people's lives are beginning to fail, with improvements in life expectancy slowing considerably since 2011. In what has been called an 'unacceptable' change, some areas' life expectancies have gone down. For example, men in Gloucester, Dundee and Norwich have had 1.4 years shaved off their lives since 2012. Find out the life expectancy of people where you live using the interactive map at the end of this article. Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics revealed where in the UK people can expect to live the longest, topped by Camden for women and Hart in Hampshire for men, and the top five places for both sexes are all in London, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire The figures show the stark difference between the length of life for people living in the south of England and those in the north and in Scotland. People in Glasgow have the shortest lives of any in the UK and nearly all the places with the lowest life expectancies for both men and women are in Scotland, with the exception of Blackpool and Manchester The Office for National Statistics' report has produced the most up-to-date estimates of how long people born around the UK can expect to live. On average, people born in Britain between 2015 and 2017 can expect to live for 81.5 years 79.2 years for men and 82.9 years for women, the statistics showed. But only 63.4 of those years will lived healthily meaning people can expect more than a decade of ill health at the end of their lives. Women continue to live around three years longer than men, and other places topping the longest lives for ladies are Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Harrow in London. Chiltern in Buckinghamshire, Rutland in the East Midlands, Epsom in Surrey, Richmond upon Thames, East Dorset and Wokingham all also made the top 10. For men, the same London boroughs, Chiltern, East Dorset and Rutland all also made the cut, alongside Elmbridge in Surrey, South Cambridgeshire and the Vale of White Horse in Oxfordshire. Hart in Hampshire, where men are expected to live longest, was last year voted the best place to live in the UK for the fifth year in a row, based on quality of life. The district contains the town of Fleet and the average house price in the area is 420,000, reports suggest. Scotland fared disproportionately badly in the life expectancy rankings, making up five of the worst for men and six for women. WHERE ARE WOMEN EXPECTED TO LIVE LONGEST IN THE UK? Camden, London (86.5 years) Kensington & Chelsea (86.2) Westminster (86) Chiltern, Buckinghamshire (86) Harrow, London (85.9) Rutland (85.8) Epsom and Ewell, Surrey (85.8) Richmond upon Thames (85.7) East Dorset (85.7) Wokingham (85.6) Advertisement WHERE ARE MEN EXPECTED TO LIVE LONGEST IN THE UK? Hart, Hampshire (83.3 years) Kensington & Chelsea (83.2) Chiltern, Buckinghamshire (82.9) Westminster (82.7) Harrow, London (82.7) Vale of White Horse, Ox (82.5) East Dorset (82.5) Rutland (82.4) Elmbridge, Surrey (82.4) South Cambridgeshire (82.3) Advertisement Glasgow was worst for both, with women there expected to live 78.7 years and men just 73.3 leaving Glaswegian men with the shortest lives of anyone in the UK. Dundee, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and North Lanarkshire all also featured in the bottom 10 for both sexes, with the addition of East Ayrshire for women. Other poorly performing areas included Blackpool, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Hull and Belfast. Experts have warned of inequalities between poorer and wealthier people in life expectancies and the proportion of their lives people can expect to live healthily. WHERE ARE WOMEN'S LIVES SHORTEST IN THE UK? Glasgow (78.7 years) West Dunbartonshire (79.1) Dundee (79.4) North Lanarkshire (79.4) Manchester (79.5) Blackpool (79.4) Inverclyde (79.7) Middlesbrough (79.9) Hull (79.9) East Ayrshire, Scotland (80) Advertisement WHERE ARE MEN'S LIVES SHORTEST ACROSS THE UK? Glasgow (73.3 years) Dundee (73.9) Blackpool (74.2) West Dunbartonshire (75) Inverclyde (75.2) North Lanarkshire (75.3) Middlesbrough (75.7) Manchester (75.7) Belfast (75.8) Hull (75.9) Advertisement 'Data released today provides further evidence of widening inequalities in healthy life expectancy in the UK,' said Dave Finch, senior fellow at The Health Foundation charity. He said the figures reveal 'an alarming gap of 21.5 years spent in good health for women across local authorities in the UK'. 'To start reversing these trends, action is urgently required to ensure people are able to live longer lives in good health,' Mr Finch said. 'This should be underpinned by greater investment to address the social determinants that influence peoples health - including tackling poverty, access to affordable healthy food, well-designed transport systems, and the quality of housing, work and education. RETIRING IN LONDON COULD LEAD TO A LONGER LIFE People dreaming of moving into the country when they retire may be better off moving to Central London, the data also revealed. The Office for National Statistics figures measure where in the country people's life expectancies are highest if they were to live there from the age of 65, starting within the last three years. And four of the top five places for both men and women are all boroughs in the capital city, plus Hart in Hampshire for men and Chiltern in Buckinghamshire for women. Women born in Camden are expected to lead the longest lives of anyone in the UK from birth, and 65-year-old women living there are also expected to live longer than anyone else their age. They can expect another 24.1 years, living until the ripe age of 89, whereas women in Glasgow are likely to only live another 18.1 years from the same age. Men, however, are likely to live the longest if they move to Kensington and Chelsea when they're 65 with an extra 22.1 years of life taking them to 87 almost 10 years higher than the average British man. Advertisement In six unlucky places the life expectancy was found to have gone down instead of up, with women being worst affected in Blackburn, where their lives could be a year shorter than people born there in 2012. And female life expectancy fell by seven months in Southend-on-Sea. 'It is unacceptable that there are still deep-rooted health inequalities across the UK,' said George McNamara, director of policy and influencing at the Independent Age charity. 'Healthy life expectancy should not be a postcode lottery, and it's absolutely essential that we understand and address these inequalities. 'Older age is not just about living longer, but also about having a good quality of life in older age, no matter where you live.' As well as living longer lives, women can be expected to spend more of their lives living with some kind of disability. The Office for National Statistics' senior research officer, Asim Butt said: 'At birth males in the UK can expect to live 16.5 years with a disability and females 20.9 years. 'However, it is important to note that periods of ill-health may not be experienced during the same point in a persons life, and the majority of years lived with disability for most occur post-retirement age.' In terms of the length of life healthy or not England fares the best across all the constituent countries of the UK, followed by Northern Ireland, Wales and then Scotland. In competition between English regions, the South East of England (men) and London (women) have the highest average life expectancies. The figures show people's lives become gradually shorter as they move further north. Despite improvements in recent years and life expectancies being years longer than they were decades ago, efforts to keep people living ever longer have been faltering in recent years. The UK now has one of the slowest improving life expectancies in the developed world, second only to the US, according to an official report published yesterday. After decades of progress, attempts to keep people living longer, people now only live three months longer than they did in 2011. And obesity, winter deaths and dementia are all partly to blame for the increasing deaths, the damning Public Health England report said. A spike in people dying in the winters since 2014 potentially driven by dangerous flu outbreaks hitting an ageing population is partly to blame, the report said. And it's becoming more difficult to reduce the number of people dying from heart attacks and strokes as more people are getting fat and living unhealthy lives. Obesity increases people's risk of heart disease and cancer, and it's a growing problem at least a quarter of adults and a fifth of children in the UK are obese. Data have revealed gains in life expectancy of English women were much smaller between 2009 and 2017 than they were between 2001 and 2010. Following gains of between one and two years in the earlier time period, women's lives have only got longer by a handful of months in most places, with the exception of London where they have increased by a year since 2009 The same is true for men who, in the majority of English regions, saw increases of two years of more between 2001 and 2010 but now only London has managed to gain a year or more since 2009 Cutting deaths from heart disease is key to increasing life expectancy, the Government body said heart disease is the world's biggest killer. Professor Naveed Sattar from the University of Glasgow, told MailOnline big life expectancy improvements were made in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s because of reductions in smoking, blood pressure and high cholesterol. But he said there has been a plateau of preventative health developments in recent years, and tackling diabetes and obesity could be the next big things. 'These made big, big changes each time,' said Professor Sattar. 'Since then we haven't had a significant [improvement] for anything else.' Packaging at healthy supermarket Whole Foods contains chemicals linked to cancer, a watchdog investigation into five major US grocers has revealed. Tests on take-out containers used in the hot food and salad counters found that 80 per cent were treated with harmful chemicals called PFAS. PFAS have been linked to liver damage, damage to the immune system and cancer. They are used to treat many industrial items including paper, furniture, carpets and clothing. A total of 62 percent of take-out containers tested positive for PFAS in the stores studied - Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons, Kroger, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Trader Joe's was the only chain which showed no signs of PFAS in their packaging. 'It's time for our nation's leading grocery stores to take the toxics out of their packaging,' Mike Schade, from Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, who conducted the study, said. Packaging at healthy supermarket Whole Foods in the US contains the most harmful chemicals, a watchdog investigation into five major US grocers reveals. Tests on the store's take-out containers used in the hot food and salad counters found that 80 per cent were treated with harmful PFAS In response, Whole Foods, owned by Amazon, has removed all the prepared foods and bakery packaging highlighted in the report in the US, UK and Canada. The healthy supermarket chain tested positive for a total of five of the 17 samples. Overall, 13 per cent of all packaging samples tested were likely to be treated with PFAS, the study by advocacy groups Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, a coalition of 450 organisations, and Toxic-Free Future found. 'PFAS are a class of industrial chemicals put in consumer products to repel grease, water, and stains, and they are also used in some firefighting foams,' the report said. The study tested 78 samples collected from 20 stores in 12 states. Of those, ten were likely to have been treated with PFAS, officially called perfluoroalkyl compounds. Whole Foods was the worst offender, with 29 percent of packaging likely to be treated with PFAS. This was followed by Ahold Delhaize (parent of Food Lion, Stop and Shop, and Hannaford) at 14 percent, Kroger at 11 percent, Albertsons at six per cent and Trader Joe's in last position, with 100 percent PFAS free packaging. The most common types of packaging were take-out and bakery or deli packaging. The researchers note that although the sample size is small, and many samples came back as PFA free, take-out containers are widely used. 'In other words, PFAS use in a single item type, found in multiple stores across the country, can translate into large quantities of PFAS-treated paper used and disposed of,' the report said. RESULTS OF THE GROCERY STORE SAMPLES TESTED FOR PFAS TREATMENT Item Category Ahold Delhaize Albertsons Kroger Trader Joe's Whole Foods (Amazon) Total by product category Take-out container 0/2 1/1 4/5 5/8 Bakery or deli paper 1/6 1/7 1/11 0/6 1/8 4/38 Single-use plate 1/3 0/2 0/1 0/1 1/7 Tray for cook-at-home food 0/1 0/1 0/1 0/3 0/2 0/8 Baking or cooking supplies 0/4 0/5 0/4 0/2 0/2 0/17 Total by retailer 2/14 1/17 2/18 0/12 5/17 10/78 Albertsons had a total of 6 percent of its samples containing PFAS A total of 11 percent of grocer Kroger's packaging contained harmful PFA chemicals Trader Joe's came on top, with 0 percent of packaging sampled testing positive Ahold Delhaize (parent of Food Lion, Stop and Shop, and Hannaford) tested positive for PFAS in 14 percent of its samples TOXIC PFCs ARE IN WATER SUPPLY OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS More than six million people in the US drink and use water that is contaminated with deadly toxins, a study revealed in 2016. Life-threatening concentrations of carcinogenic man-made chemicals PFASs, a type of PFC, were found in public water tanks across America. The chemical is normally used to fight fire, insulate pipes, and stain-proof furniture. The most at-risk states are (in order): California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Illinois. The Harvard University study warned the figures are likely underestimates, since government data does not account for a third of the country and therefore omits around 100 million people. PFASs have been used over the past 60 years in industrial and commercial products ranging from food wrappers to clothing to pots and pans. They have been linked with cancer, hormone disruption, high cholesterol, and obesity. Safety officials have yet to find a way to remove PFASs from wastewater by standard treatment methods. Advertisement PFAS come in hundreds of forms and are widely used to make everyday products more convenient and longer-lasting. They are only beginning to be understood by scientists, despite being widely studied. Studies have linked the chemical to the increased risk of cancer, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. PFAS exposure has also been linked to an early menopause, low birth weight, lower fertility, thyroid problems, high cholesterol, worse immune system function and in a recent study, smaller penises. The authors of this new study say that the research builds upon previous studies which found that microwave popcorn bags, many fast food wrappers, and disposable items such as plates and bowls are likely to be treated with PFAS. Considering many samples were free of PFAS treatment, such as Trader Joe's, the researchers say it is clear alternatives are widely available. While the majority of products tested were PFAS-free, some of the items found to have likely PFAS treatment, such as take-out containers, are very widely used. In response to the findings, Whole Foods said: 'Whole Foods Market introduced compostable containers to reduce our environmental footprint, but given new concerns about the possible presence of PFAS, we have removed all prepared foods and bakery packaging highlighted in the report. 'We're actively working with our suppliers to find and scale new compostable packaging options.' Doctors' stethoscopes are dangerously filthy, putting patients in danger of staph and MRSA infections, a new study reveals. And most are riddled with the kinds of bacteria that cause hospital-associated infections that cause 99,000 deaths a year in the US alone. Researchers at University of Pennsylvania looked at just a few stethoscopes (40) used by doctors in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the institution's medical center. But every one of the instruments was contaminated with a wide range of bacteria, each carried the notorious germ that causes staph infection and half had MRSA bacteria. A new small University of Pennsylvania study suggests that every doctor's stethoscope may be riddled with bacteria - including those that cause the deadly superbug, MRSA In the span of a single year in the US, an estimated 1.7 million people will contract a hospital-related infection. For context, at any given moment, about one out of every 25 hospitalized patients has an infection they got where they are being treated. Though there are many possible infections patients can pick up at hospitals, health care facilities are usually teeming with Staphylococcus, pseudomonas, Acinobacter, Clostridium, Enteroococcus, Stenotrophomonas and Burkholderia bacteria. Each can attack open or healing wounds, surgical sites or simply weakened immune systems of people being treated for other illnesses. The best preventative measures against the spread of dangerous infections in health care settings are simple but must be comprehensive and constant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls for doctor's to thoroughly decontaminate themselves and their instruments between patients. In short: they need to be clean and hygienic. Over the past three months, 11 children died and 36 were infected with a virus at a long-term care facility in New Jersey, drawing national attention and horror. Upon review, poor hand-washing practices were cited as a likely culprit. It's these straightforward sanitation habits that may make the difference between life and death, especially for immunocompromised patients like the 11 deceased children. But in addition to to their hands, doctors must be diligent to sterilize the tools they use consistently. Namely, their stethoscopes, which physicians tend to carry with them, around their necks or in their pockets. When one takes a moment to think about it, its unsurprising the instrument might carry risks. A doctor practicing in an ICU may often see 25 critically ill patients in a single day - with a single stethoscope. The team of of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed the DNA profiles of 40 of those stethoscopes at their own hospital. Not one instrument was completely clean. They all had abundant staph bacteria and half of them had the most dangerous form common staph, S. aureus. The scientists also found small amounts of Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter on many of the small sample of stethoscopes. In an effort to ensure that these bacteria rates could be diminished, the team also tried a cariety of cleaning methods. The practitioners personal methods, the researchers' 60 second hydrogen peroxide wipe downs, alcohol or bleach wipes used for any amount of time successfully cut the amount of bacteria on a stethoscope - but failed to eliminate germs altogether. Only 10 percent of the stethoscopes cleaned by the methods the doctors themselves got as clean as when the researchers used their own standardized cleaning regimens. And no amount of post-use sterilization could make the instruments as good as new, leaving the researchers to suggest that single-use stethoscopes might help to reduce infection transmission in hospitals. 'This study underscores the importance of adhering to rigorous infection control procedures, including fully adhering to CDC-recommended decontamination procedures between patients, or using single-patient-use stethoscopes kept in each patient's room,' concluded senior study author Dr Ronald Collman. The scientists and doctors who examined US diplomats after a suspected sonic attack in Cuba say the victims did have debilitating symptoms that were not random. In 2016, 140 Havana-based government workers reported dizziness, balance issues, cognitive fog and moodiness all after reporting hearing a strange noise. There was speculation that it could have been a sonic attack using microwaves, ultrasound, lasers, or radiofrequency. There were also theories that it was all hysteria. Today, a team at the University of Miami who examined 25 of the diplomats published a new paper, saying there was nothing inconsistent about their symptoms: all 25 suffered damage to their inner ear which we rely on for balance, and cognitive symptoms, such as problems retrieving information on demand. However, lead author Carey Balaban, PhD said the source of what caused this - and whether or not it was deliberate - is a complete mystery. 'We have measurable quantative evidence that something really did happen, it's not just hysteria,' he said. But as for the reason, he added: 'It's a puzzle. If you get the question, "what done it?" or "who done it?" The answer is: yes.' Critics of the paper say there's another mystery: why they didn't include data on 10 other diplomats who heard the sound but weren't affected, and why this paper was not published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, as they'd intended, but instead in a journal of which co-author Michael Hoffer is an editor. A team at the University of Miami who examined 35 of the diplomats who were affected by the sonic attack published a new paper today, saying there was nothing inconsistent about their symptoms The team who examined the diplomats included an audiologist and various neurologists. Their exams were done very early on, before any speculation about the cause had arisen, and before any prospective diagnoses had been given. The audiologist, Dr Hilary Snap, explained that the symptoms presented were not standard dizziness, vertigo or hearing loss. In fact, despite many of the diplomats complaining of hearing loss, most of them didn't have any (those who did had previous issues with hearing loss). Their symptoms went deeper, affecting the vestibular organs. It's not clear how, but there seems to be a link between that ear damage and their cognitive symptoms, the team said. There was no direct damage to the brain, but all of them showed uniform ear damage, and uniform cognitive symptoms. 'These findings cluster together in a way that there's animal and clinical literature showing that these types of symptoms had in fact been reported in people who had received vestibular damage or dysfunction,' Dr Bonnie Levin, a neuropsychologist at the University of Miami who examined the diplomats, said. 'We have seen this cause increased irritability in an animal model as well as in clinical models. 'We don't understand the exact source but we do believe there is a common pathway which involve vestibular, cognitive, and emotional changes.' The findings have stoked up some controversy. Critics are calling for more detail on the people who weren't affected, and other papers have suggested that this could all boil down to an infection. Speaking at a press conference today, the team were adamant that they believe something else is afoot. But they can't identify it. 'I'm agnostic as to what might have happened, I'll tell you right now. I don't know,' Dr Balaban said. 'We have the utmost respect for [the diplomats] putting themselves in harms way for all of us,' he said, adding: 'We want to understand what happened to these individuals, and what might happen in the future.' Hawaii has been crowned the healthiest state in the US, a new report has found. The Aloha State, earning the top spot five times in the last six years, earned high marks in the annual findings from the United Health Foundation for its low prevalence of obesity and smoking and low levels of air pollution. Hawaii was followed by the same states that were in last year's top five: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Utah. Louisiana was named at the least healthy due to its high percentage of children in poverty and high of frequent mental distress and low birth weight. The bottom five states all fell in the southern US: Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The report also found that America's obesity rate has reached an all-time high, increasing five percent from the year before. With one of three adults now classified as obese, the authors say as the obesity rate rises, so will the number of chronic illnesses and deaths due to heart disease. Hawaii was named the healthiest US state while Louisiana was named at the least healthy, according to an annual report. Light blue indicates the healthiest states and dark blue indicates the least healthy states TOP 10: THE HEALTHIEST STATES 1. Hawaii 2. Massachusetts 3. Connecticut 4. Vermont 5. Utah 6. New Hampshire 7. Minnesota 8. Colorado 9. Washington 10. New York Advertisement BOTTOM 10: THE LEAST HEALTHY STATES 1. Louisiana 2. Mississippi 3. Alabama 4. Oklahoma 5. Arkansas 6. Kentucky 7. West Virginia 8. South Carolina 9. Tennessee 10. Indiana Advertisement The annual ranking looked at 35 health markers including rates of smoking, obesity, immunization and number of physicians. The bottom 10 states all had problems that have plagued rural America for several years. Louisiana's challenges including a high prevalence of adult obesity at 36.2 percent, high prevalence of adult smoking at 23.1 percent, and a high percentage of low birth weight babies at 10.6 percent of live births. However, the top 10 states were not without their woes. In Hawaii, more than 21 percent of adults reported excessive compared with 19 percent nationally. This is a consistent with a survey from the American Addiction Centers that looked at the binge-drinking patterns of veterans in all 50 states and found Hawaii to have the most amount of veteran binge-drinkers at 21.5 percent. Additionally, about 11 percent of adults in the stated reported they have diabetes, compared with 10.5 percent at the national level. Five states also improved by jumping at least three ranks, with Maine having the most success moving from No 23 to No 16 this year. Meanwhile Oklahoma experienced the biggest drop in rank, falling from No 43 to N. 47. The America's Health Ranking Annual Report also found that the nation's obesity rate reached the highest level ever this year from 29.9 percent to 31.3 percent. The obesity rate rose five percent with one in three adults now experiencing obesity. Obesity was found to be the highest amount adults between ages 45 to 64 at 35.6 percent and among rural adults at 34.8 percent. There was also a disparity among races. Black adults were the most likely to be obese at 39 percent while Asian adults were the leazt likely at 11.2 percent. The report showed that obesity rates increased as level of education decreased. Adults without a high school degree had an obesity rate of 37.4 percent in comparison to 36.1 percent of adults with a high school degree, 34.8 percent of adults with some college and 23.3 percent of college graduates. Data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this year showed all of states in the 'bottom five' have more than one-third of adults who are dangerously overweight. Obesity is known as a risk factor for several chronic health conditions including type 2 diabetes, strokes, heart attack and even certain types of cancer. The report showed that obesity rates increased as level of education decreased. Adults without a high school degree had an obesity rate of 37.4 percent Health officials say that addressing the obesity epidemic will not only lead to better health outcomes but also reduce medical costs. In 2012, a study from Cornell University in New York found obesity accounts for about 21 percent of total US health care costs, approximately $190.2 billion per year. Experts have warned that that proportion of obese American adults will only grow as younger generations do. 'This year's Annual Report spotlights an obesity problem that continues to grow. This means more people will likely develop obesity-related chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer,' said Dr Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare National Markets. 'We encourage health professionals, public health officials and elected leaders to use these findings to explore opportunities to better support people in their communities in all aspects of their health.' However, the report did find a few bright spots such as the reduced rate of childhood poverty. A key indicator of socioeconomic status and overall health, childhood poverty fell six percent from 2017 to 18.4 percent in 2018. But this decrease had a wide variation geographically. Louisiana's rate of 28 percent was about three times higher than New Hampshire, which had the lowest rate at 10.3 percent. Additionally, the number of mental health providers per 100,000 people rose eight percent the number of primary care physicians increased five percent. Massachusetts was named the state with the most mental health providers per 100,000 people, six times more than Alabama, the state with the fewest. Similarly, Rhode Island had the greatest number of primary care physicians per 100,000 people, which was three time more than Idaho, the state with the lowest concentration. A Florida teenager with cystic fibrosis has awoken from a week-long coma, and her parents are saying it's a Christmas miracle. Christina 'Chrissy' VanDerVelden has been battling the genetic disease that damages the lungs since she was just an infant. But around Halloween, her health started rapidly declining and - when she slipped into a coma two weeks ago - her parents were told to prepare to say goodbye. After a week of being on life support and unresponsive, the 17-year-old finally awoke. However, the road to recovery is far from over. Doctors say that Chrissy's lungs have become so weak that she needs a double lung transplant and if she doesn't get it soon, she could die. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Christina 'Chrissy' VanDerVelden, 17, of Jacksonville, Florida, awoke from a week-long coma after her health - due to cystic fibrosis - began rapidly declining. Pictured: Chrissy in a coma Chrissy was diagnosed with the genetic disease that damages the lungs since she was just an infant. But her health started rapidly declining in October. Pictured: Chrissy in the hospital Her heart, lungs and kidneys were all being operated by machines and doctors told her parents that they may need to prepare to say goodbye. Pictured: Chrissy with her father, William Chrissy was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was just six months old. Sufferers have a defective gene that causes a build-up of mucus in the airwaves and makes it increasingly difficult to breathe over time. Bacteria can become trapped, which can cause the lungs to become damaged or infected, and in some cases send the sufferer into respiratory failure, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Symptoms include persistent coughing, frequent lung infections, shortness of breath and inflamed nasal passages. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation estimates that more than 30,000 people have the condition in the US and that 1,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. WHAT IS CYSTIC FIBROSIS? Cystic fibrosis is an incurable genetic disease that affects around 70,000 people worldwide. A defective gene causes a build-up of mucus in the airwaves, making it increasingly difficult to breathe over time. Mucus also blocks the natural release of digestive enzymes, meaning the body does not break down food as it should. Signs and symptoms: A persistent cough that produces thick mucus (sputum) Wheezing Breathlessness Exercise intolerance Repeated lung infections Inflamed nasal passages or a stuffy nose While healthy people cough naturally, that does not happen for people with CF. Eventually, lung function depletes to the point that sufferers will need a double lung transplant to survive. Source: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Advertisement The median age of survival is currently 33.4 years, with half of patients living into their fifties or sixties. In addition to cystic fibrosis, Chrissy is also battling type 1 diabetes, which occurs when the body produces little to no insulin, the hormone needed to get glucose from the bloodstream into cells. Her father, William VanDerVelden, told First Coast News that Chrissy's health started declining around Halloween so they rushed her to Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville. She underwent emergency surgery and was then hooked up to an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which pumps and oxygenates a patient's blood outside the body and allows the heart and lungs to rest. Then, on November 28, after almost a month at the hospital, Chrissy slipped into a coma. She was transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and put on life support. Her kidneys shut down, requiring 24/7 dialysis, and her oxygen levels fell so low - despite being on the ECMO machine - that she had to undergo another emergency surgery. She was switched to a VV-ECMO, which just supports the lungs. The machine drains blood from the venous system, oxygen is added outside the body while carbon dioxide is removed, and the blood is then pumped back in. 'She's had multiple surgeries and flat-lined twice,' William told the news station. 'They told me to either keep her on life support and risk brain damage or prepare to say goodbye. But they never stopped trying they were committed to doing something to save her.' After a week, on December 5, Chrissy started waking up. 'She started to open her eyes, tilt her head and answer questions with nods,' William said. 'I just grabbed her hand and I told her that I loved her.' Despite waking up, Chrissy's road to recovery is a long one. On Tuesday, doctors installed a PICC line to deliver medication through an IV and a tube into her gallbladder - which became infected - to drain fluid from it. In addition, her stomach has been overrun by C difficile, a bacterium that causes life-threatening diarrhea, from all the good bacteria in her gut being wiped out by a prolonged use of antibiotics, according to a GoFundMe page. On December 5, after a week, Chrissy finally woke up. But she is now battling a multitude of health issues including an infected gall bladder and a bacterium that causes diarrhea overrunning her gut. Pictured: Chrissy in the hospital Doctors have told her family that her lung function has depleted to the point where she needs a double lung transplant. However, her health needs to improve before she is put on the list. Pictured: Chrissy with her mom Alaina, left, and with her dog, right It's been a rough year for the family because their other daughter, Alexis, has Asperger's syndrome and mom Alaina was hospitalized after contracting West Nile virus. Pictured: Chrissy, left, and her sister Alexis l On top of all of this, doctors have told her family that her lung function has depleted to the point where she needs a double lung transplant, but her health needs to improve before she's put on the list. 'My daughter is a trooper and the only thing I want is to have my family back together for Christmas,' William said. The VanDerVeldens, who are both retired Navy veterans, have had a difficult year aside from Chrissy's medical ordeal. Earlier this year, her mother Alaina was hospitalized for neuroinvasive West Nile virus, the most severe stage of the tick-borne illness. Their other daughter, Alexis, has Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum - meaning a majority of the couple's life has revolved around taking care of the girls. They also need to rip out the carpet from their home, which may trap pollutants like dust mites and allergens and aggravate Chrissy's disease. 'We've always been able to help others but, this time, we can't even help our own daughter and we're embarrassed to ask for help ourselves,' Alaina told Fox News. Her family has started a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of Chrissy's mounting medical bills. So far, more than $7,300 has been raised out of a $12,000 goal. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug in the US, a new CDC report revealed today. A report last week showed drug overdoses climbed again last year, largely driven by fentanyl use. But new data released today reveal just how quickly fentanyl has taken hold of (and decimated) America. The drug - 100 times stronger than heroin - killed at least 18,335 Americans in 2016, the latest year for which we have data. And that figure is set to climb. The report also revealed that between 2013 and 2016, overdoses from fentanyl rose 113 percent a year. Cocaine and heroin are still by far the most popular street drugs. A recent study, interviewing drug users, found there is little demand and no common street slang for fentanyl. But fentanyl is so potent (two milligrams is lethal), mysterious (most dealers aren't sure the strength of their product), ubiquitous (it's cut into everything), and impossible to detect that it is much more lethal. Fentanyl's rise: This graph from the new CDC report, published today, shows age-adjusted rates for drug overdose deaths involving opioids between 2011 and 2016 TOP 10 DRUGS INVOLVED IN OVERDOSE DEATHS (2016) DRUG (IN ORDER) 1. Fentanyl 2. Heroin 3. Cocaine 4. Methamphetamine 5. Alprazolam 6. Oxycodone 7. Morphine 8. Methadone 9. Hydrocodone 10. Diazepam DEATHS (NUMBER) 18,335 15,961 11,316 6,762 6,209 6,199 5,014 3,493 3,199 2,022 DEATHS (%) 28.8% 25.1% 17.8% 10.6% 9.8% 9.7% 7.9% 5.5% 5.0% 3.2% Advertisement 'The drugs most frequently involved in overdose deaths change quickly from one year to the next,' Dr Holly Hedegaard, a medical epidemiologist at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, said. Most overdose deaths involve multiple drugs, Hedegaard said. 'A lot of the deaths that mention fentanyl also mention heroin, and a lot of the deaths that mention cocaine also mention fentanyl,' she said. Those who do seek out fentanyl specifically tend to be longer-term heroin or opioid users, who had built up a tolerance to the effects, according to a report published last week by the University of California, San Francisco. Fentanyl's effects are shorter but stronger. They cut through the body's resistance to give them a feeling of euphoria. However, the UCSF report found that most people who consume fentanyl do not actively seek it out. There is no fanfare about the drug, as there is for others like cocaine and heroin. Often, it's cut into other drugs - drugs which can be taken in larger quantities without it being lethal. But even a pinch of fentanyl can push them over their high and into a coma. OPIOIDS IN AMERICA: BY THE NUMBERS Opioid prescriptions are going down across the US, but overdoses are not. Last year, the rate of opioid overdose deaths hit a record high, with around 200 Americans dying every day, according to new figures, published by the DEA earlier this month. US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar insists the tide has turned. However, doctors warn the boom in prescriptions flooded the market with unused pills, some of which may have made it onto the black market. An in-depth analysis of 2016 US drug overdose data shows that America's overdose epidemic is spreading geographically and increasing across demographic groups. Drug overdoses killed 63,632 Americans in 2016 and increased to 70,237 in 2017. Nearly two-thirds of these deaths involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Overdose deaths increased in all categories of drugs examined for men and women, people ages 15 and older, all races and ethnicities, and across all levels of urbanization. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement The reason fentanyl infected the US market was unusual. Analyzing the shift, the UCSF team said it seemed to be part of a much bigger, longer-term strategy from global trafficking groups as the demand for opioids shot up dramatically in the US. Prescription rates have skyrocketed in the US over the last three decades, demand for any kind of opioid soared. Many patients would be prescribed highly-addictive opioids, but then wouldn't be able to afford more. So they would turn to heroin. It was a dramatic shift in a very short space of time. But heroin is timely and complicated to make. It is beholden to the poppy-growing season, and can be susceptible to pests. Fentanyl, meanwhile, is entirely lab-made. It can be produced year-round at a much cheaper rate - and it's 40 times stronger. 'The full motives of wholesale suppliers still remain hidden, but there are significant incentives for them to shift over partially or completely to fentanyl, even though it often causes users to overdose,' the researchers said, adding: 'It may just be a matter of time before fentanyl takes over more of the illicit US and worldwide drug market, as has already happened in Estonia [home to a devastating overdose crisis].' Questions surrounding fentanyl are not new, but reached new heights last week, when the CDC published new data showing another rise in overdose deaths in 2017, primarily driven by the synthetic drug. The new data add more pressure. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, most of the supply is routinely traced back to wholesalers in China. Last Monday, President Donald Trump addressed that, promising (again) that China would curtail its supply, though offering few details on how that would happen. But the fact remains that fentanyl is now ubiquitous in the US drug market (just last month two 19-year-old boys died after taking a Percocet that they didn't know was laced with fentanyl), and its not clear how to weed it out. 'Fentanyl is rarely sold as fentanyl,' said Sarah Mars, PhD, a researcher in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UCSF and the first author of the paper. 'The dealers selling fentanyl directly to the users often don't know what's in it. Not only is this particularly dangerous, but it also means penalizing low level dealers isn't going to make any difference in the fentanyl poisoning epidemic.' Prominent Florida heart surgeon Dr J Lancelot Lester was left in a coma by the potent painkiller given to him after a back surgery, his family's lawsuit claims. Dr Lester, 74, operated on patients for 30 years. Now, he is clinging to life, unable to walk, talk or anything much more than breath on his own. Like many surgeons, he developed excruciating back problems and had his third back surgery at JFK Medical Center - the same hospital where he hoped to soon return to work in May. Dr J Lancelot Lester was left in a vegetative state after receiving high doses of IV painkillers following back surgery at his own hospital, a lawsuit alleges Despite being opioid naive, Dr Lester was given Dilaudid, a more powerful painkiller than oxycodone, intravenously. Withing minutes, it was clear his system couldn't handle the drug and Dr Lester went into respiratory failure. By the time an overdose reversal drug was administered, his heart was in failure, his brain was damaged and he slipped into a coma, the lawsuit alleges. Now, his daughters are suing the medical center where their father made his career for at least $15 million that they hope might afford Dr Lester treatment for his devastating brain injuries. At the height of his career, Dr Lester performed as many as 380 surgeries in a single year. He loved to be outside, active and surrounded by nature - particularly the 19 horses he had collected on his farm outside Okeechobee, Florida. Dr Lester even took up kite-boarding at 60, according to the Palm Beach Post. But at 74, the career as a high-risk cardiothoracic heart surgeon that Dr Lester had dedicated himself to was in jeopardy over his back pain. So he sought help from his own institution - where he was once chief of cardio-thoracic surgery - and doctors there performed a third back surgery on Dr Lester on May 9. The operation went well, but recovery was painful. Recuperating in the hospital, Dr Lester was given an IV with a pump he controlled to administer himself Dilaudid, which may be as much as eight times more powerful than morphine. Dr Lester's daughter, Lindsay (second from right) is now suing the hospital for $15 million as the family (pictured) prepares to pay for lifelong care for the heart surgeon (third from right) Dr Lester was an avid outdoorsman in addition to a prominent surgeon. His family has now sold most of his 19 beloved horses His chart allegedly distinguished Dr Lester as opioid naive, meaning that he had not often been exposed to narcotics and was thought to have a low tolerance. Still, his pain levels remained high, so a pain management specialist at the hospital prescribed him an additional one-time IV does of Dilaudid, and noted in the medical chart that Dr Lester was opioid tolerant. A nurse charged with administering the additional dose of painkiller was 'alarmed at the massive doses of Dilaudid ordered and went up the chain of command ... talking to two supervisors regarding her concerns,' the lawsuit filed Tuesday states. Her worries were waved off, and she was told to 'simply follow the doctor's order,' according to the complaint. The lawsuit also alleges that 'despite specific orders' from the pain management specialist, there was no Narcan - the life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug - on-hand either in the room or on the administering nurse's person. Narcan has saved the lives of countless people. But it has to be given quickly. After injecting the additional Dilaudid, the nurse left the room, according to the lawsuit filing. Within minutes, the drug overwhelmed Dr Lester's system. He went into respiratory failure - but no one was there. Even if they had been, the medication that might have halted multi-system failure wasn't in the room. It was about 15 minutes before Dr Lester was given Narcan. But it didn't work. JFK Medical, where Dr Lester worked and was treated, allegedly failed to have Narcan ready when Dr Lester was given high doses of the potent opioid Dilaudid after his surgery 'The window of opportunity to rescue Dr Lester was lost,' the complaint against the hospital says. He suffered a heart attack, his brain was deprived of oxygen and the heart surgeon slipped into a coma. He has recovered enough to breath on his own, but has remained in a 'vegetative state.' 'His condition will either remain unchanged or will slowly respond to intensive therapy, but he will need 24-hour, seven-days-a-week skilled nursing and rehabilitative care for the rest of his life,' the lawsuit alleges. Dr Lester's daughter, Lindsay Stortz, a nurse, was made his guardian and told the Palm Beach Post that her father is responsive when she or her sisters speak, but that he hasn't progressed as much as the family had hoped he would. He is slated to be transferred to a Houston brain injury treatment facility at TIRR Memorial Hermann, but the care he's meant to receive there will be costly largely outside of Medicare coverage. The family has sold off 16 of the physician's horses to help cover the costs. But their aim is to hold the hospital both legally and financially responsible for what they consider a series of mistakes and failures that nearly cost Dr Lester his life. Physicians training at many of the top US medical schools get much less time off for childbearing and family leave than the 12 weeks recommended by doctors, two new studies suggest. Only eight of the 15 hospitals affiliated with the top 12 medical schools in the US have paid family or childbearing leave for doctors in training, even though all of the schools have leave policies for faculty physicians, one of the studies in JAMA found. Trainee doctors got an average of 6.6 weeks of paid leave, compared with 8.6 weeks for faculty physicians. This is significantly less than the 12 paid weeks that would be provided in a proposed federal law supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Policies may mean time off is determined at least in part by negotiating skills of individual parents The AAP recommends three months of leave to support the health of both infants and parents, said lead study author Dr. Christina Mangurian of the University of California, San Francisco. 'This lack of family leave impacts the physician in training because it denies that person from important bonding time that benefits the infant and mother's mental and physical health,' Mangurian said by email. 'This lack of family leave impacts patients because study after study has shown that if physicians are happy and not burned out, they provide better patient care.' Integrating career and family is challenging for physicians at all stages of professional development, but especially difficult during training programs that typically coincide with prime childbearing years, researchers note. At the same time, hospitals depend on the clinical care their residents provide, the study authors also point out. Extended family leaves can affect staffing, as well as residents' ability to develop needed skills. Mangurian and colleagues assessed leave policies at hospitals affiliated with medical training programs at Columbia University, Duke University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California San Francisco, Stanford University, the University of Washington, Washington University St. Louis, and Yale University. Birth mothers generally fared better than other parents, with maternity leave including family leave available to childbearing mothers ranging from two to 10 weeks. In several cases, leave decisions were left up to individual departments, making it possible that new parents training in different specialties at the same hospital might have varying amounts of time off. A second study in JAMA highlights one reason why leave policies might vary by department: medical specialty boards that set training requirements often cap how much time off is allowed. For this study, researchers examined leave policies for 24 American Board of Medical Specialty (ABMS) member organizations, which set training requirements for surgeons and physicians in fields like dermatology, obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, and urology. 'It was surprising how much variation exists across specialty board policies regarding leave, as well as how much ambiguity exists within policies,' said study co-author Dr Briony Varda of Boston Children's Hospital. 'This variability and ambiguity adversely affects both trainees and programs when it comes to decision-making about maternity leave; and it may affect diversity across medical specialties,' Varda said. Overall, the half of the specialty boards offered doctors in training at least six weeks off, without permitting them to extend the timeline for their training program, the study found. However, most board policies lacked specific references to parental leave and most were ambiguous about whether training would need to be extended, which may create barriers to parents seeking leave, the study authors note. Essentially, these policies may mean time off is determined at least in part by negotiating skills of individual parents. 'Female trainees do not come from a position of strength to negotiate leave, nor should they need to negotiate, Varda said. 'The median six weeks of leave is not adequate for the mother or child.' The Square Mile generates more than 30 times as much wealth per person as the poorest regions of Britain, figures show. Camden and the City of London was the UK's most productive area in 2017, generating 340,340 per head, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). By contrast, the population of the Northern Irish district of Ards and North Down generates only 9,862 per head. Camden and the City of London (pictured) was the UK's most productive area in 2017, generating 340,340 per head, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Others in the bottom ten included Wirral, where output was 15,598 per head, Anglesey at 13,957 and Torbay at 15,553. The figures highlight the huge disparity between the capital and the rest of Britain. They will provide fuel for critics who believe more investment is urgently needed outside London to boost productivity and employment. The ONS figures measured 'gross value added per head' the income generated in an area, divided by how many people live there. The best three performers are all London boroughs Camden and the City, Westminster with 257,265, and Tower Hamlets with 96,923. Isolated rural areas tend to come bottom of the table because they are typically dominated by industries such as farming where profits are lower. Large cities generate more wealth because they are home to lucrative professions. Higher investment in an area can make a difference and allow its workers to make more money. For example, improving broadband coverage in the countryside can allow profitable small businesses to thrive because entrepreneurs work from home. Across the UK, the average person generated 27,555. At a regional level, London produced most wealth per head at 48,857. Wales came in worst at 19,899. Former Chancellor George Osborne sought to give areas outside the capital a boost with his Northern Powerhouse programme, aimed at lifting investment in the regions but this has stalled as ministers focus on negotiating Brexit. Daniel Pryor, of the free market Adam Smith Institute, said: 'There's a gulf and it's a serious problem. 'It's not just about economics this is very much a political issue too, because politicians have to show they can appeal beyond London and reach these regions, and care about living standards there.' Cath Kidston's losses more than doubled to 42m last year Losses at kitsch middle-class retailer Cath Kidston more than doubled to 42million last year. The firm, which is famous for its floral patterned products, posted a 1.2 per cent rise in sales in the year to March 25, but losses swelled from 19.9million a year earlier, which the company blamed on higher costs. Chief executive Melinda Paraie, 55, said: We are particularly pleased with the significant growth in ecommerce sales in Japan and the UK, where a strong Black Friday contributed to our best-ever week online. The pensions watchdog is on red alert over the crisis at Interserve amid fears over the future of the ailing contractor's retirement scheme. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is in talks with company bosses and trustees of the pension scheme as the firm fights for survival. Shares are down 49 per cent this week and 87 per cent this year amid warnings that it could become 'Carillion mark two' following the collapse of its rival in January. Interserve is now in crunch talks with its lenders to ease its crippling debt burden. Retirement fund fears: Interserve's defined benefit pension scheme had a surplus of 32.1m at the end of June, up from a deficit of 48m at the end of 2017 The firm, which works in schools, the NHS, prisons and other state sectors, has said its debt could reach as much as 650m by the end of the year. The crisis has sparked fears over the future of 75,000 Interserve staff and the members of its pension scheme. The regulator has been in talks with the pension scheme's trustees over a period of several months. The watchdog has also been in touch with company bosses. The talks that have been held with the regulator are not routine, though TPR often holds discussions with companies during major corporate changes such as mergers or restructurings. A spokesman for TPR said: 'We are working closely with both the trustee and sponsoring employers to ensure the best outcome for pension scheme members. We will not be commenting further.' Interserve's defined benefit pension scheme had a surplus of 32.1million at the end of June, up from a deficit of 48million at the end of 2017. The improvement comes from a change in the way that future pension increases are calculated. If a company goes bust and cannot afford to pay its pension liabilities, employees are usually protected by the industry lifeboat, the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). Interserve has not been in discussions with the PPF so far. DNO has set a three-week deadline for its 608m offer for Faroe Petroleum OIL DEADLINE The Norwegian oil group DNO has upped the ante in its bid to launch a hostile takeover of Faroe Petroleum by setting a three-week deadline for its 608million offer. DNO slammed the British company as it published an offer document, and told shareholders they have until 1pm on January 2 to respond to its approach. HOMES DEBATE The poor state of new homes across Britain is due to be debated by MPs today. They will demand better standards from builders after a survey found 99 per cent of new home owners report problems with properties. REVENUE UP Franco Manca and The Real Greek owner Fulham Shore clocked up a 20 per cent rise in revenues in the six months to September. Profits edged up to 900,000 from 600,000 a year earlier. UBER CHOICE US investment bank Morgan Stanley has been chosen to lead Ubers float, according to reports. The taxi app firm is thought to be worth around 96billion. PENSION RULES New rules for the firms who advise companies pension schemes have been introduced to help pensioners save money. The Competition and Markets Authority reforms should make it easier for trustees to decide who offers the best value for money. CHAIRMAN NAMED Independent retailers website Trouva has appointed former Uber and Betfair executive Niall Wass as chairman. BANK LICENCE Online money transfer business Revolut has been granted a European banking licence, to avoid disruption if Brexit happens without a deal. BUYBACK VOW Bosses at Credit Suisse have pledged to buy back 2.4billion of stock to boost its share price. The dividend will also rise by 5 per cent a year. But analysts said they had hoped the Swiss bank would do more for its investors. INVESTMENT BOOST Ordinary savers can invest more easily in funds which back ambitious small firms, under new rules to allow retail investors to pump their cash into patient capital funds, where rewards are huge if a start-up succeeds, but the risks of failure are high. CAR SWOOP London-listed pub group The Barkby, which owns four gastropubs, has decided to branch out into used car dealership by buying Centurian Automotive. The U.S. Department of Education ranks dead last among 27 mid-size federal agencies when it comes to employee job satisfaction, according to a new report that ranks the best places to work in the federal government. Overall, job satisfaction at the U.S. Department of Education has plummeted from an engagement score of 59.7 in 2017the year DeVos took officeto 47.3 in 2018. That 12.4-point drop is the biggest for the Education Department since at least 2003, and one of the biggest among mid-size federal government agencies in the past year. The only other large or mid-size agencies that have seen bigger declines are the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which saw a 25.2-point drop in its score, and the National Labor Relations Board, which posted a 12.6-point decline. Among small agencies, only the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Export-Import Bank saw bigger drops in engagement than the Education Department. By contrast, job satisfaction at the agency generally ticked up during the Obama years, from a score of 56.4 in 2009 to a high of 61.3 in 2015. Satisfaction dipped a bit in 2016, the final year of the Obama administration, to 59.8. The department however, has historically been ranked as one of the worst places in the federal government to work, no matter who is in charge. The new study was released by the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Its findings dovetail with those of a report administered by the Office of Personnel Management earlier this year , which also found that morale had slipped at the Education Department. Only 61 percent of employees felt the agency was successfully completing its mission in 2018, compared to 73.2 in 2016, before the Trump team took office. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has clashed with the American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing the departments staff, over telework and more. The Trump administration has also sought to significantly reorganize the department, and to merge it with the U.S. Department of Labo r. The secretary challenged department leaders to rethink the way the Department of Education operates so that we can better serve students and use taxpayer funds more wisely, said Elizabeth Hill, a DeVos spokeswoman. That has required a lot of change over the last year, which can be difficult for some. The changes weve undertaken already, and will continue to make into next year, will ultimately lead to the department becoming more efficient, effective, and accountable -- which makes it a better place to work. Photo: Swikar Patel for Education Week Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . A California grandmother has begun a legal bid to have the remains of one of Princess Diana's uncles exhumed in an attempt to prove she is related to the British royal family, DailyMailTV can exclusively reveal. Ann Ukrainetz, 75, of Escondido, says she is the illegitimate daughter of Maurice Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy the grandfather of Princess Diana. The grandmother-of-seven had grown up believing she was the child of timber company foreman Charles Rudderforth but discovered the truth about her parentage in 1999 - four years after her mother Evelyn died in 1995. Ukrainetz found a confession letter written inside an old music program stored among her mother's belongings, as well as a series of love notes addressed to 'my rose, my love, my Evelyn' and signed 'MF'. Now the 75-year-old wants to dig up the remains of Maurice's twin brother Francis, who is buried in New York, and compare his DNA to hers to prove she really is Princess Diana's aunt. Speaking exclusively to DailyMailTV, Ukrainetz said: 'Ultimately, this will give me the answers I've been looking for, for over 20 years now. 'Can you imagine? Twenty years trying to fight this battle of who I am? It just blows my mind, it absolutely blows me away.' Ann Ukrainetz, of Escondido, California, has begun a legal bid to have the remains of one of Princess Diana's uncles exhumed in an attempt to prove she is related to the British royal family, DailyMailTV can exclusively reveal In 1995, Ukrainetz's mother Evelyn died. Four years later, while going through her possessions, Ukrainetz discovered a letter hidden inside a music program that revealed the truth about her parentage. Pictured: Ukrainetz with her mother Evelyn and her three children Ukrainetz says she believes Maurice, 4th Baron Fermoy (pictured) first saw her actress mother on stage in 1943 and fell hopelessly in love before beginning an affair that lasted until his death in 1955 The 75-year-old wants to dig up the remains of Maurice's twin brother Francis, who is buried in New York, and compare his DNA to hers to prove she really is Princess Diana's aunt Ukrainetz says she has attempted to contact the Fermoy family, Princess Diana's brother Charles, Earl Spencer and the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex but has been largely ignored. She told DailyMailTV: 'I am their flesh and blood. Why can't they accept me? They accept Meghan who is a divorcee. 'The royals have come a long way in that they have accepted others. Yet myself, who is blood related, they want nothing to do with. It makes me angry.' Ukrainetz was born Ann Rudderforth in Kings Lynn, England, on November 22, 1943 to Evelyn an actress who was the leading light of the local theater company. Ukrainetz says she believes Maurice, 4th Baron Fermoy first saw her mother on stage the same year and fell hopelessly in love before beginning an affair that lasted until his death in 1955. Growing up, she says there were regular Friday visits from the 'insurance man', who she says she later realized was Maurice. She said: 'He was introduced to me as the insurance man and he would come quite often on a Friday and we would have to get all dolled up. 'My grandmother would take a walk because she lived with my mom and dad she was bombed out during the war and I would sit on his knee. 'I thought that was a little strange when I got older why am I bouncing around on this man's lap when he's the insurance man? But it seemed that my mom and he had a very close relationship and so I felt it was OK. 'He would always bring some little toy. I remember he bought me a bicycle for my birthday. I think it was blue - a blue Raleigh bicycle. I just loved it.' Ukrainetz says she loved growing up in rural England but that changed in 1955 when Maurice died and her family relocated to Canada. There, her actress mother Evelyn (left) became a book keeper and raised her only daughter away from the rest of their English family In 1995, her mother Evelyn died. Four years later, while going through her possessions, Ukrainetz discovered a letter hidden inside a music program that revealed the truth about her parentage (pictured) A portion of the letter reads: 'My dearest, darling Ann, I know one day you will have this letter in your possession, maybe after I have passed from this world. Please try to understand. I just have to get this off my chest. Charlie was not your biological father. I fell in love with Lord Fermoy and we had you as a result. He was married and I was just a commoner' But her mother, Evelyn, was married - to Charles, a foreman at a local timber mill - and so was Maurice: to Ruth Roche, a confidante and lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother, and the mother of his son Edmund and daughters Mary and Frances. Frances who Ukrainetz believes is her half-sister later went on to marry John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, with whom she had a son Charles and three daughters, including Princess Diana. Evelyn was married at the time of the affair to Charles, a foreman at a local timber mill According to Ukrainetz, her family appeared to be of modest means but always had money given to them, she believes, by her aristocratic biological father. She also attended events at Sandringham the royal family's Norfolk home and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, at the behest, she claims, of Maurice, who had a house on the estate. But although she says she loved growing up in rural England; all that changed in 1955 when Maurice died and her family relocated to Canada. There, her actress mother Evelyn became a book keeper and raised her only daughter away from the rest of their English family, including Ukrainetz's grandmother who had to be left behind. In 1964, Ukrainetz met and married her husband Len, with whom she went on to have three children, although the couple are now divorced. A year later, the pair left Canada for Detroit, Michigan, before moving briefly to Los Angeles and then Escondido, a small city 30 miles north of San Diego, where the family still live. In 1995, her mother Evelyn died. Four years later, while going through her possessions, Ukrainetz discovered a letter hidden inside a music program that revealed the truth about her parentage. While Ann's mother Evelyn was having an affair with Maurice, he was married to Ruth Roche (pictured together in 1933) Another find was a series of letters from Maurice to Evelyn, including one that referenced her birth and commiserated with her mother over the pain. It said: 'I am so sorry the birth of our Ann caused you so much pain. I feel it too. I love you so very much' The love letters also describe how he would regularly send 200 [$255] to help pay for Ukrainetz's singing and dancing lessons Another note addressed to 'my precious Rose, Evelyn' asked if she could bring Ann to a house party and that his driver could take them home afterwards Evelyn also revealed how Maurice had been able to secretly snatch moments with his illegitimate daughter Ukrainetz said: 'He would always bring some little toy. I remember he bought me a bicycle for my birthday. I think it was blue - a blue Raleigh bicycle. I just loved it' The confession read in part: 'I fell in love with Lord Fermoy and we had you as a result. He was married and I was just a commoner. There was nothing we could do. We stayed in close touch and he loved you very much' (pictured Ann Ukrainetz) It said: 'My dearest, darling Ann, I know one day you will have this letter in your possession, maybe after I have passed from this world. 'Please try to understand. I just have to get this off my chest. Charlie was not your biological father. 'I fell in love with Lord Fermoy and we had you as a result. He was married and I was just a commoner. 'There was nothing we could do. We stayed in close touch and he loved you very much.' Evelyn also revealed how Maurice had been able to secretly snatch moments with his illegitimate daughter. She wrote: 'Remember we went to a lot of functions? This was so your father could see you without creating a scandal. I wanted you to know because this makes you a ''lady''. 'I wanted to tell you so much in person, but I lacked the courage.' Another find was a series of letters from Maurice to Evelyn, including one that referenced her birth and commiserated with her mother over the pain. It said: 'I am so sorry the birth of our Ann caused you so much pain. I feel it too. I love you so very much. Don't worry, my Rose, I will take care of you always.' Another said: 'I miss you so much, I wish I could be with you my flower.' Are they sisters? Ann (right) believes her father is Maurice Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy, which would make her half-sisters with Princess Diana's mom, Frances Shand Kydd (left) Maurice was married to Ruth Roche, a confidante and lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother, and the mother of his son Edmund and daughters Mary and Frances, whose daughter was Diana. Pictured: Lord Roche with his daughter Frances in 1954 Frances who Ukrainetz believes is her half-sister later went on to marry John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, with whom she had a son Charles and three daughters, including Princess Diana. Pictured: Diana with her mother Frances and a young Prince Harry in 1989 The love letters also describe how he would regularly send 200 [$255] to help pay for Ukrainetz's singing and dancing lessons. In a bid to find out the truth, Ukrainetz began sending letters to members of the Fermoy family, as well as Princes William and Harry and Charles, Earl Spencer. But she claims she was met with silence or dismissal, including a note from Princess Diana's cousin Patrick Burke Roche, the 6th Baron Fermoy, which said: 'Until anything further comes out I'm not going to believe what she has to say.' She also claims she wrote to Maurice's daughters - including Diana's mother Frances - but her letters went unanswered. In 2008, she wrote to her great-nephews William and Harry but received a letter from a Clarence House spokesperson that said: 'Their Royal Highnesses are grateful to you for taking the trouble to write to them as you did, but I regret that they are unable to become personally involved.' Ukrainetz says she has now been left with no choice but to exhume the body of Francis Burke Roche Maurice's twin brother who is buried at the Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn. Helped by her partner Michael King, 69, she has consulted lawyers about having Francis dug up and his DNA extracted and has now set up a GoFundMe page called 'Princess Diana's American aunt' to raise $50,000 to pay her legal fees. She told DailyMailTV: 'Francis is buried in New York so it would be easier for him to be exhumed and his DNA taken to see if there's a match. There has to be a match. The grandmother also says she believes things would be different were Princess Diana still alive. 'I do believe if Princess Diana were alive today, and she knew this, she'd be knocking on my door,' she said. Pictured: Ukrainetz with her partner Michael King Ukrainetz says she has now been left with no choice but to exhume the body of Francis Burke Roche (right) Maurice's twin brother who is buried at the Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn 'They're not accepting me so we have to go further. I don't like to do that, I really don't want to do it. But they leave me no option. Just not even responding to anything is callous. Ukrainetz says although she is expecting opposition, she would still like to one day be a part of the Fermoy family and eventually meet William and Harry, as well as their wives Kate and Meghan. Pictured: The letter Ukrainetz sent reaching out to her British family shortly after she found the notes 'I'm the kind of person that doesn't like to leave anything unturned and especially not something like this it's almost like a theft of birthright. 'I think everybody wants to be accepted. People who don't know who their parents were are trying to find out who they were. 'If Patrick and the rest of the clan think I'm going to go away, I am not. I'm going to take this to the very limit.' Ukrainetz says although she is expecting opposition, she would still like to one day be a part of the Fermoy family and eventually meet William and Harry, as well as their wives Kate and Meghan. She also says she believes things would be different were Princess Diana still alive. 'I do believe if Princess Diana were alive today, and she knew this, she'd be knocking on my door,' she said. 'I really, truly believe that. She was such a wonderful person and she was treated so badly. I know she wouldn't want to see me treated like this.' Father Jim Sichko is no ordinary Catholic priest. When he met the Pope at the Vatican, he swapped hats with him, took a selfie with the pontiff and then gave him a $2,700 bottle of bourbon and a picture of his octogenarian mother with her phone number written on the back. The Pope was charmed, and decided to give the Kentucky pastor a special job: jetting around America dishing out hundreds of thousands of dollars in random acts of kindness. On a whim, Father Jim will foot the bill for everybody's meal at a restaurant, pay a hard-up family's rent for a year, or buy a new bike for a whole second grade class he's visiting. The reason, he tells DailyMailTV in an exclusive interview, is to spread goodwill and joy at the behest of Pope Francis. Father Jim Sichko gifted Pope Francis a $2,700 bottle of bourbon when he met him at the Vatican this year. The Pope decided to give the Kentucky pastor a special job: going around the US dishing out hundreds of thousands of dollars in random acts of kindness On a whim, Father Jim will foot the bill for everybody's meal at a restaurant, pay a hard-up family's rent for a year, or buy a new bike for a whole second grade class he's visiting. Pictured: The priest with workers at a Waffle House after doling out cash to them Father Jim also leaves hefty tips for servers. On November 28, he covered a tab and left a $100 tip after a customer stiffed their waitresses. Earlier that month, he left a $300 tip for a waitress who worked at the Indiana restaurant for 24 years and her biggest tip ever was $200 Father Jim described how he uses the charitable acts to encourage his celebrity friends to do their own good deeds. 'One of the things that I tell these celebrities from Jay Leno to Dolly Parton to Natalie Cole, God bless her soul, to Martin Short, is, don't give me your cell number because if you do, I'm going to call you and I'm going to ask you for something' Father Jim's charitable acts have earned the admiration of several celebrities, including Dolly Parton, Laura Bush, Martin Short, Harry Connick Jr, Jay Leno and Regis Philbin, all of whom he has hosted at his former parish in Lexington, Kentucky. And when he's not handing out 500 lottery tickets for the recent billion-dollar jackpot to passersby, buying a year's groceries for an AIDS sufferer or paying for a cancer patient's treatment, Father Jim runs a charitable enterprise selling a jarred tomato marinara sauce inspired by his late Italian mother's secret recipe: a one-of-a-kind pastor sauce. The reason, he tells DailyMailTV in an exclusive interview, is to spread goodwill and joy at the behest of Pope Francis Miss Marie's Spaghetti Sauce, which he sells online and soon in Kroger, Whole Foods and Brookshire Brothers stores, raises cash for the Catholic Diocese of Lexington and the Southeast Texas Hospice which cared for his mother until her sudden death last year. The spaghetti sauce was launched in August and has already sold more than 10,000 jars. 'I don't mind being known as a 'Man of Marinara',' Father Jim says with a smile. 'After all, I am deeply connected to Italy in many ways and let's face it, there's many ways to feed the spirit.' Father Jim - who insisted on buying a coffee for everyone in line at Starbucks during a recent visit to Los Angeles - says his job is to dish out random kindnesses to people on a budget of $165,000 per year. This involves 'anything that's going to catch their attention and challenge them to go forth and do good to others,' he says. 'There's a lot of people who are hurting, there's a lot of people who are sad,' he told DailyMailTV. 'There's a lot of people who are angry, there's a lot of people who are frustrated and finding life very difficult. So a little gesture is going to uplift them and make their day. 'Through little acts of kindness I enter their lives in a very powerful way. It's amazing. 'Any time I'm able to bring a smile, any time I'm able to connect with another person's heart, it brings total satisfaction.' Father Jim also runs a charitable enterprise selling a jarred tomato marinara sauce inspired by his late Italian mother's secret recipe, calling it Miss Marie's Spaghetti Sauce Miss Marie's Spaghetti Sauce, which he sells online and soon in Kroger, Whole Foods and Brookshire Brothers stores, raises cash for the Catholic Diocese of Lexington and the Southeast Texas Hospice which cared for his mother until her sudden death last year One of Father Jim's inspirations for his acts of kindness is his mother, Marie Ceraso Sichko, who died at 89 last year. His fondest and earliest memory, aged four, is of Marie preparing a meal for local workers. His mother continued to cook a meal every week for the men, until the day before she died. Pictured: Father Jim with the garbage men his mother used to cook for The southern priest said that some wondered what the catch was when he gave them a free lottery ticket, but they soon warm to the charming chaplain. 'People are very skeptical, which is very sad. But what happens is immediately they sense the kind gesture and they open themselves, and you see their hearts flowing with great love and joy,' he said. However, there were no qualms from 100 second-graders from poor families in Corbin, Kentucky, when he gave them each a new bike this year. 'I placed the hundred bikes in the gymnasium and brought the kids in and they each got to pick up their own bike and their own helmet,' he said. 'No questions asked there, I'll tell you right now. And what was amazing was they said, 'wow, if this can happen to me then I can do this to others.' Father Jim described how he uses the charitable acts to encourage others to do their own good deeds, including his celebrity friends. 'One of the things that I tell these celebrities from Jay Leno to Dolly Parton to Natalie Cole, God bless her soul, to Martin Short, is, don't give me your cell number because if you do, I'm going to call you and I'm going to ask you for something,' he said. 'I'm a beggar for Christ. 'Whatever you give always comes back a thousandfold in various ways. We are very close to Christmas, which is the time of giving and the time of family and rejoicing for many people. For me, it's all year round. For me, Christmas is 24/7, 365 days a year.' The Priest's (pictured with Laura Bush) official job title is 'Missionary of Mercy', the only full-time employee among 100 priests tasked by Pope Francis with spreading charitable goodwill in the United States Father Jim (pictured with Jennifer Lopez left and Harry Connick Jr right) told DailyMailTV: 'There's a lot of people who are hurting, there's a lot of people who are sad. So a little gesture is going to uplift them and make their day' Father Jim is able to raise money to pay for his mission and living expenses through a series of public speaking and fund-raising events he does and 'the good will of people'. Pictured: Father Jim with Jay Leno But, he added, everyday giving doesn't always have to have a large price tag. 'There are many things that we do that cost nothing. A smile, opening the door for someone or letting someone go ahead of you in line, seeing someone who is being bullied and stepping in the midst of that,' he said. One of Father Jim's inspirations for his acts of kindness is his mother, Marie Ceraso Sichko, who died at 89 last year. His fondest and earliest memory, aged four, is of Marie preparing a meal for local workers. 'I heard a very loud truck honk and all of the sudden there was a knock at our door. In came three humongous garbage men. Every Tuesday my mother would feed them her sauce, chicken meatballs,' he said. His mother continued to cook a meal every week for the men, until the day before she died. 'I'll never forget one of the hardest things I've ever had to do as a human being, as a priest, was that following Tuesday when those men came through the door and I had to tell them that my mother had passed away,' Father Jim said. The Priest's official job title is 'Missionary of Mercy', the only full-time employee among 100 priests tasked by Pope Francis with spreading charitable goodwill in the US. The rare bottle of 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Kentucky bourbon he gifted to the Holy Father during one of his three visits to the Vatican may have helped impress. With his constant jetting across the US on his holy mission, the public-spirited priest could often get bumped up to first class, but always chooses to give away the perks to other passengers while traveling The rare bottle of 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Kentucky bourbon he gifted to the Holy Father during one of his three visits to the Vatican may have helped impress On a whim, Father Jim will foot the bill for everybody's meal at a restaurant, pay a hard-up family's rent for a year, or buy a new bike for a whole second grade class he's visiting Father Jim is able to raise money to pay for his mission and living expenses through a series of public speaking and fund-raising events he does and 'the good will of people'. And with his constant jetting across the US on his holy mission, the public-spirited priest could often get bumped up to first class, but always chooses to give away the perks. 'I travel so much on Delta that I'm a diamond medallion. At times I have to turn down a lot of the perks because it doesn't look good for a priest being upgraded to first class,' he said. 'When I get upgraded, I switch out with a passenger randomly. I'll just take a passenger as they're walking onto the plane and say, 'hey, would you like to sit here?' It's all part, Father Jim says, of showing a friendlier side to the Catholic Church. 'We don't need sour-faced preachers. We need men and women who are in love with what they're doing,' he said. 'As Pope Francis says, as a shepherd to God's people, we've got to smell like our sheep. In other words, we've got to be among the people.' Workers are removing water and pumping fresh air into a nonoperational coal mine in West Virginia as they search for three people stuck inside. The state Office of Miner's Health, Safety and Training said Tuesday that a man who emerged on his own from the underground Rock House Powellton mine in Clear Creek, West Virginia and provided details about the location of the three, who he said were alive. The state said rescue teams explored the mine overnight, but came out Tuesday after oxygen reserves were depleted. No coal has been extracted from the mine for two years. Kayla Williams, 25, of Artie, West Virginia, is one of three people missing in a nonoperational West Virginia coal mine Cody Beverly (left), 21, of Dorothy, West Virginia; and Erica Treadway (right) of Pax, West Virginia, have been identified as the other two missing people Eddie Williams, 43, emerged from the mine on Monday and alerted authorities to the missing three The state Office of Miner's Health, Safety and Training said Tuesday that Eddie Williams emerged on his own from the underground Rock House Powellton mine in Clear Creek, West Virginia State officials said the four people were reported missing late Saturday and an all-terrain vehicle they were believed to be riding was found near the mine in Clear Creek. The three people believed to be trapped inside the mine have been identified as Cody Beverly, 21; Kayla Williams, 25; and Erica Treadway, 31. Eddie Williams, 43, has been identified as the man who emerged from the mine on Monday and alerted authorities to the missing three. Eddie Williams and Kayla Williams are from the town of Artie, West Virginia. Treadway is from Pax, West Virginia. And Beverly is a resident of Dorothy, West Virginia. State officials said the four people were reported missing late Saturday and an all-terrain vehicle they were believed to be riding was found near the mine in Clear Creek Kayla Williams, Treadway, and Beverly were last seen alive in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 8, according to WVVA-TV. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice met with the families of the three missing people. 'These families, friends, and the entire community are really hurting and need to be in our prayer,' said Justice. 'We also need to keep the mine rescue teams in our prayers as they attempt to pull off this rescue. 'Usually these things end up not very good, so we've still got some heavy lifting to get to some good outcome here, but we've got some good signs too. 'Let's just cling to that and hope and pray it works out.' A parent concerned about his fugitive sons mental health stripped naked outside a Dominican Republic courthouse as he pleaded with authorities to bring his boy into custody alive. Jose Alberto Diaz's son Fernando Jose Santiago escaped from a holding cell, where he had been held for a month after he was accused of domestic violence. His whereabouts is unknown. Video captured the father yelling into a camera and dropping his pants as he issued a threat to Attorney General Francisco Nunez after they had met to discuss his son's possible whereabouts. The cell phone video was distributed to news outlets in the Dominican Republic last Friday and quickly went viral on social media. A parent concerned about his fugitive son's whereabouts strips naked outside a court in the Dominican Republic Jose Alberto Diaz worries for the safety of his son Fernando Jose Santiago, who suffers from a mental illness Visitors looked on in disbelief as they entered and exited the Santiago courthouse as the shirtless father ranted at the camera. 'My son has documents and he has papers that [confirms] his condition. What I say to him (Nunez) is that I am not serving as an obstacle to carry out the arrest,' the concerned dad added. 'They can shoot him once, shoot him twice, shoot him 10 times at the feet, but do not kill him.' Jose Alberto Diaz is seen at a bus stop clutching his clothes after going on the rant Diaz then lost his cool and issued a threat to Nunez as he got naked in broad daylight. 'If they kill him he's (the attorney general) going to have problems with me, 'Diaz said. 'My son (is not the worse). We have drug dealers who he has released them and they're still selling drugs.' Diaz is seen at the end of the video walking away naked to a bus stop while clutching his clothes. Lawyers for President Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, asked a judge Tuesday to spare him prison time, saying he had devoted his career to his country and taken responsibility for an 'uncharacteristic error in judgment.' The arguments to the judge echoed those of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office, which last week said that Flynn's cooperation - including 19 meetings with investigators - was so extensive that he was entitled to avoid prison when he is sentenced next week. Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations during the presidential transition period with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States, will become the first White House official punished in the Special Counsel's ongoing probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. In court papers Tuesday, he requested probation and community service for his false statements. Lawyers for President Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn (seen above in July), asked a judge Tuesday to spare him prison time The filing comes as lawyers for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said they were still deciding whether to dispute allegations that he lied to investigators and breached his plea agreement. A judge gave Manafort until Jan. 7 to respond to prosecutors' claims that he misled them about his interactions with an associate who they say has ties to Russian intelligence and with Trump administration officials. The defendants, their fortunes sliding in opposite directions, represent starkly different paths in Mueller's investigation - a model cooperator on one end and, prosecutors say, a dishonest and resistant witness on the other. Even as prosecutors recommend no prison time for Flynn, they've left open the possibility they may seek additional charges against Manafort, who is already facing years in prison. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI over statements he made about meeting the then-ambassador of Russia during the Trump transition. Trump is seen above in Oval Office on Tuesday Given both men's extensive conversations with prosecutors, and their involvement in key episodes under scrutiny, the pair could pose a threat to Trump, who in addition to Mueller's investigation is entangled in a separate probe by prosecutors in New York into hush-money payments paid during the campaign to two women who say they had affairs with the president. Since his guilty plea a year ago, Flynn has stayed largely out of the public eye and refrained from discussing the Russia investigation despite encouragement from his supporters to take an aggressive stance. Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, spent three decades in the military, including five years in combat. In a public statement after his plea, Flynn has said he cooperated with prosecutors because it was in 'the best interests of my family and our country.' Flynn will become the first White House official punished in the Special Counsel's ongoing probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. The Special Counsel, Robert Mueller, is seen in the above photo In Manafort's case, prosecutors have accused him of repeatedly lying to them even after he agreed to cooperate. They say Manafort lied about his interactions with a longtime associate they say has ties to Russian intelligence, his contacts with Trump administration officials and other matters under investigation by the Justice Department. Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in Washington in September and faces sentencing in a separate case in Virginia, where he was convicted of eight felony counts related to his efforts to hide millions of dollars he earned from Ukrainian political consulting from the IRS. Aron Warren (pictured) was stabbed to death in Greenwich on Saturday 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. 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 Aron's 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. Sex workers are more likely to face violence, not use condoms and contract HIV in countries where selling or buying sex is illegal, a study claims. An international team of researchers analysed the effects of different laws from 33 countries - in what they say was the first review of its kind - and found that restrictive policies lead to increased health and safety risks. Sex workers exposed to arrest and imprisonment were three times as likely to suffer sexual or physical violence from clients, partners and other people - and twice as likely to contract HIV or similar diseases as those working in countries that tolerate their profession, the study found. Lucy Platt, lead author of the university-led study, said: 'Where some or all aspects of sex work were criminalised, concerns about their own or their clients' arrest meant that sex workers often had to rush screening clients.' Sex workers are more likely to face violence and contract HIV in countries where prostitution is illegal, a study claims (stock image) Fear of police meant sex workers had little time to negotiate services and tended to work in isolated areas, increasing their vulnerability to theft and violence, said Ms Platt, an associate professor in public health epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). The research, published in journal PLOS Medicine, reviewed data from more than 130 studies across the 33 countries - from Britain to Uganda - which had been published in scientific journals between 1990 to 2018. Sex workers who had not been exposed to repressive practices were also 30 percent less prone to have sex without a condom, the analysis claimed. Study co-author Pippa Grenfell, an assistant professor of public health sociology at LSHTM, said decriminalisation of sex work was 'urgently needed'. A spokesperson for pro-legalisation group The English Collective of Prostitutes said the study confirmed sex workers' experience. 'Those of us who work on the street are running from the police, pushed into more isolated areas because clients are fearful of arrest,' said Niki Adams. Meta-analysis found sex workers who had been exposed to arrest or prison were three times more likely to experience sexual or physical violence by clients, partners and other people (stock image) It is legal to buy and sell sex in England and Wales, but related activities such as soliciting and kerb crawling - drivers cruising the streets for prostitutes - are illegal. 'We hear from sex workers in France and Ireland that attacks have gone up since clients were criminalised there,' Ms Adams said. But Tsitsi Matekaire, of women's rights group Equality Now, said it was wrong to look at prostitution solely as a health issue, adding that decriminalisation was not the best way to protect women. 'Prostitution in itself is inherently violent,' she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, adding that laws aimed at curbing demand by punishing clients without criminalising those who have been driven into prostitution were a better solution. Nations have been divided over the best way to deal with prostitution. Many outlaw it; some, including Canada and Sweden, punish clients and others, like Germany and New Zealand, legalised it or decriminalized it entirely. A cheating fisherman has been jailed for life for shooting his wife, tying her to an anchor then dumping her body in Lake Erie after being given an ultimatum by his girlfriend. Christopher Leclair, 49, was arrested after reporting his wife Karen, 51, missing last June. He claimed she fell off the back of their boat, the Doris M, while they were out fishing together on June 11. Police arrested him after viewing dock surveillance footage which showed only Christopher returning after the pair ventured out on their boat on June 10, a day before he told police she disappeared. Three weeks later, Karen's body washed up on the shore. She had been shot in the head and an anchor was tied to her waist. Christopher Leclair, 49, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday for murdering his wife Karen then dumping her body in Lake Erie last June Karen, 51, (left) washed up three weeks after her husband reported her missing. She had been shot in the head and an anchor had been tied around her waist. Christopher had been having an affair with Tracy Butler (right) and she had given him an ultimatum It was then discovered that her husband had been having a long-term affair with Tracy Butler and that she had given him an ultimatum - leave his wife or their romance would be over. Leclair tried to claim afterwards that Karen committed suicide by jumping from the boat when she discovered the affair. He was convicted of first degree murder, tampering with a corpse and false reports in October and was jailed for life on Tuesday. Erie County President Judge John Trucilla abhorred his crimes and described them as the worst he had ever seen. 'There was almost a recognizable gasp in this community when this crime was committed. 'The depravity and depths that you went to calculate this murder are unlike any this court has ever seen,' he said. The couple had ventured out on their boat, the Doris M, and Christopher told police that Karen fell overboard Christopher, shown above in a Facebook picture shared by Tracy, was caught when police viewed surveillance footage of him returning from a fishing trip alone the day before he reported Karen missing. They had ventured out together but only he came back On June 11, Leclair told police his wife vanished from their boat while they were out fishing. He said his back was turned and that she must have fallen overboard. The mistress testified at court that she did not know her boyfriend was planning on killing his wife and that she was under the impression Karen had been living in Florida for at least some of the time that she was having an affair Police arrested him hours later after watching surveillance footage from the dock they kept their boat in which showed them leaving together the previous day but only Christopher returning. Three weeks later, Karen's body was found on the shore and details of the affair emerged. Butler, who was never arrested, testified against her lover at his trial. She told the court that she and Christopher had been dating intermittently for four years and that he had lived with her for a time. Photographs on her social media account show him posing with two unidentified children. Butler told the court that Christopher put her under the impression that Karen was living in Florida for at least some of their relationship. She did not know that he was planning on killing her, she said. He had told other acquaintances about his plan, according to prosecutors. The explosion in online shopping has led to porch pirates and stoop surfers swiping holiday packages from unsuspecting residents. The cops in one city are trying to catch the thieves with some trickery of their own. Police in Jersey City, across the Hudson River from New York, have teamed up with Amazon to install doorbell cameras and plant dummy boxes with GPS tracking devices at homes around the city. They didn't have to wait long Tuesday for someone to take the bait. This image taken from video shows an Amazon package containing a GPS tracker on the porch of a Jersey City residence after its delivery Tuesday 'We had a box out on the street for three minutes before it was taken,' said police Capt. James Crecco, who is overseeing the mission. 'We thought it was a mistake at first.' The suspect was caught, Crecco added. Exact figures on porch thefts are hard to come by. A company commissioned by comparison-shopping service insuranceQuotes.com surveyed 1,000 people and extrapolated that 26 million Americans have had a holiday package stolen from their home. That would be nearly one in 12 Americans. Amazon - which is providing equipment free for the Jersey City program - declined to provide figures on how many packages are reported stolen or missing, as did UPS and FedEx. Michael J. Kelly, chief of Jersey City Police took to Twitter to warn would-be thieves that 'bait' packages are under surveillance 'We absolutely report them to local law enforcement when we hear of them, and we encourage our customers to do the same,' UPS spokesman Glenn Zaccara said. Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly told The Associated Press that locations for cameras and boxes were selected using the city's own crime statistics and mapping of theft locations provided by Amazon. 'Most of the package thefts we've made arrests on revolve around (closed-circuit TV) or private surveillance cameras that give us a still image,' Kelly said. 'With the bait packages, some will be under video surveillance, and some will have GPS.' No homeowner is immune. Crecco said his mother was a victim of a package theft. So was Mayor Steven Fulop, according to his spokeswoman. Members of the police department who live in the city volunteered to have the cameras and boxes placed at their homes. Amazon declined to provide figures on how many packages are reported stolen or missing, as did UPS (worker pictured) and FedEx Kelly said the program has undergone a legal review and has been approved by a municipal prosecutor. He said the city is hoping to expand the program with assistance from Amazon, the nation's largest online retailer. Amazon declined to answer questions about the anti-theft program but said in a statement, 'We appreciate the increased effort by local law enforcement to tackle package theft and remain committed to assisting however we can.' Similar programs have been tried in other cities including Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Hayward, California. E-commerce sales have been growing faster than sales at brick-and-mortar retailers for several years. Online sales in the U.S. are forecast to increase 14.8 percent from last year, to $124.1 billion, for November and December, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks online spending. Jersey City Police Chief Kelly said locations for cameras and boxes were selected using the city's own crime statistics and mapping of theft locations provided by Amazon The Postal Service expects to deliver about 900 million packages, and United Parcel Service forecasts it will handle about 800 million parcels between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That is causing a spike in deliveries to houses and apartments. Sometimes the residents aren't home or aren't aware that a package has been dropped off. The delivery companies provide services that could offer some protection against porch thefts. The boldest might be Amazon's Key service, in which homeowners pay to have a cloud-connected lock and camera installed at the front door, allowing an Amazon delivery person to unlock the door and slide the package inside. Plenty of people went on social media to raise privacy and security objections after Amazon announced that service, but the company is betting that others will decide it's convenient. Some other strategies for foiling snatch-and-run thieves require picking up packages at a company store, which defeats the purpose of at-home delivery. To avoid parcels being left outside during extended absences, the post office has long allowed customers to set up hold-mail requests. It's estimated that 26 million Americans have had a holiday package stolen from their home, that's nearly one in 12 Americans UPS and FedEx let customers sign up for alerts about deliveries and give them the chance to reschedule or change the drop-off address even for deliveries already on their way. They let customers leave detailed instructions for drivers about where around the house to leave a package. The delivery companies will also let customers pick up packages at other businesses. FedEx, for example, uses some Albertsons and Kroger grocery stores and Walgreens drugstores. Other tips: - Have packages delivered to a workplace or a friend who is home during the day. - Ask if a signature can be required for the package to be dropped off, particularly if it's an expensive item. - Doorbell cameras, some for $100 or less, let residents keep an eye on their porch, which might not stop a thief but perhaps give police video evidence to help catch the culprit. - There are services that use a locked storage box bolted to the customer's porch; delivery drivers can unlock them by entering a code on a keypad. A broke barman struck gold when he found an ATM hack that gave him access to millions - and says he has no regrets about his subsequent spending binge even though it resulted in jail time. Dan Saunders, 29 at the time, splashed $1.6 million on expensive alcohol, trips to private islands and lavish shopping sprees. The barman from Wangaratta, in north-eastern Victoria, stumbled across a technical fault in the National Australia Bank's ATM system in February 2011 meaning he had access to free money whenever and wherever he wanted. Scroll down for Video Dan Saunders, 29 at the time, splashed $1.6 million on expensive alcohol, trips to private islands and lavish shopping sprees At the time of the discovery, he was working as a barman on a $700 a week wage and dating a religious education teacher. The ATM allowed Mr Saunders to access up to $999,999.99 every day and eventually Saunders withdrew $1.6 million over a four and a half month period. 'For me, it was never about the money. It was about experiences and what I could do with this magic ATM card,' Saunders said. 'I had seen people in that life across the bar and I had wanted to experience it, but the grass isn't always greener on the other side. 'I also wanted to give my friends a taste of it, so I asked them what their dreams were and made them come true. I guess you could say that my dream was to see people having a great time and living out their fantasies.' During the spending spree Saunders bought designer clothes and treated friends and family to whatever they fancied. During the spending spree Saunders bought designer clothes and treated friends and family to whatever they fancied Saunders also indulged in high-class hookers, five star hotels, limousines and private jets. HOW THE ATM 'LOOPHOLE' WORKED - Saunders would transfer money from credit to his savings account while ATM system was 'offline' -The ATM would read 'transaction cancelled' - but still dished out the money - Saunders took advantage of a loophole in the system which meant the ATM couldn't record transactions during late-night maintenance - but still dispensed cash - The withdrawal would not register on his account - effectively giving him free cash - He continued withdrawing and the bank didn't catch up - instead they would call to verify it was him spending the money and wish him well - He also tricked the ATM by transferring money from his 'credit' option to his Mastercard... even though he only had one credit card Advertisement During April 2011, Saunders flew two escorts by helicopter to the Blue Mountains to stay at the $2000-a-night Emirates Resort, 'I went horse riding with two escorts, for God's sake,' Saunders said. The debauchery saw Saunders carry $80,000 in a Hilton Hotel laundry bag and splash out $90,000 to fly to an isolated Asian island for a weekend away with friends among other trips and expensive dinner parties, including an $8000 evening at Sydney's Rockpool. In June 2011, Saunders turned himself in after asking himself if he had become an international criminal. He called the bank who told him the issue was under police investigation. Saunders admitted that he had thought about transferring millions of dollars overseas and disappearing. But he didn't go through with the plan because he would have had to leave friends and family behind. Three and a half years after he stopped the transfers, he still hadn't received any consequences for his actions. The law did eventually catch up and Saunders spent a year behind bars for obtaining money by deception and was also fined $250,000 'All the statements say that I was always behind in money, but to spend the money I actually had to be in front. So, the accounts had millions of bucks in them,' Saunders said. The law did eventually catch up with Saunders who spent a year behind bars for obtaining money by deception in 2015. He was also fined $250,000. Upon his release, he was required to serve an 18 month communication corrections order (CCO) which is a flexible sentence that can be served in the community after a custodial sentence. But Saunders, who has now returned to his $22 an hour bar job, says he has no regrets. Despite the apparent lack of cash left, Saunders is content with the amazing memories he has 'Sure, sometimes life can seem a bit mundane and boring after what I experienced, but that's OK,' he said. 'Not everything in life needs to be totally exhilarating, and there's a lot of joy to be found in normal, ordinary life.' People smugglers will be closely watching Australia's political debate over border protection for cues to restart the trade, the outgoing chief of Operation Sovereign Borders has warned. Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Osborne said people smuggling will be around for as 'long as we can see' as he prepared to hand over the reigns to new commander Major General Craig Furini this Friday. He described people smuggling operations as 'suppressed' rather than defeated and doesn't want Australia to be put in a situation where the Defence Force is 'pulling bodies out of the water'. Departing Operation Sovereign Borders Commander Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Osborne (pictured) advice to his successor was to 'play a straight bat' 'We know what the implications are for the ADF, let alone the rest of the country, if the boats were to start again,' Air Vice-Marshal Osborne told The Australian on Wednesday. 'There is a strong motivation to get it right I dont want to be back and Craig doesnt want to be back where our people are pulling bodies out of the water again.' He said media reporting, parliamentary debate or surveys about people's attitude to border protection could be used by people smugglers. 'We know people smugglers will use any means they can whether they are true or not all they need is that bit of a lever, that bit of a wedge to try and sell that the path to Australia is open again,' Air Vice-Marshal Osborne said. A decorated soldier and military planner, Major General Furini will be the fourth Operation Sovereign Borders commander since it was established in 2013. He vowed to offer 'frank and fearless' advice to the government based on 'the best information at the time'. Air Vice-Marshal Osborne's advice to his successor was to 'play a straight bat'. 'The reality is that it doesn't matter what happens: you will get one side of the political side of the spectrum or the other, you'll upset somebody,' he said. The political battle over border protection and national security has escalated in recent weeks, where the Coalition Government accused Labor of softening its stance on border protection after the opposition supported medical transfer measures for people in offshore processing. Labor backed a bill which cleared the Senate last week allowing asylum seekers to be transferred to Australia for treatment on the advice of two doctors. If elected at the next federal election, the Labor government is looking to gift residency to up to 10,000 asylum seekers in Australia Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Immigration Minister David Coleman have led the attacks on the opposition, saying Labor has watered down its stance. But Labor's commitment to boat turnbacks and offshore processing isn't expected to end at next week's national conference, with key factional figures locking in behind existing policy. 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, almost 10,000 asylum seekers would be granted permanent protection in Australia should Labor win next year's federal election as widely predicted by opinion polls. The end result would be permanent residency for asylum seekers deemed genuine refugees, with full work and welfare rights. Opposition Leader Bil Shorten (pictured) 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.' 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. 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) said Labor's left faction proposal smacked of ignorance 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 cowboy who suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body in a car crash says he'll never forget the smell of his own skin melting. Jamie Manning was driving home, about 20km outside of Dubbo, when he lost control of his ute on a tight bend and collided with a tree on March 27, 2014. He was knocked out and when he regained consciousness he realised his vehicle had engulfed in flames. He tried to escape but his seat belt was stuck tight around his waist, pinning him beneath the dashboard. Jamie Manning (pictured), who survived a horrific crash but suffered 40 per cent burns to his body, says he'll never forget the stench of his own skin melting off On March 27, 2014, Jamie Manning (pictured) was driving home, about 20km outside of Dubbo, when he lost control of his ute on a tight bend and collided with a tree Less than 60 seconds after Mr Manning was dragged to safety by a passerby, his ute exploded 'I remember realising I was trapped, the motor basically sitting in my lap,' the former stock salesman told news.com.au. Mr Manning, now 42, recalled how a man from a nearby property tried to rescue him but because the man was a 'big fella' he told him to leave before the car exploded. The good Samaritan refused to leave and used a knife Mr Manning had installed in his ute months earlier to cut him free, and put the flames out with an extinguisher. Mr Manning was dragged to safety just in time as the ute exploded. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital and later flown to Sydney, where it was revealed he had suffered burns to over 40 per cent of his body. His injuries included significant burns to his face - including his nose, eyelids, ears and lips, and his leg was burnt all the way through to the bone. 'I'll never, ever be able to forget that smell,' Mr Manning recalled. The man also had a fractured skull and bleeding to his brain, as well as significant bone fractures and breakages to his back and hips. Mr Manning (pictured) was comatose for seven weeks, during which time his wife Karen had to make several life-changing decisions - including amputating his left leg and hand Mr Manning (pictured) was sent to rehab with the plan to recoup gradually over 12 months, but after realising certain therapies weren't for him, he checked out against medical advice Mr Manning was comatose for seven weeks, during which time his wife Karen had to make several life-changing decisions - including amputating his left leg and hand. While she was concerned about how he would adjust to life afterwards and feared he wouldn't be able to ride horses again, doctors said he would be lucky if the bleeding in his brain didn't affect him long-term. Mr Manning, a full-time cowboy who was a talented bull rider, was also incredibly hands-on at work, which required him to jump on and off horses and muster cattle. Despite his poor prognosis, when doctors eventually removed his breathing tube, he showed signs of improvement - albeit a little confused initially from the medication. With the help of his doting wife and family, Mr Manning (pictured) rehabilitated himself slowly with his own experts, doctors and physios Mr Manning (pictured left and right), a full-time cowboy who was a talented bull rider, was also incredibly hands-on at work, which required him to jump on and off horses and muster cattle Several weeks later, he was sent to rehab with the plan to recoup gradually over 12 months, but after realising certain therapies weren't for him, he checked out against medical advice and returned to the family farm. He said in order for him to survive he realised he needed to be at home because, although the treatment had its good intentions, it wasn't comfortable for him. Back on familiar soil, and with the help of his doting wife and family, Mr Manning rehabilitated himself slowly with the advice of his own experts, doctors and physios. He also endured more than two-dozen surgeries along the way, but with the love and support of his family he has been able to make a remarkable recovery. In recent months, he has also returned to work and is proving to everyone that he isn't just going to settle for surviving, but rather he is going to live his life. 'The doctors told me I'd never work again. That was my biggest drive - to prove them wrong,' he said. A federal judge has ordered porn star Stormy Daniels to pay President Donald Trump $293,000 in legal fees after an earlier dismissing her defamation lawsuit against him. Trump's attorney, Charles Harder, had requested nearly $390,000 in fees, but in Los Angeles, federal Judge S. James Otero cut the amount by 25 percent. He also wanted a nearly equal amount in sanctions, but only received $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. 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. Still smiling? Michael Avenatti and Stormy Daniels were seen smiling together in May but she now owes Donald Trump $293,000 Push back: Michael Avenatti said Stormy Daniels would get more from a separate but parallel case. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, still has a case pending in Los Angeles challenging a non-disclosure agreement she signed with Trump's 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. The tweet appeared to later be deleted. 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 Harder's 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. She sued him earlier this year seeking to break a non-disclosure 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 Trump's statement was 'rhetorical hyperbole' against a political adversary and was protected speech under the First Amendment. Although the lawsuit didn't 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 Otero's decision and Avenatti said Monday he expects to prevail at a higher court. Avenatti also said he will be seeking attorney's 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. Trump's lead attorney previously said the fees and unspecified monetary sanctions were earned because of the extraordinary nature of the defamation case and because of Avenatti's gamesmanship. Face off: Stormy Daniels is involved in a complicated combination of lawsuits with Donald Trump but has had one of them - her allegation he defamed her - dismissed, leading to the president being awarded costs '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 in which Daniels has alleged that her former lawyer, Keith Davidson, colluded with Trump's former personal lawyer Michael 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 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. An MP who rang an escort agency's number on the night he was subjected to blackmail insists he had simply wanted a massage in his New York hotel room. New South Wales Liberal Gareth Ward was captured on CCTV in August last year getting into a lift on the 33rd floor of the Intercontinental in Manhattan with two men wearing caps and white T-shirts. The state member for Kiama, on the south coast, told the New York Police Department the men had tried to extort $1,000 from him after the vision-impaired politician had asked them to leave his hotel room. The footage showed him in the lift moments before he ran to a concierge desk to alert police of the blackmail attempt, after the men had walked with him to an ATM. Albino MP Gareth Ward (left with Premier Gladys Berejiklian) who rang an escort agency's number on the night he was subjected to blackmail insists he had simply wanted a massage While that police report listed a phone call from the MP to an escort service number, Mr Ward said he had simply called that number for a massage. 'I'd been walking all day, sightseeing, it was self-funded,' the albino MP told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday. 'I have in the past got massages where I've gone because that's what often people will do and there was nothing untoward about what I did.' The parliamentary secretary, who hails from the Liberal Party's moderate faction, said the number he had called was linked to various non-sexual services and insisted he had not broken any laws in New York, where it is illegal to solicit an escort. New South Wales Liberal Gareth Ward was captured on CCTV (pictured) in August last year getting into a lift on the 33rd floor of the Intercontinental in Manhattan with two men Mr Ward (left) argued he had asked them to leave after realising the men (pictured) were not offering a therapeutic massage 'If I was doing anything dodgy, I wouldn't have called the cops,' Mr Ward said. 'From what I gathered, that number was linked to many websites, that's certainly not what I was calling for.' He argued he had asked them to leave after realising the men were not offering a therapeutic massage. 'That's what happened,' he said. The factional powerbroker was accused of bullying in September by retiring federal Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis, who made a series of allegations under parliamentary privilege. The member for Kiama (pictured in Parliament) told New York police the men had tried to extort $1,000 from him after he had asked them to leave his hotel room Mr Ward said it was curious The Daily Telegraph was publishing a new twist on a 16-month-old story on Tuesday as the Liberal Party prepared to hold a preselection meeting to decide the next Liberal candidate for Ms Sudmalis' seat of Gilmore. 'You know what's happening tonight? The Gilmore endorsement,' he said. 'This is a rehash of a s*** story and I'm not going to give it any credibility by commenting any further.' The unmarried 37-year-old state MP said he was glad he had reported the matter to New York police, even though embarrassing aspects of the complaint were made publicly available. 'I reported the matter to police and I'm pleased that I did,' he said. 'The police said it was a legitimate complaint and the case is closed.' Mr Ward is running for re-election at the March state election in a beach-side seat which is famous for having a blowhole. Members of Australia's Jewish community say they're scared to leave their homes after a spate anti-Semitic attacks and allegations of bullying in the workplace. Bricks, eggs and meat have been thrown at homes and synagogues across the country in recent months - and anti-Semitic incidents have spiked by 59 per cent over the past year, according to an Executive Council of Australian Jewry report. The report said there had been 366 nationwide attacks on the Jewish community in a 12 month period, but Canberra Rabbi Shmueli Feldman said that's just the tip of the iceberg. 'Every few weeks or so there's another instance of vandalism, harassment or anti-Semitic behaviour towards my family or others in the community. People have been tormenting us,' he told the ABC. Members of Australia's Jewish community say they're scared to leave their homes after a spate anti-Semitic attacks. Above, swastikas and 'Hitler Hitler' is seen painted on a home in Ballarat, Victoria, in November 2017 A report found there had been 366 nationwide attacks on the Jewish community in a 12 month period, but Canberra Rabbi Shmueli Feldman (left) said that's just the tip of the iceberg Rabbi Feldman said his own home had been vandalised, while his children's bedroom have had rocks thrown through the windows. 'One time I was sitting outside with my family and a group of people drove past and screamed out ''f***ing Jews''... In another case a person was targeted by neo-Nazis and has moved from Canberra as a result,' he said. Meanwhile, a public servant in Canberra told the broadcaster a colleague had left rashes of bacon in his office coffee mug on more than one occasion. 'I felt super humiliated - I was angry. I told management that I'm furious and that it's not acceptable. Because I'm Jewish I'm treated differently I worry for my children's safety,' he said. A tradesman is seen repairing a window of a synagogue in Canberra after a rock was thrown through it Rabbi Feldman said his children's bedroom have had rocks thrown through the windows. Pictured: Nazi graffiti on a train line in Melbourne Rabbi Feldman (pictured with Christopher Pyne and Josh Frydenberg) said his own home had been vandalised Despite the recent attacks on the Jewish community in Canberra, Rabbi Feldman said most people in his city were kind and welcoming. 'We will never succumb to fear. We are confident that Canberra's collective light of goodness and kindness will shine through this darkness and prevail,' he told his Facebook followers on Wednesday. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry blamed the nationwide spike in anti-Semitic hate partly on the rise of far-right groups such as the Antipodean Resistance. The neo-Nazi group was responsible for 133 of the year's total incidents - mostly consisting of placing posters, stickers, graffiti and murals in public places, the council said. A public servant in Canberra told the broadcaster a colleague had left rashes of bacon in his office coffee mug on more than one occasion (pictured) Rabbi Feldman shared this photo on social media showing damage to a fence at his Canberra home CCTV footage taken from inside a Canberra synagogue showed a man smash a window The group's use of posters calling to 'legalise the execution of Jews' and blaming Jewish people for non-white immigration has 'created a situation where a tiny and peripheral group of maladjusted youths has had a disproportionate impact,' it said. The Antipodean Resistance are a group of radicalised neo-Nazis who describe themselves as 'the Hitlers you've been waiting for'. To join the men's chapter, you have to be white, straight, young, monogamous and only interested in dating other white people. 'Racial treason is not tolerated,' members previously told Daily Mail Australia. Pictured: A sticker placed on a light pole in Canberra by the neo-Nazi Antipodean Resistance group The Antipodean Resistance are a group of radicalised neo-Nazis who describe themselves as 'the Hitlers you've been waiting for' Adelaide has beaten other mainland capitals to win the right to host Australia's new national Space Agency, boosting South Australia's push to become a hub for innovation and technology. The agency is expected to open doors for local businesses to access the $US345 billion global space industry and create up to 20,000 jobs by 2030. 'Our government's $41 million investment into the agency will act as a launching pad to triple Australia's space economy to $12 billion,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison says on Wednesday. Adelaide has beaten other mainland capitals to win the right to host Australia's new national Space Agency, boosting South Australia's push to become a hub for innovation and technology. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is pictured with South Australian Premier Steven Marshall 'This agency is part of our plan for a stronger economy for South Australia and the country which is about delivering long-term, high-wage, high-skills jobs.' Federal Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews says the agency will also offer new employment opportunities to workers from other sectors. 'It will certainly have every opportunity to grow more jobs for our young people, but also for people who are potentially transitioning in from other industries,' Ms Andrews told ABC radio on Wednesday. 'We are well on target to triple the sector in the next 12 years.' SA Premier Steven Marshall said his state was the ideal location for the agency alongside a rapidly growing defence sector. 'Establishing the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency in South Australia will launch our space and defence sectors to the next level,' he said. The agency is expected to open doors for local businesses to access the $US345 billion global space industry and create up to 20,000 jobs by 2030. A Chinese space rocket is pictured Ms Andrews said Adelaide was selected over strong applications from Queensland and NSW because SA was home to more than 60 organisations and 800 employees in space-related sectors. 'This decision builds on the very strong technology and defence presence in the state,' the minister said. The federal government is also investing $260 million to develop world-leading satellite capabilities and increase GPS accuracy in cities and regional areas. The Australian Space Agency will be located at Lot Fourteen on the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site by mid-2019, creating an immediate 20 jobs. South Australia's connection to the space industry dates back to just after World War II with the Woomera Rocket Range established in the state's north in 1947. GUILTY: MICHAEL FLYNN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in December 2017. Awaiting sentence Flynn was President Trump's former National Security Advisor and Robert Mueller's most senior scalp to date. He previously served when he was a three star general as President Obama's director of the Defense Intelligence Agency but was fired. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his conversations with a Russian ambassador in December 2016. He has agreed to cooperate with the special counsel investigation. GUILTY AND JAILED: MICHAEL COHEN Pleaded guilty to eight counts including fraud and two campaign finance violations in August 2018. Pleaded guilty to further count of lying to Congress in November 2018. Sentenced to three years in prison and $2 million in fines and forfeitures in December 2018 Cohen was investigated by Mueller but the case was handed off to the Southern District of New York,leaving Manhattan's ferocious and fiercely independent federal prosecutors to run his case. Cohen was Trump's longtime personal attorney, starting working for him and the Trump Organization in 2007. He is the longest-serving member of Trump's inner circle to be implicated by Mueller. Cohen professed unswerving devotion to Trump - and organized payments to silence two women who alleged they had sex with the-then candidate: porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. He admitted that payments to both women were felony campaign finance violations - and admitted that he acted at the 'direction' of 'Candidate-1': Donald Trump. He also admitted tax fraud by lying about his income from loans he made, money from taxi medallions he owned, and other sources of income, at a cost to the Treasury of $1.3 million. And he admitted lying to Congress in a rare use of the offense. The judge in his case let him report for prison on March 6 and recommended he serve it in a medium-security facility close to New York City. GUILTY AND JAILED: PAUL MANAFORT Found guilty of eight charges of bank and tax fraud in August 2018. Sentenced to 47 months in March 2019. Pleaded guilty to two further charges - witness tampering and conspiracy against the United States. Jailed for total of seven and a half years in two separate sentences. Additionally indicted for mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney, using evidence previously presented by Mueller Manafort worked for Trump's campaign from March 2016 and chaired it from June to August 2016, overseeing Trump being adopted as Republican candidate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. He is the most senior campaign official to be implicated by Mueller. Manafort was one of Washington D.C.'s longest-term and most influential lobbyists but in 2015, his money dried up and the next year he turned to Trump for help, offering to be his campaign chairman for free - in the hope of making more money afterwards. But Mueller unwound his previous finances and discovered years of tax and bank fraud as he coined in cash from pro-Russia political parties and oligarchs in Ukraine. Manafort pleaded not guilty to 18 charges of tax and bank fraud but was convicted of eight counts in August 2018. The jury was deadlocked on the other 10 charges. A second trial on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent due in September did not happen when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and witness tampering in a plea bargain. He was supposed to co-operate with Mueller but failed to. Minutes after his second sentencing hearing in March 2019, he was indicted on 16 counts of fraud and conspiracy by the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., using evidence which included documents previously presented at his first federal trial. The president has no pardon power over charges by district and state attorneys. GUILTY AND GOING TO WEEKEND JAIL: RICK GATES Pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and making false statements in February 2018. Sentenced to 45 days weekend jail and three years probation, December 17, 2018 Gates was Manafort's former deputy at political consulting firm DMP International. He admitted to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government on financial activity, and to lying to investigators about a meeting Manafort had with a member of congress in 2013. As a result of his guilty plea and promise of cooperation, prosecutors vacated charges against Gates on bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, failure to disclose foreign bank accounts, filing false tax returns, helping prepare false tax filings, and falsely amending tax returns. GUILTY AND JAILED: GEORGE PAPADOPOLOUS Pleaded guilty to making false statements in October 2017. Sentenced to 14 days in September 2018, and reported to prison in November. Served 12 days and released on December 7, 2018 Papadopoulos was a member of Donald Trump's campaign foreign policy advisory committee. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his contacts with London professor Josef Mifsud and Ivan Timofeev, the director of a Russian government-funded think tank. GUILTY AND JAILED: RICHARD PINEDO Pleaded guilty to identity fraud in February 2018. Sentenced to a year in prison Pinedo is a 28-year-old computer specialist from Santa Paula, California. He admitted to selling bank account numbers to Russian nationals over the internet that he had obtained using stolen identities. GUILTY AND JAILED: ALEX VAN DER ZWAAN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in February 2018. He served a 30-day prison sentence and was deported to the Netherlands on his release Van der Zwaan was a Dutch attorney for Skadden Arps who worked on a Ukrainian political analysis report for Paul Manafort in 2012. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about when he last spoke with Rick Gates and Konstantin Kilimnik. His law firm say he was fired. GUILTY: W. SAMUEL PATTEN Pleaded guilty in August 2018 to failing to register as a lobbyist while doing work for a Ukrainian political party. Sentenced to three years probation April 2019 Patten, a long-time D.C. lobbyist was a business partner of Paul Manafort. He pleaded guilty to admitting to arranging an illegal $50,000 donation to Trump's inauguration. He arranged for an American 'straw donor' to pay $50,000 to the inaugural committee, knowing that it was actually for a Ukrainian businessman. Neither the American or the Ukrainian have been named. CHARGED: KONSTANTIN KILIMNIK Indicted for obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. At large, probably in Russia Kilimnik is a former employee of Manafort's political consulting firm and helped him with lobbying work in Ukraine. He is accused of witness tampering, after he allegedly contacted individuals who had worked with Manafort to remind them that Manafort only performed lobbying work for them outside of the U.S. He has been linked to Russian intelligence and is currently thought to be in Russia - effectively beyond the reach of extradition by Mueller's team. INDICTED: THE RUSSIANS Twenty-five Russian nationals and three Russian entities have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States. They remain at large in Russia Two of these Russian nationals were also indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 were indicted for conspiracy to launder money. Fifteen of them were also indicted for identity fraud. Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the charges. Russia effectively bars extradition of its nationals. The only prospect Mueller has of bringing any in front of a U.S. jury is if Interpol has their names on an international stop list - which is not made public - and they set foot in a territory which extradites to the U.S. INDICTED: MICHAEL FLYNN'S BUSINESS PARTNERS Bijan Kian (left), number two in now disgraced former national security adviser Mike Flynn's lobbying company, and the two's business partner Ekim Alptekin (right) were indicted for conspiracy to lobby illegally. Kian, an Iranian-American was arrested and appeared in court charged with a conspiracy to illegally lobby the U.S government without registering as a foreign agent. Their co-conspirator was Flynn, who is called 'Person A' in the indictment and is not charged, offering some insight into what charges he escaped with his plea deal. Kian, vice-president of Flynn's former lobbying firm, is alleged to have plotted with Alptekin to try to change U.S. policy on an exiled Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania and who is accused by Turkey's strongman president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of trying to depose him. Erdogan's government wanted him extradited from the U.S. and paid Flynn's firm through Alptekin for lobbying, including an op-ed in The Hill calling for Gulen to be ejected. Flynn and Kian both lied that the op-ed was not paid for by the Turkish government. The indictment is a sign of how Mueller is taking an interest in more than just Russian involvement in the 2016 election. GUILTY AND AWAITING SENTENCE: ROGER STONE Roger Stone, a former Trump campaign official and longtime informal advisor to Trump, was indited on seven counts including obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress about his communications with WikiLeaks in January 2019. Convicted on all counts November 15, 2019, awaiting sentence Stone was a person of interest to Mueller's investigators long before his January indictment, thanks in part due to his public pronouncements as well as internal emails about his contacts with WikiLeks. In campaign texts and emails, many of which had already been publicly revealed before showing up in Mueller's indictment, Stone communicated with associates about WikiLeaks following reports the organization had obtained a cache of Clinton-related emails. Stone, a former Nixon campaign adviser who has the disgraced former president's face permanently tattooed on his back, has long been portrayed as a central figure in the election interference scandal. 'They got nothing,' he said of the special counsel's investigation. Stone gave 'false and misleading' testimony about his requests for information from WikiLeaks. He then pressured a witness, comedian Randy Credico, to take the Fifth Amendment rather than testify, and pressured him in a series of emails. Following a prolonged dispute over testimony, he called him a 'rat' and threatened to 'take that dog away from you', in reference to Credico's pet, Bianca. Stone warned him: 'Let's get it on. Prepare to die.' CLEARED: GREG CRAIG Greg Craig, President Barack Obama's White House counsel, was indicted for failing to register as a foreign agent. Mueller's investigators uncovered Craig's work on behalf the government of Ukraine while probing Manafort, who did business with Craig. Prosecutors released a grand jury indictment of Craig in April 2019, after Craig's law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP agreed to pay more than $4.6 million as part of a settlement. The prominent firm also acknowledged it had failed to register, and placed much of the blame on Craig, a senior partner there. Craig's lawyer blasted the decision as an abuse of prosecutorial discretion, and prepared to argue that omission of information during an interview is not tantamount to making false statements. The charges stem from a 2012 report Craig and the firm produced on behalf of the Ukrainian government on opposition figure and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She was an opponent of Manafort's client , former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Craig was cleared on September 9 2019. A brewer who suffers from a debilitating condition that makes everything smell like rotting flesh is using his condition to create alcoholic beverages. Joel Robinson, a father-of-three, suffered a traumatic brain injury last year after falling at a home in Wollongong, in Sydney's south, ABC news reported. The tragic fall triggered a condition called parosmia, making it difficult for his brain unable to identify natural smells. Almost 'all aromas' now smell like 'rotting flesh or burning rubber', Mr Robinson told the publication. Joel Robinson (right) suffered a traumatic brain injury last year after falling at a home in Wollongong, in Sydney's south The tragic fall left Mr Robinson (left) with a condition called parosmia, making it difficult for his brain unable to identify natural smells Mr Robinson detailed his struggle to come to terms with his life-changing injury on Facebook last year. 'The olfactory nerve has severed inside my brain, rendering it forever broken with no ability for repair,' Mr Robinson wrote soon after his fall. 'It's the invisible illness that you just can't understand the severity of how debilitating it is unless you've actually experienced it.' 'From freshly baked bread, to coffee, chocolate, wine, beer, mead, bacon, steak, vegemite, roast chicken and vegetables are now some of the foulest smelling and tasting foods around,' he wrote. 'I'm lucky if i eat at all but know i need to feed my body...this is my life now,' he said. Mr Robinson said he wouldn't know where he'd be if it weren't for the love and support of his wife and friends. 'There was a time where we didn't get on with life at all, and I knew what I had wasn't life-threatening, but the idea of living with this was very hard,' he told the publication. Mr Robinson said producing alcoholic beverages is helping his brain repair itself (pictured some of the beverages Mr Robinson made) Working his condition to his advantage, Mr Robinson (left) gave up his career as a boat skipper to become a mead maker Working his condition to his advantage, Mr Robinson gave up his career as a boat skipper to become a mead maker. He said producing alcoholic beverages is helping his brain repair itself. 'It means the flavour combinations that I make are pretty different to what someone with a normal olfactory function would make,' Mr Robinson told the Illawara Mercury. 'I'll be picking up different flavours, so maybe we're getting some uniqueness out of my condition.' Mead is about 2000-years-old and is made from honey, water and yeast. Running his own meadery, Hunter and the Harp, in the Illawara district, Mr Robinson enjoys working with sour flavours, which he knows he can enjoy. An executive for Grindr - the largest queer dating app in the world - has resigned just weeks after the company's president said marriage is between a man and woman. Landon Rafe Zumwalt, the head of communications for Grindr, made the announcement in an open letter shared on Medium. 'As an out and proud gay man madly in love with a man I don't deserve, I refused to compromise my own values or professional integrity to defend a statement that goes against everything I am and everything I believe,' Zumwalt wrote. 'While that resulted in my time at Grindr being cut short, I have absolutely no regrets. And neither should you.' Zumwalt was referring to a Facebook post shared last month by the company's president, Scott Chen. Grindr's head of communications, Landon Rafe Zumwalt (left), has resigned just weeks after the company's president, Scott Chen (right), said marriage is between a man and a woman 'As an out and proud gay man madly in love with a man I don't deserve, I refused to compromise my own values or professional integrity to defend a statement that goes against everything I am and everything I believe,' Zumwalt (pictured) wrote In the post, Chen said: 'There are people who believe that marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman. I agree but that's none of our business. 'There are also people who believe that the purpose of marriage is to create children that carry their DNA. That's also none of our business,' Chen added. Chen also wrote in the now-deleted post that 'there are people that are simply different from you, who desperately want to get married. They have their own reasons'. According to an article by INTO, Chen had shared the post on his personal Facebook page to call out Cher Wang, the president and CEO of HTC, whose non-profits backed anti-LGBTQ groups in the US that organized to influence Taiwan's referendum on same-sex marriage. Chen wrote that marriage is a 'personal thing' and encouraged the rich to the poor or those who are suffering from war'. 'Why spend all that money to stop people who love each other from getting married? Aren't there more important stuff in life?' he asked in the post. He ended by saying: 'I'll never buy HTC products ever again, and I'll never donate a cent to any Christian groups in Taiwan!' Chen became Grindr's Chief Technology Officer in 2017 after Chinese gaming corporation Kunlun bought the app. It is the largest queer dating app in the world. Shortly after Chen's post made headlines, he disputed INTO's article, calling it 'unbalanced and misleading' in a comment directed to staff writer Matthew Rodriguez. 'Matthew, I wish you asked my comments before you publish this. This article is unbalanced and misleading. It hurts my feelings and it also hurts INTO's and Grindr's reputation,' Chen replied. 'The reason I said marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman is based on my own personal experience. I am a straight man married to a woman I love and I have two beautiful daughters I love from the marriage. This is how I feel about my marriage,' he explained. Chen then said he deleted the post because his 60-year-old conservative aunt got involved in the 'heated discussion' that transpired under the post. In the post, Chen said: 'There are people who believe that marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman. I agree but that's none of our business' Chen became Grindr's Chief Technology Officer in 2017 after Chinese gaming corporation Kunlun bought the app (file image). It is the largest queer dating app in the world Chen later apologized over the incident. 'On November 26, I wrote a post on my personal Facebook account meant to condemn those advocating against same-sex marriage in Taiwan,' Chen wrote in a memo to NBC News. 'The words I chose related to marriage between a man and a woman were meant to express my personal feelings about my own marriage to my wife not to suggest that I am opposed to marriage equality,' he said. 'I am an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and have been since I was young. I support gay marriage and I am proud that I can work for Grindr. I apologize that my words did not clearly convey these feelings,' Chen added. However, Chen's apology didn't stop Zumwalt from leaving the company. 'For those who remain, those who will continue to fight for our community from within, know I will be cheering you on from the sidelines,' Zumwalt said. 'Persist. Make your voices heard. And never compromise who you are for someone else. You are going to do great things, and I look forward to hearing about all of your successes,' he added. A Grindr spokesperson confirmed that Zumwalt resigned from the company. 'We wish him the best in his future endeavors and appreciate his contributions to the company and the Grindr community,' the spokesperson said. Gripping drone footage filmed the moment a great white shark came a little too close to surfers at Tamarama Beach in Sydney. Four sharks were spotted swimming near the popular beach in the city's eastern suburbs on Tuesday morning. Various videos, taken by owners of the app Drone Shark, show two grey nurse sharks, one hammerhead and one great white in close proximity to the beach. Another two nurse sharks were also spotted near the beach on Wednesday morning. Gripping drone footage filmed the moment a great white shark came a little too close to surfers at Tamarama Beach in Sydney Four sharks were spotted swimming near the popular beach in the city's eastern suburbs on Tuesday morning Drone Shark App has been designed for surfers and reports on surf conditions, shark spotting and provides users with drone footage. The company's founder, Jason Iggleden, told Daily Mail Australia sharks have been more active because of the calm conditions, overcast weather and lots of school of salmon. 'Sharks are early morning predators,' said Mr Iggleden, 'when the sun comes out they scoop out and disappear by 8am.' Surfers were fairly relaxed about the two grey nurse sharks hanging out nearby on Tuesday morning. But momentum switched when a great white shark came 'charging from nowhere at the baitball', according to the Drone Shark App. Grey nurse sharks are generally harmless to humans and will only bite if they feel threatened. More than 20 surfers were in the water but left as soon as the alarm was raised. The drone videos captured the larger predator swimming through a 'baitball', a school of fish formed by gathering tightly together in a ball-like formation. The drone videos captured the larger predator swimming through a 'baitball', a school of fish formed by gathering tightly together in a ball-like formation After hearing the news of the great white shark, the surfers quickly evacuated the water at Tamarama (pictured) On Tuesday morning, the drone shark app posted to their Instagram: 'Well here it is guys our first GREAT WHITE SHARK encounter spotted early this morning at Tamarama beach Sydney Australia. 'Lucky I had my eyes on the lookout and didnt get carried away with the 2 Grey nurse Sharks and the Hammerhead smacking the huge salmon bait Ball. 'Goes to show our system Drone Shark App works. Also thanks to the #bondilifeguards for their speedy appearance with the JetSki.' The great white shark footage was uploaded to Instagram on Tuesday, and it has already chalked up more than 6,000 views online and attracted 15,000 visitors to the start-ups website. Surf Life Saving Australia Top Tips for Beach Safety this Summer 1. Always swim between the red and yellow flags 2. Read the safety signs 3. Ask a lifeguard for safety advice 4. Swim with a friend 5. If you need help, stay calm and attract attention Advertisement 'There are skeptics saying there are shark nets out there but we don't need nets, they don't work and we don't want to kill things,' Mr Iggleden said. 'What about the carbon emissions of the helicopters and the cost of the choppers flying over the surf? Instead of taxpayers paying for the choppers to spot the sharks, the surfers can fund their own safety through our app.' Reed Plummer, a freelance photographer who runs the business Central Coast Drones, told Daily Mail Australia: 'With the water getting warmer leading into summer they [sharks] often come in close to shore to feast on schools of fish.' More than one third of shark attacks annually can be attributed to the great white shark which can weigh up to 3,000 kilograms. There have been 23 shark attacks in 2018 across Australia, a rise from the 18 in 2017, according to the Australian Shark Attack File, Taronga Conservation Society Australia. Aussies are advised to minimise their chances of encountering a shark at the beach by avoiding swimming at dawn and dusk, avoiding swimming at river mouths or in murky, discoloured waters and avoiding swimming in or around schools of baitfish. The great white shark footage was uploaded to Instagram on Tuesday, and it has already chalked up more than 6,000 views online More than one third of shark attacks annually can be attributed to the great white shark which can weigh up to 3,000 kilograms Three high-ranking senators asked a federal judge for leniency on behalf of a former Senate intelligence committee staffer who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, even as the government argues that the ex-staffer 'significantly endangered national security' by speaking with reporters. The letter from Democrats Mark Warner and Dianne Feinstein and Republican Richard Burr was included in a sentencing memorandum filed Tuesday by James Wolfe's attorneys. Wolfe was the longtime director of security for the committee - one of multiple congressional panels investigating potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign - and pleaded guilty in October to a single charge in the three-count indictment against him. Reporter's friend: James Wolfe had an affair with Ali Watkins (second right), now a New York Times reporter. He leaked to another journalist and was convicted of lying about it Leaker? Wolfe told a reporter in October 2017 that he had served someone with a subpoena involving the potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign Prosecutors said Wolfe told a reporter in October 2017 that he had served someone with a subpoena involving the potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign and later lied to FBI agents about the exchange. Their names weren't made public. After the reporter published a story about the subpoena, Wolfe congratulated them, saying in a message, 'I'm glad you got the scoop,' according to the indictment. Wolfe was not accused of leaking classified information. Prosecutors said Wolfe was in regular contact with several reporters who covered the committee, in violation of Senate rules. He also maintained a yearslong personal relationship with one reporter that he lied about until being confronted with a photograph of himself and the journalist. In court documents Tuesday, Wolfe's lawyers said he deeply regrets his actions and violating his marital vows and argued that he shouldn't serve any time behind bars. The senators expressed a similar sentiment in their letter to the judge. Security official: James Wolfe's role involved escorting witnesses including James Comey and Jared Kushner to Senate committee hearings 'Jim has already lost much through these events, to include his career and reputation, and we do not believe there is any public utility in depriving him of his freedom,' the senators wrote. Prosecutors, however, argued that Wolfe lied to agents so he wouldn't lose his job and, in doing so, 'caused significant disruption to a government function and significantly endangered the national security.' 'He abused that trust by using his position to cultivate relationships with reporters, employing encrypted communications, and offering to serve as a confidential source,' the prosecutors wrote. A refugee family has been awarded $100,000 of taxpayers money after a court ruled they were mistreated in detention. The asylum seeker family, who fled their native Iran in 2010 claiming to be in fear for their lives, sued the Commonwealth over mistreatment they suffered while living in a number of Australian detention facilities. Last week the New South Wales Supreme Court officially approved payments to two siblings now aged 16 and 11, with one amount confidential. A family once housed at the Christmas Island detention centre (pictured) have successfully sued the Commonwealth over perceived 'mistreatment' A family of refugees formally housed at the Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre (pictured) have successfully sued the Commonwealth over perceived 'misteatment' Their mother was given an additional $50,000. Court documents heard the payments followed 'traumatic experiences they suffered and witnessed in detention centres operated by the Commonwealth', SBS News reported. After their boat was intercepted by an Australian Border Protection vessel, the family lived on a Christmas Island detention centre. Next they were moved to the Asti Motel in the Northern Territory and finally the Inverbrackie Detention Centre in South Australia. The family felt the Commonwealth 'breached its duty of care' by 'failing to provide adequate medical assessments as well as care and treatment.' They also claimed they were 'exposed to numerous psychiatric triggers while in detention', notably detainees engaging in self-harm and suicide attempts.' The detention centre at Christmas Island (pictured) - a family of refugees from Iran has successfully sued the Commonwealth over perceived 'mistreatment' Lawyer Michael Inger said in all three detention facilities the common theme was 'an alleged failure to provide adequate treatment.' 'If they had access to extra medical attention, the outcome would have been a lot better from a psychological position,' he said. Daily Mail Australia understands the family have no plans to leave the country. Visitors have just over a week to see this art installation before it melts away Scandinavian artist Olafur Eliasson has placed 24 huge blocks of ice outside Londons Tate Modern to highlight the dangers of climate change. The blocks have been taken from the Nuup Kangerlua fjord in Greenland, where they were melting into the ocean after breaking off from the ice sheet. Each piece of ice was fished out of the sea and transported to the UK in fridge containers. Internationally acclaimed artist Olafur Eliasson, working in collaboration with leading geologist Minik Rosing, is displaying blocks of melting ice across two public sites in the centre of London to create a major artwork entitled Ice Watch - including at the Tate Modern (pictured) The blocks have been taken from the Nuup Kangerlua fjord in Greenland, where they were melting into the ocean after breaking off from the ice sheet Ice Watch is a collaboration with artist Minik Rosing and is set to be on display until December 20 as long as heavy rain doesnt speed up the melting process. Another six chunks of ice, each weighing between 1.5 and 6 tons, have been placed outside Bloombergs European headquarters in the City of London and the project is part-funded by its owner and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. Mr Bloomberg, a UN special envoy for climate action, said it highlights the urgency of climate change in a vivid and powerful way. Mr Eliasson, who launched the work to coincide with a climate change conference in Katowice, Poland, said he hoped it would inspire radical change. Each piece of ice was fished out of the sea and transported to the UK in fridge containers Radio star Ray Hadley's policeman son Daniel (left) has walked free from a cocaine possession charge after telling a court he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder Radio star Ray Hadley's policeman son has walked free from a cocaine possession charge after telling a court he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Daniel Hadley has also been suffering cocaine and alcohol use disorder and had been receiving treatment for each condition. The 29-year-old was accompanied by his father and four serving police officers when he appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday. The court heard Hadley junior was being treated for his mental health issues even before he was arrested with cocaine in a Sydney hotel car park. Magistrate Garry Still accepted Hadley was suffering from several work-related psychological problems and was undergoing treatment. Mr Still dismissed the charge of possessing cocaine under Section 32 of the Mental Health (Forensic Procedures) Act. Court papers revealed that on the night Hadley junior was arrested, police asked if he had purchased drugs. 'Yeah,' Hadley said. 'I've got a bit of a habit'. When asked how much he had paid for the cocaine Hadley said $200, according to the statement of facts. Daniel Hadley (pictured in uniform) has also been suffering cocaine and alcohol use disorder and had been receiving treatment for each condition 'The accused said it was not the first time he had cocaine and he had been using it since taking time off work. 'Police then began recording the location of the wallet which had been placed on the ground at this stage. 'The accused then became highly agitated and told police to stop recording. 'He said: "Seriously, take me off film. I'm telling ya take me off f***ing film".' Outside court Hadley's father said he did not realise his son had been suffering in silence until he was arrested. 'He's got to get on with his life as best he can,' Hadley said. 'It's been a very tough time. From the first media conference we gave the day after this occurred it's been a rollercoaster.' Asked about his son's future, Hadley said: 'Hopefull it's bright'. 'But if you read the psychiatrist's report, which I won't reveal... because it's a private matter between Daniel and his specialist, this is going to take a long time. Outside court Hadley's father said he did not realise his son had been suffering in silence until he was arrested 'He's not going to walk out of here today and say "you beauty, I got a Section 32, I'm better" because he's not better. He battles.' Hadley said the day after his son was arrested he and Daniel's chief inspector 'fell into each other's arms'. 'We both felt as if we didn't know what was going on in Dan's life and his boss was with him every day of his working life,' he said. 'I was with him every day of his life and neither of us knew about it and we felt embarrassed about it. 'We've reconciled the fact that Daniel was very good at hiding his position - very good at hiding. 'We had no idea that he was battling mentally with these issues and had been battling, according to his GP, for quite some time.' The same court had previously heard Daniel had been a repeat cocaine buyer who was targeted by internal affairs when arrested with a bag of the drug at a Sydney pub. The senior constable called himself 'Mick' when placing telephone orders for cocaine, according to a drug dealer's statement tendered to Parramatta Local Court. Details of Hadley's cocaine use emerged as dealer Shaquillie Sione Vaisiqine Laf Moubayed pleaded guilty in October to supplying him with the drug. The 22-year-old told police he had been in Baulkham Hills on Friday, August 3 when he received a call from a man he knew only as 'Mick'. He had previously supplied Mick with cocaine and the pair arranged to meet in the car park of the Australian Hotel and Brewery at Rouse Hill, in the city's north-west. That night officers from the professional standards command were waiting to pounce as part of an internal operation code-named Resnova. Dealer Shaquillie Sione Vaisiqine Laf Moubayed (pictured outside court on Wedneday) pleaded guilty in October to supplying Hadley with the drug Moubayed (left) told police he had been in Baulkham Hills on Friday, August 3 when he received a call from a man he knew only as 'Mick' 'Shortly after 8pm the subject officer, off-duty Senior Constable Daniel Hadley, left the hotel and walked through the car park towards a Honda sedan,' an agreed statement of facts said. 'Hadley entered the front passenger seat of the car which was being driven by the offender Shaquillie Moubayed. 'A few moments later Hadley got out of the car and walked back towards the hotel. The offender drove out of the car park.' Hadley split from his wife of two years Tahlee Anderson earlier this year According to the statement Hadley was arrested and found in possession of a resealable bag containing white powder. Tests by the Forensic and Analytical Science Service found 0.66 grams of cocaine with a purity of 60 per cent. While Hadley was being arrested other officers were following Moubayed, who was pulled over at the intersection of Old Windsor Road and Mile End Road at nearby Kellyville. Moubayed told police he was carrying cocaine in his left pocket. Officers searched him and found a small black bag which contained another plastic bag. Inside that container were nine resealable bags later found to hold 6.10 grams of cocaine with a 62.5 per cent purity. Police then found a black Telstra phone in the front door of Moubayed's car and a silver iPhone 6 in the centre console. Moubayed was taken to Riverstone police station where he made a number of admissions in a recorded interview. 'He had been in Baulkham Hills when he received a call from a guy he knows as 'Mick',' the statement of facts said. 'He had previously supplied 'Mick' as a customer.' 'He's got to get on with his life as best he can,' Ray Hadley said outside court on Wednesday Daniel (pictured left as a young boy) is the eldest child from Ray Hadley's first marriage The former Flemington markets worker told police he had sold Hadley - or 'Mick' - one bag of cocaine that night but could not remember if the policeman paid $200 or $250. The other cash in Moubayed's possession when he was arrested had come from previous deals. Moubayed admitted the Telstra phone was for drug dealing and that there were messages on it from other customers wanting to 'get on' in the Hills district. He told police he was unemployed and was selling cocaine to support himself and his mother. Moubayed, from Seven Hills, pleaded guilty to supplying a prohibited drug. A cocaine possession charge was withdrawn and an offence of having goods in custody - related to the $500 found by police - will be taken into account upon sentencing. Hadley was admitted to a mental health clinic after his arrest and his treatment is ongoing. Hadley's charge was dismissed under Section 32 of the Mental Health (Forensic Procedures) Act Ray Hadley fought back tears as he spoke to the media during a press conference about his son's arrest in August In recent months he had reportedly been suffering from a dislocated knee and was awaiting a hernia operation. Police revealed in September that Hadley had resigned from the force. Hadley, who split from his wife of two years Tahlee Anderson earlier this year, had not previously appeared in court when his case was mentioned. The day after his arrest his father tearfully admitted during a press conference to feeling 'inadequate' as a parent for failing to notice his son's mental health problems. 'When I was first told I was angry and perplexed,' the 2GB broadcaster said. 'I had no idea my son, a respected police officer, would be involved in such a matter. 'I brought Daniel back to my home and my anger turned to shock and sadness. 'My son revealed to me he's been having mental health issues,' he said. 'When I was first told I was angry and perplexed,' the 2GB broadcaster (pictured on Wednesday) said previously Hadley junior (pictured right) had been a policeman for six years and was previously a plumber 'I'm not a medical professional and I won't guess the nature of his illness but I will tell you it's very serious and his family - me, his mum, sisters, aunts and uncles - are very concerned.' Hadley junior, who had been a policeman for six years and was previously a plumber, is the former auctioneer and taxi driver's eldest child from his first marriage. 'Daniel accepts responsibility for his behaviour but unfortunately is not in control of his mental health,' his father said. 'I now know how many parents feel when they think things are OK when they're not. 'This is going to be a long, slow process for my son, I love him dearly. 'I wish to God he'd come to me before this morning to tell me what he was battling,' he said. President Donald Trump has said he would consider intervening in the case of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou if it would benefit international relations and help the US secure a trade deal with China. Wanzhou was granted a bail of C$10million (US$7.4million) by a Canadian judge on Tuesday evening. She was arrested in Vancouver earlier this month and has been awaiting a hearing on extradition to the US. After the news of the 46-year-old's release broke, the president 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. President Donald Trump (left) has said he would consider intervening in the case of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou (right) if it would help the US secure a trade deal with China. A Canadian judge granted $7.4million bail to Wanzhou, 46, on Tuesday in court in British Columbia. She was arrested December 1 and faces US accusations that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions Wanzhou faces US accusations that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. Justice William Ehrcke at a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday granted bail to Meng, on the condition that she agree to wear an ankle monitor, to surrender her passports and to stay in Vancouver. The courtroom erupted in applause when the judge granted bail. Wanzhou began crying and hugged her lawyers, before being ordered back into the prisoner box for more directions from the judge. She was ordered to reappear in court on February 6. 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 Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a 'timely resolution' of the case. 'We have every confidence that the Canadian and US legal systems will reach a just conclusion,' it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Wanzhou immediately. A Canadian citizen has been detained in China, Canada said on Tuesday. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case, but analysts had predicted retaliation from Beijing. Two sources told Reuters the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: 'In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message they will send you a message.' Wanzhou was detained as part of a US investigation on December 1 as she was changing planes in Vancouver. The arrest has roiled markets over fears it will exacerbate US-China tensions in trade negotiations that both sides have agreed must be concluded by March 1. The US State Department is considering a travel advisory for China, two sources said on Tuesday. The home of Carl Williams' dead dad George was paid for by drug money the crook had laundered through a dodgy contact at the TAB. A police statement obtained by Daily Mail Australia reveals a trusted friend of Carl - turned police snitch by the female barrister known as Informer 3838 - told police the Primrose Street property in Essendon was dirty as sin. The friend, who can only be called Witness B after being placed in protective custody, told police in 2006 the Williams clan had being buying up the street with the proceeds of crime. 'This land and these two units were bought with drug money,' Witness B stated. Roberta and daugter Dhakota arrive at the Supreme Court of Victoria on Wednesday The Primrose Street property Witness B claims was paid for with drug money Gangland killer Carl Williams (left) and his dad leave the County Court in 2004 Roberta Williams, dressed in striped, convict-style pants, appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Wednesday alongside her Louis Vuitton-bag-toting daughter Dhakota in a last ditch effort to retain the former Primrose Street home, which was seized and is set to be sold off by the Australian Tax Office. In an signed affidavit presented to the court, the gangland widow revealed she was homeless and had resorted to couch surfing with her daughter. But her day ended without a decision, and saw her stranded outside the court after the BMW she was driving got towed because she was parked in a 'tow away zone after 4pm'. Roberta has been embroiled in a bitter legal dispute with the Australian Taxation Office over the estate of her father-in-law, who died in 2016 owing more than $576,000 in unpaid taxes. That tax debt is expected to blow out to more than a $1 million as the legal battle continues. The fight centred on who should take control of the home after George left it to his under-age granddaughter, Dhakota, in his will. Roberta believes she is a chance to take back the home following revelations Carl's former lawyer was the notorious Informer 3838, who gave information to police about her underworld clients and sparked a royal commission in Victoria. The court heard Roberta and Dhakota were both 'couch surfing The three-bedroom house, understood to be worth about $750,000, is set to be auctioned on Saturday. The car Roberta Williams and daughter Dhakota arrived at court in is towed away Carl Williams moments before he was murdered in jail by Matthew Johnson in 2010 Witness B said George and Carl had previously bought property off jailed drug lord Tony Mokbel 'with drugs and chemicals'. He claimed Carl's mum Barbara lived in one of the units on Primrose Street before the Roberta bought another property two doors down. HOW CARL'S DAD USED THE TAB TO CLEAN DRUG MONEY George Williams used a dodgy attendant at his local TAB to clean drug money. He would leave 'bags of cash' with the attendant who would pay out winning punters with it . The winning tickets were then handed back to George, who cashed them as legitimate winning cheques 'The money was then clean,' Witness B said. Advertisement 'The house was a skeleton, in that it had been (gutted). The house was bought at auction. George Williams asked me to bid for it as he knew I would stop bidding at the price we agreed on, where as Roberta would have kept going,' he said. Witness B said he would often 'wash money' for George and in return provide him with cheques. The snitch believed George and Carl would have made between $10 and $15 million 'if not more' from dealing drugs. 'There is at least $500,000 in jewellery. Carl has only worked for two days pushing a wheelbarrow. After two days Carl told the bloke to get stuffed,' Witness B stated. 'The only income Carl has ever had has been from drugs. Both George and Carl William are together in business.' The snitch went on to claim while George was a 'tight a**e', Carl 'spends it easily'. One such method used by George saw him use a dodgy attendant at his local TAB outlet. Witness B said George would leave bag loads of his drug cash with the attendant, who would then pay out legitimate winners using George's cash. Carl Williams and then wife Roberta in March 2003 'When a winning ticket was produced, the winnings would be pad from the Williams's pool. The winning ticket would then be handed to George Williams to make a legitimate entry at a TAB later,' he said. George would then lob into a TAB with two or three winning tickets and claim a cheque. 'The money was then clean,' Witness B said. Carl Williams was murdered in jail in 2010 while serving a 35 year sentence over three gangland murders. In court on Wednesday, barristers acting for the tax office said it was nothing but speculation that Informer 3838 had anything to do with George's plea to drug charges or deal with police. George pleaded guilty to trafficking meth in 2007 and was subsequently jailed. The court heard the Williams family would need to prove the ATO had committed fraud to have the decision overturned. Carolyn Symons, for the Williams clan, suggested it would be 'embarrassing' to allege fraud at this stage. 'I just don't have that evidence at the moment,' she said. The car Roberta Williams drove to court in on Wednesday is loaded onto a tow truck and taken away Justice Steven Moore said the court would not impose an injunction on the sale of the property based on speculation. Ms Symons urged the court to wait for the conclusion of the royal commission before allowing the tax office to sell the property. 'We just don't know the true nature of (informer 3838's) conduct,' Ms Symons said. The court heard the delay in proceedings would likely blow out the cost of the tax bill to more than George's Broadmeadows and Essendon properties combined. George's widow Kathleen Bourke continues to live in the Broadmeadows home and has opposed the proposed delay in the sale. James McKay, for the tax office, said the Williams's had no basis 'whatsoever' to delay the sale and claimed Roberta had no way to pay for the interest being incurred on the tax debt. Justice Moore reserved his decision until Friday. Australians will be able to pick up a dozen delicious original glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts for just $12 on Wednesday - but the offer won't last long. The 'Day of the Dozen' deal is only offered on December 12 and is redeemable at all Krispy Kreme retail stores in NSW, QLD, VIC, and WA while stocks last. A Krispy Kreme spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the offer allows the American chain to treat customers in the lead up to Christmas. Australians will be able to pick up a dozen delicious Krispy Kreme doughnuts for just $12 on Wednesday - but the offer won't last long 'It's a day we kind of have a bit of fun with where we bring smiles to people's faces,' the spokesperson said. 'With Christmas and the holidays coming up this is a great value and a good discount to have some fun at the end of the year. 'With 12/12 for $12 it's too much not to take the opportunity to have fun,' he said. Almost all products sold at Krispy Kreme are bought in dozens and to share. 'We're very happy that we can add to that sharing occasion.' The iconic original glazed doughnut was created in 1937 in Winston-Sale, North Carolina, and has since made it's way to down under - and across the world. An Adelaide private school English teacher who admitted to having a sexual relationship with one of her students has been jailed for more than two years. Sonia Mackay, 43, faced the District Court for sentence on Wednesday after pleading guilty to the persistent sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old boy. In sentencing, Judge Liesl Chapman said Mackay struck up a sexual relationship with a student in her English class. Scroll down for video Sonia Mackay, 43, (pictured right) faced the District Court for sentence on Wednesday after pleading guilty to the persistent sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old boy The family of Sonia Mackay pictured leave the District court in Adelaide after her conviction on Wednesday Over the course of a month, the pair also drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes and cannabis together, and Mackay bought the boy presents and a nose piercing. The boy's parents became suspicious and approached the school principal, who reported the matter to police. When confronted by his mother, the victim admitted the sexual relationship and said he was in love with Mackay. Judge Chapman said it was clear Mackay's crimes had devastated the victim and his family. 'Your behaviour was manipulative and unforgivable,' she told Mackay. 'You seem to have lost touch with reality and were living in some sort of fantasy land.' Judge Chapman sentenced Mackay to four years, fives months in jail with a non-parole period of two years, one month. In sentencing, Judge Liesl Chapman said Mackay struck up a sexual relationship with a student in her English class In a victim impact statement read to the court during the trial, the boy said he was an 'above-average student' who dreamed of becoming a dentist before he began receiving personal attention from Mackay. 'Over the following months, we spent more and more time talking and texting and I lost all focus on my studies,' he said. 'A life of sex and alcohol with Sonia Mackay was more appealing than reading a book and writing assignments.' He said he withdrew from friends and family in fear of being caught and, when the relationship was discovered, he felt ashamed and embarrassed. The boy said he had been left with emotional, financial and physical impacts of Mackay's crime, including painful scars where she burnt his flesh with a cigarette Judge Chapman sentenced Mackay (pictured left) to four years, fives months in jail with a non-parole period of two years, one month Mackay's family were present to hear her being sentenced to at least two years jail after pleading guilty to being in a sexual relationship with one of her 17 year old students 'These scars were inflicted as a way of marking me and showing that I belong to her,' he said. The boy's mother told the court Mackay had called her and asked for his phone number under the guise of helping him with his school work. She said she became worried when her son stopped coming home for days at a time. 'I had no idea where he was sleeping, who he was with, was he safe or worse,' she said. 'When he attempted to come home she bought him expensive underwear and gifts so he had no excuse but to stay with her.' Mackay will be eligible for parole in early 2021. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince despite a CIA assessment that he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and pleas from U.S. senators for Trump to condemn the kingdom's de facto ruler. Trump refused to comment on whether Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the murder, but he provided perhaps his most explicit show of support for the prince since Khashoggi's death more than two months ago. 'He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally,' Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office. Asked by Reuters if standing by the kingdom meant standing by the prince, known as MbS, Trump responded: 'Well, at this moment, it certainly does.' Some members of Saudi Arabia's ruling family are agitating to prevent MbS from becoming king, sources close to the royal court have told Reuters, and believe that the United States and Trump could play a determining role. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince. Trump is seen in March 2018 meeting with bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh on October 23, 2018. for the prince since Khashoggi's death more than two months ago. Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office: 'He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally' 'I just haven't heard that,' Trump said. 'Honestly, I can't comment on it because I had not heard that at all. In fact, if anything, I've heard that he's very strongly in power.' While Trump has condemned the murder of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist who was often critical of MbS, he has given the benefit of the doubt to the prince with whom he has cultivated a deep relationship. Trump again reiterated on Tuesday that the 'crown prince vehemently denies' involvement in a killing that has sparked outrage around the world. Trump has come under fierce criticism from fellow Republicans in the Senate over the issue, particularly after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed them. Last month, the CIA assessed that MbS ordered the killing, which Trump called 'very premature.' A file photo dated May 6, 2018 shows Prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in October after a brawl inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Saudi Arabia announced '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,' Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, said last week. Graham and other senators who have supported the U.S.-Saudi alliance over the years have said that Trump should impose more sanctions after a first round targeted 17 Saudis for their alleged role in the killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. As the Senate considers this week a joint resolution condemning the crown prince for the killing, something that the president would have to sign or veto if passed by Congress, Trump said he would meet with senators. Trump said he hoped senators would not propose stopping arms sales to the Saudis, deals he has doggedly fought to save ever since the gruesome details of Khashoggi's murder were leaked by Turkey. Trump sits for an exclusive interview with Reuters journalists in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on December 11, 2018 Trump speaks with Reuters journalists Roberta Rampton, Jeff Mason and Steve Holland as White House Communications Director Bill Shine (R) looks on in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on December 11, 2018 'And I really hope that people aren't going to suggest that we should not take hundreds of billions of dollars that they're going to siphon off to Russia and to China,' Trump said. Trump said he could abide by legislation ending U.S. support for the Saudi-led war effort in Yemen, a proxy war with regional rival Iran that has led to a deepening humanitarian disaster. 'Well, I'm much more open to Yemen because frankly, I hate to see what's going on in Yemen,' Trump said. 'But it takes two to tango. I'd want to see Iran pull out of Yemen too. Because - and I think they will.' An Aboriginal father is facing deportation back to New Zealand having spent time in jail for domestic violence in Australia. Brendan Thoms, 38, was detained at an immigration facility in September and had his residency visa cancelled. Thoms had served part of an 18-month jail sentence for a domestic violence attack and has further convictions dating back more than a decade. He now faces deportation back to New Zealand by the Federal Government. Brendan Thoms (pictured), 38, was detained at an immigration facility in September and had his residency visa cancelled Born to an Australian mother and New Zealand father, Thoms moved to Australia at the age of seven but never obtained citizenship, the ABC reports. However, his mother Jenny Thoms has a certificate confirming their descent from the Gunggarri people of south-west Queensland. The family and their lawyer have accused the Federal Government of 'wrongful imprisonment' and have filed a High Court writ seeking his release. Thoms had served part of an 18 months jail sentence for a domestic violence attack and has further convictions dating back more than a decade The family and their lawyer have accused the Federal Government of 'wrongful imprisonment' and have filed a High Court writ seeking his release Solicitor Rod Hodgson, acting on behalf of the family, said Thoms' removal 'doesn't stack up'. 'He's been on the wrong side of the law, done the crime, done the time, but now is facing a second lot of punishment being deported back to New Zealand, a place where he has no links,' he said. Lawyers on both sides of the case have said they will press for a legal practise whereby 'members of the Aboriginal race of Australia' cannot be treated as 'alien' under the constitution. Thoms has a young son and Ms Thoms said her main concern is that they won't be able to see each other. His mother Jenny Thoms (left) has a certificate confirming their descent from the Gunggarri people of south-west Queensland, and is concerned he won't see his son if he is deported 'We're all pretty horrified at the thought of it, horrified from the day we learned that he was going to be detained,' she said. Thoms' residency visa was cancelled under the character test of the Migration Act 1958. People who allegedly 'failed' this character test now account for a third of the 1,300 people in immigration detention. The immigration minister has the power to revoke the decision. An Irish woman who was in a volatile relationship involving aggression on both sides has been jailed for at least five years for stabbing her fiance to death in Sydney. Cathrina 'Tina' Cahill, 27, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Walsh, 29, who she stabbed once in the neck in the early hours of February 18, 2017, at the Padstow home they shared with two other Irish nationals in Sydney's south-west. She was originally charged with murder, but her manslaughter plea was based on substantial impairment due to an abnormality of the mind. Cathrina 'Tina' Cahill, 27, (pictured in October) was jailed for at least five years on Wednesday In the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday, Justice Peter Johnson jailed her for eight years with a non-parole period of five years. 'I am satisfied the psychiatric evidence supports the existence of significant depression on the part of the offender at the time of the killing which arose from the unusual and abusive relationship with Mr Walsh,' Justice Johnson said. Her earliest release date will be in February 2022 when she is expected to be deported to Ireland. Mr Walsh's death was just five weeks after Cahill accepted his marriage proposal on New Years Eve in 2016. Days before his violent death on February 17, 2017, Mr Walsh gifted Cahill flowers for Valentine's Day with the attached message reading: 'I know I can be a c***, but I can be a good c***'. The fatal attack occurred when an intoxicated Mr Walsh launched an unprovoked attack on Mathew Hyde, who had been invited into the home by Cahill and the two other female housemates after they met him at the pub. In handing down his sentencing on Wednesday, the judge observed that Cathrina Cahill's proposed marriage to Walsh (left) was 'doomed to fail' Cahill, who also had been drinking, tried to stop the attack, before she took out a 'large, very sharp' knife from the cutlery drawer and stabbed him. Another housemate had repeatedly told her to put the knife back, but Cahill said: 'No, he needs to be taught a lesson, it's not fair, look at poor Mathew'. At the time, she was on a good behaviour bond and the subject of an apprehended violence order issued to protect Mr Walsh, after she was convicted of recklessly wounding him with a glass candle holder in 2015. Cahill (left) pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Walsh (right) in 2017, just five weeks after he proposed to on New Years Eve in 2016 Prosecutors noted in court last month that Cahill told police in September 2015, after an AVO was issued against Mr Walsh to protect her, that she held no fears against him. She agreed with Justice Johnson that her evidence revealed they had a 'pretty stormy relationship' and that Mr Walsh might be seen to be a 'controlling and fairly unpleasant person'. Cahill gave evidence about his repeated violence, including punching strangers and biting her all over her body, his accusations of her sleeping with other men and his deleting texts from her phone. But she said she stayed with him as 'I loved him very dearly' and he did have some good features. Rita and Daniel Cahill leave court after their daughter was jailed for at least five years 'I was in fear of getting in more trouble from David if I told the truth,' Cahill told the court. He would be making me dinner, buying me flowers, buying me a teddy bear but after two to three weeks it would go back to the way it was.' The judge accepted her account of Mr Walsh's controlling and demeaning conduct, observing their marriage was 'doomed to fail'. Cahill's parents Daniel and Rita flew from Ireland to hear the verdict on Wednesday, where they sat in the second row from the front in the public gallery and listened intently, news.com.au reported. Cahill's father Daniel told the court last month his daughter was a 'brilliant' person who was 'never' violent or aggressive and that he would have taken her home to Ireland if he had any knowledge she was in an abusive relationship. Father of four David Walsh (pictured) was killed by his fiancee at their Sydney home in 2017 During an earlier hearing, the court heard from Mr Walsh's ex-girlfriend and the mother of three of his four children. In an impassioned victim impact statement, Caroline O'Brien wrote how Cahill's diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder was offensive to Mr Walsh's bereaved family. 'To say you have PTSD is a joke, you are a joke,' she wrote in the statement read to the New South Wales Supreme Court. 'Murder is murder to us and that will always be your title.' 'Everybody Loves Raymond' actress Patricia Heaton suggested that actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise should have been considered for TIME's 2018 Person of the Year in a Monday night tweet that's gone viral. Just after TIME announced its shortlist for the distinction Monday night, Heaton tweeted: 'Hey @TIME, why isnt @GarySinise ever on the Person of the Year list? Hey @TheAcademy, why isnt he ever picked for the #jeanhersholt humanitarian award? He raises $30M a year to build homes for wounded vets along with his #goldstarfamily support. Retweet!' In just over 24 hours the informal nomination was liked and retweeted more than 63,000 times as fans enthusiastically expressed their agreement. Over the weekend Sinise's foundation continued its annual Snowball Express tradition by sponsoring a five-day Disney World trip for more than 1,000 Gold Star families - those who lost a loved one while serving in the military. 'Everybody Loves Raymond' actress Patricia Heaton (left) called for actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise (right) to be considered for TIME Person of the Year in a tweet on Monday night In just over 24 hours, Heaton's informal nomination was liked and retweeted more than 63,000 times on Twitter as fans enthusiastically expressed their agreement Heaton's tweet was in response to one from Sinise that showed the Gold Star families onboard their flight at the start of the Disney World excursion. Hundreds replied in agreement to Heaton's message about the award-winning actor best known for his roles as Lt Dan in 'Forrest Gump' and George Milton in 'Of Mice and Men'. One user wrote: 'Could not agree more! I had the great honor to see 1st hand a small part of this event & was moved beyond belief! What @GarySinise is doing for these families is above and beyond! Not a dry eye in the house! Thank you Mr. Sinise!' 'Preach it sista!' another responded to Heaton. 'Cant think of a more deserving person than @GarySinise. His commitment to the troops and their families is unmatched. Nothing but Respect!' yet another wrote. '1000 times yes! Gary Sinise Foundation is doing more for our veterans and their families (at times) than our own govt!' one reply read. Sinise's humanitarian work was praised by another fellow actor, James Woods, on Tuesday. 'Gary is one of the very finest civilian Americans out there,' Woods wrote in a tweet. The 63-year-old actor founded the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2011 - a nonprofit committed to providing support to veterans, first responders and their families. Over the weekend Sinise's foundation continued its tradition of sponsoring a five-day Disney World trip for 1,000 Gold Star families - those who lost a loved one while serving in the military Sinise is pictured meeting with one of the family members on Saturday during a send-off at Los Angeles International Airport Many fans claimed that the reason Sinise has not gotten more recognition is because he's not left-leaning like most of Hollywood. One Twitter user wrote that he wasn't considered for TIME's Person of the Year 'because he is not a leftist kook'. Another wrote: 'They choose liberal activist (sic) and politicians instead of people like Gary Sinise who are doing positive things for people. If they do select a conservative, it for a negative reason. Sadly, this is where our country is going. Our youth are being indoctrinated on liberal ideology.' However, many people still pointed out that Sinise has been honored for his charity work in the past, having been named an honorary chief petty officer by the Navy in 2012 for the millions of dollars he's raised for charities supporting the troops. Several of the hundreds of Twitter responses to Heaton's Monday night tweet are shown above TIME ultimately awarded the title to slain Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and other 'guardians' involved in the 'War on Truth'. Those guardians include the staff of 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. 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 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. TIME ultimately awarded the title to slain Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi (pictured) and other 'guardians' involved in the 'War on Truth' 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 Philippine journalist Maria Ressa has been threatened with prison and closure of the news site she co-founded but she's fighting back These are the two British pensioners accused of trying to smuggle 2million worth of cocaine into Europe on a cruise liner, it can be revealed. Susan and Roger Clarke, 70 and 72, were arrested on December 4 after Portuguese plain-clothes officers boarded the MS Marco Polo as it docked at Lisbon. Both have criminal records in the UK, it was reported yesterday. But now live in Guardamar del Segura, Spain according to Ms Clarke's Facebook account. Detectives discovered nine kilos of cocaine hidden inside four suitcases in their cabin. Susan and Roger Clarke, 70 and 72, were arrested on December 4 after Portuguese plain-clothes officers boarded the MS Marco Polo as it docked at Lisbon The couple now live in Guardamar del Segura, Spain according to Ms Clarke's Facebook account The elderly pair were jailed after police seized four suitcases full of cocaine from their cabin. Pictured: Cruise liner MS Marco Polo in the harbour of Eidfjord 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. Sources told The Sun that officers are investigating the possibility the couple were delivering for a gang. The source said: 'The possibility this couple were working for a Costa del Sol-based British drugs gang and accomplices in the UK is being actively investigated. 'They havent said a word yet, even to insist theyre innocent and claim the drugs were planted in their suitcases.' 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 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 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.' The father of Kathleen Folbigg's slain children has refused to provide DNA evidence to a lawyer ahead of an inquiry that will examine NSW's worst case of serial filicide. Volumes of medical and forensic evidence are being gathered ahead of the 2019 inquiry which will examine whether four of the Folbigg children were killed by their mother in the decade from 1989 in the NSW Hunter Valley or potentially died of natural causes. At the final directions hearing on Wednesday, former NSW District Court chief judge Reginald Blanch - who's heading the inquiry - said Craig Folbigg had refused to provide a DNA sample when approached by his former wife's lawyer. Craig Folbigg (pictured) has refused to provide a DNA sample to a lawyer as an inquiry into the deaths of his four daughters continues Ms Folbigg (pictured) has supplied a DNA sample from prison Mr Folbigg filed a complaint with the Law Society of NSW about being contacted by his ex-partner's legal team. There's no suggestion he's not co-operating with the inquiry. Folbigg herself has supplied a DNA sample from Silverwater Correctional Complex where she is serving a 25-year sentence for killing her children Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura - who all died aged between 19 days and 19 months. She was jailed in 2003 but the NSW government in August this year agreed to a judicial review of her convictions. Her legal team has suggested "damning inferences" drawn from Folbigg's own diary entries may be upended if new medical evidence suggests the children could have died from natural causes. Their four children Caleb (top left), Patrick (top right), Laura (bottom left) and Sarah (bottom right) all died in the decade from 1989 Mr Blanch on Wednesday noted new medical evidence could be provided to the inquiry which "leads to the exculpation of Ms Folbigg". The convicted killer is considering whether she will face the inquiry to give evidence herself. She's expected to notify her lawyers by late next week of her decision. Counsel assisting Gail Furness SC on Wednesday suggested there could be three weeks of scientific and medical hearings before Ms Folbigg potentially gave evidence. Hearings will begin in the first week of March and the inquiry is expected to run for six to 12 months. The married father of twin babies who allegedly kidnapped a little girl from a Kmart store and took her into bushland to sexually abuse her has been identified. Sterling Free, a 26-year-old furniture store worker, from Morayfield north of Brisbane, was arrested on Monday after he allegedly lured a seven-year-old girl away from her mother at Westfield North Lakes two days earlier, and drove her to a bush area more than 30km away. The terrified child was then driven back to the shopping centre and released, then taken for medical treatment. Married father Sterling Free, 26, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with taking the girl from a Westfield shopping centre in North Lakes, north of Brisbane Her alleged attacker was charged with taking a child for immoral purposes, deprivation of liberty and indecent treatment of a child. The man's identity cannot be revealed after a Queensland magistrate decided on Wednesday that it was in the interests of 'fair justice' to continue a suppression order on his name. However, his name and details about his family have been widely circulated on social media. Magistrate Trevor Morgan said he did not want the accused man 'to be lynched' on social media and in the court of public opinion. 'I entirely support the position taken by the police in not disclosing more information. Less information would have been more helpful,' Mr Morgan said. 'What I need to bear in mind is the public's behaviour,' he said. The man did not apply for bail, which was formally refused. He will remain in custody until his next court date in February next year. The furniture worker allegedly drove the girl to bushland in Pumicestone Passage before sexually assaulting her 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 Outside the court, a man wearing a tshirt with 'paedophile execution squad' written across the back of it said he was there in support of the child victim. Daily Mail Australia can reveal the accused attacker is known to child protection services in QLD and has previously been investigated by police for alleged attacks involving children. Until his arrest, the man was working at a Fantastic Furniture store, and had previously worked at Australia Zoo in the catering section. At the furniture store on Wednesday, the manager said he was 'unable to comment' on the staff member's charges. On the man's Facebook page, people commented and threatened him with death and 'hoped he would die painfully'. 'I'll be praying to god that you get raped and tortured and then murdered after you've suffered,' one wrote. Outside the court, a man said he was there in support of the child victim 'I want to make sure there is proper justice,' the man said outside court on Wednesday He wore a tshirt with 'paedophile execution squad' written across the back of it Another said they hoped he would be violently raped in prison: 'You deserve to die a slow and painful death you scumbag'. 'Sooner or later someone will inflict some justice on you and I hope they finish the job slow and painfully c**t,' a third said. 'You're sick in the f**king head, I hope you rot in hell!! Every dog has their day and yours is coming.' Some commenters were not content to have the alleged rapist murdered by others, and wanted to do the job themselves. 'If I ever see your face walking these street, I promise you I will cut your throat from ear to ear you weak pedophile dog. You're as good as dead you grub,' one said. 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 The man's charges were mentioned at Pine Rivers Magistrate Court on Tuesday but the hearing was closed to the media Another said: 'You need your fucking throat slit from ear to ear... hope I see you round town ya f**king dog.' Other angry users felt death was too good for him, and he should be made to suffer like his alleged child victim. 'He doesn't deserve to die. That's too easy. Hope he lives a life of misery, just like the little girl. She will never be the same,' one said. 'You don't deserve the privilege of death. You deserve to suffer unimaginable pain and torture for every waking moment of the rest of your putrid life, just like that poor little girl and her family have to.' A Muslim engineer with a shocking history of violence against his first wife has admitted to choking his second bride with an electrical cord. Houssein Hawli, from Glenroy in Melbourne's north, once told his second wife that he would break her back so she could never play with her son again. The court heard how Hawli, 44, had been jailed in 2011 for 22 months after he bashed his first wife with a pair of high heels and whipped her legs with cabling, Fairfax reported. When the now 44-year-old was released from prison, he flew to Lebanon where he met his second wife, who was subjected to horrific attacks soon after they returned to Australia. When the now 44-year-old was released from jail, he flew to Lebanon where he met his second wife (right) Hawli faced the County Court of Victoria on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to four assaults between June 2015 and May 2016, and to breaching multiple apprehended violence orders Hawli faced the County Court of Victoria on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to four assaults between June 2015 and May 2016, and to breaching multiple apprehended violence orders. According to Fairfax, Hawli showed little emotion during his guilty plea. Hawli confessed to repeatedly bashing his second bride with a metal object back in April 2016, when Centrelink refused her application for welfare. The following month, Hawli forced his wife into his black BMW and threatened to burn the car so they would both die. 'I swear by Allah's name I will burn the damn car and we will die today,' he said. Despite taking her to hospital for her injuries, Hawli lied to staff and said his wife had been abducted and attacked by strangers. Hawli also dragged her into the shower before violently whipping her with an electrical cord. This is the second time Hawli had faced serious family charges, following his sentencing to a minimum of 22 months in jail, in 2011 for assaulting his first wife Hawli holds a degree in aeronautical engineering and would occasionally post photos of his Lamborghini to social media. The court heard how Hawli's relationship with his second wife started to deteriorate in 2014. She is now suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, depression and chronic physical pain from the assaults. Hawli's plea hearing is to be continued in March with his defence barrister to bring forward more evidence about his mental condition. A Michigan restaurant is changing the name of their famous 'Crack Fries' to a title that's less offensive. Hopcat, a popular chain based in Ann Arbor, announced on Tuesday it would rename their Crack Fries citing that the drug epidemic is no laughing matter, while assuring customers the award-winning recipe would remain the same. 'We chose the name more than 11 years ago as a reference to the addictive quality of the fries and their cracked pepper seasoning, without consideration for those the drug negatively affected. We were wrong,' the chain said in a statement on Tuesday. 'The crack epidemic and the lasting impact on those it affects is not funny and never was,' the chain added. Michigan restaurant chain Hopcat announced on Tuesday it will change the name of their famous Crack Fries after creating the dish 11 years ago, to be more considerate of victims of the drug epidemic In a statement on Tuesday the company said: 'The crack epidemic and the lasting impact on those it affects is not funny and never was' The restaurant chain explained that the name change will be a part of a company-wide menu reprint to take effect in mid-January and is a move to better support the community. 'Our vision for creating an inclusive company that supports our communities, shows love for our team and best serves our guests is not compatible with the continued use of the Crack Fries name,' the chain said. Hopcat also thanked community members who flagged the controversial nature of the Crack Fries name. 'We want to thank our guests, employees and community members who have helped us come to this realization and apologize for the pain the name brought to others,' the company statement said. Hopcat (logo above) first opened in Grand Rapids in 2008 and has 17 locations throughout Michigan 'We are grateful for the support weve received over the years and your love of our fries. While we know it will take time to get used to this change, we are confident in our decision. It is not only the right thing to do, it reflects who we are,' the statement closed. The fries were honored by Food Network as among America's 10 Best French Fries, according to Madison.com. The Crack Fries are so popular for the Michigan chain that the restaurant hods an annual fries eating contest to celebrate. Hopcat first opened in Grand Rapids in 2008 and has 17 locations throughout Michigan. The home of the former chief-of-staff to NAB CEO Andrew Thorburn has been raided by police. Fraud squad detectives swooped on the residence of Rosemary Rogers in Williamstown, Melbourne's south-west, on Wednesday morning. A number of items were sized by police, including a large volume of files and computers, The Australian reported. The police raid was part of a bribery investigation, involving detectives from both Victoria and New South Wales, following on from the banking royal commission. The home of Rosemary Rogers, the former chief of staff to NAB CEO Andrew Thorburn (pictured), has been raided by police. Mr Thorburn is not under investigation Ms Rogers is under investigation over services provided by The Human Group, a corporate services company, to NAB over a 10-year period. The fraud squad investigation is looking at alleged kickbacks paid by The Human Group to NAB staff to win inflated contracts from the bank. The investigation is probing luxury trips attended by bank executives. No charges have been laid against Ms Rogers. Mr Thorburn is not being investigated by police and neither Ms Rogers nor he are suspected of wrongdoing. Ms Rogers no longer works at NAB and the New South Wales Crime Commission instructed the bank to freeze her accounts last week. An Australian doctor was forced to survive on rainwater and rationed snacks for two days while she was stranded inside a cave. Katherine Comparti, 33, from Western Australia, had been exploring the dark cave on the south coast of Christmas Island on Saturday morning when she became confused. After losing her bearings, Dr Comparti struggled to find the exit, and decided to stay put and await rescue. Katherine Comparti (pictured), from Western Australia, had been exploring the dark cave on Christmas Island on Saturday morning when she became confused The alarm was raised by Dr Comparti's parents who became concerned after she failed to contact them. Australian Federal Police sergeant Richard Gough said they started searching for Dr Comparti on Sunday after her family said they couldn't reach her after Friday evening. Police called rental car companies, accommodation providers and the dive operators she had been using in an attempt to find her. Thankfully Dr Comparti was found after another tourists saw the police appeal Facebook. The tourist told officers they had seen the doctor's abandoned vehicle on a track in the national park. Police located the vehicle and recovered Dr Comparti's mobile phone - but were forced to abandon their search until the next day because they were losing the light. Luckily, Dr Comparti's family were able to guess her whereabouts after gaining access to her Google history which revealed where she planned to go. She was eventually rescued on Monday morning having suffered only minor injuries. Christmas Island is an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, lying south of Java, Indonesia Dr Comparti revealed that she was able to survive on the limited food she had brought with her and rainwater. 'I pretty much just bunkered down and tried to stay calm until the lovely community of Christmas Island rallied around and set off the alert,' she told ABC. 'There was not a lot to do. I had a bit of food that I was still rationing and was trying to keep an eye on my watch, which glows in the dark.' Sergeant Richard Gough from the Australian Federal Police said Dr Comparti walked out of the cave with the help from a national parks member. Following a number of medical checks, Dr Comparti flew back to her home in Narrogin, in South West WA, on Tuesday. Christmas Island is an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, lying south of Java, Indonesia. The mother of two teenage children shot dead by their father in a double murder- suicide that rocked Australia has tragically died. Olga Edwards, 37, was found dead at her home in West Pennant Hills, Sydney's north-west, on Wednesday morning - less than six months after her estranged husband murdered their children in a bedroom at the same property. Daily Mail Australia understands Ms Edwards' body was found by police at about 10am, after officers responded to a concern for welfare report. Her death is not being treated as suspicious. Olga Edwards (left) was found dead at her West Pennant Hills home on Wednesday morning, less than six months after her husband John Edwards (right) murdered their teenage children Ms Edwards collapsed in shock when she arrived home to find her children dead on July 5 'She has been struggling lately,' a police source told The Daily Telegraph. 'Since losing her children she has been in and out of hospital and police have been in constant contact with her and became worried when they didn't hear from her.' The community has begun taking to social media to post heartfelt tributes to Ms Edwards. 'Olga, I hope youre finally at peace with your babies back in your arms,' one woman posted on the Hornsby Advocate's Facebook page. Siblings Jack, 15, and Jennifer Edwards, 13, were executed at the West Pennant Hills property by their father John Edwards, 68, on July 5. The Russian-born mother, a solicitor with a Sydney-based legal firm, collapsed in shock when she arrived to find her children dead that day. Mr Edwards shot himself dead about 12 hours later at his home in the nearby suburb of Normanhurst. Two powerful handguns registered in the father's name sometime this year and used to kill the children, were found at his home. Pictured: Jack (left), 15, and Jennifer Edwards (right), 13, who were shot dead by their father Police and forensic services attend the scene of the June double murder-suicide at West Pennant Hills in Sydney He had been involved in a custody battle with the children's mother for two years following the breakdown of their marriage. Edwards was described as the 'most shocking person I have ever come across' by Olga's boss at her lower north shore law firm. Police said at the time Edwards may have been planning the killings for as long as a year. Edwards, described as a 'recluse' by his neighbours, was a financial planner and volunteered with the NSW Rural Fire Service, according to his LinkedIn page. Juliette Hackett, who lives near Mr Edwards' home, said at the time of the murders she didn't know the family well, but the teenagers 'had their challenges'. Mr Edwards killed himself shortly after the shooting at his nearby home in Normanhurst (pictured) Ms Edwards was found dead at her home in West Pennant Hills, Sydney's north-west, on Wednesday morning - months after her husband murdered their children at the same property 'I feel very sad that John felt that there was no alternative than the horrific thing he did,' she said. Mr Edwards' sister Dianne said she had nothing good to say about him and that her whole family were horrified by the murders. 'He's an awful man, horrible. Always has been,' she told The Daily Telegraph at the time. More to come. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 NSW Police stand outside the entrance to a property in Harris Road in Normanhurst, where the father turned the gun on himself after murdering his children Taxpayers could be forced to fork out the payment for emergency text messages sent to victims of bush fires - as it is revealed Telstra are the ones behind the bill. Telstra CEO Andy Penn has launched an attack on the Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday morning and dubbed her suggestion the emergency text messages should be free as 'ridiculous' and 'disgraceful'. Telstra sent out more than 1.2 million emergency text warnings to residents impacted by the recent Queensland bush fires, under a commercial contract with the state government. Scroll down for Video Telstra CEO Andy Penn has launched an attack on the Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday morning and dubbed her suggestion the emergency text messages should be free as 'ridiculous' and 'disgraceful' Telstra sent out more than 1.2 million emergency text warnings to residents impacted by the recent Queensland bush fires, under a commercial contract with the state government 'We provide the Queensland government with very significant technology and telecommunications networks. At their request, we provide those services to them, so to suggest that Telstra's responsibility then to provide that for free is ridiculous,' Penn told ABC Radio on Wednesday morning. 'We put in place the telecommunications infrastructure under contracts required by the Queensland government, requested by the Queensland government, and obviously that costs money so we get paid for that. 'How we get paid for that is function of those commercial arrangements agreed on by the Queensland government, so then to come back later and say by the way we don't want to pay for this, that's disgraceful.' Aussies are furious about Telstra making money out of them in times of need and distress and are using social media to share their fury. One user wrote: 'I get unlimited texts and calls for $79 a month. Surely the government can work out a deal,' while another stated 'TELSTRA is disgusting and disgraceful.' Ms Palaszczuk believes the technology is simple and shouldn't be expensive and the text messages are really a community service so the government should not have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for the system. Ms Palaszczuk (left) believes the technology is simple and shouldn't be expensive and the text messages are really a community service so the government should not have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for the system The Premier has reminded Australia she will escalate the issue and also notify Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the Council of Australian Government (COAG) meeting in Adelaide on Wednesday. Australians have taken this as another chance to troll the Premier on social media, taking a particular interest in reminding the Premier of the policies they do not like. 'She's got no money after the gold plated toilets are installed in the new trains,' said one user. Another user by the name of Josh Brewer shared: 'How much money did she waste on changing the name of the hospital? How many extra public servants on crazy wages with 15% super has she put on since elected? Talk about wasting money.' Craig Crawford, Emergency Services Minister, made it clear the contract needs to be revisited to ensure taxpayers aren't funding an emergency service Craig Crawford, Emergency Services Minister, made it clear the contract needs to be revisited to ensure taxpayers aren't funding an emergency service. 'We believe that this should be a community service arrangement by either the federal government or by Telstra or a combination of the both of them, but we don't believe that taxpayers in a state should have to pay for a commercial arrangement,' Crawford told ABC Radio. 'Telstra is making money out of this and it's not appropriate that Telstra is making money out of Queenslanders in their time of need.' 'Telstra is making money out of this and it's not appropriate that Telstra is making money out of Queenslanders in their time of need,' Mr Crawford said Other emergency services from Telstra have been scrutinised recently. In October the telecommunications company were found in breach of ensuring all triple zero calls are carried to the emergency call operators. A network outage, for around nine hours, on May 4 hindered Telstra's ability to deliver 1,433 calls to the triple zero emergency service operator, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). In October the telecommunications company were found in breach of ensuring all 000 calls are carried to the emergency call operators The ACMA commissioned Telstra to produce an independent audit of its priority assistance obligations compliance earlier in the year after the company was found in breach of assisting customers with life-threatening medical conditions. 'The remedial direction results from an investigation into Telstra following two incidents in 2017 where customers with serious, chronic health conditions were unable to use their Telstra landline service,' the ACMA said. 'Neither customer was registered for priority assistance, but both made plain their serious health conditions and their need for a working telephone service. 'In both cases, the customers passed away.' The audit has been commissioned by Telstra. Police swarmed the Facebook and Instagram headquarters in Menlo Park, California to investigate a bomb threat on Tuesday evening. Squad cars and investigators flocked to the Menlo Park campus shortly after 5pm (PST), according to authorities. The police department also released an alert asking the public to avoid the area in light of a bomb threat investigation. A bomb threat at Facebook's headquarters in Menlo Park, California was reported on Tuesday evening Squad cars and investigators flocked to the Menlo Park campus shortly after 5pm (PST) A San Mateo bomb unit with bomb detection dogs searched a building at 200 Jefferson Drive and found no suspicious packages or devices Cops released an alert at 8pm saying the coast was clear and the building was secure The bomb threat alert led cops to evacuate the area and several buildings as a precaution The New York Police Department received an anonymous tip about the bomb threat at Facebook's headquarters, then relayed it to Menlo Park authorities at 4.30pm, according to the Los Angeles Times. The threat was concentrated to one building on the main Facebook campus, which was evacuated. Several other buildings nearby were also evacuated as a precaution. Menlo Park Officers surrounded the building and directed traffic away from the tech company's campus. A San Mateo bomb unit with bomb detection dogs searched a building at 200 Jefferson Drive and found no suspicious packages or devices, according to the Menlo Park Police Department. Video courtesy of Kron4 The anonymous tip was first reported to the New York Police Department who relayed the tip to Menlo Park police at 4.30pm (PST) Facebook's massive campus pictured above. The bomb threat was made to a building on the main campus on 200 Jefferson Drive Police evacuated and sent a bomb squad to investigate a building on the block of 200 Jefferson following an anonymous tip By 8pm Melo Park police issued an alert saying there was no suspicious package or device found in the building. A Facebook spokesperson later said that all the company's employees were safe The suspicious device or package in question was proven to be safe, according to police. It's unclear how many people were in that building. In an alert shortly before Menlo Police said 'the building is all clear and secure'. A Facebook spokesperson said that several buildings on the campus have been evacuated and that everyone at the company is safe, according to CNN. Mark Zuckerberg is yet to comment on the threat. Dole recipients could see an extra $75 a week in their pockets if Labor wins the next federal election. The party will debate the bold motion proposed by Sydney's Inner West Council mayor and party delegate Darcy Byrne at Labor's national conference in Adelaide this weekend. In an opinion piece written for The Guardian on Tuesday, Cr Byrne believed that Australia's 705,658 Newstart recipients are among the poorest in the developed world and need to be treated with more dignity and respect. A proposal to increase the Newstart allowance by $75 a week will be debated by Labor Newstart currently has a base rate of $275 a week for singles, which works out to be $40 a day. That would increase to $350.10 a week or an extra $10 a day under under Cr Byrne's proposal. 'Giving the lowest-income Australians a decent standard of living is a moral issue and quite obviously should be an immediate priority, not a second-order concern, for an incoming Labor government,' Cr Byrne wrote. Cr Byrne acknowledged raising the payment to a 'respectable level' will not be cheap, with the initiative estimated to cost more than $3billion a year. 'But far more detrimental than this budgetary impact would be the human cost of a new Labor government failing to act,' he wrote. 'These citizens cannot afford to wait three or more years for an improvement to their living standards.' Giving the lowest-income Australians a decent standard of living should be a moral issue, according to Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne (pictured) He argued that even former Liberal prime minister John Howard has acknowledged recipients don't get enough support. 'When a former Liberal prime minister, who was no friend of the unemployed, is saying the dole is too low then you know it is time for Labor to act,' Cr Byrne wrote. Cr Byrne has received a mixed response on his Facebook page from Inner West Council constituents. 'Proud to see Labor values promoted to help the vulnerable,' one constituent posted. But another added: 'I think there are ways that money can be moved into other areas that hinder unemployed people.' Party delegates will find out this weekend whether Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (pictured) supports the proposal Cr Byrne' s proposal has support from Labor's left faction and the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association. 'Not a single soul in the Labor Party or the trade union movement thinks the rate of Newstart is fair or adequate,' he told The Courier Mail. 'After years of derogatory rhetoric towards Australians who are out of work, Labor has an opportunity this weekend to recast the national debate.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cr Byrne for further comment. Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has previously stated a review would lead to an payment increase but hasn't committed to an amount. 'These citizens cannot afford to wait three or more years for an improvement to their living standards,' Cr Darcy Byrne (pictured) wrote in an opinion piece It comes after both major parties in South Australia agreed Newstart is 'far too low' and called on the Federal Government to make an urgent increase in the interim report of a Parliamentary Inquiry into poverty. 'The Committee agrees with the overwhelming majority of submissions to the inquiry that the Newstart Allowance is far too low and falls well short of the state-based poverty line,' the first recommendation of the report, endorsed by Liberal, Labor, Greens and SA Best MPs states. Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Dr Cassandra Goldie believes the major parties at federal level are out of touch. 'Were calling on the both of the major parties to commit to raising the rate of Newstart and Youth Allowance, which is the single most effective thing they can do to tackle the persistent poverty we have in Australia, despite having the highest median wealth in the world,' she said. The body of Grace Millane (seen in an undated photo) was formally identified on Wednesday after she went missing from a hostel in Auckland, New Zealand, on December 1 The family of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane have said their 'whole world turned upside down' after the 22-year-old's death, but hope the tragedy won't 'deter even one person from travelling the world'. The body of Ms Millane was formally identified on Wednesday after she went missing from a hostel in Auckland, New Zealand, on December 1. Officers said Ms Millane's family were 'in the process of organising to take her home' as their investigation into the circumstances of her death continue. Her family said: 'Grace went off to travel the world in mid-October and arrived in New Zealand on the 20th November. 'By the amount of pictures and messages we received, she clearly loved this country, its people and the lifestyle. 'We all hope that what has happened to Grace will not deter even one person from venturing out into the world and discovering their own OE (overseas experience).' Calling the crime 'heinous', the family also paid tribute to investigating officers for completing a 'concise, stringent and thorough investigation'. They added: 'We would like to thank the people of New Zealand for their outpouring of love, numerous messages, tributes and compassion. Officers said Ms Millane's family were 'in the process of organising to take her home' as their investigation into the circumstances of her death continue. She is seen in an undated photo 'Grace was not born here and only managed to stay a few weeks, but you have taken her to your hearts and in some small way she will forever be a Kiwi.' A 26-year-old man has been charged with Ms Millane's murder and he was remanded in custody after a court hearing in Auckland on Monday. Police initially launched a missing person inquiry for the University of Lincoln graduate after her parents became concerned that she did not reply to birthday wishes sent on December 2. Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family, officers said. Jesse Kempson, 26, is pictured here alongside a policeman on his way to court on Monday after being charged with Ms Millane's murder. The policeman's face is obscured due to New Zealand law The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane, from Essex, was at 9.41pm on December 1, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a 'male companion'. A week later, on December 8, police said they were treating the case as a homicide investigation and a day later a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges 10 metres away from the road. Officers said they have received 'hundreds' of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events. 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.' The remains of Ms Millane were found some ten yards from the road in Auckland, New Zealand. Pictured: A forensics officer at over the scene on Sunday The suburbs where drivers are being stung with huge petrol price hikes have been revealed. Sneaky service stations have been catching motorists off guard across Sydney with dramatic price variances, data from The National Roads and Motorists' Association shows. The startling price difference was evident right across the city but some suburbs were far worse than others. Drivers in Auburn were paying 29 cents extra a litre, working out to be about $23 more when compared to the rest of the city Drivers in Auburn were paying 29 cents extra a litre, working out to be about $23 more when compared to the rest of the city. Fairfield was $22 more, with prices 28 cents above the rest. And Granville was 25 cents extra a litre, working out to be $20 extra. When 7news visited Campbelltown this week they discovered the price difference was far more extreme, with some service stations just blocks away hiking prices up by 40c a litre. However, there were some suburbs where motorists weren't forced to dig deeper into their pockets. Bondi was just 3 cents extra, Narrabeen was 6 cents extra and Sutherland was 10 cents extra. NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said the data showed there were some suburbs where drivers might want to think twice about before filling up. 'That money should go towards presents for the kids and not to the oil companies.' Authorities have released grocery store surveillance footage that shows a missing Colorado mom shopping with her baby daughter just before she disappeared on Thanksgiving Day. The video of Kelsey Berreth entering a Safeway in Woodland Park with her baby at 12.27pm local time on November 22 is the last visual confirmation police currently have of the 29-year-old. Berreth's fiance Patrick Frazee, the last person to see the young mom alive, told police she dropped their baby off at his home after she'd gone to the store and that he has not seen her since. Investigators have not released any details on that meeting. The couple do not live together despite sharing a daughter and being engaged. When asked why Frazee was not participating in an emotional press conference set up to help find her on Monday, the police chief heading up the investigation said frostily: 'You'd have to ask him.' Authorities have released surveillance footage of missing Colorado mom Kelsey Berreth shopping with her baby daughter at a Safeway grocery store in Woodland Park just before the 29-year-old disappeared on Thanksgiving Day Police say the video is currently the last known visual confirmation of Berreth, who was reported missing December 2, nearly two weeks after the footage was recorded Berreth's fiance Patrick Frazee is believed to be the last person who saw the young mom alive. He claims she dropped off their daughter at his home on November 22 and never returned On November 25, co-workers got a text message from Berreth's phone saying she would not be coming to work the following week. Frazee told police he received a similar message. That same day, Berreth's cellphone signal was recorded in Gooding, Idaho, some 700 miles from where she vanished. It was not until December 2, however, that police searched Berreth's home after her mother reported her missing. Frazee had never contacted police. It remains unclear when Berreth, who is a flight instructor, was meant to collect her daughter from Frazee'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. When asked why Frazee did not take part in Monday's press conference set up to help find Berreth, Woodland Park Police Chief Miles De Young said: 'You'd have to ask him.' He refused to name Frazee as a suspect, saying: 'At this point, he is the father of Kelsey's daughter' Berreth's coworkers at Doss Aviation in Pueblo (pictured), received a text from the flight instructor's phone that said she would not be returning to work three days after Thanksgiving Asked why he was not there, Miles De Young, Woodland Park Police Chief told one reporter: 'That's a question you would 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 Berreth'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. Residents in far north Queensland are bracing for heavy rain and gale force winds of up to 164km/h as 'zombie' Cyclone Owen intensifies to a category two system. The Bureau of Meteorology said on Wednesday the cyclone is moving west across the Gulf of Carpentaria, about 140km southeast of Groote Eylandt off the Northern Territory. Cyclone Owen will then change direction on Wednesday evening and intensify even further into a category three system on Thursday about 10am AEST. The Bureau of Meteorology said on Wednesday the cyclone is moving west across the Gulf of Carpentaria, about 140km southeast of Groote Eylandt off the Northern Territory (pictured) The monster is then forecast to remain a category three cyclone when it crosses the Queensland coastline between Karumba and Cape Keerweer on Friday afternoon. Residents between the Queensland and Northern Territory border have been warned to prepare for gale force winds of up to 224km/h, with people on Mornington Island, 470km north of Mount Isa, evacuating as a precaution. Destructive winds with gusts of up to 130km/h are also expected to develop along the coast near the Northern Territory and Queensland border on Thursday The cyclone is then expected to weaken to a low pressure system by the weekend but will still bring destructive winds and heavy rainfall of up to 200mm to the Townsville region on Saturday. BOM Extreme Weather Desk manager, James Taylor said the system will then make its way south, dumping much-needed heavy rain along the east coast of the state. 'Heavy rainfall potential exists for much of coastal Queensland during the weekend, with Tropical Cyclone forecast to move southward,' Mr Taylor said. As a result of the tropical cyclone moving southerly, Mr Taylor said a low-pressure system is expected to develop over Victoria during Thursday. 'The low looks likely to gradually move to southwestern NSW on Friday then southwards during the weekend to be south of Tasmania by Sunday night.' A low-pressure system combined with a cyclone will see Australia's east coast lashed by the most severe thunderstorms in nine months, forecasters warn The system may draw moisture southward, creating a large cloudband with associated severe thunderstorms along much of the east of the continent. 'Heavy rainfall associated with the cloudband looks likely to affect Victoria on Thursday then contract southwards during Friday. 'Southeastern South Australia and northern and eastern Tasmania may also be affected by heavy rainfall over the next few days,' he said. Severe thunderstorms within the cloud band are predicted for eastern New South Wales, however associated heavy rainfall is likely to be sporadic in nature. The severe thunderstorms to hit the east coast this week have been the worst the coastline has seen in nine months. A low-pressure system in the south and the cyclone in the north combined to create a perfect storm hitting New South Wales, Queensland's south and Victoria. Forecasters previously warned it will be the most intense weather event since March and meteorologist Rob Sharpe said the worst of it will be felt this Thursday. Southern Queensland will experience intense weather because of a zombie cyclone in the north of the country Ex-tropical cyclone Owen, which re-developed into a category one system on Tuesday, tore out trees during its path of destruction 'Thursday is going to be a big day of weather. Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Canberra - all have a chance of severe thunderstorms,' he told news.com.au. Mr Sharpe added people in Melbourne and Sydney should prepare for severe thunderstorms to continue on Friday. A Bureau of Meteorology forecaster previously told Daily Mail Australia the thunderstorms would be the result of a cold front in the south of the country. 'We have a cold front with a low-pressure system coming in from Victoria up to New South Wales which will then gradually begin to move east on Thursday,' the forecaster said. 'It will bring a band of showers and a potential storm for Sydney on Thursday but where it will fall will be better known closer to the time. 'In terms of Sydney, showers and storms with the western inland expected to see a temperature reprieve.' Residents in far north Queensland have also been warned ex-tropical cyclone Owen could re-form into a category three system Sydney should brace for severe thunderstorms on Thursday Ex-cyclone Owen (pictured) will pick up momentum again during its journey through the Gulf of Carpentaria Canberra can also expect storms and upwards of 55mm of rain between Thursday and Saturday. Broken Hill is forecast to reach a high of 38C before the cold front and low-pressure system on Thursday drop temperatures to 25C. Brisbane was also predicted to get up to 100mm of rainfall over the week. Residents in far north Queensland were also warned ex-tropical cyclone Owen could intensify into a category-three system by Thursday, after it redeveloped into a category one system about 8pm on Tuesday. People from Cape Shield in the Northern Territory to Burketown in Queensland were bracing for the 'Zombie Cyclone'. Owen previously had been dubbed a 'Zombie Cyclone' because it had been brought back to life as it regathered strength above warm waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Category-three cyclones can rip roofs off houses, devastate properties and flatten trees and power lines of up to 264km/h. There is a significant danger from falling trees and debris and locals have been warned to decide where they will take shelter. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned of 'very destructive' winds by the time the cyclone hits capacity, with 'severe and extensive' damage a very real possibility. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding was experienced in coastal and adjacent inland areas between the towns of Port Douglas and Ingham in north Queensland - and is set to continue 'Bit of calm after the storm', a comment posted alongside this photo from Four Mile Beach in Queensland's Port Douglas read Heavy rainfall hit Port Douglas on Tuesday, with more wild weather set to batter Australia's east coast this week 'It may reach category three intensity if conditions remain favourable. A coastal crossing along the southeast Gulf of Carpentaria coast during Friday is most likely,' BOM says. Residents of Igham, Innisfail, Cardwall and Tully were issued with severe storm warnings and urged to stay up to date with weather warnings and changes in conditions. A cyclone watch is current from the Northern Territory's Cape Shield to Burketown in Queensland, including Groote Eylandt and Mornington Island. About 80 council staff on Mornington Island have been evacuated from homes not built to withstand a wild weather event, while other residents have also left. Residents who are staying behind have been warned to prepare for the worst. 'It's time for people to make sure they've got plenty of supplies to last them a period of time. They also need to make sure their yards and accommodation are cleaned,' Mornington Shire chief executive Frank Mills told ABC radio on Tuesday. 'Anything that can become a missile in strong winds needs to be stacked away.' The weather system has already dumped flooding rain in Queensland's far north after crossing the coast near the resort town of Port Douglas early on Monday. Queensland's Palm Cove was given a brief reprieve before ex-tropical cyclone Owen redeveloped into a category one system Port Douglas experienced almost 300mm of rain overnight as Owen passed through on Monday, while Cairns was soaked with 170mm of rain Port Douglas experienced almost 300mm of rain at the beginning of the week as Owen passed over early on Monday, while Cairns was soaked with 170mm. Forecasters predicted the system would continue tracking west on Tuesday, before looping back towards the Queensland coast. Gale force winds and heavy rain are expected from early on Wednesday. Wind gusts have already reached 85 kilometres per hour, BOM told Daily Mail Australia. 'Ex-tropical cyclone Owen is expected to continue moving steadily westwards during Tuesday and is likely to redevelop into a tropical cyclone on Wednesday morning over the southern Gulf of Carpentaria,' a meteorologist for BOM said. 'During Wednesday or Thursday, the tropical cyclone is expected to slow down and turn back towards the Queensland coast.' The cyclone is expected to reach a category three intensity by 4pm on Thursday. The deluge persisted throughout the evening, and may return shortly depending on the movement of the former cyclone The date for an inquest into the disappearance of a three-year-old boy in 2014 has been set for early next year. William Tyrrell, then three, was last seen playing in the front yard of his foster grandmothers home south of Port Macquarie on September 12, 2014. An inquest into his disappearance will begin on March 25, 2019 at the newly built Forensic Medicine & Coroners Court Complex at Lidcombe in western Sydney. William Tyrrell (pictured), then three, was last seen playing in the front yard of his foster grandmothers home south of Port Macquarie on September 12 2014 The inquest will be conducted by Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame, and the first segment is scheduled to run for five days with further hearing dates likely to be set for later in the year. William was wearing a Spider-Man outfit when he went missing and there have been numerous theories surrounding his disappearance, but as yet no solid evidence. The theories involve abduction, a suspicious loitering man, mystery vehicles, involvement from a paedophile ring and a washing machine repair man, as well as William's biological parents. William was wearing a spiderman outfit when he went missing and there have been numerous theories surrounding his disappearance, but as yet no solid evidence An inquest into his disappearance will begin on March 25 2019 at the newly built Forensic Medicine & Coroners Court Complex at Lidcombe (pictured) William was put into foster care at nine months old and three years after the disappearance his biological parents Karlie Tyrrell and her estranged partner Brendan Collins were publicised. Police, however, have ruled out the involvement of either Williams biological or foster parents. Convicted paedophile Tony Jones was a previous person of interest in the case but he has vehemently denied any involvement. Washing machine repairman Bill Spedding, 63, had visited the property a few days before William went missing and had his home searched by police in January 2015. The inquest will be conducted by Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame, with the first segment is set to run for five days and further hearing dates likely to be set for later in the year Theories around his disappearance involve abduction, a suspicious man, mystery vehicles, involvement by a paedophile ring, a washing machine repair man and his biological parents Spedding publicly denied any involvement in William's disappearance, and no charges were laid against him A local woman reported seeing a suspicious 'man with folded arms' in the street around the time of William's disappearance and his foster mother said she saw 'two strange vehicles' on the street. The inquest hopes to piece together what happened to William and provide some answers for his loved ones. A Facebook group for William has been set up in a bid for answers, and the group marked the tragic occasion on the fourth anniversary of his disappearance in September in this year. Convicted paedophile Tony Jones (pictured) was a previous person of interest in the case but he has vehemently denied any involvement The inquest hopes to piece together what happened to William and provide some answers for his loved ones [Four] years of heartache and [four] years of endless tears for everyone who held him dear - not knowing where he is or what has happened to him, the post read. NSW Police marked the anniverary by saying investigators in the case 'would like to acknowledge the continued strength and courage of William Tyrrell's families'. 'Over the past year, investigators have continued to explore lines of inquiry in an effort to find out what happened to William, including a large-scale forensic search,' a statement said. 'William's families have been informed of this development and have requested their privacy at this time.' A massive fire erupted in a Google office in China, sending dangerous black plumes of smoke rising into the air. The furious blaze was first reported at 11am local time on Wednesday in the Zhongguancun tech district, also known as China's Silicon Valley, in Beijing. The fire took place at Tower B of Raycom Infotech Park, according to state newspaper the Global Times. Scroll down for video A blaze broke out on the roof of a Google office in China around 11am on Wednesday afternoon The fire took place at Tower B of Raycom Infotech Park in the Zhongguancun tech district, also known as China's Silicon Valley, in Beijing Shocking video and photos of the menacing fire were quickly shared online, showing the fire that seemed to come from the roof of the Google high-rise building. Google employees were evacuated from the building then later allowed to return, according to New York Times tech reporter Raymond Zhong. He shared video of the fire on Twitter saying: '[An] employee tells me that everyone was evacuated for 20 mins but are now being let back in.' Firefighters quickly reported to the scene and extinguished the flames. The cause of the blaze is unknown and there were no immediate reports of injury, according to BNO News. The building also holds Chinese internet company Sohu as well as other companies. Advertisement Drivers in parts of the South face another day of dangerous road conditions and black ice after a wintry snowstorm walloped several Southern states, officials have warned. While sunny skies helped North Carolina thaw on Tuesday, temperatures dropped again overnight, putting a winter weather advisory in effect for western parts of the state through late Wednesday morning. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper warned that any moisture left on roads from melting snow could turn into black ice again Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, the grim search continued on Wednesday for a missing truck driver whose tractor-trailer plunged into the Neuse River in eastern North Carolina, near Kinston. Drivers pass an abandoned car along Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Tuesday. Officials warned that temperatures in many areas plunged below freezing again Tuesday night, refreezing the melting snow A driver slowly passes plows clearing Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem on Tuesday. Much of the state remains under a winter weather advisory through late Wednesday morning A car travels down a snow covered street in a neighborhood in Greensboro, North Carolina on Tuesday A weather satellite view of the South is seen at 11.40am on Wednesday. A new storm threatens to bring heavy rains Temperatures dropped again overnight, putting a winter weather advisory in effect for western parts of the state through late Wednesday morning. The map above shows North Carolina counties under an advisory on Wednesday At around 4am on Sunday, the truck driven by a postal service contractor broke through a bridge guard rail on westbound U.S. 70 and went into the river. Dive crews were able to reach the cab of the truck on Sunday, but did not find a body. North Carolina Department of Transportation officials used a large boat to help engineers inspect the bridge. On Monday, as the storm passed, crews were able to remove the truck from the river and reopen the highway to drivers. Searchers using sonar and diving equipment have continued to search the river, but have yet to find a body. A truck driven by a postal service contractor broke through a bridge guard rail on westbound U.S. 70 and went into the Neuse River on Sunday. The truck is seen being recovered on Monday and the driver is still missing Rescue crews have searched the river near Kinston, North Carolina for several days but have not found the trucker's body Searchers using sonar-equipped boats and diving gear are seen searching the Neuse River for the trucker A new storm system is forecast to bring heavy rain and strong to severe thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday. The map above shows predicted precipitation through Monday morning in North Carolina In addition to the missing trucker, the storm is blamed for at least three deaths in North Carolina and one in Tennessee. The snow blanketed much of North Carolina with snow, and some areas saw accumulations of more than two feet - as much snow in a day as those areas usually get in a year. North Carolina's Highway Patrol had responded to 2,300 crashes as of Tuesday. Governor Cooper also warned runoff from snowmelt could combine with an expected rainstorm this week to increase the flooding threat along some rivers. A new storm system is forecast to bring heavy rain and strong to severe thunderstorms to part of the Midwest, South, and Mid-Atlantic on Thursday and Friday. However, according to Maker Mayek racism may have instigated the incident Police previously suggested the attack by 20 African men was 'unprovoked' Prominent African lawyer has a theory why three men were assaulted in St Kilda A Sudanese community leader claims 'racist words' may have sparked a Melbourne brawl that saw a gang of 20 African youths attack three men on the street. Police investigating the attack, which took place on the foreshore in St Kilda at 11.15pm on December 1, said the brutal assault was 'unprovoked'. But lawyer and community spokesperson Maker Mayek suggested otherwise, saying: 'sometimes there's somebody that would've said something.' Mr Mayek admitted 'the attackers should have exercised restraint', but rubbished suggestions on social media the group were un-Australian or a 'gang'. 'Prejudice is everywhere. Those comments are the result of prejudice. They look at a person's skin colour and make a judgement.' Mr Mayek told news.com.au. 'Theyre Australian. Theres no way to deny that. Somebody who is born here, has an Australian passport, is a resident of Australia they're Australian. They share more in common with Australians than anyone else.' Scroll down for video Prominent African lawyer has a theory why three men were assaulted in St Kilda Mr Mayek suspected 'racist words' may have sparked the attack although police said the incident was 'unprovoked'. Many online users suggested the attacker weren't Australian but Mr Mayek said those comments were a result of 'prejudice' His comments follow damning footage released by Victoria Police. In the vision, a group of African Australian youths approach three men and begin to punch and kick them. The victims try to walk away but the group follows them, joined by several more men wearing caps and hooded jumpers. 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. 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 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 23-year-old mother who was violently separated from her toddler son during an arrest at a Brooklyn social services office has been freed from jail. Judge Craig Walker ordered Jazmine Headley's release Tuesday night. Walker called the video of the incident 'horrific' and said releasing her with no bail was 'the right thing to do', according to the New York Times. Headley gave a statement to reporters following her release thanking her supporters. 'I just want to thank everybody and all the support that I've been getting in New York and just all the great people who has been supporting me,' she said. Scroll down for video Jazmine Headley (pictured, after her release), 23, who was violently separated from her toddler son during an arrest at a Brooklyn social services office was freed from Rikers Island jail Tuesday night 'I'm so grateful to everyone and I'm just happy to be free and I just need to see my boy,' an emotional Headley said. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that in deciding to drop the case against Headley, he was acting 'in the interest of justice'. Headley has been held at 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. Headley (pictured) has been held at the Rikers Island jail since Friday on multiple charges, including resisting arrest '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.' 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'. She remained held until Tuesday night on an unrelated warrant issued in New Jersey, where the woman faces charges of credit card theft. Her 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. The video (above) shows Headley on the floor at a SNAP center in Boerum Hill, New York 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' 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 during 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!' The video of Headley's (left and right) 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'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 one-year-old son, Damone. 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.' The funeral for notorious bikie Les 'Grumpy' Sharman has been marked by a heavy police presence. Queensland officers and members of the Taskforce Maxima anti-bikie squad were on hand as hundreds of Finks bikies showed to pay tribute to their fallen comrade on Wednesday. Authorities waited outside Carrara Stadium at the Gold Coast, Queensland to conduct checks of mourners leaving the funeral, The Courier Mail reported. A breathalyser outpost was also set up outside the lunctime service at Allambe Memorial Park at Nerang. The funeral for notorious bikie Les 'Grumpy' Sharman (pictured) has been marked by a heavy police presence A breathalyser outpost (pictured) was also set up outside the lunctime service at Allambe Memorial Park at Nerang on the Gold Coast on Wednesday Mourners on their way to Mr Sharman's wake were also videotaped for intelligence purposes. Despite the close watch over the funeral proceedings, police said before the funeral they would keep a respectful distance from the funeral goers. They would not, however, tolerate any law violations. 'We respect their right to mourn and to bury one of their own but they have to be cognisant of the law,' Southeastern police region assistant commissioner Brian Wilkins said prior to the funeral. And just as police said they would keep a respectful distance, the Finks bikies also showed they were willing to carry on quietly. No bikie colours were displayed at the funeral in accordance with Queensland anti-bikie laws. Only Mr Sharman's casket had 'Finks M.C' and the club logo emblazoned on its side. The day provided a respite from the otherwise strained and tense relationship between the gang and Queensland law enforcement. Despite keeping a close watch over the funeral proceedings (pictured), police said they would remain a respectful distance from the funeral-goers 'We respect their right to mourn and to bury one of their own but they have to be cognisant of the law,' Southeastern police region assistant commissioner Brian Wilkins said prior to the funeral (pictured) Just as police said they would keep a respectful distance, the Finks bikies and funeral-goers (pictured) also showed they were willing to carry on quietly The Courier Mail newspaper uncovered court documents in 2011 that showed a tension between the Finks bikie club and authorities. Mr Sharman threw drawers and hammered his fists on the benchtop when officers searched his home in 1997. 'Five o'clock in the morning and you're coming into my f***ing house man, and you can pay me some mother-f***ing respect,' Mr Sharman allegedly yelled at cops, according to an affidavit. Mr Sharman, 60, died instantly after his car rolled several times in an accident in the Numinbah Valley on November 30. Les 'Grumpy' Sharman, 60 (pictured), died instantly after his car rolled several times in an accident in the Numinbah Valley on November 30 The cool relationship between the law and Finks members on the day was a respite from an otherwise strained and tense relationship between the two sides (funeral-goers pictured) No gang colours were displayed at the funeral, in accordance with Queensland bikie laws An ice-addicted Iranian refugee will not be deported despite 25 convictions for crime and 'a significant risk of re-offending'. The refugee, known as Mr ToTK, failed Australia's 'character test' in January and his humanitarian visa was cancelled by the Department of Home Affairs. The 37-year-old man has convictions for drug possession, breaking and entering, shoplifting, drink driving and wounding. Mr ToTK appealed to the government's Administrative Appeals Tribunal and they decided to let him stay in Australia, ruling he would face 'considerable hardships' if deported to Iran. An ice-addicted Iranian refugee will not be deported despite 25 convictions for crime and 'a significant risk of re-offending' (stock image) Mr ToTK and his Christian family fled to Australia in 2012 following fear of religious persecution in Iran. They were granted refugee status and permanent residency in Australia. The tribunal heard the 37-year-old's deportation would have a 'significant adverse effect' on his parents. In a ruling published online, AAT senior member Peter Taylor determined Mr ToTK's offending was not serious enough for deportation. 'Putting aside the reckless wounding offence they are best viewed as reflecting opportunistic, often unsuccessful, instances of sadly pathetic dishonesty or theft, and a related indifference to regulatory norms,' he said. 'In reality, all of Mr ToTK's offences are a consequence of a drug addiction into which he drifted, and lacked the motivation to control, despite the distress he must have known he was causing his parents.' Ten of his 25 convictions were related to illicit drug use and seven were driving offences. The refugee, known as Mr ToTK, failed Australia's 'character test' in January and his humanitarian visa was cancelled by the Department of Home Affairs (stock image) Mr ToTK was handed a 12-month suspended jail sentence in 2017 after stabbing a man with a boxcutter during a fight at Fairfield train station in western Sydney. The report said Mr ToTK failed to complete a drug rehabilitation program. The psychologist who examined Mr ToTK found he was a victim of bullying, assault, sexual assault and limited employment opportunities while in Iran which was attributed to his status as a religious minority in a Muslim country. Mr ToTK told the psychologist ice 'had eased the stress and anxiety of those memories'. 'The proper conclusion to draw is that Mr ToTK is at significant risk of re-offending,' Mr Taylor said. 'The likelihood of ToTK's re-offending is lessened by both his belated awareness of the risk of visa cancellation and the related sincerity of his rehabilitation intentions.' 'I also accept both the sincerity of Mr ToTk's currently professed desire to address his drug use problem, and the likelihood that he will have the support and assistance of his parents, and other family members, in giving effect to that desire.' Mubarik Cadani, 31, has been jailed for 20 months for attacking a police officer after his arrest This is the horrifying moment a prisoner shattered a police officer's nose in a brutal and unprovoked attack. Mubarik Cadani, 31, has been jailed for 20 months for smashing PC James McGahan in the face with his elbow at Hounslow Police Station in west London. Today Scotland Yard released footage of the attack that took place minutes after the suspect had been arrested for a separate assault. PC McGahan was booking him into Hounslow's custody suite when Cadani suddenly launched the attack with his right arm. He can be seen surreptitiously raising his elbow before ploughing it into the policeman's cheek and nose. Two other officers jump on him as PC McGahan spins backwards holding his face and the broken nose was so bad he missed two weeks of work due to the injury. Cadani was jailed for the unprovoked attack on August 21 this year and will serve at least ten months. Investigating Officer Detective Constable David Payne, from the Metropolitan Police West Area Safeguarding team, said: 'This is a sickening, vicious assault on a police officer who was simply doing his job, working to protect vulnerable people. 'We have released footage of the assault to show the levels of violence police officers are faced with on a daily basis. 'We are happy with the sentence given by the judge today which reflect that assaults against any public service workers are unacceptable and will not be tolerated'. Mubarik Cadani, 31, has been jailed for 20 months for smashing PC James McGahan in the face with his elbow at Hounslow Police Station in west London PC McGahan was booking Cadani in the custody suite when Cadani launched his attack PC McGahan suffered a broken nose and was forced to take two weeks off work China has confirmed the detention of ex-Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig after denying any knowledge of the case. Mr Kovrig, who now works for a non-profit organisation, was detained on Monday on suspicion of carrying out activities that harm the Chinese national security, reported BJ News citing authorities. He is being investigated by the Beijing State Security Bureau, according to the report. Earlier today, China's Foreign Ministry said that it had no information about the former Canadian diplomat detained in Beijing in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of a leading Chinese executive. While declining to confirm the detention of Michael Kovrig, ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and its activities in the country were illegal. Kovrig was previously a diplomat in China and elsewhere. His current employer said he was taken into custody by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, which handles intelligence and counterintelligence matters in the Chinese capital, on Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed the detention and said Canada is very concerned. Michael Kovrig, an adviser with the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based non-governmental organisation, speaks during an interview. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed on Tuesday that Kovrig was arrested Monday night in Beijing Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou (pictured), 46, was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 While declining to confirm the detention of Michael Kovrig, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang (pictured) said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and its activities in the country were illegal 'I do not have information to provide you here,' Lu said when asked about Kovrig. 'If there is such a thing, please do not worry, it is assured that China's relevant departments will definitely handle it according to law.' Because Kovrig's organisation is not registered as a nongovernmental organisation in China, 'once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law,' Lu said. Lu also repeated China's demand for the immediate release of 46-year-old Meng Wanzhou, a leading executive with Chinese communications equipment maker Huawei, which has strong connections to the Chinese government and military. 'Our request is very clear, that is, the Canadian side should immediately release the detained Ms. Meng Wanzhou and to protect her legitimate rights and interests,' Lu said. Her case has set off a diplomatic furore among the three countries and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, back right in green, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, listens during a bail hearing at Supreme Court in Vancouver Supporters hold signs and Chinese flags outside British Columbia Supreme Court during the third day of a bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou Meng was detained in Vancouver on December 1 at the request of the U.S., which accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Meng is the vice chairman of Huawei, the second-largest smartphone creator in the world. After three days of hearings, she was released on bail of C$10million (US$7.4million) on Tuesday evening - 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. 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. After three days of hearings, Meng was released on bail of US$7.4million on Tuesday evening '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. Rob Malley, president of the group, said Canadian consular officers had not been given access yet to Kovrig. Malley said he thinks Kovrig was in Beijing on personal matters at the time of his arrest and was definitely not there for any illegal purpose or for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. The Brussels-based NGO said it had not received any information about him since his arrest. Advertisement More than 1,000 people across New Zealand have turned out for candlelight vigils held to commemorate British tourist Grace Millane, who police say was murdered earlier this month. The 22-year-old backpacker's death has struck a deep chord in a country where many young people take gap years to travel and citizens gathered in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland today. The body of Ms Millane was formally identified on Wednesday after she went missing from a hostel in Auckland, New Zealand, on December 1. The victim's father, David Millane, who traveled to New Zealand last week after his daughter vanished, said in a statement that although Ms Millane had only been in New Zealand a few weeks, in some small way 'she will forever be a Kiwi.' Honour and sadness: A young woman breaks down during a vigil for British backpacker Grace Millane, 22, from Wickford in Essex in Wellington, New Zealand Rest in peace: Members of the public gathered for a vigil for Ms Millane, who had been travelling around the world during a post-university 'gap year' at Civic Square in the New Zealand capital of Wellington Emotional: A woman wipes her eyes during a candlelight vigil for Ms Millane at Cathedral Square in Christchurch, on New Zealand's southern island Killed: The body of Ms Millane, 22, pictured right with her family, was discovered on Sunday afternoon as police arrested a 26-year-old suspect over the crime who was later charged with her murder The statement said: 'Grace went off to travel the world in mid-October and arrived in New Zealand on the 20th November. 'By the amount of pictures and messages we received, she clearly loved this country, its people and the lifestyle. 'We all hope that what has happened to Grace will not deter even one person from venturing out into the world and discovering their own OE (overseas experience).' Calling the crime 'heinous', the family also paid tribute to investigating officers for completing a 'concise, stringent and thorough investigation'. They added: 'We would like to thank the people of New Zealand for their outpouring of love, numerous messages, tributes and compassion. 'Grace was not born here and only managed to stay a few weeks, but you have taken her to your hearts and in some small way she will forever be a Kiwi.' On Tuesday, dozens of people who knew Ms Millane, led by a friend of one of her brothers, gathered in Queenstown, New Zealand. Josh Lewis, a friend of Declan Millane, laid out a birthday cake for Ms Millane, who disappeared the night before her 22nd birthday. Mr Lewis said he had flown out to New Zealand hoping to catch up with his close friend's younger sister, but he never got the chance. 'She might not have got one for her birthday,' Mr Lewis told Stuff.nz. 'I know she was here on her own. She probably wouldn't have got a cake. I obviously wasn't in Auckland at the time so this way she has one.' Tribute: Candles and flowers are laid next to a photo of Ms Millane at Civic Square Park in the New Zealand capital today United in grief: Vigils were held around New Zealand for murdered Ms Millane, as her father thanked the South Pacific nation for an "outpouring of love" towards his slain daughter Tragedy: Ms Millane, pictured left at her recent University graduation and right with her mother, arrived in New Zealand on October 20, having travelled in South America The death of Ms Millane, 22, has struck a deep chord in New Zealand, and hundreds gathered in cities like Christchurch, Wellington, pictured, and Auckland today Ms Millane's family are 'in the process of organising to take her home', New Zealand authorities said on Tuesday A group of women lights candles during a candlelight vigil for the murdered British tourist at Cathedral Square in Christchurch, New Zealand on Wednesday New Zealand authorities said this morning that Ms Millane's family were 'in the process of organising to take her home' as their investigation into the circumstances of her death continue. In a statement released today, the Millane family said: 'Grace went off to travel the world in mid-October and arrived in New Zealand on the 20th November. 'By the amount of pictures and messages we received, she clearly loved this country, its people and the lifestyle. 'We all hope that what has happened to Grace will not deter even one person from venturing out into the world and discovering their own OE (overseas experience).' Calling the crime 'heinous', the family also paid tribute to investigating officers for completing a 'concise, stringent and thorough investigation'. They added: 'We would like to thank the people of New Zealand for their outpouring of love, numerous messages, tributes and compassion. A young woman is left in tears during a vigil in Auckland, the city where Ms Millane disappeared, on Wednesday People gather to honour Ms Millane in St Patricks Square in Auckland during one of the many vigil's held on Wednesday Dozens gathered in Federal Street in Auckland, just feet from the two hotels where Ms Millane was last seen, for a vigil Family: Josh Lewis, a friend of Ms Millane's brother Declan, lights candles on a birthday cake during a memorial in Queenstown. Ms Millane disappeared just a few hours before her 22nd birthday People lay flowers and light candles on an England flag during a candlelight vigil in Christchurch, 'Grace was not born here and only managed to stay a few weeks, but you have taken her to your hearts and in some small way she will forever be a Kiwi.' A 26-year-old man has been charged with Ms Millane's murder and he was remanded in custody after a court hearing in Auckland on Monday. Police initially launched a missing person inquiry for the University of Lincoln graduate after her parents became concerned that she did not reply to birthday wishes sent on December 2. Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family, officers said. Investigation: A 26-year-old man has been charged with Ms Millane's murder and he was remanded in custody after a court hearing in Auckland on Monday The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane, from Essex, was at 9.41pm on December 1, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a 'male companion'. A week later, on December 8, police said they were treating the case as a homicide investigation and a day later a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges 10 metres away from the road. Officers said they have received 'hundreds' of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events. 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.' A drunk off-duty police officer who repeatedly harassed a married woman inside a gaming room has had his criminal conviction overturned after crying in court. Senior constable Ahmad Jamal Ghoriani, 41, was on a drinking bender at an RSL club in Sydney's west on the night of October 28 when he started taunting the brunette. Damning CCTV footage captured Ghoriani rubbing his crutch, licking his lips and staring at the woman while playing on the pokies at Rooty Hill RSL Club. According to a statement of agreed facts the woman told police he was 'not just scratching but really rubbing' his crotch over his shorts. The married woman moved away before her husband started a fight with the man, but his reign of terror was far from over, the Daily Telegraph reported. Senior constable Ahmad Jamal Ghoriani, 41, was captured on CCTV footage rubbing his crotch and licking his lips towards a 30-year-old woman The cop, who is suspended from Auburn police, used one hand to touch himself over his shorts and used the other to play a poker machine The senior officer, who is suspended from work at Auburn station, turned his attention to a different woman inside the gaming room. Ghoriani approached the 44-year-old, stuck his tongue out, rubbed his groin and said 'oi'. When she moved to another machine, he followed her and sat down before rubbing his genitals again while groaning. Eventually the venue manager escorted him out of the venue at 3am, which prompted him to flash his police badge. 'Are you now threatening me or trying to intimidate me for doing my job?' the manager told him, the court heard. Ghoriani pleaded guilty to two counts of behave in an offensive manner and was handed down a criminal conviction in October. Ghoriani followed a 44-year-old woman to another machine and told her to look while he rubbed his genitals and groaned During an appeal hearing at Penrith District Court on Tuesday, Ghoriani broke down in tears and said the offending was out of character and made him sick. Ghoriani told the appeal hearing a criminal conviction would destroy any chance to further his career in law enforcement or security. Police Commissioner Mick Fuller 'lost confidence' in Ghoriani, the court heard. Prosecutors argued the offences were worthy of a conviction as he followed one of the women and came in close proximity to her. Judge Stephen Hanley said Ghoriani, who came from war-torn Afghanistan, overcame hardship to be accepted into the police force and raise a family. 'All that is potentially, possibly lost,' Judge Hanley said. Ghoriani's criminal condition was overturned and he was handed a six-month conditional release order for each offence. Advertisement Theresa May promised to 'listen' and work across parties to deliver Brexit tonight after dramatically surviving a Tory coup bid. The Prime Minister admitted that she had suffered a 'significant' rebellion after being backed by a margin of 200 to 117 in a no-confidence ballot The win staved off what would have been an ignominious end to her time as leader - and means she cannot be challenged by her own party again for 12 months. But with more than a third of Conservative MPs refusing to support her and a civil war raging over Brexit, the outcome still underlines the scale of the problems she faces. She has also been forced to admit that she will not lead the party into the next general election. Eurosceptics and Labour said the numbers were 'shocking' and a 'disaster', while Cabinet ministers queued up to talk up the positives. Jeremy Hunt said her 'stamina, resilience and decency' had 'again won the day', while Treasury minister Liz Truss said it was 'convincing'. Speaking in Downing Street afterwards, a clearly shaken Mrs May admitted that she must get an improved deal from the EU with 'legally binding' assurances on the Irish border backstop. 'I am pleased to have received the backing of my colleagues in tonight's ballot,' she said. 'Whilst I'm grateful for that support, significant number of colleagues did cast their vote against me and I have listened to what they have said. 'We now need to get on with the job of delivering for the British people and building a better future for this country.' Mrs May added: 'That must start here in Westminster with politicians on all sides coming together to act in the national interest. 'I have heard what the House of Commons said about the Northern Ireland backstop. I go to the European Council tomorrow and I will be seeking legal and political guarantees that will assuage those concerns.' There were cheers as 1922 committee chairman Sir Graham Brady declared the nailbiting result in the Commons tonight. The victory was announced after she delivered an emotional final message to MPs packed into a Commons committee room, acknowledging widespread unrest with her Brexit strategy. But she appealed for more time to strike a settlement with the EU that they can support. Some MPs at the behind-closed doors session wept as she confirmed she will bow out gracefully once that task is complete. The 317 Tories then spent two hours voting in the no-confidence contest, before the premier learned her fate. Boris Johnson was tight lipped as he turned up to vote. Allies insisted earlier that Mrs May would fight on even if she only won by a single vote. Theresa May put a brave face on her situation tonight as she reacted to the outcome of the Tory no-confidence ballot There were cheers as 1922 committee chairman Graham Brady announced the result in the Commons tonight. Theresa May is said to have left some politicians in tears as she told the gathering in a Commons committee room (pictured) that she will bow out gracefully once that task is complete Some observers posted photographs of the corridor outside the dramatic Tory 1922 committee meeting tonight Some MPs tweeted images of the ballot papers as the no confidence vote took place at Westminster tonight As the Conservative Party psychodrama took another twist at Westminster today: Labour frontbenchers gleefully seized on the turmoil to demand a general election, with shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner saying the public would put them in power 'given half a chance'. But the party is still refusing to call a confidence vote in Parliament. Tory Remainers condemned the coup bid, with veteran Ken Clarke branding it 'unhelpful and irresponsible'. Backbencher Heidi Allen said she would also support the PM but became the latest to moot a government of national unity. The EU watched with dismay as Mrs May was thrown into chaos, despite a series of senior figures flatly dismissing her pleas for more concessions on the Irish border backstop during yesterday. No10 aides have admitted there is no prospect of amendments being agreed before a crunch EU summit tomorrow. Chancellor Philip Hammond launched a furious assault on Brexit 'extremists' trying to undermine the government. Trade Secretary Liam Fox made clear the Cabinet will not allow Mrs May's deal to be put to Parliament unless there are meaningful concessions on the Irish border backstop. The DUP, which is propping the Tories up in power, stepped up threats by warning that the current policy on Brexit is 'totally unacceptable'. Andrew Griffiths, who was embroiled in a sex-text scandal, and Charlie Elphicke, who faced harassment claims, had the Tory whip restored just in time for them to take part in the vote. Tory sources pointed out while the former was intending to vote for the PM, the latter is expected to go against her. Ministers were eager to move on from the bitter struggle, even though many are known to harbour misgivings about Mrs May's Brexit deal. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt posted on Twitter: "Prime Minister wins confidence motion with 63% of the vote. Now let's crack on with getting the changes we need to the deal on offer and press on with no deal preparations. We are leaving the EU in 15 weeks." Jacob Rees-Mogg told Sky News he still believed 'someone else' should try to secure a good Brexit. Its a very bad result for the Prime Minister, 163 Tory MPs are on the payrolland therefore of the backbenchers the Prime Minster lost very heavilyClearly the Prime Minister has lost the support of the backbenches of the Conservative Party, and that is not a good position for her to be in, he said. Having failed in her main plank of policy, it would be constitutional normal for her to retire from the fray. He added: Someone else ought to try to deliver Brexit. Other Brexiteers were keen to make clear they accepted the result even if they did not like it. Steve Double said: 'The PM has won the confidence vote 200-117. We are a democratic party and I accept the result. However the margin should send a clear message to the leadership that over 1/3 of MPs have serious concerns and need to be addressed.' Crispin Blunt said: The leadership question is now behind us for a year and we must get behind Theresa May in delivering Brexit. The realities remain. Her proposed withdrawal deal is a bad deal. She was clear today we leave on 29 March 2019. Nothing to fear but fear itself! Get it done! Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg told Sky News he still believed 'someone else' should try to secure a good Brexit Nadine Dorries, a leading critic of the PM, said: The PM has secured the confidence of the Parliamentary party tonight. Its not the way I voted, however, I will fully respect the result. The contest was held after hardliners finally secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to trigger the process. During the day, more than 180 MPs had publicly declared that they will back her, indicating that she was on course to survive. However, as it is a secret ballot there was no way of telling if they were being truthful. One senior MP privately admitted their colleagues are the 'most duplicitous electorate in the history of humankind'. As MPs sweltered in the stifling heat of committee room 14 this evening, Mrs May is said to have told them in her 'heart' she would like to carry on but she recognised that was not the 'will' of the party. Home Office minister Victoria Atkins was one of those nearly overcome by the emotion of the moment. Asked for her reaction as she emerged from the room, she welled up and clutched her chest. Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke said that some Tory MPs had tears in their eyes as the PM told the room she would not lead the party into the next election. He said : 'She basically said it is not her intention to lead the party into the 2022 election. Environment Secretary Michael Gove had urged Tory MPs not to trigger the no confidence vote in the Prime Minister Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom (pictured tonight) also spoke out for Mrs May despite concerns about the progress in negotiations with the EU 'I think she's at a stage where she is 100 per cent committed to delivering Brexit. That's where her focus is. 'And her opening remarks were: 'I am not going to call a snap election. There is an impasse and we will get through it but I'm not going to call a snap election.' Asked what the feeling was like in the room when she said she would not lead the party into the 2022 election, he said: 'Shock. There were a couple of tears in some colleagues' eyes.' Former Brexit Secretary David Davis, who had hinted he was voting against the PM tonight, left the committee room before the end of Mrs May's appearance. Under Tory rules Mrs May - who cancelled a planned visit to Ireland and a Cabinet meeting this afternoon but will head for a crucial Brussels summit tomorrow - is now immune from challenge by her own MPs for another 12 months. Allies believe she would have romped home if a contest had been staged last month - but her position has weakened significantly since then. The PM said she would not give up after Eurosceptics secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to force a ballot that could end her time as leader 'She fundamentally said that she recognised his vote she are having tonight is about who leads us through the Brexit process, and we will need to rethink, she understand that people want something different for the next election but that is not what we are deciding tonight.' Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd told journalists: 'She knows that in order to secure Brexit she needs to hold the party together and win back the DUP and address their concerns about the backstop. 'She made the commitment that she would not be taking us into the general election in 2022. 'She reminded people why she is in office: to deliver on social justice. It was a strong speech.' Ms Rudd said the party's Brexiteers are 'always going to be very difficult to please'. 'I hope we will be able to settle this and unite because otherwise the real danger to our communities will be a Labour government,' she added. At a rowdy PMQs earlier, watched by husband Philip from the gallery, Mrs May warned Brexit will need to be delayed beyond March if she loses and Jeremy Corbyn might end up in power. She appealed for more time to secure further concessions on the controversial exit package she has thrashed out with the EU. Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful Tory 1922 committee, emerged this morning to announce the threshold of 48 letters had been 'exceeded' and Mrs May was eager to resolve the issue 'rapidly'. Rebels were jubilant that they had finally secured the numbers last night after Cabinet minister Owen Paterson joined efforts to oust Mrs May in the wake of her humiliating decision to drop a Commons vote on her Brexit deal. Previously veteran Eurosceptics have appeared unwilling to sign up to an all-out revolt, despite deep unhappiness with Mrs May's Brexit plans. Sir Bernard Jenkin also revealed this morning that he had sent a letter and would be voting to get the premier out. Cabinet ministers rallied to try and shore up Mrs May, with Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Penny Mordaunt and Brandon Lewis among those making clear they will be supporting her. But despite their entreaties the Tories quickly descended into outright civil war, with David Davis hinting that he might vote against the PM, while her allies accused mutineers of being 'divisive and disloyal'. The ballot boxes used in the confidence vote tonight (pictured left). David Davis (right) hinted he might vote against Mrs May Former Brexit Secretary Mr Davis refused to say explicitly which way he would vote today, but dropped a strong hint that he might go against Mrs May. 'I'll cast my vote this evening in the national interest... that means we must have a reset of negotiations, and a reset that protects the integrity,' he told reporters. Mr Rees-Mogg said the premier's Brexit plan would 'bring down the government if carried forward' and the party 'will not tolerate it'. 'Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go,' he said. But defence minister Tobias Ellwood told him on Twitter: 'You are fuelling blue on blue. 'A disloyal & divisive characteristic disruptive to both Gov & Party- never rewarded by country we seek to represent. 'Set your stall - and accept gracefully if you don't get your way. You are part of a team.' Another loyalist, Simon Hoare, jibed at Eurosceptics: 'Were the result to be 52-48 it would be accepted right? Just asking for a friend.' Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt warned that the Conservative Party was 'dancing on a precipice' of division. Attacking the ERG Eurosceptic group he said: 'They have overreached themselves before...when and if they lose this position I want to see some evidence of when they will compromise.' The drama has thrown the government into turmoil just as Mrs May is scrambling to wring more concessions out of the EU. Chancellor Philip Hammond launched a furious assault on Brexit 'extremists' trying to undermine the government 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. Mrs May said she was cancelling her plan to travel to Ireland for talks with Leo Varadkar after PMQs this afternoon. She had been due to straight on from there to a crucial EU summit in the Belgian capital tomorrow and Friday. She said: 'A leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the parliamentary arithmetic. 'Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just when we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. 'The only people whose interests would be serves are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.' The premier said switching leader now would 'put our country's future at risk' and 'create uncertainty when we can least afford it'. 'The new leader wouldn't have time to renegotiate a new Withdrawal Agreement and get the legislation through parliament by March 29, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it.' Justice Secretary David Gauke said it was 'vital' Mrs May wins and warned Brexit will have to be postponed if she loses. 'Clearly there would have to be a delay,' he said. Mr Gauke insisted the reputational damage for the Tories from sending the country into 'chaos' would be catastrophic. 'People would struggle to forgive us if that happens,' he said. Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said: 'She deserves support but also because the country does not need this distraction right now'. Chancellor Philip Hammond unloaded on the Brexiteers saying the ballot was an opportunity to 'flush out the extremists'. Asked what margin Mrs May needed to win by, he said: 'One vote clearly is enough in any election that is first past the post,' he said. 'I think what this vote today will do is flush out the extremists who are trying to advance a particular agenda which would really not be in the interests of the British people or the British economy.' But Dr Fox, a strong Brexiteer, signalled a note of caution that the PM's support from ministers is contingent on progress in negotiations with the EU. 'It is very difficult to support the deal if we don't get changes to the backstop - I don't think it will get through (parliament), I am not even sure the cabinet will agree for it to be put to the House of Commons,' he told the BBC. Environment Secretary Mr Gove, who has been touted as a possible leadership contender, tweeted: 'I am backing the Prime Minister 100 per cent - and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same. 'She is battling hard for our country and no one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British people's decision to leave the EU.' Aid Secretary Ms Mordaunt, who is known to harbour deep concern about Mrs May's Brexit deal, also backed her to stay as leader. 'The Prime Minister has my full support, not least because she has always done what she firmly believes is in the national interest. Our country needs us all to fight for a good deal and prepare for a no deal senario. All eyes and hands should be on that task,' she tweeted. Another prominent Brexiteer Chris Grayling said: 'I will be backing Theresa May tonight. At this crucial point, the last thing the country needs is a prolonged and introspective leadership contest. 'I was one of the first Cabinet ministers to back Brexit. Delivering a deal was never going to be simple. 'Theresa May is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU and deliver on the Brexit that I and the people of our great country voted for.' Sir Graham said the threshold of 48 letters had been 'exceeded' and Mrs May was eager to resolve the issue 'rapidly' Mrs May is now facing the biggest test of her time as premier as she tries to face down Tory Eurosceptic rebels today Michel Barnier and Donald Tusk were meeting in Brussels today as the UK political scene descended into fresh turmoil Tory former minister Tim Loughton (left) jibed at Mrs May's embarrassing moment when she got stuck in her car in Berlin yesterday. David Cameron (right) was more supportive Rivals have been brazenly jostling for position to succeed her in the Tory top job. Mr 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. 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. Conservative 1922 committee chair Graham Brady (pictured right today) fired the starting gun on the confidence vote with his announcement this morning (left) A well-known New York doctor who died 11 years ago is believed to have abused more than 1,000 victims during his career. Patients and relatives of those treated at the research hospital where the doctor worked are asking why Rockefeller University stayed quiet about the abuses at the time. The allegations were reported more than 10 years after the doctor died. Archibald, who died in 2007, worked at the hospital where the alleged abuses took place from 1948 to 1982. Doctor Reginald Archibald, who died 11 years ago, is believed to have abused over 1,000 children for decades at a famous research institute in New York This may be the largest case of sexual abuse by a single person in US history. Matt Harris is one of the patients who saw doctor Reginald Archibald at the Rockefeller Institute in New York City when he was 14 years old. 'He was revered like a god,' Mr Harris told CBS News. 'He was like going to be our family's savior.' The doctor's research specialized in childhood growth, but some patients talked to CBS News about the doctor's abuses. Gail Coleman was 11, Robert Granato was 8 and Mitchell Scher was 5 when they were abused by doctor Archibald. Scher said: 'The entire time you're in the room there with him, you're naked.' 'He took his finger and he pushed one of my nipples,' Coleman said. Peter Katsikis had one appointment with Archibald in 1969, when he was 12 years old. He said the doctor touched him sexually and then took several nude photos of him. He told AP it was his first sexual experience and he did not tell anyone about it until he found the courage to tell his wife 26 years later. '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,' he said. He gave permission to be identified as a victim of sexual assault to investigate on the case. Peter Katsikis (left and right) said he was abused by the doctor when he was 12 years old Officials from the famous research institute, today named Rockefeller University Hospital, admit the doctor may have abused his young patients for decades. They revealed that they have investigated complaints about the doctor's conduct in 2004 and have reported it to authorities. They also said some of the complaints deemed 'credible' went back to the 1990s. Attorney Jennifer Freeman said her firm received hundreds of calls, meaning there is 'a tremendous number of victims out there'. Patients told CBS News that hospital officials sent out a letter to more than 1,000 people, asking for information about Archibald's alleged abuses. 'I got the letter and all of a sudden I felt like I was flashing back 50 years ago,' said Granato. Victims of the doctor spoke out about the doctor's conduct. When the alleged abuses took place, Matt Harris was 14, Mitchell Scher was 5, Gail Coleman was 11 and Robert Granato was 8 'It was burned in my brain, what he did to me.' One of the patients, Coleman, said the doctor sometimes took pictures of naked children: 'Those pictures are what has haunted me through the years,' she said. Back in 2003, she contacted the hospital, trying to look for answers. She said she got her medical records there, but she could not find any picture. "When someone like this happens to you, you're kind of robbed of hope, robbed of trusting people, trusting institutions, trusting humanity," former patient of Dr. Reginald Archibald says, who alleges the doctor sexually abused him as a child https://t.co/nQfYVKVavC pic.twitter.com/WYHd3ZP28y CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) December 12, 2018 'I got my medical records back and there were no pictures and that tells me they weren't for medical research. They were for him,' Coleman said. Hospital officials told CBS they regret 'pain and suffering caused to any of Dr. Archibald's former patients' and they will keep investigating. Three people told CBS News that Archibald recruited them for studies at the Madison Square Boys' Club. The club said they are investigating as well. The gates of Rockefeller University in a file photo. The alleged abused took place at the famous research hospital over decades Courtesy: PIX 11 Stunt woman Olivia Jackson who suffered horrific injuries in a nightmare accident on the set of Resident Evil is suing for over 2.2m after her film career was destroyed. Super-fit Olivia, 37, pulled off death defying stunts and starred as a body double for Hollywood's top actresses in films including Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy and Mad Max. In 2015 while she was performing a motorcycle stunt on the set of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter in Johannesburg, South Africa, she nearly lost her life in a horror accident. Unexpected rain caused a fight scene she was due to appear in to be cancelled and she was instead told to stand in for actress Milla Jovovich in a high speed motorcycle stunt. Scroll down for video Olivia Jackson, 37, in hospital before her withered left arm was amputated (left) and afterwards (right) Olivia (pictured before her accident) is a former professional Thai kick-boxer and continues to live an extremely active lifestyle despite her disability Olivia and her British stuntman husband David Grant (Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Captain America) are both keen motorcycle riders Olivia was standing in for Milla Jovovich (pictured) while filming the latest Resident Evil movie in 2015 But the action shot went terribly wrong and she was thrown from her bike after a collision with a mechanical mobile film camera. Her shocking list of injuries included having half her face torn off and having to have her left arm amputated and suffering serious brain swelling and severing a vital neck artery. An X-ray of her body shows the catastrophic extent of her injuries which left the South African woman in a coma for 17 days fighting for her life Olivia, married to a top British stunt man David Grant, was also left with a painfully twisted spine, a permanently dislocated shoulder, a severed thumb, punctured lungs and broken ribs. The impact of the crash was so forceful that it broke dozens of her bones and was such that her left forearm was never found. Three years on from the accident Olivia from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, has launched a legal fight in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, South Africa, for compensation for her injuries. The stuntwoman had been tasked to ride a motorbike at high speed at a camera mounted on a mechanical arm on a Mercedes SUV which would be driving straight towards her. The camera was to begin filming at ground level and then raise up and over Olivia's head as she drove the motorbike towards it for an action shot but it didn't raise up quickly enough. Olivia, who was wearing a vest top, torn jacket and khaki jeans, was not required to wear a helmet for the stunt and the heavy camera slammed into her upper body and her face. Three years on from the accident Olivia who lives in Amersham, Bucks, has launched a legal fight in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, for compensation The terribly injured former professional Thai kick boxer spent 17 days in a coma and doctors feared the worst but said her strength and fitness eventually helped save her life. When she began to recover she received flowers and support whilst in intensive care from actress Milla Jovovich who she was doubling the stunts for on the Resident Evil film set. Actresses Charlize Theron, Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley and Karen Gillan who Olivia has also body doubled for in stunts sent huge bouquets of flowers and personal messages to her. Olivia suffered a painfully twisted spine, a permanently dislocated shoulder, a severed thumb, punctured lungs and broken ribs, and her left arm could not be recovered (pictured after surgery) Brave Olivia has catalogued her slow road to recovery on her own Instagram page but has had to come to terms with the fact that she will never work in the movie industry again. Papers lodged at the Gauteng High Court show she is seeking more than R40million (2.2m) in damages following the accident on a section of road near a dam at Pelindaba, Pretoria. They show Olivia is suing the Road Accident Fund, the production and stunt company involved as well as the camera crane operator, the driver of the vehicle and the film director. The paperwork states that when she was previously working in the UK she earned 20,000 a month and whilst working on the set of Resident Evil in South Africa was on 12,500 a month. Cape Town born UK resident Olivia states that she has been rendered unemployable. The court case was adjourned and will be listed for a full hearing to take place next year. Brave Olivia has catalogued her recovery from near death in moving Instagram posts on her personal account to fans. In one caption beside a photograph she posted of her twisted back on her public Instagram account Olivia wrote: 'This is the twisted upper body I'm left with from my accident. The stunning stunt woman is married to British stunt man David Grant and they live in Amersham, Bucks, together Before her accident she earned 20,000 a month while living in Amersham and whilst working on the set of Resident Evil in South Africa was on 12,500 a month 'Scew spine, off centred neck (the most painful part), twisted shoulder blade, permanently dislocated shoulder, 1 arm, muscle atrophy on the left hand side of my core and plenty more other treats. 'I don't mean to moan but sometimes I must want to crawl out of my own skin & all the pains in it'. Another emotional photograph Olivia shared is a 'before' photo of her left hand appearing enormously swollen with a withered left arm and 'after' shot which showed the arm amputation. She wrote to her Instagram fans: 'Goodbye to my withered arm, hello my stump. Not how I planned my life to go but just go to embrace what I have & move onwards and upwards. 'Luckily I have an awesome supportive team behind me' she said. Husband David from Kings Lynn, Norfolk, who has done stunts in dozens of Hollywood blockbusters met Olivia on a set and kept a bedside vigil with her while she was in a coma. In an interview back at their home in Amersham, Bucks, Olivia told the Sunday Mirror: 'Sometimes when I catch a sight of my stump in the mirror I feel a wave of sadness. 'There's no point in feeling down about life it won't make my arm grow back. I used to miss my old face but now I style my hair to fall forwards to hide the big scar'. In a You Tube film interview with Neale James she described what she remembered of the life changing accident. Olivia said: 'I was doubling for an actress who was a zombie killer who saves the world. We were shooting motorcycle stuff and I had to ride towards a vehicle coming towards me. 'There was a Mercedes SUV with a crane on the side of it and a camera at the end of the crane which moves around and I was supposed to drive towards the camera vehicle. 'It was coming in the opposite direction with the camera starting on the floor and it was supposed to lift up and go over me but they just didn't lift the camera up in time. In one of her Instagram posts after the accident, Olivia wrote: 'I don't mean to moan but sometimes I must want to crawl out of my own skin & all the pains in it' 'I went straight into it and it hit me on my face and shoulder. I remember the day up until a few seconds before it happened but luckily your brain switches it off for you' she said. In another interview she revealed she is in constant pain three years on from the accident. Olivia, who was newlywed when injured, said: 'It is so tempting to hate the people that did this to me but I try to rather use that energy to focus on getting better and staying positive'. And in an Instagram pic on husband David's site Olivia wrote: 'We have built an amazing home together with two fluffy kids and he loves me even though I am a one armed bandit!' The court case for compensation will be heard in early 2019 and stunt woman Olivia is expected to be present. She is suing Canada based independent film production company Davis/Impact Films, Cape Town based Pyranha Stunts, stunt co-ordinator Grant Hully and the camera tracking company Bickers Action SA. A criminal case has been launched against Russian plastic surgeons who are accused of leaving a woman with a gaping hole in her buttock and her nipples 'in the wrong place'. Veleslava Grigorieva, 40, said the pain was so bad after spending 25,000 to improve her looks that she needed 'to book three seats on a plane because I can't sit down for more than a few minutes'. The distraught woman today welcomed the criminal case decision which could see the senior surgeons at Nudelman Cosmetology and Plastic Surgery Clinic in Ekaterinburg jailed for up to six years if convicted of damaging her health. Veleslava Grigorieva demonstrating her buttock after the ordeal of her 'plastic surgery from hell' Veleslava Grigorieva (pictured before the botched surgery) welcomed the decision to open a criminal case which could see the senior surgeons jailed She had gone public with intimate pictures of her 'plastic surgery from hell' to force legal action from the authorities - which is now announced. But in the process she was subject to vilification and humiliation from those who criticised her decision to use plastic surgery to regain her beauty, she said. She claims the initial 'botched surgery' by Igor Tsvetkov, trained partly in Canada and Sweden, left her nipples 'too high and in the wrong place' with 'ugly scars' and required corrective surgery which failed to solve the problem. Veleslava Grigorieva's breasts before any surgeries (left) and after the first surgery (right) Veleslava's breasts after the second surgery. She has said surgeon Igor Tsvetkov left her breasts 'even worse than before' with loose folds of skin and ugly scar marks Veleslava returned to the clinic where another surgeon Nikolay Golubkov, agreed to do a new operation on her breasts and suggested she should 'improve my buttocks', she claimed. She was given new liposuction and 'lipo-lifting' when the buttocks are enlarged with the help of patient's own fat removed from other parts of the body. But after weeks of appalling pain she was told by a medic at another clinic she had an abscess in one buttock but they did not want to get the blame and 'refused to help'. Eventually she had to fly to Moscow to a new clinic where doctors 'removed much of my buttock'. Nightmare pictures showed the damage to her rear. Veleslava Grigorieva's right buttock had a huge gaping hole following the botched 'Kim Kardashian' butt lift Nikolay Golubkov agreed to do a new operation on her breasts and suggested she should 'improve my buttocks', she claimed, but she ended up having to have life-saving surgery to correct the wound Russian Investigative Committee official Alexander Shulga said the criminal case was being launched under accusing the clinic and its surgeons of failing 'to meet safety requirements' in carrying out plastic surgery. The woman said: 'I still struggle with the consequences of these surgeries. 'All this affected not only my physical health, but also all aspects of my life. 'Firstly, it is a lot of stress, and secondly, material damage, because I lost my job and sold an expensive car in order to (pay for corrective surgery). Speaking of her ordeal, she said: 'I am not a public person, but I had to put my history on public display in order to help myself and attract the attention of other people to the problem related to the quality of the work of the plastic surgeons. The two surgeons Veleslava Grigorieva blamed for her ordeal are Igor Tsvetkov (left) who botched the initial surgery and Nikolay Golubkov (right) who was responsible for the nightmarish 'corrective' surgery 'Of course, many people wrote me nasty things saying I am guilty, since I lay down under the knife in pursuit of beauty. 'Please understand, it is strange to go to a plastic surgeon when you are 18, but when you are 40 - there is nothing wrong with the desire to improve yourself, especially if there are problems in appearance. 'I always kept myself in shape, and went to the gym. 'I didn't want implants in my breasts or a bum like Jennifer Lopez... But I had complexes and certain drawbacks. 'And when the doctor suggested - I trusted him and decided to go for it.' After the surgery on her buttocks, Veleslava said: 'Next morning my bottom was leaking from the wounds in the buttocks, everything was black and blue' The surgeons have not commented on the criminal case being launched six months after the patient initially went public. Previously the clinic said: 'We tell our patients about all the risks before any procedures. 'We never betray our patients and never leave them in trouble, we never refuse to help.' Veleslava Grigorieva said there is nothing wrong with the desire to improve yourself A biography of Golubkov says he is a member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). He is listed as a winner of the National Golden Lancet Award. After the surgery on her buttocks, Veleslava said: 'Next morning my bottom was leaking from the wounds in the buttocks, everything was black and blue. 'The doctor said this was normal. 'I spent five days in the clinic and was sent home with horrible pains. 'Three days later I send photographs to my surgeon showing my buttocks getting worse again. 'He told me to have a massage.' She said her breasts had been left 'even worse than before' with loose folds of skin and ugly scar marks. A broken mother has penned a letter to her teenage daughter three years after she committed suicide following years of bullying and a gang rape. Linda Trevan, from Melbourne, posted the heart wrenching tribute to her daughter on Facebook on Wednesday. 'The day you died I feel like I died too, and that I've barely existed since then,' Ms Trevan said. 'I don't know if I'll ever really be able to create a meaningful life for myself without you.' Her daughter Cassidy was only 15 years old when she took her own life. Linda Trevan's (left) daughter Cassidy (right) committed suicide following years of bullying and a gang rape Broken mother Linda Trevan has penned a heartfelt letter to her teenage daughter three years after she committed suicide following a gang rape. A shrine in her kitchen is pictured above 'I ran to the front door assuming it was you [Cassidy] arriving home from the beach where your dad had taken you for two days to try to cheer you up,' Ms Trevan said. 'But when I opened the door it was two police officers. I was confused. They asked to come in, and then they asked me to sit down. I refused. 'Just tell me what's happened,' I said. 'We are sorry to inform you that your daughter took her own life this afternoon.' 'I just remember backing away from them with my hands over my face wailing no, no, no, no, nooooo.' Cassidy endured years of bullying and at one point skipped the last term of Year 7 because the torment from classmates became so bad. 'I don't think I've made it to the acceptance stage of grief yet,' Ms Trevan said of the loss of her daughter. 'How can I ever accept that my precious baby was so betrayed, so wronged, so let down by society and every professional who failed to help and protect you, both before and after what happened to you? 'The knowledge of how badly you had to suffer just kills me and always will.' The girls who bullied Cassidy pretended to want to make amends and lured the then-13 year old to a Springvale home where she was brutally raped. While their friends kept watch, the two boys responsible had timed themselves during the attack. Cassidy committed suicide at the end of the following year after the rape left her suffering nightmares, insomnia, separation anxiety, panic attacks and PTSD. Cassidy (pictured) endured years of bullying and at one point skipped the last term of Year 7 because the bullying became so bad Cassidy (pictured) committed suicide at the end of the following year after the rape left her suffering nightmares, insomnia, separation anxiety, panic attacks and PTSD She and her family met with Victoria Police's Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team more than 20 times, but Cassidy could not bring herself to give them a statement, and no one was questioned over the attack. 'I'm so so sorry that I couldn't fix you [Cassidy] and make it all better, like a mum should be able to, so that we could still be together today and forever,' Ms Trevan said. 'My grief is still so incredibly overwhelming. But I have to try to stay srong so that I can keep your name and your memories alive, and continue spreading bullying awareness to try to save other lives.' None of the teenagers allegedly involved in the rape at the Springvale home have been charged to date. Ms Trevan said in her post she had lit a 55 hour candle so her lost daughter could find her way home and into the dreams of her heartbroken mother. 'Love and proudness my precious darling, my forever 15, my teen-angel, you were my dream come true my beautiful baby. 'I love you and miss you so very much, with every little fragment of my broken heart. 'You will live on in my heart, and in the hearts of thousands all around the world, forever.' For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14. Anyone across Australia experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide can contact Lifeline. Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation their trained volunteers are ready to listen, provide support and referrals. Mohammed Shekha (left), 21, detailed a shocking series of desperate calls to French and British authorities and claimed both denied responsibility for the rescue. At least 27 people drowned as they headed for the UK last Wednesday. Last night, Mr Shekha, one of only two survivors, said the boat's occupants held each other's hands in the water before succumbing to the icy sea. In an interview with Rudaw, the Kurdish state broadcaster, he said 33 people went to the shore near Dunkirk at 8pm on Tuesday. The young shepherd, whose family live in northern Iraq, said some migrants wanted to swim to the ship. At that point, a 16-year-old Iraqi boy called Mubin Hussein (top right), who was on board with his mother and two sisters, made desperate phone calls for help. Mubin was on board with his mother Kazhal Ahmed, 45, and two sisters Haida, 22, and Hasti, seven. They are all feared dead. Mr Shekha, whose family moved to Iraq from Iran a decade ago, said he needed to raise $60,000 [45,000] to pay for an operation for his younger sister, Fatima (bottom right). Asked whether he still wanted to go to Britain, he said: 'I will do whatever it takes for my sister.' Mark Whitehead (pictured at Hull Crown Court) was only caught after using his nephew's computer to download the material A man who used his nephew's computer to download child porn has been spared jailed after a judge heard there are now more than a million paedophile sites online. Mark Whitehead, 26, who had been viewing indecent films and images for three years, was only caught after using his nephew's computer to download the material. The nephew saw the images when the computer was returned and reported Whitehead to police, Hull Crown Court heard. Police visited Whitehead's home on December 14 last year and seized a laptop, hard drive, USB stick and mobile phone. Across the devices were 14 images and five movies at category A - the most serious - 29 images and three videos at category B; and 87 images and one film at category C. One of the category A films lasted 15 minutes and 42 seconds and featured a girl aged five or six being sexually abused. Another was of a boy aged four or five. Mr Welch said a further aggravating feature was that Whitehead had used a search engine which made it easier to disguise what he had been looking for. In interview with police and with the author of a pre-sentence report, Whitehead admitted viewing the material for his own sexual gratification. He said he had originally viewed adult pornography, and began watching and seeking child abuse material after seeing a 'pop-up' image. After hearing the case against Whitehead put by prosecutor Stephen Welch, Judge Peter Kelson QC asked: 'It just occurred to me that is there no means whereby police can close down the websites that broadcast this material?' Mr Welch said: 'Your honour, although I have not directly discussed it with officers, I have had a number of conversations with officers from the relevant unit. 'Information given to me I found profoundly shocking; indicating there are now one million sites on the internet where indecent images of children may be accessed. 'In addition, a large number of the sites are hosted on servers not in Western Europe or North America, so therefore they are far more difficult for the authorities to exercise control over and close down.' The nephew saw the images when the computer was returned and reported Whitehead to police, Hull Crown Court (pictured) heard The judge said: 'There would be a much higher impact if the police were given sufficient resources to actually bring to court some of the evil people actually profiting from broadcasting this material, rather than [offenders like] this defendant.' Judge Kelson said he could not recall a case of anyone behind the broadcasting or hosting of such material being prosecuted during his eight years as a full-time judge. Mr Welch said he could only recall a single prosecution of someone who had uploaded indecent images in his 11 years as a Crown advocate. Judge Kelson (pictured) sentenced Whitehead to a three-year community order Whitehead, of west Hull, admitted three offences of making indecent images or photographs. He had no previous convictions. Kylie Peach, mitigating, said Whitehead's offending was 'intermittent', in that he would view indecent material then 'punish himself' and stop. Miss Peach said he was remorseful and embarrassed by what he had done, and 'accepts this is an abhorrent crime'. He suffered from depression, had 'severe social anxiety', and also had physical health problems, she said. Judge Kelson sentenced Whitehead to a three-year community order requiring him to attend 31 sessions of the Horizon sex offender programme and have up to 40 days rehabilitation. The judge said if he breached it he would jail him for eight months. He told Whitehead: 'The prosecution at my request has spared us the details of the videos that you were watching. They are incredibly repulsive. It is sometimes difficult as a judge to retain one's complete objectivity in cases of this sort.' Whitehead must register as a sex offender for five years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period. Theresa May appears to have secured the support she needs to win tonight's Tory confidence vote after she was publicly backed by 188 of her MPs. MPs will have two hours to cast their secret ballots in today's vote, which kicks off at 6pm and closes at 8pm tonight. But there is still a chance she could lose if these Tories fail to keep their word and actually cast their vote against her tonight. Mrs May will make a final plea for their backing a meeting of the 1922 Committee of Tory MP in Parliament tonight, where she will urge them to back her in the national interest. She needs to win the backing of a majority of Tory MPs - which would be 159 votes - to cling on as Tory leader and PM and finish trying to get Brexit over the line. But if she loses she could have to stay on as a 'zombie' PM for weeks to come as her warring MPs choose a successor. Publicly, the entire Cabinet have demanded she stays on as leader led by loyalists Sajid Javid, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt who all blasted the Brexiteers behind the attempted coup. Mrs May needs 159 Tory MPs in Parliament to support her in the secret ballot and if she wins later this evening no new challenge will be allowed for another year. MailOnline analysis of each MP's tweets, Facebook posts and TV appearances today has revealed that within hours of tonight's confidence vote being announced this morning at least 188 had declared they will vote for the PM - enough for her to win. But the possibility remains that some MPs could change their minds or be untruthful and will vote differently in the secret ballot. Twenty-nine Mps have publicly acknowledged submitting a letter of No confidence in May and are sure to vote against her. The crunch vote will take place between 6pm and 8pm this evening with the result revealed at 9pm. The PM (pictured today in Downing Street) said she would not give up after Eurosceptics secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to force a ballot that could end her time as leader. She will learn her future at 9pm tonight THE 180-PLUS TORY MPs WHO VOWED TO BACK THERESA MAY IN CONFIDENCE VOTE Michelle Donelan - Chippenham Antoinette Sandbach - Eddisbury Rebecca Pow - Taunton Deane David Warburton - Somerton and Frome Jo Churchill - Bury St Edmunds George Freeman - Mid Norfolk Dr Phillip Lee - Bracknell John Glen - Salisbury Julian Smith - Skipton and Ripon Kit Malthouse - North West Hampshire Oliver Letwin - West Dorset Gavin Williamson - South Staffordshire John Howell - Henley Sarah Newton - Truro and Falmouth Stephen Crabb - Preseli Pembrokeshire Rory Stewart - Penrith and The Border Robert Buckland - Swindon South Mel Stride - Central Devon Matt Hancock - West Suffolk Robin Walker - Worcester Damian Hinds - East Hampshire Victoria Prentis - Banbury and Nth Oxon Jesse Norman - Hereford and South Herefordshire Sam Gyimah - East Surrey Jonathan Djanogly - Huntingdon Geoffrey Cox - Torridge and W. Devon Tobias Ellwood - Bournemouth East Nigel Huddleston - Mid Worcestershire Simon Hoare - North Dorset Adam Afriyie - Windsor Richard Harrington - Watford James Heappey - Wells Marcus Jones - Nuneaton Huw Merriman -Bexhill and Battle Helen Grant - Maidstone and Weald Amanda Milling - Cannock Chase Richard Benyon - Newbury Iain Stewart - Milton Keynes South Alex Burghart - Brentwood and Ongar Paul Masterton - East Renfrewshire Damian Green - Ashford Dominic Grieve - Beaconsfield Gillian Keegan - Chichester Gareth Johnson - Dartford Chris Grayling - Epsom and Ewell Colin Clark - Gordon Oliver Dowden - Hertsmere Theresa May- Maidenhead Peter Heaton-Jones - North Devon Kelly Tolhurst - Rochester and Strood Gordon Henderson - Sittingbourne + Sheppey Kwasi Kwartang - Spelthorne Peter Bottomley - Worthing West Peter Aldous - Waveney Kemi Badenoch - Saffron Walden Guto Bebb - Aberconwy Paul Beresford - Mole Valley Andrew Bowie - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Jack Brereton - Stoke-on-Trent South Kenneth Clarke - Rushcliffe David TC Davies - Monmouth Mark Field, - Cities of London and Westminster Kevin Foster - Torbay Lucy Frazer - South East Cambridgeshire David Tredinnick - Bosworth Jeremy Lefroy - Stafford Robert Halfon - Harlow Vicky Ford - Chelmsford Heidi Allen - South Cambs Kevin Hollinrake - Thirsk and Malton Jake Berry - Rossendale and Darwen Liz Truss - South West Norfolk Chris Skidmore - Kingswood, Sth Glos Julian Knight - Solihull Craig Whittaker - Calder Valley Nick Hurd - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner Steve Brine - Winchester Luke Hall - Thornbury and Yate Bim Afolami - Hitchin and Harpenden Mary Robinson - Cheadle Dame Caroline Spelman - Meriden Andrea Leadsom - South Northants Alan Mak - Havant Michael Ellis - Northampton North Alok Sharma - Reading Wes Alistair Burt - North East Bedfordshire Nick Boles - Stamford Margot James - Stourbridge Justin Tomlinson - North Swindon David Lidington - Aylesbury Andrew Stephenson - Pendle Dr Liam Fox - North Somerset Bob Neill - Bromley and Chislehurst Sarah Wollaston - Totnes Sir Alan Duncan - Rutland and Melton David Mundell - Dumfries Harriett Baldwin - West Worcestershire Steve Barclay - North East Cambridgeshire Mark Lancaster - Milton Keynes North Stuart Andrew - Pudsey John Penrose - Weston-super-Mare Heather Wheeler - South Derbyshire Caroline Dinenage - Gosport Jackie Doyle-Price - Thurrock Kirstene Hair - Angus Bill Grant - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Dr Dan Poulter - Central Suffolk and Nth Ipswich Giles Watling - Clacton Claire Perry - Devizes Maggie Throup - Erewash Caroline Dineage - Gosport Bob Seely - Isle of Wight George Hollingberry - Meon Valley Roger Gale - North Thanet Caroline Nokes - Romsey and Southampton North Seema Kennedy - South Ribble Karen Bradley - Staffs Moorlands Ben Wallace - Wyre and Preston North Mike Freer - Finchley and Golders Green Nusrat Ghani - Wealden Andrew Griffiths - Burton Caroline Johnson - Sleaford and North Hykeham John Lamont - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk Phillip Lee - Bracknell Iain Liddell-Grainger - Bridgwater and West Somerset David Lidington - Aylesbury Jack Lopresti - Filton and Bradley Stoke Paul Maynard - Blackpool North and Cleveleys Jeremy Wright - Kenilworth and Southam Matt Warman - Boston and Skegness James Cartlidge - South Suffolk Michael Gove - Surrey Heath Rachel Maclean - Redditch Alec Shelbrooke - Elmet and Rothwell Alun Cairns - Vale of Glamorgan Mark Spencer - Sherwood Greg Clark - Tunbridge Wells Penny Mordaunt - Portsmouth North Philip Hammond - Weybridge Paul Scully - Sutton and Cheam David Gauke - South West Hertfordshire Patrick McLoughlin - Derbyshire Dales Mims Davies - Eastleigh Alex Chalk - Cheltenham Maria Miller - Basingstoke Amber Rudd - Hastings and Rye Stephen Hammond - Wimbledon Sajid Javid - Bromsgrove James Cleverly - Braintree Nick Gibb - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Nadhim Zahawi - Stratford-on-Avon James Brokenshire - Old Bexley and Sidcup Jeremy Hunt - South West Surrey Therese Coffey - Suffolk Coastal Brandon Lewis - Great Yarmouth Ed Vaizey - Wantage and Didcot Tom Tugendhat - Tonbridge and Malling Andrew Bowie - West Aberdeenshire Guy Opperman - Hexham Nicholas Soames - Mid Sussex Andrew Jones - Harrogate Alberto Costa - South Leicestershire Wendy Morton - Aldridge-Brownhills David Morris - Morecambe Oliver Heald - North East Hertfordshire Chris Heaton-Harris - Daventry Richard Graham - Gloucester Robert Jenrick - Newark Leo Docherty - Aldershot Nick Herbert - Arundel and South Downs David Duguid -Banff and Buchan Edward Argar - Charnwood Trudy Harrison - Copeland Alister Jack - Dumfries and Galloway Helen Whately - Faversham and Mid Kent Neil O'Brien - Harborough Victoria Atkins - Louth and Horncastle Glyn Davies - Montgomeryshire Luke Graham - Ochil and South Perthshire Robert Goodwill -Scarborough + Whitby Dr Andrew Murrison - South West Wiltshire Stephen Kerr - Stirling Mark Menzies - Fylde Nicky Morgan - Loughborough Neil Parish - Tiverton and Honiton Mark Pawsey - Rugby Andrew Percy - Brigg and Goole Chris Philp - Croydon South Chris Pincher - Tamworth Mark Prisk - Hertford and Stortford David Rutley, - Macclesfield Chloe Smith - Norwich North Anna Soubry - Broxtowe Gary Streeter - South West Devon Julian Sturdy - York Outer Advertisement Rebel figurehead Jacob Rees-Mogg tweeted today: 'The country needs a new leader, it is time for Mrs May to resign' - but so far only around 30 have publicly backed his campaign. If she wins, she will stay on as Tory leader and Prime Minister to finish the Brexit talks and try to get a deal over the line. And if she loses, she would have to stay on in Number Ten for weeks as a 'zombie' Prime Minister for some weeks until her warring party pick a fresh leader. The contest has been triggered because at least 48 Tory MPs have sent letters of no confidence into Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee - the body which represents Tory MPs. If she wins, she will stay on as Tory leader and Prime Minister to finish the Brexit talks and try to get a deal over the line. And if she loses, she would have to stay on in Number Ten for weeks as a 'zombie' Prime Minister for some weeks until her warring party pick a fresh leader. The contest has been triggered because at least 48 Tory MPs have sent letters of no confidence into Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee - the body which represents Tory MPs. Sir Graham is obliged to call a vote if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to him calling for one - currently 48 MPs. The PM has scrapped her plans to fly to Dublin for Brexit talks with the irish PM Leo Varadkar. Instead she is staying in Westminster to plead with her Tory colleagues to back her in today's vote. 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 The Tory MPs, who are among the favourites to replace Mrs May, have stayed loyal to the Tory leader Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has handed in his letter of no confidence and says it is time for Mrs May to go Tory MPs will vote by casting their secret ballots in a box which will be placed in a room in Parliament, and they can only vote for these two hours. There are 317 Tory MPs who are eligible to vote, and the PM needs a simple majority to stay on as leader - meaning 159 is the magic number. If Mrs May wins today then she cannot face a fresh challenge for another 12 months - meaning that she can stay on and finish Brexit. Mrs May has vowed to stay on as leader if she win's tonight's vote by just one, but her critics on the Tory backbenches have warned that if 80 or more MPs vote against her, her position as PM will be untenable. If she loses she must resign as Conservative party leader and is barred in standing for the leadership contest. But she will have to stay on as Prime Minister while warring Tory MPs decide who her successor will be - leaving her a 'Zombie' leader. She faces the humiliating prospect of being defeated tonight but having to travel to Brussels tomorrow for a crunch EU summit where Brexit is on the agenda. Or she could quit immediately and hand over to a caretaker leader - with her de facto deputy David Lidington tipped to be the man to fulfill this role. Any MP - apart from the ousted leader - is eligible to stand in the subsequent contest. Conservative MPs hold a series of ballots to whittle the list of contenders down to two, with the lowest placed candidate dropping out in each round. The final two candidates are then offered to the Tory membership at large for an election. It is widely believed that the Brexiteer candidate will be the winner if it goes to a vote of the membership. The Tory leadership contest can take up to 12 weeks, but if there is another contest party chiefs are determined to do it as quickly as possible as Brexit looms large on the horizon. Sir Graham said in practice MPs could take part in a series of votes of a matter of days to whittle down the candidates to just two. Tory MPs will face a final deadline of next Thursday to decide on the final two contenders for the leadership so that party members can choose a new leader over the Christmas holidays. All of Mrs May's 21 cabinet ministers have backed her leadership despite doubts about her Brexit deal with Home Secretary Mr Javid calling a proposed leadership election 'self-indulgent and wrong'. He added: 'The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March'. Former Prime Minister David Cameron, who has stayed quiet over the current political turmoil, tweeted: 'I hope Conservative MPs will back the PM in the vote today. We need no distractions from seeking the best outcome with our neighbours, friends and partners in the EU'. Brexiteers believe Mrs May should resign over her handling of negotiations with the EU with Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson among the favourites to replace her if she loses. But Jeremy Hunt, who replaced Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary in July, said today: 'I am backing Theresa May tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. He added: 'Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29'. Environment Secertary Michael Gove said: 'I am backing the Prime Minister 100% - and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same'. Brandon Lewis, James Brokenshire and Amber Rudd also backed the PM on Twitter ahead of the vote between 6pm and 8pm this evening. 158 Tory MPs need to vote against the Prime Minister to bring her down with Dominic Raab, Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid favourites to replace her if she loses. Tonight's vote was announced at 7.37am this morning with Chairman of the Conservative Party Brandon Lewis taking five minutes to speak out and back Mrs May. He said: 'I fully back our Prime Minister. We have the right Leader of our Party, we have a duty to deliver for our country & I hope all my colleagues will join me & support @theresa_may to deliver for UK'. Mrs May came out fighting and said a leadership election would delay or even stop Brexit Ministers want he to stay - but her handling of Brexit has led to Brexiteers demanding that she goes Housing Minister James Brokenshire wrote: 'Strongly support @theresa_may to continue as Leader of @Conservatives and Prime Minister. Now is not the time for this distraction and even more uncertainty. We need to get behind the Prime Minister in the best interests of our country'. 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 Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd tweeted: 'The PM has my full support. At this critical time we need to support and work with the PM to deliver on leaving the EU, & our domestic agenda - ambitious for improvements to people's lives & to build on growth of wages & jobs'. International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: 'I will support the Prime Minister @theresa-may tonight. This is a totally inappropriate time to have a contest. The country expects us to provide stability not damaging division.' Transport Secretary and prominent Brexiteer Chris Grayling said: 'I will be backing Theresa May tonight. At this crucial point, the last thing the country needs is a prolonged and introspective leadership contest. 'I was one of the first Cabinet ministers to back Brexit. Delivering a deal was never going to be simple. 'Theresa May is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU and deliver on the Brexit that I and the people of our great country voted for.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'I'm voting for the Prime Minister tonight and urge all colleagues to do the same. We should all be focussed on coming together for the sake of the future of the country'. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay tweeted: 'I fully support the PM. This is a crucial stage with weeks to go before we leave the EU. We need to back @theresa-may and deliver the referendum result. The PM is working in our national interest and this distraction risks damaging uncertainty.' Alun Cairns, the Welsh Secretary, and David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, both offered their backing for the Prime Minister on Twitter. 'I am giving my full support to @theresa-may who has always put the national interest first. We need to honour the outcome of the referendum and support the PM to deliver Brexit on 29 March 2019,' Mr Cairns said. David Mundell added: 'PM has my full support. A leadership contest is the last thing we need. The public want us to sort Brexit now!' House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom tweeted: 'Vital to support @theresa-may today. She is working hard in the interest of the U.K. to get a good Brexit deal and she has my full support.' Mrs May's enemies are circling to replace her as her Brexit plans appeared to be in ruins. In a joint statement the chairman of the European Research Group Jacob Rees-Mogg and his deputy Steve Baker said: 'Theresa May's plan would bring down the Government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it. 'Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go.' Tory former minister Ed Vaizey said he would support the Prime Minister in the vote, but Sir Bernard Jenkin told Today he would vote for a change in leadership. Sir Bernard said he had submitted a letter of no confidence earlier this week with 'great regret'. What could happen next for Theresa May as she faces no confidence vote Theresa May is battling for her political survival today as Tory rebels have triggered a vote of confidence in her premiership. If she wins, she will stay on as Tory leader and Prime Minister to finish the Brexit talks and try to get a deal over the line. And if she loses, she would have to stay on in Number Ten for weeks as a 'zombie' Prime Minister for some weeks until her warring party pick a fresh leader. Why is Theresa May facing a confidence vote? The contest has been triggered because at least 48 Tory MPs have sent letters of no confidence into Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee - the body which represents Tory MPs. Sir Graham is obliged to call a vote if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to him calling for one - currently 48 MPs. How will today's vote take place? The confidence vote will be held between 6pm and 8pm tonight. Tory MPs vote by casting their secret ballots in a box which will be placed in a room in Parliament, and they can only vote for these two hours. How many MPs does Theresa May need to win? There are 315 Tory MPs who are eligible to vote, and the PM needs a simple majority to stay on as leader - meaning 158 is the magic number. What happens if Theresa May wins? If Theresa May wins today then she cannot face a fresh challenge for another 12 months - meaning that she can stay on and finish Brexit. Mrs May has vowed to stay on as leader if she win's tonight's vote by just one, but her critics on the Tory backbenches have warned that if 80 or more MPs vote against her, her position as PM will be untenable. What happens if Theresa May loses? If Theresa May loses she must resign as Conservative party leader and is barred in standing for the leadership contest. But she will have to stay on as Prime Minister while warring Tory MPs decide who her successor will be - leaving her a 'Zombie' leader. She faces the humiliating prospect of being defeated tonight but having to travel to Brussels tomorrow for a crunch EU summit where Brexit is on the agenda. Or she could quit immediately and hand over to a caretaker leader - with her de facto deputy David Lidington tipped to be the man to fulfill this role. How does the Tory leadership contest work? Any MP - apart from the ousted leader - is eligible to stand in the subsequent contest. Conservative MPs hold a series of ballots to whittle the list of contenders down to two, with the lowest placed candidate dropping out in each round. The final two candidates are then offered to the Tory membership at large for an election. It is widely believed that the Brexiteer candidate will be the winner if it goes to a vote of the overwhelmingly Eurosceptic membership. Advertisement Ministers say for the 'sake of the country' Mrs May should stay in office and not be deposed Mrs May got little encouragement from EU leaders yesterday as she tried desperately to keep her Brexit deal alive. With mutinous Eurosceptic MPs racheting up their campaign against her, the Prime Minister conducted a whistle-stop tour of European capitals to try to win last-minute concessions. But Dutch PM Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk all warned there was no prospect of reopening negotiations on the 585-page Brexit deal. One EU diplomat even likened attempts to salvage the deal to 'putting make-up on a dead body to make it look pretty'. German sources said Mrs Merkel told her party there was 'no way' to change the Brexit deal, following talks with Mrs May, although No 10 insisted she was ready to help 'get the deal over the line'. Talks were focused on the controversial Irish 'backstop', which critics fear could leave the UK trapped in an EU customs union indefinitely after Brexit. Mrs May said the backstop, which is designed to prevent the need for a hard border on the island of Ireland if trade talks falter, was a 'necessary guarantee, which would form part of any Brexit deal. But she added: 'We don't want the backstop to be used and if it is we want to be certain it is only temporary and it's those assurances I will be seeking from fellow leaders over the coming days.' Downing Street was tight-lipped about Mrs May's exact demands on a tour that started with breakfast with Mr Rutte, ahead of a lunch in Berlin with Mrs Merkel and evening talks with Mr Tusk and Mr Juncker in Brussels. But Tory sources said the plans include asking the EU to define 'temporary' as lasting for as little as three years. The cyberattack on Marriott's hotel reservation system that affected up to 500 million guests was part of a Chinese intelligence gathering effort that also hacked health insurers and security clearance files of millions of Americans, sources say. US investigators believe the hackers were working for the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), the country's spy agency, is responsible for the massive data breach reported by Marriott last month, the New York Times reports, citing sources briefed on the investigation. The MSS has been behind many Chinese government breaches of sensitive US networks in recent years, according to the Washington Post. However, the sources told the Post that the investigation into the massive breach at Marriott International Inc's Starwood chain hotel reservation system is not finished, so definite conclusions cannot be drawn. Scroll down for video US government investigators probing the Marriott data breach increasingly believe Chinese state hackers were responsible, sources say. File photo The discovery of the breach - which began four years before it was spotted came as the Trump administration is planning action targeting Chinas trade, cyber and economic policies. These include indictments against hackers working for China's intelligence services and the military, four government officials told the Times on the condition of anonymity. Last week, Reuters reported that the hackers left clues suggesting they were working for a Chinese government intelligence gathering operation, according to sources familiar with the matter. Marriott said last month that a hack that began four years ago had exposed the records of up to 500 million customers in its Starwood hotels reservation system. Private investigators looking into the breach found hacking tools, techniques and procedures previously used in attacks attributed to Chinese hackers, said three sources who were not authorized to discuss the company's private probe into the attack. That suggests that Chinese hackers may have been behind a campaign designed to collect information for use in Beijing's espionage efforts and not for financial gain, two of the sources said. Marriott said last month that a hack that began four years ago had exposed the records of up to 500 million customers in its Starwood hotels reservation system. File photo While China has emerged as the lead suspect in the case, the sources cautioned it was possible somebody else was behind the hack because other parties had access to the same hacking tools, some of which have previously been posted online. Identifying the culprit is further complicated by the fact that investigators suspect multiple hacking groups may have simultaneously been inside Starwood's computer networks since 2014, said one of the sources. If investigators confirm that China was behind the attack, that could complicate already tense relations between Washington and Beijing, amid an ongoing tariff dispute and US accusations of Chinese espionage and the theft of trade secrets. 'China firmly opposes all forms of cyber attack and cracks down on them in accordance with law,' Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang told Reuters last week. 'If offered evidence, the relevant Chinese departments will carry out investigations according to law.' Marriott spokeswoman Connie Kim declined to comment, saying 'We've got nothing to share,' when asked about involvement of Chinese hackers. Marriott disclosed the hack on November 30, prompting US and UK regulators to quickly launch probes into the case. Compromised customer data included names, passport numbers, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and email addresses. A small percentage of accounts included scrambled payment card data, said Kim. Marriott acquired Starwood in 2016 for $13.6 billion, including the Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, St. Regis, Aloft, Le Meridien, Tribute, Four Points and Luxury Collection hotel brands, forming the world's largest hotel operator. The hack began in 2014, shortly after an attack on the US government's Office of Personnel Management (OPM) compromised sensitive data on tens of millions of employees, including application forms for security clearances. White House National Security advisor John Bolton recently told reporters he believed Beijing was behind the OPM hack, a claim first made by the United States in 2015. Beijing has strongly denied those charges and also refuted charges that it was behind other hacks. Former senior FBI official Robert Anderson told Reuters that the Marriott case looked similar to hacks that the Chinese government was conducting in 2014 as part of its intelligence operations. 'Think of the depth of knowledge they could now have about travel habits or who happened to be in a certain city at the same time as another person,' said Anderson, who served as FBI executive assistant director until 2015. 'It fits with how the Chinese intelligence services think about things. It's all very long range,' said Anderson, who was not involved in investigating the Marriott case and is now a principal with Chertoff Group. Michael Sussmann, a former senior Department of Justice official for its computer crimes section, said that the long duration of the campaign was an indicator that the hackers were seeking data for intelligence and not information to use in cyber crime schemes. 'One clue pointing to a government attacker is the amount of time the intruders were working quietly inside the network,' he said. 'Patience is a virtue for spies, but not for criminals trying to steal credit card numbers.' 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. Bizarre footage has emerged showing a daredevil parachuting between high rise flats in the pitch black in London. The person was filmed jumping from the top of a tower block in Kennington, south London, and gliding towards the ground before disappearing behind a building. The adrenaline junkie, whose identity remains a mystery, was recorded by Morgan Holloway, who happened to notice the parachute from his window. The mystery daredevil pulls their chute after leaping from the tall tower block on the right The personal trainer can be heard letting out a nervous shriek as the daredevil leaps off the edge of the building. Mr Holloway and his friends can then be heard laughing in disbelief as the glider flies through the sky. The video has been shared 3,000 times since it was uploaded yesterday. One user wrote: 'New mode of transport because you lots Oyster cards got locked off.' They glide between high rise flats in the pitch black before vanishing behind a building They were filmed carrying out the stunt by personal trainer Morgan Holloway from his window in Kennington, south London Another said: 'He's playing Fortnite in real life!' A third person replied: 'Grand Theft Auto: Kennington.' The Met Police said it was unaware of the incident as it had not been reported. A new mother has died just days after giving birth when she reportedly got lost and collapsed in a disused hospital stairwell as she returned to her ward from seeing her premature newborn son. Amanda Cox was still in her pyjamas and slippers when she was discovered at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after giving birth last Thursday. It is understood the 34-year-old collapsed on Monday after taking a wrong turn when returning to her room from the neonatal ward, where she was thought to be visiting her son, Murray. The keen darts player, who in 2016 reached the final 32 in the Women's World Masters, was pronounced dead shortly after being found. Amanda Cox, pictured here with husband Michael. Mrs Cox is thought to have taken a wrong turn when returning to her home from the neonatal ward Family friends said she gave birth to her son Murray last Thursday. He was born weighing 3lb 7oz after Mrs Cox suffered from pre-eclampsia, a serious blood pressure condition which affects some women in the latter stages of pregnancy. It is understood she had been suffering from headaches and was due to see a specialist at the hospital. Police said they were treating Amanda Cox's (pictured) death as unexplained but not suspicious Police said they were treating her death as unexplained but not suspicious. Officers have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. She was reported missing around 3pm on Monday and was found at 10pm the same day. Police Scotland said a 'sudden death' report had been sent to the procurator fiscal in Edinburgh and a full post-mortem examination would be carried out to determine the cause of death. Mrs Cox's family in Peebles were unavailable for comment about her death. They were said to be devastated at the news and trying to establish exactly what had happened. A family friend said: 'Amanda had been suffering headaches even before she had been in hospital for the birth and was due to see a specialist. 'Apparently she was going back to her room for medication but took a wrong turning and came out of the neonatal ward into a disused ward. 'They think it was a brain haemorrhage or a stroke or heart attack but we will just have to wait on the post-mortem.' The friend added: 'She just had baby Murray last Thursday as a result of having pre-eclampsia. Amanda Cox, 34, who was a keen darts player (pictured), was still in her pyjamas and slippers when she was discovered at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after giving birth last Thursday 'After transferring from Borders General Hospital Murray seems to be doing OK, although he was just 3lb 7oz when born.' Pre-eclampsia: Condition which can kill Pre-eclampsia is a serious condition of pregnancy, and can be particularly dangerous because many of the signs are silent, while some symptoms resemble 'normal' effects of pregnancy. Symptoms include high blood pressure; swelling around the face, eyes or hands; headaches; nausea or vomiting; changes in vision; and shortness of breath. Pre-eclampsia is detectable through regular medical appointments that measure blood pressure, protein in the urine and weight gain. It is treated via medication and dietary changes. The condition typically occurs after 20 weeks of gestation and up to six weeks postpartum (after delivery), but it can also occur earlier than 20 weeks. Pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are believed to be responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year across the world. Advertisement Former Women's World Masters champion Deta Hedman posted on social media: 'Stunned to hear of the passing away of Amanda Cox so young, had many a battle on the oche over the years, my and Paul's condolences to the family. RIP Amanda.' Hundreds of others also paid tribute to the 34-year-old and gave their condolences to the family on social media. One person said: 'So sad. Much love to her family and friends.' And another said: 'So tragic R.I.P thoughts with her family at this sad time.' A spokesman for Darts Scotland said: 'So sad to hear the news that Amanda Cox has passed away. 'Condolences to her family from all at Darts Scotland.' Police Scotland said: 'We can confirm that missing woman Amanda Cox was discovered collapsed within the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary around 10pm and passed away a short time later. 'The death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious, and a report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal. 'Our thoughts and sympathies are with Amanda's family and friends at this time.' NHS Lothian deputy chief executive Jim Crombie said: 'My thoughts and sympathies are with the family of Amanda Cox at this sad time. 'A police investigation is ongoing and we are assisting with their inquiries.' A young mother has claimed she bit into a metal screw while she was eating a Coles-brand bread bun. Skye-April Cullen from Hervey Bay in Queensland posted pictures of the metal screw she claims was in the bread roll - and said she could have fed it to her baby. 'I am bloody disgusted and have cut my mouth open,' Ms Cullen wrote on social media. A young mother claims she bit into a metal screw (pictured) while she was eating a Coles-brand bread bun Skye-April Cullen (pictured) from Hervey Bay in Queensland posted pictures of the metal screw she claims was in the bread roll and says she could have fed it to her baby 'I have a baby who is just starting to eat who could have just as easily ate this last night,' she said. 'Massive massive contamination ur lucky my daughter didn't choke.' The young mother says she bought a six pack of bread rolls for her dinner on Tuesday and had eaten a few bites when she felt her tooth crack and tasted blood. Ms Cullen said the screw cracked a tooth and damaged her '4000 dollar smile.' A spokesperson for Coles told news.com.au that they were aware of the incident. 'Coles takes the quality of all our products seriously and has contacted the customer to follow up their complaint,' the spokesperson told the publication. 'As always we encourage customers to return any item they're not 100 per cent happy with to their nearest store for a full refund or replacement.' The young mother says she bought a six pack of bread rolls for her dinner on Tuesday and had eaten a few bites when she felt her tooth crack and tasted blood This is the incredible moment a mother carrying a small child narrowly escapes death as she evades an out of control truck. The dashboard footage, thought to have been captured in Vietnam, is filmed by a driver who seems to be looking for parking on the side of a highway, before giving way to a silver car approaching from the right. The seemingly mundane scene suddenly spirals out of control as a large truck careers across the road and heads directly towards a mother carrying a child nearby. A truck suddenly veers out of control (top left) and heads towards moving traffic and parked cars in the opposite lane The quick-thinking mother uses her instincts to save herself and her baby by immediately running away from the scene The mother clutches her child as she sprints away from the oncoming truck and smashed cars just inches from her The carnage finally comes to an end as the truck ends up in a ditch, leaving smashed cars and and smoke in its wake The footage then captures the quick-thinking mother sprinting out of the way as the truck smashes into the two cars just inches away from her. The mother flees from the scene but the carnage continues while the truck skids off the road, only stopping when it lands in a roadside ditch. The unharmed mother and child disappear from the frame while the driver of the destroyed silver car runs out of his vehicle and appears to check the back seat. It is not clear where exactly the footage, posted by ViralHog, was captured but it is believed to have taken place in Vietnam on Monday. A man accused of raping, kidnapping and murdering a 13-year-old girl was not charged over a separate 2016 rape because of a police blunder, it has emerged. Hania Aguilar was snatched from her driveway and forced into the back of an idling SUV in Lumberton, North Carolina on the morning of November 5. Three weeks later, the SUV was found several miles from her mobile home park and her body was found a few miles further on. On Monday, Michael Ray McLellan, 34, appeared in court charged with her murder. Police say Aguilar was snatched from outside her home in Lumberton and forced into the back of an SUV on November 5. Her body was found on November 27 Michael Ray McLellan, 34, sits in court for his first appearance on charges of kidnapping and murder of 13-year-old Hania Noelia Aguilar on Monday in Lumberton, N.C He was arrested after detectives linked samples found in the SUV to his DNA which police had from an earlier felony conviction. The samples also matched DNA from a 2016 rape in which McLellan allegedly removed an air-conditioner, crawled through a window and assaulted a woman at knifepoint after she tried to defend herself with a gun that did not fire. McLellan has now been charged with first-degree rape and first-degree burglary in that case - but the District Attorney has admitted he should have been charged much earlier. In 2017, the North Carolina state crime lab matched data from the 2016 rape to McLellan and gave the findings to the sheriff - but they were never followed up on, reported The News and Observer. Robeson County District Attorney Johnson Britt said yesterday: 'At some point, it obviously fell through the cracks. You hate it. You punch yourself.' Celsa Maribel Hernandez Velasquez , mother of Hania Aguilar, stares at Michael Ray McLellan, 34, during his first appearance Monday for the kidnapping and murder of Hania Aguilar Law enforcement officials and community members are seen during a mid-November search for Aguilar On Monday, Mr Britt said that because he's leaving office later this month, the decision on whether this is a capital case rests with Matt Scott, who won November's election. Mr Scott said he had not made a decision about the death penalty, but noted that McLellan's case would qualify. 'This is a horrific set of facts,' Mr Scott said. McLellan will be kept in custody in Raleigh between court appearances in Robeson County, Mr Britt said. A funeral for Hania was held on Saturday in Lumberton, though her father Noe Aguilar, a Guatemalan citizen, did not attend. Noe's visa was denied last week because he 'doesn't have enough ties to the country', according to his attorney Naimeh Salem. North Carolina authorities have arrested 34-year-old Michael Ray McLellan in connection with the kidnapping, rape and murder of 13-year-old Hania Aguilar Surveillance footage released by the FBI showed the SUV just after the abduction took place The map above shows the 10 miles between where Hania was abducted on November 5 and the stolen SUV was found three days later on November 8 'To tell you the truth, with past administrations, we never had a problem like this,' Salem, an immigration lawyer based in Texas, told the New York Times. 'With [President Donald Trump's] administration, almost everything that is discretionary is getting denied.' A letter was read aloud on behalf of Hania's father Noe Aguilar, who lives in Guatemala, and was denied an expedited visa to attend the funeral. The letter said: 'You were and you are my treasure. Rest in peace daughter, my gorgeous princess,' he wrote. 'You left before me, my gorgeous princess. Now I know that I have an angel in heaven. 'It hurts my soul because I cannot be with you. But I will always keep you in my heart.' Prince Charles' favourite hunt has been banned from its traditional New Year meet after failing to submit a thorough risk assessment to the council. He is pictured riding with the hunt in an undated file photo Prince Charles' favourite hunt has been banned from its traditional New Year meet after failing to submit a thorough risk assessment to the council. The Beaufort Hunt in the Cotswold village of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, has been stopped following concerns of 'contact between riders and hounds with the general public'. The hunt usually meet with their hounds and horses on the town's Rail Lands on the first Monday after Christmas. But Tetbury Town Council asked the hunt to submit an 'improved risk assessment' over this year's meet, which 'did not fully address concerns' over the narrow site. Councillors have decided to ban the hunt from using its land completely after a vote on Monday. Peter Martin, former deputy mayor, said the final debate 'was very polarised and bordered on the surreal at times'. Mr Martin, who raised the issue with the council, added that the 'result has serious ongoing implications for hunts all over the country'. He said: 'In the end the quieter more rational voices won the day. 'The hunts have created a culture of exceptionalism around themselves whereby the public in general - and institutions like Town Councils in particular - simply assume what they are doing is not only legal but acceptable 'in the countryside'. The hunt usually meet with their hounds and horses on the town's Rail Lands on the first Monday after Christmas (file image) 'Very few question this or probe the details of what is actually happening with hunting, and those that do - like me - are vilified, intimidated and sometimes actually assaulted. 'The hunts hide behind a mask of respectability so they can continue to get away with killing animals and breaking the law right in front of our eyes, hiding in plain sight and buying us off with cheques to charity. 'I think the public are wising up to this and are now putting pressure on their democratic institutions to do something about it.' The Rail Lands was previously formed of rough open ground but has since been developed into parkland with a community arts centre. THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT'S HUNT Prince Charles is said to have purchased Highgrove, his home in Gloucestershire, to be close to the Beaufort Hunt. The earliest records of hounds being kennelled at Badminton date back to 1640 when the then Marquis of Worcester hunted mainly deer, but occasionally hunted hare and fox as well. It was not until 1762 that the 5th Duke of Beaufort, returning with his staghounds after an unsuccessful day put his hounds onto Silk Wood - now part of the Westonbirt Arboretum - and 'had such a fine run with a fox that henceforth he concentrated on foxhunting.' Advertisement Announcing the ban, town clerk Stephen Holley said: 'The decision to refuse consent was made on the grounds that the Hunt's second Risk Assessment did not fully address concerns over the narrow site and contact between riders and hounds with the general public, including families with small children and pushchairs. 'Whereas the Rail Lands were previously rough open ground, they have recently been developed into attractive parkland with the Goods Shed Arts Centre as a focus for community activity. 'As a result of that development, the nature of the site on which the Hunt meets has changed, although the Hunt activity has not. 'In addition, the Council was conscious of the reputational damage associated with public protests and the risk of disorder. 'It was also aware of the National Trust's experience of reputational damage following its decision to allow a Hunt to meet on one of its properties.' Local resident Chris Giles said: 'Clearly the site is not suitable for large numbers of horses, hounds and the hunt's quad bikes. 'There was no event or traffic management plan at all despite the hunt proposing to enter and exit the site via the roads with fifty horses and a pack of hounds.' The council said it will work with the Beaufort Hunt to allow their annual cheque presentation to Tetbury Hospital to continue. Alvin Braziel Jr. was executed moments after he apologized to the widow of a newlywed man he fatally shot in 1993 A Texas inmate was executed moments after he apologized to the widow of a newlywed man he fatally shot during a robbery more than 25 years ago. Alvin Braziel Jr. received lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the 1993 slaying of 27-year-old Douglas White, who was attacked as he and his wife walked on a jogging trail. Asked by the warden if he had a final statement, Braziel, 43, thanked supporters and apologized to the victim's wife, Lora White. 'I would like to apologize ... for her husband dying at my hands,' Braziel said from the death chamber gurney. He also said he loved the White family and a person he named but who was not present, then told the warden he was finished. As the sedative pentobarbital began taking effect, he took a couple of breaths, gasped, then snored loudly three times. The fourth snore was noticeably less pronounced, and then all movement stopped. Braziel was pronounced dead 7.19pm, nine minutes after the drug began. Braziel became the 24th inmate put to death this year in the US and the 13th executed in Texas, the nation's busiest capital punishment state. He will be the last Texas inmate executed this year. The execution was delayed about an hour after the six-hour window defined by the warrant began at 6pm. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a last-minute appeal from Braziel's attorneys. Braziel shot Douglas White (pictured) once in the head and once in his heart during a robbery in 1993 A brother of Douglas White and two friends attended the execution, but declined to speak afterward. Braziel selected no one to witness his death. Braziel was 18 in 1993 when he jumped out from behind some bushes with a pistol in his hand and demanded money from Douglas and Lora White as they walked along a community college jogging trail in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite. The Whites, who had only been married 10 days, didn't have any money on them but told Braziel they could get him some and they started walking back to their truck. But Braziel became angry with the couple and ordered them to the ground. WHAT IS THE DRUG PENTOBARBITAL? States use a variety of drugs and drug combinations in lethal injections. One of the most common is pentobarbital, a barbiturate that slows activity of the brain and nervous system. It is often used by doctors to treat seizures and convulsions. In an execution, pentobarbital can be used in combination with other drugs or by itself. So far this year, at least 13 inmates have been executed by single-drug doses of pentobarbital 11 in Texas and two in Georgia. The drug used in two other executions this year were undisclosed, but pentobarbital is likely to be the one used. Advertisement 'Doug ... was praying, asked God to forgive him and Lora their sins because they both knew that this was it,' said Michael Bradshaw, the lead detective on the case for Mesquite police. 'The last thing Doug said before Braziel fired the first round, he said, 'Please God, don't let him hurt Lora.'' Braziel shot White once in the head and once in his heart. Bradshaw said he believes Braziel would have also shot then-24-year-old Lora White but his gun malfunctioned. Braziel instead took her to bushy area near the trail and sexually assaulted her. Douglas White's murder was featured on the television show 'America's Most Wanted' and a $20,000 reward was raised by the chiropractic college he had worked for as an electrician. Bradshaw said more than 40 potential suspects were interrogated and had their blood drawn for testing. But White's murder remained unsolved for over seven years. 'I really didn't know that I would ever be able to solve it. But I really did not give up hope,' said Bradshaw, 63, who retired from Mesquite police in 2012. Braziel was eventually tied to the killing in 2001 after he was imprisoned for sexual assault in an unrelated case and his DNA matched evidence from Lora White's assault. At his trial, Braziel said he wasn't near the college during the killing. Braziel's attorneys didn't immediately reply to emails and calls seeking comment on Tuesday. Braziel, 43, died by lethal injection at the Texas state prison in Huntsville (pictured, the prison's death chamber gurney) on Tuesday Last week, his lawyers asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to stop his execution, arguing in part he should not receive lethal injection because he is intellectually disabled. The Supreme Court held in 2002 that people convicted of murder who are intellectually disabled cannot be executed. Braziel's attorneys later withdrew their request. Courts had previously turned down Braziel's appeals that have focused on claims of mental illness and that he had suffered a childhood brain injury, saying Braziel refused to be examined by a mental health expert during his trial and that his family declined to help his defense attorneys obtain evidence of any mental health problems in Braziel's family. His attorneys also filed a last-minute appeal Tuesday, arguing that an emotional outburst at the 2001 murder trial from Lora White was unfairly elicited by prosecutors when she was shown on the witness stand a photo of her husband's autopsied body. Bradshaw said he still keeps in contact with Lora White and that she started a new life and is doing well. 'Lora wants it known that she's prayed for Alvin Braziel and his family,' Bradshaw said. Chinese companies have announced they will punish employees caught using Apple products, prompted by the arrest of leading Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Several organisations and business groups in the country have issued notices urging staff members to show their support for the Chinese telecommunications giant by boycotting iPhones. One of Huawei's suppliers, Shenzhen-based LCD display maker Menpad, said it will punish any employee that buys the popular American smartphone with a fine of 100 per cent of market price in the next three years. Conversely, it will reward staff who buy Huawei or ZTE phones by giving them a 15 per cent subsidy. Chinese companies have announced they will punish employees caught using Apple products, prompted by the arrest of leading Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou (pictured), 46, was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 'The company will also cease to buy any American products such as office equipment, computers and cars,' Menpad said in a statement on its website on Monday, adding that it will double the sales commission to any employee who manages to sell its products to the US. The notice has since been taken down from its website. Menpad was founded in 2015 by Liu Dan, former president of electronics manufacturer Konka. Menpad produces LCD display, video-conferencing systems, and touch-screen query machines. It owns six subsidiaries and has annual revenue of 300 million yuan, with net assets surpassing 60 million yuan (US$8.7 million), according to its website. Shenzhen-based LCD display maker Menpad will reward staff who buy Huawei or ZTE phones by giving them a 15 per cent subsidy, according to a statement on its website on Monday The company is one of the first Chinese corporations to announce boycott of Apple products in support of Huawei, whose chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, 46, was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 at the request of the US. 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 Meng and the tech company misled banks about its business dealings in Iran. After three days of hearings, Meng was released on bail of C$10million (US$7.4million) on Tuesday night - on the condition she surrender her two passports and agree to wear an ankle bracelet. After the news of the Wanzhou's release broke, US President Donald Trump indicated that the move - which is expected to placate angry Chinese officials - could be part of a broader trade deal with China. Apple has filed a request for a Chinese court to reconsider its ruling which bans the sale of multiple iPhone models in China 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 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.' 'The US aims to contain China's rise ... I believe we Chinese people should stand united and support our national products,' the Nanchong Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai said in a statement on Sunday, warning any members who bought Apple products would be 'banned.' Chengdu-based RYD Information Technology said on Monday that it would only source Huawei equipment where possible from now on. The midsized startup said on its official social media account that it would also offer employees a 15 per cent subsidy on Huawei products. Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou (left), who was arrested on an extradition warrant, appears at a BC Supreme Court bail hearing in Vancouver Xinjiang Nor-West Star Information Technology said in a statement they will only support Huawei, saying that it 'actively backs the calls to support Huawei and protect national brands with real action'. The backlash against Apple comes amid a court-ordered ban on iPhone sales due to patent violations. 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. The court found Apple had violated two of Qualcomm's software patents around resizing photographs and managing applications on a touch screen. In a statement, the US smartphone maker 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. Apple said it had filed a request on Monday for the court to reconsider its decision. 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 The Chinese executive of Huawei who was arrested in Canada and facing possible extradition to the US has thanked her supporters on social media after being granted bail Tuesday evening. Meng Wanzhou, 46, wrote on Chinese messaging platform WeChat: 'I am in Vancouver and have returned to be with my family. I am proud of Huawei. I am proud of my motherland. Many thanks to everybody who has cared about me.' A screen shot of the post is circulating by the Chinese media and is currently trending. Along with the words, Meng also shared a Huawei advertisement which shows the feet of a ballet dancer and a Chinese slogan reading 'what lied behind greatness is suffering'. Meanwhile, pictures from Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) show Meng, the daughter of Chinese billionaire and Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, leaving the court through a side door at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver at around 8pm local time. Wearing a maroon down jacket and a hoodie, Meng appeared nearly five hours after the court granted her bail, reported CBC. Surrounded by security staff, she did not say anything to reporters before being led into a black car to take her back to her home in Vancouver. A picture from CBC shows Meng Wanzhou leaving the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver Tuesday night, about five hours after the judge delivered his decision She was then ushered into her home in Vancouver, another picture from CBC shows Meng Wanzhou wrote on Chinese messaging platform WeChat: 'I am in Vancouver and have returned to be with my family. I am proud of Huawei. I am proud of my motherland. Many thanks to everybody who has cared about me.' She was released on bail last night A Canadian judge granted bail to the top Chinese executive who was facing possible extradition to the US yesterday. 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 and vice chairman of telecommunications giant Huawei - the world's second largest smartphone maker - had asked for bail in exchange for putting up her husband, children and C$11million (US$8.23million) 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 Meng'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: 'Whatever's good for this country, I would do. 'If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made which is a very important thing what's 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 China DENIES any knowledge of ex-Canadian diplomat detained in Beijing 'in retaliation for arrest of leading Huawei exec' - and says the NGO he worked for was operating in the country ILLEGALLY China's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that it had no information about a former Canadian diplomat detained in Beijing in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of a leading Chinese executive. While declining to confirm the detention of Michael Kovrig, ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and its activities in the country were illegal. Kovrig was previously a diplomat in China and elsewhere. His current employer said he was taken into custody by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, which handles intelligence and counterintelligence matters in the Chinese capital, on Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed the detention and said Canada is very concerned. 'I do not have information to provide you here,' Lu said when asked about Kovrig. 'If there is such a thing, please do not worry, it is assured that China's relevant departments will definitely handle it according to law.' Because Kovrig's organisation is not registered as a nongovernmental organisation in China, 'once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law,' Lu said. Advertisement Meng's lawyer 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 Meng'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 Meng 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 Meng violated the conditions of her release. 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 Meng on a personal level. He vouched for Meng'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 Liu own two homes in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. Liu, 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 (US$747,468) 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 Liu could act as his wife 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 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.' 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. The US 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. 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 Meng 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 Meng. Huawei is the second-largest smartphone creator in the world after South Korean Samsung and ahead of Apple. Meng 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, 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 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 Meng 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. '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.' 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. A merry-go-round in China which has real horses attached to the rotating ceiling has resumed its business despite controversy. The 5-per-ride attraction, located outside a popular shopping mall in Chengdu, was forced to shut down in November after social media users accused its operator of animal cruelty. Its operator, a horse-riding club in Chengdu, has denied the allegations, claiming their business was legal and the horses had not been hurt. Scroll down for video A recent video on China's Twitter-like Weibo shows the funfair ride back to business. Four horses are seen walking round and round under the moving ceiling, each being bound to a long silver frame by the mouth. The merry-go-round has caused an outrage among web users Shangma International, which runs the merry-go-round, has re-opened the facility 15 days after it was closed in mid-November, according to Chinese media. The management claimed that they had changed the previous horses to those with 'more gentle temperament' and adjusted the equipment to make the horses feel 'more comfortable'. The animals were previously tied to the rotating ceiling by ropes which were knotted onto an iron ring in the horses' mouth, but the operator has since removed the iron rings from them and attached the animals to a metal frame, it is claimed. Speaking to Chinese news outlet Kan Kan, the founder of the equestrian club Mr Xue stressed that he had not closed the merry-go-round because of animal cruelty complaints. Mr Xue explained that he decided to halt the business temporarily in order to maintain the equipment, train the horses and raise the safety awareness of the staff. The founder claimed that merry-go-rounds with real horses were 'extremely common in the West', therefore people should not worry too much about the well-being of the animals. He also ensured the public that he and his staff were professional and knew how to look after horses. A video posted yesterday to China's Twitter-like Weibo shows the funfair ride back to business as four horses are seen walking round and round under the moving ceiling, each being bound to a long silver frame by the mouth. A picture taken on November 17 shows tourists riding on the horses as they visit the attraction Instead of traditional merry-go-rounds (pictured) which use colourful wooden horses, the Chinese theme park ride outside a shopping mall has real animals attached to the ceiling When controversy first arose last month, Mr Xue told Chinese reporters that trainers were always on site to take care of the horses. He also said trotting in circle on the spinning platform could provide the horses with the daily exercise they needed. The merry-go-round is installed outside the Shuangliu Wanda Plaza in Chengdu, which is a part of the Wanda Group belonging to one of China's riches man Wang Jianlin. It first appeared in September and has been operating every day until last month. It charges up to 50 yuan (5.60) per ride which lasts about four minutes. Videos and photos of the amusement park ride emerged last month on Chinese social media, which showed four ponies being strapped to large metal frames while carrying children and teenagers. The facility was shut down temporarily in mid-November, days after the picture was taken The incident saw the operator heavily criticised on social media, where net users accuse the equestrian club of animal abuse. 'Do not try to justify animal abuse. You are making money out of mistreating animals,' one top-rated comment read on Weibo. 'This is totally different from horseback riding,' one user said. 'The horse is not forced to walk round and round for hours every day.' 'If you want to ride a horse, you can go to a professional riding stable,' another said. 'The horse is not a toy. This is too inhuman.' 'Horses should be walked while willingly following their trainers' commands. This makes sure their joints remain in a relaxed state,' said Zhou Bo, a manager at Tian Xiao Equestrian. The merry-go-round is installed outside the popular Shuangliu Wanda Plaza (pictured) However, some wildlife authorities said the carousel was legal and the horses were not being mistreated. 'There is no law against using animals for amusement rides, said Zhou Ming, head of a wildlife rescue centre in Chengdu. This is not the first time live animals were used in funfair rides. Similarly in 2014, three ponies were chained to a merry-go-round ride at a night market in Taiwan. Theresa May (pictured outside No10 today) won a battle for her political survival today political survival tonight as Tory rebels lost a vote of confidence in her premiership. In a secret ballot, 200 Conservative MPs declared their confidence in the Prime Minister but 117 voted against her. The result, which was read out to applause in Committee Room 14 of the Houses of Parliament shortly after 9pm, means she cannot face a Tory leadership contest for another 12 months. She will stay on as Tory leader and Prime Minister to finish the Brexit talks and try to get a deal over the line. Why did Theresa May face a confidence vote? The contest was triggered because at least 48 Tory MPs have sent letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee - the body which represents Tory MPs. Sir Graham is obliged to call a vote if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to him calling for one - currently 48 MPs. What did Theresa May do today? The PM has scrapped her plans to fly to Dublin for Brexit talks with the irish PM Leo Varadkar. Instead she stayed in Westminster to plead with her Tory colleagues to back her in today's vote. She addressed the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs at 5pm to lay out her bid to stay on as their leader. How did today's vote take place? The confidence vote was held between 6pm and 8pm. Tory MPs voted by casting their secret ballots in a box which was placed in Committee Room 14 in Parliament, and could only vote for those two hours. What was the threshold for victory? There were 315 Tory MPs eligible to vote, and the PM needed a simple majority to stay on as leader - meaning 158 was the magic number. What happens now she has won? Theresa May cannot face a fresh challenge from within the Tory party for another 12 months - meaning that she can stay on and finish Brexit. Mrs May vowed to stay on as leader if she won tonight's vote by just one. Her critics on the Tory backbenches warned if 80 or more MPs voted against her, her position as PM would become untenable. In fact 117 did. What would have happened if Theresa May had lost? If Theresa May lost she would have had to resign as Conservative party leader and would have been barred from standing for the leadership contest. She would have had to stay on as Prime Minister while Tory MPs decided who her successor would be. She faced the prospect of being defeated tonight but having to travel to Brussels tomorrow for a crunch EU summit where Brexit is on the agenda. Or she could have quit immediately and handed over to a caretaker leader - with her de facto deputy David Lidington tipped to be the man to fulfill this role. Six suspected migrants have been picked up by Border Force officials this morning after they dialled 999 for help, bringing the total rescued in the last six weeks to 155. They were travelling in a dinghy when they were found at 6.21am after calling Kent Police. They were picked up on the Dover Straight. The migrants were 'extremely cold' according to one source, but it is believed the sea conditions were calm overnight. The group told rescuers they were Iranian. They were checked over by paramedics at the harbour before being handed over to Immigration officials for interview. The suspected migrants were travelling across the Channel in this dinghy when they were rescued off the Kent coast after calling 999 this morning The coast guard picked up six more suspected migrants off the Dover coast (pictured, emergency services at the scene today) this morning, which brings the total number of people rescued this month to 155 A Kent Police spokeswoman said: 'We received a call regarding suspected migrants in a boat off the coast of Dover at 6.21am.' The force referred the job to the Coastguard, who assisted Border Force colleagues. It comes after 14 migrants - who also all claimed to be Iranian - were picked up in two dinghies off the Dover coast yesterday The incidents follow a surge in the number of people making the perilous trip across from France, with more than 120 migrants being brought in since November 3. So far 155 migrants have been plucked from the English Channel trying to reach Britain since the start of last month. 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 on Tuesday morning. It was the second boat stopped by the authorities this month, as on December 4, two migrants were rescued after their small vessel was spotted off the Kent coast near St Margaret's Bay. This group of five men and one woman, and who claimed to be from Iran , were brought ashore by Border Force yesterdat. One was spotted being welcomed on to a jetty wrapped in a blanket Pictures captured the moment the migrants were brought onto dry land yesterday. It was 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 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.' A gym-mad father was paralysed from the nose down by a rare immune disorder believed to have been triggered by a chicken curry. David Braham, 40, became unwell while watching his son play rugby in Cardiff after the meal and within a matter of days was fighting for his life in an induced coma. Medics discovered he was suffering from food poisoning which caused the rare autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome. David Braham, pictured, suffered an almost fatal reaction to a chicken curry and spent four weeks in an induced coma in hospital after developing Guillain-Barre Syndrome Mr Braham, pictured at home with his family, has been allowed out of hospital briefly while he continues his recovery from Guillain-Barre Syndrome Mr Braham, pictured with his children, will remain in rehab until at least March The father-of-three was left paralysed from the face down, unable to talk, and ended up on a ventilator for four months, unable to breathe on his own. Eight months since the Chinese chicken curry which nearly cost him his life, he can finally walk on his own, and he has been allowed home for a short overnight visit. Former driving instructor Mr Braham, from Bridgend, Wales, said: 'I felt fine until I had the chicken curry. 'I just picked it up as a quick meal whilst a pupil was taking their test. 'I regret it. I am almost certain that's what caused it. 'I didn't feel quite right. That night I felt a bit dodgy and I got really ill over the weekend. Mr Braham, pictured with his son Junior, was watching rugby when he started to feel unwell and was rushed to hospital 'I got ill really quickly. It just started with a tingling feeling. 'Before I knew it I was literally locked in my own body. It was absolutely terrifying. 'It was like being a living hell. I didn't know if I'd be able to see my kids again and I didn't think I'd ever be able to walk again. 'It was the thought of my kids that kept me going. I have been fighting for them. I didn't think I'd survive. 'I did wonder if there would ever be a way out. All I want to do is play with my kids again and be a dad again.' Mr Braham felt poorly while he watched his seven-year-old son played rugby at Liberty Stadium in Swansea in April, but thought it was a 'dodgy stomach' caused by the meal from a roadside cafe. But his condition deteriorated and he was rushed to the Princess Wales Hospital on April 10, four days after tucking into the curry he blames. He was initially treated with antibiotics and sent home after a six day hospital stay. But the next day a tingling feeling started to spread through his body - which eventually caused complete paralysis. Within 24 hours he 'couldn't move a muscle' and was taken back to hospital by ambulance. It was only then that medical staff discovered he had been suffering from food poisoning campylobacter which caused the rare Guillain-Barre Syndrome. The serious and rare condition causes the immune system to attack nerve functions and can be triggered by infections including food poisoning. Mr Braham, who is separated, was placed in an induced coma for four weeks and placed on a ventilator for four months after he lost the ability to breathe on his own. Mr Braham, pictured with his friend Shaun Woodland, right, hopes he will be allowed home for Christmas dinner Mr Braham said he had to learn how to wash himself and brush his teeth again Mr Braham said: 'When I woke up out of the coma I had no idea what was going on.. I was paralysed and couldn't feel a thing. 'I didn't see my children for three months whilst I was in intensive care.' After being woken out of the coma in May, he began on the long and slow road to recovery. WHAT IS GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME? Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) occurs when the body's immune system attacks its nervous system. It affects around one in 100,000 people in the UK and US. Symptoms usually start with a tingling sensation in the leg, which may spread to the arms and upper body. In severe cases, the person can become paralysed. The condition can be life-threatening if it affects a person's breathing, blood pressure or heart rate. GBS' cause is unknown, but it usually occurs after a viral infection. The NHS states campylobacter infections have been known to trigger GBS. There is no cure. Treatment focuses on restoring the nervous system. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Advertisement In September he was transferred from the Llandough Hospital to Rookwood in Cardiff for rehabilitation. Thanks to daily physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and weekly aquatherapy sessions, he took his first steps in early November. Braham said: 'I had to learn how to wash myself and brush my teeth again. It took me three months to be able to move my legs again. 'It was like being a baby and having to learn how to do simple things again.. My mind knew how to do everything but my body just wouldn't respond. 'Spending so much time in hospital has been horrible but I've got a strong bond with the guys here in rehab. 'Everyone spurs each other on and pushes each other to go one step further.' He was able to visit home and spend time with his children for the first time on December 8. He now has his sights set on sitting at the dinner table on Christmas Day surrounded by his loved ones. Braham, who also has a daughter, Georgia, four, said: 'To see my kids open their Christmas presents will be the most special feeling ever. 'I can't wait to be a dad again, just to spent time with the kids. It will feel amazing. 'I'm over the moon. It feels like there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.' His old routine would see him take on five or six gym sessions every week, and the weight-lifting enthusiast is now looking forward to getting back in the gym and work next year. He expects to remain in rehab until at least March. A mother of two was brutally gang raped then killed by three teenagers aged 16 and under, before her body was mauled by feral animals. Anastasia Orlova, 28, was walking home from work in Russia when she was set upon by the boys who were 'of good character'. She was reported missing by her husband Alexander, 29, and a day later after a massive search by volunteers her half naked corpse almost covered in snow was found in woodland. Her face was severely disfigured and her feet had been completely gnawed off by 'wild animals'. Anastasia Orlova, 28, was walking home from work in Russia when she was attacked by three teenage boys who raped and murdered her and left her body in the woods Anastasia Orlova with her husband Alexander, 29, who reported her missing when she failed to return from work The body of the tragic mother of two daughters was gnawed by a pack of stray dogs or wolves or foxes on the outskirts of Millerovo town in Rostov region, police believe. Three teenagers have been detained and confessed to gang-raping the woman and killing her, say detectives. The attackers were named as Mikhail Nikorich, 16, Ivan P, 15, and Maxim M, 14. Police say they hit her on the head, dragged her away, raped her when she was still alive then strangled with a belt. Her body was dumped on waste ground where it was attacked by feral animals. The teenagers told police they were afraid of punishment and decided to kill the victim, say reports. One of the suspects - 16-year-old Mikhail Nikorich (pictured) - has been named by Russian detectives The other two suspects are identified only as 14-year-old Maxim M. (left) and 15-year-old Ivan P. (right) Shocked relatives say the boys' behaviour was 'out of character'. The mother of Ivan P, Natalia, said he son was of 'good character' and 'helps me around the house'. He had a girlfriend. 'They went out together all the time, they were dating,' she said. Ivan P's aunt said: 'I was there when he was interrogated. 'He was crying, he was repenting. He just does not understand what is going on. He still can't understand what had happened.' Another friend said: 'I can't imagine them doing this.' A takeaway food delivery worker has been sacked after he was caught on camera eating food from customers' meals and then resealing the packages. An eyewitness with a smartphone filmed the man helping himself to his customers' food on his way to a delivery in the city of Madurai in southern India's Tamil Nadu state. The balding man had pulled up on his scooter and opened up his storage box before pulling out a carton of food intended for a customer. No trace: The crooked driver wraps his the plastic bag back up and uses sellotape to ensure his clients will not suspect any foul play Left: The Zomato man places a food container back in his delivery box; Right: He uses stikcy tape to reseal the carrier bag to cover his tracks He was filmed sitting on the scooter while eating from the carton with a spoon, taking several bites before resealing the carton and putting it back in the box. The man, whose name has not been released, then pulled out and opened another carton of food, again helping himself before stashing it. The delivery man then took out a roll of sticky tape and resealed the bag in which a number of cartons had been placed for delivery. A video of the man, who was working for Zomato, an online food aggregator in India which also operates a delivery service, quickly went viral on social media. The balding overweight man can be seen tucking into somebody's order on the convenient side street where he has parked his scooter Lucky dip: He can be seen stashing and removing various dishes as he pulls them from the rear box of his delivery scooter Spice of Life: He chows down on another box of steaming food and then puts it away before his crime becomes obvious Zomato, which says it has a 'zero tolerance policy' on food tampering, has now sacked the delivery man after an investigation. A Zomato spokesman said: 'We have spoken to him at length - and while we understand this was a human error in judgement, we have taken him off our platform.' He added that the company also planned to introduce tamper-proof boxes and extra training for its 150,000 delivery drivers across India. An image of Aboriginal figurines that have been called racist has been posted to social media, prompting the store that stocked them to pull the items from its shelves. The image posted to Twitter on Saturday shows the small figurines of indigenous Australians carrying boomerangs and didgeridoos on sale for $3 from a store called Hot Bargain on the NSW Central Coast. 'The perfect gift for white ppl who 'love Aboriginal culture' but would rather not interact with us in real life,' the caption states. An image of Aboriginal figurines that have been called racist has been posted to social media prompting the store to pull the item from shelves The image of the figurines - which are labelled 'Made in China' - was uploaded by Luke Pearson, who runs the online media website IndigenousX. He said they were 'as common as Golliwogs in Australia', referring to dolls regarded as racist towards people of African descent. The store has said they will remove the items following the social media backlash. 'We are so sorry these products make people feel offended,' a spokesman for the company told news.com.au. 'We definitely will get these products off the shelf ASAP. We got them from the supplier and didn't think this would make people feel uncomfortable.' The items were labelled 'rascist, vile, and offensive' by one Twitter user. 'I can't believe people still sell these,' said another commenter. 'There is so much amazing indigenous art, go meet the artists and support their work,' another said. Two groups of migrants from Central America marched to the American consulate in Tijuana, Mexico, yesterday, with a list of demands to the Trump administration. One of them asked the American president to either let them in the country or pay them $50,000 each to go home, a report said. The first group, including about 100 migrants, arrived at the consulate around 11am on Tuesday. Migrants from Central America hold an El Salvador flag outside the US consulate in Tijuana, Mexico, asking American authorities to speed up the asylum application process Two groups of migrants marched to the consulate with demands to the Trump administration Members of the caravan are seen standing outside the US consulate in Tijuana, Mexico Migrants from Honduras, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America trying to reach the United States, walk next to the border fence in Tijuana, Mexico, December 12 Migrants look on as their father walks through a sewage water tunnel to cross the border fence A young child is seen being picked up and handed to a man straddling the border fence separate Mexico from the US Wednesday Multiple Honduran nationals from the migrant caravan scaled the fence trying to reach California The migrants helped one another and threw their belongings over the barrier The migrants look at US Customs and Border Protection officials in San Diego County after crossing illegally from Mexico Alfonso Guerreo Ulloa, an organizer from Honduras, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the $50,000 figure is not a very big sum. 'It may seem like a lot of money to you,' he said. 'But it is a small sum compared to everything the United States has stolen from Honduras.' Thanks to this amount, he said, the migrants could return home and start a small business there. The caravan migrants also asked the US to remove Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez from office. They are part of a caravan of thousand migrants from Central America trying to enter the US The group gave the US consulate 72 hours to respond to their letter. The second group, made up of about 50 migrants, asked the US to speed up the asylum process. They asked the administration to allow up to 300 asylum seekers to enter the United States daily at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego, where 40 to 100 migrants are currently admitted every day. The letter says: 'In the meantime, families, women and children who have fled our countries continue to suffer and the civil society of Tijuana continue to be forced to confront this humanitarian crisis, a refugee crisis caused in great part by decades of U.S. intervention in Central America.' 'A lot of people are leaving because there is no solution here,' said Douglas Matute, 38, of Tijuana. 'We thought they would let us in. But Trump sent the military instead of social workers.' Advertisement The wife of a man charged with abducting and sexually assaulting a young girl says the ordeal has been 'tough on her and her family', as more details emerged about his alleged attack. Sterling Mervyn Free, 26, is alleged to have kidnapped a seven-year-old girl from the toy aisle of a Kmart store at Westfield North Lakes, north of Brisbane, last Saturday afternoon. Free's long-term partner and the mother of his baby twins was not at Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Thursday where he did not appear before the court, but was remanded in custody and his matter adjourned until February. Talking from inside the home where her husband was reportedly arrested in front of her and her children, Angie Hodgson admitted she was shocked by his alleged attack. 'It's been tough on me and my family,' Ms Hodgson said. 'We've had media at our door and I don't know what else to say.' Sterling Marvyn Free (left, with his baby twins), 26, is alleged to have kidnapped a seven-year-old girl from Kmart and sexually assaulted her. His long-term partner Angie Hodgson (right) has broken her silence, claiming the ordeal has been 'tough on her family' Police allege Free lured the young girl from the store and took her to nearby bushland where he is accused of sexually assaulting her. Pictured above is an eerie stretch of land near where the alleged assault is believed to have taken place The seven-year-old girl was snatched from the toy aisle of a Kmart store at Westfield North Lakes, north of Brisbane. Daily Mail Australia visited the store on Wednesday (pictured above) and spoke to rattled staff who witnessed the alleged abduction The alleged attack inside the Kmart store occurred at a time when it was packed with shoppers buying Christmas gifts for loved ones. Free had allegedly watched the young girl from a distance as she picked out presents with her mum, before luring the youngster over and grabbing her when the woman looked away for a split second. The father-of-two allegedly then drove the girl to a nearby bush area at Pumicestone Passage and sexually assaulted her. CCTV cameras inside the Westfield complex allegedly capture Free leaving with and then returning the girl to the Kmart store, where her panicked mother had reported her missing to staff. The child was then taken for medical treatment. She has not been able to tell detectives what happened for the hour she was gone. Senior police sources told 9 News that Free's phone and computer had been seized. Staff inside the popular department store confirmed the mother had been hysterical when she was unable to find her daughter. 'It happened in one of the toy aisles just here where there were heaps of kids,' an employee said. 'You could hear the mother yelling out for her daughter, but kids lose their parents all the time you never imagine something like this will happen.' Free (pictured above wearing chains and necklaces with flat-brim caps) had allegedly watched the young girl from a distance as she picked out presents with her mum The terrifying alleged abduction has sent shockwaves across the nation, with mothers banding together to support each other (pictured above is the Westfield store where the young girl was snatched) Free was arrested by police on Monday, more than two days after the alleged sexual assault. He has since been charged with taking a child for immoral purposes, one count of deprivation of liberty and another count of indecent treatment of a child under 12. Neighbours said they were shocked when an 'army' of officers converged on their quiet street and raided the couple's family home. 'It's a quiet street and so when I saw all these cars I stuck my head outside, and there was an army of police going in and out of the house,' one neighbour said. 'I couldn't believe what I was seeing and then they brought him out in handcuffs and sat him on the front lawn.' Another neighbour said she had met Free only once, but on that occasion he spent more than an hour helping to find her dog after it escaped her backyard. Other homeowners in the street some with young children of their own - were totally unaware the alleged sex predator they had heard about on the news lived just a few doors away. They did however notice regular police patrols in the street after a flurry of threats of vigilante violence were made on social media. Neighbours told how much to their shock an 'army' of officers had converged on the quiet street and raided the couple's family home. Pictured above is a stretch of bushland near where it's believed Free allegedly sexually abused the girl Outside the court, a man said he was there in support of the child victim. He wore a t-shirt with 'paedophile execution squad' written across the back of it A flurry of threats of vigilante violence were made on social media (above) after Free's name was released to the public Prior to his arrest Free had worked at a local Fantastic Furniture store, where staff remained tight lipped on Wednesday. Before that he had spent a number of months working as a FIFO contractor in the Western Australia mines. Free's name and details about his family had been suppressed by the courts until Wednesday, despite being widely circulated on social media. For the second consecutive day Magistrate Trevor Morgan booted media from the courtroom for the hearing of Free's matter. The bow-tie wearing magistrate said he did not want Free 'to be lynched' on social media and in the court of public opinion. 'I entirely support the position taken by the police in not disclosing more information. Less information would have been more helpful,' Mr Morgan said. 'What I need to bear in mind is the public's behaviour,' he said. Daily Mail Australia earlier revealed Free was known to child protection services in QLD and has previously been investigated by police for alleged attacks involving children. Free did not appear in court and his duty lawyer did not apply for bail on his behalf, and it was formally refused. He will remain in custody until his next court date in February next year. 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 Advertisement It was the most brutal and bloodiest episode of World War Two. Now a grim reminder of the Battle of Stalingrad has been uncovered 75 years later - a mass grave containing almost 2,000 German soldiers. The huge pit was stumbled upon by accident by Russian workmen laying a new water pipe in Volgograd (Stalingrad). They notified the authorities, including the German War Graves Commission, and a careful excavation has since taken place to recover the dead. In all, military archaeologists have found a staggering 1,837 bodies - all of them German soldiers. The mass grave containing almost 2000 German soldiers being uncovered, more than 75 years after the most brutal and bloodiest battle of World War Two - the Battle of Stalingrad They have also found the remains of horses killed alongside the men in the battle that was the biggest in World War Two and the bloodiest of all time, with about two million men killed, wounded or captured. The painstaking job to try and identify the casualties is now underway. It is hoped relatives of the men who would have spent a lifetime not knowing what happened to them, can then be traced. The dead will also be given a proper burial at a military ceremony in the city. The mass grave, measuring 430ft long, 23ft wide and 7ft deep, was found in the district of Angarsky in Volgograd. A spokesman for the German War Graves Commission explained they initially thought that 800 bodies were buried in the mass grave but that figure rose by over 1,000 following the excavations. Soldiers' possessions - including a key, spoons and drinking bottle - found in the mass grave, which is being excavated by the German War Graves Commission He said: 'At the beginning of October we reported 800 German war dead, in the former Stalingrad, today Volgograd. 'The (excavation) work is now complete. Instead of the assumed 800, it was in the end 1,837 war dead. 'We found numerous killed soldiers along with horse carcasses hastily buried. Due to the threat of epidemic at that time there was a rush to remove the countless corpses of men and animals as soon as possible. 'Earth holes, gorges and streams became mass graves. 'Every year in the former Stalingrad on average three to four mass graves are found. The finding on this scale is quite special.' The spokesman said that ID tags have also been recovered and are now being cleaned before the identification process begins. This item bears the name of the dead German soldier who owned it from Dresden, dated 1937. In all, military archaeologists have found a staggering 1,837 bodies - all of them German soldiers He added: 'Usually the relatives are relieved to know what happened and pleased the body of their grandpa or uncle will be buried. It is very important.' According to a historian and expert on the Battle of Stalingrad, the mass grave is consistent with accounts of the victorious Soviet Red Army hurriedly burying the German dead in a gorge towards the end of the conflict. Michael Jones, author of Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed, said: 'The Battle of Stalingrad was a catastrophic defeat for the German 6th Army. 'A month after its surrender, at the beginning of March 1943, Soviet Lieutenant Vladimir Gelfand visited the city. 'He wrote in his diary of seeing a terrible picture of destruction with dead bodies everywhere. He said that some had been placed in heaps for burial and others lay on the ground, partially stripped of clothing. 'The recent discovery of a mass German grave at Angarsky in present-day Volgograd, containing more than 1,800 soldiers corroborates Gelfand's account. The mass grave is consistent with accounts of the Soviet Red Army hurriedly burying the German dead towards the end of the conflict 'For in March 1943 a gorge near the Angarsky settlement was hurriedly used by the Soviets - fearful of an outbreak of disease as spring approached - as a makeshift burial pit for the remains of thousands of German troops and their horses. 'Such was the fate of an army which Hitler had proudly proclaimed could conquer the very gates of Heaven itself.' Mr Jones believes there will still be Russian war veterans alive today who would begrudge the German dead a proper burial. He said: 'The remains will probably be moved to the nearby war cemetery at Rossoschka, which contains both German and Russian dead, although some Red Army veterans are still resolutely opposed to any form of commemoration for their fallen opponents. 'Hero of the Soviet Union Mikhail Borisov said bluntly 'the Germans seized vast tracts of our country and killed or enslaved millions of our people. There should not be any memorials to them on our land.' David Cameron today urged Tory MPs to back Theresa May in the crunch confidence vote - warning that a bitter leadership contest will just be a 'distraction'. The former PM said Tory MPs must focus on the crunch Brexit talks with the EU rather than turn on each other. His intervention comes as Mrs May is facing the most important 12 hours of her political career as Tory rebels try to oust her. She has axed a planned trip to Dublin for Brexit talks with the Irish PM to stay in Westminster to plead with her MPs to back her in tonight's vote. Tweeting his backing for his successor, Mr Cameron said: 'I hope Conservative MPs will back the PM in the vote today. 'We need no distractions from seeking the best outcome with our neighbours, friends and partners in the EU.' 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 PM said she would not give up after Eurosceptics secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to force a ballot that could end her time as leader Earlier this week, Mr Cameron insisted he does not regret calling the EU referendum - despite admitting his is 'very concerned' about the Brexit chaos. The former PM has been widely lashed for calling the divisive vote and then immediately quitting after Remain lost. What could happen next for May as she faces confidence vote? Theresa May is battling for her political survival today as Tory rebels have triggered a vote of confidence in her premiership. Why is Theresa May facing a confidence vote? The contest has been triggered because at least 48 Tory MPs have sent letters of no confidence into Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee - the body which represents Tory MPs. Sir Graham is obliged to call a vote if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to him calling for one - currently 48 MPs. How will today's vote take place? The confidence vote will be held between 6pm and 8pm tonight. Tory MPs vote by casting their secret ballots in a box which will be placed in a room in Parliament, and they can only vote for these two hours. How many MPs does Theresa May need to win? There are 315 Tory MPs who are eligible to vote, and the PM needs a simple majority to stay on as leader - meaning 158 is the magic number. What happens if Theresa May wins? If Theresa May wins today then she cannot face a fresh challenge for another 12 months - meaning that she can stay on and finish Brexit. Mrs May has vowed to stay on as leader if she win's tonight's vote by just one, but her critics on the Tory backbenches have warned that if 80 or more MPs vote against her, her position as PM will be untenable. What happens if Theresa May loses? If Theresa May loses she must resign as Conservative party leader and is barred in standing for the leadership contest. But she will have to stay on as Prime Minister while warring Tory MPs decide who her successor will be - leaving her a 'Zombie' leader. She faces the humiliating prospect of being defeated tonight but having to travel to Brussels tomorrow for a crunch EU summit where Brexit is on the agenda. Or she could quit immediately and hand over to a caretaker leader - with her de facto deputy David Lidington tipped to be the man to fulfill this role. How does the Tory leadership contest work? Any MP - apart from the ousted leader - is eligible to stand in the subsequent contest. Conservative MPs hold a series of ballots to whittle the list of contenders down to two, with the lowest placed candidate dropping out in each round. The final two candidates are then offered to the Tory membership at large for an election. It is widely believed that the Brexiteer candidate will be the winner if it goes to a vote of the overwhelmingly Eurosceptic membership. Advertisement But he said he was right to call the referendum because he 'made a promise' to voters that he would hold one. Quizzed by reporters as he got in his car on Monday night, he refused to answer questions on whether he should apologise to the British people for the political mess. 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. '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.' A defiant Mrs May appeared on the steps of No10 this morning to vow to fight with 'everything I've got' to cling on as leader. The PM insisted she would not give up after Eurosceptics secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to force a ballot that could bring her time as leader to a shambolic end. She warned Brexit will need to be delayed beyond March if she loses and Jeremy Corbyn might end up in power. 'I have devoted myself unsparingly since I became Prime Minister... and I stand ready to finish the job,' she said. A change of leadership in the Conservative party now will put our countrys future at risk, and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. The new leader wouldnt have time to renegotiate a new Withdrawal Agreement and get the legislation through parliament by March 29, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it. Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful 1922 committee, emerged this morning to announce the threshold of 48 letters had been 'exceeded'. Tory MPs will tonight take part in a secret ballot which will seal Mrs May's fate. If a majority of Tory MPs back her - 158 - then she can stay on a leader. But if they do not then she will have to step down, while the starting gun will be fire on what looks set to be a bitter leadership contest. Cabinet ministers immediately rallied to try and shore up Mrs May, with Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Penny Mordaunt and Brandon Lewis among those making clear they will be support her. But despite their entreaties the Tories were plunged into outright civil war, with allies of the PM accusing mutineers of being in 'fantasy land' and a minister openly slamming them as 'divisive and disloyal'. Senior backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg said the premier's Brexit plan would 'bring down the government if carried forward' and the party 'will not tolerate it'. Mr Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the European Research Group - the powerful group of backbench Eurosceptic Tory MPs - said: 'Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go.' A very feisty bobcat won a legion of fans after footage of him hissing and swatting away rescuers who were releasing back into the wild was shared online. The bobcat kitten, dubbed Mr. Murderbritches, was relocated after he was caught eating chickens in Kannarraville, Utah. Footage of Mr. Murderbritches, who is roughly four to six months old, snarling at conservation officer Joshua Carver during his release was originally posted on Twitter by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources last month. But the clip went viral after the Center for Biological Diversity, a non-profit based in Arizona, reposted the clip with 'quotes' from Mr. Murderbritches. A very feisty bobcat won a legion of fans after footage of him hissing and swatting away rescuers who were releasing back into the wild was shared online The clip, annotated with Mr. Murderbritches' thoughts including 'I GET U BOI' and 'I SAVAGE U', has amassed more than 700,000 views since it was shared last week. 'Watch these wildlife officials struggle to stay alive as they release the world's most badass bobcat kitten back into the wild, the CBD wrote alongside the clip. 'The bobcat, who we're calling Mr. Murderbritches, was relocated after he was caught eating [chicken emojis] in Kanarraville, UT. 'Long live Mr. Murderbritches!' Mr. Murderbritches is seen snarling at conservation officer Joshua Carver during his release The bobcat kitten was relocated after he was caught eating chickens in Kannarraville, Utah Twitter users were enamored with the irate bobcat with one calling him a 'precious killer machine.' 'Mr. Murderbritches is my patronus,' another added, with two heart eyes emoiis. And despite the difficulty of his release, Carver is also a fan. 'I liked his attitude,' he told Fox News. 'Reaching out and getting [swatted] he cracked me up. I get a kick out of wildlife being wild.' Mr. Murderbritches amassed a legion of online fans after the clip of his release went viral Carver said he first became aware of Mr. Murderbritches when a homeowner spotted the bobcat in their chicken coop in Kanarraville on November 21. The bobcat was let out of the coop by a sheriff's deputy and hadn't killed any chickens at the time. A trap was set up in case he returned and Mr. Murderbritches was caught in it the following day. He was released away from the property after a night in captivity but someway found his way back. Mr. Murderbritches is pictured with his meal of a roadkill deer and a pheasant Mr. Murderbritches was then released back into the wild in Indian Peaks After he killed and ate a chicken from the coop, Carver took him to a mountainous area. But it wasn't the last Carver saw of Mr. Murderbritches. Somehow Mr. Murderbritches made his way to an isolated spot miles from where he had been relocated and was found stuck in a dog kennel. Again, Carver captured Mr. Murderbritches and fed him roadkill deer and a pheasant before releasing him once again even further away in Indian Peaks. Carver says he hasn't seen him since. A Columbia University student who screamed 'We're white men! We did everything!' in a widely shared video says he is not a white supremacist or a racist. Julian von Abele said that he was 'theatrically and sarcastically' demonstrating that white people 'are not allowed to embrace their cultural achievements' during the exchange with other students early Sunday. 'My reaction that evening grew out of my distaste for the overuse of the term "white privilege" and similar divisive rhetoric as a means of dismissing views of others', he told the Daily Beast. University officials denounced the 'racially charged incident' after a video went viral showing von Abele yelling at a group of primarily black students. Columbia University student Julian von Abele was caught on video launching a white superiority tirade at a group of students of color on campus on Sunday at 4am Von Abele seemed drunk as he launched his very passionate speech shouting 'Europeans built the modern world' to a group of students of color. A black student in the group retorted 'the modern world was built on slavery' The officials released a statement calling the footage 'alarming' and the school says it is investigating. Von Abele, a sophomore, said he did not assault anyone or 'denigrate anyone's race', though he did apologize 'for going over the top'. He added: 'I am not a white supremacist or racist, nor do I subscribe to any views that support that ideology. I unequivocally denounce all groups that support racism.' He said the incident began when a group of students complained that Trump supporters promote sexual violence, to which he responded that he supported the president and 'I do not in any way encourage violence, sexual or otherwise'. A group of students then told him that he had no right to an opinion on sexual violence because he was a white man with 'white privilege', he said. He became offended and the argument escalated, at which point he was caught shouting on video outside of Butler Library around 4am on Sunday. He smiled and jumped around as he yelled 'white people are the best thing that happened to the world!' 'White people are the best thing to ever happen to the world,' he yelled in the video. 'We built the modern world. Europeans built the modern world. We invented the science industry and you want to tell us to stop because "Oh My God we're so bad". 'We invented the modern world!' the physics major student said. 'We saved billions of people from starvation. We built modern civilizations. White people are the best thing that ever happened to the world!' he added. 'Are you European?' one student asks. 'The modern world is built off of slavery, but go off sis,' a black girl says sarcastically. Abele continues: 'We are so amazing! I love myself and I love white people! F*** yeah white people! F*** yea white men! We made everything! I don't hate other people! I just love white men!' 'You f***ing degenerate,' a man responds. Von Abele is a second year student at the New York Ivy League school and according to his Twitter page he's an author, physicist, and ran in the 2016 presidential election as an Independent candidate. The single tweet on his account from October 6, 2016 says: 'Let's end our corrupt, two-party system. Vote Julian in 2016.' Amazon sells a 218-page book he published in 2015 called Physics Reforged:The New Theory of Parallel Universes, Hidden Dimensions, and the Fringes of Reality. He also has several videos on YouTube explaining physics theories. 'We are so amazing! I love myself and I love white people! F*** yeah white people!' he shouted at the end of his disturbing speech. A girl in the group he was speaking to pictured above flipping him off Von Abele is a second year student at the Ivy League school and according to his Twitter page he's an author, physicist, and ran in the 2016 presidential election as an Independent candidate His racist rant was filmed outside of Butler Library (above) on Columbia University's campus on Sunday at 4am The clip was posted on Twitter by Columbia student Aala Nasir with the caption: 'Disappointed, but not surprised. Twitter do your thing #ColumbiaWhiteExcellence.' Columbia University released a statement saying the institution does not tolerate his message of white superiority. 'Statements of white racial superiority conflict with the Universitys core value of inclusivity as well as the educational work and research that take place on our campuses,' the university said. 'Although we cannot comment on the proceedings, this incident is already under investigation by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, and we want to assure you that it will be investigated thoroughly, beginning with interviews of witnesses,' the statement added. The Black Students' Organization at Columbia released a statement saying that von Abele also physically grabbed one of the people in the group and asked if black women like to date white men. Now students are demanding he be expelled from the esteemed school for his harmful comments. Freshman Kwolanne Felix, who was a part of the group who filmed von Abele, hopes the university will take serious actions. 'I really hope that Columbia takes further action. They should definitely try to talk to the students that were affected by that and ensure everyones okay because thats really hard to internalize,' she said to school paper The Columbia Spectator. Von Abele is a sophomore at the Ivy League school majoring in physics. It's not yet clear what punishment the racist student will receive, if any Columbia University released a statement on Monday saying that von Abele's white superiority speech conflicts with the University's core values. The university is yet to announce any penalty for his actions School officials released this message after hearing of the racist incident People on campus are now demanding his expulsion. 'There is only one socially acceptable outcome and that is to expel Julian von Abele from Columbia university. 'You have to show there are serious consequences for his type of racist behaviour,' Twitter user Jay Smith said. 'This is disgusting. You need to expel this student as he doesnt deserve to be affiliated with this university. He is a white supremacist,' one Twitter user wrote. 'As an alumna, I am infuriated by this. Please do the right thing and expel this student. Dont enable white supremacy,' a Columbia alumna said. Julian von Abele's white superiority rant 'We built the modern world. Europeans built the modern world. We invented the science industry and you want to tell us to stop because Oh My God we're so bad. We invented the modern world! 'We saved billions of people from starvation. We built modern civilizations. White people are the best thing that ever happened to the world! 'We are so amazing! I love myself and I love white people! F*** yeah white people! F*** yea white men! We made everything! I don't hate other people! I just love white men!' Advertisement Some users were quick to correct von Abele's claims that Europeans founded mathematics and science, stating they appeared in early cultures in the Middle East, northern Africa, Greece, India and China before Western Europe. 'While Europeans were pouring out sh*t into the street and dying of the black plague, Muslims in Africa invented algebra,' one Twitter user wrote. 'Privileged white dude says white people invented math. Nope. Just Nope. Maybe @Columbia can teach him something about the Persians, or Egyptians, or Chinese, or Mayan, or Greeks. Eurocentric education doesnt tell the whole story,' another added. 'The way he phrased his view. "White people are the best thing that happened to the world"... According to Native Americans? Africans? According to whom? White people. Europeans slaughtered, pillaged and raped their way to modernity,' one Twitter user said. It's still not clear if any disciplinary measures will be taken against von Abele. The racist video is just one of a slew of hate crimes targeting students of color at universities across the nation. Last year a black student at Cornell was viciously physically beaten by other students in a racially motivated attack. In 2016 Harvard students received a shocking email with the subject line 'Fight white genocide - vote Trump', according to the Harvard Crimson. Just last month swastikas were found spray painted in a Jewish Columbia University professor's office. An Asylum seeker suspected of killing his 16-year-old girlfriend in Austria had been allowed to stay in the country - because he was wanted for murder in his native Afghanistan. Saber Akhondzada, 17, is wanted for murder in Afghanistan and is believed to have knifed his Austrian girlfriend to death in the city of Steyr. Akhondzada, who arrived in Austria between 2015 and 2016, handed himself over to police in Vienna yesterday but will not face deportation because Austria does not deport people facing a possible death sentence. Saber Akhondzada handed himself over to police in Vienna yesterday. The asylum seeker is believed to have stabbed his 16-year-old girlfriend (left) to death out of jealousy According to Michelle's family, there were repeated conflicts between the couple as the Afghan national tried to limit his girlfriend's movements and banned her from talking to other men. In the evening, Michelle's mother went to check on her daughter who was in her bedroom with Akhondzada at the time. The mother and older sister could not open the bedroom door because it was blocked by a cabinet, but they eventually managed their way in only to discover Michelle's lifeless body. Akhondzada had already reportedly escaped through the window. An autopsy showed the teenage girl died from two stab wounds in her back, with one stab puncturing her lung. State prosecutor Andreas Pechatschek said, 'If we expect an indictment and a conviction for murder, the suspect can get up to a maximum of 15 years imprisonment'. 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 couple had met on Facebook Akhondzada told his victim's brother that he escaped Afghanistan because he had committed a murder, but Austrian authorities could not deport him to his home country based on human rights grounds. According to local media, Akhondzada arrived in Austria in the spring of 2016 after being brought into the country by human traffickers, but his asylum application was later denied. Akhondzada told Michelle's brother that he had to flee from Afghanistan because he had committed a murder, but Austrian authorities were not allowed to deport him to Afghanistan based on human rights grounds. Thomas Stelzer, of the conservative Austrian People's Party, said, 'we have a problem with rising criminality in young asylum seekers', adding that the problem can be especially seen among young Afghans. A mother who was found dead in the same house where her teenage children were murdered by their father fell into a deep depression and was dreading spending Christmas alone. Olga Edwards, 37, was found dead at her home in West Pennant Hills, Sydney's north-west, on Wednesday morning - less than six months after her estranged husband murdered their children in a bedroom at the same property. Olga refused to leave the property where her children Jack, 15, and Jennifer, 13, were repeatedly shot by their father John Edwards, 68, in a murder-suicide that rocked Australia on July 5. The Russian-born mother, a solicitor with a Sydney-based legal firm, was unable to return to work and became withdrawn from life. Olga Edwards (left) was found dead at her West Pennant Hills home on Wednesday morning, less than six months after her husband John Edwards (right) murdered their teenage children Olga collapsed in shock when she arrived home to find her children dead on July 5 The torment of her children's deaths consumed her and she attended counselling sessions three times a week and spent a number of weeks in hospital. According to friends and neighbours, Olga couldn't come to terms with her loss and ultimately decided she had nothing to live for, the Daily Telegraph reported. 'She was dreading Christmas without the kids and planned to leave Australia for good. She had organised to spend Christmas Day at the house to be close to Jack and Jennifer,' one friend said. Domestic violence campaigner Rosie Betty, whose 11-year-old son Luke was stabbed to death by her estranged husband in 2014, revealed she had bonded with Olga in the months before her tragic death. The former Australian of the Year said the pair had vented together about their frustrations with the family court system and police. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ms Betty said she could sense Olga had a deep 'sense of hopelessness' after losing her two children. 'I felt that it would not surprise me if she made that decision...I don't blame her and I understand. I deeply understand,' she told the publication. Domestic violence campaigner Rosie Betty revealed she had bonded with Olga in the months before her tragic death The former Australian of the Year's 11-year-old son Luke was stabbed to death by her estranged husband in 2014 (pictured together) Police were in constant contact with Olga and neighbours would often bring her meals. 'Every day she would sit inside the house with the blinds down. We'd take her food but sometimes she wouldn't answer the door,' one neighbour told the Daily Telegraph. 'She would sometimes fall asleep in Jack's or Jen's bed at night. She couldn't get over never seeing them again.' Daily Mail Australia understands Olga's body was found by police at about 10am, after officers responded to a concern for welfare report. Her death is not being treated as suspicious. A senior police officer claimed the horrific incident was a 'slow murder'. Police said at the time Edwards may have been planning the killings for as long as a year. Pictured: Jack (left), 15, and Jennifer Edwards (right), 13, who were shot dead by their father Police and forensic services attend the scene of the June double murder-suicide at West Pennant Hills in Sydney Edwards murdered his children at about 5.20pm, knowing their mother would not yet be home from work. Olga collapsed in shock when she arrived home to find her children had been shot dead, their bodies riddled with bullets. Edwards shot himself about 12 hours later at his home in the nearby suburb of Normanhurst. Two powerful handguns registered in the father's name sometime this year and used to kill the children, were found at his home. Before he killed himself Edwards laid out a shirt with 'world's best dad' printed on it, the Daily Telegraph reported. Edwards killed himself shortly after the shooting at his nearby home in Normanhurst (pictured) He also got his neighbour's son to walk his dog before his suicide. Olga moved to Australia when she was 20 and met Edwards, who had already been married four times. She had both children before the age of 25 but their relationship became tainted by his violent outbursts, The Australian reported. Olga took legal action and after a two-year custody battle the pair found a compromise. Jack and Jen would live with Olga and Edwards was not to know where they lived and was not able to harass them. Olga was found dead at her home in West Pennant Hills, Sydney's north-west, on Wednesday morning - months after her husband murdered their children at the same property But through social media he was able to track them down and stalk them before executing the meticulously planned murder-suicide. Edwards was described as the 'most shocking person I have ever come across' by Olga's boss at her lower north shore law firm. Edwards, described as a 'recluse' by his neighbours, was a financial planner and volunteered with the NSW Rural Fire Service, according to his LinkedIn page. Edwards' sister Dianne said she had nothing good to say about him and that her whole family were horrified by the murders. The community has begun taking to social media to post heartfelt tributes to Olga. 'Olga, I hope you're finally at peace with your babies back in your arms,' one woman posted on the Hornsby Advocate's Facebook page. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 NSW Police stand outside the entrance to a property in Harris Road in Normanhurst, where the father turned the gun on himself after murdering his children A tradesman was thrown from his van and left unconscious on the ground during a violent carjacking before the thief led police on a wild chase. Kostas Chalatsis was at work at Metcalfe Drive in Melbourne's south east on Tuesday afternoon when the alleged carjacking happened, Yahoo 7 reported. CCTV footage captured the alleged thief, a 35-year-old man, sneak into the unattended van before attempting to reverse his way out of the driveway. Scroll down for video After an intense struggle, the thief pushed Mr Chalatsis (pictured fallen) out of the car and reversed over the unconscious body before he clipped a parked car Mr Chalatsis jumped into the van and attempted to stop him. 'I just saw a guy in my van trying to start it,' Mr Chalatsis explained. 'I just jumped in to stop him.' After an intense struggle for control of the wheel, the thief pushed Mr Chalatsis out of the car and reversed over his unconscious body before clipping a parked car. Bystanders ran to the aid of Mr Chalatsis, who managed to walk away from the attack without any serious injuries. 'Just a big bump in my head which is better today and just my leg is a bit sore,' Mr Chalatsis said. The carjacking was only once incident in a five-hour long alleged crime spree across the city. Jamie Barlow allegedly fled a crash site he was responsible for on the EastLink near Bangholme Road, Dandenong South at about 3.20pm. He travelled north before he allegedly forced his way into a car on Greens Road and ordered the driver to take him to Metcalfe Drive. Police attempted to intercept the runaway driver at the Frankston-Dandenong Road before he crashed into a police vehicle on the corner of Clow and Lonsdale streets at around 8.15pm. Mr Barlow appeared briefly in court and has been charged with 22 offences including three counts of reckless conduct endangering life. Compton's Transgender Cultural District in San Francisco is the first legally recognized transgender district in the world. The district aims to help trans business and provide more support for trans and LGBTQ people in the future. In November, San Francisco passed a motion for $3 million to go to cultural districts, The Daily Beast reported. Compton's district received $215,000 from the city, as Clair Farley, director of San Francisco's Office of Transgender Initiatives, told The Daily Beast. Compton in San Francisco received $215,000 from the city to be used for the district The legislation to create the Compton's district was introduced in June 2017. Among the groups involved in the creation of the district, there was San Francisco's Human Rights Commission. Aria Sa'id, LGBT policy adviser for the Commission, told The Daily Beast: 'When you a person of color and part of a marginalized group, it's easy for your history to be erased,' she said. 'If it's erased, it's like it didn't happen.' The district will make sure trans women who already live there will be able to stay by promoting affordable rent and home-ownership, as Curbed San Francisco reported. Other measures will include supporting business as well as individuals, empowering the transgender community through the ownership of buildings, business, historic sites and community spaces. Compton will also aim to preserve the main sites where transgender history took place, such as Compton's Cafeteria and the El Rosa Hotel. Describing the district, Supervisor Jane Kim, who represents the Tenderloin area, said: 'The lower Tenderloin is the most important neighborhood in America for transgender history, culture, and civil rights.' 'By creating the Comptons TLGB District we are honoring this vibrant community built by transgender people, and are sending a message to the world that trans people are welcome here.' Compton's Transgender Cultural District wrote on their Facebook page that they are proud of being the nation's first Trans Cultural District: 'We are proud of the work of our forbearers and proud of the work of our leaders. 'We are proud to be the nations first Trans Cultural District, and we look forward to continuing to honor our collective legacies and building our future in San Francisco. 'Special thanks to Supervisor Jane Kim for working with us to establish the district, and Supervisor Hillary Ronen for establishing the Cultural District Legislation that has built the framework of support we needed to thrive!' Compton's Transgender Cultural District includes six blocks in the southeastern Tenderloin and crosses over Market Street, as well as two blocks of the 6th street. Honoring the community's history, organizers aim to create services and opportunities for trans and gender-nonconforming communities in the area. Daniel Trevino, 25, shot himself dead on Tuesday after wounding three police officers in a gun battle as they came to arrest him A gunman wanted for battering his girlfriend shot three police officers then killed himself after a five-hour standoff in Texas. Daniel Trevino, 25, was being arrested in Houston on Tuesday for allegedly headbutting his girlfriend earlier this month when he opened fire on cops. Captain Wes Hensley and Sergeant Mark Rychen, agents for the Texas Attorney General, were shot alongside Harris County officer James Smejkal around 12.50pm. One agent was shot in the face, torso and ankle, while another was shot in the leg, according to Click 2 Houston. Meanwhile Smejkal was shot in his right hand. All three were taken to hospital and face long recoveries, Fox News reported. A SWAT team was called to the scene and managed to make contact with Trevino, who said he was willing to surrender during two and a half hours of negotiations. However, the standoff came to an end at 6.15pm when officers made their way into the house and found Trevino dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. James Smejkal, an investigator with Harris County police, was shot in the hand during the attack, along with Captain Wes Hensley and Sergeant Mark Rychen Trevino had an extensive criminal history dating back to at least 2011 and has faced 11 criminal charges in that time. Offences include assault, theft, drug possession and at least one weapon violation. On September 20 this year, Trevino was accused of threatening his girlfriend and her children with a revolver after accusing her of sleeping with another man. He threatened to kill the family and held them in their house until they could come up with $360 for unpaid rent he claimed she owed, then beat his girlfriend over her legs with the butt of the pistol, the Houston Chronicle reported. His girlfriend said he had become paranoid after taking crystal meth and cocaine. Trevino was arrested in October and bonded out in November, when he was issued with a protective order and forbidden from contacting his partner. On December 2 he was accused of threatening and headbutting her, and officers were dispatched to arrest him on December 11 - the day of the shooting. Governor Greg Abbott tweeted his support of the officers following the shooting, saying: 'Prayers up for these law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty. 'We thank and support those who risk their lives to keep us safe.' SWAT teams were called in and made contact with Trevino. They negotiated with him for two and a half hours, and said at one point he agreed to surrender Advertisement These breath-taking portraits show some of the world's last indigenous tribes. Photographer Jimmy Nelson sends a warning of the risk with his project, 'Blink and they're gone,' of losing global cultural heritage by squandering the cultural identities of the last indigenous peoples. He travelled throughout the world to photograph the Nenet and Dolgan reindeer-herding tribes of Siberia; the eagle-wielding Kazakhs of Mongolia and the colourful, isolated jungle tribes of Papua New Guinea. He recorded nomadic tribes in Africa, like the well known Masaai, as well as lesser known ancient tribes in the Sahel desert; and religious based peoples like the Sandhu men of India and the famed Buddhist Tibetans. All have majestic natural surroundings in common, yet all are sadly threatened by the ever-encroaching tide of modernity. A chief of the Kazakh tribe in Mongolia holding his eagle as he is wrapped from head-to-toe in animal furs; the Kazakhs use eagles to hunt, tracking the birds of prey on horseback. The Kazakhs are Turkic peoples with populations from Turkey to China, and of course in Kazakhstan. The Kazakhs of Mongolia were forced to move there as Russian expansion pushed them from their homeland. The Huli tribe in Papua New Guinea stand at the bottom of a waterfall; there are roughly 65,000 Hulis and they live in the Tari Basin, which was largely untouched until the middle of the 19th century. They have lived in the region for thousands of years and remember lengthy oral traditions which date back to their origins A girl from the Nenets tribe of Siberia; they speak either the tundra or forest languages which are completely different to each other. They are hunters and reindeer herders, using the reindeer as draft animals for shifting heavy loads. After the Russian Revolution they were targeted by the communist regime who sought to put an end to their nomadic way of life. Wodaabe tribesmen take part in a ceremony in Chad; they live as nomadic cattle herders in the Sahel and their religion is based on Islam, having been one of the first tribes to take it up as it spread across the continent. Parents cannot speak to their two first born children, who will be brought up by their grandchildren instead. And during daylight, husband and wife must not be seen to interact or even exchange words. A young member of the Tufi tribe in New Guinea is adorned with the traditional dress of her people; they live in the fjords of the Oro province. Nowadays many members of the tribe live more Western lives and in an effort to keep their traditions alive, the usual tattoos that women get on their faces have been rewarded by granting women who get the tattoos the right to choose their own husbands The Tufi tribe in New Guinea live in a province which is divided by many river valleys, which the locals call fjords; they are known for their facial tattoos. They have lived in the water-filled region for many years and have long traditions of crafting and paddling with boats. A group of young Tibetans; their culture has been threatened in recent years by the Chinese who crackdown harshly on separatist movements. Tibetan Buddhism is the main religion in the region, originally spreading through India to the Himalayas. A woman from the Scarchop tribe sits in traditional dress in Bhutan; there are scattered ethnic and indigenous groups throughout Bhutan, which is landlocked between India and China. The culture and language of Bhutanese tribes is related to those of the people from Assam and West Bengal; some are descendants of slaves imported from India, while others are indigenous A Bhutanese tribe standing atop a mountainside which is adorned with colourful flags which match their resplendent clothes Men of the Mundari tribe with their cattle in South Sudan; cattle is the centre of their culture and a man will provide a cow to his prospective wife's father. They can have as many wives as they have cows to provide to fathers. The tribe fights an ongoing cattle war during the dry season with a rival tribe. The men - like many other tribes in the region - practice ritual scarring, and young men are initiated with two sets of three parallel lines scarring either side of their forehead The Q'ero tribe in Peru; the people live in the remote Peruvian Andes and do not follow a strict religion but are broadly spiritual, with some aspects of Catholicism spread by the Spanish being incorporated. They worship the 'Cosmic Mother', which is equatable to our idea of mother nature. The people believe in prophesies and predict great cultural changes, one of those historical prophesies they believe was fulfilled by Jesus Christ The Ni tribe archers stand on a mountain top in Vanuatu, an island in the Pacific. Many of the indigenous tribes believe that Westerners bring divine wealth. One such cult is the John Frum cult and the followers believe, due to the coming of military equipment in the Second World War, in a figure called John Frum, who is often depicted as an American soldier. A tribesman once said to Sir David Attenborough, ''E look like you' The Sadhu tribesmen of India; they are ascetic monks who have renounced worldly pleasure and practice the path to a higher spiritual discipline which they believe will free their souls. A member of the Mir tribe in India; they live in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and believe they are descended from noble Persian bloodlines, often prefixing their names with Mir A elder female member of the Mir tribe, an ancient family of the Kashmiri valley who believe their roots stretch back to Persia A tribe member in Mexico whose face is painted for the day of the dead, or as it is known locally, dia de los muertos. The tradition can be traced back to cultures before the Spanish conquest who believed in celebrating their ancestors in a visceral way. People build altars to deceased relatives and spend time at those sites, adorning them with trinkets and remembrances of their loved ones. A member of the Marquesas tribe of French Polynesia stands with his face painted black, with tattoos covering his chest and holding an ornate hand carved wooden staff. The islands were colonised by people believed to have been seafaring Polynesians from Samoa. The dense populations meant vicious wars were fought between the tribes which included cannibalism. Members of the Marquesas tribe of French Polynesia stand majestically atop the mountain in the jungle they have inhabited for thousands of years A member of the Maasai tribe in Tanzania surveys the desert landscape while carrying a large hide shield and spear, with a red tunic and fur head-dress. The group come from Kenya and Tanzania and live semi-nomadic lifestyles. The people are famous and known for their cattle-herding as well as their formidable warriors. Members of the Kazakh tribe stand in the Mongolian wilderness holding their signature eagles on their horses. They learn to ride at very young ages and use the birds of prey for hunting and scouting. A female member of the Kazakh tribe wearing thick furs, they live in harsh conditions and thick coats are needed to guard against the cold Young members of the Iatmul tribe of Papua New Guinea; the women catch fish, while the men of the tribe fashion dug out canoes which they use to journey the surrounding rivers and trade with other tribes. The area is one of the best insulated from the outside interference of modern mankind and they are totally self-reliant. A female member of the Huli tribe who wears a thick net of fabric and her face is painted white; the people fight over territory and pigs and are known to take great effort with their costumes to terrify the enemy The Huli tribesmen of Papua New Guinea taking part in a ceremonial dance while a young boy beats on a drum in the centre; the tribe take great care to make an impression on their enemy with their face paints, head wear and clothes The Dolgan people of Siberia stand in the arctic tundra. A young boy holds a spear as he sits on the front of a skidoo. They use reindeer packs to pull their loads and despite their ancient traditions, hunt with modern rifles The Tory civil war caught fire today as Chancellor Philip Hammond branded Brexiteers 'extremists'. The Chancellor lashed out as he said the no-confidence vote in Theresa May was an opportunity to 'flush out' hardliners in the party. Meanwhile, Conservative big beast Ken Clarke condemned the 'irresponsible' Eurosceptic plotters trying to mount a coup. The bitter blue-on-blue action came as Mrs May vowed to fight off the attempt to oust her as leader with 'everything I've got'. Tory rebels have secured the 48 letters needed to trigger a contest - which has been dramatically called for tonight. More than 160 MPs have committed to back her, seemingly putting her on course for victory - although as it is a secret ballot there is no guarantee they are telling the truth. Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured today) lashed out as he said the no-confidence vote in Theresa May was an opportunity to 'flush out' hardliners in the party As husband Philip watched the stormy PMQs from the Commons gallery, Mrs May berated the Labour leader for playing politics with the future of the country Tory former minister Tim Loughton (left) jibed at Mrs May's embarrassing moment when she got stuck in her car in Berlin yesterday. David Cameron (right) was more supportive As tensions escalated, senior backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg said the premier's Brexit plan would 'bring down the government if carried forward' and the party 'will not tolerate it'. 'Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go,' he said. But defence minister Tobias Ellwood told him on Twitter: 'You are fuelling blue on blue. 'A disloyal & divisive characteristic disruptive to both Gov & Party- never rewarded by country we seek to represent. 'Set your stall - and accept gracefully if you don't get your way. You are part of a team.' Another loyalist, Simon Hoare, jibed at Eurosceptics: 'Were the result to be 52-48 it would be accepted right? Just asking for a friend.' He also complained that those who thought a better deal could be negotiated were in 'fantasy land'. Despite the infighting, Tory MPs roared on Mrs May today as she told Jeremy Corbyn he won't get a general election. As husband Philip watched the stormy PMQs from the Commons gallery, Mrs May berated the Labour leader for playing politics with the future of the country. The premier was loudly cheered by the Conservative benches as she put a brave face on the looming no-confidence vote tonight. She also sparked laughter by joking at the exhausting day she faces, saying: 'Today I will have meetings, possibly many meetings, with ministerial colleagues and others.' After Mr Corbyn taunted her for 'dithering' and demanded she make way for him to take power, Mrs May shot back that a general election would not be in the national interest. 'I think that a general election at this point in time would not be in the national interest. 'I think we should respect the referendum which took place in 2016.' She also prompted cheers by vowing that the UK will leave the EU on schedule on March 29 this year. 'The biggest threat to this country is not leaving the EU, it is a Corbyn government,' she warned. Mr Clarke asked the PM: 'At this time, is there anything as unhelpful or irrelevant or irresponsible as a Conservative leadership contest?' Mrs May responded that he had made an 'important point' and Brexit would be thrown into chaos if the party changed leader now. Mrs May - who has cancelled a planned visit to Ireland and a Cabinet meeting this afternoon - can stay on if she wins the confidence ballot by just one vote, and would theoretically be immune from challenge for another 12 months. After Mr Corbyn taunted her for 'dithering' and demanded she make way for him to take power, Mrs May shot back that a general election would not be in the national interest The premier was loudly cheered by the Conservative benches as she put a brave face on the looming no-confidence vote tonight In reality anything short of a handsome victory will make it almost impossible for her to cling on, with rebels saying she must go if she is opposed by more than 80 MPs. Allies believe she would have romped home if a contest had been staged last month - but her position has weakened significantly since then. In a defiant speech on the steps of Downing Street earlier, Mrs May warned Brexit will need to be delayed beyond March if she loses and Jeremy Corbyn might end up in power. She appealed for more time to secure further concessions on the controversial exit package she has thrashed out with the EU. 'I have devoted myself unsparingly since I became Prime Minister... and I stand ready to finish the job,' she said. A three-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis may have to spend Christmas in hospital with a feeding tube because a drugs company has refused to provide her with a miracle medicine. Cleo Kennedy, from Brooklyn, needs a new drug called Orkambi which costs $270,000 per year. Her father's insurer, provided by his union, has refused to cover the cost so her mother has had to register Cleo with her provider. But the coverage does not start until January 1 and pharma company Vertex has refused to provide the medication in the meantime. Cleo Kennedy (pictured with her mother), from Brooklyn, needs a new drug called Orkambi which costs $270,000 per year Cleo (pictured) may be hospitalized because her progressive disease, which attacks her lungs, stops her body adsorbing enough energy and causes her to rapidly lose weight This means that Cleo may be hospitalized because her progressive disease, which attacks her lungs, stops her body adsorbing enough energy and causes her to rapidly lose weight. Her mother, Laura Ball, said Vertex denied her request for so-called 'bridging drugs' because Cleo 'did not meet its criteria'. 'We've been looking forward to this drug coming out for so long because it would stall her decline and keep her healthy,' Ms Ball told the New York Post. 'What they've come up with is phenomenal. I just want my daughter to get on it.' Cleo's mother, Laura Ball, said Vertex denied her request for so-called 'bridging drugs' because Cleo 'did not meet its criteria' 'We have plans for Christmas and she's looking forward to it, but it's hard to know what the next few weeks will hold.' Cleo's father, Justin Kennedy, works for New York City's Department of Design and Construction and is a member of its union, DC37. Despite its insurance company refusing to cover Cleo's treatment, DC37 blamed Vertex for not providing $20,000 worth of drugs for free. A spokesman said: 'With their skyrocketing prices, Big Pharma continues to cause real pain and anguish for working families. There's one reason why these drug prices are so high - greed. This has got to stop.' A Vertex spokesman said: 'Due to privacy protections we can't comment specifically about individual patient situations, but we do have assistance programs in place for eligible patients who need additional help.' Health experts have launched an urgent mosquito warning after a second person was struck down in Far North Queensland with a flesh-eating ulcer. Authorities are yet to link the ulcers directly to mosquitos, but in both instances the infected persons were exposed to the insects. 'Two notifications of Daintree Ulcer were received in November, the first on the 14th involving a person living in Mossman and the second on the 24th involving a person living in the Daintree,' Tropical Public Health Services acting director Dr Madhumati Chatterji said in a statement to Yahoo7 News. A new case of a flesh-eating ulcer that is likely to be spread by mosquito bites has been confirmed in North Queensland (stock image) 'In both cases, there was most likely local exposure. 'It is not known how the infection is contracted, there are various theories including the possibility of insect transmission,' Dr Chatterji said. Daintree ulcer, also known as Burili ulcer, is a flesh-eating infection which can cause large ulcers at the infection site. Antibiotics are the primary treatment and surgery can also be needed if the wound is serious enough. Authorities are urging the public to avoid contact with soil or untreated water in North Queensland and to avoid mosquito bites by covering up and using insect repellent. Users on social media reacted to the warning with shock. 'Careful when up north,' one user posted. 'Better keep an eye on those bites,' another user said. 'Sorry we are not going to North Queensland anytime soon,' another said. Authorities are yet to link the ulcers (stock, pictured) directly to mosquitos, but in both instances the infected persons were exposed to the insects Two of the men who were in charge of Brexit but quit over Theresa May's proposed deal are among those who have launched their own alternative plan today. Former Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab are among those backing the so-called 'A Better Deal', a pamphlet setting out proposals for an alternative EU Withdrawal Agreement. The paper retains many elements of Mrs May's package but removes what the authors call as 'poison pills' which prevented her securing cross-party support. DUP leader Arlene Foster, Conservative MP Shailesh Vara and David Davis, former Brexit Secretary today launched an alternative Brexit plan to that put forward by Theresa May Backers of the new approach said that Parliament had effectively rejected the PM's deal by making it impossible for her to get it through the Commons. Launching the paper, former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab said: 'There are modest and reasonable changes that could help salvage the proposed deal with the EU. 'The UK needs a unilateral exit mechanism from the backstop, but we can give the Irish Government assurances that we would put in place specific measures to guarantee no return to a hard border. 'This proposal can help deliver this and allay fears that the UK would be stuck indefinitely in an undemocratic regime of laws we have no control over and can't exit.' The alternative plan is backed by another former Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab, who is among the favourites to replace Mrs May if she is toppled tonight Mr Raab, who sensationally resigned last month saying Mrs May's deal is not good enough, is currently the favourite to replace her as PM if she loses a confidence vote this evening. The document, drawn up by a former adviser to Liam Fox, Shanker Singham, customs expert Hans Maessen and lawyer Robert MacLean, proposes: A pair of North Carolina police officers have come under fire after being filmed throwing a pair of teenage sisters to the ground and trying to snatch their phones after finding them in a car with drugs and a gun. Brie Urban, 17, and her sister Jeweliana Urban, 14, were in a car with 17-year-old Tyrese Gary near Fayetteville, North Carolina, and one other unnamed person when the police arrived on Tuesday. They had been called by a resident who told cops they smelled marijuana coming from the car. When the two police officers arrived, they found a gun under the driver's seat where Tyrese was and a small amount of marijuana on Jeweliana. Jeweliana Urban, 14, was thrown to the ground by an officer in Fayetteville, North Carolina, after she was found with marijuana on her in a car with a teenage boy who had a gun stashed under the driver's seat. Her sister filmed the take-down which occurred after Jeweliana started filming on her cell phone As the officers arrested Tyrese, putting him in the back of their car with handcuffs on, both Jeweliana and her older sister started filming with their cell phones. The two officers then tackled Jeweliana to try to get her phone out of her hands, throwing her to the ground as her older sister watched on and screamed. In Brie's footage of the incident, she can be heard yelling: 'What are you doing right now? She didnt do anything. 'Why are you doing that? What did she do?' As they brought her down, Jeweliana tossed her phone to her sister. Brie picked it up but was then thrown to the ground by one of the officers who told her 'it's evidence' as he wrestled her. Another cop joined in to try to get Jeweliana's cell phone out of her hands. She tossed it to her older sister who was also filming on her own phone As her sister was tackled, Brie shouted: 'Why are you doing that? She didn't do anything!' After her sister threw her phone over to her, Brie was also tackled to the ground by the same cop who said the cell phone was 'evidence'. The officer, who has not been named, was placed on administrative leave Brie, 17, and Jeweliana, 14 (shown above with their father and stepmother) said the police officers told them not to share the footage. Neither teenager was charged Brie said she felt as though she had been 'assaulted' and that she 'didn't deserve' the treatment she received The 17-year-old is heard yelling: 'Ouch!' and pleading: 'I didnt do anything, sir. I did absolutely, I did nothing, sir.' The video cut out after she was brought to the ground. Neither sister was charged and they say the officers begged them not to share the footage but Brie posted hers on Facebook. She also spoke to local news station WRAL and told them she felt as though she had been 'assaulted'. 'Seeing my little sister, she's 14, being tackled like that by a grown man. It was hard for me.' One of the officers, the one who approached her and told her the phone was 'evidence', has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident. The investigation is being carried out by the State Bureau of Investigation. A court in Amsterdam has refused to resolve a long-running international dispute over the ownership of a 1,000-year-old Buddha statue that contains the mummified remains of a monk. Residents of two Chinese villages accuse that the human-size holy figure had been stolen from their temple before being bought by a Dutch collector. The villagers demand the statue be returned to them. A court in Amsterdam threw out the case involving a golden Buddha statue (pictured) today The civil court in Amsterdam threw out the case today, saying in a written ruling that two Chinese village committees seeking ownership of the disputed statue are not legal entities and are therefore ineligible to file a claim. In China, a village committee is elected from the residents and typically deals with the internal affairs of the village, such as domestic quarrels, security and the development of the community. It could also represent the village - and in some cases individuals who live in the village - to the public. However, it does not have legal powers. The Chinese villages, identified by the court as Yangchun and Dong Pu in southeastern Fujian province, say that the statue was stolen from their shared temple in 1995 and was purchased by Dutch art dealer Oscar van Overeem in Hong Kong in 1996. The court says the collector denies that the disputed statue is the stolen antiquity. The collector, Van Overeem, said in a hearing in October that he did not have the statue anymore. The villages can appeal against the ruling. In October, the Chinese villagers appeared at the Amsterdam District Court and made a passionate plea during a hearing for the return of the golden statue. 'We grew up with the statue. He was there day and night. He is our spiritual leader,' Yangchun village spokesman Lin Wenqing said shortly after lawyers closed their arguments. 'For us, it is the most important thing to have him back,' said Lin, 42, through an interpreter. He was one of six villagers who had travelled from Yangchun to attend the hearing in the Dutch capital. The statue at the centre of the case depicts a roped monk in a sitting position and measures 1.2 metres tall (3.93 feet). A scan of the statue in February, 2015, revealed a skeleton inside - said to be that of a Chinese monk who lived nearly a millennium ago during China's Song dynasty (960-1279). Controversy about the Buddha arose the same year when a villager of Yangchun saw the statue on TV as it was being displayed at the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest. The statue was subsequently withdrawn from the exhibition. A scan in 2015 revealed a skeleton inside the human-size statue, which dated back 1,000 years The villagers claim the mummified body is that of Zhanggong Zushi, a local monk who helped treat disease and spread Buddhist belief. When he died at the age of 37, his body was mummified and placed inside the statue. After the statue was stolen in 1995, the only things left behind were the hat and clothes which are still in the temple, according to the villagers. They said they were convinced that the statue which Van Overeem bought was their missing idol. 'There is a very special bond between the villagers and the statue,' their lawyer Jan Holthuis told the judges. The Chinese villagers claim the statue was stolen from their temple in south-east China in 1995 and was bought by Dutch collector Oscar van Overeem in Hong Kong a year later In 2015, Mr van Overeem said he bought the statue for 40,000 guilders (around 16,000) in 1996 from another collector, who had acquired it from a Chinese artist friend in late 1994 or early 1995, according to a report on DutchNews. But Van Overeem again reiterated in court in October that he did not have the statue, which he said he exchanged in a swap with a Chinese collector in 2015. He also furiously refuted Holthuis' claims that he was in fact a dealer in Chinese art, and bought the statue in Hong Kong in 1996 - a known destination for stolen artefacts. 'I'm an architect and a passionate collector. But I'm not a dealer,' an angry Van Overeem said. He said he did not know where the statue was. But Holthuis disagreed. He accused Van Overeem and the statue's new owner of 'conspiring to make the Buddha mummy disappear to make sure that the claimants cannot take action.' Australia's far north and east coast are bracing for wet-weather chaos as 'zombie' Cyclone Owen and an intense low-pressure system batter the regions with heavy rainfall, flash flooding and gale-force winds. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Michael Paech told the Townsville Bulletin the category two cyclone would strengthen on Thursday morning. 'We are forecasting it to increase to a category three. Weve seen some development in the day,' he said on Wednesday. Cyclone Owen continues to build in strength as it turns back inland on its journey through the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is expected to cross the Queensland coastline between Karumba and Cape Keerweer on Friday afternoon. Australia's far north and east coast are bracing for heavy rainfall as 'zombie' Cyclone Owen (pictured) and an intense low-pressure system get set to batter the region Residents between the Queensland and Northern Territory border have been warned to prepare for gale-force winds of up to 224km/h, with people on Mornington Island, 470km north of Mount Isa, evacuating as a precaution. Destructive winds with gusts of up to 130km/h are also expected to develop along the coast near the Northern Territory and Queensland border on Thursday. Gusts of up to 90km/h are expected to hit Townsville in Queensland and heavy rainfall will lead to flash flooding. The Queensland town is expected to receive between 120mm and 200mm of rainfall on Saturday. Townsville Mayor and Local Disaster Management Group Chair Jenny Hill said while this type of rain was seasonal, residents should still be prepared. She noted they should be alert and not alarmed. A low-pressure system is also expected to form in northern Victoria and southern New South Wales tomorrow, and could bring a month's worth of rain. 'What is really interesting is how the two systems are linked by the upper trough,' the BOM's extreme weather desk manager James Taylor told the ABC. 'It will be the upper trough that develops the low over south-eastern Victoria that drags Tropical Cyclone Owen more towards the east and probably south-eastwards over the weekend. 'That creates a potential threat for large parts of the eastern Queensland coast, particularly from flash flooding,' Mr Taylor said. Mr Taylor said the trough would draw in moisture from the tropics and Cyclone Owen during Thursday and Friday. Cyclone Owen continues to build in strength as it turns back towards the Queensland side of the Gulf of Carpentaria The system may draw moisture southward, creating a large cloudband with severe thunderstorms along much of the east of Australia. 'Heavy rainfall associated with the cloudband looks likely to affect Victoria on Thursday then contract southwards during Friday. 'Southeastern South Australia and northern and eastern Tasmania may also be affected by heavy rainfall over the next few days,' Mr Taylor said. Severe thunderstorms within the cloud band are predicted for eastern New South Wales, however associated heavy rainfall is likely to be sporadic in nature. The severe thunderstorms to hit the east coast this week are predicted to be the worst the coastline has seen in nine months. Forecasters have warned it will be the most intense weather event since March and meteorologist Rob Sharpe said the worst of it will be felt this Thursday. Southern Queensland will experience intense weather because of a zombie cyclone in the north of the country Ex-tropical cyclone Owen, which re-developed into a category one system on Tuesday, tore out trees during its path of destruction 'Thursday is going to be a big day of weather. Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Canberra - all have a chance of severe thunderstorms,' he told news.com.au. Mr Sharpe added people in Melbourne and Sydney should prepare for severe thunderstorms to continue on Friday. A Bureau of Meteorology forecaster previously told Daily Mail Australia the thunderstorms would be the result of a cold front in the south of the country. 'We have a cold front with a low-pressure system coming in from Victoria up to New South Wales which will then gradually begin to move east on Thursday,' the forecaster said. 'It will bring a band of showers and a potential storm for Sydney on Thursday but where it will fall will be better known closer to the time. 'In terms of Sydney, showers and storms with the western inland expected to see a temperature reprieve.' Residents in far north Queensland have also been warned ex-tropical cyclone Owen should re-form into a category three system Sydney should brace for severe thunderstorms on Thursday Ex-cyclone Owen (pictured) is picking up momentum again during its journey through the Gulf of Carpentaria Canberra can also expect storms and upwards of 55mm of rain between Thursday and Saturday. Broken Hill is forecast to reach a high of 38C before the cold front and low-pressure system on Thursday drop temperatures to 25C. Brisbane was also predicted to get up to 100mm of rainfall over the week. Owen previously had been dubbed a 'Zombie Cyclone' because it had been brought back to life as it regathered strength above warm waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Category-three cyclones can rip roofs off houses, devastate properties and flatten trees and power lines of up to 264km/h. There is a significant danger from falling trees and debris and locals have been warned to decide where they will take shelter. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned of 'very destructive' winds by the time the cyclone hits capacity, with 'severe and extensive' damage a very real possibility. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding was experienced in coastal and adjacent inland areas between the towns of Port Douglas and Ingham in north Queensland - and is set to continue 'Bit of calm after the storm', a comment posted alongside this photo from Four Mile Beach in Queensland's Port Douglas read Heavy rainfall hit Port Douglas on Tuesday, with more wild weather set to batter Australia's east coast this week 'It may reach category three intensity if conditions remain favourable. A coastal crossing along the southeast Gulf of Carpentaria coast during Friday is most likely,' BOM says. Residents of Igham, Innisfail, Cardwall and Tully were issued with severe storm warnings and urged to stay up to date with weather warnings and changes in conditions. A cyclone watch is current from the Northern Territory's Cape Shield to Burketown in Queensland, including Groote Eylandt and Mornington Island. About 80 council staff on Mornington Island have been evacuated from homes not built to withstand a wild weather event, while other residents have also left. Residents who are staying behind have been warned to prepare for the worst. 'It's time for people to make sure they've got plenty of supplies to last them a period of time. They also need to make sure their yards and accommodation are cleaned,' Mornington Shire chief executive Frank Mills told ABC radio on Tuesday. 'Anything that can become a missile in strong winds needs to be stacked away.' The weather system has already dumped flooding rain in Queensland's far north after crossing the coast near the resort town of Port Douglas early on Monday. Queensland's Palm Cove was given a brief reprieve before ex-tropical cyclone Owen redeveloped into a category one system Port Douglas experienced almost 300mm of rain overnight as Owen passed through on Monday, while Cairns was soaked with 170mm of rain Port Douglas experienced almost 300mm of rain at the beginning of the week as Owen passed over early on Monday, while Cairns was soaked with 170mm. Forecasters predicted the system would continue tracking west on Tuesday, before looping back towards the Queensland coast. Gale force winds and heavy rain are expected from early on Wednesday. Wind gusts have already reached 85 kilometres per hour, BOM told Daily Mail Australia. 'Ex-tropical cyclone Owen is expected to continue moving steadily westwards during Tuesday and is likely to redevelop into a tropical cyclone on Wednesday morning over the southern Gulf of Carpentaria,' a meteorologist for BOM said. 'During Wednesday or Thursday, the tropical cyclone is expected to slow down and turn back towards the Queensland coast.' The cyclone is expected to reach a category three intensity by 4pm on Thursday. The deluge persisted throughout the evening, and may return shortly depending on the movement of the former cyclone Tammi Bleimeyer, 37, was sentenced to 28 years in prison after she starved her diaper-clad five-year-old stepson and forced him to sleep in a tiny closet A mother-of-seven has been sentenced to 28 years in prison after she starved her five-year-old stepson, forced him to wear a diaper, and made him sleep in a tiny closet. Tammi Bleimeyer, 37, was found guilty of injury to a child by omission on Friday after forcing Jordan Bleimeyer, now nine, to sleep in what the family called the 'Harry Potter room'. The tiny crawlspace, which was located under the stairs, had exposed nails and wiring surrounding the lone mattress. Doctors said Jordan, who only weighed 29 pounds at the time, had nearly starved to death. They compared his state of malnourishment to a Holocaust survivor. Bradley Bleimeyer, Jordan's father, pleaded guilty to the same charge in 2016 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The horrific case first came to light in March 2014 when Bleimeyer's son, who was 16 at the time, reported her to authorities. Bleimeyer broke down in court after her sentencing. She was found guilty of injury to a child by omission on Friday Bleimeyer forced her stepson Jordan Bleimeyer to sleep in what the family called the 'Harry Potter room'. He weighed only 29 pounds when he was rescued by police (pictured) Jordan was covered in bumps and bruises and severely underweight. Doctors compared his state of malnourishment to a Holocaust survivor He said Jordan was being abused by his mother and 24-year-old stepfather, claiming the boy was forced to wear a diaper and sleep in a tiny closet under the stairs. But Bleimeyer, who was six months pregnant at the time, took Jordan from the home and refused to return when police showed up. Investigators then used cell phone records to track her to a nearby motel, where they found Jordan with Bleimeyer, according to KTRK. Jordan was found covered in bumps and bruises and severely underweight. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where a pediatrician said he had suffered 'severe physical abuse and habitual starvation'. Prosecutors later revealed that Jordan was only fed a slice of bread a day, which was snatched out of his hand if he didn't eat it fast enough Jordan was rushed to the hospital after he was rescued from the motel where Bleimeyer took him to after her 16-year-old son reported her to the police Doctors said the boy could have died within days if he had not been rescued. Prosecutors later revealed that Jordan was not allowed to eat at the dinner table with his siblings - who were all Bleimeyer's children. He was only given a slice of bread to eat a day, which would be taken away if he didn't eat it quickly enough. The boy was also allegedly drugged by his father to keep him quiet when guests were over. Jordan's 16-year-old stepbrother also told authorities he believed someone had slammed his head into the wall and even stunned him with a Taser. Bleimeyer's teenage son said both she and her husband Bradley Bleimeyer, Jordan's father, were abusing Jordan. Bradley was sentenced to 15 years in prison Officials said Jordan's health declined rapidly after Child Protective Services visited the Bleimeyer home (pictured) in February 2014 Officials said Jordan's health declined rapidly after Child Protective Services visited the Bleimeyer home in February 2014, according to the Houston Chronicle. CPS had been investigating the family that year and were called to the home several times. Bleimeyer was arrested and charged in February 2015. She was sentenced on Monday following 10 days of testimony. She broke down in the Harris County Courthouse in Spring, Texas after the verdict was read and two of her biological sons took the stand. Bleimeyer broke down in the Harris County Courthouse in Spring, Texas after the verdict was read and two of her biological sons took the stand. 'It's no mystery why we're all here,' one of the sons said in a prepared statement. 'You made a big mistake, and ultimately have to face the consequences.' 'I'm up here to ask a rhetorical question of how, how could you put your children through all that? The people who should be your pride and joy.' 'You caused me feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, and emptiness. I can't say that I'll ever be the same emotionally because of this.' Jordan has since been reunited with his biological mother Wendy Hall and CPS took custody of Bleimeyer's other children. Her newborn was given to foster care. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted Wednesday that the Trump administration has held Saudi Arabia accountable for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and an attempted cover-up. The chief diplomat for the United States argued in an appearance on 'Fox & Friends' that the 17 members of the Saudi hit squad that were accessory to the murder have been sanctioned as he was pressured by the show's co-hosts to take a hardline against the kingdom's crown prince. 'The Saudis have already paid the price. There are the folks who actually committed the murder, we've held accountable. We will continue to do that. No one under estimates how horrible this murder was,' he asserted. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted Wednesday that the Trump administration had held Saudi Arabia accountable for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and attempted cover-up Pompeo justified the administration's response to the assassination, and the president's disinterest in slapping the Saudis with additional punishing actions, by juxtaposing the singular murder with the thousands of deaths that could come to pass in the event of a terror attack. This week Time Magazine named Khashoggi, and other journalists who were murdered or detained, their 'person of the year' over Trump He said Iran's malign behavior, including its terror funding, weighs heavily on the president. 'Iran is running rampant throughout the Middle East. The death of any one individual is awful. The death of hundreds of thousands of people in Europe or the Middle East or the United States matters an awful lot. President Trump is committed to protecting America,' he asserted. Pompeo is scheduled to brief House leaders in Washington on the journalist's death and the administration's position in a classified setting on Capitol Hill. He and Defense Secretary James Mattis told senators at a similar briefing last month that the intelligence community had not found a 'smoking gun' linking the death to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Senators left a second briefing with CIA Director Gina Haspel claiming that it was actually a 'smoking saw' they had found, in reference to reports that Khashoggi was tortured and then dismembered with a bone saw. Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the evidence was so strong that in a court of law, bin Salman would be found guilty in 30 seconds. '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,' Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican who is close to Trump, said of the evidence. The Trump administration continues to deny publicly that a CIA assessment has directly implicated the 33-year-old crown prince who has developed a tight-knit relationship with the president's White House-advising son-in-law And yet, the Trump administration continues to deny publicly that a CIA assessment has directly implicated the 33-year-old crown prince who has developed a tight-knit relationship with the president's White House-advising son-in-law. 'Hes the leader of Saudi Arabia. Theyve been a very good ally,' the president told Reuters in an Oval Office interview on Tuesday. He said he would continue to stand by the kingdom, and therefore its crown prince, the de facto leader as he claimed that that bin Salman is 'very strongly in power' and is not facing a revolt within the royal family that could see him ousted. President Trump's support for MBS, as he known, is seen as a determining factor. 'I just havent heard that,' said Tuesday in response. 'Honestly, I cant comment on it because I had not heard that at all. In fact, if anything, Ive heard that hes very strongly in power.' Trump maintained that the 'crown prince vehemently denies' having any knowledge of the murder before it took place. The Senate is considering a resolution to condemn bin Salman and the kingdom and a separate bill that would cut off aid for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Trump reiterated on Tuesday that he does not want Congress to hit the Middle Eastern nation with sanctions that would rob the United States of profits and effectively transfer the money to America's global competitors. Outgoing United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley made it known that she believes MBS bears responsibility for the killing carried out by his government, regardless of whether he gave the order himself 'I really hope that people arent going to suggest that we should not take hundreds of billions of dollars that theyre going to siphon off to Russia and to China,' Trump said. He indicated that he could meet lawmakers half-way and support the measure to cancel military assistance to Saudi Arabia in Yemen. 'Well, Im much more open to Yemen because frankly, I hate to see whats going on in Yemen,' he said. 'But it takes two to tango. Id want to see Iran pull out of Yemen too. Because - and I think they will.' The morning of the interview, Time Magazine named Khashoggi, and other journalists who were murdered or detained, their 'person of the year' over Trump. He'll appear on a version of the magazine's cover this week and will be honored in a story that reflects on the international response to the death that was ordered by his native nation. On Fox and Friends, a program that is friendly to Trump, co-host Steve Doocey noted that it's a 'big story' and that is why Time tackled it after Pompeo defended the administration's heavily scrutinized response to the journalist's death. Ainsley Earhardt likewise proclaimed: 'Someone has to pay the price, though, it's so brutal. Apparently those audiotapes are awful.' Pompeo claimed that 'some' of the reporting on the CIA's assessment that MBS was most definitely responsible had been 'inaccurate' and dodged repeatedly as his interviewers pressed him to assess MbS' innocence. 'You know. You -- you looked him in the eye. You know that he knows,' Brian Kilmeade said, confronting the secretary of state. Inviting viewers to read between the lines, Pompeo replied: 'I've spoken to the crown prince a number of times since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. And it is absolutely America's intent to hold everyone accountable who was responsible for this.' Outgoing United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley spoke more freely in an interview that aired on NBC News on the same morning. She made it known that she believes MBS bears responsibility for the killing carried out by his government, regardless of whether he gave the order himself. 'It was the Saudi government, and MBS is the head of the Saudi government,' she said. 'So they are all responsible, and they don't get a pass, not an individual, not the government they don't get a pass.' Haley said the issue is not going to go away for the Trump administration. 'I think that the administrations has to talk about where we go from here,' she observed. 'What I can tell you that's so important is that the Saudis have been our partner in defeating and dealing with Iran. And that has been hugely important.' Teresa Gardner, 27, was arrested in Pompano Beach, Florida on Sunday for stuffing four Chihuahua puppies and their mother into a backpack and then swinging it wildly around an Irish pub A Florida woman has been arrested for stuffing four Chihuahua puppies and their mother into a backpack and then swinging it wildly around an Irish pub. Teresa Gardner, 27, was taken into custody at Briny Irish Pub in Pompano Beach in the early hours of Sunday morning. Broward Sheriff's Office deputies said Gardner stuffed the mother Chihuahua and the 4-week old puppies into the bag and then sealed it. Witnesses said she then swung the bag around and smashed it against tables and benches inside the bar. She also allegedly was caught swinging the bag around wildly outside the bar. Authorities said the animals were smothering each other inside the bag and had limited oxygen when they were rescued. Deputies who rescued the puppies said they were 'shaken and tormented'. They are now being treated and cared for by the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center. During her arraignment (above) on Monday, Gardner cried as the judge said she found the facts of the case 'troubling' It is not clear where the animals came from. A spokeswoman for Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center told the Sun Sentinel that the mother Chihuahua was being very protective of her puppies following the ordeal. 'Mom's a little bit traumatized right now and scared. So far, so good with the puppies. They're here under observation right now,' the spokeswoman said. 'They're just here in safekeeping right now.' During her arraignment on Monday, Gardner cried as the judge said she found the facts of the case 'troubling'. Gardner screamed out 'I didn't do that!' when the facts were read out in court. Gardner was charged with animal cruelty and resisting arrest. She is being held on $1,000 bond. The unidentified vandal (above) is wanted by police after smashing a synagogue message board with his elbow in Manhattan on November 10 A man was captured smashing the message board of a Manhattan synagogue with his elbow before appearing to beat his chest in apparent adulation, in a suspected hate crime. Police released CCTV footage on Tuesday, showing the unidentified hooded vandal walking on 29th Street and Lexington Avenue at 11pm on November 10. The suspect is seen approaching the doors of the Congregation Adereth Talmud Torah El synagogue and smashing his elbow through the glass message board. He then appears to beat his chest wildly in celebration before fist-bumping another man who is walking alongside him. The attack on the orthodox house of worship is now being probed by the NYPDs Hate Crimes Task Force, police have said. According to the New York Times, the majority of hate crimes in the city are targeted towards the Jewish community - with acts of antisemitism up 18 per cent on last year. The suspect then appeared to beat his chest in celebration, before offering a fist-bump to the man walking alongside him The November 10 vandalism came during a month of other alarming attacks which shows the city's rising antisemitism problem. Just days after the Pittsburgh synagogue shootings, on November 1, a Brooklyn synagogue was defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti, including the words 'Die Jew Rats'. Another incident on November 28, saw the office of a Colombia University professor - who was set to be the first to light the campus' Hanukkah menorah - vandalized with spray-painted swastikas. The Congregation Adereth Talmud Torah El synagogue is an orthodox place of worship on 29th street and Lexington, in New York. Police say this attack is being probed by the hate crime division Police are still on the hunt for the man who vandalized the Congregation Adereth Talmud Torah El synagogue, who was last seen in a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark trousers. Authorities have asked anyone with information about the incident or suspect to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. A Scottish family is suffering a severe backlash after a son posted a deeply offensive joke about Auschwitz he claimed had been sent to him by his father. Josh Kane posted on Twitter that his parents had been at the concentration camp and he could not believe what his father sent him. Mr Kane then posted a picture he had received of an enormous pile of shoes at the camp with the question: 'Do you want me to get you a pair of shoes?' Josh Kane, from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, pictured, has been blasted on social media after he posted a 'disgraceful' message from his father who was visiting the Auschwitz concentration camp Mr Kane claims his father sent him this message with a joke about shoes in Auschwitz Both Mr Kane and his parents have been branded 'disgusting' on social media for the posts. Mr Kane, a Celtic fan from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, tweeted yesterday: 'Mum and Dad were at Auschwitz today and I genuinely can not believe what he's sent me.' A private message said to be from Josh's dad to him read: 'Did you put our names down for Hibs on Sunday?' Directly underneath that message is the photograph of a pile of shoes taken by the Nazis from their victims. Beneath that is the question: 'Do you want me to get you a pair of shoes?' Several social media users condemned Mr Kane for his reason for posting the message. One wrote: 'I don't know what's worse, sending the message in the first place or thinking it's funny to post it.' Mr Kane tried to defend himseld by writing: 'Where did a say it was funny?' She then replied with: 'Oh yeah cos you're really posting it out of respect aren't you, if your dad wants to make a sick joke then whatever but don't go posting it on here fishing for likes.' Another criticised Mr Kane for placing the blame on his father: 'Imagine outing your dad like that.' Mr Kane responded angrily: 'Shut up ya d**k he's ma bestpal.' In October this year, Polish officials were hunting three girls who caused outrage after posting a selfie on social media of them throwing Nazi salutes at Auschwitz. An estimated 1.1 million people died at the Auschwitz-Birkenau complex of concentration and extermination camps in Poland, which covered an area of around 40 square kilometres. Mr Kane has been approached for a comment. Outgoing U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said one of the weapons in her diplomatic arsenal was President Donald Trump's 'unpredictable' nature and that she would call him to have him 'ratchet up the rhetoric' when she needed extra fire power. 'We partnered,' Haley told NBC's 'Today Show' in an interview that aired Wednesday. 'He would, like, ratchet up the rhetoric and I would go back to the ambassadors and say, you know, he's pretty upset. I can't promise you what he's going to do or not. But I tell you if we do these sanctions, it will keep him from going too far,' she added. Outgoing U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said one of the weapons in her diplomatic arsenal was President Donald Trump's 'unpredictable' nature She said she got her job done by letting President Donald Trump be 'unpredictable' Asked if she used a good cop/bad cop approach, Haley responded: 'I was trying to get the job done. I was being truthful and by letting him be unpredictable and not showing our cards.' She also said she didn't get involved in the 'drama' around the president's bombastic twitter habits. 'I know all of it,' she said. 'But I'm disciplined enough to know not to get into the drama.' Haley sat down with NBC to talk about her work at the United Nations as she prepares to leave the job at the end of the year. Trump is nominating State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, a former Fox News anchor, to replace her. The wide-ranging interview covered American-Russian relations, U.S.-Saudi relations in the wake of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and how she managed her relationship with Trump. Speculation has flown as to why Haley is leaving the plum position, which comes with a posh New York apartment, a staff, and ambassador-level status. She has hung on well in an administration that has seen one of highest rates of staff turnover. She has a good relationship with Trump, who has turned on former favorites in the past. And she has good ties with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, an important survival skill in Trump world. Haley, who served as South Carolina's governor, dismissed talk she's considering a White House bid of her own. She said she has 'no idea' what she will do next but noted she and her husband Michael have never spoken about a presidential run. 'A lot of people have talked about what I may be doing in the future. But I can promise you, Michael and I have never talked about running for president, what that would look like, anything like that, because our lives have been such a fun surprise. The only decision I made right now, is I'm looking forward to sleeping in,' she said. She also pushed back on the notion she could be exit ahead of any revelations from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of the administration, which appears to be in its final phase. 'I have not had any time to even pay attention to the Mueller investigation,' she said. She added: 'I have tuned it out. I can't do anything about it. The one thing I've said publicly and I strongly believe, is I think the investigation, if it's going forward, should go forward but they need to hurry up, for the good of the country. They need to hurry up and let us know what they know.' Haley also talked about what it's like working with Trump and noted the 'secret' it is honesty. 'Being honest with myself and being honest with him,' she said. She went on to explain what she meant by 'honesty': 'To tell him when I think we're going in the right direction or I think we're going in the wrong direction. And him being willing to listen to that and discuss it, has been hugely helpful.' In the interview, she also addressed one of the United States' more delicate diplomatic issues: the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the American-Saudi Arabia relationship in its fallout. 'I think we need to have a serious, hard talk with the Saudis to let them know we won't condone this, we won't give you a pass and don't do this again and then I think that the administrations have to talk about where we go from here,' she said. Then she repeated an argument President Trump has used repeatedly - that Saudi Arabia is a strong U.S. ally. Haley defended Jared Kushner, who she is close to; She's seen here with Kushner in Ivanka Trump in the Oval Office on the day she announced she was leaving the administration Haley talked about a wide range of issues in her exit interview Nikki Haley broke with President Trump and made it clear she sees Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) as responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's (right) murder 'What I can tell you that's so important is that the Saudis have been our partner in defeating and dealing with Iran and that has been hugely important,' she said. Haley also defended Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and adviser. Kushner has a close relationship with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the heir to the throne. U.S. intelligence agencies believe there is a strong indication MBS - the prince is known by his initials - ordered the killing of Khashoggi, who was critical of him. Trump has defended the prince, saying there is no proof either way, a stance that some claim is the result of Kushner's close relationship with the Saudi royal. Haley dismissed that. 'In reference to Jared, I mean those rumors fly all the time,' she said. 'We have relationships with lots of countries and our goal is to make those relationships better. But when these things happen, we have to step back and never back away from our principles.' And she made it clear the MBS is responsible - a direct contradiction to the president. 'It was the Saudi government, and MBS is the head of the Saudi government,' she said. 'So they are all responsible, and they don't get a pass, not an individual, not the government - they don't get a pass.' She was also asked if Russia a 'friend or foe?' 'Depends on the day,' she replied. She said she was 'critical' of Moscow when 'it's warranted.' She specifically cited concerns about Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian ships and the poisoning of former Russian military officer Sergei Viktorovich Skripal and his daughter Yulia. 'The United States wants a relationship with Russia. But as long as they keep doing the actions that they're doing, they're making it impossible,' she said. A man from China has been accused of murdering his wife during a family vacation in Thailand in order to claim an insurance payout of more than 33 million yuan (3.8 million). The family of the woman, who was nicknamed as Xiaojie in Chinese media reports, said her husband, Zhang Yifan, killed her in a swimming pool at a holiday villa in Phuket in late October. The relatives claimed that Zhang, a resident of north-east China's Tianjin city, had taken out many insurance policies for his wife in the months prior to her death, according to The Paper citing Jinyun news. Thai police confirmed Zhang's arrest to MailOnline but declined to give details amid ongoing investigations. The family of the woman, who was nicknamed as Xiaojie in Chinese media reports, said her husband, Zhang Yifan, killed her in a swimming pool (pictured) at a villa in Phuket in October Back in China, Tianjin police agreed to set up an investigation into a claim of fraud against Zhang made by the woman's parents. The 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. The couple arrived at the Thai island with their 20-month-old daughter for a family vacation on October 27, according to the report. Three days later, the man told his parents-in-law that his wife drowned in the hotel pool on October 29. However, Xiaojie's father suspected Zhang was lying because her daughter was a good swimmer. He doubted that she could have drowned in the pool, which was about 1.4 metres (4.5 feet) deep. A photo of the suspect, Zhang Yifan, found in the victim's phone Other relatives of the woman found 18 life insurance policies bought by Zhang at the couple's home. The total payout was worth more than 3.8 million with Zhang as the sole beneficiary On October 31, Zhang, his in-laws and other relatives arrived at Phuket to deal with the aftermath of Xiaojie's death. At the coroner's office at Patong Hospital, they discovered that her body was covered in bruises and abrasions, which further confirmed their suspicion of foul play. Xiaojie's uncle then suggested reporting the death to Thai police in order to seek compensation from the hotel, to which Zhang agreed. He was then held at the Kamala police station for questioning. Several hours later, Zhang confessed to police that he had killed his wife because he 'didn't want to be with her anymore', according to the report. Other relatives of the victim found 18 life insurance policies bought by Zhang at the couple's home. The total payout was worth more than 33 million yuan (3.8 million) with Zhang as the sole beneficiary. Advertisement Royal Mail staff were hard at work at a distribution centre today on their busiest day of the year as they prepared to deal with nearly 150million parcels in the run up to Christmas. Workers at the St Rollox mail centre in Springburn, Glasgow, are expecting to process 2.2million items in a day - including up to 300,000 parcels. Traditionally, December 12 is the busiest day of the postal year. Some 11,000 Royal Mail staff are working around Scotland, assisted by 1,100 temporary workers amid a boom in parcel delivery this year. The St Rollox centre employs 650 staff and another 400 seasonal workers. Mail centre worker Alison Wetherspoon moves parcels today at the huge St Rollox mail centre in Springburn, Glasgow Postwomen Karen McLatchie (left) and Ann O'Rourke (right) help sort bags at the huge mail centre in Glasgow today Ms McLatchie (left) and her fellow postwoman Nicola Rae (centre) sort Christmas letters at the mail centre in Glasgow today 11,000 Royal Mail staff are working around Scotland, assisted by 1,100 temporary workers amid a boom in parcel delivery Ms Wetherspoon works at the mail centre in Glasgow, which is handling 2.2million items of post on its busiest day today The St Rollox centre in Springburn, Glasgow, employs 650 staff and another 400 seasonal workers Mail centre manager Tony MacPherson said he expected this year to be even busier than 2017, when 149 million items were processed. He added: 'The busiest time is 5pm, as many businesses close for the day. 'During the night, mail gets posted around the country, with planes coming up from London and the Midlands to Edinburgh Airport, and we also have flights coming in from Aberdeen and the islands. 'We're getting mail in 24 hours a day and we believe we'll break the 149 million items we processed last year. With online demand we've seen our parcels increase year on year.' Mail centre postwoman Alison Wotherspoon said: 'We're at our peak now for Christmas cards and will be sorting tens of thousands of cards. Most people started at 6am and they'll work through till 2pm. Workers at the St Rollox mail centre in Springburn, Glasgow, are expecting to process up to 300,000 parcels today The mail centre manager he expected this year to be even busier than 2017, when 149 million items were processed Royal Mail asks customers to post by the last recommended dates - December 18 for second and December 20 for first class Most of the workers start at 6am and they work through until 2pm, before staff on the late shift come in to take over During the night, the mail gets posted around the UK, with planes coming up from London and the Midlands to Edinburgh The Royal Mail said today is the 'busiest day in Glasgow mail centre, where we will be dealing with 2.2 million' items The huge Royal Mail mail centre in Glasgow, which will handle 2.2 million items of post - cards and parcels - on its busiest day 'Then staff on the late shift will come in to take over. From the middle of November there's been an upturn in parcels as a lot of people are buying early to get it through the postal system quicker. 'The mail is coming in all the time so it's all about keeping everything moving.' A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'Today is our busiest day in Glasgow mail centre, where we will be dealing with 2.2 million Christmas cards, parcels and letters. 'We'd ask our customers to post early and post by the last recommended dates, which are December 18 for second class and December 20 for first class. That allows us to get all mail out to customers in time for Christmas.' A woman who claimed a former Baylor University President raped her has filed a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages. On Monday a Texas judge accepted a controversial plea deal sparing Jacob Anderson, 24, who was accused of the rape any jail time, prompting outrage from the victim and her parents. Judge Ralph Strother signed off on the plea agreement for 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 defendant does not admit guilt, but will offer no defense. Now the victim, 19, is suing Anderson, five of his fraternity brothers, the national Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, Baylor's chapter of Phi Delta Theta and a woman who owned the home where she claimed the rape took place. Former Baylor University fraternity president Jacob Anderson, 24, walks out of the courtroom Monday after a judge accepted a plea deal sparing the accused rapist jail time Anderson (pictured in court Monday, left), was given three years of deferred probation, ordered to seek counseling and pay a $400 fine The other named defendants in the suit are Matthew Donaldson, Spencer Flora, Dusty Wright, John Cabot and John Williams. The unnamed former Baylor student who accused Anderson of violently and repeatedly raping her at a party in 2015 said she was 'devastated' by the judge's decision and described the county's justice system as 'severely broken.' The lawsuit, obtained by KCEN Channel 6, said that the fraternity failed to have adequate policies and procedures in place to monitor their guests' alcohol consumption. Phi Delta is also accused of 'knowingly and intentionally serving alcohol to minors' at the party. The suit also said it failed to properly, and in a timely fashion, report claims of sexual assault. The lawsuit also points out that Baylor prohibits fraternity houses on campus. The party where the woman claimed the sexual assault happened was held at the 'Phi Delt Ranch,' a house Jennette Hunicutt, who is also being sued, owns. The lawsuit claims Hunicutt knew members of Phi Delta Theta occupied and used the house as a fraternity house in violation of Baylor's policy. A lawsuit filed on the victim's behalf said that the fraternity failed to have adequate policies and procedures in place to monitor their guests' alcohol consumption It also accused the defendants of 'tolerating sexual assailants at events' despite reports to highest levels. Phi Delta National owns, controls and maintains an all-male social fraternity, organized into chapters at various institutions of higher learning throughout the United States of America. The lawsuit seeking damages of more than $1 million states that the defendant was negligent by providing alcohol to the plaintiff by proving her alcohol and permitting her to be drugged. It also states that the defendants failed to adequately monitor guests to ensure they were not drugged and allowed the assailant to engage in 'improper sexual harassment, and to 'not only be within the leadership of Phi Delta but also to prey on the plaintiff'. Monday's plea deal from prosecutors allowed Anderson to receive three years of deferred probation. The ex-Phi Delta Theta president agrees to seek counseling and pay a $400 fine. He will not be forced to register as a sex offender. An online petition had been created to oppose the plea bargain, which the woman said more than 85,000 people have signed. According to court records, Anderson's accuser said she was at the Phi Delta Theta party on February 20, 2015, in South Waco when someone handed her a glass of punch and told her to drink it. She said she soon became disoriented and that Anderson took her outside to a secluded area in the backyard so she could get some air, at which point he sexually assaulted her, according to police reports. The woman lost consciousness and woke up alone in the same area, lying face down in her own vomit, reports indicate. A friend later took her to the hospital for a sexual assault examination. Anderson was expelled from Baylor following the private Christian university's investigation. In her searing victim impact statement on Monday, Anderson's accuser, known only as Donna Doe, described her alleged rape at the hands of the fraternity president in graphic detail, saying that he repeatedly orally and vaginally penetrated her. The then-19-year-old Baylor freshman said she was a virgin saving herself for marriage until that night, reported KVUE. The victim, known as Donna Doe, read her impassioned impact statement in court, condemning Anderson and the county's justice system 'I had no control over my body and no way to stop him,' the woman said of Anderson. 'When I collapsed on the ground he pulled down his pants and shoved his penis in my mouth and down my throat gagging me. 'When he forcefully picked me up and shoved me into a wall to rape me vaginally from behind he calmly and coldly said 'Its fine. Youre fine'. The woman told the court that after she lost consciousness, Anderson left her for dead in the dirt. '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. The victim went on to say she believes that Anderson will go on to rape again, and slammed Assistant District Attorney Hillary LaBorde and McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna for letting 'a rapist run free in society without any warning to future victims'. His victim said Anderson (left and right) repeatedly orally and vaginally raped her, gagged her with his penis and left her for dead in the dirt at a party in 2015 Reyna, who was not present at Monday's hearing, later issued a statement defending the plea agreement. The McLennan County District Attorneys office is known throughout the state for our aggressive prosecution of sexual assault cases, to say otherwise is simply absurd, he said. Let us remind everyone that our oath is to seek justice. In pursuit of that ideal, we must evaluate each case alone on its own merit. Early in this case, law enforcement believed that the victim may have been drugged and this belief has been widely disseminated in the media; however, the evidence did not support that theory. This office stands by the plea offered and believes we have achieved the best result possible with the evidence at hand. A beloved family dog has died after it jumped out of a car window and was found by horrified shoppers hanging limply from its collar. The dog, believed to be a spaniel-collie cross, was locked in a Toyota Rav4 with another dog and a cat in the car park of Tweed Mall in Tweed Heads, NSW. As the temperature climbed as high as 28C on Wednesday, the dog tried to escape by jumping through the partially open window. A beloved family dog has died after it jumped out of a car window and was found hanging limply by its collar by horrified shoppers However, it instead hanged itself as the choker chain tied to the seat belt wasn't long enough to reach the ground. Bystander Josh Davies said he saw the dog hanging out the window about 1.30pm and initially thought it was a jacket as he drove past. 'As I got closer I realised and jumped out of my car to save it, but it was already gone. It was just hanging there, lifeless,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's such a sad and horrible way to go, it was heartbreaking. My partner had our puppy with her and she was in tears. 'Tweed Mall has such a busy carpark so I don't understand how no one heard and tried to help it before it was too late.' Police attended the scene after 2pm along with the RSPCA after Mr Davies alerted the shopping centre's security. NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the dog's owner was 'very distressed' when they arrived back at their car. The incident was being treated as a 'tragic accident' with 'no malaise or negligence' and no further action taken. Soon after completing a domestic violence prevention course Russell Brian Wood grabbed his girlfriend in a chokehold before stabbing and killing her during a fight in Sydney. Wood, 27, has pleaded guilty to the murder of Sarah Brown, 34, who was stabbed inside her home in Whalan in late September 2017. Her daughter, Monique Walker, who was 18 at the time, told Wood's sentence hearing in the New South Wales Supreme Court on Wednesday her 'heart shattered into a million pieces' when she lost her mum. Russell Brian Wood pleaded guilty to the murder of his girlfriend Sarah Brown (pictured), 34, who was stabbed inside her home in Whalan in late September 2017 According to the agreed facts, Wood and Ms Brown were in an on-again, off-again relationship from 2015. Eight months before her death, an AVO was taken out against Wood to protect Ms Brown, which was later breached. 'He told police he had done a domestic violence course recently and that he did it because he wanted to get help and it was part of his good behaviour,' the facts state. Friends and family often noticed Ms Brown had black eyes and bruises and, once, she was hospitalised due to injuries inflicted by Wood. 'The deceased also complained to friends and family that the offender would often put his hands around her throat,' the facts state. On the night of her murder, the pair went out together, and Wood later went to her house alone. When Ms Brown returned she told him to get out. She pulled him out of bed and tried pushing him out. Wood, who had Brazilian Jujitsu training, told police he grabbed her in a choker hold until she passed out. He did not remember stabbing her and told police he would black out when drinking. 'It's not anger because when I'm sober I'm fine. Happy as when I'm sober. It's just the drink,' he told police. When police arrived he was curled up beside her with his head on her shoulder, holding a tea towel against her stomach, with a large kitchen knife nearby. Soon after completing a domestic violence prevention course Russell Brian Wood grabbed his girlfriend in a choker hold before stabbing and killing her during a fight in Sydney Wood started to cry and said: 'Please don't be dead baby, you can't be dead, please don't be dead, is she dead? Is she dead? I watched my best friend die.' Ms Brown's daughter described her mother as 'full of life' and a happy, loud and courageous person. 'I didn't want to believe something so cruel and senseless has happened to my mum,' she said. Wood will be sentenced on Friday. A church's surveillance video captured the horrific moment a mentally ill Brazilian man got up from a pew and started shooting at parishioners that sat behind him during a Mass. Euler Fernando Grandolpho, 49, killed four churchgoers and injured four more in Tuesday afternoon's massacre inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception. The senseless incident occurred as Father Amauri Thomazzi was concluding the holy service in the Sao Paulo city of Campinas, according to Brazilian outlet G1. Grandolpho sat through the latter part of the mass before he stoop up and gunned down the victims. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES Euler Fernando Grandolpho entered a church while a Mass was celebrated Tuesday in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and shot four parishioners dead and wounded four others The video surveillance system at Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception shows the shooter firing across the church as worshipers fled Euler Fernando Grandolpho (pictured), who killed four church worshipers at cathedral in Brazil, kept a list of car license plates because he thought he was being harassed. Among the four listed dead were Sidnei Vitor Monteiro, 39; Jose Eudes Gonzaga Ferreira, 68; Cristofer Goncalves dos Santos; 38, and Elpidio Alves Coutinho, 67. Monteiro's mother, Jandira Prado Monteiro, who was struck in the chest and hand, was one of the four parishioners injured. She underwent surgery at a local hospital and is recuperating. Heleno Severo Alves, 84, was under observation in ICU after he underwent surgery for wounds to his chest and abdomen. Maria de Fatima Frazao Ferreira, who was shot and later discharged Tuesday, lost her husband Gonzaga Ferreira in the attack. An unnamed man, 64, received attention for two gun shot wounds and was also released from the hospital hours following the tragedy. According to a timeline put together by the Military Police, Grandolpho arrived at the church at about 1:00pm local time after he had lunched with his family at home. A Brazilian man stood up from a pew and fired a three parishioners that sat behind him and then continued to shoot at other visitors while they attempted to escape The suspect in Tuesday's Brazilian church shooting was treated for depression in the past He then stood up from the bench, where he sat by himself, and shot at three people sitting behind him. As more shots rang out, scores of church visitors could be seeing fleeing towards the rear exit behind the right aisle. Grandolpho then started to shoot in their direction. A person, who perhaps had been wounded by the shooter, managed to get up from the wooden bench but instantly stumbled to the ground before trying to escape. A witness attending the prayer service told Exame that the shooter opened fire minutes before the Mass ended. Sidnei Vitor Monteiro is one of the four parishioner's killed in Tuesday's church shooting. He attended the Mass with his mother Jandira Prado Monteiro, who was struck in the chest and hand. She was operated and kept for observation at a hospital Jose Eudes Gonzaga Ferreira died after he was shot by a mentally ill gunman who opened fired inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His wife was injured and taken to a local hospital where she underwent surgery Elpidio Alves Coutinho, second from right, was one of four churchgoers who lost their lives 'He arrived with his gun in his hand and fired,' Pedro Rodrigues said. 'I always thought the church was a safe place.' Video footage shows Grandolpho walking across the opposite side of the church, also known by locals as the Campinas Cathedral, before he stopped and unloaded his gun towards the same spot where he left his victims for dead. A gunman opened fire inside a church in the Brazilian city of Campinas on Tuesday and then took his own life during a gun battle with cops As Grandolpho paced around, a woman, who was hiding several rows to the back from where he originally was seated, ran for safety. Cristofer Goncalves dos Santos was shot dead at the church by a former prosecutor Euler Fernando Grandolpho Moments later, a pair of cops entered from the main entrance and walked down the center aisle before shooting Grandolpho, who then shot himself dead. According to investigators, Grandolpho kept a diary at home with a list of car license plate numbers because he thought he was being followed. Grandolpho worked up until 2014 as an assistant prosecutor in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo before he resigned from his position, and was living at home with his parents in the Campinas town of Valinhos. A law enforcement official estimated 20 shots fired by Grandolpho, who used two guns, including a 9mm handgun and a .38 revolver. Police are still trying to determine the shooter's motives. A South Florida woman went on a first date with a men she met online and died after apparently falling off the back of his motorcycle, and being left for dead and multiple cars ran over her body. Jennifer St. Clair, 33, a server in Fort Lauderdale, was picked up by her date on Thursday night but never made it home, and was found dead in the early morning hours on Friday. Jennifer's body was run over by multiple vehicles, with only three drivers pulling over to help and notify authorities of what had happened. 'It sounds like my niece was left there,' Jennifer's aunt, Amy Gamer, said. 'She didn't deserve that, by any means.' Jennifer's sister-in-law created fundraising campaign on Facebook to help pay her funeral services, the dog she left behind and lost wages of family members. Police think they may have identified the man Jennifer was with, but have not released his name at this time, according to WPLG. 'Jennifer was full of life, she was silly, she was funny, she was a very sweet girl and would do anything for anybody,' Gamer said. 'We're still trying to process all of this. We're trying to get closure.' Jennifer was picked up for a date on a motorcycle by a man who was accompanied by two other couples, also on motorcycles, on Thursday night. Jennifer St. Clair, 33 (pictured), of Fort Lauderdale was found dead on Interstate 95 in Pompano Beach, Florida at around 3.00am on Friday, after it;s believed she fell off a motorcycle while out on a first date The group went to dinner at a restaurant in Del Rey Beach, according to Todd Falzone, an attorney for the St. Clair family. 'They left somewhere around 10 o'clock at night,' Falzone said. 'They were only supposed to be gone a couple of hours, and then the next thing the family learned was that she hadn't come home, and then FHP [Florida Highway Patrol] notified them of this terrible accident.' It's believed Jennifer fell off the back of the man's motorcycle while riding southbound on I-95 in Pompano Beach, near the Atlantic Boulevard exist. 'We know that the gentleman that was driving the motorcycle that night left the scene of the accident, left her out in the roadway on I-95,' Falzone said. 'It doesn't get much worse.' Her body was found on the highway at around 3.00am Eastern on Friday. Her body was found on the highway at around 3.00am Eastern on Friday It's believed Jennifer fell off the back of the man's motorcycle while riding southbound on I-95 in Pompano Beach, near the Atlantic Boulevard exist. The scene of where Jennifer's body was found is shown here 'We don't know how anybody could so something like that,' Gamer said. 'That's the hardest part.' 'Jennifer Amy St. Clair was a loving caring friend, niece, sister, cousin, daughter, and granddaughter whose life was taken way too soon,' her sister-in-law, Amy St. Clair, wrote on Facebook. 'Jennifer was an avid dog lover and owner. Her heart for her family, friends, and animals showed every day. Her laugh and smile could light up any room. We will treasure the joyful passion for life that she shared with all of us. 'Her free spirit and loving nature will help guide us for years to come. We love her forever and well miss her dearly.' 'We don't know how anybody could so something like that,' her aunt, Amy Gamer (pictured) said, adding That's the hardest part' Police think they may have identified the man Jennifer (shown at left and right) was with, but have not released his name at this time Those interested can find the fundraising campaign for Jennifer's family here. 'Most of the funds will help with funeral and memorial service cost. Some will go to loss of wages of immediate family members to allow us as much time as possible to grieve and process this tragic loss. Some of the funds will help care for the dog she leaves behind,' Amy wrote. 'As Christmas approaches, our family will be missing one important member and any remaining funds will go to ensuring this holiday season is not forgotten.' A memorial service is being planned with a tentative date set for Saturday. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. The family has also set up its own tip line at 954-JUS-TICE. A jilted lover who ordered a fake pregnancy bump on Amazon after telling her ex she was expecting has today been jailed for four and a half years for stalking. Jessica Nordquist, 26, claimed she had been raped by Mark Weeks and faked her own kidnapping during an extreme hate campaign she waged after they split. The pair began a relationship after Nordquist moved from New York and worked alongside Mr Weeks at a video advertising company, called Unruly, in Whitechapel, east London. But their romance soured and the pair separated in November last year - sparking Nordquist's increasingly bizarre response. Jessica Nordquist has been jailed for a stalking campaign against her ex, Mark Weeks Nordquist was said to have left him 'constantly scared' after ordering a pretend pregnancy bump from Amazon (pictured) In a victim impact statement, read by the prosecutor, victim Mr Weeks said he felt unsafe in his own home. The prosecutor said: 'He was constantly scared and on the edge about what might happened next to him. 'He mentions specific occasions where he would receive a text from an unknown number saying he was being watched and his home was being watched. 'He says: 'I was absolutely terrified'. When he arrived somewhere it always spoiled his enjoyment. He was always looking around to see if he recognised anyone and if anyone looked suspicious.' Nordquist ordered a fake baby bump on Amazon after telling her ex she was pregnant Mr Weeks said he received emails from fake email accounts - including one in the name of a friend - saying Nordquist had been kidnapped and raped. He also received photos of Nordquist tied up in her underwear attached to an email that read: 'Jessica Nordquist is the one who has been protecting your children from us. We raped and stole her tonight.' Nordquist claimed she realised she was pregnant after she broke up with Mr Weeks and went with him to a clinic for an abortion. But she lied about having a termination and then claimed she miscarried. Mr Weeks said his boss urged him to take two weeks off work on compassionate leave during the alleged stalking campaign. His brother was sent a message saying he was in trouble and found handwritten notes on his bike and desk. Nordquist posted a message, purporting to be from her friend, claiming she had taken an overdose on 5 January, the court heard. Mr Weeks became 'upset and concerned' and rang the police. Her defence was that she kidnapped by an MI5 agent who had photos of her having sex with Mr Weeks. It was rejected by the jury and she was convicted of multiple charges Six says later Nordquist began sending messages to herself and Mr Weekes made to look as though they were from a third party. Nordquist repeatedly told Mr Weeks they were 'being watched,' the court heard. Victim tells of terrifying ordeal at hands of ex Reading Mr Weeks' victim impact statement to court, the prosecutor said: 'He felt unsafe in his own home. 'He was constantly scared and on the edge about what might happened next to him. 'He mentions specific occasions where he would receive a txt from an unknown number saying he was being watched and his home was being watched. 'He says: 'I was absolutely terrified'. When he arrived somewhere it always spoiled his enjoyment. He was always looking around to see if he recognised anyone and if anyone looked suspicious. 'He also refers to his brother who has children and receiving at least one message referring to them and he found that particularly distributing that his family were being put in fear.' Advertisement Nordquist, who is originally from Eagle River in Alaska and went to Northern State University in South Dakota, said she only ordered a fake baby bump for a pregnancy party. She denied but was convicted of two counts of stalking, two counts of sending malicious communications and one count of perverting course of justice Jailing her, Judge Paul Southern told Nordquist: 'This bizarre series of behaviour involved you breaking into your own apartment, taking a photo of yourself bound and undressed and travelling to Scotland. 'Mark Weeks spoke of having felt unsafe in his own home. He said he had been constantly scared and on edge. 'He described feeling devastated when stalking messages were sent to members of his own family. 'Your conduct has to be seen as an attack against the criminal justice system by diverting scarce police resources.' Nordquist ran a strange defence case in which she said she was genuinely kidnapped by a real-life 'James Bond' who she met at a Soho bar. She claimed the MI5 agent, Max Brown, later handed her a manila envelope containing photos of her having sex with Mr Weeks. The couple met when they were both working at a City PR firm based in this building Nordquist told the court that the photos were taken via a secret camera installed in her lightbulb. She said she was raped on April 19 after three men, including Brown came to her apartment. Aisling Byrnes, defending, blamed the offences on Nordquist's traumatic early childhood, prior to her being adopted by her Alaskan parents, and her 'appalling start to life'. Nordquist was also made subject to a restraining order banning her from contacting Mr Weeks until further notice. An Italian man accused of leading an international drug trafficking network has been arrested in Argentina, bringing an end to his almost decade-long international manhunt. Giancarlo Massidda was nabbed during a raid in the Buenos Aires city of Berazategui on Tuesday. According to Argentine news outlet Perfil, Massidda had been living in the area under a false identity after he escaped from Italy in 2010 while under house arrest. It is unknown how long he was living in the South American country. Giancarlo Massidda, who is accused of directing an international drug trafficking network, evaded capture after fleeing from house arrest in Italy in 2010 The 61-year-old was among the world's 100 most dangerous fugitive list. Massidda was captured at his home in the high-end countryside of Gutierrez by a joint multinational task force led by the Federal Police of Argentina, Interpol and Italian law enforcement agencies. He is facing at a 23-year, nine-month sentence in Italy. A multi-national task force effort between Argentine, Italian and Interpol agents led to the arrest of Massidda at a countryside house in Buenos Aires, Argentina Massidda, who had a ties to Italian mafia organization, is accused of spearheading a distribution ring that moved numerous shipments of cocaine between Brazil and Italy since 1996. The Italian drug baron led a criminal syndicate in the Italian city of Lazio and directed the distribution of cocaine across his native country. Massidda became a target of Italian narcotics officials when he was arrested in 2002 during an operation named 'Fenice 2002' that led to the decommission of two kilos of cocaine. His troubles worsened when a judged ordered a restraining order against him and five other men, including his son Simmone, stemming from the case. Massidda disappeared and later surfaced in Spain, where he continued to organize the shuttling of cocaine between Italy and Brazil before Spaniard officials carried out operation 'Minos' which led to his 2007 arrest. Massidda was extradited to Italy before his 2010 escape set off the international manhunt. Lindsey Graham urged President Trump to 'dig in, not give in' after he got into a bust-up with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer over border security. The South Carolina senator called Trump after the shouting match in which Democrats refused to back funding for his wall, to tell him to stick to his guns. Graham said he would be 'fine' with Trump shutting down the government - as he threatened to do during the Oval Office row - over the issue. Lindsey Graham told President Trump to 'dig in, not give in' over threats to shut down the government if Democrats refuse to back his border wall Graham spoke out after Trump got into a very public confrontation with Chuck Schumer (right) and Nancy Pelosi (left) in the Oval Officer over funding for the wall Speaking to Fox News, he said: 'If I were the president, I would dig in and not give in. 'I'm fine with being the party that we're going to secure our border now. We're not going to wait any longer. We're not going to keep kicking the can down the road.' Graham added that the funding bill contains 'a reasonable request to get more money to build walls where it makes sense', that Democrats are taking issue with. On Tuesday Pelosi and Schumer argued bitterly with Trump after he brought up the issue of funding for the wall during an Oval Office meeting in front of the media. The pair insisted they were willing to back a bill which would increase funding for border security, but without paying for the wall. Summing up his view, Schumer said: 'The experts say you can do border security without a wall, which is wasteful and doesn't solve the problem.' But Trump hit back, saying: 'If we don't have border security, we'll shut down the government. This country needs border security. 'The wall is a part of border security.' Democrats say they are willing to give Trump some money towards border security but refuse to hand over the $5billion he is asking for Meanwhile Trump has repeatedly threatened to shut down the government if he is blocked, saying that Democrats will have to bare the blame Trump had previously suggested that he would not sign a bill to keep certain areas of the government running if lawmakers denied him a $5billion ask to complete his border wall. Such a move could backfire on Republicans, though, if they are seen as being at fault for the federal government devolving into chaos days before Christmas. Trump unveiled a new strategy on Tuesday as he threatened to 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 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. Trump has renewed calls for more wall funding after thousands of migrants, largely from Honduras, arrived at the American border demanding to be let in Around 150 of the migrants have penned a letter to the American consulate in Tijuana demanding to be allowed into America, or given $50,000 each to go home 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. 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. This is the moment a shocked office worker filmed a rat emerging from a toilet on the 18th floor of the building where he works. The man was about to answer the call of nature at work in the Polish capital city of Warsaw when he spotted the rodent. He quickly grabbed his smartphone and filmed the rat crawling up the toilet, popping its head above the seat and then returning back down the toilet's U-bend drainage pipe. The rodent quickly returned back down the toilet's U-bend drainage pipe as soon as it spotted the man approaching the toilet seat. The man, who said his unexpected encounter with the rat happened on the 18th floor of a city centre office building, later shared the clip on video-sharing platforms. Rats are a serious problem in Warsaw where they are so numerous they are difficult to eradicate and sometimes even attack people. Exterminators had to be called in to cull the rodents earlier this year after residents in the Ochota area of the city complained of being beseiged. Professor Stanislaw Ignatowicz, from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, said Warsaw had a bigger rat problem than many other cities. The man was about to answer the call of nature at work in the Polish capital city of Warsaw when he spotted the rodent 'Especially numerous populations are found in parks where people feed birds,' he said. 'Rodents also appear in the canals and for a long time the city has not been able to cope.' Rats are a health risk to humans as they can carry up to 50 dangerous diseases, including leptostidosis, vasculitis and histoplasmosis. One social media user said: 'I always check down the toilet every couple of seconds. The thought terrifies me that something might attack me in my oasis of peace.' Another online commentator, 'Konto Dla Beki', added: 'It's worse when you're on the loo and the rat bites your ass or, God forbid, your b*lls...'. Constituents in Theresa May's seat of Maidenhead - which she has held since 1997 - backed her as she fought off an effort to oust her as Prime Minister. Mrs May succesfully secured the votes of enough Tory MPs in a ballot yesterday evening to remain as Conservative party leader. Speaking before the vote, locals in the Berkshire town claimed those trying to force her out should be 'ashamed of themselves' as she tries to do her 'very best'. People in the high street also praised her efforts for local people - with others saying they were 'shocked' at the news and claiming: 'It's Cameron's fault.' The PM has resisted calls to bring her Brexit deal back before the Commons, and insisted a general election would not be 'in the national interest'. But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn denounced her actions as 'totally and absolutely unacceptable', while the SNP's Ian Blackford called on her to resign. Here is what the locals MailOnline spoke to in Maidenhead yesterday before the vote had to say: BARRIE DAVIES - 74, retired doctor 'I think the people that are trying to get her out should be ashamed of themselves. There is no one else in the Conservative Party that could have done a better job than her in Europe. But I think she has given way a little too easily too Jean-Claude Juncker, she was too easy on him, and we could have stamped our feet a bit more. 'She is absolutely brilliant as a local MP. She is always out and about in the town, and my wife gets involved in the church in Maidenhead and she is always there - she is a good MP. 'I would prefer someone a little bit harder for Brexit if she goes - but I suspect we would come out with a no deal, but I don't fear it. I want out. It is another layer of government and jobs for the boys - unelected boys, as well.' JOSETTE WOODWARD - 55, cook 'As a local MP she is very good. She tried to help me when I needed help trying to get a four-bedroom house for me and my mum, but she couldn't do it. 'She was here not long ago for the platinum employee at Specsavers - I know that as I made the cakes! 'As PM, with Brexit I think she has sold us down the river, because I personally wanted us to be in control of out borders and our laws, but with this deal we are not in control of our laws or borders. 'But I don't know who could have done a better job. She has done the best she can, I understand. 'Jeremy Corbyn, I wouldn't want him him as Prime Minister. David Cameron has sold people down the river. I think she fights for her people. But with Brexit, I am still not quite clear.' JAVON TAFFE - 23, consultant 'I think that it is a good thing that the vote of confidence has come through. 'But I think that it is terrible timing and if this was to happen, it should have happened earlier. 'Considering we are stuck with the Conservative Party I would go with Boris Johnson... I really enjoyed him as Mayor of London, and he was one of the forefront campaigners for the Leave campaign. 'Jeremy Corbyn - I like him, and he is definitely for the people, but I feel his views are a bit too far left. Between him and Theresa May, I would go with Corbyn. ' HABID HACHED - 69, retired restaurant owner 'Theresa May is and always was doing a grand, grand job for the community of Maidenhead, for England, and she is doing her very, very best. Unfortunately, I am really sad about the news her fellow MPs have turned against her. We used to meet up every ten weeks for Pub Watch meetings in a Public House, and she used to come and sit with us and listen, and she knew people by name. That's how amazing she is. 'I don't think there is a person in a strong and good enough position - we are about to reach the finishing line, and it is really bad to get rid of her now. It is not the right time. I stayed up late last night and saw the rumours, and it was the first thing I saw on BBC Breakfast and it was bad news. I was shocked.' (Who should replace Theresa May?) 'Definitely a Brexiteer to take over, but she is doing her job. She is going to get what the British people voted for.' (Who should replace her if she is toppled)? 'Not Jeremy Corbyn. Theresa May is doing her best.' DAVID HONG - 69, retired chef 'I think she is quite good for our community - everytime something, or an issue, appears in the local newspaper, she will always come to help the community. She is very, very good, I think. 'In the bigger politics, I think she is doing her very best for our government, working very hard and doing her best for our people, because at this moment the biggest party against her is Labour - and I don't think Jeremy Corbyn can do better than Theresa May. 'He is always against the government and it is not helping her - if the government have done something to help, it is always against, against, against.' NOEL BAKER - 56, company director 'What I think we will find is there will be a quiet number who will abstain, and she will get the vote of confidence. 'Quite frankly, it is not of her own making anyway. She has done her best, but of course, all the other things that should have been done have not been dealt with. 'It is Cameron's fault! He should've been brought before them to account for his behaviour. History will judge her as a brilliant Prime Minister like John Major was... she has been landed in it and she is doing her best. 'I don't know who I would want to replace her. I wouldn't be surprised if Jeremy Corbyn is the next Prime Minister - everyone under 30 would vote for him.' SIMON BROWN - 51, accountant 'I think she is OK, and has done a reasonable job. 'She is aware of things going on in the community, and keeps a relatively high profile. 'As Prime Minister, I think she has taken on a difficult role and is doing the best she can. 'She comes across as stubborn, but she is doing the best she can and I back her. 'I don't feel there is a better alternative. 'I think she has been given an impossible job and she has not been helped by the cabinet around her, but she has done the best she can. 'Being stubborn is probably what was required.' ROBERT WOODWARD - 58, emergency medical technician 'I think she is quite good as a local MP, to be honest, and she has ended up in the job because as you know, the Prime Minister at the time couldn't hold his responsibilities. 'Although she is a Remainer, she has accepted the result of the public vote and gone with that plan. 'I am not convinced by the plan, but she is working for what the public have voted for. 'Cameron upped sticks and left, so from that perspective she has done a brilliant job. She has always had an impossible job. 'If she had taken power and held another referendum she would be totally wrong - but she moved forward with it. I'm sure somebody could have done a better job but I couldn't name them. 'My own view of politicians is they are all quite self-serving and in their own interests. When you get to a patient that needs your help, all the politics and all that cr** goes out of the window and you just get on with helping people.' ALAN DIBBLE - 80 years, retired civil servant 'I think she has been treated disgracefully by her own MPs and we have been disgracefully treated by our MPs and Parliament. Well, I mean what I would have done is simply said to the Europeans... say one thing and do another. Thats what politics is all about! 'The French particularly had no interest in making our passage out of the EU easy. The only folk who might have done were the Belgians and the Dutch. 'I met Theresa May when she came to our flats in Maidenhead and I think she is very sincere. She has worked very, very hard and she has done her best... I really do not know who could have done any better. The rest of them are backstabbers. 'We have made ourselves a laughing stock... but I would rather have a backstabber in Number 10 than Jeremy Corbyn! ANN DARRACOTT - 76, retired 'Theresa May is brilliant. She is hard-working and extremely competent and has done so much in the community... she is still incredibly involved locally. She has had to cope with a lot of immature ambushes by idiots. 'They seem determined to get Jeremy Corbyn in power! One side wants Brexit and one wants to remain, so both sides are up in arms. No-one could have done better than Mrs May because there will only ever be one side pushing against the other - she is in an impossible situation. 'I cant think of anybody else who could do it. Goodness knows, if she is pushed out tonight I wont bother voting next time because this sort of behaviour in Parliament does not go down well with the wider population. On Friday she came down to a festival in the town and she always sponsors a tree and people can vote which is their favourite. The PMs tree won. She will get a certificate saying hers was best! ERNEST FOSTER - 87, retired 'We support Theresa May! She has done an excellent job out there in the circumstances and she has undertaken a very, very difficult job - and nobody else has shown they could do better. 'She was a remainer and I was a person who wanted to leave, but she is supporting the people's majority. We dont know of anybody else who could have done better. Do you? 'Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Davis... they havent done anything for anyone and we support Mrs May because she represents the people. Corbyn? Certainly not! We think he is an awful person. ' RICHARD WHITTINGTON - 65, security assistance surveyor 'Well I think initially she was the wrong person for the job, as she was a remainer and really, at the end of the day, we are still being dictated to by Brussels with this deal she has agreed. 'It is not what the people voted for and we will still be tied to the single market and customs union and that is not good for anybody. Not even the EU. It has just gone totally the wrong way. 'I think Michael Gove could have done a better job. I dont think it would be right to have Boris Johnson because he is so gung-ho in his attitude. We need someone diplomatic. 'Im not faulting her tenacity but at the end of the day, in order to achieve what the majority voted for, it had to be done by a Brexiteer. She has got to go but now is not the right time. It would be suicidal for the Government. ' A mother who is accused of kidnapping her son and taking him to Brazil has spoken out for the first time as her own parents are set to be sentenced in Texas for aiding in the abduction. Marcelle Guimaraes, 39, took her then three-year-old son, Nico, from Houston to her home country of Brazil back in 2013 and never returned. The boy's father and Guimaraes' ex-husband, Chris Brann, has been fighting ever since to have his son, now aged 8, brought back to the United States. Nico's grandparents, Carlos and Jemima Guimaraes, were found guilty of kidnapping in May for helping their daughter flee to Brazil with the young boy. The fugitive mother, who has dual citizenship, has now broken her silence in an interview with CBS affiliate KHOU as her parents are due to be sentenced in Houston on Wednesday for their involvement. Marcelle Guimaraes, 39, has broken her silence in an interview with CBS about abducting her son from Texas and fleeing to Brazil five years ago as her parents are due to be sentenced on Wednesday for aiding the abduction Guimaraes has claimed that she feared for her life when she went to Brazil with the boy five years ago under the guise of attending her brother's wedding. 'The world needs to know the truth because I married a monster,' she said. Guimaraes claims her ex-husband, who is a doctor in Houston, was abusive during their marriage and he punched holes in the walls of their home. 'He would hit me. He would break TVs, he would break chairs, computers, cell phones, tables. It was escalating,' Guimaraes said. 'When I got in Brazil, I started to get desperate. I knew that my situation was really bad.' She claims Brann's 'lies and manipulation' has destroyed her family. Brann admitted that their relationship was volatile, but said he only ever hit Guimaraes in self-defense. Nico's father and Guimaraes' ex-husband, Chris Brann, (pictured above) has been fighting ever since to have his son, now aged 8, brought back to the United States. Until recently, Brann was allowed to visit his son in Brazil in the presence of armed security guard Nico's grandparents, Carlos and Jemima Guimaraes, were found guilty of kidnapping in May for helping their daughter flee to Brazil with the young boy five years ago 'Certainly we had a very difficult relationship,' he said. 'I was not an aggressor and I was not abusing her physically.' A federal jury rejected her parents' claims that they believed Guimaraes was a victim of domestic violence following their arrest. Brann and Guimaraes married in 2009 and welcomed their son Nico seven months later. She filed for divorce in 2012 and initially asked for joint custody of the boy. Guimaraes later amended her divorce filing to ask for sole custody, claiming that her estranged husband was abusive. In May 2013, Guimaraes traveled to Brazil with her son to attend her brother's wedding. She had permission after the estranged couple both signed a travel agreement. But after the wedding, Guimaraes filed for custody of their son in a Brazilian court and has remained there ever since. It sparked a five year international custody battle that resulted in the arrest of Guimaraes' parents when a criminal complaint was filed by U.S. federal officials in March 2017. Up until recently, Brann was allowed to visit his son in Brazil in the presence of armed security guard. He was prohibited from going anywhere alone with his son or taking him back to the U.S. Carlos and Jemima Guimaraes (pictured above) are due to be sentenced in Houston on Wednesday for their involvement. If convicted, the grandparents face a maximum of three years in prison The two were arrested in February this year after they flew from Brazil to Miami and they were indicted for international kidnapping of a child. Guimaraes was also charged but has not been taken into custody because she remains in Brazil. Up until recently, Brann was allowed to visit his son in Brazil in the presence of armed security guard. He was prohibited from going anywhere alone with his son or taking him back to the U.S. Brann said he hasn't been able to visit his son since February because he was told he would be arrested by Brazilian authorities for failing to pay child support. He is hoping his former in-laws will received the harshest punishment on Wednesday. If convicted, Guimaraes' parents face a maximum of three years in prison. The federal government hopes to seize the trademark to the Mongols outlaw biker club's logo, in an unusual strategy to shut the group down that experts are dubious will succeed. A jury in Santa Ana, Califorina is now considering the government's racketeering case against Mongols Nation, the parent organization that owns the group's iconic logo. Prosecutors argued that the group is a criminal gang, and asked the jury to vote to yank the group's trademark, much as the government seizes cash, real estate and other property from criminals. The Mongols defense attorney countered that the group is not criminal, and that any violence its members have been involved in was strictly in self defense. A jury in Santa Ana, Califorina is now considering the government's racketeering case against Mongols Nation, which owns the group's iconic logo (above in a file photo) Mongols motorcycles and gear that have been seized are seen at a police press conference in Los Angeles. A jury is considering the government's request to seize the group's logo The trademark filing for the Mongols logo, or patch, is seen above. Mongols Nation currently holds the trademark but the federal government hopes to seize it In the government's cross-hairs is the Mongols' logo: an Asian man on a motorcycle wearing sunglasses and carrying a sword. By seizing the logo, the feds hope to bar members from displaying their patches, and and break up the group. The Mongols were originally founded in California in 1969, by predominantly Latino bikers who had been rejected by the Hell's Angels. The group now has about 1,000 members in the U.S. Many Mongols members have had a history of involvement in the illegal drug trade. The government's plan to seize the group's trademark has a long and winding history. The idea was initially floated in a racketeering sting that swept up some 80 of the group's leaders in 2008. All but two of the defendants pleaded guilty in that case, and a judge initially ordered them to forfeit the trademark rights as part of their sentence. That order had to be reversed, however, when the judge discovered that none of the defendants in the case actually owned the trademark. The tactic was revived in 2013, when prosecutors brought charges against the Mongol Nation itself - the corporate body that owns the trademark. After a winding legal process, that case went to trial last month, featuring about 40 witnesses, including former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, and about 200 exhibits. Members of the Long Beach chapter of the Mongols motorctycle club chat with a police officer at a picnic in a park in January 1991 in San Pedro, California Mongols members from the Long Beach chapter are seen chatting with a police officer in 1991 Ventura, who joined the Mongols at the end of his Navy career in the 1970s, testified that the Mongols were not a criminal group to his knowledge. But he also confessed that he had been asked to leave the room when any illicit activity was discussed due to his active-duty military status at the time. In an interview after his testimony, Ventura blasted the government's attempt to seize control of the Mongols logo and ban members from wearing it. 'This is bigger than the Mongols club,' Ventura told City News Service. 'You've got the government telling you what you can and cannot wear.' He added, 'The First Amendment is to protect unpopular speech Some people may think the Mongols are horrible, but they still have equal rights under the Bill of Rights Who's next? The Shriners? Where does it end? It's a First Amendment issue top to bottom.' Ventura said that he received a denim Mongols jacket when he was a club member and that he still wears it when he rides his motorcycle. 'Are they going to stop the 38th governor of Minnesota and take his jacket?' Ventura wondered. Seized Mongols motorcycles are show off to the media at a 2008 police press conference. The government's initial attempt to seize the trademark in that case faltered Experts note that the government could only retain the trademark rights to the Mongols logo by continuously using it in commercial activity, as trademarks that aren't exercised quickly lapse back into the public domain. 'I'm dubious,' trademark attorney Jason Rosenberg said of the feds' plan to the Los Angeles Times. 'Is the government really going to start its own motorcycle club?' Rosenberg said he was skeptical of the government's ability to use trademark rights prevent individuals from wearing particular items of clothing. '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 someone's back.' Mongols president David Santillan argued in a November interview with the New York Times that the government's tactic is absurd, but that if successful in court would likely be applied to other groups. 'Lots of brothers have tattoos of the marks on their necks and heads and everywhere,' Santillan said. 'How do you regulate that? Angela Merkel refused again to reopen the Brexit deal and give any help to Theresa May today as the PM battled to fight off a Tory coup. The German Chancellor said she hoped the drama in London would not prevent an 'orderly exit' of Britain from the EU. But she told the German Parliament there was 'no intention' to reopen the Brexit divorce deal which appears doomed to defeat if Mrs May ever puts it to MPs. Mrs Merkel's hardline approach was typical of the response Mrs May received on a tour of European capitals yesterday before rebels in her party launched their putsch. It lays bare the challenge Mrs May faces to secure any Brexit deal even if she wins a vote of confidence in her party later. The European Parliament issued a statement today saying it never wanted the backstop to be used - but insisting it remained necessary without any renegotiation in case a trade cannot be struck. EU leaders will issue a statement on Brexit tomorrow night in an attempt to give Mrs May the reassurances she sought on her visits yesterday - but they will not change the negotiated deal loathed by many MPs. Angela Merkel (pictured today at the Bundestag) refused again to reopen the Brexit deal and give any help to Theresa May today as the PM battled to fight off a Tory coup Donald Tusk (right in Brussels today with EU negotiator Michel Barnier) said EU leaders will issue a statement on Brexit tomorrow night in an attempt to give Mrs May the reassurances she sought on her visits yesterday Speaking at the Bundestag today, Mrs Merkel said: 'We have no intention to change the exit agreement. 'That's the common position of the 27 member states and in that sense we do not expect any changes arising from the debates,' She added that she still 'has hope for an orderly exit', warning that 'we have little time, but we still have time'. In a letter to EU leaders today, European Council president Donald Tusk said Mrs May would brief the other 27 leaders before dinner at tomorrow's summit. Following a dinner discussion devoted to foreign affairs, Mrs May would leave to allow the leaders to 'adopt Brexit conclusions'. Diplomats say the EU could use the format of such legally binding summit conclusions to offer clarifications to Britain on how the withdrawal agreement would work, notably in how the so-called 'Irish border backstop' might be implemented. Mr Tusk also said leaders would discuss their preparations for Britain failing to reach a deal, following a leadership challenge to May and her failure to win parliamentary backing for the Brexit package she agreed with the Union last month. It lays bare the challenge Mrs May (pictured today at PMQs) faces to secure any Brexit deal even if she wins a vote of confidence in her party later One EU official told the Guardian Mrs May could safely promise her fractious MPs the backstop was temporary because this was always the EU's intention. Such a promise would not mean changing the deal - but this also means it would give little comfort to MPs who trust neither Brussels or Mrs May. The official said: 'We believe that when it comes to the backstop... it is clear. 'I don't think, if they say, ''It is not our purpose to put the UK in the backstop'', they would contradict the withdrawal agreement or the political declaration. 'It has never been the intention.' A rail passenger returning from a night out was killed by a train when he run across the tracks as he was on the wrong platform, the family of the victim said. Levi Nash, 24, had been in Newport but rushed across the platform when he realised the early morning train he was going to board was going the opposite direction he needed to go. As he dashed across the tracks at Cwmbran railway station in south Wales, he was struck by a train on December 8. Levi Nash, 24, died on December 8 after being hit by a train in Cwmbran, south Wales Family and friends have described Mr Nash as 'selfless' and a 'generous, respectable and lovable' character. Mr Nash, from Gabalfa, Cardiff, was in Newport to support his friend Marvin Heron, who was performing in the city. Mr Heron - a rapped who goes by the stage name 'Starvz' - said: 'Levi was so supportive of me, wherever I would go he would be there. Mr Nash, from Gabalfa, Cardiff, was in Newport to support his friend Marvin Heron, who was performing in the city There has been an outpouring of tributes for Mr Nash over the weekend in Gabalfa, Cardiff 'He was the best man I have ever met. He had my best intentions in his heart always.' More than 1,000 has been donated to the family to help cover funeral costs and a number of events planned in Mr Nash's memory. British Transport Police say the death is not being treated as suspicious. A spokesman said: 'Officers were called to Cwmbran station at 5.11am on December 8 after reports that a person had been struck by a train. 'Colleagues from the ambulance service also attended, however a 24-year-old man, from Cardiff, was sadly pronounced dead. 'The incident is not currently being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner.' A federal judge on Thursday sentenced longtime Donald Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to three years in jail for a series of crimes to which he pleaded guilty, saying his cooperation with the Russia probe 'does not wipe the slate clean.' As an attorney, Cohen 'should have known better,' said the judge, following dramatic courtroom arguments that featured repeated references to President Trump including his attacks on Cohen as 'weak' and a 'rat' and Cohen's own explanation of what it took to provide information against him. Cohen shed tears in the courtroom as he sought leniency and reflected on decisions in his life that he now regrets including his own 'blind loyalty' to Trump, a man who helped make him rich and later 'directed' him to engage in one of the crimes he pleaded guilty to committing. Cohen won't have to report to jail until March 6, and could still get a further discount to his time if he cooperates. An anguished Cohen pleaded with a Judge William Pauley to be able to stay out of jail, and expressed regret for trying to cover up Trump's 'dirty deeds.' The former right-hand man to the man who became president also will have to hand over to the government nearly $2 million in combined restitution and fines, having dodged taxes while assembling real estate and taxi business holdings as a top hand to the Trump Organization. He must report to the federal prison in Otisville, New York, which has a medium security prison as well as a minimum security satellite camp and which caters to many Jewish inmates from New York City and those with Kosher needs. The tearful longtime Donald Trump lawyer took on Trump who he once said he would 'take a bullet for' in emotional terms for having called him 'weak' in an attack last month. Scroll down for video A tearful Cohen pleaded for leniency in federal court in Manhattan - but he got 36 months, which the judge called a 'substantial' term - although it was below what prosecutors demanded Family affair: Michael Cohen arrived with his daughter Samantha, who had suffered a hip injury and was walking with a crutch Also present: Michael Cohen's father Maurice, a Holocaust survivor, was present to watch him be sentenced 'Recently the president tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct, but for a much different reason than he was implying,' Cohen told a federal judge in open court. 'It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds,' Cohen said. He blasted President Trump for 'calling me a rat,' and criticized his longtime employer for trying to sway a proceeding that could in fact 'implicate' him. 'I will continue to cooperate' with investigators, Cohen pledged. But after the judge handed down the sentence, Cohen walked past reporters outside the federal courthouse and entered a vehicle without comment. Cohen headed to federal court in New York Wednesday to face sentencing after prosecutors in New York recommended he get 'substantial' jail time as his attorney lauded his willingness to testify against the president. Cohen and lawyer Guy Petrillo argued for a reduced sentenced due to his cooperation with the Mueller probe Ashen-faced: Michael Cohen's wife Laura, daughter Samantha and son Jake left court before their father and looked shocked at his three-year term, which begins in March Michael Cohen's weepy statements in court I stand before your honor humbly and painfully aware that we are here for one reason. I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: The personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America. This may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life. I have been living in personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired. In fact, I now know there is little to admire. Recently the president tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct, but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds. I blame myself for the conduct which has brought me here today and it was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light. Seeing the unbearable pain that my associations and my actions have brought to my entire family this is why I did not enter into a cooperation agreement. I do not need a cooperation agreement in place to do the right thing. I will continue to cooperate. I want to apologize to the people of the United States. You deserve to know the truth and lying to you was unjust. I am committed to proving my integrity and making sure history will not remember me as the villain in his story. I'm truly sorry and I promise I will be better. Advertisement In a courtroom plea for leniency, Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, described his client as a brave witness who came forward with evidence 'against the most powerful person in our country' and tried to draw a contrast with former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, who prosecutors say committed 'lies' despite agreeing to cooperate. He did so without being able to 'anticipate the full measure of attack that would be made against him,' his lawyer argued. Petrillo called it a 'profound contrast' with others who decided to allegedly 'double deal,' CNN reported. 'He knew that the president might shut down the investigation,' Petrillo said, Courthouse News reported. His lawyers also pushed back at SDNY, which in its sentencing memo pointed out that Cohen never reached a cooperation agreement. SCHMEAR CAMPAIGN: Cohen will do his time at a federal prison in Otisville, New York, known to have a full time rabbi serving as a chaplain with kosher food offerings that are required by some Jewish inmates FEDERAL PRISON IN OTISVILLE, NEW YORK Judge William Pauley sentenced Michael Cohen to serve his three-year sentence is located in Otisville, New York and has both a medium security prison and minimum-security camp and both are sought after by inmates. The facility has a full-time Jewish chaplain, and offers kosher meals, Passover seders. It has a large number of inmates who like Cohen are Jewish. The federal prison located upstate in Orange County will allow for reasonably convenient visits by Cohen's family. Cohen cited brought his wife and children to court with him, and cited them in his courtroom speech describing why he sought quick sentencing and did not take a formal cooperation agreement. Federal prison in Otisville, NY The location will also allow for ease of contact with federal prosecutors in New York. Cohen stated in court that he will continue to cooperate with the government. The facility is considered a desirable place to do time. 'Otisville is very close to New York City, so it has more access to a Jewish population, to rabbis, and to kosher food,' Rabbi Menachem Katz for the Jewish-outreach Aleph Institute told New York Magazine back in 2008. 'The Bureau of Prisons kind of unofficially designated it to meet the needs of Orthodox Jews,' he said. It is sought after by white collar criminals including Sam Waksal of ImClone. According to the Bureau of Prisons, it has 840 inmates, with 722 at the prison and 118 at a nearby camp. It wasn't immediately clear which facility Cohen would go to. The camp has inmates doubled up two to a room. In addition to kosher cooking facilities, it has Shabbat services and a Passover seders that features all the traditional accompaniments, minus the wine. The prison store features deli favorites like rib steak, gefilte fish, and kugel, along with chorizo and Salmon, the New York Post reported in 2012. Advertisement 'He is wary of a long-term cooperation agreement for personal reasons,' saying Cohen was operating based on concerns for his family and wanting to avoid the 'glare of the cameras.' A person who reaches a cooperation agreement in New York is expected to answer all the government's questions and reveal all about any criminal activity they know about. Jeannie Rhee, representing Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe, said Cohen provided 'credible' information about 'any links between a campaign and a foreign government' and 'sought to tell us the truth.' But Rhee was circumspect, noting there was 'only so much we can say ... given our ongoing investigation.' But there was a split between prosecutors. Federal prosecutors based in New York inveighed against Cohen trying to engage in 'selective cooperation.' The charges he pleaded guilty to 'portray a pattern of deception, of brazenness and of greed,' argued Nicolas Roos, arguing for the Southern District of New York. Trump late last month called Cohen 'a weak person and not a very smart person.' Cohen is subject to forfeiture of $500,000, the amount sought by prosecutors, as well as restitution of $1.4 million and a $50,000 fine. Cohen advisor Lanny Davis issued a statement saying: 'Michael has owned up to his mistakes and fully cooperated with Special Counsel Mueller in his investigation over possible Trump campaign collusion with Russian meddling in the 2016 election. 'While Mr. Mueller gave Michael significant credit for cooperation on the 'core' issues, it is unfortunate that SDNY prosecutors did not do the same. To me, their judgment showed a lack of appropriate proportionality,' he added. In a signal that Cohen has more information, Davis said he looked forward to helping Cohen speak publicly about 'all he knows about Mr. Trump.' Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti was on hand for sentencing, and spoke before the cameras afterwards. 'He deserves every day of a 36 month sentence that he will serve,' said Avenatti. Cohen left his Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan, accompanied by his wife Laura, along with his two children, as he went to learn his fate after prosecutors in New York argued he should get a 'substantial' sentence. Mueller's final tally: Trump's inner circle of convicts and turncoats - and 25 wanted Russian trolls GUILTY: MICHAEL FLYNN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in December 2017. Awaiting sentence Flynn was President Trump's former National Security Advisor and Robert Mueller's most senior scalp to date. He previously served when he was a three star general as President Obama's director of the Defense Intelligence Agency but was fired. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his conversations with a Russian ambassador in December 2016. He has agreed to cooperate with the special counsel investigation. GUILTY AND JAILED: MICHAEL COHEN Pleaded guilty to eight counts including fraud and two campaign finance violations in August 2018. Pleaded guilty to further count of lying to Congress in November 2018. Sentenced to three years in prison and $2 million in fines and forfeitures in December 2018 Cohen was investigated by Mueller but the case was handed off to the Southern District of New York,leaving Manhattan's ferocious and fiercely independent federal prosecutors to run his case. Cohen was Trump's longtime personal attorney, starting working for him and the Trump Organization in 2007. He is the longest-serving member of Trump's inner circle to be implicated by Mueller. Cohen professed unswerving devotion to Trump - and organized payments to silence two women who alleged they had sex with the-then candidate: porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. He admitted that payments to both women were felony campaign finance violations - and admitted that he acted at the 'direction' of 'Candidate-1': Donald Trump. He also admitted tax fraud by lying about his income from loans he made, money from taxi medallions he owned, and other sources of income, at a cost to the Treasury of $1.3 million. And he admitted lying to Congress in a rare use of the offense. The judge in his case let him report for prison on March 6 and recommended he serve it in a medium-security facility close to New York City. GUILTY AND JAILED: PAUL MANAFORT Found guilty of eight charges of bank and tax fraud in August 2018. Sentenced to 47 months in March 2019. Pleaded guilty to two further charges - witness tampering and conspiracy against the United States. Jailed for total of seven and a half years in two separate sentences. Additionally indicted for mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney, using evidence previously presented by Mueller Manafort worked for Trump's campaign from March 2016 and chaired it from June to August 2016, overseeing Trump being adopted as Republican candidate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. He is the most senior campaign official to be implicated by Mueller. Manafort was one of Washington D.C.'s longest-term and most influential lobbyists but in 2015, his money dried up and the next year he turned to Trump for help, offering to be his campaign chairman for free - in the hope of making more money afterwards. But Mueller unwound his previous finances and discovered years of tax and bank fraud as he coined in cash from pro-Russia political parties and oligarchs in Ukraine. Manafort pleaded not guilty to 18 charges of tax and bank fraud but was convicted of eight counts in August 2018. The jury was deadlocked on the other 10 charges. A second trial on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent due in September did not happen when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and witness tampering in a plea bargain. He was supposed to co-operate with Mueller but failed to. Minutes after his second sentencing hearing in March 2019, he was indicted on 16 counts of fraud and conspiracy by the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., using evidence which included documents previously presented at his first federal trial. The president has no pardon power over charges by district and state attorneys. GUILTY AND GOING TO WEEKEND JAIL: RICK GATES Pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and making false statements in February 2018. Sentenced to 45 days weekend jail and three years probation, December 17, 2018 Gates was Manafort's former deputy at political consulting firm DMP International. He admitted to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government on financial activity, and to lying to investigators about a meeting Manafort had with a member of congress in 2013. As a result of his guilty plea and promise of cooperation, prosecutors vacated charges against Gates on bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, failure to disclose foreign bank accounts, filing false tax returns, helping prepare false tax filings, and falsely amending tax returns. GUILTY AND JAILED: GEORGE PAPADOPOLOUS Pleaded guilty to making false statements in October 2017. Sentenced to 14 days in September 2018, and reported to prison in November. Served 12 days and released on December 7, 2018 Papadopoulos was a member of Donald Trump's campaign foreign policy advisory committee. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about his contacts with London professor Josef Mifsud and Ivan Timofeev, the director of a Russian government-funded think tank. GUILTY AND JAILED: RICHARD PINEDO Pleaded guilty to identity fraud in February 2018. Sentenced to a year in prison Pinedo is a 28-year-old computer specialist from Santa Paula, California. He admitted to selling bank account numbers to Russian nationals over the internet that he had obtained using stolen identities. GUILTY AND JAILED: ALEX VAN DER ZWAAN Pleaded guilty to making false statements in February 2018. He served a 30-day prison sentence and was deported to the Netherlands on his release Van der Zwaan was a Dutch attorney for Skadden Arps who worked on a Ukrainian political analysis report for Paul Manafort in 2012. He admitted to lying to special counsel investigators about when he last spoke with Rick Gates and Konstantin Kilimnik. His law firm say he was fired. GUILTY: W. SAMUEL PATTEN Pleaded guilty in August 2018 to failing to register as a lobbyist while doing work for a Ukrainian political party. Sentenced to three years probation April 2019 Patten, a long-time D.C. lobbyist was a business partner of Paul Manafort. He pleaded guilty to admitting to arranging an illegal $50,000 donation to Trump's inauguration. He arranged for an American 'straw donor' to pay $50,000 to the inaugural committee, knowing that it was actually for a Ukrainian businessman. Neither the American or the Ukrainian have been named. CHARGED: KONSTANTIN KILIMNIK Indicted for obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. At large, probably in Russia Kilimnik is a former employee of Manafort's political consulting firm and helped him with lobbying work in Ukraine. He is accused of witness tampering, after he allegedly contacted individuals who had worked with Manafort to remind them that Manafort only performed lobbying work for them outside of the U.S. He has been linked to Russian intelligence and is currently thought to be in Russia - effectively beyond the reach of extradition by Mueller's team. INDICTED: THE RUSSIANS Twenty-five Russian nationals and three Russian entities have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States. They remain at large in Russia Two of these Russian nationals were also indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 were indicted for conspiracy to launder money. Fifteen of them were also indicted for identity fraud. Vladimir Putin has ridiculed the charges. Russia effectively bars extradition of its nationals. The only prospect Mueller has of bringing any in front of a U.S. jury is if Interpol has their names on an international stop list - which is not made public - and they set foot in a territory which extradites to the U.S. INDICTED: MICHAEL FLYNN'S BUSINESS PARTNERS Bijan Kian (left), number two in now disgraced former national security adviser Mike Flynn's lobbying company, and the two's business partner Ekim Alptekin (right) were indicted for conspiracy to lobby illegally. Kian, an Iranian-American was arrested and appeared in court charged with a conspiracy to illegally lobby the U.S government without registering as a foreign agent. Their co-conspirator was Flynn, who is called 'Person A' in the indictment and is not charged, offering some insight into what charges he escaped with his plea deal. Kian, vice-president of Flynn's former lobbying firm, is alleged to have plotted with Alptekin to try to change U.S. policy on an exiled Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania and who is accused by Turkey's strongman president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of trying to depose him. Erdogan's government wanted him extradited from the U.S. and paid Flynn's firm through Alptekin for lobbying, including an op-ed in The Hill calling for Gulen to be ejected. Flynn and Kian both lied that the op-ed was not paid for by the Turkish government. The indictment is a sign of how Mueller is taking an interest in more than just Russian involvement in the 2016 election. GUILTY AND AWAITING SENTENCE: ROGER STONE Roger Stone, a former Trump campaign official and longtime informal advisor to Trump, was indited on seven counts including obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress about his communications with WikiLeaks in January 2019. Convicted on all counts November 15, 2019, awaiting sentence Stone was a person of interest to Mueller's investigators long before his January indictment, thanks in part due to his public pronouncements as well as internal emails about his contacts with WikiLeks. In campaign texts and emails, many of which had already been publicly revealed before showing up in Mueller's indictment, Stone communicated with associates about WikiLeaks following reports the organization had obtained a cache of Clinton-related emails. Stone, a former Nixon campaign adviser who has the disgraced former president's face permanently tattooed on his back, has long been portrayed as a central figure in the election interference scandal. 'They got nothing,' he said of the special counsel's investigation. Stone gave 'false and misleading' testimony about his requests for information from WikiLeaks. He then pressured a witness, comedian Randy Credico, to take the Fifth Amendment rather than testify, and pressured him in a series of emails. Following a prolonged dispute over testimony, he called him a 'rat' and threatened to 'take that dog away from you', in reference to Credico's pet, Bianca. Stone warned him: 'Let's get it on. Prepare to die.' CLEARED: GREG CRAIG Greg Craig, President Barack Obama's White House counsel, was indicted for failing to register as a foreign agent. Mueller's investigators uncovered Craig's work on behalf the government of Ukraine while probing Manafort, who did business with Craig. Prosecutors released a grand jury indictment of Craig in April 2019, after Craig's law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP agreed to pay more than $4.6 million as part of a settlement. The prominent firm also acknowledged it had failed to register, and placed much of the blame on Craig, a senior partner there. Craig's lawyer blasted the decision as an abuse of prosecutorial discretion, and prepared to argue that omission of information during an interview is not tantamount to making false statements. The charges stem from a 2012 report Craig and the firm produced on behalf of the Ukrainian government on opposition figure and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. She was an opponent of Manafort's client , former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Craig was cleared on September 9 2019. Advertisement Cohen pleaded guilty last week to a ninth charge lying to Congress about his work on a Trump tower project in Moscow that continued through the summer of 2016, when his longtime boss was scoring primary wins in his bid to become president. Cohen, who famously once said he would 'take a bullet' for President Trump, had earlier pleaded guilty to tax fraud, campaign finance violations, and falsifying bank statements while getting loans. Cohen could get up to five years in jail, after prosecutors in the Southern District of New York wrote in a letter that the court should impose a 'substantial term of imprisonment' as well as a $500,000 crime. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators, however, stressed in their own memo Cohen's extensive cooperation with their Russia probe. The judge in the case, William Pauley, is a Bill Clinton appointee with a reputation for sternness in sentencing. The judge's task was to take in Cohen's plea for leniency as well as the diverging arguments by prosecutors. SDNY in their own memo argued that Cohen's description of his helpfulness 'is overstated in some respects and incomplete in others.' SNDY noted that Cohen 'does not have a cooperation agreement ... and therefore is not properly described as a 'cooperating witness.' Cohen, a lawyer who made his career protecting President Donald Trump, is set to learn Wednesday whether his decision to cooperate with federal investigators will lessen his punishment for crimes including making illegal hush-money payments to two women during the 2016 campaign - a scandal that could damage Trump's presidency. Cohen, 52, appeared at 11 a.m. at a courthouse in Manhattan for a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge William Pauley III. DAY IN COURT: Michael Cohen heads to court along with his wife Laura, daughter Samantha, and son is Jake. Samantha recently had hip surgery Michael Cohen and his family leave their Trump Park Avenue Apartment in New York City and head down to court. Michael Cohen and his family leave their Trump Park Avenue Apartment in New York City and head down to court. Security: Michael Cohen goes through a metal detector on his way in to court Cohen and his daughter Samantha head to federal court Wednesday Under federal sentencing guidelines, he stood to get about four years in prison, but his lawyers have argued for leniency. Some of Cohen's crimes, they said, were motivated by overenthusiasm for Trump, rather than any nefarious intent. He has pleaded guilty to misleading Congress about his work on a proposal to build a Trump skyscraper in Moscow, hiding the fact that he continued to speak with Russians about the proposal well into the presidential campaign. Cohen also pleaded guilty in August to breaking campaign finance laws by helping orchestrate payments to silence former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who said they had sexual encounters with Trump while he was married. For weeks, Cohen's legal strategy appeared to revolve around persuading the court that he is a reformed man who abandoned longtime friendships and gave up his livelihood when he decided to cut ties with the president and speak with federal investigators. Cohen's lawyers have said in court filings that their client could have stayed on the president's side and angled himself for a presidential pardon. New York prosecutors have urged a judge to sentence Cohen to a substantial prison term, saying he'd failed to fully cooperate and overstated his helpfulness. They've asked for only a slight reduction to his sentence based on his work with the office of special counsel Robert Mueller and prosecutors looking into the campaign finance violations in New York. A probation-only sentence, they said, is unbefitting of 'a man who knowingly sought to undermine core institutions of our democracy.' '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. He did so by orchestrating secret and illegal payments to silence two women who otherwise would have made public their alleged extramarital affairs' with Trump, prosecutors wrote. Prosecutors said Cohen orchestrated payments to McDougal and Daniels at Trump's direction. Trump, who insists the affairs never happened, said Monday in a tweet that the payments to the women were 'a simple private transaction,' not a campaign contribution. And if it was campaign contribution, the president said, Cohen is the one who should be held responsible. 'Lawyer's liability if he made a mistake, not me,' Trump wrote, adding, 'Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced. WITCH HUNT!' A sentence of hard time would leave Cohen with little to show for his decision to plead guilty, though experts said Wednesday's hearing might not be the last word on his punishment. Former Playboy model Karen McDougal (left) and porn actress Stormy Daniels (right) both claimed to have slept with Donald Trump in the past, but the government says Cohen coordinated with Trump to make sure the women were paid for their silence in effect a pair of massive campaign contributions designed to save the election for Trump The Michael Cohen sentencing memorandum from a federal prosecutor in New York recomments 51 to 63 months in prison Cohen could have his sentence revisited if he strikes a deal with prosecutors in which he provides additional cooperation within a year of his sentence, said Michael J. Stern, a former federal prosecutor in Detroit and Los Angeles. 'Few things spark a defendant's renewed interest in cooperating faster than trading in a pair of custom Italian trousers for an off-the-rack orange jump suit,' he said. Annemarie McAvoy, a former federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, said prosecutors appear to be angry at Cohen for limiting his cooperation. 'It could be a tactic to try to break him like they've tried to do with (Paul) Manafort,' McAvoy said, referring to Trump's former campaign chairman. 'It kind of shows they're putting the screws to him. If they're not mad at him, he didn't give them what they wanted.' Cohen's transition from Trump's fixer-in-chief to felon has been head-spinning. He once told an interviewer he would 'take a bullet' for Trump. But facing prosecution for evading $1.4 million in taxes, Cohen pleaded guilty in August, pledged to cooperate with Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election and changed his party registration from Republican to Democrat. Judge Pauley, who was appointed to the federal bench by former President Bill Clinton, may allow Cohen to begin serving any prison term he receives at a later date. But legal experts said Cohen could also be taken into custody immediately. 'If I were advising him, I'd encourage him to bring his toothbrush to court,' said Stern. Cohen's lawyers have asked for no prison time, saying he has suffered enough already. 'The greatest punishment Michael has endured in the criminal process has been the shame and anxiety he feels daily from having subjected his family to the fallout from his case,' his attorneys wrote in a court filing last month. 'The media glare and intrusions on all of them, including his children, the regular hate correspondence and written and oral threats, the fact that he will lose his law license, the termination of business relationships by banks and insurers and the loss of friendships, are but some of this fallout.' Parkland shooting survivors were among those outraged when a reading comprehension quiz about the massacre was presented to students in their Florida school district. The questionnaire titled 'Does Nikolas Cruz deserve to die?' was pulled from an October issue of the New York Times Upfront magazine, which is published in partnership with Scholastic and intended for classroom use. It was presented to students in a civics class about the death penalty at Coral Glades High School in Coral Springs, the Washington Post reports. Scroll down for video Parkland shooting survivors were among those outraged when a reading comprehension quiz about the massacre was presented to students in their Florida school district The school is just a 10-minute drive from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where prosecutors say Cruz, a former student at the school, killed 17 people on February 14. Cruz, now 20, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his lawyers have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Photos of the quiz surfaced on Friday when student activist Kenneth Preston shared it on Twitter and slammed the teacher for using Cruz as a case study. 'Crazy idea. Don't give kids assignments on the shooter that killed their friends?' he wrote alongside it. Furthermore, the quiz also featured a question about Cameron Kasky, who was among the survivors who founded the March for Our Lives movement. A multiple-choice question asked students to describe Kasky's tone when he said of Cruz: 'Let him rot forever.' Kasky blasted the quiz on Twitter, writing: 'I cannot begin to express how pathetic I find this. The quiz also featured a question about Cameron Kasky (pictured), who was among the survivors who founded the March for Our Lives movement Kasky blasted the quiz on Twitter, writing: 'I cannot begin to express how pathetic I find this' Photos of the quiz surfaced on Friday when student activist Kenneth Preston shared it on Twitter and slammed the teacher for using Cruz as a case study. 'Our school board should add this to the list of 1000+ reasons to be ashamed.' Coral Glades school officials apologized after the backlash from the activists, students and parents. In a statement, the school said it was unaware the assignment had been presented to students. The school district, Broward County Public Schools, said it would voice its concerns to Scholastic. Nikolas Cruz, now 20, killed 17 people on February 14, prosecutors say Meanwhile, the state commission investigating the shooting will consider a long list of recommendations addressing these problems statewide. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission will consider proposals Wednesday and Thursday. These include whether to arm trained, volunteer teachers; making it harder for outsiders to enter Florida's nearly 4,000 public schools; mandating armed security on all campuses with explicit orders to confront shooters; improving communication systems on campus; and imposing more statewide uniformity in how troubled students are identified, helped and, if necessary, dealt with by police. The commission, created weeks after the February shooting, must file its initial report to Governor. Rick Scott, incoming Governor Ron DeSantis and the Legislature by January 1. During its periodic meetings since April, the 15-member commission has learned the suspected gunman had a long history of disturbing behavior, including threats to shoot up the campus. Minutes before the shooting, video shows Cruz entering campus through an unguarded gate and then into a classroom building. Investigators say he fired down the hallway and through door windows into first-floor classrooms where students didn't or couldn't hide. He climbed to the third floor to continue the attack, where students and teachers didn't know what happened two stories below. That's because teachers couldn't quickly communicate with administrators, each other or law enforcement. Loudspeakers only could be heard inside classrooms. Teachers, trying to secure their classrooms, could only lock the doors from the outside. The sheriff's deputy assigned to protect the campus didn't confront the killer and try to shoot him. There were no kits to stop the wounded's bleeding and the responding law enforcement officers from different agencies couldn't easily communicate over the radio to coordinate a counterattack and share information. Conspiracy theorists have made the incredible accusation that the French state orchestrated last night's terror attack - to divert attention from the Yellow Vest protests. A 29-year-old gunman shot dead at least two people and injured 13 others at a Christmas market before escaping in a hijacked taxi in Strasbourg. Protesters today made the extraordinary claim on social media that President Emmanuel Macron had set up the attack for an 'excuse' to ask protesters to call off a demonstration planned for Saturday. Killer and his victim: Gunman Cherif Chekatt, 29, from Strasbourg was pictured today, as his first victim was named as 45-year-old Thai tourist Anupong Suebsamarn Protesters wearing yellow vests demonstrate against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes near the Arc de Triomphe on Saturday One wrote: 'You'll see next week there won't be a single yellow vest. Well played, Macron' while another added: 'Coincidence, chance? Or just manipulation!'. One protester wrote: 'They want to create fear so that people don't take to the streets.' Another said: 'Well of course it was the State! If you look back in time, there have often been terror attacks when there were too many strikes or protests.' An infamous Yellow Vest protester called Maxime Nicolle posted a Facebook Live video of him saying the attack was a set up. He said: 'Do you really think that a guy who wanted to carry out a terror attack would wait until there were three people in the street at 8pm? He would go into the Middle Of the Champs Elysees and blow himself up.' Hundreds of soldiers and special forces operatives have been called in to take part in the manhunt following the shooting at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday night Passers-by tend to victims in the immediate aftermath of the attack on a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, last night Several social media posts by conspiracy theorists are compiled here. The claims infuriated Secretary of State to the Minister of the Interior Laurent Nunez, who said: 'I'm outraged by all this, how can people say such things? 'There's an attacker who killed three people, there are others who are seriously wounded.' Today police said the gunman, Cherif Chekatt, cried 'Allahu Akbar' as he opened fire. Chekatt was pictured in local media as police revealed his criminal record includes 25 court convictions, including many for armed robbery, and that he had been listed as a 'threat to the state' by the French security services. Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said Strasbourg-born Chekatt had been armed with a handgun and a knife, adding: 'Terrorism has hit our country again.' A manhunt is now under way for Chekatt, who managed to flee the scene in a hijacked taxi after being shot in the arm during an exchange of fire with French soldiers in the city centre. Meanwhile, his first victim has been named as Anupong Suebsamarn, a 45-year-old Thai man on holiday in Europe with his wife, according to Thai media. Four of those injured are still fighting for their lives, among them a 28-year-old Italian journalist in town to cover the European Parliament, with six others seriously hurt. Hunt: Members of the French National Police's Research and Intervention Brigade are seen during their search for Cherif Chekatt in Strasbourg on Wednesday morning French President Emmanuel Macron is pictured leaving an emergency meeting at the Interior Ministry in Paris last night The suspect's criminal record includes 25 court convictions, including many for armed robbery, and he had frequently been locked up. Checkatt, who was pictured today in local newspaper DNA.fr, was first convicted in a youth court aged ten, and spent a total of five years in prison between 2006 and 2016. In 2011, he was jailed for two years in France 'for stabbing a teenager,' an investigating source said. 'There had also been drug convictions. He was well known in Islamist circles in Strasbourg and for being further radicalised in prison.' Neighbours have described Checkatt as destabilised by his time in prison. 'You can just tell,' said one of the young men from the apartment block where Chekatt lived, lightly touching the side of his head. The Yellow Vest movement started online in May 2018 and erupted into protest in France in November. Participants claim a disproportionate burden of the government's tax reforms are falling on the working and middle classes. The map shows the area where the attack took place, while the Christmas market is shown in a file picture before the shooting Witnesses said it took up to 45 minutes for paramedics to arrive after the shooting and they were left tending to victims alone A City banker was seen kissing an IT worker who was secretly working as a high-class escort before he battered her to death, a court has heard. Christina Abbotts, 29, was repeatedly beaten around the head with a kitchen pestle in a 'savage and brutal' attack and then strangled in a flat in Crawley. City of London banker Zahid Naseem, 47, a father of two, was charged with her murder and went on trial this week. The jury heard how the two were seen together in the West Sussex town's Asda supermarket buying alcohol on the night before she is thought to have died. Grainy CCTV footage allegedly shows Zahid Naseem kissing escort Christina Abbotts before she was found battered to death The pair were in Asda in Crawley buying alcohol before the alleged attack, a court has heard Ms Abbotts had been hit 13 times on the head with a pestle when she was found, a jury was told Jurors were shown CCTV images of Naseem kissing her on the head while they stood in one of the aisles. The next morning police found the body of Miss Abbotts in a flat where she was housesitting. Naseem was lying naked on the sofa pretending to be unconscious, prosecutor Christopher Tehrani told jurors. Ms Abbotts, who was born in the West Midlands and lived in London, had been hit 13 times on the head with a pestle and is thought to have died around 12 hours earlier, jurors were told. Jurors were told that Naseem texted his partner to say 'It's too late, I'm sorry, life isn't going to work for me' in the hours after he allegedly bludgeoned Miss Abbotts to death. Helen Jervis asked her partner of 12 years, Zahid Naseem, 'What have you done?' when she received the message, Lewes Crown Court heard on Wednesday. Miss Abbots was believed to have lived a secret life as a high-class escort but told her friends and family she worked in IT The murder trial heard the 'privately educated city girl' lived a secret life as a high-class escort but told her friends and family she worked in IT. Naseem paid her up to 3,500 a time when they met and she led a lavish lifestyle partying with 'posh', wealthy friends living in Westminster and other parts of London while frequenting the theatre, polo and Ascot. Her father Michael Abbotts, who lives in Stourbridge, said he was 'never fully aware' of what she did for a living but she had 'very posh friends' and travelled a lot, visiting countries including Brazil and Mexico. After school she studied business at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester and dropped out of a course to Oxford Brookes University when she was offered a job, he said. He last heard from her when she texted him to say 'love you' shortly after midnight on May 25. In a statement read to the court, he added: 'She was a pretty woman. I'm sure she had more boyfriends than she told us about.' Miss Abbotts, who had dropped out of Oxford Brookes University, had told friends and family she was working as an IT consultant and salesperson. Naseem is said to have paid Miss Abbotts up to 3,500 for nights with her, the court was told But in reality she was a sex worker using the pseudonym, Tilly Pexton, and advertised her sexual services online for around 2,000 a time. The court heard she lived the high-life and travelled around the world and was known by her friends as a party girl who drank heavily and took cocaine. She also attended Royal Ascot, the theatre and polo matches with friends and took her family out for lavish restaurant meals. Miss Abbotts father said he was unaware of what she did for a living Tiffany Price, who described Miss Abbotts as her 'best friend', said she failed to get a response to a message sent at 1.05pm she texted again at 5.10pm saying: Are you alive? but received no response. She told the court she was shocked when she found out her best friend had been working as an escort. She assumes Miss Abbotts did not tell her to 'protect her'. A fellow sex worker who also knew Miss Abbotts told the court the murder victim was addicted to cocaine. 'It used to be a social thing but recently much more. I also thought she was being quite reckless in her work,' the woman, whose full name was not given, said. Howard Joseph, an airline pilot who described himself as a friend, said he first met Miss Abbotts through his brother, also a pilot, who had met her when she was working for a commercial caterer in South Africa. Mr Joseph said they became good friends and attended Royal Ascot and other social events together. He said: 'She enjoyed going out and partying. She was very personable. She was a very enjoyable person to share time with. He told the court: 'She certainly drank a lot, partied a lot, lived life to the full. I m not someone to judge of someone is an alcoholic or not.' Mr Joseph said he was aware she took cocaine and said she had mentioned she had concerns about her liver. Police found the body of Miss Abbotts in a flat where she was housesitting in Crawley The court heard he did not know she worked as an escort and told police he felt 'naive'. He said their friendship was brought under the spotlight when his ex-girlfriend, Natalia, wrongly thought they were in a relationship together. The jury were told she became jealous and started 'stalking' Miss Abbotts, 'hassling' her on social media and in person. The trail continues. Amina Bhatti, 36, who was pregnant with their first child together, arriving at Manchester Crown Court A wife agreed to pay 3,000 to a woman who had accused her husband of raping her so she would withdraw the allegation, a court heard. The alleged victim, 31, accused Kamram Nazir, 33, of Levenshulme, Manchester, of attacking her after they met at a nightclub in the city. His wife Amina Bhatti, 36, who was pregnant with their first child together, later discovered that he had been accused of rape and decided to offer the woman hush money. But after Bhatti's plot to pay the woman was discovered by detectives, all three were charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. They trio were all spared jail at Manchester Crown Court today and handed suspended sentences. The court was told that prosecutors cannot say whether the rape allegation is true or false. Judge Elizabeth Nicholls told them: 'Listening to the facts of this case you could have been forgiven for thinking you'd escaped into a Shakespearean tragedy. 'All the elements are there, the wife trying to protect her husband, the plan that was doomed to fail, and the elements of lust and greed. 'But from this fiction arrives the fact of the offence of perverting the course of justice for which you all must be sentenced.' A hearing heard that in July 2015 a taxi driver was called to Nazir's home and picked up Nazir and and the woman. When Nazir got out to withdraw money from a cash machine, she told the driver she had 'no idea how she had got there' and 'I don't know how this has happened.' Kamram Nazir (left, arriving at court) of Levenshulme, Manchester, was accused of attacking the woman after they met at a nightclub in the city. His wife (right, outside court) later discovered that he had been accused of rape and decided to offer the woman hush money She told the driver that she had woken up and found Nazir 'on top of her' having sex at his home. She reported it to police, and Nazir was arrested, telling officers the sex had been consensual. Bhatti, who then lived in Bradford while Nazir lived in Manchester, discovered he had been arrested, but he claimed he was held for fighting in a nightclub. After searching his phone she rang the woman's number, who told her that Nazir had raped her. They met at Bradford Royal Infirmary and the pair agreed that Bhatti would pay her 3,000 if she dropped the allegations against her husband. Later they agreed to meet up again, this time in Bradford city centre, where Bhatti handed over 1,000. The couple, arriving at Manchester Crown Court, were each handed suspended sentences today for perverting the course of justice The court heard the woman became 'angry' when she realised she was only receiving 1,000. Bhatti told her she would hand over the rest of the money when Nazir had received his possessions back from the police after the allegations had been dropped. But Bhatti later said she never had any intention of paying any more money. On another occasion the woman and Bhatti met at a hostel, and the alleged victim said she had used the 1,000 to pay off debts. Prosecuting, Andrew Macintosh said the woman 'berated' Nazir about the way he had treated his wife, and 'professed friendship' with her. The woman told Bhatti that she was homeless and needed money to get to London to see her family. Bhatti tried to avoid her, but she continue to contact her by text, phone and WhatsApp. To formally retract her statement the woman had to go to Manchester to meet with police. Bhatti went with her and made a recording of the journey on her phone, in which they can be hear to be 'chatting' and singing along to music, the court heard. After seeing a letter confirming her retraction, Bhatti went to a cash machine and handed over another 500 to the woman and told her there was no more money. But she said she wanted more money and said Bhatti hadn't stuck to their deal. Messages between the pair continued, and Bhatti lied about being in hospital to try and avoid her. Despite the woman withdrawing her allegation of rape, police continued investigating. The woman was then interviewed again and claimed she had been 'threatened' by Nazir and Bhatti. Bhatti was arrested later. All three of their phones were seized, which led to charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice being brought against the trio. Detectives seized mobile phones from all three and found messages detailing their incriminating conversations. One text from Bhatti to the woman said: 'Sister we need to talk. When the officer rings I will tell them you came to me and you said you would give me money - I think maybe you don't trust me but I'm not bothered by anything. 'He did what he did and I'm doing this for your baby. I will say I was forced to retract my statement, we might share the same police cell together. ' The rape inquiry against Nazir was subsequently dropped. They all plead guilty of perverting the course of justice before any trial. At the time of the allegation the woman's marriage had broken down making her homeless, and she had recently lost her father making her 'vulnerable' her lawyer said. Judge Nicholls told Nazir: 'On July 31st you embarked on a course of action which would change the course of all three of your lives. 'Put bluntly you are the cause of this problem. 'The only reason you stand in the dock is because of your ridiculous conduct on that night.' However she added he had been a 'reluctant participant' and had tried to stop contact and any further money being paid to the woman by his wife. He was handed a 14 month jail term, suspended for 18 months and he must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. Judge Nicholls said she 'could not and would not' make a judgement on the truth of the rape allegation. She told the alleged victim: 'Your actions could have done untold harm to genuine rape victims who have to appear before juries, but I do not sentence you on that basis.' She given a 20 month jail term, suspended for two years, and she must carry 30 days of rehabilitation with the probation service. Bhatti, who has three young children, was given a 10-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and must also do the 30 days rehabilitation activity requirement. Judge Nicholls told her: 'I accept your motivation was driven by jealousy and not a criminal, although the consequences of that became criminal. 'Your instinct was to protect your husband, your marriage and your unborn child.' Helen Bailey, eight, (pictured) was found in woodland in 1975 and today the High Court has ordered a fresh probe into her death The unsolved murder of an eight-year-old girl will be re-investigated more than 43 years after her death, as the High Court ordered a fresh probe today. Helen Bailey, known as 'Little Girl Blue' after she disappeared wearing blue clothing, was found dead in woodland near her Birmingham home in August 1975. A jury at an inquest in March the following year returned an open verdict after hearing evidence she may have died as a result of an 'accident or practical joke gone wrong'. But the original verdict was quashed and a fresh inquest ordered by judges sitting in London. Lord Justice Hickinbottom, sitting with Mrs Justice Whipple, said there was new evidence which justified another inquest. 'In all of the circumstances of this case, I am persuaded that the interests of justice do make a further inquest desirable,' he said. 'In my view, the emergence of this new evidence may well lead to the conclusion that the truth of how Helen met her death was not revealed at the first inquest.' The judge told the court Helen was last seen leaving her home, in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham, to play outside at about 3.30pm on Sunday August 10 1975. The youngster (pictured, left) became known as Little Girl Blue because of the colour clothing she wore went she vanished. Pictured, right, is a newspaper from the time of her death in the West Midlands in 1975 When she did not return, her mother alerted police and her body was found the following morning in an area of dense woodland in the Booth Farm area. She had a cut to her throat, which a post-mortem examination at the time identified as the cause of her death. But the pathologist who carried it out found that there were no signs of a struggle and the circumstances of Helen's death 'lacked the essential hallmarks of a homicidal attack'. He concluded her death may have been the result of an 'accident or practical joke gone wrong'. Despite an outpouring of media coverage at the time of Helen's death, the inquest recorded an open verdict. The verdict was today quashed by judges at the High Court in London However, the investigation into her death was reopened in 2014 and a pathologist who reviewed the case concluded Helen had been strangled before her throat was cut in a 'clear case of homicide'. The judge said police investigated a 'confession' made by one suspect in 1979, which was 'consistent' with the findings of the pathologist in 2014, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to prosecute him. West Midlands Police then asked the Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull Louise Hunt to seek permission from the High Court to overturn the 1976 inquest verdict. US President Donald Trump pointed to the mass shooting at a Christmas market in France to bolster his demands for funding to build a US border wall with Mexico. Trump's tweet linking the issues came despite the fact that the suspect in Tuesday's attack in Strasbourg, France, is a native of the city with a criminal past and extremist views. A French prosecutor said the gunman shouted 'Allahu Akbar' - Arabic for 'God is greatest' - before opening fire in a popular Christmas market in the city's medieval center, killing two people, leaving a third brain-dead and wounding 12 others. A wall at any cost: Donald Trump used last night's Strasbourg shooting as argument for his border wall, saying the U.S. is 'going to strengthen our borders even more' One and one is three: Donald Trump's tweet linking the issues came despite the fact that suspected shooter Cherif Chekatt was born in Strasbourg Trump mentioned the attack only glancingly, using his first public comment on the incident to buttress his arguments for funding a US-Mexico border wall. 'Another very bad terror attack in France. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security!,' he said. Trump clashed angrily with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on funding for the wall Tuesday in an Oval Office meeting carried live on television. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also cited the Strasbourg attack to support a border wall, which was a signature promise of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. A man lights a candle in tribute to the victims of a deadly shooting the day before in central Strasbourg, which left two dead, one brain-dead and 13 injured 'Every time we add to people here who have the risk of becoming radicalized, we increase the risk to American citizens,' Pompeo told Fox News. 'We should build it out,' he said of the wall. 'We should do all the things we need to do to control the flow of people into our country in a way that is lawful only.' But Pompeo did not answer on whether Mexico will pay for the wall - a favorite line of Trump at his rallies - and said he was working with Mexico to prevent emigration at its source in conflict-ridden El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. 'Frankly, the most important thing we can do is turn off the flow from those three countries,' he said. Advertisement Melania Trump touted her husband's love and appreciation for American troops in a series of appearances with the military on Wednesday. The first lady mentioned her husband in some context four times in her three minutes of remarks to troops at Joint Base Langley in Hampton, Va. 'I speak on behalf of my husband when I tell you we are forever grateful for your service,' she told the crowd of cheering soldiers and their families. Melania Trump touted her husband's love and appreciation for American troops in a series of appearances with service members and her families She is on a goodwill tour to wish members of the military a Merry Christmas In a series of three appearances at military institutions on Wednesday, the first lady met with service members and toured various facilities, here she learns about an F-22 Raptor Fighting talk: The First Lady spoke to Col. Jason Hinds, Commander of the First Fighter Wing, as they inspected an F-22 Ratpor fighter during her visit to Joint Base Langley Rapt attention: The First Lady delivered her speech from a podium placed in front of an F-22 Raptor Thank you for your service: The First Lady posted a picture of herself wearing a hat from the USS George H.W. Bush after leaving and revealed she had landed on its deck on a Marine Corps V-22 Osprey 'I want you all to know the president and I are so grateful and have unconditional appreciation for all that you do,' she noted. 'This administration will always stand with the men and women of the United States armed forces.' It was the second stop of the day in what the East Wing billed as a goodwill trip to offer holiday wishes to the members of the military. But it was notable how often Melania Trump mentioned the president. Her few public appearances usually focus on her signature Be Best campaign and rarely garner a word about her husband. Her trip came as the president faces questions about when he will make his first overseas visit to troops on the ground. The first lady - dressed in a black jacket with a double row of buttons, black jeans and black military-style boots - noted that many service members at Langley had just returned from deployment. 'I am honored to be able to say welcome home and thank you for answering the call of duty,' she said. The three-stop trip included visits at military institutions around the Washington D.C. metro area. Melania Trump started her day at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, Maryland, and then flew in a V-22 Osprey - the first time a first lady has ever flown in one - to Joint Base Langley. She posted a video to her official twitter account showing her trip on the advanced military helicopter. The view is from the cockpit with the pilots, showing the landscape ahead. She'll wrap up her day with a visit to the USS George H. W. Bush to spend time with the crew and tour the carrier. While on the carrier, she will tape an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity to air on Wednesday evening, another part of her push for the president. Hannity accompanied her on her rounds Wednesday and posed for photos at Langley with troops and their families. Melania Trump said her visit to the Nimitz class aircraft carrier would be particularly meaningful after the death of the former president. She and Trump attended the funeral. 'It will be very meaningful after the recent passing of President Bush. We continue to keep his family in our thoughts and prayers,' she said. It the latest event surrounding the troops the first lady has engaged in during the holiday season. While she skipped the president's visit to a Coast Guard base when the first family was in Mar-a-Lago for Thanksgiving, she did join the Red Cross in packing 'comfort kits' for soldiers upon her return to Washington. The first lady spent some time with the children of service members at Joint Base Langley, saying 'wow' when she saw the group waiting for her She exchanged some high-fives with the kids In her remarks, she thanked the troops for their service and offered the president's gratitude She posed for selfies and shook hands The first lady got a warm welcome from the service members In the air: Melania Trump tweeted a video from her Marine helicopter, showing its V-22 escort aircraft just in front And, on Tuesday, she joined Marines in collecting toys for their annual Toys for Tots campaign. Her goodwill tour comes as President Trump is said to be mulling his first visit to a war zone as he's coming under increased scrutiny for not yet visiting troops stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Trump hinted to reporters on Thanksgiving Day his first visit could come soon. 'We're going to do some interesting things. We'll be doing some very interesting things,' he said. But when asked by reporters when he was going, the president replied: 'I do. But I can't tell you. You're the last people I can tell.' The first lady was greeted warmly by the service members in their families, who cheered and applauded her appearance. After her remarks, she posed for selfie after selfie and shook hands with those waiting along a rope line. She then went to visit a group of children waiting to meet her, most of them bouncing in anticipation. 'Wow,' she said, throwing up her hands in delight when she saw them. Melania Trump talks with Col. Jason Hinds, Commander of the First Fighter Wing as he shows her the cockpit of an F22 fighter at Joint Base Langley She's been holding a series of events with the troops; on Tuesday she helped Marines collect toys for their Toys for Tots campaign Last month she helped the Red Cross pack 'comfort kids' for troops overseas She took a picture with the group and then knelt down to chat with the kids. She made conversation - asking them about Christmas - and exchanged high-fives with some of them. After spending a few minutes with the youngsters, she left to tour an F-22A Raptor. 'Bye bye,' the kids yelled as she walked away. She turned back to smile and wave at them. The parents of an 11-year-old boy whose last name is Trump have told how they had to pull him out of school and change his surname because he has been relentlessly bullied for it since the 2016 election. Joshua Trump from Delaware has always used his mother Megan's maiden name as his own. The family has no ties to the president but when he launched his presidential campaign, bullies seized on Joshua at elementary school. The bullying became so bad that his father, Robert Berto, pulled him out of school and home schooled him for a year. Joshua Trump, 11, has no connection to the president other than sharing his name but has been relentlessly bullied at school for it for more than two years When Joshua became old enough to go to middle school, the family reentered him into the mainstream system but they say the bullying started again. Now they have taken the unusual step of having his name changed from Trump to Berto in the school's database. It remains unclear if the family will change his name legally or if his younger sister will go by Trump or Berto. The family did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries on Wednesday. Megan and Robert are married and she uses her husband's surname. Joshua has always taken his mother's maiden name even though she goes by Berto. She said that the bullying made her son 'hate himself' Joshua's father Robert Berto is pictured walking him to middle school since he returned recently. He spent a year home-schooling the boy after removing him from elementary school because of the bullying Joshua will now go by Berto at school. The family has not revealed if they plan to legally change his name Speaking to ABC on Tuesday, she recalled some of the taunts he faced. 'They curse at him, they call him an idiot, they call him stupid. 'He said he hates himself, and he hates his last name, and he feels sad all the time, and he doesn't want to live feeling like that anymore, and as a parent that's scary,' his mother Megan said. The principal of Talley Middle School, Mark Mayers, said the school had changed Joshua's name in its systems and would help him address any other issues in the future. Five children who were responsible for some of the bullying have been disciplined for it. A new report on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre has called on police to investigate seven deputies it claimed did not respond fast enough. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission found that the Broward Sheriff's Office displayed deficiencies in everything from training and command to individual performance in its response to the Parkland shooting. It has recommended that the sheriff's office investigate the performance of seven deputies who failed to engage the gunman despite hearing gunshots at the school. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission found that the Broward Sheriff's Office displayed deficiencies in everything from training and command to individual performance in its response to the Parkland shooting 'Several uniformed BSO deputies were either seen on camera or described taking the time to retrieve and put on their ballistic vests, sometimes in excess of one minute and in response to hearing gunshots,' reads the report, which was obtained by the Sun-Sentinel. 'Deputy sheriffs who took the time to retrieve vests from containers in their cruisers, removed certain equipment they were wearing so that they could put on their vests, and then replaced the equipment they had removed all while shots were being fired, or had been recently fired is unacceptable and contrary to accepted protocol.' 'Deputies should have immediately moved towards the gunshots to confront the shooter.' The draft report, which was released Wednesday, noted that there was also 'abundant confusion' over the location of the sheriff's command post. 'This stemmed from an absence of command and control and an ineffective radio system,' the report reads. The report comes a week after BSO Capt Jan Jordan resigned following criticism regarding her response to the shooting 'A unified command consisting of command staff from BSO, CSPD, and CSFD took an excessive amount of time to establish.' The report comes a week after BSO Capt Jan Jordan resigned and Sgt Brian Miller was placed on paid suspension following their response to the shooting. Jordan oversaw the city of Parkland on February 14 and Miller was the first sergeant to arrive at the scene. Law enforcement officers told investigators Jordan appeared to be in a trancelike state and overwhelmed as she tried to direct the initial response to the attack. Miller arrived at the school during the shooting but video shows he stayed outside the parking lot until long after the massacre ended, even as other law enforcement officers entered the building. An investigation found that Jordan never ordered deputies into the high school and her radio failed frequently because the system was overloaded. Meanwhile, Miller took a position behind his patrol cal and never made a radio call as shots continued to ring out in the school when he arrived on the scene. He stood by as officers from neighboring Coral Springs and additional BSO deputies ran past him into the building. These deputies, who ran to the scene, sought out the shooter, and helped treat and evacuate victims, were praised in the report. In the draft report, the commission also recommended an extensive overhaul of school security measures - including mandating lockdown training for staff and students The state commission is currently considering a long list of recommendations to address the problems that occurred in response to the Valentine's Day massacre. Made up of 15 members, the commission includes law enforcement officers, education and mental health professionals, a legislator, and the fathers of two slain students. The commission, which issued a draft report on Wednesday, will present its final report to Gov Rick Scott ans the state legislature by January 1. In the draft report, the commission also recommended an extensive overhaul of school security measures - including mandating lockdown training for staff and students. It did not recommend new gun control policies, although they are among the proposals that the commission is considering on Wednesday and Thursday. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the commission's chairman, is pushing a proposal that would allow volunteer teachers who undergo extensive training to carry guns. During its periodic meetings since April, the commission has learned the suspected gunman Nikolas Cruz (pictured in court in November) had a long history of disturbing behavior, including threats to shoot up the campus The proposal is opposed by both the state teachers union and the PTA, who believe that would make schools more dangerous. Other proposals include mandating armed security on all Florida campuses, giving every school employee a panic button in case of a shooting, and explicitly ordering all school officers and guards to confront shooters - even if they're alone. A number of proposals also touched on assessing troubled students, including mandating that all mental health providers must report any threats made against a school. During its periodic meetings since April, the commission has learned the suspected gunman Nikolas Cruz had a long history of disturbing behavior, including threats to shoot up the campus. Cruz, 20, is charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder.His attorneys have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. A second person charged Wednesday in a domestic terrorism investigation had a duffel bag in his car filled with ammunition, a tactical vest, a trench coat and a T-shirt that said 'society failed us,' federal authorities said in court documents. While no attack took place and authorities didn't suggest one was imminent, they did say Vincent Armstrong and his girlfriend had talked about carrying out violence and had bomb-making supplies and weapons inside their home. Armstrong, 23, was charged with making false statements and appeared in court Wednesday where he waived a preliminary hearing. His attorney said afterward it was too early to discuss the case, adding it was possible more charges could be filed. Vincent Armstrong (above) was charged with making false statements and appeared in court Wednesday where he waived a preliminary hearing Armstrong and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Lecron (above) were arrested Monday after a six-month investigation that began with a tip saying they were talking about committing a violent attack He and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Elizabeth Lecron, were arrested Monday after a six-month investigation that began with a tip saying he was talking about committing a violent attack, according to an affidavit filed Wednesday. Investigators said he wrote in June that he had bought supplies for a pipe bomb, adding 'soon we will bring destruction on society.' Lecron was charged earlier this week with transporting explosives. Officials with the FBI and Department of Justice said she bought hundreds of screws and black powder last weekend. She also is being held after declining a preliminary hearing and is represented by a court-appointed attorney. A message seeking comment was left with the federal public defender's office. Investigators said they found journal entries in which the pair discussed an attack. Authorities said Armstrong and his girlfriend talked about carrying out violence and had bomb-making supplies and weapons inside their home Lecron (above) exchanged letters with the man convicted in the South Carolina church shooting, federal authorities said Lecron wrote about a mass killing at a bar along with an attack at a livestock farm or where she had worked, according to court documents. The filings said the couple traveled to Colorado in August to see Columbine High School, where two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher in 1999. Lecron exchanged letters with the man convicted in the South Carolina church shooting, federal authorities said. Prosecutors described how Elizabeth Lecron had a fascination with perpetrators of mass killings and aspired to follow in their footsteps in court documents filed Monday. While they were away over the summer, the FBI searched their home in Toledo and said they found an AK-47, a shotgun, multiple handguns and large amounts of ammunition. Charleston shooting suspect Dylann Roof is escorted from the Shelby Police Dept. Thursday, June 18, 2015. Lecron had been corresponding with Roof and the two exchanged letters Video capture: Columbine high school shooters Eric Harris (L) and Dylan Klebold appear in this video capture of a surveillance tape released by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department in the cafeteria at Columbine High School April 20, 1999 in Littleton, CO. The filings said the Ohio couple traveled to Colorado in August to see Columbine High School, where the two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher Lecron was arrested this week when she bought supplies for a bomb after undercover agents told her they wanted to blow up a pipeline, documents said. Armstrong then spoke with investigators and first denied discussing plans to launch an attack or buying material that could be used to make a bomb. He later changed his story after agents told him they had searched his home again Monday, documents said. That search, agents said, turned up an AK-47, shotgun and handgun. Armstrong told investigators that he and Lecron had talked about an attack at a bar and that he bought parts for a bomb in May and printed instructions to make one, documents said. Former Principle Dean Stearns (above) pleaded guilty on Tuesday to filming underage girls shower, change and go to the bathroom in his home last year, in Sharon, Vermont A former ex-principal of a Vermont high school has pleaded guilty to secretly filming underage girls showering, getting changed and going to the bathroom in his home, a court heard on Tuesday. Dean Stearns, 56, of Sharon, Vermont, entered a guilty plea to two felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, after he recorded video of two students at his home in 2017. The former principal of the South Royalton School also pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts of voyeurism for secretly observing and taking pictures of five other students staying in the spare room at his home. He initially pleaded not guilty when the charges were brought against him in May, but later made a plea deal with prosecutors. Stearns initially denied the charges in March, but later made a plea deal with prosecutors. His five victims all ranged in age between 14 and 17 (Pictured Stearns in court, in White River Junction, Vermont on December 11) Stearns was the principal of South Royalton High School when he was charged last year. He stepped down from his post on December 1, 2017 Stearns was first arrested last year after a 16-year-old girl staying at his Sharon residence called the police believing she was being videotaped, on November 30, 2017. Police say the girl noticed something strange about a phone charger given to her by the defendant. Plugging the device into her laptop, the girl found images of herself in the bathroom of Stearns' spare room. She immediately alerted an adult who contacted the police, it was revealed. The same student, who stayed with the defendant and his wife for around four months, also reportedly invited female foreign exchange students over to visit during her stay. Stearns is also believed to have utilized their visits to capture more sordid images and video of young girls. According to court documents, Stearns An investigation launched by the Vermont State Police Technology Investigation Unit in November 2017 discovered additional devices storing photos and videos of four other victims, between 14 and 17 years old. In total, police discovered 205 picture and video files of partially or completely nude teenage girls showering, changing or using the bathroom in his home. Some of the files had been stored in 'work-related' folders, the court heard. During a police interview, Stearns admitted to officers that he bought a fake phone charger, alarm clock and night light online, with each coming installed with hidden cameras. According to court files, he placed the devices in his bathroom and spare bedroom in October 2017. As the investigation intensified, Stearns stepped down from his role of principle on December 1 last year, surrendering his teaching license a month later. The defendant remained silent for most of the trial, aside from answering a few of the judge's questions. He will face a maximum sentence of 15 years , serving five in prison and 10 suspended as part of his plea deal The defendant chose not the speak for the majority of the trial, aside from answering a few questions from Judge Timothy Tomasi. He will face maximum sentence of 15 years, serving five years in jail and 10 suspended as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. 'I hope that the message to the community is that the wheels of justice may move slowly but they do move steadily forward and the state took this conduct very seriously,' said Deputy Windsor County State's Attorney Heidi Remick. 'It understands that this is a devastating abuse of privacy and abuse of trust and that will be part of the states argument at sentencing, when we ask for a substantial period of time to serve as part of the resolution.' A Florida man has broken down in court as he testified about killing his lover's husband, who was also his childhood friend, as part of an alleged plot so she could get a $1.75 million insurance payout. Brian Winchester tearfully testified on Tuesday about his long-running affair with Denise Williams who he later married after her husband Mike Williams died in 2000. Prosecutors have argued that Williams, with the help of Winchester, planned Mike's slaying when he vanished while duck hunting on a lake near Tallahassee 18 years ago so they could be together. Initially it was believed that he had fallen from his boat and that his body had been devoured by alligators. It was revealed years later that Williams had died from a shotgun blast to the head and had been buried near a lake. Brian Winchester tearfully testified on Tuesday about his long-running affair with Denise Williams who he later married after her husband Mike Williams died in 2000 Winchester confessed last year to the cold case murder, which resulted in Williams arrest in May on murder, fraud, conspiracy and accessory after the fact charges. During the first day of the trial, Winchester detailed how he and Williams allegedly plotted the murder during their three-year affair. Winchester told the court that his friend Mike told him Williams had stopped having sex with him and that he was growing suspicious about her activities. He said the growing suspicion and the fact that one of Mike's insurance policies was about to lapse led him and Denise to kill him. 'We knew our window of opportunity was closing,' Winchester testified. At the time of his death Mike had three life insurance policies worth $1.75 million, which Winchester reportedly helped him write. Winchester then tearfully described the plot to kill Williams. He had invited Mike duck hunting on a cold December morning and Winchester said he had intended to drown him by pushing him from his canoe. But he said he panicked when he saw Williams struggling in the water to get out of his jacket and duck waders and shot him. Florida prosecutors contended on Tuesday that Denise Williams planned the 2000 slaying of her husband Mike Williams so she could get a $1.75 million insurance payout 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 'He started to yell and I didn't know how to get out of that situation. I had my gun in the boat, and so I loaded my gun and I just made one or two circles around and I ended up circling closer towards him and he was in the water, and as I passed by, I shot him,' he said. Denise's 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 He said he dragged Williams' body back to shore, put him in his truck and buried him hours later. 'When I shot him, it was dark and there was a bright flash,' Winchester testified, adding later, 'I had to make it happen, I had no choice.' He also described helping the rescue crews search for his friend's body. 'I think (my father and I) were the last ones. My dad didn't want to give up... He loved Mike.' The first day of the trial ended before attorneys for Williams had a chance to cross-examine him. Williams eventually went on to marry Winchester five years after her husband's death but their relationship soured and they later divorced. Mike's body wasn't found until last year after prosecutors offered him immunity in the murder case while he was being sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping Williams at gunpoint. Williams had filed for divorce from Winchester in 2015 but he feared he would tell authorities about his involvement in his friend's murder. 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 Denise, pictured with her daughter in a photo shared to Instagram by Mike's mother, is currently on trial for her first husband's 2000 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. Authorities found Mike's body and Williams 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.' 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.' 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 before they divorced in 2016. Advertisement Britain faces a long and desperately cold winter as an El Nino phenomenon causes a 'polar vortex' to form over the UK. Freezing temperatures are expected throughout the country as volatile weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean cause a sudden plunge in the mercury. If the 'polar vortex' takes hold of the UK then it could bring with it strong winds. The polar vortex is a circulation of winds high up in the stratosphere, up to 30 miles (50 km) above the earth. The winds can regularly exceed 155 miles per hour at their peak. An El Nino event, which is when there is a warming of the ocean surface every few years, is causing hot air to rise in the west of the Pacific, which in turn forces frosty and dry air to drift through to the British Isles. Forecasters believe that this colder air will hit the UK in the second half of winter, with temperatures set to start tumbling after Christmas. Tonight is set to be a chilly commute for workers (left), with the Met Office forecasting that snow is likely to fall this weekend with temperatures plummeting to below freezing across the UK Previous polar vortex's across the world have caused water to freeze over. In 2014 Niagra Falls had frozen over after a polar vortex hit The Met Office is forecasting that snow is likely to fall this weekend with temperatures plummeting to below freezing across the UK. A low pressure weather system developing in the Atlantic is set to clash with cold air across the UK, which could see rainfall turning to snow in some parts. The Met Office said there was still uncertainty about how far the snow could extend into southern parts of England but between 10cm and 20cm of snow is predicted across the Scottish Highlands and northern England. The Met Office has said there is still an uncertainty about how far the snow is set to extend in southern parts of England An image of the Chicago skyline in 2014 during a polar vortex. Steam can be seen rising from Lake Michigan People take pictures of the frozen waters of the Washington Channel on January 8, 2014. A polar vortex swept the city A forecaster from the Met Office said: 'Across central and eastern parts it will be colder than average, looking at highs between four and six degrees by day. 'At night time, we'll see temperatures hitting freezing tonight and then see temperatures drop below freezing tomorrow.' Central England and Wales could see nighttime temperatures plummet to -7C (19.4F), forecasters said. A low pressure weather system developing in the Atlantic is set to clash with cold air across the UK, which could see rainfall turning to snow in some parts through the next few days (pictured) The Washington Channel can be seen in this picture frozen over after a polar vortex swept the east coast in 2014 High winds are also expected to sweep across the country, reaching between 40mph and 45mph. Forecasters said the winds will ease for a time on Friday but pick up again over the weekend due to the low pressure system. Forecasters said the North East of England was likely to see adverse weather conditions due to the boundary of warm and cold air. It is anticipated the Met Office on Thursday will issue initial warnings of rain, sleet and snow for affected areas. 'We'll see things turn a bit colder as we go through to the end of the week, Friday will be a cold day,' the Met Office said. Looking ahead to the festive period, forecasters said the weather had the potential to be unsettled. Google staffers are told to disallow 'second tier' workers access to meetings, training and other perks, according to a report by the Guardian, which obtained internal Google memos. The guide, which outlines how TVCs (Temps, Vendors and Contractors) should be treated by FTEs (Full Time Employees), says even simple gestures such as gifting T-shirts as a reward for work well done, should be disallowed. The Guardian reports that the training document, titled The ABCs of TVCs, states 'Working with TVCs and Googlers is different. Our policies exist because TVC working arrangements can carry significant risks.' An overwhelming portion of the Google workforce is made up of TVCs. Of the tech giant's the worldwide workforce of 170,000 employees, 49.95 per cent are TVCs. Almost half of the 170,000 world wide workforce at Google is made up of TVC's No swag for you: As part of an internal memo by Google, full time employees are directed to not give things like t-shirts and other swag to TVCs as a reward for a job well done In November, the employees held a massive walk-out, with one of the demands being to end forced arbitration in sexual harassment claims. That ask was quickly acquiesced to by the tech giant, but only for FTEs. In an open letter to Google published on December 5, the organizers of the walkout addressed Google's CEO Sundar Pichai and signed 'TVCs at Google,' the complaints ranged from different treatment, lower wages and minimal benefits. Moreover the complaint focused on the specific instance of the shooting at YouTube. 'Google routinely denies TVCs access to information that is relevant to our jobs and our lives.' 'When the tragic shooting occurred at YouTube in April of this year, the company sent real-time security updates to full-time employees only, leaving TVCs defenseless in the line of fire. TVCs were then excluded from a town hall discussion the following day.' Google had disputed the letter's account of the shooting, saying that either they or the direct employers of TVC's provided guidance to the individuals the day of the shooting. During a massive walkout in November one of the demands was to end forced arbitration for sexual harassment- that demand was met, but only for full time employees The tech giant also says they provided post-shooting resources such as counseling to those TVCs effected. 'We hire Google employees to work on jobs that are core to our business, and look to temps, vendors and contractors when we either don't have the expertise or infrastructure ourselves, or when we need temporary help due to employee leaves or short-term projects,' a Google spokesperson said in a statement to the DailyMail.com. 'Temps, vendors and contractors are an important part of our extended workforce, but they are employed by other companies, not Google. 'Our Supplier Code of Conduct holds companies accountable for providing their employees with a safe and inclusive work environment,' the statement concluded. Maurice Spagnoletti, 57, was murdered because he was investigating improper bank transactions, US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez said The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday that four suspected drug traffickers have been charged with the high-profile 2011 killing of a New Jersey banking executive slain in a drive-by shooting on one of Puerto Rico's busiest highways. Maurice Spagnoletti, 57, was murdered because he was investigating improper bank transactions, US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez told The Associated Press. It's also claimed the group would wear amulets and conduct religious ceremonies before committing crimes. The revelation came after his widow sued Doral Bank in 2013 claiming her husband was killed because he uncovered fraud and had fired an employee for embezzlement. She later withdrew the lawsuit when the bank laughed off the accusations. She wasn't the only one who was thinking along the right lines. Former executives told Bloomberg Business Week in 2016 that those high up at the organization got a Santeria priest to perform rituals in the boardroom so they had supernatural protection. 'The company was being used for a money-laundering vehicle,' Rodriguez-Velez said. 'Spagnoletti became an encumbrance. So they had him killed.' US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez announced Wednesday that four people were charged for the drive-by shooting, of Spagnoletti (right with his wife and daughter) Luis 'Canito Cumbre' Carmona-Bernacet, Yadiel 'Motombo' Serrano-Canales, Alex 'Yogui' Burgos-Amaro and Rolando Rivera-Solis were charged with use of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking that resulted in Spagnoletti's death. A jury said they counseled each other to carry a firearm, in turn aiding and abetting Spagnoletti's murder as he drove home from work on Highway 22 near the Minillas tunnel at 7.10pm on June 15, 2011. Suspect Rivera-Solis owned a cleaning company that had received millions of dollars under a maintenance contract with the bank that Spagnoletti had canceled as part of his investigation because he found the amount 'outlandish'. Maintenance and service companies were allegedly used as a guise to further the illegal goals of the group. The owner of the cleaning company served as head of the Santeria group that the alleged drug traffickers relied on to protect their organization, Rodriguez said. The New Jersey dad who was questioning accounting practices at the bank The US Attorney told AP that details pertaining to the contract will be shared at trial as part of evidence presented. Authorities said the suspects are members of an organization responsible for at least two other killings. Carmona-Bernacet is charged with Spagnoletti's murder, as well as killing William Castro on December 30, 2002, and Rene Cruz on December 6, 2006. It was not immediately clear if the suspects had attorneys. The investigation in the Spagnoletti case is ongoing. 'We believe there are other people that might be involved, and we are going after them,' Rodriguez-Velez added to AP. Rodriguez-Velez said the group are 'the leaders and key members of this violent gang, who are responsible for at least three murders'. She continued in a statement: 'Todays charges prove our continuing commitment to remove armed, violent criminals from our neighborhoods and bring them to justice. Notwithstanding the indictment returned by the grand jury, as to the murder of Maurice Spagnoletti, the investigation continues.' The attorney said Spagnoletti (pictured right with his wife and daughter) 'became an encumbrance so they had him killed' The defendants each face a minimum sentence of 15 years. The punishment is from 10 years up to life in prison for the drug conspiracy charge, and from five years up to life in prison for the firearm charges. For the murder of Spagnoletti, the defendants could face imprisonment for any number of years or a life sentence. Spagnoletti had moved with his wife to Puerto Rico in 2010, eight months before the killing the following summer. He had worked in South Carolina, Indiana and Pennsylvania before his final move. Now she runs a handbags and accessories foundation named Lucy's Gift, to raise money in her husband's memory. 'Respectfully, nothing brings my husband back, but what I feel today is a feeling of pride to be an American,' Marisa Spagnoletti said in an interview after the announcement. 'Every single American should know that these men and women protect us, and my faith in them was warranted all along. My message to criminals is that good conquers evil.' Authorities are investigating whether more people could be involved. Spagnoletti had moved with wife Marissa (left) to Puerto Rico in 2010, eight months before the June 2011 killing Four of six suspects detained in connection to an alleged drug trafficking circle were already in prison on other charges. Two others were arrested at their homes in northern Puerto Rico early Wednesday. Alan Lugo and Fabiany Almestica were also detained as part of the six people accused of having 'intentionally possessed with intent to distribute crack, cocaine, and marijuana' in the San Juan, Trujillo Alto, Guaynabo, and Bayamon municipalities between 2000 and 2014. It's alleged the ring had distribution points at public housing facilities. In 2015, four years after the murder, Doral Bank was bought by Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and others. The collapse was believed to be one of the biggest banking failures in the United States since 2010. Douglas Leff, FBI special agent in charge for San Juan since 2015, had offered a $20,000 reward for anyone who could help catch those responsible for the banker's death. He said in a statement Wednesday: 'The prosecutors and investigators assigned to this case were unwavering in their tireless dedication to see that these brutal murders would not go unsolved. 'While the unimaginable pain of the family members of these victims can never be resolved, the justice system will ensure that those responsible pay dearly for their willingness to kill another human being in furtherance of their own greed.' The idea of a film completely based around the DC Comics superhero Aquaman was once so preposterous to Hollywood that it became a running joke on Entourage. Fast-forward more than a decade later and Aquaman is a $350million movie set to be released in more than 40 countries on Friday. Aquaman's premiere is a long time coming for the superhero film, which has been in development since 2004. But was it worth the wait? The reviews are in - and they're mixed. While critics couldn't get enough of the gorgeous underwater world Aquaman has envisioned, they got more than enough of the film itself - which clocks in at a whopping 143 minutes. The reviews for Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa, are in - and they're mixed. While critics couldn't get enough of the gorgeous underwater, they got more than enough of the long film 'It's kind of a shock that it doesn't suck,' writes Variety. 'But only if you're willing to sit through two hours of waterlogged world-building before the movie finally takes off.' Aquaman follows the journey of Arthur Curry, a half-human who returns to his mother's kingdom of Atlantis to stop his brother from waging war against the surface-dwellers for polluting the ocean. The film, directed by James Wan, is packed with stars including Games of Thrones actor Jason Momoa, as well as Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, and Willem Dafoe. Critics agree that Momoa proves himself to be a successful leading man, with the Los Angeles Times praising his ability to be 'both fierce and funny'. 'He's capable of holding a trident like he means business, as well as delivering a string of verbal zingers,' it adds. Critics agree that Momoa proves himself to be a successful leading man, one that can be both 'fierce and funny'. They also praised his chemistry with co-star Amber Heard (pictured) Momoa is credited for adding some life to the film's lengthy running time, with the Hollywood Reporter writing that his 'devil-may-care attitude makes the narrative's long haul much easier to bear'. 'There is scarcely a scene in Aquaman that couldn't have benefited from the fun sense of wit and surprise that Momoa delivers more or less on his own,' it adds. Unlike Momoa, the film's screenplay won no fans among the critics, with Variety calling it 'anything but elegant'. It warns that the film is full of 'eye-rolling lines' that 'make the dialogue contained in your average comic book...sound almost Shakespearean by comparison'. 'If you want a real movie with real characters using something beyond a third-grade vocabulary...Aquaman will be a very trying two and a half hours,' the Hollywood Reporter adds. IndieWire's critic, who gave Aquaman a 'C' grade, said the film imitates Marvel's Thor 'to an embarrassing degree' and was hobbled by its 'messy screenplay' and 'paper-thin characters'. Aquaman has also been criticized for packing far too many fight scenes that feel 'driven by a sense of obligation more than the glee of inspiration' A common note when it comes to superhero films, Aquaman is also criticized for packing far too many fight scenes that feel 'driven by a sense of obligation more than the glee of inspiration'. 'It throws everything at us except an undersea kitchen sink,' the Los Angeles Times writes. '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.' But even the critics couldn't help but be impressed when it came to the 'colorful, vibrant ocean fantasy' that Wan and his team have created. 'The production designers have outdone themselves here imagining an astonishing other world beneath the ocean's surface,' Variety writes. Aquaman's 'fantastic set designs' are 'brimming with detail...creating a sense of overwhelming, beautiful hopelessness,' a critic for The Wrap adds. 'It's a world where anything can happen, and it always looks amazing when it does.' Even the critics couldn't help but be impressed when it came to the 'colorful, vibrant ocean fantasy' that director James Wan and his team have created 'Wan's film pushes too far sometimes, but thats because it's pushing as hard as it can. Aquaman does nothing by halves, ultimately reaping the rewards and occasionally suffering some consequences.' IndieWire also praises Aquaman for having one of the 'greatest openings' in the superhero film cannon, while Variety notes that film 'kicks up a level' before the finale. 'The film saves a series of satisfying surprises for the climactic stretch, thrilling audiences before they leave the theater,' it adds. Aquaman may not have the splashiest reviews, but that probably won't matter. The film has already nabbed a 75 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and racked in $94million during just the first three days of its world premiere in China. Maybe Entourage's longest joke will actually become reality after all. A former kitchen worker at an Oregon prison is accused of having sex with an inmate for a month while she was working for the state corrections department. Kimberly Ann Porter of Hermiston worked at Two Rivers Correctional Institution in Umatilla as a food services coordinator from November 3 2014 until she resigned on August 3, according to Department of Corrections communication manager Jennifer Black. She is accused of having sex with inmate Buford Thomas Harper, 32, between April 1 and May 22. Kimberly Ann Porter (left) faces a misdemeanor charge for having sex with prisoner Buford Thomas Harper (right) while she worked in the kitchen at Two Rivers Correctional Institution She had worked at the facility since August 2014 but resigned in August for an undisclosed reason Porter is a mother and also has pictures of her grandchildren on her Facebook page. She posted on social media that she had quit her job at Oregon Department of Corrections. Her profile also states that she is married to a man called David Porter. On Friday, Morrow County Sheriffs Office arrested Porter, 52, on a warrant after she skipped her arraignment on November 20. Deputies booked her into the Umatilla County Jail in Pendleton. She has since been released from jail, according to staff. Harper, 32, of Canyonville, is serving 25 years for murder. He teamed up with two other men to rob William Bruton, 57, of his medical marijuana at his home near Myrtle Creek in Douglas County. In 2014 Harper pleaded guilty to killing Bruton. According to court documents, Harper and his accomplices, William Christopher Aguayo and Jarrad Ramsey went to Brutons home to rob his marijuana in October 2013. Kimberly Porter is married to David and has family pictures of their grandchildren on Facebook Harper told police he repeatedly struck Bruton in the head while trying to restrain him during the robbery. Aguayo told police he was in and out of the room while Buford was beating Bruton. Harper was in custody on an unrelated matter when he asked to speak to detectives and admitted to accidentally killing Bruton during the robbery, Oregon station KVAL reported at the time. Harper, 32, of Canyonville, is serving 25 years for the murder of William Bruton in 2013 Harper told authorities that Aguayo and one of the other men also struck Bruton. When Harper realized Bruton stopped breathing, he tried to do CPR before the men took the marijuana and left. He is due to be released in 2040. A British artist who was jailed three times for fooling some of the country's top art experts with forgeries of famous masterpieces is staging an exhibition of his 'fake' work. Max Brandrett - dubbed Max the Forger - has copied hundreds of paintings, including masterpieces by Italian artist Carvaggio and a portrait for the Kray twins - before trying to pass them off as originals. British artist Max Brandrett,70, who was jailed three times for forging famous masterpieces is staging an exhibition of his 'fake' work His most profitable piece was a copy of Clarkson Stanton's Dover shipping scene which sold to a private buyer in Birmingham for 12,000. But after spending three years behind bars, Max, 70, said he would 'not do it again' and hopes to gain respect as an artist in his own right at his new 'Fakes' Progress' exhibition. He said: 'It's ironic to think I spent three years in prison for selling fake paintings and now people are coming to marvel at my work. 'Many of my paintings must be hanging on people's walls who are none the wiser. 'I was a bit naughty - I never told people where they were from, I left it to them to decide. 'Those were hard times 35 years ago and we did what we had to do but I wouldn't do it again now. 'I think now, I'm just looking for respect for the skill involved in what I do.' A forgery of a piece of work by Jack Vettriano which is featuring in Max's exhibition Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's, The Taking of Christ was forged by Max. The copy is featuring in the exhibition Max's copy of Girl with the Pearl Earring by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer is one of the pieces being showcased in the exhibition Max left Barnardo's children's home to join the circus aged 15, where he groomed the elephants for two years and painted the trucks which prompted him to study art. He was inspired to forge paintings while busking in London where he bumped into Tom Keatings - the most famous forger of the 20th Century. Max, from Burgess Hill, East Sussex, said: 'I was busking to earn money but I wasn't all that good - I only knew two songs so I had to keep moving around. 'I had some paintings on the floor at Portobello Road where I met Tom Keatings. 'He came up to me and said 'your singing is rubbish but where did you get your pictures from?' 'We talked and I've been forging ever since.' Max was also approached by the Kray gangsters who asked him to copy a painting of their mother. He said: 'This kiddie came up to me and asked me to do a 'smudge' of a woman of about 60. 'I turned up with it at a pub in London and standing at the bar was Ronnie Kray, then there was Reggie was on the seat and Frankie Fraser in the corner. 'I sat in-between the Kray twins and Ronnie said 'that's mum, it's bloody marvellous - I'll give you two for it.' 'I thought he meant two quid but no - it was 200.' Max is now focusing on what he calls 'fake but legit' works which are on display at his exhibition at a former Barnardo's charity shop - entitled 'Fakes' Progress.' He said: 'It's quite apt really because I started in Barnardo's as a child and I have ended up at an ex-Barnardo's shop for my exhibition. 'This is the first time I am exhibiting my work and I am all legit now - I don't do 'iffy' ones anymore.' The master forger prefers working on detailed paintings he finds challenging to recreate. He added he did a 'pretty good job of a Carvaggio' he hopes to sell for 2,500 - while an original would fetch around 200 million. He said: 'There are so many Lowry and impressionist fakes floating around - you can pick up a good Van Gogh for a few quid abroad. 'But I like to be challenged and prefer doing battle scenes, ships and animals such as horses at the races.' The Carvaggio copy is displayed at Max's exhibition at Unit 52 in Burgess Hill along with canvases in the style of modern artists Jack Vettriano and Norman Rockwell and runs until December 20. Forger Max is also filming for a documentary about his 'colourful life' which he hopes will air next year. Two cannibals, one of which was found carrying a bag with a human hand and a leg inside, have been jailed for life in South Africa. One of the cannibals told officers when he turned himself into police that he was 'tired of eating human flesh'. Nino Mbatha, 33, and Lungisani Magubane, 32, were jailed for life today for the murder of Zanele Hlatshwayo. Mbatha, said to be a 'traditional healer', was arrested after handing himself in at a police station in Estcourt, a town in KwaZulu-Natal province last year. He was carrying a bag containing a human leg and a hand, telling officers he was 'tired of eating human flesh'. Police refused to believe his claims until he took officers to a house where more body parts were found. 'Traditional healer' Nino Mbatha (pictured) and accomplice Lungisani Magubane were jailed for life for the murder in KwaZulu-Natal province last year Victim Zanele Hlatshwayo was murdered and decapitated as part of a 'muthi' ritual killing performed by witch doctors to bring good luck Sitting at the Pietermaritzburg High Court, judge Peter Olsen, said the pair were guilty of 'the most heinous crime', the Witness newspaper said. The court heard that Ms Hlatshwayo had been beheaded by Mbatha who, with the help of Magubane, removed her internal organs, hands and feet in order to gain luck through 'muthi' - a term for traditional medicine in parts of southern Africa. Mbatha was said to have instructed Magubane to eat the 24-year-old woman's flesh for 'good luck', before claiming he was forced into cannibalism. At earlier hearings in Estcourt, angry residents gathered outside the courthouse to protest against the grisly murder. South Africa has no direct law against cannibalism, but mutilating a corpse and being in possession of human tissue are criminal offences. Lungisani Magubane, 32, were jailed for life today along with Nino Mbatha at Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal The house in the village of Esigodlweni where the murder was said to have taken place. One of the suspects turned himself in at a South African police station, saying he was 'tired of eating human flesh' A third man was acquitted today, with seven people initially arrested during the investigation. A fourth man arrested and charged, Sithembiso Sithole, 31, died in prison after apparently killing himself while awaiting trial. The trio of men were arrested after Mbatha went to police and more remains were found in a nearby house, leading to the discovery of a woman's mutilated body, who was also said to have been raped. After a meeting was held in the village of Esigodlweni, home to just 971 people, it emerged almost a third of the population had been digging up graves or eating residents. In the aftermath of the arrests, villagers gathered in the community hall allegedly admitted tasting human flesh. Two of the men initially arrested were said to be witch doctors, or traditional healers, and a third was on parole from jail at the time of the killing. Sithembiso Sithole who was arrested and charged in connection with the investigation, died in prison after apparently killing himself while awaiting trial Estcourt police station in KwaZulu-Natal where Nino Mbatha handed himself in and angry protesters gathered during the trial Community members were also said to have dug up graves under the orders of Mbatha to give him the bones. When police were investigating officers discovered eight ears in a pot, local councillor Mthembeni Majola told the media. People with albinism in some African countries are particularly at risk of 'muti' killings due to the belief held by some that their body parts impart power and health to those who eat them. A man Durban was found with a human head in his backpack last July, as he was thought to be attempting to sell the head to a witch doctor. The mother of Madeleine McCann has urged parents of missing children to 'never give up' as she reveals how she hopes 'tomorrow is the day' something leads her back to her daughter. Kate McCann was speaking at a carol service on Monday in London for missing people and comes as she prepares for her twelfth Christmas without her daughter. Maddie disappeared as a toddler from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007. Kate McCann (left) was speaking at a carol service on Monday in London for missing people. Her daughter Maddie disappeared as a toddler from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007 Kate and Gerry McCann during an interview with the BBC's Fiona Bruce last year Speaking at the carol service, The Sun reports how Ms McCann said: 'Just maybe tomorrow will be the day we find something to lead us back to Madeleine and to know what happened. 'It gives us hope. Never give up hope.' While at the service held in St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, Ms McCann also lit candles for those missing. The probe into Maddie's disappearance was granted 150,000 more funding by the Home Office in March. More than 11million has been spent so far on the probe to find the missing girl, who vanished 11-and-a-half years ago, and the investigation has repeatedly come under fire. Since being launched in May 2011, officers have sifted (and translated) 40,000 documents produced by Portuguese police who conducted the initial investigation, and by the eight teams of private detectives who have worked on the case. Some 600 'persons of interest' have been examined and 'sightings' of Madeleine in Brazil, India, Morocco and Paraguay, on a German plane and in a New Zealand supermarket assessed. More than 11million has been spent so far on the probe to find the missing girl, who vanished 11-and-a-half years ago. Her parents Kate and Gerry McCann are seen here holding an image of their daughter The toddler disappeared from the Praia da Luz resort (pictured) after her parents left her to have dinner with friends The Portuguese investigation of Madeleine's disappearance was criticised by the British authorities as being not fit for purpose. Detectives believe she was stolen by child traffickers, sex fiends or during a burglary gone wrong. In May, her parents posted a poignant tribute to mark their daughter's 15th birthday - telling her: 'We love you and we're waiting for you and we're never going to give up.' Gerry and his wife Kate wrote 'Happy 15th Birthday Madeleine!' on the official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page. The message accompanied a cherished last photo of her as a three-year-old, smiling under a wide-brimmed sun hat and is posted alongside a green and yellow ribbon symbolising hope, strength and solidarity. The teenager stabbed to death during a fight in south east London on Tuesday evening has been named by police as Jay Sewell, 18, as five are held over his murder. Jay, of Welling, Kent, was attacked in Lee near Lewisham around 9.50pm before being taken to hospital where he died - making him the 125th murder victim in the capital this year. A man and a woman in their 50 are among those arrested on suspicion of his murder. A 22-year-old man, 29-year-old woman, and a 31-year-old man have also been arrested. The teenager stabbed to death during a fight in south east London on Tuesday evening has been named as Jay Sewell, 18 Detectives from The Met's homicide and major crime command, led by Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, are investigating. DCI Harding said: "We are at the very early stages of our investigation into this tragic murder. "We urgently need to hear from anyone who saw what happened in Alwold Crescent. "We have already spoken to a number of people as part of our initial enquiries, but we would like to hear from anyone who lives near the scene who saw anything that might assist our investigation to contact us. "Did you see either group going to and from the scene? Did you see the fight? Perhaps you saw something after the incident that in retrospect may be linked. "We would urge you to get in touch right away." Another 18-year-old male, of Kent, also suffered stab injuries in the incident and was taken to hospital but has since been discharged. Police were called to reports of armed youths in the street. How many homicides have hit the capital in the last decade? These are the Home Office figures for police-recorded homicides in London from the Metropolitan and City forces. The figures listed below do not include those who died in terrorist attacks. 2009 - 131 2010 - 124 2011 - 119 2012 - 105 2013 - 107 2014 - 94 2015 - 122 2016 - 111 2017 - 118 2018 - 125 Advertisement Scotland Yard said: 'Detectives investigating the murder of an 18-year-old male in Greenwich can now name the victim as Jay Sewell, 18, from Kent. 'Jay was attacked at Alwold Crescent, Lee, at around 9.50pm on Tuesday, 11 December. 'Officers attended. A short while later Jay and a second male, also aged 18, attended a south London hospital suffering from stab injuries. 'Jay sadly died in hospital. His family has been informed. 'We await the findings of a post-mortem examination. 'The second male was treated in hospital and has since been discharged. His injuries were not deemed to be life threatening or life changing. The murder tally in the capital is the largest number in a calendar year since 2009, when there were 131. In 2018 there have been 72 deaths involving a knife, 13 involving a gun, one involving a knife and a gun and one a crossbow. Just over a third of victims, 44, were aged 16 to 24, of whom 10 were shot, 32 were stabbed and one was killed in an attack involving a knife and gun. Twenty-five of the victims were aged 19 and under, six of whom were shot and 16 of whom were stabbed. Earlier this month Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick insisted the tide was turning against knife and gun offences, although she admitted it would take time to tackle the 180 violent gangs in London who drag children into crime. The force released figures that showed in September, October and November this year there were 176 fewer victims of knife crime with injury aged under 25 than in the same three months in 2017, a 31 per cent reduction. It comes after Aron Warren, 18, was found with fatal wounds at a flat in Greenwich, south east London, last Saturday night following reports of a stabbing. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: 'While we continue to work to piece together the events that led to Aron's murder, I would appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity of Topham House in Prior Street from around 9:15pm on Saturday 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.' Police cordon off the road in Lee, south-east London, today as they investigate the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old male Officers investigate in Lee, south-east London, where an 18-year-old has been stabbed to death in the capital's 125th killing this year Earlier this month Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick insisted the tide was turning against knife and gun offences, although she admitted it would take time to tackle the 180 violent gangs in London who drag children into crime. How many homicides have hit the capital in the last decade? These are the Home Office figures for police-recorded homicides in London from the Metropolitan and City forces. The figures listed below do not include those who died in terrorist attacks. 2009 - 131 2010 - 124 2011 - 119 2012 - 105 2013 - 107 2014 - 94 2015 - 122 2016 - 111 2017 - 118 2018 - 125 Advertisement The force released figures that showed in September, October and November this year there were 176 fewer victims of knife crime with injury aged under 25 than in the same three months in 2017, a 31 per cent reduction. It comes after Aron Warren, 18, was found with fatal wounds at a flat in Greenwich, south east London, last Saturday night following reports of a stabbing. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: 'While we continue to work to piece together the events that led to Aron's murder, I would appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity of Topham House in Prior Street from around 9:15pm on Saturday 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.' Police are investigating in Lee, south-east London, today after a teenager was stabbed to death in the capitals 125th killing since January Officers have cordoned off a road in Lee, south-east London, as they were today pictured investigating the death of an 18-year-old male A 17-year-old lad arrested in connection with Aron's murder has since been released, and police say he will face no further action. A total of 26 teenagers were murdered in London last year, the most since 2008, 20 of whom were fatally stabbed. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi cut a deal with dissident Democrats to lock up the speakership they wanted to deny her but the agreement would see her out of leadership in four years. The deal paves the way for Pelosi to be speaker of the House - and President Donald Trump's top Democratic foe in Congress - when the Jan. 3 roll call vote for speaker takes place. It's a major victory for the Democratic leader and returns her to the number two in line for the presidency eight years after she lost the speaker's gavel. The limits on her return to power come as the price Democratic rebels demanded in payment for their support. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi cut a deal with dissident Democrats to put her back in the speaker's chair Her street cred rose after she stood firm to President Trump in Tuesday's Oval Office meeting Seven of the Democrats rebelling against her released a joint statement Tuesday night endorsing her for speaker. 'We wish to thank Nancy Pelosi for her willingness to work with us to reach this agreement,' they said. 'We are proud that our agreement will make lasting institutional change that will strengthen our caucus and will help develop the next generation of Democratic leaders. We will support and vote for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House in the 116th Congress.' Under the agreement, Pelosi will not retaliate against the dissidents, sources told Politico. As speaker, she could make their lives miserable by keeping them off powerful committees and refusing to move their legislation to the House floor. The rebels pushed her to promise no retaliation, calling for 'fair treatment' of her critics. Pelosi became first female speaker of the House in 2007 only to lose power in 2011 when Democrats lost the lower chamber. After Democrats picked up 40 House seats in November, a new generation of lawmakers - many of whom wouldn't say on the campaign trail if they'd vote for Pelosi for speaker - pushed for a change in leadership to bring about a fresh face to challenge Trump. Under the agreement to keep her in power, top Democratic leaders would only be allowed to serve for three terms in the party's top three leadership positions. An extension of that would require a two-thirds majority in the Democratic Caucus. The new rules would apply retroactively, meaning the top three leaders in the Democratic Party - Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn would all fall under them and could not serve in their leadership slots beyond 2020 without approval of two-thirds of House Democrats. 'Over the summer, I made it clear that I see myself as a bridge to the next generation of leaders, a recognition of my continuing responsibility to mentor and advance new Members into positions of power and responsibility in the House Democratic Caucus,' Pelosi, 78, said in a statement Wednesday night announcing the deal. 'For some time, there have been a number of conversations to advance a proposal to institute term limits for senior leadership positions in our Caucus,' she added. The rules change will be brought before House Democrats for a vote by Feb. 15th. However Pelosi said she will abide by them whether the party passes them or not. 'I am comfortable with the proposal and it is my intention to abide by it whether it passes or not,' she said in her statement. Pelosi came into leadership negotiations with a strong hand: she is a prolific fundraiser for Democrats, one of the best vote counters to serve in Congress and known to rule her conference with an iron fist in her velvet glove. But her street cred rose after she stood firm to President Donald Trump in Tuesday's shocking Oval Office meeting that devolved into the president, Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer shouting at each other over funding for the president's billion-dollar border wall. She kept her composure during the ruckus, which began after she pointedly told the president to keep the government open to avoid a 'Trump shutdown.' 'A what,' Trump said. 'A Trump shutdown,' she replied. And her conversation with him echoed an argument she's made with Democrats about why she should be speaker - that it's valuable to have a woman at the table. The president seemed to refer to her leadership battle when he said: 'Nancy's in a situation where it's not easy for her to talk right now, and I understand, and I fully understand that.' 'Please don't characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting,' she responded. Adding to her cachet, when Pelosi departed the White House, she put on her sunglasses, a move that became subject to a thousand internet memes. The meeting to finalize the leadership deal with the dissident Dems took place in Pelosi's office in the Capitol, shortly after her showdown with Trump, The Washington Post reported. Pelosi would be limited in her return to power - only able to serve as speaker for four years Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House in 2007 One stumbling block to the deal could be Hoyer, 79, who would see his dreams of being speaker get dashed under the deal. 'She's not negotiating for me,' he told reporters in the Capitol. 'I'm not for term limits. Is anybody confused? I am not for term limits. I am not for term limits,' he enunciated. Pelosi, Hoyer, and Clyburn, 78, have sat atop House Democrats' leadership for a decade, which led to the rumblings from a younger generation of lawmakers who wanted a seat at the table. 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." Johnny Tuck Chee Chan (above) was arrested previously for planting a camera in an employee bathroom where he worked as a pharmacist. Incredibly, police discovered a another hidden camera at his job at a Banana Republic store in Portland, during his arrest for the former allegations After losing his job as a pharmacist over allegations of placing a hidden camera in an employee bathroom, Johnny Tuck Chee Chan was arrested again last week, accused of filming his new coworkers going to the toilet. Last year Chan, 34, was accused of filming 51 men and women - and one child - in a staff restroom at a Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy office over an 11 month period, between December 2016 to November 2017. The defendant, from Portland, Oregon, was also accused of placing a small camera on his shoe to take 'up-skirt' photographs of women, as well as putting hidden cameras in shared work spaces to record up female colleagues' skirts as they sat at their desks. On November 26, 2018 he was arrested and charged with seven counts of encouraging child sex abuse and 64 counts of privacy invasion, but released on bail. Chan (pictured in court on Monday) faces 104 charges related to his alleged bathroom cameras, including three charges of encouraging child sexual abuse in the first degree Chan was fired from the pharmacy after an employee discovered the hidden camera and alerted police - prompting a year-long investigation. However, last-week Chan was arrested again on December 7, relating to more hidden cameras at his new place of work, a Banana Republic store in northeast Portland. Police say the 34-year-old placed a camera inside the store's employee bathroom, where he allegedly captured 173 videos of 27 different victims, all of whom worked with Chan. Three of the victims depicted in camera's images were said to be minors. The camera was found by police during a search of the Banana Republic bathrooms after they came onto the premises to arrest Chan for the original charges brought against him at Kaiser. The 34-year-old was fired from Kaiser (left) after a hidden camera was found in an employee bathroom. Chan was accused of filming 51 men, women and one child over a period of 11 months, and he was fired. Taking up a new job at Banana Republic in northeast Portland (right), another camera was found, allegedly capturing 27 different victims in the bathroom across 173 video files The Multnomah County District Attorney's office have now added another 33 charges against Chan to the original 71 announced in November. The additional charges include: three charges of encouraging child sexual abuse in the first degree, three counts in the second degree, 25 counts of personal privacy invasion in the first degree and two counts of invasion of personal privacy in the second degree. The district attorneys office requested the document outlining Chan's total charges be sealed, as it could compromise an ongoing investigation if any victims were publicly named. On Monday, Chan was detained at the Multnomah County Detention Center, with bail set at $2 million. He is set to reappear in court on December 18. Andrew Griffiths, 48, was suspended form the parliamentary part after he was found to have sent 2,000 sexts to two women (file pic) Theresa May sparked fury today after she lifted the suspension on a married Tory MP who was caught bombarding a barmaid with texts about violent sex acts. Andrew Griffiths, 48, was suspended from the parliamentary part after he was found to have sent 2,000 sexts to two women weeks after the birth of his first child. Mr Griffiths, the Tory MP for Burton gave 700 to Imogen Treharne and her friend and even offered to rent out a flat so that they could hook up while demanding they send him something 'f****** filthy'. Describing himself as 'evil', he outlined degrading sex acts, demanding explicit pictures and videos and said he'd rather be 'licking naughty girls' instead of 'running the country'. He had the Tory whip withdrawn from him and has apologised for his behaviour. But today, Mrs May restored the party whip - meaning that he could vote in today's crunch confidence ballot which will decide her fate as leader. Charlie Elphicke, the MP for Dover, also had his suspension lifted today so he could cast his ballot. Mr Griffiths told his local newspaper, Burton Live, that he will be backing Mrs May in tonight's vote. He said: 'Theresa May has shown huge determination and bravery in negotiating and arguing for her deal. 'I believe she remains the best person to deliver the Brexit people in Burton and Uttoxeter voted for, and I will be supporting her in tonight's ballot.' Labour's shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler, who said: 'How can Theresa May call herself a feminist when she lets an MP who was suspended for sexual harassment back into the Conservative Party to vote for her in the leadership challenge? 'This is a betrayal of women.' Fellow Labour MP Jess Phillips added: 'They said it would be different. 'They said we won't let patronage and power change our minds where wrongdoing occurred. They said we won't protect our mates. 'They lied, they all lied. Same old same old.' Last month Mr Griffiths told the Sunday Times that he had been left 'on the verge of suicide' over the sexting revelations. He said his actions had been the culmination of decades of mental health problems, sparked by being sexually abused by an older boy when he was aged eight, something he never revealed to his parents. Theresa May vowed defiance today in a statement in Downing Street despite facing a potentially terminal no-confidence vote by Tory MPs Theresa May is said to have left some politicians in tears as she told the gathering in a Commons committee room (pictured) that she will bow out gracefully once that task is complete Mrs May is battling for her political survival today as Tory MPs vote in a secret ballot which will seal her fate as leader. She left MPs in tears tonight as she tried to save her political skin by pledging she won't try to lead the Tories into the next election. In an emotional final plea to her backbenchers packed into a Commons committee room, Mrs May acknowledged widespread unrest with her Brexit strategy. But she appealed for more time to strike a settlement with the EU that they can support. And some MPs at the behind-closed doors session wept as she confirmed she will bow out gracefully once that task is complete. As the crowd sweltered in the stifling heat, Mrs May is said to have told them in her 'heart' she would like to carry on but she recognised that was not the 'will' of the party. Home Office minister Victoria Atkins was one of those nearly overcome by the emotion of the moment. Asked for her reaction as she emerged from the room, she welled up and clutched her chest. The 317 Tories have now started voting in the no-confidence contest, with Mrs May whisked away to await their verdict. They will have two hours to secretly cast their ballots before they are counted and the premier learns her fate at around 9pm. The contest is being held after hardliners finally secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to trigger the process. Allies including Chancellor Philip Hammond insisted today that Mrs May will fight on even if she only wins by one vote. The fiance of a missing Colorado mother who vanished on Thanksgiving has handed over his phone and given DNA swabs to police - as his lawyer reveals he would have been at a press conference about her disappearance but claims he wasn't given enough notice. Kelsey Berreth, 29, has not been seen since November 22 when she was recorded on surveillance cameras in a grocery store in Woodland Park, Colorado with her baby daughter. Her fiance, Patrick Frazee, told police Berreth dropped their baby off afterwards at his home but he has not seen her since. The couple have never lived together despite being engaged and sharing a daughter. Police said that Frazee has been cooperating with the investigation. Kelsey Berreth's fiance Patrick Frazee is believed to be the last person who saw the mother alive. He claims she dropped off their daughter at his home in Woodland Park, Colorado on November 22 and he hasn't seen her since Her colleagues received a text from Kelsey's phone on November 25 saying that she would not be coming into work for the week. Police said Frazee also received a message from Berreth that same day but it is not clear what the text said. It was the same day that Berreth's phone signal pinged in Gooding, Idaho - about 700 miles away from where she was last seen. Police searched her home on December 2 after her mother reported her missing. Her mother and police held a press conference on Monday to appeal for information about the mother-of-one's disappearance. Frazee was not present at the conference and has since faced public scrutiny for not speaking publicly about his missing fiance. His lawyer issued a statement on Wednesday insisting that Frazee was cooperating with police and that he would have appeared at the press conference but claims he wasn't given any notice. 'Mr Frazee's cooperation includes interviews with law enforcement, voluntarily releasing his phone to be searched by law enforcement, buccal swabs, and photographs,' the lawyer said. 'Much has been said over the news and social media about Mr Frazee's absence at the local new conference recently held by the Woodland Park Police Department on December 10, 2018. 'Mr Frazee was first notified of the press conference approximately an hour prior to its commencement. Had he been given more advance notice, he would have participated. 'Mr Frazee hopes and prays for Ms Berreth's return.' Authorities have released surveillance footage of Berreth shopping with her baby daughter at a Safeway grocery store in Woodland Park just before she disappeared on Thanksgiving Day Her mother and police held a press conference on Monday to appeal for information about the mother-of-one's disappearance. Frazee was not present at the conference and has since faced public scrutiny for not speaking publicly about his missing fiance The lawyer said Frazee would continue to cooperate with police and care for the couple's child. He added that Frazee will not be speaking publicly because he doesn't want to impede with the police investigation. His absence at the press conference was glaring and Woodland Park Police Chief Miles De Young gave a frosty answer when asked why he wasn't present. 'You'd have to ask him,' he responded when asked about Frazee's absence. 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. Authorities have since released surveillance video that shows Berreth entering the Safeway grocery store with her daughter before she went missing. Berreth, mother to a one-year-old child, is described as 5ft3in tall and weighing 110 pounds Her mother Cheryl spoke at the press conference to say her daughter's disappearance was out of character. 'She's not the kind that runs of. This is completely out of character. She's reliable, considerate and honest,' Cheryl said. '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. 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. He said the only thing missing from the home was her purse. Her luggage and makeup remained untouched, and her two vehicles were still at her home. Clint said his sister had made cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving breakfast and the remainder were still on top of her stove days after she vanished. 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. Pope Francis has removed George Pell and another prominent cardinal from his inner circle after they were tainted by scandals ahead of a Church-wide meeting on the 'protection of minors' next year. The Australian cardinal, 77, and Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz were both removed from the so-called C9 Council of Cardinals, an international advice body set up by Francis himself, the Vatican said on Wednesday. The last time the C9 met in September, Errazuriz, who is accused of ignoring reports of abuse in Chile, and Pell, who faces charges in Australia related to historical child sexual offences, were both absent. Pope Francis has removed George Pell (pictured) and another prominent cardinal from his inner circle The Australian cardinal (centre) and Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz were both removed from the so-called C9 Council of Cardinals Despite being removed from the C9, Pell remains in charge of Vatican finances, the third most powerful position in the Roman Catholic Church. The Church has been hit by a series of child abuse scandals in recent years, with widespread allegations of cover-ups, including against the Pope himself. The Pope clarified the composition of the C9 ahead of a February meeting with leaders of bishops' conferences from around the world dealing with the 'protection of minors', to which victims of priest sex abuse have been invited. The meeting of bishops from around the world will also have to deal with some Asian and African bishops conferences who say they are not concerned by the 'Western' abuse problem. Pope Francis signs a cricket bat he received from Cardinal George Pell, at the Vatican in 2015 Pell holds a document to the response of the archidiocese to sexual abuse during a press conference in Sydney on November 13, 2012 'February's meeting can't resolve all the problems, because there's too much world diversity in the Church. The American (US) episcopacy is panicking, they want to be as radical (against sexual abuse) as possible, while Africans don't want any measures taken,' said a source close to the pope. 'A code of silence has been our culture for too long, February's meeting should mark a new beginning for bishops' responsibility, or even for a new control system,' the source said. Allegations in August from a conservative archbishop that the Pope had ignored abuse suspicions concerning a prominent US cardinal have triggered an internal investigation into Vatican archives ordered by Pope Francis. They also confirmed a rift in the Church between some ultra-conservative Catholics and a pope they see as a dangerous progressive interested in social issues to the detriment of Church doctrine. Pope Benedict XVI (R) looks at Cardinal George Pell (L) in an inter-faith meeting during World Youth Day in 2008 Pell (pictured in Melbourne in July) faces charges in Australia related to historical child sexual offences The Church was also rocked in August by a devastating US report on child sex abuse which accused more than 300 'predator' priests of abusing more than 1,000 minors over seven decades in the state of Pennsylvania. The commission set up by Francis has said that the fight against abuse must be a Church priority and emphasised the importance of listening to victims. While Pell faces prosecution in Australia, he is also up for renewal in February as the Vatican's finance chief. Francis has in the past preferred to give the accused the presumption of innocence and has therefore not named anyone to replace Pell, despite a senior Vatican official saying this week that Church expenses were growing 'unacceptably'. Cardinal Errazuriz, 85, met Francis last month and subsequently announced his 'withdrawal' from the advisory group Chilean Cardinal Errazuriz appears at the very least to have given Francis bad advice. The pope's mistaken defence of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up for an old paedophile priest overshadowed his trip to the South American country in January and heaped embarrassment on the Church. Errazuriz, 85, met Francis last month and subsequently announced his ''withdrawal' from the C9. A third cardinal, Democratic Republic of Congo's Laurent Monsengwo, will also no longer attend C9 meetings, effectively reducing the body to a 'C6'. Monsengwo, 79, has for years played an important political as well as spiritual role in the war-torn African nation, but recently gave up his position as archbishop of Kinshasa. An Oregon man has been jailed for five years for randomly punching a female Fred Meyer worker earlier this year in an unprovoked attack which left a permanent dent in the woman's face. Hathasone Pathammavong, 45, was jailed on Tuesday for the attack against Lisa Sneeling, 33, in April. She was working at the cashier's desk at a store in Beaverton, Oregon, when he approached her out of nowhere and punched her once in the face. The hit was so strong that Sneeling 'blacked out'. She woke up to find a dent in her face and her skull fractured. Hathasone Pathammavong, 45, was jailed on Tuesday for the attack against Lisa Sneeling, 33, in April. She was left with a dent in her cheekbone (right) Despite having surgery to correct her skull, she was left with permanent damage to her cheekbone. Pathammavong tried to run away but was held down by other customers until police arrived. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree attempted assault and was jailed for five years. He has offered no explanation for the attack and the pair do not know one another. Sneeling said that she believed he may have been on drugs on the day of the attack but that beyond that, she has no idea why she was singled out. 'I think he just chose me because I was there,' she told Oregon Live earlier this year. She was smacked so hard, she said, that her glasses flew off her head. For months, Sneeling had been visualizing her attacker in fear of him. The attack happened at the Fred Meyer store where Sneeling works in Beaverton, Oregon Seeling said she lived in fear of her attacker for months until she saw him in court on Tuesday Pathammavong, seen above in April, told the woman he had no idea why he attacked her She said her fears subsided on Tuesday when they came face-to-face in court again where he looked 'like a tiny little hedgehog, afraid of life'. She said she also now sympathizes with him for what he is facing in prison. 'I feel really, really sad for him, that hes gonna have to sit in his lumpy bed, eat his lumpy macaroni and cheese and sleep on his lumpy pillow,' she said, adding: 'You cant be mad at somebody whos sick.' Pathammavong has at least eight other arrests on his record including one for assault in 1994. He has also been taken into custody in the past for theft, criminal mischief, driving with a suspended license and reckless driving. A New York model has been awarded $125,000 in damages after her photo was used in an HIV ad campaign with the words 'I am positive'. Avril Nolan, who does not have HIV, had no idea her image was going to be used for the state's Division of Human Rights 2013 campaign. Nolan, who lives in Brooklyn, had posed in the photo for a 'street-style' magazine in 2011. Her image was later sold to Getty Images and licensed to the Division of Human Rights for the ad, according to NBC New York. New York model Avril Nolan has been awarded $125,000 in damages after her photo was unknowingly used in an HIV ad campaign with the words 'I am positive' (pictured) The ad ran in four print publications and three online publications and was seen by a number of Nolan's co-workers. Nolan said she was 'completely shocked' and 'sick to the bottom of her stomach' when she found out about the ad from a friend's Facebook post. She was also worried that her exes and future boyfriends might see the ad, as well as her employer and clients. The model, who also works in public relations, said a co-worker came up to her, gave her a hug, and then said: 'Oh, will I catch something?' Another co-worker sent her a 'Happy World AIDS Day' email, according to the New York Post. The ad ran in four print publications and three online publications and was seen by a number of Nolan's co-workers Court of Claims Justice Thomas Scuccimarra ruled in Nolan's favor due to the fact that the ad did not contain a disclaimer clarifying that she was a model. Scuccimarra also found that Nolan had suffered 'emotional distress and humiliation during the immediate aftermath of the publication and for some time thereafter'. 'Ms Nolan did not give permission for the use of her photograph, taken in an entirely different context, and apparently thereafter sold,' he wrote in the ruling. Nolan originally sought $1.5million in the lawsuit, but Scuccimarra ruled that there was no basis for an award of future damages - noting that she was not in counseling and had a successful vintage clothing business. He stated that the $1.5million award would be more appropriate for someone who was falsely accused of being a 'drug-dealing, alcoholic prostitute'. Olga Edwards, 37, was found dead at West Pennant Hills home on Wednesday, less than six months after her children were murdered by their father Rosie Batty says she 'deeply understands' why Olga Edwards couldn't cope with losing her two children at the hands of their deranged father and has revealed how the grieving mother reached out to her for help before taking her own life. Ms Batty, a domestic violence campaigner, befriended Ms Edwards in July, after her estranged husband chased her teenage children through their Sydney home, before shooting them dead as they cowered in a bedroom. Ms Edwards, 37, was found dead inside the same West Pennant Hills property on Wednesday, less than six months after she discovered the bullet riddled bodies of Jack, 15, and Jennifer, 13. Ms Batty was devastated by Wednesday's news, but said her friend 'had every reason to' end her life after John Edwards, 68, carried out a sick revenge plot, punishing his wife for leaving him two years earlier. Ms Batty told The Sydney Morning Herald Olga had lost trust in authorities that were meant to protect her children, 'from the initial police response' to 'her experience in the family court system'. 'I really want people to understand [this tragedy] was exacerbated through the family law court system... that's exactly what it was, another example of the system failing,' she said. Rosie Batty (pictured) says she 'deeply understands' why the mother couldn't cope with the grief of losing her two children at the hands of their deranged father Jack (centre), 15, and Jennifer Edwards (right), 13, were shot dead by their deranged father (left) 'I did feel with her a sense of hopelessness... I felt that it would not surprise me if she made that decision... I don't blame her and I understand. I deeply understand.' Ms Batty, whose 11-year-old son Luke was stabbed to death by her estranged husband in 2014, said the grief of losing a child 'goes beyond physical pain'. '[Olga] would say to me, how do you find meaning in your life? How do you do that? She was very upset at that particular time, reeling from the finality of everything,' she said. Ms Edwards refused to leave the property where her children were killed, falling into a deep depression and dreading spending Christmas alone. Olga collapsed in shock when she arrived home to find her children dead on July 5 Domestic violence campaigner Rosie Betty (pictured) revealed she had bonded with Olga in the months before her tragic death The Russian-born mother, a solicitor with a Sydney-based legal firm, was unable to return to work and became withdrawn from life. 'She was dreading Christmas without the kids and planned to leave Australia for good,' a friend told The Daily Telegraph. 'She had organised to spend Christmas Day at the house to be close to Jack and Jennifer.' Police were in constant contact with Olga and neighbours would often bring her meals. 'Every day she would sit inside the house with the blinds down. We'd take her food but sometimes she wouldn't answer the door,' a neighbour said. Ms Batty, whose 11-year-old son Luke (pictured together) was stabbed to death by her estranged husband in 2014, said the grief of losing a child 'goes beyond physical pain' 'She would sometimes fall asleep in Jack's or Jen's bed at night. She couldn't get over never seeing them again.' Daily Mail Australia understands Olga's body was found by police at about 10am, after officers responded to a concern for welfare report. Her death is not being treated as suspicious. A senior police officer described the horrific incident as a 'slow murder'. Police said at the time of the shootings, Edwards had been planning to kill his children for as long as a year. Edwards murdered his kids at about 5.20pm on July 5, knowing their mother would soon be home from work. Police and forensic services attend the scene of the June double murder-suicide at West Pennant Hills in Sydney Ms Edwards collapsed in shock when she arrived home to find her son and daughter had been shot dead. Edwards shot himself about 12 hours later at his home in the nearby suburb of Normanhurst. Two powerful handguns registered in the father's name and used to kill the children were found at his home. Before he killed himself, Edwards laid out a shirt with 'world's best dad' printed on it, The Daily Telegraph reported. Edwards killed himself shortly after the shooting at his nearby home in Normanhurst (pictured) Olga was found dead at her home in West Pennant Hills, Sydney's north-west, on Wednesday morning - months after her husband murdered their children at the same property He also got his neighbour's son to walk his dog before his suicide. Ms Edwards moved to Australia when she was 20 and met Edwards, who had already been married four times. She had both children before the age of 25 but their relationship had always been violent. Ms Edwards took legal action, and after a two-year custody battle the pair found a compromise. Jack and Jen lived with Ms Edwards and her husband was not allowed to know where they lived so he could not harass them. NSW Police stand outside the entrance to a property in Harris Road in Normanhurst, where the father turned the gun on himself after murdering his children But through social media he was able to track them down and stalk them before executing the meticulously planned murder-suicide. Edwards was described as the 'most shocking person I have ever come across' by Ms Edwards boss at her lower north shore law firm. Edwards, described as a 'recluse' by his neighbours, was a financial planner and volunteered with the NSW Rural Fire Service, according to his LinkedIn page. Edwards' sister Dianne said she had nothing good to say about him and that her whole family were horrified by the murders. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 The hunt for a graduate missing in Spain has ended in tragedy after a body was found. Straight-A student Nixon Smith, 23, from Stourbridge, West Midlands, was due to catch a flight home from Malaga on November 19 after being mugged two days earlier and losing all his personal possessions. But when he failed to return home and missed his connecting flight out of Madrid, parents Diane Smith, 50, and Dave Smith, 52, immediately reported him missing after last speaking to him on November 17. This evening West Mercia Police confirmed a body had been found and Mr Smith's next of kin had been informed. Graduate Nixon Smith, 23, has been found dead. He last spoke to his family on November 17 and has been officially missing since he failed to catch a flight home from Madrid two days later Mr Smith (pictured) was robbed in Spain It comes after the family's desperate appeal to find Mr Smith, whom they described as 'very vulnerable'. Nixon Smith had 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 was reported to have been robbed during his holiday in the country and is understood to have been issued with an emergency passport at the British Consulate in Malaga. Loved-ones hoped someone spotted Mr Smith on the streets after they issued missing posters. '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. Family and friends issued posters hoping someone can help them locate Nixon Smith and bring him back home Nixon's family described him as a free spirit flight from Malaga to Madrid but did not take the connecting flight to Birmingham ten hours later. His family called him a free spirit but also described him as 'very vulnerable', the Local reported, insisting it was unlikely for him to be out of contact for so long. His brother, Jake, made an appeal on his Facebook page, asking anyone who had 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. The appeal said: '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.' When Nixon Smith failed to return home and missed his connecting flight out of Madrid, parents Diane Smith, 50, and Dave Smith, 52, (pictured) reported him missing His family circulated this poster online in an effort to find their missing son and brother A father of two has been duped in a sophisticated email scam, costing his family $123,000 and threatening to put them out on the street days before Christmas. Aaron Cole, 30, spoke out in an interview with KGW-TV on Wednesday, detailing the sophisticated plot that defrauded his family after the sale of their home in Oregon City, outside of Portland. Known as 'spoofing', the increasingly popular scam uses emails that appear to be from a trusted sender to convey phony bank routing information and dupe individuals or companies out of thousands or even millions of dollars. Cole was swindled last week, shortly after closing on the sale of his family's home of six years, a three-bedroom ranch. Aaron Cole, 30, (above with wife and children) spoke out detailing the sophisticated plot that defrauded his family after the sale of their home in Oregon City The father of two lost his life savings in the scam and his family will be out of their home The house sold for $130,000, and the Cole family took about $130,000 in equity from the sale. They planned to use the money as a down payment on their dream home. 'It's everything we had worked for,' Cole said of the nest egg. One day after speaking on the phone with underwriters from WFG National Title Insurance Company, Cole was expecting to receive instructions on wiring the down payment. The email he got looked official and contained the wire instructions. Cole followed them and transferred the $123,000 down payment. He didn't realize anything was wrong until the following day, when agents from WFG called him with wiring instructions. They knew nothing about an earlier email. As Cole investigated, his sinking feeling was confirmed. The wire transfer had gone to a mystery bank account in Lantana, Florida. Cole received an email with wire transfer instructions that he thought was from his mortgage underwriter, but was actually a fake created by scammers 'I just essentially ruined my family's life. That's how I'm feeling,' Cole said. 'Just under $123,000. More money than I've ever seen in my entire life.' Cole filed a police report and local authorities are investigating. It's unclear whether he has yet alerted federal investigators. Email spoofers often create fake accounts based on public information, such as emulating a company executive and sending an order for an wire transfer to a 'vendor' to an accountant at the company. But the scam that tricked Cole was unusual in its specificity, and it it not yet clear how the scammers knew that he was expecting wire transfer instructions from WFG. WFG told the local NBC affiliate that their system had not been compromised, and laid the blame on Cole, saying his email had probably been hacked. Cole and his wife and children will have to move out of their home by December 23, and they aren't sure where they will go after losing their life savings 'There is no evidence in our system to suggest someone would have stolen that information from us,' WFG Executive Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer Don O'Neill said. 'We've investigated this.' O'Neill admitted that the company had dealt with half a dozen similar wire fraud cases earlier this year. Cole doesn't believe his own email was hacked. He noted that, when he examined the scam email closely, it had contact information for a WFG branch he had never communicated with, indicating that the scammer wasn't using his own hacked emails for reference. Now Cole and his family will be forced to move out of their home by December 23, so the new buyers can move in. They aren't sure where they will go when that day comes. Although Cole's coworkers have offered to set up a GoFundMe campaign to help his family, he has so far refused any charity. Instead, pleading for justice, he wants the authorities to track down whomever is responsible for stealing his family's life savings and hold them to account. Harvey Weinstein's legal team is again lashing out at the Manhattan District Attorney ahead of their court date next week. The disgraced mogul will be looking to have the five remaining charges that have been filed against him dismissed, and in a new letter his lawyer is lashing out at a comment made by prosecutors. 'The defendant has a misguided and antiquated view of how a rape victim should react after having been assaulted,' wrote prosecutor Kevin Wilson in response to a letter submitted to the court last week. In this new letter, Weinstein's lawyer writes: 'What is misguided and antiquated is the breathtaking assertion by the prosecution that it was free to present the Grand Jury in this case with a knowingly incomplete, untrue, and distorted picture of the true facts of this case and thereby suppress from the Grand Jury critical exculpatory evidence which went directly to Mr. Weinstein's factual innocence of any criminal wrongdoing.' Scroll down for video New bid: Harvey Weinstein's (above in October) lawyer has submitted a new letter to the judge in his criminal case after being chided by prosecutors An email from January 1, 2014 revealed the friend had thanked the producer for 'the things you did for [accuser] in 2013 and for the things you did for me as well.' The attack did not stop there, going on to accuse the accusing witnesses of being untruthful. 'Contrary to what Mr. Wilson would have us believe, the issue before this Court is one of law and not political correctness,' reads the letter. 'At the time they made their presentment to the Grand Jury in this case, the prosecution (1) failed to present witness statements which revealed material untruths told by the complaining witnesses and (2) willfully chose not to present documentary evidence which reflected immediate and then continuing contact with the alleged rapist-beginning just hours after the alleged rape and continuing on for several years thereafter.' Weinstein's attorney previously filed a letter with the judge seeking to dismiss three of the charges that he was indicted on over the summer. Ben Brafman, Weinstein's attorney in the case, claimed in his letter to Judge James M Burke that the Manhattan District Attorney's office withheld evidence from the grand jury who indicted his client and provides four emails that show Weinstein and his accuser spent time together after her alleged assault. He also claimed that the accuser told a friend that her relationship with Weinstein was consensual. Weinstein had previously filed a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against him in August that contained a number of emails sent by the same accuser between 2013 and 2017. That woman, whose allegations against Weinstein resulted in charges of rape in the first degree, rape in the third degree and predatory sexual assault, wrote in the emails that Weinstein 'is the bar' for the movie industry and comments on his 'smile and beautiful eyes. In one of the emails submitted by Brafman, she also agreed to attend a screening hosted by Weinstein, just hours after she was allegedly raped by the mogul. Documents show Weinstein's office sent the woman an invitation to a movie screening the evening of March 18, 2013 - the day of the alleged assault. The accuser replied, 'I'm just going with [redacted]. Thank you [redacted].' The letter stated that defense lawyers interviewed the friend who confirmed that she had gone to the event with the accuser and the two met Weinstein there that night. During that interview, the friend allegedly confirmed that Weinstein and the accuser were in a 'consensual, sexual relationship' at the time and claimed the accuser tried to enlist her help in going after Weinstein, according Brafman. He argues the alleged victim must have talked about Weinstein in 'glowing terms' as a 2013 email reveals her friend told Weinstein, 'she adores you!' Evidence: His lawyer provided four emails with his letter to the judge, including one from his accuser accepting an invite hours after her alleged assault (above) on March 18, 2014 Brafman argued that the emails, as well as the previous ones he submitted along with an earlier motion, should have been seen by members of the grand jury. 'Had the Grand Jury been aware that [accuser] continued her friendship with Mr Weinstein hours after the alleged rape (not just in the months and years after, as evidenced by her emails), there is little chance that her narrative would have been accepted by the Grand Jury,' Brafman states. 'This new email evidence makes [the accuser's] attempt even more egregious because, as it turns out, the witness was with [the accuser] hours after the alleged rape, yet [the accuser] did not say anything about being raped; instead, she chose to spend the evening with her friend and her alleged rapist!' Brafman also contends that the accuser must have talked about Weinstein in 'glowing terms' after an email from New Year's Day 2014 revealed the friend had thanked the producer for 'the things you did for [accuser] in 2013 and for the things you did for me as well.' Those things included Oscar party invitations, dinners, premieres, and auditions, according to documents. An earlier email from October 2013 also shows the same friend telling Weinstein that the accuser 'adores' him. More than a year after the alleged rape, the accuser herself had an email exchange with Weinstein organizing dinner plans. On July 9, 2014, Weinstein emailed the woman asking: 'Are you around on Friday evening? I'm going to be in [redacted].' The accuser replied: 'There is no one else I would enjoy catching up with that understands me quite like you.' 'I know I will be hungry, what is your timing? Do you have time for dinner?' In a response to the December 7 filing, New York Assistant District Attorney Kevin Wilson said Brafman's letter only repeats previous arguments made in earlier submissions - which have been contested. He argued the findings did not constitute as exculpatory information and claimed the lawyer was using 'one-sided, incomplete, and mischaracterized information.' 'That the defendant has a misguided and antiquated view of how a rape victim should react after having been assaulted does not change this reality,' Wilson wrote in a letter on Friday. In August, Brafman asked for the charge of Criminal Sex Act to be tossed because of inconsistencies. 'Mr. Weinstein was indicted for an alleged act of forcible oral sex by someone who claims she does not remember when it occurred and asserts only that it was purportedly sometime during a three-month period in 2004, nearly fourteen years ago,' read the August motion. 'He was also indicted for the rape of [email accuser], whose extensive communications and contact immediately following the now claimed forcible rape instead reflect a consensual, intimate relationship with Mr. Weinstein in an exchange of more than 400 warm, complimentary and solicitous emails with an alleged rapist for more than four years after the alleged rape, never once in those 9 communications claiming to have ever been harmed by Mr. Weinstein.' The final email, from 2017, was less effusive than the others submitted by Weinstein, reading: 'I love you, always do. But hate feeling like a booty call.' That came in response to an email from Weisntein in which he tried to schedule a meeting with the woman before heading off to a redacted city. He wrote that he could meet in the afternoon, and when the woman responded to ask the address Weinstein replied with the name of a hotel, even though he was in New York at the time. The August filing stated that it was one year after that email, in February 2018 when, 'upon information and belief, [Weinstein's accuser] for the first time ever made any claim of an alleged rape to any law enforcement authority.' Weinstein was married to his now estranged wife Georgina Chapman during the time that all 40 emails were sent. One month after she was allegedly raped by Weinstein in a midtown hotel, the woman closed out a brief message by writing: 'Thanks, and I hope to see you sooner thank [sic] later ...' The next day she said: 'I appreciate all you do for me, it shows.' Three days after that she expressed a desire to see Weinstein and 'catch up,' a desire she again reiterated a few days later in an emails submitted as evidence in the motion. Another email in which the woman is incredibly complimentary to Weinstein read: 'You have mastered storytelling and continually Are outdoing yourself and the competition. You are the bar.' She then signed off with: 'Miss you big guy.' One month prior she had requested a private audience with Weinstein, saying: 'I was hoping for some time privately with you to share the direction I am going in life and catch up because its been awhile.' The woman also gave Weinstein her contact information after changing her phone number. Heston Blumenthal was facing awkward questions after it emerged his restaurants are controlled by a company registered in a Caribbean tax haven. The experimental chef is known for using bizarre ingredients and elaborate cooking methods and the truth about his eateries' ownership is just as complicated as Mr Blumenthal's recipes. The complex web involves corporations based on the Isle of Man which does not charge tax and Nevis, home to just 11,000 people and one of the most secretive tax havens in the world. The latter has been described as an ideal place to avoid tax and 'shelter assets'. Mr Blumenthal set up The Fat Duck, his first restaurant, in Bray, Berkshire, in 1995. A taster menu there regularly named among the best restaurants in the world is 325 a head. Heston Blumenthal was facing awkward questions after it emerged his restaurants are controlled by a company registered in a Caribbean tax haven His expanding empire of Michelin-starred restaurants, serving his signature dishes such as eggs and bacon ice cream, now spreads as far as Australia. But Mr Blumenthal, 52, no longer owns any of his restaurants, having sold his stake to his father's step-brother, South Africa-based businessman Ronnie Lowenthal, in 2006. Instead he is 'chef patron' and his ventures are owned by a UK registered company called SL6, of which Mr Lowenthal is director. Accounts for 2016 show that its immediate parent company was Cape Propriety, incorporated on Nevis. Its overall parent company was Lowenthal Corporation, incorporated in the Isle of Man. SL6 saw turnover of 12.7million in the 12 months to May 28, 2017, but it made a loss of 973,858. There is no suggestion Mr Blumenthal has done anything wrong, but his use of this corporate structure has raised questions. Professor Richard Murphy, a tax expert at the University of London, said: 'Heston Blumenthal may be a good cook, but his business affairs are shrouded in a cloud of mystery. Mr Blumenthal set up The Fat Duck (pictured), his first restaurant, in Bray, Berkshire, in 1995 'Who really owns his restaurants [and] how much they really make is simply not known. 'Disclosing who owns a restaurant is as important as listing the sources of food on a menu now. And Blumenthal is failing that test.' Mr Blumenthal's Melbourne restaurant is also owned by a company incorporated through a post office box and office suite on Nevis at an address mentioned hundreds of times in the notorious Paradise and Panama Papers. The leaks, which included millions of documents, revealed details of how the rich and famous use the offshore financial system to pay less tax. A spokesman for Mr Blumenthal said: 'All of our UK businesses are operated by UK companies which are fully compliant with all UK tax and legal obligations. Where there are businesses outside the UK, they abide by the laws of the country they operate in.' Neighbours of a billionaire Dubai ruler have accused him of showing a 'cynical disregard' for planning rules by erecting a 6ft-high 'prison-style' fence around his 75m Surrey estate without asking for permission. The Sheikh of Dubai was slammed for the 'inappropriate' fence, which neighbours claim blocks wildlife corridors between Chobham Common and the previously-open estate. It is understood that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum intends to apply for retrospective planning permission. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum (pictured at Newmarket Racecourse) is reportedly intending to apply for retrospective planning permission However, one neighbour - who asked not to be named - said it was 'highly puzzling' that he did not apply for prior permission and called for the fences to be removed 'immediately' to 'mitigate the damage to wildlife'. The Longcross estate is just part of the large property portfolio owned by Sheikh Mohammed, who is both vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and is believed to have a personal fortune in excess of 9 billion. Prior to the construction of the fence, the estate's boundary was marked by a lower, wooden fence posts or, in some places, no fence at all. Although landowners are normally allowed to erect fences on their property, Sheikh Mohammed's land is covered by an Article 4 Declaration, meaning even minor changes must receive permission from the council. Security at the estate was already tight, with perimeter guards, CCTV and an inner security fence, but in 2000 even these precautions were unable to prevent one of the Sheikh's daughters, Shiekha Shamsa al-Maktoum, from escaping the estate onto Chobham Common. The 'prison-style' fence erected without planning permission at the edge of the Sheikh's Longcross estate Sheikha Shamsa, then 19, has not been seen since fleeing the Longcross estate, but is believed to have been tracked down in Cambridge several weeks later and abducted by her father's men before being returned to Dubai. One of her younger sisters, Sheikha Latifa, claimed in March 2018 that Sheikha Shamsa was being kept in a drugged state in the Zabeel Palace in Dubai and was 'like a zombie'. Sheikha Latifa, 33, made the claim in a video that she sent to human rights organisation Detained in Dubai before attempting to escape her father herself. Her escape attempt, the subject of a BBC2 documentary aired on December 6, was thwarted when the boat she was travelling on was intercepted in the Indian Ocean by UAE and Indian naval vessels. She has not been seen since, but her family claim she is 'safe' in Dubai. Neither Runnymede Borough Council nor the Government of Dubai responded to requests for comment regarding the fence at Longcross. Advertisement The Huawei executive at the center of an international incident which could determine the future of the US's trade war with China was seen answering the door at her Canadian residence on Wednesday a day after being granted US $7.4million bail following her arrest for allegedly defrauding investors and flouting American sanctions on Iran. Meng Wanzhou, 46, smiled as she accepted a large pink orchid from one visitor who arrived at the house in Vancouver in a car bearing consular plates. Her husband, Liu Xiaozong, stood behind her as she greeted the visitors before they disappeared again behind the door. It is one of two, multi-million dollar homes that the couple owns in Vancouver. She lived in Canada with children from her first marriage but relinquished residency in 2009 despite owning two houses there and continuing to send some her children to the city for summer vacations and schooling. Wanzhou was granted bail on Tuesday by a judge after being arrested as she changed planes in Vancouver on a US warrant on December 1. Meng Wanzhou, 46, smiled as she accepted a large pink orchid from one visitor who arrived at the house in Vancouver on Wednesday a day after she was freed on a $7.4million bond Wanzhou, 46, was cheerful as she waved the visitors off without as her husband Liu Xiaozong stood behind her She is accused of defrauding US investors and banks by not making plain Huawei's ties to a subsidiary company called Skycom, a manufacturing company which engaged in transactions with Iran between 2009 and 2014. Prosecutors say it was Wanzhou who 'misrepresented' the company in order to secure US funding and that by doing so, US banks put themselves at risk of violating the sanctions unknowingly. Her arrest and brief incarceration sent shockwaves through the world's jittery financial markets which are on teetering on the edge in fear of a full-blown trade war between the US and China. Chinese officials have condemned Wanzhou's arrest and insist she has done no wrong. They say she is being unfairly treated and was targeted because Huawei is a world leader. The company is the second largest smart phones producer on the planet after Samsung. Wanzhou is not only the CFO but the founder's daughter. She was released on bail on Tuesday after pleading with a judge to be allowed out to address her ailing health. 'I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerate. 'I currently have difficulty eating solid foods and have had to modify my diet to address those issues,' she said in the filing. After being freed on Tuesday, she took to the Chinese website WeChat to share this message: 'I am in Vancouver and have returned to be with my family. I am proud of Huawei. 'I am proud of my motherland. Many thanks to everybody who has cared about me.' The visitors did not go inside the home but dropped off their gifts and quickly returned to their cars It is not clear who the visitors were but their Mercedes has consular plates and they were taken there by a driver One of the men brought a purple orchid and the other was carrying a large bouquet of peonies and roses The house is one of two that Wanzhou owns in Vancouver which is where some of her children went to school and where she used to live Wanzhou is pictured leaving the court on Tuesday following three days of hearings. She was arrested on December 1 Her release came after three days of long, eagerly watched hearings. As part of her bail agreement, she agreed to surrender her passports and wear an ankle bracelet. She has to stay in Vancouver and its suburbs and remain in one of her two houses between 11pm and 6am every day. 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 and vice chairman of telecommunications giant Huawei - the world's second largest smartphone maker - had asked for bail in exchange for putting up her husband, children and C$11million (US$8.23million) in real estate as sureties which means they will be responsible for fulfilling her bond amount if she breaks the terms of the agreement. After her arrest, both President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they were unaware of the warrant for her arrest. On Tuesday, Trump said he would become involved in her case if it meant a better trade deal for the US. 'If I think it's good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made which is a very important thing what's good for national security I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary,' he said. Meng Wanzhou, China's smartphone heiress who found herself at the heart of global trade disputes Before her dramatic arrest in Canada, few in the U.S. had heard of Meng Wanzhou. Meng, 46, is chief financial officer and deputy chairwoman of the board of Chinese telecom company Huawei. She now faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. Meng is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, a former Chinese military engineer worth $3.2 billion, according to Forbes magazine. She's likely his heir apparent. While personal details are scant, she is married and has at least one son and a daughter, Huawei said. Meng, who takes her last name from her mother, received a master's degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhun, China, and started in a low-level position at Huawei in 1993 when she in her 20s. That was about six years after the company was founded to sell phone switches. Since then, Huawei has grown into the world's biggest supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. The company also makes smartphones and has been the second-leading seller for two consecutive quarters, behind Samsung and ahead of Apple, according to IDC. (Apple tends to be strongest in the current, holiday quarter.) Meng has risen up the ranks as the company has grown. She held a variety of finance and accounting roles, including CFO of Huawei Hong Kong and president of the accounting management department, before taking on her current roles. According to a company bio, Meng has been involved in a number of Huawei restructuring moves, including centralizing and improving its finance and accounting departments as the company expanded. She was named to the company's board in 2011 and named one of four vice chairs this past March. One of the most persuasive components of her bail application is the fact that she is a thyroid cancer survivor who suffers hypertension, has a sleep disorder and requires daily medication. Advertisement BEIJING ARRESTS EX-CANADIAN DIPLOMAT FOR 'HARMING NATIONAL SECURITY' Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat who works in Beijing in an NGO, was arrested on Monday China has confirmed the detention of ex-Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig after denying any knowledge of the case. Mr Kovrig, who now works for a non-profit organisation, was detained on Monday on suspicion of carrying out activities that harm the Chinese national security, reported BJ News citing authorities. He is being investigated by the Beijing State Security Bureau, according to the report. Earlier today, China's Foreign Ministry said that it had no information about the former Canadian diplomat detained in Beijing in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of a leading Chinese executive. While declining to confirm the detention of Michael Kovrig, ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and its activities in the country were illegal. Kovrig was previously a diplomat in China and elsewhere. His current employer said he was taken into custody by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, which handles intelligence and counterintelligence matters in the Chinese capital, on Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed the detention and said Canada is very concerned. 'I do not have information to provide you here,' Lu said when asked about Kovrig. 'If there is such a thing, please do not worry, it is assured that China's relevant departments will definitely handle it according to law.' Because Kovrig's organisation is not registered as a nongovernmental organisation in China, 'once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law,' Lu said. Lu also repeated China's demand for the immediate release of 46-year-old Meng Wanzhou, a leading executive with Chinese communications equipment maker Huawei, which has strong connections to the Chinese government and military. 'Our request is very clear, that is, the Canadian side should immediately release the detained Ms. Meng Wanzhou and to protect her legitimate rights and interests,' Lu said. A former police officer will spend up to 14 years behind bars for a series of sexual assaults on three girls under the age of 12. A jury in a New Zealand Court found Graham Minnell, 79, guilty of 20 historical sex crimes committed between 1994 and 2006. Minnell was found guilty on 11 charges of unlawful sexual violation, three charges of an indecent act on a child aged under-12, four charges of indecently assaulting a child under-12 and one of sexual violation by rape. A former New Zealand police diver was found guilty of 20 sex crimes against three girls under the age of 12 (stock image) He was handed a 14-and-a-half year sentence with a minimum non-parole period of seven years at Whanganui District Court on Wednesday. Two of Minnell's victims were in court but turned down the chance to read their victim impact statements, The New Zealand Herald reported. 'You have blighted their young adulthood and indeed you have cast a shadow over their maturity and their family life,' Judge Philip Crayton told Minnell during sentencing. Minnell was seemingly a model citizen until his offending began against victim A in 1994 in Whanganui on North Island's west coast. He later paid her for sex when she fell on hard times. Victim B was raped by him while victim C was sexually assaulted while she was watching a movie when he took her on a holiday. 'She told you not to touch her like that ever again. Your response was to laugh at her,' Judge Crayton said. Graham Minnell was jailed for 14-and-a-half years in Whanganui District Court (pictured) The judge took into account his previous good character as a police officer and original member of the police dive team. But he said Minnell had to be accountable for the long term and life changing harm he caused to his victims and the sentence must provide protection for the community. 'You are someone who did many acts which had a positive effect upon your family and the community. I cannot give any further acknowledgement for what has taken place since that time,' Judge Crayton said. Home Secretary Sajid Javid is favourite with the Tory faithful to succeed Theresa May, with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in second place and Boris Johnson well down the field. They are the findings of a Survation poll for the Mail conducted today after the vote of confidence in Mrs May's Conservative leadership was announced. According to the survey of Conservative councillors, Home Secretary Mr Javid is the Party's first choice to replace Mrs May. He is followed by Mr Hunt and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab. Surprisingly, Mr Johnson, Mrs May's most prominent critic, trails in seventh place. Home Secretary Sajid Javid is favourite with the Tory faithful to succeed Theresa May A poll for the Mail found Sajid Javid is favourite to succeed Theresa May By contrast, Environment Michael Gove, who sabotaged fellow Brexiteer Johnson's 2016 leadership challenge in 2016, but has stayed loyal to Mrs May, is one place ahead of Johnson. The 753 Conservative councillors who took part in the poll were asked to pick from 11 leadership contenders, listing them in order of preference. The more top picks they received, the higher they were ranked and vice versa. The Survation poll is a key guide to the possible outcome of a Tory leadership contest. MPs whittle the candidates down the final two, but the winner is decided by a vote of the Party's 100,000 plus members, which includes its 9,000 councillors. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is second place favourite to succeed Theresa May Nearly six in ten of those who took part in the survey voted in favour of Brexit in the referendum; four of ten voted Remain. In spite of the respondents' pro Brexit views, outspoken Remainer, Work and Pensions Secretary Ms Rudd, restored to the Cabinet after losing her Home Office job over the Windrush immigration fiasco earlier this year, pipped both Johnson and Gove. The number one ranking for Javid comes after a series of reports that he is gearing up for a challenge if Mrs May falls. The Home Secretary, who campaigned for Remain but has since said he supports Brexit, is followed by fellow convert Hunt in second place, Raab third, David Davis, Amber Rudd, Gove, Johnson, Penny Mordaunt, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey. Nearly seven in ten Tory councillors said Conservative MPs were wrong to try to oust Mrs May A Survation poll for the Mail found Hunt in second place, Raab third, then David Davis, Amber Rudd, Gove, and Johnson Johnson's low position is at odds with other recent polls of Tory supporters as opposed to Tory members which have put him in first place. Damian Lyons-Lowe, head of Survation, said: 'It seems Conservative councillors disapprove more strongly of a fellow politician who rocks the party boat to members of the public. They are more sympathetic to Cabinet loyalists like Sajid and Hunt. Boris' supporters will be dismayed that he is behind both Gove and Rudd in popularity terms in the Party.' Nearly seven in ten Tory councillors said Conservative MPs were wrong to try to oust Mrs May; one in three said they were right to do so. A total of 67 per cent said MPs should vote to keep Mrs May against 31 per cent who said they should sack her. Johnson's low position of seventh is at odds with other recent polls of Tory supporters as opposed to Tory members which have put him in first place Tory Party anger with MPs who tried to topple Mrs May is reflected in some of the comments posted by councillors who took part in the poll. They included: 'What a mess, no deal should not even be considered, the economy is the priority'; 'We should support the PM, stabbing her in the back has undermined her all the way'; 'Conservative MPs are acting like children'; 'I am ashamed of MPs who did this.' But some were critical of the Prime Minister. One said: 'We need a leader with real charisma.' Another observed: 'She has made a real hash of the negotiations.' Survation interviewed 753 Conservative councillors online today. When Theresa May promised to bow out after Brexit she fired the starting gun on the Tory leadership race. With Raab in front and Javid and Johnson behind him, ANDREW PIERCE asks who will replace her as PM? By Andrew Pierce for The Daily Mail Brexit Ultra Jacob Rees-Mogg With his double-breasted pinstripe suits and impeccable manners, the 49-year-old has been ridiculed as 'the honourable member for the 18th century'. Chairman of the European Research Group, a cabal of ultra-Brexiteer Tories who have botched their attempts to unseat Mrs May. And his increasingly personal attacks on her have damaged his standing among fellow Tory MPs and activists. The son of a former editor of The Times, he divides his time with his wife and their six children between a 4.5 million house in Westminster and a 400-year-old mansion at the foot of the Mendip Hills. He used to top polls of party activists when they were asked who they wanted as next Tory leader. But his recent disloyalty to Mrs May has seen his ratings plummet. Always says he doesn't want the top job which is just as well. After May's comfortable victory, there's now more chance of Tony Blair coming back as Labour leader than Rees-Mogg assuming the Tory crown. With his double-breasted pinstripe suits and impeccable manners, 49-year-old Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured) has been ridiculed as 'the honourable member for the 18th century' Brexiteers who stalked out Dominic Raab Cerebral lawyer who's the son of a Czech-born Jewish father who came to Britain in 1938 aged six as a refugee from the Nazis. Appointed Brexit Secretary after fellow Brexiteer David Davis walked out but quit himself last month. 'I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement, where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit,' he said. Ubiquitous on TV and radio, but not everyone is impressed. 'Dominic is his own biggest fan,' says one Tory MP. 'He's just a bit too clever.' A black belt at karate, the 44-year-old could form a joint leadership ticket with David Davis. Dominic Raab (pictured) is a cerebral lawyer who's the son of a Czech-born Jewish father who came to Britain in 1938 aged six as a refugee from the Nazis Boris Johnson Clearly on manoeuvres the 54-year-old having just cropped his signature tousled hair and lost 12lb. The most passionate frontline Tory advocate of Brexit describing the PM's deal as 'diabolical' and a 'legal lobster pot'. As ever, he is long on bombast, short on content. Long on grandiosity, short on self-awareness. As one of the most hardline Brexiteers, he is hamstrung by a lack of support among fellow Tory MPs, which means he'll struggle to make it to the final two of any contest. But a restless soul, backbench life will not suit Johnson. Clearly on manoeuvres 54-year-old Boris Johnson (pictured) having just cropped his signature tousled hair and lost 12lb David Davies A long-term Leave advocate brought back into government by May (before he quit in a huff) having first served as Europe minister in the Major government. The victim of a whispering campaign about his time as Brexit Secretary when the 69-year-old was accused of being lazy, having held only five hours of meetings in Brussels in 2018. Significantly jockeyed for position yesterday by proposing a new Brexit solution scrapping the Irish backstop. A serious contender, but his best hope is as a stop-gap leader before handing over to a younger deputy. David Davis (pictured) is a long-term Leave advocate brought back into government by May (before he quit in a huff) having first served as Europe minister in the Major government Esther McVey A Barnardo's child whose father was variously a scrap metal merchant and an ice cream van driver. Before politics, the Liverpudlian was a breakfast TV presenter. Resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary in protest at May's EU withdrawal document. Asked on Sunday if she'd run, Mrs McVey, 51, said she would 'if people asked'. Though she might have to wait a long time before anyone asks her, as she has yet to prove she has any intellectual depth. Her political mentor is Eurosceptic Iain Duncan Smith, and Mrs McVey has been the MP for the Tatton, Cheshire seat vacated by Europhile George Osborne since 2017. Esther Mcvey is a Barnardo's child whose father was variously a scrap metal merchant and an ice cream van driver. Before politics, the Liverpudlian was a breakfast TV presenter The die-hard remainers Gavin Williamson Has enjoyed a rapid rise over recent years thanks to his naked ambition, matinee idol good looks and a penchant for theatrical power play. As May's Chief Whip, he was rewarded for running her leadership campaign with the job of Defence Secretary. Best known for having kept a tarantula in a glass box on his Commons desk, seemingly to intimidate Tory MPs who stepped out of line. Tried to soften his image by saying: 'I don't very much believe in the stick, but it's amazing what can be achieved with a sharpened carrot.' His time at the defence ministry has been fraught being dubbed Private Pike, after the hapless youth in Dad's Army, by some service chiefs who see the 42-year-old as a lightweight. Early this year he confessed to having had a long-ago office romance with a colleague around the time his first son was born, admitting he 'nearly destroyed two marriages'. A rank outsider with critics saying only he thinks he has leadership qualities. As May's Chief Whip, Gavin Williamson (pictured) was rewarded for running her leadership campaign with the job of Defence Secretary Amber Rudd Broke ranks with Mrs May at the weekend when she conceded the possible need for a second referendum. But generally an ally of the country's second woman PM, complaining that men at Westminster 'seem to flounce out quite a lot'. Brought back into the Cabinet recently after being forced to resign as Home Secretary over the Windrush scandal in April. The 55-year-old's Achilles heel is the fact that she has a majority of only 346 in her Hastings and Rye constituency. An alumna of Cheltenham Ladies' College, she was 'aristocracy coordinator' for the film Four Weddings And A Funeral and was previously married to the late restaurant critic A. A. Gill. Her millionaire PR guru brother Roland was a leading figure in the Remain campaign and is now noisily calling for a second referendum. Now Welfare and Pensions Secretary, Rudd is considered an unlikely successor to Mrs May because of her steadfast support for the EU something not appreciated by the Eurosceptic Tory grassroots. Amber Rudd (pictured) is generally an ally of the country's second woman PM, complaining that men at Westminster 'seem to flounce out quite a lot' Brexit Loyalists Andrea Leadsom A leading figure in the Leave campaign and, expecting Boris Johnson to run for leader afterwards, asked him to make her Chancellor if she supported him. The 55-year-old's own bid for the leadership foundered after allegations she'd exaggerated her City career. She then withdrew from the 2016 leadership race after apologising to Theresa May for suggesting being a mother made her a better candidate. Environment Secretary in May's first Cabinet, but was out of her depth. Not even worth an outside bet. 55-year-old Andrea Leadsom's own bid for the leadership foundered after allegations she'd exaggerated her City career Michael Gove Despite being a die-hard Brexiteer, the Environment Secretary has taken a high-wire stance of staying in Mrs May's Cabinet. Has toured TV and radio to defend the PM's Brexit plan, which he says is not ideal but is better than a 'calamitous' no deal. The 51-year-old will run if enough senior party figures urge him to. Joked this week that he might 'if Boris Johnson nominated me and Philip Hammond seconded'. More likely to back another candidate rather than stand Despite being a die-hard Brexiteer, the Environment Secretary (pictured) has taken a high-wire stance of staying in Mrs May's Cabinet Penny Mordaunt Daughter of a former Para and named after frigate HMS Penelope. The 45-year-old has been MP for Portsmouth North since 2010 and first came to prominence wearing a swimsuit to appear on ITV's celebrity diving show Splash! A naval reservist, she was first female Armed Forces minister before being promoted to Cabinet as International Development Secretary. Was the most outspoken critic at the Chequers summit on the Brexit plan, but decided not to resign. 'Not sure she's clever enough to go to the top,' said one former Cabinet minister last night. Daughter of a former Para, Penny Mourdaunt (pictured) was named after frigate HMS Penelope Converts Sajid Javid The Home Secretary was always regarded as a Brexiteer until he came out for Remain in the referendum. Javid, 49, now describes himself as an enthusiastic Brexit convert, but is viewed with suspicion by hardliners. He is also a boring speaker and is regarded as dull and unimaginative by many fellow Tory MPs, with little to offer politically. The Home Secretary (pictured) was always regarded as a Brexiteer until he came out for Remain in the referendum Jeremy Hunt A former Remainer whose reputation has been boosted by his strong six-year record as Health Secretary, which ended when he replaced Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary. Affable and quietly authoritative, the 52-year-old has built a loyal following on the backbenches. A convert to Brexit, but vehemently opposed to leaving with no deal. President Trump told the only Republican openly expressing interest in the chief of staff position that he wants him to stay in Congress. A White House statement on Wednesday said that Trump ruled out North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows for the top White House position. 'Congressman Mark Meadows is a great friend to President Trump and is doing an incredible job in Congress. The President told him we need him in Congress so he can continue the great work he is doing there,' White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. The announcement makes it anyone's guess as to who Trump will select to be his next chief of staff after suddenly announcing the job was coming available. President Trump told the only Republican openly expressing interest in the chief of staff position that he wants him to stay in Congress on Wednesday A White House statement on Wednesday said that Trump ruled out North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows for the top White House position. He has not ruled out Mick Mulvaney, the Office of Management and Budget director. The two men are seen on the left and right respectively Trump's current chief of staff was on the brink of leaving, with the president confirming on Saturday that John Kelly would be out by year's end. His plans were turned upside down when Trump's first pick for the position, Nick Ayes, unexpectedly turned the president's proposition down. The White House subsequently said that Kelly would be staying on until early January 'at least' to the manage the West Wing while the president conducts his search for a replacement. Politico reported on Monday that Meadows, a leading pro-Trump Republican congressman, was interested in the gig that nobody else seems to want. '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,' he told the publication. The White House told the publication Wednesday that the president asked the congressman who had a double-digit victory in November to remain his position in the House. Meadows is the House Freedom Caucus chairman. The president claimed Tuesday that more than 10 people were competing for the chief of staf job but none appears to be in the lead and it is unclear how much any of them actually wants to do it. Everyone Trump was thought to be considering is a man. The list includes Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Director of Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney, and the United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, according to the New York Times. President Donald Trump told reporters he was 'in no rush' to fill the spot, after his succession plan blew up on Sunday evening. '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 on Tuesday morning that Kelly attended. He said, '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 White House says now that John Kelly will stay on as chief of staff 'at least' through the beginning of the year The reason, Trump said: Because we have a wonderful chief of staff right here.' Trump 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.' Later in the day, the president held a bill signing in the Oval Office that Mulvaney and Meadows were a part of. The two men allegedly competing for the same job who worked closely together in Congress stood side by side as the president talked. By Wednesday afternoon, the White House had announced that Meadows, at least, was out of the running. 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. 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' 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 '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. 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. His trouble hiring a replacement comes after reports of yet another messy staff departure. CNN reported last week that the two men weren't on speaking terms, as it became clear Kelly would not last. 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 was 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 Ayers' departure stunned some White House aides, who thought he was a virtual shoo-in for the job. A source told DailyMail.com in advance of Ayers' announcement that Trump had made no secret of his intent to give him the appointment. But Ayers said no thanks as he told the world in tweet that he'd be departing the administration altogether. He has young children and he and his wife are said to be eager to return to his home state of Georgia. 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. Contenders for Trump Chief of Staff 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 chief of staff position is sometimes considered the second most powerful role in the nation, depending on how a White House is structured. 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. Bloomberg reports that 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. From a blind date that turned into a first love to a 14-year affair that ended in a very ugly - and public - court battle, Clint Eastwood's love life has been as varied as his film career. The actor was an unabashed ladies' man in Hollywood, living with mistresses while he was still married - only to break their hearts with headlines about secret children. Fast-forward decades later and it seems most of that is under the bridge, with even Eastwood's first wife electing to join him at his latest movie premiere with all eight of his children. But just who were Eastwood's many loves? MAGGIE JOHNSON Before he was famous, Eastwood fell in love with a model named Maggie Johnson - who he met on a blind date when he was 23 Johnson was on hand to support Eastwood during the premiere of his film on Monday Before he was famous, Eastwood fell in love with a model named Maggie Johnson - who he met on a blind date when he was 23 years old. The year was 1953, five years before the actor received his breakthrough role in the CBS series Rawhide. Eastwood and Johnson quickly got engaged and married just six months after their first date. Eastwood and Johnson had two children including Kyle Eastwood (pictured with his mother in 2007) They also gave birth to daughter Alison, who appears in her father's new film The Mule (and is pictured here at Monday's premiere) It was during their engagement that Eastwood had an affair with a woman in Seattle, who got pregnant and gave up their child for adoption. Eastwood and Johnson separated in 1964 after he had an affair he had with a Rawhide stuntwoman, but briefly rekindled their romance and welcomed children Kyle Eastwood in 1968 and Alison Eastwood in 1972. The couple officially divorced in 1984. ROXANNE TUNIS Eastwood met Roxanne Tunis on the set of his show Rawhide. She gave birth to Eastwood's second child Kimber (pictured on Monday with her younger siblings Kyle, Francesca, and Alison) Eastwood met Tunis on Rawhide, where she was a regular stuntwoman and extra on the show. The pair quickly hit it off and began having an affair, which lasted into the 1970s. She even appeared in Eastwood's film Every Which Way But Loose in 1978. Tunis gave birth to Eastwood's second child, Kimber Lynn Eastwood, in 1964. SONDRA LOCKE Eastwood had a 13-year affair with actress Sondra Locke, who he met in 1972 on the set of The Outlaw Josey Wales Eastwood had a 13-year affair with actress Sondra Locke, who he met in 1972 on the set of The Outlaw Josey Wales. Locke lived with Eastwood from 1975 to 1989, while he was still married to Johnson. The couple never had any children but she later claimed that he forced her to get two abortions. Locke lived with Eastwood from 1975 to 1989, while he was still married to Johnson Locke said she also got her tubes tied because Eastwood said parenthood didn't fit their lifestyle, only to find out that he had fathered two children with another woman during the last three years of their relationship. Things turned ugly after Locke learned of Eastwood's affair and in 1989 she filed a palimony lawsuit after he changed the locks on their Bel-Air home and put all her possessions into storage. They eventually settled. Jacelyn Reeves During his relationship with Locke, Eastwood had an affair with flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves, who gave birth to their children Scott Eastwood (who she is pictured with here in 2016) It was flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves who Eastwood had an affair with while he was with Locke. Reeves went on to give birth to their son Scott Eastwood in 1986 and daughter Kathryn Eastwood in 1988. The couple reportedly ended their relationship in 1990 after it came out in an expose published by The Star. Reeves and Eastwood also share daughter Kathryn (pictured together on Monday) Kathryn and Scott grew up with their mother in Hawaii but still had a relationship with their father. Scott, an actor, has auditioned to be in a number of his father's films and appeared in Gran Torino and Invictus. FRANCES FISHER The same year that Eastwood broke things off with Locke and Reeves, he fell for a woman named Frances Fisher (pictured) The pair lived together for five years and Frances gave birth to their daughter Francesca Fisher-Eastwood in 1993. She is pictured here with her father on Monday The same year that Eastwood broke things off with Locke and Reeves, he fell for a woman named Frances Fisher. As with many of his romances, Eastwood met the actress on set of a film together. The pair lived together for five years and Frances gave birth to their daughter Francesca Fisher-Eastwood in 1993. DINA EASTWOOD Shortly following his split from Fisher, Eastwood fell for TV news anchor Dina Ruiz. They were married for 17 years, splitting in 2013 Shortly following his split from Fisher, Eastwood fell for TV news anchor Dina Ruiz after she was assigned to interview him about the film Unforgiven. The pair married three years later in 1996 and Dina gave birth to their daughter Morgan that same year. Dina starred in the E! reality show Mrs Eastwood & Company, which centered around her life in Los Angeles with Morgan and step-daughter Francesca. Eastwood only made a few appearances on the show, which premiered in 2012. The couple filed for divorce after 17 years of marriage in 2013. November 22 - Surveillance footage from a Safeway store in Woodland Park shows Berreth shopping for groceries with her one-year-old daughter just before 12.30pm. Police say the video is currently the last visual confirmation they have of Berreth. The young mom's fiance and the father of her daughter, Patrick Frazee, told investigators that she dropped the baby off at his house after she went to the store. November 25 - Berreth's employer, Doss Aviation in Pueblo, received texts sent from her phone saying the flight instructor would not be at work for the next week. Frazee said he'd received a text from her phone the same day, but investigators have not revealed what it said. Berreth's phone pinged that day on a cell tower in Gooding, Idaho, about 700 miles from her home. December 2 - Berreth's mother Sheryl asked police to do a welfare check at her daughter's home after being unable to reach her. Sheryl said she had reached out to Frazee, who told her he hadnt heard from Berreth since she had last texted a week earlier on November 25. Woodlawn Park Police officers conducted a community care takers search at Berreth's home, which was empty. Her cars, her clothes and her toothbrush all appeared untouched since Thanksgiving, investigators said. December 3 - The Woodland Park Police Department issued its first notice to the public asking for information about Berreth's whereabouts. 'Please contact the Woodland Park Police Department at 719-687-9262,' the department wrote. December 5 - Loved ones created a Facebook page entitled 'Missing Mother Kelsey Berreth' to spread the word about her disappearance. The Woodland Park Police revealed the mom had last been seen wearing a white shirt, grey sweater, blue pants, white shoes and a brown purse. December 6 - Berreth's family wrote on the Facebook page that it would be out of character for the mom to leave without warning, despite her pilot experience. 'She does not own a plane nor do we know of any local friends that she would borrow one from,' a Facebook post said. 'I don't believe she has ever made a flight without filing a flight plan. We do realize that it is possible to rent a plane, but I believe someone would be missing it by now.' December 7 - Friends and family held a prayer vigil for Berreth outside her brothers home in Tacoma, Washington. 'Please keep praying!' her family wrote on Facebook. 'We need to find Kelsey!' December 10 - Sheryl joined the Woodland Park Police Department for an emotional press conference asking anyone with information about Berreth's whereabouts to come forward. Police Chief Miles De Young said the department is working with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the FBI and authorities in Gooding, Idaho. He said no suspects have been identified. All planes at Berreth's place of employment have been accounted for and there is no evidence that she flew anywhere. De Young said that Frazee was invited to the press conference, but decided not to attend. When asked why, he said: 'Thats a question you would have to ask him.' The police chief said Frazee is cooperating with investigators and is currently watching the couple's young daughter. Sheryl told reporters: 'Id just like to talk to you a little bit about Kelsey. Shes not the kind that runs off. This is completely out of character. 'Kelsey loves her god, she loves her family and friends, and she loves her job. Shes reliable, considerate and honest. She doesnt run off, and someone knows where shes at.' Investigators created an email address where people can submit tips related to the case - kelsey@city-woodlandpark.com. December 11 Frazee was confronted by a reporter outside the Law Office of Jeremy Loew. He was seen carrying the couple's daughter as he quickly got inside a red truck. The reporter is heard in a video asking Frazee why he hasn't commented on his fiancee's disappearance. Frazee refuses to speak to the reporter and proceeds to drive away. December 12 Frazee handed over his phone and gave DNA swabs to police. Authorities said Frazee has been cooperating with the investigation. Frazee's lawyer said on Wednesday that his client was not present at Monday's press conference because he wasn't given any notice. 'Mr Frazee's cooperation includes interviews with law enforcement, voluntarily releasing his phone to be searched by law enforcement, buccal swabs, and photographs,' the lawyer said. 'Much has been said over the news and social media about Mr Frazee's absence at the local new conference recently held by the Woodland Park Police Department on December 10, 2018. 'Mr Frazee was first notified of the press conference approximately an hour prior to its commencement. Had he been given more advance notice, he would have participated. 'Mr Frazee hopes and prays for Ms Berreth's return.' While prostitution may be widely known as 'the oldest profession', in fact, witchdoctors beat them to it. Researchers say that shaman, also known as medicine man or witch doctors, were humanity's first 'professionals'. They claims their 'magical abilities' make them the first 'specialists' in society. Scroll down for video An ethnic Akha shaman performs religious rituals in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Researchers say that shaman, also known as medicine man or witch doctors, were humanity's first 'professionals'. WHAT IS A SHAMAN? Manvir Singh, who led the study, said 'It's a hugely debated and contested idea. 'But 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.' Those services, Singh said, could range from healing disease to exorcising evil spirits to telling fortunes, or even changing the weather. Advertisement Researchers say shamanism developed as specialists competed to provide magical services to their community. 'The theory is that there are important things we really want to have control over calling rain, summoning animals, healing illness,' said 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. 'All around the world, people believe that these important, uncertain outcomes are influenced by invisible forces gods, 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.' 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 individuals - those 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.' 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 That makes shamans different from members of the community who might have a talent for making canoes or bows, for instance, as 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 ritual there are these entry requirements.' 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 universals punitive justice, dance music, witchcraft, initiation ceremonies, and so on are 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.' Google has 'no plans' to relaunch a search engine in China though it is continuing to study the idea, Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a U.S. congressional panel on Tuesday amid increased scrutiny of big tech firms. Lawmakers and Google employees have raised concerns the company would comply with China's internet censorship and surveillance policies if it re-enters the Asian nation's search engine market. Google's main search platform has been blocked in China since 2010, but the Alphabet Inc unit has been attempting to make new inroads into the country, which has the world's largest number of smartphone users. Scroll down for video Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a U.S. congressional panel Google had over 100 people working on the project at one point. 'Right now, there are no plans to launch search in China,' Pichai told the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. But he added that internally Google has 'developed and looked at what search could look like. Weve had the project underway for a while. At one point, weve had over 100 people working on it is my understanding.' Pichai said there are no current discussions with the Chinese government. He vowed that he would be 'fully transparent' with policymakers if the company brings search products to China. In a letter in August to U.S. lawmakers, Pichai said providing such a search engine would give 'broad benefits' to China but that it was unclear whether Google could launch the service there. 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-entered the market. WHAT IS GOOGLE'S 'PROJECT DRAGONFLY' SEARCH ENGINE? 'Dragonfly' was a rumoured effort inside Google to develop a search engine for China that would censor certain terms and news outlets, among other things. Reports claimed the tool ties users' Google searches to their personal phone numbers to help the Chinese government monitor its citizens. Outside of high-profile leaks, few details have emerged on what the search engine entailed as Google has kept tight-lipped on the project. A former Google employee warned of the web giant's 'disturbing' plans in a letter sent to the US's senate's commerce committee in August 2018. Jack Poulson said the proposed Dragonfly website was 'tailored to the censorship and surveillance demands of the Chinese government'. In his letter he also claimed that discussion of the plans among Google employees had been 'increasingly stifled'. Mr Poulson was a senior research scientist at Google until he resigned in July 2018 in protest at the Dragonfly proposals. Advertisement Under questioning from Democratic Representative David Cicilline, Pichai said he would 'happy to engage' to discuss legislation that would empower the Federal Trade Commission to address discriminatory conduct online. Cicilline told Pichai it was 'hard for me to imagine that 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.' The company's rivals in shopping and travel searches have long complained about being demoted in Google search results. Much of the House hearing focused on Republican concerns that Google's search results are biased against conservatives and that the company had 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 the company paid for Latino voters' transportation to polls in some states. 'We don't engage in partisan activities,' Pichai told the panel. (Reporting by David Shepardson and Paresh Dave Editing by Will Dunham and Paul Simao) Photo taken on Dec. 10, 2018 shows a Tu-160 strategic bomber at the Simon Bolivar International Airport, in Maiquetia, Vargas State, Venezuela. Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers have arrived in Venezuela, the Russian defense ministry said in a 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. (Xinhua/Marcos Salgado) Source: Two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers arrive in Venezuela Xinhua | English.news.cn This is a good thing and, Oh My, it has stirred things up in the US Gov Earlier in the day, Pompeo referred to the Russian and Venezuelan governments MOSCOW, Dec 11 (Reuters) Two Russian strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons have landed in ally Venezuela in a show of support for the government there that infuriated Washington. Russias government has sent bombers halfway around the world to Venezuela, fumed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Twitter. and 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. Nothing like telling a flagrant lie! Is there U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo? Maybe looking at the home front and fixing things there is a better way to begin. Right Pompeo? WtR Scientists are seeing surprising melting in Earth's polar regions at times they don't expect, like winter, and in places they don't expect, like eastern Antarctica. New studies and reports issued this week at a major Earth sciences conference paint one of the bleakest pictures yet of dramatic and dangerous warming in the Arctic and Antarctica. Alaskan scientists described to The Associated Press Tuesday never-before-seen melting and odd winter problems, including permafrost in 25 spots that never refroze this past winter and wildlife die-offs. Scroll down for video The aurora borealis displays above Ice Camp Skate in the Beaufort Sea. Scientists are seeing surprising melting in Earth's polar regions at times they don't expect, like winter, and in places they don't expect, like eastern Antarctica. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Tuesday released its annual international Arctic report card, detailing the second warmest Arctic on record and more than a dozen different problems, including record low winter sea ice in parts of the Arctic, increased toxic algal blooms, which are normally a warm water problem, and changes in weather in the rest of the country that can be attributed to what's happening in the Arctic. 'The Arctic is experiencing the most unprecedented transition in human history,' report lead author Emily Osborne, chief of Arctic research for NOAA, said. THE ARCTIC IN 2018: KEY FINDINGS Surface air temperatures in the Arctic continued to warm at twice the rate relative to the rest of the globe. Arctic air temperatures for the past five years (2014-18) have exceeded all previous records since 1900. In the terrestrial system, atmospheric warming continued to drive broad, long-term trends in declining terrestrial snow cover, melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet and lake ice, increasing summertime Arctic river discharge, and the expansion and greening of Arctic tundra vegetation. Despite increase of vegetation available for grazing, herd populations of caribou and wild reindeer across the Arctic tundra have declined by nearly 50% over the last two decades. In 2018 Arctic sea ice remained younger, thinner, and covered less area than in the past. The 12 lowest extents in the satellite record have occurred in the last 12 years. Pan-Arctic observations suggest a long-term decline in coastal landfast sea ice since measurements began in the 1970s, affecting this important platform for hunting, traveling, and coastal protection for local communities. In the Bering Sea region, ocean primary productivity levels in 2018 were sometimes 500% higher than normal levels and linked to a record low sea ice extent in the region for virtually the entire 2017/18 ice season. Warming Arctic Ocean conditions are also coinciding with an expansion of harmful toxic algal blooms in the Arctic Ocean and threatening food sources. Microplastic contamination is on the rise in the Arctic, posing a threat to seabirds and marine life that can ingest debris. Advertisement University of Colorado environmental science program director Waleed Abdalati, who was NASA's chief scientist and was not part of the NOAA report or any of the studies, said what's happening is a big deal 'It's a new Arctic. We've gone from white to blue,' Abdalati, an ice scientist said. He said he normally wouldn't use the word 'scary' but it applies to what's happening. And that means other problems. 'Continued warming of the Arctic atmosphere and ocean are driving broad change in the environmental system in predicted, and, also, unexpected ways,' the NOAA report said. One of the most noticeable problems was a record low sea ice in winter in the Bering Sea in 2017 and 2018, report card authors and other outside scientists said. Declining Arctic sea ice: The 2018 Arctic Report Card found the Arctic region had the second-lowest overall sea-ice coverage on record. The map shows the age of sea ice in the Arctic ice pack in March 1985 (left) and March 2018 (right). Ice that is less than a year old is darkest blue. Ice that has survived at least 4 full years is white. In February - the depth of winter - the Bering Sea 'lost an area of ice the area of Idaho,' said Dartmouth University engineering professor Donald Perovich, a co-author of the Arctic report card. This is a problem because the oldest and thickest sea ice is being lost, down 95 percent from 30 years ago. In 1985, about one sixth of all the Arctic sea ice was thick multi-year ice, now it is maybe one-hundredth, Perovich said. University of Alaska Fairbanks marine mammal biologist Gay Sheffield not only studies the record low ice, but she lives it daily in Nome, far north on the Bering Sea. 'I left Nome and we had open water in December,' Sheffield said in an interview at the American Geophysical Union scientific conference in Washington. 'It's very much impacting us.' She mentioned the recent death of someone driving on ice that would normally be thick at this time but wasn't. THE EFFECT ON ANIMALS Ornithologist George Divoky who has been studying the black guillemots of Cooper Island for 45 years noticed something different this year. In the past, 225 nesting pairs of the seabirds would arrive at his island. This past winter it was down to 85 pairs showing up, but only 50 laid eggs and only 25 had successful hatches. He blamed the lack of winter sea ice. 'It looked like a ghost town,' Divoky said. herds of caribou and wild reindeer have dropped about 55 percent - from 4.7 million to 2.1 million animals With overall melting, especially in the summer, herds of caribou and wild reindeer have dropped about 55 percent - from 4.7 million to 2.1 million animals - because of the warming and the flies and parasites they bring, said report card co-author Howard Epstein of the University of Virginia. Advertisement 'Having this area ice free is having this massive environmental change,' Sheffield said, adding there's been a 'multi-species die off' from starvation because of the changes that lack of winter sea ice has had on ocean life. 'That should get everyone's attention.' She said that includes the first spring mass die off of seals along the Bering Strait. Normally there's an east-west separation of cold and warm water in the Bering Sea that drifts from year to year, but this year the warm water reaches all the way up to the Bering Strait and that's changed sea life, Sheffield said. University of Alaska Fairbanks permafrost researcher Vladimir Romanovsky said he was alarmed by what happened to the permafrost - ground that stays below freezing years on end. This past year, Romanovsky found 25 spots that he regularly monitored that used to freeze in January, then February, but never froze this year. The future is looking more and more bleak for the wildlife of the Arctic, especially the polar bears. They haven't been frozen since early 2017. His work is yet to be published and isn't part of NOAA's Arctic report. This means areas that store heat-trapping carbon, especially methane, may let more of the gases escape into the air and also is difficult for buildings, roads and pipelines constructed on the concept of frozen ground, he said. Because of warming, the Arctic is 'seeing concentrations of algal toxins moving northward' infecting birds, mammals and shellfish to become a public health and economic problem, said report card co-author Karen Frey. And the warmer Arctic and melting sea ice has been connected to shifts in the jet stream - the currents that move weather fronts in the air - that have brought extreme winter storms in the East in the past year, Osborne said. But it's not just the Arctic. NASA's newest space-based radar, Icesat 2, in its first couple of months has already found that since 2008, the Dotson ice shelf in west Antarctica has lost more than 390 feet (120 meters) in thickness since 2003. That's bigger than the Statue of Liberty, said radar scientist Ben Smith of the University of Washington. 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. Another study released Monday by NASA found unusual melting in parts of East Antarctica, which scientists had generally thought was stable and perhaps even gaining in ice. Four glaciers at Vincennes Bay has lost nine feet of ice thickness since 2008, said NASA scientists Catherine Walker and Alex Gardner. That's not as fast a loss as in western Antarctica. But loss of ice sheets in Antarctica could lead to massive rise in sea level. 'We're starting to see change that's related to the ocean,' Gardner said. 'Believe it or not this is the first time we're seeing it in this place.' All these paint a consistent picture, scientists said. 'There's a message that Earth is telling us,' former NASA chief scientist Abdalati said. 'We can choose to hear it or we can choose to ignore it.' Advertisement Even Mars robots act like tourists every once in a while. NASAs new InSight lander has snapped its first selfie from the red planet, giving the mission team (and the rest of the world) a good look at its solar panels and deck now that its settled in. InSight also sent back the first complete view of the 14-by-7-foot swath of land that will soon serve as its workspace. Scroll down for video Even Mars robots act like tourists every once in a while. NASAs new InSight lander has snapped its first selfie from the red planet, giving the mission team (and the rest of the world) a good look at its solar panels and deck now that its settled in Each of the new images is a mosaic of several captures stitched together. While the selfie, captured by the robotic arm, is a composite of 11 pictures, the workspace view includes 52 individual photos. This is allowing scientists to get a good look at the area well before InSight starts putting down its instruments and digging into the ground. The near-absense of rocks, hills, and holes means itll be extremely safe for our instruments, said InSight's Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This might seem like a pretty plain piece of ground if it werent on Mars, but were glad to see that. InSight also sent back the first complete view of the 14-by-7-foot swath of land that will soon serve as its workspace,' indicated in the blue crescent. The team says it looks 'extremely safe' Over the last week or so, InSight has sent back the first of its observations including a clip of light passing over the surface, and recordings of Martian winds. All of this comes as the lander and the team behind its operations prepare for it to begin work in the next few months. For now, however, InSight is taking baby steps. The lander flexed its 6-foot-long arm this week, snapping images of the terrain directly in front of it. 'By carefully swinging my arm out in front of me, Im starting to get a better look at the ground in front of me where Ill be doing my work', the Nasa InSight account tweeted. 'Meanwhile, kind of hypnotized by the play of light and shadow on my arm'. 'By carefully swinging my arm out in front of me, Im starting to get a better look at the ground in front of me where Ill be doing my work', the Nasa InSight account tweeted this week. 'Meanwhile, kind of hypnotized by the play of light and shadow on my arm'. This effect can be seen in the clip above The data collected by InSights Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) in the months before its moved onto the ground will eventually be used to cancel out background noises as it works to detect marsquakes Just days prior, NASA revealed the InSight lander captured the sound of a Martian dust devil during its first days on the red planet. According to the space agency, this is the first time weve ever heard Martian winds. The low rumble detected by InSights sensors are estimated to be blowing between 10 to 15 mph (5 to 7 meters a second) from northwest to southeast and, the recordings are within the range of human hearing. NASA says the sounds recorded on December 1 line up with dust devil streaks observed in the landing area. The vibrations were recorded at a very low pitch, though those with sharp ears will be able to hear it as is, using headphones or subwoofers. To make it clearer, NASA boosted the pitch by two octaves, making it audible on laptops and mobile devices. The space agency shared a series of high-resolution photos captured this week. InSight will soon begin snapping images of the terrain directly in front of it, so the team can select the best location to drill down. The solar panel that will help power the machine is pictured While InSight didnt set out to record Martian winds, specifically, the team says this type of data collection comes with the territory. The lander detected wind vibrations with two of its sensors: one designed to measure air pressure, and with a seismometer on the deck. Capturing this audio was an unplanned treat, says Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator at NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab. But one of the things our mission is dedicated to is measuring motion on Mars, and naturally that includes motion caused by sound waves. According to the InSight team, the two different instruments recorded the noise in different ways. This image shows some of the instruments visible in the selfie image sent back to Earth by InSight early last Tuesday morning INSIGHT'S THREE KEY INSTRUMENTS The lander that could reveal how Earth was formed: InSight lander set for Mars landing on november 26th Three key instruments will allow the InSight lander to 'take the pulse' of the red planet: Seismometer : The InSight lander carries a seismometer , SEIS, that listens to the pulse of Mars. The seismometer records the waves traveling through the interior structure of a planet. Studying seismic waves tells us what might be creating the waves. On Mars, scientists suspect that the culprits may be marsquakes, or meteorites striking the surface. Heat probe: InSight's heat flow probe, HP3, burrows deeper than any other scoops, drills or probes on Mars before it. It will investigate how much heat is still flowing out of Mars. Radio antennas: Like Earth, Mars wobbles a little as it rotates around its axis. To study this, two radio antennas, part of the RISE instrument, track the location of the lander very precisely. This helps scientists test the planet's reflexes and tells them how the deep interior structure affects the planet's motion around the Sun. Advertisement While the Auxiliary Payload Sensor Subsystems air pressure sensor recorded the vibrations directly, the seismometer picked up vibrations caused by the wind passing over the landers solar panels. The data collected by InSights Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) in the months before its moved onto the ground will eventually be used to cancel out background noises as it works to detect marsquakes. Its short period (SP) silicon sensors can detect vibrations with frequencies of up to 50 hertz, which sits at the lower range of human hearing, NASA says. The InSight lander acts like a giant ear, said Tom Pike, InSight science team member and sensor designed at Imperial College London. The solar panels on the landers sides respond to pressure fluctuations of the wind. Its like InSight is cupping its ears and hearing the Mars wind beating on it. When we looked at the direction of the lander vibrations coming from the solar panels, it matches the expected wind direction at our landing site. InSight touched down in a region known as Elysium Planitia. Its location can be seen in the map above, not far from the landing site of the 2012 Curiosity mission, the last NASA probe to land on Mars NASA's InSight lander has finally removed the lens cover from its cameras, allowing the robotic explorer to take its clearest pictures yet of its new home The team has released both a raw, unaltered audio sample of the seismometer recording and a second version thats been raised two octaves to make it easier to hear. For the latter, the APSS sample was sped up by a factor of 100. According to the experts, the source of the sound is pretty straightforward; vibrations detected by the instruments are much like the air pressure changes you hear when a flag whips around in the wind. That's literally what sound is changes in air pressure, said Don Banfield InSight's science lead for APSS from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. You hear that whenever you speak to someone across the room. The CIA created remote control dogs by surgically implanting electrodes in their brains in 1963, newly released documents reveal. US officials have been trying to hide the top secret 'behaviour modification' files for decades, but they have now been released under the country's Freedom of Information laws. Experimenters implanted devices inside the skulls of six canines and used electrical stimulation to guide them through an open field, making them run, turn and stop. The top secret experiments were part of the infamous mind control project MKUltra. Scroll down for video Mind-control experiments using drugs, hypnosis and electronic devices were carried out by the CIA on dogs in 1963. Officials have been trying to hide the documents for decades but have recently been released under the Freedom of Information Act (Stock image) The top-secret CIA program conducted hundreds of experiments sometimes on unwitting citizens to assess the potential use of LSD. They also used other drugs for mind control, information gathering and psychological torture. John Greenewald, founder of The Black Vault, a site specialising in declassified government records spent twenty years trying to obtain the documents. The files from the infamous project reveal the government agency also tested humans with psychotropic drugs, electrical shocks and radio waves. 'The specific aim of the research program was to examine the feasibility of controlling the behaviour of a dog, in an open field, by means of remotely stimulated electrical stimulation of the brain,' the documents state. 'Such a system depends for its effectiveness on two properties of electrical stimulation delivered to certain deep lying structures of the dog brain: the well-known reward effect, and a tendency for such stimulation to initiate and maintain locomotion in a direction which is accompanied by the continued delivery of stimulation.' Researchers implanted a device inside six canines' skulls and guided them through an open field (schematic pictured), making them run, turn and stop. The top secret experiments were part of the infamous mind control project MKUltra John Greenewald, founder of The Black Vault, a site specialising in declassified government records, put in the FOIA request. This document details plans to drug inmates at a prison hospital then interrogate them The researchers first tried out a plastic helmet but then settled on a new surgical technique that involved 'embedding the electrode entirely within a mound of dental cement on the skull', the documents state. They ran the leads just below the dog's skin to a point between the shoulder blades, where the leads are brought to the surface and affixed to a standard dog harness. Some of the dogs suffered side effects from the experiments, including infections caused by the head wound where they embedded the electrode into their brain. In one letter an individual, whose name had been redacted, writes to a doctor with advice about experiments in animal mind control. The writer of the letter proved to be an expert in the field of animal mind control and had undertaken the successful creation of six remote control dogs. 'As you know, I spent about three years working in the research area of rewarding electrical stimulation of the brain,' the person writes. Pictures of dog brain structures indicating where electrodes would be surgically implanted. The researchers first tried out a plastic helmet but then settled on a new surgical technique that involved 'embedding the electrode entirely within a mound of dental cement on the skull', the documents state Scientists at first used a plastic helmet (schematic pictured) that delivered the stimulation to the dog's brain but then moved on to embedding the electrode within a mound of dental cement into the skull 'In the laboratory, we performed a number of experiments with rats; in the open field, we employed dogs of several breeds.' The letter writer characterises the work with remote-controlling dogs as a success, describing 'a demonstrated procedure for controlling the free-field behaviours of an unrestrained dog.' The final report, published in 1965, titled 'Remote Control Behaviour with Rewarding Electrical Stimulation of the Brain', was attached to the letter. The top-secret CIA program MKUltra conducted hundreds of experiments sometimes on unwitting U.S. citizens to assess the potential use of LSD. They also used other drugs for mind control, information gathering and psychological torture By 1967, it seems unlikely that remote-controlled dogs were ever used in the field, as the letter writer outlines some of the limitations and challenges to any follow-up program going forward. The files are not the only 'Behavioural Modification' document released by The Black Vault involving animals. Numerous other files pertain to budgeting and acquisition for animal experimentation. One declassified file details, with heavy redactions, the practical possibilities of training and equipping cats for 'foreign situation' field work. From travelling to the moon to creating creating billions of smartphones, humans have certainly done a lot during our short time on Earth. Yet new research suggests the Anthropocene - the period in which humans have had a lasting impact on our planet - will be most remembered for leaving vast amounts of chicken bones. Humans slaughter more than 60 billion chickens every year, creating a combined mass of three times that of all other birds on our planet put together. With 22 billion of them alive on the planet right now, geologists say that the remains of the humble chicken will be the most major fossil of our age. Scroll down for video Since the middle of the last century, the body mass of domesticated chickens has increased five-fold. Researchers say that chickens will trump other signs of the Anthropocene including plastics, fertilisers and fossil fuels Most chicken carcasses are thrown into landfill where they are likely to fossilise thanks to oxygen-free conditions. 'The signal of our civilisation is already being recorded', lead researcher Carys Bennett at the University of Leicester told New Scientist. 'We think they are a really important symbol and potential future fossil of this age, and man's impact on the planet'. Since the middle of the last century, the body mass of domesticated chickens has increased five-fold. In Europe the population of domesticated chickens in 2009 was greater than the combined population of the 144 most numerous bird species, according to the paper published in Royal Society Open Science. Researchers say that chickens will trump other signs of the Anthropocene including plastics, fertilisers and fossil fuels. Research suggests the Anrthopocene - the period in which humans have had a lasting impact on our planet - will be most remembered for leaving vast amounts of chicken bones (stock) Pictured is the global consumption of domesticated chicken, pig and cattle from 1961 to 2016. Chicken is the most common meat consumed, with a standing population in 2016 of over 22.7 billion They wrote that 'the skeletal morphology, pathology, bone geochemistry and genetics of modern broilers are demonstrably different to those of their ancestors. They found that changes during the Anthropocene have been most dramatic with 'large increases in individual bird growth rate and population sizes'. 'Broiler chickens, now unable to survive without human intervention, have a combined mass exceeding that of all other birds on Earth.' Their findings show that their existence constituted an 'unprecedented human reconfiguration of the Earth's biosphere'. Current research suggests that chickens were domesticated around 8,000 years ago from wild jungle fowl (pictured) in Asia Limb bones (femur, tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus) of a modern broiler (left) and a red jungle fowl (right) They are also good markers of our time because they have changed so dramatically during the period of domestication. Research from 2015 found that the genetic makeup of chickens has mutated twice within just half a century. This suggests that the birds are evolving a staggering 15 times faster than expected. 'Given this global distribution, together with its huge population size and distinctive biology, genetics and bone geochemistry, the broiler chicken may be viewed as a key species indicator of the proposed Anthropocene Epoch', researchers wrote. Current studies suggest that chickens were domesticated around 8,000 years ago from wild jungle fowl in Asia. It is thought that these birds spread out around Asia but later were bred with other ancient species of fowl to produce the modern domesticated birds that appear on our supermarket shelves today. Scientists believe chickens were introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by Phoenician traders in the first century AD. Spanish colonists are believed to have introduced domesticated chickens to the New World in 1500 AD. A 2000-year-old figurine depicting a Celtic fertility God has been uncovered in an old Roman settlement by archaeologists in farmland in Cambridgeshire. The discovery shows there were strong links between the ancient people of Britain and Roman legionary during their occupation of Britain between 100BC and 150AD. The two-inch metal individual has no face how accepting the Romans were of other religions, often just merging gods with their own. The small figure's face has been worn away and holds a 'torc' or a neck ring which represents 'Cernunnos', the Celtic god of nature, life and the underworld. It dates back to the second century AD in which time the area was a rural settlement from the Late Iron Age to the Early Roman period. Scroll down for video The 2000-year-old figurine was found at the National Trust's Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire. The small figure's face has been worn away and holds a 'torc' or a neck ring which represents 'Cernunnos', the Celtic god of nature, life and the underworld. Similar figures of Cernunnos have been found carved in stone, but it is the only metal figurine of this Celtic god known in Britain, according to the National Trust. It was found by archaeologists on the National Trust's Wimpole Estate, who have likened the figure to finding a worn version of Jesus on a crucifix. The settlement is believed to have been at the centre of a strong trading network, with around 300 metal objects uncovered during the dig. Other discoveries included coins, horse harness fittings, Roman military uniforms, a spearhead, an axe head, key handles, brooches and a ring. Stephen Macaulay, the Deputy Regional Manager at Oxford Archaeology East carried out the excavation outlined its importance of the finding. Mr Macaulay said: 'The face of the figurine has been rubbed away, but we see similar figures of Cernunnos, so it's like finding a worn version of Jesus on a crucifix, it's the shape you expect to see. 'He was an important God to the Celts, but this shows how accepting the Romans were of other religions, they often just merged the Gods with their own. The settlement is believed to have been at the centre of a strong trading network, with around 300 metal objects uncovered during the dig. The discoveries included coins, horse harness fittings, Roman military uniforms, a spearhead, an axe head, key handles, brooches and a ring Similar figures of Cernunnos have been found carved in stone, pictured here is an example, but it is the only metal figurine of this Celtic god known in Britain, according to the National Trust The Romans really ran their empire like the British did, they would conquer and then reinstate the people who had already been in charge. 'The Wimpole story is interesting as it gives us a snapshot of local people living alongside the legionnaires as they travelled up and down the country along Ermine Street.' The figurine is being cleaned, catalogued and analysed and will form the basis of future exhibitions at Wimpole. The figurine is being cleaned, catalogued and analysed and will form the basis of future exhibitions at Wimpole Shannon Hogan, National Trust Archaeologist for the East of England, said: 'This is an incredibly exciting discovery, which to me represents more than just the deity, Cernunnos. 'It almost seems like the enigmatic 'face' of the people living in the landscape some 2,000 years ago. 'The artefact is Roman in origin but symbolises a Celtic deity and therefore exemplifies the continuation of indigenous religious and cultural symbolism in Romanised societies.' Britons will be treated to astonishing show visible by the naked eye of 120 shooting stars an hour in showers set to peak later in the next two days. The spectacular event is set to coincide with a space rock dubbed the Christmas comet, tipped to be the brightest of the year, passing overhead this evening. Those who wish to catch a glimpse of the Christmas comet, which is set to whizz past Earth, will need to go to a dark spot and look south. Meanwhile, the Geminids meteor shower will consist of multi-coloured shooting stars visible from the ground on Thursday and Friday. Viewers hoping to catch a glimpse of the Christmas comet and the meteor shower are being advised by the Met Office to go to an open place away from street lights. Scroll down for video Britons could be treated to astonishing show of 120 shooting stars an hour in showers set to peak later this week. The spectacular event is to coincide with a space rock dubbed the Christmas comet, tipped to be the brightest of the year this evening 'Star gazers will be looking for clear, cloudless skies to have the best possible chance of catching a glimpse of the meteor shower,' said a Met office spokesperson. Ideally a location away from light pollution will be of benefit.' For those in areas with low light pollution, no smog and clear skies, the Geminids are visible to the naked eye, with no specialist equipment needed. The fluorescent blue coloured Christmas comet will skim to within 7.1 million miles of our planet, or 30 times the distance to the moon. The Christmas comet (circled) seen from Dorset. The Geminids meteor shower will consist of multi-coloured shooting stars visible from the ground on Thursday and Friday. Viewers hoping to catch a glimpse of the Christmas comet, pictured, and the meteor shower are being advised by the Met Office to go to an open place away from street lights Pictured is a photo taken from the Carlisle Memorial Column on the Castle Howard estate in Yorkshire during a Geminid shower last year. The display is sometimes referred to as 'the King of Meteor Showers' THE GEMINIDS The Geminid meteor shower is sometimes referred to as the King of Meteor Showers as it is one of the best of the year, with up to 150 shooting stars streaking across the sky every hour. The debris burns up when it enters the Earth's atmosphere, giving the appearance of a 'shooting star.' The shower happens when the Earth crosses paths with a trail of rocky debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon. Tonight there will still be around 15 to 30 an hour, and by Friday just the odd one or two, writes Space.com. They are bright and have a yellowish hue, making them distinct and easy to spot. Geminid meteors travel fairly slowly, at around 22 miles (35 km) per second. Advertisement Meteor showers occur when the Earth ploughs through dust and particles left over from a passing comet or asteroid. The pieces burn up as they enter our atmosphere creating the bright colours. Traditionally asteroids are made of rock, and comets mostly of ice. Geminid meteor showers occur when moves through the debris from asteroid 3200 Phaeton as it orbits the sun. The Phaeton is an Apollo asteroid with an orbit that brings it closer to the sun than any other named asteroid. The three-mile-wide object, which NASA describes as a 'rock comet', was discovered in 1983 by two British scientists examining NASA satellite images. It was initially classified but because of its eccentric orbit that looks more like that of a comet and brings it well inside the orbit of Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun. The meteors move at a speed of 22 miles per second and burn up at about 24 miles above the Earth. Another unusual feature of the Geminids is that they can shine in different colours. Mostly glowing white, they may also appear yellow, blue, green or red. Geminid meteor showers occur when moves through the debris from asteroid 3200 Phaeton as it orbits the sun. The Phaeton is an Apollo asteroid with an orbit that brings it closer to the sun than any other named asteroid Kanye West has topped this year's study of the 'Worst Password Offenders' after tapping in 000000 during a televised Oval Office meeting with President Trump. Worryingly he was closely followed by The Pentagon after an audit by the Government Accountability Office found numerous cyber-security vulnerabilities in several systems. Big companies are also capable of blunders, as shown by Nutella which invited its Twitter followers to change their passwords to Nutella on World Password Day. Scroll down for video Kanye West has topped this year's study of 'Worst Password Offenders' after tapping in 000000 during telivised Oval Office meeting blunder with President Trump Dashlane, a New York-based digital security company, created the worst offenders list of 2018. Their research revealed that the average internet user has more than 200 digital accounts that require passwords and it is projected that this figure will double to 400 in the next five years. 'Passwords are the first line of defence against cyberattacks,' said Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of Dashlane. 'Weak passwords, reused passwords, and poor organisational password management can easily put sensitive information as risk. 'The sheer number of accounts requiring passwords means everyone is prone to make the same mistakes as the Password Offenders,' he said. The worst offender from this year was Kanye West after he joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in front of a room full of press. He launched into a nearly 30-minute diatribe about racism, employment and the benefits of mediation. He also revealed his iPhone password when he went to show President Trump a photo of the hydrogen-powered plane his is working on with Apple on his device, quickly typing in '00000.' The Pentagon came in in second place after an incident in October revealed that US weapons systems being developed by the US Department of Defense can be easily be hacked by adversaries WORST PASSWORD OFFENDERS FOR 2018: THE COMPLETE LIST Dashlane, a digital security company, created the worst offenders list of 2018. 1. Kanye West topped this year's study of 'Worst Password Offenders' after tapping in 000000 during a televised Oval Office meeting blunder with President Trump. 2. The Pentagon came in in second place after an incident in October revealed that US weapons systems being developed by the US Department of Defense can be easily be hacked by adversaries. 3. In third place were cryptocurrency owners who simple could not remember their passwords. As the value of cryptocurrencies soured at the beginning of last year, scores of owners could have cashed out - if they could rememebr their login details. 4. In fourth place was Nutella, after it came under fire for encouraging its Twitter followers to change their passwords to 'Nutella'. 5. In fifth place were UK Law Firms after researchers found password combinations from 500 of the countrys top law firms available on the dark web. 6. In sixth place was Texas state after it left more than 14 million voter records exposed on a server that wasn't password protected. This blunder meant that sensitive personal information from 77 per cent of the states registered voters, including addresses and voter history, was left vulnerable. 7. In seventh place was a member of staff from the White House who made the mistake of writing down his email login and password on official White House stationery. This mistake was exacerbated as he accidentally left the document at a Washington, D.C. bus stop. 8. In eighth place was Google's search engine after it was hacked by a student from Kerala, India who got access to a TV broadcast satellite. The student logged in to the Google admin pages on his mobile device in using a blank username and password. 9. In ninth place was UN staff who were using Trello, Jira, and Google Docs to collaborate on projects, but forgot to password protect many of their documents. This meant anyone with the correct link could access secret plans, international communications, and plaintext passwords. 10. In tenth place was The University of Cambridge after it got into hot water after a plaintext password left on GitHub allowed anyone to access the data of millions of people being studied by the universitys researchers. The data was being extracted from the Facebook quiz app myPersonality and contained the personal details of Facebook users, including intimate answers to psychological tests. Advertisement The Pentagon came in second place after an incident in October revealed that US weapons systems being developed by the US Department of Defense can be easily be hacked by adversaries. The report found many systems are still using default passwords, while testers using easily available tools were able to gain full access to others within seconds. The testers also looked for previously reported vulnerabilities, and in one instance, only one in 20 had been fixed. The Government Accountability Office said The Pentagon was unaware of how easy it could be for an adversary to gain access to the computer brains and software of the weapons systems and operate inside them undetected. In fourth place was Nutella, after it came under fire for encouraging its Twitter followers to change their passwords to 'Nutella' In third place were cryptocurrency owners who simple could not remember their passwords. As the value of cryptocurrencies soured at the beginning of last year, scores of owners could have cashed out - if they could rememebr their login details. Some people were so desperate they even hired hypnotists to help them remember their forgotten passwords. In fourth place was Nutella, after it came under fire for encouraging its Twitter followers to change their passwords to 'Nutella'. 'Today it's World Password Day: choose a word that's already in your heart. Like 'Nutella', for example!' the offical account tweeted. Cyber security experts recommend using strong passwords and not reusing the same password on several accounts. A Russian 'robot' that danced on live state television has been revealed as a scam. Boris the 'hi-tech robot' was said to be capable of elaborate movements including dancing, but viewers were immediately sceptical of his smooth moves. It has now surfaced that the bot was actually just a costume worn by an actor and not the ultra high-tech piece of machinery it was claimed to be. Scroll down for video A Russian 'robot' that danced on live state television has been revealed as a scam. Boris the 'hi-tech robot' was said to be capable of elaborate movements including dancing, but viewers were immediately sceptical of his smooth moves. Russia's humiliation comes after images surfaced online which allegedly showed a distinct lack of sensors, 'unnecessary' movements and even an image showing a human neckline in the costume. Boris now appears to be a 3,000 ($3,800) costume called 'Alyosha the Robot' which is manufactured by a company called Show Robots. The expensive outfit is equipped with microphones and tablet display to give the illusion of robotic apparatus but is indeed entirely controlled by a person inside. During the performance, which held was at the opening of a science forum in Yaroslavl, the 'robot' had even said - in an android-like voice: 'I know mathematics well but I also want to learn to draw'. At the time, the country's most major news channel, Russia24, called it 'the country's most modern robot'. Boris now appears to be a 3,000 ($3,800) costume called 'Alyosha the Robot' (pictured) which is manufactured by a company called Show Robots Suspicions started circulating online about its legitimacy with people questioning where the so-called robot's sensors were located. Others raised concerns about how the robot could speak when there were no microphones close to it. This was despite the fact a robotic voice could be heard booming out of the speakers. Boris also appeared much more bulky than other humanoid robots. One Russian outlet called TJournal posted a picture of Boris from behind, clearly showing the wearer's neckline, which was shared by Yaroslavl News. Yaroslavl News also shared the Russia24 footage during their programme, writes Oddity Central. Russia24 has since removed the videos from its NewTube channel but has yet to issue a statement. The U.S. Army is eyeing a new assault rifle that can rip through body armor with the power of a battle tank. A lineup of Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifles (NGSAR) are expected to be in troops hands as soon as 2022, according to The Military Times. The 6.8mm rifles not only pack greater force, but also feature improved precision from greater distances and are also able to handle all-weather and terrain encountered by soldiers. Scroll down for video The U.S. Army is eyeing a new assault rifle that can rip through body armor with the power of a battle tank. The next-generation automatic rifles are expected to be in troops hands by 2022 Army officials are so pleased with the outcome that they say the rifles are 'better than any weapon on earth today, by far.' 'This is a weapon that could defeat any body armor, any planned body armor that we know of in the future,' Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told Military Times. 'This is a weapon that can go out at ranges that are unknown today and that you can see accurately. 'There is a target acquisition system built into this thing that is unlike anything that exists today,' Milley said. He added that it's a 'very sophisticated weapon' that will likely be 'resilient' to many of the conditions soldiers endure. Pictured is a prototype version of the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle, made by Textron. The weapon is able to handle all-weather and terrain encountered by soldiers 'It will stand all the rigors of weather, terrain and soldier use, and all of that kind of stuff,' Milley told Military Times. 'This is a pretty impressive gun. It will be better than any weapon on earth today, by far.' Army soldiers currently use dated M16/M4 weapons that were first doled out more than 50 years ago. Once ready to go, they'll also replace the approximately 80,000 M249 squad automatic weapons currently in use. The new weapon is initially targeted for close combat units like infantry, scouts and special operations, according to The Military Times. It weighs less, is more powerful than prior assault rifles and can shoot further - extending soldiers' range from 300 meters to 600 meters. Natural differences in terrain can get in the way of the gun's extended range, but the service says increased 'power and barrier penetration' will give them greater defense against various environments, like urban obstacles, according to Military Times. 'The chamber pressure for the standard assault rifle is around 45 KSI [kilopound per square inch], but we're looking for between 60 and 80 KSI...the chamber pressure when an M1 Abrams tank fires is on that order,' a source told Task & Purpose. Army soldiers currently use dated M16 and M4 weapons that were first doled out more than 50 years ago. The new guns will replace the approximately 80,000 M249 weapons in use 'We're looking to reach out around 600 meters and have lethal effects even if the target is protected by body armor.' The Army put out a notice in October for prototypes of a 6.8mm light machine gun and has since announced that the prototypes for the new weapon are expected to be ready for test fires by next summer. In addition to new assault rifles, troops will also receive advanced night vision and sophisticated targeting systems by the end of next year. The U.S. isn't the only country focused on developing next-generation weaponry. The Chinese military has built a Star Wars-like laser AK-47 capable of causing 'pain beyond endurance.' The handheld weapon can hit targets half a mile away using an energy beam that cannot be seen but causes 'instant carbonisation' of human skin. The weapon, which is powerful enough to pass through windows, can burn through clothes in a split second, claim scientists who have not been named due to the sensitivity of the project. It was the ultimate speed battle between man and nature as Felipe Massa took on a peregrine falcon, the fastest animal on planet Earth. Former F1 driver Massa, who has switched to the electric Formula E series for the coming season, attempted to outrun the bird of prey in Saudi Arabia. The peregrine falcon is capable of speeds of up to 217mph while diving for prey, making it the fastest creature in the world. Scroll down for video. Felipe Massa attempted to outrun a peregrine falcon in a Formula E car in Saudi Arabia Former F1 driver Massa has switched to the electric Formula E series for the coming season The peregrine falcon is capable of speeds of up to 217mph while diving for prey In the race, Massa drove the electric racing car through the desert with a lure attached, attempting to evade the claws of the falcon. It is the second time an FE car has raced a notoriously quick predator - last year, reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne took on a cheetah in South Africa, and narrowly won. Fans demanded a rematch against a different creature, and after social media feedback, the peregrine falcon was chosen to compete against the former Ferrari racer. Massa managed to shake off the bird and complete the course with the lure unscathed However man once again triumphed, as Massa managed to shake off the bird, and complete the course with the lure unscathed. The Brazilian, who will race for the Leonardo Di Caprio-owned Venturi team in FE this season, said: 'It was an incredible experience for me to race against the fastest member of the animal kingdom - it's not something I will forget in a hurry.' The 2018-19 FE season starts on Saturday December 15 with the Ad Diriyah ePrix n Saudi Arabia, with Massa involved for the first time after ending his F1 career with Williams. He said: 'I'm looking forward to returning to Ad Diriyah and to start racing. It'll be my first race in Formula E and I'm eager to get behind the wheel again. I've missed racing and this series has shown to be one of the most competitive out there.' Material Contract Win Sydney, Dec 12, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - YPB Group Limited ( ASX:YPB ) is pleased to announce that it has received a purchase order for the amount of $150,000 USD (circa $208,000 AUD) as a licence fee for an order of its proprietary VariSec Foil technology which will be applied to 11 million units of one of the world's most issued passports.As per announcement released 31 July 2015, YPB has a Memorandum of Co-operation in effect until June 2019, with Foilmakers Australia Pty Ltd to manufacture and sell YPB's proprietary VariSec foil under licence.YPB Chairman and CEO, John Houston said, "Just as each country progressively moved to e-Passports, we strongly believe that we are similarly starting to see a universal move toward our world-leading proprietary VariSec Foil as the world's largest passport issuers are beginning to adopt the technology in their next generation of passports. Our chosen route to market of IP licencing ensures ease of scaling as the volumes continue to grow."In accordance with ASX GN8 for LRs 3.1-3.1B the Company also advises that there are no further material conditions or information in relation to the fulfilment of the purchase order.About VarisecYPB's VariSec Foil technology has been applied to over 250 million e-Passports since its development. With an estimated 125 million new e-Passports being issued annually (International Civil Aviation Organisation estimate) by 93 countries and an additional 21 countries expected to issue e-Passports in the coming year there is a significant opportunity for YPB.YPB's VariSec technology is believed to be the only security foil in the global ePassport marketplace. The Foil provides an important extra level security for certainty of authenticity of passports and can be applied to many other vital government documents.About YPB Group Ltd DEACTIVATED An airport will soon be offering weary travellers the chance to catch up on their sleep in comfort thanks to a lounge full of 'nap pods'. The Sleepbox Nap Lounge is set to open at Washington Dulles International Airport in January. The airport does have armless benches on airside concourses C and D, but the nap pods should be a far superior option. The lounge is located after airport security in departure concourse A and each pod is sound-proofed and comes with WiFi, bluetooth capability, mood lighting and a memory foam mattress. However, there is no toilet or shower. The Sleepbox Nap Lounge at Washington Dulles International Airport, which will offer 16 pod-like rooms Each pod, which is sound-proofed, comes with WiFi, bluetooth capability, mood lighting and a memory foam mattress. But they're not designed for couples There are 16 pod-like rooms and they are all single, but there are two size options - a 30-square-foot 'compact' and a 45-square-foot 'standard'. They can be hired by the hour, with the compacts costing $25 (19) per hour and $120 (95) for 12 hours and the standards $35 (28) per hour and $150 (120) for 12 hours. The lounge will be staffed at all times and will be open 24 hours a day. To book customers have to go through the Sleepbox app, which they also use to unlock the room and control its features, such as the temperature and lighting. Dulles is the primary international airport for Washington D.C, handling 22 million passengers each year and serving as a major hub for United Airlines. The Sleepbox Inc founders believe that the lounge offers a quiet and comfortable place to sleep, relax or work while waiting to board a flight. Mikhail Krymov, Sleepbox co-founder and CEO, said: 'We believe that the opportunity to relax and recharge in the midst of our busy lives is a valuable asset The lounge will be open and staffed 24 hours a day. To book customers have to go through the Sleepbox app, which they also use to unlock the room and control its features, such as the temperature and lighting 'We are thrilled to have won this prestigious contract and look forward to joining the Dulles Airport community.' Fellow co-founder Peter Chambers said: 'Our seamless experience provides an oasis of ease and simplicity in an otherwise tiring journey. 'Whether a traveler wants to nap, work, or recharge, our secure, sound-insulated and versatile Sleepboxes provide the perfect oasis of calm.' The pair founded Sleepbox in Boston three years ago, believing there was a gap in the marketplace for sleeping pods at airports. In addition to the lounge at Dulles airport, the firm is also working with other international airports and is set to open a flagship micro-hotel in Boston next year. Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's Mexican wedding is arguably one of the biggest events of the year. And to ensure the protection and privacy of the happy couple, Mexican marines and armed security guards have been spotted patrolling the waters of Los Cabos around the One&Only Palmilla resort where the couple are tying the knot on Saturday. It is understood that the serious security detail is to keep paparazzi and reporters away from the A-list couple's nuptials. Some paparazzi were reportedly 'threatened' by guards to leave the premises. Mexican marines, armed security guards and frequency jammers to stop drones: Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough (pictured) have gone to extreme measures to stop paparazzi from invading their Mexican wedding Additionally, a source told Daily Mail Australia that the hotel is using frequency jammers to stop overhead drones from capturing the nuptials from above. In several images, armed Mexican guards, who are part of the Palmilla resort's security team, can be seen staring menacingly out to sea from the safety of a small boat. In others, Mexican Marines are seen speeding across the blue ocean. Don't mess with them! Armed Mexican guards, who are part of the Palmilla resort's security team, were seen staring menacingly out to sea from a small boat on Saturday ahead of the couple's nuptials Stay away! Some paparazzi were reportedly 'threatened' by guards to leave the premises It comes after news.com.au reported that hours before the lavish ceremony, the 34-year-old shoe designer and the Today show host, 44, went to extreme lengths to ensure any media suspects and threats are removed from the premises. While gun-toting Mexican police patrolled the beach venue, guests were left scratching their heads as they 'knew nothing' of the day's schedule ahead. Clad in camouflaged uniforms and carrying weapons, the police searched the public beach in front of the ritzy resort from 9am. In addition, resort staff are also spread around the Sea of Cortez, reporting on any new arrivals using two-way radios. Privacy: It is thought that the serious security detail it to keep paparazzi and reporters away from the A-list couple's nuptials Ocean: In other photos, Mexican Marines can be seen speeding across the blue ocean Clad in camouflaged uniforms and carrying weapons, the police searched the public beach in front of the ritzy resort from 9am. Meanwhile, Jasmine's rep has denied reports of chaos at the shoe designer's wedding to Karl after reports that guests were left panicked as they were being kept in the dark about the plans and locations of the ceremony. In a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, the rep denied claims of over-the-top security at the One&Only Palmilla resort saying: 'this is categorically untrue.' 'We don't know anything!' one panic-ridden guest exclaimed while speaking to the publication. 'We just get these secret texts (saying) 'be here at this time','' they added. Jasmine Yarbrough will be answering to 'Jasmine Stefanovic' after the blonde beauty and Today show host Karl officially tie the knot in Mexico on Saturday. The Mara & Mine shoe designer, 34, confirmed she will be changing her name during an interview with The Sunday Telegraph. The couple's wedding ceremony is currently taking place at the One&Only Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas. It's Mrs Stefanovic to you! Jasmine Yarbrough will take Karl's surname after the couple tie the knot in Mexico on Saturday Daily Mail Australia understands the couple will exchange vows in the courtyard outside the chapel situated in the grounds of the resort. Meanwhile, a bizarre gazebo has been erected to host their wedding reception on the beach in front on the hotel. While Friday's run-through took place inside the One&Only Palmilla Resort's iconic hilltop chapel, the reception will take place on the beach instead. During the day on Saturday, the mysterious metal structure began taking form, with onlookers sighting a set of DJ decks, a dance floor and what appears to be a canopy of LED fairy lights. Bride's wishes: Jasmine confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that she would take Karl's surname over the weekend Pulling out all the stops: A bizarre gazebo has been erected to host their wedding reception on the beach in front on the hotel Guests were later pictured arriving in their glamorous best at the hilltop chapel ahead of the nuptials. Richard Wilkins' son Christian, 24, appeared in high spirits as he posed for a pre-wedding photo with three female guests. Christian donned a chic white ensemble, complete with a black round-rimmed hat and oversize round-rimmed sunglasses. Wedding fever: Richard Wilkins' son Christian [far left], 24, appeared in high spirits as he posed for a pre-wedding photo with three female guests Glamorous best: British TV presenter Louise Roe, 37, stunned in a red off-the-shoulder frock, as she posed with husband Mackenzie Hunkin outside of the One&Only Palmilla resort hilltop chapel While British TV presenter Louise Roe, 37, stunned in a red off-the-shoulder frock, teamed with metallic strappy heels and red drop earrings. Louise embraced husband Mackenzie Hunkin, who wore a crisp white shirt, a tailored black suit jacket and pants and suede loafers. Karl and Jasmine's lavish nuptials are set to take place at 6pm local time in Los Cabos, Mexico. Countdown: Karl and Jasmine's lavish nuptials are set to take place at 6pm local time in Los Cabos, Mexico, at the One&Only Palmilla resort's hilltop chapel Karl Stefanovic, 44, and Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, are tying the knot at a lavish ceremony at One & Only Palmilla resort in Cabo. And in keeping with the Mexican theme, guests have been gifted with customised maracas to use when the pair share their first kiss as husband and wife. Ahead of the ceremony on Saturday, guest Della Muscat, known for starring onMy Kitchen Rules, took to Instagram with a image of the hand-painted traditional instrument. Scroll down for video A maraca-ulous moment! Guests at Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's Mexican nuptials are given shakers to use during the couple's first kiss as husband and wife The white shaker was painted with intricate gold and black decorations, and featured a label with instructions that read, 'Shake at the kiss'. Della, who starred on the Seven cooking series in 2017, wore a bright orange dress for the festive occasion. Mingling with fellow guests, the brunette posed with blogger Ali Rosenberg who stunned in black attire and guest Katie Ingham, who opted for a pink-and-red ensemble. Happily ever after: The Today Show host, 44, officially married Mara & Mine shoe designer, 34, in an evening ceremony in San Jose del Cabo on Saturday Richard Wilkins' socialite son Christian also documented the joyous occasion with an Instagram snap, posing in a quirky black hat decorated with a floral band. He wore a sleeveless white top that featured a neck bow and accessorised with aviator sunglasses. Today Show host Karl officially married Mara & Mine shoe designer in an evening ceremony in San Jose del Cabo on Saturday. Bold: Guest Katie Ingham (right) opted for a pink-and-red ensemble that was adorned with puff shoulders and a plunging neckline. Pictured with Ali Rosenburg (left) and Della Muscat (center) The couple exchanged vows outside the picturesque hilltop chapel inside the lavish One&Only Pamilla resort, with Australian former Ironman, Grant Kenny and model, Montana Cox among the guests. The groom's sister Elisa Pointon conducted the sunset ceremony, which occurred in front of 187 guests including Karl's children, (whom he shares with ex-wife, Cassandra Thorburn) River, 12, Ava, 13, and Jackson, 19. It was confirmed earlier this month that Karl and Jasmine had previously legally wed in Australia. However a source close to the couple confirmed they signed a marriage license in front of a Justice of the Peace ahead of their wedding in Mexico. 'They don't want to make a big deal out of it but this is a legal declaration of marriage,' the insider told Daily Mail Australia last month That's different! Jumping on the selfie bandwagon was Richard Wilkins' son Christian (left), who sported a quirky black hat for the occasion, decorated with a floral band. Pictured with: Ali Rosenburg (center), Katie Ingham (right), Della Muscat (bottom left) Jasmine Yarbrough and Karl Stefanovic have tied the knot in Los Cabos. And while Jasmine's bridal gown was certainly a head-turner, her bridesmaids also looked the picture of elegance as they posed for wedding-day snaps alongside the happy couple. Stunning pictures show Jasmine's beaming bridesmaids dressed in black floor-length dresses posing outside the picturesque hilltop chapel at the One&Only Palmilla. Make way for the bride! Jasmine Yarbrough's seven bridesmaids stunned in low-cut black gowns as they attended the her lavish Mexico nuptials. Pictured: Sarah Johnson, Tamie Ingham, Jimilla Houghton, Stoj Bulic, Sophie Pentland, Georgie Fleming and Jade Yarbrough with the new couple and the groomsmen The simple black gowns featured square necklines and a trumpet-style silhouette. Each bridesmaid wore their hair down and held a delicate bouquet of white flowers. Meanwhile, Jasmine stole the show with a bespoke gown with detachable skirt by J. Andreatta as well as a long flowing lace train and white strappy high heel sandals. Maid of honour! Included in the bridal party was Jasmine's younger sister Jade (right) Included in the bridal party was Jasmine's younger sister Jade, who stood behind her sister in the photo of the entire wedding party taken before the ceremony. Joining Jasmine's sister, Jade, is her fashion business partner, Tamie Ingham, with whom she runs shoe label Mara & Mine. The duo lived together in America as they built their shoe empire. Knows her stuff: While running wedding video and photography studio Sugar Mill Road , brunette Jimilla Houghton will be able to offer lots of matrimonial advice on the big day. The friends pictured in New York in 2007 (left) and October 2017 (right) Celebrity makeup artist Stoj Bulic, who boasts clients such as Chrissy Teigen, was also a member of the 'bride tribe'. Longtime pal and wedding photographer Jimilla Houghton was also there to offer lots of matrimonial advice on the big day. Mummy blogger Sarah Johnson, who operates the Practical-ly Parent website, Georgie Fleming and Sophie Pentland completed the seven women Jasmine chose to be by her side on her special day. He exchanged vows with his blushing bride Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, at the One & Only Palmilla chapel in Mexico on Saturday. And during the lavish Mexican wedding, Karl Stefanovic, 44, looked every inch the joyful groom in a dapper wedding suit. The Today show host opted for a classic black-and-white ensemble on his big day and added a surprising Australian touch. Man of the hour! Karl Stefanovic (left) added a surprising Australian touch to his Tom Ford wedding suit at his Mexican nuptials to Jasmine Yarbrough (left) Sporting a dashing suit by Tom Ford, Karl wore an off-white blazer that featured an embroidered collar. He paired this with a black bow tie, black trousers and a stark white shirt underneath. Karl completed the look with a pair of boots by renowned Australian brand, RM Williams, which was founded in the 1930s. Dapper: Karl completed the look with a pair of boots by renowned Australian brand, RM Williams, which was founded in the 1930's For the ultimate Aussie touch, Karl's groomsmen also wore boots by the label. Meanwhile, Jasmine put on a leggy display in a high-low gown featuring a short, miniskirt-style front and a train at the back. The soft blush-coloured bespoke gown also featured a plunging neckline that revealed a hint of the bride's cleavage. Handsome: Sporting a dashing suit by Tom Ford, Karl wore an off-white blazer that featured an embroidered collar. Pictured with brothers Peter (left) and Tom (right) Designed by Australian bridal designer Jessica Andreatta, the gown took six months to create. The newlyweds initially began dating in late 2016, months after the Today host separated from his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn. Karl has previously revealed that after tying the knot in Los Cabos, he and Jasmine will spend the remainder of their honeymoon back home. She tied the knot with Karl Stefanovic, 44, at the same Mexican chapel as The Hills' Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. And it appears Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, may have an affinity with the popular reality show; having worn a wedding dress that looked strikingly similar to a gown worn by Whitney Port, who also featured on the MTV reality series. Breaking with tradition, the new Mrs Stefanovic, 34 stunned in a bespoke gown with detachable skirt by J. Andreatta. Seeing double! Jasmine Yarbrough's (left) wedding dress appears strikingly similar to gown worn by Hill's star Whitney Port (right) during her Palm Spring nuptials in 2015 Along with a long flowing lace train, the shoe designer completed her wedding day ensemble with a pair of white strappy high heel sandals. The gorgeous display comes three years after Whitney, 33 adopted the same edgy take on bridal couture for her 2015 Palm Springs nuptials to Tim Rosenman. Parading her perfect pins like Jasmine, the reality star wore a unique bridal dress that featured a very short front and long train by Beirut-based label, Ashi Studio. Whitney did it first! Whitney, 33 adopted the same edgy take on bridal couture in a unique bridal dress featuring a very short front and long train by Beirut-based label, Ashi Studio Karl and Jasmine exchanged vows at an idyllic white chapel at the lavish One&Only Palmilla Resort in the seaside town of San Jose del Cabo. And last month, it was reported to be the same wedding venue where The Hills stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt - a.k.a 'Speidi' - said their 'I dos' back in 2008. Meanwhile, the festivities are said to be continuing after the Today Show host officially married the Mara & Mine designer in an evening ceremony on Saturday. Happily ever after: Karl, 44 and Jasmine, 34 exchanged vows at an idyllic white chapel at the lavish One&Only Palmilla Resort in the seaside town of San Jose del Cabo That's where we've seen it before! Last month, it was reported to be the same wedding venue where The Hills stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt - a.k.a 'Speidi' - said their 'I dos' back in 2008 The groom's sister Elisa Pointon conducted the sunset ceremony, which occurred in front of 187 guests including Karl's children, (whom he shares with ex-wife, Cassandra Thorburn) River, 12, Ava, 13, and Jackson, 19. It was confirmed earlier this month that Karl and Jasmine had previously legally wed in Australia. However a source close to the couple confirmed they signed a marriage license in front of a Justice of the Peace ahead of their wedding in Mexico. She's the savvy businesswoman who jetted off to Los Angeles on Monday for a lavish shopping trip. And on Sunday, PR maven Roxy Jacenko sported a chic monochrome ensemble upon landing in Sydney. Strutting through the Sydney International Airport with four pieces of luggage, the 38-year-old appeared to have splashed the cash. Home sweet home! PR Queen Roxy Jacenko donned a sports-luxe ensemble as she touched down in Sydney on Sunday after a high-end shopping trip in Los Angeles Roxy looked comfortable and stylish in a pair of black leggings and white T-shirt. She teamed up the travel outfit with a bomber jacket and a pair of sneakers. Her blonde locks were styled in loose waves around her face, as she accessorised with large black sunglasses. Roxy was spotted walking through the terminal carrying four hefty pieces of luggage on a carrier. Monochrome chic: Roxy looked comfortable and stylish in a pair of black leggings and T-shirt Blonde beauty: Her locks were styled in loose waves around her face, as she accessorised with large black sunglasses Shopping spree? Strutting through the Sydney International Airport with four pieces of luggage, the 38-year-old appeared to have splashed the cash Later, a man dressed in a suit helped carry Roxy's larger suitcases and a fancy Christian Dior travel bag. Lugging a small transparent piece of luggage, Roxy then helped the man store her items in the car. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough confirmed that Roxy was not attending their wedding ceremony in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico on Saturday. 'She isn't a close friend of the couple and therefore hasn't been invited to the wedding,' they said. Help: Later, a man dressed in a suit helped carry Roxy's larger suitcases and a fancy Christian Dior travel bag On the way! Lugging a small transparent piece of luggage, Roxy then helped the man store her items in the car Meanwhile, Roxy told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that she was not in the USA for the wedding, which is taking place south of the border. 'No wedding for me!' the Sweaty Betty founder said definitively. She revealed she traveled to America for a high-end shopping trip, explaining: 'I am in LA to source furniture for our new home'. Roxy added that she would not have even be in the area at the time of the nuptials, revealing: 'Actually on my way home already - just a couple of days on the ground!' He is known for ensuring all eyes are him by creating bold, fashion forward ensembles. And at Karl Stefanovic's luxurious wedding with Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico on Saturday, Christian 'Prince' Wilkins turned heads in a transparent blouse matched with shiny black pants. The sheer button-up shirt showed off the 23-year-old's muscular frame and featured a bow around the neck. A wedding fit for a Prince! Christian Wilkins dons a sheer white blouse at Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's luxury nuptials in Mexico Christian accessorised his outfit by adding a hat decorated with a floral band and oversized round, rimmed sunglasses. The fashionista tied his blonde tresses into a ponytail and tucked them up behind his hat. In a photo shared to Instagram, the socialite posed with model Montana Cox as guests arrived at the lavish event. 'Man and wife,' he captioned the stylish snap. Stylish! Christian (left) sported a quirky black hat for the occasion, decorated with a floral band. Pictured with: Ali Rosenburg (center), Katie Ingham (right), Della Muscat (bottom left) Congrats! Christian was at Karl Stefanovic's luxurious wedding with Jasmine Yarbrough (both pictured centre) in Mexico on Saturday Christian arrived in Mexico ahead of the nuptials with his father Richard and his girlfriend Virginia. The model's boyfriend, Andrew Kelly did not accompany the trio to Mexico. The fashionista has donned several sheer ensembles at the four day celebrations, arriving at the pre-wedding welcome dinner on Friday night in an off-white two-piece by Sydney designer YOUKHANA. Family holiday: Christian arrived in Mexico ahead of the nuptials with his father Richard (centre) and his girlfriend Virginia (left) The skirt and crop top ensemble retails for $155. The socialite paired the ab-baring outfit with white underwear that could be seen under the transparent cotton. 'And the bride wore a subtle crop top to the welcome drinks,' he captioned a photo of himself on Instagram. She debuted her 'surprise and unplanned' baby bump at Derby Day in November. And on Sunday, Nikki Phillips flaunted her blossoming figure in a tiny leopard print bikini. Marking 25 weeks into her pregnancy, the Kiwi model took to Instagram to share a poolside selfie with partner Dane Rumble while playfully mocking her changing shape. 'Reached the moment when boobs rest on stomach!' Nikki Phillips flaunts her blossoming baby bump in leopard print bikini after admitting her second pregnancy with partner Dane Rumble (pictured) was a 'surprise' 'I've officially reached that moment when you sit and boobs rest on stomach, stomach rests on legs, the joys of growing baby bump,' she wrote. The mum-of-one added: 'Sunday session while one child sleeps, parents resort to cannon balls and donut floating.' The maternal display comes as the 35 year-old, who has a one year-old son, Jett with Rumble, revealed her shock at the unplanned pregnancy. Yummy mummy: The maternal display comes as the 35 year-old, who has a one year-old son, Jett with Rumble, revealed her shock at the unplanned pregnancy Speaking to the Daily Telegraph last month, she opened up calling it a 'miracle' and confirming that it was a happy accident. 'This time round it was completely unplanned and completely lucky,' Nikki revealed. 'I would say that both my children, this one and Jett, are complete miracles in their own rights.' Struggle: Her journey to motherhood hasn't been easy, with the blonde suffering three miscarriages before welcoming Jett. She's pictured debuting her 'surprise and unplanned' baby bump at Derby Day in November Nikki's journey to motherhood hasn't been easy, with the blonde suffering three miscarriages before welcoming Jett. The socialite opened up about her miscarriages in a heartbreaking blog post last year. 'Its the most emotional roller-coaster I have ever been on,' she wrote. 'From extreme highs to devastating lows.' Baby joy! Last month Nikki spoke to the Daily Telegraph about her second pregnancy, saying: 'This time round it was completely unplanned and completely lucky' 'My heart was broken and I was so low, but life continues as does work and putting on a brave face masked the pain.' Nikki is best known for appearing on New Zealand's Next Top Model in 2009. She now keeps busy as a blogger, Instagram model and socialite. MNF completes acquisition of Inabox business Sydney, Dec 12, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Board of Australian communications specialist MNF Group ( ASX:MNF ) ( FRA:M2S ) is pleased toannounce it has completed the purchase of the Wholesale and Enablement Business of Inabox Group ( ASX:IAB ).MNF Group paid $34.5m for IAB's business which has been funded using its debt facility.About Symbio Holdings Limited Symbio Holdings Limited (ASX:SYM) is one of Asia-Pacific's fastest growing technology companies. Listed on the ASX since 2006 and twice winner of the Forbes Asia-Pacific "Best under a Billion" award. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, the company has over 500 people located across Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. Symbio develops and operates a global communications network and software suite enabling some of the world's leading innovators to deliver new-generation communications solutions. As the world moves to IP, Symbio is building the brands, services, network and technology to lead the way. Karl Stefanovic, 44, officially married Mara & Mine shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, during a sunset ceremony in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, on Saturday. And his manager, Sharon Finnigan paid tribute to the pair, taking to Instagram to post an emotional message. Sharon shared a photo of herself standing beside the groom outside the chapel, both beaming with happiness. 'All the happiness in the world': Karl Stefanovic's manager Sharon Finnigan (right) shares a sweet tribute to the Today host and his bride Jasmine Yarbrough on their wedding day The manager captioned the photograph: 'Wishing you all the happiness in the world love you both'. Sharon looked resplendent in the photograph in a white floral halter dress and carrying a pale pink YSL clutch purse. The Today Show host beside her was dapper in a Tom Ford suit consisting of a white jacket and bow tie. The manager captioned the photo: 'Wishing you all the happiness in the world love you both' Jasmine broke with tradition, wearing a bespoke high-low hemmed gown with detachable skirt by Sydney designer J. Andreatta. She added a flowing lace bridal train and a pair of white strappy high heel sandals. The Channel Nine star's mother Jenny walked Karl into the service, while Jasmine's businessman father Bob walked her down the aisle. The groom's sister Elisa Pointon conducted the sunset ceremony, which occurred in front of 187 guests. Happy day! Karl officially married Mara & Mine shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough during a sunset ceremony in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, on Saturday (pictured) They included Karl's children (whom he shares with ex-wife, Cassandra Thorburn), River, 12, Ava, 13, and Jackson, 19. The exchanging of vows was an emotional affair, with Now To Love reporting that Karl broke down in tears as Jasmine read her wedding vows, telling her: 'S**t, I'm terrible with this stuff.' The newly-married couple and their guests then enjoyed drinks and canapes followed by a formal dinner. Last year she realised that the chances of her conceiving a baby naturally had completely dwindled. But Mel Grieg has revealed that she is making one last ditch effort to have a child. In a refreshingly open column for Yahoo, the 36-year-old admitted that although she knows her chances are slim, she has decided to freeze her eggs. Swipe right for the best chance at a beach bod! Mel Greig revealed she hasn't given up on having a baby and is using 'Tinder for Sperm' to find the right donor The radio star, who suffers from stage 4 Endometriosis and a low egg count, almost gave up when she was told that she would only have a 5% chance of IVF working for her. But she says that after talking to Sophie Monk about the IVF process, she decided to have it done. 'What she said to me completely changed my mind-set,' Mel wrote, '"But Mel, theres still a 5% chance. All you need is that one egg and one sperm to give you that child... what if it works?" she asked.' Now she's on the hunt for father. Part of that process involves her swiping through profiles to find what sounds like the right match. It's a match! Part of that process involves her swiping through profiles to find what sounds like the right match Describing the site as basically 'Tinder for sperm,' Mel says that while they don't show what the donors look like, they do thoroughly describe them. 'They use a describing sentence in their title too like 'Sir Laugh A lot' or 'Beach Body' its truly fascinating reading through the anonymous descriptions and I would have full control of the embryos and my child.' While the chances are stacked against her, Mel says she needed to know she tried everything in her power. Divorce: Mel was previously married to ex-husband Steve Pollock, however they split in 2016 after 18 months 'One day I might get that miracle baby, but if I dont at least I know I really did try everything to have my own child.' Mel was previously married to ex-husband Steve Pollock, however they split in 2016 after 18 months. She revealed earlier this year that she was putting her 'health and happiness first' by relocating to Sydney and confessed she felt 'isolated' and alone in Wollongong. City change: Mel relocated to Sydney and confessed she felt 'isolated' and alone in Wollongong Mel said on air: 'So, you all know when I moved to the Illawarra, I was married, about to have babies... that didn't eventuate. I divorced [and] became quite isolated. 'The Illawarra is amazing, I love this place and have amazing friends here, but when you get up everyday at 3.20am, it takes its toll. 'This was a fresh start and it just didn't go to plan in the sense of what I pictured. That little family, going to nippers in a beautiful coastal town. 'I don't have a family, I don't have a partner, it's just me.' They regularly profess their affection for each other on social media. And on Sunday, model Jesinta Franklin, 27, (nee Campbell) looked loved-up yet again on a beach getaway with AFL star husband Buddy Franklin, 31. Taking to Instagram, the petite high-fashion model shared a romantic snap of the couple enjoying the summer sun together. Scroll down for video How romantic! Jesinta Campbell and husband Buddy Franklin look more loved-up than ever as the footy star plants a kiss on his stunning wife In the portrait style snap, a casually-dressed Jesinta is leaning in for a kiss for her shirtless Sydney Swans player husband. In the snap, Buddy's ripped physique is on full display, with Jesinta showing off a hint of cleavage in a top with a sweetheart neckline. The model simply captioned the photograph with a kiss emoji. Jesinta and Buddy regularly take to their social media accounts in order to gush over each other. Sultry: Model Jesinta wasn't scared to flaunt her cleavage during the couple's romantic trip away, as well as her impressive wedding ring In October, Jesinta shared another image of herself with Buddy, as the pair looked to be madly in love. Jesinta shared a snap of the couple affectionately cuddling in an elevator of the five-star hotel, Six Senses, while vacationing in Singapore. 'Just us and all our luggage,' she captioned the post. Previously speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Jesinta said both she and Buddy were almost ready to start a family - but both had busy careers at the moment. Just us: 'We are a married couple so we'd love to start a family': Jesinta has said she and Buddy starting a family would be a next step for them some time into the future The Dior ambassador said the couple were 'leaving it up to the universe' as to when they get pregnant. 'We are a married couple so we'd love to start a family,' Jesinta said. 'But right now we are just really busy with our careers and just enjoying life and whatever happens happens, it's up to the universe now.' The blonde beauty said she wasn't sure if she would have a low-key pregnancy like Kylie Jenner or make a formal announcement when the time comes. 'It's hard to comment because it's not something I am experiencing right now, so I really don't know, I'll see what happens when it happens,' Jesinta said. Osher Gunsberg became a stepfather when he married Audrey Griffen in 2016. And the 44-year-old takes his newfound responsibility very seriously, ensuring that 14-year-old Georgia knows her value. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the TV host said: 'Audrey, my wife, has done an extraordinary job of making sure [Georgia] knows her value and knows her worth. Scroll down for video 'She gets to see how different men and women interact with each other': Osher Gunsberg reveals why he watches The Bachelor with his 14-year-old stepdaughter Georgia. Pictured: Osher (centre) with Georgia (left) and wife Audrey (right) 'You can only lead by example, and demonstration. And Audrey and I do,' the former Channel V star added. Osher went on to reveal that he watches The Bachelor and its spin-offs, which he hosts, with his stepdaughter as it teaches her important lessons about men. 'She gets to see how different men and women interact with each other' Osher told the publication. The TV host said: 'My wife, has done an extraordinary job of making sure [Georgia] knows her value'. Pictured: Osher (right) with Georgia (centre) and wife Audrey (left) Osher went on to reveal that he watches The Bachelor and its spin-offs, which he hosts: 'She gets to see how different men and women interact with each other' he said. Osher is pictured with 2018 Bachelor Nick Cummins (left) Osher married stylist Audrey in 2016 and at that time became stepfather to her daughter Georgia. They couple met in 2015, while filming season four of The Bachelor Australia, where Osher worked as a host and Audrey was a stylist. The pair were married in the Hunter Valley in January 2017 in front of 200 guests. It comes after Osher spoke honestly about the moment he decided to quit drinking. Happily wed: Osher married stylist Audrey Griffen in 2016 and at that time became stepfather to her 14-year-old daughter In an interview with podcast REAL Talk the TV host said he battled with alcohol addiction for years before realising he needed to turn his life around in 2010. 'I woke up after another night of, you know [drinking], and I was on my knees in my own spew after humiliating people who love me,' he revealed. 'I was destroying relationships [with] people who were trying to care for me and be close to me, I just couldn't do it again.' She wore a bespoke high-low hemmed gown at her wedding ceremony to Karl Stefanovic on Saturday. And Jasmine Yarbrough whipped off the dress's detachable skirt as she let her hair down at the couple's raucous reception later in the evening, revealing her very slender pins. Posing for a photo with two female friends at the party, which was held on the beach outside the One&Only Palmilla in Cabo, Mexico, the 34-year-old blonde beauty was simply glowing. Here comes the slender bride! Jasmine Yarbrough revealed her very slim pins as she whipped off her wedding gown's detachable skirt while partying with pals at her reception in Cabo, Mexico on Saturday night The photograph was posted by one of Jasmine's friends, who called the lady of the hour 'the most beautiful bride'. Earlier in the day at her wedding ceremony, held at One&Only Palmilla resort's hilltop chapel, Jasmine wore a full skirt with train as she said her 'I dos' with Karl. Her gown, by J. Andreatta, featured soft blush tulle undertones with Aztec motifs beaded over lace, exclusively tailored for the Mexican setting. What's more each lace piece was carefully hand sewn in place. Jess Andreatta told Vogue Australia that as a designer, she likes to 'push the boundaries'. Ceremony look: Earlier in the day at her wedding ceremony, held at One&Only Palmilla resort's hilltop chapel, Jasmine wore a full skirt with train as she said her 'I dos' with Karl Details: Her gown, by J. Andreatta, featured soft blush tulle undertones with Aztec motifs beaded over lace, exclusively tailored for the Mexican setting. What's more each lace piece was carefully hand sewn in place She revealed how Jasmine wanted 'a newer designer, someone more like a friend. We're around the same age and have the same sort of style.' Jasmine was introduced to Jess by her now sister-in-law, Jenna Dinicola, who is married to Karl's younger brother, Tom Stefanovic. Jasmine wed Karl, 44, at a sunset ceremony at the One&Only Palmilla resort on Saturday. The couple had already been legally married in Australia for several months after signing the required documents in front of a Justice of the Peace. Celebrity guests at the ceremony included Liberal Party politician Julie Bishop, model Montana Cox and Channel Nine stars Peter Stefanovic and Sylvia Jeffreys. She married the love of her life, Karl Stefanovic, in Mexico over the weekend. And it's fair to say that Jasmine Yarbrough has had just as much career success as her Today show star husband, 44. The 34-year-old started her career as a fresh-faced model and has gone to become a successful business woman in her own right, a co-founder of celebrity-favourite shoe and bag label Mara & Mine. From posing for Midori, modelling with Miranda to creating her own thriving shoe business: A look at Jasmine Yarbrough's transition from fresh-faced model to business woman (Jasmine is pictured in November) In her twenties, Jasmine was signed with Chic Model Management and starred in a number of professional shoots for several fashion labels and magazines. In 2012, the Brisbane-born blonde turned heads in a sizzling campaign for Midori. Fronting a commercial for the popular liqueur brand, Jasmine stunned in a plunging green swimsuit and matching platform heels. Fresh-faced: In her twenties, Jasmine was signed with Chic Model Management and starred in a number of professional shoots for several fashion labels and magazines Up-and-coming model: In 2012, the Brisbane-born blonde turned heads in a sizzling campaign for Midori. Familiar face: Jasmine has also previously modelled alongside Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr. The duo starred in a catwalk show for David Jones, modelling Kirrily Johnston's line in 2011 (pictured) That same year she posed for Bliss Magazine, showing off her incredible figure in a bralet and high-waisted skirt. Around that time Jasmine - who was then based in Los Angeles - was friends with Lara Bingle. The pair would often enjoy nights out together, and in one vintage Instagram picture, taken in 2011, the two beauties cuddled up outside popular LA eatery The Little Door. Jasmine has also previously modelled alongside Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr. Familiar face: Around that time Jasmine - who was then based in Los Angeles - was friends with Lara Bingle (pictured) The duo starred in a catwalk show for David Jones, modelling Kirrily Johnston's line in 2011. A throwback photo shared by Jasmine on Instagram in 2013 showed the pair walking off the catwalk arm-in-arm. After enjoying a successful career in modelling, Jasmine went on to establish her own shoe brand Mara & Mine with best friend and Ingham chicken heiress, Tamie Ingham. Doing what they love: After enjoying a successful career in modelling, Jasmine went on to establish her own shoe brand Mara & Mine with best friend and Ingham chicken heiress, Tamie Ingham What a feat: The pair launched their debut collection in 2013, and now have a growing celebrity client list, including Australian star and Hollywood heavyweight, Margot Robbie Their designs: Shoes from Mara and Mine typically start at $346 (AUD) Capsule collection: South African supermodel Candice Swanepoel, 30, designed a capsule collection for the brand in early 2017 The pair launched their debut collection in 2013, and now have a growing celebrity client list, including Australian star and Hollywood heavyweight, Margot Robbie. Their shoes have also be worn by the likes of Kendall Jenner, while South African supermodel Candice Swanepoel, 30, designed a capsule collection for the brand in early 2017. Shoes in their line typically start at $346 (AUD). In December last year, Jasmine and Tamara celebrated the opening of their boutique in Sydney's Paddington. And in May this year, their wares were showcased during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, with Australian model Catherine McNeil also designing a one-off collection for the duo. Success: In May this year, their wares were showcased during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, with Australian model Catherine McNeil also designing a one-off collection for the duo Jasmine and Tamie then went on to show their shoes at New York Fashion Week in August - a massive feat for their label. Jasmine reflected on the success of her brand this month, telling Parlour X that one of the secrets of her success is simply being 'brave enough to try'. 'Sometimes I think that one of the secrets of success is just to be brave enough to try,' she said. A base on home soil: In December last year, Jasmine and Tamara celebrated the opening of their boutique in Sydney's Paddington 'It's a huge risk to start a business': Jasmine reflected on the success of her brand this month, telling Parlour X that one of the secrets of her success is simply being 'brave enough to try'.(pictured are clutches from the brand) 'It's a huge risk to start a business.' Jasmine said the big win for Mara & Mine has been opening a Sydney boutique and expanding into the US. 'The success of our flagship boutique in Sydney has also been a win It was such a risk, a real leap for us as we knew that everyone would be watching, and it was a bit nerve-wracking. For a life well lived though, you have to be willing to put yourself out there,' she said. Newlyweds: Karl and Jasmine tied the knot over the weekend in Mexico in a lavish wedding at the One&Only Palmilla Karl and Jasmine tied the knot over the weekend in Mexico in a lavish wedding at the One&Only Palmilla. The couple were first pictured kissing on a yacht on Sydney Harbour in late February 2017, after he split with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn in 2016 following 21 years of marriage. Karl shares three children with Cassandra - sons Jackson, 19, and River, 12, and daughter Ava, 13. In February this year, Karl confirmed he had proposed to Jasmine. Love Island Australia winner Grant Crapp was sensationally dumped by co-star Tayla Damir after it was revealed he had a 'secret girlfriend' outside of the show. And on Friday, former co-star Kim Hartnett hinted that the 'secret girlfriend' storyline which played out on the show may have been staged by producers. Kim claims that at the start of filming, Grant confessed to her that he had a girlfriend but the footage of their chat was deliberately edited out to avoid spoiling a storyline that played out later in the show. EXCLUSIVE: 'They knew all about it': Love Island Australia's Kim Hartnett (left) hints that Grant Crapp and Tayla Damir's (right) 'secret girlfriend' drama was STAGED by producers 'Producers knew all about it... I'm pretty sure the reason why they couldn't put it in is because they were waiting for me to tell someone,' the 22-year-old single mother told Daily Mail Australia at Gold Coast's HiSmile event. 'It would've looked stupid if the producers just put a clip of Grant saying ''Oh, I have a girlfriend'', when my reaction was like, ''Oh, cool, good for you'',' she explained. Kim revealed that she was the only one that knew about Grant's 'secret girlfriend'. 'I haven't told anyone this but Grant told me on like week one 'cause we were really close in the villa, I was the first person he told,' she explained. 'I'm pretty sure the reason why producers couldn't put [the clip of Grant admitting he has a 'secret girlfriend'] in is because they were waiting for me to tell someone,' the 22-year-old single mother told Daily Mail Australia at Gold Coast's HiSmile event on Friday 'He told me he was with someone before the show and I was like, ''Well, was she happy you went on the show?'' and he was like, ''Well, not really,'' Kim recalled, adding that Grant was just going to 'see what happens' after the show. While Love Island Australia was airing in June and July, controversy erupted when fans discovered that Grant, 23, was hiding girlfriend Lucy Cartwright back home while dating beauty queen, Tayla, 22. After Grant's stint made national headlines, Kim said she 'didn't expect it to blow up,' adding: 'When the news came out I wasn't shocked, I was like... yeah, he told me that. Eek: While Love Island Australia was airing in June and July, controversy erupted when fans discovered that Grant, 23, (left) was hiding Lucy back home while dating beauty queen Tayla, 22 (right) 'I don't think he really did much wrong. He wasn't with anyone when he went on the show so he's found Tayla on the show and I think that should've been enough. 'So, it's not like he was cheating on them or anything, he wasn't with both of them at the same time and he's come up and wanted to stick with Tayla - it's not like he was leading both on,' she exclaimed. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. Kim, who recently opened up her own hair salon, admitted she kept the news to herself because 'it wasn't a big deal'. The stunner, who was the second contestant to be voted off the Channel Nine show, also told Daily Mail Australia that she is no longer single. 'So, it's not like he was cheating on them or anything, he wasn't with both of them at the same time,' Kim added, admitting she kept the news to herself because 'it wasn't a big deal'. Grant (right) pictured with 'secret girlfriend' Lucy Cartwright (left) 'I am seeing someone, but that's about it,' she later gushed. Meanwhile, Grant went on to win the dating show alongside Tayla in a public vote, taking home $25,000 each. After his high-profile split with Tayla, Grant continued to date 'secret girlfriend' Lucy, while Tayla sparked up a romance with co-star Dom Thomas, 26. The lovebirds announced that they're an item via a sponsored Instagram post back in October. He touched down in Los Cabos on Wednesday ahead of Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's star-studded wedding in Mexico. And on Tuesday, Christian Wilkins was recovering from the three-day wedding extravaganza by relaxing by the pool at the One&Only Palmilla resort. Taking to his Instagram Stories to share a shirtless snap of himself, the 23-year-old offered fans a glimpse of his nipple piercings. Wild night? Christian Wilkins (pictured) flaunted his nipple piercings before recovering on a flight back home from Mexico... after Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's three-day wedding extravaganza 'Can nail a recover too,' he penned. Later, Christian appeared to look worse for wear as he caught up on sleep on a flight from Mexico to Los Angeles. It seemed a friend took a photograph of him, with the image showing Christian resting with his eyes closed and mouth open. 'Solid flight from Mexico to LA,' read the caption. 'Solid flight from Mexico to LA': Christian appeared to look worse for wear as he caught up on sleep on a flight out of the Central American country Glitzy: The recovery comes after Christian joined newlyweds Karl and Jasmine for a Studio 54-themed party the night before, wearing this 1970s inspired ensemble The recovery comes after Christian joined newlyweds Karl and Jasmine for a Studio 54-themed party in Mexico the night before. The socialite certainly met the 1970s dress code when he slipped into a pleated pink blouse for the party. Flashing some skin while enjoying the soaring Mexican temperatures, Christian loosely buttoned the shirt up, exposing his toned torso. Glittering party boy: Sydney socialite Christian Wilkins nailed the theme in a pink shirt with a sequinned pink vest along with a flower crown He styled the piece with a glittering pink waistcoat and pair of sparkling, sequinned trousers in a skin-tight fit. Completing the look, Christian accessorised with a crown of flowers. Karl and Jasmine married in the chapel at the resort on Saturday, surrounded by guests including his brother Peter Stefanovic and his wife Sylvia Jeffreys, and Christian's father, Richard Wilkins. Jade Yarbough shared a photo on her Instagram Story with her new brother-in-law Karl Stefanovic during the wedding reception in Mexico on Sunday. But what really caught the eye of followers was the skeleton necklace Karl was wearing around his neck. It appears to be what's called a calaca, a figure of a skull or skeleton, commonly used for decoration during the Mexican Day of the Dead festival. Scroll down for video What in that around his neck? Karl Stefanovic wore a skeleton necklace during his wedding reception while taking selfie with his new sister-in-law Jade Yarbrough on Sunday The Day of the Dead falls on November 2 annually, although the necklaces and similar trinkets are made all year round and are commonly purchased as souvenirs by overseas tourists. The items honour the remembrance of the deceased, however they don't have much relevance to weddings. Jade captioned the snap: 'Bro-Town,' and tagged her new brother-in-law Karl. The pair were all smiles as they posed for the selfie, while the Today host held his skeleton figurine necklace up to the camera. Local souvenir: The necklace appears to be what's called a calaca, a figure of a skull or skeleton, commonly used for decoration during the Mexican Day of the Dead festival 'Magic': It comes after Jade captured the heartwarming moment her sister Jasmine exchanged vows with Karl during their sunset wedding ceremony on Saturday It comes after Jade captured the heartwarming moment her sister Jasmine exchanged vows with Karl during their sunset wedding ceremony on Saturday. In a photo shared to Instagram on Tuesday, the besotted newlyweds stand arm-in-arm on the steps of the One&Only Palmilla's beautiful hilltop chapel. 'Magic', Jade captioned the image, before adding the wedding's official social media hashtag #letsgetfizzykarl. Illuminated by the glow of twinkling fairy lights, Jasmine appeared to be leaning in for a kiss while tugging upon her husband's suit jacket. By her side! Jade (right) was one of Jasmine's bridesmaids during her glamorous wedding For the memory books: Professional photos of Karl and Jasmine tying the knot were taken during the daytime. However, it was actually an evening ceremony The ceremony was an emotional affair, with Karl breaking down in tears as Jasmine read her wedding vows. He also reportedly used colourful language when he first laid eyes on his stunning bride, telling her: 'Holy s**t! You're hot!' Jasmine was apparently 'giddy' throughout the ceremony, according to guests. The newly-minted Mr and Mrs Stefanovic finished their wedding in traditional Mexican style, by being serenaded by a mariachi band. The cast of My Kitchen Rules had no time for food on Thursday night. A handful of the most memorable stars to appear on the Seven show over the years united for an alcohol-fuelled reunion party in Sydney. The group swapped fine cuisine for fancy cocktails, cigarettes and dancing in the street as they got into the Christmas spirit. Simmer down! My Kitchen Rules stars have wild reunion party as Jess Alvial (pictured) cut loose after giving birth with David Kirk, Corinne Wieland and others on Thursday in Sydney Jess Alvial led the star-studded guest list at the get-together. Fans of the show will best member the blonde as one of the 'Botox sisters', alongside sibling Emma Byron from the show's ninth season this year. After giving birth to her second child at the end of September, Jess was clearly ready to let loose during her night out. The reality TV personality was pictured drinking a cocktail on an outdoor balcony. They're back! Fans of the show will best member Jess (right) as one of the 'Botox sisters' alongside sibling Emma Byron (left) from the show's ninth season in January Designer outing! As expected, the girls were dressed to impress with designer handbags Jazzey Rooney, who also appeared on season nine, cut a stylish figure during the wild night out, alongside Italian co-star Josh Sama. The beauty was dressed to impress, wearing a flattering off-the-shoulder number with thigh-high boots. She later sparked up a cigarette while surrounded by her co-stars. Reunited! Jazzey Rooney (left), who also appeared on season nine, cut a stylish figure during the wild night out, alongside Italian co-star Josh Sama (right) Puffing away! The beauty sparked up a cigarette while surrounded by her co-stars on a terrace Squad! Perth-based Jazzey (centre) arrived for the night out alongside friend Stella (left) and winning couple Alex Clark (second from left) and Emily O'Kane (right) Saying goodbye! The 'Botox sisters' enjoyed a laughter filled goodbye with Jazzey, David Vu and another glamourous guest Perth-based Jazzey arrived for the night out with best friend Stella, who she appeared on the show with. Season nine winners Alex Clark and Emily O'Kane also joined the girls. Feeling somewhat festive, Stella donned a green jacket for the outing. However, she gave the look a quirky twist with a leopard print dress, casual Converse trainers and sparkling satchel slung over one shoulder. Remember them? Corinne Wieland (right) had clearly enjoyed her evening out, appearing to stumble as she departed the venue with husband David Kirk (left) Steady on! The pair found fame on the show's fifth season in 2014, with their 22-year age gap romance fueling headlines at the time Had a good night? As the blonde narrowly avoided a fall, David put on an animated display David Kirk also joined the guest-list along with his 'trophy wife' Corinne Wieland. The pair found fame on the show's fifth season in 2014, with their 22-year age gap romance fuelling headlines at the time. Corinne had clearly enjoyed their evening out, appearing to stumble as they departed the venue. As the blonde narrowly avoided a fall, husband David put on an animated display. The bleary-eyed Queensland native waved his arms to the waiting photographer. Fashionista! David Vu, who appeared on the show in 2017, joined the MKR gang in what appeared to be a pair of designer Gucci trousers Everything okay? The star, who famously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine last year, was photographed engaging with other guests in the street David Vu, who appeared on the show in 2017, joined the MKR gang. The star, who famously pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine last year, was photographed engaging with other guests in the street. It appeared he was wearing a pair of designer Gucci trousers, with his crisp white shirt tucked into the elasticated waistband. He later seemed to be having a heated conversation with David Kirk, alongside other guests who did not look best pleased. Behave! David Vu (right) later seemed to be having a heated conversation with David Kirk (left), alongside other guests Ready for bed! Two other guests looked tired as they headed home from the party Tim Giles, head of Investment for UK & Ireland at Aon said: We welcome the CMAs final report on the investment consultant market. Throughout the process our focus has been on our clients and on gaining the best results for all pension scheme members. We are already at the forefront of many steps being taken to improve transparency across all sections of the market. We firmly believe that these will ultimately improve outcomes for all pension scheme members. Andy Cox, Global Business Officer and head of EMEA/APAC, Investment, at Aon said: We are pleased to see that the CMA has maintained its view from its provisional findings that the investment consulting industry is a competitive market. Our clients best interests have always been at the centre of our thoughts during this process and we believe that in the main the remedies will act to improve the market for both DB and DC schemes. We look forward to working with the CMA, FCA and TPR to ensure that client interest remains at the forefront of the implementation. Ed Francis, Head of Investment, EMEA, Willis Towers Watson, said: The CMAs Final Report substantially follows the conclusions and recommendations set out in its Preliminary Report published in July. While we were broadly supportive of the preliminary recommendations, we continued to engage with the CMA in recent months to ensure the details of the remedies are sensible and proportionate for clients. We are pleased that the final recommendations have addressed many of the concerns that we raised; for example, the tendering regime now being put forward no longer requires a fully open process, which will ensure it is not excessively onerous and costly to Pension Schemes. The revisions to the tender regime mean that it should now not act as a deterrent to the take up of fiduciary management for those schemes that will benefit from that approach. Overall the CMA has found an industry that is functioning well, does not have excessive concentration or high barriers to entry and where participants are seeking to serve their clients best interests. The very thorough process that the CMA has undertaken should give customers significant comfort that the industry is committed to high levels of transparency and well aligned to serve them effectively both now and in the future. Mark McNulty, Head of Investment Solutions, JLT Employee Benefits, said: It is positive to see no major revisions to the proposals in the Provisional Report and, critically, clarity on what is viewed as fiduciary management. It is, however, very disappointing that the CMA has provided no dispensations from the need for the tender requirements, even where the trustees are entirely satisfied with the current arrangements and have no intention of changing managers. This will result in wasted time and effort from all parties conducting tenders to comply without resulting in meaningful changes of provider. Confirmation that the FCA regulatory parameters will include all the main activities of investment consultants is to be welcomed. Paul Gibney, Partner at LCP, said:We consider a fiduciary management service to be a specialised form of asset management. LCPs view is that trustees should treat the appointment and ongoing monitoring of a fiduciary manager as they would that of any other asset manager. Paul Gibney added: The CMAs review challenges investment consultants to communicate more clearly to trustees what they do and why it is of value. The review also highlights that fiduciary management is not a natural extension of an investment consultancy service, but a quite different arrangement. The CMA has today effectively told UK pension scheme trustees to take extra care when appointing a fiduciary manager, and that they must run a tender exercise when first adopting a fiduciary management arrangement. We welcome the publication of the Final Decision Report. The CMA has conducted a thorough review of the investment consultancy industry, dedicating significant resource and effort to understand the market and its participants. Ultimately, the CMAs scrutiny of investment consultants will improve the standard of service and will benefit pension scheme trustees and members. Her star continues to rise in Hollywood, but more stories keep coming out about just how down-to-earth Australian actor Margot Robbie is. Just ask her youngest brother, Cameron Robbie. Cameron, 23, appeared on The Today show on Tuesday and reminisced about how he went travelling with Margot, 28, five years ago - around the time she shot to fame in The Wolf Of Wall Street in 2013. 'So much has changed!' On Tuesday, Margot Robbie's brother Cameron revealed what his sister is like since rocketing to fame in Hollywood. Pictured: Margot Robbie 'So much has changed [in that time] yet nothing has changed,' said Cameron. 'She's still our Margot. Can't be any more proud of her.' By way of understatement, he added: 'I guess a little bit has changed - Academy Award nominee, and Chanel... Can you do any more? But it's great.' Cameron, 23, appeared on The Today show on Tuesday and reminisced about how he went travelling with Margot, 28, five years ago - around the time she shot to fame in The Wolf Of Wall Street in 2013. He said: 'So much has changed [in that time] yet nothing has changed' Indeed, it appears life could not be sweeter for Margot. In November, the blonde beauty spoke candidly about her marriage to husband Tom Ackerley and the subject of motherhood. Gracing the cover of the latest issue of Porter magazine, the Oscar-nominated actress gave fans a rare glimpse of her personal life with her screenwriter beau. 'She's still our Margot. Can't be any more proud of her,' Cameron said of his famous sister (pictured) Margot married British-born Tom, 28, in a low-key ceremony on the Gold Coast in 2016, and the blonde beauty still sounded every inch the newlywed in the interview. 'Being married is actually the most fun ever, life just got way more fun,' Margot said. The acclaimed actor then struck a more philosophical note about her life with Tom. By way of understatement, Cameron added: 'I guess a little bit has changed - Academy Award nominee, and Chanel... Can you do any more? But it's great' 'I have a responsibility being someone's wife, I want to be better,' Margot said. The I, Tonya star also spoke about the subject of motherhood. The Mary Queen of Scots star said babies were the last thing on her mind, as husband Tom had only recently purchased a Pitbull puppy. Baby talk: While claiming she was 'definitely not' ready for children anytime soon, Margot said she does picture building a family with her husband Tom Ackerley in the distant future While claiming she was 'definitely not' ready for children anytime soon, Margot said she does picture building a family with her husband in the distant future. Margot joked that it was 'a handful' at times for the couple to own and look after their two dogs, and that it made her think they weren't ready for kids. Marital bliss: Margot married British-born Tom (pictured), 28, in a low-key ceremony on the Gold Coast in 2016, and the blonde beauty still sounds every inch the newlywed Disney star Debby Ryan is visiting Australia for the first time. And on Tuesday, the actress was spotted at Melbourne airport with her rocker beau, Josh Dun. His band, Twenty One Pilots, is currently touring Australia, with 25-year-old beauty travelling with her man. Summer Down Under! Debby Ryan wears a retro straw hat and tracksuit as she continues her tour of Australia with rocker boyfriend Josh Dun Dressed casually in a Vans branded tracksuit top and a band shirt underneath, the actress looked relaxed. The jacket of the ensemble had an embroidered patch on the bust featuring her initials, the letters D and R. Makeup-free, the star carried a pair of sunglasses which hung off the neck of her colourful T-shirt. Loved up: On Tuesday, the actress was at Melbourne airport with her rocker beau, Josh Dun The former Barney and Friends show child star wore Kenzo track pants and a pair of black, pointed slides as well as some bangles on her wrist. Her hair tied in a loose side-plait, she completed the look with a wide-brim straw hat with a retro school girl feel. Her boyfriend Josh was dressed casually in a black hoodie and army print hat, carrying a heavy-looking backpack. Cute and fluffy! On Monday, the Alabama-born beauty cuddled a koala while visiting a sanctuary in Adelaide On tour: Josh's band Twenty One Pilots are currently touring Australia, and the 25-year old actress has followed the band Down Under On Monday, the Alabama-born beauty cuddled a koala while visiting a sanctuary in Adelaide. Enjoying her first trip to the country, Debby has also indicated she'll be hitting Australia's famous beaches for the summer. The actress currently stars in Insatiable, a dark comedy about a formally overweight teenager seeking revenge against the people who bullied and ignored her. She's an accomplished Hollywood actress with a career spanning more than 20 years. And some viewers were outraged when Elsa Pataky was introduced as 'Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky' ahead of an appearance on Channel Seven's Sunrise on Wednesday. Critics expressed their frustration on Twitter after hosts Samantha Armytage and Natalie Barr referred to the Fast and Furious 5 star as 'Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky' at least five times on the program. 'Why do you keep introducing her as Chris Hemsworth's wife?' Viewers have slammed Sunrise for focusing on Elsa Pataky's marriage instead of her acting career on Wednesday. Pictured (left to right) Home and Away star Charlotte Best, Elsa, Samantha Armytage and Natalie Barr 'We're rolling out the red carpet for a morning of big names - Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Home and Away star Charlotte Best and Chris Hemsworth's wife, Elsa Pataky - live on Sunrise,' Samantha said. A handful of viewers were less than impressed with the star's introduction. 'Can you not call Elsa Pataky, who's an actress in her own right, "Chris Hemsworth's wife"?' one person tweeted. Outrage: Critics expressed their frustration on Twitter after Samantha Armytage and Natalie Barr referred to Elsa (pictured) as 'Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky' at least five times on the program What's so funny? Samantha and Natalie are pictured on Wednesday's episode of Sunrise Unimpressed: Seriously? One person tweeted, 'Can you not call Elsa Pataky, who's an actress in her own right, "Chris Hemsworth's wife"?' Seriously? Another wrote, 'Why do you keep introducing Elsa Pataky as Chris Hemsworth's wife? She's an established international actress in her own right' Another wrote: 'Why do you keep introducing Elsa Pataky as Chris Hemsworth's wife? She's an established international actress in her own right, more than just his wife - you should just say, "Coming up, actress Elsa Pataky"!' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment. During her interview on Sunrise, the 42-year-old model and actress - who took a break from her career in recent years to raise her three children - was asked about her marriage to Thor star Chris, 35. Married life: During her Sunrise interview, the 42-year-old model and actress - who took a break from her career in recent years to raise her three children - was asked about her marriage to Chris Hemsworth (right) 'I didn't work for a while, I was just really dedicated to my family and my kids,' she said. The couple, who will celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary this month, share a six-year-old daughter India Rose and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four. The Tidelands star studied journalism at the Universidad de San Pablo CEU before launching an acting career in her native Spain. She has also featured in countless fashion and beauty campaigns over the years. Wedded bliss: The couple, who will celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary this month, share a six-year-old daughter India Rose and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four Elsa recently applauded the push for equality in Hollywood. 'It just shows that women have to be equal in every way, and why not?' she told Vogue Australia earlier this year. 'People are not just interested in a lead guy, they want to see stories from women.' She added: 'There have been amazing women in life, strong women who have obstacles in life but keep going interesting stories about women.' The woman who has accused former Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel of sexual assault has filed a civil lawsuit against him. Ravenel's former nanny Dawn Ledwell is suing for 'assault, slander and libel' People reports. She also claims Bravo, NBC Universal and Comcast along with production company Haymaker, are responsible as well because they 'created, permitted, and encouraged Southern Charm plot lines that focus on alcohol, sexual encounters, and the concept that male cast members, including Defendent Ravenel, suffer from 'Peter Pan Syndrome'. Thomas Ravenel is being sued by his former nanny for 'assault, slander and libel'. He is already set to go to trial for charges of second-degree assault and battery Ledwell is also suing Bravo, NBC Universal and Comcast for their part in 'creating, permitting, and encouraging Southern Charm plot lines that focus on alcohol, sexual and encounters' Ledwell says 'they are the Lost Boys and Charleston is their Neverland.. The woman claims that Bravo, NBC Universal and Comcast 'failed to investigate' after she told employees of the alleged assault in December 2015, 11 months after she says the incident happened. Ledwell claims that Haymaker never contacted her despite their public statement that they were investigating Ravenel's behaviour back in May when she first reported the assault. It comes as Ravenel awaits trial over the charges. Last month he was ordered by a judge in South Carolina to stand trial for the alleged assault of his children's nanny. The 56-year-old reality star was arrested in September after his former nanny Dawn Ledwell claimed she was in his Charleston, South Carolina home in January 2015 when he allegedly took off her pants and fondled her. Judge Stephen Harris ordered Ravenel to stand trial during a preliminary hearing in Charleston after deciding there was enough probable cause to move the case forward, according to a report by Us Weekly. Standing trial: Ravenel, shown in his mugshot following his arrest in September, was ordered last month to stand trial for the alleged assault of his children's nanny Ravenel was charged with second-degree assault and battery after his arrest. A Charleston police detective testified at the preliminary hearing that photos showed scratches on the nanny's body. An affidavit obtained by DailyMail.com outlined the charges against Ravenel. 'While inside the location, the defendant undressed and made sexual advances on the victim,' the affidavit said. 'The defendant grabbed the victim's hand and placed it on his penis before attempting to [remove] the victim's clothing. While attempting to remove the victim's clothing, the victim's underwire bra cut into her skin and her shirt wrapped around her neck, which caused the victim to struggle to breathe.' Reality star: Ravenel, shown in June 2017 in New York City, was an original primary cast member of Bravo's Southern Charm when it premiered in 2014 The affidavit said the victim 'crouched down to the ground to try and prevent further assault' before Ravenel 'allegedly put his penis in her face'. An attorney representing Ravenel, who wasn't required to attend the hearing, told the judge that it was a case of 'he said, she said,' according to local TV affiliate WCSC. Ravenel faces up to three years in prison, if convicted. Bravo shortly after Ravenel's arrest announced that the original primary cast member would no longer appear on Southern Charm. Ravenel and his ex Kathryn Dennis, 27, have four-year-old daughter Kensie and two-year-old son Saint together. Reality stars: Kathryn Dennis and Ravenel are shown in a 2014 season one still from Southern Charm Dennis filed to modify custody and visitation arrangements after his arrest. Ravenel's courtship, relationship, acrimonious breakup and custody issues with Dennis formed a central story line over multiple seasons of the Bravo show. His opulent homes also were a frequent backdrop for the show as he hosted parties and polo matches. Two children: Ravenel and Dennis, shown in March 2015 in NYC, have four-year-old daughter Kensie and two-year-old son Saint together Ravenel already has been convicted of a felony. He was arrested in 2007 less than a year into his term as South Carolina treasurer after buying cocaine for himself and friends. The real estate developer pleaded guilty and spent 10 months in prison. Ravenel also pleaded guilty in 2014 to riving under the influence in Long Island, New York, resulting in his license being suspended for six months. She had her E Cup breast implants removed in the summer after announcing she was 'sick of looking like a Love Island porn star.' And Luisa Zissman showed off her new incredible figure in a plunging polka dot dress as she attended her Loose Lips Podcast live recording with a host of celebrities including TV personality Lizzie Cundy. The former The Apprentice runner-up, 31, slipped her enviable figure into the shimmering white and black frock for the Devonshire Club event in London, on Tuesday. Glam: Luisa Zissman showed off her new incredible figure in a plunging polka dot dress as she attended her Loose Lips Podcast live recording Showcasing her slender pins in the glamorous mini dress, the business woman boosted her height with black strappy heels. Adding to her glittering ensemble, the mother-of-three accessorised with a matching shoulder bag while foregoing any jewellery. Her glossy brunette locks were styled in soft waves while her pretty features were enhanced with metallic shadow, fluttery lashes, liner and a slick of pink lipstick. Star-studded: Luisa arrived with a host of celebrities including TV personality Lizzie Cundy Pals! Reality star Sam Faiers also turned up to the event and dressed equally glamorous for the occasion Elsewhere, Lizzie, 50, wowed in a sizzling red mini dress embellished with semi-sheer lace details throughout. Flashing a hint of her toned legs, the radio presenter proved to be on top of the latest winter trends with a pair of suede stiletto thigh-high boots. Lizzie looked typically stunning as she accentuated her features with a cat-eye make-up look and pink lipgloss, while her light brunette tresses were styled into loose waves. The pair were joined by good company at the occasion with Anna Williamson showing off her wild side in a leopard print dress. Beauty: The TV personality showcased her slender frame in a velvet mini dress Fierce: The pair were joined at the occasion by fellow podcast host Anna Williamson Having fun: She put on an animated display outside the venue Posing up a storm: She dazzled in her polka dot mini dress Anna and Luisa form a chatty duo for their podcast Loose Lips, and speaking about her new move into podcasts, Luisa revealed: Loose Lips was born just to chat s**t really. I wanted to do something to get back to work after having my babies. I was thrilled, I was hopping and skipping and jumping out the door. To be baby free every Monday - its brilliant. She added: I kind of feel like I'm too much for TV. I love the way that with the podcast we can just say what we want, be who we want to be, and have opinions on stuff that wont always be the popular opinion. It's a great form of media thats not censored, which is great for me because I am a massive gob-s****' Larking about: She larked about outside the event Looking good: Anna showed off her wild side in a leopard print dress for the event Friends: Anna and Luisa form a chatty duo for their podcast Loose Lips It comes as she went under the knife in August for a breast lift and smaller implants, that would shrink her bust to either a B or C Cup. Taking to Instagram, she shared a lengthy series of clips detailing why she opted for the reduction, admitting that she wasn't prepared for the fact that her breasts would grow bigger after the birth of her children. Luisa had a breast enlargement operation in 2013, taking her chest from a 32C to a 32E, following the birth of her eldest daughter, Dixie, now eight, but went on to have two more children, Indigo, two, and Clementine, 13 months, with second husband Andrew Collins. Always candid: Luisa revealed: Loose Lips was born just to chat s**t really' Proudly showing off her new more streamlined figure in a lemon print dress after undergoing the 15,000 reduction surgery over the weekend, the businesswoman explained: 'I had my implants out. No more big boobies! I was sick of them, I was sick of looking like a Love Island porn star. 'I actually feel ok, I'm not really in that much pain but I was in hospital since Saturday and I was like out of it. Now I have no t**s, they look tiny'. Listen to Loose Lips every Monday at Acast.com/LooseLips or by searching Loose Lips with Luisa and Anna in Apple Podcasts or your chosen podcast provider. She is a siren of the big and small screen. And Vanessa Hudgens looked every inch the Hollywood starlet when she was spotted out in New York City this Monday. The 29-year-old sizzled in a black-trimmed white Rochas Paris top, tucking half of it into her high-waisted pewter grey pants and leaving the other half out. She looks fabulous: Vanessa Hudgens looked every inch the Hollywood starlet when she was spotted out in New York City this Monday Her blouse hinted at her cleavage and clashed elegantly against the possibly faux fur coat she wore off-the-shoulder when she stepped out in town. Wearing her wavy cropped hair down, the High School Musical alumna carried a Starbucks coffee cup in one hand and a Louis Vuitton purse in another. The Salinas-born actress played up her bombshell features with makeup and made her way around town on a pair of gleaming black platform heels. She posted the look to her social media, revealing that the getup had been styled by Jason Bolden, who has also worked with such names as Taraji P. Henson. Glowing: The 29-year-old sizzled in a black-trimmed white Rochas Paris top, tucking half of it into her high-waisted pewter grey pants and leaving the other half out Over the shoulder: Her blouse hinted at her cleavage and clashed elegantly against the possibly faux fur coat she wore off-the-shoulder when she stepped out in town Her glamorous makeup look was the work of Allan Avendano, a frequent collaborator of hers, and her hair was the work of Takisha Sturdivant-Drew, whose celebrity clientele has included Kerry Washington and Mindy Kaling. Vanessa's upcoming film releases include Second Act, a comedy starring Jennifer Lopez with a cast that also includes Leah Remini and Milo Ventimiglia. She is also in rehearsals for Fox' live televised production of the Broadway musical Rent, in which she will be playing Maureen. Refreshments: Wearing her wavy cropped hair down, the High School Musical alumna carried a Starbucks coffee cup in one hand and a Louis Vuitton purse in another Written by the late Jonathan Larson, Rent was adapted from Giacomo Puccini's opera La Boheme, and Maureen is based on the operatic character Musetta. Vanessa, whose songs will include Over The Moon and the duet Take Me Or Leave Me, has big shoes to fill - Maureen was originated by Broadway icon Idina Menzel. In a show of astonishing dedication to her profession, Vanessa performed in Fox' live production of Grease one day after her father's death of cancer. Glam: She posted the look to her social media, revealing that the getup had been styled by Jason Bolden, who has also worked with such names as Taraji P. Henson In the offing: Vanessa's upcoming film releases include Second Act, a comedy starring Jennifer Lopez with a cast that also includes Leah Remini and Milo Ventimiglia Golden Globe winner Jennifer Garner got a little Christmas shopping done at a toy store located in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood on Tuesday. As usual, the 46-year-old mother-of-three went make-up free and dressed down in head-to-toe black athleisure attire for her merry errand. The Camping actress then posted one of her 'Pretend Cooking Show' videos of a 5:30am baking session inside the quiet kitchen of her $17.6M Pacific Palisades home. Clutching business card: Golden Globe winner Jennifer Garner got a little Christmas shopping done at a toy store located in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood on Tuesday Headed to the gym: As usual, the 46-year-old mother-of-three went make-up free and dressed down in head-to-toe black athleisure attire for her merry errand Jennifer kept accidentally slamming her cabinets loudly, so she was stressed about waking her son Samuel, 6; as well as daughters Violet, 13; and Seraphina, nearly 10. Garner baked the chocolate chocolate chip bread recipe from Rose Beranbaum's 1988 cookbook Cake Bible, which makes her three kids 'feel extra cozy.' 'This time of year it is extra cozy to send kids to school with something warm in their bellies,' the West Virginia-born beauty explained to her 5.2M Instagram/Facebook followers. 'This recipe isn't crazy sweet and, with a good swish of peanut butter, is just the thing for my early rising middle schooler.' 'Pretend Cooking Show': The Camping actress then posted a video of a 5:30am baking session inside the quiet kitchen of her $17.6M Pacific Palisades home 'Shhhh!' Jennifer kept accidentally slamming her cabinets loudly, so she was stressed about waking her son Samuel, 6; as well as daughters Violet, 13; and Seraphina, nearly 10 'It's just the thing for my early rising middle schooler!' Garner baked the chocolate chocolate chip bread recipe from Rose Beranbaum's 1988 cookbook Cake Bible The Peppermint action star's post came a day after Look to the Stars revealed she'll serve as host of the American Ballet Theatre's Holiday Benefit next Monday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Jennifer - who trains with former dancer Simone De La Rue - caught the eye of ABT due to her regular, passionate #TutuTuesday posts obsessed with all things ballet. Tickets cost between $1,000-$5,000 and tables range between $10,000-$50,000 for the benefit which features performances from Stella Abrera, Isabella Boylston, Misty Copeland, Sarah Lane, Hee Seo, and more. Garner has 'put the breaks' on her seven-month fling with Cali Group chairman John Miller partly because she wanted to help ex-husband #2 Ben Affleck with his sobriety, according to ET. Next Monday! The West Virginia-born beauty was just announced as the host of the American Ballet Theatre's Holiday Benefit at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills 'Prima ballerina @jennifer.garner!' Jennifer - who trains with former dancer Simone De La Rue - caught the eye of ABT due to her regular #TutuTuesday posts obsessed with all things ballet Not ready: Garner 'put the breaks' on her 7-month fling with Cali Group chairman John Miller (pictured) partly because she wanted to help ex-husband #2 Ben Affleck with his sobriety 'She wants to focus on family, career and getting Ben back on track': The Daredevil co-stars finalized their 2016 divorce on October 4 - the same day the 46-year-old Oscar winner (L) announced he'd completed his second stint in rehab for alcoholism (pictured Sunday) The Daredevil co-stars finalized their 2016 divorce on October 4 - the same day the 46-year-old Oscar winner announced he'd completed his second stint in rehab for alcoholism. The Once Upon a Farm co-founder will next voice June's (Brianna Denski) mother in Paramount Pictures' animated comedy Wonder Park, which hits US theaters March 15 and UK theaters April 8. David Feiss replaced Dylan Brown as director of the amusement park flick - which also features Mila Kunis, Kenan Thompson, John Oliver, Ken Jeong, Matthew Broderick, and David Cross. They went public with their romance back in July. And on Tuesday, Rose McGowan looked as loved up as ever with her partner Rain Dove as the pair attended the premiere for the actress' immersive art film, Indecision IV, presented by the Heist Gallery. The actress, 45, put on a very cosy display when posing up a storm with the non-binary gender model, 28, at Wild by Tart restaurant in London. Bold statement: Rose McGowan looked sensational when attending the premiere for her immersive art film, Indecision IV, presented by the Heist Gallery Rose was suited and booted for the glitzy event, where she stepped out in a chic black and gold striped blazer, over a vibrant yellow T-shirt. The Charmed star added an edgy touch to her ensemble by wearing some leather trousers and a pair of thick-soled black boots, while she kept her accessories to a minimum. Her signature platinum blonde buzz cut was styled with a side parting, and she complemented her party get-up with a blush-swept cheeks, black eye-liner and a bold red lip. Cute couple: Rose looked as loved up as ever with her partner Rain Dove when posing up a storm with the non-binary gender model, 28 Style: Rose was suited and booted for the glitzy event, where she stepped out in a chic black and gold striped blazer, over a vibrant yellow T-shirt Non-binary gender model Rain, who prefers the pronoun 'they' and is famous for modelling both men's and women's, sported a formal black shirt. Adding a pop of colour to the ensemble, the New York native finished the otherwise all-black outfit with a vibrant blue cap. McGowan was one of the first women to come forward last year with allegations of sexual abuse against shamed movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, 66. Selfie! The Charmed star added an edgy touch to her ensemble by wearing some leather trousers and a pair of thick-soled black boots, while she kept her accessories to a minimum Pals: Her signature platinum blonde buzz cut was styled with a side parting as she posed with Mason Smillie She claimed the disgraced producer raped her at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997, and said he would still make her pose with him on the red carpet. In April, she explained: 'He'd grab you tightly around the ribcage and you would just leave your body and smile because what else can you do in front of the cameras when you're being touched by the person who hurt you, who ruined your life?' But after speaking out against the fimmaker, 66, in October 2017, the actress revealed the year since the movement first kicked off has been somewhat harrowing for her. Speaking out: Rose's voice has been cardinal in the fight for justice against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein (pictured in 2007) who she accused of sexual assault 'I've probably shaved a couple of years off my life,' she admitted during an interview on The Project last week. 'I receive a lot of stories, a lot of intense stories, and a lot of heartbreaking stories - especially in this last year - which is a really triggering year for a lot of people,' she confessed. 'It definitely felt like at some points I was a gatekeeper for a lot of that, but I can shoulder it, and I'm here to shoulder it.' Whether it's on the red carpet, social media or while running errands, she always dresses to impress. But Amber Rose seemed keen to hide her latest skin transformation on Tuesday, as she stepped out in Beverly Hills, shielding her face with a surgical face mask. The 35-year-old beauty still ensured all eyes were on her as she flaunted her curves in tight black leggings and matching top, as she was also seen leaving the Epione clinic with a female. Keeping quiet: Amber Rose seemed keen to hide her latest skin transformation on Tuesday, as she stepped out in Beverly Hills, shielding her face with a surgical face mask Amber opted for a black scoop neck T-shirt that allowed her arms tattoos to all be on show. She teamed the look with a pair of form-fitting tights and added to her 5'9" stature with a pair of heeled platform boots. The mom-of-one accessorised her look with a love heart shaped Yves Saint Laurent cross-body bag and her signature square shaped shades. Gorgeous: The 35-year-old was earlier seen showing off her curves in skintight leggings and a black t-shirt as she arrived at the clinic Adding to her stature: She added to her 5'9" stature with a pair of heeled platform boots Stunner: The mom-of-one accessorised her look with a love heart shaped Yves Saint Laurent cross-body bag and her signature square shaped shades Pals: Later in the day, Amber was seen attempting to shield her face with a surgical mask as she exited the dermatology clinic with a female friend Later in the day, Amber was seen attempting to shield her face with a surgical mask as she exited the dermatology clinic. Leaving the premises, she was seen with a friend who was dressed in leather pants underneath some daisy duke shorts. Her new beau, Def Jam Records producer, Alexander Edwards, was not present. Amber has come a long way since her days as an exotic dancer in Philadelphia back when she was a teenager. Hiding it: The star attempted to hide her transformed complexion with a surgical mask and shopping bag, as she exited behind her friend Casual: Amber was still putting on a glamorous despite being on her way to a pamper session Low profile: It remains to be seen which treatment Amber decided to have, but she seemed keen to hide the results through her mask What did you get? Amber also tried to hide her face behind a cardboard shopping bag, as she jumped into her car Time to go: Following her treatment, Amber was seen trying to make a low-key exit by jumping into her friend's car Chatty: She seemed deep in conversation with her friend as they headed off for the day She went on to appear in several music videos and, in 2008, caught the attention of Kanye West, which led to a two-year romantic relationship. Around the same time she signed with Ford Models and began the first of many reality show gigs with her appearance on Running Russell Simmons. Amber later began dating Wiz Khalifa in early 2011, before they got engaged two years later. Their son Sebastian Taylor Thomaz was born on February 21, 2013. The pair split in September 2014, citing irreconcilable differences. They have joint custody of Sebastian. They frequently reunite with their son, seen in May taking him to meet Taylor Swift at her concert. He split up with his beau of seven years in October. But Antoni Porowski got right back up on the dating saddle as he posted an Instagram photo with his new beau Trace Lehnhoff on Tuesday. The Queer Eye host, 34, cut a dapper figure as he held hands with his boyfriend, 30, and captioned the snap referring to the date: '11 is my favorite number.' Back to dating: Antoni Porowski, 34, posted an Instagram snap with his new beau Trace Lehnhoff, 30, on Tuesday Trace has been featured on the last three seasons of Bravo's Flipping Out. And the couple had made their first red carpet appearance together last week at the GQ's Men Of The Year Party in Los Angeles. Antoni is the food and wine specialist on the reboot of Queen Eye co-hosting with Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Tan France, and Jonathan Van Ness. Meanwhile, Antoni recently got candid about his own sexuality, admitting to Gay Times he's always considered himself 'a little more fluid along the spectrum.' New item: The couple had made their first red carpet appearance together last week at the GQ's Men Of The Year Party in Los Angeles 'So even being called bisexual... I remember in my early twenties I was like, "But bisexual means I can only like girls and guys, what if I like something else?"', he told the magazine. 'Maybe it's just my rebellious nature. I'm me, I'm Antoni, and I'm all these things. Some people want to define themselves, and they should as it's part of their identity. For me personally, I've never really had a label for myself. 'Today I'm gay, I'm in a gay relationship, and that's where I am. That's good enough for me,' said Antoni, referring at the time to Joey Krietemeyer. Better times: He broke up with Joey Krietemeyer in October after seven years together; (pictured April) For Antoni, the reboot's positive reception has been a pleasant and welcome surprise. 'There's a misconception that we're bringing back the conversation,' he said of the reboot. 'The conversation never ended, it's just time to bring it back to the public sphere again. 'I really thought people would be like, "Oh that's nice they've just rebooted that thing that they did way back when". I'm very surprised at how big and strong the reaction has been. It's really been like an explosion of sorts.' She plays a seductress in the new Netflix series Tidelands. And Madeleine Madden, 21, has revealed the surprising way she prepared for her sexually-charged role in the gripping drama. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the 21-year-old said she would watch Thandie Newton's scenes from Westworld to get into her 'sexual, scheming' character. Scroll down for video EXCLUSIVE: 'I watched it in my trailer before going on set': Tidelands star Madeleine Madden (pictured) has revealed the surprising way she prepared for her sexually-charged scenes In the series, Madeleine plays the young revolutionary Violca, who is from the community of half-human, half siren Tidelanders. 'I drew a lot of inspiration from Thandie Newton's Maeve Millay from Westworld,' said Madeleine. 'I would watch snippets of her in my trailer before going on to set everyday to try and really get as much of that kind of sexual and scheming [character].' Inspiration: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the 21-year-old said she would watch Thandie Newton's scenes from Westworld to get into her 'sexual, scheming' character Madeleine's muse: Thandie Newton plays brothel madam Maeve Millay (pictured) in Westworld While Madeleine is no stranger to racy performances (she featured in a lesbian storyline in Picnic at Hanging Rock), the actress said sexual scenes are 'never easy'. 'When there's a scene where you may feel vulnerable, there needs to be trust between your co-workers, directors and writers,' she said. 'I think that really makes a difference to how you feel on set.' Madeleine's co-star Mattias Inwood also said that the intimate scenes were sometimes 'bizarre' to film. He said: 'Everyone respects that it's a bizarre environment to be in and a vulnerable position to be in. At the end of the day, it's storytelling, it's part of the narrative and it serves its purpose of telling a story.' 'There needs to be trust': While Madeleine is no stranger to racy performances (she featured in a lesbian storyline in Picnic at Hanging Rock), the actress said sexual scenes are 'never easy' Sirens! Madeleine's character Violca (right) is part of the mysterious Tidelanders species, led by the ruthless and seductive Adrielle (left), played by Elsa Pataky Madeleine's character is part of the mysterious Tidelanders species, led by the ruthless and seductive Adrielle, played by Elsa Pataky. The show 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's best known for playing Joanna in the 2003 film Love Actually. But Olivia Olson looked very mature during an appearance on Channel Seven's The Morning Show on Wednesday. The former child star, 26, cut a glamorous figure during her Australian TV interview - 15 years after she first rose to stardom. My, how you've grown! Love Actually star Olivia Olson, 26, looked glamorous during a rare TV interview on Wednesday (right). Pictured left: Olivia in 2003 film Love Actually Olivia, who was just nine years old when she sang All I Want For Christmas in Love Actually, said she was surprised fans are still interested in the film. 'I can't believe people still care, that they're still talking about [the movie] it's so awesome... 15 years is a long time,' she said. 'I remember how excited my mum was [about Love Actually]. She was a fan girl for Hugh Grant. I didn't know who anyone was! I was only nine, but it's such a blessing that I was part of this huge service cast.' Mature: The former child star, 26, was interviewed on Channel Seven's The Morning Show Then and now: Olivia is pictured left attending the Love Actually premiere in New York City in 2003, and (right) posing for an Instagram photo in February this year Olivia played an American exchange student in UK who caught the eye of adorable Sam, played by Game Of Thrones star Thomas Brodie-Sangster. Since starring in the movie, the Los Angeles native has featured in the Love Actually 'sequel' Red Nose Day Actually and also released an album, Nowhere Land, in June. When asked if she plans to return to the big screen, Olivia remained coy. Career: Since starring in the movie, the Los Angeles native has featured in the Love Actually 'sequel' Red Nose Day Actually and also released an album, Nowhere Land, in June Resemblance? The actress (left), who is of Jamaican and Swedish descent, has been compared to the Duchess of Sussex due to her exotic appearance. Pictured right: Meghan Markle on Monday 'We'll see, actually this past weekend I just wrapped up a short film, we'll see what happened,' she said. The actress, who is of Jamaican and Swedish descent, has been compared to the Duchess of Sussex due to her exotic appearance. 'I have not been invited to tea with the Queen yet, but maybe [one day]?' she said, after being asked about her resemblance to Meghan Markle. Paul Hollywood is reportedly embroiled in a feud with Mary Berry over the treatment of his ex-wife Alexandra, who he split from last year after nearly 20 years of marriage. Tensions grew between chef Paul, 52, and food writer Mary, 83, who worked together on Great British Bake Off from 2010 till 2016, during Birmingham's Good Food Show last Saturday. According to The Sun, Mary refused to take pictures with her former co-star, who is said to have attended the event with his new girlfriend Summer Monteys-Fullam, 23. Awkward: Paul Hollywood is reportedly embroiled in a feud with Mary Berry over the treatment of his ex-wife Alexandra, who he split with last year after nearly 20 years of marriage TV judge Paul and his former wife Alex, 54, announced they split in November last year after he was pictured kissing the winner of the seventh season of Bake Off, Candice Brown, 33. A spokesman for the Channel 4 star insisted it was 'an innocent kiss on the cheek' at the time. In 2013, Paul and Alex split temporarily after he admitted to having an affair with Marcela Valladolid, 40, which he later described as 'the biggest mistake of my life'. Break-up: TV judge Paul, 52, and his former wife Alex, 54, announced they split in November last year (pictured together in 2015) New romance: The TV judge embarked on a relationship with barmaid Summer Monteys-Fullam, 23, shortly after his split Alex also accused Paul of cheating with Summer - despite him claiming their relationship only began after their marriage had ended. A source alleged that his 10million divorce 'soured' his friendship with Mary, who was said to be close with Alex. Speaking about the 'tension' at the event over the weekend, an insider told the publication: 'Mary was close to Pauls wife and has been disgusted by his treatment of her so it has soured their relationship. Uh oh: Tensions grew between the chef Paul and food writer Mary, 83, during Birmingham's Good Food Show last Saturday 'Mary is a class act so was polite but she gave Summer an icy stare and refused to speak to her. 'The girlfriend said something and then gave Mary a really dirty look', they added. The source also claimed that Paul wanted Mary to join him on stage but she refused and only spoke to him briefly. Their feud reportedly was also fueled by Paul maintaining his role as a judge on GBBO following the show's move to Channel 4 in 2017. MailOnline has contacted Mary and Paul's representatives for comment. Summer spoke for the first time of her love for the TV chef in an exclusive interview with MailOnline in May. Former co-stars: The pair worked together on Great British Bake Off from 2010 till 2016, with Mary leaving the show after its move from BBC to Channel 4 She insisted at the time: 'I came [into a relationship with Hollywood] way after his marriage ended.' Asked if the age gap bothered her, she added: 'I'm fine and I'm enjoying life. I'm not upset I'm happy. Why should it [the age gap] bother me?' The former model was whisked off by Hollywood on a romantic 1,000-a-night holiday in Mauritius in April, having met last year at the star's local pub where he organised a party for his estranged wife Alexandra's birthday. Jimmy Kimmel detailed how difficult it was to get his two youngest children to pose for Christmas pictures during Monday night's episode of his ABC talk show. The 51-year-old Daytime Emmy winner shared several hilarious snaps of his four-year-old daughter Jane and 20-month-old son Billy not cooperating despite their merry outfits. 'Trying to get them to sit still and smile and look vaguely in our direction at the same time is like trying to put a wetsuit onto a monkey and a baby pig. It's impossible. I took no less than 400 photographs,' the Brooklyn-born presenter joked. Holiday stress: Jimmy Kimmel detailed how difficult it was to get his two youngest children to pose for Christmas pictures during Monday night's episode of his ABC talk show 'In two hours, we didn't get a single usable shot!' The 51-year-old Daytime Emmy winner shared several hilarious snaps of his four-year-old daughter Jane and 20-month-old son Billy not cooperating despite their merry outfits 'I made faces. I made noises. I jumped around. I issued threats. I said, "You're going to pay for your own college if you don't look here and smile!" You can't even jingle your keys anymore, because you can't jingle a FOB!' Kimmel continued: 'In two hours, we didn't get a single usable shot...We were like, "The hell with it! We'll get pictures of someone else's kids and send 'em!" Instead of sending people pictures of our kids this year, we're just going to send them our kids this year.' Little Jane and Billy are the Man Show alum's kids with his head writer-turned-second wife, Molly McNearney, whom he wed in 2013 after four years of dating. The Brooklyn-born presenter joked: 'Trying to get them to sit still and smile and look vaguely in our direction at the same time is like trying to put a wetsuit onto a monkey and a baby pig. It's impossible. I took no less than 400 photographs' Kimmel continued: 'I made faces. I made noises. I jumped around. I issued threats. I said, "You're going to pay for your own college if you don't look here and smile!"' Mama bear: Little Jane and Billy are Jimmy's kids with his head writer-turned-second wife, Molly McNearney, whom he wed in 2013 after four years of dating (pictured May 13) The brave boy famously underwent heart surgery at 3 days old after he was born with a rare congenital heart defect called tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia. The Arizona State University drop-out also has two grown children - daughter Katie, 27; and son Kevin, 25 - with ex-wife Gina Maddy, whom he divorced in 2002 after 14 years of marriage. Meanwhile, the Academy are scrambling to find an emcee for the Oscars - which Jimmy hosted the last two years - after Kevin Hart dropped out. Hey sailors! The Man Show alum also has two grown children - daughter Katie, 27; and son Kevin, 25 - with ex-wife Gina Maddy, whom he divorced in 2002 after 14 years of marriage (pictured September 19) She transformed herself from a tabloid fixture into a globetrotting fashionista in just a few short years. And Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) showed off her style credentials in a glamorous magazine photo shoot this week. The mother-of-two, 31, displayed her toned torso in a patterned Christian Dior skirt and navy bralette while posing for InStyle Australia. Abs-olutely stunning! Lara Bingle displayed her toned torso in a bralette and patterned Christian Dior skirt while posing for an InStyle Australia photo shoot this week The Base founder wore natural makeup and styled her cropped brunette hair loosely and parted at the centre. Lara continues to juggle her modelling career with managing a beauty business and also raising a young family. In July, Lara - who shares sons Rocket, three, and Racer, one, with husband Sam Worthington - said that motherhood forced her to grow up quickly after previously living a life that revolved around 'parties' in her twenties. Motherhood: In July, Lara - who shares sons Rocket, three, and Racer, one, with husband Sam Worthington - said that motherhood forced her to grow up quickly after previously living a life that revolved around 'parties' in her twenties. Pictured with Sam in Los Angeles in late 2017 'As a mum, you can doubt yourself, so it's good to talk to others going through the same thing,' she told Harper's BAZAAR. 'But it's also important to step out of the "mum bubble" and have other friends to talk to, just to get a different perspective on things.' She added: 'My twenties were about travel, parties, exploring, less responsibility. My thirties feel more about routine and are more grounded. We travel a lot - we will always be a nomadic family, which I like.' Business savvy: Lara continues to juggle her modelling career with managing a beauty business and also raising a young family with husband Sam. Pictured on March 19, 2014 Lara will celebrate her fourth wedding anniversary to actor Sam later this month. She rose to fame back in 2006 as the face of Tourism Australia's $180million global marketing campaign, So where the bloody hell are you? The model has since appeared in countless campaigns and, in 2014, launched her own tanning range The Base. Patricia Heaton said Gary Sinise be honored by TIME magazine before the publication revealed its honorees for the 2018 Person of the Year. Heaton, 60, took to Twitter on Monday to ask the publication, and other organizations, why the Oscar-nominated performer, 63, has been unrecognized for his significant efforts toward helping veterans. 'Hey @TIME, why isn't @GarySinise ever on the Person of the Year list?' asked the actress, who played Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond. Scroll below for video Speaking out: Patricia Heaton, 60, said Gary Sinise, 63, be honored by TIME magazine before the publication revealed its honorees for the 2018 Person of the Year. The actress was snapped at New York City's Build Studio last month, while Sinise was seen there in March The Cleveland native also addressed the Academy Awards in the tweet. 'Hey @TheAcademy, why isn't he ever picked for the #jeanhersholt humanitarian award? He raises $30M a year to build homes for wounded vets along with his #goldstarfamily support. Retweet!' Heaton wrote. Heaton's suggestion struck a chord with actor James Woods, who shared a screengrab of a discussion that illustrated Sinise's diligence to help military causes in any way he can. 'Honestly Gary is one of the very finest civilian Americans out there...,' Woods wrote. Stepping up: Heaton questioned why Sinise hasn't been honored by TIME magazine or the Academy Vouching: Heaton's suggestion struck a chord with actor James Woods, who shared a screengrab of a discussion that illustrated Sinise's diligence to help military causes in any way he can Iconic role: Sinise played Lieutenant Dan Taylor to Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump min the classic motion picture Honored: TIME Tuesday cited a group of journalists they dubbed 'The Guardians' for the annual honors Sinise in 2011 established a nonprofit called the Gary Sinise Foundation, which has a mission statement to 'serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. 'We do this by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities,' Sinise said on his non-profits' website. 'While we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation's defenders,' said the actor, who played Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump, 'we can always do a little more.' TIME Tuesday cited a group of journalists they dubbed 'The Guardians' for the annual honors, including murdered Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, jailed Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and the staff of Annapolis, Maryland's Capital Gazette, the newspaper which lost five staffers following a shooting this past June. It's a wrap on shooting the new Charlie's Angels reboot. Director Elizabeth Banks took to her Instagram to make the announcement along with a behind-the-scene photo showing her with the newest Angel trio. 'That's a wrap. So much love and gratitude to these Angels,' Banks shared in the caption. She then went on to name each of the stars and make light of her hat in the photo: '#kristenstewart @naomigscott and @ellabalinska @charliesangels #charliesangels #bts #attitudeofgratitude #NextNovember why did I wear such a big hat.' It's a wrap: Elizabeth Banks (right) announced filming for Charlie's Angels reboot has wrapped with this photo showing Angels: (from left) Naomi Scott, Kristen Stewart and Ella Balinska In the black and white snap, Banks has her back to the camera dressed in a black jacket, with a scarf and that black bolero hat. All three new Angels appear to be gushing over her as they all flash big adoring smiles. To the left is British actress Naomi Scott, 25, who's wearing a similar black jacket and has her long dark tresses pulled back into a ponytail. American Kristen Stewart, 28, appears to Scott's right dressed in a sleeveless top while rocking a short blonde look. Towering over them all is UK actress Ella Balinska, 22, dressed in a black double-breasted vest and her raven locks pulled into a high ponytail. The 44-year old actress/director has been sharing little glimpses of her time shooting Charlie's Angels in Instanbul, Turkey on her social media platforms Aloha: Banks also bid a fond farewell to Instanbul in an Instagram story Banks also acknowledged the end of shooting by sharing a photo on her Instagram Story bidding a fond farewell, writing: 'By Instanbul,' across the snap of the beautiful waterfront city. The crew had been filming in Hamburg, Germany in October. Details regarding the plot have been kept under wraps, but a couple of twists on the franchise have come to light: the Townsend Agency will now be a worldwide operation, and there are now at least three Bosleys. Nugget: Sony Pictures teased the Charlie's Angels reboot with a tweet in November that revealed the expansion of The Townsend Agency to offices around the world Sony Pictures tweeted out a picture in November that shows a woman's hands holding up two cards: one has the agency's logo and phone number, and the other has a list of cities on it, which include Beijing, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Nairobi and Sao Paulo. Aside from her directing duties, Banks will also star as one of the Bosleys; Djimon Hounsou and Patrick Stewart are also stepping into the roles, according to Screen Rant. The film also stars Jonathan Tucker, Luis Gerardo, Sam Clafin, Noah Centineo, Chris Pang and Nat Faxon. Charlie's Angels will hit theaters in the US November 1, 2019. Justin Theroux and Armie Hammer posed for a shot with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as they visited Washington D.C. on Tuesday, ahead of the release of On the Basis of Sex, the biopic of the famed judge. The 47-year-old star of The Leftovers wrote '...new couple alert' with three siren emojis on the shot in which he was posed next to the 85-year-old justice. The Girl on the Train actor was clad in a dark suit alongside Ginsburg, who was back in court last week in the wake of her recovering from cracking three of her ribs on November 7. Happy day: Justin Theroux, 47, (top) and Armie Hammer, 32, posed for a shot with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as they visited Washington D.C. on Tuesday, ahead of the release of On the Basis of Sex, the biopic of the famed judge Hammer, 32, wore a blue blazer over a black polo shirt with blue pants, while Ginsburg - the second-ever female justice appointed to the land's highest court, more than 25 years ago - wore a black jacket with a patterned front, smiling alongside both of the actors. On the Basis of Sex casts Felicity Jones in the role of the American legal icon, with Theroux and Hammer playing the respective roles of former ACLU legal director Mel Wulf and Ginsburg's husband Martin. The ensemble cast of the biopic, which is directed by Mimi Leder, is rounded out by Sam Waterston and Kathy Bates. The actors shared more of their trip around the nation's capital, as they were seen at a number of prominent locales. Making a statement: The actors made a reference to President Donald Trump's support of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman amid a report from the CIA that Bin Salman was behind the September murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi Fun time: The Hollywood hunks struck goofy poses outside of the Washington Monument, with Hammer writing, 'Fixed it!' The Hollywood hunks struck goofy poses outside of the Washington Monument, with Hammer writing, 'Fixed it!' Hammer added a shot of Trump International Hotel with the caption, 'Then we went to Mohammed Bin Salman's house,' adding graphics of hundred dollar bills and the American flag. The political reference in the shot was to President Donald Trump's support of the Saudi crown prince amid a report from the CIA that Bin Salman was behind the September murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. On the Basis of Sex hits theaters Christmas Day. Hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan took to the stage of the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday to perform for their loyal Australian fans. And among their fans was none other than Russell Crowe, who is good friends with the group's leader, RZA. Their close friendship was apparent when RZA wore a South Sydney Rabbitohs T-shirt to represent the rugby league team that Russell owns. Concert: Wu-Tang Clan's leader RZA wore a South Sydney Rabbitohs T-shirt to support friend Russell Crowe during the group's concert at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday The Gladiator actor, 54, shared a photo of RZA on stage to Instagram, captioning it: 'My man. My Hood. My Colours.' RZA and Russell famously got into a scuffle with rapper Azealia Banks at a party back in 2016. Two years ago, the Australian actor removed Azealia from a gathering in his Beverly Hills Hotel suite after eyewitnesses alleged she made violent threats. Friends: The rapper and the Gladiator actor have been friends for years, with the pair starring in The Man with the Iron Fists back in 2012 Azealia retaliated by publicly stating that Russell 'spat' at her, which RZA later confirmed in an interview last year. 'Look, he spat at her, I saw that,' RZA admitted to American radio show Breakfast Club in October of last year. 'He spit at her, not on her,' the Wu-Tang rapper clarified, demonstrating a spit for the interviewer that was mostly aimed at the ground. Sold out: The Wu-Tang Clan performed a sold-out show in the Sydney Opera House He claimed that by spitting in her direction, Russell was trying to tell Azealia 'this is what you are [spit].' RZA, who also works as a filmmaker, confirmed Russell apologised for his actions, directly after the incident. 'But ... the night was crazy. I dont want to relive it. It was super, duper awkward. One day Ill make a scene in a movie about it,' he added. There was a Bachelor Nation reunion on Tuesday night. Nick Viall, Rachel Lindsay, Ashley Iaconetti, and Jared Haibon joined forces at the WE tv's Real Love event in Los Angeles. Happily engaged couple Ashley, 30, and Jared, 29, couldn't have looked any happier enjoying a night on the town with their fellow reality star peers, who previously dated on The Bachelor. Reality TV reunion! Nick Viall, Rachel Lindsay, Ashley Iaconetti, and Jared Haibon joined forces at the We TV celebration of the return of Love After Lockup in Los Angeles The pair looked in high spirits as they reunited, two years after their romance on Nick's season of The Bachelor. Rachel, 33, looked incredible in a plunging white top and silky vibrant suit. The former Bachelorette wore her tresses down in loose and stylish ringlets, while playing up her complexion with bronze eye shadow and a shimmering tint on her cheeks. Ashley wowed in an off-the-shoulder black dress with her hair slicked back into a chic and simple style. Match made in heaven! Ashley Iaconetti and her fiance Jared Haibon cut stylish figures at the bash Earning her fashion stripes! Rachel wowed in a silky, striped number with plunging white top Her fiance Jared, 38, kept it casual in a black button down, jeans, and sneakers. The couple looked oh so in love as Jared wrapped an arm around his wife-to-be. Jared popped the question to Ashley on Bachelor In Paradise, after surprising fans with their romance earlier this year. Nick, meanwhile, showed off his winter style wearing a sweater, lightweight T-shirt, and jeans. The "Mandela Effect" is a subject area that I have sought to avoid writing about ever since I first heard my them room mate refer to it a few years ago [please see above video]. It is my professional opinion that the "Mandela Effect" is a plot by demonic controlled "AI people" who have weaponized alien technology to scramble human dimensions. These same "AI people" having spread the term "Mandela Effect" can then use their operatives in the mass media and elsewhere to blame subsequent real human experiences of alternative realities as simply "false memories" strategically linked to the so-called popular "false memory" of Mandela dying in prison. More specifically, the Mandela Effect has been linked to hideous experiments by CERN in this video and this other video. One scientist in this video who is a self-described clone indicated that humans were not supposed to become aware of the Mandela Effect. This self-described clone alleges that real Earth was destroyed in 2012 as a result of AI directed experiments and that these aliens had sought to create a "Veil" to prevent humans they consider to be "their property" from experiencing discrepant dimensions. However, according to this video a different scientist who disagreed with the veil sought to disrupt it so that humans would notice their experience of a former reality and Earth that us humans know to be our own native space-time. Official history states that Nelson Mandela died in 2013, right? I call the "Nelson Mandela" who became President of South Africa and who died in 2013 "plastic Mandela" for reasons that I will further elaborate. Indeed, African Zulu Elder provided detailed information on ancient African tribal knowledge of human-appearing manipulative alien operatives who would from time to time be discovered by African tribal governments. When I began to investigate the so-called "Mandela Effect" I was rather shocked to learn how so many people including myself apparently had not only a different recollection of history that was stated in "official sources" but brand names of products which remain in popular usage. However, I have noticed that since I first learned about the so-called "Mandela Effect" it seems to be spreading in alarming ways. This includes the apparent alteration of historical events. For example, Mandela Effect researchers now so six people instead of four people in JFK's motorcade just before he was assassinated. Here's further evidence on the original four seat car. Another apparent example of alternative reality shifting also apparent includes such features as the "Great Wall of India" as becoming second in size only to the "Great Wall of China". It was also brought to my attention a hideous looking species of goat appearing out of nowhere which looks like a creature that I might expect to be from another reality. One of the most shocking examples of apparent "reality shifting" that has been brought to my attention though has been "Frogner Park" in Norway which features apparent reptillian aliens overshadowing and eating humans. Based upon Dr Michael Salla's assertion that manipulative aliens "hide truth in plain sight" a casual search links the term Fogner to "reptillians disguised as human salespersons". According to "expert" testimony published in the mainstream media, the Mandela Effect is apparently attributed to millions upon millions of us humans apparently having a "false memory" about actual fact. But such a conclusion is completely absurd. It is apparent that the Mandela Effect relates to humans have REAL experiences of an alternative reality. The cynics who support the Establishment view that the Mandela Effect relates to just how terrible our memories can be as humans will immediately seek to discredit the alternative reality hypothesis by pointing to the "fact" that it has been well documented that Nelson Mandela had died in 2013, and not in prison as many people recall. However, here is where intrigue begins. I remember the fact that during the apartheid era into the 1980's, South African authorities had wanted to release Mandela on conditions that he would not agree to. Mandela had reportedly indicated that we would rather die in prison that to agree to conditions which the authorities imposed against him on his release, and he continued to be adamant even though his health had declined after so many years of being kept in the oppressive conditions of prison life. Mandela was like a South African version of Malcolm X during America's Civil Rights struggles of the 1960's. Some say that eyes are "windows to one's soul". tend to agree with this view. Nelson Mandela's eyes had once betrayed an unswerving commitment to "the struggle" and his presence was an inspiration to every human who he met and he stood out as being against the forces of oppression. And I recall that as a result of his unswerving commitments that he perished in prison under a shroud of cover-ups. In my the eyes of the "resurrected, plastic" Mandela was nothing like the eyes of the Mandela who had refused to give-in. "Plastic Mandela's" eyes reminds me of some kind of doped-up mind controlled "zombie" in a state of perpetuated bliss. When plastic Mandela would talk of a professed commitment to human rights his eyes in my view betrayed the deception of a mechanical intelligence. I call the Nelson Mandela "caricature" who became President of South Africa as "plastic Mandela". And it is this "plastic Mandela" which was used to convince us as humans as having such a poor memory that our minds would "trick" us into believing that we actually had not only heard Mandela had died but also had watched his funeral procession on TV. By scrambling our human experiences of reality and our trust of our own memories associated with those experiences, it is apparent that manipulative aliens are seeking to annihilate our vital human consciousness. The goal of this annihilation appears to be to expedite mass alien abductions through a weakened collective consciousness. As the manipulative aliens alter history and the reality around us they can begin a process of writing themselves into history as the true rulers of humanity which the humans will accept as always being the case at the conscious-level, while also seeking to use subliminal messages to control humans at the subconscious levels. It was the 80's movie They Live which conveyed the kind of control through subliminal messages that these manipulative aliens apparently now seek. One apparent example of this is how an apparent recent new alternative reality has shifted with 'Starbucks' now becoming a rather long "Starbucks Coffee" with a logo which seems to be modified somehow in a manner which seems to be conveying a rather disturbing message. Do you remember that huge star on top of the Starbucks logo like that? One owner of Starbucks noticed the overnight change of his store's signage and was so disturbed by the new sign that on his own he changed back the sign to its original state. I had noticed for a week that the "Starbucks Coffee" signage seemed out of place but at first I dismissed it as some new "corporate makeover". However, when I noticed that the signs all seemed to be "aged" to match the original ages of the Starbucks at various locations, it seemed evident that this indeed was another "Mandela Effect". How many people do you know ever said "Let's meet at 'Starbucks Coffee'". In the reality where we only knew of Starbucks, the idea of a labelling this trendy chain "Starbucks Coffee" would be ludicrous. The name has become so ludicrously long that the Starbucks logo which used to fit snuggily beside 'Starbucks' has been placed in all sorts of seemingly awkward positions on its own by itself, like an after-thought. But much more disturbing is the report that I received that just after many humans experience the initial shock of hearing evidence about the Mandela Effect that they have been observed to be acting as if information was being "downloaded" into their minds to create an actual false memory that a certain reality anomaly "always existed". The apparent "plastic Mandela" who became South Africa President acted in a manner completely against all that the Mandela in prison had sought to defend. It is my opinion that "plastic Mandela's" eyes can be described as being similar to a zombie and that was manifested in that plastic Mandela willfully being a complete operative of crony capitalism in the name of "Reconciliation". "Plastic Mandela" the overwhelming majority of black South African in an utter state of social economic turmoil under the same kind of corrupt black leaders that the Mandela in prison was determined not to support and I was part of a movement that was on the cusp of South Africa becoming a "black Sweden". The entities responsible for the on-going oppression of black Africans were determined with their apartheid allies for that not to happen. When I speak to black South Africans, most say that they indeed became economically became worse off when "plastic Mandela" became President. This would have never been the legacy of the Mandela who refused to give in to white pressure for so-called compromise. Would Mandela all of a sudden become a sell-out when he was released? I was part of a well-organized group who had sought to assist Mandela and his progressive supporters in making South Africa an African version of Sweden that would become a source of inspiration for not only the whole of Africa but for members of the African diaspora everywhere. There have been more and more reports of families having experienced a different reality with each other. In published reports when such representations have surfaced, they have all been attributed to so-called "false memories" linked to the publicly presented example of the alleged false memory of Mandela perishing in prison. At one of my favourite restaurants I have always seen three prominent chefs in their open kitchen. I like to sit at the bar and watch them as I dine. Well two weeks ago when I went there, all of a sudden I see a fourth chef who I never seen before who says to me "Welcome back!" Then I think to myself, "Welcome back?!" I had never seem this chef ever before and I sometimes go to this restaurant three or four times in one week. Is this another "Mandela Effect" example of altered dimensional experiences? Recently, just a few days ago, I ran out of a cereal I like and went right to the bottom where only fine crumbs were left. Next day I decided to get more of that cereal. When I returned to place the new box into the only small cupboard that I keep cereal, right in front was a box of the same cereal about 25% full. Last week I saw a whole building complex not there anymore. I heard an older couple who was passing it the same time as me say, "funny, I don't even remember what building was there before." It appears that the manipulative alien technology that was used to replace the Mandela who refused to surrender to authority with "plastic Mandela" may have been harnessed. The apparent result of this harnessing may be attempts to weaken the fabric of reality as part of an effort to expedite an alien controlled "New World Order". She's currently holed up in a juice retreat to help move on from her cheating fiance John Noble. And Vicky Pattison put her heartache out of her mind as she enjoyed a spot of pampering at the spa on Tuesday. Showcasing her sensational figure, the 31-year-old reality star uploaded a series of snaps in a cut-out swimsuit as she chilled out by the pool. Sizzling: Vicky Pattison put her heartache out of her mind as she enjoyed a spot of pampering at the spa on Tuesday, showcasing her sensational figure in a cut-out swimsuit Featuring cut out detailing across the front, the garment offered a look at her taut stomach and shapely pins. Posing coquettishly by the pool, she admitted she was making the most of her sizzling figure ahead of binging at Christmas. She captioned the snap: 'What you lookin at?! Quads and bis coming along I suppose... 'Before I destroy EVERYTHING in December with mountains of pigs in blankets, gallons of baileys, an obscene amount of cheese and ALL THE QUALITY STREET THAT EVER LIVED!!' Pamper time: Featuring cut out detailing across the front, the garment offered a look at her taut stomach and shapely pins, whilst she donned eye patches as she relaxed The day before, Vicky stripped off for another sexy snapshot. 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!! Wow! The day before, Vicky stripped off for another sexy snapshot in an orange two-piece 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. Her first stint as a co-host on I'm A Celebrity brought in a record number of viewers. And Holly Willoughby, 37, made the most of her last few hours in Australia when she took part in a photoshoot in Elizabeth Bay. The stunner, who is currently on an epic 24 hour flight back home, looked incredible wearing a denim skirt which showed off her incredible legs and some pesky mosquito bites. I'm A Celebrity: Holly Willoughby put on a leggy display in a denim skirt for fashion shoot in Elizabrth Bay in Australia on Tuesday before embarking on an epic journey home Wow thing: The stunner looked incredible wearing a denim skirt which showed off her incredible legs (and some mosquito bites) She teamed it with a T-shirt which she wore tucked in, after changing out of a denim shirt which she also tucked into her mini. Her look was completed with a pair of white leather ankle boots which emphasised her golden tan from her time in the jungle. Holly travelled to Australia with her three children, Harry, 9, Bell, 7, and four-year-old Chester and her husband Dan Baldwin was there for some of the time. Safety first: Her look was completed with a pair of white ankle boots which emphasised her golden tan as an assistant held an umbrella over her to make sure she didn't get too much sun She had previously said how nervous she was to take on the role, especially as she has phobias of all things creepy-crawly. Blonde Holly stood in for Ant McPartlin, 42, this year on the show as he took a year off from work to battle his personal demons. 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. Doing her thing: Blonde Holly stood in for Ant McPartlin, 42, this year on the show as he took a year off from work to battle his personal demons Good job: 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 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, 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. Looking the part: It's unknown who Holly was doing the shoot for Can't believe it: 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 She's a natural: Holly worked her magic in front of the camera with ease Lisa Armstrong has continued to hit out at the 'poor treatment' she has received, after being axed as a make-up artist from Britain's Got Talent. The 42-year-old worked on the show for more than a decade, but has been ousted as her ex-husband Ant McPartlin gears up to make his return, amid claims working together would be 'untenable'. Taking to Twitter, Lisa has been 'liking' several messages of support from her fans, including those that have hit out at her ex - who took time away from the spotlight following a drink driving crash in March. Hitting back: Lisa Armstrong has continued to hit out at the 'poor treatment' she has received, after being axed as a make-up artist from Britain's Got Talent Lisa liked messages such as: '@lisaAmakeup We think youve been treated poorly, we are very must Team Lisa #golisa #teamlisa' '@lisaAmakeup Can I just say I think from start to finish you have had the massive thin end of the wedge. You seem to have been penalised for everything although you have done nothing wrong. You are so talented too. 'This is shameful - you are worth so much more. The dignity you have shown is exemplary. Keep smiling kiddo x'; 'Seems very unfair considering shes been doing the makeup on that show from day one' Back on screen: The 42-year-old worked on the show for more than a decade, but has been ousted as her ex-husband Ant McPartlin gears up to make his return with co-host Declan Donnelly Liked tweets: Taking to Twitter, Lisa has been 'liking' several messages of support from her fans, including those that have hit out at her ex '@lisaAmakeup I feel compelled to msg you. What you find yourself in is ridiculously unfair. Im so sorry. Things will get better. You are a truely amazing human being and we all adore you. Keep being you' '@lisaAmakeup doesnt deserve to be dumped from @BGT that prized muppet drinks and drives, then has the pity party and a little extended rest and still its Lisa that gets the raw deal.' '@lisaAmakeup when does hard work , graft and talent get you punished !!! Dignified clever beautiful yet the one who abides the law gets s**t on and the one who abuses the law is able to stroll back nooooooo'. Cut: Lisa, 42, first took to Twitter on Monday to hit out after being axed as a make-up artist from Britain's Got Talent after 10 years with the show Lisa first hit out at the news that she had to leave whilst Ant would stay, retweeting a post on Monday that read: 'How unjust, any decent bloke would of said he wouldnt want your career to be compromised, theres bigger and better things for you lovely!!!' Replying with sad face emojis, Lisa said: 'Thanks Em, not really sure what else to say.' Lisa also thanked a fan that shared: 'Lisa, I have just read the news about you being AXED, I feel for you. You have support out here. XXX' Another retweet read: '@lisaAmakeup just saw you have been taken off BGT , Im sorry to hear this if its true Lisa , it seems you are still getting punished for something you had no control over . You are amazing and so good to your followers with advice ect so carry on and s*d em!' TV: Lisa will not be returning to the show as her ex, Ant McPartlin, is returning to work following a year off following a drink driving crash in March Lisa was inundated with support from fans, and used the micro blogging platform to 'like' their messages. She liked tweets that read: 'Poor @lisaAmakeup, so she loses her job on @BGT because Ant is obviously returning to work, but he is the one who got caught drink driving and cheated on her. Awful decision.' '@lisaAmakeup Hi - just read youre being axed from the next series of #BGT. Youre very highly thought of in your field, and no doubt, youll get new offers to work on many other shows! :)' 'still a man's world.... '@lisaAmakeup just wanted to message you and say I think you are one hell of a strong lady, I admire your courage. I hope 2019 is a wonderfully happy year for you xx' 'Lisa Armstrong reportedly AXED as make-up artist for BGT @lisaAmakeup this is SO WRONG!! Wtaf??!' 'Omg he drinks and drives, he leaves her for someone else and now SHE IS FIRED! This is a disgrace @lisaAmakeup. #unfair #hypocrisy' Speaking out: Lisa shared messages of support from her fans as she thanked them for their kind words during this difficult time A source told the Mirror that Lisa had been axed to ensure Ant's return 'goes smoothly with no unnecessary distractions.' They added: 'Although everyone is very fond of Lisa, it was clearly untenable to carry on working together. 'Ant and Dec are two of the most senior people on the show, sometimes these tough decisions have to be made.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for Ant for comment. Hypocrisy? Lisa liked tweets from fans who said it was unfair that she had been axed and not Ant - who admitted to adultery in their divorce papers Ant's colleague on BGT, Stephen Mulhern - who presents spin off show Britain's Got More Talent, confirmed in an interview with GMB on Monday that his friend is returning to host the new series. After skipping the live BGT shows this year and the latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here to concentrate on his recovery, Stephen told Piers Morgan on Monday Ant will next be on screens at the beginning of 2019. When asked what he think's of Ant's BGT return, Stephen said: 'I think its great, I think it's brilliant. He's apparently doing very well. It will be nice to have all the family back'. Comeback: Ant will be back filming Britain's Got Talent in January and is also expected to return to I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! next November 'It's all good, it's all back on track and it's all lovely.' he added before declaring of Holly's time in the jungle: 'I think she has kept his seat very warm and done an incredible job.' Lisa's friends reportedly said that she was not surprised to be leaving the series with Ant set to return. They told The Mirror: 'Lisa was officially told last week but knew it was coming for months.' Comeback: Ant's colleague on BGT, Stephen Mulhern confirmed in an interview with GMB on Monday that his friend is returning to host the new series Questions: Stephen told Piers Morgan and Kate Garraway on Monday Ant will next be on screens at the beginning of 2019 They added that because she is a freelancer, she does not have the same protections as a full-time employee. Lisa is a former member of pop band Deuce and has previously served as make-up expert for ITV's This Morning and was make-up supervisor for quiz show Pick Me. According to The Sun, Ant will be back filming Britain's Got Talent in January and is also expected to return to I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! next November. Former flames: A source told The Mirror that Lisa has been axed to ensure Ant's return 'goes smoothly with no unnecessary distractions' It was also confirmed in August that Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway would be back on screens in 2020. A source said: 'Ant has completed his recovery and ITV has decided he is ready to be back at work for Britains Got Talent filming, which starts next month. 'Its been an incredible difficult two-year period but he has been entirely focused on turning his life around in order to return to work.' Lisa and Ant married in July 2006 and announced they were divorcing in January 2018. The divorce was granted on October 16. Matt Johnson has described himself as 'lucky' after he pulled himself back whilst being seconds away from committing suicide. The TV presenter reflected on the incident back in 2009, where he stood on a balcony ledge in Spain and was about to jump, before something inside him made him thankfully change his mind. Speaking on ITV's Lorraine on Wednesday, he confessed: 'The element of control, the feeling it gave me, took me off that ledge and I'm incredibly grateful of that moment.' Candid: Speaking on ITV's Lorraine on Wednesday, Matt Johnson described himself as 'lucky' after he pulled himself back whilst being seconds away from committing suicide Matt revealed he was in Spain on a 'make-or-break' holiday when he made the decision to take his life on December 23 after going on a whisky binge. He explained: 'I was really in a bad place. I suffered very desperately with depression, and I isolated myself from friends and family and loved ones. I was isolated. 'This culminated in 2009 coming very, very close to talking my own life and it was just around Christmas... I was on a balconys edge with my foot up.' Reflecting on how far he's come since that moment, he reasoned: 'Theres life after that. It was a turning point. We all have mental health.' Horrific: Matt revealed he was in Spain on a 'make-or-break' holiday when he made the decision to take his life on December 23 after going on a whisky binge Matt - who is working with mental health charity Mind on their Time To Talk campaign - urged viewers to reach out to loved ones and try to see how they're feeling, as he reasoned: 'This time of year people are very vulnerable'. He continued: 'I first talked about it in 2013 and theres a long way to go. Men push things down and they need to talk more. I was one of the lucky ones.' As testament to how things can get better, Matt continued: 'Things are wonderful, life for me is great right now. Its not always perfect and thats ok. The goals of life always change and thats ok. As long as you embrace the moment, life is lovely. Campaigning: Matt - who is working with mental health charity Mind on their Time To Talk campaign - urged viewers to reach out to loved ones and try to see how they're feeling' 'We all have difficulties, you cant snap out of everything but I'm so lucky I didnt do that in 2009. Now I see trees differently, people differently. Everything differently. 'Its a wonderful life.' Matt previously revealed that he spiralled into depression in the aftermath of a serious accident and the break-up of his relationship with his girlfriend, The One Shows Alex Jones, For confidential help and support contact The Samaritans on 116 123 (UK) or 116 123 (ROI) She stars as a mother who desperately tries to save her two children from a mysterious force in the new post-apocalyptic horror film, Bird Box. And Sandra Bullock has now admitted to having the same fears when it comes to her own brood Louis, 8, and Laila, 6 - which she goes on to reveal is in stark contrast to her 'fearless' boyfriend Bryan Randall. Having a frank discussion on parenting with host Sam Rubin on KTLA 5 Morning News, the American actress, 54, dubbed herself 'neurotic' as she listed an array of potential worries she had when it came to raising her children. 'I'm neurotic': Sandra Bullock, 54, has detailed her fears when it comes to her children Louis, 8, and Laila, 6 - which she reveals is in stark contrast to her 'fearless' boyfriend Bryan Randall Sitting comfortably alongside her handsome co-star Trevante Rhodes, Sandra was asked by Sam if her experiences as a mother informed her role of Malorie in the new flick, Bird Box. Sandra candidly replied: 'I know now what it feels like to be afraid every single day because I love my kids to the point where I'm a little neurotic.' Offering further context she pointed her terror stemmed in 'what's happening in the world, am I a good mother? When they leave the house and go to school I check my phone constantly... do the school call? 'Are they going to get hurt. If they're leaving with someone else, I panic. Fears: Speaking to host Sam Rubin on KTLA 5 Morning News, the actress dubbed herself 'neurotic' as she listed potential worries she had when it came to raising her children 'I'm afraid every single day': Sandra was asked by Sam if her experiences as a mother informed her role of Malorie in the new flick, Bird Box 'I have to learn how to relax in a world than spins that kind of worry and remind myself, and my children, that it is also a hopeful place.' However, Sam admitted that he didn't have the same concerns, telling Sandra: ' I don't know if it's a gender thing but I have four children, and I don't worry about any of those things! I really don't. I just think it will be fine.' Sandra responded 'I don't think it's a gender thing... but Trevante on one hand, is more grounded. He has that fearlessness. My boyfriend has that as well. Different parenting styles: In contrast, Sandra admitted that her boyfriend Bryan was 'fearless' when it came to being a parent 'I don't I'm afraid but I just want to make sure I do everything in my power to protect these two beautiful children that I have been blessed to raise.' The Blind Side actress is mother to Louis and Laila, who are both African-American, and born in Louisiana. Sandra is raising her children with beau Bryan Randall, who she began dating following the breakdown of her marriage to Jesse James in 2010. On the professional front, Sandra's is playing a pregnant mother with two small children in Netflix drama, Bird Box. Doting: The pair are parents to to Louis and Laila, who are both African-American, and born in Louisiana Happy: Sandra is raising her children with beau Bryan Randall, who she began dating following the breakdown of her marriage to Jesse James in 2010 Her character tries to save her two children from a mysterious force that has decimated the world's population, where only only one thing is certain: if you see it, you take your life. To survive, they'll have to undertake a perilous journey blindfolded. Bird Box, which is based on Josh Malerman's 2014 novel, also features Sarah Paulson, John Malkovich, Jacki Weaver, Lil Rel Howery, and BD Wong. It will be available for streaming on Netflix on December 21. Venture: On the professional front, Sandra's is playing a pregnant mother with two small children in Netflix drama, Bird Box She recently returned from visiting boyfriend The Weeknd on tour. And on Tuesday, Bella Hadid, 22, showcased her flair for fashion as she jetted into Charles-de-Gaulle airport in Paris, clad in an edgy tracksuit and trainers, with an eye-catching cherry print holdall on her arm. The distinctive Louis Vuitton Vintage Cherry Keepall 45 travel handbag retails at a whopping $12,000. Casual chic: on Tuesday, Bella Hadid , 22, jetted into Charles-de-Gaulle airport in Paris, clad in an edgy tracksuit and trainers, with an eye-catching cherry print holdall on her arm Bella also slung across her shoulder the shortened the leather strap of her $2804 Prada shoulder bag with edgy silver tone metal studs. In contrast to her eye-watering handbag choices, she kept the rest of her ensemble more low-key, starting with a slouchy black SpaceX jumper. The model teamed her jumper with a pair Riot Hill baggy tracksuit bottoms, with the company's name boldly plastered over the front of her trousers. Bella strolled through the airport in a pair of fresh-out-of-the-box white high-tops and pulled her socks up high. Wow! The distinctive Louis Vuitton Vintage Cherry Keepall 45 travel handbag retails at a whopping $12,000 Designer duds: Bella also slung across her shoulder the shortened the leather strap of her $2804 Prada shoulder bag with edgy silver tone metal studs Understated: In contrast to her eye-watering handbag choices, she kept the rest of her ensemble more low-key, starting with a slouchy black SpaceX jumper Eye-catching: The model teamed her jumper with a pair Riot Hill baggy tracksuit bottoms, with the company's name boldly plastered over the front of her trousers Bella wrapped a pair of wireless white Beats headphones around her neck, and accessorised her look with chunky gold hoop earrings and a statement ring. The Vogue cover girl had a chic side parting and styled her brunette tresses up into a spiky twist, while opting for a minimal make-up look. With a focused look on her face, Bella was accompanied by a personal security guard who kept a close eye on the model. Listen up: Bella wrapped a pair of wireless white Beats headphones around her neck Details: Bella accessorised her look with chunky gold hoop earrings and a statement ring Born to do it: Bella is the daughter of former model Yolanda Hadid and her ex-husband, real estate developer Mohamed Hadid Bella spent last week bouncing around Asia with boyfriend The Weeknd, born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye. The couple visited several countries including Singapore, Thailand, and Japan. The Weeknd is set to conclude his international XO Tour on December 18. Bella is the daughter of former model Yolanda Hadid and her ex-husband, real estate developer Mohamed Hadid. The former couple, who divorced in 2000, also share daughter Gigi, 23, and son Anwar, 19. Snap it! The catwalk queen documented her good looks with her phone as she relaxed in her dressing room Looking good! She snapped an Instagram video from the comfort of her dressing room She had her world come crashing down when photographs of her now-ex Seann Walsh locking lips with Strictly's Katya Jones emerged. But Rebecca Humphries insisted she was 'glad' photographers caught them red-handed because the snaps proved she wasn't 'crazy'. The actress admitted it was a relief the truth her ex was cheating on her came to light when she discussed the controversial pictures on The Hotbed podcast. It's a relief: Seann Walshs ex Rebecca Humphries revealed she's 'glad' THAT kiss with Strictly's Katya Jones happened because it proved she's 'not crazy' in a podcast She said: 'I'm glad that it happened this way, because otherwise I would never have known that I am not crazy. 'So I'm glad it came out, I know I'm embroiled in this television's programme's history now, I obviously thought it would be because I went on it and won it!' Rebecca maintained she can't be 'bitter', 'angry' or 'vengeful' about the cheating scandal because it was the harsh reality. 'I'm glad it came out': The actress admitted it was a relief the truth her ex was cheating on her came to light when she discussed the controversial pictures on The Hotbed podcast She added: 'But it's just my circumstance and I can't feel bitter about it, I can't feel angry or vengeful about it, it's just how it is, really.' Rebecca was sat at home on her own for her birthday when she received a text from Seann saying he would be going for 'one innocent drink' with Katya on October 3. However, jaw-dropping photographs told a very different story as the pictures captured the moment Seann and Katya shared a steamy smooch in the street. Uproar: Seann, who claimed to be the 'most hated comedian in the UK' on his Twitter profile, has been using the scandal as inspiration for his comedic sketches As the scandal developed, Rebecca dumped her cheating boyfriend publicly on Twitter and defiantly declared she had taken custody of their cat Winston. Now Seann, who claimed to be the 'most hated comedian in the UK' on his Twitter profile, has been using the scandal as inspiration for his comedic sketches. The funnyman was said to have made an inappropriate gag about Katya's husband Neil Jones during one of his shows. Outrage: The funnyman was said to have made an inappropriate gag about Katya's husband Neil Jones during one of his shows According to The Sun, Seann said on stage: 'Before the show, the newspapers were complaining they didnt know who I was, you know who I am now, motherf******. Im the guy who kissed a gay mans wife.' He was quick to backtrack: 'Please dont report that, Im only joking, Im just here trying to make you laugh.' Seann added: 'Katie Hopkins defended me, then Piers Morgan defended me, I was expecting Donald Trump to invite me out p****-grabbing.' No place for you: It's understood that Seann's controversial kiss with Katya cost him his place on the tour because 'cheating' doesn't fit the 'family-friendly' brand of the BBC series The comedian branded the kiss a 'mistake' while Katya apologised for the 'hurt' their actions had caused, although she insisted her own marriage was still intact. It's understood that Seann's controversial kiss with Katya cost him his place on the tour because 'cheating' doesn't fit the 'family-friendly' brand of the BBC series. As fans questioned why Katya was still allowed to be involved, it has now come to light that both she and Neil have been overlooked and will not feature. Piers Morgan had to apologise to Good Morning Britain viewers on Wednesday, after Lord Sugar swore during a debate about Theresa May. The presenter, 53, had to quickly wrap up a debate after The Apprentice frontman, 71, was asked about the biggest cheque he could write. This came as the pair also clashed in a furious debate around Prime Minister Theresa May, after Lord Sugar admitted he had sympathy for the politician. At odds: Piers Morgan (right) had to apologise to Good Morning Britain viewers on Wednesday, after Lord Sugar (left) swore during a debate about Theresa May Appearing as a guest on the daytime favourite, Lord Sugar was asked by Piers about how far he could extend his riches. The businessman replied: 'I tell you, I could write a cheque by using my total funds of around about 250 million, present it to the bank and it would be paid.' He then added: 'That t****r with the hair [Donald Trump], right' Oops! Lord Sugar was a guest on the show where Piers asked him how much was the biggest cheque he could write, leading him to respond with 250 million' Naughty: Lord Sugar, then went onto describe President Donald Trump as a 't****r' No swearing: Piers then interjected on the interview to say to viewers: 'That's no way to talk about the President of the United States, and I'd like to apologise to anyone offended by that' Piers then quickly interjected: 'Please, the President of the United States,' leading Lord Sugar to add: 'Yeah, him. He couldn't do that. He couldn't do that.' Piers then swiftly apologies to viewers for the language used, saying: 'That's no way to talk about the President of the United States, and I'd like to apologise to anyone offended by that.' It came as Piers and Lord Sugar were also involved in a furious debate around Prime Minister Theresa May, as she prepared to make a statement following the news that MP's were set to trigger a vote of no confidence. Explosive: It came as Piers and Lord Sugar were also involved in a furious debate around Prime Minister Theresa May, following the news of a vote of no confidence Heated: The Apprentice frontman revealed that he actually felt sympathy for the politician, saying she was left in an impossible situation regarding Brexit Annoyed: Piers then asked whether he would have fired Theresa May if she was a candidate on The Apprentice, and he responded: 'No, not really' Irate: But Piers continued pushing for an answer, leading Lord Sugar to furiously counter: 'Excuse me, don't put words into my mouth mate' Surprisingly Lord Sugar admitted he actually had sympathy for the politician, as he felt she was left in an impossible situation surrounding Brexit, when the previous PM David Cameron resigned just hours after the Leave vote was confirmed. He said to Piers and co-host Susanna Reid: 'You've got these turncoats that have written these 48 letters or whatever it is,' he began. 'She was thrown into this untenable position when Cameron went off and left her to sort out getting out of the EU. 'I think she hasn't done a bad job. She's shown dignity and all that stuff.' Arguing: Justifying his side Piers then interjected: 'They do know what she's done wrong. She's ended up with a plan that's not Brexit' Furious: Lord Sugar then demanded: 'What is the plan, explain the plan,' which led Piers to joke: 'I'm taking back control of this interview' Going on to speak about the Brexit deal, he added: 'Be honest, you must have flicked through that document and got to page ten and said, ''I don't understand any of this, it's nonsense.'' Piers then asked whether he would have fired Theresa if she was a candidate on The Apprentice, leading him to simply say: 'No, not really.' But Piers continued pushing for an answer, leading Lord Sugar to furiously counter: 'Excuse me, don't put words into my mouth mate. 'She would get fired, if I knew the reason and deep detail of what she has done wrong.' Busy: It proved to be a chaotic instalment of the breakfast favourite, following the news of the No Confidence vote and confirmation that Theresa May would make a statement on it Turbulent: Piers' debate with Lord Sugar ended when the business mogul joked he should be the new leader of the Labour Party Justifying his side Piers then interjected: 'They do know what she's done wrong. She's ended up with a plan that's not Brexit,' leading Lord Sugar to demand: 'What is the plan, explain the plan.' Piers then joked: 'I'm taking back control of this interview,' which led the businessman to add that he believed Chuka Umunna - MP for Streatham and former Shadow Business Secretary - should replace Theresa May. He then jokingly added: 'And by the way, you should be leader of the Labour party.' Caught out: It came in a show which also saw Piers leave viewers in hysterics after he was caught sending a tweet to actress Pamela Anderson live on air Hilarious: Viewers rushed to social media to point out that the time stamp on Piers' post meant he had sent it in the middle of an interview with ITV's Political Editor Robert Peston It came in a show which also saw Piers leave viewers in hysterics after he was caught sending a tweet to actress Pamela Anderson live on air. Viewers rushed to social media to point out that the time stamp on Piers' post meant he had sent it in the middle of an interview with ITV's Political Editor Robert Peston via phone link. Piers wrote: 'I love you just the way you are Pamela - keep stirring those pots,' in response to a post the Baywatch actress shared about how she understands certain people cannot accept her. She is said to be dating Stephen Bear after they met while filming in the States for US reality show The Challenge. Yet Georgia Harrison swapped shooting scenes for soaking up some winter sun as she headed to Tenerife for a girls' getaway in recent days. The Love Island 2017 bombshell, 24, looked terrific when she showcased her abs-olutely amazing figure in her cutaway two-piece. She looks abs-olutely amazing: Love Island's Georgia Harrison displayed her fantastic figure in a tiny bikini in Tenerife in recent days... as it's revealed she's dating Stephen Bear Raunchy cut-outs of her briefs and bra teased a glimpse at Georgia's bare skin as she topped up her tan in the red hot rays of 20 degrees. A busy pattern in lilacs, turquoises and pinks ensured she was the sole focus of the beach amid the beach-goers. The reality star's golden mane tumbled down her back in soft waves when she stretched out on the beach alongside her pal. Georgia defined her features with neutral make-up and she wore a silver necklace as she kept up her glamorous looks on the beach. Feeling hot, hot, hot: Raunchy cut-outs of her briefs and bra teased a glimpse at Georgia's bare skin as she topped up her tan in the red hot rays of 20 degrees Georgia shot to fame in a series of bikinis when she was on the hunt for romance on the steamiest show of the summer Love Island back in 2017. While she left with Sam Gowland on her arm, their relationship was short-lived because they broke up just two weeks after leaving the villa. Sam quickly found love with Geordie Shore's Chloe Ferry and the couple have been going steady ever since they hit it off. Soaking up the sun: The reality star's golden mane tumbled down her back in soft waves when she stretched out on the beach alongside her pal Georgia, however, has failed to find a long-lasting connection until now as reports suggest the blonde bombshell has started dating Stephen Bear. They first rubbed shoulders when the pair were filming in the States for the US show The Challenge which airs on MTV. The US show sees a handful of stars of Are You The One?, US Big brother, Ex On The Beach and Geordie Shore fame compete. Looking sensational: The blonde swapped shooting scenes for soaking up some winter sun as she headed to Tenerife for a girls' getaway Stephen has a colourful relationship history, with some of his romances even playing out on two series of Ex On The Beach. The third series saw him find love with his ex-girlfriend Vicky Pattison and series five saw him get with Gaz Beadle's ex Lillie Lexie Gregg. Stephen won Celebrity Big Brother, despite cheating on former love Lilie with Chloe Khan on national television. Got the giggles: The blonde bombshell giggled away as she walked alongside her swimsuit-clad pal on the beach Back to her best: The bombshell shot to fame in a series of bikinis when she was on the hunt for romance on the steamiest show of the summer Love Island back in 2017 The Celebrity Big Brother winner had a tumultuous 11-month relationship with Charlotte Crosby but it all went down in flames earlier this year. Stephen split from his latest squeeze Ellie O'Donnell in November. Stephen Bear's representatives did not comment on the dating rumours. MailOnline approached Georgia Harrison's representatives for comment. She's escaped the winter blues with a sun-drenched trip to Miami. And Iskra Lawrence looked on cloud nine as she enjoyed a stroll in the Florida sunshine on Tuesday. The model was gorgeous in a pair of skintight jeans teamed with a pretty floral crop top for her low-key outing. Sun kissed: Iskra Lawrence looked on cloud nine as she enjoyed a stroll in the Florida sunshine on Tuesday during a winter break in Miami Iskra, 28, showed off her figure in the tight denims which she teamed with heeled boots in a nude shade. She showed some skin, and a hint of her Miami tan, in a red floral bardot top, cropped at the waist to show off her curves. A chic leather bag and round shades were the finishing touch as Iskra sauntered on the sidewalk. Stunning: The model looked gorgeous in a pair of skintight jeans teamed with a pretty floral crop top for her low-key outing Iskra has seen her profile boom over the past year. The beauty was born in Worcestershire, England and she was accepted into the National Youth Theatre at the young age of 15. She was also a competitive swimmer on the national level at the same age. The influential model has long been an advocate for posting photos on social media and other platforms without the use of Photoshop or other digital enhancements. Not only does she refuse to have her photographs enhanced, but she actively calls out body shamers on social media. Iskra also appeared in the 2017 documentary Straight Curve that focused on body image and presented a TEDx talk entitled Ending the pursuit of perfection at the University of Nevada in 2017. The multi-talented star is a global role model for Aerie, American Eagle's lingerie line, and she made her New York Fashion Week debut in 2016 for Chromat. She's regularly spotted out and about with her famous friends. And Elizabeth Hurley, 53, put on a sensational display in a lace top and sleek black trousers as she made her way to meet Tamara Beckwith, 48, and pals for a dinner party at Cadogan Square in Chelsea, London on Tuesday. The Royals actress looked radiant in the sheer nude top with black lace as she strolled along in slightly flared, high-waisted trousers. Sensational: Elizabeth Hurley, 53, put on a sensational display in a lace top and black trousers as she joined pals for a dinner party at Cadogan Square in Chelsea, London on Tuesday Her caramel flecked brunette locks were styled into glamorously sleek and subtle beachy waves. Elizabeth kept her make-up look simple with a smudge of black eyeliner and slick of rose lipgloss on her plump pout. Liz met up with Tamara Beckwith, who commanded attention in a plunging filigree pattered jumpsuit and fluffy red jacket. The British socialite opted for block barely there stilettos and a plum coloured velvet handbag. Gorgeous: Liz met up with Tamara Beckwith, 48, who commanded attention in a plunging filigree pattered jumpsuit and fluffy red jacket Here come the boys: Tamara's husband Giorgio Veroni also joined the dinner party at the swanky venue, along with Italian fashion designer Valentino, 86 (pictured) Tamara's husband Giorgio Veroni also joined the dinner party at the swanky venue, along with Italian fashion designer Valentino, 86. The morning after their outing in Chelsea, Elizabeth Hurley set pulses racing as she took to Instagram to share a gorgeous snap of herself clad in a pretty blue bikini and cover-up swimsuit. The Austin Powers star flaunted her ample cleavage and a sneaky flash of her toned stomach in the fresh ensemble, which comprised a triangle bikini and coordinating low-rise briefs. Incredible: The morning after their Chelsea outing, Elizabeth Hurley, 53, set pulses racing as she took to Instagram to share a gorgeous snap of herself clad in a pretty blue bikini The swimwear set features delicate gold chain detail, and The Royals actress covered up somewhat with a matching linen blouse wrapped up at the centre of her slim waist. The eye-catching hue of her ensemble ensured Elizabeth's sun-kissed skin looked radiant against it, and a pillar-box red manicure added another colour pop. Elizabeth posted the throwback photo from her most recent holiday to the Maldives, while dreaming of a return trip at some point over Christmas. Stunning: The Austin Powers star flaunted her ample cleavage and her toned stomach in the fresh ensemble, which comprised a triangle bikini and coordinating low-rise briefs Gorgeous: Her caramel flecked brunette locks were styled into sleek and subtle beachy waves Fan reaction: Her followers were quick to react, with one commenting: 'Wow. Early Christmas treat to warm you up on a cold winters day. Elizabeth returned from the Maldives in early November, as is clearly pining to be back in the sunshine. She captioned the snap: 'Dreaming of a hot Christmas.... #maldives @milaidhoo @elizabethhurleybeach #takemeback #AntibesBikini #Beachshirt 20% off for all my followers at ElizabethHurley.com use code: XMAS.' Her followers were quick to react, with one commenting: 'Wow. Early Christmas treat to warm you up on a cold winters day.' High praise: Another added: 'My Goodness. What an Amazing Woman,' while a third person wrote: 'U have a smoking body' Another added: 'My Goodness. What an Amazing Woman,' while a third person wrote: 'U have a smoking body.' Someone else praised: 'Absolutely breathtaking stunning beautiful,' and a fourth gushed: 'Such a English rose what dreams are made of wow.' Another fan of the actress comment: 'Your smile must be a black hole, nothing can escape its pull.' Christian Bale has recalled his hilarious first encounter with Donald Trump. The actor, 44, was asked if he had met the US President on the red carpet for his new political movie Vice - in which he stars as former Vice President Dick Cheney - on Tuesday night. Explaining that he met him on set of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, Bale revealed that the 72-year-old actually thought he was talking to his fictional character, Bruce Wayne. 'It was entertaining': Christian Bale, 44, has recalled his hilarious first encounter with Donald Trump Speaking to Variety, Christian revealed: 'We were filming on Batman in Trump Tower and he said, "come on up to the office". 'I think he thought I was Bruce Wayne because I was dressed as Bruce Wayne. So he talked to me like I was Bruce Wayne and I just went along with it, really. It was quite entertaining,' he stated. Christian also added of the former reality star: 'I had no idea at the time that he would think about running for president.' Meanwhile, Christian looked in high spirits as he stepped out for the premiere of his new movie Vice in Beverly Hills First meeting: The actor, (pictured with wife Sibi Blazic) was asked if he had met the US President on the red carpet for his political movie Vice - in which he stars as former Vice President Dick Cheney - on Tuesday 'He thought I was Bruce Wayne': Explaining that he met him on set of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, Bale revealed that the 72-year-old actually thought he was talking to his fictional character Bruce Wayne' 'I just went along with it': Christian admitted that Donald spoke to him as his fictional character Bruce Wayne The Welsh actor is up for Best Actor in the 2019 Critics' Choice Awards for his portrayal of the former Vice President of the United States in the biographical film. Christian has also been shortlisted for a Golden Globe in the Best Performance By An Actor in a Motion Picture category. Yet to be released Vice, received the most nominations of all motion pictures - with a nod in the Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy category and one for Christian Bale in the Best Performance By An Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy category. The yet to be released Vice, follows the untold story of Dick Cheney's rise from his early days in the Nixon White House to his unprecedented power during the Bush administration. Movie star: Meanwhile, Christian looked in high spirits as he stepped out for the premiere of his new movie Vice in Beverly Hills Acclaimed: The Welsh actor is up for Best Actor in the 2019 Critics' Choice Awards for his portrayal of the former Vice President of the United States in the biographical film Amy Adams plays Lynne Cheney, the ambitious and supportive wife of Dick Cheney, who served as Vice President to President George W. Bush for two terms. Sam Rockwell plays President Bush, Steve Carell is Donald Rumsfeld and Tyler Perry is Colin Powell. Christian, who has been known for his epic body transformation in his acting career, gained 40lbs to play the role. The star - who has been married to Sibi Blazic since 2000 - has since lost the additional weight. The film will hit theatres in the U.S. on Christmas Day. Advertisement Their jungle adventure has come to an end; and the stars of this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! have now touched back down on UK soil, after their lengthy voyage back home from Australia. Leading the way was runner-up Emily Atack, who seemed full of beans despite the grueling day-long journey home. And chirping her up even more were her friends and family, ready and waiting for her to touch down and greeting her at the airport. She's back! Emily Atack was welcomed by her friends and family as she made her emotional return to the UK on Wednesday Good times: Fleur East and Nick Knowles were seen bidding each other farewell, having forged a close friendship on the series Emily was seen running up to her adorable half-sister, Nancy, who held a sign up for her, giving her a tearful hug. Nancy is Emily's sibling from her father's side of the family, who has re-married since splitting with Emily's mother, actress Kate Robbins, who was also at the airport arriving home. Emily led the likes of Fleur East, Rita Simons, Nick Knowles and James McVey as they made their way excitably through Heathrow Arrivals. Fleur and Nick were seen bidding each other farewell, having forged a close friendship on the series Emily looked stylish in her traveling ensemble, in a white strap top and comfy black trousers, finished off with a leopard print silk scarf and white trainers. She gave a triumphant wave as she passed through the terminal, and a feisty thumbs up, celebrating her admirable second place, which she self-branded as Princess of the Jungle. Had a blast: The campmates were seen greeting their loved ones and bidding one another farewell after a month together Down Under Sweet: Emily was seen running up to a little girl, who held a sign up for her, giving her a tearful hug Adorable: Nancy is Emily's sibling from her father's side of the family, who has re-married since splitting with Emily's mother, actress Kate Robbins, who was also at the airport arriving home Get them home! Emily led the rest of the I'm A Celebrity... stars as they touched down in London Heathrow on Wednesday afternoon, following a month's stint in the jungles of Australia Incoming: She led the likes of Fleur [C] and Rita Simons [R] as they made their way excitably through Heathrow Arrivals Stars of the show: Emily came in second place, while Fleur came fourth The actress, 28, kept her blonde locks loosely around her shoulders and showcased minimal make-up, sun-kissed from the Australian weather and glowing from her time in the camp. Following her through Heathrow was Fleur East, who showcased her even-more toned frame thanks to her energetic stint on the endurance reality series. She wore jeans and a black crop top, ensuring she kept things very 'celeb' with a pair of black shades. Winning: Emily gave a triumphant wave as she passed through the terminal, and a feisty thumbs up, celebrating her admirable second place, which she self-branded as Princess of the Jungle Princess of the Jungle: Emily looked stylish in her traveling ensemble, in a white strap top and comfy black trousers, finished off with a leopard print silk scarf and white trainers Triumphant return: Nick looked fashionable in his long charcoal trench coat, matching shirt and slim-fit jeans, while Anne continued to show off her jungle weight loss in comfy baggy jeans, a rusty sweater, grey jacket and a white scarf Meanwhile, up north: Malique Thompson Dwyer and Sair Khan arrived back to the UK after their exploits in the jungle - but they touched down in Manchester Rita Simons - EastEnders actress and niece of Lord Alan Sugar - showcased her pink locks, adding a burst of colour into an otherwise all-black ensemble. She completed the look with pink boots and looked thrilled to be back on home ground as she walked alongside the likes of Nick and Anne Hegerty. Nick looked fashionable in his long charcoal trench coat, matching shirt and slim-fit jeans, while Anne continued to show off her jungle weight loss in comfy baggy jeans, a rusty sweater, grey jacket and a white scarf. Nick's sons trailed along behind him, pleased with their father's efforts in the jungle. On home soil: Declan Donnelly looked in great spirits as he landed at London Heathrow airport on Wednesday with his wife Ali Astall and baby daughter Isla, three months. following a month in Australia hosting I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here What a trip! Dressed in the same casual black outfit he departed Australia in, Dec flashed looked a little tired after the flight with his newborn but gamely grinned for the cameras We are family: Ali, looking low-key in cropped skinny jeans and a grey sweatshirt, carried a snoozing Isla, cuddling her close to her chest as she headed to the family's car Family help: The Inbetweeners actress kept comfy in cropped black trousers and a white top as she carried her hand luggage through arrivals while her mum, comedian Kate Robbins, pushed an overflowing luggage trolley Pretty in pink: EastEnders actress Rita added of pink to her head to toe black ensemble with her bright boots and coloured hair as she wheeled two huge suitcases through arrivals Joel Dommett - former-contestant and host of sister show Extra Camp - wore a black tee, tracksuit bottoms and a baseball cap, greeted by his fiancee Hannah Cooper. Also with their other half was James McVey, who travelled back in a white long-sleeved T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms. Extra Camp co-hosts Joe Swash and Scarlett Moffatt were also back in the UK, with Joe wearing black with a long baggy cardigan slung around him and Scarlett sporting a denim jacket over a pink top. Here come the hunks: James McVey [L] and Joel Dommett [R] were also seen making their way through Arrivals, both sporting casual ensembles Bringing the glam: The ladies of the jungle looked more than pleased on their excitable return Touching down: Extra Camp host Scarlett Moffatt wore a denim jacket over a pink top, and touched down in Newcastle, with her mother Betty Loved up: James was seen cuddling up to girlfriend Kirstie Brittain who is a model and accompanied him home Scarlett touched down in Newcastle, with her mother Betty. Malique Thompson Dwyer and Sair Khan arrived back to the UK after their exploits in the jungle - but they touched down in Manchester. Declan Donnelly looked in great spirits as he landed with his wife Ali Astall and baby daughter Isla, three months, after what has been a record-breaking season of the show he has fronted for 18 series. The host of the ITV show flashed a big smile as he led his wife, who carried little Isla, through arrivals. So long: Emily bid farewell to James' girlfriend Kirstie Reunited at last: Joel Dommett - former-contestant and host of sister show Extra Camp - wore a black tee, tracksuit bottoms and a baseball cap It's been too long: He was greeted by his fiancee Hannah Cooper, who brought with her a balloon for the reunion Let's get you home: The comedian and his wife-to-be are getting married in September in Greece The chase is on: Anne was back in London, where she'll be resuming her duties as The Governess on The Chase Success: 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 Welcome home: Fleur's father Malcolm was ready to greet his daughter Glad to be home: The celebs looked more than happy to be back on UK soil Dressed in the same casual black outfit he departed Australia in, Dec flashed looked a little tired after the flight with his newborn but gamely grinned for the cameras. Ali, looking low-key in cropped skinny jeans and a grey sweatshirt, carried a snoozing Isla, cuddling her close to her chest as she headed to the family's car. Dec's co-host Holly Willoughby meanwhile flew separately with her family, making a stop off in Sydney for a Marks and Spencer photoshoot. The ITV star splashed out 19,000 on one of the most expensive flights in the world to celebrate her success as a co-host of I'm a Celebrity. Soap stars: Sair and Malique traveled back to their native Manchester Incoming: Nick's sons trailed along behind him, pleased with their father's efforts in the jungle Giddy: James often became emotional in the jungle because he missed girlfriend Kirstie The presenter paid for a one-way ticket on Etihads 'penthouse in the sky' where she is served by her own butler and has a chef prepare her meals on the 25-hour flight home from Australia. She also has the luxury of her own bathroom and shower as well as a separate living room to relax in during the long flight back to London. Hollys three children and her parents are flying home in first class but the family will be allowed to join her in the three room suite for the duration of the flight. Her husband Dan Baldwin flew home a few days ago. 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. Oh dear: Anne's suitcases took a tumble from her trolley, clearly a little tired from the long-winded flight Oops: The Chase star didn't seem too worried about it, sorting them out straight away 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 Dec's co-host Holly, gushing that she'd 'breathed new life' into the series, after stepping in to temporarily replace Ant McPartlin, who is taking time away from screens following his drink driving conviction and time in rehab. 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. According to the Daily Star, executives are keen to have the This Morning presenter back on screens after the show received its highest ever viewing figures, with a whopping 12.6 million tuning in to watch the star's first week. Puppy love: James was reunited with his dog, who came along to welcome him back to the UK Home ground: 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 Momento: One of the stars carried a hat, signed by the whole cast A source told the publication: 'The original plan was for Holly to stand in while Ant was off and then hand the baton back. But shes been such a success that producers are now keen to keep her whatever happens. 'Many presenters would have crumbled under the pressure of joining such a big show, but Holly stepped up to the plate. The top people at ITV are now really keen to get her back next year. 'It now depends on whether or not she wants to do another series. Being in Australia for five weeks is a big commitment. She has her family to think about. And she also has her commitments at This Morning to think about', they added. The insider also shared that bosses are set to present an offer to Holly by March next year. Representatives for Holly and ITV declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline. Dove Cameron made an eye-catching appearance on the red carpet for the after party to opening night of Broadway's Clueless: The Musical. The rising actress, 22, showed off an elegant black dress and plenty of leg for the event Tuesday night in New York. On Wednesday, Dove posted a touching Instagram photo of her first trip to New York and confessed that she never really believed her dreams would come true like this. All sparkles: Dove Cameron stunned in a sequined black dress at the Clueless: The Musical opening night after party in New York on Tuesday The 5ft2in Descendants star showed up to the after party in a short black dress with sparkling sequins that showed off her slender legs and black high heels. She kept things simple with a lone accessory, a shimmering clutch with 'Yasss' printed in sparkling gold letter. The dark-colored ensemble helped show off her long, straight blonde hair. Looks like she made it: Dove posted a photo of her (left) with her big sister on her first visit to Times Square Quite the difference: The Clueless: The Musical star appeared at the after party for the musical's opening night on Tuesday The Disney star is currently appearing in the new musical version of Clueless, based on the hit 1995 film. Dove plays Cher Horowitz, the now-iconic Valley Girl originated in the film by Alicia Silverstone. But the musical sensation was never confident she could accomplish something as impressive as leading a Broadway musical. In the caption to an Instagram photo posted Wednesday, Dove recounted her first life-altering trip to Times Square. 'Me, swearing up and down that I would be one of the people on these marquees one day. Collecting every playbill that I could find, never thinking that one day I would be on the cover of my own,' she wrote. She concluded with a remembrance of her father, who died six years ago. Celebration time: The Descendants actress took time to celebrate after opening night Supportive friends: Dove with Edie Falco's daughter Macy at the Clueless: The Musical after party Yasss queen: Dove showed off her clutch at the Clueless: The Musical after party In addition to her recent theater success, Dove can be seen in Dumplin', a coming-of-age comedy film starring Jennifer Aniston about a plus-sized beauty queen. The star's role in the 2015 Disney Channel original movie Descendants showcased the singing abilities she'd later to put use on Broadway. Two of Dove's songs earned spots on Billboard's Hot 100 list. The Broadway will next appear in Descendants 3 on the Disney Channel in 2019. As if: Dove as Cher Horowitz in yellow plaid on stage in Clueless: The Musical She's enjoying a girls' winter break in Barbados with her best friend, model Lottie Moss. But Emily Blackwell ensured all eyes were on her as she enjoyed a beach day on the Caribbean island on Wednesday while staying at Colony Club by Elegant Hotels. The Made In Chelsea star, 22, soaked up the sun wearing a bright aqua bikini, which showed off her holiday tan to perfection. Life's a beach: Emily Blackwell ensured all eyes were on her as she enjoyed a beach day on the Caribbean island of Barbados on Wednesday The reality TV personality wore her raven locks scraped on top of her head, while going make-up free to showcase her clear complexion. The socialite accessorised with a silver pendant around her neck and seemed engrossed in her phone as she caught up on the day's events. There was no sign of Emily's best friend Lottie, 21, with the girls having previously been inseparable since arriving on the island last week for the launch of Virgin Holidays' Departures Beach at Elegant Hotels. Emily has been keeping her legion of Instagram followers regularly updated with her girls' winter break, posting a stunning snap of her pouting into the lens while posing on a picturesque beach. Natural beauty: The Made In Chelsea star, 22, soaked up the sun wearing a bright aqua bikini, which showed off her holiday tan to perfection Off-duty beauty: The reality TV personality wore her raven locks scraped on top of her head, while going make-up free to showcase her clear complexion The brunette simply captioned the image: 'Vitamin D.' Earlier in the week, Emily joked that she was preparing to spam her social media followers with bikini shots as she and Lottie enjoyed their pre-winter break in the holiday hotspot. The reality star has stayed relatively out of drama during the current series of Made In Chelsea. On Monday night's show, she was seen rallying around close friend and housemate Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo as she struggled to deal with the fallout after ending her relationship with boyfriend Sam Thompson. Waiting for a call? The socialite accessorised with a silver pendant around her neck and seemed engrossed in her phone as she caught up on the day's events Flying solo: There was no sign of Emily's best friend Lottie, 21, with the girls having previously been inseparable since arriving on the island last week Fun in the sun: Emily has been keeping her legion of Instagram followers regularly updated with her girls' winter break Emily went public with her romance with former TOWIE star Tom Pearce, 27, via her Instagram page last month on her 22nd birthday. The pictures depicted showed pair in various scenarios, including on a sun-drenched beach, suggesting they'd been together quite a while by the time they announced their relationship. Emily and Tom were first linked in the summer of 2017, but are believed to have rekindled things earlier this year. A source told The Sun: 'Emily and Tom had a secret relationship last summer [2017] but have recently got back in touch. 'They kept their romance private when they first dated but have now started to tell more of their close pals.' Spam alert! Earlier in the week, Emily joked that she was preparing to spam her social media followers with bikini shots She has just become a first time mother at the age of 47. But, says Kenya Moore, the journey was anything but easy, with the Real Housewives Of Atlanta star revealing just how tough things got. After piling on 17lbs in a week she was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and admitted to hospital, giving birth via an emergency three-hour Cesarean section less than 12 hours later in early November. Emergency procedure: Kenya Moore was cut horizontally and vertically in three-hour c-section... as she says 'everything that could have gone wrong did' The operation was complicated by fibroids in Kenya's womb, and doctors ended up cutting the new mother both horizontally and vertically to safely remove her child. 'Everything that could have gone wrong did,' she admitted in an interview with People magazine. 'They couldnt get the baby out. There were all these complications and they knew if they cut into a fibroid, I could potentially bleed out and die. So they ended up cutting me vertically too, to just get the baby out and make sure I survived the surgery. They were so scared they were going to lose me.' 'Miracle baby': Kenya and Brooklyn; she says her c-section was complicated by fibroids, and doctors ended up cutting her both horizontally and vertically to safely deliver baby But now both mother and daughter are thriving. 'Brooklyn's such a tough baby, so determined. Every step of the way she kept surviving and getting stronger. She's my miracle baby. There's no other way to describe it.' Brooklyn Doris is the Bravo star's first child with husband Marc Daly and the couple conceived their 'miracle baby' through in vitro fertilization. Kenya said they tried to conceive naturally, and she was 'disappointed' when that failed. Even after the IVF procedure was successful, Kenya's pregnancy was high risk. 'There were so many scares along the wait. We held our breath every time we went [to the doctors],' she said. Proud parents: The former RHOA star and her husband Marc Daly, during her pregnancy The former Miss USA turned reality star is now enjoying life with her daughter. But while she is happy to be a mother of one, she is already thinking about having another. 'I don't know if my body can do it,' she admitted, honestly. 'But we would love to have one more.' And one other thing on her to do list - Kenya is ready to return to the Real Housewives Of Atlanta, on her terms of course. 'Never say never,' she said, adding that 'hopefully' things would work out. Kenya dropped out of the show after six years when contract negotiations broke down. Advertisement It follows on from the legacy of the iconic 1964 musical adaptation of PL Travers Mary Poppins stories, where Julie Andrews received critical acclaim for her portrayal as the magical nanny. And Emily Blunt brought a spoonful of sugar to the blue carpet at the Mary Poppins Returns European Premiere held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday night. The actress, 35, who has stepped into Andrews' shoes as the eponymous character, looked practically perfect in every way as she strutted into the venue in a sweeping blue silk gown. Truly delightful: Emily Blunt brought a spoonful of sugar to the blue carpet at the Mary Poppins Returns European Premiere held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday night The floor-length dress hugged Emily's slim frame and featured an elegant neckline, modest trail and cuffed sleeves. The Golden Globe winner added a boost to her height with red peep-toe shoes and accessorised the look with extravagant diamond drop earrings. Emily wore her hair in soft sleek curls and complemented her fair complexion with a rosy make-up look and pink lipstick. Gorgeous: The floor-length dress hugged Emily's slim frame and featured an elegant neckline, modest trail and cuffed sleeves Simply stunning: Emily wore her hair in soft sleek curls and complemented her fair complexion with soft brown eye-shadow, flushed cheeks and a raspberry coloured lipstick Star-studded lineup: (L-R) Cast members Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emily Mortimer, Colin Firth and Emily proudly posed for photos ahead of the premiere Leading lady: Emily commanded attention as she coordinated her dress with the theme. The actress posed in front of the iconic venue, which was surrounded by street lamps and cherry blossom trees in homage to the 1930's London setting Elegant: Meryl Streep, 69, who plays an eccentric cousin named Topsy in the sequel, cut a sophisticated figure in a fitting monochrome beaded blazer and matching a-line skirt Bringing the sparkle: Emily Mortimer, 47, who plays a grown-up Jane Banks in Mary Poppins Returns, put on a dazzling display in a black and silver foil dress which featured an intricate pattern and De Beers jewellery Family: Emily was accompanied by her husband Alessandro Nivola and eight-year-old daughter May Their moment to shine: The leading ladies put on an animated display as they proudly posed in the auditorium (L-R) Emily M, Emily B and Meryl Nostalgic: The film, directed by Rob Marshall, is set in 1930s London, two decades after the events of the original film, it sees Poppins, the former nanny of Jane and Michael Banks, returning after a family tragedy (cast members L-R: Emily M, Ben Whishaw, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emily B, Colin Firth and Meryl) Back together again: The A Quiet Place star looked thoroughly delighted to be reunited with Colin as she pulled him in for a warm embrace Time to shine: (L-R) Child actors and the Banks' children Joel Dawson, Pixie Davies and Nathanael Saleh pose together upon arrival The actress employed makeup artist Jenn Streicher to create the radiant make-up look. Jenn, who used Chantecaille products to achieve Emily's red carpet look told MailOnline: 'I wanted to create a warm monochromatic look with pink tones that enhanced her face and eye colour and complemented the gorgeous royal blue Schiaparelli dress.' Meryl Streep, who plays Topsy in the fantasy movie, looked effortlessly sophisticated in a textured cropped jacket, embellished with edgy white stitching throughout. Killer curves: Kelly Brook looked every inch the brunette bombshell in an asymmetric blush pink velvet gown Leggy display: Kelly flashed a hint of leg in the dress due to its thigh-high side split as she posed up a storm on the blue-themed carpet Stealing the show: The model wore her brunette locks in a glamorous bouffant and finished off her glamorous pink ensemble with a blush-swept cheeks, fluttery eyelashes and diamond tear-drop earrings Smitten: The television personality, 39, attended the star-studded premiere with her model boyfriend Jeremy Parisi. The couple looked loved-up as they posed together Stylish: Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams, 21, nailed biker chic in a forest green floral embroidered pinafore dress and leather jacket both by Coach Maintaining her demure display, the Julia actress rocked a A-line midi skirt, embellished with elegant beaded embroidery. New Jersey native Meryl boosted her frame in a pair of pointed studded heels, and toted a structured clutch bag. With her tresses styled into loose waves, the legendary actress enhanced her youthful-looking complexion with heavy strokes of neutral-toned make-up, and accessorised with reading glasses and dangle earrings. Sweet: Colin Firth, who plays William Weatherall Wilkins in the Walt Disney sequel, attending the grande unveiling with his wife Livia Giuggioli Hunk: The Oscar-winning actor, 58, who plays William Weatherall Wilkins in the film, was typically handsome in a black tailored suit, paired with a crisp white shirt and black silk tie Kelly Brook provided some blue carpet sparkle as she attended the European premiere. The voluptuous brunette caught the eye in a striking blush pink dress while posing for pictures outside the venue, where she was accompanied by boyfriend Jeremy Parisi. Drawing attention to her curves, the fitted design ensured Kelly, 39, stood out while rubbing shoulders with guests including Emily Mortimer and leading lady Emily. Handsome: Lin-Manuel Miranda (L), 38, cut a dapper figure as he took to the blue carpet in a black tux with silk lapels and matching bow tie, while Ben Whishaw, who plays a grown-up Michael Banks, opted for a three-piece suit Comedic role: In the movie, the actor plays Jack, a lamplighter and former apprentice to Bert, the chimney sweep played by Dick Van Dyke in the original Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious! Cast (L-R) Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Chris O'Dowd, Emily Mortimer, Ben Whishaw, Lin Manuel Miranda,Rob Marshall, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Jeremy Swift, Tarik Frimpong, Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson and Pixie Davies Adorable: Emily showed off her maternal side as she hugged Pixie Davies, who plays Michael Bank's daughter in the film Star of the show: Emily oozed confidence as she strutted on stage to present the screening Meanwhile, Colin and Livia Firth looked stronger than ever as they attended the star-studded premiere. The Oscar-winning actor, 58, who plays William Weatherall Wilkins in the film, was typically handsome in a black tailored suit, paired with a crisp white shirt and black silk tie. The Kings Speech star's salt and pepper locks were worn in a stylish quiff while he sported black rimmed spectacles for the evening. Livia donned a vibrant fuschia pink and navy striped silk gown which cinched in at her slender waist before flowing into an elegant skirt. Glamorous: Former TOWIE star Jess Wright put her best fashion foot forward in a black pencil dress with a sequin bodice and sheer sleeves Youthful: Jess was joined by her glamorous mother Carol on the blue carpet Angelic: Fellow reality star Georgia Toffolo, 24, looked ethereal in a chiffon ruffle full-length gown with a gold leaf motif on the neckline Model figure: Former Made In Chelsea star Kimberley Garner, 28, put on a leggy display in a perilously short thigh skimming purple floral mini dress and black silk heels Strutting their stuff: (L-R) Amber Le Bon, who wore a Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini dress, reality star Sophie Habboo and Clara Paget all worked their magic on the blue carpet Reality starlets: Made In Chelsea's Sophie Hermann (L) donned a semi-sheer embroidery anglaise dress while ex TOWIE star Lydia Bright opted for a floral minidress as she attended the film premiere with her sister Romana Eccentric taste: Coronation street actress Lucy Fallon, 23, sported a quirky festive black puff-ball dress as she arrived arm-in-arm with her boyfriend Tom Leech Lin-Manuel Miranda, 38, cut a dapper figure as he took to the blue carpet in a black tux with silk lapels and matching bow tie. Lin helped compose some of the music for the feature film thanks to his extensive talents as a composer, previously working on the Moana soundtrack with Walt Disney as well as creating Broadway hit Hamilton and In The Heights. In the movie, the actor plays Jack, a lamplighter and former apprentice to Bert, the chimney sweep played by Dick Van Dyke in the original. Dressed to impress: Oscar winners and couple Rachel Shenton and Chris Overton looked in the throes of love as they posed for photos in the evening ensembles Beauty: Game Of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel showed off her satorial flair in a black embroidered gown with bird motif Rare: Bruno Tonioli proved to be in good company once again as he joined Matt Law at the Mary Poppins Returns European Premiere held at London's Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday Bright: Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith put on a colourful display in a emerald green dress and tailored trousers Ahead of the screening Emily revealed to the Radio Times her children would get angry when they saw her dressed as the legendary character. Emily admitted her daughter Hazel, four, would tell her to take her wig off because she didn't like seeing her as anything other than her mum. 'Its weird. So shed be like, "Take your wig off!" Or, "I just like your blonde hair, I dont like your Mary Poppins hair",' she said. Dapper: (L-R) Damian Lewis, McFly's Tom Fletcher and Tom Jones were all suited and booted for the evening's festivities Apprehensive: Director Rob Marshall (R) and producer John Deluca (L) beamed with pride as they attended the screening Dressed to impress: Irish actor Chris O'Dowd (L) rubbed shoulders with Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (centre) and Tarik Frimpong (R) at the premiere Marital bliss: Chris was joined by his wife Dawn O'Porter who looked elegant in a black polka dot dress Emily is reprising the iconic role 54 years after Julie Andrews first stepped into the character, however the actress said she refused to watch the original movie ahead of her performance. The original film received 13 Oscar nominations, winning five including Best Actress for Julie. The Devil Wears Prada star was concerned her acting instincts would be impaired if she were to watch Julie's performance, and therefore delved into the PL Travers books instead. Despite this and also her lack of contact with Julie, word reached Emily that Julie had approved of the casting of Emily to play the magical nanny. Happy couple: Helen Glover and Steve Backshall enjoyed a rare break from parenting as they arrived at the European premiere The mother-of-two said Mary Poppins makes you take a second glance at the world which she added was 'fragile' at this point in time, similarly to when the film was first shot in the early 1960s. Emily said she believes the film has the potential to bring people together, while also acting as a mirror for people to reflect on themselves. This will be the first time for a while that Emily will be able to take her kids to see and also doesn't have to worry about embarrassing her dad. She added her children are starting to take a keen interest in her job, as Hazel has begun asking her what scenes she has filmed each day. Mary Poppins returns follows the story of the nanny revisiting a grown-up Michael and Jane, played by Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer. Step in time! Ahead of the stars making an appearance a cast of dancers performed an energetic routine from the film Documenting the premiere: Jenni Falconer and Edith Bowman were on hand to host the festivities The film, directed by Rob Marshall, is set in 1930s London, two decades after the events of the original film, it sees Poppins, the former nanny of Jane and Michael Banks, returning after a family tragedy. Michael is living with his three children (Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, and Joel Dawson) and housekeeper Ellen (Julie Walters), in the house on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael has a personal loss, Mary Poppins comes back into the lives of the Banks family. She is joined by a street lamplighter named Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), and an eccentric cousin named Topsy (Meryl Streep). Legendary: Emily (L) is reprising the iconic role 54 years after Julie Andrews (R) first stepped into the character, however the actress said she refused to watch the original movie ahead of her performance Jump! Street lamplighter Jack entertains Michael Bank's three children (Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, and Joel Dawson pictured) outside the house on Cherry Tree Lane after Mary Poppins arrives Dick Van Dyke is the only actor from the original to return, portraying the son of one of Mr. Dawes and throws himself into an energetic dance routine on the desk. When the trailer was released fans were delighted to see Dick, 92, feature, with one writing on Twitter: 'Dick Van Dyke is now fully Mr Dawes, Im crying! Mary Poppins is released in UK cinemas on Friday December 21. Her Malibu house evaded the ravages of the Woolsey Fire in November. And Cindy Crawford was in a gleeful mood when she returned home from a London trip, as she shared with her 3.7 million Instagram followers Wednesday. The 52-year-old Supermodel posted a slow-motion video of herself frolicking in silhouette across the grass in her oceanfront backyard. Malibu maven: Cindy Crawford was in a gleeful mood when she was finally able to return home, as she shared with her 3.7 million Instagram followers Wednesday Cindy's elegant striped dress was sheer enough to hint at her still enviably toned figure underneath, and she swept off her hat to let her hair fly free in the breeze. 'That feeling when you are finally back in your home! So grateful to be back in Malibu and even more grateful to have a house to come home to! #malibustrong,' she wrote. The DeKalb-born style icon is indeed quite lucky that her Malibu home was spared, considering that many others were not so fortunate. Gerard Butler's home was lost to the blaze, as was that of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, as well as that of Robin Thicke and April Love Geary. Having a ball: The 52-year-old Supermodel posted a slow-motion video of herself frolicking in silhouette across the grass in her oceanfront backyard Fabulous: Cindy's elegant striped dress was sheer enough to hint at her still enviably toned figure underneath, and she swept off her hat to let her hair fly free in the breeze Cindy shares the home with her second husband Rande Gerber, with whom she celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary in May. Rande - who started Casamigos with George Clooney and Mike Meldman - shares two children with Cindy, Kaia, 17, and Presley, 19. Both Kaia and Presley Gerber have followed their mother's footsteps into the modeling profession over the past few years. Lucky lady: Gerard Butler's home was lost to the blaze, as was that of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, as well as that of Robin Thicke and April Love Geary The family of four - Cindy, Rande, Presley and Kaia - all posed together in London at Monday's British Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall. Cindy was wed from 1991 until 1995 to Richard Gere, 69. who has since remarried twice, most recently this year to a Spanish publicist Alejandra Silva, 35. It was reported over the summer that Cindy and Rande had sold their Malibu property, but it would appear from Cindy's Instagram post that they still live there. As seen on Monday: Cindy shares the home with her second husband Rande Gerber, with whom she celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary in May Party of four: Rande - who started Casamigos with George Clooney and Mike Meldman - shares two children with Cindy, Kaia, 17, and Presley, 19 Advertisement They recently denied rumours that they're engaged, after sparking speculation with a series of cryptic social media posts. And Megan Barton Hanson and Wes Nelson still looked like the picture of love as they packed on the PDA during their sun-soaked trip to Mauritius on Wednesday afternoon. Former glamour model Megan, 24, maintained her vixen status as she slipped her famously curvaceous physique in a scanty orange bikini, embellished with black floral printing throughout. Smitten: Love Island's Megan Barton Hanson and Wes Nelson looked like the picture of love as they packed on the PDA during their sun-soaked trip to Mauritius on Wednesday afternoon Ensuring all eyes were on her toned abs, ample bust and peachy derriere, the Love Island star sported a tiny bikini top with daringly high-cut thong. The Essex bombshell injected touches of glamour into her appearance with flashy accessories, featuring a gold bracelet and diamond ring. Blonde beauty Megan enhanced her striking visage with a light dusting of orange eyeshadow, dewy foundation and nude lipgloss. In theme with the scenic environment, the star swept her beach waves into a half up half down hairstyle to reveal her incredible features. Wow-factor! Former glamour model Megan, 24, maintained her vixen status as she slipped her famously curvaceous physique in a scanty orange bikini, embellished with black floral printing throughout Va-va-voom: Ensuring all eyes were on her toned abs, ample bust and peachy derriere, the Love Island star sported a tiny bikini top with daringly high-cut thong Just the two of us: Megan and Wes, 20, whose romance has lasted the distance after the show, looked in the throes of love as they enjoyed steamy kissing sessions and a romantic stroll along the sandy shores of the island Look of love: The pair gazed adoringly at each other as they applied sun lotion on each other's bodies Meanwhile, muscle-bound Wes, 20, who struck up a romance with Megan during their time on this year's Love Island, showcased his toned upper body and taut abs in a pair of navy shorts. The couple, whose romance has lasted the distance after the show, looked in the throes of love as they enjoyed steamy kissing sessions and a romantic stroll along the sandy shores of the island. Megan and Wes cooled off from the scorching hot weather as they took a refreshing dip in the ocean during their time on the beach. PDA: Megan and Wes cooled off from the scorching hot weather as they took a refreshing dip in the ocean during their time on the beach Priorities: Wes, who is set to star on the upcoming series of Dancing On Ice, missed practice to jet off to holiday with his main lady Working it! The Essex bombshell injected touches of glamour into her appearance with flashy accessories, featuring a gold bracelet and diamond ring Wes, who is set to star on the upcoming series of Dancing On Ice, missed practice to jet off to holiday with his main lady. His professional dancing partner Vanessa Bauer admitted she's 'worried' that Wes has missed so much practice due to his busy schedule, but added that he 'picks everything up so fast.' Speaking on Wednesday's This Morning, the German dancer, 22 - who won the show last year with Jake Quickenden - said that rehearsals with the hunk are going well, despite his packed schedule. Stunning: Blonde beauty Megan enhanced her striking visage with a light dusting of orange eyeshadow, dewy foundation and nude lipgloss All in the details: In theme with the scenic environment, the star swept her beach waves into a half up half down hairstyle to reveal her incredible features Ooh-la-la: Meanwhile, Wes, who struck up a romance with Megan during their time on this year's Love Island, showcased his toned upper body and taut abs in a pair of navy shorts She said: 'Rehearsals are going well whenever we are on the ice training. '[Wes] hes very ambitious and wants to go far but hes so tight on his schedule, so in demand, and hes on a ten day holiday in Mauritius right now. It worries me a little bit but he picks up everything so fast.' Vanessa went onto add that Wes jets back to the UK on the day of the series' press launch, meaning they will have very few days to practice in the lead-up to the festive season. Loved-up: Earlier this month, they were forced to deny engagement rumours after they took to Instagram to post messages about having 'never been happier,' with one also including a diamond emoji Still strong: Megan and Wes are one of four couples that still remain together following their stint on the dating series earlier this year Earlier this month, Megan and Wes, who are one of four couples that still remain together following their stint on the dating series, were forced to deny engagement rumours after they took to Instagram to post messages about having 'never been happier,' with one also including a diamond emoji. But representatives for both stars have denied the rumours that they're set to wed to MailOnline, just days after they were spotted reuniting with their Love Island co-stars for a Christmas special. Since then former stripper Megan has been using her newfound platform to raise awareness about mental health, and recent spoke openly about the times she had suicidal thoughts a mere six months before taking part in the ITV2 series. Hailey Baldwin looked casual and oh so cool as she stepped out for a solo outing in New York City on Monday. The 22-year-old model and wife of Justin Bieber was bundled up in a fleece-lined tan jacket. The outing comes after she admitted on Carpool Karaoke that she has taken a peek at a boyfriend's cellphone. Out and about: Hailey Baldwin looked downcast when she was spotted solo in New York City this Monday, bundled up in a fleece-lined tan jacket Hailey threw her jacket over a tight white top with a sloping neckline, emphasizing her pencil thin legs in a pair of fitted faded jeans. The Instagram superstar cinched a belt around her enviably trim waistline, accessorizing with a chic pair of sunglasses. Her white sneakers complemented her top and she let her signature blonde hair flutter free, adding a touch of glitz with earrings. The supermodel appeared on Carpool Karaoke recently with her close pal Kendall Jenner and answered questions while hooked up to a lie detector. So stylish: Hailey threw her jacket over a tight white top with a sloping neckline, emphasizing her pencil thin legs in a pair of fitted faded jeans Hailey, who is now married to Justin Bieber, dished that she has in fact nosed through a beau's phone before. Kendall asked is if she's 'ever snooped on a boyfriend's phone.' Baldwin's answered with an immediate 'Yes, I have,' according to Refinery29. However, she did not specify which boyfriend it was, leaving the question open as to whether she meant Justin or one of her past romances. Hailey was with Shawn Mendes earlier this year before taking up with her new man, and she has also been linked to such names as Drake. On the move: The Instagram superstar cinched a belt around her enviably trim waistline, accessorizing with a chic pair of sunglasses Hailey's own marital journey began in September when she and Justin reportedly married at a New York City courthouse, TMZ reported. They will also have Christian nuptials in either Canada or upstate New York, and in October Hailey took legal steps to obtain the Bieber name, according to TMZ. The dynamic duo embarked on a whirlwind romance this year after a brief on-again period between Justin and his on-off flame Selena Gomez. Trump Signs Law to Aid Christians in Iraq, Syria Washington D.C., Dec 11, 2018 / 04:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- President Donald Trump signed into law Tuesday the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act, which seeks to ensure US aid reaches Christian and Yazidi genocide victims. The bill was passed unanimously in the House Nov. 27, and in the Senate Oct. 11. This bill was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), and the lead Democratic sponsor was Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA). This was Smith's second attempt at getting the bill signed into law, and altogether it took 17 months for this bill to be passed. Trump was joined at the Dec. 11 signing by Vice President Mike Pence, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus Carl Anderson, Smith, Eshoo, Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, and many others. Trump said it was a "great honor" to sign H.R. 390 into law, and remarked that his administration has had great success in fighting Islamic State. The group has lost nearly all of its territory since its peak in 2015. "This bill continues my administration's efforts to direct US assistance for persecuted communities including through faith-based programs," he said. The signing of the legislation is a symbol of the US speaking "with bold moral clarity and political unanimity," Anderson said in a statement provided by the Knights of Columbus, which were heavily involved with the process of writing the bill and assisting the situation of Christians in the Middle East. Since 2014, the Knights of Columbus have donated more than $20 million to help Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria with food, housing, and other needs. The Knights also spent $2 million to rebuild an Iraqi town that had been destroyed by Islamic State. H.R. 390 provides funding to various entities, including faith-based and religious organizations, that are helping with recovery and stabilization efforts in Iraq and Syria in religious and ethnic minority communities, including Christians and Yazidis. The bill also instructs the Trump administration to "assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force these survivors to flee" the region and for the administration to identify signs of potential violent action against minority groups in the country. Another part of the law encourages foreign governments to identify those who belong to Islamic State in security databases and security screenings to aid with their prosecution. The bill provides support for groups that are investigating members of Islamic State who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region. Since Islamic State took control of the region, the country's Christian population has dwindled to only a few thousand families. Many of these people fled to nearby Turkey and Lebanon out of concern for their safety. Although the situation has drastically improved since nearly all of Islamic State's territory has been regained, Christians are reluctant to return to the region due to a lack of economic opportunities and continued concerns for safety. Their 21 year marriage has weathered the storm since it was revealed she had dropped stalking charges against her former lover to prevent details about their affair being exposed And Colin and Livia Firth looked stronger than ever as they arrived at the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday. The Oscar-winning actor, 58, who plays William Weatherall Wilkins in the film, was typically handsome in a black tailored suit, paired with a crisp white shirt and black silk tie. PDA: Colin and Livia Firth looked smitten as they arrived at the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday The Kings Speech star's salt and pepper locks were worn in a stylish quiff while he sported black rimmed spectacles for the evening. Livia donned a vibrant fuschia pink and navy striped silk gown which cinched in at her slender waist before flowing into an elegant skirt, She boosted her height with black ankle boots and wrapped up in a black woolen overcoat, Her brunette tresses were styled in a sleek half updo while her pretty features were enhanced with feline flicks of liner and a rose lipstick. Smitten: The Oscar-winning actor, 58, who plays William Weatherall Wilkins in the film, was typically handsome in a black tailored suit, paired with a crisp white shirt and black silk tie Livia, a film producer, has been keeping a low profile since it was revealed in July she had dropped stalking charges against her former lover. She reported Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia to the police, claiming she was living in terror. She later admitted she had embarked on a year-long affair during a brief separation with Firth. Brancaccia, 55, allegedly bombarded her with threatening phone calls and text messages after the relationship ended, as well as emailing compromising photographs to Firth. The journalist, who works for Italian news agency Ansa, is a childhood friend of film producer Livia, 48. He was said to have started harassing her in September 2016 because he could not face being cut out of her life. The journalist also threatened to write compromising articles about the couple, according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Livia said she was living in terror and thought Brancaccia might be following her. Glossy: Livia donned a vibrant fuschia pink and navy striped silk gown which cinched in at her slender waist before flowing into an elegant skirt Hunk: The Kings Speech star's salt and pepper locks were worn in a stylish quiff while he sported black rimmed spectacles for the evening She reported him to police after their relationship ended in 2016. Prosecutors said he subjected them to a terrifying ordeal after Miss Giuggioli went back to her husband. The court case in Rome was halted by a last-minute deal, The Sun reported. In a joint statement, the couples lawyers said: In the best interests of their families, the parties have agreed a private settlement. The parties have asked the court for a postponement of the preliminary hearing in order to formalise the agreement. This agreement precludes any further public statement by any of the parties about this matter. An anonymous source told the Sun that Brancaccia wanted to clear his name. Leading lights: He posed with Mary Poppins actress Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emily Mortimer According to the source, it is also believed that Colin and Livia did not want any of their private details made public in court. Livia and Colin share two sons, with the actor sharing a third son with his former partner Meg Tilly. In the sequel, Mary Poppins returns to the Banks family in their time of need along with the lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda). Mortimer stars as the adult Jane Banks, Wishaw as Michael Banks, with Julie Walters as Michael's housekeeper Ellen and Colin Firth as William Weatherall Wilkins, president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. The all-star cast is rounded out by Meryl Streep as Mary's eccentric cousin Topsy, Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes Jr. and Angela Lansbury as The Balloon Lady. The story is set in 1930s London, the same time period used in the original novels by P.L. Travers. It will be released in the UK on December 21. She has made a career for herself off her glamorous red carpet image. But on Tuesday afternoon, Sarah Jessica Parker tried out a much more casual look as she walked through midtown Manhattan. The Sex And The City star was dressed for the cold weather, with a a ski cap, headphones and sunglasses as she got in a power walk while taking photos along the way. Sarah who: Sarah Jessica Parker looked miles away from her usual glamorous self as she walked through Midtown Manhattan What a difference: Compare Sarah's anonymous subway ride Tuesday (left) with her at the Sex And The City 2 premiere in 2010 (right) The 53-year-old actress, who's married to Ferris Bueller star Matthew Broderick, was bundled up for the cold in a long, black down jacket with silver buttons and a furry gray collar. Her light blue jeans were rolled up to show off her black leather boots and white socks. Sarah further disguised herself with large wraparound sunglasses, a baby blue ski cap and a large pair of golden beats headphones. Out of the spotlight: Sarah exited an office building in Manhattan looking nothing like her usual image The Hocus Pocus star has been married to Broderick since 1997, but her wedding ring was nowhere to be found Tuesday during her Manhattan excursion. It's not the first time either spouse has stepped out ringless, though. Sarah and Matthew have both been spotted without their bands over the past few years. On the move: The Sex And The City star listened to some tunes while strolling through Manhattan Grabbing a photo: Sarah stopped to take a phone picture of the Empire State Building while walking through Manhattan. She wrote on Instagram, 'Scenes from an early evening walk home. Manhattan Day or night, she wins. And I can never ignore her. X,SJ' The star currently has a new role: executive producer for the HBO series Divorce, which she stars in with Thomas Haden Church, 58. The two play a middle-aged divorcing couple navigating a post-marriage life. Sarah was in talks last year to resume her iconic Carrie Bradshaw character in a third Sex And The City movie, but her co-star Kim Cattrall scuttled the plans after objecting to the story. The two have feuded on and off since, most notably after Kim rejected Sarah's condolences following the death of her brother. A third season of Divorce is currently in the works from HBO. Wednesday evening gave Kimberley Garner another opportunity to showcase her impressive flair for fashion as she attended the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns. The former Made In Chelsea star, now a successful swimwear designer, caught the eye in a thigh-skimming floral minidress while posing for photos outside Londons Royal Albert Hall. A cinched waistline drew attention to Kimberleys slender physique, while a vibrant lilac colour scheme ensured she did not go unnoticed while making her way across the blue carpet. Here she comes: Wednesday evening gave Kimberley Garner another opportunity to showcase her impressive flair for fashion as she attended the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns Embellished stiletto heels completed the look, while a simple black clutch proved to be her only notable accessory. The 28-year old drew further attention to her naturally pretty features by opting for deft touches of make-up, selected from a natural colour palette. Styling her willowy blonde hair with a simple centre-parting, Kimberley was at her best as she joined a host of stars at the west end event. Looking good: The former made In Chelsea star, now a successful swimwear designer, caught the eye in a thigh-skimming floral minidress while posing for photos outside Londons Royal Albert Hall Don't mind me: A cinched waistline drew attention to Kimberleys slender physique, while a vibrant lilac colour scheme ensured she did not go unnoticed while making her way across the blue carpet Beautiful: The 28-year old drew further attention to her naturally pretty features by opting for deft touches of make-up, selected from a natural colour palette While Kimberley made her presence felt, Emily Blunt brought a spoonful of sugar to the red carpet outside the Royal Albert Hall. The actress, 35, who has stepped into original Mary Poppins star Julie Andrews' shoes as the eponymous character, looked practically perfect in every way in a sweeping blue silk gown. The floor-length dress hugged Emily's slim frame and featured an elegant neckline, modest trail and cuffed sleeves. A vision in blue: While Kimberley made her presence felt, Emily Blunt brought a spoonful of sugar to the premiere on Wednesday evening Emily is reprising the iconic role 54 years after Andrews first played the character, however the actress said she refused to watch the original movie ahead of her performance. The original film received 13 Oscar nominations, winning five including Best Actress for Julie. Mary Poppins Returns is released in the United States on December 19 and the United Kingdom on December 21. Rachael Ostovich was beaten to a pulp by her husband Arnold Berdon in November. The 27-year-old UFC fighter suffered a broken bone near her eye and was heavily bruised. But this week the Hawaii resident proved that the marks have finally gone away as she posed at home in a bra top and leggings. No marks: Rachael Ostovich was beaten to a pulp by her husband Arnold Berdon in November. But this week the Hawaii resident proved that the marks have finally gone away as she posed at home Still recovering: The 27-year-old UFC fighter suffered a broken bone near her eye and was heavily bruised; here she is seen with a black eye on KHNO 2 Her look: She wore a tie-dye tank top with a gold heart necklace and a nose ring in early December She was seen with her daughter Ruby Rose, whose father is Berdon. They were by the Christmas tree, which was nicely decorated, and their two cats: Cleopatra and Caesar. And Rachael also took time out to show off her very toned figure in workout clothes. Last week she shared a very upbeat Instagram note. Mark-free: She was seen with her daughter Ruby Rose, whose father is Berdon. They were by the Christmas tree, which was nicely decorated Goofy gals: Here the two were seen having some fun in a car during a social media shot The beauty said God was 'sooooo good' to her and 'the best is yet to come' as she shared a photo of her ESPN cover with Paige VanZant, who she will fight in New York in January. The caption read, 'First ever ESPN UFC event at the Barcalys Center!!!! Making History. God is sooooo good to me.' She added a prayer emoji. 'The best is yet to come!' she also noted. 'New York here we come!! Thank you Sizlak008 for the graphic! And suckerpunchent for having me REPRESENTED.' She added, 'We keep it movin.' Her fans loved her note. Earlier: This image where she talked about string women was shared last week How could he do it? Ostovich was beaten to a pulp by her husband Berdon in November; seen in October One said, 'You are incredibly inspiring!' while another added, 'I wish you well and best of luck in your next fight!' The beauty said to quit the fight would allow him to 'mess with her dreams,' she told KHON2 in Hawaii earlier. The star spoke on camera, revealing she still has a black eye. 'This is something that cant be taken away from me,' said the UFC fighter. 'I want to use this big worldwide UFC platform to show people that dont let anyone or anything come between you and your dreams and your career.' The fight will take place on January 19 in New York. She also said she wants to be a role model for women suffering from domestic abuse. 'I felt that it was extremely important to me to follow through with it and not only for me but for my daughter and other people that might be going through similar situations,' Ostovich told KHON2. 'I want to take a stand against domestic violence and show others that its okay to come out and speak about it and not be quieted.' She also said, 'I feel like I have to do this.' And she thanked her family. 'Im extremely grateful and blessed for my support system. My family, who has done so much for me and has kept me together and kept me strong.' The fight was initially cancelled due to Ostovich's injuries, which were sustained in an alleged attack by her husband, another MMA fighter, Arnold Berdon, in Hawaii. While the fight was cancelled, Ostovich's manager Brian Butler-Au told ESPN that the fighter sought a second opinion on her injuries, and she was cleared this week. Onwards: Ostovichis not letting the beating hold her back as she shared a very upbeat Instagram note last week 'She never really wanted to be off of this fight,' Butler-Au said. 'When everything happened, it was very emotional. 'The injuries were significant enough that, combined with the emotions of everything that was going down, we made a decision to pull out of the fight,' Butler-Au continued. 'Now that things are settling out and the swelling of the injury is going down, Rachael got a second opinion and everything will work out to where she can keep this fight.' ESPN also confirmed with UFC president Dana White that the fight is back on for January 19. Berdon was taken into custody by Honolulu police and charged with second-degree assault, and his next court hearing will be December 18. Ostovich was also granted a restraining order against Berdon. Mugged: Here he is seen showing off his chest again; he has said the beating was self defense She recently announced she's set to welcome her first grandchild as her daughter Mamie Gummer is pregnant. And Meryl Streep appears to celebrating more milestones as she attended the European premiere for her new film Mary Poppins Returns held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday night. The screen star, 69, who plays Topsy in the fantasy movie, looked effortlessly sophisticated as she was clad in a textured cropped jacket, embellished with edgy white stitching throughout. Dazzling: Meryl Streep attended the European premiere for her new film Mary Poppins Returns held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday Maintaining her demure display, the Julia actress rocked a A-line midi skirt, embellished with elegant beaded embroidery. New Jersey native Meryl boosted her frame in a pair of pointed studded heels, and toted a structured clutch bag. With her tresses styled into loose waves, the legendary actress enhanced her youthful-looking complexion with heavy strokes of neutral-toned make-up, and accessorised with reading glasses and dangle earrings. She's got style! The screen star, 69, who plays Topsy in the fantasy movie, looked effortlessly sophisticated as she was clad in a textured cropped jacket, embellished with edgy white stitching throughout Beaming: Appearing in high spirits, New Jersey native Meryl took to the blue carpet with film producer Marc Platt In the film, the iconic actress plays Mary's eccentric cousin Topsy. While Meryl dazzled on the blue carpet, Emily Blunt brought a spoonful of sugar to the red carpet outside the Royal Albert Hall. The actress, 35, who has stepped into original Mary Poppins star Julie Andrews' shoes as the eponymous character, looked practically perfect in every way in a sweeping blue silk gown. The floor-length dress hugged Emily's slim frame and featured an elegant neckline, modest trail and cuffed sleeves. All in the details: The legendary actress boosted her frame in a pair of pointed studded heels, and toted a structured clutch bag A vision in blue: While Meryl dazzled, Emily Blunt brought a spoonful of sugar to the premiere of her latest film Emily is reprising the iconic role 54 years after Andrews first played the character, however the actress said she refused to watch the original movie ahead of her performance. The original film received 13 Oscar nominations, winning five including Best Actress for Julie. Mary Poppins Returns is released in the United States on December 19 and the United Kingdom on December 21. She is one of the leading lights in the hotly anticipated Mary Poppins sequel. And Emily Mortimer dazzled as she arrived at the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday, accompanied by husband Alessandro Nivola and daughter May. The talented actress, 47, put on a dazzling style display in a shimmering emerald sequin gown as she took to the blue carpet. Family: Emily Mortimer dazzled as she arrived at the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday., accompanied by husband Alessandro Nivola and daughter May Sparkle: The talented actress, 47, put on a dazzling style display in a shimmering emerald sequin gown as she took to the blue carpet The stunning gown featured glittering blocks of green, blue and silver sequins laid over a black lacy body. It featured dramatic flared sleeves and cinched in at her slender waist before cascading into an ankle-length skirt. Her raven locks were pulled back into a sleek chignon while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky shadow and a scarlet lipstick. Shimmer:The stunning gown featured glittering blocks of green, blue and silver sequins laid over a black lacy body Glitter: It featured dramatic flared sleeves and cinched in at her slender waist before cascading into an ankle-length skirt She added height with some vertiginous strappy stiletto heels. May, eight, looked adorable in a silver velvet dress while Alessandro donned a black tailored suit and matching tie. Emily and Alessandro tied the knot in 2003, and as well as May, share a son, Samuel, 15. Leading lights: Emily joined co-stars Emily Blunt, Colin Firth and Lin-Manuel Miranda Glow: Her raven locks were pulled back into a sleek chignon while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky shadow and a scarlet lipstick In the sequel, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) returns to the Banks family in their time of need along with the lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda). Mortimer stars as the adult Jane Banks, Wishaw as Michael Banks, with Julie Walters as Michael's housekeeper Ellen and Colin Firth as William Weatherall Wilkins, president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. The all-star cast is rounded out by Meryl Streep as Mary's eccentric cousin Topsy, Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes Jr. and Angela Lansbury as The Balloon Lady. The story is set in 1930s London, the same time period used in the original novels by P.L. Travers. It will be released in the UK on December 21. The domestic drama of Coronation Street was exchanged for the high glamour of London's Royal Albert Hall as Lucy Fallon made a rare red carpet appearance with boyfriend Tom Leech on Wednesday evening. The actress, best known for her role as Bethany Platt on the ITV soap, commanded attention in a distinctively patterned evening dress as she joined a host of stars at the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns. The busy, multi-print gown ensured Lucy, 23, stood out while posing for photos alongside her dapper boyfriend. Side by side: The domestic drama of Coronation Street was exchanged for the high glamour of London's Royal Albert Hall as Lucy Fallon made a rare red carpet appearance with boyfriend Tom Leech on Wednesday evening The soap star added to her look with a pair of vibrant green peep-toe heels, while a striking black handbag rounded things off. Joining his girlfriend, Tom looked appropriately smart in a black tuxedo, matching shirt and raffish bow tie. Lucy and Tom, who are based in Manchester, marked their two year anniversary as a couple in March. Bold look: The actress, best known for her role as Bethany Platt on the ITV soap, commanded attention in a distinctively patterned evening dress as she joined a host of stars at the European premiere of Mary Poppins Returns Hard to miss: The busy, multi-print gown ensured Lucy, 23, stood out while posing for photos at the star-studded event on Wednesday evening Finishing touches: The soap star added to her look with a pair of peep-toe heels, while a striking black handbag rounded things off The actress recently insisted she will soon tie the knot with Tom, and is convinced she will have his children. 'I know well get married and have babies together,' she told OK! magazine. Tom echoed his girlfriend's statement by insisting he knew she was 'The One' after he got to know her. Dressed to impress: Joining his girlfriend, Tom looked appropriately smart in a black tuxedo, matching shirt and raffish bow tie He told the publication: 'When I used to see Lucy on nights out, she was always the liveliest one, the life and soul of the party. 'So getting to know her on a one-on-one, calm level without sounding too cringe I knew straight away she was the girl for me.' Mary Poppins Returns is released in the United States on December 19 and the United Kingdom on December 21. He's fresh off the judging panel from this year's X Factor, which saw Dalton Harris crowned as winner. And Simon Cowell enjoyed a well-deserved break with his partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric, four, during their annual Barbados getaway on Wednesday afternoon. The music mogul, 59, displayed his upper body as he went shirtless underneath his grey life jacket, while sporting a pair of loose-fitting white shorts. Family fun: Simon Cowell enjoyed a well-deserved break with his partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric, four, during their annual Barbados getaway on Wednesday afternoon Protecting his eyes from the sun, the X Factor judge sported stylish circular-framed sunglasses. Meanwhile, his stunning partner Lauren, 41, showcased her lean legs in a navy crochet two-piece, featuring a plunging bikini top and scanty bottoms. Displaying her flair for fashion, the New Yorker opted for trendy cream sunhat, square shades and diamond suds for her accessories. The brunette looked effortlessly stunning with minimal make-up, and wore her glossy tresses in a tousled half up half down look. Having fun: The music mogul, 59, displayed his upper body as he went shirtless underneath his grey life jacket, while sporting a pair of loose-fitting white shorts Sunshine: Protecting his eyes from the sun, the X Factor judge sported stylish circular-framed sunglasses Off he goes: The star prepared for his fun in the sea as he hopped on the jetski Legs for days: Meanwhile, his stunning partner Lauren, 41, showcased her lean legs in a navy crochet two-piece, featuring a plunging bikini top and scanty bottoms Eric appeared in high spirits as he prepared to hop on the jetski with his red lifejacket and white shorts. Lauren has been dating Simon for six years, and the pair had quite a tumultuous start to their romance. In 2013, it was revealed the television honcho had been in a relationship with his then-best friend Andrew Silverman's wife, after pictures emerged of them kissing on a yacht. Chic: Displaying her flair for fashion, the New Yorker opted for trendy cream sunhat, square shades and diamond suds for her accessories The pair then welcomed their son Eric in February 2014. They named him after Simon's late father, who died in 1999. Simon has just recently wrapping filming for The X Factor this year. He narrowly missed out on his act winning the series, as Scarlett Lee was beaten to the title by Dalton. Relaxation mode: He's fresh off the judging panel from this year's X Factor, which saw Dalton Harris crowned as winner Having a whale of a time: Eric appeared in high spirits as he prepared to hop on the jetski with his red lifejacket and white shorts Cruising: The brunette looked effortlessly stunning with minimal make-up, and wore her glossy tresses in a tousled half up half down look Long-term: Lauren has been dating Simon for six years, and the pair had quite a tumultuous start to their romance His family's appearance out in Barbados comes after Simon revealed he is hoping son Eric will take over his music empire as he gets older. Fans were delighted to see Eric appear on the judging panel on The X Factor, with Simon joking during an interview on This Morning: 'I'm getting him ready to do my job.' Simon also touched on whether he had 'left it too late' to become a father - he welcomed son Eric when he was aged 55 - and admitted he no longer dwells on that thought. 'If you have asked me earlier I would have said I might have left it a little too late,' said Simon, before quickly adding: 'Whatever happens happens.' Like father, like son: His family's appearance out in Barbados comes after Simon revealed he is hoping son Eric will take over his music empire as he gets older Future: Fans were delighted to see Eric appear on the judging panel on The X Factor, with Simon joking during an interview on This Morning: 'I'm getting him ready to do my job' Proud: Simon also touched on whether he had 'left it too late' to become a father - he welcomed son Eric when he was aged 55 - and admitted he no longer dwells on that thought Emmerdale star Michelle Hardwick has announced her engagement to girlfriend Kate Brooks, two months after confirming their relationship. The actress, 42, best known for her role as Vanessa Woodfield on the ITV soap, broke the news across social media on Wednesday evening. Sharing a shot of herself and Emmerdale producer Kate drinking celebratory champagne, Michelle revealed that she proposed after meticulously arranging the special moment for months. So happy: Emmerdale star Michelle Hardwick has announced her engagement to girlfriend Kate Brooks, two months after confirming their relationship She tweeted: 'So after months of planning, I popped the question!!! She said yes!!!' The announcement comes shortly after she revealed has revealed their relationship in a sweet Instagram post for National Coming Out Day, which takes place annually on October 11. The actress took to the social media platform to share two black and white pictures of herself with her girlfriend. She captioned the pictures with: 'It will all work out in the end [rainbow emoji] #behappy #nationalcomingoutday #loveislove @thekatebrooks.' Sweet: The announcement comes shortly after she revealed has revealed their relationship in a sweet Instagram post for National Coming Out Day, which takes place annually on October 11 Kate previously worked on Emmerdale as an assistant producer, but was promoted to shared title of producer with series script producer Laura Shaw after boss Iain MacLeod left to work on Coronation Street. Michelle's fans were quick to gush over the sweet Instagram post and the loved-up couple. One person said: 'Aww you two. It certainly worked out for you both. Lots of love and hugs xx.' Loved-up: Michelle took to the social media platform to share two black and white pictures of herself with her girlfriend Smitten: She captioned the pictures with: 'It will all work out in the end [rainbow emoji] #behappy #nationalcomingoutday #loveislove @thekatebrooks.' A different fan put: 'Beautiful photo of a gorgeous couple and gorgeous Ladies. Always be proud of who you are.' Another show watcher commented: 'Aw you guys! So b****y adorable. Happy national coming out day to the both of you!' While a different fan added: 'You have no idea how much I needed that- thank you for being amazing... so much love for you both .' Talented duo: Kate previously worked on Emmerdale as an assistant producer, but was promoted to shared producer with series script producer Laura Shaw after Iain MacLeod left Michelle had previously posted pictures of herself with Kate for months before announcing their relationship. The actress revealed in September that the two had been on a romantic holiday to San Francisco as they posed in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. She also shared a picture of herself and Kate preparing for the TV Choice Awards, an event that saw her co-star and on-screen girlfriend Emma Atkins win Best Soap Actress for her role as Charity Dingle. Holiday time! Michelle had previously posted pictures of herself with Kate for months before announcing their relationship Michelle was previously married to Rosie Nicholl, but announced their separation just 24-months after exchanging vows. She has since revealed that despite their amicable split in February 2017, she is still good friends with the music teacher. Michelle's character Vanessa has recently embarked in a relationship with Charity on Emmerdale, with the couple affectionately nicknamed Vanity by fans. Soap storyline: Michelle's character Vanessa has recently embarked on a relationship with Charity on Emmerdale, with the couple affectionately nicknamed Vanity by fans And the storyline has helped several soap watchers, with the actress revealing she has been contacted by fans with their own stories. Talking to The Sun, she said: 'The reaction has been incredible. 'But I think what's great is this is two women who are in their early 40s and one of them is discovering her sexuality and who she is. 'It's lovely and it's refreshing and it happens in real life so it's great to be telling that story.' Nominations for the upcoming 25th annual SAG Awards were shared on Wednesday. And Megan Mullally, 60, was announced as the award show's second ever host, continuing the Screen Actors GuildAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists labor union's tradition of female hosts. Kristen Bell hosted the 2018 edition of the show that recognizes outstanding performances in film and prime time television. Hilarity ensues: Megan Mullally was announced as the award show's second ever host, continuing the Screen Actors GuildAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists labor union's tradition of female hosts; seen in May Executive producer Kathy Connell said in a statement, 'We are delighted to have the talented, warm and funny Megan Mullally to host the SAG Awards silver anniversary.' She added, 'This is a very special year, and we are all looking forward to a memorable show.' 'As a frustrated casting director and full-on fangirl of great actors everywhere, I'm over the moon to be a part of the SAG Awards' 25th anniversary,' Mullally said. The show will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on January 27, 2019. Take him home: Nominations for the upcoming 25th annual SAG Awards were announced on Wednesday Host with the most: Executive producer Kathy Connell said in a statement, 'We are delighted to have the talented, warm and funny Megan Mullally to host the SAG Awards silver anniversary'; Megan seen in February The 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced on Wednesday morning. Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina and Orange Is the New Black s Laverne Cox made the announcement at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. A Star Is Born, Mrs Maisel and Ozark had the most amount of nominations. Star: 'This is a very special year, and we are all looking forward to a memorable show,' she said; here Megan is seen with Eric McCormack on Will & Grace Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture went to A Star Is Born, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody and Crazy Rich Asians. And Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role was given to Emily Blunt for Mary Poppins Returns, Glenn Close for The Wife, Olivia Colman for The Favourite, Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born and Melissa McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me? Gold: A Star Is Born (pictured), Mrs Maisel and Ozark had the most amount of nominations Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role went to Christian Bale, for Vice, Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born, Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody, Viggo Mortensen for Green Book and John David Washington for BlacKkKlansman. As far as television, Mrs Maisel and Ozark did very well. Mrs Maisel was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series along with Atlanta, Barry, GLOW, and The Kominsky Method, while . Ozark will contest the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series prize with The Americans, Better Call Saul, The Handmaids Tale and This Is Us. SAG AWARD NOMINATIONS Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Christian Bale, 'Vice' Bradley Cooper, 'A Star Is Born' Rami Malek, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Viggo Mortensen, 'Green Book' John David Washington, 'BlacKkKlansman' Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Emily Blunt, 'Mary Poppins Returns' Glenn Close, 'The Wife' Olivia Colman, 'The Favourite' Lady Gaga, 'A Star Is Born' Melissa McCarthy, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali, 'Green Book' Timothee Chalamet, 'Beautiful Boy' Adam Driver, 'BlacKkKlansman' Sam Elliott, 'A Star Is Born' Richard E. Grant, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Amy Adams, 'Vice' Emily Blunt, 'A Quiet Place' Margot Robbie, 'Mary Queen of Scots' Emma Stone, 'The Favourite' Rachel Weisz, 'The Favourite' Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: 'A Star Is Born' 'Black Panther' 'BlacKkKlansman' 'Bohemian Rhapsody' 'Crazy Rich Asians' Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Antonio Banderas, 'Genius: Picasso' Darren Criss, 'Assassination of Gianni Versace' Hugh Grant, 'A Very English Scandal' Anthony Hopkins, 'King Lear' Bill Pullman, 'The Sinner' Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Amy Adams, 'Sharp Objects' Patricia Arquette, 'Escape at Dannemora' Patricia Clarkson, 'Sharp Objects' Penelope Cruz, 'Assassination of Gianni Versace' Emma Stone, 'Maniac' Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: Jason Bateman, 'Ozark' Sterling K. Brown, 'This is Us' Joseph Fiennes, 'The Handmaid's Tale' John Krasinski, 'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Bob Odenkirk, 'Better Call Saul' Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Julia Garner, 'Ozard' Laura Linney, 'Ozark' Elisabeth Moss, 'The Handmaid's Tale' Sandra Oh, 'Killing Eve' Robin Wright, 'House of Cards' Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Alan Arkikn, 'The Kominsky Method' Michael Douglas, 'The Kominsky Method' Bill Hader, 'Barry' Tony Shalhoub, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Henry Winkler, 'Barry' Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Alex Borstein, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Alison Brie, 'Glow' Rachel Brosnahan, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Jane Fonda, 'Grace and Frankie' Lily Tomlin, 'Grace and Frankie' Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: 'The Americans' 'Better Call Saul' 'The Handmaid's Tale' 'Ozark' 'This Is Us' Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: 'Atlanta' 'Barry' 'GLOW' 'The Kominsky Method' 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series: 'Glow' 'Marvel's: Daredevil' 'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' 'The Walking Dead' 'Westworld' Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture: 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' 'Avengers: Infinity War' 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' 'Black Panther' 'Mission: Impossible Fallout' Advertisement Germany has extended the successful operation of the Heron 1 drones by Airbus DS Airborne Solutions GmbH, a company of Airbus, until mid of 2020. Bundeswehr's Heron 1 deployed in Mali (Credit: Bundeswehr/Johannes Heyn) These contracts have been signed with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support on December 12th, 2018. This renewed contract marks the continuation of one of the most successful cooperations between the Bundeswehr and Airbus Defence and Space. The contract comprises the provision of all assets and manpower to support the Israeli Heron 1 systems operations in the two countries of deployment. Heron 1, manufactured by the Israeli manufacturer IAI (Israeli Aerospace Industries), is a medium altitude long endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial system (UAS) which can stay airborne above the respective operational area for very long periods and can be operated from unpaved runways under harsh environmental conditions. The Heron 1 has a wingspan of about seventeen meters and a maximum mission duration of more than twenty-four hours. The detection of IEDs from the air, convoy and patrol unit escort, route exploration and supervision, creation of movement profiles and long-term supervision, support for status reports as well as object and camp protection rank among the military tasks. In addition the system is also used for security and humanitarian support operations. The Air Force has been using the Heron 1 system in Afghanistan since 2010 and in Mali since 2016. The Heron 1 system makes an indispensable contribution to the protection of soldiers and civilians in the operational areas. With its operational range of up to 800 kilometers it significantly expands the possibilities of airborne reconnaissance of the German contingent. Until today, in total and over both countries, more than 46,000 operational flying hours have been successfully flown. Airbus is responsible for provision, maintenance and repair of the systems and guarantees the agreed operational availability of Heron 1 in both Afghanistan and Mali on basis of a services model. For this purpose, Airbus has technicians and UAS specialists, on-site in Mazar-I-Sharif (Afghanistan) and Gao (Mali) who maintain the drone system and carry out test flights thus ensuring that the drones are available to the Bundeswehr at any time, as contractually agreed. This services model permits the Bundeswehr to concentrate completely on the fulfillment of its mission during operation, without being additionally burdened by the maintenance of the system. In Afghanistan and Mali, the services model has proven its performance capability by reaching a system availability of more than 98%. The proven capability of the Heron system to support worldwide deployment missions is reflected in these contract extensions as well as in the signed contract on the next generation RPAS MALE HERON TP. said Ralf Hastedt, Head of Sales and Business Development of Airbus DS Airborne Solutions GmbH. We are very pleased to see the satisfaction of the German Air Force with the Heron UAS activities and the excellent cooperation with Airbus DS Airborne Solutions, forming the basis for such a renewed contract extending the capabilities for long-range airborne reconnaissance of the German Air Force in Afghanistan and Mali by at least another year. said Moshe Levy, IAI Executive Vice President and General Manager of IAI Military Aircraft Group. She shares three children with her husband Chris Hemsworth. And Elsa Pataky spoke about her parenting style on Thursday, telling Who magazine that she resists the urge to overprotect her youngsters. 'You want to protect them... but in some ways, you shouldn't,' the 42-year-old said. 'You have to let them go for them to be stronger': Elsa Pataky has explained why she resists the urge to overprotect her three children with Chris Hemsworth 'This is what prepares you for life. It's not easy,' she added. Elsa explained that the balance between teaching her children independence and protecting them from the world can be 'complicated'. 'It's complicated knowing you have to let them go for them to be stronger,' she said. Famous family: The Spanish actress and model, 42, shares three children with Chris Hemsworth, who is best known for his role in the Thor film series The Spanish actress and model shares three children with Chris Hemsworth, who is best known for his role in the Thor film series. The couple have a daughter, six-year-old India, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four. Meanwhile, Elsa recently revealed why she won't be letting her kids watch her new Netflix drama Tidelands. Balancing act: Elsa explained that the balance between teaching her children independence and protecting them from the world can be 'complicated'. Pictured with her husband Chris She told The Daily Telegraph on Monday: 'They can't watch it as they might get scared'. In the series, Elsa plays the the 'darkly enigmatic' Adrielle Cuthbert, who is the queen of the half-human, half-siren Tidelanders. Tidelands premieres on Friday, December 14 on Netflix She was arrested in September on domestic violence charges after reportedly shoving her boyfriend Bobby Jacobs in a Las Vegas hotel room. And on Wednesday, Amanda Stanton headed to court in the Nevada city, where her case was dismissed, her lawyer told E! News. During the September incident, the 28-year-old star tried to intervene after a hotel security came to their room because of a noise complaint. The allegedly intoxicated star shoved Bobby, which was enough to warrant security to call the cops, TMZ reported at the time. Wrapping up: Amanda Stanton headed to court in the Nevada city, where her case was dismissed, according to E! News; she was seen at the court with her dad Amanda appeared at court with her dad while sporting a black mini skirt, tights, knee-high boots and a patterned sweater. TMZ previously reported that in addition to the alleged shove, the police report noted that Bobby claimed she 'hit him' while he was in bed after they got into an argument. The outlet reported that Amanda also allegedly grabbed the hotel room phone and 'swung' it at him as well as 'kicked, scratched and pinched' him after he didn't answer her phone calls. The incident occurred after a bachelorette party. TMZ's insider claimed that the duo think something was slipped into her drink. Srama: The 28-year-old star tried to intervene when a hotel security came to their room after a noise complaint. The allegedly intoxicated star shoved Bobby, which was enough to warrant security to call the cops, TMZ reported at the time Tying loose ends: Amanda appeared at court with her dad while sporting a black mini skirt, tights, knee-high boots and a patterned sweater Amanda is a petite 5-feet-three-inches while Bobby, a professional volleyball player, stands at 6-feet-six-inches. The blonde is mom to two children with her ex-husband Nick Buonfiglio: daughters Kinsley, six, and Charlie, four; they divorced in 2015 after three years of marriage. One month after the incident, Amanda was charged with misdemeanor battery domestic violence; she had pleaded not guilty. Amanda and Bobby, who are still in a relationship, arrived together to Las Vegas although he did not join her at her hearing. Still together: Amanda and Bobby, who are still in a relationship, arrived together to Las Vegas although he did not join her at her hearing; pictured with Bobby and her two children After her September arrest her representative told E! News: 'Amanda is ashamed and embarrassed this happened and sincerely apologizes to hotel security and the Las Vegas Police Department.' Adding: 'Amanda is a gentle, respectful person who has never gotten physical with anyone under any circumstance.' The representative continued: 'That evening she had a few drinks at a bachelorette party and when hotel security asked her and Bobby to quiet down, she got a bit rambunctious.' Amanda 'gave' her boyfriend 'what she thought was a playful shove,' the rep added. Behind them: After her September arrest her representative told E! News: 'Amanda is ashamed and embarrassed this happened and sincerely apologizes to hotel security and the Las Vegas Police Department;' Amanda with Bobby and her daughter Kinsley They noted that Bobby had said that 'was not an ill-intended shove' but Amanda 'understands and respects' police doing their job. Weeks later, Amanda donated $300 to a domestic violence group to make amends for being booked on one count of battery domestic violence during the September 11 incident. She chose Laura's House as the recipient of her donation, adding on her Instagram story: 'I wouldn't feel right if I didn't use [this] as an opportunity to do something positive with my platform. On Wednesday afternoon after her court appearance, Amanda shared a snap of herself taken by Bobby inside the Bellagio Hotel; she captioned the image: 'Christmas in Vegas.' Nonchalant: On Wednesday afternoon after her court hearing, Amanda shared a snap of herself taken by Bobby inside the Bellagio Hotel; she captioned the image: 'Christmas in Vegas' Amanda donned a black mini skirt with a white button-up blouse, adding sheer tights and knee-high boots. She tagged Bobby in the image. The duo also enjoyed a sweet treat, according to her social media. The star also shared a snap of herself with her dad after they left the courthouse; she captioned the Instagram stories photo: 'My pops.' Fun times: The duo also enjoyed a sweet treat, according to her social media Growing up in the busy city of Madrid, Spanish actress Elsa Pataky always fantasised about relocating to a small town by the ocean. And after marrying Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, all of Elsa's dreams came true. The 42-year-old, who has lived in coastal NSW since 2014, told WHO magazine on Thursday: 'I always dreamt in my head l would live in a place like Byron Bay.' Her wish came true! Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky (right) has said she 'always dreamt of living in Byron Bay' while growing up in Spain 'I achieved what I wanted, because I think a connection to nature is something you really need,' she added. Elsa has made no secret about her love for Australia since moving to Byron Bay, and appears to be making the most of the region's laid-back lifestyle. In September 2014, she and Chris - who is best known for his role in the Thor film series - decided to leave LA and splash out on a $7.2million property in the town. See ya later, Hollywood! In September 2014, Elsa and Chris - who is best known for his role in the Thor film series - decided to leave LA and splash out on a $7.2million property in Byron Bay 'A connection to nature': Elsa has made no secret about her love for Australia since moving to Byron Bay, and appears to be making the most of the region's laid-back lifestyle Elsa recently told The Sydney Morning Herald that she would 'never live in LA again' and hoped her children would grow up to appreciate how amazing their home is. She has been married to Chris, 35, for eight years, and the couple share three children together: daughter India Rose, six, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four. The family is often spotted by locals enjoying everything the coastal town has to offer, and they are known to particularly like the beaches. Doting father: The family is often spotted by locals enjoying everything the coastal town has to offer, and they are known to particularly like the beaches. Pictured: Chris and his children 'Every time we [the family] have to travel, we miss it,' Elsa added. After spending time in Brisbane and Sydney promoting her new Netflix series, Tidelands, Elsa posted a beachside selfie upon her return to Byron Bay on Wednesday. 'So good to be back home with the kids,' Elsa captioned the post. It was recently reported that ITV bosses want Holly Willoughby to return to host I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! with Declan Donnelly and Ant McPartlin next year. And presenter Dec, 43, added fuel to the fire as he hinted that Holly, 37, is set to make a comeback for the next series during I'm A Celebrity's Coming Out episode on Wednesday. While praising his co-host for stepping in for Ant, also 43, during his break from TV, Dec gifted the This Morning star a classic jungle T-shirt, which he said was 'for next year.' Return? Declan Donnelly hinted Holly Willoughby is set to make a comeback for the next series during I'm A Celebrity's Coming Out episode on Wednesday Geordie native Dec bid farewell to the series as he thanked Holly for her time in the Australian jungle. He gushed: 'The biggest thanks from me is to you, so here's a jungle T-shirt with your name on it, that's for next year.' Fans took to Twitter in their droves as they were convinced that Holly will make a return to the series, with one writing: 'Omg is that a hint that Holly is going to be one of the celebs next year?!?! #ImACeleb' (sic). Hmm: While praising his co-host, 37, for stepping in for Ant McPartlin, during his break from TV, Dec, 43, gifted the This Morning star a classic jungle T-shirt, which he said was 'for next year' 'Thank you': Geordie native Dec bid farewell to the series as he thanked Holly for her time in the Australian jungle Excited: Fans took to Twitter in their droves as they were convinced that Holly will make a return to the series Another penned: 'I'm begging that's a foreshadow and not a tease! Please be a camp mate Holly!! #ImACeleb.' A third tweeted: 'Can we actually have Holly in the jungle for next year though #ImACeleb.' Earlier this week, Daily Star reported that ITV bosses want to bring Holly back on the show with Dec and Ant. Breaking tradition: While the ITV series has been running for 16 years with Ant and Dec, 43, viewers appeared to have been pulled in by the new format According to the publication, executives are keen to have the This Morning presenter back on screens after the show received its highest ever viewing figures, with a whopping 12.6 million tuning in to watch the star's first week. Representatives for Holly and ITV declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline. Earlier this week, Holly's This Morning co-host, 56, gushed over his telly wife's appearance on the show, but dismissed claims of a return to the Australian jungle next year. He branded her stand-in role as a 'caretaker' stint, before quipping: 'Don't get too attached.' Ant revealed in August that he would be taking a break from presenting duties for the rest of 2018, following his drink-drive arrest in March, his acrimonious divorce from wife Lisa Armstrong and his stint in rehab. Vanessa Hudgens participated in a town hall event for her new film with Jennifer Lopez, Second Act. The 29-year-old Spring Breakers star wore a stylish all-black ensemble to the conversation. She also revealed during the visit that Jennifer hounded her until she agreed to attend a Taco Tuesday night with Alex Rodriguez's family. Striking a pose: Vanessa Hudgens participated in a SiriusXM town hall for her new film, Second Act, on Wednesday Vanessa showed up to the event in a stylish black ruffled dress. She finished it off with black tights and pointy leather boots, which elevated her 5fit1in stature. The grungy ensemble matched her shoulder-length dark hair, which she kept slightly wavy. Group photo: Vanessa posed with co-stars Leah Remini and Jennifer Lopez and host Andy Cohen Showing some teeth: The Spring Breakers star smiled ear-to-ear at the SiriusXM town hall The former High School Musical actor was part of the conversation to discuss her new film, Second Act, but the talk turned to off-set shenanigans, including a taco date with Jennifer's family. 'Alex [Rodriguez]'s kids apparently were really big fans, and I didnt meet them during filming. So [Jennifer] was like, "You have to come over and meet the kids," and she invited me to, like, a Taco Tuesday night that they were having. So I was like, "Oh, OK, fun!"' she said. The Beastly star initially wasn't feeling up to attending, but Jennifer's persistence got her to show up. 'I get myself together, I head over there thinking its gonna be like, you know, a normal Taco Tuesday, and I get there, and I walk in, and theres a billion people, and Im like, "Oh, thats Kim Kardashian." Not your normal Taco Tuesday,' she told Bravo's Andy Cohen. Powerful ladies: Vanessa, Jennifer and Leah at a SiriusXM event for Second Act Vanessa's new film, Second Act, stars Lopez as a woman who fabricates her resume to get a more prestigious position at a makeup company after being passed over at her old job. Vanessa plays a capable executive (and daughter of the company's founder) who looks up to Jennifer for innovative business decisions. Second Act hits theaters nationwide December 21. She broke her silence on her temporary split from Jack Fincham this week. And Love Island's Dani Dyer was seen for the first time since revealing all about dumping the reality star, as she headed to an InTheStyle party in London on Wednesday. The reality champion, 22, showcased her toned legs in an orange denim shirt dress, which teased a glimpse of her cleavage as she walked along. Strut: Love Island's Dani Dyer was seen for the first time since revealing all about dumping Jack Fincham, as she headed to an InTheStyle party in London on Wednesday The stylish dress wrapped around her slender waist and flashed her lacy bra. She boosted her height with a pair of silver studded black stilettos. Her caramel flecked brunette tresses were styled in a high ponytail while her pretty features were enhanced with metallic shadow mascara and a coral lipstick. The star accessorised with a floral print leather satchel bag. Leggy: The reality champion, 22, showcased her toned legs in an orange denim shirt dress, which teased a glimpse of her cleavage as she walked along En route: The stylish dress wrapped around her slender waist and flashed her lacy bra The star joined fellow Love Island alum Georgia Steel at the bash, who wowed in a black and white strapless mini dress teamed with vertiginous heels. The sighting comes as Dani blamed dumping Jack, 27, on 'being in the public eye,' as she also told fans she was 'just a normal girl trying to grow into a woman.' It comes after Jack and Dani appeared to confirm their relationship was well and truly back on, as they were snapped looking happier than ever leaving his parents home on Tuesday night. Sassy and stylish: She boosted her height with a pair of silver studded black stilettos Brunette beauty: Her caramel flecked brunette tresses were styled in a high ponytail while her pretty features were enhanced with metallic shadow mascara and a coral lipstick Blooming lovely: The star accessorised with a floral print leather satchel bag In her candid post she wrote: 'Just want to put all comments to bed. All I can say is Im still 22 trying to get my s*** together and grow into a woman but doing it in the public eye is sometimes hard and scary. 'But arguments are arguments and I love him. I can only please people who want to be pleased and I am having to learn that opinions are just opinions. Hope everyone can understand that i am just a normal girl.' It came after Jack and Dani appeared to confirm their romance was well and truly back on, as they were spotted driving away from his family home in good spirits. She's loyal: The star joined fellow Love Island alum Georgia Steel at the bash, who wowed in a black and white strapless mini dress teamed with vertiginous heels Glamour: The star looked stunning as she arrived at the bash Dani appeared a little sheepish as she sat in her denim jacket, while Jack was wearing a tweed style coat. Jack also seemed to show that him and Dani were back on happier terms, after he took to Instagram stories to post a video of a delicious stir fry he had cooked for her. In the video, he can be heard saying: 'How's the dinner I made you?' leading Dani to reply: 'It's lovely, but I won't be buying Tesco chicken again!' A dream in cream: Georgia looked phenomenal as she posed up a storm in her mini dress Working it: Georgia was a vision of beauty as she strutted her stuff down the street Chilly: Georgia sensibly layered up with a black coat slung over her shoulders Gorgeous in green: Beauty blogger Rebekah Eller looked sensational in a lime green mini dress layered over a cream slip teamed with beige thigh high boots This comes after Jack admitted that he and Dani were no stranger to clash or two in their relationship, but would normally patch things up within ten minutes. Speaking to Now magazine before their brief split, he said: 'If Dani and I have an argument, ten minutes later we're laughing together! 'Dani and I got on so well, but people wanted us to fail.' Jack also admitted that he now feels unease about whether he can confide in anybody, as he worries about what they'll do with the information. Candid: The sighting comes as Dani blamed dumping Jack, 27, on 'being in the public eye,' as she also told fans she was 'just a normal girl trying to grow into a woman' News broke on Thursday that the pair had called time on their relationship, as Dani shared a statement announcing their split via Instagram. However, it seems their break up was only brief as Dani posted a video of Jack playfully mimicking an air guitar while dancing to music in the back of a car, sat alongside his girlfriend. It was only the latest development in the pair's 'split' that seemed to suggest they are still together. Prior to Dani's post, she and Jack had set tongues wagging that they had resolved their issues, as they were seen sharing a friendly exchange on social media over Dani's grandmother. Happy days: Jack also seemed to show that him and Dani were back on happier terms, after he took to Instagram stories to post a video of a delicious stir fry he had cooked for her Moreover, Dani talked about the row with her friend on Instagram as she poked fun at her own fiery temper. She wrote: 'Listen, I totally thought I had got my s**t together when I left that villa but na I defo ain't, I am still as crazy.' [sic]. Dani's famous father, EastEnders actor Danny Dyer then confirmed that everything was 'sweet' between his daughter and Jack in a pre-recorded interview on The Jonathan Ross Show. Quotes released from his appearance see Danny address the split, with the soap star insisting Dani had only split with Jack to 'punish him' following a heated row. More of a blip? Dani posted this statement on Instagram stories but soon deleted it last Thursday He told host Jonathan Ross: 'I just want to put something to bed. She hasn't split up with Jack, that's all b******s, that is.' Danny assures of his daughter's six month romance: 'Jon, they've had a row. They've had a row, she's got a bit emotional and I think she has whacked that [message] up and immediately regretted it.' 'You know what women are like I'm just saying she got a little bit irate, screaming and shouting, the ultimate way to punish him maybe. I don't know what was going on but I can tell you now, they're sweet.' He adds: 'They're sweet as. They've had a little argument as we all do, we all have tear ups. Don't declare nothing to the world, I've told her this. That was my bit of fatherly advice. It is okay, it is all sweet.' Love Island winner Dani, meanwhile, found herself accused of seeking 'publicity' in the wake of her split with Jack - forcing the star to defend herself on social media. She hit back at claims suggesting she had dumped Jack for 'money and fame', insisting they had left her 'upset and disgusted'. 'They haven't split': Dani's famous father Danny Dyer then confirmed everything was 'sweet' between his daughter and Jack in a pre-recorded interview on The Jonathan Ross Show In a fiery response, Dani vented: 'Right I'm sick to death of seeing posts on how I want money and fame? Wtf is everyone talking about. Money and fame?! Do you really think I'm that tiny minded to just want that.' 'People upset me and disgust me so much on how they can judge me,' she said, before bluntly concluded: 'Just p*ss off and be kind to people.' Dani and Jack initially fell for each other on the fourth series of ITV2 dating show Love Island that aired this summer. They went on to win the show and had moved in together once filming wrapped and they were back on home soil. Confusing: Prior to Dani's post, she and Jack had set tongues wagging that they resolved their issues, as they were seen sharing a friendly exchange on social media over Dani's grandmother Camille Grammer's Malibu mansion was destroyed during the California wildfires back in November. Now the homeless mother-of-two has been forced to move in with her parents, she revealed in legal documents on Monday. Her lawyer Richard Rohan explained in a letter to the court: 'The last few weeks have been particularly difficult for my client. 'Ms Grammer lost her residence in the recent California wildfires and is dealing with both the psychological aspect of losing her home as well as logistically working on her relocation. 'Until recently she has been moving from hotel to hotel or staying with friends, and she just moved in with her parents and is trying to find something permanent.' Tough times: Camille Grammer's Malibu mansion was destroyed during the California wildfires Natural disaster: Camille shared a photo of her house being consumed by the flames back in November. 'Sadly my house couldn't be saved,' she wrote Rohan approached the court on Camille's behalf in the defamation lawsuit with her ex-boyfriend, Dimitri Charalambopoulos. Charalambopoulos had asked the court to move the trial date from April 2019 to late January, however Camille's representatives claim that would be unfair. He explained that when not out house hunting, Camille was spending her time itemizing the possessions she lost in The Woolsey Fire for her insurance claim. The 50-year-old former Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star is also in mourning for her assistant of 20 years, Scott MacLean, who died unexpectedly just three days before the blaze. Camille has been sharing her devastation at the fire to social media. 'It has been an emotional and stressful couple of weeks,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I have been going through the items I retrieved from what is left of my home. The pictures of my children put a smile on my face.' Camille originally bought the 6,000-square-foot, gated community property in April 2015 following her 2011 divorce from Kelsey Grammer. Prior to being evacuated, the reality star managed to grab all her 'jewelry, documents, birth certificates, and passports.' 'I also took some photographs that meant something to me,' she told PEOPLE. 'We packed as much as we could into three cars.' Ground zero: After the blaze the 50-year-old reality star wandered through the destruction in an attempt to salvage a few memories Memories destroyed: Camille originally bought the 6,000-square-foot, gated community property in April 2015 following her 2011 divorce from Kelsey Grammer LAFD reportedly retrieved some of Grammer's priceless artwork, collected over 20 years, as well as two Ferraris in the garage. 'They were so brave to do that. They did whatever they could. They are incredible,' she said. 'It's a total loss. Most everything is gone. We'll see if there is anything to salvage.' According to CBS Los Angeles, more than 3,000 firefighters were dispatched to tame the flames. 'It has been an emotional and stressful couple of weeks,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I have been going through the items I retrieved from what is left of my home. The pictures of my children put a smile on my face' It's been less than a month since Camille married attorney David C Meyer on Hawaii's Big Island. 'I went from one of the best days of my life, to such a tragedy. It's so sad,' Grammer told the magazine. The Woolsey Fire burned more than 93,000 acres of land and destroyed more than 400 structures. The pilot of a twin-engine plane that went missing in remote southwest Tasmania is believed dead after the wreckage of the aircraft was spotted in rugged terrain. The wreckage was spotted from a rescue helicopter at West Portal, near the Western Arthur Ranges, shortly after 7pm on Saturday, Tasmania Police said. Search and rescue police on board the Westpac Rescue helicopter determined there was no chance the solo pilot could have survived the crash. It was considered too dangerous to winch them down to the site, and an investigation team is due to be airlifted there on Sunday. Inspector Dave Wiss said the terrain was steep and dangerous. "Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time," he said in a statement late on Saturday. "We remain in contact and we will continue to provide them with the information we currently know to assist them in coming to terms with this terrible accident." The Airlines of Tasmania aircraft went missing near the Arthur Ranges around 8.30am on Saturday. It was on a routine flight to pick up passengers from Melaleuca. Earlier, Airlines of Tasmania managing director Shannon Wells had said there were grave concerns for the pilot, who had been with the company for three years and was "very experienced and well qualified". New Zealand police are combing an area of bush in the search for the body of British backpacker Grace Millane, who went missing in Auckland a week ago. The tourist was last caught on camera arriving at the Citylife Hotel with a man late on December 1 - the day before her 22nd birthday. A 26-year-old man she was seen with will be charged with murder and appear in court next week, police said. On Sunday, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said police were methodically combing an area of bush on Scenic Drive, a route along the city's Waitakere Ranges regional park, about 20km west from the city centre. "At this stage we are not able to confirm whether Grace has been located at this site," he said. A week-long search turned into a homicide probe this weekend, with officers saying while they had not found Millane, a scene examination at the hotel and video footage had concluded she was no longer alive. Police say there's no evidence she and the man knew each other prior, but have not commented on how they met. Ms Millane, from Essex, was on the second leg of a year-long trip around the world after graduating university. After visiting Peru, she arrived alone in New Zealand last month and had been in touch with family and friends nearly daily until her disappearance. Her father, David Millane, arrived in New Zealand on Friday, and made an emotional public appeal for help in finding Grace, who he described as a "lovely, outgoing, fun-loving, family-orientated daughter". A man accused of murdering a young woman found at Geelong in a burning tent has faced court. Nicholas James Cross, 31, appeared briefly in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday night dressed in a dark green tracksuit. He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody until his next hearing at Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday. An on-duty defence lawyer told the court Cross would have his own private lawyer next time. Magistrate Bob Kumar ordered Cross be seen by a prison doctor, though it was not clear why. Court documents allege Cross killed Maddison Jane Pante - though she is widely referred to as Maddison Parrott in media reports - in the Geelong suburb of Breakwater on December 3. Cross's charge sheet said a warrant for his arrest was issued from Granville Police Station in Sydney and that he admitted to his identity. Cross and two co-accused were extradited from Sydney to Melbourne on Saturday. Todd Daryl Sell, 34, and Tracy Anne Menzies, 31, both charged with being accessories to murder after the fact, did not make applications for bail and were remanded in custody. Court documents allege Sell and Menzies knew Cross was guilty of murder but made no effort to contribute to his apprehension, prosecution or punishment. Menzies cut a diminutive but colourful figure in the court room, with bright red dyed hair and dark green tracksuit. She too was referred to a prison nurse. Sell had a cut on his nose and shook his head when asked if he had any medication that needed taking while in custody. Cross, Sell and Menzies are all due for filing hearings at Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Scott Morrison will continue to fight a Labor-backed bill that would see ill refugees flown to Australia for medical treatment on the advice of two doctors. The prime minister again went on the attack against Opposition Leader Bill Shorten about offshore processing centres. The government stopped a vote being held on the asylum seeker bill during parliament's final sitting day of the year after Labor teamed up with the Greens and the crossbench in a bid to get the bill through Mr Morrison has denied it was to avoid an embarrassing defeat in the lower house - the first of its kind in almost 90 years. "Bill Shorten doesn't even understand what he's doing," he told reporters on Sunday. "I don't think he really fully contemplates the compromise that he is putting in to effectively abolishing offshore processing as we know it. "We are going to fight those changes with everything we've got." Labor says the law changes would not abolish offshore processing, but provide better care for refugees on Nauru and Manus Island. Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke said Labor had no plans to shut down the detention centres. That is despite a push from some refugee advocates within Labor calling for an end to offshore processing and boat turnbacks ahead of the party's national conference. Fairfax Media is reporting that delegates aligned to Labor for Refugees are expected to put forward motions at the conference in Adelaide to close offshore processing centres. "Every national conference has been a determination that we don't adopt any policy that would start the drownings again," the manager of opposition business told Sky News on Sunday. "If you stop the turnbacks policy, I don't think there is any doubt that the drownings would commence again." Sydneysiders will be the first in Australia to hear from the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. The 21-year-old Pakistani woman is travelling to the country for the Women World Changers series with Sydney her first stop on Monday night, organiser The Growth Faculty said. Ms Yousafzai rose to international prominence in 2012 when a masked gunman shot her in the face when she was 15 while on the way from her school in northern Pakistan, in response to her public advocacy about young girls' right to an education. 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. Ms Yousafzai will speak in Melbourne on Tuesday. Investigators are continuing to search for answers after a pilot was killed when a twin-engine plane crashed in Tasmanian wilderness. The body of the unnamed victim was retrieved from the crash site near the summit of West Portal, in the Western Arthur Range in the state's southwest, on Sunday. Specialist forensic investigators were flown in by helicopter and winched down to the wreckage to examine the scene. The plane's emergency location transmitter has been recovered and will be inspected in Hobart as part of the initial investigation into the crash. Police are expected to release further details about the pilot in the coming days after meeting with their family, who have flown to Tasmania from interstate. The Airlines of Tasmania plane went missing around 8.30am on Saturday during a routine flight to pick up passengers from Melaleuca. It was in the air for roughly 40 minutes after leaving Cambridge, outside Hobart. The wreckage of the plane was spotted from a rescue helicopter on Saturday evening, with police saying the pilot had zero chance of surviving the "catastrophic" crash. The pilot had been with the company for three years and had moved to Tasmania to learn to fly. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the crash along with the Tasmanian coroner. A NSW Greens MP has lashed out at the "destructive extreme left forces" in her party after members formally asked fellow MP Jeremy Buckingham to step down. The Greens NSW State Delegates Council passed, by consensus, a proposal to request Mr Buckingham vacate his position on the ticket during a meeting on Saturday, weeks after he was accused of sexual misconduct. It was agreed his presence would stop the party from campaigning effectively ahead of next year's state election, a statement said. The MP has been the subject of a 2011 sexual harassment allegation re-aired under parliamentary privilege by factional rival Jenny Leong, although an independent investigation recommended no adverse findings against him. He denies the alleged incident involving a party staffer and another claim by Ms Leong of intimidation. Mr Buckingham on Sunday accused the council of abandoning grassroots democracy and due process, and of rewarding the "bullying and smearing behaviour" of his factional opponents. When asked if he would be standing aside Mr Buckingham told reporters: "No." NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann on Sunday lashed out against the party on Facebook, saying it had been infiltrated by "destructive extreme left forces who will stop at nothing to weaken those in the party". She claims there has been a "hateful" campaign against Mr Buckingham who she says has been subject to "bullying and attacks". Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale last month also called for Mr Buckingham to resign, saying the issue had gone on for "far too long". Australia' is about to take delivery of two of its expensive, state-of-the-art fighter jets, which will arrive near Newcastle. Defence Minister Christopher Pyne will be on hand at the Williamtown RAAF Base on Monday when the jets arrive. The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter has been labelled the most advanced in the world and is capable of reaching a top speed of 1975km/h. The federal government will spend a total of $17 billion on 72 of the F-35 aircraft, with the cost being widely criticised, including by US President Donald Trump. Lockheed Martin, builders of the jets, say the cost is expected to be driven down to $80 million per plane by 2020. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull backed the spending when questioned last year. "When we send our young men and women out to war, they have the tools to do the job to destroy their enemies and the terrorists," he said. The final four districts in the Victorian state election are set to be officially declared after Premier Daniel Andrews opted to hold off conceding the ultra-tight seat of Ripon. The Victorian Electoral Commission said on Saturday that sitting Liberal MP Louise Staley had taken Ripon, in northwest Melbourne, by just 15 votes. However, Mr Andrews said on Sunday he would wait for the result to be made official before conceding to the Liberals. The VEC has completed 84 formal declarations for the 88-seat Legislative Assembly since November 30. Results for Ripon, Benambra, South Barwon and South-West Coast will be formally declared on Monday. The Liberals are expected to also retain Benambra and South-West Coast, while South Barwon will likely go to Labor. The Andrews government was returned for a second term with a solid majority of at least 53 seats. The Liberal Party is sitting on 18, with shadow attorney-general John Pesutto the opposition's highest-profile loser after being pipped by Labor in Hawthorn. Their coalition partners, the Nationals, have six seats, and the Greens claimed three. The VEC is set to finish counting for the upper house on Tuesday. Melbourne remains the epicentre of illegally purchased Australian real estate by foreign investors breaching tough laws introduced more than three years ago, according to Foreign Investment Review Board data. But despite curbs put in place to prevent properties being snapped up by monied buyers, predominantly from China, India, Hong Kong and Malaysia, the Australian Taxation Office has failed to secure a single prosecution over a clutch of violations. The national agency uncovered 877 illegal purchases by foreign parties in Victoria alone with purchasers regularly employing grandmothers as "front men" to buy up properties in the most desirable suburbs of Melbourne, the Herald Sun reports. Some overseas investors have been put off by higher stamp duty, large fines and forced sales, but Melbourne has 18 out of the the top 20 postal areas affected by foreign real estate purchases. There have been 460 forced sales of properties across the country, valued at more than half a billion dollars. Two class actions have been launched in the High Court on the behalf of asylum seekers in Australia's offshore detention centres. The parallel lawsuits on behalf of asylum seekers transferred to Manus Island and Nauru by the Australian government have been initiated by the National Justice Project and lawyer Julian Burnside QC. The suits cover 1200 asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru and the plaintiffs allege they have been subjected to "torture, crimes against humanity and the intentional infliction of harm by the Australian government", the NJP said in a statement on Monday. Angry customers who serve up death threats, abuse and violence to fast-food workers are being targeted in a new campaign designed to end the disrespect. The union representing fast-food workers and retail staff, SDA, has launched the 'No One Deserves a Serve' campaign to put an end to the abuse after a survey found 87 per cent of fast-food workers had been subjected to verbal abuse or aggressive behaviour. Some of the 1000 fast-food workers surveyed reported that they had received death threats, threats of rape and had cigarettes and hot coffee thrown at them. Nearly three quarters of those who took part in the survey were women, while 41 per cent were 17 or younger. "When we talk about the abuse of fast-food workers, we're actually talking about the abuse of teenage girls," SDA national secretary Gerard Dwyer said on Monday. "The behaviour they have reported is absolutely unacceptable and it's time for it to stop. "This behaviour would never be tolerated in schools, why is it okay for young Australian workers to be abused at work?" One fast-food worker, Katrina, said a mother with a three-year-old child had screamed at her because a milkshake machine was broken. "At my restaurant a 16-year-old girl grabbed a staff member in a head lock and smashed a chicken burger into their face because it was cold," she said. "Customers have even picked up and thrown stools at staff members over the smallest things, it's gotten completely out of control." The union's campaign begins today with an advertising blitz to spread its anti-abuse message over the festive season. The brother of British backpacker Grace Millane, killed while visiting New Zealand, has paid tribute to his sister as a man accused of her murder heads to court. New Zealand police on Sunday found remains they believe are those of the Essex woman, who went missing in central Auckland on December 1 - the day before her 22nd birthday. Her brother, Declan, has since taken to social media, posting a series of photos of himself with her captioned with the lyrics to the song You Are My Sunshine. His tribute joined a stream of others online, including from the University of Lincoln where Ms Millane had graduated before heading off to travel the world. Meanwhile, a 26-year-old man allegedly seen going to a central Auckland hotel with her in what police say is the last known footage of her, is scheduled to appear in Auckland District Court on Monday. Court documents say the man - who cannot yet be named - is a resident of the CityLife Hotel, with no occupation listed, according to the NZ Herald. Officers also expected to carry out a post-mortem examination during the day and were still at the scene where the body was found, an area of dense roadside bush on Auckland's western outskirts, some 25 kilometres from the city centre. A week-long search turned into a homicide probe over the weekend, with officers earlier saying a scene examination at the hotel and video footage had concluded for Ms Millane was no longer alive. She was on the second leg of a year-long tour. After visiting Peru, she arrived alone in New Zealand last month and had been in touch with family and friends nearly daily until her disappearance. Her father, David Millane, arrived in NZ last week and made an emotional public appeal for help in finding Grace, who he described as a "lovely, outgoing, fun-loving, family-orientated daughter". Meanwhile, Tourism New Zealand, which described the death as "unimaginable", says travellers will be left concerned about what is usually considered a safe destination. Killings of strangers are rare in New Zealand, where the number of annual homicides has been below 50 since 2010. Counter-terrorism experts from around the world are in Melbourne for a three-day forum to share knowledge and develop new strategies to combat terrorist attacks. Deputy Commissioner Specialist Operations Wendy Steendam says the group will "reassess existing trends" and discuss past, present and future actions to inform their understanding of local, national and global threats. As well as NSW and Queensland representatives, the UK's Metropolitan Police, the recently retired chief of police from Edmonton in Canada and one of the victims of the Lindt cafe siege will attend, as well as a representative of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Australia's competition watchdog is launching legal action against the owners of two NSW ports over what it says is an anti-competitive deal with the state government. The ACCC on Monday confirmed it had instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against NSW Ports - which operates Port Botany and Port Kembla - for making agreements with the NSW government when they were privatised in 2013 that it alleges had an anti-competitive purpose and effect. The deal contained provisions that would effectively compensate NSW Ports if the Port of Newcastle developed a container terminal. "We are alleging that making these agreements ... is anti-competitive and illegal," ACCC chair Rod Sims said in a statement. 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". Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he won't sign up to the federal government's Gonski 2.0 school funding deal because it "short-changes" students. Mr Andrews said on Monday he would not sign up to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's package, as Catholic and independent schools were funded at 100 per cent, while government schools received 95 per cent. "Don't think Victoria is going to be signing up to any dud multi-year deal that short-changes our kids. We just won't do it," Mr Andrews told reporters, ahead of the Council of Australian Governments meeting on Wednesday where education is a key agenda item. Moving migrants to regions that want more people was considered under John Howard but the former prime minister says it was a hard problem to solve. He praised Prime Minister Scott Morrison for having the debate about migration and where to send new migrants. Mr Morrison has asked state governments to come up with regions where they want migrants to go to help guide infrastructure policies. "We did look at it. It is hard but that's an issue for the current government," Mr Howard told AAP on Tuesday. "We are a fast-growing country. Some parts of the country are suffering from congestion. "Other parts of the country might want more migrants so let us have a debate and let us develop a policy, which the prime minister is obviously going to do." Mr Howard said governments needed to be able to talk about migration without being demonised. "It ought to be possible to debate the level of the immigration intake without being accused of being racist or wanting to discriminate against people," he said. "During our time in government we cut immigration then we allowed it rise again according to economic circumstances. "We altered the composition of the intake. We gave a greater emphasis on people with skills and that was common sense." Mr Howard said turning debates over migration into questions of race or prejudice turned people off. "I think the community finds all of that frustrating. It's one of the things that makes them disillusioned," he said. A young man threw a pair of scissors at his girlfriend's head with such force that they became lodged in her skull, NSW Police say. Detectives say the 18-year-old victim asked her 21-year-old partner to pass the scissors to her at their Ashmont home near Wagga Wagga last week. Instead, he threw them at her, and the scissors became "embedded in the top of her skull", a police spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday. Paramedics were unable to remove the scissors so the woman was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to St George Hospital in Sydney. The man was charged on Monday night with reckless wounding and was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court on Tuesday. The injured woman is in good health following treatment. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Growers and advocates are placing hope in medicinal cannabis to provide a much-needed change of fortune for struggling New Zealand communities. Kiwi MPs voted through a bill on Tuesday that will see a licensing scheme set up for the research, growing and export of medical cannabis products. Hikurangi Cannabis, based in the small, remote North Island town of Ruatoria, this year became the first of a handful of commercial ventures licensed to grow for research, as several start-ups vied to get ahead of the competition in a potentially lucrative market. The company's managing director, Manu Caddie, earlier told AAP commercialisation would create 120 local jobs in a town that "desperately needs new economic development opportunities". "It's certainty going to be significant for our part of our country, in terms of job creation," he said. Local residents, in one of nation's poorest regions, had even invested more than $1 million of their own money in the venture, hoping it would pay back in work, he said. While the details of the regime will be worked out over the next year, Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell is optimistic about what the law change may mean for communities where there were already skilled cultivators of cannabis working illegally. "I would like to see New Zealand allow a domestic industry to flourish and one that is ... employing local people, people with those existing skills, people who are currently operating on the black market, he said. "I'd like to see those folks move into the legal market and shift out of being criminals." If an export regime could be formed, growers would be looking to get into Australia for a bigger market, he said. Plans to convert part of Sydney Harbour National Park into a function and wedding centre has been scrapped by the NSW government. Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton announced on Tuesday that the proposal by Gap Bluff Hospitality for the South Head development would not go ahead after a community backlash. "The community's voice has been heard loud and clear," she said in a statement. "In all, 1531 submissions were received, of which 1505 were opposed to the proposal, with 12 deemed neutral and 14 in support." Gap Bluff Hospitality had planned to restore six rundown buildings within Gap Bluff, South Head, Camp Cove and Green Point precinct in Sydney Harbour National Park. The buildings would have become function centres, catering for up to 400 people a day, with some providing short stay accommodation. Any future plans for the area must include strong collaboration between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the local community, Ms Upton said on Tuesday. An inquest into the disappearance of NSW toddler William Tyrrell will be among the first held in a new multimillion-dollar coronial facility in Sydney. The $91.5 million building opened in Lidcombe on Tuesday, replacing the existing one at Glebe which has housed inquests into the deaths of people such as Matthew Leveson, Scott Johnson, Phillip Hughes and Belinda Peisley. The three-storey building, a joint NSW Health and Department of Justice project, is the largest coroner's court and forensic medicine facility in Australia featuring four courts, a mortuary and additional rooms for counselling, private viewing and extra screening for the general public or media. There is also a focus on tranquil courtyards, natural light and artwork to calm bereaved and stressed families along with a large, white winding staircase. NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman says the high-tech facilities at the Forensic Medicine and Coroners Court Complex will enable more comprehensive and timely investigations of sudden and unexplained deaths. These include complex cases and disasters involving mass casualties, he said on Tuesday, during the official opening. The first coronial inquest will be held there in early February while William Tyrrell's disappearance will be probed before Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame for a week in March with further hearings later in the year. William was three when he vanished while playing in his grandmother's front yard at Kendall, on NSW's mid-north coast, in September 2014. Meanwhile, State Coroner Les Mabbutt will leave the top job on Friday and return to the local court as a magistrate, with Deputy State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan to act in the role until a permanent appointment is made. Barnaby Joyce hatched a secret plan to get embattled Liberal MP Craig Kelly to defect to the National Party. The former Nationals leader tried to save the staunch conservative as he faced being dumped by the Liberal Party in a bitter preselection battle. "I certainly did reach out to Craig, to say anything else is not the truth," Mr Joyce told Network Ten on Tuesday. "I always did say to him that the best option is to be preselected for the Liberal Party, quite obviously. "But if he wasn't in the Liberal Party then the worst option, I think, for our parliament was to lose him." Mr Kelly, who represents the Sydney seat of Hughes, admits it would have been an option of last resort. "I don't know if an Akubra would fit me, and the RM Williams boots are not really my style," he told Network Ten. The plan came to nothing, because Prime Minister Scott Morrison personally intervened to save Mr Kelly last week, keeping him in the Liberal Party tent. Amid a rise in reported anti-Semitic acts in the US, neo-Nazis in the state of Georgia burned a swastika on April 21, 2018 They survived the Europe of the Holocaust. But a recent rise in anti-Semitic acts in the United States has rekindled old fears: Should they again go into hiding, or should they instead reach out to share their experiences? Nearly all of them were children or adolescents in the early 1940s. They remember having their youth stolen from them -- by fear, by desperate flight, by separation from relatives, and in some cases by the Nazi death camps. If there was one country where they felt they were safe, it was the United States, where many of them have now lived for decades. They have, to be sure, heard the occasional anti-Semitic slight or perhaps seen a swastika daubed on a wall, but still they felt safe -- an all-important word for them. Now, however, these survivors -- several of whom came together in the Oheb Shalom synagogue in an affluent New Jersey suburb to celebrate Hanukkah and to mark International Holocaust Survivors Night -- are deeply worried: Anti-Semitic acts in the US soared last year by 37 percent, according to FBI statistics. The October 27 slaughter at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, where a white nationalist has been charged with gunning down 11 mostly elderly Jews as they worshiped, greatly heightened those fears. A woman stands at a memorial outside the Tree of Life synagogue after a shooting there left 11 people dead in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on October 27 "A crazy man listened to Trump," said David Lefkovic, 89, referring to the Pittsburgh shooter. As an adolescent in southwestern France during World War II, he was saved only by his blond hair from being snatched up in a round-up of Jews. Trump "calls anybody that he doesn't like 'weak' -- that's exactly Nazi language," said Adela Dubovy, who, as a 6-year-old, survived the notorious Theresienstadt concentration camp. "You're weak, you're to be destroyed." - 'It can happen again' - "Before, they were hiding," Lefkovic said of America's anti-Semites. "It's now out in the open that it's okay to pick on the Jews all over again," said Hanna Keselman, who was born in Germany in 1930 and spent much of the war in France and Italy. The anti-Semites "are very strong, even in colleges," said Roman Kent, who survived life in camps including Auschwitz. "They should have people that are more intelligent." Roman Kent, who survived life in several Nazi concentration camps, regrets that more young Jews are not stepping forward to ensure the Holocaust is never forgotten In recent weeks, anti-Semitic acts have taken place on the campuses of some of America's most prestigious universities, including Columbia and Cornell in New York state and Duke in North Carolina. Of the Pittsburgh massacre, said Kent, who took part in negotiations with Germany over compensation to be paid to Jews, "I'm afraid that it can happen again, and it will happen again." - 'I don't want to live that way'- Adela Dubovy said she has four grandchildren at various universities. She said she lives in a retirement home -- a "bubble" that insulates her to some extent. But she admits to being "scared." "Now I don't wear my Star of David. I tell my grandkids: Don't wear your kippah (yarmulke) in the street -- you don't want to be attacked." "I understand" the urge to be discreet, said Keselman, "but I would not tell my grandchildren that." "I don't want to live that way anymore... I did it. Enough of that." When she traveled back to Italy, where her father was arrested and then killed, "I purposely wore a Jewish Star of David. I felt, 'This is me back, and I feel safe here.'" Today, said the soft-spoken 88-year-old, "I want to live free and open with everyone." Keselman, a painter, is not fond of public speaking but she forces herself to meet with young people to keep alive the haunting memories that some people feel will be lost forever when the final survivors die. Roman Kent says he regrets that too few members of younger Jewish generations have picked up the torch. "If they would, then there would not be 60 or 70 percent that don't know the word Holocaust," he said. A study published in April by the Claims Conference, the group behind the International Holocaust Survivors Night, found that 49 percent of America's young "millennial" generation could not name a single concentration camp. "I realize that I do make an impact on people who are not Jewish, because they come back and tell me they never realized a lot of things that were going on" during the war, said Keselman. "The problem," she added, "is that the people who want to hear the stories are not the people who would be behaving as anti-Semites." At his Panzi hospital, Nobel Peace laureate Denis Mukwege performs reconstructive surgery on women and girls who have suffered serious internal injuries Lucie was just seven years old when the men took her. She was found the next day, naked and bleeding, on the edge of the vast forested hills of Kahuzi Biega Park, in violence-plagued eastern DR Congo. "The militants entered the family home during the night," said her mother Adeline, recalling the day that her family was touched by the terror that gripped their small village as militiamen abducted and raped dozens of girls, some barely more than babies. Lucie's injuries were so serious she was taken to Denis Mukwege. Known as "Doctor Miracle", 2018 Nobel Peace laureate Mukwege has treated thousands of women and girls brutalised in the country's lacerating conflicts. "She had several operations for two months," Adeline told AFP, in a secluded hut where she spoke alongside other mothers of victims of the three years of violence against girls in their village of Kavumu. A total of 42 girls, aged between 18 months and 12 years, were abducted by the Djeshi ya Yesu militia, or "Army of Jesus", between 2013 and 2016 in Kavumu, in the province of South Kivu. Many were taken to Mukwege. At his Panzi hospital in Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu, the doctor performs reconstructive surgery on women and girls who have suffered serious internal injuries. "It was very hard, for me and all the staff. I have never before seen people weeping while they were tending" to patients, he told AFP in a weekend interview ahead of accepting the Nobel award on Monday. "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 their 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." - Justice fight - Nobel Peace laureate Mukwege has treated thousands of women and girls brutalised in the country's lacerating conflicts Once Mukwege has staunched bleeding and rebuilt battered bodies, his focus turns to justice. Panzi's Legal Clinic, which provides forensic evidence and legal representation, took part in the trial against a provincial lawmaker and 10 militiamen who were convicted last year over the Kavumu abductions and rapes and sentenced to life in prison. The UN's peacekeeping mission in the country hailed the landmark case as a "major advance in the fight against impunity for sexual violence". The trial also provided $5,000 (4,390 euros) in compensation for each of the victims -- although the families say they still have not received anything. Around 40 cases are ongoing -- either as complaints filed or trials. Efforts to bring an end to impunity for sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo began to gather pace in 2011, when nine soldiers were convicted by a military court for ordering and carrying out mass rapes. About 60 women were raped in one night that year in the town of Fizi, some 250 kilometres south of Bukavu. Lieutenant Colonel Kibibi Mutware, two majors and a second lieutenant were sentenced to 20 years in jail for "crimes against humanity by way of rape and other inhuman and terrorist acts". Armed groups vying for control of the region's vast mineral wealth often use mass rape to terrorise the local population. Violence is again on the rise with the proliferation of armed groups since 2016 as the country's political situation became increasingly unstable. Mukwege said up to seven percent of rape victims at his hospital are now infants -- up from around three percent. "It is enormous that it is the children who are targeted by such acts. But this as well is the consequence of impunity," he said. - Fears for 'little sisters' - Tatiana Mukanire, of the national movement of survivors of sexual violence, said she had not seen much progress "because there are thousands of women who have been victims of sexual violence". The issue is a personal one for the 34-year-old, who was treated by Mukwege after she was raped in 2004. Her torturer has never been convicted. "That hurts," she said. She worries for the future of the "little sisters" of Kavumu. Some will never be able to have children. One brutalised five-year-old "screams when she pisses". And they may face stigma later in life, with potential in-laws often against sons marrying a woman who has been raped. Lucie, whose name AFP has changed to protect her identity, is now 12 and at school. Her mother said European doctors had confirmed Lucie's surgery had been done well. Adeline, 37, who has eight children, added with relief that she had been told "my little girl could be a mother in the future. We were afraid." Electricity from sugar cane now accounts for 14 percent of the Mauritius' needs and, when combined with other renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydro, provides nearly a quarter of daily consumption Far out into the Indian Ocean where it is forced to be self-reliant, the island nation of Mauritius is weaning itself off fossil fuels by turning to its main cash-crop sugar cane, for electricity. The leftover, crushed sugar cane stalks and tips -- dry fibrous material known as "bagasse" -- is burned to help power Mauritius and reduce its reliance on coal and oil. Electricity from sugar cane now accounts for 14 percent of the island's needs and, when combined with other renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydro, provides nearly a quarter of daily consumption. "The government's goal is to increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix to 35 percent by 2025," said deputy prime minister Ivan Collendavelloo who is also energy minister. "The 35 percent is not far off; we will have 11 solar parks by next year and at least two wind farms," he said. "Independent producers in the sugar industry will continue to provide the largest share of renewable electricity from bagasse," he added. In Mauritius, around 60 percent of the island's electricity is generated by four sugar companies, each running its own thermal power station In Mauritius, around 60 percent of the island's electricity is generated by four sugar companies, each running its own thermal power station. The plants run on coal for part of the year then switch to sugar cane byproducts when harvest season comes. - Power 24/7 - At the end of November, the harvest is in full swing in the fields surrounding the Omnicane company, in the south of the island. Heavy trucks pulling huge trailers are lined up next to an immense warehouse to unload their cargo of fresh-cut sugarcane. During the harvest, 8,500 tonnes are sent daily to this facility -- a total of around 900,000 tonnes for the year. The cane stalks are crushed to extract juice for sugar. They are then soaked to extract the last juice. Finally, the stalks are fed into a thermal power station The cane stalks are crushed to extract juice for sugar production. They are then soaked to extract the last juice and then heated to dry. Finally, squashed and dried, the stalks are fed into a thermal power station where they burn at 500 degrees Celsius, fuelling turbines that produce electricity for the plant and the national grid. "Electricity is available 24 hours a day, on demand, without having to wait for the wind or the sun, since we can store bagasse as we would oil and coal," said Jacques D'Unienville, Omnicane's manager. And the carbon dioxide greenhouse gas produced by the burning? It is captured, according to D'Unienville, and used to add the fizz to soft drinks. - Cloud on horizon - However there are clouds on the horizon in the form of a drop in sugar prices since the European Union ended quotas in 2017, and increases in production in Thailand, Brazil and India, which together have put pressure on the island's farmers. Jacqueline Sauzier, secretary general of the Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture said falling sugar prices were "a fatal blow to the local sugar industry." "The number of small farmers has fallen from 26,000 in 2010 to 13,000 in 2018," said Agriculture Minister Mahen Kumar Seeruttun. The question is whether Mauritius will be able to produce enough sugar cane to meet its target for renewable, bagasse-based electricity. Some sugar producers are hoping that preferential treatment might provide an answer. "Mauritius is a small, vulnerable island. We do not have the capacity of Thailand, Brazil and India, but we are an efficient producer because we value the entire sugar production chain," said D'Unienville. "We need protected access to preferential markets. Small countries should have quotas as a priority because we are very vulnerable," he said. The beleaguered opposition's leader Khaleda Zia has been jailed for corruption and barred from running in December's general election Bangladesh's opposition party Sunday said nearly 2,000 of its supporters have been arrested on trumped-up charges in a crackdown aimed at derailing its campaign just weeks from a general election. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which is seeking to unseat Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 30, said at least 1,972 party officials and grassroots campaigners had been detained since the election was announced a month ago. The arrests are yet another blow for a beleaguered opposition whose leader Khaleda Zia has been jailed for corruption and barred from running against arch-rival Hasina, who is seeking a third consecutive term. The opposition boycotted the 2014 election, saying it was rigged against Zia in favour of Hasina and her ruling Awami League party. BNP spokesman Rizvi Ahmed told AFP the majority of party cadres rounded up since late November in the police sweep were still behind bars. "They have filed hundreds of ghost, or fictitious cases, against our party workers and leaders," he said. Another party official said at least 11 opposition candidates had also been detained before official campaigning begins Monday. "Six of them are still in the jail," said the official, who declined to be named. Police have said those arrested had outstanding warrants or were wanted over alleged connections to ongoing cases. Ahmed denied this, saying the crackdown was a political "blueprint" by the ruling party to intimidate its opponents. "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," he said. The opposition also accused police officials in Chittagong, a southern city, of campaigning on behalf of the Awami League. Police in the port city denied the allegations. The arrests further hinder an already battered alliance of opposition parties, led by the BNP, which have seen their core leadership jailed on charges they say are fabricated. Zia, a two-time former prime minister and friend-turned-foe to Hasina, was last month ordered by a court to stay behind bars for a decade for graft. Her supporters say the charges are politically motivated to stymie Hasina's chief political threat. Zia's son, a potential heir to the BNP throne, was sentenced in absentia to life behind bars while hundreds of other loyalists have been arrested or jailed, party officials say. Just a month from the polls, the BNP has not announced an alternative candidate to run against Hasina, whose rule has been marred by allegations of rights abuses and intolerance for dissent. Bangladesh has been led by either Zia or Hasina since the 1990s and the two powerful women have turned from close allies to fierce enemies. Hasina has refused to allow a caretaker government to oversee the country during the campaign period. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has decided to stay away from a Saudi-hosted summit of Arab Gulf leaders despite receiving an invite from Riyadh amid a deep 18-month-old dispute between the neighbouring countries Qatar's emir skipped a summit in Saudi Arabia on Sunday with fellow Arab Gulf leaders whose boycott of the small but energy-flush neighbour has sparked a major regional diplomatic row. Riyadh is hosting the annual gathering as crises rumble on over the 18-month-old dispute with Doha, the war in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul. The regional powerhouse had invited Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to attend the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council talks, but the foreign ministry in Doha said he would not go. Instead Qatar was represented by the minister of state for foreign affairs, Sultan al-Muraikhi, it said. Saudi forces guard the Diriya Palace in Riyadh during a Gulf Cooperation Council summit on December 9, 2018 Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, severed diplomatic ties with Doha in 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism and fostering close ties with their regional rival Iran. Doha -- which announced this month it was quitting the Saudi-dominated OPEC oil cartel -- denies the allegations, but the dispute has dragged on. Speaking at the summit, Saudi King Salman accused Iran of "continuing to interfere in the affairs of the countries in the region". He stressed the importance of the GCC and the need to "defend, in collaboration with our partners, security and stability in the Gulf". Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is under mounting pressure over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate The summit's final declaration included a call for "unity", but did not explicitly mention the Qatar crisis. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesman blasted the communique on Twitter for "not evoking the blockade of Qatar and the means of resolving it". The GCC was formed in 1981 at the height of the Iraq-Iran war and two years after the Islamic revolution in Tehran sparked concern in Sunni-led Gulf states, many of which have sizable Shiite populations, including in Bahrain. GCC secretary general Abdullatif al-Zayani has said the summit would review ties with Iran after the US reimposed an oil embargo and other sanctions on Tehran following Washington's withdrawal from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. - Saudi prince under pressure - Saudi Arabia, along with allies the UAE and Bahrain, accuses Tehran of fomenting unrest among Shiites in the Gulf, and has backed the US in piling pressure on Iran. This contrasts with Kuwait and Oman which prefer normalising ties with the Islamic republic. The war in Yemen has killed around 10,000 people since 2015, according to the World Health Organization The meeting comes as delegations from Yemen's Saudi-backed government and Iran-linked Shiite rebels hold UN-brokered peace talks in Sweden. Yemen's capital has been held since 2014 by Huthi rebels who drove the government out and seized a string of ports. The Yemeni government, based in the southern port city of Aden, has fought to push back the rebels with support from a military coalition led by Riyadh and the UAE. King Salman defended the coalition's intervention in Yemen and called for a "political solution" in the impoverished country. The conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since 2015 when the coalition intervened, according to the World Health Organization, though some rights groups say the toll could be five times higher. The UN calls it the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with as many as 20 million Yemenis facing acute food shortages. Murdered Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was a former Saudi royal insider turned critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Pressure has been piling up on Riyadh to ease off its offensive, particularly an assault launched in June on the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, a key lifeline for aid entering Yemen. The summit comes with Saudi Arabia and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under mounting pressure over the murder of Washington Post columnist Khashoggi. A critic of the crown prince, Khashoggi was killed by a hit squad in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 in what the kingdom described as a rogue operation. Riyadh has steadfastly denied claims the grisly murder of the Saudi journalist was ordered by Prince Mohammed. The aftermath of a suicide car bombing in front of a police station in the Iranian city of Chabahar on December 06, 2018 Iranian police said Sunday that 10 people had been arrested in connection with a suicide attack in southeastern Iran that killed two police officers. Jihadist separatist group Ansar al-Furqan has claimed responsibility for Thursday's assault in which an explosives-laden car was driven into a police station in the port city of Chabahar. The authorities have rejected the claim of responsibility for the attack, relatively rare in Iran, which also injured around 40 people. Police chief Hossein Ashtari said 10 people had been arrested, according to the conservative Fars news agency, without giving any details. Ansar al-Furqan released a photo of the alleged suicide bomber on Saturday, identified as Abdullah Aziz, according to the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist activities. Sistan-Baluchistan province has faced decades-long insurgencies by Pakistan-based Baluchi separatists and Sunni Muslim extremists. Iran has blamed the United States and Tehran's regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Israel, for supporting the insurgent groups. Devotees clad in saffron filled a huge parade ground in the Indian capital under tight security Tens of thousands of hardline Hindu protesters marched in New Delhi on Sunday, calling for a grand temple to be built on the ruins of a destroyed mosque in a flashpoint Indian city. Trident-waving devotees clad in saffron filled a huge parade ground in the Indian capital under tight security, where speakers warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi they would not let up until the temple was sanctioned. Some of Modi's supporters feel the Hindu nationalist leader has not done enough to raise a shrine at a site in Ayodhya, a city believed by many to be the birthplace of the deity Ram. The site was home to a medieval mosque for 460 years until Hindu zealots tore it down in 1992, kicking off riots across India that left thousands dead, most of them Muslims. Its future has been tied up in courts for decades but some hardliners want Modi, who is seeking reelection in 2019, to push parliament to guarantee the temple by law. "The gathering here is telling you that Hindus won't sit back until the temple is built, and our wishes are respected," said Champat Rai, the leader of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) group that organised the protest. Demonstrators chanting "Praise be to Ram" packed the Ramlila Maidan, a vast ground capable of holding more than 50,000 people, and filled the surrounding streets. Some carried maces and tridents -- weapons traditionally wielded by Hindu gods -- and travelled great distances by train and bus to reach the rally. "We have come here to protect our religion and Hindu pride. We want a temple for our Lord Ram," Hitesh Bharadwaj, a teacher from Delhi's satellite city Noida, told AFP. The hardline VHP has applied pressure on Modi in recent weeks, staging a huge show of force in Ayodhya itself last month. A close ally of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the group is spearheading a push to raise the Ram temple, and is calling for more protests as the premier prepares to go to the polls by May. The BJP was on the margins until the 1980s when its top leaders, including Modi, backed a growing movement for the construction of the Ram temple. Its advocates want parliament to introduce a law bypassing legal hurdles blocking the temple before Modi's term ends. The Supreme Court has delayed hearings into the disputed site but hardliners have vowed to lay a foundation stone next year regardless. "We don't care about the courts. A grand temple will be constructed in 2019," Sushil Chawdhary, a VHP leader, told AFP. Two soldiers were killed when suspected Boko Haram fighters loyal to factional leader Abubakar Shekau attacked a military base in northeast Nigeria, security sources told AFP on Sunday. The twin gun and suicide attacks happened early Saturday evening at Gulumba village, in the Bama district of Borno state. The use of human bombs is a hallmark of the Shekau faction, which is known to operate in the area. Last month, Shekau released a video claiming attacks against troops in Gulumba. "We lost two soldiers and two more were injured in the attack by the Shekau faction," said one military source. "The terrorists came in nine gun trucks with a suicide bomber at about 5:50 pm (1650 GMT) and attacked the base." A second source said the suicide bomber tried to infiltrate the base but was "neutralised" by troops. He also said two soldiers were killed and two others were injured. "The terrorists faced stiff resistance and were forced to withdraw," he added. Neither source wanted to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media. Attacks by fighters loyal to Shekau have reduced considerably in recent months, which sources attribute to the firebrand leader's ill health. Instead, the IS-backed Boko Haram faction Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has been blamed or claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks against the military since July. ISWAP split from Shekau's faction in mid-2016 in protest at the latter's indiscriminate targeting of civilians, and pledged to hit only "hard" military or government targets. AFP has reported 22 other attacks on military bases since mid-July, including two last Thursday and Friday in the Rann and Bama areas of Borno. Eight soldiers were killed in an attack on December 1 in the village of Buni Gari, in neighbouring Yobe state. The attacks have increased pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari, who was elected in 2015 on a promise to defeat the Islamists and has repeatedly said they are virtually defeated. Also on Saturday, three civilians were killed in fighting between troops and ISWAP in Jakana, 30 kilometres (nearly 20 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri. More than 27,000 people have been killed since 2009 and 1.8 million are still homeless. The fighting has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the wider Lake Chad region. Bongo met with Morocco's King Mohamed VI (L) at the military hospital in the capital Rabat where the Gabon leader was recovering Gabon's President Ali Bongo, out of the country since falling ill in October, suffered a stroke, his vice president said, providing the first official details of his illness. The 59-year-old leader left hospital in Morocco earlier this month and is recovering at a private residence in the capital Rabat after weeks of silence about his condition. Vice President Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou said Bongo had suffered a cerebrovascular accident or CVA, commonly known as a stroke. "Nobody should rejoice over the death or illness of another, those who have never known a CVA, pray to God that they never know one," Moussavou said in a speech in Franceville in the south of the country on Saturday. "I would not wish it on anyone, not even my worst enemy." A lack of official news after Bongo fell ill at an economic forum in Saudi Arabia on October 24 sparked speculation the Gabonese leader was incapacitated or even dead. The vice president was part of a delegation of high-ranking officials who visited Bongo on Tuesday in Morocco, where he flew at the end of November after a stay in hospital in Riyadh. A presidential spokesman had initially talked briefly of severe fatigue when referring to Bongo's illness. Official statements did not give details of his condition, though some sources had referred to a possible stroke. A photograph of Bongo and two videos without sound have been published since his arrival in Morocco, further fuelling rumours about his state of health. The Bongo family has governed the oil-rich equatorial African nation for five decades and long maintained close ties with former colonial master France. Diplomatic ties cooled after Ali Bongo was elected in 2009 following his father's death and French authorities launched a corruption investigation into the family's assets. The arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who faces US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, has infuriated Beijing China summoned the US ambassador on Sunday to protest the "extremely bad" arrest of telecom giant Huawei's chief financial officer in Canada and demand that the United States drop its extradition request. The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, who faces US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, has infuriated Beijing, threatening to disrupt a trade war truce between China and the United States. Meng -- the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, a former engineer in China's People's Liberation Army -- is in custody as she awaits a Canadian court's decision on bail on Monday. Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned US ambassador Terry Branstad one day after he called in Canadian envoy John McCallum to voice China's displeasure. "Le Yucheng pointed out that the US side has seriously violated the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, and the nature of the violation is extremely bad," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The Chinese side firmly opposes this and strongly urges the United States to attach great importance to China's solemn and just position," it said. China also urged the United States to "take immediate measures to correct wrong practices, and revoke the arrest warrant against the Chinese citizen. The statement warned that Beijing would make an unspecified "further response" in light of the US actions. The Yemeni conflict has left 14 million people on the brink of starvation Yemen's Huthi rebels are open to more talks with the rival government if progress is made this week at UN-brokered negotiations in Sweden, a spokesman said on Sunday. 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 fight against the rebels. The conflict has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. "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. Abdelsalam, who heads the rebel delegation, spoke on the sidelines of UN-brokered talks in the rural village of Rimbo, where warring Yemeni parties are gathered. Among the issues under discussion in Sweden are potential humanitarian corridors, a prisoner swap, the reopening of the defunct Sanaa international airport, and Hodeida, the rebel-held port city at the heart of a government offensive. Two government delegates on Sunday said their representatives had met face-to-face on the prisoner swap, which had been agreed to by both parties before the Sweden talks. A UN official confirmed a "committee" meeting on Sunday on the prisoner swap. The International Committee of the Red Cross will oversee the exchange. Officials do not aim for a ceasefire at the talks, which are scheduled to wrap up on Thursday or Friday. A member of the government delegation told journalists Saturday a suspension of military operations was not on the table. Abdelsalam reiterated his group's call for the reopening of Sanaa international airport, closed save for a few select aid flights for nearly three years now. Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani on Saturday told AFP his team had proposed the main airport be relocated to Aden, the southern city that serves as a government bastion. Government representatives, rebel spokesmen and UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths have all said the talks are not intended to reach a political solution to the conflict, which gained renewed attention in the uproar over the killing of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Murad and Mukwege will be jointly presented with the prize in Oslo on Monday for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict" Nobel peace laureates Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege said Sunday they hoped their award would help them push the international community to act to end rape in conflict and deliver justice for victims. Yazidi activist Murad and Congolese doctor Mukwege will be jointly presented with the prize in Oslo on Monday for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict". Murad, 25, who was taken hostage in Iraq by the Islamic State group (IS) in 2014 but escaped, said the prize was an honour for all of her Yazidi community, and "a sign" for the thousands of women still held by jihadists. "This prize, one prize cannot remove all the violence and all the attacks on pregnant women, on children, on women and give them justice," she told a press conference in Oslo. But she said she hoped it would "open doors so that we can approach more governments", to bring the perpetrators to court and "so that we can find a solution and actually stop what is happening". Fellow laureate Mukwege, who has spent two decades treating rape victims at his hospital in conflict-torn eastern DR Congo, said the Nobel spotlight made it harder for the world to ignore sexual violence. "We cannot say that we didn't act because we didn't know. Now everyone knows. And I think now the international community has a responsibility to act," he said. He said the prize was not a "victory", but could be seen "as the start of a new struggle, a new struggle against this type of evil". Murad has spent the years since her escape campaigning for the Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking community that follows an ancient religion and was targeted by IS as it swept through her homeland. More than 6,800 Yazidis were kidnapped, of whom 4,300 either escaped or were bought as slaves, while 2,500 remain missing, according to a recent report from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). The United Nations is due to send a team into Iraq next year to investigate atrocities, following a Security Council resolution in September 2017 to bring those responsible for IS war crimes to justice. The UN has described the massacre of the Yazidis by IS jihadists as possible genocide. Murad, now a UN ambassador for victims of human trafficking living in Germany, said the "steps towards justice" had given her hope. But she stressed that "not a single ISIS terrorist" has appeared in court, adding "this injustice will continue in this world if it is not dealt with now". Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the incoming House Judiciary Committee, said on December 9, 2018 that if new allegations against US President Donald Trump are proven, they would be 'impeachable' A key Democratic lawmaker said Sunday that if new allegations against US President Donald Trump are proven, they would amount to "an impeachable offense." As the incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Jerrold Nadler would play a central role should the new Congress, now with a Democratic majority in the House, move to open impeachment proceedings. Asked on CNN's "State of the Union" whether federal court filings Friday alleging that Trump directed his personal attorney to make illegal hush-money payments to two women constituted impeachable offenses, Nadler said "They would be," if proven. But as he and other Democrats wrestle with the politically explosive question of how to respond to the investigations touching Trump and his inner circle -- including the question of possible collusion with Russia before the 2016 election -- they cautioned that much remains unknown. "You don't necessarily launch an impeachment against the president because he committed an impeachable offense," Nadler said. The alleged offenses must be proven, and their gravity be found sufficient to act, he added. - 'We have reached a new level' - Even if the House should take the exceedingly rare step of launching impeachment proceedings, Trump's Republicans control the Senate, where the final and decisive vote would take place. A Senate Democrat, Chris Murphy, echoed Nadler in cautioning that "it's important to get the full report from the special investigator," Robert Mueller. But Murphy then emphasized the seriousness of the allegations leveled Friday by Mueller and separately by federal prosecutors in New York. "We have reached a new level in the investigation," the Connecticut senator said on ABC's "This Week." "This is a president named as a co-conspirator -- allegations he committed at least two felonies to try to manipulate the 2016 election." "I think you are beyond the stage that led to impeachment proceedings against President Clinton," he said, later adding, "The president stepped into the territory that ultimately led to President Nixon resigning." Clinton was impeached by the House in 1998 but acquitted by the Senate; Nixon resigned in 1974 as impeachment loomed. - 'No way to spin this' - "This investigation is now starting to put the president in serious legal cross-hairs," Murphy said. "He should be worried. The whole country should be worried." A prominent Republican senator, Marco Rubio, was more cautious, even while restating his support for the Mueller investigation. Americans, Rubio said on ABC, need "all the facts and information" before making judgments. Still, he conceded that the legal filings and other reporting paint a dark picture, indicating several people in Trump's campaign team had contacts with Russia, despite the president's earlier denials. "There's no way to spin this. This is not a positive development for the people involved," Rubio said. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, was cautious about the possibility of impeachment but suggested that Trump might face additional jeopardy. "There's a very real prospect that on the day Donald Trump leaves office the Justice Department may indict him," he said on CBS's "Face the Nation," alluding to the fact that many legal scholars do not believe a sitting president can be indicted. "He may be the first president in quite some time to face the real prospect of jail time." US President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping dined together in Buenos Aires the same day that a top Huawei executive was arrested in Canada at the request of US prosecutors President Donald Trump had not been informed about the arrest of Chinese telecom giant Huawei's chief financial officer when he dined with China's Xi Jinping, a top White House official said Sunday. "He did not know and he had no reaction afterwards," White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on "Fox News Sunday," denying reports Trump was "livid" that the arrest took place while he was at dinner with Xi. "He didn't know. I will just state that unequivocally," Kudlow repeated. "He learned way later, by the way. Way later." Meng Wanzhou, 46, was arrested in Vancouver, Canada at the request of US prosecutors on December 1, the same day Trump dined with Xi on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Buenos Aires. She is suspected of having lied to several banks about a Huawei affiliate in order to gain access to the Iranian market between 2009 and 2014 in violation of US sanctions. US National Security Advisor John Bolton initially told public radio network NPR that the White House had been warned about the arrest but, according to CBS, a spokesman for him later contradicted that assertion. Meng's arrest infuriated Chinese authorities who have demanded she be released. The affair could complicate trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing, which were set in motion December 1 after Trump and Xi met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires and agreed to a truce in their trade war. They have agreed to allow 90 days for negotiations on a deal to resolve their differences. US officials have said they doubted the Huawei situation would derail the talks. "It's my view that it shouldn't really have much of an impact," Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative in charge of the China negotiations, told CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday. "That is a criminal justice matter. It is totally separate from anything that I work on or anything that trade policy people in the administration work on. So for us it's criminal justice." This file photo from October 1, 2018 shows US trade representative Robert Lighthizer (L), who is leading trade talks with China, standing next to President Donald Trump and Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner The US negotiator in charge of trade talks with China said Sunday he considers March 1 to be a "hard deadline" for reaching an agreement that would avert an intensifying trade war. "As far as I'm concerned it's a hard deadline," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "When I talk to the president of the United States, he's not talking about going beyond March 1, he's talking about getting a deal if there is a deal to be gotten in the next 90 days." Lighthizer also said that he did not expect the arrest in Canada of a top Chinese executive, Meng Wanzhou of telecom giant Huawei, to interfere with the trade talks. "It shouldn't really have much of an impact," he said. "I can understand from the Chinese perspective how they would see it that way. That is a criminal justice matter. It is totally separate from anything that I work on." - Clarity on deadline - China has strongly protested the arrest and the US demand that Meng be extradited over allegations that Huawei has violated US sanctions against Iran. The arrest shook investors and rattled the markets amid fears it could reignite US-Chinese trade tensions just as a new truce had been declared. Since taking office, Trump has waged an often-fierce offensive against Chinese trade practices, which he regularly brands as "unfair." He has particularly denounced the forced transfer of technology to China by foreign firms seeking to do business there, as well as the country's weak protections of intellectual property rights. At the end of a dinner in Buenos Aires on the margins of the recent G20 summit there, Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping said they had agreed to put on hold the months-long trade war that has resulted in billions of dollars in tariffs being imposed on imported goods. Washington gave Beijing a deadline of March 1 to achieve concrete results and suspend the imposition of 25 percent customs tariffs -- rather than the current 10 percent -- on $200 billion in imported Chinese products. In exchange, the Chinese agreed, somewhat vaguely, to purchase more American products and to work to reduce the enormous trade gap (around $335 billion in China's favor) that so irritates the US president. It was Lighthizer, a veteran of complex trade negotiations and a hawk on trade issues with China, who was tabbed to lead the American team in the talks. His remarks Sunday appeared to bring clarity after mixed signals from the administration, including a suggestion from Trump about possibly extending the truce. "The negotiations with China have already started," Trump said in a Twitter message Tuesday. "Unless extended, they will end 90 days from the date of our wonderful and very warm dinner with President Xi in Argentina." dt/sl/jm/bbk/jm Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir speaks during in the capital Riyadh during a summit of Gulf Cooperation Council states on December 9, 2018 Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Sunday rejected demands to extradite suspects connected to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as sought by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We do not extradite our citizens," Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh at the end of a summit of Gulf Cooperation Council states. Erdogan has repeatedly called on Saudi Arabia to hand over suspects in the killing of the dissident journalist. Khashoggi, a Saudi contributor to the Washington Post, was killed shortly after entering the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on October 2. A Turkish court on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for former Saudi intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and former adviser to the royal court Saud al-Qahtani, at the request of Istanbul's chief prosecutor. 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 its consulate. "The Turkish authorities have not been as forthcoming as we believe they should have been," said Jubeir, saying Riyadh was presented with information that had already been leaked to the media. "We have asked our friends in Turkey to provide us with evidence that we can use in a court of law. We have not received it in the manner that it should have been received." According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi. 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. The Turkish leader insisted last weekend during a trip to South America that Riyadh hand over the suspects, but said the kingdom was not cooperating. 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. 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. Qahtani was among 17 Saudi officials targeted by sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department in mid-November for "his role in preparing for the operation" against the journalist. The Yemeni conflict has left 14 million people on the brink of starvation 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. In September rebel political leaders refused to attend talks in Switzerland 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 - Hodeida is the traditional conduit for 90 percent of food imports to impoverished Yemen 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. 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. Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the Yemeni government's fight against the rebels in 2015 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' - Yemen emergency 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. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir arrives for a press conference at the Diriya Palace in the Saudi capital Riyadh during the Gulf Cooperation Council summit on December 9, 2018 Arab countries are in talks with the United States for a new security agreement to protect the Middle East from "external aggression", Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Sunday. "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 said. The Saudi minister was talking at a news conference at the end of a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh. Asked about reports of talks on the creation of an Arab-American military alliance against Iran, he said: "Talks are continuing between the United States and the Gulf states around this question and ideas are being drawn up". "It's a work in progress and the two parties want to see it happen," said Jubeir, adding that the alliance would include Egypt and be called the Middle East Strategic Alliance, or MESA. Media reports have indicated in recent months that an Arab-American anti-Iranian alliance could emerge, and that it would be similar to NATO. A photo from by Syria's official news agency September 15, 2018 reportedly shows air defence responding to missiles targeting Damascus airport; a similar attack was apparently not underway December 9, 2018 after the agency withdrew an earlier report Syrian state media said Sunday that air defences 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 air strikes in neighbouring Syria against what it says are Iranian targets, many of them in the area south of Damascus. Iran and Russia are the government's key allies in the civil war that has raged Syria since 2011, and Moscow's 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 air strike on September 17 killed 15 service personnel. Moscow pinned responsibility for the downing on Israel, saying its fighter jet used the larger Russian one 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 Iran's 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. An Iraqi man waves his national flag in Baghdad's Tahrir Square on December 10, 2017, during a gathering celebrating the end of the three-year war against the Islamic State (IS) group A year since Iraq announced "victory" over the Islamic State group, the country finds itself in the throes of political and economic crises left unresolved during the long battle against jihadists. Unified against the common menace of IS, Iraq's political elites are now at loggerheads over the drawn-out formation of a cabinet as the threat of renewed popular protests looms. Iraq is no stranger to instability. It fought an eight-year war with Iran in the 1980s, then a conflict over Kuwait followed by a crippling international embargo and the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. A sectarian war ensued, capped in 2014 by IS's devastating sweep across a third of the country. Backed by a US-led international coalition, Iraqi troops and paramilitary forces battled the jihadists for three years, until Baghdad finally declared it had won in December 2017. After decades of nearly back-to-back wars, Iraq's decision-makers are now forced to face deep-rooted dilemmas left festering for years. "In Iraq you've seen many 'missions accomplished'," said Renad Mansour, senior fellow at Chatham House in London. "But as usual, the much more challenging victory is the political victory -- which has always been left for another day." Five months after Baghdad declared its win, the country held legislative elections that did not produce a clear governing coalition. Then-prime minister Haider al-Abadi failed to hold on to his position despite claiming credit for victory, as people turned to populist parties who tapped anger over corruption. The ongoing power struggle among various parties has stymied efforts by new premier Adel Abdel Mahdi, widely seen as a weak consensus candidate, to form a government. - 'Little to celebrate' - In October, Abdel Mahdi managed to fill 14 of the cabinet's 22 posts, but repeated efforts to hold a parliamentary vote on the remaining eight, including the key interior and defence ministries, have failed. "The distribution of power, the race to acquire as many government positions as possible under the guise of real competition between parties -- that is at the root of the problem," Iraqi political analyst Jassem Hanoun told AFP. "Iraq is still living in a transition period, without political stability or a clear administrative vision for the country." As the process drags on, observers have wondered whether Abdel Mahdi could step down, further destabilising a country just getting back on its feet. "Withdrawal is an option," a source close to the government said, adding that Abdel Mahdi "has his resignation letter in his back pocket". "Only if the political situation gets significantly worse can I see him taking it out of his pocket and using it," the source said. But the thorny issues facing Iraq extend beyond the capital. Much of the country remains in ruins after three years of ferocious fighting, including large swathes of one-time IS capital Mosul and the northern Sinjar region. An international summit in Kuwait in February gathered around $30 billion in pledges for Iraq's reconstruction -- less than a third of what Baghdad hoped to receive. 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. "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 NRC's head Jan Egeland. - 'Disaster' - Violence has dropped across Iraq, according to the United Nations, which recorded the lowest casualty figures in six years in November with 41 civilians killed. But the threat of hit-and-run attacks lingers. A recent study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that while the total number of IS attacks in Iraq had dropped in 2018, those against government targets had increased compared to 2017. Observers are also worried that the bitter squabbles among Iraqi's political forces could turn violent. "Because of the divisions among the parties, anything is possible," Hanoun said. One scenario would be a conflict among the country's competing Shiite Muslim factions, which he said would be a "disaster". But another major fault line divides Iraq's entrenched politicians and an increasingly frustrated public. Deadly protests in the summer of 2017 saw tens of thousands turn out over unemployment, a lack of public services, and accusations of corruption. Rampant power cuts mean millions of Iraqis have just a few hours of state-provided electricity per day. The country is ranked the 12th most corrupt in the world, according to the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Protest leaders have threatened a return to the streets if these issues, as well as the political stalemate, are not resolved. "There's certainly a conflict within the Shiite camp, but the biggest conflict will be between the people and the whole system," said Mansour. "Summertime will be a test for Abdel Mahdi." The 26-year-old was broadcasting himself playing a popular shoot-'em'-up game when the alleged assault happened A Sydney gamer heard on a livestream allegedly hitting a woman was charged with assault by Australian police Monday, after the incident went viral on social media. The 26-year-old was using the Twitch video platform to broadcast himself playing the popular shoot-'em-up survival game Fortnite when the alleged assault happened on Sunday night. Footage shared on Twitter showed the man, who was not named, shouting to someone offscreen "I said I'll be out soon" before moving away from the computer monitor. A woman's voice is later heard saying "woman basher" and yells "you hit me in the face, don't you dare touch my face, you hear that, all you people there?" The argument continues, with further yelling and crying offscreen as the man moves to and from his monitor and shouts "leave me alone". In a second video, more yelling is heard between the pair as a child nearby cries. Both videos were retweeted thousands of times on Twitter. New South Wales state police said someone watching the live feed called officers, who arrested the man at his home in the southwest Sydney suburb of Oran Park on Sunday. He was charged with common assault and bailed to appear in court on Thursday. Police also served him with an order which prohibits him from harassing, threatening and intimidating behaviour. Police added that two girls -- aged three and 20 months -- were in the home at the time. The 21-year-old woman was "not seriously injured" but was "distressed and shaken by the incident", they added in a statement. Local media reported that she was either his partner or wife. Japan's Emperor Akihito will hand over to his son Crown Prince Naruhito on May 1 More than 200 Japanese citizens, including members of Christian groups and Buddhist monks, sued the government Monday over its plan to use taxpayer money for ceremonies next year to mark the new emperor's enthronement. About 240 people have joined a lawsuit filed at Tokyo District Court, arguing that funding what they say are religious ceremonies from the national budget violates the constitutional separation of religion and state. It is believed to be the first suit of its kind filed over Crown Prince Naruhito's ascent to the Chrysanthemum throne, set for May 1, the day after his father Emperor Akihito abdicates. The budget for next year's ceremonies has not been made public but the government has said it will follow precedent. Koichi Shin, one of the plaintiffs, said the ceremonies in 1990 -- after Akihito ascended the throne -- cost around 12.3 billion yen at the time ($108 million at the current exchange rate). The suit comes after Prince Akishino, the emperor's younger son, issued rare public criticism of the government over plans to spend state funds on religious rites related to Naruhito's enthronement. Speaking at a press conference late last month, Akishino said the Daijosai ritual that will take place in November next year "has a highly religious nature." "I wonder if it is appropriate to finance this highly religious thing with state funds," he said. The plaintiffs are seeking to suspend the spending of state funds for rituals including the Daijosai -- a prayer for a bountiful harvest and for peace -- Shin told AFP. "These are religious ceremonies based on imperial Shintoism," a highly ritualistic form of an ancient Japanese religion, Shin said. A lawyer representing the plaintiffs, who requested not to be identified, said although the main logic in the lawsuit is separation of religion and state, "this is also an opportunity to question the relationship between the emperor and the Japanese people." The plaintiffs are also seeking damages of 10,000 yen ($90) each for emotional distress over the issue, he said. Similar suits were filed against the government when Akihito was enthroned upon the death of his father Emperor Hirohito in 1989. All the cases at that time were thrown out, but one upper court said it cannot deny the suspicion that some ceremonies violate the principle of separation of religion and state. "At the last enthronement, some 1,700 plaintiffs filed lawsuits, and there was a certain public support," Shin said. After the May enthronement, the government also plans to hold two major ceremonies, one in October and the other in November, following the example of 30 years ago. Philippine's Ambassador to the US Jose Romualdez visited the bells at a Wyoming air base with US Defense Secretary James Mattis earlier this year, after the US announced they would be returned Church bells seized from the Philippines by the US as war trophies over a century ago were returned on Tuesday, in a bid to turn the page on a difficult chapter between the historical allies. Returning the three so-called Balangiga bells meets a decades-old demand from the former US colony at a time when the two nations' ties have been rattled by President Rodrigo Duterte's pivot to China. An American military plane delivered the bells to a Manila airfield, where Philippine and American officials gathered ahead of a symbolic handover ceremony set for later Tuesday. The bells were said to have signalled a surprise attack by machete-wielding Filipino revolutionaries that killed 48 US troops on September 28, 1901 in the central town of Balangiga. In reprisal, the US commander Jacob Smith ordered the surrounding island of Samar be turned into a "howling wilderness" and that all Filipino males aged 10 or above be killed. Thousands of Filipinos were slaughtered, the town was razed and the bells were carted off as trophies. Two had been on display at a US air base in Wyoming and the other in South Korea. The return of the bells has been divisive with some US veterans and lawmakers, who see them as a tribute to fallen American troops while the Philippines hails them as a symbol of its struggle for independence. - 'Right thing to do' - American officials have emphasised the return is an important step in closing a painful chapter between the two nations, which have close military, cultural and trade ties. Manila's push for the bells' repatriation began in the 1990s and has had backing from Philippine presidents as well as from the Catholic Church and historians. Duterte, 73, bluntly called on Washington in a 2017 speech to "Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are not yours," as he rattled his nation's close alliance with the US. Within months of winning the presidency in mid-2016 he signalled his intention to split from the Philippines' former colonial master and end a standoff with Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. Duterte's supporters have claimed his willingness to stand up to American influence was key to the bells' return, but experts cautioned the process was much more complicated. "No single president can claim credit to it," Francis Gealogo, history professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, told AFP. "The credit should be given to the Filipino people who campaigned vigorously and actively." A key factor was also major American veterans' associations, including the largest group Veterans of Foreign Wars, dropping their opposition to the bells being given back. "The return of the bells would be 'the right thing to do'", said a resolution the group approved in July calling on the US government to return them. Furey and two promiment critics of extremism in Islam say they are "shocked" and dismayed to have received notices by Twitter this past week over alleged violations of Islamabad's laws, despite having no apparent connection to the South Asian country When Canadian columnist Anthony Furey received an email said to be from Twitter's legal team telling him he may have broken a slew of Pakistani laws, his first instinct was to dismiss it as spam. But after Googling the relevant sections of Pakistan's penal code, the Toronto Sun op-ed editor was startled to learn he stood accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammad -- a crime punishable by death in the Islamic republic -- and Twitter later confirmed the correspondence was genuine. His perceived offense was to post cartoons of the prophet several years ago. Furey and two prominent critics of extremism in Islam say they are "shocked" to have received notices by the social media giant this past week over alleged violations of Islamabad's laws, despite having no apparent connection to the South Asian country. They say the notices amount to an effort to stifle their voices -- a charge Twitter denies, arguing the notices came about as a result of "valid requests from an authorized entity," understood to mean Pakistan, helped users "to take measures to protect their interests," and the process is not unique to any one country. But Furey is the third prominent user in the space of days to publicly complain about receiving a message linked to Pakistan. The other two are Saudi-Canadian activist Ensaf Haidar and Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, a progressive Muslim scholar from Australia who was born in Iran. Both are outspoken critics of religious extremism and have accused the social media giant of helping to silence progressive ideas within Islam. - ' Validates blasphemy laws' - Furey, who detailed his experience in a column for his newspaper on Saturday, told AFP: "I'm somewhat alarmed that Twitter would even allow a country to make a complaint like this, as it almost validates their absurd blasphemy laws." The tweet in question was a collage of cartoons of Mohammad that he posted four years ago. "Looking back, I remember I did it right after there had been an ISIS-inspired attack in retaliation over the cartoons," Furey wrote in his column, adding he had not posted similar material before or since. Haidar, who is the wife of Saudi writer Raif Badawi who was jailed in his country in 2012 for charges including apostasy, told AFP: "I'm very shocked by Twitter. They want to silence any voice telling the truth." Twitter wrote to her concerning an August tweet which showed a woman wearing the Islamic full veil, with the caption: "Retweet if you're against niqab." A notice sent to her and seen by AFP advised her that Twitter had received official correspondence saying she could be violating Pakistani law for the tweet, adding: "You may wish to consult legal counsel about this matter." Tawhidi meanwhile was sent a similar notice flagging a tweet that called on Australian police to investigate extremism in mosques following a deadly knife attack in Melbourne in November. The scholar attached the legal notice sent to him by Twitter informing him of possible violations of Pakistani law, and tweeted: "I am not from Pakistan nor am I a Pakistani citizen. "Pakistan has no authority over what I say. Get out of here." - Chilling effect - Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Twitter told AFP: "In our continuing effort to make our services available to people everywhere, if we receive a valid requests from an authorized entity, it may be necessary to withhold access to certain content in a particular country from time to time." The spokesperson added: "We notify users so that they have the opportunity to review the legal request, and the option to take measures to protect their interests." Pakistan has previously threatened to block Twitter if the company did not remove content its government found offensive. It banned Facebook for hosting allegedly blasphemous content for two weeks in 2010 while YouTube was unavailable from 2012 to 2016 over an amateur film about the Prophet Mohammad that led to global riots. Furey told AFP that although he was taken aback by the notice, "I'm at least glad they brought it to my attention that the Pakistan government has their eye on me." But he added: "One troubling consequence to all of this is that even people in countries without these blasphemy laws may start to self-censor for fear of the reach foreign governments will have over them in the online world." An opposition supporter holds a sign reading "No election with a cheating machine" -- there have been concerns about the use of electronic voting machines in DRC's poll The election posters are up, the candidates are doing the rounds and the party rallies are taking place almost without a hitch. But observers say plenty of nasty surprises remain in store as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa's powder keg, barrels towards presidential and parliamentary elections on December 23. Beneath a relatively smooth campaign lie uncertainties that could lead to lasting political turmoil or violence, they warn. "The organising (of the elections) has not been transparent or credible and the people aren't free" to choose, Nobel Peace laureate Denis Mukwege told AFP before he headed to Oslo for Monday's award ceremony. "So it's certain that the results will lead more likely to protests and this is not good for democracy," said the surgeon, who has treated thousands of women raped by armed fighters. - Symbol - For decades, the DRC has been an emblem of Africa's promise and tragedy. The DRC -- formerly known as Zaire -- has never known a peaceful transition of power since it gained independence in 1960 from Belgium Nearly four times the size of France, the country sits atop glittering treasures, ranging from gold and uranium to copper and cobalt. But this wealth has benefited only a few, at the top of a country where corruption and inequality are rife. Violence, meanwhile, is a political hallmark. The DRC -- formerly known as Zaire -- has never known a peaceful transition of power since it gained independence in 1960 from Belgium, which brutally carved out its borders in the 19th century. In the past 22 years, two massive wars have shaken the country, claiming millions of lives and sucking in armies from around southern and central Africa. Lower-level conflicts are burning in the centre and east of the country and these could easily flare into full-fledged wars, say analysts. Twenty-one people are vying to succeed President Joseph Kabila, who in spite of his relative youth -- he is 47 -- has run the sprawling, mineral-rich central African state since 2001, taking over from his assassinated father, Laurent. Congolese artisanal miners use water to separate soil from ore at a gold mine in Ituri province. The DRC also has abundant amounts of uranium, copper and cobalt But the lineup of candidates is thick with controversy, not least Kabila's hand-picked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who will contest the poll under EU sanctions. On Monday, the bloc voted to extend a travel ban and asset freeze slapped on him over his role as interior minister in a bloody crackdown on opposition activists. Opposition ranks, meanwhile, have been weakened by a decision by DRC's National Election Commission to bar two heavyweights -- former warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba and regional baron Moise Katumbi, who are powerfully supported in the west and southeast of the country, respectively. The move leaves two opposition frontrunners: Felix Tshisekedi of the UDPS party and Martin Fayulu, who has won Bemba's and Katumbi's backing. - Voting machines - Adding to accusations of political meddling are the questions hanging over the election's organisational credibility. They range from South Korean-made electronic voting machines to a lack of foreign election observers, the Congo Research Group at New York University said on November 27. Key DRC presidential election candidates approved by the Electoral Commission The opposition is divided over the voting devices, with some denouncing them as "cheating machines," but others acquiescing in their use. The authorities have invited monitors from the African Union, but not from the European Union and the Carter Foundation, who would provide global scrutiny of the poll. On December 23, "more than seven million votes could be potentially fraudulent," the French-language report said. "If the elections take place in these conditions, they could cause the country to face years of protests, further weakening election legitimacy and aggravating the conflicts in the east and in Kasai." The central, diamond-rich Kasai region spiralled into violence in 2016 after a powerful local chieftain was killed by security forces. Around 3,000 have died and 1.4 million more displaced by fighting. Election preparations are also being tested in eastern DR Congo, where the authorities are battling militia groups and a deadly outbreak of Ebola. Malaysian badminton player Lee Chong Wei was diagnosed with nose cancer in July. Malaysian badminton great Lee Chong Wei has revealed how he broke down in tears after learning he had nose cancer -- and detailed the "nightmare" treatment that left him unable to speak or eat. Lee, who is eyeing a return to action next year, told The Star that he was about to leave for a training session when his wife broke the news, after she received a call from a doctor. "She came towards me, hugged me and cried. I knew it was bad news. It's nose cancer, she broke the news," the 36-year-old said, according to the Malaysian newspaper. "My badminton bag slipped from my grasp and I started to cry too. I slumped on the sofa crying and asked why it had to be me." The three-time Olympic silver medallist said the cancer was detected following a check-up in July, after he had been unwell. It wasn't until September that officials revealed he had cancer and was having treatment in Taiwan -- opting for specialists there rather than in China, where he feared his story may be leaked, or Japan or South Korea because of the language barrier. Lee, the former long-time world number one, said he went through 33 sessions of proton therapy treatment, where beams are aimed at the cancer, calling it "a nightmare". "By the third week, it has taken a toll on my throat. I could not speak or eat," he said. "I'm just so glad that the worst is over now." Lee, now down to 15th in the world rankings, is expected to return to training next month, although he is still waiting for the all-clear from his doctors. He said his comeback was motivated by the prospect of playing a fifth Olympics at Tokyo 2020, after finishing runner-up in 2008, 2012 and 2016. "I really want to go for one more Olympics to make it my fifth consecutive appearance," said Chong Wei. "No athlete from Malaysia has ever competed five times at the Olympics and I want to create history. It's not an easy feat to make it to five Olympics, that's equivalent to 20 years!" Nary (R) is back home in Cambodia with her mother now, but fears she may never see her son again after her marriage to a Chinese man collapsed Everyone did well from Nary's marriage to a Chinese man, except the young Cambodian bride herself, who returned home from the six-year ordeal destitute, humiliated and with little prospect of seeing her son again. Her brother ran away with $3,000 after cajoling the then 17-year-old to leave Cambodia to marry. Brokers split the remaining $7,000 paid by her Chinese husband, who got himself a longed-for heir. But her wedding to a stranger thousands of miles from home, in a language she could not understand, was ill-fated from the start. "It was not a special day for me," Nary told AFP. She is one of tens of thousands of young Cambodian, Vietnamese, Laos and Myanmar women -- and girls -- who marry Chinese men each year, plugging a gender gap incubated by Beijing's three-decade-long one-child policy. While the policy has ended, a shortfall of around 33 million women has left the same number of men facing life on the shelf. Poverty drives many women from the Mekong region to gamble on marriage in China, double-locked by low education levels and a social expectation to provide for parents. Others move for work but end up forced into marriage. The worst cases involve kidnapping and trafficking across porous borders. There are happy marriages, with women also able to provide for the poor villages they left behind. No caption But new domestic realities frequently unravel, leaving women at risk of abuse, detention under Chinese immigration law or 'resale' into prostitution. Nary -- whose name has been changed on her request -- spoke to a Cambodian marriage broker on her older brother's advice. "I trusted him," Nary said in a whisper, as rain drove through holes in the tin roof of her family's roadside shack outside Phnom Penh. "My family is poor and I was expected to help them by marrying a Chinese man. So I went." But her brother stole the dowry that was meant to help the whole family and has since vanished. - Lies and poverty - To buy a wife in China costs between $10,000 and $15,000, a sum paid to brokers who give a couple of thousand to overseas associates for recruiting the brides. A 'dowry' of between $1,000 and $3,000 is dangled in front of the bride's family, while the young woman herself is last in the money chain, if she receives anything at all. "Families are now looking to their daughters to see the 'interest' they can return to them," says Chou Bun Eng, vice-chair of Cambodia's National Committee for Counter Trafficking, referring to the money motive that prevails in some homes. The marriage trade is big business -- official figures say 10,000 Cambodian women alone are registered in the southern provinces of Guangdong, Guizhou and Yunnan. Poverty and the promise that their families will get money forces many Cambodian women to consider a paid-for marriage Brides are often 'warehoused' on arrival and their photos touted on WeChat and dating websites to would-be husbands. The younger and prettier they are, the more expensive. Nary travelled legally on a tourist visa to China but on arrival in Shanghai, she discovered the man who paid for her hand was a construction worker living in a village, not the "wealthy doctor" she had been promised. - Hush money - A woman who is paid, bought or sold for marriage and taken across borders -- even with consent -- is classified as a trafficking victim by the United Nations. In Cambodia, brokers and other third parties can be jailed for up to 15 years if caught, longer if the victim is a minor. But convictions are rare, with brokers paying up to $5,000 to buy victims' silence. "The victims need the money," a leading trafficking prosecutor told AFP, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. "And they are scared by these big, systematic trafficking networks." China also has laws against the practice, but enforcement is patchy in a country where family matters are given a wide berth by the authorities. To clean up the system, Cambodia urges prospective foreign husbands to marry under local law, providing proof of consent, age and a paper trail. "Marriage to Chinese men is not bad by its nature," Chou Bun Eng said. "But problems start when it is done illegally through 'intermediaries'." - Long way home - Nary's marriage imploded one month after she gave birth to a baby boy, when her mother-in-law abruptly stopped her breastfeeding the infant. "She wouldn't let me see him or even hold him," she said. Nary was left with nothing when her marriage imploded The family pushed for divorce, but with an expired visa Nary knew that leaving the home would make her presence illegal in China. Eventually she moved out and found a low-paid job for a few years in a nearby glass factory. But her immigration status caught up with her and she was held in a detention centre for a year with scores of Vietnamese and Cambodian women, all with similar tales. After her release, her mother reached out to a Cambodian charity who engineered her return in August this year. Now she works for minimum wage in a garment factory, free from a bad marriage, but separated from her child. "I know I will never see him again," she says. 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 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. The arrest of Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on US fraud charges has infuriated China China's foreign minister warned Tuesday against the "bullying" of any Chinese citizen, amid a diplomatic fracas over the arrest of a Huawei executive on a US warrant in Canada. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of telecommunications behemoth Huawei, was on December 1 arrested in Vancouver on US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, infuriating China. "The safety and security of Chinese compatriots are our priority, China will never sit idly by and ignore any bullying that violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech in Beijing, without directly referring to the Huawei case. "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. The 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. Meng, who faces a possible extradition to the United States, is seeking her release on bail from a court in Vancouver. China has accused Canada of treating Meng in an "inhumane" manner, citing reports in Chinese state-run media alleging she was not given adequate medical care. Beijing has also claimed that the Chinese embassy was not immediately notified of her arrest. "The Canadian government did not do this and the Chinese government learned this through other channels," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a daily briefing. In his speech, Wang also touched on tensions with the US, calling on Washington to stop seeing trade between the countries as a "zero-sum game". "Take a more positive look at China's development, and constantly expand the space and prospects for mutual benefit," he said. "There is no need to artificially create new opponents, and an even greater need to avoid self-fulfilling prophecies." Iran's Revolutionary Guards fire missiles at at jihadist target in in eastern Syria on October 1, in retaliation for a September attack on a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz Iran confirmed on Tuesday that it had carried out a recent test of a medium-range ballistic missile after Western powers sharply criticised a December 1 launch. "We are continuing our missile tests and this recent one was a significant test," the Fars news agency reported, citing Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh. "The US reaction showed that it was a big thing for them and that it upset them," the conservative news agency said, adding that Iran carried out between 40 and 50 missile tests a year. Iran has pressed on with its ballistic missile programme after reining in much of its nuclear programme under a landmark 2015 deal with major powers. A UN Security Council resolution adopted after the agreement calls on Iran to refrain from testing missiles capable of carrying a nuclear weapon, but does not specifically bar Tehran from missile launches. The UN Security Council convened at the request of Britain and France on December 4 to discuss the latest test which both governments described as "provocative" and "inconsistent" with Resolution 2231. Britain said that the types of missiles fired had capabilities that "go way beyond legitimate defensive needs". Iran has developed several types of ballistic missiles with a range of up to 3,000 kilometres (1,875 miles) -- sufficient to reach Israel and Western bases across the region. In its report, Fars did not specify the date of the latest test or say which types of missile were fired. Washington, which quit the nuclear deal in May, described the test as an outright "violation" of Resolution 2231 and called on the Security Council to condemn it. But veto-wielding Moscow has defended Tehran's right to carry out the missile tests, and the December 4 meeting ended with no joint statement or any plan for follow-up action. The council is due to meet again on December 19 for a regular review of the resolution's implementation. Iran has received regular certifications of compliance with the provisions of the nuclear deal from the UN atomic watchdog. Western criticism has focused instead on Tehran's missile programme and its military interventions in the region. China is a crucial market for Apple, but is has been overtaken by Chinese competitors in recent years 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?" Any iPhone ban would give Chinese smartphone brands, such as Huawei, a big opportunity 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. - 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". witter 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 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". Soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic republic of the Congo (FARDC) are seen gearing up as gunfire erupts close by on October 7, 2018 outside Oicha Suspected militiamen killed nine civilians in a fresh attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo's troubled east, government officials and the military said Tuesday. The massacre occurred overnight in the town of Oicha, in the Beni region, local administrator Donat Kibwana told AFP. 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 toll was confirmed separately by military spokesman 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." He added: "I fled when they got in my house. I saw the bodies of nine inhabitants this morning." The ADF is a shadowy Islamist-rooted 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 DRC's 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 UN peacekeepers who were killed in an operation against the group, according to an AFP toll. The violence has cast a shadow over efforts to roll back an outbreak of Ebola in eastern DRC and could hamstring efforts to hold presidential and legislative elections in the region on December 23, the UN says. Iran supports the Huthi rebels in Yemen politically but denies supplying them with arms More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the UN says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "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," it added. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting on Iran, scheduled to start at 1500 GMT. Guterres' report mainly addresses Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with six major powers. The United States pulled out of the accord in May and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. The report concludes that Iran continues to abide by the nuclear accord, under which it won sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. The UN has said in the past that Yemen's Huthi rebels have fired Iranian-made missiles at Saudi Arabia. But it said it could not be certain that these weapons were in fact supplied by Iran in what would be a violation of UN resolutions. Hindus consider cows sacred and the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has campaigned for their protection at a state and national level India's only dedicated "cow minister" has been dumped in state elections, ending a controversial tenure that saw hundreds of the sacred animals starve to death and poisoned on his watch. Otaram Dewasi, the first head of Rajasthan's cow ministry, was turfed out Tuesday when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was thumped in the western desert state and two other key regional polls. He was not the only noteworthy casualty from India's ruling party, with the country's only "happiness minister" -- who stands accused of murder -- also tossed aside by voters in central Madhya Pradesh state. Dewasi, the cow minister who in office wore the red turban and white sarong of a desert herdsman, lost by 10,000 votes to an independent candidate. Hindus consider cows sacred and the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has campaigned for their protection at state and national levels, and introduced harsh penalties for mistreating them. But the cause has spawned cow vigilantism in parts of India, with people accused of carrying beef or slaughtering the animals -- especially Muslims and low-caste Hindus, who consume beef -- murdered by mobs. Rajasthan, bordering Pakistan, has witnessed some of the most high-profile cow lynchings in recent times, including the brazen beating to death of a Muslim dairy farmer on a busy highway last year. The state created India's first ministry exclusively for cow protection in 2015 when the BJP won elections and appointed Dewasi, a policeman turned politician, to be in charge. He imposed a 20 percent surcharge on new property purchases -- dubbed a "cow tax" -- to generate cash to run the 2,300 shelters in his state for abandoned cows. He also branded hundreds of thousands of cows under his care to stop them being smuggled. But his reputation was marred in 2016 when 500 cows starved to death at a state-run shelter when the facility was flooded during heavy rains. In August, 28 more died from poisoning, further denting his image as a sacred custodian in a state where cow slaughter comes with 10 years jail. The BJP campaigned for the Rajasthan elections on tougher laws for cow slaughter and more money for shelters -- but was defeated by the Congress Party in results announced Tuesday. - Not so happy - The Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi also beat the BJP in two other key states in India's Hindi-speaking heartland known as the "cow belt" -- Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Voters in Madhya Pradesh booted out Lalsingh Arya, the state minister in charge of India's only "happiness ministry", after a scandal-ridden term. The ministry he helped set up in 2017 was modelled on the "gross national happiness" index used in Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan country, to measure the wellbeing of its citizens. But weeks after it was inaugurated, Arya was on the run, accused of murdering a political rival in 2009. He was eventually arrested, and his trial is ongoing. He lost by 25,000 votes to a rival from Congress, which seized Madhya Pradesh after 15 years of BJP rule. The electoral defeats are seen as a major blow to Modi's image of invincibility. The BJP had won more than a dozen state elections since Modi soared to power with a thumping majority in 2014. He is seeking a second term as prime minister when the country goes to polls by May 2019. As part of the peace negotiations, Renamo's armed wing is being integrated into Mozambique's armed forces to facilitate the disarmament of opposition paramilitaries Mozambique has appointed three top commanders from Renamo, the largest opposition party and a former rebel movement, to key army command posts as part of peace-building efforts. The defence ministry hailed the move, which came out of an agreement between Renamo's interim leader Momade Ossufo and President Filipe Nyusi in July, as a step towards a comprehensive peace. But Renamo criticised the move as not going far enough, saying it was supposed to be 14 of its commanders, not just three. The three, all generals, were appointed director of operations, director of military information and director of communications. In the mid-1970s, Renamo fought a brutal 16-year civil war against the government that left one million people dead before the conflict ended in 1992. Violence erupted again in 2013 until Renamo declared a unilateral truce in 2016. "The appointments are the result of the agreements reached between (Nyusi)... and the Renamo coordinator," the ministry said. The deal would help "trigger the process of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of Renamo" fighters into the regular army, it added. As part of the peace negotiations, Renamo's armed wing is being integrated into the armed forces. Renamo said that unless all 14 of its officers were appointed, it would only ensure the "continuity of instability". Peace talks with Nyusi's government began in 2016 in a process initiated by Renamo's veteran leader Afonso Dhlakama, who died in May last year. The ruling Frelimo party has been in power since Mozambique won independence from Portugal in 1975. UN peacekeepers patrol the border wall separating Lebanon from Israel on December 9, 2018, after the Israeli army said it had uncovered Hezbollah infiltration tunnels underneath Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Wednesday that the Italian-led UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon should do more to rein in Hezbollah. Netanyahu's remarks in his Jerusalem office came a day after the visiting minister toured Israel's northern frontier, where he was shown one of three tunnels uncovered by the army leading into the country from Lebanon. Israel says the Iranian-backed Shiite militants of Hezbollah dug the tunnels to infiltrate northern Israel in a future conflict. Referring to Salvini as "a great friend of Israel," Netanyahu said the tunnels were "a clear act of aggression by Hezbollah against us and against the norms of the international community." "You have a commander in UNIFIL, an Italian commander," Netanyahu said of Major General Stefano Del Col. "We think UNIFIL has to do a stronger job, tougher job, but ultimately it's the responsibility of the international community," he said. "They should stop Hezbollah from taking these acts of aggression against Israel." Salvini, who landed in Israel on Tuesday, was whisked by helicopter to the border. Following his tour, he told reporters the tunnel was dug by "Islamic terrorists" and accused the European Union of being biased against Israel, which he called "a safe haven for European and Western values in the region". Salvini, who heads Italy's anti-immigration League party, visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem on Wednesday. He was set to leave Israel later in the day. Israel fought a 2006 war against Hezbollah 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. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attends the United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran at the United Nations on December 12, 2018 in New York City US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday urged the United Nations to tighten restrictions on Iran's missiles, which he warned could strike US allies, but other powers called instead for dialogue. Pompeo headed to New York for a Security Council meeting on Iran, which recently confirmed a medium-range ballistic missile test, arguing it is legal and necessary for its defense. "We risk the security of our people if Iran continues stocking up on ballistic missiles," Pompeo told the Security Council. "We risk escalation of conflict in the region if we fail to restore deterrence. And we convey to all other malign actors that they too can defy the Security Council with impunity if we do nothing," he said. Iran has "hundreds of missiles which pose a threat to our partners in the region," Pompeo said, referring to Israel and Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia. Pompeo said the United States would press to preserve a UN arms embargo on Iran due to expire in 2020 and urge the Security Council to set up inspections at sea to prevent weapons shipments. He also called for the return of a firmer prohibition on Iran developing missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, toughening language from the Security Council resolution that supported the nuclear deal. President Donald Trump has made pressuring Iran a major focus, withdrawing from an international accord on curbing Tehran's nuclear program negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama and reimposing sweeping sanctions. Confirming US concerns, a UN report submitted to the Security Council said that recent missiles fired by Yemen's Huthi rebels were manufactured in Iran. Saudi Arabia has been waging air strikes and a blockade against the rebels, who share religious ties with Iran, triggering what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. - Iran denounces 'lies' - US President Donald Trump, pictured announing his decision on the nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018, has made pressuring the Islamic republic a major focus Responding as Pompeo looked on, Iranian envoy Eshagh Al Habib said the top US diplomat was casting Iran as a threat to sell more "beautiful weapons," sarcastically quoting Trump's rationale for backing Saudi Arabia. He said Iran's missiles were not nuclear in nature and defended the need for strong defense, noting that Western powers backed Saddam Hussein as his warplanes destroyed Iranian cities in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. "What we heard today was another series of lies, fabrications, disinformation and deceptive statement by the US," Al Habib said, recalling the "infamous speeches" of top US officials in the past -- a clear reference to Colin Powell's selling of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. "For the first time in the UN history, a permanent member of this Council is blatantly punishing UN members not for violating, rather for complying with, a Security Council resolution," he said. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia also made a veiled but clear swipe at Pompeo as he denounced attempts to "fan anti-Iranian hysteria." "There is no proof that the ballistic missiles can carry a nuclear load," Nebenzia told the council, adding that Iran "is ready for dialogue." France, while saying it shared US goals on Iran, pleaded for the preservation of the nuclear accord, saying it was verifiably working in freezing Iran's nuclear program. Key dates since the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal "It's only on this basis that we can build together a long-term strategy for the region," Ambassador Francois Delattre told the council. "Such a strategy can't come down to a policy of pressure and sanctions; it equally has to come with a firm, frank dialogue with the Iranians on our concerns," he said. European powers said they were working to ensure that Iran sees the economic fruits of compliance. But Iran's economy has suffered a severe blow and is forecast to contract due to the renewal of sanctions by the United States, which has vowed to preclude all countries from virtually any business in Iran. PARIS (AP) - The Latest on anti-government protests in France and neighboring countries (all times local): 7:45 p.m. France's interior minister says the protest violence in Paris is "under control" despite scattered tensions but is calling it "totally unacceptable." Interior Minister Christophe Castaner says 135 people were injured in the protests Saturday, including 17 police officers. He says "exceptional" security measures allowed nearly police to put nearly 1,000 people in custody. Casataner estimated there were 10,000 yellow vest protesters in Paris on Saturday, among some 125,000 protesters around the country. Protesters smashed store windows and set fires around Paris and clashed with police, who fired tear gas throughout the day in the French capital. Demonstrators walk through tear gas during clashes Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Paris. Crowds of yellow-vested 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 Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh) ___ 5:35 p.m. Dozens of French riot police backed by an armored vehicle are charging protesters on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, firing tear gas beneath the sparkling lights of one of the world's most elegant avenues. Demonstrators in yellow vests carried a huge banner calling for President Emmanuel Macron to resign and for France to hold an emergency election. Protesters appeared to throw flares as police responded with tear gas. The confrontation came after a day of tension across Paris on Saturday and unprecedented police efforts to prevent new violence. The yellow vest movement started as a protest over a fuel tax rise but has expanded into an amorphous protest movement that French authorities are struggling to contain. ___ 4:35 p.m. The police chief of Imperia, a northwestern Italian coastal town on the highway toward France, says yellow-vested French protesters have blocked the border with Italy near the town of Ventimiglia. The Italian news agency ANSA quoted Police Chief Cesare Capocasa as saying the protest was causing a 6-kilometer (nearly 4-mile) backup of traffic in both directions on Saturday afternoon. He was quoted as saying that "we're on the scene to try to manage the situation in a balanced way." Yellow vest protesters are angry at France's high taxes and at French President Emmanuel Macron. ___ 4:10 p.m. A march for the environment is unfolding peacefully in Paris and other cities in France, parallel to the violent "yellow vest" protests that have put much of the city in lockdown. The "March for Climate" was a more diverse crowd, with far more women and older people and a handful of children. The "yellow vest" protests are overwhelmingly male, with just a few women for the hundreds of men pouring through the streets. A handful of people in yellow vests had joined the quiet march by mid-afternoon. One sign read "No climate justice without fiscal and social justice." ___ 3:55 p.m. Clashes have broken out between "yellow vest" protesters and police in the port neighborhood of Marseille, in the south of France. An Associated Press journalist saw the fighting break out at midday at the port, one of the city's main tourist sites. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured. The "yellow vest" protests started as a revolt against a gas tax increase but have since grown to envelop an array of grievances against living standards and President Emmanuel Macron. ___ 1:55 p.m. Belgian police are firing tear gas and water cannons at stone-throwing yellow-vested protesters near the country's government offices and parliament. Protesters smashed street signs and traffic lights near a police barricade blocking access to the office of Prime Minister Charles Michel, as they chanted slogans calling on him to resign. They threw paving stones, fireworks, flares and other objects at police. Brussels police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere says around 400 protesters are gathered in the area. About 100 have been detained, many for possessing dangerous objects like fireworks or wearing clothing that could be used as protection in clashes with police. In the Netherlands, about 100 protesters gathered in a peaceful demonstration outside the Dutch parliament in The Hague. At least two protesters were detained by police in central Amsterdam. ___ 1:45 p.m. Paris police are firing water cannons on yellow-vested protesters throwing flares and setting fires in one of the French capital's main shopping districts. Scattered clashes are continuing around the city as the protesters seek to reach the presidential palace and demand President Emmanuel Macron's resignation. While the situation is tense, police appear to have it more under control than a week ago, when rioting and looting overwhelmed Paris security forces. The latest flashpoint is not far from the flagship buildings of France's most famed department stores, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, and near the Palais Garnier opera house. Protesters uprooted trees on one of the neighborhood's "grands boulevards" and set them on fire, while others hurled flares and other projectiles at rows of riot police. Like several neighborhoods of Paris, the area is largely locked down, with many stores shuttered for fear of violence. Overall police estimate there are about 8,000 yellow vest protesters in Paris on Saturday, down from last week. Meanwhile the government deployed 8,000 police in the city, as part of exceptional security measures aimed at preventing a repeat of last week's rioting, which injured 130 people and struck a new blow to France's global image. ___ 12:50 p.m. Belgian police are scuffling with yellow-vested protesters calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Charles Michel as hundreds of marchers try to enter the European quarter of Brussels. Police used pepper spray on a small group of men who threw street signs, bottles and other objects as they tried to break through a barricade near the European Parliament. Walking behind a banner marked "social winter is coming," the protesters have been chanting "(French President Emmanuel) Macron, Michel resign." The rallies, which started at different locations around the city and converged on the European quarter, have disrupted road and rail traffic. Dozens of people were searched at stations. Police have warned people to stay away from the area. ___ 11:55 a.m. Police are seizing protective equipment from journalists and barring some provincial "yellow vest" protesters from boarding trains to Paris, as part of exceptionally stringent security measures to prevent a repeat of last week's rioting. A group of four protesters who came to Paris from Normandy on Saturday told The Associated Press that they saw people wearing yellow vests turned away at train stations all along their route. They said fellow protesters trying to reach Paris from Toulouse in southern France reported the same problems. A national police spokesman said officers stationed at train stations around the country are under orders to verify all passengers and turn away any carrying equipment that could be used to "cause damage to people or property." Three Associated Press journalists had gas masks and protective goggles confiscated by police despite carrying government-issued press cards. The equipment allows journalists to cover violence between police and protesters when tear gas is fired. ___ 11 a.m. Paris police have fired tear gas on a group of yellow-vested protesters trying to march on the French presidential palace and are pushing them back with shields. Crowds of protesters first tried to march down the Champs-Elysees avenue toward the Elysee palace but were prevented by rows of police. So a group of a few hundred took side streets and tried to get past a police barricade, and police fired back with tear gas. Most of the protesters remain peaceful, and there are no signs so far of the rioting and looting that marked a similar protest last Saturday and prompted fears of greater violence this week. Crowds were also gathering across town around the Bastille plaza. Authorities have detained 343 people already Saturday amid exceptional security and filtration measures. Police are searching people throughout zones of central Paris and confiscating goggles and gas masks from journalists who use them to protect against tear gas while covering demonstrations. ___ 9:25 a.m. A crowd of "yellow vest" protesters is marching down the Champs-Elysees avenue in central Paris surrounded by exceptional police security amid fears of new violence. Hundreds of people gathered early Saturday around the Arc de Triomphe, which was damaged in rioting a week ago. They then started walking peacefully down the avenue, lined with high-end shops normally bustling before the Christmas holidays but boarded up this Saturday amid worries of more looting or other damage. A Paris police spokesman said more than 170 people have already been detained Saturday on suspicion they were planning violence, though most were later released. President Emmanuel Macron's government is deploying 89,000 security forces around the country for Saturday's protests against his reforms. - By Angela Charlton ___ 8:40 a.m. The French yellow vest protest movement is crossing borders, with demonstrations planned in neighboring Belgium and in the Netherlands. Neither country has proposed a hike in fuel tax - the catalyst for the massive and destructive demonstrations in France in recent weeks. Hundreds of police officers are being mobilized in Brussels Saturday, where yellow vest protesters last week clashed with police and torched two police vehicles. More than 70 people were detained. Some rallies are taking place outside the main European Union institutions, which are closed Saturdays. Some could be held in the city center on what is a major Christmas shopping weekend. Jan Dijkgraaf, editor of a Dutch "resistance newspaper" is calling for peaceful protests in the Dutch cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. ___ 7:30 a.m. Paris monuments and shopping meccas are locked down and tens of thousands of police are taking position around the country, fearing worsening violence in a new round of anti-government protests. President Emmanuel Macron's government has warned that Saturday's "yellow vest" protests in Paris will be hijacked by "radicalized and rebellious" crowds and become the most dangerous yet after three weeks of demonstrations. Authorities are deploying barricade-busting armored vehicles and 8,000 police in the capital alone, part of 89,000 security forces fanned out around France. The Eiffel Tower and Louvre are shut along with hundreds of stores and businesses, fearing damage after rioting last Saturday that saw 130 people injured and the worst urban unrest in Paris in decades. The protesters are angry at Macron and high taxes, among other problems. Yellow-vested protesters block the French border with Italy near Ventimiglia, causing traffick to back up for some 6 kilometers (nearly 4 miles), Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. French riot police fired tear gas and water cannon in Paris on Saturday, trying to stop thousands of yellow-vested protesters from converging on the presidential palace to express their anger at high taxes and French President Emmanuel Macron. (Tenerelli/ANSA via AP) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests march Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Marseille, southern France. The grassroots movement began as resistance against a rise in taxes for diesel and gasoline, but quickly expanded to encompass frustration at stagnant incomes and the growing cost of living. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests shout during a march Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Marseille, southern France. The grassroots movement began as resistance against a rise in taxes for diesel and gasoline, but quickly expanded to encompass frustration at stagnant incomes and the growing cost of living. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) A demonstrator wearing a yellow vest waves the French flag during a march Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Marseille, southern France. The grassroots movement began as resistance against a rise in taxes for diesel and gasoline, but quickly expanded to encompass frustration at stagnant incomes and the growing cost of living. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) A protestor throws an object at a police line during a demonstration in Brussels, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Hundreds of police officers are being mobilized in Brussels Saturday, where yellow vest protesters last week clashed with police and torched two police vehicles. More than 70 people were detained. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Riot police fire tear gas canisters at yellow-vested protesters gathered on the Paris' famed Champs-Elysees Avenue, France, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Crowds of yellow-vested 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 Photo/Michel Euler) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests gather on the Champs-Elysees avenue Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Paris. Crowds of yellow-vested 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 Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests face riot police officers near the Champs-Elysees avenue Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Paris. Crowds of yellow-vested 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 Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh) Protestors hold a banner which reads 'social winter is coming' during a demonstration in Brussels, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Hundreds of police officers are being mobilized in Brussels Saturday, where yellow vest protesters last week clashed with police and torched two police vehicles. More than 70 people were detained. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Police detain a protestor in the European Quarter during a demonstration in Brussels, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Hundreds of police officers are being mobilized in Brussels Saturday, where yellow vest protesters last week clashed with police and torched two police vehicles. More than 70 people were detained. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) Police detain protestors in the European Quarter during a demonstration in Brussels, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Hundreds of police officers are being mobilized in Brussels Saturday, where yellow vest protesters last week clashed with police and torched two police vehicles. More than 70 people were detained. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) Police officers clash with demonstrators wearing yellow vests in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Prized Paris monuments and normally bustling shopping meccas locked down Saturday and tens of thousands of police took position around France, fearing worsening violence in a new round of anti-government protests. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests hold a banner during a march Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Marseille, southern France. The grassroots movement began as resistance against a rise in taxes for diesel and gasoline, but quickly expanded to encompass frustration at stagnant incomes and the growing cost of living. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests march down the Champs Elysees holding the French tricolor in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Prized Paris monuments and normally bustling shopping meccas locked down and tens of thousands of police took position around France. Macron's government warned that Saturday's "yellow vest" protests in Paris will be hijacked by "radicalized and rebellious" crowds and become the most dangerous yet after three weeks of demonstrations. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Police officers block demonstrators wearing yellow vests from entering a street in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Prized Paris monuments and normally bustling shopping meccas locked down Saturday and tens of thousands of police took position around France, fearing worsening violence in a new round of anti-government protests. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Police officers block demonstrators wearing yellow vests from entering a street in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Prized Paris monuments and normally bustling shopping meccas locked down Saturday and tens of thousands of police took position around France, fearing worsening violence in a new round of anti-government protests. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Police officers block a demonstrator wearing yellow vests from entering a street in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Prized Paris monuments and normally bustling shopping meccas locked down Saturday and tens of thousands of police took position around France, fearing worsening violence in a new round of anti-government protests. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Police confront protestors in the European Quarter during a demonstration in Brussels, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Hundreds of police officers are being mobilized in Brussels Saturday, where yellow vest protesters last week clashed with police and torched two police vehicles. More than 70 people were detained. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) Demonstrators walk through tear gas during clashes Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Paris. Crowds of yellow-vested 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 Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh) Firefighters try to extinguish a burning car after clashes Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Paris. Crowds of yellow-vested 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 Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh) A burning dustbin and an overturned are pictured during clashes with riot police, in Paris, France, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. 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 Photo/Thibault Camus) A demonstrator is lead away by riot police after being arrested during clashes, in Paris, France, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. 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 Photo/Thibault Camus) LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) - Jorge Roca Suarez, one of South America's leading drug traffickers in the 1980s who served 28 years in prison in the United States before returning to Bolivia earlier this year, has fled a medical clinic where he was receiving treatment, authorities said Saturday. Police said an operation was underway to find Roca Suarez, who had been arrested when he returned to Bolivia in April. A judge had given a 10-day pass to the 67-year-old to seek treatment at the clinic and he fled the facility Thursday night. "We have to confirm the escape of this person who was serving a detention ordered by a court," Fernando Rojas, deputy director of the Special Force to Fight Crime, told state news agency ABI. Roca Suarez became a top drug lord after taking over from his uncle Roberto Suarez, who was known as the "Cocaine King." Both men were suppliers to the Medellin Cartel then led by Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. A video posted by the Santa Cruz newspaper El Deber purportedly showed Roca Suarez eating in a market in the town of San Ana de Yacuma, about 690 kilometers (430 miles) north of La Paz. Authorities have yet to comment on the video. Roca Suarez was arrested in his house in Los Angeles in 1990. He had been in prison in the U.S. since then but was given early release and returned to Bolivia this year. Authorities in the Andean, cocaine-producing country jailed him in a drug-related case. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the shooting of an FBI agent (all times local): 7:05 p.m. Police say an FBI agent was shot in the shoulder Saturday in New York City during a street gunfight. The male agent was struck while on duty at 3:30 p.m. in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. FBI officials said the agent was in stable condition at a New York hospital. The FBI says two possible suspects are in police custody. Police officials tell WABC-TV that two undercover FBI agents were sitting in a car when shots were fired from a vehicle driving by, and the agents returned fire. Officials say the vehicle with bullet holes was left at a body shop, and one suspect drove to a nearby hospital in another vehicle. Police say the agent is being treated for a non-life-threatening injury. ___ 4:42 p.m. Police say an FBI agent has been shot in the shoulder in New York City. New York City police say the male agent was struck while on duty at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. FBI officials confirmed the shooting and said the agent was in stable condition at a New York hospital. The federal agency says two possible suspects are in police custody. Details of the shooting were not immediately available. Police say the agent was taken to Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn and being treated for a non-life-threatening injury. ___ 4 p.m. Police say an FBI agent has been shot in the shoulder in New York City. New York City police say the agent was shot while on duty at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. Details of the shooting including the agent's gender were not immediately available. The agent was taken to a hospital. No arrests have been made. MEXICO CITY (AP) - The Mexican president is butting heads with the Supreme Court just one week into office after judges suspended a law that would cap public sector salaries, one of his key campaign promises. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador accused the judges of looking after their own pocketbooks and of failing to grasp the "new reality" that his administration represents. The salary cuts are part of a rebalance in government that aims to raise wages for lower income workers while chopping those of top officials. "They themselves decide that they are going to keep receiving exaggerated, stratospheric salaries - salaries of up to 600,000 pesos ($29,000) a month - those who impart justice," Lopez Obrador complained to reporters Saturday, before repeating one of his favorite mantras: "There can't be a rich government with a poor people." The freeze throws into question the government's 2019 budget plans, which are due on Dec. 15. The suspension is pending a definitive ruling by the court. The Mexican Congress decreed in November that, with few exceptions, no public employee should earn more than the president. Lopez Obrador's Morena party has a majority in both houses of Congress. The National Human Rights Commission then asked the court to review the law, saying it appeared to violate the constitution. Lopez Obrador slashed the presidential salary by more than half when he took office on Dec. 1, to 108,000 pesos ($5,300) a month. Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds his first news conference as president, which started at 7 a.m. local time in Mexico City, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. Mexico's newly inaugurated president hit the ground running Monday with his pledge to govern as a common man and end decades of secrecy, heavy security and luxury enjoyed by past presidents. (AP Photo/Christian Palma) Mexico has the lowest wages of any country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with a net income per capita of $1,281 per month. The proposed salary cuts have caused great uncertainty for many public sector workers, with those who can leaving posts for jobs in the private sector. Lopez Obrador said Saturday that he expects the legislative branch to have the final say on salaries, since they approve the annual budget. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Latest on the South's severe weather (all times local): 9 p.m. A snowstorm building across parts of the South is causing flight cancellations to and from Charlotte, North Carolina, out of the Midwest. WTOL-TV reports that Toledo Express Airport's website says that several American Airline flights to Charlotte were canceled Saturday, as well as one scheduled for Sunday. Flights out of Detroit to Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham in North Carolina have also been canceled. Travelers are advised to check their flights status before going to the airport. ___ 7 p.m. Emergency officials are warning North Carolina residents to avoid unnecessary weekend travel because of snow, freezing rain and sleet lashing sweeping into the region. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference Saturday that people should stay off the roads in the coming hours. "This weekend isn't the time to head out to see the winter wonderland," the governor said. "Stay safe where you are. Getting out on dangerous roads could put your life at risk." The National Weather Service says a "prolonged period of snow" was starting late Saturday and would last into Monday, with the heaviest snow expected in northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia. Forecasters have said some mountainous areas of North Carolina could get up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow or more. Heavy rains are expected in other parts of the South, threatening possible flooding in coastal areas. ___ 5 p.m. Millions of people in Southern states braced for a harsh wintry storm that could bring immobilizing snowfalls, icy roads or deadly floods. Governors and local officials from Texas to Virginia have declared emergencies ahead of the storm's arrival to free up funds and manpower to help mitigate the storm's effect. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Saturday that residents in the some parts of the state should be ready for lengthy fight with Mother Nature. "We're preparing for days of impact, not hours," Cooper said. Officials have warned residents to prepare emergency kits and staff off roads in impacted areas. The National Weather Service says a "prolonged period of snow" was starting late Saturday and would last into Monday, with the heaviest snow expected in northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand police said Sunday they found a body they believe to be that of missing 22-year-old British tourist Grace Millane. Police said the body was in a forested area about 10 meters (33 feet) from the side of the road in the Waitakere Ranges near Auckland. Tourist Grace Millane has been missing since Dec. 1, and failed to contact her family on her birthday Dec. 2. On Saturday, a 26-year-old man was charged with murder in her case after he was detained for questioning. He is due to make his first court appearance on Monday. Millane was on a planned yearlong trip abroad that began in Peru. She arrived in New Zealand last month and was last seen entering a central Auckland hotel with a man on the evening of Dec. 1. Detective Inspector Scott Beard told reporters near the crime scene in the Waitakare Ranges that police believe Millane's body was taken to the area in a rental car that was later left in the town of Taupo. A police officer investigating the murder of British tourist Grace Millane stands at a crime scene along a section of Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges outside Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. New Zealand police said Saturday, Dec. 8, that they believe the 22-year-old British tourist who has been missing for a week was murdered, and they will lay charges against a man they detained earlier in the day for questioning. (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) Police spent several hours searching the area, which they cordoned off and where they put up a tent, before making the announcement. "This area was identified late last night as a location of interest as a result of our investigative work," Beard said. "I can now advise that a short time ago, we located a body, which we believe to be Grace. A formal identification process will now take place, however, based on the evidence we have gathered over the past few days, we expect that this is Grace." Millane's father David Millane traveled from Britain to New Zealand last week. "It is an unbearable time for the Millane family, and our hearts go out to them," Beard said. Before she vanished, Millane had been staying at a backpacker hostel in Auckland, and she left some of her belongings there. Beard said she met a man for a couple of hours on the evening of Dec. 1 before surveillance cameras showed them entering the CityLife hotel at about 9:40 p.m. Her family was surprised and worried when she didn't contact them on her birthday or get in touch over on the days that followed. After arriving in New Zealand on Friday, David Millane spoke with media. "Grace is a lovely, outgoing, fun-loving, family-oriented daughter," he said, adding that she was usually in touch with her family every day. "She arrived here on the 20th of November, and has been bombarding us with numerous photographs and messages of her adventures," Millane said. "We are all extremely upset, and it's very difficult at this time to fully describe the range of emotions we are going through." Police investigating the murder of British tourist Grace Millane stand by a cordoned off crime scene along a section of Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges outside Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. New Zealand police said Saturday, Dec. 8, that they believe the 22-year-old British tourist who has been missing for a week was murdered, and they will lay charges against a man they detained earlier in the day for questioning. (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) FILE - This Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, CCTV file image released by New Zealand Police shows 22-year-old English tourist Grace Millane in central Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand police said Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 that they believe the 22-year-old British tourist who has been missing for a week was murdered, and they will lay charges against a man they detained earlier in the day for questioning. The image was captured on Saturday night, about 7:15 p.m. and is the last known sighting of Millane, whose 22nd birthday was the next day. (NZ Police via AP, File) KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani police say an overnight blast targeting a religious gathering of an ethnic party has wounded six people in the southern port city of Karachi. Saturday night's blast took place as hundreds of supporters of a faction of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were present in the neighborhood of Gulistan-e-Johar. No one has claimed responsibility and authorities say all of the wounded are listed in stable condition. The attack happened a day before Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to visit Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement party represents the Urdu speaking population and its two factions have an uneasy relationship with each other. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the name of the Karachi neighborhood where the attack happened is Gulistan-e-Johar. WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI's counterintelligence investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia initially focused on four Americans and whether they were connected to Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, former FBI Director James Comey told lawmakers during hours of closed-door questioning. Comey did not identify the Americans but said President Donald Trump, then the Republican candidate, was not among them. He also told the House Judiciary Committee that, contrary to Trump's claims, he was "not friends in any social sense" with special counsel Robert Mueller, who is now leading the Russia investigation. Trump has repeatedly portrayed the men as exceptionally close as part of a long-running effort to undermine the investigation and paint the lead figures in the probe as united against him. "I admire the heck out of the man, but I don't know his phone number, I've never been to his house, I don't know his children's names," said Comey, who added that he had "never hugged or kissed the man" despite the president's insistence otherwise. "A relief to my wife," he deadpanned. The committee released a transcript of the interview on Saturday, just 24 hours after privately grilling the fired FBI chief about investigative decisions related to Hillary Clinton's email server and Trump's campaign and potential ties to Russia. Comey largely dodged questions connected to the current Mueller-led probe, including whether his May 2017 firing by Trump constituted obstruction of justice. Former FBI Director James Comey, center, standing with his attornery David Kelley, right, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, following his appearance before a closed-door hearing with the House Judiciary and House Oversight committees. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) The Republican-led committee interviewed Comey as part of its investigation into FBI actions in 2016, a year when the bureau - in the heat of the presidential campaign - recommended against charges for Clinton and opened an investigation into Russian interference in the election. The questioning largely centered on well-covered territory from a Justice Department inspector general report, Comey's own book and interviews and hours of public testimony on Capitol Hill. But the former FBI chief also used the occasion to take aim at Trump's frequent barbs at the criminal justice system, saying "we have become numb to lying and attacks on the rule of law by the president," as well as Trump's contention that it should be a crime for subjects to "flip" and cooperate with investigators. "It's a shocking suggestion coming from any senior official, no less the president. It's a critical and legitimate part of the entire justice system in the United States," Comey said. In offering some details of the investigation's origins, Comey said it started in July 2016 with a look at "four Americans who had some connection to Mr. Trump" during that summer and whether they were tied to "the Russian interference effort." The campaign itself, he said, was not investigation at that time. He did not identify the Americans, though Mueller's investigation has made clear that by that time, there had already been outreach from Russian intermediaries to Trump associates - including a 2015 encounter revealed for the first time in a court filing Friday. Also by that time Democratic email accounts had been hacked by Russian intelligence and a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos, had been told that Russians had "dirt" on Clinton in the form of stolen emails. That October, the FBI obtained a secret search warrant to monitor the communications of a Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, on suspicions he was acting as a foreign agent - something he has denied. Multiple Trump associates, including Papadopoulos, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, have pleaded guilty to lying about their interactions with Russians during the campaign and presidential transition period. Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's foreign dealings, including to an associate the U.S. says has ties to Russian intelligence, has also attracted law enforcement scrutiny. Comey reiterated to lawmakers that it was the 2016 Papadopoulos encounter with a Russian intermediary in London that ignited the Russia investigation, rather than - as some Republicans have maintained - Democratic-funded opposition research compiled by a former British spy. "It was weeks or months later that the so-called Steele dossier came to our attention," Comey said. He said that by the time of his firing, the FBI had not come to a conclusion about whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia's efforts to sway the election. And he insisted that the FBI would recover from the president's attacks on the bureau. "The FBI will be fine. It will snap back, as will the rest of our institutions," Comey said. "There will be short-term damage, which worries me a great deal, but in the long run, no politician, no president can, in a lasting way, damage those institutions." Besides the questioning on Russia, Republicans lawmakers pressed Comey on the FBI's handling of an investigation into whether Clinton mishandled classified information on her private email server. Comey's July 2016 announcement that Clinton and her aides had been "extremely careless" but did not deserve criminal charges infuriated Republicans who contended that someone less powerful and well-connected would have faced prosecution. Under questioning from Rep. Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican, Comey reiterated that the FBI and Justice Department didn't have a prosecutable case against Clinton because they couldn't prove she willfully violated the law by setting up the server. ___ Read the transcript: http://apne.ws/1fZwQyj Former FBI Director James Comey speaks to reporters after testifying under subpoena behind closed doors before the House Judiciary and Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Former FBI Director James Comey, with his attorney, David Kelley, right, speaks to reporters after a day of testimony compelled by the GOP-led House Judiciary and Oversight committees, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Former FBI Director James Comey speaks to reporters after testifying under subpoena behind closed doors before the House Judiciary and Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - When Mazen al-Dalo took two of his young sons to see the Palestinian protests against Israel's decade-old blockade of Gaza, he knew it could be dangerous. Rock-throwing demonstrators were being shot by Israeli soldiers, and armored Israeli jeeps were firing endless volleys of tear gas into the crowds. But it was important to teach the boys about Palestinian history, he said, and give them a glimpse of the modern-day struggles their people face. "Seeing things with your own eyes is different than reading about them in books," the 44-year-old father said, explaining his decision to take the children, aged 8 and 11, one day last April. The family only ventured about 400 meters (yards) from the border - a spot al-Dalo believed was safe, away from the violent confrontations. But just as he pointed to a group of Israeli soldiers atop a berm on the other side of the Israeli fence, a single gunshot rang out. The round ripped off al-Dalo's thumb and struck his 8-year-old son, Mohamed, in the leg - two more casualties in a simmering conflict that began last spring and has seen a staggering 948 Palestinians under the age of 18 shot and wounded by Israeli forces, according to the United Nations. In a statement, Israel's military said it does "everything possible to avoid harming children." But Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, "cynically uses Gaza residents, especially women and children, as human shields and places them at the forefront of the violent riots." In this Sept. 12, 2018, photo, Raed Abu Khader, right, holds a wet cloth on the forehead of his 12-year-old son Mohammed in Gaza City. Mohammed was shot in the leg at one of the demonstrations on Gaza strip's border with Israel. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) Hamas, which has orchestrated the demonstrations, denies such allegations. Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said "there is no way to prevent the people from participating. There are entire families (who go) and there is no way to prevent them." Ever since the demonstrations began in March, children have been a constant presence among the surging crowds - some hurling stones with slingshots or burning tires, others merely watching from afar. While many are brought by parents who hold their hands and carry them on their shoulders, others make their way on their own. Of the 175 Palestinians killed so far, at least 34 were 18 or under, according to an Associated Press count. Gaza's Health Ministry says 2,295 minors have been hospitalized, 17 of whom have had a limb amputated; at least 5,124 have been injured in all. Young victims are not a new phenomenon in the region. In the first Palestinian uprising that began in 1987, children and teens often threw stones at Israeli soldiers, who frequently responded with live rounds. According to the Israeli human rights group, B'Tselem, minors comprised about 21 percent of deaths back then. In the latest protests, that percentage is roughly the same. The Israeli military, which deploys snipers atop pyramid-shaped bunkers positioned at regular intervals along the frontier, says it takes pains to avoid civilian casualties and only uses live fire as a last resort. But it also says it must defend against "terrorist" crowds hurling grenades and firebombs, and stop those who penetrate or damage the fence. Amnesty International and other human rights groups argue that under international law, the use of live ammunition can only be justified in the face of imminent death or serious injury. Israel argues that is exactly what its forces face. One Israeli soldier was killed by a Hamas sniper during a demonstration last July, and at least six have been wounded. Video images circulating on social media, however, have also shown unarmed protesters being shot, including some struck while running away or waving the Palestinian flag, Amnesty said. One incident in September showed a 16-year-old boy being shot in the chest while waving his hands in the air; he had just hurled a stone toward the fence, but it's unclear if it had even reached it. After another teen was shot dead in April, U.N. envoy Nickolay Mladenov asked in a tweet: "How does the killing of a child in #Gaza today help #peace?" Mladenov answered his own question, saying "It doesn't! It fuels anger and breeds more killing." The protests have been fueled by desperate living conditions in Gaza, a place most residents are prohibited from leaving. More than a decade since Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade on Gaza, unemployment is over 50 percent, tap water has become undrinkable and electricity is sporadic. Israel says the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas from importing weapons. When the demonstrations began, Raed Abu Khader told his 12-year-old son Mohammed to stay away, and the boy promised he would. But on Aug. 24, Khader received an urgent phone call from a friend: Mohammed had been shot in the leg at one of the demonstrations held that day. "He shouldn't have been there," Abu Khader said of the boy, who has been unable to move his left leg since and fears it will be amputated. "But the Israelis should only be shooting to scare children off - not hit them." It's unclear what Mohammed was doing when the shooting took place. Speaking in a wheelchair surrounded by friends on a Gaza street, he boasted that he had just hung a Palestinian flag on the fence when gunfire rang out. Later, lying in his darkened home with his distraught father looking on, the teen could not answer when asked where he was. Staring at the ground, his brown eyes welled with tears. Abu Khader said the boy had been transported to the protest site via one of the Hamas-organized buses that park outside Gaza's mosques every Friday. At the end of the ride was a spectacle that is consistently part-war, part-festival: cultural shows, corn on the cob, balloons and Palestinian kites laden with trails of flaming embers meant for Israeli farms. Plus the weekly confrontation itself: Palestinians armed with stones and firebombs battling armed Israeli forces flying spider-like drones equipped with tear gas. "They see their friends going, and they want to go," Abu Khader said. "They think it's a game. They think they're going to have fun. They don't know how dangerous it is." The round that struck Mohammed Abu Khader severed the nerves in his leg so completely, he can neither feel nor move his limb at all. If he does not get out of Gaza, his 39-year-old father says, he will likely lose his leg. Today, the boy often cries. He no longer goes to school. His father says the boy feels useless. Mohammed al-Dalo, the boy whose father took him to the protest, has been similarly traumatized. His father said he is markedly quieter now. And like Mohammed Abu Khader, his life may be changed forever. At a clinic run by Doctors Without Borders, physiotherapist Eyad Abedelaal says Mohammed al-Dalo suffers from "foot drop." Nerve damage means he cannot move his toes up and down; the boy limps when he walks. They will try to perform another surgery to fix the problem. "But unfortunately, this kind of nerve damage will likely last forever," Abedelaal said. "It means to walk correctly, he'll probably need special shoes for the rest of his life." Mohammed's father, Mazen al-Dalo, says the boy asked to go back to the protests, but he refused because he doesn't want him to get hurt again. Still, he has no regrets. "This is the tax you have to pay to achieve the right of return," he said, referencing a deep-held desire to take back land that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were forced from seven decades ago after the war that created Israel. "Nothing is free. We all have to sacrifice." ___ Associated Press writer Fares Akram contributed. In this Sept. 12, 2018, photo, a boy looks out of the window as the sun sets in Gaza City. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 12, 2018, photo, Amani al-Bilbisi, sits outside her son Mohammed Khader's room as he lays in bed in Gaza City. Mohammed was shot in the leg at one of the demonstrations on Gaza strip's border with Israel. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 10, 2018, photo, Mahmoud Abu Assi, who was shot in the leg during a demonstration, has his bandage changed in a clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza City. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 10, 2018, photo, patients with leg injuries they attained during demonstrations, gather outside a clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza City. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 17, 2018, photo, 8-year-old Mohamed al-Dalo sits in his living room as he waits for breakfast before going to school in Gaza City. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 16, 2018, photo, Raed Abu Khader, right, carries his 12-year-old son Mohammed as they return from the hospital in Gaza City. Mohammed was shot in the leg at one of the demonstrations on Gaza strip's border with Israel. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 10, 2018, photo, 18-year-old Atalla Fayoumi, who had his leg amputated after he was shot in a demonstration in April, attends a physical therapy session in a clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza City. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 10, 2018, photo, Mahmoud Abu Assi, who was shot in the leg during a demonstration, has his bandage changed in a clinic run by Doctors Without Borders in Gaza City. Ever since Hamas launched demonstrations in March against Israel's blockade of Gaza, children have been a constant presence in the crowds. Since then, U.N. figures show that 948 children under 18 have been shot by Israeli forces and 2,295 have been hospitalized, including 17 who have had a limb amputated. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) GAZA CITY, Gaza (AP) - Israeli forces deployed along the volatile border with the Gaza Strip have fired live rounds at rock-throwing Palestinian protesters ever since demonstrations against Israel's long-running blockade of Gaza began in March. And for eight months, Israeli snipers have targeted one part of the body more than any other - the legs. The Israeli army says it is responding to weekly assaults on its frontier by Palestinians armed with stones, grenades and firebombs. The military says it opens fire only as a last resort, and considers firing at the lower limbs an act of restraint. Still, 175 Palestinians have been shot to death, according to an Associated Press count. And the number of wounded has reached colossal proportions. Of the 10,511 protesters treated at hospitals and field clinics in Gaza so far, at least 6,392, or roughly 60 percent, have been struck in the lower limbs, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. At least 5,884 of those casualties were hit by live ammunition; others have been hit by rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters. The upsurge in violence has left a visible mark on Gaza that will likely remain for decades to come. It is now common to see young men walking through dilapidated streets on crutches. Most have legs bandaged or fitted with a metal frame called a fixator, which uses pins or screws that are inserted into fractured bones to help stabilize them. In this combination of 10 photos taken on Sept. 19, 2018, Palestinians shot in the legs during demonstrations at the Gaza strip's border with Israel pose as they await treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Israeli forces deployed along the volatile border have fired live rounds at rock-throwing Palestinian protesters since demonstrations began in March against Israel's long-running blockade of Gaza. Israeli snipers have targeted one part of the body more than any other: the legs. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) The wounded can often be seen gathering at a treatment clinic run by the Paris-based medical charity Doctors Without Borders in Gaza City, where Associated Press photographer Felipe Dana took portraits of some of them. Some of those he photographed acknowledged throwing stones toward Israeli troops during the demonstrations. One said he had hurled a firebomb. But others said they were unarmed bystanders; one paramedic said he was helping rescue the wounded, while another man said he was waving a Palestinian flag and another said he was selling coffee and tea. International human rights groups have said the military's open-fire rules are unlawful because they allow the use of potentially lethal force in situations where soldiers' lives are not in immediate danger. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, rejected international criticism that Israel's response has been excessive. Instead, he said that firing at people's legs was a sign of restraint. "Hamas is responsible for orchestrating violent riots where thousands of Palestinians assault our borders with the goal of breaching our defensive lines and attacking Israeli forces and civilian communities," he said. "Israeli soldiers use live fire only as a last resort, after written and verbal warnings, as well as extensive use of tear gas and other non-lethal means have been exhausted. It is our duty to defend our civilians and sovereignty, and we do it with the minimal use of force possible," he said. Doctors Without Borders said this month that the huge number of patients was overwhelming Gaza's health care system, which has already been severely weekend by a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt that has fueled economic stagnation and rampant unemployment, and devastated water and electricity supplies. The Paris-based aid group said the majority of the 3,117 patients it has treated have been shot in the legs, and many will need follow-up surgery, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. "These are complex and serious injuries that do not quickly heal," the group said. "Their severity and the lack of appropriate treatment in Gaza's crippled health system means that infection is a high risk, especially for patients with open fractures." "The consequences of these wounds ... will be lifelong disability for many," the aid group said. "And if infections are not tackled, then the results could be amputation or even death." Gaza's Health Ministry says it has carried out 94 amputations since the protests began, 82 of them involving lower limbs. ___ Associated Press journalists Fares Akram and Felipe Dana contributed to this report. In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Mohammed Shabit, 26, poses as he awaits treatment at a clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza City. Shabit says he suffered two fractures of the left leg while marching with demonstrators during a peaceful protest at the border. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018 photo, Mohammed Afana, 20, poses for a portrait as he waits for treatment at a clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza City. Afana hopes to be able to walk normally again. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Mohammed al-Rafati, 24, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Al-Rafati said he was resting between burning tires during a demonstration when he was shot. He still joins other protesters every Friday. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Mohanad al-Khawas, 20, poses as he awaits treatment at a clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza City. Al-Khawas was selling coffee and tea from a push cart at a protest when he was shot in the right leg; he says he was trying to coax his nephew to leave the site. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Ahmed Subeih, 24, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders. Subeih was throwing rocks at the protest when he was shot; he believes what happened to him was "God's decision." (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Fathi al-Sakani, 19, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Al-Sakani was taking part in a protest when he was shot in his right shin. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Mahmoud 19, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Mahmoud says he lost about 10 centimeters (four inches) of bone from his injuries and is far from recovery five months later. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Ayman Harb, 36, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Harb, a paramedic was injured several times. In the last protest, he was shot while trying to help someone get out of the out of the Mediterranean. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Ahmed Abu Marahil, 20, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Marahil was shot as he made his way towards a fence at the protest site. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Mohammed Hilles, 18, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Hilles says he was on the border chatting with other youths when he was shot in the abdomen and in the right leg. He wants to keep on protesting. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Hassan Abu Houdi, 19, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Houdi says he was shot in his right leg while protesting. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Abdel-Fattah al-Khatib, 19, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Al-Khatib was shot in the leg by a soldier when he came close to the fence at the protest site. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Sept. 19, 2018, photo, Mahmoud Saad, 25, poses as he awaits treatment at a Gaza City clinic run by MSF (Doctors Without Borders). Saad says he was throwing rocks while at the border when he was shot in his left leg. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Indian troops killed three rebels on the outskirts of disputed Kashmir's main city on Sunday, ending a nearly 18-hour-long gunbattle, officials said. Indian paramilitary spokesman Sanjay Sharma said the three militants were killed on the outskirts of Srinagar. Two counterinsurgency police officials and a soldier were wounded, he said. Sharma said Indian troops had surrounded a neighborhood on Saturday on a tip that militants were hiding there. As the troops began conducting searches, militants opened gunfire, triggering intense fighting in which three combatants were killed, he said. Police identified one of the slain militants as a teenage boy who had joined rebel ranks in August. The fighting sparked anti-India protests and clashes as residents tried to march to the site of the battle. Government forces fired warning shots, shotgun pellets and tear gas at the stone-throwing protesters. At least five people were injured in the clashes, police and residents said. An Indian policeman fires a tear gas shell towards Kashmiri protesters near the site of a gun-battle in Mujagund area some 25 Kilometers (16 miles) from Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Indian troops killed three suspected rebels in the outskirts of disputed Kashmir's main city ending nearly 18-hour-long gunbattle, officials said Sunday. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Residents said government forces blasted at least five houses with explosives during the fighting, a common tactic employed by Indian troops during counterinsurgency operations in Kashmir. Authorities also suspended internet services on cellphones in Srinagar, also a common tactic during gunbattles and anti-India protests to discourage further protests and dissemination of protest videos by Kashmiris. Kashmir is divided between rivals India and Pakistan and both claim the territory in its entirety. 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. 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. A Kashmiri man shouts at an Indian policeman as he stands inside a damaged house at the site of a gun-battle in Mujagund area some 25 Kilometers (16 miles) from Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Indian troops killed three suspected rebels in the outskirts of disputed Kashmir's main city ending nearly 18-hour-long gunbattle, officials said Sunday. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) An Indian policeman walks past empty bullet cartridges lying on road near the site of a gun-battle in Mujagund area some 25 Kilometers (16 miles) from Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Indian troops killed three suspected rebels in the outskirts of disputed Kashmir's main city ending nearly 18-hour-long gunbattle, officials said Sunday. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Kashmiri villagers shout pro-freedom slogans next to damaged houses at the site of a gun-battle in Mujagund area some 25 Kilometers (16 miles) from Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Indian troops killed three suspected rebels in the outskirts of disputed Kashmir's main city ending nearly 18-hour-long gunbattle, officials said Sunday. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) VIENNA (AP) - Lilas Almalaki didn't know a word of German when she enrolled in an Austrian middle school two months after fleeing her war-torn homeland in 2015, so she relied on the proficient English she learned as a top student in Syria to keep the bullies in place. Hassan Husseini didn't speak German either and had never spent a day in a classroom when he arrived as an Afghan refugee the same year. He had a tougher time when picked on. Despite their differences, the two teens share the same challenge. Like the nearly 10,000 other school-age children who arrived in Austria during Europe's largest modern influx of refugees, school is where they must learn to bridge different worlds: one that has shaped their families and identities, and the other where they hope to prosper in peace. But they entered schools already straining to cope with large numbers of children born in Austria to migrant parents who are still struggling with basic German. That difficulty has deepened local anxieties over integration and helped propel the far right into Austria's new government. Immigration and the integration of 2.5 million people who the European Union says sought asylum in 2015 and 2016 are issues across Europe. On the front lines are the schools, where teachers, administrators, psychologists and parents are clashing over the future of the next generation. "The children are living in two worlds," says Andrea Walach, the principal at Hassan's middle school in Vienna, where only seven of more than 200 students speak German at home. "One world is school ... but when they are at home, all of this is forgotten." In this Oct. 3, 2018 photo 16-year-old Seray Aytar and Melek Karakoc speak in their school in Simmerin near Vienna, Austria. The two best friends, born in Austria, were raised by women who, despite coming from Turkey as teens, still can't manage basic German. Whether in class in Austria or on vacation in Turkey, Seray and Melek feel caught between two uncomprehending worlds. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto) In 2015, nearly 90,000 asylum-seekers - mostly from Afghanistan and Syria, and a third of them younger than 18 - arrived in Austria, a nation of less than 9 million people. Today, 51 percent of the quarter-million students in Vienna's schools speak languages other than German in their daily life, according a 2018 report. That includes 34,000 pupils who don't understand enough German to follow their teachers, the Education Ministry says. That number goes up to more than 70 percent in vocational middle schools like Hassan's, pathways to apprenticeships in trades that must accept anyone who applies. The other option is an academic school like the one Lilas attends, which restricts admissions. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's center-right People's Party and junior coalition nationalist Freedom Party campaigned on tougher immigration controls. His government has also rejected a global migration pact that is being approved this week at a U.N. conference in Morocco. The government has also changed the way it handles children who struggle with German. In the past, students not proficient in German had been exempt from grading for up to two years in all subjects. Now, any new students struggling with German are taken out of regular classes, except physical education and the arts, and put into their own language-intensive programs. Critics say separating students fuels discrimination and prevents them from learning from their peers. Proponents counter that socialization can't happen if kids can't talk to one another, so this speeds up eventual integration. Integration in schools is a crucial matter, child development experts say, because that's where migrant children learn what their new society expects of them - which greatly affects how well they will do as adults. That means the debate over how to best teach migrant children is not just about language, it is also about bridging sometimes widely diverging cultures. Austrian education ministry official Martin Netzer says the priority, along with German proficiency, is "to make sure that our basic values are accepted and that there is understanding on both sides." Research by Greek professor Frosso Motti-Stefanidi suggests that children do best when schools and parents together help them adapt to a new culture while integrating familiar values. But Walach and other educators say they often struggle to explain to parents - many of them illiterate - the basic importance of schooling as a pathway to a better life. "Nobody asks if (their kids) have been to school, did do your homework, when is your next test?" Walach said. Psychologists on 25 "mobile intercultural teams" deployed across Austria in the wake of the refugee influx were trying to close gaps between schools and parents, but they expect to be disbanded when the school year ends due to budget cuts. For both the new arrivals and the many teens born in Austria to migrant families, integration remains a daily challenge. In Simmering, a diverse neighborhood on Vienna's outskirts, 16-year-old Seray Aytar and Melek Karakoc are thriving in their academically-oriented school, despite belonging to the 65 percent of students there who speak languages other than German at home, according to principal Claudia Valsky. The two best friends, born in Austria, were raised by women who, despite coming from Turkey as teens, still can't manage basic German. Whether in class in Austria or on vacation in Turkey, Seray and Melek feel caught between two uncomprehending worlds. "We don't know where our home is anymore," Seray says in flawless English, and Melek nods. Lilas and her mother decided to flee Damascus when a car bomb went off in front of her school. After that, Syria no longer feels like home, the 16-year-old says. But it remains a "second mother," she adds - so she insists on speaking Arabic at home, while her mom would like Lilas to speak more German so her own fluency can improve. Lilas' ease with languages and her academic talent have been her ticket to the demanding school she attends, along with only 8 percent of Vienna's refugee school kids. She recalls how in her first Austrian school, when she tried to answer a teacher's question in halting German, a boy laughed at her. "I can't talk German, but I can talk English and you can't, so what are you laughing at?" she retorted in English. She was so talented in English at that her classmates started asking for help. "I helped them, and then they were nice to me," she says. Even though he had had no formal education, Hassan knows that going to school is the key to his dream of working with robots and buying a car and a house in the Austrian countryside. He arrived with his mother and the younger sister he carried piggyback through Iran, Turkey and into Europe, and he is leveraging that dangerous ordeal to produce success at school. "Our teacher has assigned me (to compete) in the fast running contest. I always win first place. My teacher encourages me," he says proudly in his native Dari language. "Because we were walking all the way, our bodies got hardened." Hassan's physique makes him stand out in a classroom. Now he figures improving his German will get him more friends, so he always comes to school, even when he doesn't want to. "Sometimes I have a lot of fun with the boys and I play with them very much. Sometimes I'm really very serious," he says, before excusing himself to get back to class. In this Oct. 3, 2018 photo Lilas Almalaki shows her paintings in Vienna, Austria. Lilas Almalaki didn't know a word of German when she enrolled in an Austrian middle school two months after fleeing her war-torn homeland in 2015, so she relied on the proficient English she learned as a top student in Syria to keep bullies in place. (AP Photo/Philipp-Moritz Jenne) In this Dec. 7, 2018 photo Hassan Husseini from Afghanistan poses for a photograph as he attends a class in a school in Vienna, Austria. Like the nearly 10,000 other school-age children who arrived in Austria during Europe's largest modern influx of refugees, school is where they must learn to bridge different worlds: one that has shaped their families and identities, and the other where they now hope to prosper in peace. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) - Early returns from Armenia's snap parliamentary election Sunday show the country's new prime minister's bloc with a commanding lead - 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. Pashinian has pushed for early vote to win control of a parliament that was dominated by his political foes. An ex-journalist turned politician, Pashinian has won broad popularity, tapping into public anger over widespread poverty, high unemployment and rampant corruption in the landlocked former Soviet nation of 3 million that borders Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran. With 185 out of the nation's 2,010 precincts counted, Pashinian's My Step was garnering 66 percent of the vote, while the Republican Party that controlled the old parliament was a distant fourth with just under 4 percent, struggling to overcome a 5-percent barrier to make it into parliament. The pro-business Prosperous Armenia party was coming second with about 11 percent of the ballot, and the nationalist Dashnaktsutyun party was winning about 8 percent. By the time the polls closed at 8 p.m. (1600 GMT, 11 a.m. EST), 49 percent of the nation's eligible voters cast ballots. Full preliminary results are expected Monday. Pashinian exuded confidence after casting his ballot in Yerevan, saying that he was sure that his bloc will win a majority in parliament. 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) During the monthlong campaign, 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," 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 Azerbaijan's 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 Armenia's population has moved to live and work abroad and remittances from those who have left account for around 14 percent of the country's annual GDP. After seven months on the job, 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 weren't so optimistic. Bella Nazarian, an entrepreneur, said Pashinian has skillfully manipulated public hopes. "He's a populist and a liar," she said. "I believe that people's eyes will open as early as the coming spring." Saak Mkhitarian, 37, a video engineer, said he was worried about what he described as Pashinian's divisive rhetoric. "He wants to create an internal enemy and hates those who don't share his beliefs," Mkhitarian said. Pashinian was the driving force behind the protests that erupted in April when Serzh Sargsyan, who had served as Armenia's president for a decade, moved into the prime minister's seat, a move seen by critics as an attempt to hold on to power. Thousands of protesters led by Pashinian thronged the Armenian capital, and Sargsyan resigned after only six days on the job. Sargsyan has stayed out of the public eye since stepping down and refused to answer reporters' questions after voting Sunday. His Republican Party has largely remained on the defensive. Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian arrives to cast his ballot in 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, c enter, prepares to cast 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) 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) FILE - In this file photo taken on Thursday, April 26, 2018, Nikol Pashinian gestures as he speaks to demonstrators gathered at Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenians are set to cast ballots in parliamentary elections expected to cement the incumbent prime minister's grip on power. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File) FILE - In this file photo taken on Sunday, April 22, 2018, Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, left, speaks with protest leader Nikol Pashinian during their meeting in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenians are set to cast ballots in parliamentary elections expected to cement the incumbent prime minister's grip on power. (Hrant Khachatryan/PAN Photo via AP, File) FILE- In this file photo taken on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, Opposition leader Nikol Pashinian, right, speaks to a police officer in front of a police line blocking the way to demonstrators protesting the former president's shift into the prime minister's seat in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenians are set to cast ballots in parliamentary elections expected to cement the incumbent prime minister's grip on power. (Narek Aleksanyan, PAN Photo via AP, File) FILE - In this file photo taken on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, Supporters of opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinian stand atop of a vehicle as they protest in Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenians are set to cast ballots in parliamentary elections expected to cement the incumbent prime minister's grip on power. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File) FILE - In this file photo taken on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, supporters of opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinian gather in Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenians are set to cast ballots in parliamentary elections expected to cement the incumbent prime minister's grip on power. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) 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) 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) A woman casts her ballot paper 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) A woman casts her ballot paper 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) Election officials wait for voters 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) ROME (AP) - Italian police investigating a deadly disco stampede said Sunday they found a pepper spray can and were questioning dozens of witnesses Sunday following accounts by concertgoers that a teenage boy had sprayed an irritating substance, triggering the mad rush by the crowd to flee. It wasn't known if the can found was the one whose spray apparently set off the stampede about 1 a.m. Saturday in a crowd awaiting a rapper's performance in the Lanterna Azzurra (Blue Lantern) disco in Corinaldo, a small town in the Marche region of east-central Italy, the Carabiniere paramilitary police commander of Ancona province, Col. Cristian Carrozza, told reporters. He also declined to confirm Italian media reports that a 16-year-old boy had been identified as the sprayer and would be questioned by juvenile court officials. Five teens, all juveniles, and a woman who had accompanied her 11-year-old daughter to the concert, died in the crush of fleeing concertgoers who toppled over a railing atop a cement ramp outside an exit. The railing gave way, sending young people tumbling over it and landing atop of each other in the area below the ramp, about 1.5 meters (feet) below. On Saturday, prosecutors and Italy's premier and interior minister told reporters that nearly 1,400 tickets had been sold, while the disco could safely hold only 870 people, with the capacity of the room of the concert itself set at about 460. On Sunday, Carrozza said a count of ticket stubs indicated that about 600 tickets were used for entry. It was unclear if others might have gotten in without having tickets checked by disco personnel. Relatives and friends comfort each others outside the morgue in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Bobo Antic) One of the DJs, Marco Cecchini, told reporters he was sure that more than just one room of the disco was open, in addition to the one with the 460-person capacity. "I've done 40-50 evenings in that place, and, sincerely, there weren't so many people. I'd estimate maybe 800-900 people, but all the rooms were open," the Italian news agency ANSA quoted Cecchini, who is the son of one of the disco's managers, as saying. Several parents whose children had gone to the concert on Saturday brought police cellphones to show videos of the disco's premises in case the visuals could help in the investigation, ANSA said. Many parents and patrons have said the disco was jam-packed. Carrozza said that on Saturday police had taken accounts from more than 80 people, and many more concertgoers were being questioned on Sunday. Seven of the more than 50 people injured in the stampede remained in critical condition Sunday while the remaining patients were either already discharged or about to be discharged after their condition improved, doctors said. After Interior Minister Matteo Salvini insisted that safety codes for public places be rigorously respected, police overnight shut down two discos in the south, near the port city of Salerno, for apparent overcrowding. ___ Frances D'Emilio is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fdemilio A view of the rear entrance of the disco 'Lanterna Azzurra' in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Italian police say a stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco killed five young teenagers early Saturday along with a woman who had brought her daughter to the event. Fifty-three others were injured at the disco in central Italy where Italian rapper Sfera Ebbasta was to perform. Authorities said organizers had apparently sold too many tickets. Police say 13 of the injured are in serious condition. (Pasquale Bove/ANSA via AP) A view of the rear entrance of the disco 'Lanterna Azzurra' in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Italian police say a stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco killed five young teenagers early Saturday along with a woman who had brought her daughter to the event. Fifty-three others were injured at the disco in central Italy where Italian rapper Sfera Ebbasta was to perform. Authorities said organizers had apparently sold too many tickets. Police say 13 of the injured are in serious condition. (Pasquale Bove/ANSA via AP) Italian Interior Minister and Deputy-Premier Matteo Salvini, flanked by Ancona's head of Police Oreste Capocasa leaves disco Lanterna Azzurra after a site inspection, in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) A girl cries as lifeless bodies lie on the ground outside disco Lanterna Azzurra in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Bobo Antic) Italian Interior Minister and Deputy-Premier Matteo Salvini leaves disco Lanterna Azzurra after a site inspection, in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Italian Interior Minister and Deputy-Premier Matteo Salvini, flanked by Ancona's head of Police Oreste Capocasa leaves disco Lanterna Azzurra after a site inspection, in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Italian Interior Minister and Deputy-Premier Matteo Salvini leaves disco Lanterna Azzurra after a site inspection, in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) An inside view of disco Lanterna Azzurra in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Bobo Antic) An inside view af disco Lanterna Azzurra in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Bobo Antic) Rescuers assist an injured woman outside disco Lanterna Azzurra in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Bobo Antic) Rescuers assist injured people outside disco Lanterna Azzurra in Corinaldo, central Italy, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. A stampede at a rap concert in an overcrowded disco in central Italy killed five young teenagers and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the event early Saturday, police said, adding that 59 people were injured. (AP Photo/Bobo Antic) LONDON (AP) - With a crucial parliamentary vote on Brexit looming, British Prime Minister Theresa May warned lawmakers Sunday that they could take Britain into "uncharted waters" and trigger a general election if they reject the divorce deal she struck with the European Union. May is fighting to save her unpopular Brexit plan and her job ahead of a showdown in Parliament on Tuesday, when lawmakers are widely expected to vote down the deal she negotiated with Brussels. Her Downing Street office insisted that the vote will go ahead despite speculation that the government may be forced to delay it. A defeat in the vote could see Britain crashing out of the EU on March 29, the date for Britain's exit, with no deal in place - an outcome that could spell economic chaos. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, May said nixing her deal would "mean grave uncertainty for the nation with a very real risk of no Brexit or leaving the European Union with no deal." "When I say if this deal does not pass we would truly be in uncharted waters, I hope people understand this is what I genuinely believe and fear could happen," she said. May's government does not have a majority in the House of Commons, and opposition parties - as well as many of May's own Conservatives - have already said they will not back the divorce deal that May and EU leaders agreed on last month. Police attempt to keep rival Brexit protest groups from clashing in central London, Sunday Dec. 9, 2018. The "Brexit Betrayal Rally" led by English far-right activist Tommy Robinson and UK Independence Party, UKIP, leader Gerard Batten, protesting for a split from Europe, and a Pro-Europe anti-fascist counter-demonstration both marched in central London. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) 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 in the Brexit agreement that aims to guarantee an open border between EU member Ireland and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland post-Brexit. The temporary measure would keep Britain under EU customs rules, and is supposed to last until superseded by permanent new trade arrangements. But critics say it could leave Britain tied to the EU indefinitely, unable to strike new trade deals around the world. Boris Johnson, May's former foreign secretary and leading Brexiteer, said the backstop puts Britain in a "diabolical negotiating position," and insisted Sunday that it must be taken out of the divorce deal. He urged May to renegotiate with the EU, and postpone the Irish border issue so it forms part of the talks on a future trade deal. "We have to change it," Johnson told the BBC. "We can have a withdrawal agreement that does not contain the backstop. We can do much, much better than this." It's unclear what would happen next if lawmakers vote down the deal. May could return to Brussels seeking changes to the Brexit deal and bring it back to Parliament for another vote. But EU leaders have insisted the divorce agreement is final and not renegotiable. However, while the 585-page withdrawal deal is set, the declaration on future relations between the EU and Britain is shorter and vaguer and may be open to amendment. Meanwhile, pro-Brexit Conservative rebels who have long wanted to oust May can trigger a no-confidence vote if they amass enough support. The Labour Party may also attempt to force a general election or seek to form a minority government. "What we would urge (May) to do is either call a general election - because she wouldn't have the confidence of Parliament to carry on as prime minister," Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour's business spokeswoman, told the BBC. "But alternatively, she could offer to renegotiate around a deal that would provide consensus in Parliament." Some have also floated the idea of a second referendum on the question of Britain's EU membership but the government is firmly opposed to that. Voters who favor pulling out of the EU narrowly won a 2016 referendum that triggered the exit process, but the subject still deeply divides the nation. On Sunday, riot police were deployed on central London streets amid fears of clashes between a pro-Brexit rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and counter-protesters. Thousands of supporters of the Eurosceptic U.K. Independence Party and Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, rallied to accuse May of compromising over Brexit. They were met with thousands of Labour activists and anti-fascist protesters. ___ See the AP's Brexit coverage at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit People attend a pro-Brexit rally, on Park Lane in London, Sunday, Dec, 9, 2018. MP's are to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) People take part in an anti-fascist counter-demonstration against the "Brexit Betrayal Rally" led by English far-right activist Tommy Robinson who serves as a political adviser to the Leader of the UK Independence Party, UKIP, in central London, Sunday Dec. 9, 2018. Police patrolled the route and separated the two rallies. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) Demonstrators protest for Britain's Brexit split from Europe, outside the Houses of Parliament in London Thursday Dec. 6, 2018. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May's effort to win support for her Brexit agreement comes amid reports in British newspapers Thursday, predicting that Parliament could reject the deal by more than 100 votes. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends the ceremony to light up a Christmas tree at 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Demonstrators hold placards at the "Brexit Betrayal Rally", a pro-Brexit rally, on Park Lane in London, Sunday Dec, 9, 2018. MP's are to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) People take part in an anti-fascist counter-demonstration against the "Brexit Betrayal Rally" led by English far-right activist Tommy Robinson who serves as a political adviser to the Leader of the UK Independence Party, UKIP, in central London, Sunday Dec. 9, 2018. Police patrolled the route and separated the two rallies. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) People take part in an anti-fascist counter-demonstration against the "Brexit Betrayal Rally" led by English far-right activist Tommy Robinson who serves as a political adviser to the Leader of the UK Independence Party, UKIP, in central London, Sunday Dec. 9, 2018. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) People attend the "Brexit Betrayal Rally", a pro-Brexit rally, on Park Lane in London, Sunday, Dec, 9, 2018. MP's are to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) People attend the "Brexit Betrayal Rally", a pro-Brexit rally, on Park Lane in London, Sunday, Dec, 9, 2018. MP's are to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Congo's President Joseph Kabila is stepping down after this month's election but he doesn't rule out seeking the post again in the future. In a rare interview with The Associated Press, the Congolese leader, who ended months of speculation earlier this year by announcing he would not run again this time, said he doesn't know what retiring from politics means. He took power in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila, and says there is still more to be done in this mineral-rich but "complicated nation." "Well, I am not going to rule out anything in life," Joseph Kabila, relaxed and smiling, said. "As long as you are alive and you have ideas as strong as you have, a vision, you should never rule out anything." That kind of talk has worried Congo's opposition, which fears that Kabila will rule from the shadows if his preferred successor, ruling party candidate and former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, wins in the long-delayed Dec. 23 election. The 47-year-old Kabila dismissed those concerns, saying the constitution makes it clear that such an arrangement is not possible. Yet he now acts as moral authority for a recently created political coalition, the Common Front for Congo, keeping himself close to power. Kabila is eligible to run again for president in 2023, as Congo's constitution merely rules out three successive mandates. For now, he said he will likely remain in the role of adviser: "If anyone wants advice from me, I hope they come and ask." Congo now faces what could be its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, after a troubled history marked by Mobutu Sese Seko's more than three-decade rule. At stake is a vast country blessed with trillions of dollars in natural resources but long destabilized by dozens of rebel groups. Now an Ebola outbreak, the second-largest in history, poses a new threat to the election, whose delay since late 2016 led to sometimes deadly protests over Kabila's long stay beyond his mandate. The government blamed the delays on difficulties in organizing the vote as a new wave of rebel fighting raged. Critics of the delay "should be humble enough to realize that the Congo itself is a challenge and that the electoral process is a much bigger challenge," Kabila said. Any country, be it the United States or France, would prioritize security over elections, he added. Annoyed by the pressure at home and from abroad - including European Union sanctions on Shadary for obstructing Congo's electoral process and a crackdown against protesters - Kabila and his administration have pushed back at so-called interference in Congo's affairs and vowed to fund this election alone, with no outside money. Kabila called the sanctions against Shadary "unjust and illegal." EU officials have confirmed the sanctions will be prolonged this week. Shadary or whoever is elected "will be the president of this country and not the president of Europe. God forbid," Kabila said, laughing. Engagement with Europe will continue regardless, "so that one day they come to see the light because they are in darkness, completely in darkness. Or should I say they're in a state of denial." In an ambitious but worrying move for many, Congo also is using voting machines for the first time, leading to questions from technical experts, diplomats and rights groups about how this infrastructure-starved country of 40 million voters, many without computer experience, will succeed. Congo's two leading opposition parties have joined forces after withdrawing from a wider pact to support a single contender. Felix Tshisekedi with the country's most prominent opposition party is representing his party as well as that of Vital Kamerhe. Martin Fayulu Madidi is the other leading opposition candidate. Many in Congo worry that a divided opposition will hurt the chances of defeating Shadary in a single-round election. Congo has no runoff vote. Fayulu rejected the idea that the constitution allows for Kabila to run again. "I have the impression that he does not know the constitution well," he told the AP. "The mandate of the president of the republic is five years, renewable once." Kabila defended his legacy, pointing to his past election wins, and said he wouldn't miss the office when he leaves. "We've made lots of strides," he said, noting that Congo's budget was $250 million when he first took office and is $5 billion today. He himself has amassed vast wealth while in office. He said he has done "the best that we definitely could" for Congo's benefit since taking office. The country's long insecurity has hurt efforts to do more, he said: "Peace was elusive until a given period of time." Kabila sounded pensive about the future, whatever his role. "The work in this country will never be over," he said. "The Congo is a country of a thousand challenges." ___ Associated Press writer Saleh Mwanamilongo in Kinshasa contributed. ___ Follow Carley Petesch at https://twitter.com/carleypetesch and Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa OSLO, Norway (AP) - One of the winners of this year's Nobel Peace Prize says the attention the prize has drawn to sexual violence against women in war zones must be followed by action against the abuses. Dr. Denis Mukwege spoke Sunday at a news conference with Nadia Murad of Iraq, with whom he shared the 9-million Swedish kronor ($1 million) prize. Mukwege was honored for his work helping sexually abused women at the hospital he founded in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Murad, a Yazidi, won for her advocacy for sex abuse victims after being kidnapped by Islamic State militants. "What we see during armed conflicts is that women's bodies become battlefields and this cannot be acceptable during our time," Mukwege said, speaking through a translator. "We cannot only denounce it, we now need to act." Murad, 25, was one of an estimated 3,000 girls and women from Iraq's Yazidi minority group who were kidnapped in 2014 by IS militants and sold into sexual slavery. She was raped, beaten and tortured before managing to escape three months later. After getting treatment in Germany, she chose to speak to the world about the horrors faced by Yazidi women, despite regardless of the heavy stigma in her culture surrounding rape. She said Sunday it was difficult "for a girl, a woman, to rise up to say that these atrocities have happened." Mukwege, a 63-year-old surgeon, founded a hospital in the city of Bukavu and over the past 20 years has treated countless women who were raped amid fighting between armed groups seeking to control of some the central African nation's vast mineral wealth. Nobel peace price laureates Nadia Murad, left, and Dr. Denis Mukwege look on during the press conference at the Nobelinstituttet in Oslo, Sunday Dec. 9, 2018. (Heiko Junge/NTB scanpix via AP) He expressed concern Sunday that new violence could be coming as Congo holds a general election this month. "We think the conflict might blow up around this electoral period and women and children are always the first victims of such conflicts," he said. Along with preventing sexual violence, more effort is needed to attend to victims, Mukwege said. "We need to realize that any woman who is a victim of sexual violence within her own country - such women should be allowed treatment and it's not only medical treatment, also psychological treatment, judicial treatment," he said. Murad said the psychological burden of her ordeal and her subsequent work is heavy. "I don't want to live in fear. For the last four years I have been in Germany, in a safe place, but yet I'm living frightfully," she said. "I'm scared that these people will not just attack me or have an impact on me, but with anybody else." Murad and Mukwege will receive their prize Monday at a ceremony in the Norwegian capital. The winners of Nobel prizes for medicine, physics, chemistry and economics will get their prizes Monday in Stockholm. No Nobel literature winner was named this year due to turmoil in the Swedish Academy, which chooses the literature winners. ___ Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this story Dr. Denis Mukwege, left, is welcomed by director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute Olav Njolstad on his arrival at Oslo Airport in Gardermoen, Norway, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Dr. Denis Mukwege from Kongo and Nadia Murad from Iraq received the Nobel Peace Prize this year for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict. (Hakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB scanpix via AP) LONDON (AP) - A British man who was exposed to the deadly nerve agent Novichok said he is struggling with his eyesight and mobility, and fears the poison will kill him within a decade. Charlie Rowley, 45, fell ill in June near Salisbury, England, after coming into contact with the Soviet-developed nerve agent that was used months earlier to attack former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Rowley, Skripal and his daughter survived, but Rowley's partner Dawn Sturgess, who was also exposed, died in the hospital. Rowley told the Sunday Mirror newspaper that he was back in the hospital being treated for meningitis. He said he was going blind and unable to use one arm, and said he was "terrified about the future" and what long-term effects the military grade poison would have on him. "I'm still worried the Novichok could kill me if I get any sort of virus again - it's on my mind all the time. I'm dreading getting a cold," he said. "I don't think I'll be alive in 10 years. It's been horrendous." Britain accuses Russia of carrying out the poisoning of the Skripals, a claim Moscow denies. Rowley and Sturgess collapsed after they handled a small bottle containing the nerve agent, believed to have been discarded by the Skripals' attackers. Britain charged two alleged Russian military intelligence agents in absentia for the attack. The pair denied their involvement on Russian television. The Skripals' poisoning ignited a diplomatic confrontation in which hundreds of envoys were expelled by both Russia and Western nations. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Cyprus police say they have detained 40 Syrian migrants after a boat dropped them off along the ethnically split island nation's northwestern coast. Police said Sunday authorities had initially located the boat about 25 kilometers (15 miles) off the island's coast late Saturday. The migrants, including two women and a child, set out from Mersin, Turkey. The migrants disembarked in the country's breakaway Turkish Cypriot north before crossing on foot to the internationally recognized southern part where they were found by police near the northwestern village of Pyrgos. Police said all 40 people have been taken to a reception center on Nicosia's outskirts for processing. Cyprus says a recent spike in migrant arrivals has turned the tiny country into the EU's top destination for asylum-seekers per capita. KATOWICE, Poland (AP) - A diplomatic standoff over a single word could set the stage for a bigger showdown during the second half of this year's U.N. climate summit. Negotiators took time out Sunday to rest after the first week of talks ended on a sour note the previous night, when the United States sided with Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in blocking endorsement of a landmark study on global warming. "I think it was a key moment," said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists. "The fact that a group of four countries were trying to diminish the value and importance of a scientific report they themselves, with all other countries, requested three years ago in Paris is pretty remarkable." The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's special report on what would happen if average global temperatures rise by 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), and how to ensure they don't go higher, was widely regarded as a wake-up call for policy-makers when it was released in October . As diplomats wrapped up a week of technical talks Saturday, almost all 200 countries present in Katowice, Poland, had wanted to "welcome" the IPCC report, making it the benchmark for future action. But the U.S. and three other delegations objected. Renewable and fossil-fuel energy is produced when wind generators are seen in front of a coal fired power plant near Jackerath, Germany, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) "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 U.S. State Department said in a statement. "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." While none of the four-oil exporting countries spelled it out, their objection to the report likely included its suggestion that fossil-fuel use needs to be phased out by 2050. Oil, gas and coal are major sources of carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere. The 2015 Paris agreement set a target of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), ideally 1.5 C by the end of the century. "A 1.5 C and a 2 C worlds are very different in terms of mean climate, extremes, sea level rise, and climate-related risks," said one of the report's leading contributors, Valerie Masson-Delmotte. The higher threshold increases the likelihood of "climate change hot spots challenging basic water, food, economic security and the risk of irreversible loss of wildlife," she said. Observers at the talks said the two Gulf countries' objection to the IPCC report came as no surprise. "The Saudis with their sidekicks the Kuwaitis have long been troublemakers in this in this process," said Meyer, who has followed international climate negotiations for many years. Russia's intentions were unclear, he said, while the U.S. position appeared to be driven by what he called President Donald Trump 's "cavalier attitude toward science in general and climate science in particular." "It's really an embarrassment for the world's leading scientific superpower to be in this position of having to disbelieve a report that was written by the world's scientific community including a large number of pre-eminent U.S. scientists," Meyer said. Saturday's floor fight casts doubt on whether countries will be able to reach consensus on important issues by Friday, including the need to step up national targets to curb carbon emissions. While many countries are sending ministers or even national leaders to the talks, the U.S. and Britain are among the countries that will be represented only by bureaucrats. ___ Follow Frank Jordans on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter ___ Read more stories on climate issues by The Associated Press at https://www.apnews.com/Climate A woman holds up a globe demanding action on climate change during a demonstration in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP) JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military on Sunday said it has opened an investigation into the death of a 22-year-old Palestinian man in the West Bank after a video surfaced appearing to show him being shot in the back. The security-camera video, obtained from a local restaurant in the town of Tulkarem, shows Mohammed Habali walking in an alleyway holding a stick when he is shot from behind and falls down on his face. Several other young males are standing nearby or walking away in the same direction - sometimes looking back - apparently to keep their distance from Israeli troops. No soldiers are seen in the video. Habali's brother, Alaa, said Mohammed had suffered a mental disability and also was physically disabled after breaking his pelvis in a car accident a few years ago. He said the stick his brother carried was used to help him walk. He said Mohammed had worked in a coffee shop and was in the street after closing the restaurant when he saw soldiers in the area. In a statement Sunday, the military confirmed that it was conducting an "operational activity" in Tulkarem last week when dozens of Palestinians began hurling stones at the soldiers. It gave no further details on the operation, but the military often carries out arrest raids in the West Bank. File - In this Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 file photo, Palestinians pray by the body of Mohammed Habali 22, during his funeral in the Tulkarem refugee camp near the West Bank city of Tulkarem. The Israeli military says it has opened an investigation into the death of Habali after a video surfaced appearing to show him being shot in the back. The security-camera video shows Habali walking in an alleyway holding a stick when he is shot from behind and falls down on his face. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) The army said that soldiers responded to the stone throwers with "riot dispersal means" and live fire. It said military police are now investigating the shooting. It gave no details on when the probe would be completed. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas' new Democratic governor promised not to raise taxes to meet her goals of boosting spending on public schools and social services. Republicans who control the Legislature argue that a tax increase is coming even if state politicians do nothing. One of the first big political fights Gov.-elect Laura Kelly faces upon taking office in January will be over cutting income taxes. The state is receiving a revenue windfall thanks to changes in the federal tax code at the end of 2017. Kansas has been roiled by a debate over tax cuts for most of this decade, since a previous Republican experiment in slashing income taxes went awry and most voters came to view it as a failure. Lawmakers rolled back most of the experiment, and Kelly built her campaign on a pledge that Kansas wouldn't repeat it. Now, according to a spokeswoman, Kelly wants to "let the dust settle" and stabilize the budget before considering new tax changes. But there will be no hiatus: Top Republicans are saying that an early priority for them is rewriting income tax laws to cancel out the unintended revenue increase from the federal tax changes. "I've been working on it the past few weeks," said state Sen. Caryn Tyson, a GOP conservative and chairwoman of the Senate tax committee. "We should take a vote as legislators to say, do we want to stop that increase? Which I absolutely do." Policies championed by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress slashed federal income taxes but included provisions that will have some people paying more to their home states. The federal standard deduction increased - further limiting who can itemize - and it triggered a change in Kansas because its tax code is tied to federal law. In this photo from Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, Kansas Gov.-elect Laura Kelly answer questions from reporters during a break in a legislative meeting at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Kelly, a Democrat, races a push in the Republican-controlled Legislature to cut state income taxes to offset a revenue windfall caused by changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017. (AP Photo/John Hanna) The federal overhaul is expected to raise revenue in some states and lower it in others. Officials in Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri and Utah cited new revenues in justifying state tax cuts adopted this year. In each, Republicans control the governor's office and legislature. Kansas officials have struggled to calculate the size of the boon. One early estimate put the gain at $138 million for the state's current budget year. By last month, they had whittled the figure to $84 million. That uncertainty hurt efforts by Republicans to rewrite Kansas tax laws earlier this year. They passed a bill in the Senate, only to see it fall a few votes short in the House. A bill has a better chance of passing in 2019. While voters statewide chose Democrat Kelly, a veteran state senator from Topeka, as the next governor, local contests left the Legislature more conservative. "A lot of Republicans ran on giving that money back to the taxpayers," said state House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., a Kansas City-area conservative. But Kelly plans to increase spending - for public schools alone, possibly $90 million a year - which could require the state to keep that tax revenue. "Kansas still faces massive financial challenges," said Kelly's spokeswoman Ashley All. "After years of self-inflicted budget crises, we need to be more cautious and fiscally responsible." Kansas was ground zero for a national debate over trickle-down economics after then-Republican Gov. Sam Brownback successfully pushed GOP legislators to slash income taxes in 2012 and 2013 in hopes of stimulating the economy. Persistent budget shortfalls arose, and Kansas became a cautionary tale, even for Republicans elsewhere who favored tax cuts. Voters turned on Brownback's legislative allies, and bipartisan majorities in 2017 reversed most of his tax policies , raising income taxes $600 million a year. In the November election, voters had an overwhelmingly negative view of Brownback's tax experiment: 77 percent said his tax policies were bad for Kansas, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters nationwide, including nearly 4,000 in Kansas. The margin of sampling error among Kansas voters was plus or minus 2 percentage points. Kansas voters had a more favorable view of the federal tax cuts. According to AP VoteCast, about half, or 51 percent, said they approve, while a little less than half, or 44 percent, said they disapprove. Many Republicans view adjusting state tax laws as a moral imperative. New House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a conservative Wichita Republican, said the state is "just robbing" taxpayers. Democrats acknowledge that they worry about lower-income families being hurt by inaction. New House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, said he is open to working with Republicans on legislation dealing with itemized deductions but fears GOP lawmakers will push for tax breaks for multinational corporations. Jared Walczak, a senior policy analyst for the conservative Tax Foundation, said revenue windfalls allow states to pursue broader tax reforms, citing Georgia, Iowa and Vermont as examples. He said reverting to a state's previous status quo on taxes is "the path of least resistance." "You're missing an opportunity," he said. "Other states are saying this is an opportunity for meaningful reform." ___ Associated Press writers Hannah Fingerhut in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna In this photo from Monday, June 18, 2018, Kansas state Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, the chairwoman of the Senate tax committee, answers questions during an Associated Press interview in the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Tyson is eager to pursue a bill adjusting state income tax laws to eliminate a revenue "windfall" caused by changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017. (AP Photo/John Hanna) HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Documents from the investigation into the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut are shedding light on the gunman's anger, scorn for other people, and deep social isolation in the years leading up to the shooting. The documents that a court ordered Connecticut State Police to release include several writings by Adam Lanza, who gunned down 20 children and six educators on Dec. 14, 2012. He fatally shot his mother before driving to the school and ultimately killed himself. Lanza wrote in what appears to be an online communication with a fellow gamer: "I incessantly have nothing other than scorn for humanity," the Hartford Courant reported . "I have been desperate to feel anything positive for someone for my entire life," he wrote. The criminal investigation ended a year after the massacre without determining a motive. Thousands of pages of documents were released at the time, but in a lawsuit brought by the Courant, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in October that personal belongings of the shooter that had been withheld, including journals, also had to be made public because they were not exempt from open record laws. A report by the Connecticut child advocate said Lanza's severe and deteriorating mental health problems, his preoccupation with violence and access to his mother's weapons "proved a recipe for mass murder." From the 10th grade, Lanza's mother kept him at home, where he was surrounded by an arsenal of firearms and spent long hours playing violent video games. His medical and school records included references to diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. FILE - This undated identification file photo shows former Western Connecticut State University student Adam Lanza, who authorities said opened fire inside the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in 2012. Documents from the investigation into the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School are shedding light on the gunman's anger, scorn for other people, and deep social isolation in the years leading up to the shooting. (Western Connecticut State University via AP, File) The newly released documents were seized by authorities during a search of Lanza's home. They include writings that had been described or summarized by previous investigative reports such as the "Big Book Of Granny," a book describing violence against children that he wrote with another boy in the fifth grade, and a spreadsheet listing mass killings dating back to 1786. On one handwritten list titled "Problems," Lanza details a range of grievances including lights that are too bright and his hair touching his brother's towel. "I am unable to distinguish between my problems because I have too many," Lanza wrote. In other writings, he rages against "fat people" doctors who touched him during physical examinations as a child and writes about pedophilia as a form of love. In the document where he described his scorn for other people, he also indicated a desire for some form of companionship. "Most of my social contact was through those players," he wrote to the other gamer. "All of them are typical detestable human beings, and it bred an aura of innumerable negative emotions for me. You were a respite from that." 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) LAS VEGAS (AP) - With drought entering a second decade and reservoirs continuing to shrink, seven Southwestern U.S. states that depend on the overtaxed Colorado River for crop irrigation and drinking water had been expected to ink a crucial share-the-pain contingency plan by the end of 2018. They're not going to make it - at least not in time for upcoming meetings in Las Vegas involving representatives from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and the U.S. government, officials say. Arizona has been the holdout, with farmers, cities, Indian tribes and lawmakers in the state set to be first to feel the pinch still negotiating how to deal with water cutbacks when a shortage is declared, probably in 2020. "There will be cuts. We all know the clock is ticking. That's what a lot of the difficult negotiations have been around," said Kim Mitchell, Western Resource Advocates water policy adviser and a delegate to ongoing meetings involving the Arizona Department of Water Resources, Central Arizona Project, agricultural, industrial and business interests, the governor, state lawmakers and cities including Tucson and Phoenix. In Arizona, unlike other states, a final drought contingency plan must pass the state Legislature when it convenes in January. Federal water managers wanted a deal to sign at the annual Colorado River Water Users Association conference beginning Wednesday in Las Vegas, and threatened earlier this year to impose unspecified measures from Washington if a voluntary drought contingency plan wasn't reached. FILE - In this July 28, 2014, file photo, lightning strikes over Lake Mead near Hoover Dam that impounds Colorado River water at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Arizona. With drought continuing and reservoirs shrinking, several Southwestern U.S. states that depend on the Colorado River had been expected to ink a crucial share-the-pain contingency plan by the end of 2018. Officials now say they're not going to make it, at least not in time for upcoming meetings in Las Vegas involving representatives from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and the U.S. government. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) However, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman is signaling that the agency that controls the levers on the river is willing to wait. She is scheduled to talk to the conference on Thursday. "Reclamation remains cautiously optimistic that the parties will find a path forward," the bureau said in a statement on Friday, "because finding a consensus deal recognizing the risks of continuing drought and the benefits of a drought contingency plan is in each state's best interest." Colorado River water supports about 40 million people and millions of acres of farmland in the U.S. and Mexico. After 19 years of drought and increasing demand, federal water managers project a 52 percent chance that the river's biggest reservoir, Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam, will fall low enough to trigger cutbacks under agreements governing the system. The seven states saw this coming years ago, and used Colorado River Water Users Association meetings in December 2007 to sign a 20-year "guidelines" plan to share the burden of a shortage. Contingency agreements would update that pact, running through 2026. They call for voluntarily using less to keep more water in the system's two main reservoirs, lakes Powell and Mead. Lake Powell upstream from of the Grand Canyon is currently at 43 percent capacity; Lake Mead, downstream, is at 38 percent. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, the river's Upper Basin states, aim to keep the surface of Lake Powell above a target level to continue water deliveries to irrigation districts and cities and also keep hydroelectric turbines humming at Glen Canyon Dam. The Lower Basin states of California, Arizona and Nevada aim to keep Lake Mead above a shortage declaration trigger point by using less water than they're legally entitled to. If Lake Mead falls below that level, Arizona will face a 9 percent reduction in water supply, Nevada a 3 percent cut and California up to 8 percent. Mexico's share of river water would also be reduced. Water officials in most states - from the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas to the Colorado River Water Conservation District in Glenwood Springs, Colorado - have signed off on plans in recent weeks. In Arizona, the board governing the Central Arizona Project irrigation system approved the Lower Basin plan on Thursday. In California, the sprawling Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves some 19 million people, is set to approve it Tuesday. Board members there were reminded the agreements are only a short-term fix. According to a board briefing, the Bureau of Reclamation, seven basin states and water contractors will begin negotiating again beginning no later than 2020. "That process is expected to result in new rules for management and operation of the Colorado River after 2026," the board briefing said. AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - The United Nations has begun sending desperately needed aid from Jordan to hundreds of thousands of civilians in war-torn Syria. The U.N.'s humanitarian office said on Sunday that 369 trucks will carry one month's worth of supplies to Syria. It's the first cross-border aid shipment since the Syrian government recaptured a trade crossing with Jordan from Syrian rebels and reopened it in October. Anders Pedersen, a top U.N. humanitarian official in Jordan, says the aid is being delivered in a "major logistical operation" aimed at mitigating the suffering of Syrians. Pedersen says the U.N. agency expects the aid to reach 650,000 Syrians. The U.N. says about 13 million Syrians suffering from the fallout of the country's seven-year civil war are in urgent need of food, water, and medical supplies. BOSTON (AP) - Jury deliberations are continuing in the case of six former employees of the Massachusetts facility responsible for the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 76 people and sickened hundreds. Jurors in the latest case stemming from the outbreak linked to the now-closed New England Compounding Center are scheduled to return to federal court on Monday after failing to reach a verdict Friday. The former employees face mail fraud, racketeering and conspiracy charges. The pharmacy's co-founder, Barry Cadden, and a pharmacist, Glenn Chin, are already serving prison sentences after being convicted of mail fraud and racketeering. They were both cleared of second-degree murder. The outbreak sickened more than 700 people in 20 states and is considered the worst public health crisis in recent U.S. history. JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The U.S. military says it has killed four members of the al-Shabab extremist group with a "self-defense airstrike" outside Somalia's capital after partner forces were attacked. The U.S. Africa Command statement says the airstrike occurred on Saturday near Basra, a community outside the capital, Mogadishu. The statement says no civilians were involved. The U.S. military has carried out 39 airstrikes this year against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, Africa's most active Islamic extremist group, which controls parts of rural southern and central Somalia and continues to stage deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other cities. The U.S. airstrikes have picked up dramatically since President Donald Trump took office and approved expanded military operations in the Horn of Africa nation. Airstrikes also target a small presence of fighters linked to the Islamic State group. RIMBO, Sweden (AP) - Yemen's warring parties met Sunday for the fourth day of U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Sweden to try to hammer out details of a prisoner exchange, which could eventually include all prisoners held by both sides in the four-year civil war. The parties focused on the swap amid optimism on first steps toward a political dialogue. Yemen's conflict pits the Iran-backed Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, against the internationally recognized government supported by a U.S.-sponsored Saudi-led coalition. "We are progressing toward implementation, how to swiftly group together the prisoners," said Askar Zouail, from the government delegation. "The atmosphere is positive. And we are optimistic. Speaking later at the venue, a castle north of Stockholm, the head of the Houthi delegation said a committee was discussing the swap and that the rebels were ready for the exchange, which would include rebel fighters he said are held at undisclosed locations abroad. After signing the agreement, bodies of the dead should be identified. "That will solve the problem of the missing," said Mohamed Abdelsalam. The United Nations has long led a push to resolve the conflict but past attempts at constructive talks have led nowhere and officials have sought to downplay expectations from the current talks, focusing on achieving a framework for future talks toward a political settlement. Yemen's Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Othman Hussein Faid Mujali, right, speaks to journalists during the ongoing peace talks on Yemen held at Johannesberg Castle, in Rimbo, Sweden, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. The United Nations' refugee agency said Friday that there have been nearly 1,500 civilian casualties in Yemen from August through October, the latest grim tally to emerge from a 4-year civil war as opposing parties meet for talks in Sweden. (Janerik Henriksson/TT via AP) 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 airport in rebel-held capital, Sanaa, has been closed since August 2016 by order of the Saudi-led coalition, leaving the rebel-held north of Yemen heavily relying on the Red Sea port of Hodeida, which is controlled by the Houthis, for delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid and fuel supplies. At a security forum in Abu Dhabi, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Gulf Affairs Timothy Lenderking said the United States is supportive of the "good spirit of cooperation" observed at this stage in the talks, and hoped for concrete results to help reduce the pain inflicted on civilians. "There's a sense that what's driving this is the concern about civilian casualties. That's a responsibility on both sides in this conflict," he said. ___ Associated Press writers Brian Rohan in Cairo and Aya Batrawy and Fay Abuelgasim in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. Yemen's Minister of Culture Marwan Dammaj speaks to journalists during the ongoing peace talks on Yemen held at Johannesberg Castle, in Rimbo, Sweden, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. The United Nations' refugee agency said Friday that there have been nearly 1,500 civilian casualties in Yemen from August through October, the latest grim tally to emerge from a 4-year civil war as opposing parties meet for talks in Sweden. (Janerik Henriksson/TT via AP) NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Authorities in Arkansas say three deputies responding to a house have been injured when they were attacked by a man who then stole a sheriff's office SUV and slammed it into another law enforcement vehicle. Pulaski County Jail records say that 51-year-old Jerry Dale York was being held without bond on a variety of complaints Sunday after allegedly stealing a sheriff's office vehicle Saturday afternoon and leading authorities on a chase just outside North Little Rock. The complaints include two counts of criminal attempt to commit capital murder, battery and theft. York is accused of attacking deputies at the residence where they had gone because someone was repeatedly calling 911. York then drove off in their vehicle and slammed into another sheriff's office vehicle, which stopped the stolen SUV. Officials say three deputies were treated for various injuries and released from a local hospital. They were not identified. HOUSTON (AP) - The attorney for a Houston woman accused of drowning and decapitating her 5-year-old son says she is a "very mentally ill individual." Lihui Liu remained jailed Sunday without bond after being charged with capital murder. She appeared in court Friday. The boy's father found his body wrapped in a plastic bag and inside a trash can in the family's garage on Nov. 30. Defense attorney George Parnham tells the Houston Chronicle Liu, who is from Singapore, is unable to communicate and the "very facts of the situation speak to an action of irrational mind." 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 in March began experiencing a downward spiral with depression. MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin's Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers said Sunday he's not optimistic that outgoing governor Scott Walker will veto bills approved by the Republican-dominated Legislature that would limit the new governor's power. Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Evers said he talked by telephone with Walker recently and appealed to him to veto the legislation, but that Walker was noncommittal. Evers, who will be sworn in Jan. 7 after narrowly defeating the two-term Republican last month, said Wisconsin voters did not elect him to fight over administrative powers with the GOP legislative majority. He said the lame-duck legislation approved by lawmakers after an all-night session last week "gets us off to a bad start. And I think that's a mistake." "But we'll continue working to get the people of Wisconsin to convince Scott Walker to think about his legacy and make sure that he vetoes this language," Evers said. Walker has indicated that he generally supports the legislation though his office late last week said only that he was reviewing it. Walker has six days after the bills are delivered to him to either sign them into law, allow them to become law without his signature or veto them. He may also be able to line-item veto portions of them, depending on how they are drafted and whether they spend money. If Walker signs the bills, lawmakers can decide when the state can withdraw from lawsuits, and Evers would have to request permission to adjust programs that are run jointly with the federal governor, such as Medicaid. The GOP measures also would empower legislators, not new Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, to decide whether to withdraw Wisconsin from a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care act. The bills also could make it harder for Evers to renegotiate a $3 billion subsidy spearheaded by Walker for a Foxconn Technology Group manufacturing facility in southeastern Wisconsin. FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2018, file photo, Wisconsin Gov.-elect Tony Evers speaks at the Ward 4 building in Milwaukee. Evers said Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, he's not optimistic that outgoing governor Scott Walker will veto bills approved by the Republican-dominated Legislature that would limit the new governor's power. (Meg Jones/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, File) In neighboring Michigan, where a Democrat also won the governor's office this year, Republicans are considering proposals to strip campaign-finance oversight from the new Democratic secretary of state. Lawmakers also want to have authority to intervene in lawsuits, with a Democrat poised to take control of the attorney general's office. Evers said Sunday that if Walker had won in Wisconsin, "we wouldn't be sitting here talking about this today." The incoming governor said the GOP moves are "directly related" to a Democrat's win. Though Evers has said he might have to sue unless Walker vetoes the legislation, he said Sunday that "all issues are on the table" and that he is "not making any promises one way or the other," "I need to stand up for the people of Wisconsin," Evers said. A Walker spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday. HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) - A Michigan woman was resuscitated after she was found pinned between her SUV and an Indiana toll booth and a defibrillator registered no pulse. Witnesses told Indiana State Police the 40-year-old woman, whose name was not released, had stepped from the SUV Saturday night to retrieve a debit card she had dropped when the vehicle lurched forward, pinning her against the toll booth Trooper Alaa Hamed found the woman - and with a toll attendant and a bystander holding her up - moved the SUV to free her. The defibrillator Hamed carries in his car found no pulse, so Hamed began CPR until medics arrived. They used the defibrillator and it revived her. The 40-year-old-woman from Otsego, Michigan, was airlifted to a Chicago hospital with serious injuries. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's National Human Rights Commission is calling on the Gulf coast state of Veracruz to improve security after masked gunmen killed a Guatemalan migrant and injured three others. Local media reports said one of the injured is a 3-year-old boy and the group was traveling toward the U.S. in a truck used for transporting livestock. The commission has asked local authorities to take "precautionary measures" to guarantee migrant safety. In recent years armed groups have kidnapped migrants passing through Veracruz and held them hostage for ransom payments. Nearly 200 skulls have been found in clandestine mass graves in the state since September. Representatives of migrants who crossed Mexico in a caravan over the last two months called the journey through Veracruz the "route of death." JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's military chief has met with the head of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon to discuss the discovery of a series of tunnels Israel says was built by Hezbollah to carry out attacks. Last week, Israel began an open-ended operation to destroy the tunnels. The Israeli military says that during Sunday's meeting, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot told UNIFIL's commander, Maj. Gen. Stefano Del Col, that the tunnels are a "blatant violation" of a U.N. cease-fire resolution that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. It says Eisenkot expressed the importance of the peacekeepers in enforcing the resolution and working to neutralize the tunnels on the Lebanese side of the border. LOUISBURG, N.C. (AP) - Rosanell Eaton, an African-American voting rights activist who successfully helped challenge voting restrictions supported by North Carolina Republicans, has died. She was 97. Eaton's daughter, Armenta Eaton, says her mother died Saturday at home in Louisburg, North Carolina. Rosanell Eaton was a poll worker or precinct judge for decades who had registered to vote as a young woman in rural Franklin County despite Jim Crow restrictions. When white men told her she had to recite the preamble to the U.S. Constitution before she could register to vote, she did it from memory, her daughter said. Eaton grew up on a farm and went to segregated schools. Her advocacy for voting rights came in the face of racist attacks, as her house was shot at and crosses were lit on fire in her yard, her daughter said. Armenta Eaton said her mother taught her four children to stand for what they believed in, even if it meant standing alone. FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2013, file photo, Mary Perry, of Wendell, from left, Rosanell Eaton, of Franklin County, and Carolyn Coleman, of Greensboro, talk after a hearing at the Ward Federal Building in Winston-Salem, N.C., challenging the new North Carolina voting law. African-American North Carolina voting rights activist Eaton has died at age 97. Eaton's daughter, Armenta Eaton, says her mother died Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, at home in Louisburg, North Carolina (Walt Unks/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP) "She was a lady of principle," Armenta Eaton said. In her 90s, Rosanell Eaton was a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that caused voting restrictions supported by North Carolina Republicans to be struck down. In 2016, a federal court determined tougher ballot access rules adopted in 2013 were written with "almost surgical precision" to discourage black voters who tended to support Democrats. An evenly divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that it would not restore the GOP-backed law. Rosanell Eaton's lifetime of civil rights advocacy caught the notice of President Barack Obama, who invited her to the White House in 2016. Armenta Eaton said her mother only agreed to go to meet the president when she found it out the timing wouldn't conflict with an upcoming primary election. "She didn't want to go until the primary was over," Armenta Eaton said. NEW YORK (AP) - The Los Angeles Film Critics Association on Sunday named Alfonso Cuaron's deeply personal drama "Roma" best film of the year, adding to the acclaimed film's steadily mounting honors. Cuaron's black-and-white film, a Netflix release, has been cleaning up many of the top prizes of awards season. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and likewise topped the New York Film Critics Circle. "Roma" is widely expected to land Netflix its first best-picture nomination at the Academy Awards. The Los Angeles critics , which announced their awards on Twitter, also awarded best cinematography to Cuaron. But it notably deviated from the "Roma" drumbeat in the directing category. Instead, Debra Granik ("Winter's Bone") was named best director for her off-the-grid father-daughter drama "Leave No Trace." Critics groups can influence the larger Oscars race, which has thus far struggled to elevate a likely female filmmaker contender, a sore point for some considering the wealth of options (including Chloe Zhao for "The Rider" and Marielle Heller for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?") and the historic male dominance of the category. On Thursday, the Golden Globes named an all-male field of directing nominees for the fourth time in a row, a record that has drawn increasing criticism. The LA critics named Olivia Colman ("The Favourite") best actress and Ethan Hawke ("First Reformed") best actor. Hawke was also the New York critics' choice and the winner at last month's Gotham Film Awards. Best supporting actor went to Steven Yeun for Lee Chang-dong's existential thriller "Burning," which was also the group's runner-up for best film. Taking best supporting actress was Regina King for Barry Jenkins' James Baldwin adaptation "If Beale Street Could Talk." This image released by Netflix shows Yalitza Aparicio, center, in a scene from the film "Roma," by filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron. On Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, the film was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best foreign language film. The 76th Golden Globe Awards will be held on Sunday, Jan. 6. (Carlos Somonte/Netflix via AP) The critics also named Sandi Tan's "Shirkers" best documentary, the upcoming comic-book adaptation "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" best animated film and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty's script to "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" best screenplay. Other winners included Nicholas Britell for his score to "If Beale Street Could Talk," Hannah Beachler for the production design on "Black Panther" and Joshua Altman and Bing Liu for editing "Minding the Gap," the documentary about friends in a small Rust Belt town in Illinois. The critics will hand out their awards in a ceremony on Jan. 12. They will also honor Japanese filmmaker and animator Hayao Miyazaki - co-founder of Studio Ghibli and the maker of animated classics like "Howls Moving Castle" and "My Neighbor Totoro" - with their career achievement award. BEIJING (AP) - 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 wasn't 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. The official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday that around 60 people among the 300 who gathered assaulted officers and smashed a police van and three civilian vehicles using axe handles and fire extinguishers. A total of 34 policemen and others were injured during the disturbance, it said. Some of the suspects have past records "for obstructing official business, causing disturbances, drug abuse, theft and swindling," Xinhua said. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Police in Mississippi say a man has admitted shooting two young children near a hospital last month. According to The Clarion-Ledger , Jackson Police Chief James Davis says 20-year-old Alcantera Garner surrendered Monday evening and confessed to the Nov. 29 drive-by shooting near the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Davis says Garner's mother brought him to Jackson police. The 1-year-old and 3-year-old were shot in the backseat of their mother's car when a driver pulled up alongside them and opened fire. The mother pulled them from her car and ran them into the emergency room. The children have since been released from the hospital. Davis says Garner did not immediately tell investigators why he shot into the vehicle. Garner faces multiple charges including three counts of aggravated assault. TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - 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 doesn't 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. FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, file photo, a man lights a cigarette outside a Huawei retail shop in Beijing. Taiwan is reinforcing its five-year-old ban on network equipment produced by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE amid security concerns. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) Huawei, based in southern China's Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, is the world's 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 Huawei's 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 month's local elections by spreading false news online. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Most people don't think of Haiti as a shopping destination. Unless they're Cuban. Every afternoon, hundreds of Cubans swarm a rutted crossroads in the capital of the hemisphere's poorest nation, hunting clothes, light bulbs, perfume and other goods that are in short supply back home. Haitian vendors blast Cuban reggaeton music to draw in shoppers. In a year-old cafe painted with Cuban flags, Havana-born Angelina Luis Dominguez and her niece Yeleny Terry Luis serve black beans, rice and roast pork to compatriots on lunch breaks. "There are thousands, thousands of Cubans," Luis Dominquez said. "There used to be four or five; now they've taken root. It feels like all of Cuba is here." The "Cuban market" in Port-au-Prince is part of a global trade, estimated to top $2 billion, fed by the confluence of Cubans' increased freedom to travel with the communist state's continued domination of the economy back home. Clothing, housewares, hardware, personal-care products and other goods at state-run stores in Cuba cost two or three times what they do elsewhere. And that's when they are on sale at all in an economy hampered by incessant shortage. What's more, Cuba's state monopoly on imports and exports excludes the small but vibrant private sector, which employs more than a half million people who often earn three or four times a state worker's salary. Cuban women shop at a street market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. The "Cuban market" in Port-au-Prince is part of a global trade, estimated to top $2 billion, fed by the confluence of Cubans' increased freedom to travel with the communist state's continued domination of the economy back home. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Since Cuba did away with a hated exit permit five years ago, Cubans are packing flights to destinations with easy entry requirements. In Port-au-Prince, Panama City, Cancun, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, even Moscow, Cubans are packing suitcases with goods for personal use and resale back home. In Panama, the Colon Free Trade Zone has a "Little Havana" where Cubans spent $308 million last year, and are on track to spend perhaps 8 percent more in 2018, said Luis Carlos Saenz, the zone's general assistant manager. "We now have an important Cuban clientele who came to make purchases and are making a significant contribution to business in the zone," Saenz said. Panama is so eager for Cuban business that its embassy in Havana has started giving Cubans with private business licenses on-the-spot "tourist cards" that eliminate the need for a lengthy visa application process. "More Cubans are coming now because of the tourist cards," said Jose Hernandez, who was shopping in the free zone with a group of relatives last week. "Taking back an air conditioner, an electric motorcycle is a big deal for us. In Cuba, that's gold." That sort of business tourism has diversified a trade long centered on South Florida, where Cubans with family ties in the U.S. relied on relatives to shuttle in personal or business goods. Driving the trade away from Miami has been the Trump administration's decision to pull most staff from its Havana embassy last year, ending visa processing there and forcing Cubans to travel to third countries to apply for permission to visit the U.S. The Miami-based Havana Consulting Group estimated in an August study that Cubans spent more than $2 billion in 2017 on bringing goods back to the island. That spending may equal anywhere from 2 percent to 5 percent of Cuba's gross domestic product, depending on which of the wildly varying estimates of GDP is used in absence of reliable economic statistics on the island's economy. Cuba maintains tight restrictions on the quantities that individuals can import, and working as a "mule" - bringing goods back for others - is technically prohibited, according to some official statements, but it is rarely prosecuted. Haiti, which is struggling with increasing violence and a devaluing currency, appears to be grabbing an increasing slice of the Cuban shopping pie. In the neighborhood surrounding the market, dozens of Cubans run bed-and-breakfasts for traveling shoppers in homes rented from Haitian owners. Dozens of Haitian "guides" help Cubans hunt down specialized goods like electronics and hardware. "I have visas for Panama and Mexico but I like Haiti," said Eduardo Leiva, who runs a small hardware business in Cuba. "There's great variety of merchandise, a level of product that you don't find in other countries." Tiny Sunrise Airways runs 12 direct flights weekly from the Cuban cities of Havana, Camaguey and Santiago to Port-au-Prince. Cubans interviewed in the market said they spend about $700 on airfare, food and lodging and another $700 on merchandise, which they resell at a markup high enough to make several hundred dollars profit per trip. Most of those interviewed said they made near-monthly trips, generating more than $2,000 in extra income a month in a country where annual state salaries are less than $400. "The Cubans are very good for us. They come, they take merchandise back home, we get to make a little profit," said Terese Rencher, who buys Peruvian-made T-shirts with designer logos in the Dominican Republic and sells them at the "Cuban market." "This is how I sent my kid to school, to university," said Rencher, who said her 23-year-old daughter is studying at a hotel school in Port-au-Prince. Some Cubans said they had been robbed by young men aware that Cubans can be carrying large sums of cash, but they still preferred the quick trip to the neighboring island over the odysseys many Cubans undertake to feed their country's informal retail market. "Compared with Russia, Haiti is closer, it isn't cold, and the merchandise is practically the same," said taxi driver Braulio Hernandez, who was hunting tools and parts for his home car-repair workshop. ___ Associated Press journalists Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince and Juan Zamorano in Colon, Panama, contributed to this report. ___ Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mweissenstein Cuban shoppers hold up a bed cover as they shop at a street market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. Since Cuba did away with a hated exit permit five years, Cubans are packing flights to destinations with easy entry requirements: Port-au-Prince, Panama City, Cancun, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, even Moscow, where they are packing suitcases with goods for personal use and resale back home. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) A Cuban man looks at a street vendor's bags for sale at a street market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Hundreds of Cubans come to the capital of the hemisphere's poorest nation, hunting for clothes, light bulbs, perfume and other goods that are in short supply back home. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Cuban shoppers walk out of a store after buying clothes at the street market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. Clothing, housewares, hardware, personal-care products and other goods at state-run stores in Cuba cost two or three times what they do elsewhere. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) A duty free shop in the Colon Free Trade Zone targets Cuban shoppers with a sign that reads in Spanish "Deals for Cubans," in Colon City, Panama, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Panama is so eager for Cuban business that its embassy in Havana has started giving Cubans with private business licenses on-the-spot "tourist cards" that eliminate the need for a lengthy visa application process. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Trump bickers with Dem leaders, threatens gov't shutdown WASHINGTON (AP) - Bickering in public with Democratic leaders, President Donald Trump threatened repeatedly on Tuesday to shut down the government if Congress doesn't provide the money he says is needed to build a wall at the Mexican border. Trump's comments came as he opened a contentious meeting with Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, with a partial shutdown looming on Dec. 21 when funding for some agencies will expire. The president and Pelosi tangled over whether the House or the Senate was holding up his proposal. Trump and Schumer jabbed at each other over the import of the midterm elections - and who will be blamed if a shutdown occurs. "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 ultimately declared. "I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down." The televised discussion was Trump's first encounter with the newly empowered Democrats since their midterm victories in the House. It offered a remarkable public preview of how divided government might work - or break down - over the next two years as the 2020 presidential election nears. Pelosi later called the confrontation with Trump "wild" and boasted that she and Schumer goaded the president to "fully own that the shutdown was his." ___ Behind closed doors, Pelosi disparages Trump's 'manhood' WASHINGTON (AP) - At the dawn of divided U.S. government, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that President Donald Trump's threat to shut down the government over a border wall is really about his "manhood." "It's like a manhood thing for him. As if manhood could ever be associated with him. This wall thing," Pelosi privately told House Democrats after a combative, on-camera Oval Office meeting with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. The account was described by an aide who was in the room but not authorized to discuss Pelosi's remarks publicly. Pelosi hardly saved her disdain for Trump for the private audience, letting it rip in slightly more respectful tones a few hours earlier when the president invited journalists into the Oval Office for what were billed as talks over the national budget. What ensued was like a political cage match, with everyone except Pence jumping in with ripostes, setups, lectures and insults. The conflict between Trump and Pelosi dominated the scene, which was replete with gender politics. The spectacle suggested a fierce, two-year struggle in which Democrats control one chamber of Congress for the first time in Trump's presidency. The new Congress is sworn in Jan. 3, and Pelosi is nominated for her second stint as speaker of the House and second in the line of presidential succession. That carries significant stakes for Trump, who faces oversight investigations into his presidential campaign and administration. Additionally, the House will include a record number of women elected in the #MeToo era - most of them Democrats - injecting gender into the discussion like never before. The developments offered a fresh glimpse into Pelosi's practice of staying "dignified," as she said Tuesday, certainly in public. It's advice she's doled out before. Just before the State of the Union in January, she cautioned Democrats to not get in the way of Trump being what she described as his "slobbering" self. ___ France shooting: 2 dead, several wounded in Strasbourg PARIS (AP) - A shooting in the French city of Strasbourg killed two people and wounded 11 others, officials said, sparking a broad lockdown and major security operation around a world-famous Christmas market Tuesday. Authorities said the shooter remains at large. French prosecutors said a terrorism investigation was opened into the shooting, though authorities haven't announced a motive. It's unclear if the market - which was the nucleus of an al-Qaida plot in 2000 - was targeted. The city is also home to the European Parliament, which was locked down after the shooting. The gunman has been identified and has a criminal record, according to Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. The prefect of the Strasbourg region says the gunman had been flagged as a suspected extremist. The attack came as France has been wracked by four weeks of protests against President Emmanuel Macron, and police forces have been stretched by fighting rioting and other protest-related unrest. Macron himself adjourned a meeting at the presidential palace on Tuesday night to be able to monitor the events, his office said, indicating the gravity of the attack. The interior minister and the Paris prosecutor, who is in charge of anti-terror probes in France, headed Tuesday night to Strasbourg. The prosecutor's office says the investigation is for murder and attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise. ___ Gunman kills 4, then himself, after Mass at Brazil cathedral RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - A man opened fire in a cathedral in southern Brazil after Mass on Tuesday, killing four people and wounding four more before taking a bullet in the ribs in a firefight with police and then shooting himself in the head, authorities said. The shooting happened right after the midday service had ended at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas, a city about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Sao Paulo. "It's so sad," said Wilson Cassante, a press officer with the archdiocese. "It's hard to imagine the pain this has caused." Hours after paramedics were seen taking bodies and injured out of the church, authorities identified the shooter as 49-year-old Euler Fernando Grandolpho from Valinhos, a nearby city in the densely populated state of Sao Paulo. Grandolpho, a systems analyst, was not a member of the church, authorities said. According to public records, he had held various jobs with government entities, including a stint as an assistant to the prosecutor in the public ministry in Sao Paulo. ___ A look at where the investigations related to Trump stand A look at where the investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him. WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? Trump is facing criminal investigations in Washington and New York. Special counsel Robert Mueller is looking into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia and whether the president obstructed the investigation. Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say Trump directed his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to make illegal hush money payments to two women as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. ___ ___ 4 journalists and a newspaper are Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) - Time magazine on Tuesday recognized journalists, including the slain Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as its 2018 Person of the Year in what it said was an effort to emphasize the importance of reporters' work in an increasingly hostile world. The designation wasn't intended as a specific message to the magazine's runner-up choice, President Donald Trump, who has denounced "fake news" and called some reporters enemies of the people, said Ben Goldberger, executive editor. Time cited four figures it called "the guardians." Besides Khashoggi, they are the staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where five people were shot to death in June; Philippine journalist Maria Ressa; and Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been jailed in Myanmar for a year. It's the first time since the magazine began the end-of-year tradition in 1927 that Time has featured a journalist or recognized someone posthumously. Time said that 2018 has been marked by manipulation and abuse of information, along with efforts by governments to foment mistrust of the facts. ___ Canada-China relations turn icy over arrest of Chinese exec VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - China has detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for the jailing of a top Chinese executive at the request of the United States, escalating a legal and diplomatic wrangle among the three countries. Relations were shaken by Canada's arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder. Canadian authorities detained Meng on Dec. 1 during a layover at the Vancouver airport. 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 - though the two countries signaled Tuesday they are preparing to resume talks. Heightening tension between China and Canada, Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed Tuesday 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." ___ Stumbling bloc: How did Brexit become such a mess? LONDON (AP) - Tuesday was supposed to be the day that Britain's battle over Brexit was resolved. Parliament was supposed to approve a plan painstakingly worked out by Prime Minister Theresa May and the European Union for Britain's orderly departure from the 28-nation bloc. But the road out of the EU has been anything but smooth as Britain heads for the Brexit ramp. Tuesday's vote was postponed by May, who acknowledged that a "significant majority" of lawmakers would oppose it. Instead, she spent the day shuttling through European capitals, seeking changes to the deal to try to win over skeptical legislators before Britain leaves the EU on March 29. HOW DID WE GET HERE? ___ Yellow, green, saffron: Colors of protests around the world When you're an activist looking for a way to convey a complex message in a complicated world, you need a hook - something that can command attention across cultures in a memorable and visually arresting way. So what's more elemental than associating yourself with a specific color? Just as this month's demonstrations in France are built around the "yellow vests" that all French drivers must carry in their cars, so, too, have previous movements aligned themselves with specific hues to punch through the static and make a topical statement. What kind of political movements have built their messages around color in the past? Here's a brief review of a few. __ ___ Activists decry no-jail sentence for former frat president HOUSTON (AP) - In a case with echoes of the furor involving a Stanford University swimmer two years ago, advocates for sex-crime victims say the plea bargain that enabled a former Baylor University fraternity president to stay out of jail is another failure by the legal system. "What's similar is that violence against women is not taken seriously by the legal system," said Michele Dauber, a Stanford law professor who led the successful campaign to recall the judge in the swimmer's case. "The handling of sexual assault in the criminal justice system has been inappropriate, and sort of shockingly so, for a really long time." In the Texas case, Jacob Walter Anderson, 23, had been charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old fellow Baylor student outside a 2016 fraternity party. The woman told police she was given punch and became disoriented. She said Anderson led her behind a tent and raped her while choking her. Prosecutors offered him a deal in which he pleaded no contest in October to unlawful restraint. State District Judge Ralph Strother sentenced him under the terms of the deal Monday to probation, counseling and a $400 fine. He will not have to register as a sex offender. The woman's lawyer, Vic Feazell, said she and her family found out about the plea bargain from reading the newspaper. NEW YORK (AP) - The former head of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute was sentenced Tuesday to 3 years in prison for his role in corrupting the state's Buffalo Billion project. Alain Kaloyeros, 62, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who noted that the Beirut-born scientist was "living the American dream" until he wandered into corruption that stretched into the office of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo once called Kaloyeros his "economic guru" and the governor invited him to appear at the announcement of various economic development projects. Cuomo was not accused of wrongdoing himself in the Buffalo Billion prosecution or another related case involving bribes paid to a top aide, but the corruption allegations have left a cloud over his administration. The judge said Kaloyeros became "the Apple in Cuomo's eyes" as the governor initiated the biggest development project in upstate New York in recent memory. She said Kaloyeros did not profit financially but "profited politically" by helping to rig the bidding process for projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. FILE - In this Thursday, July 12, 2018, file photo, Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives to federal court in New York. Kaloyeros is facing sentencing, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, in the corruption of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "Buffalo Billion" economic redevelopment program. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) She fined Kaloyeros $100,000. The judge said he can remain free on bail until a federal appeals court considers a substantial legal question. However, she said he must report to prison two months after the appeals court rules. Kaloyeros, who apologized to New York state residents, was convicted in July of conspiracy and wire fraud. "I stand before you with a heavy heart," Kaloyeros said. "I feel enormous responsibility for the hurt and loss I have caused others." His lawyers said in a statement afterward they still believe him to be "an innocent man." Kaloyeros was the president of New York's Polytechnic Institute when Cuomo tapped him to help a quest to create high-tech jobs in upstate New York. Kaloyeros, who led the Polytechnic Institute until he resigned in October 2016, was convicted after prosecutors presented evidence that the bidding process for the project was rigged to benefit a Buffalo developer and a Syracuse development company. His co-defendants - three developers - were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to three years. All plan to appeal. Caproni said Kaloyeros was very smart and had done many good things, but may have been damaged by his desire to be "the big man on campus ... a star in Albany." She said he generally saw himself as "the smartest guy in the room" and showed a "lack of respect for rules and law," thinking he could overcome every bureaucratic snafu through his smarts and personality. Defense attorney Reid Weingarten told Caproni that Kaloyeros never believed he was putting the state or his school in harm's way. "Dr. K, at the worst, was a passive participant in this," Weingarten said. In court papers, defense lawyers said Kaloyeros has continued since his arrest to work on research, co-authoring five scientific articles and submitting four patent applications. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - 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. SOAS: dismal students ban the wrong kind of jokes at UNICEF fundraiser SOAS University of London sent comedians invited to perform at a benefit gig a set of rules. This behavioural agreement censors them for talking about anything that is not respectful and kind. Konstantin Kisin was genuinely shocked to get the diktat. Ive performed at students unions many times before and never been asked to sign a contract, he says. But this is SOAS , where comedy dies and right-on anti-Semitism thrives. The best gags show us ourselves and our country in a spark of energy and wit. They are effectively offensive. They catch our prejudices and subvert them with a spiky punchline. SOAS wants childrens entertainers that merely show us what happens when you pull their finger. Fisayo Eniolorunda, organiser from Soass Unicef on Campus society, sent Kisin and his fellow comics the rules to ensure an environment where joy, love and acceptance are reciprocated by all. Performers were 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. A night of cannibalism it is, then. Furthermore: All topics must be presented in a way that is respectful and kind. It does not mean that these topics can not be discussed. But, it must be done in a respectful and non-abusive way. Realising that SOAS had become the joke, a spokesperson for the students union opined: The union believes fully in freedom of speech and the freedom to try to make people laugh. Haha. Good one. Student Unions only believe in their own power to control. why any student would join one is beyond me. I suppose its like being milk monitor at big school. Anorak Posted: 12th, December 2018 | In: Key Posts, News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) - Islamic State militants have killed six people captured during an attack on a small town in central Libya in October, The U.N. mission to Libya said. The U.N. statement late Monday condemned the killing as "particularly abhorrent," without providing further details. The six were captured on Oct. 28 during an attack on the town of al-Fuqaha, located south of the coastal city of Sirte, a former IS-held bastion. At least four people, including the mayor's son and two policemen, were killed in the attack, in which the militants torched the local police station along with two houses. The attack underscored the volatility of Libya's central region, where IS and other armed groups, including some from neighboring Chad, operate as highway robbers or attack patrols of the self-styled Libyan National Army. The U.N. mission also denounced the shutdown of one of Libya's largest oilfields by an armed group. The state-owned National Oil Corporation imposed a "force majeure" Sunday on exports from the el-Sharara oilfield after local gunmen impersonating guards seized control of the facility. The U.N. said forced shutdown, if sustained, will result in a production loss of 388,000 barrels a day out of Libya's current output of one million barrels per day. It called for an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the armed men from the area. Libya was plunged into chaos after the 2011 uprising that ousted and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi and is now governed by rival administrations in the east and west. Armed groups which have seized oil facilities in the past, often to demand political or economic concessions from authorities. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran has sentenced two human rights lawyers to six years in prison and a third to 13 years, newspapers reported Tuesday. The Arman daily said Ghasem Sholeh-Saadi and Arash Keikhosravi were sentenced to five years in prison for taking part in an "illegal gathering" and one year for "propaganda" against the ruling system. It says they can appeal the verdict. The two were arrested in August when they took part in a protest outside parliament calling for free elections. They were released on bail last week. Sholeh-Saadi, 64, a longtime critic of the political establishment, was barred from running for president in 2017. Iran holds regular presidential and parliamentary elections, but a council of clerics vets candidates. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final word on all major policies. The Hamshari daily meanwhile reported that a court in the central city of Arak sentenced another lawyer to 13 years in prison. It said Mohammad Najafi was sentenced to 10 years for "conveying information to a hostile country" through interviews with foreign media, two years for insulting the supreme leader and one year for publicity in support of opposition groups. Najafi was jailed in January when he voiced support for people detained that month during anti-government protests. The demonstrations, which focused on economic grievances, lasted for days and resulted in the deaths of dozens and the arrest of hundreds more. JOHANNESBURG (AP) - When the last African elephant at the Johannesburg Zoo lost her male companion to illness in September, some people said 39-year-old Lammie should be sent to a bigger sanctuary so she wouldn't spend her final years alone. The debate is particularly sensitive because the world's biggest land mammal is known for intelligence, strong social bonds and even the ability to grieve. The zoo now says Lammie is staying, and that a search for a new mate is underway. The case of Lammie, born in the zoo, echoes that of Happy, an Asian elephant that has lived at the Bronx Zoo in New York since 1977, including over a decade without another elephant in the same enclosure. Some activists say Happy should go to a sanctuary with other elephants, but the zoo said in 2016 that she is "healthy and comfortable," has bonded with the people who care for her and has "tactile and auditory contact" with the zoo's other two elephants. In Johannesburg, Lammie had lived for 17 years with Kinkel, a 35-year-old male elephant who was rescued in the wild after his trunk was caught in a snare in 2000. Since he died on Sept. 4, Lammie has been on her own and some conservation groups say it's time to move out. "Now that Lammie has lost her companion, she is in desperate need of a happier existence and the chance to live out her years with other elephants," Audrey Delsink, wildlife director of Humane Society International/Africa, said in a statement. She said many zoos around the world have recognized the "welfare challenges" of confining such a complex animal and that a sanctuary similar to the wild is ready to take Lammie if the Johannesburg Zoo agrees to let her go. South Africa's NSPCA, an animal welfare group, appealed for an end to "the endless and redundant cycle of continuously condemning elephants to captivity for many years to come." FILE -- In this Tuesday, June 19, 2018, file photo Lammie, an elephant at the Johannesburg Zoo, kicks around a ball made of plastic hose piping. When the last African elephant at the Johannesburg Zoo lost her male companion to illness in September, some people said 39-year-old Lammie should be sent to a bigger sanctuary so she wouldn't spend her final years alone. The zoo now says Lammie is staying, and that a search for a new mate is underway. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell, File) The Johannesburg Zoo says it serves an educational role and hosts visitors from low-income communities who don't have the means to visit wildlife parks. But Michele Pickover, director of the EMS Foundation, which lobbies on African wildlife topics, said "nobody learns anything" by seeing a "tormented elephant" in an enclosure and that watching a documentary film about elephants would be more educational. Elephants in the wild, meanwhile, are threatened by poachers who have killed large numbers every year to supply ivory to consumers, particularly in parts of Asia. The Johannesburg Zoo is hoping to find another elephant to join Lammie in line with regulations set out by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, spokeswoman Jenny Moodley said. She said experts are intensively monitoring Lammie and that the elephant might not necessarily adapt well if placed in a new environment. "She is coping incredibly well, considering that she has lost her partner," Moodley said. Lammie refused to eat around the time of her partner's death, according to the zoo. The day before Kinkel died, she was seen trying to help him get up. ___ Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris In this Tuesday, June 19, 2018, photo Lammie, in her enclosure at the Johannesburg Zoo. When the last African elephant at the Johannesburg Zoo lost her male companion to illness in September, some people said 39-year-old Lammie should be sent to a bigger sanctuary so she wouldn't spend her final years alone. The zoo now says Lammie is staying, and that a search for a new mate is underway. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell) MOSCOW (AP) - The Kremlin has rejected U.S. criticism of Russian strategic bombers' deployment to Venezuela. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo responded to Monday's arrival of a pair of Tu-160 nuclear-capable bombers in Venezuela by tweeting that "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." Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, dismissed Pompeo's comment as "undiplomatic" and "inappropriate." He told reporters Tuesday that such criticism sounds odd from a country "half of whose military budget would be enough to feed the whole of Africa." Russian-U.S. ties have sunk to post-Cold War lows over Ukraine, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. 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) BERLIN (AP) - The European Union's top court has ruled that the European Central Bank's government bond-buying stimulus program is in line with EU law and doesn't exceed the bank's mandate. The ECB launched the purchases in March 2015. It's on course to wrap up its 2.5 trillion euro ($2.85 trillion) stimulus at the end of the year. Germany's Federal Constitutional Court asked the European Court of Justice about the program's validity under EU law as it considers complaints against the bond purchases. The Luxembourg-based EU court said Tuesday that the program "does not exceed the ECB's mandate." It said "the program falls within the area of monetary policy, in respect of which the EU has exclusive competence for the member states whose currency is the euro, and observes the principle of proportionality." Manchester Citys unbeaten start to the Premier League season ended after they suffered a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea. NGolo Kante emphatically opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge before David Luiz headed home a second. Here, Press Association Sport highlights five things we learned from Saturdays clash. City are not invincible Manchester City were beaten at Stamford Bridge (Adam Davy/PA) Pep Guardiolas champions have maintained the fine form which saw them waltz to the title last season in the early months of this campaign. But, despite dominating possession in west London, Chelsea proved they can be beaten. The defeat Citys first Premier League loss since April leaves them a point behind title rivals Liverpool. Hazard is versatile Chelseas Eden Hazard was influential in Chelseas win (Adam Davy/PA) Much was made of both managers opting to start without recognised strikers, particularly Maurizio Sarris decision to pick Eden Hazard as a false nine. After being starved of the ball in the first half, Belgium forward Hazard who also operated in the role against City in March showed his class in the crucial moments of the match by creating both goals. Injury issues mounting for City City were without key players Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero at Stamford Bridge and manager Guardiola may have further injury concerns to contend with. With the busy festive period approaching, midfielder Fernandinho required treatment in the first half before the influential David Silva limped off with an apparent hamstring issue in the second half. Potency beats possession 15. Just lacking a little cutting edge at present but you sense a goal is coming for us. We're pressing and pushing Chelsea back every time they have possession! 0-0 #CHEMCI #mancity pic.twitter.com/Wng10y0vz6 Manchester City (@ManCity) December 8, 2018 For all of their possession and pressing in attacking areas, City were guilty of creating little. Chelsea would have been grateful to go in goalless at half-time but Kante gave them an undeserved lead from which City could not recover. While the visitors had a handful of decent openings, they failed to register a meaningful attempt on goal until a Gabriel Jesus effort in injury time. Chelsea unlikely to mount title challenge Chelsea were tested defensively by City (Adam Davy/PA) Despite this victory, it appears unlikely that the Blues can sustain a serious title challenge. They struggled to touch the ball in the opening period and rode their luck in securing an unexpected victory. Their spirit and second-half performance will provide Sarri with plenty of positives but City and Liverpool remain the standout sides. Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has vowed to protect vital public services and prioritise spending on health and education in his forthcoming Scottish Budget despite not yet appearing to have the support to get his plans through Holyrood. Mr Mackay said he would have talks with other parties in the weeks ahead and into the New Year in a bid to convince them to back his tax and spending plans for 2019-20. He spoke after the Scottish Greens revealed they have not yet entered formal negotiations with SNP ministers. Green co-convener Patrick Harvie said he would be ready to talk ahead of Wednesdays Budget statement at Holyrood but also stressed the Scottish Government needed to do more on the key issue of local tax reform. Derek Mackay (Jane Barlow/PA) With the SNP no longer having a majority in the Scottish Parliament, the Finance Secretary needs the support of at least one other party if his financial package is to be approved. However, the Liberal Democrats have already ended Budget talks with ministers citing the SNPs insistence that their damaging and costly plan for an independence referendum had to stay on the table as the reason for this. Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said this left the Government at the mercy of the Greens. Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie insisted ministers needed to commit to wider reform of local government taxation. He said: We have been given a clear instruction from our party members that we can only enter formal budget negotiations if there is meaningful progress on local tax reform to make a fairer system that protects services and cuts inequality. Replacing council tax with a fairer alternative cant happen overnight, but the work must begin now. Three years ago this week the SNP agreed with the Greens, Labour and the Lib Dems that the present system of council tax must end. If they are unwilling to recommit to that policy and start working on making that pledge a reality, then they will be choosing to close off any chance of reaching a budget agreement with the Greens. Mr Mackay insisted the proposals he will outline will protect vital public services and prioritise spending on health, education and economic investment. He stated: Our policies have already ensured that Scotland benefits from quality public services and our progressive reforms to income tax have protected those on the lowest incomes. While he cited Brexit as continuing to be the biggest threat to Scotlands prosperity, he insisted his proposals would not be defined by this. Instead, he said the Budget will set out how we help protect Scotland as far as we can from the damaging uncertainty of the UK Governments Brexit policy. Patrick Harvie (Andrew Milligan/PA) Labour wants the Budget to include a rail fares freeze for ScotRail travellers and a 5 a week rise in child benefit, which it said would lift 30,000 youngsters out of poverty. The Tories want the SNP to commit to no new tax rises in 2019-20, after Mr Mackay made a number of changes to income tax in Scotland this year, leaving some higher earners paying more than their counterparts south of the border. Conservative finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: The SNP must give taxpayers a fair deal on taxation, invest in public services and no new tax rises. But SNP MSP Angela Constance said: If the Tories want to promise high earners a handout, they have to explain what public service theyd cut to fund it otherwise nobody will take them seriously. People know that public services need investment, and think its fair that higher earners pay their fair share to fund our schools and hospitals. A location of interest has been identified by detectives probing the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane in New Zealand. Auckland City Police Detective Inspector Scott Beard said a scene examination was under way at a bush area on Scenic Drive, a countryside road on the citys outskirts. A missing person search took a tragic turn on Saturday when investigators announced that they believed the 22-year-old, who was last seen alive on December 1, had been murdered. Grace Millane was travelling in New Zealand when she went missing at the start of the month (Auckland City Police/PA) A 26-year-old man is due to be charged with the killing and police had been probing the movements of a vehicle around the time Ms Millane, from Essex, disappeared. Police investigating the murder of English tourist Grace Millane have identified a location of interest, Det Insp Beard said in a statement. This is a methodical and slow process and is expected to take all day. At this stage we are not able to confirm whether Grace has been located at this site. A stretch of the road around 12mi from the city centre was closed on Sunday afternoon while investigators search the area. Two large blue and white tents had been erected and investigators wearing white overalls were seen nearby. Several vehicles, including marked police cars, were parked up at the side of the road. Police stand along a section of Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges outside Auckland (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) Scenic Drive snakes through dense rainforest in the Waitakere Ranges, which lie to the west of Auckland. The location of interest which detectives appear to be focusing on is in the vicinity of the Waitakere Reservoir and dam, a beauty spot with hiking trails. The road runs through the area from north to south, with the reservoir to the west and houses scattered to the east. Ms Millane graduated from the University of Lincoln in September and had embarked on a year-long worldwide trip. After visiting Peru, she arrived in New Zealand on November 20 and had been in near-daily contact with her family until December 1 the day before her 22nd birthday. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm the same day at the Citylife Hotel in central Auckland, when she was seen with a male companion. Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and commenced a major search that saw dozens of people contact a special helpline. Ms Millanes father, David Millane, flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as a lovely, outgoing, fun-loving (and) family-orientated. Det Insp Beard said the family had been left devastated after police uncovered evidence she had been murdered on Saturday. Astronauts spending extended periods of time in orbit will not compromise a major part of their immune system, according to research. Scientists tested blood samples of crew members taken before, during and after a six-month mission on the International Space Station. They detected no changes in B-cell immunity the white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight off infections. It had previously been thought that space flight had a detrimental effect on the immune system. Tim Peake preparing for a spacewalk to help repair a broken power unit of the International Space Station (Nasa/PA) The research could help decide whether astronauts taking part in longer missions such as travelling to Mars should receive vaccines in space. Dr John Campbell, of University of Baths Department for Health, said: This is the first study to comprehensively show that long-duration spaceflight in human astronauts has limited effect on B-cell frequency and antibody production. Our results are good news for current astronauts aboard the ISS, including University of Bath alumna Lt Col Anne McClain, and for all future astronauts who will attempt long-duration space missions. The International Space Station transiting the first quarter moon (Danny Lawson/PA) The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, focused on B-cells an essential type of white blood cells responsible for producing antibodies to target harmful pathogens. Having optimal B-cell immunity is crucial to ensuring long-term protection against disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Researchers say it is also important for ensuring vaccinations are effective. Until now, due to logistical constraints, the majority of space immunology has been conducted during short-duration missions or by comparing measures of immune function before and after flight. But for this study, bloods from 23 astronauts were taken during their time on the ISS. Putting this journey into words will not be easy, but I will try. I am finally where I was born to be. pic.twitter.com/RZniLxIBfB Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) December 7, 2018 The samples were sent down to Earth by Russian Soyuz descent capsules, landing in Kazakhstan before being taken to Moscow, then flown to a lab in Houston. This journey from the ISS to Houston usually took 32 to 48 hours. Dr Guillaume Spielmann, from Louisiana State University, said: Long-duration orbital spaceflights are associated with increased levels of psychological stress, acute and chronic exposure to space radiation and microgravity-induced changes, all of which are known to detrimentally impact the immune system. However, the effects of spaceflight on B-cell immunity a major arm of the immune system have to date remained unclear. The blood samples were taken before the astronauts took off, three times during the flight, after they landed and during a recovery period. Crew members involved in the study were aged between 37 and 57, with data collected over 18 separate ISS missions. Researchers also took blood samples from six people who were ground-based, for a control group. A body believed to be British backpacker Grace Millane has been found near a beauty spot on the outskirts of Auckland. Detective Inspector Scott Beard, of Auckland City Police, said formal identification was yet to take place, although based on the evidence we have gathered over the past few days we expect that this is Grace. A 26-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Ms Millane, 22, and is due to appear at Auckland District Court on Monday. (PA Graphics) Detectives said they had identified a location of interest after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road around 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. Speaking at the scene on Sunday afternoon, Det Insp Beard said investigators had located a body which we believe to be Grace around 10m from the roadside. Grace Millane was travelling in New Zealand when she went missing at the start of the month (Auckland City Police/PA) The formal identification process will now take place, however based on the evidence we have gathered over the past few days we expect that this is Grace, he said. Obviously this brings the search for Grace to an end. It is an unbearable time for the Millane family and our hearts go out to them. A stretch of the road was closed on Sunday afternoon while forensics officers scoured the area. Police stand along a section of Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges outside Auckland (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) 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 they believe to be the backpacker is in the vicinity of the Waitakere Reservoir and dam, a beauty spot with hiking trails. Det Insp Beard revealed that investigators are analysing a hire car as part of the probe. The 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. Police have appealed for sightings of the car in the west Auckland area between 6.30am and 9.30am on Monday. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on December 1, the day before her birthday, at the Citylife Hotel in central Auckland, 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 commenced 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 a lovely, outgoing, fun-loving (and) family-orientated. The Stansted 15 and the right to protest dont cheery pick your causes Wind your neck back to March 28 2017. Fifteen protestors are attempting to prevent a plane chartered by the Home Office to deport illegal immigrants from leaving Londons Stansted airport. The plane is scheduled to drop its human cargo off in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Ghana. Some of the activists have chained themselves to the planes front wheel. The plane never did take off. Predictably nicked, the group were charged with the crime of aggravated trespass. No biggie. The Crown Prosecution Service thought it not big enough and escalated the offence to one of intentional disruption of services and endangerment at an aerodrome see: 1990 Aviation and Maritime Security Act; a law passed in response to the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that carries anything up to a life sentence. The CPS says the protesters placed themselves, the flight crew, airport personnel and police at serious risk of injury or even death due to their actions on the airfield. All 15 have been found guilty of this larger offence. Ella Whelan argues that the Stansted 15 were not intent on harming anyone at the airport. All they wanted to do was stop the plane. What of the people aboard the plane? Well: One man on that plane was going to miss the birth of his daughter due to his deportation and he has since been granted permission to remain in the UK. As we saw in the Windrush scandal, the governments approach to immigration control is chaotic and cruel: several of the people on board the plane were being deported under the deport first, appeal later policy, which was deemed illegal shortly after the Stansted 15s action. To date, 11 of the passengers who were to be deported have now been given legal status in the UK, reports Sky News. So the criminals did good, then. They helped people and prevented injustice. We should now help them. The Guardian calls the 15s treatment chilling. The New Statesman calls the verdict a particularly cold blast in the increasingly chill wind blowing against public dissent in the UK. But does your view on the Stansted 15 hinge on whether or not you believe in the right to peaceful protest or if you just support their cause? The Guardian gives much space over to the nature of Home Office deportations: The protesters were highlighting a harsh and punitive system with which many are rightly and increasingly ill at ease. In June this year, Virgin airlines said it would no longer help deportations. Relying on charter flights (in several cases from an RAF base, following the Stansted protest) only veils the issue. Slugger OToole notes: Over 300 public figures have signed the open letter including much of the Labour front bench, filmmaker Ken Loach, activist Owen Jones and writer Naomi Klein. It calls for the Stansted 15 to be spared prison and calls on the UK government to end its inhumane hostile environment policies and to end its barely legal and shameful practice of deportation charter flights. Thats Owen Jones who tweeted: The right to free speech does not give you a right to a platform. Thats the New Statesman that told us of a Kosher Conspiracy. Thats Ken Loache who backs the censorious BDS movement. Thats the Guardian in which you can read the inane argument No platforming is not a threat to free speech, it is only a threat to hate speech. Championing free speech and free expression is something we should all support but lets not only do it when we agree with the persecuted and support popular ideas. Anorak Posted: 12th, December 2018 | In: Key Posts, News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Novichok victim Charlie Rowley fears the poison will eventually kill him and believes he could be dead within a decade. Mr Rowley said he is terrified about the future, and is struggling with his eyesight and mobility. The 45-year-old was exposed to the same nerve agent used in Salisbury to attack ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March. Mr Rowley and his partner Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell ill in Amesbury months after the Skripal incident, and Ms Sturgess died in hospital in July. Novichok murder victim Dawn Sturgess (Metropolitan Police/PA) Britain has accused Russia of carrying out the poisoning of the Skripals, which the pair survived. Russia has also been blamed for the death of Ms Sturgess and the poisoning of Mr Rowley, who are believed to have come into contact with Novichok discarded by the Skripals attackers. Mr Rowley, who was in hospital being treated for meningitis, told the Sunday Mirror: I may be out of hospital but I dont feel safe. Im terrified about the future. Doctors simply dont know what the long-term effects could be. The worst thing has been the fear over my sight. Im struggling to see properly and to walk. Im one of only a handful in the world to have survived Novichok, so its untrod territory. I feel like a guinea pig. I dont know whats going to happen from one day to the next. The counterfeit perfume box found by Charlie Rowley that held the nerve agent (Metropolitan Police/PA) He added: Im still worried the Novichok could kill me if I get any sort of virus again its on my mind all the time. Im dreading getting a cold. When I got out of hospital the first time I was pleased. But it may have been too soon because a few weeks later I was back blind and unable to use my left arm with meningitis. I remember losing all balance and suffering tunnel vision. Doctors told me Id suffered numerous strokes and I needed heart treatment and a pacemaker. Its all to do with the Novichok. Mr Rowley told the newspaper he has felt suicidal, and said he has had no support. The system is flawed. I need counselling. If the authorities offered me help I would take it. I feel let down, he said. Mr Rowley added: I dont think Ill be alive in 10 years. It has been horrendous. Police have said they do not believe that Mr Rowley or his partner were deliberately targeted, rather that they were affected because of the recklessness in which such a toxic nerve agent was disposed of. The prospect of working for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Queen or the Princess Royal had thousands clicking online job adverts this year. A busy royal year which saw Harry and Meghan wed, the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges third child and Princess Eugenie marry her long-term partner helped generate huge interest in the postings. Professional networking site LinkedIn has compiled a list of the most-viewed jobs on its website during 2018, with everything from a post with a top architect firm to working for the brand Jo Malone featured. Among the most-viewed jobs of the past 12 months are three which involve working closely with the monarchy, from communications assistant in the number two spot, private secretary to Anne in eighth place and a job as a communications officer featuring at 24. The Princess Royals advert for a new private secretary was viewed 37,016 times (PA) With more than 70,000 views, the most popular job was a management consultant role with the Boston Consulting Group, an organisation frequently featured in lists of the best places to work. Meanwhile, traditionally well-paid roles in finance and property were joined this year by jobs with more of a lifestyle focus, like travel content producer for MTV and social media trainee for Jo Malone. The second-placed communications assistant role attracted 67,211 views and the job advert, now closed, stated a starting salary of 22,000 and was seeking someone with energy, enthusiasm and potential. It added: Whether covering a state visit, award ceremony or royal engagement, youll make sure our communications spark interest and reach a range of audiences. Royal fans curious about working for the Princess Royal viewed the advert for her new private secretary 37,016 times. Darain Faraz, careers expert at LinkedIn, said: Every year we love seeing the breadth of jobs that are piquing the interest of the great British public and this year is no different. From the royal family to Chanel, and Jo Malone to Barclays, job-seekers across the UK are turning to their LinkedIn community to search for their next career move. Its interesting to see more of a focus on technology this year, with roles such as Java developer and data scientist sitting alongside the more traditional professions such as architect and analyst. Boris Johnson refused to rule out challenging Theresa May for the Tory leadership as he warned her Brexit deal left the UK open to blackmail by Brussels. The former foreign secretary said it was nonsense to suggest he had already begun offering jobs in a future Johnson administration to fellow Tories, but sidestepped the opportunity to promise not to stand against the Prime Minister. He said her Brexit deal could get through the Commons if it was stripped of the backstop measure an insurance policy to prevent a hard border with Ireland insisting that would be relatively simple to achieve. Another Brexiteer ex-Cabinet minister, Esther McVey, said she would give serious concern to standing for the leadership. Mr Johnson, one of the leading players in the Leave campaign in the referendum, said people should not underestimate the deep sense of personal responsibility I feel for Brexit. Mrs Mays future hangs in the balance, with a heavy defeat in Tuesdays Commons showdown likely to lead to fresh pressure on her leadership. Boris Johnson before speaking to host Andrew Marr (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) Asked to give an absolute, categorical promise that he would not stand against the Prime Minister, Mr Johnson said: I will give you an absolute, categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan. Challenged on whether he had already begun speaking to colleagues to offer them roles in his future government, Mr Johnson told BBCs Andrew Marr Show: I can tell you thats nonsense. Setting out his Brexit plan, Mr Johnson said resolving the Irish border issue should be postponed so it forms part of the talks on a future trade deal and the UK should withhold a substantial chunk of the 39 billion divorce bill until that deal is done. Preparations should also be stepped up for a no-deal Brexit, he said. He admitted he would feel personally responsible if people lost their jobs in a no-deal departure from the EU. Of course I will, he said. Do not underestimate the deep sense of personal responsibility I feel for Brexit and for everything that has happened. Do not underestimate how much I care about this because this is fundamental to our country and it absolutely breaks my heart to think that -after all that we fought for, all that we campaigned for, all that (Brexit Secretary) Steve Barclay campaigned for, everybody believes in we should consign ourselves to a future in which the EU effectively rules us in many respects and yet we have no say round the table in Brussels. That is an absurdity. We cannot go down that route. 'If people asked me, then of course I'd give it serious consideration' - @EstherMcVey1 tells @SophyRidgeSky she would consider running for leader #Ridge pic.twitter.com/ZUrI2Ngyek Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) December 9, 2018 Asked about her leadership ambitions, Ms McVey told Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday: Ive seen the array of people who have come forward at the moment and I think if we can all get behind one for me the most important thing is not the personalities, it is the deal for our country needs to be better. She added: If people asked me, then of course youd give it serious concern and do it if people asked me but at the moment Im looking at whos in the papers, who we can get behind but it shouldnt be about the personality, it should be about the country and this deal. Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab refused to rule out a leadership bid, relling Sky News he would not get sucked into that debate. Animal lovers looking to buy a puppy in the run-up to Christmas are being urged to walk away if they suspect it has been bred in an illegal puppy farm. Sheila Voas, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland said, in what was the most popular time for families to buy a puppy, people should be cautious and do their homework. She issued the warning as the Scottish Government launched a new campaign in a bid to make people more aware of the signs a dog could have been bred illegally. Only a quarter (24%) of those buying a puppy do so from an approved breeder, recent research has indicated. Online sales of dogs are estimated to amount to 13 million a year, but a large proportion of these could be illegally farmed animals. Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: Puppy farmers are highly active at Christmas and thrive on impulse purchases. A new campaign has been launched to highlight the signs of illegal puppy farming (Scottish Government/PA) We work very hard at this time of year to educate the public that getting a pet is a lifelong commitment and research is required to ensure you get a healthy puppy from an assured breeder. Owning a pet can be a wonderful experience, bringing years of companionship and love, but it is also a huge responsibility and its a decision that should never be made on a whim or just for Christmas. To help, the Scottish Government has set up a new website www.buyapuppysafely.org where people can find information on how to spot illegally bred dogs. Buyers are urged to check the breeder has a local authority licence and/or is a member of the Kennel Clubs assured breeder scheme. In addition, people should check paperwork, including vaccination records and microchipping certificates, meet the dogs mother and also check the animal is at least eight weeks old. Ms Voas said: This time of year is the most popular for families to buy a puppy but unfortunately, that means illegal breeders benefit even more at Christmas. Were urging the public to be cautious and do their homework before buying a puppy. The most important thing is to see the puppy with its mother and to get the correct paperwork. If theres no mum and no paperwork, then walk away and report your concerns to the Scottish SPCA helpline. Scottish Secretary David Mundell has revealed he would not be in Boris Johnsons cabinet if the former foreign secretary became prime minister. Mr Mundell, who has served under both David Cameron and Theresa May, said his disagreements with the outspoken former London mayor would make it extremely difficult for him to stay on as Scottish Secretary. He spoke out as Mr Johnson refused to rule out challenging Theresa May for the Tory leadership, as he called for her Brexit deal to be renegotiated. The Brexiteer told BBCs Andrew Marr Show: Its a relatively simple job to do. We can have a withdrawal agreement that does not contain the backstop. We can do much, much better than this. Scottish Secretary David Mundell (Victoria Jones/PA) But Mr Mundell, who campaigned for Remain in the run up to the 2016 referendum, hit back and said: A lot of people have the fanciful idea that Santa is going to turn up and put a new deal in their stocking. Thats not going to happen. The Scottish Conservative MP told the BBCs Sunday Politics Scotland that it had always been a condition of the withdrawal agreement that it would contain a backstop deal for Northern Ireland, to prevent the return to a hard border there. And he insisted Mr Johnsons suggestion that this could be removed from the deal was simply not possible. Mr Mundell added: Mr Johnson knows that, he was in the cabinet till relatively recently. I dont understand how he has come to that conclusion. Asked if he would remain in the cabinet if he replaced Mrs May in Number 10, the Scottish Secretary stated: Given my views about Mr Johnson which are well known that would be extremely difficult. Mr Johnson and I dont agree on a whole range of issues and I dont see myself being able to serve in that way. David Mundell tells Gordon Brewer that hes abandoned his promise to resign over the preferential deal for Northern Ireland because hes taken a judgement. @Sun_Pol_Scot JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) December 9, 2018 While both Mr Mundell and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson had both threatened to quit their posts if the PMs Brexit deal jeopardised the integrity of the UK, the MP insisted the future of the union would be more at risk if the UK was to leave the European Union without a deal being in place. He stated: The threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom, which I regard as the principle issueit is most likely to be threatened by the crash, by the uncertainty, by the division, by the chaos which provides the backdrop nationalists want to move forward with their independence referendum here. And he said: I have had to make a judgment on what is in the backstop, which is a temporary measure which may never come into force, and what risk that causes to the integrity of the United Kingdom, compared to crashing out of the EU in less than four months time, which I regard as the most significant threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom. A so-called Brexit betrayal march led by controversial activist Tommy Robinson was vastly outnumbered by counter-demonstrators, opposition organisers said. The English Defence League (EDL) founder and Ukip members marched with supporters through the streets of London on Sunday before a rally beside Parliament Square. Amid fears of violence, Scotland Yard placed restrictions on the march as well as on a counter-demonstration organised by Labour supporters and anti-fascists. Among those marching against the Brexit betrayal group were Labour grassroots group Momentum and Unite Against Fascism. Tommy Robinson is here, courting chants. We want Britain out. A line of police are leading the march forward pic.twitter.com/l1qrA3sEnK Sam Blewett (@BlewettSam) December 9, 2018 A Momentum spokeswoman said about 15,000 turned up to oppose Mr Robinsons march, claiming it vastly outnumbered them nearly five to one. A Ukip spokesman said quite a few thousand had turned up to its rally. Police did not provide estimates on crowd sizes. Momentum national co-ordinator Laura Parker said: Today is a huge blow for Tommy Robinson and his vile, hate-fuelled politics. Even with the Ukip machine in tow he only managed to bring a few thousand supporters out on the streets while we mobilised nearly 15,000 to march against his racism and bigotry. Police officers monitor protesters in Trafalgar Square (Victoria Jones/PA) Mr Robinsons supporters gathered to call for Brexit, with one brandishing a noose he said was for Prime Minister Theresa May. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell had urged Labour supporters to march against the poison of Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. This march isnt about Brexit, its about far-right extremists dressing up in suits and pretending to be respectable, Mr McDonnell said. People hold placards opposing Tommy Robinson (Victoria Jones/PA) Along the route, the counter-protest included songs and dancing, arriving at their final stop on Whitehall to the sound of Michael Jacksons hit Black Or White. As the demonstrators made their way from Portland Place, they held placards saying: Oppose Tommy Robinson. Dont let the racists divide us and chanted There are many many more of us than you. Marchers with their faces covered briefly made their way to the front of the march, and at a few points a handful of Robinson supporters were escorted away swiftly by police. The protesters chanted the whole way, shouting Nazi scum, off our streets. Gathering outside the Dorchester Hotel, Mr Robinsons supporters marched along a specified route from Park Lane to Parliament Street. Here at the Brexit betrayal march is a man holding a noose. He gave his name as Laukan Creasey, from Stevenage. I asked why he was carrying it. Thats what the traitor May deserves. Thats what treasonous people get, he said. pic.twitter.com/ModEM8bj4h Sam Blewett (@BlewettSam) December 9, 2018 Among Ukip supporters outside the luxury establishment was a man who gave his name as Laukan Creasey, from Stevenage, who was carrying a gallows with a noose hanging down. Asked why he was brandishing it, Mr Creasey said: Thats what the traitor May deserves. Thats what treasonous people get. It was a referendum not a never-endum. And they promised to implement whatever we decided and they havent, so two-and-a-half years down the line this is what you get. The Ukip group marched to outside the Houses of Parliament where they were to be greeted by festive music and speakers. The crowd loudly booed when Ukip leader Gerard Batten brought up Remainer Mrs May and they cheered on his reference to a treasonous political class. He added: If Parliament does not take Britain out of the European Union it will be the biggest constitutional crisis since the English Civil War. In 1642 the king put himself in opposition to parliament. Parliament won and the king lost his head. If Parliament betrays Brexit they will be putting themselves in opposition of the people and if they win you will lose your liberty. Their opposition march, who had started outside the BBC building in Portland Place, were separated from the Brexiters by police barriers in Whitehall. Tommy Robinson takes part in a `Brexit Betrayal march (Gareth Fuller/PA) Police were on heightened alert after serious violence broke out at a Robinson rally in London in June, with five officers injured when bottles and barriers were hurled at them. Scotland Yard said it also imposed the conditions based on the current intelligence picture. Weyman Bennett, joint convener of Stand Up To Racism and one of the march organisers, said: I believe that the majority of people in this country reject fascism and racism. The counter demo is now making its way down Haymarket, continuing to chant There are many many more of us than you. pic.twitter.com/NqjF1r5BmE Catherine Wylie (@wyliecatherine) December 9, 2018 Theres deep concern in Britain about the growth of the far right in this country, under the guise of Tommy Robinson and Ukip. He added: We are excited about the amount of women organisers, Muslim groups and trade unions that have come out. Weve had unprecedented unity. All of us have come together from whatever party or faction we represent and have agreed that we have to march together to defend our democratic rights. A man has been killed after being struck by a car on a bypass, police have confirmed. The 56-year-old pedestrian had been walking on the B9140 road in Tullibody, close to the Muirside roundabout, when he was hit by a red Renault Captur vehicle. Emergency services were called out after the incident which took place at around 6am on Sunday, but the man was found to be dead at the scene. Sergeant Ruth Aitchison of Police Scotland said: We are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to contact us on the 101 number. We are also keen to hear from anyone who may have been driving on the B9140 road, which is the Tullibody bypass, at around 6am this morning. One of the winners of this years Nobel Peace Prize has said the attention the award has drawn to sexual violence against women in war zones must be followed by action against the abuses. Dr Denis Mukwege was speaking at a news conference together with Nadia Murad, from Iraq, who is sharing the nine million Swedish krona (781,358) prize. Dr Mukwege was honoured for his work helping sexually abused women at the hospital he founded in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His co-winner Ms Murad, who is a Yazidi, was recognised for her advocacy for sex abuse victims after being kidnapped and raped by Islamic State (IS) militants. Nadia Murad, left, and Dr Denis Mukwege (Heiko Junge/NTB scanpix/AP) What we see during armed conflicts is that womens bodies become battlefields and this cannot be acceptable during our time, the doctor said. We cannot only denounce it, we now need to act. Ms Murad, 25, was one of an estimated 3,000 girls and women from Iraqs Yazidi minority group who were kidnapped in 2014 by IS militants and sold into sexual slavery. She was raped, beaten and tortured before managing to escape three months later. After getting treatment in Germany, she chose to speak to the world about the horrors faced by Yazidi women, despite the stigma in her culture surrounding rape. She said it was difficult for a girl, a woman, to rise up to say that these atrocities have happened. Dr Mukwege, a 63-year-old surgeon, founded a hospital in the city of Bukavu and over the past 20 years has treated countless women who have been raped amid fighting between armed groups seeking to control some of the central African nations vast mineral wealth. He expressed concerns that new violence could be on the horizon as Congo holds a general election this month. We think the conflict might blow up around this electoral period and women and children are always the first victims of such conflicts, he said. Along with preventing sexual violence, more effort was needed to attend to victims, Dr Mukwege said. We need to realise that any woman who is a victim of sexual violence within her own country such women should be allowed treatment and its not only medical treatment, also psychological treatment, judicial treatment, he said. Ms Murad said the psychological burden of her ordeal and her subsequent work was heavy. I dont want to live in fear. For the last four years I have been in Germany, in a safe place, but yet Im living frightfully, she said. Im scared that these people will not just attack me or have an impact on me, but with anybody else. Ms Murad and Dr Mukwege will receive their prize on Monday at a ceremony in the Norwegian capital. The winners of Nobel prizes for medicine, physics, chemistry and economics will be awarded their prizes on Monday in Stockholm. No Nobel literature winner was named this year due to turmoil in the Swedish Academy, which chooses the literature winners. The brother of British backpacker Grace Millane has paid tribute after police found what they believe to be her body near a beauty spot on the outskirts of Auckland. Detective Inspector Scott Beard, of Auckland City Police, said formal identification was yet to take place, although based on the evidence we have gathered over the past few days we expect that this is Grace. A 26-year-old man has been charged with the murder of the 22-year-old and is due to appear at Auckland District Court on Monday. (PA Graphics) Declan Millane shared pictures on social media of him and his sister and added the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine. 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 10m from the roadside. 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. West Midlands Police have released shocking footage of drink drivers busted in the build up to Christmas as the festive season gets into full swing. One clip shows a driver narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic and parked cars in broad daylight in Great Barr, Birmingham, while another features a driver on the M42 trailing sparks from a missing wheel and back tyre before crashing into the barrier. Both men admitted to the offences they were charged with and have been bailed ahead of sentencing in January. Sergeant Jon Butler, from WMP, said: We can only hope the message gets through that there are real dangers to getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drink or drugs. This is both to drivers and other innocent members of the public. The first driver, a 35-year-old, was first spotted by officers at around 10.45am on Sunday December 2. Police are warning people against drink-driving this Christmas (PA) He was driving without a front tyre and with the hazards lights flashing, swerving on both sides of the road and just missing other cars. He was found to have more than four times the legal limit of alcohol in his system for driving and admitted to drink driving, dangerous driving and having no licence or insurance. The 24-year-old driver on the M4 was seen at 8am on the same day and admitted to dangerous driving, disqualified driving and failing to provide a breath specimen. Sergeant Butler said: We have a zero tolerance approach and our officers are out there 24/7 to catch those who risk the safety, and lives, of themselves and innocent others. Drink driving is unacceptable and we will catch and prosecute those who break the law. The DrinkAware Trust recommends people should not drink any alcohol if they know they are going to drive later and estimated that between 2010 and 2015 there were 36,900 reported drink-drive accidents and 1,410 reported deaths caused by drink-driving accidents. Libya's Haftar in Cairo to discuss 'latest developments' General in Egyptian capital for 'political solution' (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, DECEMBER 12 - Libyan General Khalifa Haftar is in Cairo on Wednesday for meetings with Egyptians responsible for relations between Libya and Egypt and to discuss the latest developments in the Libya dossier, according to an Egyptian airport source, who said the Libyan leader arrived on Tuesday. "He came from Libya aboard a private aircraft for a two-day visit," the source said. With the Egyptians, Haftar will look at "strengthening relations between the two countries in the area of border control to impede infiltration operations" by terrorists, and will conduct "an information exchange about terrorist groups as well as recent developments in Libya in light of efforts by Egypt and the UN envoy to reach a political solution to the Libyan crisis to ensure unity and stability for the Libyan territory," the source said. On Sunday, Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte said he will meet with Haftar "this week" and said the recent conference on Libya in Palermo was part of a "course" to which "Italy is giving its contribution". Egypt is the political sponsor of Haftar, general commander of the Libyan National Army, who has made multiple visits to Cairo.(ANSAmed). A Brexit betrayal march led by controversial activist Tommy Robinson was vastly outnumbered by counter-demonstrators, opposition organisers said. The English Defence League (EDL) founder turned-Ukip adviser marched with supporters through the streets of London on Sunday before addressing a rally beside Parliament Square. Amid fears of violence, Scotland Yard placed restrictions on the march as well as on a counter-demonstration organised by Labour supporters and anti-fascists. Labour grassroots group Momentum said about 15,000 turned up to oppose Mr Robinsons march, claiming opponents vastly outnumbered the Ukip-led demonstrators nearly five to one. A Ukip spokesman said quite a few thousand had turned up to its rally, which came ahead of MPs voting on a Brexit deal on Tuesday. Police did not provide estimates on crowd sizes. Momentum national co-ordinator Laura Parker said: Today is a huge blow for Tommy Robinson and his vile, hate-fuelled politics. Even with the Ukip machine in tow he only managed to bring a few thousand supporters out on the streets, while we mobilised nearly 15,000 to march against his racism and bigotry. Tommy Robinson is here, courting chants. We want Britain out. A line of police are leading the march forward pic.twitter.com/l1qrA3sEnK Sam Blewett (@BlewettSam) December 9, 2018 Mr Robinsons supporters gathered to call for Brexit, with one brandishing a noose he said was for Prime Minister Theresa May. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell had urged Labour supporters to march against the poison of Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. This march isnt about Brexit, its about far-right extremists dressing up in suits and pretending to be respectable, Mr McDonnell said. Among those marching with Ukip were those carrying Generation Identity flags, which anti-fascist campaigners Hope Not Hate describe as a far-right and strongly anti-Muslim organisation. Police officers monitor protesters in Trafalgar Square (Victoria Jones/PA) A man was also seen carrying a Jo Cox false flag sign, peddling a conspiracy theory that the Labour MPs murder by a right-wing extremist was a politically-motivated deception. Ukip supporters started their procession at the Dorchester Hotel and followed a specified route to the Houses of Parliament. Outside the luxury establishment stood the man carrying a gallows with a noose hanging down. He gave his name as Laukan Creasey, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Here at the Brexit betrayal march is a man holding a noose. He gave his name as Laukan Creasey, from Stevenage. I asked why he was carrying it. Thats what the traitor May deserves. Thats what treasonous people get, he said. pic.twitter.com/ModEM8bj4h Sam Blewett (@BlewettSam) December 9, 2018 Asked why he was brandishing it, he said: Thats what the traitor May deserves. Thats what treasonous people get. It was a referendum not a never-endum. And they promised to implement whatever we decided and they havent, so two and a half years down the line this is what you get. Labour MPs were quick to criticise the noose, with Karen Buck saying it was very, very wrong and Alex Sobel adding: This is what actual fascism looks like. Hope Not Hate said the march had been absolutely riven with ugly messages and symbolism. At the marchs conclusion, the crowd loudly booed when Ukip leader Gerard Batten brought up Remainer Mrs May and they cheered on his reference to a treasonous political class. He also conjured up a English Civil War metaphor to describe a potential failure to execute Brexit by politicians. In 1642 the king put himself in opposition to Parliament. Parliament won and the king lost his head, he said, standing alongside Mr Robinson as well as Neil Hamilton, a former Tory politician who leads Ukip Wales. People hold placards opposing Tommy Robinson (Victoria Jones/A) Mr Robinson asked the crowd to join him in becoming a member of Ukip, as he went through the process on his phone on stage. He then hinted he could run for Parliament, after referencing disgraceful lies said about him by MPs including Commons Speaker John Bercow, who called him a loathsome, obnoxious, repellent individual in the Commons. Mr Robinson told supporters it was then for the first time he thought: One day, Ill be sitting in there amongst you. His rally was separated from counter-demonstrators on Whitehall by police barriers and a vast divide. The opposition march started outside the BBC building in Portland Place and arrived at its conclusion dancing to Michael Jacksons hit Black Or White and Cha Cha Slide. The counter demo is now making its way down Haymarket, continuing to chant There are many many more of us than you. pic.twitter.com/NqjF1r5BmE Catherine Wylie (@wyliecatherine) December 9, 2018 Along the route, they held placards saying, Oppose Tommy Robinson. Dont let the racists divide us, and chanted: There are many many more of us than you. Nazi scum, off our streets, many added. Marchers with their faces covered briefly made their way to the front, and at a few points a handful of Robinson supporters were swiftly escorted away by police. Police were on heightened alert after serious violence broke out at a Robinson rally in London in June, with five officers injured when bottles and barriers were hurled at them. Scotland Yard said it also imposed the conditions based on the current intelligence picture. Officers said three arrests had been made, all from among the counter-protest group. The allegations were a public order offence, assaulting a police officer and possessing an offensive weapon. A Stand Up To Racism representative told the crowd some 15,000 had attended the counter-demonstration. Co-organiser and the organisations joint convener Weyman Bennett told the Press Association: I believe that the majority of people in this country reject fascism and racism. Weve had unprecedented unity. All of us have come together from whatever party or faction we represent and have agreed that we have to march together to defend our democratic rights. Thousands of people have turned out for two rival protest marches in central London. Ukip organised a Brexit Betrayal march against Theresa Mays Withdrawal Deal, which included leader Gerard Batten and the partys new adviser Tommy Robinson. The the former English Defence League leader is also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Their march was countered by an anti-fascist demonstration organised by Stand Up To Racism. Tommy Robinson, Ukips new adviser, was on the march (Gareth Fuller/PA) Here at the Brexit betrayal march is a man holding a noose. He gave his name as Laukan Creasey, from Stevenage. I asked why he was carrying it. Thats what the traitor May deserves. Thats what treasonous people get, he said. pic.twitter.com/ModEM8bj4h Sam Blewett (@BlewettSam) December 9, 2018 Robinson was surrounded by supporters and Ukip and Union flags (Gareth Fuller/PA) Ukip leader Gerard Batten (Gareth Fuller/PA) Theresa May was branded a traitor by many on the march (Gareth Fuller/PA) Those on the march are unhappy with the Prime Ministers deal (Gareth Fuller/PA) The protesters are happy for the UK to crash out of the EU without a deal (Gareth Fuller/PA) Anger was palpable among those marching (Gareth Fuller/PA) But there was also a counter-demonstration that was bigger than the Brexit march. The counter demo is now making its way down Haymarket, continuing to chant There are many many more of us than you. pic.twitter.com/NqjF1r5BmE Catherine Wylie (@wyliecatherine) December 9, 2018 The march accused Robinson of racism and creating division (Victoria Jones/PA) There was a large police presence to keep the two protests apart(Victoria Jones/PA) The counter demonstration had larger numbers (Victoria Jones/PA) EU flags were being waved in the alternative march (Victoria Jones/PA) Signs celebrating diversity were also held aloft (Victoria Jones/PA) Others were calling for a referendum now that the Prime Minister has agreed her deal (Victoria Jones/PA) Despite efforts to keep the two groups of protesters apart, clashes did break out. Rival protesters clash in Trafalgar Square (Victoria Jones/PA) Police officers holding truncheons attempted to keep the crowds under control (Victoria Jones/PA) Officers were quick to clamp down on any skirmishes (Victoria Jones/PA) The incoming Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has said it would be an impeachable offence if it was proved that US President Donald Trump had directed illegal hush money payments to women. Representative Jerry Nadler described the details in prosecutors filings on Friday in the case of Mr Trumps former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, as evidence that the president was at the centre of a massive fraud. Prosecutors for the first time link Mr Trump to a federal crime of illegal payments to buy the silence of two women during the 2016 campaign, and lay out previously undisclosed contacts with Russians during the 2016 election. Mr Nadler stressed the need for continuing investigations and a deeper look by Congress into the extent of presidential misconduct. The Justice Department said Mr Trump told Cohen, pictured, to make illegal payments to two women (Julie Jacobson/PA) They would be impeachable offences, Mr Nadler said of the illegal payments. Whether they are important enough to justify an impeachment is a different question, but certainly theyd be impeachable offences because even though they were committed before the president became president, they were committed in the service of fraudulently obtaining the office. Mr Nadler said it was too early to say whether Congress would pursue impeachment proceedings based on the illegal payments alone. Lawmakers would need to weigh the gravity of the offence to justify overturning the result of the 2016 election, he said. He and other lawmakers said they would need to await findings from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian election interference and possible co-ordination with the Trump campaign. Mr Mueller has not said when he will complete a report of any findings and it is not clear that any such report would be made available to Congress. That would be up to the attorney general. Mr Trump said on Friday that he would nominate former attorney general William Barr to the post. Mr Nadler indicated that Democrats, who will control the House in January, will step up their own investigations into possible collaboration between the Trump campaign and Russia. He said Congress, the Justice Department and the special counsel needed to dig deeper into the allegations, which included questions about whether Mr 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. Jerry Nadler is the incoming chairman of the Judiciary panel (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) In legal filings on Friday, the Justice Department stopped short of accusing Mr Trump of directly committing a crime. But it said Mr 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 Mr Trump more than a decade ago and who threatened his White House bid. Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing. In separate filings, Mr Muellers team also laid out evidence of additional contacts between Mr Trumps associates and Russian intermediaries. They 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. Brexiteers were urged to take the deal and get out of the European Union as MPs clashed ahead of Tuesdays crucial Commons vote. Tory deputy chairman James Cleverly made the plea in support of Theresa Mays deal, arguing that it delivered on what people voted for. But he was opposed by arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, Labour shadow cabinet minister Barry Gardiner and Green MP Caroline Lucas as they set out rival visions for the way ahead. Channel 4s Real Brexit Debate was aired after rival plans by the BBC and ITV for a televised showdown involving Mrs May and Jeremy Corbyn fell through. The first audience member to speak called Mrs Mays Brexit deal treasonous, while the last quoted the great philosopher Kylie Minogue as he called for another referendum, with the reasoning better the devil you know. Mr Cleverly said: Our deal delivers on what people voted for. It takes back control of our money, our borders, our laws. It means we can get on with Brexit and give more time to focus on other important issues like the NHS. He added: The only thing we know for sure is that rejecting this deal means damaging uncertainty and, as a Brexiteer, the thing that worries me the most is the risk we do not leave the EU at all. But Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg, who opposes the deal, said: This is all about trust. Across Europe politicians are distrusted there are riots in France and troubles in Italy. Everybody agreed to accept the result of the referendum. Now Theresa May has said one thing and come back with a deal that does another. Shadow international trade secretary Mr Gardiner said Mrs May had brought back a deal that even her closest allies think would damage the UK. Labour would negotiate a permanent customs union, a strong single market deal that protects workers rights and environmental standards, he said. People voted to leave, but they voted for a better future. .@JamesCleverly tells @CarolineLucas that she voted for a referendum and that a second vote is a betrayal of trust. #C4Brexit pic.twitter.com/xJf5U1g6HP Channel 4 (@Channel4) December 9, 2018 Ms Lucas said Labours position was fantasy land and argued: This decision cant be left to the politicians, we simply cant agree. She said viewers would be screaming at the television in despair at the MPs. We are going to have to live with the consequences of this decision for decades to come and it will affect young people most of all, she said. So lets just be sure: lets vote on this together as a country, dont leave it to the Westminster elite to decide for you. People voted for Brexit and it should be delivered. @Jacob_Rees_Mogg questions whether "politicians will do what they promised" in his opening speech. #C4Brexit pic.twitter.com/BrK6vWChe8 Channel 4 (@Channel4) December 9, 2018 Mr Rees-Mogg called it a losers vote and asked: If you get a second vote and lose that, how long will it be before you ask for the third? But Ms Lucas shot back that in 2011 Mr Rees-Mogg had suggested it might make more sense to have the second referendum after the renegotiation is completed comments made in reference to David Camerons renegotiation with Brussels. Pressure is mounting on French President Emmanuel Macron to announce measures to calm violent protests when he addresses the nation on Monday, and breaks a silence seen as aggravating a crisis that has shaken the government and the whole country. The president will consult an array of national and local officials as he tries to control the ballooning and radicalising protest movement triggered by anger at his policies, and a growing sense that they favour the rich. Mr Macron will speak from the presidential Elysee Palace at 8pm (1900 GMT), an Elysee official said. Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said earlier on LCI TV station he was sure (Macron) will know how to find the path to the hearts of the French, speak to their hearts. But, he added, a magic wand would not solve all the problems of the protesters, known as gilets jaunes for the fluorescent safety vests they often wear. Last week Mr Macron withdrew a fuel tax hike, the issue that kicked off protests in mid-November, in an effort to appease the protesters, but the move was seen as too little too late. For many protesters, Mr Macron himself, widely seen as arrogant and disconnected from rank-and-file French, has become the problem. Calls for him to resign were rampant on Saturday, the fourth weekend of large-scale protests. Demonstrators stand behind a burning car in Marseille (Claude Paris/AP) Macron is there for the rich, not for all the French, 68-year-old Jean-Pierre Meunuer said on Saturday. Labour minister Muriel Penicaud dampened any notion that the minimum wage would be raised, telling LCI that there will be no boost for the Smic (minimum wage), because it destroys jobs. Paris tourist sites reopened on Sunday, while workers cleaned up debris from protests that left widespread damage in the capital and elsewhere. At least 71 people were injured in Paris on Saturday. The economy minister, meanwhile, lamented the economic damage. This is a catastrophe for commerce, its a catastrophe for our economy, Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday while visiting merchants around the Saint Lazare train station, among areas hit by vandalism as the pre-Christmas shopping season got under way. A demonstrator plays a drum in Paris (Rafael Yaghobzadeh/AP) After the fourth Saturday of nationwide protests by the grassroots movement with broadening demands, officials said they understood the depth of the crisis. Mr Le Maire said it was a social and democratic crisis as well as a crisis of the nation with territorial fractures. However, the president must also speak to protesters pocketbooks. Among myriad demands was increased buying power. The number of injured in Paris and nationwide was down Saturday from rioting a week ago. Even so, TV footage broadcast around the world of the violence in Paris neighbourhoods popular with tourists has tarnished the countrys image. Police officers clash with demonstrators in Lyon (Laurent Cipriani/AP) A number of tourists at the Eiffel Tower, which reopened Sunday after closing Saturday, said they were avoiding the Champs-Elysees, Paris main avenue that is lined with shops and cafes and normally a magnet for foreign visitors. Nearly 1,000 people, almost 100 of them minors and most without police records, were being held in custody after the Saturday protests in the French capital, Paris chief prosecutor Remy Heitz said. He added that most of those in custody were men under 40 from various regions who went to Paris to protest. France deployed around 89,000 police but still failed to deter the determined protesters. A couple have been detained after a large amount of cocaine was found on a cruise ship returning from the Caribbean. The Policia Judiciaria in Portugal said foreign nationals aged 72 and 70 and believed to be British were detained in Lisbon after receiving information from the UK National Crime Agency. The force said they were arrested on suspicion of trafficking narcotics and have been remanded in custody. It said: In the cabin that was occupied by the suspects, four suitcases (were found) in whose structures was concealed a high amount of product, more specifically cocaine. The couple were arrested on December 4 when the cruise ship docked in Lisbon and their cabin was searched. Police found 20-22lb (9-10kg) of the class A drug hidden in four suitcases. (PA) The pensioners have appeared before a judge and are being held in custody while a joint Portuguese and British investigation continues. They were travelling on board the Marco Polo, operated by Cruise and Maritime Voyages. It had left Tilbury in Essex on November 5 and travelled to the West Indies and Azores with 610 passengers and 294 crew on board. After the pair were arrested, the ship continued on its planned route and returned to the UK on December 8. A company spokesman said: Portuguese police officials attended the Marco Polo in Lisbon on December 4 and detained two passengers who were travelling on board the Cruise and Maritime Voyages vessel. It is understood this was in connection with the suspected possession of narcotics. Cruise and Maritime Voyages is co-operating fully with the Portuguese police officials. He said the firm does not tolerate any criminal activity or anti-social behaviour on board its ships. Mobile banking customers can now choose to block their ability to spend with certain types of retailer, in a move which could put people struggling with addictions more in control of their finances. The new feature launched by Barclays could help those dealing with gambling problems, for example, to cut off their spending in betting shops and on gambling websites. People can also block their own spending in pubs and bars. Barclays said it has developed the tool to turn off certain types of spending with vulnerable customers in mind. A button within the Barclays mobile banking app enables customers to choose which types of retailers they are able to spend with. Attempted payments that fall within the turned off category will be automatically declined. Barclays mobile banking app will allow people to block their spending on certain sectors, such as gambling (Barclays/PA) The new feature is now available to all Barclays debit card customers, and will be rolled out to credit card holders in the near future. Barclays said it will help all its customers take greater control over where their money can be spent, as well as making them less vulnerable to fraud and scams. The banks work has used research from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute set up by consumer champion Martin Lewis. It also worked with the Money Advice Trust (MAT) to identify types of customer who would particularly benefit from being able to decide how and where their money is spent. These include people with mental health issues and addictions as well as those who rely on carers or a guardian to handle their finances. Mr Lewis said he hopes other banks will follow suit. He said: Mental health and debt is a marriage made in hell. Many with mental health issues struggle to control their spending whether through gambling, shopping or premium phone lines and I commonly hear from people with thousands of pounds of debt as a result. This is one reason why I set up the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity and its detailed research shows the power of giving people more options for control tools that can add friction to this type of spending. Barclays has five retailer groups where customers can control their spending groceries and supermarkets; restaurants, takeaways, pubs and bars; petrol and diesel; premium rate websites and phone lines which blocks purchases made from these services, not the numbers themselves as well as gambling websites and betting shops. Barclays customers can control their spending on five retail categories within the mobile banking app (Barclays/PA) Catherine McGrath, managing director at Barclays, said: We work with a range of advisers and partners, as well as consulting with our customers, to identify how our customers needs are changing and what works for them. This new control feature is the latest new service that we have introduced in the Barclays Mobile Banking app that aims to give all of our customers a better way to manage their money in a simple, secure and effective way. Chris Fitch, vulnerability lead at the MAT, said: Technology that meets everyday banking needs, while recognising the challenges many of us face in our lives, is the way forward. Giving everyone more control is the key to achieving this whether this is someone who wants to be less vulnerable to fraud, or a customer who is trying to take charge of their gambling. Marc Etches, chief executive of GambleAware, said: GambleAware welcomes this initiative by Barclays, which we hope will encourage other banks to do the same. There are 340,000 problem gamblers in Britain and a further 1.7 million at risk, and initiatives like this can play an important role in helping to reduce gambling-related harms. Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: Using technology for good must be a priority for all businesses. I support this move from Barclays that can help people protect themselves from the risk of gambling-related harm. This is an area where both industry and Government have important roles to play. I urge others in the banking sector to follow suit. A former altar boy who claims he was repeatedly raped by a priest is suing the Catholic Church. Jim Lawn, 54, said he was raped and beaten by Father John Gowans at St Patricks Church in Dumbarton in the 1970s. He is pursuing a civil action against the Catholic Church in relation to alleged historic abuse by Father Gowans, who died in 1999. The church has apologised to anyone who has suffered abuse and said lessons have been learned from the past. Mr Lawn, who has waived his right to anonymity, said he was eight years old when the abuse began. He said that, after Mass on weekdays, he was the only boy around and Father Gowans would lead him to the sacristy a private room for preparing Mass where he would be abused and beaten. Jim Lawn said he was abused for two to three years as a child (Family handout/PA) Mr Lawn said: Father Gowans told me Id burn in Hell if I refused him or spoke out. If telling the truth is worthy of Hell, then I wonder where he ended up? You never stop feeling like a victim and you never stop suffering but if you talk to someone you at least dont need to do it alone. Recalling the first attack, he said: He (Gowans) took me into a toilet just off the corridor leading from the sacristy to the church. In a very short space of time it went from initial touching to a full attack. I was terrified and completely powerless to stop any of it. They nearly all happened like this and it happened nearly every week for two or three years. When Mr Lawn was 10, his fathers work took him to Saudi Arabia for a year and by the time the family returned Gowans had been moved to a diocese in Aberdeen. Mr Lawn told his parents and GP about the alleged abuse in the early 2000s and filed a historic abuse complaint at Clydebank police station in 2011. Kim Leslie, specialist abuse lawyer and partner at Digby Brown Solicitors, said: We are pursuing a civil action against the Catholic Church in relation to historic abuse perpetrated by Father John Gowans. The passage of time, and indeed the passing of abusers, does not mean those who are responsible are absolved of responsibility for such horrendous actions. A Catholic Church spokesman said: It is difficult to respond adequately to allegations of serious crimes dating back almost 50 years when legal proceedings are active and the alleged abuser is dead (Father John Gowans died in July 1999). The crimes described in these allegations are appalling. The Church, its bishops, priests and people are truly sorry for what has happened to all those who have suffered any kind of abuse. Archbishop Tartaglia has apologised repeatedly on behalf of the Church of today for the failures and crimes of the past. That apology is sincere and heartfelt and is extended to anyone who suffered at the hands of Father Gowans or any other representative of the Church. Lessons have been learned from the past. We cannot make up for the pain of survivors, but we are determined to ensure that young people today and tomorrow will be safe and secure in the care of the Church. 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. 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. WPP is axing 3,500 jobs worldwide under plans to slash costs by 275 million a year as it looks to turn around its fortunes. The move will largely affect administration roles as the advertising giant looks to merge 100 offices and shut a further 80 sites. But WPP which employs 14,000 staff in the UK out of 130,000 globally will also create 1,000 creative jobs. The group did not give a regional breakdown of where the jobs would be cut or which offices would close. It comes as part of a three-year overhaul that will cost WPP 300 million, but save 275 million annually by the end of 2021. Shares rose 5% after the strategy announcement. WPP, which has been rocked by the sudden departure in April of founder and chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell, also plans to shed under-performing parts of the business and make itself leaner. It aims to reinvest around half of its savings into the business over the next two years as it looks to reposition itself as a creative transformation company with a greater emphasis on technology amid a fight back against competition from the likes of Facebook and Google. While the group said the actions will return the company to long-term sustainable growth, it warned that previously-announced account losses would drag on its performance in the first half of next year. WPP was dealt a major blow earlier this year when it lost a significant chunk of its work with car giant Ford. But the company added that, for the current 2018 results, full-year underlying like-for-like revenues are now expected to fall by close to 0.5%, which is better than the 1% predicted in October. WPPs new chief executive, Mark Read, said he was taking a radical evolution approach. He said: 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. He added: 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. WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell left the company in controversial circumstances in April (Anthony Devlin/PA) The plans come after shares in WPP collapsed in October when the firm trimmed full-year guidance, reported lower-than-expected third-quarter sales and confirmed that it wants to offload a stake in Kantar. It has since announced that it will merge its Wunderman and J Walter Thompson agencies, to be called Wunderman Thompson with a focus on creative, data and technology. The group is also merging its VML and Y&R agencies. But Mr Reads latest strategy announcement added that it will slash, sell off or close under-performing parts of the business. The group also said preparations for selling a stake in Kantar are well under way and that it had received numerous unsolicited expressions of interest, with a deal likely in the second quarter of 2019. Mr Read is in the hot seat following the departure of long-standing boss Sir Martin in controversial circumstances earlier this year. Sir Martin left the company he founded more than 30 years ago following allegations of personal misconduct. His departure remains mired in controversy, with WPP carrying out an inquiry into allegations that he misused company funds, but the details of the investigation were never revealed. He has since gone on to start up a rival business, called S4 Capital. CAIRO - Libyan General Khalifa Haftar is in Cairo on Wednesday for meetings with Egyptians responsible for relations between Libya and Egypt and to discuss the latest developments in the Libya dossier, according to an Egyptian airport source, who said the Libyan leader arrived on Tuesday. "He came from Libya aboard a private aircraft for a two-day visit," the source said. With the Egyptians, Haftar will look at "strengthening relations between the two countries in the area of border control to impede infiltration operations" by terrorists, and will conduct "an information exchange about terrorist groups as well as recent developments in Libya in light of efforts by Egypt and the UN envoy to reach a political solution to the Libyan crisis to ensure unity and stability for the Libyan territory," the source said. On Sunday, Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte said he will meet with Haftar "this week" and said the recent conference on Libya in Palermo was part of a "course" to which "Italy is giving its contribution". Egypt is the political sponsor of Haftar, general commander of the Libyan National Army, who has made multiple visits to Cairo. A second arrest has been made over the death of a man in Glasgow. Darren Sinclair, 27, was discovered dead on a path near Kinfauns Drive in Drumchapel on the morning of November 6. Police Scotland said a 34-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death and inquiries are continuing. It follows the arrest of a 20-year-old man over Mr Sinclairs death last month. Robert Dunn appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court in November charged with murder. He made no plea and was remanded in custody. A lawyer representing the department which designed Northern Irelands botched green energy scheme claimed Ofgem failed to warn of a bear trap, an inquiry has heard. Neasa Murnaghan QC said that the Department for the Economys current permanent secretary Noel Lavery accepts that the department could have done more and shouldve done more. However, she rejected a claim by Ofgem that it had adequately warned of flaws in the design of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. The claims came during final submissions to the public inquiry in Belfast which was set up to probe how costs in the RHI scheme spiralled. Chairman Sir Patrick Coghlin speaking at the opening of the RHI Inquiry at the Long Gallery in Stormont, Belfast (Colm Lenaghan/PA) The scheme sparked a scandal in 2016 when it emerged that costs had spiralled due to over-generous subsidies being paid to encourage the use of green energy. The result was an anticipated massive overspend, falling to the Northern Irish taxpayer to pick up. The fiasco led to a political row, the resignation of Northern Irelands then deputy first minister Martin McGuinness and the collapse of the powersharing government in January 2017. The RHI Inquiry, led by retired judge Sir Patrick Coghlin, is hearing final submissions this week before it reaches its conclusions at a later date. Earlier on Wednesday, a lawyer appearing on behalf of Ofgem said it accepted significant failings, but insisted those failings did not cause the key problems in the scheme. Jason Beer QC said: Ofgem lucidly and cogently identified a number of the risks about the design of the scheme to the department when the department was drafting the regulations in November 2011. Jason Beer QC appearing for Ofgem during the public inquiry on Northern Irelands botched green energy scheme (RHI Inquiry/PA) We say these are not failures by Ofgem to communicate concerns about the design of the scheme at its inception, they are failures by those to whom the concerns were communicated to heed them and to act upon them. Ms Murnaghan responded later as she made final submissions for the Department for the Economy, formerly the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. We say that although we accept primary responsibility for the development of the policy, others are not absolved of responsibility where they perceived a bear trap to fail to draw that again to Detis attention, she told the inquiry. She said: Undoubtedly the lions share rest with the department, but added it would be misleading to look at the department in a vacuum. What we expected from Ofgem was some vital feedback as our delivery partners in real-world perspective, experienced as they were from their role in the GB RHI scheme, she said. With all of that in mind, we say that the recommendations were certainly not as clear as Mr Beers portrayal this morning would have them. The department was led by Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster (2008-15) when the RHI scheme was designed, and later her colleague Jonathan Bell (2015-16) over the period that costs spiralled. The inquiry previously heard claims that DUP special advisers pushed to delay the introduction of cost control measures to the scheme. This has been denied by a number of special advisers. It also heard claims that DUP ministers did not follow the protocol in the appointment of its special advisers, and that senior civil servants had been aware of this. Sir Patrick asked Ms Murnaghan whether there was a problem in intimidation of civil servants. She said she had no instruction on that, but when pressed she accepted that some compromises were unfortunately made. Earlier in the hearing, Sir Patrick described hearing how Ofgem lawyer John Jackson advised a colleague against handing police some of the information it held about an application to the scheme by then DUP special adviser Stephen Brimstone as a rather extraordinary development. Ofgem audited Mr Brimstones RHI boiler and concluded he joined the scheme legitimately. The Police Service of Northern Ireland investigated an allegation of fraud it received over Mr Brimstones application. No crime was detected. Mr Jackson said in a written submission: Nothing in the documents wouldve assisted the police in a criminal prosecution of Stephen Brimstone. Mr Beer told the inquiry it may not be appropriate for the inquiry to draw broad conclusions about Ofgems attitudes and cultures on the basis of a relatively junior lawyers emailed advice in one case. Closing submissions to the RHI Inquiry will continue to be heard across Thursday and Friday. Water is largely limited and has no alternative. Global demographics are changing and population is spiking like never before. These factors call for a cohesive international effort to forestall the water shortages of the future. And by so, we will be able to forestall the conflicts as well Each one of us have already experienced the impact of water shortages at some point of our lives and definitely expressed our gratitude when the scarcity passed. However, these instances of water shortages might come back sooner than expected and might, perhaps, stay permanently. Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region. It affects every continent and around 2.8 billion people across the world at least one month out of every year. More than 1.2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water. Water scarcity can manifest itself as water stress, shortage or deficits and water crisis. While the concept of water stress is relatively new, it may refer to the difficulty in obtaining fresh water sources and the deterioration and depletion of the available water sources. Water shortages may be caused due to climate change factors such as altered weather patterns, including droughts or floods, increased pollution, rise in human demand and overuse of water. Water crisis is a situation where the available potable, unpolluted water within a region is less than that demanded by the region. Many countries across the world are already grappling with different manifestations of water problems. Given the sensitivity of the issue of water scarcity, the World Economic Forum has already listed this problem as one of the largest global risk in terms of potential impact over the next decade. Currently, a mere 0.014 per cent of all water on Earth is fresh and easily accessible. Of the remaining water, 97 per cent is saline and a little less than three per cent is hard to access. Though there is sufficient amount of freshwater on the global scale, due to unequal distribution and worsening climate change, some geographic locations have ample availability whereas the rest are exceptionally dry. This accompanied by a sharp rise in global freshwater demand in recent decades, driven by industry, is causing humanity to experience water crisis like never before. If this continues, the demand for water is expected to outstrip supply by 40 per cent by 2030. This is bound to give rise to conflicts. The ongoing tussle between India and Pakistan over Indus waters is an apt example of the conflict that we are increasingly bound to notice in other parts of the world as well. For decades, the Indus Waters Treaty kept the two countries from entering into a full-fledged conflict but that seems to be a thing of the past as exploding population, worsened by climate change, is forcing the neighbours to fight for every bit of the natural resource. So much so that even cross-border terrorism is now a subject of discussion around which the sharing of waters is concerned. This was bound to happen. Where there is sufficient resource, there is never a conflict but when the same becomes scarce, it brings conflicts of scale. Tired of one-way courtesies from its side in the face of relentless cross-border and state-sponsored terrorism by Pakistan, India is now changing gears and water has become a diplomatic leverage weapon. India recently fast-tracked hydropower projects worth $15 billion in Kashmir. Projects in the form of nine dams will be completed following the due procedures and requisite clearances. These dams will help Pakistan understand that the act of abetting terrorism has led to a cost where an already scarce resource is all set to become even scantier. Apart from this, many other countries across the world are already locked in conflict over water resources. The Nile basin water, for instance, has been a source of dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia as is the Turkey, Syria and Iraq conflict over the waters of Tigris-Euphrates. These conflicts seem to be only rising. Even within the country, India has seen ample disputes between various States, such as the Cauvery river dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As climate gets worse, aided by global warming, these face-offs will only get worse. The solution is to change the focus from right-based claims on waters to need-based claims. Countries need to appreciate that some regions have more need for water than the other, purely due to the punishing impact of climate change, population explosion or a recent drought. In these circumstances, stakeholders must put aside matters of rights over waters and adopt a humanitarian approach and let the other side survive through the tough period by getting access to more water. In order to allow humanitarian spirit guide the water matters, Governments must be strong enough to allow mature dialogue between stakeholders. This will surely dissuade conflicts and discourage warmongers who tend to accelerate resource clashes into bigger conflicts for certain gains. This, unfortunately, results in armed engagements which results in loss of lives. Water is largely limited and has no alternative. Global demographics are changing and population is spiking like never before. These factors call for a cohesive and united international effort to forestall the water shortages of future. And by so, we will be able to forestall the conflicts as well. (The writer is an environmental journalist) Pichai appeared far more confident than Zuckerberg, but tech companies need to be regulated on privacy matters Google Chief Executive, the Indian-born Sundar Pichai, appeared confident and answered quite succinctly all questions posed by United States Congressmen at a hearing. His hearing was not the media circus that the hearing of Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg was, because Pichai did not appear shifty or deflect questions the way Zuckerberg did. But that does not take away the persistent concerns that users and Governments have about the power of the American technology giants such as Amazon, Facebook and Google. And these companies have been lax in responding to these allegations, with hopes that they will pass through. So much so that Facebook sent a middling executive with little knowledge of the issues at hand to a multinational parliamentary hearing recently in London. Far too many people have been bothered by the flippant way Americas technology giants have treated privacy concerns, but the fact is that almost every technology company or service provider has been treating data irresponsibly. As some have commented that Data is the new Oil, the problem is that we are burning that oil irresponsibly and spilling it all over the place. The practice of deep packet inspection by some Indian telecom companies of their Internet traffic is disturbing as is the fact that Facebook and Google mine information from your phone calls and messages to suggest friends and new services to you. Even more worrying is the use of a phone microphone at all times to ostensibly listen for the name of their artificial intelligence driven assistant, something that is even being copied by car companies today in their latest models. Can this information be weaponised? Several Chinese handset manufacturers have become popular in India. Can they burrow through conversations and emails to compromise Indian democracy? Have the actions and inactions of Facebook already compromised elections? These are questions that we hope our smarter legislators can ask, but across the world, thanks in no small part to the power of these technology companies, populists with limited education and knowledge are being elected, which serves the interests of the technology companies to keep doing what they are doing with little or no regulation. Indeed, it has been very disappointing that the Indian legislature has not done much to further the Supreme Courts landmark Right to Privacy judgement and gone after the technology majors for the way they use data from India and data of Indians. Not just the American tech giants, but Chinese handset operators, Indian telecom operators as well as companies that have started under the Digital India initiative, have to be questioned by our legislators in public hearings. Otherwise, we are just selling souls online. How the Congress' win in the three Hindi heartland States informs the dance of democracy and steps gingerly around the mahagathbandhan The very creditable electoral success of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan has justifiably given the Grand Old Party a spring in its collective step. But the thing is that this achievement, and it is a major one to come back virtually from the dead against multiple-term incumbents from a dominant ruling dispensation, has also caused some consternation among the bevvy of regional political heavyweights arrayed against the BJP in their respective States who are crucial players in a putative Opposition grand alliance or mahagathbandhan. To use an analogy from the dance floor, it takes two to tango but when one partner breaks into a foxtrot the other tends to get breathless keeping pace. Messrs K Chandrashekar Rao, Naveen Patnaik, Mamata Banerjee, MK Stalin, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Deve Gowda, Arvind Kejriwal and, arguably, the BJPs perennially suspect ally Nitish Kumar would clearly prefer a non-BJP, non-Congress Federal Front which could control a substantial chunk of over 250 MPs that will be elected to the Lok Sabha from their respective States of operation as opposed to a UPA kind of arrangement with the Congress as primus inter pares. Even N Chandrababu Naidu, often compared to the late CPI-M general secretary HKS Surjeet who played the role of a good-faith mediator in setting up non-Congress non-BJP coalitions at the Centre in the 1990s for his current efforts at building Opposition unity, could easily be co-opted into this arrangement if and when push comes to shove. Rahul Gandhis perfectly valid comment during his Press conference on the evening of December 11 as the results of the Assembly polls came in, speaking of the resurgence of the party he heads, has therefore been seized upon by those in the Opposition ranks with a deep vein of anti-Congressism running through them as evidence of the latent hegemonic ambitions of the Congress finding play. And that is the crux of the matter. Not because the AICC does not have an unalienable right to build its organisational strength, reposition aspects of its philosophy to stay in tune with an overarching sense of an Indic heritage and make a concerted effort to recover lost electoral ground over vast swathes of India, but because the political landscape today means these attempts will run into opposition not merely from the BJP, which is the other pan-India political party in the fray, but regional forces that militate in theory and practice against the unitary impulse of the Indian state. The immediate task for the Congress is to assuage the apprehensions of the regional parties to prevent anti-BJP forces from splintering in the run-up to 2019 while, in the medium term, re-building the party on the lines of the Pachmarhi resolution which senior party leaders understandably do not find it politic to mention in public these days. This is obviously not lost on the leaders of the putative Federal Front whose support base and ideological orientation precludes any adjustment with a Narendra Modi-Amit Shah controlled BJP but replace the duo, if you will, with a collective leadership of more moderate faces and all bets are off. After all, apart from the Congress and Communists, there is not a single regional party not counting the comparatively recently founded AAP and TRS, which has not, at some stage over past three decades, been a BJP ally. So, what can the Congress do and how should it go about doing it? Well, back to the dance floor for answers. The first step: A close cinch in a slow dance is strongly recommended on the principle that one keeps ones friends close and enemies even closer; think BSP. The temptation to break into a waltz will be ever-present but needs to be resisted; remember what happened to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh in the 1990s when the late Narasimha Rao first tried it on with the late Kanshi Ram. The DMK and Kamal Hassan in Tamil Nadu ought also to be firmly in the close dance embrace. Ditto, the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra and Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka. Next, the Congress needs to jump generations and look at a breakdance where one can do ones own thing but in ones partners vicinity who is probably more adept at it; and if the number is well-choregraphed, it can give the illusion of both dancers being in sync. Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Trinamool Congress, and AAP all probably fall in this category. The temptress dance and the phrase used here in a gender-neutral political sense obviously is of the essence for the Congress to perfect for the likes of the Janata Dal (United) and possibly even the YSR Congress of Jaganmohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh if the TDP number goes awry in those parts. Samajwadi Party, too, would perhaps need a bit of the old Vera of the Seven Veils treatment, as it were, in conceding a few seats to it in States other than Uttar Pradesh. But it cant just be one happy-hippy beach party grind for the Grand Old Party if it is serious about reclaiming its position as the second pole of national politics, the BJP having firmly ensconced itself as the other despite the electoral setbacks in the Assembly polls. In States where it is still the main Opposition to a ruling regional party and has some organisational heft albeit with the BJP breathing down its neck, the Congress may have to dump its potential dancing partners for the 2019 Lok Sabha poll even while maintaining surface camaraderie. The CPI-M in Kerala and Biju Janata Dal in Odisha are two such. There will surely be some in the Congress and among those simpatico who will think of the above as a very cynical assessment of the political lay of the land as India heads into a General Election. They would be right. But they would be naive to think that the regional parties that constitute the opposition to the BJP in many States will be working in anyones interest but their own, as its their right. If India is, at long last, to head towards a two-party/alliance system, there is no better time for it to come to fruition than in 2019. Because with the regional parties on either side today strong enough to command respect and demand autonomy from the national party they align with, the prospects of such a bipolar polity lasting and taking root are much brighter than ever before. (The writer is a senior journalist, an independent media consultant and commentator on contemporary affairs) Buoyed by heartland victory the Bengal Pradesh Congress otherwise a divided house on Wednesday projected a united face and floated a comeback dream before an impressive rally in Kolkata. The Pradesh Congress leaders led by PCC president Somen Mitra, his predecessor Adhir Chowdhury, State Opposition Leader Abdul Mannan all leaders pulling at different directions told a rally that the victories in the Hindi heartland has once again proved that Congress is the name of a way of life and cannot be obliterated from peoples heart. Those who feel that the party is dead and gone must take a lesson from the Assembly election results in the three heartland States. We will definitely come back in Bengal one day, Gaurav Gogoi the Congress observer for the State said adding the party would soon hit the streets with its various programmes and visit door to door with its policy proposals. Mitra, a septuagenarian veteran who had joined the Trinamool Congress to become its MP in 2009 before returning to the parent organisation said the election results of Tuesday has shown that Congress acchhe din is back, adding low tide should not be mistaken for a dry river. Congress has not dried up and will soon witness tidal waves in Bengal. Calling upon workers and leaders who had left the party to join the Trinamool Congress and more so the BJP, to return to the party fold the PCC chief said, we are waiting for your ghar wapsi. You must return to strengthen your parent party from where you had one day started your political career and restore it to its former glory. The days are not far when the Congress too will come back to power in Bengal. The Congress will however not demand a BJP-less Bengal he added. We dont want a BJP-less Bengal as they had envisioned (a Congress-mukt Bharat). In our political schemes plurality will be the buzz word as it had always been, he added. After taking on the Congress in the just-concluded Assembly polls, the BSP and the Samajwadi Party have offered to support the grand old party in the Government formation in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The gesture is seen as a major development towards stitching a mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh against the BJP. Nearly three decades after the emergence of caste-based identity politics in Uttar Pradesh and the gradual rise of the SP and the BSP that led to the decimation of the Congress in UP, the success of the Congress in the three States of Hindi hinterland threatens to unsettle the poll arithmetic of both regional parties in UP. Before the Assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, both parties had claimed they are not interested in accommodating the Congress in the grand alliance in UP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Besides the SP and the BSP, the Rashtriya Lok Dal, the Nishad Party and the Peace Party are the other constituents of the alliance. The SP had offered only two seats Amethi and Rae Bareli to the Congress. Both regional parties had adopted strident postures against the Congress. The BSP even forged an alliance with former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogis Janata Congress and contested the recent poll. Even as lofty claims were being made about the emergence of anti-BJP grand alliance in UP, the two castes-based regional parties were keen on protecting their respective core voters and particularly Muslim vote bank. The two parties which had become used to dictating terms to the Congress in UP for fighting communal forces share a chequered history of the ties with the Congress. But with radical change in the Congress poll fortunes, both SP and BSP have extended unsolicited support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. They are now preparing for working out a seat-sharing formula with the resurgent grand old party. SP chief Akhilesh tweeted about his decision to support the Congress in MP only after Mayawati addressed the media in New Delhi on Wednesday and announced her partys support to the resurgent party. The SP has got one seat in Madhya Pradesh while the BSP bagged two seats in MP and six seats in Rajasthan. In 1996 UP Assembly poll, Congress and BSP fought in alliance where the Congress won over 40 seats. In the following elections, the BSP refused alliance with any party saying its votes were transferred to the electoral partner while it never got the vote of the ally. Meanwhile on Monday Akhilesh Yadav said, 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. The BJP has spread hatred and deceived the public. They will be given a befitting reply by the people in 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Asking the Congress to fulfil the promises made to the people of Madhya Pradesh and other States, Akhilesh said the farmers loan waiver announced by the Congress should be implemented. The alliance in Madhya Pradesh is an old matter and now everyone is looking towards the coming Lok Sabha polls where a united Opposition would give a benefiting reply to the BJP, he said. Aspirants for Raj, Chhattisgarh CM posts rush to high command; overt consensus on Kamal Nath for MP It is now Congress chief Rahul Gandhis call to decide the Chief Ministers for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as differences emerged in the legislatures party meetings of all these States where the Congress staked claim to form Governments. The Chief Ministers would be declared in the Congress Legislatures Party (CLP) meetings in all three States on Thursday morning and thereafter the party leaders would convey the decision to Rahul following which he would take the final call. Congress sources said the high command may chose former Union Minister Kamal Nath to take over as Chief Minister in MP while Rajasthan strongman Ashok Gehlot may be favoured over Sachin Pilot for the CM post in Rajasthan. Sources said after the CLP meet both Gehlot and Pilot are likely to be in Delhi on Thursday to meet the party high command to iron out differences. In MP, Jyotiraditya Scindia is likely to take it easy and propose the name of party heavyweight Naths candidature for the CM post. Nath has already patched up with another Congress strongman and former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, who has a strong base in the State. Congress leader Shobha Oza said in Bhopal, All the MLAs have unanimously decided that a decision on the Chief Minister (of Madhya Pradesh) will be taken by Rahul. Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo are locked in keen tussle for the CMs chair in Chhattisgarh. Congress Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahus name also figured in the evening before the party decided for the legislature party meeting in the presence of AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC incharge for the State PL Punia and other senior leaders. Making the choice of CM in Rajasthan is going to be tough task for Rahul. Following the differences, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Rajasthan passed a single-line resolution authorising the party president to decide the name of the Chief Minister. While the CMs name was yet to be finalised due to disagreements, Congress delegation met Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim to form a Government. A Congress MLA said there could be another meeting of the CLP on Thursday morning to resolve the deadlock. We have full majority and have staked claim to form a Government. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against the BJP and are willing to support us, Pilot said after the CLP meeting in Jaipur. Asked about the choice of the Chief Minister, Pilot said the partys newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. Rajasthan Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh has expressed disagreement over the process of seeking opinion of party legislators to select the Chief Ministerial candidate in Rajasthan when the party president will decide the face for the coveted post. Both Pilot and Gehlot, both front runners for the post, were present in the meeting. Congress observer KC Venugopal held consultation with the party MLAs and feedback will be shared with the party president and then the announcement of the Chief Ministers name would be made. In Haryana, more than 72.24 lakh metric tonnes (MTs) of Paddy has arrived so far in mandis as against the arrival of more than 71.32 lakh MT during the same period of last year. A spokesman of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department on Wednesday said out of the total arrival, Government procuring agencies have procured over 58.34 lakh metric tonnes whereas over 13.89 lakh metric tonnes of paddy is purchased by millers and dealers. He said more than 32.46 lakh MT of paddy have been purchased by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, over 17.76 lakh MT by Hafed, over 7.93 lakh MT by the Haryana Warehousing Corporation and 17,744 MT by the Food Corporation of India. Giving details of arrival in mandis of different districts, the spokesman said that out of the total arrival, the maximum quantity of paddy has arrived in Karnal which is over 15.51 lakh MT followed by Kurukshetra over 11.63 lakh MT. Similarly, over 8.33 lakh MT paddy has arrived in mandis of Kaithal, over 7.91 lakh MT in Fatehabad, over 7.74 lakh MT in Ambala, over 6.33 lakh MT in Yamunanagar, over 5.02 lakh MT in Jind, over 3.02 lakh MT in Sirsa, over 2.15 lakh MT each in Panipat, over 1.52 lakh MT in Hisar, over 1.44 lakh MT in Panchkula, 48,093 MT in Faridabad, 43,420 MT in Sonipat, 34,519 MT in Jhajjar, 12,267 MT in Rohtak, 10,289 MT in Palwal and 9,947 MT in Mewat. There are a total of nine new railway track projects being implemented under South East Central Railway (SECR), the Central Government has informed. SECR conducted as many as 27 Preliminary Engineering cum Traffic Surveys (PETS) during the Five Year Plan Period 2012-17 for new line projects. Reconnaissance / Preliminary Engineering cum Traffic Survey is pre-requisite for consideration of any new investment proposal for new projects to assess the likely investment, traffic potential and return from the same. Based on the outcome of Reconnaissance / Preliminary Engineering cum Traffic Survey, projects are sanctioned / included in Budget Document(Pink Book) on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon throwforward of ongoing project, overall availability of funds and competing demands. Notably, the Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) each with the States of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for critical coal connectivity projects to improve transportation . Agreement for World Bank loan of US $ 1100 million for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) (Phase-2) have also been signed, they stated. Freight train with speed of maximum 100 kms per hour will pass through Chhattisgarh in the East-West Corridor (Kolkata-Mumbai). The train will traverse through the States of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra as the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned implementation of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) with freight train speeds of maximum 100 Kmph. The Central governments approval for construction of 165 km long third railway line between Anuppur and Katni in Madhya Pradesh is expected to facilitate additional coal transportation traffic from parts of Chhattisgarh. The coal transportation traffic from IB valley, Korba area, East Corridor and Gevra Pendra Road Project in Chhattisgarh would be channelized through the aforesaid route to the respective destinations, officials stated. Italian reporter 'hit in head in Strasbourg attack' Source is father of Antonio Megalizzi's girlfriend (ANSAmed) - ROME, DECEMBER 12 - Antonio Megalizzi, the Italian who is among the people injured in Tuesday's terrorist attack in Strasbourg, was hit in the head, the father of the young reporter's girlfriend told ANSA on Wednesday. "They told us that Antonio was hit in the head by a bullet fired by that criminal," Danilo Moresco, the father of Megalizzi's girlfriend Luana, told ANSA as he was driving to the French city. "The two girls who were with him managed to get away," added Moresco, who is also the president of the Trentino restaurant association. "They lost sight of Antonio because he was on the ground". (ANSAmed). MP Nagar Police have booked accountant of a transport company for misappropriation of funds of Rs 16.5 lakh in the period of January to June 2018; a complaint was lodged on Monday after the company found the discrepancy in the accounts during audit. Police said that the owner of the TVS Showroom in MP Nagar Abhisek Jain lodged a complaint against Kamlesh Tiwari who used to work as accountant with his firmIn his complaint, Jain stated that the Kamlesh used to work as accountant and left the job. The accused was working for the past few years and was assigned for transactions with all bank accounts which the firm holds. In the audit which was conducted recently in which it was found that from January to June 2018 Kamlesh has duped the firm to the tune of Rs 16.5 lakh. The details were sought from bank and it was found that Kamlesh got the amount transferred in her personal account. After it was found the funds were transferred in personal bank account which would be investigated in the further investigation and later a complaint was lodged with the police. Delhis air quality remained in the severe category for the second consecutive day as low wind speed prevented dispersion of pollutants even as authorities predicted further deterioration. Having taken note of the dangerous level of pollutants in the citys air, 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 (GRAP), would be implemented. 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 Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an overall air quality index (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. Ghaziabads air quality was the worst at an AQI of 429, the CPCB data showed. Gurugram 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. 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 Delhis 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. The Congress had never imagined to register a two-third victory in Chhattisgarh in a three-way fight for the 90-member State Assembly but it brought curtain down on 15-year-old BJP regime largely because of State party president Bhupesh Baghel who never gave up fight against the dominant BJP Government. The powerful OBC community leader Baghel who was appointed Pradesh Congress Committee chief roughly five years ago, displayed tremendous fighting ability and restored confidence among thousands of Congress cadres that the BJP Government could be defeated. Baghel was always in centre stage of the BJPs attack for challenging its might and even he was jailed recently in a politically motivated chargesheet filed by the countrys premier investigating agency CBI for his alleged role in circulation of a sleaze CD against a powerful Minister Rajesh Munat, a key loyalist of the outgoing Chief Minister Raman Singh. The race for the Chief Ministerial candidate in Chhattisgarh is wide open and at least four leaders have started intense lobbying but there is a buzz in a political circle in the State that Baghel deserves to be the next Chief Minister. Only on September 9 this year, Amit Shah and his blind followers including Ravi Shankar Prasad, had arrogantly bragged in public that the BJP was so unshakeable that would rule India for at least half a century. They claimed to have transformed India into one of the happiest countries where people had forgotten the spelling of sorrow', hunger and bodily ailments'. Shah said the party would win the 2019 elections because of its superb performance and no one can dethrone it for the next three or so generations. All this boastful talk was heard at the national executive meet of the party three months ago. The saffron masterminds had never been keen to learn from grave blunders even once. They had got wild to lose Manipur and Goa. They were boastful about Bijepur in Odisha but had to bite dust like never before. Their boss began talked like an extortionist wherever he went to campaign for the party before polls. He had the daring to scream in Odisha -- Uproot Naveen's BJD and have it tossed into thin air. Unfortunately in Odisha, they havent had a good enough face to portray to lead them to light. Lately, they have captured a lady bureaucrat who has been fleeced to take the terrible decision of giving up job to play the extreme front-liner in the State. She has been made to believe that the next turn belongs to the BJP as Shah has made all arrangements to ensure 120 plus seats to form a monopoly government with her as CM. But what has just happened in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh may have killed the saffron appetite and sleep irreparably, at least for another quarter of a year. Shah and Modi have now gone into kind of hiding to shun the media's invasive queries as to who has been wrong and why. Only smaller creatures from the party are making statements owning up all damages and complimenting the Congress victors because thats the only way of being able to show face in public. The Odisha BJP does not have any grey-matter guy to talk sense. They still keep saying that the 2019 polls would show miracles, though in timid squeaky voices. Aparajita, the latest catch, may be feeling horribly disturbed for having wrongly believed that all is hunky-dory for the Odisha saffron brigade. She could have done better in native Bihar with critical support from Nitish Kumar. She knows too well that Naveens dignified reticence and show of warmth to even the bitterest foes have endeared him to the masses. But she has been so enormously inspired by Modis explicit energy!. She thinks Naveen has less charisma than Modi. Further, she has never been able to figure out that Naveens complete control over the populist political class has proven incredibly effective as the people perceive every ordinary politician as a crook. The good-hearted political class is an extinct tribe as the people believe, and rightly so. The wildest dream of capturing 120+ seats in Odisha has been conclusively shattered never to float back in any sleep ever again. The BJP is gone only due to arrogance and indecently boastful rhetoric. The Chaiwala Prime Minister', who is slugging like mad, is perhaps the saddest person today. No matter what, he has given his last drop of sweat to keep the BJP afloat. But the headless motor-mouths in the fold have spoiled all his game-plans. Besides, the people of India have long since realised that its not the Vajpayee-Advani' kind of BJP anymore with stalwarts like Arun Shourie, Jaswant Sinha, Yaswant Singh and Shatrughan Sinha supporting on all fronts to buy peoples hearts. All the quality brains have abandoned the national party for the tradesman boss' and talkative chief executive wrongly tutored by hardcore market masters. Only divine miracles can restore public respect for the saffron fold engaged constantly in irritating the public by non-secular acts not forgivable ever. As the BJP is biting dust in all its bastions, the Congress is celebrating, as is very normal. However, the Congress in Odisha has simply no reason to get euphoric. The party has degenerated since long. Present PCC chief Niranjan Patnaik, as his own insiders say, has no broadness of heart to keep the house in order. Some cash-crazy followers have chosen him to lead them, though absolutely in vain. The BJP at least looks visible and gets heard for the central leaders' scrambling and machinations. But the Congress has disintegrated into tiny camps and leagues. When they celebrated the three wins elsewhere, people of Odisha had the best laugh. Srikant Jena has been throwing biting jibes at Niranjan for having been discarded unceremoniously from an important PCC post. Both are despised by the people of Odisha. Jena had betrayed mentor Biju Patnaik so viciously as never to be forgiven by any sane Odia. So, the battle between a self-serving political trader and a branded betrayer is feast to the eyes of the people. Once earlier, every time the central Congress party observer would come to make assessment of Niranjan as leader would go back giving a clean chit to the trader who would continue despite intense opposition by party members. When the Congress boat has developed more leaking holes than ever before, Niranjan has taken over only to remain in news as he knows pretty well that there is no chance of returning to power. Most interestingly, the irresponsible media keeps reporting about Damodar Rout having floated a new political party, which is grossly wrong and misplaced. The truth is that he has joined hands with a defunct political body called the Samata Kranti Dal founder by yet another long-forgotten character called Braja Kishore Tripathy who had abandoned the BJD for having fallen out with the then all-powerful Pyarimohan Mohapatra. Braja had joined the BJP temporarily imagining he had enormous mass appeal and could pocket all votes without even going around the electorate. He lost so shameful that he chose to remain in virtual hiding ever since 2009. He has just regained consciousness because old guide-cum-chum Dama has been discarded. The two have decided to make the Samata Kranti outfit a force to reckon with as Dama still believes he is a political icon and Braja does believe people are dying to have him back. Thus, Dama has only joined a junkyard party rusting at all joints and terminals only because the founder has been lost in oblivion since ages. Dama has though made one big request: Prefix the name with Biju' because the legendary name spells magic even today. Dama Rout has chronic problems with brainy public officials, mostly bureaucrats. He had tough time with Pyari around. He called Pyari a sophisticated clerk or something expected to take orders, not pass any. But Pyari, the steel-minded creature that he was, made Dama run for life. Dama had even fallen on all fours before Pyari to enter the BJD and survive politically. Pyari is no more; but Dama instead of capitalising on the opportunity, fooled around with yet other capable, skilled and powerful bureaucrats to run into trouble permanently. He went berserk, spewed such venom as to be forced to eat up himself and fall flat eventually. It looks Dama is going to be out of sight forever for two big reasons -- abandoning a happy home and entering into garbage yard. Even if they rename fold as Biju Samata Kranti or whatever, the name appears too clumsy and unacceptable with the BJD flowing in the blood streams of many. No one worries about the founder Braja, whose picture has been erased since long. The media must, therefore, carry the right story saying that Dama has not floated any new party. (The writer is a core member of Transparency International, Odisha) The Canadian province British Columbias Deputy Speaker Raj Chauhan met Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh here on Wednesday here. During the meeting both leaders discussed various issues of mutual interest. Lauding the hard working Punjabi NRIs, Rana KP Singh said It is very proud moments for us that Punjabis have occupied such a high positions in foreign countries especially in Canada. He said Punjabi diaspora can play a major role to further strengthen the relationship between both countries. Raj Chauhan extended an invitation to the Speaker for Canada visit in March next year. He also stressed upon the need to start exchange programmes between the legislatures to share their experiences with each other. Pargat Singh MLA and Pawan Diwan were also present. A day after the BJP lost the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, a poster criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and praising Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath came up at Bandariyabagh crossing in Hazratganj on Wednesday, prompting the Lucknow police to lodge an FIR against the organisation. The police are now hunting for those who put up the poster. The names of the office-bearers of the outfit is not mentioned in the FIR. As per reports, some commuters spotted the poster bearing photos of Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath on different sides. Below Modis picture, it was written Jumlebazi ka naam Modi and while Yogi was hailed as Hindutva brand ka naam Yogi. The poster was displayed by an outfit with the name of Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena. As news reached senior police officials, an instruction was given to Lucknow police to remove the poster and initiate legal action. Subsequently, Park Road police outpost incharge Firoz reached the spot and took the poster into custody. Giving details, Hazratganj SHO Radharaman Singh said that the poster faced the side of Raj Bhawan Road and so a case was registered at Hazratganj police station under sections 505 IPC (statements tantamount to public mischief), section 88 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 2/3 Public Property Act. The case was registered against Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena headed by Amit Jani. It is reported that the police brass was hauled up for laxity by the state government. For hours, the cops were in a state of fix to find out sections of IPC to be imposed. The police officers also had to tax their brains a lot to decide if the chief of the organisation should be named in the case or not. Nearly three decades after the emergence of caste-based identity politics in Uttar Pradesh and the gradual rise of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party that led to the decimation of the Congress, the success of the grand old party in the three states of Hindi hinterland in the recent Assembly poll threatens to unsettle the poll arithmetic of both regional parties in the state. Before the Assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, both parties had stated that they were not interested in accommodating Congress in the grand alliance in UP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Besides the SP and BSP, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Nishad Party and Peace Party are the other constituents of the alliance. The SP had offered only two seats - Amethi and Rae Bareli to the Congress and both regional parties adopted strident postures against the Congress. The BSP even forged an alliance with former Chhattisgargh CM Ajit Jogis Janata Congress and contested the recent poll. Even as lofty claims were being made about the emergence of anti-BJP grand alliance in UP, the two castes-based regional parties were keen on protecting their respective core voters, particularly Muslim vote bank. The two parties which had become used to dictating terms to the Congress in UP for fighting communal forces share a chequered history of ties with the Congress. But with radical change in the Congress poll fortunes, both the SP and BSP have extended unsolicited support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. They were now bracing for working out a seat-sharing formula with the resurgent grand old party. SP chief Akhilesh tweeted about his decision to support the Congress in MP only after Mayawati addressed the media in New Delhi on Wednesday and announced her partys support to the resurgent party. The SP has got one seat in Madhya Pradesh while the BSP bagged two seats in MP and six seats in Rajasthan. Had Mayawati been a little reasonable, she could have easily stitched an alliance in these Assembly polls itself. Today too, she said that the people voted for the Congress as an alternative with a heavy heart, said a Uttar Pradesh Congress leader. During the last three decades, it was in 1996 UP Assembly poll that the Congress and BSP fought in alliance where the Congress won over 40 seats. In the following elections, the BSP refused alliance with any party saying its votes were transferred to the electoral partner while it never got the vote of the ally. Meanwhile, on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav said: 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 the Congress in MP. The BJP has spread hatred and deceived the public. They will be given a befitting reply by the people in 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Asking the Congress to fulfill the promises made to the people of Madhya Pradesh and other states, Yadav said that the farmers loan waiver announced by the Congress should be implemented. The alliance in Madhya Pradesh is an old matter and now everyone is looking towards the coming Lok Sabha polls where a united Opposition would give a benefiting reply to the BJP, he said. Uttarakhand chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh met the Union commerce secretary Anoop Vadhawan at the Secretariat here on Wednesday and discussed ways to increase the volume of export from the State. Singh said that there are ample opportunities of investment in the realms of Yoga and Ayush in Uttarakhand. He further said that he expected the Centre to act on the proposal of the State Government for setting up of Spiritual Economic Zones and instructed the secretary concerned to send the proposals to the Union Government. Mention worthy, the State export accounts for 0.5 per cent of the national export rate in agriculture, pharma and other products. CS requested the Centre to help in reducing the logistic costs to double the volume of the States export. He also put forth a proposal for help in extending cargo facilities for mushroom produced in the State. The Union commerce secretary said that a meeting between the Air India and the State Government officials would be held soon on the matter. Besides, the chief secretary had a telephonic conversation with the vice-chancellor of Pantnagar University to expedite the work of certification in a bid to boost exports of agricultural produce. Notably, the Centre has authorised the Pantnagar University for certification of agriculture produce for exports. Chief secretary said that the State Government expected necessary cooperation in its proposed projects related to the export-linked infrastructure development under the Trade Infrastructure For Export Scheme (TIES) of the Government of India. Secretary, Commerce asked the State Government to send maximum proposals under the scheme. CS also drew the attention of the secretary towards the delay in GST refund to the exporters to which the latter assured prompt action to resolve the matter. Secretary Commerce said that during his talks, rice exporters of the State had demanded the merchant exporters in the State be allowed concession in Market Fee. I have asked the chief secretary to consider the matter, he said after the meeting was over. It was also informed at the meeting that the export policy of the State would be brought before the Cabinet soon. The meeting was attended by the president APEDA Paban Kumar Bor Thakur, Union joint secretary Commerce Keshav Chandra, executive director FIEO Ajay Sahay, Uttarakhand secretary R K Sudhanshu, D Senthil Pandian, R Meenakshi Sundaram and director Industries Sudhir Nautiyal among others. Aside from the meeting, the Union commerce secretary chaired a discussion oragnised by Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO) and Industry Directorate, Dehradun on the issue of Export policy of Uttarakhand with the exporters, trade organisations and different departments in Dehradun. During the discussion, the exporters apprised the officer of the difficulties related to export and infrastructure such as multimedia logistic parks, CFC facilities-testing laboratory connectivity, customs and GST. The Union commerce secretary said that all the points relevant for the export should be included in the export strategy of the State. He also informed that as the share of Uttarakhand is 10 per cent, 15 per cent and 40 per cent share in the agriculture, industry and services sectors respectively there is tremendous potential for increasing export in these sectors especially in agriculture and MSME industries. He stressed on the farmers being made aware of organic production to meet the demands of such produce from the Western countries. Janshatabdi cancelled on Fridays Due to foggy weather conditions the Ranchi-Patna-Ranchi Janshatabdi Express will remain cancelled on every Friday from December 14 to February 15. The Ranchi Patna Janshatabdi express will remain cancelled on December 14, 21, 28, January 4,11,18,25 and February 1, 8 and 15. The Patna-Ranchi Janshatabdi will remain cancelled on the same dates, stated a press release from the SER. Mahesh Poddar in Rajya Sabha The Government of India is committed to ensuring supply of coal regularly to Captive Power Plants of the country. Although due to continuous increase in coal-based power generation and priority provided to thermal power plants in the order of supply of coal for the past few months, there has been some partial reduction in supply of coal to captive power plants. Answering a question from MP Mahesh Poddar in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Energy, RK Singh provided this information on Wednesday. AIBOC announces strike on Dec 21 All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) has announced a nationwide strike call on December 21 demanding inter-alia, full and unconditional mandate for the XIth Bi-partite wage revision talks based on Charter of Demands submitted by four Officers organisations viz. AIBOC, AIBOA, NOBO and INBOC on the minimum wages concept, Focus on Core Business and NPA Recovery, Abolishing New Pension Scheme, Updation/Revision of Pension and Family Pension et al; while opposing the Amalgamation of Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank and Bank of Baroda, Merger/amalgamation of Regional Rural Banks, Attack and Assault on Bank officers across the country, Reduction of existing medical benefits, Steep hike in insurance premium of retirees etc. RPF examination from Dec 19 The Central Recruitment Committee (CRC)/RPF has announced that it would start the Recruitment 2018 online Examination (Group A to F) from Wednesday, December 19, 2018. About 73 lakhs candidates are expected to appear for this examination across the country. The exam would be conducted on 19 December, 20 December and 23 December, 2018. To ensure timely and smooth execution of the examination schedules, the CRC has mentioned important instructions regarding the RPF online Examination to candidates in the Admit Card. Candidates appearing for the examination are advised to go through the instructions in detail and understand the Dos and Donts. BabyCare interactive Session Himalaya BabyCare organized an educational healthcare program, My Baby & Me, in Ranchi, on Wednesday. The program was organized to educate mothers on the importance of vaccination, health screening of newborns, and postnatal care for new mothers. In an endeavor to address childrens health and developmental concerns, Himalaya has taken the initiative to educate mothers through this interactive session with doctors from the city. Chief Minister Raghubar Das addressing the BJP workers today said that in 2014 JMM had a slogan that the BJP Government will loot everybody's land, but the people of the State saw that the Government or the party did not take land of any poor in the last four years. On the contrary, the CM said, that the JMM fleeced people in name of tribals. By misleading the tribals, by doing politics in their name, just filling their pockets, purchased tribal land in violation of the CNT and SPT Act, the JMM has sold entire Santhal Pargana for corruption and intermediaries, said the CM. Holding a party workers conference at Kundhit, Jamtra, on Wednesday the CM said that the Congress and JMM are the industry of dynastic and family politics. Both the parties have played with the expectations of the people of the State. The Congress has made Jharkhand unstable for the last 14 years. Having made a poor tribal (Madhu Koda) a Chief Minister, it did scam of Rs 4,000 crore. Now they are again trying to rope him. In 1993, JMM sold the fate of Jharkhand to the Congress. At the same time, in the 4 years of our BJP government, there was no allegation of corruption, he said. The CM said that the BJP government is for the service of the people and the nation. The BJP is committed to ending regional and social imbalance. Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, who raised the party by to the national level, gave extension to Atal and Advani but the realization of Atal and Advani's dreams was done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Making it the world's biggest party, now it is our duty to show the real face of the Congress and JMM to the public and save them from deception and body, he added. Das asked the workers to tell this to the people, especially to the tribal society, that non-tribals who purchase tribal land will not be able to do so by marrying tribal women. He said that he will hold a road show in Dubai on December 16 and on January 12, 2019 one lakh youth of the State will get employment on the National Youth Day. On this occasion, BJP District President Sukumani Hembram, Pravin Prabhakar, Subhash Prasad, Batul Jha, Madhav Chandra Mahato, Pradeep Burma, Satyendra Singh, Virendra Mandal, Tarun Gupta, Sanjay Sharma Ramesh Hansda, Sunil Swaroop Kamal Gupta, party functionaries and hundreds Number workers were present. Italy raises anti-terror measures after Strasbourg No link between suspected killer and Italy - sources (ANSAmed) - ROME, DECEMBER 12 - Italy has raised its anti-terrorism measures to the maximum level in view of the Christmas holidays following Tuesday's attack in Strasbourg, sources said on Wednesday. Prefects and police chiefs were instructed to raise security efforts at an extraordinary meeting of the CASA antiterrorism strategic analysis committee at the interior ministry, the sources said. The hypothesis that the suspected Strasbourg killer, Cherif Chekatt, could have links to Italy has been ruled out for the moment at the meeting on the basis of information from the French authorities. Four people close to Chekatt have been detained, including his father and two brothers, French officials said on Wednesday.(ANSAmed). A special POSCO court has awarded death sentence to an accused of murder and rape of a minor girl in Vikasnagar on Wednesday. The heinous crime had been committed in 2016. Apart from awarding the death sentence, the court also imposed a penalty of Rs 70,000 on the accused Mohammad Azhar. It is pertinent to mention here that a minor girl, a student of class IX, had been found hanging from a tree on January 2, 2016 near Rota Khaddh band in Tyuni. During investigation, the police had been told by locals that the minor-a daughter of Nepali parents-was seen with one Mohammad Azhar, a resident of Dakpathar. The suspicion of police had been confirmed when Azhar was found absconding. He had later been arrested by police from Bagran town of Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. On interrogation, he was believed to have confessed his crime. He had told the police that he had raped and murdered her at a desolate place after taking her there on his two-wheeler on pretext of sightseeing. Later, he had hung the body from a tree with her duppata to deceive the police. Punjab Vidhan Sabhas three-day Winter Session, beginning from Thursday, is expected to be a cakewalk for the ruling Congress as the already miniscule-Opposition comprising Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is going through its worst ever political crisis. While AAP has suspended two of its prominent MLAs Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Kanwar Sandhu having support of six other party legislators out of total 20, SAD leadership is facing protest by its taksali (traditional Akali) leaders who have been blaming the party for 2015 sacrilege cases and related firing incidents. During the brief Session, comprising of total four sittings with the first day dedicated for the obituary references, will also pass a slew of significant bills, including the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance-2018 a simplified version of GST. During the previous Assembly Session, AAP was a divided house but Dakha MLA HS Phoolka played the role of a mediator between the two factions and managed to sail through the Session smoothly. But, the division is now amply clear with Khaira and Sandhu suspended for anti-party activities. Moreover, Phoolka has also put in his papers member of Legislative Assembly which is yet to be accepted by the Speaker, and had already made it clear that he would not attend the session. It is to be seen how the AAP MLAs would raise the issues, concerning the people including that of school teachers regularisation, farmers situation, post-matric scholarship dues, among many others, amid infighting. SAD, limited to just 18 seats after ruling the State for a decade, is facing a revolt by its old guard, including party veterans sitting MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala and former Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan who had announced to float a new Akali Dal. The trio, along with their sons, had been expelled from SADs primary membership recently, after they questioned the functioning of Sukhbir Badal, besides blaming them for causing irreparable damage to the party. The party leader had openly lashed out at the Badals and Majithia for exploiting the state for their own petty interests, and even the Sikh institutions like Akal Takht and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for political gains. They has also blamed the party for the sacrilege and related firing incidents. Amid all this, the SAD leadership, led by party patron and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, offered prayers at the Akal Takht Sikhs supreme temporal body to seek atonement for the mistakes it committed inadvertently in the past, without disclosing its details. A resolution thanking the State, Centre and the Pakistan Government for opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, is also expected to come up, and is likely to witness a heated debate over the credit war between SAD-BJP and the Congress. Besides, the Cabinet has given its nod to enhance the parole for state prisoners by approving to amend Section 3 Sub Section 2 of the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1962, and a Bill regarding the same would be tabled in the House. The Bill proposed to increase the regular parole given to the prisoners with good conduct from the existing three weeks to four weeks, and a total parole from 12 weeks to 16 weeks during a calendar year. The Assembly is also likely to pass the PunjabWater Resources (Management and Regulation) Bill that seeks to regulate the misuse of groundwater. Capital of Himachal Pradesh Shimla on Wednesday morning received seasons first snowfall which has brought cheers on the faces of tourists and local hoteliers. Tourists gathered on the Ridge and Mall Road to experience snowfall. Snow frozen on the leaves of the trees and on the rooftops of the buildings especially located on the Ridge, Mall Road and Jakhu gave a pleasant look. Shimla has so far received 3.8 cm snowfall, the Meteorological department said and was continuing and hotels expect that tourists from nearby areas of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will soon visit Shimla in a large number to experience the snowfall. Another tourist destination Kufri located in Shimla district also received 7 cm snowfall, the MeT Centre Shimla director Manmohan Singh said. Besides tourist spot Dalhousie in Chamba district got 1.5 cm snowfall while Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district also received 6 cm and 3 cm snowfall respectively, he added. Meanwhile, the higher reaches of Himachal Pradeshs Sirmaur district continued to receive heavy snowfall on Wednesday even as heavy rain lashed the lower hills in the state, weather officials said. The heaviest snowfall was recorded at Churdhar, the highest altitude region of Sirmaur, which got over three-and-a-half feet of snow by Wednesday afternoon. The mercury dipped below zero degree Celsius in higher areas while winds coupled with snow are blowing across the district. The lower parts of the district, including Paonta valley, Dharti Dhar, Sain Dhar and Mehal range of hills in Shillai area, have received moderate to heavy rainfall. Roads leading to Haripur Dhar, Chopal and Nohra Dhar were closed for the vehicular traffic since early hours Wednesday as six inches of snowfall has been recorded here so far, officials said. Two of the roads, closed due to snowfall, have been opened while efforts are being made to open Haripur Dhar and Nohra Dhar roads at the earliest, officials said. The Yogi Adityanath government will bring a second supplementary budget during the brief four-day Winter Session of UP legislature commencing from December 18. Official sources claimed in Lucknow on Tuesday that the second supplementary budget would be tabled after Question Hour in the Assembly on December 19. As per tentative agenda of the Assembly, on the opening day, obituary references will be taken up. The next day (December 19), the government will table several Bills for replacing ordinances along with the second supplementary budget. The Assembly is likely to consider and pass the supplementary budget on December 20 along with the bills. The last day of the session is likely to be on December 21 and legislative work will be taken up for half a day and the rest of the time will be for private members' bill. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP will hold a joint meeting of party legislature on December 17. As per a BJP source, the meeting of party MLAs and MLCs will be held in Lok Bhawan on the eve of the Winter Session at 5 pm. Seeking to "keep the BJP out of power", BSP chief Mayawati Wednesday said her party will extend support to the Congress to form government in Madhya Pradesh and, if required, in Rajasthan too. With the Congress managing a wafer-thin majority in Madhya Pradesh, she said the BJP is making efforts to return to power in the state. "We fought elections to keep the BJP out of power ... We do not agree with the philosophy of the Congress. But to keep the BJP out of power, we will extend it our support," she said. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also said said that if the need arises, the BSP will support the Congress in Rajasthan to form the government. She said though her party fought well in the assembly polls, it could not get seats as per its expectations. Mayawati said that people voted for the Congress as they found it as an alternative to the BJP. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief said the Congress will use the mandate of the assembly polls to its benefit in the Lok Sabha elections, even as she urged her party cadre to gear up for the 2019 electoral battle. The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats after the vote count ended on Wednesday morning, according to the State Election Commission Office. The party is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. The BJP was close behind with 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one. Independents bagged four seats, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told PTI. Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as unilateral and politically motivated the US decision to place it on its blacklist of nations that infringe on religious freedom, saying the Muslim-majority country is a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths live together. The Trump administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. Pakistan rejects the US State Departments unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released in the context of its annual religious freedom report, the Foreign Office said in a statement. Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise, it said. Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together, including around 4 per cent of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, it said. Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, the statement said. The Government of Pakistan has devised well establishment legal and administrative mechanisms to safeguard the rights of its citizens. Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities, it said. The FO also called for an honest self-introspection to know the causes of exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US. In a statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Tuesday said, On November 28, 2018, I designated Burma (Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom. Allianz SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides property-casualty insurance, life/health insurance, and asset management products and services worldwide. The company's Property-Casualty segment offers various insurance products, including motor liability and own damage, accident, general liability, fire and property, legal expense, credit, and travel to private and corporate customers. Its Life/Health segment provides a range of life and health insurance products on an individual and a group basis, such as annuities, endowment and term insurance, and unit-linked and investment-oriented products, as well as private and supplemental health, and long-term care insurance products. The company's Asset Management segment offers institutional and retail asset management products and services to third-party investors comprising equity and fixed income funds, and multi-assets; and alternative investment products comprising infrastructure debt/equity, real assets, liquid alternatives, and solutions. Its Corporate and Other segment provides banking services for retail clients, as well as digital investment management services. Allianz SE was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Read More Three dead, 14 injured in shooting at Strasbourg Xmas market Shots and panic, one Italian among injured, suspect fled (ANSAmed) - STRASBOURG, DECEMBER 12 - A manhunt is underway on Wednesday to find the suspect police believe carried out a shooting Tuesday at Europe's largest Christmas market, in Strasbourg, France, in which 3 people were killed and 14 were injured, nine of whom are in serious condition. The shooting took place around 8 p.m. Tuesday, and a young Italian radio journalist is among the injured. Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Cherif Chekatt, a North African man born in Strasbourg who previously served time in prison for assault and was subsequently identified as "radicalised" and a threat to national security. The city centre of Strasbourg is currently on lockdown, with people allowed to leave but no one allowed to enter, as the manhunt continues with police patrols and a helicopter. Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries called the shooting a terrorist attack and has instructed residents to stay inside their homes. During a search of the suspect's home just hours before the attack, police found explosive material, said Stephane Morisse of police union FGP. Without providing additional details, Morisse said police had gone to the home to arrest the man, but he wasn't there. In the hours following the shooting, the suspect was located in Neudorf, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city, but a police raid there was unsuccessful and the manhunt continues. Authorities said they are also looking for a second suspect, a possible accomplice who may have aided the shooter.(ANSAmed). Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA engages in the traditional banking businesses of retail banking, asset management, private banking, and wholesale banking. It operates through the following segments: Spain, the United States, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and Rest of Eurasia. The Spain segment includes mainly the banking and insurance business that the group carries out in Spain. The United States segment consists of the financial business activity of BBVA USA in the country and the activity of the branch of BBVA SA in New York. The Mexico segment refers to banking and insurance businesses in this country as well as the activity of its branch in Houston. The Turkey segment reports the activity of Garanti BBVA group that is mainly carried out in this country and, to a lesser extent, in Romania and the Netherlands. The South America segment comprises of operations in n Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Rest of Eurasia segment includes the banking business activity carried out by the group in Europe and Asia, excluding Spain. The company was founded in 1857 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain. Read More 3 hours 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 Minebea Mitsumi, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of high precision ball bearings and components for IT (Information Technology), telecommunications, aerospace, automotive, and home appliance industries. It operates through the following segments: Machined Components, Electronic Devices and Components, Mitsumi Electric Products, and Others. The Machined Components segment provides mechanical parts such as ball bearings, rod-end bearings, hard disk drive pivot assemblies, and aircraft screws. The Electronic Devices and Components segment offers LED backlights, sensor devices, stepping motors, fan motors, hard disk drive spindle motors, precision motors, and other special devices. The Mitsumi Electric Products segment handles the semiconductor, optical, mechanical, high frequency, and power supply devices. The Others segment deals with the in-house produced machines. The company was founded on July 16, 1951 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Read More ISTANBUL - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that "in a few days" Turkey will launch a new military operation in northern Syria against Kurdish YPG "terrorist" militants east of the Euphrates River. Erdogan made the announcement while speaking at a meeting of the Turkish defence industry in Ankara. The area indicated is under the control of the US, which supports the Kurds in the fight against ISIS. "It's time to put into being our decision to kick terrorist groups out from east of the Euphrates," Erdogan said. Turkey has already completed two military operations in northern Syria since 2016. However, given the US presence in the current target, it remains to be seen how Turkey intends to carry out this mission. "Turkey's objective has never been American soldiers in an operation east of the Euphrates, but members of terrorist groups," Erdogan said. In recent hours, the Pentagon announced the completion of observation posts at the Syrian border to impede the exchange of fire between the Turkish military and Kurdish militants, so as to not distract them from the fight against ISIS at the border between Syria and Iraq. According to Erdogan, however, their goal is "not to protect our country from terrorists but to protect terrorists from Turkey" because "there's no longer a Daesh (ISIS) threat in Syria". Moreover, the US and Turkey are currently engaged in establishing a road map for the withdrawal of Kurdish forces from Manbij, a strategic location west of the Euphrates. Mexican Gold Mining Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of resource properties. It holds a 100% interest in the Las Minas project consists of six mineral concessions located in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. The company was formerly known as Mexican Gold Corp. and changed its name to Mexican Gold Mining Corp. in February 2020. Mexican Gold Mining Corp. was founded in 2006 and is based in Vancouver, Canada. 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 Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Dividend Growth Fund is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, Santa Barbara Asset Management, Inc., Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, and NWQ Investment Management Company, LLC. It invests in the public equity markets of the United States. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. It primarily invests in dividend paying stocks of mid and large cap companies. The fund also invests through derivatives such as options. It employs fundamental analysis to create its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 Index and the JTD Blended Index which is comprised of 50% S&P 500 Index, 25% CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index, and 25% Merrill Lynch DRD Index. Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Dividend Growth Fund was formed on February 22, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Govt upbeat about budget talks, Mattarella calls for deal Conte meeting Juncker in Brussels (ANSAmed) - ROME, DECEMBER 12 - Sources at Premier Giuseppe Conte's office said Wednesday that the government has put its proposal for an agreement with the European Commission on its 2019 budget plan "in black and white". Conte is meeting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for crunch talks as Rome seeks to avert the danger of the EC opening an infringement procedure over the budget. The sources said the government was going into the meeting with the conviction that it has "good reasons" to reach an agreement. The optimism is fuelled by the likelihood that Italy's argument will be strengthened by the fact that France looks set to breach the EU's 3% deficit-to-GDP threshold after President Emmanuel Macron announced new measures to alleviate hardship following weeks of violent protests. The European Commission has rejected Rome's budget plan for 2019, which sees Italy running a deficit of 2.4% of GDP next year, saying it breaks EU rules. Conte's 5-Star Movement (M5S)-League executive has said an expansive budget is needed to finance key pledges and boost sluggish growth. Bloomberg reported that Italy will propose a deficit of 2%, rather than 2.4%. "I have just arrived in Brussels, where I will meet Commission President Juncker, with whom I will discuss our budget," Conte said via Facebook. "The day started very well the with cabinet approving many measures to simply the civil service and sector regulations. "Where before there were bottlenecks and obstacles, now we are creating highways for the country's development. "This is our vision of the country, of System Italy. "I'll show the value of this in the Brussels talks too". Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, meanwhile, said Rome would not accept the Commission treating France and Italy differently. "The music will change if there were prejudice against Italy while a blind eye is closed for others," Salvini said. President Sergio Mattarella said he hopes the government reaches an agreement with the European Commission over its budget plans during a working lunch with Conte and other ministers on Wednesday, sources said. The head of State said an EU infringement procedure would create major problems for Italy's economy, the sources said. The discussion also turned to the EU budget and concerns that some reform proposals could damage Italy. (ANSAmed). The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC. JPMorgan BetaBuilders Canada ETF's stock was trading at $20.49 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, BBCA stock has increased by 226.7% and is now trading at $66.95. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. 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 ROME - Italy has raised its anti-terrorism measures to the maximum level in view of the Christmas holidays following Tuesday's attack in Strasbourg, sources said on Wednesday. Prefects and police chiefs were instructed to raise security efforts at an extraordinary meeting of the CASA antiterrorism strategic analysis committee at the interior ministry, the sources said. The hypothesis that the suspected Strasbourg killer, Cherif Chekatt, could have links to Italy has been ruled out for the moment at the meeting on the basis of information from the French authorities. Four people close to Chekatt have been detained, including his father and two brothers, French officials said on Wednesday. Italian reporter 'hit in head in Strasbourg attack' Antonio Megalizzi, the Italian who is among the people injured in Tuesday's terrorist attack in Strasbourg, was hit in the head, the father of the young reporter's girlfriend told ANSA on Wednesday. "They told us that Antonio was hit in the head by a bullet fired by that criminal," Danilo Moresco, the father of Megalizzi's girlfriend Luana, told ANSA as he was driving to the French city. "The two girls who were with him managed to get away," added Moresco, who is also the president of the Trentino restaurant association. "They lost sight of Antonio because he was on the ground". Manhunt underway in Strasbourg after shooting leaves 3 dead, 6 in critical condition A manhunt is underway on Wednesday to find the suspect police believe carried out a shooting Tuesday at Europe's largest Christmas market, in Strasbourg, in which 3 people were killed and 6 others are in critical condition. Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Cherif Chekatt, a North African man born in Strasbourg who previously served time in prison for assault and was subsequently identified as "radicalised" and a threat to national security. The city centre of Strasbourg is currently on lockdown, with people allowed to leave but no one allowed to enter, as the manhunt continues with police patrols and a helicopter. Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries called the shooting a terrorist attack and has instructed residents to stay inside their homes. During a search of the suspect's home just hours before the attack, police found explosive material, said Stephane Morisse of police union FGP. Without providing additional details, Morisse said police had gone to the home to arrest the man, but he wasn't there. In the hours following the shooting, the suspect was located in Neudorf, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city, but a police raid there was unsuccessful and the manhunt continues. Authorities said they are also looking for a second suspect, a possible accomplice who may have aided the shooter. Shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF reverse split on Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, October 14th 2016. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the closing bell on Friday, November 4th 2016. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split. The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Wealth Management segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small businesses and commercial customers, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides Internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 952 branches and approximately 3,540 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,400 branches, 5,200 ATMs, and 22 contact centers internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of NRG Energy: 3279405 Nova Scotia Company, 3283764 Nova Scotia Company, 7549709 Canada Inc., 7644868 Canada Inc., 7711565 Canada Inc., AC Solar Holdings LLC, Ace Energy Inc., Agua Caliente Borrower 1 LLC, Agua Caliente Solar Holdings LLC, Agua Caliente Solar LLC, Allied Home Warranty GP LLC, Allied Warranty LLC, Arthur Kill Gas Turbines LLC, Arthur Kill Power LLC, Astoria Gas Turbine Power LLC, Bayou Cove Peaking Power LLC, Beheer-en Beleggingsmaatschappij Plogema B.V., Berrians I Gas Turbine Power LLC, BidURenergy Inc., Big Cajun I Peaking Power LLC, Bluewater Wind Delaware LLC, Bluewater Wind Maryland LLC, Bluewater Wind New Jersey Energy LLC, Boquillas Wind LLC, Cabrillo Power I LLC, Cabrillo Power II LLC, Camino Energy LLC, Carbon Management Solutions LLC, Carlsbad Energy Center LLC, Carlsbad Energy Holdings LLC, Chester Energy LLC, Chickahominy River Energy Corp., Cirro Energy Services Inc., Cirro Group Inc., Citizens Power Holdings One LLC, Commonwealth Atlantic Power LLC, Connecticut Jet Power LLC, Cottonwood Development LLC, Cottonwood Energy Company LP, Cottonwood Generating Partners I LLC, Cottonwood Generating Partners II LLC, Cottonwood Generating Partners III LLC, Cottonwood Technology Partners LP, Delaware Power Development LLC, Devon Power LLC, Doga Enerji Uretim Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Doga Isi Satis Hizmetleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Doga Isletme ve Bakim Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Dunkirk Gas Corporation, Dunkirk Power LLC, EHI Development Fund LLC, EME Eastern Holdings LLC, EVgo Services LLC, Eastern Sierra Energy Company LLC, Ecokap Power LLC, El Segundo Energy Center II LLC, El Segundo Power II LLC, El Segundo Power LLC, Elkhorn Ridge Wind II LLC, Energy Alternatives Wholesale LLC, Energy Choice Solutions LLC, Energy Curtailment Specialists, Energy Plus Holdings LLC, Energy Plus Natural Gas LLC, Energy Protection Insurance Company, Everything Energy LLC, Forward Home Security LLC, GCP Funding Company LLC, GenOn Energy, Geostellar Inc., Gladstone Power Station Joint Venture, Goal Zero, Goal Zero Europe GmbH, Goal Zero LLC, Granite II Holding LLC, Granite Power Partners II L.P., Green Mountain Energy, Green Mountain Energy Company, Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, Gregory Partners LLC, Gregory Power Partners LLC, Hanover Energy Company, Huntley IGCC LLC, Huntley Power LLC, Independence Energy Alliance LLC, Independence Energy Group LLC, Independence Energy Natural Gas LLC, Indian River Operations Inc., Indian River Power LLC, Intellastar LLC, Ivanpah Master Holdings LLC, Ivanpah Project I Holdings LLC, Ivanpah Project II Holdings LLC, Ivanpah Project III Holdings LLC, James River Power LLC, Kaufman Cogen LP, LSP-Nelson Energy LLC, Long Beach Generation LLC, Long Beach Peakers LLC, Long Beach Power LLC, Louisiana Generating LLC, MEC Esenyurt B.V., MEC San Pascual B.V., Maplekey UK Finance Limited, Maplekey UK Limited, Meriden Gas Turbines LLC, Middletown Power LLC, Midway-Sunset Cogeneration Company, Midwest Finance Company LLC, Midwest Generation EME LLC, Midwest Generation Holdings I LLC, Midwest Generation Holdings II LLC, Midwest Generation LLC, Midwest Generation Procurement Services LLC, Midwest Peaker Holdings LLC, Mission Bingham Lake Wind LLC, Mission Del Cielo LLC, Mission Energy Construction Services LLC, Mission Energy Holdings International LLC, Mission Energy Wales LLC, Mission Funding Zeta LLC, Mission Midway-Sunset Holdings LLC, Mission Midwest Coal LLC, Mission Minnesota Wind LLC, Mission Watson Holdings LLC, Mission Wind Boquillas LLC, Mission Wind New Mexico II LLC, Mission Wind Owaissa LLC, Mission Wind Pinnacle LLC, Mission del Sol LLC, Montville IGCC LLC, Montville Power LLC, NEO Chester-Gen LLC, NEO Corporation, NRG Acquisition Holdings Inc., NRG Advisory Services LLC, NRG Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Alexandria LLC, NRG Arroyo Nogales LLC, NRG Arthur Kill Operations Inc., NRG Asia-Pacific Ltd., NRG Astoria Gas Turbine Operations Inc., NRG Astoria Power LLC, NRG Audrain Generating LLC, NRG Audrain Holding LLC, NRG Bayou Cove LLC, NRG Berrians East Development LLC, NRG Bluewater Holdings LLC, NRG Bluewater Wind Massachusetts LLC, NRG Bourbonnais Equipment LLC, NRG Bourbonnais LLC, NRG Brazoria Energy LLC, NRG Business Services LLC, NRG CTA Holdings LLC, NRG Cabrillo Power Operations Inc., NRG Cadillac Inc., NRG Cadillac Operations Inc., NRG California Peaker Operations LLC, NRG Capital II LLC, NRG Carbon 360 LLC, NRG Cedar Bayou Development Company LLC, NRG Chalk Point CT LLC, NRG CleanTech Investments LLC, NRG Coal Development Company LLC, NRG ComLease LLC, NRG Common Stock Finance I LLC, NRG Common Stock Finance II LLC, NRG Connected Home LLC, NRG Connecticut Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Connecticut Peaking Development LLC, NRG Construction LLC, NRG Cottonwood Tenant LLC, NRG Curtailment Solutions Canada Inc., NRG Curtailment Solutions Inc., NRG DG Development LLC, NRG Development Company Inc., NRG Devon Operations Inc., NRG Dispatch Services LLC, NRG Distributed Energy Resources Holdings LLC, NRG Distributed Generation PR LLC, NRG Dunkirk Operations Inc., NRG ECOKAP Holdings LLC, NRG ESA Joint Development LLC, NRG El Segundo Operations Inc., NRG Energy Center Eagles LLC, NRG Energy Center Oxnard LLC, NRG Energy Fuel LLC, NRG Energy Fuel Services LLC, NRG Energy Gas & Wind Holdings Inc., NRG Energy Holdings II Inc., NRG Energy Holdings Inc., NRG Energy Inc., NRG Energy Labor Services LLC, NRG Energy Petroleum LLC, NRG Energy Services Group LLC, NRG Energy Services International Inc., NRG Energy Services LLC, NRG Equipment Company LLC, NRG Fuel Cell CA1 LLC, NRG Fuel Resources LLC, NRG Fuel Transportation LLC, NRG GTL Holdings LLC, NRG Gas Development Company LLC, NRG Generation Holdings Inc., NRG Gladstone Operating Services Pty Ltd, NRG Granite Acquisition LLC, NRG Greenco LLC, NRG HQ DG LLC, NRG Holding Leasing Vehicle 7 LLC, NRG Home & Business Solutions LLC, NRG Home Services LLC, NRG Home Solutions LLC, NRG Home Solutions Product LLC, NRG Homer City Services LLC, NRG Huntley Operations Inc., NRG Identity Protect LLC, NRG Ilion LP LLC, NRG Ilion Limited Partnership, NRG Independence Solar LLC, NRG International LLC, NRG Kaufman LLC, NRG Latin America Inc., NRG Lease Co LLC, NRG Lease Development LLC, NRG Limestone 3 LLC, NRG Maintenance Services LLC, NRG Mesquite LLC, NRG Mextrans Inc., NRG MidAtlantic Affiliate Services Inc., NRG MidCon Development LLC, NRG Middletown Operations Inc., NRG Middletown Repowering LLC, NRG Midwest Holdings LLC, NRG Midwest II LLC, NRG Montville Operations Inc., NRG NE Development LLC, NRG Nelson Turbines LLC, NRG New Roads Holdings LLC, NRG NewGen LLC, NRG North Central Operations Inc., NRG Northeast Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Norwalk Harbor Operations Inc., NRG Ohio Pipeline Company LLC, NRG Operating Services Inc., NRG Oswego Harbor Power Operations Inc., NRG Oxbow Holdings LLC, NRG PacGen Inc., NRG Peaker Finance Company LLC, NRG Portable Power LLC, NRG Potrero Development LLC, NRG Power Marketing LLC, NRG Procurement Company LLC, NRG Project Company LLC, NRG Reliability Solutions LLC, NRG Renter's Protection LLC, NRG Repowering Holdings LLC, NRG Residential Solar Solutions LLC, NRG Residential Solar Solutions Leasing II LLC, NRG Retail LLC, NRG Retail Northeast LLC, NRG Rockford Acquisition LLC, NRG Rockford Equipment II LLC, NRG Rockford Equipment LLC, NRG Saguaro Operations Inc., NRG Security LLC, NRG Services Corporation, NRG Sherbino LLC, NRG SimplySmart Solutions LLC, NRG Solar Arrowhead LLC, NRG Solar CVSR Holdings 2 LLC, NRG Solar Dandan LLC, NRG Solar Guam LLC, NRG Solar Ivanpah LLC, NRG Solar Ring LLC, NRG Solar SC Stadium LLC, NRG Solar Sunrise LLC, NRG South Central Affiliate Services Inc., NRG South Central Generating LLC, NRG South Central Operations Inc., NRG South Texas LP, NRG Sterlington Power LLC, NRG Storage Fabrication & Delivery LLC, NRG Storage on Demand NY LLC, NRG SunCap Leasing I LLC, NRG Telogia Power LLC, NRG Texas C&I Supply LLC, NRG Texas Gregory LLC, NRG Texas Holding Inc., NRG Texas LLC, NRG Texas Power LLC, NRG Texas Retail LLC, NRG Trading Advisors LLC, NRG Transmission Holdings LLC, NRG ULC Parent Inc., NRG Victoria I Pty Ltd, NRG Warranty Services LLC, NRG West Coast LLC, NRG Western Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Wind Development Company LLC, NRG Wind Force LLC, NRG Wind LLC, NRG dGen Advisory Services LLC, NRGenerating German Holdings GmbH, NRGenerating International B.V., NRGenerating Luxembourg (No. 1) S.a.r.l., NRGenerating Luxembourg (No. 2) S.a.r.l., New Genco GP LLC, New Jersey Power Development LLC, Norwalk Power LLC, O'Brien Cogeneration Inc. II, ONSITE Energy Inc., One Block Off The Grid Inc., Oswego Harbor Power LLC, Pacific Generation Company, Petra Nova CCS I LLC, Petra Nova Holdings LLC, Petra Nova LLC, Petra Nova Parish Holdings LLC, Petra Nova Power I LLC, Pure Energies Group, Pure Energies Group ULC, Pure Energies Installation Inc., Pure Energies Solar Services Inc., Pure Group Inc., RDI Consulting LLC, RERH Holdings LLC, Reliant Charitable Foundation, Reliant Energy, Reliant Energy Northeast LLC, Reliant Energy Power Supply LLC, Reliant Energy Retail Holdings LLC, Reliant Energy Retail Services LLC, Restoration Design LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar Holdings LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar and Electric LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar and Electric of NY LLC, Saguaro Power Company a Limited Partnership, Saguaro Power LLC, San Gabriel Energy LLC, San Joaquin Energy LLC, San Juan Energy LLC, San Pascual Cogeneration Company International B.V., Sherbino I Wind Farm LLC, Solar Partners I LLC, Solar Partners II LLC, Solar Partners VIII LLC, Solar Power Partners, Solar Pure Energies ULC, Somerset Operations Inc., Somerset Power LLC, South Texas Wind LLC, Station A LLC, Sunrise Power Company LLC, Sunshine State Power (No. 2) B.V., Sunshine State Power B.V., TCV Pipeline LLC, Tacoma Energy Recovery Company, Taloga Wind II LLC, Texas Coastal Ventures LLC, Texas Genco GP LLC, Texas Genco Holdings, Texas Genco Holdings Inc., Texas Genco LP LLC, Texas Genco Services LP, US Retailers LLC, Valle Del Sol Energy LLC, Vienna Operations Inc., Vienna Power LLC, WCP (Generation) Holdings LLC, Watson Cogeneration Company, West Coast Power LLC, XOOM Alberta Holdings LLC, XOOM British Columbia Holdings LLC, XOOM Energy BC ULC, XOOM Energy California LLC, XOOM Energy Canada ULC, XOOM Energy Connecticut LLC, XOOM Energy Delaware LLC, XOOM Energy Georgia LLC, XOOM Energy Global Holdings LLC, XOOM Energy Illinois LLC, XOOM Energy Indiana LLC, XOOM Energy Kentucky LLC, XOOM Energy LLC, XOOM Energy Maine LLC, XOOM Energy Maryland LLC, XOOM Energy Massachusetts LLC, XOOM Energy Michigan LLC, XOOM Energy New Hampshire LLC, XOOM Energy New Jersey LLC, XOOM Energy New York LLC, XOOM Energy ONT ULC, XOOM Energy Ohio LLC, XOOM Energy Pennsylvania LLC, XOOM Energy Rhode Island LLC, XOOM Energy Texas LLC, XOOM Energy Virginia LLC, XOOM Energy Washington D.C. LLC, XOOM Ontario Holdings LLC, XOOM Solar LLC, and eV2g LLC. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More China Telecom Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides wireline and mobile telecommunications services primarily in the People's Republic of China. It offers wireline voice services, including local wireline telephone services and long distance wireline services; CDMA mobile voice services, such as local calls, domestic and international long distance calls, intra-provincial roaming, and inter-provincial roaming and international roaming; wireline Internet access services comprising dial-up and broadband services; wireless Internet access services; and wireline, Internet, and mobile value-added services. The company also provides Best Tone information services; and information technology-based integrated solutions, such as system integration and consulting, outsourcing, special advisory, information application, knowledge, and software development services. In addition, it offers managed data services that include digital data network, frame relay, and asynchronous transfer mode services for government agencies, large corporations, and institutions; and leased line services, as well as sells, repairs, and maintains customer-end equipment. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, including network, Internet access and transit, Internet data center, and mobile virtual network services in various countries, including the Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America; and music production and related information, instant messenger, finance leasing, capital and financial management, and e-commerce services, as well as sells telecommunications terminals. As of December 31, 2019, it had approximately 336 million mobile subscribers; 153 million wireline broadband subscribers; and 111 million access lines in service. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is based in Wanchai, Hong Kong. China Telecom Corporation Limited is a subsidiary of China Telecommunications Corporation. 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.. Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV. Read More iShares Core Conservative Allocation ETF's stock was trading at $34.64 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, AOK stock has increased by 14.9% and is now trading at $39.79. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF's stock was trading at $38.50 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EFV shares have increased by 28.0% and is now trading at $49.29. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. iShares MSCI Germany ETF's stock was trading at $23.17 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWG stock has increased by 38.0% and is now trading at $31.97. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Keane Group Inc (NYSE:FRAC) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October, 31st. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $0.19 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $558.91 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $545.56 million. Keane Group had a net margin of 0.53% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 7.21%. Keane Group's revenue for the quarter was up 17.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.04 earnings per share. View Keane Group's earnings history. 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. Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, December 11, 2018. [Photo: AFP/Saul Loeb] "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. "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." 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. (Source: AFP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Colorado woman was killed Friday afternoon in a two-vehicle accident in Chaves County. New Mexico State Police were dispatched around 4 p.m. Friday to U.S. 285 and Orchard Park Road between Dexter and Roswell. Initial investigation revealed a 1994 Toyota 4Runner was travelling west on Orchard Park when it failed to yield to oncoming traffic before attempting to cross U.S. 285. The Toyota was subsequently struck on its passenger side by a 1998 Ford Windstar. The passenger of the Windstar, identified as Maxine Peebles, 81, of Estes Park, Colo., was not properly restrained and suffered fatal injuries in the wreck. She was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The drivers of both vehicles were transported to area hospitals with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. There is not enough analysis data for MDxHealth. 3.9 Community Rank Outperform Votes MDxHealth has received 59 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes MDxHealth has received 41 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment MDxHealth has received 59.00% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about MDxHealth and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe MXDHF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe MXDHF 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 Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos. Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund is a closed-ended balanced mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, NWQ Investment Management Company, LLC, and Symphony Asset Management LLC. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets of the United States. The fund seeks to invest in securities of companies operating across diversified sectors. It primarily invests in dividend paying value stocks of companies that pay dividends which may be eligible for favorable federal income taxation, as well as in secured and unsecured senior loans, corporate bonds, notes and debentures, convertible debt securities, and other similar types of corporate instruments, including high-yield debt securities. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a bottom-up security selection approach, focusing on factors like balance sheet and cash flow statements to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 Index and a blended benchmark comprised of 56% Russell 3000 Value Index, 16% MSCI EAFE ex-Japan Value Index, 8% Merrill Lynch DRD (dividends received deduction) Preferred Index, and 20% CSFB Leveraged Loan Index. Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund was formed on January 27, 2004 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Pembina Pipeline Corporation provides transportation and midstream services for the energy industry. It operates through three segments: Pipelines, Facilities, and Marketing & New Ventures. The Pipelines segment operates conventional, oil sands and heavy oil, and transmission assets with a transportation capacity of 3.1 millions of barrels of oil equivalent per day, ground storage of 11 millions of barrels, and rail terminalling capacity of approximately 145 thousands of barrels of oil equivalent per day serving markets and basins across North America. The Facilities segment offers infrastructure that provides customers with natural gas, condensate, and natural gas liquids (NGLs), including ethane, propane, butane, and condensate; and includes 354 thousands of barrels per day of NGL fractionation capacity, 21 millions of barrels of cavern storage capacity, and associated pipeline and rail terminalling facilities. The Marketing & New Ventures segment buys and sells hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas originating in the Western Canadian sedimentary basin and other basins. Pembina Pipeline Corporation was incorporated in 1954 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at contact@marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Legg Mason, Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the firm provides investment management and related services to company-sponsored mutual funds and other investment vehicles including pension funds, foundations, endowments, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, private banks, family offices, individuals, as well as to global, institutional, and retail clients. It launches and manages equity, fixed income, and multi-asset customized portfolios through its subsidiaries. The firm also launches and manages mutual funds and exchange traded funds for its clients through its subsidiaries. It invests in private and public equity, fixed income, and multi asset markets across the globe through its subsidiaries. Through its subsidiaries, the firm also invests in alternative markets. It also employs a combination of fundamental and quantitative research to make its investments through its subsidiaries. Legg Mason, Inc. was founded in 1899 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland. Read More BEST Inc. operates as a smart supply chain service provider in the People's Republic of China. Its proprietary technology platform enables its ecosystem participants to operate their businesses through various SaaS-based applications. The company applies its technologies to a range of applications, such as network and route optimization, swap bodies, sorting line automation, smart warehouses, and store management. It offers integrated services and solutions across the supply chain, including warehouse management, order fulfillment, express delivery, freight, and other services for multinational and corporate customers, as well as small and medium enterprises. The company also provides express delivery services; and door-to-door integrated cross-border supply chain services to and from China, including international express, less-than-truckload, fulfillment, reverse logistics, and freight forwarding through its network, and transportation and warehouse partners. In addition, it operates real-time bidding platform to source truckload capacity from independent transportation service providers and agents; and offers online merchandise sourcing and store management services for convenience stores, as well as last-mile B2C services, such as parcel pick-up and drop-off, and bill payment services. Further, BEST Inc. provides various value-added services, including customized financial services, including fleet and equipment finance leases; and centralized sourcing of products and services, such as bulk procurement of trucks and accessories. The company was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, the People's Republic of China. Read More Reckitt Benckiser Group plc manufactures, markets, and sells health, hygiene, and home products. The company offers acne treatment creams, facial washes, and cleansing pads; disinfection, hygiene, and first aid products; condoms, sex toys, and lubricants; heartburn and indigestion solutions; and cough and chest congestion, multi-symptom, and sinus remedies for adults and children under the Clearasil, Dettol, Durex, Gaviscon, and Mucinex brands. It also provides analgesics; footcare and footwear products; sore throat medications; and women's beauty products under the Nurofen, Scholl, Strepsils, and Veet brand. In addition, the company offers fragrances and devices; water softeners; home cleaning products; dish washes; toilet bowl cleaners; disinfectants; sprays, baits, and plug-ins for pest control; stain removals; and fabric washing products under the Air Wick, Calgon, Cillit Bang, Finish, Harpic, Lysol, Mortein, Vanish, and Woolite brands, as well as infant and child nutrition products under the Enfamil and Nutramigen brands. It operates in the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia/CIS, Turkey, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and internationally. The company was founded in 1823 and is headquartered in Slough, the United Kingdom. Read More Severn Trent Plc operates as a water and sewerage company in England and Wales. It operates through two segments, Regulated Water and Waste Water, and Business Services. The Regulated Water and Waste Water segment offers water and waste water services to approximately 4.6 million households and businesses in the Midlands and Wales. The Business Services segment provides sludge treatment and related renewable energy generating services; and generates renewable energy from anaerobic digestion, crop, hydropower, wind turbines, and solar technology. It also provides contract services to municipal and industrial clients in the United Kingdom and Ireland; and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense for design, build, and operation of water and waste water treatment facilities and networks, as well as services to developers. In addition, this segment manages and sells land; and offers developer, property search, and others services. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Coventry, the United Kingdom. Read More William Lyon Homes (NYSE:WLH) posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November, 6th. The construction company reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.07. The construction company earned $466.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $487.15 million. William Lyon Homes had a net margin of 3.04% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 6.98%. William Lyon Homes's revenue was down 12.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.68 EPS. View William Lyon Homes' earnings history. Tamarack Valley Energy has been the subject of 6 research reports in the past 90 days, demonstrating strong analyst interest in this stock. According to analysts' consensus price target of $4.28, Tamarack Valley Energy has a forecasted upside of 53.3% from its current price of $2.79. Tamarack Valley Energy has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.89, and is based on 6 buy ratings, 2 hold ratings, and no sell ratings. 4.9 Community Rank Outperform Votes Tamarack Valley Energy has received 96 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Tamarack Valley Energy has received 35 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Tamarack Valley Energy has received 73.28% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Tamarack Valley Energy and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe TNEYF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe TNEYF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 1 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Tenaga Nasional Berhad in the last year. There are currently 1 hold rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" Tenaga Nasional Berhad stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in TNABY, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Tenaga Nasional Berhad or view top-rated stocks. The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various personal and commercial banking products and services in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases through auto dealer network. It also provides credit cards; real estate secured lending; auto finance; consumer lending; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, private banking, investment advisory, and trust services to retail and institutional clients; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to companies, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,085 branches, 3,440 automated teller machines, and 1,223 stores, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Volt Information Sciences, Inc. provides traditional time, materials-based, and project-based staffing services. The company operates through North American Staffing, International Staffing, and North American Managed Service Program (MSP) segments. It provides contingent staffing, direct placement, personnel recruitment, recruitment process outsourcing, staffing management, and other employment services; and managed service programs consisting of managing the procurement, on-boarding of contingent workers, and specialized solutions, such as managing suppliers, sourcing and recruiting support, statement of work management, supplier performance measurement, optimization and analysis, benchmarking of spend demographics and market rate analysis, consolidated customer billing, and supplier payment management solutions. The company also offers call center and payroll services; and customized talent and supplier management solutions, as well as act as a subcontractor or associate vendor to other national providers in their MSPs. It serves multinational, national, and local customers in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, banking and finance, consumer electronics, information technology, insurance, life science, manufacturing, media and entertainment, pharmaceutical, software, telecommunication, transportation, and utilities. The company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Read More Members of the Dal community and beyond gathered on campus Monday night for a public-engagement session with the scholarly panel examining Lord Dalhousies History on Slavery and Race. Dal Professor Afua Cooper, chair of the panel, provided a snapshot of the groups preliminary findings about the historical facts of the relationship between Dal founder George Ramsay (also known as Lord Dalhousie) and issues of race and slavery as well as draft recommendations for discussion and input from the community. It was the first public presentation of the panels research material since it was commissioned in 2016 by Dalhousie President Richard Florizone and Dalhousie Senate Chair Kevin Hewitt. "I know that Dalhousie is really a pioneer in this regard by being the first school in Canada to take up this issue, said Dr. Cooper, seen right, noting that Dal joined the Universities Studying Slavery Consortium that includes 45 U.S. post-secondary institutions including Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Brown universities. Dr. Coopers presentation centred around the five main entanglements discerned by the scholarly panel during its work, including Lord Dals participation in the British invasion of the slave colony of Martinique, his relationship with Black Refugees of the War of 1812, the West Indies Trade that tethered the university and Halifax to enslaved captive Africans, the awarding of compensation money following emancipation to a Dal Board member by the British government, and an early senior leader at Dals support for the confederacy in the U.S. Uncovering history Rich in historical detail, the panels work draws from a vast array of primary sources including Lord Dalhousies correspondence with government administrators back in Britain as well as trade and financial documents that link Nova Scotias early economic development and the establishment of Dalhousie to revenue from the West Indies trade in enslaved people of African descent. The panels findings on Lord Dals relationship with Black Refugees from the War of 1812, for example, show that he shared a widespread (though not universal) racist belief in the idleness and lack of industriousness of formerly enslaved Black peoples. Slave by habit & education, no longer working under the dread of the lash, their idea of freedom is idleness, and they are therefore quite incapable of industry, Lord Dal, then the newly-minted lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia, wrote in a December 1816 letter to his boss Lord Bathurst in London. Quite startling, said Dr. Cooper, describing the letter. Heres the man who now has the job and responsibility of settling these Black refugees and this is what he thinks of them. What do you think is going to happen? This is the statement that informed our inquiry. Mondays event signaled the start of the community consultation phase of the scholarly panels work, with a full written report integrating feedback expected in 2019. President Florizone said in opening remarks that while Lord Dalhousies views on higher education were progressive for his day (a college open to all regardless of class or creed), his comments on race and the African Nova Scotian community were of great concern. Comprehending the past To address this thorny legacy, President Florizone said he and Dr. Hewitt turned to the idea of a scholarly inquiry. Where should we go with our mission and values when we are facing a complex history? Well, we should approach it through the lens of our academic mission, through scholarly inquiry and through community engagement. Thats the way forward, he said. President Florizone, pictured left, encouraged the panel and community to model how we can have a good productive conversation and talk about our history and reconcile to it and define a new and positive path forward for our institution. Dr. Hewitt commended the president for being able to step out of his privilege to consider perspectives other than his own. He said in order to understand how the legacy of slavery is expressed today, we must fully comprehend that past, fully comprehend the systems of power, oppression and the agency of white supremacy that slavery was premised on. Today we have the opportunity to begin . . . the difficult but important conversations that will tell us about the kind of institution we are and what reconciliation looks like and what world we want to live in, said Dr. Hewitt. Dr. Hewitt said Dr. Coopers unquestioned academic skills, unyielding commitment to unearthing silent voices, and reputation as one of the preeminent historians of Black slavery in Canada made her a natural choice for panel chair. A community collaboration Following her presentation of the panels preliminary findings, Dr. Cooper discussed how legacies of slavery, racism and injustice continue to oppress Nova Scotias Black community and the Atlantic world. The panel currently has a number of draft recommendations Dal should consider in aid of reconciliation, including an apology from the university, an acknowledgment of the contributions of Black refugees to the British Empire, funding for Black students and the recruitment of Black faculty, establishing collaborative links with post-secondary institutions in the Caribbean and helping facilitate Black Studies within the public school system in Nova Scotia. Remember these are draft recommendations. We are going to have to take our findings to various communities and hear back from people as to what they want and what they are interested in, said Dr. Cooper. Panelists Francoise Baylis (Dal professor), Camille Cameron (Dal's dean in Faculty of Law), David States (independent historian), Shirley Tillotson (Dal professor emerita), and Norma Williams (Dal's executive director of diversity and inclusiveness) as well as contributor Isaac Saney (Dal professor) were in attendance at the event and joined Dr. Cooper, President Florizone and others in responding to audience questions and feedback. Several community leaders were on hand to hear Dr. Coopers presentation, including Mayann Francis, former lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, and Nova Scotia MLA Tony Ince (pictured right), minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs and the Public Service Commission. This is a keystone moment. Its integral because we are starting to see a shift in society, all through society, that makes me optimistic and hopeful for our future, said Minister Ince. Yes, theres a lot more work to do. Yes, weve got a long way to go. Yes, there are still going to be, and will always be, some of those challenges that we will altogether have to face and deal with, but it has to be done. Those uncomfortable conversations have to be had. When was the last time you looked at your bank account balance? According to a survey, over 60% of Americans check their balance at least once a week. This habit, if practiced the right way, can put you on the path to achieving your financial... Manila (CNN Philippines Life) Pornhub has been doing statistical analysis of their website for six years now and it has never ceased to amaze. In 2017, the porn site revealed that the top three trending searches included Porn for Women, Ricky and Morty and it gets weirder Fidget Spinners. This year, the number of viewers going to their website continues to rise, totalling to 33.5 billion visitors an increase of 5 billion from their 2017 count. In terms of highest daily traffic, the United States still tops the list, but lo and behold, the Philippines reached the top 10 this year, climbing three spots from last year. The Philippines also tops the list of the longest time spent on Pornhub, clocking in at 13 minutes and 50 seconds. This may or may not be because of our slow internet connection, but thats besides the point. It should be mentioned that Pornhub, as well as other sites like Xvideos, have been blocked in the Philippines by some internet service providers under the grounds of anti-child pornography laws. Pornhub also found that among the top 20 countries with the most traffic, the Philippines had the highest volume of female visitors at 38 percent, followed by Brazil and South Africa at 35 percent. The term Pinay is still the most searched word in the Philippines since 2016. Other most searched words or phrases in the country are Japanese wife, Japanese, and Anime hentai uncensored. For the third year in a row, Japanese adult film star Maria Ozawa is still the most searched pornstar in the Philippines. Pornhubs data also show that the Philippines, as compared to other countries, is 124 percent more likely to watch reality videos. Its also fascinating how Pornhub found that whenever theres an event that is of much public interest, there would also be a spike in their searches. For instance, when the information of Donald Trump sleeping with Stormy Daniels resurfaced, searches for Stormy Daniels on Pornhub increased. Whenever she was on the news, the numbers would also blow up. This phenomenon spilled into the gaming world as well. The online video game Fortnite was a big hit this year, and Pornhubs analytics shows that whenever there was a new character released, searches on Pornhub would also increase. Surprisingly (or not?), Kim Kardiashians sex tape is still the websites most watched video of all time with a total of 195 million views. Pornhubs 2018 year in review is not only a good sociological study of a populations human and sexual behavior, it also makes us ruminate on what makes us who we are even if we hide acts, such as porn-watching, from the rest of the world. Mumbai: With the reins rpt reins of RBI (Reserve Bank of India) governorship passing to an ex-bureaucrat, former chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian on Wednesday said central bank autonomy is "sacred", which should not be compromised. Progress on the steps taken by Governor Shaktikanta Das' predecessor Urjit Patel to restore financial system integrity will be a key thing to assess any damage to the institution. "What is going to be key is whether this (restoring financial system agenda) is maintained going forward. That is going to be the yardstick to measure what is happening on the bigger institutional front," he said, speaking at the Fifth India Economic Conclave here. "RBI has a very good reputation for very good reasons (and) maintaining the functional autonomy in decision-making and governance is absolutely sacred, we must not compromise on that," he added. He said under Patel, the RBI has done a "commendable" job on decisions like prompt corrective action (PCA), dealing with NBFCs and also with individual private banks. It can be noted that the weeks before Patel's resignation, differences between the RBI and government on at least two fronts, PCA and NBFCs, were widely reported. The government wants the RBI to liberalise the PCA framework so that more banks are able to lend liberally, while it had pitched for strong liquidity support to the NBFC sector, which was outrightly rejected by RBI. Subramanian hinted there was a bit of "oversight" by the RBI when it comes to NBFCs and the IL&FS crisis. Meanwhile, speaking at the same event, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan also made a strong pitch for independence of financial regulators. "These (regulators) are structures which we must strengthen, they have to stand as independent bodies to ensure our growth is healthy and stable," he said. Subramanian said the second agenda that was being pursued by Patel was improving on the strengths of RBI and added that this needs to continue. He reiterated that there is excess capital with the RBI, but underscored that it has to be used only for recapitalising dud-assets saddled state-run banks and that too only when they reform their functioning. The Harvard economist warned that using the excess capital for bridging the fiscal gap would be akin to "raiding the RBI" and hoped that the soon-to-be-appointed committee to look into excess capital will address these aspects. Patel resigned Monday citing personal reasons, while the government appointed Das as his successor, who took charge Wednesday. On the NBFC crisis, he said there is a need for an asset quality review (AQR) similar to the one done at banks in 2015 for understanding the exact strengths of the non-bank lenders. He said by definition, the risk-reward ratio at such bodies is very high and hence, there is a case for closer monitoring. On the broader growth, he said global economic adversities are a challenge which can hit our growth because of a dip in exports. Much beyond trade wars, US and China are entering debt wars and geopolitical strategic re-allignment which will have consequences for the entire world. The only way to deal with it is through strong policy responses on the domestic front, he said, adding that financial sector and agriculture are the key areas of challenge within India. On the election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got trounced in three important states, along with the events of the last two years suggest that every political manifesto in the next election will have a universal basic income-like scheme for the farmers, Subramanian said. He seemed to suggest that it will be better for the states to take the tab of such populist measures as finding resources will be difficult for the Centre. Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that for India to achieve its target of USD 5 trillion economy there needs to be a decisive leadership. Speaking at the India Economic Conclave here Fadnavis said that a leadership with policy paralysis cannot achieve growth despite any amount of demographic advantage. "Today we have become the sixth largest and fastest growing economy in the world and considering the strategic and cultural reforms we have undertaken in the last four years I believe we will be able to achieve the USD 5 trillion target," he said. Fadnavis further said India has opportunities in the form of demographic dividend, democracy and demand and thus it is time to aspire and take systemic efforts to achieve the target. "A leadership with policy paralysis cannot achieve growth despite any amount of demographic advantage. Today, we have a decisive leadership under prime minister Narendra modi... The biggest advantage of India is the brightest minds, the demography and the decisive leadership that will make us leapfrog," the CM said. Given that we are over a USD 2.5 trillion economy growing at about 7.5 per cent, with business usual we will be a USD 5 trillion economy by 2028-2029, he added. However, to achieve the target by 2025, the agriculture sector needs to grow at 10 per cent, manufacturing needs to grow at nearly 14 per cent and the services sector at 13 per cent, he pointed out. He expressed concern over the protectionist tendencies that are on a rise among nations who previously championed free trade. Besides, the trade war between US and China is also an issue due to our high dependence on oil and the volatility in oil prices, he said, adding that climate change was a huge factor making the agri-sector unsustainable. "Despite all these, if we work sustainably and strategically I think the USD 5 trillion target is achievable," the minister added. Maharashtra contributes to 15-16 percent of the national GDP. "We aspire that by 2025, when India's economy will be USD 5 trillion, Maharashtra would be the first state in the country to have a USD 1 trillion economy," he said. For that, the minister said the state will have to grow by 5.5 per cent in the agri-sector, 12 per cent in industry and 14-15 per cent in services sector. Sara Ali Khan took a trip to the local theatre to get the audience reaction. Mumbai: Sara Ali Khan, who made her Bollywood debut with the recently released Kedarnath, has been garnering immense praise from all quarters. As the actress made her first on-screen appearance, an excited Sara Ali Khan disguised herself as Nusrat to gauge the reactions of the audience in theaters first handed. Sara took a trip to the local theatre to get the audience reaction. Disguising herself as Nusrat, the actress wore a burkha and went to a theatre with the films writer, Kanika Dhillon and her mother, Amrita Singh to watch the movie as a common person. The writer took to her Instagram account to share selfies from their visit to a local multiplex and wrote, ".. and @ the movies with 'Nusrat'. When u go to the theatres to check the audience response for your film!! Thank you for all the love! #writerslife #kedarnath @saraalikhan95 #amritasingh @jehanhanda. (sic)" Bollywood's most promising debut in recent times, Sara Ali Khan has been winning hearts with her first outing in the film industry Kedarnath. In a very short span of time, Sara Ali Khan has gained an incredible fanbase amongst the youngsters after her debut performance in Kedarnath received an exceptional response. Apart from Sara's noteworthy performance, it is her stylish-yet-natural look that has her fans go gaga over. Now, Sara Ali Khan is all set for her second release of the year with Simmba. After Kedarnath, there is tremendous excitement to witness the young actress in an all new avatar, the anticipation has just doubled up after the recently released song Aankh Maarey. District police SP Pandiya Rajan has deployed a special team to nab the gang and police are collecting CCTV camera footage installed in the stretch. (Representational Image) Coimbatore: Police have launched a search for a gang that entered three temples by breaking open the doors and robbing gold and silver jewellery along with cash near Sulur in the suburbs of the city. Police said, a gang entered Venkatesa Perumal temple near Sulur - Sengandurai by forcing open the doors on Tuesday night, and looted one kilogram of silver ornaments, two grams of mangalsutra of the female deity, and four crowns. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning after priest Ramamoorthy noticed that the front doors of the temple were open and the locks broken. Before escaping, the same gang also entered the Angala-Amman and Mahali-Amman temples in the same area and looted six sovereigns of gold ornaments including mangal sutras of the female deities and Rs 50,000 from the hundi. The gang took 6.5 sovereigns of gold ornaments, silver ornaments and Rs 50,000 cash before escaping. The worth of stolen items is estimated to be around Rs 3 lakh, said the police official. District police SP Pandiya Rajan has deployed a special team to nab the gang and police are collecting CCTV camera footage installed in the stretch. Further investigations are on. Hyderabad: Angered with his grandmothers for refusing to give their pension money, a man hacked them with a sickle at his home during the early hours of Wednesday. Parigi police said that the man was not drunk, but became upset when the elderly women refused to give him money. The incident, according to Parigi police, took place during the early hours of Wednesday. The accused, Mala Shiva Kumar, who is in his early 30s, works as a labourer. He is an alcoholic and used to go home drunk every night. Shiva Kumar and his mother were living with his grandmother Mala Anthamma, 73, and her cousin Mala Buchamma, 75, in Shivas house. At about 6 am on Wednesday, Shiva picked up an argument with the two elderly women, asking for their pension money. When they refused, Shiva became angry. While Anthamma was inside the house, he picked up a sickle and attacked her, causing multiple bleeding injuries. After she died, he cleaned the blood and then went outside the house and attacked Buchamma. Locals tried to catch Shiva, but he also hit Ramulu with the sickle. Locals overpowered him and handed him over to Chengomul police. Buchamma was rushed to the Vikarabad government hospital, where she was declared brought dead, said the police. Parigi inspector Y. Mogulaiah said, A case of murder has been registered against Shiva and we produced him before a court for judicial remand. Responding to a query, the inspector said, Sale of alcohol was prohibited till Wednesday morning in connection with the counting of the polls. Shiva got angry when the women refused to give him money. '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,' tweeted PM Modi (Photo: File) New Delhi: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) likely to lose power in their strongholds, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accepted the electoral outcome with humility and thanked the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for letting the BJP governments in these states serve them. "We accept the people's 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," he tweeted. Furthermore, the Prime Minister congratulated arch rival Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao and the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their victories in the Assembly polls. "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," tweeted PM Modi Lauding the efforts put in by BJP workers, he wrote, "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." The BJP has lost power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and appears to have fallen short of the majority mark in Madhya Pradesh, in a major blow to the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, as per the latest figures by the Election Commission of India. Expressing happiness over the polls outcome, the UPA chairperson said it was a 'Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics'. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday described the party's good showing in the assembly poll in three Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". Gandhi's reaction came after the Congress ousted BJP governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Expressing happiness over the polls outcome, the UPA chairperson said it was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics". A resurgent Congress Tuesday made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, while emerging as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh. 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. (Photo: File) Hyderabad: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on 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 said in Hyderabad. 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 politics 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" politics 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 Andhra Pradesh, 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 Amit Shah and what will Prime Minister Narendra Modi say", he asked. Congress Party workers celebrate the party victory in the states Assembly elections, at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI) Jaipur/Bhopal/Raipur: The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energising opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". It was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics," she said. In a sign of burgeoning opposition unity, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) leader Mayawati extended support to the Congress in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, while the Samajawadi Party indicated that the party could join a grand alliance of opposition parties to take on the BJP in the 2019 polls. "The alarm bells have already rung for the BJP," senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav told PTI. "The results could have been better and the SP and Congress could have won more seats had the Congress leadership coordinated (with us) in a better manner," Yadav said. Asked if there was possibility of the SP joining a grand alliance against the BJP, he said, "I think so." In Rajasthan, the contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. "We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the PCC before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. He said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the choice of the chief minister, and the party president will take a decision after that. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. "We fought the elections to keep the BJP out of power ... We do not agree with the philosophy of the Congress. But to keep the BJP out of power, we will extend it our support," Mayawati said in a statement. In Chhattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who won the Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T S Singhdeo. The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, far more than the 46 required to form the government, while the BJP got only 15 seats. "The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P L Punia and other senior leaders will be present there," state party unit's general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. After a see-saw battle during vote count on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tendered his resignation on Wednesday to Governor Anandiben Patel, who then met a Congress delegation at noon after party leaders staked claim on the government. After meeting Patel, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia came out of the Raj Bhavan in Bhopal and flashed victory signs. In Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Assembly election results mark the "beginning of a change" and a "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the SP and the BSP throw their weight behind Congress. Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being "ridiculed". "People have expressed disappointment against the Modi government... the Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change... people rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi," Pawar told reporters here. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people have brought "those flying in the air back to the ground". In Telangana, TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao was elected leader of the legislature party, paving the way for his return as chief minister for the second straight term. The TRS won 88 seats in the 119-member House, and Rao was re-elected from Gajwel in Siddipet district. Kushwaha, who has so far kept his cards close to his chest, is expected to side with the opposition alliance comprising the RJD and the Congress. (Photo: File) Patna: Praising the assembly poll results, leaders across the political spectrum in Bihar on 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 Bharatiya Janata Party 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 national president Lalu Yadav 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. In a tweet, which bore his trademark style, Yadav 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. 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. Kushwaha, who has so far kept his cards close to his chest, is expected to side with the opposition alliance comprising the RJD 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 Shatrughan Sinha also took potshots at his party's leadership, blaming its "arrogance" and "over ambition" for the major drubbing. "Kahin khushi kahin gam... 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 Hind," the actor-turned-politician said in another tweet. Chennai: Away at the wedding of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal in Mumbai on Monday, Rajinikanth made no announcements on his birthday as anticipated by his fans and followers. His comment about the poll results being a setback for BJP might also mean he would not be committing soon to any alliance with BJP when he announces his political party. Nevertheless, close on the heels of the opposition parties consolidating to form a grand alliance against the BJP-led government at the Centre, and the election results in five States that went against the BJP, has made the saffron party more worried and nurse a hope that the veteran actor would lend the party more star power. Rajini has only expressed his view on the poll outcome. But he is unlikely to support the corrupt Congress or the DMK. He is likely to ally with the BJP, a senior leader in the party said. He however added that there was still time for the BJP to forge ties, which invariably materialise at the time of election. There might be more issues that would crop up turning advantageous to the BJP. The opposition claim of dislodging the BJP-led government will not happen, he asserted. The veteran actor who admired Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in an interview to India Today magazine that Mr. Modi is trying his best to do good for the country. He (Modi) seriously wants to do good for the nation, he is trying hard and he is trying his best Rajinikanth said. And as Rajinis fans cut a giant cake celebrating his 69th birthday, Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP state president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan were quick to extend their birthday greetings to the superstar who acknowledged through his tweets. Chennai: I dont know if I will have a job on January 1. For the first time in my life, I'm scared for the new year," says Ramesh, a contract sanitation worker fearing privatisation of waste management in the city. Months ago, three zones out of 15 in the city- Teynampet, Kodambakkam and Adyar - were handed out to a private company for waste management. However, the tender has been held back after workers began complaining of delayed payments and withholding of salaries. Government workers have a sense of permanency. Private companies may wash their hands off at any moment, leaving the Corporation red-faced, says Sukumar, convener, CITU. The private companies will harass employees who will not be able to work, say, experts. If the tender has been made for 100 employees, they will appoint only 50 and overwork them. Even the number of machines will not be enough, says Sukukumar. "Where is the job security for contract workers? We were given no assurances about the continuation of our jobs. The circular from the corporation said that we would be hired only if there is a requirement," he said, adding that there will not be a sense of responsibility. The private company which was hired by the city corporation too didn't do well, sources say. "It is difficult to keep track of the workers and when there is no supervisor, they will surely slack," said a corporation worker. The Chennai Corporation, however, denied all association with any private company. "These are all rumours. There is no tender itself. Neither is there any due date. We aren't talking to any private companies at the moment," said an official from the City Corporation. Meanwhile, Chennai, the city which generates the largest amount of per capita garbage, according to reports, requires more action. "The citizens need to understand the sheer amount of garbage they generate and make conscious efforts to reduce it," says the corporation worker. New Delhi: With the Congress poised to form governments in Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the race for Chief Ministers is on. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to finalise the names of Chief Ministers. The Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has authorised Mr Gandhi to name the Chief Minister. On Wednesday, the Congress with 114 seats, two short of the magic number, managed to seal Madhya Pradesh, with the support of BSP and the Samajwadi Party. With the support of its allies and one Independent candidate, Congress tally stood at 118. In this crucial state the race for chief ministership is between state unit chief Kamal Nath and senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. Sources revealed that Mr Kamal Nath could be the partys choice for the top post. In Rajasthan, the Congress with 99 seats, one short of simple majority, yet again crossed the halfway mark with the support one RLD and 6 BSP MLAs. While Sachin Pilot, the state unit chief, was being viewed as a strong contender for the post of chief minister, senior party leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Ghelot was leading the race. In Chhattisgarh, while state unit chief Bhupesh Baghel has emerged as the front-runner, party MP Tamradhwaj Sahu could be the dark horse. The other party leader in the ring is T.S. Singhdeo. The Congress received a boost in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati pledged her partys support to it. Speaking early on Wednesday, the BSP chief said that it has decided to support the Congress. Results show that people in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were totally against the Bharatiya Janata Party and its anti people policies and as a result chose Congress due to lack of other major alternatives, Ms Mayawati said. In Madhya Pradesh, three-time chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation on Wednesday to governor Anandiben Patel, who then met a Congress delegation led by Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia at noon after party leaders staked claim to form the government. Talking about her partys electoral triumphs, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the partys good showing in these states as a victory over the BJPs negative politics. It was a Congress victory over the BJPs negative politics, she said. For Chhattisgarh, the latest data showed the Congress got 43 per cent votes in this election, up from 40.3 per cent in the 2013 state polls and 38.37 per cent in the 2014 general elections. 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 33 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. Chennai: Former State Transport Minister V. Senthil Balaji and loyalist of AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, is likely to join the DMK in a day or two, even as AMMK's propaganda secretary Thanga Tamiliselvan dismissed it as untrue. Senthil Balaji is among the 18 disqualified MLAs - all supporters of Dhinakaran, who won from the city's RK Nagar Assembly constituency trouncing the ruling AIADMK and DMK. Presently, he is AMMK's organising secretary. He could not be reached to confirm if he was joining the opposition DMK, but sources claimed he is likely to join the party soon. Media reports quoting former State Minister and DMK's farmers wing secretary M. Chinnasamy, said that Balaji would join the DMK either on Thursday or Sunday when the statue of late DMK president M. Karunanidhi will be unveiled. Meanwhile, AMMK propaganda secretary Thanga Thamilselvan dismissed reports about Senthil Balaji shifting loyalties to the DMK as untrue. He said in Madurai on Wednesday "Media alone is speculating about Senthil Balaji's decision to join the DMK. It is wrong. He will not leave us. I am in touch with him on a daily basis. He will not join the DMK." In a surprise development, some of Senthil Balaji's supporters returned to the AIADMK in Karur in the presence of State Transport Minister M. R. Vijayabaskar on Wednesday. Senthil Balaji's electoral debut was as union councillor from Manmangalam panchayat in Karur union in 1996. He was elected as an independent with the support of a local Kongu caste outfit. Later, he joined AIADMK in 2000 and again he was given a ticket for Karur union councillor election. He won the same seat for the second term in 2001. He won from Karur Assembly segment in 2011 and was made the Transport Minister but was dropped from the Cabinet in July, 2015. Though he won from Arvakkuruchi Assembly constituency as AIADMK candidate in 2016 Assembly election, he was disqualified along with 17 others after they rebelled against Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami. Hyderabad: An 11-year-old boy, who left home for school, has gone missing from Wednesday morning. Medipally police registered a missing case based on the complaint of the boys mother and formed a team to trace and rescue the missing boy. According to Medipally sub-inspector G. Raghu Ramudu, the boy has been identified as Banothu Dinesh, 11, son of Kamlal, a resident of Veera Reddynagar Colony in Boduppal. He was a Class VIII student at a nearby private school. On Wednesday morning, at about 8.30 am, Dinesh left home telling his mother Manjula that he is going to the school, but did not return home in the evening. When Manjula enquired with the school management, she got to know that Dinesh had not come to school at all. After searching at all possible places, Manjula lodged a complaint with the police. A team has been formed to trace and rescue the missing boy and CCTV footage from nearby areas is being analysed to find the movements of the boy, said the S-I. On Wednesday evening, Anuhya and other students were playing in the ground and Anuhya suddenly collapsed. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: A 14-year-old girl, who was playing, collapsed and died at Jain Heritage School in Shameerpet on Wednesday evening. Shameerpet inspector B. Naveen Reddy said Erra Anuhya, 14, daughter of Erra Anil Kumar, a businessman was studying in Class VIII. On Wednesday evening, Anuhya and other students were playing in the ground and Anuhya suddenly collapsed. The inspector said that the girl was immediately rushed to Mediciti Hospital at Shameerpet, where the duty doctors declared her as brought dead. Anuhyas parents and kin staged a protest demanding immediate justice. The police intervened and pacified the girls kin assuring them that necessary action will be taken. It is still a mystery how a young girl has collapsed and died suddenly. The girls body was sent for the post-mortem examination at Gandhi Hospital mortuary and awaiting the Forensic doctors opinion on the cause of death. However, a case of suspicious death has been registered based on Anil Kumars complaint, said inspector Naveen. Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday countered the claim of beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya that he had gone to Geneva for a meeting, saying, Who goes for a meeting with 300 bags? The ED counsel also contended that Mallyas deportation order is proof that he had no intention of coming back to India. Mallyas lawyer Amit Desai on Tuesday completed his arguments and the EDs counsel D.N. Singh filed a rejoinder to them. On Wednesday, Mr Singh contended before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court judge M.S. Azmi that Mallya does not have anything to show that he had left India to attend a meeting. Mallyas lawyer has claimed that he left the country in the normal course and not under any suspicious condition to attend the World Motor Sport meeting in Geneva. On March 2, 2016, Mallya left the country for London via Germany, where he attended a conference of Worldsports, as a director. Mr Desai, on behalf of Mallya, had termed the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA) a draconian law, but the EDs lawyer argued that this Act is how it is explained in the law and it cannot be interpreted in any other way. Mallyas lawyer had contended that the prime reason behind declaring the businessman a fugitive economic offender is to confiscate his properties and deprive him of his rights granted in the Constitution. Mr Singh, however, said that the application under FEOA was filed before the court after all means to bring him back failed. He told the court that several summonses and three non-bailable warrants (NBW) were issued against Mallya, but he still refused to come back and join the investigation. Insisting on allowing the application for declaring Mallya an economic fugitive offender, Mr Singh contended that during a lengthy argument his lawyer had never said anything about his return, and argued that Mallya has no intention of returning to India. The beleaguered business had left India on March 2, 2016 and is now based in Britain. A court in London Monday ordered the extradition of Mallya, wanted in India for alleged financial irregularities. Vijay Mallya, facing charges brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate, is wanted in India for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crore. The announcement by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav came less than an hour after Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati made a similar offer to the Congress for government formation in the Hindi heartland state of Madhya Pradesh. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: In a shot in the arm for the Congress, the Samajwadi Party Wednesday announced its support to Rahul Gandhi's party to form government in Madhya Pradesh. The announcement by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav came less than an hour after Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati made a similar offer to the Congress for government formation in the Hindi heartland state of Madhya Pradesh. "The SP supports the Congress to form the government in MP," Yadav tweeted in Hindi. The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats after the vote count ended on Wednesday morning, according to the State Election Commission Office. The party is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. The BJP was close behind with 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one. Independents bagged four seats. 'We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us,' Pilot said. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) Jaipur: Congress will stake claim to form the government in Rajasthan on Wednesday evening after the party president decides on the new chief minister, PCC president Sachin Pilot said. "We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. The chief minister would be declared in the second CLP meeting in the evening and thereafter the party leaders will meet Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim on the government. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. The actor, who has been seen in Sanju, Raazi and Manmarziyaan has indeed come a long way and will now be seen in Uri. While the trailer of the film has certainly been impressive, he reveals more about the character. He says, There is always an adrenaline rush to play a character like the one I play. When I read the script I just wanted to do the role because you know these things are from real life and you get all charged up to bring that alive on screen. We have all seen films on war and the defence forces earlier too, but this film will be a new experience for the audience. It is about surgical strikes, he reveals We have often seen India and Pakistan at the war at the border, but what we havent seen is how these things are planned through intelligence forces, bureaucrats, planning and strategy. When I read the script, I learnt so much and I am very excited to tell it to everyone, he added. Vicky will be seen playing the role of an Indian commando who is involved in the 2016 surgical strike. Based on the surgical strikes of 2016 carried by the Indian Armed Forces, Uri traces the significant event. The film stars Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam and Paresh Rawal, among others. 'I am free now. I have tendered my resignation to the honourable Governor. The responsibility of defeat is totally mine. We did not get a majority, will not stake claim to form Government. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji.' said Chouhan. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) Bhopal: Failing to lead BJP reach the magic figures in Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday resigned from the post of Chief Minister. Chouhan said that since his party lacked a majority in the Assembly polls, he will not stake claim to form a 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 a majority, will not stake claim to form Government. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji. 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. Bhopal: Shivraj Singh Chouhan tenders his resignation to the Governor Anandiben Patel, earlier today #MadhyaPradeshElections2018 pic.twitter.com/3MKTBDqc21 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 BJP garnered 109 votes in the 230-member strong Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh. The Congress settled at 114 and has staked claim to form a government with the support of Samajwadi Party (SP) that got 1 seat and Mayawati's BSP that bagged 2. The Congress is also in talks with four Independents who won in the state. Read: MP election results: Cliffhanger ends with Cong just 2 short of majority 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." Read: Will support Congress in MP, Rajasthan to keep BJP out: Mayawati Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too announced support to the Congress in forming a government in Madhya Pradesh. Also Read: After BSP announcement, SP offers support to Congress to form govt in MP Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath will meet Chouhan around lunch on Wednesday in a courtesy call and later attend a meeting of party MLAs which will also be attended by AK Antony as an observer to take a call on party's Chief Minister in the state. Hyderabad: TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao was unanimously elected leader of the TRS Legislature Party on Wednesday at a meeting of party MLAs at Telangana Bhavan. Though Mr Rao said he alone would take oath, the invitation card for the ceremony said, Chief Minister and ministers. Sources said senior leader Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, panchayat raj minister in the last Cabinet, could be sworn in along with Mr Rao. The oath-taking would be a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Thursday at 1.25 pm. The MLAs unanimously adopted the resolution moved by Alair MLA Gongadi Sunitha proposing the name of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao as president of the TRSLP. This was seconded by Mr Koppula Eswar. After the election, Mr Rao, interacting with mediapersons, revealed that he would likely take oath alone as Chief Minister for a second term at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Thursday at 1.25 pm. He disclosed that four to five days later, his Cabinet would take oath in a grand ceremony. He ruled out the possibility of swearing with five ministers on Thursday. He said that they had to first appoint the protem Speaker and administer the oath to newly elected members. After this, he would finalise his Cabinet by giving proportionate representation to all sections. Stating that he was the only senior MLA who represented his constituency eight times in the Assembly, he indicated that the names of several senior MLAs, including Mr Redya Naik, Mr Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and others from the TRS and Mr Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, senior MLA of the MIM, were under consideration for protem Speaker. They will remain in the post till the election of the Speaker. Sources in the party revealed that after his election as TRSLP leader, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao told MLAs to prepare for the challenge of Panchayat Raj elections and elections to Parliament in 2019. Sources disclosed that the party chief instructed his MLAs to ensure the completion of Mission Bhagiratha by the end of this month and ensure that party offices are constructed in each of the district headquarters in all the districts within six months. Later, 12 MLAs led by Mr Srinivas Reddy, Dr. C. Laxma Reddy and Mr Srinivas Goud met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and informed him about the unanimous election of Mr Rao and requested him to invite the TRS to form government. Mr Rao also sent his formal resignation as caretaker Chief Minister through his personal secretary and it was accepted by the Governor. Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti supremo K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who has been batting for a non-Congress, non-BJP Federal Front, announced on Wednesday that the Federal Front will go into the 2019 general election with the promise of countrywide implementation of the Rythu Bandhu scheme of giving Rs 4,000 per acre, per season, to all farmers. Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, he said, There is a lot scope for forming the Federal Front by involving the farmers and other peoples organisations and also like-minded regional parties, without depending on the Congress or the BJP. He said his idea is to go to the people and explain to them the domination of the BJP and the Congress and enlighten them and bring them under one umbrella. He hinted that the Federal Front will have farmers and minorities as its prime beneficiaries. Stressing the need of support to the farming sector of the country, Mr Rao explained that the Rythu Bandhu scheme would cost the exchequer roughly around `3.5 lakh crore and this was not a burden. He reiterated that he would go to Delhi in the next 10 days to consult like-minded political parties and economic and agriculture experts for new economic and agriculture policies to put into the agenda of the Federal Front. Mr Rao warned Telangana Congress leaders that he would recover the money which he alleged they had swindled during the 10 years of Congress rule. Replying to a query, he said that when he tried to take action against the errant Congress leaders after coming to power, he was accused of conducting a witch hunt. He said if they the state Congress makes any attempt to malign or defame the TRS government with their propaganda, the government would act against them. Mr Rao ruled out the possibility of putting any financial burden on the people as he got set for his second term in office. He also ruled out the question of making his son and minister K.T. Rama Rao as Chief Minister in view of his proposal to take an active role in national politics as he went about forming the Federal Front. The outstanding performer of the so-called semi-finals has been the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which won a clear mandate and close to 75 per cent of seats. Headed by key campaigner for Andhra Pradesh bifurcation K. Chandrasekhar Rao, it made a bold gambit in advancing the maiden Assembly polls. His tactical play on state sentiments and the narrative that the visiting Telugu Desam was an anti-Telangana party as it had opposed bifurcation, helped decimate AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidus TD, including in its bastions Serilingampally and Kukatpally. The TRS, spearheaded by KCR, also overcame the politics of polarisation brought in by the BJP. The TRS chose to ride on the strength of all-round welfare schemes that benefited all sections of the poor, cutting across religious lines and putting paid to charges of building minority votebanks. So comprehensive was the TRS performance that it also scored in a few Hyderabad seats of the AIMIM and the BJP, parties from opposite ends of the political spectrum, both considered not unfavourable to TRS rule. The Congress strategy of forming an alliance with the TD, TJS and CPI and favouring the TDP with 13 constituencies may have affected its prospects as it seemed to do better in its own seats in terms of voteshare. The Congress, somewhat guilty of pandering to votebank politics in a curious manifesto, cant be too unhappy with a revival of sorts. The sweeping verdict seems to have spurred KCRs national ambitions, but fulfilling bigger promises to farmers and tackling youth unemployment may have to be the Telangana CMs immediate priorities. Voters across five states in the northeast, south, northwest and the saffron heart of India have shoved the Bharatiya Janata Party into the slough of despond, but the unkindest cut has been reserved for the Congress, which has lost its only northeastern beachhead in Mizoram after 10 years in power. In all the states, the contests were shaped by voters deciding between bhoomiputras; albeit from the two principal political camps, giving the larger-than-life-sized presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the grand brush-off. The wins by the Congress, indeed the sweeping change in the contiguous states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, were not crafted by the charisma of Rahul Gandhi; these were won by the hard grind of building party bases and setting up the organisation by local leaders like Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath, no matter how high profile they are in the entirely different universe of national politics. In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front and an entirely local set of parties, has swung away from the Congress, grudgingly voted in one representative from the BJP and signalled that wisdom lies in choosing leaders with local tap roots. Miscalculating the power of parochial sentiments, couched in the idiom of Telangana nationalism, has cost the Congress. In selecting the Telugu Desam Party as its running mate, the Congress revealed its complete insensitivity to local feelings, since N. Chandrababu Naidu was vehemently opposed to the creation of Telangana. There is a lesson in this for the Congress, which has changed from being a dark horse to a party on a winning streak, oversetting Narendra Modi-Amit Shahs designs to reign unopposed and establish an era in Indian politics that would bear their imprimatur. The Congress now needs to discover friends from within the entity that describes itself as the Federal Front to strengthen its challenge against the BJP. In other words, the known devil on the doorstep is better than the flaming torch-bearing messiah with visions of grandeur that cause hardships to the poor and relatively poor. Parties that represent the region best are winners and make for viable allies in the only way it matters by winning; against the BJP if that is the challenge or just simply winning the state. Regional parties that sponsored the idea of the Federal Front will need to rework the strategy for 2019. In Karnataka, the Federal Front emerged as the underwriters for the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) partnership. The optics of the grandstand of regional leaders along with the Congress was signalled by the power of the periphery united to promote a desired outcome. After these December election results, the regional parties will need to think hard as much about partnering with the Congress, as among themselves and over cornering the BJP. A resurgent Congress raises the spectre of competition and bargains and balancing. In some states, the Congress has poor organisation, weak leadership and low prospects; in others, it could fish for allies that could upset the current political equations. For the Congress, the numbers are crucial to how it will lead the potential coalition against the BJP. The better it is at bargaining, the greater its chances of adding to the numbers, which in turn creates pressure on the dominant anti-BJP party. The concept of the Federal Front is posited on the idea that it would be anti-BJP and non-Congress. But it would work with the Congress to defeat the BJP. The parties would negotiate with allies and if this meant contesting against the Congress at the state level, then that would be how it worked. Complicated as this may seem, leaders like Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal were emphatic that the potential Federal Front coalition would be an entity in itself. It would negotiate with the Congress on possible government formation after the seats were counted in 2019. The Congress on the comeback trail, with three significant wins in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, is a more complicated foe and friend for regional parties. The BJP defeated on its home turf is a windfall for parties like the Trinamul Congress and the Biju Janata Dal, as the Sangh posed the noisiest challenge to leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik. It is expected that the losses of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where the appeals of Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath failed to keep the voters from pushing out the Raman Singh-Shivraj Singh Chouhan governments will send the Sangh Parivar scuttling off to Uttar Pradesh to try and salvage as many of the 71 seats out of a total of 80 that it won in 2014. Even so, the BJP will be a troublesome competitor in a state like West Bengal. Given the social dynamics of the state, the BJP can ratchet up its divisive messaging on the dangers to the Hindu majority from the near 30 per cent Muslim majority. The messaging has resonance in the state because it revives unresolved painful family memories of communal tensions before Partition and the loss of Partition itself. In Assam or even in Tripura, where the BJP has governments in power, the defeat of the party on home ground is likely to weaken its appeal, which is based on the notion that when the same parties are in power at the Centre and in the state, development, meaning the flow of funds, increases, enriching the political elites and injecting some energy into the local economies. Across the Northeast, where regional parties or alliances prefer to partner with the winner at the Centre, the shrinking lotus pond will initiate a new set of calculations. In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee will need to solve her dilemma over the Congress can she continue to fight the party in the state and join up with it at the Centre on her own terms, which is what the idea of the Federal Front tantalisingly posed, or will she need to be more circumspect in her crude Hindu symbolism of cleansing roads with cow urine and dung? These Vehicle Tracking Systems conforming to the AIS 140 Standard are being marketed through IACs network spread across 22 states & 70+ cities in India. According to a new Gazette Notification No. S.O. 5453 (E) & G.S.R. 1081(E) by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) dated 25th October and 2nd November 2018, all public service vehicles and National Permit vehicles need to be equipped with tracking devices adhering to AIS 140 standard from 1st January 2019, which is one of the necessary parameters to obtain a National Permit. Indian Auto Company (IAC), a New Delhi based DIPP registered start-up offering automotive solutions in tracking & telematics, smart infotainment, rear seat infotainment and driver fatigue systems using IoT enabled hardware and platform has added IAC 140 & IAC 140 CAN Vehicle Location Tracking Devices to its list of offerings which are both certified as per AIS 140 standard by ARAI and ICAT respectively. These Vehicle Tracking Systems conforming to the AIS 140 Standard are being marketed through IACs network spread across 22 states & 70+ cities in India. According to a new Gazette Notification No. S.O. 5453 (E) & G.S.R. 1081(E) by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) dated 25th October and 2nd November 2018, all public service vehicles and National Permit vehicles need to be equipped with tracking devices adhering to AIS 140 standard from 1st January 2019, which is one of the necessary parameters to obtain a National Permit. Our AIS-140 compliant Vehicle Tracking Devices are also IP-67 rated (water and dust proof) which enable vehicles to be tracked on our device agnostic platform both on web and mobile devices ensuring safety and compliance. Citizens can be assured of safe transport with the availability of the panic button in case of emergencies, which can ensure timely response from concerned authorities. said the Spokesperson, IAC. He added The device also enables to monitor driver behavior such as over speeding, harsh acceleration, braking, cornering, night driving and other important parameters. This in turn ensures correct driving practice thereby reducing wear and tear of the vehicle, improving fuel efficiency while also helping in overall safety of the driver, the passengers and other road users. Fleet tracking solutions offer various benefits to fleet owners such as, minimizing turnaround time, ensuring route adherence and optimization, checking malpractices such as unauthorized use of vehicle and misuse of fuel. It also increases fleet safety, tracks the vehicle real time in case of theft and improves overall productivity and eventually profitability by ensuring safe driving practices making the overall fleet safe for the entire ecosystem. The device also has additional ports for panic buttons and various other sensors which can be added as per requirements of the user. The same can also be used for safe transportation of children in school buses while commuting to and from school. Post implementation of this standard, all new vehicles covered under this Gazette notification will have to be AIS 140 compliant and will have to be fitted with VLT (Vehicle Location Tracking)/ VTS (Vehicle Tracking System) devices like the IAC 140 i.e. AIS 140 compliant devices. For existing commercial vehicles, fleet owners can easily equip them with aftermarket solutions and make their vehicles compliant. Globally, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) aims at improving transportation systems in terms of efficiency, quality, comfort and safety and in India, MoRTH has constituted a permanent Automotive Industry Standards Committee (AISC) in 1997 which publishes various Automotive Standards such as the current AIS 140 guidelines which details ITS components required for public transport vehicle operation. In addition to this product, IAC offers other Tracking Solutions for 4-wheelers, two-wheelers, electric vehicles, Assets and personal tracking. IAC also offers state of the art, DVR (in dash camera), Advanced Driver Assistance System, Driver State Monitoring Systems (DSM) products which are enabling road safety and designed to increase the safety of not only vehicle, but also its occupants and other road users. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. After hours of sweeping of the structure, there was no word of explosives found at the Facebook campus. A bomb threat prompted authorities on Tuesday to evacuate a building at the Silicon Valley headquarters of Facebook Inc near San Francisco, police said, but hours after a sweep of the structure began there was no word of explosives found. The New York Police Department received an anonymous tip about a bomb threat regarding Facebooks campus in Menlo Park, California, and alerted local authorities at about 4:30 p.m., said Nicole Acker, a spokeswoman for the Menlo Park police. Acker said the evacuation was confined to a three-story facility on campus that she said was not the headquarters building, but a company spokesman said by email that a few buildings on the site had been evacuated. Shortly before 8 p.m., San Mateo County Sheriffs Office bomb squad investigators with dogs trained to detect explosives were still combing the building in question and the evacuation remained in effect, Acker told Reuters by telephone. But Facebook and police said everyone was safe. Acker said she had received no information of anything suspicious having been found inside the building. This is what we do for any bomb threat. We have to be very thorough, she added. Another Silicon Valley company to face a security threat in the recent past was YouTube. In May, a woman opened fire at its headquarters in San Francisco, wounding three people before she shot herself dead. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Yangon: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Wednesday defended a series of tweets about his recent meditation retreat in Myanmar that were pilloried on his own platform for failing to mention the persecution of Rohingya Muslims. Dorsey's gushing thread on Sunday came after a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat near Mandalay in which he praised the country's food, beauty and its people, whom he said were full of joy. The comments drew heat online for leaving out any discussion of atrocities committed against Myanmar's Rohingya minority during a military crackdown last year that drove more than 720,000 people into Bangladesh camps. In a series of tweets, Dorsey defended his actions but conceded he could have handled the situation better. I'm aware of the human rights atrocities and suffering in Myanmar. I don't view visiting, practicing, or talking with the people, as endorsement, he said. I didn't intend to diminish by not raising the issue, but could have acknowledged that I don't know enough and need to learn more. Dorsey said he has been a long-time meditator and wanted to travel to Buddhist-majority Myanmar. 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 U.S. 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 have 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. PM congratulated arch rival Congress, TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao and MNF for their victories in the Assembly polls. '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,' tweeted PM Modi (Photo: File) New Delhi: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) likely to lose power in their strongholds, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accepted the electoral outcome with humility and thanked the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for letting the BJP governments in these states serve them. "We accept the people's 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," he tweeted. Furthermore, the Prime Minister congratulated arch rival Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao and the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their victories in the Assembly polls. "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," tweeted PM Modi Lauding the efforts put in by BJP workers, he wrote, "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." The BJP has lost power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and appears to have fallen short of the majority mark in Madhya Pradesh, in a major blow to the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, as per the latest figures by the Election Commission of India. 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. SALT LAKE CITY Few things are as enduring as the myth that the Salt Lake metro area solved its chronic homeless problem in 2015 by giving people housing. Ive gotten emails that demonstrate how widespread the story was told, including one from a woman in San Diego who told me the leader of a regional task force there was talking about Salt Lakes success and urging that city to duplicate the housing first program. She had been researching the subject and wondered if the glowing reports from here, claiming a 91 percent reduction in chronic homelessness over 10 years, were true. Another came from a man in Corvallis, Oregon, who was listening to officials there talk about the need for a Salt Lake-style housing program in an historic part of town. He was worried. Were the reports coming out of Utah correct? No, as it turns out, they werent. This isnt exactly news. The Deseret News reported these problems more than a year ago. But that was part of a larger series on homelessness. It wasnt the focal point of those stories. But now we have a performance audit of Utahs homeless services, conducted by Utahs legislative auditor general and released Monday, that makes the incorrect data clear. Between 2005 and 2010, the state counted people in transitional housing as being chronically homeless. After 2010, the state stopped classifying them that way. Also, the federal government used to take its annual Point-in-Time count an exercise in which officials literally walk the streets and count the homeless in large cities nationwide on a given night and annualize it by multiplying by some factor, according to the audit. But in 2015 officials just used the raw number. As a result, it looked as if the numbers of chronic homeless dropped dramatically in 2010 and again in 2015. It appears Utah officials did not consider these factors when concluding that there had been a 91 percent drop in the rate of chronic homelessness, the report says, adding we do not know the extent to which Utah efforts have helped reduce chronic homelessness. Also unclear is the real effect of the Housing First program. Has it helped? Probably. State officials involved with it certainly believe so. Meanwhile, glowing reports about the 91 percent drop in the L.A. Times, Washington Post, NBC News and on The Daily Show continue to reverberate. The report states the obvious: Utah needs to utilize consistent and reliable data to be able to continually evaluate program performance. Housing First isnt the only victim of poor record keeping. Mondays audit revealed how the entire homeless services system still lacks clear goals and objectives and continues to have difficulty measuring the results of the services it provides. In some cases, auditors found data was entered incorrectly or inconsistently. And if youre thinking politicians somehow were tipping the data in their favor, that wouldnt explain how the mistakes sometimes made things look worse than they actually were. A count in Salt Lake County, for instance, concluded that 68 percent of the people enrolled in a Rapid Rehousing program returned to homelessness within two years. Instead, auditors concluded that 74 percent of those people never got subsidized housing in the first place. The problem seems to have more to do with poorly trained or underpaid workers, who frequently leave for better jobs, than anything else. Next year, three new homeless shelters are scheduled to open in Salt Lake County. The downtown shelter on Rio Grande Street is scheduled to close. This will be a dramatic shift in how the homeless are treated in Utah. Taxpayers are on the hook. More importantly, lives are at stake. Its vital to get this right. From the beginning, advocates have talked about the need to make homeless services data driven. Track the people and their progress. Keep what works and change what doesnt. That must be done in a credible way. The audit suggests Utah create an oversight body that would set goals, plan strategically and monitor results, or that lawmakers charge the current State Homeless Coordinating Committee specifically with doing this. Either one would make sense. Utahns, and especially the homeless, deserve as much. As interest from other cities has shown, a lot of people are watching to see how it goes. The 65 -year-old Congress leader in his letter alleged irregularities and corruption in the multi-crore fighter jets deal. According to Sharma, the decision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre of buying the jets has resulted in a loss not only in national exchequer but also in a loss of technology transfer in the manufacture of 108 fighter jets by public-sector Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: In a fresh turn of events, Congress Member of Parliament Anand Sharma on Wednesday gave notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 267 to immediately discuss the issue of Rafale fighter jets deal. The 65 -year-old Congress leader in his letter alleged irregularities and corruption in the multi-crore fighter jets deal. The Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha is related to suspension of rules which says "Any member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day and if the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being." According to Sharma, the decision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre of buying the jets has resulted in a loss not only in national exchequer but also in a loss of technology transfer in the manufacture of 108 fighter jets by public-sector Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) The Rafale jet deal controversy has been on the boil over the last few months. The Congress and other opposition parties have been alleging irregularities in the high-profile deal. The fighter jet is a twin-engine Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, which security analysts believe can be a 'game-changer' for India's defense system. The deal to procure its fleet was announced after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with then French president Francois Hollande in 2016. Political slugfest over the deal escalated when Hollande, in an interview last month, claimed that France had no choice in the selection of Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as offset partner for Rafale-maker Dassault. ROY A Roy company that sold hunting equipment and offered to take customers on hunting trips is under investigation for allegedly taking customers' money without delivering on its promises, according to new court documents. Majestic Valley Outfitters, 3871 Foxglen Drive, and its owner, Tyler Ray Watson, collected more than $177,000 from customers who paid for hunting trips that they never went on, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 2nd District Court. "At this time there are 16 known victims that have paid large sums of money to be taken on guided hunting trips only to have the hunts canceled just before they are supposed to leave with the promise that they will be paid back, but they have yet to receive any reimbursement," the warrant states. No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. Roy police confirmed Tuesday, however, that the case is still an active investigation. Watson said the problem is that the state's elk tags sold out faster than normal this year, and that he is still trying to pay those customers back. "There was no criminal activity. I mean, I didnt take peoples money and do this on purpose. It was just one of those things that was bad that happened, Watson told the Deseret News. "Theres nothing there. It was an honest mistake. It wasnt criminal. It was just a thing we didnt have control over." Police say the 16 alleged victims all provided investigators with copies of the checks they sent to Majestic Valley Outfitters. In at least one case, Watson did send a check back to a customer, but it was for the wrong amount and the amount that it was written for bounced, according to the warrant. When police interviewed Watson, "each time he states the victim was the one that canceled the hunts," the affidavit states. However, some of the alleged victims gave investigators copies of notes from the owner "stating that he would have to cancel or postpone the hunt for different reasons," police wrote. Watson told the Deseret News that he books land ahead of time for hunts and puts down his own deposits. But on eight of the planned elk hunt trips he booked land for, the tags sold out before he could get any, he said. "I had no idea they were going to sell out that quick. It wasnt anything that I had control over, he said. "I can only do what I can do. Were trying to make it work. Were trying to make it right with these people. We paid back as much as we could. We dont have a lot of money to work on and no new money coming in. I can only work on what I can work on. It was just a terrible year." According to the Better Business Bureau of Utah, the company as of Tuesday had a rating of D+ on the bureau's website and is not Better Business Bureau accredited. The company has also had at least one complaint filed against it to the bureau. The complaint, filed in January, is from a person who claimed he booked a mule deer hunt with the company. Right before the scheduled hunt, the company "contacted me to tell me they did not acquire the land owner tags for the hunt and that the hunt was canceled. To date, Jan. 4, 2018, the money for the hunt still has not been refunded. The price of the hunt was $5,768," the man wrote to the Better Business Bureau of Utah. "I have now hired an attorney." The search warrant written by police was for bank records. "Watson misrepresented his business by promising the victims in this case a guided hunt and over the last three years has continued to use his business to offer hunting trips and then cancel just before the hunt is to take place and then never reimburse(s) the victims. Watson does not have a business license through Roy City to be operating any business and is not licensed as a outfitter with the state of Utah," the warrant states. "These records would also show account balance around the time the refunds were promised to show that Tyler had no intention of paying the victim back the money that was paid to him." In July 2017, Majestic Valley Outfitters and its owner were sued for allegedly collecting a $42,000 deposit by a Utah group with the promise of giving them eight bull elk tags and taking them on a hunting trip in Nevada. "Contrary to Watson's representation, neither Watson nor Outfitter ever had the Nevada elk tags nor rights to the elk tags as stated, and they knew that they did not have such rights," the lawsuit states. "Outfitter has refused to return the $42,000 deposit." Watson contends that he made it clear to the customers beforehand that their deposits were nonrefundable, but he said he is still trying to pay those people back. "Ive told everybody, Hey, if youre willing to work with me, Im willing to work with you, and were going to work through and get it paid off as soon as we can. Ive paid as many people as I can as soon as I can. And that should show character right there. But when youre trying to make it and your account is in the negative, you still have to live, he said. Watson said he has since shut down the company. In August 2017, a Tremonton man filed a lawsuit against Watson for allegedly failing to give him the title to a truck that was sold to him for more than $15,000, according to the lawsuit. That suit was settled in February. SALT LAKE CITY Five people were charged Tuesday in what investigators say was a plot to smuggle drugs into the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison using fast food. Talon Hamann, 24, Kelcy Roberts, 28, Patrick Sullivan, 32, Colton Olsen, 23, and Brian Patrick Olsen, 55, are each charged in Sanpete County's 6th District Court with attempted drug distribution in a prison. Brian Olsen received an additional charge of drug possession, a third degree felony. All are from Gunnison except Brian Olsen, who is from Murray. Sanpete County Attorney Kevin Daniels said the investigation began when prison officials received information of a plan to smuggle drugs. Investigators monitored mail and phone conversations coming from the prison from July 11 through July 26. During that time, inmate Colton Olsen gave Brian Olsen, who had paroled out of prison, instructions on how to drop off drugs that would be picked up, according to several search warrants served by the Sanpete County Sheriff's Office. "Travel until you see the Gunnison Valley High School where you will turn left again, traveling past the high school. You will travel down the paved road until you see a turnoff on the right with the sign White Hills Sanitation located in Mayfield, Utah. You will travel, still down a paved road until you get to the main gate with a smaller gate to the left of it. Count out 10 or 11 fence posts and you will find a small bush. Under this bush, bury the package in a fast-food bag and place a rock over it," part of one message states, according to the warrants. Daniels said the plan was that the drugs would then be picked up by inmates who were able to walk outside the prison gates while on work crews. But investigators went to the site first "and found a package buried underneath a rock with a stick next to it. A Wienerschnitzel bag was located which contained two packages of an unknown substance and a mustard package," the warrants state. The unknown substance tested positive for methamphetamine, according to authorities. Investigators swapped out the drugs with a decoy and left the bag for the inmates to pick up, Daniels said. The county attorney said for inmates to risk the type of enhanced penalties many of them will now face, it shows how big of a problem drug addiction is. Correction: An earlier version of this story listed all of the defendants currently housed at the Central Utah Correctional facility as having the middle name "Corwin" based on incorrect charging documents filed in 6th District Court. Their correct names are: Talon Hamann, Kelcy Roberts, Patrick Sullivan and Colton Olsen. SALT LAKE CITY Microsoft co-founder and noted philanthropist Bill Gates once noted, "With great wealth comes great responsibility, a responsibility to give back to society and a responsibility to see that those resources are put to work in the best possible way to help those in need." While his comments were made in more recent years, that sentiment has been followed by numerous people of means, including a Utah family that is commemorating six decades of philanthropy. This week, the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation is celebrating 60 years and just over $600 million in philanthropic giving to organizations across Utah and its many communities. "It's really George and Lolie's vision that we're trying to continue for the state of Utah," according to Lisa Eccles, president and chief operating officer of the foundation. Lolie was Dolores' family nickname. The foundation was created by the namesakes to support arts and culture, community (social services), education, health and wellness, along with historic preservation and land conservation, Lisa Eccles said. "We want to strengthen our communities, whether it's our capital city or the small rural communities throughout the state," Lisa Eccles said. Among the small-town initiatives the foundation continues to sponsor is the development of public parks that a community can enjoy year after year, she said. "It's been rewarding to see these small cities and communities come together (and) work together to create something in their community that's an anchor and that they're proud of, and that children and their families can benefit for years to come," she said. George Eccles and his brother Marriner Eccles founded First Security Corp. in 1928, with George serving as CEO from 1945 to 1982. At the time of its merger with Wells Fargo in 2000, First Security was one of the nation's oldest and largest multistate bank holding companies. George and Dolores launched the foundation in 1958, and it became more active following the passing of George Eccles in 1982. It was then led by Dolores Eccles until her death in 1994. The family has used the foundation to further causes they felt were worthy of financial backing to help uplift local communities in Utah, explained foundation Chairman and CEO Spencer Eccles. He said the philosophy of the foundation is "to make a meaningful difference long-term" in anything the foundation supports. "It's the thrill of a lifetime. It's a humbling experience. We feel very privileged to be asked to help serve for the foundation," he said. Spencer Eccles is a nephew of George Eccles. Lisa Eccles is Spencer Eccles' daughter. The foundation receives over 400 proposals annually from nonprofit organizations asking for financial support with their community-oriented endeavors. One of the organization's highest priority is higher education, to which the foundation has given $187.6 million over the years. "We really think that education is the key to success," Lisa Eccles said. The foundation has given financial support to every college and university in Utah over the years in an effort to promote the importance of education statewide, she said. "There is so much need out there," Spencer Eccles said. The foundation also has a passion for helping youth realize their potential. Among the organizations that the foundation provides ongoing financial support to is the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake, which has received approximately $7 million cumulatively. "That's the future for this city, this state and this country," he said. "Education is the single most important aspect for these young kids to make sure they are training for taking care of themselves and (planning for) their future." LeAnn Saldivar, president of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salt Lake, said thousands of young people have benefited from the Eccles Foundation's generosity through the various programs the organization has been able to provide in lower income areas throughout the metro area. "(The foundation) has made a contribution to every one of our (eight) building facilities," she said. "They give credibility to our organization." She said having support from the Eccles has helped the Boys and Girls Clubs prosper over the years and provide much-needed support to youth in the local community. She said receiving support from organizations like the Eccles Foundation has a profound impact on the lives of kids who may otherwise be without programs that help them achieve academically, socially and personally. "Those of us who provide human services in this community, we are really close to the challenges and the obstacles that face everyday people and particularly in our case kids," Saldivar said. "(The Eccles Foundation) really wants to understand how what we do works, how the money they provide gives us the ability to serve these kids." Boys and Girls Club member Jeniya McCullar, 17, is a senior at West High School in Salt Lake City and national Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year finalist. He said he spent 12 years every day after school coming to the club and participating in the programs offered there. The experience "shaped my whole life," he said. "It's an extended family more than a resource," he explained. "It's a space where you didn't have to worry about what's going on outside with your life. It doesn't matter if you don't have your parents. It doesn't matter if you don't have money or if you do. You just go there and everybody is just a kid." He said being a beneficiary of philanthropy has given him an appreciation of how valuable charitable organizations can be to a community. "You're giving back and you're giving kids that feeling of hope for their future," he said. "(The kids) can come out of the club with the hope and ambition to be something. Stuff they maybe never saw for themselves in their future, they can have it." Saldivar said one of the things that set the Eccles Foundation apart is the leadership's willingness to understand the human condition in the community that is being served. "They aren't just sitting in an office somewhere writing checks from proposals," she said. "They get close to the need in the community in a way that a lot of other philanthropic organizations do not." SALT LAKE CITY Heidi Woodbury, assistant dean for external relations at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business, has been appointed the U.'s vice president for institutional advancement. In making the announcement, U. President Ruth Watkins said Woodbury "is widely recognized for her collaborative, positive and team-building style, her remarkable ability to build long-standing relationships with external stakeholders, and her impressive work ethic." She will take up the position on Feb. 1, 2019, succeeding Fred Esplin, longtime vice president for institutional advancement, who is retiring. Woodbury, whom Watkins describes as "trusted and respected by her colleagues," began her career at the U. as chief advancement officer for KUER-FM, the university's public radio station. She joined the Eccles School in 1996, serving in various leadership roles before becoming assistant dean. As assistant dean, Woodbury was responsible for guiding all aspects of the business school's advancement efforts. Under Woodbury's leadership, financial support from private, foundation and industry donors significantly increased; new academic centers and facilities were built to meet the needs of students, faculty and the community's business professionals; and alumni connections across the nation and world flourished, according to a university press release. Woodbury has guided numerous changes in the Eccles School, including technology and branding enhancements that promote the school's visibility and connection statewide. "Heidi has brought her tremendous talent to the David Eccles School of Business for the past two decades. It was her incredible ability to build relationships and garner respect from some of the most notable families in Utah and beyond that has helped transform the Eccles School to what it is today," said Taylor Randall, dean of the U.'s school of business, in a university press release. "I am sad to see her leave us, but I know the entire University of Utah community will benefit from her great passion and drive," he said. Woodbury also serves on the development operations committee, which recommends development standards and practices for the university. "I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the University of Utah as vice president for institutional advancement," Woodbury said in a statement. "Fred Esplin has done an amazing job in this role and, because of his attention and dedication, I have a solid foundation to build on. I am excited to work with President Watkins and the leadership team in the years ahead as we strive to continue the university's momentum." Situated in Scotts Bluff County of western Nebraska is a geological landmark that was well known to 19th-century pioneers following the Oregon, California and Mormon Pioneer trails. Called Scotts Bluff, this feature is actually a collection of several steep bluffs that rise some 800 feet above the plains. The dominant bluff is named after Hiram Scott, an explorer/trader who suffered a tragic death near there in 1828. The North Platte River flows on the north side of the bluff. Pioneers using the Oregon and California trails trekked along the North Platte on the same (south) side of the river. Pioneers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints generally followed the Mormon Pioneer Trail on the north side of the river. Presently, the city of Scottsbluff (one word) is situated at the base of Scotts Bluff (two words; the apostrophe was officially dropped from "Scotts Bluff" in 1941), which is now a United States national monument. It was near Scotts Bluff that Brigham Young addressed the members of the vanguard pioneer company in late May 1847 declaring, I am about to revolt from traveling with this camp! His feeling was that the members of that company were not following the standards of gospel living as they ought to. President Young was frustrated with their light mindedness, card playing, excessive levity, quarreling, profane language and neglecting to observe the Word of Wisdom. After receiving President Young's stern rebuke, members of the company covenanted with uplifted hands to turn to the Lord with all their hearts, to repent of all their follies (see "Well Find the Place: The Mormon Exodus 1846-1848," by Richard E. Bennett, pages 160-166). In August, one of the largest information and data companies in the world, Google, was pulled up for tracking users location even when location services are turned off. Following the revelation, Google itself admitted to tracking users location in order to improve the Google experience. While it is a well known fact that location data collected from smartphones is used to target ads at people, a New York Times report has opened up a can of worms for a number of apps collecting and selling location data of users, potentially revealing intimate secrets about them. Thanks to advancements in location tracking technology, NYT reports that companies in the location services business collect data about the precise movements of users through apps disguised in the garb of providing Local News and Weather information. The Times research revealed that At least 75 companies receive anonymous, precise location data from apps whose users enable location services to get local news and weather or other information in the US. The report goes on to state that many of these companies claimed to track almost half of all mobile devices in the United States. The report further found that even though this tracking data is not sold with the purpose of revealing a user's identity, studying the location information can easily lead one to pinpoint the identity of the user. The publication was able to successfully identify a user, solely based on her movements throughout the day. NYT studied 20 apps which were flagged off by researchers from California-based AppCensus, a collaboration of international researchers who look into providing app users transparency around the way their personal information is used by apps. Findings of the study highlighted 17 apps that sent exact latitude and longitude of users to about 70 businesses. The iOS Weather Bug app was called out in the report for selling precise location data to 40 companies. Details of the location data collected by apps can even reveal travel details of a person accurate to a few yards and as per the report, this data is collected and updated more than 14,000 times a day sometimes. Whats more alarming is that sales of location-targeted advertising is estimated to reach $21 billion this year and companies like IBM also have a foot in the industry thanks to its purchase of the Weather Channels app. As per the report, other notable investors in location start-ups include Goldman Sachs and PayPal co-founder, Peter Thiel. Another worrisome statistic pointed out in the report suggests that upwards of 1,000 popular apps contain location-sharing code from companies in the business of selling location data. An estimated 1200 Android apps on Googles Play Store and 200 apps on Apples iOS Store were found to have similar code. In what could intensify the patent infringement battle between Qualcomm and Apple, a Chinese court has banned the import as well as the sale of some older iPhone models in China. The list includes the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. This could be a blow to the Cupertino-based tech company as it is reportedly struggling with the sales of its newly-launched device, the iPhone XS, iPhone XS MAx and the iPhone XR. 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. According to Reuters, Qualcomm had alleged that Apple is infringing on patents related to technologies that boost bandwidth in phones, save power and enhance photos from dual rear-facing cameras, among other things. 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, says Reuters. Meanwhile, Apple says that it has filed a request for reconsideration with the court ban. 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 was quoted as saying. The latest development is a part of numerous lawsuits that Qualcomm has filed against Apple accusing it of engaging in unlawful import and sale of iPhones in the US. In a fresh lawsuit, Qualcomm had claimed that Apple has used its access to Qualcomms proprietary software to help Intel. It asked Intel to make public the documents on the latest radio frequency components being used in the new Apple iPhones. The San Diego-based chipmaker also noted that Intel went back on its word and failed to produce the material even after two months. It also alleged that Intel ignored repeated communications from Qualcomms counsel until finally responding on June 6. Its the Digit Zero1 awards season again, and we choose a winner based purely on their performance. Price does not matter. Thats a great idea for the category of mainstream laptops. Well explain why Mainstream laptops are generally designed for performance. They may, in addition, feature a longer battery life or a screen with touch capability, but theyre primarily meant to crunch numbers in the shortest time possible. Thats exactly what were looking for at Digit too. Mainstream laptops are getting more powerful, slimmer and lighter these days. Laptop makers are chopping off bezels in order to house a larger screen in a compact body. On the performance front, more and more models feature a PCIe solid-state drive for faster boot times. Many of them house a hard drive as well so storage capacity is not compromised. Intel Optane memory is gradually making its way into laptops, giving these models a speed advantage over the ones with only hard drive storage. We present this years Digit Zero1 award winner 2018 Zero1 Award Winner: Asus ZenBook Pro 15 A glance at this machines specs should tell you enough about its speed. The Asus ZenBook Pro is the first laptop in the world to integrate a display in its touchpad, making it a second display. You could, for example, use it for playing a video on YouTube or have dedicated controls for a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. Under the hood, the ZenBook Pro packs an 8th-gen Intel Core i9, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive. Graphics is handled by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU with 4GB of GDDR5 RAM. The ZenBook Pro tore through its competitors in our scoring sheet by a large margin. Battery life too was nearly on par with the Lenovo IdeaPad 530S. Without a sliver of doubt then, the Asus ZenBook Pro 15 is our Digit Zero1 award winner this year. Runner-up Dell Inspiron 7572 The Dell Inspiron 7572 looks as subtle but packs interesting specs. Additionally, its web camera sits below the display. Inside its unpretentious exteriors resides an 8th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU and 8GB of RAM. An additional 8GB of RAM can be slapped on for an extra cost at a Dell store. For storage, it offers dual drives: a 128GB solid-state drive and a 1TB hard drive spinning at 5,400 rpm. For graphics, an NVIDIA GeForce MX 150 with 4GB of GDDR5 video RAM. That should be sufficient for lightweight video games. During our evaluation, the Inspiron 7572 was one-third of the distance away from the ZenBook Pro in terms of overall performance. All other numbers considered, it comes in at as the runner-up for this year. Best Buy Acer Aspire 5 The Acer Aspire 5 may look as boring but can move swiftly. The Acer Aspire 5 consists of an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU and a 1TB hard drive. The Aspire 5 is equipped with 8GB of RAM and 16GB of Intel Optane memory, which gives the hard drive an added performance boost. To handle graphics, its got an NVIDIA GeForce MX 130 GPU with 2GB of GDDR5 video RAM. That should be good for a few light video games like Portal 2 and Tomb Raider (2013). All put together, the Aspire 5 scores rather well on our scoring sheet. Considering its somewhat approachable price tag, we believe the Acer Aspire 5 should be this years Zero1 Best Buy. Zero1 Best Flagship smartphone The year 2018 saw flagship smartphones differentiate themselves from those which offered the same top of the line Qualcomm processor at a much lower price. This was achieved by incorporating high-resolution HDR enabled displays, the incorporation of IP ratings and overall the use of design language that sets them apart from the rest. However, Zero1 Awards are where we award the one best performing smartphone and that will emerge not from the extra features, but from a perfect marriage of cutting edge hardware and beautifully optimised software. While everyone continued to use the 10nm process-based Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, Apple and Huawei pushed beyond with new 7nm based processors. We tested every flagship smartphone that was released this year once again to see just how they stacked up, and to once and for all, settle the debate of who the best performer was. 2018 Zero1 Award Winner Apple iPhone XS Max (Review) Apples product line-up saw an unexpected change this year in terms of the pricing strategy, with the starting price of nearly a lac. While most Android flagships were getting more reasonably priced in India, Apple only went ahead and increased that gap, but they also did the same when it comes to performance. The new A12 Bionic process manufactured on the breakthrough 7nm process wasnt just going to deliver theoretical speeds. In our benchmark tests, the iPhone XS Max with its 4GB RAM blazed past every android phone by a considerable margin. In some tests, the iPhone came out as 5 percent faster than the second fastest (non-iPhone) smartphone, and in some cases, almost twice as fast. For example, the iPhone XS Max scored 316685 on AnTuTu, the highest score weve seen yet. Geekbench Single and Multi-Core scores for the iPhone XS Max were seen to hit 4791 and 11026 respectively. On average, the iPhone XS Max is mostly 20-30 percent faster across the board, thanks to the harmonious optimisation of the hardware to Apples performance focussed mobile operating system, iOS 12. For the year 2018, the Apple iPhone XS Max is hands down the top performer of the year, and a flagship smartphone that leaves all else behind. The only downside to the Apple iPhone XS Max is its Rs 1,44,990 price tag for the 512GB storage variant, which is a very steep price to pay just for peak performance. Runner-up Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (Review) The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is our choice of best buy for the Zero1 awards. The smartphone was beaten by the Pixel 3 XL by just a hair, but when considering the numbers from benchmarks for the performance of the CPU/GPU/RAM and the battery, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is a difficult smartphone to not recommend. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has the best display in the market today, with a 2.5K resolution and HDR Premium certification which allows playback of HDR content with great accuracy. The dual camera setup on the back paired with the front facing AF capable camera delivers very impressive results and the 4000mAh battery means you can use the camera for as long as you want since we found the phone to last a day and a half without any problem. Combining all this and factoring in the price, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 emerges as the most value for money smartphone in 2018. Best Buy LG G7+ ThinQ (Review) The LG G7+ ThinQ was the most surprising launch of the year for us. Up until last year, LGs smartphones seemed to be the embodiment of one bad decision or the other. However, with the G7+ ThinQ, the company created a true flagship level smartphone. Top of the line SoC paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB UFS2.1 storage meant it quickly found its way to the top tier of our benchmarked devices and the HDR enabled LCD-IPS display was a truly wonderful panel to watch content on. The QUAD-DAC performed splendidly as well, making it an ideal choice for those who consume a lot of content. The only two points of criticism for the LG G7+ ThinQ happened to be its relatively small 3000mAh battery and less than stellar imaging performance of the rear cameras. But given the phones performance and the price, the LG G7+ThinQ is our choice for the best buy in the premium flagship smartphone category. 'People definitely see that he (Rahul Gandhi) is much better leader than (PM) Narendra Modi,' Veerappa Moily said. Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily praised Rahul Gandhi for the manner in which he was working with 'this kind of hardship, perseverance and patience' and said it has really paid dividends in the elections to the assemblies. (Photo: File) Hyderabad: Congress President Rahul Gandhi has passed all "leadership tests", and would emerge as the Prime Minister after the next Lok Sabha elections, senior party leader M Veerappa Moily claimed on Wednesday. A resurgent Congress on Tuesday made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh. BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday said her party will extend support to the Congress to form the government in Madhya Pradesh and keep the BJP out of power. She also said that if the need arises, the BSP will also support the Congress in Rajasthan to form the next government. "People have tolerated too long the misgovernance and the misrule of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and his NDA government. And this (results of elections to state assemblies) is an indication that they are totally unhappy with him," former Union minister M Veerappa Moily told PTI. "And the manner in which they (BJP) have carried on certain personal propaganda against Soniaji and Rahulji... people are not tolerating. This is the success not only of the Congress party but also of the (party) leadership," he said. The elections to state assemblies, the results of which were declared on Tuesday, were a big test of leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the former Karnataka Chief Minister said. "...that means to say May 2019 onwards Rahul Gandhi will emerge as the leader of the country and also as Prime Minister." He praised Rahul Gandhi for the manner in which he was working with "this kind of hardship, perseverance and patience" and said it has really paid dividends in the elections to the assemblies. "He (Rahul Gandhi) has passed all the tests which were posed to him to become a leader," Moily claimed. "People definitely see that he is a much better leader than (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi". Rahul Gandhi, he said, has also been successful in mobilising all the forces against PM Modi. "This (poll to the assemblies) is quite a manifestation of the combination of all the opposition parties against Narendra Modi and NDA," Moily said. HMD Global is no slouch when it comes to keeping its devices up to date. Keeping its promise, it is now rolling out the Android 9 Pie beta update for the Nokia 8 smartphone. The update is being made available for the devices users via the Nokia Beta Labs and was announced by the companys Chief Product Office, Juho Sarvikas, on Twitter. Sarvikas tweeted, Thank you for your patience. Since you had to wait a bit longer than expected for Android 9 on your Nokia 8, we decided to make an immediate Beta Labs release. Please join us in finalizing the commercial release your feedback is extremely valuable. Additionally, the company is also seeding a stable version of Android Pie to the Nokia 7, which was launched as a China exclusive, and the Nokia 7.1 Plus is reportedly receiving the December Android security patch as well. Those who are interested in trying out the new Android Pie update on their Nokia 8 phones can head over to the official Nokia Beta Labs website. They need to sign up on the web page via their Google or Facebook account and soon after, they will receive the update on their phone. Do note that the update is currently in beta and can have some bugs and issues. The company has asked users for their feedback on the update since it will help in clearing the bugs and speeding up the release of a stable update for all. The new update brings Android Pie features to the Nokia 8 like Adaptive Battery, Adaptive Brightness and also the new system navigation scheme. The Android security patch is also updated to December 2018 and the update is slightly over 1.8GB in size. As mentioned earlier, the Nokia 7.1 Plus is also reportedly getting the December Android security patch. As per some users on Reddit, the patch is 98.6 MB in size and is said to fix some Wi-Fi issues that cropped up with the November update. If you are looking for Best 4G phones under 15000, there are a lot of options to choose from. With the rise in availability & usage of data intensive services, in terms of online gaming, music, videos etc., both carriers & mobile phone manufacturers are left to catch up to the speeds as required from current. Although the prices of the products mentioned in the list given below have been updated as of 29th Nov 2021, the list itself may have changed since it was last published due to the launch of new products in the market since then. 6.4" (1080x2340) Screen Size 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 13 MP Camera 4 GB RAM 4100 mAh Battery Full specs Other Redmi Mobile Phones Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 128GB launched on 20th July 2020, comes with a 6.4 inch display & a resolution of 1080x2340 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 2.0 GHz Octa-core core MediaTek Helio G85 processor and runs on 4 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.4" (1080x2340) Camera : 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 13 MP RAM : 4 GB Battery : 4100 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : MediaTek Helio G85 Processor : Octa-core Available 13,499 Buy Now Available 15,999 Buy Now 6.43" (2340 x 1080) Screen Size 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 13 MP Camera 4 GB RAM 5000 mAh Battery Read Review Full specs Other Redmi Mobile Phones Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 launched on 4th March 2021, comes with a 6.43 inch display & a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 2x2.2 GHz,6x1.7 GHz Octa-core core Qualcomm SDM678 Snapdragon 678 processor and runs on 4 GB of RAM. Pros Eye-catching design. Good camera output from the primary camera. Good display and great battery life. Cons Disappointing gaming performance. Ultra wide camera has poor low light performance. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.43" (2340 x 1080) Camera : 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 13 MP RAM : 4 GB Battery : 5000 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Qualcomm SDM678 Snapdragon 678 Processor : Octa-core Available 13,999 Buy Now 6.67" (1080x2400) Screen Size 64 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 32 MP Camera 6 GB RAM 5020 mAh Battery Full specs Other Redmi Mobile Phones Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max launched on 12th March 2020, comes with a 6.67 inch display & a resolution of 1080x2400 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 1.8GHz,4x1.8GHz,4x2.3GHz Octa-core core Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor and runs on 6 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.67" (1080x2400) Camera : 64 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 32 MP RAM : 6 GB Battery : 5020 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G Processor : Octa-core Available 15,499 Buy Now Available 15,868 Buy Now Out of Stock 16,999 Buy Now Advertisements 6.67" (1080 x 2400) Screen Size 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 16 MP Camera 4 GB RAM 5000 mAh Battery Full specs Other Poco Mobile Phones Poco M2 Pro launched on 22nd July 2020, comes with a 6.67 inch display & a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 2.3 GHz Octa-core core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor and runs on 4 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.67" (1080 x 2400) Camera : 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 16 MP RAM : 4 GB Battery : 5000 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G Processor : Octa-core Available 13,999 Buy Now Available 14,799 Buy Now 6.53" (1080 x 2340) Screen Size 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 8 MP Camera 4 GB RAM 6000 mAh Battery Read Review Full specs Other Redmi Mobile Phones Xiaomi Redmi 9 Power launched on 24th December 2020, comes with a 6.53 inch display & a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 4x2.0 GHz,4x1.8 GHz Octa-core core Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 processor and runs on 4 GB of RAM. Pros Great battery life Stereo speaker setup Full HD+ display Cons Bloatware and persistent ads Mediocre camera performance Slow charging speed SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.53" (1080 x 2340) Camera : 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 8 MP RAM : 4 GB Battery : 6000 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 Processor : Octa-core Available 15,999 Buy Now 6.53" (1080 x 2340) Screen Size 13 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 8 MP Camera 6 GB RAM 5000 mAh Battery Full specs Other Poco Mobile Phones Poco M2 128GB launched on 15th September 2020, comes with a 6.53 inch display & a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 2x2.0 GHz,6x1.8 GHz Octa-core core Mediatek Helio G80 processor and runs on 6 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.53" (1080 x 2340) Camera : 13 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 8 MP RAM : 6 GB Battery : 5000 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Mediatek Helio G80 Processor : Octa-core Available 14,999 Buy Now Advertisements 6.67" (1080 x 2400) Screen Size 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 16 MP Camera 6 GB RAM 5020 mAh Battery Full specs Other Redmi Mobile Phones Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 128GB launched on 12th March 2020, comes with a 6.67 inch display & a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 2x2.3 GHz,6x1.8 GHz Octa-core core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor and runs on 6 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.67" (1080 x 2400) Camera : 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 16 MP RAM : 6 GB Battery : 5020 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G Processor : Octa-core Available 14,499 Buy Now Available 16,999 Buy Now 6.67" (1080 x 2400) Screen Size 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 16 MP Camera 6 GB RAM 5020 mAh Battery Full specs Other Redmi Mobile Phones Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro launched on 12th March 2020, comes with a 6.67 inch display & a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 2x2.3 GHz,6x1.8 GHz Octa-core core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor and runs on 6 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.67" (1080 x 2400) Camera : 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 | 16 MP RAM : 6 GB Battery : 5020 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G Processor : Octa-core Available 13,699 Buy Now Available 16,799 Buy Now 6.5" (1080 x 2400) Screen Size 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 16 MP Camera 6 GB RAM 4500 mAh Battery Full specs Other Realme Mobile Phones Realme Narzo 20 Pro launched on 21st September 2020, comes with a 6.5 inch display & a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 2x2.05 GHz,6x2.0 GHz Octa-core core Mediatek Helio G95 processor and runs on 6 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.5" (1080 x 2400) Camera : 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 16 MP RAM : 6 GB Battery : 4500 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Mediatek Helio G95 Processor : Octa-core Available 14,490 Buy Now Out of Stock 14,999 Buy Now Available 16,219 Buy Now Advertisements 6.5" (720 x 1600) Screen Size 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 16 MP Camera 8 GB RAM 5000 mAh Battery Full specs Other Realme Mobile Phones Realme 7i launched on 9th October 2020, comes with a 6.5 inch display & a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. The Smartphone is powered by 4x2.0 GHz,4x1.8 GHz Octa-core core Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 processor and runs on 8 GB of RAM. SPECIFICATION Screen Size : 6.5" (720 x 1600) Camera : 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 | 16 MP RAM : 8 GB Battery : 5000 mAh Operating system : Android Soc : Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 Processor : Octa-core Available 13,999 Buy Now Out of Stock 14,999 Buy Now Team Digit Email Team Digit Follow Us About Me: All of us are better than one of us. Read the detailed BIO to know more about Team Digit Read More List Of Best 4G Mobile Under 15000 In India Best 4G Mobile under 15000 Seller Price Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 128GB Tatacliq 13,499 Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Amazon 13,999 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max Amazon 15,499 Poco M2 Pro Flipkart 13,999 Xiaomi Redmi 9 Power Amazon 15,999 Poco M2 128GB Tatacliq 14,999 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 128GB Tatacliq 14,499 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Tatacliq 13,699 Realme Narzo 20 Pro Amazon 14,490 Realme 7i Amazon 13,999 Advertisements Hot Deals View All FFA Architecture and Interiors Camacho Loia Hansen In Portland, FFA Architecture and Interiors hired Amanda Hansen as an interior designer, and Andrew Loia and Cristina Camacho as architectural staff. Hansen has a bachelor's in interior architecture from University of Oregon's College of Design, and interned with a Seattle interior design firm. At FFA, she has provided support on Beaverton Public Safety Center. Loia did a graduate research fellowship at UO's Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory, and worked for over eight years as a civil engineering designer and project manager in Boston. At FFA, he has provided architectural support on Chemeketa Community College Agricultural Complex. Camacho has an architecture degree and a master's in enterprise administration from ITESM (Tec de Monterrey). She worked for a Salem architectural firm for a year, and as a project manager for a San Francisco general contractor for five years. At FFA, she has assisted on projects for the National Park Service. Subscriber content preview WASHINGTON (AP) The Transportation Department announced Tuesday that it will disperse $1.5 billion to fund 91 infrastructure projects around the country. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said the grants are part of her department's BUILD infrastructure support program and will fund road, rail and port projects in 49 states plus the District of Columbia. . . . FAO Council approves India's proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023 The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Council, currently underway in Rome, approved Indias proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023, union minister of agriculture and farmers welfare Radha Mohan Singh has said. The FAO Council, at its 160th session, also approved Indias membership to the executive board of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for 2020 and 2021. Welcoming the FAO move, the Indian food minister said the move will enhance global awareness to bring back these nutri-cereals to the plate, for food and nutrition security and hence increase production for resilience to challenges posed globally by climate change. Singh also appreciated members support for Indias appointment to the executive board of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). Singh said Indias prowess in agriculture diplomacy has grown under the Modi regime. This international endorsement comes in the backdrop of India celebrating 2018 as the National Year of Millets for promoting cultivation and consumption of these nutri-cereals. This is further supported by increase in minimum support prices (MSP) of millets. Millets consists of jowar, bajra, ragi and minor millets together termed as nutri-cereals. The government has increased the MSP of Jowar to Rs2,450 per quintal from Rs1,725, that of Bajra to Rs1,950 from Rs1,425 and that of Ragi to Rs2,897 from Rs1,900 per quintal from 2018-19. State governments can procure jowar, bajra, maize and ragi from farmers at MSP through the Department of Food and Public Distribution. It's Cong govt in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan The Congress party will form governments in the three states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where it has emerged the largest party. The party is expected to stake claim after its legislature party meetings in the three states. Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel has already called senior Congress leaders to the Raj Bhawan at noon for talks, after the party sought an appointment with her on the issue of formation of government in the state. With the final results declared early in the morning, the party got 114 seats, two short of a simple majority of 116 in the 230-member assembly. The party, however, has the support of other parties that are opposed to BJP. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was close behind with 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats, the Samajwadi Party got one, while Independents bagged four seats in the state. Senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, will meet Patel. Kamal Nath is the likely choice as chief minister in the state as Digvijay Singh had already opted out and Nath is senior to Scindia. In Rajasthan, where the Congress has emerged as the single-largest party, winning 99 of the 200 seats, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot is most likely to be elected chief minister although Sachin Pilot, who is much junior, has most support among legislators. In Rajasthan, the BJP secured 73 seats while the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats, CPI (M) 2 and Independents 13 and other parties 6, according to the state Election Commissions website. The Congress is one short of a simple majority 100 seats and will seek support of the BSP and other parties to form government there. Voting was held in 199 of the 200 seats in the state on 7 December. Election to Alwars Ramgarh constituency was countermanded due to the death of the BSP candidate. The votes were counted on Tuesday. In Chhatisgarh, where the party has a clear majority, Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T S Singhdeo are front-runners for the chief minister post. The Congress won a landslide victory in the Chhattisgarh polls, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. The Congress legislature party is meeting to decide on the next chief minister. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. SEZ Policy review committee suggests a liberal SEZ policy The review of the policy on Special Economic Zones submitted by a group of eminent persons constituted by the government has suggested a shift in the policy framework from export growth to broad-based employment and economic growth. The group under the chairmanship of Baba Kalyani, chairman of Bharat Forge Ltd, has suggested an enabling framework for Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in 3Es (Employment and Economic Enclaves-3Es) in sync with state EoDB initiatives. The report suggests formulation of separate rules and procedures for manufacturing and service SEZs. The approach, according to the report, should focus on demand, shifting away from supply driven approach for 3Es development to improve efficiency of investment - based on certain industries, current level of existing inventory in the region. It also suggested the creation of an integrated online portal for new investments, operational requirements and exits related matters. To enhance competitiveness, it proposed the creation of an enabling ecosystem development by funding high speed multi modal connectivity, business services and utility infrastructure. Critical to provide support to create high quality infrastructure either within or linked to the zones, such as high speed rail, express roadways, passenger/cargo airports, shipping ports, warehouses etc, the report points out. The report suggests integrated industrial and urban development- walk to work zones, coordinated by the states and center on the frame work development to bring linkages between all initiatives. Besides, the report suggests: Procedural relaxations for developers and tenants to improve operational and exit issues; Extension of sunset clause and retaining tax or duty benefits; Broad-banding definition of services/allowing multiple services to come together; Additional enablers and procedural relaxations; Unified regulator for IFSC; Utilising multi services SEZ IFSC for all the inbound and out bound investment of the country; Incentives for availing services from IFSC SEZ by domestic institutions; Extension of benefit under services export incentives scheme; Allowing alternate sectors to invest in sector specific SEZs/ 3Es; Flexibility of long term lease for developers and tenants; and Facility of sub-contracting for customers outside 3Es/SEZs without any restriction or cap at any level. Specified domestic supplies supporting Make in India to be considered in NFE computation; No export duty on goods supplied to developers and used in manufacture of goods exported; Flexibility in usage of NPA by developers and sale space to investors/ units; Infrastructure status to improve access to finance and enable long term borrowing; Promote MSME participation in 3Es and enable manufacturing enabling service players to locate in 3E; and Dispute resolution through arbitration and commercial courts. The group constituted to review the governments Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Policy submitted its report last month, minister of state for commerce and industry C R Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. The cadre was clearly told that they need to work for the partys victory, sources added. New Delhi: Written off by most political pundits as a lost cause ahead of the Assembly polls, Vasundhara Raje-led BJP showed its resilience in Rajasthan. Most analysts and exit polls too had predicted a landslide victory for Congress in the state. However, the BJPs last minute push through its campaigning, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah and Raje, is believed to have improved the partys performance in the state. Sources stated that Mr Modis 13 rallies across the state and Shahs reaching out to the cadres helped the party to make up lost grounds in the last few days of campainging. Rajes appeal amongst the women voters also ensured a better performance for it. Sources pointed out that Mr Shah and Ms Raje reached out to every district of the state in the quest for votes. While the BJP chief was apparently reaching to the angry party cadre in each of the states districts, Ms Vasundhara Raje was making a pitch for the common voters. The partys strategy to hold wide ranging discussions with the party cadre also seemed to have helped it in ensuring a better performance by the party than was being expected from it. By visits to the grassroot level, senior party leaders also ensured that they reached out to the upset organisational workers who had seemingly been disenchanted with the Raje regime. The cadre was clearly told that they need to work for the partys victory, sources added. However, the BJPs hope that internal factionalism between the Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot camps did not reap enough benefits for it and the party lost in the finla race to the finish. Another factor that the BJP was banking on is the role of minor political players like Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharat Vahini Party of Ghanshyam Tiwari and few powerful independent candidates that could eat into the Congress votes, also came a cropper, sources added. Ballyshannon-based community activist Valerie McNulty has announced she will run as an independent candidate in the local elections in May. The business owner and founder of a Tanzanian NGO will run in the Donegal Municipal District. I have worked side by side with my community in numerous campaigns including the fight against water charges and the campaign against bank evictions and I am proud of our achievements to date. Over the last number of years I have been working on several community campaigns so as to bring about positive change for the residents of our area, she said. Having been approached by a number of people to contest, and with further encouragement from friends and family, I am now announcing my intention to seek election as an independent candidate. I have worked side by side with my community in numerous campaigns including the fight against water charges and the campaign against bank evictions and I am proud of our achievements to date. However it has been expressed to me by many people that part of the difficulty we have here in Donegal is the enormous gulf between the public and the council. It is my aspiration to be a strong voice for the people of the Donegal Municipal District at local government level so as to assist in empowering our community. We need to create social change and involve ordinary people in the decision making processes which affects their daily lives. At the moment we have politicians who speak about the numerous problems here, but then, they tell you to sit back and they will look after it. Change doesn't come from sitting back, it comes from being involved and active in your community. Issues affecting the county Ms McNulty highlighted some of the issues she felt are affecting the county. Certain issues have persistently affected the Donegal Municipal District. The lack of investment in the locality on rural infrastructure, broadband, jobs, housing, and more, have gone largely unchallenged. It is my view that those who wish to represent our area at Council level must put the interests of ordinary people first. she said. Ms McNulty will host a formal launch of her election campaign in the new year. Chandpur, a hugely popular Indian restaurant in Donegal town has won two national food awards in the last month to add to a plethora of awards won over the last number of years. Rana and Susan Miah, the owners of Chandpur, have had an amazing recent run of success, which started on October 24th when they won Best Indian Restaurant in Ulster and in Ireland at the Yes Chef Awards 2018 held in the Limerick Strand Hotel. Less than a month later, on November 13th, in the Crowne Plaza in Dublin Chandpur won another prestigious title, crowned Best Indian Restaurant in Ireland at The Food Awards Ireland 2017. And, only this week, news came through that Chandpur has won their second Gold Star from Lucinda O'Sullivan Great Places to Eat. The Chandpur Restaurant has received five stars from the Tripadvisor website. Those who have eaten in the award winning restaurants have given the restaurant excellent reviews. One review reads: What a fantastic restaurant, we are regular customers and we could not fault this restaurant in any way. Keep up the good work and we look forward to our next visit. From 2010 to 2017, the respected restaurant won a gold medal award five times and a silver medal in 2010 at the Taste of Donegal Food Festival. GOLD MEDAL In 2015, the restaurant was awarded the gold medal for overall champion chef and in 2014 the restaurant was awarded the best runner up chef and a gold medal. The restaurant took major awards at the Asian Food Awards with owners Rana and Susan Miah winning the regional prize for Restaurant of the year 2017 and chef Rana bringing home the award the title for the chef of year. The restaurant has also won the coveted title of Best Indian Restaurant All Ireland and Ulster for 2018. The restaurant took best runner up restaurant nationally in 2015. Chandpur won the award for the best runner up Indian Restaurant in Ireland in 2016 and 2017. The wonderful establishment won best chef in Ulster in the Irish Curry Awards 2016. INDIAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR In the Irish Food Awards 2017, the Donegal town eatery won the Indian Restaurant of the year. Susan Miah of Chandpur told the Democrat: "We are so proud of our recent Best in Ireland Awards, it is the highest accolade a restaurant can achieve and we have a fantastic team in Chandpur behind us. To bring this to our wonderful customers in Donegal Town is brilliant, they support us all year round, we cannot thank them enough for the loyalty and friendship they have shown us over the past few years. We strive everyday to offer the best food and service and will continue to do so." Insomnia Dundalk will reopen in a new location, in the Dundalk Neighbourhood Centre, becoming Insomnias fourth store to open in Co. Louth. Insomnia Coffee Company has become an iconic Irish brand and is well known to coffee lovers across the country offering hot beverages, sandwiches, and snacks. The company which started in 1997 has grown rapidly and now has over 150 stores including eighteen stores in the UK. Speaking about the reopening, Harry O Kelly, CEO of Insomnia: I am delighted to reopen Insomnia in Dundalk, Im sure this new shop in the shopping centre will be very popular and become a local hub. The store design reflects Insomnias coffee heritage whilst also taking and combining inspiration from vintage tea shops and industrial urban lofts. A welcoming and comfortable space using fabrics and natural finishes punctuated with quirky and fun branding evokes a great ambience. Alongside this is wall branding with coffee inspired messages, wall galleries and book shelves that operate a popular book swap system where apart from enjoying a book to read while having a coffee in store, customers can take a book away and all they have to do is leave a book to stay. The store will provide employment for seven new members of staff, including Rebecca Duffy Hamil, who has been working with Insomnia for over 7 years as a store manager in Blanchardstown. The full Insomnia menu will be available including Insomnia Voyager coffee and the new Christmas range which includes the Gingerbread Latte/Cappuccino, Golden Caramel Hot Chocolate and the bestseller Red Velvet Cake amongst other tasty treats. It is 18 years to the day since US president Bill Clinton visited Dundalk. On December 12 2000, an estimated 60,000 people gathered in the Market Square in Dundalk to see the US president. "It's a new day in Dundalk and a new day in Ireland", Clinton told the crowds, urging those involved in the Northern Ireland peace process to continue the work. The former president talks about his visit to Dundalk in his memoirs, published in 2004. In them he says: "On December 11th, Hillary, Chelsea and I flew to Ireland the land of my ancestors and scene of so much of the peacemaking I had done. "We stopped off in Dublin to see Bertie Ahern and went to Dundalk near the Border for a massive rally in a city that was once the hotbed of IRA activity and now a force for peace. "The streets were bright with Christmas lights and a large crowd cheered wildly as they sang Danny Boy to me. Seamus Heeney once said his interest was to clear a space in the mind and the world for the miraculous I thank the Irish for clearing that space in the mind and for the miracle of peace." The visit has been remembered today by some of those who were there on the night: Yogi was considered to be important in the scheme of things as he heads the powerful Nath sect of ascetics. 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. It was the barb of the victorious after a hard-fought battle. New Delhi: Exactly a year after he officially took over the reigns of the Congress Party from his mother, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for teaching him a lesson about what not to do. It was the barb of the victorious after a hard-fought battle. Under the leadership of the 48-year-old Gandhi scion, who has often been derisively called Pappu and Clown Prince by BJP leaders, the Congress on Tuesday wrested Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the rightwing party and has staked claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh where the two were running neck-and-neck throughout the day. 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 Frankly, Narendra Modi taught me the lesson what not to do, Mr Gandhi, who has spent most of the last four years accepting blame for his partys defeats in various state elections, said at a press conference on Tuesday evening after the results of these five Assembly elections were out. It has been a nice journey from 2014, he added. There was a little bit of a beating but it is a good thing, not a bad thing..., he quipped. The Congress was reduced to its lowest tally in Parliament ever in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. But on Tuesday, the Congress performance in these Assembly elections billed as the semi-final, the last popularity test before national elections has bolstered n Turn to Page 4 Mr Gandhis image and he has now catapulted to become the principal challenger to Prime Minister Modi in 2019. Mr Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to heartbeat of the country, Mr Gandhi said. Clearly, there is a feeling that PM Modi was unable to deliver what he committed, the Congress president told reporters. When PM Modi was elected, he was elected on platforms like employment, corruption. Now, voters are disillusioned. They believe the PM is involved in corruption. And these losses are the result of that, Mr Gandhi said. The Assembly polls outcome is a clear message to the Modi government that people are not happy with it and that the time has come for a change, Mr Gandhi said while asserting that his party will also win in 2019. Together, these three states in Hindi heartland account for 65 Lok Sabha seats of which the BJP won 62 in 2014. Commenting on the acrimonious election campaign, which saw him targeting the Prime Minister repeatedly as Chowkidar chor hai, Mr Gandhi said, Well I dont use bad language or personal remarks. Crediting his partys workers whom he called babbar sher (lions) for the wins, Mr Gandhi said that the BJP talks of a Congress Mukt Bharat, but the Congress does not want a BJP Mukt Bharat. We have our ideological differences with the BJP but that does not mean we want a BJP Mukt Bharat. Hum kisi ko mukt nahi karna chahtein, he said. Mr Gandhi dismissed speculation of a tussle over the chief ministers job in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. There wont be any big issue of chief minister, he said. Mr Gandhis journey, who in current round of Assembly elections addressed over 82 rallies in five states, has not been easy. Under constant personal attack and ridicule from the BJP, Mr Gandhi not only withstood the onslaught but also paid back the BJP in its own coin. He took the attack to the BJP camp, with his witty repartee on social media, temple visits and promises that embraced Hindu sentiments during the Gujarat Assembly election in December 2017. Though his party lost, it was the Congress best performance since 1992 in the state. Personal allegations were also made against him and his family by the top leadership of the BJP, but Mr Gandhi did not go down the personal insult route, sticking to substantive issues like jobs, farmer crisis, condition of small business. He even expelled senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar from the party for his use of intemperate language against the Prime Minister. And in the recent election campaign too, Mr Gandhi rapped senior leader C.P. Joshi in Rajasthan for his casteist remarks. Mr Gandhis big challenge came when the Congress fell short of a majority in Karnataka earlier this year and swiftly aligned with the JD(S), giving them the post of the Chief Minister, ensuring that it retained the state. In Tuesdays results, though the Congress lost Mizoram and failed to perform in Telangana, its wins in Indias heartland overshadowed the setbacks and are likely to help the Congress re-energise its party workers. The results also reiterate that Mr Gandhi, who took over the reins of his party on December 11 last year, has come into his own and is ready to steer the Grand Alliance. The BJP too can no longer get away with just name calling. It will have to address issues being raised by him. While admitting that the Congress would have liked to do better in Telangana, Mr Gandhi, speaking of the states won, said, Its now time for change. We are going to provide these three states with a vision for overall development. Asserting that the process of loan waiver for farmers will start as soon as Congress governments are formed, Mr Gandhi said that waiver is a measure, not a solution to farmers distress. In the battle that is now to begin for Lok Sabha 2019, Mr Gandhis leadership will be put to test like never before. More so because the Congress, which rightly faces criticism of being a one-family party, has chosen to yet again go with a member of the Gandhi family. If Mr Gandhi doesnt deliver, cracks in the party will get deeper. 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. Theresa Payton, CEO of Fortalice Solutions, is one of the most influential experts on cybersecurity and IT strategy in the United States. She is an authority on Internet security, data breaches and fraud mitigation. She served as the first female chief information officer at the White House, overseeing IT operations for President George W. Bush and his staff. With the U.S. midterm elections fast approaching, both Payton's observations about the current cybersecurity threat level and her advice about shoring up the nation's defenses carry special weight. In this exclusive interview, she also shares her views on social networking, privacy, and the changing playing field for women who aspire to leadership roles in technology. TechNewsWorld: What is the chief cyberthreat to the upcoming midterm elections? Theresa Payton: My biggest worry and concern is that citizens will not trust election results and that the election process will lose legitimacy. We know that the Department of Homeland Security, working with state election officials, have raced against the clock to secure voting systems. Our U.S. intelligence agencies have repeatedly been on the record stating there is no evidence that cybercriminals modified or deleted any votes in 2016. The next area of concern is for the communications, contacts, and digital campaigns of candidates being broken into and doxed. While the news focuses on securing the votes and the voter databases of the midterm elections, there is not a lot of attention on whether or not campaigns take threats targeting their campaigns seriously. Nothing would hit closer to home for a candidate than if their election was hacked and they lost -- or won. "Cyber" is certainly a buzzword, but it's not a word without meaning. With the onslaught of breaches, candidates should be laser-focused on cybersecurity. TNW: What should federal officials do to shore up election security? What should state and local governments do? Where does the buck stop? Payton: It's crucial that elected officials on the left and right not politicize an issue in the short term that will have grave long-term consequences for national security. Defensively, we need to harden our election infrastructure at the local level. This is the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security. DHS needs to continue to work at the local level with state election officials, but also to provide much more robust cybersecurity capabilities for protection and detection at the campaign level. We also need to be sure that the intelligence and homeland security community is effectively sharing information and tools, techniques and tactics. TNW: How serious are concerns that election interference might be caused by tampering with back-end election systems? What can federal agencies do to address the problems of outdated voting equipment, inadequate election-verification procedures, and other potential vulnerabilities? Is there an argument to be made for some level of mandatory federal oversight of state and local voter systems? Payton: There are grave concerns about election interference and the race to secure them, globally, is under way. The idea that voter databases could be seeded with falsified data or modified has been around for decades, but the technical know-how and motive has caught up with that idea. Election officials in a race towards automation and efficiency may have helped criminals along, but it's not too late if we act now. Today, there are entire countries totally relying on electronic voting: Brazil, since 2000, has employed electronic voting machines, and in 2010 had 135 million electronic voters. India had 380 million electronic voters for its Parliament election in 2004. It is easy to see why electronic voting is the wave of the future and how the United States could model its own voting system after these countries. It's faster, cheaper and more accessible for those with disabilities. Also, would you miss the experience of, or the reporting of, the every-election-day headline of "Long Lines at the Polls Today"? Probably not. That is certainly less painful than a recount though. We are headed towards electronic voting as the sole system we use despite these facts: "The U.S. intelligence community developed substantial evidence that state websites or voter registration systems in seven states were compromised by Russian-backed covert operatives prior to the 2016 election -- but never told the states involved, according to multiple U.S. officials," NBC News reported earlier this year. Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee's emails with the intention to "interfere with the U.S. election process," according to the director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., and the Department of Homeland Security. As far as we know, despite the scans and alarm bells, no outside entity has changed any records in the registration database. Scams such as "text your vote" were more prevalent than ever, and will increase as electronic voting becomes more widespread. The good news is our government took this very seriously. Prior to the midterm elections, the Department of Homeland Security offered state election officials "cyber hygiene scans" to remotely search for vulnerabilities in election systems. They also conducted threat briefings and onsite reviews, as well as released a memo of "best practices" -- guidance how best to secure their voter databases. Some have called for more federal oversight and moving towards a more restrictive security model, but the states own the voting process. Providing year-round briefings from DHS, FBI, CIA, and NSA would prove to be very helpful over time. Also, we have to remember elections are decentralized. Sometimes there is security in obscurity. Each state in our country, plus the District of Columbia, run their own election operations, including voter databases. A hostile nation state could not feasibly wipe out each system with one wave of their magic wand. How we vote, though, is just one-way our elections could be compromised. Another concern going forward must be disruption of Internet traffic, as we saw occurred just days before the last presidential election cycle on Oct. 21st, 2016, when the Mirai botnet crippled part of the Internet for hours. A massive Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacked a host server causing major disruptions to some of the most highly visited websites in the United States. The attack was in two waves, first on the East Coast and then on the West Coast. As our country votes on Election Day in different time zones, and polling stations close at different times, the similarity is chilling. However, we need everyone to turn out to vote. The focus on bolstering our election security defenses is reassuring. What we know is the warning signs are there. As we move towards the future, and focus on creating and protecting a new system to collect our votes, we need to protect the one we already have. Two things you can be sure of after this year's election: Eventually, every vote you cast in a United States election will be electronic, and one of those elections will be hacked. No doubt about it. But the recount in 2016 in Wisconsin reminds us all why we need a backup. TNW: What are some ways candidates and campaigns can shore up their cybersecurity without draining their war chests? What are some of the practices they should implement in the very early days? A campaign that's very secure ultimately might lose due to lack of visibility. How can campaigns strike the right balance? Payton: Never before have campaigns collected so much essential information that would be lucrative to so many cybercriminals. Credit card numbers, bank account information, addresses, online identities. The assets go on and on, and cybercriminals are just like bank robbers in the old days: They follow the money. That is why in today's day and age, if you are on a campaign, whether it be state, national or local, you need to be as vigilant about protecting data as any business. Otherwise, you will lose your customers -- also known as constituents and voters. Anyone on a tight budget can follow these guidelines to protect their campaign assets: Make it as hard as possible on cybercriminals by separating donor information details onto a completely separate domain name with separate user IDs and passwords from the campaign. For example, your campaign domain might be VoteSallySue.com, but donor details would be stored at MustProtectDetails.com. Using that same practice, run all of your internal communications on a domain name that's not the campaign name -- i.e., email addresses should not be henry@VoteSallySue.com but rather henry@MustProtectDetails.com. Increase the level of protection for internal messages by using encrypted messaging platforms for internal communications, such as Signal or Threema. Also, be sure to encrypt all of your campaign's donor data. We have yet to hear a report of a campaign's donor data being hacked and used for identity theft, but we will -- of that I am sure. It would be too lucrative not to try. Once it is hacked, it will be hard to restore confidence in your operation. Just ask any major retailer, bank or organization who has recently been hacked, and they will tell you. I don't even need to use their names, you know the headlines. Train technology and campaign staff to spot spearphishing emails and scams. Oh, sure, you think everyone knows not to "click on that link," but recent studies illustrate doing just that is the No. 1 cause of breaches among employees. Another safeguard that raises the bar in terms of security is implementing two-factor authentication wherever feasible. When you use a platform that employs two-factor authentication, don't you feel safer? Possibly annoyed, as well, but certainly reassured that the extra step has been taken to secure your data. Don't you want the electorate to feel the same way? Finally, post a privacy policy that's easy to read, easy to find, and you'll find voters have more confidence in just your agenda. TNW: How well -- or poorly -- have Facebook, Twitter, Google and other tech companies addressed the problems that surfaced in 2016? Payton: I was encouraged to hear that with less than three weeks to go for the U.S. mid-terms, that Facebook has stood up a war room to combat social media community manipulation as the world heads into elections this fall and winter. They have also said they have war-gamed a number of scenarios to ensure their team is better prepared for elections around the globe. Much is at stake, so the fact that Facebook also integrated the apps they have acquired -- such as WhatsApp and Instagram -- into the mix of the war room is a great idea. If I were to give them advice, I would suggest that another great step to take would be to create a way to physically embed representatives from law enforcement, other social media companies -- including Twitter, Linkedin and Google -- and to allow election officials around the globe to have a "red phone" access to the war room. TNW: What are some of the most pressing cybersecurity problems facing social networks, apart from their use as political tools? Payton: The ability to change their business and moderator models, in real time, to morph quickly to shut down fake personas, fake ads, and fake messaging promoting political espionage, even if it means higher expenses and loss of revenue. Social media companies have made a lot of progress since the 2016 presidential elections and claims of global-wide election meddling, but the criminals have changed tactics and it's harder to spot them. On the heels of the August 2018 news that Microsoft seized six domains that Russian Internet trolls planned to use for political espionage phishing attacks around the same time that Facebook deactivated 652 fake accounts and pages tied to misinformation campaigns, Alex Stamos, the former Facebook security chief, posted an essay in Lawfare, and stated that it was "too late to protect the 2018 elections." TNW: What role should the government play in protecting citizens' privacy online? Payton: As the Internet evolves, laws and regulations must change more rapidly to reflect societal issues and problems created by new types of behavior taking place online. Never before has the world had access to statements, pictures, video and criticism by millions of individuals who are not public figures. The Internet provides us with places to document our lives, thoughts and preferences online, and then holds that material for an indefinite period of time -- long after we might have outgrown our own postings. It also provides places where we can criticize our bosses, local building contractors, or polluters. This digital diary of our lives leaves tattered pages of our past that we may forget about because we cannot see them, but they could be collected, collated, and used to judge us or discriminate against us without due process. The government needs to think ahead and determine which laws need to be enacted to protect our right to opt in and out of privacy features and to own our digital lives and footprints. TNW: What is your opinion of Europe's "right to be forgotten" law? Do you think a similar law would make sense in the United States? Payton: The European Union's "right to be forgotten" sets an interesting precedent, not just for its member countries but for citizens around the world. It is too early to know what the long-term impacts of the EU's decision to enforce a "right to be forgotten" with technology companies will be. However, it's a safe bet the law will evolve and not disappear. There are concerns that giving you or organizations more control of their Internet identity, under a "right to be forgotten" clause, could lead to [censorship] of the Internet. Free-speech advocates around the globe are concerned that the lack of court precedent and the gray areas of the EU law could lead to pressure for all tech companies to remove results across the globe, delinking news stories and other information upon an individual's request. A quick history lesson of how this law came about: A Spanish citizen filed a complaint with Spain's Data Protection Agency and indicated that Google Spain and Google Inc. had violated his privacy rights by posting an auction notice that his home was repossessed. The matter was resolved years earlier but since "delete is never really delete" and "the Internet never forgets," the personal data about his financial matters haunted his reputation online. He requested that Google Spain and Google Inc. be required to remove the old news so it would not show up in search engine results. The Spanish court system reviewed the case and referred it to the European Union's Court of Justice. Here is an excerpt of what the May 2014 ruling of the EU Court said: "On the 'Right to be Forgotten': Individuals have the right -- under certain conditions -- to ask search engines to remove links with personal information about them. This applies where the information is inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive for the purposes of the data processing . A case-by-case assessment is needed considering the type of information in question, its sensitivity for the individual's private life and the interest of the public in having access to that information. The role the person requesting the deletion plays in public life might also be relevant." In the U.S., implementing a federal law might be tempting, but the challenge is that the ability to comply with the law will be complex and expensive. This could mean that the next startup will be crushed under compliance and therefore innovation and startups will die before they can get launched. However, we do need a central place of advocacy and a form of a consumer privacy bill of rights. We have remedies to address issues but it's a complex web of laws that apply to the Internet. Technology changes society faster than the law can react, so U.S. laws relating to the Internet will always lag behind. We have a Better Business Bureau to help us with bad business experiences. We have the FTC and FCC to assist us with commerce and communications. Individuals need an advocacy group to appeal to, and for assistance in navigating online defamation, reputational risk, and an opportunity to scrub their online persona. TNW: What is your attitude toward social networking? What's your advice to others regarding the trustworthiness of social networks? Payton: Social networking can offer us amazing ways to stay in touch with colleagues, friends and loved ones. It's a personal decision as to how involved you are online, how many platforms you interact with, and how much of your life that you digitally record or transact online. If you want to be on social media but don't want to broadcast everything about you, I tell my clients to turn off location tracking -- or geolocation tools -- in social media. That way you aren't "checking in" places. Cybercriminals use these check-ins to develop your pattern of life and to track your circle of trust. If a cybercriminal has these two patterns, it makes it easier for them to hack your accounts. Register for an online service that will give you a phone number, such as Google Voice or Talkatone. Provide that number on social media and forward it to your real cellphone. Avoid personality surveys and other surveys -- they are often very fun to do, but the information posted often gives digital clues to what you may use for your password. Always turn on two-factor authentication for your accounts, and tie your social media accounts to an email address dedicated to social media. Turn on alerts to notify you if there is a login that is outside your normal login patterns. The amount of personal information you choose to share is up to you -- and everyone has to find that limit of what is too much -- but at the very least, never give out personally identifiable information like your address, DOB, financial information, etc. TNW: As the first woman to serve in the role of CIO at the White House, under President George W. Bush, how did you feel about becoming an instant role model for girls and young women interested in tech careers? Payton: It's an honor to think about the opportunity to give back and to help along anyone that wants to pursue this career path, especially young women. Candidly, we need everyone to fight the good fight. My heart breaks when I see computer and engineering classes with very few women in them. We did not reach out to the women early enough, and when I talk to young women in high school and college about considering cybersecurity as a career, many of then tell me that since they have had no prior exposure they are worried about failing, and that it's "too late now to experiment." To which I tell them that it's always a great time to experiment and learn new things! Prior to taking on the role at the White House, I had been very active in women in technology groups and was passionately recruiting young women to consider technology careers. At the time I was offered the role and accepted, I candidly didn't have an immediate aha moment about being a role model for women because of that specific job. I was most focused on making sure the mission was a success. I see it now and it's an honor to be able to be a role model and I strive to live up to that expectation. The cybersecurity industry can do more to help women understand the crucial role that cybersecurity professionals play that make a difference in our everyday lives. Unfortunately, hackers, both ethical and unethical, are often depicted as men wearing hoodies over their faces, making it difficult for women to picture themselves in that role as a realistic career choice, because they don't think they have anything in common with hackers. Studies show that women want to work in professions that help people -- where they are making a difference. When you stop a hacker from stealing someone's identity, you've made a difference in someone's life or business. At the end of the day, the victims of hackers are people, and women can make a tremendous difference in this field. This is something the industry as a whole needs to do a better job of showing women. TNW: You're now the CEO of a company in the private sector. Can you tell us a little about what Fortalice Solutions does, its mission, and your priorities in guiding it? Payton: Fortalice Solutions is a team of cybercrime fighters. We hunt bad people from behind a keyboard to protect what matters most to nations, business and people. We combine the sharpest minds in cybersecurity with active intelligence operations to secure everything from government and corporate data and intellectual property, to individuals' privacy and security. At Fortalice, our strengths lie in studying the adversary and outmaneuvering them with our human-first, technology-second approaches. TNW: How have attitudes toward women in powerful positions changed -- for better or worse -- in recent years? Payton: Although thankfully this is beginning to change, I am typically the only woman in the room -- and that was common in banking as well as technology. I had to learn how to stand up for myself and ensure my voice was heard. I've had more than my fair share of times when my technical acumen has been discounted because I'm female. I've learned that grace and tact go a long way, and I'm very, very proud to say that my company is nearly dead-equal male/female. We even started an organization called "Help A Sister Up" -- you can find us on LinkedIn -- that's dedicated to advancing women in technology and serving as a rallying point for them and their male advocates. We post job openings, interesting articles, avenues for discussion. Please join us! TNW: What's your advice to girls and women entering technological fields about whether to seek employment in the private or the public sector? What are some of the pros and cons, particularly from the standpoint of gender equality? Payton: An April 2013 survey of Women in Technology found that 45 percent of respondents noted a "lack of female role models or [the encouragement to pursue a degree in a technology-related field]." It's been proven that professional mentorship and development dramatically increase participation in any given field, so the lack of women in cybersecurity is really a compounding problem -- we don't have enough women in cyber because there aren't enough women role models in cyber. While connecting with other women has had its challenges, there are wonderful women in cyber today. Look at Linda Hudson -- currently the chairman and CEO of The Cardea Group and former president and CEO of BAE Systems Inc. -- shattering the glass ceiling for women behind her. Also, up-and-comer Keren Elazari, a global speaker on cybersecurity and ethical hacker out of Israel. I've been very lucky to work with wonderful, inspiring women in cyber, but I recognize that my exposure might be more than women starting their career. This brings me to my next point: I recommend all cyber practitioners, and especially women, take advantage of all the amazing free tools out there from RSA, TED talks, and even YouTube. You can watch speeches from veteran cybersecurity professionals about their careers, hear their advice on how to succeed, and learn new skills to keep you competitive in the workplace. Consider free online courses in cybersecurity or popular programming languages like Python. Ask your colleagues to show you their favorite geek gadget or ethical hack. There are some excellent security frameworks and guidance available for free online, such as the NIST framework, CIS Critical Security Controls, SSAE 16, and discussions on GDPR. Leverage social media to hear what's on the minds of security experts. You must be a constant student of your profession in this field. Mick Brady is managing editor of ECT News Network. 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. Google is not working on a bespoke search engine that caters to China's totalitarian tastes, and it has no plans to develop one, CEO Sundar Pichai told lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday. "Right now, we have no plans to launch in China," he told members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee at a public hearing on Google's data collection, use and filtering practices. "We don't have a search product there," he said. "Our core mission is to provide users access to information, and getting access to information is an important human right." Pichai acknowledged that the company had assigned some 100 workers to develop a search engine for totalitarian countries, however. "We explored what search would look like if it were to be launched in a country like China," he revealed. 'Dragonfly' Browser A report about a Google search engine for China appeared in The Intercept this summer. The project, code-named "Dragonfly," had been under way since the spring of 2017, according to the report, but development picked up after Pichai met with Chinese government officials about a year ago. Special Android apps also had been developed for the Chinese market, The Intercept stated, and had been demonstrated to the Chinese government for a possible rollout this year. "We certainly hope they abandoned those plans," said Chris Calabrese, vice president for policy for the Center for Democracy & Technology, an individual rights advocacy group in Washington, D.C. "We didn't think it was a good idea to build a search engine that would censor speech in order to go into the Chinese market," he told the E-Commerce Times. Google may have been testing the waters with its Chinese browser, maintained Russell Newman, assistant professor for the Institute for Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary Studies at Emerson College in Boston. "It's an example of a firm seeing how far down the road it can go before it receives pushback," he told the E-Commerce Times. "It discovers a limit, then pushes that limit a little more. I'd be surprised if they wholly gave up on the search engine for China." Mission: Protecting Privacy In his opening remarks to the committee, Pichai declared that protecting the privacy and security of its users was an essential part of Google's mission. "We have invested an enormous amount of work over the years to bring choice, transparency and control to our users. These values are built into every product we make," he said. "We recognize the important role of governments, including this committee, in setting rules for the development and use of technology," Pichai added. "To that end, we support federal privacy legislation and proposed a legislative framework for privacy earlier this year." Pichai also addressed a burning issue for Republican members of the panel. "I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way," he said. "To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests." 'Bias Running Amok' Among the Republicans on the committee who raised the issue of unfairness with respect to the way Google's search algorithm treats conservative views was Mike Johnson, R-La. "My conservative colleagues and I are fierce advocates of limited government, and we're also committed guardians of free speech and the free marketplace of ideas," he told Pichai. "We do not want to impose burdensome government regulations on your industry," Johnson continued. "However, we do believe we have an affirmative duty to ensure that the engine that processes as much as ... 90 percent of all Internet searches, is never unfairly used to unfairly censor conservative viewpoints or suppress political views." Political bias is running amok at Google, charged committee member Louie Gohmert, R-Texas. "You're so surrounded by liberality that hates conservatism, hates people that really love our Constitution and the freedoms that it's afforded people like you, that you don't even recognize it," he told Pichai, who was born in India. "It's like a blind man not even knowing what light looks like because you're surrounded by darkness," Gohmert added. Despite Republican claims of liberal bias in Google's algorithm, "there isn't any evidence to back that up empirically," Calabrese said. Market Dominance Committee members also were concerned about Google's market dominance. "I'm deeply concerned by reports of Google's discriminatory conduct in the market for Internet search," said David Cicilline, D-R.I. Google has harmed competition in Europe by favoring its own products and services over rivals, and by deprioritizing or delisting its competitors' content, he noted citing European Commission findings. "It is important for the U.S. government to follow the lead of other countries and closely examine the market dominance of Google and Facebook, including their impact on industries such as news media," observed David Chavern, CEO of the News Media Alliance in Arlington, Va., a trade association representing some 2,000 newspapers in the United States and Canada. "We will continue to urge for more hearings to examine ways in which the duopoly impacts the business of journalism, which is essential to democracy and civic society," he told the E-Commerce Times. Prelude to Privacy Law House and Senate hearings in recent months are just the prelude to data privacy legislation that could be introduced next year. "We're certainly going to see a wide variety of comprehensive privacy bills filed, and I think we'll make some progress," Calabrese said. "Advocates have seen the need for privacy legislation for a long time," he said, "and now that we have privacy legislation set to kick in in California in 2020, there's a lot of companies who would rather be governed by a federal law than they would a bunch of different state laws." If a general privacy law is enacted, it shouldn't use Europe's General Data Protection Regulation as a model, maintained Alan McQuinn, senior policy analyst for the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a public policy and technology innovation organization in Washington, D.C. "We don't want to see the GDPR enacted here in the states," he told the E-Commerce Times. "It is highly likely to create a drag on the European economy and hurt innovation and businesses," McQuinn explained. Privacy rules should be styled to fit industries, such as healthcare, finance and commerce, he suggested. "The sector-specific approach that the U.S. has taken toward privacy has allowed for more innovation," McQuinn noted, "and created the powerhouse of the digital economy that we have here." John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. B2B Lead Generation Service Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more. Facebook at one time considered charging companies for access to its user data, according to a Wall Street Journal report based on three pages of unredacted material from an 18-page document showing portions of some internal Facebook emails, mainly from about 2012 to 2014. The documents are linked to a lawsuit, Six4Three LLC v. Facebook Inc., filed in California Superior Court, San Mateo County (Redwood City). Six4Three, the developer of Pikini, a now-defunct app for locating photos of users' friends in swimsuits, filed a complaint in 2015 alleging that Facebook's data policies were anticompetitive and favored certain companies over others. The app failed because Facebook restricted developers' access to friends' data in 2015, a move that doomed Six4Three's business plan, according to the complaint. Facebook has denied the allegations and accused Six4Three of making sensational claims and mischaracterizing its internal records to get attention from the media. "When the app came out, the press [reports] noted it was quite creepy," Facebook spokesperson Katy Dormer pointed out. "The whole objective of this lawsuit is to get Facebook to reverse platform changes we made in 2014 and 2015 giving access to all developers to information about friends and friends of friends information," Dormer told TechNewsWorld. [Six4Three] want us to enable those same sharing abilities that Cambridge Analytica exploited, and that's not something we're going to do." The Documents' Circuitous Path The sensitive documents were supposed to remain sealed in the California court case. However, Ted Kramer, one of Six4Three's principals, apparently handed them over to Damian Collins, head of the UK Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee when Kramer made a business trip to London. Kramer reportedly had refused to provide the documents at first, but acceded after Collins suggested he could go to prison for defying an order from the UK parliament. Kramer then found some files in his laptop that he claimed not to have read, and copied them onto a flash drive for Collins. Collins said over the weekend that he was free under UK law to disclose the Facebook documents. What the Emails Reveal The emails Collins released show that Facebook discussed ways to monetize its user data the way some other tech firms have done. One Facebook employee suggested shutting down data access across the board to all apps that did not spend at least US$250,000 a year to maintain access to that data. In one email exchange, Facebook employees reportedly offered to extend the Tinder dating app's access to user data at no charge, in return for the use of Tinder's "Moments" trademark. The trademark dispute with Facebook over "Moments" was resolved years ago, Tinder said, adding that it did not receive special treatment, data or access related to the dispute or its resolution. Another set of emails dealt with Facebook negotiating a special agreement with Amazon in 2013. One Facebook employee said it would result in Amazon getting less access to data, and another responded that Facebook either would have "a disappointing conversation with Amazon or a strategic conversation in the context of the broader deal discussions," the Journal reported. Another set of emails dealt with the Royal Bank of Canada's access to Facebook user data. One Facebook employee asked whether the bank had an agreement requiring it to spend a certain amount on advertising each year. Another responded that the bank would run one of the biggest mobile app-install ad campaigns ever run in Canada. The bank maintained that it never had a minimum marketing spend or target agreement with Facebook. Taking Care of Business The documents at the center of the WSJ story "reflect internal conversations where we were trying to build a sustainable business with the developers of apps," Facebook's Dormer pointed out. "Like any organization, we were discussing what we should do and, instead of charging developers, we ultimately decided to give them APIs for free." Facebook had just emerged from its IPO in May 2012 -- then the largest technology IPO in United States history. The company offered more than 421 million shares at $38 each and raised more than $16 billion. The company's performance immediately following the IPO was disappointing, however. Facebook had not yet developed a strategy to generate revenue from its mobile product, and it was struggling with a data sharing policy that gave tens of thousands of outside app developers access to private information about its users through its developer platform, while the company got nothing back in return. The emails Wall Street Journal reporters saw lacked context and in some cases were truncated, the paper reported. Facebook had said in other court filings that the excerpts subsequently were redacted because they contained sensitive discussions of its internal strategic analysis of third-party applications, releasing information that could damage Facebook's relationships with developers. Further, the documents "are only part of the story, and the way they were presented was misleading," Facebook's Dormer maintained. San Mateo County Superior Judge V. Raymond Swope, who is hearing the Six4Three suit, apparently thinks so as well. He has written that the company has not convinced him that the documents in question are relevant to the case. He reportedly said that Six4Three's lawyers were engaging in "brute litigation overkill." Groping for an Identity Facebook "has been conflicted since its founding," noted Michael Jude, program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan. "Is it a common carrier, or is it a service provider that delivers a service in exchange for access to subscriber data?" he asked. If it's a common carrier, "it has to abide by common carriage rules with equal access, and must provide protections for subscriber personal data," Jude told TechNewsWorld. If, on the other hand, Facebook is a service provider, then "it can do anything it wants as long as it has the explicit agreement from its subscribers that it can," he said. Six4Three's Chances Facebook "wants the best of both worlds, so it has to monetize access somehow, and this involves selling access to subscriber data for fun and profit," Jude noted. This "generates dissonance in what it does over time," he said. Currently the argument is "between the privacy hawks and Facebook's business customers. I suspect they'll weigh the penalties of offending each and pick the least painful financially." Given that, said Jude, "I think Six4Three is out of luck." Richard Adhikari has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile technologies, CRM, databases, software development, mainframe and mid-range computing, and application development. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including Information Week and Computerworld. He is the author of two books on client/server technology. Email Richard. Introduction At first, Ernest Rospierski thought it was a drill. But within a minute, Nikolas Cruz had made his way on to the third floor of Marjory Stoneman Highs Building 12, where Rospierksi taught. His AR-15 assault rifle drawn, Cruz quickly shot four students and a fellow teacher. As Rospierski tried to protect a dozen other teens still exposed in the hallway, the gunman made eye contact, then pulled the trigger again. Bullets grazed the history and geography teachers face and hip. But his level-headed responseshielding his students in hallway alcoves, then ushering them to safety when Cruz stopped to reloadsaved numerous lives, according to the state commission investigating the tragedy. Ernie Rospierski is an unsung hero, said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the groups chairman. Now, nearly a year after the attack, Rospierski says such praise has helped him make peace with the decisions he made on Feb. 14. And hes back working at Stoneman Douglas. But theres a question thats been gnawing at him. Why, the seventh-year teacher wants to know, did it take officials from the Broward County Public Schools five months to make contact with him and see if he was OK? For the nations sixth-largest school district, which says its doing everything it can to support a community torn apart by tragedy, its another sign of a rift that seems to just keep growing wider. The response from the school district has been more cover your ass than anything else, Rospierski said in an interview. Its been too little, too late. Introduction The nations sixth-largest school district has received at least 103 notices of pending legal claims related to its role in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High last February. Just one example: In March, lawyers for a Stoneman Douglas student who is not 18 notified Broward County Public Schools of their intent to sue, saying the girl suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing confessed killer Nikolas Cruz shoot several classmates and kill two of her friends as she hid in a classroom closet inside Stoneman Douglas. The districts failure to protect Stoneman Douglas students from harm was unreasonable, callous and negligent, the notice reads. All told, the Parkland massacre left 17 dead, 17 wounded, and potentially thousands more traumatized. The notices of pending legal action come from the families of both student and teacher victims, as well as students and staff members who survived the attack. One of the notices was filed by newly elected Broward school board member Lori Alhadeff, a Parkland parent whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa was killed in the attack. Because Florida law requires that state agencies must be given six months notice before a lawsuit can be filed, the notices of pending claims submitted to the district give the fullest sense of the scope of the possible legal actions the Broward district may face. In addition, survivors and family members of Parkland victims have already filed numerous lawsuits against Cruz, his mother, the family with whom he was living at the time of the shooting, three different mental health agencies that allegedly evaluated Cruz, and the companies that manufactured and sold the AR-15 assault rifle he used during his rampage. Introduction This fall, the PTA at Riverglades Elementary raised nearly $42,000 through its no-brainer eventjust write the school a check, parents were told, and call it a day. In a normal year, said PTA president Cara De Meo, all that money might have gone to new laptops for students, or new keyboards for the music department. But this year, theres another priority to consider. Improving school security. Riverglades is just a few miles away from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, where a school shooting left 17 dead and 17 injured last February. Its been upsetting for everybody, De Meo said. Eager for immediate action, the Riverglades PTA already spent more than $6,500 last spring for a new buzzer system to help secure their schools entryway, plus nearly $3,000 for new stop-the-bleed kits for every classroom. Now, Riverglades parents are asking some of the same hard questions as the families of the Stoneman Douglas victims. Can the 271,000-student Broward County school district keep their children safe? When it comes to addressing ongoing security gaps at the countys 234 schools, can Superintendent Robert Runcie summon any kind of urgency from the districts massive bureaucracy? And even in a place like Parkland, how much should parents realistically be expected to take on themselves? Everyone has come together to get a lot done, De Meo said. But the PTA is there to enhance the school, not to protect the kids. Results of only 138 Assembly constituencies were out when Congress hand delivered the letter to the Raj Bhavan late in the evening. Congress Party workers hold Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiradtitya Scindias cutout as they celebrate at the Congress headquarters in Bhopal on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI) Bhopal: In a dramatic turn of events, the Congress here sought an appointment with Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel late on Tuesday night to stake claim toform 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 114 seats while BJP was ahead in 109 seats as the last reports poured in the state election office here. The move was taken to avoid a situation like Goa fiasco in which Congress was robbed of the opportunity to form government in that state due to delay in staking claim, a senior Congress leader told this newspaper. The BJP had formed government in Goa despite not being the single largest party there due to this. In a letter delivered to the Raj Bhavan here late in the evening, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath said, The Congress has emerged the single largest party with majority support. All the independents have in addition assured support to the Congress party. As president of Pradesh Congress Committee, I seek an appointment with your Excellency late tonight as soon as the results are officially declared along with my senior leaders to apprise you and seek your permission to form government in state of Madhya Pradesh. I would be grateful for an early response to this communication, the letter delivered to the Raj Bhavan said. Interestingly, BJP has begun efforts to must the majority by roping in independent candidates. The development has signaled to an ensuing tussle between the rival parties to form the government in the state. Thomas Rottach, Siglent (talking to Nicole Worner, Markt&Technik): "It won't be easy, but I am optimistic that our new European strategy will enable us to cut an increasingly large slice of the cake". So far, the Chinese test equipment manufacturer Siglent is relatively little known in Europe. That is due to change now. We talked about the company's plans with Thomas Rottach, Sales & Marketing Manager of Siglent Technologies Germany GmbH. Markt&Technik: Siglent announced that it will relocate the European office opened in 2014 from Hamburg to Southern Germany. Why? Thomas Rottach: The reason is quite simple: We want to grow and see the Munich area as the best starting point. The previous European headquarter was more of a logistics center for Siglent, staffed by a part-time employee who took care of warehousing and deliveries. For technical support, the office was staffed by changing colleagues from China. The complete order processing and organization took place directly in China. In the meantime, however, the European business has grown so strongly that you simply need your own team - with local contact persons who can provide customers with advice and support at short notice. Could you please give us a more specific picture of the growth in the European business? Over the past few years, we have achieved an annual growth of over 30 percent - in some cases even over 45 percent. Starting, of course, from a small amount, but in the meantime we have achieved sales of just under 5 million euros. In order to be able to continue these growth rates, we must now take the initiative and establish a permanently staffed branch office. The next step is to look for an office and warehouse in the vicinity of Munich. The colleague from Hamburg will also move to Munich with her entire family and will continue to support us there. In addition, we will employ a support/service employee and an office manager who will take care of order processing. During the transition period, approximately 1 year, a support colleague from China will support us so that we can take care of the construction of the new European headquarters. Sales will continue via distributors? Yes, we have a large network of distributors who have very good market access, which we would not be able to establish ourselves so quickly. With which products do you address the European market? We currently have oscilloscopes, signal generators, power supplies, multimeters, and spectrum analyzers in our portfolio. A few new devices will be added to our portfolio at electronica - including a 1 GHz oscilloscope. This is another reason to establish a local subsidiary: With the expansion from the lower performance class to the middle class, customer requirements are rising, questions are becoming more demanding, and local service/support is also in demand. In general, you will remain loyal to the low-price segment for the time being? Yes, it does not make sense to go higher at the beginning. We must first approach the market and increase our brand awareness. You have to build that up slowly. What significance does Europe have for Siglent? Europe is one of the most important markets alongside the USA. Both are very popular with the Chinese: in general and Siglent in particular. Both are large, growing markets in which you naturally want to participate. Europeans and Americans are not afraid to give feedback, both positive and negative. This is important for the Chinese, because they can learn a lot from it. In addition, Siglent has had OEM cooperations with well-known metrology manufacturers for years, for whom they produce and develop. The team has already learned a lot from this, too. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) Planning to see the historic Balangiga bells for yourself? The bells will be on display at the Philippine Air Force Museum inside the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City until Thursday, December 13. The public viewing is from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Balangiga bells will then be turned over to officials in the town of Balangiga in Eastern Samar on Saturday, December 15. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, in his speech during the handover ceremony at Villamor Thursday, said the bells must be returned to the Church of San Lorenzo de Martir, where they may "ring in peace." "The Bells of Balangiga are home now, in the Philippines, where they belong," Kim added. More than a century has passed before the bells set foot again in Philippine soil. American soldiers have taken the bells from the Balangiga church and a 1557 cannon as "war booty" in 1901, after a deadly fight ensued between Filipinos and Americans in what is now known as the Balangiga massacre. BJP has lost three of its bastions - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan - to Congress in just-concluded assembly polls. A national-level pre-poll alliance of all opposition parties, including Congress, should be formed to put up a one-to-one fight against the saffron party and stop division in anti-BJP votes," Yashwant Sinha said (Photo: File) Kolkata: Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday said the election results from three key states have destroyed the "untenable theory of the Modi magic" and hoped that the saffron party's debacle would propel the opposition parties to bond better for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP has lost three of its bastions - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan - to the Congress in the just-concluded assembly polls. In Mizoram and Telangana, the party won one seat each. Yashwant Sinha, who has been vocal with his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also suggested two alternatives for defeating the BJP in the general election. "A national-level pre-poll alliance of all opposition parties, including the Congress, should be formed to put up a one-to-one fight against the saffron party and stop division in anti-BJP votes. If the first option does not succeed, there should be a nationwide pre-poll alliance of regional parties with possible adjustment with the Congress, where ever that is possible," he said. The veteran leader, who held portfolios of finance and external affairs from 1998-2004 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government at the Centre, quit the party earlier this year. He said there is no conflict of interest among the regional parties. "The TMC (in West Bengal) won't have any conflict with the TDP (in Andhra Pradesh) or the DMK (in Tamil Nadu). There is a bright possibility of regional parties, together, getting more seats than the BJP. The regional parties should have an adjustment with Congress. After polls, they can come together for government formation," Sinha told PTI in an interview. He exhorted the Congress to refrain from making the mistake of declaring itself as leader of the opposition alliance even though it managed to win assembly elections in three states. The leader of the opposition alliance should be chosen only after the elections, Sinha suggested. "The election results in five states destroyed the untenable theory of the Modi magic and will propel the opposition parties to bond better for the next Lok Sabha polls," the former Union minister asserted. Citing reasons behind his recommendation of pre-poll alliance, Sinha said if the saffron party emerges as the single largest party with around 150 seats, it may be called first to form the government even if the Congress and the regional outfits taken together bag more seats. "According to the convention, which has been established in our country, the President will be well within his rights to invite the single largest party (BJP) and that will open floodgates for mischief (horse trading). But if the regional parties form a pre-poll alliance it will be treated as a single entity," he reasoned. His comments came in the backdrop of opposition parties such as RJD, SP, TDP vociferously seeking a grand alliance and the Congress stressing on state-specific alliances. The veteran leader alleged that the BJP was rooting for presidential form of elections. "Who was Narendra Modi before being elected as PM? He was a chief minister of a state. There is an array of leaders in the opposition parties who have served as CMs and former ministers. There is no dearth of leaders," he said. Sinha's remarks come days after the BJP took at a dig at the anti-BJP camp, asking it to first declare a prime ministerial candidate before thinking of ousting the Narendra Modi government. The former finance minister said the anti-BJP parties which are dominant in their respective states, including the Congress, should take the responsibility of bringing other parties in their fold. Speaking on the performance of the Modi government, he said that a second term for the Modi government would prove to be "disastrous" for the people as "no sign of democracy" will be left anywhere in the country. Asked about the issue of Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya, he said the matter has nothing to do with religion and the BJP was just trying to score political brownies ahead of elections. On whether he will act as a mediator among various regional parties to unite them and bring them under one umbrella, he said it depends on the opposition camp. "It depends on them (opposition), not me as they have to approach me and tell me what I need to do -- bring together an alliance or chalk out a programme of action or policy for the new government... Even if the new alliance is voted to power, I will really and truly retire," he added. 102-year-old woman becomes the oldest skydiver in the world A 102-year-old Australian woman became the world's oldest skydiver, falling 14,000 feet through the skies above Australia to raise money for charity. Irene OShea, 102, completed a skydiving jump in South Australia Dec. 9, in a bid to raise money for the Motor Neuron Disease Association of South Australia. This was her third completed skydive since 2016. Plunging over 14,000 feet, OShea made the dive on Sunday with Jed Smith, the same instructor she previously jumped with. 102-year-old woman becomes the oldest skydiver in the world WATCH Irene and Jed completed a smooth, beautiful freefall, falling at 220kph [136.7 mph] through wispy clouds, before a smooth parachute opening, SA Skydiving rep Matt Teager told, noting that OShea was an absolute joy to have on the dropzone. Child dies of wounds from Israeli gunfire in Gaza A 4-year-old boy was injured 4 days ago during protests. A Palestinian child on Tuesday succumbed to wounds he sustained from Israeli gunfire during anti-occupation protests in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry on Tuesday. HE WAS INJURED DURING A PROTEST Ahmed Yassir Abu Abed, 4, from the eastern city of Khan Younis was injured during a protest near Gaza Strips eastern border four days ago, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said in a statement. He was martyred today, he said. Paramedics carry a wounded person to ambulance during a protest against Israeli blockade over Gaza on December 10, 2018, at the coast of Gaza Strip Since March, more than 210 Palestinians have been martyred -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army gunfire during protests in the Gaza Strip. Protesters demand the right of return to their homes and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel. They also demand an end to Israels 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclaves economy and deprived its roughly 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities. Erdogan: Turkey will start operation in Syria within days Turkey will start an operation east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria in a few days President Erdogan said on Wednesday. Speaking at the Turkish Defense Industry Summit held at the Bestepe Presidential Palace Complex in capital Ankara, Erdogan said it is time to realize Turkey's decision to dissolve terrorism groupings east of the Euphrates River. We will start the operation to clear the East of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days. Our target is never US soldiers, Erdogan said. Erdogan added Turkey's target has never been U.S. soldiers, but rather members of the terror group. "It is clear that the purpose of US observation points [in Syria] is not to protect our country from terrorists but to protect terrorists from Turkey," Erdogan said. A possible mission east of the Euphrates, which Turkeys leadership has been suggesting for months, would follow two successful cross-border Turkish operations into Syria -- Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch which were both meant to eradicate the presence of YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists near Turkeys borders. In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch. Mayawati, who has summoned all her winners to Delhi, will take her own time and drive a bargain for UP polls before she announces support to Congress. Congress party workers celebrate the partys good show in Assembly elections of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI) Lucknow: The election results in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will now pave the way for formation of a grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections. The BSP and the Samajwadi Party have already announced that they will not support BJP and the SP has announced support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. Ms Mayawati, who has summoned all her winners to Delhi, will take her own time and drive a bargain for UP polls before she announces support to Congress. She has already declined to support the BJP. Both BSP and SP, had termed the Congress as arrogant till a few days ago and SP president Akhilesh Yadav had even said that if need be, he would take the hand (Congress symbol) off the cycle (SP symbol) handle. For the BSP, the Congress coming to power in Chhattisgarh is a major setback since Ms Mayawati had expected to form government by crossing the halfway mark along with Mr Ajit Jogis Janata Congress Chhattisgarh. In the past, there have been instances when BSP MLAs in Rajasthan and Haryana have crossed fences to merge into the ruling party and the same cannot be ruled out this time too. A senior BSP MLA admitted, albeit on condition of anonymity, that Somewhere we over-estimated ourselves and it was because of this that the party did not attend the Opposition conclave in Delhi. We should be more pliable in politics and not shut doors so soon. Huawei executive released on bail in Canada A top executive of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver at the request of US authorities sparked a diplomatic dispute. Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces US claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail to Meng, who has been jailed since her arrest on Dec. 1. The courtroom erupted in applause when the decision was announced. Meng cried and hugged her lawyers. WANZHOU WILL WEAR ANKLE MONITOR Among conditions of her bail, the 46-year-old executive must wear an ankle monitor and stay at home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Five friends pledged equity in their homes and other money as a guarantee she will not flee. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canadas justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the United States. 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 arrest of Meng has put a further dampener on Chinese relations with the United States and Canada at a time when tensions were already high over a trade war and US accusations of Chinese spying. New group 'Red Vests' to hold protests in Netherlands Activists plan to take to streets of Utrecht city on Sunday in anti-government protests. A group of activists dubbed Red Vests are planning to take to the streets in the Netherlands next weekend in anti-government protests. PROTESTERS DEMAND RUTTE TO RESIGN In a social media post, the group announced a demonstration in Utrecht city on Sunday demanding from Prime Minister Mark Rutte a welfare state. They added they were different from Yellow Vest protesters, who had earlier held anti-government protests in the Netherlands. The Yellow Vest protests started in France against fuel price hikes last month but spilled over to other European countries including Brussels and the Netherlands. Qatar Amir inaugurated Water Security Reservoirs Project The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani inaugurated the Water Security Mega Reservoirs Project during a ceremony held by Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation in Umm Salal Ali area. The QR14.5bn project has a total water storage capacity of about 1,500 million gallons and was implemented by Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa). Addressing the opening ceremony, H.E. Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi said that the project is the largest in the world and contains a huge strategic reservoir that raises the countrys water storage by about 1,500 million gallons, which is an increase of 155 percent. He pointed out that this phase of the project will ensure water security for the State until 2026, followed by future stages that will meet water demand even after the year 2036 by adding additional reservoirs. It is a key project in achieving the countrys water security and a clear declaration of the ability and readiness of the water sector in the State of Qatar to meet the development requirements witnessed by the country in the present and future, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs said. Security levels were raised up due to terror threats in France A gunman on a security watchlist killed four people and wounded a dozen others near the picturesque Christmas market in the historic French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening before fleeing. Authorities did not give a motive for the shooting, though prosecutors said they had opened a terrorism investigation. Strasbourg, on France's eastern border, is home to the European Parliament, one of several places that was locked down after the shooting. SECURITY FORCES AT ALL CHRISTMAS MARKETS Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the shooter 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. We will also reinforce security at all Christmas markets to prevent copycat attacks. Shooting near Christmas market leaves 4 dead WATCH Authorities had urged the public to remain indoors at the height of the drama, and people out dining were kept in restaurants for hours, along with lawmakers at the European Parliament, and thousands at a sports stadium. They eventually were allowed to leave, with those with nowhere to go housed at a gymnasium, the prefect tweeted. Turkey 'strongly' condemns fatal attack in France Turkish Foreign Ministry extends condolences to families of those who lost their lives in 'heinous attack' in Strasbourg. Turkey has condemned "in the strongest terms" Tuesday's attack targeting a historic Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg. "We extend condolences to the French People and Government and to the families of those who lost their lives in this heinous attack and wish a speedy recovery to those wounded," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. At least four people were killed and 11 others injured Tuesday when a gunman opened fire Christmas market in Place Kleber square. Turkey's T625 multi-purpose helicopter 'Gokbey' The first helicopter manufactured in Turkey using only local resources was named as Gokbey, President Erdogan revealed. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed Turkey's new domestically developed general-purpose helicopter, named Gokbey, at the Turkish Defense Industry Summit held at the Bestepe Presidential Palace Complex in capital Ankara. T625 is a multi-purpose helicopter currently being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces, as part of the Turkish Original Helicopter Programme. DESIGNED FOR BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS The multi-purpose helicopter program -- which is also known as the Original Helicopter Program and envisioned to meet the needs of the Turkish Air Force and other security institutions -- was launched by the Defense Industry Executive Committee in June 2010. In 2013, TAI and the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries signed a contract for the production of T625 helicopters. According to the producer, the helicopter will serve multiple services including cargo, VIP transportation, ambulance, and off-shore search and rescue operations. It has a capacity of carrying 14 passengers including two pilots at a time. The aircraft incorporates several new technology features to provide the highest levels of safety and operational benefits for operators, according to TAI. Turkish FM criticized delays in EU funding for Syrian refugees Turkey's Foreign Minister on Tuesday said Turkish citizens deserve visa-free travel to Europe and that the government continues to work on that. In a joint press conference with other ministers after 5th meeting of the Reform Action Group in capital Ankara, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stressed there are significant delays and disruptions in the EU funding for refugees in Turkey. The foreign minister also criticized the EUs decision to cut Turkeys pre-accession assistance. "If [EU] think that they are punishing Turkey, they are wrong," Cavusoglu said. "US'S AIM TO TRAIN TERRORISTS IS A BETRAYAL" Speaking about free visa for Turkish citizens, "Our citizens deserve visa-free travel to Europe. We continue our works to get this unjust requirement lifted," he stated. Referring to the situation in northern Syria, Cavusoglu said if the US's aim is to train YPG terrorists, it is profoundly wrong and betrayal to the region which Turkey cannot tolerate. A joint statement released after the news conference said both the EU and Turkey will benefit the immediate beginning of negotiations to update Customs Union. Financial aids serve as important instruments in Turkey's EU adaptation, the statement added. It also said Turkey expects the EU to increase its political, financial and technical support in the following period. Although our EU membership process is being prevented politically, Turkey will continue its works for adaptation to EU standards decisively," the statement stressed. Turkish star Tuba Buyukustun visits Syrian refugees Famous actress paints with Syrian and Turkish children at UNICEF workshop. Turkish actress Tuba Buyukustun, who is also a goodwill ambassador for the UN Children's Fund, participated in a workshop for Syrian and Turkish children. The actress, who won worldwide acclaim with her television series Asi, painted with the children and visited a picture gallery. In a post on her Instagram account, she said: "Today we met children using the language of colors, one of the most powerful methods of expressing ourselves. The workshop titled "A day in the museum" was organized in capital Ankara by the UNICEF and the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (SGDD-ASAM), and funded by the EU delegation to Turkey. Christian Berger, the head of EU delegation to Turkey; Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF representative in Turkey; and Ibrahim Vurgun Kavlak, general coordinator of ASAM; also attended the workshop. Buyukustun became the UNICEF's goodwill ambassador in May 2014 to support Syrian child refugees who had fled to Turkey. In Mizoram, the resounding success of the ruling Mizo National Front is due to the overwhelming popularity the party enjoys in the state. Its popularity cuts across all age-groups and classes. Its rival, the three-party alliance of the Mizo Secular Front, could make little headway, as the MNF was widely perceived to have headed a government that actually delivered. Subscribers please login to access full text of the article. New 3 Month Subscription to Digital Archives at 649for India $20for overseas users Get instant access to the complete EPW archives Subscribe now Winter Session is being seen as the last full session of Parliament before the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in May next year. PM Narendra Modi arrives on the first day of the winter session of Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday. Parliamentary affairs minister Narendra Singh Tomar, minister of state at Prime Ministers Office Jitendra Singh, MoS parliamentary affairs Vijay Goel and MoS Arjun Ram Meghwal are seen receiving the PM. (Photo: Sondeep Shankar) New Delhi: On the first day of Parliaments Winter Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged all political parties to make maximum use of the current session for public interest rather than political benefits. Winter Session is being seen as the last full session of Parliament before the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in May next year. While addressing the media outside Parliament on the Winter Sessions first day, the PM stressed that hte government was willing to discuss all issues on the floor of the both Houses of Parliament. The PM reiterated that there should be an open discussion on all issues. There should be a debate, there should be a sharp debate. But at least there should be one, he added. While referring to the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for next year, the PM said he was confident that all political parties who have to face the electoral test in May next year while keeping in mind the people, will utilise the session for public interest and not political interest. Mr Modi said he was hopeful that the current session would be constructive and all members would participate in important debates on key issues concerning the public. He also expressed hope that all members would sit for longer duration to resolve the key issues concerning the common man. Mr Modi also stressed the point that the current session was important and everyone should participate in discussion. The Winter Session of Parliament starts Tuesday and will end on January 8. It will be our request that the Houses sit for a longer duration. All important issues reach their logical conclusion, Mr Modi further added while indicating that bills and discussions should not get carried over to the next session. New research suggests that populations of the Northern Cardinal --one of the most ubiquitous backyard birds in the United States-- are undergoing speciation in two adjacent deserts. This study, which analyzed genetics and vocal behavior, gives clues about the early steps in bird speciation. The study is published in the journal Ecology and Evolution. "In general, songs are really important for describing and identifying birds," said lead author Kaiya Provost, a comparative biology Ph.D. Candidate in the American Museum of Natural History's Richard Gilder Graduate School. "Most studies assume that differences in song are important in the process that gives rise to new bird species. But looking at speciation using both genetics and behavior in wild birds can be really difficult. We went out to test both of these spheres of biology on wild desert birds to look at the full story." The researchers focused on Northern Cardinal populations in two deserts: the Sonoran Desert, which covers parts of Arizona, California, and Mexico; and the Chihuahuan Desert, which covers parts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico. The deserts are separated by about 120 miles of high-elevation plains. Analysis on the DNA of the birds in these areas shows that the two populations have been separated for at least 500,000 years and possibly for as long as 1 million years, which "might be old enough for the speciation process to finish," Provost said. In parallel, the researchers examined the song-related behavior of these populations. Songs play a crucial role in a bird's ability to attract and impress a potential mate. If two birds can't communicate with each other, for instance, by singing different types of songs, they are less likely to breed. Over time, populations that don't reproduce with each other will accumulate more and more genetic differences. As time goes on, these two processes can feed back into each other and lead the populations down the path of speciation. To investigate, Provost and her collaborators--Brian Smith, an assistant curator in the Museum's Department of Ornithology, and William Mauck III, a researcher at the New York Genome Center--created a bird song experiment that they played in each desert. Each audio series contained four recordings of male birds: neighboring cardinals, cardinals from the same desert but a distance away, cardinals from the adjacent desert, and a control recording of a Cactus Wren. In the Sonoran Desert, male cardinals reacted to the recorded songs from neighboring birds with aggression--flying around looking for the "intruder" and singing loudly. Songs from birds living further away, both from within the same desert and from the adjacent one, were ignored. "We saw that the birds are really aggressive to songs by their next-door neighbors, as you would expect, but once there is enough distance between them, they don't understand the songs anymore," Provost said. "It's like if you speak Portuguese in Portugal, you can probably understand Spanish, and you might understand French, but if you keep going further and further away, eventually you'll hit German or Arabic--languages that are unfamiliar, that you can't parse." In the Chihuahuan Desert, the cardinals also acted aggressively to songs from close neighbors. And, just like the Sonoran birds, they ignored songs from birds across the plains. But, in contrast to Sonoran cardinals, they were aggressive to songs from distant neighbors in the same desert. "We're not sure why there's a difference, but you can think of it as these Chihuahuan birds singing in Portuguese and hearing songs in Spanish. It's a little different but they still understand it, and they still think it's an intruder," Provost said. "There's something that's keeping those two groups of songs linked together." One of the major challenges taxonomists face is how to identify young species, or draw the line between species and populations. In the case of the Northern Cardinal, the authors say there is mounting evidence that there are multiple species in the United States. "By combining behavioral experiments with genetic estimates of population history, we found corroborating evidence that the speciation process is well advanced," Smith said. "It is getting harder to argue that they are a single species." ### Support for this work was provided in part by E3B at Columbia University, the Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund, the American Ornithological Society, the Society for Systematic Biologists, and the Linda J. Gormezano Memorial Fund. Ecology and Evolution paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.4596 AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (AMNH.ORG) The American Museum of Natural History, founded in 1869, is one of the world's preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. The Museum encompasses 45 permanent exhibition halls, including those in the Rose Center for Earth and Space and the Hayden Planetarium, as well as galleries for temporary exhibitions. It is home to the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, New York State's official memorial to its 33rd governor and the nation's 26th president, and a tribute to Roosevelt's enduring legacy of conservation. The Museum's five active research divisions and three cross-disciplinary centers support approximately 200 scientists, whose work draws on a world-class permanent collection of more than 34 million specimens and artifacts, as well as on specialized collections for frozen tissue and genomic and astrophysical data and on one of the largest natural history libraries in the world. Through its Richard Gilder Graduate School, it is the only American museum authorized to grant the Ph.D. degree and also to grant the Master of Arts in Teaching degree. Annual visitation has grown to approximately 5 million, and the Museum's exhibitions and Space Shows are seen by millions more in venues on six continents. The Museum's website, mobile apps, and massive open online courses (MOOCs) extend its scientific research and collections, exhibitions, and educational programs to additional audiences around the globe. Visit amnh.org for more information. Follow Become a fan of the American Museum of Natural History on Facebook at facebook.com/naturalhistory, follow us on Instagram at @AMNH, Tumblr at amnhnyc, or Twitter at twitter.com/AMNH. Unraveling the complexity of cancer biology can lead to the identification new molecules involved in breast cancer and prompt new avenues for drug development. And proteogenomics, an integrated, multipronged approach, seems to be a way to do it. "Our approach to finding new treatments for cancer is to conduct integrated analyses of multiple components of tumor biology through the study of tumor DNA, RNA, proteins and phosphoproteins (proteins tagged with a phosphate chemical group) in order to find targets that are present in only one breast cancer subtype. We then investigate whether these 'proteogenomic' subtype outliers could be contributing to the disease in unique ways," said Dr. Matthew Ellis, professor and director of the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, McNair scholar and associate director of precision medicine at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine. Such analyses pointed to DPYSL3 as a molecule whose expression was altered at multiple levels -- RNA, protein and phosphoprotein -- in a particular type of breast cancer called Claudin-Low triple-negative breast cancer. Having alterations at multiple levels makes DPYSL3 a good candidate for further laboratory studies searching for new therapies for this aggressive and highly metastatic breast cancer subtype. "When we knocked down gene DPYSL3 in breast cancer cells in the lab, we observed a complex response," Ellis explained. "The cells stopped dividing properly and accumulated nuclei due a failure to undergo cell division. However, cells without DPYSL3 also became more mobile. These results told us that DPYSL3 affects cell proliferation and the ability to move and metastasize, but in opposite ways." The vimentin connection The researchers then focused on exploring how DPYSL3 mediated its effects on cell division. They focused on vimentin because a recent report indicated that another compound interacting with vimentin had similar effects on cell division as the one observed in the DPYL3 knockdown. Vimentin expression also is a feature of highly aggressive breast cancers. "It appears that Claudin-Low triple-negative breast cancer cells require low levels of vimentin tagged with a phosphate group to successfully complete cell division," Ellis said. "When we knocked down DPYSL3, vimentin levels rose and cell division malfunctioned," Ellis said. "These finding suggests that cancer cells expressing DPYLS3 could be treated with a drug that inhibits the removal of phosphate groups from vimentin." Regarding the effects of DPYSL3 on cell motility, Ellis explains that DPYSL3 is known to regulate PAK kinases, a group of enzymes that are important for the cell's ability to move and undergo the metastatic transition. "When DPYSL3 is suppressed, PAK becomes more active and the cells more metastatic." These findings have opened a new avenue that might treat the most aggressive forms of breast cancer by combined targeting of the mechanisms that connect DPYSL3 with vimentin and PAK kinases. "This work shows the tremendous value of proteogenomics in the identification of new molecules involved in breast cancer that could lead to novel treatments," Ellis said. "Baylor College of Medicine is a world leader in proteogenomic approaches to translational medicine, which is at the core of the precision medicine approach we are developing." Interested in reading all the details of this work> Find them in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ### Other contributors to this work include Ryoichi Matsunuma, Doug W. Chan, Beom-Jun Kim, Purba Singh, Airi Han, Alexander B. Saltzman, Chonghui Cheng, Jonathan T. Lei, Junkai Wang, Leonardo Roberto da Silva, Ergun Sahin, Mei Leng, Cheng Fan, Charles M. Perou and Anna Malovannaya. The authors are affiliated with one or more of the following institutions: Baylor College of Medicine; Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan; University Wonju College of Medicine, Korea; State University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Brazil; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; and Hamamatsu Oncology Center, Japan. This work was primarily supported by Cancer Prevention Institute of Texas Recruitment of Established Investigators Award RR14033, the McNair Foundation and the Eads Fund for Metastatic Breast Cancer Research. Additional support was provided by Susan G. Komen for the Cure Grants BCTR0707808, KG090422, and PG12220321; Clinical and Translational Science Award Grant UL1 RR024992; the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the National Cancer Institute Breast SPORE Program Grants P50-CA58223, R01-CA148761 and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium funding, including U01CA214125 and U24 CA160035. All complex organisms accumulate damage at a cellular level over time. Some of this damage can be initially mitigated or repaired by the body's repair and regeneration processes, but eventually, one or multiple processes fail, and the organism suffers from systematic degradation. This process is known as the biological aging process, and it is the root cause of most non-communicable chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. Professor of the Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Hua Zhu and his postdoc Dabbu Jaijyan, are attempting to defy and reverse the biological aging process by developing a therapeutic tool that would bolster the essential repair and regeneration processes of the cell. Zhu says, "The proposed research has great implication for people and governments all over the world seeking a cost-effective preventive solution for all the major diseases of aging. If our project succeeds, it could lead to clinical trials to test the therapeutic potential of recombinant virus expressing multiple anti-aging factors." Funded by BioViva USA, the research team is developing a recombinant mouse cytomegalovirus (R-MCMV) to express several anti-aging and regenerative factors. Short term, the aim is to extend the lifespan of primary human cells and organoids, as well as of aged mice. The long-term goal is to establish a platform for clinical trial studies using a novel human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) as a vector and to develop a multi-gene therapeutic aging vaccine. BioiViva has already applied for the patent. Based on the results of the study, the company will begin developing this next-generation vaccine to target various aspects of aging. BioViva 's goal is to launch the vaccine and solve one of the world's largest social and economic burdens in modern society. Today, approximately two-thirds of people die from age-related factors. In the United States, about 46 million people are above the age of 65. This number is expected to double by 2060 and therefore increase age-related health issues. In his laboratory, Zhu studies two herpes viruses, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV). The goal is understanding HCMV and VZV pathogenesis - specifically, how these viruses interact with host cells, replicate, and cause disease. The lab is equipped with the necessary facilities and expertise to create recombinant viruses for vaccine development using the technology known as recombinant bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). According to Zhu, cytomegalovirus (CMV) has proven safe and can be used for clinical studies in humans. His research has focused on developing vaccines for various human diseases. His lab has established a platform for expressing a gene which could prevent or reduce the outcome of a disease. Elizabeth Parrish, CEO of BioViva stated "This research is poised to develop a new class of vaccines and redesign how we treat aging, making it easier for people to stay healthy longer. Over 100,000 people die of aging every day, and hundreds of millions suffer from chronic disease. This vaccine has the potential to forge a better way forward, with less suffering." ### About BioViva: BioViva USA, Inc. is a diagnostics and prognostics platform company developed to expedite drugs and treatments that affect human health span. BioViva has developed a comprehensive set of biomarkers of aging, which include molecular, physiological, anatomical, clinical, and qualitative markers. BioViva also collaborates with clinicians, machine learning companies, biomedical scientists, and statisticians to develop innovative protocols for adaptive clinical trials for gene and cells therapies. BioViva's exclusive partner company Integrated Health Systems (IHS) provide gene and cell therapy treatments to patients in need, globally. IHS utilizes intramural and extramural peer-reviewed research to create marketable therapies for treating age-related diseases and infirmities -- including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cancer, sarcopenia, cachexia, kidney failure, and the aging process -- at the level of the genome. RICHLAND, Wash. -- Kids lying on their backs in a grassy field might scan the clouds for images--perhaps a fluffy bunny here and a fiery dragon over there. Often, atmospheric scientists do the opposite--they search data images for the clouds as part of their research to understand Earth systems. Manually labeling data images pixel by pixel is time-consuming, so researchers rely on automatic processing techniques, such as cloud detection algorithms. But the algorithms' output is not as exact as the scientists want it to be. Recently, researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory teamed up to find out if deep learning--a distinct subset of machine learning--can do a better job at identifying clouds in lidar data than the current physics-based algorithms. The answer: A clear "yes." The new model is much closer to the answers scientists arrive at but in just a fraction of the time. Lidar is a remote sensing instrument that emits a pulsed laser and collects the return signal scattered back by cloud droplets or aerosols. This return signal provides information about the height and vertical structure of atmospheric features, such as clouds or smoke layers. Such data from ground-based lidars are an important part of global forecasting. Earth scientist Donna Flynn noticed that, in some cases, what the algorithms detected as clouds in the lidar images did not match well with what her expert eye saw. The algorithms tend to overestimate the cloud boundaries. "The current algorithm identifies the clouds using broad brushstrokes," says Flynn, a co-principal investigator on the project. "We need to more accurately determine the cloud's true top and base and to distinguish multiple cloud layers." Upgrade initiated Until recently, computing power limited artificial neural networks, a type of deep learning model, to a small number of computational layers. Now, with increased computing power available through supercomputing clusters, researchers can use more computations--each building off of the last one--in a series of layers. The more layers an artificial neural network has, the more powerful the deep learning network. Figuring out what those computations are is part of the model training. To start, the researchers need properly labeled lidar data images, or "ground truth" data, for the training and testing of the model. So, Flynn spent many long hours hand-labeling images pixel by pixel: cloud or no cloud. Her eye can distinguish the cloud boundaries and cloud versus an aerosol layer. She took 40 hours--the equivalent of a full work week--to label about 100 days of lidar data collected at the Southern Great Plains atmospheric observatory, part of DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user facility, in Oklahoma. Given how time and labor intensive the hand-labeling process is, PNNL computational scientist and co-principal investigator Erol Cromwell used learning methods that required minimal ground truth data. The model learns through self-feedback. It compares its own performance against hand-labeled results and adjusts its calculations accordingly, explains Cromwell. It cycles through these steps, improving each time through. Cromwell will be presenting the team's findings at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision in January. Goal achieved With the training, the deep learning model outperforms the current algorithms. The model's precision is almost double and much closer to what a human expert would find--but in a fraction of the time. The next steps are to evaluate the model's performance on lidar data collected at different locations and in different seasons. Initial tests on data from the ARM observatory at Oliktok Point in Alaska are promising. "An advantage of the deep learning model is transfer learning," says Cromwell. "We can train the model further with data from Oliktok to make its performance more robust." "Reducing sources of uncertainty in global model predictions is especially important to the atmospheric science community," says Flynn. "With its improved precision, deep learning increases our confidence." She adds: "Plus, it gives us more time to be outside looking at real clouds!" ### This research was supported by PNNL's internal investment in Deep Learning for Scientific Discovery. Tags: Environment, Fundamental Science, Climate Science, Atmospheric Science Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=VOWBSVVXuo0 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is the nation's premier laboratory for scientific discovery in chemistry, earth sciences, and data analytics and for solutions to the nation's toughest challenges in energy resiliency and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. The good news is women leaders aren't being tracked to disproportionately lead under-performing German and UK companies; the bad news is there are very few women leaders at all Amsterdam, December 12, 2018 Are women more likely to be appointed to leadership positions in crisis situations when companies are struggling with declining profits? The term glass cliff was coined by researchers Ryan and Haslam in the early 2000s to describe a phenomenon in which women are more likely than men to be promoted to precarious management positions with a higher risk of failure. Exemplar cases often used to support the theory include Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo, British Prime Minister Theresa May, and Andrea Nahles, Social Democrat party leader in the German Bundestag. A new study published in The Leadership Quarterly, The glass cliff myth? Evidence from German and the UK, explores whether the gender of new leaders ties in to corporate performance trends prior to appointments. Our study demonstrates that promotion patterns of female top managers in both Germany and the UK do not support the idea of a glass cliff, which we think is a positive finding. That said, we found that the glass ceiling the metaphor for the barrier that prevents women from advancing does indeed persist. Women lead only a small number of the companies we studied, said authors Myriam Bechtoldt, PhD, of EBS University of Business and Law, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany, Christina Bannier, PhD, and Bjorn Rock, MSc of Justus Liebig University Gieen, Germany. Building on previous research on this phenomenon, which focused primarily on board members in US and UK firms, the investigators looked at companies in Germany and the UK. Using data from 128 of the largest listed companies in Germany over a ten-year period (2005-2015), they used various analytical methods aimed at identifying not just correlations, but also causal relationships to determine whether companies are more likely to appoint women to the board when earnings fall. In a second step, they repeated the analysis with data from the 105 largest UK-listed companies from the same period. The authors examined both accounting-based and stock market performance measures before key leadership appointments. Although stock returns are a more comprehensive and immediate metric for the analysis, they found that neither of the two types of performance measures prior to the appointment of women showed a weaker trend as compared to male board members. On average, German companies tended to perform better in the period before women were appointed to executive positions. One anomaly they found was that the German financial market reacted positively when companies that experienced a longer period of declining earnings appointed a woman to the board, perhaps implying that investors regarded such appointments as positive signals. In the UK, however, this effect was not replicated. Whereas the study draws the positive conclusion that women do not run the risk of being promoted to precarious management positions significantly more frequently than men, at the same time, the small number of women who are promoted to the board of directors of listed companies at all is striking: Of over 500 board members appointed in Germany between 2005 and 2015, less than 8 percent were women. Moreover, no woman was appointed CEO in the companies surveyed. In general, the issue of lacking diversity in organizations did not attract much public attention in Germany prior to a nationwide corporate initiative, the Charta der Vielfalt, was launched in 2006 to promote diversity in companies and institutions. The picture in the UK is not much better: Only just over 10 percent of the newly appointed board members were women; three of them became CEOs. The studys rigorous focus on causal effects distinguishes it from previous studies. Future analyses of other characteristics such as age, religion, or cultural aspects, would help to gain further insights into the role of socio-demographic factors in leadership appointments. Additionally, comparing performance trends after (in addition to before) the events would also add to public understanding. ### Notes for editors The article is The glass cliff myth? Evidence from Germany and the UK, by Myriam N. Bechtoldt, Christina E. Bannier, and Bjorn Rock (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2018.11.004). It appears in The Leadership Quarterly published by Elsevier and is openly available. Full text of this article is available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Jonathan Davis, Communications Officer, Elsevier, at +31 20 485 2719 or j.davis.1@elsevier.com. Journalists who wish to interview the authors should contact Myriam Bechtoldt at myriam.bechtoldt@ebs.edu. About The Leadership Quarterly The Leadership Quarterly is a social-science journal dedicated to advancing our understanding of leadership as a phenomenon, how to study it, as well as its practical implications. It publishes contributions from various disciplinary perspectives, including psychology broadly defined (i.e., industrial-organizational, social, evolutionary, biological, differential), management (i.e., organizational behavior, strategy, organizational theory), political science, sociology, economics (i.e., personnel, behavioral, labor), anthropology, history, and methodology. Equally desirable are contributions from multidisciplinary perspectives. About Elsevier Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps institutions and professionals advance healthcare, open science and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support and professional education, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, more than 38,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professionals and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com Media contact Jonathan Davis, Communications Officer Elsevier +31 20 485 2719 j.davis.1@elsevier.com newsroom@elsevier.com The gravitational waves created by black holes or neutron stars in the depths of space indeed reach Earth. Their effects, however, are so small that they could only be observed so far using kilometer-long measurement facilities. Physicists therefore are discussing whether ultracold and miniscule Bose-Einstein condensates with their ordered quantum properties could also detect these waves. Prof. Ralf Schutzhold from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the TU Dresden has now carefully looked at the basis of these suggestions and has soberly determined in the journal Physical Review D (DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.98.105019) that such evidence is far beyond the reach of current methods. As early as 1916 Albert Einstein submitted an article to the Prussian Academy of Sciences, in which he demonstrated that moving masses such as giant stars orbiting each other leave behind a dent in space and time, which spreads at the speed of light. These dents are known as gravitational waves and should move precisely like radio waves, light and other electromagnetic waves. The effects of gravitational waves, however, are normally so weak that the world-famous physicist was convinced that they presumably could never be measured. The reason for this skepticism is that the power of these gravitational waves is rather weak. Even, for example, the quite large mass of the Earth, which covers almost thirty kilometers every second on its way around the much larger sun, produces gravitational waves with a power of merely three hundred watts. That wouldn't even be enough to power a commercial vacuum cleaner with an Energy Star label. The influence of these gravitational waves on the Earth's orbit can therefore hardly be measured. When Black Holes Merge The situation looks a bit better when, in contrast, considerably larger masses are involved. When two huge black holes merged at a distance of 1.3 billion light years from Earth, of which one possessed the mass of approximately thirty-six suns and the other a mass of twenty-nine suns, space and time trembled. During this merging, a mass that measured three times that of our sun transformed into a gigantic gravitational wave, whose remnants reached Earth 1.3 billion years later on September 14th, 2015, at 11:51 AM Central European Time. Because the waves, however, propagate in all directions over such enormous distances and spread to an unimaginably large space, their power was hugely diminished. On Earth, therefore, only an extremely weak signal was received, which was registered using two four-kilometer-long perpendicular vacuum tubes in the United States. Two special laser beams shoot back and forth between the end points of these facilities. From the time required for one light beam to reach the other end, the researchers can very precisely calculate the distance between the two points. "As the gravitational waves reached Earth, they shortened one of the two measurement distances by a tiny fraction of a trillionth of a millimeter at both facilities, while the other perpendicular stretch was extended by a similar amount," says HZDR researcher Ralf Schutzhold, outlining his colleagues' results. Therefore, on February 11th, 2016, following a detailed analysis of the data, the researchers had for the first time directly detected the gravitational waves predicted by Albert Einstein. Three of the contributing researchers were promptly awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 2017. Atoms in Synchronization Astrophysicists can now use these waves to observe massive events in space, in which two black holes merge or huge stars explode. Physicists are simply asking themselves whether this won't also work with facilities that are much easier to deal with than the four-kilometer-long perpendicular vacuum tubes. One possibility could be what is known as Bose-Einstein condensates, which Satyendranath Bose and Albert Einstein had already predicted back in 1924. "Such condensates can be thought of as heavily diluted vapor from individual atoms that are cooled to the extreme and therefore condense," explains Schutzhold. Researchers in the United States only succeeded in doing so in 1995. At extremely low temperatures, which are only very slightly above the absolute zero of minus 273.15 degrees Celsius, most atoms of metals such as rubidium are in the same quantum state, while they form a chaotic hodgepodge as vapor at higher temperatures. "Similar to laser light particles, the atoms of these Bose-Einstein condensates move, so to speak, in synchronization," says Schutzhold. Gravitational waves, however, can change sound-particles or sound-quanta, which physicists call phonons, in these synchronized atom-condensates. "This is a bit similar to a big vat of water in which waves generated by an earthquake change the existing water waves," says Ralf Schutzhold, describing the process. Little Evidence is too Little When the head of HZDR's Theoretical Physics Department, however, took a closer look at the fundamentals of this phenomenon, he ascertained that such Bose-Einstein condensates had to be several orders of magnitude larger than is currently possible in order to detect gravitational waves emanating from merging black holes. "Today, Bose-Einstein condensates with, for example, one million rubidium atoms are obtained with great effort, but it would take far more than a million times that number of atoms to detect gravitational waves," says Schutzhold. There is in fact an alternative where a kind of vortex is formed in the Bose-Einstein condensate, in which gravitational waves directly generate phonons that are more easily observable. "But even with such inhomogeneous Bose-Einstein condensates, we are still orders of magnitude from detecting gravitational waves," regrets the physicist. The HZDR researcher nevertheless provides a hint as to possible proof: if the noble gas helium is cooled down to less than two degrees above absolute zero, a superfluid liquid is formed that is in fact not a pure Bose-Einstein condensate, but contains just under ten percent of such synchronized helium atoms. Because much larger quantities of this superfluid helium can be produced, many orders of magnitude more Bose-Einstein condensate atoms can be created this way than with direct production. "Whether superfluid helium is, however, really a way to detect gravitational waves can only be shown with extremely complex calculations," says Schutzhold. The mini-detectors for gravitational waves still therefore lie some time in the future. ### _Publication: R. Schutzhold: Interaction of a Bose-Einstein condensate with a gravitational wave, in Physical Review D, 2018 (DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.98.105019) _For more information contact: Prof. Ralf Schutzhold Head Department of Theoretical Physics at HZDR Phone: +49 351 260-3618 | Mail: r.schuetzhold@hzdr.de _Media contact: Simon Schmitt | Science editor Phone: +49 351 260-3400 | Mail: s.schmitt@hzdr.de Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf | Bautzner Landstr. 400 | 01328 Dresden / Germany | http://www.hzdr.de The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) performs - as an independent German research center - research in the fields of energy, health, and matter. We focus on answering the following questions: * How can energy and resources be utilized in an efficient, safe, and sustainable way? * How can malignant tumors be more precisely visualized, characterized, and more effectively treated? * How do matter and materials behave under the influence of strong fields and in smallest dimensions? To help answer these research questions, HZDR operates large-scale facilities, which are also used by visiting researchers: the Ion Beam Center, the High-Magnetic Field Laboratory Dresden, and the ELBE Center for High-Power Radiation Sources. HZDR is a member of the Helmholtz Association and has five sites (Dresden, Freiberg, Grenoble, Leipzig, Schenefeld near Hamburg) with almost 1,200 members of staff, of whom about 500 are scientists, including 150 Ph.D. candidates. The neurodegenerative disease ALS causes motor neuron death and paralysis. However, long before the cells die, they lose contact with the muscles as their axons atrophy. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have now devised a new method that radically improves the ability to study axons and thus to better understand the pathological development of ALS. The method is described in the scientific journal Stem Cell Reports. All neurons have a fibre-like projection called an axon, and those of motor neurons can be extremely long - over a metre - as they have to stretch from the spinal cord to the muscles of the arms and legs. It is known that in ALS the motor neurons die "backwards" and lose functionality where the axon meets the muscle before gradually atrophying completely. By examining the presence of RNA in a cell, it is possible to discover which genes are switched on and off and thus the cell's function and general condition. In long-axoned neurons, there is a buffer of RNA in the axon that enables them to quickly interact with their environment - e.g. muscle cells. Scientists are keenly interested in investigating the repertoir of RNAs in motor axons of healthy individuals and ALS patients to gain deeper insight into disease processes. However, this has proven to be very difficult as the amount of RNA in axons is minute. If just one single cell body gets into the axon study material, it will contaminate it with its own RNA, making it impossible to see what the axon's RNA reservoir looks like. "We have now developed a greatly improved method for this called Axon-seq," explains Eva Hedlund associate professor at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet. "It's a relatively cheap, simple and highly sensitive method that we've described in detail in our study so that it can be used by other researchers interested in studying neuronal processes." Her research group has used the method to examine motor neurons generated from mouse and human stem cells. Their results show that the axon's reservoir of RNAs differs significantly from that of the cell body, which is a new discovery. The researchers also examined the transcriptome of ALS-diseased motor neurons and found that in neurons with the mutated version of the SOD1 gene that causes ALS, the axon's RNA profile differed fromthat of healthy cells. "Many of the genes we found dysregulated in ALS are needed for the normal function of the axon and its contact with the muscle," says Jik Nijssen, doctoral student and joint first-author of the study with postdoc Julio Aguila Benitez. "Many of these genes present possible targets for future therapies." ### The study was financed by the Swedish Research Council, the EU Joint Programme -- Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND), the Strategic Research Area in Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet (StratNeuro), the Birgit Backmark endowment for ALS research at Karolinska Institutet in memory of Nils and Hans Backmark, the Ahlen Foundation, the Ulla-Carin Lindquist Foundation for ALS Research, the Magnus Bergvall Foundation, the Swedish Society for Medical Research and the Swedish Brain Fund. Publication: "Axon-seq decodes the motor axon transcriptome and its modulation in response to ALS", Jik Nijssen, Julio Aguila Benitez, Rein Hoogstraaten, Nigel Kee, Eva Hedlund, Stem Cell Reports, online 11 December 2018, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.11.005. More about Eva Hedlund's research: https://ki.se/en/neuro/hedlund-laboratory Karolinska Institutet -- a medical university: https://ki.se/english New Rochelle, NY, December 12, 2018--A new study has shown that HIV-infected men had lower median bone mineral density (BMD) scores at the hip compared to HIV-uninfected men, and all men who received testosterone had significantly greater BMD scores at the lumbar spine. Further, in HIV-infected men with virologic suppression testosterone was significantly associated with a higher BMD score at the lumbar spine, as reported in AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Click here to read the full-text article free on the AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses website through January 12, 2019. The article entitled "Effect of Testosterone Use on Bone Mineral Density in HIV-Infected Men" was contributed by Philip Grant, Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA), and coauthors from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (Baltimore, CA), Northwestern University (Chicago, IL), University of Pittsburgh (PA), Johns Hopkins University, and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The researchers propose more extensive examinations of the risks and benefits of testosterone use in older HIV-infected men, with a particular focus on its effects to reduce fracture risk. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01A095089, U01-AI-35042, UL1-RR-025005, UM10AI-A1-35043, VO1-AI-35039, UO1-AI-35040, UO1-AI-35041, K24 AI1 20834, K23 AI1 1-532. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. "Osteoporosis and fractures are increased in people living with HIV infection. This study reveals that testosterone use can increase bone mineral density, increasing the overall health of men living with HIV." says Thomas Hope, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses and Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. ### About the Journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, published monthly online with open access options and in print, presents papers, reviews, and case studies documenting the latest developments and research advances in the molecular biology of HIV and SIV and innovative approaches to HIV vaccine and therapeutic drug research, including the development of antiretroviral agents and immune-restorative therapies. Content also explores the molecular and cellular basis of HIV pathogenesis and HIV/HTLV epidemiology. The Journal features rapid publication of emerging sequence information, reports on clinical trials of emerging HIV therapies, and images in HIV research. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses website. About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including AIDS Patient Care and STDs, Viral Immunology, and Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website. A recent retrospective study evaluating continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) of children in intensive care units (ICUs) found a higher than anticipated number of seizures. The work also identified several conditions closely associated with the seizures, and suggests that cEEG monitoring may be a valuable tool for helping to identify and treat neurological problems in patients who are 14 months old or younger. "The retrospective analysis was conducted by a team of engineers, who were able to make use of robust statistical methodologies to control for observational bias," says Julie Swann, co-author of a paper on the work. "It was possible due to a long-standing partnership with institutions such as Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, which had been collecting data on a large cohort of pediatric patients receiving continuous monitoring. Among other things, this allowed us to identify a risk threshold of 14 months. Patients younger than 14 months were at much higher risk of having seizures." Swann is department head and A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor of the Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University. EEGs measure electrical activity in the brain, and are often used to detect potential neurological problems. Conventional EEGs usually last less than an hour, but cEEGs allow health care providers to monitor brain activity for hours or days. However, cEEGs are not in widespread use, due to the expense of related hardware and software and costs associated with having the skilled personnel needed to monitor and interpret cEEG data. "One reason for the study is that there has been very little research to determine whether cEEG would be a worthwhile investment for monitoring young children," says Pinar Keskinocak, Ph.D., who co-authored the paper. "Even harder is to determine whom to monitor, where our results suggest some of the risk factors to consider. "Our main finding is the unexpectedly high prevalence of mostly non-symptomatic seizures in very young children," says Keskinocak, the William W. George Chair and Professor in Georgia Tech's Stewart School of Industrial Engineering and the director of the Center for Health and Humanitarian Systems at Georgia Tech. "Non-symptomatic seizures are those that can be detected with an EEG, but that do not present any outward, physical symptoms. Children over the age of 14 months had an overall seizure rate of 18 percent. However, we found that children aged 14 months and younger had an overall seizure rate of 45 percent." "In addition, we found that - for these younger patients - seizures were often associated with one of the following conditions: hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, intracranial hemorrhage or central nervous system infection," says Dr. Larry Olson of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University. "In fact, those conditions were associated with 61 percent of the seizure patients we identified who were under 14 months old," says Dr. Atul Vats, also of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University. "All of this is important because it means that cEEG may have value in helping to diagnose neurological problems in young patients," Swann says. "And early diagnosis could help ensure that patients get treatment in a timely way, which would - hopefully - improve outcomes. Only an interventional study could demonstrate that. Maybe these findings will pave the way for that work." The retrospective study analyzed data on 517 children who were monitored by cEEG. All of the children were ICU patients. Because the children had been selected for cEEG monitoring, they likely presented a higher risk of neurological problems than the general population, which should be taken into account when evaluating the seizure prevalence data. "Hospitals have started recognizing the value of detecting and preventing seizures to improve patient outcomes," Keskinocak says. "The investment needed towards cEEG monitoring may be substantial. This study indicates that those expenditures may be warranted. We hope that it encourages researchers to pursue studies that could determine whether cEEG monitoring could improve health outcomes for the youngest ICU patients." ### The paper, "Risk Factors for Seizures Among Young Children Monitored with Continuous Electroencephalography in Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Study," is published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics. First author of the study is Jan Vlachy, a former Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech. Co-authors include Turgay Ayer of Georgia Tech; Mingyoung Jo and Qing Li, former MS Health Systems students at Georgia Tech,; and Larry Olson and Atul Vats of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University. The researchers did not receive external research funding for the study and declare no financial conflicts of interest. Researchers at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) demonstrate a vertical Ga2O3 metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) that adopts an all-ion-implanted process for both n-type and p-type doping, paving the way for new generations of low-cost and highly-manufacturable Ga2O3 power electronic devices. Power electronics is concerned with the regulation and conversion of electric power in such applications as motor drives, electric vehicles, data centers, and the grid. Power electronic devices, namely rectifiers (diodes) and switches (transistors), form the core components of power electronic circuits. Today, power devices made of silicon (Si) are the mainstream but they are approaching fundamental performance limitations, rendering the commercial power systems bulky and inefficient. A new generation of power devices based on the wide-bandgap semiconductor - gallium oxide (Ga2O3) - is expected to revolutionize the power electronics industry. Ga2O3 promises dramatic reductions in the size, weight, cost, and energy consumption of power systems by increasing both the power density and power conversion efficiency at the device level. The groundbreaking demonstration of the first single-crystal Ga2O3 transistor by NICT in 2011 galvanized intensive international research activities into the science and engineering of this new oxide semiconductor. For the past several years, the development of Ga2O3 transistors has focused on a lateral geometry. However, lateral devices are not amenable to the high currents and high voltages required for many applications owing to large device areas and reliability issues arising from self-heating and surface instabilities. In contrast, the vertical geometry allows for higher current drives without having to enlarge the chip size, simplified thermal management, and far superior field termination. The properties of a vertical transistor switch are engineered by introducing two types of impurities (dopants) into the semiconductor - n-type doping, which provides mobile charge carriers (electrons) to carry electrical current when the switch is in the on-state; and p-type doping, which enables voltage blocking when the switch is in the off-state. A group at NICT led by Masataka Higashiwaki has pioneered the use of Si as an n-type dopant in Ga2O3 devices, but the community has long struggled to identify a suitable p-type dopant. Earlier this year, the same group published on the feasibility of nitrogen (N) as a p-type dopant. Their latest accomplishment involves integrating Si and N doping to engineer a Ga2O3 transistor for the first time, through a high energy dopant introduction process known as ion implantation. "Our success is a breakthrough development that promises a transformational impact on Ga2O3 power device technology," said Higashiwaki, Director of the Green ICT Device Advanced Development Center at NICT. "Ion implantation is a versatile fabrication technique widely adopted in the mass production of commercial semiconductor devices such as Si and silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. The demonstration of an all-ion-implanted vertical Ga2O3 transistor greatly enhances the prospects for Ga2O3-based power electronics." This study, published December 3 in the IEEE Electron Device Letters as an early access online paper and scheduled to appear in the January 2019 issue of the journal, builds on an earlier one in which a different acceptor dopant was used. "We initially investigated magnesium for p-type doping, but this dopant failed to deliver its expected performance since it diffuses significantly at high process temperatures," said Man Hoi Wong, a researcher of the Green ICT Device Advanced Development Center and the lead author of the paper. "Nitrogen, on the other hand, is much more thermally stable, thereby creating unique opportunities for designing and engineering a variety of high-voltage Ga2O3 devices." The Ga2O3 base material used for fabricating the vertical MOSFET was produced by a crystal growth technique called halide vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). Pioneered by Profs. Yoshinao Kumagai and Hisashi Murakami at TUAT, HVPE is capable of growing single-crystal Ga2O3 films at high speeds and with low impurity levels. Three ion implantation steps were performed to form the n-type contacts, n-type channel, and p-type current blocking layers (CBLs) in the MOSFET. The device showed decent electrical properties including an on-current density of 0.42 kA/cm2, a specific on-resistance of 31.5 mcm2, and a high drain current on/off ratio larger than eight orders of magnitude. Further improvements in its performance can be readily achieved with improved gate dielectric quality and optimized doping schemes. According to Higashiwaki and Wong, "Vertical power devices are the strongest contenders to combine currents over 100 A with voltages over 1 kV - the requirements for many medium- and high-power industrial and automotive electric power systems." The technological impact of Ga2O3 will be substantially bolstered by the availability of melt-grown native substrates - one of the key enablers of the silicon industry that dominates the global semiconductor market with an annual revenue of several hundred billion U.S. dollars. "The commercialization of vertical SiC and gallium nitride (GaN) power devices has, to a certain extent, been hindered by the high cost of substrates. For Ga2O3, the high quality and large size of native substrates offer this rapidly emerging technology a unique and significant cost advantage over the incumbent wide-bandgap SiC and GaN technologies," the researchers explained. ### This work was partially supported by Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), "Next-generation power electronics" (funding agency: New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). Case is against senior surgeons at Nudelman Cosmetology and Plastic Surgery Clinic in Ekaterinburg. She had gone public with intimate pictures of her 'plastic surgery from hell' to force legal action from the authorities - which is now announced. (Photo: Pixabay) In a shocking incident, a criminal case has been launched against Russian plastic surgeons who are accused of leaving a woman with a gaping hole in her buttock and her nipples 'in the wrong place'. Veleslava Grigorieva, 40, said the pain was so bad after spending 25,000 to improve her looks that she needed 'to book three seats on a plane since she could not sit down for more than a few minutes'. The case is against senior surgeons at Nudelman Cosmetology and Plastic Surgery Clinic in Ekaterinburg which could see them behing jailed for up to six years if convicted of damaging her health. She had gone public with intimate pictures of her 'plastic surgery from hell' to force legal action from the authorities - which is now announced. But in the process she was subject to vilification and humiliation from those who criticised her decision to use plastic surgery to regain her beauty, she said. According to her, the initial 'botched surgery' by Igor Tsvetkov, trained partly in Canada and Sweden, left her nipples 'too high and in the wrong place' with 'ugly scars' and required corrective surgery which failed to solve the problem. Veleslava returned to the clinic where another surgeon Nikolay Golubkov, agreed to do a new operation on her breasts and suggested she should 'improve my buttocks', she claimed. She was given new liposuction and 'lipo-lifting' when the buttocks are enlarged with the help of patient's own fat removed from other parts of the body. But after weeks of appalling pain she was told by a medic at another clinic she had an abscess in one buttock but they did not want to get the blame and 'refused to help'. Eventually she had to fly to Moscow to a new clinic where doctors 'removed much of my buttock'. In his 1864 science fiction novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Jules Verne wrote: "Who in his wildest dreams could have imagined that, beneath the crust of our Earth, there could exist a real ocean ... a sea that has given shelter to species unknown?" Fast-forward more than 150 years to the upcoming American Geophysical Union (AGU) fall meeting, where scientists affiliated with the National Science Foundation (NSF) Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI) will discuss recent progress in understanding what Verne only envisioned: life beneath the seafloor. The meeting will be held in Washington, D.C., from Dec. 10 to 14. Researchers affiliated with C-DEBI, one of 12 NSF Science and Technology Centers, are supported by NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences. The scientists are working to understand the nature of subseafloor microbial communities and whether these communities are unique. They're also researching where microbes in ocean crust come from and whether these microbes can provide clues about where to look for life on other planets. Once considered a barren plain, the seafloor and the crust beneath it are humming with microbial life or, as researchers refer to it, "dark energy." Subseafloor bacteria not only exist, they're more abundant and diverse than previously thought. The bacteria "feed" on the planet's ocean crust, posing questions about ocean chemistry and the co-evolution of Earth and life. While scientists have estimated that microbes living in deep ocean sediments may represent as much as one-third of Earth's total biomass, the habitable part of the ocean crust may be 10 times as great. Though dark environments once appeared to offer little energy for sustaining life, the abundance of microbes discovered in the subseafloor is causing scientists to wonder how long life may have thrived there - and what percent of Earth's biosphere it ultimately makes up. C-DEBI-related sessions at AGU include: Monday, Dec. 10 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. V11B: Crustal Formation, Fluid-Rock Reactions, and Subsurface Microbial Communities in the Samail Ophiolite: Results from the Oman Drilling Project and Related Research II Marriott Marquis - Marquis 6 ED11A: Aiming for Truly Diverse Diversity to Strengthen the Geoscience Community I Marriott Marquis - Marquis 7-8 8:00 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. V11E: Earth's Organic Carbon Cycle: From Oceans to Mantle Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) 10:20 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. V12B: Crustal Formation, Fluid-Rock Reactions, and Subsurface Microbial Communities in the Samail Ophiolite: Results from the Oman Drilling Project and Related Research Marriott Marquis - Marquis 6 ED12A: Aiming for Truly Diverse Diversity to Strengthen the Geoscience Community II Marriott Marquis - Marquis 7-8 1:40 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ED13C: Aiming for Truly Diverse Diversity to Strengthen the Geoscience Community III Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) V13E: Crustal Formation, Fluid-Rock Reactions and Subsurface Microbial Communities in the Samail ophiolite: Results from the Oman Drilling Project and Related Research I Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. V14A: Oceanic Intraplate Volcanism II Marriott Marquis - Liberty I-K Tuesday, Dec. 11 1:40 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. B23E: Integrated Habitability Science: Forecasting the Trajectory of Life and Planetary Habitability on Earth and Beyond Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) B23F: Picky Eating in the Deep Subsurface? Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) Wednesday, Dec. 12 1:40 p.m. - 3:40 p.m. P33A: Enceladus: A World Awaiting I Convention Center 207A V33A: Hydrothermal Systems in Oceanic Arcs: Subseafloor Structure, Mineralization Processes, and Vent Communities I Marriott Marquis - Liberty L 1:40 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. P33G: Analogue Studies of Gradient Systems Relevant to Astrobiology on Ocean Worlds and Mars I Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. V34A: Hydrothermal Systems in Oceanic Arcs: Subseafloor Structure, Mineralization Processes, and Vent Communities II Marriott Marquis - Liberty L Thursday, Dec. 13 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. B41B: Centennial: Biogeosciences--Defining the Pulse of a Living Planet Convention Center 143A-C 10:20 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. B42B: Centennial: Transformational Contributions over the Past 100 Years in the Biogeosciences I Convention Center 143A-C P42B: From the Earth to the Moons: Unraveling the Geologic, Oceanographic, and Chemical Mysteries of Ice and Ocean Worlds III Convention Center 207A 1:40 p.m. - 3:40 p.m. P23B: "The New Mars Underground": Science and Exploration of a New Deep Frontier II Convention Center 206 1:40 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. B43H: Microbiome and Microbial Biogeochemistry in Terrestrial Saline/Hypersaline Environments Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) P43F: Enceladus: A World Awaiting II Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) V43F: Hydrothermal Systems in Oceanic Arcs: Subseafloor Structure, Mineralization Processes, and Vent Communities III Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) V43G: New Insights into Oceanic Spreading Centers from Seafloor Observatories Posters Convention Center Hall A-C (Poster Hall) Friday, Dec. 14 10:20 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. V52B: New Insights into Oceanic Spreading Centers from Seafloor Observatories I Marriott Marquis - Capitol/Congress ### Ship-to-shore conversations with deep-sea scientists will take place during the American Geophysical Union fall meeting Scientists and engineers on a deep-sea expedition aboard the research vessel Atlantis in the East Pacific Ocean will be broadcasting live to the American Geophysical Union fall meeting exhibit booth from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Dec. 11, Wednesday, Dec. 12, and Thursday, Dec. 13. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the expedition's scientists and engineers will talk about their research, including their use of submersibles, and answer questions from the audience. The team aboard ship includes early-career marine scientists learning to plan and execute a research expedition using the U.S. Navy-owned and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution-operated human-occupied submersible Alvin and the autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry, as well as senior scientists and vehicle engineers. Attendees at the live broadcast will learn about findings made during the expedition. The NSF-funded expedition is focused on two locations: A seamount chain roughly 1,000 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, where the cruise began on Dec. 3, and a volcanically and hydrothermally active portion of a mid-ocean ridge, or underwater mountain range, on the East Pacific Rise. Research at both sites centers on the processes that drive submarine volcanic activity, the formation of new crust, and how elements and heat are exchanged between the interior and the surface of our planet. The audience will have the opportunity to connect with young scientists at the start of their careers in marine geology, geophysics, chemistry and biology, and to hear what it takes to organize a modern deep-submergence research expedition. ### What: Live two-way broadcasts from the research vessel Atlantis in the East Pacific Ocean. Who: Scientists and engineers participating in an NSF-funded research expedition to study the deep sea. When: Tuesday, Dec. 11, Wednesday, Dec. 12, and Thursday, Dec. 13, from 2:30 to 3:30 EST each day Where: AGU booth in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall D. *Journalists not attending AGU, as well as the general public, will be able to participate remotely here. Find related stories on NSF's Critical Zone Observatories Sites. Find related stories on NSF's Long-Term Ecological Research Sites. With fierce winds and flooding rains, hurricanes can be disasters for people -- and for ecosystems. These devastating storms have major effects on tropical forests, demolishing tree canopies and leaving behind debris that piles up in watershed streams and on forest floors. Scientists at the National Science Foundation (NSF) co-located Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) and Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites in Puerto Rico spent the past year evaluating the impacts of Hurricane Maria, a powerful category 5 storm that struck Puerto Rico head-on in September 2017. The researchers reported their results today at a press conference -- Puerto Rico one year later: Hurricane Maria's lasting footprint -- at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in Washington, D.C. Increased nitrate flowing downstream After Maria, sensors measuring nitrate in streams at the NSF Luquillo CZO site showed a dramatic increase in how much of the nutrient was transported from mountain headwaters to the sea, according to biogeochemist William McDowell of the University of New Hampshire. Nitrate is essential for plant growth. In large quantities, however, it can be harmful to coastal ecosystems. After major hurricanes like Maria and the tremendous changes they produce in vegetation, nitrate escapes from damaged forests and is flushed downstream, says McDowell. "The implication of the loss of nitrogen from an ecosystem is uncertain," says McDowell, "but is likely to play a role in which trees grow back first." The downstream delivery of nitrate to coastal waters may also fuel algae blooms and, eventually, coastal dead zones. Dead and broken trees Based on data collected at the NSF Luquillo LTER site, Hurricane Maria killed twice as many trees as previous storms and tripled the number of broken trees, found ecologist Maria Uriarte of Columbia University. Palm trees were the exception; their sinewy stems bent in the wind and their fronds began to grow back almost immediately after the storm. Future storms of Maria's strength could switch the dominant trees in Puerto Rico's forests from tall hardwoods to palms, Uriarte says, with consequences for whether forests take up more carbon or release carbon into the atmosphere. Research offers new insights McDowell and Uriarte will present their scientific findings on Friday, Dec. 14, in a conference session on "Tropical Forests in a Changing Environment." Their studies at Luquillo address long-term climate patterns, disturbances such as hurricanes and landslides, and the legacies of land use history in forest and stream ecosystems. By understanding how nutrient cycles -- and plant and animal populations -- respond to natural and human disturbances, scientists can supply the information needed to model, manage and conserve tropical forest ecosystems. Research at the NSF Luquillo CZO site focuses on physical and chemical processes in a mountain watershed. Scientists conducting research at the Luquillo CZO study such subjects as mineral weathering, nutrient transport, and changing water, dust and sediment inputs to the ecosystem. NSF Luquillo LTER research includes long-term observations of species and ecosystems; the connections between forest and stream ecology; and the ways mountains and precipitation interact. Experiments simulate the effects of hurricane intensity on forest and stream ecology. ### Using laser light to trap atoms in a checkerboard-like pattern, a team led by Princeton scientists studied how resistance -- the loss of electrical current as heat -- can develop in unconventional metals. The results may help explain how certain types of superconductors made from copper oxides are able to conduct electricity so efficiently. The research was published online Dec. 6 in the journal Science. Superconducting materials are ones that efficiently transmit electricity without losing any of the current as heat. Because they don't waste electricity, they have the potential to boost the energy-efficiency of the electrical power grid. They may also open up possibilities for new technologies. "If you want to carry electricity in power lines more efficiently, then improving our fundamental understanding of transport in these materials will have a significant impact on our ability to design better materials," said Waseem Bakr, assistant professor of physics and senior author on the study. Copper oxide superconductors are prized for their ability to work at relatively high temperatures compared to other types of superconductors. The materials were the subject of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1987. To explore how resistance develops, the researchers created an experiment that involved trapping atoms in an evenly spaced grid made from intersecting laser beams. The resulting structure, called an optical lattice, holds the atoms like eggs in an egg carton or checkers on a checkerboard. This setup allows researchers to see what is happening between the atoms. Normally this is not possible because the atoms in a solid are tightly packed. In this experiment, the atoms are about 10,000 times farther from each other than the atoms in a typical material, which allows researchers to view them using a microscope. The tiny particles are kept at intensely cold temperatures -- just a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero -- to quell their normal jumpiness. The researchers used the atoms as a stand-in for electrons, the charged particles that carry electrical current. Atoms are easier to image and manipulate than electrons. "Our lithium atoms in an optical lattice obey the same physics as electrons in real materials," said Peter Brown, a graduate student in physics and first author on the study. "This is advantageous because we have greater control over our system than is possible using real materials -- for example, we can tune the interactions between atoms and change the density of atoms." To explore how resistance develops, the researchers projected a laser beam onto the atoms in the lattice, creating ripples of density that travel through the atoms. The team measured how quickly the waves died away, which happens because the atoms bump against each other and become out of sync. The team repeated the experiment for a variety of different temperatures, each time heating up the atoms to a different temperature and observing how the resistance changed with temperature. They saw two interesting things happen: One was that as the temperature increased, the resistance increased in a linear fashion: an increase in temperature led to a proportional increase in resistance. This was surprising because the simplest theory for these systems, which is called the Fermi liquid theory, predicts a different pattern of response to temperature, where the resistance increases as the square of temperature, so as temperature increases, resistivity increases slowly at first and then rapidly. This unexpected linear response to temperature is one that is seen in the copper-oxide, or "cuprate," superconductors. This behavior has earned these materials the name "strange metals," and some researchers think that understanding this behavior might shed light on the origin of high-temperature superconductivity. Another observation the team made is that at high temperatures the resistance exceeds what theorists predicted was possible in those systems. The explanation for this is that the atoms are no longer behaving as discrete particles but rather as a quantum soup where each particle no longer has its own identity. This state happens when a system exceeds a theoretical bound called the Mott-Ioffe-Regel (MIR) limit. Physicists call such materials "bad metals." This state is interesting because resistance is thought to develop when particles scatter, bouncing off nearby particles like pinballs in a machine. Surpassing the MIR bound implies that the particles do not follow this simple picture. "Common sense says that a particle cannot scatter until it bounces off another particle. But what we saw was that resistivity keeps increasing and doesn't respect this bound," Bakr said. David Huse, Princeton's Cyrus Fogg Brackett Professor of Physics and a theorist who specializes in the physics of interacting quantum matter, provided theoretical understanding for the experimental observations. In addition to Huse, Brown and Bakr, the team at Princeton included graduate students Debayan Mitra and Elmer Guardado-Sanchez, and Dicke Postdoctoral Fellow Peter Schauss. The team collaborated with Reza Nourafkan, Alexis Reymbaut, Charles-David Hebert, Simon Bergeron and Andre-Marie Tremblay at the University of Sherbrooke in Canada; and Jure Kokalj at the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Related work exploring the spin-conductivity of cold atoms in an optical lattice was performed in the group led by Professor Martin Zwierlein at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was published in the same issue of Science. ### The study, "Bad metallic transport in a cold atom Fermi-Hubbard system," by Peter T. Brown, Debayan Mitra, Elmer Guardado-Sanchez, Reza Nourafkan, Alexis Reymbaut, Charles-David Hebert, Simon Bergeron, A.-M. S. Tremblay, Jure Kokalj, David A. Huse, Peter Schauss and Waseem S. Bakr, was published online in Science on Dec. 6, 2018. The work at Princeton was supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Air Force Office of Science Research Young Investigator Research Program, the U.S. Department of Defense, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation fellowship. The research demonstrated critical spread rates of 5 types of viral hepatitis; according to the results, immediate action should be taken by the international community Viral hepatitis means liver inflammation caused by viruses and is among top-10 mortality factors in the world. It is passed with contaminated food and water, through contact with infected blood, via common use of household appliances such as manicure or shaving sets. There are numerous viruses that can cause this disease. Some of them, such as hepatitis A virus, can be fought with efficient vaccines, while some, such as hepatitis C, are almost untreatable with medicinal drugs. Due to all these factors different types of hepatitis are widely spread, especially in Central Asia and Africa. "After my graduation, I have been working with Internal Medicine Hospital in Somalia under my beloved Professor Osman Dufle. During my work, I have realized that after the collapse of the central government in 1991 the research studies on liver diseases and others were declined. Hence, I started my researches which finally brought me to Russia for my specialization. There I analyse molecularly the hepatitis in my country thorough reviewing of earlier hepatitis studies in the country," said Mohamed Hassan-Kadle, author of the study and member of the Center for Liver Studies at RUDN RUDN medics were the first to gather together scattered data on hepatitis morbidity in Somalia. Numerous studies have been dedicated to the spread of particular types of hepatitis in this country, but this is the first work to describe the rate of viral hepatitis in Somalia in general. "There is no state program in Somalia to monitor and control hepatitis or prevent this disease. Our study and the obtained data may help launch such initiatives on the state level. We expect to raise awareness among the public, health care professionals, and politicians," said Mohamed Hassan-Kadle, author of the study and member of the Center for Liver Studies at RUDN At the initial stage of their research RUDN medics found out 504 studies about the spread of hepatitis in Somalia. After careful selection 29 works were chosen for analysis. These studies contained data on hepatitis morbidity in all age and social groups including pregnant women and infants less than 1 year old. Using mathematical statistics methods, medics obtained disappointing result. 18.9% of Somalia residents were infected with hepatitis B. According to the World Health Organization, if a disease is spread across over 5% of populations it is considered an endemia. To compare, people with hepatitis B account for 4% of population of the world and 9% of Africa. The numbers for hepatitis A and E are much higher - 90.2% and 88.2%. "Our research showed that all types of viral hepatitis are present in Somalia. This should become a burning issue for the country's health care system. Measures should be taken immediately. In particular, excessive levels of hepatitis A and B morbidity may be reduced with available vaccines," added Pavel Ogurtsov, a co-author of the study, and head of the Center for Liver Studies at RUDN. "Additionally, our research recommended further studies are needed to fully understand the population factors underlying the high prevalence of all forms viral hepatitis, particularly in underrepresented regions and among adults, children, blood donors and high-risk groups, to offer better perspectives on all forms of the viral hepatitis burden in Somalia." said Mohamed Hassan-Kadle. ### Interpreting the source and significance of crop pollen in archaeological sites has always been a key issue in environmental and agricultural archaeology. With regards to this, the research team of Dr. Shang Xue from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, recently conducted a simulation study on the dispersal pattern of pollen in the traditional processing of buckwheat. The research paper entitled "Pollen Dispersal in Traditional Processing of Buckwheat and Its Application in Agricultural Archaeology", which has been published online in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences. This paper was written by Liu Yang, a graduate student of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as the first author, and Dr. Shang Xue as the corresponding author. Pollen, as an important index of agricultural archaeology, can be used to indicate the history of paleoenvironment change and ancient human agricultural activities. To date, the study of pollen dispersal is limited to the analysis of pollen rain in nature and in surface soil of farmland. The influence of the agricultural processing on pollen dispersal is rarely considered, became a handicap for a better understanding of the source and representation of crop pollen in archaeological sites. As a kind of pseudocereal, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum and F. tataricum) are short-season crops with drought-tolerant and barren-resistant features. Plant of buckwheat is widely cultivated and utilized in the world because of its low workforce requirements, wide geographical adaptability, strong resistance, and rich nutrient content. Studies have suggested that buckwheat may have been domesticated on the edge of its wild ancestral distribution area in southwestern China. Later it was transmitted to the northern part, and then adapted to the arid environment, becoming a pan-Eurasian crop approximately 3000 BP. Pollen of buckwheat is unique in shape. As a kind of cross-pollinated pollen, it has large grains, close propagation distance, small distribution area, as well as low representation. Therefore, there will be a clear indication about its source and relationship with the maternal plant region when the pollen grains of buckwheat were discovered. According to the above merits, the research on buckwheat pollen has been received much attention. On this basis, researchers examined pollen dispersal in the buckwheat traditional processing. Aerial pollen collection method was applied to collect pollen rains at various processing stages. Furthermore, the surface soil pollen analysis of buckwheat field and barren land, and the data on aerial pollen rain in the surrounding area were selected as control groups. The result has shown that the content of buckwheat pollen in aerial pollen rain can reach more than 70% during the traditional processing, among which, the pollen release amount was the largest in the threshing and sieving stages, followed by the wind winnowing and harvesting stage. Thus, the processing behavior of crops has a significant impact on the distribution of crop pollen in residential areas. The results can help us interpret the distribution patterns and contribution rates of pollen during buckwheat processing. A high proportion of crop pollen can indicate not only the cultivation behavior, but also the processing behavior of humans. This research provides a scientific and experimental basis for identifying the crop processing remains in archaeological sites as well as assessing the intensity and impact of agricultural activities. As a basic research, this research provides new concepts for the application of crop pollen dispersal in agricultural archaeology and new findings on buckwheat pollen research, which has certain interdisciplinary and scientific significance. ### This research was jointly completed by Dr. Shang Xue, a graduate student Liu Yang, Dr. Sheng Pengfei and Prof. Song Guoding, which funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41471167 & 41730319), and National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2015CB953803). See the article: Liu Y, Shang X, Sheng P, Song G. 2018. Pollen dispersal in traditional processing of buckwheat and its application in agricultural archaeology. Science China Earth Sciences, 61, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-018-9288-5 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11430-018-9288-5.pdf A team of scientists of Ural Federal University headed by Prof. Vladimir Kublanov created a hardware-information system for brain disorders prophylaxis and treatment unrivaled both in Russia and throughout the world. The system developers published the article describing the system in the journal Mobile Information Systems (UK). According to the World Health Organization, brain disorders (mainly strokes) are amongst the main mortality factors in the world. 'Clinical trials of the system created by UrFU scientists in Ekaterinburg and Moscow confirmed its effectiveness (which is higher compared to other treatment modes) in rehabilitation of patients suffering from the consequences of strokes, brain injuries, brain damage as a result of toxic or alcohol poisonings, neuroinfections, atrophic diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Pick's, Huntington's diseases,' says Timur Petrenko, Associate Professor at the Ural State Medical University's Department of Psychiatry. Some remarkable results were observed during the trials, like bringing patients out of the vegetative state, effective treatment of multiple sclerosis, treatment-resistant epilepsy, neuropathy, arterial hypertension, vegetovascular dystonia, migraine, depressive and anxiety disorders, ADHD, autism, stuttering, enuresis (in children), glaucoma , diabetic retinopathy and age-related degeneration of vision, restoration of mental and emotional activity, speech, hearing, motor functions. The system consists of two blocks: neuro-electrostimulation device and a smartphone. The device includes two multielement electrodes which are attached to the neck, the area that comprises such centers of segmental control for vital functions as glossopharyngeal, accessory, vagus nerves and their branches, cervical plexus of the spinal nerves, carotid plexus, nodes of the sympathetic trunk formed by the nervous processes of the autonomic nuclei of the spinal cord. 'Delicate, painless electrostimulation of these areas ("targets") with spatially distributed fields of monopolar low-frequency current pulses exercises a healthy influence over gray matter and cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, cerebellum, cerebral arteries, olfactory system, brain stem and vegetative nucleus of the spinal cord,' Vladimir Kublanov explains. The device is monitored controlled by the doctor via a smartphone or a tablet with a special Android/iOS/Windows Phone application, and the two blocks exchange information through Android Bluetooth Low Energy API. 'Telemedicine is mainly aimed at the follow-up of patients, general state of health monitoring, counselling. We went further and suggested treatment under continual care of a doctor. Unlike pharmacological therapy, this method is "targeted", which assumes no negative side effects on the entire body,' Mikhail Babich, one of the developers, says. 'Our system is convenient in that it allows a patient to go through rehabilitation in the comfort of their own home. A doctor, on the other hand, is able to control the system remotely, in real time, and monitor up to 10 patients in such a way, both at rest and during exercise (like running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle). Significantly, the system is compact, mobile, easy to operate, has small weight and considerable duration of autonomous operation - minimum of 24 hours.' The information about the patient's condition is transmitted by the attending physician from their smartphone to the server of the medical institution. This ensures the protection of patients' personal data and excludes unauthorized and unprofessional interpretation of the indications of the neurostimulating device, while the doctor receives a database of accumulated data which is used when making diagnoses, choosing treatment, correcting or discontinuing it. "Artificial intelligence does not replace the doctor but supports them in making decisions. Biomedical signals received via Bluetooth from the device are processed using the algorithms developed by us. Artificial intelligence recognizes certain patterns, and the doctor receives clear, consistent information: whether the patient is healthy or sick, and if they are sick, what the dynamics is compared with previous indicators. The processes of diagnosis and choosing the trajectory of treatment are significantly accelerated," explains the system's co-author Anton Dolganov. Now the developers are looking for partners for the commercialization of the successfully tested system. ### Cobalt deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of Earth's largest cobalt-mining regions, are 150 million years younger than previously thought, according to a new study by University of Alberta geologists. The study provides critical insight into exploration for cobalt, an important component in rechargeable batteries. "Cobalt has become a critically important metal because of its use as a component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, from phones to hybrid cars," said Robert Creaser, professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Canada Research Chair in Isotope Geochemistry. Cobalt enables rechargeable batteries to stock energy without overheating. It is a strategic metal for the technological revolution, critical in efforts to face and remediate climate change. "Using this new knowledge of the timing of events that formed cobalt deposits, we can target regions for exploring known cobalt deposits and discovering new ones." Working with former post-doctoral fellow Nicolas Saintilan, now at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, Creaser used a new, rhenium-osmium dating system to examine the rich cobalt deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their results show that cobalt and copper mineralization occurred during a period of mountain building and deformation, between 610 and 470 million years ago, suggesting that the deposits formed 100 to 150 million years more recently than originally thought. Because of its use in the creation of lithium-ion batteries, cobalt is a hot commodity on the international market--creating steep competition. Most large cobalt deposits are located in developing or poverty-stricken regions in Central Africa. Exploration can be mired in human rights, geopolitical, and sustainability issues, Creaser explained. "The conundrum is that the western world needs cobalt, and the conditions in some places we currently get it from can be exploitative. The biggest value of this research is opening the possibility of finding more prospective areas worldwide for sources of cobalt. This background information helps exploration geologists develop ideas of where and where not to look." ### This research was supported by Professor Selby at Durham University, United Kingdom and Faculty of Science alumnus. Key samples were provided by Stijn Dewaele at the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium The paper, "Sulphide Re-Os geochronology links orogenesis, salt and Cu-Co ores in the Central African Copperbelt," was published in Scientific Reports (doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-33399-7). CINCINNATI--Patients hospitalized for either asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a higher risk of being readmitted for a hospital stay within 30 days of release if they also suffer from chronic rhinitis, according to a trio of researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC). The study is available online in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, and is co-authored by Umesh Singh, MD, PhD, research scientist, and Jonathan Bernstein, MD, professor, in the UC College of Medicine's Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, and Victoria Wangia-Anderson, PhD, associate professor in the UC College of Allied Health Sciences. The medical outcomes for 4,754 asthma patients and 2,176 COPD patients, all from UC Health, were studied for a five-year period, between July 15, 2012 and July 19, 2017, explains Singh, the paper's first author. Relevant comorbidities including allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis, both are forms of chronic rhinitis, were identified. The association between 30-day asthma or COPD-related hospital admissions (1,670 such encounters for asthma and 736 for COPD) and comorbid chronic rhinitis in affected patients were determined using Cox proportional hazard models, he says. UC Health is the Tristate healthcare system that is a teaching affiliate of the UC College of Medicine. Chronic rhinitis means persistent inflammation of the nose, while allergic rhinitis is due to the genetic predisposition to produce IgE or immunoglobulin E--antibodies that are specifically made in response to environmental factors such as dust mite, animals or tree, grass and ragweed pollens, says Bernstein, the paper's corresponding author. In the study, multivariate hazard models adjusted for relevant patient comorbidities, compared 30-day asthma- and COPD-related readmissions of patients with allergic and non-allergic rhinitis with those patients without that diagnosis, says Singh. The analysis found that asthmatics with allergic rhinitis were 4.4 times more likely to face hospital readmission within 30 days of discharge compared to asthmatics without allergic rhinitis. Asthmatics with non-allergic rhinitis were 3.7 times more likely to face hospital readmission within 30 days of discharge compared to asthmatics without non-allergic rhinitis, Singh says. COPD patients with allergic rhinitis may be readmitted 2.4 times the rate within 30 days of discharges compared to COPD patients without allergic rhinitis, says Singh. Meanwhile, COPD patients with non-allergic rhinitis may be readmitted at 2.6 times the rate within 30 days of discharge as compared to COPD patients without non-allergic rhinitis, he says. Bernstein says the findings could be helpful for physicians treating asthma and COPD patients. "When patients have asthma or COPD we tend to focus on treating the lower respiratory, but we also need to focus on comorbidities to help improve management of their illness," says Bernstein, an expert in allergies and also a UC Health physician. "One of the comorbidities for us to consider is upper respiratory disease such as chronic rhinitis which is often ignored or under treated." The lower respiratory tract generally refers to the windpipe and within the lungs, the bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli. The upper respiratory tract includes the nose, nasal cavity, mouth, throat and larynx. "I think if you ask residents or doctors if they take a history about rhinitis, whether it is allergic or non-allergic rhinitis and if they pay attention to medications used to treat these conditions especially when patients are in the hospital or even as outpatients, often times you hear they do not," says Bernstein. "We need to recognize the importance of taking a thorough history regarding upper as well as lower respiratory symptoms when seeing these patients in our clinics or in the hospital and initiate treatment if appropriate. "This study further emphasizes the subcellular interaction between the upper and lower respiratory tract that are well known," says Bernstein. "One can't just focus on the lower respiratory tract and ignore the neck and above. It's a whole system and the results of this study indicates that clinicians need to better recognize and start managing this problem more effectively. Bernstein says there are definite nuances in the management of allergic versus non-allergic rhinitis which requires some expertise. It's not one size fits all. They are caused by different mechanisms of action, are treated differently and respond to different medications." "This study may garner some attention because of its focus on 30-day hospital readmission rates which is one of the biggest economic markers of success for hospital systems," says Bernstein. "A prospective study that examines 30-day hospital readmission rates after physicians have treated allergic and/or non-allergic rhinitis as comorbidities for asthma and COPD patients is needed to validate these findings." ### The study's authors report no conflicts of interest. Ansari, an IT engineer from Mumbai was detained and charged with espionage when he sneaked into Pakistan from Afghanistan in the year 2012. Mumbai: A day after the world commemorated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace & Democracy (PIPFPD), the Indian chapter of the Forum have issued a note appealing to the Pakistani authorities and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, to release Mohd. Hamid Ansari, on the December 16, when his jail term gets completed. Ansari, an IT engineer from Mumbai was detained and charged with espionage when he sneaked into Pakistan from Afghanistan in the year 2012. Ansaris case has seen many twists and turns since he travelled to Afghanistan five years ago in order to illegally enter Pakistan, reportedly to meet a woman he had befriended online. Tapan Bose, co-chairpersons, Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace & Democracy India, said, We believe that Ansaris immediate release will send a positive message as it will come in the background of the opening up of the Kartarpur Corridor. Mr Bose also added, PIPFPD and many other campaigners for Ansaris release have consistently maintained that while he violated the Passport Act, he is innocent of the kind of the charges levelled against him. Ansari entered Pakistan illegally to meet his love in Kohat. They came in contact through a social media site. He was sentenced to three years in January 2016. PIPFPD, said, He has already been in custody for a long while before that. Ansari and his family have paid a heavy price for his rather naive act. They should not be made to suffer more. His immediate family consisting of his parents and brother have been in turmoil for the past several years. His mother is a retired professor, father was a banker, who is also a practising lawyer and elder brother is a dental surgeon. Peshawar high court on August 7, 2018 directed authorities concerned to deport Ansari immediately after completion of his sentence, if he is not required for any other case. PIPFPD requested authorities to hand over Ansari to Indian high commission officials and that he should be released and repatriated the same day or next day via Wagah border. COLUMBIA, Mo. - A 2012 study by the Everyone Graduates Center at John Hopkins University found that when a high school freshman receives a single suspension, their chances of dropping out of school can increase by a third. Furthermore, only 49 percent of students with three or more suspensions graduate high school. That's nearly a flip of a coin on whether a student receives a diploma or not. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri and the University of Virginia have found that when educators and administrators focus on creating a positive school climate, the likelihood of a student being suspended decreases by approximately 10 percent. To put this in context, more than 2.75 million K-12 students were suspended during the 2013 to 2014 school year. A 10 percent reduction would have meant 275,000 more students staying in class and learning. "A positive climate is one where educators and administrators create clear expectations for students, practice consistent discipline and display supportive behavior," said Francis Huang, associate professor in the MU College of Education. "This creates a positive school environment for students because they know what is expected of them, they feel respected and supported, and they expect that they will be treated equally and fairly." In addition to presenting clear rules to students and enforcing them consistently throughout the school, Huang said a positive school climate features an environment marked by supportive student-teacher relationships. Huang and co-author Dewey Cornell, a professor of education at the University of Virginia, analyzed school climate survey responses from more than 75,000 students from 310 middle schools in the state of Virginia to determine the relationship between student behaviors, the likelihood of suspensions and overall school climate. They found that while behaviors like fighting and bullying were the most powerful predictors of receiving a suspension, a positive school climate was associated with a reduction in a student's likelihood of receiving a suspension, no matter their race, economic status or behavior in school. "Research shows that overwhelmingly, the students who are most at risk of receiving a suspension are either male, non-white, of low socioeconomic status, have a disability or a combination of these characteristics," Huang said. "This study suggests that a positive school climate can be helpful for all students, regardless of their background." ### "The relationship of school climate with out-of-school suspension," was published in Children and Youth Services Review. Funding for this project was supported by the National Institute of Justice (Grant #2014-CK-BX-0004.) The opinions, findings and recommendations expressed in the study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the funding institution. Your computer performs most tasks well. For word processing, certain computations, graphic arts and web surfing, the digital box on your desk is the best tool for the job. But the way your computer works, with its style of mathematics that relies on the binary code system of "on" and "off" 1s and 0s, isn't ideal for solving every problem. That's why researchers such as Zoltan Toroczkai, professor in the Department of Physics and concurrent professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, are interested in reviving analog computing at a time when digital computing has reached its maximum potential. Toroczkai and collaborators have been working toward developing a novel mathematical approach that will help advance computation beyond the digital framework. His most recent paper, published in Nature Communications, describes a new mathematical, analog "solver" that can potentially find the best solution to NP-hard problems. NP-hardness is a theory of computational complexity, with problems that are famous for their difficulty. When the number of variables is large, problems associated with scheduling, protein folding, bioinformatics, medical imaging and many other areas are nearly unsolvable with known methods. After testing their new method on a variety of NP-hard problems, the researchers concluded their solver has the potential to lead to better, and possibly faster, solutions than can be computed digitally. Analog computers were used to predict tides from the early to mid-20th century, guide weapons on battleships and launch NASA's first rockets into space. They first used gears and vacuum tubes, and later, transistors, that could be configured to solve problems with a range of variables. They perform mathematical functions directly. For instance, to add 5 and 9, analog computers add voltages that correspond to those numbers, and then instantly obtain the correct answer. However, analog computers were cumbersome and prone to "noise" -- disturbances in the signals -- and were difficult to re-configure to solve different problems, so they fell out of favor. Digital computers emerged after transistors and integrated circuits were reliably mass produced, and for many tasks they are accurate and sufficiently flexible. Computer algorithms, in the form of software, are sets of instructions that tell the computer hardware how to perform. Because the process is restricted to the use of 0s and 1s, this also makes their programming simpler, and allowed digital computing to dominate for nearly 70 years. However, their restrictions may prevent digital computers from solving NP-hard problems with many variables. One such problem is the "Traveling Salesman" problem, in which a salesperson must start in one city and return to that city at the end of a trip, but in between, must travel to all the different cities on a list. What's the most efficient route among all the points? The problem becomes exponentially more challenging with the addition of more cities. The difficulty with such optimization problems, Toroczkai noted, is "while you can always come up with some answer, you cannot determine if it's optimal. Determining that there isn't a better solution is just as hard as the problem itself." A challenge for analog computing rests with the design of continuous algorithms. Unlike digital computing, which has a long history in algorithm development, algorithms for analog computers lack a similar knowledge base and thus are very difficult to design. Toroczkai's approach is different from the types of algorithms for digital computers, in all aspects. The next step is to design and build devices based on this approach, a process that will be tackled within Notre Dame's College of Engineering. The analog computers would be built for specific tasks, and not for everyday computing needs. This work is part of a larger-scale, multi-institutional effort, called Extremely Energy Efficient Collective Electronics (EXCEL), led by Notre Dame's Suman Datta, Freimann Chair of Engineering and professor of electrical engineering, in collaboration with Sharon Hu, professor of computer science and engineering. "There are mostly engineering problems that need to be solved at this point, such as spurious capacities and better noise control, but it's going to get there," Toroczkai said. "Ideally I would like to see that you have this box on your desk that is your scheduler. And it is going to do much better of a job than your regular computer." ### For this research, Toroczkai collaborated with Maria Ercsey-Ravasz from Babes-Bolyai University in Romania and their teams. Toroczkai's work was funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Nanoelectronics Research Corporation. The EXCEL effort is funded by the NSF and industry partners. Beginning in late 2016, U.S. diplomats and family members stationed in Havana, Cuba, reported a number of sudden-onset symptoms, including dizziness, ear pain and tinnitus. They noted a high frequency, loud and very localized sound that sometimes followed them as they moved through a room. For the first time, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have described these acute symptoms and their associated clinical findings. The analysis is published today in the journal Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology. "This report is incredibly important because it represents the findings from patient evaluations that were conducted shortly after exposure, and an analysis of the data confirming that they had a unique set of symptoms that we have not seen before," said Carey Balaban, Ph.D., one of the corresponding authors on the study and a professor of otolaryngology in Pitt's School of Medicine who also has appointments in the departments of Neurobiology, Communication Science & Disorders, and Bioengineering at Pitt. The study included a retrospective review of clinical data from 25 people at the U.S. Embassy who reported a localized sensation of noise and pressure, and 10 individuals who were housemates of those affected and did not experience the sensations. "Objective testing showed evidence of a balance dysfunction that affects the inner ear and a unique pattern of cognitive dysfunction," said Michael E. Hoffer, M.D., professor of otolaryngology and neurological surgery at Miami's Miller School of Medicine and the lead and co-corresponding author. "This cluster of auditory, vestibular and neurological symptoms, along with associated psychological issues, does not resemble more classic traumatic brain injury (TBI), based on our team's vast experience in this area." Over the course of a few months beginning in February 2017, Hoffer, along with University of Miami's Hillary Snapp, Au.D., Ph.D., associate professor of otolaryngology and chief of audiology; Bonnie E. Levin, Ph.D., professor of neurology and director of the Division of Neuropsychology; and James Buskirk, a doctoral student and physical therapist, evaluated individuals who suspected they had been affected, between four and 60 days after exposure. The team also evaluated a larger group of 105 embassy workers who denied any "exposure" to noise or a pressure sensation. Balaban, who has collaborated with Hoffer for more than two decades on research involving balance disorders and traumatic brain injuries, was called in to join the team because of his longstanding experience in studying complex and often difficult-to-understand symptoms involving balance disorders. Balaban has published extensively on inner ear physiology, including seminal research that has shown a link between balance disorders and cognitive dysfunction, anxiety and migraine. The study found that all of the 25 people with symptoms noticed unsteadiness and features of cognitive impairment. Dizziness (92 percent) and cognitive complaints (56 percent) were the most common symptoms. Formal testing revealed that all of them had an inner ear abnormality and evidence of cognitive dysfunction. After the evaluations, a number of the patients were treated for balance, cognitive and emotional symptoms. "This is the first and only report of the acute presentation seen shortly after exposure in this unique group of patients," said Hoffer. "Our findings are unaffected by the influence of time, variable amounts of rehabilitation, workers compensation concerns or media attention. It is an important contribution to this field and in helping us to determine what happened." While the study did not attempt to determine the cause of the symptoms in these U.S. Embassy residents, the researchers noted that intense ultrasonic exposures can produce "a syndrome involving manifestations of nausea, headache, tinnitus, pain, dizziness and fatigue," based on occupational health literature. "The exposure responsible for these findings is unknown," they wrote. "It would be imprudent to exclude any potential directed or non-directed energy sources at this time." ### No funding was provided for this work. Gente Michu da la cara tras la polemica, explica su condena de prision y desmiente la ayuda economica de Ortega Cano The Pound continues to face significant weakness against major currencies, broad selling, and little buying. Brexit issues continue to weigh in on the Pound. Prime Minister alone against her own allies and EU leaders A day after Prime Minister Theresa May pulled a parliamentary vote on the current Brexit deal, she was again waylaid and attacked by her opponents even her allies. A significant number of Tory MPs have voiced frustration against the current Brexit deal. So much so that there could be a vote of no confidence in Theresa May from her own party. This news came as the Prime Minister was visiting various EU leaders to push for some changes that would be palatable to Parliament. This unknown activity has generated significant amounts of the F.U.D. Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. The drive down was exacerbated by reports that various heads of state in Europe have refused to do any more deals. If there is no solution soon, then it is very possible the UK will exit the EU with a no-deal scenario which is a situation almost everyone agrees is a scary situation. Pound extends losses, massive downturn in the first two trading days The GBP/USD saw another massive drop on the day. From the daily high of 1.2693 to the daily low of 1.24798 we see a -159.4 pip drop for the day (-1.26%). Measure the weekly high to weekly low, we see that the range is a whopping -278.9 pips form the weekly high of 1.2758. The trading behavior during the intraday trade has been one of significant weakness. Speaking for myself, Ive not experienced such weakness in a currency pair in a long time. There has been almost no effort to create a bullish reversal on the current down move. In fact, anytime I saw a pause in the trading during normal trading hours, almost no buyers stepped in. There seems to very little resistance to a continued move lower, with the 1.20 level being the next major support zone. There could be a supportive bounce form the 1.2373 value area because it represents a pivot in time and price, but well have to see. The volume should also be observed because the participation continues to be very small and continues to drop. With Mondays volume being less than half of the past 20-trading days, Tuesdays trading was even lower the lowest volume since August 9th. There is a short-term support zone at the present value area on the daily chart with the 1x3 Gann angle acting as a probable support zone. A pullback to the inner 7/8th harmonic at 1.2527 is expected. The officials said that the accused persons had also procured forged Indian identities with the help of agents. Mumbai: The Waliv police in Palghar arrested six illegal Bangladesh immigrants who had been staying there since five years. The police received specific information after which it conducted searches and found the immigrants who did not have passports or any legal documents supporting their entry into the country. Those arrested were identified as Hasan Shaikh (25), Moin Shaikh (21), Shaati Mumrez Gazi Shaikh (22), Tanya Shaikh (24), Rafiq Shaikh (26) and Dulali Shaikh (25) who had been staying in the Waliv area, doing odd jobs for a living. The officials said that the accused persons had also procured forged Indian identities with the help of agents. We are questioning them to ascertain how they managed to land in Mumbai. Apparently, they crossed over the border illegally by paying money, said the investigators. The police said that the group was staying in a flat at Bhavni Heights in Naigaon area since five years. The officials are in the process of ascertaining the ownership of the flat and the activities of the arrested accused in Mumbai. The police has also asked for details of criminal cases against the six accused in and around Mumbai, if any. The police has registered a case under sections of the Passport Act and Foreigners Act and the accused have been placed under arrest. The accused have been remanded to police custody for further investigation. The police will begin the process of extraditing them after the case is concluded in an Indian court. FTSE100 Boosted On Easing Trade Tension Despite UK Government Leadership Challenge European and Asian equities were up in this mornings session as signs point towards a soothing of US-China trade tensions. While the US Dollar (USD) has been choppy in recent weeks as investor concerns grow over the Feds rate hike policy ahead of next weeks FOMC meeting and the outcome for global trade of US-China negotiations, todays announcement by China to cut tariffs on US imported cars from 40% to 15% will help to ease tensions. Analyst Richard Perry of Hantec Markets comments, Although actions speak louder than words, this move from China is a positive sign in the dispute, helping risk appetite today with equities positive and US Treasury yields having pulled higher. Reacting to the news, Londons FTSE was up this morning, gaining 1.1%. Frankfurts Xetra Dax 30 and Europe-wide Stoxx 600 recorded similar gains of above 1%. Above: FTSE100 Gains 2.5%+ In 2 Days The decision to cut tariffs comes as Canada grant bail to recently arrested Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. The arrest followed an extradition request from the US, sparking Chinese outrage and threatening to undermine the forthcoming high stakes trade talks between the US and China in the wake of a 0 day ceasefire agreed at the Buenos Aires G20 summit between Presidents Trump and Jinping. Commenting on the situation yesterday, US President Trump hinted that he may intervene in the Justice Departments case against the Chinese business executive, saying If I think its good for the country, 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. Against a backdrop of worsening political chaos in the UK, with PM May due to face a vote of no confidence later today and growing Eurozone concerns around both the French and Italian budgets, the US Dollar has capitalised in foreign exchange markets, maintaining healthy gains against both the Euro (EUR/USD) and Pound Sterling (GBP/USD). Against the Euro, the US Dollar (EUR/USD) exchange rate is currently trading at 1.13239 having faced several rejections from resistance at 1.134. The Pound Sterling US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate remains in the vicinity of 20 month lows hit yesterday (1.24769), but has recovered somewhat above the 1.25 handle and is currently trading at 1.25449. While a long-term balanced resolution to the trade conflict may be some way off, initial reactions lean towards optimism. Global equities portfolio manager at Newton Investment Management said, Equity markets have continued to reflect a more optimistic view on US/China trade relations. Commodity-related names and sectors leveraged to the Chinese consumer were among the vanguard. With specific regards to the deepening Brexit-spurred political turmoil in the UK, he added Even the breaking news of a Conservative leadership challenge in the UK failed to dampen spirits: indeed, Sterling has bounced higher. Given that a change of Conservative leader or Prime Minister does not materially change the parliamentary arithmetic regarding Brexit, it seems this strengthening is related more to a more risk-on tone to markets than this mornings announcement. Exaggerated moves Likely for FX Rates as Vote Results Coincide with Low Liquidity With the results of tonights secret ballot which will see PM Mays leadership challenged not expected until after 9pm, FX markets will be susceptible to erratic fluctuations as the vote results come at a time when GBP trading is typically thinner. Late night (GMT) typically sees the lowest levels of Sterling trading with an average of $400,000 flowing through wholesale markets per second at around 10pm compared to $7.6m per second during Londons active sessions. The Pound Sterling has shown particular resilience in todays trading so far despite the political commotion in the UK reaching fever pitch. While the typical reaction in recent months to negative Brexit-related news has been a sharp sell-off in the GBP, todays gains reflect market expectations for PM May to survive the leadership contest, essentially securing her position until the next general election. Following this mornings fresh 20-month low which saw the Pound Sterling US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate hit 1.24769, the exchange rate has today risen over 1%. Versus the Euro, a similar picture has played out in todays session with the Pound Sterling Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate rising 0.7% from this mornings 1.1024 low. Above: GBP/USD Exchange Rate Recovers From 20-Month Low Head of European fixed-income research for Nomura, Bilal Hafeez interprets the GBPs pricing as Currently, these markets are assigning a probability of 65 to 75 per cent that Theresa May wins the vote tonight. However, if PM May loses out in tonights secret ballot the politically chaotic aftermath could see the Pound Sterling lose up to 3%. Highlighting the difficulty of accurately forecasting the near-term Sterling value, senior FX strategist, Jane Foley, of Rabobank points out that the impact on the Pound of tonights vote is entirely uncertain commenting that a defeat for May could prompt a Sterling rally as investor concerns may be allayed by a delay in Brexit. Overall the combination of extremely high impact news with thinner trading conditions may lead to sensational spikes in Pound Sterling exchange rates this evening in anticipation of and in reaction to the results of the vote. Jump Tradings Mark Bruce comments, We expect a lot of volatility whatever the outcome of the vote may be adding, The timing of the vote is really not ideal as results are expected around 9pm UK time, not exactly prime time for sterling liquidity. The potential lack of liquidity will likely exaggerate moves With experts predicting that the UK could leave the European Union in March 2019 without a deal, the British Government has confirmed that such a scenario will not affect EU citizens.The Home Office said that the EU Settlement Scheme will continue to be implemented, enabling EU citizens and their family members living in the UK by 29 March 2019 to secure their status.It means that they will continue to be able to work, study, and access benefits and services in the UK on the same basis as they do now and the scheme will be fully open by 30 March 2019 as planned.A new policy paper states that the Home Office will continue to look to grant status rather than refuse and in line with the UK commitment to be more generous in certain respects than the draft Withdrawal Agreement.For example, a person will not be refused status under the EU Settlement Scheme because, for example, they are not economically active or they do not hold comprehensive sickness insurance.There would be some changes to the EU Settlement Scheme if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, it adds. As there would be no agreed implementation period, this guarantee would only apply to EU citizens who are resident in the UK by 29 March 2019.As there would be no agreed implementation period, those EU citizens and their family members resident here by 29 March 2019 would have until 31 December 2020 to apply for a status under the EU Settlement Scheme, but with no six-month grace period beyond this. The new UK immigration system would be implemented from 1 January 2021 as planned.The paper also explains that EU identity cards would remain valid for travel to the UK initially. Although there would be no immediate change, as the new UK immigration system is implemented from 01 January 2021, there would no longer be a guarantee that EU citizens will be able to use a national identity card to enter the UK. This would support the Home Offices attempts to streamline border processes and better secure our borders, the document says.The UK Government is also calling on the EU and Member States to uphold their commitments to citizens and to protect the rights of UK nationals in the event of a no deal scenario.The UK cannot act unilaterally to protect the rights of UK nationals in the EU, but will take necessary steps where possible to support UK nationals. We want UK nationals to be able to stay in the Member States that they live in when we leave, and for their rights to employment, healthcare, education, benefits and services to be protected. We ask Member States to set out details of how they would do so as soon as possible, the paper says. 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. Says deportation order is proof he had no intention of returning to India. Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday countered the claim of beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya that he had gone to Geneva for a meeting, saying, Who goes for a meeting with 300 bags? The Enforcement Directorate counsel also contended that Mallyas deportation order is proof that he had no intention of coming back to India. Mallyas lawyer Amit Desai on Tuesday completed his arguments and the EDs counsel D.N. Singh filed a rejoinder to them. On Wednesday, Mr Singh contended before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court judge M.S. Azmi that Mallya does not have anything to show that he had left India to attend a meeting. Mallyas lawyer has claimed that he left the country in the normal course and not under any suspicious condition to attend the World Motor Sport meeting in Geneva. On March 2, 2016, Mallya left the country for London via Germany, where he attended a conference of Worldsports, as a director. Mr Desai, on behalf of Mallya, had termed the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA) a draconian law, but the EDs lawyer argued that this Act is how it is explained in the law and it cannot be interpreted in any other way. Mallyas lawyer had contended that the prime reason behind declaring the businessman a fugitive economic offender is to confiscate his properties and deprive him of his rights granted in the Constitution. Mr Singh, however, said that the application under Fugitive Economic Offenders Act was filed before the court after all means to bring him back failed. He told the court that several summonses and three non-bailable warrants (NBW) were issued against Mallya, but he still refused to come back and join the investigation. Insisting on allowing the application for declaring Mallya an economic fugitive offender, Mr Singh contended that during a lengthy argument his lawyer had never said anything about his return, and argued that Mallya has no intention of returning to India. Mallya is wanted in a case of alleged money laundering and fraud amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore. The jail staff claimed that Shetye fell down and died due to poor health as she was suffering from TB. Mumbai: One of the inmates of Byculla prison on Wednesday identified the six accused jail staffers, including the then jailor Manisha Pokharkar, in court, as the persons who allegedly assaulted another life convict Manjula Shetye, leading to her death. Special public prosecutor, Vidya Kasle, Wednesday examined the Byculla prison inmate, Bhagyashree Mandavkar, as a witness. Ms Mandavkar stood by her statement and reiterated it before the trial court Judge Shayana Patil. She identified all the accused - Pokharkar, Bindu Naikode, Wasima Shaikh, Shital Shegokar, Surekha Gavle and Arti Shingne - as the persons who allegedly assaulted Shetye. A life convict, 45-year-old Shetye, was rushed to hospital from the Byculla womens prison on June 23 where she was declared dead. The jail staff claimed that Shetye fell down and died due to poor health as she was suffering from TB. However, as soon as news of Shetyes death reached the jail, all other inmates got furious and created a riot-like situation there. One of the inmates lodged a complaint against the jail staff for allegedly beating Shetye to death, following which, the six persons were arrested in the case. Ms Mandavkar told the court that on the date of the incident when she was having food with another inmate, she saw Shingne dragging Shetye by her hair. According to Ms Mandavkar, Shingne pushed Shetye in the barrack where the convict was imprisoned and then, Pokharkar, Naikode, Shegokar and Gavle also came and started assaulting Shetye with lathis. The slow progression of arthritis can be debilitating as joints begin to swell and sometimes become twisted as an autoimmune disorder causes the body to attacks joints and tissues. The other common cause of arthritis is natural wear and tear, injury or infections that serve to break down cartilage tissue and this continues if not addressed properly. Traditional medicine offers only pain meds, that may provide relief but come with pernicious side effects, or surgery, which should be avoided if possible. One of the primary goals of The Healthy Back Institute, co-founded by Jesse Cannone, is to find and provide strategies for natural relief from just such chronic conditions. The body must be given a chance to work in a positive instead of a destructive manner and that is what Dr. Mark Wiley's book, Arthritis Reversed: 30 Days to Lasting Relief from Joint Pain and Arthritis, seeks to achieve. Jesse Cannone, who has interviewed Dr. Wiley on numerous occasions about chronic pain relief, offers this informative book on his website at The Healthy Back Institute. Dr. Wiley, who holds Doctorates in Oriental & Alternative Medicine, began his quest for natural answers to chronic pain after suffering from debilitating migraine headaches from an early age. His physician father tried everything within his knowledge and means, but nothing worked and so Dr. Wiley traveled the world seeking his own path to living a pain free life. First on the agenda must be finding the underlying, often hidden, causes of arthritic symptoms in each particular case, for everyone has different genetics and physical history to consider. Wiley emphasizes that these "are actually obvious root causes and contributors that are only 'hidden' because you have not (yet) been taught to look for and identify them." In the pages of Arthritis Reversed, Dr. Wiley answers common questions such as Is exercise helpful or harmful?, What role does weather REALLY play in arthritis?, When is arthroscopic surgery helpful for arthritis?, How long should you wait for any particular therapy to work? Employing this knowledge to reduce one's pain and halt or slow the progression of the condition, typically within 30 to 90 days, is the overriding goal of Dr. Wiley and by proxy Jesse Cannone. The solution to your daily suffering is grounded in a five-part process called, the Arthritis Relief Action Plan: Part 1: Educate yourself about the real causes and solutions of arthritis Part 2: Reduce the current level of symptoms you are experiencing Part 3: Halt or significantly reduce the worsening of your condition Part 4: Prevent the symptoms from flaring to improve your quality of life Part 5: Regenerate healthy tissue to reverse the damage done Below are a series of radio show podcasts with Jesse Cannone interviewing Dr. Mark Wiley about various issues related to chronic pain and relieving those symptoms. Dr. Mark Wiley's Wellness Model w/ Excess, Deficiency & Stagnation Leading to Illness & Chronic Pain Stagnation of Body Functions, Dr. Mark Wiley & Jesse Cannone on Healing from Triple Threats Headaches & Inflammatory Foods, Dr. Mark Wiley, Triggers for Migraines, Swelling, Joint-Chronic Pain Dr. Mark Wiley & Jesse Cannone Talk Inflammatory Foods, Strategies for Alleviating Chronic Pain Jesse Cannone Talks with Dr. Mark Wiley on Exercise & Nutrition for Chronic Pain & Good Health Sleep Needs with Dr. Mark Wiley & Jesse Cannone, Body Repairs Itself During Sleep Hours About Dr. Mark Wiley: Dr. Wiley is an internationally renowned mind-body health practitioner, author, motivational speaker and teacher. He holds doctorates in both Oriental and Alternative Medicine, has done research in eight countries and has developed a model of health and wellness grounded in a self-directed, self-cure approach. Dr. Wiley suffered from intense migraines for over twenty years as child and young adult and this led him to seek out alternative methods of stopping the grinding pain of the frequent migraine headaches. This three-pronged Wellness Model is broken down into three categories; excess, deficiency and stagnation. Since 1994, Dr. Mark has been conducting extensive training and research on location in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan. During his time in Tokyo he made an impressive 15 visits to the Philippines. He holds a Master's Degree in Health Care Management and Doctorates in both Oriental Medicine and Alternative Medicine, wherein his understanding of the human mind, body and energy systems has deepened his understanding and application of the martial arts. Dr. Mark has authored 12 books and over 500 articles on martial arts and natural health and has been nominated to seven martial arts Halls of Fame. About Jesse Cannone: Jesse is the co-founder and visionary CEO of The Healthy Back Institute, the world-leading source of natural back pain solutions. His mission as a former back pain sufferer is to help others live pain free without surgery and pharmaceuticals. As a personal trainer and post-rehabilitation specialist, Jesse's hands-on work helped hundreds of clients with special conditions including stroke recovery, Parkinson's and back pain. His success at helping his clients avoid back surgery led him to collaborate with massage therapist Steve Hefferon and a hand-selected board of medical advisors to create the world's first self-assessment and self-treatment program for back pain and sciatica, the Lose the Back Pain System. Jesse's earned certifications include Post-Rehabilitation Specialist, Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Advanced Level Fitness Trainer and Master Fitness Trainer. Yet that was only the start of his ongoing journey of discovery. Jesse's passion for helping others find relief and improve their lives has led him to travel the world and interview dozens of world-renowned health experts in search of natural solutions for pain and improved health. San Antonio wound-care company Acelity, formerly known as Kinetic Concepts Inc., could be making a return to the public markets. London-based private equity firm Apax Partners, which led a group that bought Acelity in 2011, is considering an initial public offering for Acelity as soon as the first half of next year, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Apax has begun speaking with advisers about a potential listing, the people said, according to Bloomberg. An IPO could give Acelity a valuation of $5 billion, although no final decisions have been made, noted the sources, who didnt want to be identified because they werent authorized to speak publicly. OnExpressNews.com: Local senior centers land in bankruptcy While we always are reviewing the strategic options available to our company, our policy is no tot comment on such matters, Acelity spokeswoman Maggie Fairchild said in an email to the San Antonio Express-News. Acelity is known for its negative-pressure wound therapy, used in wound healing and surgical management. The Apax-led group paid more than $6 billion in a leveraged buyout for what was then known as KCI. KCIs corporate name was changed to Acelity in 2014. In the summer of 2015, paperwork was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to take Acelity public again. Acelity later disclosed it was seeking to raise $1 billion. However, in December 2016, Acelity decided to shelve the IPO in light of current public market conditions, an SEC filing said. The IPO market in the U.S. has been challenging over the past year and the SEC asked us to withdraw our IPO registration statement as an administrative matter, Acelitys former CEO Joseph Woody said at the time. We will continue to evaluate opportunities to approach the IPO market as it evolves. Woody was abruptly replaced not long after Acelity dropped its IPO plans, replaced by longtime health-care technology executive R. Andrew Eckert. OnExpressNews.com: Uresti settles SEC charges that he misled FourWinds Eckert, in an interview last year, was asked whether Acelity would be around in five years. Acelity will be around, for sure, he replied. Whether its an independent company or not, I dont know. But it will certainly be around. I can guarantee one thing: No one will ever buy this company with the intent of dismantling it. KCI was founded by Dr. James Leininger in 1976 as a specialized medical-bed maker. It came perilously close to filing for bankruptcy, but was saved by two investors. In 1988, KCI raised $50 million in its first IPO. It was a big payday for employees who received stock options. Our parking lot went from a bunch of old beat-up pickup trucks to new Mercedes, new BMWs, Leininger said in 2015. KCI went private again in 1997. Seven years later, it went public in a $540 million offering. In 2008, KCI announced its largest acquisition $1.7 billion deal for LifeCell Corp., a biomedical company specializing in regenerative medicine. LifeCell was sold to pharmaceutical giant Allergan for $2.9 billion in 2016. Before the sale of LifeCell, Acelitys annual revenue approached $2 billion. NEW ORLEANS New Orleans early years of French control are still a strong force in the citys arts and culture today. Perhaps nowhere in the South is French style more prevalent than in the Crescent Citys architecture and decor. So its natural that the citys antiques market would feel very European, too. The city is filled with shops and warehouses carrying architectural antiques that draw interior designers, architects, builders and others who come with shopping time carved into their itineraries. Magazine Street is a long stretch of shops, a mix of well-curated antiques stores, stylish boutiques and popular restaurants. Royal and Chartres streets in the French Quarter have their share of antiques stores, too, each a slice of history with its own story to tell. You could spend days roaming these shops all over New Orleans. If youre a NOLA newbie, heres an interesting mix to get you started. The Bank Architectural Antiques Plenty of Houston interior designers, architects and builders have shopped at this family-run warehouse for unique antique doors, shutters and other decorative elements for new homes and for historic preservation projects. Mike Wilkerson opened the warehouse that now takes up a whole city block in 1972, and it employs three generations of his family. Son Sean Wilkerson said that while they have a few antiques, its the architectural salvage that people come there for. Much of the inventory doors, shutters, mantels and molding has been salvaged from double shotgun houses built in the city in the 1850s. Theres also some Greek Revival stuff and a gable from New Orleans Mercy Hospital (built in 1792). The 7,800 doors they have on hand is likely the most doors under one roof anywhere in the world, Sean says. His tip for shoppers: pick out your items before you frame in your new home standard building sizes in 1850 are not the same today. Thats a conversation we have once or twice a day, he said. Details: 1824 Felicity, New Orleans; bankarchitecturalnola.com Balzac Antiques Sarah Scott Thomas likes to see the hand in her decorative arts and antiques. Brushwork in ceramics or a slight imperfection in a glaze make a piece all the more pleasing to her eye. Thomas has been in business 25 years 15 in her current Magazine Street location and appreciates the Texas market. Texas designers and shoppers have visited her store for years, often looking for chandeliers, mirrors or other items to complement otherwise traditional or contemporary decor. Very little in her store is less than 200 years old, and everything has a story. Youll find a number of smaller pieces with an Asian flair, including faience ceramics, porcelain, a soapstone lamp and small wood pieces with Asian motifs. Im just gaga over chinoiserie right now, Thomas says. Right now, Balzac Antiques has a variety of small items, plus bigger pieces like dining tables, chairs and an exotic late 18th-century gilded, painted and embossed leather screen. (Its likely to remind you of Downton Abbey and the Crawley family.) The inventory here is high quality and not for those with shallow pockets. Details: 3506 Magazine, New Orleans; balzacantiques.com Dop Antiques & Architecturals Owner Michiel Dop has done much of the picking work for you, but shopping in his 20,000-square-foot warehouse still feels like an antiques treasure hunt. Every month the Holland-born Dop receives a new shipping container full of furniture, home accessories and architectural antiques from France, England and Italy, most from the 1800s but some dating to the 1700s. He stocks plenty of everything dressers, tables, chairs, lighting, mirrors and piles of antique doors and shutters but hes known for his good prices and fast turnover, so if you see something you like, buy it. A couple of things to know before you go: first, no matter what youre buying, try to get them to lower the price (up to 25 percent). Secondly, the place is fairly dirty and is not air-conditioned giant garage-style doors open up, allowing lots of dust and dirt in so take paper towels or some Wet Wipes to clean up afterward. Details: 300 Jefferson Highway, Building 1, New Orleans; dopantiques.com Karla Katz Antiques The grand dame of Magazine Street sits in a tiny chair and smiles at Josephine Baker, a vamp of a French bulldog who strikes a sultry pose every time she lays down. Karla Katz is squirming a little in the 18th-century chair in the center of her store: People were smaller back then, she jokes. Katz has operated her small antiques store on this prime shopping street for 25 years, since before antiquing was a thing. People come to Katzs store for 19th-century and older European chandeliers and mirrors, but she also has a good inventory of dining tables, dressers, chairs and settees. Dont expect to find too many small items here; shes almost strictly a high-end dealer of furniture, lighting and mirrors. Details: 4017 Magazine, New Orleans; karlakatz.com M.S. Rau Antiques This 25,000-square-foot New Orleans destination opened 106 years ago by current owner Bill Raus grandfather. It started a block down the street, and since 1931 has been in the same spot on Royal Street in the heart of the French Quarter. The Rau family decided early on to not be like any other antiques dealer in town. We decided to have the very best of everything. If theres a great example of something, we want the best of it, said Rau, who counts many Texans as clients. So this is not a place you go to buy a dresser, dining table or night stand. Its a place you go to find amazing things you cannot find anywhere else. Examples: a papal cross necklace and ring that Pope Paul VI gave to the United Nations in 1965 to contribute to helping the less fortunate. (A Chicago jeweler bought it at auction, then sold it to Evel Knievel, who later sold it to a North Carolina couple. Rau bought it from the North Carolinians.) Rau says its the only papal jewelry outside of the Vatican, and its got a $1.9 million price tag. Hes got an ice bucket ($1,485,000) from the British royal familys Grand Service, made in the 1800s for King George III. Nearly every piece in the museumlike store has a story, so allow plenty of time when you visit. Be sure to ask to see the secret room, where they keep their great art. Right now youll see an original Renoir, Monet and Magritte, among others. Details: 630 Royal, New Orleans Renaissance Interiors On your way in or out of town, stop by this odd store in an industrial-looking strip mall off of Interstate 10 and the Causeway. Renaissance Interiors is a spot where locals go for great prices on an unusual mix of castoffs from estates of wealthy New Orleanians when they downsize or divorce. In the back of the store youll find a section with 200 or more rugs, from ordinary designs to good-quality Persian rugs that likely cost thousands of dollars new. The store is a mix of new, vintage midcentury and antique furnishings and accessories, so if youre not sure what youre buying, ask a sales clerk if its reproduction or the real deal. During my visit, I found a vintage black leather Eames chair with ottoman for $1,295 and a Louis Philippe-style buffet for $695. There were lots of charming smaller items, including a vintage ceramic iced tea dispenser. Details: 2727 Edenban, Metairie Sotre Mixed in with antiques stores on Magazine Street are an eclectic mix of boutiques, including Sotre, launched in 2014 by business partners Grace Kaynor and Virginia McCollam. The small shop is a collection of unusual things and brands youre not likely to find anywhere nearby. Youll find plush bed linens plus monogrammed hand towels and travel bags. Kaynors background in decorative arts paid off for her own custom bedding, which looks more expensive than it is. For the holidays, shes got a new collection of cocktail napkins, place mats and hand towels. Also new in the store are lighting fixtures, leather slippers and hand-woven throws from Morroco, paintings from Bali and ceramics from France. Details: 3933 Magazine, New Orleans; sotre-design.com Perhaps populist measures like the Jan Dhan Yojana and Ujwala may not suffice. Politicians and journalists are keen to simplify the political picture and therefore try to impose a common thread to connect the diverse strands. It may be a necessity for drawing up the map, but it cannot be taken for what it shows up. In Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the BJP lost the election, being removed from power after 15 years at the helm in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and after just one term in Rajasthan. And the percentage of votes of the loser in the three states is substantially large, about 33 per cent to the Congress 42 per cent in Chhattisgarh, 41 per cent to Congress 41 per cent in Madhya Pradesh, and 38.7 per cent to the Congress 39.1 per cent in Rajasthan. The seat difference between the two parties in these three states is slightly different, larger in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan than in Madhya Pradesh. In Mizoram, where incumbent lost out to the Mizo National Front (MNF), still managed to secure 30.2 per cent of the vote with the winner garnering almost 37.6 per cent. Is Telangana then an exception? On the face of it, it appears so. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has cornered 47.1 per cent, which is huge. But it was an accident which was facilitated by an infelicitous alliance between the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) because the TDP had opposed the formation of Telangana over four years ago. Where does that leave Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJPs much vaunted mascot, and Congress president Rahul Gandhi? Nowhere. Mr Modi and the BJP will have to rethink their 2019 strategy. Perhaps the image of Mr Modi will no longer suffice. Perhaps populist measures like the Jan Dhan Yojana and Ujwala may not suffice. The economic woes of the common man cannot be glossed over by pep talk and feel-good slogans. It cannot, however, be inferred that the BJP is set to lose the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Or anywhere close to that. But it does face a real fight, and the fight is not with a united or scattered Opposition but it is with the people and their daily economic problems. Mr Modi may have to learn to get away from his marketing spiel and discuss the problems that people face, accept the fact that the national economy is not any more in a sweet spot, and that there are hurdles to be crossed. Rahul Gandhis simplistic attack on Mr Modi and the BJP that they are being communal and pro-rich and anti-poor may not suffice either. The Congress cannot hope to beguile people with the outdated rhetoric of socialism and secularism. It has to understand that the people do not trust the Congress any more as they did in the 1950s all through 1971. They have become discerning, and they demand more than hot air from political parties and their leaders. Mr Gandhi cannot speak the language of 1971 to the voter of the 21st century. The other lesson for the Congress is that opportunistic alliances with incompatible partners like the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana, in the same way that the Congress allied with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, may not work or yield the desired outcome. The TDP was indeed an outsider in Telangana and chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao exploited it to the hilt. The fractious leadership of the Congress in Telangana, with its refusal to broaden the space at the top, had also sealed the fate of the party. The Congress had lost out in Uttar Pradesh because it could not allow a Yadav or a dalit leader in the party to emerge. In Telangana, it lost out because the Reddys, a dominant caste, continue to rule the roost in the party. The Congress is caught in its own coils. Telangana needed a change and the Congress had failed to provide it, and it is a shame. Chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Raos munificence will land the state in a financial mess sooner than later. The outlying areas of the state remain backward and Hyderabad continues to grow. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had boasted that he had developed Hyderabad without mentioning the fact that he had neglected the rest of the then undivided state. Mr Chandrasekhar Raos populism for the rural populace will not be of any help if there is no real economic growth in the state. The victories of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the Mizo National Front (MNF) should not be inferred to mean that in Assembly elections, regional parties trump national parties. It is not always the case. What the people vote for is a credible political party. The TRS and MNF have proved their credibility through the electoral victory. This does not preclude national parties from state politics. We have seen this with regional parties like the TDP in undivided Andhra Pradesh and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in Assam. No party, regional or national, has a monopoly over political power in the states. The close ballot battle in Madhya Pradesh somehow raises eyebrows and it does sound too right, but we have to keep faith in the system in spite the problems. It is nice to believe that the Congress and the BJP have fought a pitched battle in Madhya Pradesh, where it was literally a hand-to-hand, vote-for-vote combat, but it is too good to believe. The close scores in Madhya Pradesh need to be scrutinised with a critical eye. This ideal near-perfect democratic battle is wonderful, but there is also a need for a certain amount of scepticism. A federal judge Wednesday sentenced an ex-GOP congressional aide to prison for 18 months for helping former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman illegally pilfer $1.25 million in campaign funds from wealthy Republican political donors. Thomas Dodd, a 40-year-old Houstonian, told the judge he was sorry for his actions and pledged to repay the donors after he is released from prison. I fully accept responsibility for the actions that brought me before you, said Dodd, his voice breaking as he admitted helping Stockman solicit donations from conservative and then concealed how they were misused. Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered Dodd to repay his share of $800,000 restitution to the donors, but denied his request to serve a year and day in prison. Prosecutors had asked that Dodd receive a term of more than two years in prison. I have no doubt that you knew what you were doing was corrosive and destructive to the institutions that we hold dear, said Rosenthal, who also ordered Dodd to serve three years of supervision after his release from prison. Stockman, 62, an ultra-conservative firebrand and conspiracy theorist elected to Congress for a two-year term in the mid-90s and to represent an East Texas district from 2013-2015, is now serving a 10-year prison term. In April, the Clear Lake Republican was convicted on 23 criminal counts, including mail and wire fraud, violating federal election law, making excessive campaign contributions and lying on a federal tax return. CONVICTION: Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman convicted in massive fraud scheme Dodd, an aide to the ex-lawmakers, was a key prosecution witness at Stockmans jury trial where federal prosecutors meticulously outlined a fraud the lawmaker perpetrated against two conservative megadonors, and illustrated how Stockman blew the funds on everything from dophin tours to a hot air balloon ride. Dodd, of Houston, testified that he helped his boss solicit lucrative donations from foundations run by the Uihlein and Rothschild families and also helped cover deficits in Stockmans campaign coffers. The scheme involved shell companies, bogus campaign contributions, lies to executives at the foundations and a trail of wire and mail fraud. FRAUD ODDITIES: 34 surprising facts revealed during ex-Congressman Steve Stockmans fraud trial Dodd pleaded guilty Mar. 20, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to make conduit contributions and false statements. Stockmans former campaign worker and 2013 congressional special assistant admitted he conspired with his ex-boss to conceal the $15,000 in illegal campaign contributions that he and another aide made in 2013. Another Stockman aide, Jason T. Posey, 48, of Tupelo, Mississippi, pleaded guilty in October 2017 to one count of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud,and one count of money laundering. He also provided key testimony at Stockmans jury trial, and his sentencing is set for January. Rosenthal permitted Dodd to remain on bond and surrender to federal prison officials after the holidays. The judge also agreed to recommend that Dodd serve his sentence in a prison near Delaware, where his parents live. Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com. Responding to concerns that President Donald Trumps border wall will ruin a butterfly sanctuary at the southern tip of Texas, the administration has promised to minimize environmental damage to the greatest extent practicable and to provide access to the part of the preserve on the southern side of the wall. Access to the National Butterfly Center will not be impeded by the border wall, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement to the San Antonio Express-News. The statement acknowledged, however, that the wall will cut through the 100-acre preserve, and that plans call for a patrol road and enforcement zone on the south side of the wall that could require removal of vegetation in a 150-foot strip. The wall will consist of a levee topped by bollards, creating a barrier about three stories high on the north side of the Rio Grande. Butterfly center staff and visitors will continue to have access to the 70 acres on the south side of the existing levee, CBP said. The statement offered no detail as to how many access points would be provided, where or what kind. Related: Migrant parents still separated from children at border after government claims gang ties or crime The sanctuary home to butterflies, birds and other flora and fauna is one of several natural areas or historic landmarks that are expected to be affected by the 33 miles of wall the administration plans to build in the Rio Grande Valley. The butterfly center, established in 2002 in Mission, just west of McAllen, is in a liminal, or transitional, zone where both tropical butterflies and North American butterflies thrive. About 240 different varieties can be seen there, sometimes in dense swarms of color. Nearly 300 species of birds also live in the habitat. Butterfly center officials say the government has indicated bulldozers will begin clearing land in February. Contract workers showed up at the preserve last year to conduct surveys. The administration has waived 28 environmental laws to allow accelerated construction of the wall. Environmental groups challenged that decision, unsuccessfully. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower-court ruling in the governments favor. One of the laws being bypassed is the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires an assessment of the environmental impact of major projects and ways to mitigate it. The Supreme Court ruling notwithstanding, CBP said it was conducting environmental surveys of the butterfly sanctuary to identify the presence of any biological, cultural, or natural resource. The agency said it will identify methods to avoid or minimize impacts to any resources present to the greatest extent practicable. Marianna Wright, executive director of the butterly center, said she was skeptical of those assurances. A comprehensive and thorough environmental study and assessment cannot be done between now and the time the bulldozers roll in in, she said. Related: As Trump threatens shutdown, Sen. Ted Cruz pitches $25B border wall funding bill CBP also said it was conducting an appraisal of the land to be taken to determine just compensation. The butterfly center launched a GoFundMe this week to raise money to offset an expected drop in visitor attendance and to pay legal bills, environmental remediation costs and other possible expenses. Despite the governments assurance of access to the land south of the wall, Wright said she expects the center to take a financial hit. There is going to be a huge negative impact. This is a major construction project, Wright said. There is going to be huge damage to the property, from the volume of heavy equipment and operator vehicles, the earth moving, the parking and storage of concrete slab and steel bollards. Its going to interfere with access to and enjoyment of the property for a significant period of time, and all the activity will run contrary to our mission of environmental conservation and education, Wright said. Because really, what are we going to do, take school children over there to watch the construction project? To chase butterflies around the bulldozers? The planned 33-mile stretch of border wall in the Rio Grande Valley secured with $1.6 billion in congressional funding last year would slice through Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park and the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge as well as the butterfly center. Silvia Foster-Frau is a staff writer covering immigration and other subjects. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sfosterfrau@express-news.net | Twitter: @SilviaElenaFF WASHINGTON Julian Castro will begin raising money and travel again to the key political states of Iowa and New Hampshire now that his plan to seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2020 appears assured with a newly minted exploratory committee. Castro, a former San Antonio mayor and housing secretary in the Obama administration, on Wednesday announced the new political entity in a video to supporters. He said he will announce whether hes running Jan. 12 on San Antonios West Side, where he grew up. Between now and Jan. 12, Im going to get out around the country and continue to listen to Americans about their concerns. Ill be raising money from supporters and putting the building blocks of an organization in place, Castro said in an interview. Castro said he would not accept PAC contributions, joining a trend of Democrats who refuse cash from political action committees in a nod to the partys progressive base. The campaign is going to be focused on listening to the American people and being responsive to the American people and not to any sort of special interest, he said. Castros early announcement could well give him an advantage over some Democrats mulling candidacies. He will get a burst of national attention Thursday with a scheduled appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS. On ExpressNews.com: Former SA mayor talks with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster who has been involved in presidential elections since the 1980s, said Castro might have wanted to get out there early and before Beto (ORourke) and put his stake in the ground. Mellman added: I wouldnt say that its a completely wide-open race, but I think Castro has as much claim on the title as most of the others do. Castro also opens himself to early scrutiny and attacks from Republicans, as he swiftly experienced. Theres arguably no bigger lightweight in the 2020 field than Julian Castro, Republican National Committee spokesman Michael Ahrens said in a statement. Castro, 44, likely will be part of a bulging field of Democratic hopefuls declaring their candidacies in coming months. Among potential contestants are former Vice President Joe Biden and as many as seven U.S. senators: Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Kamala Harris of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Other possible candidates include former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and media mogul Oprah Winfrey. ORourke, a U.S. House member from El Paso who gained a national reputation by running a strong but losing race against Sen. Ted Cruz this year, met with Barack Obama in Washington after the election and may be planning to enter the contest. Well have a whole bunch of talented people running for the nomination, Castro said. I think when people look around, theyre going to look for somebody that has a strong vision for the countrys future and thats actually shown they can get things done and I have. Castro has been viewed as a rising star since delivering the keynote address in 2012 at the Democrats nominating convention in Charlotte. He could well be the only Latino in a race at a time of Hispanics growing political strength in Texas and elsewhere. He would be among the younger entrants into the contest, appealing to those calling for generational change in the party. Castro began planning his White House candidacy soon after leaving the Obama administration last year and has left little doubt that he will run. He followed the script of recent presidential hopefuls in writing a book a family biography titled An Unlikely Journey published in October by Little, Brown. In addition to visits to Iowa and New Hampshire this year, he campaigned recently for candidates in Nevada and South Carolina, which follow in the 2020 schedule of primary season contests. In an interview, he acknowledged recent meetings with potential funders. Im certainly leaning in a direction and I look forward to announcing that on Jan. 12, he said, stopping short of confirming his candidacy. On ExpressNews.com: Castros trip to Iowa another must in presidential bid Even though most political watchers dont consider Castro a leading contender, he said hes confident he can win the nomination - if he ultimately runs. I cant think of a time of my life where I started out as a front runner, he said, addressing local media from the foyer of his longtime West Side home. There are a lot of people today in America that dont feel like front runners, and Im going to go speak to them. Exploratory committees have become common tactics for presidential hopefuls. The term does not appear in election law or in Federal Election Commission rules, and legally they are no different than full-fledged candidate committees with their disclosure requirements and contribution limits. Rather, they are rhetorical devices deployed by politicians not yet prepared to formally declare candidacies. Castros history - rising with twin brother Joaquin from a modest circumstance to attend Stanford and Harvard universities - likely will be a main component of his campaign in an era when compelling stories are viewed as essential for national candidacies. He drew heavily from his family story with a video announcing the exploratory effort. On ExpressNews.com: Castro gets personal about his family story in new memoir Growing up in Texas, America wasnt just my home, my country. It was also a promise a promise that my family could have a better life, he said, recalling his beloved immigrant grandmother and his mother, Rosie, who he described as the strongest person he has ever known. This is a place where dreams can become real. No matter where were from, were united by the same daily needs a good job, a good education for our kids, good health care, an affordable place to live. The need to be acknowledged for our contributions, not for our gender or who we love, he said. So, Im taking a lesson from my mother. If we want to see a change in this country, we dont wait. We work. We make our future happen, he added. Castro has set up a website for the exploratory committee: julianforthefuture.com It was not easy for Irma Canfield to get her son everything he needs. Steven Canfield was born with Down syndrome, and by middle school he had also been diagnosed with severe autism. With great effort, Irma Canfield secured critical services for her son through Medicaid. When Stevens health deteriorated several years later, she was able to leave her job to take care of him while her husband, Jim, continued to work. Today, Canfield remains her sons caregiver and his biggest advocate. Despite the familys challenges, in many ways Steven, now 30, is one of the lucky ones. Thousands of other adults in Bexar County with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual and developmental disabilities likely lack access to services, according to a report released Wednesday. The study is the first known attempt to quantify the number of adults in the San Antonio area who have autism or an intellectual or developmental disability, according to the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation and the nonprofit Autism Lifeline Links. The foundation commissioned the study, which also tried to measure the services available. It estimates 21,600 adults in Bexar County have autism or an IDD, and only 10 percent were receiving services as of last year through the Alamo Area Council of Governments, the local authority to assist adults with disabilities. The report focused on adults because their needs differ substantially from those of children and get less attention. We are fortunate, but other families in todays generation are not, said Canfield, 59. To hear all these families, it just eats me up. All these families are tired, angry. It was difficult to ascertain a better population estimate because of poor data collection, said Cara Magrane, executive director of Autism Lifeline Links, an initiative founded by the Kronkosky foundation in 2016 that helps connect families to services. While studies on the prevalence of autism exist, there is not strong data on rates of adults with autism spectrum disorder at the local, state or federal level, according to the report. The study based its projections on 2014 national prevalence rates among 8-year-olds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most recent data available. We think its probably a good number. Its as good a number as we can capture, Magrane said. The report also characterizes the services and care for adults in the San Antonio area with autism as less a system than a spotty patchwork of specialized organizations that offer very different types of services. Those services are incredibly specific to that adults individual level of functioning, ability to perform daily activities of living, potential functional capacity, individual preference, and family attitudes and preference, the report says, even though autisms severity varies widely based on the individual. The lack of information on adults with autism is compounded by the fact that standards for diagnosing and classifying autism has shifted multiple times over the past several decades, Magrane said. The most recent change was in 2013, when the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders reclassified what were previously several diagnoses under the umbrella of autism spectrum order. Its kind of been all over the map. One of the challenges is there is no common term for diagnosing it for people who are 25 and older, Magrane said. Thats part of the reason its been difficult to capture the adult numbers. Even today, diagnosing autism is not standardized. A child can receive a diagnosis from doctors, psychologists or school districts, and the assessments are subjective, Magrane said. The report included intellectual and developmental disabilities in its assessment to account for inaccurate diagnoses, as well as individuals like Steven, who have multiple conditions. Although autistic adults may seek services outside the Alamo Area Council of Governments, the organization is one place where families can apply for Medicaid waivers that provide financial resources and support to caregivers for adults with intellectual disabilities. The waiver program is designed to help adults with disabilities remain in the community, but its wait list currently exceeds a decade, Magrane said. That wait was far shorter when Canfield applied for her sons services, and he continues to have access to resources. Steven spends two days a week at The Arc of San Antonio, which provides services for adults and children with disabilities. Still, Canfield acknowledges that care for adults like her son remains very limited. Tullos Wells, managing director of the Kronkosky foundation, said the reports findings, while incomplete, are still horrifying. The problem affects the entire community, he said, including family caregivers who are unable to work. We wanted to put some light on the fact that there are large number of these folks out there, Wells said. It just breaks my heart, the number of families that have to wrestle with this. In order to better quantify the local population and connect them with resources, Autism Lifeline Links is urging families that include an autistic adult to join their registry, which can be completed by visiting autismlifelinelinks.org. The organization plans to host a community forum on the issue in February. 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 On the eve of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller gave an impassioned, detailed speech Tuesday on how the U.S. immigration system should be fixed. He also challenged Catholics in the pews to have difficult conversations about the polarizing issue, saying they have a responsibility to speak out about policies that detain families, keep asylum seekers at bay and result in mass deportations. The call to action will bring a necessary conversion, Garcia-Siller told a meeting of Catholic leaders and immigrant advocates hosted by the Mexican American Catholic College and America Media, a Jesuit ministry that publishes a national magazine called America. As a homilist Tuesday, Garcia-Siller quoted the Book of Isaiah urging Catholics to comfort the afflicted. As keynote speaker for a talk titled The Church in America: A Conversation on Immigration, he implored them to afflict the comfortable over the most urgent sign of our times. We heard today what it really means to be Catholic, said Arturo Chavez, president of the Catholic college. If that challenges us, if that stretches us, thats exactly what its supposed to do. The event featured responses to the archbishop by Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, which runs a shelter for migrants in McAllen, and Father Sean Carroll, executive director of the Kino Border Initiative, a binational group in Nogales, Arizona, that provides humanitarian assistance to migrants. Pimentel cited an experience she had with a businesswoman who said she was 100 percent against these illegal aliens. Pimentel, who was listed by Texas Monthly magazine as one of the states most powerful people of 2018, said she invited the woman to the shelter to meet the children there. God has a marvelous way of changing our hearts, the nun said. Her husband called and said, I dont know what you did to my wife, but she says when you call I should do what you tell me. Garcia-Siller called for a path to citizenship for the undocumented, changes to legal immigration, strengthening the right to asylum, addressing causes of migration and the role the United States plays in it, and for enforcement thats fairly and humanely applied. A path to citizenship should be achievable within a reasonable time period, he said, noting that visa-wait times can take decades to reunite families. Garcia-Siller became emotional when speaking about detention centers, asking, What kind of nation are we if we are locking up women and children who are not a threat? Alternatives to detention exist, he said, including allowing groups such as Catholic Charities to provide case management to help prepare for their legal hearings. Garcia-Siller said legal immigration must be open to low-skilled workers, not just the well-educated, and he denounced the administration for deterring asylum-seekers. Delaying justice is denying it, he said. President Donald Trumps priority of constructing a several billion-dollar wall is expensive and unnecessary, especially as border apprehensions are at historic lows and more immigrants overstay visas rather than cross illegally, the archbishop said. Father Matthew Malone, president and editor in chief of America magazine, said its founding editorial in 1909 asserted the responsibility of Catholics to support the welfare of migrants. He elicited laughter when he described the archbishop as a shepherd who truly smells like sheep. Elaine Ayala covers religion and minority affairs in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eayala@express-news.net | Twitter: @ElaineAyala As expected, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Wednesday granted numerous requests for a contested hearing on an application by Vulcan Construction Materials for an air permit to operate a limestone quarry in Comal County. If approved, the project would be developed on a 1,500-acre site at the intersection of Texas 46 and FM 3009. It could be operational for 80 years. The commission also designated 12 people and two organizations as affected parties, giving them standing to have their individual concerns addressed in the hearing. It rejected numerous other requests, including those from the Comal Independent School District and the cities of Bulverde and New Braunfels. Often the requests were based on issues outside the TCEQs jurisdiction, such as concerns about property rights or traffic, commission Chair Jon Niermann said when explaining some of the rejections. Other requests for affected party status were refused because the issues raised were not distinct from those affecting the general public, he noted. The opposition group, Friends of Dry Comal Creek, was one of those granted affected party status. It entitles us to be represented at the table during the hearings, said Sabrina Houser Amaya, spokesperson for the opposition group. Both the TCEQs executive director and its Office of Public Interest had recommended the application be referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings. In granting the requests, the commission on Wednesday gave an administrative judge 180 days to hear evidence to decide nearly 20 specific issues related to the permit application. They ranged from whether emissions from a large rock crusher that would operate at the site will harm wildlife and humans to the validity of air modeling studies done by Vulcan to whether Vulcans compliance history should preclude it from receiving a permit. No public comment was allowed at Wednesdays hearing, which was attended by a contingent of about 30 concerned Comal residents. It took only about 10 minutes for the commission to deal with the Vulcan permit application, the first item on the agenda. At a public hearing in February, which drew nearly 500 people, dozens spoke out against the project. About 600 comments were also made on the TCEQ website. After Wednesdays hearing, Amaya said she was disappointed that the commission used only a 1-mile radius around the proposed quarry to determine who got affected party status. She was pleased, however, that Vulcans compliance history was added as one of the criteria to be considered by the administrative judge. Afterward, Scott Burnham, a Vulcan spokesman, reaffirmed the companys goal to present a safe and environmentally responsible plan and demonstrate that were committed to Comal County, our neighbors and the community. Were a heavily regulated industry and Vulcan is committed to meeting or exceeding all local, state and federal guidelines and regulations, he added. Its been three years since Bexar County spent nearly a million dollars to start a program for sheriffs deputies to use body cameras that was never fully implemented. Now, after a series of controversies, the county is setting tryouts for two new companies. The body camera contract was the highest-profile item that county commissioners addressed Tuesday, their last meeting of the year. They also took up courtroom relocations and a dispute with the city over CPS Energy revenue, among other items. Commissioners voted 4-0 (Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo was absent) to approve tryouts for the two body camera vendors that were chosen as finalists: Axon Enterprise and WatchGuard. The price of the contract will be determined after the county chooses one of those vendors. RELATED: It's been two years since SAPD started using body cameras. Are they working? The two companies were selected by a county committee from a field of at least six applicants. Notably missing from the final list was Utility Inc., the Georgia-based vendor originally chosen for the project in 2015. In the interest of expediency, Im ready for these cameras to be fielded, Sheriff Javier Salazar told the court. The deputies are ready, and certainly I think we owe it to the public to get these cameras out as quickly, as efficiently as possible. Choosing two finalists is the latest development in a protracted process to equip deputies with cameras that has often frustrated the county commissioners. In 2015, the county spent $900,000 to buy 300 body cameras and 200 vehicle mounts from Utility, which was chosen at the suggestion of former Sheriff Susan Pamerleau. Those cameras were supposed to be deployed in 2016, but only 42 deputies had received the equipment by the end of that year. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox Utility was among the applicants for the new contract that did not make it as a finalist. The companys Chief Revenue Officer Chris Lindenau, reached by phone, said they hadnt yet been notified of the decision and didnt have any comment. After Salazar defeated Pamerleau in the November 2016 election, he said the slow rollout of Utilitys equipment prompted him to look into what else was out there. Utility has maintained that it met all agency benchmarks. In August 2017, Salazar said the Utility system which uses modified Android phones did not meet the agencys needs. He received permission to field test Axon, the vendor used by the San Antonio Police Department, where Salazar served prior to being elected sheriff. Salazar asked commissioners to approve Axon as the new vendor in February, drawing a blistering rebuke from Utility. Body Camera Timeline: Dec. 2015: Bexar County places a $900,000 order with Utility Inc. that includes 300 body cameras and 200 vehicle mounts. Commissioners said the company was chosen at the suggestion of former Sheriff Susan Pamerleau. 2016: Rollout of the cameras is not completed. By year's end, just 42 of the roughly 300 cameras are in the field. Utility insists it met all agency benchmarks. November 2016: Sheriff Pamerleau is defeated by Javier Salazar in an election. January 2017: Salazar, the new sheriff, says slow rollout of the Utility equipment prompts him to see "what else was out there." August 2017: Sheriff Salazar says the Utility cameras don't meet the agency's needs. He asks the county for permission to test cameras from another company, Axon, the vendor used by San Antonio police - where Salazar served prior to the election. February 2018: Salazar asks the county to approve Axon as the new vendor after testing their products in the field. The request draws a stinging rebuke from Utility at the commissioners court. March 2018: The county decides to essentially restart the entire effort with the competitive bidding process now in place. July 2018: Utility says the county's request for proposals was designed to exclude it from consideration. The county revises its request to be more general. December 2018: The county approves a final demonstration phase for Axon and another company, WatchGuard, eliminating Utility and at least five other applicants from consideration. See More Collapse In response, the commissioners decided to essentially restart the entire effort with the competitive bidding process now in place. I dont have the technical expertise to say this cameras better than this camera. Ive got to rely on a clean (bidding) process to do that, Commissioner Kevin Wolff said. I can remember, back when we kicked it all out, I said, This doesnt look clean, feel clean, go do something clean. I am hopeful that thats what weve got coming forward now. RELATED: Body camera bidding specs under Bexar spotlight This summer, the county revised its request for proposals after Utility argued the initial request was designed to exclude the company from consideration. In the end, Axon made the cut and Utility didnt. For the tryout, Axon and WatchGuard will each supply the sheriffs office with 15 body cameras, 4 vehicle mounts and evidence management systems. Each brand will be tested for 16 days. The Sheriffs Office research team will evaluate the two brands and submit its recommendation to the county to move forward with negotiating a broader contract. Salazar, who has publicly backed Axon, said he wouldnt sway the conclusion of his research deputies. At the end of this thing, well pick the best one, Salazar said. The number of deputies that ultimately receive the equipment would depend on cost, but Salazar wants to emphasize using cameras in jails, where he said the agency has most of its force. If it were up to him, Salazar said, every deputy would get one. Court relocation In other business Tuesday, Commissioner Kevin Wolffs attempt to end the judicial practice of musical chairs succeeded but not without a compromise with his father, County Judge Nelson Wolff, who heads the commissioners court. State and county judges are elected to four-year terms. After elections, the jurists who keep their seats thus gaining seniority jockey for the preferable courtrooms left empty by those who retired or were kicked out of office. It costs between $2,000 and $4,000 to relocate a courtroom. At least eight judges made such requests after the elections in November this year, in which incumbents won just 10 of 32 judicial races. Kevin Wolff, the lone Republican commissioner, has described the resulting scramble of courtrooms as stupid and unnecessarily costly. But Nelson Wolff said the county has left it up to judges in the past. Any judges in the room? the older Wolff jokingly asked as they took up the measure. Instead of quashing the relocations effective immediately as Commissioner Wolff proposed, the commissioners agreed to implement a permanent plan before the next election. For the sake of trying to get along, I will amend my motion, the commissioner said. The commissioners instructed the county facilities department to decide the best way to organize the courtrooms going forward. CPS dispute The county has long sought to get a piece of the revenue that the City of San Antonio collects from CPS Energy. On Tuesday, Commissioner Wolff said the county wont seek the states intervention in the dispute as long as the city plays nice. CPS provides electricity and gas services to Bexar County residents. The quasi-municipal agency gives 14 percent of its annual revenue to the City of San Antonio. The county says nearly a half-million CPS customers live in unincorporated Bexar County, outside city limits. Those customers account for an estimated $38 million in annual revenue, of which the city gets about $5.3 million. Commissioners had originally asked their legislative liaison to pursue a bill that would force the city give the county that portion of the money. Because the customers do not live in the city and do not receive any municipal services, Bexar County would like to receive that revenue versus the City of San Antonio, officials wrote in the countys legislative agenda. But Wolff said he had a productive meeting with Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Monday about the revenue. Its much better for us to figure out a way to settle any differences that we might have here at the local office than it is to go run to mama and say, Make them do this, Wolff said, referring to the state government. Wolff said the solution isnt necessarily giving the money to the county. The city could also devote the money to services that apply to county residents outside city limits. I just want to be able to show the unincorporated citizens that are paying this that theyre getting some sort of return for what theyre paying, Wolff said. Dylan McGuinness covers local politics and the Bexar County government for the Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net | Twitter: @DylMcGuinness Retiring City Manager Sheryl Sculleys compensation has been the subject of many complaints and much fanciful lore since the beginning of her 13 years as the citys top executive. Its still a question why Sculley decided this week not to seek a performance bonus for 2018, which could have been up to $100,000, but its not because shes expecting a windfall retirement package upon her departure. Since she is choosing to leave she has said she will stay through the transition to a new city manager but no later than June 30 she isnt entitled to a severance package worth a years pay, which would have kicked in had she been fired. The city manager has negotiated her employment agreement, first signed in 2005 and since amended five times across three different mayors and councils, nearly doubling her base salary in the 13 years since she began. Shes not entitled to anything that isnt spelled out in that agreement. The facts are in her contract, which is public record and readily available. All of the terms of her employment and her separation are spelled out in the contract, said Jeff Coyle, the citys director of Government and Public Affairs. Theres not a more transparent and publicized employment agreement in all of San Antonio. Sculley will continue to earn her base salary until her last day at the city. As of Jan. 1, 2018, that amounted to $475,000 annually before taxes and withholding which is $9,134.62 a week or $228.37 an hour. As a salaried employee, Sculley does not qualify for overtime. Her contract stipulates that she receives monthly allowances of $400 for her vehicle and $70 for her cellphone. She receives $6,000 annually for an expense account, which covers everything from professional dues to official travel. The city covers any income tax on the allowances. Sculley earns 80 hours of personal leave and 176 hours of annual leave each year. When Sculley retires, she is allowed to sell back unused annual leave, as is any other city employee. Most employees are capped at 50 days. Sculleys council-approved contract allows her to sell back as many as 183 days, though she has fewer than the maximum accrued. Shes expected to sell back 137.5 days about $251,202 worth of time. Under the terms of the employment agreement, Sculley receives the same health care benefits as other city employees, which includes health insurance after retirement. The city covered her health care premiums early in her tenure, but when her contract was amended in 2007, she began paying the same premiums as civilian employees. Sculleys original contract was first signed by then-Mayor Phil Hardberger, who along with his council colleagues, amended it twice. Mayor Julian Castro and his colleagues also passed two amendments, and Mayor Ivy Taylor approved one. Mayor Ron Nirenberg is the only mayor Sculley has worked for who hasnt negotiated a contract amendment with her. The city funds a deferred compensation of her choosing. That annual amount started at $20,000 and grew to $45,000 in 2011. She also receives $10,000 for supplemental life, disability and long-term care insurance. That, too, will end when she leaves the city payroll. In 2008, Sculley negotiated a termination package that grew year by year until 2011, when she would have received 21 months of pay had she been fired. But in February 2016, when her contract was amended for the fifth time, by Taylor and the City Council, Sculleys would-be severance package was walked back to 12 months of base pay. Taylor also did away with the long-standing practice of giving Sculley retention bonuses and changed the structure for performance bonuses. Nirenberg and the council gave her a $75,000 bonus earlier this year for her 2017 performance. Though she doesnt have a retirement package built into her contract, Sculley has paid into the Texas Municipal Retirement System, a statewide retirement plan for municipal employees. She also has paid into Social Security. Its unclear what Sculley plans to do after she retires from the city, but she has indicated that she plans to continue working. 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 Rahul Gandhi is again competing with the Hindu revivalist BJP on its turf. The young politician shows up at Mount Kailash in Tibet, and proclaims his youthful Hindu-ness in lighter sportswear than the freezing weather warrants. He then resumes his frenzied temple-hopping, balancing it with an occasional visit to a Muslim shrine. This is yet another election season in India. Rahul Gandhi is again competing with the Hindu revivalist BJP on its turf. He claims to be the better Hindu of the two. While the young Indian leader was performing the religious trapeze to woo Indias strangely insecure majority, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib became the first Muslim women to be elected to the US House of Representatives. One unapologetically proclaims justice for Palestine as a key pursuit, and the other, a hijab-clad Somalian-American, works her heart out to provide more accessible education to less-privileged children across ethnic barriers. When everybody had declared America to be a right-wing haven, a spitting image of Modis India, the country pulled a rabbit out of its hat and gave President Donald Trump a few useful thoughts to ruminate on. Similar examples abound from secular democracies elsewhere, not excluding the fact of a Muslim home secretary in the UK. If Trump stacked his politics with Islamophobia and racial innuendo, the American people, led by the white community, sent the maximum number of coloured women to their Parliament in the November mid-term elections, including Omar and Tlaib. This is perhaps how tables are turned on errant adversaries in a democracy, by setting ones own loftier agenda, and not by yielding to the follies of the opponent. Gandhis display of his religion and caste mocks Indians who were looking for their own Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders in the pack. Even a Hindu variant of Kemal Ataturk could help rescue India from the reigning cult of religious charlatans. By allowing his party to hug symbols of a regressive appeal, Gandhi unwittingly smudged the vision of Jawaharlal Nehru and those who hitched their hopes to his liberal ideals. To be sure, the young leader still would make for a more presentable representative of what remains of a secular India. But India is not a baby pool of low-bar contests. Also, is Gandhi going to become an avid drinker of cow urine to garner votes, now that his party has promised to manufacture refined gau mutra as a commercial proposition? Is this what Indira Gandhi had in mind when she underscored secularism and socialism as the guiding principles of the Constitution? Or would sipping the hallowed elixir embellish the scientific temper that Nehru had envisioned for the country? One was hoping Gandhi would take the cue from democracies elsewhere and weave a tapestry of pluralism and reason into the grand alliance he is cobbling together for general elections next year. Having said that, Indias Muslims as none other are perennially counselled by their sympathisers to keep a low profile against the Hindutva onslaught and to let friendly folk do the battle on their behalf. The argument goes that Muslims give easy traction to Hindutva purposes, and any retaliation to a provocation, of which theres no dearth today, would add grist to the reactionary mill. Had the assertion produced a worthy result, there would be reason to believe in the lore. The fear of Muslims being the red rag to the Hindutva bull should not be the ruse for their self-proclaimed supporters to feel hassled by their association with the community. A Muslim MP from Bihar and two legislators from Uttar Pradesh won important bypolls recently to defy the red-rag theory. This is not a case for a mandatory quota for Muslims in the coming elections, far from it. The argument put simply is that the minority communities, particularly their women, often suffer in the proclaimed quest for ethnic rectitude. I would argue that Muslims generally form a perfect ballast and they improve the stability of any political party in India. In fact, their inclusion is useful not only to win elections but also to keep the promise of democracy alive with greater zeal. Saving the Constitution is the stated objective of most political parties, but for Indias minorities, it is their lifeline, and they must secure it at all costs. Put bluntly, will the parties they support stand with them when their constitutional guarantees are threatened? Lets take the Ayodhya dispute currently being studied by the Supreme Court. Would the Congress and its allies have the moral courage to stand by a court verdict should it favour the Muslim case? Would they stand up to the Hindutva challenge then, or should the Muslims start praying for an adverse verdict against their own petition? Happily, this is not the dilemma for the two women who have made it to the Congress in the United States. Few are as outspoken as they are about Trumps follies among their other urgent concerns. True, for that and more, they are abused and threatened on the Net. They are trolled daily. But they have the unqualified support of the people and the party behind them to see to it that their worldview is not stifled. One thing worse than the stifling of the minorities in a democracy is to make them parrot the majoritarian point of view. Look at what happened in Pakistan. A Hindu man was elected for the first time from a general constituency to the National Assembly. That should be celebrated. But what was his battle cry? He wooed support by prescribing the death penalty for blasphemers. Likewise, in India. The Muslim author of a most adulatory book on Nehru joined the BJP. And now he seems sanguine at the daily abuses heaped on his erstwhile hero by the partys tallest leaders. Thats not a route for Rahul Gandhi or Indian Muslims to pursue. By arrangement with Dawn I never had the honor of meeting George H.W. Bush, but I was lucky enough to meet one of his oldest and dearest friends. That mans name was Don Gaylien. Bush was a businessman, congressman, CIA director, U.S. ambassador to China, vice president and the 41st president of the United States. When I met Gaylien, he was a 75-year-old Mexican-American retired postal worker in Phoenix living on a pension and Social Security. Bush grew up in Connecticut as the son of a U.S. senator and attended the prestigious Phillips Academy. Gaylien started high school in bare feet because his family couldnt afford shoes. He remembered that movie theaters in Phoenix had signs in the front window that read: Absolutely no Mexicans or Negroes. We already know part of the story. Bush enlisted and became one of the youngest bomber pilots in the Navy. He was assigned to the USS San Jacinto and completed about 50 successful bombing missions before he was shot down over the Pacific Ocean in September 1944. He parachuted into the water, and he made his way to a life raft. He drifted for hours, and he wasnt sure if hed survive. Indeed, his two crew members did not. At this point in his life, Bush was just 20. Fast-forward 55 years. Its April 1999, and Im a metro columnist working at the Arizona Republic in Phoenix. In the world of politics, two things seemed certain at the time: Texas Gov. George W. Bush was going to run for the Republican nomination for president the following year, and Arizona Sen. John McCain was going to be running right alongside him. My editor sent me to follow up on a rumor that George W. Bush had quietly crept into town, into McCain territory, for a high-priced fundraiser at a swanky hotel. I got to the hotel and tried to enter the building for a closer look. But I was turned away by Secret Service agents. Secret Service? For the governor of Texas? George Bush was in town alright but it was George H.W. Bush. The proud father, and former president, had come to the desert to raise money for his sons upcoming presidential bid. Gaylien was there that day, too. He had been invited to the fundraiser by an old war buddy who had left a comped ticket with his name on it. I noticed him as he came out of the hotel, this dark-skinned elderly man in a simple suit. I approached him and asked if he had been at the fundraiser. He smiled and said yes. I asked how he had found himself there, and he explained that former President Bush was his friend and that, in fact, the two had been friends for more than a half-century. I had to hear more. So I invited the man to lunch. There, he told me his story. Gaylien was in Bushs life, and vice versa, because the Phoenix native was also present that fateful day during World War II. Like Bush, Gaylien served aboard the USS San Jacinto from 1943 to 1944. And like Bush, Gaylien flew bombing missions as part of the VT-51 torpedo squadron. Bush was a pilot; Gaylien was a radio man and gunner who received the Distinguished Flying Cross. When Bush was shot down, Gaylien was one of the radio operators who called in a submarine rescue. The two had been friends ever since. After World War II ended, Bush came home and started his climb. Gaylien came home and confronted a familiar mountain. Here we were, coming back from the war, and we were still discriminated against, Gaylien told me with tears in his eyes. He and other Latino veterans set out to change that, and they did. For Latinos, thats our version of the greatest generation defeating evil in Asia and Europe, then doing the same here at home. Bush never forgot about Gaylien. Over the years, he invited his old friend to special events like the 1988 presidential inauguration and reunions of the VT-51. Its a great story. To back it all up, Gaylien brought to our lunch a scrapbook full of photos. Ill never forget the one of a couple of baby-faced Navy flyers, grinning aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific with no clue about what the future held for either of them. It has been noted that George H.W. Bush cherished his friends. You had better believe it. ruben@rubennavarrette.com When the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia invaded Pennsylvania, Gen. Robert E. Lees goal was to demoralize the North and convince a critical mass of public opinion that the war was futile. Often overlooked is the fact that this army also sought out free black citizens, captured them and sent them South as slaves. A small vignette in such a massive war, but one worth pausing to highlight: Where the army of the Confederacy moved, they took free people and enslaved them. It speaks volumes about the nature of the conflict and the stakes involved in even seemingly small fights, such as the placement of a pro-Confederate plaque in the Texas Capitol. When we think about the Civil War, or history in general, we lose sight of the human element life as experienced by people at the time is overwhelmed by abstract issues of politics or impersonal societal forces. Confederate sympathizers are especially guilty of this: It is much easier to sleep at night if you tell yourself that the war was just a result of disagreements about states rights, and never allow your mind to wander to the beatings, rapes and murder that characterized American slavery for centuries. If that is too much beyond your experience, consider what I do when the enormity of the evil of slavery seems too far removed from my life: I think about my children. Slaves had no rights to the fruits of their labor, but the barbarity of American chattel slavery extended much further and deeper. They had no rights even to their own family or progeny. Slave families were routinely broken up, fathers ripped from their children, husbands torn forever from their wives and there was no redress, absolutely no appeal, but only a seemingly indifferent universe that told you that the aching you felt in your heart for your distant children was not important. Multiply that feeling by millions of souls, stretched out over centuries, and the prissy complaining of the Children of the Confederacy seems small. But take it a step further. Imagine yourself to be a 15-year-old black student visiting the state Capitol, perhaps yourself the descendant of slaves. You have been told that you are as American as anyone and that in Texas we have learned from our dark periods and woven all races into the great tapestry of our state. Of course, you know the history but feel that the great ideals of America ultimately triumphed over its historical failings and that the great story of America is one of an ever-expanding sphere of liberty. What will you feel when you look up and see in the seat of state government a formal plaque honoring the heroic deeds of those who enlisted in the Confederate Army, and upheld its flag through four years of war? You will feel, in a perversion of Lincolns Gettysburg Address, that this is a government of, by, and for people who are not like you. I do not want to forget history. To be an American is to wrestle with our history. But there is a difference between honoring the flawed American founders who understood the evil and hypocrisy of slavery and sought to contain it until it withered, and the men of the Confederacy who saw it as a positive good and wanted to defend and expand it. That debate and that distinction is essential to understanding the American story, and by all means let us remember it and learn from it. Let there be no mistaking in our public buildings or lands what we as a people revere and honor. It is not about a war that concluded 150 years ago. It is about whether or not black people today feel as if this is their state as much as it is mine. Take down the plaque. Michael A. Wood is president of the Lone Star Policy Institute. A disbanded Greenwich asset manager has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission tied to allegations that the firm wrongly funded affiliate businesses and inflated the value of its investments. Fifth Street Management, which was based at 777 W. Putnam Ave., will pay penalties to the SEC totaling about $4 million, according to documents posted last week by the federal agency. The agreement comes about a year after the firm announced its dissolution. Former Fifth Street officials could not be reached for comment. Under founder Len Tannenbaum, the firm managed two affiliates, Fifth Street Finance and Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp., which loaned money to commercial enterprises. The SEC alleges that those business development clients of Fifth Street overvalued portfolio companies by several million dollars, making the affiliates own reported numbers inaccurate. Fifth Street also engaged in apparent insider trading by garnering information about the clients portfolio companies that it could use to make investment decisions for its hedge fund, according to the SEC. FSM failed to establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material, non-public information gained from working for one client and using it for the benefit of another, SEC officials said in the settlement summary. In addition, Fifth Street over-allocated about $1.2 million for the clients rent and other overhead and also improperly allotted about $119,000 in compensation for two employees. The misappropriations resulted in accounting errors and were not disclosed in Fifth Streets financial reporting, the SEC said. Similar allegations had dogged the firm long before the settlement. In February 2017, Fifth Street settled a class-action lawsuit claiming the firm inflated the value of Fifth Street Finances investment portfolio and income to increase revenues reported to investors. And in March 2016, the SEC issued subpoena documents, in a probe of the firms valuation of its investments. In November 2017, the firm paved the way for its dissolution with a $320 million assets sale, including contracts managing the Fifth Street portfolios, to Oaktree Capital Management. Nearly 30 firms signaled interest before Oaktree won out with its bid. Los Angeles-based Oaktree also has offices in downtown Stamford, at 680 Washington Blvd. Oaktree officials declined to comment on the settlement. Among earlier moves that foreshadowed its demise, Fifth Street shut down in June 2017 its affiliate hedge fund. Tannenbaum told investors in May 2017 that the fund had not been profitable on an operating basis. Larger lenders, he said, were taking advantage of their size to drive deal terms and win business at the expense of the Fifth Street companies. In 2014, Connecticuts economic development department awarded the Fifth Street family of companies $5 million worth of subsidies to move its headquarters to 777 West Putnam Ave., from White Plains, N.Y. The packaged included a $1 million grant and a $4 million loan. The state forgave about half of the loan, as Fifth Street worked to raise its Greenwich headcount to about 100. Fifth Street had pledged to spend more than $43 million on the Connecticut relocation and expansion. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott Fairfield-based Doyle Insurance has gone from tenants to property owners. The insurance group purchased a two-story office building at 45 Sherman St. for $1,375,000, according to a press release from Fairfield-based real estate firm, Angel Commercial LLC, which represented the buyers. The Doyle Insurance Group provides personalized insurance services for its clients, offering an array of property and liability insurance solutions. The company will move from its 10 Sasco Hill Road location less than a mile away to the new office just off the Post Road. The office is also within walking distance of the Fairfield train station. Changing from a tenant to a property owner demonstrates the firm's commitment to being part of Fairfields vibrant business community, said John Angel, president of Angel Commercial, in a press release. The space offers more than 4,500 square feet along with a 1,217-square-foot cottage that also has an office room and residential features. Both the main building and the carriage building have been renovated in the past two years. The insurance company is expected to occupy the front building following further modifications to the site, while its uncertain what they will use the carriage building for. Its a spectacular area, said Bruce Wettenstein of Westport-based Vidal/Wettenstein which was the listing broker for the sellers, Valor Investments LLC. The previous owner operated a financial services business, according to Wettenstein. If you want to be in Fairfield and you want to be within walking distance to all the retail spots and Metro-North, its the right location, he added. Jordan.grice@hearstmediact.com I dont think I run the risk of ethnic stereotyping when I say that Jewish families in America recognize the value of education and encourage their children to do well in school. (I speak with some authority on this subject because I myself grew up in such a household.) So it was amusing to hear uber-achiever Sen. Richard Blumenthal last week boast about how he has consistently earned Fs from the National Rifle Association. The nations premier gun-rights group and unalterable foe of gun control grades lawmakers on their positions on gun issues. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., gets an A, as do most Senate Republicans. But Blumenthal Harvard grad, Yale Law, Supreme Court clerk, state attorney general, senator gets Fs. And so does his Connecticut colleague, Sen. Chris Murphy. No surprise for either one, given their liberal Democratic leanings and representation of a state that suffered grievously from the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting (the sixth anniversary of which is Friday). Even so, Blumenthal must have felt the mystical presence of his late mother, Jane Rosenstock, in the room where he was addressing a conference of advocates organized by Newtown Action Alliance. My Mom told me never to get Fs, he told the audience, deadpan. But shed be proud of this one! Luck of the draw Rep.-elect Jahana Hayes must have been feeling very lucky indeed when she dug her hand into the bowl determining the numerical order for picking offices on Capitol Hill and came up with number 12! Hayes hasnt even been sworn in for her first term but already shes scored a major legislative success in selecting a coveted office in the Longworth House Office Building, fourth floor. The suite is far from plush, to be sure. Aides sit cheek by jowl in smallish rooms set off from the boss office, which is private but far from spacious. The quarters are a stark contrast to comparable digs in the Senate office buildings on the other side of Capitol Hill. If Senate offices are the Waldorf Astoria, House offices are just barely the Courtyard Marriott. But Hayes certainly is not complaining. She knows it could have been a whole lot worse in a drawing that involved 80 or more of her fellow newbies. Just ask Hayes predecessor, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, who occupied what she termed an attic office on the fifth floor of the adjacent Cannon House Office Building. Known variously as Freshman Hall or Freshman Penthouse, the fifth floor of Cannon requires an extra elevator ride for access and connects to . Nowhere. Hayes is hoping her luck holds up for the next major hurdle: committee assignments. The 45-year-old former history at Kennedy High School in Waterbury is hoping for an assignment to the House Education & the Workforce Committee. As Teacher of the Year 2016, Hayes should get it in a heartbeat. And it doesnt hurt that she endorsed House Speaker to-be Nancy Pelosi last week and helped the 78-year-old Californian ward off what would have been an embarrassing defeat among House Democrats. But the jury is still out on that one, so please stand by. Life after Congress And speaking of Esty, this is the valedictory season as she prepares to depart Capitol Hill after serving three terms. With Esty having declined interview requests from me and Hearst Connecticut Media colleague Rob Ryser, I feared she was about to go gently into that good night and never be heard from again. Turns out there was no reason to fear. I encountered Esty after the above-mentioned Newtown Action Alliance meeting. She was the same old Elizabeth Esty, full of talk-talk-talk and thoughtful reflection. Plans for the future? Uncertain, but tending to her aging mother in California is high on the list. Travel is another definite possibility. Son Jonathan is in Hong Kong, so theres that. Also, husband Dan is on sabbatical, and his Yale Law School interests may take him to France. Esty studied in Paris after Harvard on a Rotary International scholarship, and she helped translate French-written documents for President Richard Nixons memoir. (Her reward? Two copies of the book, signed by the 37th president of the United States himself.) I havent had a break in 10 years! she told me. Ideally, she says, shed like to pursue public-policy interests that parallel her work on Capitol Hill science, guns, infrastructure, veterans and that all-encompassing civic engagement. She laughs when asked whether any of those interests translate into a day job at some point in her future. Im just postponing figuring out what that might be, she answered. So hit the pause button on Elizabeth Esty, rather than cancel. dan@hearstdc.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) The Department of National Defense distanced itself from an alleged ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte floated by the president's son himself. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the list of people involved in an alleged "Oust Duterte Movement" posted by former Davao City vice mayor Paolo "Pulong" Duterte on Facebook as "fake news." "The first time I saw that post, I said it's fake news. I still maintain that it's fake news," Lorenzana said. The presidential son on Friday posted screenshots of an open spreadsheet file labeled "ANTI-ADMINISTRATION GROUP OUST DUTERTE MOVEMENT" on Facebook. "Gi-send ra ni sa akoa ha Share lang nako kay para bibo," the former vice mayor said. [Translation: This was just sent to me. I'll share it for fun.] The list included the usual opposition politicians, known journalists and some members of the clergy. It also implicated big corporations such as Jollibee, Dole, PLDT and General Tuna Corporation. It also labeled members of the alleged ouster plot as "millennial students studying at Jesuit-run schools" and "mutant/cause oriented groups." The post was deleted from Paolo Duterte's Facebook page, but after it had been shared thousands of times. Netizens were also able to take screenshots of his post and spread it on their own social media accounts. Paolo Duterte is running for Congress in the 2019 elections. Mallya told reporters outside the courtroom after Monday's verdict that he will consider all his 'options' and decide the process ahead. 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. (Photo: File) London: The UK Home Office confirmed on 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 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. 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. 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. Telecom Italia S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides fixed and mobile telecommunications services in Europe, South America, and the Mediterranean Basin. The company operates through Domestic, Brazil, and Other Operations segments. It offers fixed and mobile voice and Internet, and public telephony services, as well as products managed and developed for individuals and families; and voice, data, and Internet services and products, and information and communications technology solutions for small and medium-size enterprises, small offices/home offices, the public sector, large accounts, and enterprises in the fixed and mobile telecommunications markets. The company also manages and develops a portfolio of regulated and unregulated wholesale services for fixed and mobile telecommunications operators; provision of infrastructure for housing radio transmission equipment of mobile telephone networks; and development, engineering, building, and operation of network infrastructures, information technology (IT), real estate properties, and plant engineering. In addition, it engages in customer care, operating credit support, loyalty, and retention activities; and staff functions and other support activities. Further, the company offers office products and services for IT sector. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy. Read More (Scroll down for a slide show of various scenes from the 2018 Ohio Farm Bureau annual meeting.) COLUMBUS The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation kicked off its centennial celebration during the 2018 annual meeting, Dec. 6-7 at the Columbus Convention Center. The Ohio Farm Bureau was founded Jan. 27, 1919, during Farmers Week, a conference held on the campus of Ohio State University. Many county Farm Bureaus were formed prior to the state federations creation. The year-long commemoration includes a new logo, a book tracing the organizations history, promotional clothing and gift items with the new logo, and special events. More than 340 voting delegates were present on opening day. The fact that were here, celebrating 100 years, is a really big deal, and you are a part of that, OFBF President Frank Burkett told the delegates and members during his address. Farm Bureaus success is because of our people. During his address, Ohio Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Adam Sharp rattled off a list of the farm groups accomplishments over the past 100 years including: Creation of its own auto insurance company in 1926, which ultimately grew into insurance giant Nationwide; Creating the farm bureau ag credit cooperative board in 1931; Starting a rural electrification cooperative, 1935; Founding WRFD radio to spread news and farm messages, 1947; Pushing the constitutional amendment creating Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV) in 1973; Pushing the authorizing legislation for the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, 2009. Eliminated the Ohio estate tax, 2013. Sharp also praised members and partners recent efforts in water quality issues, saying it is an absolutely critical issue to our state and to our industry. I think we made it abundantly clear that public policy in the state of Ohio will absolutely not be enacted without the input of Ohio agriculture. Sharp, who was named executive vice president in May 2016, has crisscrossed the state since then, meeting local members. Those conversations, he said, reaffirmed the organizations priority issues: advocacy, communication, membership, strategic partnerships, financial strength and organizational excellence. One hundred years from now, he added, when the Ohio Farm Bureau is looking back at its second 100 years, theyll say we honored our traditions, we prepared for the future, and they will say our organization adapted to the world around us. And they will also say, we never abandoned our principles. Distinguished service Two longtime volunteers were honored with the organizations Distinguished Service Awards: Dennis Heyob, Hamilton County, and Charles Lausin, Geauga County. Chuck Lausin was a longtime dairy farmer and maple syrup producer and held many leadership roles with dairy organizations including Milk Marketing, Inc. (now Dairy Farmers of America), Ohio Dairy Farmers Federation, OSU Dairy Science advisory groups and the American Farm Bureau dairy committee. Within Farm Bureau, Lausin served as Geauga County Farm Bureau president and was on the state Farm Bureau board for 10 years. He served as a township trustee and planning commission member, and was also a member of the Ohio Public Works Commission and served on the Ohio State University Extension state Extension advisory committee. He served on the county Soil and Water Conservation District board, the Geauga Landmark board and was active with the local maple festival. Heyob is a lifelong farmer and Farm Bureau volunteer who served as county Farm Bureau president in four different decades. He provided leadership for many Hamilton County events including the Farm to Family project that provided fresh produce and education on healthy eating to underserved urban families. A frequent spokesperson for agriculture with local media, he coordinated farm tours for nonfarmers and headed the county Farm Bureaus work to wholly fund the $80,000 4-H Community Fair Show Pavilion at Strickers Grove. (Article continues below slide show.) ofbf-frank-burkett-adam-sharp-onstage-2 Ohio Farm Bureau President Frank Burkett (left) and Executive Vice President Adam Sharp speak at the annual meeting in December 2018. Ohio Farm Bureau purchased Ohio's Country Journal and its sister radio network Ohio Ag Net. (Farm and Dairy file photo) < > < > 1 View ofbf-frank-burkett-adam-sharp-onstage-2 Ohio Farm Bureau President Frank Burkett (left) and Executive Vice President Adam Sharp speak at the annual meeting in December 2018. Ohio Farm Bureau purchased Ohio's Country Journal and its sister radio network Ohio Ag Net. (Farm and Dairy file photo) 2 View ofbf-cover-crop-beer Cover Crop, from North High Brewing, commemorates the 100th anniversary of Ohio Farm Bureau. 3 View ofbf-steve-hirsch Past OFBF president Steve Hirsch, of Ross County, looks at the timeline of Ohio Farm Bureau accomplishments displayed during the annual meeting. (Farm and Dairy/Susan Crowell photo) 4 View ofbf-murray-lincoln-winners Murray Lincoln Award winners for signing up 50 or more new members included (L-R) Susan Shoup, John Fitzpatrick, Wayne County; Carman Mengon, Belmont County; Ervin Raber, Holmes County; and Becky Vincent, Stark County. Not pictured are Julie Tripp, Jackson-Vinton County; Anthony Boothe, Medina County; and Clarita Myers, Lucas County. 5 View ofbf-dulls Perhaps the youngest person attending this year's Ohio Farm Bureau annual meeting was 5-month-old Elsie Dull, daughter of Cassandra and Luke Dull, of Montgomery County. (Farm and Dairy/Susan Crowell photo) 6 View ofbf-yf-award The OFBF Outstanding Young Farmer award, announced earlier this fall, went to Brandi and Nick Anderson, of Mechanicsburg. 7 View Annie Specht Annie Specht, of Columbus, was the Ohio Farm Bureau's 2018 Discussion Meet winner. She won the competition, which was held in February, and will compete at the AFBF event in January. 8 View ofbf-timeline 9 View ofbf-campbells The Excellence in Agriculture Award, announced earlier this fall, went to Adam and Jess Campbell, of Waynesville. Also honored The late Alfred DiVencenzo was received the Cooperative/Agriculture Educator Award, and James Bachmann received the Ezra C. Anstaett Heritage Award. DiVencenzo was a 23-year Farm Bureau volunteer, who died unexpectedly in July. He served as president of Lorain County Farm Bureau, and as state trustee, representing members from Cuyahoga, Erie, Huron and Lorain counties. He served as vice president of the Ohio Christmas Tree Association and led its Ohio State Fair exhibit. DiVencenzo spent 30 years in public education, and his work often blended his personal agricultural interests. Bachmann is a longtime business and community leader and served on the Nationwide board of directors from 2003 to 2018. He retired as managing partner for Ernst & Youngs Columbus location in 2003. Young ag professionals Prior to the official start of the policy development session, members honored 2018 Discussion Meet winner Annie Specht, of Columbus, who won the competition in February. The Excellence in Agriculture Award, announced earlier this fall, went to Adam and Jess Campbell, of Waynesville. The Campbells run Carroll Creek Farms, a livestock farm that sells directly to consumers, and Jess is also assistant vice president of agribusiness at Farm Credit Mid-America. Also announced earlier this fall, but honored during the annual meeting, were the winners of the Outstanding Young Farmer award, Brandi and Nick Anderson, of Mechanicsburg. The Champaign County Farm Bureau members raise cattle and sell the meat at farmers markets under the Women That Farm name. Nick is farm manager of Van Raay Dairy. County awards The top five counties earning achievement awards in the four membership size divisions include: Division I: Paulding, Fayette, Lawrence, Morgan and Van Wert counties; Division II: Mercer, Carroll, Scioto, Putnam and Coshocton counties; Division III: Greene, Ross, Hancock, Columbiana and Clark counties; Division IV: Wood, Wayne, Licking, Montgomery, Lorain and Lake counties (a tie awarded the top six counties). Collaboration awards, which recognized county Farm Bureaus who teamed up with each other to conduct programming, went to Seneca and Sandusky counties; Butler, Hamilton, Preble and Montgomery counties; and Ashland, Holmes, Medina and Wayne counties. Earlier in the year, eight counties or county groups were recognized for programming by the American Farm Bureau Federation: Belmont; Butler/Hamilton/Montgomery/Preble; Fayette; Jefferson; Lucas; Noble; Pike; and Wood counties. Membership Eighty-seven members qualified for the Ambassadors Club by signing 10 or more new or sign-back members. Eight members earned the Murray Lincoln Award, for signing at least 50 new or win back members: Susan Shoup, John Fitzpatrick, both of Wayne County; Becky Vincent, Stark County; Carman Mengon, Belmont County; Ervin Raber, Holmes County; Julie Tripp, Jackson-Vinton County; Anthony Boothe, Medina County; and Clarita Myers, Lucas County. OFBF officers re-elected Frank Burkett III of Massillon was re-elected president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, and was also re-elected District 9 trustee, representing members from Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage and Stark counties. This will be his third full term as president. James W. (Bill) Patterson of Chesterland was re-elected first vice president, and was also re-elected to serve as the District 4 trustee representing Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties. Cy Prettyman of New Bloomington was re-elected Ohio Farm Bureau Federations treasurer, and also was re-elected to represent members in his district, which includes Crawford, Marion, Morrow and Richland counties. State trustees re-elected to the board include: Karin Bright of Athens, representing Athens, Gallia, Lawrence and Meigs counties; Wyatt Bates, of Wheelersburg, representing Jackson, Pike, Scioto and Vinton counties; Michael Boyert, of Seville, representing 20 northeastern Ohio counties; and Matt Bell, of Zanesville, representing Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum and Perry counties. Wade Smith, of Whitehouse, was elected District 2 trustee, representing Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood counties. Previously he was the organizations Northwest regional trustee. Joining the board will be newly elected Northwest Regional Trustee Rose Hartschuh of Sycamore, Crawford County; and Jesse Whinnery, of Coshocton, representing Coshocton, Holmes, Knox and Licking counties. Discussion meet Following a preliminary competition at the annual meeting, four finalists were named to compete in the 2019 Discussion Meet: Gregory Corcoran of Chillicothe, Andrew Dewey Mann of Ashville, Micaela Wright of Arcanum and Victoria Popp of Cincinnati. The finals will be held at the Young Agricultural Professionals Leadership Experience at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus Feb. 1 and 2. At the close of the annual meeting, and during the busy Friday end of the workday, Nationwide projected a video on its outdoor digital billboard, saluting the 100th anniversary of the Ohio Farm Bureau, which founded the insurance company back in 1926. The Government has been urged to postpone its plans for the introduction of Making Tax Digital which will require the digital recording and submission of VAT returns from 1 April 2019. There are reports of farm businesses going to desperate lengths to get access to digital connections. The patchy digital infrastructure across many rural areas means farmers are still struggling to access stable and secure internet. And of the farmers and small businesses who are online, many are struggling to get to grips with the leading accredited software solutions, finding them difficult to use. It comes as a recent report from the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee was highly critical of HMRC for neglecting its responsibility to support small businesses with Making Tax Digital. Farming and rural organisations wrote to Nicky Morgan MP, Chair of the House of Commons Treasury Committee, to ask her to call Treasury Ministers to appear before her Committee to answer criticisms set out within the House of Lords report. 'Nowhere near ready' The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), one of the organisations who wrote to Ms Morgan, said the plans have to be postponed. TFA Chief Executive, George Dunn, said: The simple truth is that we are nowhere near ready for the roll-out of Making Tax Digital and it has got to be postponed. Our own discussions with accountants working with farm businesses support these conclusions. We had been told, HMRC would release information about exemptions to the scheme by November, but nothing has been communicated. Some farmers are using the free, unsecure Wi-Fi available in cafes and some fast food restaurants to conduct day-to-day transactions with HMRC and other Government Departments. Given that these networks are public and lack good security, this is simply unacceptable. He added: Unless or until we have adequate digital coverage for all rural areas, we will need easy to access exemptions from the requirement to file information digitally. Having denied many areas this digital connectivity, it will also take time to ensure that individuals are able to use online tools confidently to carry out required tasks, said Mr Dunn. April 2019 Making Tax Digital comes into force in April next year and will see millions of businesses and self-employed people having to file multiple tax returns each year. In the rural sector, farming and other rural businesses with turnovers above the current 85,000 VAT threshold will fall within the new Making Tax Digital regime. Once in, they stay in, even if their turnover falls below that level at a future date. VAT registered-businesses whose turnover is below the VAT threshold can opt in to MVD if they wish. Pyongyang and Seoul retain an unarmed one for historical value. Military personnel controlled the complete withdrawal of weapons and troops, in addition to the demolition of some underground structures. From the conciliatory efforts a debate on the future status of US troops. Expert: "In the peace process, the interests of the great foreign powers are influential". Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Yesterday, the two Koreas conducted a joint inspection to verify the dismantling of 20 guard posts (GPs) inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). This is one of the latest initiatives undertaken by the two governments to further military, economic and political relations between the South and the North. Despite the steps forward in the pacification of the peninsula, analysts warn: the two Koreas must overcome the geopolitical obstacles caused by the great powers, struggling for their balance of strategic interests. In the beginning, Seoul and Pyongyang had agreed to dismantle 11 outposts each; later they decided to keep one each, even if unarmed, in light of their historical value. In the morning, the South sent 11 teams, made up of seven people each, to check the northern watchtowers. The teams crossed the military demarcation line on newly built paths, which now link the posts of the two countries. The military personnel controlled the complete withdrawal of weapons and troops, in addition to the demolition of some underground structures. The North followed the same procedures in the afternoon. The decommissioning of the outposts is part of a military agreement that the defense ministers of both Koreas signed after the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, in September. The military agreement includes a series of measures to strengthen mutual trust and arms control measures, such as the disarmament of landmines in the Joint Security Area (JSA) of Panmunjom. Added to this is the creation of air, land and sea buffer zones to prevent accidental collisions. The conciliatory efforts, in particular those of Seoul, have triggered a debate on the future status of US troops. Many, mostly liberals, argue that a peace regime, if shaped to replace the current armistice, could question the basis of the US military stamp on the peninsula. Reduced American influence in Korea could threaten Washington's pre-eminent position with respect to a range of regional allies and competitors: Japan on one side, China and Russia on the other. According to observers, even Beijing fears that a peace process on the peninsula could bring its communist ally, the North, closer to the United States. For China, this could mean the disappearance of a crucial strategic buffer on the peninsula, which prevented American troops in the South from approaching its border. Nam Chang-hee, professor of international relations at the University of Inha, says: "It is a fact of life in international politics that the interests of the great powers influence the foreign policies of middle and smaller states - a reason for which a realistic political formula is needed ". The vital role farming plays in protecting and enhancing the environment was underlined at a landmark conference hosted by the NFU on Tuesday. Farmers from across the country joined politicians, civil servants, campaigners and industry representatives at the event which aimed to put a spotlight on the importance of a farmed environment working in harmony with productive food and farming businesses. A new report released at the conference details the role farming has played through the generations in shaping Britains iconic countryside. It highlights the need for a better data-based approach to underpin effective future agricultural and environmental policy-making and ensure that environmental successes can be recognised, as well as understand where more work is needed. The report also advocates the need for better data to benchmark environmental performance in a "meaningful way". Without accurate or comprehensive data the industry will be permanently reliant on "anecdotal or cherry-picked evidence", which the report says does not show the full picture. For example, during last years Big Farmland Bird Count, 121 different species of birds were recorded on farm far more than are found on the Governments official farmland bird index. And there was another success story with barn owls, which have increased by 17% above the average of the previous four years. NFU President Minette Batters said: Farmers want to play our part in rising to the governments wider challenge to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better condition than we found it. In order to do that, we need a balanced and honest appraisal of the current state of the farmed environment. "Farmers take their environmental responsibilities very seriously and are passionate about the countryside without it they would not have businesses." She said that in order for farmers to keep delivering for the environment, a future land management scheme should be "voluntary, open to all farmers, simple to apply for and administer, and offer a fair reward." The NFU are also asking the government to make sure that a future agriculture policy enhances farmers ability to produce food for the nation. Mrs Batters added: "It is crucial that it gives us greater security in the supply of safe, traceable and affordable British food that the public trusts. "The bottom line is that farm businesses need to be productive and profitable to be able to continue to deliver the environmental benefits we all want to see. Farmers in the Midlands have until 31 January to apply for an environmental grant of up to 5,000. The Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS) aims to minimise pollution and protect local watercourses. The programme focuses on working closely with farmers to reduce the overall quantity of water that has to undergo expensive treatment as this helps the company keep consumers bills down. As part of this, the STEPS grant provides livestock and arable farmers with match-funding for a wide variety of infrastructure and land management items that work towards minimising pollution and protecting watercourses. For example, project options range from livestock pasture pumps to cover crops and rainwater harvesting to covering pesticide wash-down areas. There is also an innovation option. This gives farmers the opportunity to apply for a project that is not listed as an option in the handbook but will improve the farm business and work towards the goals of the STEPS initiative. Dr Jodie Rettino, Severn Trent catchment management and biodiversity lead, said: We are keen to hear farmers proposed solutions as it fosters innovation. The application process is straight forward. Id recommend farmers read the STEPS handbook and discuss possible improvement measures with their local agricultural advisor to increase their chances of a successful application. To be eligible for funding, farms must be within a Severn Trent target area and must be at least three hectares in size. The STEPS scheme offers grants of up to 5,000 per year, per farm, and farms can apply to the scheme in consecutive years to continue making improvements. 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. 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. Janhvi's Stunning Look For The Event When the award was first announced, an excited Janhvi said to Hindustan Times in a statement, "I made my debut with Dhadak' this year. Our film has been seen by audiences across the globe since it released worldwide and many of them including people staying in Norway have seen the film and sent their good wishes via social media. This recognition is a pleasant surprise. I am happy to receive this honour and humbled that they chose me for this honour." You Go Girl! When presenting the award, Ann Ollestad, the Consul General said about Janhvi, "Your performance in Dhadak' was excellent and we would like to recognize 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 felicitation was part of an event organized with the theatre chain INOX. It was meant to promote Norwegian cinema and foster a stronger relationship pertaining to films between India and Norway. Internationally Recognized When She's Just One Movie Old! Expressing her happiness on winning her first film related award, the 21 year old actress said, "It means a lot to me. This award means a lot to me. Any type of encouragement means the world to me, and this one is very special. I hope I keep doing good work and making you all happy." Proud Papa! Her father Boney Kapoor also attended the ceremony. Sharing his pride in his children's achievements, he said, "I am glad you all liked my daughter's film. I really feel elated. I feel proud of the achievements of my children, my family." What's Next, Janhvi? Janhvi made her entry into big screen with Dhadak which released in July 2018. Being the Bollywood remake of the Marathi blockbuster Sairat, Dhadak also starred Shahid Kapoor's younger brother, Ishaan Khatter. Janhvi will next appear in Takht, a Dharma productions movie. Takht is going to be a multi-starrer wherein Janhvi will be sharing screen space with Kareena Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Bhumi Pednekar and Vicky Kaushal. The movie will release in December 2019. The First Wedding Reception In Mumbai On 19th December A Miss Malini report stated that Priyanka and Nick will be hosting their wedding reception in Mumbai on 19th December at J.W Mariott for their friends and family. Second Wedding Reception On 20th December This will be followed by another wedding reception at Taj Lands End on 20th December where Priyanka's industry colleagues and pals will make their presence felt. When Priyanka Spoke About Her Family Plans The actress revealed to People magazine, "I always say, Man proposes, God disposes.' We definitely want kids, and when the time is right, it will happen." Honeymoon Diaries Meanwhile, Priyanka who is currently honeymooning with Nick in Oman took to her social media page yesterday to share a picture where she is soaking in some sun with her hubby Nick Jonas. Some six million students attend Quranic schools, both private and government-sponsored. Educating orphans is one positive aspect of madrasas. However, the "sanctification of the Quran without real theological explanations is a risk. Graduates tend to become wives who are "docile and conservative in how they live their beliefs." Dhaka (AsiaNews) Madrasas for girls are an elusive, underground reality that is growing but is little talked about, this according to a local Christian source. These are actual Quranic schools where Islam is learnt mostly by heart, the source explained. Arabic is also taught even though teachers are not fluent in the language. What happens in essence is a sort of sanctification of the Quran, which is memorised without any real interpretation or exegesis." In Bangladesh, girls used to study at home. In recent years, up to six million students attend madrasas, a contributor to The Guardian newspaper wrote. What pushes families to choose this kind of schooling "is that they are free and recognised by the government, said a Dhaka merchant. Certainly, the quality of teaching is not the same, but these schools are the best solution for many needy families, who otherwise might not have the money to send their children to school." Bangladesh has two kinds of madrasas: private Quomi madrasas and state-sponsored Alia madrasas. There are an estimated 6,500 Quomi madrasas in the country, with almost 1.5 million students. By contrast, there are 7,000 or so Alia madrasas, which follow a standardised curriculum that includes English, Bengali, science, and mathematics. About 30 per cent of the countrys university teachers come from Alia madrasas, whose graduates tend to seek higher education. The main difference between the two is that Quomi schools are supported by private donations whilst Alia schools are certified and supervised, explained the source. The curriculum followed by the former is hard to understand and may not meet government standards, whilst in the latter, religion is included but the quality of education is good and students can further pursue their studies. Overall, "in a country of 160 million people, 1.5 million girls attending Quomi madrasas is a small number. On the positive side, these schools take care of orphans without parents or relatives who can support them. However, in the case of madrasas, for both boys and girls, we must look at how the Quran is taught. The sacred text is memorised without understanding its meaning. This raises an educational issue, namely that mere memorisation can lead to the sanctification of the text without understanding it. After this kind of schooling, young people assume they know the Quran and Arabic, which they simply memorised without any real theological explanations. The risk "is that ensuing interpretations will be influenced by context, friendships and dangerous assumptions based on feelings of social marginalisation and the presumption of being knowledgeable about religion. The danger posed by this type of schooling is that it does not preclude possible behavioural radicalisation as a result of the influence of Wahhabism on Bangladeshs Islam, running counter to the countrys older Sufi traditions. Ultimately, the girls who graduate from madrasas tend to be socially docile towards their husband, noted the source. From a religious point of view, they tend to be inflexible and conservative in how they live their beliefs." Suhana's Bollywood Debut Will Have To Wait! When quizzed if Suhana has finally decided to make her Bollywood debut, Shahrukh replied, 'No'. He said, "She wants to act, like I have said before. But she needs to train for three four years. She is doing some plays and theatres in London now. Hopefully, she will shift to America. She came here because she has a part of a learning, acting to spend time on productions. I think she did some in London with Gurinder." SRK Wanted Suhana To Spend Time With Anushka & Katrina "She was sitting at home so she said, 'I have to still go and get on to some sets for two weeks.' We were shooting here (Mehboob studio) for a song for two weeks. So, she started coming here for some experience. I wanted her to see Katrina and Anushka because both of them are such different kind of actors. Katrina has her own charm and Anushka has her own way of enacting things. So, I wanted her to spend time with them." This Is Hilarious! "But what they did is instead they put around to me as the assistant director to get me from home on time. Suhana would wake me up in the morning saying, 'Papa, the shot is ready. She would get early in the morning on time." 'Experience Matters A Lot' "I think ground experience is good for actors or any kind of job. But only as an internship. I think you really need to finish your education first. That formalizes and makes your craft better. I want her to study for another three-four years even if she wants to be an actor. There's stage, theatre, street theatres, there are lots of opportunities around the world to learn acting. In India, we don't learn acting. We just assume that we have the talent (laughs). It's like if we drive very fast, that doesn't mean you will become a formula one driver. I want her to have formal training in acting. That experience matters a lot." 'Suhana Spent More Time With Anushka' When asked if Suhana spent time with his Zero co-stars, the actor replied, "She spent more time with Anushka more than Katrina because we were shooting for that song. Katrina came on the sets a couple of times. They have known her from childhood." Vella Raja Leaked In HD Quality The full web series has been leaked online by Tamilrockers in HD quality and is available for free download. The links are going viral and this has ruffled a few feathers. Will The Viewership Be Affected? Vella Raja is a crime-drama and revolves around the cat and mouse game between a cop and a gangster. Through the well-received series, Amazon Prime hopes to reach out to the Tamil audience and offer original content in the language. As Vella Raja has been leaked online, the viewership is likely to be affected. The Background Tamilrockers is a notorious gang that is known for leaking new films on the release day.Sarkar, Seema Raja and 2.0 are just some of the Tamil biggies which got leaked within hours of hitting the screens. Telugu films such as Aravinda Sametha and Savyassachi too suffered the same fate. The fact thar Vella Raja has been leaked online proves that not even web series are not immune to piracy The Bottom Line... In the past, several government agencies and organisations have taken measures to curb the menace of piracy. Similarly, the likes of Vishal and Dulquer Salmaan have urged fans to refrain from encouraging piracy. Their efforts have had some impact but the problem still persists. It is high time that those in authority find a permanent solution to the problem and ensure that it stops ASAP. Piracy is totally unacceptable and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Shweta Slay's In Pink Shweta's would be sister-in-law shared a few images of the bride-to-be, and we got to say she looks beautiful! Shweta is seen wearing a pink lehenga and blouse with golden sequence work on it. Poolside Party Awaits According to the latest reports, Shweta will be hosting a poolside party tonight at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. In the above picture, she is seen getting some intricate mehendi design on her legs. Shares First Pic With Fans The actress herself took to Instagram to share a special picture with her fans. She posted a picture of one of her legs filled with beautiful henna designs on the insta story. This is the first picture from pre-wedding celebrations that Shweta has shared on social media. Shweta & Rohit Engaged According to Spotboye report, Shweta and Rohit got engaged in a lavish ceremony. Shweta looked beautiful in a pink-coloured dress. The engagement ceremony was held at a 5-star hotel. All Set To Get Hitched Shweta, along with her friends took to Bali to celebrate her bachelorette. The wedding will take place in Pune tomorrow, followed by a reception which will be held next week. The couple will be getting married in both Marwari and Bengali style. Fresh produce social commerce platform Meiri Yitao has raised $100 million in Series B funding led by Genesis Capital. Existing shareholder Susquehanna International Group SIG also joined the round together with venture capital firms DCM and Vision Capital. China Renaissance is the financial advisor for the deal. Proceeds will be used to expand its supply chain and to build logistics centre to speed up delivery. Meiri Yitao completed its Series A funding in July, when it raised $30 million from DCM, SIG and Welight Capital. Meiri Yitao is a sub-brand of fresh produce delivery... Noble Groups life hangs in the balance. In a final attempt to preserve whatever value is left for creditors and shareholders it is seeking approval from a Bermuda court to restructure. The commodities trader, under investigation by the Singapore authorities, warned that it would go into full liquidation if the restructuring fails. Even if the $3.5 billion restructuring proceeds, shareholders will suffer, market watchers say. On December 12, the Singapore-listed firm said that the Securities Industry Council SIC, a council under the Monetary Authority of Singapore MAS which administers takeovers and mergers, had granted another extension till December 31 for a whitewash waiver.... Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2018) - Peekaboo Beans Inc. (CSE: BEAN) (OTCQB: PBBSF) ("Peekaboo Beans" or the "Company") announces that Mrs. Nikki Mayer has resigned as a director, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Company to pursue other opportunities. Mrs. Mayer added, "After 2 years, I am stepping down as the Chief Financial Officer of Peekaboo Beans. I would personally like to thank the Chief Executive Officer, Traci Costa, and the entire Peekaboo Beans team for the opportunity to assist in building a company with such an important mission and extraordinary products. I wish Peekaboo Beans continued success." Traci Costa, President and CEO of Peekaboo Beans, commented, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to wish Nikki every success in her future endeavors, Nikki has been an integral part of our team over the last 7 years." Peekaboo Beans has commenced the search for Mrs. Mayer's replacement and the Company will take the time necessary to find a suitable candidate. Pending the hiring of a new officer, the Company has appointed Mrs. Costa as Corporate Secretary and Mr. David Fong, CPA, CA has been appointed interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Fong has a long-time history with Peekaboo Beans working in a financial consulting capacity for over 5 years. Mr. Fong has consulted on a range of small-medium size enterprises in various sectors ranging from technology, agriculture and consumer brands and in capacities ranging from strategic acquisition advisory to management reporting and financial modeling. He obtained his Chartered Accountant (CPA) designation with BDO Canada LLP, specializing in assurance for public multi-national clients in a variety of industries including mining, oil and gas, technology, manufacturing and real estate. About Peekaboo Beans Inc. Peekaboo Beans is a children's apparel brand with a focus on environmentally responsible clothes that are intentionally designed to inspire play. Through an omni-channel approach, Peekaboo Beans engages sellers through social platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, as well as online retailers, to maximize revenue and build brand loyalty. The Company works to promote a playful lifestyle for children by designing comfortable clothes that are built to last. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Peekaboo Beans Inc. Ms. Traci Costa, President and CEO (604) 279-2326 For more information, please contact the Company at: BEAN@kincommunications.com 1-866-604-6730 Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. ZHONGSHAN, China, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 23rd China (Guzhen) International Lighting Fair (Spring) will be held concurrently with the Guzhen Lighting Manufacturing, Supply & Services Expo 2019 at Guzhen Convention & Exhibition Center, Zhongshan, China from March 18-21, 2019. The fair will cover the upstream, midstream and downstream of lighting industry chain to integrate all resources and stimulate market vitality. It focuses on domestic sales, but also takes into account export sales, creating a super-cost-effective procurement season in spring. Taking "Original Source of Lightings for 6 Billion People Worldwide" as the theme, the fair will deepen the "1+7" linkage mode between exhibition & megastores. With an exhibition area of over 1,500,000 m2 in total, it will gather 2,000+ famous lighting enterprises from home and abroad and professional buyers from 100+ countries and regions. Innovation-driven Lighting Fair The fair and the Manufacturing Expo complement with each other, covering a wide range of exhibits including decorative lighting, home lighting, electrical and electronic products, commercial lighting, LED lighting solution, outdoor lighting, machinery, raw materials, lighting accessories, 3D printing, commercial service, etc. It is worth mentioning that, to promote industrial upgrading in the field of corporate trade, the Hall A of main venue - Guzhen Convention and Exhibition Center takes lighting design as the highlight and intelligent manufacturing as the focus. Leading enterprises in decorative lighting and enterprises with design innovation ability and lighting engineering strength will compete on the same stage. At the "Smart Home Lighting" exhibition hall, the organizers provide not only intelligent lighting products and solutions of professional brand enterprises, but also the intelligent system accessible to the overall home lighting control program, lighting management system with automatic switch light technology, intelligent touch remote control switch with distance up to 100 meters, etc. The integration of smart products, design elements, and light-effect aesthetics enables end users, buyers, dealers, and even fashion-forward designers to explore "business opportunities" in the fair. The First Stop of Procurement in Spring Relying on the Guzhen (China's Lighting Capital) lighting manufacturing & trading industry clusters with an annual output value of 100 billion yuan, the fair takes Guzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre as the main venue, with Lihe Lighting Expo Centre, Huayi Plaza, Star Alliance Global Brand Lighting Center, Lighting Era Center, Besun Lighting Plaza, Huayu Plaza, and China International Streetlight City as sub-venues. As the first stop of lighting procurement in spring, the fair will carry out various activities to create a purchasing event for buyers with preferential pricing products, first-class services, and attracting gifts. Superb Services of Pre-registrant The fair will continue the mode of online pre-registration and on-site e-payment, and will continuously update paperless and intelligent services, such as electronic catalogs, electronic invitations, facial recognition admission systems, and so on. People can conduct pre-registration through the official website or WeChat official account of the GILF. Through pre-registration, visitors are able to enjoy free entry, fast admission badge exchange at VIP pathway and services at VIP Lounge. Besides, if visitors complete pre-registration for themselves and 3 or more companions by December 31, 2018, they can participate in a lucky draw for tablet PC, mountain bike, etc. Summary: As GILF is becoming a world-class lighting exhibition platform with great influence, its professionalization, marketization and internationalization have been unanimously recognized by the globe. This year, the fair will present again a grand procurement carnival for the lighting market. Website: www.denggle.com Facebook: @guzhenlightingfair Contact: Karmen.Wu Tel: +86-760-2235-3188 E-mail: Karmen.Wu@glexpo.com.cn Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796629/China_Guzhen_Lighting_Fair_Spring.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796628/China_Guzhen_Lighting_Fair.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796630/23rd_China_Guzhen_Lighting_Fair.jpg At the 16th China International Polyamide Intermediates Forum (CCFEI), INVISTA shared insights on the important role China ADN will play in the future of nylon 6,6. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211006022/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) Kyle Redinger, chairman of INVISTA (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and vice president of INVISTA Intermediates, gave a presentation, "The role of China ADN in the future of high-performance nylon," highlighting INVISTA's strong commitment to the nylon 6,6 value chain. In addition to updates on ADN supply/demand dynamics, he provided data on how the superior technical performance of nylon 6,6 will impact future growth in key sectors, including automotive, electrical and electronics applications. "I was pleased by the feedback received after the CCFEI presentation," said Redinger. "This was not only a venue to discuss the benefits of nylon 6,6 but to also underscore INVISTA's plan to meet the short- and long-term needs of our customers and the value chains we support-one of the key pieces being our recently announced China ADN plant that will be online by 2023 using our latest ADN technology." INVISTA's latest ADN technology brings improved product yields, reduced energy consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced process stability and reduced capital intensity, compared to existing technologies. Redinger added, "We have been watching and forecasting the increases in nylon 6,6 demand over time and planning our capacity investments accordingly. By our estimates, China could be the world's largest market for nylon in the next five years, and we believe it's important to serve China from China to realize the full potential of the market." With an investment in excess of $1B US for the new ADN plant, INVISTA will have invested in excess of $2B US over 10 years in its nylon 6,6 value chain globally when the plant in China is complete. As China's ADN demand is served by the new INVISTA facility, that will provide additional supply in all regions of the world to support global growth. About INVISTA With leading brands including LYCRA, COOLMAX, CORDURA, STAINMASTER and ANTRON, INVISTA is one of the world's largest integrated producers of chemical intermediates, polymers and fibers. The company's advantaged technologies for nylon, spandex and polyester are used to produce clothing, carpet, air bags and countless other everyday products. A wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries and headquartered in the United States, INVISTA has more than 50 locations around the world. For more information, visit INVISTA.com, Facebook.com/INVISTAglobal and Twitter.com/INVISTA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211006022/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Shelley Zhang +86 21 63876666-2251 Shelley.Zhang@invista.com A new report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Authorized Plunder documents how the sale of 180,000 rosewood logs in Guinea-Bissau, enabled by the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), is fueled by high-level corruption, encourages illegal logging, and threatens local communities. The chaotic sale appears to be pushed by influential Chinese traffickers the same ones benefitting from the operation and driven by the Guinean government's need to reimburse a default loan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Following an April 2012 coup, Guinea-Bissau descended into chaos, and illegal logging exploded. Illegal loggers and their backers in the military brutalized community leaders who stood up against the plunder of their forests. Timber exports from Guinea-Bissau to China, the world's largest importer of illegal rosewood, surged from 61 tons in 2007 to 98,000 tons in 2014 an equivalent of 255,000 trees exported in just one year. Pursuant to heavy pressure from civil society, in April 2015 the new government issued a moratorium, which is still in place, on all timber felling and export for five years. The ban resulted in massive seizures of illegal logs. Guinea-Bissau, one of the smallest countries in Africa, has subsequently accumulated one of the largest timber stockpiles on the continent, estimated to exceed 400,000 logs. The CITES Secretariat endorsed the stockpile sale in January 2018, when a previous CITES trade suspension on Guinea-Bissau was lifted. The Guinean government under pressure by the IMF to reimburse a default loan, and encouraged by the World Bank had lobbied the Secretariat to greenlight the stockpile sale, despite the existing ban. In addition, the Chinese embassy and Chinese traders pushed the government to recommence the rosewood trade. Insiders reported to EIA undercover investigators that an influential Chinese trafficker even traveled to Geneva with the Guinean government delegation to lead the negotiations with the CITES Secretariat in order to free the illegal logs. EIA found that large volumes of the timber authorized for sale are not controlled by the Guinean authorities, making it easy for traffickers to mix them with fresh illegally cut trees, which yield higher prices. The sale is carried out by the traffickers themselves, and is primarily controlled by high military officials. One trader explained to undercover investigators: "There are also sons of officials selling logs to us. No ordinary people will do this business. All of them are connected in some ways." Another trader noted: "The key here is to bribe." The sales period was originally scheduled to end in April 2018, but has since been extended until the end of the year. Guinean officials overseeing the sale told EIA that the plan is to continue extending the deadline and thus enable the laundering to proceed for months in order to harvest and sell fresh timber and bypass the moratorium, using CITES to give the guise of legitimacy to the process. EIA's Policy Manager Susanne Breitkopf stated: "This stockpile sale amounts to a massive laundering exercise, benefitting criminals and putting Guinea Bissau's forests and its people in grave danger. It also sets a worrying precedent for other countries facing challenges regarding the disposal of seized illegal timber. This corrupt operation makes a mockery of CITES' global mission and must be stopped immediately." Guinean civil society has denounced the rosewood crisis ravaging the country for years, in particular through radio programs enabling otherwise voiceless rural communities to share their fears and frustration. On December 15, local civil society is organizing a full day of talks on the issue in the capital Bissau, expecting participation of community leaders and local officials who have witnessed the harmful impact of the rosewood sale. Roundtable discussions will be followed by a public concert with the participation of national artists; more than 2,000 people are expected for the mobilization. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005979/en/ Contacts: Susanne Breitkopf, sbreitkopf@eia-global.org, 202-390-5586 Lindsay Moran, lmoran@eia-global.org, 202-253-0006 The perfect Test-Bed for security enterprises to enter Asian market SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SECON 2019 will be held from March 6-8, 2019 at Hall 3 & 4 in KINTEX, Seoul, Korea. Hosted by the 'SECON 2019 Organising Committee' and organized by UBM BN, the exhibition is dedicated to develop the security industry and boost global trade of its products & solutions. With 22,000+ sqm of exhibition area, SECON 2019 in its largest scale ever will have 500+ exhibitors from 15+ countries and 46,000+ buyers participating from all over the world. As the biggest security exhibition in Korea, SECON serves as a test-bed & trend-setter for global security enterprises to help grow their businesses in Asian market. Furthermore, SECON has grown by over 10% per year in terms of the size of exhibitors and visitors -- 433 exhibitors from 12 countries and 46,324 visitors from 25 countries participated in SECON 2018. Global security enterprises will gather at SECON 2019 With an aim to be the only Asian integrated security event beyond Korea, 500+ global exhibitors from 15+ countries will display their state-of-the-art security products and solutions related to video surveillance, access control, IT security, IoT, social safety, homeland security and industry security, etc. at SECON 2019. Global leading security enterprises, such as HIKVISION, DAHUA, UNIVIEW and ZKTeco have already confirmed their presence at SECON 2019. In addition, renowned Korean security companies such as Samsung S1, Hanwha Techwin and ADT CAPS will also participate in the exhibition. CUDO Communication, Suprema, Techsphere, AMANO Korea, WONWOO, INNODEP, MPOLESYSTEM, INDUSVISION, IRIS ID, SOLTECH INFONET, INCON and many more will also join SECON 2019 to develop their global businesses. Other overseas exhibitors like Milestone, YTOT, VISIONLABS, XAFER SRL, SANHE LENSTECH OPTOELECTRONIC SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, LG HITACHI and so on will expand their businesses in Korea and establish their business networks with Korean buyers through SECON 2019. The most popular technologies of current global security industry -- Smart City, AI, Home Network Solutions, and more -- will be covered by SECON 2019 Smart City and Home Network Solutions, the most concerned technologies of global security industry these days, will be discussed at SECON 2019. In this regard, SECON 2019 will focus on Smart city security technology & Anti-hacking solution, IoT security solution, Smart control solution based on deep-learning and AI technologies. Furthermore, as current trend of security industry is moving to home IoT field containing integrated IoT platform which involves a combination of Home Network and AI, SECON 2019 will display a variety of Home Network solution to keep up with this trend. Access control system, digital door lock products applying biometric technology and home network solution connected with lock and door camera will be shown at SECON 2019 as well. As of the end of November 2018, around 80% of SECON 2019 exhibition areas had been already booked. If you want to be an exhibitor of SECON 2019, please contact SECON 2019 Sales Team at global@seconexpo.com. Please visit SECON 2019 official website (www.seconexpo.com) for pre-registration and more information of the exhibition. Notes to Editors: The 'SECON 2019 Organising Committee' is comprised of 30+ Korean security related associations and organisations, with the support from governmental ministries and local governments. UBM BN is a joint venture of UBM and Mediadot. UBM is a global exhibition company organising the biggest global security exhibition series: 'IFSEC' and 'Blackhat'. Mediadot is the best Korean media company owning 'Boannews' and 'Securityworld', the most renowned security media in Korea. Media Contact: UBM BN Ms Eunhee Woo +82-2-6715-5408 Eunhee.Woo@ubm.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797170/SECON_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797171/UBM_BN_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797168/SECON_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797169/Traffic.jpg More than four million visitors are expected in Israel in 2018, 14 per cent more than the previous year. Bethlehem has 95 per cent hotel occupancy. For Sobhy Makhou, such "unexpected" levels are due to visitors from China, South Korea and India. But more infrastructure and new rules for access to holy places are needed. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - Holy Land tourism, including religious tourism, has hit "unexpected levels" this year. The flow of pilgrims "has topped forecasts", especially the many visitors "from Asia in particular, China, South Korea, India many of whom are Christians, said Sobhy Makhoul, of the Maronite Church of Jerusalem and administrator of the Christian Media Center. Speaking to AsiaNews, he said that accommodation is a problem. "We had to rely on hotels in Jericho and Hebron, which are 40 km from Jerusalem. In Bethlehem, there are more hotels, 28 at present but they are not enough." People who want to visit the Holy Sepulcher "have to wait up to three hours and this gives an idea of the number of pilgrims. We are at or near maximum capacity." Israels Ministry of Tourism "is trying to solve the problem, he noted. Jewish agencies use hotels in Palestine. A few days ago, the ministry signed an agreement with the Philippine Labour Ministry to bring over a thousand Filipinos to meet the needs." The current trend is a shot in the arm for tourism in Israel and Palestine after a precipitous decline in the recent past. The worst year was 2015, the lowest of the decade, following a series of knife attacks that sowed fear among residents and visitors. Some 3.8 million tourists visited Israel in the first 11 months of this year, 14 per cent more than in the corresponding period last year. The goal is to exceed four million. "In October alone, there were 483,000 tourists, 40 per cent over the same month in 2017," Sobhy Makhoul said. Bethlehem is one of the places that is benefitting from the tourist boom with hotel occupancy expected to exceed 95 per cent by the end of December. Bethlehem businesses also said they were benefiting from a surge of visitors to Israel for its 70th anniversary year. The number of pilgrims is up for Advent, especially in the traditional sites, like the restored Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which now can show off its original splendor. 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. This has one added benefit. 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. Tourism is one of the ways of keeping them. The renovation of the basilica began in 2013, a year after UNESCO declared it a world heritage site. So far, million out of million have been raised to complete the work. "It is not easy to understand the reasons for this jump in tourism, said Sobhy Makhoul. Many are "studying the trend. One of the reasons appears to be the increase in visitors from China, South Korea, India (more than 30,000 in 2018), especially Christians who come for religious reasons. For us this is a new market, he added. The US market remains stable and the decline from Europe continues. Hopefully, the "trend will be sustained, favoured also by a climate of relative stability in the region. This is why it is more necessary than ever to improve infrastructures to support the hospitality industry, whilst preparing a new plan for the holy places to regulate the flow of pilgrims and visitors." Blockchain has been described as a revolutionary technology - that the technology born from Bitcoin will change our lives and guide us towards a future way of living. This hype is somewhat dampened, however, by the disappointing performance of existing blockchain infrastructure. Ever since Ethereum was introduced to the world, Blockchain 3.0 has been the ultimate vision that will fully realize the true value of the Internet. It is widely believed that a virtual business network, perfectly compatible with the concepts of decentralization, security, and ideal performance, will eventually be realized. We face the blockchain Trilemma, which describes the tradeoff between simultaneously achieving high performance, decentralization, and security in a blockchain system. Optimizing this triangle has become the main focus of every public chain project on the market, though limited breakthroughs have been made in recent years. In a recent interview, Rui Guo, co-founder, and CEO of Ultrain, expressed his opinion: "A lot of us are often too optimistic about the development of technology in the short-run while remaining pessimistic towards our long-term goal." Guo stated this with great confidence in the future of blockchain technology, while also pointing out that Ultrain's founding team "only focuses on the long-term value of blockchain technology with dedication and commitment, blockchain can establish innovative trust relationships, and execute transactions that generate great growth to existing enterprises... Such technological value, created to benefit our society, will scale up within three to five years" Despite the global crypto bear market, Ultrain received funding from top venture capital investors, concluding a 20 million dollar private round in July, valuing Ultrain at 200 million USD. With laser focus, Ultrain is relentlessly continuing development of its ultimate goal and achieving new milestones every week. Ultrain recently announced the official opening of its test network, allowing enthusiastic community members to contribute to the network from early December. DApp developers can already deploy their own Ultrain smart contracts to the testnet , verifying their functionality in a real blockchain environment. Ultrain is proud to be one of the first Blockchain 3.0 project with open test network worldwide. In light of the latest new progress, Rui Guo would occasionally recall the early days of Ultrain when the company was first formed. In a volatile market, the key to success is to build a company focused on technological evolution, rather than financial speculation. Guo first encountered blockchain in 2012 while working as Technical Director of the Alibaba Security Group, and was immediately curious about the technology. This spark of curiosity quickly ignited into a long term and firey passion, leading Guo to much personal experimentation with blockchain. When the popularity of the burgeoning blockchain industry entered new heights in May 2017, Guo made the decision to deepen his involvement. Using his accumulated expertise in the field, he quickly established a vision for the future development of blockchain that addresses the technical issues currently faced. Ning Li, working as the Chief Architect of the blockchain team at Ant Financial, hit it off with Rui Guo from the moment they met. Guo and Li decided to form a team and devote themselves to the revolution that is blockchain technology. Guo described the feeling at the time: " we felt the excitement of an engineer who is eager to resolve the technical challenge." Such excitement did not blind the duo. After experiencing the exponential growth of Alibaba, Guo and Li recognized the importance of user engagement to a project's success. Emma Liao, who was head of IoT investment at Qihoo 360 at the time, had the expertise and experience to drive a thriving ecosystem around the project. Soon after the three met for the first time, Ultrain was formed. The three entrepreneurs formed a solid and complementary triangular structure, covering each other's weaknesses and complimenting each other's strengths. A shared devotion to resolving blockchain's technical issues created a simple goal: to building a programmable business society. From that day, Ultrain was born. At this point, are public chains too dull to mention? As an innovator working on the cutting edge, Guo has a nuanced answer to this question. He explains that the approaches existing blockchain projects have to the "blockchain trilemma", such as DFINITY , Oasis Labs, Algorand, Thunderella, and Zilliqa, can be classified into two groups: generate block prior to confirmation and generate block after confirmation. An example project of the former solution is DFINITY , and an example of a latter project is Algorand. Both projects are well received with great attention. The solution chosen by Ultrain is logically consistent with Algorand, using a Verifiable Random Function (VRF) and Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) as the core technology. The difference is that Ultrain has achieved further optimization with a self-designed Random Proof of Stake (R-PoS) consensus mechanism, as well as implementing an incentive and punishment mechanism based on token staking. The penalty mechanism increases the cost of a malicious attacks , improving the overall security of the Ultrain network. Traditionally, the basic VRF+BFT consensus process is as follows: The first stage is known as the Role Confirmation phase: at the beginning of each round of consensus, each node uses VRF to generate a credential. Nodes with a matching credential are then randomly selected to participate in the current round of consensus. Participants are split in to two groups: Voters and Proposers. The second stage is the Hierarchical Consensus phase: Proposers are responsible for generating candidate blocks. Blocks are then verified by Voters. The consensus is reached upon by the Voters of this round, and the candidate block is noted as being confirmed. The third stage is the Binary Byzantine phase: Voters vote on the candidate block, with the option of accepting or rejecting the candidate block if it is considered to have an error, such as double spending. If a block is rejected it is replaced by an empty block. The fourth and final step is to broadcast the blocks identified in this round to the entire network. Ultrain's R-PoS algorithm adds an ingenious mechanism to the VRF+BFT system: the Token Deposit Staking Mechanism. In the first phase, three inputs are made to the Ultrain's VRF: the number of UGAS stake by a single node, the previous performance rating of the node, credibility of specific machines. In Ultrain's R-PoS algorithm, the output of the VRF is used to confirm the roles of: Proposer node: the node responsible for assembling and generating the candidate block in this round. There will be multiple nodes selected as the Proposer node. Voter node: responsible for the next stage of voting and to confirm the identity of the Proposer node of each round. Notary node: Does not participate in the block formation stage, but records block data once a block is generated. The probability of a single node being selected as a Proposer or Voter node depends mainly on the input parameters of the VRF, as outlined above. The higher the parameter, the higher the probability of being selected. The machine credibility score (determined by a node demonstrating good behavior), as well as the token-based locking mechanism, greatly improves and guarantees the overall security of the Ultrain network. Algorand, which runs on an idealized model that assumes that 2/3 of participating nodes are credible, overlooks the "human nature" components of blockchain , which may limit the projects development . The Token Deposit Staking Mechanism allows Ultrain to determine the number of nodes participating in a particular round of consensus during the Role Confirmation stage by using the Fisher-Yates shuffle algorithm, where Algorand loses efficiency by electing a consensus committee based on probability. Ultrain implements another change to VRF+BFT in the second stage, transforming Hierarchical Consensus into a parallel consensus phase. The selected Proposer nodes assemble candidate blocks in parallel, and Voter nodes reach consensus on the Proposer nodes during the current round to determine if the candidate block is accepted by most of the nodes in the network. Having multiple Proposer nodes generating blocks in parallel improves the overall TPS of the system. In addition, parallelism improves the flexibility of the system. If a Proposer node is under attack, as long as a single node is capable of reaching consensus, the system will not produce an empty block. A parallel BA algorithm is used to overcome the technical challenge of voting on a proposed block, but this may result in network storms. To solve this problem, Ultrain introduces redundant coding technology to divide the message into multiple transmissions, ensuring that most messages can be broadcast with limited network bandwidth, optimizing network throughput. In addition, Ultrain also introduces an aggregate signature algorithm that allows candidate blocks to be delivered in small chunks, meaning each node won't receive the full block before voting is completed. Hiding the content of the message avoids collusion, improving the overall fairness of the system. Guo uses a simple comparison: " picture EOS with their DPoS consensus mechanism as a large group of people voting for a fixed number of people to make decisions for them. The voting decision is based on the number of tokens held by individuals in a large group. In comparison, the R-PoS mechanism randomly selects a few nodes to make the initial block proposals, and then randomly selects 10 times more people to judge and review whether the previous proposal is correct or not." The core idea of R-PoS is to change the selection method of participating nodes from a trusted election method, such as DPoS , to a random selection method. This allows any node in the Ultrain network to participate in the consensus process, which not only protects the decentralization of the network but also greatly improves performance. Ultrain released the conceptual network of R-PoS in July 2018, deploying 1000 nodes to the AWS cloud. The network was able to reach an average of 3000 TPS with a confirmation time of 10 seconds. This performance far exceeds another existing blockchain 3.0 projects. Ultrain's Plan for 2019 When discussing Ultrain's plan for 2019, Rui Guo said that in addition to the launch of Ultrain's main network at the end of April, Ultrain will deploy wallets, DApps and mining machines within the year. The recent announcement of opening the testnet for public application indicates Ultrain is moving from the theoretical phase to a quasi-realistic scenario. Unlike Ultrain's cloud-based test network, the biggest challenge to a public testnet is the quality of each node, and achieving global distribution. These factors are critical for Ultrain to grow into "the world computer". In the face of the deteriorating bear market, Guo believes that the emergence of a killer DApp is of the utmost importance to stabilize the market. Why hasn't there been a real large-scale commercial blockchain application? "The blockchain has a huge impact on business scenarios through establishing trust relationships and transactions," Guo said. "We believe that projects in sectors such as fan economies, healthcare, energy, and logistics will benefit from blockchain technology and grow manifold." Guo anticipates the successful deployment of Ultrain's mining rigs will see blockchain technology will enter people's daily lives within five years. A technology is called revolutionary when it creates a fundamental change in our society. In Ultrain's perspective, finance, an industry that relies on a well-established trust system, is not the main battlefield for blockchain technology. To Guo, blockchain will greatly contribute to the logistics giants known in China as "Si Tong Ba Da", and would mark a new chapter in the blockchain industry if adopted. According to Guo, Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent (aka, BAT) will not be the main players in the blockchain. He adds his two cents: "BAT will not be the main character in the blockchain world, they will only be the followers to a leader" Recently, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has expressed similar views publicly. Buterin believes that the so-called application of blockchain technology in many industries is actually a marketing gimmick. Guo recalls that during his tenure at Alibaba, the original platform management department played the role of controller, which reflected that BAT's is built on the centralization of control. The underlying premise of blockchain technology is precisely the opposite - decentralization. This notion of control limits BAT's approach to blockchain technology to micro-innovations, such as the "consortium blockchain". Such micro-innovation may lead to some system optimization, but could not be considered revolutionary. Media Contact: Blocktopian@ultrain.io SOURCE: Ultrain View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530306/Too-Dull-to-Mention-The-Era-of-Blockchain-30-is-coming TOKYO and LONDON, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tamura is the founder and former CEO and brings more than 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry Sosei Group Corporation ("the Company"; TSE: 4565), today announced that its Board of Directors, at a meeting held on 11 December 2018, approved a change in its President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as stated below. 1. Reason for the Change It was decided by mutual consent that Mr. Peter Bains will step down as President & CEO of the Company on 31 December 2018. Mr. Bains will also resign as a Director of the Company simultaneously. Mr. Shinichi Tamura, Executive Chairman, founder and former CEO of Sosei, has been appointed as Chairman, President & CEO effective as of 1 January 2019. The re-appointment of Mr. Tamura as CEO provides a seamless transition that enables the Company to continue pursuing its strategic plan, aiming to realize its vision to be a leading Japan-based biotech champion delivering innovative medicines for patients worldwide. We will continue to invest in R&D and promote our leading scientific platform, portfolio and business globally. Our strategic decisions will place our Japanese and global investors top-of-mind, to maximize shareholder value. 2. Content of the Change New position Name Previous position Chairman of the Board, Shinichi Tamura Chairman of the Board, Representative Executive Officer, Representative Executive Chairman, President and Chief Officer and Executive Executive Officer Chairman Peter Bains Director, Representative Executive Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer 3. Effective date of the Change 31 December 2018 Mr. Tamura said: "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Peter for all his hard work and enthusiasm in leading the company over the past couple of years and wish him well in his future endeavours. As a Board member, Peter was instrumental in the acquisition of Heptares Therapeutics in February 2015, which has transformed the company and its prospects. While CEO, he has played a key role in the integration of Heptares and the further development of the overall Sosei Heptares business. We are well positioned to execute on our strategy to pursue profitability and advance our partnered and in-house pipelines and I look forward to announcing further progress in the future." Curriculum Vitae of new Representative Executive Officer, Chairman, President and CEO Apr. 1978 Joined Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (now Astellas Pharma Inc.) Feb. 1987 Moved to Genentech Limited Jul. 1989 Representative Director & President, Genentech Limited Jun. 1990 Representative Director & CEO, Sosei Group Corporation Jun. 2005 Board Director, Representative Executive Officer, President, CEO of Sosei Group Corporation Mar. 2012 Managing Director, Sosei R&D Limited Jun. 2016 Chairman of the Board, Representative Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of Sosei Group Corporation (to the present) About Sosei Heptares We are an international biopharmaceutical group focused on the design and development of new medicines originating from its proprietary GPCR-targeted StaR technology and structure-based drug design platform capabilities. The Company is advancing a broad and deep pipeline of partnered and wholly owned product candidates in multiple therapeutic areas, including CNS, immuno-oncology, gastroenterology, inflammation and other rare/specialty indications. Its leading clinical programs include partnered candidates aimed at the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease (with Allergan) and next generation immuno-oncology approaches to treat cancer (with AstraZeneca). Our additional partners and collaborators include Novartis, Pfizer, Daiichi-Sankyo, PeptiDream, Kymab and MorphoSys. The Company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan with R&D facilities in Cambridge, UK and Zurich, Switzerland. "Sosei Heptares" is the corporate brand of Sosei Group Corporation, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker: 4565). For more information, please visit http://www.soseiheptares.com. Forward-looking statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the discovery, development and commercialization of products. Various risks may cause Sosei Group Corporation's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: adverse results in clinical development programs; failure to obtain patent protection for inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners to develop and commercialize products and services; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand commercialization activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Recognition showcases commitment to digital transformation of warehousing and logistics for small-to-medium-sized businesses worldwide HOUSTON and MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- HighJump, a global provider of supply chain solutions, today announces its status as an Acumatica-Certified Application (ACA). Building on HighJump's existing strategic partnership with the leading cloud-based ERP, the certification exemplifies HighJump's dedication and continued evolution to empower companies of all sizes with the connected, automated supply chain of the future. Delivery speed, choice, adaptability and purchasing convenience are rapidly increasing supply chain complexity. This is particularly challenging for small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in light of tight resources and competitive pressures. Seamlessly integrating the capabilities of the HighJump Warehouse Management System (WMS) in the cloud with Acumatica ERP turns these challenges into opportunities. HighJump's end-to-end distribution suite coupled with Acumatica ERP provides the functionality and agility to simplify and enhance any supply chain today and in the future. Be it built-in shipping, retail compliance or enabling next-generation technologies such as advanced data analytics or voice, HighJump extends the power of Acumatica. Each solution also leverages the cloud, providing a secure environment to access critical business information anytime, anywhere, on any device. The result is real-time visibility and flexibility to streamline operations, empowering SMBs with scalability, lower costs, higher productivity and overall efficiency. "Staying ahead means selecting a technology partner with a proven record of success - HighJump and Acumatica fits the bill," said Sudha Chandrasekharan, vice president of product services, HighJump. "By melding HighJump's supply chain solutions with innovative technologies like Acumatica and the cloud, we're preparing distributors, ecommerce companies, multichannel retailers and beyond to meet demands now and tomorrow." "Customers who want to stay competitive need flexible, responsive technology to execute their long-term business strategies," said Christian Lindberg, vice president of partner solutions at Acumatica. "Our ACA label is built to help customers find applications capable of delivering that. We're proud to recognize HighJump as an Acumatica-Certified application. It masterfully utilizes the Acumatica platform to meet customers' growing business demands." To become an ACA, HighJump demonstrated commitment to quality by passing the Acumatica software test and aligning to future Acumatica roadmap releases. HighJump has been an Acumatica partner since January 2018. HighJump's ACA title follows a series of innovative moves from the company. This includes the launch of HighJump Now, HighJump's initiative to empower supply chains worldwide with the cloud. To learn more about the Acumatica-Certified HighJump WMS, visit booth #231 at the Acumatica Summit, January 27- February 1, 2019 in Houston, Texas. Further details are here. Current and prospective customers can also learn more at HighJump's annual user conference, Elevate, March 3-6, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. Register here. About Acumatica Acumatica provides cloud-based business management software that enables small and mid-size companies to accelerate their businesses. Built on cloud and mobile technology and a unique customer-centric licensing model, Acumatica delivers a suite of fully integrated business management applications, such as Financials, Distribution, CRM, and Project Accounting, on a robust and flexible platform. For more information, visit http://www.acumatica.com. About HighJump Today's consumer has ever-higher expectations for purchasing convenience, delivery speed, choice and adaptability. More options for consumers spell greater complexity for the supply chain. It's no longer enough to fulfill demand - you must anticipate it, predict it and make smarter, faster decisions. With resources tight and competitive pressure relentless, staying ahead means selecting a technology partner with a proven track record of delivering efficiency and a lower cost of ownership. A partner whose flexible, extensible platform integrates quickly and smoothly with your existing systems. All backed by a team with unmatched supply chain expertise - working to help you adapt, grow and succeed. At HighJump, we're integrating our proven solutions for the warehouse, transportation and logistics ecosystem with emerging technologies - from around our company and around the world - to build the supply chain of the future. Leveraging advanced cloud technology, we can help you ride the wave of data to achieve greater efficiency, uncover actionable insights, and stay ahead of the curve. HighJump: supply chain of the future:For more information, visit http://www.highjump.com . HighJump is a trademark of HighJump Software Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Media Contact Heather K. Smith HighJump 1-800-328-3271 x 2717 Heather.Smith@highjump.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/653598/HighJump_logo_2_Logo.jpg For immediate release 12 December 2018 AUDIT TENDER RESULT AND BOARD UPDATE Following a competitive tender process led by the Audit Committee, Keller Group plc ("Keller") announces its intention to propose the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as its external auditor for the financial year 31 December 2019. A resolution to approve the appointment will be put to shareholders at the Annual General Meeting in May 2019. As disclosed in the Group 2017 Annual Report and Accounts, Keller planned to appoint a new auditor. KPMG LLP will remain in the role as auditor until the conclusion of the audit for the financial year ended 31 December 2018, and will assist with an orderly transition. Keller Group plc also announces Chris Girling will retire from the Board and as Audit Committee Chairman on 1 January 2019, and as previously communicated, will be succeeded by Paula Bell. Peter Hill, Chairman of Keller, said: Chris joined the Keller Board as an Independent Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee in 2011. In his almost eight years on the Board he has made an enormous contribution, and we have all benefited from his wide business and contracting experience, judgement and sage advice. On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Chris for his years of service and to wish him well for the future. For further information, please contact: Keller Group plc www.keller.com Kerry Porritt 020 7616 7575 Group Company Secretary Notes to Editors : Keller is the world's largest geotechnical contractor, providing technically advanced geotechnical solutions to the construction industry. With annual revenue of around 2.0bn, Keller has approximately 11,000 staff world-wide. Keller is the clear market leader in the US, Canada, Australia and South Africa; it has prime positions in most established European markets and a strong profile in many developing markets. LEI number: 549300QO4MBL43UHSN10 Classification: 3.1 Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of a Member State 12 December 2018 Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne, Plc ("Hydro Hotel" or the "Company") Dividend Declaration Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne, Plc announces that the Company has today (12 December 2018) declared a dividend for the year ended 31 October 2018 at the rate of 21.0 pence per share (2017, 21.0 pence) to be paid in two instalments: 7.0 pence per share (2018, 7.0 pence ) on Thursday, 17 January 2019 to shareholders on the register on Friday, 21 December 2018 . The ex-dividend date will be Thursday, 20 December 2018 ; and 14.0 pence per share (2018, 14.0 pence ) on Thursday, 2 May 2019 to shareholders on the register on Tuesday, 23 April 2019 . The ex-dividend date will be Thursday, 18 April 2019 . This reflects consistency in the timing of payments with prior years, and the profit expected for the year, subject to audit, and the company's significant cash position. The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the content of this announcement. Enquiries: Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne, Plc Sally Gausden Company Secretary Telephone: +44 1323 431 200 Peterhouse Capital Limited NEX Exchange Corporate Adviser Mark Anwyl Telephone: +44 20 7469 0930 Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. CAIRO, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Agreements will invest in infrastructure, foster entrepreneurship and develop Egypt's private sector Following the successful implementation of its economic reform programme, Egypt signed agreements worth $1.9 billion on the side-lines of the Africa 2018 Forum in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. This is in addition to a number of other key agreements worth $1.6 billion that were signed by participants at the Forum. The agreements include strategic partnerships to invest in Egypt's infrastructure, Information Technology, renewable energy, and to foster entrepreneurship and private sector development in the country. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796883/Africa_2018.jpg ) The Forum was attended by a number of government leaders, including the Presidents of Sierra Leone, Niger, Madagascar, and the Republic of Rwanda, as well as high level officials from across the continent, business leaders, and participants from over 55 countries. During the Forum, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced key efforts, led by Egypt, to boost entrepreneurship and regional integration in Africa. This included the establishment of the first regional entrepreneurship hub in Egypt, as well as the acceleration of establishing the Cairo - Cape Town highway. Furthermore, President Sisi also announced an initiative aimed to train 10,000 young Africans as software and game developers over the next three years. The President also highlighted the importance of investing in human capital through providing quality healthcare and education services to equip Africa's youth with the tools needed to compete in the global job market. Egypt is preparing to chair the African Union next year, and the country's President reinforced the importance of fostering pan-African trade and investment, through policies that lead to open borders, supporting industrial development, as well as infrastructure projects that facilitate the movement of goods and people. Egypt's existing investments in Africa already surpass $10 billion, while African investments into Egypt, Africa's largest economy, reached $2.8 billion. "The high level presence and active participation at the Africa 2018 Forum reaffirmed Africa's position as a top investment destination in the world, and Egypt as the gateway to Africa," said Dr. Sahar Nasr, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation. Several panel discussions during African 2018 Forum focused on the growth of technology and innovation, which can create jobs and deliver new solutions that fill unmet needs within the African communities, who share many challenges such as access to finance, food security, quality health and education. The subject was discussed at length by founders of African start-ups in the fintech, agri-tech, e-health and e-learning fields, highlighting the opportunity for African youth to catch up and be a part of these technological movements. Women empowering Africa was also an important theme at the Forum, and First Ladies of Niger and Nigeria were among the speakers who highlighted the great benefits communities enjoy when women are empowered, as well as the current challenges facing women in office and in business. According to a recent McKinsey study, companies with the greatest proportion of women on their executive committees earned a return on equity 47% higher than those with no female executive members. Several international financial institutions were represented at the Forum, through key figures such as Sir Suma Chakrabarti, President of The European Bank for Reconstruction, Philippe Le Hourerou, CEO of the IFC, and Akinwumi Adesina, President of African Development Bank. They emphasized the importance of working together with governments to foster private sector development. These experts also delved into the case study of Egypt's liberation of its energy sector through bold legislative reform that lead to massive investments in the renewable energy sector. Egypt today has the largest wind farm in the Middle East and is currently establishing 11 solar panel plants in the South, which will make it the largest producer of solar power in the world. This was the third edition of the Africa Forum. About The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation is the ministry in charge of economic cooperation and development between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Arab States, foreign countries, and international and regional organizations. It also aids in economic and social development within Egypt. 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. LONDON, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With one in four adults experiencing at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any given year and a man dying every minute from suicide, General Tire, in partnership with award-winning agency, CLICKON Media, have tackled these sensitive issues in their latest campaign, "Swim Wild". (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796964/General_Tire.jpg ) The short, but impactful film tells the real-life story of three brothers, Jack, Calum and Robbie, who took action after the social anxiety of chaotic city living had taken its toll on them. As the Hudson brothers retreated to their Lake District childhood roots, it was clear that swimming in icy waters and being at one with nature was the reset they needed from modern day life, but their journey goes deeper than that. While they say they don't think they could ever call anything they've experienced depression, there have been moments where they have felt completely detached. One brother, comments, "As I was drifting through life I was getting lost and moving further away from something eight-year-old Calum wouldn't have been proud of. I realised how much that childhood meant to me, and I was like, this is the time I need to do something different." Peter Robb, at General Tire, says, "With mental health issues on our radar, and the awareness that feelings of worthwhileness are particularly low in London we wanted to help shift the very British stiff upper lip mentality, that so obviously still exists. We hope that this is a real, relatable take on men's mental health, and if the Hudson brothers reach one man and helps him open up and deal with his angst and conflict before it all becomes too much, this journey will have been worth it." Richard Wilson, CEO of CLICKON MEDIA, adds, "This campaign proves how social awareness and creativity, can help support audiences and build loyalty and is so much more effective than bombarding them with the 'buy me' advertising that is adding to the pressure to be perfect." 'Swim Wild' follows CLICKON Media and General Tire's award-winning 'Wavemaker' campaign which shows the spirit and determination of Red Bull big wave surfer, Andrew Cotton, and documents his incredible journey back to health and into the water after a 70-foot wave broke his back. All this, with a little help from the GRABBER AT3 all-terrain tyres. Contact: Ed Angeli, +44-075-236-83636, ed.angeli@clickon.co VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 12, 2018 / Casa Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: Casa; OTC: CASXF; Frankfurt: 0CM) (the "Company" or "Casa") is pleased to announce that recent work on its 100% owned Pitman Property has identified a possibly significant zone of mixed sulphide mineralization in an area located 1 km south of the Company's Golden Dragon ("GD") high grade gold discovery, reported on October 16, 2018. Prospecting, rock and soil geochemical sampling of the newly discovered area that has been named "Dragon Tale" ("DT") returned assays as high as 231 grams per tonne Silver and 6.15% Zinc. Work has not shown limits of the zone but mineralization was found in outcrops in an area of 1.4 km by 0.7 km and possibly-related geochemical soil anomalies continue in all directions. Mr. Farshad Shirvani, President and CEO, states that "The recent success continues a series of significant discoveries on the 100% owned Pitman Property. We are very pleased with this new mineral zone that is less than 1 km from the Golden Dragon where surface samples as high as 574 grams gold and 109 grams silver per tonne were reported. The new area is easily accessed for further work, including drilling and, possibly, bulk sampling. Considering the close proximity of the discoveries, we are looking at this historic prospect in a new light.". Casa's Pitman property work since 2008 has included prospecting, geological mapping and geochemical sampling, and has included more than 1009 geochemical soil and 269 rock samples. An airborne geophysical survey was completed in October of this year (results pending data processing). The "DT" zone of mixed sulphides is exposed along a 320 metre length of a recently constructed logging road and irregularly in off-the-road outcroppings. Much of the adjoining terrain is covered by dense forest and by glacial alluvium. The following table includes analyses of selected samples from bedrock outcroppings: Sample ID Type Easting Northing Year Ag (g/t) Cu (%) Pb(g/t) Zn (%) A0038669 Rock 541001 6066119 2018 231.00 >1.00* 1,256 6.15 A0007766 Rock 541016 6066095 2018 181.00 2.11 1,241 0.21 A0038614 Rock 541137 6066146 2018 73.90 0.39 73 0.24 A0007599 Rock 541289 6066174 2018 69.60 2.83 130 0.02 A0007763 Rock 541019 6066098 2018 59.60 0.71 179 7.26 A0007764 Rock 541032 6066068 2018 51.00 0.79 276 1.67 A0038604 Rock 541014 6066128 2018 46.50 0.75 404 2.12 A0007600 Rock 541289 6066174 2018 43.20 0.78 153 0.01 A0038611 Rock 541050 6065968 2018 39.60 0.42 58 0.03 A0038623 Rock 540980 6066171 2018 26.80 0.18 62 11.98 A0007781 Rock 541285 6066184 2018 25.00 0.40 218 0.07 A0007596 Rock 541285 6066189 2018 24.60 1.04 37 0.01 A0007787 Rock 541283 6066189 2018 24.00 0.56 76 0.01 A0007791 Rock 541282 6066193 2018 22.30 0.93 51 0.01 A0007765 Rock 541036 6066047 2018 22.20 0.31 224 4.36 A0007777 Rock 541287 6066180 2018 19.90 0.18 345 0.22 A0007782 Rock 541285 6066185 2018 19.90 0.41 329 0.07 A0007785 Rock 541284 6066187 2018 10.80 0.24 44 0.00 A0038606 Rock 540992 6066125 2018 9.80 0.14 101 6.62 A0007753 Rock 541152 6066161 2018 5.60 0.03 23 7.10 A0038626 Rock 541152 6066160 2018 4.60 0.03 17 4.67 A0007762 Rock 541005 6066138 2018 2.90 0.04 13 1.76 *Re-assay of over detection limit pending. The DT mineralization occurs sedimentary horizons in the transition zone from Mid-Jurassic age Smithers formations to Upper Jurassic age Bowser Lake Group rocks. Road cuts expose several mineral-bearing areas of varying dimensions, separated by overburden. Actual thickness and lateral extent are still unknown but, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, preliminary soil geochemical data suggest that the mineralization may extend far beyond the outcroppings. The following map shows the location and significant assay results of rock samples of Dragon Tale: The following three maps illustrate the distribution of Dragon Tale Zinc, Silver and Copper Soil anomalies: Results from an airborne geophysical survey and a late November follow-up program of sampling have yet to be received. Parts of Casa's Pitman property are permitted for drilling and the Company has applied to enlarge the permitted area to include this recent "DT" discovery. When property work resumes early in 2019 drilling, and possibly bulk sampling, will be greatly facilitated by existing road access. QA/QC: Golden Dragon area samples were taken in the field under the supervision of qualified persons. Samples were placed in suitable plastic bags and rice bag shipping sacks and forwarded by bonded commercial carriers to a testing laboratory with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation. Rock and soil samples were processed and analysed by industry-standard preparation and processing procedures that yield a homogeneous sub-sample that was then treated by aqua regia digestion and multi-element ICP-MS and ICP-ES determinations. High-grade and over limit samples were re-analysed by methods appropriate to the metal content. The laboratory employs rigorous QA/QC protocols that included replicate analyses, random insertion of samples of pre-determined values, and constant monitoring of instrumentation. Qualified Person: Erik Ostensoe P.Geo., a Director of the Company, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this news release. About Casa Minerals Inc. Casa Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: Casa; OTC: CASXF; Frankfurt: 0CM) is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in Canada. The Company holds a 100% interest in the polymetallic Pitman and Keaper properties and an option to acquire a 75% interest in the Arsenault VMS property. The Arsenault property comprises eight mineral tenures covering approximately 9,672.5 hectares located in Atlin Mining Division, British Columbia. The Company has conducted several exploration programs on the property and believes that an attractive volcanogenic massive sulphide exploration target is located within its limits. Further work is planned, leading to a program of diamond drilling to test several areas identified by geological mapping, prospecting, and geophysical and geochemical surveys. The Pitman property comprises five contiguous mineral tenures covering 4,255.6 hectares located 20 kilometres north of Terrace, British Columbia. The property includes several historic prospects, including the Pitman copper-molybdenum-silver prospect, the Gold Dome/WoMo and Paddy Mac gold-base metals prospects and the newly discovered Golden Dragon and Golden Tale multi-metal prospects. Exploration by Casa has been on-going at intervals since 2005. Some parts of the property recently have become accessible as a result of retreat of glaciers and snowfields. Further work will include an airborne geophysical survey and programs of diamond drilling. The Keaper property, located 20 km northeast of Terrace, British Columbia, comprises five contiguous mineral tenures with area 3,789.5 hectares. Numerous copper occurrences and a possible polymetallic, high grade silver zone are present. Field work is continuing and results will be released when available. On Behalf of Board of Directors Farshad Shirvani, M.Sc. Geology President and CEO For more information, please contact: Casa Minerals Inc. Farshad Shirvani, President & CEO Phone: (604) 689-9523 Email: contact@casaminerals.com https://www.casaminerals.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. 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. SOURCE: Casa Minerals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530307/Casa-Minerals-Inc-Discovers-231-gt-Silver-615-Zinc-and-10-Copper-in-Strong-Zone-of-Zinc-Silver-Copper-Mineralization-located-1-km-South-of-Golden-Dragon-Discovery-on-Pitman-Project s release NNIT signs contract with AP Pension AP Pension focuses on its growth strategy while NNIT assumes responsibility for their IT-operations. Copenhagen, December 12, 2018 - NNIT, a leading provider of IT services and consultancy, enters into agreement with AP Pension, one of the biggest pension institutions in Denmark While pension customers expect individualized solutions that are simple and transparent, products grow increasingly complex. In order to handle customers optimally in a market, which is highly regulated, the companies must streamline processes and focus on data and configure IT for innovation. AP Pension has therefore worked carefully on the selection of the right outsourcing partner who can modernize the IT-systems and secure access to highly specialized it-people, while the organization achieves higher scalability and resources released for business development. According to the agreement, which was approved by AP Pension's Board of Directors on December 11, NNIT will take over responsibility for the company's infrastructure, including server-, network- and datacentre operations, application development, service desk and onsite services. Furthermore, NNIT will assume nine employees from AP Pension. "We look very much forward to working together with AP Pension and support their growth," explains Jacob Hahn Michelsen, Senior Vice President, NNIT. He continues: "The cultural match is very strong. We have a common understanding of how development and innovation must go hand in hand with security and compliance, which we in NNIT are used to work with due to our pharma heritage. " The decision about outsourcing essential parts of the IT operations comes quite naturally following the organization's growth strategy," explains Jesper Bjerre, COO, AP Pension: "We enter into strategic partnerships in order to get extended access to the market specialists. With NNIT's help we will be able modernize the systems and keep our IT up to date with the development, while we focus on creating value for our customers." Over the next five to seven years, the contract's estimated total value will reach a lower three-digit DKKm amount. As a leading provider of IT services and consultancy NNIT A/S focuses on innovative and robust solutions to the life sciences sector internationally and to customers in the private as well as the public sector in Denmark, including operation of the third generation of the public digital infrastructure backbone, which makes Denmark one of the world's most digitized societies. NNIT A/S has more than 3.100 employees globally. More information: Helga Heyn, NNIT Communications, +45 30 77 81 41, hhey@nnit.com Michael Buksti, Communications Director, AP Pension, +45 40 90 29 48 About NNIT www.nnit.com About AP Pension www.appension.dk Attachment Huawei's Number 2 pays US$ 7.5 million to be released on bail. She will have to stay in Vancouver wearing a GPS bracelet until her trial. Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, is being held in China but nothing else is known of his fate. The trade war goes beyond Beijing and Washington and could cause serious harm, WTO warns. Vancouver (AsiaNews/Agencies) Cheers and tears followed a ruling by a Vancouver judge this morning to release on bail of Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis number 2, who was arrested on 1st December on charges of dealings with Iran circumventing the US embargo. Although free, she could still be extradited to the United States to stand trial. Judge William Ehrcke set bail at C$ 10 million (US$ 7.5 million) and ordered that Meng wear a GPS ankle bracelet, which notifies police of the wearers movements. She was told not to approach the citys airport. Mengs husband Liu Xiaozong pumped his fist in victory even if their home was put up as bail collateral. Many of Mengs Chinese supporters offered money or real estate to secure her release. The judge set an extradition hearing for 6 February 2019. Beijing called on both Ottawa and Washington to immediately explain the reasons for Meng's detention, whilst the Chinese Embassy in Canada said in a statement that "such kind of actions [. . .] seriously harmed the human rights" of the person in question. A few hours before the hearing, a former Canadian diplomat, Michael Kovrig, who is now a consultant for the International Crisis Group in China, went missing in Beijing. Michael was detained on Monday night in Beijing by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, the group said in a statement. Coming nine days after Sabrina Meng's arrest, Kovrigs detention seems to be Chinas tough response to the arrest of the Chinese businesswoman in Canada. This tit-for-tat could widen the rift between China and the United States and Canada, which are partly on side on economic sanctions against Chinese products. Meanwhile, the ongoing trade war worries World Trade Organisation (WTO), which warned that its members have applied 137 new trade-restrictive measures during the year that ended in October, up from 108. These trade-restrictive measures amount to US$ 588 billion, more than seven times larger than a year ago. This proliferation of trade restrictive measures and the uncertainty created by such actions could place economic recovery in jeopardy, said WTO director general Roberto Azevedo. KUWAIT CITY, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Center in Kuwait expected to manage 10,000 Chinese visa applicationsannually VFS Global in partnership with the Government of P. R. Chinarecently opened a new China Visa Application Centerin the State of Kuwait. The launch of the center marks the opening of a third such visa submission facility in the Middle East after the launch of similarcenters in Dubai and Beirut, and the fifteenthto be launched globally. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/624234/VFS_Global_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797328/VFS_China_VAC_Kuwait.jpg ) A joint statement from the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait and VFS Global said residents applying for a visa to P. R. China need not visit the embassy to submit their visa applications going forward. Officially inaugurating the center, Mr.Zhao Liang, Charge d'Affaires A.I., Chinese Embassy in the State of Kuwait, said, "To further facilitate people-to-people exchanges and to promote visa application service standards, P. R. China has established this new, professionally managed China Visa Application Center in Kuwait. We believe that the new center will bring residents greater convenience when applying for a Chinese visa through its comfortable environment, well-equipped facilities and warm and thoughtful service." VFS Global currently operates China Visa Application Centers in 12 countries across the globe - Kuwait, Algeria, Angola, Gambia, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, D.R. Congo and UAE. Commenting on the center in Kuwait, Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO - Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said: "Ever since we began our partnership with the Government of P. R. China in 2008, we have steadily expanded the Visa Application Centre network across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia,and cumulatively process approximately 350,000 visa applications to P.R. China annually in these regions. We are confident this new centre will be effective in meeting the rising demand of Chinese visas for travellers fromKuwait." Key features of the center include longer operating hours, professionally trained staff, and a Premium Lounge. An exclusive 'China in Luxury' retail offering, which offers ultra-premium travel experiences in P. R. China, was also launched at the new center. The China Visa Application Centre in Kuwait is located at Level 44, Arraya Tower 2, Al Shuhada Street, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Visa applicants can direct their queries and appointment requests to +965 22070012 or kuwaitcenter@visaforchina.org or visit the website at http://www.visaforchina.org. Media Contact Sukanya Chakraborty sukanyac@vfsglobal.com DUBLIN, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FlowForma, the leading provider of Process Automation tools for Microsoft Office 365, today announced that the European Defence Agency is to deploy its award winning FlowForma Process Automation tool. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796786/Neil_Young.jpg ) (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/715823/FlowForma_Logo.jpg ) The European Defence Agency (EDA) was created in 2004 to support its Member States and the Council of the European Union in their efforts to improve European defence capabilities. Having recently adopted a cloud first approach by migrating to Microsoft Office 365 and Azure, EDA was searching for a process automation tool to replace a previously challenging on-premise custom-built workflow solution. With their Change Management process and Governance becoming challenging to manage, EDA looked to their peers at Eurofound, who had previously deployed the FlowForma Process Automation tool to automate their business processes. After viewing a short presentation showcasing the positive customer experience Eurofound had from streamlining their business processes, EDA was convinced that the FlowForma Process Automation tool was the right solution for them. "The European Defence Agency (EDA) showcase how important a positive customer experience is when making a critical business decision. Upon receiving a demonstration of our solution from their peers at Eurofound, EDA wassatisfied that the FlowForma Process Automation tool was the answer to their business processproblems," said Neil Young, Chief Executive Officer, FlowForma. Supporting Resources: To find out how the FlowForma Cloud Process Automation tool works visit: www.flowforma.com/how-it-works T o download a free trial of FlowForma Process Automation visit : www.flowforma.com/start-your-flowforma-trial To learn more about FlowForma Process Automation, book a demo with one of our experts: www.flowforma.com/book-a-demo To find out how FlowForma Process Automation compares against its peers visit: www.g2crowd.com/products/flowforma-process-automation/reviews About FlowForma FlowForma, the leading provider of Process Automation tools for Microsoft Office 365 has been revolutionizing the traditional BPM space with an innovative approach to developing award winning products that empower users to create and streamline processes smarter and faster, utilizing the familiar SharePoint platform, without any coding. FlowForma is a Gold Microsoft Partner, with over 150,000 users across Europe, America and Asia. The company is headquartered in Dublin with offices in London and Boston and is motivated by its values to innovate, evolve and achieve with employees, customers and partners. For further information or a 30-day free trial, visit www.flowforma.com About the European Defence Agency Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, EDA supports its 27 Member States - all EU countries except Denmark - in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. It acts as an enabler and facilitator for ministries of defence that are willing to work on collaborative defence capability projects. The agency is a European defence cooperation 'hub' with expertise and networks that enable it to cover a broad defence spectrum. EDA also works towards strengthening the European defence industry and acts as a facilitator and interface between Member States' military stakeholders and EU policies that impact on defence. Cipher is a leading cybersecurity company with main operations in the United States , Brazil and United Kingdom . The combination of Prosegur, a global benchmark in the private security sector, and Cipher, represents a step forward in the implementation of advanced integrated security solutions. Prosegur consolidates its cybersecurity business with a global reach and six Security Operations Centers (SOCs). MADRID, Dec.12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Prosegur, a global benchmark in the private security sector with over 175,000 employees in 25 countries on five continents, has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Cipher, a leading cybersecurity company with presence in North America, Latin America and Europe. This agreement, which is subject to approval by the corresponding administrative authorities, strengthens Prosegur's capabilities in cybersecurity and deepens the transformation of its security and technology business. Prosegur and Cipher share a wide vision of security operations, with a global risk approach, regardless of whether the threats come from the physical or digital world. The two companies will work together to promote the development of advanced security solutions that embrace both fields and create a unique overall risk management platform. Founded in 2000, Cipher delivers a wide range of Managed Security Services (MSS) and Security Consulting Services. These offers are supported by the best in class security intelligence lab - Cipher Intelligence, in addition, the company has developed an array of cybersecurity intelligence services that will be integrated with the current Prosegur capabilities to create a global intelligence practice with a more extensive and robust portfolio. Cipher is recognized by highly regarded global research firms as a leading player in MSS through its two 24/7 Security Operations Centers (SOCs). Cipher and Prosegur present their cybersecurity service portfolio in the same way, so it is estimated that an intense transfer of knowledge and exchange of best practices can be generated very quickly. Likewise, the geographical complementary footprint of both businesses is significant since Cipher has operations in markets in which, until now, Prosegur did not have a relevant presence in the cybersecurity landscape especially in the United States, Brazil and United Kingdom. Following the completion of the transaction, Alejandro Alonso, former Prosegur Cybersecurity Managing Director, will act as Executive Chairman and Eduardo Boucas, founder and CEO of Cipher, will remain in the company as a shareholder and the Global CEO of Prosegur Cybersecurity. Their entrepreneurial spirit, experience and knowledge will be critical to extend Prosegur's capabilities to new geographies and consolidate them in current markets, with special attention to the United States, the main cybersecurity market. The Security and Technology business unit of Prosegur has been working for a long time in combining its capabilities in physical surveillance with the latest technological and analytical innovations. The company, which started its cybersecurity operations in 2014, consolidates now a cybersecurity global business with current footprint in 11 countries within North America, Latin America and Europe. These cyber operations now include a very talented and large cybersecurity team and six state of the art SOCs, driving Prosegur to become one of the largest cybersecurity players in the world. About Prosegur Prosegur is a global leader in the private security sector. Across its three business lines - Prosegur Security, Prosegur Cash and Prosegur Alarms - Prosegur provides companies and households with reliable security services using the most advanced market solutions. With a global presence, Prosegur reported sales of 4.3 billion and EBIT of 390 million in 2017 and is listed on the Madrid and Barcelona stock exchanges under the ticker code PSG, currently having a team of over 175,000 employees. The company directs its social action through the Prosegur Foundation, which, with more than 39,900 beneficiaries in 2017, works on four focal points: education, employment inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, corporate volunteering and cultural development. For more information, visit www.prosegur.com Contact: +55 11 3926 9517 ALBANY, New York, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global SCADA market has highly competitive and moderately consolidative vendor landscape, Transparency Market Researcher (TMR) witnesses. Some of the prominent players operating in the SCADA market for water and wastewater management are ABB Ltd., Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation Inc., and Emerson Electric Co. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg ) A report from TMR estimates, the global automated guided vehicle market registered the revenue of US$1,267.4 mn in 2015 and expected to achieve a value of US$2,172.1 mn by 2024. The market is expected to expand with a CAGR of 5.60% over the forecast period from 2015 and 2025. Get PDF Brochure for Research Insights at:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12179 Based on the component, the service segment accounted for 55% of shares in 2016 and is expected to remain dominant over the forecast period. Based on end-user, the industrial segment is expected to expand with a CAGR of 6% over the forecast period from 2015 to 2025. Based on region, North America dominated the global SCADA market for water & wastewater management in 2016 by accounting 33% of share. Browse Research Release athttps://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/global-scada-market.htm Rising Awareness about Health to Propel Growth The global SCADA market for water and wastewater management is gaining traction due to increasing investment for improving infrastructure coupled with the growing need for clean and drinkable water. Additionally, growing complexities for maintaining the water and wastewater facilities are fuelling demand for the SCADA systems and likely to fuel the growth of the SCADA market. Furthermore, companies are increasingly investing in improving the water and wastewater treatment systems. In addition, the companies are trying to improve their product portfolio and business expansion; thus, they are increasingly investing in research and development activities. The growing advancements in the systems and water purification technologies are improving the efficiency of wastewater management systems. This, in turn, is fuelling the growth of the SCADA market. Request a Sample of Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=12179 Rising awareness about health and quality of water globally and especially in the developing countries is encouraging adoption of SCADA systems, which is likely to impel the growth of the market over the forecast period. Growing Government Investment to Offer Opportunities However, the high cost of systems and its installation coupled with lack of skilled labor for handling the complex process is limiting adoption of SCADA systems for purification of water. This is a key factor restraining the growth of the SCADA market. Nonetheless, rising government investment for improving technology in the field is enhancing the growth of the market. Numerous governments are encouraging the adoption of SACADA systems for water & wastewater management. Additionally, growing awareness about the environment and knowledge of hazardous effects of wastewater on human health is boosting the adoption of SCADA systems globally. These factors are fuelling the growth of the SCADA market. This information is encompassed in the new report by TMR, titled "SCADA Market for Water & Wastewater Management (Component - Hardware (Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Remote Terminal Units (RTU), Network infrastructure, and IT), Software (On-premise and Cloud-based) and Services; End User - Residential (Government and Private) and Industrial (Chemical, Food & Beverages, and Pharmaceutical)) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2025." Request For Discount On This Report:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=12179 For the study, the SCADA market has been segmented as follows: By Component Hardware Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Remote Terminal Units (RTU) Network infrastructure, and IT Software On-premise Cloud-based Services By End-users Residential Government Private Industrial Chemical Food & Beverages Pharmaceutical By Geography: North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Spain Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan Australia India Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa South Africa Saudi Arabia Rest of Middle East & Africa & Browse MoreIT & Telecom Market Research Reports Popular Research Reports by TMR: Smart Water Management Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-water-management.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-water-management.html Smart Irrigation Market : https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-irrigation-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-irrigation-market.html Smart Agriculture Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-agriculture-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision. Contact Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: https://tmrblog.com/ SINGAPORE, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The MoU was signed between the three parties to establish a cooperation in order to create the world's first physical blockchain bank located in Labuan, Malaysia. The expertise-rich synergy of the successful industry players aim at establishing a blockchain-based investment bank with a dedicated division for handling crypto, blockchain, and other digital banking-related operations. The parties' multifunctional landscape allows for dealing with all relevant road hurdles in an effective and timely manner. CGCX backs the technical innovation by offering a crypto exchange platform with a versatile service range for all end participants and has a solid financial base for the new spiral of development. The CGCX CEO, Anandh Swami, says "Unlike most exchanges that offer only cryptocurrency trading, CGCX is setting itself apart in the blockchain world by providing four platforms rolled into one to offer a wide variety of services to its customers." Now the team is striving to build a bridge between traditional and crypto investment worlds by joining efforts with the companies equally interested in increasing their digital technology capabilities. Archipelago (Malayan Archipelago) represents an international insurance group, serving the strong backing for crypto-fiat operations and assuring the security of digital technology activities involved. IBH Capital is an investment and asset management company operating with global affiliation in excess of $1 Billion. The company embraces contemporary investment opportunities and deals with financial fraternity in a new, modern way. Dato' Howard Choo, MD of IBH Capital, affirms, "Today, we do business in a fast-paced marketplace characterized by constant changes. The more things change, the stronger our commitment is to building value for our investors by staying true to our client-focused approach; sound and sustainable investment through industry expertise and thorough analysis." CGCX is committed to provide blockchain-related technical guidance and support to IBH, including the development, management, and control of the dedicated blockchain-based division within the Investment Bank. This implies the support of all blockchain initiatives of IBH and refining the underlying technology at its original platform. Furthermore, CGCX is expected to create a multifunctional blockchain-based wallet with enhanced security features, endorsing the rebranded bank, and offering up to $100 million worth of STO. All these features will ensure the financial backing for a successful blockchain-based investment bank. Interested parties can visit http://www.cgcx.io for more information. Contact: Kate Alippa, kate@7marketzgroup.com 12 December 2018 Asia Wealth Group Holdings Limited ("Asia Wealth" or the "Company") RAY ALLIANCE UPDATE Asia Wealth is pleased to announced further to the update announced on 6 June 2017, that Ray Alliance Financial Advisers Pte Ltd ("Ray Alliance") has now returned their shares in Asia Wealth back to the Company, together with financial compensation such that Asia Wealth has not suffered any financial loss. The matter has been amicably resolved and Asia Wealth looks forward to collaborating with Ray Alliance on various financial projects in S.E. Asia. Pursuant to a sale and purchase agreement dated 27 May 2012 ("SPA"), Asia Wealth had acquired 45,000 shares in Ray Alliance, through the issue of 322,000 ordinary shares in the Company at a valuation of US$318,162. The 322,000 ordinary shares have now been returned to the Company's treasury account. With this issue now out of the way Asia Wealth continues to seek investment opportunities in the Asia region and will be moving forward with due diligence on potential acquisitions. Total Voting Rights In accordance with the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules, Asia Wealth hereby announces that it has 11,111,433 ordinary shares of no par value ("Ordinary Shares") in issue, each share carrying the right to one vote, and 322,000 Ordinary Shares held in treasury. There are a total of 11,433,433 Ordinary Shares in issue. The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the content of this announcement. Contacts: Richard Cayne (Executive Chairman) Asia Wealth Group Holdings Limited, +66 2 2611 2561 www.asiawealthgroup.com Guy Miller (Corporate Advisers) Peterhouse Capital Limited, +44 20 7220 9795 Nutella, Google, and the Pentagon Join West in Password Manager's Third Annual Rankings NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dashlane today announced its third annual list of the "Worst Password Offenders." The list highlights the high-profile individuals and organizations that had the most significant password-related blunders in 2018. "Passwords are the first line of defense against cyberattacks," said Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of Dashlane. "Weak passwords, reused passwords, and poor organizational password management can easily put sensitive information as risk." Dashlane found that the average internet user has over 200 digital accounts that require passwords, and the company projects this figure to double to 400 in the next five years. "The sheer number of accounts requiring passwords means everyone is prone to make the same mistakes as the Password Offenders," states Schalit. "We hope our list serves as a wake-up call to everyone to follow the best password security practices." Dashlane's "Worst Password Offenders" of 2018, beginning with the worst: Kanye West : Kanye is no stranger to controversy and attained even more notoriety this year when he was captured unlocking his iPhone with the passcode "000000" during his infamous meeting at the White House. Having a weak passcode is risky enough, but brazenly flaunting poor password practices in a room full of TV cameras is as bad as it gets. To put it gently, Kanye needs to lockdown his passwords and make them better, faster, stronger. The Pentagon: It's a shame that the Department of Defense holds the #2 spot this year (up two spots from #4 in last year's list), but a devastating audit by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found numerous cybersecurity vulnerabilities in several of the Pentagon's systems. Among the disturbing issues was that a GAO audit team was able to guess admin passwords in just nine seconds, as well as the discovery that software for multiple weapons systems was protected by default passwords that any member of the public could have found through a basic Google search. Cryptocurrency owners: As the value of cryptocurrencies reached record levels at the beginning of the year, scores of crypto owners had the potential to cash out-if they could remember their passwords. The news cycle was rife with reports of people resorting to desperate measures (including hiring hypnotists) to attempt to recover/remember the forgotten passwords to their digital wallets. Nutella: Nutella came under fire for giving some of the nuttiest password advice of the year as the beloved hazelnut-and-chocolate spread company encouraged its Twitter followers to use "Nutella" as their password. As if the advice wasn't bad enough, the company sent out the ill-advised tweet to celebrate World Password Day. U.K. Law Firms: Researchers in the United Kingdom found over one million corporate email and password combinations from 500 of the country's top law firms available on the dark web. Making matters worse, most of the credentials were stored in plaintext. Texas : Everything is bigger in Texas , including the cybersecurity gaffes. The Lone Star State left over 14 million voter records exposed on a server that wasn't password protected. This blunder meant that sensitive personal information from 77% of the state's registered voters, including addresses and voter history, was left vulnerable. White House Staff: Last year, two White House officials made our list: President Trump took the (un)coveted title of 2017's Worst Password Offender for a variety of poor cybersecurity habits, while Sean Spicer was included for tweeting his password. This year they passed the baton to another staffer who made the mistake of writing down his email login and password on official White House stationery. This mistake was exacerbated as he accidentally left the document at a Washington, D.C. bus stop. Google: The search engine giant has historically been buttoned up in terms of cybersecurity, but this year, an engineering student from Kerala, India hacked one of their pages and got access to a TV broadcast satellite. The student didn't even need to guess or hack credentials; he logged in to the Google admin pages on his mobile device in using a blank username and password. United Nations: The organization tasked with maintaining international peace has a security problem. U.N. staff were using Trello, Jira, and Google Docs to collaborate on projects, but forgot to password protect many of their documents. This meant anyone with the correct link could access secret plans, international communications, and plaintext passwords. University of Cambridge : A plaintext password left on GitHub allowed anyone to access the data of millions of people being studied by the university's researchers. The data was being extracted from the Facebook quiz app myPersonality and contained the personal details of Facebook users, including intimate answers to psychological tests. Learn from the mistakes of this year's Password Offenders: Password protect all accounts: Whether it's a server, email account, or an app, you should always secure your data with passwords as they're the first, and often only, line of defense between hackers and your personal information. Use strong passwords: Never use passwords that are easy to guess or that contain names, proper nouns, or things people can easily research about you-like your favorite hazelnut spread! All your passwords should be longer than eight characters and include a mix of random letters, numbers, and symbols. Even better, use a password generator to come up with them for you. Never reuse passwords: Every one of your accounts needs a unique password. The risk in password reuse is that hackers can use passwords from compromised accounts to easily access other accounts. The only protection against this is to have a different password for every account. About Dashlane Dashlane simplifies and secures your digital identity-all your personal information that lives online. Across all platforms and devices, the intuitive Dashlane app automatically fills and stores passwords, personal data, and payment details to help you manage, monitor, and protect your digital identity. Available in 11 languages and trusted by 10+ million people in 180 countries (and growing), it's the complete, global solution for living safely and seamlessly online-at home, at work, and everywhere in between. With offices in New York City, Paris, and Lisbon, Dashlane has raised over $70 million in venture funding to create a safe and effortless solution for all citizens of the digital world. Learn more at dashlane.com. BINGEN, Washington, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Insitu, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, assisted from the air in the firefight against the Camp Fire in Northern California, now deemed the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California's history. "Our hearts go out to all of those affected by the terrible Camp Fire tragedy," said Esina Alic, Insitu President and CEO. "We are honored to have had the opportunity to help with fire suppression efforts using our ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and INEXA suite of information and analytics tools, and support firefighters in this massive battle." Insitu provided vital information to firefighters with its ScanEagle UAS, and its TacitView and Catalina software payload. The ScanEagle's camera data and software generated daily operational maps and full motion video detailing the fire's movement. The TacitView and Catalina capabilities are designed to be interoperable with government agency systems enabling domestic remote sensing operations, and the software capabilities are extremely effective in informing firefighters about fire movement in real time. The data provided by Insitu allowed Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists to quickly produce geospatial maps and perform further analyses. Flying at night, when manned aircraft typically are grounded due to safety concerns, the Insitu team flew the ScanEagle UAS beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) providing perimeter mapping, hot spot locations and points of interest, while disseminating real-time video feed to assist CALFIRE along with multiple local and national firefighting response teams in their daily morning planning meetings. The Insitu Rapid Response team supported firefighters by supplying this data for more optimal fire suppression planning in the extremely rugged terrain of the Paradise, California area. This up-to-date information provided fire incident commanders with enhanced emergency response efforts, increased situational awareness and safety, and supported planning and resource allocation. Insitu's suite of real-time intelligence acquisition and distribution capabilities provide live Motion Imagery Standards Board (MISB)-compliant video and flight telemetry to extensible mapping engines such as the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) and the Windows Tactical Assault Kit (WinTAK). These tools typically are utilized in defense missions, and now are being widely adopted by first responders for a variety of domestic operations, particularly for use in firefighting operation tools and products. "We witnessed the hard work, dedication and sacrifices made by those fighting the Camp Fire," said Alic. "We are proud to have had the opportunity to stand with these courageous people and play a part in helping to suppress this devastating fire," concluded Alic. About Insitu Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. With its headquarters in Bingen, Wash., and offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, the company creates and supports unmanned systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and understanding sensor data. We proudly serve the diverse needs of our global customers in the defense, government and commercial industries. To date, our systems have accumulated more than one million flight hours. Insitu is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. For more information, visit insitu.com. Follow us on Vimeo, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. CONTACT: Monica Golden Insitu Media Relations +1 509.637.6574 monica.golden@insitu.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797181/Insitu_Command_Center_at_Camp_Fire_in_Northern_California.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/685528/INSITU_Logo.jpg Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") today announced an initial Mineral Resource estimate for the Gossey satellite deposit, located approximately 15 kilometres northwest of its Essakane operation in Burkina Faso. The estimate was completed in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards incorporated by reference in National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). The resource estimate comprises 10.5 million tonnes of Indicated Resources averaging 0.87 grams of gold per tonne for 291,000 ounces and 2.9 million tonnes of Inferred Resources averaging 0.91 grams of gold per tonne for 85,000 ounces.Over 70% of the delineated resources are contained within shallow, soft, saprolite and transition hosted mineralization. Craig MacDougall, Senior Vice President, Exploration for IAMGOLD, stated, "The initial resource estimate reported for the Gossey deposit confirms the prospectivity of the Gossey - Korizena trend to host significant gold mineralization. We believe there is favourable potential for additional discoveries within our extensive exploration concessions surrounding the Essakane operation. I congratulate our exploration team for continuing to define additional resources in the Essakane area." The mineral resource for the Gossey deposit incorporates assay results from 733 diamond ('DD') and reverse circulation ('RC') drill holes spaced at approximately 50 x 25 metres and totalling approximately 94,900 metres. The estimate was prepared using a block model constrained with 3D wireframes of the principal mineralized domains. Values for gold were interpolated into blocks using inverse distance cubed ('ID3'). An open pit optimization algorithm was run on the block model to constrain the resource and to support the CIM requirement that Mineral Resources have 'reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction'. The resource estimate assumes a long-term gold price of US$1,500/ounce. Only mineralization contained within the preliminary pit shell has been included in the resource estimate. The effective date of this resource estimate is May 25, 2018. A supporting NI 43-101 Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days of the date of this release. MINERAL RESOURCE STATEMENT - GOSSEY GOLD DEPOSIT, BURKINA FASO May 25, 2018 (100% Basis) Category Weathering Zone Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage (000s t) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Au (000s oz) Indicated Saprolite 0.33 3,916 0.66 83 Transition 0.42 3,467 0.85 94 Fresh 0.47 3,071 1.15 114 Total Indicated 10,454 0.87 291 Inferred Saprolite 0.33 1,464 0.75 35 Transition 0.42 986 0.97 31 Fresh 0.47 489 1.23 19 Total Inferred 2,939 0.91 85 Notes: Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability. CIM definitions were followed for classification of Mineral Resources. Cut-off grades are 0.33 g/t Au for saprolite, 0.42 g/t Au for transition and 0.47 g/t Au for fresh rock. Mineral Resources are reported using a gold price of US$1,500 per ounce. Mineral Resources are constrained by a Whittle optimized pit shell. All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates. About the Essakane - Gossey Area The Essakane Mine (on a 100% basis and effective as at June 5, 2018) hosts Probable Mineral Reserves totaling 158.2 million tonnes grading 0.89 g/t Au for 4.5 million ounces of contained gold; and Indicated Mineral Resources (inclusive of Mineral Reserves) of 159.8 million tonnes grading 0.95 g/t Au for 4.9 million ounces of contained gold and Inferred Mineral Resources of 20.7 million tonnes grading 0.88 g/t Au for 589,000 ounces of contained gold (see NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Pre-Feasibility Study for the Essakane Heap Leach Project filed on SEDAR on July 19, 2018). The Company holds just over 1,000 km2 of mineral rights surrounding its Essakane mining operation. The property is underlain by highly prospective, Birimian-aged metasedimentary, volcanic and intrusive rocks adjacent to the Markoye shear, a regionally significant structural corridor which is thought to be an important controlling structure for the localization of gold mineralization. The geologic setting is similar to other prolific gold belts in West Africa. The Gossey - Korizena exploration trend, located approximately 15 km northwest of the Essakane mine, extends for some 20 kilometres along strike highlighted by geochemical anomalies with elevated gold defined by regional air core sampling surveys, RC drilling and outcrop sampling, and is associated with historic and locally active artisanal mining areas including at the Gossey deposit. The Gossey deposit is located near the Gossey village for which future development of some portions of the deposit may require the development of a re-location program, similar to the one that was completed previously at Essakane. Next Steps The Company continues to conduct regional exploration within its large land holdings including the +20 kilometre Gossey-Korizena trend. The program is targeting the discovery of additional satellite deposits with potential to continue to add to the mine life of the Essakane operation. Material results will be disclosed as they are received, validated and compiled. Qualified Persons and Data Verification The Mineral Resource estimate, including verification of the data disclosed, has been completed by G Mining Services Inc. ("GMSI") and reported in accordance with NI 43-101 requirements and CIM Estimation Best Practice Guidelines. The resource estimate and supporting technical report were prepared by Mr. James Purchase, P. Geo., under the supervision of Mr. Rejean Sirois, P. Eng., Vice President Geology and Resource Geologist. Mr. Sirois, is an independent qualified person under NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the contents of this release. The information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Craig MacDougall, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration for IAMGOLD. Mr. MacDougall is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The sampling of, and assay data from drill core and RC chips, are monitored through the implementation of a quality assurance - quality control (QA-QC) program designed to follow industry best practice. Rock chips from the Reverse Circulation drilling are collected at the rig site, at 0.5 metre intervals, under the direct supervision of IAMGOLD geologists and field technicians. Samples are transported to the Essakane mine site and riffle split and composited to 1 metre intervals obtaining five (5) kg samples. The samples are delivered to Essakane Mine Analytical Laboratory for mechanical preparation of the analytical sample and analysis. Sample rejects are stored at site. Drill core (HQ and NQ size) samples were selected by the IAMGOLD geologists and sawn in half with a diamond saw at the project site. Half of the core was retained at the site for reference purposes. Drill core sample intervals are generally one metre in length for HQ size and one meter and half for NQ size. The samples were assayed using a standard 1Kg-LeachWell assay with an Atomic Absorption finish. Approximately 25% of the tails of the samples returning values greater than 0.3 g/t Au were re-assayed using 50g-Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption finish. The same method was also applied to 5% of the tails of the samples that return values less than 0.3 g/t Au. Umpire checks comprising approximately 20% of the samples were performed at SGS Analytical Laboratory in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Forward Looking Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding expected, estimated or planned gold production, all-in sustaining costs and other cost estimates, capital expenditures and exploration expenditures and statements regarding the estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, exploration results, life-of-mine estimates and potential Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "prospective", "significant", "significant potential", "substantial", transformative", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, failure to meet expected, estimated or planned gold production, unexpected increases in all-in sustaining costs or other costs, unexpected increases in capital expenditures and exploration expenditures, variation in the mineral content within the material identified as Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves from that predicted, changes in development or mining plans due to changes in logistical, technical or other factors, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, changes in world gold markets and other risks disclosed in IAMGOLD's most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Notes to Investors Regarding the Use of Resources Cautionary Note to Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured and Indicated Resources This news release uses the term "indicated resources". We advise investors that while that term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") does not recognize them. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. Cautionary Note to Investors Concerning Estimates of Inferred Resources This news release also uses the term "inferred resources". We advise investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the SEC does not recognize it. "Inferred resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an inferred Resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors The SEC limits disclosure for U.S. reporting purposes to mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. IAMGOLD uses certain terms in this news release, such as "measured," "indicated," or "inferred," which may not be consistent with the resource definitions established by the SEC. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in the IAMGOLD Annual Reports on Forms 40-F. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml or by contacting the Investor Relations department. The Canadian Securities Administrators' NI 43-101 requires mining companies to disclose reserves and resources using the subcategories of "proven" reserves, "probable" reserves, "measured" resources, "indicated" resources and "inferred" resources. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not demonstrate economic viability. A Mineral Resource is a concentration or occurrence of natural, solid, inorganic material, or natural, solid fossilized organic material including base and precious metals in or on the Earth's crust in such form and quantity and of such a grade or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge. A Measured Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics are so well established that they can be estimated with confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to support production planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough to confirm both geological and grade continuity. An Indicated Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics can be estimated with a level of confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed and reliable exploration and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough for geological and grade continuity to be reasonably assumed. An inferred Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality can be estimated on the basis of geological evidence and limited sampling and reasonably assumed, but not verified, geological and grade continuity. The estimate is based on limited information and sampling gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. Mineral resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. About IAMGOLD IAMGOLD (www.iamgold.com) is a mid-tier mining company with four operating gold mines on three continents. A solid base of strategic assets in North and South America and West Africa is complemented by development and exploration projects and continued assessment of accretive acquisition opportunities. IAMGOLD is in a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise. For further information please contact: Indi Gopinathan, Investor Relations Lead, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 360-4743 Mobile: (416) 388-6883 Laura Young, Director, Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 933-4952 Mobile: (416) 670-3815 Martin Dumont, Senior Analyst Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 933-5783 Mobile: (647) 967-9942 Toll-free: 1-888-464-9999 info@iamgold.com Please note: This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through Newsfile's website at www.newsfilecorp.com. All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov. Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique, veuillez consulter le www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx Publishing house Editrice Missionaria Italiana has just released a book by Gerolamo Fazzini on 50 years of PIME history in the Philippines with stories and testimonies of the Institutes service to the local Church, including the three priests who gave their lives as martyrs: Tullio Favali (1985), Salvatore Carzedda (1992) and Fausto Tentorio (2011). Verona (AsiaNews) In the Philippines, PIME Fathers are "famous for their missionary zeal, but even more for their martyrs, says Luis Antonio G. Tagle, archbishop of Manila, cited in a new book that traces the 50-year presence of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions in Asias most populous Catholic nation. Titled Una fedelta a caro prezzo I primi 50 anni del Pime nelle Filippine: una storia di missione e martirio (Loyalty at a high price PIMES first 50 years in the Philippines: A story of mission and martyrdom), the tome (picture 2) presents stories and testimonies of PIMEs service to the local Church. The author, journalist and essayist Gerolamo Fazzini, takes a close look at the paths followed by the missionaries as they stood alongside the people of the Philippines and the countrys Catholic community. It all began on 8 December 1968 with the arrival of the first priests. Four years later, President Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law and his dictatorial rule on the country. The mission brought PIME Fathers to the poor residents of Tondo, one of Manilas underprivileged neighbourhoods, but also to the southern island of Mindanao, where the Institute built up an enduring closeness with the local population. Here, after decades of fighting and uprisings, PIME set up parishes taking care of poor and marginalised residents. Despite dangers, the missionaries also defended tribal rights, upheld the dignity of migrant workers and engaged in dialogue with the Muslims. In half a century, PIME clergymen paid a hefty price to bear witness to the mission. Three of them died a martyrs death: Tullio Favali (1985), Salvatore Carzedda (1992) and Fausto Tentorio (2011). Two other missionaries, Fathers Peter Geremia and Luciano Ghezzi, ended up in jail and several confreres have had to endure threats. Three priests Fathers Francesco Alessi, Gigi Cocquio and Albert Booms were expelled from the country as persona non grata, whilst two more were abducted and eventually released: Fr Luciano Benedetti, in 1998, and Fr Giancarlo Bossi, in 2007. MONTREAL, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LGC Capital completes all-stock transaction for 30% of Viridi's stock plus 5% royalty on Viridi's net sales /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES/ LGC Capital Ltd. (TSXV: LG) (OTC-PINK: LGGCF) ("LGC") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced transaction with Swiss cannabis producer, Viridi Unit SA ("Viridi"). LGC has issued 35,167,001 shares of its common stock at a price of $0.1143 each to Viridi in exchange for a 30% equity interest in Viridi plus a 5% royalty on Viridi's net sales over ten years. All final documentation in respect of the transaction will be submitted today to the TSX Venture Exchange. Viridi's Market Presence in Switzerland and Europe Viridi produces, processes, and distributes high-CBD legal cannabis products under the N? Premium Cannabis brand in over 500 retail locations across Switzerland. Recently in October, LGC announced that Viridi had harvested and processed 20,000 plants that were growing at their Geneva cannabis cultivation facility, consisting of 65,000 square feet of canopy space. This recent harvest yielded 2,700 kg of high-CBD dried cannabis flowers to be used as inputs to the N? Premium Cannabis products as well as for wholesale markets across Europe. Viridi uses a proprietary breeding system for its high quality, high-CBD strains and seeds that comply with the Swiss regulations of <1% THC and European Union regulations of <0.02% THC. Viridi will also be launching its CBD cosmetics line called Viridi Care for the global market in early 2019. LGC Capital's Investment in Viridi On August 1, 2018, LGC announced a binding agreement to acquire a 30% interest in Viridi, a vertically integrated legal cannabis supplier to the Swiss and European markets. Under the terms of the agreement, LGC has acquired its 30% interest through the issuance to Viridi of 35,167,001 common shares of LGC at an issue price of $0.1143 each for a total consideration corresponding to CHF 3 million($4,019,588.22). The number of shares issued is based on the 5-day VWAP of LGC's common shares at close of markets on December 5, 2018. The shares issued to Viridi represent approximately 8.45% of the number of issued and outstanding LGC shares on a post-closing basis. LGC has also been granted a 5% royalty on Viridi's net sales for a period of ten years. For this transaction, LGC has paid a finder's fee to an arm's length party equal to 3% of the total consideration in cash and 2% of the total consideration by the issuance of 703,340 common shares of LGC. All common shares issued by LGC in connection with the transaction are subject to a four-month hold period. John McMullen, CEO of LGC stated: "The LGC team and I are very pleased with the closing of our strategic investment in Viridi. With partners like Viridi in Switzerland, we at LGC are solidifying our presence in the legal European cannabis market which is estimated to grow upwards of $98 billion by 2025 according to a recent BMO report. As the cannabis market grows rapidly inside Switzerland and the European Union, Viridi and its N? Premium Cannabis are building a strong name as a leading provider of high quality, high CBD, compliant cannabis products in Europe. About LGC Capital Ltd. (http://www.lgc-capital.com) LGC Capital is a leading cannabis investment firm with a focus on the Legal Global Cannabis market. Through its growing portfolio investment companies, LGC is building a vertically integrated system of interconnected legal cannabis companies with cultivation, processing and distribution in Australia, Jamaica, Switzerland, Italy, and Canada serving domestic and export markets. LGC Capital Ltd. is a Canadian incorporated public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: LG). Through its partners and assuming pending transactions under review by the TSXV are approved, LGC currently will have interests in over 450,000 square feet of planted cannabis in Jamaica, Switzerland, Italy, and Australia, with that number expected to increase to over 2,100,000 square feet by 2021, as its portfolio companies execute their expansion plans, in addition to the anticipated licensing of Tricho-Med's operations in Quebec, Canada. LGC partners currently sell cannabis products in over 1,000 points of sale across Switzerland and Italy under the ONE Premium Cannabis and EasyJoint brands as well as medical cannabis oils in Australia under the Little Green Pharma brand. LGC's partners' branded products are available in a variety of formats including dry cannabis flower, tinctures, oils, seeds, and beverages. Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to LGC and their respective operations, strategy, investments, financial performance and condition. These statements can generally be identified by use of forward- looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intends", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The actual results and performance of LGC and Viridi could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Some important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market factors, competition, government regulation and the factors described under "Risk Factors and Risk Management" in LGC's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018, as filed on SEDAR (http://www.sedar.com). The cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to LGC and persons acting on its behalf. Unless otherwise stated, all forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and neither LGC nor Viridi has any obligation to update such statements, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. Caution Regarding Press Releases 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. Chief Executive Officer John McMullen +1-416-803-0698 john@lgc-capital.com Chief Financial Officer Anthony Samaha +44-20-7440-0640 anthony@lgc-capital.com Investor Relations Dave Burwell +1-403-221-0915 dave@howardgroupinc.com Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has achieved the 'Cloud Elite' status in the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Cloud Program. The Oracle Cloud Elite status is conferred upon highly skilled Oracle partners who have managed multiple cloud implementations for clients across the globe in the Software as a service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) space. Typically, these are companies that have demonstrated strong cloud delivery capabilities, have been endorsed by their customers, and have a significant pool of resources skilled in technologies related to Oracle Cloud. Ravi Purohit, Vice President Global Head Oracle service line, Modern Application Services, Wipro Limited said, "We are proud of how our relationship with Oracle has grown and gone from strength to strength, over the years. The Oracle Cloud Elite status is a testament to Wipro's expertise and position as a leading player in the Oracle Cloud ecosystem, and the company's sustained investments towards driving cloud transformation for our joint customers." Ravi added, "Our vision is to earn our customers' trust by maximizing the value of their investments in Oracle Cloud solutions and help them achieve disruptive success in the digital marketplace." "Wipro is one of our leading cloud partners who have demonstrated superior execution capabilities, and delivered exceptional value to our joint customers with the Oracle Cloud," said Camillo Speroni, Vice President Worldwide Strategic Alliances, Oracle. "Wipro's focus on building solutions and services around Oracle Cloud has enabled our customers to reimagine their digital journey." Wipro and Oracle have had a strategic relationship for over 15 years. Together, they develop customized solutions for clients and deploy future-ready systems that enhance business velocity. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 175,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. About Oracle PartnerNetwork Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) is Oracle's partner program that provides partners with a differentiated advantage to develop, sell and implement Oracle solutions. OPN offers resources to train and support specialized knowledge of Oracle's products and solutions and has evolved to recognize Oracle's growing product portfolio, partner base and business opportunity. Key to the latest enhancements to OPN is the ability for partners to be recognized and rewarded for their investment in Oracle Cloud. Partners engaging with Oracle will be able to differentiate their Oracle Cloud expertise and success with customers through the OPN Cloud program an innovative program that complements existing OPN program levels with tiers of recognition and progressive benefits for partners working with Oracle Cloud. To find out more visit: http://www.oracle.com/partners. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005397/en/ Contacts: Prathibha Das Wipro Limited prathibha.das@wipro.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Great Bear Resources (TSXV: GBR) (the "Company" or "Great Bear"), today reported drill results from 19 holes totalling 4,290 metres from the Hinge Zone ("HZ") and South Limb Zone ("SLZ") at its 100% owned Dixie project in the Red Lake district of Ontario. The Company has expanded its recent high-grade gold discoveries and identified a new ultramafic unit in the core of the Dixie gold system.The Company also announces a second drill rig will be mobilized early in 2019 as it accelerates its fully-funded, ongoing 30,000 metre drill program. Reconnaissance drilling tested a large 220 metre (east-west) by 190 metre (vertical) area of the SLZ and HZ. Highlights include: Drilling below Great Bear's recent HZ discovery extended continuous gold mineralization from surface to 190 metres depth and the zone is open to extension. The deepest hole is located 114 m etres down-plunge of the HZ discovery and returned 3.65 metres of 27.36 g/t gold (estimated true width) including 0.5 m etres of 153.73 g/t gold (Figure 1) . extended continuous gold mineralization from surface to 190 metres depth and the zone is open to extension. The of the HZ discovery and returned (estimated true width) 18 of 19 drill holes intersected quartz veins with visible gold at the predicted plunge and dip. Gold was observed in all (19 of 19) drill holes. High - grade gold of greater than 15 g/t was observed in 7 of 19 drill holes . intersected quartz veins with visible gold at the predicted plunge and dip. Gold was observed in all (19 of 19) drill holes. Other HZ results include 14.1 metres of 4.45 g/t gold (estimated true width) including 0.50 metres of 48.93 g/t gold and 0.5 metres of 36.71 g/t gold . The HZ shows strong grade continuity and varies from 1.5 to 14.1 metres in estimated true width where drilled to-date. (estimated true width) including and . The HZ shows strong grade continuity and varies from 1.5 to 14.1 metres in estimated true width where drilled to-date. SLZ drilling returned 5.95 metres of 4.21 g/t gold including 1.25 metres of 15.16 g/t gold, and 3.60 metres of 5.57 g/t gold including 1.10 metres of 14.01 g/t gold (Figure 2). returned and The HZ and SLZ occur within the same extensive gold-mineralized quartz vein network . Veining has been sparsely drilled along 290 metres of strike length to-date and is developed parallel to an ultramafic unit and near a regional scale D2 fold axis and related fault zone. Steeply plunging high-grade zones were successfully targeted during current drilling and the Company expects additional zones similar in style to the HZ may occur along strike of the SLZ/HZ vein trend. Veining has been sparsely drilled along 290 metres of strike length to-date and is developed parallel to an ultramafic unit and near a regional scale D2 fold axis and related fault zone. Steeply plunging high-grade zones were successfully targeted during current drilling and the Company expects additional zones similar in style to the HZ may occur along strike of the SLZ/HZ vein trend. The Company will continue test drilling along strike of the SLZ/HZ and will follow-up with higher density drilling targeting all high-grade gold intercepts and depth extensions through 2019. Figure 1: Cross section of Hinge Zone and Dixie Limb Zone showing central ultramafic and adjacent drill results to-date from both zones. Hinge Zone on left of figure, Dixie Limb Zone on right. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5331/41600_a277d01e349ce9a0_002full.jpg Chris Taylor, President and CEO of Great Bear stated, "We rank this new drilling success as our most significant gold discovery at the Dixie project to-date, as it clearly exceeded our expectations for what is best described as reconnaissance drilling of the new South Limb Zone and Hinge Zone areas. In addition to expanding these zones, we have simultaneously identified an important ultramafic-related gold control that advances our understanding of the gold system and points to potential for discovery of additional gold zones elsewhere on the project." The Company is now conducting a fully-funded 30,000 metre, approximately 150 drill hole drill program that is expected to continue through 2018 and 2019. Targets to be drilled include the HZ, SLZ and DLZ, as well as a number of newly defined, highly prospective geological and structural targets across the project. The Company will mobilize a second drill rig early in 2019 in order to more rapidly drill the known mineralized zones, and simultaneously test new gold targets. Results will continue to be released in batches as received. Ultramafic Unit Central to Gold System Within D2 Fold Structure The Company has also identified key stratigraphic controls to the gold mineralization with potentially significant exploration implications across the Dixie property. Results stem from ongoing drilling and re-logging/re-sampling of historical drill core. 7 drill holes across the SLZ/HZ and DLZ have intersected a serpentine and talc altered, veined ultramafic unit ("SUM") that is central to the major gold occurrences. Findings include: The SUM is coincident with the main regional D2 fold axis and both the historical DLZ and the new HZ and SLZ discoveries parallel this feature on either side over several hundred metres of strike length, forming a "gold mineralized halo" ( Figure 3 ). is coincident with the main regional D2 fold axis and both the historical DLZ and the new HZ and SLZ discoveries parallel this feature on either side over several hundred metres of strike length, forming a "gold mineralized halo" ( ). Gold mineralization occurs in all rock types on both sides of the SUM , increasing the number of potential gold-mineralization targets. , increasing the number of potential gold-mineralization targets. Surface projection of the SUM and parallel DLZ/HZ and SLZ zones highlight prospective drill targets along strike in areas where no previous drilling was carried out. A dditional on-strike potential will be drill-tested in 2019 . The D2-related structures with associated mafic and ultramafic rocks and steeply-plunging gold zones show similarities to the geological setting at the High Grade Zone of the Main Red Lake Gold Mine ("RLGM"), operated by Goldcorp. More generally, ultramafic units are proximal to gold zones at most major Red Lake gold deposits, and this is now confirmed to be the case at the Dixie project. The most recent drill results are provided in Table 1. Highlighted results from all HZ and SLZ drilling to-date are available at the company's website. Highlights of all of Great Bear's drill results can be viewed at the Company's web site at www.greatbearresources.ca. Table 1: New drill results from the Hinge and South Limb Zones. Hinge Zone holes are marked DHZ. South Limb Zone holes are marked DSL. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Width (m)* Gold (g/t) Vert. Depth (m) DHZ-006 139.00 140.00 1.00 8.36 109 including 139.00 139.50 0.50 16.53 DHZ-007 92.70 93.65 0.95 5.69 83 DHZ-008 139.70 146.10 6.40 1.61 114 including 142.50 143.15 0.65 5.08 and 181.60 182.10 0.50 6.75 149 DHZ-009 149.50 163.60 14.10 4.45 128 including 149.50 150.00 0.50 36.71 and including 153.50 154.50 1.00 25.02 and including 154.00 154.50 0.50 48.93 and including 163.00 163.60 0.60 10.70 140 DHZ-010 207.25 210.00 2.75 3.43 154 including 207.25 207.75 0.50 17.73 DHZ-011 207.35 211.00 3.65 7.45 161 including 207.35 209.45 2.10 12.77 and including 208.65 209.45 0.80 18.73 DHZ-012 215.40 219.05 3.65 27.36 174 (Deepest test of HZ) including 216.40 218.55 2.15 46.28 and including 216.40 218.05 1.65 58.25 and including 217.55 218.05 0.50 153.73 DHZ-013 40.65 41.15 0.50 0.57 33 DSL-005 93.60 95.30 1.70 1.74 72 DSL-006 122.05 122.70 0.65 1.42 105 DSL-007 114.45 114.95 0.50 2.92 104 and 128.50 129.00 0.50 5.32 116 DSL-009 112.40 112.90 0.50 1.60 90 DSL-010 113.30 119.25 5.95 4.21 95 including 113.30 113.80 0.50 8.81 and including 118.00 119.25 1.25 15.16 DSL-011 117.70 125.05 7.35 2.36 104 including 122.00 122.70 0.70 7.67 and including 124.30 125.05 0.75 11.51 DSL-012 157.80 160.05 2.25 1.73 137 DSL-013 165.75 169.35 3.60 5.67 150 including 165.75 166.85 1.10 14.01 and including 166.35 166.85 0.50 26.35 and 191.60 192.10 0.50 8.20 175 DSL-014 149.85 152.65 2.80 1.37 121 DSL-015 205.40 206.40 1.00 4.46 193 * width is determined to be 95-100% of true width based on intersection points of the drill hole intercept with the geological model and oriented drill core data. Figure 2: Long section through the HZ/SLZ as drilled to-date showing currently reported drill results. In this view, the vein system is parallel to the section. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5331/41600_a277d01e349ce9a0_003full.jpg Figure 3: Map view of HZ/SLZ and DLZ showing D2 folding, central ultramafic, and location of cross section in Figure 1 ("Section 1") and long section in Figure 2 ("Long Section 1"). To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5331/41600_a277d01e349ce9a0_004full.jpg About Great Bear The Dixie property is located approximately 15 minutes' drive along Highway 105 from downtown Red Lake, Ontario. The Red Lake mining district has produced over 30,000,000 ounces of gold and is one of the premier mining districts in Canada, benefitting from major active mining operations including the Red Lake Gold Mine of Goldcorp Inc., plus modern infrastructure and a skilled workforce. The Dixie property covers a drill and geophysically defined multi-kilometre gold mineralized structure and newly discovered gold-mineralized vein systems similar to those hosting other producing gold mines in the district. In addition, Great Bear is also earning a 100% royalty-free interest in its West Madsen properties which total 3,860 hectares and are contiguous with Pure Gold Mining Inc.'s Madsen property. All of Great Bear's Red Lake projects are accessible year-round through existing roads. QA/QC Drill core is logged and sampled in a secure core storage facility located in Red Lake Ontario. Core samples from the program are cut in half, using a diamond cutting saw, and are sent to Activation Laboratories Ltd. in Ancaster Ontario, and SGS Canada Inc. in Red Lake, Ontario, both of which are accredited mineral analysis laboratories, for analysis. All samples are analysed for gold using standard Fire Assay-AA techniques. Samples returning over 3.0 g/t gold are analysed utilizing standard Fire Assay-Gravimetric methods. Certified gold reference standards, blanks and field duplicates are routinely inserted into the sample stream, as part of Great Bear's quality control/quality assurance program (QA/QC). No QA/QC issues were noted with the results reported herein. Mr. R. Bob Singh, P.Geo, Director and VP Exploration for Great Bear, is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the accuracy of technical information contained in this news release. For further information please contact Mr. Chris Taylor, P.Geo, President and CEO at 604-646-8354, or Mr. Knox Henderson, Investor Relations, at 604-551-2360. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Chris Taylor" Chris Taylor, President and CEO Inquiries: Tel: 604-646-8354 Fax: 604-646-4526 info@greatbearresources.ca www.greatbearresources.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 release. This new release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. We seek safe harbor - Analytics from daily satellite imagery will promote better land and agricultural practices - BASF's xarvio digital products and Planet will contribute significantly to more sustainable agriculture in Europe SAN FRANCISCO, and LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Planet, an integrated aerospace and data analytics company, and BASF today announced a commercial deal to deliver timely satellite imagery and data to European farmers to enable more effective agronomic decision making. BASF will use Planet's daily, global satellite imaging to develop analytics to power field zone metrics and insights for its digital farming platform, marketed under the xarvio brand. "This partnership further solidifies the value of Planet's daily satellite data in the agriculture industry," said Nate Dickerman, CCO of Planet. "Planet's high-frequency, medium resolution imagery is perfectly suited for BASF's xarvio products across Europe. We're really looking forward to promoting sustainable agriculture through digital farming with BASF." BASF's xarvio digital portfolio improves farming techniques by providing agricultural knowledge that helps growers determine the best application of crop inputs to optimize yields. Analytics derived from Planet's daily monitoring will enable growers to sustain expected yields while making more efficient use of crop protection products. "xarvio's fully automated Field Manager provides the most advanced field zone optimization in the market. The additional imaging from Planet will enable a new level of data quality and availability and will play a decisive role in delivering powerful insights to the farmer," said Ole Peters, Head of Technology Digital Farming at BASF's Agricultural Solutions division. This partnership will kick off in early 2019 and provide farmers with powerful knowledge for more precise and efficient management of their crops. Together, BASF's xarvio digital products and Planet will contribute significantly to more sustainable agriculture across Europe. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. Planet Media Contact: BASF Media Contact: Sarah Bates Tanja Rolletter Phone: + 1 904 228-1801 Phone: +49 621 60-27951 sarah.bates@planet.com Email: tanja.rolletter@basf.com About Planet Planet is an integrated aerospace and data analytics company that operates history's largest commercial fleet of satellites, collecting daily, high resolution imagery of everywhere on earth. Planet's daily snapshot captures a massive amount of information about our changing planet, and is delivered with the software and analytics users need to make critical business decisions. To learn more visit www.planet.com. About BASF's Agricultural Solutions division With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That's why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work - for farmers, society and the planet. In 2017, our division generated sales of 5.7 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or on any of our social media channels. AACHEN and HAAR, Germany and SYDNEY, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Optus achieves a strong second rank and improves compared to last year's results. Vodafone confirms its good performance. P3, the international leader in benchmarking mobile networks in co-operation with connect, an international telecommunication test magazine for consumers, have named Telstra as the "best in test" operator in the latest P3 connect Mobile Benchmark in Australia 2018. As in the previous year, it was a close race between the two largest Australian operators. This year, Telstra is the overall winner with Optus a close second. Both operators improve performance compared to the previous year with a "very good" while Vodafone confirms its position with overall "good" results. All three Australian operators have once again shown that they put a strong focus on customer experience. It is the fifth benchmark P3 has conducted in Australia and for the second time in co-operation with connect. Together, the partners frequently test the mobile networks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden. Their benchmarks are regarded as the de-facto industry standard. In Australia, the P3 connect Mobile Benchmark tested the three networks of Optus, Telstra and Vodafone. The results are based on extensive voice and data drivetests and walktests as well as on a sophisticated crowdsourcing approach. Telstra is the overall winner with strong crowdsource and voice experience,while Optus provides the best data experience. With a grade of "very good" and a score of 884, Telstra did best overall, leading in the voice and the crowdsourcing category. Last year's winner Optus ranks second with a score of 872 points, leading in the traditional drive- and walktest category and ends up with a "very good". In the city drivetests, Vodafone shows a very good performance close to the other two contenders and can pride itself to have had no service degradations in the period from July 2017 until October 2018, but falls behind in other categories. The operator ranks third with a score of 753 points and a "good" grade. Different local champions in Australia's large cities The comparison of Australia's cities - Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney - reveals different local champions as well as varying distances between the three contenders. In Adelaide, all three networks are almost equally strong. In Brisbane, Telstra remains strong with Vodafone seizing second position. In Canberra and Melbourne, Optus takes a narrow lead ahead of Telstra, which mostly derives from strong data results. In Perth, Telstra is again the market leader with Optus and Vodafone almost on a par. In Sydney, Telstra takes the lead, which results in basically the same ranking as in the nationwide tests. Hakan Ekmen, CEO P3 communications, explains: "In large-scale countries such as Australia, user experience is of especially high importance as the focus must be less on covering extensive areas, but more on actually reaching the users. Therefore, our unique crowdsourcing methodology is a crucial factor in the results. Our holistic approach clearly confirms that the Australian operators have worked hard to further improve their networks' performance and availability." Following the 2018 publications in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Austria and now Australia, the P3 connect Mobile Benchmark will be published in the UK within this month, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden will follow in early 2019. About the P3 connect Mobile Benchmark The P3 connect Mobile Benchmark is totally independent combining the expertise of P3, the industry's advocate and global authority regarding measuring network performance, with more than 25 years of editorial experience and testing knowledge of connect, that is regarded as a leading consumer authority in Europe. The independent benchmark methodology of P3 assures a fair, transparent and neutral evaluation of the networks under test. The benchmark is positioned to be a unique measure for management and supervisory boards to compare their networks with others, and for customers to get a better understanding of how the different networks are performing. Report:http://www.p3-group.com/en/report-p3-connect-mobile-benchmark-australia-2018 Press material:http://www.p3-group.com/en/press-material-p3-connect-mobile-benchmark-australia-2018 Video:http://www.p3-group.com/en/video-p3-connect-mobile-benchmark-australia-2018 Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) About P3:http://www.p3-group.com About connect:https://www.connect-testlab.com/ Press Office P3 CREAM COMMUNICATION T +4940401131010 p3@cream-communication.com connect WEKA MEDIA PUBLISHING GmbH Bernd Theiss T +4915255229026 btheiss@connect.de SAN FRANCISCO, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global women's health diagnostics market size is expected to reach USD 76.2 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising adoption of point-of-care diagnostics and growing incidence of various chronic and lifestyle diseases are among the key factors stimulating the growth of the market. Besides this, introducing various awareness programs is also anticipated to work in favor the market during the forecast period. For instance, in 2014, the European Commission launched joint action for European Guide on Quality Improvement in Comprehensive Cancer Control. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg ) Women's health diagnostics is witnessing high growth due to increased funding from various organizations. For instance, in May 2015, Abcodia received funding of USD 8.0 million from Cambridge Innovative Capital, Scottish Equity Partners, Albion Ventures, and UCLB to launch Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm (ROCA) test in the U.K. for early detection of ovarian cancer. On the basis of end use, the market has been bifurcated into hospital & diagnostics centers and home. Hospitals and diagnostic centers accounted for a larger share in the market due to high number of visits to hospitals and more reliable detection. The market in Asia Pacific is likely to witness significant growth over the coming years. The growth of the market can be attributed to increasing investments in healthcare, growing focus of international device manufacturers on strengthening their distribution networks within the region, and epidemiological shift from infectious diseases to chronic diseases within regional boundaries. Browse full research report with TOC on "Women's Health Diagnostics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By End Use, By Application (Cancer, Infectious Disease, Osteoporosis, Pregnancy, Prenatal), and Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025" at:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/womens-health-diagnostics-market Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest: Increasing investments by governments and private bodies and rising disposable income are providing a push to the market Cancer accounted for the highest share in the market in 2017. The segment will register noteworthy growth during the forecast period owing to availability of early detection tests and government initiatives to tackle cancer Prenatal testing is estimated to be the fastest growing segment during the same period owing to rising prevalence of prenatal diseases, increasing maternal age, surging healthcare expenditure, and development of advanced diagnostic tests Geographically, North America was the leading revenue contributor to the women's health diagnostics market in 2017. It is anticipated to maintain its dominance through 2025, thanks to widening base of diagnostic and imaging centers, mounting cases of cancer, growing awareness about fertility testing, and spiraling adoption of point-of-care testing devices was the leading revenue contributor to the women's health diagnostics market in 2017. It is anticipated to maintain its dominance through 2025, thanks to widening base of diagnostic and imaging centers, mounting cases of cancer, growing awareness about fertility testing, and spiraling adoption of point-of-care testing devices Some of the key players are Siemens Healthcare Private Limited; Hologic, Inc.;GE Healthcare; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.; bioMerieux SA; Koninklijke Philips N.V; Abbott; Becton, Dickinson and Company, Quest Diagnostics, Inc.; and PerkinElmer, Inc. Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing Market - The global nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) market size was valued at USD 1.78 billion in 2015. The global nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) market size was valued at in 2015. Kidney Function Tests Market - The global kidney function tests market size was valued at USD 1.2 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% over the forecast period. The global kidney function tests market size was valued at in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% over the forecast period. Cancer Diagnostics Market - The global cancer diagnostics market size was valued at USD 124.0 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% over the forecast period. The global cancer diagnostics market size was valued at in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% over the forecast period. Blood Culture Test Market - The global blood culture test market size was estimated at USD 3.2 billion in 2016. Grand View Research has segmented the global women's health diagnostics market based on application, end use, and region: Women ' s Health Diagnostics Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Cancer Breast Cancer Testing Cervical Cancer Testing Ovarian Cancer Testing Infectious Disease Testing Osteoporosis Testing Pregnancy and Fertility Testing Prenatal Testing Women ' s Health Diagnostics End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Hospital and Diagnostics Centers Home Women ' s Health Diagnostics Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany Asia Pacific Japan China Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa South Africa Explore the BI enabled intuitive market research database,Grand View Compass, by Grand View Research, Inc. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: +1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of their Global SLA Resin Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005325/en/ Global SLA Resin Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire) The exponential growth of the dental implants market in the US and Europe has resulted in the strong demand for SLA resins for dental fabrication purposes. SpendEdge's latest market intelligence report on the SLA resin market states that the higher preference for 3D printing in sectors like aerospace and automotive will result in the higher demand for SLA resins since they are used to print active and passive electronic components. Download a free brochure of our SLA resin market intelligence report here! A comprehensive overview of the cost and volume drivers and common pricing models are offered in this SLA resin market intelligence report. Such insights lay down the foundation for a fact-based procurement model that can forecast sales and profitability of products. 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Report scope snapshot: SLA resin market US market insights Supplier cost structure of the insurance services in the US Margins of suppliers in the US Category cost drivers 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 the SLA Resin market intelligence report? Get in touch Category ecosystem Competitiveness index for suppliers Buyer power Supplier power score To view the table of contents of this SLA Resin 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, markets insights, supplier tracking, and much more at the click of a button. Start your 7-day FREE trial now Related Reports: Global Aluminum Sulfate Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report Global Industrial Ethanol 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/20181212005325/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 630 984 7340 UK: +44 148 459 9299 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us BOSTON and LONDON, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- -- The only truly global Outsourced Investment Office, Partners Capital, finally opens its San Francisco office in its 18th year of operation to be headed by a young alum from its London office -- -- "With its key hubs in London, Boston and Singapore, Partners Capital's CEO Stan Miranda concedes against his historical preference for fewer offices and returns to his home state of California to spearhead building out a West Coast presence focused on its core clients of foundations, endowments and wealthy investment professionals" -- Partners Capital, the $24 billion assets under management Outsourced Investment Office acting for endowments and foundations and ultra-high-net-worth families in Europe, North America and Asia, today announces the planned opening of its West Coast office in July 2019 to be headed by Sudharshan ("Sud") Murugesu. Sud joined Partners Capital in 2013 after five years of principal investing roles with private equity firm Bain Capital and hedge funds Marshall Wace and Vantage Investment Management. Sud is a graduate of Cambridge University where he was an academic scholar. In 2017, Partners Capital supported Sud's entry to Harvard Business School, from which he will graduate from in 2019 and move to San Francisco. However, as discussed in a recent Bloomberg interview with Partners Capital Founder and CEO, Stan Miranda, the firm is keen to accelerate its activities on the West Coast and Stan himself has already relocated part-time to the region. Stan will be working with one team member who has been located in San Francisco over the past two years supporting its existing West Coast clients plus several team members who will be relocating from other Partners Capital offices. Stan Miranda, Founder and CEO of Partners Capital, said, "Building out our West Coast presence is the highest strategic priority in the firm today given the role technology will play in the investment world. Asset managers across every asset class should be transforming their businesses in terms of how they source, analyze, and manage their portfolios of investments. Every private and public equity investor is looking at companies through more of a 'technology lens' as they attempt to ascertain ahead of others who will be the winners and losers from digital transformation. To fully appreciate the pace and scale of this transformation, we must have a physical presence in the Bay Area." Stan plans to split his time in the coming years between the West Coast and Europe, continuing to serve many of the firm's flagship clients located across Europe. The focus of Stan, Sud and the West Coast team will be firstly on building out a deeper stable of talented asset managers operating out of the Western States including not only venture capital firms, but also the growing number of extraordinary hedge funds, specialist private lending firms and high-quality leveraged buyout firms. Partners Capital already has strong relationships with West Coast asset managers including Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, Francisco Partners, Golden Gate Capital, DoubleLine, Post Advisory Group, amongst others. The San Francisco team will also take over responsibility for serving many of Partners Capital's existing West Coast clients including the LA Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), The Seaver Institute and several Californian private clients, mostly private equity professionals. Critically, the firm is focused on expanding its footprint with smaller foundations and endowments across the Western States like MOCA. Sud Murugesu, said, "There are over 700 California foundations with assets between $100 million and $1 billion, many of which are lagging in performance unnecessarily, due to the difficulty associated with identifying and accessing the very small and rare universe of exceptional active asset managers. Many of these institutions' advisors and investment committees do not have either the capabilities or time to build out a strong stable of asset managers, especially in alternative asset classes such as private equity and absolute return." Partners Capital often works with its wealthy private clients in helping them establish their own philanthropic foundations. With the extraordinary capital formation from the burgeoning tech industry, Partners Capital expects its strong capabilities in serving both private clients and foundations will find a welcome audience in the Bay Area in particular. Partners Capital's Chairman, Paul Dimitruk, said, "Helping successful tech entrepreneurs and financial professionals establish their own family foundations is a passion of the firm's leadership team. We seek to help these successful individuals set up well-invested permanent funding sources for their missions that outlive them and make a real difference in the world." It is CEO Stan Miranda's expectation that the office will start from their current operating location in San Francisco and will be kept small at five to seven professionals by the end of 2019. The West Coast team will be supported primarily by the Boston office of 47 professionals but will also work closely with the other offices. About Partners Capital Partners Capital is an Outsourced Investment Office, acting for elite endowments and foundations, senior partners at leading global investment firms and sophisticated ultra-high-net-worth families in Europe, North America and Asia. The firm's mission is to deliver the most advanced proven institutional investment model to its individual and institutional clients, across all asset classes and geographies. Partners Capital's 150-member team, which is based in London, Boston, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore, manages assets of more than $24 billion. Its institutional clients include 9 Oxford and Cambridge Colleges, Eton College, the Met Opera (NY), the Research Foundation for the State of New York's University System, the Royal Academy of Arts, Milton Academy and the Cancer Research Institute. http://www.partners-cap.com by Nirmala Carvalho Rev Sojan was accused of "forced conversions" by residents of Bakhtiyarpur. Similar charges against a catholic priest were dropped in Varanasi. Mumbai (AsiaNews) A Protestant pastor, Rev Sojan, was arrested last Saturday in Bakhtiyarpur, a village in Patna District (Bihar), for screening Yeshu Masih (Jesus Christ), a film about the life of Jesus. "The Rev Sojan was just showing a movie, Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), told AsiaNews. Unfortunately, in this pre-election period, minorities are even more vulnerable and intimidated by the majority and its false accusations". The incident shows that tensions between Hindu radicals and Christians are far from ending. Villagers tried to stop the clergyman from showing the film and wanted him out of the village. the GCIC activist said. When he came back the next day he was accused of forced conversion, which led police to detain him for a few hours, before they took him back to his home village of Barh. Before they left, the agents told him not to return to Bakhtiyarpur. As is often the case in India, charges of forced conversion are made against Protestant and Catholic clergy to prevent them from doing their work. This is also the case of Fr Vineet Vincent Pereira, a Catholic priest in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). Last November, Hindu radicals beat up the priest, who runs the Ishwar Dham prayer campus, after accusing him of forced conversions. Arrested by police, he went to trial but many of the charges were dismissed. Fr Pereira was acquitted on four charges out of eight, said George. The others are still pending but The priest is innocent. Pereira has been working at the ashram of Varanasi since June 2012, caring for sick people and the marginalised. According to the GCIC president, "he was attacked on the basis of fake news. They (Hindu radicals) spread false stories about him and forced conversions to Christianity." India is a secular country and religious freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution, George explained. "Pastor Sojan was not involved in conversion activities, nor engaged in behaviour that was harmful to public order. This (the attack against him) was a violation of his human rights." Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Buccaneer Gold Corp. (TSXV: BGG) announces it has entered into a binding letter of intent (the "LOI") with a company carrying on business in the cannabis market in the United States of America ("TargetCo"), with the goal of effecting a business combination between them (the "Transaction"). Until a definitive agreement is executed, the parties are bound by the LOI. The LOI contains confidentiality provisions and expires on May 31, 2019. Pursuant to the LOI TargetCo must deliver financial statements audited in accordance with IFRS, which will allow Buccaneer to competently place a valuation on TargetCo. A valuation may also be supported by any concurrent financing to be carried out by TargetCo or Buccaneer. On the closing of the Transaction, it is expected that Buccaneer will be valued at $1,500,000 for the purposes of the Transaction. That Buccaneer valuation works out to $0.0483 cents per share, a premium of 48% over the last closing price for Buccaneer's shares. The terms of a definitive agreement will depend upon advice from legal, tax, securities, finance and accounting professionals in multiple jurisdictions, among other requirements. It is expected that a concurrent financing will be a condition of the closing of the Transaction, as well as shareholder and regulatory approvals. To accommodate the Transaction, it is expected that Buccaneer will migrate the listing for its shares from the TSX Venture Exchange to the Canadian Securities Exchange. To delist its shares from the TSX Venture Exchange, Buccaneer will require 'majority of the minority' approval, meaning officers, directors and persons holding more than ten percent of the Buccaneer voting shares cannot vote on such resolution. Pending the delivery of TargetCo's audited financial statements, TargetCo and Buccaneer are co-operating in carrying out reasonable due diligence review of each other and in negotiating in good faith outstanding terms related to the Transaction. Buccaneer expects to disseminate a detailed press release that will provide more granularity with respect to TargetCo, the Transaction, the risks related to the Transaction, and the related financing. Readers are cautioned that there is no assurance that a definitive agreement will be reached or, even if a definitive agreement is entered into, the Transaction will close on the disclosed terms or at all. Buccaneer has established a Special Committee to shepherd the Transaction to a successful conclusion. Buccaneer Gold Corp.: Peter M. Clausi Director and Special Committee Member 1 416 890 1232 info@buccaneergold.com Forward Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements which reflect Buccaneer's current expectations regarding future events, including with respect to performance, business and future events, including but not limited to express or implied statements and assumptions regarding Buccaneer's intention to negotiate for or complete the Transaction. The forward-looking statements involve 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. In particular, there is no guarantee that the parties will successfully negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement or complete the Transaction contemplated herein, that Buccaneer's due diligence will be satisfactory or that Buccaneer will obtain any required shareholder or regulatory approvals, including the listing of the shares of Buccaneer or of the resulting issuer on the Canadian Securities Exchange and the delisting of shares of Buccaneer from the TSXV. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. This press 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 securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) has reviewed this news release and neither accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Sojourn Exploration Inc. (TSXV: SOJ) (OTC Pink: SJRNF) is pleased to report analytical results of geochemical sampling from its 36,000 hectare Todd Creek Project, located 30 km northeast of Stewart in B.C.'s Golden Triangle. The Todd Creek project is situated approximately 40 km southeast of Seabridge Gold's KSM project, one of North America's largest porphyry copper-gold deposits, and Pretium Resources' Brucejack high-grade gold mine. The Todd Creek north and western property boundaries adjoin mineral claims actively being explored by Pretium as described in their recent press release (Pretium news release Dec. 6, 2018). Pretium's 2018 exploration activities included drilling at their Koopa and American Creek prospects which are prospective for Eskay Creek style precious metal enriched VMS mineralization and porphyry copper-gold mineralization, respectively, and are located proximal to the Todd Creek property. The 2018 reconnaissance sampling program at Todd Creek was completed following the closure of the property purchase agreement to acquire Millrock Resources' Golden Triangle assets (Sojourn news release September 14, 2018), making Sojourn one of the largest claim holders in this highly prospective copper-gold metallotect. Significant results of the program are summarized in Table 1. Highlights include: Fifty rock chip and grab samples collected over a 0.7 by 1.2 km area within the untested Yellow Bowl Zone at Todd Creek averaged 0.68% copper (Cu), including ten samples with over 1% Cu . The Yellow Bowl Zone contains widespread Cu-rich magmatic-hydrothermal breccias and has never been drilled. Three kilometres north of Yellow Bowl, well mineralized breccias at the Fall Creek Zone returned up to 37.7 g/t gold ( Au ) and 5.3% Cu . . The Yellow Bowl Zone contains widespread Cu-rich magmatic-hydrothermal breccias and has never been drilled. Three kilometres north of Yellow Bowl, well mineralized breccias at the Fall Creek Zone returned up to . At the VMS Zone, eight samples of mineralization ranging from gossanous altered volcanics to semimassive and massive sulfides averaged 0.213 g/t Au, 30.1 g/t silver ( Ag ) , 0.53% Cu, 0.53% lead ( Pb ) and 2.54% zinc ( Zn ) , including individual assays up to 1.98% Cu , 9.15% Zn , 0.392 g/t Au and 112 g/t Ag . Mineralization has been traced over a strike length of 900 metres and has never been drill tested. including individual assays up to . Mineralization has been traced over a strike length of 900 metres and has never been drill tested. Samples from the newly discovered Smokin Zone at Todd Creek returned anomalous values in Au (to 0.266 g/t Au), arsenic (to 1120 ppm) and antimony (to 51 ppm). Mineralization is hosted in rhyolite breccias within Upper Hazelton Group mudstones, a similar stratigraphic position to the high grade Eskay Creek Au-Ag volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit located approximately 60 km to the northwest. Table 1. Todd Creek highlight rock chip and grab samples from 2018 program (YB - Yellow Bowl; FC - Fall Creek; SMK - Smokin, VMS - VMS Zone). Sample ID Zone UTM easting UTM northing Cu (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Zn (%) L656603 YB 451192 6233765 1.34 0.357 0.8 0.0013 L656604 YB 451065 6233149 0.66 0.103 0.9 0.0025 L656605 YB 451035 6233160 1.23 0.213 0.9 0.0039 L656606 YB 451027 6233152 0.03 0.424 0.9 0.0026 L656607 YB 450955 6233221 1.26 0.407 0.7 0.0003 L656645 YB 450657 6233359 0.32 0.021 0.2 0.0062 L656646 YB 450625 6233296 0.84 0.012 7.1 0.0179 L656648 YB 450549 6233445 1.16 0.231 10.4 0.0056 S851058 YB 450768 6233376 2.67 0.005 0.8 0.0062 S851059 YB 450768 6233375 2.34 0.002 0.6 0.0032 S851060 YB 450728 6233371 0.57 0.034 9.3 0.003 S851061 YB 450589 6233356 0.87 0.217 1.3 0.01 S851068 YB 450673 6232728 0.94 0.017 2.2 0.002 S851069 YB 450673 6232769 2.02 0.081 11.2 0.0128 S851070 YB 450660 6232781 2.92 0.039 24.6 0.0021 S851071 YB 450636 6232800 4.04 0.052 62.8 0.109 S851072 YB 450622 6232806 3.74 0.061 65.4 0.0558 S851073 YB 450599 6232807 0.30 0.01 7.6 0.322 S851077 YB 450443 6232876 0.36 0.021 19.2 0.0264 S851078 YB 450439 6232869 0.49 0.021 12.4 0.0197 S851080 YB 450567 6232775 0.50 0.107 18.8 0.244 S851081 YB 450625 6232776 4.52 0.203 74.9 1.015 L656627 FC 451975 6236585 2.42 2.83 9.8 0.0369 L656628 FC 451947 6236585 5.30 37.7 30.5 0.0726 S851008 FC 451207 6236209 0.32 0.194 0.3 0.0027 S851082 VMS 452933 6228663 0.53 0.205 16.5 0.87 S851083 VMS 452942 6228650 1.98 0.381 36.6 3.14 S851084 VMS 452976 6228638 0.40 0.392 12.8 0.957 S851085 VMS 452970 6228612 0.62 0.228 112 9.15 L656637 VMS 452932 6228666 0.44 0.291 19 2.31 L656630 SMK 456302 6237635 0.01 0.266 1.1 0.0077 Todd Creek contains widespread volcanic and intrusion-hosted copper-gold vein and breccia mineralization west of the central Todd Creek Fault, as well as polymetallic (zinc-lead-copper-gold-silver) volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) mineralization east of this important structure. The Todd Creek Fault is a major north-south structure which separates interpreted lower Hazelton Group stratigraphy to the west from interpreted upper Hazelton Group stratigraphy to the east. Reconnaissance sampling at Todd Creek in 2018 resulted in two significant advances in geologic understanding reinforced with geochemical results: 1) The Cu-Au mineralization west of the Todd Creek Fault extends approximately six kilometres from the South Zone, through Yellow Bowl, to the Fall Creek Zone. Strongly altered, Cu-Au bearing porphyritic intrusions at Yellow Bowl suggest the presence of a porphyry system which has not been drill tested. 2) VMS-style mineralization east of the Todd Creek Fault has been recognized as a much larger prospective area with the discovery of the Smokin Zone, almost ten kilometres north of the outcropping massive sulfides of the VMS Zone. Several other unsampled gossans support the concept that the VMS Zone may represent a small part of a more extensive and under-explored corridor prospective for Eskay Creek style, precious metal enriched VMS mineralization. Yellow Bowl Corridor The Yellow Bowl Zone is central to a six-kilometre long corridor of strongly gossanous, altered and Cu-Au mineralized intermediate volcanic rocks, porphyritic intrusions and associated breccias. The Yellow Bowl Zone is located mid-way between the Au-enriched veins and breccias of the South Zone (historical 43-101 non-compliant resource of 207,000 tonnes grading 5.48 g/t Au, Hemlo Gold Mines Inc., 1988 Annual Report), and the multiple parallel zones of breccias and veins at the Fall Creek Zone. The untested Yellow Bowl Zone is located within a four-kilometre gap between historical drill holes in the Fall Creek and South Zones. The 2018 sampling program at Yellow Bowl, in conjunction with historical rock chip sampling, confirm Yellow Bowl represents a Cu enriched core zone, flanked by Au enriched mineralization at South Zone and Fall Creek. This core zone is interpreted as the upper levels of a significant porphyry Cu-Au system. Fifty rock samples were collected across Yellow Bowl in 2018 and focused on recently deglaciated exposures of chalcopyrite-bearing hydrothermal breccias. The breccias have a strong east-west trend, and contain clasts of multi-brecciated quartz-chalcopyrite veins in a matrix of pyrite, chalcopyrite, and less common sulfosalts and sphalerite. These mineralized breccias are often spatially related to strongly altered porphyritic intrusions and associated hydrothermal-magmatic breccias. The 2018 sampling data suggests a metal zonation exists between the central and southern parts of the Yellow Bowl Zone. Thirteen samples in the southern part of the zone contain higher average Cu grades (1.53%) along with anomalous Ag (average 23.1 g/t), Pb (0.05%) and Zn (0.14%), which is not seen elsewhere at Yellow Bowl. This is interpreted as a later phase of Ag-Pb-Zn enriched mineralization overprinting the southern part of the Cu-Au system. In the central part of the Yellow Bowl Zone, 34 samples averaged 0.38% Cu. However, Cu and Au values appear to increase with decreasing elevations, with 7 samples averaging 0.49% Cu and 0.19 g/t Au below 1500 metres. This includes a sample (L656607) assaying 1.26% Cu and 0.41 g/t Au in a strongly quartz-sericite-pyrite (QSP) altered intrusion. Preliminary results from the 2018 IP geophysical survey indicate a significant chargeability anomaly underlies the Yellow Bowl Zone. Final interpretations will be released following receipt of the final report. The company aims to conduct a partner funded, first phase drill test of Yellow Bowl in 2019 for an underlying porphyry copper-gold system. Due to time constraints, only limited sampling was carried out in the Fall Creek area (six samples) where historical trenching and shallow drilling by Noranda and others delineated multiple zones of brecciation and veining across 500 metres width and over strike lengths of up to 300 metres. Multiple drill intersections included 12.65 metres of 7.61 g/t Au and 1.58% Cu in NTC88-22 (Fall Creek A Zone). Two 2018 samples of breccia-hosted mineralization from the A Zone trench returned 37.7 g/t Au, 30.5 g/t Ag and 5.3% Cu (sample L656628) and 2.83 g/t Au, 9.8 g/t Ag and 2.42% Cu (sample L656627). High grade Cu-Au mineralization at South Zone and Fall Creek is hosted predominantly by variably hematite-altered andesitic volcanic rocks, within epithermal-like, banded, multi-phase brecciated quartz-jasperoidal silica-chalcopyrite veins. VMS Corridor Outcropping massive sulfides of the VMS Zone were discovered in 2008 below a receding glacier. However, the zone remains untested by drilling. Previous one to two metre channel samples of the zone returned grades up to 0.74% Cu, 1.35 g/t Au and 9.7% Zn. The 2018 samples successfully validated these tenors. The VMS Zone is underlain by Hazelton Group mafic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks. Pyrite-chalcopyrite-sphalerite-galena massive sulfide lenses within strong chlorite-sericite alteration selvages are hosted locally within lapilli tuff containing angular, massive sulfide clasts suggesting the possibility of multiple VMS horizons. The main massive sulfide lens ranges from 0.5 to 3.0 metres wide and is continuous for at least 60 metres along a northwest trend. Multiple lenses have been recognized and sampled and contain moderate to strong base metal values along an overall strike length of at least 900 metres. Sample S851010 was collected from a newly exposed zone of glacially polished outcrop and returned 0.17% Cu, 3.1% Zn, 0.95% Pb, 0.152 g/t Au and 27.6 g/t Ag. Previous workers completed a property-wide VTEM airborne geophysical survey. The results of the survey indicate several linear conductors of 500 m strike-length are spatially related to the VMS Zone. These geophysical anomalies, including additional conductors identified to the south of VMS zone, have not been followed up. The Smokin Zone is an extensive area of gossans identified in 2018 at the northern margin of an un-named glacier about 10 km north of the VMS Zone. Mapping of part of the gossanous area outlined a rhyolite breccia unit between a mudstone footwall and a coherent volcanic hanging wall in stratigraphy recognized as the upper Hazelton Group. Rhyolite clasts in the breccia are set in a matrix of very-fine sooty pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcedonic quartz, open-space vugs and minor carbonaceous material (coal), suggesting a shallow subaqueous environment. A similar stratigraphic sequence sits immediately below the Eskay Creek VMS deposit. Nineteen samples collected at Smokin Zone contained elevated gold pathfinders arsenic and antimony (averaging 156 ppm As and 17 ppm Sb), and locally anomalous gold and silver values, including sample L656630, which returned 0.266 g/t Au and 1.1 g/t Ag. The anomalism within this limited sampling data, as well as several newly exposed gossans and highly prospective stratigraphy east of the Todd Creek Fault, warrant an aggressive follow-up program in 2019. Sojourn Exploration President Tyler Ruks comments: "Our 2018 Todd Creek reconnaissance program suggests that the Yellow Bowl zone, a gossan of significant size containing widespread, Cu-Au occurrences, represents the upper levels of an untested porphyry copper system. Yellow Bowl is flanked by distal, high grade gold-copper veins and breccias at South Zone and Fall Creek. Previously, the Yellow Bowl, South Zone and Fall Creek zones have been explored as distinct entities. The results of our 2018 program suggest that these zones are likely related and part of a large system, the core of which is completely untested by drilling. In addition, we have confirmed that the VMS Zone, located 5 kilometres southeast of Yellow Bowl and across the Todd Creek Fault, is hosted in interpreted Upper Hazelton Group stratigraphy, is far more extensive than previously thought and is virtually unexplored. Combined with the Smokin Zone, this large land position on the east side of the Todd Creek Fault represents a significant target for precious metal enriched, Eskay Creek style VMS mineralization. Lastly, the central Todd Creek Fault has been recognized as an important structure for further exploration. Our large land position includes 13 kilometres of this prospective lineament and we believe that there is significant potential for additional discoveries in its vicinity." Historical assays have not been verified by Sojourn but have been cited from sources believed to be reliable. Sojourn's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Jeff Kyba, PGeo, Vice President Exploration, who serves as a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101. Sample preparation was carried out at ALS Globals's Terrace prep lab, and analyses were completed at its North Vancouver analytical laboratory. Samples were analyzed for 35 elements including copper by aqua regia acid digestion and ICP-AES, while gold was analyzed by fire assay (30 gram nominal sample weight), aqua regia digestion and ICP-AES. Over-limit copper (>1%), lead, zinc and silver (>100 ppm) were re-analyzed by aqua-regia digestion and ICP-AES (OG-46). Reconnaissance scale rock sampling as reported here is intended to indicate a range of typical grades associated with the mineralization observed, and does not imply the grade of a larger rock volume. For further information please contact: Tyler Ruks, President and CEO at +1 (604) 638 3695 Investors are cautioned that Sojourn Exploration Inc. has not verified the data from the KSM, Brucejack and Eskay Creek deposits. Further, the presence and style of mineralization on these properties is not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization on the Sojourn Exploration Inc. properties. This news release contains statements about Sojourn's expectations and are forward-looking in nature. As a result, they are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although Sojourn believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them as actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and Sojourn undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, except as required by law. 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 accuracy or adequacy of this release. Carson City, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Cell MedX Corp. (OTCQB: CMXC) ("Cell MedX" or the "Company"), an early development stage bio-tech company focusing on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic and non-therapeutic products that promote general wellness is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed its first 100 Canadian manufactured eBalance devices. Upon receiving its Certificate of Conformity, qualifying the eBalance devices as Class A (professional use) and Class B (in home use) as well as its CSA, CE and UL Certifications for meeting electrical safety and emission standards from LabTest Certification Inc., the Company collaborated with its production facility operated by NDS Electronic Solutions Inc. ("NDS") in order to manufacture the eBalance devices. NDS is a British Columbia owned and operated business. The devices are manufactured in accordance with the design specifications and stringent standards imposed by the Company. In addition, the Company has reached an agreement with Live Current Media Inc. ("LIVC") to extend the Letter of Intent (the "LOI") for an additional 90 day period. Under the LOI the Company will grant LIVC exclusive worldwide distribution rights of the eBalance devices for home based use. For additional information, please refer to the Company's News Release issued on September 14, 2018. About Cell MedX Corp. Cell MedX Corp. is an early development stage bio-tech company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic and non-therapeutic products that promote general wellness and alleviate complications associated with medical conditions including, but not limited to, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and high blood pressure. For moe information about the Company and its technology please visit our website at www.cellmedx.com/investors/overview/. For the Company's newsletter please visit www.cellmedx.com/media/newsletters/. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Cell MedX Corp. Frank McEnulty CEO, Director Forward Looking Statements The information included in this press release has not been reviewed by the FDA or Health Canada, nor has it been peer reviewed. This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as "expects", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "anticipates", "believes", "could", and other similar words. All statements addressing product performance, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Because the statements are forward-looking, they should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties, some of which are described in the Company's Quarterly, and Annual Reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those currently anticipated. In addition, undue reliance should not be placed on Company's forward-looking statements. In particular, the Company's eBalance technology is still in development. Except as required by law, Cell MedX Corp. disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. 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. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory body has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Investors are advised to carefully review the reports and documents that Cell MedX Corp. files from time to time with the SEC, including its Annual, Quarterly and Current Reports. SOURCE: Cell MedX Corp. For further information please visit: www.cellmedx.com Toll free: 1.844.238.2692 PALM BEACH, Florida, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary Even though this year's farm bill has been delayed, everyone is closely monitoring events lately as hemp and hemp-derived CBD is likely to become federally legal in the U.S. as early as next week. The CBD market, already generating annual revenues in the millions, is poised for another massive boost with the impending passing of the 2018 Farm Bill as investors expressed optimism. Effectively legalizing CBD, the market is projected to explode as obstacles are lessened or completely nixed, allowing companies to maximize their earnings potential with respect to CBD-based products. The Brightfield Group estimates the CBD market will be 40 times its current size in just four years. Active Companies from around the market with current developments this week include: Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC:MCOA), Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC:SGMD), Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTC:MJNA), Hemp Inc. (OTC:HEMP), Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE:LHS) (OTC:LHSIF). Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCPK:MCOA) BREAKING NEWS: Marijuana Company of America, an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce that the Company has upgraded its trading tier on the OTC Markets to the OTCQB Venture Marketplace. MCOA views this as an important step in continuing to distinguish itself from other cannabis publicly traded companies. By upgrading its trading tier, the Company will have the ability of providing investors with transparent and reliable audited information of MCOA's operations, overviews of the Company's business strategy, as well as current financial statements every quarter. By upgrading its trading tier, MCOA hopes to improve its image among institutional investor and broker communities. This upgrade removes some of the limitations put on Pinksheet companies and in turn gives the Company better access to a larger shareholder base and liquidity in the marketplace. The uplisting is also an integral requirement for the S1 registration statement that the Company expects to file with the SEC prior to year-end in order to fund its high growth objectives in 2019. "Our Company will continue to be aggressive in executing our business plan and we believe this is a necessary step to help legitimize MCOA as one of the top fully reporting public cannabis companies involved in the hemp-derived CBD sector. MCOA will continue to expand our operations in the U.S. as well as launch our hempSMART product line internationally in 2019," said CEO Donald Steinberg. MCOA also announced yesterday the launch of a new corporate hempSMART website and marketing platform for its associates. By implementing this new associate platform, hempSMART's customers now have the ability to subscribe monthly to our products creating a pathway to generate an annuity stream of monthly reoccurring revenue with minimal follow up. Since Q3, the Company has already seen an increase in associate signups with the new marketing platform and it is expected that Q4 of 2018 will feature the highest generated revenue of the Company's history. The new hempSMART platform is focused on incentivizing our current and future associates to take full advantage of our newly structured compensation plan. MCOA anticipates an increase in sales and a continuous influx of associate signups towards year end.Read this and more news for MCOAat:http://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-mcoa/ In the industry developments and happenings in the market this week include: Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCPK:SGMD) last week made comments on its expected revenue growth in hydroponic related supplies considering the rapidly changing California cannabis cultivation licensing situation. As a result of the expected mass "Green Lighting" of annual cultivation permits, Sugarmade is expecting accelerating revenue growth as large cultivation operations begin purchasing cultivation supplies after receiving annual permits. The situation relative to annual licenses required for legal cannabis cultivation in California remains fluid, but is expected to change rapidly over the coming weeks. As of the beginning of November 2018, there were approximately 2,547 annual cultivation licenses under review according to CalCannabis, the licensing agency within the state, with very little movement toward clearing the backlog. The approximately 6,000 licenses issued by the three California licensing agencies have been granted on only a temporary basis with expiration expected, according to California law, in January. Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCPK:MJNA) recently announced November as the largest-ever (unaudited) sales month in its history. Subsidiaries Kannaway and Phyto Animal Health have also booked their largest-ever (unaudited) sales month in their history in November of 2018. The company has also reached major milestones in its business operations. "We are proud to announce that we had such great success in November," said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO Dr. Stuart Titus. "There is significant change and progress occurring throughout the industry and we are happy to be at the forefront of it." Medical Marijuana, Inc. and its subsidiaries experienced many accomplishments in November, including subsidiary Kannaway hosting its European Grand Opening in Prague with over 2,000 attendees and releasing a new Pure Liquid Flavored Trio as well as subsidiary Phyto Animal Health signing a distribution agreement with Mr. Checkout, a company that often helps bring Shark Tank innovations to shelves. Hemp Inc. (OTCPK:HEMP) announced that, in anticipation of the Farm Bill, hemp legalization and cultivation could be a catalyst for explosive growth in a nascent industry that some forecast could top $20 billion by 2022. According to a recent CNBC article, industrial hemp production in the U.S. has been limited to "Mostly research and pilot programs although imports from Canada, China, and Europe have helped fill domestic demand for everything from hemp seeds to fibers. The legalization of hemp cultivation could boost investor interest across the sector." Initially nominated the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, the Senate's version of the farm bill includes provisions to legalize hemp, completely striking it from the federal list of controlled substances. In the 2014 Farm Bill, states were permitted to run pilot programs in order to research its viability for commercial production. The 2018 Farm Bill is expected to federally legalize hemp before the end of this year. Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE:LHS.CN) (OTCQX:LHSIF) recently announced it has opened its first south Florida dispensary today in the heart of Miami . The new dispensary provides customers in Miami-Dade County , the most populous county in Florida , access to premium quality medical marijuana products and educational services. Located at 6827 Bird Road, Miami, FL. , the state-of-the art dispensary is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7p.m. , Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. , and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Bird Road is one of the oldest and busiest state roads in Miami , with traffic exceeding 70,000 vehicles per day. It is a primary artery that feeds the main suburbs in Miami such as Coral Gables , West Miami , South Miami , Westchester, and Kendall. In addition to the Miami location, Liberty plans to open 3 more dispensaries this month with more to come in 2019, all subject to the receipt of Florida Department of Health approvals. "Liberty remains committed to ensuring that its premium quality medical marijuana products and educational services are accessible to the more than 2.7 million people who call South Florida home," said George Scorsis , CEO of Liberty Health Sciences. "When people come to our dispensaries, they know they will find the highest quality medicinal cannabis. They also trust that they are going to have access to the best brands in any category, including PAX and Mary's Medicinals products. 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. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. 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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 FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Contact Information: editor@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 Hamilton, Bermuda, December 12, 2018 Nordic American Offshore LTD (the "Company") (NYSE: NAO) conducted its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") on December 11, 2018 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The following resolutions were approved and adopted at the Meeting: Election of Paul J. Hopkins and James Kelly as Class B Directors to serve until the 2021 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders; Approval of the appointment of KPMG AS, as the Company's independent auditors until the close of the next Annual General Meeting of Shareholders; and Approval of the amendment of the Company's Memorandum of Association to increase the Company's authorized share capital from $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 comprised of 400,000,000 common shares of par value $0.01 per share. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the PSV market, as a result of changes in the general market conditions of the oil and natural gas industry which influence charter hire rates and vessel values, demand in platform supply vessels, our operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry docking and insurance costs, governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities as well as potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, the availability of financing and refinancing, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hire and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts: Gary J. Wolfe Seward & Kissel LLP, New York, USA Tel: +1 212 574 1223 Bjrn Giver, CFO Nordic American Offshore Ltd. Tel: +1 888 755 8391 or +47 91 35 00 91 Herbjrn Hansson, Nordic American Offshore Tel: +1 866 805 9504 or +47 90 14 62 91 Web-site: http://www.nao.bm/ (http://www.nao.bm/) Press release (PDF) (http://hugin.info/159489/R/2228803/875381.pdf) This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Nordic American Offshore Ltd via Globenewswire Highlight: -As a result of the recent discovery of the Spark pegmatite showing Frontier Lithium has staked an additional 14,248 hectares ("ha") to include the prospective Electric Avenue corridor extending from Pakeagama Lake to Bearhead Lake; SUDBURY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / December 12, 2018 / Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX-V: FL) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the addition of 725 claim cells (14,248 ha) to their PAK Lithium project. The recent discovery of the Spark pegmatite 2.3k northwest of the PAK pegmatite was the catalyst for staking the mining claims. The PAK lithium deposit is located on a major geological structural corridor hosting rare multiple high grade, low iron pegmatites. The recent 2018 Spark discovery confirmed Frontier's exploration model and demonstrated the potential for possible further discoveries. The recent staking extends the PAK Lithium Project 47km along the "Electric Avenue", Ontario's newest prospective lithium-metal region. This structural corridor in northwestern Ontario is a known geological feature separating the Berens River and the Sachigo Sub-provinces of the Archean superior Craton which feature multiple rare metal occurrences (Figure 1). One other such known occurrence exists 25km up the Electric Avenue from Pakeagama Lake where the historical Pennock Lake spodumene showing has been confirmed by the Company and is an exploration target for future follow-up. "We are extremely happy to consolidate the Company's land position on the Electric Avenue. The Electric Avenue contains the richest lithium resource known in Ontario and has become a premier exploration target in Canada for Frontier. We look forward to further advancing the PAK Lithium Project, in part, by drilling the Spark showing this winter to add additional resources. In addition, this upcoming work will commence our study of the relationship and possible connection between the PAK deposit and the showing located only 2.3km away from each other." stated Trevor Walker, President and CEO of the Company. (To view the full-size image, please click here) About Frontier Lithium Inc. Frontier Lithium is a Canadian junior mining company and have the largest land position in the Electric Avenue, a newly emerging premium lithium-metal district hosted in the Canadian Shield of northwestern Ontario. Frontier is implementing a phased approach to development for becoming a producer of technical grade lithium concentrates required to produce premium glass/ceramics as well as supplying a by-product of chemical grade concentrates for the production of lithium hydroxide required for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. Frontier's goal is to become a low-cost, fully integrated lithium producer through development of the PAK lithium deposit in Ontario, Canada. Frontier maintains a tight share structure with management ownership exceeding 30% of the Company. The deposit boasts its lithium in a rare, high-purity, low-iron spodumene and is comparable to the Greenbushes' Deposit in SW Australia, which supplies approximately 40% of the world's lithium demands. Frontier has recently discovered a new LCT Pegmatite showing that called the Spark showing, which at surface has displayed a channel cut with similar grade and composition to PAK Lithium Deposit. The surface exposure 3 times larger than the PAK pegmatite with widths greater than 100m and a strike length of more than 300m and is the target of project exploration to most efficiently increase resource tonnage. Currently the company is awaiting results of an additional 200m of channels. Ceramic/glass customers prefer to source technical-grade (low-iron) spodumene concentrate in excess of 7% lithium oxide (Li2O), if available, to avoid inferior lower grade petalite concentrates, or paying much higher prices for battery grade lithium compounds. The PAK lithium deposit remains open in all directions and Company Management is working towards developing a viable operation. The Company has completed a pre-feasibility study to assess the economic viability and technical feasibility of producing lithium concentrates. About the PAK Lithium Project The PAK Lithium Project lies close to the boundary between two geological sub-provinces of the western Superior geologic province in northwestern Ontario and hosts a rare metals pegmatite deposit. The deposit is an LCT (lithium- cesium- tantalum) type pegmatite. These types of pegmatites have been the principal source of hard rock lithium, tantalum, rubidium and cesium ores mined in the world but there are comparatively few commercially-viable deposits. Frontier is actively exploring its 100% owned project which contains the Pakeagama Lake pegmatite. The PAK deposit has a current Measured and Indicated Resource of 7.5 million tonnes of 2.02% Li2O and an Inferred Lithium Resource of 1.8 million tonnes of 2.10% Li2O which has a technical/ceramic grade spodumene with low inherent iron (below 0.1% Fe2O3). The deposit now has a known 500m strike length with an estimated true width varying from 10m to 125m with a sub-vertical orientation. The resource remains open to depth and along strike to the northwest and southeast. For Further Information, please contact Bora Ugurgel Manager, Investor Relations 2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA T. +001 705.897.7622 F. +001 705.897.7618 Additional information regarding Frontier Lithium is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile and on its website at www.frontierlithium.com, including various pictures of ongoing work at the project. 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: Frontier Lithium Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530288/Frontier-Lithium-Increases-Land-Position-of-the-PAK-Lithium-Project-by-180 Infiniti Research, a leading global market intelligence solutions provider, has announced the completion of theirmarket intelligence report for a financial services company.The client is one of the leading financial services companies in the world. With offices spread across different locations, the client was unable to determine the exact market scenario in terms of the competitors and their key product offerings. This compelled them to leverage Infiniti Research's expertise in offering market intelligence reports to identify opportunities to grow, expand, diversify, and tackle the rising competition. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005456/en/ Market intelligence report for a financial services company. (Graphic: Business Wire) The financial sector is a lucrative sector but the latest advancements in digital technology have remodeled the landscape. Digital disruptions, emerging technologies and risks, and impending accounting and regulatory changes have added to the challenges of financial services companies. This has forced companies to concentrate on developing enhanced strategies to reshape their business portfolios and improve their product and service offerings. Interested to know how our smart market intelligence report helped a leading financial services provider refine their marketing models and enhance business outcomes? Request a free proposal today! According to the experts at Infiniti Research, "A market intelligence report helps companies to obtain industry information, validate internal research, and gain a holistic view of the market." The market intelligence report offered by Infiniti Research helped the client to refine their existing marketing models and devise powerful marketing campaigns. This helped them to enhance their business performance and estimate the total market size. The market intelligence report also provided them with a detailed information on the market, the competitors, and their key customers, which strengthened their credibility and reputation in the market. Infiniti Research's market intelligence report helped the client to: Devise powerful marketing campaigns. Refine existing business models and enhance their performance. Want to revamp your marketing models? Get in touch with our experts! Infiniti Research's market intelligence report offered predictive insights on: Strengthening their credibility and reputation. Gaining detailed information on the market and competitors. To better understand the impact of a market intelligence report, Request more information. About Infiniti Research Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. To know more, visit: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/about-us View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005456/en/ Contacts: Infiniti Research Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 844 778 0600 UK: +44 203 893 3400 https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us CHICAGO, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new research report "Water Filters Market by Media Type (Single & Dual Phase, Multimedia, Cartridge), End-Use Industry (Municipal, Industrial (Oil & Gas, Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Food & Beverages, and Pharmaceuticals)), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Water Filters Market is projected to grow from USD 10.8 billion in 2018 to USD 14.7 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 6.3%. The growth of this market is attributed to the growing oil & gas, chemicals & petrochemicals, food & beverages, and pharmaceuticals end-use industries. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Don't miss out on business opportunities in Water Filters Market. Speak to Our Analyst and gain crucial industry insights that will help your business grow. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=256063580 Browse in-depth TOC on "Water Filters Market" 86 - Tables 66- Figures 168- Pages View detailed Table of Content here - https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/water-filter-market-256063580.html The single & dual phase media type segment is projected to have the highest share during the forecast period. Based on media type, the Water Filters Market has been segmented into single & dual phase, multimedia, cartridge, and others (cloth, ceramic, and stainless steel). Single & dual phase is expected to be the largest media type segment of the market during the forecast period. The single & dual phase media is largely used in pre-filtration processes of water and wastewater. Increasing demand for better quality water and the reuse of wastewater are driving the Water Filters Market growth. Food & beverages end-use industry segment is projected to register the highest CAGR, in terms of value, during the forecast period. Based on end-use industry, the Water Filters Market has been segmented into municipal and industrial. Industrial includes oil & gas, chemicals & petrochemicals, food & beverages, and pharmaceuticals. The food & beverages industry is projected to be the largest end-use industry segment of the market during the forecast period. The food & beverages industry uses a very high amount of water for processing and other procedures. Another major market for water filters is the chemicals & petrochemicals industry as this industry requires large volumes of water for utilities, process feed, washing, and other applications. Request for Free Sample Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=256063580 Asia Pacific is projected to register the highest CAGR, in terms of value, in the Water Filters Market during the forecast period. The Water Filters Market has been studied for Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. The Asia Pacific Water Filters Market is projected to register the highest CAGR, in terms of value, during the forecast period. Urbanization, modernization, and purchasing power parity of the consumers in this region have contributed to the increased use of water filters in the chemicals & petrochemicals, food & beverages, and pharmaceuticals industries. This is expected to create huge opportunities for the market in Asia Pacific. Eaton Corporation (US), Suez Water Technologies & Solutions (France), Veolia (France), Dow Water & Process Solutions (US), Evoqua Water Technologies (US), Mann-Hummel (Germany), Pall Corporation (US), Pentair PLC (UK), and Lydall Industrial filtration (US) are the key players operating in the Water Filters Market. Browse Adjacent Markets @Membranes Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Liquid Filtration Market by Fabric Material (Polymer, Cotton, Aramid), Filter Media (Woven, Nonwoven), End User (Municipal, Food & Beverage, Mining), and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, South America) - Global Forecast to 2023 Water & Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market by Product Type (Filtration (Granular/Sand Filtration, Adsorption, RO, MF), Disinfection (Chlorine, UV), Desalination, Testing), Application (Municipal, Industrial), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022 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/water-filter-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com by Fady Noun Sister Marie Melhem, 81, participated in person at the beatification ceremony of Msgr. Pierre Claverie. The bishop of Oran was a frequent visitor to the Land of the Cedars. The meeting with the religious and the Lebanese model of Islamic-Christian coexistence. The pain for involvement of Christians in the slaughter of Sabra and Chatila. Beirut (AsiaNews) - Lebanon was part of the beatification mass of the 19 martyrs of Algeria, celebrated last December 8 in Oran (Algeria), above all for the close bonds between the bishop of Oran Pierre Claverie, and the Lebanese congregation of the Sacred Heart, stretching back to the 1990s. The only religious still alive and witness of that era, Sister Marie Melhem - one of the Arab professors in Algiers of the murdered bishop participated in prayer during the Eucharistic ceremony. The life of this bishop that Sister Marie Melhem, 81 years old, describes as "a man totally devoted to others, intelligent, with a childlike and humble heart ", should be told above all what brought him to know the Lebanese religious. Born in 1938 in the popular district of Bab-el-Oued in Algiers, Pierre Claverie comes from a family of black feet, as the "French of Algeria" are still called today. During his studies in France, he discovered that the French presence in Algeria "is not unanimous" and that it has grown in the context of the "colonial bubble" that has enveloped much of his country. In adulthood he chose religious life, and joined the Dominican order. And it is from there that he witnessed the last years of the war of independence of Algeria and decided to return to Algeria in 1967, to be with what he considered - despite everything the people of his homeland. He learned Arabic and became an excellent connoisseur of Islam, before being appointed bishop of Oran in 1981. But since 1992, when the civil war broke out in Algeria unleashed by Islamic extremists, in circumstances that would be too long to evoke, the Catholic Church of Algeria, made up largely of aid workers and foreign workers, was under threat. In Europe, people repeatedly advised him to leave the country. But Pierre Claverie firmly opposed the idea; although he was never able to obtain Algerian citizenship, to all intents and purposes he felt himself a native of the country and refused to abandon a people he was profoundly part of. On May 26, 1996, the assassination of the Tibhirine monks took place. Pierre Claverie knew he was under threat. On the first of August of 1996 his fears became reality: he was murdered together with his friend and driver Mohamed Bouchikhi: a bomb destroyed the entrance of the bishopric when he was entering, just before midnight. Religious Arabs and Christians! On his return to Algeria, he had close ties with Lebanon and with the religious of the Sacred Heart (of Jesus and Mary) under the pretext of learning Arabic. At that time, this congregation founded in Bickfaya (Metn-Lebanon), in the mid-nineteenth by the Jesuits, owned three houses in Algeria: in Algiers, Oran and Constantine. For Pierre Claverie, who was about to enroll in an Arabic language summer internship, it was a sort of love "at first sight", as reported by his biographer Jean Jacques Perennes. "They are quite surprising - Pierre Claverie writes in a letter in July 1967 - and unique. I assure you, in civilian clothes and very polite tones! They are animated by an amazing missionary spirit. They are welcomed by the Arabs with an admiration without boundaries; they are welcomed by Arabs, Christians, religious and sit with them ... There is no proselytism in their way of doing, but from a love and a spirit of disinterested service to the people to whom they are sent". Thanks to these strong bonds with the religious of the Sacred Hearts, Pierre Claverie spent several stays in Lebanon and held spiritual retreats in Bickfaya, Ainab and the Dominicans of Araya. He learned to love "the faith of the simple" souls who are the wealth and treasure of Lebanon. And he slept several times in Knat (in northern Lebanon), with the family of Sister Marie Melhem, where he was as if "struck by lightning " seeing this model of interreligious relations that he was able to experience in the Land of the Cedars. Sadly and tragically, while he was in Lebanon in 1982, at the time of the Israeli invasion, he was an indirect and horrified witness to the massacre of Sabra and Chatila (September 1982), and was "disgusted" - Sister Marie Melhem points out - on learning that the Christian militias had also taken part. That was his last stay in Lebanon. She herself and the nuns who knew him shed "all the tears in our body" on hearing of his murder. After two successful years of global, collaborative action to further the Paris Agreement on climate change by over 100 members, Germany and Morocco will hand over their role as NDC Partnership Co-Chairs, while remaining on the Steering Committee. KATOWICE, Poland, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- At a high-level event on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Conference COP24 honoring two years of collaboration to advance climate and development action, German State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Martin Jager and Moroccan State Secretary in charge of Sustainable Development Nezha El Ouafi announced that the Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom of Morocco will be turning over their role as NDC Partnership Co-Chairs to the Republic of Costa Rica and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At the event, German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Minister Svenja Schulze said, "The NDC Partnership is a successful forum for implementation. It is not about more negotiations, it is about action. It is about implementing the Paris Agreement at the country level. Countries in the NDC Partnership are supporting each other in implementing their NDCs. This is more than just financial support, it is a highly practical and trusting exchange. Many of us are struggling to implement our NDCs. But the NDC Partnership can help us deal with the challenge. It allows us to jointly drive forward implementation and to continuously raise ambition. This is why we today pledge an additional 20 million euros to the UN Development Programme for contributions to the NDC Partnership." German State Secretary Martin Jager said, "Implementing the Paris Agreement is not only imperative for securing a livable planet; it also is a great opportunity for sustainable development worldwide. The German government has been honored to co-chair the NDC Partnership during its first two years together with Morocco, and I am pleased to be able to pass on the torch today to strong champions of climate action: Costa Rica and the Netherlands. Germany will remain committed to our Partnership in the future. We are therefore providing an additional 48 million euros for joint action for NDC implementation." Moroccan State Secretary Dr. Nezha El Ouafi stated, "COP22 opened as the COP of Action kickstarting the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and I cannot think of a better way to demonstrate implementation and cooperation between parties than this Partnership. In fact, one of the greatest achievements during COP22 was the launch of the NDC Partnership as an open and transparent platform, not only to facilitate NDC implementation, but also to strengthen the momentum of trust built around the Paris Agreement, and adopt an inclusive dialogue with international institutions and non-state actors. Today, there is significant progress as we moved from a membership of 40 initial members, to over 100 members. This is by itself an indicator of the Partnership's success and demonstrates its priority. It has been a great honor and privilege to co-chair the NDC Partnership together with Germany, and Morocco stands ready to work with Costa Rica and the Netherlands as new Co-Chairs." Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag and Costa Rican Minister for Environment and Energy Carlos Manuel Rodriguez were in attendance to accept the positions which run from 2019 to the end of 2020. Costa Rica Minister Carlos Manuel Rodriguez stated, "The transformational change that we need to decarbonize our economies and to generate resilience requires a systematic and articulated approach. Only through a new way of multilevel multilateralism that allows countries, cities, companies and citizens to engage in climate action we, as a global community, will be able to achieve the Paris goals. The NDC Partnership is that, an alliance that allow us to innovate, collaborate, co-create and learn from each other to catalyze climate actions. We are honored and enthusiastic to co-chair the Steering Committee with the Netherlands, and very grateful to Morocco and Germany for their successes and previous guidance." Dutch Minister Sigrid Kaag said, "Under the leadership of Germany and Morocco, the NDC Partnership has grown rapidly and is showing good progress. We are now already engaged in 38 countries. In the next two years, I want to focus on mobilizing the required finance and to enable implementation of the climate action plans and investment plans. This is a collective effort. I look forward to working with Costa Rica to show the world that the Paris Agreement is attainable." Over the next two years, the NDC Partnership will build on the promising results it is already seeing in many of its member countries to catalyze climate action for low carbon and sustainable development - also in view of the UN Secretary General's Climate Summit 2019. Partners will accomplish this through the Partnership's three-pronged strategy of providing in-country technical assistance, mobilizing finance and sharing lessons learned across the globe. Developing and implementing Partnership Plans at the country level will be a centerpiece of these efforts. Since its launch at COP22 in Marrakech, the NDC Partnership has grown to a membership of 87 countries, 20 institutions and nine associate members, working together to support countries in implementing their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. In that time, the Partnership has actively engaged in 38 countries to advance climate action and identify specific activities, needs and gaps to achieve countries' goals. Through coordination and alignment of support, members of the NDC Partnership work together to leverage resources and achieve common objectives and priority actions identified by each government. Kenya, for example, with Partnership support from Germany, the UNDP and others, consulted widely with different communities to develop a National Climate Change Action Plan that reflects and responds to climate issues at the ground level. Peru organized a wide series of consultations to advance a national Talanoa Dialogue called Dialoguemos to raise awareness and encourage a wider group of stakeholders to engage in efforts to combat climate change. Countries are also now preparing to move from planning and programming to action on the ground. Costa Rica, for instance, has prepared an investment plan that organizes high-level needs to achieve its NDC, while also organizing the national banking system to integrate climate risks in investment decisions. In Rwanda, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is preparing to take its NDC needs to bilateral negotiations with partners and to build a climate finance innovation unit to mobilize resources for NDC and climate action. Namibia worked with the Partnership to catalogue innovative projects necessary to address climate risks in its unique, desert environment. And, with the promise of improved coordination, better planning and more efficient use of resources, countries are finding confidence to set sights higher and raise ambitions in line with the targets of the Paris Agreement. Uganda, with support mobilized and coordinated through the Partnership, is looking to achieve targets set for 2030 now in 2020, accelerating its pace of achieving long-term climate targets. And, more development partners are creating dedicated programs to support this work. Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, the African Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, UNDP and the World Bank Group are all but a few that have specific programs to support technical assistance or project finance needs to advance NDC implementation. More details about the NDC Partnership's work can be found in its 2018 report, Partnership in Action: Two Years On. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797408/Passing_the_Torch.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797409/Carlos_Rodriguez.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797406/Sigrid_Kaag.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797407/Svenja_Schulze.jpg LIMASSOL, Cyprus, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Tunf.com, Last week, another progressive jackpot winner was announced, following a multi-million-euro win on the Empire Fortune slot. The slot may not be known for delivering the most substantial progressive prizes, but few players would grumble at getting their hands on a couple of million euros, and that is precisely what happened to one lucky player based in Sweden last week. A Mobile Jackpot Win The Yggdrasil Gaming slot has paid out a few decent prizes in its past, but few come close to the 2.2 million prize won last week. Maltese-based Yggdrasil Gaming unveiled a press release last week, confirming the jackpot win and shedding light on the affair. The player was known to be playing on their mobile device when the scooped the jackpot win, which totalled 2,253,040. Playing for 4 a spin, they were then able to get their hands on the prize in the 5-reel, 20-line progressive jackpot slot. Bethard Plays Host to the Winner The latest win occurred at Bethard Casino, a site not terribly well-known amongst slot players. It is believed to be the most significant progressive jackpot paid out at the site to date. The win comes just two weeks after another Swedish player pocketed a life-changing sum of money on an Yggdrasil developed progressive slot. The previous win was worth over 7.8 million and was won on Yggdrasil's Joker Millions slot over at LeoVegas Casino. In total, the amount paid out by Yggdrasil slots since the casino software provider went live in 2015 now totals over 29 million. It certainly seems like a great time to be playing their games if you've got your eyes on gunning down a life-changing cash prize. About Tunf is an online slots library that covers information related to online gaming & casinos. For information on online slots, check out the guide at https://tunf.com. MDSAP Certification Completion Will Expand Market Access to CardioComm's Medical Devices and Software Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - CardioComm Solutions, Inc. (TSXV: EKG) ("CardioComm" or the "Company"), a leading global provider of consumer heart monitoring and electrocardiogram ("ECG") acquisition and management software solutions, has completed its ISO 13485:2016 ("ISO") certification in compliance with the Medical Device Single Audit Program ("MDSAP"), which is now mandatory under Health Canada requirements and recommended by the USA Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"). CardioComm completing MDSAP for both Canada and the USA, solidifies the Company's abilities to continue to produce and sell its Global ECG Management System ("GEMS") software globally. CardioComm is also a preferred importer, distributor and reseller of hospital and consumer ECG medical devices for organizations based outside of Canada such as the USA, China and Singapore. Manufacturers of Class II, III, and IV medical devices, whether based in Canada or elsewhere, must report to the Canadian Medical Devices Bureau that they have either passed, or initiated the transition to an MDSAP audit by December 31, 2018. Failure to do so will result in manufacturers losing their medical device licences and the rights to have their products imported into or sold into Canada. As of November 14, 2018, only two-thirds of the medical device companies that sell into Canada have signed up for MDSAP (Quality Digest, 11/14/2018). This situation may cause a shortage of medical products available to health care providers and consumers in Canada (Globe and Mail 05/09/2018). With ISO under MDSAP, CardioComm has confirmed that it may contract with other medical devices makers that sell into Canada, but have decided not to renew their ISO medical device certification under the more stringent and costly MDSAP standard. Under this scenario, CardioComm can place non-MDSAP ISO-certified devices under the Company's own MDSAP certification for a fee, gaining sole distribution rights for device sales in Canada and ensuring that established and emerging sales channels have continued access to needed medical devices. One such example involves the recent application for FDA 510(k) clearance of the HeartCheck CardiBeat by CardioComm on behalf of the original equipment manufacturer. While ISO under MDSAP is not required in the USA, CardioComm's Canadian/USA MDSAP certification is accepted by the FDA and removes the need for routine FDA inspections. This certification will also help newly FDA-cleared products when applying for Health Canada medical device clearances. To learn more about CardioComm's products and for further updates regarding HeartCheck ECG device integrations, please visit the Company's websites at www.cardiocommsolutions.com and www.theheartcheck.com. About CardioComm Solutions CardioComm Solutions' patented and proprietary technology is used in products for recording, viewing, analyzing and storing electrocardiograms for diagnosis and management of cardiac patients. Products are sold worldwide through a combination of an external distribution network and a North American-based sales team. CardioComm Solutions has earned the ISO 13485:2016 certification, is HIPAA compliant and holds clearances from the European Union (CE Mark), the USA (FDA) and Canada (Health Canada). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Etienne Grima, Chief Executive Officer 1-877-977-9425 x227 egrima@cardiocommsolutions.com investor.relations@cardiocommsolutions.com Forward-looking statements This release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of CardioComm Solutions and certain of the plans and objectives of CardioComm Solutions with respect to these items. Such statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future and there are many factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. In evaluating these statements, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information contained in this release other than as required by applicable laws, including without limitation, Section 5.8(2) of National Instrument 51-102 (Continuous Disclosure Obligations). 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 and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Minera Alamos Inc. (TSXV: MAI) ("Minera Alamos" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has obtained $2 million of early funding in connection with its previously announced royalty agreement (the "Royalty Option Agreement") through the execution of a secured senior convertible loan agreement (the "Loan" or "Loan Agreement") with Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd (TSX: OR) ("Osisko").The Loan may be converted into a 1% NSR on the La Fortuna gold project pursuant to the Royalty Option Agreement entered into with Osisko in May 2017, as detailed below. Further to the Company's news release dated November 21st, 2018 ("Minera Alamos Receives Positive Notice Regarding Permit Applications for La Fortuna Gold Project in Durango, Mexico"), the majority of the new funds are destined for a change of land use payment requested by the Mexican authorities (Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales - "SEMARNAT") in conjunction with the La Fortuna gold project permit applications. Following the completion of the change of land use payment, SEMARNAT will then be in a position to issue the formal approval documentation for the La Fortuna project. "As stated previously, the receipt of formal permit notifications for the La Fortuna gold project represents a major milestone for the Company. We are appreciative of the support provided by Osisko Gold Royalties allowing for us to meet the permitting payment deadlines," stated Minera Alamos CEO Darren Koningen. "We can now look forward to 2019 and the beginning of site preparation work leading to a construction decision later in the year." "We are pleased to provide continuing support to the efforts of the Minera Alamos team as they successfully advance the La Fortuna gold project through permitting and toward a production decision," stated Sean Roosen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Osisko Gold Royalties. "The progress that Minera Alamos has made this year is a testimony to their ability to advance their development portfolio and we look forward to working with them as they transition to a gold producer." $2 MILLION SENIOR SECURED LOAN Under the terms of the Loan Agreement, Osisko has provided Minera Alamos with a $2 million (the "Principal Amount") loan. The Loan has a maturity date of 18 months from the date of issue and interest shall be payable on the Principal Amount at a rate per annum that is equal to LIBOR plus 8.5%, compounded monthly. Accrued interest shall be payable at maturity. At Osisko's election, the Principal Amount may be converted in to a 1% NSR on the La Fortuna gold project pursuant to the Royalty Option Agreement (see press release dated May 30th, 2017). In addition, at the sole discretion of Osisko, the maturity date of the Loan could be advanced earlier than 18 months subject to providing 60 days notice to Minera Alamos. While the Loan is outstanding, it is secured by substantially all of the assets of Minera Alamos. The Company has also issued 200,000 common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") to Osisko. Each Warrant entitles Osisko to acquire one common share at a price of $0.30 during the term of Loan. The loan will be used for the change of land use payment required as part of the recent notice received by the Company regarding the Company's ETJ-MAI permit applications for the proposed La Fortuna gold project and for other Project development purposes such as site preparation work in advance of the arrival of the Company's previously acquired 2,000 tpd mill. The entering into the Loan Agreement, the Amendment of the Royalty Option Agreement, the issue of the Warrants, the granting of the Security and the other transactions contemplated by the Loan Agreement, are considered to be a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as a result of Osisko owning 46,080,000 (~15.3%) of the common shares of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the transactions are exempt from the requirement to obtain a formal valuation pursuant to section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, as the common shares of Minera Alamos are not listed on any of the specified markets and exempt from the requirement to obtain minority approval pursuant to 5.5(a) of MI 61-101, as at the time the transactions were agreed to, neither the fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for the transactions, insofar as it involves interested parties, exceeded 25 per cent of the Company's market capitalization. The material change report to be issued in connection herewith is being filed less than 21 days in advance of the closing of the Loan as the Company requires the consideration it will receive in connection with the Loan immediately to make certain property payments. ROYALTY OPTION AGREEMENT AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENT Further to a Strategic Partnership entered into between Minera Alamos and Osisko in May 2017, Osisko was provided certain rights that included: Royalty Option: Osisko was granted an option to purchase up to a 4.0% NSR royalty on the La Fortuna Property (" La Fortuna ") for total consideration of $9 million. Osisko was granted an option to purchase up to a 4.0% NSR royalty on the La Fortuna Property (" ") for total consideration of $9 million. Royalty/Stream Right: As long as Osisko holds common shares equal to at least 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Minera Alamos, on a non-diluted basis (as determined in accordance with the terms of the Investment Agreement), Osisko will have a participation right on any and all royalties, streams, or similar interests granted on properties belonging to Minera Alamos. As long as Osisko holds common shares equal to at least 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Minera Alamos, on a non-diluted basis (as determined in accordance with the terms of the Investment Agreement), Osisko will have a participation right on any and all royalties, streams, or similar interests granted on properties belonging to Minera Alamos. Additional Rights: Osisko has (i) the right to participate in half of any buybacks of existing La Fortuna royalties, and (ii) the right to acquire (at fair market value) a 2.0% NSR on any property acquired within a 250 km radius of La Fortuna. As part of the early funding arrangement, the Royalty Option Agreement was amended to provide the earlier conversion of the loan into a 1% NSR royalty that provides the Company increased flexibility. In addition, amendments were made to provide for liquidated damages and pursuant to the Investment Agreement to remove the 10% shareholding requirement in relation to the rights granted to Osisko under the Royalty Option Agreement as noted above. For Further Information Please Contact: Minera Alamos Inc. Doug Ramshaw, President Tel: 604-600-4423 Email: dramshaw@mineraalamos.com Website: www.mineraalamos.com About Minera Alamos Minera Alamos is an advanced-stage exploration and development company with a growing portfolio of high-quality Mexican assets, including the La Fortuna open-pit gold project in Durango with positive PEA completed, the Santana open-pit heap-leach development project in Sonora with test mining and processing completed and the Guadalupe de Los Reyes open-pit gold-silver project in Sinaloa with mine planning in progress. The Company is awaiting the pending approval of permit applications related to the commercial production of gold at both the Santana and Fortuna projects. The Company's strategy is to develop low capex assets while expanding the project resources and pursue complementary strategic acquisitions. Mr. Darren Koningen, P. Eng., Minera Alamos' CEO, is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical content of this press release under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Koningen has supervised the preparation of, and approved the scientific and technical disclosures in this news release. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking information and Minera Alamos cautions readers that forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of Minera Alamos included in this news release. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements", which often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". These statements are based on information currently available to Minera Alamos and Minera Alamos provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements with respect to Minera Alamos' future plans with respect to the Projects, objectives or goals, to the effect that Minera Alamos or management expects a stated condition or result to occur and the expected timing for release of a resource and reserve estimate on the Projects. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, the economics of processing methods, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Minera Alamos' mineral properties, the ability to complete a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons. Minera Alamos' financial condition and prospects could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: an inability to finance and/or complete an updated resource and reserve estimate and a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Minera Alamos' activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. Minera Alamos does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by Minera Alamos or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. 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. The global autonomous farm equipment market is expected to post a CAGR of close to 15% during the period 2019-2023, according to the latest market research report by Technavio This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005513/en/ Technavio has released a new market research report on the global autonomous farm equipment market for the period 2019-2023. (Graphic: Business Wire) A key factor driving the growth of the market is the increasing labor shortage in agriculture. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a steep decline in the number of people getting employed in salaried agricultural jobs in the US. With increasing urbanization, more people migrate to urban areas to seek employment. Furthermore, the labor shortage in agriculture has led to a scarcity of skilled personnel such as drivers in farms. For instance, New Zealand faced a shortage of tractor drivers, especially in the horticultural sector, during the harvesting season in 2018. These drivers also face the risk of hearing impairment due to exposure to higher noise levels from tractor engines. As these laborers find jobs elsewhere with better wages, the demand for autonomous technology in farm equipment is expected to increase. This market research report on the global autonomous farm equipment market 2019-2023 also provides an analysis of the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook during the forecast period. Technavio classifies an emerging trend as a major factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing In this report, Technavio highlights the R&D efforts towards fully autonomous farm equipment as one of the key emerging trends in the global autonomous farm equipment market: Global autonomous farm equipment market: R&D efforts towards fully autonomous farm equipment Fully autonomous tractors are in the developmental stage. Many vendors have announced the concept models, while the production is still underway. Development of fully automated farm equipment such as tractors is under research by major companies such as Deere Company, CNH Industrial, and Mahindra Mahindra and startups such as Bear Flag Robotics. CNH Industrial developed its Case IH magnum model of autonomous tractors, in which there is no cabin for the driver. Besides single autonomous farm equipment, research also aims to achieve fully automated farm operations. A project called Hands-Free Hectare by Harper Adams University was successful in operating a combine harvester and a tractor without human drivers in 2017. These factors drive the market. "Along with R&D efforts, some other factors boosting the growth of the global autonomous farm equipment market are the increasing government support for developing autonomous farm technology and the growth of automated urban farms," says a senior analyst at Technavio for research on agricultural equipment. Global autonomous farm equipment market: Segmentation analysis This market research report segments the global autonomous farm equipment market by product (tractor, harvester, and UAVs) and geographical regions (APAC, EMEA, and the Americas). The tractor segment led the market in 2018 with a market share of more than 64%, followed by harvester and UAVs respectively. However, during the forecast period, the UAV segment is expected to register the highest incremental growth, followed by the harvesters segment. 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/20181212005513/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 www.technavio.com Regulatory News: Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI) notes the public statement from the activist fund Elliott. Shareholder engagement is a priority for the Company and Pernod Ricard values constructive input from its shareholders, towards the shared goal of enhancing long-term value creation. While it is the Company's policy not to comment on interactions with specific shareholders, it is important to note that members of Pernod Ricard's senior management team have held discussions with Elliott over the past few weeks. The Pernod Ricard Board of Directors and management team are committed to acting in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders and will continue to take action to achieve this important objective. As the world's second-largest wine and spirits company, with the best positioned portfolio in the industry and strong innovation capabilities, Pernod Ricard is well placed to continue to execute on its strategic roadmap and fulfill consumers' aspirations. We have established a foundation built on operational excellence, talent management, sustainability and responsibility, and route to market consumer. These are essential to our company and we are determined to continue to transform and accelerate to set the pace within a changing industry and consumer landscape. Consequently, over the past three years, the Pernod Ricard Board of Directors and management team have executed a new strategic consumer-centric model aimed at transforming each consumption moment into a true convivial experience. As part of this strategic model, the Company has focused on areas that will leverage the fundamentals that underpin its success: a complete portfolio of Premium brands, premiumisation and luxury, innovation and digital acceleration. These actions are yielding results: Sales and profits from recurring operations increased 6% and 6.3% respectively in 2017/18 compared to 3.6% and 3.3% during the prior year, which is already above the mid-term guidance of 4 to 5% top line growth shared with our investors in 2015 This growth is diversified and spread across all regions and categories. Importantly, innovation represents a third of this growth. We have also become the leader in Ultra-Premium and Prestige segments, with our luxury portfolio growing 10% over the past year Our operational excellence initiatives (200m savings in P&L and 200m savings in cash) are also delivering ahead of plan, with nearly 2/3 of cost savings already achieved and 50% reinvested into the business We have also achieved a record level of free cash flow of 1.4bn (+77% increase since 2014/15) and significantly reduced debt down to 2.6x Net Debt EBITDA The acceleration of our top line growth was confirmed during our Q1 communication At our recent shareholders' meeting, we confirmed our guidance for 2018/19 of 5 to 7% organic growth on profit from recurring operations. We also announced our new strategic plan "Transform and Accelerate" the objective of which is to solidify the acceleration of our growth while pursuing our transformation. Pernod Ricard will further communicate on February 7th, 2019 during the H1 2019 results announcement on its financial performance. Pernod Ricard's Board is composed of 14 highly qualified and diverse directors who bring together a wide variety of consumer brand management, marketing, operational and finance expertise, as well as public company board and senior executive experience. Moreover, the Company has demonstrated a commitment to Board refreshment, having added three directors over the last three years and most recently Patricia Barbizet. Patricia will bring her expertise in terms of governance, management, retail and luxury. The Board regularly evaluates its composition to ensure the appropriate skills and experience necessary to drive growth for all Pernod Ricard shareholders and will continue to do so. Alexandre Ricard stated: "We are a Group with strong family values committed to long-term value creation. Over the past three years, we have created more than 11bn of value and our share price has increased by +37.7%, significantly outperforming the CAC40 index (+5.6%) and the Eurostoxx Food Beverage index (-13.4%). That being said, long-term value creation is not measured by share price performance alone but by taking into account the interests of all stakeholders: our shareholders, our 19,000 employees, our consumers, our partners and suppliers. Our strategy is working and is the right one combining short-term profitability and sustainable, profitable and responsible growth under a consistent and long-term roadmap About Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard is the world's n2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of 8,987 million in FY18. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,900 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 "Brand Companies" and 86 "Market Companies" established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard's strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005527/en/ Contacts: Pernod Ricard Julia Massies, +33 1 41 00 42 02 VP, Financial Communication Investor Relations Adam Ramjean, +33 1 41 00 41 59 Investor Relations Manager Olivier Cavil, +33 1 41 00 40 96 Group Communications Director Fabien Darrigues, +33 1 41 00 44 86 External Communications Director Emmanuel Vouin, +33 1 41 00 44 04 Press Relations Manager -- MEDICI LIVING Group and CORESTATE Enter Investment Agreement to Develop 35 New 'QUARTERS' Co-Living Locations, 6,000 Units Across Europe -- The parent company of QUARTERS, one the fastest-growing co-living brands in the U.S., today announced a 1bn investment agreement for its European portfolio. This initiative -- the largest single co-living investment worldwide -- is a key milestone in the firm's growth and prelude to an American expansion projected for 2019. Under the record-breaking announcement, Berlin-based MEDICI LIVING Group, one of the largest co-living service providers in the world, and Frankfurt-listed CORESTATE Capital Holding S.A. (CORESTATE), one of Europe's largest real estate investment managers, have jointly agreed to invest 1bn of equity and debt in the co-living sector over the next three to five years, developing 35 new co-living assets across Europe. "This investment is a breakthrough for the co-living sector worldwide," said Gunther Schmidt, MEDICI LIVING founder and CEO. "The co-living sector has enormous potential-even greater than the co-working sector, and our European investment program presents a playbook for our growth plans in the U.S. and other markets. We are building the WeWork of co-living," Mr. Schmidt added. In addition to MEDICI LIVING's current European target markets of Germany, UK, and Netherlands, the new investment program will focus on Austria, Switzerland, Spain, and Poland. The focus will be on cities with populations greater than 500,000, and properties existing as well as new-build with an investment volume of between 20m and 60m. The partners expect the program to include around 35 assets in total, which the MEDICI LIVING Group will operate under the QUARTERS brand. With its high-quality facilities, QUARTERS, which also has locations in New York and Chicago, targets young professionals and offers a residential and living experience aligned with the needs of Millennials. CORESTATE will handle investment, project development, financing, and asset and fund management, while the MEDICI LIVING Group will be responsible for the conceptual design and operation of the properties. Already one of the largest co-living service providers in the world, Medici will grow its current portfolio of 1,800 rooms to more than 7,800 rooms with the program. "Urbanization, young people's desire for community as well as the opportunity to live and work in different cities, are boosting demand for communal residential space," said Dr. Michael Butter, CEO of CORESTATE. "Investment in the co-living segment is characterized by the low risk profile of residential property paired, however, with higher yield expectations. Investors will profit from CORESTATE's Europe-wide expertise in deal sourcing and the operative know-how of MEDICI LIVING." About QUARTERS With locations in New York, Chicago, and Berlin, QUARTERS is a global co-living brand that offers a new and unique living experience for young professionals. The QUARTERS lifestyle is built on convenience and flexibility and is driven by the understanding that the value of home is created by shared experiences. https://goquarters.com/ About MEDICI LIVING Group The Medici Living Group, the largest provider of co-living services worldwide, develops and operates innovative, digitalized residential and co-living space concepts for different target groups with different needs around the globe. For its co-living brands medici living (student co-living) and QUARTERS (co-living for young professionals), the group leases existing assets as well as new buildings. Overall, the portfolio of the Medici Living Group encompasses 1,800 rooms worldwide, which are 97% occupied. All residential units are leased long-term and furnished by Medici. CEO and founder Gunther Schmidt launched the Medici Living Group together with Robert Gmeiner and Ferdinand von Fumetti, co-founder and managing director, in 2012. About CORESTATE Capital Holding S.A. CORESTATE Capital Holding S.A. (CORESTATE) is an investment manager and co-investor with approximately EUR 25bn in assets under management. As a fully integrated real estate platform, CORESTATE offers its clients combined expertise in the areas of investment and fund management as well as real estate management services. The company operates as a respected business partner of institutional clients and wealthy private investors internationally. CORESTATE is headquartered in Luxembourg and has 42 offices including in Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Singapore and Zurich. The company employs over 730 people and is listed in the regulated market (SDAX) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Further information is available at www.corestate-capital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005478/en/ Contacts: Lisa Serbaniewicz Marino lisa@marinopr.com (212) 402-3496 Regulatory News: This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005535/en/ Stallergenes Greer (Paris:STAGR), a biopharmaceutical company specialising in treatments for respiratory allergies, today announced that the following appointments to the Company's corporate leadership and Board of Directors were confirmed and approved by the Company's Board of Directors on 12 December 2018. Stefan Meister is appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors, Michele Antonelli is appointed member of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer and Elmar Schnee is appointed Lead Independent Director. The board of directors thanks Fereydoun Firouz, who will retire from his position as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at the end of 2018, for his contribution to the company. Effective 4 January 2019, and as announced in August 2018, Stefan Meister will take over as Chairman of the board of Directors and Michele Antonelli as Chief Executive Officer. Stefan Meister is Group Chief Operating Officer of the Waypoint Group, a business enterprise for the managers and advisers of the funds and investments associated with the Bertarelli family, which is also the indirect owner of Ares Life Sciences I S.a.r.l., Stallergenes Greer's largest shareholder. Prior to his role at Waypoint Group, Mr Meister was Chief Financial Officer of the Haniel Group, before which he was a member of the Executive Management Board of Celesio Group. Mr Meister began his career in 1991 at Novartis AG (Switzerland), holding various positions including Head of Controlling for the Pharma Division. Until May 2016, Mr Meister was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Swiss group, Straumann. Mr Meister is Swiss and holds a degree in economics from Basel University. Michele Antonelli has more than 20 years of international experience in the biopharmaceutical industry with extensive expertise in manufacturing, commercial and general management. Mr Antonelli joined Stallergenes Greer in November 2015 as Executive Vice President, Head of International Operations. In February 2016, Mr Antonelli was appointed Executive Vice President, Head of Europe and International, overseeing both commercial and technical operations for the Company's Europe and International region. During the same period he also served as President of Stallergenes SAS. Prior to Stallergenes Greer, Mr Antonelli worked at UCB, the multinational biopharmaceutical company, as an Executive Committee Member where he held roles of various responsibility and scope in Belgium, Italy and France, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Head of Immunology Europe, overseeing the region's commercial, medical and market access activities. Prior to joining UCB, Mr Antonelli spent 16 years at Merck Serono, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Biotech Manufacturing and Process Development. He is Swiss and Italian, and graduated as Doctor in Sciences from University of Bari. He trained in Biotechnology at Catholic University in Piacenza and at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Elmar Schnee has more than 25 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Mr Schnee is currently Board Secretary of Mindmaze SA and was, from 2016 to March 2017, Chief Operating Officer. Mr Schnee is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Santhera AG, a Swiss speciality pharmaceutical company developing medicines for rare diseases. He is also a Member of the Board of Directors of Jazz Pharmaceuticals. From November 2013 to August 2015, Mr Schnee served as a Non-Executive Director of Cardiorentis Ltd., a biopharmaceutical company, where he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from October 2011 until November 2013. From 2003 to 2011, Mr Schnee held various positions at Merck KGaA, a global pharmaceutical and chemical group, having joined in 2003 as Managing Director of Merck Sante SAS. In 2004, Mr Schnee assumed responsibility for global commercial operations of the ethical pharmaceuticals division of Merck KGaA, and in November 2005, Mr Schnee was appointed as Deputy Member of the Executive Board responsible for the pharmaceuticals business. In 2006, he was appointed as a member of the Executive Board and General Partner of Merck KGaA, with responsibility for global pharmaceutical activities, and served in this position until 2011. Prior to Merck KGaA, Mr Schnee held senior positions in strategy, business development and marketing at UCB SA, Sanofi-Synthelabo SA, Migliara Kaplan Associates, Inc. and Fisons Pharmaceuticals PLC. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of four privately held life sciences companies. Mr Schnee holds a BA in marketing and a masters in marketing and general management from the Swiss Institute of Business Administration in Zurich. ABOUT STALLERGENES GREER PLC Headquartered in London (UK), Stallergenes Greer plc is a global healthcare company specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies through the development and commercialization of allergy immunotherapy products and services. Stallergenes Greer plc is the parent company of GREER Laboratories, Inc. (whose registered office is in the US) and Stallergenes SAS (whose registered office is in France). TRADING INFORMATION Name: Stallergenes Greer ISIN: GB00BZ21RF93 1 Ticker: STAGR ICB Classification: 4577 LEI: 213800CYVZA7GJQEME86 Market: Euronext Paris regulated market Further information disclosed pursuant to the AFEP-MEDEF Code can be found in the Investors section of our website. Additional information is available at http://www.stallergenesgreer.com. This document (including information incorporated by reference in this document), oral statements made and other information published by the Company contain statements that are or may be forward-looking with respect to the financial condition and/or results of operations and businesses of the Company. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expects," "project," "estimated," "forecast," "should," "plan," "may," "will" or the negative of any of these, or other variations thereof, or comparable terminology indicating expectations or beliefs concerning future events. These forward-looking statements include risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Without being exhaustive, such factors include economic situations and business conditions, including legal and product evaluation issues, fluctuations in currencies and demand, and changes in competitive factors. These and other factors are more fully described in the Company's 2017 annual report published on 16 April 2018 on the Company's website www.stallergenesgreer.com. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, due to these and other various factors. Save as required by applicable law, neither the Company nor any other person assumes any obligation to update these forward-looking statements or to notify any person of any such update. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005535/en/ Contacts: Investors relations Matthias Vogt Chief Financial Officer Office: +44 (0) 207 239 4513 Email: matthias.vogt@stallergenesgreer.com Communications Caitlin Stefanik Communications director Tel: + 857 331 4117 Email: caitlin.stefanik@stallergenesgreer.com Investor Relations Agency FTI Consulting Arnaud de Cheffontaines Tel: +33 1 47 03 68 10 Email: stallergenesgreer@fticonsulting.com Media Relations Agency Havas Paris (Europe) Samuel Rousseau +33 6 77 88 32 43 E-mail: samuel.rousseau@havas.com HONG KONG, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today launched the "Belt and Road Cross-Professional Advancement Programme" (the Programme), the first-ever cross-professional platforms for local professionals and business leaders in Hong Kong and the Mainland to exchange knowledge and share experiences in the infrastructure projects of the Belt & Road countries, as well as to network, explore market opportunities and develop multilateral collaborations. The focus of the first round of the Programme will be on infrastructure development, and there are plans to cover other areas as well, for example, tourism and hotel industries. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797502/PolyU_belt_road.jpg ) The Inauguration of the Programme was officiated by the Chief Executive of HKSAR, Mrs Carrie Lam; Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Huang Liuquan; Executive Chairman of the Alibaba Group, Mr Jack Ma; Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau; PolyU President Professor Timothy W. Tong, and Chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association, Mr Gao Yingxin. More than 600 elite-participants from professional and business sectors of Hong Kong and the Mainland attended the ceremony staged at the Central Government Offices. Addressing the Programme inauguration today, the Honourable Mrs Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of HKSAR, said, "The Belt & Road Initiative involves a huge amount of infrastructure projects including airports, railways, ports and energy, it also requires establishing industrial zones and new town development. Before we go global to the Belt & Road counties, we all have to better equip ourselves to embrace the opportunities and challenges of the Initiative. I am pleased to launch today's Programme and I wish the Programme a big success." Professor Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President, said, "Over years, PolyU has been actively collaborating with tertiary institutions in the Belt & Road countries for research development and education development. We have built a Belt & Road strategic platform with a vision to leverage our University's expertise and network for capacity building, thus fostering talent development, knowledge transfer and research development for the sustainable advancement of the Belt Road countries. PolyU is pleased and ready to support HKSAR Government to promote Belt & Road programmes." The year-long Programme, funded with $2.3 million from the Professional Services Advancement Support Scheme of The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, has received support from 25 professional bodies covering accounting, finance, insurance, legal, real estate, construction, town planning, surveying, and engineering sectors. Commenced in January 2019, the Programme targets to reach 650 local professionals, as well as entrepreneurs from local and the Mainland. It will consist of seven workshops and two cross-professional sharing sessions, covering a wide variety of topics including feasibility and financeability assessment for the projects, risk management, cross-cultural management, budget issues, dispute resolution, international project management, relational contracting systems, etc. The Programme is jointly offered by the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Institute of Advanced Executive Education, Department of Building and Real Estate, and School of Accounting and Finance of PolyU. At the inaugural conference held today, experts from major multinational corporations and Chinese enterprises in infrastructure, as well as officials from the Mainland and PolyU's faculty members, shared their perspectives on exploring business collaborations and partnership opportunities in the Belt and Road countries. Speaking at the conference, Mr Fang Qiuchen, Chairman of the China International Contractors Association, said Belt and Road Initiative has provided new momentum and opportunities for enterprises in Hong Kong and the Mainland. For the last 10 months, nearly half of the new overseas contracts offered to the Mainland's enterprises are related to projects in Belt and Road countries. "I hope that with strong support from the government, we can establish a systematic mechanism to facilitate exchanges among enterprises and industry associations of Hong Kong and the Mainland," he said. Sr Dick Kwong, President of The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, said "Surveyors of Hong Kong possess internationally recognised qualification, strong management skills, and extensive global experiences. Many Belt and Road countries are putting great efforts in developing economy, engaging in massive infrastructure constructions and bettering relevant laws. Hong Kong surveyors can surely provide them with world-class surveying service." Press Contact: Ms Denise Wong Communications and Public Affairs Office, PolyU Telephone: (852)-3400-2131 Email: denise.wf.wong@polyu.edu.hk Teleperformance rewarded for employees' engagement, leadership, agility and focus on talents Regulatory News: Teleperformance (Paris:TEP), the global leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, today announced it has been recognized as a 2018 Aon Best Employer in seven countries: Albania, Guyana, India, Lithuania, Morocco, Tunisia, and its TLScontact activity in Lebanon. With almost 20 years of experience in Best Employer studies across the world and backed by more than 50 years of experience in employee research, the Aon Best Employers program compares organizations to identify those striving to create a competitive advantage through their people and become employers of choice. Teleperformance was assessed by the Aon Best Employer program on four measures: 1. Engagement: employees speak positively about their employer, intend to stay and are motivated by their experience to do their best work every day. 2. Engaging Leaders: at all levels of management, leaders are accessible, have a strong vision for the future and value efforts and results. 3. Agility: culture and resources enabling responsiveness to changing client needs, diversity of ideas and backgrounds, and adoption of new ways of working. 4. Talent Focus: attracting and retaining talents for future success, through personal development and rewards for their contributions. "We are deeply committed to our people and focused on creating a positive workplace for our employees and engaging environment that facilitates mutual developments,'' said Daniel Julien, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Teleperformance. "We are truly honored that our efforts have been recognized as an Aon Best Employer across multiple countries. "The Aon Best Employers program recognizes the outstanding achievements of organizations that demonstrate excellence in the workplace and consistently deliver strong, sustainable business results," said Daniel Riley, Aon Engagement Culture Practice Leader Europe. "Teleperformance has become an employer of choice thanks to high employee engagement empowering results, engaging leaders across the organization, the promotion of an agile working environment, and a relentless focus on talents. We congratulate Teleperformance on achieving this recognition." ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE GROUP Teleperformance (TEP ISIN: FR0000051807 Reuters: ROCH.PA Bloomberg: TEP FP), the global leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience management, serves as a strategic partner to the world's leading companies in a wide variety of industries. Its customer care, technical support, customer acquisition, consulting analytics, digital integrated business service solutions and other high-value specialized services ensure consistently positive customer interactions that are reliable, flexible and intelligent. The company has established the highest security and quality standards in the industry and uses proprietary deep learning technology to optimize flexibility on a global scale. The Group's 300,000 employees, spread across nearly 80 countries, support billions of connections annually in 265 languages and enhance the customer experience with every interaction. In 2017, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of 4,180 million (US$4,720 million, based on 1 $1.13). Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: CAC Large 60, CAC Next 20, CAC Support Services, STOXX 600, SBF 120, S&P Europe 350 and MSCI Global Standard. They have also been included in the Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 index since December 2015 and the FTSE4Good Index since June 2018 with regard to the Group's performance in corporate responsibility. For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us on Twitter @teleperformance View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005544/en/ Contacts: Press relations Americas and Asia-Pacific Mark Pfeiffer Phone: 1 801-257-5811 mark.pfeiffer@teleperformance.com Europe IMAGE7 Phone: +33 1 53 70 74 70 szaks@image7.fr Investor Relations Phone: +33 1 53 83 59 87/59 15 investor@teleperformance.com Regulatory News: Europcar Mobility Group (Paris:EUCAR) is proud to announce the extension of its alliance partnership with Shouqi, a leading car rental company in China, subsidiary of the Beijing Tourism Group. Shouqi Car Rental customers are able to access Europcar's car rental services directly from Shouqi's website (www.izuche.com or email sqcs@izuche.com and will be able to purchase all inclusive packages outside of China throughout the Europcar worldwide network. In the same way, Europcar customers have access to Shouqi's services through Europcar's website (www.europcar.com and are able to either rent a car, if they own a chinese driving license, or book a chauffeur service in China through a range of three offers: classic, business or people with reduced mobility. "Through this continued partnership, our customers will be able to benefit from these key quality mobility offerings to fully service both their business and leisure needs within this key strategic market of China. Furthermore, customers within China will continue to benefit and be serviced under the Europcar brand throughout our extensive network around the world, ensuring they have one central partner to book all their worldwide mobility service requirements" explained Marcus Bernhardt, Europcar Mobility Group's Managing Director, International Coverage Business Unit. Shouqi Car Rental is one of the leading mobility players in China (N1 long term rental provider, N1 ride hailing provider, N 3 short term rental provider) with a fleet of more than 70,000 vehicles, approximatively 1,100 stations and covering more than 79 domestic cities. Europcar Mobility Group is active in more than 130 countries, serving 6 million customers with its network of 3700 stations worldwide, comprised of its wholly-owned subsidiary as well as sites operated by franchisees and partners. The Europcar Mobility Group operates an average fleet of more than 350,000 vehicles. The China market is one of the prime targets of Europcar Mobility Group's geographical expansion strategy; partnerships being one of the ways to entry on this market. Thanks to the access to Shouqi's customers, the Europcar brand registered 7,000 additional bookings from customers within China in 20181 With this renewal of the partnership, Europcar Mobility Group will now access to all subsidiaries of the Beijng Tourism Group, including Shouqi Car Rental but also other tourism facilities owned by the Group (malls, hotels, restaurants, amusement parks), thus aiming an increase of the bookings of 25-30% year on year. "We are proud to have such a dynamic, active and strategic mobility partner again on our side, focusing on the massive travel opportunities from China into our Global Mobility network, as well as vice versa. The success of this partnership over the last 2 years has shown, that our strategy in entering the chinese market with Shouqi Car Rental has been the right one" said Fabrizio Ruggiero, Europcar Mobility Group's Deputy CEO, Head of Business Units. ENDS About Europcar Mobility Group Europcar Mobility Group is a major player in mobility markets and listed on Euronext Paris. The mission of Europcar Mobility Group is to be the preferred "Mobility Service Company" by offering alternative attractive solutions to vehicle ownership, with a wide range of mobility-related services: vehicle-rental, chauffeur services, car-sharing, scooter-sharing and peer-to-peer car-rental. Customers' satisfaction is at the heart of the Group's mission and all of its employees and this commitment fuels the continuous development of new services. Europcar Mobility Group operates through multi brands meeting every customer specific needs; its 4 major brands being: Europcar the European leader in vehicle rental services, Goldcar the most important low-cost car-rental company in Europe, InterRent 'mid-tier' brand focused on leisure and Ubeeqo one of the European leaders in car-sharing (BtoB, BtoC). Europcar Mobility Group delivers its mobility solutions worldwide solutions through an extensive network in 135 countries (including 16 wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe, 2 in Australia and New Zealand, franchises and partners). 1 Net reservation volumes YTD, end of November 2018 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005553/en/ Contacts: Media Europcar Mobility Group Valerie Sauteret Marie-Anne Benardais +33 1 30 44 98 82 europcarpressoffice@europcar.com Publicis Consultants Salima Djeziri +33 (0) 1 44 82 47 48 salima.djeziri@publicisconsultants.com SEB has decided on the Business Plan for 2019-2021. Tomorrow, Thursday, 13 December, SEB will host an investor- and press conference presenting a summary of the new business plan, including a cost target for 2021. "SEB enters the next phase from a position of strength. The Group has a solid financial position, strong profitability, capitalisation and cost efficiency. We are now setting the strategic direction to capture the opportunities generated from market evolution, to secure long-term growth and ensure that SEB will deliver world class service to our customers in a rapidly changing and highly competitive banking landscape" says Johan Torgeby, SEB's President and CEO. SEB's ambition is to become the undisputed leading Nordic corporate and institutional bank, as well as the top universal bank in Sweden and the Baltic countries, maintaining a strong financial position and cost efficiency to deliver shareholder value. Based on a thorough analysis, SEB sees great potential to accelerate transformation and use new technology to meet future customer needs, tap into new revenue pools and drive efficiency. SEB will continue to build on its core strengths while addressing new revenue and cost efficiency opportunities within three targeted areas: Operational Excellence: Customers demand smarter, faster and more secure services. SEB needs to continuously increase productivity and cost efficiency, by accelerating digitalisation and end-to-end automation processes, and increase the use of data. Advisory Leadership: As products within the banking industry become increasingly commoditised, the quality of advisory will be a key differentiator for SEB to be relevant to customers. Therefore, SEB intends to further strengthen advisory capabilities in high growth segments in investment banking, to capture opportunities from the tech/digital transformation, and in the energy sector and leverage on SEB's strengths within private banking in the Nordics. SEB will continue to take a leading role within sustainable finance and will strengthen its sustainability competence, products and advisory offerings. Extended Presence: SEB aims to widen its customer interface in order to leverage the growing bankable market in an increasingly interconnected world. With open banking, new revenue opportunities will arise outside existing distribution channels. SEB is also looking to identify cutting-edge financial solutions with new partners to integrate on SEB's platform and include in its full-service customer offering. SEB will continue to operate with a strict cost discipline ensuring that its current operations are run with an unchanged cost base during the business plan period 2019-2021. The new strategic initiatives, on an accumulated basis, are estimated to lead to total additional investments of SEK 2-2.5bn during the three year period 2019-2021. This translates into an annual cost increase of SEK 1bn by 2021, and a new total cost target of around SEK 23bn by 2021, assuming 2018 FX-rates. The pace of investments will be dependent on progress and will be gradually ramped up over the next three years. The strategic initiatives are expected to lead to both improved revenue growth and cost efficiencies over time. SEB's financial targets remain unchanged: Dividend payout ratio at 40 % or more of earnings per share Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of around 150 basis points above requirement Return on equity competitive with peers You are invited to participate in the following events: Presentation Time: 09:30 (CET) Venue: Kungstradgardsgatan 8, Stockholm Johan Torgeby, President and CEO, will present the summary of the Business Plan for 2019-2021. The presentation can be followed live and will be available 09:30 (CET) on sebgroup.com/ir (http://www.sebgroup.com/ir). For media attendance, please contact press@seb.se (mailto:press@seb.se) or +46 8 763 91 10 for accreditation. Telephone Conference Time: 14:30 (CET) Johan Torgeby, Masih Yazdi, Finance Director, and Christoffer Geijer, Head of Investor Relations, will present the business plan, followed by a Q&A session. To participate, please call +44 (0)2071 928 000, quote conference id: 2080598, at least 10 minutes in advance. The telephone conference audio webcast can be followed live on sebgroup.com/ir (http://www.sebgroup.com/ir) and will also be available afterwards. For further information, please contact Christoffer Geijer, Head of Investor Relations +46 (0)70 762 1006 christoffer.geijer@seb.se (mailto:christoffer.geijer@seb.se) Press contact Frank Hojem, Head of Media Relations +46 (0)70 763 9947 frank.hojem@seb.se (mailto:frank.hojem@seb.se) This is information that Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ.) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 18.00 CET, on 12 December 2018. SEB is a leading Nordic financial services group with a strong belief that entrepreneurial minds and innovative companies are key in creating a better world. SEB takes a long-term perspective and supports its customers in good times and bad. In Sweden and the Baltic countries, SEB offers financial advice and a wide range of financial services. In Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany and UK the bank's operations have a strong focus on corporate and investment banking based on a full-service offering to corporate and institutional clients. The international nature of SEB's business is reflected in its presence in some 20 countries worldwide. At 30 September 2018, the Group's total assets amounted to SEK 2,777bn while its assets under management totalled SEK 1,871bn. The Group has around 15,000 employees. Read more about SEB at http://www.sebgroup.com (http://www.sebgroup.com). Press release (PDF) (http://hugin.info/1208/R/2228842/875428.pdf) This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: SEB via Globenewswire LONDON, Ontario, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Presented at the British Thoracic Society December 2018. When spacer chambers were introduced in the 1980s, they were a game changer in asthma treatment, overcoming the challenges faced by users with poor inhaler technique. Over the years, their popularity has proliferated, with a wide range of lower-priced chambers available worldwide. Although they may appear interchangeable, they can differ significantly in terms of drug delivery. This was borne out in a recent in vitro study presented at the British Thoracic Society Annual Winter Meeting.[1] Researchers evaluated the gold standard AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* chamber with a lower-cost chamber, the Free-Breath device, simulating use in both infants and children. Both chambers have a mask and are suitable for children from 1 to 5 years old. When comparing the potential drug delivery into children's lungs (using a Ventolin MDI), the Free-Breath device delivered only 55 percent of the drug as compared to the AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* chamber. Most significantly, results showed that the Free-Breath infant device-which is intended for use by children under the age of 18 months-delivered no drug at all. "This study was a real eye-opener for me," said Dr. Will Carroll, a Respiratory Paediatrician from Stoke-on-Trent. "I had assumed that if a device was available for prescription, that studies of effectiveness would have been undertaken." Global asthma guidelines recommend using a spacer chamber that has documented efficacy in young people.[2] Using a spacer chamber is critical for young people to overcome obstacles to the drug making its way to the lungs. The aerosol contents of an HFA inhaler are under pressure and released quickly, making it difficult to coordinate the inhalation of particles. As a result, much of the delivered drug is often deposited to the back of the throat and is then swallowed, increasing the risk of side effects. Spacer chambers are designed to hold the small drug particles in the chamber until the patient is ready to inhale, thus reducing the need for good coordination between inhalation and inhaler actuation.[2],[3] For infants and young children, coordinating inhalation with actuation of the puffer is just too difficult; using a spacer chamber allows a child to breath normally while inhaling the medication through the puffer. Spacer chamber design can make a difference to delivery. For example, leakages between the facemask and the face can affect inhalation. The AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* chamber has a unique feedback feature that helps provide visual assurance of a good facemask seal. The Flow-Vu* inhalation indicator moves with inhalation and allows caregivers to count the number of breaths taken. Bottom line? Focusing only on a lower price could result in the selection of a spacer chamber that can compromise efficacy. "A study like this could have important safety implications," Dr. Carroll stressed. "The key message for doctors and allied health professionals prescribing spacer devices is 'prescriber beware.'" About the AeroChamber Plus* Flow-Vu* chamber The AeroChamber* brand is a trusted brand with global recognition in the field of respiratory devices, with safety and efficacy validated in numerous third party clinical evaluations amongst various patient populations. It is the chamber most recommended by leading MDI pharmaceutical companies.[4] https://www.trudellmed.com * trade-marks and registered trade-marks of Trudell Medical International TMI 2018. All rights reserved. REFERENCES Bracey A, Suggett J, Nagel M. Assessing different valved holding chambers with facemask for delivered mass to carina with inhaled corticosteroid by pressurized metered-dose inhaler. Presented at The British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting, December 5-7, 2018 . Global initiative for asthma (GINA) guidelines 2018. Global strategy for asthma management and prevention. Lavorini F, Fontana GA. Targeting drugs to the airways: the role of spacer devices. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2009;6(1):91-102. AeroChamber brand of holding chambers. Study Summary ( September 2018 ). Available from: https://www.trudellmed.com/aerochamber-study-summary For clinical inquiries, please contact: Jason Suggett, PhD, BPharm, MBA, Group Director, Science and Technology, Trudell Medical International, Tel.: +1-519-455-7060 During its ordinary and extraordinary shareholders' meetings held today, Paragon ID (Euronext Paris - FR0011980077 - PID), the leading provider of identification solutions for Transport, e-ID, Traceability, Brand Protection and Payment, presented an update on its activity for the 2018/2019 financial year. Following the shareholders' meeting, the Board of Directors met and decided to separate the functions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors confirmed Mr. John Rogers as Chairman and Mr. Clem Garvey as Chief Executive Officer. John Rogers, Chairman of Paragon ID comments: "During the shareholders' meeting, all the resolutions submitted for approval were adopted, including (i) the reinforcement of the Group's governance with the appointment of Mrs. Alyna Wnukowsky and Mr. Laurent Salmon as administrators, (ii) the renewal of the delegations for financial authorisations and (iii) the renewal of the authorisation of a share buyback program." Clem Garvey, CEO of Paragon ID comments: "The remarkable work of Paragon ID's teams over this past year was highlighted during our meeting. The company has won new customers, completed its industrial reorganisation, made two strategic acquisitions and has continued to invest to drive organic growth. All of these activities were made possible by the strong support of our main shareholder, the Paragon Group, which has confirmed its confidence in Paragon ID's growth plan." Activity in line with expectations for the 2nd quarter of 2018 / 2019. Following on from the publication in November of the activity for the 1st quarter, Paragon ID reports to its shareholders that the company's turnover continues to be in line with expectations for the 2nd quarter (from October 1st to December 31st). For the coming months, Paragon ID's ambition remains unchanged: to deliver sustainable growth in its activity and in its profitability, despite a highly competitive environment for some product lines and a rise in raw material prices. Industrial savings of 3 million confirmed in 2018/19 - New focus: the improvement of the profitability for the diverse product lines. During the shareholders' meeting, the directors discussed the industrial reorganisation which took place in 2017 and 2018, resulting in the closure of factories based in Mouans-Sartoux (France), China and Boston (United Kingdom), as well as the optimisation of the industrial base in Argent-sur-Sauldre (France), Hull (United Kingdom) and Bucharest (Romania). 3 million savings in industrial costs were confirmed and will be fully reflected in the financial statements for the 2018/19 financial year. This restructuring phase being largely completed, the company has now entered a phase of optimisation with a particular attention on the profitability of all its offerings. The launch of new software and the investment in new resources to reinforce the management of the profitability of each product line is currently underway. Successful integration of AmaTech: positive discussions with large financial organisations and leaders in the payment sector Just some months following the acquisition of AmaTech, the integration of the company has been completed and this important source of new technological expertise has already added value to the company's existing offerings. Paragon ID presented its latest innovation to the payment industry - the world's first metal inlays with a dual interface chip module - at Money 20/20 in the US in October and at Trustech, in France, in November. This technology enables the production of fully integrated metal smart cards, with contactless payment enabled on both sides of the card. Thanks to this technological breakthrough, Paragon ID has been able to initiate negotiations with some of the world's largest financial institutions and leading payment card manufacturers for the development of new products and for the licensing of AmaTech's technology. First commercial developments in mobile ticketing following the strategic takeover of airweb The recent strategic investment in airweb, whose solution is already present in more than twenty cities, has allowed Paragon ID to respond to tenders for the provision of mobile ticketing solutions in two major French cities and one in the USA. The combination of airweb's technology and platform, with Paragon ID's own offerings has also resulted in the signature of MOUs for cooperation with other leading organisations in the transport and Smart Cities sector. RFID: endless opportunities Paragon ID's expertise in the field of RFID tag manufacturing, and its recent investments in the world's most sophisticated equipment, such as the BW Bielomatik TagLiner, a new chip connection concept solution for the production of RFID tags, enable the company to take full advantage of the growing adoption of RFID technology in many large industries. The latest example is the IATA's (International Air Transport Association) decision to make RFID enabled luggage traceability mandatory by 2020. The company will continue to support its extended network of customers during their transition towards RFID, as the market for product traceability grows over the coming years. Financial diary for 2018/19 First half year turnover 2018/19 30 january 2019 First half year results 2018/19 29 march 2019 Q3 turnover 2018/19 24 april 2019 Turnover for the year 2018/19 31 july 2019 Annual results for the year 2018/19 31 october 2019 These dates are given for information only, they are likely to be modified if necessary. The publications will take place before the opening of the Euronext markets. About Paragon ID Paragon ID is a leader in identification solutions, in particular in the e-ID, Transport & Smart Cities and Traceability & Brand Protection and Payment sectors. Using the latest technologies such as RFID and NFC, Paragon ID provides smart cards, tickets, labels and tags to worldwide clients in diverse markets including public transport, manufacturing, logistics, gaming and retail. Paragon ID employs more than 600 staff, with manufacturing sites in three continents (US, Europe and Asia), close to its customers. Paragon ID is a part of Paragon Group, which is a leading provider of Identification and Customer Communications services, and has a total of more than 650 million turnover and close to 5,000 employees. Paragon Group combines generations of experience with the latest innovations in technology and smart data to enable responsive and meaningful interactions between organisations and their customers. For further information about Paragon Group, visit www.paragon-europe.com. Paragon ID is listed on Euronext Paris. Share identification: Paragon ID - ISIN Code: FR0011980077 - Mnemonic code: PID. More information at Paragon-id.com Contacts Paragon ID John Rogers CEO Phone: +41 79 629 46 74 john.rogers@paragon-id.com ACTUS finance & communication Investors relations Mathieu Omnes Phone: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 92 momnes@actus.fr ACTUS finance & communication Press Relations Jean-Michel Marmillon Phone: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 73 jmmarmillon@actus.fr ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-56293-paragon-id_pr_post-ag_12122018_en.pdf 32 bi-directional trainsets offering more than 9,100 seats Passenger service expected to begin in 2022 Enhanced passenger experience Siemens Mobility has been awarded a 650 million contract in Canada to design and build the next generation of VIA Rail Canada's trainsets. This includes 32 bi-directional trainsets, with a supplemental 15-year service agreement for VIA Rail, Canada's government-owned intercity transportation operator. The new trainsets will service passengers on VIA's busiest route, the Quebec City Windsor Corridor, which connects Canada's two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal, and spans more than 2,200 kilometers in a northeast-southwest direction. The line carried more than 4.5 million passengers in 2018, representing an increase of more than 30 percent over the past four years. The trainsets will ensure the highest level of safety while also significantly enhancing the passenger experience, with excellent ride quality including more comfortable seats, quieter cars, modern climate control and a high-performance passenger Wi-Fi and digital information system. Delivery of the trainsets will begin in 2021 and passenger service in 2022. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005712/en/ VIA Rail Canada Preliminary Drawing Only (Photo: Business Wire) "As we are initiating the gradual withdrawal of the current fleet, the timely delivery of the new fleet will allow VIA Rail to maintain the current levels of service in the Quebec-City Windsor Corridor, while significantly improving the quality of its passenger experience. We thank the Government of Canada for their trust in VIA Rail and for this historic investment in its sustainable future," said Yves-Desjardins-Siciliano, President and CEO, VIA Rail Canada. "We're proud to provide VIA Rail's next generation of trainsets, which will deliver the best travel experience for its riders. Siemens Mobility is committed to delivering intelligent trains that enhance passenger experience, increase value sustainably over their lifecycle and improve availability," said Sabrina Soussan CEO, Siemens Mobility. The 32 trainsets will be powered by the popular Charger locomotives, one of the most fuel-efficient diesel-electric locomotives in the market today. The passenger cars come with a high level of comfort, air-suspension, state of the art interior design, a full range of modern passenger amenities, the latest in food service equipment and will feature Enhanced Universal Accessibility, offering multiple accommodations for wheelchairs and other mobility devices. The trainsets will be manufactured in Siemens Mobility's North American Manufacturing Headquarters for Rolling Stock located in Sacramento, California. Siemens Mobility aims to include Canadian content of more than 20 percent of supplies and service. More than 70 Siemens Mobility Charger locomotives are successfully operating across North America transporting passengers and traveling nearly 5 million kilometers per year. VIA Rail operates on a 12,500-kilometer rail network with 121 stations, 73 locomotives and 428 train cars. It transports more than 4.8 million passengers annually, covering 1.5 billion kilometers. This press release is available at www.siemens.com/press/PR2018120112MOEN Siemens Mobility is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in transport solutions for more than 160 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio in its core areas of rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, turnkey systems, intelligent traffic systems as well as related services. With digitalization, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2018, which ended on September 30, 2018, the former Siemens Mobility Division posted revenue of 8.8 billion and had around 28,400 employees worldwide. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/mobility. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005712/en/ Contacts: Kara Evanko Phone: +1 202 285 3072; E-mail: kara.evanko@siemens.com Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/SiemensMobility For further information about Siemens Mobility, please see: www.siemens.com/mobility Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited (TSXV: NTRL) ("Sweet Natural Trading", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a letter of intent with Form Factory, Inc., ("Form Factory") a leading technology, manufacturing, co-packing company licensed in Oregon, Washington and California (the "LOI"). Under the terms of the LOI, Form Factory will formulate, develop and produce infused formulations of the Company's natural sweeteners such as its Birch Xylitol and its organic Maple Flakes with functional cannabinoids such as, but not limited, to CBD, THC, THCA and CBN. Form Factory and Sweet Natural Trading are working together to develop each natural sweetener cannabinoid formulation so that it meets the requirements of accurate dosing, homogenous dispersion, odorless, shelf stable, reliable onset and constant duration based on best-in-class industry standards and regulations. Sweet Natural Trading will own and have exclusive rights to each Sweet Natural Trading formulation and will not be disclosed by Form Factory to other customers or any person or entity. Under the terms of the LOI, Sweet Natural Trading has the ability to license the formulations to Canadian producers and manufacturers once the Canadian cannabis food and beverage is expected to be legalized in 2019. Sweet Natural Trading will use each formulation to brand an assortment of cannabinoid natural sweetener products for the retail market in single serve, ready-to-use, mirco-dosed sachets to be added to coffee, tea or any hot and cold beverages. The consumer will now have a simple ingredient to naturally sweeten their beverages and get their desired cannabinoid functional response either for recreational and/or medicinal purposes. It is expected that the development of the Company's sweet natural cannabinoid formulations will be completed by the end of the year. In its operating history, Sweet Natural Trading has a proven track record of selling over $40 million in natural sweetener based products to retailers and distributors across North America and will be able to leverage its experience as a "better for you" food company in working with licensed cannabis producers, retailers and distributors. The Company's focus to extend its existing base of natural sweetener products to include functional cannabinoids will address the anticipated US$20b cannabis market in 2022 based on GMP's recent US Cannabis Industry Equity Research. About Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited is a leading natural sweetener company that promotes healthier eating by selling food products that reduce refined, added sugar consumption. With obesity and diabetes reaching unprecedented levels, the Company is focused on making a positive impact in reducing these lifestyle diseases. Sweet Natural Trading Co. products are sold in over 7,000 stores including major retail customers such as Loblaw, Walmart, Whole Foods, Publix, Kroger, Sprouts and distributors including UNFI and KeHE. For more information about Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited please contact: Steven Haasz CEO and a director of Sweet Natural Trading Co. Limited 416.288.1019 shaasz@sweetnaturaltrading.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange Inc. 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 and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Offering and the Company's strategic growth plan, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will only update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities law. Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft). 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. Files Application To Drill at Woodrush Project in NE B.C.; Reflects on Oil and Natural Gas Prices Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - DXI Energy Inc. (TSX: DXI) (OTCQB: DXIEF) ("DXI" or the "Company"), is an upstream oil and natural gas company exploring and producing oil and gas in Colorado's Piceance Basin and British Columbia's Peace River Arch region. DXI is announcing today that Robert L. Hodgkinson (Bob) has resigned as CEO but will remain as Chairman. After many years of loyal service as a Director, Craig Sturrock is going to step down. We thank Craig for his insight and tireless service. Sean Sullivan (Sean) will assume the duties of President and CEO. By way of introduction and background, Sean retired as Chairman, President and CEO of Elkhorn Holdings in June of 2016. During his time there he was a long time member of the Board of Directors of the American Pipeline Contractors Association and served for several years as president of Affinity Insurance, LTD, one of the largest member owned heterogeneous group captive reinsurance companies in existence. After 10+ years as a Field Clerk and Financial Manager for R L Frailey in Wyoming and Tulsa, OK, he served as CFO of American Spring and Wire in Chicago before moving to Pittsburgh, PA to be COO of Wesmar Partners, a private equity firm with a broad range of US portfolio companies both from a geographic and industry standpoint. Both partners at Wesmar had previously been directors at the Hillman Company, which at separate times had owned R L Frailey and American Spring. Sean was a strategic liaison between the partners and individual company CEOs. He and his family moved to Evanston WY in 1995/97 to facilitate buying Elkhorn Construction from its founders, Ken and Cindy Savage through and for an Employee Stock Ownership Trust (ESOT). This allowed every employee to earn shares as an owner. Ken and Sean had worked together at R L Frailey until Ken started Elkhorn in 1984. The ESOT borrowed 100% of the funds to buy 100% of the stock and paid the debt off in 2.5 years. From 110 employees and $10 million of annual revenue, the company grew to over 2,500 employee owners and $453 million in annual revenue. Elkhorn was sold in 2013 in a cash free debt free deal for over 165 times the original purchase price and all funds went to the employee owners. Sean was blessed to find and be surrounded by field and office team members and fellow executives who had the character, talent and drive to make all of this possible. Sean and his family are the second largest shareholders of DXI. In addition to Sean joining the Board of Directors, Edward (Ed) Aabak has agreed to be an independent director. Ed is a seasoned industry executive originally from Canada who was an Executive Vice President of Western Gas at the time of its sale to Anadarko. He is currently Managing Director of Flatiron Field Services LLC. in Denver. Please note that Bob, Sean and Ed have all agreed that they would receive no compensation until such time as DXI has achieved positive cash flow for 3 consecutive months and the stock price has recovered to a level the Board finds acceptable for shareholders. Today, the Company announced that it has formally activated its application to the Province of British Columbia Oil & Gas Commission ("BCOGC") to drill an oil and gas exploration well at c-089-E/94-1-H approximately one km southeast of the main production facilities at Woodrush. The objective is a significant 3D-seismic defined Halfway anomaly resulting from an advanced Israeli-developed (Paradigm) seismic reprocessing program undertaken by the Company over the past two years, heretofore never used in North America. The well is expected to be spudded prior to March 15, 2019, subject to completion of financing activities currently-in-progress. Success of this well will lead to the future drilling of additional large anomalies also imaged using this technique on Company lands. The Company has concluded its consultation regarding environmental and wildlife concerns with the relevant First Nation groups in the immediate region over the past four months, having received First Nations' approval for the site access and location of the requisite drilling pad to be utilized, prior to submission of the Application to BCOGC. We will continue to consult regularly with First Nations as operations progress. Chairman Hodgkinson states: "The c-089-E/94-H-1 well is an important well for our Company. Due to the size of the anomaly, commercial success would lead to a multitude of offset drilling locations and, in turn, to a "Canadian class" development asset for our Company." Oil prices in Western Canada are showing signs of recovery from the effects of pipeline restrictions in the summer of 2018 as both Federal and Provincial governments are working with the oil and gas industry to move our Western Canadian crude oil production to new markets by no later than mid-2019. This timing will fit very nicely with the expected timing of an increase in oil production at Woodrush from a successful new well. Spot gas prices in NEBC are currently close to our variable cost of producing and transporting. We are closely monitoring this spot market now that we have no firm service obligation, effective November 1, 2018, and will produce our gas when profitable. Reflecting on Company's ~25% interest in 12 producing gas wells in Colorado's Piceance Basin, natural gas prices continue to remain firm in the mid US$4 range, an increase of ~65% from the $2.75 price average in the first 9 months of 2018. Combined with a reduction in fixed operating costs due to field efficiencies introduced by Terra Energy, Kokopelli's new 'operator', we expect netbacks from US natural gas operations to increase by ~90% to the $12.50/ BOE range in Q4 for the current year and into 2019 and hereafter provide net tax free cash flow of $15,000 + per month. Bob and Sean want to additionally note that litigation has been initiated to resolve the Financial Contract Liability ("PUT") as described in our consolidated financial statements. Together with our Colorado counsel, we feel confident this overhang can be eliminated in the short term. We are also pursuing methods to eliminate all or as much as possible of existing debt and corresponding interest expense and cash drain through conversion of this debt to equity, despite the dilution which will result. We will continue to pursue additional investment capital. Current shareholders and accredited and institutional investors who wish to participate in a unique investment opportunity through a private placement, are encouraged to contact our CFO, David Matheson. Mr. Matheson can be reached in his office at 604-638-5054 or his cell is 760-895-8516. His fax number is 604-638-5051 and his email is dmatheson@dxienergy.com Sean welcomes this new and significant challenge. He and Bob believe in the assets, team, drilling prospects and vow to work together to restore shareholder confidence and value. Additional updates will be provided as things develop. About DXI ENERGY INC. DXI Energy Inc. maintains offices in Calgary and Vancouver, Canada and has been producing commercial quantities of oil and gas since 2008. The company is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (DXI.TO) and the OTCQB (DXIEF). The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Follow DXI Energy's latest developments on: Facebook http://facebook.com/dxienergy and Twitter @dxienergy. Contact: investor@dxienergy.com Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - Two former executives behind an allegedly fraudulent initial coin offering (ICO) that was stopped by the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year have been ordered in federal court to pay nearly $2.7 million and prohibited from serving as officers or directors of public companies or participating in future offerings of digital securities. AriseBank's then-CEO Jared Rice Sr. and then-COO Stanley Ford were accused of offering and selling unregistered investments in their purported "AriseCoin" cryptocurrency by depicting AriseBank as a first-of-its-kind decentralized bank offering a variety of services to retail investors. "Rice and Ford lied to AriseBank's investors by pitching the company as a first-of-its kind decentralized bank offering its own cryptocurrency for customer products and services," said Shamoil T. Shipchandler, Director of the SEC's Fort Worth Regional Office. "The officer-and-director bar and digital securities offering bar will prevent Rice and Ford from engaging in another cryptoasset-based fraud." To settle the SEC's charges, Rice and Ford agreed to be held jointly and severally liable for $2,259,543 in disgorgement plus $68,423 in prejudgment interest, and each must pay a $184,767 penalty. They also agreed to lifetime bars from serving as officers and directors of public companies and participating in digital securities offerings, and permanent prohibitions against violating the antifraud and registration provisions of the federal securities laws. Chief Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ordered the sanctions on December 11. Rice and Ford agreed to the settlements without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC's complaint. On Nov. 28, 2018, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas announced parallel criminal charges against Rice. The SEC's investigation and litigation was conducted by David Hirsch and Chris Davis and supervised by B. David Fraser and Eric R. Werner of the Fort Worth Regional Office. Staff from the SEC's Cyber Unit assisted with the investigation and litigation. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, Federal Depository Insurance Corporation, and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy issued an Investor Alert in August 2017 warning investors about scams of companies claiming to be engaging in initial coin offerings. The food poisoning find that could save lives ANU researchers Anukriti Mathur and Dr Si Ming Man from The John Curtin School of Research examine bacteria that causes food poisoning. The researchers hope their work will lead to improved outcomes for patients. Credit: Lannon Harley ANU. RESEARCHERS at The Australian National University (ANU) have made a discovery that has the potential to save lives when treating bacterial infections, especially serious food poisoning. Food poisoning is estimated to affect 4.1 million Australians each year and Bacillus cereus one of the most common types of stomach bug is responsible for producing toxins that cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Lead researcher and PhD student Ms Anukriti Mathur, from The John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCMSR) at ANU, has found how the bacteria works and how to combat it. We found how this bacteria interacts with our immune system. We have discovered how it sustains itself and also how we might treat the nastiness it causes, Ms Anukriti Mathur said. Vegetables, Meat, Fish, Rice and Pasta It may not be a household name but Bacillus cereus can be found in vegetables, meat, fish, rice and pasta, and will grow in these foods if they are stored at the wrong temperature. Ms Mathur found the bacteria has a remarkable ability to secrete toxins in contaminated food. When the toxins are consumed they attack cells in the body which causes vomiting and diarrhoea. We knew the toxin would have to attack the cells, triggering an immune reaction, but we now know how it does it, said Ms Mathur. We discovered the toxin directly binds to the cell and punches holes to kill the cell, the immune system responds to the infection and has a reaction. Because we now know how the bacteria and the toxins work, we can fight it and find ways to use the immune system against it. Researchers say the discovery will be vital in understanding and treating serious cases of food poisoning. This research could help patients with a compromised immune system, said Ms Mathur. We might be able to save patients by weakening the toxin, or in the case of sepsis, dampening inflammatory responses. It also means we have therapeutic drug options to further support antibiotic therapies, especially in the face of rising antibiotic resistance. However, ANU Group Leader of the research, Dr Si Ming Man, says prevention is better than cure. It is important for us to wash our hands properly and prepare food according to safety guidelines, said Dr Man, from JCMSR. Always cook or re-heat food properly. Bacteria may have landed on it and start secreting toxins in your food. Heating your left-over food properly will destroy most bacteria and their toxins. Also in Australian Food News Ashok Leyland would provide high mobility vehicles for mounting the artillery guns and systems, supplied by ELBIT Systems to global OEMs. Chennai: Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland on Wednesday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel-based ELBIT Systems engaged in manufacture of land and artillery systems and platforms. As per the agreement, Ashok Leyland would provide high mobility vehicles (HMVs) for mounting the artillery guns and systems, supplied by ELBIT Systems to global OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). "The integrated systems are targeted for worldwide export markets," city-based Ashok Leyland said in a statement here. Ashok Leyland has expertise in design and manufacture of logistic vehicles, combat support high mobility vehicles and armoured vehicles for the defence forces. "Ashok Leyland is proud to be associated with ELBIT Systems and we are certain this partnership will expand our reach globally," company managing director, Vinod K Dasari said. "This step is also in line with our strategy of increasing contribution from our defence business which will help us de-risk our overall business," he said. The collaboration with Ashok Leyland would strengthen ELBIT Systems' defence business and provide an opportunity to export the integrated systems worldwide. "For over three decades, Ashok Leyland has been a vital part of our defence forces through our mobility solutions. With this MoU, we will be able to compete on a global stage with global OEMs," Ashok Leyland, head-defence, Amandeep Singh said. "With ELBIT as our partners, we seek to leverage the capabilities of both organisations and provide world-class mobility solutions across the globe. With our expertise in design and logistics, this MoU marks yet another milestone for us and our country," he said. Two-judge bench led by Chief Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir of the Meghalaya High Court had ordered DGCA, aviation ministry and the airlines to finalise plans to begin flight operations to Shillong. IndiGo and SpiceJet moved the Supreme Court with a petition challenging an ultimatum given by the Meghalaya High Court directing the budget carriers and authorities to start flight services from Shillong by 15 December. A two-judge bench led by Chief Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir of the Meghalaya High Court ordered the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aviation ministry and the airlines to finalise plans to begin flight operations to the city, reported CNBC-TV 18. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the petition by the airlines on Thursday, the report said. Court pulls up AAI Meanwhile, in November, the Meghalaya High Court had asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to submit a report to indicate the date of the full-fledged operationalisation of the Umroi Airport, also known as Shillong airport, near here. A two-member bench of Chief Justice Mahammad Yaqoob Mir heard the matter regarding operationalisation of the airport on 20 November and expressed dissatisfaction with the AAI as it failed to make the airport operational on 31 October, the date set by the court and agreed jointly by the AAI and the state government. AAI general manager (ATM) R G Lama informed the court that another test flight was required to be undertaken by Alliance Air to complete the technical checks and procedures for safety. K Paul, counsel for the defence authorities, informed the court that the issue of visibility is not there anymore as the instrument landing system (ILS) is in place and that Alliance Air flights are operating from Kolkata and landing at the airport. Why AAI is prolonging the matter. But now in view of this affidavit, we are persuaded to grant five days time more for submitting the report wherein, the date for operationalisation of the airport shall be indicated and shall be intimated as to when flight will take off from Delhi and land at Umroi airport, the bench said. Alliance Air at present operates ATR-42 aircraft from Kolkata to Umroi but flight service from New Delhi to Umroi has not yet been started in the airport. Umroi is the only airport in Meghalaya. With PTI inputs By Abhinav Ramnarayan LONDON (Reuters) - France's 10-year borrowing costs climbed to their highest level compared with Germany's in a year and a half on Tuesday, as President Emmanuel Macron announced spending measures after weeks of violent protests. By Abhinav Ramnarayan LONDON (Reuters) - France's 10-year borrowing costs climbed to their highest level compared with Germany's in a year and a half on Tuesday, as President Emmanuel Macron announced spending measures after weeks of violent protests. Macron announced wage rises for the poorest workers and tax cuts for pensioners late on Monday, which are expected to increase public spending by 8-10 billion euros. France's 10-year bond yield rose by as much as five basis points to 0.756 percent on Tuesday, before easing to around 0.71 percent. The spread over equivalent German bonds hit 47.5 basis points, its widest level since May 2017. "The measures suggest there will be more spending from the French government, which implies a higher deficit in 2019 and weakens the financial position," said Commerzbank rates strategist Rainer Guntermann. "French newspapers are suggesting this morning that we could have a 3.5 percent deficit in France in 2019, which complicates the discussion in the euro area and gives other countries such as Italy an argument for a higher deficit." The French budget minister said on Tuesday the government now expected a 2019 budget deficit of 2.5 percent of economic output, excluding the one-off impact of transforming a payroll tax rebate into a permanent cut. As the overall deficit was previously expected to be 2.8 percent, the new underlying deficit risks pushing the overall number towards 3.4 percent - past the European Union's 3-percent limit. "The moves in France are negative for the budget deficit and not a good demonstration effect for Italy as whole," said Rabobank rate strategist Lyn Graham-Taylor. The European Commission earlier this year rejected Italy's draft budget, which envisaged a deficit of 2.4 percent of GDP in 2019, up from 1.8 percent this year. The European Commission is willing to accept an increase in Italy's deficit target to 1.95 percent for next year, the newspaper La Repubblica said on Tuesday. Italy's 10-year government bond yields were up three basis points at 3.12 percent on Tuesday. The spread over Germany widened to 287 bps. Higher-rated euro zone bond yields fell in late trade on further signs of turbulence in Britain. Some lawmakers in Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party are confident that enough letters of no confidence have been submitted to trigger a leadership challenge, the deputy political editor of Sky News said. That news pushed German Bund yields down to 0.224 percent - matching six-month lows hit last week. But the Brexit uncertainty weighed on Irish bonds. The gap between 10-year Irish yields and those in benchmark Germany hit its widest in six months at 68 basis points. (Reporting by Abhinav Ramnarayan and Dhara Ranasinghe; editing by Andrew Roche) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Talking about ease of doing business, he pointed out that in global competitiveness, India is ranked the 58th among 140 countries, which is five places up over 2017. Mumbai: World Economic Forum (WEF) founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab Tuesday said India is still in the "middle class" in ease of doing business and the country should work towards creating the necessary ecosystem to boost entrepreneurship. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, he said most jobs in the future will be self-generated and the country should have an education system that is future-ready. "The education system has to be tailored to provide skills that we need tomorrow. The country also has to create the necessary ecosystem for all entrepreneurial activities," he said. Schwab highlighted that it will be less, not-so-big companies which will provide jobs in the future and "to facilitate startups is absolutely essential". Talking about ease of doing business, he pointed out that in global competitiveness, India is ranked the 58th among 140 countries, which is five places up over 2017. "So, it's far from being perfect. I also think the very important indicator is that how long it takes to create business and you have some places today where it takes half a day. India is still in the middle class here," he added. Schwab said it is important for young entrepreneurs to be able to create companies faster because the jobs of the future will not be created by large companies. "It will be by young entrepreneurs who have the courage to create an enterprise," he added. He further said that future richness of a country will not only be measured by the potential of its young generation, but data will also be a key factor. "India, which has began getting digital information of its 1.3 billion population, has a special competitive advantage only matched by China," said Schwab. Highlighting the need for more technological development, he said, the most innovative country will be the most competitive and ultimately the most wealthy and most powerful one in the future. "India has to make efforts to keep up, particularly with the US and China," he added. He said India will have to bring in an important message to 'Davos 2019', in a world which has many challenges, including polarisation. "India represents largest functioning democracy in the world and is one of the few countries which has a growth rate of over 7 percent. It's the fastest growing G20 country. "It has a history of successful reforms and I expect a strong presence from India (in Davos 2019) and I hope India has a strong message despite the forthcoming elections," he added. WEF organises a meeting of the global elite of business, finance, and politics in Davos, Switzerland, in January every year. 'RBI has a very good reputation for very good reasons (and) maintaining the functional autonomy in decision-making and governance is absolutely sacred, we must not compromise on that,' Arvind Subramanian said Mumbai: With the reins of RBI (Reserve Bank of India) governorship passing to an ex-bureaucrat, former chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian Wednesday said central bank autonomy is "sacred", which should not be compromised. Progress on the steps taken by Governor Shaktikanta Das' predecessor Urjit Patel to restore financial system integrity will be a key thing to assess any damage to the institution. "What is going to be key is whether this (restoring financial system agenda) is maintained going forward. That is going to be the yardstick to measure what is happening on the bigger institutional front," he said, speaking at the Fifth India Economic Conclave here. "RBI has a very good reputation for very good reasons (and) maintaining the functional autonomy in decision-making and governance is absolutely sacred, we must not compromise on that," he added. He said under Patel, the RBI has done a "commendable" job on decisions like prompt corrective action (PCA), dealing with NBFCs and also with individual private banks. It can be noted that the weeks before Patel's resignation, differences between the RBI and government on at least two fronts, PCA and NBFCs, were widely reported. The government wants the RBI to liberalise the PCA framework so that more banks are able to lend liberally, while it had pitched for strong liquidity support to the NBFC sector, which was outrightly rejected by RBI. Subramanian hinted there was a bit of "oversight" by the RBI when it comes to NBFCs and the IL&FS crisis. Meanwhile, speaking at the same event, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan also made a strong pitch for the independence of financial regulators. "These (regulators) are structures which we must strengthen, they have to stand as independent bodies to ensure our growth is healthy and stable," he said. Subramanian said the second agenda that was being pursued by Patel was improving on the strengths of RBI and added that this needs to continue. He reiterated that there is excess capital with the RBI, but underscored that it has to be used only for recapitalising dud-assets saddled state-run banks and that too only when they reform their functioning. The Harvard economist warned that using the excess capital for bridging the fiscal gap would be akin to "raiding the RBI" and hoped that the soon-to-be-appointed committee to look into excess capital will address these aspects. Patel resigned Monday citing personal reasons, while the government appointed Das as his successor, who took charge on Wednesday. On the NBFC crisis, he said there is a need for an asset quality review (AQR) similar to the one done at banks in 2015 for understanding the exact strengths of the non-bank lenders. He said by definition, the risk-reward ratio at such bodies is very high and hence, there is a case for closer monitoring. On the broader growth, he said global economic adversities are a challenge which can hit our growth because of a dip in exports. Much beyond trade wars, US and China are entering debt wars and geopolitical strategic re-alignment which will have consequences for the entire world. The only way to deal with it is through strong policy responses on the domestic front, he said, adding that financial sector and agriculture are the key areas of challenge within India. On the election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got trounced in three important states, along with the events of the last two years suggest that every political manifesto in the next election will have a universal basic income-like scheme for the farmers, Subramanian said. He seemed to suggest that it will be better for the states to take the tab of such populist measures as finding resources will be difficult for the Centre. Das said that RBI has the core competence to deal with any technical or monetary issue In his first press conference after assuming charge as the governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said that he "will do everything to uphold the core values and autonomy of the central bank." "I will try and uphold professionalism, core values, credibility and autonomy of this institution. Its an honour and great opportunity to serve RBI. I will try my best to work with everyone and work in the interest of the Indian economy," Das was quoted as saying by ANI. Describing the RBI as an institution with a great legacy, Das said that it has the core competence to deal with any technical or monetary issue. He said he is looking forward to work with the entire RBI team. Das mentioned that in the past 10 years he had worked with officials of the RBI at all levels and found them to be competent. "I am looking forward to working with the entire team," he said. Making a reference to the several challenges the banking sector was facing, Das said: A lot has been done both by the government and RBI. Several measures have been taken and several more has to be taken. Talking about how complex decision-making is in modern times, Das said consultation with stakeholders is very important and adds value and depth to the understanding of issues. Towards that end [of consultation] Das said, he has convened a meeting with CEOs and MDs of public sector banks on Thursday. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das: I have convened a meeting with CEOs & MDs of public sector banks tomorrow morning. Banking is an important segment in our economy&its facing several challenges that need to be dealt with. It's the banking sector on which Id like to focus immediately pic.twitter.com/8E66CKzJ7U ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 "Subsequently, at some stage, we will have an interaction with private sector banks too. On the whole, I will like to focus on the banking sector and also meet with other stakeholders as required," the governor said. Regarding inflation, the newly appointed governor said it is 'heartening to know that inflation is as per target and inflation outlook looks fairly benign but we have to be watchful'. With regard to liquidity issues, Das said it is one area that 'one has to interact with stakeholders and take a view'. He also said that maintenance of growth of the economy is also important and the RBI will continue to focus on it. "I want to be clear that all these areas have been getting focus but it is a continuing process." Das said the RBI Board meeting will take place as scheduled on 14 December and will discuss growth and various other issues. He also commented on the 'stewardship provided by Urjit Patel in the past two and a half years'. After his maiden press conference, reporters asked Das about his views on 'governance' issues that have been plaguing the central bank and the government. Das refused to comment on it except to say that he would not like to go into the specifics. However, he said: The government is not a stakeholder but runs the economy, country and manages policy decisions. There has to be a free and fair consultation. I would like to believe that all issues, however contentious, can be resolved through consultation. The new RBI governor refused to comment on several issues stating that he has 'to settle down'. He refused to comment on easing of capital requirements, a bone of contention with RBI and the government, saying that if he commented on that, the media will put out a 'different headline'. A question was raised about RBI's 12th February circular that specified that if a resolution was not found by 27 August power producers accounts should be sent to bankruptcy courts. To that Das said he would not comment on individual issues. "My personal views on these matters don't matter. I need to understand these views," he said. When asked about interest rates, Das said, that would be decided by the monetary policy committee. "Infation targeting is an important function of the RBI which the MPC has to fulfill." Das was asked why he felt the need to say it repeatedly that he would uphold the integrity, autonomy and credibility of the central bank. He said that he had been reading a lot in the last two-three days about it and given that he has a background in government, he wanted to make the 'ground rules clear'. The RBI governor was asked if deputy governor Viral Acharya was still with the RBI, to which Das quipped: I had tea with him. Sensex was trading higher by 324.94 points, or 0.92 percent, at 35,474.95. All the sectoral indices, led by banking, auto, and consumer durables stocks were trading in the positive zone. Mumbai: Rising for the second straight session, the equity benchmark BSE Sensex Wednesday advanced over 300 points in early trade after former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das was named as the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The 30-share index was trading higher by 324.94 points, or 0.92 percent, at 35,474.95. All the sectoral indices, led by banking, auto, and consumer durables stocks were trading in the positive zone. The NSE Nifty too rose by 98.50 points, or 0.93 percent, to 10,647.65. Top gainers on the BSE include Yes Bank HeroMotocorp, Bharati Airtel, M&M, Tata Steel, Kotak Bank, Tata Motors and Axis Bank. Brokers said investor sentiment got a boost after the appointment of the new RBI Governor on hopes that it will now address the liquidity issue and could help public sector banks in their recapitalisation programme, besides helping in stabilising short-term investor sentiment. Das was on Tuesday named the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India after Urjit Patel abruptly resigned amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank. The Sensex was up 190.29 points on Tuesday to end at 35,150.01, after falling over 500 points intra-day. And the broader NSE Nifty rose 60.70 points to end at 10,549.15. Asian market rallied in the morning trade after the US President Donald Trump appeared hopeful of a trade deal with China. Japan's Nikkei was trading higher by 1.96 percent and Shanghai Composite Index 0.20 percent. Meanwhile, the rupee plunged 32 paise to 72.17 per US dollar in early trade. And the global benchmark Brent crude was trading higher by 1.08 percent at 60.85 per barrel. All the 30 Sensex stocks, as well as BSE sectoral indices, finished with gains, led by realty, auto, metal, capital goods and financial counters. Mumbai: Benchmark indices defied gravity for the second straight session on Wednesday as investors gave a thumbs-up to the prompt appointment of former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das as the new RBI Governor. The BSE Sensex zoomed 629.06 points, or 1.79 percent, to end at 35,779.07, while the broader NSE Nifty rallied 188.45 points, or 1.79 percent, to 10,737.60. All the 30 Sensex stocks, as well as BSE sectoral indices, finished with gains, led by realty, auto, metal, capital goods and financial counters. Major gainers in the Sensex pack were Hero Motocorp, which rallied 7.01 percent, followed by Bharti Airtel (6.69 percent), Yes Bank (5.30 percent), Adani Ports (4.90 percent), Tata Steel (3.75 percent) and Bajaj Auto (3.70 percent). Analysts said the quick appointment of the new RBI governor and expectations of more steps to ease the liquidity situation bolstered trading sentiment. Former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday assumed charge as the 25th governor the RBI. He replaces Urjit Patel, who abruptly resigned amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank. On the appointment, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said, "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." Meanwhile, foreign funds sold shares worth Rs 2,421.06 crore on a net basis Tuesday, while domestic institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 2,255.68 crore, provisional data showed. Brent crude oil futures was trading 1.86 percent higher at $61.32 per barrel. Elsewhere in Asia, Korea's Kospi rose 1.44 percent, Japan's Nikkei soared 2.15 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 1.61 percent and Shanghai Composite Index inched up 0.31 percent. In Europe, Frankfurt's DAX rose by 1.04 percent and Paris' CAC 40 jumped 1.57 percent in early deals. London's FTSE too soared 1.11 percent. Shaktikanta Das, who becomes 25th governor of the RBI, is a former IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre. New Delhi: Former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das Wednesday assumed charge as the RBI Governor. He replaces Urjit Patel who abruptly resigned amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank. Das tweeted about it and thanked everyone for their wishes. Assumed charge as Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Thank you each and everyone for your good wishes. Shaktikanta Das (@DasShaktikanta) December 12, 2018 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley termed Das as a person with "right credentials" for the RBI top job. "Das has been a very senior and an experienced civil servant. He has almost his entire career in the management of finances and economic management of the country both, when he was in the state government of Tamil Nadu and also when he was in the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance," Jaitley said. Jaitley said his appointment was necessitated by the resignation of Urjit Patel as Governor of the RBI on Monday. "I think, he (Das) has the right credentials. He has been extremely professional, has worked under various governments and has excelled himself. I am sure, in meeting the challenges before India's economy as Governor of Reserve Bank, he will certainly act," the finance minister said. Shaktikanta Das, who becomes 25th governor of the RBI, is a former IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre. Earlier, he was promoted as secretary, Department of Chemicals and Fertilisers, in December 2013 but was brought back to the finance ministry as revenue secretary when the BJP-led government stormed to power in mid-2014. He first played a part in the Modi government's crackdown on black money and then building a consensus for the impending rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Moved to the economic affairs department in September 2015, he was in charge when the government on 8 November 2016, withdrew from circulation old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. From defending the shock announcement to spearheading the remonetisation drive that included the cumbersome process of printing and supplying new 500 and 2,000 rupees notes, his calm composure brought a sense of serenity to an otherwise chaotic situation. Mild-mannered, Das is known to rarely lose his cool and focus mostly on looking at solutions through consensus rather than shoving a solution downqualities that will come handy at the RBI which is having an unprecedented face-off with the finance ministry. --With agency inputs Two years after note ban, Shaktikanta Das has been given another task by the Modi government--to douse the raging fire at Mint Road Shaktikanta Das, Narendra Modis demonetisation man has been given a fresh taskto tame a rebellious central bank, the top brass of which is on a warpath with the central government. The resignation of governor Urjit Patel made it quite clear that the speculated truce between the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was a false assumption; that the differences between the two havent passed the tipping point yet. Here is where the appointment of retired IAS officer Shaktikanta Das assumes significance. It was Das, who as the former economic affairs secretary, spearheaded Narendra Modi governments November 2016 demonetisation programmea controversial economic exercise which invalidated 86 percent of currency in circulation overnight in search of black money in Asias third-largest economy. Das dominated all press conferences and government communications from Day 1throughout the tumultuous period of the note ban implementation, he aggressively defended every aspect of it and engaged with the central bank on a daily basis to twist and tweak the cash withdrawal/deposit rules. Often, Das did not mince words while attacking note ban critics who complained demonetisation impacted economic growth. Citing the 7 percent growth in the October-December quarter post-note ban, he said the figures proved demonetisation critics wrong. An overestimation was done about the so-called negative impact of demonetisation, Das said. On the first anniversary of note ban, Das tweeted about the 'significant gains' for the economy on account of demonetisation: One year of demonetisation. Significant gains for the economy. Great memories of this day last year. Shaktikanta Das (@DasShaktikanta) November 8, 2017 Two years after note ban, Das has been given another task by the Modi government--to douse the raging fire at Mint Road. It is not surprising that the Narendra Modi government needed just about 24 hours to find a replacement for Urjit Patel, who resigned on Tuesday amid an ongoing standoff with the government. The government must have got a sense of what lay ahead post-19 November RBI board meet and must have had a plan B ready. The government obviously wanted a trustworthy bureaucrat who wouldn't turn against it at a critical time especially considering that the government-RBI relations have worsened to a new low. Since 9 November, when Urjit Patel met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and both reportedly discussed contentious issues, there have been speculations about Patels resignation which persisted till the evening of 19 November when the RBIs crucial board meeting ended. Although Patel did take another fortnight to make up his mind and put in his papers, there would have been reasons for the government to think of an alternative candidate to fill the governors post in case of an unexpected resignation. From North Block to Mint Street Like D Subbarao, Shaktikanta Das is moving to the central bank as someone who is familiar with the finance ministry. Das has served long terms in different capacities to understand the pulse of the government machinery. Whenever IAS officials who have served in the finance ministry were sent to Mumbai to head the RBI, they came with the image of a governments man. But as former governor D Subbarao once famously said, somewhere along the flight from Delhi to Mumbai, the government bureaucrat transforms into an RBI governor, ceases to be a government man and begins the fight for the central bank. One needs to wait and see whether Das will undergo a similar transition and take up RBIs fight for autonomy from the point where Patel left or become an enemy in the camp for the central bank. With his tremendous experience and as someone who has for long contributed to the preparation of national budgets, Das can hit the ground running as RBI governor. There are multiple challenges that await him. Of them, the biggest issue is the Narendra Modi-governments demand to transfer a substantial chunk of RBIs cash reserves so that the government can manage its ballooning deficits and feed the capital-hungry state-run banks. Second, there is the important issue of RBIs governance itselfthe real standoff between the central bank and the government. The government wants to change the way RBI operates by installing a Board-monitored mechanism. Third, the dilution of the prompt corrective action (PCA) currently imposed on close to a dozen state-run banks. Fourth, the special concession to micro, small and medium companies. The RBI has openly expressed its reservations on most of these demands, but had to agree to some of them in the 19 November Board meeting. On all these issues, whose side Das will be on, will be interesting to watch. Das is known to have a close relationship with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. His immediate task will be to improve the ties between the Reserve Bank of India and the Narendra Modi-government or, as the government would want, contain the rebellion in the central bank. This will be a trial by fire for Das as most of the contentious issues listed above arent resolved yet. If Das does toe the government line blindly, it will invite the wrath of RBIs top brass and financial markets. A few more Patel-like resignations cannot be totally ruled out. If he doesnt, Das will join the long list of RBI governors who have metamorphosised from an old friend-turned-foe for the ruling government, like say D Subbarao. RBI governors often take pride in such a transition and love to be on the wrong side of the government in the eternal battle for RBIs autonomy. Das challenge is to find a delicate balance that doesnt compromise the credibility of the RBI and at the same time not worsen relations with the government any further. The million dollar question is, whose side will Das take. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) Some lawmakers are calling for the dismissal of "trumped-up" cases filed against the so-called "Talaingod 18." Forty-six representatives on Wednesday filed House Resolution 2367 supporting their colleague, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, and urging the miltary and police to drop charges they filed against her, former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, and 16 others for allegedly illegally transporting 14 minors. The police arrested the group at a checkpoint in Talaingod, Davao del Norte on November 28. They had just come from a humanitarian event called National Solidarity Mission. Authorities said they violated Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 and Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. They were detained at the Talaingod police station, but were released after posting bail on December 2. The 14 minors, meanwhile, were sent to the custody of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. READ: Duterte: Police did right thing by arresting Satur Ocampo In the resolution, the lawmakers said the charges were "obviously false," saying Castro's participation in the humanitarian mission was part of her duties as a House member. "Fulfilling the duties of a member of the House of Representatives should not be rewarded with trumped-up cases," the resolution reads. The resolution was led by Castro's colleagues in the left-leaning Makabayan bloc. Das is a post-graduate in history and he cleared one exam many years back. Typically, the RBI governor tends to have a Ph.D. in economics. Urjit Patel quit as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday, due to personal reasons. On Tuesday, the government appointed Shaktikanta Das, retired IAS officer and a former economic affairs secretary and revenue secretary, as the new RBI governor. The swiftness of the government tells us that no one else would have accepted the job at such a short notice. Nevertheless, the appointment of Das raises more than a few issues. Lets look at them: 1) After dealing with two RBI governors who had a mind of their own, the government has opted for what it thinks is a safe bet in Shaktikanta Das. This basically means that Das starts on a weak wicket in the eyes of his colleagues and the financial markets. And given this, his actions will be closely watched in the days to come. Will he choose to bat for the government? Or will he choose to do the right thing? Thats the question, everyone is asking. 2) Das is a post-graduate in history and he cleared one exam many years back. Typically, the RBI governor tends to have a Ph.D. in economics. The previous five RBI governors had a PhD in some branch of economics. World over, people who run central banks have some training in economics. And there is a reason for it. Many people have come to Das defence by saying that he has extensive experience in government, which he does. And there is no denying that. But the question is, is that enough? If it was, why did the last five governors have a background in economics, even though three of them were former bureaucrats? A lot of what IAS officers do when in government is tactical. There is a precedent in almost everything they do. An RBI governor, on the other hand, needs to deal with a lot of ambiguity. One form of ambiguity is that in economics there is always the other hand. International economics can bring its fair share of ambiguity. The other form of ambiguity can be in the form of bad data in India. As YV Reddy, the former RBI governor, puts it: Everywhere around the world, the future is uncertain; in India, even the past is uncertain." In this scenario, a good training in economics helps. To offer an analogy, if one has a dental problem, one doesnt go running to a physician. 3) One reason why India hasnt progressed as much as it was expected to, is because of its bureaucracy and the IAS officers who are generalists. Take the case of Das. Before he came into the finance ministry, he was the fertilizer secretary. What is the link? India has had too many generalists screwing up over the years. What we need are specialists who understand Indias complex problems and then act accordingly in their area of expertise. But I guess, even 70 years after Independence we dont seem to get that. And we are happy to hand over the country to individuals who cleared one exam, many years back. This is clearly one of the biggest holdovers from the days of the British Raj when the British needed administrators to run the districts. Decades later, what we now need are specialists. And by appointing someone who has a postgraduate degree in history as the RBI governor, we are clearly not helping the cause. 4) Another logic that is often given, and not just in India, is that there is no reason we need to give so much importance to unelected technocrats like central bank governors and chairmen. Appointing technocrats is the prerogative of elected politicians in the government and they can appoint who they feel are right for the job. This is a rather weak argument. Every democracy rests on unelected officials working towards furthering the cause of democracy, from judges to bureaucrats to the police. The right people with the right training and background, need to be running these institutions, even though they are unelected. And the politicians need to do a good job of choosing them. This is a responsibility that comes with their election. Some tension between the finance ministry and the RBI is healthy for the democracy. A central bank ready to jump into bed with the finance ministry, given half an opportunity, is primarily a recipe for disaster. India doesnt want to get into that. 5) As the Economics Affairs secretary, Das was at the forefront of implementing the hare-brained demonetisation scheme. Some of the stuff that he said back then or even after that and even after retiring, hasnt aged well since then. Also, a lot of the stuff he said he seemed to be making up on the fly, as evidence of demonetisation flopping started to come in. At some level, it is clear that Das being made RBI governor is a reward for his loyalty on demonetisation, during and after it. Demonetisation clearly showed that he was willing to bat for the government at all costs. And that is something that clearly goes against him and makes him a poor choice for the RBI governor. While that may be the case, it is important that Das now considers himself to be the governor of the RBI and not an agent of the government at the RBI. In the past, many average bureaucrats have risen to the top and done the right things, and that should give us some hope. 6) The post of the RBI governor is bigger than the individual occupying it. Also, an individual occupying the post of the RBI governor knows that whatever he does, will build (or not build) the legacy that he leaves behind. And that becomes an important driving force in what he does. It drives RBI governors to do the things that are right for the country and not what the government wants it to do. In fact, Meera Sanyal sort of makes this point in the context of the former RBI governor D Subbarao, in her book The Big ReverseHow Demonetisation Knocked India Out: In September 2013, I went to bid Governor Subbarao farewell When he had been appointed, given his background in the Ministry of Finance [he was the finance secretary], many had thought that he would find it difficult to take an independent stand against the ministry. I shared this with him. He laughed merrily, and said, Meera, maybe thats what many people initially thought. But the RBI is not about one man. Many excellent colleagues have supported my decisions. The RBI is an upright, independent and magnificent institution we make our decision in the best interests of the country. The ball is now in Das court. Lets see what he chooses to do with it. (The writer is the author of the Easy Money trilogy). Even as BJP faces defeat in three crucial states to Congress in the recent Assembly elections, the saffron party increasingly faces heat in Assam. Even as BJP faces defeat in three crucial states to Congress in the recent Assembly elections, the saffron party increasingly faces heat in Assam, as seventy civil society organisations decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court against the Centres move to grant citizenship to certain sections of illegal immigrants on the basis of religion. The move comes at a time when the Assam BJP was seen heaving a sigh of relief as the issue seemed to have subsided after the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Citizenship Amendment Bill failed to submit its report before the beginning of the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha. Filing of cases in the Supreme Court would only further aggravate the problems faced by the BJP in Assam before 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Legally, it is not possible as of now to question the constitutionality of the bill in the court, as it is still not accepted by the parliament. But we can file petition for setting aside the notifications issued by the Centre that cause an effect similar to the proposed law by relaxing entry and stay of illegal immigrants in India, said Akhil Gogoi, a leader of the agitating groups. Gogoi, who was recently in Delhi with a group of protesters from Assam in Jantar Mantar, also said that if the Parliament passes the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the agitating groups would also file a case in the Supreme Court against the move. We have already discussed the issue with Supreme Court lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan and he has assured us he will provide all help possible in this regard, he said. The Citizenship Amendment Bill was sent for further consideration to a joint parliamentary committee after briefly being discussed in the Lok Sabha in 2016. The committee is yet to submit its report as it has failed to arrive at a consensus about the constitutionality of the bill. The proposed law aims at granting citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who have fled their countries facing religious persecution. The bill faced stiff protest in Assam as it was seen as an attempt to grant citizenship to illegal Hindu immigrants from Bangladesh settled in the state and thereby turn the indigenous tribes and ethnic groups into minorities. The Centres move to pass the bill was seen as a self-goal by many even in Assam BJP, as it antagonised the Assamese majority. Political parties, including its arch rival Congress, is likely to use the bill as a political plank in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Assam BJP heaved a sigh of relief after the Joint Parliamentary Committee failed to submit its report before the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha, which began on 11 December. Even if the committee manages to submit its report amidst the session, the bill is unlikely to be tabled in the Parliament as it has many other businesses to contemplate over and it would not have enough time for the fresh development. We hope that the protests against the bill would subside after that and the Opposition would have no issue against us, said a source in the Assam BJP. But the resolve of the 70 organisations to file a case against the notifications enabling easy entry and stay of illegal immigrants into India shows that the issue would continue to remain an active volcano for the BJP even in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. We have decided to file cases against the Passport (entry into India) Amendment Rules 2015 and Foreigners (Amendment) Order 2015 and other similar notifications that can substitute the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the source added. Significantly, in the last three years, the Centre has issued a number of notifications that relax entry and stay of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian illegal immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who have fled their countries facing religious persecution. Akhil Gogoi names these notifications anti-constitutional and hopes that the apex court would rule against them. 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. Kolkata: 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. John Cena admitted he would love to play Captain America if Chris Evans' tenure as the superhero came to an end after Avengers: Endgame On an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, John Cena let viewers in on his Avengers aspirations. The WWE legend admitted he would "love to" play Captain America if Chris Evans' tenure as the superhero came to an end after Avengers: Endgame. Fans of the star have also been rooting for him and want to see him take on Evans' role desperately. In a subtle appeal to the Russo brother, he told Ellen: "If it's out there, if the Captain America people are listening and you're watching right now, I'd totally do it." Taking a more serious tone, he added, "I totally will, because I think I'd be a good Captain America...and I've already ruined everyone's childhood, so it can't get any worse!" Evans has been playing the coveted role since 2011, debuting with the role in Captain America: The First Avenger, the first standalone film dedicated to the star-spangled superhero. In his recent interactions about the film, he has hinted at his departure from the franchise. However, co-director Joe Russo recently indicated that Evans still had work to do and wasn't done just yet. Therefore, it isn't clear whether there will be an opportunity for the king of the ring to play Captain America in the foreseeable future. In August 2017 the commission again declared a revised result wherein the cut off was increased from 270 to 277.77. Srinagar: Since the results of Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) were declared on 4 December, almost every day now, hundreds of aspirants throng the streets to protest against the alleged discrepancies by Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC), the top body for recruitment of administrative officers in Jammu and Kashmir. This is for the first time that such protests have been taking place simultaneously in Jammu and Srinagar, the twin capitals of the state, with the aggrieved accusing the commission of dropping meritorious candidates from the list and accommodating some blue-eyed candidates. The JKPSC had advertised 277 posts of KAS officers for which notification was issued in May 2016. For one year, due to the Burhan Wani episode, the atmosphere was not conducive to hold the examinations in the state. Finally, the preliminary exam was held on 19 March, 2017. After a month, the result was announced and the cut off was 270 with 6,925 candidates declared qualified for the main examination. However, hundreds of students started protesting after the results were declared alleging mass rigging saying the key for 15 questions was wrong. For example, the study of mountains has been described as oncology. In the meantime, a petition was filed by protesting students in the Jammu bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The students claimed that their marks were higher than the cut-off mark, but were not declared qualified due to faulty keys. While the court case was still going on, an aspirant laid hands on the official key and it was found there were various faults in the answers. Following this development, the high court ordered the JKPSC to review the answer key. In August 2017 the commission again declared a revised result wherein the cut off was increased from 270 to 277.77. This led to the ouster of 429 candidates from the earlier qualified 6,925 and a fresh batch of 429 candidates was declared qualified. The commission, however, filed an LPA (Letter Patents Appeal) in the division bench but in its interim order, the bench directed the PSC to allow these 429 candidates to appear in the exam subject to the final judgment. While the main examination was about to be completed, the division bench in its final judgment quashed the main examination held on 13 March, 2018 and directed the PSC to hold fresh exam for 429 candidates plus 2,300 candidates in a transparent manner who also got qualified. The July 2017 notification was cancelled and fresh 2,300 candidates were admitted by PSC in March 2018 after the JKPSC told the court if the 429 aspirants are allowed, the cut-off of 277.77 will be reduced to 260, thereby providing case for 2,300 more candidates to be declared qualified for the mains examination. The first main exam was conducted in February this year. After exam for four papers was conducted, the court quashed the exam and the candidates were asked to again appear in July 2018 with the number of candidates reaching around 9,000. This, the candidates allege, violates the 1:25 rule of UPSC. When the results were finally declared, about 70 percent of aspirants, who had cleared the main exam earlier, were surprisingly not selected for viva. These students were earlier left out of the selection list by three to seven marks due to wrong answer key and they are now protesting, Yasir Hussain, an aspirant who appeared in the exam held in July 2016, said. Last week, the candidates appeared at the official residence of Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik, but they were denied audience. In Srinagar, the candidates approached the chairman of the commission but their pleas fell on deaf ears. The protesters are demanding a re-evaluation of their answer scripts. This week, they have threatened to intensify agitation if their demands were not met. A majority of the rejected candidates allege that the JKPSC selected some blue-eyed boys. The candidates are demanding for the re-evaluation of the answer scripts. The commission was in so much hurry that they called the candidates selected for the viva in 15 days after publishing the selection list. This is unprecedented in the history of JKPSC, one of the candidates, who didnt wish to be named, said. Chairman of the commission, Latief Zaman Deva denied the allegation, saying that those who have doubts over the selection process can apply for reevaluation of their answer scripts but only after the exam process is completed. There is a system in place and no question of any discrepancies arises. If the candidates have any doubt, let them apply for the xerox of their answer scripts. But it will only happen after the exam process gets completed, Deva said. The main examination was again conducted by the commission from 2 July to 28 July this year but after so many litigations and delays, the commission created another controversy by re-conducting Zoology paper. But his assurance has not placated the students. Mohd Shafi, who secured 1,317 in the last exam, said the results are full of faults. It is for the first time there have been so many protests because the result is full of faults. There are around 300 meritorious students who have been dropped. There are candidates who have passed the main examination many times, but this time they didnt feature in the selection list, Shafi said. Zubair Masoodi, an aspirant, said those who qualified main exams in the past year were deliberately dropped from the selection list this year. It can be a system error and we are sure of our performance. We just want our papers to be reevaluated, he said. I was thinking I may not even require to appear in the interview for I had secured good marks in mains. But I was surprised when my name didnt figure in the final selection list. That is why we are asking for reevaluation of the results, Sangeeta, another aspirant from Jammu, said. 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. 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 SR 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. "I make it clear that nobody should try to make India as another Islamic country, otherwise it will be a dooms day for India and the world. I am confident that only this Government under Shri. Narendra Modiji will understand the gravity, and will do the needful," LiveLaw quoted Sen as saying in the judgment. 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," 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. 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, Sen said, "Our culture, traditions and religions are the same. We should not hate each other just on the basis of language". With inputs from PTI The 1,000-kg payload of Agni-5 which is what it is designed to carry on its nose means that it is capable of a wide range of warheads. It was a magnificent sight by any account. The 17-metre-long missile, with its nose pointed into the blue sky, taking off in a cloud of dust, even as a monotonous voice ticked off the seconds towards launch. The Agni-5 is quite an achievement all around. In its seventh test, the three-stage missile seems to have performed perfectly, as its trajectory was measured by a phalanx of monitors on land, sea and air. It seems that this is set to be the crown jewel of Indias Strategic Force Command, when it is inducted in 2019. To understand the significance of the missile test, some basic facts about the missile and the test have to be understood. First, though the range was not part of the official announcement, it has so far been publicly presented as a 5,000-km range missile. On a regular map, this seems more than capable of reaching major cities like Beijing and parts of Europe, provided it is fired from the eastern coast, from where it was launched in the present test. Increase the range further, to its presumed capability of 8,000 km, and it can be fired from anywhere in the deep south. In other words, its not enough just to have a great missile. It has to be survivable. And no ones getting close to peninsular India without the Indian Navy getting to hear of it. Secondly, the fact that it was fired from a mobile launcher makes the critical difference. Earlier, most countries including China developed their missiles to be fired from deep within a guarded missile site. That naturally meant that this static site would be the number one target for enemy aircraft and missiles. The march of technology has since allowed the shift of a missile onto a mobile Tatra truck, which means that the missile now snugly encased in a canister can be fired from almost anywhere baffling those who are trying to destroy it. During times of tension, a smart missile power will ensure that not only is the missile on the move, by rail or road to various parts of the country, but also that several dummy missiles are doing the same thing. Simply put, an enemy equipped with even the smartest satellite tracking capabilities would be hard put to find the real thing in a sea of possibilities. More livability and therefore more certainty, leading to a more muscular deterrence. Third, the 1,000-kg payload which is what it is designed to carry on its nose means that it is capable of a wide range of warheads, including what is called a fission fusion bomb. That essentially means a boosted energy warhead, by including a small amount of deuterium-tritium inside the fission core. In theory, it can also carry a conventional warhead. A 1,000 kg of high explosives can cause considerable damage, though it pales to a shadow in comparison to a nuclear one. According to one expert calculation, a one ton conventional warhead could cause less than 13 dead, as against 40,000 for a nuclear one of the same weight. Yet, countries like to keep a conventional alternative. After all, one can actually use it in a warlike situation. Theres no question of using a nuclear warhead unless one is in danger of being wiped off the face of the earth. China, for instance, is known to have a large number of conventional warheads. Beijing could use this easily, especially in the mountains of the north east, where the towering mountains will do the rest of the damage. It could also use such warheads at sea against potential hostile warships. Therefore, India has no choice but to keep conventional warheads as well, though perhaps on lower range missiles for targets in the Indian Ocean or on the Tibetan plateau. Theres another hiccup with conventional warheads. Given their (relatively) low destruction capability, you need as high accuracy as possible. Certainly, incoming Iraqi missiles estimated at 118 in 52 days against Iran created panic, but it was nowhere near creating enough destruction to cause Tehran to back off. A nuclear warhead requires far less accuracy, given its massive explosive power. Moreover, such missiles are usually used against fixed targets, where the location, coordinates and other data are known well in advance and fed into computers. Theres far more to missiles and their capabilities, which includes the time taken for their launch which is of interest to anyone wanting to shoot down a rising missile or the time taken in a final stage, when they are prone to anti-missile fire of various kinds. China, for instance, recently performed tests on wide speed range vehicles which can fly from hypersonic to subsonic speeds, with the specific intent of being able to accurately hit incoming missiles. The offense-defence cycle which has gone on for centuries since the invention of the bow and arrow, is still in favour of the defence but only just. In short, to be sure of destroying a particular target or more importantly being able to prove that one has the capability to do so India may have to deploy more numbers at any given time, rather than the minimal arsenal that has been the case so far. No one said that deterrence and nuclear capability would be cheap. Finally, there is the inevitable pointing of fingers at the intended target. To most observers, the obvious candidate is China. In January, Chinese sources were quoted as seeing the earlier test as a direct threat, hardly surprising since it occurred months after a face off at Doka La. Since then, India-China relations have gone some distance, which is probably why Chinese media seems to have declined to comment. But in the final analysis, a nuclear armed missile is not for use against anyone. As the late K Subrahmanyam usually pointed out, it is the currency of power. It also stands invisibly behind your own paper currency, at a time of economic bullying with strong geopolitical implications. Once inducted, India joins a select few with inter-continental capabilities, which carries a certain bargaining power. Thats something no established nuclear power is going to be happy about. So no, a missile test is not aimed at anyone at all in times of peace. Its simply aimed at convincing others that overturning that state of relative stability could be extremely unpleasant for all concerned. The last straw for New Delhi was the claim of Indias globalised elite and western financial firms and institutions that a Rajan exit or an Urjit exit would bring the financial markets down and the rupee would come tumbling after. None of those apocalyptic scenarios materialised with both exits. When economic historians look back at the last five years and analyse the short-lived tenures of highly reputed economists Raghuram Rajan and Urjit Patel at the Reserve Bank of India they may well come to the conclusion that the Indian state experimented with two internationally qualified professionals as head of the RBI and decided it was best to return to the long-term norm of appointing a civil servant to head the central bank. The State has its reasons. Between 1947 and 2013, only four of the RBIs 20 governors were economists. The rest were from the Indian Civil Service (ICS), the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and from within the ranks of the RBI. With the appointment of former Union finance secretary Shaktikanta Das as the RBI governor the IAS have reclaimed a job that they allowed economists to grab. While both YV Reddy and D Subba Rao had doctoral degrees and proved their metal as central bankers, the IAS owned them as their own. It should be recalled that the decision to appoint Raghuram Rajan as the governor was taken by two economist-administrators Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Before that, the last economist-governor, C Rangarajan, was appointed by the economist finance minister Manmohan Singh. Prime minister Narasimha Rao allowed his finance minister to name the RBI governor. The decision to appoint Patel appears to have been that of the prime minister. If the Gujarati prime minister Morarji Desai appointed IG Patel as governor, another Gujarati prime minister appointed another Patel to the central bank. The IAS may well have been uncomfortable with both. Both Singh and Rangarajan, the two economist governors before Rajan, learnt to deal with the civil service though all of them, including IG Patel and Bimal Jalan, have their tales of dealing with the IAS fraternity. The problem with both Rajan and Urjit seems to have been that they took their autonomous status a bit too seriously. Rajan at least maintained lines of communication with the finance minister and other policymakers in New Delhi. Urjit seems to have cut himself off, opting to deal only with the prime minister. The empire struck back. I was among the few who wholeheartedly welcomed Urjits appointment in 2016 and that for a purely subjective reason. I have known him from the time he first arrived in India in 1992 as the deputy resident representative of the International Monetary Fund. Interestingly, most professional economists in India and within the Indian diaspora in the US, who are now lamenting his exit, raised eyebrows at that time whispering to each other, Modi has appointed an Ambani man. Urjit had a brief stint with Reliance Industries. I had to remind those who said this to me that Urjit was appointed deputy governor by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his elevation was nothing out of the way. If today I do not lament Urjits exit it is because he has brought his isolation from New Delhi upon himself. By insisting that he would deal only with the prime minister and, at best, the finance minister, he alienated the IAS, other economists in the government and the influential financial media. These are all constituencies that successful governors carefully nurtured. The last straw for New Delhi was the claim of Indias globalised elite and western financial firms and institutions that a Rajan exit or an Urjit exit would bring the financial markets down and the rupee would come tumbling after. None of those apocalyptic scenarios materialised with both exits. Going forward, Das can be expected to restore stability to the government-RBI relationship and function in a quiet, professional manner. He is a very likeable person who distinguished himself as a competent finance ministry official. The IAS and the political leadership will back him to the hilt. If deputy governor Viral Acharya continues in his job, Das will have access to the professional views of an economist vetted by the West and given the stamp of approval by economists who look down upon the IAS. If Acharya chooses to call it a day, the finance ministry has a new chief economic advisor in the waiting room. In the end, why did Urjit fail to fall in line and what prompted him to go? One will have to wait for his book, now that so many government-economists have set the trend of writing their memoirs. At least one key reason could well be Urjits ideological monetarism. The last ideologically-committed monetarist to be central bank governor was Rangarajan. But Rangarajan worked under a Keynesian finance minister and was willing to be accommodative. Urjit took his monetarism to the extreme. No political party in any democracy can afford the fiscal conservatism of a monetarist in the run-up to an election. Urjit had the space to be accommodative, he chose not to be. It would have gone against his monetarist dharma. The author is a political commentator and policy analyst. Vijay Mallyas team will clearly be looking for weak points to pick on and mount a last-ditch bid to stall his extradition. London: Springtime in the new year ought to see fugitive economic offender and chastened liquor baron Vijay Mallya back in a comfortable jail cell in Mumbai. The long process of law he spoke of immediately after Londons Westminster Magistrates Court ordered his extradition on 10 December is unlikely to turn out to be that long after all. The legal moves left to his legal team to block extradition are few and look feeble. But, first the timetable. The magistrates order has been handed over to the Secretary of States office. The home secretary has two months to make his decision, a spokesperson for the Home Office told Firstpost. In the meantime, the Home Office would serve notice on Mallya under Section 95 of the Extradition Act of 2003 that covers among other issues a specialty clause, which Mallya could invoke in defence. Mallya has four weeks to respond to this. He is expected to argue that assurances from the Indian government cannot be trusted, but it seems near impossible that the secretary of state would uphold such an argument. The secretary of state would take a decision on extradition after receiving a response from Mallya in around mid-January. Mallya would then have another 14 days to appeal the order. He can give the court notice of appeal against the extradition order simultaneously, though this can be heard only after the secretary of state orders extradition past is ruling on the specialty clause, which is only a legal formality. First, the appeals court will consider whether he can be granted leave to appeal and whether he has any legal basis to challenge the Westminster courts order. Mallya is expected to be granted leave to appeal. He can appeal both the magistrates order and the secretary of states ruling under Section 95, which can be heard together. A February hearing date is likely, and the appeals court may typically hear arguments for no more than a day certainly these wouldnt span a year or more as they did in the Westminster court. The appeals court may announce a decision within a few weeks. Then on he would have only 10 days in which to appeal to the Supreme Court (SC), if the appeals court upholds the magistrates order. The SC decides within a few days whether to consider the appeal. The SC is not a third state of review open to any party; it only takes on cases that involve fundamental legal issues of wider public interest. An appeal from Mallya wouldnt appear a SC matter. The appeals court order, like the first has been, would be sent to the home secretary, who has to physically execute the order. The home secretary is by no means another court sitting in judgment on the court orders; he has no discretion over extradition decisions barring the specialty clauses and others such as a possible death penalty and some peripheral circumstances that dont apply in Mallyas case. But the home secretary still may have a hand to play as a joker in the legal pack Mallya could appeal to him to block extradition on grounds of ill health. Ive my rights, Mallya said after the extradition order. To his rights to appeal, and to appeal further in the SC, add this too. But the home secretary still cant take a unilateral decision to block his extradition on grounds of ill health. He will have to send the case back to the appeals court for a decision. Could Mallya use his diabetes as an excuse to stay on in the UK? Under the British law, the home secretary would be bound to review any decision to order physical extradition if there were to be a change of circumstances. The most common type of change we see is where someones health has deteriorated significantly between the date on which the court decided s/he should be extradited and the time the matter gets to the secretary of state, Nick Vamos, former head for extradition at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and now Partner at Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP told Firstpost. So theyll then try to renew a human rights argument to say that looking at my state of health now, the potential risk to my human rights if I was now extradited is far greater than it was when the court looked at it. Under those circumstances, the secretary of state would return the case to the court to look at that line of argument. Such a scenario, says Vamos, is unlikely and far-fetched, but there have been some extreme cases. This is an option that Mallya would, of course, like to use least, and last. A court would have to rule either that authorities in India would be incapable of looking after his health, or that his health conditions dont permit him to take the flight back home. That provision now places the Indian government in the unusual position of heading a congregation praying for Mallya to remain in good health. The hearing in the appeals court will be limited. No witnesses can be produced at the Westminster court Mallya produced six and the Indian government none. What the Indian government did produce was some clinically sharp cross-examination of those witnesses by Mark Summers representing the CPS, and in turn, the Indian government. The High Court will be very slow to interfere with findings based on live evidence that senior district judge Emma Arbuthnot heard, says Vamos. If theyre not going to hear the same witnesses, theyre not going to interfere with her (magistrate Arbuthnots) assessment of them. If its about documentary evidence, the High Court is just as able to reach its own view. It doesnt start from scratch, it doesnt hear the whole case again. It looks at findings, the evidence, and decides whether she made a mistake and if not, it wont reach a different conclusion. And does Vamos think the magistrate made a mistake? I didnt hear the evidence, and I didnt read every single document that she (Arbuthnot) did, but I didnt see anything obviously wrong with her judgment. The threshold for evidence remains just as low for the appeals court as it did for the magistrates court; it will still be only prima-facie evidence required to satisfy the court to order extradition. The appeals court is not looking for guilt or innocence, it is not looking to prove anything beyond reasonable doubt, says Vamos. The question for Mallya is whether on balance of probabilities he has a case to answer. There lies the theoretical possibility of producing new evidence, but I find it unlikely there could be new evidence, says Vamos. Mallyas team will clearly be looking for weak points to pick on and mount a last-ditch bid to stall his extradition. Despite the victory, the Indian government didnt quite get everything right in their preparation of the case. The magistrate has noted some lapses in her order. The judge did comment on the state of the evidence, the way it was presented, and that this did not show a high level or clarity and organisation on Indian authorities, says Vamos. But she found there was sufficient evidence. I think theyll have another go at that, to say there was a jumble of papers. But the heart of the judgment was that there was enough evidence there. The Westminster judge also said she wasnt going to give a separate ruling on abuse of the legal process, because she dealt with that in the principal motivation argument. The Mallya team is likely to pick on this as well. Inevitably, says Vamos, the prison conditions argument will be raised again, despite the video evidence presented of near elite detention conditions set up for Mallya in Mumbais Arthur Road Jail. I think hell try to suggest that even if you accept that this is the cell he would be held in, and this is what it looks like, the Indian government cant be trusted to keep their assurance. Its not the best argument he has but he doesnt have that many arguments left because I dont think he can really challenge the findings on the evidence, so he has to try where he can to chip away at the findings made by the Westminster court. Ultimately, its a question of whether the court believes it. At the Westminster court they did, and I think the High Court will uphold it as well, Vamos says. The Westminster courts decision, Vamos says, stands independent of the political storm in India over Mallyas extradition. "Indians should understand that if Mr Mallya eventually is extradited from the UK it wont be because India politicians have been publicly shouting or applying pressure, but because of the careful examination of all the issues in a UK court and because the Indian authorities finally have provided sufficient evidence and assurances to meet the required tests, he says. The final decision of the court would be for the secretary of state to carry out. If the final order emerging from court procedures is to confirm extradition, the secretary of state would order Mallya to present himself at a particular place at an appointed time to board the plane that would fly the dethroned king of good times back to India. In 1989, Annette Leday and David McRuvie conceived the Kathakali adaptation of William Shakespeares King Lear comprising nine scenes that emphasise on the dramatic elaboration of King Lear and his daughter, Cordelias tragedy. Kathakali, one of the most fiercely expressive forms of Indian classical dance, is rooted in storytelling. Akin to Freytags pyramid a structure with a beginning, a climax and a denouement a traditional Kathakali recital also begins with soft tones with a gradually increasing tempo as the story progresses to the conflict, and concludes with strains that usher in a calming note. Perhaps this is what makes this dance form a beautiful patina on which to lay out a Shakespearean tragedy and have the audience experience an identical cathartic impact through the fusion, as through the play or a traditional recital. The revival of Kathakali-King Lear, created by the French dancer, choreographer and director Annette Leday and Australian playwright David McRuvie, three decades after its first performance thereby brings the Bards play and Keralas celebrated culture to contemporary Indian audiences. In 1989, Leday and McRuvie conceived the Kathakali adaptation of William Shakespeares King Lear comprising nine scenes that emphasise on the dramatic elaboration of King Lear and his daughter Cordelias tragedy. The key is to choose the right play, Leday said. One of the many reasons that she chose this play for an adaptation was that presenting its central plot, that of Lear and his three daughters, could capture its essence in a simple but powerful story which is appropriate for Kathakali. According to the director, Kathakali and Elizabethan theatre are very different art forms and yet certain themes reflected in Shakespeares King Lear, such as kingship, dowry, love story, renunciation of the world, war, are central to Kathakali. They are universal and timeless human motifs. Traditional Kathakali recitals often narrate stories from Indian epics such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and texts such as the Bhagavata Purana that explore many such similar ideas. King Lear, unlike other tragedies, she noted, is based on an older English theatrical tradition of character-types as is Kathakali. Leday came to India in 1978 to study Kathakali dance-theatre at Kathakali Sadanam and Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture. She founded the Annette Leday/Keli company in 1983 and has since then been working towards nurturing intercultural creations orienting them towards the contemporary world. Ledays brainchild, Kathakali-King Lear, was previously performed over seventy times around the world in 1989 and toured through countries such as France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It was also performed once at Trivandrum in Kerala during the same year. This time around, the play will once again feature the very same generation of artists who performed the first iteration of this piece. Peesappilli Rajeev, who essays the eponymous King Lear said, Our initial worry was about the reaction of most conservative circles in Kathakali in Kerala. But our performance in Trivandrum was a success. As Leday noted, back then, there was some resistance to such a venture. Now, this has been replaced by, for the most part, genuine enthusiasm. Leday also attributed this change to the success of the production around the world. This is as it should be, she said, A production must prove itself to its audience. Kalamandalam Manoj Kumar who plays the kings Fool in the Kathakali recital said that this experiment with a story that comes from a Western culture has inspired many Kathakali artists in Kerala to explore new stories themselves. All of the characters in this Shakespeares tragedy are assigned traditional kathakali character-types or veshams (costumes). Each of the veshams has its own distinct costume and make-up. This would be one of the major reasons this adaptation is so well suited as Leday explained that the Kathakali veshams fit these particular characters quite naturally which would have been very difficult for any other Shakespeare play. Certain histories trace the origin of Kathakali back to Kuttiyattam, a folk art performed in temples and Kumar pointed out that the adaptation of King Lear was the first time that a traditional Kutiyattam vesham was used in a Kathakali play. Thirty years ago, he would have to dress in the Kuttiyattam Vidushaka with a Kathakali make-up. Today, the whole of the Kutiyattam Vidushaka has been retained in the performance. Keeping the spirit of Kathakali intact whilst exploring new territory, Leday noted that the Fool in this performance was actually developed from the Vidushaka of the ancient Sanskrit theatre. Kumar, partial to the trial scene in the cave wherein Lear, sinking further into madness holds a mock trial for his treacherous daughters Regan and Goneril as the Fool launches into a madmans tirade, noted that the artists could align their characters using the Kathakali technique with this adaptation very easily. The Trial scene particularly generates a rather hallucinatory and even a slightly eccentric experience. But for the artists, the storm scene, in which Lear yields to his rage and runs off into the heath in the tempestuous weather and denounces his daughters is particularly enjoyable. Leday added that the percussion sequence employed to evoke the great Storm is quite central to the action in the play. However, the artists also enjoy the first scene which opens with King Lear dividing his kingdom between his daughters. The troupe opined that this is something that does not exist in Kathakali and it is for them the best way to enter the story and establish the dramatic situation of the characters. There are no doubt certain alterations made to the previous version even as the choreography has been kept intact. Back then, Kumar said that the role of Lear was distributed to two different performers while today only one actor plays King Lear. In todays production, tempo has been accelerated and duration reduced, he added. The Shakespearean text is also transformed to adapt it into Kathakali but nevertheless, as Leday pointed out, the powerful means of expression of Kathakali dance, theatre, song, percussion, make-up wonderfully project the power of the central storyline of Shakespeares King Lear. Leday conceded that there could be certain other innovations that would probably be controversial but carefully thought out with the great masters of Kathakali, they are "at the very least interesting." Kathakali-King Lear will tour through India in 2018 and will be performed at the Theatre de la Ville in Paris in April 2019, marking the 30th anniversary of its creation. Presented by Avid Learning and Alliance Francaise de Bombay, the play will be staged at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai on 13 December, 2018. Modi also congratulated Telangana Chief Minister KC 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. New Delhi: 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 KC 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 KC 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. Now that the Assembly elections are over and results are out, we can expect a political blame game to begin, but none against Narendra Modi, of course. With Assembly polls in eight states, 2018 was the year of elections. It was the year of constant campaigning by political bigwigs, sloganeering and ground-level lobbying by party workers and a back and forth of accusations. Now that the last of the Vidhan Sabha elections are over and results of the polls in Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram declared, a political blame game is expected, but none against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of course. "Frankly, Narendra Modi taught me the lesson what not to do," Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday evening after his party won a clear majority in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and was leading in Madhya Pradesh. "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." It's not surprising for Rahul to make such a remark (though it's refreshing to hear something other than his go-to "chowkidaar chor hain") the Congress chief has been largely credited for the party's campaigns and subsequent victories in the Assembly elections. But what's plenty loud in its silence is the BJP's lack of comment on whom to blame for its losses, or poor performance, in states considered key ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Evident among this is leaders steering clear of any sort of criticism of any colleague in any of the states that went to polls in the past month, especially Modi. This is even more conspicuous on Tuesday as the BJP and its leaders have always been quick to credit Modi and his rallies in poll-bound states for even the most marginal victories. 'Modi's guidance reason for election victory' Earlier this year, there were elections in Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Karnataka. Soon after the results were declared in Tripura, the BJP formed the government in alliance with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). Although there was less than a fraction of a difference in votes between the BJP and CPM, which had ruled the northeastern state for over two decades, the saffron party had ascribed the victory to Modi. BJP general secretary Ram Madhav had said: "The prime minister had addressed four rallies in Tripura. He had worked very hard and continuously monitored our campaigning. The credit must go to him." Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had also said that Modi's popularity, along with the people's trust in the BJP to bring about growth and good governance, would ensure the party's win in Tripura. The BJP did not fail to reiterate this point after the results were declared. The Meghalaya elections resulted in a Hung Assembly, with neither the Congress nor the National People's Party (NPP) winning a clear majority. The NPP ultimately formed the government with allies, including the United Democratic Front and two BJP legislators. Here, too, the BJP credited the "Modi wave" for its best performance ever in this northeastern state two seats and moving a step forward in its campaign to ensure a "Congress-mukt North East". In this Christian-majority state, Modi had tweaked his usual "Hindutva" campaign to project that the BJP was not anti-Christian and had not "remained a silent spectator when Christian missionaries and minority workers were terrorised in conflict zones", referring to rescue of 46 Indian nurses from Iraq. In the third northeastern state that went to polls earlier this year, Nagaland, the BJP saw its biggest jump in seats from one in 2013 to 20 this year. It ultimately went on to form the government in alliance with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), dethroning the Congress. All praises from BJP chief ministers Soon after the results for the three northeastern states were announced, the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states gave the credit for the party's performance to Modi and his policies. "The party is achieving historical success in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and I want to congratulate all party workers, PM Modi and party president Amit Shah," Adityanath had said. Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey had also attributed the BJP's performance in the North East to the prime minister and Shah while Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and other state BJP leaders congratulated Modi for the BJP's poll victory in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, calling it a "triumph of Modi's agenda of development". In the run-up to the Karnataka elections on 12 May, Modi held 17 rallies a clear indicator that the BJP was banking on his oratorical skills to sway voters in the party's favour. Although this did play out for the party, where it won 104 seats, though with a smaller share of the votes than the Congress, it was the Grand Old Party that pulled a BJP and formed the government in the state with the Janata Dal (Secular). But in Karnataka, too, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman credited Modi with the party's performance. Even earlier, after the BJP clinched Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand after the Assembly elections in 2017, the party gave Modi the credit for its victories. BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said, "Modi's slogan of sabka saath, sabka vikas triumphed as people rejected the caste-based politics of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party." Replicating strategy to depend on Modi's rallies backfires Now on to the five most recent elections. Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram went to the polls days apart between 12 November and 7 December. The final results were declared on the morning of 12 December, when counting of votes concluded in Madhya Pradesh after over 24 hours. The Congress is set to form the government in three of these five states Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan while the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Mizoram National Front won their respective states. The BJP was trounced in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and lost in a close contest in Madhya Pradesh. It is in this state that no one blamed the party top brass although former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took responsibility for the defeat. In Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh, who, "as the chief minister", took responsibility for the BJP's loss in Chhattisgarh. The saffron front had fielded numerous star campaigners in all five states throughout the election season, including Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadhkari. But once again, it relied on Modi's influence as the prime minister to swing the results in its favour. The prime minister addressed four rallies each in Chhattisgarh and Telangana, 10 each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh shunting between the two states constantly between 25 November and 5 December and at least three in Mizoram. His high-intensity campaigns primarily focussed on accusing the Nehru-Gandhi family of decades of corruption as well as the BJP's usual Hindutva-leaning goals. Not a lot of this resonated with voters, especially in Chhattisgarh, where the local issues of Naxal threats and the agrarian crisis matter far more than whether a Ram temple would be built in Ayodhya. In Rajasthan, party strategists were aware of Vasundhara Raje's unpopularity, because of which, they tried to rely on Modi's appeal, at least among BJP voters, to ward off the anti-incumbency sentiments against her. "We expect a massive change in the mood once the prime minister is here," a senior BJP functionary in Rajasthan had said before Modi's rallies began. But that's not how things turned out. BJP shaken, but in denial In 2013, Raje was quick to thank Modi for the win, saying he was a "huge "contributor to their success and "his shadow and guidance was of prime importance". This time around, there has been no word from Raje or any other BJP leader, besides thanking the party central leadership for guidance and party workers. So far, there have only been non-answers from senior BJP leaders when asked about the defeat in the Assembly elections. Remarks by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh lacked modesty, with both choosing to shift the focus away from the "Modi government". Rajnath said the results were not a reflection of the Modi government's performance while Jaitley rejected the contention that the results were "a reflection on any individual". In his congratulatory message on Twitter, BJP president Amit Shah very glaringly left out the Congress. "Congratulations to Shri K Chandrashekar Rao ji and the TRS for the impressive victory in the Telangana Assembly elections" is all he said in his Twitter post. There is also no word from Adityanath one of the BJP's star campaigners in all five states on the party's losses even though the prime minister himself accepted the BJP's defeats "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," Modi said on Tuesday evening. However, neither the prime minister himself took responsibility for the defeats nor did anyone in the party dare to blame him or BJP president Amit Shah for the fiasco. Besides Raman Singh, none of the party top brass seems willing to take the blame for the BJP's abysmal loss in the Assembly elections, even though they were quick to claim credit whenever they won. Shah's refusal to congratulate the Congress for its resounding wins reeks of a certain degree of arrogance. These two aspects along with the fact that the BJP refers to its victories as a referendum of Modi's credibility but rejects such claims after losses as Jaitley and Rajnath did go to show that the BJP's supposed "humility" is far from that and these Assembly election losses were anything but what it had expected. If BJP strategists believed that Assembly elections were fought on local issues, why then did the party focus on national issues, like the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which matter little to farmers in remote corners of Chhattisgarh? The results of the Assembly elections indicate that people were hankering for what the BJP has been unable to digest and remains in denial about a change in government. The Congress forming government in three of the five states that went to polls in the past month albeit by a narrow margin in one can be considered a sign the BJP must not ignore going into 2019. That people are growing tired of its repetitive narrative harping on about its Hindutva agenda and the promise to build a Ram Temple in Ayodhya is now clear. In the five states where elections were held between 12 November and 7 December, the error the BJP made was to focus primarily on these subjects that are considered of "national" importance, and not ones that plagued the states over the years. It didn't help that the saffron front didn't fulfil a lot of the promises it made before the last elections, leaving angry voters to fend for themselves. For instance, in development-oriented Chhattisgarh, where 75 percent of the population is in the agrarian sector, the subjects BJP leaders, including Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, focussed on did not resonate with voters. At a rally in the state, Modi accused the Congress of being in cahoots with "Urban Naxals", a term one would not expect a farmers in a remote corner of Chhattisgarh to be familiar with. Similarly, it was a bad move by the BJP to peddle claims that it had done more for tribals and farmers during its term than the Congress had ever done, when the ground reality was far from it. The farmers that BJP leaders addressed at rallies in Chhattisgarh were aware that the BJP had neither raised the Minimum Support Price for paddy the principal crop grown in the state, from Rs 1,750 nor provided adequate facilities for irrigation in regions that required them. The saffron party also underestimated the impact the Congress' promise to waive farmers' loans would have in all the three states where has been been dethroned. The Adivasi population, too, was aware of the neglect it faced from the BJP government in Chhattisgarh, aware that the Raman Singh administration had made a mockery of the Forest Rights Act and handed over protected forestland for commercial exploitation. Furthermore, Raman Singh, who lost his bid for a fourth term in the Chief Minister's Office, had declared in August that "Naxalism was on its last legs" in Chhattisgarh. However, the latest attacks by Naxals in the state's Dantewada region one in Aranpur and the other in Bacheli claimed nine lives altogether, once again removing the smokescreen the BJP seems to always be trying to throw between facts and its claims. Add to these the lack of jobs in the state and the growing discontent among the educated youth, who were forced to work as daily-wage labourers, a BJP trouncing was in store from the beginning. This growing unrest, clubbed with the agrarian crisis, the ever-present Naxal threat and tribal woes, overshadowed Raman Singh's efforts to bring about development in the state, including improving its infrastructure. Along similar lines, voters are ostensibly still bewildered by the BJP's choice to field Adityanath as one of the star campaigners in Telangana, where he has no influence whatsoever. Here, too, the Hindu hardliner stuck to his chants of "Ram Mandir banayenge" (we'll build a Ram Temple) and the promise to continue with his renaming spree. At rallies in Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts, Adityanath had announced that the BJP will rename Karimnagar "Karipuram" and Hyderabad Bhagyanagar if voted to power in Telangana. Only the yogi knows what prompted him to believe voters wanted these rechristenings, instead of loan waivers, jobs and investment support in farming. In Rajasthan, the BJP nearly didn't stand a chance from the get-go. Vasundhara Raje's growing unpopularity both among the state party leadership as well as the public worked against the party from the beginning. This sentiment of anti-incumbency, the view that the state didn't see the development it was promised in the past five years led to the party's downfall, along with Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot's rising clout and apparent credibility. Although Shivraj Singh Chouhan didn't face any such unpopularity issues in Madhya Pradesh, his leaning towards reservation in view of the Supreme Court's judgment diluting the Scheduled Case/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had upper caste communities perturbed. The killing of farmers in police firing in Mandsaur did not help turn the table in the BJP's favour in the slightest. Party strategists believe that the results won't have an impact on the BJP's 2019 prospects as Assembly elections don't matter much on the national platform and are fought primarily on local issues. Why, then, did the BJP adopt its usual Hindutva stance during campaigns in these states instead of focussing on creating jobs, improving the condition of farmers and other such matters that truly concerned voters? This faux pas is what could cost the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year. Seeing the results of the Chhattisgarh elections, the state may well have given the Congress its campaign model for the 2019 polls. Some time during the second week of November, a farmer on the outskirts of Dongargarh explained the agrarian distress to me. He listed out the input costs and juxtaposed it with returns. "We do not even break even, let alone make a profit," he said. "Because of that, our children do not want to be farmers. But there are no jobs either, so they end up working as labourers." The farmer cultivated paddy, the predominant crop grown in Chhattisgarh. His narrative was similar to the one I had heard in nearly every agrarian region. However, while we discussed the Assembly elections over a cup of tea, I noticed stacks of gunny bags filled with rice in his house. When I asked him what that was, he said, "I will sell it after 11 December." As a reporter, I cannot predict the outcome of an election. One should not either. What one can do is pick up signs of where the wind is blowing, and this conversation in Dongargarh was one such indicator. I met several farmers later, many of whom said they have withheld the sale of their harvest. To substantiate the anecdotal evidence, I checked the website of the Food Corporation of India. By the end of the first week of December, the Chhattisgarh government had procured 1.1 million tonnes of paddy. For a state where the crop was harvested on time, the number was on a fairly lower side. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had travelled from district to district, promising to raise the Minimum Support Price of paddy to Rs 2,500 per quintal from Rs 1,750 if the party was voted to power. The farmers were so confident of a government change that they strategically decided to sell their harvest after 11 December, so they would get better rates for their produce, even if it meant delayed returns. For a state where 76 percent of the rural population is engaged in agriculture, this was a significant giveaway that indicated the likely election result. Speaking of giveaways, the entire Dongargarh constituency had several indicators of a BJP rout. It was the seat the BJP had never lost since Chhattisgarh was formed. It was even reserved for a Schedule Caste (SC) candidate, where the alliance between Ajit Jogi and Mayawati should have played a factor. Yet, the Congress seemed comfortably ahead through most of counting on Tuesday, with party candidate Bhuneshwar Shobharam Baghel going on to win the seat. In fact, the alliance appeared to be hurting the BJP, a trend not many had been speaking about. Considering that around 65 percent of the Congress' vote comes from SC communities and tribals, the simple arithmetic would have suggested that the alliance would only eat into the party's vote share. But a few days after visiting Dongargarh, I got on the phone with Congress leader Ruchir Garg. "Ajit Jogi dented the Congress more when he was with the Congress," he said. "He is, in fact, unknowingly helping us this time around." Garg was spot on. It is an open secret in Chhattisgarh that Jogi, a popular face among the Satnamis an influential community with the SC status had diverted their votes away from the Congress in 2013. Nine of the 10 SC-reserved seats in Chhattisgarh, therefore, had been with Raman Singh's party. Jogi was hoping to be the kingmaker and trying to remain relevant in electoral politics, having broken away from the Congress. He had to make a mark in those 10 seats, but they were not for sale this time around. On one hand, Jogi managed to get the votes he had swung towards the BJP and make a dent in their base in a concentrated nature, which immediately reflecting in the outcome of the seats. On the other hand, though he may have eaten into the Congress' votes to an extent, this was across the state. There were rumours in the political circles of Raipur that the BJP had funded the Ajit Jogi-Mayawati campaign. Regardless of whether it is true, the BJP certainly hoped to gain from the alliance. But the saffron party misread the situation terribly. The anti-incumbency in Chhattisgarh even withstood the infighting within the Congress leadership. State party president Bhupesh Baghel had actively tried to sabotage the election campaigns of two top leaders, but it did not matter. Largely, when the rural regions seemed angry with the BJP, the urban centres seemed to be backing it. But in Chhattisgarh, the disillusionment among first- and second-time voters, who had been smitten by Narendra Modi, was palpable. Competent youngsters with decent degrees were making their ends meet through daily-wage labour. Lack of jobs drove them towards polling booths more than anything else. This confirms how sub-national Chhattisgarh is as a state, where local issues trump the "national" ones. The BJP could not whip up religious or nationalist sentiments to create momentum here. In Adivasi regions, people were disappointed with the Raman Singh government for opening up forestland for commercial exploitation, making a mockery of the Forest Rights Act. In the Adivasi region of Bastar, Modi had invoked the term "Urban Naxals" in his rally, which hardly resonated on the ground. Up until now, the prime minister would drag the BJP around the halfway mark even when it seemed to be struggling. We saw this both in Gujarat and Karnataka. But in Chhattisgarh, Modi could not make an impact. This was probably why he only held three or four rallies in the entire state. Rahul, on the other hand, ran a consistent, decent and pertinent campaign. One could see the crowd respond to him. And the fact that the farmers took a gamble on him and waited to sell their harvest till after the election results were declared is significant validation of his acceptability. Rahul focussed on rural distress, jobs and the BJP's appeasement of crony capitalists. He set the agenda, and his leaders on the ground clinically went about their business in every constituency. They were low-key, but resolute. Chhattisgarh may well have given the Congress its campaign model going in to 2019. The Congress registered a landslide victory in the Chhattisgarh polls, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. Raipur: The Congress in Chhattisgarh will hold its legislature party meeting here on Wednesday to decide on the next chief minister of the state. Congress' Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader TS Singh Deo are front-runners for the top post. The Congress registered a landslide victory in the Chhattisgarh polls, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. "The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P L Punia and other senior leaders will be present there," state party unit's general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. Former chief minister Ajit Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) won five seats and his ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 percent. This will have greater play in the Lok Sabha elections, there is little to separate the two parties in Madhya Pradesh in terms of vote share: BJP's 41 percent to Congress' 40.9 percent. They may have fought bitterly before the recently concluded Assembly elections, but the three Opposition parties, who hold the key to making the political terrain in Uttar Pradesh during the 2019 parliamentary polls extremely challenging for the Bharatiya Janata Party, appear to have turned a new leaf within hours of the results. The first signal that the Congress was willing to smoke the peace pipe with Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party came on Tuesday evening when Sachin Pilot declared that his party was looking towards "all like-minded and anti-BJP parties to support us." He added that communication avenues with these parties and individuals had already been opened. This task was particularly necessary as the Congress eventually fell short of a majority of its own by a whisker the party's final tally after all results were declared stands at 99 in a 200-member House. Moreover, when Pilot made the declaration, his party was still caught in an epic electoral struggle for supremacy. The need to reach out to other anti-BJP parties and individuals was all the more greater because collectively they won 27 seats, almost 15 percent of the state Assembly. Of these, while 13 were independent candidates, the BSP won six. Although the BSP won fewer seats in Madhya Pradesh two it were these that were of greater value to the Congress to cross the magical majority mark and be assured of a call from Governor Anandiben Patel. In Madhya Pradesh, the contest between the Congress and the BJP was the tightest the former won 114 seats as against 109 by the latter. Additionally, and this will have greater play in the Lok Sabha elections, there is little to separate the two parties in Madhya Pradesh in terms of vote share: BJP's 41 percent to Congress' 40.9 percent. In the parliamentary polls, the BJP will campaign in the name of Modi and its vote share is likely to rise at today's level of public sentiment. Consequently, even in Madhya Pradesh the Congress would require to pool resources from every available anti-BJP party if it wishes to improve on its tally of 2014 when it won just two seats, at least one of which will now fall vacant because these are held by Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. Despite mutual need to contest on the same platform, we witness a simultaneous contest of sorts among Congress and BSP, even Samajwadi Party, for securing one's space in the anti-BJP front. Consequently, support is either extended or accepted grudgingly and that too alternately. Often, stance of these parties varies from one state to another and between various leaders. This multi-layered approach of parties and leaders is always complicated when it comes to dealing with Mayawati because of her innate unpredictablity and penchant for defying reason. Not just the Congress, but almost every political party has had a bitter experience while dealing with her. Yet, because of her public image, social base and electoral support, the BSP leader can be ignored for long only at one's own peril. It was due to unreliability that instead of relying on support of two BSP legislators in Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath began engaging with the four independent candidates who had become legislators. They were, as leaders admitted, the party's rebel candidates and the unwritten rule in Indian politics is that they are propped up by a faction leader whose demand for a ticket for a favourite has been ignored. If they win without the party's support, they are readmitted after being elected. It was essentially with the objective of mildly putting down Mayawati that Kamal Nath in his letter to the Governor seeking an appointment, mentioned that the "all the independents have in addition assured support to the Congress party." He reiterated this in the morning to indirectly convey to Mayawati that her support, although welcome, would not prevent his party from securing a majority. However, by ignoring efforts at underscoring that the BSP's support was not vital for majority, Mayawati made a suo motu declaration at a press conference extending support to the Congress in Rajasthan well as Madhya Pradesh. Significantly, she specified that unconditional support was being accorded "even though we dont agree with many of their policies." Shortly after this, Akhilesh Yadav too announced his party's support with a tweet; the party has one legislator in MP. The Rashtriya Lok Dal vice president, Jayant Chaudhary, wrote to his party's lone legislator in Rajasthan that his father and party president, Ajit Singh was of the view that the party should support Congress efforts at government formation "respecting the mandate of the people." Undeniably, with this offer of support, the die has been cast for a four party (BSP,SP, RLD and Congress) alliance in Uttar Pradesh for 2019. Likewise, the BSP too would expect to be accommodated, if not in both states, at least in one. It, of course, will not be an easy negotiation because all parties will aim to maximise the number of seats they contest. This would enable them to secure the best deal post polls, in the event of the BJP failing to secure a majority, even being woefully short of being unable to form the next government. Mayawati is aware that it is imperative for her to win significant number of seats. This is important not just for retaining the status of 'National Party' as per the Election Commission guidelines, but also to ensure that her cadre stays with her. As it is, Mayawati has been challenged with the emergence of the youthful Chandrasekhar Azad of the Bhim Army and who recently dropped his 'Ravan' moniker, contending he did not wish 2019 to get polarised between supports of Ram and Raavan. While he continues to voice support for the BSP leader, she is aware that challenge to her exalted position as the undisputed Dalit leader is around the corner. This has acted a trigger for her to take first step in being the first mover for opposition unity. It is up to the Congress to respond in a manner she considers 'reasonable.' But going by Kamal Nath's nuanced stance, it is possibly going to be the Congress's turn to talk about 'honourable terms'. Congress will make the final announcement in the evening after taking into consideration the opinions and sentiments of every MLA, senior leader Ashok Gehlot said. Jaipur: After missing the magic number by a whisker in Rajasthan, the Congress party headed by Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting with six Independent candidates in an attempt to stitch an alliance to form the government in the state. The meeting was chaired by the former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at his resident situated in Civil Lines, Jaipur in the morning. Speaking to ANI Gehlot stated, "Congress will make the final announcement in the evening." He also added that "the opinions and sentiments of every MLAs will be taken into account The decision of the high command will ultimately be followed". In the 2018 Vidhan Sabha elections, the Congress bagged 99 seats out of 199 while the rival BJP only managed to get 73. On the other hand, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party also got as less as six seats, however, 21 Independent candidates won in their respective constituencies. Additionally, the MLAs of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RDL) party also came to visit Gehlot at his residence at around 9 am. The RLD contested two seats in Rajasthan in alliance with the Congress and won in the Bharatpur constituency. Interestingly, this seat was with the BJP from the past two terms. The party's candidate Subhash Garg won by a margin of 5,464 votes with 28.5 percent of the vote share. For the BJP, results are not as bad as they looked at first glance. Way back in March 1998, the National Democratic Alliance government under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in at the Centre. The BJP won 182 Lok Sabha seats, a tremendous achievement (by then standards). The Congress was down to 141. By end of that year, Assembly elections were held in Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The BJP was routed. The Congress scored massive victories, snatching Delhi and Rajasthan from the BJP and Djivijaya Singh triumphantly returned to power for a second term in undivided Madhya Pradesh. Four months later, in April 1999, the Vajpayee government fell by one vote. Fresh parliamentary elections followed. The BJP under Vajpayee was back in power at the Centre, winning all seven seats from Delhi and performing well in the Hindi heartland. In early 2004, the BJP leadership (Vajpayee and Advani) dissolved Lok Sabha and advanced parliamentary elections by five months because in December 2003 it swept polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (created in November 2000 after bifurcation of Madhya Pradesh). They thought results of these Hindi heartland states reflected the general buoyancy in the mood for the Vajpayee government and the BJP and thus an early parliamentary election would help them easily return to power. However, the BJP lost. Turn to December 2013, the BJP, the prime contender for power in New Delhi, lost the Assembly election to a newly founded Aam Aadmi Party, but won all seven Lok Sabha seats in April-May 2014 parliamentary elections. Beyond a doubt, 11 December, 2018, will go down as an important date in the Indian political calendar: the day the Congress snatched power from the BJP in three Hindi heartland states. It is a big moment for the Congress and an undoubtedly joyous one and its president Rahul Gandhi, who tasted success after a string of failures. But past experience suggests it would be erroneous to jump to conclusions as to what might happen in 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modis political rivals and critics see Tuesdays verdict as a precursor to what they think could happen next year. Several reports have predicted a loss of seats for the BJP. But what the prognosticators fail to consider, perhaps conveniently, is that each election is different, with a different kind of arithmetic and chemistry. Consider the results of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana and the percentage of votes major parties received: The Madhya Pradesh House is basically hung, with the Congress emerging as the single largest party with 114 seats, but falling two short of the majority mark. The BJP is a close second with 109 seats. Ironically, the BJP secured more votes than the Congress: the saffron party received 15,642,980 votes and a 41 percent vote share while the Congress got 15,595,153 votes with 40.9 percent vote share. After being in power for three terms, it was a commendable performance by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP workers and leaders. Rajasthan again is a Hung House, Congress as the single largest party with 99 seats with two short of majority. The BJP won 73 seats. The difference between Congress and the BJP is only .50 percent. The Congress got 39.3 percent and BJP received 38.8 percent of vote. In Chhattisgarh, Congress won in a landslide. Thus, for the BJP, results are not as bad as they looked at first glance. Madhya Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha seats, Rajasthan 25, and Chhattisgarh 11. Another important state which went to the polls in South India was Telangana. Some opinion polls predicted that Congress-TDP-Left coalition would give a tough fight to ruling TRS and may derail Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, but Tuesday's results showed a remarkable victory for KCR-led TRS. The party won 88 of 119 seats that went to the polls. Its poll percentage was 46.9, way ahead of Congresss 28.4 percent. Chandrababu Naidus TDP only won two seats. There is speculation, informed or otherwise, of a tacit understanding between BJP and TRS for a post-poll alliance. The Telangana Assembly result puts the new friendship between Rahul and Chandrababu under stress. It remains to be seen whether they go to parliamentary polls as allies or separate in fewer than six months. Mayawati, with her two seats, will support the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. The Bahujan Samaj Party chief made the announcement on Wednesday extremely grudgingly. 'The people who have voted for Congress in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were desperate because they did not want a BJP government. Dil pe patthar rakh ke jitaya hai Congress ko,' said the BSP chief Mayawati, with her two seats, will support the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh. The Bahujan Samaj Party chief made the announcement on Wednesday albeit extremely grudgingly. "The people who have voted for Congress in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were desperate because they did not want a BJP government. Dil pe patthar rakh ke jitaya hai Congress ko," said the BSP chief and added that her party had contested the elections to prevent the BJP from coming to power. After 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 (2) and SP (1) and Independents (4), the alliance will now have 121 seats, well above the BJP's 109. "Sadly our party was unable to do this. Ive got to know that the BJP is even now trying to cobble together a coalition to return to power in Madhya Pradesh... 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. Even though we don't agree with many of Congress' policies we have agreed to support them in Madhya Pradesh and if need be in Rajasthan," Mayawati said. However, a common adversary like BJP has not helped in bringing the Congress and the BSP any closer. What is being played out in Madhya Pradesh is the reversal of what we have seen BJP do to get out of a Hung Assembly situation. The Congress party seemed to have learnt from its mistakes, or rather from BJP's game plan in states like Karnataka, Goa and Manipur, which threw up Hung Assembly. With Independents, BSP, SP support Congress crosses majority mark in Madhya Pradesh leaving zero manoeuvring space for BJP. The party outshone BJP in the post-poll political manoeuvering in state even though the difference in the number of seats was lesser than it was in Goa, where the BJP managed to form a government. Senior Congress leader and state unit chief Kamal Nath was prompt to rope in the support of all four Independent MLAs even before BJP could reach them. In doing so, he successfully secured the only free radicals in this highly polarised elections. Besides, in doing so, the Congress also sent a message out to the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, who were dilly-dallying over support to the Congress. Nath knew that because these parties are staunchly against BJP on a national stage, they will be doomed if they support the saffron party. He also drove home the point that the Congress will not be held hostage to threats and negotiations because it is already past the majority mark without these parties' help. From labelling Shivraj Singh Chouhan a 'BJP stalwart in Vajpayee mould' to the 'people's chief minister', Twitter and political pundits were all praise for him, and noted that he set the bar too high for even for his own party colleagues. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for the last 15 years, stepped down from the post after the Bharatiya Janata Party lost the legislative Assembly election to Congress by seven seats. After submitting his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel, news agency ANI quoted him as saying: "Ab mein mukt hoon (I am now free). I have tendered my resignation to the honourable Governor. The responsibility of defeat is totally mine. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji... Whether win or lose, I am not scared in the slightest." Chouhan also took to Twitter to thank the state for voting for the BJP, and said that he will "respect your unlimited affection, faith and blessings till the last moments of my life." #MadhyaPradeshElections2018 @BJP4MP , , ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) December 12, 2018 Even in defeat, Chouhan was a poignant orator and a graceful runner-up. In his press address following elections, Chouhan set an example that other BJP chief ministerial faces have failed to follow in the past. Conceding defeat, Chouhan shouldered the blame for the defeat, while crediting the BJP's central leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his 15-year-long term as the chief minister. Accepting that his party failed to get the mandate and the expected success, Chouhan said that his intent was always to serve the people of Madhya Pradesh as a family member. "But still, if I have hurt anyone unknowingly, I ask them for their forgiveness." Chouhan pledged to play the role of a "strong but responsible" Opposition. He urged the Congress party to rise above the politics and maintain continuity in the schemes introduced by his government. "People do not matter in a democracy. They come and they go. But the continuity in people's service should be maintained. So I urge the new government to maintain these schemes properly," Chouhan said. .@BJP4MP , ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) December 12, 2018 Chouhan's gracefully crafted speech, wherein he not only accepted defeat but also subtly pointed out that the people's mandate was so divided that it wasn't completely against him, was in stark contrast of the situation in Karnataka. BJP's chief ministerial face in Karnataka BS Yeddyurappa took oath as the chief minister of a minority government and then resigned just ahead of the trust vote. It has been suggested that he skipped the floor test because it had become obvious that BJP did not have the numbers. Chouhan's exit is also in stark contrast to the situation in Goa, where ailing chief minister Manohar Parrikar is still continues in his positions, despite repeated calls to step down. So much so, that the BJP leadership refused to allow Parrikar to step down despite the Goa chief minister requesting the party to relieve him of his CM duties. The Twitterati commended Chouhan for gracefully stepping down. From labelling him a "BJP stalwart in Vajpayee mould" to the "people's chief minister", Twitter and political pundits were all praise for him, and noted that he set the bar too high even for his own party colleagues. Praise for Chouhan's conduct comments poured in from colleagues, contenders and critics alike. A peoples' chief minister bows out in the best traditions of liberal democracy. The voter makes a choice, the peoples' will is made known and the mantle passes on in a peaceful transfer of power. As @ChouhanShivraj bids adieu a big pranam and salaam to " Mamaji" https://t.co/KjrkducKBT Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) December 12, 2018 In my last meeting with d former PM Dr Manamohan Singh Ji on his birthday,while discussing politics, He really praised @ChouhanShivraj as a CM, said he is the decent,soft spoken n always concerned about his people, so he likes him :). Today ShivrajG has proved him right . Alka Lamba (@LambaAlka) December 12, 2018 Well played Shivraj Singh Chouhan. One of the few leaders who enjoyed tremendous goodwill in his state. https://t.co/yJ8ezgIP0x Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) December 12, 2018 Mama Shivraj Singh Chouhan bowing out of Madhya Pradesh like... pic.twitter.com/tqsHg5HNOy Hemant X (@hemant10) December 11, 2018 It Is Credit To #Shivrajsinghchouhan That He Has Kept Fight Alive For Fourth Consecutive Term & Surging Ahead. Credit Where It's Due. India Needs Lots Of #Leaders Like Him - Humble, Grounded, Statesman, Low Profile,Focused On Work Not Kinda My Way Or HighWay People ! Zafar Shaikh (@Zafargs79) December 11, 2018 Chouhan, who took the defeat in his stride, also made sure that he responds to most of the comments on Twitter personally, and in his trademark style. His responses bore the mark of his style using polished Hindi phrases, and laced with emotion. Thank You @ShekharGupta Ji. I have always trusted the people of Madhya Pradesh and respected their mandate. I will continue to do so. https://t.co/zSAfNVrhUo ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) December 12, 2018 Unlike Amit Shah and many other BJP leaders, who stayed silent on Congress' win but did not shy away from congratulating KCR, Chouhan called state Congress chief Kamal Nath to congratulate him, and later even met him. Credit goes to even Nath, who paid a courtesy visit to Chouhan at his official residence. Chouhan also said that he will continue to put in efforts to ensure that the political discourse does not vitiate the basic democratic etiquette and courtesy. In these times, Chouhan's conduct sets an example for the political fraternity, and perhaps carries the message that it is time to restore the Indian democracy to its previous state of glory, where people's mandate takes precedence over petty politics and personal gains. After TRS' landslide victory in Telangana, KCR called for a 'BJP-mukt' and 'Congress-mukt' India. After TRS' landslide victory in Telangana, KCR called for a 'BJP-mukt' and 'Congress-mukt' India. Saying that his political experiment at the national level was not an alignment of political parties, KCR said he would pitch for a policy-based alternative. Even as three north Indian states voted for Congress governments, KCR is hopeful of a non-Congress, non-BJP regime in Delhi in 2019. On the contrary, his Andhra Pradesh counterpart is making a hard bid for rallying the regional and smaller parties under the Congress-led conglomeration. The difference in the strategy is not ideological but more to do with political compulsions in the respective states. While Naidu wishes to embrace Congress to make an incremental addition to his votes after estrangement with BJP and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena, KCR has Congress as his main rival with BJP getting decimated. Though KCR is yet to make a detailed statement for his plans at the national level, he did make certain points to substantiate his national ambitions. He came out strongly against the Centre's 'stranglehold' on states. "Why should central government control a primary school and a hospital and what crops a farmer should grow in my state?" he said. Thus, KCR raised the demand for stronger federalism, asking Centre to concentrate on dealing with Pakistan or utilising the unused resources with public sector undertakings and with the RBI. KCR is not the first to raise such concerns. Earlier, the Left parties, Shiromani Akali Dal and even TDP fought for radical restructuring of Centre-state relations. Only time will tell whether KCR's remarks will get the nation's attention. On the other hand, KCR remained silent when Opposition parties raised concerns over the 15th Finance Commission's pro-Centre terms of reference. He has even kept himself away from the south Indian chief ministers' joint effort to voice the discrimination meted out to south Indian states, which were at the forefront of population control in the revised terms of reference that take 2011 census as the reference point. Yet another issue strongly raised by KCR was the agrarian crisis. He was referring to unused water potential and the exploitation of farmers. But, surprisingly enough, he was not part of the recent famers' march to Delhi that received the support of all Opposition parties. However, KCR believes that the pro-farmer initiatives of his government, like Rs 8000 per acre per year capital support to farmers, Rs 5 lakh insurance etc will give him the credibility to pitch for the farmers' agenda. However, it cannot be ignored that the farmers of Telangana are also fighting for remunerative prices in KCR's regime too. The fact remains that the non-Congress, non-BJP parties have not been implementing policies that are radically different from that of the governments run by national parties. KCR's claim that he is not for alignment of parties but for uniting the people on an alternate national agenda sounds fine, but governments are formed by alignment of parties with or without an alternative agenda. Therefore, KCR has to clarify on the possible combination of parties that would herald an altogether different policy agenda for the nation. Congress winning three Hindi states and defeating the BJP in a more or less direct contest further narrows the scope for any national political platform comprising regional or smaller parties independent of Congress and the BJP. BSP, Ajit Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, despite making their presence felt, could not stall Congress coming to power in Chhattisgarh. The recent round of Assembly elections further reinforced the point that regional and smaller parties continue to play a critical role in India's political spectrum. But the possibility of a non-Congress, non-BJP combination emerging in New Delhi is almost an impossible task before the 2019 polls and even prospects of forming such a combination free from national parties looks grim, even post-2019. The TRS displayed remarkable pusillanimity in the past with regard to associating with parties at the Centre. TRS was part of the first UPA government for some time. It contested against Congress in 2009 without aligning with the BJP. The Left and TDP were part of the Mahakutami along with TRS in 2009. Surprisingly, even before the votes were counted in 2009, KCR attended BJP's outreach meet amidst speculation that the saffron party may oust the UPA. However, with the UPA retaining power, KCR did not look towards the BJP. His daughter and MP from Nizamabad once even expressed willingness to join the Modi-led NDA government if there is any such invitation from the prime minister. However, nothing of that sort fructified as both the BJP and the TRS felt that any bonhomie between the two would only benefit Congress in the Assembly elections. Given this history, it is difficult to believe the non-Congress, non-BJP talk by the TRS supremo. There are even apprehensions expressed by the non-BJP parties that KCR is doing so to benefit BJP and harm his principal foe, the Congress as more and more regional parties may gravitate towards the latter in the wake of impressive electoral wins it registered in north India. His selective parleys with those who allied or would like to be allied with Congress gives further credence to such apprehensions. The run-up to 2019 will see KCR's political play. Any such progress in his national political episode would only give more clarity on what exactly he intends to do so and which party would be the ultimate beneficiary. Newly-elected Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh Wednesday asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to nominate the new legislature party leader. At a meeting in Bhopal on Wednesday evening, they unanimously passed a resolution authorising Gandhi to name the CLP leader. Bhopal: Newly-elected Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh Wednesday asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to nominate the new legislature party leader. At a meeting in Bhopal on Wednesday evening, they unanimously passed a resolution authorising Rahul to name the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader. "The resolution was moved by senior MLA Arif Aqueel and seconded by other MLAs. They passed it unanimously, authorising the Congress president to nominate the legislature party leader," state Congress media cell chairperson, Shobha Oza told reporters. The meeting lasted for about two hours, she said. Senior Congress leaders AK Antony and Bhanwar Jitendra Singh attended the meeting as the central observers. Oza said Gandhi will be conveyed the decision of the newly-elected MLAs, after which he will name the CLP leader. The observers are also talking to the MLAs to seek their views, she said. All the four independent MLAs, elected in the 28 November poll, were also present in the meeting, she said. The Congress Wednesday emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority of 116 in 230-member house and claimed that it has the support of 121 members. BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday morning extended support of her party to the Congress. Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel, who met a Congress delegation on Wednesday after the party leaders wrote to her on Tuesday, seeking a chance to form the new government in the central Indian state. Whatever good the Narendra Modi government has done these past four years, including putting India right up there on the global map, was getting lost in the dross of religion and Hindutva-oriented sentiments. If one wishes to be profound, the loss of face for the BJP in the Hindi heartland states can be chalked up to demonetisation, the Goods and Services Tax and the dismay of farmers. Experts will connect the dots to these elements, but there is possibly another reason. People just got tired of being told what to do with their private lives, and secularism, that poorly treated label, won the day. All that folderol over what to eat and what to think and go all saffron in thought, word and deed, combined with the theatrics of changing the names of cities and monuments, spiked in its novelty and then hit against the inbred tolerance that marks the people of India. We have endured all sorts of invasions through history, and this was another invasion of individual privacy and our right to pray to our pantheon of gods without political interference. For many who do not seek esoteric reasons, there is some comfort that these election results could be the beginning of the end of the shrill and aggressive, near fanatic, Hindutva movement. It had its day for a while, but as it became a staple of the BJP's stance and seemed to eclipse all other considerations, making even the Shiv Sena look placid in comparison, there was a realisation that politics and prayers do not mix. The likes of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adiyanath and his ilk would do well to hear the bell tolling. Changing the names of streets and cities neither generates employment and prosperity, or encourages medical access, nor does the shrill rhetoric over the religious divide and erecting huge statues lead to the basics of roti, kapada and makan and the right to education. Whatever good the Modi government has done these past four years, including putting India right up there on the global map as a nation to reckon with, was getting lost in the dross of religion and Hindutva-oriented sentiments. Much as one would like to talk about anti-incumbency being a factor and the financial confusion these past two years, as well as the embarrassing impasse in the CBI, the cause of the losses at the hustings is really more personal. There was a palpable fear, and it was this unspoken fog that was enveloping the nation in a toxic grip. The political mandate was invading homes. It was no longer my castle. Even the for-or-against diktat was getting out of hand, and lynch mobs were winning. That social uneasiness may not have been articulated, and several thousands may have even paid lip service to it to maintain their security. But like the cancer it is, the poison was taking its effect and creating discomfort, pitting neighbor against neighbor, worker against co-worker. One would have thought that had Hindutva and the brouhaha over beef and the call to arms over even edifices like the Taj Mahal been as successful and popular as it was projected, these were the states where the majority population would have swamped the polls in favour of the BJP. Mr Modi has four odd months to rework his priorities. He is fortunate that he will now have to only take on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in a one-on-one battle since these victories sanctify Rahul's leadership of the Opposition. That will still give him an edge by sheer force of personality. But get your people out of the Indian home, the Indian houses of worship and the Indian psyche that says stop with the window dressing. The NOTA or none of the above option was the sixth most popular choice in the recently-concluded Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections, after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The situation was similar in other states NOTA outperformed several political parties, including the AAP and Samajwadi Party, which contested the assembly polls in the five states. The NOTA or none of the above option was the sixth most popular choice in the recently-concluded Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections, after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The situation was similar in other states NOTA outperformed several political parties, including the AAP and Samajwadi Party, that contested the Assembly polls in the five states. According to the Election Commission's website at 8 pm on Tuesday, the NOTA votes ranged as high as 2.1 percent in Chhattisgarh to 0.5 percent in Mizoram. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which fielded its candidates on 85 seats out of 90 seats in Chhattisgarh, got 0.9 percent of votes while NOTA were 2.1 percent of the counted votes in the state. Samajwadi Party and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) got 0.2 percent votes each in Chhattisgarh. The Communist Party of India (CPI) got 0.3 percent votes in the state. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat in October at a gathering had urged voters not to chose NOTA because by selecting the NOTA option, a voter chooses the "available worst against the available best". In Madhya Pradesh, NOTA polled 1.5 percent of the total counted votes. Samajwadi Party got 1.01 percent while AAP got 0.7 percent votes. The NOTA votes in Rajasthan elections were 1.3 percent. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and SP got 1.2 percent and 0.2 percent votes respectively. The AAP and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) received 0.4 percent and 0.3 percent votes each in the state. In Telangana Vidhan Sabha Assembly polls, NOTA got 1.1 percent of votes while NCP got 0.1 percent of votes. The CPI(M) polled 0.4 percent votes while CPI received 0.4 percent votes. In Mizoram, NOTA got 0.5 percent of votes while People's Represent for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) got 0.2 percent of votes. In February, 2018 Rajasthan bypolls, where the BJP had suffered a major setback after it lost all three byelections, for two Lok Sabha seats and one assembly seat, to arch-rival Congress, as many as 27,000 voters said no to all candidates. DNA reported, "Their anger and angst can be gauged from the fact that in Alwar parliamentary constituency alone more than 15,000 voters opted for NOTA." NOTA: Right to register negative opinion Debuting in the 2013, NOTA was based on the directive of Supreme Court in the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties versus Union of India judgment. India was the 14th country to introduce negative voting, however, it has also been argued that NOTA is not 'the right to reject' all candidates standing in the election, but instead 'the right to register a negative opinion'. This option is based on the principle that "consent requires the ability to withhold consent in an election". NOTA gives people dissatisfied with contesting candidates an opportunity to express their disapproval. This, in turn, increases the chances of more people turning up to cast their votes, even if they do not support any candidate, and decreases the count of bogus votes. Also, a bench headed by then Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam said negative voting could bring about "a systemic change in polls and political parties will be forced to project clean candidates". The reason behind rise of NOTA can be attributed to political fatigue. It was also a way of giving a choice to the voter. The Election Commission clarified that votes caste as NOTA are counted, but are considered 'invalid votes'. Therefore, votes made to NOTA will not change the outcome of the election. For example, as former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi pointed out: "Even if there are 99 NOTA votes out of a total of 100, and candidate X gets just one vote, X is the winner, having obtained the only valid vote. The rest will be treated as invalid or no votes." For Rahul who was viewed as incapable of resurrecting the Congress and called 'Pappu' by his opponents this win serves as validation for the party president was mocked mercilessly and criticised by other parties, especially the BJP. Rahul Gandhi, who was elected Congress president a year ago, led his party to victory in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and in Madhya Pradesh elections. For Rahul who was dubbed 'Pappu' by his opponents, especially the BJP, and viewed as incapable of resurrecting the Congress this victory serves as validation of his leadership. The BJP losing ground in the Hindi heartland has thrown open the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which, until a few months ago, appeared to be trending firmly in the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul was elected as Congress president unopposed on 11 December, 2017, at the culmination of the party's organisational elections. He took over from his mother Sonia, who helmed the country's oldest party for 19 years. Congress Rajasthan chief Sachin Pilot, speaking even as the grand old party was poised to snatch three Hindi heartland states from the BJP, said: "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?" Rahul, in his one year tenure, has effected changes both organisationally and in the way it approached election campaigns. The party's outreach now combines conventional means with an active presence on the social media. Rahul has created several new departments: the farmers' wing, unorganised labour wing, and NRI wing, reported Economic Times. He also systematically divided the work among new leaders, acted as a bridge between them and created a system where daily to weekly reports are directly sent to him, according to the report. In Karnataka, Rahul played smart by offering the chief ministers post to the rival JDS, reported Telegraph India. The sacrifice also laid the ground for a coalition of Opposition forces as the move encouraged smaller parties to step closer to the big brother, according to the report. Election campaign The 48-year-old launched blistering attacks on the prime minister during his 82 rallies, declaring Modi "corrupt". He attacked Modi on the Rafale Deal, the Nirav Modi scam, demonetisation and claimed he was a "thief". "Chowkidar chor hain," Rahul said. Rahul also raised issues of farmers distress, Rafale deal, corruption, and women's security in a spirited campaign. 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. Rahul was also able to curb party infighting: The Congress put up a united front in Madhya Pradesh where Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia buried their differences to work for the partys interests. In Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot worked together. "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. Several Congress leaders from the Hindi heartland such as Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel credited Rahul'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. From Pappu to Param Pujya Rahul has been mocked as "Pappu" (colloquial Hindi word for dumb kid), especially in the last one year. The moniker gained popularity last December, when a BJP leader and then Chhattisgarh cabinet minister Brijmohan referred to him as "Pappu", adding that the Congress leader would take time to be upgraded. In June 2017, Gandhi's own party's district president of Meerut, Vinay Pradhan, was sacked from all posts for addressing him, then the party's vice-president as "Pappu" on a party's local WhatsApp group. Rahul himself acknowledged that he was called "Pappu" when he hugged Modi during the no-confidence motion debate in the parliament in July. "You may call me Pappu, but I don't hate you," Gandhi had said , looking directly at Modi. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday said that Rahul who was referred to as 'Pappu' by his opponents has now become 'Param Pujya' (most revered). "Rahul Gandhi was alone in Gujarat, even in Karnataka and now too. Now Pappu has become Param Pujya. Will his leadership be accepted at the national level, you are seeing it," he said. Rahul's leadership in elections before he was appointed president left a lot to be desired. The Congress lost ground in state after state since Rahul became the Congress vice-president in 2013. But Rahul seems to have scripted a turnaround. Elections to the five states were seen as a semi-final before the mega parliamentary polls next year. The victory of Congress in three crucial states makes the upcoming election a tougher proposition for the BJP. These wins will also help the party take a central role in the "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) of Opposition parties to take on the Modi-led NDA in 2019. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has summoned both Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot to New Delhi to discuss and decide on the final name for the post. As suspense still looms on who will be the new chief minister of Rajasthan, it is being reported that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has summoned both Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot to New Delhi to discuss and decide on the final name for the post. Earlier, it was being reported that the Congress delegation would meet Governor Kalyan Singh at 7 pm on Wednesday to stake claim to form the government in Rajasthan. The delegation was to be headed by the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), who would be the chief ministerial pick of the party as decided by Rahul after getting feedback from the newly elected MLAs. "We have a full majority and will stake claim to form the government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against the BJP and are willing to support us," Pradesh Congress Committee president Pilot told reporters at the state party office before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. AICC general secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer KC Venugopal sought individual opinions of the party MLAs at the meeting. However, as per a PTI report, Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh had expressed disagreement over the process of seeking the opinion of party legislators to select the chief ministerial candidate in the state when party chief Rahul was to decide the face for the coveted post. The CLP in Rajasthan on Wednesday passed a single-line resolution authorising the party national president to decide the name of the chief minister."What is the point of seeking an individual opinion from the MLAs when the decision is to be taken by the party high command? Why would I waste my time in giving my opinion to the party observer?" Singh asked after attending the CLP meeting. "This is just a point of disagreement but I am not annoyed or unhappy with the party. I agree with the resolution that the party high command is authorised to take the decision but the exercise of the party observer meeting individual MLA to seek their opinion has no worth because the decision has to be taken by the party high command," he told PTI. Meanwhile, earlier on Wednesday, Congress lawmaker Parasram Mordia told reporters, "We have passed a resolution authorising Rahul Gandhi to take a final decision on the name of the chief minister. We raised our hands and passed the resolution. After that, individual opinion is being sought from the MLAs." Mordia said that when he was asked about his opinion, he said his choice was "high-command", meaning whatever the party president decides. "The party has won because of Rahul Gandhi and he has to take a call on that," he said. MLA Shanti Dhariwal, who was the home minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, also said that the legislators were giving their opinion about the chief minister candidate in the meeting. Later in the day, supporters of both the leaders choked roads to the Rajasthan Congress headquarters as the party celebrated its victory in the Assembly polls and held discussions to pick the state's next chief minister. Similar crowds of party workers and supporters were witnessed a decade ago when the Congress got the mandate to form the government in 2008. Back then, Ashok Gehlot was picked by the party as the chief minister. However, on Wednesday, the supporters of both the former chief minister and youth leader Sachin Pilot were seen chanting slogans outside the Congress office. Amid the consultations at the Sansar Chandra Road office, some Pilot supporters shouted slogans even as a large number of policemen were deployed outside the party office. MLAs loyal to both Pilot and Gehlot have been in touch with the two main contenders since the results came in on Tuesday. Some rebel MLAs who contested as independents after being denied the party ticket were in touch with Gehlot, party leaders said. The Congress won 99 seats and its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal got one out of the 199 seats for which elections were held on 7 December. The House has 200 seats but elections were put off on one seat because of the death of a candidate. The party is also looking for support from independents MLAs and non-BJP parties. And in response to Congress' offer to work with like-minded parties, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, whose party has won 6 seats in the state, offered support to the Congress in Rajasthan as well, apart from extending support in Madhya Pradesh. In 2013, there was a pressure from the Jat lobby for a chief minister from the community, but Gehlot who comes from the Mali community was finally picked. Apart from Congress, BJP and BSP, CPM secured two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got six seats, according to the Election Commission. With inputs from agencies Singh, known in many quarters for his 'inflammatory' comments, and who has over 60 cases against him, mostly for 'hate speeches', retained his Goshamahal Assembly constituency in Hyderabad. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had, in fact, campaigned for him in the segment. BJP MLA Raja Singh Lodh, known for his controversial comments is the sole torch-bearer for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Assembly as all other party candidates lost in the 7 December Telangana polls. Singh, known in many quarters for his "inflammatory" comments, and who has over 60 cases against him, mostly for "hate speeches", retained his Goshamahal Assembly constituency in Hyderabad. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had, in fact, campaigned for him in the segment. Singh, while campaigning for Telangana elections last month had challenged AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisis brother Akbaruddin to a streetfight. While speaking to India Today, Singh challenged the Chandrayangutta MLA to a street fight and said he would not stop fighting him till his severed head is under his foot". He had further said that he did not require votes of those Muslims who weren't gau rakshaks (protectors of cows) and won't say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. In July, he was in the spotlight for saying that incidents of lynching will continue in India unless cow gets status of 'rashtra mata' and a law is introduced against the animals slaughter. Singh said, "The Parliament should pass a bill for the protection of cows and cow should also be declared as 'Gau raj mata'. Then only such incidents will stop." Earlier, a police complaint was filed against him for giving a hate speech. The Hyderabad MLA had said that he would behead the ones opposing the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. "Some people are saying that they will create a ruckus if Ram Mandir is built in Ayodhya. I welcome the ones who are warning them of dire consequences. We have been waiting for years to behead such traitors," he said. He had also once sparked controversy by saying illegal Bangladeshis in Assam must be shot if they refuse to leave. In another statement, in May this year, during an interview to a news channel, Singh stated that Old City of Hyderabad is mini Pakistan. "I don't think I have said anything wrong because if any terrorist activity takes place in any part of the country, the terrorist is arrested from Hyderabad. Recently also few notorious terrorists were arrested from there. So, what should we call it?" asked Singh. He said that he has raised this issue a number of times in the Telangana Assembly but the chief minister never took the matter seriously. Singh previously courted controversy when a case was registered against him in 2016 for his remarks defending the attacks on Dalits in Gujarat's Una and supporting the cow vigilantes involved. "I support the beating (up) of Dalits who slaughter cows to consume its meat. It is apt. I also support those who taught them a lesson," Singh had said in the video. 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. BJP's Telangana state unit president K Laxman and floor leader in the dissolved Assembly Kishan Reddy lost in Musheerabad and Amberpet segments respectively. The BJP contested in 118 Assembly segments out of the total of 119, leaving one seat to its ally, the Yuva Telangana party. Seeking votes for change and claiming itself to be the alternative to TRS and Congress, the BJP had conducted a high octane campaign with a galaxy of top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, canvassing in the state. BJP had five MLAs in the previous Assembly. The party contested the 2014 Assembly elections in alliance with the TDP. In a statement, Laxman said that the BJP accepted the people's verdict and that the Modi government would extend all help and cooperation to Telangana for its development. With inputs from agencies The Congress returns to power in Madhya Pradesh after 15 long years having won 114 seats and enjoying the support of seven MLAs which include four Independents, two from the BSP and one Samajwadi Party candidate With Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel inviting the Congress to elect the leader of the legislative party, it has become a challenging task for the top leadership to select the perfect chief minister for the state. The Congress returns to power in Madhya Pradesh after 15 long years having won 114 seats and enjoying the support of seven MLAs which include four Independents, two from the BSP and one Samajwadi Party candidate. In the legislative party meeting at 4 pm today, the elected candidates in discussion with All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders will finalise the chief ministerial candidate. While the decks have been cleared for the Congress to form the next government in the state, the race for the chief ministerial berth has become interesting. Especially, after Jyotiraditya Scindia in response to a question posed by CNN-News18 on whether he would accept the chief minister's post, replied, "Yes, it'll be my privilege." Kamal Nath's candidature is the strongest for the top spot even though Scindia's name has also been in circulation. Outside the Raj Bhawan, when the Congress leaders went to meet the governor, the supporters of Nath and Scindia were raising slogans for chief ministership in favour of their respective leaders. So, who will become chief minister? A lot of permutations and combinations will go into the selection of the right candidate for the post of chief minister. While making the selection, the top Congress leadership also has to keep in mind that the BJP will form a strong Opposition with 109 MLAs. The outgoing chief minister of 15 years, Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be a major voice in the Opposition bloc, keeping the new government on its toes. Disruptions in the 230-member Assembly can't be ruled out either. There's also the task of getting best returns for the party from the state for the parliamentary polls, which will not be possible without a competent chief minister at the helm. 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. Besides, the party also has to fulfil the promises it has made to the voters in the state. 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. Nath, 72, one of the longest serving and senior most members of Lok Sabha, is a nine-time elected MP from Chhindwara constituency. He served as Cabinet minister at the Centre in successive Congress governments. Close to the Nehru-Gandhi family, Nath has a strong national recall and is a strong voice at the World Economic Forum. He's considered more accommodative and enjoys the support of former chief minister Digvijaya Singh. Nath is also efficient at floor management in the Parliament, as he has built a strong rapport through efficient networking over the years across political parties including the BJP. His seniority backed by experience will be favourable for him. Scindia, 47, who represents the princely state of Gwalior and is the son of former Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia, is a Lok Sabha member from Guna. Scindia, who is professionally qualified and represents the young brigade of promising Congress leaders, had been a Central minister during the UPA government. As head of the campaign committee in Madhya Pradesh Congress, he campaigned in 115 constituencies, while connecting with the workers and voters at the grass roots. Scindia is also close to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, as he is seen with him on important occasions. 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 Rahul will take the final call. While the choice will primarily revolve around old war horse 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 Scindia to the nation, besides looking for experience to navigate complicated coalition politics. It is going to be a tightrope walk for the Congress leadership when it comes to selecting a Madhya Pradesh chief minister whose identity will be known in a few hours. Follow all the live updates from Madhya Pradesh here tech2 News Staff Both houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on the opening day of Winter Session and a cabinet note was moved during the session to make amendments to the Aadhaar Act-2016. You will no longer have to make a disclosure of your Aadhaar details for opening bank accounts or while getting a SIM card. According to a report published by NDTV, the government has decided that providing Aadhaar details will be optional for people when they are opening a bank account or getting a mobile connection. We already know that in September this year, a five-judge bench ruling on the validity of the Aadhaar struck down Section 57 of Aadhaar Act, which permits private entities to avail of Aadhaar data. The ruling was against the use of an Aadhaar number for opening bank accounts, mobile connections and school admissions, calling access to the national identity database by private companies trying to authenticate identities unconstitutional." Head here to read the judgement. If the amendments are made, data will be allowed to be demanded for authentication by any entity which is under the high court level and the UIDAI will only be allowed ask for minimum personal data. The 11 December cabinet note moved during a winter session argues otherwise. A very large section of India now has Aadhaar as their primary document for identity that they use for opening bank accounts or obtaining SIM cards, argues the cabinet note by the Department of Electronics and Information technology. It goes on to say that, removing it out of the system completely would cause a considerable amount of disruption. Reuters Apple has launched its mobile payments service in Germany, four years after it started in the United States. This move for Apple Pay trails Google, which started its payments app in the country in June. Customers at banks such as Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank unit Comdirect, Hypovereinsbank, Wirecard, Hanseatic Bank and of credit card providers Mastercard, Visa and American Express will from Tuesday be able to use Apple Pay, the companies said in separate statements. Retailers such as discounters Aldi and Lidl, supermarket chain Kaufland, drugstores Rossmann and DM, department store chain Kaufhof, clothing retailers H&M, Esprit, C&A and Zara as well as consumer electronics chain MediaMarkt will accept payment with the app, which allows customers to pay contactless by holding their smartphone in front of a payment terminal. While Apple has already launched its payment services in 20 other countries including France, Poland and Switzerland, a fight over fees had delayed the start in Germany. Indo-Asian News Service The cyber attack on the Marriott hotel chain that collected personal details of some 500 million guests was part of a Chinese intelligence-gathering effort that also hacked health insurers and the security clearance files of millions more Americans, according to informed sources. The hackers were suspected of working on behalf of the Ministry of State Security, the country's Communist-controlled civilian spy agency, the sources told The New York Times on 11 December. The Marriott database contains not only credit card information but passport data. The spies stole passport numbers of up to 327 million people many of whom stayed at Sheraton, Westin and W hotels and at other Starwood-branded properties. The hacking was discovered only in September and revealed late last month. But Marriott has not said if it would pay to replace those passports, an undertaking that would cost tens of billions of dollars. The discovery comes as US president Donald Trump's administration is planning actions targeting China's trade, cyber and economic policies. The actions also include indictments against Chinese hackers working for the intelligence services and the military. The administration is also planning to declassify intelligence reports to reveal Chinese efforts dating to at least 2014 to build a database containing names of executives and American government officials with security clearances. The Marriott hacking is not expected to be part of the coming indictments. In response to the development, Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied any knowledge of the Marriott hacking. "China firmly opposes all forms of cyberattack and cracks down on it in accordance with the law." If offered evidence, the relevant Chinese departments will carry out investigations according to the law." Nimish Sawant Google CEO Sundar Pichai was grilled in a three-hour-plus hearing by US Congressmen over allegations of Google suppressing conservative perspectives, discussions of Google's plans to re-enter the Chinese market, Google's mass collection of user data and data filtering policies and more. This is the first time that Pichai appeared before the US Congress, after refusing to participate in a similar hearing with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, back in September this year. As far as the outcome of the entire process goes, Pichai held his ground well, getting caught off-guard by some questions, explaining simple technicalities to some Congressmen, reiterating that Google had no plans to launch a search engine in China at the moment (not ruling out future plans) and making promises to do better and follow up on unanswered questions. If that sounds familiar to the hearings we have heard in the past with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and later from Dorsey and Sandberg, that's because it was indeed like that. There was nothing concrete that emerged from these hearings. Lack of technical knowledge and political squabbles While the Republican Congressmen were keen on rubbing in the fact that Google was suppressing conservative content, some were found asking pointless questions which showed their lack of technical knowledge on many Google-related matters. Sample this: And this one... Rep. Steve King: "How does that show up on a 7-year old's iPhone who's playing a kid's game?" Google CEO Sundar Pichai: ""Congressman, iPhone is made by a different company" Watch full hearing here: https://t.co/w6Qhg7xb5b pic.twitter.com/4lT8Daj5yn CSPAN (@cspan) December 11, 2018 In addition to this, Rep. King also asked that the people working behind Google's search algorithms be made public and that their social media profiles should be scanned. In case that didn't solve the issue of bias, then Google should make public its algorithms. Rep. Lamar Smith had a question on what Google did to reprimand individuals or groups of employees who were manipulating search results, to which Pichai responded that it wasn't possible for individual employees to do that. Rep. Smith found that hard to believe. Democratic Congresswoman Rep. Zoe Lofgren asked Pichai to walk her through the process of Google Search as she found it strange that an image search for the term 'idiot' returned US President Donald Trump's image. "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," Pichai responded. To which Zogfren responded, "So it's not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we're going to show the user." Another Democrat also took the opportunity to make a statement, rather than ask Pichai any relevant question. Rep. Ted Lieu spoke about doing a Google Search for a two Republican Congressmen and how the results he got were completely different positive for one, negative for the other. Lieu then said, "If you are getting bad press articles and bad search results, dont blame Google or Facebook or Twitter. Consider blaming yourself." This line of questioning not only highlighted a lack of technical know-how on how Google works but also highlighted a sort of Republican-Democrat bickering during the hearing. It also wasted a lot of time that could have been used to ask more revealing and relevant questions. Repetitive questions, repetitive answers At so many instances during the hearing, Pichai was found to be repeating answers because the questions that were asked were repetitive. Pichai, on his part, also dodged a lot of questions, assuring the Congressmen that his team would get back promptly with the right response. For instance, on the topic of political bias in search results, a lot of the Republican Congressmen seemed more interested in pointing fingers and giving examples of results they got when they entered certain search terms (something that is unique to the user and changes depending on location and time). Also, no proof was provided by any of the Congressmen when they spoke about bias in search results, which is difficult to prove as the search algorithms are Google's secret formula. One Congressman, Rep. Steve Cohen, wanted to know why his MSNBC appearance wasn't showing up on Google search over other news sites. .@RepCohen asks Google CEO to look into "the over-use of conservative news organizations," citing fact that when people search for his MSNBC appearances, it often takes them to Daily Caller articles. pic.twitter.com/kmEXYqhq9x Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 11, 2018 Pichai kept assuring that there was no political bias in the search results. "To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests," said Pichai. No plans to enter China, for now On the topic of re-entering the China market, Pichai kept saying that there were no plans at the moment. Pichai didn't say that there would be no such plans in the future either. In fact, in an interview with The Washington Post following the hearing, Pichai stated that there were internal efforts to develop products for the Chinese market, but no further details were given. Rep. Tim Marino asked Pichai if he were to consider offering service in China, what information would Google share with the Chinese concerning other users or other countries? To this Pichai responded, "When we look to operate in a country, we 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, there's an effort only internally, we are not doing this in China. But I would be happy to consult back and be transparent in case we plan something there." So Google clearly has some efforts in that direction, though not explicitly to launch Search in China. The questions that mattered Democratic Congressman Rep. David Cicilline asked Pichai point blank, "Who at Google is leading Project Dragonfly? Will you, Mr Pichai, rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while youre CEO of Google?" Here's a clip of the exchange between Pichai & Rep. Cicilline from earlier. Watch how Pichai refuses to commit to not launching "a tool for surveillance & censorship" in China while he's CEO. pic.twitter.com/9frkWj1Ky4 Ryan Gallagher (@rj_gallagher) December 11, 2018 Pichai's response was basically a non-response to any of those questions. Another instance when Pichai was caught off-guard and didn't have a strong response was when Rep. Jim Jordan questioned him on an email sent by Google's head of multicultural marketing, Eliana Murillo, congratulating Google's efforts to increase Latino voter turnout in key states in 2016. According to the leaked email, Google had congratulated the efforts and it ended with, "We pushed to get out the Latino vote with our features in key states, we supported partners like Voto Latino to pay for rides to the polls in key states." Jordan asked, "By We do you mean Google?" Here's the complete exchange: The response from Pichai didn't seem too convincing and it looked like he was caught off-guard. After Pichai said that he would be happy to follow up on the question, Jordan responded that he did not need a follow-up, but a response in front of the committee. Sadly, such important moments, were rare indeed. Reuters A top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver at the request of US authorities sparked a diplomatic dispute. Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces U.S. claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail to Meng, who has been jailed since her arrest on 1 December. The courtroom erupted in applause when the decision was announced. Meng cried and hugged her lawyers. Among conditions of her bail, the 46-year-old executive must wear an ankle monitor and stay at home from 11.oo pm to 6.00 am. Five friends pledged equity in their homes and other money as a guarantee she will not flee. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canadas justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the United States. 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 arrest of Meng has put a further dampener on Chinese relations with the United States and Canada at a time when tensions were already high over an ongoing trade war and U.S. accusations of Chinese spying. US President Donald Trump told Reuters 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. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately, and analysts have said retaliation from Beijing over the arrest was likely. The US State Department is considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens, two sources said on Tuesday, while the Canadian government confirmed that one of its citizens in China had been detained. Two sources told Reuters the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. However, Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message they will send you a message. The Chinese embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Electronic monitoring Meng, who was arrested as she was changing planes in Vancouver, has said she is innocent and will contest the allegations in the United States if she is extradited. Tuesday was the third day of bail hearings. Mengs defense had argued that she was not a flight risk, citing her longstanding ties to Canada, properties she owns in Vancouver and fears for her health while incarcerated. Her family assured the court she would remain in Vancouver at one of her family houses in an affluent neighbourhood. Her husband said he plans to bring the couples daughter to Vancouver to attend school, and Meng had said she would be grateful for the chance to read a novel after years of working hard. I am satisfied that on the particular facts of this case ... the risk of her non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing bail conditions, said the judge, adding that he was also persuaded by the fact that Meng was a well-educated businesswoman with no criminal record. She must remain in Canada and be accompanied by security guards when she leaves her residence. Meng will pay a cash deposit of C$7 million, with five guarantors liable for a remaining C$3 million if she absconds. Meng was ordered to reappear in court on Feb. 6 to make plans for further appearances. Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a timely resolution of the case. We have every confidence that the Canadian and US legal systems will reach a just conclusion, it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. The case against Meng stems from a 2013 Reuters report here about Huawei's close ties to Hong Kong-based Skycom Tech Co Ltd, which attempted to sell U.S. equipment to Iran despite the US and European Union bans. 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. Agence France-Presse Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Wednesday defended a series of tweets about his recent meditation retreat in Myanmar that was pilloried on his own platform for failing to mention the persecution of Rohingya Muslims. Dorsey's gushing thread on Sunday came after a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat near Mandalay in which he praised the country's food, beauty and its people, whom he said were "full of joy". The comments drew heat online for leaving out any discussion of atrocities committed against Myanmar's Rohingya minority during a military crackdown last year that drove more than 720,000 people into Bangladesh camps. Critics piled into the tech mogul for being "tone deaf" at a time when the UN has said Myanmar's generals should be investigated for genocide. In a series of tweets, Dorsey defended his actions but conceded he could have handled the situation better. "I'm aware of the human rights atrocities and suffering in Myanmar. I don't view visiting, practicing, or talking with the people, as an endorsement," he said. "I didn't intend to diminish by not raising the issue, but could have acknowledged that I don't know enough and need to learn more." Dorsey said he has been a long-time meditator and wanted to travel to Buddhist-majority Myanmar where Vipassana is practiced in its "original form". Twitter is not nearly as popular in Myanmar as Facebook, which has been accused of not doing enough to control hate speech that fuelled anti-Rohingya and anti-Muslim sentiment. But hate speech during the Rohingya crisis also spilled over onto the micro-messaging site, which is facing similar allegations over hosting toxic content in countries where it is more broadly used. Dorsey batted away speculation that there was a business twist to the visit, saying he had no conversations with the government during his trip, and described the platform as a way to raise awareness about human rights issues. "Twitter is a way for people to share news and information about events in Myanmar as well as to bear witness to the plight of the Rohingya and other peoples and communities," he said. It is not the first time the traveling tech whizz has stirred outrage online. 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". tech2 News Staff Samsung recently announced the Galaxy A8s in China, the company's first smartphone with a hole drilled into the display for the selfie camera to fit in and make more display space available. However, the design approach to fit the front camera on the Galaxy S10 lineup may not be the same. Popular case brand Olixar has just updated its online portfolio of cases, with six new additions for the Galaxy S10. As per a report by GSMArena, Olixar cases of the Samsung Galaxy S10, along with pictures of the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy S10 Plus reveal that Samsung will likely position the front-camera/ cameras on the top right corner on all three variants of the phone. The pictures do fall into place with recent press renders of the Galaxy S10, S10 Lite, and the S10 Plus. Samsung is expected to pack at least three horizontal shooters on the back of each variant with the S10 Plus likely featuring four cameras on the back and two on the front for selfies. The quad-camera setup on the back of the Galaxy S10 Plus will likely be the same as in the Galaxy A9 (2018) a primary camera, telephoto lens, ultra wide-angle shooter and a depth-sensing camera that cannot be used on its own. Olixar as a brand is known to have details on the dimensions of a phone ahead of its launch, hence there is a high chance that this is indeed how Samsung plans on designing the phone. These are covers for the phone though which means that Samsung may still shift around the positioning of the selfie shooter on each of the variants. tech2 News Staff An Uber self-driving car hit and killed a woman crossing the street in Arizona on 19 March, marking the first fatality involving an autonomous vehicle. Uber shut down its self-driving car operation two months later. This was a blow to the technology which was expected to transform transportation. It now appears that the event could have been prevented. According to a report by The Information (paywall), just five days before the fatal incident on 13 March, Robbie Miller, a manager in the company's autonomous vehicle unit had sent a warning to Ubers top executives saying that the software which ran the cars was dangerous. Many safety incidents had occurred in the months before the fatal collision, wrote Miller in an 890-word email to Eric Meyhofer, the head of Ubers autonomous vehicle unit, Jon Thomason, VP of software, and five other executives and lawyers, saying that Uber needed to "work on establishing a culture rooted in safety." Miller has previously worked in positions at self-driving programs at Google and Otto. He went on to complain in his e-mail that cars had been in accidents routinely; the accidents were due to the poor behaviour of the operator; a car was damaged almost every day in the month of February this year, and the companys fleet was "hitting things every 15,000 miles." Miller's suggestions Robbie Miller in the same e-mail provided a list of suggestions which, in his opinion, would help reduce the accidents. These suggestions included reducing the size of Ubers fleet of self-driving cars by 85 percent and have more than one backup driver in each prototype of the car. The e-mail was not responded to promptly and it could be now said that acting on it immediately would have prevented the accident. But, could it? Looking at the time frame of 5 days from the sending of the email to the day of the accident, it's quite unlikely. Reviewing the suggestions themselves would have taken time, forget implementing them. This is not to say that Miller couldn't have prevented it from happening, but to say that he saw it coming and alerted the company. The report by The Information does say that Miller was assured by the company that his suggestions would be discussed. In fact, they were, much after the accident, however. Hitting the miles According to a speculation made by the publication, the emphasis on the number of miles driven an indicator for how advanced Uber's software was getting, could be the leading cause of such accidents. Boasting the number of miles has been a standard competition among such outfits Uber had announced that its self-driving cars had already driven 2 million miles. After shutting down operations voluntarily, the company did resume testing, but in smaller numbers. This time, the cars would not operate at night or in wet weather, and would not exceed speeds of 25 miles per hour. Another condition is that two employees would sit in the front seats. Resuming an autonomous driving program remains crucial for the company but it is hopefully doing so with good caution. tech2 News Staff Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is apparently working on a new device called Xiaomi Play which will be announced on 24 December. According to a post by a Weibo user, Xiaomi Play is going to be launched at an event in China between 17 and 26 December, and the most probable date is 24, Christmas Eve. Since the device is called 'Play,' rumours suggest that will be a competition to the Honor Play, which was launched earlier this year as a phone that was largely centered around gaming (read our full review here). The Xiaomi Play could thus be marketed as a gaming device. Alternatively, a report by the publication Playfuldroid, suggests that the device is the rebranded version of the Poco F1 for the Chinese market. Recently, the Poco F1 received a permanent price cut of Rs 1,000 across all its variants. Pocofone offered the slash in prices because it has sold as many as 7,00,000 units of the device globally in just three months. (Read our full review of the Poco F1 here) Xiaomi's sub-brand Pocofone launched the Poco F1 on 22 August and it quickly became famous for being the most affordable smartphone with a flagship Qualcomm 845 SoC on board. The Poco F1 has a "LiquidCool Technology." The phone features a 5.99-inch full HD Plus display with a 1080 x 2248 pixels resolution. The screen has a 19:9 aspect ratio, and includes a notch. It is powered by a 4,000 mAh battery paired with support for Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0. Agence France-Presse 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. 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." tech2 News Staff Since the 1800s, we humans have reversed a natural, long-term cooling trend that goes back at least 50 million years. And all it took us, according to the study, was two centuries. The Earths climate by 2030 will resemble Earths mid-Pliocene period, which took place nearly 3 million years ago in geologic time. If our emissions continue unchecked, our climate by 2150 would compare to the warm and nearly ice-free Eocene period 50 million years ago. If we think about the future in terms of the past, where we are going is uncharted territory for human society, Kevin Burke, the studys lead author and a paleoecologist researcher at the University of WisconsinMadison, told university press. We are moving toward very dramatic changes over an extremely rapid time frame, reversing a planetary cooling trend in a matter of centuries. All species roaming the Earth and swimming its oceans had an ancestor that survived both the Eocene and Pliocene eras. Whether humans and the flora and fauna of today and the near future can adapt to these relatively rapid changes is not a certainty. The accelerated rate of change seems to be faster than anything experienced by life on the planet before. We can use the past as a yardstick to understand the future, which is so different from anything we have experienced in our lifetimes, paleoecologist John Jack Williams, professor of geography at the University of WisconsinMadison, told the press. People have a hard time projecting what the world will be like five or 10 years from now. This is a tool for predicting that how we head down those paths and using deep geologic analogues from Earths history to think about changes in time. Deep-geology studies examine radioactive components of ancient Earth that have accumulated over a sample patch of land to date the formation and conditions of that geological time period. It is believed that soil and organic matter from the Pliocene would differ from those in the Eocene era in its deep-geologic makeup. The models made in the study show that these climates first emerged first in the centre of continents and then spread outwards toward oceans. Temperature rise, increase in precipitation, melting ice caps and temperate climates near the Earths poles are changes that are common to the Pliocene and present day. The studys findings have more implications for geologists, climate change scientists and Earth historians, but the researchers strike the right balance between alarm and optimism. On the one hand, Earth is headed into unknown territory over the lifetimes of the two or three generations to come. On the other, life has long proven to be resilient. Weve seen big things happen in Earths history new species evolved, life persists and species survive. But many species will be lost, and we live on this planet, Williams told the press. These are things to be concerned about, so this work points us to how we can use our history and Earths history to understand changes today and how we can best adapt. tech2 News Staff NASAs newest Mars lander, InSight, has beamed back its first selfie from the rocky, red planet. InSight appears to be soaking in the sun, with its solar panels and desk exposed, and its instruments visible. Along with the selfie, NASA also clarified that InSight isnt camera-shy in the missions most recent update. InSight managed to get nearly all of its main body on camera by extending its robotic arm to capture a total of eleven images. These were processed using the same technique used by NASAs Curiosity rover on Mars. Overlapping images are taken one after another and later stitched together with software help. The InSight mission team has also got their first complete look at InSights workspace. This 14-foot x 7-foot crescent right in front of the spacecraft was captured in a mosaic of 52 individual photos. InSight's survey shot of the ground directly in front of it. The composite image made from 52 individual shots taken by InSight on 6 December, 2018 shows the likely patch of ground that InSight will set down its science instruments. Image courtesy: NASA JPL The team has begun analysing the images to decide if the spot is a good one for InSight to set down its science instruments. Once done, engineers at NASA will command the spacecrafts robotic arm to carefully set down two of its instruments: seismometer (designed to pick up on Marsquakes and seismic waves that move through and within planets) and heat-flow probe (to measure the temperature of Mars interiors and the heat escaping its surface). "The near-absence of rocks, hills and holes means it'll be extremely safe for our instruments," Bruce Banerdt, lead scientist in NASAs InSight mission, said in a statement. "This might seem like a pretty plain piece of ground if it weren't on Mars, but we're glad to see that." InSight seems to be squatting on what is an almost rock-free "hollow" a depression made by a meteor impact that later filled with sand. This, the InSight team reckons, should make it easier for InSight's heat-flow probe to bore down to its target 16 feet (5 meters) depth under the surface. Press Trust of India NASAs Voyager 2 has become the second human-made object in history to reach the edge of the solar system, after the spacecraft exited the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields created by the Sun, the agency announced. Its twin, Voyager 1, crossed this boundary in 2012, but Voyager 2 launched 41 years ago carries a working instrument that will provide first-of-its-kind observations of the nature of this gateway into interstellar space. Voyager 2 now is slightly more than 18 billion km from Earth, NASA said in a statement. While the probes have left the heliosphere, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 have not yet left the solar system, and wont be leaving anytime soon, the US space agency said. Edge of heliosphere Comparing data from different instruments aboard the trailblazing spacecraft, mission scientists determined the probe crossed the outer edge of the heliosphere on November 5. This boundary, called the heliopause, is where the tenuous, hot solar wind meets the cold, dense interstellar medium. Mission operators still can communicate with Voyager 2 as it enters this new phase of its journey, but information moving at the speed of light takes about 16.5 hours to travel from the spacecraft to Earth. By comparison, light travelling from the Sun takes about eight minutes to reach Earth. The most compelling evidence of Voyager 2s exit from the heliosphere came from its onboard Plasma Science Experiment (PLS), an instrument that stopped working on Voyager 1 in 1980, long before that probe crossed the heliopause. Working on Voyager makes me feel like an explorer, because everything were seeing is new, said John Richardson, principal investigator for the PLS instrument. Even though Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause in 2012, it did so at a different place and a different time, and without the PLS data. So were still seeing things that no one has seen before, said Richardson, a principal research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US. Probing interstellar space In addition to the plasma data, Voyagers science team members have seen evidence from three other onboard instruments the cosmic ray subsystem, the low energy charged particle instrument and the magnetometer consistent with the conclusion that Voyager 2 has crossed the heliopause. There is still a lot to learn about the region of interstellar space immediately beyond the heliopause, said Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist based at Caltech in the US. Together, the two Voyagers provide a detailed glimpse of how our heliosphere interacts with the constant interstellar wind flowing from beyond. Their observations complement data from NASAs Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), a mission that is remotely sensing that boundary. NASA also is preparing an additional mission the upcoming Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), due to launch in 2024 to capitalise on the Voyagers observations. Voyager 2 launched in 1977, 16 days before Voyager 1, and both have travelled well beyond their original destinations. The spacecraft were built to last five years and conduct close-up studies of Jupiter and Saturn. However, as the mission continued, additional flybys of the two outermost giant planets, Uranus and Neptune, proved possible. As the spacecraft flew across the solar system, remote-control reprogramming was used to endow the Voyagers with greater capabilities than they possessed when they left Earth. Their five-year lifespans have stretched to 41 years, making Voyager 2 NASAs longest-running-mission. Karthikeyan Hemalatha Something as simple as defining the difference between 'developed' nations and 'developing' nations is threatening to slow the progress at the COP24. On Day 2 of the COP24 summit, negotiators from several developing countries expressed their concern about the rulebook of the 2015 Paris Agreement being finalised and there would be a consensus on finding ways to implement its provisions before the COP comes to an end on 14 December. "Developed countries don't want the distinction anymore and argue that the lines between developed and developing nations have blurred since it was introduced in 1992 (at the UN Framework Convention). They also argue that they have equally vulnerable populations as well as aspirations to develop," said a negotiator from a developing country to Firstpost. While this sentiment has been gathering steam over the past few years, it has been made explicit and loud this year, he said. The main objective of the conference is to finalize the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement. The rulebook will contain guidelines and processes required to implement the provisions of the agreement. Developing countries contest saying that burden on mitigating climate change cannot be placed equally on all countries. "The slow process makes us think whether we can finalise the rulebook in the next three days," said the negotiator. There is palpable anger amongst negotiators from African countries and Indonesia as developed countries are pushing hard to water down the differences between developed and developing countries. Do they want to go back to the basics and redefine whos who? If that is the case, I am sure the next two days will not be enough, said another negotiator from a developing country. The head of the Indian delegation, A K Mehta, acknowledged the slow process. It has been extremely slow so far. It needs to be expedited. With only a few days remaining, we can only hope we can get a breakthrough, he said. While the UN's climate chief Patricia Espinosa expressed her confidence in finishing the job they set out to do, saying It's within our grasp to finish the job of COP24". COP observers and civil society organisations from India, though, painted a bleak picture and are far less confident. More than 100 ministers are in Katowice to ensure that scientific findings of the IPCC have a political blessing. Many political divisions remain. Many issues still must be overcome. Lets complete the Paris Agreement Work Program and, by doing so, immediately unleash the power of the Paris Agreement itself, she said. Representatives of ActionAid International here in Katowice said that developed countries have a historic debt that they need to pay back. Rich countries much recognise that they have long enjoyed the fruits of industrialisation that is responsible for the climate crisis. Developing countries are now paying the price of the pollution caused by rich nations in the form of devastating cyclones, droughts and sea level rise, said Harjeet Singh, Global Lead on Climate Change at ActionAid International. Countries in the global North have a moral and a legal responsibility to support developing countries to make their economies greener and tackle the impacts of climate change. But they are now refusing to provide the finance needed to repay their historic debt, he added. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a think tank based in New Delhi and a COP observer said its better not to have a rulebook than to have a weak one. Considering that the Paris Agreement itself is a weak regime, having a weaker rulebook will make it inconsequential. This is something that the world cannot afford. It would a better choice to have no rulebook here at Katowice than have a weak, ineffectual rulebook, said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of the think tank, leading its delegation. The process of operationalising equity has become a serious bone of contention between developed and developing countries. Developed countries are opposing an ex-ante review of their financial commitments and operationalisation of equity in GST. In fact, there is not even a consensus on what finance should mean, read a press release from them. By Costas Pitas and Michelle Martin LONDON/BERLIN (Reuters) - An attempt to oust British Prime Minister Theresa May gathered pace on Tuesday, a day after her decision to delay a vote in parliament on her Brexit deal for fear of a rout angered many in her Conservative Party. With May on a tour of European capitals to try to secure 'reassurances' to calm the crisis at home, the BBC and other media cited sources as saying the required number of letters from Conservative lawmakers calling for a no-confidence vote in her leadership of the party had been met. Only one member of the party knows how many lawmakers have submitted their letters - but her position looked more precarious than ever. By Costas Pitas and Michelle Martin LONDON/BERLIN (Reuters) - An attempt to oust British Prime Minister Theresa May gathered pace on Tuesday, a day after her decision to delay a vote in parliament on her Brexit deal for fear of a rout angered many in her Conservative Party. With May on a tour of European capitals to try to secure "reassurances" to calm the crisis at home, the BBC and other media cited sources as saying the required number of letters from Conservative lawmakers calling for a no-confidence vote in her leadership of the party had been met. Only one member of the party knows how many lawmakers have submitted their letters - but her position looked more precarious than ever. With less than four months left until the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU on March 29, May's premiership and her deal to stave off a disorderly departure or a bid to stop Brexit are hanging by a thread. If she is toppled -- and it is far from certain that she would lose a vote among all the party's members of parliament -- -- could further complicate Brexit. The BBC cited multiple sources as saying the required 48 letters had been reached. [nL8N1YG6DI] The chairman of the party's 1922 committee of backbench lawmakers, Graham Brady, asked to see May on Wednesday after her weekly question session in parliament, BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg tweeted. Her chief whip, or party enforcer, entered her Downing Street residence on Tuesday night. Lawmaker Andrew Bridgen, a critic of May, said he believed Conservative members of parliament would vote on her leadership at the first opportunity, which could be on Wednesday night. May's postponement of the vote on her deal to maintain close ties with the EU after leaving in March infuriated lawmakers on all sides of the debate - from hardline Brexit supporters to those who want to remain in the EU. TOUR OF CAPITALS Acknowledging that she faced "significant losses" if she asked parliament to vote on Tuesday, May had said she would try to ease lawmakers' concerns, particularly over the so-called Northern Irish "backstop". That took her on a tour of EU capitals on Tuesday. But there little sign that she might be able to do away with the backstop, a guarantee that there will be no return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland after Brexit. Her former Brexit minister, David Davis, wrote in the Telegraph newspaper that "the prime minister's latest ploy of looking for more fudge with which to buy off the House of Commons will not work". He instead urged a change of strategy - rip up her deal and pursue a free trade deal similar to one that the EU has with Canada. "So now is the moment to seize control and deliver our own destiny," he wrote. "We are crying out for leadership and direction. Kicking the can down the road is not a strategy, it's a delaying tactic." The message from the EU was also clear: It could give legally-binding assurances about how it interprets the exit treaty, but would not countenance reopening the text itself. Donald Tusk, who will chair an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, tweeted after talking to May: "Clear that EU 27 wants to help. The question is how." Two sources said Merkel had told her own German conservative parliamentary group there would be no more negotiations, but efforts were being made to give Britain reassurances. May told Merkel that it was in nobody's interest for Britain to leave with no accord, the sources said. "NO ROOM FOR RENEGOTIATION" European Commission head Jean-Claude 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." May's team has continued working to try to get the vote through, with her ministers telling parliament that it will get its vote before Jan. 21. The pound, which has lost 25 cents against the U.S. dollar since the 2016 referendum, fell again amid the reports that May would face a leadership challenge. The biggest obstacle to approval remains the Irish backstop. May's critics say it could leave Britain subject to EU rules indefinitely. The EU has said neither side wants the backstop to take effect, but it has to be part of the deal just in case. With little hope of scrapping it, the options open to Britain range from a chaotic no-deal Brexit to risking the wrath of Brexit backers by calling the whole thing off. Both May's Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party have pledged to implement the result of the 2016 referendum, in which Britons voted narrowly to leave the EU. But more and more backbench lawmakers, along with three of four living ex-premiers, say the only option may be a new referendum with an option to stay. The EU's top court ruled this week that Britain could abandon Brexit with no consequences up until the moment it finally leaves. Former prime minister John Major, who also faced a Conservative revolt over Europe in the 1990s, said Britain must revoke its divorce notice immediately. "It's clear we now need the most precious commodity of all: time. Time for serious and profound reflection by both parliament and people." (Additional reporting by Michael Holden, Kate Holton, Elizabeth Piper, Andrew MacAskill, Jan Strupczewski and Gabriela Baczynska; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Peter Graff, Andrew Heavens, Richard Balmforth, Kevin Liffey, Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since 26 October when President Maithripala Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. Colombo: Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe emphatically proved his majority in Parliament on Wednesday, weeks after being sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the island nation into a political turmoil. As many as 117 out of 225 lawmakers in Parliament voted to pass a confidence motion in his leadership. The motion's approval could be seen as a blow to Sirisena who has steadfastly refused to reappoint 69-year-old Wickremesinghe due to his personal dislike of the ousted prime minister. Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since 26 October when President Maithripala Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. Rajapaksa has so far failed to prove his majority in Parliament. The main Tamil minority party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) voted in favour of the confidence motion. However, the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which has protested Sirisena's extra constitutional action, abstained from voting. If the JVP's six lawmakers had voted in his favour, Wickremesinghe would have commanded an unassailable majority in the House despite the president's refusal to reinstate him. Sirisena's United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) continued its boycott of Parliament when Sajith Premadasa, Wickremesinghe's deputy, moved the motion in the morning. Premadasa urged Sirisena to end the 26 October unconstitutional action and reinstate Wickremesinghe to take the country back to the pre-26 October position. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya later adjourned the Parliament session until 18 December. "Meanwhile, UPFA MP Keheliya Rambukwella said that they do not accept the motion of confidence presented and passed in support of Wickremesinghe in Parliament," Daily Mirror reported. Legislators supporting Sirisena and Rajapaksa have been boycotting Parliament since 17 November when there were violent scenes of fighting, breaking up of furniture and throwing chilli powder. Two key court orders on the legality of Sirisena's action await delivery. The one on Parliament's sacking is expected this week. Sirisena, after sacking Wickremesinghe on 26 October, dissolved Parliament and called for a snap election on 5 January. However, the Supreme Court overturned his decision. Sirisena said that he has always taken decisions in the best interest of the country and the people. United National Party (UNP) leader Wickremesinghe last week urged the President not to "be like Hitler and some of the other dictators who used the referendum". Sirisena has said that Wickremesinghe is a stubborn, headstrong person who was following far right wing neo-liberal policies. Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa both claim to be the prime ministers with the former claiming that his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Prior to the crisis, Wickramasinghe's UNP had the backing of 106 parliamentarians while Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine had 95 seats. The President has said that due to sharp personal differences with Wickremesinghe, he would not reappoint him as the prime minister. However, UNP claims that Sirisena will be left with no choice as he would be the man who will command the confidence in the House. British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a brush with political mortality Wednesday, winning a no-confidence vote by Conservative lawmakers that would have ended her leadership of party and country. London: British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a brush with political mortality Wednesday, winning a no-confidence vote by Conservative lawmakers that would have ended her leadership of party and country. May won the vote of 317 Conservative legislators with a 200-117 tally that reflected the discontent within the party over her handling of Britain's exit from the European Union. Despite the victory, Brexit remains her government's biggest problem. May is heading to Brussels to seek changed to her divorce deal from the European Union in order to make it more palatable to Parliament. The balloting came after May's Conservative opponents, who circled the weakened prime minister for weeks hoping to spark a no-confidence vote, finally got the numbers they needed to call one. The result was announced to loud cheers from lawmakers gathered in the wood-paneled room where they had voted. Under party rules, May cannot be challenged again for a year. May had earlier vowed to fight for the leadership of her party and the country "with everything I've got," and spent the day holed up in the House of Commons trying to win over enough lawmakers to secure victory. "A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now will put our country's future at risk," May said in a defiant statement outside 10 Downing St. She said that ousting her and a vote on her replacement a process that could take weeks could result in Brexit being delayed or even halted. May, who spent Tuesday touring European Union capitals to appeal for changes to sweeten her divorce deal for reluctant U.K. lawmakers, has until Jan. 21 to hold a vote on the agreement in Parliament, a timetable that could be scuttled if she is replaced. In a bid to win over wavering lawmakers, May indicated she would step down before the next election, due in 2022. The leadership challenge marked a violent eruption of the Conservative Party's decades-long divide over Europe and throws Britain's already rocky path out of the EU, which it is due to leave on March 29, into further chaos. It comes days after May postponed a vote to approve the divorce deal to avoid all-but-certain defeat. The threat to May has been building as pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers grew increasingly frustrated with the prime minister's handling of Brexit. Many supporters of Brexit say May's deal, a compromise that retains close economic ties with the EU, fails to deliver on the clean break with the bloc that they want. Opposition lawmakers expressed astonishment and outrage at the Conservative civil war erupting in the middle of the fraught Brexit process. May canceled a Wednesday trip to Dublin to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar so she could stay in London and battle for lawmakers' support. But before it, Cabinet colleagues rallied to May's support. Home Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted that a leadership contest, with Brexit little more than three months away, "will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong." EU leaders tried to stay out of the fray. There was no change in plans for May to address them about Brexit at a summit on Brussels on Thursday. The European Parliament's Brexit point man, Guy Verhofstadt, could not contain a note of annoyance, tweeting: "Once again, the fate of EU-U.K. relations, the prosperity of businesses & citizens' rights are consumed by an internal Conservative party catfight over Europe." By Julie Gordon and Michael Martina VANCOUVER/BEIJING (Reuters) - A Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd while she awaits a hearing for extradition to the United States, a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by her arrest. By Julie Gordon and Michael Martina VANCOUVER/BEIJING (Reuters) - A Canadian court on Tuesday granted bail to a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd while she awaits a hearing for extradition to the United States, a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by her arrest. Meng Wanzhou, 46, Huawei's [HWT.UL] chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces U.S. accusations that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. Justice William Ehrcke at a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday granted bail to Meng, subject to a guarantee of C$10 million ($7.5 million) and other conditions. She must remain in Canada and be subject to electronic monitoring and security when she leaves her residence. The courtroom erupted in applause when the judge granted bail. Meng began crying and hugged her lawyers, before being ordered back into the prisoner box for more directions from the judge. She was ordered to reappear in court on Feb. 6. Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a "timely resolution" of the case. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion," it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately. A Canadian citizen has been detained in China, Canada said on Tuesday. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case, but analysts had predicted retaliation from Beijing. Two sources told Reuters the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: "In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message they will send you a message." Meng was detained as part of a U.S. investigation on Dec. 1 as she was changing planes in Vancouver. The arrest has roiled markets over fears it will exacerbate U.S.-China tensions in trade negotiations that both sides have agreed must be concluded by March 1. The U.S. State Department is considering a travel advisory for China, two sources said on Tuesday. (Reporting by Julie Gordon in Vancouver; writing by Nick Zieminski and Rosalba O'Brien; additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina in Beijing, John Ruwitch in Shanghai and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; editing by Cynthia Osterman and Bill Rigby) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Sharp differences remain between the two countries, but China has agreed to take a few measures like reducing auto tariffs and buying more American products. Washington: Top officials from the US and China have begun talks to sort out their trade differences, in particular, to identify steps that address the concerns of US president Donald Trump on intellectual property and reduce the balance of trade, a media report said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer held a teleconference with Chinese vice premier Liu He Monday night, The Wall Street Journal reported. On Tuesday morning, Trump, without referring to the teleconference, reported that great progress was being made. About two weeks ago, Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Argentina on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. During their dinner meeting, the two leaders agreed to come out with a solution in the next 90 days. Till then, Trump agreed to give a pause to his additional import tariffs on Chinese products. "Very productive conversations going on with China! Watch for some important announcements!" Trump said in a tweet the morning after the first of the talks between the officials of the two countries. According to The Wall Street Journal, sharp differences remain between the two countries, but China has agreed to take a few measures like reducing auto tariffs and buying more American products. "On the auto front, Mr Liu said Beijing would reduce tariffs on US autos to 15 percent, down from 40 percent, said people familiar with the call," the daily reported. It was not clear when the change would take effect, but Washington was pushing Beijing to make the concessions as soon as possible, it added. The Wall Street Journal also reported that the US was preparing additional measures against China. Some of those being using export controls, indictments and other tools to counter the theft of intellectual property. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, senior member of the Senate committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs and ranking member of the Senate foreign relations committee, on Tuesday asked Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to explain how a Chinese state-owned firm was able to use offshore companies to potentially acquire restricted American technology. According to a 4 December article in The Wall Street Journal, the China Orient used subsidiaries and offshore third parties to evade US export control laws and acquire a majority stake in a US company seeking to purchase a US-made satellite. Menendez sent to the secretaries a list of 13 detailed questions about the transaction and urged them to provide briefings on any review of the deal. "Failure to review this and other similarly-situated transactions, in which Chinese state-owned entities may gain footholds in sensitive technologies, poses a significant threat to the US national security," Menendez said. By Brendan Pierson, Nathan Layne and Karen Freifeld NEW YORK (Reuters) - (The story corrects paragraph 15 to state that Mueller has brought charges against, but not secured guilty pleas from, Russian nationals and entities) President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for crimes including orchestrating hush payments to women in violation of campaign laws before the 2016 election and financial wrongdoing, posing potential legal and political risks to Trump. By Brendan Pierson, Nathan Layne and Karen Freifeld NEW YORK (Reuters) - (The story corrects paragraph 15 to state that Mueller has brought charges against, but not secured guilty pleas from, Russian nationals and entities) President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for crimes including orchestrating hush payments to women in violation of campaign laws before the 2016 election and financial wrongdoing, posing potential legal and political risks to Trump. In the Manhattan courtroom, Cohen told U.S. District Judge William Pauley that "blind loyalty" led him to cover up for Trump's "dirty deeds." The sentence imposed by Pauley was a modest reduction from the four to five years recommended under federal guidelines but still highlighted the seriousness of the charges and possible implications for the president. The sentencing capped a stunning about-face by a lawyer who once said he would "take a bullet" for Trump. Cohen said in a guilty plea in August that he was directed by Trump to make hush money payments to two women - former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult-film star Stormy Daniels - who said they had past sexual affairs with the president. Trump has denied the affairs and any involvement in the payments. In another potentially worrisome legal development for Trump, prosecutors announced that the publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper struck a deal with them to avoid charges over its role in paying hush money to McDougal, who said she had a relationship with the president in 2006 and 2007. As part of the deal, publisher American Media Inc (AMI) [AMRCM.UL] admitted that it made the $150,000 payment to McDougal "in concert" with Trump's presidential campaign and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Pauley sentenced Cohen to 36 months for the payments and to two months for Cohen's lies to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. The two terms will run simultaneously. The judge set March 6 for Cohen's voluntary surrender. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Cohen to forfeit $500,000 and pay restitution of nearly $1.4 million. Pauley referred to Cohen's behaviour as a "smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" marked by deception and "motivated by personal greed and ambition." Cohen, 52, walked into court with his wife, son and daughter amid a crowd of photographers and reporters. His 23-year-old daughter, Samantha, and 19-year-old son, Jake, both wept silently in the courtroom, the son wiping his eyes with his jacket sleeve. After being sentenced, Cohen walked over to his daughter and kissed her head. Cohen's father, Maurice Cohen, who showed little emotion during the hearing, later told reporters: "My heart is ripped." Cohen pleaded guilty in August to charges including tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations in a case brought by federal prosecutors in New York. Cohen was sentenced on a separate charge of lying to Congress brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 election and possible coordination between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Cohen pleaded guilty to that charge last month. Prosecutors have said Cohen, just before the November 2016 election, paid Daniels $130,000 and helped arrange the $150,000 payment to McDougal so the women would keep quiet. Federal law requires that the contribution of "anything of value" to a campaign must be disclosed, and an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700. "It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light," Cohen told the judge during the sentencing hearing, referring to Trump. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds," Cohen added. The Mueller investigation represents a threat to Trump's presidency. Mueller, who also is examining whether the president has unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe, has secured guilty pleas from several former Trump aides including his former campaign chairman and national security adviser, and has brought charges against some Russian nationals and entities. 'MOST POWERFUL PERSON' "He came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in the country," one of Cohen's lawyers, Guy Petrillo, told the court on Wednesday, arguing for leniency. The judge, in remarks before handing down Cohen's sentence, said the lawyer committed two campaign finance crimes "on the eve" of the 2016 election with the "intent to influence the outcome of that election." "While Mr. Cohen pledges to help in further investigations that is not something the court can consider now," the judge added. Lawyer Lanny Davis, who has advised Cohen, praised Cohen for cooperating and said he would continue to do so. "At the appropriate time, after Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump - and that includes any appropriate congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies," Davis said in a statement. "Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts." Cohen is a former member of Trump's inner circle who in the past called himself the president's "fixer." After Cohen pleaded guilty to the Mueller charges on Nov. 29, Trump called his former lawyer a liar, "a weak person and not a very smart person." Michael Avenatti, Daniels' lawyer, attended the sentencing and told reporters outside the courthouse, "Michael Cohen is neither a hero nor a patriot. He lied for months about his conduct. ... Michael Cohen was sentenced today, President Trump is next." In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Trump denied the payments to the women were campaign contributions. "If it were, it's only civil, and even if it's only civil, there was no violation based on what we did," Trump said. Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Mueller's team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied U.S. allegations of interfering in the election to help Trump. In his guilty plea to Mueller's charge, Cohen admitted he lied to Congress about the timeline for discussions about plans for real estate businessman Trump's proposed skyscraper in Moscow. The project never went ahead. Cohen said in written testimony to two congressional committees that the talks ended in January 2016, before the first electoral contests to select the Republican presidential nominee, when they actually continued until June 2016 after Trump clinched the Republican nomination. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson and Nathan Layne in New York; Writing by Grant McCool; Editing by Will Dunham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The demonstrators in yellow jackets have rallied around one particular government policy: a looming hike in fuel taxes in France. By Michael Mehling, University of Strathclyde The gilets jaunes movement, by its own description, is motivated by broad discontent over shrinking incomes and rising living costs in France. However, the demonstrators in yellow jackets have rallied around one particular government policy: a looming hike in fuel taxes. Since 2014, domestic excise taxes on energy products have been linked to carbon content, with more carbon-intensive fuels taxed at a higher rate. Tax rates have also been scheduled to increase on an annual basis. For consumers, this has translated into gradually rising prices for fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel, natural gas, and heating oil. The objective of these rate hikes, according to the French government, is to reduce reliance on imported energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and yield tax revenue to cut payroll taxes and stimulate employment. Carbon taxes versus the world The problem, however, is that such taxes tend to be unpopular. While the recent protests in France stand out for their intensity, they join a growing record of political turmoil spurred by carbon and energy taxes in different parts of the world. In 2017, Mexicans took to the streets to express outrage at fuel tax increases. During the recent US midterm elections, residents of Washington state again rejected a ballot measure aimed at introducing a carbon fee. North of the border, several Canadian provinces have started legal proceedings against a federal carbon pricing framework. Germany and Ireland recently backed away from carbon tax expansions. Research has long shown how difficult it is to win popular support for carbon and energy taxes. One reason is that these impose an explicit and immediate cost on emitters, disproportionately affecting politically influential industries such as fossil fuel companies, which tend to use their influence to resist or weaken pricing policies. At the same time, they only promise diffuse future benefits for the broader population. Renewable energy subsidies are a costlier way of achieving emission reductions overall but they spread that cost across the broader public. The financial benefit, meanwhile, is highly concentrated for subsidy recipients, creating strong supportive constituencies. Surveys confirm that voters prefer financial aid policies over taxes, suggesting that public support for climate action is broad but shallow. Addressing climate change enjoys widespread approval until climate action comes with a tangible price tag, that is. Unlike other climate policies such as subsidies, carbon taxes make that price tag visible, and that is a big reason for their low popularity. Some commentators have therefore suggested a sequenced approach in which less contentious policies pave the way for gradual introduction of a robust carbon price. Still, the fact that other policies dont carry an explicit price tag doesnt mean they dont also impose a burden on the economy and on consumers. In the long run, the cost of doing nothing will almost certainly outweigh the cost of climate action but the latter is real and will be allocated unevenly, creating winners and losers. That explains a growing preoccupation with the distribution of climate policy impacts. The idea of a just transition is an overriding theme at this years climate summit in Poland. It asks us to consider how we can move society to a low-carbon world without leaving anyone behind. A tide that raises all boats The idea was enshrined in a declaration signed by ministers attending COP24, calling for greater consideration of the social consequences of a low-carbon transition. The French could well have used this as a guide in its response to public backlash against its energy tax plans. The demand for a just transition includes gaining social approval for climate policy by compensating, training and supporting people likely to be impacted by it. The French government assigned revenues from its energy tax increase to the general budget and earmarked parts of it for a business tax credit meant to stimulate employment and competitiveness. For taxpayers, the benefits remained obscure, and credibility of the carbon tax suffered. Instead, the government could have returned the revenue directly to taxpayers in the form of uniform or targeted cash transfers. Not only would that have made the use of revenue more transparent, it would have counteracted the general tendency of carbon and energy taxes to be regressive, that is, to affect low-income households disproportionately. Dedicating a share of revenue to helping disadvantaged communities could further reduce the perceived inequities that sparked unrest in the first place. Other places have shown that it can be done. A carbon tax introduced in British Columbia in 2008 faced initial opposition, but smart investment of tax revenue including an annual Climate Action Tax Credit for every citizen and a robust communications strategy have since won it broad support. People need access to affordable low-carbon options if a carbon price is to be effective, which underscores the need for adequate investment in innovation and infrastructure, such as public transit or electric vehicle charging stations. The gilets jaunes movement reminds us that we still have much to learn about how to craft climate policies that are both environmentally ambitious and politically durable. We would do well to heed this insight: time is not on our side, and we cannot afford more setbacks. Michael Mehling, Professor of Environmental Law & Governance, University of Strathclyde This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. PARIS (Reuters) - Gunshots in the centre of the French city of Strasbourg on the German border on Tuesday left one dead and three injured, the local fire department told Reuters. (Reporting by Christian Hartmann, Gilbert Reilhac; writing by Inti Landauro: Editing by Michel Rose) PARIS (Reuters) - Gunshots in the centre of the French city of Strasbourg on the German border on Tuesday left one dead and three injured, the local fire department told Reuters. (Reporting by Christian Hartmann, Gilbert Reilhac; writing by Inti Landauro: Editing by Michel Rose) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Wednesday that, because of U.S. sanctions, India had refused to allow a Russian-owned Indian refinery to use Iranian crude oil that India had obtained under waivers. Zanganeh was responding to a question in an interview on Iranian state television about why Iran had not bought refineries overseas. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Wednesday that, because of U.S. sanctions, India had refused to allow a Russian-owned Indian refinery to use Iranian crude oil that India had obtained under waivers. Zanganeh was responding to a question in an interview on Iranian state television about why Iran had not bought refineries overseas. He said large investments were needed, and the refineries would be under the jurisdiction of the host country. "Even if you own a refinery, ...it is under the sovereignty of the country where it is located.... For example, a Russian company has bought the Essar refinery in India. But it is not allowed to take oil from Iran," Zanganeh said. "The Indian government had obtained a waiver (to import Iranian oil) but it uses it for its state refinery. It did not allow them (Russians) to take oil," Zanganeh said. Indian officials could not be contacted for comment, following the late evening interview. Russian oil major Rosneft , fund UCP and Swiss commodities trader Trafigura bought Essar Oil's large refinery, 3,500 fuel stations and infrastructure for $12.9 billion last year. U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a multilateral nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions on Irans oil industry last month. Washington had been pushing governments to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero, but fearing a crude oil price spike, it granted Iran's biggest buyers - China, India, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Greece, Taiwan and Turkey - sanctions waivers. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru and Dubai newsroom; editing by John Stonestreet) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Leigh Thomas PARIS (Reuters) - France will overshoot the European Union's budget deficit ceiling next year without deeper spending cuts after President Emmanuel Macron caved in to anti-government protests. Macron announced wage increases for the poorest workers and a tax cut for most pensioners on Monday in an effort to quell a near month-long public revolt. But the measures will leave a 10 billion euro ($11 billion) hole in the Treasury's finances, pushing France back over the EU deficit limit of 3 percent of national output and dealing a blow to Macron's reformist credentials. By Leigh Thomas PARIS (Reuters) - France will overshoot the European Union's budget deficit ceiling next year without deeper spending cuts after President Emmanuel Macron caved in to anti-government protests. Macron announced wage increases for the poorest workers and a tax cut for most pensioners on Monday in an effort to quell a near month-long public revolt. But the measures will leave a 10 billion euro ($11 billion) hole in the Treasury's finances, pushing France back over the EU deficit limit of 3 percent of national output and dealing a blow to Macron's reformist credentials. "We are preparing a fiscal boost for workers by accelerating tax cuts so that work pays," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told parliament. "That inevitably has consequences on the deficit." Philippe did not give details on the impact of the concessions on public finances or possible spending cuts, saying only that the government aimed to keep spending from increasing. "Under all likelihood, the 2019 public deficit will print above the 3.0 percent benchmark," Societe Generale economist Michel Martinez wrote in a research note. Any failure to respect the EU deficit ceiling could shatter France's fiscal credibility with its European partners after Paris flouted it for a decade before Macron took office. Graphic: France/Germany 10-yr yield spread https://tmsnrt.rs/2PwwJLc And any sign of leniency from Brussels could complicate the European Commission's tense discussions with Italy about keeping its deficit down. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said Paris should be subject to the same treatment as Rome and now risked EU censure over its budget concessions. "If the deficit/GDP rules are valid for Italy, then I expect them to be valid for Macron," Di Maio said. France's 10-year borrowing costs climbed to their highest level compared with Germany in a year-and-a-half on Tuesday. Europe's Scope credit rating agency said it was unlikely Macron would be able to push through reforms of France's costly pension and healthcare systems if he continued to lose public support. Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin said Macron's concessions would amount to 10 billion euros, including the cancelling of energy tax hikes announced last week. Darmanin told senators the government now expected a budget deficit of 2.5 percent of GDP in 2019, excluding the one-off impact of a long-planned payroll tax rebate scheme becoming a permanent tax cut at a cost of 20 billion euros. That compares with a previous 2019 deficit/GDP forecast of 1.9 percent without one-offs, or 2.8 percent overall. The new, higher underlying deficit thus implies pushing the overall number towards 3.4 percent next year without measures to rein in spending. Moreover, the "yellow vest" protests are slowing economic growth. Two opinion polls on Tuesday showed roughly one in two French people think they should now end their protests. An Elysee official said on Monday France had some wiggle room on spending if the tax rebate was not taken into account. The European Union's executive arm is to make a final assessment of France's 2019 budget in the second quarter of next year when it releases new economic forecasts, a spokesman said. ($1 = 0.8790 euros) Graphic: French public deficit https://tmsnrt.rs/2SE2eor (Reporting by Leigh Thomas and Simon Carraud, additional reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey and Myriam Rivet; editing by Richard Lough and Robin Pomeroy) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The Trump administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated 'systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the US' decision to place it on its annual list of nations that infringe on religious freedom. The Trump administration on Tuesday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom." "Pakistan rejects the US State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released in the context of its annual religious freedom report," the Foreign Office said in a statement. "Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise," it said. Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together, including around 4 per cent of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, it said. Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, the statement added. It also called for an honest self-introspection to know the causes of the exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US. By Angus McDowall BEIRUT (Reuters) - As the bus pulled out of a Beirut car park heading for Damascus, Ahmed Sheikh waved from the window, excited, he said, to be returning home to Syria after years as a refugee in Lebanon. Sheikh and his two sons are part of a steady trickle of refugees going back as the Syrian government tightens its grip on areas it controls and the prospect of new fighting recedes By Angus McDowall BEIRUT (Reuters) - As the bus pulled out of a Beirut car park heading for Damascus, Ahmed Sheikh waved from the window, excited, he said, to be returning home to Syria after years as a refugee in Lebanon. Sheikh and his two sons are part of a steady trickle of refugees going back as the Syrian government tightens its grip on areas it controls and the prospect of new fighting recedes. But not everyone wants to go home just yet. While Beirut says 90,000 Syrians have returned this year, more than a million remain in Lebanon, including many who fear reprisals or army conscription, or whose homes were destroyed in the war. In a refugee camp in northern Lebanon, Abu Ibrahim recalled how government shellfire had obliterated his home town, saying it was too dangerous to return to Syria while Bashar al-Assad remains president. Whether the millions of refugees outside Syria, like Sheikh and Abu Ibrahim, will return to areas where fighting has ended is becoming a pressing issue in the country and abroad. Assad now controls most of Syria and the front lines appear stable for now between government territory and two big enclaves in the north and east still outside Damascus' control. 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 Syria's own gradual economic recovery too. About half Syria's pre-war 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. The agency said on Tuesday that up to 250,000 Syrian refugees were expected to go home next year, while around 37,000 returned in 2018, a figure its officials say may not be complete. GOING HOME For Sheikh, 46, the decision to return came after a legal problem in Lebanon. His residency permit had expired and he faced a large fine. Police told him he would not have to pay if he agreed to return to Syria. Still, with the war calmer, he was happy to be going. "There is security here, but living conditions are hard. There is not much work and everything is very expensive," he said. He had fled Aleppo with his family in late 2012 after rebels there threatened him, accusing him of links with the government. In Syria he owned a bakery, and later worked in Lebanon as a baker after making the long, circuitous journey through war-ravaged Syria with his wife and five children. But he will not go back to his old Aleppo district, ruined in the fighting. He and his sons will stay with his sister in Manbij, which is controlled by local U.S.-backed forces. His wife and three daughters will not return to Syria yet. The young women have married and had children while in Lebanon. Returning is complicated. Syrian security checks on those who seek to come back can take weeks. Not all are approved. Important documents may have been lost. Young children may have no passport at all. The Lebanese and Syrian governments have organised numerous returns for groups of refugees who register to go back. Sheikh's return was one of these. As he got on his bus, another family group hugged and cried - some staying, some going. A father looked through the window at his wife and disconsolate child who were returning to Syria while he stayed on to work in Lebanon. STAYING ON Abu Ibrahim, by contrast, swears he will not take his wife and three children back. He is haunted by the carnage of an early battle that destroyed Baba Amr, their neighbourhood of Homs, which they fled by night as bullets sang overhead. He had a workshop there, repairing televisions. His parents lived nearby, as did his 11 siblings with their families. People in Baba Amr were close-knit. "Everyone used to know each other," he said. When protesters marched in 2011, he joined them, though he did not take up arms, and by early 2012, protests had given way to war. In a fierce assault on Baba Amr, the army shelled his street, which faced the front line. His building took a direct hit, wounding him and his son. A nephew disappeared, presumed among the hundreds killed. When the bombardment abated, they left by night, braving sniper fire to cross the fields. "The children couldn't take it any more," he said. In a new neighbourhood, as the army advanced again, he witnessed summary shootings. The family kept on moving, before paying money to cross into Lebanon. Abu Ibrahim's old house and his neighbourhood are now rubble - a military zone controlled by army checkpoints. His siblings scattered during the fighting. None stayed in Syria. In Lebanon, he still fixes electrical goods, going house to house on a motorbike with his toolkit. He makes little money and sees no future there. But he is alarmed by rumours among the refugees in Lebanon that some who have returned were abused or killed, which Damascus denies. In Syria, his oldest boy, now 16, would soon face conscription. His two-year-old daughter lacks a proper birth certificate or passport. "I will never go back unless the regime is changed, and especially Bashar al-Assad," he said. He wants to go to the West, a journey few manage. Of the million Syrians in Lebanon, only a small number have gained permission to relocate there as refugees. Others attempt the dangerous sea crossing to Cyprus. In September a boat sank, drowning a child whose family could not face a return to their homeland. (Reporting by Angus McDowall; Editing by Giles Elgood) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. British Conservative lawmakers forced a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday, throwing UK politics deeper into crisis and Brexit further into doubt. London: British Conservative lawmakers forced a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday, throwing UK politics deeper into crisis and Brexit further into doubt. May vowed to fight for the leadership of her party and the country with everything Ive got after opponents who have been circling for weeks finally got the numbers they needed to spark a vote among Conservative Party lawmakers later in the day. The leadership challenge marks a violent eruption of the Conservative Partys decades-long divide over Europe. The threat to May has been building as pro-Brexit lawmakers within the Conservative Party grew increasingly frustrated with the prime ministers conduct of Brexit and the divorce deal she has agreed with the European Union. The challenge throws Britains already rocky path out of the EU, which is due to leave in March, into further chaos. It comes days after May postponed a vote to approve the divorce deal to avoid all-but-certain defeat. Many supporters of Brexit say Mays deal, a compromise that retains close economic ties with the EU, fails to deliver on the clean break with the bloc that they want. Former Environment Secretary Owen Paterson accused May of acting like a supplicant in dealings with the EU. Shes not the person to see Brexit through, he said. But in a defiant statement outside 10 Downing St., May said: A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now will put our countrys future at risk. She said ousting her and holding a leadership vote a process that could take weeks could result in Brexit being delayed or even stopped. May, who spent Tuesday touring EU capitals to appeal for changes to sweeten the divorce deal for reluctant UK lawmakers, has until 21 January to hold a vote on her deal in Parliament, a timetable that could be scuttled if she is replaced. Opposition lawmakers expressed astonishment and outrage at the Conservative civil war erupting in the middle of the fraught Brexit process. This government is a farce, the Tory party is in chaos, the prime minister is a disgrace, Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford said during a pugnacious Prime Ministers Questions session in the House of Commons. The pound, which has fallen in recent days as a Brexit deal was cast into doubt, took the news in stride, rising 0.8 percent to $1.2595. But business figures expressed alarm at the prospect of even more political uncertainty. At one of the most pivotal moments for the UK economy in decades, it is unacceptable that Westminster politicians have chosen to focus on themselves, rather than on the needs of the country, said Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce. Graham Brady, who heads a committee overseeing Conservative leadership contests, announced early on Wednesday that he had received letters from at least 48 lawmakers asking for a vote. Thats the 15 percent of Conservative legislators needed to spark a leadership challenge under party rules. Brady said the vote would be held in Parliament between 18.00 GMT and 20.00 GMT (11.30 pm and 1.30 am) on Wednesday, with the results announced soon after. If she loses the confidence vote, May must step down and there will be a contest to choose a new Conservative leader. She will remain the leader, and prime minister until the successor is picked. Brady said that the party aimed to finish the first stage of any leadership contest in which lawmakers vote to whittle down the field of contenders to two before Parliament breaks for Christmas on Dec. 20. The final two contenders would then be put to the national party membership in a postal ballot. If May wins, she cant be challenged again for a year, so a decisive victory could strengthen her hand. May cancelled a trip to Dublin on Wednesday to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar so she could stay in London and battle for lawmakers support. She planned to address backbench lawmakers just before the leadership ballot opens, and there was speculation she could try to win support by promising to step down before the next election, due in 2022. If all Tory lawmakers cast ballots, May needs 158 votes to win, though a narrow victory could leave her weakened and under pressure to resign. But allies said May would stay in the post even if she secured a wafer-thin win. I think she needs to win by one, said International Trade Secretary Liam Fox. Several leading Brexiteers, including former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and ex-Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, have said loudly that they think they could get a better deal with the EU and are likely to enter a race to replace her. More conciliatory candidates including Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, are also possible contenders. Ahead of the vote, Cabinet colleagues rallied to Mays support. Javid tweeted that a leadership contest, with Brexit little more than three months away, will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. Justice Secretary David Gauke said: I think its vital for the country that she wins tonight. He said that if May lost, I dont think we will be leaving the European Union on the 29th of March. European Union leaders tried to stay out of the fray. There was no change to plans for May to address EU leaders about Brexit at a summit in Brussels on Thursday. The European Parliaments Brexit point man, Guy Verhofstadt, could not contain a note of annoyance, tweeting: Once again, the fate of EU-UK relations, the prosperity of businesses and citizens rights are consumed by an internal Conservative party catfight over Europe. By Brendan Pierson, Nathan Layne and Karen Freifeld NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for orchestrating hush payments to women in violation of campaign laws before the 2016 election and financial crimes, posing potential legal and political risks to Trump. In the courtroom, Cohen told U.S. By Brendan Pierson, Nathan Layne and Karen Freifeld NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for orchestrating hush payments to women in violation of campaign laws before the 2016 election and financial crimes, posing potential legal and political risks to Trump. In the courtroom, Cohen told U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan that "blind loyalty" led him to cover up for Trump. The sentence imposed by Pauley was a modest reduction from the four to five years recommended under federal guidelines but still highlighted the seriousness of the charges and possible implications for the president. The sentencing capped a stunning about-face by a lawyer who once said he would "take a bullet" for Trump. Cohen said in a guilty plea in August that he was directed by Trump to make hush money payments to two women who said they had sexual affairs with the president in the past. Trump has denied the affairs and any involvement in the payments. Pauley sentenced Cohen to 36 months for the payments and to two months for Cohen's lies to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. The two terms will run simultaneously. The judge set March 6 for Cohen's voluntary surrender. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Cohen to forfeit $500,000 and pay restitution of nearly $1.4 million. Cohen, 52, walked into court with his wife, son and daughter amid a crowd of photographers and reporters. His 23-year-old daughter, Samantha, and 19-year-old son, Jake, both wept silently in the courtroom, the son wiping his eyes with his jacket sleeve. After being sentenced, Cohen walked over to his daughter and kissed her head. Cohen's father, Maurice Cohen, who showed little emotion during the hearing, later told reporters: "My heart is ripped." Cohen pleaded guilty in August to charges including tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations in a case brought by federal prosecutors in New York. Cohen was sentenced on a separate charge of lying to Congress brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 election and possible coordination between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Cohen pleaded guilty to that charge last month. Federal prosecutors in New York charged that Cohen, just before the November 2016 election, paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 and helped arrange a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal so the women would keep quiet. Federal law requires that the contribution of "anything of value" to a campaign must be disclosed, and an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700. "It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light," Cohen told the judge during the sentencing hearing. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds," Cohen said, referring to Trump. The Mueller investigation represents a threat to Trump's presidency. Mueller, who also is examining whether the president has unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe, has secured guilty pleas from several former Trump aides including his former campaign chairman and national security adviser, as well as a series of Russia individuals and entities. 'MOST POWERFUL PERSON' The judge, in remarks before handing down Cohen's sentence, said the lawyer committed two campaign finance crimes "on the eve" of the 2016 election with the "intent to influence the outcome of that election." "While Mr. Cohen pledges to help in further investigations that is not something the court can consider now," the judge added. Lawyer Lanny Davis, who has advised Cohen, praised Cohen for cooperating and said he would continue to do so. "At the appropriate time, after Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump - and that includes any appropriate congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies," Davis said in a statement. "Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts." Cohen is a former member of Trump's inner circle who in the past called himself the president's "fixer." After Cohen pleaded guilty to the Mueller charges on Nov. 29, Trump called his former lawyer a liar, "a weak person and not a very smart person." Trump last month submitted written answers to questions posed in Mueller's investigation. Michael Avenatti, Daniels' lawyer, attended the sentencing and told reporters outside the courthouse, "Michael Cohen is neither a hero nor a patriot. He lied for months about his conduct. ... Michael Cohen was sentenced today, President Trump is next." Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Mueller's team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied U.S. allegations of interfering in the election to help Trump. In his guilty plea to Mueller's charge, Cohen admitted he lied to Congress about the timeline for discussions about plans for real estate businessman Trump's proposed skyscraper in Moscow. The project never went ahead. Cohen said in written testimony to two congressional committees that the talks ended in January 2016, before the first electoral contests to select the Republican presidential nominee, when they actually continued until June 2016 after Trump clinched the Republican nomination. In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, Trump denied the payments to the women were campaign contributions. "If it were, it's only civil, and even if it's only civil, there was no violation based on what we did," Trump said. Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani has argued the hush payments cannot be considered campaign finance violations because they were made to protect Trump's reputation and would have been made even if he had not been a presidential candidate. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson and Nathan Layne in New York; Writing by Grant McCool; Editing by Will Dunham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Tuesday he planned to introduce this week a joint resolution condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which could force President Donald Trump's hand on the issue. Republican Senator Bob Corker said he expected the measure to pass the Senate, noting that its co-sponsors include Majority Leader Mitch McConnell By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Tuesday he planned to introduce this week a joint resolution condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which could force President Donald Trump's hand on the issue. Republican Senator Bob Corker said he expected the measure to pass the Senate, noting that its co-sponsors include Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. If it passes the House of Representatives, it would go to the White House for Trump to sign or veto. Corker said he hoped to introduce the legislation as soon as Tuesday, but a spokeswoman said later it would not be before Wednesday. "Hopefully, we'll have a very, very strong vote on a resolution condemning the crown prince," Corker said. Aides to Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the House planned to vote on the measure if it passed the Senate. Separately, a House aide said that CIA Director Gina Haspel would hold a classified briefing on the Khashoggi case for House leaders and the heads of national security committees on Wednesday. Two Democratic senators, Ed Markey and Jeff Merkley, said they sent a letter on Tuesday asking Energy Secretary Rick Perry to brief Congress on any talks he had with Saudi Arabia on a civilian nuclear agreement on a recent trip to the kingdom. Department of Energy officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Joint congressional resolutions must be signed by the president and have the force of law. The resolution's content has not been released, so it was not clear whether the joint resolution would prompt any specific punishment against the crown prince or the kingdom beyond a statement of condemnation. Corker said it was largely similar to a resolution introduced last week by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and other Republicans and Democrats that condemned Khashoggi's death and said the Senate "has a high level of confidence" that the Saudi crown prince was complicit in his murder. Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who was a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Sonya Hepinstall) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. In a wild Oval Office confrontation, President Donald Trump heatedly threatened to shut down the US government Tuesday as he and Democratic leaders bickered over funding for his promised border wall and offered a grim preview of life in Washington the next two years under divided government. Washington: In a wild Oval Office confrontation, President Donald Trump heatedly threatened to shut down the US government on Tuesday as he and Democratic leaders bickered over funding for his promised border wall and offered a grim preview of life in Washington the next two years under divided government. Trump and House and Senate Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer squabbled for more than 15 minutes in the stunning, televised encounter. Each of them, especially Trump, interrupted the others to question facts, quibble over election results and lob insults. Trump questioned Pelosi's ability to count votes in her own House. She questioned his manhood after she left the building. The public clash marked Trump's first meeting with the newly empowered Democrats since their midterm victories that put them in control of the House, laying bare the tensions on both sides and suggesting how divided government might work or not as the 2020 presidential election nears. Neither the public nor the private face-to-face portion of the meeting appeared to resolve the wall-funding dispute with a partial shutdown looming on 21 December. However, Pelosi said Trump called her later in the afternoon and told her the White House was looking at options she and Schumer had laid out. In the public debate, Trump sounded more determined than ever to allow a partial government shutdown unless he gets the billions he wants for his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border. "I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down," he declared. Pelosi later crowed that she and Schumer had goaded the president to "fully own that the shutdown was his." She told Democratic lawmakers back at the Capitol, according to an aide who was in the room, that the wall was "like a manhood thing for him ... as if manhood could ever be associated with him. This wall thing." The aide was not authorized to speak publicly and commented only on condition of anonymity. While Trump has suggested he may be willing to trade with Democrats and has publicly praised Pelosi, he was focused Tuesday on reinforcing his hardline immigration promises, repeatedly stressing border security and the wall as a critical part. Democrats were in no mood to sympathize, emphasizing their newfound political strength. "Elections have consequences, Mr. President," said Schumer. Trump later called it a "friendly meeting," saying "I've actually liked them for a long period of time and I respect them both. And we made a lot of progress." The Democrats said they had given Trump two options to keep government open and the responsibility lay with him and Republicans who control Congress. The wall remains the main sticking point in talks. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan acknowledged Tuesday that the GOP-led House has yet to pass legislation that includes the $5 billion in border wall funds that Trump has been requesting. Ryan likely lacks sufficient votes from Republicans who will lose their majority at the end of the month. Trump is seeking far more for his long-stalled border wall than the $1.6 billion the Senate has agreed to for border security, including physical barriers and technology along the US southern border. Should the two sides not make a deal by 21 December, about three-quarters of the government would continue to have enough money to operate. But departments affected absent a deal include Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture, State and Justice, as well as national parks. Both sides came into the negotiating session primed for battle. After a few niceties, Trump dug into Democrats on the border wall, prompting a stern rebuke from Schumer that the issue at hand was "called funding the government." Trump soon started scrapping with Pelosi, when she said there should not be a "Trump shutdown." "Did you say Trump?" the president said, as the two argued over whether Trump had enough Republican votes in the House to support his border wall plan. "The fact is that you do not have the votes in the House," Pelosi declared. Trump shot back, "Nancy, I do."Also in a fighting mood, Schumer accused Trump of threatening a shutdown "because you can't get your way." Trump heckled Schumer over a previous shutdown, saying "the last time you shut it down you got killed" politically. Pelosi and Schumer both repeatedly asked to make the conversation private, without success, as Trump argued that the public meeting was a good thing: "It's called transparency." Trump repeatedly returned to his argument that the border wall is needed for security reasons. He also argued that "tremendous" portions of the wall have already been built. In fact, some barrier renovation has happened, but little wall construction has been completed under Trump. If Democrats refuse to support the wall, the military will build the remaining sections, Trump said. "The wall will get built," he insisted. ours after the meeting ended, a Pentagon spokesman said in a statement that "there is no plan" for the military to build sections of a border wall. But Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis added that the military may have the power to fund "barrier projects" in national emergencies or to counter the drug trade. Pence, a former House member, sat silently as Trump and the two Democrats bickered. He later called the meeting a "good discussion." Asked to describe the atmosphere in the private meeting that followed the public quarrel, Pence said, "candid." Pelosi and Schumer have urged Trump to support a measure that includes a half-dozen government funding bills largely agreed upon by lawmakers, along with a separate measure that would fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through 30 September, the end of the fiscal year. The homeland bill includes about $1.3 billion for fencing and other security measures at the border. If Trump rejects that, Democrats are urging a continuing resolution that would fund all the remaining appropriations bills at current levels through 30 September. "We gave the president two options that would keep the government open," Pelosi and Schumer said in a statement after the meeting. "It's his choice to accept one of those options or shut the government down." Pelosi, who is seeking to become House speaker when the new Congress convenes in January, said she and many other Democrats consider the wall "immoral, ineffective and expensive." She noted that Trump promised during the 2016 campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall, an idea Mexico has repeatedly rejected. In fact, Trump declared during the presidential campaign two years ago, "That wall will go up so fast your head will spin." Pelosi's willingness to stand up to Trump won praise from Democrats. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California told CNN that she "may have sealed her speakership by going toe-to-toe with the president." Despite the rancor, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he hadn't given up hope that a shutdown can be averted. The Kentucky Republican said "magic" sometimes happens in Congress ahead of Christmas, when lawmakers are eager to leave Washington. "I'd like to see a smooth ending here," McConnell said at the Capitol. Antonio Guterres will hold meetings with the two Yemeni delegations and will address the closing session of this round of consultations, the UN said in a statement. Rimbo: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the last day of talks between warring Yemeni parties in Sweden on Thursday, the world body said. Guterres will participate in UN-brokered negotiations between Yemen's government and Huthi rebels in the rural village of Rimbo, north of Stockholm. 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. The talks aim to broker deals on major issues in the Yemen war, a complex conflict between the Huthi rebels armed northern tribes backed by Iran and the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, allied with a powerful military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The war has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 14 million people facing imminent starvation and one child dead every 10 minutes from preventable causes. While the talks do not aim for a mutual ceasefire, 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 in the war. However, Hodeida has proved a point of contention between the government and the rebels. The Red Sea city is controlled by the Huthis. Shipments through its ports are severely restricted by the Saudi-led coalition, which controls Yemen's maritime borders and airspace. UN envoy Martin Griffiths has guided both parties through intensive political consultations on various sensitive issues "with the aim of putting Yemen back on the path of peace, and alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people," the UN said. Last week, Guterres appealed to the Yemeni government and rebels to de-escalate violence around Hodeida, through which 90 per cent of food imports and three-quarters of humanitarian aid reach Yemen where the UN says close to 75 percent of the population will need humanitarian assistance in 2019. The World Health Organisation estimates nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed since 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition joined Hadi's fight against the Huthis. Other estimates put the toll at as high as 50,000. By Aziz El Yaakoubi and Maha El Dahan RIMBO, Sweden/ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties agreed on Wednesday to reopen Sanaa airport in the Houthi-held capital, sources said, as Western nations pressed the two sides to accept confidence-building steps before the end of U.N.-led peace talks in Sweden. The Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi were still discussing a United Nations proposal on the contested port city of Hodeidah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis facing starvation. Hadi's premier, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, told reporters in the government's base in the southern port of Aden that there might not be enough time for full agreement on Hodeidah as the talks, the first in over two years, conclude on Thursday By Aziz El Yaakoubi and Maha El Dahan RIMBO, Sweden/ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties agreed on Wednesday to reopen Sanaa airport in the Houthi-held capital, sources said, as Western nations pressed the two sides to accept confidence-building steps before the end of U.N.-led peace talks in Sweden. The Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi were still discussing a United Nations proposal on the contested port city of Hodeidah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis facing starvation. Hadi's premier, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, told reporters in the government's base in the southern port of Aden that there might not be enough time for full agreement on Hodeidah as the talks, the first in over two years, conclude on Thursday. "We talked about (it) a lot but with the limited time we have, we cant talk about all the points in this round. The important thing is to build confidence and then go into the details of the Hodeidah file," he said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is due to attend the final day of talks to support his envoy's efforts to launch a political process to end the nearly four-year-old war. Another round of talks could be held in early 2019. The Houthis hold most population centres, including Hodeidah and Sanaa from which it ousted Hadi's government in 2014. A U.N. spokeswoman said both parties had received a "final package" of agreements on the status of Hodeidah, Sanaa airport, a political framework and shoring up the economy. "We hope to receive positive responses," she said. The two parties agreed that international flights would stop at a government-held airport for inspections before flying in or out of Sanaa, two sources familiar with the talks said. They have yet to agree on whether those inspections would be in Aden airport or that of Sayun, the sources added. The Saudi-led military coalition that intervened in the war in 2015 to restore Hadi's government controls Yemen's air space. The coalition has faced increased scrutiny from Western allies, some of which supply it with arms and intelligence, over the war that has killed tens of thousands of people. Ambassadors from countries that are permanent members of the Security Council have joined talks with delegation chiefs. TRUMP GESTURE U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he could abide by legislation to end U.S. support for coalition forces in the war following outrage over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "I hate to see what's going on in Yemen," Trump said. "But it takes two to tango. I'd want to see Iran pull out of Yemen too." The conflict is seen in the Middle East as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which welcomed peace efforts. Asked about the U.S. Senate deliberations, Saeed said Yemen's stability was important for regional security: "The U.S. cannot overlook what Iran is doing in Yemen." U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths, trying to avert a full-scale assault on Hodeidah, where coalition forces have massed on the outskirts, is asking both sides to withdraw from the city. His proposal envisions an interim entity being formed to run the city and port and international monitors being deployed. Both sides have agreed to a U.N. role in the port, the entry point for most of Yemen's commercial imports and vital aid, but differ on who should run the city. The Houthis want Hodeidah declared a neutral zone, while Hadi's government believes the city should fall under its control as a matter of sovereignty. "The devil is in the details - withdraw how far (from Hodeidah), the sequence, who governs and delivers services," said one diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. The sides have also yet to agree on shoring up the central bank, and on a transitional governing body, although a deal was struck on a prisoner swap that could see 15,000 prisoners freed. A small group of Yemenis demonstrated outside the talks venue in Rimbo, north of Stockholm, waving the flags of former South Yemen in support of a separatist movement that is fighting alongside the coalition while trying to undermine Hadi's government. (Additional reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Aden and Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton in Washington; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Mark Heinrich) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. General Motors (NYSE:GM) has made a lot of news lately, and it's not the kind that automakers like to make. Late last month, GM announced that it plans to idle five factories and cut 15% of its salaried workforce as part of a major restructuring of its operations in North America. Nobody likes to hear that factories are being closed, particularly effected workers and the politicians who represent them. GM's announcement led to something of an uproar -- and to some hard questions: Is GM in trouble? Is a dividend cut likely? That latter question isn't trivial. GM's 4.4% dividend yield has drawn considerable interest from investors -- but high dividend yields are only interesting if they're sustainable. Is GM's dividend sustainable? Let's take a look. General Motors' dividend: Key stats Metric GM Current quarterly dividend per share $0.38 Current dividend yield 4.4% Payout ratio 28.3% Last increase February 2016 GM's payout ratio is fairly conservative, not a worry. But its dividend yield is 4.4%, well above average. Anytime we see a dividend yield over 3%, it's important to dig deeper, as it raises some important questions that need to be answered before we invest. How to tell if a high yield is a buy signal or a warning sign Here's the first question: Is GM's yield high because the stock's valuation is lower than it should be? And if so, why is the valuation low? A low valuation can be a value-investing opportunity, a chance to buy a company that the market is overlooking. But it can also mean that investors are staying away from the stock for good reasons. Right now, GM is trading at just over 5 times its adjusted earnings per share ($6.76) over the last four quarters. Here's how that compares with the price-to-earnings ratios of GM's key global competitors. Company P/E Ratio BMW 5.6 Daimler 5.5 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 6.6 Ford 5.5 Honda 4.7 Toyota 7.6 GM's valuation is toward the lower end of the group's range, but it's not out of line with most of its rivals'. Most of the global automakers are trading at fairly low valuations right now, a sign that the market expects the pace of auto sales to decline over the next several quarters. Is GM's dividend sustainable through a downturn? The second question is whether GM will be able to sustain its dividend payments at the current level. Is the company paying out more than it will be able to afford over time? That's an especially important question given the market's expectation that auto sales are set to decline. Automakers are cyclical businesses; we know from history that their profits will decline (or disappear entirely) during a recession. They have high fixed costs and require a fairly high level of sales just to break even. GM is far above its break-even point right now, but when sales decline during a recession, its profits will almost certainly decline as well. In the past, automakers have not only cut dividends during recessions, they have also been forced to cut spending on future programs, which left them with dated products in their dealers' showrooms when buyers returned in the early stages of the post-recession recovery. Nowadays, most automakers, including GM, maintain a hefty cash reserve, backed by a revolving line of credit, to ensure that they can keep funding future products through a downturn. As of the end of the third quarter, GM had $18 billion in cash, and another $14.1 billion in available credit lines -- an ample reserve for a moderate-to-steep recession. What does that have to do with GM's dividend? Everything: GM has said repeatedly that it will continue to pay its quarterly dividend at the current level through a recession until that cash reserve is gone. In other words, the point at which GM will cut its dividend in a recession is the point at which it's forced to begin tapping its line of credit. GM said last year that it has modeled a typical moderate recession and concluded that it would use about $5 billion from its cash reserve in the first year of the downturn. Of note: Over the last 45 years, peak-to-trough economic contractions in the U.S. have lasted an average of 12 months. So while a recession that is both severe and protracted could force GM to cut its dividend (along with lots of other things), it is well prepared to continue paying its dividend at the current level through a "typical" recession -- and maybe even through a fairly severe one. Why GM's restructuring might be a good sign for dividend investors Finally, let's address the questions raised by GM's restructuring plan. I don't think GM is "in trouble" now, and I don't think a dividend cut is likely. I think that CEO Mary Barra is being proactive, battening down GM's hatches before the next economic storm hits, so that the company isn't forced to cut its investments in crucial new products and technologies to stay afloat. In fact, I think this restructuring might make it easier for GM to sustain its dividend through a downturn. CFO Dhivya Suryadevara said that she expects the restructuring to boost GM's adjusted automotive free cash flow by $6 billion a year by 2020. She also expects the changes to lower GM's break-even point, the level of annual sales at which it would swing from profits to losses in a recession. Suryadevara promised more specifics in January at GM's annual investor briefing. But there's no reason to think that GM's dividend is now at risk -- and some reasons to think that the risk of a dividend cut is lower than it has been in a while. Galveston, TX (77553) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High around 65F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Generally clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno said he would recommend to the President that Congress should hold a special session to iron out issues in the 2019 budget. "I'll recommend to the President that he call for a special session," Diokno said in a press briefing Wednesday. Diokno said Duterte would likely call the session next week, as Congress is still busy with deliberations on martial law in Mindanao. This, as Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said the upper chamber will no longer finish deliberations on the proposed 3.757 trillion national budget for next year. 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. Diokno explained that senators have long been waiting for the budget to be given to them for amendments. "It's Congress that should be blamed for this," Diokno said. "We have nothing to do with it. It's in their court." The Budget chief warned that if Congress fails to pass the 2019 budget, the 2018 budget will be re-enacted, which may cause delays in infrastructure projects, job losses, and higher poverty incidence. "According to DBM estimates, the reenacted budget would reduce disbursements by around P200 billion by 2019," Diokno said. Diokno also cited National Economic Develoment Authority data, saying that a reenacted budget could have a gross domestic product (GDP) growth impact of -1.1 to -2.3 percent in 2019. He explained this would result in a GDP of 4.7 to 5.5 percent next year, falling short of the 7 to 8 percent 2019 targets. Diokno, however, refused to comment if the change in House leadership affected the passage of the appropriations bill. The Budget chief traded barbs with House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya in the Question Hour of the House Tuesday. Andaya accused Diokno of placing 75 billion in this year's Department of Public Works and Highways' budget, saying that President Rodrigo Duterte did not know about it. Diokno, on the other hand, said Duterte had approved the proposal. Hundreds of people attended the public hearing at the Galveston Island Convention Center. The meeting was the first and only public hearing scheduled to be held on the island during the public comment period for the corps barrier plan. It's that time of year where we look back on the past 12 months and see all the weird and wonderful ways New Zealanders used Uber and Uber Eats. The new stats reveal astounding facts about kiwi's driving and eating habits. Like more than 83 million kilometres - the equivalent of travelling to the moon and back 108 times - is the distance riders in New Zealand travelled in trips booked using the Uber app during 2018. And playing into our 'rugby mad' stereotype, Saturday 25 August was the busiest night for Uber rides, coinciding with people watching the All Blacks v Wallabies Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park. The most expensive order cost $870 and comprised 151 items from Wendy's on Dominion Road in Auckland, while the smallest order was for a single sachet of ketchup. And someone in Auckland ordered Uber Eats 438 times this year that's more than once a day. Here are the full stats: Uber Rides Kiwi riders travelled a combined 83,158,994 kilometres, that's the equivalent of travelling to the moon and back 108 times The busiest night of the year was Saturday 25 August, coinciding with the All Blacks v Wallabies Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park The busiest driver-partner completed 51 trips in one evening One Kiwi driver-partner received 3,621 five-star rated trips in 2018 - that's a lot of magic trips! Kiwis love to travel the globe, it's in our nature. New Zealanders used Uber in almost all 78 countries that we operate in globally - we just missed one: Paraguay The most travelled Kiwi rider used Uber in 15 different countries in 2018 Uber ridesharing launched in four new cities - Hamilton, Tauranga, Queenstown & Dunedin - in addition to Auckland, Wellington & Christchurch. Uber Eats The most popular menu item was Butter Chicken The most searched-for item was burgers Someone in Auckland ordered Uber Eats 438 times this year - that's more than once a day! Most adventurous award goes to the person who ordered from 109 different restaurants this year "No onion" was the most common special instruction - followed by "no tomato" and "extra sauce" A delivery partner in Auckland clocked the most kilometers this year at 24,014 kms: he could have driven the length of New Zealand 12 times (from Cape Reinga to the Bluff and back, six times) A Big MacA Combo was the number one item ordered after midnight across the country As a nation we ordered 505,595 burritos in 2018 and 653,430 Chicken McNuggets. Uber Eats came to three additional cities - Hamilton, Tauranga and Dunedin - adding Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch which all saw Uber Eats launch in 2017. Newshub. Samsung releases second Android Pie beta update for Galaxy Note 9 News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The new Android 9 Pie beta update for the Galaxy Note 9 weighs a total of 553.8MB in size and carries a build number N960FXXU2ZRL6. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 which is the 9th-gen Note series device was released back in August this year. The device shipped with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and was lined up to receive the latest Android 9 Pie update along with the company's recently introduced OneUI skin. Now, the South Korean tech giant has started rolling out the second Android 9 Pie beta update for its flagship phablet. The latest update was spotted by SamMobile and it is being said that the new update will also bring along the OneUI skin. Samsung is expected to release the stable Android Pie update for the Galaxy Note 9 next month along with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Both the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ have also started receiving the Android 9 Pie beta update recently. The new Android 9 Pie beta update for the Galaxy Note 9 weighs a total of 553.8MB in size and carries a build number N960FXXU2ZRL6. The update brings along a bunch of tweaks and fixes for various issues and will offer an enhanced user experience while using the device. The latest update for the device also brings along the December 2018 Android security patch along with it. As for the changelog listing, the new update brings a fix for delayed responses while calling, autofill issues and freezing Dialer app, errors with YouTube, connectivity issues related to hotspot among others. The update will be rolled out as a FOTA update (firmware over-the-air) to the Galaxy Note 9 users who have enrolled in the beta program. The users who do not receive the FOTA update can check for the update manually. The steps to check the update manually is fairly simple and all you need to do is head to the Settings > System Updates > Check for Updates. Once you follow these steps you will be able to download the update if it has arrived on your device. To recall, the Galaxy Note 9 comes with a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display panel with a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top and a screen resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is backed by an Exynos 9810 processor integrated with a Mali-G72 MP 18GPU to take care of the graphics-intensive tasks. The Exynos processor is further clubbed with a 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/512GB of internal storage. You can also expand the internal storage of the device to up to 512GB via an external microSD card. The device is powered by a big 4,000mAh Li-Ion battery unit which comes with fast charging support. 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 Nokia 8.1 First Impressions: A beautiful looking phone with taste of Android 9 Pie Reviews oi-Priyanka Dua HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones has announced the launch of Nokia 8.1, its latest addition to its value flagship range. HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones has announced the launch of Nokia 8.1, its latest addition to its value flagship range. The new smartphone will be available on sale from 21st December 2018 across top mobile retail outlets in India, Nokia.com/phones and on Amazon.in at Rs. 26,999 for the 4GB/64GB variant. So, we got a chance to spend some time with the new handset and here's what we have to say in our first impressions of Nokia 8.1. Design and Display The Nokia 8.1 comes with a good build and has rounded corners, it is quite compact and ideal for one hand usage. It has a glass back along with glittery effect, which is now a catching trend in the industry. On the right side of the smartphone, you will find the volume rockers and power button, while the dual-SIM slot is placed on the left side. There is a 3.5 mm audio jack at the top, while the USB Type-C port is housed at the bottom. It also has Zeiss branding at the back and fingerprint sensor. Overall the smartphone looks quite premium and feels good in the hand, however back panel is prone to fingerprint smudges, which is something unavoidable with glass back panels. As for the display, the Nokia 8.1 features 6.18-inch Full HD+ edge-to-edge display with a 1080p resolution along with 18.7:9 aspect ratio. It also supports HDR 10 which is known for delivering higher contrast, and great clarity. Overall, the screen is touch responsive and offers decent brightness levels. We didn't get a chance to test the display under direct sunlight, therefore, it will be hard to comment on the sunlight visibility of the display for now. But we will be testing the display in our full review of the device. Hardware and Software The smartphone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage which can be further expanded by up to 400GB through a microSD card. However it will face tough competition with a smartphone like the Vivo V11 Pro which offers 6GB RAM | 64GB storage expandable up to 256GB | Dual nano SIM with dual-standby (4G+4G) at Rs 25,990. During our short time with the smartphone, we did not face any delay while running a few apps and navigating through the user interface. On the software front, the Nokia 8.1 comes with the latest Android 9.0 Pie out-of-the-box which in itself is unique because at present only a few brands are providing the latest OS. Overall, the device performed quite well when used for basic tasks like surfing the internet and running low-end games, and we didn't notice any lag or stutter. Camera The Nokia 8.1 comes with dual-camera setup, which comes with a combination of a 2MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture paired to a rather large 1/2.55" sensor with 1.4um pixels and 13-megapixel secondary sensor with f/2.2 aperture and ZEISS optics. While at the front you'll find a 20-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture. We tested both the cameras for a brief period and found that the shots showed a decent amount of details on the 6.18" Full HD+ screen in good lighting condition. We will evaluate this handset's complete camera performance in the coming week during our detailed camera review of Nokia 8.1. Battery and Connectivity The new smartphone is backed by 3500mAh which the company claims delivers up to 22 hours of talk time, Video playback up to 11 hours and standby up to 24 hours. On the connectivity front, it has WiFi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C and 4G Volte. Verdict Overall, the Nokia 8.1 qualifies as a good-looking smartphone which is loaded with features like Android 9.0 Pie and Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor. But we should not forget that there are so many brands in this segment that this smartphone has to compete with. Keeping that in mind, we can say that the company could have done a little extra to go head-to-head with already dominant Chinese smartphone brands which are slowly becoming the primary choice of the 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 NASA cuts live feed after mysterious blue UFO appears on screen News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Is there something that NASA is hiding from the people? NASA has been accused of "lying" by the online communities after the US space agency "cut" the live space feed streamed through the International Space Station (ISS) cameras. What's more intriguing is that just moments before the live feed was cut, a mysterious bright blue orb showed up on the screen. A video on YouTube shows one of the cameras on the side of the ISS record a huge bright blue UFO emerging behind the solar panels of the ISS. Footage of the UFO was captured: "UFO? NASA Live shuts down right after this object appears next to the ISS." The video follows the UFO for some time and also zooms in on the orb that is seen hovering above Earth. The live space feed then cuts instantly, asking viewers to "Please stand by." The cut off is followed by a message that reads: "The High Definition Earth Viewing experiment is either switching cameras, or we are experiencing a temporary loss of signal with the International Space Station." Viewers are speculating that the blue UFO could be an alien spaceship. One user even wrote that "NASA is lying" and hiding something from the viewers. Another viewer wrote, "That was a weird looking blob next to the space station?" Another viewer explained: "If the European Space Agency can manage to film beautiful, ultra-high-def footage of things outside the space station, why can't NASA?" Viewers are sensing a conspiracy claiming that the footage is a proof that NASA is indeed "hiding" something that could be otherworldly from the people on Earth. Some of the viewers are skeptic about the object being an extraterrestrial and explains that object could be a "space ice ball". Few viewers claimed the object looked like "a drop of water in zero gravity". 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 Putin Says He Only Heard Of Alleged Agent Butina After Her Arrest December 11, 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin says he had never heard of a woman who is accused of working as an unregistered foreign agent in the United States until her July arrest. Putin said on December 11 that when he asked Russian intelligence services for information about 30-year-old Maria Butina, he was told that no one knew about her existence. Butina, who is accused of working for years to cultivate relationships with U.S. political organizations and conservative activists, is being held without bail. "She risks 15 years in jail. For what?" asked Putin. "...I asked all the heads of our intelligence services what is going on. Nobody knows anything about her." She initially pleaded not guilty to charges of acting as an unregistered agent for the Russian government. However, court documents released on 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. 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. The Justice Department said 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. Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-says -he-only-heard-of-alleged-agent-butina-after- her-arrest/29650607.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 Former Russian Navy Officer Sentenced To 14 Years On Charge Of Spying For Ukraine December 11, 2018 Retired Russian navy officer Leonid Parkhomenko has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after a military tribunal in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don found him guilty of passing classified documents to Ukrainian intelligence. The North Caucasus Regional Military Court on December 11 also stripped Parkhomenko of his military rank. Parkhomenko was detained in 2016 in the port of Sevastopol on Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula that was annexed by Russia in 2014. He used to serve as an officer in Russia's naval fleet based in Sevastopol. Investigators say Parkhomenko collected classified information about Russia's Black Sea Fleet and handed it to Ukraine in return for money between 2003-05. The Federal Security Service (FSB) said Parkhomenko was receiving orders from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. After annexing Crimea in March 2014, Russia has provided military, political, and economic support to separatists in eastern Ukraine. The conflict in the eastern part of Ukraine has claimed more than 10,300 lives since April 2014. In November, the tension in the region escalated when Russia seized three Ukrainian Navy ships and arrested 24 sailors in the Kerch Strait that links the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/former-russian-navy -officer-sentenced-to-14-years-on-charge- of-spying-for-ukraine/29650387.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 Jails Former Police Officer On High Treason Charge December 11, 2018 A Russian court has sentenced former police officer Aleksandr Zhitnyuk to 13 years in prison on high treason charges. The Moscow City Court said on December 11 that Zhitnyuk was found guilty of handing classified materials to Norwegian intelligence. Russian media reports said earlier that Zhitnyuk was arrested in November last year on suspicion of giving secret materials to a Norwegian man, identified as Frode Berg, who was also detained by Russian authorities. A Moscow court later ordered Berg be placed in pretrial detention. Norwegian media reports have described Berg as a 63-year-old former border inspector, saying that the Norwegian Foreign Ministry was working to provide him with assistance. According to Russian investigators, Berg mailed money to Russian citizens recruited by a foreign intelligence service in exchange for classified military information. Berg's lawyer, Ilya Novikov, said last month that his client might face trial by February 2019. he also said his client denied any wrongdoing. The case is one of several in recent years in which Russian citizens have been accused of treason or disseminating classified or sensitive information. Based on reporting by RIA Novosti and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia- jails-zhitnyuk-police-officer-high- treason/29649865.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 Putin: Russian Intelligence Services Know Nothing About Butina's Arrest in US Sputnik News 19:25 11.12.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russian intelligence services knew nothing about Russian national Maria Butina arrested in the United States over alleged attempts to influence US policy towards Moscow. "That poor girl is in custody [in the US], she is facing 15 years in prison, but for what? When I heard that something was happening around her I immediately asked all the chiefs of our intelligence services who she was? No one knows anything about her at all, except some people in the Federation Council, where it seems she has worked for one of the lawmakers, that's all," Putin said during his meeting with members of Russia's Human Rights Council. Butina, 30, was detained in the United States in mid-July. She was residing in the country on a student visa while completing masters degree in international relations at American University in Washington, DC. Moscow has criticized the US government for Butina's arrest, insisting that the charges against her are groundless. 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. She could face up to 15 years in prison on both charges. However, ABC news reported on Monday, citing court filings, that Butina had agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges and will cooperate with US authorities as part of a deal made with prosecutors. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Polish Military Celebrates Successful AN-18 By Sgt. 1st Class Craig Norton December 11, 2018 ELBLAG, Poland -- As the ANAKONDA uncoils itself the end of a multinational training exercise has ended, as well as the successful validation of the Headquarters Multinational Division-North East per the 2016 Warsaw NATO Summit. Leaders from U.S. military NATO, U.S. Army Europe, Atlantic Resolve Mission Command Element, Illinois National Guard, Polish government officials and NATO allies attended the ANAKONDA-18 closing ceremony at the HQ MND-NE installation in Elblag, Poland, Dec. 6, 2018. AN-18 is the largest, periodic joint training exercise led by Polish forces. This year's exercise had approximately 23 NATO allies participate. "Today we are stronger! Stronger as an alliance! In addition to concluding a successful AN-18, we also increased our shared strength by certifying a multinational division headquarters capability of synchronizing and applying the elements of combat power," said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Thomson, the commander of the NATO Allied Land Command. "It's a headquarters that brings cohesion and coherence to our forward presence." "This exercise (AN-18) has been very interesting indeed, but also very demanding at the same time. Because it involved both parts, the traditional part (basic combat element opportunities) and on the other hand the training and repelling off of hybrid actions," said Andrzej Duda, the president of Poland. "Also, the AN-18 training exercise stresses one more point, it shows within NATO we are capable! Capable of defending, which is so important in this dynamically evolving world." The exercise wasn't limited to Poland; ANAKONDA-18 extended its reach into the Baltic states. "This is the first time this exercise has taken place, not only in Poland but also in the territories of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia," said Mariusz Blaszczak, the minister of National Defense for Poland. "However, that challenge has successfully been phased out." No matter the training, bonds are created that last a lifetime. There are wooden ships. There are sailing ships. There are battleships, but the best ships are our friendships, said Thomson. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: 10m Yemenis to be in dire need of food aid IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 11, IRNA -- The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock announced that 10 million Yemenis will be in dire need of food next year. Referring to awful humanitarian and food conditions in Yemen, he called for financial aid to fight this crisis, Turkish media 'Anadolou Agency' quoted Lowcock as saying in a press conference. The UN intends to provide food aid for 15 million Yemenis by next year, he added. The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is scheduled to hold an international conference in Geneva aiming at attracting financial aid for Yemeni people, he reiterated. He went on to say that $4 billion will be required for Yemeni people next year. 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 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**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni army downs Saudi spy drone IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 11, IRNA -- The Yemeni air defense shot down a Saudi spy drone in western coast of Yemen on Monday night, Yemeni TV Channel 'Ali-Masirah' reported. According to Yemeni media, the Yemeni army forces targeted Saudi drone in northwest of Ad Durayhimi District. Earlier last week, the Yemeni air defense had shot down a Saudi spy drone in west coast of Yemen. Meanwhile, the Saudi war planes bombarded areas in Al Hudaydah, Hajjah and Saada provinces on Monday. In the meantime, the Yemeni army and popular committees announced on Monday that 455 Saudi forces have been killed in Yemen over the past 7 days. 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 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**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NCBC Gulfport Signs First Intergovernmental Support Agreement in Navy Region Southeast Navy News Service Story Number: NNS181211-16 Release Date: 12/11/2018 11:22:00 AM By Ryan Labadens, NCBC Gulfport Public Affairs Office GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Officials from Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport and Harrison County, Mississippi, met at the Harrison County Courthouse Dec. 3, to sign an intergovernmental support agreement (IGSA), a first of its kind for a U.S. Navy installation and a local government in Navy Region Southeast. This particular IGSA focuses on Mosquito Surveillance and Abatement Services, which will enable NCBC Gulfport to purchase mosquito surveillance services from Harrison County at a pre-determined price on an as-needed basis. Dedicated staff at the Naval Branch Health Clinic Gulfport normally perform mosquito surveillance on the Navy base to get an idea of the mosquito population so that a determination can be made regarding when mosquito spraying should be performed. This IGSA gives the base a backup capability during times when medical clinic staffing levels make regular surveillance a challenge, stated Kevin Gillam, NCBC Gulfport community planning and liaison officer. Capt. William Whitmire, NCBC Gulfport commanding officer, signed the agreement along with Pamela Olrich, Harrison County administrator. Members of the Harrison County Board of Supervisors officially approved the IGSA that morning. Whitmire noted the overall importance of the military, and local and state governments, being able to enter into such agreements. "New authority under Title 10 of the U.S. Code allows us to do partnerships directly with the local governments where we can exchange resources. The intent of that is to create opportunities to save money on both sides, and so this is a great business opportunity for us, partnering with local communities to be able to not only drive down the costs of our installation operations, but also for the local community governments to drive down the costs of their business operations," said Whitmire. Navy installations have the authority to enter into IGSAs with state and local governments to receive, provide or share support services already being provided, as per Section 331 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2013, codified as 10 USC 2679. The hope behind entering such agreements is to find mutually beneficial arrangements for local/state governments and the military that also provide cost-effective services, thus saving taxpayer dollars. While NCBC Gulfport does have agreements with the City of Gulfport and Harrison County in place already, such as Fire and Emergency Response Mutual Aid Agreements (MAA), this is the first IGSA to be approved in the Navy's southeast region. The hope is that this IGSA will pave the way for additional agreements, leading to greater efficiencies and savings to taxpayers while continuing to provide the same vital services to customers, such as the local populace and the military community. Angel Kibler-Middleton, Harrison County District 2 Supervisor, expressed how proud she is to be able to take part in such an important undertaking. "What an honor to be the President of the Board of Supervisors for such a historic event," said Kibler-Middleton. "I see this as the first small step to a successful long-term relationship with our wonderful neighbors, the U.S. Navy. The goal of this partnership is to benefit our citizens and our brave men and women who serve our community. I am excited to see what we can successfully partner on next." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Strike Group's Dynamic Force Employment Draws to Close, Departs European Waters Navy News Service Story Number: NNS181211-14 Release Date: 12/11/2018 11:12:00 AM From U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) departed the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations Dec. 11, after more than three months of theater security cooperation and maritime security operations in the Arctic Ocean, and Norwegian, Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. The strike group's presence in European waters was the execution of U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis' Dynamic Force Employment (DFE) concept. The CSG's deployment began in April and became highly unpredictable when the carrier and a few of its strike group ships remained in the Mediterranean Sea instead of transiting to the Middle East as expected, and then returned to its homeport in Norfolk in July after completing three months of combat operations and cooperative exercises and engagements with NATO allies and partners in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic. Adm. James G. Foggo III, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Italy, noted how the Harry S. Truman CSG's deployment supported Department of Defense DFE initiatives and addressed a return to great power competition. "The National Defense Strategy makes clear that we must be operationally unpredictable to our long-term strategic adversaries, while upholding our commitments to our allies and partners," said Foggo. "That's what we've done with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. The operations the strike group conducted across the region alongside our allies and partners and withstanding a variety of austere environmental conditions in the High North showcase our inherent flexibility, and prove that there are no international waters off limits to our forces, and nothing limiting their ability to support our allies, anywhere or at any time." Over the course of seven months in the region, the Harry S. Truman CSG conducted numerous bilateral and multilateral operations alongside allied and partner navies, to include forces from France, Germany, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom. In the spring, the strike group participated in exercise Baltic Operations from the Adriatic Sea the first cross-continent support to the exercise from an aircraft carrier and exercise Lightning Handshake with Morocco. Upon its return to the European Region in September, the strike group's sustained operations above the Arctic Circle were the first for an aircraft carrier in more than two decades. Strike group ships and aircraft then participated in the NATO-led exercise Trident Juncture 2018 which involved personnel, ships and aircraft from every NATO member nation as well as partners Finland and Sweden. During Trident Juncture, the strike group operated alongside Royal Norwegian Navy ships in the Vestfjorden, a sea area inside Norwegian territorial waters. Trident Juncture was NATO's largest exercise since the Cold War with participation of 50,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, and more than 250 aircraft, 65 ships, and 10,000 vehicles from 31 participating allied and partner nations. "Collective defense has become a more prominent feature of NATO exercises due to the changes in the security landscape, particularly with regard to the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia," said Foggo during a press conference at NATO headquarters in October. "Russia has renewed its capabilities in the North Atlantic and the Arctic in places not seen since the Cold War." In his monthly podcast "On the Horizon: Navigating the European and African Theaters," Foggo said, "Truman is making the most of an operating area where carriers typically haven't gone for a couple of decades. And in doing so, we are rebuilding our muscle memory. It's very important that we take those lessons back home for other future strike group deployments." During a visit to Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, praised the U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S.6th Fleet Sailors for their implementation and execution of DFE with the Harry S. Truman CSG. "I am proud of all the Sailors in Naval Forces Europe and Africa, serving here in Naples and across the theater at sea," said Richardson during an all-hands call. "These Sailors are doing tremendously important work. Defining and redefining the way that our Navy is going to operate going into the future as we reembrace this idea of great power competition." "We are entering a maritime era. The responsibilities for naval forces the United States Navy and navies of our allies and partners has never been greater," Richardson added. Harry S. Truman CSG units departing the region include the flagship Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), embarked squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 28; USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Four killed as Afghan intelligence staffers come under attack Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 08:10AM Four people are killed when a bomb attack targeted members of Afghanistan's main intelligence agency in the capital, Kabul. Six more were wounded after the attacker detonated an explosive load in the Paghman district in western Kabul, which hit a convoy of Afghan forces with the National Directorate for Security (NDS). "It is still not clear whether the attacker was on foot or driving a vehicle," the spokesman said. Another security official requesting anonymity said the assailant had used a car bomb to target the convoy. No group has claimed responsibility for the assault. The early morning attack in Kabul came just hours after an overnight assault on a checkpoint in Arghistan District of the southern province of Kandahar by the Taliban that killed at least eight Afghan police officers, according to the provincial media office. "The fighting lasted several hours, eleven Taliban were also killed," the office added. Afghan security personnel have suffered numerous casualties in attacks both by the local Taliban militant group and the Takfiri Daesh terror group. President Ashraf Ghani said in November that nearly 30,000 Afghan soldiers and police officers have been killed since 2015, when Daesh first emerged in the country. Back in April, two blasts hit the city -- one near the NDS headquarters killing at least 25 people. Afghanistan has been gripped by insecurity since the US and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror in 2001. Many parts of the country remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen warring sides not there yet on key issues: UN envoy Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 07:04AM UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths says the country's warring parties have not yet reached any agreement on the major sticking points on the agenda of the ongoing peace negotiations in Sweden, including a truce in the strategic port city of Hudaydah. Griffiths made the remarks at a press conference in Sweden, where the UN-brokered peace talks continue between delegations from Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement and the country's former Saudi-backed regime. Speaking on Monday -- the fifth day of the discussions -- the UN envoy described Hudaydah and Ta'izz as "two major population zones in Yemen caught in war." "I'm hopeful that we can reach agreements on de-escalation to reduce the fighting in both places. I'm hoping that we can, but we are not there yet," he said. Griffiths also hoped for agreements on a range of issues between Yemen's warring sides during the current round of talks "in the next couple of days" and more consultations early next year to address the political and security issues. "We are trying to close the distance so that we can ideally bring these negotiations forward to a public conclusion within the next few days," he added. The UN envoy further noted that the participants at the peace talks had exchanged views on the reopening of Sana'a airport, and that they would make an announcement about the release of prisoners in a couple of days. "All I can say about the optimism, that you have referred to, is that bringing people together for the first time in two years since they sat down together, already having made an agreement on humanitarian issue, the release of prisoners, I think Yemen should be proud of these people sitting around that table today, rather than deriding them," he said. Top on the agenda of the talks have been four topics, including the situations in Hudaydah and Ta'izz as well as the reopening of the Sana'a airport and a prisoner swap deal. Hudaydah truce rejected Reports say both parties have dismissed an initial proposal for ending the fighting in Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis. The proposal urges the Saudi-led coalition forces to lay down their arms and the Houthis to retreat from the port city and hand it over to a UN administration. Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched an offensive against Hudaydah in June but they have hit a stiff brick wall in the face of a strong resistance put up by Yemeni armed forces led by the Houthis -- and the city's residents. The Saudi-led coalition claims that the Houthis are using the port city for weapons delivery, an allegation rejected by the Yemeni fighters. No agreement on Ta'izz ceasefire Meanwhile, reports said that the UN has called for an unconditional truce in the southwestern city Ta'izz, which is occupied by Saudi-backed militants but besieged by the Houthi fighters. It has also proposed a joint working group that includes the UN to monitor the Ta'izz ceasefire, and the reopening of all roads and the city's airport for humanitarian operations. However, there has been no agreement over the issue. Divisions remain on Sana'a airport Additionally, reports say Yemen's opposite parties are still widely divided in reaching an implementation plan for the reopening the airport, which has been closed to commercial flights since August 2016. The negotiators from the former Saudi-backed regime insisted that all flights to and from the Sana'a airport must be inspected at airports in Aden or Say'un. However, Mohammed Abdulsalam, the head of the Houthi delegation at the Sweden discussions, rejected the proposal. The Houthis had earlier proposed to place the Sana'a airport under direct UN supervision. "The Sana'a International Airport is a major airport in Yemen, serving about 70 percent of the country's population. It is the most important transportation hub in the country. No obstacles or conditions should be set for the reopening of the Sana'a airport," said Mazen Ghanem, spokesman of the Yemeni General Authority for Civil Aviation and Meteorology. Mass prisoner swap expected Ahead of the talks, a UN-chartered plane carrying 50 wounded Houthi fighters and three Yemeni doctors left Sana'a for Oman's capital, Muscat, for treatment. A mass prisoner exchange has also been raised in the negotiations, but an announcement is yet to be issued. The brutal Saudi-led war was launched in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Yemen's former Riyadh-allied regime and crush the Houthis, who have been running state affairs in the absence of an effective government. In their latest joint statement, UNICEF and the World Food Programme said that up to 20 million Yemenis two-thirds of the country's population are food insecure. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Attacks Across Afghanistan Kill At Least 31 By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan December 11, 2018 At least 31 people were killed in insurgent attacks across Kabul, Kunduz, and Kandahar provinces on December 11, Afghan officials say. At least four members of the security forces and nine civilians were killed when a car bomb was detonated near a security convoy on the western outskirts of Kabul. At least 11 more people were wounded in the attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility in a tweet. Meanwhile, at least 10 police officers were killed and 11 were wounded in a three-hour attack by Taliban militants on a checkpoint in northern Kunduz Province, provincial council member Ghulam Rabbani Rabbani said. In southern Kandahar Province, Taliban militants stormed a checkpoint in the Arghistan district, killing eight officers, a spokesman for the provincial governor, Aziz Ahmad Azizi, said. Eleven Taliban militants have also been reportedly killed in the fighting. Taliban militants have stepped up attacks on Afghan security forces and government facilities in recent months. At least 32 members of the Afghan security forces were killed on December 10 in several Taliban attacks across the country. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/suicide-attack-on-afghan-security -forces-kills-four/29649562.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 Croatia Denies Reports of Blocked F-16 Deal, Says Israel's $500M Sale a Go Sputnik News 22:32 11.12.2018 Croatia's purchase of half a billion dollars' worth of F-16 fighter aircraft from Israel has sparked a bit of controversy, with Croatian officials saying the deal has the green light, while US officials say that's not the case. "The US government has given permission to the State of Israel to offer the Israeli F-16 to Croatia, and we have a document to that effect," Croatian Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic said Friday, according to Total Croatia News. Croatia solicited offers for fighter jets from South Korea, Greece, Sweden and the US as well. In March, the Croatian government announced its agreement with Israel to purchase a batch of F-16s for some $485 million. "In its bid, Israel undertook to deliver to Croatia aircraft that is compatible with NATO and obliged itself to ensure the extension of the planes' service life complies with the original manufacturer's criteria. Delivery, too, is the responsibility of the State of Israel. Based on those documents and the tender, we made the decision on the purchase of the multipurpose fighter fights, and the process was legal and transparent," the defense minister said. One of the sticking points is that when US-based Lockheed Martin initially produced the aircraft and Israel acquired them, Washington and Israel had an agreement which said Washington would have to approve any relinquishment of the aircraft to a third party. "The Israelis need to accept the technical requirements, and as soon as that's done, we can move forward and the sale can go through," US Ambassador to Croatia Robert Kohorst said December 8. The technical requirement question can only be reconciled once Israel strips advanced electronic systems from the aircraft, which were special weapons systems designed for Israel added on after the US had already produced the F-16s. "The United States has consistently said what the technical requirements are for more than two years, and everyone should have known that these are the technical requirements, and so it's a bit of a surprise to me that there is this slowdown right now," Kohorst said December 8 in Zagreb. According to the US diplomat, the debate centers on "who will pay for the conversion, because the US and its contractors Lockheed Martin have to do the work because they're the ones who own the technology and intellectual property I'm not involved in the negotiations, and I don't think they [Israel and Croatia] have a choice, because this is intellectual property of Lockheed Martin, and they need to get [Lockheed Martin's] approval to do the transfer," the ambassador told reporters, as quoted by Total Croatia. Kohorst told reporters that the US, Israel and Croatia a NATO member remain "great allies." Croatia's defense minister said December 9 there is no way Zagreb will pay any additional costs for the batch of 12 jets. "As far as Croatia is concerned, there are no additional costs," Krsticevic told reporters on Sunday. Israeli Ambassador to Croatia Zina Kalay Kleitman called for patience while saying she was hopeful for an answer to the technical requirements question by the end of the month. Israel's move to sell upgraded F-16s infuriated the Trump administration, Axios' Barack David of Channel 10 news reported December 6. The US was competing with Israel for the same contract, and American officials accused their Israeli counterparts of dishonesty and capturing profits from the F-16 sale, the Axios report says. A clash between Israel and the US would have been a rare break from the cozy relations the two countries have maintained during the first two years of US President Donald Trump's term. "I'm in favor, but Defense Secretary [James] Mattis is against [the sale] it's him who is blocking it," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last Monday, as quoted by The Times of Israel. Croatian officials fumed over the deal taking so long to go through and urged their Israeli counterparts to work out any obstacles with the US, according to The Times of Israel. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IDF Exposes Another Hezbollah Attack Tunnel From Lebanon to Israel Sputnik News 16:27 11.12.2018(updated 16:49 11.12.2018) Israel has identified one more Hezbollah tunnel in the region close to the border with Lebanon, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) press service reported on Tuesday. According to the IDF, this is the third tunnel exposed by the Israeli forces that was made by militants from the Hezbollah group. The discovery of the third tunnel dug from Lebanon into Israel comes amid operation Northern Shield, an Israeli campaign to find and destroy tunnels allegedly dug by Hezbollah militants to enable them to illegally transfer fighters and arms into Israel. Israel began Operation Northern Shield last Tuesday. The UN force confirmed the existence of one tunnel running from Lebanese territory into Israel. Beirut has called on Tel Aviv to provide detailed, hard proof about the alleged tunnel network, with a source telling Lebanese media that the tunnel which was found was "old and deserted." Israel and Lebanon last clashed in 2006, with Israeli forces invading the country after Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid. The conflict, which lasted 34 days and claimed the lives of over 1,300 people, was halted by a UN-brokered ceasefire. Lebanese-Israeli relations have been poor for decades, but tensions have been exacerbated recently amid Israeli suspicions that Hezbollah was being used by Iran as a proxy to wage war on Israel. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN working with both sides, after hidden tunnels confirmed along Lebanon-Israel 'Blue Line' 11 December 2018 - The head of the United Nations peace mission in Lebanon has urged an end to "rumours and speculations" over tunnels which have been discovered along the UN-drawn "Blue Line" the border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel. After a meeting with the Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, Major General Stefano Del Col, the Force Commander and head of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that the mission was "working in close coordination" with all parties to ensure that all related facts are "objectively determined and diligently addressed" in line with relevant Security Council resolutions. He said he had assured the President and the Speaker of the Parliament, Nabih Berri, that UNIFIL "will continue to share its findings with the appropriate authorities in Lebanon based on facts that are independently verified by UNIFIL." According to the UNIFIL Force Commander, technical experts from the mission have confirmed the existence of a tunnel near Metulla in northern Israel and a second one, in the same general area. UNIFIL is following up on the issue, in close coordination with Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), he noted. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) found the tunnels south of the Blue Line last week, according to news reports, alleging that they had been dug by the Hezbollah group. Israel announced that it was mounting an operation to block them known as Northern Shield. UNIFIL making 'every effort' to avoid any 'misunderstanding' "This is work in progress, and 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," added Major General Del Col. "Most importantly, the calm and stability along the Blue Line must be preserved," he said, noting that he is "encouraged to hear from both parties that they have no intention to escalate the situation along the Blue Line." Since the discovery of the tunnels, UNIFIL peacekeepers have increased their patrolling along the Blue Line, together with the LAF, to maintain overall stability. The mission's liaison teams are also working on both sides of the border demarcation. The Blue Line was established in June 2000 to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, following the invasion of June 1982. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker-Designate Nancy Pelosi December 11, 2018 Oval Office 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. THE PRESIDENT: I no, no, no, no, no. The last time, Chuck, you shut it down SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: No, no, no. THE PRESIDENT: and then you opened it up very quickly. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Twenty times. Twenty times. THE PRESIDENT: And I don't want to do what you did. But, Chuck SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Twenty times you have called for, "I will shut down the government if I don't get my wall." None of us have said THE PRESIDENT: You want to know something? SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: You've said it. THE PRESIDENT: Okay, you want to put that on my SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: You said it. THE PRESIDENT: I'll take it. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Okay, good. THE PRESIDENT: 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. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Okay. Fair enough. We disagree. THE PRESIDENT: And I am proud and I'll tell you what SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: We disagree. THE PRESIDENT: 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. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: That is (inaudible). THE PRESIDENT: And I'm going to shut it down for border security. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: But we believe you shouldn't shut it down. THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: (Inaudible) shut down the government. Q Chief of Staff? Q Have you picked a Chief of Staff, Mr. President? THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Yeah, we're interviewing a lot of we have a lot of great people for Chief of Staff. A lot of people want the job. A lot of people want the job. And I have some great people. 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. We have a lot of people that want the job Chief of Staff. So we'll be seeing what happens very soon. We're in no rush. We're in no rush. Q Why? Why no rush, Mr. President? THE PRESIDENT: Why? Because we have a wonderful Chief of Staff right now. Just no 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 that want the position. Thank you very much everybody. Thanks. END 11:58 A.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon Sets Up Observation Posts in Syria, to Coordinate Efforts With Turkey Sputnik News 02:59 12.12.2018 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has finalized the establishment of observation posts in northeast Syria and will be coordinating with Turkey its security efforts in the border region, Department of Defence spokesperson Col. Rob Manning said in a press release. "At the direction of Secretary Mattis, the US established observation posts in the northeast Syria border region to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey," the release said on Tuesday. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has earlier said Ankara expressed its concerns about US plans to establish several observation posts in Syria. Akar explained that it could lead to a perception that the United States is "somehow protecting terrorist YPG [Kurdish People's Protection Units] members." "We take Turkish security concerns seriously and we are committed to coordinating our efforts with Turkey to bring stability to northeastern Syria," Manning said in the release. Last month, the Turkish Security Council said that the main threat to the political settlement in Syria is coming from the Kurdish-held territories in the northeast region of the country. The council added that Ankara could use its right of self-defence and would not allow the YPG to change the demographic structure of northern Syria via forced migrations. Turkey has been claiming that the YPG presence near its border hampers its national security. Earlier this year, it conducted an offensive against the Kurdish militia in Syria's northern border city of Afrin. Ankara is also currently engaged in an operation to eliminate Kurdish strongholds in northern Iraq. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Air Force Hits Taliban With First Nighttime Airstrikes Sputnik News 00:34 12.12.2018 The Afghan Air Force for the first time conducted nighttime airstrikes on targets Sunday. It's a "step toward making the country less dependent on American airpower," the independent US military publication Stars & Stripes reported on Tuesday, citing officials. That bodes well for US President Donald Trump, who is reportedly planning to withdraw the US military from Afghanistan before he faces re-election in 2020. The United States' mission in Afghanistan was known as Operation Enduring Freedom from the US invasion in 2001 until 2014, when the mission was renamed Operation Freedom Sentinel and saw a drop in combat operations and a refocus on training, advising and equipping the Afghan military. On Sunday, the Afghan Air Force's US-supplied A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft bombed a Taliban target in Uruzgan province, taking out a number of insurgents and destroying munitions stores, according to Jalaludin Ibrahimkail, a spokesman for the air force. "This is a very important step that we have taken, and we will try to increase nighttime air operations carried out solely by Afghans in the future," Ibrahimkhail said. The US and its allies in Afghanistan have been training Afghans to conduct nighttime operations on various aircraft for months, Stars & Stripes reported. Nighttime airstrikes are preferable to daytime operations because it is harder for insurgents to retaliate with anti-aircraft weapons in the dark. Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Ghafoor Ahmed Jawed told the outlet that the Afghan forces will start employing light attack helicopters for nighttime bombing operations. "We want to continue this. It is really important, because now we have a problem supporting our ground forces, and if we improve our capabilities, casualties will decrease," he said. For instance, Afghan security forces suffered their worst month of casualties ever in August, with over 500 soldiers slain, according to Defense Minister General Taq Shah. Through 2016, Washington had spent $68 billion on bolstering Afghanistan's armed forces, the Washington Post reported. To understand why, one need not look further than statements made to Congress in April 2015 by Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko. "Every dollar we spend now on training, advising and assisting the Afghans," Sopko told lawmakers, "must be viewed as insurance coverage to protect our nearly trillion-dollar investment in Afghanistan since 2001." In other words, if Afghanistan's security forces fail in their battle against the Taliban, the United States' now 17-year-old project to install democracy in the country would be a total loss. "We appreciate anything that makes them more effective at preventing Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists," NATO's Resolute Support (the name of its mission in Afghanistan) said in a statement on the Afghan Air Force's first successful nighttime strikes. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Four Dead, Many Injured After Shooting at Christmas Market in France - Police Sputnik News 22:36 11.12.2018(updated 01:39 12.12.2018) Police in the French city of Strasbourg have reported that a shooting attack occurred near the city's famous Christmas Market. The total number of dead remains unclear; most recent local reports, citing police sources, claim four people were killed. Twelve people were injured, with six left in serious condition, according to local authorities. The suspect is still at large; about an hour after the shots were reported, a police source revealed that a suspect had been identified and police were in pursuit, even exchanging gunfire with him, according to AFP. Police are reported to be conducting an operation in the city's Neudorf District, where the suspect is said to be hiding after wounding a French security officer. The French Interior Ministry has called on the public to remain indoors as the "serious security event" unfolds. Strasbourg authorities repeated the call for residents to remain sheltered. Alleged footage of the gunshots shows people crowded in a narrow street as five shots can be heard ringing out. French media later reported, citing authorities, that the attacker had used both a knife and a gun in the attack. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the 29-year-old suspected gunman was known to police as a security risk, and it was later reported that he was due to be arrested Tuesday morning for a robbery, but couldn't be located. Grenades were reportedly found during the search of his house. France's counterterrorism prosecutor has opened an investigation into the incident, the prosecutor announced. European Parliament member Martina Anderson reported on Twitter she was in the market and heard gunshots. Others posted photos on social media of police responding to the attack. The European Parliament itself was placed on lockdown as news of the shooting broke, and staff told to remain inside. Police cordoned off the area and people inside were evacuated immediately after the incident. Injured and fleeing people were recorded seconds after the attack. The capital of the Grand Est region of France, on the German border, Strasbourg is where the European Parliament is located. The EU's legislative body's plenary session is presently being held. The Christmas Market, near the city's cathedral, is one of Europe's oldest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It attracts millions of visitors each year. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump, Democrats Clash at White House Over Border Security Sputnik News 20:00 11.12.2018(updated 21:24 11.12.2018) Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump warned on Twitter that if Democrats do not vote for a spending bill that includes the amount of funding he wants for a wall along the US-Mexico border, the military will build the barrier instead. Speaking about border wall funding in the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump said he is unlikely to come to an agreement with Democrats on Tuesday. During the meeting with Democrats, the president argued with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in front of reporters at the White House. Earlier in the day Trump said that both Schumer and Pelosi voted for a wall in 2006, but now will fight border security "at all cost." President Trump ended the argument with opponents by threatening to shutdown the federal government over wall funding. "I'll be the one to shut it down. I will take the mantle. And I will shut it down for border security," Trump told House and Senate Democratic leaders. The Trump administration is seeking $5 billion to build the border wall, but opposition from Democrats could potentially lead to a government shutdown. "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 said in a Twitter message on Tuesday. Democrats and some Republicans do not support Trump's agenda on building the wall and have urged the US president to work with Congress on reforming the US immigration system instead of building the barrier. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump: Military to Build Wall on Mexico Border if Dems Don't Vote to Secure US Sputnik News 15:47 11.12.2018(updated 16:51 11.12.2018) One of Donald Trump's signature campaign pledges back in 2016 was to build a wall along the US border with Mexico in a bid to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the United States. This has been a pressing issue in recent weeks, particularly in light of migrant caravans from Central America attempting to cross the border into the US. Donald Trump, in a series of tweets, spoke out on US border security and promised that the US military would construct the wall on the Mexican border if the Democratic Party did not vote for it. According to POTUS, the Central American migrants, who have been seeking refuge in the United States, have failed to enter the country thanks to border infrastructure, including "newly built and makeshift walls and fences". He suggested that a "Great Wall" would be a better solution to the problem, but the Democrats were standing in the way of its construction. "We have already built large new sections and fully renovated others, making them like new", he said. "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". Tariff Talks With Beijing The US president pointed out that he was in the process of "very productive" talks with China. His comments come on the heels of reports that Beijing was considering reducing its import tariffs on US-made cars to 15 percent from the current 40 percent. China, the world's largest automaker, raised tariffs on American cars to 40 percent earlier this year in retaliation for Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports. Border Wall Standoff Donald Trump is slated on Tuesday to sit down with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the respective Democratic minority leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as they seek to secure a spending deal ahead of the December 21 government shutdown deadline. Trump earlier requested $5 billion in border wall funding and threatened to force a partial government shutdown if he did not receive the cash from Congress. The Democrats flatly rejected his push, and Congress approved a two-week stopgag spending bill to avert a shutdown. The Trump administration has long been advocating for stronger border security; one of Trump's key campaign promises was to build a wall on the country's southern border. The border issue came into the spotlight again in October after migrant caravans numbering in the thousands travelled all the way from Central America mainly, Honduras to the US-Mexico border. The migrants, who were seeking asylum in the United States, amassed at the fence and got stuck in limbo after US border guards refused to let them in. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SM-3 Block IIA Launched From Aegis Ashore Successfully Intercepts Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile Target During Operational Test 18-NEWS-0007 December 11, 2018 The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and U.S. Navy sailors manning the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex (AAMDTC) at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at Kauai, Hawaii, successfully conducted Flight Test Integrated-03 (FTI-03). This was an operational live fire test demonstrating the Aegis Weapon System Engage On Remote capability to track and intercept an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) target with an Aegis Ashore-launched Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor. FTI-03 consisted of an IRBM target, air-launched by a U.S. Air Force C-17 from the broad ocean area thousands of miles southwest of the Aegis Ashore Test site that launched the SM-3 Block IIA Interceptor. The engagement leveraged a ground, air and space-based sensor/command and control architecture linked by the Ballistic Missile Defense System's Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) suite. "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," said MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves. "This system is designed to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from a real and growing ballistic missile threat. I offer my congratulations to all members of the team, military, civilian, contractors and allies who helped make this possible." Based on preliminary data, the test met its objective, and program officials will continue to evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test. Additional information about all elements of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System can be found at www.mda.mil. Please direct all media related queries to Mark Wright at 571-231-8212, Mark.Wright@mda.mil or Heather Cavaliere at 256-503-7802, Heather.Cavaliere@mda.mil. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chang'e-4: A mission to the far side of the moon People's Daily Online (People's Daily Online) 09:01, December 11, 2018 China has launched its Chang'e-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 Chang'e-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 country's first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, was launched in 2007. Chang'e-2, which was launched in 2010, created a full lunar map with a resolution of 7 meters. Chang'e-3, launched in 2013, was the first Chinese spacecraft to soft-land on and explore an extraterrestrial object. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canadian ex-diplomat detained in China amid spat over Huawei executive's detention Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 09:11PM A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, amid an already tense diplomatic standoff between the two countries over the arrest of a senior Chinese tech executive in Vancouver earlier this month at the request of the United States. A person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Michael Kovrig was detained on Monday night in the Chinese capital city of Beijing during one of his regular visits to the city. "Obviously we are aware of the situation of a Canadian detained in China," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday. He added, "We have been in direct contact with the Chinese diplomats and representatives. We are engaged on the file, which we take very seriously, and we are providing consular assistance to the family." Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Canadian officials were "sparing no effort" to make sure Kovrig is safe and appropriately treated. "Canadian diplomatic officials have been in touch with their Chinese counterparts to explain how seriously Canadians view this," Goodale said. "Clearly we are deeply concerned and [Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland] and her officials will be taking all appropriate action," he pointed out. Kovrig was working in Hong Kong as the North East Asia senior adviser for the International Crisis Group. The Brussels-based non-governmental organization 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 International Crisis Group said Kovrig has been one of its full-time experts since February 2017. Kovrig's detention comes after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer for the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, at Vancouver's airport on December 1. The United States is seeking to have Meng extradited on allegations that she tried to bypass American trade sanctions on Iran. China says Canada has treated Meng in an "inhumane" manner. Chinese media reports say she has not been offered adequate medical care during her detention. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a daily press briefing on Tuesday that the Chinese government was not informed by Canada of her arrest and that Beijing "learned this through other channels." Wang also pointed to the escalating tariff war between the US and China, calling on Washington to stop treating trade between the two countries as a "zero-sum game." "Take a more positive look at China's development, and constantly expand the space and prospects for mutual benefit," he said. "There is no need to artificially create new opponents, and an even greater need to avoid self-fulfilling prophecies." Meng's arrest has further intensified US-China tensions despite an apparent truce in their trade war, leading to the summoning of both the Canadian and US ambassadors by Beijing over the weekend. China's Deputy Foreign Minister Le Yucheng called in Canada's Ambassador to China, John McCallum, on Saturday to express Beijing's anger over Meng's detention. Chinese authorities also called in American Ambassador Terry Branstad last Sunday. Meng is requesting bail on grounds that she is in poor health. Her lawyer suggested that her husband could serve as her guarantor. A Canadian judge on Monday questioned whether her husband would be an appropriate choice, and raised questions about whether the electronic monitor that plans to monitor her at one of her two multimillion-dollar homes while she is awaiting her extradition hearing could be hacked. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China, US discuss plans for trade talks despite tensions Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 03:27PM Top Chinese and US trade negotiators have discussed plans for renewed trade talks with a phone call despite tensions over the detention of a Huawei executive in Canada at Washington's request. Sources familiar with the conversation said the Tuesday talks involved US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese Vice Prime Minister Liu He. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce, in a brief statement, confirmed the three men exchanged views to "push forward with next steps in a timetable and road map" for negotiations. The three senior officials discussed Chinese purchases of agricultural products during the phone call. Beijing has planned to announce the purchase of soybeans as a goodwill gesture in the talks, which are expected to conclude on March 1. The latest conversation follows a decision by President Donald Trump of the United States and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Argentina in early December to hold off on further trade war tariffs for 90 days. The latest announcement indicated talks are on track despite China's weekend threats of unspecified "grave consequences" if the Huawei executive was not released. She was arrested in Canada on Washington's charges of possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday that Beijing would firmly resist "acts of bullying that wantonly infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens." Last week, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said Beijing would carry out the terms of the trade war ceasefire and expressed optimism a deal can be reached during the 90-day period. 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. The two countries are locked in a major trade dispute after Trump imposed hefty tariffs on Chinese imports earlier this year. Trump initiated what is effectively a trade war with China in April, when he first imposed unusually heavy tariffs on imports from the Asian country. The Trump administration approved tariff hikes of 25 percent on $50 billion of Chinese goods and 10 percent on another $200 billion of imports in response to complaints that Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. Beijing responded by imposing its own tariffs on US products, effectively halting its purchase of key American agricultural exports. China retaliated with penalties on $110 billion of American goods. Trump has threatened to expand charges to all goods from China. The US imported nearly $500 billion worth of products from China last year while exporting about $130 billion in American goods to the country in the same period. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China warns against bullying of citizens amid row with Canada Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 11:08AM Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned against the "bullying" of its citizens amid a diplomatic row with Canada over the detention of a Huawei Telecom executive on a United States arrest warrant. "The safety and security of Chinese compatriots are our priority. China will never sit idly by and ignore any bullying that violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens," Foreign Minister Wang said in a Tuesday speech in Beijing, without specifically pointing to the case of Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou. "We will fully safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese citizens and return fairness and justice to the world," China's top diplomat added at the opening of a diplomatic symposium. Meng was detained in Vancouver on December 1 over US allegations that her company bypassed Washington's anti-Iran sanctions. China says Canada has treated Meng in an "inhumane" manner. Chinese media reports say she has not been offered adequate medical care during her detention. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a daily press briefing that the Chinese government was not informed by Canada of her arrest and that Beijing "learned this through other channels." In his Tuesday address, Wang also pointed to the continuing tensions with the US, calling on Washington to stop treating trade between the two countries as a "zero-sum game." "Take a more positive look at China's development, and constantly expand the space and prospects for mutual benefit," he said. "There is no need to artificially create new opponents, and an even greater need to avoid self-fulfilling prophecies." Meng's arrest has further intensified US-China tensions despite an apparent truce in their trade war, leading to the summoning of both the Canadian and US ambassadors by Beijing over the weekend. Meng pursuing release on bail in court The Huawie executive, who faces possible extradition to the US, is seeking her release on bail in a Vancouver court on Tuesday as the judge weighs final issues in his decision on that matter. Tuesday will be the third day of bail hearings in a British Columbia court. On Monday, Meng's lawyer, David Martin, offered her husband as surety on Monday. The judge and the public prosecutor, however, questioned whether Meng's husband, identified as Liu Xiaozong, could perform such a duty since he is not a resident of British Columbia and would not be affected if she were to breach her bail terms. "If Ms. Meng were to flee, were to abscond, Mr. Liu would not be left behind here," public prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley said. "He would go with her." Meng's lawyer is offering up high-tech surveillance devices and a 24-hour security detail to ensure his client does not flee. He has also suggested a bail guarantee of 15 million Canadian dollars (11.3 million US dollars) and pledged that Meng would hand over all her passports and travel documents to Canadian police, according to court documents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing Says Won't Look Indifferently at Persecution of Chinese Citizens Abroad Sputnik News 07:53 11.12.2018(updated 07:54 11.12.2018) BEIJING (Sputnik) - China is not going to sit idly and watch the violation of the legal rights of the country's citizens abroad, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday. The minister's statement was made amid the scandal around the arrest of the chief financial officer of Chinese electronics giant Huawei in Canada at the request of the United States. "We constantly worry about the safety and well-being of each of our compatriots abroad. The Chinese side is not going to sit and watch indifferently at harassment against Chinese citizens and violation of their legal rights," Wang said. He stressed that China would defend the rights and interests of its citizens abroad by any means. Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, daughter of the company's founder Ren Zhenfei, was arrested on December 1 in Vancouver to be handed over to the United States where she is suspected of fraudulent activities to bypass US sanctions on Iran. Chinese Foreign Ministry protested to both Canada and the United States. Meng Wanzhou pleaded not guilty to charges against her and promised to challenge them in a US court if a decision was made to extradite her to the United States. Huawei has also previously faced suspicions in the United States and several other countries that its equipment could be used by China for spying. The company has rejected the allegations. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Judge Grants Bail to Huawei CFO Charged With Defrauding US Sputnik News 02:01 12.12.2018(updated 02:53 12.12.2018) A Canadian judge has granted bail for Meng Wanzhou, the Chinese national who is the chief financial officer of Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer. The judge set Meng's bail at $10 million, CBC Vancouver reporter Jason Proctor reported from the courthouse. The judge agreed to conditions for bail proposed by Meng's defense team. Those rules require that Meng be subject to electronic monitoring, stay at her home in Canada between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., and be accompanied by a security team when she leaves the residence, which she is required to foot the bill for. Meng is also ordered to turn over her two passports. US President Donald Trump said less than an hour after Meng's bail was set that he would intervene in her case if it served US national security interests or helped the US and China reach a trade agreement. Huawei responded to the decision asserting that the Canadian and American legal systems will reach a fair conclusion with the next phase of proceedings. Meng was arrested last week in Canada while switching flights on suspicion of violating US sanctions against Iran. She has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the US and could spend 30 years in prison if convicted in the US, where she is expected to be extradited. The US has yet to file an extradition request but has 60 days to do so. Meng is also the deputy chairwoman of Huawei's board and is the eldest daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei, a former engineer in the People's Liberation Army. The US government has repeatedly targeted Huawei and ZTE Corp., suspecting that devices made by the companies could be used for surveillance purposes. This year, Huawei phones were banned from being sold on US military bases. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indian Air Force Holds Simultaneous Joint Exercise With US, Russian Counterparts Sputnik News 15:25 11.12.2018(updated 15:27 11.12.2018) The Indian Air Force is using only Russian origin systems during the ongoing joint exercise Aviaindra at the western air base in Rajasthan that coincides with the Cope India exercise between the Indian and the US Air Force currently underway at the eastern air base in West Bengal. New Delhi (Sputnik) The Indian Air Force is holding simultaneous joint exercises with US and Russia in the eastern and western sectors of the country respectively in what is being hailed by many as reminiscent of India's non-aligned policy. While the Cope India exercise with the US Air Force is being held at Kalaikunda, West Bengal, the Aviaindra exercise with the Russian Russian Federation Aerospace Force is being held at the western air base in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. While the Jodhpur exercise kicked started on Monday and will continue till December 21, the Kalaikunda exercise started on December 3 and will conclude by December 14. "There are significant differences between the exercises. While 12 USAF F-15 C/D air superiority fighters and three C-130s are participating in Cope India, the IAF describes AVIAINDRA as a unique exercise in which the foreign participants will not bring their air assets. The Aviaindra exercise is the second phase of drills between India and Russia this year, with an earlier exercise taking place at Lipetsk, Russia, in September. During the first phase, IAF pilots flew Russian Air Force aircraft. The exercises would include a counter-terrorism scenario, which would see Indian and Russian pilots fly fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters of Russian origin," Indian news magazine The Week writes in its analysis. Indian diplomacy at it's best! Cope India, on the other hand, has seen the IAF and USAF practice airborne assaults on 'enemy' territory using their C-130 aircraft as well as maneuvers involving the F-15s and the SU-30MKI, Mirage-2000 and Jaguar fighters from India. This is the fourth Cope India exercise, the Magazine adds. Indian Air Force tweeted to confirm that the joint exercise with Russia primarily focuses on counter-terrorism operations. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mandate in Five States Indicate People's Disillusionment With Modi - Opposition Sputnik News 14:50 11.12.2018(updated 21:01 11.12.2018) Shashi Tharoor, senior leader of India's main opposition party Congress, claims that the defeat of BJP, to which Indian PM Modi Belongs to, in five states that recently went to polls indicates not only the failure of the party's government in the states but also indicates of people's disillusionment with PM's rhetoric and failed promises. As India awaits the final declaration of results of the voting held for five states assemblies, the vote counting trend strongly indicates that the opposition Congress party is set to replace Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in three key states of Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, Sputnik spoke to a senior Congress leader who claims that the election results are also an indication of the end of BJP's rule at the center. Sputnik spoke to Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament belonging to the Congress Party and former Minister of State for External Affairs on what does the assembly election results augur for his party in the upcoming general elections. Sputnik: How do you view the state assembly election results where Congress is leading in three key states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, and Rajasthan? Shashi Tharoor: The people of India have rejected Modi's rhetoric. It is now clear that the people have lost faith in Modi's leadership. Now is the time for a change and it's a golden chance for the Congress party to bring some positive development programs for the people and live up to their aspirations. Sputnik: Do you think that people in these states have largely rejected Modi's policies? Shashi Tharoor: In fact, the result is a very strong expression of popular will. In a country where there is a politics of "Jumlas' (rhetoric) and where a number of promises are made, official figures tampered, GDP growth rate was forged essentially to fool people to believe that they (Modi government) are doing better. But people have given their mandate that they are not happy with the government. Sputnik: Do you think the results will dampen Modi's chances of winning the 2019 Lok Sabha elections? Shashi Tharoor: The signal is very positive for Congress. Historically, it has been observed that whichever party that won elections in the four states namely Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana, have won in the parliamentary elections as well. Therefore there is a fair chance of Congress winning the 2019 parliamentary elections. Sputnik: Do you think Congress President Rahul Gandhi's continuous attack on the Modi government on Rafale deal, GST, demonetization etc has appealed to the masses? Shashi Tharoor: Rahul Gandhi has done a good job and he should be given credit for this. The views and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Huge Setback for Modi's BJP in Indian State Assembly Elections Sputnik News 10:27 11.12.2018(updated 10:48 11.12.2018) The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has suffered a huge setback since it has lost all five states that recently went to the polls to elect new legislative assemblies. The setback has presented a major challenge to the party that currently holds the reins at the centre and is seeking a second term in the general elections due in April next year. New Delhi (Sputnik) The Indian National Congress led by Rahul Gandhi has managed to wrest power from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in three of the five Indian states that went to polls recently. In Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the Congress gained a clear majority with 63/90 and 116/230 seats respectively. In Rajasthan, it was a close contest with Congress getting 95 and BJP retaining 81 seats, but leaving enough room for Congress to cobble up an alliance with the other parties that hold the remaining 24 seats. In Mizoram and Telangana, the BJP has won only one seat each. The Election Commission of India will be making a declaration of the results shortly. Reacting sharply to the ruling alliance's setback and construing it as a vote against the economic reforms, the market crashed heavily in the opening session on Tuesday morning. On Monday, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) fell 700 points with investors' confidence shaken by the exit polls predicting poor results for the BJP as well as the sudden resignation of the governor of the Reserve Bank of India in what was seen as a manifestation of his disillusionment with the reforms undertaken by the Narendra Modi-led government. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq seeks exemption from US sanctions on Iran: PM IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Baghdad, Dec 11, IRNA -- 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 re-imposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector on November 5. Iraqi officials have said they need around two years to find an alternative source, Reuters reported. "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 US 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 US 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 US 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 US 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. 8072**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC Commander: Enemies disappointed IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Birjand, Dec 11, IRNA -- The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said the enemies are disappointed with exerting pressures on Iran. Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Tuesday that 'the great achievements of the Islamic Revolution are not just expressed in the language of the Islamic Republic's officials, and the enemies also acknowledge that, and they have been frustrated with threats against Iran. The commander said, 'America was much stronger in the past, but this authority is due to a decline and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution announced that the American authority is much weaker than America's four decades." He noted that the United States has repeatedly sought to strike Iran's system with insecurity, but they do not even dare to issue of overthrowing the system and that they will not but referred to as a 'change of the behavior of the Islamic Republic'. 9455**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran rejects GCC's claims, raps its unconstructive approach ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Tue / 11 December 2018 / 14:23 Tehran (ISNA) - Iran's Foreign Ministry has expressed regret over the anti-Iran accusations made in parts of the final communique of the 39th session of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, saying that the GCC's approach towards Tehran is still unconstructive. "Unfortunately, the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council seems to be influenced by the wrong and destructive policies and behaviours of some of its member states. The council has turned into a platform for expressing positions that are in line with the past miscalculations and wrong policies," the Ministry's spokesman Bahram Qassemi said in a statement. The Persian Gulf Cooperation Council can resolve misunderstandings and internal and external disputes by taking a logical approach independent of its capacity, noted Qassemi. "However, it not only has not taken such an approach, but also shamefully praises the divisive policies of some transnational countries," he noted. "In practice, the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council has turned into a front for proclaiming the policies of a few of its members, and takes stances at the expense and in the name of all members, which do not help regional peace and stability in any way," he added. Iran believes that the positions expressed in the final communique of the Riyadh summit do not necessarily reflect the stance of all its members, he said. Qassemi said Saudi Arabia's failure to achieve its goals at the summit can be seen in the contradiction between the text of the Council's final communique and the practical approach of some of its members towards Iran. "Some members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council have always had a clear understanding of the realities of the region, the requirements of good neighbourliness, and Iran's policy towards its neighbours. These members have always been pioneers in clearing up misunderstandings." Qassemi further lauded the mostly benevolent stances held by the Emir of Kuwait in recent years, including at the recent Riyadh Summit, saying that his approach has been aimed at resolving and reducing disputes through inter-regional mechanisms. If all GCC leaders practically adopt such an approach instead of the recent baseless statements by the secretariat of the Council, it would be less costly for the peoples of the region, and could make it easier to achieve peace and stability, he added. Qassemi also referred to the issue of the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf, saying that the repetition of groundless claims about the trio islands of Iran will not change the historical and geographical realities of the region. "The three islands are and will remain inseparable parts of the Iranian territory," he emphasized. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNSC Resolution 2231 enforces no ban on Iran's missile program: FM Zarif Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 03:31PM Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 has not imposed any ban on Iran's missile program. "As the foreign minister, I can say that the issue of missiles has never been subject to negotiations between Iran and its [opposite negotiating] sides," Zarif told Tasnim news agency on Tuesday. He emphasized that nothing has been approved or endorsed in Security Council Resolution 2231 about the prohibition of missile activities for the Islamic Republic. "Our defense doctrine is basically based on deterrence and defense, not offensive [purposes]," the top Iranian diplomat said. This is an issue which the Islamic Republic has proved throughout its history, he added. Zarif made the remarks in reaction to an allegation by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a post on his Twitter account on December 1, claiming that Iran has "just test-fired a medium range ballistic missile" in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. Pompeo condemned what he described as "growing" Tehran's "missile testing and missile proliferation," and called upon the Islamic Republic to cease these activities. UN Security Council Resolution 2231 enshrined the 2015 international nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which Washington has withdrawn under the pretext, among others, that it should have included Iran's missile program as well. 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. Earlier on Tuesday, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s Aerospace Division, described Iran's latest ballistic missile test as "significant," emphasizing that the country will continue such tests, in line with its deterrence doctrine. "We will continue to conduct our missile tests and this latest one was particularly significant," Hajizadeh said. Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on December 2 that the Islamic Republic is currently one of the world's topmost missile powers despite being subject to severe sanctions during the past 40 years. "Today, Iran is among the world's topmost powers in building missiles, radars, armored vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)," the Iranian defense minister said in an exclusive interview with IRNA, emphasizing that Iran's defense power is meant to send the message of peace and friendship to other nations. The senior spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces also said on December 2 that the country will continue to test and develop its missiles in line with its deterrence policy despite adversarial positions taken on this issue by US officials. "Missile tests and the overall defensive capability of the Islamic Republic are for defense [purposes] and in line with our country's deterrence [policy]We will continue to both test and develop missiles," Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said, adding, "This issue is outside the framework of any negotiations and is part of our national security. We will not ask any country's permission in this regard." Over the past years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in manufacturing military equipment and hardware despite being under sanctions and economic pressures. Tehran asserts that its missile arsenal is strictly in the service of the country's defensive purposes and poses no threat to other states. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's latest ballistic missile test significant: Senior IRGC commander Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 10:31AM A senior military commander has described Iran's latest ballistic missile test as "significant," emphasizing that the country will continue such tests, in line with its deterrence doctrine. "We will continue to conduct our missile tests and this latest one was particularly significant," Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh , the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s Aerospace Division, said Tuesday. Referring to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's position on Iran's recent test, the commander said, "Reactions as such are proof that this issue was so important to them (Americans) that it made them cry out." He said that Iran conducts more than 50 tests each year. "That the Americans react to certain tests is indicative of the [amount of] pressure on them." The commander did not identify the type of the missile that was tested recently. In a statement released on Twitter on December 1, Pompeo claimed Iran had "just test-fired a medium range ballistic missile" in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. UN Security Council Resolution 2231 endorsed the 2015 international nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which Washington has withdrawn under the pretext that it should have included Iran's missile program as well. Tehran rejected Pompeo's claims, saying its conventional missile program is defensive and does not violate that resolution, which "calls on" Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." The Security Council also met behind closed-doors last week at the request of the US to discuss the alleged missile test, but the session ended with no joint statement. Iran's UN mission said in a statement on the same day that Tehran was not in breach of the resolution and that its missiles were only designed to be capable of delivering conventional - not nuclear - warheads. Over the past years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in manufacturing military equipment and hardware despite being under sanctions and economic pressures. Tehran asserts that its missile arsenal is strictly in the service of the country's defensive purposes and poses no threat to other states. Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said recently that Iran is currently one of the world's topmost missile powers despite having been subjected to severe sanctions during the past 40 years. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tehran Confirms 'Recent' Missile Test Amid Western Criticism - Reports Sputnik News 11:30 11.12.2018(updated 12:21 11.12.2018) The United States earlier accused Iran of launching a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple warheads, despite the fact that the UN Security Council's resolutions and the Iran nuclear deal ban Tehran from any activities related to the development of ballistic missiles. A senior Iranian military official confirmed that Tehran test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile on December 1, a move that sparked backlash from Washington, London, and Paris. "We are continuing our missile tests, the recent [test] was very important", Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh said on Tuesday, as cited by the Fars news agency. His statement came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed on December 1 that Tehran had carried out a test of a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying mulptiple warheads, which can hit "parts of Europe and anywhere in the Middle East", and called on Iran to stop its reported activities. US Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook urged the European Union to slap sanctions on the the Islamic Republic. He went on to blame Iran for allegedly supplying the missiles to "its proxy forces" in Yemen, Lebanon, and eslewhere in a bid to destabilise the whole region. Tehran has insisted that it is in full compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement, and that it has never planned to make missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry said that the reported missile tests were aimed at ensuring the country's defence. Earlier this month, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said that the military would continue its missile testing without asking any other countries for permission. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), curtailed Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for relieving it from crippling economic sanctions. Notwithstanding Washington's unilateral exit from the Iran nuclear deal in May, Tehran and other signatories to the landmark 2015 accord remained committed to it. Fellow signatories Russia, China, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom as well as the European Union condemned the US withdrawal, while the International Atomic Energy Agency has stressed that Iran remains in full compliance with the accord. The United Nations Security Council's Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA, urged Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology". Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC Commander: Iran's Enemies Are 'Disappointed' with Sanctions' Efficiency Sputnik News 01:27 12.12.2018 Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Tuesday at a local ceremony that even enemies of the Islamic Republic acknowledge that the sanctions against Iran were inefficient. At a local ceremony in Birjand, South Khorasan province, Jafari, the head of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that the achievements of Iran aren't only expressed by government officials but foreign opposition forces are also "disappointed with imposing pressure and sanctions", IRNA reported. "American power is declining. The enemies don't dare bring up the issue of overthrowing the Islamic Republic and their dream will never come true." Jafari said, according to Mehr News Agency. He went on saying that US President Donald Trump's aspirations to dictate his will to Iran are not achievable since a moment of Iran bowing to the US cannot be found in history. Earlier on Tuesday senior Iranian military officials confirmed that Tehran test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile on December 1, cited by the Fars news agency. The US Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook urged the European Union to slap sanctions on the Islamic Republic in response to the test, yet Tehran has insisted that the test was made in full compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement and that it has never planned to make missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads but has only aimed at ensuring the country's defence. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), made Iran halt its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Yet Washington decided to withdraw from the deal in May, reimposing sanctions on Iran in August and September. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia rejects US criticism of bombers' flight to Venezuela Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 10:46AM The Kremlin has rejected the United States' criticism of Russian military flights to Venezuela, saying remarks made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the issue were "inappropriate." A pair of Russian Tu-160 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on Monday following a 9,977-kilometer flight, which is said to be aimed at showcasing Moscow's growing military prowess. Pompeo denounced the deployment late on Monday. "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," he said on Twitter. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov slammed Pompeo's comments as "inappropriate." "We consider it completely inappropriate," Peskov told reporters on a conference call on Tuesday. Russia is a major political ally of Venezuela, where the government of President Nicolas Maduro faces an acute economic and political crisis. Hit by low oil prices and the impact of US sanctions, Maduro is seeking support from allies after winning a second presidential term this year. The Venezuelan president visited the Russian capital of Moscow last week. At the end of the three-day visit, Maduro said on Thursday that Russia had agreed to invest over five billion dollars in the Venezuelan oil production sector and an additional one billion dollars in mining, mainly for gold. Russia-US relations are currently at post-Cold War lows over Ukraine, the war in Syria, and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. Russia is also opposed to the US and other NATO allies deploying their troops and weapons near its borders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two Russian nuclear-capable bombers in Venezuela for joint exercises Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 02:14AM A pair of Tu-160 bombers, known as Blackjack", landed in Caracas on Monday following a 6,200-mile flight, which is said to be aimed at showcasing Moscow's growing military prowess and shoring up the position of Venezuela's embattled president, Nicolas Maduro. The planes touched down at the Simon Bolivar international airport as part of a larger fleet also including an An-124 military transport plane and an Il-62 passenger jet The Russian defense ministry said the bombers were shadowed by Norwegian F-18 fighter jets during part of their flight. Venezuela's defense minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, said the arrival of the aircraft for joint maneuvers was not intended as a provocation. "We are makers of peace, not war," he was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster Venezolana de Television (VTV). Russia's ambassador in Caracas, Vladimir Zaemskiy, told VTV the deployment reflected the "very fruitful" military partnership that had developed since the relationship was forged by Venezuela's late leader Hugo Chavez in 2005. However, specialists say the move is designed to signal to Washington that Caracas is not without international support. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at last week's meeting with 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 US after Russia's brief war with Georgia. A pair of Tu-160s also visited Venezuela in 2013. Russia-US relations are currently at post-Cold War lows over Ukraine, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. Russia has bristled at the US 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. The bombers' deployment follows Venezuelan President 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. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday voiced support for Venezuelan leader, telling him, "We support your efforts to achieve mutual understanding in society and all your actions aimed at normalizing relations with the opposition." Russia is a major political ally of Venezuela, which has become increasingly isolated in the world under growing sanctions led by the US 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. Hit by low oil prices and the impact of US sanctions, Maduro is seeking support from allies after winning a second presidential term this year. Maduro, who took over following the death of Hugo Chavez in 2013, has come under strong pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration. After talks last year between Maduro and Putin, Russia, Venezuela's major creditor, agreed to restructure $3.15 billion of debt from a loan taken out by Caracas in 2011 to finance the purchase of Russian arms. Russia and Venezuela enjoy a long history of ties and Maduro's predecessor Chavez, known for his passionate tirades against the United States, was a welcome guest at the Kremlin. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pompeo's Remarks About Russia Sending Tu-160 to Venezuela Unacceptable - Moscow Sputnik News 20:07 11.12.2018(updated 22:20 11.12.2018) Earlier, the US Secretary of State called Russia and Venezuela "two corrupt governments" which were "squandering public funds" after Moscow sent two Tu-160 bombers, an An-124 heavy-lift transport and an Il-62 recon plane to Caracas in a show of support to the Latin American country. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's comments about the deployment of Russian aircraft to Venezuela were not in keeping with his role as the US's top diplomat, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. "We understand, of course, that the Twitter format does not usually oblige anyone in the United States to anything; users are free to speak out as they please, and decide for themselves whether they wish to step outside the boundaries of elementary decency. However, in this case we are talking about a public figure, therefore such a clear disregard for the norms of diplomatic etiquette cannot just be considered as just a passing episode. What was said by the Secretary of State is unacceptable, not to mention completely unprofessional," the ministry statement said. Earlier, Pompeo tweeted about Russia sending its bombers "halfway around the world to #Venezuela," calling on "the Russian and Venezuelan people" to see the action "for what it is: two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Pompeo's claims "quite a serious accusation," and said they were "absolutely inappropriate." Regarding the funds spent to carry out the flight, Peskov quipped that with the size of the US military budget, Washington could feed the whole of Africa if it wanted to. Caracas: US Reaction to Russian Planes Hypocritical Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called Pompeo's reaction to the Tu-160 flight "outrageous" and hypocritical, hitting back at the secretary on Twitter. Russia sent the military aircraft to Venezuela on Monday for joint drills aimed at helping to train Venezuela to protect against aggression. Relations between Washington and Caracas have been rocky for nearly two decades, with US-allied political forces attempting to stage a coup against President Hugo Chavez in 2002. Chavez's successor, Nicolas Maduro, has accused the US and its regional allies of plotting another coup, and alleged that Washington has instructed Colombia to organize his murder following a failed assassination attempt in August. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moscow: Pompeo's Statement on Russian Tu-160 in Venezuela Inappropriate Sputnik News 11:55 11.12.2018(updated 13:00 11.12.2018) The Russian Defence Ministry said Monday that Russia's two supersonic bombers had carried out a flight from Russia to Venezuela, landing at Simon Bolivar International Airport, outside Caracas. Moscow called statements by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the arrival of Russian Tu-160 supersonic bombers to Venezuela undiplomatic and absolutely inappropriate, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. "Of course, it's not the Kremlin's business to comment on the Secretary of State's statements, it's certainly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But in this case, of course, it's not very diplomatic to hear from the Secretary of State, it's quite a serious accusation when he voices such words regarding the Russian leadership. We consider this an absolutely inappropriate statement", Peskov told journalists in response to a request to comment on Pompeo's statements. The Kremlin absolutely disagrees with the remarks made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the waste of funds by Russia and Venezuela: you could feed Africa on the US defence budget, Peskov added. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez explained on Tuesday the presence of the Russian Aerospace Forces' aircraft in the country, saying that the Russian airplanes arrived in Venezuela for joint flights with the country's airplanes and posed no threat. "Let nobody be afraid of the presence of these livelihood airplanes, bombers, fighters and strategic bombers that landed on the Venezuelan territory. We are building peace rather than waging war," the minister said welcoming the arrival of the Russian aircraft, as quoted by the Telesur broadcaster. According to the minister, the joint flights with the Russian aircraft are aimed at training Venezuela to protect itself against any aggression. Earlier in the day, Pompeo referred to the Russian and Venezuelan governments as "two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer" after Russia's two supersonic bombers had carried out a flight from Russia to Venezuela. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Strategic Bombers in Venezuela Spark Diplomatic Row By VOA News December 11, 2018 The United States is blasting Russia for deploying two strategic bombers to Venezuela for war games. "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," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted Tuesday. The Kremlin responded to Pompeo's comments, calling them "unacceptable" and "highly undiplomatic for a secretary of state." Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the U.S. has no business criticizing the money being spent on the drills, saying just half of the U.S. defense budget could feed all of Africa. Two Russian planes capable of carrying nuclear bombs landed in Venezuela Monday for what Venezuelan officials call air force drills designed to bolster its defense capabilities. Russia also sent about 100 pilots and other military personnel. The commander of Russia's strategic aircraft, General Sergei Kobylash, said the drills "will help us understand better how Venezuela's pilots are organized and trained." Russia sent the planes after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro held talks in Moscow last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has expressed support for the socialist government. The United States has been fiercely critical of Maduro and what it calls his rigged elections and corrupt policies that suppress human rights and free speech. The collapse in world energy prices has also left oil-rich Venezuela's economy in tatters. Many basic foods and medicine are in severely short supply and thousands of Venezuelans flee the country every day. Maduro blames his country's problems on the United States and what he says is its support for the opposition. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign minister says Turkey in talks with UN about Khashoggi murder investigation Iran Press TV Tue Dec 11, 2018 03:03PM Turkey says it is in talks with the United Nations regarding an investigation into the gruesome murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Arab kingdom's consulate in Istanbul more than two months ago. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made the comment at a news conference in the capital Ankara on Tuesday, adding that demands for an international probe "have started coming." "Our expectation is actually for none of this to be necessary and for Saudi Arabia to cooperate for those responsible to be found out," he said. Last week, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said an international investigation was required to determine who was responsible for the killing of the ill-fated journalist. The Turkish Foreign Ministry warned last month that Ankara may seek a formal UN inquiry into the murder case if its dealings with Riyadh came to an impasse. Khashoggi, 59, a one-time royal insider who had been critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently, was killed after entering the Saudi diplomatic mission on October 2. For weeks, Riyadh denied any involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance but under growing pressure from the international community eventually acknowledged that he was killed and dismembered in a "premeditated murder." Turkish authorities believe that a 15-person "hit squad" was sent from Saudi Arabia to Istanbul. 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. However, the Saudi regime has sought to distance the heir to the Saudi throne from the assassination despite emerging evidence alleging otherwise. A report by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said it had concluded that bin Salman had been behind the gruesome crime. 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. The killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, has strained Riyadh's relations with the West and battered bin Salman's image abroad. Saudi Arabia claims that the prince had no prior knowledge of the murder. The Arab kingdom has been facing international condemnation over the brutal murder. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) One of the framers of the 1987 Constitution accused President Rodrigo Duterte of "deliberate confusion" in justifying the extension of martial law in Mindanao for another year. "He seems to say it got worse, but at the same time he says it has gotten better," former 1986 Constitutional Commission member Christian Monsod told CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday. "I think it is deliberate confusion." Monsod said the Supreme Court (SC) should revisit the factual basis for the continued implementation of martial law in Mindanao, which has been in effect since May 2017. "I hope that the justices really think more deeply about the country and not whether it's best at this time to please a president," he said. Highlights Former Constitutional Commission member Christian Monsod says President Rodrigo Duterte made contradictory statements in justifying his request for another one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao. Monsod says the Supreme Court (SC) should revisit the factual basis for the declaration and extension of martial law, which has been questioned by opposition lawmakers. He says previous decisions of the SC upholding the declaration and extension of martial law are 'dangerous' and would allow the president to declare a nationwide martial law. He adds that Duterte could not extend his original martial law declaration as the situation has already changed. Monsod also says that the remaining terrorist forces in Mindanao could be quelled without martial law as Duterte could simply call out the military to suppress their activities. An overwhelming majority of the SC has thrice upheld the imposition of martial law in the southern Philippines. Monsod, who was among the petitioners against the extension of martial law, said the High Court had "totally deferred" to the President on the sufficiency of the factual basis for declaring and extending martial law. He said the SC's previous decisions siding with the declaration and extension of martial law are "dangerous" as it would allow the president to declare martial law "anywhere, anytime in the Philippines." Monsod added that Duterte could not extend his May 2017 martial law declaration when the situation in Mindanao had changed. "It's been 15 months in this clearing operations, are we saying that there is a new set of rebellion that is now in place? Then, you are not talking about extension, you are talking about a reimplementation of martial law," Monsod said. The inclusion of other local terror groups and communist rebels in the second extension of martial law in November 2017 was among the issues raised in petitions against it before the SC. However, the SC ruled that the government "alluded to" the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Turaifie Group in its martial law report, even if it did not specifically name them. It also said the communist New People's Army "hardly distinguish its rebels from the architects of the Marawi siege." Citing its previous decision to uphold the extension of martial law up until the end of 2017, the SC said that it should not "expect absolute correctness of the facts stated in the proclamation and in the written report as the President could not be expected to verify the accuracy and veracity of all facts reported to him due to the urgency of the situation." The 1987 Constitution, drafted after the fall of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos who implemented a brutal martial rule, put safeguards on the president's power to declare martial law, including the requirement of the concurrence of a majority of Congress and the ability of any Filipino to challenge the factual basis of the declaration before the SC. Opposition lawmakers have questioned the factual basis for the continued implementation of martial law, as they say that rebellion has ceased in Mindanao, especially after Duterte declared the liberation of Marawi City, which was besieged by the ISIS-inspired Maute group in May 2017. However, leaders of both Houses have expressed their inclination to grant Duterte's request to extend martial law anew. "I think they (security officials) were really able to provide very compelling reason for us to really consider the extension," Senate President Tito Sotto said. "In my opinion, there is a continuing rebellion, there is actual rebellion happening." Martial law not needed Even with the liberation of Marawi and the substantial gains claimed by the government in the past one and a half years of the imposition of martial law in Mindanao, Duterte still cited the threat of local terrorist groups and communist rebels in asking Congress to extend martial law for the third time, saying these constitute a "continuing rebellion" in Mindanao. READ: Duterte to Congress: Don't give rebels a chance to strengthen forces But he also said that security forces have neutralized 685 members of local terrorist groups, 1,073 members of communist rebels, dismantled seven guerilla fronts and weakened 19 others and saw an "unprecedented number" of surrendered lose firearms, which all led to "remarkable economic gains in Mindanao." "Notwithstanding these gains, the security assessment submitted by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) highlights certain essential facts which indicate that rebellion still persists in Mindanao and that public safety requires the continuation of martial law in the whole of Mindanao," Duterte said. The PNP, AFP and the Defense department said that there are still remaining terrorist forces in the southern Philippines, which they hope to wipe out in a year while martial law is in effect. But Monsod said the government would be able to do this without martial law as Duterte can simply call out security forces to suppress terrorists, as provided in the Constitution. He also belied the government's claim that the continued presence of terrorists constitutes actual rebellion. "It's not solutions in a cupboard that you choose martial law. Martial law must be the ultimate resort in order to address actual rebellion," Monsod said. He cited the 1989 coup as an example, where President Cory Aquino did not declare martial law and instead called on the military to suppress the uprising. "It's in the judicious restraint of the use of executive power, extraordinary power, that upholds and strengthens our democratic institutions," Monsod said. Under Article VII, Section 18 of the Constitution, the president may call out the military to "prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion." It also says that the president may also declare martial law and suspend the writ of habeas corpus, which safeguards against warrantless arrests, "in case of rebellion or invasion, when public safety requires it." Monsod said the continued push to extend martial law beyond the initial 60-day period set by the Constitution is a "throwback to 1972," when martial rule was considered as the ultimate solution to the country's problems. In a joint session, the Senate, voting 12-5 with one abstention, and the House, voting 223-23, decided to grant Duterte's request for another extension of martial law in Mindanao. GREENWICH Longtime Greenwich teacher Brenda Macri was always meticulous when she prepared her lesson plans. So when she began arranging her funeral with her husband, she made sure it would be held on a Saturday so teachers and students would not miss school. She was something special for sure, and will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her, said David Rabin, who has known the Macris for 30 years and will deliver a eulogy for her Celebration of Life service this Saturday at St. Catherine of Siena Church. Macri died on Dec. 8 after a four-year battle with colon cancer, with her husband, John Jr., and her sons Christopher and James by her side. She was 57. She was born on Feb. 3, 1961, in Denville, N.J., to Deborah Sheldon Purdy and Theodore L. Purdy. She began her teaching career in the Greenwich Public Schools after graduating from Kean University in 1983. She started as a special education teacher at Eastern Middle School, then switched to kindergarten and first grade at Hamilton Avenue. In 1987, she moved to Cos Cob School, where she taught first, second and third grades. After 12 years at Cos Cob, she moved to International School at Dundee, where she taught second and third grade until two weeks before she succumbed to cancer. For the past 15 years, she served as a model teacher and was highly regarded by both the staff and the entire ISD community, administrators said in a statement on the school website. Prior to joining us, she taught various grade levels at Cos Cob School and Hamilton Avenue School, where she started her professional career in Greenwich. During this time, she was recognized for being a Distinguished Teacher, an honor she was truly deserving of. Kids asked to be in her class, said Rabin, CEO of the Greenwich United Way. Macri received many accolades for her teaching, including the Connecticut State Celebration of Excellence in Education award twice, in 1997 and 1999. In 1998, Macri won a Fulbright scholarship, which allowed her to travel to Japan with fellow educators and students. She immersed herself in Japanese culture, and brought her experiences back home and into her classroom. Sheila Babyak, the Cos Cob School administrative assistant for almost 34 years, said she has fond memories of working with Macri. I especially remember her second grade Japanese unit and her dressing up in a beautiful kimono, Babyak said in an email. She was loved and respected by all of her students parents and colleagues and was one of the most dedicated teachers I have had the pleasure of working with. Greenwich Public Schools also recognized her dedication to students and selected Macri as a distinguished teacher. She was a stalwart, Rabin said. Her accolades speak for themselves, but it was always others first, especially her children. The Macri family is a Byram institution, Rabin said. Multiple family members have lived in Greenwich most of their lives and worked in town as teachers, nurses and public servants, he said. Her husband, John Jr., who taught in Greenwich and Darien, was born and raised in Byram, he said. Brenda Macri married into this legacy but left her own mark by touching the lives of thousands of children in her 35 years of teaching. Before she died, Macri asked that memorial donations be sent to the Greenwich United Way Reading Champions or the Early Childhood Achievement Gap Solutions programs, in lieu of flowers. She felt it was right to leave something behind for children who come after her, said Rabin. Her devotion to education, and to the children, is really unparalleled, he said. In life and now in passing, she can leave a legacy for hopefully many more children to come. In addition to her parents, Macri is survived by her fathers wife Barbara, as well as her three sisters, Deborah Ann Troast and husband Jeff, Robin Purdy Murray, and Dawn Kuipers and husband Bill; and her brother Ted and wife Susan. She is also survived by her father- and mother-in-law, John Sr. and Antoinette (Petie) Macri; as well as Macri family members Paulette Macri Bodson; Dean and wife Marisa Macri; Meg Macri and husband James Doyle; Nick Macri and wife Sherri Hutchinson; Amy Jo and husband Joe Grant. She also leaves 20 nieces and nephews across the country. All are welcome to the Celebration of Life Memorial at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Riverside. Memorial donations may be made to to the Greenwich United Ways Reading Champions Program, or their Early Childhood Achievement Gap Solutions Program by contacting Jeremy Nappi, Greenwich United Way, 500 W. Putnam Ave., Suite 415, Greenwich, CT 06830. jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com GREENWICH The next national head count, to take place in 2020, will affect the balance of political power in the nation and the fate of billions of dollars. In a nutshell, thats what the census is all about, Terri Ann Lowenthal told the Retired Mens Association of Greenwich Wednesday. She also shared grave concerns about the count upcoming. I see a confluence of unprecedented factors, most outside of the Census Bureaus control, that threaten to create what I call a perfect storm, said Lowenthal, a Stamford resident and former staff director for the U.S. Houses Census Oversight Committee. She also covered the subject as part of President Barack Obamas 2008 presidential transition team. Late Congressional funding throughout the current 10-year census cycle, unrealistic goals for how much the census should cost, a dependence on modern technology in an age of hacking and security concerns, and the current political climate are all factors swirling into that storm, she said. A climate of fear in immigrant communities and the ongoing opioid crisis threaten participation, she said, as does President Donald Trump, since the census will take place in the middle of what will likely be a very contentious presidential campaign. Lowenthal said the tweeter in chief could use his platform to undermine public confidence in the census. The unsettled issue of including a question about citizenship, the subject of six lawsuits, also is a factor she said could hurt participation. The question, added by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, has not been on the census since 1950 and was not field tested before the attempt was made to add it, she said. Her concerns are based on past difficulties the census has had getting accurate numbers, which can result in certain populations being undercounted and some being overcounted. The census numbers determine how many seats each state has in the United States House of Representatives, and how more than $880 billion a year is allocated to states for purposes from highway construction to schools to Medicare supplemental insurance. It also helps local governments to assess need and deliver services effectively, Lowenthal said. We need an accurate census to do that. She later added, Lawmakers cant make smart decisions and you cant hold them accountable without an accurate census. And thats why you should care if the Census Bureau gets it right. Even though the Census Bureau has gotten better at collecting data, Lowenthal said, endemic problems still persist. The census is not an equal opportunity enumeration, Lowenthal said. People of color are missed at disproportionally high rates. Lower income households in both urban and rural areas are missed at higher rates. Non-Hispanic whites and wealthier households, on the other hand, were overcounted in the 2010 and 2000 census. Immigrants, foreign-born residents, single-parent-headed households and mobile young adults, millennials, who are moving around quite a bit are all at risk of being missed because they tend not to respond voluntarily at higher and higher rates. Children under the age of five have the highest undercount of any age group, particularly black and Hispanic children who she said are twice as likely to be missed as white children, which makes a huge difference when federal funding is allocated for schools. Field preparations have already begun for 2020, with tens of thousands of people submitting applications to be census workers. Field offices will begin opening in January, and in late January 2020 the counting begins in remote Alaska, before hunting and fishing season starts. The Constitution mandates that a census be conducted every 10 years. Technology will play a greater role in the 2020 census than ever before. The Internet, smartphones and other electronic means will be used to collect data to an unprecedented degree. The Census Bureau will also make more use of data that has already been collected by the IRS, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and other federal programs. The result of all of the automation is going to be a dramatically smaller census bureau footprint in the field, Lowenthal said with less workers in the field and half the number of regional census offices, which means there will be no office in Stamford in 2020 and the closest one will be in Danbury. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com Last week, Huawei CFO, Meng Wanzhou was arrested while connecting flights in Canada at the request of the US Law enforcement alleging that she helped Huawei circumvent US sanctions on Iran by lying to banks to help clear transactions that otherwise violated US sanctions on Iran. Today, Meng was released from custody on $7.5 million bail following three days of court hearings, according to CNN. She agreed to surrender her passports and pay for a personal security guard for her home in Vancouver. She also agreed to wear a GPS tracking bracelet with a curfew that she should remain in her home between 11PM and 6AM every day. Mengs lawyer said she has no intention of fleeing as shes owned a home in Vancouver for 15 years and doing so would humiliate her family, herself, Huawei, and the Chinese government. The terms of her release include 2.2 million USD in home equity and cash as collateral in case she did flee. President Trump also suggested he might intervene with the case should it help leverage a trade deal with China if its good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made. This only adds to the tension between the US and China, not long after other countries began banning Huawei telecom equipment from carrier use from security concerns, further angering Chinese and Huawei officials. During a time with high tensions between US and Chinese governments, the arrest and ongoing legal battle will only make things shakier between the two powers. Source Olixar cases reveal Galaxy S10 Plus with four cameras on the back and two on the front A camera hole in the display is the hottest trend right now and everyone is jumping in. Honor teased the View 20 at an event in Hong Kong in the same day the Samsung Galaxy A8s was announced in China. However, all eyes are on the Samsung Galaxy S10 anniversary flagship and how will it implement all the new technologies. Olixar cases of the Samsung Galaxy S10, along with pictures of the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy S10 Plus appeared online ,revealing the company is going for a massive screen, a hole in the Super AMOLED for the selfie camera and at least three horizontal shooters on the back. On top of that the Plus variant will have dual-cam setup on the front and four cameras on the back. Protective cases for Samsung Galaxy S10 Looking at the renders of the Galaxy S10 in its cases, we see two similar cameras and a bigger lens in the middle - one of them will be the primary snapper, the second looks like a telephoto lens, the third could be an ultra wide-angle shooter, similar to the Galaxy A7 (2018) setup. Plastic cases for Samsung Galaxy S10 The Galaxy S10 Plus is pictured with a tic tac hole for two selfie cameras, but makes you wonder if one of them is going to be wide-angle snapper like the Google Pixel 3 setup or just a 2 MP depth-sensing cam for selfies. The quad-cam setup on the back, on the other side, will likely be the same as in the Galaxy A9 (2018) - primary camera, telephoto lens, ultra wide-angle shooter and a depth-sensing camera that cant be used on its own. Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite Samsung Galaxy S10 Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Olixar usually knows the dimensions of a phone ahead of its launch, so it can prepare its products, so were thinking these images are the real deal. We doubt Samsung will put the selfie camera hole in the upper right corner, given it already made its way in the upper left side of the Galaxy A8s, but were always up for a treat. Via Haiti - Diplomacy : Haiti will continue to support Morocco and its foreign policy Haiti will continue to support the efforts of Morocco and its foreign policy, said Tuesday in Marrakech, the Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cults, Mr. Bocchit Edmond, currently on an official visit to the Kingdom. In a statement to the press after his talks with Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmond said the meeting was an opportunity to discuss ways to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries and further consolidate bilateral relations. The head of Haitian diplomacy also said that the two sides signed, on this occasion, a joint Declaration through which the two countries have made a series of commitments to promote their bilateral cooperation. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26379-haiti-diplomacy-haiti-and-morocco-towards-a-strengthening-of-relations.html Moreover, "Morocco will continue to support our efforts, as you already know, we have students here in the Kingdom," Bocchit Edmond said, adding that the Moroccan side is committed to strengthening cooperation in this area as well at the level of higher education than the technical one. S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Revocation of the members of the High Staff of the Army of Haiti The "Defense and Armed Forces" commission of the Senate of the Republic is calling for the dismissal of the members of the High Staff of the Army of Haiti. It considers this structure inactive, evoking the fact that no report relating to the operation of this force has been transmitted to it to date. In a letter sent on December 4 to the Senate Speaker, this commission, chaired by Senator Jean-Marie Ralph Fethiere, recommended that it be replaced by younger military officers who are able to adapt to new socio-economic realities. One Beat If you are a musician aged 19 to 35, interested in developing ways to use music as a tool to improve your community through gender collaboration, apply to the One Beat program right now on : 1beat.org/apply/. Registration deadline : 21 December 2018 at 5:00 pm. A new manager at the head of the DFP Monday Meniol Jeune, the Director General of the Ministry of National Education has proceeded to the installation of Etzer Vixamar as new head of the Directorate of Training and Development (DFP). He replaces Karl Rood Fleurant. Note that Vixamar held the position of Deputy Director of the DFP before gaining access to this new position. PNH : 30th Promotion 22% of women Ambassador Michele Sison met this week with representatives of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and members of the 30th promotion. Recalling that the United States continues to support the Police Academy, the Ambassador is pleased to see that women represent nearly 22% of this Promotion Visit of a delegation from the New Orleans Town Hall On Monday, Marie Christine Stephenson, Minister of Tourism, and a delegation from the New Orleans Town Hall met with the Board of Directors of the CCIN, members of the 2020 committee, the OGDNH. On the agenda : tourism development and celebration of Cap 2020. HL/ HaitiLibre City Court Clerk Tyson Bliwernitz handed in his official letter of resignation effective Dec. 31 to Havre City Judge Seigel Tuesday, Seigel said in a letter sent to the Havre city government and the Havre Daily News. Last month, Seigel handed in her official letter of resignation at a Havre City Council meeting, effective Jan. 21 of next year, and recommended Bliwernitz for the position of Havre city judge. Bliwernitz said in his resignation that he holds full-time employment in IT security and that he would like to focus his full attention to the job. I would like to thank (Seigel) for giving me the opportunity to work in your court and for teaching me from your side of the bench, he said. Bliwernitz also acted as the judge pro tempore, acting as judge in the absence of Seigel. Seigel wrote that the individual authorized to represent her in her absence through Jan. 21 will be her Court Administrator Cathy Lee. She is statutorily authorized to act as the City Court judge from my last day on the bench until (the City Council) have nominated a replacement, but shall not be authorized to serve more than 30 days, Seigel said. Financial Director Doug Kaercher said Tuesday that even though Bliwernitz has resigned he is still eligible to apply for the position of city judge if he so chooses. He added that the application process for the city judge is similar to the process for selecting a new City Council member. He said the council has 30 days after the vacancy to find a new city judge and the topic will be discussed at the next council meeting. Seigel wrote that she is requesting the city take up the issue of finding her replacement at its next meeting. On November 19th, my resignation was not on your agenda, so, your inaction at that moment is defensible, she wrote. However, there has been no publicized formal action taken by this governing body of this city to nominate my replacement. Seigel announced at the Nov. 19 meeting her intent to resign without notifying the mayor or council previously, and nominated Bliwernetz as her replacement at that time. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Chief of Operations Mike Volesky said people will continue to see boat checkpoints until conclusive evidence is found that zebra mussels have not been established in Montana waters. Tuesday, FWP and its Region 6 Citizens Advisory Council met with local legislators at Havre Inn and Suites to discuss items on the agencys agenda, such as the ongoing checks for aquatic invasive species and some of FWPs budget priorities. The meeting included many representatives of FWP from a variety of different regions as well as the Helena office. Several members of the Montana Legislature were also in attendance including Rep.. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, Sen. Mike Lang, R-Malta, and Sen. Frank Smith, D-Poplar. In 2016 Tiber Reservoir south of Chester tested positive for the larvae of aquatic mussels and suspected signs of mussels were found in Canyon Ferry Reservoir near Helena. Volesky said FWP has not detected any mussels or their larvae in the bodies of water in Montana since 2016 but other states have the mussels. He added that the biggest threat is the boats coming from out of state. The threat is definitely there, and we are going to maintain the stations, Volesky said. He added that FWP funds for programs on aquatic invasive species will be revisited in the budget after this year. It takes three years after AIS are last detected to determine the species have not been established. Quagga and zebra mussels, not known to be established in Montana, have negative impacts on fish, boats and water infrastructure. Volesky said the AIS program was put together quickly after zebra mussel larvae were detected in Tiber Reservoir and, in the two years the program has been active, FWP recognizes the start-up costs for the program were significant. In the future, he added, FWP will be able to manage it with less money and more effectively in the future. Most of the money is spent to check boats coming into the state, he said, adding that every day is a needle in a haystack. It keeps a lot of us up at night, Volesky said, with the $6 million budget providing only a 95 percent certainty that AIS detection practices are working. He said every increment in certainty after that would drastically increase the expense of the program. The check stations are at the borders of each major roadways, but other small roadways and areas that dont see many boats come in are unstaffed, he said. He added that people who want to avoid the law risk bringing the species into the water. Volesky said the check stations are also only staffed from daybreak to dark, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., but boats could come in afterward, contaminating water. The only way to ensure Montana has no threat of AIS is to close the borders to out-of-state boats and boating, Volesky said, adding that FWP does not intend to do so. This year, 16 boats with mussels were found out of the 90,000 boats checked. Volesky said none of those boats had live mussels, but FWP still needs to monitor the threat of contaminated water. Microscopic larvae can be transported in water pooled in boats. The larvae can survive for several days unless it is heated or dried. The Montana AIS response team urges all boaters to follow the mantra clean, drain and dry clean boats, drain all water and dry the boats after use to prevent the spread of mussels. More information is available online at http://cleandraindry.mt.gov/. In other business, a legislative liaison presented FWPs budget priorities for the 2019 legislative session. Deb ONeill said FWPs automated licensing system is an important tool for the department that generates $50 million, but is coming to the end of its life. Its held together with bubble gum and bailing wire, ONeill said, adding that the system doesn't function like it needs to. The system was created in 1998 and implemented in 2000, she said. Thats a millenium in the IT world, she added. She said FWP has an opportunity to receive a large amount of federal money in a 3-to-1 match. The federal government providing $7.5 million and the state providing $2.5 million. ONeill added that an improvement to this system would make hunting licenses more accessible to people and provide more opportunities for the future. ONeill said FWP has a yearly budget of $100 million, primarily funded by license fees and federal funding, split about evenly. She said FWP generates its own cash but cannot spend any money without the Legislatures authority. She added that Gov. Steve Bullocks FWP budget request this year was very modest. She said Fish and Wildlifes budget is separate from Parks, with Fish and Wildlife having no general fund and 88 different funds that provide money for day-to-day operations. Hydropower tax generates $3.7 million a year to funds the AIS program, she said. FWP sold a high number of non-resident licenses this year, ONiell said, and FWP is not coming to the Legislature next session to request a fee increase. She added that the fee levels in place should last at least two more seasons. She said FWP also worked with a financial review advisory council made up of community members and legislators, who also recommended FWP asked for no fee increase this session. At the end of the biennium, ONeill said, FWP should have $23 million. The department normally requests a fee increase once they drop to $15 million. She said Parks also receives no general funds but is funded by sources such as light vehicle fees, revenue from campsite reservation, bed tax, coal tax and motorboat fuel tax. FWP Director Martha Williams has also pushed for transparency in the departments budget, ONeill said, adding that the budget this year will end at $1.6 million. She said the department has more needs in parks than revenue to support the programs and every year FWP is always short for that and has no capital programs. She said the department needs $22.5 million for deferred maintenance in parks. The Parks Department is functioning on a shoestring budget, ONeill added. One of the priorities for FWP is reauthorizing the funding for AIS, to keep waters free of mussels, and restoring $1 million cut in the 2017 legislative session to fund hatcheries. Deferred maintenance at administrative facilities and hatcheries total approximately $100 million, ONeill said. This budget will let the department take a reasonable bite out of the backlog, she said. Large equipment also needs to be replaced, she said, boats that are 30 to 40 years old and two helicopters are coming to the end of their lifespans. She added that for the vehicles the federal government offers a 1-to-1 match to replace with a one-time appropriation, that will help in developing a plan for the future. WASHINGTON - The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for a sweeping agriculture bill that will fund key farm safety net programs for the next five years without making significant changes to the food stamp program. The vote was 87-13. The House is expected to pass the measure soon and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brought the bill up for a quick vote Tuesday, less than one day after the House and Senate reached an agreement on the final text. The only active farmer in the Senate, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., voted for the bill. "As the escalating trade war hurts our nation's producers, this bipartisan Farm Bill helps lessen the blow to Montana's family farmers and ranchers," Tester said in a press release about the vote. "It provides the kind of certainty producers can take to the bank, while protecting successful conservation tools and ensuring every hungry Montanan has access to quality food." Tester successfully pushed to amend the Farm Bill to provide state and local Farm Service Agency Committees with the ability to improve access to the critical Agricultural Risk Coverage safety net program by redrawing ARC County boundaries into multiple zones in one county, the release said. This amendment will better reflect crop and growing conditions for farmers enrolled in the ARC program in large, rural counties where conditions can vary within the county. The other members of Montana's congressional delegation, Republican Sen. Steve Daines, who voted for the bill Tuesday, and Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte, also praised the bill, which received widespread support across the country after it came out of the conference committee to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions Monday. The measure is the result of months of negotiations, and does not make any significant changes - despite pressure from President Donald Trump - to the food stamp program that serves nearly 40 million low-income Americans. "This is what happens when the Congress works in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion," said Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., ahead of the vote. "It's a good bill that accomplishes what we set out to do: provide certainty and predictability for farmers and families in rural communities." The legislation sets federal agricultural and food policy for five years and provides more than $400 billion in farm subsidies, conservation programs and food aid for the poor. It reauthorizes crop insurance and conservation programs and funds trade programs, bioenergy production and organic farming research. It also reduces the cost for struggling dairy producers to sign up for support programs and legalizes the cultivation of industrial hemp, an initiative championed by McConnell. One thing the bill doesn't have: tighter work requirements for food stamp recipients, a provision of the House bill that became a major sticking point during negotiations. "We maintain a strong safety net for farmers and importantly, we maintain a strong safety net for our families," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the most senior Democrat on the agriculture committee. "We said no to harmful changes that would take food away from families, and instead increased program integrity and job training to be able to make sure things should be working as they should and every dollar is used as it should be." The House bill would have raised the age of recipients subject to work requirements from 49 to 59 and required parents with children older than 6 years to work or participate in job training. The House measure also sought to limit circumstances under which families who qualify for other poverty programs can automatically be eligible for SNAP, and earmarked $1 billion to expand work-training programs. By contrast, the bipartisan Senate bill, which passed 86-11, offered modest adjustments to existing farm programs and made no changes to SNAP. Throughout the negotiation process Trump made his support for work requirements clear, tweeting about the issue multiple times. But negotiators ultimately rejected the most controversial House measures related to SNAP, making no significant changes to the program. The outcome is a victory for Democrats, who refused to support them. The final bill also preserves states' ability to provide waivers, and does not change eligibility criteria. It does increase funding for employment and job training programs from $90 million to roughly $103.9 million per year. The two chambers also clashed over portions of the bill's forestry and conservation sections. But the most contentious pieces of the House version, such as relaxing restrictions on pesticide use, didn't make it into the final text. Negotiations were complicated in recent weeks when the White House asked Congress to make changes to the forestry section in response to deadly wildfires in California, giving more authority to the Agriculture and Interior departments to clear forests and other public lands. The final text doesn't significantly increase the agencies' authority. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Monday the bill "maintains a strong safety net for the farm economy, invests in critical agricultural research and will promote agriculture exports through robust trade programs," but voiced disappointment over the failed changes to the work requirement. "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," he said. The bill also maintains current limits on farm subsidies, but includes a House provision to expand the definition of family to include first cousins, nieces and nephews, making them eligible for payments under the program. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas, a strong proponent of stricter work requirements, thanked Perdue and the administration for their support. "America's 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," Conaway said. Tester successfully pushed to amend the Farm Bill to provide state and local Farm Service Agency Committees with the ability to improve access to the critical ARC safety net program by redrawing ARC County boundaries into multiple zones in one county, his release said, adding that the amendment will better-reflect crop and growing conditions for farmers enrolled in the ARC program in large, rural counties where conditions can vary within the county. Steve Daines Tester held seven open-to-the-public Farm Bill listening sessions across the state to gather feedback from producers. Some provisions brought up during Tester's Farm Bill listening sessions included in the bipartisan Farm Bill were keeping Price Loss Coverage and Ag Risk Coverage insurance; amending the Environmental Quality Incentive Program; increasing the maximum acreage of the Conservation Reserve Program; reauthorizing the Wheat and Barley Scab Initiativ; mandating funding for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program; removing emoves hemp from the list of controlled substances, and reauthorizing critical USDA Rural Development Grants that are used to rebuild and construct water and wastewater infrastructure and expand access to high-speed internet in rural areas. -- Havre Daily News contributed to this story. Zach Gibson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The typically conservative Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is applauding a somewhat surprising provision in the latest 807-page farm bill -- a measure that legalizes hemp. Industrial hemp is a different variety of the same plant that produces marijuana, so it's been illegal under federal law except for some commercial uses. The Hemp Farming Act, which is part of the farm bill, would remove hemp from its status as a schedule I drug. McConnell has been an advocate for legalizing hemp so it can be a bigger agriculture product in the U.S., especially in his home state of Kentucky. Hemp could be a lucrative replacement for tobacco in Kentucky and other states and could provide an alternative for farmers looking to switch from commodities that are struggling or impacted by tariffs. McConnell even signed the compromise version of the farm bill with a pen made of hemp grown in Kentucky, according to his statement. Making it official with my hemp pen! Proud to have served as conferee on #FarmBill & to fight for #Kentucky priorities. With today's signature, my provision to legalize industrial #hemp is 1 step closer to reality. Looking forward to voting YES on this bill & sending to @POTUS pic.twitter.com/8ypwBebXy7 Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) December 10, 2018 The farm bill process has been more contentious than usual over the past year. The typically bipartisan bill is renewed every five years, but the process was delayed beyond a September deadline after House Republicans pushed for proposals to drastically change food assistance programs and last-minute forestry provisions in reaction to the California wildfires. The process was also under scrutiny because of the economic strain that has affected farmers' amid President Donald Trump's trade wars. The compromise version of the bill dropped some of the most contentious elements and leaders of the House and Senate agriculture committees have said they expect it to pass. The bill contains a wide variety of programs and provides billions of dollars in funding for aid to farmers and nutrition programs like food stamps. Brady Cobb, a hemp and cannabis lobbyist who has been working with McConnell's office, said there was a huge campaign to educate members of Congress on how hemp is different from marijuana. Under the farm bill products containing cannabis byproducts, such as cannabanoid oil, must be below 0.3 percent THC, the active ingredient that causes the effects of marijuana. Such low levels don't have the same effect as recreational or other forms of marijuana, which would still be subject to state laws. State and tribal governments would be charged with regulating and testing industrial hemp under the new law. Hemp oil can have positive benefits for people suffering from anxiety, epilepsy or even post-traumatic stress disorder and Cobb said veterans' and health groups have also been pushing to legalize it. "To me this is a springboard, this is a big moment in our country's drug policy history that you now have cannabis hemp plants removed from schedule I so they can be harvested as an agricultural commodity as part of a farm bill," he told ABC News. Legalizing industrial hemp will make it available to farmers to grow, sell, and export. It will also make it easier for researchers to study the affects of hemp oil products and possibly for health care providers to promote it as an alternative to opioids, Cobb said. There will be some questions to sort out if the farm bill passes and legalizes hemp. The Food and Drug Administration approved a drug to treat seizures that includes hemp oil earlier this year but may now have to determine whether newly legal products should be regulated as drugs or supplements. "I see a day when this is sold in Target, this is sold in Costco across a multitude of distribution channels," he told ABC News. "And it has the ability to do that because its not going to be federally illegal anymore, the 800-pound gorilla is going to exit stage left." The farm bill passed the Senate on Tuesday night by a vote of 87-13. It still needs a vote in the House and the president's signature to become law. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) Martial law will remain in Mindanao for another full year from January 1 to December 31, 2019 after Congress on Wednesday granted President Rodrigo Duterte's request. In the final joint session vote, 235 senators and representatives were for it, 28 were against, and 1 abstained. Senators Tito Sotto, Gringo Honasan, Ping Lacson, Migz Zubiri, Richard Gordon, Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Koko Pimentel, JV Ejercito, Sonny Angara, Win Gatchalian, and Manny Pacuqiao voted 'yes.' Senators Chiz Escudero, Franklin Drilon, Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, and Risa Hontiveros voted against, while Senator Ralph Recto was the lone abstention. In the House of Representatives, 223 voted for the extension and 23 voted 'no.' High-ranking administration officials also present during the joint session justified the longer military rule in the South. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said that while the government has achieved gains such as arresting over a hundred terrorists during the one year and seven months of martial law in Mindanao, it still needs extra time to quell efforts from terrorists and rebel groups to overthrow the administration. "Rebellion in Mindanao still subsists. Notwithstanding the substantial gains achieved during the martial law period, we cannot turn a blind eye to the reality that Mindanao is still in the midst of rebellion," he said. He added, "If we allow these terrorist groups and rebels to regroup, this government will not be able to function fully, basic services to people will continuously be hindered, and the safety of the general public will remain to be under constant threat," he told lawmakers at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City. The executive secretary said the remnants of terror groups Abu Sayyaf, Daulah Islamiyah, and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters are still pursuing their goal of establishing a wilayah or Islamic state in Mindanao and ousting the Duterte administration. "Despite their difference in ideologies, they share the same purpose of overthrowing our government... We are at the cusp of ending rebellion in Mindanao. We cannot falter or else we lose our hard-earned progress," he said. Escudero said while the economy and crime rate improved in Mindanao during martial law, these gains cannot be attributed to military rule. "Mindanao achieved economic growth. Mindanao achieved unprecedented maintenance of peace and order in the area. It can do so without martial law... This was achieved under the administration, not under martial law," he said. President Rodrigo Duterte, in a letter dated December 6, called on Congress to enable the government to sustain gains in fighting rebels and terrorists by extending martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2019. He cited a joint security assessment report of the police and military showing "significant progress in putting the rebellion under control." Related: Duterte to Congress: Don't give rebels a chance to strengthen forces Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman noted that Duterte mentioned "recycled" reasons for his extension request. Drilon said there is nothing in Duterte's letter that shows the grounds for extending martial rule. "There is no actual armed uprising that is taking place in Mindanao to justify the extension of martial law. Martial law is the highest form of self preservation. It cannot be the norm. We can't make martial law an instrument to make governance more effective," he said. Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights issued a statement saying lawlessness can be addressed without the enforcement of martial law. "The said declaration is an extraordinary measure that the 1987 Constitution prescribes as reserved only to instances of actual invasion and rebellion. Martial law is never meant to be the status quo," they said. The Cabinet and security officials said 143 arrests have been made in Mindanao from January 1, 2018 to December 12, 2018 in relation to the martial law extension, all charged with rebellion. The government continues to go after 2,435 local and communist terrorists. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said 180 suspected terrorists remain at large. Lorenzana said terrorism can be a basis for martial law if it is tied to rebellion. The Constitution allows the President to declare martial law and suspend the privilege of the writ of the habeas corpus, allowing warrantless arrests, "in case of invasion or rebellion (or) when the public safety requires it" for a period of 60 days. Congress has allowed an extension of the military rule twice due to what it perceived as a continuing rebellion. Some human rights groups said the military committed human rights violations during the implementation of martial law. Rep. Ariel Casilao said 155 cases have been filed with the Commission on Human Rights on various violations under military rule. Malacanang assured the public that the rule of law will be observed under martial law. "Rest assured that the fundamental rights and liberties of our citizens shall at all times be respected and that our uniformed services shall act strictly within the confines of their mandate," Presidential spokesperson Sal Panelo said in a statement on Wednesday. Malacanang thanked lawmakers for granting the request to further improve the welfare of Mindanaoans. "it is our shared responsibility to ensure the integrity of our nation, the security of our people and the sustained growth and development of Mindanao. We expect to achieve substantial progress in addressing the persisting rebellion in Mindanao, as well as promoting the overall security and peace and order situation in the island," Panelo said. Duterte proclaimed martial law in Mindanao effective for 60 days on May 23, 2017 following escalating conflict with ISIS-inspired Maute group in Marawi, the provincial capital of Lanao del Sur. More than a thousand were killed, mostly terrorists. The President declared the liberation of Marawi City on October 17, 2017. Martial law has been in place in Mindanao for a year and seven months, after Congress granted Duterte's request for an extension twice to quell threats of rebellion amid efforts to rehabilitate Marawi City. More than $1 million in funding available for Montana agriculture Press release HELENA The Montana Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for an estimated $1.5 million in federal funding available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The competitive grant program is designed to expand markets for Montana specialty crops. Montanas SCBG program is available for projects enhancing the competitiveness of Montana specialty crops. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, peas, and lentils, as well as horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. These grants are a great way for our producers to explore different opportunities to enhance and diversify their operations, said MDA Director Ben Thomas. There have been some really innovative projects in the past and Im looking forward to seeing this next round of applications. Eligible projects include education, marketing, improving distribution systems, development of good agricultural practices, pest and disease control, variety development, and improving production practices. Technical assistance calls will be held Jan. 15 and Feb. 4. For more information, visit http://agr.mt.gov/specialtycropblockgrants/. State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts. Grant proposals are due to the Montana Department of Agriculture by midnight Feb. 6. For more information, eligibility guidelines, technical assistance and resources, visit scbg.mt.gov or contact Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Manager Jim Auer at 406-444-5424. In certain cases, the program may also open an opportunity for workers to file for permanent residency if they can commit to working in the designated region for a specific number of years. 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, said Selena Uibo, workforce training minister for the Northern Territory. More people means more jobs and a stronger economy, which means better schools, better hospitals and more police, Uibo said in a statement. Before sponsoring a foreign worker, however, employers in the region will need to prove they are unable to find a suitably skilled and experienced worker from among local talent, Uibo explained. These included establishing stretch goals, solving problems and analysing issues, developing strategic perspective and connecting to the outside world. The study concluded that if more HR leaders would add these four leadership competencies to their skill sets, there would be much more sitting at the table; and an increasing number seated at the head of the table. So how can HR professionals/senior leaders acquire further leadership skills in a manner that is relevant to their specific environments? Approaches in the past involving theories of motivation, management and leadership have often missed the importance of the relationship between the workplace and the individual. On the other hand, by applying leadership concepts and frameworks to their own experiences, HR professionals can take an in-depth analysis of their own leadership abilities. Investing in long-term care insurancewhich can pay for home aides or assisted livingcan pay off in a big way later on.(ISTOCKPHOTO) Without planning, taking care of a loved one can easily become a major drain on financial resources. And the more demanding it becomes, the more your own financial health is endangered. America's caregivers provide an average of 21 hours a week of volunteer care over an average of 4.3 years; in a 2004 survey, 38% of those caregivers reported some financial hardship as a result. Whether you are still eyeing the corner office or youre thinking about reducing your hours to spend more time helping a family member, here are some of the issues youll want to consider. What to watch out for: Stalled career development. Your ability to nurture your own career can be imperiled by your caregiving duties. Difficulty focusing, the constant intrusion of family emergencies, emotional exhaustion, and, if you have cut back on office hours, less work capacity and face time with colleagues can all translate into fewer career advancement opportunitiesand, ultimately, less financial security. "Your confidence and ability to develop your career is much different than someone who isn't a caregiver," says Katana Abbott, founder of DesignatedDaughter.com, a website dealing with caregiving issues for women. Obviously you want to help your loved one, but there are limits. "If you're putting your own career at risk, remember that the person you're caring for probably doesn't want you to do that," says financial planner Bonnie A. Hughes of the Enrichment Group, a wealth management firm in Miami, Fla. ]Jeopardized retirement savings. If you're contemplating going part-time or even stopping work altogether in order to care for someone, think about your own retirement security first. Consider the situation of a 61-year-old retiree from San Francisco: When his mother, now 94, had a stroke three years ago, he quit his truck-driving job and took an early retirement package. He estimates that his pension is about 30% less than it would have been had he worked till age 65. "If I'd stuck it out the next three or four years, the higher pension plus getting a salary all that time, I'd be in much better shape financially," he says. "I sometimes wonder if I made the right decision." At a minimum, try to work long enough at your job to become fully vested in your company pension or retirement plan. That way, you can take all your employer's contributions with you. Even after you leave work, continue contributing to an individual retirement account (IRA) on your own to make up for the lack of a workplace plan and diminished social security credits. If you cant stick around until youre fully vested, think about cutting back on hours until you are, instead of giving up your job entirely. Part-time work may also allow you to keep some benefits, like health insurance. "Caregiving is so stressful, you want to make sure that you have your own health care covered in case something happens to you," says Hughes. Where to get help: The government. All too often, caregivers think they have to stretch their own resources to the breaking point. But there are some other options. For instance, your disabled child may qualify for Medicaid, the government medical insurance program for low-income individuals and families, and Supplemental Security Income, which pays a monthly stipend once he or she reaches 18. "The child of Bill and Melinda Gates can still qualify for Medicaid because eligibility is based on the child's income once the child reaches 18," says Ron Pearson, principal of Beach Financial Advisory Service, a financial planning firm in Virginia Beach, Va., that specializes in families with special needs. Go to BenefitsCheckUp, a website hosted by the National Council on Aging, to find out about government programs that your loved one might be eligible for. Long-term care insurance. Preferably way before your parents or other elderly relatives need care, talk to them about long-term care insurance, which can pay for home health aides, assisted-living facilities, or nursing homes. The earlier you purchase it, the less it costs and the more likely you are to qualify. If there's money for care, you can greatly reduce the amount of time you'll need to spend on it yourself. Abbott, for example, convinced her mother to purchase a plan 15 years ago when she was 58. Now her mother is in an assisted-living facility. The policy, which pays $3,000 a month, partially covers the cost. "She'll never have to spend down her assets," she says. "It gave us choices we never thought we had." Your family. If your parents are older than 62 and own their home, they may be able to take out a reverse mortgage to tap the equity in their home. Or they might be eligible for something as simple as a Meals on Wheels program or participation in an adult day-care center. Contact your Area Agency on the Aging to learn about programs available for older adults where you live. The largest-ever genetic study of people with moderate-to-severe asthma has revealed new insights into the underlying causes of the disease which could help improve its diagnosis and treatment. Between 10-15% of individuals with asthma have the severe type of the condition which does not respond to conventional treatment. Symptoms include debilitating breathlessness leading to increased hospital admissions, despite the high use of medicines. Asthma experts from the University of Nottingham, University of Leicester and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham and Leicester Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) led a global team of researchers to examine genetic data from thousands of people with European ancestry who have moderate-to-severe forms of the disease. The research, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, describes how they carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS). This involved comparing the genes of around 10,000 people living with asthma to nearly 50,000 people with normal lung health. The work uncovered several new genetic variants associated with moderate-to-severe asthma and also a persons risk of developing the condition. For the first time, the study was also able to pinpoint certain genetic variants associated with the risk of developing moderate-severe asthma that control the production of mucins the main components of mucus. The discovery of the potential genetic causes of the disease gives new hope for better treatment of this hard-to-manage condition because these genes could be targeted by new therapies. Importantly, the work also confirmed the significant role of multiple genetic variants in inflammatory pathways (T2 inflammation) that are the target of newer treatments in development for asthma, suggesting these treatments will be particularly useful for moderate-severe asthma as well. Professor Ian Sayers from the University of Nottingham and NIHR Nottingham BRC who led the study, said: Asthma is a fairly common but notoriously difficult disease to diagnose, treat and manage. Affecting around 10% of the population, it was recently identified as the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease with a significant impact on peoples lives and healthcare budgets. We know environmental factors can trigger the condition but genetic predisposition, we believe also plays a significant role. This is why genetic research is so important. If we can identify genes that cause the disease, we may eventually be able to improve treatment or even find a cure. Professor Christopher Brightling is a respiratory physican at Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust and senior investigator from the NIHR Leicester BRC and University of Leicester. He said: New treatments for severe asthma are recently available and others are on the horizon. One major challenge will be understanding which treatment is best for which person. This study of the genetics of severe asthma will help in making these decisions and reveals new potential avenues for future therapies. Professor Louise Wain, British Lung Foundation Chair in Respiratory Research at the University of Leicester and co-author of the study said: Millions of people in the UK suffer from asthma, yet the disease affects people very differently with some people experiencing more severe symptoms than others. Understanding the changes in our genes which trigger the development of asthma and contribute to this variability will hopefully lead to more personalised treatments in future. Our research offers new hope to those who are left breathless by asthma on a daily basis. Dr Erika Kennington, Head of Research at Asthma UK, who part-funded the research, said:Severe asthma is debilitating, causing terrifying life-threatening asthma attacks and frequent trips to A&E. This research is an important stepping stone in understanding more about the underlying causes of different types of asthma, which could pave the way for more treatments that are tailored to someones genetics in the future. It is only thanks to our generous supporters that were able to fund ground-breaking research such as this to stop asthma attacks and cure asthma. The research team recruited and combined existing large cohorts with genetic data from people with moderate-severe asthma and controls (people with no diagnosis of asthma) recorded from GP and hospital records across Europe as part of the Genetics of Asthma Severity and Phenotypes (GASP) initiative, the U-BIOPREDand AirPROM consortia, the UK Biobankand the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres in Nottingham and Leicester. The work identified 24 asthma-related signals of significance across the genome, including 21 that have previously been reported in studies on all asthma patients. This suggests there is substantial shared genetic architecture between mild and moderate-severe asthma. It also revealed three new genetic points of interest for moderate-severe disease. One of these relates to mucin production, a second to allergy including eczema and hay fever, and a third has been previously linked with multiple autoimmune diseases that arise when the body attacks and damages its own tissues. The key challenge ahead is to translate these novel findings to new understanding of how the genetic changes specifically alter mechansims in cells and lungs of patients with asthma. This will allow research to potentially target these changes for clinical benefit. Similarly, greater understanding of the contribution of genetic variants to ongoing inflammation has scope to identify patients were targeting these pathways by drugs currently in development would provide maximum benefit. Ends Our academics can now be interviewed for broadcast via our Media Hub, which offers a Globelynx fixed camera and ISDN line facilities at University Park campus. For further information please contact a member of the Communications team on +44 (0)115 951 5798, email pressoffice@nottingham.ac.uk or see the Globelynx website for how to register for this service. For up to the minute media alerts, follow us on Twitter Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham is a research-intensive university with a proud heritage, consistently ranked among the worlds top 100. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our 44,000 students Nottingham was named both Sports and International University of the Year in the 2019 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, was awarded gold in the TEF 2017and features in the top 20 of all three major UK rankings. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement. We are ranked eighth for research power in the UK according to REF 2014. We have six beacons of research excellence helping to transform lives and change the world; we are also a major employer, proud of our Athena SWAN silver award, and a key industry partner- locally and globally. City police make arrest in bank robbery Friday A suspect who robbed the Entegra Bank on Spartanburg Highway didn't get far in his getaway before police picked him up. Officers responding to the call at the bank on Friday were told that a white male wearing a mask robbed the bank at a teller station, got an unknown amount of cash, and left the scene on foot. It was also reported that the suspect had some type of a weapon. The Hendersonville Police Department, with the assistance of Henderson County Sheriffs Office deputies and Laurel Park Police Department officers, quickly secured the bank and the surrounding areas and began a search for the suspect. A short time later an individual matching the suspect description was located in a restaurant on Spartanburg Highway. He was identified as Daniel Wayne Owens of Hendersonville. City police detectives conducted a follow up interview with Owens and determined that he was the person responsible for robbing the bank. Detectives charged Owens with common law robbery a few hours after the crime was reported. He was jailed at the Henderson County Detention Center on a $30,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with additional information about this robbery is asked to contact the Hendersonville Police Department at (828) 697-3025. Community Foundation grant will help park build Tot Lot Flat Rock Park and Recreation Foundation Inc. has been awarded grant of $20,000 by the Community Foundation of Henderson County. Park Foundation executive director Maurean Adams said the grant will be used towards the construction of the Tot Lot Playground at the Park at Flat Rock. The Park Foundation in partnership with Village Council, private and public donors has raised funds for the Park at Flat Rock," she said. "The Park now has a community room and rest area, a pavilion, places and spaces for reflection, miles of trails, and a playground which has made headlines. This grant from the Community Foundation of Henderson County will assist with a portion of the costs for the new Tot Lot Playground, a safe play space for younger park goers. This grant also helps the Park fulfill its vision as a place for all generations." The Flat Rock Park and Recreation Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by the Village of Flat Rock, North Carolina to help raise the funds required to fulfill the vision of a signature municipal park for the community. That vision includes opportunities for recreation, health, and education for all generations while preserving the natural beauty that draws visitors from far and wide to Western North Carolina. Duncan Fraser is chairperson of the Board of Directors. Community Foundation of Henderson County, founded in 1982, supports charitable programs in the greater Henderson County area. For more information about The Park at Flat Rock and Recreation Foundation contact Adams at 828-697-8100 or maurean_adams@villageofflatrock.org. A witness has told how she saw a garda patrol car hit a woman pedestrian, throwing her into the air and fatally injuring her. Warren Farrell (35), a garda in Clondalkin, Co Dublin, was driving a patrol car responding to a panic call at a garage when the vehicle hit Elizabeth Core. He has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing the death of Ms Core in Fonthill Road South on August 28, 2014. Somersaulting On day two of the trial, Geraldine Brown said she was coming out of a nearby housing estate when she saw Ms Core crossing the road. She said she saw her looking up and down the road as she crossed. There was no other traffic around and it was quiet. Ms Brown became upset as she described seeing Ms Core getting close to the other side and being hit by the patrol car. She told the jury she realised "she's not going to make it" before seeing the deceased thrown up on to the car and somersaulting in the air. She said she stood there in shock for what seemed a long time. Ms Brown said the patrol car had flashing blue lights but she did not hear a siren. She told Patrick McGrath, defending, that she "honestly can't remember" telling a garda inspector at the scene that the patrol car had the siren and blue lights on. "I'm nearly sure they weren't on," she said. Alma Ozakauskiene said she saw the garda car hit the deceased at high speed. She said she did not hear the car coming. "There were no sirens, no lights," she told Mr McGrath, who put it to her that she was mistaken. Gda Declan Bambrick said he was a passenger with Gda Farrell, who was driving, when they received a call about a robbery at the Topaz station in Newlands Cross. He said that on Nangor Road he de-activated the siren to receive information on the radio. He was told a car had left the scene at speed and began scanning the road for one fitting a description. He said Gda Farrell re-activated the siren. He said when the car struck Ms Core the siren was on. He said he was sure the siren and blue lights were on all the time apart from when he was checking the radio. The trial continues before Judge Cormac Quinn and a jury. A Cork mother-of-two showed up at an acquaintance's home with a knife and went to stab her because of something she thought the woman had said, a court has heard. Detective Garda Conor O'Byrne revealed that Serena O'Leary (43) had told Caroline Madden she had a "bone to pick" with her while at a mutual friend's house the previous night. The next morning, Ms Madden opened her door to O'Leary, who she later described as soaking wet, wearing the same clothes and smelling of alcohol. O'Leary got angry, accused Ms Madden of saying something to her partner about her and produced a nine inch blade. Ms Madden managed to grab O'Leary's arm to stop her from stabbing her in the stomach. O'Leary threatened her, saying: "You mess with me, I'm going to kill you". She punched Ms Madden in the face and resumed threatening her until the injured party's brother came down the stairs and ejected O'Leary from the premises. Destructive O'Leary, of Edel House Residential Centre, Grattan Street, Cork, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Ms Madden, causing her harm, at Cathedral View Walk, Dublin, on August 20, 2016. She had nine previous convictions. Det Gda O'Byrne agreed with Bernard Condon SC, defending, that the injured party has since put the matter behind her. Mr Condon submitted to Judge Melanie Greally that his client had her house repossessed and she ended up coming to Dublin while she was in a relationship. He said that relationship was destructive, involved the use of heroin, cocaine and alcohol, and led to her sleeping rough and becoming very unwell. He said his client was back in Cork, had no ongoing problems and was working on sobriety. Judge Greally noted that this incident coincided with "a low point of the accused's life". She said she had more options in sentencing as the knife had not inflicted any injuries. She ordered an updated report from the Probation Service and adjourned sentencing until March 28. The Enterprise train links Dublin and Belfast every day A faster, improved rail service between Dublin and Belfast would help tackle the challenges posed by Brexit, according to a report commissioned by councils on both sides of the border. Slashing the journey time between the two cities by more than half to an hour is among the proposals in a study by consultancy firm Arup as a way of accelerating economic growth. The Government's Project Ireland 2040 plan commits to a feasibility study for a high-speed rail link between the two biggest cities on the island. Five local authorities - Dublin City Council, Fingal and Louth County Councils, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Belfast City Council - have commissioned their own report. Opportunity That study says improved rail connectivity "offers the opportunity to tackle some of the challenges facing the whole island of Ireland in the future". These include the potential impact of Brexit and attracting foreign direct investment. The report argues that the current service between Dublin and Belfast is slow and infrequent. It says there are currently eight trains a day in each direction, taking two hours and 15 minutes to make the 100-mile journey. "By international standards, this is slow for a railway connecting two major cities," the report says. "Our vision of a 60-minute journey time would make the Belfast-Dublin corridor on a par with Frankfurt-Cologne." Other case studies examined by the authors are the Lisbon-Porto high-speed rail service in Portugal and the line between Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The study also highlights the importance of Dublin Airport in connecting Ireland to the rest of the world. The airport serves 30 million passengers a year and this is expected to grow to 50 million by the mid-2040s. Belfast International Airport has just over five million passengers a year. The report notes that neither airport is served by inter-city rail. Reducing journey times to Dublin Airport would "enhance global connections and spread further growth". The study lists six objectives to be achieved through better inter-city rail connectivity. They include enhancing economic growth, supporting increased housing and commercial developments, and reducing long-term car dependency. The report says that a "phased programme of improvements" could be made over the short and medium-term to allow the objectives to be achieved. Commerce Among options listed are providing a connection to Dublin Airport and having at least two trains an hour on the Dublin-Belfast line. Fine Gael councillor Tom O'Leary described the proposals in the study as "practical" in the context of Brexit, saying they would "keep the lines of commerce, business, tourism and cultural exchange open". In June, Irish Rail and Translink launched their new plan for an hourly service between Dublin and Belfast. The Better Connecting Dublin and Belfast strategy is a three-staged approach - starting with the introduction of a new fleet. With additional investment it sets out to reduce the average journey time to less than two hours. A 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 said the man who was killed "burst into" 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's home on February 18, 2017. He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. fought She told prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC that she was still in a relationship with Mr Connorton. They moved into Deerpark Avenue in November 2014 having previously spent time together in homeless accommodation. They have one son. 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 flat, they did not share a bed. "We fought all the time but we both love each other and wanted to keep trying," Ms McGrath said. She had known Mr McKeever since childhood and they met again when she started volunteering to work with the homeless, she said. "We made a connection," she said, and "one thing led to another." They had been seeing each other romantically behind Mr Connorton's back for about six weeks before Mr McKeever's 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, while 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." Her son 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 to "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. Mr Connorton realised what she was wearing and asked her: "Is there somebody there?" KNIFE 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. Mr Connorton 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. 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. "I don't even think he realised he had it. He was so focused on the fact that someone else was in his bed," Ms McGrath said. When she 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 Mr McKeever was a much bigger man and knocked Mr Connorton across the room and on to 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. Ms McGrath said Mr Connorton was telling Mr McKeever to get out, Mr McKeever was saying "she's mine" and she 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 taken there by him. He must, she said, have taken it with him from the bedroom. She took the kitchen knife off Mr Connorton after Mr McKeever had been stabbed. Mr McKeever said: "He got me," and started hitting Mr Connorton again but as he was punching him he turned and fell to the floor. 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. Ms McGrath spoke to gardai shortly afterwards but she said she may not have given "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 today. A showbiz journalist who claims he dislocated his elbow when he tripped on a step attending a Christmas panto in the Helix Theatre in Dublin 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. Pain Mr Sweeney, who was sitting at the front of the Helix with his family, said he got up to walk up the steps but did not locate the first step and fell unexpectedly into his side. He said he was immediately in a lot of pain. 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," Mr Sweeney added. He said the second step was lit up but the first step was not. Mr Sweeney (52), of Newtownparks, Skerries, Co Dublin, has sued Dublin City University (DCU), operator of the Helix, 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 Hanna said the issue in the case was whether there was "a disguised step". Mr Sweeney told the court 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 many times 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," he said. "When these questions were being asked I was waiting for the ambulance." Mr Sweeney said he saw the light in the second step and he asked why there was not a light on the first step. The case continues. British Prime Minister Theresa May will be told "emphatically" when she travels to Dublin this evening that the backstop must stay in place. The embattled UK leader's tour of Europe will take her to Government Buildings where it is understood Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will stand firm against the notion that the Withdrawal Agreement can be amended. Irish officials are now openly speculating that the most straightforward solution to the political crisis in the UK is to delay Brexit Day well beyond next March. Ministers yesterday discussed contingency plans for a no-deal scenario, but the Government continues to refuse to release any substantial details. Tanaiste Simon Coveney provided colleagues with a four-and-a-half page update on Ireland's preparedness for Brexit at Cabinet, but took the document back afterwards, fearing it would find its way into the public domain. "They are afraid to tell people how bad it's going to be if there's no deal. The real hope is that something will happen," one minister admitted. Sources said the document contained some details on plans for ramping up the recruitment of customs, veterinary and health officials. It also noted that swathes of legislation would have to be amended by the Dail in a hurry to acknowledge that the UK is no longer inside Europe's single market and customs union. Dublin will be looking to the EU to ensure workable arrangements are in place to allow air traffic to continue if the UK crashes out. Ministers have been told to continue insisting that Ireland is not preparing for a hard border, even as the prospect of a no-deal grows. Mrs May met with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte in The Hague and German leader Angela Merkel in Berlin yesterday. FRANK Both insisted negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement could not be reopened, but that they were willing to give assurances about how the exit treaty would be interpreted. Mrs May's mission then moved to Brussels where she held talks with EU Council President Donald Tusk. "Long and frank discussion with PM Theresa May ahead of Brexit summit. Clear that EU 27 wants to help. The question is how," he tweeted afterwards. That is what she will debate with Mr Varadkar in Dublin at around teatime today. It is understood the Taois- each will offer her a "sympathetic ear" but will not cede ground on the operation of the backstop. "Language is important, so maybe there is something that can be done outside of the Withdrawal Agreement, but it can't change the substance of the backstop," a source said. While the two leaders will pose for a photographer on the steps of Government Buildings, it has been decided that they should not risk taking media questions together. Mrs May is due back in the House of Commons for what is likely to be another round of theatrics before flying to Dublin. There were conflicting reports last night about the level of support among Conservative MPs for a no-confidence motion. Some Brexiteers in her party claimed that the threshold of 48 letters for a motion had been reached, but others indicated this was not the case. Mrs May brushed aside speculation about her future, saying her focus was on "dealing with the issue". THREAT "Whatever outcome we want, whatever relationship we want with the European Union in future, there is no deal available that doesn't have a backstop within it," she said. "But we don't 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." In the Dail, Mr Varadkar said everyone "wants to avoid a no-deal scenario, including in Britain, Ireland and the European Union". He said the "power exists" for the UK "to remove the threat of no deal from its own people, its economy, from ours and from Europe, should it wish to do so". Want to get on the good foot? Here are some tips health-fitness Aeromexico/Delta to Connect Guadalajara and Detroit Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico Aeromexico and Delta Air Lines continue to strengthen their joint cooperation agreement alliance by adding the Guadalajara-Detroit route to their transborder network starting May 1, 2019, with a focus on promoting technological and industrial development in the region. Guadalajara reported 4.1 percent growth in its State Economic Activity in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, which is above the national average, according to the local government. For its part, Detroit, considered the center of the automotive industry, has developed diverse economic opportunities beyond the sector, with the emergence of new growth poles such as technology. Aeromexico and Delta seek to leverage these business dynamics to build a bridge in the sky to encourage trade and further develop the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States. The new route will be operated three times a week, offering 99 seats, 11 of them in Clase Premier, Aeromexico's Business Class, on an Embraer 190 aircraft. The schedule follows: Guadalajara-Detroit: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Departure 8:57 am, Arrival 2:20 pm Detroit-Guadalajara: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday - Departure 3:45 pm, Arrival 7:52 pm *Times published are local to each country and are subject to changes without notice. Aeromexico and Delta Air Lines thus reaffirm their commitment to offering an increasing number of destinations between Mexico and the United States, while providing the best service that characterizes both airlines. About Aeromexico / Delta Air Lines The Aeromexico and Delta Air Lines Joint Cooperation Agreement (JCA), creates an expanded transborder route network enhancing competition between Mexico and the United States. With more than 1,100 weekly transborder flights, the airlines have added new destinations providing convenient schedules benefiting the customers of both companies, while deepening the relationship they have shared for more than 18 years as founders of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. Aeromexico offers greater access to Mexico through its hubs in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, and Delta provides service in the United States through its connecting hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City and Seattle. The airlines are enhancing the customer experience through increased connectivity, by investing in airport facilities, boarding gates, VIP lounges, and frequent flyer benefits through Club Premier and SkyMiles accruals. For more information on Aeromexico and Delta Air Lines visit: aeromexico-delta.com. Departmental leaders are among the most qualified public servants in the Federal Government. They are dedicated to ensuring the guidance and management necessary to support the health and well-being of the nation. Learn more about the Department's leadership: Secretary and Deputy Secretary Speaking to reporters at the Parliament on Wednesday, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi said she was happy at the victory of the Congress party in the three Hindi heartland states, and called it a win against the negative politics of the Bharatiya Janta Party. The Congress won three out of five states in the latest batch of assembly elections, whose results were declared Tuesday. The party swept Chhattisgarh winning 68 of 90 assembly seats. In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the Congress won 99 out of 199 seats and 114 of 230 seats, respectively. All three states had BJP-led governments in MP and Chhattisgarh, the BJP had won all previous elections since 2003, while in Rajasthan, the two parties have alternately held power in the past 20 years. The Congress lost power Mizoram, and its alliance in Telangana performed poorly. Hailing the Congress for its recent poll victories in the Hindi heartland, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party has played an important role in giving an alternative to the BJP. Pawar was addressing reporters at a meeting with party workers in Mumbai on the occasion of his 78th birthday. He also expressed a wish that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) join the opposition alliance, which held a gathering in Delhi on Monday. Congress has played an important role in giving an alternative to the BJP. Congress was receptive towards other smaller parties, Pawar said, adding that the people have expressed displeasure at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government. Pawar said that the BSP and the SP should be a part of the opposition alliance at the centre. BSP and SP should be a part of this alliance. They are not yet together with us, he said. On December 10, 21 opposition parties held a meeting in New Delhi and issued a joint statement as leaders of secular parties. While Pawar was part of this meeting, BSP supremo Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav gave it a miss. In October, Mayawati had ruled out an alliance with the Congress, and said that while Gandhis intention for an alliance was honest, other Congress leaders were actively sabotaging the efforts. She also accused the party of having a casteist mindset. The two parties have however, pledged support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, where it has fallen just short of the half way mark. Both BSP and SPs seats2 and 1 respectivelyalong with 4 independents, will help the Congress achieve a majority in the state. Sharad Pawar also expressed displeasure over the way the Gandhi family was targeted by the BJP during the election campaign. The election campaigning targeted only one family, but the BJP didnt realise that the new generation has not seen Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, he said. He said the Ram temple issue may not work for the BJP as it once did in the past, and alleged that the saffron party may try to create communal divide on the temple issue, calling it a matter of concern. The BJP is under pressure from its ideological fount the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, alliance partner Shiv Sena and other Hindutva organisations who are demanding a law on the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, on the site where the Babri Masjid once stood. On Wednesday, Shiv Sena MPs staged a protest in the Lok Sabha demanding immediate construction of the temple, leading the speaker to adjourn the house on the second day of the winter session of the Parliament. The issue of Ram temple was used once in the past and the BJP stood benefited by it. In case they (the BJP) raise the issue again, people do not accept an issue twice... So, I dont think it (Ram temple) will benefit them (the BJP), Pawar said. In the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), people equated Raman Singh with Jyoti Basu, the communist veteran who ruled West Bengal for 23 years and 137 days. Singh, 66, was the BJPs longest serving chief minister, completing 15 years in office on December 6. No other BJP CM has served for so long. Narendra Modi had an uninterrupted 4,610 days as Gujarat CM before becoming the 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. His dream run ended in a humiliation on Tuesday, with the BJP falling to 16 seats from its previous tally of 49. The doctor-politician had wrested Chhattisgarh from the Congress in 2003. With a strong 30% plus population of tribals, Chhattisgarh was a Congress bastion for decades and had contributed significantly in the formation of a Congress government in undivided Madhya Pradesh. If the BJPs 2003 victory was largely considered an anti-Ajit Jogi (the then CM) vote, the next two elections saw Singh returning to power on a positive vote. Singh earned the sobriquet chaur wale baba (rice saint) for distributing cheaper rice to a large section of the poor, won applause for introducing a leak-proof public distribution system, ushering in an era of industrialisation and bring the Maoist problem under check. But, as election approached, he struggled 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. The Congress, for the first time, was making direct and personal allegations against the humble leader. Anger among farmers over falling farm prices and a shift of other backward classes (OBC) votes towards the Congress, too, seemed to help the challengers. The Congresss promise for a farm loan waiver worked against us, a BJP leader in Delhi said. But we cannot believe that the Congress could pull the rug from under our feet in the urban areas. There, it seems, was a wave of anger against us, which we could not sense, an aide of the CM said. A disappointed Singh told reporters in Raipur, 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. We respect the mandate that the public has given. I congratulate the Congress on this success. I consider it my luck to serve the people of Chhattisgarh for the last 15 years. Sidharth Misha, president of the Centre for Reforms, Development and Justice, said Singh remains the BJPs tallest leader in Chhattisgarh and it would be incorrect to write his political obituary in the wake of this loss. He took over the reins of the Chhattisgarh BJP when the party was in tatters. He won three elections. Perhaps, the BJP should see an example in Ashok Gehlot who lost his election in Rajasthan in 2013 but worked tirelessly to revive the party not only in the desert state, but even outside. The BJP should use Singh in a similar role, he said. People close to Singh also said it was not the end of the road for the outgoing chief minister. He is just 66, and there is a lot of politics still left in him, a person close to the leader said. The person did not rule out Singh contesting the Lok Sabha election in April-May from Rajnandgaon, currently held by his son Abhishek Singh, and enter the national politics for a second innings. He was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government before being sent to Chhattisgarh to lead the BJP in the run up to the 2003 assembly election. Singh 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. Singh then studied Ayurveda at the government college in Raipur and got his BAMS degree at the age of 23. Singh earned the admiration of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP leadership while spending the next couple of years treating villagers in his native town. He made his political debut in 1990, getting elected to the Madhya Pradesh assembly. He was re-elected in 1993, and successfully contested the Lok Sabha polls from Rajnandgaon in 1999. He was a minister of state in the Vajpayee government at the Centre, named the Chhattisgarh BJP chief in 2003, and eventually led the party to victory that year. . Never write the obituary of a party. Or a leader. And never write the obituary of a party which is 133 years old, and a leader who belongs to a family which has produced three prime ministers. Never also underestimate the ability of the Indian electorate to throw up surprises. The Congress is back, winning the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. And it is back in the region where it was most deeply vulnerable. If there is a pattern in this set of elections, here are five factors Congress got right. Ironically, or perhaps appropriately, those are the same factors the BJP has got right since it embarked on its winning spree since 2014. The first is leadership. This was always Narendra Modis forte. What changed? Rahul Gandhi got it right not because he won the election on his own steam but because a leader has to take the right decisions. He took the right decisions in Madhya Pradesh. The state president was the old, but the resourceful, Kamal Nath who knew how to rev up an organisation. Jyotiraditya Scindia was the most popular of all leaders across regions and demographics. Digvijay Singh knew the state organisation inside out but was kept in the background because of his perceived public unpopularity. In Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot was most popular. Sachin Pilot worked hard, and rebuilt the organisation. In Chhattisgarh, TS Singh Deo, as the Thakur leader and leader of opposition, and Tamardhwaj Sahu and Bhupesh Bagel, as the key swingers of the crucial Other Backward Classes vote, were empowered. Gandhi picked no chief ministerial candidate, although he will have to do so now (but everyone worked hard believing that they had a chance). But in a loose organisational setup, to manage leadership, and reconcile factions, is testament to Gandhis underestimated management skills. Once he had figured leadership, he led from the front with an aggressive and energetic campaign. Read more| PM Modi taught me a lesson: Rahul Gandhi after Congress takes 2 states The second is religion. In Indian elections, you have to get religion right. The BJP has always relied on polarisation, portraying itself as the Hindu and the Congress as the pro-Muslim party. The Congress, soon after the 2014 elections but definitely after the Uttar Pradesh elections, realised that it had to change its game. And this led to Rahul Gandhi picking up straight from his grandmothers textbook of displaying Hindu religiosity rather than from his great grandfathers practice of aggressive agnosticism. Many criticised this as the Congress turn to soft Hindutva. But Gandhi stayed on the path, convinced that he needed to be in tune with the beliefs , but not necessarily the prejudices, of his society. The polarisation trick did not work. The third is the economic narrative. The BJP constructed the vikas (development) promise as an overarching platform. It is unravelling. Watch: Assembly Polls: Key takeaways for Rahul Gandhi from verdict 2018 The Congress picked up local issues in each district and constituency. It helped that the party was the challenger and thus had the advantage of taking on an incumbent. But as Gandhi said in each state, there were two pillars of the partys strategy, a promise to protect farmers, reeling from low prices, and a promise to provide jobs to the young. Agrarian distress and unemployment have become the two biggest failures of the government. The Congress capitalised on the resentment, and promised both short term measures such as loan waivers and longer term measures of promising ways to encourage small and medium industries everywhere to create jobs. These are not easy promises to keep, but for now they have worked. It also built on the anger that has been accumulating over both demonetisation and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax. No Indian election can be won without getting caste right, and this is the fourth factor. The BJP has, since 2014, become an inclusive Hindu party. It has consolidated upper castes, and gone beyond them to win over the support of OBCs, Dalits and tribals. Read more| How the Congress performance in this election alters calculus for 2019 The Congress recognised it had to be as all-embracing. It went back to the upper castes and leveraged on their latent sense that the BJP has betrayed them by turning pro backward and Dalit. It went to the Dalits and constantly emphasised the BJPs upper caste character. It picked on local issues, from the encounter of a Rajput gangster in Rajasthan to putting up its own upper caste candidates in several constituencies. It also sought to win back the OBC vote by giving them representation in leadership in both Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. All of this helped the Congress create a far more inclusive and umbrella coalition within the Hindu fold than it has at any point since 2014. The fifth is organisation, which matters. And the BJP has got this right with the extensive use of its booth committee and panna pramukhs and cadre based machine. The Congress knew it cannot replicate the BJP and RSS machine. But it needed boots on the ground. Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan did this over the past four years. Kamal Nath did this in Madhya Pradesh over the past eight months, building on an already strong base. And the collective leadership of Chhattisgarh did this over two years, especially after the exit of Ajit Jogi. They were ably assisted by the Congress data analytics team and the Shakti programme, which gave to the Congress, for the first time, an in-depth sense of its own organisational base by connecting its workers to the leadership. Elections are both simple and complex. Their outcomes cannot be attributed to a single factor. But if you get leadership, caste, religion, economics and organisation right, you have a better chance of winning. The BJP taught the Congress that over the past four years. The Congress has learnt well and turned the tables, to return to the heartland and make the 2019 election an entirely open game. For more on Assembly elections, click here. A defining feature of the elections in the past four years has been the way Amit Shah has redefined the way they are fought. This, complemented by Narendra Modis popularity, has arguably been a central factor in the BJPs dream run. Tuesdays outcome has raised questions about the limits of his method of election management. Does it work in all settings? Can organisation be a substitute for governance? And most importantly, is Shah a better challenger than defender? Shah has focused on expanding the partys base; selection of candidates after multiple feedback mechanisms; beginning campaigns early; strengthening booth committees and even appointing panna pramukhs in charge of each voter roll; and voter mobilisation on polling day. Make no mistake. This has made BJP formidable -- and the fact that it could convert what was supposed to be an easy win for Congress in Rajasthan into a battle, and almost defend Madhya Pradesh owes something to this ability of the machine.But a few issues have emerged. Is the excessive focus on internal organisational work actually distracting workers on the ground from listening to the people and reaching out to voters. Ticket distribution is a dilemma for any party. But it is particularly true for an incumbent. If you repeat MLAs, you risk confronting local resentment. If you dont repeat MLAs, you risk them rebelling and standing against the official candidates. This time around, an analysis by How India Lives for HT showed that the share of candidates repeated by BJP in MP and Chhattisgarh was higher than in the 2008 and 2013 polls. It was lower in Rajasthan by three percentage points. While a detailed analysis of whether those who got repeated have won or lost will take time, it is clear that both strategies have risks. And Shahs model does not have a clear cut answer for it. Shah also believes in deeply aggressive campaigning, which primarily attacks the rival. In 19 of the 22 elections post 2014, BJP was the challenger. This worked. But as it defends its record, the focus has to shift on governance achievements. Voters perhaps are jaded by just sheer attacks, which they have heard in the past already. The partys strategy to defend its record relies on direct outreach to beneficiaries of governance welfare schemes. That is good, but that is clearly not good enough, for peoples aspirations have moved beyond just welfare to other economic concerns. A formidable organisation cannot neutralise governance failures. Political scientist Manisha Priyam said, The narrative was important in these elections- of distress amongst farmers, conjoined with dwindling cash amongst landless labourers. Amit Shahs machinery could not overwhelm the narrative. The machine is formidable. But it is faltering and it needs more than a fresh coat of paint. It needs re-engineering. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) The extension of martial law in Mindanao faced its first challenge after Congress approved it: an order to step up attacks against government forces nationwide. In a statement hours after Congress approved President Rodrigo Duterte's request to extend military rule in the south for a full year until December 31, 2019, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) called on its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), to "mount tactical offensives across the country." "All NPA units must exert all possible effort to punish the worst fascist units and officers of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) who have committed grave crimes against the people," the statement read. It said one more year of Mindanao martial law "will result in more killings, abductions, torture and worse abuses against the people." The military and police have said reports of human rights abuses are just allegations but vowed to investigate these. The CPP-NPA, which has waged a five-decade insurgency, was among lawless groups cited by Duterte in his request for a third martial law extension. He said more than 1,000 communist rebels have been "neutralized" under military rule, but urged Congress not to give them "any further breathing room to regroup and strengthen their forces." CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison, in his Facebook post, reiterated that the extension is a prelude to declaring martial law nationwide, "which ensures Duterte control of the results of the elections if any and the cha-cha for fascist dictatorship under the guise of a bogus kind of federalism." Defense Secretary Delfin Lorezana during Wednesday's joint session assured the public that the military will make sure midterm elections in 2019 will be "orderly, honest, and peaceful." READ: Congress grants third extension of Mindanao martial law until end of 2019 The CPP earlier declared a unilateral ceasefire in observance of the holiday season and its 50th anniversary. The truce will take effect 12:01 a.m. of December 24 to 11:59 p.m. of December 26. Another ceasefire is at 12:01 a.m. of December 31 to 11:59 p.m. of January 1, 2019. Lorenzana has said he is not inclined to recommend doing the same. In the past, the government and the rebels accused each other of violating ceasefires, prompting Duterte to terminate peace talks in November 2017. The government's bid to tag the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group is still pending in court. In 2014, Nitish was not with in NDA, but joined later after ditching RJD; HAM-S and RLSP were, but both are out now. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) did not have much stake in the five states that went to polls, but the celebrations at its office in Patna, to match the fervour in the Congress camp as the results started trickling in, was a clear indication of what it meant for the party and the Opposition. The mood in the JD(U) and BJP offices, which are at a stones throw from each other, was quiet, even as their leaders tried to put up a brave front in the face of disturbing initial trends from all five states. Chhattisgarh, some of them admitted by afternoon, was a shocker. The former NDA allies, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM)-Secular and former union minister Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), were euphoric and seeking credit for the much-awaited turnaround. Manjhi switching over to the Grand Alliance has augured well. Ever since he joined, the Opposition has been scripting victories and it would continue even in 2019, said HAM-S spokesman Danish Rizwan, adding that the verdict was a warning bell for the ruling dispensation in Bihar also. A day after leaving the NDA, Kushwaha was also quick to hit back. In democracy, only peoples mandate wins. Rhetoric gets exposed one day. Many thanks to Rahul Gandhi, he tweeted, in a clear indication of where he is headed to. Their statements have put the focus on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. While chief minister Nitish Kumar did not make any remark on the poll verdict, the generally active Twitter account of deputy CM Sushil Kumar was also quiet. Senior NDA leaders were said to be waiting for the final verdict, hoping for the Madhya Pradesh cliffhanger to swing their way as a saving grace. Like in Chhattisgarh, the NDA has been in power in Bihar since 2005, barring a brief stint in 2015-16 when Nitish Kumar stitched Grand Alliance (GA) with the RJD and the Congress to rout the BJP in the assembly elections before getting back into the NDA fold in 2017. In 2014, Nitish Kumar was not with the NDA, but HAM-S and RLSP were. Both are out now. Who next? Keep a watch. GA is growing. There is room for strains in NDA, as was witnessed during the recent Patna University students union polls, in which the JD(U) and the BJP fought a bitter battle in a low-stake poll. Opposition has tasted the joy of unity this time and will not like to fritter it away, said a senior RJD leader. JD (U) Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh, however, said the Vidhan Sabha elections verdict in five states would not have any impact in Bihar, where the NDA remains as firm as ever and would do well in the general elections next year. India is a democracy. One party wins and another will lose. This is its beauty. Congress was out of power in those states and now they have got the opportunity. In monarchy, one family keeps ruling. We have a strong coalition in Bihar and we will do well, he said. JD(U) general secretary Sanjay Jha said that assembly and parliamentary polls were different battles. Dont compare chalk and cheese. After 15 years of rule, a government is bound to face anti-incumbency. Perhaps, the yardstick for the BJP is too stiff. Yet, BJP has done well in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, which goes to its credit. Ours is a tested alliance in Bihar and it remains strong, he said. Congress will choose the chief ministers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh after taking the opinion of each of the newly elected legislators, spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Wednesday, although the MLAs have authorised party president Rahul Gandhi to choose the persons for the top job. Congress believes in the democratic process of knowing the view point of each elected legislator. After consulting everybody, well give a CM candidate and a government that truly reflects will of people of these three states, Surjewala said. Congress had won or was the leading party in the elections in the three states, whose results were declared on Tuesday. A Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting held on wednesday in the three states authorised Rahul Gandhi to choose the chief minister. However, Rahul has appointed observers for the states AK Antony for Madhya Pradesh, Mallikarjun Kharge for Chhattisgarh and KC Venugopal for Rajasthan. The observers along with general secretary in-charges have gone to their respective states and have talked to the legislators. Once they know opinion of each legislator, despite universal resolution leaving the choice to Congress president, he wants to go by choice of legislators, Surjewala said. In MP and Rajasthan, the party faces a directional choice between the experience of two veterans and the dynamism of two young leaders in their forties. Former Union minister and state Congress president Kamal Nath, 72, and the partys chief whip in the Lok Sabha and campaign committee chief for the state, Jyotiraditya Scindia, 47, are the front-runners for the post in Madhya Pradesh. Both did not contest the assembly elections. According to state unit media coordinator, the decision will be announced at 4 pm on Thursday at a CLP meeting in Raipur. Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot, 67, and state party president Sachin Pilot, 41, are in the race for the chief ministers post in Rajasthan. Both contested the assembly elections, with Gehlot retaining Sardarpura and Pilot emerging victorious from Tonk. In Chhattisgarh, the race is primarily between state unit chief and Patan MLA Bhupesh Baghel, party veteran TS Singh Deo, who was the leader of opposition in the former assembly, and the partys lone Lok Sabha MP from the state, Tamradhwaj Sahu. The Congress was one short of a clear majority in Rajasthan, winning 99 of the 199 seats for which polls were held.In Madhya Pradesh, it was two short of the 116 mark while in Chhattisgarh, it had bagged two-thirds majority with 68 seats. The observer started the conversation, asking about the election, [the legislators] political background and then asked the opinion [on who should be CM]. The process took 3-4 minutes, said a legislator who did not want to be named. Another source in Chhattisgarh said Rahul has personally spoken to around 20 MLAs and Kharge has met all the 68 legislators. In MP, Nath and Scindia, along with senior leaders Digvijaya Singh, Suresh Pachauri, Vivek Tankha and Arun Yadav, met Governor Anandiben Patel to stake the partys claim for government formation. When asked whether he would be interested in taking up the post of the chief minister in MP, Scindia told reporters: Of course, it will be a privilege. He said he would abide by whatever the party decided. Early in the day, legislators, as well as Congress rebels, started gathering at the residence of Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur calling for his selection as the chief minister. Independent MLAs Kanti Lal and Ramkesh Meena said they are going to support the Congress party only on the condition if Gehlot becomes the chief minister. Gehlot is peoples leader and we are with him, Ramkesh Meena, the Independent MLA who won from Gangapur city, said. On the CM candidate in Chhattisgarh, Singh Deo 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. Actor Katrina Kaif had a witty reply when asked a rather awkward question at a recent press event. She was at the song launch of her upcoming film Zero in Mumbai when she was asked if she considered herself lucky to be her co-star Shah Rukh Khans first on-screen kiss in Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Katrina, who will be seen with Shah Rukh again in Zero, said its him who is the lucky one. Who said I am the lucky one. He is lucky, she said. At the same event, Katrina said she is grateful for all the highs and lows in her career as they have contributed to her growth as an actor. The actor, who gained prominence in the mid 2000s with films such as Maine Pyaar Kyu Kiya, Namastey London and Singh is Kinng among others, has come to be known as one of top female stars in the commercial sphere of Bollywood. Katrina Kaif performs at the launch of Husn Parcham, new song from upcoming film Zero in Mumbai on Dec 12. (IANS) I feel very fortunate that Ive experienced so many beautiful things in all these years. Ive seen ups and downs, the worst times and the highest of times, I just feel fortunate for everything Ive gone through. I feel fortunate today to be able to be working on a film like Zero and to be a part of this with the kind of talent that we have- Aanand sir, Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, Katrina told reporters at the launch of her song Husn Parcham from Zero. Katrina says she is happy with the opportunities that are coming her way. As long as I am getting the opportunity to showcase, learn and take my art forward with the best people we have today in the industry, I am really grateful. As long as I learn everyday and improve on my craft, give my audience something new, I feel happy, she says. The song launch comes after Issaqbaazi, the dance number featuring Shah Rukh and Salman. That song comes at such an important point in the film when Salman Khan enters, it is very important. It is actually the perfect situation. Nobody else could have done that except him (Salman). It was very gracious of Salman to do the song for Aanand sir. Mumbai: Actress Katrina Kaif with filmmaker Anand L. Rai at the launch of "Husn Parcham", new song from upcoming film "Zero" in Mumbai on Dec 12, 2018. (Photo: IANS) (IANS) Everyone is fond of Aanand sir, so he gets away with a lot of things. But I think it is a beautiful song and every time I see it, the song brings a smile to my face, she said. At the event she was also asked about attending Deepika-Ranveers reception and her growing friendship with the Padmaavat actor. I was invited to the wedding, and I am a person who reacts quite instinctively and emotionally, I felt it in my heart to go, and I went. We had a wonderful time, we danced till the wee hours of the morning, and I ate half the chocolate there, so I might not be invited at any of their functions again. But, we really had a wonderful time, there was a lot of warmth and it was really beautiful. We had a really nice time and I was really happy to be there, she said. Zero is scheduled to release on December 21. (With inputs from PTI) Follow @htshowbiz for more It is the wedding season in Bollywood. With two high-profile weddings, those of Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, we have had endless days of photos and videos of beautiful people and their marriage functions. In the case of both these women, one of the most striking feature was the flourish with which they wore their marital status. Both have worn sindoor (vermilion worn by many married Indian women) and chooda (a feature typical of married Punjabi women) with pride and self assurance. To an entire generation that has gone by, these may have been symbols of patriarchy, but these women are infusing a different value system into it. For them, it may just be a symbol of marital bliss, not subjugation. Standing in agreement with the sentiment is Priyankas mother, who shared a picture of a married Priyanka, speaking at a public event. She wrote: Sindoor not synonymous to bondage!! Watch Priyanka take centre stage. Sindoor not synonymous to bondage!! Watch Priyanka take centre stage https://t.co/yWurmtN7Te Madhu Chopra (@chopramadhu1) December 8, 2018 Dressed in a flowing glittery gown, Priyanka can be seen taking centre stage even as Nick Jonas looks on from sidelines. Madhu declares that sindoor is not a symbol of subjugation. That marriage is no impediment to work was proven by Priyanka, from the word go, when she attended a dating app called Bumble launch, days after her wedding. She is currently away with husband Nick, enjoying her honeymoon in Oman. Priyanka and Nick got married on December 1 and December 2, in accordance with Christian and Hindu rituals in Jodhpurs spectacular Umaid Bhawan. She followed it up with a reception in Delhi on December 4, which was also attended by PM Narendra Modi. The couple will host a reception in Mumbai for her industry friends, reportedly on December 20. Follow @htshowbiz for more Shah Rukh Khan has provided an update about his childrens acting ambitions. Neither Aryan nor Suhana have been groomed to be actors, he said in a recent interview. Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, the actor, who will next be seen in Zero, said that his daughter wants to become an actor, but she will go to an educational institute for three-four years to train in acting after finishing school. Suhana recently performed on stage with her friends, and filmed a short movie. Pictures from both the play and the short were shared online. Shah Rukh said that Aryan wants to become a director, and hes training for it in the US. Gauri and I never told our kids that they have to grow up to be actors. People around would say handsome hai, tall hai, body achcha hai, but if looks were a criterion, Id never have been an actor, Shah Rukh continued. The star said that he would offer his children all the advice he could, with his 30 years worth of experience in the industry, but said that an actor should not be concerned about wearing nice clothes or driving nice cars. If you want that then get into banking. Its safer, Shah Rukh said. This job is about how happily, longingly, desperately and crazily you want to act. Shah Rukhs Zero is his most expensive film, with a reported budget of Rs 200 crore. Extensive visual effects were required to create his character, a dwarf named Bauaa Singh. In the film, directed by Aanand L Rai, Bauaa gets caught in a love triangle with Katrina Kaifs film star and Anushka Sharmas scientist characters. Zero is scheduled for a December 21 release. It will be followed by Ranveer Singhs Simmba the week after that. Follow @htshowbiz for more Bhupesh Baghel has been Chhattisgarh president of the Congress for the last five years and has take Raman Singhs Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government head on. Baghel belongs to the Kurmi community, which makes up around 14% of the states electorate. In an interview with HT, Baghel spoke about the Congresss sweeping victory and who is likely to be the next chief minister of Chhattisgarh. What do you attribute this victory to? Rahul Gandhi is completing his first year as Congress president and the credit should go to him for his able leadership. Then, theres the hard work put in by our state in-charge PL Punia and his team. The collective effort of the Congress leadership and dedication of Congress workers has made this victory possible. I would say that this is a victory of the people of Chhattisgarh, as this puts an end to the suffering of farmers, unemployed youth, tribals and every other section of the society. What are the main factors that have helped the Congress win these polls in Chhattisgarh ? We have been fighting for every section of society for the last five years. We fought for farmers, victims of chit fund companies, government employees etc. Rahul Gandhis call for the waiver of farmers loans has helped us immensely, it later became a pivotal part of our manifesto. Who will be the next CM of Chhattisgarh? The Congress is a democratic party. After all the results are out, there will be a meeting of our MLAs, who will voice their opinions. After that, the Congress high command will take an appropriate decision. As per the constitution, all elected MLAs are entitled to become CM. Read | I take responsibility, says Raman Singh as Congress sweeps Chhattisgarh elections How has Rahul Gandhi helped in winning these elections? Rahul Gandhi has been a guiding force for us. He gave me the task of getting the party a majority in the state. He has kept Chhattisgarh under a collective leadership. He came to Chhattisgarh whenever we wanted and undertook multiple Padyatras for Jal (water), Jungle and Zameen (land) here. He also addressed rallies in every Lok Sabha seat. Do you think this election will have a bearing upon the Lok Sabha elections? Our victory in the assembly elections has proved that Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are not invincible. Amit Shah will not be termed an election winning machine any more. This has proved that people now believe in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. After the kinds of results we are seeing in Chhatttisgarh, Rajasthan and MP, perceptions about the Narendra Modi government will also change and this will become a tide against the BJP in the country. Click here for complete coverage of Chhattisgarh Assembly Election and Results 2018 Why did the Amit Jogi & Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) factor not work in Chhattisgarh? Ajit Jogi has been a burden for the Congress and because of him, we lost the last three elections in the state. When we decided to get rid of him, we were well aware of the fact that this will benefit us in a big way. People of Chhattisgarh know that he is not a tribal and that he falsely created an impression of being a big Scheduled Caste vote puller. It was a similar case with the BSP, whose vote share has been shrinking gradually. Their decision to come together was a game plan drawn up by Amit Shah and company. They thought that it will damage the Congress but in reality, it was just the opposite. What will be the Congresss priorities after forming the government in Chhattisgarh? As promised, there will be loan waivers for the farmers within 10 days. Then, we will give ~ 2,500 as the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy. A ban will be imposed on outsourcing in government jobs. A new development policy for tribal people will be implemented soon. We will also address issues related to government employees. The Congress in Chhattisgarh will hold its legislature party meeting in Raipur on Wednesday to decide on the next chief minister of the state. Congress Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T S Singhdeo are front-runners for the top post. The Congress registered a landslide victory in the Chhattisgarh polls, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. 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. Read: Chhattisgarh election results 2018: Swayamvar underway for CM post The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. Former chief minister Ajit Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) won five seats and his ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. Click here, for overall coverage on Chhattisgarh assembly election results. The Shiv Sena is weighing its options in the wake of the triple poll jolt suffered by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the heartland. The Senas biggest concern is: Will the vote against the BJP, its ally in Maharashtra, sink its ship too? Political observers say the Sena is likely to get more aggressive against the BJP in the coming days. The partys cautious response to the Congress victory and a carefully calibrated statement by Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray have sent out the signal that the party is wary of the Congress revival. The Sena spokesperson termed the poll results in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh not so much a victory of Congress as an expression of the peoples anger against the BJP. Though the Sena may get more aggressive against the BJP, it is unlikely to walk out of the government. Its dilemma is whether to go for anti-BJP votes or consolidate its existing support base in alliance with the BJP. In case of the latter, the party will use the BJPs poor performance to its advantage while negotiating for seats for the Maharashtra assembly elections, due next September. The Sena is also expected to step up its efforts in rural areas where there is discontent over the agrarian crisis. So far, the Sena was eyeing anti-BJP votes in an attempt to regain its senior-partner status in Maharashtra. However, with the Congress in revival mode, it is likely to forge an alliance with the BJP. There is no official word on an alliance yet but a section of the Sena leadership is keen on one. Nearly a year ago, the Sena had announced that it would contest all future elections without tying up with the BJP. But BJP leaders in the state have publicly showed interest in a pre-poll alliance with the Sena. It is in the interest of the Sena to go with the BJP. There are two reasons for that first, to keep Congress-Nationalist Congress Party at bay; and second, despite the ground-level presence, the party is not that strong in certain regions to go solo. We can demand better in this changed political scenario. The decision rests with Uddhav ji, a Sena functionary said. Sena spokesperson and MP from south Mumbai, Arvind Sawant, said his partys performance is not likely to be impacted by anti-BJP votes. Shiv Sena did not get carried away with the BJP. On the contrary, because of Shiv Sena, a number of issues have been resolved from farm loan waivers to reservation for Marathas. Had Sena not taken a stand, even this government would not have done it. Therefore, Shiv Sena will be treated differently by the people, he said. Political analyst Prakash Bal said relations between the two parties had improved in the last few months and a future alliance is on the cards. The Sena will use this (BJPs defeat) to extract their pound of flesh when they sit for discussion The common ground of Hindutva was created for an alliance, he said. The Centre had failed to get tangible results in terms of better wages for labourers or better prices for farmers produce. Asset creation has happened in the last four years; roads, toilets, houses have been built, but there is no rise in the income of the people the wage labourer or the farmers and that anger is reflected in voting pattern. A similar situation is in Maharashtra. Asset creation is an output, but whats the outcome? The Fadnavis-govt has not done it, nor has BJP leadership achieved it at national level, he said. In a potentially controversial order, a Meghalaya high court judge has requested the Prime Minister, home minister, law minister and MPs to pass a law that will allow Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos who have come to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to live in India and be given citizenship without them having to produce any documents. Even today in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos are tortured and they have no place to go and those Hindus who entered India during Partition are still considered as foreigners which in my understanding is highly illogical, illegal and against the principle of natural justice, justice Sudip Ranjan Sen said on December 10. Sen then made the request that such people from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan be allowed to live in India, as he delivered his ruling on a petition relating to the refusal of a domicile certificate to a Meghalaya resident. The order added that Hindus and Sikhs who are of Indian origin and currently residing abroad should be allowed to come back to India at any time and granted citizenship automatically. The judge said also said India should have been declared a Hindu nation. Pakistan declared themselves an Islamic country and India, since [it] was divided on the basis of religion, should have also been declared as a Hindu country but it remained as a secular country, the order said. Judge Sen directed the assistant solicitor general, government of India, to deliver copies of the judgement to the Prime Minister, home minister, law minister, governor of Meghalaya and also the chief minister of West Bengal. I make it clear that nobody should try to make India as another Islamic country, otherwise it will be a dooms day for India and the world. I am confident that only this Government under Shri. Narendra Modiji will understand the gravity, and will do the needful he said. On Wednesday, the powerful Khasi Students Union disagreed with the court order. KSU general secretary Donald Thabah said, The recent appeal by the Meghalaya High Court to the Prime Minister to grant instantaneous citizenship to the aforesaid groups once they seek refuge in India, which the Union completely disagrees, without taking into account all the aspects including the demographic structure of the Northeastern states of India. The KSU leader argued that if immediate citizenship is granted to migrants, then the indigenous communities of Northeast India are bound to be wiped out. The body of a man was found buried in south Kashmirs Kulgam on Tuesday after he was abducted in October following the death of ten people, including civilians, in a gunfight and explosion in his house in the district. Police said they recovered the body of Sheeraz Ahmad Bhat, believed to be in his thirties, from an orchard near Awhatoo village of Kulgam after three overground workers (OGWs) allegedly working for militants disclosed the information on their questioning. The preliminary post-mortem findings of the deceased suggest bullet wounds and torture marks on his body parts, said Kulgams senior superintendent of police Harmeet Singh in a statement. Bhat, a resident of Laroo Kulgam, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on October 27 a week after a gun battle between militants and security forces and subsequent explosion of stray explosives in his house claimed the lives of 10 people, including seven civilians who had rushed to the site after the killing of three Jaish-e-Mohammad militants. Singh said their investigation reveals Bhat was kidnapped and killed by militants before brutally torturing him with the help of their aides. The trio along with some other OGWs were very much active in the whole planning of killing along with active local and foreign terrorists of JeM and HM (Hizbul Mujahideen) outfit respectively, the SSP said. The official said they have recovered one of the vehicles used in the crime on the disclosure of the OGWs. He said police are now in the process of making more arrests and subsequent disclosures are also expected in the case. Such killings have been on the rise in the valley. A former special police officer was abducted and killed by suspected militants in Shopian district on November 23. Two other abducted men were, however, released unharmed but police found Basharat Ahmads body from Nikloora in Pulwama. A week before that two out of the seven civilians abducted by suspected militants in the district were found killed. An 18-year-old was shot dead on November 15 and a 19-year-old was found with his throat slit on November 17 as Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo issued an audio threat against police and army informers. Assembly poll results in three BJP-ruled statesMadhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Rajasthanhave pepped up the morale of the Grand Alliance (GA) leaders in Bihar. The mood at the offices of Congress and the RJD was visibly upbeat, as party leaders began celebrating the initial leads of the counting. Crackers were burst and party leaders beat drums to celebrate their successes in the afternoon. Buoyed by the peoples mandate in favour of the party in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Madan Mohan Jha said the days of Jumlebaaz government at the Centre were numbered. People have realised that Narendra Modi government has nothing to offer them in reality. They would vote aggressively in 2019 polls to give BJP a befitting reply, said Jha. More than the BJPs defeat in its bastions, the results also re-established Congress as the only rallying force to take on and defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leaders said, while hoping it would strengthen the partys position among its allies in Bihar to bargain for more seats in the 2019 parliamentary polls. Apparently foreseeing the Congresss upsurge in major states, former deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav already urged the party to let the strong local ally in Bihar on the driving seat of the GA. RJD MLA and spokesman Bhai Birendra called for bringing all secular parties under one umbrella to rout the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nationally. Its time for alliance politics and the Congress should also realise it if it wants to unseat the BJP from power, he said. All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesman and MLC Prem Chandra Mishra predicted that the results would speed up the process for disintegration of the NDA in Bihar and in rest of the country. RLSP has already deserted the NDA, while other allies like Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP and Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) are waiting to quit, he said. Another senior Congress leader Kishore Kumar Jha said the results of recently held state polls, including those in Gujarat and Karnataka, had demonstrated the growing confidence of the people on Rahul Gandhis leadership quality. It will pave the way for return of Congress and its ally to the power at the Centre, said Jha. Taking the responsibility for the Bharatiya Janata Partys defeat in Madhya Pradesh, three-time chief minister of the central state Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigned on Wednesday. Chouhan said the BJP will not stake claim to form the next government, paving the way for the return of the Congress in crucial Madhya Pradesh after 15 years. Ab main mukt hoon (I am free now). I have tendered my resignation to the honourable governor. The responsibility of defeat is totally mine. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji, said the outgoing chief minister. We dont believe in politics of jod-tod. No one has got the mandate but since we also do not have the mandate, we didnt stake claim to forming the government, Chouhan added. Watch: BSP will support Congress in Madhya Pradesh to keep BJP out, says Mayawati Chouhan won from the Budhni assembly constituency as he defeated his nearest rival, Congress Arun Yadav. 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 afraid in the face of either defeat or victory, whatever comes my way of duty, I will accept it, because this is also true and that is also true), he also recited a line from the poem often quoted by late former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It was written by Hindi poet Shiv Mangal Singh Suman. State Congress chief Kamal Nath met Governor Anandiben Patel at about 12 pm and submitted a letter with the names of Independents and others supporting the party. The Congress staked the claim in Madhya Pradesh after emerging as the largest party in a see-saw battle with the BJP till late on Tuesday night. The Congress is two seat short of the majority mark of 116 in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly. Bahujan Samaj Partys Mayawati, whose two candidates have won, and Samajwadi Party with one winner have already announced they will support the Congress-led government in the state. Of the four Independents, three have come out in support of the Congress. On Tuesday night, Kamal Nath had written to the governor saying 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 the letter. The Congress lawmakers will meet later today to pick the chief ministerial candidate. Kamal Nath and party campaign committee chairperson Jyotiraditya Scindia are front-runners for the post. It has sent former defence minister AK Antony as an observer for the legislature party meeting. He is also expected to interact with the senior party leaders and individually with the legislators to gauge their mood. Antony would then inform the party high command about the prevailing view among party leaders and legislators in Bhopal, said senior Congress leaders. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP)s support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan sparked speculation of a grand alliance of opposition parties against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) taking shape in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. At a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday, Mayawati said though she did not agree with the ideology and policies of the Congress, she decided to support the party to keep the BJP out of power. The BSP, which claims to champion the cause of Dalits, won two seats in Madhya Pradesh and six seats in Rajasthan. To fight for the welfare of these communities, we had to form a separate political party. If the Congress had followed the ideals of (Dalit icon Bhimrao) Ambedkar, then there would have been no need to launch a new party, nor the BJP would have got the opportunity to broaden its support base, she said. SP president Akhilesh Yadav, too, announced support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. The SP is committed to keep the BJP out of power. We have extended support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress will fulfil the promises made to the people during the election campaign, Yadav said. The BSP and the SPs support will help the Congress cross the majority mark, which it is short of by two seats in Madhya Pradesh and one seat in Rajasthan. Mayawati had snubbed the Congress during seat-sharing talks in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. She tied up with the Ajit Jogi-led Janta Congress Chattisgarh (JCC). Holding the Congress responsible for the failure of talks, she said the BSP was not offered a respectable number of seats. Watch: BSP will support Congress in Madhya Pradesh to keep BJP out: Mayawati Both Mayawati and Akhilesh had skipped an Opposition parties meeting in New Delhi Monday, convened to discuss the strategy for the Lok Sabha polls. Their absence was seen as a potential setback to opposition efforts to form a grand alliance against the BJP in the 2019 polls. Political observer RK Gautam said the resurgence of the Congress in the three states would have an impact on Uttar Pradesh as well. If the BSP-SP work to form an alliance against the BJP, they will have to take Congress on board, he added. SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said talks with Congress leaders will be held once discussions on seat-sharing formulae for the general election begin. A senior BSP leader said that talks are on with the SP leadership in UP for a pre-poll alliance in the Lok Sabha election. Mayawati will chair a meeting of party leaders soon to discuss the strategy for the Lok Sabha election and the formation of a grand alliance, he said. Doctors at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital on Wednesday successfully removed a pellet lodged in the right eye of an 18-month-old girl, the youngest victim of pellet firing by security forces to disperse protesters in the Valley. The girl, Hiba Nisar,was injured on November 25. Wednesdays was the second surgery she underwent. Doctors who operated on her arent optimistic of her regaining full vision. We removed the pellet but we cant say anything about the recovery. She has a badly injured eye and it is difficult to predict whether she will regain vision in the eye or not, said Sabia Rashid, the ophthalmologist who operated upon the toddler. Hiba Nisar was among the 50 people injured by pellets and bullets in south Kashmirs Shopian district on November 25 during clashes between locals and security forces following an encounter with militants in Batagund village. As security forces fired a tear gas, my wife rushed Hiba and our five-year-old son outside to save them from choking. As she opened the door, a burst of pellets hit her hand and one got stuck in Hibas right eye, said Nisar Ahmad, Hibas father, who works as a labourer on apple farms. Doctors will tell us about our daughters eye situation tomorrow. She is so small and is unable to bear her pain. We hope she will get cured, added a distraught Nisar Ahmad. More than 6,000 people were injured by pellets including 1,100 those who sustained eye injuries in the months of unrest which followed Burhan Wanis death in an encounter with security forces in 2016. Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who had visited Hibas family at the hospital, strongly demanded an immediate ban on the use of pellet guns. Heart wrenching to see baby Hiba under the influence of anaesthesia as she undergoes a second eye surgery while her parents cry. Such extreme cruelty! Ask government of India to stop the tyranny of the pellet gun on Kashmiris, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on a social media website. The Rajasthan high court on Wednesday stayed arrest of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Twitter Jack Dorsey in connection with a First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him for hurting sentiments of the Brahmin community. The court refused to quash the FIR lodged against him. When the prosecution requested the court to order the Twitter CEO to join the investigation, Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati said Dorsey can keep his side in front of police through a representative. Petitioner Rajkumar Sharma of Vipra Foundation moved the metropolitan court of Jodhpur after Dorsey shared a picture on his Twitter account that showed him holding a poster with Smash Brahminical Patriarchy written on it. Such a photo was posted to humiliate the Brahmin community..., he said. Earlier, the Twitter CEO approached the high court urging it to quash the FIR. During the hearing on Wednesday, Dorseys counsel Mahesh Jethmalani told the court that during his visit to India, his client participated in a meeting, at the end of which someone in the room called for a group photograph. One Dalit activist, who posted the photograph on Twitter, gave the placard as a gift to the Twitter CEO. Also read | Sorry, says Twitter after CEO poses with smash Brahminical patriarchy in pic Shivraj Singh Chouhan may be down. But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Madhya Pradesh is still a remarkable political figure of Indias second largest state. The close contest also shows that it will be premature to write him off. The low-profile Chouhan was picked to lead the BJP after a period of political instability in the state. In 2003, Uma Bharti had led the party to victory in the state but was soon replaced with Babulal Gaur in less than a year. Gaur lasted just over a year before Chouhan took over. He had been a parliamentarian but was a low profile leader. It was a case of the organisation anointing an appropriate leader. Soon, as Chouhan settled down, the leader in him emerged. He focused on governance and delivered on infrastructure. A major complaint against Digvijaya Singhs regime was the condition of roads and power. Madhya Pradesh slowly transformed on both fronts. Primarily an agricultural state, this was Chouhans crowning success. He delivered some of the highest growth rates and the state saw a boom in production. Chouhan positioned himself as Mamaji, a benevolent, paternal figure looking out for citizens, especially the women and the young. He also delivered a range welfare schemes to different social groups. Also read | Now, Im free: Shivraj Singh Chouhan bows out as Madhya Pradesh CM All of this helped Chouhan construct a wide social coalition of upper castes, who had traditionally been with the party, Other Backward Classes (OBC) to which Chouhan himself belongs and segments of Dalits and tribals. This helped him win in 2008 and 2013. Factionalism in the Congress, with leaders pulling in different directions, helped Chouhan. In this election, Chouhan was facing two issues. The first was that his success ended up sowing the seeds of failures. Farmers were producing more, but they werent getting prices. And this alienated them. Chouhans efforts to meet this through the Bhavnatar scheme got mired in procedural difficulties and was not enough. The second was fatigue and a yearning for badlav (change)- especially at the local level. It was not Chouhan as much as this local anti incumbency which proved to be the big challenge for the BJP. Chouhan-a low key chief minister, close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), seen as pro-poor and welfarist in his approach and a competent administrator-is now one of BJPs most senior leaders. Victory or not, dont rule him out just yet. At 59, he still has a long career ahead. Read | Officials blame new rules for delay in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan vote count Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao will take oath as the chief minister of Telangana for the second successive term at 1.30 pm on Thursday. KCR was elected as the leader of the TRS legislature party on Wednesday at a brief meeting of its newly-elected MLAs at the party headquarters, Telangana Bhavan. After the meeting, a delegation of the TRS legislators went to Raj Bhavan with a copy of resolution of the MLAs electing KCR as their leader. The Governor invited him to form the government. Along with KCR, there is a possibility of only one senior minister taking oath. We shall expand our cabinet soon by inducting some more ministers. We shall give due representation to different sections and communities in the cabinet, the caretaker chief minister told media, after the legislature party meeting. The legislature party meeting was attended by 88 MLAs, including the party president. Interestingly, the party tally has gone up to 89 with independent MLA from Ramagundam constituency Korukanti Chander announcing in the morning that he was joining the TRS. He met KCRs son KT Rama Rao and expressed his willingness to join the party. He contested as a rebel candidate after being denied the party ticket. KCR reiterated his decision to play a crucial role in the national politics by striving to form a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front. He declared that the Rythu Bandhu scheme introduced by his government in May this year, providing Rs 4,000 per acre to each farmer towards investment assistance, would be implemented throughout the country, if the federal front comes to power at the Centre in 2019. The scheme played crucial role in bringing the TRS to power for the second consecutive time. The Federal Front will go to polls with the slogan to replicate the Rytu Bandhu scheme across the country, to encourage farming. The scheme will cost the exchequer roughly around Rs 3.5 lakh crore. It is not a burden. The farm sector needs this support, he said, adding that the front would focus on improving the living conditions of farmers and minorities. He came down heavily on the Congress and the BJP for trying to usurp the powers of the states and keep them under the control of the Centre. Both the parties have diluted the spirit of federalism and that is why, we are taking initiative in creating an alternative model of governance with more powers to the states, he asserted. The TRS president said his government would strive to fulfill all its pre-election promises at the earliest. We shall fill up vacant government posts on a war footing. The opposition parties tried to mislead the unemployed over the job vacancies. We shall also implement payment of unemployment allowance to the jobless youth from the coming financial year, he asserted. Outgoing Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accepted responsibility for the Bharatiya Janta Partys inability to secure a majority in the state assembly, at a press conference in Bhopal on Wednesday. We could not get a majority or our desired success. And for that, I am the only one responsible. Despite all our effort, all the good work of the Centre, we could not achieve our desired result, Chouhan, who submitted his resignation in the afternoon, said. I decided that we dont have the numbers so we shouldnt try to make the government. I called Kamal Nath to congratulate him and wished him all the best, said Chouhan, who was the chief minister for 13 years. State Congress chief Kamal Nath is one of the two top contenders for the chief ministers post, the other being the partys state poll campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia. (BJP) state chief Rakesh Singh, who addressed the conference with Chouhan, added that the the defeat is collective (responsibility), Singh said. The state elections results were declared late Tuesday night, with the Congress securing 114 seats and the BJP 109 seats in the 230-member assembly. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 1 and 2 seats, respectively, while four independent candidates won. The BSP, SP and independents have pledged alliance to the Congress, which has staked claim to form the new government in the state, after a 15-year rule of BJP. I decided that we dont have the numbers to form the government, so we shouldnt try to make the government, he said. Chouhan referred to some of the welfare schemes that he had introduced, and said that these schemes came out of his own experience of hardship that he faced as a child. These were not made to gain votes, but to ensure the right of the poor to access natural resources, he said. I would request the new government to keep up the promises that they have made in their manifesto, like farm loan waiver. (Rahul Gandhi) had said that he will change the CM if the waiver doesnt happen in 10 days, Chouhan added at the conference. Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath has staked the Congresss claim to form the government in the state. A Congress delegation led by Kamal Nath and including Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia met Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel today at noon. They had been invited to meet the Governor after the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly Election results yesterday. Giving details of the meeting, Congress leader Narendra Saluja said, We have met the Governor and staked claim to form the government, we have the support of 121 MLAs, the situation is clear. With Mayawatis BSP and the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party supporting the Congress, Kamal Nath asked the Governor for permission to form the government in the state. Governor Anandiben Patel had called the Congress leaders to the Raj Bhawan at noon for talks after the party had sought an appointment with her on the issue of government formation in the state. Meanwhile, accepting the partys defeat, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan submitted his resignation to the Governor. 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, Chouhan said while addressing the media after tendering his resignation. We dont believe in politics of jod-tod. No one has got the mandate but since we have also not got the mandate we didnt stake claim to forming the government, Chouhan said. Watch: Key takeaways for Rahul Gandhi from verdict 2018 Chouhan met the Governor shortly before Kamal Nath was to meet her and tendered his resignation to her. The Congress had emerged as the election winner with 114 seats while the BJP had come second with 109 seats after a very tight contest. Even though it has won 114 seats, the Congress has still not managed to cross the majority mark. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav have announced their support for the Congress in the state. Earlier, addressing a press conference BSP chief Mayawati had said that her party, which had won 2 seats in the state, was going to extend its support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to keep the BJP out. Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar praised the Congress for its results in the elections and said that the party had been providing an alternative to the BJP. Congress has played an important role in giving alternative to BJP. Congress was receptive towards other small parties. BSP and SP should be a part of our alliance. They arent yet together with us. People have expressed displeasure on 4.5 years of BJP rule, Pawar said. Mizo National Front president Zoramthanga is no stranger to ups and downs in life. The former rebel who gave up arms 32 years ago to join the political mainstream has seen many in the past five decades. But Tuesdays emphatic victory where his party won 26 of the total 40 seats in Mizoram is one positive swing, which the 74-year old would cherish. It came after the party failed miserably in the past two elections when it was reduced to single digits. In 2008, the Zoramthanga-led MNF lost power to Congress after a 10-year stint and managed to win just 3 seats. Five years ago, the party secured 5 seats. Read: Mizoram assembly polls: MNF returns to power as Congress loses last bastion in northeast Born in 1944 at Samthang, Zoramthanga completed his BA from Manipur University in 1966. But soon afterwards instead of pursuing higher studies or taking a job he joined the Mizo National Front. The Front was formed by Laldenga as a reaction to the Centres alleged indifference towards Mizos after the famine of 1959 and also to seek a separate state or even secede from India. Watch: Mizoram election result 2018: Why Congress lost its last Northeast bastion The group undertook several attacks on government offices and security forces starting from the early 60s till a peace accord was signed with the Centre in 1986 paving the way for MNFs transformation from a rebel group to a political party. Also Read: Mizoram election result: Mizoram doesnt need BJP, says MNFs CM candidate Zoramthanga Zoramthanga, who rose through the ranks to become vice-president of the party and had spent several years underground in Bangladesh, became a minister in the Laldenga-led MNF government in 1987. In 1990, after Laldengas demise, Zoramthanga was made MNFs president-a post he has held for the past 28 years. He became chief minister in 1998 and again in 2003. Click here for overall coverage on assembly elections results. Early on Wednesday, newly-elected members of the Rajasthan legislative assembly from the Congress, as well as party rebels, started gathering at the residence of Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur calling for his selection as the chief minister. Manju Meghwal, Laxman Meena, Vinod Kumar Lilawat, Shanti Dhariwal, Manju Panwar, Ameen Kagzi and rebels Ramkesh Meena, Kanti Lal Meena and Babulal Nagar were among those who went to meet Gehlot in the Civil Lines area of the Rajasthan capital. Independent MLAs Kanti Lal and Ramkesh Meena said they are going to support the Congress party only on the condition if Gehlot becomes the chief minister. Gehlot is peoples leader and we are with him, Ramkesh Meena, the Independent MLA who won from Gangapur city, said. Read: Resurgent Rahul Gandhi emerges as Oppositions tallest leader When asked if someone else is chosen for the top post, Ramkesh said, This would be the party high commands decision. But if the Congress wants to win a good number of seats in the Lok Sabha elections then Gehlot should be made the CM. The front-runners for the post are state Congress president Sachin Pilot as well two-time chief minister Gehlot after the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Rajasthan assembly polls whose results were declared on Tuesday. It won 99 seats on its own and one more with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). Kanti Lal Meena, the Independent candidate from Thanagaji, also said 67-year-old Gehlot was the best option for the post in his opinion. I want him to hold the top post in the state as he is connected with the people of the state, said Kanti Lal, another rebel leader. He is gained love and support of people throughout the country. I dont know what would be the high commands decision but Gehlot is the best person to hold the post, he added. Also Read: Rajasthan assembly election 2018: CM Vasundhara Raje congratulates Congress, submits resignation to governor 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 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. A Congress leader said the selection of the chief minister will be based on its implications for the Lok Sabha election next year. 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. The 41-year-old 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. Also Read: Rajasthan assembly election 2018: CM Vasundhara Raje congratulates Congress, submits resignation to governor The last year or so, Gehlot had been given several organisational and national responsibilities. He is general secretary in-charge of the organisation, had been the election in-charge for Gujarat, where the Congress performed well despite losing the polls to the ruling BJP. 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. Congress leaders will also meet Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh on Wednesday to stake a claim to form the government. Rajasthan Congress general secretary Sushil Sharma, We have given a letter to the governor and have sought an appointment tomorrow (Wednesday). A high-level delegation will meet him tomorrow, he has given us the appointment of 7pm. Click here for full coverage on assembly election results. Samsung Electronics will cease operations at one of its mobile phone manufacturing plants in China, the company said, as its sales in the world's biggest smartphone market slumps amid rising competition from lower-cost local rivals. The South Korean company has seen its share of the Chinese market shrink to 1% in the first quarter of this year, losing out to home-grown brands like Huawei, according to market research firm Counterpoint, which pegs Samsung's share of the pie at about 15% at mid-2013. "As part of ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency in our production facilities, Samsung Electronics has arrived at the difficult decision to cease operations of Tianjin Samsung Electronics Telecommunication," Samsung said in a statement, referring to the plant in northern Chinese city of Tianjin. The factory, which currently employs about 2,600 people, is scheduled to be shut down by the end of this year. Samsung, the world's biggest smartphone maker, said it would offer compensation packages to the employees and also provide opportunities to transfer to other Samsung facilities. The company, which has been focusing on low-cost countries like Vietnam and India for production, added it would continue to operate another Chinese phone factory in Huizhou, in the southern province of Guangdong. "Samsung doesn't need to stay in China because of rising labour cost and its almost non-existent Chinese market share. They can be better off in India and Vietnam," said Greg Roh, a senior analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities. Samsung's Tianjin plant produces 36 million mobile phones a year and the Huizhou plant makes 72 million units, while two of Samsung's factories in Vietnam combined make 240 million units a year, according to the South Korean newspaper Electronic Times. ALSO READ: Samsung sets up world's largest mobile phone factory in Noida Samsung declined to disclose the capacity of each factory. "China remains an important market for Samsung and we are actively participating in China's economic policies by fostering growth in the components industry," Samsung said. Voters dealt a blow to the grand alliance or Maha Kootami, that hoped to take on caretaker chief minister, K Chandrashekhar Rao, in his own bastion. The sweep by the Telangana Rasthra Samithi has also upset the calculations of Congress and Telegu Desam party which hoped to replicate the model at the national level. There are several reasons for the disastrous performance of the grand alliance fronted by Andhra Pradesh chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu. Fundamentally, the people of Telangana did not appreciate, what the TRS leadership described, as the unholy and illegitimate alliance between Congress and TDP. The other two parties in the alliance CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi had little at stake. TRS president KCR, who addressed over 100 election rallies in a span of a month, drove home the point that the Congress-TDP alliance would spell doom for Telangana. He pointed out how Congress tried to stall developmental programmes of Telangana by filing over 400 petitions in various courts. At the same time, the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh led by N Chandrababu Naidu also petitioned the Centre seeking to stall approvals for the irrigation projects on Godavari and Krishna having interstate ramifications. Naidu tried to stall the projects in Telangana and he shamelessly fielded his party candidates in the state. Where is the guarantee that if the Peoples Front comes to power in Telangana, he would not stall the projects in the state? TRS MP from Nizamabad and KCRs daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha had told HT in an interview in November. The TRS president articulated this argument strongly at most of his election rallies. He, simultaneously, invoked the self-respect of the ordinary Telenganite, asking that the people not allow national parties or a leader of a neighbouring state to rule them by proxy. Do you want to be remote controlled by Delhi and Amaravati or by a true native Telanganite? KCR said during his rallies. That message seems to have resonated. The absence of a popular face in the kootami to challenge KCR was also felt. There were multiple contenders for the leadership role if the alliance had come to power. Another reason that turned out to be a negative for the grand alliance was the hara-kiri committed in seat sharing till the last moment. Though the issue was sorted out just before withdrawal of nominations, the damage had already been done. The TRS, on the other hand, which had declared as many as 105 candidates on September 6 itself, was far ahead in its campaign. The short span of time was not sufficient to unite the cadres of the alliance partners, resulting in lack of vote transfer among the partners in every constituency. In the last assembly polls, the alliance parties got over 40% of the votes (Congress 25.2, TDP 14.7, CPI around 1%), compared to the TRSs 34.3%. The alliance had hoped to poll moer votes this time on the assumption that there would also be some amount of anti-incumbency affecting KCR and his TRS. The TDP vote bank, was however, not intact, as a majority of TDP leaders, including 12 MLAs, along with their cadre and supporters, defected to TRS in the last four years. That would mean, the TRS strength has gone up considerably. KCR also sought to create sympathy for his party among the electorate by saying he was waging a lone battle against a battery of opposition parties ganging up together. Just to defeat one person in the elections, a Prime Minister, a PM aspirant, several chief ministers, union ministers and other top leaders from across the country landed in Telangana. Is this fair? KCR asked the people. According to political analyst and author Sriram Karri, the grand alliance leaders were unable to convince the people of why KCR should be defeated. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi speaking about the family rule in the TRS had no takers because his own party is dominated by one family. The other reasons like lack of fulfilment of promises made before 2014 were also not convincing, as he has already set in motion several developmental schemes which the people have been witnessing, he said. Prime Minister Theresa May remained defiant soon after it emerged on Wednesday morning that she will face a challenge to her leadership when the required number of Conservative MPs 48 sent in letters expressing lack of confidence in her, throwing the Brexit process into another phase of turmoil. The letters were sent to the partys so-called 1922 committee, which is tasked with organising such challenges to the leadership. Voting will be held on Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm (UK time), and the result will be announced soon after. May will need the support of more than 50% of the 315 Conservative MPs to stay in office, at least 158. If she loses, she will step down as the prime minister, the post she held after David Cameron resigned in the aftermath of the 2016 EU referendum vote. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, May insisted she would stay the course by contesting the leadership challenge: I will contest that vote with everything that I have got. Removing her as prime minister will not change anything except delay Brexit or halt Brexit, she said. The United Kingdom is due to leave in the European Union on March 29, 2019, but serious questions remains on the ways in which it leaves and its future outside the EU. May, who toured European capitals on Tuesday to seek changes to the withdrawal agreement secured after over two years of negotiations with Brussels, was due to attend parliament and face the opposition during Prime Ministers Question Time in the afternoon. The development follows deferring of the crucial vote in parliament on the controversial withdrawal agreement, which was scheduled for Tuesday. Conservative MPs and others condemned her handling of the Brexit process during debates in the House of Commons. Prospective leadership contenders are former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, home secretary Sajid Javid, and international development secretary Penny Mordaunt. As markets and companies watched nervously, a defiant Theresa May said she would contest a leadership challenge on Wednesday evening with everything I have got after the number of rebel Conservative MPs reached the threshold of 48. The rebels shot their letters of no-confidence to the partys 1922 committee, which organises leadership contests. Voting was scheduled for 6 pm local time and the results would be declared soon after voting ends at 8 pm. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street after the leadership challenge was triggered on Wednesday morning, May insisted she was ready to face it. I will contest that vote with everything I have got, she said, adding that removing her will not change anything. If May loses, she will resign as the prime minister, a post she took over after David Cameron quit in the aftermath of the 2016 EU referendum, and retained after the 2017 midterm elections, heading a minority government. Questions were raised about the future of the Brexit process, now nearing the March 29, 2019 deadline. The British Chamber of Commerce said several companies were closely watching the developments in Westminster with utter dismay. May needs the support of more than 50% of the 315 Conservative MPs to stay in office, which comes to at least 158. During the day, more than 150 party MPs expressed support for May, insisting that the UK didnt need such a distraction with the date of Brexit drawing near. May put up a brave front at the Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons at noon, taking on her critics and informing them that talks were on to improve the controversial withdrawal agreement, particularly on the backstop on Northern Ireland. Chancellor Philip Hammond said, Im very clear that the prime minister will have the support of the great majority of parliamentary colleagues. And I think what this vote today will do is flush out the extremists who are trying to advance a particular agenda which would really not be in the interests of the British people or the British economy. Environment secretary Michael Gove added, I think the PM will win tonight and she will win handsomely. I regret that a leadership contest has been triggered, but I respect my colleagues. I know that everyones made their decision after careful thought. Mays aides suggested she could step down before the next general election, if her party MPs desire, but is keen to see through the Brexit process. Prospective leadership contenders are former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, home secretary Sajid Javid, and international development secretary Penny Mordaunt. Last Friday in Hamburg, members of German Chancellor Angela Merkels party took time out from their annual convention for drinks with a handful of British Conservative lawmakers who were there as observers. The mood was sombre as the Christian Democrats helped the last of the rational ones among their U.K. colleagues take leave of Europe, according to Elmar Brok, a veteran German member of the European Parliament. Its one big tragedy, said Brok, who attests that tears were shed during the evenings wake for Brexit Britain. UK Prime Minister Theresa May faces a vote of confidence in her leadership on Wednesday with Parliament riven over her Brexit deal, but the countdown continues regardless to March 29 -- the date the divorce takes effect. The U.K.s imminent departure from the European Union is a source of regret from Brussels to Berlin, matched by feelings of bemusement, and annoyance, that its happening at all. Brexit in chaos, ran Tuesdays front-page headline in Italys Corriere della Sera after May postponed the parliamentary vote on the withdrawal deal. May in desperation, said Spains El Mundo. Scolded. Laughed at. Done with governing? was Dutch newspaper Volkskrants take. The prime ministers whirlwind tour of European capitals in a last-ditch bid to wring more concessions adds to the bemusement. EU leaders preparing to meet for the last summit of the year on Thursday have made it abundantly clear the deal negotiated by Michel Barnier will not be unpicked. The danger for the U.K. is that, deal or no deal, the damage to Britains international reputation is done. The dismal Brexit drama refuses to end, wrote Der Spiegels deputy foreign editor, Mathieu von Rohr. The vote now looks likely for January, but with the EU refusing to negotiate afresh, its unclear what should change by then, he said. British politics has become alarmingly chaotic -- and this chaos can infect all Europe. EU leaders have consistently said they regret the U.K. decision but that life outside the bloc cannot be as cosy and preferential as inside. And while Merkel is not unsympathetic to Mays plight, the chancellor made her views on Brexit protocol clear to the prime minister back in July 2016. The British premier traveled to Berlin shortly after assuming office, only to be politely told that no bilateral negotiations would take place, formally or informally. Fast forward, and Britains position is even more confused than ever. Amid the uncertainty, workers are voting with their feet: Financial companies are relocating jobs to Europe, and Britains economy is 0.7 percent smaller than it would have been without the focus on Brexit, according to Bloomberg economists Dan Hanson and Jamie Murray. The Bank of England was panned for outlining a scenario for a no-deal Brexit that included a plunge in property prices of almost a third and the pound losing a quarter of its value within a year. And yet May warned on Monday that the odds of Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal had risen. Marriages are meanwhile reportedly breaking up over Brexit, EU nationals in the U.K. are being given conflicting signals about their future status, and British citizens are taking up dual nationality in record numbers. Northern Ireland and Scotland -- where a majority voted to stay -- remain volatile with the potential to plunge the U.K. into a full-blown constitutional crisis. The worry for Europe is that some of the anti-EU sentiment underpinning the initial British vote to leave is showing up in other nations. But that is not enough for countries to step in now and offer May substantially different terms; if anything, it acts as a counterweight to ensure they hold firm. How did we get to this point? There are as many answers as possible Brexit outcomes: Decades of tabloid smears directed at the EU; the gulf between an urban elite and life in Britains hard-pressed regions; a surge in immigration after the Blair governments decision to allow citizens of the 10 mainly eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 to work in Britain. A desire among voters to take back control over lawmaking from distant politicians in Brussels. Wrong question Then there was David Camerons gamble that a referendum on Britains EU membership would resolve his internal Conservative Party dilemma on Europe, a device he had used successfully -- just -- to put Scotlands quest for independence to the test in 2014. According to Matt Qvortrup, a professor of comparative European politics at Coventry University who has written widely on referendums, Brexit was an answer to the wrong question. Rather than being solely about the EU, it was a test of voter trust in politicians more generally, and so provided an opportunity to give them a kicking. May and her rotating cabinet door of ministers have struggled to give meaning to the referendum result in the thick of a misunderstanding that people deliberately dont want to address, which to quote Vladimir Putin, is that Britain is now a small island off Europe, said Qvortrup. Britannia does not quite rule the waves any more, but thats the perception. Many Germans still feel close to the U.K. for all that. The countries share a northern sensibility on fiscal and industrial matters that makes them more natural partners than the likes of Spain or Italy, or even France. Mays Conservatives and Merkels Christian Democrats were sister parties -- until Cameron pulled the Tories out of their common EU umbrella group, the European Peoples Party. Just ask David McAllister, who served as prime minister of Lower Saxony from 2010 to 2013, the German state with the greatest affinity for all things British. It is the source of the Saxon in Anglo-Saxon; the region that was the main base for Britains post-World War II occupation forces; and is the ancestral Hanoverian homeland of the British Royal family. Its a historic mistake, said McAllister, the son of a German mother and a Scot attached to the British military, who holds dual German-British nationality. What we have to make clear to the British is theres no appetite at all to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement. Thats something a lot of British colleagues from the House of Commons still arent believing. Britain is making itself small, said McAllister, who now heads the EU Parliaments foreign affairs committee. Its one of the few decisions in my political life which actually makes me really sad. Lawmakers in British Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative Party on Wednesday triggered a confidence vote in her leadership over Britains planned divorce from the European. Below is an explanation of how the leadership challenge works under the ruling Conservative Partys rules: How was it triggered? A challenge was triggered after 15 percent of the Conservative members of parliament (MPs) wrote letters demanding a confidence vote to the chairman of the partys 1922 Committee, which represents those lawmakers who have no government jobs. The Conservatives have 315 MPs, so 48 were needed to write such letters for the vote to be called. When will it happen? Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, said a ballot would be held between 1800 GMT and 2000 on Wednesday, Dec. 12, in committee room 14 of the House of Commons. The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and an announcement made on Wednesday evening. Also read | British PM Theresa May to face leadership challenge over Brexit plan What happens during a confidence vote? All Conservative MPs can vote. May would need a simple majority of the total votes registered in order to win. If all elected lawmakers cast their ballots, that would currently mean 158 votes. If May wins, she remains in office and cannot be challenged again for 12 months. If she loses, she must resign and is barred from standing in the leadership election that follows. However a significant mutiny could make her leadership untenable. What happens if may loses? There will be a leadership contest to decide her replacement. Her replacement will become prime minister, but a general election will not automatically be triggered. If several candidates come forward, a secret vote is held among Conservative MPs to whittle down the field. The candidate with the fewest votes is removed and Conservative lawmakers vote again. The process is repeated, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, until only two candidates remain. These two candidates are then put to a postal ballot of the wider Conservative Party membership. Participants need to have been party members for more than three months. When David Cameron decided to step down as prime minister and Conservative leader after the EU referendum in 2016, five candidates came forward. The field was narrowed to May and then-junior minister Andrea Leadsom, but she pulled out before members voted, leaving May to become leader unopposed. A US federal court on Wednesday sentenced Michael Cohen, a former lawyer and fixer for President Donald Trump, to three years on multiple charges including campaign funding law violation, which, prosecutors have said, was coordinated with and directed by the president, identified in court filings as Individual-1. Cohen had faced a jail term of around five years but had pleaded for none in exchange for cooperating with at least four investigations, including one by Special Counsel Robert Mueller III. He has the option of having that term reduced by continuing to cooperate. He starts his jail term on March 6. The judge, William H. Pauley III, also ordered Cohen to pay nearly $2 million in financial penalties. Cohen had faced nine charges that included tax evasion, misleading financial institutions, campaign finance law violation and lying to congress. The campaign funding violations were in connection to hush-money payments he had arranged to buy the silence of women, a former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels (her birth name is Stephanie Cliffords) who have claimed to have had affairs with Trump. I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: the personal ones to me and those involving the president of the United States of America, Cohen said to a federal judge in Manhattan, New York. My weakness could be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump, he added. And went on: Recently the president tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds. President Trump has denied having those relationships as claimed by the women and has pushed back against suggestions that he has been implicated in the case of campaign funding law violation and has sought to put the blame squarely on Cohen alone. Cohen is a lawyer and, he told Reuters in an interview Tuesday, I assume he would know what hes doing. There had been no public comments or remarks form the President or the White House after the sentencing till the filing of this report. Referring to Cohens plea for no jail term citing his cooperation with investigators, the judge said that he selected the information he disclosed to the government. This court cannot agree with the defendants assertion that no jail time is warranted. In fact this court firmly believes that a significant term of imprisonment is fully justified in this highly publicized case to send a message. For the first time in the tenure of the Justin Trudeau government, Canada has listed Khalistani extremism among the terror threats facing the country. It was described as a matter of concern in the 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada, submitted by public safety minister Ralph Goodale, who also launched the national strategy on countering radicalisation to violence. While Canada's threat environment remains stable, the principal challenge comes from individuals and groups inspired by violent ideology propounded by Sunni extremist groups such as Daesh (Islamic Sstate) or al-Qaeda, the report said. It added, Furthermore, Shia and Sikh (Khalistani) extremism also remain of concern because while their attacks in Canada have been extremely limited, some Canadians continue to support these extremist groups, including through financing. This is the first time Khalistani extremism was mentioned in the public report since its inception in 2013. In his foreword to the report, Goodale noted, Canada is known internationally as a welcoming and peaceful nation. But we are also resolute in our determination to reject and combat violent extremism in all forms. Put simply, violence and threat of violence have no place in Canadian society. Stopping and eradicating this is a top priority of the government. Significantly, Khalistani extremism was given a separate section in the report, along with Sunni Islamist, Right-Wing, Shia extremism, and Canadian extremist travellers, or individuals suspected of travelling abroad to engage in extremist activity. This last segment remains of particular concern to Canada, and the report said, This year, as with the last, approximately 190 extremist travellers with a nexus to Canada are currently abroad, including Syria and Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and North and East Africa. In the reference to Khalistani extremism, the report stated, Some individuals in Canada continue to support Sikh (Khalistani) extremist ideologies and movements. It mentioned that violent activities in support of Khalistan had fallen since their height during the 1982-1993 period when individuals and groups conducted numerous terrorist attacks. It referred to the 1985 terrorist bombing of Air India flight 182, the Kanishka,which claimed 331 lives, and described it as the deadliest terrorist plot ever launched in Canada. Blandly acknowledging a reality in the country at this time, the report said, While attacks around the world in support of this movement have declined, support for the extreme ideologies of such groups remains. It also pointed out that two Khalistani groups, Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation, remain listed terrorist entities under the country's Criminal Code. The United Kingdom will continue with its golden visa programme for now, the government said on Wednesday, a week after it had decided to suspend the fast track emigration route for rich investors from India and other countries over concerns over money laundering by high net worth individuals. Last weeks announcement to halt the visa, under which the super rich could fast track residencies, came after a review was launched in May into applications since 2015, when the rules were tightened in the wake of concerns over foreign dirty money, enabling officials to seek information of source of funds. The Home Offices latest decision not to suspend it from Friday last, as announced, sparked outrage among anti-corruption campaigners, who believe the visa route was being used to launder money and allow foreigners with not-a-clean past to migrate to the United Kingdom. A Home Office spokesperson said: The Tier 1 (Investor) visa is not currently suspended. However we remain committed to reforming the route. A further announcement will be made in due course. No reason was given for not implementing the announced suspension, but reports said immigration lawyers complained that the Home Office had not given the usual 28 days notice of forthcoming changes, nor had it published the new rules. Naomi Hirst of campaign group Global Witness said: This ludicrous U-turn is keeping Britains doors open to the super-rich, who can continue to buy residency for 2 million, which they get back with interest. Rachel Davies Teka of Transparency International UK said: It is vital that government has a joined up approach to fighting corruption with departments working together in unison. We are concerned to hear conflicting messages on government action on this important issue over the past week. Read: UKs Theresa May gets locked in limousine We call on the government to urgently clarify its policy towards the Tier 1 Visa Scheme, as well as set a timetable for when and how the promised review of previous recipients will be carried out, she said. Any individuals found by this review to have brought suspicious money into the UK should be subject to police investigation into the provenance of all their UK assets, she demanded. Launched in 2008, over 1,000 Tier 1 (investors visa) have been granted until September 2018, mostly to Russian and Chinese investors, but they also include 82 Indian millionaires (and their over 100 dependents), according to latest figures. Under the visa route, initial investments thresholds were 1 million, 5 million or 10 million, which led to permanent residence in 5, 3 or 2 years respectively, and eventual citizenship. The first threshold was raised to 2 million in 2014, while the other two remain the same. L ondon Mayor Sadiq Khan is set on a collision course with a developer which is offering only 40 lower-cost homes among the 400 it plans to build at a site in Deptford. The Mayor says about half of all homes on new sites should be for first-time buyers and cash-strapped renters. In reality, most developers end up offering from 25 to 35 per cent. But at Creekside Village East in Deptford, developer Kitewood (Creekside) Ltd plans just 10 per cent of lower-cost homes in two towers of up to 30 storeys high. A report by the Greater London Authority says the idea of redeveloping the site, which has been derelict for almost two decades, is welcome. However, planning officers raised significant concerns about the lack of lower-cost homes, particularly since a third of the land is publicly owned. The project will also include an extension to the Trinity Laban dance faculty, which the developer says will cost 13 million, hence the reduced number of lower-cost homes. Creekside Village East in Deptford: just 10 per cent of lower-cost homes are planned for this scheme with two towers of up to 30 storeys high In order to provide the cost of the Trinity Laban facilities the provision of affordable housing of 10 per cent is acceptable in viability terms, says a report by consultant WYG Planning, commissioned by the developer. The investment of this scale in cultural facilities should be given more weight than the provision of the equivalent amount on affordable housing. The GLA points out that Trinity Laban owns a fifth of the site which it is offering in exchange for its extension, cutting land costs, and says the offer of lower-cost housing must be significantly improved before Lewisham council can agree the plans. The council is due to debate the scheme next month but the Mayor has the right to overthrow its decision if it ignores the GLAs concerns. According to the latest data from the London Assembly there was a 25,000 shortfall in the number of homes built in the capital in the last year and the number needed. Of those homes that were built, fewer than 5,500 were affordable aimed at people being priced out of the city. Philip van Reyk, chief executive of Kitewood said: The expansion of Trinity Laban has been central to our proposals and will enable the amplification of its local outreach work, already accessed by some of Lewishams most deprived communities. The substantial cost of developing these world-class new educational facilities would be funded by the wider development as part of a significant package of local benefits which also include the delivery of affordable homes, opening up almost an acre of public space and sensitively improving the wall of Deptford Creek. External Article 12 December 2018 The Miami settlement could have broader implications for Airbnb when other big landlords take it to task for hosts violating their apartment leases. And, it isn't a bad thing for Airbnb to resolve its issues with various regulators and to erase some of these legal irritants when it will likely solicit investors for a 2019 initial public offering. Airbnb and a landlord that owns several large apartment complexes in Miami and other markets settled a lawsuit in which the plaintiff argued that tenants were violating their leases and creating harmful conditions by acting as hosts and renting their apartments to Airbnb customers. In a joint statement Tuesday, Apartment Investment and Management Co. (Aimco), which owns the Bay Parc Apartments, Flamingo North Tower and Flamingo Center Tower apartment complexes in Miami, indicated that they have settled all of their disputes and the litigation between them has been dismissed. Plaintiff Aimco and defendant Airbnb said they believe the settlement is mutually beneficial. While focused on Miami, the ruling any ruling would have directed how companies like Aimco pursued Airbnb in other destinations. The Denver-based Aimco operates in 22 markets and has 250,000 units on the market. Opinion Article 12 December 2018 For the third year in a row, Forbes reported "Data Scientist" as the best job in America. The job pays well (median base salary of $110,000), and qualified data scientists are in high demand. Currently, Amazon is actively seeking to fill its 436 data scientist vacancies and Google is trying to hire another 135 data scientists. Data science and data scientists are hot and for good reason! The role of data scientists is to help businesses increase efficiency and profits by harnessing data. According to Amazon, "Data is the lifeblood of Amazon Big data analytics is the magic wand for Amazon." Advertisements Hotels would like magic wands as well, and every hotel in the country could likely benefit from the services of a well-qualified data scientist. But the majority of hoteliers do not have the generous budgets of Amazon or Google. And they will not likely employ an exclusive on-site data scientist. Rather, in most cases, the hotel's GM must serve as their property's own big data analyst. "Big data," the identified power behind Amazon's magic wand, is one of the most popular new managerial buzz words. But it can be hard to determine how revolutionary this change is because "big data" is only loosely defined. Many professionals use it with very different ideas in mind. Big data can simply refer to data that is large in size (usually over 1 Terabyte), or it can mean data large enough that it has to be stored across multiple locations. The past decade has seen the definition of big data change and grow to describe increasingly complex phenomena. For all practical purposes, however, big data means unprecedented amounts of data. GMs know that their hotels already generate more data than previously imaginable, and the amount of available data gathered is increasing exponentially. In most cases, hotels generate far more data than they actually use. GMs only rarely need to capture entirely new data, so the much more crucial challenge is how GMs can best manage the data they already have. Keeping that in mind, the methods GMs use regarding their data becomes critically important. GMs could learn a lot from data scientists about how to approach data analysis methodically and efficiently. To address even the most complicated analytical concerns for their businesses, data scientists are trained to assess an organization's data set and ask the following crucial questions: What information is available? Is that information ready to be analyzed? Which type of analysis is appropriate? How can the results of the analysis guide profitable decision making? These questions are not so different from those that GMs grapple with every day. However, while the work being done is not so different, it can sometimes seem like GMs and data scientists are living in different worlds and speaking different languages. As GMs try to learn about and incorporate the cutting-edge tools of data science, they often encounter loaded terms and concepts that confuse the process more than they clarify it. It doesn't take long for newcomers to realize that seemingly common words (e.g. "cloud," "java," and "python") seem to require a lot of specialized knowledge. Data scientists also love acronyms (e.g. R, SQL, CNN, NLP, TF-IDF, LCA, RDB just to name a few). The language divide can make the world of data science seem impenetrable. But you don't need to master all the nuances of tech-talk to take advantage of the logic and insights of data scientists. The truth is that data scientists do not live in a different world and they are not using magic wands. But those are myths that many data scientists are not eager to dispel. When GMs use an Excel spreadsheet they are already doing the same work as data scientists, perhaps just in a more simplified or limited capacity. Every day, and in all "normal" businesses around the world, key individuals use data to power their profit-oriented business decisions. Simply put, they turn data into profits. That work is not so distant from the surprisingly simple heart of data science: the smart application of data. Data scientists are doing similar work to the average hotel general manager, just with rocket boosters. In fact, it may be more accurate to think of data scientists as racecar drivers instead of magicians. The top-level data scientists are truly remarkable individuals with honed skills, experience, and training. They're capable of doing things that most people cannot, and they make it look easy. But most hotels can get along just fine without employing race car drivers. And GMs don't need to be among the most elite data scientists in order to make meaningful, powerful, data-driven contributions to their hotels. Most GMs are already comfortable managing large amounts of information. Given the vast amount of data their property's already collect (from sources such as their CRS, PMS, POS, social media sites, proprietary- and chain-affiliated websites, and many more), it's no surprise that today's GMs find themselves awash in data. Increasingly, they recognize they must take a stronger role in properly managing that data. But without an idea of where to start, that can be overwhelming. The specific data management challenges faced by hospitality mangers are growing increasingly complex, and this leads to continually changing training needs for GMs as time goes on. There is no universal or simple solution to that overall problem. However, today's GMs can begin to address their own data management challenges by applying the Obtain, Process, Analyze, and Apply (OPAA) method, which directly follows the 4-step big data management process used by the best data scientists: OPAA Data Science Workflow for GMs Step 1 Data Scientists Ask: What information is available? GMs must: Obtain data Step 2 Data Scientists Ask: Is that information ready to be analyzed? GMs must: Process data Step 3 Data Scientists Ask: Which type of analysis is appropriate? GMs must: Analyze data Step 4 Data Scientists Ask: How can the results of the analysis guide profitable decision making? GMs must: Apply data Step 1: Obtain data This first step in the OPAA method directly addresses the data scientist's question; "What information is available?" In this step, GMs must systematically inventory and assess all of the data sources currently available within their property and its various departments to see the range of data they can currently access. The range will likely include primary sources of data such as the CRS, PMS, and POS, as well as secondary sources including in-house produced records (such as the Manager's Daily), Smith Travel reports (i.e. STR reports), social media channel summaries, and even local weather reports. In this initial step, the GM's goal is to determine what information (data) is currently available for assessment and which, if any, critical information is missing and must be obtained in the future. Step 2: Process data This step addresses the question, "Is that information ready to be analyzed?" The proper processing of data requires GMs ensure that systems for initial data entry and data records maintenance are in place and continually up-to-date. For example, in a hotel's sales department, pace/pick-up reports can provide valuable information to a variety of departmental managers, but these reports will only be accurate if confirmed reservations and sales contracts executed by sales staff are entered into the PMS accurately and in a timely manner. In this step, the emphasis is on maintaining the quality (rather than quantity) of a hotel's data sources. GMs addressing this step must also ensure their data is maintained in a form that allows for efficient analysis. Some example questions might be, "Are sales records maintained in Excel-ready documents or do they need to be altered from Word-based documents?" or "Do website tracking systems directly interface with the PMS or must key data be manually transferred?" The takeaway here is that information which can't be analyzed is not helpful. If some data is critical, but not properly-formatted when initially recorded, GMs must change the status quo and introduce procedures to process critical information into an analysis-ready form. Step 3: Analyze data This key step addresses the question, "Which type of analysis is appropriate?" It is one thing to obtain and process accurate data, but quite another to determine how to best utilize that information to accurately assess business characteristics or market relationships. When analyzing data, bigger is not inherently better. For example, a modern PMS system might have the ability to generate 50+ rooms-related informational reports per day, but it is not realistic to assume a front office manager will, on a daily basis, carefully review each of these reports. As a result, in this step, GMs work with department heads to determine how to compress all the data identified in Steps 1 and 2 into results that provide profitable decision making-related information. It is important to recognize that even the most innovative, expansive, and flashy data science projects can often be boiled down into simple questions such as, "On average, is it faster to take Route A or Route B?" or, "Is the average score higher for group A or group B?" For hoteliers, a key question may be as simple as, "On average, will GOPPAR be higher if we charge Rate A or Rate B?" The takeaway here is that GMs don't have to reinvent the analysis wheel. And they also don't always need to harness the latest, most powerful AI techniques either. They can focus on identifying simple concepts (e.g. important numerical counts, averages, and percentages) that apply to critical areas (for example, room sales variances over time, revenue achieved from different reservation sources, or important operating cost ratios). The most complex analysis isn't helpful if it doesn't connect to decisions that a business actually cares about. Similarly, the results from even a "simple" analysis, when applied to a key area, can mean huge benefits and increased profits. Step 4: Apply data This final step addresses the question, "How can the results of the analysis guide decision making?" While some GMs might seek to study the complex math and science behind the work of data scientists, the authors suggest that it is most often better for GMs to laser focus on what Amazon, Google, and others know well: The ultimate goal of data science is to apply data in meaningful ways. In this final step, GMs should provide concrete suggestions about how data summaries and analyses can be applied directly to make better, more profitable, business decisions. Data driven insights that help people make sense of the real world is at the heart of a data scientist's work. This is because the information provided by data scientists is most valuable when it can be used to improve predictions of future outcomes, thus enhancing decision making. For most GMs, key areas of data analysis will entail immediate, pragmatic problem-solving such as, "How much can we raise rates this coming weekend and still achieve our occupancy goals?" or, "Which online travel agency (OTA) provides our property with the best combination of rooms sold and net ADR?" In most cases, these kinds of questions, and many more, can be answered using the tools and information currently available to GMs, if they know how to Obtain, Process, Analyze, and Apply (OPAA) that data. Now that the data scientist's operating secrets are a bit clearer, GMs can better appreciate one fact that does distinguish data scientists from other analysts. Typical data scientists are not deterred when the available data does not immediately offer answers to the questions they are asking. Rather, the question, "What insights do we really want to get?" is the starting-point, and they will overcome whatever technological obstacles they have to in order to find their answers. Once they know the challenge they want to tackle, they may even invent methods needed to navigate through all the other steps. They'll find ways to capture information on tricky topics, often requiring meticulous (or creative) data-cleaning, and then find equally creative analyses to give insights into their initial questions. Successfully and efficiently tackling challenges in this way is an impressive task. However, the hospitality industry at large has already identified the major insights that most GMs need to operate smoothly. Manufacturers have spent years creating a wide range of tools and incorporating those tools into hoteliers' common operational systems. As a result, hotels may already possess many sophisticated analytical tools that their key managers just do not know how to utilize to their fullest. GMs do not have to be an Indy 500 racecar driver to cover a lot of ground in regard to making data-driven business decisions; they just have to get behind the wheel of the data-oriented tools already available to them. That said, they will not be able to win their races until they effectively understand the ways that information is obtained, processed, analyzed, and applied to improve their decision making. To be successful it is vital that GMs provide ongoing training and continual dialogue with department-level managers on how to apply the 4-step data science (OPAA) process in their areas of specialization. Some GMs may find that forming regularly scheduled meetings with their own in-house data management teams can help to empower those employees that can directly apply a hotel's data-related discoveries. Others may find that specific training opportunities are needed to fully empower key personnel. The most important take away is that, when done properly, GMs can go a long way towards filling the crucial role of data scientists. The result can greatly improve their own decision making, as well as that of their other key staff. Note: This article originally published December 3, 2018 at www.hotel-online.com. Reuse by other media or news outlets or organizations are prohibited without permission. Personal use and sharing via social media tools is encouraged. All rights reserved by the authors. About the Authors: Dr. Joshua D. Hayes, is a data scientist with advanced degrees from Stanford and UC Davis. He, along with Allisha A. Miller and Dr. David K. Hayes, own and manage Panda Professionals Hospitality Education and Training (www.pandapros.com), which creates personalized, innovative, and practical communication tools designed exclusively for those in the hospitality industry. 1 https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2018/01/29/data-scientist-is-the-best-job-in-america-according-glassdoors-2018-rankings/ 2 https://www.glassdoor.com/Jobs/Amazon-Data-Scientist-Jobs-EI_IE6036.0,6_KO7,21.htm 3 https://dzone.com/articles/big-data-analytics-delivering-business-value-at-am 4 https://www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/data-data-and-more-data-the-most-valuable-currency-in-hospitality 5 https://www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/the-need-for-big-data-and-quantitative-skills-training-in-hospitality If you're planning to celebrate Christmas in Italy, Italy Luxury Tours is offering the best way to spend the most awaited holiday alongside Verona and Lake Garda. 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All tours are private, making them the ideal way to tour Italy. Company: Italy Luxury Tours Telephone: 1-888-959-7108 Email address: tours@italyluxurytours.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 Chitrakorn, known to her team and friends as Meow, joined Louis T Collection in June 2017 as hotel manager for Hotel Bocage, a chic, six-room boutique hotel designed by the acclaimed Thai architect, Duangrit Bunnag, in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin. Louis T Collection has appointed Chaivaree Chitrakorn as general manager of Mantra Samui Resort in Koh Samui, Thailand. The Thai-national, who has spent most of her career with Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong, relocated to her homeland last year to join Louis T Collection and has assumed a new position at Mantra Samui Resort as her second posting with the hospitality management and building solutions company. Chitrakorn, known to her team and friends as Meow, joined Louis T Collection in June 2017 as hotel manager for Hotel Bocage, a chic, six-room boutique hotel designed by the acclaimed Thai architect, Duangrit Bunnag, in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin. "Becoming hotel manager at Hotel Bocage involved switching to a different field but the experienced gained in my previous profession was invaluable in my role," said Chitrakorn. "Taking on the GM position at Mantra is an exciting new challenge and one I'm well prepared for." Chitrakorn has a wealth of experience in managing teams and inspiring high performance. She joined Louis T Collection from her latest role as attendance management executive at Cathay Pacific where she drove performance management and provided appropriate counselling and support for over 8,000 cabin crew members. She was also an inflight services manager for two decades, managing cabin crew, monitoring their performance and continuously enhancing passenger satisfaction throughout the inflight experience. "Khun Meow's broad management experience and focus on service excellence has been an exceptionally good fit for Louis T Collection," said Mikael Svensson, senior vice president of Louis T Collection. "This wealth of experience has enabled her to bring fresh input to the team and allowed her to adapt to new situations quickly." Chitrakorn is responsible for all operations of the boutique hotel that overlooks Bophut Beach from a lush hillside location. The property features an infinity pool; the Jai Spa, which looks to nature for its treatment ingredients; and The View, an all-day Western and Thai restaurant that looks over the Gulf of Thailand. Mantra Samui Resort is also home to Koh Samui's first dedicated co-working space, which opened earlier this year. Louis T Collection acquired the coastal property in 2015. The following year Mantra Samui Resort underwent a major renovation and repositioning, and was unveiled 18 months later with an entirely new look encompassing major changes to the resort's rooms, pool area, landscaping and ecological footprint, as well as a new lobby and spa. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Benzino has been flying under the radar. In fact, he's remained so well hidden that TMZ only just learned that the former Love & Hip-Hop star was arrested last January and hit with some serious charges. Without counting his battle with Eminem, this may be the fiercest struggle Benzino has been faced with in his career. In January 2017, Benzino was charged with felony possession of THC oil gummies (22 grams), felony possession of 6 MDMA pills, and misdemeanor possession of less than an ounce of weed. The laws against marijuana in Georgia are strict, as Benzino is now learning. Legal documents obtained by TMZ state that Benzino's Atlanta apartment was raided by police, who found the drugs in his drawers and cabinets. He was arrested at the time and posted a $12k bail. Benzino's legal team tried to fight back against the authorities, claiming that the search and seizure was illegal. Unfortunately, a judge ruled that the cops searched the apartment legally. Benzino will learn today (December 12) when his case will go to trial. The case could head to trial as soon as next week if Benzino doesn't take a plea deal. He's looking at up to 15 years in prison for the crimes. Cardi B's been involved in a legal battle with her former manager, Shaft, who claimed he jumpstarted the rapper's career before she cut him off financially. Cardi has since responded back to the ex-manager's claims with a lawsuit of her own. She sued Shaft for $15M and claimed that he was far too controlling of her career and her personal life. However, she'll be meeting with Shaft's attorney's in the first quarter of 2019 for a deposition. According to TMZ, Cardi B has been ordered to sit down for a deposition with Shaft's manager on March 19th. She'll be testifying against Shaft about her legal battle with him. The court previously allowed Cardi to push her deposition back due to her pregnancy, but now that she's given birth to her daughter Kulture, Shaft's legal team has demanded that she be deposed over the lawsuit. Offset might also have to sit down a deposition in the case. Cardi previously alleged that Shaft attempted to get in the middle of her relationship with the Migos rapper. A source close to Shaft previously stated Offset charged Cardi $50K for his verse on "Lick" after allegedly claiming that it would initially be $25K. Offset hasn't received a deposition date, but it's likely that it will land before April 2nd. We'll keep you posted on Cardi B's case. A few weeks ago, suspicious packages were being sent to some of the most influential businesses in America as somebody mailed out dozens of threatening envelopes to Hillary Clinton's home, CNN, the Obama residence, and more. While this incident isn't nearly as severe, it is being reported that the Facebook buildings in California were evacuated yesterday after a bomb threat was made. According to CNN, everybody is safe but a few of Facebook's buildings were cleared in order for police to investigate the threat. Employees are allowed to return to their offices as things are back to normal today. The San Mateo bomb unit responded to the threat, noting that there were no suspicious packages or devices found in their search. https://twitter.com/_/status/1072706866084495362 A spokesperson for Facebook has issued a statement that reads, "We take the safety and security of our people at Facebook extremely seriously and are glad that everyone is safe. We are working closely with local authorities to investigate this threat and further monitor the situation." The initial tip was sent to the police's Crime Stoppers unit. Thankfully, everybody is safe and nothing was found. The company moved one of their campuses about 30 miles away from San Francisco in 2011, which is the building that was targeted. This week, we've been treated with a new video from Kodak Black and now, he returns with a brand new track. The young Floridian has been the talk of the industry since his release from prison. His long-awaited album Dying To Live is set to premiere on Friday but before then, he's debuted his collaboration with Juice WRLD. https://www.instagram.com/p/BrS42Nal0Oy Teaming up with one of the most popular upstarts in the rap game, Kodak Black and Juice WRLD vow to start a "MoshPit" in their new song. Kodak has seemingly calmed down and matured since his stint in jail but he's still down to get into a fight, moshing all over the Staples Center in this new song. Juice starts out with the first verse as the Chicago talent continues to open eyes to his brand. Kodak comes in for the second offering as he continues to uncover new songs from the upcoming body of work. Yesterday, Kodak unveiled the full tracklist for his upcoming project, which includes features from Travis Scott, Lil Pump, and others. Dying To Live is one of the most anticipated albums of the last few months as fans have been begging Kodak to drop the new work. What do you think of the collaboration? Dying To Live releases this Friday. Quotable Lyrics: Out of space like a martian in here Doing donuts in the lot ain't no parking in here We about that action ain't no talking in here Shorty twerking on the walls, Peter Parker in here Haters in the rear view, X on my phone We too loud I can't hear you His blood turn his coat red, I will Paul Revere you Imma ball 'til I fall, I will Cavalier you Nicki Minaj's new man, Kenneth Petty, has been making the rounds online ever since their relationship went public. The rapper is sticking by his side, despite the surfacing of his criminal past which includes a case of rape as well as the prison time he served for killing a man. Although these situations are issues of the past, Petty is said to be facing new legal troubles, according to Page Six. Kevin Winter/Getty Images The man was driving around in Nassau County when he was stopped by police on November 11 for running through a stop sign. His vehicle happened to be unlicensed and the 40-year-old was driving without a license as well, leading to his arrest. He is now facing a misdemeanor charge for driving the unlicensed car on top of the infractions of failing to adhere to the stop sign and driving without a valid license. Kenneth is set to Nassau County court on January 8. This court date might seem trivial in comparison to his past criminal charges. Petty spent 7 years in prison for shooting and killing a man in Queens, New York, in 2002. He is also listed as a sex offender after the 1995 rape case. Still, Nicki Minaj insists on defending her new relationship and flaunting their romantic connection. Earlier this year Bad Boys fans got the confirmation they've been waiting for when the third installment of the franchise was confirmed by lead actors Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. "Its been a LOOOONG time Coming. But now its Here!" Will shared on Instagram. Although the film is confirmed, the cast is still being scouted and one of the latest to get a call to join the film is none other than Romeo Miller. The former rapper, actor and entrepreneur shared the news to his Instagram story, detailing how Will and Martin are some of his idols. "When you get callbacks and opportunity to work alongside your idols Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, you go study and go ghost," he wrote. "These kind of calls and emails is what makes it worth it though." https://www.instagram.com/p/BrQbcHfhX7s As for the plot of the upcoming film, it's as follows: "The film will see Lawrences character Marcus Burnett working as a private eye after a falling out with Smiths Mike Lowery, who is going through a midlife crisis as a bachelor who finally wants to mature, all while dealing with a new a young and cocky partner who is loyal to Lowery but that loyalty is not reciprocated, and finds bond with Burnett when he returns to the fray. Lowery and Burnett are brought together again when a lean, mean, skilled, Albanian mercenary with a vendetta puts a death order on Lowery and Burnett for the death of his brother. Now the two must work together once again to bring him down." The movie is set to hit theatres January 2020. Wendy Williams recently welcomed Nick Cannon as a guest on her talk show and among the many topics they surely discussed, the holidays and Nick's travel plans was one of them. Being as Nick has an extended family since co-parenting with exes Mariah Carey and Brittany Bell, Nick plans to be hopping all over the world to spend precious time with his kids while fitting in a trip to Haiti to donate gifts. "I'm Saint Nick for real, obviously I have an extended family and I'll be visiting them in many houses over the holidays," Nick said as seen in the clip below. Wendy then came in and asked if he will be visiting his "oops baby," referring to his one-year-old son Golden. Nick quickly responded in shock and laughed it off while Wendy seemingly tried to cover up her steps. Its cool to see 7-year-olds approaching a 1-year-old and how theyre taking on that big brother and sister role, Nick said of his twins, Moroccan and Monroe, interacting with Golden. We get to spend every holiday together. Golden just took his first steps, and they were there helping him walk. When an industry relies on half-truths and obfuscation to lure customers, there is something seriously wrong with the business plan. By that measure, free-standing emergency rooms require greater scrutiny. Because no one with the proper information would go near one of these supremely expensive walk-in clinics if they knew what it might cost them. The core of the problem boils down to definitions and disclosures. And if you think you know what it means for an ER to accept your insurance, youre probably wrong. Free-standing ERs dot the suburbs, where census data tells physician-entrepreneurs that most residents have private insurance. Operators also like to locate where people have a lot of money and little patience for waiting. These for-profit ERs, which have no affiliations with hospitals, take advantage of the typical consumers ignorance of the difference between an urgent care clinic, a free-standing ER and a hospital ER. An urgent care center can and should handle most consumers immediate needs and charge only a little more than a doctors office. A hospital ER is focused on life-threatening conditions and would really rather you go to an urgent care if possible. Free-standing ERs dont really want trauma cases; they want urgent care cases. Their parlor trick is equipping the clinic like an emergency room, which by law allows them to charge 20 times more than an urgent care for precisely the same treatment. For example, an average person who cuts his or her hand while slicing his or her Sunday morning bagel has probably never thought about urgent care versus an ER. He or she is only thinking about the blood flowing out and wants to go to the nearest location with the shortest wait time. A cut requiring stitches is the perfect example of the nearly 56 percent of emergency room visits that are not emergencies, according to the New England Health Institute. But if its your blood staining one of the good kitchen towels, you probably think its an emergency, not merely urgent. Then the obfuscation truly begins. Free-standing ERs love telling patients how they accept all forms of insurance because regulations require that insurance companies pay all ER bills. The ERs even display insurance company logos on the door. Accepting insurance, though, is not the same as being in network. Insurance companies are only required to pay in-network rates, which will undoubtedly be much less than what the ER bills. Too many patients do not realize they are liable for the difference until a surprise bill arrives, usually after the stitches have fallen out. AARP Texas found that 77 percent of the states 215 free-standing ERs said they take or accept Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance, but were out of network. Free-standing ER operators promote this confusion, and they lobby lawmakers in Austin to keep you uninformed. After thousands of complaints, the Texas Legislature passed a law in 2015 requiring facilities to post notices that they are not urgent care facilities. They must also declare whether they are in network. The free-standing ERs posted notices that said they accept insurance but didnt list any networks because very few facilities are in a network. Patients kept complaining, so lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill last year requiring operators to post their facility fees and remove the logos of insurance companies unless they were in network. The bill would have also banned free-standing ERs from saying they accept or participate in a health insurers plan unless they were in network. We were able to amend those provisions out of this bill, and what is left is a simple modification to the posting notice, industry representatives declared in a note to operators posted online. The final bill only requires free-standing ERs to post: The facility is not a participating provider in any health benefit plan provider network. When my colleague Jenny Deam checked 15 months later, she found that free-standing ERs still prominently advertise that they accept private insurance on websites, then bury the notice about being out of network in drop-down tabs. Free-standing ERs have no legitimate excuse for failing to warn patients about the potential for receiving huge bills. Operators know they will balance bill because their business plan depends on it. But they also know if they were upfront about the costs, most patients would get their stitches at an urgent care instead. Lawmakers will try to pass new disclosure laws next year, but until then patients should boycott free-standing ERs. At least until operators grow a conscience. Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy. chris.tomlinson@chron.com twitter.com/cltomlinson YASUYOSHI CHIBA/Contributor 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. 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 Much of the concern raised from local communities on the barrier islands that would be directly impacted by a proposed coastal spine for southeast Texas centers on whether the state and federal government would enforce eminent domain rights to displace homes or businesses on Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island to build the massive 71-mile long system of gates and levees. During a media briefing hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at its Galveston district office with the Texas General Land Office on Tuesday, the project managers for the coastal barrier emphasized that eminent domain would only be employed as "a last resort." Army Corps officials repeatedly said a final alignment for the proposed coastal barrier -- a draft study of which was released on Oct. 26 -- has not yet been decided and that part of the purpose of the current 75-day public comment period was to solicit feedback from the community on how to "optimize" the barrier to have a minimal economic and environmental impact. "There is a possibility with having to do eminent domain but like we said before, we are trying to minimize the impacts to the public, so we are going to try and identify an alignment that minimizes and hopefully avoids that if at all possible," said Tony Williams, senior director of coastal resources planning for the General Land Office. The proposed coastal spine would be a system of levees and sea gates beginning on high ground north of High Island and running the length of Bolivar Peninsula. It would then cross the entrance of Galveston Bay and run the length of Galveston Island, incorporating the existing Galveston seawall. It would end at San Luis Pass. The cost of the project -- which includes a series of gates along the west side of Galveston Bay at Clear Creek and Dickinson Bayou, as well as environmental restoration efforts extending down the coast as far as South Padre Island -- is expected to be anywhere from $23 billion to $31 billion, but that estimate does not account for the official appraised value of the land that the state would likely need to acquire in order to build the barrier. Those appraisals won't happen until the project is in the design and construction phase, which could be as far as three years down the road. The General Land Office, as the non-federal sponsor of the coastal barrier proposal, would be responsible for any real estate acquisition associated with the project. To avoid using eminent domain, the land office could use right of entry easements to acquire the necessary land to build , but Army Corps officials also alluded to potential buyouts as a preferred option. "We certainly would do the most avoidance as possible and hopefully we have a public that understands that the scope and magnitude and importance of the project that the team's proposing and be willing to potentially sell their land for this project, and if not I think the final acquisition would be for eminent domain," said Col. Lars Zetterstrom, the commander of the Galveston district of the Army Corps of Engineers. The media briefing on Tuesday shed additional details on the proposed coastal barrier ahead of a series of public hearings on the project this week in Winnie, Galveston and Crystal Beach. Those hearings are intended to give the public a voice that the Army Corps and General Land Office will consider as it works to complete its five-year study on the project by 2021. But Army Corps officials downplayed the notion that the tentatively selected plan of a coastal spine along the two barrier islands would be sent back to the drawing board. The Army Corps and General Land Office has selected an alternative to the barrier island solution, a "bay rim" plan that would only include gates along the west side of Galveston Bay beginning at San Jacinto and eventually connecting to the Texas City Dike. This plan would be slightly cheaper than the coastal spine, estimated between $18 billion and $23 billion, but would not come with the same cost-benefit ratio as the spine. "In terms of choosing a different configuration like the rim solution, I think that we're headed down the barrier island solution, that's what we have justified economically," said Kelly Burks-Copes, the Army Corps of Engineers' project manager for the coastal barrier study. It is, however, possible that the plan could change more significantly when the final report on the coastal barrier proposal is sent to Congress for authorization. Congress must appropriate the money for the project before design and construction begins, and could direct the Army Corps of Engineers to alter the scope of the project if it balks at funding a project of that scale. The design phase of the coastal barrier project is expected to take anywhere from two to five years if Congress appropriates the money shortly after the study is completed in 2021. Construction of the barrier would then take 10 to 15 years if all of the money is appropriated up front. The federal government will shoulder the majority of the potentially $31 billion cost of the project, at 65 percent, with the state making up the other 35 percent. The General Land Office would then be charged with operations and maintenance of the barrier. Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com WASHINGTON - Google CEO Sundar Pichai confronted a barrage of criticism Tuesday from House Republicans who said his company suppresses conservative voices, exposing Google to the same kind of scrutiny that has destabilized its tech peers this year. Pichai insisted that Google is careful to avoid political bias in its search engine and other products. "To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests," said Pichai, testifying for the first time before Congress. "We are a company that provides platforms for diverse perspectives and opinions - and there is no shortage of them among our own employees." Yet in an interview with The Washington Post after the hearing, Pichai acknowledged that Google navigates tricky waters in setting global policies on issues such as hate speech or political opinions that might spread falsehoods - or appear as censorship. He said Google needs to do more work in "areas where the world doesn't quite agree." The stakes could rise dramatically if Google re-enters China, where the company shut down its Chinese-language search engine in 2010 over security and censorship concerns. In the Post interview, Pichai said the company has an internal effort to develop a product aimed at the Chinese market, though he declined to say what it was or whether it was likely to be a search engine. "For us, this work had many purposes. Can we explore and serve users in China, in areas like education and health care?" Pichai said. "We may not end up doing search. We're trying to understand a market." But employees have revolted against a project that many see as counter to Silicon Valley ideals of free speech. "Our principles apply for us globally," he added. "We have many ways we can approach it." Google has long had at least occasional contact with Chinese officials after its retreat from the country, Pichai said. The renewed effort to work in China, dubbed Project Dragonfly and made public through news reports this year, has sparked sharp political backlash on Capitol Hill. Pichai's interrogation in front of the House Judiciary Committee capped a yearlong inquiry by the panel into allegations that Google and its tech peers stifle conservatives online. Democrats had objected to the hearing series from the beginning, arguing that Republicans were playing politics. But the two parties still appeared to share broad concerns about Google's algorithms and data-gathering on the Android mobile operating system and other Google offerings, such as its dominant search engine. Pichai is the third tech CEO - following Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey - to submit to a grilling on Capitol Hill this year after long avoiding the harsh congressional spotlight. Yet the questions about Google's privacy practices, its next big tech bets and its ability to police hate speech only stand to intensify as lawmakers increasingly focus on how Silicon Valley operates, and tech-skeptical Democrats prepare to take the reins in the House of Representatives in 2019. The 3.5 hour hearing Tuesday began with a pointed question when House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., asked, "Are America's technology companies serving as instruments of freedom - or instruments of control?" Other Republicans, including Rep. Steve Chabot, Ohio, at one point charged that Google's search algorithm is "in effect picking winners and losers" and potentially even "affecting elections." They delivered their rebukes while conservatives including Alex Jones, banned from YouTube for his conspiracy theory videos and threats to journalists, looked on from the back of the hearing room. In response, frustrated Democrats led by Rep. Jerry Nadler, N.Y., called the premise of the hearing itself a "fantasy" and part of a "right-wing conspiracy." Nadler said lawmakers should have focused on the ways the internet has become a "new tool for those seeking to stoke racial and ethnic hatred. The presence of hateful conduct and content in these platforms has been made all the more alarming by the recent rise in hate-motivated violence." Other Democrats signaled such oversight could come in 2019, when they take over control of the chamber. "I look forward next year to working with you on some of the very serious questions we face," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. "It's pretty obvious bias against conservative voices is not one of them." Caught in the middle, Pichai stressed Google's neutrality. Democrats and Republicans also warned Google about building a search engine that would work with China's government-controlled internet. In response, the Google leader said the company would brief Congress before proceeding. Pichai, who acknowledged in questioning from lawmakers that about 100 people have worked on the project but repeatedly said Google has "no plans" to offer a new product for China, later told The Post that it was too soon to put any parameters on the effort. Members of both parties pressed Pichai on the privacy implications of the company's sweeping data-collection practices across a range of services, including Gmail, Google Search and the Android mobile operating system. A day after Google revealed a new mishap jeopardized the data of about 52 million users of its soon-to-be-deactivated social networking service, Pichai told lawmakers, "We always think there is more to do." Yet Pichai's mild-mannered responses - often offering more nuance than lawmakers sought or promising to have his staff follow up later on tricky questions - did not always satisfy some Republicans. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, at one point held up his iPhone and demanded to know whether Google would detect if he walked across the hearing room and sat among the Democratic lawmakers. "Does Google track my movement?" asked Poe sharply. As Pichai attempted to answer, adding that he needed to know more about the Apple device's settings before answering, Poe interrupted, saying, "It's not a trick question. You know, you make $100 million a year. You ought to be able to answer that question." Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., also took an aggressive tone with Pichai in citing a Washington Post story on Tuesday regarding the rampant spread of hateful, conspiratorial videos on YouTube. Pichai said the company had made progress in policing some types of problematic content, but he added, "We are looking to do more. This was a recent thing, but I'm committed to following up on it, making sure we are evaluating these against our policies. But it's an area where we acknowledge there's more work to be done and will definitely continue doing that." Raskin didn't relent, saying that while Republicans have accused the company of political bias, the hateful conspiracy videos have the potential to provoke violence, as happened in 2016 when a man who had watched a Pizzagate conspiracy video on YouTube fired shots in a Northwest Washington pizzeria. "There is material that is a true public danger," Raskin told Pichai. "I think the point at which it becomes a matter of serious public interest is when your communication vehicle is being used to promote propaganda that leads to violent events." Speaking with The Post after the hearing, Pichai acknowledged that Google still had more work to do in crafting and enforcing policies on hate speech and other offensive content online. "I do think we've definitely gotten better at areas where you're better able to clearly define policies, where there's less subjectivity," said Pichai, pointing to YouTube, where the company's machine-learning tools have been put to use to spot and take down terrorist content. But he appeared to grapple with the harder calls. "How do you draw lines in a way that is right, (and) you don't make mistakes on either side," he said, "and how do you do it responsibly?" NEW YORK - A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen to three years in prison for financial crimes and lying to Congress, as the disgraced "fixer" apologized but said he felt it was his duty to cover up the "dirty deeds" of his former boss. Cohen made an emotional apology to U.S. District Judge William Pauley III, taking responsibility for what the judge called a "veritable smorgasbord of criminal conduct" - crimes that included tax violations, lying to a bank and, during the 2016 campaign, buying the silence of women who claimed that they once had affairs with the future president. The downfall of the hard-charging, high-profile lawyer has potential consequences far beyond Cohen, as authorities have alleged that Trump directed him in violating campaign finance laws. Facing his day of reckoning, Cohen laid plenty of the blame at the president's feet, and his lawyer said he would continue to cooperate with the ongoing special counsel investigation of the president's campaign. "My weakness could be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump," Cohen told the packed courtroom. He sniffled and fought back tears as he spoke, pausing occasionally to regain his composure. Cohen had faced as much as five years and three months in prison, but Pauley said the sentence should reflect two key elements of Cohen's case - punishing those who repeatedly break the law while rewarding those who cooperate and provide truthful testimony. Cohen has provided information to investigators about Trump and the Trump campaign, but prosecutors said he refused to tell them everything he knew. Wednesday's hearing marked another milestone in the FBI investigations that have engulfed the president and led to criminal convictions for his former campaign chairman, former national security adviser, and two other campaign aides. A special counsel's office prosecutor emphasized in court that the man who once fondly considered himself Trump's fixer has provided useful information that speaks to the core mission of Robert Mueller III: determining whether anyone in the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the election. That is worrisome for Trump. But, as it has throughout the investigation, Mueller's team held its cards close, not revealing any new details about what it had learned from Cohen, or where the probe might be headed next. The judge ordered Cohen to begin serving his sentence on March 6 and recommended he be sent to a federal prison in Otisville, New York. He also told Cohen, a multimillionaire who owns pricey real estate and a taxi medallion business, to pay nearly $2 million in financial penalties. "Our democratic institutions depend upon the honesty of our citizenry in dealing with the government," Pauley said, calling Cohen's crimes serious, particularly given his profession. "As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better," the judge said. "While Mr. Cohen is taking steps to mitigate his criminal conduct by pleading guilty and volunteering useful information to prosecutors, that does not wipe the slate clean. "Mr. Cohen selected the information he disclosed to the government," Pauley said. "This court cannot agree with the defendant's assertion that no jail time is warranted. In fact, this court firmly believes that a significant term of imprisonment is fully justified in this highly publicized case to send a message." Trump made no immediate statements after the sentencing, but he told Reuters on Tuesday that the payments made to buy women's silence did not violate criminal campaign finance laws. "Number one, it wasn't a campaign contribution. If it were, it's only civil, and even if it's only civil, there was no violation based on what we did. OK?" Trump told the news organization. The president also sought to cast blame on Cohen. "Michael Cohen is a lawyer. I assume he would know what he's doing," Trump said. Cohen pleaded guilty in two separate cases. One was brought by Mueller, over Cohen's lies to Congress about a possible Trump Tower project in Moscow that he pursued in the heat of Trump's presidential campaign. The other was brought by federal prosecutors in New York over tax and bank fraud allegations, as well as campaign finance violations. Separately, New York prosecutors announced Wednesday that they had struck a non-prosecution agreement with AMI, the company that produces the National Enquirer tabloid, for its role in squelching stories of women who said they had relationships with Trump. AMI paid $150,000 to one of the women before the 2016 election. As part of the agreement, AMI admitted it made the payment principally "in concert" with Trump's campaign to "suppress the woman's story so as to prevent it from influencing the election," according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. In his appeal for leniency, Cohen, dressed in a charcoal suit and light blue tie, denounced what he called his own weakness in the service of his former boss, the president. "I stand before your honor humbly and painfully aware that we are here today for one reason, because of my actions that I pled guilty to," Cohen said. "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to, the personal ones to me and those involving the president of the United States of America." Cohen said there was a deep irony about his sentencing, because he felt that he was finally getting free from Trump. "Today is the day I am getting my freedom back as you sit at the bench and contemplate my fate," he said. "I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the fateful day that I accepted the offer to work for a famous real estate mogul whose business acumen I truly admired. In fact I now know there is little to be admired." He cited a recent tweet from the president calling Cohen "weak" for cooperating with the government and said the president was right, but not in the way he meant. "It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light," Cohen said. "Time and time again, I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." Cohen was joined in court by his parents, his wife, his children and other family members. He entered the courtroom locked arm-in-arm with his daughter, who walked with a single crutch. Upon leaving, he strode past a bank of television cameras, ignoring a microphone stand that had been set up, and departed in a black SUV. Moments later, Michael Avenatti, the attorney for one of the women whom Cohen arranged to be paid hush money, told reporters Cohen "deserved every day of the 36-month sentence" he received. "Michael Cohen was sentenced today," Avenatti said. "Donald Trump is next." Cohen attorney Guy Petrillo urged the judge to be lenient in light of what he called Cohen's courage and "the remarkable nature and significance" of his decision to cooperate against Trump. "He knew that the president might shut down the investigation. . . . He came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country," Petrillo said. "He did so not knowing what the result would be, not knowing how the politics would play out, not knowing if the special counsel would even survive." As a result, Petrillo said, Cohen and his family have faced public outrage and threats. "This is not a case of standard cooperation," Petrillo said, calling the investigation in question as significant as the Watergate probe involving President Richard M. Nixon more than 40 years ago. Petrillo also criticized prosecutors, suggesting that Cohen would not have faced such harsh consequences but for his famous client. He said the New York prosecutors, in particular, were taking such an aggressive posture out of "pride." "No other defendant would be treated in this fashion," Petrillo said. "Mr. Cohen has the misfortune of having been counsel to the president." The lawyer said Cohen is willing to cooperate further with the FBI and said it was unfair for prosecutors to say he is refusing to discuss other possible crimes he may know about. There was no indication from either side that such cooperation might lead to another sentence reduction. Trump and his legal team have sought to downplay Cohen's allegations, and the president had said Cohen deserves a "full and complete" sentence. Trump has denied having the affairs and this week accused his political opponents of focusing on the campaign finance matter because, the president claimed, they had failed to prove his campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the election. "Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced," Trump wrote Monday on Twitter. "WITCH HUNT!" Jeannie Rhee, part of Mueller's prosecution team, told the judge that Cohen "has endeavored to account for his criminal conduct in numerous ways," providing "credible and reliable information about core Russia-related issues under investigation." Rhee said she could not go into detail about the ongoing Russia investigation but said Cohen was "helpful" to the probe. Cohen, she said, was "careful to note what he knows and what he doesn't know. . . . Mr. Cohen has sought to tell us the truth, and that is of utmost value to us." The special counsel's office, for its part, seems to view Cohen as a valuable cooperator. Mueller's prosecutors did not recommend any particular punishment in their case but said he should not serve any additional prison time beyond his sentence in the New York case. They credited Cohen with providing "useful information" about the ongoing probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, as well as "relevant information" about his contacts with people connected to the White House between 2017 and 2018. We might be on the brink of a federal government shutdown, thanks to a public clash on Tuesday between President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders in Congress related to border security funding. We are also entering a dangerous period, according to 44 former U.S. Senators who signed onto an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Monday noting their concerns about the rule of law, the Constitution, our governing institutions and our national security. As for me, Ive been reflecting on the afternoon I spent with the mayor of Eagle Pass, Chuck Foster, in 2009. One of the things that concerned Foster at the time was that there wasnt a nonstop flight from San Antonio to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. There still isnt, actually. And that probably doesnt sound like a big deal in the grand scheme of things. But it does help explain why America might be on the verge of a federal government shutdown as the result of a political debate related to border security funding. Grieder: Republicans and Democrats should have serious debate about the border we need Trump, as we all know, wants to build a border wall. And hes concluded that Americans should pay for it, after all. To be more specific, the president wants Congress to appropriate the necessary funds to the Department of Homeland Security. And Congress has to pass some sort of spending measure in this lame-duck session in order to keep the federal government open through the end of the year. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate respectively, have offered to make a deal with Republicans on the subject in order to pass a broader government funding bill. Theyve also offered to kick the can down the road via a continuing resolution, a short-term spending measure. But on Tuesday, Pelosi and Schumer made it clear that theyre not prepared to give Trump $5 billion, with no strings attached, to build a wall on the southern border. That made the president angry and caused him to weaken his own negotiating position. I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, Trump said at the meeting, which was held in the Oval Office and broadcast live to the entire nation. The people of this country dont want criminals, and people that have lots of problems, and drugs pouring into our country, Trump continued. Thats probably true, in a sense. But it doesnt necessarily follow that a majority of Americans want a border wall or that those who do would applaud Trump for shutting down the federal government in an effort to secure funding. Grieder: When populism roils politics, voters still care about bread-and-butter issues Pelosi and Schumer have caught some flak from the left for agreeing to negotiate with Republicans on border security in the first place. Democrats picked up 40 seats in this years midterm election and will control the House, though not the Senate, when Congress convenes in January. And Republican leaders in Congress would be hard-pressed to convince the general public that Democrats are responsible for a government shutdown. I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. Im not going to blame you for it, said Trump to the Democratic leaders, as Vice President Mike Pence looked on silently. Im not sure if any of the four leaders ever crossed paths with Foster, but they may have heard of him during the debate over the Secure Fence Act of 2006. Foster was an outspoken critic of the act, which authorized the construction of hundreds of miles of additional fencing on the border, among other things. When I arrived at Fosters office in 2009, he handed me a T-shirt, screen-printed with an image of a bald eagle soaring over the Rio Grande, with barbed wire in its talons. Let the Eagle Pass, the T-shirt said. Grieder: Texas business community has the right perspective on Dreamers But shortly after we began talking, Foster suggested that we go for a ride. His opposition to the border fence wasnt ideological, ultimately. He didnt think a fence made senseand since I had made my way to Maverick County, he could show me why. At one point, we pulled up on the banks of the Rio Grande, where several Border Patrol agents were looking at a dense thicket of carrizo cane, which ran right up to the waters edge. There could be an elephant on fire down there, Foster observed. The federal government should scrap the fence idea, he continued, and provide for the eradication of carrizo cane. I could see what Foster meant. Carrizo cane is an invasive species, and its eradication would actually improve our border security. But you never hear much about carrizo cane in Congressional debates, even during normal times. Perhaps thats because its hard to understand the problem with this plant, unless you see it with your own eyes. And its hard to fault members of Congress for that, frankly. Maverick County is a bit out of the way. You cant even get a nonstop flight to South Texas from Washington, D.C. Itll be easy to fault Republicans, though, if Trump shuts down the federal government. He wants a border wall, clearly, and Americans want border security. But that doesnt mean we want a shutdown and we would like our policies to be grounded in reality. erica.grieder@chron.com The threats on Facebook Messenger grew more sinister by the hour. The stranger said he knew where Carlos Arias lived and worked and that if he didnt pay the gang $1,300 a month, the young father would have to choose whom he would rather see dead: His girlfriend, his brother, or his two small children. Youre going to see a photo. We are going to chop up your children. Arias moved out of his house in El Salvadors capital city, staying with a relative. But when the threats escalated, he fled with his children to the Texas border, where he hoped last month to ask for asylum. Instead Border Patrol agents accused the 35-year-old of belonging to a gang and imprisoned him, placing his children in a San Antonio federal shelter. President Donald Trumps administration ended its controversial practice of separating families at the southern border six months ago and under a federal judges orders has reunified more than 2,100 immigrant children with their parents. Efforts are ongoing for hundreds more. But attorneys say federal agents continue such separations by accusing parents of gang affiliation sometimes with scant or undisclosed evidence or using even minor crimes they committed years ago in the United States as justification. The administration said it is complying with current law and a settlement in the landmark San Diego federal suit that allows the government to remove children from their parents if the adults could pose a danger. U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw, who is overseeing that case, imposed no standards or guidelines for when such situations warrant separation. Past administrations, including President Barack Obamas, also split up families if there was a question about the safety of the child or the biological relationship. But attorneys say such determinations are now playing out with greater frequency and with little transparency, and that the government risks mistakes that could permanently sever children from their parents. The lack of transparency when the U.S. government separates families is troublesome on many levels, said Laura Pena, a former immigration prosecutor turned advocate with the Texas Civil Rights Project, an Austin nonprofit monitoring the practice. It becomes David vs. Goliath when the U.S. government has secret information or suspicion of gang membership, fraud, or other issues that leads to the separation of a parent from a child. We have seen that the strength of Goliath tends to lead to permanent family separation. Once children are removed from their parents, they are placed in federal shelters and adults can quickly be deported alone. Half a year since the federal lawsuit forced the reunification of more than 2,600 separated children, 96 remain in government custody as advocates struggle to find their deported parents. Since June, Homeland Security statistics show another 81 children have been separated from their parents or legal guardians. In about a third of those cases, the adults were accused of gang ties, a criminal history or an extraditable warrant. The remainder were hospitalized, prosecuted for other crimes, or it is not clear why they were separated. The welfare of children in our custody is paramount, said Katie Waldman, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, in a statement. "As we have already said and the numbers show: separations are rare. About half of all such separations appear to have occurred in the McAllen area, where the Texas Civil Rights Project flagged 35 cases since June 20 in which parents had a documented criminal history in the United States, ranging from possession of cocaine to drunken driving, as presented during their federal court hearings. We are very concerned that the government is using all criminal history to circumvent the injunction in San Diego prohibiting the separation of families, said Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, who filed the lawsuit blocking the practice. We are looking into the cases that are brought to our attention from around the country. The reason for separating the remaining 15 parents in McAllen is unclear, but they include at least one Guatemalan father who was suspected of having a false birth certificate for his 2-year-old daughter. The Texas Civil Rights Project sought a DNA test proving their biological relationship, and the father and toddler were later reunified and released. Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York has also identified 17 children who were transferred to federal shelters in the area without any records that they had been removed from their parents most whom authorities said were suspected of some kind of criminal background that could pose a risk. The government did not provide details, but one of those parents first identified last month by ProPublica was, like Arias, accused of belonging to a Salvadoran gang after a routine Border Patrol background check confirmed his affiliation with MS-13. He was separated from his 4-year-old son. No more information was shared about the allegations and an immigration judge released the father on an $8,000 bond, said Jodi Ziesemer, a supervising attorney at Catholic Charities. He was seeking to gain custody of his son, In Arias case, Border Patrol officers ran his fingerprints when they apprehended him and his two children near McAllen last month. He said they accused him of belonging to a gang and made him take off his shirt, expressing surprise when he had no tattoos a trademark of MS-13. The officers said they were going to take him from his kids, causing 11-year-old Alison, a shy and studious daddys girl, to burst into tears, Arias said. He handed the federal agents a copy of an official document from El Salvadors Justice Department confirming that he had no criminal record. He also had a new passport and drivers license, which could have been problematic to obtain had he been flagged with gang membership, and a letter from his employer vouching for his character. Im not in a gang, he told the agents. The officers took Arias to McAllens federal courthouse, where he pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor crime of illegally entering the country. The judge sentenced him to time served since he had never before been in the United States. When Arias returned to the Border Patrol processing center, Alison and 7-year-old Carlos were gone, taken to a shelter for immigrant children hundreds of miles away. I didnt even have a chance to say goodbye, the father said in an extensive telephone interview from the immigrant detention facility in Laredo where he is now being held. Federal officials have told Arias and his lawyer, Norma Sepulveda, that they believe his gang affiliation because of an unspecified incident in 2005 and unknown pictures and statements, which the United States government has declined to release. Arias said he had no idea what they could be referring to. Neither did his former wife and the mother of his children who met Arias in 2005. The two separated in 2014 and she left San Salvador for Seattle shortly after. The mother asked not to be identified because she is here illegally and fears deportation. She said she left her children with Arias because he was a responsible, caring father and that she sent about $500 home every month to help with the familys expenses. It was never our plan that they should come here, she said. I know how dangerous the journey is. We thought I could send enough money that they could move to a safer neighborhood and maybe buy a house. She said they talked several times a day, often on video chat, and that Arias and the children usually spent nights watching movies and doing homework. On weekends, he took them fishing, sometimes bringing along his girlfriend. Hes a really honorable guy, a hard worker and a great father, the mother said. I never had any complaints about him and the governments accusation makes no sense. The allegation also stunned Arias boss at a fancy downtown San Salvador design firm, where he began working in January 2005, selling top-brand art and engineering supplies. That doesnt seem possible to me, said Claudia Rodriguez, who asked that her company not be identified for safety reasons. He was a very honest, trustworthy employee. She said he had recently been promoted to running the store after working for years in sales, where he had full access to the cash registry. He had a good job, she said. But then the gangs began harassing him. The online extortion began in October. Arias suspects a gangster obtained his Facebook contact information through a relative who has been in prison for years on a robbery charge. The man asked about his car and motorcycle and mentioned family members by name. We control everything and we know everything. Strangers began lurking outside Arias home. Once he fled his house to stay elsewhere with family, young men began asking friends about his whereabouts. They inquired about him at work. Arias said he twice tried to file police reports but was told he had to name the perpetrators for police to investigate. He finally managed to lodge a complaint with the prosecutors office, but it would take more than a week to be assigned. By that time Arias had left El Salvador. After he was gone, he learned gang members with MS-13 tattoos had killed a neighbor three houses down. He thought he could find safety in Seattle, where his former wife said they could stay with her. But then came the accusation that he belonged to a gang. Corry Schiermeyer, a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman, declined to discuss Arias case. Adelina Pruneda, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, did not address specific questions about his alleged gang affiliation, but said in a statement only that he had been arrested after illegally entering the United States. In a transcript of his telephonic interview with an asylum officer, Arias repeated the same story he had told the Houston Chronicle. The bureaucrat found he had not established a sufficient credible fear for asylum because he had not proved that he would face persecution due to his race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a social group. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made it significantly harder to obtain asylum through fears of gang violence or domestic abuse. But crucially, the asylum officer did not raise any concerns about Arias gang affiliation, or that he would face a bar to receiving asylum because of a criminal background. That is key, said Sepulveda, his attorney. I believe the government made a mistake in this case. Arias former wife said the government shelter in San Antonio called her last week because Alison was in hysterics. She is really close to her dad, the mother said of her daughter. She loves me of course but her dad is everything. The mother has applied to take in her two children, though she fears submitting her fingerprints may lead to her own deportation. Since July, immigration authorities have arrested 170 relatives who are here illegally and came forward to claim migrant children in government custody. Unless an immigration judge decides in his favor, Arias faces the prospect of returning home alone to threats in his Facebook messages that still fill him with dread. Hopefully you come back here. Youre going to see a photo of all your family. lomi.kriel@chron.com @lomikriel CHANG W. LEE, STF / NYT Michael Cohen will spend the next three years behind bars. But its there, he says, that hell finally be free of another kind of prison. Cohen, President Trumps longtime personal lawyer and fixer, was found guilty of violating federal campaign finance law as part of a scheme to keep Trumps presidential campaign alive by paying off two women who claimed to have been Trumps lovers. He also pleaded guilty to tax evasion and bank fraud and to making false statements to Congress about then-candidate Trumps undercover efforts to win Russian approval for a Trump-branded hotel in Moscow. Defending Donald Trump has been a challenge and a headache for Republicans ever since he became their party's nominee for president in 2016. After every appalling tweet, every racist statement, and every ludicrous policy idea, Republicans are called upon to explain why this is really no big deal and everything's fine. But with Trump's scandals deepening and the law closing in, justifying the president's words and actions is getting harder and harder. Fortunately for them, Republicans have always been good at this sort of thing, unencumbered as they are by logic or principle. So how are they reacting to the latest developments, including the allegation by federal prosecutors that Trump instructed his attorney Michael Cohen to break the law in concealing the hush money payoff to Stormy Daniels, the fact that 16 different Trump associates had contact with Russians during the campaign and the transition, and the growing list of indictments, convictions, and guilty pleas? Let's look at some of their defenses: - Why should we bother investigating this stuff? Can't we just forget about it and move on? Here's what Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the incoming leader of House Republicans, told Fox News yesterday: "It looks like what [Democrats will] focus on is just more investigations. I think America is too great of a nation to have such a small agenda. I think there are other problems out there that we really should be focused upon. And my belief is, let's see where we can work together - let's move America forward." McCarthy, you may recall, justified the seventh congressional investigation of Benghazi in 2015 by saying, "Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping." - Everybody makes mistakes, right? This defense implicitly acknowledges that Trump broke the law, but argues that everybody does it. The New York Times' Jonathan Weisman tweeted: "The beat goes on re: Trump and the GOP. 'These guys were all new to this at the time,' Sen. John Thune, R-SD. 'Most of us have made mistakes when it comes to campaign finance issues. In many cases, campaigns end up paying fines and penalties.' " Thune begins here with a proxy version of the George Costanza argument: "Was that wrong? Should I not have done that? I tell ya, I gotta plead ignorance on this thing, because if anyone had said anything to me when I first started here that that sort of thing was frowned upon. . ." Really, what candidate hasn't constructed a scheme to pay hush money to porn stars and Playboy models and concealed it from the public and the authorities? The second part of Thune's argument, one Trump himself has also embraced, is that this was just a minor violation of complex campaign finance rules that everyone runs afoul of now and again. Even Barack Obama did! But while Obama's 2012 campaign was fined, that really was over paperwork issues, like missing filing deadlines near the end of the race. There was never any allegation of intentional lawbreaking. In contrast, Trump and Michael Cohen took a series of steps to conceal what they were doing, indicating that they knew it was potentially criminal. They agreed (and we know this because Cohen taped the conversation) that Cohen would set up a shell company to hide the source of hush money payments to Trump's alleged mistresses. When Cohen paid Stormy Daniels for her silence, Trump reimbursed him in installments with funds that were "characterized in Mr. Trump's records as legal fees" (and if Trump deducted those payments from his taxes, he could be guilty of tax evasion). The fact that Trump lied about the payments is also a pretty clear indicator that it was more than just a paperwork whoopsie. - Michael Cohen is a liar, so Trump is innocent. "As long as Cohen's a liar, I shouldn't give much credibility to what he says," says Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. "Jesus loves him, but everybody else thinks he's an idiot," says Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. "He's obviously a sleazeoid grifter. And if I were a prosecutor, I wouldn't base a prosecution on evidence given to me by Mr. Cohen." They didn't specify what they think Cohen is lying about, perhaps because there's so much documentary evidence of the scheme. - Why aren't we talking about the things Trump did that weren't illegal? Another common technique is to isolate some fact about the broader story, insist that it's mundane, and conclude that therefore there were no crimes anywhere. So Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., says, "I don't know what's illegal about trying to build a hotel in Russia," as though we can separate that from the possibility that Trump and those around him may have offered favors like eased sanctions in exchange for the advance of his business interests. - Nah nah nah, I can't hear you. Here's what Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told CNN's Manu Raju: "Asked if he had any concerns that Trump was implicated, Hatch told CNN: 'The Democrats will do anything to hurt this President.' Informed it was alleged by federal prosecutors in New York, Hatch said: 'OK, but I don't care, all I can say is he's doing a good job as President.' " - Whatever Trump or anybody else did, it wasn't collusion. This is a convenient argument, because "collusion" is not a legal term and has a somewhat flexible meaning, which is why you can say anything wasn't collusion. Meeting with Russians to try to get dirt on your opponent as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump"? If they didn't slice their palms and shake hands in an eternal blood oath, it's not collusion. - Trump is innocent, says Trump. This tweet Friday from Trump may be the definitive statement of the president's strategy, and one we'll be hearing a lot: "Totally clears the President. Thank you!" Now let's step back and look at the broader context. Republicans offering up these ridiculous arguments probably feel that they have no choice, because their fates are inextricably tied to that of the president who leads their party. Of course, every politician is self-interested, so in theory there could come a point where your average Republican member of Congress no longer sees their self-interest in defending Trump, if doing so does more harm than good to their own political interests. But even as these scandals pile up, that point remains extremely far off. Any worsening of Trump's scandals will always be bad news for the Republican Party in general, and something on the order of impeachment, resignation, or even just defeat in 2020 will be disastrous for every Republican. Don't forget that most of them represent conservative districts and states where they fear only opposition from the right. And even those who come from more closely divided areas still depend for their reelection on Republican voters mobilizing for them. As a result, Trump could murder a puppy on live TV and about the worst thing they'd bring themselves to say about it would be, "That was unfortunate, but it's time we all moved on." No matter how hard it will be to do with a straight face, they'll have to keep defending him. Waldman is an opinion writer for the Plum Line blog. Got a question or tip? Contact us at bizmojoidaho@gmail.com. UCLAs Latino Policy & Politics Initiatives study of the 2018 midterms found in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico and Texas: The average vote increase among Latinos was 96 percent compared to 37 percent among non-Latinos from 2014 to 2018, according to the study. The 2018 Midterm Elections are an important indicator for estimating Latino voter participation and candidate support in defining control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the executive leadership for the over a dozen states. Across the eight states, analysis of the official election results suggests growth in the Latino vote was influential in flipping the partisan control of 20 seats from Republican to Democrat in 2018. California and New Mexico are already solidly blue states, but in purple and even red states, significant increases in Latino voting in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas can have huge repercussions not only in the House but also in the Senate and presidential races. And the figures were dramatic in these four states. In Arizona, the study looked at 547 precincts in Maricopa and Pima counties, the two largest counties in Arizona, which represent 75 percent of the total state population . . . [where] the average increase in the percent change in ballots cast from 2014 to 2018 for the two counties is 40 percent. In the highly competitive Senate race, the researchers concluded that Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., did well in areas with high Latino turnout. This suggests that Latino voters in Pima and Maricopa counties were instrumental in Sinemas successful U.S. Senate bid. In Floridas Broward and Miami-Dade counties, the average increase in ballots cast from 2014 to 2018 for the two counties is 45 percent. While Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., won Latinos statewide, the margin wasnt overwhelming (54 percent to 45 percent), which could well have undermined his chances for re-election. It was the same story in the governors race where Democrat Andrew Gillum won Latinos statewide, but only by a 54 percent to 44 margin. Georgia doesnt have a huge Latino population, but the researchers looked at Gwinnett, Hall, and Whitfield counties, which have the largest Latino populations. These counties all experienced an increase of over 50 percent in ballots cast from 2014 to 2018, with Whitfield County as high as 74 percent. . . . All three of these counties percent change in ballots cast from 2014 to 2018 were higher than the statewide average of 52 percent. However, Republican Brian Kemp won Hall and Whitfield with more than 70 percent of the vote. In a close race such as this, any number of factors made the difference, but certainly improving their performance with a growing share of the electorate, Latinos, will be essential for Democrats in 2020 and beyond. Texas was perhaps the most dramatic example of increased Latino turnout and how it can impact Democrats fortunes in a previously deep-red state. Researchers found that precincts with a higher percentage of Latino voters increased their turnout more than precincts with a lower percentage of Latinos. That translated into big numbers for Democrats and specifically for Democratic Rep. Beto ORourke who lost narrowly to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. Democrats had one of their strongest showings in the state of Texas in recent history, according to the study. To examine the voter breakdown in Texas we analyzed the precinct level returns for the following six counties: Denton, Dallas, El Paso, Harris, Hidalgo, Travis . . . which represent 36 percent of all Texans and an estimated 11 million voters. . . . Precincts with higher percentages of Latino voters preferred ORourke over Cruz, the study continued. . . . We estimate that ORourke received about 80 percent of the Latino vote in these 6 counties, compared to Cruzs 20 percent share of the Latino vote. What can we gather from all of this? First, the push to turn out Latino voters is showing success, although an ongoing effort for a sustained period will be needed before Latinos turn out at the same rate as white voters. Second, there is a good case to be made that had Nelson, Gillum and Stacey Abrams done a better job with Latino voters, they would have won. Put differently, Republicans in all three races owed their election to a significant extent to Latino voters. Third, if the current trend continues in Texas skyrocketing turnout of Latino voters who cast ballots overwhelmingly for Democrats the dream of turning Texas blue (or at least purple) will become a reality. Finally, when looking for a candidate who can beat President Donald Trump, Democratic primary voters must focus on which candidate can excite and turn out the entire Democratic base including Latinos. (A good question for 2020 primary voters is whether any candidate can match ORourkes success with Latino voters.) In that, Trump who has made xenophobia, racism and family separation at the border into key components of his appeal to his white base might be Democrats greatest asset. Rubin writes reported opinion for The Washington Post. Every single morning before the sun rises, Jorge Gonzalez is already hard at work in Mission, Texas, a border town. Gonzalez is a day laborer who focuses on home maintenance. He is also an undocumented immigrant. On the earnest savings that he and his wife have been able to put together, they have been able to afford a modest house in the Rio Grande Valley and assist both of their daughters financially when they went to college. Gonzalez is just one of an estimated 8 million undocumented immigrants who wake up each day and contribute to moving America forward by being a part of our labor force. Recently, we have seen troops sent to the border. We have seen the children ripped from their mothers arms at the border. We have seen our own government officials fire tear gas into a crowd of asylum seekers that had children in it. We have seen our president push for an incredibly expensive border wall that we absolutely do not need. Now the president even seems willing to shut down the government and furlough workers in the middle of the holiday season if border wall funding is not included in the budget that Congress will propose at the end of December. If we dont get what we want one way or another, whether its through you, through the military, through whatever you want to call it, I will shut down the government, Trump told House Minority Leader Nancy Peolsi, D-Calif, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Through all of this, we have heard the same justification for these progressively aggressive actions: The border is not safe and those trying to cross it are dangerous. We have been bombarded with messages from our president about how much danger is emanating from the undocumented immigrants who reside within border communities. That just is not the reality of life on the border. Rarely do we hear stories about the overwhelming majority of undocumented immigrants who cross and are looking to make an honest living, like Jorge Gonzalez. Almost everyone who makes it to America from our southern border has longed for freedom, security and the chance to provide for themselves and their families. They risked everything to come here because they wanted to be a part of our great nation and build it up not because they want to tear it down. These humble immigrants have transformed border communities into tight-knit groups that look out and care for one another. Although they do not cross with many belongings, immigrants bring a wealth of character to the communities they settle in. It is even rarer to hear about just how safe the border is in comparison to other cities in the United States. In Washington, D.C., for example, approximately 12 residents out of every thousand will be the victim of a violent crime. Here are just a few cities on the border where you are significantly less likely to be a victim of violent crime than our nations capital : El Paso, Hidalgo and Eagle Pass, all in Texas, and San Diego, Calif. Looking at those statistics, you should be more worried about concentrations of Congress members living in your neighborhood than undocumented immigrants. The false narrative behind the border being a dangerous place is harmful to those who live there. Not only does it wrongfully frighten people away from joining those communities, but it also invites the aggressive government behavior we have seen over the past couple of years. Americans should no longer stand idly by as the president and others demonize border regions for political and monetary gain. We must change the narrative to something that reflects the truth about life on the border. The fact of the matter is that the U.S.-Mexico border is home to some of the most robust economies in the United States, which are just as safe, if not safer, than cities within our interior. It is time for the president, and the nation, to understand that there are vastly more people like Jorge Gonzalez than those who are criminals, to understand that there is significantly less violence on the border than the media portrays, and to understand that border regions give much more to this country than they take. Garcia is a student at the Harvard Law School and is originally from Mission. Ochoa is a student at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and is originally from McAllen. E tu and the AMEA remain in mediation with the company. On Monday, union delegates and officials worked with the company late into the night to try and reach an agreement. The E tu added that they are committed to this process and to reaching a deal that meets the interests of both our members and the travelling public. Head of Aviation at E tu, Savage, said the decision to issue strike notices was not taken lightly. Event though the bargaining team is trying hard to get a workable offer, the union members are steadfast in their commitment to taking industrial action if necessary. We will keep on talking about possible solutions. Come ogni secondo martedi del mese, lo scorso 11 Dicembre Microsoft ha rilasciato gli aggiornamenti cumulativi per tutte le versioni supportate di Windows 10, quindi tutte ad eccezione della versione 1511. Per quanto riguarda gli smartphone sono invece supportate la versione 1703 e tutte le successivo. A differenza dei mesi precedenti non ci saranno altri aggiornamenti prima del prossimo Patch Tuesday, visto che ci accingiamo ad entrare nelle vacanze natalizie: quelli di martedi scorso saranno quindi gli ultimi update del 2018. Il problematico Windows 10 October 2018 Update, noto anche come versione 1809, riceve il pacchetto KB4471332 che porta la build alla 17763.194. Puo essere scaricato manualmente a questo indirizzo e contiene queste novita (prese direttamente dal changelog ufficiale in inglese): Addresses an issue that may prevent the use of the Seek Bar in Windows Media Player when playing specific files. This issue does not affect normal playback. Security updates to Windows Authentication, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Internet Explorer, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Wireless Networking, Windows Kernel, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Scripting Engine. Chi e ancora sul Windows 10 April 2018 Update, versione 1803, riceve il KB4471324 che porta la build alla 17134.471, e puo essere scaricato a questo indirizzo. Questa versione ha due problemi noti, uno su .NET 4.6 e l'altro con la possibilita di impostare il "pin" ad un link ad una pagina web sul Menu Start. Ecco le novita: Addresses an issue that may prevent the use of the Seek Bar in Windows Media Player when playing specific files. This issue does not affect normal playback. Addresses an issue that may cause some users to see a blue or black screen and receive the error code, System thread exception not handled. Addresses an issue with Microsoft Intune that causes devices to be incorrectly marked as not compliant because a firewall incorrectly returns a 'Poor' status. As a result, the affected devices will not receive conditional access compliance approval and may be blocked from access to corporate resources such as email. Addresses an issue that may cause some custom Start menu layouts to display incorrectly. Security updates to Internet Explorer, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Microsoft Edge, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Authentication, Windows Wireless Networking, and Windows Kernel. Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, o versione 1709, riceve invece il KB4471329, che introduce le novita riportate di seguito. Anche qui e presente il bug con .NET 4.6. Addresses an issue that may prevent the use of the Seek Bar in Windows Media Player when playing specific files. This issue does not affect normal playback. Security updates to Internet Explorer, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Microsoft Edge, Windows Kernel, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Wireless Networking, and Windows Authentication. Windows 10 Creators Update, versione 1703, non e piu supportato per quanto riguarda le SKU consumer, come Home e Pro, tuttavia ha ricevuto l'aggiornamento nelle SKU Education ed Enterprise, cosi come su Windows 10 Mobile. Questi utenti ricevono il KB4471327, che porta la versione di Windows alla 15063.1506. Anche qui e presente il bug noto con .NET 4.6. Ecco le novita: Addresses an issue that may prevent the use of the Seek Bar in Windows Media Player when playing specific files. This issue does not affect normal playback. Security updates to Microsoft Scripting Engine, Internet Explorer, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Graphics, Microsoft Edge, Windows Kernel, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Authentication, and Windows Wireless Networking. Windows 10 Anniversary Update, o versione 1607, e supportata anche in questo caso solo per quanto riguarda le SKU Education ed Enterprise all'interno del Long-Term Servicing Channel, ma non su Windows 10 Mobile. Questa versione ottiene il KB4471321, arrivando alla build 14393.2665, e contiene il bug noto con .NET 4.6: Addresses an issue that may prevent the use of the Seek Bar in Windows Media Player when playing specific files. This issue does not affect normal playback. Addresses an issue that may cause the entire system to become unresponsive when using features related to end-user-defined characters (EUDC). Security updates to Internet Explorer, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Graphics, Microsoft Edge, Windows Kernel, Windows Wireless Networking, and Windows Authentication. Anche la versione originale di Windows 10 viene supportata per mezzo del Long-Term Servicing Channel. Riceve il pacchetto KB4471323 che porta la build alla 10240.18063 con le seguenti novita e senza alcun bug noto: Addresses time zone changes for Russian daylight standard time. Addresses time zone changes for Moroccan daylight standard time. Addresses an issue that causes the installation and client activation of Windows Server 2019 and 1809 LTSC Key Management Service (KMS) host keys (CSVLK) to not work as expected. For more information about the original feature, see KB4347075. Addresses an issue that may prevent the use of the Seek Bar in Windows Media Player when playing specific files. This issue does not affect normal playback. Security updates to Microsoft Scripting Engine, Internet Explorer, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Microsoft Edge, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Authentication, Windows Wireless Networking, and Windows Kernel. L'installazione degli aggiornamenti cumulativi viene avviata automaticamente su tutti i computer compatibili, e puo essere forzata manualmente attraverso le Impostazioni sulla schermata Windows Update. Nella stessa giornata Microsoft ha rilasciato anche gli aggiornamenti cumulativi, probabilmente gli ultimi dell'anno, anche per Windows 8.1 e Windows 7. Translations: IATA lanza plataforma de datos compartidos para evitar turbulencias (pdf) LIATA lance une plateforme permettant aux compagnies aeriennes de partager les donnees sur les turbulences (pdf) Geneva The International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched its Turbulence Aware data resource to help airlines avoid turbulence when planning routes tactically in flight. Turbulence Aware augments an airlines ability to forecast and avoid turbulence by pooling and sharing (in real time) turbulence data generated by participating airlines. Today airlines rely upon pilot reports and weather advisories to mitigate the impact of turbulence on their operations. These toolswhile effectivehave limitations due to the fragmentation of the data sources, inconsistencies in the level and quality of information available, and the imprecision and the subjectivity of the observations. For example, there is no standardized scale for the severity of turbulence that a pilot may report other than a light, moderate or severe scale, which becomes very subjective among different-sized aircraft and pilot experience. Turbulence Aware improves on the industrys capabilities by collecting data from multiple contributing airlines, followed by a rigorous quality control. Then the data is consolidated into a single, anonymized, objective source database which is accessible to participants. Turbulence Aware data is turned into actionable information when fed into an airlines dispatch or airborne alerting systems. The result is the first global, real-time, detailed and objective information for pilots and operations professionals to manage turbulence. Turbulence Aware is a great example of the potential for digital transformation in the airline industry. The airline industry has always cooperated on safetyits number one priority. Big data is now turbocharging what we can achieve. In the case of Turbulence Aware, the more precise forecasting of turbulence will provide a real improvement for passengers, whose journeys will be even safer and more comfortable, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO. The challenge of managing turbulence is expected to grow as climate change continues to impact weather patterns. This has implications for both safety and efficiency of flight. Turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to passengers and crew in non-fatal accidents (according to the FAA). As we progress to having accurate turbulence data available at all flight levels, pilots will be able to make much more informed decisions about higher flight levels with smoother air. Being able to climb to these altitudes will result in a more optimal fuel burn, which will ultimately lead to reduced CO2 emissions. Future Development Turbulence Aware is already generating significant interest among airlines. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Aer Lingus have signed contracts; Delta is already contributing their data to the program. IATAs collaborative approach to creating Turbulence Aware with open source data means that airlines will have access to data to better mitigate turbulence. Using Turbulence Aware in conjunction with Deltas proprietary Flight Weather Viewer app is expected to build on the significant reductions weve seen already to both turbulence-related crew injuries and carbon emissions year-over-year, said Jim Graham, Deltas Senior Vice President of Flight Operations. The first operational version of the platform will be developed by end of 2018. Operational trials will run throughout 2019, with ongoing feedback collection from participating airlines. The final product will be launched in early 2020. For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org Notes for Editors: Welcome to our home in Genevaespecially to those who have traveled far. We really appreciate the great interest that media have in aviation. Today is a special day for IATA---because we are welcoming you in our new visual identity. We are very excited about our new look which reflects the dynamism of air transport and the innovation that IATA is leading. You are the first external group to see this. I hope that you will agree that air transport has a very compelling story to tell. Today 12 million travelers will be transported safely by air Similarly, 180,000 tonnes of cargo will be delivered by air Nearly three million people earn their keep by working in the industry About a third of global trade by value relies on airthats $20 billion a day Aviation is a very relevant part of the global economy. Approximately 1% of global GDPsome $900 billionwill be spent on air travel in 2019. And that is money well spent. In a recent IATA poll of business and leisure travelers, nearly 80% recognized the cost of travel as value for money. Indeed, the cost of travel has fallen by about 60% over the last two decades. You may know that I call aviation the Business of Freedom. Why? Because aviations activity liberates people to explore, develop, trade, learn, find business opportunities and much moreessentially to live better lives. And if you have any doubt, look at the UNs sustainable development goals. Aviation contributes to them allstarting with the top goal of eradicating poverty. Over a billion people have been lifted from poverty through globalization. And our global world would not exist without aviation. In the last few years the value of globalization has been questioned. This is deeply concerning. To be sure, we must aim for a more inclusive globalization. But that will not be achieved with protectionist policies or trade wars. Prosperity will come with borders that are open to people and to trade. Thats a pre-requisite for aviation to deliver its best to global economic and social development. BREXIT is tied to this general theme. We dont have any special insight on how this will play out. But we do know that the industry needs more clarity than we currently have. There is no Word Trade Organization fallback for aviation in the event of a no-deal BREXIT. So it is good news that the UK is making progress on renegotiating bilateral deals with non-EU countries and that it is discussing contingency measures with the EU. But that is only part of the story. Time-sensitive critical supplies arrive into the UK by air. So, understanding customs formalities is vital. And, as airlines are already selling tickets for the post-BREXIT period, speed in finalizing arrangements is essential. Today I am happy to take more questions on BREXIT later. Before we discuss the industry outlook, I would like to preview some of the topics that you will discuss today. Safety Safety is always the top priority. 2017 was an exceptional year with no fatalities on passenger jets. Unfortunately, with several tragic accidents, 2018 has a different narrative. Any fatality is one too many. And every accident re-dedicates all in aviation to flying even safer. Gilberto Lopez Meyer, our Senior Vice President for Safety and Flight Operations will give you a detailed briefing at the end of the day. We keep and present annual safety statistics. But improving safety is continuous work. With the help of global standards like the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), we can be confident that flying will remain the safest form of long-distance travel. Moreover, the same digital transformation that powered change in all industries is set to deliver a boost to our already very safe performance. You will hear later today how we are helping the industry to share data to better manage inflight turbulence. And this is only one example of the innovation that data will make possible. Sustainability Sustainability is critical for any industrys futureincluding aviation. Effectively managing our climate change impact is aviations license to grow. Our focus is on coordinated action based on global standards. For example, we successfully asked governments through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to regulate us globally to manage our carbon footprint. The solution was the historic agreement on a Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) which will effectively cap net emissions from 2020. And by 2050 we will cut our net emissions to half 2005 levels. I will pause here to give the floor to Michael Gill, IATAs Director for Aviation Environment and Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), to provide some details on CORSIA and aviations ambitious climate action. Infrastructure Changing topics, you will hear a lot about infrastructure today. That is for good reason. Airlines cannot connect the world without airports and air traffic management. We are approaching an infrastructure crisis. In some locations we are already there. Airline infrastructure needs are simply summarized as: Sufficient capacity Alignment with airline technical and service level needs, and Affordability Getting these right, however, is a difficult long-term challenge. Decisions must be made today if we want infrastructure to be in place a decade from now. Our projections are for 8.2 billion air journeys in 2037 (about 4 billion more than today). And planning by most governments is not ambitious enough to meet that demand. Air Traffic Management The 2018 European summer was an air traffic management mess of epic proportions. Delay minutes ballooned to 14 million minutes by end Octoberup 53% on 2017. How long is 14 million minutes? That is 26 years! It is a completely unacceptable service record for a critical infrastructure function. Issues with air traffic management are not confined to Europe. Congestion in the Gulf threatens the efficient functioning of their super connectors. Delays in China are rampant as demand growth outpaces the systems capacity growth. And we see similar problems all over the world. What do we tell governments? The first message is that they must do better. The technical capabilities for smooth air traffic management exist. The problem is finding the political will to implement them. That can be because solutions need cross-border cooperation, because of vested interests in the controller communities or because collaboration is needed with military users of airspace. As governments work to overcome these blockers, we have encouraged European states to build strategic national airspace plans. So far France, Spain, Bulgaria, Italy and Poland have signed agreements to develop these strategies in cooperation with IATA. And Poland and Italy are the first to deliver. Since industry requirements are consistent from state to state, the result of these individual strategies should present a harmonized resultone that pushes toward the elusive goal of the Single European Sky. Airports Travelers see more directly the problems with airports. We recently polled travelers and found that 70% of them sense the overcrowding of airports. And over half would support plans to expand their communitys airport. Still, we face bottlenecks around the world. That includes Mexico City where the new Mexican government is backtracking on constructing a critically needed hub airport. It is a shame to waste the investment already made. And it is a long-term mistake to forego the economic benefits that a major hub would generate. Stopping a project under construction is an extreme case. But the problem of airport bottle-necks is with us in all parts of the worldSao Paulo, New York, Frankfurt, London, Lagos, Addis Ababa, Bangkok and Sydney to name just a few. Solving the airport capacity problem is complex. First, digital transformation based on global standards has tremendous potential to improve how we use airport infrastructure. Our NEXTT initiative with Airports Council International (ACI) aims to do just that. Anne Carnell will brief you on it later. You will also have a chance to speak to Andrew Price about our RFID program for baggage. And Guido Peetermans will present on One IDan innovative program to enable passengers to get from curb to gate using biometrics. Second, we have a process for allocating scarce slots that need optimization. A key element is getting airports to transparently declare their capacitysomething which does not happen consistently today. And we must reject calls for slot auctioning. Auctioning would enrich the airports, raise the cost of travel, provide no incentive to grow capacity, and limit competition by entrenching incumbent carriers in the airports they serve. The only long-term solution for airport capacity is to build more where it is needed. Lara Maughan will brief on why global implementation of the Worldwide Slot Guidelines is the priority until that happens. And lastly, airlines have many bitter disappointments with airport privatization. Our June AGM unanimously passed a resolution urging governments to be cautious. Hemant Mistry will update you on how we are working with governments to help airport privatizations to deliver on expectations by establishing best practices for concession contractscontracts that fairly balance the interests of airports, investors, airlines, communities and, most importantly consumers. Talent Another critical resource that is in scarce supply is qualified people. We will need a huge number of skilled workers both for replacing retirements and to accommodate the rising demand for air travel. We saw the real impact of this when Emirates needed to trim its schedule owing to a shortage of pilots earlier this year. The good news is that airlines are hiring. We see a 2.2% growth of the workforce in 2019 to 2.9 million employees. And that is on top of 3.1% and 3.3% growth in 2018 and 2017, respectively. The level of participation of women in aviation is in sharp focus. The overall aviation workforce is probably roughly balanced. But that is not true at the senior level. The IATA Board of Governors is proof. Of the 32 members, two are women. And that ratio will not dramatically change because the population of women CEOs is so limited. To help understand the blockers, we are partnering with Korn Ferry and other industry organizations in a major study. It will identify best practices from successes in recruiting, retaining and promoting women in aviation. We look forward to reporting the results of this work in the first half of 2019. Outlook Now lets turn our attention towards the bottom line. While delivering the societal benefits of connectivity, it is essential that airlines are able to turn a profit, pay employees and reward investors. For much of aviations history that has been hard to achieve. In the recovery from the global financial crisis that changed. Airlines have been in the black since 2010. And since 2015 we have been generating returns in excess of our costs of capital. That is a fancy way of saying that airlines are finally making a normal profit. We dont have a crystal ball to see what the future will bring. But we do have a Chief Economist, Brian Pearce, who will give us some insights on the financial health of air transport in 2019. Thanks Brian. We are cautiously optimistic on 2019. With a 4% net margin, the first point to emphasize is that this is basically a similar performance to 2018. Given the gloom in the markets, this may be a surprise to some. But demand is strong. And we have seen a major drop in oil prices. The second point is that the buffer between profit and loss is thin. A dollar for a new tax, an increase in charges or shift in the oil price can eat away at the $7.75 per passenger profit very quickly. We are in a different league from Apple, for example, which makes $400 for every iPhone XS sold. Governments should not view the industrys better financial footing as a blanket bill of health. Nor a blank check! The aviation industry is on a more solid financial footing than at any time in its history. But to keep delivering the economic and social benefits that only aviation can, it needs a business-friendly policy framework that supports competitiveness. And you will be hearing us speak a lot about that in the coming year. Conclusion You have a stimulating day ahead of you, delving into interesting topics such as digital transformation, unruly passengers, new forms of payment and much more. You will see that IATA touches pretty much every aspect of the air transport sector. We hope that the topics discussed today will help with your reporting throughout the year. I will close with a reminder of just how special aviation is. Economically it is a critical enabler of the global economy--supporting nearly 66 million jobs and underpinning 3.6% of global GDP with an economic impact of $2.7 trillion annually. And our recent polling revealed that nearly half of travelers consider air travel to be excitingwith more than a third even saying that it is glamorous. As I said at the beginning, for me aviation is really the business of freedom which becomes even more meaningful as we enter this busy holiday travel period to reunite with family and friends! As you will see today, IATA is working hard to support the success of the business of freedom with a focus on safety, efficiency and sustainabilityboth financial and environmental. And now, I would like to open the floor for your questions. Page Content Montreal and Lima, 12 December 2018 ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu, met last week with the Directors General of Civil Aviation of ICAOs South American (SAM) Member States, when they gathered for their annual meeting (RAAC/16) in Lima, Peru. She was also in Lima for adjacent ceremonies celebrating the 70th anniversary of ICAOs SAM Office, which were also attended by the First Vice-President and several Representatives of the ICAO Council. Recognizing that scheduled commercial departures in their combined States continued their upward trend last year, in her opening remarks to the RAAC/16 meeting Dr. Liu commended the SAM region in particular on the aviation safety performance being achieved even as local traffic figures continue to rise. But she also expressed concerns that runway safety incidents continue to challenge many SAM region States. I would encourage members of the Pan-American Regional Aviation Safety Group to draw their attention to the outcomes from the Second ICAO Global Runway Safety Symposium (GRSS/2) held here in Lima recently, something all ICAO regions must remain focused on in the near term in order to help mitigate these still serious Runway Safety risks. Dr. Liu greatly appreciated the results-driven approaches to sectoral improvement set out lately in South America under the Bogota Declaration (2013), noting that since its adoption the Regions rate of Effective Implementation of ICAO Standards jumped from one to six per cent in just the first year, and that its average Effective Implementation rate has risen from 70 to nearly 80 per cent since that time. These are real-world outcomes which not only save lives, but also serve to raise levels of general appreciation and confidence in air transport services across our sectors entire client base, she commented. Dr. Liu also remarked on how she had been greatly encouraged by the new Pan-American Declaration adopted by Latin American States during the recent Fourth ICAO World Aviation Forum, in addition to the derived action plans which will provide the region with an inspiring vision fully aligned with the United Nations Agenda 2030 SDGs and ICAOs Global Plans. In this post-Bogota period we now find ourselves in, there has been broad agreement that your Region needs a more ambitious long-term strategy to continuously augment air transport connectivity and the benefits which derive from it, she highlighted. These programmes and plans for aviation development must be developed in a collaborative manner with international agencies, for example regional organizations such as LACAC, as well as with industry. Further attention was drawn to the importance of aligning national and regional targets on the basis of ICAOs Global strategic Plans for Aviation Safety, Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency, and Aviation Security, especially in light of the incredible innovation revolution being seen across air transport today. She noted that at the 40th Assembly of ICAO next September, States would be agreeing on their consensus-based directives to ICAO with respect to how to adjust and transform civil aviation so that it can effectively accommodate and nurture some of the innovations now emerging, sector-wide. Referring to the increasing deployment of drone technologies and traffic management solutions, the launch of autonomous, suborbital, and supersonic operations, as well as other cutting-edge capabilities derived from artificial intelligence and block chain technologies, Dr. Liu reiterated that she considers it essential that ICAO works to integrate new entrants in the world of aircraft design and operation more meaningfully into our existing regulatory frameworks and processes. Dr. Liu concluded by noting the importance of continued investments in air transport infrastructure in support of managing future capacity challenges, and highlighted the need for stable national regulatory frameworks to attract needed investments, in addition to aligned national development planning which meaningfully integrates aviation objectives. She lastly recognized that 7 December, International Civil Aviation Day, was a very appropriate occasion to celebrate the 70th year of the ICAO SAM Offices establishment in Lima, and thanked the Government and people of Peru for their generous support over the decades. During her visit to Peru, the Secretary General met with the States Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nestor Popolizo, and its Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr. Edmer Trujillo. On both occasions the important issues discussed included exploring new opportunities for expanding collaboration between Peru and ICAO, including further potential support to the State through ICAO Technical Cooperation projects. The Ministers also welcomed Dr. Lius encouragement to consider Perus more active involvement in the international events promoted by ICAO, noting that the State had helpful lessons to share and that it could play an important role in augmenting regional capacities and promoting initiatives with other States and entities around the World. Another very important outcome achieved was the Ministers positive response toward establishing more coordinated actions with related Ministries and Agencies in regard to addressing the implementation of the ICAO Traveller Identification Programme (TRIP) strategy in the State, and especially on actions to support the sharing of Advanced Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data among connecting States, and related actions regarding the ICAO Public Key Directory (PKD). During her visit to Peru, Dr. Liu was accompanied by ICAOs SAM and North America, Central America and Caribbean Regional Directors, Messrs Fabio Faizi Rahnemay Rabbani and Melvin Cintron, respectively, and by the Deputy Director of Monitoring and Oversight of ICAOs Air Navigation Bureau, Mr. Denis Guindon. 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. ICAOs South American Regional Office ICAO and Aviation 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 - Art Beat Miami : An unmissable event of Haitian culture The Art Beat Miami ended Sunday at the Little Haiti Cultural Center, celebrating its first 5 years of existence and aspires to become a meeting point of Haitian culture in the diaspora. For 3 years, the Ministry of Culture, aware of the importance of this showcase for Haitian art and crafts, is involved and provides significant support to the organization of the event. During this edition, which took place from December 5th to 9th, the Ministry funded the participation of 5 artists : 3 painters, 1 graffiti artist and 1 sculptor. In parallel with this exhibition, the Ministry has allowed two workshops, Veve Collection and Kouzin Ayiti, to exhibit in the context of a craft fair, the products of about fifteen craftsmen. Delegates from the Ministry also presented, on the sidelines of the event, the traveling exhibition "Faces, names and works for the memory", a way to pay homage to the Haitian artistic creators who marked the 19th and 20th centuries. For Jean Michel Lapin, the Minister of Culture, the involvement of his Ministry in the holding of this activity is a responsibility for promoting and promoting Haitian culture. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26322-icihaiti-miami-haitian-culture-shines-in-the-5th-edition-of-art-beat.html IH/ iciHaiti iciHaiti - DR : More than 120,000 Haitians deported or turned back in Haiti in 11 months The Directorate General of Migration (DGM) informed that during the month of November 2018, 10,029 Haitians had been deported or returned to Haiti. Of these, 5,272 Haitians were screened during an interdiction operation in different Dominican Provinces and were declared in an irregular migratory situation then deported to Haiti. Another 4,757 Haitians were intercepted and turned back at the border as they attempted to enter the Dominican territory illegally. According to the DGM led by Lieutenant General Maximo William Munoz Delgado, some foreigners from Bolivia, Cuba, the United States, Puerto Rico, Switzerland and Venezuela were also controlled in irregular migration and deported to their country of origin. Since the beginning of the year, more than 120,000 Haitians have been deported to Haiti or deported to the Dominican border. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26343-icihaiti-dr-another-688-deported-to-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26273-icihaiti-dr-illegal-haitians-tracked-down-without-respite.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26190-icihaiti-dr-760-illegal-haitians-deported-to-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26126-icihaiti-dr-more-than-900-haitians-deported-to-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26061-icihaiti-social-756-haitians-deported-to-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25987-haiti-dr-the-deportations-of-haitians-continue-at-a-continuous-pace.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25934-icihaiti-social-dr-deports-1-126-haitians.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25874-icihaiti-dr-1-500-haitians-controlled-796-deportees-in-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25805-icihaiti-social-the-hunt-for-illegal-haitians-continues-in-dr.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25756-icihaiti-dr-nearly-11-400-haitians-deported-or-turned-back-to-haiti-sept-2018.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25700-haiti-rd-71-of-haitians-controlled-illegal-820-haitians-deported.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25598-haiti-dr-1-600-haitians-controlled-in-less-than-24-hours-more-than-60-deported-to-haiti.html S/ iciHaiti WWF: EU falling behind with sustainable fisheries policy implementation by Jason Holland December 11,2018 | Source: SeafoodSource Despite having had five years to implement measures in the latest version of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), European Union member states are still lagging behind and likely to miss important 2020 deadlines on biodiversity conservation and sustainable fisheries management, a new report from WWF claims. The NGO said that member state efforts to implement the CFP are deeply unsatisfactory and national ocean strategies have so far missed the mark on provisions for sustainable fishing, healthy and resilient marine ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. Its report Evaluating Europe's course to sustainable fisheries by 2020 includes individual data for each E.U. member state. Only one out of 46 CFP actions assessed by WWF was accomplished by all member states; namely, establishing an administrative system for registering fishing vessels. Twenty-four actions have only been partially accomplished, while the others have not been tackled to date. With an average score of 69 percent, Germany is currently the most compliant with the key CFP articles implementation. It is followed by the United Kingdom (65 percent) and Spain, France and Ireland (all with 58 percent). Latvia and Romania, both with just 8 percent, are ranked the least compliant member states. WWF also rated actions undertaken by the European Commission (EC) and was more encouraged, finding that it had achieved nearly half of the implementation actions for the CFP. Samantha Burgess, head of marine policy at WWF European Policy Office, said that member states have had ample time to implement the provisions of the reformed CFP, but have demonstrated an unacceptable lack of political will toward sustainable fisheries management. European fisheries are facing unprecedented challenges, with high levels of overfishing, destruction of marine habitats, impacts of climate change, with continued illegal activities and poor management of the fisheries sector. This destructive trend must urgently be reversed, especially in coastal communities where fisheries contribute to community livelihoods and food security," Burgess said. The E.U. must stand by its commitments to sustainable fisheries governance and protect the marine environment upon which its fisheries and coastal communities depend for survival." The deadline for full implementation of the Landing Obligation (or discard ban) by all member states is 1 January 2019, whereby fishing vessels are required to retain and bring to port all seafood catches to eliminate discarding. Analyses by WWF have found that EC-granted exemptions, allowing operators to discard up to 7 percent of their catches, have increased by 300 percent between 2017 and the end of 2018. 2018 Diversified Communications Theme(s): Fisheries Resources, Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods, Fisheries Development and Aquaculture. Philippines, 5 other countries to map next Coral Triangle action plan by Catherine Teves December 10,2018 | Source: PNA Six countries are preparing to map the next regional plan of action (RPOA 2.0) to undertake in further protecting the 6.0 million-square kilometer Coral Triangle, the roughly triangular-shaped marine area at the junction of the Western Pacific and Indian oceans, cited by experts as center of marine biodiversity on Earth. Authorities from Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, Solomon Islands and the Philippines - the countries within Coral Triangle - met on Monday (Dec. 10) to discuss terms of reference these will use as basis in coming up with respective recommendations for RPOA 2.0, said integrated coastal and marine partnerships section chief Nilda Baling from the Philippines' Biodiversity Management Bureau which spearheaded talks on the matter. "RPOA 1.0 is ending in 2020 so we're already looking into how to move towards RPOA 2.0," she said on the side of the meeting in Makati City. There's no deadline yet for work on RPOA 2.0, she said. It's best for such work to conclude by next year in anticipation of RPOA 1.0's ending, however, Baling said. Discussions on RPOA 2.0 were among the activities for the 14th Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) senior officials' meeting and 7th ministerial meeting in Makati City this week. Comprising CTI-CFF are the countries within Coral Triangle. Formed in 2009, CTI-CFF is such countries' multilateral partnership on protecting marine and coastal resources of Coral Triangle by addressing food security concerns, climate change, marine biodiversity threats and other issues hounding this area. Coral Triangle lies along the equator at the confluence of Western Pacific and Indian oceans, said CTI-CFF, which described Coral Triangle's coral reef ecosystems as among the world's most threatened. "Approximately 95 percent are at risk - over-fishing has affected almost every reef in the region, destructive fishing practices are common, land-based pollution is significant and coastal development is a growing threat," CTI-CFF said. Future threats from climate change and ocean acidification will worsen such problems, it continued. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Coral Triangle hosts about 76 percent of Earths coral species, six of the worlds seven marine turtle species and at least 2,228 reef fish species. "Resources from the area directly sustain more than 120 million people living here," WWF also said. Over-fishing, destructive fishing, unsustainable tourism, impacts of urbanization and climate change are fast eroding Coral Triangle's resource base, however, it warned. 2018 Philippine News Agency Theme(s): Others. Adopting two resolutions, UN General Assembly speakers stress that healthy, resilient oceans, seas play central role in achieving sustainable development goals December 11,2018 | Source: reliefweb The United Nations General Assembly today adopted two texts on the oceans and seas linked to the implementation of the landmark 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, with speakers asserting during the annual debate on the matter that healthy, productive, resilient oceans and seas are central to sustainable development. By the terms of the draft resolution Oceans and the law of the sea (document number A/73/L.35) adopted by a recorded vote of 121 in favour to 1 against (Turkey), with 3 abstentions (Colombia, El Salvador, Venezuela) the Assembly calls upon States that have not done so to become parties to the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It further calls upon States to harmonize their national legislation with the provisions of the Convention. Singapores representative, who introduced the omnibus text, said the text covers a wide range of issues and takes stock of activities at the International Seabed Authority, including efforts on regulations for exploitation of mineral resources. The resolution recognizes the needs of developing States in the context of making submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, he said, adding that it underscores the importance of work undertaken to elaborate an international legally binding instrument under the Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity. The General Assembly acting without a vote - also adopted the draft, Sustainable fisheries, including through the 1995 Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, and related instruments (document A/73/L.41). Through the terms of the text, the Assembly reaffirms the importance it attaches to the long-term conservation, management and sustainable use of the living marine resources of the worlds oceans and seas and the obligations of States to cooperate to this end. The Assembly also urges States to increase their reliance on scientific advice in developing, adopting and implementing conservation and management measures. This years draft resolution is a step forward in the conservation and management of fish stocks, said Norways representative while introducing the draft. She noted that sustainable food from aquatic ecosystems plays an increasingly critical role in global food and nutrition security, adding that the draft addresses the sustainability of small-scale fisheries, the combating of illegal fishing and the issue of fishing overcapacity. However, following the adoption of both drafts, representatives of countries not party to the Convention on the Law of the Sea voiced their opposition to references to that Convention in the draft resolutions. Among them was the representative of Turkey who had called for the vote on draft L.35 and subsequently voted against it. The Convention, he stressed, is neither universal nor has a unified character. The representative of Venezuela who abstained in the vote also noted that the Convention does not enjoy universal participation and should not be considered the only legal instrument governing the sea. There are other international instruments that could be applied, she pointed out. Throughout the debate, speakers asserted the central role of healthy oceans and seas in the pursuit of development and the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Several delegations reaffirmed that the Convention on the Law of the Sea is the institutional framework of all activities in the oceans and seas. The delegate of Tuvalu, speaking for the Pacific Small Island Developing States, underscored that healthy, productive and resilient oceans and seas are critical for poverty eradication, access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, economic development and ecosystem services. There are two paths to development, he observed. One involves handouts. The other involves creating an enabling environment for sustainable economic activity. Only one of them is going to succeed. Echoing the concerns of small island developing States was the representative of Jamaica who, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the fate of such States is integrally linked with the health of the ocean. While warning that collective international efforts have yielded mixed results, she pointed to regional efforts that have seen several CARICOM members States ban single-use plastics. As well, the bloc has joined several international instruments regulating the health of the seas and fishing practices. For her part, the representative of Iceland said that through the resolutions, the General Assembly consistently highlights the universal and unified character of the Convention. Sustainable management of natural resources is fundamental to our success, she said. However, she warned that the impact of climate change is among the most pressing issues facing the international community. Her concerns on the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and biodiversity were shared by many Member States. A number of delegations voiced their regret that, despite ongoing efforts, the oceans continue to be threatened by pollution and overfishing. The representative of Nauru, who spoke for the Pacific Islands Forum, said climate change is the single greatest threat to the livelihood, security and well-being of Pacific people. She cited an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that said increasing warming will amplify the risks related to sea level rise for many human and ecological systems. The world, observed the representative of Maldives, has failed to act in the face of climate change. Irreversible losses of marine and coastal ecosystems are likely even if global warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, she stressed, cautioning that, unless there is a dramatic shift in human behaviour, the oceanographic processes that moderate the global climate may be altered. The representative of Monaco declared: Plastic pollution is a global scourge that affects the entire food chain of every living organism on the planet. Policy changes to address that issue at the local level must be encouraged, he emphasized, reporting that Monaco has launched restrictions on single-use plastics. Updating the Assembly on the work of their respective entities were Michael Lodge, Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, and Jin-Hyun Paik, President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Mr. Lodge commended the Assembly for recognizing the Authoritys fundamental role in collecting and sharing data and information on the deep seabed. Mr. Paik recalled cases the Tribunal is deliberating on and said an efficient system for settling disputes requires designated Government officials who are familiar with law of sea matters. Theme(s): Fisheries Resources. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) President Rodrigo Duterte will not be at the ceremonial turnover of the Balangiga bells on Saturday, December 15. Presidential Spokesperson Salvaldor Panelo on Wednesday said "pressing matters of governance" needing the President's full attention prevent him from attending the rites to be held in Eastern Samar. When asked what matters the President would be attending to, "Ang dami (There are many), everything in the presidency is a pressing matter." Panelo added, "Too many work to do, too many events to attend, too many documents to read, too many people wanting to see him, and too many places to fly to." "The President considers that more important than his physical presence at a ceremonial turnover is the fact that after 117 years, the Balangiga bells, which symbolize the bravery and patriotism of the Filipinos who refused to be subjugated by a foreign power and shed blood to assert the sovereignty of our country, have been returned to their origins where they properly belong." Panelo said. "The bells are now indeed home." The bells were taken as war booty by American soldiers in 1901. It is believed that one of the bells signaled the attack the Filipinos launched against American troops stationed in Balangiga town in Eastern Samar on September 28 of that year. Forty-eight American soldiers died in the attack that American history books refer to as the Balangiga Massacre. American troops then retaliated, reportedly killing thousands of Filipinos in an even bigger massacre. PARIS The International Energy Agency formally welcomed South Africa as its 8th Association member country during its 261st Governing Board Meeting in Paris, expanding the IEA Family to sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa joined the IEA as an Association country last month. It is a major player in African energy markets representing the largest energy consumer on the continent, accounting for about half of Africas electricity capacity and possessing one of the highest electrification rates. The event was marked by a luncheon hosted by Ambassador Massimo Gaiani from Italys Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and attended by representatives and delegates from IEA Member Countries and other Association countries, as well as Mr Jacob Mbele, the Deputy Director General from South Africas Department of Energy and Ms Nthabiseng Malefane, Minister Plenipotentiary from the South African Embassy in Paris. The IEA family of 30 Member countries and 8 Association countries now accounts for almost 75% of global energy consumption, up from about 40% in 2015, and more than half of global energy production. IEA Governing Board Chair Mr Noe van Hulst (center) welcomes South Africa to the IEA Family (Photograph: IEA) Somali journalist Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed survived an attempt on his life after a police officer shot at him as he was leaving Daljir Radio station building, in Puntland region, on Sunday 9 December. The journalist was unhurt but the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) has denounced this attack and called for an end of threats and physical attacks on journalists, which are increasing ahead of the general elections in the region, to be held in January 2019. On Sunday 9 December, the Director-General of Daljir Radio, Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed, nicknamed "Tallman", survived what appears to be assassination attempt as he was leaving the building radio station in Puntlands city Bossasso, NUSOJ reported. According to Radio Daljir and other journalists who witnessed the attack, a Puntland police officer opened fire on Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed, shooting several times from close range in his direction.The journalist managed to escape the attack safe and uninjured. In a statement released on 11th December, NUSOJ explains : The assaulting officer was reportedly shouting when firing shots Why do you talk about Asad Osman Abdullahi?. Asad Osman Abdullahi, former head of Puntland Security Force (PSF) is one of presidential candidates for the Puntland presidency in the upcoming general elections to be held in January 2019. Radio Daljir and journalist Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed have reportedly published critical reports on the candidate. NUSOJ says the union has received several reports of journalists and media directors threatened by Puntland officials and supporters of candidates to censor their reports in fear of physical attacks, threats or financial pressure on media houses. Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General, pointed at the mounting pressure and threats that journalists face in Somalia, especially in election times. Journalists must not become targets of threats and physical attacks by political activists and security forces simply for doing their work, he said. NUSOJ sent a letter to Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas, demanding increase security and protection of journalists during ongoing presidential election campaigns and swift investigations into [the] attack. Chinese police announced they had shut down over 1,000 social media accounts and 30 websites over unlawful activities. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns this latest crackdown in China against free speech and freedom of expression in the online space. According to Xinhua and Reuters Chinese Police announced on Saturday, December 8, that some social media accounts on Tencents Wechat and Sina-owned Weibo fabricated accusations against companies and individuals, with the excuses of media monitoring, legal monitoring and social monitoring. These accounts then posted negative information online and demanded a ransom in exchange for deleting the posts. The police investigated 28 cases involving paid online trolls or ghostwriters hired to post online content and arrested 67 suspects. Reuters also pointed out that in November, 9,800 social media accounts were shut down by Chinas Cyber Security Authority for posting content deemed vulgar, sensational or politically harmful. The IFJ said, The arbitrary crackdown of free speech and freedom of expression online in China continues, with the government any means or excuse to validate the crackdown. These actions are a serious threat to freedom of expression and speech in China and violate Chinas constitution. Human Rights Day Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "Seventy years ago, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Emerging from a world war that shocked humanity with its cruelty, the sovereign nations of the world united to specify those rights that are inherent to all persons, and committed to their promotion and protection henceforth. "The Declarations fundamental principles remain as relevant today as they were seventy years ago. Still, governments impede the freedoms of religion or belief and expression. Citizens rights to participate in free, fair, and genuine elections remain precarious. Authorities continue to subject prisoners to torture and inhumane treatment. Global recognition of the inalienable rights belonging to all individuals must be continually encouraged and reaffirmed. "U.S. foreign policy is rooted in the understanding that governments that respect individual rights and fundamental freedoms remain the best vehicles for prosperity, stability, and peace. On this International Human Rights Day, the United States underscores its commitment to promoting human freedom at home and around the world." Content Sponsored by Aflac Achieving greatness is not as hard as you might think. It's all about getting the building blocks right: making wise business decisions, setting the right example, cultivating culture, hiring and supporting talented people, and treating them well. Be flexible...and give control to employees Giving employees the flexibility to adjust their schedules for family commitments, working from home, or spending time on special projects encourages a positive, engaged workforce. When employees have more control over decisions that affect them they feel empowered and happier. For example, a defined benefit plan where employees can assemble their own benefits package from a pre-approved menu is more attractive than only offering a one-size-fits-all package. Develop HR in your organization As the CEO or senior executive, you can't do everything alone. Whether you have a true human resources (HR) division or not, you still need someone dedicated to monitoring workplace policies, recruiting, managing payroll and benefits, etc. The team can be a part-time resource, a small department, or a third-party provider. Think of HR as the pacesetter for your company's culture. It's usually the first contact for a job seeker, which is also the first impression they'll have of the company. HR touches every employee on matters critically important to them, and they expect someone to be professional, knowledgeable, and a solid resource for their well-being throughout their employment. Create a strong rewards system Reward systems don't have to cost a lot of money. If an employee offers new ideas or innovative process improvements, a simple "thank you" goes a long way. Even better, thank them publicly. Voluntary benefits packages can also reward employees without adding cost. Employees can opt in and have valuable benefits without increasing the employer cost (or adding minimal cost). Strong reward systems encourage healthy competition, which spurs people to deliver their best efforts. They reinforce the kind of positive and productive behavior you want from employees. Boost innovation at all levels One of the most powerful things a company can do to build a culture of innovation is to encourage employees to make suggestions or step away from the status quo of their positions, without fear of retaliation or consequences for failure. Some companies, in fact, actively encourage employees to work on their own personal projects. We are in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Implementing AI-based tools can lead to innovation breakthroughs you may not have dreamed possible. Cultivate diversity and inclusion Great companies take full advantage of the talents, backgrounds, experiences, and attitudes of their workers, regardless of their sex, age, race or sexual orientation. When diversity is embraced, it helps companies to connect better with their customer base and the general public. Study after study shows that diversity is good for the bottom line, bringing with it new ideas and ways of thinking. Keep pace with trends Millennials now make up one-third of the U.S. workforce1. Defining characteristics of millennials, people born between 1981 and 1996, include "doing good while doing well." Social responsibility is woven into how they view employment. Millennial employees and job seekers not only want meaningful jobs, but they also want to feel they're contributing to the greater good of society. They're not just evaluating a job, they're also evaluating how the company conducts business and deals with the public. Good pay and a hearty benefits package are essential to this generation's ability to do good. With fewer practical worries, employees are freed up to focus on the positive impact they can have at work. Focus on culture Company culture can make or break a company. A positive, committed employee base with a can-do winning environment can achieve many successes in a startup or small business. Culture is culmination of the attitudes, activities and values reinforced in the business on a daily basis. How do you build culture? Here are a few simple ways. Highlight and praise actions of individual employees who demonstrate those values. Ask employees what they think the company should stand for, so that they feel invested in building the culture. Remember, if something is inherently wrong with your culture, replacing people and adding technology and equipment won't change a thing. It will hold the company back from achieving greatness. But a great culture sets the stage for great company performance. Set the tone as leader Employees take their cues from the most visible person in the company--usually the owner, CEO or founder. Leadership starts at the top. Not all founders are natural leaders, though. They may have had a great idea to start the business, but managing others requires a completely different skill-set. Savvy CEOs know developing all skills is key and they set aside time and resources to invest in their own development. Empower your team with technology Technology is high on the checklist for your existing teams and top-level job seekers. People want to work at a company that leverages the best technologies to drive success. A customer relationship management (CRM) system can automate the process of tracking sales leads, freeing up employees from repetitive data entry tasks. Benefits administration software makes benefits choices and changes easier and faster for both employees and employers. Mobile devices and apps untether employees from their offices enabling them to work from home or visit customers in the field more often. In turn, such technologies give employees more time for higher-level innovation, increasing self-esteem and job satisfaction. Hire and keep the best! Without question, people are the number one thing that makes a company great. This doesn't mean you have to hire all new "rock star" performers from the outside. Even the smallest companies have hidden gems that just need a little mentoring and employee development to shine. Invest in developing employees' professional growth. Reward them with the best compensation and benefits package you can afford to retain and motivate them. The secret to a great company is not really a secret at all. It's just paying attention to your best assets: the people. 1 pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/ This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a solicitation. Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999. Z181280 The holiday season is already a great time for book lovers. Not only are we flooded with reading suggestions from end-of-year best books lists, but the slower pace of work around the holidays offers the perfect excuse to curl up by the fire and catch up on our massive pile of unread books. But if you were a bibliophile and lived in Iceland, you would probably love this time of year even more. Happy Jolabokaflod! As Shane Parrish, author of the consistently fascinating Farnam Street blog, recently noted in his newsletter, the little Scandinavian island nation has a Christmas tradition that no committed reader will be able to resist. It's called Jolabokaflod, (pronounced yo-la-boka-flot). That translates to "Yule Book Flood," and, as Parrish explains, it's exactly as awesome as it sounds. "On Christmas Eve, friends and families exchange books -- then spend the evening together curled up reading their new treasure," he writes. "Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I think you'd agree that sounds pretty great." He's totally right. Let's count the ways: 1. Books are always great! But also 2. Reused books that give a second life to the already read titles you have hanging around are even better. Plus 3. If you're going to have a (possibly awkward) night with relatives, reading is clearly a better way to spend it than trying to avoid fighting about politics or watching that favorite holiday film for the 4,000th time. Finally 4. Reading has been shown to not only make you smarter but also make you nicer and more empathetic, too. What a great way to get into the holiday spirit of giving and joy. If you're keen on the idea of starting a Jolabokaflod tradition with your family this year, but are short of tomes to give away, don't worry. Both Parrish and Inc.com have lots of suggestions for gift-worthy books. Warner Bros has finally unveiled its standalone Aquaman film, directed by James Wan, after what seems like an eternity of promotion. Having made his debut in 2016 film Batman v Superman, the character real name Arthur Curry is only just receiving the solo treatment in a spectacle starring original Game of Thrones actor Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman and, in what was originally a secret role, Julie Andrews. Compared with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the majority of films released as part of the DC Extended Universe have had a fairly rough ride with the critics: Batman v Superman was maligned, as were mash-ups Suicide Squad which starred Jared Leto as Joker and Justice League. The jewel in its crown thus far has been Wonder Woman, the Gal Gadot-starring period adventure which made Patty Jenkins the most successful female director of all time. A sequel will follow in 2019. But whats the verdict on Aquaman? If the first reactions were anything to go by, it seemed the fish king could sit alongside Wonder Woman as a DCEU success story - however, the consensus among professional critics has been far more lukewarm, with IndieWire branding the character a "wannabe Thor." Below is a roundup of reviews now the embargo has dropped. The Independent It is rousing fare, made with enough conviction for it to get away with its moments of extreme kitsch silliness. The Telegraph "A film you sense would have worked best as a flashy, froth-tossed romp feels lumpily overburdened, and pulled in all directions by vying currents." Digital Spy Aquaman is a flawed but thoroughly entertaining adventure movie and certainly one of the strongest instalments so far in the inconsistent Worlds of DC franchise. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Show all 34 1 /34 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 1. Captain America: Civil War Release date: 6 May 2016. Iron Man and Captain America are set to face off in this superhero blockbuster that will feature nearly all the Avengers but wont be an Avengers film. It will also mark the first time Spider-Man will feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony having made a deal with Marvel Studios. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 2. X-Men: Apocalypse Release date: 27 May 2016. Following the success of Days of Future Past, Apocalypse will follow the young X-Men team as the battle against Oscar Isaacs titular villain as he gathers his four horsemen; Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn). Expect carnage and no Wolverine. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 3. Suicide Squad Release date: 5 August 2016. The first supervillain film, Suicide Squad is also based in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe, where Batman and Superman live) and will introduce the world to Margot Robbies Harley Quinn and Jared Letos Joker. One of the more exciting upcoming DC films thats for sure. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 4. Doctor Strange Release date: 4 November 2016. Benedict Cumberbatch will debut in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Captain America and Iron Man live) as the Sorcerer Supreme. The film already has an incredible cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 5. Untitled Lego Batman film Release date: 20 February 2017. Kicking off 2017 is the Lego version of Batman, who will lead his own spin-off, having already featured in the amazing Lego Movie. Will Arnett voices the titular character, while Zach Garfianakis - from the Hangover - will voice The Joker. But will he better than Leto? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 6. Untitled Wolverine film Release date: 3 March 2017. Having not starred in X-Men: Apocalypse, Wolverine will return to the big screen in a solo film which was recently made R-Rated following the success of Deadpool. It is expected to be Hugh Jackmans last outing as the titular character. Fox 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release date: 5 May 2017. Chris Pratt and the crew are returning to space in the sequel to the surprisingly successful Guardians of the Galaxy. According to director James Gunn, the film will not feature Thanos, even though he will to play a major role in phase MCU Phase 3. Cast includes newcomers Kurt Russell and Pom Klementieff, as well as, rumour has it, Sylvester Stallone. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 8. Wonder Woman Release date: 23 June 2017. Gal Gadot is returning to the DCEU in her very own film, marking the first female-led superhero film on this list. Chris Pine is on board to play Wonder Womans love interest. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 9. Untitled Spider-Man reboot Release date: 7 July 2017. Yes, it is another Spider-Man reboot, having previously been redone with Andrew Garfield as the lead. However, this time it is part of the MCU, with Tom Holland as the titular character, and a heavily rumoured cameo by Iron Man could be in the pipeline. We can dream. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 10. Untitled Fox film Release date: 6 October 2017. In a strange announcement, Fox decided to withhold the release of Gambit until a future, as-yet unannounced date, which could be here, or this could be a completely separate project. Many suspect Deadpool 2 could nicely fit here, Fox capitalising on the success of the first film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 11. Thor: Ragnarok Release date: 3 November 2017. Chris Hemsworth will be returning as the Norse God in his third solo MCU film. Flight of the Conchords Taika Waititi is on board to direct, and promises a fun adventure that will likely lead into Marvels next project, Infinity War. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 12. Justice League Part One Release date: 17 November 2017. Hot on the heals of Thor comes Justice League Part One, the first DCEU team-up flick which will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg work together to fight bad guys. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 13: Untitled Fox film Release date: 12 January 2018. Kicking off 2018 will likely be the second Deadpool film, but then again, this could very well be another X-Men team-up. Theres also talk of an X-Force film, with Deadpool and other mutants teaming up to fight evil. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 14. Black Panther Release date: 16 February 2018. The first non-white male-led superhero film in the MCU comes in the form of Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the titular role, having also starred as the Panther in Civil War. Creeds Ryan Coogler is on to direct what could be a very exciting film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 15. The Flash Release date: 16 March 2018. The Flash will be the first DCEU film since Justice League, and sees Ezra Miller take the lead. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were supposed to pen the film before Disney snapped them up for the Han Solo-film, leaving Seth Grahame-Smith to take charge. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 16. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 Release date: 4 May 2018. And so, we finally get to the point of all these Infinity Stones! Thanos will be the big bad, with the Avengers needing to team up to defeat their biggest foe yet. It has previously been described as the end of the Avengers as we know it. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 17. Ant-Man and The Wasp Release date: 6 July 2018. Peyton Reed will be back to direct this surprise sequel to one of the better received MCU films. While the name is ridiculous, at least Marvel are finally having a leading female superhero. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 18. Untitled Fox film Release date: 13 July 2018. Again, not much word on this one except it is thought to be X-Men spin-off New Mutants, something Josh Boone has been hit up to write. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 19. Animated Spider-Man Film Release date: 20 July 2018. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal - the team behind the live-action Spider-Man films - are producing this unrelated animated adaptation of the hero. Because you can never have too much Spider-Man, right? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 20. Aquaman Release date: 27 July 2018. Another Justice League spin-off, Jason Momoa plays the leading man. Furious 7s James Wan is on to direct, but little else is known about the film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 21. Captain Marvel Release date: 8 March 2019. Weve hit 2019, and the first confirmed superhero film will be the first proper female-led MCU film. No-one is confirmed to be in the titular role of Carol Danvers just yet. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 22. Shazam Release date: 5 April 2019. Dwayne Johnson stars as the villain in this DCEU film which will be somewhat separate to the other DC films. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 23. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. Release date: 3 May 2019. The conclusion to the long drawn MCU saga. Expect a big finish with at least a few planets being destroyed. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 24. Justice League Part Two Release date: 14 June 2019. Soon after the Infinity War story reaches its conclusion, so will the Justice Leagues. Not much is known, except Darkseid will likely be the villain for at least one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 25. Inhumans Release date: 12 July 2019. The concept of Inhumans (or Marvels mutants) has already been introduced in TV, through Marvels Agents of Shield, yet the film is expected to introduce the Royal Family who have yet to be seen in the show. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 26. Cyborg Release date: 3 April 2020. Having debuted in Justice League Part One three years previously, Cyborg will finally be making his own outing, with Ray Fisher as the titular character. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 27. Untitled MCU film Release date: 1 May 2020. The first of three untitled Marvel films. There are a couple of contenders, the first is a likely sequel to Spider-Man with Sony, or a third Guardians of the Galaxy film, thus finishing the trilogy. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 28. Green Lantern Corps. Release date: 19 June 2020. Before you start to worry, this has nothing to do with the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick that hit cinemas a little while ago. Instead, this will be another DCEU film that will likely spin-off from Justice League after the Green Lantern Corps cameo in one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 29. Untitled MCU film Release date: 10 July 2020. As well as Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, a Doctor Strange or Black Panther one could fit in nicely here. Or perhaps Black Widow may finally get the solo-film she deserves. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 30. Untitled MCU film Release date: 6 November 2020. Some speculators also think a Blade film could fit in here, marking over 20 years since the first Blade. But many believe the character may be better suited to a Netflix series, as with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Theres also talk of a Runaways film reaching cinemas at some stage. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 31. Untitled Ben Affleck Batman film Release date: TBA. Now were onto the TBA release dates, the first of which is a Batman solo film, written and directed by Ben Affleck. When this is due, no one is quite sure but expect it sooner rather than later if Batman v Superman is a success. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 32. Suicide Squad 2 Release date: TBA (rumoured 2017). A sequel to Suicide Squad is expected to come in 2017 according to recent reports, but nothing has been confirmed. If the first is successful, it should come as no surprise for Warner Bros to rearrange their schedule to fit in this surefire hit. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33. Venom Release date: TBA. This is an odd one, as it has been confirmed Sony are wanting to release a Venom film completely unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man reboot. Venom, as you may know, is a Spider-Man villain, intrinsically linked to Spider-Man, so it seems odd they would release a film unrelated to the rebooted project and not linked to the MCU. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Anything else? Well, now you mention it, theres also that sequel to Fantastic Four that has seemingly been dropped by Fox. Plus, theres the Gambit film which has been put on hold (but will likely fill an untitled Fox slot so we havent added it extra). Then again, it could be shoehorned in somehow Marvel The Guardian This is a let-down: a laborious, slow-moving and dripping wet film, barnacle-encrusted with solemnity and with a ripply-underwater production design that looks like a giant version of the kitschy items that you put in fish-tanks. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Vulture Aquaman's as formulaic, excessively thrashy, and mommy-obsessed as any other entry in the DCEU, but its visual imagination is genuinely exciting and transportive, and dare I say, fun. The Hollywood Reporter The majority of the time the action set pieces seem quite arbitrary... This saddles the overlong film with a ponderous, grinding feel, one driven by a sense of obligation more than the glee of inspiration. IndieWire "Hobbled by a messy screenplay, paper-thin characters, and a hodgepodge of unimaginative showdowns stretched across bloated running time, Aquaman is the latest example of a franchise that keeps chasing its competitors tail." Aquaman is released in cinemas on 14 December Christian Bale has recalled meeting Donald Trump while filming The Dark Knight Rises and says the future president treated him like he was Bruce Wayne. The actor was speaking on the red carpet for the premiere of political comedy Vice, in which he plays former vice president Dick Cheney, where he revealed he was invited up to his office in Trump Towers during filming on the 2012 sequel. We were filming on Batman in Trump Tower and he said, come on up to the office, Bale told Variety. I think he thought I was Bruce Wayne because I was dressed as Bruce Wayne. So he talked to me like I was Bruce Wayne and I just went along with it, really. It was quite entertaining. He continued: I had no idea at the time that he would think about running for president. Bale, who is no stranger to a body transformation for film roles, explained how he consulted a nutritionist for the weight gain required for Vice as opposed to winging it like he did for 2004 film The Machinist, which saw him lose 63 lbs. Shortly after, he piled back on 100 lbs for the role of the caped crusader in 2005 film Batman Begins. This is the first time I actually did go to a nutritionist cause Im starting to feel my mortality, he said. I did decide, You know what, I might die, so maybe I should go to see someone who actually knows what theyre talking about instead of just winging it, which is what Ive always done. Vice has become an awards frontrunner in the past month. Ot generated positive feedback following its first screening in November, and earned six Golden Globe nominations last week, establishing it as a Oscar Best Picture favourite alongside the likes of Roma and A Star is Born. The film co-stars Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell and Tyler Perry , and sees Bale reunite with The Big Short director Adam McKay. In recent years, Bale has openly criticised his performance in the Dark Knight trilogy, admitting he "didn't quite manage what [he] hoped [he] would" with the role. It'll be released in the UK on 25 January, a month after its us release date. Dir: Lars von Trier; Starring: Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Sofie Grabl, Riley Keough. Cert 18, 153 mins Being a serial killer is a drag. That is one of the main insights from Lars von Triers morbid new feature. Von Trier is one of the great European directors of the era, but here he boxes himself into a corner. Like all his films, The House That Jack Built is full of self-reflexive ideas and bizarre juxtapositions. One moment, we will be in the realm of Dante and Virgil, the next, we will see the murderer slit off the breast of one of his victims. We view cubist paintings alongside images of the killer trying to arrange corpses in a pattern that pleases him. The House That Jack Built cant escape from the grubby monotony of its protagonists way of life. Jack (Matt Dillon), or Mr Sophistication as he is nicknamed as his notoriety grows, starts and finishes the film looking completely fed up. He never seems to have the right kind of bullet or car wrench. His killings rarely give him either the aesthetic or physical satisfaction he craves. He is suffering from both obsessive compulsion disorder and from the frustrations of a perfectionist artist always let down by reality. His victims bore and annoy him. When one woman (Uma Thurman) tells him he looks far too much of a wimp to be a serial killer, he struggles not to rise to the bait. Dillon, the charismatic bratpack star of Rumble Fish and The Flamingo Kid, gives a performance stripped of colour and personality. He plays Jack as a repressed and introspective figure. True to the title, he is indeed trying to build a house. Hes an architect a Frank Lloyd Wright-like figure never content with his own designs, who tries to express himself by murdering people instead. Recommended New Lars Von Trier film sees both ovation and walkouts at Cannes Few of the other actors come out of the film well either. Thurman plays her character, a stranded motorist, as if she is in a screwball comedy, not a serial killer movie. Riley Keough, as the killers ill-fated girlfriend, features in possibly the creepiest and nastiest scene of all; Jack makes it clear he regards other human beings as merely raw material for his fantasies. Von Trier has clearly steeped himself in true crime literature and documentaries. In his depiction of 12 years in Jacks life, the Danish director draws on plenty of real-life detail about mass murderers of our time. Like Ted Bundy, Jack uses crutches to lull passers-by into thinking that he is harmless or vulnerable himself. Like Ed Gein, he makes knick-knacks out of human skin. Between murders, and sometimes during them, Jack has long conversations with Verge (Bruno Ganz), a voice in his head. Verges exact status is hard to ascertain. At times, he appears to be the killers therapist and confidant. But he is also his tormentor, and his guide through hell. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up One inconvenient truth about a film being marketed on the basis of its nausea-inducing violence (and all the walkouts it prompted at the Cannes film festival) is that this is actually an experimental, low-budget affair. Its storytelling is so stylised that even the grimmest scenes dont seem realistic and therefore arent nearly as upsetting as the hype suggested. Most of the killings here are of women, but Von Trier tries to deflect accusations of misogyny by pre-empting them. Jack is outed as a woman-hating psychopath. And he kills men, boys and animals too. Like all of Von Triers America-set films (Dogville, Manderlay and Dancer in the Dark among them), The House That Jack Built was shot in Europe. Whether Jack is driving down small country roads or packing corpses into his refrigeration facility, we never feel that he is in the US. The film is set in the 1970s but, beyond occasional blasts of David Bowies Fame on the soundtrack, there is little to indicate the period. Dramatic tension is in very short supply. Generally, serial killer movies are made from the point of view of the detectives hunting the criminals down. Audiences will see events through Clarice Starlings eyes, not those of Hannibal Lecter. Here, though, events unfold from Jacks perspective. The killer is perhaps intended as the directors own alter ego. Von Trier is riddled with strange compulsions and preoccupations. Im a serial neurotic, a hypochondriac, and Im frightened of everything I cant control, the director once said of himself. The same description could be applied to Jack. Occasionally, The House That Jack Built is funny in its own dark and deadpan way. Von Trier relishes combining banality (cars breaking down, weapons not working) with evil. He seems to dare viewers to laugh at events that could not be crueller or more bleak. At one stage, he throws in archive footage of the Nazis, as well as stock images of predators in the natural world. But despite some laughter in the dark, The House That Jack Built soon begins to drag. Often, his jokes if they are intended as such fall flat. Lasting two and a half hours, this is neither a conventional crime drama nor a self-reflexive essay film. It is, instead, the most deadening and dispiriting film that its director has yet made. The House That Jack Built is released in selected UK cinemas on 14 December As veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby steps aside from hosting the BBCs Question Time after 24 years in the chair, Fiona Bruce waits in the wings to succeed him. A hugely experienced news anchor herself, Bruce, 54, has hosted the corporations Six OClock News, News at Ten, Crimewatch, Real Story, Fake or Fortune?, Hive Minds and Antiques Roadshow since joining as a researcher for Panorama in 1989 and represents a steady pair of hands. Born in Singapore in 1964, she attended the International School of Milan and Haberdashers Askes Hatcham College in New Cross, a period in which she modelled clothes for the girls magazine Jackie. She subsequently read French and Italian at Hertford College, Oxford, where she was briefly a punk and died her hair blue. After graduating and before her arrival at Broadcasting House, she worked for a management consultancy and a number of advertising agencies but did not take to either profession. Recommended How Question Time made David Dimbleby an unlikely cult figure Gradually working her way from a supporting role at Panorma, she began reporting in front of the camera for Breakfast News, Newsroom South East, First Sight and Newsnight. By 1999, Bruce was presenting the Six OClock News as cover for Huw Edwards before advancing to News at Ten in 2003 upon the retirement of Michael Buerk. She has held newsreading roles at the BBC ever since and, in addition, presented Crimewatch between 2000 and 2007 as a replacement for the murdered Jill Dando. Children in Need has provided her with a regular opportunity to show a lighter side to her character, following in the tradition of Angela Rippon dancing with Morecambe and Wise. A performance of All that Jazz from the Broadway musical Chicago particularly impressed in 2007 - Bruce enjoying surreal support from backing dancers Dermot Murnaghan, Bill Turnbull, Nicholas Owen and Andrew Marr. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up The showstopper had an unintended consequence, however, making her an unlikely sex symbol. Comedian Jan Ravens mercilessly sent her up on sketch show Dead Ringers thereafter, impersonating her as an innuendo-purring femme fatale: Hello, my name is Fiona Bruce, sitting on the luckiest chair in Britain. A follow-up charity performance in 2010, in which she, Sophie Raworth, Kate Silverton and Susanna Reid sang a Lady Gaga medley in bizarre space age costumes under the direction of Louis Spence, was somewhat less successful, albeit a worthy effort for a good cause. That same year, she won Rear of the Year and accepted the award in person before regretting doing so and subsequently dismissing the accolade as demeaning, making light of the situation during appearances on Top Gear opposite Jeremy Clarkson. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Since kept busy by antique hunting and quiz shows on BBC Four, Bruce appears ready for a new challenge and the cut-and-thrust of Question Time should be just the ticket. Sabrina the Teenage Witch star Nate Richert says anxiety and depression kept him from fully pursuing his acting career after the sitcom wrapped up. The actor, who played Sabrina Spellman's love interest Harvey Kinkle on the Nineties show, discussed the conditions on Twitter. He quoted a message message from a fan who said they loved Richert growing up and wondered why he didn't appear in more works in the following years. "Anxiety and subsequent depression were my major game stoppers," Richert, now 40, said. "Took a decade to learn how to cope and overcome. "Back then, all I knew was something was wrong with me, that I was broken and unworthy; all that fantastic BS anxiety likes to ruin your life with. But it didnt." Recommended Chilling Aventures of Sabrina casting additions announced for special Richert was a regular cast member in the first four seasons of the sitcom, before making a few appearances in season five. He returned as a regular for the sixth and seventh seasons, until the show's finale in 2003. His character has been reinvented in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Netflix's reboot of the Archie Comics franchise, in which Kinkle is played by Ross Lynch. Richert, a native of St Paul, Minnesota, played in the short film H-e-n-r-y in 2006. He appeared in the movie Gamebox 10 in 2004, as well as in the drama The Sure Hand of God. In September this year, the actor explained on Twitter that he has held a number of day jobs in addition to his acting career. "Im currently a maintenance man, a janitor, a carpenter, and do whatever random jobs I can get to pay the bill," he wrote. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Richert said he has been "extremely lucky to have had any success at all", adding: "Actors so very rarely have job security or consistent work, quality healthcare, a reasonable retirement. "We are actors anyway because it is who we are at the core, for the love and need to bring the words on the page to life and to make you feel them (God, I love to make you laugh!)" Im not sure what the British record for bigamy is its not the sort of thing that deserves to be celebrated but Major Alexander Alec Wilson was surely one of the most mysterious of this strange breed. Mrs Wilson (BBC1) is the saga of the many women and children in his complicated life, one of subterfuge, layered upon fantasy, covered in lies. He was, certainly, a professional spy, but he inverted the usual convention by using his status as an agent to cover up his less honourable real lives, if you see what I mean. Iain Glen does well to play Wilson, as such a massive enigma. The sagas are told through the eyes of his second wife, Alison, played here by her actual granddaughter, Ruth Wilson (and, lest there be any doubt, she is also Alecs granddaughter). Ruth Wilson is superb throughout, and none more so than here, when, finally exhausted by the posthumous traumas Alexander puts her through as wave after wave of other wives and kids emerge without warning, she collapses. When she wakes, she leaves the family home forever, and finds solace in devoting her life to God as a nun. The attention to period detail is doubly impressive, melding as it does the 1940s, when Alison was the young wartime bride and mum, and the 1960s, as widow and, indeed, victim. Through some clever direction, we, and Alison, could occasionally catch glimpses, cameos if you will, of the majors other lives and other women. They are all deftly done, these little examples of deception visited upon the audience. They make the point. Keeley Hawes, as Dorothy, is also excellent as Alecs sultry cover story lover/real lover/wife in British India. In one final twist, we leave the world of air raid sirens, Brylcreem and Austin motor cars, and land in 2018. We get to see a huge multi-Wilson family reunion of many of the actual people involved Wilsons surviving four sons (of five), plus their children, spouses and all the rest. The four women who Alec seduced, married and deceived Gladys, Dorothy, Alison and Elizabeth have all passed on. It is extremely moving. MI5, according to the closing captions, refuses to release the majors file, which might allow the families to find some of the truth about his motivations but his records are supposedly still too sensitive. Seems an unnecessary deception, 80 years on. The final bell rang at School last night, and, just like when I was a kid, I couldnt wait to get out. Depressing would be too strong a word for the candid view of pupils at Mangotsfield School near Bristol, but there were graphic scenes throughout of aspirations squashed, talent wasted, life chances blighted, and professionals pushed to the limits, and beyond, by the unscaleable changes confronting them. In other words, Im glad I never became a teacher. There was a sequence, for example, devoted to the practical effects of the pupil premium. This is given by the state to each school every year, for students deemed to be financially disadvantaged, regardless of their ability a little under 1,000 per pupil to close the gap between children from relatively well-off homes and those less fortunate. What followed was like a prequel to a mockumentary about Britains underachieving youth, such as This Country or People Just Do Nothing. John Parsons, a Design and Technology tutor, cheerfully admitted that schools generally dont quite know how to spend the money in the best way. Next, he demonstrated his point perfectly by piling a bunch of 12-year-olds into the school minibus, and taking them into the country for some Resilience Training Activity. There, they met a Cotswolds sub-Bear Grylls character who let them loose in a field. Lads, he told them, dont go over the fence. He taught them how to start a fire with twigs. Then he gave them a banana each, told them to slit it end to end, add some chocolate buttons, wrap it in tin foil and bake it. The idea was to show the importance of not giving up, and they sure needed it. One kid explained how he had been thrown out of class for crawling round on the floor and not doing my work. Apart from a possible future as a Conservative backbencher, hes not going to get very far slithering around like that. But the whole exercise, which must have taken at least a day out of their precious learning time, seemed quite a roundabout way of extolling patience. 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 As far as I can see, the only skills the pupils might have picked up concerned, possibly, arson. As one of Mr Parsonss colleagues pointed out, its all very well this sort of thing, but it doesnt really help them to read. Maybe the teachers would do better to actually listen to the children whose aspirations have been crushed before they set foot in a classroom. Ja Rule, for example, was frustrated because he wasnt learning anything practical but was instead wasting his time on like Pythagoras, whatever, and he hates science with a passion. No one seems to have inspired him with the idea that knowledge is fascinating in its own right; or that academic learning is like PE for the brain; or that they dont have to do a trade, though theres nothing wrong with doing so. Or maybe theres no point in him trying to learn about the Bosnia-Herzegovina crisis of 1908. It wasnt settled, either way. Mangotsfield has some obviously dedicated teachers, but it is clear they can only do so much if home life is difficult, or the child has an ineradicable hostility to being educated. So they have to make decisions. I wish I could help you all but we cant do that we have to be selective, one teacher admitted to the cameras, almost shamefacedly, presumably realising that the principle of spending more on brighter pupils remains anathema to most of those running state education. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Ja Rule, by the way, passed three GCSEs and got his place on a course on electrical installation. I wish him well. He wont miss Pythagoras. Be honest, do you? Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds In December 2017, the price of bitcoin was approaching $20,000 after months of miraculous growth had pushed its price up by more than 2,000 per cent since the start of year. There seemed no end in sight to the cryptocurrency being hailed as the future of money, as newly-minted early adopters encouraged newcomers to invest in the digital gold rush. But twelve months later the Christmas miracle has transformed into a bleak midwinter for bitcoin. A series of swift price crashes in late December and early January, followed by months of steady decline, has left bitcoin trading at just $3,450 its lowest value since August 2017. The question investors are now asking is how much further bitcoin can fall? Recent forecasts from market analysts predict more losses, at least in the near future, with some pointing to bitcoin's previous price patterns. Since its inception in 2009, bitcoin has experienced five major corrections with an average drop in value of 85 per cent. In order to realise this same percentage drop, bitcoin would need to fall to below $3,000. While this seems entirely possible given the direction bitcoin is currently heading, what is less certain is where bitcoin goes from there. One acclaimed financial analyst is therefore calling this a "crunch time" for cryptocurrencies. Arup Sen, a support lawyer at Taylor Wessing who worked for the Financial Conduct Authority for five years, tells The Independent that 2019 will be the making or breaking of bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies and its underlying blockchain technology. Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images "After first grabbing the headlines back in 2011 with the advent of bitcoin, blockchain and cryptoassets have progressed significantly, with over 1,500 cryptocurrencies now vying for attention alongside various other cryptoasset types," Sen says. "But as the market and technology have grown, so has the volume of criticism and the strength of opposition. Payment specialists decry the slow processing times and high transaction costs associated with cryptocurrencies, law enforcement looks at initial coin offerings [fundraising through cryptocurrencies] as another way of scamming the public. And now the regulators are circling." All of this points to an uncertain future for bitcoin, with some suggesting its technical deficiencies could see one of its rivals like ethereum or bitcoin cash overtake it as the world's most valuable cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has hit its lowest value since August 2017 (CoinMarketCap) Many bitcoin advocates believe the amount of high-profile investors, a market cap that is still above $60 billion, and an entire industry trailing in its wake means bitcoin is simply too big to fail. "Many billionaire investors in traditional financial markets remain optimistic about the long-term upward trend in crypto despite the near 85 per cent decline in valuation across the board," says David Thomas, director of the Mayfair-based cryptocurrency broker GlobalBlock. "The simple fact is that these high-profile investors can manage losses that arise from these movements in high-risk emerging assets as they are only a proportionately small part of their overall portfolios, and they believe in the value that will be created in the long term." Looking back on previous price collapses, Thomas notes that bitcoin has taken 67 weeks on average to recover and then go on to a new all-time high. By this measure, bitcoin will be once again reaching towards $20,000 in the second quarter of 2019. Whether or not bitcoin recovers and continues its dominance over other cryptocurrencies will depend on whether another contender can challenge its reign by either offering greater functionality or more widespread consumer adoption. But regardless of bitcoin's future prospects as a mainstream currency, industry experts have pointed to perhaps its greatest achievement as a technology. There has been a lot of hype around bitcoin and blockchain technologies, but in the background a new economic infrastructure is forming," Kristjan Kangro, founder and CEO of Estonian blockchain firm Change, tells The Independent. "Tokenisation of assets, for example, is already changing how people invest, spend and raise capital around the world. "As such, it doesnt matter what the price of bitcoin is, what matters is how blockchain restructures our societies and economies. We are seeing this restructuring happening today and productivity will follow. In short, even if bitcoin becomes obsolete, the underlying blockchain technology that has spawned an entire industry will still live on. Small business owners polled for a new survey have admitted they are still clueless about GDPR - leaving the personal data of millions of employees and customers at risk. Half of the 1,000 questioned were confused by the rules when it came to data protection and privacy regulations. As a result, owners and employees alike have made mistakes or have procedures in place which could have resulted in a multi-million pound fine for the business. More than a quarter of those polled allowed staff to use their own computers, tablets and phones for work purposes which contravene rules as personal data could be stored unencrypted at home. And one in 10 revealed they have visitor books in their HQ - where visitors can freely see details of others who have been there previously. Paper diaries were used by 26 per cent of the businesses polled which could contain private information or customer details and be easily misplaced, while 10 per cent said the circulation of printed out sponsorship forms which often contain names and addresses was common at their place of work, which is another contravention of GDPR rules. As the results show, many businesses could be in breach of GDPR most likely without even realising it," said Chris Mallett, a cybersecurity specialist at Aon which commissioned the research. Visitors books, allowing staff to use their own mobiles for work purposes and even seemingly minor things like distributing sponsorship forms around the office carry risk. Yet these sorts of things are commonplace among businesses big and small across the UK. The research also found a quarter had used training materials which featured the full details of real-life case studies. Sixteen per cent had used promotional images which included members of staff wearing their nametags making them publicly identifiable. BA data breach: 'Name, email, address and credit card information' stolen, says CEO More than half also revealed they did not dispose of paper customer records securely and confidentially and it was a similar story for staff records (71 per cent), visitor books (86 per cent) and minutes from meetings (78 per cent). Four in 10 did not know the loss of paperwork could be a data breach, while 36 per cent were not aware personal data posted, emailed or faxed to the wrong person could be a breach too. Six in 10 had no idea the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) have to be notified of data breaches where individuals rights are affected and around half did not know all those affected must be told as well. Currently, almost 45 per cent of businesses have no insurance whatsoever in place to protect them against cyber or data risks. Mr Mallett added: Such a significant proportion of businesses not having cyber insurance is a major worry. From talking to our customers we know that many simply cant guarantee theyre able to successfully defend against a cyberattack and thats not necessarily their fault - even major corporations are vulnerable. How a breach is dealt with by a business is vital, though, and if its not done in accordance with GDPR that business could receive a significant fine as well as damaging relationships with customers and losing out on revenue. SWNS The stunning Geminid meteor shower is about to rip across the sky. The display, which Nasa says is one of the best and most reliable of the annual meteor showers, is about to pass overhead across the sky. You should be able to see up to 100 shooting stars streak across the sky as bits of the asteroid known as 3200 Phaetheon break off and shine bright across the night sky. The best times to see it are on Thursday and Friday night, when it reaches its peak. It should be visible from early on: one of the reasons this shower is so beloved is because it starts soon after nightfall, meaning that it should be going on while children are still awake and able to see it. Getting a sight of the show is nearly as simple as going outside while its happening and looking up. There are things you can do to maximise your view, but one of the really notable things about this shower is how much it will shine through even in a brighter sky. 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 Still, youll get a better view if you head out to somewhere where theres a little less dark pollution. Look for somewhere with a clear view of the sky without clouds or streetlights blocking it but remember that no place is likely to be perfect, and youll still be able to see something no matter what the view. Recommended Nasa spacecraft finds water in search for origins of life on asteroid Once you are looking up, point your view towards the Geminid constellation, from which the lights will seem to emanate. If you dont know where that is, the easiest way to find it is probably to get an app like Dark Sky, which comes for free and gives you a map to the night skys stars. But again that wont matter so much, because the shower is just so widely dispersed. Wherever you look, you should see something, and you can follow them to the centre where the view will be best. The other thing that can sometimes ruin such showers is the moon, which can shine bright in the sky and obscure the more dim spectacle of the meteor shower. But you should be fairly safe from that, too, since the moon is crescent at the moment and so should be reasonably dark in the sky. [This article was originally published in September 2020] Millennial, generation Z, baby boomers nowadays every generation has a defining label, and a set of stereotypical attributes attached. Millennials are often arguably regarded as an entitled generation thats ruined everything, from diamonds to sex. That said, millennials can give as good as they get, sometimes expressing their disappointment in the way in which previous generations have handled issues such as the housing crisis or the climate crisis. Despite the strong opinions between age groups, there's often quite a lot of confusion regarding which generational classification everyone technically falls into. So, without further ado, here's everything you need to know about the different generations and which one you can claim as your own. Generation Z Emma Gonzalez attends March For Our Lives on March 24, 2018 in Washington, DC (Getty Images) There's been a fair amount of dispute concerning the birth year that generation Z starts from. While Statistics Canada states that generation Z starts with those who were born in 1993, it's widely understood that they're typically born between the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. A report published by the Pew Research Centre described this particular generation as the "post-millennials", and stated that those who fall into this category were born in 1997 onwards. Generation Z are regarded as being a very tech-savvy generation, having been born during a time of fast-paced digital growth. They've also received a lot of attention in the media recently due to their strong views regarding politics and current affairs, especially in the United States. In March 2018, the world watched as a group of teenagers from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida organised March for Our Lives protests across the world to campaign for tighter gun controls in America, following a mass shooting at the school. Those involved in the initiative were praised on a global scale, with some appearing on the cover of Time magazine to mark their significant social impact. Millennials Actress Emma Watson (Getty Images) While many may flippantly describe all young people as millennials, the term is actually understood to refer to people who were born in the time period ranging from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s and early 2000s. The more technical term for millennials is generation Y, as they succeed generation X and precede generation Z. In 2013, an article published by Time magazine stated that the starting birth years for millennials are 1980 or 1981. However, as with generation Z, the exact start date for millennial birth years is a topic of debate. Similar to generation Z, millennials are defined as being particularly adept at using technology and social media platforms. They often receive a tough time in the press, with members of the generation being accused of "killing" a variety of things, such as beer, motorcycles and the notion of owning a home. In August 2018, a report of United Nations data conducted by Bloomberg found that millennials may become outnumbered by generation Z in the near future. Generation X Actor Will Smith attends the Centerpiece Gala Premiere of Columbia Pictures' 'Concussion' during AFI FEST 2015 presented by Audi at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 10, 2015 in Hollywood, California. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI. The starting birth years for those who fall into generation X have a very large span, with the birth years understood to range from the early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s. However, some have differing opinions over where generation X begins due to the uncertainty over the ending birth years of the post-World War II baby boomers. The term "generation X" was popularised by the 1991 book Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, by Douglas Coupland. This generation is recognised as having the ability to balance a strong work ethic with a laid back attitude, and are associated with the conception of music genres such as punk, indie, grunge and techno. Baby boomers Picture: (Getty Images / John Phillips / Stringer) The term "baby boomers" refers to the drastic rise in birth rates that was noted following the end of World War II. The intriguing phenomenon was described as a "boom" by American writer Sylvia Porter in a 1951 column of the New York Post. In the 1980 book Great Expectations: America and the Baby Boom Generation, author Landon Jones asserts that the birth years of individuals in the baby boomer generation fall between 1943 and 1960. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The Pew Research Centre's definition of baby boomers differs slightly, as it states that they're born between 1946 and 1964. Generational expert speaker Dr Alexis Abramson explains that baby boomers are known for having confidence, being comfortable with administering authority and understanding the value of independence. The silent generation US senator Bernie Sanders (pictured) criticised Donald Trump for being 'tougher' on on 'tearing' immigrant children from their families than on Russian president Vladimir Putin (AP) People who are part of the silent generation are characterised as having been born from the mid-to-late 1920s until the early-to-mid 1940s. A report published by the Resolution Foundation called Cross Countries: International Comparisons of International Trendsclaims that those in the silent generation were born between 1926 and 1945. They're referred to as such due to the belief that those born in that era were taught to remain silent and not speak openly about their views on current affairs. While this may be the case, they consequently went on to play an important role in the growth of the civil rights movement. Notable individuals who were born in this era include Martin Luther King, Jr., Bernie Sanders, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and Malcolm X. Female farmers are criticising the industry for sexism and calling on a men-only awards dinner to get with the times. The Dartmouth Fatstock Show in Devon has run for over 100 years and awards local farmers in categories including best cattle, sheep and poultry. The event which traditionally takes place on the second Tuesday in December - sees prizes awarded to men and women at a ceremony in the afternoon followed by a men-only awards dinner at a hotel. The dinner has always been men-only but former mayor of Dartmouth Debbie Morris has called on the shows committee to scrap the tradition. Morris told the BBC she was even banned from attending the awards during her time as mayor and told to send a male representative in her place. "They like to have a raucous evening, she explained of the men-only dinner. Perhaps they feel the ladies wouldn't approve." In response, show chairman Phil Bond said the dinner was a tradition and how it has always been done. The shows committee - which is made up of four women and 17 men - recently held a vote and decided to continue the ban on the attendance of women. The decision prompted one farmer to resign and claim his request to include the opposite sex was shouted down. Bond said: I've got the support and the backing from the committee to carry on. He added that he believes women in farming are really not bothered and hed like to keep out of the petty argument. Jessica Perry, a committee member, said the ban on women was very outdated now". Farmer Chloe Quantick, a winner in two categories at this year's show, said of the committee: They need to stop being a bit sexist and let us in there, because we can have a good laugh just as much as men can, so in my opinion we should be allowed to go. There are currently no plans to invite women to future dinners, with Bond adding: If in the future that changes as a democracy or as a vote within the committee that will carry on. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In July, the founder of a Pop-up Globe theatre in New Zealand came under fire after casting an all-male Shakespeare cast in its productions and using the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaign hashtags to promote the shows. Founder Miles Gregory later apologised for using the hashtags, originally intended to highlight misogyny and sexism in society, and agreed he had offended people very deeply. "We are a young organisation, we are learning, and we don't get everything right. It is clear that today we haven't," he said via the pop-up Globes Twitter account. "I've let you down." A major free trade deal between the European Union and Japan has been approved, after the European Parliament voted in favour of the agreement on Wednesday. The agreement is significant in the context of Brexit, which is liable to put major trading frictions between Britain and the EU, easily the UKs largest trading partner. In the event of a no-deal Brexit in March the UK would also fall out of the coverage of the more than 50 trade deals the EU has negotiated with third countries, including this latest one with Japan. The EU-Japan deal will also come as a boost to EU policymakers, as they grapple with Donald Trumps trade hostilities and also a popular backlash against recent trade deals from within the EU. Our economic partnership with Japan - the biggest trade zone ever negotiated is now very close to becoming a reality, said the EUs Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom. Thats good news for the EU and all supporters of an open and fair international trading system. The EU-Japan deal will create a trading zone comprising 635 million people and a third of global GDP. The major benefit for Japan is that it will increase access for its domestic car manufacturers to the European market. European exporters will benefit from radically reduced Japanese agricultural import tariffs, with Brussels estimating savings for EU firms of 1bn a year in duties. Japan will also open up its public procurement market to European firms, as well as liberalising postal services and maritime transport. 635m People covered by EU-Japan trade deal The agreement, which is also the first trade deal to include a specific commitment to the Paris Accords on climate change, will now come into force on 1 February 2019. The Japanese parliament ratified the agreement on 8 December. The European Parliament voted in favour of the agreement, upon which talks began in 2013, on Wednesday, as expected. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The form and scope of the deal is likely to influence post-Brexit trade negotiations between the UK and the EU, presuming the UK leaves the bloc on 29 March 2019. Shinichi Iida, Japans minister for public diplomacy and media, told The Independent earlier this year that his countrys first and foremost priority was rubber-stamping the Brussels deal before work could begin on a free trade agreement with the UK. But he added that: Once the Japan-EU economic partnership agreement comes into force, it could provide a very good and sound basis for the future trade between Japan and UK. Engine maker Rolls-Royce has confirmed it is pressing ahead with plans to shift design approval for large aero engines from Derby to Germany amid Brexit worries. The group said it was in talks with the European Safety Aviation Agency over the move, which comes as part of Brexit contingency planning that has also seen it begin stockpiling parts in preparation. But Rolls-Royce stressed the switch to Germany where it already handles design approval for business jet engines was a precautionary and reversible technical action and would not impact UK jobs. The details came as it revealed annual profits are expected to be in the upper half of its guidance, sending shares up 3 per cent. The firm said: Rolls-Royce notes the decision by the UK government to delay the vote on the proposed withdrawal agreement and political declaration. We will continue to implement our contingency plans until we are certain that a deal and transition period has been agreed. It revealed last month it was already stockpiling ahead of Brexit, while boss Warren East has said he believes any deal is better than no deal. The group confirmed it has also held talks with suppliers and reviewed its logistics options to ensure it has the required capacity available. Rolls-Royce is building up a months worth of spare parts needed for large engine manufacturing in case of Brexit disruption at the borders. It imports parts from across the EU, including Germany, Italy and Spain. In its trading update, Rolls-Royce said 2018 earnings would be in the upper half of its guidance for group operating profit of around 400m, plus or minus 100m, after airlines flew their planes for more hours, boosting demand for maintenance. It reiterated comments made in October that it expects to deliver 500 large engines to customers in 2018, lower than the guidance of about 550 given in March. Rolls-Royce has been beset with problems with its engines recently. Earlier this year, the firm warned over costs linked to the discovery of technical issues with Trent 1000 engines. It said it could see costs associated with the issues hit 440m. In its latest update, the group also confirmed its overhaul, with 4,600 jobs being axed over the next two years, is on track, with around a third of the cuts made by the end of 2018. It added the sale of its marine unit is also going to plan and expected to complete towards the end of the first quarter of 2019. We are confident that the end result will be a simpler, leaner and more agile organisation that drives culture change through pace, simplicity, efficiency and empowerment, Rolls-Royce said. PA Spains government is set to agree a 22 per cent increase in the national minimum wage next week as part of a bid to ease tensions between Madrid and Barcelona. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez will hold a cabinet meeting next week in the Catalan capital at which the rise to 900 (810) a month is likely to be passed. The increase will move Spains legal minimum pay further ahead of neighbour Portugals which is around 795 when adjusted for the cost of living. However, Spain will remain some way short of the UK where the full-time monthly minimum is around 1,270 on an adjusted basis. In Germany its 1,430. Economic concerns have been at the heart of the dispute between Madrid and Catalan nationalists, who have complained for years that their region spends too much supporting poorer parts of Spain. The region contributes around one fifth of Spains economic output and already has a high level of autonomy in areas such as education and health, along with its own police force. Mr Sanchezs government wrote to the pro-independence Catalan administration three times last week warning that further action could be taken after local police failed to ensure order during recent protests. In an address to the Spanish parliament, the prime minister accused Catalan leaders of inflammatory and unacceptable rhetoric. The government will not accept any lapse in the functions of those entrusted with public order in Catalonia, he said. But Madrid needs support from the Catalan separatists to pass Spains 2019 budget and protests are likely to escalate in coming weeks ahead of a trial early next year of the leaders of the independence movement. Debate over the question of secession is heated in Catalonia, which unilaterally declared independence last year. Rows over pay for university bosses have been rumbling on for some time, but the strength of feeling among students and academics has not died down. They say the salaries are excessive and must be cut. Thousands have demanded change but the University of Southamptons vice-chancellor, Sir Christopher Snowden, has held on to his sizeable salary of 423,000 making him one of Britains highest-paid university leaders. Why is the anger still so strong? Students, who are paying up to 9,250 a year on tuition fees, and academics, who recently took strike action against university bosses over cuts to their pensions, do not feel the high salaries are fair in the current climate. A fearsome marsupial lion that once prowled the Australian outback has been reconstructed from fossilised remains unearthed in caves. After a nearly complete skeleton was discovered in western Australia, scientists were able to piece together an accurate picture of the predator for the first time. They revealed a creature with powerful forelimbs for ambushing prey and a rigid tail upon which it would balance while eating, much like kangaroos do today. Thyalacoleo carnifex commonly known as marsupial lions are members of Australias megafauna, a group of large creatures that disappeared around 30,000 years ago. The arrival of humans on the continent may have been a factor in their disappearance due to excessive hunting, and specifically the use of fire to drive out prey. However, climate change could also have played a role in their extinction as Australia grew steadily more arid. Though Thyalacoleo had some characteristics in common with surviving marsupials probably including the pouches they used to rear their young they remain unlike any other living animals. For decades palaeontologists, have attempted to deduce what their lives might have been like from the fragmented remains available. But now using new specimens containing bones that had never previously been found, two researchers from Flinders University have assembled the most accurate picture yet. (A) Reconstruction of the skeleton of T. carnifex. (B) Body outline based on examination of musculature evident in X-ray imaging of other marsupials (Wells et al., 2018) The extinct marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex, has intrigued scientists since it was first described in 1859 from skull and jaw fragments collected at Lake Colongulac in Victoria, they wrote in the journal PLOS One. Recent cave finds have for the first time enabled a description and reconstruction of the complete skeleton, including the hitherto-unrecognised tail and clavicles. The analysis by Professor Rod Wells and Dr Aaron Camens suggested it had a heavily muscled tail that would have formed a tripod with its back legs as it handled its food or climbed. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Powerful forelimbs combined with a rigid lower back would have meant that while the marsupial lion was not able to chase its prey, it would have been well adapted to jump out and grapple with it. Their results suggested that the closest living creature to Thylacoleo is neither a lion nor a large marsupial like a kangaroo, but the distantly related Tasmanian devil. Like the devils, the scientists suggested that besides being ambush hunters the marsupial lion may have used its massive legs to rip apart scavenged carcasses as well. The skeleton reconstruction also confirmed their closest relatives from the period were diprotodons a group of enormous wombats that are the largest known marsupials to have ever lived. Exploding stars 2.6 million years ago may have contributed to a mass extinction event that swept Earths prehistoric oceans wiping out creatures like the giant shark known as the Megalodon, according to a new scientific paper. Cosmic particles from these supernovae showered the planets surface at such high levels the researchers from the University of Kansas say they may have caused cancers in large marine creatures to spike. Among the apparent casualties was the Megalodon - a shark the size of a bus - that vanished from the fossil record around this time. The theory was laid out by a team led by Dr Adrian Melott, a physicist at the University of Kansas, in an attempt to join the dots between different strands of research. "There really hasn't been any good explanation for the marine megafaunal extinction," he said. "This could be one. It's this paradigm change we know something happened and when it happened, so for the first time we can really dig in and look for things in a definite way. Recommended Biggest ever mass extinction triggered by global warming To arrive at this hypothesis, Dr Melott drew on his knowledge of historic supernovae and evidence for the impact they had on Earth. Ancient seabed deposits of iron-60 isotopes radioactive forms of iron provided a crucial clue. Publishing the findings in the journal Astrobiology, Dr Melott claimed there was no other way for these materials to have arrived on Earth except from a supernova, meaning they provided the slam dunk evidence for these events taking place. Further support came from the structure of the surrounding universe. Earth sits on the edge of something termed the Local Bubble an enormous region of hot, dense gas that astronomers think resulted from a series of supernovae explosions - the explosion of stars that have reached the end of their life. Due to the structure of this bubble, it is possible that Earth could have been bathed in a cosmic rays, as the explosion bounced off the edges, for up to 100,000 years. 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 During this time, particles called muons would have fallen in large numbers onto the surface of the planet. Muons elementary particles similar to very heavy electrons penetrate deep into living creatures including humans and are responsible for around a fifth of the radiation dose we receive. Normally this is not a big problem, but with muon exposure increasing by hundreds of times Dr Melott and his colleagues think this could have led to an increase in rates of mutation and cancer. Larger animals would have been particularly susceptible, as they would have caught a greater dose of radiation. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events We estimated the cancer rate would go up about 50 percent for something the size of a humanand the bigger you are, the worse it is, said Dr Melott. This could explain why the Megalodon, as well as a third of other large sea creatures, failed to survive into the next epoch of the planets history, known as the Pleistocene. Previous work has suggested supernovae around this time could also have killed off small creatures crucial to ocean health by damaging the ozone layer and allowing a surge of UV light in. Dr Melott said his work clarifying the impact of these star explosions during this key period in Earths history was another puzzle piece". Often, mass extinction events are linked with dramatic changes to the Earths climate, such as The Great Dying 252 million years ago that resulted from soaring temperatures and oxygen levels dropping in the oceans. Though cosmic rays bombarding the atmosphere could also be linked to a changing climate, the authors of the study admit this is a controversial claim. A man who was Tasered outside the Houses of Parliament was unarmed and has been sectioned, police say. The incident on Tuesday morning sparked terror fears when the man entered the same gates stormed by the Westminster attacker Khalid Masood in March 2017. Londons Metropolitan Police said he ran towards officers posted at Carriage Gates. He did not comply with officers requests to stop and a Taser was used by police, a spokesperson added. The man, aged 29, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of trespassing at a protected site, and taken to a police station for questioning. The arrested man, who was unarmed, underwent a mental health assessment. He has now been taken to hospital after being detained under the Mental Health Act. The Independents political correspondents were among those who witnessed the man being detained by around a dozen officers. Recommended Parliament intruder shot with Taser gun by armed police 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. 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 investigation is being led by Scotland Yards Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit rather than counterterror police, and enquiries into the circumstances continue. In pictures: Westminster attack Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Westminster attack In pictures: Westminster attack An air ambulance lands after gunfire sounds were heard close to the Palace of Westminster in London PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack MPs wait until the situation is under control in Westminster. 'The alleged assailant was shot by armed police,' David Lidington, leader of the House of Commons, told the house. BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Crowds gather in Westminster after shooting incident, which police are treating as terror attack BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Police were also called to an incident on Westminster Bridge nearby AP In pictures: Westminster attack Early reports indicate the car, which mounted the pavement on Westminster Bridge and mowed into around a dozen people, was the same vehicle which then rammed into the railings of the Palace of Westminster, just around the corner Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack Security sources described the suspected assailant as a middle-aged Asian man, who is understood to have left the car before attacking a police officer with a seven-to-eight inch knife PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack Police have asked people to avoid the immediate area to allow emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident AP In pictures: Westminster attack One woman has died and a number of others, including the police officer, have been hurt, according to a junior doctor at St Thomas' Hospital Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack At least three gun shots were heard by those inside Westminster, and proceedings in the House of Commons have been suspended AP Security has been increased at Carriage Gates following the Westminster attack in March 2017, when Khalid Masood stabbed PC Keith Palmer to death at his post after running over four victims on Westminster Bridge. An inquest found PC Palmer may have been saved if firearms officers had been posted on the gates and there is now a permanent armed police presence at the entrance. A crash near a different entrance to the Houses of Parliament in August is also being investigated as a potential terror attack and the suspect awaits trial. Theresa May is set to face a no-confidence vote from her own party on Wednesday evening over her handling of Brexit. The chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, Sir Graham Brady, has announced he has received letters expressing disapproval of Ms May from more than 15 per cent of MPs (meaning 48 at present). Passing this threshold obliges Sir Graham to trigger a no-confidence ballot of party members on the prime ministers future. The scales have finally been tipped against Ms May after she cancelled a meaningful vote on her EU Withdrawal Agreement, due to take place in the House of Commons on Tuesday, in order to return to Europe to seek further concessions from EU leaders, apparently without success. The development is embarrassing for the embattled prime minister on a personal level, given that she has fought doggedly to deliver Brexit despite widespread dissatisfaction with her terms, vocal Remain opposition, campaigns for a second referendum and the resignation of several key cabinet ministers. If the prime minister survives the new vote taking place between 6pm and 8pm tonight place and sees off a leadership challenge, she would be rewarded with a years immunity from a fresh coup attempt under the rules of the 1922. But if she were to lose, she would be obliged to step down and allow for the election of a replacement, once again plunging Westminster into chaos, a circumstance she has emphatically cautioned against. Even if she were to win the initial battle, however, she could still lose the war. If a large enough minority of MPs vote against her 100 is thought to be in the region of the magic number then her cabinet may advise her to step down anyway. Under Sir Graham, a no-confidence letter is held on file indefinitely once submitted, unless the author asks for it to be withdrawn. Previously, they would have had to renew their objection on an annual basis. To prevent disgruntled members conspiring against their boss in cloak-and-dagger fashion, the process is a blind one, with only the committees chairman knowing for sure how many letters have been submitted at any one time. The 1922, which meets in Parliaments oak-panelled Committee Room 14 at 5pm every Wednesday afternoon, is named after the historic Carlton Club meeting between Tory rebels Stanley Baldwin and Bonar Law on 19 October 1922, in which the men successfully plotted the withdrawal of the party from its coalition with David Lloyd Georges Liberals. 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 Initially a private dining club, the men in grey suits have enjoyed their reputation for organised dissent ever since. They wield considerable power. The prime minister is expected to appear before its assembled members to give an account of themselves at least once a quarter and whenever a significant political event takes place. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events All six most senior members of its executive Sir Graham, Cheryl Gillan, Charles Walker, Bob Blackman, Nigel Evans and Geoffrey Clifton-Brown voted for Brexit. The sextet, which gathers an hour before the midweek huddle, is unlikely to back Theresa May any further if they do not agree with her plans for Britains exit from Europe and could become dangerous enemies. The Conservatives reinstated the party whip for two MPs who were suspended over allegations of sexual wrongdoing, just in time for them to take part in tonight's vote of no confidence in Theresa May. Charlie Elphicke, suspended over what Tory leaders called "serious allegations", and Andrew Griffiths, who had the whip removed after bombarding a female constituent with explicit messages, were allowed to take part in the ballot. Mr Elphicke, who was referred to police over the allegations against him, strongly denies wrongdoing. The pair were readmitted by the Tories on Wednesday as party whips attempted to secure every possible vote to guarantee Ms May's future. Government sources denied it was an attempt to influence the outcome of the vote, which Ms May won by a margin of 200 to 117. The contest was triggered after 48 Conservative MPs wrote to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers, to express no confidence in Ms May. While Mr Elphicke did not say how he intended to vote in the secret ballot, Mr Griffiths revealed that he would back the prime minister. He said: Theresa May has shown huge determination and bravery in negotiating and arguing for her deal. "I believe she remains the best person to deliver the Brexit people in Burton and Uttoxeter voted for, and I will be supporting her in tonights ballot. Last month, Mr Griffiths said he had contemplated suicide after being caught sexting barmaid Imogen Treharne and her friend. The married MP, 48, apologised and resigned as a business minister after it was revealed that he had sent the 28-year-old 2000 texts in just three weeks, including many of an explicit nature. Mr Elphicke, meanwhile, confirmed he had had the whip reinstated more than a year after being suspended in November 2017. He wrote on Twitter: "Important for my constituents to know that, 13 months after having it withdrawn, I have been given back the Conservative whip. "I remain as confident as I always have been of clearing my name and will continue to work as hard for Dover & Deal as I always have done." Government sources pointed to the fact that Mr Elphicke is likely to vote against Ms May as evidence that the move was not motivated by partisan advantage. But Labour said the Tories' decision to readmit the two MPs was a "betrayal of women". Dawn Butler MP, Labour's shadow women and equalities secretary, said: "It is a betrayal of women for the Tories to let MPs who have been suspended for alleged sexual harassment back into their party just to allow them to vote in the leadership challenge." European Parliament chiefs have warned that the backstop in Theresa Mays Brexit deal cannot be renegotiated and urged the EU to intensify planning for a no-deal. The conference of presidents, the leaders of the parliaments main groups, said in a resolution adopted behind closed doors on Wednesday afternoon that MEPs would veto any deal without a backstop. The Parliament is the latest part of the EU to rule out changing the deal struck with the UK in March, following similar statements by the Commission, Council, and a slew of key member states. The group leaders agreed that the withdrawal agreement and political declaration are fair and balance and represent, given EU principles, current UK red lines, and the commitments set out in the Good Friday Agreement, the only deal possible to secure an orderly withdrawal from the European Union. They also stressed that renegotiating the backstop was not possible since it is the guarantee that in whatever circumstances there could be no hardening of the border on the island of Ireland. The Conference reiterated that without a backstop Parliament would not give its consent to the withdrawal agreement. Theresa May is set to come to Brussels on Thursday to discuss further concessions on the agreement with EU leaders. The level of concessions demanded by Tory eurosceptics appears to be wildly out of line with what the EU is prepared to give, however. A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA Rebellious MPs have demanded that Britain essentially have the power to pull out of the backstop, or that it be given a time-limit two major EU red lines. The policy is controversial because it will keep the UK tied to the EU customs area even after it leaves in order to prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland. EU leaders are watching on in horror at the Tory catfight unfolding in Westminster but will still not make the concessions Theresa May needs to unite the Conservatives when she arrives in Brussels on Thursday. The prime minister will have a rare two-way discussion with her EU counterparts at the European Council summit on Thursday afternoon, fresh off the plane from surviving a bruising confidence vote in Westminster. But despite a generally positive tone in Brussels, with officials and diplomats alike suggesting they want to help the prime minister, serious changes to the agreement that would actually win around her MPs will remain effectively off the table. The prime minister is hoping national leaders will give her breathing space and something to take back to the UK that will ease the ire in Westminster with a late night meeting to draw up reassurances planned. But EU officials sought to manage expectations ahead of the meeting, with one warning: What is impossible is to renegotiate the deal from the 25 November. Thats impossible. The rest can be discussed. They added: Renegotiation of the deal that was reached is not on the table and whatever assurances are given cannot contradict the deal that was made on 25 November. Brussels essentially gave its backing to the prime minister ahead of the no confidence vote, with a spokesperson for the European Commission stating that Ms May had done a good job of managing a very difficult process. But Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliaments outspoken Brexit coordinator, voiced the behind-the-scenes exasperation of many in the EU capital. Once again, the fate of EU-UK relations, the prosperity of businesses and citizens rights are consumed by an internal Conservative party catfight over Europe, he said. I hope that, whatever happens, at least the vote will make clear that a disastrous no-deal is off the table. The leaders of the European parliaments political groups were the latest force to line up behind the EUs united line of no renegotiation on Wednesday as they warned they would use their veto to block any withdrawal agreement that watered down the controversial backstop. The shape and scope of the reassurances EU leaders will cook up still looks uncertain. Ahead of the meeting, EU diplomats said they would be decided on the day and would depend on what Ms May asked them for. One senior official said there was a wide range of legal forms to offer assurances or clarification, and did not rule out the possibility of pseudo-legal protocols tacked into the treaty. Such protocols would be lodged at the UN with the withdrawal agreement and would provide legal reference but not change the agreement. All EU diplomats who spoke to The Independent were adamant that they could not contradict the agreement. One said: We believe that when it comes to the backstop, the text of the withdrawal agreement and the text of the political declaration are clear. It is clear and it will be legally binding. If there is something unclear then we need to listen to the prime minister about what is unclear. What is the Irish border Brexit backstop? Unless leaders pull a rabbit out of a hat, signals out of Brussels and other EU capitals so far suggest they will not meet the demands of the Brexiteers who want the backstop either removed entirely, given a time-limit, or some kind of new exit clause not dependent on EU consent. Brexit will be far from the only issue discussed at the meeting, which will also begin the heavy-lifting of hashing out the EUs multi-year budget. The prime minister will share her concerns with leaders in the afternoon, and they will, unusually, be allowed to ask her questions and respond. The EU has so far tried to keep direct discussion between leaders about Brexit to a minimum preferring instead that all negotiations go through its adept chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his team. After a meeting on foreign policy over dinner, which Ms May will attend, the prime minister will leave the 27 leaders to discuss her concerns without her. They are expected to issue a late-night written statement spelling out the steps they are prepared to make to ease the passage of the deal through parliament. "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 European parliaments conference of presidents, which represents the leaders of its political groups, said in a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon that the withdrawal agreement and political declaration are fair and balanced and represent, given EU principles, current UK red lines, and the commitments set out in the Good Friday Agreement, the only deal possible to secure an orderly withdrawal from the European Union. The group chiefs also stressed that renegotiating the backstop was not possible and that without it parliament would not give its consent to the withdrawal agreement. Speaking at lunchtime, Margaritis Schinas, the European Commissions chief spokesperson, told reporters: The Commission will not comment on the internal politics of the United Kingdom and not least the Conservative Party, but President Juncker has on many occasions expressed his support for Prime Minister May and her role in managing a very difficult process. UK officials have kept a low profile in Brussels ahead of the summit. Philip Hammond has angered hard Brexit-supporting Tory MPs ahead of Theresa Mays no-confidence vote by branding them extremists. The chancellor accused colleagues attempting to topple the prime minister of wanting to crash the UK out of the EU without a deal arguing the vote would flush them out. The comments were quickly attacked by Conor Burns, a leading Brexiteer, who said: The language used by the chancellor about colleagues is deeply unhelpful. We have to unite after this. Mr Hammond spoke out as cabinet ministers joined forces to throw their weight behind Ms May, ahead of the votes of 315 Tory MPs being cast between 6pm and 8pm this evening. The prime minister requires 158 supporters to survive after which there cannot be another contest for one year although rejection by more than 100 Tory MPs could damage her fatally. If Ms May is forced out, grassroots Tories are almost certain to pick a Brexiteer, who could put the UK on course for a no-deal Brexit if the EU refuses to renegotiate. Speaking to Sky News, Mr Hammond argued even a tight win would be enough, saying: One vote clearly is enough in any election competition its first-past-the-post Im very clear the prime minister will have the support of the great majority of parliamentary colleagues. Then he added: I think what this vote today will do is flush out the extremists who are trying to advance a particular agenda which would really not be in the interests of the British people or the British economy. Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Show all 10 1 /10 Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary and joint favourite at Ladbrokes, Boris Johnson has been a prominent opponent to May's Brexit plan and led the 2016 Leave campaign PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Dominic Raab The former Brexit secretary is joint favourite with Boris Johnson at Ladbrokes. Raab supported leave in the referendum Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Sajid Javid The home secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but has been rumoured to be a future Tory leader for a while PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jeremy Hunt The foreign secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but is seen as a potential contender due to his long time in cabinet and success in his current role PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? MIchael Gove The environment secretary is a favourite but recently stated that it is "extermely unlikely" that he would stand for the leadership. Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Amber Rudd The work and pensions secretary is seen as a leading candidate from the moderate wing of the party AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? David Davis The former Brexit secretary is thought to be a contender due to his prominence in the referendum campaign and support for a hard Brexit AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jacob Rees Mogg Leader of the European Research Group and prominent advocate for a hard Brexit, backbencher Rees Mogg is an outside contender but would garner the support of arch-Brexiteers Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Penny Mordaunt The international development secretary has declared her support for the Prime Minister but there is speculation that she may stand if May loses the vote Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary has refused to rule out a leadership bid. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Leaving the European Union without a deal would be bad for Britain. Bernard Jenkin, another pro-Brexit Tory, said: It is odd, isnt it, that 52 per cent of the country voted leave, and we put in our manifesto that we should leave the customs union, that we should leave the single market, take back control of our laws. Now we are faced with an agreement that doesnt deliver these things. And we are called the extremists. Its an Orwellian world we are living in, isnt it? I thought that once we had won the referendum, we would be accepted as the mainstream. Theresa May has told Conservative MPs that she will not lead the party into the 2022 election, in a bid to win their support in a critical vote of no confidence. MPs listening to the prime minister speak ahead of the ballot said from inside the room that Ms May gave clear indications she would step down ahead of the election at the end of the parliament. However, deputy party chair James Cleverly later denied she had given such a clear commitment, saying instead that she only admitted that some Tory MPs were "uncomfortable with her taking them into the election. Ms May addressed her MPs at a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee minutes before voting opened in the ballot of no confidence in her leadership. Recommended Tories restore whip to suspended sex text MP before confidence vote She spent much of Wednesday meeting Tory MPs and reportedly reassured sceptics that it was not her intention to fight the next general election. MPs inside the 1922 Committee meeting said the prime minister had assured them she would not fight the next election. Alex Shelbrooke, MP for Elmet and Rothwell, told reporters: "She said definitely that she will not lead us into a 2022 election. "She said there was still work to be done and that she believed she had a role bringing both the party and the country together after Brexit and delivering a strong domestic agenda." Asked whether she would quit if an election was held before 2022, Ms May reportedly said there would not be an election before then. Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Show all 10 1 /10 Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary and joint favourite at Ladbrokes, Boris Johnson has been a prominent opponent to May's Brexit plan and led the 2016 Leave campaign PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Dominic Raab The former Brexit secretary is joint favourite with Boris Johnson at Ladbrokes. Raab supported leave in the referendum Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Sajid Javid The home secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but has been rumoured to be a future Tory leader for a while PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jeremy Hunt The foreign secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but is seen as a potential contender due to his long time in cabinet and success in his current role PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? MIchael Gove The environment secretary is a favourite but recently stated that it is "extermely unlikely" that he would stand for the leadership. Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Amber Rudd The work and pensions secretary is seen as a leading candidate from the moderate wing of the party AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? David Davis The former Brexit secretary is thought to be a contender due to his prominence in the referendum campaign and support for a hard Brexit AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jacob Rees Mogg Leader of the European Research Group and prominent advocate for a hard Brexit, backbencher Rees Mogg is an outside contender but would garner the support of arch-Brexiteers Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Penny Mordaunt The international development secretary has declared her support for the Prime Minister but there is speculation that she may stand if May loses the vote Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary has refused to rule out a leadership bid. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Speaking after the meeting, Brandon Lewis, the Tory chairman, said: The PM was very frank about the clear view she has that colleagues had made known their views about the 2022 election. "The decision tonight is about this year right now and Brexit and actually keeping her as PM right now is the right thing to do. Mr Cleverly said Ms May told Tory MPs that she "recognised that colleagues were uncomfortable" with her leading the party into another election. The prime minister said her focus was on "getting Brexit delivered, making sure we have a good working relationship with the DUP up and running and on not having an early election", he said. The Tory deputy chair said the prime minister had accepted the current issues "would not be resolved by an election". "There's not going to be an election - she made that very, very clear", he said. Theresa May has vowed to fight for her job, warning Brexit would have to be delayed or even cancelled if she has toppled by Conservative MPs. Speaking in Downing Street, the prime minister announced she would contest the no-confidence vote of all Tory MPs tonight with everything Ive got. And, in a dramatic warning to her MPs not to desert her, she raised the prospect of a new leader being forced to delay or annul Brexit, because they would not have time to negotiate a new deal. One of their first acts would have to be extending, or even rescinding, Article 50 - delaying, or even stopping, Brexit when people want us to get on with it, Ms May said. The expected pledge to fight the contest came one hour after Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 backbench committee, announced the vote of no confidence would go ahead. Sir Graham released a statement saying the threshold of 48 signatures 15 per cent of the total number of Tory MPs has been exceeded. The contest will be staged between 6pm and 8pm this evening, when all 315 Conservative MPs will vote on whether they believe Ms May should continue. The prime minister requires 158 supporters to survive after which there cannot be another contest for one year although rejection by more than 100 Tory MPs could damage her fatally. A new Tory leader and prime minister would not be in place until the middle of January at the very earliest, depending on the number of hustings to be staged for party members. Furthermore, grassroots Tories are almost certain to pick a Brexiteer, who could put the UK on course for a no-deal Brexit if the EU refuses to renegotiate. Outside No 10, Ms May urged her MPs to recognise that forcing her out would put our countrys future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. She argued: A new leader wouldnt be in place by 21 January legal deadline, so a leadership election risks handing control of the Brexit negotiations to opposition MPs in parliament. 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 The new leader wouldnt have time to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement and get the legislation through parliament by 29 March, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it. Ms May also warned that a leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation, or the parliamentary arithmetic. Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. The only people whose interests would be served would be Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. Ms May also announced she was cancelling a trip to Dublin - and a cabinet meeting - this afternoon, to argue for a better Brexit deal, to deal with the crisis. Ian Lavery, the Labour party chairman, claimed the Conservatives internal divisions are putting peoples jobs and living standards at risk. "With only weeks left before Britain leaves the EU, Theresa May's weakness and failure has completely immobilised the government at this critical time for the country, he said. Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which is propping up the Tories in power said she was not surprised by the dramatic events. I did realise there were a lot of conversations going on. However. my focus of course has to continue to be on the withdrawal agreement and the fact that the backstop needs to be taken out of that withdrawal agreement. Theresa May will face a vote of no confidence in her leadership of the Conservative party tonight, it has been announced. Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 backbench committee, released a statement saying the threshold of 48 signatures 15 per cent of the total number of Tory MPs has been exceeded. The announcement came after Brexiteer Tories, who had held back from submitting letters calling for a confidence vote, broke cover in anger at the shelving of the vote on the Brexit deal. The contest will be staged between 6pm and 8pm this evening, when all 315 Conservative MPs will vote, in a secret ballot, on whether they believe Ms May should continue. The prime minister requires 158 supporters to survive after which there cannot be another contest for one year although rejection by more than 100 Tory MPs could damage her fatally. Recommended May stands by her deal amid renewed threat from Tory rebels If Ms May is forced out, it could see Brexit delayed if the EU accepts the Article 50 exit period must be extended beyond next March because of the political turmoil. A new Tory leader and prime minister would not be in place until the middle of January at the earliest, the deadline for the Commons to vote on the current deal. Ms May was poised to make a statement in Downing Street this morning, at which she was expected to confirm she would fight to keep her job. Ms May is expected to warn her MPs that changing leadership now would allow parliament to seize control of the Brexit process and force through softer exit terms. She is also likely to point to the likelihood of Brexit being delayed, with that extension of Article 50. In a joint statement, the leadership of the hard Brexit-supporting European Research Group of Tory MPs said Ms May must go. "Theresa May's plan would bring down the Government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it, said Jacob Rees-Mogg and his deputy Steve Baker. 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 Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go. Cabinet big hitters including Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, and Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, immediately threw their weight behind their leader. Mr Javid said: "The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March. Confirming the contest this evening, Sir Graham said: The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made as soon as possible in the evening. Speaking outside parliament, Sir Graham said he would ensure a proper, well run, fair process conducted as speedily as we can, with a clear result produced this evening. The EU Commission has reiterated its backing for Theresa May ahead of a no-confidence vote by the prime ministers party this evening. Speaking in Brussels Margaritis Schinas, the chief spokesperson of the Commission presidency, said the Commission believed Ms May had done a good job of managing a very difficult process. It comes after the PM met with Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Tuesday night. The Commission will not comment on the internal politics of the United Kingdom and not least the Conservative party, but President Juncker has on many occasions expressed his support for prime minister May and her role in managing a very difficult process, the spokesperson said when asked about the vote. Mr Schinas said Mr Juncker had listened attentively to the concerns raised by Ms May about the Northern Ireland backstop at the meeting on Tuesday night, which came after the prime minister dashed between EU capitals seeking concessions. Last night European Council president Donald Tusk said it was clear that the EU27 countries wanted to help Theresa May placate her party and pass the deal but that "the question is how". The prime minister is due to attend a summit in Brussels with the 27 other national leaders on Thursday and Friday of this week, where she is seeking concessions to her Brexit withdrawal agreement, following a hostile reception to it by her MPs. Though the EU has said emphatically that the withdrawal agreement cannot be renegotiated, leaders have hinted that they could draw up some kind of non-binding declaration to better interpret the controversial backstop, if it helps the PM. Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Show all 10 1 /10 Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary and joint favourite at Ladbrokes, Boris Johnson has been a prominent opponent to May's Brexit plan and led the 2016 Leave campaign PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Dominic Raab The former Brexit secretary is joint favourite with Boris Johnson at Ladbrokes. Raab supported leave in the referendum Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Sajid Javid The home secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but has been rumoured to be a future Tory leader for a while PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jeremy Hunt The foreign secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but is seen as a potential contender due to his long time in cabinet and success in his current role PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? MIchael Gove The environment secretary is a favourite but recently stated that it is "extermely unlikely" that he would stand for the leadership. Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Amber Rudd The work and pensions secretary is seen as a leading candidate from the moderate wing of the party AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? David Davis The former Brexit secretary is thought to be a contender due to his prominence in the referendum campaign and support for a hard Brexit AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jacob Rees Mogg Leader of the European Research Group and prominent advocate for a hard Brexit, backbencher Rees Mogg is an outside contender but would garner the support of arch-Brexiteers Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Penny Mordaunt The international development secretary has declared her support for the Prime Minister but there is speculation that she may stand if May loses the vote Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary has refused to rule out a leadership bid. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Tory eurosceptic MPs and the DUP have however said that the backstop, which ties the UK to an EU customs union to avoid a hard border with Ireland, needs to be seriously neutered for them to consider backing the withdrawal agreeement. Well-placed EU diplomats on Wednesday speaking ahead of the summit however said that the backstop could not be changed, limited, or constrained in any meaningful way. The Prime Minister has said she will fight the no-confidence vote by her MPs, which was triggered by 48 of them lodging letters with party authorities. Close Theresa May wins vote of no confidence by 200 to 117 Theresa May has won a vote of no confidence as the prime minister dashed the hopes of Brexiteer MPs to topple her. Ms May was backed by 200 Tory MPs compared to 117 rebels who hoped to oust her, following the most dramatic 24 hours yet of the Brexit saga. A secret ballot started at 6pm after the prime minister addressed the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, telling them she will not lead the party into the 2022 election. Please allow a moment for this live blog to load Theresa May will face a vote of no confidence after 48 Conservative MPs submitted letters triggering a leadership contest. The prime minister vowed to contest the vote with everything Ive got when it takes place on Wednesday evening. Possible contenders to replace her were quick to offer their backing, with leader of the Commons, Andrea Leadsom, tweeting it was vital to support the prime minister and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt warning that a leadership contest would be damaging for the country. But who might be the frontrunners in any future contest? Theresa May The incumbent prime minister has vowed to fight to remain as leader, insisting she would stay on to finish the job. Needing the votes of 158 MPs half the parliamentary party plus one, she is currently 2/7 to win the vote, according to the Ladbrokes bookmaker. However, a vote of 100 or more against her will raise questions about whether she can continue. If she wins, another challenge against her cannot be mounted for at least a year. Immediate statements of loyalty were issued by cabinet ministers, including Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Philip Hammond, Matt Hancock, Penny Mordaunt, Liam Fox, Steve Barclay, David Lidington, Amber Rudd, Chris Grayling, David Gauke and James Brokenshire. Theresa May to contest vote of no confidence 'with everything I've got' Boris Johnson Prominent Brexiteer and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson (joint favourite at 5-1 with Ladbrokes) is a leading voice of opposition to Ms Mays Brexit plan. The Old Etonian was one of the key players in the 2017 Leave campaign and resigned from the cabinet following the summit of cabinet members in July at Chequers the prime ministers country residence. That agreement would see the UK agreeing a common rulebook with the European Union (EU) for trading in goods, in an attempt to maintain frictionless trade at the border. Heavily tipped as a successor to David Cameron, Mr Johnson ruled himself out of the 2016 leadership contest after Michael Gove made a last-minute bid for the top job. Mr Johnson refused to rule out challenging Ms May over the weekend, saying the British people should not underestimate the deep sense of personal responsibility I feel for Brexit. Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab (joint favourite with Boris Johnson at 5-1 with Ladbrokes) has refused to rule out standing in a leadership contest. The prominent Leave-backer was appointed as Brexit secretary in July but resigned from the role in November, saying he could not support the prime ministers deal. The 44-year-old has been the MP for Esher and Walton since he was elected in 2010. The son of a Czech-born Jewish father who came to Britain in 1938, he is married with two children. Sajid Javid The home secretary announced he was backing the prime minister to remain in post shortly after the no confidence vote was announced. He said a leadership contest was the last thing our country needs right now. But an earlier interview with The Spectator prompted rumours of leadership ambitions after he made a pitch for the Tories to be the party of social mobility. On Wednesday he said he was backing Ms May in the contest but could still throw his hat in the ring if she loses the first vote. The odds on Mr Javid taking the top job are currently 8/1, according to Ladbrokes. He didnt stand in the 2016 leadership race but has since emerged as one of the favourites in Westminster to succeed Ms May. Mr Javid, 49, backed Remain in the referendum but has since positioned himself as a firm Leaver. He became the first home secretary from an ethnic minority background when he was appointed in April 2018. The son of a Pakistani bus driver from Rochdale, he was managing director at Deutsche Bank before becoming an MP in 2010. He is married with four children. Michael Gove Michael Gove (third at 7-1 with Ladbrokes) appeared to rule himself out of the running in recent days. The environment secretary said it was extremely unlikely that he would stand as a future Conservative Party leader. That apparent reluctance could have something to do with his previous bruising experience in a Tory leadership race. In June 2016, Mr Gove, who was campaign manager for Mr Johnsons failed drive to succeed Mr Cameron, withdrew his support on the morning that Mr Johnson was due to declare and threw his own hat in the ring instead. Recommended Michael Gove inspired Boris Johnson to call for cabinet mutiny He came third in the first round of voting, trailing behind ultimate winner Ms May and Ms Leadsom. Mr Gove, 51, was born in Edinburgh, studied English at Oxford and was a journalist before becoming an MP. He is married to Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine. Jeremy Hunt Moments after news of the vote was announced, Mr Hunt tweeted: I am backing Theresa May tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29. But the foreign secretary formerly the longest-serving health secretary until he was switched from the role earlier this year is seen as a possible contender, helped in part by the relative success he has enjoyed in the new role, including coordinating the release of British PHD student Matthew Hedges. Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Show all 10 1 /10 Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary and joint favourite at Ladbrokes, Boris Johnson has been a prominent opponent to May's Brexit plan and led the 2016 Leave campaign PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Dominic Raab The former Brexit secretary is joint favourite with Boris Johnson at Ladbrokes. Raab supported leave in the referendum Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Sajid Javid The home secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but has been rumoured to be a future Tory leader for a while PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jeremy Hunt The foreign secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but is seen as a potential contender due to his long time in cabinet and success in his current role PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? MIchael Gove The environment secretary is a favourite but recently stated that it is "extermely unlikely" that he would stand for the leadership. Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Amber Rudd The work and pensions secretary is seen as a leading candidate from the moderate wing of the party AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? David Davis The former Brexit secretary is thought to be a contender due to his prominence in the referendum campaign and support for a hard Brexit AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jacob Rees Mogg Leader of the European Research Group and prominent advocate for a hard Brexit, backbencher Rees Mogg is an outside contender but would garner the support of arch-Brexiteers Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Penny Mordaunt The international development secretary has declared her support for the Prime Minister but there is speculation that she may stand if May loses the vote Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary has refused to rule out a leadership bid. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty David Davis The ardent leaver and former Brexit secretary quit Ms Mays cabinet in protest at her Chequers proposal and could certainly command support from Leave-backing colleagues. He has repeatedly said he is not interested in the top job but is seen as a contender given his high profile role in the 2016 referendum campaign and subsequent support for a harder Brexit. Commenting before Ms May pulled the Commons vote on her Withdrawal Agreement, he said: The decisions taken in the next few months will dictate our nations future for a generation. We will be judged in the future as to whether we flinched in the face of unfounded threats and panic, or stood up for our national interest and took our proper place in the world. Amber Rudd The work and pensions secretary critiqued Ms Mays leadership style by saying the PM was not always forthcoming about what she wants in an interview with The Times at the weekend. She is seen as a leading candidate from the moderate wing of the party and even said in her interview that she hoped it chooses a centrist figure for its next leader. She has also made clear her support for the UK moving to a Norway-style option if Ms Mays plan is rejected by MPs and said she would vote to stay in the EU if there was another referendum. But the pensions secretary called on Conservative colleagues to back the prime ministers proposals, saying it is too indulgent to think about leadership contests at this point. Jacob Rees-Mogg Prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has been calling for Ms May to be replaced in recent weeks, handed in his letter calling for a no confidence vote in November. He tweeted: The country needs a new leader, it is time for Mrs May to resign. While Mr Rees-Mogg is an outside contender, he would likely have the support of arch-Brexiteers. However a successful bid by the 49-year-old son of former Times editor William Rees-Mogg has the potential to split the Tory party in two. Others to watch Penny Mordaunt: The international development secretary has declared her full support for the prime minister, but there is speculation she could enter the race if Ms May loses the no confidence vote. Esther McVey: The former work and pensions secretary has refused to rule herself out of any future race, having previously said she believed it would be very difficult for Ms May to remain PM if she failed to renegotiate her Brexit deal. Gavin Williamson: The defence secretary and former chief whip has been particularly vocal in his demands for more cash for his department, sparking rumours this summer that he was poised to topple Ms May if spending on the armed forces was not increased. Additional reporting by PA Theresa May will win the confidence vote on her leadership of the Tory Party if the betting markets are to be believed but after that it is anyones guess. Bookmakers reported a flood of money for the prime minister throughout the morning, with bets on her winning making up around 90 per cent of the money taken. The weight of money saw bookmakers' opening prices rapidly contracting. Ladbrokes tweeted an opening quote of 10/11 on each outcome. Those who got on the Prime Minister winning at that price should congratulate themselves. It wasnt available for long. Within less than an hour she was at 4-11, before the price fell further to 1-6. Paddy Power Betfair similarly crunched its odds, opening at a more May friendly 2-5 before itself moving in to 1-6. At such short prices, that represents a very big move. Her losing the vote, meanwhile, had drifted out to 7-2 at the time of writing. Thats a long shot in a two-runner race but still not beyond the bounds of possibility given the febrile climate at Westminster. Perhaps the most interesting market was on the number of votes piling up against her. It suggested that if Ms May does win her victory could prove pyrrhic. Paddy Powers favourite at 11-4 was 90-109. The magic number being talked about for her survival beyond a few days was something less than 100 votes against. Bookies also reported heavy interest in betting on the next Tory leader, with all the money coming for Brexiteers, reflecting the fact that the decision will be made by an ageing and Brexit-backing membership from a final two selected by MPs. A Brexiteer would likely be among them. Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Show all 10 1 /10 Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary and joint favourite at Ladbrokes, Boris Johnson has been a prominent opponent to May's Brexit plan and led the 2016 Leave campaign PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Dominic Raab The former Brexit secretary is joint favourite with Boris Johnson at Ladbrokes. Raab supported leave in the referendum Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Sajid Javid The home secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but has been rumoured to be a future Tory leader for a while PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jeremy Hunt The foreign secretary will back the Prime Minister in the confidence vote but is seen as a potential contender due to his long time in cabinet and success in his current role PA Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? MIchael Gove The environment secretary is a favourite but recently stated that it is "extermely unlikely" that he would stand for the leadership. Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Amber Rudd The work and pensions secretary is seen as a leading candidate from the moderate wing of the party AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? David Davis The former Brexit secretary is thought to be a contender due to his prominence in the referendum campaign and support for a hard Brexit AFP/Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Jacob Rees Mogg Leader of the European Research Group and prominent advocate for a hard Brexit, backbencher Rees Mogg is an outside contender but would garner the support of arch-Brexiteers Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Penny Mordaunt The international development secretary has declared her support for the Prime Minister but there is speculation that she may stand if May loses the vote Getty Who might succeed Theresa May if she loses today's confidence vote? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary has refused to rule out a leadership bid. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Paddy Powers news on that market suggested the most likely winner of a future leadership battle is arguably the most divisive politician in Britain, and a man who has become a hate figure for a sizeable portion of the country. Boris Johnson moved into 4/1 favourite, leapfrogging former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab in the process. Paddy Power spokesman Lee Price said the former foreign secretary had taken more than three quarters of the bets with his firm in that market over the morning. He also moved into poll position to be the next prime minister, taking over from Jeremy Corbyn at a price of 5/1. Michael Cohen has warned that he has more to say about what he called the dirty deeds of Donald Trump as the presidents former lawyer and fixer was sentenced to three years in prison for facilitating payments to two women who have had alleged affairs with Mr Trump. Cohen was sentenced to 36 months for tax fraud and for his role in the payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and the former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had affairs with Mr Trump before the 2016 presidential election. The judge in a district court in New York also handed Cohen an extra two months for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. The payments have implicated Mr Trump directly in criminal conduct according to a court filing from prosecutors last week, which said that Cohen was working in coordination with the president. Cohens adviser Lanny Davis, who was his attorney for the case, said after the sentencing that Cohen will disclose more information concerning Mr Trump, once Robert Mueller wraps up his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and possible collusion with Trump campaign officials. At the appropriate time, after Mr Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr Trump and that includes any appropriate congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies, Mr Davis said in a statement. Mr Trumps repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts, Mr Davis added. Cohen is due to surrender and begin his sentence on 6 March 2019. He must also forfeit $500,000 (395,000) restitute $1.4m (1.1m) and pay a $50,000 (39,500) fine. He had pleaded guilty to the charges against him. US district judge William H Pauley III said Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging the illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Trumps presidential campaign. While Mr Cohen pledges to help in further investigations that is not something the court can consider now, the judge added. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The sentencing capped a stunning about-face for Cohen who had previously said he would take a bullet for the president. In an emotional statement to court which included tears, Cohen described his disillusionment with Trump and that he had committed his crimes out of blind loyalty to the president. I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired, Cohen said. I know now, in fact, there is little to be admired. It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light, Cohen said. I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds, referring to Mr Trump. Former FBI Director James Comey tells MSNBC Trump is not yet an unindicted co-conspirator to charges but 'is certainly close' As the sentence was imposed Cohen stood and faced the judge before sitting with his head in his hands and then exchanging hugs with his family, including his son and daughter who sobbed at the sentence. Federal prosecutors in New York alleged that Cohen, just before the November 2016 election, paid Ms Daniels $130,000 (102,000) and helped arrange a $150,000 (118,000) payment to Ms McDougal so the women would keep quiet. Mr Trump has denied the alleged affairs. Federal law requires that the contribution of anything of value to a campaign must be disclosed, and an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700 (2,100). After the sentencing, the New York prosecutors also announced that the publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper has struck a deal to avoid charges over its role in paying hush money to Ms McDougal. As part of the deal, publisher American Media Inc (AMI) admitted that it made the $150,000 payment to Ms McDougal, in concert with Mr Trumps presidential campaign to make sure her story was not published and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. It marked another potentially worrisome legal development for the president. In a tweet, prominent supreme court lawyer Neal Katyal also called the sentence for Cohen bad news for Trump. In most jurisdictions, subordinates who carry out felonies at the direction of their boss get lower criminal sentences than the boss, Mr Katyal said. The judge rejected arguments by Cohens lawyers that he should be spared jail time because he cooperated in investigations involving Mr Trump. The New York federal prosecutors who handled the tax and payments case said Cohen had not entered a full cooperation deal with them and so should face a substantial term of imprisonment. However, in a separate filing Mr Muellers team had asked the judge to give consideration to Cohens work with them, saying it went to the crux of the investigation into potential collusion. Donald Trump: 'Even if Michael Cohen was right it doesn't matter, because I was allowed to do whatever I wanted during the campaign' Judge Pauley said Cohens cooperation with prosecutors does not wipe the slate clean of his crimes, and that Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass. He added that Mr Trumps former lawyer should have known better than to dodge taxes, lie to Congress and violate campaign finance laws. Addressing the court, the judge equated Cohens actions to a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct. Cohens crimes included evading $1.4m (1.1m) in taxes and misleading Congress about his talks with Russians about the Trump skyscraper project in Moscow. Cohen said in written testimony to two congressional committees that the talks ended in January 2016, before the first electoral contests to select the Republican presidential nominee, when they actually continued until June 2016 after Mr Trump clinched the Republican nomination. The project never went ahead. Mr Trump denied the payments to the women were campaign contributions earlier this week. If it were, its only civil, and even if its only civil, there was no violation based on what we did, he said. Mr Trump has called for a tough sentence for Cohen, whom he labelled a liar. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Mr Muellers team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied US allegations of interfering in the election to help Mr Trump. Michael Avenatti, Ms Daniels lawyer, attended the sentencing and said outside the courthouse: Michael Cohen is neither a hero nor a patriot. He lied for months about his conduct Michael Cohen was sentenced today, President Trump is next, he added. Agencies contributed to this report. Stephen King, an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, has asked a key question regarding the presidents plans for the border wall. After running in 2016 on the platform that Mexico would pay for a proposed wall to be built on the border, President Trump has now threatened a government shutdown if he does not receive border wall funding. Trump is requesting $5bn for the wall, which led to a televised argument between himself and Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer Tuesday, during which Trump said he would be proud to shutdown the government for border security. Following the White House meeting, King raised an important point regarding the billions Trump needs to pay for the wall. Wait a minute, wait! Wasnt um, Mexico going to pay for Trumps useless, just-tunnel-under-it wall? the best-selling author asked on Twitter. Recommended Trump border wall budget could lead to partial government shutdown Kings tweet has since been liked more than 36,000 times - with many thanking the writer for speaking out against the president. Thank you for asking the one question that begs to be asked. Its amazing how quickly his followers forget, one person responded. The proposed wall is estimated to cost upwards of $18bn. Pelosi and Schumer have offered the president bipartisan proposals that would see $1.3bn allocated towards border security measures such as building fences. According to a Trump tweet ahead of the Oval Office meeting, a significant portion of the wall has already been built and if Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our country, the military will build the remaining sections of the wall because they know how important it is. However, in a statement to CNBC, Pentagon spokesman Lt Col Jamie Davis said: To date, there is no plan to build sections of the wall but that Congress has provided options under Title 10 US Code that could permit the Department of Defence to fund border barrier projects, such as in support of counter drug operations or national emergencies. King has previously mocked the president over his governing tactics and spelling on Twitter. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events On December 7, the author tweeted: "Man, look at all those tweets! Trump must have taken too much cough medicine this morning" and recently taunted him over his misspelling of "smoking." A man was arrested at the Denver Art Museum over the weekend after he pushed over an exhibition case and hurled works of art to the floor, damaging rare Mayan artefacts and a Qing dynasty Chinese vase, according to Denver police. The man, Jake Siebenlist, 18, was charged with criminal mischief on Sunday. The vandalism began when Mr Siebenlist shoved patrons aside and, as he was being pursued, grabbed sculptures he threw across the gallery and smashed to the floor, police said. He also tried to damage two paintings enclosed in protective plastic before museum officials tackled him to the ground, according to police. At a news conference on Monday, museum officials could not explain Mr Siebenlists actions. If you destroy artwork in a gallery, that is, to begin with, pretty weird, said Christoph Heinrich, director of the museum. And he was very aggravated and, obviously, not in a state of mind that was reasonable. In all, 10 works were damaged, including the Chinese vase with phoenixes, a Mayan vessel shaped like a fish, and a wolf mask and headdress. The value of the objects was not disclosed. They were part of a new exhibition, Stampede: Animals in Art, a more than 300-piece show on display until May that highlights artwork from the museums collection. The incident was captured on surveillance video, which has not been released. Mr Heinrich said Mr Siebenlist, who had bought a ticket to the show, did not explain his motivation but used a lot of force, suggesting his actions were not accidental. The artwork in the exhibition was not controversial, Mr Heinrich said. Conservators are assessing the damage, and Mr Heinrich said he hoped all of the objects would be repaired. In addition to the damaged pieces, the exhibition includes artwork from well-known artists including photographers Elliott Erwitt and Eadweard Muybridge and from sculptors Deborah Butterfield and Frederic Remington. There is also a centuries-old guardian lion from northern Thailand. This is a totally unreasonable, weird thing and it happened the very first time in my museum career, Mr Heinrich said. He added it was also a first for the museum. People have been known to purposely damage art in museums, although such incidents are rare. In 1972, a man struck Michelangelos Pieta statue with a hammer several times, damaging the nose and arm of the Virgin Mary, who holds a crucified Jesus in her lap. (The sculpture is housed at the Vatican.) Two years later, Tony Shafrazi, who would later become a gallery owner, spray-painted the words Kill Lies All over Pablo Picassos painting Guernica at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. More recent cases have been accidental, particularly among the selfie-taking crowd. This year, a wall was knocked over at an exhibition in Russia, damaging artwork by Francisco Goya and Salvador Dali. In 2017, a visitor taking a selfie at the 14th Factory, a temporary arts space in Los Angeles, knocked down a row of crown sculptures in a domino effect, causing about $200,000 (160,000) in damage. The New York Times US immigration agents have overseen a massive surge in the number of workplace immigration raids in 2018, with more that four times the number of raids aimed at finding and arresting undocumented immigrants compared to the year before. Details of the raids, revealed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday, show that the Homeland Security Investigations agents opened 6,848 worksite investigations in the fiscal year of 2018, representing a massive surge compared to the 1,691 investigations that were opened in 2017. During those investigations which can culminate in dramatic raids of workplaces where undocumented immigrants are suspected of working agents made 779 criminal arrests, and 1,525 workplace-related arrests. That is compared to 139 and 172 such arrests in 2017, respectively. Reducing illegal employment helps build another layer of border security, and reduces the continuum of crime that illegal labour facilitates, from the human smuggling networks that facilitate illegal border crossings to the associated collateral crimes, like identity theft, document and benefit fraud and worker exploitation, Derek Benner, the executive director of Homeland Security Investigations, said in a statement. The spike in investigations comes as the Trump administration cracks down on undocumented immigrants in the United States, with immigration enforcement agents being given less discretion when it comes to who to arrest a break from policy during the Obama administration that instructed agents to target individuals who pose a clear threat to the US. Recommended He was born in Philadelphia but the US tried to deport him anyway In the release, Mr Benner justified the increase in raids by saying that the agents are concerned with protecting American jobs from being held by individuals who are not authorised to work in the country. Among the raids that were conducted as a part of those investigations was one in Bean Station, Tennessee, when 104 undocumented immigrants were arrested while working at a slaughterhouse in a rural area of Tennessee. While ICE contends that it is necessary to conduct these raids in order to ensure that US employment laws are being followed correctly, immigration advocates say that the raids can tear families apart and strain small communities like Bean Station that are then tasked with ensuring that families can keep putting food on the table after a breadwinner is arrested. Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Show all 8 1 /8 Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Mishawaka, Indiana AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Washington DC AFP/Getty Images Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy New York Mayor Bill De Blasio speaks in Tornillo, Texas alongside the many other US mayors who have called for detained immigrant children to be reunited with their families AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Albuquerque Mayor Tim Kelle leaves a teddy bear as a gift for detained immigrant children in Tornillo, Texas AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti leave sandals as gifts for detained immigrant children in Tornillo, Texas AP Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy San Diego, California EPA Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy US embassy, Mexico City AFP/Getty Images Families belong together protests over Trump immigration policy San Diego, California EPA One day you have your family. Youre just worried about how work is going to go. Then, all of a sudden, everything is gone and you dont know whats going to happen, Yahel Salazar, 27, told The Independent when contacted previously about the Bean Station raid. Ms Salazars husband was among those arrested, alongside five in-laws. Immigration raid arrests declined during the administration of Barack Obama, but have risen sharply since Donald Trump took office two years ago. All told, ICE says that business were ordered to pay $10.2m in judicial fines, forfeitures and restitutions in 2018. Nancy Pelosi fresh from a raucous, ill-tempered Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump reportedly questioned the manhood of the famously thin-skinned president. After she and fellow Democrat Chuck Schumer clashed with Mr Trump as he threatened to shut down the government if he was not successful in securing the $5bn he has requested for a border wall, the 78-year-old congresswoman suggested the presidents ego had got in the way of matters. Ms Pelosi told members of her party, Mr Trump must have said the word wall 30 times, according to Politico. She then added: I was trying to be the mom. But it goes to show you you get into a tinkle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you. Its like a manhood thing with him as if manhood can be associated with him. This wall thing. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events During the meeting with Democrats, held to try and broker a deal to continue funding for various government departments, Mr Trump said: If we dont get what we want....I will shut down the government. I am proud to shut down the government for border security...I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I wont blame you for it. In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-8.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-2.jpg AP In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-3.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-4.jpg AP In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-5.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-7.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-9.jpg AP In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-12.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-10.jpg AP In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-6.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-11.jpg AP In pictures: Nelson Mandelas death dominates world newspaper headlines newspapers-1.jpg Reuters At the meeting, which the president opened to the media, resulting in scenes probably never before publicly witnessed in the Oval Office, Ms Pelosi told Mr Trump he will not win. Afterwards, Mr Schumer told reporters: We do not want to let a Trump temper tantrum govern our policies or cause the shutdown of a government, which everyone on both sides of the aisle knows is the wrong idea. Donald Trump has insisted he is not concerned about the threat of impeachment because the people would revolt if that happened. The president, who has been implicated in campaign finance violations admitted by his former personal lawyer, claimed it would be hard to impeach somebody who hasnt done anything wrong. Federal prosecutors said last week that Mr Trump had directed Michael Cohen to make six-figure payments to two women to stop them speaking about alleged affairs with the Republican candidate ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Mr Cohen, who has pleaded guilty to eight charges and will be sentenced on Wednesday, has also said the hush money was paid at the direction of the candidate to prevent the allegations scuppering his campaign. In court documents filed last week in New York, prosecutors said the payments broke laws that stipulate all campaign contributions must be disclosed and limited to $2,700 per person (2,150.) Democrats have suggested violating such laws would be an impeachable offence, although senior party leaders in congress have questioned whether it would be serious enough to warrant politically charged proceedings. Impeachment requires a simple majority to pass the House of Representatives, where Democrats will take control in January. But removal of the president from office requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, where Mr Trumps fellow Republicans hold sway. Asked if he was worried about the threat of being removed from office, Mr Trump told Reuters on Tuesday: Im not concerned, no. I think that the people would revolt if that happened. He added: Its hard to impeach somebody who hasnt done anything wrong and whos created the greatest economy in the history of our country. Mr Trump has wrongly claimed dozens of times that the US economy is stronger under his presidency than it has ever been before. 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 The president has denied colluding with his former lawyer over the hush-money payments, claiming that Mr Cohen was lying about his involvement to secure a lighter sentence. Michael Cohen is a lawyer. I assume he would know what hes doing, he added. The president also insisted the money, paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, wasnt a campaign contribution. He repeated his claim that the campaign finance violations would be a civil offence, rather than criminal. Mr Trump said: Number one, it wasnt a campaign contribution. If it were, its only civil, and even if its only civil, there was no violation based on what we did. OK? Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Asked about prosecutors assertions that at least 14 people who had worked for him met or had business dealings with Russians before and during his 2016 presidential campaign, Mr Trump said: The stuff youre talking about is peanut stuff. The president has repeatedly dismissed special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into alleged collusion between his campaign team and a Moscow as a witch hunt. Close Donald Trump denies involvement in Moscow project claiming Michael Cohen 'lying' Michael Cohen has warned that he has more to say about what he called the dirty deeds of Donald Trump as the president's former lawyer and fixer was sentenced to three years in prison for facilitating payments to two women who allege affairs with Mr Trump. Cohen was sentenced to 36 months for tax fraud and his role in the payment of hush money to adult actress Stormy Daniels and former playboy model Karen McDougal who said they had affairs with Mr Trump before the 2016 presidential election. The judge in a district court in New York also handed Cohen an extra two months for lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. Cohen had pleaded guilty to the charges. The payments have implicated Mr Trump directly in criminal conduct according to a court filing from prosecutors last week, which said that Cohen was working in co-ordination with the president. Cohen's adviser Lanny Davis, who was his attorney for the case, said after the sentencing that Cohen will disclose more information concerning Mr Trump, once Robert Mueller wraps up his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and possible collusion with Trump campaign officials. At the appropriate time, after Mr Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr Trump and that includes any appropriate congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies, Mr Davis said in a statement. Mr Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts, Mr Davis added. Cohen is due to surrender and begin his sentence on 6 March, 2019. He must also forfeit $500,000, restitute $1.4m, and pay a $50,000 fine. US District Judge William H Pauley III said Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Trump's presidential campaign. Those payments have directly implicated the president in criminal. While Mr. Cohen pledges to help in further investigations that is not something the court can consider now, the judge added. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The sentencing capped a stunning about-face for Cohen who had previously said he would take a bullet for the president. In an emotional statement to court which included tears, Cohen described his disillusionment with Trump and that he had committed his crimes out of blind loyalty to the president. I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired, Cohen said. I know now, in fact, there is little to be admired. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light, Cohen said. I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds, referring to Mr Trump. To follow events as they happened please read our live blog below. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load A suspected extremist who unleashed gunfire at a famous Christmas market in Strasbourg, killing two and wounding at least 11, has been identified by police as Cherif Chekatt. Chekatt, who was born in Strasbourg in February 1989, was known to Frances intelligence services as a potential security risk and authorities have launched a terror investigation. BFM TV said the suspect was known to be part of radicalised networks in Strasbourg and was a repeat offender and a delinquent. 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. The 29-year-old alleged gunman went on the run after the attack near Place Kleber, and Frances interior minister Christophe Castaner said 350 officers are hunting for him. He exchanged fire with law enforcement as he sowed terror, Mr Castaner said. Members of the French special forces BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade Brigades de recherche et dintervention) conduct searches for the gunman (PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP/Getty Images) The French government increased its security alert system Vigipirate to its highest level after the attack. 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, Mr Castaner said. Recommended Gunman at large after three killed near Strasbourg Christmas market 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. The suspected gunman, who has served time in prison in France and Germany for common law offences, was subject to a fiche S, literally an S card, which is used by police to flag someone who is considered a threat to national security. A fiche S (which stands for state security) allows for surveillance of a suspect, but is not grounds for arrest. Others flagged under the system include Amedy Coulibaly, who killed four hostages at a siege in a Kosher supermarket in 2015, days after the Charlie Hebdo shooting. Emergency workers escort a woman from the scene (AFP/Getty) The suspects home was also searched on Tuesday morning as part of investigations into a robbery. He was not home but grenades were found. French military spokesman Col Patrik Steiger said the shooter did not seem to be aiming at soldiers patrolling in and around the market, but appeared to target civilians instead. Security forces secure area where a suspect is sought after a shooting in Strasbourg, France, December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann (Reuters) The suspect was shot and injured by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, but escaped in a taxi, BFM TV said. 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). Police officers stand guard near the Christmas market (EPA) France has been hit in recent years with high-profile extremist attacks, including the coordinated attacks at multiple Paris locations that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds in November 2015, and a truck attack in Nice in 2016 which killed 86 and left hundreds injured. A Christmas miracle occurred in a west German town late on Monday, when a tonne of chocolate flowed out of a factory, repaving the streets with fresh milk chocolate. A small technical defect caused a delivery tank at artisan chocolate makers DreiMeister to overflow, according to a local newspaper, sending a vast quantity of molten chocolate cascading down the middle of a road in the town of Werl and solidifying on the chilly tarmac. While the problem causing the spillage could be fixed quickly, the same could not be said for Werls West Street. More than 25 firefighters were called on to deal with the sticky slab and got to work with shovels to pry colossal chunks of chocolate off the street. They also used hot water and blow torches to remove chocolate that had settled in cracks and gaps in the road, before power-hosing the remaining mess. There is a risk it will be slippery due to the fat content, firefighters warned after they had finished. Employees from the factory, which is 20 miles east of Dortmund, provided boxes into which the mass was shovelled. The clean up at the factory itself continued into the early hours of Tuesday. The company has recently expanded and employs 150 full-time staff as well as 60 seasonal employees. If the chocolate had been wasted nearer Christmas, that would have been a disaster, owner, Markus Luckey, said. Firefighters shovelled Germanys biggest chocolate bar off the street (Reuters) He told the paper the spillage had not affected the companys profits and that the outlook remains positive in the future. A Lorry spills chocolate milk on to a polish highway In May, a truck carrying liquid chocolate overturned in Poland, spilling 12 tonnes onto the motorway. Hungary has passed a law to set up courts overseen directly by the justice minister, a move critics said would allow political interference in judicial matters and further undermine the rule of law. The administrative courts will take over cases about government business such as taxation and elections currently handled in the main legal system. The government said the courts would be presided over by independent judges who would be able to handle cases more efficiently. The justice minister will have big powers in appointing the judges and will oversee the courts budgets. Rights groups said that compromised the separation of the executive and judicial powers in what they see as a further step towards authoritarianism by right-wing prime minister, Viktor Orban. [The law] is a serious threat to the rule of law in Hungary and runs counter to values Hungary signed up to when it joined the European Union, the rights group Helsinki Committee said in a statement. As the Bill undermines the separation of powers, the boundaries between the executive and judicial power in Hungary will be blurred and it could pave the way for the governments political interference. In September, the European parliament voted to impose sanctions on Hungary for flouting European Union rules on democracy, civil rights and corruption. Hungary rejected the accusations. The new administrative courts, including a separate new supreme court, will start operating in 2020. Like any other court, public administration courts will be filled with independent judges solely governed by the word of the law, the governments spokesperson said on his blog. Donald Tusk to Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban: you are not a Christian democrat' The government has requested an opinion from the Venice Commission, a panel of constitutional law experts of the human rights body Council of Europe, about the legislation. The Venice Commission confirmed it has received the request and is expected to adopt an opinion next year. It declined to comment further on the matter. Reuters The arrest of a man in Germany could finally bring the 17-year investigation into a schoolgirls death to an end. A 41-year-old man appeared in court on Tuesday after he was arrested over the murder of Peggy Knobloch, Deutsche Welle (DW) reports. The nine-year-old schoolgirl, who has been referred to as the German Madeleine McCann in the past, went missing on her way home from school in Lichtenberg on 7 May, 2001. She was last seen just 50 metres from her home and was feared to have been kidnapped and murdered at the time. Her remains were found by chance by a mushroom forager in 2016 in woodland between Nordhalben and Rodacherbrunn, less than 10 miles from where she lived. The man arrested over Peggys death is believed to be the same person who in September admitted to transporting her body to the woods where she was found, according to DW. He has denied killing the schoolgirl. It is understood police found traces of the same type of peat found on Peggys body at the mans home, as well as matching flecks of paint. Picture taken on 6 July, 2016 shows a police cordon at a forest near Rodacherbrunn, eastern Germany, where remains of alleged murder victim Peggy Knobloch were found. (AFP/Getty Images) A man with learning difficulties was wrongly jailed for her murder in 2004 but was released after his lawyers had his conviction successfully overturned a decade later. It was revealed he had been questioned up to 40 times without a lawyer present and only confessed to the crimes under duress, spending his imprisonment in a psychiatric hospital. Peggys case has been compared to that of British three-year-old Madeleine McCann who went missing while on holiday with family in Portugal in 2007. It has baffled detectives over the years, including in 2016 when DNA belonging to Uwe Bohnhardt, who died five years earlier, was found near Peggys remains. Bohnhardt, who died in 2011, was part of the neo-Nazi terror cell National Socialist Underground (NSU). A connection between the DNA was never proven. Close Scene in Strasbourg after shooting leaves two dead and 12 injured A large-scale manhunt has been launched in France for a suspected extremist gunman who shot at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, killing two people and injuring at least 12. Authorities have launched a terror investigation, with Interior Minister Christophe Castaner saying 350 officers are hunting for the man, who was already known to the countrys intelligence services as a potential security risk. The French government raised its security alert system Vigipirate to its highest level, Emergency Attack, triggering stricter border controls and reinforced security at all Christmas markets to avoid the risk of copycat attacks. The suspected attacker has been named by police as Cherif Chekatt, a 29-year-old born in Strasbourg who has served time in prison in France and Germany for common law offences, and was reportedly known to be part of radicalised networks in Strasbourg and considered a repeat offender and a delinquent. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Italys divisive interior minister as a great friend of Israel during a two-day visit to the country, drawing a backlash from his critics concerned by the Italian politicians far-right and anti-migration policies. Matteo Salvini, who is best known for bashing the European Union and cracking down on African and Arab asylum-seekers, began his whirlwind tour with a trip to Israels northern border with Lebanon. There the Israeli army has uncovered tunnels it says were built by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah for attacks. Mr Salvini, the leader of Italys far-right League Party, immediately sparked criticism back home by calling Hezbollah a terrorist group in comments supporting Israel. Italy is usually highly cautious over labelling Hezbollah, fearing it could endanger Italian forces operating in Lebanon as part of the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL. The European Union lists Hezbollahs military wing as terrorist. Mr Salvini also faced anger from Israelis during an evening tour of Jerusalem on Tuesday where he was assailed by protesters shouting: Fascist, we do not want you here. I call terrorists what they are, which is terrorists, Mr Salvini said, brushing off his critics. I smile when I hear criticism from the left in Italy and in Israel [they] will have to get over it. He concluded by slamming the European Union for not supporting Israel enough, saying: Whoever wants peace, needs to support Israel. After Wednesday work meetings and a trip to Israels Holocaust memorial museum, Mr Salvini was welcomed by Mr Netanyahu who thanked him for being a great friend to the country. The Israeli premier has welcomed several controversial world leaders this year including Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, both of who have been accused of being antisemitic in the past. Critics hit back at Mr Netanyahus warm reception of the Italian figure on Wednesday, saying it was part of a worrying trend of the premier courting divisive figures, who were able to whitewash unsavoury reputations with a trip to Israel. Anshel Pfeffer, a commentator and expert on Mr Netanyahu, wrote in Haaretz newspaper: It is clear what they come for on the political level. Politicians who are historically tainted with their partys past associations with fascist and neo-Nazi roots can get Israels kashrut stamp by visiting the Western Wall and the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial kashrut meaning kosher. Whoever wants peace, needs to support Israel Matteo Salvini, Italys interior minister Sefy Hendler, in the same publication, argued that Mr Salvini should be persona non grata in Israel for his support of fascism and the late Fascist leader Benito Mussolini. Back in Italy Mr Salvinis remarks have frequently drawn outrage from the Italian Jewish community who urged him to use his trip to Israel to condemn antisemitism. In an open letter, a group of prominent Italian Jews expressed concern over Mr Salvinis visit, according to the Times of Israel. The letter urged him to firmly condemn antisemitic acts, oblivion, and trivialisation of the horrors of the 1930s and 1940s by movements and parties belonging to the ethno-nationalistic far right in Italy and Europe during his stay. Over the summer, Mr Salvini came under fire from Jewish groups for saying he was considering abolishing an anti-racism law, and the Jewish Union in Italy has also condemned Mr Salvini over his announcement that he would conduct a census of Roma in Italy, saying he was awakening memories of racial hatred and fascist tendencies during the Second World War. During his whirlwind trip, Mr Salvini held meetings with Israels public security minister Gilad Erdan and tourism minister Yariv Levin. He also visited the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and held a work meeting with Mr Netanyahu. He did not travel to the Palestinian territories or meet any Palestinian leaders. Last month, Layla Shweikanis parents received the news they had been dreading for two years. Their daughter, a 26-year-old Chicago native, had died in Syria. Shweikani travelled to the country in September 2015 to help people affected by the war raging there, but was arrested by Syrian authorities just six months after her arrival and charged with terrorism offences. Less than a year later she was executed following a trial that lasted for 30 seconds, according to rights groups following her case. In the weeks since her death was confirmed, neither the White House nor the US State Department have issued a public statement on the circumstances of how she died. As the global outcry over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi continues to reverberate, many have struggled to understand why her killing has failed to elicit similar attention. That silence is indicative of how two successive US administrations failed Shweikani and her family, both in her time of need as a prisoner and after her brutal death, according to people involved with the efforts to have her freed. If the State Department had done something more back then by putting more pressure and showing that there would be consequences, I think Layla would be alive today, says Qutaiba Idlbi, a researcher who works with the relatives of Syrian detainees. Politically, they were not interested in doing anything, he adds. Their entire response was ridiculous. Recommended The brutality of the Syrian regime must be told Shweikani and her family had travelled back and forth between Syria and the US for many years, but when she arrived in Damascus in 2015 she intended to stay there. A dual US-Syrian citizen, she was motivated to help civilians suffering from the war and began work with a group of friends to organise aid efforts for people in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, then besieged by government forces. The Syrian government views any kind of independent organisation as a threat, and one by one, her friends were arrested. She felt she would be more protected because she is American, says Idlbi, who is based in the US. And she felt she needed to do something. Then in February 2016, six months after she had arrived, she too was arrested by security forces, along with her father and her fiance. She was charged with planning to assassinate members of the Syrian government, according to Idlbi. What happened next was discovered by Idlbi through testimony of other inmates at Adra prison, where she was held, and contact with Syrian officials after the fact. The US withdrew its ambassador from Syria in 2012, after the outbreak of the civil war, so her case was pursued through the Czech ambassador to Damascus, Eva Filipi. Ten months after she was first detained, on 18 December 2016, Filipi visited Shweikani in Adra prison on behalf of the US government. Before the visit, Shweikani had been threatened by Syrian authorities that they would harm her family if she did not confess to the ambassador to the crimes she had been accused of, which she then did. Eight days later, Shweikani was taken from Adra prison to a military court, where she was asked to answer to the charges against her. The trial is basically one question: Do you admit to the accusations? Layla said yes, due to the threats on her familys life, says Idlbi. Through an official, we found out that a judge sentenced her to execution for terrorism. The trial lasted 30 seconds. An aerial view of Saydnaya prison (Amnesty International) According to Idlbi, Shweikani was then transferred to the infamous Saydnaya prison, just outside of the capital. Since then our assumption is that she was definitely killed. Because usually you are executed within 48 hours [of a verdict], he says. That account matches the one given by the Syrian Network for Human Rights, which documents deaths in Syrian government custody. The monitoring group said it believes she was executed on 28 December 2016. Since there was no official confirmation of her death at that time, Shweikanis family still held out hope that she was alive, and that she would be released. From the time they lost contact with her at the end of 2016, the Czech ambassador continued to make enquiries about her with the Syrian government and the case was followed by the then US envoy to Syria, Michael Ratney. They did not know that she had been killed already, but according to a person familiar with the State Departments actions at the time, there was a lack of urgency to those efforts. They said they would ask the Syrian government to provide her with a fair and just trial. In no world would anyone trust the Syrian government to give a just and fair trial, says the source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic. Shweikanis family finally learnt of her death just last month from a newly released civil registry a government database that tracks births, marriages and deaths. It indicated that she had died on 28 December 2016, but did not provide details about the circumstances of her death. Following the confirmation of her death, the White House has faced growing calls for a response to her killing. Donald Trump has made it a hallmark of his presidency to free Americans detained abroad, including a very public and ultimately successful campaign for the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who was jailed in Turkey for two years on charges of aiding a coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But he has yet to comment on Shweikanis death. Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Show all 10 1 /10 Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Newly arrived civilians from el-Ghouta packed onto a government refugee bus on the front line outside Damascus Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta A small Syrian refugee girl ponders her future on the bus taking her from the eastern Ghouta front line Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta A refugee woman from el-Ghouta who lost her husband and son in the early bombardment by the Syrian army Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Civilian refugees less than an hour after crossing the front line from their pulverised homes in el-Ghouta Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Happy to be seen, anxious to conceal their faces: Syrian men who have crossed the east Ghouta front line waiting to be interviewed by Syrian security officers in a nearby refugee camp Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta 29-year old Ala'a Younis, paralysed after a neck wound in eastern Ghouta sits on his wheelchair beside his father Mohamed at a refugee camp near the front line Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta A wheelchair-bound refugee from el-Ghouta describes how he was forced to live in tunnels along with families and Islamic fighters Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta This young woman lost three members of her family in eastern Ghouta before the end of the siege Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Sana el-Boukeri in a Syrian refugee camp. She lost her civilian husband and son in the Syrian and Russian bombardment of eastern Ghouta while her other son was wounded fighting in the Syrian government army on the other side of the front line. Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Both sides of history. Sana el-Boukeri's husband and son were killed in the Ghouta bombing by Syria, her other son wounded in the government army Nelofer Pazira Her case has now been taken up by Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger, who represents the Illinois district where Shweikani lived. In a hearing conducted by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs late last month, Kinzinger questioned the US special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, on the Trump administrations response to her killing. He has yet to receive a response. Im still waiting on an answer, and will continue to urge my colleagues to join me in putting pressure on the White House, he tells The Independent. Im disheartened and shocked by the lack of outrage over Laylas murder by the Assad regime, and that there has been little to no media coverage on this either. I understand there are some classified details, but Im disappointed that Ambassador Jeffrey was unable to say more on behalf of the administration about what happened to Layla and what the repercussions will be. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, who has testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, called the US government response to Shweikanis death shameful. I find it hard to imagine that wed have witnessed such silence if Layla had been called Meredith and shed been blonde-haired and fair-skinned. At the end of the day, an American was detained on false charges, sentenced to death by execution, and killed in the custody of the Assad regime a regime our government continues to call brutal and illegitimate to this day, he tells The Independent. I think the US government and the US media community needs to do some very serious soul-searching about what it means to be American. At the end of the day, an American was detained on false charges, sentenced to death by execution, and killed in the custody of the Assad regime Charles Lister, senior fellow at Middle East Institute But the case may also reveal something about the limits of US influence in a country that considers it an enemy. Robert Ford, the last US ambassador to serve in Syria before the embassy was shut down in 2012, said the lack of a formal communication channel with the Syrian government would have severely hampered efforts to have Shweikani released. I have a certain sympathy for the State Departments predicament. Its something we talked about when we closed the embassy in 2012, and its why we issued strong warnings for Americans to leave the country when the embassy closed, he tells The Independent. I dont know how hard the State Department pushed this, but if they had wanted to make it a big deal they would have said something publicly, as they have done with other Americans missing in Syria, says Ford, now a fellow at Yale University and the Middle East Institute. He adds that government departments are also restricted by what they can say publicly about American citizens without the permission of the family, which may not have been given. In response to a request for comment for this article, a State Department spokesperson said: We are aware of reports of the death of a US citizen in Syrian regime custody. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment regarding these reports at this time. The White House declined to comment. Many thousands of Syrians have perished in the same way as Shweikani. Amnesty International describes Saydnaya prison as a place where murder, torture, enforced disappearance and extermination has been carried out since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, as part of an attack against the civilian population that has been widespread. The rights group estimates that between 5,000 and 13,000 people were extrajudicially executed at Saydnaya between September 2011 and December 2015. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Like Shweikani, the fate of many of those victims was unknown for years. Earlier in 2018, the Syrian government began issuing death notices for detainees at an unprecedented rate. Thousands were notified that their relatives had died years earlier. The causes of death given are often vague, but rights groups believe torture and improper care is the main cause of death for detainees in government custody. The vast majority of those arrested by the Syrian regime died because of torture and ill treatment in detention centres. In rare cases, they are sentenced to death through a so-called court, Fadel Abdul Ghany, the founder of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, tells The Independent. Its very difficult to verify how she died, through torture or execution. But the result is the same. The regime is responsible. The regime disappeared her. She died almost two years ago, and the regime just notified her family one month ago, he says. According to Ghany, more than 80,000 people have been forcibly disappeared by the Syrian government. The fate of most of them remains unknown. He added that Shweikanis death certificate indicated that the civil registry was informed of her death on 7 November 2018. As with the vast majority of deaths in government custody, Shweikanis family have not been given her body. Last week, a funeral service was held in Willowbrook, Illinois, where she lived. Ghany said Shweikanis story has left many Syrians in shock. It sends an awful message that a democratic government has not shown an interest in its citizen, says Ghany. What does that mean for Syrians who are struggling and suffered to achieve peaceful democracy in our country? The US is abandoning us. They called us the worlds last colonial museum, says Guido Gryseels. He is director-general of what is now the AfricaMuseum, the reincarnation of the Royal Museum for Central Africa which closed in 2013 for refurbishment and a complete change of philosophy. The establishment was funded by Belgian exploitation of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, and occupies a glorious location in wooded parkland east of Brussels. No glory, though, surrounds the colonial adventures of Belgium and its murderous monarch, Leopold II. For Africa, colonisation was a catastrophe. As European nations plundered its people for slavery and its lands for wealth, they tore a great continent apart creating divisions and conflict which still burn today. Leopold II of Belgium, cousin of Queen Victoria, was the worst offender. In 1885 the Belgian king cut out the heart of Africa the vast Congo basin and made it his personal fiefdom as the Congo Free State. It was 80 times bigger than Belgium, with a far larger population. Enslavement, disease and murder on an industrial scale took the lives of millions of Africans. Leopold II died a year before the museum officially opened in 1910. His private colony became the Belgian Congo in 1908 it gained independence only in 1960. The museum continued to extol Belgium for bringing civilisation, security and wellbeing to the Congo, and continued to depict Africans as savages. The image of Africa that we were conveying was based on a perception of Africa from the Belgian perspective, pre-decolonisation, says Mr Gryseels. The museum now faces up to the horrors of its colonial past (Simon Calder) Instead we want to focus on Africa in the present and future, without overlooking the shared history of Belgium and the central African countries. As with Amsterdams Rijksmuseum and the Hagues Mauritshuis in the neighbouring Netherlands, extra space has been created by digging down. Visitors enter via a new glass pavilion, just to the west of the building, then descend to a tunnel. It is also an underground gallery, whose central element is a pirogue a 74ft, three-ton wooden canoe. It was put in place nearly three years ago, and the rest of the gallery built around it. In the basement, an introductory exhibition looks at the past, present and future of an institution that was set up as a marketing exercise aimed at the Belgian people but is now part of Europes cultural heritage. Guido Gryseels, director-general of the AfricaMuseum, stands beside a 74ft-long pirogue (Simon Calder) Once on ground level, much has been preserved: the parquet floor, elegant ironwork and marbled halls have been painstakingly restored as part of the 66m (60m) project. Many of the exhibits remain the same, too, such as the giant map charting 19th-century fundamental geographical discoveries by European colonisers. Presenting a decolonised perspective of Africa in a building which was designed to do exactly the opposite is a tough call partly addressed by contemporary art. Congolese artists in Africa and Belgium were invited to contribute works to counter the colonial-era statues. The great rotunda is now dominated by Aime Mpanes Nouveau souffle ou le Congo bourgeonnant: the chiselled wooden head of an African man on a pedestal of what appears to be molten bronze. Modern work from Congolese artists has been added (Simon Calder) The reopening has been accompanied by calls for the many artefacts brought from central Africa to be returned to the DRC; a new national museum is due to open in the capital, Kinshasa, next year. To address such controversies, the Belgian museum has created the post of journalist-in-residence. The first was Denise Maheho from Radio Okapi in the Congolese city of Lubumbashi. She says: It was a great experience to listen to discussions on, for instance, the decolonisation of the museum, or the restitution or sharing of ethnographic objects kept in museums. In the museums original guise, the only deaths commemorated were of 1,500 Belgians who died in Africa. Now the memorial wall for them has become a site of remembrance for the first Congolese who were brought to Belgium and died there with their names projected on the wall of the gallery. A large part of the museums original appeal was its collection of stuffed wildlife, and many of the poor creatures have been brought back in, two by two with a giant elephant dominating the menagerie of dead animals. Previously, an idealised vision of natural Africa was presented with no sign of human intervention, but now there is plenty on the many threats posed by man and climate change to a part of the world that is fragile in all senses. DRC is still in disarray, with the reemergence of the deadly ebola virus, rampant criminality in the east of the country and politics in turmoil in the capital. The Foreign Office is warning prospective British visitors not to visit large parts of the former Congo Free State: Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The political and security situation remains uncertain, says the latest travel advice for DRC. There have been continued calls for general strikes, civil disobedience and public protests. In the event of serious unrest, commercial flights may be suspended, roads blocked and borders closed, making it difficult to leave the country. Internet connections and mobile phone networks may have reduced services or be cut off. But the AfricaMuseums director-general, Guido Gryseels, is optimistic about the prospects of the continent he portrays: In 30 years from now, 40 per cent of the worlds population will live in Africa. Africa is the continent of the future. Travel essentials Getting there To reach the AfricaMuseum, a direct bus, number 830, runs from Brussels airport to the village of Tervuren, where it is located, in about 40 minutes. From the Eurostar rail terminal at Brussels Midi, take any train to Brussels Central then the underground line 1 direction Stockel, and alight at Montgomery. Stay below street level and catch tram 44 to its terminus at Tervuren a journey of 22 minutes. A single 2.10 ticket should cover the entire trip. More information The AfricaMuseum opens 11am-5pm from Tuesday to Friday, and 10am-6pm at weekends, admission 12. As the pre-Christmas travel rush gets underway, a range of strikes on air and rail are set to jeopardise journeys. French air-traffic controllers are set to walk out from Thursday evening until Saturday morning, with widespread disruption expected on Friday. It is part of a nationwide campaign by public servants against the Macron administration, but the controllers union, USAC-CGT, has called on all its members to strike because of specific concerns, saying: We have suffered continual downsizing for more than 10 years. The strike will start at 8pm on 13 December to 7am on 15 December. Toulouse Airport in southwest France has warned travellers: Disturbances to be expected on the flight schedule. We invite you to contact your airline to know the status of your flight before travelling to the airport. Eurocontrol said: Minimum service will be provided with precautionary measures. It is holding a conference call at 10am on Thursday to explain the likely impact and discuss mitigation measures. Restrictions are expected all day in the Nice region and airlines from the UK have already been advised to fly via Italy. On Friday, a nationwide strike and coordinated demonstrations in Belgium will affect the countrys main airport. Brussels Airlines, the Belgian national carrier, warned passengers: The national demonstration in Belgium of 14 December 2018 might have an impact on your flight. Brussels Airport and its partners will do everything in their power to limit the impact of the demonstration on the passengers, the airport announced on its website on Wednesday. Nevertheless, delays are possible. Travel with cabin-baggage only and leave for the airport well ahead of your departure time. A strike in Tunisia could also affect flights to and from North Africa. Virgin Atlantic pilots belonging to the breakaway union, the PPU, are planning a series of four-day strikes in a dispute over recognition. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The first is due to start on 22 December and continue to Christmas Day; the next straddles the new year from 30 December to 2 January; and a third is due to start on 4 January. The PPU has 304 members working for Virgin Atlantic, representing around 30 per cent of its flight crew. Around half of them voted to strike. The airline said its our operations team is working through the flying programme, and told The Independent: As things stand right now were not expecting to be cancelling services. On the railways, strikes by members of the RMT union working for Northern Rail will drastically reduce services on the remaining Saturdays of the year, taking the total to 19 days since the summer. The long-running dispute is over the role of guards. The train operator says: The RMT strike action, planned for 15, 22 and 29 December, will see Northern running approximately 700 services during each Saturday but with very few Northern services running after 5pm. On Saturday 22 December, the strikers will be joined by staff working for South Western Railway, which runs from London Waterloo to Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset. The RMTs general secretary, Mick Cash, said: South Western Railway might think its acceptable to play fast and loose with passenger safety, security and access but RMT members, who have stood firm throughout this dispute despite appalling harassment from the company, will not accept a dilution of the safety regime on the railway. The train operator said: By targeting the last Saturday before Christmas when people are trying to travel to be with family and friends the RMT is ensuring the maximum misery is inflicted at what should be a time of relaxation and enjoyment. This action is totally unnecessary. We have guaranteed to roster a guard on every train, and we need more, not fewer guards 70 more by May 2019 and we have an opportunity with the introduction of the new suburban trains to operate these trains differently to maximise the customer benefits. Should this action go ahead, we will do everything we can to provide the best service possible for our customers. The RMT has also called a strike by members working on the Bakerloo Line of the London Underground for 26 December 2018 and 14 January 2019, saying that the managements attitude creates undue stress on staff and puts all members and the travelling public at increased risk. Q We are having problems understanding an issue with visas in India. We are due to fly to Chennai from Manchester with Jet Airways, then on to Colombo with SriLankan. We have read conflicting reports on whether we need an Indian visa or not. We have tried to contact SriLankan to see if they will allow our baggage to be checked through to Colombo. But they havent given us a definitive answer. Whats your advice? TP A This is a very unusual routing between Manchester and Colombo, not least because you must most definitely obtain a visa. You are obliged to get tangled in Indian red tape because Jet Airways does not fly from Manchester to Chennai. It flies from Manchester to Mumbai, where you will be expected to collect your baggage and pass through customs and immigration before the short domestic flight to Chennai. Before our very eyes, the infrastructure of British hardline Euroscepticism, or Europhobia, is crumbling. We can all see the painful slide of Ukip into a front organisation for Tommy Robinson, and the rot has spread to mainstream Tory party Euroscepticism the European Research Group, or ERG. Theresa Mays victory in the vote of confidence does nothing other than draw attention to the weakness of the ERG, the club for fruitcakes, headbangers and eccentrics that has, basically, tried to hijack the Tories, the government and the country. Theyve had a good run, bluffing their way through life, although their war with May goes on. Having run away from the meaningful vote this week, which would have been a potentially career-ending event, she lived to fight and win another day. It arrived quickly. Her critics chose the wrong grounds at the wrong time. She beat them. The prime minister has a mandate, of sorts, and she is now safe for a year, and perhaps much longer she has said she will not lead the Tories into the next election, but that still leaves her plenty of time. The ERG, and Boris Johnson, cannot now get into the driving seat. Rather than being able to make grand threats on the basis no one has ever known how much support the group really has, it has exposed itself to the ultimate test a vote. It did a bit better than expected and it bodes ill for the meaningful vote on her deal, but she knows the groups strength may have been overstated. Predictable in its actions and in the obvious limits of its appeal inside parliament, the struggle is still difficult for the ERG. The Tory grassroots might have put a Brexit true believer into No 10; but there was never a chance that the MPs would have allowed it to happen. Further, the ERG merely proved to the prime minister that her best chance of getting her deal through the Commons lies with the variety of loyalists, pro-Europeans, Remainers and soft Brexiteers scattered around her own party and across the opposition parties. They in theory could be persuaded. The ERG (or most of them) cannot. Why bother with them? The ERG is in fact, astonishingly maladroit. Despite the vote, if anything the group has increased the chances of the PM getting her deal though the Commons now. She can claim, up to a point, that the personal mandate she received reflects support in the party for her negotiating strategy. No one can prove she is wrong. Some Eurosceptics might actually now throw the towel in. The younger ones with an eye to a ministerial career should definitely do so. Boris Johnson, Steve Baker, Dominic Raab, Priti Patel all busted flushes. They made a rather foolish gamble, and they lost. Remember the big talk of a coup against the prime minister a few weeks ago? ERG grand poobah Jacob Rees-Mogg and his acolytes spun a line that the 48 letters were within reach. They werent. The invitation to ridicule them was duly accepted by the media, and even by their friends in the press. When Rees-Mogg declared he had always rather admired Captain Mainwaring, out of Dads Army, it was a sublime moment of comedy. They have never, in fact, been remotely coherent. Like all ideological extremists, they splinter and argue among themselves. There is too much detail for them to fuss over. Boris and David Davis would like a Canada-plus deal, and not a crash-out, World Trade Organisation-terms Brexit, which they fear. John Redwood and Iain Duncan Smith believe WTO terms hold no fears, and open up great opportunities. Some back Raab, others David Davis, others Johnson, others even Esther McVey and Priti Patel. Despite their pamphlets and speeches, there is no plan or at least no plan the EU would accept as a basis for negotiation. They found themselves embarrassed by their association with Nigel Farage and Arron Bankss bragging and arrogance. The best the Eurosceptics can now do is to foment discontent and nurse their grievances. A stab in the back conspiracy theory is already emerging, something to cling to as soft Brexit or a peoples vote overwhelms them. Very well, but they had plenty of chances to seize the initiative, and they failed every time. Now we know why they havent the support, the numbers or, in truth, the best of the argument. It didnt matter who was doing this deal the EU was always going to dictate the terms, both because it is far bigger than us and because of our red lines. Someday, someone will write a book entitled The Strange Death of Brexit and Eurosceptic England. It needs to be done. It has in reality been mostly downhill for the ERG and the Brexiteers since Johnson and Michael Gove almost seized the leadership of the party and government straight after the 2016 EU referendum. Instead, and entirely characteristically, they Gove, Johnson, Andrea Leadsom fell into a clownish heap, blood on the walls, daggers plunged into one anothers backs, and they left the field open for the only serious candidate who looked like they could remotely get the job done, Theresa May. As she might say, nothing has changed. Though votes are still being counted, it can now be said with some certainty that Indias ruling party has suffered its worst election result since storming to office in 2014. On a day that could yet prove a turning point for Indias democracy, Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was contesting five state elections across the country. He appears to have lost most, if not all, of them. India goes to a general election in the spring in which Modi was expected to win, albeit not quite by the margin of 2014. His opponents have privately been painting a gloomy picture of their prospects, with many resigned to another Modi term. Yet on Tuesday afternoon, even allies of Modi were admitting that his victory lap had been stopped in its tracks. This is a clear message and it is the time for us to introspect, said Sanjay Raut, a spokesperson for the far-right Shiv Sena party, which props up the BJP in Maharashtra state and the central government coalition. The fact that Modi has such parties for bedfellows gets to the heart of why these results matter. Critics say that under the BJP-led government, Hindu nationalists have become increasingly emboldened and acts of violence against minorities more brazen. In the last four years, independent journalists have described feeling under threat, and the space where civil society operates squeezed in favour of direct action by the state. India Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates Diwali with military At the same time, Modi has effectively positioned himself as a unifying figure who wants to bring Indians of all creeds along on a journey of empowerment for the country. He has launched a series of bold, flagship policy initiatives although the jury is still out on most of them and even excepting Tuesdays results, retains a high level of personal popularity. Whether under the Congress Party or BJP, the fate of Indias leadership will be decided next year, just at a time when Britain will be looking outwards for new trading partners. And while Modi has got on well with other authoritarian-minded leaders such as Donald Trump and Xi Jingping, Justin Trudeau himself described a diplomatic visit to Delhi as a colossal disaster. Nonetheless, this vote was not a referendum on Modi but a show of dissatisfaction with the governments performance on several key areas. The BJP won power in 2014 by courting the votes of Hindus outside the main metropolises who felt disaffected with life under the Congress Party, which has ruled India for 49 of the 71 years since independence. Yet in recent months, hundreds of thousands of farmers have marched through Delhi saying the central government has failed to protect them with fair minimum prices for their goods. At the same time, young people in rural areas accuse Modi of not providing the jobs boom they were promised. A breakdown of the results from Tuesdays three biggest states shows Congress consistently outperforming the BJP in rural areas. In Rajasthan, the parties performed similarly in cities but Congress took 90 rural seats, compared to the BJPs 53. For Congress, the default party of liberals and secularists that has seemed rudderless in recent years, the results will be an injection of hope and a spur to talks with other opposition groups to form a cohesive group that can genuinely challenge Modi next year. Analysts have also been praising the role of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, who is often criticised as weak but campaigned effectively in all five of the states being contested. The party has previously ruled out putting him forward as a prime ministerial candidate, but could change its mind if he continues to impress the public. State elections are not the same as general elections, and most people here still expect to see Modi emerge victorious in 2019. If he is to do so, he will need to heed the lessons from a day that many in the BJP would likely rather forget. Terror attacks are all the same but different, too. They are all completely awful, sickening and abhorrent. They also all have a unique aspect; an attack on a concert full of young people prompts reflection on how dreadful it is for children to be caught up in such acts; an attack on a Christmas market creates a horrible juxtaposition between a time of joy and a moment of evil. The shooting in Strasbourg on Tuesday, which left two people dead and at least a dozen injured, will no doubt have raised fears among anyone hoping to visit a Christmas market in the coming weeks. The UK government has already warned tourists travelling to Christmas markets across Europe that there is a general threat of terrorism and advised them to remain vigilant. This advice was in place before the Strasbourg attack, but despite everything thats happened this is not the first Christmas market to be marred by terrorism it is heartening to see that people will still seek out the joy in life, even if it carries some risk. Its a triumph of the human spirit over the worst elements of humanity, and it proves that there are still more positive, brave and open-minded people out there than those who are weak, selfish and poisonous. And its also important to recognise and value the ability of people to carry on trying to enjoy their time on Earth in spite of the dangers that can entail because some people dont have a choice. Growing up in Northern Ireland, I was lucky to be born at a time when the violence was coming to an end and peace was becoming the new normal. Around me, however, were many who had lived through decades of the Troubles. But thats not what looms largest for most of those people. For every memory of a bombing or shooting, there are countless more of the usual things people store up to reminisce about: happy times with friends and family, travel, special occasions, all the usual things that people enjoy. If everyone living in a community rocked by long-term violence shut themselves off to any of the good things about the world, its unlikely they would ever find a way to peace. Meanwhile, the latest attack has come as President Macron attempts to deal with growing unrest in France. Earlier this week, he gave in to demands from the so-called gilets jaunes and agreed to scrap a proposed green tax on fuel. Although his U-turn was not so much a response to "demands" as to the widespread rioting and violence on the streets of Paris and other cities and towns. Hes also trying to fend off intervention from Donald Trump, who publicly blamed the protests on the Paris climate agreement. Its difficult to say whether the tragic events in Strasbourg will have any impact on sentiment towards the government. On one hand, terror attacks can be unifying, with people looking to their leaders for reassurance and explanations. On the other, the issues Macron was facing before the Strasbourg shooting are not minor problems. The violent protests of recent weeks are the culmination of what many people see as years of social inequality being overlooked by the so-called "president of the rich". This view was compounded when Macron delivered an address to the French public on Monday from the Elysee Palaces Salon Dore or golden room. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Meanwhile, the president himself ascribed the explosive reactions to his fuel tax on 40 years of malaise. This looks like an attempt to shift the blame onto his predecessors, as Macron has been in power only since May 2017, but its also true. The reasons behind the protests have been affecting people for years; the divide between the French working class and the wealthy elite has been widening for decades. Macron has been dogged by rumours that the French government could follow the British with a vote of no confidence, with some reports predicting it could take place as early as Thursday. In the wake of the Strasbourg attack, the no confidence vote is unlikely to take place but that doesnt mean Macrons position is secure. His reaction to the latest tragedy to affect his country might earn him a brief reprieve, but it wont blot out the weight of history. One vote is enough, David Cameron advised Theresa May during a previous frenzy of speculation that she would face a vote of confidence as Conservative Party leader. They were discussing the winning margin needed for a leader to be able to carry on after such a vote. Now the endless speculation is over and tonight we will have a real contest, after the required 48 Tory MPs (15 per cent of the total) demanded one. The prime minister will certainly try to hang on even if she merely scrapes home; she would see it as her duty to get Brexit over the line. But could May win and lose at the same time? If she manages only a narrow victory, the position of the cabinet would be crucial. It has rallied behind May today. But that could change after a pyrrhic victory. As I recalled last week it was the cabinet rather than Tory backbenchers who ended Margaret Thatchers premiership in 1990. The timing of the vote is not great for May. She must be kicking herself for failing to pre-empt todays challenge last month when the hardline Brexiteers in the European Research Group (ERG) threatened one. How does a Tory leadership contest work? John Major resigned as Tory leader (but not prime minister) in 1995 to face down his critics. May would have won if she had done the same a few weeks ago. But the result could be closer now. Her authority, and trust in her amongst her MPs, has drained since her humiliating retreat in delaying yesterdays scheduled Commons vote on her Brexit deal. She hoped her move would buy her some time. It didnt only 24 hours. In that period, she made little progress in her last-ditch talks with fellow EU leaders to try to soften the backstop to prevent a hard Irish border. Tory MPs expect warm words that do not change the withdrawal agreement, which will not help Mays chances in the vote. May escaped one crunch vote but now faces another. The difference between them could prove critical. The delayed Commons vote was public; a minister who could not back Mays deal would have to resign. The Tory party confidence vote is a secret ballot. Which means that ministers and backbenchers can pledge public loyalty to May and then vote against her. The lying game brought down Thatcher. Her complacent campaign team thought they had enough MPs to defeat Michael Heseltines challenge the rules were different then but she failed to win by the necessary margin and resigned after cabinet ministers told her she would lose to him in round two. A third of Majors MPs either voted for his challenger John Redwood or abstained in 1995. Yet he carried on. That might provide some cover for May if 100 of her MPs vote against her tonight perfectly possible since 110 have criticised her Brexit deal. Her target number is 158 (a simple majority of Tory MPs) but some of them believe she would be vulnerable if her opponents secure more than 100 votes. Her allies insist the timing could work to Mays advantage. Her ERG enemies are arguing amongst themselves about who their candidate would be in the leadership election that would take place (without May) if she loses tonight. Ousting May when she is due to fight for a better deal at tomorrows EU summit will be seen by some Tories as unpatriotic. Some, including the 30 pro-EU Tory MPs, will hold on to Nurse Theresa for fear of something worse such as a Brexiteer prepared to crash out of the EU without a deal in March, or one indulging in what Brussels calls the magical thinking that technology not yet invented can prevent a hard Irish border. In the event of a contest, the most pro-Brexit candidate would have a very strong chance of winning. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Tory MPs would choose a shortlist of two in a series of ballots but the final decision then lies with the Tories 120,000 grassroots members, whose instincts are Eurosceptic. Thats why Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt, who both backed Remain in 2016, are now born again Brexiteers who flirt with the idea of a managed no deal. While professing loyalty to May, of course. Tory party rules could work against May. If she wins, she could not be challenged for another 12 months. Many Tory MPs want her to stand down soon after the UKs scheduled departure date in March. A win would allow May to shape the talks on a UK-EU trade deal starting in April. The MPs know there is a prospect that the Brexit crisis results in a general election, and do not want May to lead the party into another one after her disaster last year. Although many Tory MPs have no love or even respect for May, they know that if they remove her, the same parliamentary arithmetic would greet her successor. No majority for Mays deal, a no-deal exit, a Final Say referendum (yet), a Canada or Norway-style deal. Although everything would have changed, nothing would have too. Its always good to have our profession honoured, albeit that the living martyrs of journalism should be accompanied by the ghost of another. But the moment I learned of Time magazines person of the year front cover the award going to Jamal Khashoggi and the other guardians who have taken great risks in pursuit of greater truths I remembered Spielbergs movie Bridge of Spies. When captured Soviet agent Rudolf Abels defence lawyer (Tom Hanks) asks Abel (Mark Rylance) if he is worried, he replies: Would it help? The right question. Would it make any difference? Is Times choice of its 2018 front page going to change anything? Or was it chiefly aimed at Trump? The raving lunatic in the White House was its person of the year in 2016, just before he took office. He said he expected the accolade again this year, and indeed hes the 2018 runner-up. If he had known this, Khashoggi himself would surely turn in his grave wherever the Saudis eventually reveal it to be. But fair enough. Trump is fighting a war against truth, and its a noble gesture to whack a crackpot president by honouring those who oppose his kind of mendacity, even unto death. Many believe as I suspect that the five staff at the Annapolis newspaper would be alive today if Trump had not already accused us all of being enemies of the people. The enemies and journalists like Khashoggi, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, are or should be regarded as friends of the people. But they are clearly regarded as enemies by Trumpites and supporters of dictator Duterte and the military masters of Myanmar. Of course, I did look at Times list of names to see if Yasser Murtaja, the brave Palestinian cameraman shot dead by an Israeli sniper in April, made it to their hall of honour. He was hailed by The Nation magazine. Like Khashoggi, he gave his life for telling or in his case, filming the truth, the Palestinian protests at the Gaza border. But maybe he wasnt filming a truth which Americans or Time magazine are ready to accept, or to talk too much about without becoming controversial: the oppression of the people of Gaza. And maybe Murtaja was shot by the wrong people, if you see what I mean. After all, if you drag Khashoggis corpse up onto the throne of martyrs, you know that its going to annoy Mohammed bin Salman accused by the CIA and numerous senators of arranging Jamals demise and you know that he remains a chum of Trump and that all this will upset him. Maybe. It wont upset the Israelis, of course, although they themselves are rather keen on being chums with MbS. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events While its good to see that the enemies of dictators are acknowledged for their courage, it does raise a few questions about Time itself. For far too long, it supported some pretty gruesome wars around the globe. Vietnam comes to mind, in the conflicts early years. And some pretty awful US presidents and politicians. But then we have to remember that Hitler made it to Times man of the year in 1938 and Stalin made it twice, in 1939 and 1942 and Time editors have never pretended that their yearly personalities must be evil or angelic to qualify. Now, I suppose, they do. This year, those Time editors have clearly chosen their persons because they regard them as brave, good and representative of a craft which should be a profession; journalists who alive or dead believe (or believed) that comment is free but facts are sacred, and who are (or were) damned for believing this. Not bad. Journalists should be holding power to account, and if Time has often failed to do this, thats no reason to get sniffy about their award for 2018. But will it help? I dont think so. The osmotic-parasitic relationship which still exists between power and the American media, between the US military and the defence correspondents, between the corporate world and American business editors is as powerful as ever, merely more discreet under the Trump regime. Bring back a Democrat Bernie or a sane Republican, and I fear Times new-found courage will wither away. If Obama was still in power, and the Saudis were still Americas friends, and if they had knocked off their usual enemies rather than a guy who wrote for the Washington Post, wed ask the same question: Jamal who? The detention of Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver is an early skirmish in what will probably be a 30-year war. It will not, mercifully, be a military conflict, or at least we should fervently hope so. But the fight between the US and China is for economic dominance, and it has begun now. To explain, Wanzhou is Chinese business royalty. She is the daughter of Ren Zhengfei, founder of Huawei, and as its chief financial officer seems destined to succeed him. Huawei is the worlds second largest manufacturer of smartphones, having passed Apple earlier this year. It is also the second largest supplier of telecom equipment, having initially made its foreign expansion in the UK. So it is a serious commercial challenger to the US. The particular issue leading to the request for extradition of Wanzhou to the US is apparently Huaweis breaking of Iranian sanctions, but I think it is more helpful to see it in more general terms. This is about power. There are two elements here. First, the US is making companies choose whether they really want to sell to the US, because if they do, they must accept US foreign policy objectives. So the Iranian order for up to 100 Airbus jets is on hold. Do you want to sell to Iran or the US? Bit of a no-brainer The same, by the way, goes for Canada. Do you accept a request by the US to detain someone transferring planes at one of your airports? Yes, because whatever the legal issues, 20 per cent of your GDP comes from exports to the US. Canadians of Chinese ethnicity have been protesting about the detention, and a legal challenge has been mounted. But meanwhile the maths are pretty clear. Second, there are concerns that Huawei equipment might be used to spy on the West. Such accusations have been denied, but US pressure has combined with European and UK concerns to put Huawei on the defensive. Thus in the UK BT is actually removing Huaweis kit from its 5G network. There are similar concerns in Japan. So, quite suddenly, a key Chinese company is finding itself squeezed. Of course it can sell to its domestic market, but if it wants to expand further, at least in the developed world, it is likely to find itself blocked. Even if the US takes a softer line on Wanzhou as part of some trade accord with China and Donald Trump has hinted that this might be the case the US will have achieved a victory in the longer-term war. It will have severely damaged the export potential of one of Chinas economic champions. As for the present state of the wider conflict, there is no doubt that the US is winning on points. At a macro-economic level the US is still growing reasonably solidly, whereas while China is still growing, there are considerable signs of strain. For example this year, the Chinese market for cars will shrink for the first time for more than 20 years. That has nothing much to do with the trade war, and the decline is damaging US and European car manufacturers too. But it puts pressure on China to get a deal with the US. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It also highlights wider problems within the Chinese economy, including over-investment in a number of areas including housing, and a general loss of consumer confidence. Im sure China will be alright in the end, but a trade war with the US comes at a bad time for it. Meanwhile other fronts are opening up. If you watched the testimony of the Google CEO Sundar Pichai to Congress yesterday you might have noticed one of the moments when he was caught off-foot was the reference as to whether Google was trying to get into the Chinese market with a censored search engine. He said the company had no plans to do so, something that may currently be technically correct, but is hard to square with the fact that they recently have had up to 300 people working on its secret Dragonfly project. In this instance, the pressure stems from civil rights groups rather than the US Administration, and has been evident for several months. But the common theme is that if US groups are to operate in China, they will have to fit in with US ethical standards. This is a war on many fronts, for these are tensions between two different views of the world, and how societies should be organised. They are not just about trade. Three final points: The first is that war is too crude a word; this is a fight for dominance, to be sure, but it is being carried out within defined limits. The second is that it is as much about ideas as it is about trade. And the third is that it will continue for a very long time. Theresa May faces a leadership challenge from Tory MPs after delaying a Commons vote on her Brexit deal. Here is how a Conservative leadership contest will unfold: Why will there be a vote? A threshold of 48 letters of no confidence - 15% of Tory MPs - has been reached. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, said the threshold had been exceeded. What happens in the no confidence vote? Mrs May will need the support of more than 50% of the 315 Conservative MPs to stay in office, so 158 in total. But even if she wins, if the margin of victory is small her authority may have been fatally wounded. When will the vote be held? The ballot is from 6-8pm on Wednesday evening, and the result is announced shortly afterwards. What if May loses? If the PM loses the vote, she would not be able to stand in the subsequent leadership contest arranged by Sir Graham. How would that work? Candidates for the leadership must be nominated by two Conservative MPs. If only one candidate comes forward, he or she becomes leader. If a number of would-be leaders are nominated, the list is whittled down to a shortlist of two in a series of votes by MPs. The final pair then go to a postal ballot of all party members, with the position of leader - and Prime Minister - going to the victor. How long would that take? Sir Graham would be responsible for overseeing the contest and setting a timetable for the campaign, which would be expected to last around 12 weeks - although those calling for Mrs May to go believe it could be accomplished much quicker. Mrs May could remain in the post during the campaign period. Who are the contenders to take over as Tory leader? UK Bookmakers have Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab as joint favourites, followed by Michael Gove and Sajid Javed. Although Cabinet colleagues like Mr Javed have voiced support for Mrs May, they could become contenders if she loses the no confidence vote. Johnson was one of the key players in the 2017 Leave campaign and resigned from the cabinet following the Chequers summit in July. He was heavily tipped as a successor to David Cameron but ruled himself out of the 2016 leadership contest after Michael Gove made a last-minute bid for the top job. While former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has refused to rule out standing in a leadership contest. Mr Raab, a prominent Brexiteer in the referendum campaign, was appointed as Brexit Secretary in July but resigned from the role in November, saying he could not support Mrs May's deal. The 1922 Committee seems to have a key role, what exactly is it? Widely known in Westminster as "the '22", the committee of all backbench Conservative MPs meets weekly when the House of Commons is sitting. Where does the unusual name come from? The committee takes its name from a meeting of Conservative MPs on October 19 1922. The MPs successfully ended the party's coalition with the Liberals, bringing down the government of David Lloyd George. The resulting general election was won by the Tories. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the media outside 10 Downing Street after it was announced that the Conservative Party will hold a vote of no confidence in her leadership, in London, Britain, December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the media outside 10 Downing Street after it was announced that the Conservative Party will hold a vote of no confidence in her leadership, in London, Britain, December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls British Prime Minister Theresa May has told Conservative MPs she will not lead the party into the next general election. The promise came as Mrs May fought to retain her place as Tory leader ahead of a confidence vote of MPs. Mrs May addressed Conservative MPs at a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee moments before the crucial vote began at 6pm. Afterwards, Cabinet minister Amber Rudd told reporters: "She's made the commitment that I think is what people wanted, but she was very clear that she wont be taking the general election in 2022." Solicitor General Robert Buckland told reporters: "She said 'In my heart I would like to lead the party into the next election' and then that was the introductory phrase to her indication that she would accept the fact that that would not happen, that is not her intention." Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said he was not persuaded to vote for the Prime Minister in the ballot. Expand Close Get a grip: Theresa May is greeted by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands. Picture: AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Get a grip: Theresa May is greeted by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands. Picture: AP He told the Press Association: "It was all the same old stuff. Nothing has changed." Conservative MP Nick Boles tweeted: "Theresa May was crystal clear: she will not lead the Conservative Party into the next general election. She now deserves the support of all Conservative MPs so she can get on with the job of delivering a Brexit compromise that can win a Commons majority." Mrs May looked set to see off the challenge to her leadership, as scores of Tory MPs made public statements of support ahead of the confidence vote. Earlier Mrs May said she would fight a vote of no confidence in her leadership of the Conservative Party later on Wednesday with "everything I have got". Speaking outside Downing Street, Mrs May said that changing Conservative leader would put our countrys future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it and could lead to Brexit being delayed or prevented. "A new leader wouldn't be in place by Jan. 21 legal deadline, so a leadership election risks handing control of the Brexit negotiations to opposition MPs in Parliament," May said. Expand Close Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the media outside 10 Downing Street after it was announced that the Conservative Party will hold a vote of no confidence in her leadership, in London, Britain, December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the media outside 10 Downing Street after it was announced that the Conservative Party will hold a vote of no confidence in her leadership, in London, Britain, December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville "A new leader wouldn't have time to re-negotiate a withdrawal agreement and get the legislation through Parliament by March 29, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it," she said. Following her statement, Mrs May cancelled a meeting of her cabinet of senior ministers which had been scheduled for later on Wednesday, her office said. Her announcement comes after lawmakers in May's Conservative Party on Wednesday triggered a confidence vote in her leadership after Britain's planned divorce from the European Union was plunged into chaos. With less than four months left until the United Kingdom is due to exit on March 29, the world's fifth largest economy was tipping towards crisis, opening up the prospect of a disorderly no-deal divorce or a reversal of Brexit through a referendum. The weakness of British Prime Minister Theresa May "has completely immobilised the government at this critical time for the country", the chairman of the main opposition Labour Party said on Wednesday. "The prime minister's half-baked Brexit deal does not have the backing of her cabinet, her party, parliament or the country," Ian Lavery said in a statement. "The Conservative Party's internal divisions are putting people's jobs and living standards at risk." A number of political figures have shown public support for Mrs May since the announcement this morning, including Philip Hammond. "The Prime Minister has worked hard in the national interest since the day she took office and will have my full support in the vote tonight. Her deal means we leave the EU on time, whilst protecting our jobs and our businesses," he said. While Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "I am backing Theresa May tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. "Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29." Graham Brady, the chairman of the party's so-called 1922 committee, said the threshold of 15 percent of the parliamentary Conservative Party seeking a confidence vote had been reached. Read More "The threshold of 15 percent of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded," Brady said. A ballot will be held between 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday in a room at the British House of Commons and an announcement made as soon as possible afterwards, he said. "The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made a soon as possible in the evening," Brady said. Brexit is Britain's most significant political and economic decision since World War Two though pro-Europeans fear it will divide the West as it grapples with the presidency of Donald Trump and growing assertiveness from Russia and China. The ultimate outcome will shape Britain's $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 centres. May could be toppled if 158 of her 315 lawmakers vote against her. Read More Amid the chaos in London, this morning Irish ministers and MEPs have been instructed to cancel all media engagements. Independent.ie understands a warning has also been widely circulated to Fine Gael TDs and senators, urging them not to comment on developments. The message states: No tweets, no doorsteps, no interviews, no comment stay out of UK political party leadership issues. "SHE MUST GO" Ever since formally triggering the Brexit divorce in March 2017, May has sought to find a way to keep Britain closely aligned with the EU after its exit. But on Monday, she abruptly pulled a parliamentary vote on her deal in the face of ridicule from lawmakers. She then rushed to Europe in an attempt to get assurances from EU leaders about the deal. Brexit-supporting lawmakers in her party have accused May of betraying Brexit in negotiations while opponents of Brexit say she has negotiated a deal that is the worst of all worlds - out of the EU but with no say over the rules it has to abide by. A schism over Europe in the Conservative Party over Britains relationship with the EU contributed to the fall of all three previous Conservative premiers - David Cameron, John Major and Margaret Thatcher. Brexit-supporting lawmakers in her party have accused May of selling out Brexit in negotiations. "Theresa Mays plan would bring down the government if carried forward," lawmakers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker said in a statement. "But our Party will rightly not tolerate it. Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs Mays leadership. In the national interest, she must go." But some ministers expressed support for her with Home Secretary Sajid Javid saying a leadership contest was the last thing Britain needed. "The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong," Javid said. "PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March," he said. How does a Conservative leadership contest work? Theresa May faces a leadership challenge from Tory MPs after delaying a Commons vote on her Brexit deal. Here is how a Conservative leadership contest will unfold: Why will there be a vote? A threshold of 48 letters of no confidence - 15pc of Tory MPs - has been reached. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, said the threshold had been exceeded. What happens in the no confidence vote? Mrs May will need the support of more than 50pc of the 315 Conservative MPs to stay in office, so 158 in total. But even if she wins, if the margin of victory is small her authority may have been fatally wounded. When will the vote be held? The ballot is from 6-8pm on Wednesday evening, and the result is announced shortly afterwards. What if May loses? If the PM loses the vote, she would not be able to stand in the subsequent leadership contest arranged by Sir Graham. How would that work? Candidates for the leadership must be nominated by two Conservative MPs. If only one candidate comes forward, he or she becomes leader. If a number of would-be leaders are nominated, the list is whittled down to a shortlist of two in a series of votes by MPs. The final pair then go to a postal ballot of all party members, with the position of leader - and Prime Minister - going to the victor. How long would that take? Sir Graham would be responsible for overseeing the contest and setting a timetable for the campaign, which would be expected to last around 12 weeks - although those calling for Mrs May to go believe it could be accomplished much quicker. Mrs May could remain in the post during the campaign period. Who are the contenders to take over as Tory leader? Bookmakers have Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab as joint favourites, followed by Michael Gove and Sajid Javed. Although Cabinet colleagues like Mr Javed have voiced support for Mrs May, they could become contenders if she loses the no confidence vote. The 1922 Committee seems to have a key role, what exactly is it? Widely known in Westminster as "the '22", the committee of all backbench Conservative MPs meets weekly when the House of Commons is sitting. Where does the unusual name come from? The committee takes its name from a meeting of Conservative MPs on October 19 1922. The MPs successfully ended the party's coalition with the Liberals, bringing down the government of David Lloyd George. The resulting general election was won by the Tories. We are constantly told not to engage in an us and them attitude towards our nearest neighbours on the other side of the Irish Sea. But the British really dont make it easy. They dont like the EU or at least the majority of those asked if they wanted to leave in a wonky referendum debate said they dont. Fair enough. In Ireland, we are big fans of the Union and all it has offered our country. An opinion poll taken not so long ago showed 88pc of Irish people want to stay in the EU. But thats beside the point. The British voted to leave so off with them. On deciding to leave the union, the British discovered they were going to have an issue with the Irish border. Ireland, Britain and the EU have obligations to maintain peace on this island and erecting customs checks, we are told, will incite violence. For a year and half, the three parties tried to thrash out a deal to avoid a hard border on the island which could be potentially caused by Britains decision to leave the union. The backstop was born of these negotiations. It is an insurance policy or fall-back position which would ensure there would be no border on the island of Ireland. The EU initially proposed allowing Northern Ireland remain in an EU customs unions while the future trade talks with Britain were taking place. They said there was no way the entire of Britain could remain in the customs union because it would be unfair on other EU countries. British Prime Minister Theresa May argued the entire of Britain should remain in a tariff free customs union during these negotiations. The EU and Ireland relented and agreed to Ms Mays proposal. In reality, Mays deal is more beneficial to Ireland than the Northern Ireland only customs union proposal. However, this deal Prime Minister Mays deal is the very one she was afraid to put to a vote in the House of Commons. But the main glaring and constantly bewildering difference between the Irish and British approach to Brexit is the reaction of political parties in both countries. In Ireland, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin sought assurances from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that a general election would not be called until a Brexit deal passes through the British and EU parliament. Of course, this in part is because of the political realities of where Fianna Fail is in the opinion polls. But, nonetheless, it gives the Taoiseach some sort of stability and security when he is the grip of Brexit negotiations. Last night, at his parliamentary party meeting, Mr Martin indicated he was prepared to renegotiate the confidence and supply agreement which facilitates the Fine Gael government because of the precarious nature of the Brexit negotiations. Not all of his party members agree with this decision but they will grin and bear because they trust Martins judgement. Around the same time, Ms May received a phone call from Graham Brady, the chair of a committee of Conservative Party MPs, to let her know he received enough letters from party members to trigger a no confidence vote in her leadership. Ms May was supposed to be in Dublin this evening to discuss Brexit with the Taoiseach. Instead, she will be facing down her detractors in the Tory Party who want her to step down at arguably the most crucial stage of the Brexit negotiations so far. If she wins, she limps on. Her standing among EU leaders will also be greatly diminished. If she loses, a three week Conservative Party leadership contest distracts further from the Brexit negotiations. Throughout the Brexit shambles, we have seen glimpses of the attitude towards Ireland from some senior British politicians. Sneering and ill-informed MPs they have looked down their noses at Ireland - a country run by strong and stable parliament overseeing a growing economy. Meanwhile, the House of Commons has become a circus without a ringmaster where the animals have turned on those who paid to see the performance. Say what you will about our politicians but by any comparison they do us proud when compared with our nearest neighbours. Former UK prime minister John Major has urged the British government to halt Brexit and take time to find a way through the deepening political crisis. Speaking in Dublin, the former British leader, who won vicious internal EU battles at the London parliament in the early 1990s over the Maastricht Treaty, urged an immediate revoking of the so-called Article 50 process that drives the EU-UK divorce proceedings. "Whether you are a Remainer or a Leaver, no one can welcome chaos," he told an invited audience at the Institute of International and European Affairs. In attendance were two former Taoisigh, John Bruton and Bertie Ahern, and Mr Major praised their successful work in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. In a telling aside, he said he doubted whether Theresa May should ever have done a coalition-supporting deal with the Democratic Unionist Party in June 2017, because this raised doubts on London's joint-role with Dublin as guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. The former prime minister, who served from 1990 until 1997, said it was imperative to calm the money markets, where sterling has again hit record lows. "The clock, for the moment, must be stopped. It's clear that we now need the most precious commodity of all: time," he said. The veteran of many knife-edge negotiations in Europe could see some possibilities for the EU to give Mrs May concessions on the 585-page draft Withdrawal Agreement which might help her. But he acknowledged that the EU had "boxed itself into" refusing to do this. Mr Major said the EU would probably give assurances on upcoming talks about the future EU-UK relationship after Brexit happens. He warned a "hard Border" in Ireland would increase the risk of a return to violence and insisted that must be avoided. Get a grip: Theresa May is greeted by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands. Picture: AP British Prime Minister Theresa May will be told "emphatically" that the backstop must stay in place. The embattled UK leader's tour of Europe was due to bring her to Government Buildings where it was understood Taoiseach Leo Varadkar would stand firm against the notion that the Withdrawal Agreement can be amended. Officials in Dublin were this morning still preparing for Mrs May's visit to Dublin - but the visit has now been cancelled as it would clash directly with the timing of the no confidence motion. Amid the chaos in London, this morning Irish ministers and MEPs have been instructed to cancel all media engagements. Independent.ie understands a warning has also been widely circulated to Fine Gael TDs and senators, urging them not to comment on developments. The message states: No tweets, no doorsteps, no interviews, no comment stay out of UK political party leadership issues. Irish officials are openly speculating the most straightforward solution to the political crisis in the UK is to delay Brexit Day well beyond March. Read More Ministers yesterday discussed contingency plans for a no deal scenario - but the Government continues to refuse to release any substantial detail. Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Simon Coveney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Simon Coveney Tanaiste Simon Coveney provided colleagues with a four-and-a-half page update on Ireland's preparedness for Brexit at Cabinet - but took the document back afterwards, fearing it would find its way into the public domain. One minister admitted to the Irish Independent: "They are afraid to tell people how bad it's going to be if there's no deal. The real hope is that something will happen." Sources said the document contained some details on plans for ramping up the recruitment of customs, veterinary and health officials. It also noted large swathes of legislation would have to be amended by the Dail in a hurry to acknowledge the UK is no longer inside Europe's single market and customs union. Dublin will be looking to the EU to ensure workable arrangements are in place to allow air traffic to continue if the UK crashes out, thereby voiding existing agreements. Read More Ministers have been told to continue insisting that Ireland is not preparing for a hard Border, even as the prospect of a no deal grows. Expand Close Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after attending a church service near her Maidenhead constituency. Photo: Steve Parsons/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after attending a church service near her Maidenhead constituency. Photo: Steve Parsons/PA Wire Mrs May met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague and German leader Angela Merkel in Berlin yesterday. Both insisted negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened but they are willing to give assurances about how the exit treaty will be interpreted. The prime minister's diplomatic mission then moved to Brussels where she held talks with EU Council President Donald Tusk. He tweeted afterwards: "Long and frank discussion with PM Theresa May ahead of Brexit summit. Clear that EU 27 wants to help. The question is how." It is not yet clear whether Mrs May will still attend Government Buildings this evening. Mrs May yesterday brushed aside speculation about her future, saying her focus was on "dealing with the issue". "Whatever outcome we want, whatever relationship we want with the European Union in future, there is no deal available that doesn't have a backstop within it. "But we don't want the backstop to be used and if it is want to be certain it is only temporary. Expand Close A call to reverse the Brexit vote (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A call to reverse the Brexit vote (Yui Mok/PA) "It is those assurances that I will be seeking from fellow leaders over the coming days," Mrs May said. In the Dail, Mr Varadkar said everybody "wants to avoid a no deal scenario". He said the "power exists" for the UK "to remove the threat of "no deal from its own people, its economy, from ours and from Europe, should it wish to do so". "It can do so by revoking Article 50 or, if that is a step too far, by seeking an extension to Article 50," Mr Varadkar told TDs. However, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said that while he always felt there would be a deal, "I believe we can be no longer certain of that. "It is in that context that we as a country must be prepared for any eventuality." Mr Martin urged the Government to begin publishing details of their planning for a no deal scenario. "The public deserves to know about the content of the plans and their implications," he added. Lawmakers in British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party on Wednesday triggered a confidence vote in her leadership after Britain's planned divorce from the European Union was plunged into chaos. With less than four months left until the United Kingdom is due to exit on March 29, the world's fifth largest economy was tipping towards crisis, opening up the prospect of a disorderly no-deal divorce or a reversal of Brexit through a referendum. Expand Close Get a grip: Theresa May is greeted by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands. Picture: AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Get a grip: Theresa May is greeted by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Netherlands. Picture: AP Graham Brady, the chairman of the party's so-called 1922 committee, said the threshold of 15 percent of the parliamentary Conservative Party seeking a confidence vote had been reached. Read More "The threshold of 15 percent of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded," Brady said. A ballot will be held between 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday in a room at the British House of Commons and an announcement made as soon as possible afterwards, he said. "The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made a soon as possible in the evening," Brady said. Brexit is Britain's most significant political and economic decision since World War Two though pro-Europeans fear it will divide the West as it grapples with the presidency of Donald Trump and growing assertiveness from Russia and China. The ultimate outcome will shape Britain's $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 centres. May could be toppled if 158 of her 315 lawmakers vote against her. Read More Officials in Dublin were this morning still preparing for Mrs May's visit to Dublin - but it appears likely to be cancelled. A photocall says her arrival at Government Buildings is scheduled for 6.45pm. However this clashes directly with the timing of the no confidence motion. Amid the chaos in London, this morning Irish ministers and MEPs have been instructed to cancel all media engagements. Independent.ie understands a warning has also been widely circulated to Fine Gael TDs and senators, urging them not to comment on developments. The message states: No tweets, no doorsteps, no interviews, no comment stay out of UK political party leadership issues. "SHE MUST GO" Ever since formally triggering the Brexit divorce in March 2017, May has sought to find a way to keep Britain closely aligned with the EU after its exit. But on Monday, she abruptly pulled a parliamentary vote on her deal in the face of ridicule from lawmakers. She then rushed to Europe in an attempt to get assurances from EU leaders about the deal. Brexit-supporting lawmakers in her party have accused May of betraying Brexit in negotiations while opponents of Brexit say she has negotiated a deal that is the worst of all worlds - out of the EU but with no say over the rules it has to abide by. A schism over Europe in the Conservative Party over Britains relationship with the EU contributed to the fall of all three previous Conservative premiers - David Cameron, John Major and Margaret Thatcher. Brexit-supporting lawmakers in her party have accused May of selling out Brexit in negotiations. "Theresa Mays plan would bring down the government if carried forward," lawmakers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker said in a statement. "But our Party will rightly not tolerate it. Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs Mays leadership. In the national interest, she must go." But some ministers expressed support for her with Home Secretary Sajid Javid saying a leadership contest was the last thing Britain needed. "The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong," Javid said. "PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March," he said. How does a Conservative leadership contest work? Theresa May faces a leadership challenge from Tory MPs after delaying a Commons vote on her Brexit deal. Here is how a Conservative leadership contest will unfold: Why will there be a vote? A threshold of 48 letters of no confidence - 15pc of Tory MPs - has been reached. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, said the threshold had been exceeded. What happens in the no confidence vote? Mrs May will need the support of more than 50pc of the 315 Conservative MPs to stay in office, so 158 in total. But even if she wins, if the margin of victory is small her authority may have been fatally wounded. When will the vote be held? The ballot is from 6-8pm on Wednesday evening, and the result is announced shortly afterwards. What if May loses? If the PM loses the vote, she would not be able to stand in the subsequent leadership contest arranged by Sir Graham. How would that work? Candidates for the leadership must be nominated by two Conservative MPs. If only one candidate comes forward, he or she becomes leader. If a number of would-be leaders are nominated, the list is whittled down to a shortlist of two in a series of votes by MPs. The final pair then go to a postal ballot of all party members, with the position of leader - and Prime Minister - going to the victor. How long would that take? Sir Graham would be responsible for overseeing the contest and setting a timetable for the campaign, which would be expected to last around 12 weeks - although those calling for Mrs May to go believe it could be accomplished much quicker. Mrs May could remain in the post during the campaign period. Who are the contenders to take over as Tory leader? Bookmakers have Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab as joint favourites, followed by Michael Gove and Sajid Javed. Although Cabinet colleagues like Mr Javed have voiced support for Mrs May, they could become contenders if she loses the no confidence vote. The 1922 Committee seems to have a key role, what exactly is it? Widely known in Westminster as "the '22", the committee of all backbench Conservative MPs meets weekly when the House of Commons is sitting. Where does the unusual name come from? The committee takes its name from a meeting of Conservative MPs on October 19 1922. The MPs successfully ended the party's coalition with the Liberals, bringing down the government of David Lloyd George. The resulting general election was won by the Tories. Members of the IFA are sitting in at the Department of Agriculture over the refusal of Minister Creed to name the meat factories found guilty of excessively trimming carcases Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke The IFA is leading a sit-in protest in the offices of the Minister for Agriculture in Dublin over the refusal of Minister Creed to name the meat factories found guilty of excessively trimming carcases. The farmers descended on the Department just before lunchtime today. In addition, the IFA also called on Minister Creed to reject new proposals that could put further restrictions on the important live export trade. IFA President Joe Healy said, By refusing to name the offenders involved, Minister Creed is protecting the factories. This is a cover up and it must be exposed. Earlier this week, Joe Healy said the statement by Minister Creed to the Dail last week on the factories caught over-trimming carcasses was pathetic and failed utterly to recognise the gravity of the issue. What the factories were found out doing were not mistakes as the Minister called them, they are offences under the law. Farmers certainly should be repaid as the Minister understands the factories have now apparently accepted. This pathetic response from the Minister and factories shows contempt for farmers. The Minister should stop covering up for the factories and publish the list of offenders immediately, he said. Expand Close Members of the IFA enter the offices and are sitting in at the Department of Agriculture over the refusal of Minister Creed to name the meat factories found guilty of excessively trimming carcases, and called on the Minister to reject further restrictions on live export. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Members of the IFA enter the offices and are sitting in at the Department of Agriculture over the refusal of Minister Creed to name the meat factories found guilty of excessively trimming carcases, and called on the Minister to reject further restrictions on live export. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke The Minister had said that he understood Meat Industry Ireland (MII), the representative body for Irish meat processors, has accepted that no individual farmer should be at a loss from a mistake made in a factory in relation to carcass dressings procedures. I further understand that processors will now introduce a payment to the farmer supplier to reflect any loss in each case where the Department of Agriculture has imposed a trim fine on a particular carcass. Such a payment will be identified on the carcass remittance docket so that the farmers will be aware of the penalty. One carcass excessively trimmed is one too many, he said. Farmers will have to take crime prevention a lot more seriously, according to a crime prevention officer. Stock picture Only a fraction of IFA members have signed up to the associations anti-theft initiative, prompting calls for farmers to get serious about crime prevention measures. The TheftStop programme was launched two years ago but IFA crime prevention officer Barry Carey told the Farming Independent that less than 100 farmers from a total membership of 76,000 had availed of the programme. TheftStop involves farmers marking their equipment and registering the details on an IFA database, but Mr Carey said that while everyone agreed that it was a very good idea, they seemed to find it cumbersome and it never took off. Crime prevention officer Sergeant Tom ODwyer said farmers will have to take security (on their farms) much more seriously if the work of the gardai in combating rural crime is to be successful. It is very difficult for the gardai to prosecute if the ownership of equipment which we have recovered cannot be established and we are not in a position to have proof that it was stolen, he said. Last year, we displayed hundreds of items that had been recovered, but only three items could be returned to their owner because they were not marked and farmers could not produce any proof of ownership. The IFA is now looking at linking up with a new community-driven property marking scheme involving county joint policing committees, local authorities and groups such as Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch. James ONeill, development manager of Property Marking Ireland, said the not-for-profit scheme is operating in counties Monaghan, Cavan and Sligo with very encouraging results. The secret to its success is that it is run by the community, with neighbour helping neighbour, which gets everyone in the community involved, he said. We started in Co Monaghan and in the past year, of the total burglaries in the Cavan-Monaghan garda district, only 5pc were in Co Monaghan. We are hoping that the success will be repeated in other areas, because the proper marking of equipment is working. Nationwide cover Property Marking Ireland gives farmers access to marking equipment which can emboss the owners Eircode on all kinds of surfaces. The scheme also erects signs stating that all machinery and equipment in an area have been marked. The scheme has now been extended to southern counties, initially in Clare, and it aims to provide nationwide cover within two years. Meanwhile, Sergeant ODwyer said that farmers should look at investing in locks and other security devices that can send alerts to mobile phones. He stressed that there are too many instances where keys are left in jeeps and quads, providing easy pickings for burglars, and a lot of trailers and cattle boxes are in farmyards which are not secured by gates and locks. The White House is delaying additional payments from a $12 billion aid package for farmers stung by President Donald Trumps trade war with China because it expects Beijing to resume buying US soybeans, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The move comes despite a lack of evidence in agricultural markets of any return by China to the US soy market. China last year purchased about 60pc of US soybean exports, but it has not inked any new soybean deals since Beijing imposed tariffs on US supplies in July. Trump told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday that discussions to resolve U.S. trade disputes with Beijing were taking place by telephone, and that China was just starting to buy tremendous amounts of US soybeans. The Office of Management and Budget at the White House is now holding up approval of the second and final tranche of aid payments Trump had promised farmers stung by the trade disputes due to concern over the cost of the program, and because it wants to see if the trade issues with China are resolved, the three sources told Reuters. The sources asked not to be named because the matter had not yet been made public. It has been no secret that OMB has not been terribly excited about the trade aid package, one of the sources said. The source added, however, that the payments will likely eventually be approved after some back and forth. The US Department of Agriculture in July had authorized up to $12 billion in aid for farmers and ranchers hit by the fallout from Trumps escalating trade war with China and the agency outlined payments for the first half last August. An announcement on the second tranche had been expected in early December. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on December 3 that OMB was deliberating on the second round of trade aid, and that it could be outlined by the end of that week. On Tuesday, USDA spokesman Tim Murtaugh told Reuters that the agency was still in the final stages of the process of approving the second tranche of payments. We are in discussions with the White House and anticipate that the second payment rates for the Market Facilitation Program will be published before the end of the year, Murtaugh said in a statement. The Office of Management and Budget declined to comment. CHINA COMEBACK? The sources said the White House was delaying its approval mainly on hopes China will soon resume purchases of soybeans, which has raised questions over how much aid farmers will need. China had imposed a 25pc tariff on American soybeans in July in retaliation for US tariffs on Chinese goods. Perdue said last week China will probably resume buying American soybeans around January 1, after talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the G20 meeting about a potential trade ceasefire. However, little concrete evidence has emerged of a purchase looming and farmers have been on edge. Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures edged higher on Tuesday on hopes that new deals would be inked soon, but there were no signs of increased activity in the cash markets. US Agriculture Department rules require exporters to promptly report sales of 100,000t or more of a commodity made in a single day. John Heisdorffer, the chairman of the American Soybean Association and a farmer in Iowa, said he feared the government was going to reduce the size of the aid payments to farmers on misplaced beliefs the trade pain was ending. There are a lot of farmers that sold beans out of the field and that is done, Heisdorffer said. They need to get the extra (support) to make sure that theyre taken care of. Dog owners are being asked to keep their dogs on a leash at all times after a recent sheep attack left one farmer with a dozen dead sheep and the remaining in risk of aborting. Vet Conor Donnelly of Orchard Veterinary Clinic Co Armagh, was called out to look at a flock of sheep yesterday, a day after being attacked by three dogs in the Keady area. During a daily inspection, the sheep farmer found nine sheep mauled and dead in the field and three dogs chasing his remaining sheep around the paddock, according to the local vet. He said that when the farmer returned after calling for help, the dogs had scattered and fled the scene. From what the farmer could see at a distance, there was three large dogs that looked like German Shepherds. Initially, nine sheep were killed and a further three had to be euthanised because of wounds caused by the dogs, according to the vet. He said that the biggest worry for the farmer now is that the remaining ewes may drop dead or abort due to shock of the attack. This is the gory reality of what dogs can do if let roam free in a field or left off a leash nearby. Ive never seen such a bad case sheep worrying in my 20 years working here Expand Close Picture: Orchard Veterinary Clinic Co Armagh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Picture: Orchard Veterinary Clinic Co Armagh Conor posted images of the aftermath of the dog attack online, which has since been shared hundreds of times. He said he posted the images to show the members of the public the grim reality of what dogs are capable of and the damage that they can inflict. He also asked dog owners to keep dogs on a leash when walking them in rural areas as it can have catastrophic repercussions for local farmers. He also asked farmers to be vigilant and to report any cases of dogs roaming to the authorities. This is to warn members of the public to keep dogs on a leash at all times and be mindful of what they are capable of, he explained. He said the farmer did not find the dogs or the owners of the dogs after the attack happened. These poor defenceless creatures stood no chance against them. Farmers please be vigilant to avoid more loss of life. This is why dogs cannot be allowed to roam as this is an example of the real damage they can do. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) The House of Representatives wants Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno out. It adopted on Wednesday a resolution penned by Minority Leader Danilo Suarez urging President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider Diokno's appointment. This came on the heels of a spat between Diokno and the House leadership on Tuesday, as they grilled the Budget Chief on the upcoming and this year's budget. Suarez said Diokno inserted 2.8 billion in the funds for Sorsogon province to aid his son-in-law, Casiguran, Sorsogon Mayor Edwin Hamor. Diokno denied this. House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, who was budget secretary during the Arroyo administration in 2006, said Diokno had illegally inserted 75 billion in the 2018 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways. Diokno said the insertion was not illegal. READ: Diokno denies conflict of interest in Sorsogon budget "There are doubts as to the Secretary's integrity and use of his position in accommodating and merging family with public interests," Suarez said in the resolution. Citing the above incidents, Suarez asked Duterte to replace Diokno. "Therefore, be it resolved as it is hereby resolved that the House of Representatives urge His Excellency Rodrigo Roa Duterte, to reconsider the appointment of Hon. Benjamin Diokno as Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management," the resolution read. The House and Diokno have a history of conflict when it comes to the national budget, having had previous debate on Diokno's proposal to implement a cash-based budget system. READ: The struggle for the 2019 national budget Probe: The Central Bank set up an inquiry into the actions of executives at the former INBS in 2015 The former head of commercial lending at Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) has been fined 23,000 and disqualified for 18 years from taking up a senior role in a regulated entity. Tom McMenamin is the second former senior figure at INBS to agree a settlement with regulators in relation to his role in the collapse of the lender, which has cost taxpayers 5.4bn. Mr McMenamin was one of five senior executives at INBS that have been subject to a public inquiry into matters at INBS between August 2004 and the end of September 2008. "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," the Central Bank said. In February, former INBS chairman Michael Walsh agreed to pay a 20,000 fine and accepted sanctions - which concluded the inquiry against him. The Central Bank set up the public inquiry in 2015 into the actions of Mr McMenamin, former INBS CEO Michael Fingleton, former finance director John Stanley Purcell, former head of UK lending, Gary McCollum and Mr Walsh. That inquiry remains ongoing, with a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday. His settlement concludes the Central Bank's Inquiry into Mr McMenamin, the Central Bank said. It relates to him alone and has no effect on the ongoing inquiry into other persons concerned in the management of INBS, the regulator added. Read more: "INBS's financial instability led to its ultimate collapse," the regulator said. The breaches relate to INBS's multiple failures to adhere to its policies and procedures in relation to commercial lending and credit risk. 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". In his evidence to the INBS Inquiry Mr McMenamin had described information that was provided to the lender's credit committee as a "bit of a sham" and said it contradicted assurances given to the regulator that the organisation had reformed its practices. INBS cost Irish taxpayers 5.4bn in bailouts before it was merged with Anglo Irish Bank to form Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, and later liquidated. 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. 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 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 O'Shea, Marino Avenue West, Killiney, Co Dublin, and another man, Thomas O'Driscoll, 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 O'Shea and Mr O'Driscoll on grounds including alleged breach of contract. Following an appeal, the Supreme Court directed a fresh High Court hearing on certain issues. In his judgment on Tuesday, Mr Justice Kelly ruled a settlement was entered into between the Butlers and Mr O'Shea on February 11, 2008, and the settlement terms were reduced to writing and signed by the brothers. 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. Eurozone authorities are scrutinising proposals for a synthetic common bond aimed at strengthening banks' immunity to financial shocks - but the process will take time given the asset's complexity, Central Bank Governor Philip Lane has said. In May, the European Commission proposed setting up a new class of Sovereign Bond-Backed Securities (SBBS) to help break the link between member state banks and governments. The SBBS would combine bonds from the 19 countries that use the euro into a single asset, allowing lenders to diversify their holdings away from their own government's debt and in theory increasing the financial stability of the eurozone. Professor Lane who is tipped by some to replace Peter Praet as ECB chief economist next year, chairs the task force that put forward ideas for a joint "safe asset" backed by eurozone sovereign bonds. He did not specify a time frame for the plan, which he said was subject to regular eurozone legislative procedures. "Given the depth and complexity of the issues ... it is understandable that the material is still being assessed and reviewed," he said. "It will take time for the legislative discussions to evolve: it is important that decision-makers develop a good understanding of the properties of the proposed SBBS asset class." The SBBS may struggle to gain traction in some countries, notably Germany, where the idea of joint borrowing by eurozone states is unpopular. "The proposals from the task force are aimed at ensuring a more resilient financial system," said Professor Lane. Reuters Vodafone Ireland is dipping a toe into rural 5G mobile broadband with trials in Roscommon, Wexford, Tipperary and Waterford. The operator is setting up a service around towns in the countries with what it calls 5G capable equipment. It means that wireless connections from the equipment will be able to get high speed broadband of up to 500Mbs, according to the operator. Thats several times faster than the fastest Eir eFibre phone broadband. This trial will allow us to look at how we can enhance and extend broadband access to our customers in the most rural parts of the country, said Max Gasparroni, Vodafone Irelands interim chief technology officer. The trials will be conducted with equipment given to 250 homes and businesses in the four counties. It will consist of an external antenna installed at the triallists house which will be connected directly to a home wifi router that picks up the dedicated 3.6Ghz spectrum. The operator is using its 3.6GHz spectrum, earmarked for high speed wireless connections. This will be a network dedicated to handling only the broadband traffic of these fixed wireless customers, thereby enhancing their experience, said a company statement. The aim of the trial is to explore the possibility of operating a dedicated rural wireless network where customers are connected to the internet on a Vodafone wireless broadband connection. The move comes after Vodafone set up its first 5G cell in Dublins docklands on a trial basis. The single cell, using the 3.6GHz band of spectrum, is to be tested by research students from universities and Vodafones own staff in the area. Last month, Ericsson announced a 5G wifi router that can translate a 5G signal into high speed mobile broadband for existing laptops, phones and tablets. The device is expected to be launched for sale in Ireland next year. Meanwhile, the telecoms regulator, Comreg, has delayed the release of a mobile blackspot map in Ireland until 2019. The watchdog had planned to release a map showing the strongest and weakest areas of mobile coverage across the country this month. Comreg has made considerable progress with the mobile coverage map and is in the final stages of testing and validation, a spokesman told Independent.ie. We plan to release a version to the mobile network operators in the coming days. Subject to any identified issues being addressed as appropriate, we expect to make the map available to the public in the new year. The map is based on an estimation by Comreg, together with input from mobile operators, rather than its own field testing. The mast data is coming from the operators, Comreg commissioner Jeremy Godfrey recently told this newspaper when explaining how the map would be calculated. Then Comregs own analysis will use detailed engineering models to calculate down to cells of ten square metres. The idea is that people can select a place and select a network and it will tell them based on Comregs information whether they are likely or unlikely to get coverage there. He said that the data will initially be available to browse on a website rather than an app. At present, the regulator Comreg does not know where many of the countrys blackspots are due to limited testing ability across Ireland. Mobile phone licences at present only require operators to cover up to 90pc of the population, with no geographical coverage stipulation. This has left thousands of notorious black spots around the country. In some cases attempts to build masts have been rejected by local residents. Earlier this year, the government claimed to be establishing a Blackspots Focus Group that would identify specific categories of locations where high quality mobile coverage should be available, and inform future policy to address critical blackspot locations. A top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver at the request of US authorities sparked a diplomatic dispute. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces US claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted C$10m (6.6m) bail to Meng, who has been jailed since her arrest on December 1. The courtroom erupted in applause when the decision was announced. Meng cried and hugged her lawyers. Among conditions of her bail, the 46-year-old executive must wear an ankle monitor and stay at home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Five friends pledged equity in their homes and other money as a guarantee she will not flee. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canada's justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the United States. 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 arrest of Meng has put a further dampener on Chinese relations with the United States and Canada at a time when tensions were already high over an ongoing trade war and US accusations of Chinese spying. US President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene in the US Justice Department's case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately, and analysts have said retaliation from Beijing over the arrest was likely. The US State Department is considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens, two sources said on Tuesday. The Canadian government was considering issuing a similar warning, Canada's CTV network reported. Reuters was not able to confirm the report. Earlier on Tuesday, the Canadian government said that one of its citizens in China had been detained. Two sources told Reuters the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. However, Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: "In China there are no coincidences ... If they want to send you a message they will send you a message." The Chinese embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment. ELECTRONIC MONITORING Meng, who was arrested as she was changing planes in Vancouver, has said she is innocent and will contest the allegations in the United States if she is extradited. Tuesday was the third day of bail hearings. Meng's defense had argued that she was not a flight risk, citing her longstanding ties to Canada, properties she owns in Vancouver and fears for her health while incarcerated. Her family assured the court she would remain in Vancouver at one of her family houses in an affluent neighbourhood. Her husband said he plans to bring the couple's daughter to Vancouver to attend school, and Meng had said she would be grateful for the chance to read a novel after years of working hard. "I am satisfied that on the particular facts of this case ... the risk of her non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing bail conditions," said the judge, adding that he was also persuaded by the fact that Meng was a well-educated businesswoman with no criminal record. She must remain in Canada and be accompanied by security guards when she leaves her residence. Meng will pay a cash deposit of C$7m, with five guarantors liable for a remaining C$3m if she absconds. Meng was ordered to reappear in court on February 6 to make plans for further appearances. Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a "timely resolution" of the case. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and US legal systems will reach a just conclusion," it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. The case against Meng stems from a 2013 Reuters about Huawei's close ties to Hong Kong-based Skycom Tech, which attempted to sell US equipment to Iran despite US and European Union bans. Huawei is the world's largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment and second-biggest maker of smartphones, with revenue of about $92bn last year. Unlike other big Chinese technology firms, it does much of its business overseas. China's largest shipping group, Cosco Shipping, is considering raising capital for the first time on the London Stock Exchange through a new initiative with Shanghai's bourse, according to two finance sources familiar with the matter. China increasingly dominates global shipping routes - seven of the 10 busiest container ports are in the country. The Shanghai-London Stock Connect will enable Chinese companies to raise fresh money on the LSE through issuing global depository receipts (GDR), which could boost momentum amid concerns that Brexit might dent the City of London's leading position in financial markets. Meanwhile, Maersk - the world's biggest container shipper - aims to be carbon neutral by 2050, in a challenge to the rest of the world's fossil fuel-dependent fleet. The shipping industry, which carries around 80 pc of global trade, accounts for 2.2pc of CO2 emissions, the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) says. But along with aviation, it avoided specific emissions-cutting targets in a 2015 global climate pact which aims to limit a global average rise in temperature. Back in London, the LSE is hoping to get a boost from China as the world's fastest-growing capital market. The sources, who declined to be identified citing sensitivity, said Cosco Shipping, which is Shanghai and Hong Kong listed, was examining the possibility of issuing GDRs in London. No decision had been taken yet, partly as it would also require Chinese regulatory approval. "Any capital raising would be large to make it worthwhile and also to bolster connections with foreign investors," one of the sources said. The second source added: "For political reasons as well, London would be a preferable capital destination for Cosco rather than New York, for instance." Cosco, which has an estimated market capitalisation in Shanghai of $5.5bn, did not respond to requests for comment. Developing a tie-up between Shanghai and London is the latest in a series of efforts by China to gradually bring its vast stock markets into the world trading system. However, the arrest this week of a top executive of China's Huawei in Canada and her possible extradition to the United States has roiled global stock markets on fears the move could escalate a trade war between Washington and Beijing after a truce was agreed days earlier between President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Cosco, which is the world's number three container shipping line, is still contending with pressured markets and has been looking at expanding its activities globally. Christian Bale, left, and Sibi Blazic arrive at the world premiere of Vice (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Christian Bale has revealed what went down the one and only time he met Donald Trump. The British actor (44) is currently playing controversial US politician Dick Cheney, President Bush's vice president, in Adam McKay's latest film Vice. Speaking on the red carpet at the film's premiere in Los Angeles, he revealed he met Donald Trump, before he was president, while he was filming The Dark Knight Rises in 2011. "I met him, one time," he told Variety. "We were filming on Batman in Trump Tower and he said, 'Come on up to the office'. Expand Close Sam Rockwell, from left, Amy Adams, writer/director Adam McKay, Christian Bale and Steve Carell arrive at the world premiere of Vice (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sam Rockwell, from left, Amy Adams, writer/director Adam McKay, Christian Bale and Steve Carell arrive at the world premiere of Vice (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) "I think he thought I was Bruce Wayne because I was dressed as Bruce Wayne," he joked. "So he talked to me like I was Bruce Wayne and I just went along with it, really. It was quite entertaining. I had no idea at the time that he would think about running for president." Expand Close Christian Bale, left, and Sibi Blazic arrive at the world premiere of Vice (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christian Bale, left, and Sibi Blazic arrive at the world premiere of Vice (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Bale piled on a reported 40 lbs to play Cheney. Previously the actor underwent dramatic weight for his role in The Machinist, before piling on the pounds again to play Batman. However, speaking at the premiere, he said he probably won't endure such dramatic weight fluctuations for roles in future. Expand Close Adam McKay is the director and writer of Vice (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Adam McKay is the director and writer of Vice (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Everything hurts now, Ive got to really start thinking about if I can manage this again and the answer is probably no," he told the Press Association. Cheney played a key role in the White Houses response to the September 11 attacks and the ensuing war on terror and Bale researched him extensively ahead of his performance. Video of the Day He said he was surprised by aspects of his character and suggested he would never have pursued a career in politics if it was not for his wife, Lynne. He was a wonderful family man, he was a great dad, he was an avid reader, he has a brain like a vice, he constantly reads history, he was a very laidback youth, he would have been very happy to be a lineman in Wyoming if he hadnt met Lynne, who said no, that doesnt cut it, you need some ambition," he said. What would have been if they hadnt met? Bale hopes the former vice president will find something to enjoy in the film. Hopefully hell certainly find it entertaining, at the very least. Hes very thick-skinned, he has no remorse or regrets about what hes done, he always says Id do it again in a minute," he said. He doesnt back down. He doesnt apologise about anything so I think hes a thick-skinned guy and Id love to hear his thoughts. Hes a very intelligent individual, no matter what your thoughts are about him. Vice, written and directed by Adam McKay, stars Carell as former US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld, Adams as Cheneys wife, Lynne, and Sam Rockwell as President Bush. McKay, who worked with Bale on 2015s The Big Short, which examined the 2007 financial crisis, hopes the film can help reevaluate the Bush administrations legacy. He said: I feel theres an open debate right now in the United States, theres a lot of confusion about where we are, how did we get here. With this movie, first and foremost, its a character portrait and brilliantly done by Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Sam Rockwell and everyone. But second off, it reminds us, we went through this. Theres nothing very debatable about it, it all happened. And its going to be funny to see some people want to debate it, but it happened. I just feel like we all need to have a sure footing about how we got here through history. Vice is set to be released in the UK and Ireland on February 1, 2019. Additional reporting by PA. Suspected child abusers were at "all levels" within scouting organisations and there is evidence some moved to other scouts groups after allegations were made about them. The latest revelations from a Scouting Ireland review of historical abuse claims have been described by the organisation as "deeply shocking and distressing for everyone involved in scouting". Children's Minister Katherine Zappone expressed "grave concern" at the soaring numbers of alleged victims and perpetrators being identified. The figures now stand at 317 alleged victims and 212 suspected perpetrators over a period spanning 70 years. Most of the cases date from the 1960s to the 1990s. The number of victims has tripled in the three weeks since the scandal first emerged as more people come forward reporting abuse. The scale of the alleged abuse was revealed after Scouting Ireland met gardai and Tusla, the child and family agency, to provide an interim update on child safeguarding expert Ian Elliot's investigation into historical cases. The allegations relate to former organisations the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI) and the Scouting Association of Ireland (SAI). A Scouting Ireland statement last night said: "Young people in the care of these organisations were abused, sexually and physically. The alleged perpetrators were at all levels within the organisations. "There is evidence of alleged perpetrators being moved within scout groups." The statement added: "The stories emerging are difficult for those telling them. "We are deeply sorry that anyone who would have expected to be safe in these organisations were not." It sought to assure those who have come forward that Scouting Ireland is taking all allegations seriously. Scouting Ireland, which was founded in 2004, said it "inherited this situation and is now dealing with its consequences". It said it is working closely with gardai and Tusla to ensure all complaints against alleged perpetrators who are still living are investigated thoroughly and "appropriate action taken as necessary". The statement said gardai have full access to all information held by Scouting Ireland. Scouting Ireland said the organisation recognises the trauma suffered by the alleged victims and is providing counselling support for those who wish to receive it. Emergency financial measures are being considered by the organisation to provide resources and support. Scouting Ireland has revised its policies and procedures on the advice of Mr Elliot to strengthen safeguarding. "The safeguarding of children and adults is the number one priority of the board and the executive team," it said. Safer "We thank those who have come forward and shared information with us. "It means we can take action and become a stronger and safer organisation as a result." Ms Zappone said the increase in the number of alleged victims and perpetrators "once again underline the serious challenges facing Scouting Ireland". She predicted the numbers coming forward will increase and said: "Supporting victims is my top priority." The Scouting Ireland confidential freephone helpline is 1800 221199. Tusla's confidential helpline is 1800 805665. An Estonian hitman who was contracted by an international crime cartel and boasted to his associates in coded text messages that he would take out his target with "one shot to the head" has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt said today that Imre Arakas agreed to the "vital role" of pulling the trigger and he had been prepared to offer his "own detail" on how the murder was to be performed. He was ready, willing and able in this dedicated role, remarked the judge. Ex-wrestler and father-of-two Imre Arakas is a former Estonian separatist who the three-judge court heard had been "scarred and marked deeply" by imprisonment in Russia. The contract killer bought a wig in Dublin city and used an encrypted Blackberry phone to receive information about the movements and location of James Gately in Northern Ireland. He also requested a silencer for the attack. Imre Arakas (60), with an address in Sopruse, Tallinn, Estonia, admitted last month to conspiring with others not before the court to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3rd and April 4th last year, contrary to Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The maximum sentence for the offence is ten years in prison. Passing sentence today, Mr Justice Hunt said the conspiracy in this case was directed at the commission of the most serious offence of murder. This murder was planned in a very sophisticated manner and in the context of an on-going feud, he said, adding that it involved long-range planning, surveillance and the deployment of significant technology and resources. The judge said Arakas agreed to the vital role of pulling the trigger for financial gain or for it to be "set-off against a larger sum which he owed. Without his involvement the planning would have been useless, Mr Justice Hunt said. Gardai learned that a fairly significant five figure sum of money was to be paid to Arakas for the hit on Gately. However, the contracted hitman owed a debt which was considerable larger than the amount he was going to get paid and this would have been set against the figure. Referring to Arakas, the judge noted that he had been recruited from abroad, had travelled to this country for the purpose of killing Mr Gately and the message thread showed he was prepared to offer his own detail on how the murder was to be performed. Mr Justice Hunt said this offence was not carried out in the end because of the excellent work from gardai, who had prevented "another execution type of murder", rather than any constraint by the defendant. The judge complimented the "quick-thinking" action by Garda Sean O'Neill, who retrieved text messages from a phone seized during Arakas' arrest and without whom the prosecution of this offence would have been made more difficult. This murder was stopped because of gardai and not the unwillingness of Arakas, Mr Justice Hunt said, adding that there was a strong factual case against the defendant with much time, effort and resources devoted by gardai. Having regard to the gravity of the offence, the judge said the headline sentence was nine years in prison. He noted that defence counsel for Arakas, Michael Bowman SC, had made a careful plea in mitigation and identified his guilty plea as the most significant mitigating factor. This plea had a significant value although it was not entered at the earliest time," the judge remarked. Mr Justice Hunt said Arakas had some serious previous convictions but they were committed in a very different legal context some time ago. The defendant has four previous convictions which include causing deliberate bodily harm, escaping from prison and unlawful handling of firearms. Other mitigating factors in sentencing, Mr Justice Hunt said, were his significant health difficulties, his cooperation with the investigation, his limited supply of support in this jurisdiction and the fact he was not in good health. The judge said a governors report from Portlaoise Prison outlined the defendant was serving his sentence in a segregated block. We accept his time in custody will be somewhat more difficult than a prisoner who is younger and in good health, he indicated. His barrister had previously submitted to the non-jury court that Arakas had found his period in custody difficult because his health was failing and he is a foreign national. The judge said Arakas was entitled to a combined discount of three years for these mitigating factors. Sentencing the defendant today, Mr Justice Hunt sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge Cormac Dunne, sentenced Arakas to six years imprisonment, backdated to April 4, 2017 when he went into custody. In conclusion, Mr Justice Hunt noted that Arakas was essential to the plan and determined. Dressed in a blue sleeved vest and wearing his silver hair long to his shoulders, Arakas sat in the dock facing the court and did not react when the sentence was revealed. However, he enthusiastically shook hands with his lawyers after the sentence was handed down. Speaking outside the Criminal Courts of Justice today, Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland, of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said today's conviction is part of An Garda Siochana's "continued relentless pursuit" of people who are willing to target others for assassination. "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues in Europol and our colleagues in the police service of Northern Ireland and also the members of An Garda Siochana without whose commitment and dedication this murderous conspiracy would have succeeded. An Garda Siochana will continue to invest the necessary resources to ensure others who are involved in this conspiracy are brought before justice in the Irish courts and that our communities are kept safe from people who are willing to target for murder for financial gain," he said. Defence counsel for Arakas previously submitted to the court that his client was not at the apex of the organisation and had no act or part in the operational part of it. He said Arakas would be willing to leave Ireland as soon as he was released from custody. The High Court endorsed a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) from Lithuania in February this year in relation to serious charges Arakas will face there once his jail term is completed in Ireland. Tough Christmas: Reporter Ken Sweeney said his elbow was in a plaster cast during his Chistmas dinner. Photo: Courtpix A showbiz journalist who claimed he tripped on a step at the Helix Theatre in Dublin dislocating his elbow while attending a Christmas panto has settled his High Court action. Irish Sun journalist Kenneth Sweeney told the court on Tuesday 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 in to 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. Mr Sweeney said a second step was lit up but the first step was not. Mr Sweeney (52) Newtownparks, Skerries, Co Dublin, had sued Dublin City University, operators of the Helix Theatre over the accident on November 30, 2014. He 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 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 were denied. When the case resumed on Wednesday, Mr Justice Michael Hanna was told it had been settled. The terms were not disclosed. TWO cancer sufferers charged in connection with the transfer of nearly 3.5m worth of cocaine in buckets between cars in west Dublin have been refused bail. Bernardus Jozef Scherrenberg (47) and Sugeidys Huve (40), both travelled by ferry from Holland and were arrested by gardai who were carrying out a surveillance operation in the west of the city, a court heard. It is alleged Mr Scherrenber was "caught in the act" handing over five buckets of the drug, while Ms Huve remained in the car which contained another two tubs of cocaine. Judge Michael Walsh denied them bail at Dublin District Court and remanded them in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court on December 19. The accused, both resident in the Netherlands, are charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell or supply at B&Q car park, near Liffey Valley retail centre on December 6. The court heard they were arrested in connection with the seizure of 49kg of cocaine. Gardai said the accused travelled by ferry from Holland through the UK and arrived in Dublin Port in the same car at 4.30pm on December 6. They were due to leave at 8.05am the next morning. Gardai mounted an intelligence led surveillace operation on foot of confidential information that there was going to be a drugs handover, the court heard. Det Gda Stephen Gillespie of Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau objected to bail in Mr Scherrenbergs case. It was alleged he was caught in the act transferring five white buckets, each containing seven kilos of suspected cocaine from the back of the car he was driving to a second vehicle. Det Gda Wesley Kenny said it was alleged Ms Huve was a passenger in the car when the driver was seen meeting two men in another vehicle and transferring the five tubs of cocaine. She remained in the car and was the only person in it when it contained two more tubs, each holding seven kilos of cocaine, Gda Kenny said. Ms Huve was originally from the Dominican Republic but living in Holland. The court heard neither accused had any ties to this jurisdiction and gardai feared they would be flight risks if granted bail. A comprehensive investigation file was being prepared and further charges were likely, the court heard. Mr Scherrenberg was recently married in the Netherlands and his wife and other family members were in court to support him, defence solicitor Michael French said. Mr French said Mr Scherrenberg had stated in garda interview he was not aware of the extent of the alleged substances involved. He was prepared to provide substantial cash bail, stay with family friends at Bath Avenue in Sandymount and abide by bail conditions. Mr Scherrenberg, a father-of-two suffered from cancer and was receiving ongoing treatment in Holland, Mr French said. Ms Huve, a mother-of-three had Thyroid cancer, he said. In garda interview, she denied having any hand act or part in the alleged offences. Remanding them both in custody, for the directions of the DPP, Judge Walsh directed that they receive all necessary medical treatment. Two other men have also been before the courts charged in connection with the drug seizure. An Irish woman who killed her fiance in Sydney told a judge she did not leave the "controlling and fairly unpleasant" man as she loved him dearly. "I honestly thought he was going to change," said Cathrina 'Tina' Cahill at her sentence hearing in the NSW Supreme Court. "He was someone I did love and adore." The 27-year-old has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Walsh (29) who she stabbed once in the neck in the early hours of February 18, 2017, at the Padstow home they shared with two other Irish nationals. Her plea was based on substantial impairment due to an abnormality of the mind. At the time, she was on a good behaviour bond and the subject of an apprehended violence order issued to protect Mr Walsh, after she was convicted of recklessly wounding him with a glass candle holder in 2015. Cahill previously gave evidence about his repeated violence, including punching strangers and biting her, his accusations of her sleeping with other men, and deleting texts from her phone. The court heard she had packed her bags many times, but Mr Walsh would tell her things would be different. "He would be making me dinner, buying me flowers, buying me a teddy bear but after two to three weeks it would go back to the way it was." She agreed with Justice Peter Johnson that her evidence revealed a "pretty stormy relationship" and that Mr Walsh might be seen to be a "controlling and fairly unpleasant person". But she said she stayed with him as "I loved him very dearly". The fatal attack occurred when an intoxicated Mr Walsh launched an unprovoked attack on a man invited into the home by Cahill and the two other female housemates. Cahill, who also had been drinking, was punched by her fiance when trying to stop the attack, before she took out a "large, very sharp, bladed knife" and stabbed him. Justice Johnson will sentence Cahill on December 12. Laboratories commissioned to carry out screening tests for CervicalCheck are to be subject to more monitoring and quality assurance rules. The proposal is contained in a new plan to implement the recommendations of the report into the CervicalCheck scandal carried out by Dr Gabriel Scally. Central to the changes will be more oversight of laboratories which are at the centre of audits showing women who developed cervical cancer had previously received wrong smear test results. Mr Scally's report was published in September and the implementation plan has been approved by Government. His report said the laboratories used by CervicalCheck were safe but he was scathing about the screening programme's quality assurance systems. The laboratories had also not been visited for four years. The plan comes as the 221+ support group, representing CervicalCheck victims, criticised Health Minister Simon Harris for calling off a meeting he was due to have with them yesterday, only telling them of the cancellation on Monday evening. Mr Harris, who had to be in the Seanad to hear the debate on proposed abortion legislation, apologised for the cancellation. Under the implementation plan, the HSE is to carry out market soundings every four years so that it does not become reliant on a small number of laboratories. It also proposes to improve quality assurance systems after they were severely criticised in the Scally report. The plan, which sets out 126 actions, also promises to have a firm policy of open disclosure. The Scally report said the existing policy by the HSE and State Claims Agency was contradictory and unsatisfactory. The implementation plan refers to the Patient Safety Bill, the general scheme of which was published earlier this year and is currently being drafted. The establishment of an independent patient safety council, which will undertake a review of open disclosure policies, is in progress. The plan which has been evaluated by Dr Scally has suggested some timelines may be too ambitious. Overseen Mr Harris said the development of the plan was overseen by the CervicalCheck steering committee, established in June to provide oversight and assurance in relation to managing the response to the CervicalCheck issues. The next step is to introduce HPV testing to reduce the chances of wrong test readings after slides are sent to laboratories. In future, the HPV test will be the primary screening test and women whose samples show HPV infection will be triaged using cytology to determine if there are any abnormal cell changes. The extent to which HPV testing can be done in Ireland is being assessed but some tests will again have to be outsourced to labs abroad. Consumers have been urged to be vigilant when purchasing high-end leading brands of beauty products on sale through certain outlets such as markets and websites at Christmas. Christmas is a time when counterfeit cosmetic products, which can be harmful to human health, have been identified in Ireland. The warning from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), the medicines watchdog, who said last year that a significant quantity of 728 products of counterfeit and imitation cosmetics were detained. The majority of these products consisted of eye shadows and lip products, and subsequent tests identified that some contained harmful substances such as arsenic and lead. Some of these products were purchased online from websites based outside of the EU and sold to Irish consumers online and through social media. They were also found in some trade shows and at markets throughout the country. Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner and Urban Decay were among some of the counterfeit cosmetic brands which were found to contain these illegal substances in 2017. Emer ONeill, Cosmetics Product Manager, HPRA, said:We cant emphasise enough the need for consumers to exercise caution and to be vigilant when purchasing cosmetics this Christmas. While it may be tempting to avail of cheaper prices, counterfeit products could cost you your health. "Unfortunately, the Christmas season is generally the peak time of year for rogue sellers of counterfeit products, which are often found when purchasing products online or from temporary stalls or outlets." Ms O'Neill added that consumers should be wary that the dangers of cheaper products are unknown, with some potentially containing "toxic" ingredients. "Shoppers are strongly urged to apply common sense and to ask themselves; if a product seems very cheap, is it really likely to be the genuine article? The danger of counterfeit products is that their quality and safety is not known, she said. It is extremely concerning that highly toxic substances, such as arsenic and lead, have previously been detected in some products. Prolonged exposure to both of these banned substances can severely damage health causing potential harm to the brain and kidneys, among other organs. The suppliers of these products are unconcerned about the health of the consumers who purchase them. "If you are unsure, suspicious, or if a product is much cheaper than in a high street store or pharmacy, the HPRA strongly advise against taking the risk. "Legitimate products are always the safest option. Beauty brands usually list their licensed retailers on their websites and this is the best way for consumers to ensure that they are purchasing a legitimate cosmetic product. HPRA advice on how to spot a counterfeit cosmetic; Is it significantly cheaper than on the high street? Is the distributor reliable? Beauty brands usually list their licenced sellers on their website. Physically check counterfeit cosmetics for: Uneven fill levels e.g. in eye-shadow palettes Faded packaging Misspelling on the packaging or in the information leaflet Slight differences in the name of the product or shade A different print (font or style) on the container Mirrors that dont quite fit or are of bad quality The HPRA always advises consumers to: Let down: Jennifer and Conor Blighe were unhappy Simon Harris cancelled the meeting. Picture: Collins Victims of the CervicalCheck scandal staged a protest at Leinster House yesterday after Health Minister Simon Harris cancelled a meeting with them at short notice. Members of the 221+ CervicalCheck patient support group had been due to meet Mr Harris yesterday to discuss developments in the case, eight months after the mishandling of smear test results first emerged. But they were told on Monday evening that he would have to postpone the meeting because he needed to be in the Seanad for the abortion legislation debate. Among the protesters were Dublin couple Jennifer and Conor Blighe. Ms Blighe was given two wrong test results after undergoing cervical screening in 2010 and 2013. She was only diagnosed with cervical 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 one of the issues they had wanted to raise was the ongoing delay some women are still experiencing in securing access to their slides. Mr Blighe said the last-minute cancellation had caused serious disruption to several women and their families, some of whom had travelled to Dublin on Monday in order to ensure that 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," he said. "Already 20 women have died and many more are very unwell and could not make the journey." One of the leading campaigners on the issue, Stephen Teap, also criticised the cancellation, saying it was "insensitive to those who have been through enough". A spokeswoman for the minister apologised and said the meeting was rescheduled to January 31. She said the postponement was "unfortunately, unavoidable due to the significant time commitment required for the passage of legislation on termination of pregnancy in the Seanad". Leaving role: Interim HSE director general John Connaghan is taking up a post in his native Scotland. Photo: Frank McGrath The HSE has lost its second boss in just over six months. The interim director general, John Connaghan, is leaving at the end of December to take up a new post in his native Scotland. In May the HSE's previous chief, Tony O'Brien, 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. It comes as the HSE faces into the winter trolley crisis, which is set to escalate at the end of December and early January. Deputy director general Anne O'Connor - the executive in charge of managing the trolley crisis - is to temporarily step in to the chief's role. Health Minister Simon Harris paid tribute to Mr Connaghan, who he said had shown "exemplary leadership". He thanked him for his commitment and dedication to the role and wished him the best in his new position. He also thanked Ms O'Connor for her "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 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 group's Dublin headquarters yesterday he was "deeply concerned" about the allegations. INM publishes a number of leading titles, including the Irish Independent. It has been alleged Mr Doorly's predecessor as chief executive, Robert Pitt, ordered a search of hard drives and emails of up to six editors after details of an internal memo were published in 'The Phoenix' magazine. Mr Pitt has declined to comment on the claims, outlined in a letter sent by IT consultant Derek Mizak to the Data Protection Commissioner. 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. 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 was prompted by protected disclosures by Mr Pitt and INM chief financial officer Ryan Preston, and led to the appointment of High Court inspectors to the company in September. Mr Doorly said INM was now going to suggest to the inspectors that they investigate Mr Mizak's claims. The matter is already being examined by the Data Protection Commissioner, who received correspondence from Mr Mizak on November 26. Mr Doorly said the claims would also be investigated as part of a review being conducted for INM by consultancy firm Deloitte. "I will do all in my power to find out exactly what happened here," said Mr Doorly. 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 co-operating with it. Mr Doorly said that while there had been an awareness of some other issues contained in Mr Mizak's letter, he had not previously known about the alleged 2015 incident. During the meeting, Mr Doorly sought to reassure staff that their data was safe. But he declined to answer questions from staff about rumoured redundancies in the new year. 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 in 2014, allegedly authorised by then INM chairman Leslie Buckley and paid for by a company owned by INM's largest shareholder, Denis O'Brien. Mr Buckley denies any wrongdoing, while Mr O'Brien has yet to comment. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside 10 Downing Street in central London after winning a confidence vote on December 12, 2018. (Photo by Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP)DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to get "legal and political assurances" on the backstop from EU leaders after she survived a challenge to her leadership of the Conservative party. Conservative MPs voted by 200 to 117 in the secret ballot in Westminster to keep Mrs May as party leader. Failure in the ballot would have triggered a leadership contest in which Mrs May could not stand. But because she has won, another challenge cannot be mounted against her position as Conservative leader for a year. It is a boost for the embattled politician as she attempts to push a hugely-controversial Brexit withdrawal agreement through the House of Commons. Expand Close Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in 10 Downing Street, London, after she survived an attempt by Tory MPs to oust her with a vote of no confidence. Photo credit: Victoria Jones/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in 10 Downing Street, London, after she survived an attempt by Tory MPs to oust her with a vote of no confidence. Photo credit: Victoria Jones/PA Wire Mrs May told Conservative MPs she will not lead the party into the next general election, but said she wants to stay on to deliver her Brexit deal. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street following the vote, Mrs May insisted she would listen to MPs concerns over the backstop, an issue which has caused huge division among her party. She told reporters that she would be seeking "legal and political assurances" from EU leaders on the backstop arrangement over the border. She said: "For my part, I have heard what the House of Commons said about the Northern Ireland backstop and when I go to the European Council tomorrow I will be seeking legal and political assurances that will assuage the concerns that members of Parliament have on that issue." Expand Close Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived an attempt by Tory MPs to oust her as party leader. Photo credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived an attempt by Tory MPs to oust her as party leader. Photo credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire Mrs May accepted that a significant number of Tory MPs had voted against her but said she now wanted to get on with the job. "Following this ballot, we now have to get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people and building a better future for this country," she added. Nigel Dodds, Deputy Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, tweeted: "The message from tonight is very clear. The Backstop must go." Dodds said he held a "good meeting" with May before the confidence vote in the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee. Expand Close Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks to the media next to Parliament. NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks to the media next to Parliament. NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images "She understands what, I think, our concerns are about the legally binding nature of the indefinite arrangements that we would be tied into and the difficulties that would pose for Northern Ireland," he said. "Whether or not she delivers anything that changes that remains to be seen," Dodds said. "We will wait and see. The noises coming out of Europe from some of the member state governments don't sound too promising but on the other hand she has made commitments tonight to the 1922 Committee and to us, so we will wait and see." Following the vote, prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the European Research Group, said the result was "terrible" for Theresa May and she should resign. Mr Rees-Mogg told the BBC: "It's a terrible result for the Prime Minister, it really is." With the "payroll vote" of ministers, parliamentary aides and trade envoys all likely to have backed Mrs May, a majority of the remaining 160-170 backbenchers voted no confidence in her, he said. "Of course I accept this result, but the Prime Minister must realise that under all constitutional norms, she ought to go to see the Queen urgently and resign. Expand Close Dramatic scenes: Prime Minister Theresa May makes her statement in the Commons delaying the Brexit vote. Photo: AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dramatic scenes: Prime Minister Theresa May makes her statement in the Commons delaying the Brexit vote. Photo: AFP/Getty Images "Constitutionally if a Prime Minister can't get her business through the House of Commons - and on Monday the Prime Minister got up and said she was going to lose so heavily she wasn't even going to call the vote - and then discovers that the overwhelming majority of her backbenchers have voted against her, she clearly doesn't have the confidence of the House of Commons and she should make way for someone who does." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May will now have to bring her "dismal" Brexit deal back to the House of Commons. "Tonight's vote makes no difference to the lives of our people," Corbyn said in a statement. "She must now bring her dismal deal back to the House of Commons next week so Parliament can take back control." next week so Parliament can take back control." Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "We now have a lame-duck Prime Minister and are saddled with a lame-duck Brexit deal." The reaction was different among European leaders though as Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz welcomed the result. He said: "Glad about the outcome of tonight's vote in the UK. Looking forward to seeing Theresa May tomorrow. "Our shared goal is to avoid a no-deal scenario." Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker insisted tonight that the withdrawal agreement "cannot be reopened or contradicted". The pair spoke by telephone on Wednesday evening and a Government spokesman said "both agreed that the withdrawal agreement is a balanced compromise and the best outcome available". "While they agreed to work to provide reassurance to the UK, the agreement cannot be reopened or contradicted," the spokesman said. Earlier, Mrs May received an enthusiastic welcome as she addressed Conservative MPs at the backbench 1922 Committee moments before the crucial vote began at 6pm, with backers banging their desks to show their support. Afterwards, solicitor general Robert Buckland told reporters: "She said 'In my heart I would like to lead the party into the next election' and then that was the introductory phrase to her indication that she would accept the fact that that would not happen, that is not her intention." And British Cabinet minister Amber Rudd said: "She was very clear that she won't be taking the general election in 2022." Other MPs indicated that Mrs May had promised to find a "legally binding solution" to ensuring that the UK does not get permanently trapped in a backstop arrangement to keep the Irish border open after Brexit. Anger over the backstop among Conservative backbenchers and their Democratic Unionist Party allies was the main obstacle to Mrs May getting her Brexit deal through the House of Commons earlier this week. Her decision to defer the vote sparked a new wave of letters of no confidence which pushed the total beyond the threshold of 48 needed to trigger a ballot. DUP leader Arlene Foster, who met Mrs May shortly before the vote, insisted that "tinkering around the edges" of the Prime Minister's EU Withdrawal Agreement would not be enough to win her party's support for the deal. Mrs Foster, whose 10 MPs prop up the minority Conservative administration, said she told the PM that "we were not seeking assurances or promises, we wanted fundamental legal text changes". Tenants could be able to see what their neighbours are paying for their homes under plans to expose rogue landlords charging rip-off rents. The plans for a rent register from part of a package of measures were brought to Cabinet yesterday, beefing up the powers of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Unscrupulous landlords who breach the strict rules on rent caps in rent pressure zones around the country now face criminal sanction and hefty penalties of up to 30,000. Work is also under way to legislate for the rental register, which would see rents paid on private properties published on a house by house basis. The register would likely take the form of an online database. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said: "Enhanced rent transparency is our goal and an important one." The Attorney General is looking at the proposal now and it is hoped an amendment to existing tenancy law can bring about the change, provided it is in line with data protection rules. The annual registration of tenancies will also be required under the new laws - and landlords also face sanction for not registering a tenancy. But a register on rent amounts and possible changes to the law in relation to student accommodation are still being teased out and will be added as new amendments as the bill works its way through the Oireachtas. Mr Murphy said he was keen to publish the law soon "to let everyone know the Government is serious in its intent to stamp out any improper conduct by landlords, particularly with regard to flouting the rent increase restrictions". Labour Party housing spokesperson Jan O'Sullivan described the bill as "half-baked" and hit out at the lack of certainty on the register. "While there are positives in this Bill, it is a half-baked response to the crisis in the private rental sector where comprehensive protections are urgently needed," she said. A plunge in shares has wiped 4bn off the value of the State's stake in bailed-out banks this year. The massive drop in value raises a serious question mark over the Government's policy of holding on to the bank stakes for so long. Shares in AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB have been battered, with the markets rattled by Brexit and fears of a full scale US-China trade war. The plunge means the prospect of recovering the costs of rescuing those banks is becoming more difficult. Owen Callan, who analyses the banking sector for Investec, said the banks' shares "were a long way" from high points seen a year ago. "It's going to be quite a long time, I would think, before we're likely to revisit the highs," he said. The value of the State's 71pc shareholding in AIB is down 3.61bn this year. The 14pc stake in Bank of Ireland has lost around 300m and the 75pc stake in Permanent TSB has lost 200m. The timing of a sale is up to the Government, which has always said it would use the proceeds from a share sale to pay down Ireland's large national debt, rather than on areas like health or housing. A Department of Finance spokesman said officials "continue to monitor market developments on an ongoing basis". Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has previously said that for a sale to go ahead, he would "need to be satisfied" that the State would get a fair price for its shares. "I believe that over the medium term we will recoup all of the money that we invested in these banks during the financial crisis," Mr Donohoe said earlier this year. Figures compiled for the Irish Independent in October said the State was down almost 42bn on its attempts to save the banks. Those figures were compiled by adding together the costs of all bank bailouts, and subtracting any money that had been returned to the State. Though the State will not see a return of the cash pumped into Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide, it hopes to recoup and even make a profit on the money invested to save AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB. Value As of yesterday evening, the State's holding in those three banks was valued at a cumulative total of 8.32bn. However, on the last day of trading on the Irish Stock Exchange in 2017, the total across all three banks was 12.4bn. A provision in the Programme for Government said the sale of more than 25pc of a bank by the end of this year was not allowed. A Department of Finance spokesman said no decision had yet been made on whether a similar provision might be included in any new agreement. Mr Callan, of Investec, said that the main drag on the banks' shares had been European and global issues, rather than events in Ireland. But he said domestic Irish issues are negatively affecting banks too, with the housing crisis hampering their ability to grow revenues by lending more mortgages. "We are seeing a bit of a slowdown in the growth in the mortgage market... it's simply just that the houses aren't being completed and aren't coming to the market at a fast enough pace," he said. He added that the Central Bank limits on the amount mortgage hunters can borrow are also having an impact on banks' growth. In addition, expectations that Irish economic growth will be slower next year may hamper the banks too. Much of investor sentiment is driven by events in the US, the world's largest economy. It is currently battling with China over trade. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly railed against China's trade surplus with the US. That means China sells more goods to the US than it buys from it. Mr Trump wants China to buy more US goods to help boost the American economy. (Additional reporting by Bloomberg) An Irish woman who was in a volatile relationship involving aggression on both sides has been jailed for at least five years for stabbing her new fiance to death in Sydney. Cathrina "Tina" Cahill (27) pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Walsh (29) who she stabbed once in the neck in the early hours of February 18, 2017, at the Padstow home they shared with two other Irish nationals. Expand Close Tina Cahill and fiance David Walsh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tina Cahill and fiance David Walsh She was originally charged with murder, but her manslaughter plea was based on substantial impairment due to an abnormality of the mind. "I am satisfied the psychiatric evidence supports the existence of significant depression on the part of the offender at the time of the killing which arose from the unusual and abusive relationship with Mr Walsh," Justice Peter Johnson said on Wednesday in the NSW Supreme Court. He sentenced her to eight years in jail, with a non-parole period of five years. Her earliest release date will be in February 2022 when she is expected to be deported to Ireland. The fatal attack occurred when an intoxicated Mr Walsh launched an unprovoked attack on Mathew Hyde, who had been invited into the home by Cahill and the two other female housemates after they met him at the pub. Cahill, who also had been drinking, tried to stop the attack, before she took out a "large, very sharp" knife from the cutlery drawer and stabbed him. Another housemate had repeatedly told her to put the knife back, but Cahill said: "No, he needs to be taught a lesson, it's not fair, look at poor Mathew". At the time, she was on a good behaviour bond and the subject of an apprehended violence order issued to protect Mr Walsh, after she was convicted of recklessly wounding him with a glass candle holder in 2015. Cahill gave evidence about his repeated violence, including punching strangers and biting her all over her body, his accusations of her sleeping with other men and his deleting texts from her phone. The judge accepted her account of Mr Walsh's controlling and demeaning conduct, observing their marriage was "doomed to fail". Car-value expert Gillian Keogh teams up with Motoring Editor Eddie Cunningham to help you make the right choice with your next purchase. Gillian is Editor of a monthly guidebook on the values of used cars produced by the Motor Trade Publishers team. The team supplies a car-valuing service to the motor trade, insurance companies and finance houses We are looking for advice about the type of car to buy and how to finance it. We have a Citroen Grand Picasso seven-seater, 09D, semi automatic to trade in. It has 120,000km on the clock. It's beginning to give trouble, so we want to change. We are a family of four (two young boys). My wife uses the car mainly. The mileage is less than 15,000km a year. We would like an SUV as my wife prefers the height and big boot. Preference is for low tax options, economical to run, leather seats. We are leaning towards Kia and Hyundai brands. Our budget for a second-hand would be 15k plus whatever we get for a trade-in, or we could go for a new car, where we are thinking we can stretch to repayments of 350 a month. Can you recommend some cars for us and how best to finance them? Gillian: If you have 15k now and add that to your trade-in, you are looking at a 161 Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson. Both come in a good choice of spec, but you would have to shop around for leather seats. If you wanted to stick with seven seats, the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe would fit your budget, but being a larger machine, you would need to come back to a 2013 or 2014 plate, depending on spec. If you then add a loan for 15,000 over five years to keep at the 350/month repayments, you should switch your engine to a petrol. With annual driving of 15,000km, a petrol or hybrid is for you, and I would suggest you look at the Peugeot 3008 or the 5008 for extra space and keeping with a seven-seater. The 3008 would mean a smaller loan and repayment term, so I would start there. I would also suggest a one-year old Toyota RAV4 hybrid. Great ride height, plenty of room and should hold a great resale when the loan is up. Eddie: I don't believe in people stretching, so I'd advise caution and sticking with your budget. On that basis I would go for either a Sportage or a Tucson. You're leaning that way anyway, so who am I to divert you? For something else, maybe think Nissan Qashqai too? We have an imported SEAT Leon 09 1.9 TDi with 100,000km on the clock. I have a company car and my husband drives a van for work. The SEAT is starting to cost us money with nearly 1,000 spent this year - the electrics are not great. Our teenagers drive it and currently mileage is about 5,000km a year. Our youngest will be off to college next year and may drive it occasionally when home. Our budget is 5k. We would probably trade in the SEAT, so whatever we get for that would be added to the 5k. Should we change it? Gillian: You have some lucky teenagers. The Leon has a lot lower than standard mileage and I don't see you having much trouble selling it. I would suggest that you try to sell it privately if you can do without the car for a while. Then, as a cash buyer, you will have plenty of choice, especially with the turn of the year. At that stage, I would recommend you look for something newer and in petrol. I am conscious that the teenagers will not want an old person's car, so how about a Hyundai i30 or Kia cee'd? Although the petrol in both was basic on spec. A Mazda3 is an old reliable and you could come up to a 2013 plate from the 09. An Opel Astra would also be a nice choice, especially if you could get a three-door GTC Sport model. Eddie: What do you want a third car for, so one of your college children can drive it now and again? I think it's bad economics. Sell it, but make sure it is in roadworthy condition. You don't want to endanger a prospective buyer. I'm not so sure about having it for the occasional drive. If you must, I'd go Honda Civic or Mazda3. I'm driving a 152D Citroen C4 Grand Picasso diesel auto with 61,000km. I drive 40,000km a year. I have three kids, aged four, five and seven, and live in the countryside. The car is used for commuting to work four days a week and for weekends and trips away. I'd like to trade in for a newer, seven-seat vehicle with lower mileage and a five or seven-year warranty. I'm open to electric or hybrid and am looking at using my Citroen to trade in against the newer vehicle. Budget 10k-15k with trade-in. Gillian: With your annual driving, you need a diesel. I recommend the new Citroen Grand C4 Space Tourer, which starts at 30k for the Touch edition, up to 35k for the Feel Exclusive in auto. The manufacturer warranty is three years, but like most others there is the option of a two-year extension. If you want a standard five-year warranty, then you need to look at Kia and Hyundai. Kia is seven years but their seven-seat Sorento is over budget new. You could just about squeeze into a two-year-old and get the five years remaining on it. A 171 Hyundai Santa Fe will leave you with three years remaining. I would suggest you also look at a Peugeot 5008. A new model 191 starts at around 34k for a medium spec Active. It is a good family car, especially with three young children all growing up fast. Eddie: Stick with diesel - you need to with your mileage. And stick with Citroen as you'll get a better deal trading like for like. That means it's a SpaceTourer for you. I drive a 2002 Merc C180 automatic. I drive 20km to work on country roads, and up and down to Dublin (from the south east) once a fortnight. The cruise control is handy for the motorway drive. I don't mind whether I have manual or automatic, as I currently spend approx 100 a week on petrol, 800 a year on tax and another few hundred on parts and servicing, I feel it is time to replace the car for something that will ultimately cost the same when repayments and running costs are taken into account. I don't have a budget and would have to borrow, but if the repayments amount to the same or less than I'm spending now, I'm happy. I have two children in booster seats. I tend to go for Mercs as I found this one so reliable. I might consider Audi, Hyundai, Volvo etc. Any advice? Gillian: I think an SUV would be right, and as you mentioned Hyundai, I will start with a Tucson 1.7 dsl. The first plate available is a 152 and will cost around 17/18k in the new year for a Comfort Plus spec. With a five-year warranty as standard, you will still have 18 months remaining. Annual motor tax is 200. A typical loan for this amount over five years will have monthly repayments of around 350. If this is a bit much, I would recommend a Nissan Qashqai. I had the older shape with two kids and found it plenty big with buggies, child seats etc and the running and maintenance costs were low. The newer model arrived in 2014. A 141 SV spec in January should set you back around 14 to 15k, which will bring back the payments to under 300. Sticking with Mercedes, the B Class is priced similarly, but you can go back to a 2012 in this one for around 11k, meaning a smaller borrowing. Eddie: I think you'd really enjoy a Volvo XC60. You'll get a fresh one for 20,000 or so and it really is a lovely piece of work. Lots of safety and comfort equipment. I just have a feeling you'd like it a lot. I'm 24, single and commuting from the midlands to Dublin's west side. I've been getting a lift for a couple of years, but my friend is changing jobs and staying locally. I've a budget of 10,000. I don't want to waste time dragging around dealerships, so could you please give me two cars I should look at? Thank you. Gillian: Just two? That's going to be a challenge as there are so many shapes, sizes, makes, models and engine types to choose from, and 10k is a decent budget. It's hard not to recommend a Toyota Corolla or Ford Focus. Both fit budget in a 2013 plate for a good-spec diesel model. If you don't need something this size, two options in the supermini segment that I would recommend are the Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta. The good thing about these is that you can come up to a 2015 plate and hold onto it for a bit longer without it depreciating too much. They aren't as popular in diesel, so I will also throw in the Skoda Fabia 1.4 diesel. See, I told you picking just two would be hard for me. Eddie: Gillian's recommendations are excellent, but I'd add the Honda Jazz petrol and the Mazda3 petrol. Help us help you We love getting your enquiries and try to reply to as many as possible here or via email. The ones dealt with here often represent a cross section of individual questions. You can help us help you with our free, independent, advice by including the following in your queries: * Budget (including trade-in). * Annual mileage (in kms). * Size of car required (number of seats). * Present car (make, model, year and mileage) if relevant. ecunningham@independent.ie Everyone thinks they know Paris. Romantic getaway. Cultural capital. Historic metropolis. One of the great cities of the world. So, whisper it, a long weekend away in Paris, without the kids. Where to start and just how to make the most it? Unexpectedly, the first thing I had to do was overcome a misunderstanding about the city. Paris, it had always seemed to me on previous trips, was a city that needed the visitor to work a bit. That does not seem unreasonable for a major world capital, but I felt there was an absence of that relaxed breeziness with which you can encounter major landmarks in, say, Rome for example - stumbling upon a Trevi Fountain here, or the Colosseum there. I always thought Paris was a sprawling beast of a city and visiting it was quite a serious business. Expand Close Cormac outside Notre Dame / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cormac outside Notre Dame Every landmark seemed to require a trip to a specific Metro stop and then a walk - perhaps only a brief one - but certainly with no sense of a casual stroll accidentally revealing the city's treasures. I am now quite sure this is simply incorrect, particularly in the age of Google maps. But it depends on having a good base. And, of course, location is everything. There could be few better than the small but perfectly formed Le Roch Hotel and Spa, a 37-room boutique hotel tucked away off in the heart of the city. Located in the 1st arrondissement between the Place de l'Opera and the Place Vendome, it is a little bit of luxury but with a modern, chic and personal touch. The rooms are stunning and you could simply be tempted to leave Paris outside and enjoy your luxury surroundings, with smart technology and beautiful decor. But then that would be to miss out on the opportunity to explore and benefit from the local knowledge of the superb concierge team. Want to stroll to dinner without really having to worry about a reservation and perhaps hop around a few bars to soak up the atmosphere? No problem - they know just the place. Try L'Absinthe or Ecluse or any of the other restaurants and bars around the corner on the Place du Marche. Want to stay put in the hotel and relax? Eat lunch or dinner in the restaurant (depending on the night) and cap it off with an excellent fireside cocktail. Prefer to go 'classic tourist' and hope to get yourself into a popular eatery at no real notice? No problem - they can make a call. That is their job, of course, but they make it seem a pleasure. And then, to cap it all, if you can find a moment, you can burn off some energy in the basement gym - or take a more relaxed view and go for a swim and steam in the spa. Bliss. So with the base sorted, the rest was up to us. ******** We woke on a crisp autumn Monday, ate a relaxed breakfast and decided to take in the sights. It was going to have to be a case of taking in some the classics. So, off to Notre Dame Cathedral. As you do. But it is worth pausing to consider that this stroll is really a journey to the heart of the history of the city. The majestic cathedral (there are huge numbers queuing, some pilgrims, some tourists) is located on the Ile de la Cite, the island on the Seine first inhabited over 2,000 years ago by Celtic tribes, one of which - the Parisii - gave their name to the city, according to the guide book I had bought in any case. (Yes, I know, I bought a guide book. And only read about two pages.) To arrive on Ile de la Cite we crossed the Seine over the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. Strolling back, on the far bank of the Seine, you can cross any number of bridges whose names sound remarkably familiar - and you find yourself outside the Musee du Louvre, the building housing the most famous collection of art in the world, which still seems like something of an understatement. The Louvre is simply remarkable. Remarkable because of the sheer volume of people moving through it. Remarkable because of the scale of what it promises; it is not so much a gallery as a city block. Remarkable because when it comes to it, you find yourself confronted by the Venus de Milo, simply right there, right in front of you. But be clever. Book your tickets online. It saves on most of the queuing. Download the app, which promises to guide you around the labyrinthine galleries and floors. But be warned: you are likely to experience some loss of mobile data due to the sheer volume of visitors - and then find yourself lost. But that's all part of the fun and you will escape eventually. It is somewhat obligatory to see the Mona Lisa but at busy times (yes, we timed it badly), the room is thronged and most visitors queue up not to pause and contemplate da Vinci's masterpiece, rather, they simply have their photograph taken in front of the portrait bearing perhaps the world's most famous smile (it changes, depending on where you look). So, of course, we did that too. There is quite a bit of that - standing in to have your picture taken with a famous landmark or cultural artefact in the background - but then it is Paris. And you simply have to find a cafe and sit and watch the impossibly stylish and elegant world go by. We also chose a classic tourist moment and ate in Cafe De L'Homme, located in the Musee De L'Homme on the Place de la Trocadero, looking over the Eiffel tower. The tower, with its spectacular light display every hour, is just a short stroll away and even with high winds closing its higher reaches that night, it still felt like an essential stop-off on our short hop to Paris. But, while the city is more accessible on foot than I had thought, neither is it small. And it was the autumn. And it was rather cold. So we got a taxi back to the hotel for a nightcap. Time, after all, is short. And time during a weekend away in Paris is particularly precious. Getting there Expand Close Le Roch - perhaps the chicest hotel bar in Paris / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Le Roch - perhaps the chicest hotel bar in Paris Aer Lingus flies to Paris from Dublin and Cork, operating four daily flights from Dublin and a daily service from Cork. Fares start from 39.99 one-way including taxes and charges. Visit aerlingus.com. * Cormac stayed at Le Roch Hotel & Spa www.leroch-hotel.com * Special winter event: Chatka - Le Roch's Slavic Hut, a cosy and cheerful haven nestled on Le Roch's terrace. Available for aperitifs and dinner for 6-8 guests, from Tuesday to Saturday night. For information, please email : events@leroch-hotel.com Entry to the Taj Mahal - one of the world's most exquisite landmarks, and also among the most visited - has soared in price for Indian residents as part of an ongoing government initiative to bring visitor numbers down. As of Monday, an all-inclusive ticket to access the 365-year-old main mausoleum in Agra will rise from 50 rupees (61c) to 250 rupees (3.05) for Indian nationals, and from around 14.50 to 16.50 for foreigners. Domestic tourists make up the vast majority of visitors to the Taj Mahal, and the decision by authorities to increase the entry fee will likely have a significant impact in a country where the average daily wage is just 270 rupees (3.30). The price for international visitors only rose by 15 per cent. "We want people to pay more to limit the footfall," said an official from the Archaeological Survey of India, the government body responsible for its maintenance. "This will cut down the number of visitors to the mausoleum by at least 15-20 percent and generate revenue for its conservation." Expand Close The Taj Mahal in India. PA Photo/thinkstockphotos. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Taj Mahal in India. PA Photo/thinkstockphotos. Earlier this year, in another crowd-control move, the government capped domestic visitor numbers to 40,000 a day. Before this, up to 70,000 tourists would flood the Unesco-listed site on weekends and holidays. The cap was partly sparked by a small stampede at the east entry gate last December that saw five people sustain injuries as late-comers tried to force their way into the complex just before closing time. In July, India's Supreme Court threatened to either shut or even tear down the monument over the failure of the authorities to protect it from degradation, according to AFP. What's the key issue here? Preservation. The Taj Mahal has been suffering for some time under the weight of eight million annual visitors. The pale marble from which it was so carefully crafted is being yellowed by air pollution. The River Yamuna which runs alongside it is dank and contaminated, and the whole site is assaulted by monkeys, who clamber up its facade in great numbers. To protect it from further pollution, motor vehicles are not allowed within 500 metres of the complex, and there are plans to clean the facade and dome, possibly from April 2019. Is it fair to raise the price so high for Indian natives? It's certainly controversial. Imagine the fury if a similar policy was adopted at Stonehenge or Westminster Abbey. Then again, if it's the only way to significantly lower visitor numbers, it could be a necessary evil. "We need to preserve the Taj Mahal for the generations to come," insists India's culture minister Mahesh Sharma, by any means necessary. But will this really make enough of a difference? Possibly not, according to travel writer Chris Leadbeater, who argues: "Even the most rudimentary mathematical calculations show why. Forty thousand domestic tourists a day equates to 14.6 million people over the course of a year - and that is before you add in international visitors. "This suggests that the current official annual head-count of eight million is a massive under-estimate. The Taj Mahal is enormously over-subscribed, and a tinkering with tickets is not going to change this." I want to visit, any tips? India expert Gill Charlton advises: "To see the Taj Mahal with the fewest people, it is best to arrive at the West or East Gates at 6.30am in winter around half an hour before it opens (the South Gate doesnt open until 8am). On reaching the East Gate, you will find four lanes leading to security: foreign women, foreign men, local women and local men. "Joining the queue at 7am can mean a wait of 30 minutes to reach security as a foreigner. If you dont want to get up that early - or it is a really foggy morning - the queue is often shorter around 8.30am after the first rush to get in." Read more: Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] It was no surprise to me British Prime Minister Theresa May 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 UK got behind a new leader, one who believes in Brexit. The deal agreed with the EU - Remain masquerading as Leave - is entirely the prime minister's 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. We now need to take a different approach. It is not uncommon for EU negotiations to run to the wire. People point to the Greek debt crisis, where the bailout was concluded at the eleventh hour. However, this government needs to remember the UK is not Greece. We are the EU's single largest trading partner, the fifth largest economy in the world, with a huge goods trade deficit with the EU. We should have been negotiating from a position of strength, but Mrs May's determination to get a deal at any cost gave the EU the upper hand. I am convinced that only a new prime minister will be able to negotiate better terms and keep the promises made to the British people at the referendum. In July this year, I put my letter of no confidence into the 1922 Committee after Mrs May's Chequers plan showed we were giving too much away and not getting enough in return. Brexiteers like me could see nothing was going to change and the prime minister was taking the country down the wrong path. She has therefore known for five months her deal would not be palatable, but she has persisted and wasted more time on this flawed strategy. We have been joined in our opposition to her Brexit vision by Remainers, including Greg Hands and Sam Gyimah. The prime minister can't win over Brexiteers and she can't win over Remainers. Why? Because the deal she wants is a bad deal and will remain a bad deal. Thankfully, my colleagues are starting to see what a few of us were saying months ago. This weekend I went canvassing around my constituency and I listened to the concerns of residents. Overwhelmingly they said they wanted to get on with Brexit but they remain unconvinced with the prime minister's agreement because it fails to deliver on what they were promised at the referendum. I can't support a deal that fails 60pc of my constituents and the 17.4 million who voted for Brexit. I genuinely believe that our best days lie ahead of us, outside of the EU, but we need to be free from its interference and able to trade freely with the rest of the world. I cannot see how any changes secured by Mrs May now will make sure that happens. What is the point of Mrs May remaining in power if she is incapable of delivering on the result of the referendum? We need to end this charade. For the good of the country and the party, it is time for her to do the honourable thing and resign. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Andrea Jenkyns is the Conservative MP for Morley and Outwood Rows over Brexit have divided political parties, friends and even families on the other side of the Irish Sea. Now it seems to have driven a wedge between Sinn Fein and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the man who has perhaps been the party's favourite British politician over more than three decades. Mr Corbyn was one of the few who was willing to meet Sinn Fein figures such as Gerry Adams at the height of the IRA's murderous terror campaign in the 1980s and 1990s. He has spoken in the past of his support for a united Ireland. However, Mr Corbyn, in an apparent bid to capitalise on Prime Minister Theresa May's difficulty getting her Brexit deal over the line is making overtures to Sinn Fein's arch-enemies, the DUP. In recent days he suggested Labour could get an alternative Brexit deal. He told Sky News the DUP disliked the backstop designed to avoid a hard border in Ireland for "very good and sensible reasons". Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has been forced to distance her party from Mr Corbyn's stance on Brexit. She said: "Jeremy Corbyn and all others who are in the British parliament are British politicians pursuing what they understand and believe to be British national interest." Ms McDonald also said she has told Mr Corbyn: "We disagree and we differ dramatically on the issue of Brexit." It's a far cry from remarks by Mr Adams earlier this year when he backed Mr Corbyn to be the next British prime minister. Mr Adams called him an "outstanding politician", arguing Mr Corbyn "kept faith" and was open to talks on conflict resolution at a time when others weren't. He was certainly willing to talk to Mr Adams at a time when the former Sinn Fein leader was public enemy number one in Britain. Mr Corbyn caused outrage in the weeks after the Brighton bombing in 1984 by inviting Mr Adams and other members of Sinn Fein to the House of Commons. He was criticised by both Conservatives and his Labour colleague at the time. This was, after all, 10 years before the IRA ceasefire. In 1985, Mr Corbyn opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement saying it strengthened rather than weakened the Border. Two years later, he observed a minute's silence after the SAS killed eight IRA members and a civilian during a Provisional IRA attack on a police base in Loughgall, Co Armagh. Mr Corbyn was a supporter of the republican Troops Out movement during the Troubles, which campaigned for the British army to be withdrawn from Northern Ireland. He was a regular visitor to the North during the Troubles and attended marches commemorating Bloody Sunday. The relationship with Sinn Fein continued shortly before Mr Corbyn became Labour Party leader in 2015. He met Mr Adams, the late Martin McGuinness and Ms McDonald in Westminster for a coffee with Mr Adams tweeting about the encounter. Mr Adams was among the first to congratulate Mr Corbyn when he won the leadership race, saying on Twitter: "I have known Jeremy for many years... He is a good friend of Ireland and of the Irish peace process." Critics of Mr Corbyn take a decidedly different view of his dealings with republicans over the years. He was heavily criticised on the issue during the UK general election last year. DUP leader Arlene Foster denounced Mr Corbyn's alleged refusal to unequivocally condemn the IRA as "abhorrent". Former Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire accused him of having "IRA sympathies". It came after Mr Corbyn said: "I condemn all the bombing by both the loyalists and the IRA." Mr Corbyn later described the IRA's bombing campaign as "completely wrong" because it killed civilians. He denied he ever supported the IRA, and insisted in meetings with Sinn Fein members during the Troubles he always made the point there had to be dialogue and a peace process. With his position on Brexit now at odds with Sinn Fein's, peace talks may now be needed between the long-time allies. I think Richard Barton ('Public sector like broken gun - they can't be fired', Letters, December 6) should do a little more research before writing. His rant on public service workers was so full of inaccuracies, personal opinion masquerading as fact and calculated insults that I have to set the record straight. We do not have, as he suggests, "far too many" public servants in Ireland. The reality is that OECD statistics for 2017 show that just 14pc of the Irish workforce is employed in the public service. This is lower than almost all other European countries. In comparison the figure for Denmark is 29pc, Sweden 28pc, France 22pc, Belgium 19pc and Britain 17pc. In fact to bring Ireland's public services into line with other countries we would have to increase our spending substantially and employ far more nurses, teachers and council workers. Naturally our health, education and local authority services would be far better for this. His comment that public servants "do not really achieve much for the good of the country" is outrageous and laughable. This is grossly insulting to our doctors and nurses working flat out in our hospitals, our gardai who protect us 24/7 and our teachers who work in some of the most overcrowded and underfunded classrooms in Europe. The quality and efficiency of our public services is very highly regarded internationally. Figures published by the Institute of Public Administration in 2017 show the Irish public service is seen as the most professional and least politicised in Europe and one of the least bureaucratic and least corrupt. More than 60pc of the public and half of business users surveyed see the civil service as efficient; business executives rate the quality of public administration as sixth in the EU28. By all means let's have a debate on public service numbers, efficiency and spending but let this debate be informed by facts and evidence and not by uninformed personal opinion. Kevin P McCarthy Killarney, Co Kerry UN master plan to make Europe pay for migration No doubt with respect to signing the UN migration pact, Leo Varadkar has already done so. True to form he pays more interest to matters of UN interest than to matters of Irish interest. As for Colette Brown's article (Comment, Irish Independent, December 5), she will have to add Croatia, Italy, Lithuania and Switzerland to the list of European non-signatories of the pact. Not everyone thinks this pact is a good idea, not just right-wing parties. 'Die Welt' newspaper in Germany thinks the migration pact being pushed through the Bundestag with no debate was a "disastrous approach". In Belgium, a vote on this issue almost brought down the government. What Colette Brown and other liberal know-it-alls do not realise is migration into Europe is a very, very divisive issue and it is getting more so every day. Liberals think labelling people as racist will make these problems go away; they won't. The problem with the UN is it has a preferential interest in the poor of African and Asian countries and wants to import them into Europe, to be supported by western taxpayers' money. Managing "borders in an integrated, secure and co-ordinated manner"sounds an awful lot like getting rid of borders. That is one of the aims of the UN, to get rid of international borders, to allow the masses from the Third World to enter Europe and live there at our expense. The UN pact, while not legally binding now, will be; mark my words, it is all part of the UN master plan. Desmond Nugent Ballybane, Co Galway Leo will have no problem getting 'no border' border As brexit madness plays across the water, we remember all the other times Britain went a bit mad and Ireland suffered. The Tudor sociopaths? The Cromwell years? The WWI mincing machine? Given the chaos that is a no-deal Brexit, I doubt they will have the people to man the Northern Irish Border. I am sure Leo can get Europe's blessing for a "no border" border between here and Northern Ireland and if Irish goods flow over it from Belfast to Stranraer and down to the UK, it's a little enough problem for the EU. The backstop backstop solution. You have to say, it's nice to be independent. Pauline Bleach NSW, Australia Keep abortion away from GP and hospital services Locating Termination of Pregnancies (life) Clinics in hospitals, particularly maternity hospitals, is totally inappropriate and unacceptable. Additionally, no consideration is demonstrated to hospital staff, doctors and nurses many of whom are being frogmarched into performing procedures that are offensive to their conscience and professional ethics. Likewise, GPs not prepared to offer abortion services are - under threat - being ordered to refer persons seeking abortion to other professional colleagues who are prepared to offer such services. Simon Harris, you surely must understand this form of action makes them accomplices in the procedure? Yet we are told nine persons travel abroad every day to have an abortion, whilst at home another three persons take pills to induce an abortion. That provides an unverifiable number of 4,380 abortions each year. What is the solution to this difficulty? Simple. Immediately rent, or buy/build, suitable properties for establishing termination clinics - one in each of the four provinces. Fit them out with the appropriate equipment/materials to provide an efficient and safe environment for those persons seeking termination services. Then engage properly qualified staff, doctors and nurses who are devoid of any guilt complexes regarding the work that is expected to be executed. Advertise the locations of the termination clinics and those seeking such services will find their way to them without the need to trouble their local GPs or hospitals. This would be a totally new service and since it is going to be in existence for the long-term it is important not to act in haste but take time and ensure it is fit for purpose and run in parallel with the health service, but in no way physically connected with same. Patrick Murray Dundrum, Dublin 14 A woman was left stunned when she opened her front door to discover a seal pup on her doorstep, just yards away from a busy road. The lost pup lay innocently on its side by plants outside the womans home on Marine View in Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, on Tuesday morning, Northumbria Police said. The woman promptly sought assistance from the police, who tried to return the young seal to safe waters. Paul Moorhead, a community support officer with Northumbria Police, said: When the sergeant asks you to go to a job like this you tend to think hes pulling your leg. So when we turned up at the property it was a bit of a shock for us to find the seal pup lounging on some plant pots and having a bit of a sun bath. Ill be honest, we didnt really know what to do with it and I was half thinking of putting it in the back of my patrol car. Despite initially being baffled by the sight of the pup, Mr Moorhead and his colleague, Beverley Keenleyside, called out the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who attended with the RSPCA. Eventually the dehydrated seal was provided with fluids, before being moved closer to the sea, Northumbria Police said. Mr Moorhead added: It was a happy ending all round and the seal pup was able to return to the rest of his family who were swimming nearby. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, speaks to her lawyer during a bail hearing (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) President Donald Trump has said he would consider intervening in the case against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou if it would be in the interest of US national security and help forge a trade deal with China. Mr Trump told Reuters in an interview 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 Ms Meng, who was arrested at the United States request in a case that has set off a diplomatic furore among the three countries and complicated high-stakes US-China trade talks. Hours before the bail hearing in Vancouver, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for the December 1 arrest of Ms Meng, 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 dollars (6 million) to Ms 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 11pm to 6am. Expand Close Courtroom sketch of Meng Wanzhou listening to the judge during a bail hearing in Vancouver (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Courtroom sketch of Meng Wanzhou listening to the judge during a bail hearing in Vancouver (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) The decision was met with applause in the packed courtroom, where members of Vancouvers Chinese community had turned out to show support for Ms Meng. She left the courthouse late on Tuesday surrounded by a security detail and was driven away in a black car 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 Ms Mengs arrest. Were deeply concerned, Mr 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. Expand Close Supporters hold signs outside the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Supporters hold signs outside the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) 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 Mr 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 Mr Kovrig. He thinks Mr Kovrig was in Beijing on personal matters and was definitely not there for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. Canada had been bracing for retaliation for Ms Mengs 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 Ms Mengs detention. In China there is no coincidence, Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said of Mr Kovrigs detention. Unfortunately Canada is caught in the middle of this dispute between the US and China. Because China cannot kick the US 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 did not mention Ms Meng by name. But ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Mr Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Ms Mengs. Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. It says Ms Meng and Huawei misled banks about the companys business dealings in Iran. On Tuesday, US 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, Mr Palladino said. Canada is acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a US extradition requestRoland Paris, former foreign policy adviser to Justin Trudeau Ms Meng has denied the US 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 US 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. The US and China have tried to keep Ms Mengs case separate from their wider trade dispute and suggested on Tuesday that talks to resolve their differences may resume. But Mr Trump undercut efforts to distinguish between trade talks and the Huawei case in his interview with Reuters. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, called Mr Trumps comments troubling. Canada is acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a US extradition request, Mr Paris tweeted. The Chinese government said its economy czar had discussed plans with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for talks aimed at settling the two countries differences. Mr Lighthizers office confirmed he had spoken by phone with Chinese vice premier Liu He. President Emmanuel Macron has 'heard the anger.' (Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP) Tax relief and other fiscal measures announced by President Emmanuel Macron to try to calm nationwide protests will cost 8bn-10bn, the French government has said. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told parliament the measures were "massive" and proof Mr Macron "has heard the anger". After weeks of violent demonstrations by "yellow vest" protesters, the president responded by boosting the spending power of pensioners and workers, including a 100 hike in the minimum monthly wage. Mr Philippe said the aim was to make jobs pay better without hurting competitiveness. A spokesman said the government would make savings in the budget to help finance the measures. The protests have caused substantial economic losses to businesses that have lost customers in cities and towns. There have also been five protest-related deaths and 1,407 people injured. Emergency: The French military secure the area where the shooting took place at a Christmas market. Photo: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann A "lone gunman" was on the run last night after killing at least four people and injuring nearly a dozen more in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, near its famed Christmas market. Shots were exchanged after a manhunt involving police and soldiers, with French media saying the gunman had already been "identified" as being on a list of "security threats". Expand Close The Strasbourg Christmas market. Photo: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Strasbourg Christmas market. Photo: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images French authorities are treating the shooting as a terrorist act. Two of the wounded were said to be in a critical condition. The gunman was initially wounded by soldiers on patrol but managed to flee, said police. Busy Christmas markets have been considered a terror target ever since a failed bomb plot in Strasbourg in 2000. The death toll, first reported as one, rose to four by late Tuesday, according to two police union officials. However, other sources put the toll at two. One official, Stephane Morisse of union FGP, said the alleged shooter was wounded by soldiers at the market. Gendarmes went to the suspects home to arrest him earlier Tuesday, before the attack, but he wasnt there, Morisse said. They found explosive materials, he said. French military spokesman Col. Patrik Steiger said the shooter did not aim for the soldiers patrolling in and around the Christmas market, but targeted civilians instead. Several of the people wounded were in critical condition, the interior minister said. Witnesses described hearing gunshots, screams and the shouts of police officers ordering people to stay indoors before the area fell silent and the officers fanned out. One 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 lost 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. The French prosecutors office said the investigation was being conducted on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise charges, suggesting officials think the alleged shooter may have links to extremists. In multiple neighborhoods of Strasbourg, the French Interior Ministry urged the public to remain indoors. Local authorities tweeted for the public 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. French soldiers were on patrol after the shooting. At the scene, police officers, police vehicles and barricades surrounded the sparkling lights of the market. Our security and rescue services are mobilized, Castaner said. 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 millennium terror plot targeting Strasbourgs Christmas market. Ten suspected Islamic militants were convicted and sentenced to prison in December 2004 over a plot to blow up the market on the New Years Eve ushering in 2000. Franco Manca owner The Fulham Shore has pledged to open more sites as it reported higher sales and reduced debt, despite challenging conditions in the casual dining market. The company, which also owns The Real Greek, reported revenues of 33 million for the six months to September 23, up from 27.5 million this time last year. Underlying earnings grew 24% to 4.1 million, while net debt was reduced from 12 million at the end of the 2017 financial year to 8.9 million. The company will now increase its restaurant opening programme, having slowed the process earlier this year after it issued a profit warning in March. We believe that restaurant operations which offer value for money and, above all, food quality and provenance, will continue to prosper.David Page One underperforming site in Brighton was closed during the period, while two new pizzerias opened in Bath and Cambridge. Chairman David Page said the company is now in a good position to expand given its improved performance and the reduction of debt. These factors, together with our successful new opening so far this year, have led us to consider increasing our opening programme beyond the current financial year, subject to how political events in the UK develop, he said. One new site is lined up to open in Edinburgh during 2020, and negotiations are ongoing with landlords on a number of other locations. The move contrasts with several restaurant chains including fellow Italian brands Prezzo and Jamies Italian which have closed sites this year amid rising costs. Mr Page added: Whilst the turmoil in UK retail and restaurant sectors has continued throughout 2018, we believe that restaurant operations which offer value for money and, above all, food quality and provenance, will continue to prosper. We will respond to Brexit in March 2019 as it occurs, when we understand how it will be implemented and the effect it may have on the UKs mood and prospects. However, we are progressing with contingency plans to prepare for all types of exits. Industry analyst Mark Brumby of Langton Capital said The Fulham Shore is a winner in the troubled casual dining space. The Fulham Shore has ended this half year with more restaurants, higher sales and profits and less debt, he said. If this can be maintained (we believe that it can and the companys own comments are positive), then shareholders will have reason to celebrate over the medium and longer term. Shares in the company were 16.5% higher in morning trading on Wednesday. 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. Two Russian bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons have landed in Venezuela in a show of support which has infuriated Washington. General Vladimir Padrino, the Venezuelan defence 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 on Monday. He said the deployment showed "we also are preparing to defend Venezuela to the last inch when necessary". Nicolas Maduro, the president of Venezuela, has frequently alleged that the US is planning an invasion. Mr Padrino noted that Russian aircraft had visited before in 2013, but said their current deployment was part of a "new experience," and was designed to "raise the level of interoperability of the aerospace defence systems" of both countries. Mr Maduro has found himself increasingly isolated as Donald Trump takes an increasingly aggressive stance against his regime. With many of his allies under sanctions and financial transactions blocked, Mr Maduro has cultivated friendships with America's adversaries. He said talks with President Putin in Moscow this month yielded Russian investment in his country's oil and gold sectors. It was not clear how long the Russian planes would stay in Venezuela, nor what their mission would be. "Russia's government has sent bombers halfway around the world to Venezuela," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted. "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." The Kremlin rejected Mr Pompeo's criticism. "As for the idea that we are squandering money, we do not agree. It's not really appropriate for a country half of whose defence budget could feed the whole of Africa to be making such statements," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The developments come as Mr Trump escalated his threat to shut down the US government over his demand for funding of his Mexican border wall. At a heated White House meeting with Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, he said: "If we don't have border security, we'll shut down the government." Government funding for some agencies is set to expire on December 21, threatening a partial shutdown. Mr Trump earlier vowed to use the US military to build his wall even if he does not get funding. In a series of early morning tweets, Mr Trump also insisted that his efforts to stop a caravan of migrants seeking to reach the US had been a great success. The president deployed the US military to the border area before the November 6 congressional elections, calling the caravan an "invasion". Critics decried the action as a politically motivated stunt. A senior Iranian military commander has confirmed that Tehran recently carried out a ballistic missile test, the country's Fars news agency said on Tuesday. Amirali Hajizadeh noted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's claim earlier this month that Iran had fired a missile capable of carrying multiple warheads and reaching the Middle East and Europe. "The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and that's why they were shouting," Mr Hajizadeh, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace division, said. "We will continue our missile tests and this recent action was an important test." The UN Security Council met last week to discuss the test, which the US, Britain and France said flouted UN restrictions on Tehran's military programme. Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme in May and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. He said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran's 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 programme run by the Guards. It says the programme is purely defensive and denies missiles are capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads. Mr 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 Iran in (UN) resolution 2231," foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said yesterday. "Our defence doctrine is basically founded upon deterrence." Under resolution 2231, Iran is "called upon" to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. Last month, Hajizadeh said US bases in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and US aircraft carriers in the Gulf were within range of Iranian missiles. The head of the Guards, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said yesterday the US was becoming weaker. "American power is declining," Mr Jafari said, according to Fars. "The enemies don't dare bring up the issue of overthrowing the Islamic Republic and they will take this wish to the grave." NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 12: Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney and fixer, arrives at federal court for his sentencing hearing, December 12, 2018 in New York City. Cohen is set to be sentenced by a federal judge after pleading guilty in August to several charges, including multiple counts of tax evasion, a campaign finance violation and lying to Congress. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images) Donald Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen has been sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including hush-money payments that US prosecutors say Mr Trump ordered. US District Judge William H Pauley III said that Cohen (52) deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Mr Trump's presidential campaign. Expand Close Michael Cohen, right, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, accompanied by his children and wife, arrive at federal court for his sentencing for dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael Cohen, right, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, accompanied by his children and wife, arrive at federal court for his sentencing for dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) The judge rejected arguments by Cohen's lawyers that he should be spared jail time because he cooperated in multiple federal investigations involving Mr Trump. Federal prosecutors in New York charged that Cohen, just before the November 2016 election, paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 and helped arrange a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal so the women would keep quiet about their past relationships with Trump, who is married. Trump denies having the affairs. Prosecutors have said the payments violated campaign finance laws. Cohen told prosecutors the payments were directed by Trump, implicating the president in a possible campaign finance law violation. Expand Close Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former attorney, arrives for his sentencing at United States Court house in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former attorney, arrives for his sentencing at United States Court house in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon Federal law requires that the contribution of "anything of value" to a campaign must be disclosed, and an individual donation cannot exceed $2,700. "It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light," Cohen told the judge during the sentencing hearing. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds," Cohen said, referring to Trump. Cohen's crimes included evading $1.4m dollars in taxes and misleading Congress about his talks with Russians about a Trump skyscraper project in Moscow. Mr Pauley said that Cohen "appears to have lost his moral compass" and that the lawyer "should have known better" than to dodge taxes, lie to Congress and violate campaign finance laws. The judge said Cohen's cooperation with prosecutors "does not wipe the slate clean" of his crimes. Mr Trump had called for a tough sentence for Cohen, whom he labelled a liar. After the case, an adviser to Cohen said the former political fixer will "state publicly all he knows" about Mr Trump after special counsel Robert Mueller completes his investigation. Lanny Davis said that Cohen "continues to tell the truth about Donald Trump's misconduct over the years". Davis, who was previously a lawyer for Cohen, said he will assist him in testifying before any Congressional committee "interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies". Cohen has been ordered to hand himself in on March 6 to start his sentence. Trump has denied any collusion with Russia and has accused Mueller's team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign and his business dealings. Russia has denied US allegations of interfering in the election to help Trump. Dozens of North and South Korean soldiers have crossed over the worlds most heavily armed border as they inspected the sites of rival frontline guard posts to verify they had been removed. The checks were part of Korean engagement efforts that come amid stalled US-North Korea nuclear disarmament talks. Soldiers from the two Koreas exchanged cigarettes and chatted as they inspected the dismantlement or disarmament of 22 guard posts 11 from each country inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that forms their 155-mile long border. The inspections were mostly symbolic, as the removals will leave South Korea with about 50 other DMZ posts and North Korea with 150, according to defence experts in South Korea. Expand Close South Korean soldiers inspect the dismantled North Korean guard post (South Korea Defence Ministry/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Korean soldiers inspect the dismantled North Korean guard post (South Korea Defence Ministry/AP) But they mark an extraordinary change in ties from last year, when North Korea tested a series of increasingly powerful weapons and threatened Seoul and Washington with war. A small group of journalists was allowed to enter the zone to watch a South Korean team leave for a North Korean guard post and a North Korean team come to a South Korean guard post later in the day. Seven helmeted South Korean soldiers approached the line separating the northern and southern sides of the DMZ. North Korean troops then walked in a row down a hill to meet them. The soldiers from the rival Koreas exchanged handshakes before moving up the hill together to go to the dismantled North Korean guard post. Other groups of South Korean soldiers simultaneously visited 10 other North Korean guard posts. Expand Close North Korean soldiers are greeted by South Korean troops for checks inside the DMZ (Ahn Young-joon/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp North Korean soldiers are greeted by South Korean troops for checks inside the DMZ (Ahn Young-joon/AP) They inspected whether the guard posts and any underground structures have been completely dismantled and whether all troops, weapons and other equipment have been withdrawn, according to Seouls Defence Ministry. Hours later, seven North Korean soldiers clad in olive-green uniforms crossed the same borderline and were then escorted by South Korean troops to the concrete and steel debris of a destroyed South Korean post. North Korean teams also visited 10 other South Korean sites. South Koreas liberal president, Moon Jae-in, the driving force behind the current engagement effort, watched parts of the verification broadcast live at an underground bunker in Seoul. Mr Moon called the work a new milestone in inter-Korean history that was unimaginable in the past. North Korean soldiers allowed South Korean soldiers to use stethoscope-like equipment to inspect whether there were any underground tunnels below the site, South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters. The Demilitarised Zone was originally created as a buffer between the countries at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. But contrary to its name, the DMZ has become the worlds most heavily fortified frontier after the rival Koreas planted an estimated 2 million mines, deployed combat troops and heavy weapons and set up layers of barbed wire fences. When the leaders of the Koreas met in Pyongyang in September, they agreed to lower military tensions along their border, including the withdrawal of some DMZ guard posts, halting live-fire exercises near the border, demilitarising their shared border village of Panmunjom and removing mines at a DMZ area to launch joint searches for Korean War dead. Pope Francis has removed two cardinals from his informal cabinet after they were implicated in the Catholic Churchs sex abuse and cover-up scandal. The Vatican said that Francis has written to Chilean Cardinal Javier Errazuriz and Australian Cardinal George Pell thanking them for their five years of service on the so-called Group of Nine, or C-9. Francis also bid farewell to Congolese Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, who has not been implicated in the scandal but, age 79, recently retired as archbishop of Kinshasa. Mr Errazuriz, 85, has been accused by Chilean abuse survivors of having covered up for predator priests while he was archbishop of Santiago, a charge he has denied. Mr Pell, 77, took leave from his job as the Vaticans economy minister to stand trial in his native Australia on historic charges of sex abuse, which he denies. Expand Close Cardinal George Pell has been removed from the Popes informal cabinet (Gregorio Borgia/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cardinal George Pell has been removed from the Popes informal cabinet (Gregorio Borgia/AP) Their continued presence on the C-9 had been a source of scandal for Francis, given the explosion of the abuse and cover-up crisis this year. Francis himself was implicated in the scandal after he strongly defended a Chilean bishop accused of covering up for the countrys most notorious predator priest a position he took apparently on the advice of Mr Errazuriz. After Francis realised his errors and apologised, he summoned the presidents of all the worlds bishops conferences to Rome for a three-day meeting in February to discuss protecting young people from paedophiles. That summit has taken on enormous weight given the eruption of the scandal in the US. The Vatican made no mention of the accusations against Mr Errazuriz and Mr Pell in explaining their departures, and said for now they would not be replaced. Expand Close The Pope appointed a group of nine cardinals to advise him (Anis Belghoul/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Pope appointed a group of nine cardinals to advise him (Anis Belghoul/AP) Francis appointed the C-9 in 2013 to help him reform the Vatican and reorganise its bureaucracy. That work is wrapping up, with the finalising of a new document outlining the work and mission of the various congregations that make up the universal government of the 1.2 billion-strong church. A statement from the Vatican press office noted that the cabinet members asked Francis in September to reflect on the future composition, structure and work of the C-9, taking into consideration especially the advanced ages of some of its members. Mr Errazuriz, who retired as Santiago archbishop in 2010, had announced publicly in November that he had removed himself from the group. He is currently the subject of civil litigation in Chile by victims accusing him of covering up for recently defrocked priest Fernando Karadima. Though he has been away from Rome since announcing his leave of absence in June 2017, Mr Pell technically remains prefect of the Vaticans economy secretariat. 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. Russians Oleg Kononenk, and Sergei Prokopyev perform a spacewalk outside the Soyuz spacecraft attached to the International Space Station (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 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. Back in August, the station crew patched the hole in the Soyuz capsule, plugging it with epoxy and gauze. Expand Close Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko cuts into the insulation on the Soyuz spacecraft attached to the International Space Station (NASA via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko cuts into the insulation on the Soyuz spacecraft attached to the International Space Station (NASA via AP) 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. Then the insulation proved harder to remove than expected, taking another one to two hours of effort. Today's inspection work took place on the Soyuz Orbital module where the pressure leak occurred. The crew returns to Earth in the Descent Module. The Orbital and Service modules separate after undocking and burn up in Earth's atmosphere. #AskNASA | https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV pic.twitter.com/AHJJu4CsVk International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 11, 2018 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. Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin observed that the hole could have been drilled during manufacturing, or in orbit. Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Prokopyev completed a spacewalk lasting 7 hours and 45 minutes to inspect the Soyuz crew vehicle. https://t.co/Wqfx2ZyRG7 pic.twitter.com/uogajeAZt3 International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 11, 2018 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. 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. Superdry has announced the launch of its kidswear collection (Superdry) Shares in Superdry have plunged after the clothing brand warned that its annual performance will be weaker than previously expected. Underlying profit before tax fell 49% to 12.9 million in the 26 weeks to October 27. The company now expects profits in the current financial year to be somewhere between 55 million and 70 million. Analysts had predicted around 84 million. Revenue was up 6.4% to 831.8 million, though this was driven by online sales as store revenue decreased. Shares in Superdry fell 31% to under 400p in early trading. It comes amid a boardroom bust-up between the current management and Superdrys co-founder, Julian Dunkerton, who is trying to stage a comeback at the company. Our comprehensive transformation will ensure Superdry is well positioned as we optimise our routes to market and make our business more efficientEuan Sutherland, Superdry chief executive Superdry chairman Peter Bamford said on a call with journalists this morning that the board believes Mr Dunkertons views on strategy have not evolved with the needs of what is now a multi-channel, international and increasingly digital retailer. The group is to complete a review of its store portfolio by the end of March next year and will consider closures, downsizing, relocation or renegotiation of rents as it looks to cut costs. The company blamed unseasonably warm weather for the poor performance of the first half, given its reliance on sales of jackets and winter clothing. But chief executive Euan Sutherland reiterated his confidence in the current strategy, which will see the brand diversify its ranges. Our comprehensive transformation will ensure Superdry is well positioned as we optimise our routes to market and make our business more efficient, he said. We are confident that our transformation programme combined with the underlying operational strengths of the business will deliver a return to higher levels of growth and profitability while realising geographic expansion opportunities and leveraging our multi-channel operating model to serve customers in whichever way suits them best. As part of the new strategy, the company also announced today the launch of a kidswear range. The move has been criticised by Mr Dunkerton, who says it will weaken demand for the brand among teenagers. But Paula Kerrigan, Superdrys director of strategy, said: We know our existing customers want to see us offering Superdry Kids and we believe this also offers a real opportunity to bring new consumers to our exciting brand. We will disrupt the kidswear market by relentlessly innovating product while offering Superdrys exceptional quality, design detail and value for money. Michael Cohen has been jailed for three years (Julio Cortez/AP) President Donald Trumps former lawyer has been sentenced to three years in prison. A New York judge said that Michael Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illegal payments to silence women who posed a risk to Mr Trumps presidential campaign. District Judge William H Pauley III rejected arguments by Cohens lawyers that he should be spared jail because he cooperated in multiple federal investigations involving Mr Trump. Cohen said his blind loyalty to Mr Trump made him feel a duty to cover up the presidents dirty deeds. Cohens crimes included evading 1.4 million dollars (1.1m) in taxes and misleading Congress about his talks with Russians about a Trump skyscraper project in Moscow. Mr Trump had called for a tough sentence for Cohen, whom he labelled a liar. Expand Close Michael Cohen was accompanied to court by his children and wife (Craig Ruttle/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael Cohen was accompanied to court by his children and wife (Craig Ruttle/PA) The judge said Cohens cooperation with prosecutors does not wipe the slate clean of his crimes. Mr Pauley said that Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass and that the lawyer should have known better than to dodge taxes, lie to Congress and violate campaign finance laws. After the case, an adviser to Cohen said the former political fixer will state publicly all he knows about Mr Trump after special counsel Robert Mueller completes his investigation. Lanny Davis said that Cohen continues to tell the truth about Donald Trumps misconduct over the years. Davis, who was previously a lawyer for Cohen, said he will assist him in testifying before any Congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies. Cohen has been ordered to hand himself in on March 6 to start his sentence. The US attorneys office said it will not prosecute the National Enquirers parent company over its efforts to suppress an embarrassing story about Mr Trump during the 2016 campaign. The agreement was announced shortly after Cohen was sentenced. Cohens crimes included working with American Media Inc to buy the silence of a model who said she had an affair with Mr Trump. The president denies the affair. Like Cohen, the tabloid publisher admitted it was trying to influence the election by protecting Mr Trump from a damaging story. As part of the deal, AMI acknowledged it made a 150,000 US dollar payment to the model in concert with the Trump campaign with the intent of influencing the election. It requires AMI to co-operate with federal prosecutors in any investigation. Newlywed couple Nick and Priyanka had gone to Oman to spend quality time with each other. After attending the grand Ambani wedding, the couple headed to Oman. We saw you some pictures and special moments shared by the couple on their Instagram handle. Featured Video Now the couple has finally returned to Mumbai and they will be soon hosting their Mumbai reception for the B-town buddies. Nickyanka were spotted at the Mumbai airport where both were seen donning a casual look. Check out: Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra had a royal wedding on December 1 at the Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur post which they hosted Delhi reception for special guests. And now it's time for their Mumbai reception which will be held this month and we will bring you the exact date soon. Stay tuned for more updates. Despite fits and starts, officials optimistic a water deal is close By Brendan CampbellCronkite News WASHINGTON After months of wrangling, state and tribal officials, industry and agriculture representatives walked out of a meeting at the end of last month with high hopes they were nearing agreement on a complex water-conservation plan. And at the beginning of this month, they found themselves grappling with new demands that threatened to derail the deal. That two-steps-forward, one-step-back process is typical of the delicate negotiations as Arizona officials try to hammer out how the state will implement its share of a multistate drought contingency plan that would take effect if water levels in Lake Mead continue to drop. And the clock is ticking: If Arizona cannot come up with proposal to present to state lawmakers for their approval this spring, the state runs the risk of having federal officials making decisions for the state. But with the multistate Colorado River Water Users Association set to begin its annual conference Wednesday, most appear cautiously optimistic that a deal will get done in the near future. Cronkite News video by Brendan Campbell: Water Banks in the Desert Planning has been going on for years but the most-recent talks, on how the contingency plan would be implemented in Arizona, have been the subject of seven meetings of the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan Steering Committee since late July. The last meeting, on November 29, included the surprise announcement that Gov. Doug Ducey would include $30 million in his next budget request to help fund the plan We worked really hard for the last six to eight weeks to achieve this outcome, Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said at the outset of that meeting. In a subsequent editorial, Ducey said that funding request, and commitments from other parties involved in the deal, has generated real momentum behind this plan. Lets seize the moment. The moment didnt last long. By December 3, Buschatzke was raising concerns about an amendment proposed by the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, which governs the Central Arizona Project, that would have let it keep 75,000 acre-feet of water a year in exchange for paying the Colorado River Indian Tribes to divert a like amount. Governor Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) This really caught everybody by surprise, said Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community, which is entitled to about one-quarter of CAPs annual water delivery. There are some real issues with it that concern us, Lewis said. The friendly amendment undoes a lot of the work that has been done so far. A group of agricultural irrigation districts in Pinal County that are CAP users continue to insist on assurances that infrastructure will be funded to shift them from river water to groundwater by 2023 as the plan requires, seven years sooner than currently required. Paul Orme, an attorney representing Pinal County districts, said at the November 29 meeting he doesnt really intend to support or oppose the plan until he and his clients get explicit funding assurances. But other parts of the plan are moving forward. After offering its controversial amendment two weeks ago, the Central Arizona Water Conservation District last Thursday voted to approve the November 29 plan. But that approval included language that there is still a need for additional discussions to address remaining issues, including farm and developers allotments. The Gila River Indian Community on December 5 approved a plan that would provide up to 33,185 acre-feet of water a year to the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District, which is part of the CAWCD. That agreement would address concerns of developers in central Arizona and could ease pressure for the CAPs amendment. Lewis said he will sign that plan once the overall contingency plan wins final approval. He said in a December 5 announcement that his tribes plan will build momentum to have Arizona approve DCP and protect Lake Mead, but at the same time ensure that water supplies are available for an important sector of Arizonas economy. Despite the ongoing hiccups, official optimism remains high that an overall deal can be done. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said it had been working with states in the basin in hopes of getting a plan by the end of this year. In a statement Friday, the bureau said it remains cautiously optimistic that the parties will find a path forward because finding a consensus deal is in each states best interest. Rep. Rosanna Gabaldon, D-Sahuarita, and a member of the steering committee, said last week that she believes the remaining issues will be resolved and the legislature will approve the plan. The conversations that are being had at the steering committee, I believe those can be ironed out, Gabaldon said. This is a nonpartisan issue and both sides of the aisle are working together to move this forward at the legislature. But Ted Cooke, CAP general manager and co-chair of the steering committee with Buschatzke, reminded all parties before the last meeting broke up that there is no time to waste. Theres lots of work to do as far as agreements between parties and things like that, that will probably take months, Cooke said. But we do have a practical deadline which is the end of the year, to have something ready for the legislature. We do not want to bring something in that were still debating when that happens, he said. This story originally appeared on Cronkite News and is published via a Creative Commons license . Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University Join the Conversation In 2015, Rajasthan had created history by appointing a minister dedicated to cow welfare. Otaram Dewasi was appointed as the Minister of Gaupalan Department, Government of Rajasthan, making him the first ever cow minister in India. On Tuesday, Dewasi who was seeking a re-election from Sirohi in the assembly was handed down a crushing defeat. Dewasi, a former Rajasthan Cop-turned Mahant at Mundara Mata Temple lost to independent candidate Sanyam Lodha with a margin of 10,253 votes. Lodha, a former Congressman who contested as independent got 81,272 votes while the incumbent minister managed to 71,019 votes. Dewasi who belongs to Rabaris community, which is associated with animal husbandry was the Chairman of the Animal Husbandry Welfare Board before he was made a minister. Fondly called Bhopaji ( priest) by his tribesmen, Dewasi, even used to go to his office dresses up like a cowherd with a long white cloth on his bare torso, red turban, dangling earrings and a lathi in hand. His appointment as Indias first-ever Gaupalan Mantri with responsibility including overseeing Rajasthans Gau Seva Commission and Cow Conservation Directorate was far from non-controversial. Even after the appointment of Devasi, who himself owns 20-25 cows the condition of the bovines did not improve. Since his appointment, Rajasthan had hit the headlines multiple times for mass death of cows in government-owned Gaushalas due to starvation and poor facilities. A National Investigation Agency team from India left for the U.S. Dec. 11 to seek the extradition of Tahawwur Rana (pictured), a Pakistani American who conspired with David Coleman Headley to mastermind the three-day terrorist attack in Mumbai that began Nov. 26, 2008. (screen grab of CBS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the media ahead of the winter session of Parliament in New Delhi Dec. 11. Modi congratulated the Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Mizo National Front for their victories in the Assembly elections. (IANS photo) Cyber criminals are more frequently handpicking their targets and seeking larger individual ransom demands today, added Newman, which are higher than the $500 or $1000 demands that were popular even 12 months ago. Much of the cybercrime thats committed is also coming out of the major nation-state actors, such as North Korea and Iran, which have had economic sanctions imposed against them and have turned to ransomware as a way to generate income, though thats not the only bad behaviour seen from these kinds of criminals. What weve seen in last 12 months and going forward is a lot of reconnaissance activity. The old spying game has moved from the physical world into the virtual world, and it is far easier and more lucrative to conduct that electronically, said Newman. As for the types of organisations falling prey to cyber criminals, the hacking of the public sector may have made headlines this year, but the cyber expert believes that its not more or less targeted than it was before 2018. Chronic underinvestment in IT security and more transparency on the part of public entities are to blame for this widespread coverage. A lot of the indiscriminate attacks that we saw in 2017 and early 2018 disproportionately affected public entities because they were easy victims, and they were victims that would openly put their hand up in the media. I think thats why we read a lot about breaches with public entities, rather than necessarily them being targeted, said Newman. To guard against the heavy losses that can come as a result of a cyber incident, companies are turning to cyber insurance, though take-up rates vary across regions, sectors, and size of organisations. Depending on the analysis, the penetration of cyber insurance in the US globally the most mature market when it comes to cyber insurance is around 30%, and if you examine Fortune 500 companies, that number goes up to around 70% or higher, explained Newman. Privacy-exposed entities, including financial institutions, and companies in the retail, healthcare and education sectors, are meanwhile continuing to do most of the buying, though thats also evolving. The events that really drove changes in buying behaviour in the US were really WannaCry and NotPetya NotPetya probably being the single biggest driver of change, Newman told Insurance Business. As a result of those events, what were seeing is much bigger interest and adoption in cyber insurance by non-privacy industries, such as manufacturing, transportation, logistics. Businesses which dont traditionally hold large volumes of very sensitive data suddenly realised that actually their whole business operations depend upon technology and availability of technology and the data that underpins that. Read more: Countering cyber threats with insurance The international arena meanwhile looks very different. Take-up rates of cyber insurance across entities of all sizes outside the US have been lower, with roughly 85% of the worlds cyber insurance being sold to US-headquartered entities, said the CIO, though he added that thats changing dramatically. Our own international portfolio grew by over 140% last year and we saw significant increase in adoption in Canada, the UK, and Australia, he explained. The cybercrime component of cyber insurance internationally seems to particularly resonate with SMEs, like theft of funds from business email compromises, which is one of the day-to-day risks faced by small and medium-sized businesses. On the other hand, the US market has developed in a different direction, whereby coverage didnt include basic cybercrime cover, though you guessed it thats changed in 2018 as well. Newman expects that this evolution will open doors for many more SMEs adopting the cyber product. Yet, if theres one thing that brokers who sell cyber insurance should be aware of about the offering going into 2019, its business interruption. Read more: Brokers hit the books to lift cyber understanding If you look back to 2014-2015 when the cyber market was beset with a whole load of retail breaches [and] payment card information (PCI) data breaches, all the wordings in 2015-2016 started to focus heavily on PCI, said Newman. Were seeing something very similar in 2018-2019, that the major events that define the market are business interruption-related events. Thats caused insurers and brokers to really focus on the clarity within business interruption language and what were seeing is material differences in coverages. Business interruption, in many ways, is the forgotten cover or the unloved cover of a cyber form, and the wording has been relatively unsophisticated. Were seeing that change a lot and were seeing cyber insurers actually adapt a lot of their business interruption language so it reads much more akin to the business interruption language that you would see in a property form. What triggers the coverage, which used to just be malicious cyberattacks, is also broadening. Were seeing coverage extend out to all manner of technology failures, not just those caused by malicious electronic attacks, [but] operator error or user error, administrative error, software bugs, failure upgrades, said Newman. Were moving towards a kind of All-Risk, non-physical peril. This week the Bermuda-headquartered enterprise held a special general meeting of shareholders, and all of the resolutions put forward were approved by the requisite vote. The proposals involved the approval of the merger agreement, the statutory merger agreement, and the merger; an amendment to the bye-laws to reduce the shareholder vote required to approve a merger with any third party; as well as the compensation that may be paid or become payable to the companys named executive officers in connection with the merger. Aspen detailed the special general meetings final voting results in a Form 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The document seen by Insurance Business shows that there were more than 61 million votes in favour of the merger and the agreements, compared to 326,916 against votes. The bye-laws amendment received over 51 million for votes while the proposed compensation received shareholder go-ahead in the form of votes in excess of 43 million. Both Chokshi and Smid will report to AXA XL E&S casualty business head Matt OMalley. Chokshi will be based in Chicago, while Smid will operate from New York, a release said. Chokshi previously served as central regional vice-president for AXA XLs E&S business. He joined AXA XL in 2013 as an E&S underwriter; he has more than a decade of underwriting experience, having served companies such as CoverX and Chubb. He is a graduate of the University of Hertfordshire. He assumes leadership of AXA XLs binding authority and brokerage insurance operation from Karl Fischbach. Fischbach will continue in his role as wholesale broker as well as programs and binding relationship leader. Smid was most recently an E&S underwriting manager with QBE, where she led the national excess casualty team. She has 13 years worth of umbrella and excess casualty underwriting experience, having handled accounts of various sizes at companies such as CNA, Swiss Re and AIG. Smid is a graduate of Farmingdale State College. The E&S casualty market fills a critical void of coverage for many businesses that dont fit the standard insurance lines mold, commented AXA XL E&S casualty president Matt OMalley. Throughout their careers, Ankur and Kim have developed considerable industry knowledge and underwriting skill for addressing these hard-to-place risks. Were pleased to be able to develop E&S underwriting talent like Ankur and continue to attract top market talent like Kim to our team. Based in Duluth, Otis-Magie offers business insurance, employee benefits, and personal insurance products and services to clients throughout the northern Minnesota region. The agency traces its origins as far back as 1886. Following closure of the deal, Otis-Magies 46 employees will continue operating out of their existing locations under the name Otis-Magie, a Marsh & McLennan Agency company. Otis-Magie chairman and CEO Tom Stender will continue to lead the operation, a release said. MMA is committed to investing in and supporting the insurance and risk management needs of employers and individuals in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, said MMA upper Midwest region CEO Tim Fleming. Weve known Otis-Magie for years and are thrilled to have these talented people on our team. Combined, we will deliver unparalleled risk expertise and service to clients in the region. We are delighted to join MMA and bring new and additional services to clients and greater growth opportunities to our colleagues, Stender added. MMAs latest acquisition comes as it continues to wrap up its biggest purchase for the year. Last month, the company secured shareholder approval to acquire British insurance brokerage Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group for about $5.65 billion. Malcolm Newman, chairman of the London Market Groups (LMG) government affairs workstream and managing director EMEA hub SCOR, commented: The LMG welcomes the news of a new bilateral insurance agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, which will provide much needed certainty and market continuity for UK firms operating in the US. Its a vindication of Londons position as the world leader in providing specialty insurance and reinsurance, and offers a significant opportunity for the London Market to continue to grow over the coming years, a case that LMG member associations have been making to HM Treasury over the past year. The US Treasury said the agreement would make US firms more competitive in domestic and foreign markets, while also making regulations more efficient and effective. The agreement also benefits the US economy and consumers by affirming the US state-based system of insurance regulation and increasing growth opportunities for US insurers. Britains trade commissioner for North America, Antony Phillipson, released a statement from the British embassy in Washington, saying: Im very pleased that weve been able to preserve the benefits of the EU-US covered agreement for UK firms in the US, the largest insurance market in the world, once the UK has left the EU. The Treasury and USTR announcement on December 11 triggered a 90-day notification period, which is required by US Congress before the US-UK Covered Agreement can be signed and made effective. The IoT market is experiencing incredible growth [in] every single industry whether its healthcare, manufacturing, or retail. Its all about collecting data, analyzing data, and [determining] how it can be used to go after clients and customers in a more effective and efficient manner. Its also being used with the rise of driverless technology, so again, [using] data collection so that the service can be improved, said David Derigiotis, director of professional liability and corporate vice president at Burns & Wilcox. All of our movements are valuable, all of our data is valuable, and thats what IoT data is all about data connectivity and data collection. Read more: Silent cyber incidents a growing risk with spread of IoT Government interest around IoT devices is also picking up as cities plan their evolution into smart cities, which will involve tracking what the citys population is doing, where theyre staying and spending their time, and how they move and travel throughout the city with the use of sensors. The expectation is that over the next few years, there will be more than 50 billion IoT devices in use around the world, explained Derigiotis. The risks of sensor technology range from an Uber vehicles fatal collision in Arizona this year, when the cars sensors failed to identify a person crossing the road, to potential cybersecurity breaches. Lets say you have your sprinkler system thats connected. It sounds very harmless, but if your sprinkler device is on the same network where youre doing your banking and you have other areas that are connected to that network, cyber criminals could get into your network through your sprinkler system and be able to access your bank account or actively track your online movements, said Derigiotis. If it can connect and if it can collect data, its vulnerable to an attack, so you have to have methods to be able to secure that device. Anyone using these devices, added Derigiotis, whether its a homeowner or a multinational company, needs to ask themselves, What are we using it for, how are we protecting that data, and how will those sensors and those other devices that were connecting be upgraded and protected when vulnerabilities are discovered as we implement them? Insurance companies are not only interested in what their insureds are doing with technology, but how they can bring technology solutions in-house to add value to their business processes. The Philadelphia-headquartered agency and brokerage firm Graham Company has been investigating machine learning and automation in the analysis of the provisions of specific insurance policies for large commercial insurance buyers. That today is still a relatively labor-intensive process, to make sure that you are getting the exact coverage that you negotiated with the insurance carriers, said Thomas Morrin, SVP at Graham Company. Where I think that the artificial intelligence and machine learning has the ability to really help is to automate that process [of] the analysis of insurance policies that largely takes place manually by humans looking for exact wording. Graham Company offers many customized insurance products to its insureds, and sees a ton of upside in utilizing AI tools to ensure that any vulnerabilities in policies that expose businesses to loss are caught before they cause problems. That technology can also help confirm that updated policies still reflect what was agreed upon by the carrier, broker, and insured, explained Morrin. Many brokers agree that AI will help them work smarter and provide more personalized solutions to their clients, according to a recent Argo survey, though, at the same time, many view the technology with weariness because they believe it poses a risk to the insurance industry. Thats not the only obstacle standing in the way of artificial intelligence adoption by the world of insurance. Traditionally, the insurance industry has not been on the leading edge of technology, said Morrin, pointing to the many large incumbents in the insurance industry that have been around for a very long time. Like any organization that has grown large and been successful, and has been around for decades, you dont easily or quickly change those things that made you successful. Youve also built processes and procedures, and its not always that easy to change them overnight. Nonetheless, despite the hesitancy by some to dive into AI even by giants in the industry like State Farm, which recently launched an ad mocking AI-powered insurtechs insurance companies are recognizing the potential of AI and other technologies to change their work for the better. I think that overall, the industry recognizes that AI and machine learning are here to stay, and its not going anywhere, said Morrin, cautioning, Put your head in the sand at your own peril. Top Statehouse Democrats say theyre hoping to pass legislation aimed at improving natural gas infrastructure safety before the end of the year. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker filed the bill. On Monday, he met with Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo to discuss the proposal and ongoing efforts to restore gas service in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. A Statehouse hearing was also planned Tuesday on natural gas safety. Bakers bill would require natural gas projects be reviewed by a certified professional engineer. The bill follows the National Transportation Safety Boards investigation into the natural gas explosions and fires that rocked three Merrimack Valley communities in September. The explosions killed one teen, injured about two dozen, damaged more than 100 structures and left thousands without heat or hot water. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Massachusetts The Insurance Library Association of Boston has named Paul Tetrault as its executive director. Tetrault, an attorney and former editor of The Standard, New Englands Insurance Weekly, has more than 25 years of experience serving the insurance industry in various capacities. He joins the Library from the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, where he has served as an in-house counsel for government affairs and regional advocate for more than 13 years. He also has experience practicing law, focused on litigation defense and insurance coverage matters. As an active member of the CPCU Society, Tetrault is incoming chair of its Regulatory and Legislative Interest Group and a member of the Societys Publications Committee. He also serves on the board of the Boston Chapter. Founded in 1887, The Insurance Library Association of Boston is a resource for and provider of literature, information services and professional education for the insurance industry and related interests. Source: The Insurance Library Association of Boston Life in Londons financial district will appear little changed when Britain leaves the European Union on March 29, defying predictions of an exodus of high-flyers to rival centers like Paris, Frankfurt and Dublin. But as chaos reigns in Westminster, the mood in the capitals historic Square Mile and Canary Wharfs gleaming towers is one of resignation and regret. Without meaningful access to the EUs single market, the financial services sector is braced for a long goodbye to its status as the worlds international trade and banking hub, more than a dozen senior industry players told Reuters. It could be a slow puncture, said City of London leader Catherine McGuinness, flagging a steady drain of talent and activity from an industry that has wielded little influence in Brexit negotiations even though it generates about 10 percent of Britains economic output. We wont know what we are going to look like for at least 10 years. Sources cited years of political strife from Scotlands 2014 independence referendum to the bitterly contested Brexit vote and its aftermath that have hurt Britains image as a safe haven for banks, market-makers and investors. Few are willing to bet that the financial industry, whose 2.3-million-strong workforce stretches across the country, will be bigger or more profitable in a decades time. Parliament has yet to settle on whether Brexit will be hard, soft or even happen at all after Prime Minister Theresa May pulled a vote scheduled for Tuesday on her divorce deal with the EU that she acknowledged she would lose. But the feeling in the City is that much of the damage has already been done and is largely irreversible. The finance industry is also grappling with a new political reality in which it has no clear allies in government. Bankers initially expected ministers to champion their cause above other industries. Instead, the finance sector has been sacrificed to protect manufacturing and secure an end to freedom of movement from the EU. It feels like we have been thrown under the bus, a senior executive at one of Britains top banks said. Euro Zone Gravity Britain and its financial regulators argue that the vast financial services ecosystem that has evolved in London since the 1980s Big Bang will help the City maintain its role as banker to Europe. The French, German and Irish governments are pushing hard to replicate this, however, incentivising big financial firms to expand in their countries and wooing bankers who fear for their job security in post-Brexit Britain. Many banks, insurers and asset managers who want to retain access to customers in the EU after March 29 have already redirected hundreds of millions of pounds of investment towards new or expanded hubs in the bloc. Nearly 40 banks from London have applied to the European Central Bank for licenses. According to Frankfurt Main Finance, which promotes the German financial capital, these are set to transfer 750-800 billion euros in assets early in 2019. The shift in activities has alarmed UK regulators so much that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has written to banks saying they must be able to justify any shift of non-EU business from London to EU hubs. The Bank of Englands top regulator Sam Woods has said he expects around 4,000, or about 1 percent, of City jobs to have left by Brexit Day, a fraction of the 30,000-232,000 some consultants had initially forecast. A Reuters survey of 123 firms in September showed as few as 630 UK-based finance jobs had been shifted or created overseas. But the ECB has told financial firms they must staff their new EU offices with decision-makers, managers, risk-takers and support teams appropriate to the business they operate from them, meaning a slow brain-drain from Britain looks inevitable. Once the European regulators have their hooks in you, they can then start to ratchet things up, limiting how much outsourcing to London and elsewhere outside the EU that you can have, said David Lawton, a former senior FCA official and now with consultants Alvarez & Marsal. Some core services are already moving. The London Stock Exchanges MTS Cash and CMEs BrokerTec platforms will have moved all trading in euro-denominated government bonds and repurchase agreements to the bloc by March, whatever form Brexit takes. Customers of share-trading platform Aquis will use a new Paris hub from March, with only non-EU stocks left in London. French bank Societe Generale said on Monday that some customers now want to clear their trades in the euro zone instead of London. The train has left the station and it aint turning back. The U.S. and Japanese banks will never put their eggs in one basket again, a senior UK banking industry official said. Other parts of the transaction chain may follow. That includes clearing of 210 billion euros a day of repo trades, according to Godfried de Vidts, chair of the ICMA European Repo and Collateral Council. It will not be possible to do a big bang and move everything from the City to the euro zone in one go because its far too complex, but it will happen progressively over the next few years, de Vidts said. Insurers like AIG and RSA have already obtained court approval to shift chunks of policies with EU customers from London to Luxembourg. Global banks like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which made their European homes in London, are scattering staff across EU cities as a multipolar European financial system slowly emerges. The pity here is that we are crumbling and unraveling something so efficient for everyone, that took more than 30 years to build, said a senior banking executive who declined to be named. Day 1 (after Brexit) may look benign, and Day 2 may look slightly different But what is very clear is that there is no single winner, it is a question of who loses most. Tug of Rules Mondays delayed vote has shortened the odds on a no deal Brexit but Britain may secure a standstill transition deal, retaining EU rules and full single market access until at least the end of 2020. If so, the extent of damage to the City will become more apparent when transition ends. When you consider all that London has survived through, up to this point, it is tough to say that the vast majority of it wont cope just as well the other side of Brexit, said Omar Ali, head of financial services at consultancy EY. But saying were not facing imminent disaster is not the same as saying our success is guaranteed in 10 years time. The EU has said Britains financial market access after transition would be based on its equivalence system, a patchy and politically uneasy gateway that requires home rules of foreign financial firms to be closely aligned with the EUs. The EU is tightening up equivalence conditions ahead of Brexit. There are steps being taken to regulate third-country access in areas where it hasnt been regulated before, said Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe. The EU accounts for 40 billion pounds or a fifth of UK financial sector revenues, with half depending on full passporting or unfettered access to the single market. With that in mind, some UK lawmakers and bankers say Britain should focus on fashioning rules and taxes that keep London competitive with global financial centers like New York, Singapore and Shanghai. There will be in effect a permanent debate on whether to align or diverge from the EU framework, said Nicky Morgan, chair of parliaments Treasury Select Committee. EU policymakers shrug at Britains arguments that European companies will pay more for financial services without the cost efficiencies currently offered by Londons scale and scope. Their ultimate aim is a capital markets union (CMU) that will end the EUs reliance on London as a source of funding. Progress so far is slow as London continues to clear more than 90 percent of euro-denominated derivatives. Efforts to dislodge chunks of that $280-350 billion a day business have largely been resisted so far. Londons global dominance in foreign exchange trading and cross-border lending has also yet to be challenged. The amount of international lending channeled through UK-based banks grew by about 11 percent in the first six months of 2018, compared to the same period last year. The next two largest markets are the United States, where lending declined by 1.68 percent and Japan, which saw a 4.79 percent rise. But there is no room for complacency. The long-term requires that the capital market becomes more self-sustaining in Europe, said Jonathan Hill, the former EU financial services chief and an architect of the CMU, who is now an advisor to UBS. Whether they can pull it off is a different question. But it wont stop them trying. ($1 = 0.7868 pounds) (Reporting by Huw Jones, Sinead Cruise and Andrew MacAskill; editing by Catherine Evans) Related: Topics Europe Leadership London Uk Brexit Alera Group has acquired Bailey & Company, an employee benefits firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Bailey & Company specializes in a wide variety of employee benefit programs. The firm helps its clients ranging from mid-sized privately held businesses to publicly traded companies maximize the return on their employee benefits investments by customizing a plan for each clients individual needs. Beyond traditional employee benefits solutions, Bailey & Company has significant expertise in private exchanges, partially self-funded benefit plans, and captive-based reinsurance programs. Based in Deerfield, Illinois, Alera Group is an independent insurance agency formed in early 2017. Source: Alera Group Topics Mergers Ohio Minnesota is maintaining its June 20 cutoff date for farmers to use the herbicide dicamba, which has been blamed for drifting and damaging neighboring soybean fields. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture imposed the cutoff for 2018 after getting 253 reports of alleged dicamba drift in 2017, including 55 formal complaints requesting investigations. Some 265,000 acres were affected. Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson said Monday that the restrictions worked well. The department received 53 reports in 2018, including 29 formal complaints, and the affected acres plunged to just over 1,800. The only change for 2019 is the lifting of a prohibition on applications when temperatures are above 85 degrees. The weed-killers popularity has surged since companies rolled out dicamba-tolerant soybean varieties to help control weeds that have become resistant to other herbicides. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Agribusiness Minnesota The Senate passed a five-year farm bill renewing agricultural subsidies and food aid for low-income families after weeks of negotiations over work requirements for food stamp recipients and a last-minute snag over forestry provisions. The $867 billion measure, which also would extend federal crop insurance, was approved on a vote of 87-13 after lawmakers negotiating the final package scrapped a provision that would have toughened work requirements for older food stamp recipients and those with older children. The provision had been included in the House version of the measure with support from President Donald Trump. Let us tell those farmers and ranchers and growers that are going through tough times that theyre going to be good for the next five years, Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, chairman of the Agriculture Committee, said on the Senate Floor. Once the House votes final approval, the measure, H.R. 2, would go to Trump for his expected signature. Farm programs under current law began to expire Sept. 30. We made the compromises we needed to make to get this deal done, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway of Texas told reporters last month. Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that the farm bill is in very good shape, and our farmers are well taken care of. Backing Hemp The bill found a champion in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who cheered the inclusion of a provision that would make hemp a legal agricultural commodity, a boon to some farmers in his home state. Under the farm bill, hemp would be removed from the federal list of controlled substances and hemp farmers will be able to apply for crop insurance. Unlike its biological cousin marijuana, hemp has industrial uses and doesnt produce a high if ingested. Proponents say it has other therapeutic uses, such as easing pain and anxiety. A provision that would have imposed a lifetime ban on people with drug-related felonies from working in the hemp industry was reduced to a 10-year ban. The legislation also includes an exemption letting farmers already growing hemp under existing research authority continue their operations. The bill doesnt include a provision supported by Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, aimed at preventing wealthy absentee landlords from collecting farm subsidies. Grassley said Tuesday that he wouldnt vote for the bill because of the issue. Food Aid While the legislation wouldnt change the age limit or work requirements for food aid recipients able to work and without dependents, it would require governors to sign off on state requests for work requirement waivers in areas with high unemployment. Currently, able-bodied adults under age 50 without dependents are expected to work at least 20 hours a week or be in a training program to obtain benefits. But states can request waivers from those requirements for high-unemployment areas. Another snag resolved by negotiators was a push by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to enact more permissive logging regulations. Such provisions werent included in the final legislation, according to a Democratic aide. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Legislation Cannabis Agribusiness Politics Johnson & Johnson has begun settling consumers claims that it sold artificial hips knowing they were defective, marking the first settlements in the seven-year-old litigation. A federal judge in Texas overseeing the cases said about 3,300 of 10,000 have settled or are in the process of settling, according to a Dec. 9 court filing. Terms of the accords werent made public. J&J is set to face a trial Jan. 14 in Dallas where five recipients of the Pinnacle hip will press claims that the worlds largest health-care products company failed to warn customers about the devices risks. A similar 2016 case produced a $1 billion verdict for multiple plaintiffs. Mindy Tinsley, a spokeswoman for J&Js DePuy medical device unit, which made the hips, declined to comment on the settlements. Mike Papantonio, a lawyer representing hip patients, didnt return a call seeking comment. Mark Lanier, another attorney for hip plaintiffs, declined to comment. Over the last two years, juries in federal court in Dallas have ordered the company to pay at least $1.7 billion in damages over the hips. Several awards, including the one for $1 billion, were later reduced or thrown out on appeal. The hip recipients argued DePuy officials rushed the Pinnacle hips to market with little testing and misled doctors about the devices safety profile, assuring them there was little risk of metal poisoning or tissue damage. J&J has denied these claims and said it developed and marketed the hips responsibly. The Pinnacle devices arent covered by New Brunswick, New Jersey-based J&Js $2.5 billion settlement of claims over its ASR line of artificial hips. J&J recalled 93,000 of those implants worldwide in August 2010, saying 12 percent failed within five years. The Pinnacle lawsuits have been consolidated before U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade. Kinkeade, who has been overseeing the cases since 2011 and will preside over the Jan. 14 trial, said that instead of negotiating a global settlement, J&J is settling individual lawyers inventories of Pinnacle cases. The company is using the same tactic to resolve lawsuits over its vaginal mesh inserts. Defendants domino confidential settlements have left the court without necessary information about the total or projected value of settlement, the judge wrote. The information on the settlements came in an order by Kinkeade granting a request by plaintiffs to increase the amount of money reserved in all Pinnacle accords to cover the fees and expenses of lawyers who have been guiding the consolidated cases. The judge increased those holdbacks to 25 percent of each settlement to insure sufficient funds are available for those purposes. The Pinnacle case is In Re DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. Pinnacle Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, 11-md-2244, U.S District Court, Northern District of Texas (Dallas). Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Claims Insurance broker Willis Towers Watson has appointed Bill Creedon as Construction Industry leader for North America within its Corporate Risk and Broking segment. Creedon, a 30-year insurance and construction risk industry veteran, is returning to Willis Towers Watson where he previously spent 20 years in national and global leadership roles. Creedon has spent the past two years at Construction Risk Partners and Fairly Group. Creedon will be broadly responsible for driving client relationships, business development and services for construction clients in North America including contractors, project owners, developers, project financiers, architects and engineers. He will also be work to strengthen relationships with insurance carriers and drive innovation. Topics Leadership Willis Towers Watson Construction USG Insurance Services Inc., a national wholesaler and MGA, has hired Dylan Guidry as producer/broker in its Covington, Louisiana, branch. Guidry brings over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. Most recently he held an underwriting position at AmWINS in Escondido, California. In his position at USG, Guidry will work to develop agency relationships in Louisiana, while continuing to service his existing relationships in California. This move is the most recent change that USG has implemented in its plan to continue expanding its operations nationally as a leading wholesaler brokerage firm. USG Holdings Inc. has six divisions: USG Insurance Services Inc., a national wholesale/MGA operation with 21 offices writing in all states; BFS: Brokers Financial Services, a premium finance company; BFS Inspections, an inspection company operating in 25+ states; AAU: Allied American Underwriters, a program manager and specialty division offering commercial lines, personal lines, and surety; Into Innovations a full service marketing, advertising, and technology provider for the industry; and Aureate Technology Solutions, an information technology company. Source: USG Insurance Services Inc. Topics Louisiana Austin-based workers compensation insurer, Texas Mutual Insurance Co., has paid more than $3 million in early qualifier dividends to approximately 4,000 newer policyholder owners across the state. This payout is the final component of the companys $280 million record dividend distribution to more than 50,000 policyholders in 2018. Early qualifier dividend recipients are those who are already maintaining safe workplaces but havent been with Texas Mutual long enough to qualify for a regular dividend. It includes those who have a good loss ratio on their first-year policy with Texas Mutual and have renewed their policy. Texas Mutual is a policyholder-owned company and shares its success by distributing dividends to policyholder-owners. This is the 20th consecutive year that the Texas Mutual board of directors has voted to distribute policyholder dividends, bringing the total to $2.5 billion. More than $1.5 billion of that has been paid since 2012. While Texas Mutual has awarded dividends each year since 1999, they are based on performance and therefore are not guaranteed. Additionally, dividends must follow Texas Department of Insurance regulations. Source: Texas Mutual Insurance Co. Topics Texas The Nitsche Group, an independent insurance agency headquartered in Giddings, Texas, has been inducted into the Hall of Fame during this years Family Business of the Year Awards Program hosted by Baylor University. The Nitsche Group is among only two other businesses to be awarded this distinction in the 29 year history of the awards program. Robert Nitsche, CEO, was present during the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the agency. This year marks the 29th anniversary of the awards program. Baylor Universitys Institute for Family Business has hosted the Texas Family Business of the Year awards program every year since 1989. The Family Business of the Year Awards Program was created to recognize outstanding multi-generational, family-owned companies from across the state of Texas whose family demonstrates a commitment to each other, to their employees, to business continuity, and to community. The Nitsche Group is one of the largest independent insurance agencies in Texas, and provides employee benefits, bonds, property/casualty, loss prevention, risk management services, and personal insurance options. The agency first opened its doors in 1949 in Giddings, Texas with only 2 employees. Today, the company has more than 120 employees at 10 locations. Topics Texas State records show home insurers have dropped the policies of more than 87,000 Floridians in the third quarter of this year. The Palm Beach Post reports that state records also show half of the states top 10 property insurers served fewer customers at the start of October than they did a year earlier. Adding to homeowners woes, the states last-resort insurer, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has proposed an 8 percent premium increase for 2019. Hurricanes Irma and Michael generated more than $15 billion in claims in Florida in the past two hurricane seasons. Besides the hurricanes, Citizens officials cite the impact of skyrocketing non-weather-related water loss claims in South Florida. Florida ranks No. 1 in home insurance costs. An average premium is more than $2,000, nearly double the U.S. average. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Carriers Florida Homeowners A new study released by the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) finds that Floridas assignment of benefits (AOB) crisis has cost consumers billions of dollars in unnecessary litigation and inflated claim costs as the abuse continues to spread statewide. In Florida, abuse of AOBs has fueled an insurance crisis, the report says of the misuse of the policyholder protection known as AOB. The states legal environment has encouraged vendors and their attorneys to solicit unwarranted AOBs from tens of thousands of Floridians, conduct unnecessary or unnecessarily expensive work, then file tens of thousands of lawsuits against insurance companies that deny or dispute the claims. The I.I.I. report says the AOB mini-industry has cost consumers billions of dollars as they are forced to pay higher premiums to cover needless repairs and excessive legal fees. An AOB is a document signed by either an auto or homeowners policyholder which allows a third party, such as an auto repair shop or a roofer, to seek direct payment from an insurer on a policyholders behalf. In Florida, a policyholder is permitted to sign an AOB document without notifying their insurer or seeking the insurers consent. The abuse has stemmed from the third parties with a signed AOB working with plaintiffs attorney to sue an insurer when the insurer disputes an inflated bill from the third party. Authored by I.I.I.s Chief Actuary James Lynch and Lucian McMahon, the I.I.I.s senior research specialist, the study says there were roughly 1,300 AOB lawsuits statewide in 2000. By 2013, that number had jumped to more than 79,000, and to nearly 135,000 through Nov. 9, 2018, a 70 percent increase in just five years. We estimate Floridas auto and homeowners policyholders have paid about $2.5 billion in insurer legal costs over the past dozen years, a troubling trend driven by plaintiffs attorneys who are abusing Floridas current AOB system, said Lynch. That doesnt count the billions more in excess claim settlements that are at the heart of the problem. I.I.I. notes that Floridas one-way attorney fee statute is the primary driver of the abuse. The statute allows a plaintiffs attorney who sues an insurer, and loses, to be under no obligation to pay the insurers legal fees. But an insurer must pay a plaintiffs attorneys fees in the event the plaintiff prevails. As such, insurers will often settle lawsuits and pay slightly inflated AOB claims in Florida to minimize the insurers legal fees, the I.I.I. said. As Floridas insurers are hit with growing legal costs and paying inflated settlements, they are forced to pass these costs along to consumers, the people required to purchase auto and homeowners insurance, the study says. Floridians are paying more for insurance than they otherwise should beoften much more. Advocates for AOB reform say state lawmakers must address the one-way attorney fee issue if the abuse is to be stopped. The AOB system is most abused when it comes to three types of claims, the I.I.I.s study reveals: Auto Personal Injury Protection (PIP): A person injured in an auto accident signs an AOB form and gives it to a medical provider, who then either overbills the auto insurer or sues them, or both. Auto Physical Damage: A person whose auto has a cracked windshield signs an AOB form and gives it to the repair specialist who is repairing the windshield. The repair specialist is now in a position to overbill the auto insurer and have their attorney sue if the insurer denies payment. Homeowners: A homeowner discovers damage caused by a leaky pipe and then signs an AOB form and gives it to the contractor who is repairing the pipe. The contractor then either performs needless repairs or overbills the insurer. If the insurer contests the necessity of the repairs, or the size of the bill, the contractors attorney sues the homeowners insurer. The [Florida AOB] statute is meant to level the playing field between individual policyholders and economically powerful insurers. In practice it has incentivized plaintiffs attorneys to file thousands of AOB lawsuits because there is no limit to legal fees that can be collected, according to the I.I.I.s study. Michael Carlson, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, said the I.I.I. study underscores the global problem with AOBs in Florida, and highlights the pernicious effects of our one-way fee law on our justice and insurance systems. It is well past time for the [Florida] Legislature to fix this problem, he said, noting a bill addressing attorney fees Senate Bill 122 has already been filed for 2019 Florida Legislative Session, which begins in March. Past efforts to enact reform AOB have failed in the state legislature, but advocates for reform say they will continue to push state lawmakers to address the issue. This new report highlights the price that Floridas hard-working families are paying because of unchecked AOB abuse and out-of-control litigation, said Edie Ousley, vice president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which spearheads the Consumer Protection Coalition. We look forward to working with Governor-elect Ron DeSantis and the new leadership in the Senate and House to pass real consumer protections and put an end to AOB abuse during the 2019 legislative session. Read the Full I.I.I. Study Topics Lawsuits Carriers Trends Auto Florida Homeowners The University of Kentucky has settled a lawsuit filed by a former public health dentist who said he was fired from the school for publicly criticizing Republican Gov. Matt Bevins plan to overhaul the states Medicaid program. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the settlement calls for longtime professor Raynor Mullins to get $620,000 and to be able to return to the university. School officials did not admit that College of Dentistry Dean Stephanos Kyrkanides shut out Mullins from his work. A joint statement issued with the settlement says both parties desire to resolve their differences in a positive manner and move together a shared goal of improving health in Kentucky. U.S. District Judge Robert Weir ruled in October that a jury should decide whether Mullins constitutional right to free speech had been violated. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Kentucky PG&E Corp. was accused of putting its reputation above public safety in a lawsuit alleging that the power company spends too much on advertising and not enough on preventing devastating Northern California wildfires like the one that destroyed the town of Paradise last month. While the cause of the Camp Fire remains undetermined, residents alleged in a complaint filed Monday that despite spending $37 million since 2015 to promote its commitment to safety through ads, the utilitys dysfunctional risk assessment methodologies have failed to improve. The Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive in California history, has put the company under intense scrutiny, especially after fires in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County in 2015 and in wine country north of San Francisco last year were linked by investigators to PG&Es equipment. Residents who lost loved ones and homes to the Camp Fire have filed lawsuits blaming the utilitys power lines for starting the blaze. PG&E has seen its market value plunge 47 percent amid investor concern that the utility could be on the hook for billions in damages. The utility is aware of lawsuits regarding the Camp Fire and considers safety to be its highest priority, PG&E said. Right now, our focus is on assessing infrastructure, safely restoring power where possible, and helping our customers recover and rebuild, the San Francisco-based company said in an emailed statement. The utilitys advertising costs are paid for by shareholders and dont have any effect on customer rates, the company said. The plaintiffs contend PG&E should focus on upgrading infrastructure and revamping vegetation management. They want a court order blocking company officials from spending profits on advertising to promote a misleading picture of safety surrounding their operations. The Paradise residents are seeking restitution of all money the utility spent on false advertising since Sept. 9, 2010, when an explosion of a PG&E natural gas pipeline killed eight people in a city south of San Francisco. The allegations in the suit, filed in state court in Butte County, range from negligence and public nuisance to violations of Californias business and professions code. The Utility Reform Network, a public advocacy group that monitors PG&Es budget, said it hasnt been able to determine how much PG&E has spent on advertising based on the utilitys filings with state regulators. At this point, every time a customer has to see one of those ads it is an insult, said Mindy Spatt, a spokeswoman for the consumer group. Instead of trying to convince us that they are a safe company, they should actually be a safe company, then they wouldnt have to convince us. The case is Williams v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., in California Superior Court, Butte County. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) A number of Marawi residents have lost their homes twice first after they were displaced by the siege, and second, when their houses were demolished without their consent after the war. This was revealed by Anak Mindanao Party List Rep. Makmod Mending on Wednesday, saying he knew of the residents' plight after a visit to war-torn Marawi last Monday. "What happened? How did it happen that no consent was given by the resident owner of the structure and yet it was demolished without their consent?" Mending asked administration officials during a joint session of Congress on the extension of martial law in Mindanao. Task Force Bangon Marawi Chairperson and Housing Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario said, it was a "misunderstanding." He explained that during clearing operations in Marawi's most damaged areas, "there was some misunderstanding that some facilities without consent were also included." He did not elaborate on how this happened and how many houses were affected. "But I would like to assure you that those structures were destroyed and not habitable anymore," Del Rosario said. He added that the government is now working on a "written procedure" that will establish a policy to avoid similar incidents in the future. Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon criticized the lack of progress in the rehabilitation of Marawi, more than two years after the government declared its liberation from terrorist forces. "When do we start building the houses of the people who lost their homes there?" Gordon said, adding that businesses should also come in to improve the lives of Marawi residents. "It seems that after this war, we still don't have any plan," he added. "We will be extending martial law every year unless we show the people that there's some economic improvement that will happen there," Gordon added. In an overwhelming 235-28 vote, with one abstention, senators and representatives granted President Rodrigo Duterte's third request for an extension of martial law in Mindanao, which he first declared when terrorists attacked Marawi City in May 2017. READ: Congress grants third extension of Mindanao martial law until end of 2019 The five-month war displaced 300,000 residents and destroyed houses and buildings mostly in ground zero, composed of 24 barangays or 250 hectares of land. More than 900 terrorists, 47 civilians, and 165 government troops were killed. Del Rosario on Wednesday admitted 812 families are still in evacuation centers, but stressed that temporary shelters will be turned over by year-end. He reiterated that it would be dangerous for residents of the most affected areas to come home, because these are still being cleared of debris and explosives. The government eyes finishing clearing operations by August 2019. If things go as planned, Del Rosario said residents can start rebuilding their homes by July 2020, or more than three years after the war. The Builders Merchants Federation has announced that VELUX will be the headline sponsor of the 2019 Burns Supper, the BMFs most popular and prestigious annual event in Scotland attended by more than 300 people. The 2019 Burns Supper, which takes place on 25 January at the Double Tree Hilton Dunblane Hydro, is an evening of Scottish tradition celebrating the life and works of Scotlands national poet, Robert Burns. The event is also one of the major fundraisers for the BMFs nominated charity, Variety the Childrens charity, and the merchant industry charity, the Rainy Day Trust. Dan Banks, Regional Manager, Sales GB for VELUX said: VELUX is delighted to be headline sponsor of the BMFs Burns Night Supper. As a business steeped in its own Scottish heritage, the significance of this time-honoured tradition resonates with us strongly. The BMF has an excellent track record of delivering industry leading, quality events and I am sure Burns Night 2019 will continue to raise the bar. The continued value that the BMF delivers for all its members, spanning the entire construction products supply chain, as well as the exemplary work being carried out through a number of key initiatives such as training and upskilling of existing employees within the sector, and the attraction and retention of new and young talent, are areas that VELUX and the BMF have close alignment on and will see us continue to forge and leverage a closer working partnership on throughout 2019 and beyond. John Newcomb, BMF CEO, said: We are delighted not only that VELUX will be supporting the BMFs first major event of 2019, but also that they value the work we are doing for all members, merchants and building material suppliers, and are keen to continue working in partnership with us in the coming months and years. Like many of our members, they recognise that the greatest value is derived by being involved. After two-and-a-half years of utter chaos, the Brexit situation took it to a whole new level this week, with the cancellation of the vote on the withdrawal agreement and then the long-awaited and inevitable challenge to Theresa Mays leadership of the Tory party. It is extraordinary to hear a senior Tory party member coming on RTE radio apologising to its listeners and stating her deep level of embarrassment for what is going on in the UK. Of course, we have also witnessed a few Tory members letting slip what they really think of us Irish. They are expressing a view that we should still be subject to Her Majestys realm and behave in a subservient fashion, as befitting our status in life. The irony is that after the events of the past two and a half years, and unfortunately one suspects there is a lot more to come, nobody in the UK political system can afford to point a finger at anybody. Its political system has been shown to possess a very high level of dysfunctionality. The class exuded by John Major in Ireland this week is a sad reminder of what is missing from the current UK political system, but of course at the time of his leadership he was fatally harangued by the eurosceptic wing of the Tory party. No matter what happens over the coming weeks and months in relation to Brexit, the matter will not end there. The current chaos will leave a very deeply divided political system and society. It does not bode well for the future governance of Britain and this could ultimately do untold damage to it. Perhaps the EU will ultimately be better off without the UK. Ireland wont. Our social, cultural and economic links to the UK are still very strong. For the indigenous Irish economy, the UK is the most important export market and is a very significant source of revenue for the tourism sector. Inside or outside the EU, the UK will remain an important trading partner for Ireland. Hence, if the UK economy is not performing well, it will obviously have negative implications for Ireland. We also got a foretaste, this week, of what could happen sterling in the event of a hard Brexit. The financial markets correctly believe that a hard exit would not be good for the UK economy and its currency is reflecting this. There could be much worse to come. For businesses on both sides of the border, these are worrying times. This week, the ESRI published its latest prognostications for the Irish economy in 2019, and not surprisingly it presents a pretty upbeat assessment of the Republics immediate prospects. However, it also warned that a no-deal Brexit could halve Irelands growth next year. While economic forecasting, by its nature, is a waste of time, it is hard to argue. Sterling would likely fall sharply in value. The immediate shock to the UK economy would be immense and negative. The impact on business and consumer confidence in Ireland could be very significant. Eventually, the Irish economy would adjust to a new and tougher trading relationship with the UK, but the transition would be difficult. Update: 9.35am: Scouting Ireland says there is evidence that alleged child abusers were moved around scouting organisations. 317 alleged victims and 212 alleged perpetrators spanning over a 70 year period have now been identified. There are reports that alleged abusers were "at all levels" and were moved around after allegations were made against them. Advocacy Director for One in Four, Deirdre Kenny, says the reports are difficult to digest "especially for those individuals who will have been harmed by this. "It's a pattern we have seen again and again and again." File photo Earlier: 300-plus victims claim scout sex abuse By Elaine Loughlin Claims of sexual abuse have been made against more than 200 people after a flood of calls to a confidential phoneline set up by Scouting Ireland. The organisation said it has received 123 calls in the wake of an initial scandal. So far the inquiry has identified 317 alleged victims and 212 alleged perpetrators. Last month, Ian Elliot, who has been tasked with carrying out an independent examination of the organisations historical files, revealed that he had been made aware of more than 100 allegations of sexual abuse spanning many decades. Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone, who expressed shock at the initial findings, was yesterday updated on the numbers of people coming forward with information about alleged abuse in Scouting Ireland. Ms Zappone said: 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 frontline support services, these numbers will in all probability increase. She said all alleged abuse victims who have already come forward must be properly counseled and the same level of support must be made available to any further victims. The minister encouraged anybody who has been abused or who wishes to name an alleged perpetrator to come forward. Those impacted can contact the Scouting Ireland confidential Freephone helpline on 1800 221 199 or the Tusla confidential helpline on 1800 805 665. Many women and families affected by the CervicalCheck scandal reacted with anger to the decision by Health Minister Simon Harris to cancel his meeting with them at short notice. Jennifer Blighe from Dublin, a member of the 221+ CervicalCheck Patient Support Group, said the minister had arranged to meet them yesterday evening. Ms Blighe said the meeting had been arranged over a month ago but they had been waiting for it for many months before that. Mr Harris cancelled the meeting on Monday night at a time when some of the members had already travelled to Dublin. Ms Blighe found out in June that she was one of the women affected by the CervicalCheck scandal. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer last March, three months before I was due to get married, she said. I had an operation to treat it about six weeks before the wedding. That all went well. Obviously, there are side-effects from the treatment I have edema now. Her consultant contacted her in June to say that two of her previous cervical smears had been audited one from 2010 and one form 2013 and both had returned a different result. Ms Blighe, her partner Conor, and other members of the group staged a small protest outside the Seanad yesterday at the time Mr Harris had agreed to meet the group. Stephen Teap, one of the founders of the 221+ support group, tweeted that many of the members had to rearrange treatment, jobs, and familt arrangements to attend the meeting. Not impressed! The disrespect continues, he tweeted on Monday night. Mr Harris apologised yesterday for the short notice and for having to postpone what he described as this very important meeting. Mr Harris said he had postponed the meeting because of the significant time commitment needed for the passage of abortion legislation in the Senate. The spokesperson said yesterday evening that the meeting had been rescheduled for January 31. Many members expressed their disappointment on Twitter. One woman said she had campaigned strongly to amend the Constitution and allow the Government to legislate for abortion. But as a family involved in the CervicalCancer situation, it meant an awful lot to have this meeting on Tuesday. The cancellation the night before feels like another kick in the stomach, she wrote. Meanwhile, Mr Harris has published the implementation plan for the recommendations of Gabriel Scally on the CervicalCheck screening programme. The Government accepted all of Dr Scallys 50 recommendations. An Estonian hitman who was contracted by an international crime cartel and boasted to his associates in coded text messages that he would take out his target with "one shot to the head" has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years. Ex-wrestler and father-of-two Imre Arakas is a former Estonian separatist who the three-judge court heard had been "scarred and marked deeply" by imprisonment in Russia. The contract killer bought a wig in Dublin city and used an encrypted Blackberry phone to receive information about the movements and location of James Gately in Northern Ireland. He also requested a silencer for the attack. Imre Arakas (aged 60), with an address in Sopruse, Tallinn, Estonia, admitted last month to conspiring with others not before the court to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and April 4 last year, contrary to Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The maximum sentence for the offence is 10 years in prison. Sentencing the defendant today, Mr Justice Tony Hunt sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge Cormac Dunne, sentenced Arakas to six years imprisonment, backdated to April 4, 2017, when he went into custody. Dressed in a blue sleeved vest and wearing his silver hair long to his shoulders, Arakas sat in the dock facing the court and did not react when the sentence was revealed. Arakas has four previous convictions which include causing deliberate bodily harm, escaping from prison and unlawful handling of firearms. Defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, for Arakas previously submitted to the court that his client was not at the apex of the organisation and had no act or part in the operational part of it. He said Arakas would be willing to leave Ireland as soon as he was released from custody. A governors report from Portlaoise Prison outlined the defendant was a model prisoner and was serving his sentence in a segregated block. Gardai learned that a fairly significant five-figure sum of money was to be paid to Arakas for the hit on Gately. However, the contracted hitman owed a debt which was considerably larger than the amount he was going to get paid and this would have been set against the figure. The High Court endorsed a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) from Lithuania in February this year in relation to serious charges Arakas will face there once his jail term is completed in Ireland. Fine Gael politicians have been ordered to "stay out of UK political party leadership issues" before British prime minister Theresa May's no confidence motion result this evening. Government ministers, TDs, senators and MEPs were warned in a text this morning to avoid any doorstep media events, tweets or social media commentary due to concerns any comments could influence events in Westminster. "UK leadership - No tweets or social media commentary, no doorsteps, no interviews, no comment - stay out of UK political party leadership issues," one of two morning messages to Fine Gael politicians from the party's press office and the Department of Foreign Affairs read. A second message continued by advising politicians that if there are asked by journalists about events in Westminster they should "shut it down with: 'This is a matter for the UK and we are making no comment on it'." While a senior Government source initially denied the existence of any messages to Government politicians this morning, a second senior source later clarified the existence of the messages by saying: "The message this AM was about staying away from the UK matters" and claiming it is otherwise "business as usual". The existence of the messages - which were not sent to Independent Alliance members - has underlined the deep political sensitivity with the Brexit stand-off and Ms May's unclear political future. A vote on Ms May's future sought by her own Conservative Party will take place between 6pm and 8pm today, with the results expected to be known by 9pm 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 Garda investigations into an alleged rape involving a major celebrity have yet to begin in earnest as they are waiting on a formal statement from the victim. Once detectives receive a statement, they could seal off the suspected crime scene, gather CCTV images, and interview witnesses. It is understood a woman made the allegation to gardai before lunchtime on Sunday and has attended a Sexual Assualt Treatment Unit. With her agreement, staff at the unit would have gathered forensic samples and stored them securely pending any garda investigation. Sources said the investigation was at a very early stage and that until a formal statement is made which they stress can often take time they cant progress their investigations. This would include sealing off the alleged crime scene said to be a Dublin hotel room and take DNA and other forensic samples. Officers would try and gather any camera footage from the hotel and identify any witnesses. Given the alleged incident occurred early on Sunday morning, the hotel room could have since been used by other people and subject to cleaning. Sources said an arrest would tend not to be made until they have gathered all their evidence first. Specialist gardai have pounced on four members of an organised crime gang suspected of deceiving elderly people in the sale of classic vintage cars. After a detailed probe, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducted a search and arrest operation in Rathkeale, Co Limerick, yesterday morning. Senior gardai believe the gang has targeted people both in Ireland and abroad. One of its victims was an elderly couple, aged 81 and 84, who sold their vehicle at a significant loss. Under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act 2001, a person can be prosecuted for deception where through dishonestly that is, with the intention of making a gain for themselves or the loss to another and by any deception, they induce a person to do something. Someone convicted of such a crime, on indictment, could face up to five years in prison. In a statement, the gardai said four males had been arrested in an operation and detained at different garda stations across Limerick. The operation relates to offences of deception involving the purchase and sale of vintage and classic cars, said gardai. In many cases, the victims of this deception have been elderly persons. The statement notes that, to date, 20 vehicles were the subject of investigation, with a total approximate value of 360,000. The bureaus operation began last February when the unit identified one victim of deception when a man was selling his vintage car. A total of six other victims were subsequently identified and, of the seven overall, five are based in Ireland. Detective Superintendent Michael Mullen of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation said: The operation in Rathkeale is as a result of a lengthy investigation carried out by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. I would like to appeal today, he said, particularly to the elderly community to contact your local Garda station if you believe that you have been deceived in the purchase/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. The cars are often 30-40 years old and include the likes of Rolls Royce and Bentley motors. In addition to contacting their local garda station, people can ring the Garda confidential line on 1800 666111. "I will contest that vote with everything I've got." That was the defiant message from Theresa May as she announced that she was cancelling a meeting with Leo Varadkar to try to win her vote of no confidence later this evening. "I was due to travel to Dublin to continue that work but will remain in London," she said referring to her meeting with her Dutch and German counterparts yesterday adding that the vote of no confidence was not "in the national interest". "The British public want us to get on with it," she stated outside Number 10 Downing Street. "We must and we shall move ahead with the referendum vote." The vote was triggered the vote after 48 Tory MPs sent letters seeking her resignation just hours after Ms May was warned by EU leaders there will be no changes to the Brexit backstop deal. In a statement this morning, the chair of the back bench 1922 committee Graham Brady said the required 48 letters needed to force a vote has been reached. "The threshold of 15% of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of no confidence in the leader of the Conservative party has been reached," he said. One of those who handed in a letter was Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen. He says he lost hope in Mrs May after her appeal to European leaders yesterday was apparently rebuffed: "Effectively the Prime Minister has been drowning politically and Angela Merkel is throwing buckets of water at her. "It's not a good position to be in, I don't think Theresa May can lead us forward now." However, Ms May hit back at the party colleagues saying that this vote threatened to hand Brexit negotiations "to opposition MPs." "One of their first acts," she said of a prospective new Prime Minister, "would be extending or rescinding Article 50 - delaying or even stopping Brexit." The result of the confidence vote is expected at 9 o'clock tonight. Teresa May needs more than half of the 318 MPs to back her to remain in office. Labour's Barry Gardiner says there should be a general election instead of a confidence vote: "I'm not interested quite honestly in a change simply in Prime Minister," he said. I think what we need is a change of Government to address the real problems that there are in our society Here is Theresa May's speech, delivered outside Number 10, in full: "Sir Graham Brady has confirmed that he has received 48 letters from Conservative MPs so there will now be a vote of confidence in my leadership of the Conservative Party. "I will contest that vote with everything I've got. "I have been a member of the Conservative Party for over 40 years. I've served it as an activist, councillor, MP, shadow minister, home secretary and now as Prime Minister. "I stood to be leader because I believe in the Conservative vision for a better future; a thriving economy with nowhere and nobody left behind; a stronger society where everyone can make the most of their talents - always serving the national interest. "And at this crucial moment in our history, that means securing a Brexit deal that delivers on the result of the EU referendum, taking back control of our borders, laws and money, but protecting jobs, our security and our precious union as we do so. "Through good times and bad over the last two years, my passionate belief that such a deal is attainable, that a bright future lies ahead for our country, has not wavered and it is now within our grasp. "I spent yesterday meeting (German) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel, (Dutch) Prime Minister (Mark) Rutte, (European) President (Donald) Tusk and (European Commission) President (Jean-Claude) Juncker to address the concerns that MPs have with the backstop, and we are making progress. "I was due to travel to Dublin this afternoon to continue that work, but will now remain here in London to make the case for my leadership with my parliamentary colleagues. "A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now will put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. "A new leader wouldn't be in place by the 21st of January legal deadline, so a leadership election risks handing control of the Brexit negotiations to Opposition MPs in Parliament. "The new leader wouldn't have time to renegotiate a Withdrawal Agreement and get the legislation through Parliament by the 29th of March, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit, when people want us to get on with it. "And a leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the parliamentary arithmetic. "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division, just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. "The only people whose interests would be served are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. "The British people want us to get on with it and they want us to focus on the other vital issues that matter to them too - building a stronger economy, delivering first class public services and the homes that families need. These are the public's priorities, and they must be the Conservative Party's priorities too. "We must and we shall deliver on the referendum vote and seize the opportunities that lie ahead, but the Conservatives must not be a single issue party. We are a party of the whole nation - moderate, pragmatic, mainstream; committed to reuniting our country and building a country that works for everyone; the agenda I set out in my first speech outside this front door; delivering the Brexit people voted for; building a country that works for everyone. "I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became Prime Minister and I stand ready to finish the job." As everyones favourite nanny returns to screens, UK childrens laureate Lauren Child talks to Hannah Stephenson about the iconic characters reboot Emily Blunt may be bringing a new Mary Poppins to the big screen, but in the eyes of author-illustrator and UK childrens laureate Lauren Child, Julie Andrews will always be our favourite nanny. The original film, released in 1964, was in her mind when she was illustrating the latest hardback edition of Mary Poppins by PL Travers (first published in 1934), which sees the quirky, eccentric, and magical character brought back to life on the page in a pink and orange spotty dress, flying above London rooftops, clutching her flowered bag and green umbrella. As an illustrator, you have a duty to look at what it is the author is trying to say and be true to their vision. The only thing I felt that I really changed from her description is Mary Poppins herself, because I just couldnt imagine doing her any other way than as Julie Andrews, says Child. As a youngster herself, Child recalls being taken to see the original Disney film on her first outing to a cinema. Now 53, the award-winning creator of Charlie and Lola and accomplished novelist with her Clarice Bean stories and Ruby Redfort teen detective series hasnt yet seen Mary Poppins Returns but is looking forward to taking her adopted daughter Tuesday, aged eight, to watch it. One particular story from the original book, which doesnt appear in the film adaptation, involves the notion that children can communicate with animals until their first birthday, at which point they forget everything. It was such a wonderful yet melancholy thought and I cant help wondering if Travers was reflecting upon how quickly the innocence and imagination of childhood is lost, she writes in the foreword. The overall message of the book is about making childhood joyful, she says now. Mary Poppins is playing with these children, taking them on wild adventures, and whether you believe its magic or that shes just getting their imagination to work, youre always left with a slight question as to if its true or not true. Thats such a playful quality and a joyful understanding of children and their need to have fun. Parents could learn a lot from Mary Poppins. Child observes that the fictional nanny was always doing things with the children to stimulate their imagination. I wonder if were trying to stimulate their imagination, or are we trying to fill them with activities and showing them things constantly, rather than letting them discover? Mary Poppins is actually out and about with those children and shes part of it, she ponders. Lauren Child: I couldnt imagine doing Mary Poppins any other way than as Julie Andrews. Im not saying all parents need to be doing that, but Mary Poppins isnt taking the children to activities and pressurising them into doing their homework. Shes not hot-housing them. Shes having fun with them. Life for children today is tough, says Child. I do think that children now are living in a very tough time, where there are pressures on them in school and at home, and what they are having to listen to. They are so much more aware of whats going on in the world through the media, they understand much more of whats going on. Then theres the pressure of exams, which weigh very heavily on children. I think theres a point to having a joyful childhood it makes you more robust and it makes you understand the world better. We are asking children to be grown up too early. Exposure to social media and screens isnt going away, she reflects. Theres a lot of talk about less screen time, but screens are there. I cant see them going away. We all use them. We say, My child watches too much, but what are we doing? You cant expect children not to be on these things, when we are all doing it. We are having to navigate our way through it too, says Child. Perhaps we are all too accessible. We carry our phones around with us. Not too long ago, people didnt expect us to answer a call at a seconds notice, or answer an email or a text and be forever at work. Child tries to ensure her daughter has a balanced life. Its about encouraging her to do other things, rather than just be watching stuff. I loved watching television when I was little and it did me a lot of good in many ways. But its just how much of it are you doing, and are you managing to do other things as well and have a more rounded impression of the world? When my daughter says to me, I want to make pancakes, I say OK, if I can. Sometimes I think, Oh my goodness, I really dont want to make some pancakes right now, but then I cant have it both ways. If I want her to be excited about cooking, I cant be a hypocrite by saying, No, you cant. Might Mary Poppins be seen as old-fashioned by some younger audiences? Well, you could say Harry Potters set in a strange boarding school and theres something quite old-fashioned about that. But people love entering other worlds. It doesnt matter. Its about the ideas and the quality of the storytelling. If you are in or around Stockport on Friday 7 December head to The Plazas Art Deco Cafe for a Mary Poppins style supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Tea Party with Lauren Child! Book tickets and find details here https://t.co/MtmbbD9oGG! @HarperCollinsCh @simplybooksNo1 pic.twitter.com/fzvg3PWu2s Children's Laureate (@UKLaureate) November 30, 2018 It is amazing that Mary Poppins is a household name around the world, she adds. We may not know PL Travers name so readily as, say, AA Milne, but she has created one of the most iconic childrens characters. Child, who studied art at Marlborough College, where her father was head of the art department, grew up in Berkshire and after college did various jobs, including window-dressing and lampshade design. She also worked as an assistant to Damien Hirst, before embarking on a career as a writer and illustrator. For years, shes worked from home in London, which she shares with her partner Adrian, a criminal barrister, but shes about to move to an office where home life doesnt distract. Psychologically, people always think youre available when youre at home. But I want to leave work and come home. Ive always had trouble juggling work with home life. Mary Poppins by PL Travers, illustrated by Lauren Child, is published by HarperCollins Childrens Books, priced 20. Available now. Mary Poppins Returns is released in cinemas on Friday, December 21. Implicated by his own justice department in a felony, Donald Trump has seen the stock market plunge as the tide begins to turn against him, writes Elizabeth Drew Though he rarely admits even the slightest discontent with the job he schemed for in unprecedented ways and somewhat accidentally fell into (thanks to the vagaries of the Electoral College), Donald Trumps presidency hasnt been what Americans would call a bowl of cherries. Yet no other week of his presidency so far has been filled with such problems and so many dark omens for him. Last Friday, Trump was implicated by his own justice department in a felony, on the basis of sentencing recommendations for his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, by special counsel Robert Mueller and for his former long-time lawyer and consigliere, Michael Cohen, by the US Attorneys Office for the southern district of New York. The clear implications in both reports were that Trump himself would eventually be the target of serious charges. Moreover, its widely believed that some members of his family might well be charged. Two days earlier, Trump had to sit alongside three past presidents through the funeral of George HW Bush. With the 41st president of the US lauded as almost his exact opposite in style and manner, Trump looked throughout as if he wished he were anywhere else. Special counsel Robert Mueller Meanwhile, the stock markets entire gains for the year were wiped out as Trumps supposed trade truce with China fell apart. It also became clear just how badly Trump has lost control of Congress. The Democrats gain in the House of Representatives continued to rise (the latest number is a stunning 40 seats), as closely fought, undecided races in last months midterm election continued to fall the partys way. And some Republican senators are finally breaking ranks with Trump over the role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (a pet of both Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner) in the grisly murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Unlike Trump, the senators refused to subordinate the moral and real-world implications of permitting a foreign government to murder a US-based journalist to the presidents exaggerated claims about the Kingdoms future arms purchases and its supposed strategic role in curbing Irans regional ambitions. Then came the court filings by Mueller and the attorneys office for the Southern District of New York , which revealed what many had long suspected, though the reality of it still came as a shock: Trump and his family had used, or tried to use, his presidential candidacy, and then his presidency, to enhance their own wealth. At long last, we learned what embarrassing information Russian President Vladimir Putin had on Trump, after Cohen told prosecutors that Trump had long sought to build a grand, highly lucrative hotel in Moscow, permission for which had to come from the Kremlin. (Russia also stood to gain significant revenue from the project.) Cohen told a US congressional committee that Trumps efforts to secure the hotel deal had ended at the beginning of 2016. He later admitted that the talks had continued until June of that year, after Trump, who had repeatedly stated since entering the race in June 2015 that he had no business with Russia, had sewn up the Republican nomination. Cohens testimony also highlighted the likelihood that various aspects of US foreign policy, including favourable statements about or treatment of certain autocratic leaders, have been influenced by Trumps private business interests existing or desired in those countries, which include Turkey, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia, as well as Russia. Meanwhile, Trumps hotels, especially his expensive new one near the White House, received business from various countries. This is especially significant because, unlike his predecessors, Trump refused to detach himself from his private business when he took office (though he turned over its management to his two adult sons), and therefore stood to profit from these countries patronage. This could well constitute a violation of the US Constitutions emoluments clause, which forbids a president from accepting gifts from foreign countries. Trump is currently subject to two lawsuits on the matter, which could also constitute grounds for impeaching him. The corruption extends to Trumps immediate circle. His daughter Ivanka was awarded trademarks from China for her clothing line (now defunct, though she has retained the trademarks and sought new ones). Her husband, Kushner, is believed to have used his position to try to find funds to pay off excessive debt incurred by his familys real-estate business. And Cohen literally sold his supposed access to Trump to businesses for a reported $4 million (though how much, if anything, he delivered is open to question). It was Cohen who told the New York prosecutors that, at the direction of Trump (whom the legal documents refer to as Individual 1), he arranged to pay off two women who had had affairs with the president while he was married to Melania (including just after she had given birth to their son, Barron). The clear purpose of the payoffs was to keep the public from finding out about these affairs before the election. That leaves Trump vulnerable to a felony charge of violating US campaign finance laws. As Cohen learned the hard way, working for Trump is not easy, which is why so few aside from his daughter and son-in-law have lasted long in his White House. For Trump, loyalty is a one-way street, flowing only to him. Indeed, capping off the week, Trump was confronted with the need to find a replacement for his chief of staff, John Kelly, who the president announced would be leaving at the end of the year (the two are barely on speaking terms). Trumps ever-stranger behaviour of late including more frequent and more hysterical tweets has been widely attributed to his growing realisation of what the Democrats takeover of the House of Representatives means for his presidency. The incoming Democratic committee chairs have said that they plan to investigate various wrongdoings, real and suspected, by Trump and members of his administration. And the prospect of the House judiciary committee taking up the question of impeachment has grown stronger with the latest accusations. It is already clear that the 2016 US presidential election was contorted by extraordinary events. Whether it was legitimate is now a legal matter hanging over the president. And though Trump has not been officially accused of conspiring often stated as colluding with Russia to interfere on his behalf in exchange for US policy positions that Putin desires (such as weakening Nato and the EU), Muellers recent court filings suggest that his investigation is headed in that direction. If he reaches that conclusion, still worse weeks lie ahead for Trump. Elizabeth Drew is a contributing editor to The New Republic and the author, most recently, of Washington Journal: Reporting Watergate and Richard Nixons Downfall. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018. project-syndicate.org 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. Arts Identity and TransformationInternational Ceramics Artist Comes Home Ceramics artist Soe Yu Nwe will have her second solo exhibition at Myanm/art gallery in Yangon this weekend. / Supplied YANGONI want to strike a balance where [my work] is so beautiful that you cant look away but also terrifying at the same time, said ceramics artist Soe Yu Nwe, but thats difficult to achievewhen its too dark it pushes people away and when its too clean people think that its flat, it doesnt have meaning, its not interesting. Soe Yu Nwe, an ethnic Chinese artist, grew up in Yangon and is perhaps the only Myanmar artist to make a name for herself across the international ceramic art scene. Her work is currently exhibiting at Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art and she has previously shown her work in Bangladesh, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and the US and participated in artist residency programs across the globe. She was recently listed on Forbes 30 Under 30: Art & Style 2019. In my work, I explore different ways of expressing my experience of alienation, confusion and pain as a cultural outsider by creating narrative spaces that explore the lines between insides and outsides, Soe Yu Nwe wrote in her artists statement on her portfolio. Caught in an act of transformation Much of Soe Yu Nwes work is a surreal connection between humans and nature: torsos, hands and feet appear to be caught in the act of transformation with vegetative growth emerging and intertwined with vines, greenery, flowers and blossoms, often from sensitive parts of the body. The viewer may be repulsed by and drawn by the figure simultaneously. Combining them together and creating this dissociation is unsettling, and this, she said, prompts the viewer to think something deeper. She sees her art as a juxtaposition of imagery and meanings, mixing human and botanical forms and connecting them with deeper ideas of identity and the inescapability of change. An encounter with change and her Chinese heritage sticks out to her among her other childhood memories. When she was a young girl, during a visit to Lashio, her fathers hometown in northern Shan State, her family believe she had become possessed by a spirit, and decided to change her name in order to reconfigure her luck. This theme of change followed her around in her personal life and now manifests itself in her art. Change is something thats inevitablehowever you feel you just have to adapt to itin my work I always try to make something very fluid to express that fluidity in terms of your own identity. The artist, the serpentine She was first drawn to ceramics while studying for her undergrad in biology at Albion College, Michigan. She had just moved to the US where she knew nothing and the idea of identity, culture and heritage took on new meaning for her. Feelings of anxiety and alienation grew within her but she found that she could soothe them through art. Being away from home and being in a place thats totally different and new, its stressful. I was drawn to ceramics, to the process, because when youre making something with your hands, it alleviates that kind of anxiety. While occasionally dabbling in glass art, Soe Yu Nwe prefers working with clay, ceramics, glaze and porcelain. Art forms like painting or drawing require a medium, like a pen or brush, which distances the artist from the work somewhat, she said. With the soft clay in her hands, she feels more directly connected to her art and her expression. When her desired shape has been sculpted or molded, she fires it in a kiln before applying a glaze with the desired coloring and firing the piece again. Initially she worked with images of the hand, the limb that contains each persons unique biological identity and the tool we use to brings our thoughts and ideas to the world. More recently a mythical queen from the Buddhist Jataka Tales, Naga Maedaw, appears in her work as a hybridized being between anthropomorphic creature and the serpentine. Today, serpentine imagery features strongly in her portfolio. Sometimes the snake is dissected to reveal colorful innards and growth sprawling through bones and out of skin, sometimes hiding behind a perfect outer layer, the brightly speckled or golden skin hiding the secrets of the inner serpentinemuch like the human. It connects to the artists own identity too, as the snake is her Chinese zodiac sign. Ceramic wares have been crafted in Myanmar for centuries but as an art form, its not yet popular here. The 29-year-old artist says her biggest achievement to date has been having her artwork chosen to be part of the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art which is currently running at Australias most prominent contemporary art establishment, Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art. She is the youngest Myanmar artist ever to be chosen for the exhibition which runs until April next year. Her upcoming exhibition in Yangon, her second solo show, will feature a variety of work including snakes and sculptures as well as a collection of collaborative pieces which she worked on with the students of Yangon International School. Serpentine opens at Myanm/art on Bogalayzay Street on Saturday Dec. 15 with an opening party at 6 p.m. and will run until Dec. 29. News Activists Demand Release of Two Reuters Reporters on Anniversary of Arrests Human rights activists and journalists gather in downtown Yangon on Dec. 12, 2018 to mark the first anniversary of the arrest of two local Reuters journalists. / Myo Min Soe YANGONFreedom of expression activists and civil society organizations on Wednesday called for the unconditional release of two local Reuters journalists who were arrested by the government one year ago Wednesday. Ko Wa Lone and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested on Dec. 12, 2017 for possession of security-related classified documents. The pair were eventually sentenced to seven years in prison for breaching the Official State Secrets Act. At the time of their arrests, they were investigating a massacre of Rohingya in northern Rakhine State. Despite the testimony of a police witness that the journalists were arrested as punishment for their reporting of the mass killing, the court found them guilty. The sentence prompted an international outcry and was widely condemned as evidence that press freedom remains under threat in Myanmar despite the fact that it is now ruled by a democratically elected government led by a Nobel Peace laureate, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This week, Time magazine included the duo among the slain and imprisoned journalists it collectively named its Person of the Year for 2018. Among the other journalists named were murdered Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi; the staff of the Capital Gazette newspaper in the U.S. state of Maryland, five of whom were shot dead in June; and Maria Ressa, the founder of Rappler, a Philippine news start-up under attack by that countrys authoritarian president. On Wednesday, Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen J. Adler said in a statement that his two journalists were arrested in a set-up by police that was intended to interfere with their reporting on the massacre. He also questioned Myanmars commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law, as the pair remain in prison for a crime they did not commit. The people of Myanmar deserve the freedoms and democracy they have long been promised, and Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo deserve to be returned to their families and colleagues immediately, he said. To mark the anniversary of their arrests, more than a dozen activists gathered in downtown Yangon on Wednesday afternoon to hold a candlelight vigil and pray for the release of the journalists. Participants, including journalists covering the event, wore white Free Wa Lone & Kyaw Soe Oo T-shirts emblazoned with portrait sketches of the two journalists. Some held printouts of a Time cover featuring the jailed reporters wives holding pictures of them. Maung Saung Kha, the founder of freedom of expression advocacy group Athan, told the audience that both journalists were unjustly punished and called for their unconditional release. He urged that they be released by the court, and not through a presidential pardon. If they are released by the court [as opposed to receiving a pardon], their innocence will be affirmed, he said. Peace activist Ko Moe Thway called the case a national disgrace and condemned the government for its failure to release the reporters. Lawyers for Ko Wa Lone and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo submitted appeals on their behalf last month. The Yangon High Court agreed to accept the appeals and a hearing is scheduled for Dec. 24. Asia Freed From Jail, Cambodian Surrogate Mothers Raise Chinese Children A woman pulls a cart as her daughter sits on sacks of cans after they collected the cans from the streets behind the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Feb. 9, 2015. / Reuters OUDONG, Cambodia Sophea was eight months pregnant when Cambodian police told her she would have to keep the baby that was never meant to be hers and forfeit the $10,000 she was promised for acting as a surrogate for a Chinese couple. Cambodia banned commercial surrogacy in 2016, and police in June raided two apartments where Sophea and 31 other surrogate mothers were being cared for in Cambodias capital, Phnom Penh. They were charged the following month with violating human trafficking laws, but authorities released them on bail last week, under the condition they raise the children themselves. Campaigners say Cambodias surrogacy crackdown is unlikely to end the trade as poverty means many women will continue to risk arrest for the chance to earn life-changing sums of money. For some of the newly freed women, keeping their baby is a burden as they struggle to get by. For others, it is a relief. Despite the financial loss, 24-year-old Sophea told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that she was happy the authorities intervened, and that her family had welcomed her baby boy. If not for the crackdown and my arrest, I would have been left in deep regret, said Sophea, who did not give her real name for fear of backlash from the authorities and members of her community. I would have given away my baby, she said just two days after being released from police custody, settling back into village life at the end of a sandy track that winds through rice fields in Oudong, a 90-minute drive north of Phnom Penh. Mixed blessing Members of the other families said the babies are a mixed blessing. Instead of receiving $10,000, the women went home with another mouth to feed, in a country where the average annual income is $1,490, according to the International Monetary Fund. It is a very difficult situation. I worry that my income will not support the whole family, said Pich, a motorcycle-taxi driver whose wife is carrying what will be their third child. The 40-year-old, who also requested that his real name not be used, said he never supported his wifes decision to be a surrogate and that he was ashamed she had gone through with it. Another surrogate, a 24-year-old woman, went behind her husbands back to take part in the scheme. The $10,000 would have allowed the couple and their two children to move out of the shack they share with 12 members of their extended family, said the woman on condition of anonymity. I agreed to give birth at the provincial hospital and look after the baby, but I dont know how we will get the money to support and raise another child, she said. Ros Sopheap, director of the charity Gender and Development for Cambodia, said poverty will likely drive more women to engage in surrogacy and that few know the practice is illegal. Very few people are aware of whats right, whats wrong, whats against the law, she said. The reality is that these women do this because they are living in poverty. So as long as there is a demand for surrogate mothers, they will continue. More arrests Southeast Asia has long been a top destination for couples seeking surrogate mothers. Thailand banned the practice in 2015 after several high-profile cases, followed by Cambodia in 2016. In 2017, an Australian nurse and two Cambodians were jailed for 18 months for operating an illegal surrogacy clinic. In the countrys most recent surrogacy raid just last month 11 pregnant women and four facilitators were arrested. Chou Bun Eng, a secretary of state at the Interior Ministry, said the 32 women were released on humanitarian grounds last week, but that the fate of the latest 11 surrogates was unclear. Each case will be judged independently and law enforcement will become stricter in the future, according to the official. It would be difficult, she added, for authorities to track down those who organized surrogacy rings, or the Chinese couples who paid for Cambodian women to bear their children. Even surrogate mothers did not know nor [have] contact with the one who wanted the babies, said Chou Bun Eng. Sophea said she preferred not to know who the biological parents were. I will not tell my son what happened in the past, she said. I wont tell him about his actual Chinese parents. She said her priority upon returning home was to invite a Buddhist monk to conduct a cleansing ceremony in order to rid the family of any bad karma incurred during the ordeal. Her four-year-old daughter and extended family have also welcomed the baby, she said after the ceremony, which was attended by a dozen relatives and several village elders. The whole family loves him, Sophea said. My husband told me: Your son is my son.' Burma Credit Bureau to Be Up and Running Next Year The Central Bank of Myanmar in Yangon / The Irrawaddy YANGONMyanmars first credit bureau will launch its services next year, its chairman U Zaw Lin Aung said. On Monday, Myanmar Credit Bureau Ltd signed an agreement to purchase a credit bureau software license from Equifax New Zealand Services and Solutions Ltd, a unit of the U.S.-based credit-reporting firm. This is our first step. Before this, we observed the way local banks maintain their credit files. We have studied the technical aspects. So we believe we will be able to provide services within nine to 12 months, U Zaw Lin Aung said. In May, the Central Bank of Myanmar issued Myanmar Credit Bureau Ltd a license to collect the credit records of individuals and businesses and provide them to lenders. The Credit Bureau will be the first agency in Myanmar to report information about loans and credit, said Central Bank of Myanmar vice governor U Soe Thein. The bureau will assign credit ratings to individuals and businesses based on their credit histories, and lenders will be able to use these to calculate their bad-debt risk, according to the Central Bank of Myanmar. The bureau will help companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), get easier access to bank loans, U Toe Aung Myint, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, earlier told The Irrawaddy. While SMEs are said to constitute some 90 percent of the businesses in Myanmar, and it is generally agreed that SME development is instrumental to national economic growth, SMEs access to bank loans are restricted as they have to put up collateral. The credit bureau will collect information about the overall performance of individual companies, so [those that perform well] may not need to put up collateral to get loans, U Toe Aung Myint said. The bureau will also assist the central bank by providing credit information about the whole banking sector, said U Yu Lwin, vice chairman of the Myanmar Banks Association and managing director of Myawaddy Bank. The [establishment of the] Credit Bureau is an improvement not only for the domestic banking sector but for all financial organizations, he said. The Central Bank of Myanmar will be able to better regulate local banks and adopt necessary policies in time thanks to real-time information provided by the bureau about the performance of local businesses, he added. Myanmar Credit Bureau Ltd is a 60:40 joint venture between the Myanmar Banks Association (MBA) and Singapore-based Asian Credit Bureau Holdings. News Commission Invites Victims of Violence in Rakhine State to Submit Evidence The investigation commission chairperson Rosario Manalo during the press conference on Wednesday in Naypyitaw. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAWThe commission formed by the Myanmar government with the purpose of investigating allegations of human rights violations against the Rohingya community in Rakhine State said that they welcome victims of the alleged abuses to submit their evidence to them. At a press conference in Naypyitaw on Wednesday, the commission said it had found no evidence so far to prove the widespread allegations that government security forces committed mass human rights abuses in northern parts of the state. After months of pressure from international rights groups to allow an impartial investigation of allegations of arson, rape and murder by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State which followed attacks by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on military and security outposts in northern Rakhine State in August last year, the Myanmar government in July formed a four-member commission to investigate the allegations. The commission is led by Rosario Manalo, former deputy foreign minister of the Philippines and includes Kenzo Oshima, former permanent representative to the UN for Japan. The two local members are U Mya Thein, former chair of Myanmars Constitutional Tribunal, and former senior official at UNICEF, U Aung Tun Thet, who is now chief coordinator of the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine, which was formed in October last year. In response to questions from The Irrawaddy at the press conference on Wednesday in Naypyitaw, Rosario Manalo said the commission has so far found no evidence in support of allegations. We will clarify how we collected the evidence later. But for the time being, allegations are still allegations. There is no conclusive evidence, she said. The commission launched their investigation on Aug. 15, and is to submit its findings to the Presidents Office by August next year. At the press conference, the commission urged victims to submit strong evidence with photos and video clips. They can submit the evidence in Myanmar, English, Arakanese or Bengali language. But evidence has to be submitted by January 31 at the latest, said U Aung Tun Thet, a member of the commission. The commission will hold a private interview with those submitting evidence in order to verify their authenticity. The Myanmar governments plans to form several committees and commissions to resolve the Rakhine issue did not work, said former political prisoner U Tun Kyi. He also criticized the governments lack of cooperation with the international community, saying that its outright denials do not solve the refugee crisis. The commission says evidence can be submitted by mail, e-mail and so on. The most important thing is how to reduce international pressure and help the refugees on the other side. [What the commission is doing] is not an answer, he told The Irrawaddy. The commission has met Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Vice Snr-Gen Soe Win, home affairs minister Maj-Gen Kyaw Swe and other senior military officers, all of whom cooperated with the commission, said Rosario Manalo. We accepted the job because we think we can find the truth. The commission is responsible for investigating all the allegations of human rights violations that happened after August 2017, she said. At its first press conference in August, the commission said that it would carry out the investigation based on the Myanmar Investigation Committees Act 1950, international human rights and humanitarian laws. We can do nothing without evidence. We have to find out if allegations of human rights abuses and crimes are true so we have opened a way for victims and witnesses to submit evidence. We will do what is necessary depending on the evidence, said U Mya Thein, a member of the commission. | BY Ricki Green | Movie actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, of Kick-Ass and Avengers fame, is the voice behind a powerful 2-minute film urging the world, and particularly Australians, to adopt a shelter or pound dog this festive season. Each year over 50,000 abandoned dogs are put down across the country and DDB Remedy, in collaboration with Taylor-Johnson and animal welfare organisations nationally, have launched a pro-bono campaign that urges Australians to help save their lives. The campaign, which launches today, will feature the voice of the Golden Globe winner who has adopted two rescue dogs to date. Every year, over 2 million dogs are euthanised around the world. Together we can end such a senseless disregard for life. Choose compassion and adopt a rescue dog today, says the actor who has provided his time and support to the campaign pro-bono. Says Scott Smith, executive creative director, DDB Remedy: Many of the people behind the creation and production of this film regularly donate their time to organisations like Doggie Rescue in NSW. Through them, we became aware that local pounds and shelters are inundated with dogs during Christmas. While pounds and shelters they do everything they can, they simply cant house hundreds of dogs indefinitely; so tragically, tens of thousands are put down every year through no fault of their own. This moving film gives them a voice at a time of year when for many Australians, caring and compassion are paramount. Director Jonathan May says he wanted the film to be as authentic as possible. Says May: We took a huge risk working with untrained shelter dogs to be in the film and with the help of Monika from Doggie Rescue, we carefully selected Steve and Xena. We only had a short window of time to shoot the dog scenes but both of them nailed their part, it was almost as if they knew the importance of their roles. With the support of the dog rescue organisations who came on board across Australia, together with Aarons international profile, were hoping well be able to make a difference and save as many dogs as possible during Christmas and beyond. Both here and around the world. See Aarons Instagram feed here the post has received over 20K views since launching a few hours ago. Dog welfare organisations Doggie Rescue, NSW SA Dog Rescue, SA SAFE, WA Starting Over Dog Rescue, VIC Best Friends, QLD Voiceless Australia DDB Remedy John Bertolini Managing Director Scott Smith Executive Creative Director John Lam Creative Partner Dawn Scanlan Senior Producer Narve Thakrar Group Business Director Francesca Millena Business Director Alex Lambert Digital Director Partners: Director: Jonathan May Production: Flint Sydney TV Producer: Tim Berriman Writer: Jason Ross Creative Consultant: Kristian Taylor-Wood Sound Design: Simon Lister, Stuart Welch, James Martell, Nylon Studios Music: Lydia Davies, Nylon Studios Voice Talent: Aaron Taylor-Johnson Editor: Christopher Barron, Post Production: The Hive Colourist: Matt Fezz VFX Supervisor: Hugh Saville DOP: Campbell Brown Steady Cam Operator: Brendan Shaw Gaffer: Jeremy Graham, Ben McPhee Dog Rescue consultant: Monika Biernacki News Myanmar on US List of Worst Religious Freedom Violators People hold photos of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at an interfaith prayer ceremony in Yangon on Oct. 10, 2017. / REUTERS YANGONU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called out Myanmar for severe violations of religious freedoms over its treatment of religious and ethnic communities in a statement on Tuesday. Myanmar is among 10 nations designated Countries of Particular Concern under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 due to mass violence against the Rohingya population in northern Rakhine State and against other religious communities, as well as the persecution of ethnic Kachin and Karen during the ongoing civil war, according to the statement. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel D. Brownback said during a teleconference that nine other countriesChina, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistanwere also on the list of designated countries released by Pompeo on Nov. 28 under IRFA. The list Pompeo released in December 2017 featured nine of the same countries, but included Uzbekistan rather than Pakistan. Brownback said the 10 nations on this years list have allowed or conducted severe, ongoing, egregious, systematic violations of religious freedom. In far too many places across the globe, individuals continue to face harassment, arrest or even death for simply living their lives in accordance with their beliefs. The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression, Pompeo said in the statement. The State Department notifies the U.S. Congress of the list annually, and in some cases imposes sanctions on the countries. Brownback said such sanctions are known as double-hatted, meaning the countries are sanctioned in other areas but are also considered sanctioned as Countries of Particular Concern. During the teleconference, one reporter asked whether the U.S. administration would rule out legal action against Naypyitaw over the violence against the Rohingya. Brownback said he did not have details on what further action would be taken. He pointed out, however, that the administration had already taken a strong stance over the issue, with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley all speaking out against Naypyitaws actions. He said the U.S. had already sanctioned five Myanmar generals and two military units. Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described the militarys actions in Rakhine as ethnic cleansing, Brownback noted, adding that Myanmars treatment of the Rohingya and other religious communities continues to be closely watched and a very keen area of interest. The Kachin and Karen are also ones that are being persecuted in [Myanmar], and all those together are reasons we obviously put [it] as a Country of Particular Concern on the list, he added. According to a recent report in the Christian Post citing U.S. pastor and interfaith dialog advocate Bob Roberts, the Myanmar military has bombed or burned at least 60 churches in the past 18 months in Kachin State during clashes with the Kachin Independence Army. Myanmar is also among the violators of religious freedom listed in the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)s 2018 report. On Dec. 3, USCIRF called on the U.S. government and the international community to hold accountable members of Myanmars military, security forces and some non-state actors for severe human rights and religious freedom violations against Rohingya Muslims and other religious and ethnic communities including Buddhists, Hindus and Christians, as well as ethnic Kachin, Shan and Karen. At home, top leaders recently warned Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko to choose his words carefully when referring to Rohingya refugees taking shelter in Bangladesh. While addressing the funeral of a respected ethnic Karen Buddhist monk in Karen States Hpa-an in November, the minister told monks in attendance that Buddhism in Myanmar was in danger from the followers of an unspecified extreme faith. Numerous organizations in the county raised objections to his statement, which they took as a reference to Islam. At an education seminar in Naypyitaw on Dec. 4, the minister clarified his remarks, saying they did not refer to all Muslims but only to Bengalis. Myanmar government officials often use the term Bengali to refer to Rohingya, whom they do not consider an indigenous ethnic group, but rather as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. News Parliamentary Committee Endorses Suspension of French Loan Plans The Yangon skyline is seen from the confluence of the Hlaing River and Pazundaung Creek. / Kyaw Phyo Tha / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAW The Joint Public Accounts Committee of the Union Parliament has urged the legislature to suspend plans to accept loans from the French Development Agency (AFD) for projects in Yangon. The committee said some of the projects in the feasibility study report need an in-depth review and that the report fails to provide detailed cost and profit estimates or financial assessments of the projects. Suppose we give the proposal a nod while we are not very sure about the projects and Parliament approves it. Then who will take responsibility for it if people voice opposition and delays occur in the implementation process? U Aung Min, the committees vice chairman, told reporters in Naypyitaw on Monday. Plans to accept loans worth 70 million euros ($79.3 million) from the AFD were suspended in November after lawmakers raised concerns. The Yangon Region government and mayor of Yangon then discussed the plans with the Joint Public Accounts Committee, which endorsed the suspension. According to the Yangon Region government, the loans would be used to upgrade parks and markets, build car parking facilities, develop riverfront areas, conserve cultural heritage sites and dredge the Nga Moe Yeik Creek, an undeveloped waterway in Yangon that the regional government believes could be used for public transport. To take a foreign loan, it must be clear exactly how much of it will be used for which project. The feasibility study should be clear, as should the costs. But now I doubt that money would be enough for so many projects, U Tin Tun Naing, a Lower House lawmaker representing Yangons Seikkyi Kanaungto Township, told reporters. According to Deputy Finance and Planning Minister U Maung Maung Win, the interest on the loans would be 0.77 percent. He said the EU would provide an addition grant of 9.5 million euros ($10.8 million) toward the projects and that Myanmar will also benefit from them via technology transfers. The Union Parliament is schedule to decide whether or not to approve the loans on Thursday. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. News Shan Armed Group Kills At Least Four Ethnic Pa-O in Shooting RCSS fighters participate in a military parade in Loi Tai Leng, southern Shan State, in 2017. / Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy CHIANG MAI, Thailand The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) shot dead at least four ethnic Pa-O in southern Shan State on Tuesday in what the armed group said was self-defense. RCSS spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Sai Meng said the four were shot dead after they attacked the armed groups fighters with knives and tried to steal their firearms in Loilem Township. The dead were from a Pa-O militia led by Koyin based in Htam Sam cave, he told The Irrawaddy. The spokesman said Koyin was a Pa-O monk who has been in command of another armed group in the area for the past 20 years or so. Lt. Col. Sai Meng said the RCSS fighters had initially stopped the group because they suspected one of them was a spy for the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw. We saw photos that showed that our troops were chopped. So in self-defense they killed those four people near Seng Ngun village, he said. The RCSS spokesman blamed the deaths ultimately on what he described as the militarys efforts to sow discord among the areas ethnic groups. We think the Tatmadaw is creating this misunderstanding between the Shan and Pa-O and it needs to be solved. It should not happen, he said. The Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO), yet another armed group in the area, gave a different account. According to a PNLO statement and spokesperson, four Pa-O villagers were out searching for a new water source for Seng Ngun Village (also known as Namp Hu) when they were detained by a combined force of RCSS fighters and other militia members. They said the RCSS fighters and militia members shot dead a total of five people and injured three others when more Pa-O confronted them to demand that the four people they had detained be released. In its statement, the PNLO said it condemned the RCSS for this incident because it committed murderous crimes by arbitrarily arresting, killing and injuring people. It said one of the injured was being treated at a hospital in Loilem and that the other two were taken to a hospital in Taunggyi, the state capital. Khun Nay Htoo, acting director of the Pa-O Health Working Committee, said one of the injured men taken to Taunggyi was an employee of Seng Nguns village administration office. The RCSS denied that its fighters were accompanied by any militia members when the confrontation occurred. The Pa-O in southern Shan State say they come under frequent threat from the RCSS and often fall victim to its landmines. The PNLO accused the RCSS of setting a fire at a monastery in Mong Pan Township that killed two novice monks on Nov. 7, which the RCSS denied. The two armed groups briefly fought with one another in Mong Pan the month before. The PNLO said it had recently sent its fighters into the area at the request of a local village that said the RCSS as conscripting its residents. Pa-O community leaders say such incidents are severely deteriorated trust between the local Shan and Pa-O. We would like to ask the leaders of our country if they will do anything while innocent civilians are being brutally killed, Khun Nay Htoo said. There must be an investigation and effective actions must be taken against those who are responsible. World Canada Frees CFO of China's Huawei on Bail; Trump Might Intervene Meng Wanzhou, executive board director of Huawei, attends a session of the VTB Capital Investment Forum "Russia Calling!" in Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 2, 2014. / Reuters VANCOUVER, CanadaA top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver at the request of US authorities sparked a diplomatic dispute. Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, faces US claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions. In a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Justice William Ehrcke granted C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail to Meng, who has been jailed since her arrest on Dec. 1. The courtroom erupted in applause when the decision was announced. Meng cried and hugged her lawyers. Among conditions of her bail, the 46-year-old executive must wear an ankle monitor and stay at home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Five friends pledged equity in their homes and other money as a guarantee she will not flee. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canadas justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the United States. 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 arrest of Meng has put a further dampener on Chinese relations with the United States and Canada at a time when tensions were already high over an ongoing trade war and US accusations of Chinese spying. US President Donald Trump told Reuters 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. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately, and analysts have said retaliation from Beijing over the arrest was likely. The US State Department is considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens, two sources said on Tuesday. The Canadian government was considering issuing a similar warning, Canadas CTV network reported. Reuters was not able to confirm the report. Earlier on Tuesday, the Canadian government said that one of its citizens in China had been detained. Two sources told Reuters the person detained was former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. However, Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence, said: In China there are no coincidences If they want to send you a message they will send you a message. The Chinese embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Electronic monitoring Meng, who was arrested as she was changing planes in Vancouver, has said she is innocent and will contest the allegations in the United States if she is extradited. Tuesday was the third day of bail hearings. Mengs defense had argued that she was not a flight risk, citing her longstanding ties to Canada, properties she owns in Vancouver and fears for her health while incarcerated. Her family assured the court she would remain in Vancouver at one of her family houses in an affluent neighborhood. Her husband said he plans to bring the couples daughter to Vancouver to attend school, and Meng had said she would be grateful for the chance to read a novel after years of working hard. I am satisfied that on the particular facts of this case the risk of her non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing bail conditions, said the judge, adding that he was also persuaded by the fact that Meng was a well-educated businesswoman with no criminal record. She must remain in Canada and be accompanied by security guards when she leaves her residence. Meng will pay a cash deposit of C$7 million, with five guarantors liable for a remaining C$3 million if she absconds. Meng was ordered to reappear in court on Feb. 6 to make plans for further appearances. Huawei, which makes smartphones and network equipment, said in a statement it looked forward to a timely resolution of the case. We have every confidence that the Canadian and US legal systems will reach a just conclusion, it said, adding that it complied with all laws and regulations where it operates. The case against Meng stems from a 2013 Reuters report about Huaweis close ties to Hong Kong-based Skycom Tech Co. Ltd., which attempted to sell US equipment to Iran despite US and European Union bans. Huawei is the worlds largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment and the 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. World Crisis Group says No Word from China on Detained Canadian Employee Police keep watch outside the embassy of Canada in Beijing, China on December 12, 2018. / REUTERS SHANGHAIThe International Crisis Group (ICG) on Wednesday said it had received no information from Chinese officials about the detention of its employee, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, and that it was seeking consular access to him. The ICG, a think-tank focused on conflict resolution, said in a statement to Reuters Kovrig was detained by state security officials in Beijing on Monday night. His detention, first reported by Reuters, came after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on Dec. 1 at the request of US authorities, which infuriated Beijing. The Canadian government said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. Diplomats in China said the apparent involvement of the secretive state security ministry, which engages in domestic counter-espionage work, among other things, suggests the government could be looking at levelling spying accusations. However, ICG President and Chief Executive Robert Malley said the group did not engage in such activity. I dont want to speculate as to whats behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about whats not behind it, and whats not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security, Malley told Reuters. Everything we do is transparent, its on our website. We dont engage in secretive work, in confidential work. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he had nothing he could say on the details of the case. He added the ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organization (NGO) and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law. If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then thats already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organisations operating in China, Lu told reporters. The ICG must make clear the relevant situation, he said. With regards to the group, I must make it clear, that they are not legally registered in China, so if they engaged in that kind of activities, then thats outside Chinese law. The Ministry of Public Security, which has oversight over foreign NGOs, did not respond to a request for comment. Chinas Ministry of State Security has no publicly available contact details. The foreign NGO law, which took effect in January, is part of a raft of new national security measures introduced under President Xi Jinping. All foreigners that come to China, so long as they respect the law, have nothing to worry about, Lu added. No coincidences William Nee, China Researcher for Amnesty Internationals East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong, said Kovrigs detention was alarming, especially as it appeared to be the first time the law has been used to detain a foreign NGO worker. We need to wait for the official explanation from the Chinese side, but this detention could have a chilling effect on the foreign NGO and business communities in terms of their feeling safe while travelling in China, he told Reuters. This comes in the context in which the procedural safeguards in cases deemed to be political by the Chinese authorities are routinely ignored. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, was asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. In China there are no coincidences If they want to send you a message, they will send you a message, he said. A Western diplomat in China, who asked not to be identified, was even more blunt: This is a political kidnapping. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately and analysts have said retaliation for the arrest was likely. Meng was granted bail by a Canadian court late on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver on US claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions sparked a diplomatic dispute. Malley said Kovrig, who was based in Hong Kong, had been working on issues related to Chinese foreign policy in Asia and Africa. Im just going to hope that whatever process is under way is going to be a fair one and one that will quickly show that theres nothing against him, he said. The US State Department was considering issuing a travel warning for its citizens, two sources said on Tuesday. The Canadian government was considering issuing a similar warning, Canadas CTV network said. Reuters was not able to confirm the report. Wednesday, December 12th, 2018 (8:54 am) - Score 1,266 A new report from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned that the UK Government must take urgent action and fast track [new] laws in order to ensure the delivery of its aspiration to achieve nationwide coverage of future 5G mobile by 2027 and full fibre (FTTP) Gigabit broadband ISP networks by 2033. At present almost everything seems to have become understandably overshadowed by the current chaos surrounding all things Brexit. The CBI appears to be concerned that this is also starting to distract from the need to make other important decisions in the area of domestic policy, particularly around broadband and mobile. The report Ready, Set, Connect (PDF) warns that without quicker Government action on funding and policy in 2019, firms of all sizes will be at risk of losing their competitive edge internationally and could thus be placed in danger of buffering. Broadly speaking the new report appears to support the approach that is currently being taken by the Government (see below), although theyre concerned that the UK is still moving too slowly and have made a series of recommendations to encourage greater progress. Matthew Fell, CBI UK Chief Policy Director, said: In todays world, digital connectivity matters more than ever if data is the new oil, then digital connectivity is the pipe that transports it. Seamless connections, from full fibre networks to 5G, offer unprecedented opportunities for businesses and consumers across the UK. Our country is already home to hundreds of thousands of innovative technological firms, both start-ups and large enterprises. Business models and workplaces are changing, and more people are either working from a coffee shop, their home or office. They are the backbone of our economy and they all rely on fast and reliable digital connectivity to run their businesses successfully. Action needs to be taken now to unleash our digital economy which is already worth nearly 184 billion. This means the Government must unlock investment, update the law to help everyone get access to gigabit broadband and spur businesses to adopt new technologies. For its part the Governments recent Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) has already set out what further changes need to be made in order to facilitate their future full fibre and 5G mobile plans. The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, then immediately followed this up with a related consultation on the necessary regulation changes (here). Since then a further 200m of public funding has also been committed to help full fibre broadband ISP networks to reach into rural areas (Budget 2018). On top of that two new consultations (here and here) have been launched that aim to help mandate gigabitcapable broadband connections for new build homes. All of this is on top of earlier changes, such as the 5 year business rates holiday on new fibre and various funding schemes. Nevertheless the CBI has called on the Government to fast track their plans and in some other areas, such as business rates, theyre seeking further action. Step 1: Deliver digital connectivity at a digital pace accelerate barrier busting plans to unlock investment and drive rollout 1. Give communication service providers better access to private land Fast-track legislation to mandate gigabit connectivity in new builds and access to tenant properties in 2019. Streamline access to private land and support consistency by disseminating standardised wayleave agreements in 2019. 2. Ease the planning restrictions on new infrastructure at pace Review digital infrastructure planning permission, ensuring that future telecoms infrastructure falls under permitted development. This review should consult devolved nations to achieve harmonisation in planning laws across the UK. 3. Conduct a review of the business rates system including productivity-enhancing investments This should examine the economic impact of excluding digital infrastructure from business rates as an investment to enhance UK productivity. Step 2: Lead the way in making the UK a top-tier connected nation through bold, cross-government action 4. Commit to delivering the funding necessary for the outside in programme to deliver full fibre across the UK within the Comprehensive Spending Review Set out funding mechanisms and a delivery programme for the outside in programme. The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review estimated this would cost at least 3-5bn. Ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the CBI will be undertaking analysis on the full cost of this policy commitment. Ofcom and government should deliver the regulatory framework set out in the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review in 2019, committing to incentivising infrastructure competition. 5. Make integrated infrastructure a national priority by fitting all new transport infrastructure with full fibre and 5G infrastructure Join up infrastructure development by creating a cross-departmental Fibre and 5G Taskforce to put the right policy in place for government infrastructure projects to be built with full fibre infrastructure prioritising large-scale road and rail projects and including MHCLG, BEIS, DCMS, DfT and HMT. 6. Make the public sector a leading customer for digital infrastructure improvements Government must be an anchor customer for 5G and full fibre by upgrading the digital infrastructure on public sector buildings and reusing public sector assets (including street lights, ducts and buildings) for digital infrastructure. The DCMS Barrier Busting Taskforce should continue to support councils in this. 7. Commit to supporting mobile networks as strongly as fibre networks Government must support public funding to help address enduring rural mobile not-spots, barrier busting for 4G and 5G rollout, and continue spurring the development of 5G use cases. Step 3: Set the framework for business adoption of digital connectivity 8. Support greater business adoption of available digital connectivity Increase the funding pot for the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and continue the DCMS campaign to support voucher uptake. Extend the BEIS Business Basics Fund to support business adoption of 4G and gigabit-capable broadband. 9. Help businesses prepare for 5G adoption by raising business awareness of 5G Share best practice from the government-funded 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, through UK5G, the Digital Catapult and Innovate UK. Make the new 5G sector testbeds open to all businesses within the sector, to be delivered through the Catapult Network. Raise the profile of existing available testbeds to encourage businesses in all sectors to access the facilities. LEPs to better utilise Openreach digital connectivity postcode checker so consumers and businesses can check what digital connectivity options are available. The CBIs suggestion that digital infrastructure should be excluded from business rates is an interesting one, although we cant see it happening. So far the Government appears to have shunned the idea of extending the current business rates holiday on new fibre (not doing this seems to be incompatible with their current goals) and so in the current climate it seems highly unlikely that theyd go even further than that. Meanwhile the idea of standardised wayleave agreements across the UK has plenty of merit and progress in some parts of the country is already being made, such as around London and the recent CLA/NFU rural wayleave framework for fibre networks. But getting a single standardised system adopted everywhere will still be difficult and probably wont happen as quickly as the CBI would like. The current situation with respect telecoms operators and rental payments as a result of the reformed Electronic Communications Code (ECC), which for example has resulted in mobile operators pushing their way into buildings to install new mobile kit alongside miniscule rental payments (e.g. 7-50 per year instead of several thousand), is an example of how difficult it is to find the right balance (here). Finally, the CBI has set out a time-scale roadmap for what theyve proposed. Just a quick apology that I didnt spot this report sooner. Unfortunately it was released on Saturday and we didnt get a press release about it, which meant it flew under our radar until today. December 11, 2018 POCATELLO Idaho State University researchers will work with the robotic systems integration company House of Design in Nampa to enable programmers wearing augmented reality glasses to communicate directly with robots. This project will be supported by a $162,606 grant to ISU from the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission (IGEM) Council, which is administered by the Idaho Department of Commerce. The grant to design and develop an augmented reality platform for robotic systems design and interaction (ARPRI) will run next year. House of Design does custom automation of ABB robots that are used in industrial settings. Co-principal investigator Alba Perez, ISU associate professor and chair of mechanical engineering, said she envisions a programmer wearing Microsoft Hololens augmented reality glasses who will be able to see the real world, but then when theyre within a certain distance they can communicate wirelessly with the robot. The augmented reality glasses may feature menus off to the side that programmers can see and then select menu options, and it is possible the augmented reality system could use voice commands for communications between the programmers and the robots. Omid Heidari, an ISU Ph.D. student who will be working on the project, said he enjoyed working with House of Design during an internship this summer and is looking forward to participating in this project. In normal situations the designers and programmers sit at their computers, write some programs, simulate them there and then upload them and then the robot does the task, Heidari said. So now we are thinking instead of using the computer and the software, use augmented reality glasses so that the programmer can go by the robot and interact with the robot and can see a visual panel by the robot, for example, to see what is inside the robot, the programs that are running, and give it commands. The starting point of this project was during Heidaris internship, where he helped design an augmented-reality application for mobile devices to interact with their robots. In this project, we will be expanding those preliminary results to a more complete platforms and using HoloLens, Heidari said. Perez said the first step in the project is put some sensors in the augmented reality glasses so the glasses can identify the robot. Then the researchers need to establish communications with the robot, then send information to the robot and then integrate all these processes. We will try to develop a tool that will allow them to communicate with the robots using an augmented reality to send information to the robots and receive information from the robots to make the programming and the setup very natural and easy, Perez said. The grants other principal investigator is mechanical engineering Professor Marco Schoen in the College of Science and Engineering. ISU will work with House of Design CEO Shane Dittrich. Theyll be completing the work with an additional ISU graduate student in the ISU College of Science and Engineerings Measurement and Control Engineering Research Center. An industrial robot worth $35,000 to $40,000 is being provided to ISU for the project by House of Design. I am very excited about this opportunity to connect business and industry partners with our university researchers, said President Kevin Satterlee, Idaho State University. IGEMs goal of fostering economic prosperity is a great benefit to the communities of Idaho, and Idaho State is pleased to be part of the process. Robotic systems are being deployed more and more in many industrial processes, and House of Design is a leader company in this field, which was named 2017 Innovative Company of the Year in Idaho, Perez said. This project has grown out of ISUs expertise in developing an augmented reality system to assist with arm rehabilitation and Heidaris internship with House of Design. "We expect House of Design to benefit from having a very natural application to interact with the robots, Heidari said. Looking at the future, applications in augmented reality may expand to many activities in industry, health care and the environment in which robotics may also be involved" The IGEM grant funds will go towards funding two full-time graduate students to work on the project for a year, It is great to have this grant, Perez said. These things have a wow factor that is always there. We will start developing the platform as soon as the paperwork is done in early January. | BY Ricki Green | Global communications agency Hotwire has today reiterated its commitment to driving diversity in tech, with Hotwire Australia announcing it will offer free media training for women in 2019. The initiative was developed in response to the dire need for greater gender diversity in the Australian tech sector, with Hotwire keen to ensure it plays its part to make this a reality for the industry. Hotwire Australia held its first F in Fintech event last month to shine a spotlight on the unconscious bias across the industry. Inspired by the lively panel discussions about the need to drive gender diversity with innovative thinking, the team identified how it could enable more businesses to provide a stronger platform for their female leaders. Says Mylan Vu (above), managing director, Hotwire Australia: We work with a range of technology and innovation-driven companies and our clients often seek our help to attract a more diverse workforce comprising more female role models. For many tech companies, providing speaker and media opportunities to publicise spokespeople starts with media training, and this is where we are invested in making a difference at a grassroots level. The most common channels through which role models become known and share their influence are speaking panels at conferences and events, and interviews in mainstream media. By providing free media training for female spokespeople, we can provide them with an increased volume of opportunities to have their voices heard. Telstra has unveiled a major revamp of its support for Australian small businesses, including a new mobile and tablet plan with no lock-in contract and no excess data charges in Australia. Australias largest telco announced on Wednesday that it had also launched a new 24/7 tech support service and thousands more dedicated small business specialists across the country. Telstra positions these latest announcements as the next stage in the rollout of its T22 strategy, which it says has already delivered simpler products by removing domestic excess data charges on consumer mobile plans and provided more choice for customers creating a home or mobile package. The revamp was announced at an Illawarra Business Chamber Forum in Wollongong on Wednesday by Telstra chief executive Andrew Penn who said the T22 milestone for small business was perfectly timed as many more businesses look to technology to drive productivity, access new markets and improve customer experience. Our new approach for small business is built around three things flexibility to enable businesses to scale and choose what is right for them, greater cost certainty and value, and expert service and advice all critical elements for success in todays fast-paced business environment. We know every small business is different our job is to make sure we have leading solutions and services that are fit for purpose and what weve announced today does that." Telstras new suite of solutions and services for small business includes: Business Choice mobile plan small business customers can now get a new mobile or tablet plan with no lock-in contract and no excess data charges in Australia. Unlimited data as standard on Business Bundle plans starting from $100. Telstra Platinum for Business a new 24/7 tech advice and support service for business owners to take the pressure off having to employ, or in most cases, be their own IT experts. More dedicated service and support for small businesses Telstra has tripled the number of small business specialists in its 350 retail stores around the country to 3,000. In early 2019, Telstra will launch a new national premium ICT channel for small business customers with more complex technology needs. Telstra has also introduced a Concierge Tech Support service that provides small business customers calling with an NBN or fixed line service issue with one dedicated expert to help solve their problem fast. Penn said the new solutions were about ensuring Telstra was not only providing advanced technology solutions to small businesses, but also the essential support to go with it. This is a significant increase to the level of dedicated service and support we provide small businesses, to help take away complexity and give them peace of mind with their technology usage and support, he said. Telstra confirmed the next key milestone under its T22 strategy would be the introduction of a new market leading loyalty program in March 2019. US President Donald Trump appears to have opened a can of worms by stating that he would intervene in the case against Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, if it would help achieve a trade deal for the US. Reuters reported that Trump, when asked if he would intervene in the case, said 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. Canada has granted bail to Meng who was arrested in Vancouver on 1 December. In a related development, Reutersthat former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig had been taken into custody on Monday. Kovrig works for the International Crisis Group, a think-tank that claims to be involved in independent conflict resolution. Meng is the deputy chairperson of Huawei's board and the daughter of the company's founder, Ren Zhengfei. Her bail conditions stipulate that she must reside at her Vancouver home while waiting for a decision on possible extradition to the US. Bail was set at C$10 million (A$10.36 million) and she will be subject to electronic monitoring with security personnel to accompany here if she goes out. Meng's arrest is allegedly due to her involvement in sanctions busting through the sales of US products to Iran. American authorities claim that she lied to banks about connections between Huawei and a company that did business in Iran. News of the US Justice Department probe into whether Huawei has violated sanctions on Iran was reported by The Wall Street Journal in April. Earlier this year, the US Department of Commerce imposed a seven-year ban on another big Chinese telco equipment maker, ZTE, claiming that the company had made false statements during talks in 2016 over a charge of shipping telco equipment to Iran and North Korea. ZTE shut down its main business activities in the US on 9 May. But following the intervention of US President Donald Trump, a deal was worked out for ZTE to return to business by paying a fine of US$1 billion, changing its management team and depositing US$400 million in an escrow account against possible future transgressions. Mike Burgess: "Many of the claims about the 'dangerous' nature of the Act are hyperbolic, inaccurate and influenced by self-interest, rather than the national interest." Myths have been spread about the Federal Government's newly passed encryption law, according to the director-general of the Australian Signals Directorate, Mike Burgess, who claims that there has been "considerable inaccurate commentary" and has set out to correct what he describes as misconceptions. In a statement on what he calls the TOLA Act a neat acronym for the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018 Burgess said firstly it was incorrect to claim that information was no longer safe as those using messaging apps for lawful purposes would not come within the purview of the law. The law took effect on 6 December after the Labor Party agreed to pass it without any amendments due to the fact that the House of Representatives had risen for the year. Labor leader Bill Shorten says he has secured a pledge that 50 pages of amendments will be passed in the new year, though the government says it has only agreed to consider them. Burgess said it was also untrue to claim that the new laws had given spy agencies unfettered powers, claiming that there were significant checks and balances. "Agencies can get a warrant to listen to the phone calls of criminals. Why shouldnt these same agencies be able to get assistance to read the encrypted messages of criminals when Australian lives and livelihoods are at stake?" he asked. Burgess also said it a myth to say that Internet security was under threat as the investigations which would be launched under the law would be "highly targeted". "Agencies cannot use the legislation to ask or require companies to create systemic weaknesses which would jeopardise the communications of other users," he added. He denied that the law would force technology companies to move their production offshore, a claim that was made by the chairman of encryption technology firm Senetas, Francis Galbally, during a Senate panel hearing. But Burgess did not offer any evidence to support this statement, apart from saying: "Australia is not the first country to enact this sort of legislation and we will not be the last. Agencies in the UK already have similar powers and other nations are considering their options. The claims the legislation will drive tech companies offshore are similarly flawed." He said it was a myth to say there was no way of ensuring that Australian communications would not be jeopardised as the the law had built-in oversight mechanisms, "including oversight from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and the Commonwealth Ombudsman". Further, the notices that sought or compelled industry assistance to add functionality were also subject to review, through not from sitting judges. Burgess said another myth being spread was that the ASD would now be able to spy on Australians, pointing out that the agency was focused on foreign intelligence. He also said the claim that Australian technology companies would suffer in terms of reputation was wrong. To those who have compared the outcome of the ban that Australia has imposed on Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei to what would happen to local tech firms was incorrect because, "It is not in any way an equivalent comparison to the highly-targeted assistance that the Australian Government will be seeking under the TOLA Act". Burgess said many claims about the law were "hyperbolic, inaccurate and influenced by self-interest, rather than the national interest". "The true danger is the thing the TOLA Act seeks to prevent: terrorists, paedophiles and other criminals communicating in secret, without law enforcement and security agencies being able to crack their code," he claimed. "Australias law enforcement and national security agencies do not ask for legislative change lightly or routinely. But when technology evolves, the law should evolve too so we can continue our mission to keep Australians safe." Scheelers appointment follows CeBITs recent announcement that it is taking a wide range of measures aimed at refocussing the event to engage and excite a new audience of technology users and buyers. Hannover Fairs Australia is thrilled to announce that Stephen Scheeler, former Facebook chief executive for Australia and New Zealand, has joined as the new chairman of CeBIT Australia, Asia-Pacifics most significant B2B innovation and technology event which will be held next year in Sydney from October 29-31, organisers of the event announced on Wednesday. Having worked with Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and other Silicon Valley leaders during his tenure at Facebook, Stephen saw the Australia and New Zealand business including Instagram, Messenger, Whatsapp and Oculus grow from a mere start-up into one of the most successful Facebook markets in the world. More recently, Stephen has started his own consultancy firm, The Digital CEO, Hannover Fairs said. Harvey Stockbridge, managing director, CeBIT Australia says, Technology is a disruptive influence across every industry, and one of the great challenges of the next decade will be for both legacy and start-up businesses to navigate the breakneck pace of change technology is enabling. CeBIT exists to connect the dots between the challenges this creates for industry, and the innovators that are striving to deliver the solutions. Stephen is one of the top innovation leaders in Australia. He holds an incredible range of experience gained through shaping the ANZ Facebook business into one of the most successful Facebook markets in the world. He is a perfect fit to lead the growth and development of CeBIT Australia as it enters this exciting new era, representing the capabilities, culture and leadership that we must all embrace. Everyone in a business now has an involvement with technology whether theyre working in marketing, finance or human resources. Theres also a multitude of new spaces such as agtech, fintech, Industry 4.0 and healthtech, so we really want to deliver an unforgettable event that highlights the latest trends and technologies available. NSW Minister for Trade and Industry Niall Blair said it was a priority for the government to continue to support the growth of the state's technology sector. "As the innovation capital of Australia and leader in the information and communication technology and start-up sectors, Sydney is the right home for major tech conferences like CeBIT," Blair said. "The new-look CeBIT Australia will continue to build on its reputation as a platform for industry leaders looking to boost their business and grow their international profile." Google chief executive Sundar Pichai has told the US House Judiciary Committee that the company currently has no plans to launch a censored search engine in China, while simultaneously admitting that such a project had been underway for a year and that more than 100 people had worked on it. The Intercept reported that when he was asked to confirm that Google would launch a search tool that would aid in surveillance and censorship in China, Pichai responded with an oblique answer, saying: "One of the things thats important to us as a company, we have a stated mission of providing users with information, and so we always think its our duty to explore possibilities to give users access to information. "I have a commitment, but as Ive said earlier on this well be very thoughtful and well engage widely as we make progress." Thethat Google plans to re-enter China with a project known as Dragonfly the company had a censored search engine in operation from 2006 to 2010, but pulled out when its servers were hacked by Chinese authorities on 1 August in The Intercept. There have been numerous developments since then, with even US Vice-President Mike Pence calling on the company to scrap the project. Google has been silent about the project for the most part, but in October Pichai referred to it in public, telling a conference that what had been developed up to that point was "very promising". Last month, a number of Google employees published a letter, calling on the company to cancel the proposed censored search engine for China. When Pichai was asked what user information Google would share with Beijing authorities, he again avoided a direct answer, saying: "We would look at what the conditions are to operate [and we would] explore a wide range of possibilities. | BY Lynchy | The Sphere Agency has positioned and branded Noro Mall, a state-of-the-art shopping mall that will be located in the heart of Phnom Penh. Noro Mall is the first development from NI DEV and is set to become the benchmark for all their future developments. Designed by world-renowned architect, Hun Chansan of Re-Edge Architecture and Design, Noro Mall represents the future of shopping in Cambodia. The brand platform Wonderful on every level highlights the many aspects that make Noro Mall a must visit destination. Michael Abdel, Founder and Executive Creative Director of The Sphere Agency, said, Cambodia has never experienced anything like Noro Mall before. With this in mind, we felt it was important that we create a brand platform that could help educate consumers on its wide offering. The platform we created informs consumers of all the many wonderful reasons to visit and does so in a memorable and fun way. Nira Lim, NI DEV MD, said, We are working with leading companies from around the globe to ensure Noro Mall isnt just a world-class development, its world-leading. We believe we now have a brand platform worthy of such a landmark development. The Australian Signals Directorate claims that comments made by its director-general, Mike Burgess, in October, that there is no separation between the 5G radio access network and its core, are correct and referred to "mature" and "far more capable 5G network architectures". The agency was responding to an inquiry from iTWire, made on 22 November, and pointing out that Burgess' comments appeared to be contradicted by a 5G trial in Auckland conducted jointly by Chinese telecommunications equipment supplier Huawei and New Zealand telco Spark. An article on 23 November referred to the contradiction and also to the fact that ASD had not responded to the query at that time. The trial used a Huawei 5G NR (New Radio on both the C-band and mmWave) and a 4G Radio Access Network, both of which were deployed by using dedicated hardware connected to the Cisco Evolved Packet Core, with each component isolated. Burgess wasby The Australian in October as saying in what many dubbed a major speech: The distinction between core and edge collapses in 5G networks. That means that a potential threat anywhere in the network will be a threat to the whole network." In its response, sent to iTWire last week, the ASD said this demonstration was "an early version of 5G which allows users faster mobile broadband". It added: "Specifically, in a lab deployment Huawei has deployed 3GPP release 15 compliant Huawei 5G NR (new radio) RAN (radio access network) and 4G RAN connected to a Cisco EPC (evolved packet core, or 4G core). This is a non-stand-alone (NSA) 5G deployment, similar to how most mobile operators are initially deploying 5G. "The Australian Governments concerns with the use of high-risk vendors in 5G networks focused on the risks posed to telecommunications critical infrastructure deploying mature and far more capable 5G network architectures. "Mature 5G enables functionality such as network function virtualisation, edge computing, automation and orchestration. "These, in turn, break down the traditional notions of edge and core outlined in the article, and so the article does not change ASDs assessment of the risks posed by high-risk vendors in 5G networks." But the ASD's assertions appear to be contradicted by a 3GPP panel discussion on 13 September where the following participated: Frank Mademann, chair of 3GPP Service and System Aspects Working Group 2; Valtteri Niemi, former chair of 3GPP Service and System Aspects Working Group 3 (SA3) and Nokia Fellow, professor at the University of Helsinki; Anand Prasad, chair of SA3; Giovanni Romano, co-ordinator for radio standards, Telecom Italia; and Adrian Scrase, ETSI CTO, leader of 3GPP Mobile Competence Centre. The ASD had said: "Mature 5G enables functionality such as network function virtualisation, edge computing, automation and orchestration." The panel's take was: "The core/RAN distinction is maintained. The basic security architecture of mobile communications, including RAN/core separation, does not change in 5G. In particular, multi-access edge computing (MEC) on the network does not affect this separation; the MEC server interfaces with a user-plane function of the 5G Core (5GC). "In a multivendor scenario, 5G RAN and 5G Core run on different hardware platforms, and Huawei equipment do not host virtual network functions of core networks. The placing of virtual network functions of the core network will be limited to Edge, Regional and Central point of presence (cloud platforms) of other vendors. The Huawei 5G RAN (base band units) will be co-located with LTE units (base stations) at Far Edge of the network using Huawei dedicated hardware." Again, the ASD had asserted: "These, in turn, break down the traditional notions of 'edge' and 'core' outlined in the article, and so the article does not change ASD's assessment of the risks posed by high-risk vendors in 5G networks." The panel's take was: "The 5G RAN and 5G Core are and will be always separated by the standardised and unified NG interface, which makes possible a multi-vendor implementation and deployment using hardware platforms logically and physically separated." These statements by a panel, whose technical competence and bonafides cannot be questioned, appear to again indicate that separation between the 5G radio access network and its core will be a part of all 5G implementations, right down to the final release which is expected at the end of 2019. The ASD also referred to the New Zealand decision, to ban Huawei from participation in its 5G networks, as providing context to its statement. But New Zealand's spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau, did not make any mention of lack of separation between the 5G radio access network and its core, merely telling the telco Spark that Spark's proposal would raise significant national security risks. Additionally, more recently, British telco BT said it would be removing Huawei gear from its 3G and 4G core networks as planned, saying: "We're applying these same principles to our current RFP for 5G core infrastructure. As a result, Huawei have not been included in vendor selection for our 5G core." And the BT statement added: "Huawei remains an important equipment provider outside the core network and a valued innovation partner", implying that there was indeed separation between the 5G radio access network and its core. A final note: readers may wonder why there has been such a gap between iTWire sending a query to the ASD and the agency sending a reply. iTWire understands that the query did not reach the intended mailbox of Defence media as it was blocked by the Defence Department firewall. Exactly why a firewall should suddenly block email from a sender when it had permitted emails from the same sender through earlier in the year is unknown. Probably one of those enduring mysteries like the Bermuda Triangle, the disappearance of Harold Holt, the Abominable Snowman and the Loch Ness monster. | BY Lynchy | Dentsu Aegis Network has appointed Maya Watono as the CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia, from January 2019. Watono succeeds SK Biswas, who is returning back to Singapore to focus on priorities at home. Reporting into Phil Teeman, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Southeast Asia, Watono a will oversee all 15 network and local brands with a key focus on providing integrated, client-centric solutions while driving an inclusive, collaborative culture. Watono (pictured), who was most recently CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesias Dwi Sapta Group, has over a decade of experience in the advertising industry. In her role as leader of the network brand, she has achieved consecutive double digit business growth and grew the local business three-fold into one of the biggest agencies in Indonesia. Biswas said, It has been a privilege leading the Dentsu Aegis business in Indonesia, working with so many great talents. I have seen the evolution of the business over the past few years and now its time to hand over the torch to Maya who is the ideal candidate to take the Group forward. Teeman said, Indonesia is an important market for us in the region as innovation in the startup market is thriving and growth opportunities are immense. Maya is a natural leader and has strong credentials and relationships in the industry. We thank Biswas for his dedication, commitment and hard work for the past two years and wish him well for the future. Be the change you want to see in this world thats what drives me every day. I am a firm believer of people and talent, and my aim as CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia is to leverage on our strong talent pool of over 900 to drive change within the network that will position us well for the future. Together as one, we can innovate Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia to become the agency of the future and stay ahead of the innovation frontier in the region and beyond, Watono added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) A legal expert who is one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution warned that the Philippines is partly on its way to a "constitutional authoritarianism." Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday, former 1986 Constitutional Commission member Christian Monsod said this is clearly seen in the proposed draft federal constitution created by President Rodrigo Duterte's consultative committee. "There, a transition president, for which the President (Rodrigo Duterte) is qualified to run in the snap elections, has total powers from the time the new constitution is approved until 2022. Whoever succeeds him also has total powers until federalism is finally implemented," Monsod said. The proposed draft constitution of the consultative committee bars Duterte from running in the 2022 elections. However, it does not bar him from running in the elections for a transition president and transition vice president. Under the draft charter, the transition president would head the Federal Transition Commission, which shall "exercise all powers necessary and proper to ensure a smooth, speedy, and successful transition" to federalism. However, these provisions are absent in the proposed draft constitution passed Tuesday by the House, where it guarantees that the terms of Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo would not be extended, and that the President would not be allowed to run again in 2022. But the same draft charter, penned by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies in the lower chamber, effectively extends the terms of all other public officers until all their successors are elected or appointed. Threat to democracy? Monsod also noted how legal cases are used in "going after the opponents of the President," like the drugs charges against opposition Senator Leila de Lima and the quo warranto petition that ousted Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice. While the government has pursued cases against critics of the administration, the Palace maintains that it does not interfere with the judiciary. In a report by the U.S. Intelligence Community, Duterte was named as one of the leaders in Southeast Asia who pose a threat to democracy and human rights in the region, citing his previous statements where he suggested he could suspend the Constitution, declare a revolutionary government and impose martial law nationwide. The Palace had rebuked this as "myopic" and "speculative at best." Duterte has asked Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao for another year, after twice having requested for its extension in July 2017 and December 2017. It granted his request in a 235-28 vote, with one abstention. Congress granted Duterte's previous requests for martial law to be extended, while the Supreme Court thrice upheld the declaration and extension of martial law in Mindanao. Monsod said the continued push to extend martial law beyond the initial 60-day period set by the Constitution is a "throwback to 1972," during the days of the Marcos regime, when martial rule was considered as the ultimate solution to the country's problems. "One day, somebody will come and say, 'I'll solve all your problems if you give me total powers.' And we will give it to him. And that's how democracy dies," Monsod said. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK; TSX: EDR) announces that it has completed exploration work and reports positive results from its surface drilling and underground sampling programs at the Parral Project located in Chihuahua state, Mexico in 2018. Bradford Cooke, Endeavour CEO commented, With the success of the 2018 surface drilling, underground sampling and metallurgical testing programs, management now views the Parral Project as having good potential to become a profitable new mine. The Parral Project was our second largest exploration expenditure (after Terronera) this year and represents an important part of our growth strategy. Specifically, we have now mapped, sampled and/or drilled four mineralized silver vein systems that have either underground or open pit mining potential, and the probability to delineate additional new resources remains high. Endeavour plans to complete an updated resource estimate, a preliminary economic assessment and commence mine permitting, in addition to more definitive drilling, underground sampling and metallurgical testing in 2019. The following is a short summary of the Hidalgo de Parral district and Endeavours land holdings there. Parral Project Overview Hidalgo de Parral is an historic silver mining district that produced approximately 250 million ounces (oz) of silver according to the SGM, the Mexican Geological Survey. Several mines are still operating in the district, including the large Santa Barbara and San Francisco mines of Grupo Mexico and Grupo Frisco respectively. Endeavour owns a 100% interest in four historic mines, Veta Colorada, La Palmilla, San Patricio and Cometa, totalling 3,432 hectares, subject to 1% NSR production royalties. The Palmilla mine was famous for supplying silver to the federal mint of Mexico in the late 1800s. The properties are readily accessible by paved highway and well maintained gravel roads only 1-5 kilometres (km) north of the city of Hidalgo Del Parral, with excellent infrastructure including grid power, water, labour, and services. Land access agreements are already in place for exploration. Several large veins are traceable for over 8 km. Veta Colorada is up to 40 metres (m) thick, and includes a higher-grade footwall vein 1-10 m thick and a lower grade hanging wall breccia with mineralized stock-work up to 30 m thick. Historic resources of 32.1 million oz silver contained in 4.0 million tonnes (t) grading 248.5 grams per tonne (gpt) in the Veta Colorada estimated by Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (IMMSA) who discovered three orebodies, Remedio-Argentina, El Verde and Sierra Plata and mined the latter two orebodies until closing in 1990. In early 2018, Endeavour estimated new resources at Remedio-Argentina and Palmilla, and the Company expects to add new resources at San Patricio in Q1,2019. Endeavour has not yet verified the historic resources at Veta Colorada and has previously reported resources at Cometa (see Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates on the website for details). The Veta Colorada resource estimate was prepared by IMMSA in a report dated August 2004 entitled Descripcion Geologica, Proyecto Veta Colorada Mpio. de Hgo. del Parral, Chih.. The resource estimate was established through surface drilling and underground sampling. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Endeavour is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve, has not verified the historical resource estimate and is not relying on it. for details). The Veta Colorada resource estimate was prepared by IMMSA in a report dated August 2004 entitled Descripcion Geologica, Proyecto Veta Colorada Mpio. de Hgo. del Parral, Chih.. The resource estimate was established through surface drilling and underground sampling. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Endeavour is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve, has not verified the historical resource estimate and is not relying on it. Historic metallurgy by IMMSA obtained 85% silver recoveries by flotation and leaching of float tails. Limited metallurgical studies by SSR of the Veta Colorada ore indicated >90% recovery by cyanidation. Endeavour metallurgical testing of drill core samples from the Veta Colorada (Sierra Plata, El Verde and Remedios-Argentina zones), Palmilla and Cometa veins on the Parral property in 2018 indicates excellent metal recoveries by flotation and leaching. Cometa is the only vein with significant lead and zinc best suited for flotation, the other veins contain primarily silver and minor gold best suited to leaching. Silver recoveries achieved up to 91% recovery by whole rock leaching of Remedios-Argentina core, up to 91% recovery by flotation of Cometa core, and up to 98% recovery by flotation and leaching of the float tails of El Verde core. Surface Drill Results In 2018, Endeavour drilled 16 surface drill holes totalling 8171 m to test the San Patricio vein system. A new inferred resource estimate for the San Patrico area is anticipated in early 2019. Initial high grade intersections were previously reported (see Endeavour News Release dated May 14, 2018) and the balance of the high grade intersections are reported in the table below (view San Patricio longitudinal section here). Hole Structure From True width Au Ag AgEq Pb Zn (m) (m) (gpt) (gpt) (gpt) (%) (%) SPT-23 San Patricio 321.40 1.9 0.10 660 668 1.298 0.576 Including 321.75 0.2 0.08 1,460 1,466 1.105 0.544 SPT-24 San Patricio 363.20 4.2 0.21 934 950 3.014 5.929 Including 365.35 0.2 0.31 3,210 3,233 7.940 13.500 Silver equivalents are calculated at a ratio of 75:1 silver: gold, excluding base metals Underground Sample Results Endeavour also completed topographical surveys, geological mapping and rock chip sampling underground in the Sierra Plata part of the Veta Colorada mine, mainly on mine levels 5, 5.5, 6 and 7, accessed by the original mine access ramp, which remains in good condition. Significant grades and widths of silver-lead-zinc mineralization were encountered on the 5.5 mine level as follows: Sample ID Width (m) Structure Ag (gpt) Pb (%) Zn (%) PAR-1453 muck Rezaga 331.2 1.420 0.957 PAR-1454 muck Rezaga 274.1 0.214 0.277 PAR-1455 2.00 Vn, HW, STK 204.2 0.594 0.146 PAR-1456 muck Rezaga 192.6 0.244 0.314 Sampling crews were also able to access portions of levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 where they encountered significant volumes of historic mine fill (previously uneconomic broken rock filing old stopes, known as chorros). Grupo Mexico (IMMSA) and SSR each sampled these areas and IMMSA reported historic resources of 214,257 tonnes grading 156 gpt silver. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify this historical estimate as a current mineral resource, Endeavour has not verified the historical resource and is not relying on it as a current mineral resource. Endeavour crews resampled these chorros and confirmed that the historic sample results show that some chorros have the potential to be economic, as shown in the table below: Veta Colorada Chorros Level 2 Sample ID Ag (g/t) Pb % Zn% PAR-1457 38.0 0.1440 0.177 PAR-1458 88.0 0.2000 0.191 PAR-1459 67.0 0.2300 0.244 PAR-1460 47.0 0.4420 0.280 PAR-1461 180.6 0.6250 0.478 PAR-1462 177.7 0.6640 0.622 PAR-1463 84.0 0.3910 0.348 PAR-1464 66.0 1.3600 0.573 PAR-1465 52.0 0.1930 0.296 PAR-1466 153.3 0.2940 0.344 PAR-1467 41.0 0.8510 0.638 PAR-1468 50.0 0.7590 0.372 PAR-1469 195.1 0.7140 0.267 PAR-1470 315.1 0.4530 0.568 PAR-1471 49.0 0.1850 0.289 PAR-1472 242.6 0.3140 0.319 PAR-1473 35.0 0.1680 0.301 PAR-1474 32.0 0.1400 0.245 Veta Colorada Chorros Level 4 Sample ID Ag (g/t) Pb% Zn% PAR-1475 40.0 0.2250 0.1450 PAR-1476 203.2 0.4740 0.7080 PAR-1477 71.0 0.2270 0.4860 PAR-1478 221.8 0.3840 0.5080 PAR-1479 229.0 0.2780 0.5000 PAR-1480 278.1 0.5100 0.5990 PAR-1481 290.5 0.4230 0.6540 PAR-1482 144.4 0.1860 0.2450 PAR-1483 244.8 0.5170 0.5420 PAR-1484 239.1 0.4090 0.3110 PAR-1485 74.0 0.1870 0.1480 PAR-1486 75.0 0.2190 0.1310 PAR-1487 64.0 0.2430 0.4690 PAR-1488 170.2 0.4340 0.3430 PAR-1489 115.0 0.5960 0.3730 PAR-1490 63.0 0.1320 0.2660 PAR-1491 223.7 0.3400 0.4510 PAR-1492 88.0 0.2310 0.4200 PAR-1493 24.0 0.1680 0.2360 PAR-1494 283.4 1.2000 0.5960 PAR-1495 78.0 0.4100 0.4730 PAR-1496 230.0 1.9400 0.7030 PAR-1497 238.3 0.7830 0.7300 PAR-1498 614.6 1.8100 0.5010 Qualified Person Godfrey Walton, M.Sc., P.Geo., Endeavours President and COO, is the Qualified Person who reviewed and approved this news release and supervised the drilling programs in Mexico. A Quality Control sampling program of reference standards, blanks and duplicates is used to monitor the integrity of all assay results. All samples are split at the local field office and shipped to ALS-Chemex Labs, where they are dried, crushed, split and 50 gram pulp samples are prepared for analysis. Gold is determined by fire assay with an atomic absorption (AA) finish and silver by aqua regia digestion and ICP finish, overlimits by fire assay and gravimetric finish. About Endeavour Silver Endeavour Silver Corp. is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that owns three high-grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Endeavour is currently commissioning its fourth mine at El Compas, advancing a possible fifth mine at the Terronera mine project and exploring its portfolio of exploration and development projects in Mexico and Chile to facilitate its goal to become a premier senior silver producer. Our philosophy of corporate social integrity creates value for all stakeholders. SOURCE Endeavour Silver Corp. Contact Information - For more information, please contact: Galina Meleger, Director Investor Relations Toll free: (877) 685-9775 Tel: (604) 640-4804 Fax: (604) 685-9744 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.edrsilver.com Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States private securities litigation reform act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forwardlooking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding Endeavours anticipated performance in 2018 including changes in mining and operation, anticipated results of exploration and resource determinations, and the timing and results of various activities. The Company does not intend to, and does not assume any obligation to, update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Endeavour and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and Mexico; financial risks due to precious metals prices, operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, development and mining activities; risks and hazards of mineral exploration, development and mining; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Companys title to properties; as well as those factors described in the section risk factors contained in the Companys most recent form 40F/Annual Information Form filed with the S.E.C. and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to: the continued operation of the Companys mining operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, mining operations will operate and the mining products will be completed in accordance with managements expectations and achieve their stated production outcomes, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2018 /CNW/ - Power Ore Inc. ("Power Ore" or the "Company") (TSX.V: PORE) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Opemiska Copper Mine Complex from Explorateurs-Innovateurs de Quebec Inc. ("Ex-In"), a privately owned company. The Opemiska Copper Mine Complex consists of two past producing underground mines in Springer and Perry and neighbours the town of Chapais, Quebec. Falconbridge operated the Opemiska Copper Mine Complex from 1953 to 1991 when it produced a total of 23 million tonnes at 2.4% copper, 0.3 gpt gold. "We are excited to announce this transformative acquisition as we see it having excellent value for our shareholders. This is a great opportunity for all stakeholders in that the Opemiska Copper Complex has the potential to be fast tracked given its jurisdiction, infrastructure, location and a host of other advantages. Another key point for this acquisition is Opemiska's database, which is a proverbial gold mine of data which we will utilize to determine the potential for an open pit mining scenario in what was originally a high grade underground mine. Opemiska is a storied mine as it was Falconbridge's main copper producer for many years. We have been looking for exposure to copper and other metals that we believe will benefit from the demand in metals needed for electric vehicles, renewable power and global electrification in general. We are bullish on copper fundamentals driven by increasing demand from traditional uses, as well as the increasing demand from electric vehicles and renewable energy technology like solar and wind. Additionally, having a presence in the Chibougamau region, historically renowned for its mineral wealth, as well as being in Quebec, opens up strategic opportunities for Power Ore," said Stephen Stewart, Power Ore CEO. About Opemiska Copper Mine Complex The Opemiska project is located adjacent to the town of Chapais, Quebec within the Chibougamau region. Opemiska is also within the Abitibi Greenstone belt and within the boundaries of the Province of Quebec's Plan Nord which promotes and funds infrastructure and development of natural resource projects. The project consists of 11 mining claims and covers the past producing Springer & Perry mines which were owned and operated by Falconbridge. The project has excellent "in place" infrastructure including a powerstation and direct access to Highway 113 and the Canadian National Railway. Opemiska was mined by Falconbridge as a high-grade underground mining operation, and was in production for over 35 years prior to Ex-In acquiring the property in 1993. Historical Production Falconbridge operated the Opemiska Copper Mine Complex from 1953 to 1991 and produced a total of 23 million tonnes at 2.4% copper, 0.3 gpt gold. The Springer mine produced over 650 million pounds of copper (329,307 tonnes) at 2.54% copper and more than 200,000 ounces of gold at 0.48 gpt gold, while the Perry mine produced over 385 million pounds of copper (198,018 tonnes) at 2.19% copper, and more than 5,800 ounces of gold at 0.02 gpt gold. Recent Developments Under Ex-In's ownership, considerable resources went into digitizing all of the historical data acquired from Falconbridge, as well as conducting further prospecting, geophysical exploration and drilling. In 2010, Ex-In conducted a drill program consisting of 20 holes for 5,700 metres, showing further exploration potential on the property. In 2013 and 2014, RPA was commissioned for an evaluation of the geologic potential and a target resource for the Springer and Perry mines. The study yielded a potential between 16 and 33 million short tons (14.5 and 30 million tonnes), grading 1.0% to 1.4% copper, and 0.012 to 0.020 oz/ton gold (0.41 to 0.69 gpt gold) for Springer and a further potential at Perry of between 0.5 and 1.4 million short tons (0.4 and 1.3 million tonnes) between 1.0 and 1.5% copper. Additionally, RPA delineated a potential underground target at Perry of between 3 and 11 million short tons (2.7 and 10 million tonnes) grading between 1.5 and 2.5% copper. Since the RPA reports, Ex-In completed further diamond drilling (13 holes totaling 1,250 metres) as well as trenching and geophysical surveys. QP Statement and Note on Exploration Targets The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Charles Beaudry, P.Geo and geo., Director and Vice President Exploration for Power Ore, who is a Qualified Person as defined in "National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." The potential tonnage and grade of these targets are conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to define them as mineral resources and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the targets being delineated as mineral resources. Power Ore advises that no one should consider these targets as mineral resources; however the Company's objective is to define mineral resources initially and then to work towards engineering activities to define any economic viability of the Opemiska Copper Project. The exploration targets defined on the old Springer and Perry mines are based on thousands of holes that were drilled during the mining period of both mines, many of which were drilled from underground and for which no core is left to resample or log and therefore cannot easily be confirmed. Nevertheless it is the opinion of the QP that the assays used to define the exploration targets are acceptable for the purposes of defining the exploration targets. Opemiska Geology and Exploration Potential The Springer and Perry mines were the most important producers in the Chapais district and are hosted by the mafic to ultramafic Ventures sill. Mineralization consists of quartz veins with chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite and pyrrhotite injected primarily into the synclinal hinge zone of the Chapais syncline. The veins occupy radial fractures dominantly east-west trending but with a subordinate northwest-southeast direction. The veins, which were all mined underground, were subject to minimum cut-off grades and as such a considerable amount of lower grade material was left behind in the unmined wall rock and in various pillars including the crown pillars of all zones except the western end of Zone 3 which is now a glory hole. "The key to success on this project will be to properly account for all the material that has been mined by carefully digitizing all the historical underground workings and by validating the historical drilling by an adequate program of hole twinning since no core remains from the mined area, said Charles Beaudry, VP Exploration for Power Ore and Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101". Terms of Acquisition To acquire a 100% interest in the Opemiska Copper Complex, Power Ore and Ex-In entered into a definitive agreement with the effective date on the first business day after receipt of conditional approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. Its terms are as follows: 6 Months after the effective date, Power Ore will issue 1.5 Million shares, 1.5 Million warrants ($0.20 exercise price) and pay $50,000 to Ex-In; By the 18th Month after the effective date, Power Ore will incur $500,000 in work expenditures on Opemiska, issue 1.5 Million shares and 1.5 Million warrants ($0.25 exercise price) and pay $150,000 to Ex-In; By the 30th Month after the effective date, Power Ore will incur an additional $1,000,000 in work expenditures on Opemiska, issue 2 Million shares and 2 Million warrants ($0.30 exercise price) and pay $300,000 to Ex-In; By the 42nd Month after the effective date, Power Ore will incur an additional $1,500,000 on Opemiska, issue 3 Million shares and 3 Million warrants ($0.35 exercise price) and pay $1,000,000 to Ex-In. The Opemiska Copper Complex is subject to a 2% NSR, 50% of which can be re-purchased by Power Ore at a cost of $4.5 million. At any time, Power Ore can accelerate its obligations to exercise 100% ownership of Opemiska Copper Complex at an earlier date. Subject to certain adjustments in the case of accelerated issuance, all warrants to be issued to Ex-In will expire 36 months after their date of issuance. All securities to be issued to Ex-In will be subject to a four-month hold period in accordance with applicable law. Closing of the transaction, which is a fundamental acquisition, remains subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, as well as certain other conditions as are customary in transactions of this nature. The definitive agreement was signed today. This is an arms length transaction and there are no finder's fees payable. For information and updates on Power Ore, please visit: www.powerore.com And please follow us on Twitter @PowerOre 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. Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Power Ore is a trade name of PowerOre Inc. PowerOre Inc. assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to PowerOre Inc. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by PowerOre Inc. with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available under PowerOre Inc. profile at www.sedar.com. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 12, 2018) - IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") today announced an initial Mineral Resource estimate for the Gossey satellite deposit, located approximately 15 kilometres northwest of its Essakane operation in Burkina Faso. The estimate was completed in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards incorporated by reference in National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). The resource estimate comprises 10.5 million tonnes of Indicated Resources averaging 0.87 grams of gold per tonne for 291,000 ounces and 2.9 million tonnes of Inferred Resources averaging 0.91 grams of gold per tonne for 85,000 ounces. Over 70% of the delineated resources are contained within shallow, soft, saprolite and transition hosted mineralization. Craig MacDougall, Senior Vice President, Exploration for IAMGOLD, stated, "The initial resource estimate reported for the Gossey deposit confirms the prospectivity of the Gossey - Korizena trend to host significant gold mineralization. We believe there is favourable potential for additional discoveries within our extensive exploration concessions surrounding the Essakane operation. I congratulate our exploration team for continuing to define additional resources in the Essakane area." The mineral resource for the Gossey deposit incorporates assay results from 733 diamond ('DD') and reverse circulation ('RC') drill holes spaced at approximately 50 x 25 metres and totalling approximately 94,900 metres. The estimate was prepared using a block model constrained with 3D wireframes of the principal mineralized domains. Values for gold were interpolated into blocks using inverse distance cubed ('ID3'). An open pit optimization algorithm was run on the block model to constrain the resource and to support the CIM requirement that Mineral Resources have 'reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction'. The resource estimate assumes a long-term gold price of US$1,500/ounce. Only mineralization contained within the preliminary pit shell has been included in the resource estimate. The effective date of this resource estimate is May 25, 2018. A supporting NI 43-101 Technical Report will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days of the date of this release. MINERAL RESOURCE STATEMENT - GOSSEY GOLD DEPOSIT, BURKINA FASO May 25, 2018 (100% Basis) Category Weathering Zone Cut-off Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage (000s t) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Au (000s oz) Indicated Saprolite 0.33 3,916 0.66 83 Transition 0.42 3,467 0.85 94 Fresh 0.47 3,071 1.15 114 Total Indicated 10,454 0.87 291 Inferred Saprolite 0.33 1,464 0.75 35 Transition 0.42 986 0.97 31 Fresh 0.47 489 1.23 19 Total Inferred 2,939 0.91 85 Notes: Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability. CIM definitions were followed for classification of Mineral Resources. Cut-off grades are 0.33 g/t Au for saprolite, 0.42 g/t Au for transition and 0.47 g/t Au for fresh rock. Mineral Resources are reported using a gold price of US$1,500 per ounce. Mineral Resources are constrained by a Whittle optimized pit shell. All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates. About the Essakane - Gossey Area The Essakane Mine (on a 100% basis and effective as at June 5, 2018) hosts Probable Mineral Reserves totaling 158.2 million tonnes grading 0.89 g/t Au for 4.5 million ounces of contained gold; and Indicated Mineral Resources (inclusive of Mineral Reserves) of 159.8 million tonnes grading 0.95 g/t Au for 4.9 million ounces of contained gold and Inferred Mineral Resources of 20.7 million tonnes grading 0.88 g/t Au for 589,000 ounces of contained gold (see NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Pre-Feasibility Study for the Essakane Heap Leach Project filed on SEDAR on July 19, 2018). The Company holds just over 1,000 km2 of mineral rights surrounding its Essakane mining operation. The property is underlain by highly prospective, Birimian-aged metasedimentary, volcanic and intrusive rocks adjacent to the Markoye shear, a regionally significant structural corridor which is thought to be an important controlling structure for the localization of gold mineralization. The geologic setting is similar to other prolific gold belts in West Africa. The Gossey - Korizena exploration trend, located approximately 15 km northwest of the Essakane mine, extends for some 20 kilometres along strike highlighted by geochemical anomalies with elevated gold defined by regional air core sampling surveys, RC drilling and outcrop sampling, and is associated with historic and locally active artisanal mining areas including at the Gossey deposit. The Gossey deposit is located near the Gossey village for which future development of some portions of the deposit may require the development of a re-location program, similar to the one that was completed previously at Essakane. Next Steps The Company continues to conduct regional exploration within its large land holdings including the +20 kilometre Gossey-Korizena trend. The program is targeting the discovery of additional satellite deposits with potential to continue to add to the mine life of the Essakane operation. Material results will be disclosed as they are received, validated and compiled. Qualified Persons and Data Verification The Mineral Resource estimate, including verification of the data disclosed, has been completed by G Mining Services Inc. ("GMSI") and reported in accordance with NI 43-101 requirements and CIM Estimation Best Practice Guidelines. The resource estimate and supporting technical report were prepared by Mr. James Purchase, P. Geo., under the supervision of Mr. Rejean Sirois, P. Eng., Vice President Geology and Resource Geologist. Mr. Sirois, is an independent qualified person under NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the contents of this release. The information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Craig MacDougall, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration for IAMGOLD. Mr. MacDougall is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The sampling of, and assay data from drill core and RC chips, are monitored through the implementation of a quality assurance - quality control (QA-QC) program designed to follow industry best practice. Rock chips from the Reverse Circulation drilling are collected at the rig site, at 0.5 metre intervals, under the direct supervision of IAMGOLD geologists and field technicians. Samples are transported to the Essakane mine site and riffle split and composited to 1 metre intervals obtaining five (5) kg samples. The samples are delivered to Essakane Mine Analytical Laboratory for mechanical preparation of the analytical sample and analysis. Sample rejects are stored at site. Drill core (HQ and NQ size) samples were selected by the IAMGOLD geologists and sawn in half with a diamond saw at the project site. Half of the core was retained at the site for reference purposes. Drill core sample intervals are generally one metre in length for HQ size and one meter and half for NQ size. The samples were assayed using a standard 1Kg-LeachWell assay with an Atomic Absorption finish. Approximately 25% of the tails of the samples returning values greater than 0.3 g/t Au were re-assayed using 50g-Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption finish. The same method was also applied to 5% of the tails of the samples that return values less than 0.3 g/t Au. Umpire checks comprising approximately 20% of the samples were performed at SGS Analytical Laboratory in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Forward Looking Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding expected, estimated or planned gold production, all-in sustaining costs and other cost estimates, capital expenditures and exploration expenditures and statements regarding the estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, exploration results, life-of-mine estimates and potential Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "prospective", "significant", "significant potential", "substantial", transformative", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, failure to meet expected, estimated or planned gold production, unexpected increases in all-in sustaining costs or other costs, unexpected increases in capital expenditures and exploration expenditures, variation in the mineral content within the material identified as Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves from that predicted, changes in development or mining plans due to changes in logistical, technical or other factors, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, changes in world gold markets and other risks disclosed in IAMGOLD's most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Notes to Investors Regarding the Use of Resources Cautionary Note to Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured and Indicated Resources This news release uses the term "indicated resources". We advise investors that while that term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") does not recognize them. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. Cautionary Note to Investors Concerning Estimates of Inferred Resources This news release also uses the term "inferred resources". We advise investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the SEC does not recognize it. "Inferred resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an inferred Resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors The SEC limits disclosure for U.S. reporting purposes to mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. IAMGOLD uses certain terms in this news release, such as "measured," "indicated," or "inferred," which may not be consistent with the resource definitions established by the SEC. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in the IAMGOLD Annual Reports on Forms 40-F. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml or by contacting the Investor Relations department. The Canadian Securities Administrators' NI 43-101 requires mining companies to disclose reserves and resources using the subcategories of "proven" reserves, "probable" reserves, "measured" resources, "indicated" resources and "inferred" resources. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not demonstrate economic viability. A Mineral Resource is a concentration or occurrence of natural, solid, inorganic material, or natural, solid fossilized organic material including base and precious metals in or on the Earth's crust in such form and quantity and of such a grade or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge. A Measured Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics are so well established that they can be estimated with confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to support production planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough to confirm both geological and grade continuity. An Indicated Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics can be estimated with a level of confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed and reliable exploration and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough for geological and grade continuity to be reasonably assumed. An inferred Mineral Resource is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality can be estimated on the basis of geological evidence and limited sampling and reasonably assumed, but not verified, geological and grade continuity. The estimate is based on limited information and sampling gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. Mineral resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. About IAMGOLD IAMGOLD (www.iamgold.com) is a mid-tier mining company with four operating gold mines on three continents. A solid base of strategic assets in North and South America and West Africa is complemented by development and exploration projects and continued assessment of accretive acquisition opportunities. IAMGOLD is in a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise. For further information please contact: Indi Gopinathan, Investor Relations Lead, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 360-4743 Mobile: (416) 388-6883 Laura Young, Director, Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 933-4952 Mobile: (416) 670-3815 Martin Dumont, Senior Analyst Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation Tel: (416) 933-5783 Mobile: (647) 967-9942 Toll-free: 1-888-464-9999 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Please note: This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through Newsfile's website at www.newsfilecorp.com. All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov. Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique, veuillez consulter le www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HARTE GOLD CORP. (Harte Gold or the Company) (TSX: HRT / OTC: HRTFF / Frankfurt: H4O) is pleased to provide the following update on its commercial operations and exploration activities. HIGHLIGHTS The Sugar Zone Mill complex is achieving consistent throughput of 575 tonnes per day. Over 24,000 tonnes of material has been processed through the mill year-to-date. The Company is on track to declare commercial production by year-end. A flotation concentrate at higher than expected grades is being shipped to the Horne Smelter for processing. Gold is also is being recovered through a gravity circuit at site and shipped in the form of dore bars. High grade mineralization at the Middle Zone has extended to near surface. Hole WZ-18-207 returned 16.44 g/t over 2.52 metres at 100 metres. at 100 metres. Mineralization of the Middle Zone has extended 250 metres along strike at 750 metres below surface, converging with the Wolf Zone at depth. Hole WZ-18-220 returned 6.80 g/t over 2.00 metres , hole WZ-18-221 returned 7.39 g/t over 2.06 metres and hole WZ-18-221W returned 5.14 g/t over 2.08 metres . , hole WZ-18-221 returned and hole WZ-18-221W returned . Infill drilling is now complete and a NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate is being prepared on the basis of drilling completed in 2018. Based on assays received to-date, the Company expects a significant upgrade in the tonnes and grade of Indicated Mineral Resources. The Company is targeting to announce an updated Mineral Resource Estimate in Q1 2019. An agreement has been reached with Appian Natural Resources Fund (Appian) to extend the US$20 million subordinated loan facility to May 9, 2019 on similar terms and conditions. The Company will provide further details on the extension upon execution of the agreement and subject to exchange approval. Stephen G. Roman, President and CEO, commented, We are extremely pleased with the Harte Gold operations team and Halyard Inc., who have turned this mill on and made it run without any major issues. Congratulations. Mr. Roman added, Middle Zone expansion reinforces the Companys belief that the Sugar, Middle and Wolf Zones are fed from a much larger system converging at depth. We plan to continue testing this theory with further exploration in 2019, assisted by downhole geophysics. OPERATIONS UPDATE Operations at the mill have been stabilized and the Company is achieving its permitted throughput target of 575 tpd. The mill is currently being fed from higher grade underground material and the surface stockpile, but will transition solely to underground material by early 2019. Mine planning for 2019 and life-of-mine is underway and will incorporate a significant amount of definition drilling completed in 2018 which was not included in the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). The Company will provide further guidance when this work is complete, targeted for the beginning of 2019. EXPLORATION UPDATE Middle Zone Extension Along Strike The Middle Zone extension was first identified through downhole geophysics carried out by Blaine Webster and Abitibi Geophysics. The information provided led to step-out drilling north of the Middle Zone, 750 metres below surface. Initial results are provided in the following table: Middle Zone Extension Hole # From To Grade (g/t) Width (m) WZ-18-220 1041.9 1,043.90 6.80 2.00 WZ-18-221 927.1 929.16 7.39 2.06 WZ-18-221W 959.72 961.80 5.14 2.08 Core intersection lengths in the tables above approximate 80% true width, assay results are uncut, fire assay with metallic screen on samples >10 g/t The alteration package is similar to Middle Zone alteration, with expected similar grades and widths. The Company is currently completing additional drilling in the area to expand Inferred Mineral Resources, which will be incorporated in the next NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate. Sugar and Middle Zone Infill Drilling Infill drilling at the Sugar and Middle Zones is now complete and results are being incorporated into an updated Mineral Resource Estimate and future mine planning. Drilling at the Middle Zone has been successful in expanding mineralization towards surface. Hole SZ-18-207 returned high grade mineralization at the north limb of the Middle Zone in an area previously not included in the resource or mine plan. These results add flexibility to near term planning and prioritization of target areas in the early years of mining. Infill Drilling Middle Zone Hole # From To Grade (g/t) Width (m) WZ-18-207 109.53 112.05 16.44 2.52 Infill Drilling Sugar Zone Hole # From To Grade (g/t) Width (m) SZ-18-255W2 1,029.00 1,030.63 11.55 1.63 SZ-18-256 1,026.48 1,028.89 8.99 2.41 SZ-18-257W2 672.00 673.75 7.54 1.75 SZ-18-259 128.43 130.42 10.02 1.99 Core intersection lengths in the tables above approximate 80% true width, assay results are uncut, fire assay with metallic screen on samples >10 g/t Wolf Zone Drilling Drilling for 2018 has been successful expanding mineralization at the Wolf Zone approximately 300 metres on strike and 700 metres down dip. The Wolf Zone was previously not included in any resource estimate. The Company also expects to incorporate all the Wolf Zone drilling in the form of Inferred Mineral Resources in the next resource update. Wolf Zone Drilling Hole # From To Grade (g/t) Width (m) WZ-18-188W4 946.2 949.40 3.81 3.20 Core intersection lengths in the tables above approximate 80% true width, assay results are uncut, fire assay with metallic screen on samples >10 g/t Property Wide Exploration Near-surface drilling has been completed at both the Eagle and Highway Zones. No significant mineralization has been returned to-date, however, these areas will be revisited with geophysics and potential drilling in 2019. QA/QC Statement The Company has implemented a quality assurance and control (QA/QC) program to ensure sampling and analysis of mine and exploration work is conducted in accordance with industry standards. Drill core is sawn in half with one half of the core shipped to Actlabs Laboratories located in Thunder Bay, ON, while the other half is retained at the Companys core facilities in White River, ON, for future verification. Certified reference standards and blanks are inserted into the sample stream on a regular interval basis and monitored as part of the QA/QC program. Gold analysis is performed by fire assay using atomic absorption, gravimetric or pulp metallic finish. The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared in compliance with NI 43-101 guidelines. Robert Kusins, P. Geo., Harte Golds Senior Mineral Resource geologist, is the Companys Qualified Person and has prepared, supervised the preparation, or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release. About Appian Natural Resources Fund (Appian) Appian is a metals and mining private equity fund providing long-term capital to both private and public mining companies. The advisor to Appian Natural Resources Fund, Appian Capital Advisory LLP, is a leading investment advisor in the metals and mining industry, with worldwide experience across North America, South America and Africa and a track record of successfully supporting companies to achieve their development targets. The loan agreement with Appian is a related party transaction as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation or minority shareholder approval in connection with the financing in reliance on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a), respectively, of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the transaction will not exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization calculated in accordance with MI 61-101. About Harte Gold Corp. Harte Gold is Ontarios newest gold producer through its wholly owned Sugar Zone Mine in White River Ontario. Using a 3 g/t gold cut-off, the NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate dated February 15, 2018 contains an Indicated Mineral Resource of 2,607,000 tonnes grading 8.52 g/t for 714,200 ounces contained gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 3,590,000 tonnes, grading 6.59 g/t for 760,800 ounces contained gold. The Company has completed a 100,000 metre drill program on near mine and exploration targets, results of which will be incorporated into an updated NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate and mine plan targeted for Q1 2019. Exploration continues on the Sugar Zone property, which encompasses 83,850 hectares covering a significant greenstone belt. For further information, please contact: Stephen G. Roman Shawn Howarth President and CEO Vice President, Corporate Development Tel: 416-368-0999 Tel: 416-368-0999 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. BACKGROUND: THE PEACE AGREEMENT AND ETHNIC RIGHTS IN COLOMBIA With over 8,375,858 victims, Colombia has endured more than 50 years of armed conflict, where the left-oriented FARC-EP guerrilla played a central role. Since 2012, former President Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC-EP settled for a political negotiation towards the end of violence and the beginning of peacebuilding. In 2016, both key actors achieved internationally celebrated peace accords, also known as The Final Agreement. The agreement covers five main topics: land reform, political participation, solutions to the illicit drug problem, disarmament and civil reincorporation, and reparation to victims. The latter foresees a Comprehensive System, which includes the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (SJP) as its justice segment. The SJP has the exclusive competence to rule over crimes committed in the context and because of the armed conflict. Additionally, as a result of the participation of Afro-Colombian and indigenous peoples in the negotiation, the agreement also includes a chapter aimed to protect ethnic rights and ensure peacebuilding on their territories. The Colombian Constitution recognises an essential number of ethnic rights. Overall, they lack clear regulation, hampering their effective guarantee. Through its precedent, the Constitutional Court has set some rules to clarify their application. The right of indigenous authorities to exercise their judicial systems, better known as Special Indigenous Jurisdiction (SIJ), is one of the most reviewed topics by the constitutional jurisprudence. Ethnic judicial systems are linked to indigenous self-determination: the right of their people to freely decide their political status and self-government in matters related to their internal affairs and social order. However, in Colombia, self-determination has been restricted by the Constitutional Court who has the authority to resolve any jurisdictional conflicts arising between indigenous authorities and ordinary judges. The Court does so, however, without considering any intercultural methodologies towards strengthening self-determination or evoking the restorative nature of indigenous justice. With the creation of SJP, we must ask how to outpace preceding obstacles and introduce effective coordination between SIJ and SJP to pursue transitional justice through intercultural methodologies aimed towards peacebuilding. THE DILEMMA BETWEEN BOTH JURISDICTIONS The SIJ has worked as a mechanism to regain social control over ethnic territories and restrain war crimes against them. Indigenous authorities have prosecuted armed actors alleged to have committed crimes against their people. Depending on the criminal offence, sentences can reach the maximum penalty of 60 years in prison without parole or settle with alternative punishments for restorative purposes. These trials can involve the deliberation between thousands of authorities who rule in assemblies by consensus. Before the creation of SJP, the national justice system has mostly respected some of these decisions. However, to fulfil its purposes of accountability and reparation for victims, and grant legal security for ex-combatants, the SJP has the competence to prosecute all criminal offences committed in the context of the armed conflict, especially those related to grave breaches of International Humanitarian Law and gross human rights violations. Moreover, the SJP can also review previous verdicts. Therefore, SJPs judicial powers prevail over other jurisdictions. Consequently, punishments agreed by thousands of indigenous authorities against prosecuted armed actors can be the subject of adjustments or pardon by SJP, despite the significance of the sanctions and the need to maintain restrains against new armed groups operating in their territories. Although a recent decision of the Constitutional Court clarified that SJP does not necessarily prevail over SIJ, the sentence only explained that their coordination had to be submitted to prior consultation. A PATH TOWARDS COORDINATION In 2017 to resolve any dispute among both jurisdictions the government carried out the prior consultation of the statutory law on the SJP, in which indigenous organisations were able to introduce general articles that can be resumed in three core principles: ethnic legal assistance, inter-jurisdictional communication, and actions against any risk of extermination. The specific regulations regarding those principles were later included in a chapter of the Internal Rules of the SJP. Today, the challenge to put them into action rests on the willingness of the magistrates of the SJP, especially on the first four indigenous lawyers selected as judges for a high judicial body in Colombia, who also take part of an Ethnic Committee created to guide the SJPs Chambers in their task to guarantee ethnic rights. The legal competences of the SJP in these matters can be described as follows: a. Ethnic legal assistance The SJP has the task of designing an ethnic legal assistance system to guarantee indigenous victims and ex-combatants the rights to justice, legal representation, effective defence, due process while preserving their culture. 11% of registered victims have an ethnic heritage; and, by extension, a different culture, language and cosmogony. Moreover, the FARC-EPs census indicated that 18% of their ex-combatants are also indigenous who kept their native language and cultural background. Hence, many of them do not speak fluent Spanish, do not fully comprehend the benefits of the SJP nor other aspects of the judicial system. The cultural gap brings up two predicaments. First, there is a need to satisfy the victims right to justice by ensuring them ethnic legal representation in every instance of the procedure; an anti-discrimination policy; and a special protocol regarding victims of sexual assault, attending to the cultural impact of this type of crime upon them. Secondly, a particular defence system for indigenous ex-combatants needs to be established (including interpreters and expert advocates), and the support of their authorities guaranteed, bearing in mind that perpetrators have pledged to offer the complete truth on their conduct or face a full conviction. b. Inter-jurisdictional communication Ensuring an intercultural and inter-jurisdictional communication may be the answer to developing adequate coordination between both jurisdictions. It has to: respect the jurisdictional authority of indigenous authorities; design the process to ensure that magistrates and authorities agree on the cases and, even, rule over them; devise a method to transfer competence between each other; resolve any conflict of competence raised among them; culturally adapt the locations where convicted indigenous perpetrators will serve their sentences; promote restorative punishments with ethnic standards. In 2017, the Consejo Regional Indigena del Cauca (CRIC) and the Executive Secretary of the SJP agreed on the first coordination protocol. The document endorses the articulation between both judicial systems and launches strategies concerning those convicted by the SIJ. c. Ending the imminent risk of extermination The ethnic chapter of The Final Agreement also serves as a reparation measure in and of itself, as indigenous peoples bore the brunt of the conflict. The Constitutional Court has stated that, because of their natural resources and strategic locations, the war has been carried out mainly on ethnic lands. Subsequently, 102 indigenous groups have faced an imminent risk of extinction, and 60% of them will disappear if actions are not taken. The decisions of the SJP are meant to be guarantees for non-repetition and measures against the risk of extermination. To achieve these goals, the SJP has the duty of setting differential criteria that allow magistrates to select, prioritise and rule on strategic cases regarding war crimes against indigenous people. SJP also must determine whether those conducts are related to their risk of extermination; and examine the reports of indigenous organisations concerning demeanours committed against them that, because of their severity, deepened such risks. SOME CHALLENGES There is legal ground to coordinate both jurisdictions. Nonetheless, its effectiveness depends on the willingness of the SJP to restore indigenous peoples rights through an intercultural justice system. Although the SJP relies on its Ethnic Committee to do so, it is still a minority, and their influence on crucial decisions is tied to the attitude of the rest of the judicial body. So, it is necessary to gather allies who can provide an external point of view to improve SJPs performance. The international community has played a vital role in the Colombian peacebuilding process. Therefore, it can prolong its support through two actions. First, monitoring how the SJP is applying these principles. Hence, a list of indicators should be formulated to establish how the differential rights are being guaranteed. This method should help the SJP to address these challenges and to ensure prospective and intercultural justice. Secondly, cooperation agencies should include an agenda routed to strengthen the ethnic judicial systems, and to support, with financial aid, the locations where the convicted will serve their sentences. Finally, the SJP not only has to provide effective transitional justice through intercultural methodologies, by cooperating with SIJ, it also has the opportunity to set some lessons towards democratic features of post-conflict societies by extending the mechanisms available to grant victims their right to justice from a restorative perspective. Five Rwandans will go on trial in Belgium over their alleged role in war crimes and genocide in Rwanda in 1994, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday. This is the first time that a Belgian (criminal court) will have to deal with facts qualified as genocide crimes, the prosecutors office said. Four trials linked to the events in Rwanda were held in Belgium between 2001 and 2009, but the defendants faced only charges of war crimes. But the criminal court in Brussels will also have to rule on the crime of genocide in the new cases. The five accused still benefit from the presumption of innocence, the prosecutors office said in a statement. It said pre-trial authorities last week ruled that the five appear in the criminal court for acts committed in 1994 in Rwanda in connection with the genocide of Tutsis and the massacre of moderate Hutus. The five were divided into two cases. In the first, one defendant is referred to the court for murders and rapes; another for murders, attempted murders and rape; and a third for murders and attempted murders. In the second case, one individual is referred for murders, and another for murders and attempted murders. A Danish man Rwandan origin has been extradited to Kigali over his alleged role in the 1994 genocide, a Rwandan official said on Wednesday. Wenceslas Twagirayezu, who works in IT, was flown back to Rwanda on Tuesday evening after losing an appeal against extradition earlier this year. During the 1994 genocide, some 800,000 people, mainly minority Tutsis, were slaughtered by the military and by Hutu militias. At the time, Twagirayezu was a teacher at a primary school in northern Rwanda but was also the local representative of the CDR (Coalition for the Defence of the Republic), an extremist Hutu movement, Kigali prosecutors say. Twagirayezu, who was born in 1967, fled Rwanda in 1997 and arrived in Denmark in 2001. He was granted residency in 2002 and became a Danish citizen in 2004. Twagirayezu is accused of genocide, extermination and murder as crimes against humanity, the Rwandan prosecutors office said, referring to his alleged role in attacks against Tutsis in the areas around Gisenyi, a city on the northern tip of Lake Kivu. He participated in the mass killing and extermination of Tutsi. According to the indictment, one of the attacks which Twagirayezu was involved in targeted a parish church in Bususamana where at least a third of the 3,000 Tutsis who were taking refugee there were killed. The prosecution said Twagirayezu would face a fair trial and called on other countries where Rwandan genocide fugitives are still moving freely to take the appropriate action to bring them to justice. His extradition came as prosecutors in Belgium said they would put five Rwandans on trial over their role in the 1994 genocide. Twagirayezu is the second suspect to be extradited from Denmark on suspicion of involvement in genocide after Emmanuel Mbarushimana was handed over to the Rwandan authorities in 2014. Message board helps Camden get the word out This electronic message board was installed last week in downtown Camden with funding secured from the American Rescue Plan. Clerk-Treasurer... Council agrees to pay for building and land appraisal Carroll County Commissioners decided to obtain appraisals to purchase a building in Delphi at the Nov. 15 meeting with the... The community needs more. 5 years and no answers Could it be law enforcement does not understand how they look in the Carroll County community when it comes to... MEDFORD, Ore. A California man was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking crimes after he attempted to trade cocaine to law enforcement agents in exchange for guns and cash, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. In 2017, 33-year-old Gonzalo Manzo of Fresno helped to set up the transportion of a kilogram of cocaine from California into Southern Oregon. Meeting with buyers, Manzo and his co-conspirators traded the cocaine for "six Colt .38 Super caliber pistols, two Beretta 9mm pistols with silencers, a Glock 9mm machine gun and $21,000 in cash," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Unbenownst to Manzo, he was trading the cocaine to undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). They believed that Manzo meant to bring the guns and cash back to California, but they arrested Manzo and his compatriots before they could do so. Manzo eventually pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Now he has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison and three years' supervised release. "The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. [Photos provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office include the firearms that Manzo accepted in exchange for cocaine, as well as screenshots from a "2015 YouTube music video depicting Manzo with firearms"] MEDFORD, Ore. A man convicted of stabbing the mother of his children 40 times was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in a Jackson County court on Tuesday. In the court room, Noemi Ruiz's mother Mariah gave a statement to the Judge. Through tears she said her whole family is devastated and that the kids went through a traumatic experience. Police arrested Jose Solis Garcia in September of 2017 and charged him for the murder of Noemi Ruiz, the mother of his children. Neighbors had discovered Ruiz on the sidewalk in front of her home early in the morning on September 11. According to the Jackson County DA's office, Ruiz had just returned home after her shift at Amy's Kitchen and had planned to pick up her children in order to take them to school. Instead, Solis Garcia ambushed her stabbing her 40 times with a large knife, an autopsy later revealed. Solis Garcia was upset that Ruiz "no longer wished to be in a relationship with him," according to the DA's office. Ruiz had told her family that she wanted to get a restraining order against Solis Garcia on the day of her death. Solis Garcia had reportedly been showing up at her home, church, and work even breaking into her house and stealing her car keys and the birth certificates of her children. After the discovery of Ruiz's body, Medford Police (MPD) got security video from neighbors that "placed Solis Garcia near her Hill Way Home on the morning of her murder." Detectives traced the car that he had been seen driving to a rental company in Red Bluff, California. Cell phone records put Solis Garcia at a Walmart in Anderson, California just three hours after Ruiz's murder. Video from the Walmart showed Solis Garcia throwing away clothing in a trash bin and buying new clothes at the store plus "bleach wipes and ammonia," the DA's office said. Video also showed Solis Garcia wiping down the rental car. Investigators were able to recover the clothing, along with "the sheath for a large knife." They identified the knife as a brand sold by Walmart, and eventually found footage of Solis Garcia buying the knife at the Crater Lake Highway Walmart in Medford on the night before the murder. DNA testing of the man's discarded clothes also turned up Ruiz's blood. Medford Police arrested Solis Garcia in Red Bluff as he tried to return the rental car. The sentence passed down on Solis Garcia today was life in prison or a minimum of 25 years before he would be eligible for parole. He also owes more than $15,000 for funeral expenses, and would be subject to post-prison supervision for the rest of his life if he is paroled. ASHLAND, Ore. A Medford man who spent two nights in the freezing cold and wet on Mt. Ashland after getting lost while snowboarding was found alive Tuesday morning. Jackson County Sheriffs Office (JCSO) search and rescue (SAR) officials say snowboarder 27-year-old snowboarder Eli Kepsel was "cold but in good spirits" when rescuers found him just before 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. This is the best outcome we could have hoped for, said JCSO Sergeant Shawn Richards. Authorities say that an SAR team from Klamath County was patrolling US Forest Service Road 2060 north of the Mt. Ashland Ski Area when Kepsel suddenly appeared from the hillside above the road. "Kepsel was cold and hungry, but he was able to walk and talk to rescuers," JCSO said in a statement. The SAR team gave Kepsel food and water before bringing him to a waiting ambulance from Ashland Fire & Rescue. Kepsel was reunited with his parents, and then transported to Rogue Regional Medical Center to be evaluated for hypothermia. Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center now describes Kepsel as being in "fair" condition. Kepsels mother reported him missing to JCSO on Monday, December 10, when he didnt return from a snowboarding trip the day before. Mt. Ashland Ski Patrol members checked the ski area parking lot and found Kepsels vehicle was still parked there. While SAR prepared for the search operation, Ski Patrol started looking. Deputies later learned that the last confirmed sighting of Kepsel was Sunday afternoon at the Mt. Ashland Ski Area. Search teams located some tracks in the snow beyond the boundary of the ski area, but it was not immediately known whether Kepsel made those tracks. "One particular set of tracks in the snow provided searchers with Kepsels likely direction of travel. But as the tracks descended in elevation, a lack of snow made them more difficult to follow," JCSO said. The bulk of the search efforts were conducted on the ground with teams of hikers scouring likely travel routes through the forested terrain. JCSO said that Brim Aviation also provided air support on both days, searching by helicopter despite "less than favorable" weather conditions. "There is no cell phone service on the back side of Mount Ashland, which limits the use of technology to locate people who go missing there," JCSO said. Kepsel would later tell rescuers that he heard sounds made by searchers, "including sirens and a helicopter," but he was disoriented and he was not able to reply. Kepsel was not adequately prepared to spend the night in the backcountry, but he sheltered beneath the tree canopy each night. Sergeant Shawn Richards said a search effort of this scale would not have been possible without help from other agencies. Just as they can count on us to help, we count on them to be ready and able to come here when we have a difficult search, said Richards. JCSO received assistance from search and rescue personnel from the following counties: Josephine, Klamath, Douglas, and Siskiyou (Calif.). Chaplains from Southern Oregon Public Safety Chaplains were on hand to support volunteers and Kepsels family members throughout the search. SAR officials recently offered some tips for safety during winter recreation. The article can be found on the JCSO website. GRANTS PASS, Ore. Three suspects are under arrest after agents from multiple agencies raided a house in the Merlin area that contained guns, heroin, marijuana extract and distribution materials, according to Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE). Last Friday at 5 a.m., RADE detectives and a SWAT team from Oregon State Police executed a search warrant at 2083 Carton Way in Merlin. They arrested 38-year-old Loren Wayne Millsap, 37-year-old Brent Ryan Howard, and 26-year-old Megan Marie Thomas at the house. Inside, the agents found seven guns, a "large quantity of heroin," cash, scales, packaging material and marijuana extract. "The search warrant was a follow-up from a previous case with Millsap and Howard and over the course of several months, evidence showed they were dealing heroin and meth out of the Carton Way address," RADE said. Two children, ages 10 and 12, were taken into protective custody by DHS Child Welfare. Millsap has been charged with Delivery and Possession of Methamphetamine and Delivery and Possession of Heroin, Felon in Possession of a Firearm x2, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor x2, and Felony Failure to Appear Warrant(s) out of Grants Pass. Howard has been charged with Felon in Possession of a firearm x5, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor x2. Thomas has been charged with five felony warrants for Failure to Appear. REDDING, Calif. (AP) A Northern California woman who killed a man after she drove head-on into freeway traffic in an apparent suicide attempt has been sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. The Record Searchlight reports 29-year-old Grace Elizabeth Ward was sentenced during a highly emotional hearing in which she sobbed uncontrollably at times. The Red Bluff woman was convicted in the Jan. 7 crash that killed Ryan Folsom on Interstate 5 in Redding. During her sentencing Friday, Ward told to Folsom's family she was profoundly sorry for the agony and pain she has caused them. Prosecutors say three cars swerved out of the way before Folsom's car was hit. Folsom, a 29-year-old Medford, Oregon native, attended medical school in San Antonio, Texas. He was heading to Sacramento for a hospital interview. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) More than half of Filipinos believe the United States will come to the country's defense in case of a foreign invasion, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll. A survey conducted from June 27 to 30 found that 31 percent of Filipinos strongly believe the U.S. will come to our defense, will 30 percent somewhat believe that would happen. This leads to a total of 61 percent of Filipinos who hold on to the hope of having the U.S. by the country's side. Meanwhile, 30 percent are undecided on the potential U.S. aid, while 9 percent believe America will not come to the country's defense. Among regions, those in Luzon (outside Metro Manila) believe in the U.S. defense commitment the most, followed by Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao respectively. Belief in the U.S. is highest in urban regions. Less than half or around 47 percent of Filipinos are aware of the mutual defense treaty with the U.S., while 53 percent only found out about it during the conduct of the survey. Those who are aware of the defense treaty are also more likely to know about the maritime dispute between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults: 300 each from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and Metro Manila. SWS surveys have a sampling error margin of 3% for national percentages, and 6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 109 Shares Share For many of us, the most wonderful time of the year is anything but. If we let the holiday season get the better of us, we can find ourselves overeating, overspending, and over-extending from now through New Years Eve. Holiday stress has real health implications: The American Heart Association warns that the increased stress we feel this time of year can lead to significant coronary events. The American Psychiatric Association urges people to make a plan for the depression and anxiety this time of year brings. And internal medicine doctors like me caution patients to wash their hands and get plenty of sleep, as this is cold and flu season. Despite the dangers, the holidays really can be filled with more mistletoe than misery. To have happy and healthy holidays: 1. Plan ahead. Set aside some days for shopping, baking, traveling, etc. The intention here is to avoid a big build-up of things that have to be done at the last minute. Having achievable goals every day helps us conquer our to-do lists and prevents stress and anxiety from kicking in. 2. Learn to say, No. You cant be at three places at once, so dont try to be. Creating healthy boundaries and communicating clearly will help protect you from becoming overextended and burdened by unrealistic expectations. 3. Put on your own oxygen mask first. Just like the flight attendants always tell you, you cant take care of others or others needs if you dont first take care of yourself. This means maintaining your healthy habits: exercise, sleep, hydration, stretching, healthy and in particular eating. The salt- fat- and sugar-laden food that surrounds us now is tempting, but its important to be selective. Being nourished by the food you eat will keep you healthy and feeling good. 4. Take a breather. Make time for yourself, even if its just 15 minutes alone without distractions. Breathe, stretch, meditate. Whatever it is that recharges you, take time out every day to do it. No, folding laundry doesnt count. Neither does driving (you should be paying attention to the road). Me time is about slowing down your mind and connecting with your inner self. 5. Stick to your budget. You cant compete with Santa Claus; hes got a whole workshop and virtually no overhead. Financial stress causes your body to release norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that causes headaches, insomnia and stomach issues and compromises your mental health and immune system. Add those symptoms to the cost of whatever you were contemplated buying, and youll see its just not worth it. 6. Laugh. Keeping your sense of humor will help you approach difficult, stressful situations with perspective and levity. This can go a long way to diffusing tensions and reducing the physically harmful effects of stress. A five-year study out of Norway confirmed that having a good sense of humor has physical health benefits. Life can be difficult, holidays can be stressful, and other people can be infuriating. But if we remember to focus on the things that matter and not take too seriously the things that dont we can keep our selves calm, joyful and healthy. Sevitlana Safaei is an internal medicine physician, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach, CA. Image credit: Shutterstock.com LANE COUNTY, Ore. -- Oregon State Police continue to investigate after they said a truck in western Lane County threw rocks at drivers and a bicyclist over the weekend in the Veneta and Triangle Lake area. "I hope they were high on drugs or something 'cause it was a senseless crime," said Joe Wallace, who says he was a victim. "I can't even believe people do it broad daylight." RELATED: Rocks thrown at drivers in rural Lane County, OSP says Wallace said he left his car outside his house on Highway 36 south of Low Pass on Saturday with the hopes of selling it. Then at around 3 p.m. in the afternoon, Wallace said he found it vandalized -- the front windshield was broken, the front passenger-side window was completely destroyed and a large rock was in the passenger seat. Wallace said a witness saw a person in a truck throw rocks at the car. "Why do this?" Wallace said. "They created all this agony and they could have killed somebody. I just hope they learn their lesson." On the same day Wallace said his car was vandalized, Eliott Sutton, who works in the nearby community of Horton, said a white man with blondish brown hair threw a rock at him while he was riding his bike on Horton Road. Sutton said his thick down jacket prevented any injury and is thankful the rock didn't hit him the head. Oregon State Police describe the suspected truck as a dark-colored lifted flatbed with a loud muffler. They are urging anyone with information to come forward. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The family of an Oregon woman who died from complications of the flu while in prison has sued the state. The family is claiming she would likely be alive if prison officials had given her a flu shot. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the family of 53-year-old Tina Ferri filed the $7.5 million-dollar lawsuit Dec 10 in Washington County Circuit Court. Ferri died in mid-January during a flu outbreak at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville. The lawsuit said officials bought 519 flu shots for a prison population of 1,645 inmates. According to Attorney Michael Fuller, the prison appeared to only use about 300 of the shots, which seemed to be mostly administered after symptoms started appearing. State Department of Corrections spokeswoman, Jennifer Black, declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the pending litigation. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Santa Claus will provide a special sleigh-ride escort to Dublin Airport from the Chernobyl-affected regions of Belarus for a group of children with special needs, who will spend Christmas here when they arrive on Tuesday. The Christmas Rest and Recuperation programme gives the children, who come from impoverished backgrounds and state-run institutions, a health-boosting reprieve from the toxic environment and high levels of radiation to which they are exposed. The Kilkenny Outreach Group, under the leadership of Jim Kavanagh, will welcome vulnerable children and young adults to Ireland for this programme. Children as young as 10 will join Vasilli Lyskavets who will be returning to his loving Irish family, the Morrisseys, who are a volunteer host family with the charitys Kilkenny Outreach Group. The Morrissey family have hosted Vassili for over 10 years, during which time he has become one of the family, even attending family weddings and special occasions. Vasilli has lived in Vesnova Children Institution as long as he can remember. Abandoned to Vesnova with his brother at a young age, their lives appeared to be lost and separation seemed a certainty, but through CCIs intervention the boys have been kept together. Vasili and his brother Alexei live together in CCIs Independent Living Home. The Kilkenny Outreach Group fundraise tirelessly throughout the year in order to give the children and adults a much-needed break. Activities such as their hugely successful annual 2018 Mary Slattery Chernobyl Cycle as well as an American Tea Party funds the life-prolonging programme for so many. The success of CCIs oldest programme is due to the commitment, dedication and kindness of thousands of host families from Kilkenny and all over Ireland. For many of these children, nothing as magical as this will ever have happened in their lives, says charity founder Adi Roche. This is the true meaning of Christmas its about family and sharing. The positive impact these stays have on the children is a testament to three generations of truly remarkable Irish volunteers like the Morrisseys. Studies have shed much needed light on the benefits of Rest and Recuperation to the children who live in some of the worlds most radioactive contaminated lands in the Chernobyl affected regions. A massive data breach at a Marriott hotel chain has been traced to Chinese hackers working for the Ministry of State Security, the country's civilian spy agency, according to The New York Times. The hack exposed data from approximately 500 million Marriott and Starwood hotel customers. It also included health insurers and the security clearance files of millions more Americans, according to two people briefed on the investigation, the Times reported. Asia China Companies Continents and regions Crime, law enforcement and corrections Criminal offenses Digital crime Digital security East Asia Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government departments and authorities Intelligence services International relations and national security Marriott International Incorporated National security North America Technology The Americas United States New York Times Co CNN Business has not independently confirmed the report. The Times also cited four unnamed US officials who said there could be indictments against Chinese hackers working for the intelligence services and the military. It said the Trump administration also plans to declassify intelligence reports to reveal Chinese hacking efforts dating to at least 2014. The report comes amid growing tensions between the United States and China. The Trump administration continues to threaten China with taxes on hundreds of billions of dollars of exports to the United States if the countries cannot reach a trade resolution in the coming months. The United States is also seeking the extradition of the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei. She was arrested in Canada this month at the request of US authorities but released on bail there late Tuesday. The breach of the Marriott reservation system is one of the largest ever, and the company said it is focused on finding out what happened. "Our primary objectives in this investigation are figuring out what occurred and how we can best help our guests," Marriott said in a statement Wednesday. "We have no information about the cause of this incident, and we have not speculated about the identity of the attacker." Marriott says that 327 million people had their names, phone numbers, email addresses, passport numbers, dates of birth and arrival and departure information exposed. More than 100 million other customers' credit card numbers and card expiration dates were potentially compromised. Marriott has warned that that it can't confirm if the hackers were able to decrypt the credit card numbers. "We fell short of what our guests deserve and what we expect of ourselves. We are doing everything we can to support our guests, and using lessons learned to be better moving forward," CEO Arne Sorenson said in November. ROCHESTER, Minn. - After 8 years, the Science Museum of Minnesota's 'Race: Are We So Different?' exhibit is back in Rochester. Through the end of January, the exhibit is in the Apache Mall, then will move to the Rochester Public Library and be there until the end of April. In 2010, the exhibit was only at the library. "Starting out at the mall and then here at the library really is increasing the amount of people that can experience the exhibit and hopefully increasing the amount of conversations that people are having about race," says Karen Lemke, head of marketing and community engagement at the Rochester Public Library. The exhibit walks visitors through how race was constructed throughout history, and the consequences it has had on minority groups. "I hope people will leave with an understanding that the beliefs we have about race aren't based where we thought they were and that we have, as cultures, as populations, as communities, the opportunity to think of one another in more general human terms," explains Dee Sabol, executive director of the Diversity Council. The exhibit is slightly different now than when it was in town in 2010. It is now smaller and available in both English and Spanish. Rochester is one of three Greater Minnesota communities chosen to host the exhibit. It was also in Worthington and Moorhead. MASON CITY, Iowa - The Cerro Gordo County Law Enforcement Center is getting with the times, as it bans nicotine products and devices from being used on its grounds. On Tuesday, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved updating a resolution that bans tobacco products on LEC property to include electronic cigarettes and vaporizers that provide 'a vapor of liquid nicotine and/or other substances to the user as she or he simulates smoking', according to the resolution. Penny McCaslin is the Tobacco Program Coordinator with the Department of Public Health, and has been working with the Sheriff's office on getting the resolution updated. She feels that the updated wording covers all ground. "No matter what people call it, if its an e-cigarette or a hookah or whatever...in general, nicotine comes from tobacco, and where there is nicotine, we classify that as a tobacco product." She says that the amendment could help smokers quit. "It makes it easier for people once they decide to want to quit, it makes it easier for them to quit, right? Because they're surrounded by that environment. A lot of times, it does help people get to that point even of 'maybe it is time for me to kick the habit.'" New signs regarding the update will be posted around the property. Like the initial resolution, anyone who does not comply will be asked to leave the grounds. Employees of Cerro Gordo who don't follow the policy may be subject to disciplinary action. GARNER, Iowa Stealing from his grandparents results in suspended sentence for a Hancock County man. Anthony James Fickel Schoneman, 23 of Garner, illegally entered his grandparents home on May 15, 2017. Authorities say he stole over $10,000 worth of items, including cash, collector coins, and prescription pills. Schoneman pleaded guilty to 2nd degree burglary and has received a 10 year suspended prison sentence. He has also been ordered to spend up to 180 days in a residential correctional facility, complete all recommended substance abuse and mental health treatment, get and keep a job, and pay restitution. In addition, Schoneman will be on supervised probation for five years. FOREST CITY, Iowa - This week we are honoring a north Iowa teacher who is retiring at the end of the school year. Mrs. Sheryl Putz at Forest City Middle School is receiving this weeks Golden Apple Award. I feel very honored. It's nice to be recognized in that way, says Putz She has her student, Melia Golwitzer, to thank. Well, I wanted to nominate her because she is retiring this year and Ive heard a lot of people a grade above me say she'll make your entire year, says Golwitzer. Being a Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Putz is not new to reading books, or reading into her students. You know everybody has a story when they come to school, so I try to make them feel special that day as well, says Putz. She's like a friend to all of us. She listens to us and understands how we are, so we talk to her and she's just kind of there to listen to us, says Golwitzer. As for what's next for Mrs. Putz after she retires at the end of the year. Some sort of subbing, I'd still like be involved with students somehow, she says. Congratulations to Sheryl Putz! If you know someone who deserves the Golden Apple Award head to KIMT.com. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Sen. Charles Grassley says President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen may be truthfully pleading guilty to federal crimes but it's difficult to believe him when he implicates the president in crimes. Cohen was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for tax evasion, lying to Congress and campaign finance violations. The campaign finance plea relates to illegal hush money payments made during the campaign to two women who allege they had affairs with Trump. Cohen says he paid them at the direction of Trump, potentially implicating the president in a crime. During a call with reporters Wednesday, Grassley was asked whether he believes the president may have broken the law. Grassley said since Cohen lied to Congress, "to what extent do you want to put confidence in what a liar says?" When asked if he thought Cohen's guilty pleas were believable, he said Cohen could be lying about that too but "when you have somebody saying yeah, I did something wrong there's no reason to doubt that." DECORAH, Iowa A Fayette County man is pleading not guilty to dealing heroin. Jacob Swearingen, 32 of Westgate, is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver heroin. These charges are connected to a drug bust conducted on June 6, 2017, in Winneshiek County but Swearingen was not arrested until he was picked up on an outstanding warrant in Linn County on November 18. That drug bust has already resulted in federal drug convictions for two other people and another trial scheduled to begin in January 2019. Swearingens trial is set to start on February 20, 2019. DES MOINES, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is weighing in on a controversial northeast Iowa election. Democrat Kayla Koether is trying to get 33 absentee ballots counted in Winneshiek County. She currently trails incumbent Republican Michael Bergan by nine votes in Iowa House District 55 and the ballots in question arrived after election day and do not have a postmark on them. Pate says the ballots also do not have the Intelligent Mail barcode on them that is authorized by state law and imprinted by county auditors. Therefore, he says, they are not eligible to be counted under Iowa law. Pate says only six Iowa counties use the Intelligent Mail barcode on absentee ballots and Winneshiek is not one of them. However, according to court documents, Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines says a scan of postal bar codes revealed 29 ballots were mailed on November 5, the state-mandated deadline. Pate has now issued the following statement on this matter: As Secretary of State, I swear an oath to uphold the Constitution and Laws of the State of Iowa, and I support every eligible vote being counted. Trying to change the rules after an election is not the way elections work in Iowa. In addition, this office and the Winneshiek County Auditor have complied with the district court order in all respects. I will do everything under the law to ensure every voter is provided the same rights. I am disappointed by the political rhetoric. My job is to be the referee of elections and not side with one candidate or party. Ms. Koether has already requested and received recounts in two counties in House District 55, and she has the right under the law to file an election contest. AUSTIN, Minn. Sexually assaulting a woman is sending a Mower County man to prison. Ryan Arthur Sanvick, 45 of Sargeant, was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years behind bars. He was accused of four counts of 1st degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of 2nd degree assault, and one count of domestic assault by strangulation. Authorities say Sanvick took a woman prisoner on December 11, 2017, and raped her, beat her, and threatened to cut out her eyes and kill her. He pleaded guilty in May to one count of 1st degree criminal sexual conduct. MASON CITY, Iowa The Mason City Fire Department promoted two firefighters Tuesday afternoon, and swore in one new fireman. Firefighters Bob Rush and Gary Akins were promoted to Lieutenant, and Christopher Ward was sworn in as a firefighter and EMT. Dozens were in attendance for the ceremony at the fire station, including Mayor Bill Schickel and City Administrator Aaron Burnett. Lieutenant Rush says he is honored to receive this new promotion. Its very humbling, said Lt. Rush, who has worked for MCFD since Sept. 2001. Ive been in the fire service for several years and to finally be rewarded with the promotion its very humbling. Mason City Fire Chief, Erik Bullinger, says the receival of the promotions come as a result of their hard work and their character. Its really all about how they showed teamwork here, said Chief Bullinger. Its a big part of the fire service and especially here at Mason City Fire Department, and they showed outstanding work working with others and naturally being a leader for others. Being promoted to lieutenant comes with new responsibilities such as company level operations and being in charge of shifts when the captain is absent. MASON CITY, Iowa A man is pleading not guilty in Clear Lake burglary and assault. Ezekial Nicholas Hodak, 20 of Manly, is charged with 1st degree burglary and two counts of domestic abuse assault. Authorities say Hodak illegally entered a home in the 800 block of West 12th Avenue N on October 23 and choked a woman. His trial is scheduled to begin on January 29, 2019. MASON CITY, Iowa - A railroad officer involved in a shooting is on paid administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation being conducted by the Iowa DCI. Union Pacific Special Agent Louis Miner is on paid leave following the shooting of that left Nathan Olson hospitalized, Union Pacific Railroad said Wednesday. Authorities said Olson was shot Nov. 29 at the intersection of 9th St. NW and N. Monroe Ave. after an altercation. Olson is still in fair condition at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. In an email to KIMT received Wednesday, Raquel Espinoza, the corporate communications senior director for UP Railroad, offered more information regarding the shooting and special agents. Special Agent Miner was not wearing a body camera, but his vehicle was equipped with a forward-facing camera. All special agents are sworn police officers and carry firearms. Our policy states agents will use reasonable force to protect the life of the agent or another person and effectively bring an incident under control, Espinoza said. Special agents carry OC gel/spray, Tasers and batons. ROCHESTER, Minn. The Rochester community is coming together to make sure Santa and his reindeer keep coming back. This particular Santa has been visiting the Med-City for 16 years. People can find him at ABC and Toy Zone in Rochester, but that wasnt always the case. Santa used to visit kids at the Apache Mall. But when some items on their wishlist didnt match up with Santas, he said, he was laid off. So, I said no, and they brought in Mr. Fill, Mr. Fill-in Santa. And the following year, I didn't get an invite to go back, Santa said. Thats when the community stepped in. An anonymous elf started a GoFundMe page to help Santa travel all the way from the North Pole, which in this case is Colorado, to Rochester. Sunny Prabhakar isnt the one behind the effort, but is a friend of the anonymous elf who started it all. They flew him out with the plane ticket, got him a hotel, found him a place at the Miracle Mile at ABC and Toy Zone to bring Santa back to Rochester, Prabhakar said. Four years later, people are still helping Santa via GoFundMe. So far, this years online fundraising has raised over $1,000 for Santa. I think its really cool people care enough to say this is important for all communitys kids, not just one familys kids to bring Santa here, Prabhakar said. The support is the communitys gift to Santa, and is what keeps him believing in that Christmas magic. Rochester has become my winter home. And the people of Rochester have become my winter family, he said. I'm very humbled to be here, to be Santa for all the children. Always believe in the magic and keep Christmas in your heart. To see the GoFundMe page for Santa, click here. DES MOINES, Iowa The Iowa Transportation Commission has agreed to fully fund the addition of right turn lanes to a dangerous Floyd County intersection. $249,560 was awarded Tuesday to a project at the intersection of U.S. Highway 18 and Lancer Avenue/T38, east of Rudd. The Mason City Iowa DOT office applied for the money, pointing out there were 14 crashes at that intersection between 2013 and 2017 and they resulted in two deaths, nine injuries, and $170,750 in property damage. The average crash rate for this Floyd County intersection is actually below the state average but the DOT says the severity of the crashes is relatively high. The project, which is expected to start construction in the fall of 2019 or the spring of 2020, would build off set right turn lanes on U.S. 18. The DOT says that should reduce obstructed views for drivers waiting to enter the highway and improve drivers judgment of the speed of oncoming vehicles. The Floyd County project is one of 44 approved for a total of $7,940,800 in funding by the Iowa Transportation Commission on Tuesday. GARNER, Iowa The first sentence is handed out in a Hancock County drug bust. Bradley Keith Rotert, 25 of Crystal Lake, has been given a deferred judgment and three years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to gathering where controlled substances are used. He must also complete all recommended substance abuse and mental health treatment. Clark Erdahl Clark Erdahl If Rotert successfully completes his probation, this conviction will we removed from his record. Rotert and Clark Michael Erdahl were accused in October 2017 of using a Crystal Lake apartment as a drug den. Law enforcement says they found methamphetamines, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia at the apartment. Erdahl has pleaded guilty to possession of meth-3rd offense. His next court appearance is set for January 8, 2019. GARNER, Iowa A teen accused of using a younger child to deal drugs gets a deferred judgment. Dakota William Linn, 19 of Humboldt, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and failure to use a drug tax stamp. He was additionally charged with use of a minor in the drug trade but that was dropped as part of a plea deal. Linn was arrested after a traffic stop in Hancock County on March 16. Authorities say Linn was a passenger, the driver was a minor, and a large amount of marijuana and a firearm was found in the vehicle. Linn has been sentenced to three years of supervised probation and must pay a $750 civil penalty. If he meets the terms of his probation, this conviction will be wiped from Linns record. NORTHWOOD, Iowa Another delay in a North Iowa attempted murder trial. Trapp Leroy Trotter, 32 of Northwood, was scheduled to stand trial starting Tuesday in Bremer County. Hes accused of attacking Andrew Nodtvedt on June 2 and is facing charges of attempted murder, 1st degree burglary, and 4th degree criminal mischief. The trial was moved out of Worth County due to pre-trial publicity and was postponed from September until December, but is now being delayed again. No court date has been set. A trial scheduling conference will be held on Friday. Its been a long time since we ended a year with U.S. stock market being down. However, the longest bull market in U.S. history, which started on March 9, 2009, could finally be coming to an end. If you have watched or read any amount of news recently, you havent been able to avoid the roller-coaster headlines over the last two months like, Dow tumbles nearly 600 points followed by, Here's why the stock market was up today, extending a rebound. We are in a cycle of volatility, and it has many investors holding their breaths. Despite the bumpy ride the stock market has been on recently, remember that volatility is normal. As you continue to watch the headlines (and your portfolio balances), here are a few things you will want to do (and not do) when the market drops. What to Do When the Market Drops Take a Breath This is not to sound condescending. I know how difficult it can be to watch your portfolio lose thousands of dollars when the market takes a dive. You have to turn off the TV and stop scrolling through the headlines on your phone. There is nothing unusual about the market activity weve been seeing, despite the doom and gloom fed to you by pundits in the financial news media. Keep in mind, the media is motivated by ratings and clicks, and the worse they can make a story sound, the better it is for their bottom line. In reality, the economic cycle is the natural fluctuation of the economy between periods of expansion (growth) and contraction (recession). Depending on which part of the cycle we are in, the stocks will be either rising or falling. There is no in-between. Now, the catch is that no one knows how long these cycles will last. If we did, investing would be a whole lot easier! Still Saving for Retirement? Buy More Stocks via Dollar Cost Averaging One of my favorite sayings, although I dont know who said it, is that stocks are the only thing that people dont want to buy when they are on sale. Emotionally, buying into a market that is dropping is very hard to do. Dont forget, though, that you want to buy stocks at a lower price and sell them at a higher price. When the market drops, you are able to buy stocks at a cheaper price. This is a good thing! So, how do you ensure we are buying at the correct time? Well, there are no guarantees, but you can smooth out the bumps with a method called Dollar Cost Averaging. Dollar Cost Averaging is the practice of regularly investing a fixed amount of money regardless of market activity. This strategy lowers the average cost per share of an investment and eliminates the risk of a single investment at the wrong time. In other words, take emotion out of investing and buy stocks on an automated schedule (same day and amount each month) to avoid any attempt to time the market. This way, your average price per share will even out over the long-term. It is the best way to avoid gambling with your future. Already Retired? Cut Back on Your Drawdowns If you are retired and drawing down on your portfolio, look to lower the amount of your distribution for a few months. Your original drawdown assumptions were likely made on a higher amount of assets. Lowering these distributions for a few months will allow you to reassess and make any necessary adjustments so that you can protect your retirement income. What Not to Do When the Market Drops Take Your Money Out of the Market The one thing you definitely DONT want to do when the market drops is to take your money out of the market! Resist the reflex to panic. If you have heard it once, you have heard it a thousand times: No one, and I mean NO ONE, knows where the market is headed. You cannot time the ups and the downs. It might feel safer to get out now, but when do you get back in? You, in essence, could wind up making the worst investment move of selling low and buying high. Dont do it. When you are properly invested in a diversified portfolio that is designed with your goals in mind, according to your risk tolerance and capacity for risk, you shouldnt pay attention to what the market does this month or that month. Your long-term investing strategy should already be accounting for such normal market fluctuations. Conclusion Whenever you look to make a drastic change to your portfolio, ask yourself: Have my goals changed? If the answer is no, chances are you should stay the course. If the answer is yes, its a good time to reconnect with your financial adviser and discuss potential updates to your long-term investment strategy. Your long-term financial success isnt determined by one trading cycle. That comes as Washington is looking to diversify its sources of supply for 35 minerals used in smartphones, computers and military equipment amid a festering trade war with China. "This week I will sign a letter of intent with my counterpart ... on critical minerals," resources minister Matt Canavan said at a mining industry event in Melbourne. "(This) will mean Geoscience Australia and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) will work closely on exploration, extraction, processing and research and development," he added, referring to the arms of the respective governments that handle minerals exploration. Australia hopes to supply more minerals to the United States in the wake of the agreement, said Canavan. He expects to speak with U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday. "For 14 of those 35 critical minerals, we are in the top five (holders) of world reserves, so they are the ones we'd like to focus on," he told press at the Melbourne Mining Club event. That list of minerals includes lithium used in batteries, along with rare earths such as neodymium, used in industrial magnets, and gallium, used to make semiconductors. It also includes bauxite and alumina, which make aluminium. China typically supplies around 80 percent of the globe's rare earth needs. Its exports jumped by nearly 50 percent in November from October, customs data showed. (Reporting by Melanie Burton Editing by Joseph Radford) Iamgold Corp. (TSX: IMG; NYSE: IAG) reports that combined indicated and inferred resources for the Gossey satellite deposit, located 15 kilometers northwest of its Essakane operation in Burkina Faso, amount to 376,000 gold ounces. The initial estimate for the deposit shows 10.5 million tonnes of indicated resources averaging 0.87 grams of gold per tonne for 291,000 ounces and 2.9 million tonnes of inferred resources averaging 0.91 grams of gold for 85,000 ounces. "The initial resource estimate reported for the Gossey deposit confirms the prospectivity of the Gossey- Korizena trend to host significant gold mineralization, says Craig MacDougall, senior vice president for exploration. We believe there is favorable potential for additional discoveries within our extensive exploration concessions surrounding the Essakane operation. By Allen Sykora For Kitco News Follow @AllenSykora Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. * FTSE 100 up 1.1 pct; FTSE 250 up 1.9 pct* Market sees PM May defeating leadership challenge* Brexit-sensitive housebuilders rise * Trump's conciliatory trade talk boosts markets * Superdry sinks 38 pct on profit warning (Updates prices, adds details, graphic) By Josephine Mason and Helen Reid LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - British stocks rose on Wednesday as investors welcomed conciliatory talk from U.S. President Trump on trade and became more convinced Prime Minister Theresa May would see off a leadership challenge and win a no-confidence vote. The FTSE 100 ended the day up 1.1 percent as financials and materials stocks rallied. Heavyweight lender HSBC , which makes a big chunk of its revenue in China, was the biggest contributor to gains followed by BHP and Glencore, boosted by higher metals prices. The more domestically-focused midcap index climbed 1.9 percent after May said she would fight the no-confidence vote and a growing majority of Conservative lawmakers indicated support for her ahead of the vote between 1800 and 2000 GMT. "I don't think we can bet on who will win," said Emmanuel Cau, head of European equity strategy at Barclays. "I think its about the markets interpretation of the capacity of the person in charge to get a deal, and about the timing left to get a deal done." Sterling surged up 1.3 percent, suggesting traders reckon she will win the vote which could quash hard Brexiteers for good. The rise in sterling and FTSE 100 together indicated that an inverse relationship between the two was weakening. Ireland's main stock index , which has fallen 22 percent so far this year, was the only major European bourse in the red by mid-morning, but recovered to close up 0.6 percent. Ireland's economy is seen as very vulnerable to any hard Brexit outcome. FTSE investors focused instead on positive signs from the protracted U.S.-China trade war. In an interview with Reuters, Trump said talks were taking place with Beijing by phone and he would not raise tariffs on Chinese imports until he knew whether the two sides would reach a deal. "The global issues are dominating local issues (today). The positive comments from Trump on Huawei, better U.S.-China trade situation are dwarfing the local issues," said Andrew Milligan, head of global strategy at Aberdeen Standard Investments. Trump said he would intervene in the Justice Department's case against a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. Mining stocks BHP Group , Glencore , and Rio Tinto climbed as base metals rallied following Trump's comments. Among fallers, Wood Group lost 10.2 percent to its lowest since May. Its cautious outlook on contracts, as oil-producing clients struggle with volatile prices, outweighed an upbeat earnings outlook. Sainsbury's shares also tumbled 7.2 percent after the Competition and Markets Authority refused to give the group longer to respond to the latest evidence in an inquiry into its 7.3 billion pound deal to merge with Asda. Housebuilder shares recovered from early losses as the market became more confident May would see off the challenge. The Brexit-sensitive stocks were among top gainers by the close, with Persimmon , Taylor Wimpey , Berkeley Group and Barratt Development up 3.6 to 5.7 percent. Mid-cap housebuilders Bellway , Galliford Try , and Crest Nicholson climbed 4.5 to 6.8 percent. High-street retailer Next was down 1.1 percent to its lowest since January, as disappointing news from clothes retailer Superdry and phone and electronics chain Dixons Carphone further dented confidence in the battered retail sector. Superdry plunged 38 percent after its third profit warning in a year, blaming unusually warm weather hitting sales of winter jackets and sweaters. "Shares have been caught up in the middle of a strategy disagreement," Stifel analysts said in a note. "Valuation will suffer from short term volatility and the time it will take to turn around the business." Dixons shares fell 6 percent, while Metro Bank lost 5.7 percent after a Citi downgrade. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ftse sterling correlations Dec 12 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Josephine Mason and Helen Reid Editing by Mark Heinrich) Messaging: josephine.mason.reuters.com@reuters.net))UK hot stocks: [HOT and GB] Wall Street: Gilts report: Euro bond report Pan European stock report: Tokyo stocks: HK stocks: Sterling report: Dollar report:* For company prices, click on -* Company directory: By sector:* For pan-European market data, click on -* European Equities speed guide................ FTSE Eurotop 300 index........................... DJ STOXX index................................... Top 10 STOXX sectors........................ Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors................... Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors.................. Top 25 European pct gainers.................... Top 25 European pct losers..................... )) * PM: I will fight confidence vote with "everything I've got"* Vote due between 1800 GMT and 2000 GMT* Sterling pulls off 20-month lows touched overnight* Graphic: World FX rates in 2018* Graphic: Trade-weighted sterling since Brexit vote (Writes through, adds details, updates prices) By Tommy Wilkes LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Sterling recovered from 20-month lows on Wednesday as Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to fight an attempt to unseat her and warned hardline eurosceptic colleagues that they risked delaying or even stopping Britain's departure from the European Union. At least 158 of May's Conservative party colleagues publicly indicated support for her before a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, enough for a simple majority. Should she win by a large margin, analysts think May can isolate opponents in her party who seek a total break from the European Union, making a soft Brexit more likely. On the other hand, a loss, or a win by a small margin, would leave May's campaign for her much-criticised plan reeling, less than four months before Britain is supposed to quit the EU on March 29. The pound tanked to 20-month lows overnight after May aborted a planned parliamentary vote on her plan on Monday. Then colleagues gathered enough support to trigger a no-confidence vote in her leadership. "Even though there's tremendous uncertainty and we've reached a low in Britain's institutional crisis, we're a touch positive on the pound," said Giuseppe Sersale, a Milan-based fund manager at Anthilia Capital. "We don't expect anyone will want to take responsibility for a hard Brexit and we think the worst-case scenario can be avoided," he said. As scores of colleagues pledged support for May, the pound extended gains to $1.2621 , up 1.1 percent, from below $1.25 earlier in the session. The currency was on course for its biggest one-day gain in six weeks. Against the euro, sterling rose 0.7 percent to a session high of 89.92 pence . Analysts at Nomura said they expected May to survive the vote because it had taken a long time for opponents to get the 48 letters needed to trigger a ballot. Others were less confident, with those at MUFG saying there was "a high probability" of defeat. The British currency was also boosted when German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had used Tuesday's discussion with May to work on an orderly process for Brexit. CAPITAL FLIGHT Traders warned of more volatility for sterling regardless of the outcome. Investors have been reluctant to predict directional moves in the pound as the political instability deepened, preferring instead to bet on rising volatility. Price swings in sterling have this year exceeded some high-stakes emerging markets. A range of Brexit outcomes remains possible, from a second referendum to a no-deal Brexit to a delayed Brexit. Should a so-called hard Brexiteer opposed to May's deal lead the country, or parliament vote for a disorderly Brexit, the pound could lose 5 percent as the focus turned to "potential capital flight" from Britain, said John Normand, a strategist at JP Morgan. Should she cling to power, May will seek a parliamentary mandate for her deal, probably before Jan. 21. She is meeting EU leaders this week to get her Brexit withdrawal agreement tweaked to persuade colleagues angry that the deal, in their view, would leave Britain worse off overall. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sterling implied volatility higher than several EM currencies Sterling valuations and positions ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Danilo Masoni in Milan, Saikat Chatterjee, Helen Reid and Tom Finn in London; editing by Andrew Heavens, Larry King) thomas.wilkes.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) (Adds result of vote due at 2100 GMT) By Kylie MacLellan and Guy Faulconbridge LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to fight for her job in a leadership challenge on Wednesday triggered by Conservative lawmakers, saying a change could jeopardise Britain's divorce from the European Union. Less than four months until the United Kingdom is due to leave on March 29, Brexit is plunged into chaos with options ranging from a potentially disorderly no-deal departure to another referendum that could reverse it. Speaking outside her Downing Street residence hours before the vote of confidence on her leadership, May said she would battle for her premiership with everything she had. In a stark warning to Brexit-supporting opponents who instigated the challenge, May said if they toppled her then the EU exit would be delayed and perhaps even stopped. A new leader would not have time to renegotiate a deal with the EU and secure parliamentary approval by the end of March, meaning the Article 50 withdrawal notice would have to be extended or rescinded, she said. "A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now would put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it," she said. "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country." A secret ballot will be held between 1800 and 2000 GMT on Wednesday in a room at the House of Commons, and an announcement made at 2100. Before the vote, May will speak to lawmakers at a closed meeting. According to the rules, May could be toppled if a simple majority of Conservative lawmakers vote against her, though a significant rebellion could also undermine her position. At least 120 Conservative lawmakers had expressed public support for her by 1120 GMT. Brexit is Britain's most significant political and economic decision since World War Two though pro-Europeans fear it will weaken the West as it grapples with the presidency of Donald Trump and growing assertiveness from Russia and China. The outcome will shape Britain's $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 centres. The British pound, which has lost 25 cents against the U.S. dollar since the 2016 referendum, fell on the confidence vote but then rose to 1.2533 on news that Brexit might have to be delayed. "SHE MUST GO" May, a 62-year-old vicar's daughter who voted to remain in the EU, won the top job in the turmoil that followed the 2016 EU referendum but promised to implement Brexit, while keeping close ties to the bloc, as a way to heal a divided nation. Widely praised for a punishing work ethic and a dutiful approach to solving the Brexit divide, Mays premiership has been characterised by obduracy in the face of frequent crises. Ever since formally triggering the Brexit divorce in March 2017, May has tried to find a way to keep Britain closely aligned with the EU after its exit - the essence of the divorce deal struck with Brussels last month. But on Monday she abruptly pulled a parliamentary vote on her deal in the face of ridicule from lawmakers and a probable rout. She then rushed to Europe to seek assurances from EU leaders about the deal. The EU has insisted it will not renegotiate but some of the blocs leaders have suggested Britain could still change its mind on leaving. Brexit-supporting lawmakers in her party have accused May of betraying the people's vote in negotiations while opponents say she struck a deal that is the worst of all worlds - out of the EU but with no say over many rules it has to abide by. "Theresa Mays plan would bring down the government if carried forward," lawmakers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker said in a statement. "But our Party will rightly not tolerate it. Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs Mays leadership. In the national interest, she must go." SCHISM IN THE UK A schism over Europe in the Conservative Party over Britain's relationship with the EU contributed to the fall of all three previous Conservative premiers - David Cameron, John Major and Margaret Thatcher. Cameron bet all on a referendum he lost in 2016. Now, May - whose personal standing was already weakened by a snap election last year which cost her a parliamentary majority - also sees her own fate at risk over Europe. Senior ministers including Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Home Secretary Sajid Javid expressed support for her. They warned that changing leader at such an important moment in British history was folly. But as investors and company bosses tried to gauge the ultimate outcome of the political crisis, some were betting that Brexit would be thwarted. The EU's top court ruled on Monday that Britain could cancel its Article 50 notice to leave without permission from other members and without losing special privileges. Both May's ruling Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party are publicly committed to carrying out Brexit. A no-deal Brexit, though, is seen as so disruptive to trade and the economy that parliament would be under pressure to block it. "I am backing the prime minister 100 percent," said Gove, the most senior Brexiteer in May's government. "She is battling hard for our country and no one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British peoples decision to leave the EU." Additional reporting by Kate Holton, Andy Bruce, Michael Holden, Paul Sandle and William James; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Karl du Fresne writes at Stuff: Whenever I read something about Donald Trump, my eyes go straight to the credit line at the bottom of the story to see where it came from. If its sourced from the Washington Post or the New York Times, I read it with a degree of scepticism. These once-great newspapers have dangerously compromised their credibility by allowing their almost obsessive dislike of the American president to contaminate their reportage. This is made worse by their tendency to allow fact and opinion to become so entangled that its hard to tell where one ends and the other starts. Its open season on Trump, and many American journalists make it clear that they despise him. And actually, I understand why they feel that way. I despise Trump too, and worry about the damage his presidency might do to America and to the world. Hes a man who appears to have no moral compass and no respect for the truth. I dont think it is the damage he might do, but has done. Trump plays this political card more blatantly and unscrupulously than even Muldoon did, repeatedly branding the American media as the enemy of the people. Sadly, by buying into the adversarial relationship and adopting an openly hostile stance toward the White House, the media have perversely enhanced Trumps political capital. He can point to their antagonistic coverage as proof that the liberal media cant be trusted to report things fairly and accurately. This played well to his supporters on the campaign trail in 2016 and it continues to play well for Trump now, because there will always be an element of the public that is prepared to believe the worst of supposedly elitist, out-of-touch reporters. And it has to be said that many journalists are elitist and out-of-touch especially in the United States, where the big media organisations are headquartered far from the neglected heartland where Trumps support base is located. That helps explain why the media so dismally failed to foresee Trumps victory in the presidential election. The best counter to Trumps game, surely, is to do what reputable newspapers used to do as a matter of course: play it straight. News columns are not the place for editorial opinion. They should be concerned only with detached, factual accounts of what Trump has said or done. That would be nice. All of this leads me, in a roundabout way, to last months Stuff editorial from editor in chief Patrick Crewdson that his organisation will no longer give space to the views of people classified as climate change sceptics and denialists. OK, the parallel with Trump isnt obvious, but Stuffs stance does raise a serious question relating to trust in the media. When a news organisation decides to shut down comment on an issue as important as climate change on the basis that the debate is settled, it assumes a position of omniscience that will rankle with many readers. But far more importantly, it raises doubts in readers minds about its commitment to free and open debate. I thought this new editorial policy from Stuff was quite dangerous. First note their clarification: Editors note: Stuff has not shut down discussion on climate change, but we will not provide a forum for its factual existence to be countered with fictions and call it balance. I wonder how much further Stuff will take this policy of now allowing fictions in the name of balance. Genetic modification has been proven to be safe for three decades now. The scientific evidence is overwhelming. Will Stuff ban people who claim GE is unsafe? Will Stuff ban people who claim fluoride at the levels in NZ water supplies is unsafe? Will Stuff ban people who claim that (for example) tripling the minimum wage wont effect employment levels, as the scientific evidence is overwhelming it will? It is a slippery slope Stuff has embarked on. Also how will they distinguish between legitimate uncertainty and outright denial? I would agree that there are two facts which are scientifically proven. The global average temperature is much hotter than 50 years ago, and rising Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are a major factor in the increase But there is very strong and legitimate debate on the following: What the future temperature increases will be What the associated sea level increase will be Whether reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the best response Whether methane should be included due to its short duration in the atmosphere Whether the international agreements will make any significant difference Whether NZ policy on this is sensible and appropriate So the danger is that Stuff will end up banning views where there is legitimate disagreement, not just views which seek to deny a simple fact such as global temperatures has been rising. Also what will Stuff do should circumstances change? If say the years 2019 to 2022 all saw global average temperatures drop to well below 2018, will it be forbidden to point this out? Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Photo: Contributed The days of paperback cookbooks are giving way to beautifully designed hard cover works of literary and culinary art. You might want to keep some of these books, which are filled with stylish photos, great recipes, and personal stories: safely on the coffee table away from kitchen spills. wrapped up for the chef in your life for the non-chef who simply likes gorgeous books to add to your shopping or wish list. Vancouver Eats (Joanne Sasvari): Ever wondered how you can get your hands on the recipe from a meal at your fave YVR spot? Here it is, with delightful descriptions of the included bistros and chefs. Youll see some familiar faces, discover a new place to try, and enjoy being able to say, I liked the Mafaldine with Sugo, Braciole, and Meatballs at Osteria Savio Volpe, so I thought Id make it myself. Eating Local in the Fraser Valley (Angie Quaale): Not only filled with farm-to-fork recipes, this is also a guide through local producers, farmers, wineries, and more, complete with suggested itineraries under themes such as Brewery Crawl and U-Pick. Pick up a copy at the authors gourmet shop, Well-Seasoned in Langley, then head out and explore. Atelier (Marc Lepine with Anne Desbrisay): This book, with stunningly beautiful photography, is from one of Canadas best restaurants for 2018, and tells the story that led to the title of Most Innovative Chef. It invites you to pour a glass of wine and just enjoy the journey. You might want to give a copy to an artist or creator, as it is sure to inspire, or to a young chef with giddy ambition who will try recipes such as Caribou with Trees. Amazing Train Journeys (Lonely Planet): This is not a cookbook, but is included for its 60 inspired trips in areas around the world. Remember travel books? This one will take you to far off places; some inspired by flavours. Cubas Hershey Train explores the history of the famed chocolate company. Indias Darjeeling Toy Train glides past tea plantations. One can dream about champagne on a part of the Orient Express. Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen (Stephanie Hua with Coreen Carroll): Its a new world in Canada with marijuana legalization. I have no clue about edibles, but if this is your thing or you want to learn, this is the cookbook for you. There is much info on how and what to cook, detailed steps, dosage, gluten and dairy free options, and recipes from Duck Meatball Sliders to The Elvis Cookie. From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Doggs Kitchen (Snoop Dogg with Ryan Ford): Yes, Snoop. Take a peek inside a pantry that includes Pop Tarts, and a fridge with ranch dressing next to the Moet. Explore Snoops favourite snacks, cereals, and candies. Easy to follow recipes such as Baby Got Back Ribs, and Gin and Juice served in a red solo cup. My current go-to recipe is the Doggs Ashford and Simpson Eggs. Eggs, milk, butter, cheddar, salt and pepper. Done. DEMOPOLIS, Ala. -- An Alabama mother says bullying led her 9-year-old daughter to commit suicide, CBS Birmingham affiliate WIAT reports. "She told me that this one particular child was writing her nasty notes in class," said the mother, Jasmine Adams. "It was just things you wouldn't think a 9-year-old should know. And my baby, to tell me some of the things they had said to her, I was like, 'Where are they learning this from?" Adams said her daughter, McKenzie Adams, told teachers at U.S. Jones Elementary School in Demopolis and her assistant principal multiple times that she was being bullied. She feels the school system let her family down. "Our trust was in them that they would do the right thing," said Jasmine Adams. "And it just feels like to me it wasn't." Adams said she transferred her daughter to the school from another school due to bullying. She said the issue started again at the new school. Adams said race was a factor in the bullying. A white family friend drove the African-American fourth-grader to school every day. "Part of it could have been because she rode to school with a white family. 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,'" she told WIAT. Demopolis City Schools attorney Alex Braswell said the case is being investigated. He called the situation sad and senseless. In a statement, school officials said: "Certainly our hearts goes out to the family and friends of Mckenzie and her fellow students as well as her teachers. Demopolis school system has provided grief councilors and crisis councilors at the school since this and ministers and youth ministers have been at the campus since the date of this incident." "That was my angel," said Adams. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo: District of Summerland The District of Summerland has approved what could be the Okanagans first retail cannabis storefront. Council gave the green-light to the application Monday with little discussion. The store proposed by the owners of Summerland Gold and Silver Exchange is planned for the Summer Faire Mall just off Highway 97 at Prairie Valley Road. The shop will operate under the Green Gaia Cannabis Co. banner with hours of 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. similar to the nearby liquor store. Beyond a man that spoke in support of the store during public comment period, the district did not receive any feedback from residents on the plan. The RCMP and school district also did not voice any concerns about the proposal. Applicant Dionne Bakalos told Castanet Tuesday that the application is now in the provincial governments hands. Its unclear how long it will take the store to receive final approval to allow its opening. Photo: Contributed A local group is helping to connect area homeless with people wanting to help. The Christmas wish list is a website com that has personal stories and wish lists from Vernons homeless and shelter people. Homeless Partners intention is to promote a personal connection between individual homeless/sheltered people with community through caring, respect and understanding of lived experiences. The project encourages the community to treat those without a home as people of equal worth and dignity rather than "invisible." Every person wants to feel cared for and this project is a safe and effective way to raise awareness about the issue of homelessness through community support for the project. Community participation in the project may encourage decision-makers to take action to reduce homelessness in our community, said Maggie Metz, homeless partners co-ordinator Turning Points Collaborative Society. Homeless individuals are interviewed or complete interview questions on their own. Questions ask for personal stories, along with a Christmas wish list as a way of bridging the person with the community. Community members read the personal stories and wish lists and hopefully, make a personal connection, said Metz in a press release. The community member can then send gift(s), letters and/or cards to the individual at the shelter. Staff at the shelter distribute gifts and cards to the intended individual by matching the pseudonym to the intended person. Metz said many people want to help the homeless but are not sure how best to help. Some people are reluctant to give money because they want to ensure their gift will not be used in unhealthy ways. The Christmas wish list is a way to provide direct, personal expressions of caring by delivering a gift or message directly to people that need it most. Tax receipts will not be given. In Vernon, Turning Points Collaborative Society operates communities shelters. The Howard House provides emergency shelter beds, transitional beds and a supportive recovery program. The Gateway Shelter provides men and women emergency shelter. Both shelters provide services to the absolute homeless who may be suffering from economic downturn, illiteracy, addictions and/or mental health challenges. Gifts can be dropped off at 102-3301 24 Ave. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to cloudy skies with light rain and snow developing during the afternoon. High 39F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 40%.. Tonight Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Some rain may mix in early. Low 32F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to cloudy skies with light rain and snow developing during the afternoon. High near 40F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 30%.. Tonight Rain and snow this evening. Overcast overnight. Low 32F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. (CNN) The chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei has been released on a $10 million bail, a judge in Canada ruled Tuesday. Meng Wanzhou faces extradition to the United States, which has accused her of helping Huawei dodge sanctions on Iran. She was arrested December 1 in Canada during a layover at Vancouver International Airport. As a condition of her release, Meng has agreed to surrender her passports and live in one of her homes in Vancouver. She will also pay for a 24-7 security detail and wear a GPS ankle bracelet. Tuesday's decision came three days into a hearing for Meng, who is a prominent executive at one of the world's biggest makers of smartphones and networking equipment. Meng's attorney, David Martin, argued that she should be released on bail while she waits for an extradition hearing because of health concerns. Meng has severe hypertension, for which she was hospitalized after her arrest. At issue in court was whether Meng posed a flight risk. Martin said she did not, since her ties to Vancouver go back 15 years and she has two homes in the area. Leaving Canada would also embarrass her personally, and would humiliate her father, Huawei and China itself, Martin said. Tuesday's decision could help ease tensions between Washington and Beijing as the two sides try to negotiate an end to their bruising trade war. Her arrest had been met with consternation from Chinese officials. 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." Meng, 46, is the daughter of Huawei's founder. In addition to her role as CFO, she serves as deputy chairperson of the company's board. The United States alleges that Meng helped Huawei get around U.S. sanctions on Iran by telling financial institutions such as HSBC that a Huawei subsidiary, Skycom, was a separate and unaffiliated company. The U.S. Justice Department has declined to comment on the case. Meng faces "serious charges of fraud involving millions of dollars" in the United States, according to the affidavit of a Canadian law enforcement official. She could receive substantial jail time if convicted, the statement said. This story was first published on CNN.com "Huawei CFO facing extradition to US released on $10 million bail" Photo: The Canadian Press A top executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei who was arrested in Vancouver has been granted bail. Meng Wanzhou is wanted by the United States on allegations that the company skirted trade sanctions against Iran. 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 was arrested on a warrant that alleges she committed fraud because Huawei used unofficial subsidiary Skycom to do business with Iranian telecommunications companies between 2009 and 2014 in violation of international sanctions. The 46-year-old chief financial officer of Huawei has denied the allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited to face charges in the United States. Meng's lawyer, David Martin, found a number of friends and associates to vouch for his client's character and to offer financial guarantees that she will not flee. Additional sureties were needed after Ehrcke questioned whether her husband, Liu Xiaozong, could sign a guarantee. Court heard Liu is living in Vancouver on a six-month visitors visa and Ehrcke argued the form to provide a financial guarantee must be provided by a resident of B.C. Photo: The Canadian Press House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y. outside the White House. In a wild Oval Office confrontation, President Donald Trump heatedly threatened to shut down the U.S. government Tuesday as he and Democratic leaders bickered over funding for his promised border wall and offered a grim preview of life in Washington the next two years under divided government. Trump and House and Senate Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer squabbled for more than 15 minutes in the stunning, televised encounter. Each of them, especially Trump, interrupted the others to question facts, quibble over election results and lob insults. Trump questioned Pelosi's ability to count votes in her own House. She questioned his manhood after she left the building. The public clash marked Trump's first meeting with the newly empowered Democrats since their midterm victories that put them in control of the House, laying bare the tensions on both sides and suggesting how divided government might work or not as the 2020 presidential election nears. Neither the public nor the private face-to-face portion of the meeting appeared to resolve the wall-funding dispute with a partial shutdown looming on Dec. 21. However, Pelosi said Trump called her later in the afternoon and told her the White House was looking at options she and Schumer had laid out. In the public debate, Trump sounded more determined than ever to allow a partial government shutdown unless he gets the billions he wants for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. "I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down," he declared. Pelosi later crowed that she and Schumer had goaded the president to "fully own that the shutdown was his." She told Democratic lawmakers back at the Capitol, according to an aide who was in the room, that the wall was "like a manhood thing for him ... as if manhood could ever be associated with him. This wall thing." The aide was not authorized to speak publicly and commented only on condition of anonymity. While Trump has suggested he may be willing to trade with Democrats and has publicly praised Pelosi, he was focused Tuesday on reinforcing his hardline immigration promises, repeatedly stressing border security and the wall as a critical part. Democrats were in no mood to sympathize, emphasizing their newfound political strength. "Elections have consequences, Mr. President," said Schumer. Trump later called it a "friendly meeting," saying "I've actually liked them for a long period of time and I respect them both. And we made a lot of progress." The Democrats said they had given Trump two options to keep government open and the responsibility lay with him and Republicans who control Congress. The wall remains the main sticking point in talks. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan acknowledged Tuesday that the GOP-led House has yet to pass legislation that includes the $5 billion in border wall funds that Trump has been requesting. Ryan likely lacks sufficient votes from Republicans who will lose their majority at the end of the month. Trump is seeking far more for his long-stalled border wall than the $1.6 billion the Senate has agreed to for border security, including physical barriers and technology along the U.S. southern border. Should the two sides not make a deal by Dec. 21, about three-quarters of the government would continue to have enough money to operate. But departments affected absent a deal include Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture, State and Justice, as well as national parks. Both sides came into the negotiating session primed for battle. After a few niceties, Trump dug into Democrats on the border wall, prompting a stern rebuke from Schumer that the issue at hand was "called funding the government." Trump soon started scrapping with Pelosi, when she said there should not be a "Trump shutdown." "Did you say Trump?" the president said, as the two argued over whether Trump had enough Republican votes in the House to support his border wall plan. "The fact is that you do not have the votes in the House," Pelosi declared. Trump shot back: "Nancy, I do." Also in a fighting mood, Schumer accused Trump of threatening a shutdown "because you can't get your way." Trump heckled Schumer over a previous shutdown, saying "the last time you shut it down you got killed" politically. Pelosi and Schumer both repeatedly asked to make the conversation private, without success, as Trump argued that the public meeting was a good thing: "It's called transparency." It is sickening that Canadian authorities arrested the executive of the Huawei telecom corporation at the request of the Americans. We cannot be the lapdogs of a fascist and racist regime. Shades of collaboration with the axis powers during the Second World War. The prime minister must take action to preserve our values and our sovereignty. Roland Harvey Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump speaks during a meets with Democratic leaders the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) A look at where the investigations related to President Donald Trump stand and what may lie ahead for him. WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? Trump is facing criminal investigations in Washington and New York. Special counsel Robert Mueller is looking into whether the Trump campaign co-ordinated with Russia and whether the president obstructed the investigation. Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say Trump directed his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to make illegal hush money payments to two women as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. ___ SO ... DID THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN COLLUDE WITH RUSSIA? There is no smoking gun when it comes to the question of Russia collusion. But the evidence so far shows a broad range of Trump associates had Russia-related contacts during the 2016 presidential campaign and transition period, and that several lied about the communication. There is also evidence that some people in Trump's orbit were discussing a possible email dump from WikiLeaks before it occurred. American intelligence agencies and Mueller have said Russia was the source of hacked material released by WikiLeaks during the campaign that was damaging to Hillary Clinton's presidential effort. ___ OTHER QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: WHAT ABOUT OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE? That is another unresolved question that Mueller is pursuing. Investigators have examined key episodes such as Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey and his fury over the recusal from the investigation of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. WHAT DOES TRUMP HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ALL THIS? Trump has repeatedly slammed the Mueller investigation as a witch hunt and insisted there was "NO COLLUSION" with Russia. He also says his now-former lawyer, Cohen, lied to get a lighter sentence in New York. WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW TODAY? Two former Trump aides pleaded their case to judges Tuesday in hopes of easing the punishment they could face for their crimes. Lawyers for former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn asked a judge Tuesday to spare him prison time, saying he had devoted his career to his country and taken responsibility for an "uncharacteristic error in judgment." Flynn has admitted lying to the FBI just days after Trump took office about conversations he had during the transition with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States. Also Tuesday, lawyers for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said they were still deciding whether to dispute allegations that he lied to investigators and breached a plea agreement. Manafort has been convicted in Washington and Virginia of crimes related to years of Ukrainian political consulting work. Although the charges don't directly touch Trump, Manafort was a central figure during the campaign, which means he could pass along potentially damaging information. Photo: The Canadian Press Lawyer Jacky-Eric Salvant, top right, and Gabriel Bazin, vice-president of the Ligue des Noirs du Quebec, listen to a presentation by members of the Montreal Police at City Hall in Montreal on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. Anastasia Marcelin, originally from Haiti, says she became an activist after witnessing how city police treated her three younger brothers in their Montreal North neighbourhood. She was part of a group of citizens at city hall Tuesday who expressed little confidence as the Montreal police force unveiled its latest plan to prevent racial profiling by its officers. "As soon as a young, black man gets a car the harassment begins," Marcelin said in an interview, referring to family and friends who have had run-ins with the police. "I lived in Montreal North for 15 years, and I've witnessed police destroy the lives of young people." Incoming police Chief Sylvain Caron and other officers presented councillors with the force's 2018-21 plan to prevent racial profiling. The plan is short on details, but it includes steps to hire more visible minorities and to build stronger relationships with community groups. It also includes a long-awaited promise to begin collecting and analyzing data on complaints against officers accused of racial profiling. "There is a desire to continue working (to prevent racial profiling)," Caron said to a question from the audience. "We want to do more." Marcelin called the plan "a joke." She said police have promised for years to address complaints of racial profiling and "nothing has changed." Most of the questions from people in the council chamber reflected a frustration and anger with the police. Many people said little has changed in the way police behave towards people living in the Montreal North and St-Michel neighbourhoods, both of which have sizable populations of visible minorities. Alex Norris, chairman of the public security committee, said the police plan includes "concrete and tangible" steps to address the issue, particularly regarding the collection of profiling data. "We have reason to be optimistic," Norris said. Also on Tuesday, a lawyer working on behalf of the Black Coalition of Quebec announced he is seeking approval for a class action lawsuit against the city of Montreal for alleged racial profiling practices by the police. Jacky-Eric Salvant said he is seeking $4 million in damages from the city on behalf of people who claim they were singled out by city police officers because of their race. The main plaintiff is Alexandre Lamontagne, a man of Haitian origin. He says he was stopped by police for no reason in August 2017, according to the lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press. The suit alleges about 500 people have come forward claiming to have been arbitrarily stopped and detained by police for between two and eight hours. Salvant said the suit will be filed in the coming days once the city has been served with court papers. Salvant was joined at city hall by Gabriel Bazin, vice-president of the Black Coalition, who told reporters they were both recently racially profiled. Bazin said they were inside Salvant's BMW in downtown Montreal and were followed and stopped by police. "When they stopped him, do you know what was the first question they asked? 'What do you do for a living?' " Bazin said. "This is what we live." A spokeswoman for the Montreal police force said it would not comment on the class action because it is before the courts. Photo: The Canadian Press The Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia on May 16, 2012. Lisa Clyburn knew she had found the perfect gift for her nine-year-old son: a feline-themed logic game that would appeal to his passion for cards and cats. But when the Edmonton child psychologist pulled out her phone to show her son a funny cat video on Facebook, she fears she may have inadvertently tipped him off to the Christmas Day surprise after an ad for the present she had just ordered online popped up in her feed, catching the boy's eye. Lisa Clyburn knew she had found the perfect gift for her nine-year-old son: a feline-themed logic game that would appeal to his passion for cards and cats. But when the Edmonton child psychologist pulled out her phone to show her son a funny cat video on Facebook, she fears she may have inadvertently tipped him off to the Christmas Day surprise after an ad for the present she had just ordered online popped up in her feed, catching the boy's eye. "It wouldn't have been on his radar had he not seen it," Clyburn said with a sigh. "I wanted it to blow his mind that mom found this cool game that I knew that he would like." Clyburn is one of a number of social media users who say they've been burned by online advertisements spoiling romantic getaways, season tickets and even an engagement ring, with some internet shoppers taking precautions such as searching for decoy gifts in order to throw their loved ones off the scent this holiday season. But experts say it's not only surprises that are at risk of being exposed as tech companies and retailers develop increasingly sophisticated tools to target users with online advertisements. University of Toronto marketing professor David Soberman said the practice of collecting information about consumers in order to target them with ads is about as old as the industry itself. But the online age has provided companies with a trove of personal information that allows them to target consumers with a degree of precision that can at times feel unsettling. Soberman said companies build consumer profiles by tracking their online movements linked to an IP address, a unique identifier for each computer using the internet, and through cookies, which are tiny text files that allow websites to log a user's visits and activity. Advertisers can also use data that people volunteer when creating a profile for a website or app such as name, age and location so when a user signs into their account on a new phone or computer, their surfing habits can be tracked across devices, he said. One of the ways businesses can try to reach potential buyers is through a process called retargeting, said Soberman, in which users are served with ads for products they have already looked up online. For example, he said, if an online shopper visits a website for a hardware store for the crafter on their Christmas list, then ads from that retailer will follow the user around the internet to entice them to click purchase. Ideally, these personalized advertisements should create value for both the seller and the buyer, said Soberman. The small share of ads that pique users' privacy concerns are only a symptom of a much broader problem, which is that people don't understand that they signed up for being tracked when they checked off the box agreeing to a website's terms and conditions, he said. "I think that what ends up happening is that it's only when we feel something's done that we feel isn't quite right, that you'll have a situation where you're not happy," said Soberman. "A lot of people are agreeing to things, then they get upset afterwards." Vance Lockton, a strategic analyst at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, said the privacy watchdog takes two primary considerations into account in monitoring the online ad market the sensitivity of the information, and the reasonable expectations of the individual. Most online advertising is based on an "opt-out" model of consent, said Lockton, which means companies can assume that they are permitted to track users' behaviour for marketing purposes, but have to give them an option to withdraw from being targeted. On platforms like Google and Facebook, all it takes is a few clicks for a user to view and change their ad settings, and the Digital Advertising Alliance Of Canada offers a tool that allows users to opt out of targeted ads from a number of networks. But Lockton said federal law sets a higher bar of "opt-in" consent for online advertisements based on sensitive subjects that a user would expect to remain private, such as health and financial information, requiring that users explicitly agree to being served with ads about these topics based on their search history. In a 2015 study, the privacy commissioner's office examined 9,000 ads and found that three per cent were targeted based on previous searches. Of those roughly 300 targeted ads, investigators found that 34 were based on sensitive searches such as "pregnancy test," "women's shelter" or "depression cures." Even if the scale of the problem seems relatively minor, Lockton said the impacts of this information being revealed can be far reaching. He said the regulations also don't account for the swaths of information that depending on the context, could be considered sensitive. "There's no bright-line test to say what is sensitive and what's not," he said. "An engagement ring ... (is) certainly something that I would say it isn't obvious to me one way or the other whether it's sensitive. A case certainly could be made that it would be." For Eric Morris, director of Google Canada's retail business, these distinctions are crystal clear. If an online shopper is looking for an engagement ring, they may want to be exposed to offers from different jewellers to find the best cut and price for the occasion, he said, and it's up to the user to keep their browsing secret from their hopefully soon-to-be-betrothed. "We do differentiate between engagement rings and what we call sensitive information, whether it's related to health or someone's financial information," he said, adding that one can find a list online of sensitive categories where the company has made that distinction. For sensitive categories including health care and financial services, Morris said Google has strict policies in place to prevent information about a user's personal hardships, identity and beliefs and sexual interests from being revealed through targeted advertising. He said Google has developed artificial intelligence technology that can filter out ads with sensitive information, and human staffers also review ads to ensure that users' privacy is being protected. A Google Canada spokesperson ended the phone interview when Morris was asked whether ads that may bypass the tech giant's sensitivity screening would constitute a violation of users' privacy. Google said Morris was not the right person to answer questions about what kinds of information Google collects about users for the purposes of targeted advertising. Photo: The Canadian Press Pest Control Officers Gregory Cornes, left, and Andre Pitman, both from the D.C. Department of Health's Rodent Control Division, searching the flower beds for rat burrows near U.S. Capitol building in Washington. Andre Pittman and Gregory Cornes are on a mission to rid Washington of opportunistic vermin. But their target isn't corrupt officials or shady political fixers; it's Rattus Norvegicus, the common Norway Rat. The nation's capital is facing a spiraling rat infestation, fueled by mild winters and a human population boom. Washington's government is struggling to keep pace, with the pest control department fielding a record number of calls. The pest control company Orkin ranks Washington as America's fourth "Rattiest City," based on the number of new service calls per year. That's up one spot from the previous year and just behind Los Angeles and New York; Chicago has been ranked No. 1 for four consecutive years. While D.C. doesn't boast the subway monsters famous in New York, anecdotal evidence is piling up that the rodents are on the march. In September, a viral video showed security camera footage of a rat pulling a fire alarm , forcing the evacuation of an apartment building. Gerard Brown, head of Washington's rodent control department, says a string of gentle winters has enabled the rodents to breed constantly. The harsh winters don't necessarily kill off the rats. Most Norway rats live only about eight months, and they stay warm by burrowing underground or chewing their way into basements. But an extended freeze would choke off their food supply, which limits the rodents' prodigious breeding. A mature female rat can give birth to one litter per month, with an average of 10 babies per litter. Washington is also in the midst of a gentrification-fueled economic and population boom. The District's population just passed 700,000 more than Vermont and Wyoming. Brown said the number of restaurants, bars and coffee shops has increased by 25 per cent in two years. "More people with more money means more restaurants, which means more garbage, which means more rat food," Brown said. In several ways, Washington is perfectly suited for the critters. It is filled with green space, from the National Mall to the many signature traffic circles; Dupont Circle is apparently a hot spot. Rats also love waterfront areas, and part of Washington's gentrification boom has focused on the Navy Yards or the new Wharf Marina presenting the ultimate rodent attraction of a flourishing waterfront restaurant scene. This isn't even Washington's first war on rats. Former Mayor Anthony Williams referenced rat problems in his inauguration speech in 1999. Back in 1967, a rat gnawing on power station wires knocked out electricity for nearly an hour in about a third of Washington. This time, Mayor Muriel Bowser has allocated an extra $900,000 to boost rodent control efforts and increase staffing. The government is also offering financial assistance and incentives for restaurants to buy mini-trash compactors that fit in urban alleyways and limit the rats' access to food. Photo: The Canadian Press Michael Cohen walks out of federal court in New York. UPDATE 9:20 a.m. Michael Cohen, who as President Donald Trump's personal lawyer and fixer once vowed he would "take a bullet" for his boss, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for an array of crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to two women that he says was done at the direction of Trump. The sentence was in line with what federal prosecutors asked for. Sentencing guidelines called for around four to five years behind bars, and prosecutors asked in court papers that Cohen be given only a slight break. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said Cohen deserved modest credit for his decision over the summer to admit guilt and co-operate in a federal investigation of efforts by Russians to influence the presidential election, but his assistance "does not wipe the slate clean." "Somewhere along the way Mr. Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass," the judge said. "As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better." Cohen told the judge just before he was sentenced that loyalty to Trump led him astray. "It was my blind loyalty to this man that led me to take a path of darkness instead of light," he said. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." Cohen's lawyers had argued for leniency, saying he decided to co-operate with investigators rather than hold out for a possible pardon. "He came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country," Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, told the judge during the hearing. Cohen, 52, pleaded guilty in August to evading $1.4 million in taxes related to his personal businesses. In the part of the case with greater political repercussions, he also admitted breaking campaign finance laws in arranging payments in the waning days of the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, both of whom said they had sexual encounters with Trump. ORIGINAL 5:35 a.m. Michael Cohen, a lawyer who made his career protecting President Donald Trump, is set to learn Wednesday whether his decision to co-operate with federal investigators will lessen his punishment for dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws. A federal judge in New York is set to decide whether Cohen gets leniency or years in prison for making illegal hush-money payments to two women to protect Trump during the campaign a scandal that could damage Trump's presidency. Other crimes for which Cohen will be sentenced include tax evasion and lying to Congress about the president's past business dealings in Russia. Cohen, 52, is due to appear at 11 a.m. at a courthouse in Manhattan for a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge William Pauley III. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he stands to get about four years in prison, but his lawyers have argued for leniency. Some of Cohen's crimes, they said, were motivated by overenthusiasm for Trump, rather than any nefarious intent. He has pleaded guilty to misleading Congress about his work on a proposal to build a Trump skyscraper in Moscow, hiding the fact that he continued to speak with Russians about the proposal well into the presidential campaign. Cohen also pleaded guilty in August to breaking campaign finance laws by helping orchestrate payments to silence former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who said they had sexual encounters with Trump while he was married. Photo: Police photos A massive manhunt involving hundreds of police and soldiers was underway Wednesday for a suspected extremist who yelled "God is great!" in Arabic during a shooting spree around one of Europe's most famous Christmas markets. The assault in the eastern French city of Strasbourg killed two, left one person brain dead and injured 12 others, authorities said. Police union officials identified the suspected assailant as Cherif Chekatt, a 29-year-old with a thick police record for crimes including armed robbery and monitored as a suspected religious radical by the French intelligence services. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss details of the large and ongoing investigation into the attack that set France on edge anew. Prosecutor Remy Heitz said the suspected gunman was shot in the arm during an exchange of fire with French soldiers during his rampage in the city centre on Tuesday. He then took a taxi to another part of the city, boasting of the attack to the driver. There, he exchanged more gunfire with police and disappeared. Heitz said the man attacked his victims with a handgun and a knife. Previously, French authorities had said the assailant killed three people, but Heitz said two people were confirmed dead while the third was brain dead. A further 12 people were injured, six of them gravely. Witnesses described shots and screams after the gunman opened fire around the Christmas market Tuesday evening in a city that's home to the European Parliament and considers itself a capital of Europe and promotes itself as the "capital of Christmas." For several hours swaths of the city were under lockdown. Senior Interior Ministry official Laurent Nunez said the suspect had been radicalized in prison and had been monitored by French intelligence services since his release in late 2015, because of his suspected religious extremism. Nunez said on France-Inter radio that police sought to arrest the man on Tuesday morning, hours before the shooting, in relation to an attempted murder. He was not at home but five other people were detained, authorities said. Heitz said police seized a grenade, a rifle and knives during operation. After the evening attack, as police fanned out in their manhunt, officers also detained four associates of the gunman, the prosecutor said. Witnesses reported that the assailant yelled "God is great!" in Arabic during the attack, he added. The government raised the security alert level and sent police reinforcements to Strasbourg, where hundreds of police and soldiers were involved in the search. A terrorism investigation was opened, but the motive of the attack is unclear. At Chekatt's apartment, in an outer neighbourhood of Strasbourg, the lock of the door was broken at his apartment. Police were guarding the building. The suspected attacker's more than two dozen convictions also included crimes in Germany and Switzerland, according to court documents seen by The Associated Press. Photo: The Canadian Press Founder and president of Just for Laughs accepts the prestigious Icon Award at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto. Just For Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon has been charged with rape and indecent assault. Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions announced the two charges in a statement today. They stem from allegations of a single complainant dating back to 1979. The charges laid correspond to the wording in the Criminal Code at the time of the alleged assault. The prosecution service says 13 other files of criminal complaints against Rozon will not result in charges. It says the women who made the complaints have been informed of the reasons why no charges were laid. Rozon is also facing a $10-million class-action lawsuit alleging that he abused at least 20 women between 1982 and 2016. He stepped down as president of Just For Laughs last year. (CNN) U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to shut down the government over his demand for a multi-billion dollar border wall during a remarkable televised clash with the top House and Senate Democrats in the Oval Office. Trump traded taunts and threats with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a sign of what divided government in Washington could look like once Democrats take over the House next month. Trump repeatedly touted the importance of securing funding for border wall construction and was rebuffed by the Democratic leaders who made clear that they would hold Trump responsible if the government shuts down later this month. Trump accepted ownership, telling the Democrats he would be "proud" to shut down the government over border security. "I'll tell you what, I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck," Trump told the top Senate Democrat. "So, I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it." Trump did not shed his bravado when he reinvited cameras into the Oval Office later Tuesday afternoon, maintaining that he is happy to take responsibility over a government shutdown. "I don't mind having the issue of border security on my side. If we have to shut down the country over border security, I actually like that," Trump said, even as he characterized his meeting with Schumer and Pelosi as "friendly." "It's something the country needs. It's common sense. The country needs it." While the parameters of the political impasse have been known for months, the scene inside the White House Tuesday was a new escalation between emboldened Democrats, who will have the House majority starting in January, and Trump regarding his signature campaign promise. The deadline for funding is December 21. Even as Trump pressed Democrats for border wall funding, he once again claimed during a private portion of his conversation with Pelosi and Schumer that Mexico would be paying for the wall albeit indirectly Pelosi told members of her conference later Tuesday. "He says, 'Mexico is going to pay for the wall.' I said, 'They're not paying for the wall.' He said, 'They're paying for the wall with the money we're gonna make over the newly revised USMCA,'" Pelosi told Democrats, according to an aide in the room. "I said, 'That isn't the fact. I'm gonna go out and tell people that you think that Mexico is paying for it with money that should be going into our economy.' " No progress toward averting a shutdown appeared to be made following the meeting, which for a sizable part was broadcast live around the world and featured the President and the heads of the opposing party openly interrupting each other to question motives and dispute facts. Schumer has urged Trump to either accept the Senate's bipartisan agreement to spend $1.6 billion to boost border security measures, or agree to a one-year spending resolution that would keep those funded at the current level of around $1.3 billion. Schumer said last week that money can be used for fencing and other features, rather than "to construct any part of President Trump's 30-foot-tall concrete border wall." "If he sticks to his position of a $5 billion wall, he will get no wall and he will get a shutdown," Schumer said as he left the White House. Sparks fly The sparks started to fly after Pelosi characterized the possibility of a partial shuttering of the federal government as a "Trump shutdown," a term Schumer also used. Trump also claimed that he had the political momentum given that Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate, leading Schumer to take a jab. "When the President brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble," Schumer said. After the meeting, Schumer said he had not expected the reality TV atmosphere of the event and put the pressure to act on Trump. "It's up to the President. We don't want it," Schumer said of the shutdown. "We gave him a good plan not to shut down the government and it will be a Trump shutdown and then on January 3rd, if it happens, the House will open us up again." The easiest solution for Congress to avoid a shutdown and get out of Washington before the Christmas holiday could be to avoid the issue altogether and pass a short-term resolution to extend the rest of the federal government's spending into next year when Democrats take over the House. But Sen. John Cornyn, a top Republican, said Monday he didn't expect Trump to agree to that. "That really just postpones the pain, it doesn't really solve the problem," said Cornyn in advance of the meeting, explaining that Trump still wouldn't get the wall funding he wants in that scenario. Trump's Senate allies have mixed reaction to meeting Several GOP senators expressed concern about the prospects of a government shutdown after the meeting. "We night come together, we might not," said Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby. Asked about Trump's comment that he would be "proud" to shut down the government, he said, "I've never said that myself. I've always worked to fund the government." "I'm really concerned about always a government shutdown," said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican. Others believed Trump was goaded by Schumer into saying he would be proud to shut the government down. "I think Sen. Schumer was very shrewd in his efforts to make sure whatever blame exists with the shutdown doesn't rest with the Democrats," said Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican who also said there should be some "give and take" in the talks including from Trump. But some like his ally, Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, urged Trump to "dig in." "He needs to dig in and not give in," Graham said. "I think what he is proud of is standing up to the status quo. People elected him expecting him to be different. We are talking about a small amount of money In a multi-trillion dollar budget." Complaining Pelosi will not accept a deal for addressing recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in exchange for wall money, Graham said: "This liberal arrogance and I have had enough of it. Take it on, stare it down. See what happens." Political pressure over the wall Despite current Republican control of the House and Senate, Trump has little leverage to force Congress into appropriating money for the border wall. While "Build the Wall!" was perhaps Trump's most indelible campaign promise, Republicans in Congress are broadly less enamored than he is with the prospect of building it and Democrats still control enough seats in the Senate to block it. For months, Trump's frustration at Congress' response to his demand has spilled out into public. From July through September, Trump repeatedly said he'd be willing to shutdown the government over the wall, backtracked and then reiterated he would do it because he views it as a political boost. Few on Capitol Hill agree that Republicans would politically benefit should parts of the government shut down. Democratic leaders and the President appear to be far apart on the issue even though warning signs of the spending showdown have been flashing for so long. Last week, Pelosi called the proposed wall "immoral, ineffective and expensive," while Trump claimed that the country would save billions of dollars if Congress would pass a bill to build it. "Either way, people will NOT be allowed into our Country illegally," Trump tweeted. "We will close the entire Southern Border if necessary." This story has been updated with additional developments and will continue to update throughout the day on Tuesday. This story was first published on CNN.com "Trump defends shutdown threat after clashing with Pelosi, Schumer" I just cant believe what I am reading about the City of Kelowna constructing a home where drug addicts can freely buy, sell, share and consume their drugs of choice, some of which will even be supplied by the government without any fear of reprisal. Since when did it become the government's role to support drug addicts? Yep, thats where I want may tax dollars going. I know people who cant afford to feed their kids, and they get no help. My wife has been waiting for a medical procedure for over a year now, many seniors cant afford the high cost of rent. No help for them either, but lets spend millions of dollars to house, support, feed and supply drugs to addicts. That will surely help them quit and become contributing members of society. What kind of mind thinks of these things? Next, well be building safe houses for robbers and criminals, after all we dont want them going to jail, its not their fault they are criminals. I just cant wrap my mind around this nonsense. I truly hope the area residents have a good lawyer, so they can sue those responsible when their neighbourhood goes to pot (pun intended). Ill bet not one politician who approved this would allow the same to be built in their neighbourhood. Ken Quesnel, Kelowna Jaipur, December 12: A spree of Congress rebels, who parted ways with the party on being denied ticket in the Rajasthan assembly elections, have thrown weight behind Ashok Gehlot to take charge as next Chief Minister. The dissidents are averse to the possibility of Sachin Pilot leading the next government, claiming that the Congress would then face "consequences" in Lok Sabha polls next year. A slew of rebel leaders met Gehlot at his residence in Civil Lines on Wednesday, congratulating him on the ouster of the BJP government. Two Independent MLAs Ramkesh Meena and Kanti Lal Meena -- who won despite being denied ticket by the Congress -- hinted their way back into the party if Gehlot is appointed the CM. BSP MLA From Udaypurwati Backs Sachin Pilot as Chief Minister Pilot, the state unit chief of Congress, had decided to chalk off the candidatures of Ramkesh and Kanti Lal despite their winnability credentials. Ramkesh, who is elected from Ganganagar constituency, said only Gehlot could prove to be an all-inclusive Chief Minister. "Gehlot is present among the people. He is everyone's leader and he should be the next CM," he told reporters. He further claimed that the Congress would not be able to repeat a similar success in Lok Sabha elections if Gehlot is not appointed the Chief Minister. Similar views were reiterated by Kanti Lal, who said there is no better person than Gehlot to lead the charge. Apart from the rebels, nearly half-a-dozen Congress MLAs also met Gehlot and publicly expressed their support for his bid to be the next CM. The legislators who met Gehlot today are Manju Meghwal, Laxman Meena, Vinod Kumar Lilawat, Shanti Dhariwal, Manju Panwar and Ameen Kagzi. The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) had called a meeting of all newly elected MLAs today to decide on who should be the next CM. While the meeting is still underway, the CLP is expected to pass a one-line resolution, asking party president Rahul Gandhi to take the final decision. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 12, 2018 05:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). United Nations, December 12: More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the UN says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen -- and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "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," it added. Yemen War: First Round of Talks Begin but Peace seems Far Away. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting on Iran, scheduled to start at 1500 GMT. Guterres' report mainly addresses Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with six major powers. The United States pulled out of the accord in May and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. The report concludes that Iran continues to abide by the nuclear accord, under which it won sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. The UN has said in the past that Yemen's Huthi rebels have fired Iranian-made missiles at Saudi Arabia. But it said it could not be certain that these weapons were in fact supplied by Iran in what would be a violation of UN resolutions. top 10 poorest countries in the world that have the lowest GDP per capita. There are different ratings that claim that some particular countries can be called the poorest in the world now, but we have taken as a base the information provided in the report (World Economic Outlook, dated October 2018) by International Monetary Fund (IMF). Photo: top5ten.com Source: Getty Images 10 poorest countries in the world 2018 #10. Yemen - GDP per capita - $925.62 Yemen is the poorest country of the Arabian Peninsula. About half of Yemenis aged from 18 to 24 are not able to find work. The country is rich in oil, but due to the turbulent political situation in the country, the level of production has dropped sharply. Currently, the country is in a state of civil war, because of this, the country's authorities have closed visits to a number of attractions for tourists. Yemen has other resources like oil, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper. The country has the perspectives to become rich, but the political situation does not let it happen. Photo: pix-feed.com Source: Getty Images #9. The Gambia - GDP per capita - $739.94 The Gambia is the smallest African country with a population of about 1.8 million people and an area of 10,689 square kilometers. The economy of the Gambia is mostly made up of tourism, agriculture, and fishing. The Gambia is placed below the international poverty line, and it is in the top of the poorest countries in the world according to www.businessinsider.com. #8. Sierra Leone - GDP per capita - $495.86 Sierra Leone is one of the largest diamond manufacturers in the world. In 1991-2001, many people were killed in the civil war, and as a result of the war, people became even poorer than they had been before. At least 500,000 people migrated to neighboring Guinea and Liberia. About 66% of the adult population is illiterate. The health care system is also terrible. Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of infant mortality and low life expectancy in the world. READ ALSO: What is contribution of the agricultural sector to the Nigerian economy? Photo: oromianeconomist.wordpress.com Source: Getty Images #7. Mozambique - GDP per capita - $481.25 One of the 10 poorest countries in the world 2018 is Mozambique. The republic is located on 801 thousand square km in Southeast Africa. The 16-year civil war turned it into ruins and almost destroyed the economy. Now Mozambique is on the list of unfavorable states for life that are highly dependent on foreign aid. The country owns rich natural resources; however, this cannot make the situation better. There are abundant natural reserves of coal and natural gas, and on the Mozambique territory, there is the largest in Africa hydropower plant, which provides with electricity not only Mozambique but also South Africa and Zimbabwe. 28.8 million people live in the state, and more than a half of then live in the terrible poverty. The situation is greatly complicated by the increased crime level, overcrowding, and unemployment. Photo: bestourism.com Source: Getty Images #6. Democratic Republic of Congo - GDP per capita - $478.32 Democratic Republic of Congo has a population of 70 million people one of the largest populations in the world. The state has almost unlimited resources for water, forests, and minerals, but it is still considered the poorest in the world. The reason is underdeveloped economy and instability, the ongoing military clashes and victims counted by millions of human lives. The average life expectancy of the residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo is 48 years. The health care system in the country is not developed, medical services are not accessible to many people and children, and therefore mass diseases of malaria and fever are frequent. People are hungry - almost half of the inhabitants eat only once a day. Cannibalism is widespread in some provinces. READ ALSO: Top 10 poorest country in Africa Photo: rulepanel.ru Source: Getty Images #5. Madagascar - GDP per capita - $474.78 The relatively small state of Madagascar, with its capital Antananarivo, demonstrates to the world one of the lowest indicators of the level of welfare of the local people. After the country gained its independence in 1960 and ceased to be a French colony, its economy deteriorated significantly. The main activity of the inhabitants of Madagascar is the agriculture and textile industry. In recent years, there has been a slight development of tourism. Travelers began to come here to look at unique animals that you can no longer see in any other country. In 2007, the government of the state set a course for the development of mineral resources. This industry is up-and-coming, so there is a reason to believe that in the nearest future Madagascar will fall out of our rating. #4. The Central African Republic - GDP per capita - $454.07 Photo: izi.im Source: Getty Images The Central African Republic gained its independence only in 1960. Since then, revolutions, civil wars, and other armed conflicts have never stopped in the country. The Central African Republic possess significant natural resources the deposits of diamonds, uranium, gold, and oil. However, because of the never-ending internal military conflicts, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. One of the most pressing problems for people in Central Africa is drinking water. Water is filthy there, and not everyone has access to it. Another problem in the country is the difficulty of obtaining medical care. Hospitals are not situated in every town, and you still need to get to them. Besides, there are no roads or streets in the country (even in the capital). The houses are located in random order among the paths! #3. Malawi - GDP per capita - $349.13 Photo: gotoptens.com Source: Getty Images Even though there are substantial mineral reserves in Malawi, the vast majority of residents live below the poverty line. Nobody develops deposits, 90 % of the population is engaged in the agriculture. The industry of this country is represented by small enterprises involved in the producing of tobacco and tea. Malawi is not only one of the poorest countries in the world in 2018. The life expectancy there is minimal, and the incidence of serious illnesses, including HIV, reaches enormous heights. READ ALSO: Top 10 poorest men in the world #2. Burundi - GDP per capita - $306.97 Photo: reliefweb.int Source: Getty Images Burundi is a small country and is located in eastern Africa. It ranks among the most densely populated states on the continent. Its economy is mainly based on agriculture, tea, coffee, and cotton. In the depths of Burundi, there is gold, nickel, uranium, Ore. Almost 80% of residents barely make both ends meet. The number of HIV-infected aggravates the situation. Burundi is one of the leaders in the world concerning the number of HIV-infection cases. There are not enough medical facilities in the country, and far from all can benefit from medical care. On average, Burundians live to the age of 48. We bring you the name of the poorest country in the world. Have you already guessed? Then go on reading to find out the answer! The poorest country in the world Do you still want to know what the poorest country in the world is? According to many soutces, including businessinsider.com, agree that the country with the highest poverty rate is South Sudan with GDP per capita $246. #1. South Sudan Photo: vibe.com Source: Getty Images South Sudan is a young state in the heart of Africa, formed after the separation of Sudan in 2011. The main occupation of the state is oil export, and the rest of the economy is very poorly developed. There is almost no industry in the country. Over 50% of the population live below the poverty line. After the division of the country, the situation does not improve, since it is landlocked, it depends heavily on its northern neighbour with its ports, and therefore is not very attractive even as a source of natural resources. As can be observed the majority of the poorest countries in the world are located in Africa. However, almost all poorest countries have a vast variety of precious natural resources: oil, gas, diamonds, and gold, etc. READ ALSO: Richest country in the world in 2018 Source: Legit.ng - Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday, December 8, urged Nigerians to vote for credible candidates - According to the former president, credible leadership would promote good governance - Obasanjo said this when he spoke at the 27th annual Owu National Convention held in Iwo, Osun Ahead of the 2019 general elections, former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday urged Nigerians to vote for credible candidates who will drive growth and development. Obasanjo, who spoke at the 27th annual Owu National Convention held in Iwo, Osun, said credible leadership would promote good governance. READ ALSO: Atikus elder brother says Buhari will defeat PDP presidential candidate in 2019, gives reasons The former president, who said he would not campaign for any particular candidate, urged Nigerians to vote wisely. The chairman of the Supreme Council of Owu Obas, Oba Hammed Oyelude, said Owu being the largest Yoruba speaking ethnic group in the South West Zone had been contributing to policy development in the country. Oyelude, who is the Olowu of Owu Kuta, said the Royal Union of Owu People had been contributing to policy development in the country. He called on Owu people to participate in politics in order to contribute to national development. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Oyelude also called on indigenes of Owu to support and vote for any indigene contesting for any political office. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dignitaries present at the occasion included Owu monarchs as well as indigenes of the ethnic stock. Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo has since shut down claims that he had decided not to campaign for any candidate for the 2019 presidential election in Nigeria saying he would be a fool to be neutral. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, on Friday, December 7, in Abuja, warned the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole to stop insulting Nigerian leaders. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better 'Nobody can stop Buhari in 2019, Atiku cannot win' - Nigeria Street Gist | Legit TV Source: Legit Photo: BCCLA A court has upheld the extradition of two British Columbia residents accused of hiring assailants to murder their relative in India because she married a poor rickshaw driver. The B.C. Court of Appeal has denied Malkit Kaur Sidhu and Surjit Singh Badesha's request for a stay of proceedings and a judicial review. Indian authorities allege the pair were involved in the so-called "honour killing" of Sidhu's daughter and Badesha's niece, Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu, in 2000. An RCMP operation to extradite the two was halted in Toronto as they were boarding a Delhi-bound plane in September 2017 when their lawyers filed applications for judicial review. Sidhu and Badesha's application argued they weren't given the chance to review the federal justice minister's decisions to extradite them and they were denied access to counsel. The appeal court says the justice minister's actions did amount to an abuse of process but it does not warrant a stay of proceedings in this case. Without gathering statistics about the number of people living in a place at the particular period of time, it will be impossible to compare socio-cultural, economic, social and demographic changes. Moreover, it will be impossible to estimate the level of life in the country and make forecasts about the perspective of national development and national population growth. Read on to learn more about the history of population census in Nigeria Photo: exlinklodge.com Source: Getty Images History of national population census in Nigeria The history of census in Nigeria can be divided into two parts: the pre-independence (colonial) and post-independence census eras. In the pre-independence time, the first organization similar to the modern Nigeria bureau of statistics started in 1866. This census took place every ten years at the beginning of a new decade: 1871, 1881, 1891, and 1901. The Nigeria population census of 1911 was more difficult than the previous ones because five years before the census (in 1906) Lord Lugard united the Lagos colony with Southern Nigeria protectorate into Nigeria. The main counting took place only in the Southern protectorate, and the rest territories were explored partially, so that year population census was inaccurate. The first more or less reliable enumeration was conducted in 1921 under the surveillance of Sir Hugh Clifford as Governor General. The enumeration was divided into two parts: the township census (counted the residents of the towns) and provincial census (in the other territories on Nigeria). The township census was conducted within one day and gave accurate results particularly in comparison with provincial one. The matter is that provincial census took more time (more than two months) and it was based on tax records of the residents. However, many tax evaders were nor taken into account, and this part of the census was not entirely accurate. During 1929-1931 the enumeration was completely inaccurate because of the economic depression and numerous tax riots in Aba, Onitsha, and Owerri. The census took place predominantly in Lagos and its outskirts. Ten years later at the beginning of a new decade in 1941, the census did not take place because of the Second World War. The first well planned and more or less modern census in Nigeria took place only in the 1950s, in more than 80 years after the first enumeration of the population! It took about three years for Sir John Macpherson as Governor General to control the enumeration in four parts of the country: in the Lagos colony, in the Northern Region, in the Western and Mid-western Region and the Eastern region. But this census was the beginning of ethnicization of the population in Nigeria. READ ALSO: In Nigeria: which religion has the highest population? Photo: mymobiledoc.org Source: Getty Images READ ALSO: Population distribution by states in Nigeria Speaking about politicization and nationalization of the Nigerians this phenomenon led to the first election in the country in the era of Nigerian post-independence. Tafawa Balewa became the Prime Minister after the elections and in 1962, a new census of the Nigerian population was conducted. But the results were rejected and considered incorrect, so, soon afterward, a new enumeration took place in 1963. This time the results were accepted by the government, but still rejected by the regions. In 1973, a new attempt to count the population took place. The results were not published, but it was the first time when homeless people were taken into account and census became more detailed at last. In 1989, after a number of not very successful efforts to conduct the census, the government felt the need in creating the National population commission. Only in ten years after the emergence of the commission, the first reliable, scientific and generally accepted census took place. The commission divided the country into zones and created local government areas to replace the state to make the monitoring a little bit easier, they used mapping and studied ethnical and territorial borders in a more detailed way. In 2006, the commission contributed to the deployment of GPS and satellite imagery to create and depict Geo-Referenced Enumeration Areas. It was the first time in Nigeria that machinery was used for ethnical and scientific research of the Nigerian population in the independent state. It can be observed that from the first census till today, the population of Nigeria is only growing. For comparison, during the first population enumerations, the number of people varied from 40,000,000 to 60,000,000. Closer to the modern times and more detailed enumerations, the population grew to over 100,000,000. READ ALSO: Population of Nigeria by states: Latest data When was the last census in Nigeria? The United Nations recommended going on conducting the census every ten years using emerging contemporary technologies for getting more detailed, accurate and precise results. The last detailed census in Nigeria was in 2006, and it stated that there were 140,003,542 people in Nigeria (the information according to www.nigerianmuse.com). Now, it is estimated that about 198,137,000 people live in Nigeria according to www.worldometers.info. It is 2.57% of the total world population. Today the population of Nigeria is constantly growing, and we expect over 200,000,000 people by the next official census. READ ALSO: Problems of population census in Nigeria Source: Legit - A Facebook user identified as Aliyu Umar recently shared photos of an aged man tying the knot with an underage girl in Niger state - The groom identified as Alhaji Yakubu (Nafsi-Nafsi) apparently paid pieces of kola-nut as bride price in exchange for the young girl - Many social media users have reacted to the photos, stating that the practice is child abuse and should be stopped immediately Reports reaching Legit.ng claim that a 70-year-old man identified as Alhaji Yakubu (Nafsi-Nafsi) married an underage girl in Lapai local government area of Niger state on December 10. A certain Facebook user in the name of Aliyu Umar shared the photos on his page and congratulated Alhaji Yakubu for successfully marrying the young girl who many are claiming is barely 15 years of age. The photos have sparked outrage on social media with many internet users condemning the rather abominable act which shouldn't be praised or even allowed to happen in 2018. There's been many cases of child abuse and child marriage leading to deaths of either the victims or the perpetrators. Recently, many Nigerians mourned the untimely death of 13-year-old Ochanya Obanje who was a victim of abuse for many years perpetuated by her uncle and his son. Ochanya died as a result of complications from Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF). READ ALSO: Pretty Nollywood actress Regina Chukwu celebrates 16-year-old son on his birthday The unidentified young girl was pictured with her new husband who is evidently an aged man. From the photos, it appears that her bride price included several pieces of kola-nut which was counted by some of the men present at the inauspicious occasion. Here's how Aliyu Umar congratulated the groom on his marrying the young girl below: The bride who looked unhappy in all the photos poses regardless and suspectedly under duress with Aliyu and her husband, Alhaji Yakubu. Aliyu Umar poses with the child bride and her aged husband Alhaji Yakubu (Picture/Facebook) Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Mercy Johnson celebrates youngest daughter Angel Okojie on her 3rd birthday From the photos, several residents in the Lapai local government area of Niger state were present to witness the marriage. Outrage as man from Niger state allegedly marries underage girl Source: Facebook Social media users have reacted to the photos, stating that it is plain child abuse and it should be stopped. Read some reactions below: Meanwhile, recently, Disability Right Advocacy Center (DRAC) organised a rally for sexual and gender-based violence awareness in Abuja. DRAC expressed worry over the rising rate of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in Nigeria. Did you know? NAIJ.com (naija.ng) is now-> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Top 3 Worst Blunders In Africa on Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng - Lawmakers have been accused of plans to truncate Nigeria's democracy - The allegation was made by the North Central Democracy and Peace Vanguard - The group said members of the National Assembly insistence that the Electoral Amendment Act must be signed into law is aimed at sinking the nations flourishing democracy Following the growing controversy over the rejection of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari, a north central group has alleged that the bill was crafted by some members of the National Assembly to sink the nations flourishing democracy. The group, North Central Democracy and Peace Vanguard, accused the National Assembly of a plot against the country. Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, December 10, the groups national president, Gabriel Agibi, said that Nigerians will hold the lawmakers solely responsible for any untoward development in the polity. Agibi said the insistence on using "a faulty electoral law for the conduct of the election" by the National Assembly is a major trigger to foment trouble and cause widespread violent protests across Nigeria. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The group at the briefing called on well-meaning Nigerians to condemn the alleged attempt by members of the National Assembly and the opposition to derail Nigeria's democracy through the manipulation of the Constitutional provisions. Agibi said Nigerians should occupy the National Assembly until their representatives in the National Assembly cease and desist from using the Electoral Act Amendment to heat up the polity. He added that there were other pressing matters that deserve the attention of the National Assembly. The group demanded: That the National Assembly immediately ceases this evil plot against the country. Should the lawmakers persist on this destructive path, Nigerians will hold them solely responsible for any untoward development in the polity. President Buhari immediately takes measures to safeguard the country against any breakdown in law and order in the country since this is the end game that the plotters are banking on to destabilize our democracy. That the Independent National Electoral Commission goes ahead to manage the 2019 General Election with the same law with which it began the process irrespective of whatever other criminality gets thrown its way in the form of a vetoed legislation. The judiciary exists for situations like this so INEC must seek interpretation up to the Supreme Court before it can manage the elections with two sets of law." The group said its demands were made because it has become increasingly clear to that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is the target. "The objective is to shove the government aside and get rid of him in the process so that the number two position can go to another region while the north continues as number one position," Agibi added. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Oby Ezekwesili, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, has threatened to mobilise Nigerians to protest against President Buharis decision to decline assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018. She made the threat during a press conference at the partys secretariat in Abuja on Monday, December 10. Legit.ng gathers that Ezekwesili pointed out that most Nigerians want accreditation during the 2019 elections to be done through smart card readers, and that this was proposed in the bill the president has refused to sign. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Ezekwesili and her 2019 ambitions - on Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Herdsmen in Nigeria have said that they are not terrorists - The herdsmen condemned the call by Anglican Bishops to proscribe the Miyetti Allah group as a terrorist organisation - According to the association, its members are not criminals The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) has condemned the call by Anglican bishops to proscribe the association as a terrorists group. Speaking to Vanguard on Tuesday, December 11, the national coordinator of MACBAN, Garus Gololo, said the association is not happy with the comments made by the Anglican bishops. Gololo said: We are not happy with this comment coming from the Bishops who are spiritual heads of the Anglican Church; we want them to withdraw it." He said while President Muhammadu Buhari has nothing to do with the association, the herdsmen are not criminals. We are not criminals and the president has nothing to do with us. We are not terrorists, we are peacekeeping citizens. We have the right to graze anywhere in the world, not even in Nigeria, because that is the business we came for. "So, if the bishops ask the President to declare herdsmen as criminals, so every man they see rearing cow will be killed. It is very wrong. We are not happy with this comment and if they make comments as such next time, we will challenge it in the court," Galolo said. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a former vice president of Nigeria and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed that the crisis between Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers in Plateau state can be resolved in a simple way. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Abubakar, who made the statement while speaking with journalists during his visit to a first-class chief, His Royal Highness, Abu King Shuluwa in Makurdi, said the current crisis was sponsored. He said dialogue had always worked in the past to resolve crisis between herdsmen and Tiv farmers. Benue Elders Speak on Herdsmen Attacks - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Armed bandits reportedly attack Malikawa, a village in the Gidan Goga district in Zamfara state for the second time in few months - The latest attack on the village reportedly leaves at least 22 residents dead while several others are injured - A resident of the village confirms the latest attack and gives details of how it happened A fresh attack by suspected armed bandits has reportedly happened in Malikawa, a village in the Gidan Goga district in Maradun local government area of Zamfara state, leaving at least 22 people dead and many others sustaining injuries. Daily Trust reports that some of the residents of the village confirmed on Tuesday, December 11, that dozens of unidentified gunmen arrived on motorbikes firing at them. I was coming back from farm around 4pm when I decided to take my bath; while in the bathroom, I heard people screaming for help. I came out of the bathroom and found the whole community in pandemonium. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Everyone was running to different directions with children crying for help. I learnt that we were under siege as gunshots rented the air. They were shooting people dead as they chased them on motorcycles. Before I even looked for a way to escape, the armed men had already arrived at the door step of my residence. How I escaped remains a mystery to me, one of the residents was quoted as saying and explaining that six persons were burnt alive after which they buried them in corn stalks, stock filed a few yards from the village. When the six persons were being chased on motorbikes by the armed bandits, the residents decided to bury themselves in a stock file of corn stalks, unknown to them that they were seen by the attackers. They (attackers) decided to torch the stalks burning all the people inside. As Im talking to you, Im at the Boko village in search of missing children. We have not seen them since yesterday and those who died had already been buried, he said. The report said the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, could not be reached for comment when the report was filed. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates Legit.ng earlier reported how an attack recently happened at Malikawa village in Gidan Goga district in Maradun local government of Zamfara state with many killed. Also, the secretary to the government of Zamfara state, Abdullahi Shinkafi, on Sunday, August 19, declared that the ongoing banditry in the state have claimed over 3,000 lives in the past few years. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Shinkafi made the disclosure in Gusau at a town hall meeting organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Police arrest, parade suspected female cult members, others| Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Kayode Fayemi says those opposing President Muhammadu Buhari are only planning to loot the country - Fayemi calls on Nigerians to ignore these opposition elements and re-elect Buhari for a second term - Gbenga Abiodun says his group supports Buhari because of his fight against corruption The governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi, has warned Nigerians against those he claimed are opposed to the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari as he alleged that they are planning to loot the countrys resources. The Punch reports that Fayemi made the allegation while calling on Nigerians to ignore the people, who he described as enemies of the country. He pleaded with Nigerians to vote for Buhari, who he said would continue to work for the development of the country and liberation of the masses. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Represented by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Biodun Oyebanji, the governor spoke in Ado Ekiti, as he played host to members of the Ekiti state private sectors union who are supporting Buharis re-election. Those who are against Buharis re-election are the enemies of the country who want to continue to loot the nations economy after their 16-year rule, he claimed as he appreciated the support of the group for the president. Fayemi also promised members of the union that they would be allowed participation in governance in the state. Gbenga Abiodun, the chairman of the union, said they embarked on the rally in support for Buhari because of the latters fight against corruption. He pleaded with the people to vote for Buhari so that the state could benefit from the programmes of the federal government such as the extension of the proposed rail project to Ekiti which will in no small measure boost the economy of the state when completed. We are requesting more federal presence in terms of loan/grant for the private sectors union, infrastructural development, tourism, agriculture and more dividends of democracy and more importantly refund of the funds expended on federal roads in Ekiti state. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates We are assuring President Buhari of his re-election into office in 2019 and we are pledging our support for the project, he said. Legit.ng earlier reported how the governor of Borno state and chairman of the APC south west reconciliation committee, Kashim Shettima, declared that the party will bring on board all members to achieve victory in 2019 general elections. Shettima made the declaration in Ibadan, Oyo when he led the committee to meet with aggrieved members of the party from Oyo and Osun states. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Top 3 Nigerian Political Divorces: Breakups That Affect Everyone | Legit TV Source: Legit - Boko Haram terrorist group has been designated as an entity of particular concern by the United States - The dreaded sect was designated alongside the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), al-Qaida and al-Shabab - Saudi Arabia, Iran, Burma, North Korea were among countries of particular concern, while Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan are placed on special watch list The United States has announced the designation of the Boko Haram terrorist group as an entity of particular concern. The U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in a statement, designated Boko Haram alongside the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), al-Qaida and al-Shabab. Pompeo also designated Saudi Arabia, Iran, Burma, North Korea, among countries of particular concern, while Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan were placed on special watch list. On November 28, 2018, I designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom. READ ALSO: Fresh attack in Zamfara village as 22 people are confirmed dead I also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. Finally, I designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qaida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern, Pompeo said. The U.S. top diplomat regretted that 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: The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression. Protecting and promoting international religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority of the Trump Administration. In July, I hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which brought together some 85 like-minded governments and more than 400 civil society organisations to harness global attention and motivate forceful action to advance respect for the human right of religious freedom. According to him, safeguarding religious freedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity. These designations are aimed at improving the lives of individuals and the broader success of their societies. I recognise that several designated countries are working to improve their respect for religious freedom; I welcome such initiatives and look forward to continuing the dialogue. The United States remains committed to working with governments, civil society organisations, and religious leaders to advance religious freedom around the world, Pompeo said. The Boko Haram terrorist activities have claimed thousands of peoples lives, and affected millions of families, leaving behind huge humanitarian crises, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria that has spilled into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger, is one of the most severe in the world today. In North East Nigeria, 10 years of conflict has left more than seven million people in dire need of help in the three worst-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. About 1.8 million people are internally displaced. People need food, water, shelter and health services, the UN agency said. Legit.ng previously reported that the federal government, through the minister of defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Friday, December 7, pleaded with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to help it battle and overcome extremist Islamic ideology which is rampant among the youths in the northeast region. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should please help Nigeria in the propagation and promotion of the right Islamic ideals to the youth in the Northeast in order to eradicate the warped Boko Haram Islamic ideology in the region, he said. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Can Nigerian Soldiers really not deal with Boko Haram fighters?| Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Three governors who are members of the APC reconciliation committee have met with Iyiola Omisore - Omisore was the opposition candidate in the 2018 Osun state governorship election - The meeting is in line with the committees engagements with strategic allies of the party and aggrieved APC members across the six states Three state governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who are members of the APC reconciliation committee for the South-west, on Tuesday, DEcember 11, held a closed-door meeting with an opposition candidate in the 2018 Osun state governorship election, Iyiola Omisore. Premium Times reports that the reconciliation committee, chaired by the Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, also has Kaduna and Lagos state governors, Nasir El-Rufai and Akinwumi Ambode, respectively as vice chairman and member. READ ALSO: 2019: Buhari, Atiku, 3 others to slug it out in a presidential debate Isa Gusau, a spokesperson to the Borno state governor, in a statement after the meeting said the meeting with Omisore was in line with the committees engagements with strategic allies of the party and aggrieved APC members across the six states of the southwest. The statement reads: The committee had last week met and held a consultative meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his capacity as the most senior public office holder in the southwest. The committee was in Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti state where it held an interactive hearing with aggrieved members of the APC from Ondo and Ekiti states. In Ibadan, the committee held a strategic engagement meeting with Senator Iyiola Omisore and three others that accompanied him on issues relating to the politics in Osun state. The meeting which was behind a closed door was on the invitation of the committee. The committee is also expected to meet with deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuph Lasun, also from Osun as well as Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu from Oyo." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the governor of Borno state and chairman of the APC southwest reconciliation committee, Kashim Shettima, reportedly declared that the ruling party will bring on board all members to achieve victory in 2019 general elections. Shettima made the declaration in Ibadan, Oyo when he led the committee to meet with aggrieved members of the party from Oyo and Osun states. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Between Buharis Next Level And Atikulate - Nigerians React| Legit TV Source: Legit Nigeria - Japan has spent $63.3 million on humanitarian assistance in Northeastern Nigeria in the last five years - According to the Japanese ambassador to Nigeria, Yutaka Kikuta, the country is committed to executing new and strengthening existing projects in the region - Kikuta says the humanitarian assistance is important because of the security concern of the region The Japanese ambassador to Nigeria, Yutaka Kikuta, has said the Japanese government has spent 63.3 million dollars in the northeast on humanitarian assistance in the last five years. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kikuta disclosed this to newsmen in Gombe on Tuesday, December 11, during a courtesy visit to the deputy governor of Gombe state, Charles Iliya. Legit.ng gathers that the Japanese high commissioner was in Gombe on an inspection tour of the Japan-sponsored skill acquisition programmes in secondary schools. The schools include: Government Science School Billiri, and Government Girls Secondary School, Doma. The ambassador represented by his deputy, Shigeru Umetsu, said the support from Japan to the region was necessitated by the effects of Boko Haram insurgency. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He said: The Japanese government has supported the northeast region with 63.3 million dollars for humanitarian assistance. This is important because of the security concern of the region. We have been using other international organisations to execute programmes but the Japanese Government now wants to connect the people of the North East to Japan. Because of the security concerns in the past, we have not been able to visit. But since there is improvement, we are now committed to executing new and strengthening existing projects, in the region." He emphasised that he was satisfied with the efforts of the government in the area of security, adding that he had spent over one year in the region. Kikuta also said that he was in Gombe to monitor some Japanese projects in secondary schools aimed at building the capacities of youths, through entrepreneur to make them self-employed. He said: With our partnership with the state government and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), we started the programme three months ago. So we are here to monitor the programme and see how to give some advice, so that the programme will be implemented successfully. The skills that the students are expected to get are basically on trade and entrepreneurship to equip them start up their businesses." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app On his part, the deputy governor promised that government would give all necessary supports to ensure the successful implementation of the programme in the state. The state commissioner of higher education, Dr Mohammed Wade, expressed confidence that the programme would improve the potential of youths to be self-reliant. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Senator Ali Ndume of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, November 20, identified insurgency, and not the lack of political will, as the factor hindering development in Northeast Nigeria. Ndume, who is representing Borno South at the upper chamber, made this known in Abuja at its News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum. The senator said that the acts of terror were making it impossible for contractors to move into the zone to execute developmental projects the government had approved. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Nigerian Air Force Operations Against Boko Haram | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - A young Nigerian man has made his country proud by becoming the youngest Nigerian to fly an American Air Force plane - The 19-year-old man is related to Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state - He reportedly joined the American Air Force at the age of 17 in Houston, Texas We hear stories of Nigerians making their marks in different fields and ways across Nigeria. Another Nigerian man has shown the world what Nigerians are made of, by making his mark on the American Air Force. The 19-year-old man identified as David Imoh Umoette reportedly became the youngest Nigerian to ever fly the American Squadron Flight 331. The young man is an officer in the American Air Force. It was gathered that the 19-year-old had joined the American Air Force in 2016, when he was just 17 years old in Houston, Texas. The story was shared on Facebook by a user identified as Elizabeth Umo. 19-year-old man becomes the youngest Nigerian to fly American Air Force plane Facebook source: Elizabeth Umo Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Beautiful photos of family where all members are physicians According to Umo, the 19-year-old is a relative of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state. It was reported that Umoette had his training in Lackland Air Force base in the United States. His father, Aniekan Tim Umoette, works at the United States Law Enforcement and Department of State Security Personnel. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Read post below: "Governor Udom Emmanuel's nephew breaks record, as the youngest Nigerian to fly the American Squadron Flight 33. Governor Udom Emmanuel's nephew, David Imoh Umoette, a 19 year old from Awa in ONNA LGA of Akwa Ibom State, has broken the record as the youngest Nigerian to ever fly the SQUADRON FLIGHT 331 of the American Air Force. David Umoette joined the American Air Force in 2016 at the age of 17 in Houston Texas, where he was born, he had his training in Lackland Air Force base, in the USA. David, who is the son of Mr. Aniekan Tim Umoette, who works in United States Law enforcements and Department of State Security personnel, and holds a Bsc in criminology and masters degree in Healthcare Management from the prestigious American Intercontinental University. Mr. Tim is the founder of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio in the United States of America. Congratulations my brother, may God continue to protect you, thanks for making us proud." PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that a Nigerian family has three members in the United States Army. The family is reported to be originally from Imo state. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better How talented Nigerian makes N18,000 daily from locally made trumpets - on Legit TV Source: Legit Photo: Contributed Ramesh Rikhi, center, a well-known Summerland resident, has donated a substantial amount to the Penticton Regional Hospital in memory of his late wife. A new, generous donation has been made to the ongoing Penticton Regional Hospital tower campaign by a Summerland man in memory of his late wife. Ramesh Rikhi and his wife Raksha, a nurse for over 30 years at PRH, moved to the South Okanagan from England in 1973. Raksha was one of the first women of Indian descent to work in the hospital, and often chose to add to her regular duties by assisting immigrants with translation and navigation of the medical system. Raksha passed away from cancer in August 2012, leaving behind her husband and children in Summerland, all of whom have fond memories of their kind and generous mother. "Her work and our family were both important to her. She preferred to work the night shift at the hospital so she could be home for us when we got back from school, Jyoti, one of her children, said. Ramesh made the decision to donate because the PRH was such a special place for his wife. He is an orchard owner in Summerland, as well as serving one term on council in 1996 and owning multiple businesses in the food and beverage sector. John Moorhouse with the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation said that now the hospital's tower campaign has reached over $18 million raised of their $20 million goal. - Nigerias Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Amb. Baba Garba, has spoken about President Muhammadu Buharis recent visit to the country - Garba stated that the visit has enhanced bilateral relations between the two African countries - He maintained that cooperation in the areas of agriculture, aviation and education among others had witnessed quantum leap Nigerias Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Amb. Baba Garba, declared that President Muhammadu Buharis visit to the country in June has enhanced bilateral relations between the two African countries. Garba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Marrakech, Morocco, on Wednesday, December 12, that it was the first official visit by a sitting Nigerian president since both countries established diplomatic ties in 1969. He, however, said that former President Olusegun Obasanjos attended the burial of the late King H.M. Hassan II of Morocco, the father of the present King, His Majesty, King Mohammed VI. READ ALSO: Fresh attack in Zamfara village as 22 people are confirmed dead According to him, the current kings visit to Nigeria in 2016, paved the way for the excellent relations between the two countries at the moment. To this end, Garba said that cooperation in the areas of agriculture, aviation and education among others had witnessed quantum leap. According to him, Only two weeks after the kings visit to Nigeria, we started receiving phosphate which is vital to fertiliser production. Over 250 fertiliser industries were under lock and key prior to the kings visit to Nigeria. Today, most of those industries have re-opened and most of the workers in the fertiliser industries have recovered lost jobs. In the area of education, the ambassador said following his intervention on assumption of duty in July 2017, Morocco had increased scholarship to Nigerian students from 50 to 100. Morocco has also increased scholarship awards by the Bureau for External Aid to Nigerian students from 50 to 100. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda On aviation, he said that the countrys national carrier, Royal Air Maroc would, in April 2019, resume flights on the Abuja-Kano route which it had operated for a brief period and discontinued due to the Boko Haram menace. According him, In the area of air service agreement, Royal Air Maroc had operated flights to Kano for a brief period and stopped due to insurgency. Currently, they have six-day weekly flights to Lagos, which is almost 100 per cent fully loaded and I have succeed in convincing them to open that route to Abuja and by April next year it will become operational. Their team in Abuja has secured accommodation and so very soon they will start flying to Abuja from Casablanca. On the issue of illegal immigrants, Garba said that many Nigerians were among Africans who benefited from the Kings magnanimity by granting them permanent residency status. He stressed on the need for Nigeria to learn lessons from the desert country which had transformed not only its agriculture but also made the country environmentally friendly. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates The ambassador said: We can learn lot from Morocco in the area of agriculture. This is a desert country. Marrakech is in the south, close to Mauritania and this area is considered to be desert. Look around you, everywhere is green and it is a desert; we are cooperating in the field of agriculture, including date production and so many other things. How I wish Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Maiduguri, among others, can have this kind of vegetation.'' It was learnt that Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco signed three agreements as part of activities marking Buharis two-day visit to the country. The agreements includes a regional gas pipeline that would see Nigeria providing gas to countries in the West African sub-region that extends to Morocco and Europe. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that President Buhari on Sunday, June 10, departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on a two-day working visit to the Kingdom of Morocco. The president who left at about 1:55pm was accompanied on the trip by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state and other senior government officials. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit Nigeria - Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, has said that the federal government is working on a coast line to link Lagos, Ogun, Benin and Rivers - Amaechi made this revelation before the the House of Representatives committee on land transport on Tuesday, December 11 - However, the committee urged the minister to make sure that the nation-wide project benefits all states in the country The minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, December 11, revealed said the federal government is working on the construction of a coastal rail line from Lagos, through Ijebu Ode, Ore and Benin City, to Onne Port in Rivers state. Amaechi further disclosed that the federal government would soon connect the FCT and the capitals of the 36 states with rail lines, Punch reports. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Speaking to the House of Representatives committee on land transport in Abuja, he said: We are looking at the coastal rail lines that the previous government of President Goodluck Jonathan awarded that connects from Lagos to Ijebu-Ore-Benin, then from Benin to Agbor-Asaba back to Benin to link Sapele-Warri-Yenagoa-Onne Port." Amaechi said the drive to connect major cities in Nigeria through functional rail lines was part of the Federal Governments Economic Recovery and Growth Plans 2018-2020. Moreover, the minister confirmed that work had commenced on Idu- Kaduna standard gauge rail line, adding that work on Iju-Lagos rail line would have been concluded in January 2019. He further told the lawmakers that work had started on at Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line, while the Owerri-Port Harcourt line would connect the Eastern flank. Amaechi added that work was ongoing in other parts of Nigeria, including the Damaturu-Maiduguri rail line, Makurdi-Enugu rail line, Jos-Bauchi and Gombe rail line and Itakpe-Ilorin rail line, among others. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Amaechi further said there were plans by the ministry to establish the federal universities of Transportation in Katsina and Rivers states, as well as a deep seaports at Bonny in Rivers State and Warri in Delta state. The chairman of the committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin and members urged Amaechi and his team to ensure that all parts of the country benefitted from the national railway inter-connectivity project. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Amaechi had defended the planned construction of transportation university in Daura, Katsina state. The planned construction of the N18 billion project in the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to start in 2019. Amaechi addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, September 11, said there is nothing special about building the university in the presidents hometown since Daura is also part of Nigeria. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng News - Comedian Kint Da Drunk and his wife reportedly part ways - Reports claim that his wife, Lilien, moved out of their matrimonial home in May 2018 - The former couple are purportedly staying as friends for the sake of their three kids Reports reaching Legit.ng claim that comedian Klint Da Drunk and his wife, Lilien, have parted ways. It was gathered that Lilien moved out with their three kids in May 2018, and both parties have decided to stay apart. According to reports, there is no bad blood between the former couple who have remained friendly exes because of the kids. Some are saying the love holding the 10-year-old marriage together died a natural death and they parted based on irreconcilable differences. It is often said that celebs have it tougher in their marriages because they are in the spotlight and have strangers monitoring their every move. Recently, actor IK Ogbonna and his wife, Sonia had a lot of fans worried when it seemed as though things between them are over. In recent posts, Sonia has been hinting that their 2-year-old marriage might have crashed. The mother of one travelled solo to Paris and even flaunted a ring-less finger on the gram. READ ALSO: Photos: Nadia Buari finally shows face of one of her kids Comedian Klint is yet to release any official statement or speak about the reportedly on-going divorce but one of his most recent posts suggest that he is still a huge part of his kids' lives. On December 1, he wished his baby girl a happy birthday with several posts shared on the gram and showered her with sweet words as she marked clocking a new age. A scroll down Klint's page showed that his last post about his wife was in November 2017, where he shared a photo of her with their daughter rocking matching outfits. Reports state that the main reason for the separation was infidelity. In March 2018, the comedian was called out by an alleged baby mama who claimed that he had abandoned their child and she had to bear all expenses regarding catering of the child. It appears Lilien has moved on with her life and is concerned with raising her kids and living her life in peace. A scroll down her Instagram page shows she has buried in her fashion designing business and is staying pretty and happy for her three children. Hopefully, things work out for the best. Did you know? NAIJ.com (naija.ng) is now-> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app EXCLUSIVE: Im not normal; normal doesnt work in Nigeria - Klint D Drunk on Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng Popular Nigerian On Air Personality (OAP) Daddy Freeze is once again in the news, and this time, it is not about pastors or people who have sowed all their income in Church. This time around it is a family matter that has got the controversial media personality talking. Daddy Freeze took to social media to accuse his ex-wife, Opeyemi Olarinde, of disappearing with his children. The media personality had shared a post, claiming that Opeyemi disappeared with his kids and left the country. Daddy Freeze claimed that the woman had committed the crime after she gave an explosive interview on popular blog Bellanaija. READ ALSO: Daddy Freeze blasts woman who tried to mock his marriage In the said interview, Opeyemi had claimed that her divorce with Daddy Freeze is not final, she claimed that they were still in court. According to her, the OAP had abused she and her children. He said: "Disappearing post:She doesnt have my consent to travel with my kids without my knowledge! Is it even legal? What is the job of the Nigerian immigration service really? I just want to know where my kids are, thats all! ~FRZ" PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the controversial media personality had taken to social media to share his thoughts about two popular stars in Nigerian music industry. Daddy Freeze noted that Davido is better than Wizkid. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better What Do Women Really Want From Men? Nigerians Speak - on Legit TV Source: Legit - The federal government has set a target of generating 4,800 megawatts of electricity from nuclear source between 2025 and 2028 - The move is inspired by the need to diversify Nigeria's energy mix and plug the current electricity shortfall - With this, Nigeria is inching closer towards diversifying its energy mix with the inclusion of nuclear energy Inspired by the need to diversify Nigeria's energy mix and plug the current electricity shortfall, the federal government has set an ambitious target of generating 4,800 megawatts of electricity from nuclear source between 2025 and 2028. Chairman, Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Simon Mallam, disclosed this recently. The federal government, it would be recalled, recently signed an agreement for the construction and operation of nuclear power plants and nuclear research center with the Russian government. Rosatom, Russia's state owned nuclear energy provider signed on behalf of the Russian government while the NAEC - signed on behalf of the Nigerian government. The NAEC boss said the decision by government to target between 2025 - 2028 was necessitated by the fact it takes a longer duration to produce electricity through a nuclear source. He further pointed out that investments in nuclear energy requires a long-term process, unlike solar energy, which he noted, can be produced in a relatively shorter period. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Underscoring some of the reasons which makes nuclear energy favorable when compared with other sources of generating electricity, such as gas fired plants, which Nigeria is heavily dependent on, Mallam pointed out that Nigerias gas infrastructure is fraught with challenges borne out of sabotage, occasioned with frequent acts of vandalism. This, he stressed, had rendered some of the nations gas powered electricity generating plants inefficient. Mallam further stressed that nuclear energy is more reliable than other sources of renewable energy - such as solar and wind. He stressed, solar and wind sources come with their own challenges since they are dependent on weather conditions. Moreover, the sun doesnt shine at all times of day, thus posing constraints to solar energy. He, however, stressed all these forms of energy generation with inclusion of nuclear energy could be made to complement each other. According to him, this informed governments decision to pursue a balanced energy mix - with inclusion of nuclear energy. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Few months ago, Nigeria's minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, expressed optimism that Nigeria is inching closer towards diversifying its energy mix with the inclusion of nuclear energy. Underscoring the need for Nigeria to diversify its energy mix with inclusion of nuclear energy, Fashola said it was imperative for Nigeria to lay emphasis on the gains and safety of nuclear energy as obtained in other advanced nations. He further stressed that nuclear energy would lead to sustainable development, stressing that nations have moved towards adoption of cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, which nuclear energy provides. Can Nigeria solve its power problems? Top engineers offer solutions | Legit TV Source: Legit The Diocese of Allentown plans to sell off assets, use its cash reserves and, if necessary, borrow money to begin paying out claims to victims and survivors of clergy sexual abuse via a new victims compensation program its formed in the wake of a Pennsylvania grand jury investigation that detailed allegations of sexual abuse against 35 Diocesan priests. The diocese, which administers to 251,000 Catholics in a five-county area that includes the entire Lehigh Valley, was among six in Pennsylvania that were the target of the statewide investigative grand jury. It was the largest, most comprehensive investigation into child sexual abuse in the Catholic church ever in the United States and it identified hundreds of predator priests who abused thousands of children over decades. Victims compensation funds administered by the Roman Catholic Church can be controversial because victims who receive settlements often must give up their right to sue the church and in the past have had to sign non-disclosure agreements, which prevented the names of predator priests from becoming public. Having the church involved in settling claims of victims abused by its own priests also raises autonomy concerns. But for victims who were abused many years ago and can no longer bring criminal or civil claims, these funds offer them an avenue to seek justice. The Allentown diocese sought to assuage concerns in the news release outlining its plans to distance itself from the fund, while also assuring parishioners their money would not be going to paying out claims. While victims will give up their right to sue the church, they will not be silenced if they accept money from the fund. Victims and survivors will not be required to sign a confidentiality agreement and are free to reveal any details publicly if they wish, diocese spokesman Matt Kerr said. While the diocese will provide the money for the Independent Reconciliation and Compensatory program, it has no oversight or control of the fund. No funds from weekly collections at Mass will never be used for the program once it begins, the diocese promised in a news release. Kerr said no properties or assets have been identified for sale yet, but the diocese has promised parishioners that no parish or school assets, money already donated for a restricted purpose or donations for the annual appeal would be used. It is anticipated that funding this program will place the operations of the diocese under severe financial stress., the news release states. Nevertheless, the diocese will work diligently to continue its mission. It has hired two victims compensation fund experts, Washington, D.C.-based attorney Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros, who will have full authority to provide compensation to victims and survivors. Money alone cannot repair the damage caused to those people who were harmed, said Bishop Alfred Schlert. I deeply regret the pain caused by the abusive actions of some members of the clergy. It is my sincere hope that this program will meaningfully assist in recovery and healing for victims and survivors, and for their families. The diocese established the program to provide money for victims and survivors of clergy abuse as one aspect of their healing, according to the release. Feinberg and Biros will review claims, determine eligibility and decide compensation amounts, according to the release. The Diocese of Allentown will have no oversight of their work, will have no say in their determinations of compensation, and cannot overturn their decisions, the news release states. Zach Hiner, executive director for SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said he had not yet read the Allentown dioceses news release, but it sounds like an innovation of the fund the Harrisburg diocese has established. It does seem like they are trying very hard to take themselves out of the process and show the public they are not going to be involved in determining the compensation, which is good, and a departure in the ways they (funds) have been done in the past, Hiner said. It is good they are letting others take the lead. It (church compensation funds) remains something we are wary of just because history guides us. Eligibility details for the program are still being hashed out. Full details will be provided closer to the programs start, which is targeted for the first quarter of 2019, Kerr said. The exact start date will be set through consultation with Feinberg, Biros and an independent oversight committee. The goal is for the program to begin making payments in the second quarter of 2019, and for known victims to be contacted with information on how to apply during the first quarter of 2019, Kerr said. Victims who receive a payment from the fund will have to waive their right to sue the church in the future, Kerr confirmed. The goal of his program is to help bring closure, for victims, survivors and their families, and also for the diocese, he stated. Feinberg and Biros have extensive experience administering claims and paying compensation to victims of the 9/11 attacks, the Gulf of Mexico BP Oil Spill and other disasters. They have been retained by other Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania and New York to administer compensation funds. To help ensure the programs autonomy, the oversight committee has been formed, which will operate without influence or control from the diocese, the release states. It will be chaired by retired U.S. District Court Chief Judge Edward N. Cahn, who is currently an attorney with the firm of Blank Rome. The church is seeking other members for the committee. The fund administrators will determine how much victims receive. Once the program is complete, the diocese plans to issue a public report detailing the number of victims paid and the total amount they receive, Kerr said. This is a good step in the right direction and well wait to see how it plays out, Hiner, of SNAP, said. " I like the idea of the report in particular. Although, I am not going to hold my breath for details." Hiner advised any victims who come forward to apply for the fund to also file a report with law enforcement, so there is another record of the abuse. While Hiner is hopeful this fund can bring some victims a sense of justice, he does worry it will give Pennsylvania lawmakers an out to not take legislative action. In general survivors, who are seeking justice are more likely to find it when they go through our justice system, a truly independent system, he said. In October, legislation drafted in response to the grand jury report stalled amid a showdown over a key provision that would have given adult victims of child sexual abuse a two-year break from time limits in state law that bar them from suing perpetrators and institutions that covered up the abuse. This provision was recommended in the grand jury report and backed backed by Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Gov. Tom Wolf, the House of Representatives, Senate Democratic leaders and victim advocates. But it was met with opposition by the Senates Republican majority.. This sort of prevents lawmakers from having to look critically at things like the statute of limitations, Hiner said. (They can say) Well, the diocese is taking care of victims and theyll be fine.' Following the release of the grand jury report, the Allentown diocese said it received at least 14 new allegations of priest sex abuse. In October, the U.S. Justice Department announced it opened an investigation of child sexual abuse inside the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The Montgomery County man accused of exposing himself to two female shoppers at a Wegmans in Northampton County is now charged with indecent exposure and open lewdness in Bethlehem. The incident in the city occurred June 26, as 23-year-old Benjamin Franklin Ryder allegedly pulled up alongside a female victim walking in the 400 block of Brighton Street. "The victim looked over at the vehicle and observed the above male smiling at her and masturbating," police wrote in court records related to Ryder's arrest. "It was apparent that the male wanted the victim to see him." That victim quickly fled the area, but not before she got a description of the perpetrator to provide to police. She had also seen the same man earlier that evening, when he approached her on foot on the Hill-to-Hill Bridge (Route 378) and commented on her smile, according to police. The trail grew cold. Then Bethlehem police Sgt. Timothy Cooper learned Dec. 5 that Colonial Regional police were investigating the open lewdness incident involving Ryder that had occurred Oct. 2 inside Wegmans in Hanover Township, according to court records. Cooper contacted the Bethlehem victim and shared with her the surveillance photo from Wegmans used by Colonial Regional to identify Ryder as the alleged supermarket flasher. "The victim immediately notified (Cooper) that the male depicted in the photo was the one who had approached her and was masturbating," police wrote in court records. The Bethlehem victim also identified Ryder from a photo lineup, according to police. Ryder was arraigned Tuesday in the Bethlehem case before District Judge Nancy Matos Gonzalez on one count each of indecent exposure and open lewdness and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled Dec. 20 before Matos Gonzalez. Ryder, of the 300 block of Lancaster Avenue in Hatboro, was already in the prison in lieu of $30,000 bail in the Colonial Regional case. That preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 26 before District Judge Vivian Zumas. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 49-year-old Wilson Borough man pounded on his landlords door early Wednesday morning before pulling out two knives and threatening to kill him, police report. Victor Fitzgerald confronted Keith Burns at 3:46 a.m. where they both live in an apartment building at 32 S. 17th St., police said. When Burns opened the door, Fitzgerald said he knew his girlfriend was inside, police report. Burns responded that he didnt know Fitzgeralds girlfriend and that he was home alone, police added. When Fitzgerald pulled the knives and threatened to kill him, Burns went back into his apartment and dialed 911, police said. Burns told officers that Fitzgerald appeared confused and also accused Burns of going to a party in New Jersey, police said. Responding officers found Fitzgerald in the hallway still holding the knives, police said. He did not resist, police added. Police did not find anyone else in Burns' apartment, a news release said. Fitzgerald was taken to Central Booking at Northampton County Prison from where he was arraigned at 8:15 a.m. before District Judge Douglas Schlegel on charges of terroristic threats and simple assault, police and records said. Schlegel set bail at $5,000 unsecured and Fitzgerald was released, police said. Fitzgerald tentatively faces a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Dec. 24 in District Judge Richard Yetter IIIs court in the borough. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. From almost the moment authorities learned that Jamie Lee Metzgers body had been found last December in a bin in the basement of a Williams Township home, its been assumed she was killed. Because of the nature of the finding, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said Wednesday. She was wrapped in plastic and secured in a sealed container in the home of her former boyfriends parents at 15 Spring Water Court. She didnt put herself in there. ... This matter from Day One was being handled as a crime scene. We anticipated it would be a finding of homicidal violence. County Coroner Zachary Lysek announced just that on Tuesday -- even though his investigation couldnt determine an actual cause of death. He did rule out a drug overdose and later abuse of her corpse. Our focus from the beginning has been homicide or suspicious, said Lt. Kreg Rodrigues, who heads criminal investigations for the local Troop M of the Pennsylvania State Police. The focus of our investigation has not changed. Metzger went missing in April 2014, but the condition of her remains was not as high a hurdle to the investigation as one might expect. Morganelli compared the coroners investigation to the 1996 killing of 13-year-old Richezza Williams, whose body was found after a couple of weeks of summer heat in a vault at Easton Cemetery. A pathologist makes a determination that violence led to the death, even when there isnt enough evidence to determine what sort of violence that involved, the district attorney explained. It makes sense, Morganelli said. The finding is based on that facts that we know. The tougher path may be that the man Morganelli said is the main person of interest in the case, Carl Maes, 45, died a month before Metzgers body was found. So authorities, knowing that Metzger was dead, didnt have the opportunity to question Metzgers former boyfriend after the fact, Morganelli said. It makes it harder because you dont have a chance to do an interview with the person of interest, Morganelli said. But it doesnt make it impossible. The investigation remains active, Rodrigues said, and other possibilities are not publicly being ruled out. Since 1999, the district attorneys office has used a grand jury to look at cold cases -- and, more recently, tougher to solve active investigations. It has led to several convictions although many of the original cold cases that date back decades remain unsolved. The Metzger case isnt currently before the grand jury, Morganelli said, but he is reviewing previous cases that could go to the grand jury in 2019 and wont rule our using that tool in the Metzger investigation. He expects to talk to the lead state police investigator in the next week or two to get an update on the status of the probe. And the district attorney also explained that while the Metzger investigation may seem as if its taking a long time, her body is a fairly recent finding. What hes hoping is that the killer spoke to someone who has yet to speak with state police. Metzger, who was 38 in 2014, was missing for more than three years. Thats a lot of time, and the hope is that the killer couldnt keep this secret, Morganelli said. Rodrigues reminds anyone who might know anything that could be relevant to the investigation to call the Belfast barracks at 610-759-6106. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. By Nancy Pinkin and Kip Bateman In light of a recent rash of deadly pipeline accidents such as those in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Indiana, there is debate whether large interstate gas pipelines running through New Jersey should be built to the strongest safety standards. We say yes. Washington says no. Strange as it might sound, the federal government says that the proposed PennEast pipeline, which would run from Pennsylvania into Mercer and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey, would only have to satisfy the third most stringent criteria for gas pipelines. We say thats dangerously unacceptable, which is why we championed a bipartisan resolution through which the New Jersey Legislature calls on President Trump and Congress to require that interstate gas pipelines like the proposed PennEast pipeline adhere to New Jerseys tougher, more sensible safety regulations. The people of New Jersey are entitled to the highest level of protection possible because pipeline failure rates are rising in the US, amid the rush to push more natural gas through them. Pipelines leak, catch fire, or explode more often than those who build them would like people to know. Over the past 20 years, pipeline incidents across the nation have killed hundreds of people and injured more than 1,300. The rate of incidents occurring with pipelines built since 2009 is actually higher than with pre-1940s lines so no one can claim that modern technology is making us safer. The most common reasons for pipeline failures include manufacturing and construction flaws, equipment failures and incorrect operation, and material failure of the pipe or welding, among others. The federal government regulates interstate pipelines under the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration within the Department of Transportation. The four-tiered classification system centers on the number of people near any particular pipeline, with the strictest standards called Class 4 reserved for pipelines located near buildings taller than four stories. People who live in the area where PennEast proposes to build will tell you thats ridiculous, and theyre right. No fewer than six schools are within the blast zone area that would suffer devastating effects if PennEast is built and experienced a failure. Since protecting childrens safety is of the utmost importance, gas infrastructure built near schools should be built to be as safe as possible. The Class 2 designation that PennEast would build to for most of its pipeline applies to any location with only 11 to 46 residential buildings. Thats equally ridiculous. New Jersey is the nations most densely populated state. Even in what some might call rural areas, there are more people living, working and learning in any given space than in other parts of the country. Most importantly, New Jersey decided years ago that every life along a pipeline is precious and deserves the highest level of protection. Thats why the state Board of Public Utilities established pipeline safety standards that surpass what Washington prescribes. The BPU wisely determined that any intrastate natural gas pipelines built within New Jersey after March 2, 2009 must meet the federal governments higher Class 4 standards, regardless of other characteristics that, under federal requirements, would allow weaker protection. The problem is that BPUs standards dont apply to interstate pipelines like PennEast. These explosive pipeline incidents that make headlines regularly across the country bring tragedy and damage to our doorsteps. New Jersey is no stranger to pipeline accidents, with explosions hitting far too close to home in Ocean County in 2015, Salem County in 2016, Middlesex County earlier this year and in nearby Pennsylvania in 2016. Thats why we need Washington to respect New Jersey policies that are designed to keep our residents safe. Its a step we must take in order to prevent pipeline tragedies from rocking our communities in New Jersey. Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, a Democrat, represents the 18th District. State Sen. Kip Bateman, a Republican, represents the 16th District. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Photo: File photo The first-ever provincewide homeless-count report found almost 8,000 people are homeless in B.C. And Indigenous peoples and former children in care are significantly overrepresented. According to the report - which brings together statistics from 24 communities over the past two years - at least 7,655 people are experiencing homelessness across a broad demographic of individuals, families, youth and seniors. "Too many British Columbians - working, on a pension, suffering from illness - have been left behind for far too long," said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. "This level of homelessness should never have been allowed to take hold. The numbers we're seeing make us even more determined to make housing more available and affordable for all British Columbians." The B.C. government began working with partners to take action on homelessness soon after being sworn in last year by fast-tracking modular housing in 22 communities, and supportive housing for Indigenous peoples, seniors, and women and children fleeing violence. Modular units are being built in Vernon, Kelowna and Kamloops. The Vernon shelter and low-income apartments are expected to open early next year. "Having a place to call home, knowing there is somewhere to go that is safe and secure means different things to different people," said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "For some, it is a new start, opening a door to new opportunities. For others it is hope, relief from grinding despair. "At the same time, we know there are many more people who still need a safe place to call home. We continue to work closely with all our partners to find solutions, build new housing and deliver effective supports. The kind of homelessness we're seeing today didn't happen overnight and it won't be fixed overnight, but we haven't waited to get started." The report is the first time this information has been compiled on a provincial level and will help government, community partners and housing providers develop better supports and services to help people who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. "This report is another reminder of why we have made it a priority to rebuild the social programs people rely on," added Simpson. "Many people living on the street are struggling with challenges that are intensified through their experience of being homeless. You can't live on the street and not be affected both mentally and physically by the constant struggle. "In the coming months, we will be looking to other levels of government and our community partners to help us deliver a wide range of supports, with a focus on early intervention services that will help prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place." Most students from Laois schools went to Dublin to pursue their third level education options but a college and univerity were the most popular individual locations. Instititute of Technology Carlow was the most popular third level choice among students who attended Laois secondary schools according to the latest feeder schools table. A total of 96 students took places up at the IT in 2018. It was the most popular choice in Heywood Community School. Some 22 of its pupils chose course there. University of Limerick was the most popular university. In total 80 students who completed their final second level exams in Laois started course at the Treaty city. It was most popular among those who attended Scoil Chriost Ri in Portlaoise 22 of whom opted for courses the college. Limerick was popular destination in Laois with 22 going to Limerick Institute of Technology and 28 going to Mary Immaculate Teacher Training. The third most popular choice was Waterford Institute of Technology. Some 58 students from Laois headed to the IT which wants university status. A total of 283 students students achieved the points needed to attend university with the remainder opting for courses at ITs or other third level colleges. University College Dublin was the most popular college in the capital for Laois students attracting 35 to courses. A total of 49 students when to college in Maynooth University. The row in Laois over erecting local election posters hit the Portarlington Graiguecullen municipal district meeting this month. It led to an accusation of discrimination against new candidates, and a dire prediction of All Ireland final flags being banned as litter. At the December meeting, Sinn Fein councillor Aidan Mullins proposed a motion that a 'no poster' policy by adopted by all candidates in the next local elections in May 2019 in that district. The Portlaoise district had agreed a 'no poster' policy last month, but this was effectively overturned by a narrow vote at the subsequent full county council meeting. Cllr Mullins who is from Portarlington said that the plastic posters were "a blight on towns, villages and rural areas", created an environmental issue and were a waste of money. He said that he understood it was down to each candidate. He was supported by Fianna Fail Cllr Paschal McEvoy from Stradbally. "There is no need for them, and the lads that do put posters up, their photos are ten year old. I hope you agree to do away with them this one time and see how we get along," he said. Fine Gael Cllr Padraig Fleming was against the motion. "A poster is a visible sign, half the councillors here are not on social media, people need to know you are out there looking for a vote," he said. He said it was "discrimination" against new candidates in particular. "What chance has a new candidate got if they can't let people know who he or she is. I don't know how any of them would agree to this, posters are not illegal," Cllr Fleming said. "If adopted by everyone it will work. I don't care about new candidates," replied Cllr Mullins. "If half put up posters in your area will you put them up?" Cllr Fleming asked him. "No. I'm not putting up posters," Cllr Mullins said. "It's the atmosphere of an election, if this continues you will have All Ireland finals with no flags," said Cllr Tom Mulhall. "You're getting ridiculous here, you're talking nonsense," Cllr Mullins said. A vote was taken and defeated three to two, with Cllr Ben Brennan absent, and Cllr John Moran voting to go with the general council's decision to allow posters. The councillors' votes were not legally binding but merely an agreement between them. The litter act allows for election posters to be erected a month before elections and eight days afterwards. A Monasterevin couple who live opposite the former Hazel Hotel are fundraising for Christmas gifts for the 35 asylum seeker children staying there. Jillian McCue-Molloy from Monasterevin and her husband live directly across from the Direct Provision centre accommodation centre for asylum seekers. "We are fundraising for Christmas gifts for the 35 children living in the centre," said Jillian. "We understand that at Christmas time we are pulled in every direction but if youll take a moment to consider what weve learned. While weve been visiting with people at the Hazel, we have heard many many times from children Santa doesnt come to Direct Provision or Santa doesnt come to Ireland so can you imagine what it will be like for the children to hear their classmates at school talk about what theyve asked Santa for or what Santa is going to bring them? "We have linked up with the women who raised funds for the Direct Provision centres in Cork and they have raised thousands to cover 50 vouchers for each child. Argos gift cards or general one-for-all vouchers are appreciated. The parents will take the bus to Argos once weve raised the money and the parents can have the opportunity to once again provide for their children. "Lets bring a little choice back into their lives instead of forcing things to happen to them once again. The link to donate is Go fund me Christmas fundraiser. If you'd prefer to donate via Paypal, our email is enddirectprovisionireland@gmail.com." READ ALSO: TD concerns over lengthy Direct Provision stays There has been huge interest in the establishment of two new proposed multi-denominational gaelscoileanna in the north of the county, according to An Foras Patrunachta (AFP). Following the announcement of the Department of Education of the two new schools, and the launch of the online patronage process, the largest National Patron of Gaelscoileanna reported "unprecedented level of interest at its public meetings and on its online campaign forums." The organisation said that with Maynooth and Leixlip showing the second and third highest level of Irish spoken daily according to the 2016 Census, the timing of the patronage process is a "particularly suitable opportunity to add to the seven primary gaelscoileanna and the second level Gaelcholaiste Chill Dara already in existence in Kildare with a further Gaelcholaiste to open in Maynooth in 2019." The application for patronage has been made as part of AFPs Gaelscoil4All campaign which aims to ensure all children in Ireland have the option to attend a gaelscoil. General Secretary of An Foras Patrunachta, Caoimhin O hEaghra said: We need more Gaelscoileanna to cater for demand from parents. Too often we hear from parents who want Irish-medium education for their child but dont have that option available. There is only one gaelscoil in each area and unless we secure further supply parents will not be able to access Irish medium education. "Kantar Millward Brown research published last month shows that 78% of people believe Irish medium education should be available to every child. We are now encouraging all parents with children up to the age of 5 to vote for a new multi-denominational Gaelscoil in their area at Gaelscoil4all.ie between now and the 15 of January. Parents know the benefits of bilingual - and multilingual education - and they can now help us achieve this great choice for their children through our campaign. Mr O hEaghra added: Providing diversity and choice to parents in Maynooth and Leixlip is essential. In our schools, everyones welcome and everyones equal. We welcome all pupils regardless of their background, religion or language of the home. The students at Ardscoil Rath Iomghain were overwhelmed by the response to their recent Blue Bag Appeal for the homeless. A total of 1,755 was raised, which was converted into Dunnes Stores and Penneys vouchers. As well as cash donations, parents and the local community also donated a huge amount of clothing, toiletries and food stuff. Parents Association member of the Rathangan school, Alison McCormack was thrilled with the response. The students and the principal, Mr Paul Murphy were overwhelmed with the response. It was fantastic the way the community rallied behind the students and the school, she said. The class of 2A2 drove the initiative forward with support from the whole school. Alison explained how the parents dropped off a jeep full of food stuff and vouchers to the Dining Room foodbank in Newbridge last week. Alison, Francis Hackett and John ORourke also brought a van load of donations up to Inner City Helping the Homeless, and the students also gave donations to another foodbank in Athy. She explained how the students of 2A2 will be brought up to the charitys headquarters to get first hand experience of the Dublin groups work on the ground. Inner City Helping the Homeless will also be coming down to visit the school to give a talk to all the students and we will be inviting the parents as well, added Alison. She said the principal was hoping to look at doing a big project like this every year with a different class leading the way. Alison thanked everybody who supported the project and all those who gave donations to the Blue Bag Appeal. PICTURED ABOVE: Ardscoil Rath Iomghain students with principal, Paul Murphy and Ali McCormack and Trish Menehan of the Parents Council pictured organising the Blue Bag Appeal 2018 Its like something from a Christmas comedy movie - spending hours making the Christmas dinner and then see it all go badly wrong. And according to new research commissioned by safefood, one in four (27%) people in Ireland have experienced a Christmas cooking disaster. With the festive season upon us and plenty of cooking ahead safefood has all the tips and advice to help people have the safest, tastiest Turkey this Christmas. In Ireland, almost a million turkeys are prepared and cooked on Christmas day, but 15% of Irish people have had issues with undercooking (6%) or overcooking (9%) their turkey. The research also showed that forgetting to turn on the oven (7%) or defrost the turkey (4%) were two of the most common causes of a Christmas Day cooking calamity. Dr Linda Gordon, Chief Specialist Food Science, safefood commented; Christmas dinner is one of the most special meals of the year, with turkey often taking centre stage. But it can be an overwhelming experience for some, especially if you havent cooked it before or arent used to cooking for big groups. Planning ahead is the best way to stay on top of things in the Christmas kitchen. Last year, over 80,000 people visited the safefood website between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with the most popular searches including: how to defrost a turkey; where to store it; cooking times; whether to stuff it or not; and how to know when its properly cooked. Were here to take the stress out of Christmas for cooks and whatever cooking method, timings or recipes you use, you know your turkey is properly cooked when theres no pink meat in the thickest part of the breast and thigh, the juices run clear and the meat is piping hot throughout. Our website www.safefood.eu is stuffed with lots of useful resources including a turkey cooking-time-calculator, how-to videos, lots of tasty Christmas recipes. And for any last-minute questions on Christmas Day itself, our safefood Chefbot will also be available to answer questions through Facebook messenger @safefood.eu. Supporting safefoods Christmas food safety campaign, Chef Adrian Martin said; Christmas Day is one of the most enjoyable times of year. Its a day when you can share a special, traditional dinner with your friends and family. However, it can be stressful to prepare a safe, tasty and nutritious meal for a large group of family and relations. Its important that proper food hygiene practices are followed to ensure no one gets sick. My top tip is to have a plan on the run up to Christmas. You can find everything you need to ease the stress and help you cook safely this Christmas Day on www.safefood.eu. IFA Livestock farmers from around the country are holding a sit-in protest in the offices of the Minister for Agriculture in Dublin over the refusal of Minister Creed to name the meat factories found guilty of excessively trimming carcases. In addition, the IFA also called on Minister Creed to reject new proposals that could put further restrictions on the important live export trade. IFA President Joe Healy said, By refusing to name the offenders involved, Minister Creed is protecting the factories. This is a cover up and it must be exposed. He continued adding that the statement by Minister Creed to the Dail last week on the factories caught over-trimming carcasses was 'pathetic' and failed utterly to recognise the gravity of the issue. The IFA President said moves by the EU Commission to restrict the vitally important live export trade could have devastating consequences for the cattle trade and price competition. He said, Minister Creed must reject outright this attempt to tighten the noose on the live trade. This might suit the factories but live exports are critical in providing increased price competition to counteract the cartel like behaviour of meat factories. Under new EU rules it is proposed to cut the assembly period for exporters from the current 29 days to only 14 days. Mr Healy said this could have devastating consequences for our important live export trade and must be rejected. The Minister must face down the EU bureaucrats and tell them that this change will not be accepted by Ireland. As an island nation we already have additional challenges to get cattle to the continent," insisted the IFA President. IFA National Livestock Chairperson, Angus Woods, said: What the factories were found out doing were not mistakes as the Minister called them, they are offences under the law. Farmers certainly should be repaid as the Minister understands the factories have now apparently accepted. This pathetic response from the Minister and factories shows contempt for farmers. The Minister should stop covering up for the factories and publish the names of the offenders immediately. While the current inspection regime maybe changing in the New Year, the 200 fine currently in place is derisory and is not a sufficient deterrent. The Minister needs to impose much bigger fines and have a policy of naming and shaming all offenders. The Minister needs to come out from under the shadow of the factories and move immediately to name the 19 offenders for this year and the 28 offenders from 2016. It is totally unacceptable that this information is being covered up, he said. In addition, it is baffling that the Department inspections would find 28 offences in 2016 and 19 so far in 2018, but he has reported that no violations were found in 2017 or 2015. The Minister needs to tell us how this can be explained." The IFA Livestock Chairperson went on to point out that factories have been lobbying hard against any change by the Department on monitoring of carcase trim for some time as it is clear the current unsatisfactory set up suits them, and not farmers. The time for cosy chats with the factories is over. The Minister needs to ensure that the new inspection system is up and running and that all carcasses are being properly monitored by the Department, he said. It is not acceptable that the Department are only proposing to monitor 5% of carcases on the line. It is the Ministers responsibility to ensure that farmers are paid the full value for their stock and this means that the carcase classification, carcase trim and weights must be 100% accurate all of the time. There is no room for error on this. This means constant monitoring of all the carcase before the scales by the Department and not just looking at a sample of carcases. In addition, he demanded that Minister Creed adopt a name and shame policy with the details put up on the Department website on a monthly basis. The Google Trekker Loan Programme, in conjunction with Waterways Ireland, has spent the summer touring the River Shannon from Lough Allen to Loop Head and is now ready to launch a Waterways View of Irelands longest river. The data gathered represents the first such water-based collection of imagery on the Island of Ireland. It showcases the diverse landscape and heritage of this navigation as well as bringing attention to a myriad of different habitats, plants and animals that have been afforded protection ranging from National to European Wildlife designations. It will be an invaluable tool in terms of promoting the Shannon Navigation as a destination for recreation, tourism, mindfulness, education and heritage appreciation, encouraging visitors to the area. It can also be utilised by waterway communities to highlight this heritage asset and foster as sense of place. The application to access the Google Trekker Loan Programme was made under the Waterways Ireland Heritage Plan 2016-2020 and the work was carried out by Waterways Ireland staff. A strategic partnership to capture the Shannon estuary was also forged with Clare County Council to extend the project beyond Waterways Ireland jurisdiction and ensure the full Shannon to Loop Head was captured. The footage will be a significant asset to Irelands Hidden Heartlands, the new national destination brand for the Shannon Corridor being promoted by Failte Ireland in conjunction with Waterways Ireland and the 9 Local Authorities. Waterways Ireland CE Dawn Livingstone said Waterways Ireland dedicated staff and resources to this innovative project in partnership with Google and are delighted that this unique perspective of the Shannon will be available to the public across the world through Google Trekker. The Google Trekker footage of the Shannon River is now live on Google Maps and can be viewed in satellite view and map view. A LIMERICK man has been cleared of murder but found guilty of the manslaughter of an annoying beggar, whom he stabbed after going to his home with a knife to stop him demanding money. Desmond Coyle told those who restrained him after the fatal stabbing that he hoped his victim was dead and that he had deserved it. He later told gardai that if he (the deceased) had stopped f***ing annoying me, it wouldnt have happened. The 60-year-old, who is originally from Garryowen but who has an address at Davis Street was on trial at the Central Criminal Court, charged with murdering Calo Carpaci at lunchtime on May 24 2017. He had pleaded not guilty to the 58-year-olds murder at Roches Row, where he had lived. Mr Justice Michael White told the jury that there were various possible grounds on which it could find him guilty of manslaughter, rather than murder: self defence, lack of intent to kill or seriously injur the Romanian, or gross negligence. The jury took less than four hours to reach a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter. The trial heard, which took place at the Criminal Courts of Justice heard that Coyle had spent that morning drinking in early houses in the city. He was then captured on CCTV footage arriving on Roches Row and approaching Mr Carpacis front door and going inside for 13 seconds. The footage next showed a scuffle between the two outside, with Mr Carpacis nephew and his nephew's partner then tackling the accused, before passersby stepped in and restrained him. Neither his nephew nor his partner gave evidence but the passersby, described as good citizens by the defence, both gave evidence. Eamon Hayes testified that Coyle had said: Ive stabbed him. Im out of here. Eric Hackett recalled the accused saying: I hope hes dead. He deserves it. Theres history. Coyle told gardai that hed gone there that day to stop him demanding money off me and making smart-alecky comments. He did not know why he had chosen that particular day and said that he didnt remember going or bringing the knife. However, he said that he must have brought it. He opened the door and came out very fast. Thats all I remember, he said in a garda interview. He had fallen down and was bleeding. He was asked why he was bleeding. Because the knife obviously went into him, he replied. I had the knife in my hand. I dont know if he came onto it or I put it in him. It was put to him that the reality was that, if he hadnt gone there with the knife, the man would still be alive. I understand, he replied. I know the reality is that if he had stopped f***ing annoying me, it wouldnt have happened either. The jury also heard from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, who had carried out the post-mortem exam on the deceased. He gave the cause of his death as a single stab wound to the chest, which had penetrated and gone all the way through the heart. The prosecutor last week urged the jury to convict Mr Coyle, who had trespassed into Mr Carpacis house with the knife that killed him, before confessing: I stabbed him in the chest. The defence barrister argued that he had gone there to confront him and did not have the intention for murder when he grappled with the deceased. Mr Justice White charged the jurors, telling them that there were three possible verdicts open to them: guilty, not guilty, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. He explained that there were various types of manslaughter. Manslaughter is a very wide type of offence. It can move from gross negligence at the lower end to very close to murder, he said. He said that one type of involuntary manslaughter was an unlawful and dangerous act that led to death, but where the accused did not intend to kill or cause serious injury. A more unlikely scenario is gross negligence manslaughter, he added. In this particular trial, on the account given by Mr Coyle, he has made the case that his actions were not deliberate, it was possibly an accident, he said. The judge also said that self defence had been raised as a possible defence in the case. He explained that this could be a complete defence, resulting in an acquittal. It could also be a partial defence, resulting in a verdict of manslaughter if excessive force was used. The jury spent just under four hours deliberating, before returning with a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter. Mr Justice White asked Anthony Sammon SC, prosecuting, if a victim impact statement was required. Difficulties arise in relation to the family that you've heard, he replied. Rather than impose any burdens on the investigating officers Mr Justice White said they would just leave it and remanded Coyle in custody for sentencing on January 21 next. Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump speaks to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday. Congressional leaders on Wednesday were digging in for a fight over government funding, a day after a combative White House meeting with President Donald Trump that seemed to raise the likelihood of a partial government shutdown. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump was holding parts of the government "hostage to a petty campaign pledge" to build a border wall with Mexico in order to "fire up" his political base. Schumer, who met with Trump and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday, said the American people will "suffer needlessly" if Trump follows through on his threat to shut down parts of the government as of Dec. 21 unless $5 billion for the southern border wall is included in a must-pass spending bill. Trump said on Tuesday he is "proud to shut down the government" in the name of border security, declaring: "I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down." On Twitter on Wednesday, Trump said a deadly shooting attack in France shows the need for the border wall. "Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security!" he wrote, referring to Schumer and Pelosi. But the suspect accused of spraying gunfire at a Christmas market in the city of Strasbourg on Tuesday is a French native, not an immigrant. Police were hunting Wednesday for Cherif Chekatt, born in Strasbourg and well-known to law enforcement. The funding fight is something leaders of both parties had hoped to avoid as Congress seeks to wrap up its work for the year and adjourn for the holidays. But Trump, who for months had suggested he'd be willing to force a shutdown over wall funding, dashed hopes for a quick resolution on Tuesday, sparring with Pelosi and Schumer during an extraordinary Oval Office meeting that he made sure played out in front of television cameras. Schumer, D-N.Y., said Trump threw a "temper tantrum" after Tuesday's televised confrontation, saying he and Pelosi "spoke truth to power" by contradicting Trump's "blatant falsehoods" about the wall. "The president is so used to obsequious advisers who fail to dispel his false and made-up facts that he lives in a cocoon of his own truth," Schumer said in a Senate speech. He and Pelosi "had to tell him, 'No, Mr. President that's not true,' " Schumer said. "We had to puncture that cocoon." Schumer's remarks came as House Republicans debate whether to try and pass the wall funding to put pressure on Democrats, but it's not clear if that plan would succeed. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who supports Trump's $5 billion request for the wall, said House leaders were "working through" what funding level to propose. Asked if the House would vote on the $5 billion request, McCarthy said, "That's the number I always search for." LEADING Limerick writers Donal Ryan and Roisin Meaney have given their backing to a new anthology of creative writing. Members of the Limerick Mental Health Associations peer support project, Le Cheile have put together an anthology reflecting all sides of local life, from childhood experiences, everyday life, and memories of relatives sadly gone. It was unveiled in the City Library on Thursday night, and copies of the 20 page collection of short stories are freely available to collect from the services headquarters at Sexton Street. Launching the book, Ms Meaney said: I loved the variety and honesty of them [the stories] and all the different voices. I found myself wondering, as I read where the writing had actually happened, if you were writing at home, or in class or at night after your family had gone to bed, and you had a bit of peace, or maybe in the classroom on a sunny afternoon as life went on outside the window. She praised the writers for their bravery in committing their thoughts to paper. Im guessing you might have felt some embarrassment or even shame, because of the way mental illness is still stigmatised in some quarters by some people, despite the best efforts of so many others but you took those steps, you overcame that fear, you made the journey that brought you here this evening, and here you are. And here is this, a testament to your dedication and determination. Mr Ryan wrote an introduction to the collection, where he stated: Its writing like this that always reminds me of the pure joy of reading, and the healing and unifying power of storytelling. Stories have immense power to create empathy, to remind us of our shared humanity, to signal to others that were walking the same road, that we know how it feels, that we struggle too. Claire Flynn, the manager of the Limerick Mental Health Association, said: I'm always very humbled by the talents which come through the doors of Le Cheile, through our art group, through other endeavours like music, people find a way to express themselves. To get hold of a copy of the free collection, telephone Le Cheile at 061-446786, while it can be read in the City Library. A MAJOR concert is to kick off a new series of gigs at a marquee venue in Limerick, it can be revealed. Music bookers Dolans Presents have this Wednesday confirmed details of a series of Live at the Docklands concerts, set to take place on Limerick Docks on the June Bank Holiday weekend in 2019. The events will be hosted in a specially erected Marquee, giving Dolans the largest capacity venue it has brought to Limerick city to date, understood to be in the region of 3,500 people. 2FM Live with Jenny Greene and the RTE Concert Orchestra are the first confirmed act for the new series to be hosted on the waterfront in the new performance space in 2019. The gig will take place on Saturday, June 1. It is anticipated that further musical acts will be announced over the coming weeks. Dolans Presents sees an opportunity to be more ambitious when it comes to the planning of large-scale events that put the city on the map, said booker Mick Dolan, of the family run venue based on the Dock Road who also book gigs at King Johns Castle, which has a capacity for around 2,000 people. Dolans is striving to continue to improve and to invest heavily in our programming as well as developing our off-site production spaces under the brand of Dolans Presents. As Limerick grows in confidence and witnesses continued job creation and investment, it is our belief that there is now significant opportunity for Limerick to capitalise on this story using culture, music and festivals to complement the physical and economic revival, he added. Working closely with the Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC), Dolans have identified the area of Limerick Docks located just off Atlas Avenue as a location for the first year of the Live at the Docklands series. As plans to redevelop the Dockland area located in the vicinity of the Dock Clock and James Casey Walk/Clayton Hotel come to fruition it is proposed that the concert series would have an opportunity to relocate to this space as it grows in size. SFPC unveiled its Limerick Docklands Framework strategy, a multi-million euro plan to transform Limericks Docklands, in March of this year. Jenny Greene and the RTE Concert Orchestra will be joined on stage in Limerick by some very special guests. The collaboration between the DJ and the 48 piece orchestra debuted to considerable acclaim at Electric Picnic in 2016, performing live versions of 90s club classics. The event became the fastest selling music gig in Galway International Arts Festivals 40-year history in 2017, with their Festival Big Top gig selling out in under an hour. They have also performed at the Marquee in Cork and the 3Arena in Dublin. Mick Dolan said the Live at the Docklands shows in 2019 would act as a warm up for further growth in 2020 which also coincides with Dolans 25th anniversary. It is understood that the intention is to have annual gigs at the riverside location. With the delivery of this new concert series in 2019, we are convinced that year one will give us a superb opportunity to grow further in June 2020. The reintroduction of the JP McManus Pro Am at Adare Manor and the fact that 2020 is also the year Galway celebrates its year as European Capital of Culture presents us with an opportunity to capitalize on a new audience base right on our doorstop, he said. With good planning, programming and marketing we believe the new Live at the Docklands concept has the potential to become an annual event that attracts significant audiences to Limerick from across the country are further afield, he added. Presale tickets for Jenny Greene and the RTE Concert Orchestra playing Live at the Docklands in Limerick go on sale on Tuesday at 9am and can be purchased from www.dolans.ie. Photo: The Canadian Press Dennis Oland walks to the Law Courts in Saint John, N.B. One of the most baffling aspects of the Richard Oland murder case was the focus of attention at his son's trial on Wednesday: What happened to the multi-millionaire's cell phone, the only thing taken from the crime scene? Const. Stephen Davidson, lead investigator of the Oland homicide for Saint John police, is on the stand at Dennis Oland's second-degree murder trial, describing the steps he took to track cell phone calls and texts in an effort to see where the missing iPhone went. "We made test calls in the city of Saint John and in Rothesay," Davidson told the court. The phone, which was never found, and its last known route is key evidence for the prosecution which is continuing to lay out its case at the Oland retrial in Saint John. This is the second trial for Dennis Oland after his jury conviction in 2015 was set aside on appeal in 2016 and the new trial ordered. It is proceeding before judge alone in the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench. When the bludgeoned body of 69-year-old Richard Oland was found on July 7, 2011, on the floor of his uptown Saint John office, the only thing missing was his iPhone. He was wearing a valuable watch, the keys to his expensive car were on the floor near the body and cash in the office was untouched - all indications to police that robbery was not a motive. Dennis Oland, 50, an investment adviser, is the last known person to have seen his father alive. He was in his father's office from about 5:30 p.m to 6:30 p.m. on July 6, 2011. Most of the time, the two were alone. Oland told police that when he left the office at around 6:30 p.m., he headed back to his home in nearby Rothesay, with a stop at the local Renforth Wharf to see if his children were swimming there. Police and prosecutors say the missing phone also was on the move at that time. The last communication received by Richard Oland's cell was a text message at 6:44 p.m. on July 6, 2011, and it appears to have pinged off a tower in Rothesay, near the wharf. Rogers Communications, Richard Oland's service provider, established the iPhone's movements through data records. Prosecutors have already told the court they intend to call a cellular network expert to testify that cell phones typically connect with the closest tower as that provides the strongest signal. Autopsy results show the multi-millionaire businessman and member of the well-known Maritime beer-brewing family was killed by over 40 blows to his head with both an axe-like and hammer-shaped weapon, possibly something like a two-sided drywall hammer. The weapon was never found. Photo: Contributed The provincial government is proposing fishing closures on several Vancouver Island rivers following drought conditions last summer. The Koksilah and Chemainus River watershed closures would extend from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2019, "to reflect the increased severity and duration of conditions typically experienced in those systems," CTV News reports. The Big Qualicum, Puntledge, Quinsam, Oyster and Nitinat rivers would not be affected by the closures. On the Cowichan River, fly fishing would only be permitted in certain areas between Sept. 1 and Nov. 15. The closures would help fish endure the stress of low flow levels and when stream temperatures are highest, the province says. "The cumulative impacts of elevated water temperatures and severely reduced stream flows generate additional stress on fish populations," the government said. with files from CTV Vancouver Island Sonar scans revealed a detailed view of the USS San Diego, including the hull where the explosion occurred at 11:23 a.m. on July 19, 1918. The only major U.S. warship lost in World War I was brought down by a German mine, new research confirms. The USS San Diego sank about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from Fire Island, New York, on July 19, 1918. Although the ship went down rapidly in just 28 minutes 1,177 crewmembers survived and only six died. Naval historians had long suspected that a German submarine, U-156, was responsible for the sinking, but no one knew whether the weapon was a mine or a torpedo or if there was some other explanation, like sabotage or an accidental explosion. Now, a new high-resolution sonar scan and dive exploration of the wreck have revealed that the sinking was almost certainly the work of the German sub. [The 20 Most Mysterious Shipwrecks Ever] "We believe U-156 sunk San Diego, and we believe it used a mine to do so," said Alexis Catsambis, a maritime archaeologist with the Naval History and Heritage Command. A century-old mystery Catsambis and his team announced their findings Dec. 11 at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Washington, D.C. Their exploration of the wreck, the first comprehensive study since the 1990s, revealed that the ship still sits, largely intact but upside down, in about 115 feet (35 meters) of water. The research team explored the wreck in advance of 2018's 100-year anniversary of the vessel's sinking. That exploration included one dive during which divers laid a commemorative wreath at the site. The researchers used high-resolution sonar techniques to image the wreck in three dimensions, getting a detailed view of the hull where the explosion occurred at 11:23 a.m. on July 19, 1918. At the time, the ship was working to escort convoys of military and supply ships on the first leg of the journey to Europe. The imaging revealed that the thick armor band encircling the ship has held the wreck together "like a girdle," Catsambis told reporters. The wreck has become a vibrant artificial reef, providing a home for marine life, from barnacles to anemones to fish and lobster, said Catsambis' colleague Arthur Trembanis, a University of Delaware geological oceanographer. [Mayday! 17 Mysterious Shipwrecks You Can See on Google Earth] But the elements are working on the USS San Diego. Sometime since the 1990s, the middle part of the ship's hull collapsed in on itself, the researchers found. In the shallow waters where the wreck rests, large storms can scour the seafloor and anything on it, Trembanis said. An average of about three storms per year in the area are large enough to rearrange the USS San Diego wreck, he said. Mystery mine Fortunately, the ship was still intact enough for researchers to gather information necessary to explain what happened on that summer day in 1918. The size and location of the damage, when combined with archival crew descriptions of the subsequent flooding, quickly ruled out a coal-dust explosion or crew sabotage, said Ken Nahshon, an engineer at the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Maryland, who created computer models simulating the sinking. That left, for explanations, a mine or torpedo, either of which could have been launched by a German submarine. The damage to the hull wasn't extensive enough to match a torpedo attack, Nahshon told reporters. And 17 lookouts on the USS San Diego failed to notice any distinctive bubble trail that torpedoes of the time made as they sliced through the water. It was a clear day with calm seas, and the crew knew German subs were operating in the area, Catsambis said, so it's unlikely the lookouts would have missed such a telltale sign. Far more likely, Nahshon said, was that the USS San Diego hit a mine, either a T1/T2 torpedo tube mine, which would have been shot from the German submarine's torpedo tube, or a deck-deployed mine, which would have been laid from the sub's deck. The simulations re-created how the mine would have brought the ship down. Within 2 minutes, Nahshon said, the region of impact was flooded. Within 10 minutes of the explosion, the ship was listing to the side enough that water poured into the gun deck. "This water rushing from above really causes a catastrophic situation," Nahshon said. Under the weight of that water, the ship kept listing toward the port side. According to the Navy, the captain ordered full steam toward the beach, hoping the ship would sink in shallow, salvage-deck waters. In the meantime, the crew manned the guns, shooting at anything that looked like a sub. They kept firing until the guns on the port side dipped underwater and the guns on the starboard side were shooting toward the sky. At 11:20 a.m., Capt. Harley Christy ordered the crew to abandon ship. "He has literally minutes to go before this thing just goes completely over," Nahshon said. Eight minutes after the order went out, the ship flipped and slipped beneath the waves. Past and future Naval researchers pinpointed U-156 as the source of the likely mine, because documentation after the war revealed that the sub was in the area at the time. Just a few days later, on July 22, that sub would execute the only World War I attack on the U.S. mainland, by firing at some tugboats off the coast of Massachusetts. The submarine never made it back to Germany. It hit a U.S.-laid minefield in the North Atlantic and sank before the war ended. The wreck has yet to be found. The findings of the USS San Diego exploration will be used to help protect and preserve the wreck, Catsambis said, and to inform the management of other World War I and World War II wreck sites. These discoveries also confirm that the crew of the San Diego was not to blame for what befell them. The ship's captain took all possible precautions and did everything right in responding to the attack, Catsambis said. "They were prepared," he said, "and tragedy struck." Originally published on Live Science. From a toddler's pink sandals found in a mass grave to a chilling video of federal agents held captive by masked gunmen, shocking headlines from this year provide a dark glimpse into cartel violence. The 2018 crime wave made brutality seem almost commonplace, with Mexico again breaking its own records for violence in the first half of the year. Stratus Properties will soon break ground on Kingwood Place, an H-E-B-anchored mixed-use project at the southwest corner of U.S. 59 and Northpark Drive in Kingwood. The Austin-based company secured a $32.9 million construction loan with Comerica Bank on Dec. 6 through its Stratus Kingwood Place subsidiary, the company announced. The loan supersedes and replaces the land acquisition loan. Photo: Vaughn Oliver Vaughn Oliver, right, and members of Canadian group Chromeo. Oliver is nominated for a Grammy Award for his work on their latest album. Vaughn Oliver's mother has always known her son was talented, but even she never expected he would make it all the way to a Grammy nomination. "I did not see this coming!" Andrea Martin, a longtime Penticton resident, said with a chuckle. Thirty-eight-year-old Oliver is a a music producer and DJ born and raised in Penticton who has just been nominated in the "Best engineered album, non-classical" category for the upcoming 2019 Grammy Awards in February for his work on Canadian electro-funk group Chromeo's Head Over Heels album. His journey in the music business started when he was a student at Penticton Secondary School, purchasing his first turntable around the age of 15 while working at McDonald's. "At the time, it was a tough thing to get into, there wasn't much information out there or resources," Oliver said, who began figuring out how to DJ mostly by himself. Martin said she could tell right away it was something her son had a passion for, and after he graduated high school and moved to Vancouver, she encouraged him to keep pursuing it. "He was looking at going to Emily Carr but I said, 'Why? You're absolutely passionate about music, why not consider making that your career?'" Martin said. Vaughn ended up agreeing with her, and attended a recording arts program, which opened up the doors that led him to his current career in Los Angeles. Martin said her son is incredibly hard-working, but she looks forward to his visits home and to the visits she gets to make to California for a glimpse into his life in the business. "This one time I was down there visiting, and Vaughn said casually, 'Oh, do you want to take this home for me?' And he pulls out this massive, framed platinum album," Martin said, referring to work Oliver did with Chromeo on their track "Jealous." The Grammy nomination, for more work he did with Chromeo, is a huge honour for Oliver. "It's pretty amazing, it feels incredible to be recognized," Oliver said. "I guess I put my 10,000 hours in." He looks back on his time as a teenager exploring his love of music, and says it's the passion born then that brought him all the way to his current success. "It was never really a question, it's never easy and there's never any job security in it," Oliver said. "Whether there's job security or not, you just have to keep going." As for the actual night of the Grammy's in February, Vaughn doesn't have plans yet he joked that he isn't even sure of an invite. If he does win and gets his own iconic gramophone statuette, though, he plans to downplay it and hide it in a corner of his studio, hoping he can just act casual when someone notices it. "Or maybe I'll put it on a chain and wear it around my neck, just strut it," he said with a laugh. The 61st annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be aired Feb. 10, 2019. Michelle Obama is coming to Houston and Austin. The former first lady's book tour has expanded into 2019 and includes a March 2 date at Toyota Center. It's behind her behind bestselling memoir "Becoming." GREATEST SHOWMAN: Hugh Jackman is going on tour and coming to Houston The event will feature "intimate and honest conversations" between Obama and a to-be-announced moderator." Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. Fans can register now for the Ticketmaster Verified Fan presale through Wednesday and get early access to tickets. The tour extension includes 21 events in 2019 across North America and Europe "Becoming" has sold more than 3 million copies. According to NDP BookScan data, the hardcover edition has sold more copies than any other book published in the United States in 2018. Mexican Mafia gang members incited a riot that left two correctional officers and two inmates injured on Tuesday at the Webb County Jail, authorities said. The Sheriff's Office medical unit treated and medically cleared the correctional officers who were assaulted. The two inmates were taken to the Laredo Medical Center with minor injuries. Authorities said those involved in the riot also started a fire and caused about $29,000 in damages. At least 25 inmates are expected to be charged with arson, engaging in organized criminal activity, criminal mischief, assault on a public servant, inciting a riot and escape. Sheriff Martin Cuellar said that this is an "isolated incident" that they "have never seen before." "Even though our officers were outnumbered, they still followed protocol and were able to take control of a volatile situation. These inmates thought they had control of these cells, but we are in control of the entire jail," Cuellar said in a statement. READ ALSO: Texas police ridiculed for 'El Cheapo' drug bust The incident began at about 4:40 a.m. when Mexican Mafia gang members punched two correctional officers in the face when they entered their cell to search for contraband. Inmates then started a fire using an electronic device, putting at risk the lives of the jail population as well as staff members, the Sheriff's Office said. After verbal warnings were ignored by the inmates, the Sheriff's Office Special Operations and Response Team, known as SORT, was activated to take control of the situation. Because the inmates were still non-compliant, the response team used flash-bang grenade as a warning. However, they continued with their "destructive behavior," the Sheriff's Office said. The inmates destroyed a window, camera equipment, beds and tables. Authorities said they used non-lethal weapons to take control of the situation. "I want to congratulate our staff, especially our SORT team, who acted with courage and showed no signs of weakness. Their countless hours of training were on display today," Cuellar said in a statement. The inmates who allegedly participated in the riot have been temporarily placed in a secured area. They were identified as: WASHINGTON - For those who remember President Donald Trump's announcement of America's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement last summer, it may be surprising that the country right now is participating in U.N. climate talks in Katowice, Poland. There, the United States has gained notoriety not only for sponsoring a fossil-fuel focused event but also for allying with Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing nations to weaken a reference to a key report detailing the swift pace of climate change and just how close we are to key warming thresholds. The lack of U.S. leadership is putting the success of the talks at risk. But aren't we supposed to be out of this process, you might wonder - rather than trying to scale back its ambitions? Well, no. The Trump administration could have pursued a more radical means of withdrawal from the Paris agreement, but it is still going by the book - and in this case, that means Article 28 of the Paris agreement. That text specifies that after joining the agreement, a country can't leave for three years, after which there is a one-year waiting period for the leave to be fully in effect. Here's what that actually means for the United States - a timeline that, as we'll see, has major political resonance. The Obama administration moved very fast to have the United States formally join the Paris climate agreement, and other countries did as well. That means that the agreement itself legally entered into force Nov. 4, 2016. So that's the day when the clock started ticking for any possible U.S. withdrawal, under the terms of the agreement. "The U.S. can initiate the withdrawal process as early as of November 4, 2019, which is three years from the date on which the Agreement entered into force for it," said Susan Biniaz, a former State Department climate negotiator and currently a lecturer at Yale Law School, by email. There's a formal process involved for withdrawal, but it is not burdensome. It has to be done in writing, and written notice has to go to the United Nations. "It would just be probably a letter or something like that from the State Department," said Dan Bodansky, an international environmental law expert at Arizona State University. "But it would be an official document." Assuming the Trump administration is ready to go and files that document at the earliest possible time, another clock starts ticking. After one year passes, the U.S. withdrawal would then be complete and it would quietly, but concretely, leave the agreement. But the earliest possible day that could come is consequential - at the earliest, Nov. 4, 2020. Election Day is Nov. 3, 2020. This is where things get very interesting. If we assume that Trump will be the Republican nominee again, and that any Democrat running against him would want to rejoin the Paris agreement, then the election could potentially put the United States right back in again if the Democrat wins. Granted, on this timeline, the United States would at least briefly leave the agreement even in the event of a Democratic victory. That's because the new president is not inaugurated until January of 2021. But after that, reversal could be swift, at least under the Obama administration's interpretation that the agreement is not one that needs to be submitted to the U.S. Senate for ratification. It would then take 30 days after submission of notice for the United States to rejoin the agreement formally, Biniaz explained. This, again, is based on the text of the Paris climate agreement. Of course, if Trump wins, and has withdrawn from the agreement formally, then his victory could be expected to cement the U.S. withdrawal. What this means, clearly, is that unless Trump somehow changes his mind and decides not to withdraw after all, U.S. participation in the Paris climate agreement seems likely to be a live matter of political debate in the next two years. Especially after the formal withdrawal paperwork gets filed. "Climate change could easily be a campaign issue, and then President Trump, if he's given notice of withdrawal, then the clock starts ticking," Bodansky said. In the meantime, if you think U.S. participation in international climate talks has been rather awkward lately, just wait until next year's annual climate meeting. Negotiations will probably take place next December, though the location is up in the air because Brazil just announced the country will no longer host the meeting. That meeting could occur right after the United States has formally submitted its Paris withdrawal paperwork but while the country is still in the waiting period for the withdrawal to occur. In other words - on the outs but not quite there yet. And again, that could then be followed by a major case of international climate whiplash if the United States promptly rejoins. But that's just the way it goes when you have treaties with formal timelines, and an extremely polarized climate change debate domestically. It wouldn't be the first time such a strange reversal has happened in the international arena. Just to give one rather messy example: Iceland, a whaling nation, was a member of the International Whaling Commission for decades. It withdrew in 1992 after the body enacted a commercial whaling moratorium, but rejoined (after an extremely close vote) in 2002, with a reservation to the moratorium. "Countries do withdraw from treaties and rejoin," Bodansky said. "It does happen." At the global climate summit in Poland this week, the small states most vulnerable to climate change are making the loudest calls for quick action on carbon emissions. The leaders of several small island nations started a high-level debate session Tuesday by reminding delegates that their countries could be swallowed by rising seas if climate change is not checked. "The prosperity enjoyed by a few developed countries has become the tragedy and misery of the masses in the developing countries and particularly those most vulnerable to climate change," said Kiribati's president, Taneti Mamau. The following day, the Small Island Developing States group (SIDS) issued a list of demands that it says the international community must meet by the end of the summit "to strengthen our efforts to ensure an adequate response to the risks and impacts of climate change," according to E&E News. "What is at stake is actually the very existence of small nations like the Maldives and others," said Hussain Rasheed Hassan, the environment minister for the Maldives and head of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), in a telephone interview with The Washington Post. These small states had major industrialized nations on their side in 2015, when the Paris agreement was signed. But at this year's summit, those key countries are no longer helping push the small states' message. "I'm afraid it's not going through very well," Hassan said. This year's climate summit is supposed to be where technical experts draft the "rule book" for implementing the pledges countries made under the Paris climate accords. That may still happen, but there has been little progress so far. The island nations are also hoping countries will raise their emissions-reduction targets for 2020 and that the summit will issue a strong closing statement making it clear that climate action is not happening fast enough to keep global temperatures from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius. There are other, more modest goals as well. One of those is "welcoming" a landmark climate report published last month by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which warned that the world must make major emissions cuts by 2030 to stave off the worst effects of climate change. The United States joined Russia, China and Kuwait in blocking that language, a move that seemed to cast doubt on climate science. "You cannot question the science," said Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed to The Post. "Science is science, and we are only asking countries to welcome a scientific report." Nasheed urged major industrial nations, including the United States, to see the imminent danger facing his country as a threat to themselves as well. "We all know that a quarter of the world's population lives on low-lying areas," he said. "With the Maldives, Manhattan will sink." Carlos Fuller, a negotiator for another group of island and low-lying nations, held out hope that delegates would still make some general progress at the summit even if they cannot hammer out a full rule book. "At the minimum, we'd like to see some broad agreements . . . and recognize that maybe we need to continue to refine the details of it at subsequent sessions," he said. For now, the biggest achievement has been a statement from the "Talanoa Dialogue," a forum intended to let countries discuss their climate-change efforts and concerns with each other. The dialogue issued a "call to action" on Wednesday saying that governments and societies must ramp up climate action. "The window for action is closing fast - we need to do more and we need to do it now," the call to action read. It's not clear yet whether other concrete actions will follow before the summit ends Friday or Saturday. But Fuller made clear the consequences if nothing is achieved in Poland. "If there is a total breakdown here," he said, "then we are in jeopardy indeed of losing everything." In a pair of statements, one in a courtroom and the other in a news release, attorneys working for the Justice Department made a case for the importance of the campaign finance violations in which President Donald Trump has been implicated - and made the evidence for his culpability stronger. Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday, stemming primarily from guilty pleas he offered in August on a spate of fraud and campaign finance violations. The latter charges were related to two payments that Cohen facilitated in August 2016 and October 2016 meant, he said, to prevent two women who alleged extramarital relationships with Trump from telling their stories before Election Day. In one case, Cohen worked with American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, to have former Playboy model Karen McDougal receive $150,000 to lock down the rights to her story of an alleged affair with Trump. In the other, Cohen himself directly paid $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels for her to similarly remain silent. When he pleaded guilty in August, Cohen surprised the courtroom by announcing that he'd undertaken the payments at Trump's direction. Those payments are illegal, campaign finance experts tell The Washington Post, because, among other things, they are unreported campaign expenses paid with unregulated contributions. Trump's role in the payments was reinforced in a court filing published Friday, in which government attorneys asked that Cohen receive a stiff sentence. "In particular, and as Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments," that filing read, "he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1" - that is, Trump. With that sentence, the U.S. attorneys implicated Trump in the illegal payments directly. Trump, for his part, has claimed that the payments weren't meant to influence the campaign. The payment was "a simple private transaction," he argued, without specifying which was being referred to. This is a straightforward strategy: Were the payments in fact not related to the campaign, there's no campaign finance violation. That distinction was how former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards escaped conviction on similar charges in 2012. Which brings us to Wednesday's news release. Technically, one of the charges to which Cohen admitted guilt in August was soliciting an illegal corporate contribution: Working with AMI to make that payment to McDougal. Corporations can't legally try to influence elections by working in concert with campaigns to pay people off with corporate money. If they could, there would be no reason to have campaign finance rules, because most expenses could just be covered by corporate bank accounts. So why didn't AMI face criminal charges? We knew that the company's chief executive, David Pecker, was working with investigators in exchange for immunity. We learned Wednesday that the company had received a form of immunity, too, as part of a "non-prosecution agreement" with government lawyers. "As a part of the agreement, AMI admitted that it made the $150,000 payment in concert with a candidate's presidential campaign, and to ensure that the woman did not publicize damaging allegations about the candidate before the 2016 presidential election," the news release read. "AMI further admitted that its principal purpose in making the payment was to suppress the woman's story so as to prevent it from influencing the election." An agreement between prosecutors and AMI signed in September outlined precisely how that worked: AMI contacted Cohen about McDougal and subsequently agreed to make a payment to buy her story. "At no time during the negotiation for or acquisition of the model's story did AMI intend to publish the story or disseminate information about it publicly," the agreement reads. The point here should be obvious: Both Cohen and AMI are now on-record saying that the intent of the payment to McDougal was to influence the election. And we know that Trump was aware of this payment before the election, because a recording of Cohen and Trump discussing it was leaked to the media in July. This separates the Trump case from Edwards, as former FEC general counsel Lawrence Noble noted in a phone conversation on Friday. Here, both Cohen and AMI rebut the idea that the payments weren't related to the election. That said, there's no direct public proof that Trump knew the purpose of the payment was for the election. The key word there is "public." What the new revelation in that news release does, though, is serve as a reminder that prosecutors have a lot of other evidence collected from AMI, Pecker and Cohen which may serve to strengthen the argument that Trump was well aware of why AMI was making that payment. There is a tantalizing hint in the agreement between AMI and prosecutors that's worth highlighting. A delineation of the facts of the case includes this paragraph: This is precisely what happened. If Trump was aware of the existing agreement -- or if Trump was that unidentified other member of the campaign -- his assertion that the McDougal payment was unrelated to the campaign is severely undercut. At the sentencing hearing for Cohen on Wednesday, the government made something else very clear: It doesn't intend to let campaign finance charges slide. "In particular, Mr. Cohen's conduct related to the election is serious," Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said to the sentencing judge, "because of the tremendous societal cost associated with the campaign finance crimes and the lies to Congress. Mr. Cohen committed these deceptive acts to protect the political campaign from allegations of impropriety, and, by his own admission, he committed the campaign finance crimes for the purpose of influencing the election." "[T]ogether these crimes implicate core defining parts of our democracy: Government funded by the people, free and transparent elections," he added. "And in committing these crimes, Mr. Cohen has eroded faith in the electoral process and compromised the rule of law. And so just as he asks for leniency because of what he claims he's done for the republic, the same can be true in the way in which he's undermined it." Roos continued by echoing a point raised in last Friday's filing: The need for deterrent punishment. "Effective deterrence of such offenses requires incarceratory sentences that signal to other individuals who may contemplate conduct similar to Cohen's that violations of campaign finance laws will not be tolerated," the filing read. Given the high-profile nature of Cohen's violations, prosecutors argued, the need for punishment to set an example was higher. One can assume that a similar argument would apply to violations committed by the president of the United States. Again, no charges have been filed against Trump related to the payments, nor are they likely to over the short term given the Justice Department's public opinion on indicting sitting presidents. But the government on Wednesday made two things clear: Prosecuting such crimes is and should be a priority, and Trump's tweeted claim about his innocence holds less water than we might have thought. RICHMOND, Va. - Gov. Ralph Northam would boost K-12 spending by nearly $269 million, increasing teachers' pay raises to 5 percent and plowing more money into school construction, per-pupil spending and programs for at-risk students under a budget plan partially unveiled Tuesday. Northam, a Democrat, said Virginia had a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance to make those investments because of a windfall of up to $600 million from changes to federal tax law and a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows states to require online retailers to collect sales taxes. To a lesser extent, higher-than-anticipated tax and lottery revenue would fund some of his plan, which also calls for boosting the amount in the state's reserve fund. "There is power in every child," Northam, a pediatrician, said at a news conference at the state Capitol attended by first lady Pam Northam, a former science teacher. "I've been clear since my first day in office that delivering on the promise of a high-quality public education for each and every child in the commonwealth is one of our highest priorities and greatest responsibilities." The governor said the raises would help the state attract and retain teachers, whose average pay lags behind the national average by about $9,000 a year. The raises would build on a 3 percent hike already included in the two-year, $115 billion budget that took effect July 1, adding another 2 percent effective July 2019. Jim Livingston, president of the Virginia Education Association, said the governor's plan will help a state that started the school year with 1,000 teaching positions unfilled. "That's 1,000 classrooms across the commonwealth that don't have a certified teacher," he said. "Those students are suffering. They're being left out because they don't have a qualified individual standing at the front of their classroom." Also cheering the governor's plan was Michael Cassidy, president of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a liberal-leaning think tank. "We need to turn the corner on state support for public education," Cassidy said. "All of the attention across the country, with these teacher walkouts and strikes, has shined a particularly powerful light on that issue of teacher pay." The plan got a more cautious reception from Republicans, who have narrow control over the state House and Senate. Their support will be needed to pass legislation on the internet sales tax and to conform state tax code to the changes made at the federal level, which would result in a windfall because some deductions would be eliminated. Some legislators have ideas of their own for how to spend extra money. Northam has also proposed a plan for using half the money from the federal tax changes for tax rebates for Virginians making less than $50,000 a year - a plan that has met with some GOP resistance. "We appreciate the governor's proposal and will consider it when drafting our budget amendments," said Del. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. "K-12 education has been a priority of House Republicans, and we are glad to see the governor building on the raises and over $1 billion in new funding for K-12 education provided in our budget last year. However, we have to remember this is just one piece of the broader package that we will consider as we put together our proposals." In June, the Supreme Court ruled that states can require online retailers to collect sales taxes. A bipartisan group of senators has proposed a bill that would devote $150 million to $200 million a year - half the proceeds the from internet sales taxes - to purchase up to $4 billion in construction bonds for schools around the state. Sen. William Stanley, R-Franklin, one of the sponsors of that bill, praised Northam's attention to school infrastructure needs. But he said the governor's plan - which would make a one-time, $80 million deposit in a school construction fund - does not go far enough. Stanley's co-sponsors include Sens. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington; Dave Marsden D-Fairfax; and Glen Sturtevant, R-Richmond. "This ($80 million plan) is not going to be able to address the statewide problem that we have," he said, describing urban schools where ceiling tiles routinely fall and rural ones with just one electrical outlet per room. Northam made reference to their plan Tuesday, questioning whether the sales tax would bring in as much as they were projecting. Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed a two-year budget that Northam signed into law. The Legislature and governor typically make adjustments to the spending plan during the course of those two years. Northam is scheduled to propose his amendments before a joint session of the House and Senate money committees next week. The governor's announcement Tuesday was the first of several proposals that he is expected to roll out ahead of that. Northam called for increasing spending on a program for at-risk students by $35 million. Named At-Risk Add-On, the program provides certain low-income schools with dropout-prevention services, after-school programs and specialized instruction. He would spend another $35 million to boost per-pupil spending across the state. Local school systems will have flexibility to decide how to spend those funds. Athens ISD announced earlier this month that it was considering cutting its school week from five days to four, according to a press release from the East Texas district wedged between Tyler and Waco. Superintendent Blake Stiles unveiled the proposal at a district staff meeting Dec. 3 as part of a presentation on potential models for the 2019-2020 academic calendar. If the district's board of trustees approve the change, the shorter school weeks would be launched as part of a three-year pilot program. The district released a survey seeking feedback on Dec. 5. The plan could pose a major hurdle for working parents, who will have to seek childcare on Fridays rather sending their kids to school. Deputy Superintendent Janie Sims said that potential burden remains the district's main concern with the plan. READ ALSO: West Texas school district makes big news with 4-day school week "We know childcare on Fridays will be a challenge for some of our parents, and we don't minimize the seriousness of that," Sims said. "We looked into providing accommodations on Fridays, and it simply isn't viable for us right now. We have to trust our parents to arrange for childcare as they do during holidays and summer break." Athens ISD is not the only Texas school district to consider shortening the number of days students are in class. The 103-student Olfen ISD in West Texas opted to take most Fridays off this school year, except for some weeks during which Friday classes or enrichment activities are optional for students. Shorter school weeks were made possible in Texas after lawmakers approved two statutes in 2015. The first changed the way the state measures school years, requiring a certain number of instructional minutes rather than instructional days. That same year, the Legislature passed a law that allows some districts to earn a distinction that allows them to exempt themselves from some state statutes, allowing some to hire teachers who lack certifications, start the school year earlier than the state-mandated start date, and institute larger class sizes without state approval. RELATED: School districts pursue 'innovative' status, amid questions Athens ISD would lengthen its school days to meet the state's guidelines on minutes of instruction. Elementary school students would start their days at 7:45 a.m. and would end at 3:55 p.m. Students in high and middle school would report to first period at 8 a.m. and end the day at 4:25 p.m. Sims and Stiles hope the shorter week will help the district attract teachers from other nearby districts that may offer higher salaries and provide staff with more professional development and planning days. Those, in turn, could help bolster student learning, Athens ISD said in a release. "A vast amount of research indicates the single greatest factor in the academic success of a student is the teacher, bar none," said Sims. "We believe this could help us compete with larger school districts and offer our employees a quality-of-life incentive that would be one-of-a-kind in Texas. Having the best teachers means having the best classroom instruction." READ ALSO: School districts in Houston, statewide feel crushing effects of budget troubles Although the change theoretically could save districts money in transportation and heating and cooling costs, Athens ISD officials said those savings would be offset by "expenditures in other areas," making the change "revenue neutral." "We have a history in this district of being bold, and it's served us well," Stiles said. "... This could be a phenomenal game changer for Athens ISD. We know there will be some hard questions. But if we believed this would have a negative impact on students, we wouldn't be thinking about it." South San Antonio High School students are mourning the loss of drama teacher Kylee Martin, who died Monday in a car accident in Bandera County. Martin, 31, was driving north on Texas 16 and encountered a truck that was stopped to make a left turn just after 6 p.m. Monday, according to Department of Public Safety Sgt. Orlando Moreno. For reasons unknown, Ms. Martin failed to control her speed and hit the truck from behind, he said. RELATED: San Antonio teacher who died during trip to Africa remembered for commitment to students and community The truck was pushed into the southbound lanes, where it was hit by another car, Moreno said. Martin died at the scene. The drivers of the other two vehicles were not injured. The investigation is ongoing, and all contributing factors are currently unknown, Moreno said. Martin, who started working at the school this year, was so involved, said Jenny Suniga Collier, the South San Antonio Independent School District spokeswoman. In her short time at the school, Martin started a new theater event, the Holiday Follies, and worked closely with music students as well as drama classes, Suniga Collier said. She saw the auditorium as her place, helping out with audio, lighting and floor direction for band concerts and other events, Suniga Collier said. Her students loved her. Students made the decision to postpone their winter concert, which had been scheduled for Tuesday night, out of respect for her, she said. LTeitz@express-news.net PLAINVIEW Graduation at Wayland Baptist University this December will be unlike any that has been held in the 110-year history of the school. At 2 p.m. on Dec. 15, three students will graduate with the Doctor of Management degree, the first students to do so at the Plainview campus. Graduation will be held in Harral Memorial Auditorium. Wayland opened the Doctor of Management program in the summer of 2016, enrolling the first cohort. One member of that group participated in a graduation ceremony in Hawaii in November. Others will be participating at campus locations nearest them. Two children, a 5-year-old and a 9-month-old, were killed in a crash in Granbury, Texas, southwest of Fort Worth on Monday. DPS says charges are now pending. Details of the Fatal Granbury Crash According to the Star-Telegram, the accident happened ion U.S. 281 North near County Road 466. DPS reported that a GMC Acadia SUV, driven by 33-year-old Carrie Sackett, was stopped in the northbound lane of U.S. 281 to make a left turn onto County Road 446 when it was struck by a Dodge truck driven by 33-yar-old Alyssa Litwin and forced into the southbound lanes. The Acadia was then struck by a Chevrolet truck driven by Braylen Fain, 17, as it headed south on U.S. 281. Sackett was transported to Harris Hospital in Fort Worth in critical but stable condition. Two children in her vehicle, 5-year-old and 9-month-old girls, were killed in the crash. Fain was also taken to the hospital for treatment while Litwin was treated for minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation, but Staff Sgt. Dub Gillum did say that charges are pending. Texas Auto Accident Statistics The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT): 3,773 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2016, marking a 5.45% increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015. 638 of the deaths reported in 2016 were attributed to head-on collision. Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities. was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities. An additional 264,076 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2016. Based on reportable data for 2016, TxDOT estimates: One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 20 minutes. One person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds. A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds. Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced Corpus Christi car accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work. Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com. The Lost Brothers, Oisin Leech from Meath and Mark McCausland from Tyrone, have recorded a Christmas mini-album which includes three brand new songs 'Keep Christmas In The Heart', 'Seven Days Before Christmas' and 'Here Comes The Snow'. The recordings were produced by Steve Shannon in Dublin and they feature special guests including Paul Brainard (M Ward, Decembrists, The Eels) Steve Wickham (The Waterboys), members of O Emperor and many more. Bonus tracks also feature Bill Ryder-Jones. The Irish duo have put this Christmas release together in memory of the late Frank Murray who passed away in December 2016. Frank managed The Lost Brothers, The Pogues, The Frames amongst many others and was a legendary figure in the Irish music industry. Frank was always telling us to record a Christmas Album and we finally have, said Oisin. It was fun recording in Crumlin around the corner from where Phil Lynott was actually born. Frank and Phil grew up together just off the street where the studio is and they toured side by side with Thin Lizzy for years. All this was in the back of our minds as we recorded. The Christmas recording session took place in November. We called up a few pals and it all came together, Mark explained. The mini-album will have a digital release and physical copies will be available exclusively at The Lost Brothers upcoming Irish Theatre December shows this month, including a date at the Backstage Theatre this Saturday, December 15. Special guests on the December tour are Seamus Fogarty, Howe Gelb, Sam Clague and Steve Wickham, some of whom will join The Lost Brothers for the main show which will be half acoustic and half full band performances. This is the first tour with a full six piece band including drums and bass that weve ever done, said Oisin. Again, Frank was always encouraging us to try gigs with a full band and we are finally doing it. Should be fun. Tickets available via www.backstage.ie. The close personal and professional relationship enjoyed between the late Albert Reynolds and his British counterpart Sir John Major has been described as nothing short of remarkable. The two men have been widely extolled with setting Northern Ireland on its path to lasting peace, courtesy of the pair's co-signing of the Downing Street Declaration in December 1993. ALSO READ: John Major to deliver lecture in Longford in honour of late Taoiseach Albert Reynolds The fruits of those labours reach their 25th anniversary on Saturday, something which was not lost on the former Tory leader as he spoke at the opening of the Inaugural Albert Reynolds Memorial Lecture in Longford on Monday. Albert was an optimist, much more inclined to say we can do this than to rule anything out, said Mr Major, amid hushed silence at a full to capacity Backstage Theatre. Some politicians are no more than ambitious concoctions, but Albert was the real deal in practice and in spirit. To Albert, a deal not made was a failure. Mr Major also told of the unease both men would have undoubtedly shared over the current impasse surrounding Brexit. In doing so, he said he was consistently reminded about the calming and optimistic approach his long time political ally would have brought to the talks had he been around today. Many futures depend on it both in my country and in yours, he told onlookers. And, as I say that, I can hear Alberts lilting voice pushing us on towards a sensible deal and we must do everything we can not to let him down in finding one. But perhaps the most striking insight into both men's innate mutual respect came from the late Mr Reynolds' son, Philip. I can tell you that it must have been a remarkable relationship between those two men because every time the name Albert Reynolds gets mentioned Sir John responds to that, he said, as he expressed his regret at the enforced absence of his mum, Kathleen from the occasion. And, in turning to face his father's long time friend directly, Mr Reynolds said: You mentioned about Dad giggling (in Heaven), I'll tell you one thing Dad is giggling about today and that's the fact his friendship has managed to bring you to the county where it all started. Northern Irelands peace process would not have come about had it not been for the part played by former taoiseach Albert Reynolds, former British Prime Minister Sir John Major has said. The ex Conservative party leader, who enjoyed a close personal and professional working relationship during the pairs time in office, was speaking at the opening of the Inaugural Albert Reynolds Memorial Lecture at Longfords Backstage Theatre on Monday. ALSO READ: Watch Live | Sir John Major speaks in Longford for the inaugural Albert Reynolds Memorial Lecture Mr Major delivered his keynote address in the same week the Downing Street Declaration he co-signed with the late Mr Reynolds marked its 25th anniversary. Albert was never the run of the mill politician, he said, as he referred to how Mr Reynolds acute business acumen in the dance hall scene marked him out as a politician of inestimable renown. Alberts background, far from being a drawback, was an asset, he said. It was an asset because Albert knew people. He knew how they lived, how they thought and what they cared about. He was a dealmaker supreme, a bottom line man, a man who never in his life passed an open mike, a man who demanded an outcome and a solution to every problem put before him. Mr Major spoke at length about his close friendship with the late Mr Reynolds and of the moments which led up to the signing of the Downing Street accord some 25 years earlier. He recalled how the document was devised during an informal chat the pair had over a drink inside a drawing room at Downing Street. We were talking of our respective children over a drink, he said. I was drinking Irish whiskey, he wasnt. He was drinking a soft drink that looked truly awful and were talking of our respective children and then more widely about the children of The Troubles. Albert said: No child should have to face this and I agreed. I added: If it it were in Surrey or Sussex it wouldnt be tolerated and it shouldnt be accepted in Northern Ireland either. Together we agreed to try and end it (violence) and I could never have had a more dedicated partner than Albert. Governor Cuomo Announces More than 520 New Jobs to be Created Statewide in Latest Round of ReCharge NY Power Allocations Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 12 2018 ReCharge NY's Low-Cost Power Allocations Support Job Creation and Retention, New Partnerships to Initiate More Than $400 Million in Capital Investments. New York, NY - December 12, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 520 new jobs will be created through the latest round of ReCharge NY power allocations. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 520 new jobs will be created through the latest round of ReCharge NY power allocations. ReCharge NY , administered by the New York Power Authority, supports new and existing partnerships with qualifying businesses and non-profit organizations with low-cost NYPA power in exchange for commitments to retain or create jobs statewide. These partnerships are expected to result in capital investments of more than $400 million throughout New York. "Clean energy is our future, and New York is committed to supporting this industry in a way that not only combats climate change but also creates jobs and spurs economic growth throughout the state," Governor Cuomo said. "Through innovative programs like ReCharge NY, New York can and will continue to lead the nation in clean energy initiatives that protect our environment and boost our regional economies." "Public-private partnerships are vital to advancing economic development across the state," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "These clean energy programs with businesses and non-profits are creating new opportunities and jobs in the industry. Programs like ReCharge NY are helping to meet our clean energy goals and strengthen the economy of the entire state." The NYPA Board of Trustees today approved 14 megawatts (MW) of low-cost ReCharge NY power to 28 enterprises around the state. With today's allocations, ReCharge NY currently provides more than 760 megawatts of power to 770 businesses and nonprofit organizations in support of the creation and retention of jobs statewide. The regional breakdown of jobs supported throughout New York from NYPA board action today: The jobs created come from a wide-range of industries and regions from across New York State, including Cortland Company in Cortland County, Ascent Pharmaceuticals on Long Island and GoPal Farm in Ulster County. Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO, said, "NYPA's low-cost hydropower fuels all of our economic development programs as we're constantly exploring ways to provide critical operational support to businesses all across the state. This round of statewide RNY power allocations is a major boon to the state's economy." Empire State Development President and CEO Howard Zemsky said, "New York continues to support businesses across the State looking to grow, encouraging job creation and regional economic development." Senator Joe Griffo said, "The New York Power Authority's economic development programs such as Recharge NY have helped to provide low-cost hydropower or funds derived from the sale of such power to private companies that agree to retain existing jobs and to create new jobs. New York State is blessed to have ample hydropower from both the Niagara and the St. Lawrence hydro-facilities, which produce low-cost, clean electricity. I am pleased to see this power being put to good use for the benefit of our businesses and the families that they support." Assembly Member Michael J. Cusick said, "New York's hydropower resources continue to allow the state to invest in job creation and retention in every region. I am excited to see this program continue and look forward to future successes." The discount power program offers up to seven-year power contracts with half of the power455 MWcoming from NYPA's Niagara and St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt hydroelectric power plants, which provide some of the greenest, cleanest and low-cost electricity in the state. The full list of today's RNY awards can be found here In addition, the NYPA board also approved seven-year contract extensions for 62 existing ReCharge NY customers around the state. Those contracts directly support more than 97,000 jobs and are tied to $4 billion in new capital investments over the next several years. The renewed ReCharge NY contracts will go into effect as early as July 1, 2019. Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 12 2018 Curran: "Years of Inaction by County Officials has led to Millions in Tax Inequity and big profits for tax firms." Baldwin, NY - December 12, 2018 - Nassau County Executive Laura Curran today stood with Nassau County Assessor David Moog, Legislator Debra Mule and property owners, including Julie Buske of Nassau County Executive Laura Curran today stood with Nassau County Assessor David Moog, Legislator Debra Mule and property owners, including Julie Buske of Baldwin , Chandra Ortiz of Baldwin, Allen Foley of Hicksville , Matt Meng of East Norwich , Karen Higgins of Massapequa Park , Erin Guida of Hicksville, Garris Williams of Baldwin, and Jeff Gold of Bellmore , and called on the Republican Majority to join her in reforming the property assessment system and to stop protecting tax firms that have made millions because of the Mangano frozen assessment roll. The group of taxpayers applauded County Executive Currans plan to fix the assessment roll. Let me be clear to each and every taxpayer. I understand your anger. The Mangano Administration, the GOP Majority in the Legislature and tax grievance firms perfected a system that kept tax burdens unfair, and made select tax grievance firms very rich. You dont need to hire grievance firms to make sure that you are receiving fair and accurate assessments, said Curran. I am changing a corrupted assessment system that was created and maintained by a corrupt administration. Taxpayers protested the frozen roll which lead to shifted tax burdens and higher school tax rates: The group of taxpayers protested the broken assessment system and complained that Mangano and the Republicans on the County Legislature caused the current financial mess in Nassau County and the big tax shift to unsuspecting property owners. The group condemned Legislators who took campaign contributions from tax grievance firms, did nothing and let those firms collect millions of dollars in fees for property grievances. Taxpayers demanded to know why Mangano and the Republicans didnt do their jobs and produce a fair assessment roll every year instead of using a frozen roll for 8 years. The group expressed outrage over increasing school tax rates which were forced up by the yearly loss of property value in each school district. Curran: Your Property Values are Accurate Along with David Moog, County Assessor, County Executive Laura Curran assured property owners that the countys 2020/21 assessment roll is fair and accurate for all taxpayers and not just those that grieve. The residents who joined her have seen both increases and decreases in their taxes due to their new property values. We did the job that Mangano and the Republicans were afraid to do, said Curran. We reassessed property in Nassau County, and the good news is property is worth more than it was 8 years ago. If you think your market value is wrong, you still have the right to grieve but you dont need a tax grievance firm anymore to get the correct level of assessment. Dont pay a fee when you dont need to. We wont be doing mass settlements anymore. For too long, many Nassau County residents have paid more than their fair share of taxes, said Legislator Debra Mule. That is why I support the County Executives Taxpayer Protection Plan and the administrations ongoing efforts to make our broken assessment system fair and accurate again. I urge any taxpayer that has concerns about their assessment to take advantage of the additional satellite offices and other important resources being made available during this process. During my campaign I promised to fix the broken assessment system and I am holding firm on that promise, said Curran. I have a Taxpayer Protection Plan that will phase-in the tax impact over at least five years. We want to ease the strain on property owners while protecting the County from an ongoing financial mess. For decades, Lebanon has been the only country in the Middle East where most parties from across the political spectrum supported the protection of human rights. The United Nations marked Human Rights Day this week, emphasizing the importance of these global norms. Lebanons respect for freedom of expression, and especially freedom of the press, has often made it stand out compared to other countries in the region where autocratic regimes have created a kind of permanent political paralysis. But at various times, freedom of expression and freedom of the press have not always been fully respected in Lebanon by the ruling authorities or by different political factions. Journalists have always been the ones to stand up for and defend these fundamental freedoms, and they made significant progress in this struggle during the last century. But the emergence of social media and the transition from print to online publication has introduced new challenges. Direct censorship of the press only existed in Lebanon for a brief period of time in 1977, at the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War, when it was imposed by the Syrian occupation. Instead, for most of Lebanons history, a practice known as preventative arrest of journalists posed the biggest threat to freedom of expression in the country. Dating back to the French Mandate, journalists who wrote articles deemed to to be politically incorrect would be arrested, and sometimes the papers they worked for would have their right to publish suspended for a period of time. French mandatory powers, and then the Lebanese government after independence in 1943, ordered LOrients suspension 22 times. For much of the last century, the fight to preserve freedom of expression in Lebanon mainly focused on ending preventative arrests of journalists. In one significant case from 1949, the founder of LOrient, Georges Naccache, was sentenced to six months in prison (later reduced to three) for his article Two negations do not make a nation. The arrests of Tueni and Ramadan In another important case from 1973, the owner and CEO of An-Nahar newspaper, Ghassan Tueni, and journalist Wafic Ramadan were subjected to preventative arrest under article 288 of the penal code. The arrests happened after An-Nahar published a supposedly secret document from the Arab Summit in Algiers that year and Ramadan, working at An-Nahar, refused to reveal how he obtained the document. The two men remained in prison for about ten days. In response, the Lebanese media fiercely campaigned against the arrests and the attempt to curtail freedom of the press and expression in the country. Preventative arrests were finally made illegal at the end of June 1977 when the government amended the law regulating the print media. The decree clearly stated: Preventative arrest is not permitted. The only exception was reserved for cases where there is a threat to state security. The amended law also said that the decision to directly censor the press, or any other media, can only come from the council of ministers during a war or serious disturbance threatening public order and the countrys security. No legislation Politicians and people working in the media considered the abolition of preventative arrests a significant step forward in the ongoing struggle to protect freedom of speech. It removed the main tool used by authorities to suppress press freedom. Since the law was amended in 1977, no journalist has been arrested preventatively for their writings or statements. A major new threat to freedom of speech has, however, emerged in Lebanon in recent years connected to the development of social networks and news websites. These new media are often free and open to everyone, and in Lebanon they are not regulated by any legislation. The lack of clarity surrounding these developments has created a new set of difficulties. Citizens turned to social networks to freely express their opinions, sometimes breaking the most basic ethical rules while doing so. Facing this new onslaught of unfiltered pinions, leaders and politicians started systematically prosecuting anyone who criticized them. In some countries, the free and open world of social media quickly turned into a tool used by authorities for repression and the limitation of freedom of speech. In Lebanon, this situation has led the emergence of the anti-cybercrime office as a new body that is limiting freedom of expression. Using the pretext that opinions and information inevitably end up online, the anti-cybercrime office has set about summoning and interrogating any journalist or citizen who expresses an opinion that is deemed to be politically incorrect. Without clear legislation regulating the situation, over time, this office may become a de facto substitute for the traditional justice system that is supposed to interrogate and collect citizen depositions. Unless legislation is drafted to bring an end to these attempts to repress freedom of speech, the situation will likely only get worse and could eventually reach alarming proportions. At the beginning of the 21st century, with the emergence of online media and social networks, human rights have encounter a new area that cannot be overlooked. (This article was originately published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 10th of December) A Maori Santa who caused controversy in the Nelson Santa parade could be on his way to the capital. A Facebook event page called Bring Maori Santa to Wellington has been successful, and Rob Herewini has agreed to attend a community fair in Aro Valley as the "guest of honour". The page's organisers Natasha Crombie and Lexi Taylor say they originally started the page to show Mr Herewini "some love and support". On Wednesday morning, they told Newshub that Mr Herewini has accepted their offer to appear at Summer Sounds, a community fair in Aro Valley on the 22nd December. They have now launched a Givealittle page to raise funds for Mr Herewini's flights and accommodation - and it's already reached $1,542. The page says that they are extending "a warm welcome to Maori Santa Hana Koko to be the guest of honour at Summer Sounds!" "Any extra funds will go to Rob Herewini to support his community work in Nelson". The Givealittle page has inspired waves of support from commenters on Facebook, with people expressing their love and excitement for Mr Herewini's appearance. "Let's start some new traditions, suitable for Aotearoa, Hana Koko can be magical too." "Brilliant work. Go Aro, beautiful, accepting little community" However, concern has been raised over the potential presence of protesters at the event. "So pleased he's coming but also worried he'll face more abuse. I so hope the racist idiots stay away." Source: Vita Molyneux, Newshub The following motion has been passed by student members of Revolution (the IMT in France) at a general assembly at l'universite Paul-Valery-Montpellier. It has also be raised at a student assembly in Toulouse (to be voted on today), and will be raised in Nanterre and Lyon. It states support for the yellow vest movement, and calls for a campaign of strikes to overthrow the hated Macron government. The motion "The General Assembly expresses its support for the yellow vest movement and for all workers, and school and university students who have mobilised to fight Macrons anti-working-class policies. It is no longer a question of fighting this or that individual attack on the working class, henceforth we must fight against the totality of government policy. This government is no longer legitimate. We must overthrow it. In order to achieve this, the trade union movement must put a 24-hour general strike on the agenda, as a starting point for a wide movement of unlimited strike action." Video of one of our comrades presenting the same motion in Toulouse: LONGMEADOW -- Students from Bay Path University and Springfield Technical Community College are planning cyberattacks against local businesses -- and Gov. Charlie Baker won't do anything to stop them. In fact, the state has already bankrolled the operation, and Baker offered his encouragement on a tour of the Bay Path campus in Longmeadow. The attacks will be for cybersecurity assessments the businesses will order. Students might send "phishing" emails in search of passwords, or just call up and ask for access to sensitive files. It'll be sophisticated work performed by interns under the direction of Delcie Bean and his Paragus IT team in a new course of study Bay Path showed off to the governor Tuesday. Stolen data and compromised computer networks are a threat not just to business but also to government, Baker said. Preventing these attacks both safeguards the state and is a business opportunity for those trained in the science of data security. "This is the kind of thing that often keeps me up at night because of my current job," Baker said. He turned to Bean. "How often are you successful at getting in?" Baker asked. Bean smiled. "We always get in," he said. "Sometimes it takes a few days." Baker spent the afternoon touring Greater Springfield, including stops on the STCC campus and a session at Make IT Springfield, a community workshop and maker space on Worthington Street. At Bay Path, Baker also met with trustees and toured biology labs in Carr Hall before meeting with computer science classes. In 2015, Bay Path received $500,000 from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to purchase lab equipment and supplies that will enable the university to expand collaborative student research and prepare young women for life sciences careers. Bay Path received $250,000 from the state for the cybersecurity program in September of this year. The university is leading a project that will engage undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity students, primarily women, in a full year of challenging experiences as paid interns on cybersecurity teams. Bean said there is plenty of call for cybersecurity assessments, and companies like his need employers to do the work. But it's hard to get a job in the field with no experience and no way to get experience. "So we came up with the idea of an internship program," he said. Thomas Loper, Bay Path's associate provost and dean for the School of Arts, Science and Management, said students from the program will come from STCC, Bay Path's undergraduate and graduate programs in cybersecurity, and from its American Women's College online program. Starting in February, the students will have paid internships with Paragus IT doing cybersecurity assessments for local companies. The companies will pay a reduced rate. At the end, the companies will get a list of their weak points and learn how to strengthen their data security, Bean said. The Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts will recruit the companies, said president and CEO Richard Sullivan. He hopes to get small to midsize manufacturers to participate. Each week The Republican will put together a slideshow of select clips and comics from the archive from the past 100 years. This week's selection of clips, headlines and comics from the past 100 years. This week we feature clips from 1938, 1948 and 1958. From the December 10, 1938 edition of The Springfield Evening Union Seventy years ago, this week, Domenico Del Delori, a.k.a. 'The Domino', survived a gangland shooting after being taken for 'a ride' from his employment at the Springfield Plastic Company. Forced to drive his own car at gun point to a spot past the Longmeadow Country Club, Del Delori feigned death after being shot twice. After being shot, Del Delori was able to drive to Thompsonville where he 'leaned on the horn' to attract attention. Four FBI agents were investigating the shooting. From the December 11, 1948 edition of The Springfield Daily News Ten years earlier, the Junior Chamber of Commerce started their annual placing of Toy Fund boxes at local businesses to help raise funds for needy children during the holidays. From the December 10, 1938 edition of The Springfield Evening Union On the 'women's pages' Mrs. Frank Murray had a leading role in a local production of 'The Old Mail.' The play was presented by the Springfield Players Guild at the Museum of Fine Arts. From the December 10, 1938 edition of The Springfield Evening Union And back in 1948, participants enjoyed a holiday spelling bee held at the Poli Theater in downtown Springfield. The event was broadcast over WMAS radio. From the December 11, 1948 edition of The Springfield Daily News The pages of The Republican and its predecessors can be found online through the Newsbank Historic archive. The Historic Archive includes editions from 1824 to 1989. Pages and clips can be printed or downloaded in pdf format. Children's book author Renata Bowers is as delightful in interview as her character Frieda B., whose name carries the message "free-to-be," is to read. The Connecticut resident believes story building can help children nurture their own possibilities. Her series of five "Frieda B." books involves her spirited, barefooted character imagining an adventure in tandem with dog Zilla, and learning about herself and engagement with others from the mishaps and pleasures that follow. Frieda B., said the 51-year-old Somers resident, "examples what it is like to use your imagination to explore the world that is unique to you." "You are free-to-be the one-of-a-kind, amazing story that is inside you," Bowers said. "This is the impetus to where this series has gone. I have loved every minute of it. Each book tackles a different adventure, life lesson. It is all about believing in your own story but being good to the stories of others. It has a very strong autonomy- community approach throughout the series." Bowers said she writes in rhyme so the books can be read aloud to the very youngest and "help develop within the child a sense of the written word." "This means," Bowers said, "that as the child moves into being three or four they are memorizing the story which helps them become readers and there is so much meat in the form of life lessons and I throw in some difficult vocabulary that the interest in the series stretches up to the fifth-grade reader." Writing the books has expanded into doing a related educator's handbook for a curriculum that focuses on what Bowers calls the "whole" child - their social and emotional development - and doing professional development with teachers. Schools that helped pilot the curriculum program last year that integrates with English language arts include Springfield's William N. DeBerry Elementary School, Wolf Swamp Road Elementary in Longmeadow and the Enfield (Conn.) Street School. In her forthcoming book, "Frieda B. Knows it's True . . .You Are Free to be YOU," with series illustrator Michael Chesworth of Amherst, Bowers uses her rhyme and rhythm approach to speak directly to the reader about writing the story within them. "The book that is coming out is the book that I have wanted to write but the series wasn't ready for it yet," said Bowers whose first book, "Frieda B. Herself," published in 2010. "The series needed to be established with a character and life lessons." In the first book, Bowers introduces her character as "the world's biggest dreamer" until one night her bedtime dreams won't come in a darkened room. Imagination, however, shows a frustrated Freida B. that such dreams can be nudged in many ways as she watches her pillow's feathers take flight and become farm animals. The book concludes by telling the reader "the world's biggest dreamer is also in you" and to "dream your dreams big and believe they can be." "It is a way for the reader to contemplate and say, 'Hey, I have my own dreams,'" Bowers said. "Each of the books that follows is about a different life lesson." She adds, "In 'Frieda B. Meets the Man in the Moon' Frieda dreams about her trip to the moon and ends up crashing into it because she is not paying attention." "The book is about conflict resolution. What do you do when you have hurt someone or when someone has hurt you and that is about the golden rule," she said. In "Frieda B. and the Zillabeast," Bowers said the lesson "is about putting others first." "If you are always making decisions to take care of yourself sometimes you are not the one who pays the price. People who you love pay the price," Bowers said. "Frieda B. ignores her mom calling her down for breakfast, she ignores her dog Zilla scratching at the door for breakfast because she is so excited about the book she wants to read. So, in the adventure the dog turns into a beast - there are clues throughout - because he is hungry. She did not feed him. This is all about the importance of putting others first." She describes "Frieda B. and the Finkledee Ink" as the one she identifies most with as Bowers said in her own life a teacher's belief in her as a writer encouraged her to pursue that as a college major rather than education. "The story is about believing in your own innate gifts," Bowers said. "There is nothing that you have to buy or get. It is already packaged inside you. It is also about the importance of finding people who believe in you and the importance of believing in others." She said the fifth book in the series, "A Great Day in the Dog Park" is "about empathy and seeing with your heart." "Things aren't always as they appear," said Bowers about the narrative in which a young boy is not very nice to Frieda B.'s dog. Bowers said in the new book due out Feb. 23, "Frieda is more of a tour guide" as she and Zilla join Bowers' narrative that begins with, "Hello there, dear reader! I am glad you are here./I have a story to tell, a tale most sincere/of a person whose heart is like gold through and through./My dear reader . . . this heart-of-gold person is YOU." Bower said the book "really takes everything I have taught in the earlier books and applies it back to the reader about believing in your own story." "Frieda brings us to her library and at the library we meet Miss Foster her favorite librarian. Miss Foster invites us in and we see that Frieda B. has a book and on the book that she shares it says 'I am Free to Be Me' and underneath is her name," Bowers said. "We notice other kids in the circle have a different book but it has the same title and under it is their name so we are starting to notice. This is exampling the concept of creating your own storybook." Bowers said she has "worked with thousands of children when I visit schools." "When I can look at a child and say, 'There is something inside you that no one else has - ever before or ever again - and something only you can do.' You see the child go, 'Really?,'" Bowers said. "We have such a competitive culture. The impression is often we are all chasing for one trophy. My goal is to open up for kids there is no one trophy. You have your own story. Your own dream. No one can take it from you. No one can duplicate it or do it the way you can do it." She added, "This is giving the child permission that she is free to be what she is good at and what she cares about and what she likes to explore." "It is all exampled in the earlier five books, but now it comes home to the reader in the new book," Bowers said. During the last eight years of publishing her books, Bowers has raised two sons, now 17 and 19, with her husband and created her company Frieda B. LLC, with Paula LaJoie. Her dog Lucy serves as the inspiration for Zilla and her cat makes an appearance in the new book. "I raised a family as I raised this series," Bowers said. "I have been working in schools, I have been working with parents, and I have been working in small adult groups and applying the same thing to us as adults. We should always be pursing our stories." Bowers also worked alongside Joel and JoAnn Bacon to author "Good Dogs, Great Listeners," a picture book to honor Charlotte Bacon who lost her life during the shootings at Sandy Hook School in 2012. Chesworth, who did the illustrations for the 1997 hardcover edition of "The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking" that include all three of Astrid Lindgren's stories, also did the illustrations for "Good Dogs, Great Listeners." Bowers, whose father was a musician, called Chesworth a "joy to work with." "He has such sensitivity for the child," Bowers said. "Sometimes he will fill a page with color, but other times he will have tons of white space as a place for the child's interpretation to go and have their own dreams which is a beautiful perspective." Bowers added she also likes how Chesworth depicts the relationship between Frieda and Zilla. "Frieda is the free spirit," Bowers said. "Zilla is the wise one. If Frieda is having fun, he is having fun. If she is in a pickle, he is figuring out how to help her through it. There is a lot that Michael draws into this character about friendship." This sense of both autonomy and community is what Bowers hopes is conveyed in her books. "We are happiest when we have both," Bowers said. "This is when we are celebrating the stories of others and others are celebrating our story." The "Frieda B." books are available at select bookstores and from Bowers' online store as well as from Amazon.com. A man attempting to cross Route 9 in Framingham was struck by a car Tuesday evening, the MetroWest Daily News reports. The man made it across three lanes of traffic before being struck on Route 9 westbound. The man was taken by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital and is expected to survive, the Daily News reported. Framingham police are investigating the crash but told the Daily News they do not expect to cite the driver. MassLive has reached out to Framingham Police for additional information. Massachusetts has the fastest-rising costs of public higher education in the country, according to a new report from the New England Board of Higher Education. The total cost of public higher education in Massachusetts is similar to other New England states, but it is rising at a faster rate. If the price of attending college in Massachusetts continues to rise at the rate it has been, people are going to turn elsewhere, said report author Stephanie McGrath, a policy and research analyst at the New England Board of Higher Education. We dont want to send our talent outside of Massachusetts. The New England Board of Higher Education is a policy group that researches public higher education in New England and promotes collaboration between the states. In Massachusetts, according to the report, the average tuition and fees for two semesters at a two-year public college in 2017-2018 were $6,131, an increase of 18 percent from 2012-2013. Tuition and fees in New England overall were $5,193, a jump of 16 percent over the same time period. Tuition and fees at a public four-year college in Massachusetts were on average $11,420, slightly lower than the New England average of $11,596. That represented an increase of 19 percent since 2012 in Massachusetts, compared to a 10 percent increase over the same time in New England. The amount students actually pay depends on how much financial aid they get. The report found that as costs rise, federal Pell grants cover less of the cost. But the study did not track out-of-pocket spending, which also depends on whether a student gets state aid or institution-based aid. It did note that Bridgewater University is one of the countrys most expensive public universities for low-income students. A student with a household income of less than $30,000 will pay an average of $15,800 there. McGrath said as costs rise, more students finance their education with student loans. When you graduate with that much student debt, it sets you further behind, she said. You delay buying homes or having children. Gov. Charlie Baker announced last year that the Department of Education will set aside an additional $7.5 million in financial aid for low-income community college students. Bob Hildreth, president of the Boston-based Hildreth Institute, an advocacy group that pushes to make higher education more affordable, said in a statement that the report shows that Massachusetts is moving in the wrong direction. Our public colleges are becoming more expensive each year, and low- and middle-income students cant keep up, Hildreth said. If we continue on this path of higher tuitions and increased student borrowing, we will leave an entire generation mired in debt, causing lasting financial harm to students by preventing them from saving and investing for the future. Today, there are more than 191,000 students attending Massachusetts' public colleges and universities. The YMCA of Greater Springfield has issued an apology to families after warning that staff would call the police and the Department of Children and Families if parents and guardians smelled of marijuana, other substances during pick-ups. A letter was sent home to families earlier this month regarding suspected use of marijuana by adults arriving at the facility on Chestnut Street to pickup children. Staff at the YMCA of Greater Springfield have smelled some of you out and have been instructed to document instances of anyone suspected of being under the influence, Uriah Rodriguez, the executive director of youth development, wrote in a letter sent home. While marijuana is now legal in Massachusetts, caring for children while under the influence can be considered neglect especially when operating a motor vehicle. The letter goes on to state, What you do on your leisure time is none of our concern. However, when your habit follows you into our facility it raises concerns about you being under the influence. At the end, it recommends families smell check" prior to arrival and warned that if parents or children smell of marijuana or an illegal substance we will notify DCF, and the local Police. The letter angered some parents and drew attention from the larger community when it was shared online. Marijuana is legal in Massachusetts for people 21 years old and older though there are limitations on use, similar to alcohol. Marijuana cannot be used in any form in public spaces where smoking tobacco is prohibited. An open container of any form of marijuana is not allowed in a motor vehicle, it must be stored in a closed container in a trunk or locked glove compartment and it is illegal to operate a vehicle under the influence. Two marijuana retail shops began selling marijuana for recreational use on Nov. 20, New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Northampton and Cultivate in the Worcester County town of Leicester. Massachusetts voters approved marijuana for medical use in 2012. Reached by MassLive on Wednesday, Rodriguez said the Y has since clarified the matter with parents, issuing a new letter this week. There is a policy that the YMCA adopts as a licensed provider of childcare, the second letter states. We are committed to prevent a parent or authorized person from picking up a child if they appear to be intoxicated or show signs of impaired physical condition that impacts their ability to assure the childs welfare. This is the policy that we will enforce. Rodriguez said references to smell checks was an error on his part. The letter was sent to parents following several instances in which staff became concerned a parent or guardian was under the influence. Childcare facilities cannot restrict an authorized parent or guardian from access to a child, though as mandated reporters, workers are required to report concerns about the welfare of a child. If a parent is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or another substance, the facility will call the police. If the concern is less immediate, such as suspected neglect, the facility will file a report with DCF. A jury found four former staff members of Casa Isla, a youth detention facility, guilty of abusing the teenage boys under their care. The jurors returned verdicts convicting former employees Jalise Andrade, 37, of Brockton; Silvio Depina, 40, of Brockton; Hermano Joseph, 27, of Taunton and Ainsley Laroche, 44, of Roxbury. They were found guilty of a total 19 crimes. This includes charges of indecent assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, intimidation of a witness, and/or threats to commit a crime against four victims. "These verdicts reflect unconscionable behavior by adults who abused and violated the young people in their care," Suffolk District Attorney John Pappas said in a statement. "But the verdicts also reflect the courage of those young people, who stood up against threats and intimidation to disclose the abuse." The men will remain out on bail until they are sentenced. Six men were originally being tried together related to the assaults. Emmanuel Fedna, 33, of Everett was found not guilty of two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon last Friday, after Judge Jeffrey Locke ruled that prosecutors did not prove their case against him beyond a reasonable doubt. A mistrial was declared for Raymond Pizarro, 27, of Hyde Park, and his case was separated from his co-defendants after his attorney became unavailable when his mother passed away. He will be tried separately. The jury heard eight days of testimony from boys who said they were abused at the facility and by former employees at Casa Isla. They deliberated for three days before returning the verdicts on Wednesday. MassLive is not naming the victims involved in the criminal case, as they were juveniles at the time of the alleged abuse. One young man, A.B., was 16 at the time of the abuse in 2014. He testified that Joseph sexually assaulted him, touching his genitals and his backside. Prosecutors said that staff at Casa Isla beat residents in a ritualized assault called "orange chicken." During these attacks, residents' pants and underwear were pulled down, and the child was beaten with an orange DYS-issued sandal. The staff members are facing charges for "orange chicken" assaults against two juveniles. Some are charged with threatening inmates with beatings if they revealed what happened to them. A.B. said he was also subject to "orange chicken." A.B. said the employees, including Laroche, Depina, and Joseph, would talk to the boys in the facility about "going to court." This meant they would have a mock hearing for a boy's alleged wrongdoing, and others would come up with an appropriate punishment. During his testimony, Laroche said he never beat the kids in his care. Defense lawyers portrayed the detainees as violent manipulative men who attacked staffers. He said he did his best to work with the teens, who often fought and needed to be restrained. "There were a lot of gang situations," Laroche said during testimony last week. "Kids coming in and starting lots of fights." A.B. testified about getting into fights with staff members but said he was defending himself and other younger children. During cross-examination lawyers for the former Casa Isla workers tried to portray A.B. as aggressive. They suggested the only reason he brought forward complaints or agreed to testify was for a shorter sentence in an unrelated case. They also called attention to his civil suit filed against the former Casa Isla workers. Theresa Conti, the program director at Casa Isla, said she never saw the abuse on the video cameras installed in the facility. She also never saw inappropriate behavior during her rounds at the facility or heard anything from her office, located above the kitchen area where detainees allege they were abused. There were no security cameras monitoring the kitchen or dining area, Conti said during the trial. Casa Isla was a locked facility for teenagers sentenced by the courts to the custody of the Department of Youth Services. It was located on Long Island, a now-unused island off Boston Harbor that, until a bridge was torn down in 2014, was home to various social services. The facility was run by Volunteers of America through a contract with the state. The men are scheduled for sentencing Friday afternoon. Shira Schoenberg of The Republican contributed to this report. AGAWAM -- The owners of Cecchi Farms Plantland are protesting plans by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company LLC to forcibly widen a pipeline corridor through their property at 1342 Suffield St. Edward J. Cecchi and Kathy Gaynor "vehemently oppose" any expanded easement through their flower and vegetable farm, according to their lawyer, Gary B. Liquori, of West Springfield. "There will be a significant decrease in the value of my clients' land," Liquori wrote to a federal agency. "The whole 4.3 acre parcel is being decreased in size and use, and this makes it unreasonable to do any business on the parcel." The taking "will be killing both their business and the value of their land," the protest letter states. "Please eliminate the proposed permanent easement." Liquori made the comments in a letter he filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Nov. 29. The five-member FERC has permitting authority over interstate natural gas pipelines. Companies building such pipelines have the power of eminent domain -- meaning they can seize land in exchange for "fair market value" -- according to the U.S. Natural Gas Act, which was enacted by Congress in the 1920s. In Agawam, Tennessee plans a set of undertakings known as the 261 Upgrade Projects. The projects would increase horsepower at the company's compressor station near the Connecticut border at 1615 Suffield St., and build two new miles of pipeline heading north. Tennessee proposes to widen its permanent easements through a number of Agawam properties. At the Cecchi farm, an existing 50-foot-wide corridor would be widened to 75 feet, according to a project map. It's not known if Tennessee has approached the Cecchi family with an offer. Edward Cecchi did not respond to messages seeking comment. A woman who answered the telephone at the farm said that Edward Cecchi and Kathy Gaynor are her son and daughter, and that the pipeline easement issue "is a real mess." Northeastern Gas Transmission Co., a precursor to Tennessee, took the current farm easement by eminent domain in 1951, according to Hampden County property records. At that time, the Cecchi family was awarded $60, and given a $300 damage release, for a 50-foot-wide strip of land starting at Shoemaker Lane heading north to farmland then owned by Antonio L. Farina. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities that year authorized dozens of land takings in Holyoke, Westfield, Northampton, Southampton, Agawam, Southwick and Easthampton as "necessary for the construction and use of a line for the transmission of natural gas for distribution to customers in the Commonwealth by other gas companies." The so-called "200 Line," owned by Tennessee Gas, a Kinder Morgan subsidiary, now traverses the southern tier of Massachusetts. There are various spurs, including the Northampton Lateral on the west side of the Connecticut River. Tennessee's 261 Upgrade Projects would enable more fuel for Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, which plans an expansion in the Springfield area. In a related endeavor, Tennessee plans more pipeline and a new meter station in Longmeadow. Matthew Beaton, Gov. Charlie Baker's energy and environment secretary, has ordered Tennessee to complete a full environmental impact report for the Agawam and Longmeadow projects. BELCHERTOWN -- Superintendent Karol G. Coffin announced on Tuesday the "possibility of a new school" that would replace Jabish Brook Middle School. She said right now is the beginning of a process that would include a request to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for money that would underwrite more than half of the costs. But first, Coffin said, a request will be made for the Belchertown Board of Selectmen to support the proposal with a "statement of interest" forwarded to the School Building Authority. Speaking at a meeting of the School Committee, Coffin said the plan is to make a presentation to the school board next month, followed by a meeting with selectmen in February. She said the deadline to submit the statement of interest to the School Building Authority is in March. If all of that happens, Coffin said, the school board would request an appropriation to fund a feasibility study at May's annual Town Meeting. The study would determine, with specificity, the problems with Jabish Brook Middle School, and what it would cost to build a new facility. In an interview, Coffin said the school, built in 1962, no longer meets the needs of the seventh- and eight-graders who attend. She said the building is outdated, not energy efficient and has numerous other problems that are expensive to fix. Coffin said "wire and cable connection challenges" are inadequate "for the technology we use now." She did not speculate what the feasibility study would cost. EASTHAMPTON -- Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, in Israel for an "economic and cultural exchange trip," said she is "proud to represent Easthampton on a global scale." The week-long study tour, sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Boston, is for Massachusetts municipal leaders "to look into the economic, political, and security challenges and successes facing Israeli society," according to a release from the nonprofit. "This trip will allow Massachusetts leaders to deepen their understanding of Israel's politics and culture, and examine some of the economic ties that bring Israel and Massachusetts together," said Jeremy Burton, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston. LaChapelle suggested that the trip has trade mission value, and that Easthampton would gain economic benefit from her sojourn. "As I have said numerous times, the City of Easthampton needs to be at the table to leverage the same prospects for growth and economic development from which other communities have benefited," she wrote in a Facebook post. LaChapelle said Massachusetts "has had a longstanding economic partnership with Israel." The mayor said she also hopes "to gain a broad understanding of a range of issues related to civil rights and economic justice, which are challenges not unique to Israel." In response to an online comment, LaChapelle said the $4,500 trip was funded by the Jewish organization, that other expenses would come from her own pocket, and that "absolutely no taxpayer dollars or city money are used for this trip." "The trips are developed according to the requirements of the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission, and I filed an ethics disclosure approximately two weeks before the trip," she added. Among other things, the municipal officials will "develop city-to-city connections" and "develop a nuanced understanding of the complex economic and security challenges facing Israel," according to the JCRC. Also on the trip are Boston city councilors Andrea Campbell, Jim Kaney, Mark Ciommo, and Edward Flynn; Elizabeth Pimental, chief of staff for Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell; Quincy councilor Nina Liang; Brookline Select Board member Heather Hamilton, Randolph councilor Katrina Huff-Larmond; Springfield councilor Justin Hurst, and Melrose alderman Mike Zwirko; according to the JCRC. The news comes days after Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper canceled her planned trip to Israel, which was to be funded by the Anti-Defamation League. Local activists, including members of Jewish Voice for Peace, had protested Kaspar's anti-terrorism training trip, citing Israeli's military occupation of Palestine. Vermont State Police also canceled their training in Israel. LaChapelle said on Facebook that the trips are different. "We will have opportunities to meet with and learn from entrepreneurs, business leaders, elected officials, security experts, professors, and medical professionals, among others. The agenda is not focused on policing," she wrote. The Jewish Community Relations Council exists "to advance Jewish values in the halls of government," according to its website. LaChapelle plans to return to Easthampton on Monday, said mayoral aide Alan Wolfe. Heath McAuliffe of Hopkinton is the eighth Massachusetts State Police trooper to face charges in connection with a scandal of overtime abuse, officials said. McAuliffe, 40, was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. He's scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston later Wednesday and is currently suspended from the State Police without pay. McAuliffe was assigned to the now disbanded Troop E, which was responsible for enforcement of the Massachusetts Turnpike, when he allegedly received overtime pay for hours that he did not work or for shifts in which he departed one to four hours early, according to the office of United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. McAuliffe earned $164,680 in 2016, including approximately $60,908 in overtime, and earned $180,215 in 2015, including approximately $83,496 in overtime, Lelling's office wrote in a statement. According to court documents, between Aug. 1, 2015, and Aug. 31, 2016, McAuliffe was paid $9,825 for overtime hours that he did not work. McAuliffe was allegedly able to conceal the overtime abuse by submitting citations that were issued prior to the overtime shift, altering the citations to create the appearance that citations were issued during the overtime shift and/or submitting citations that were never issued to drivers. "Colonel Gilpin and her Command Staff continue to implement operational and oversight reforms, and will continue to share overtime audit results with state and federal prosecutors to hold accountable department members who fail to uphold the code of integrity, honesty, and professionalism we demand," a State Police spokesman wrote in a statement. "Today's federal complaint, as well as the two plea agreements and the formal guilty plea expected to be accepted this afternoon, are the result of information we developed and provided to prosecutors for potential criminal charges. The conduct described in today's court actions do not define the Massachusetts State Police, and for proof of that one need only look at the overwhelming majority of Troopers who do their jobs with honor, bravery, and dedication each and every day." Before sitting down with members of the media Wednesday morning, Lelling said his office will keep investigating the use of overtime at the State Police while they have leads. "I can't give you an end point," he said. In addition to announcing that McAuliffe has been arrested and charged, Lelling's office said two retired troopers have agreed to plead guilty in the scandal. Retired Troopers David Wilson, 58, of Charlton, and Daren DeJong, 57, of Uxbridge, have both agreed to plead guilty pursuant to plea agreements filed Wednesday. Wilson and DeJong were arrested and charged with embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds on June 27, and July 25, respectively. A date for their plea hearings has not yet been scheduled. In 2016, Wilson, who was a lieutenant, earned approximately $259,475, which included approximately $102,062 in overtime pay, Lelling's office said. Wilson has agreed to plead guilty to having been paid $12,450 for overtime hours that he did not work, according to the statement. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of between six months and 12 months of incarceration. In 2016, DeJong earned $200,416, which included approximately $68,394 in overtime pay. DeJong has agreed to plead guilty to having been paid $14,062.50 for overtime hours that he did not work, the statement read. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of between six months and 12 months of incarceration. A total of seven troopers facing charges in the scandal have pleaded guilty or have agreed to plead guilty. On Wednesday, suspended Trooper Eric Chin, 46, of Hanover, is scheduled to plead guilty. He is currently suspended without pay. On July 2, former Trooper Gregory Raftery, 47, of Westwood pleaded guilty; on Sept. 14, suspended Trooper Kevin Sweeney, 40, of Braintree pleaded guilty; on Oct.11, suspended Trooper Gary Herman, 45, of Chester, pleaded guilty; on Nov. 28, former Trooper Paul Cesan pleaded guilty. Some of the troopers implicated in the scandal are also facing state charges. A Suffolk County grand jury indicted three former lieutenants on state charges earlier this year. Wilson, 68-year-old John Giulino of Lanesborough and 52-year-old David Keefe of Norfolk were indicted in September. State Attorney General Maura Healey said at the time that more indictments were expected in the future. The top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts declined to confirm or deny whether there is an investigation into a district judge who may helped an undocumented immigrant avoid federal immigration authorities in a Newton courthouse earlier this year. The Boston Globe recently reported a federal grand jury is looking into Judge Shelley Joseph. The newspaper reported the judge said "ICE is going to get him" to a state prosecutor and the defendant's attorney, and instructed a clerk to stop recording the court proceeding. The defendant later left the courthouse and avoided an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent inside. "I have no plans to prosecute judges," US Attorney Andrew Lelling said Wednesday during a sit-down with reporters. "I'll say this: I think that the coverage on that story... should be a reminder that the ICE agents who are enforcing immigration laws, they're doing just that," Lelling added. "They're enforcing a federal law. And so if you don't like that federal law, change the law." Until that happens, Lelling said, prosecutors and federal agents will enforce the law. "And as a corollary to that, if you obstruct what they're doing, you're committing a federal crime because you are obstructing enforcement of a federal law," he said. "And in an environment as politicized as this one, it seems to me people need to be reminded about this sometimes." "You mean judges?" one reporter asked. "Everybody," Lelling said. Asked whether ICE should be allowed in courtrooms, Lelling said, "ICE has its own guidelines that it follows, which actually are far more strict than people think they are, about when ICE agents...should or should not be in courthouses." Lelling maintained that ICE agents in courtrooms is not a common occurrence. Advocacy groups like the ACLU of Massachusetts have decried incidents of ICE agents arresting immigrants who show up for a court appearance, arguing such actions undermine the justice system and equal protection rights. Lelling claimed the practice has not had a chilling effect on immigrants cooperating with law enforcement, saying people already in the country illegally have always been leery of assisting federal officials. The problem hasn't ben exacerbated by ICE, Lelling said. In Newton, the defendant pursued by the ICE agent had current and prior drug charges, and was in the country illegally, according to Lelling. Lelling said he's had discussions with federal immigration, and when they request the prosecution of someone who was deported and reentered the country again, he responds with a request for the case to include a person with drug, gun or other felony charges. "That's where I'd like to focus our efforts because there appear to be more than enough of those people to fill whatever capacity I have and it lets me address two problems at the same time: One is the illegal immigration problem, the other is drug distribution and [the] gun violence problem," he said. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh hailed the incoming MBTA general manager and said he didn't have much of a relationship with his immediate predecessor. Massachusetts transportation officials said Tuesday that Luis Manuel Ramirez, hired by Gov. Charlie Baker and his transportation chief Stephanie Pollack, is leaving after just 15 months on the job at the public transit agency. Ramirez, a former General Electric executive who started in September 2017 at an annual salary of $320,000, is leaving with a payout that totals more than $150,000. His exit came on the same day that the system's employees grappled with signal problems on the Red Line during rush hour. Delays mounted and station platforms filled up with people attempting to get to work. Rumors of his departure circulated for months within the state transportation building, even before state officials delayed talk of a first-year bonus for Ramirez. Steve Poftak, vice chair of the board tasked with overseeing the MBTA after the system buckled from a battery of 2015 winter storms, starts as general manager on January 1. Poftak briefly served as interim general manager and has been the executive director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at the Harvard Kennedy School since 2012. "I think he'll be a good leader for the MBTA," Walsh told reporters. "I really didn't have much to do with the last general manager. He was in a couple of meetings with me, we didn't have much interaction. But I know Steve's career and his background is really strong." Walsh said Poftak provided advice after Walsh had won the 2013 mayoral race. Walsh added that the job of MBTA general manager is a "complicated position" and referred to Poftak as someone who understands the dynamics of a transit agency that often struggles to provide reliable service in and around Boston. "As our population grows here in Boston -- you know, we've added 100,000 new jobs in five years, means more people coming into Boston -- we're trying to encourage people to rely more on public transportation than take cars," the mayor said. "So to do that we have to have reliable service." At the time of the hiring of Ramirez in 2017, the six permanent or acting general managers had led the MBTA since 2011. "Someone like Steve, if he took this job, it's for the long term," Walsh said. "It's not for a short term and it's not a launching pad. He doesn't operate like that." Walsh said he didn't have more details on Ramirez's departure. "When I read about it today, I was kind of as shocked as anybody," Walsh said. Pollack, the transportation secretary, said she and Ramirez agreed now was a good time for a change in leadership. "This is a really tough job, running the MBTA, and almost no matter who is in the role, there's going to be challenges and there's going to be times where people feel there's not enough progress being made," said Chris Dempsey, director for the advocacy group Transportation for Massachusetts. "And our sense of it is there was just a feeling that there's time for a change, that there's an opportunity for the T to do better." Dempsey predicted Poftak will be a visible presence in public. "When you're interviewing people about him, they're going to say, 'Yeah we met with Steve, we know Steve,' and he'll have real engagement," he said. "And I think that's important. Especially given some of the talented people in transportation." Dempsey continued: "You have Secretary Pollack, who is really deep in on the policy and excellent on the policy. You have Jeff Gonneville, who's really good at keeping the trains running as best he can, given what he's dealing with on a day-to-day basis. And Steve will sort of slot in the middle there and be almost an ambassador for the T, and I say that in a complimentary way." For his part, Baker focused on Pollack staying on as state transportation chief, as his administration heads into its second term. "I think Luis did very well for us on some issues, particularly around contracting and procurement," Baker said after an event in Springfield. The most important thing going forward is Pollack staying where she is, he added. "I have every confidence in her," Baker said. Reporter Jim Kinney contributed to this report. CHICOPEE - Lawyers for three Chicopee home invasion suspects, including one who was shot by police, have expressed frustration about delays in releasing arrest reports and related documents. The complaints arose Tuesday in Chicopee District Court before a scheduled hearing to determine if the defendants were too dangerous to be released on bail. The suspects -- Ayman Khalifa, 20, of Springfield, Austin Shephard, 20, of Adams, and Efrain Diaz-Martinez, Jr., 23, of Springfield -- have been held since their arrest Dec. 3 following an alleged home invasion at a Plante Circle apartment. Khalifa, who allegedly pointed a pistol at two victims, was by a shot by an unidentified Chicopee police officer during a chase. The two other suspects were arrested nearby, according to court documents. Defense lawyer Susan Hamilton, representing Shephard, told a judge Tuesday that prosecutors have not turned over police reports, witness statements and other potential evidence despite repeated requests. She asked Judge Bethzaida Sanabria-Vega to either drop charges against her client or release him on $5,000 bail. Attorney Ellie Rosenbaum, who represents Diaz-Martinez, said she was still waiting for records that are routinely turned over to the defense in advance of dangerousness hearings. "We don't even have the gist of what is in the reports," Rosenbaum said. "This is a dangerousness hearing by ambush," she added. Assistant District Attorney Tyson Fung said the prosecution is making records available as soon as possible. "This is an ongoing investigation," Fung said, adding that the prosecution has responded to multiple document requests and even offered to deliver records to a defense lawyer's office late Monday. Defense lawyer Terrence Dunphy, representing Khalifa, also criticized the slow pace of discovery, but said it was likely caused by Chicopee and Massachusetts State Police, not the district attorney's office. The judge canceled the dangerousness hearing and continued the case for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 23. All three defendants will remain in custody, the judge ruled. Khalifa was shot in the shoulder and arm during a chase. A 9mm Berretta pistol was found nearby, the same weapon he had allegedly pointed at two home invasion victims several minutes before, according to the arrest report. The report offers no explanation for why the officer shot Khalifa, but states that both the officer and suspect were taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. Khalifa was released into police custody later that night, the report said. The shooting is being investigated by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's office. The officer who shot Khalifa has been placed on administrative duties during the investigation. The end of the federal investigation into overtime abuse at the Massachusetts State Police isn't in sight yet, a top prosecutor said Wednesday. US Attorney Andrew Lelling told reporters his office doesn't "relish" the ongoing investigation. "But I think it's necessary to do it," Lelling said. "It appears necessary, at least from what we've seen so far, to clean house a little bit at the State Police. We're going to keep investigating the use of overtime at the State Police while we have leads. So I can't give you an endpoint. I do think it's in the public interest we do this with all deliberate speed." Lelling spoke to reporters the Moakley federal courthouse in South Boston, minutes after his office sent out a release announcing the arrest of an eighth State Police trooper in federal investigation into the overtime abuse scandal. Heath McAuliffe, a 40-year-old Hopkinton man, was expected in court later in the day. Attorney General Maura Healey is conducting her own investigation at the state level. Lelling's office also announced two retired troopers, 58-year-old Charlton resident David Wilson and 57-year-old Uxbridge man Daren DeJong, agreed to plead guilty to earlier federal charges of embezzlement, bringing the total to seven who have pleaded guilty or agreed to do so. In the previously planned sit-down with reporters, Lelling noted both Gov. Charlie Baker and Col. Kerry Gilpin, the governor's pick to overhaul the State Police, have both said the law enforcement agency needs to "turn a corner" and "get past this." Lelling said he's instructed his office to do a "thorough investigation" but to move quickly so the embattled agency "can move on from this." Asked if he anticipates further indictments, Lelling said, "I think I anticipate further investigation." Investigators are reviewing "reams" of data and payroll records, though the information they've obtained goes back just a couple of years. Lelling was also asked how systemic the problem is, as the charged troopers hail from Troop E, which Baker and Gilpin abolished earlier this year as part of a series of reforms. "You just have to watch to see what becomes public from this office," Lelling said. "I think the fact that we're still doing this is an indicator of our view of the scope of the problem." Two firefighters were taken to the hospital with injuries while battling a three-alarm fire in Worcester early Wednesday morning. The Worcester Fire Department responded to 4 Allen St. just before 5 a.m. for a structure fire, which heavily damaged the multi-family building. Firefighters knocked down heavy flames showing through the roof and were still on scene spraying down the building at 8 a.m. Deputy Fire Chief Martin Dyer said two firefighters were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries -- one had an injured ankle and the other had an injured back, he said. It is not yet clear how many residents will be displaced, but Dyer said the number displaced will likely be in the teens. The fire remains under investigation and Dyer said it was too soon to say whether or not the blaze was suspicious The blaze was just blocks away from the site where Worcester Firefighter Christopher Roy died battling a five-alarm fire Sunday. Roy, assigned to Webster Square Station Ladder 4, lost his life after becoming trapped on the second floor of 7 Lowell St. Investigators met with tenants displaced by the Allen Street fire inside a nearby Dunkin' Donuts Wednesday morning. Emergency workers form the city were also on scene directing residents to the American Red Cross and other resources. December is a notoriously difficult month for the Worcester Fire Department. Six Worcester firefighters lost their lives on Dec. 3, 1999, in the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co. fire. The city just mourned those firefighters on the 19th anniversary of the blaze. And on Saturday, the city remembered Firefighter Jon D. Davies Sr., who died on Dec. 8, 2011, while battling a fire inside an Arlington Street three-decker. MassLive reporter Melissa Hanson contributed to this this story. President Donald Trump continued to push Democrats Wednesday to support his request for additional border security funding, arguing that a deadly terror attack at Frances largest Christmas market underscores the need for his proposed $5 billion investment. Hours after a gunman opened fire Tuesday at the market in Strasbourg, France -- killing three and wounding more than a dozen others --Trump took to Twitter to call on House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to give Republicans the votes to get additional boarder security. Another very bad terror attack in France. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security! he tweeted. Another very bad terror attack in France. We are going to strengthen our borders even more. Chuck and Nancy must give us the votes to get additional Border Security! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2018 The president further pointed to the Obama administrations Iran nuclear deal to suggest that while Democrats and former President Barack Obama gave Iran $150 billion and got nothing ... they cant give $5 billion for national security and a wall? Trumps tweet appeared to refer to suspect claims raised by opponents of the deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country reining in its nuclear weapons programs. The agreement reportedly freed up $150 billion in frozen assets for Iran, Politico noted. The Democrats and President Obama gave Iran 150 Billion Dollars and got nothing, but they cant give 5 Billion Dollars for National Security and a Wall? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2018 Trumps tweets came one day after the president publicly sparred with Pelosi and Schumer at the White House over including his requested funding to build a wall along the United States' southern border with Mexico -- a key promise of his 2016 presidential campaign -- in Congress' must-pass spending legislation. The president urged the Democratic leaders to help him pass the spending measure, arguing that they would be responsible if the government had to enter another shutdown. He further added that he would be proud to shut down the government for border security," according to White House pool reports. 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, he reportedly said. 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 down, and Im going to shut it down for border security. Senate lawmakers have agreed to a bipartisan spending plan that would set aside $1.6 billion for border security. That money, however, would be put toward fencing and other resources -- not a border wall, Politico reported. Although Republicans hold a majority in the chamber, any spending bill must receive at least 60 votes -- requiring at least some Democrats to sign on to the legislation. U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, however, questioned Wednesday why Trump is asking Congress to set aside funding for his proposed border wall. Wasnt Mexico supposed to pay for it? he tweeted, referencing the presidents campaign pledge to have Mexico cover the costs of a border wall. LAS VEGAS -- The Red Sox have agreed to a minor-league deal with outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, according to a report from Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Hernandez will earn $1 million if he makes the major-league roster. Hernandez, 31, appeared in 142 games for the Giants last season, hitting .243/.285/.391 with 15 homers and 40 RBI. The Venezuela native has played all three outfield positions throughout his career and is known for his defensive capabilities. The Red Sox don't have an obvious spot for Hernandez on the major-league roster without someone getting injured or traded, so it appears he'll be penciled in as a depth piece at Pawtucket for the time being. Boston is set with Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez as its four outfielders, though rumors about Bradley Jr. potentially being a trade candidate swirled around the Winter Meetings on Tuesday. Hernandez broke into the majors in 2012 with the Pirates and has posted a career .234/.295/.357 line with 20 homers in parts of five years with Pittsburgh, Miami and San Francisco. The Worldwideis expected to grow at an approximate CAGR of 17.5% during forecast period 2018 to 2023. The global Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) market is segmented on the basis of type, diagnosis, treatment, and end user. On the basis of the type, the market is segmented into sporadic CJD, hereditary CJD, and acquired CJD. On the basis of the diagnosis, the market is categorized into imaging, spinal fluid tests, brain biopsy, and others. The imaging segment is sub-segmented into electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT), and others. On the basis of the treatment, the market is segmented into opiate drugs, clonazepam, sodium valproate, and others. On the basis of the end users, the market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, research organizations, diagnostic centers, medical research institutes and others. Increasing prevalence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, growing the geriatric population, increasing per capita healthcare expenditure, and increasing R&D expenses drive the global market for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. However, factors such as lack of awareness, limited availability of therapeutics, and erroneous diagnostic results are estimated to restrain the market growth during the forecast period. Get Exclusive Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5875 Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Market Key Players: The Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) market are Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland), Mylan N.V. (U.S.), Sandoz International GmbH (Germany), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (India), Apotex Inc. (Canada), Par Pharmaceutical. (U.S.), GENERAL ELECTRIC (U.S.), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (The Netherlands), Medtronic (U.S.), Siemens AG (Germany), Accuray Incorporated (U.S.) and others. Intended Audience Pharmaceutical companies Biotechnological institutes Government and Private Laboratories Research and Development (R&D) Companies Medical Research Laboratories Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease Market Regional Analysis: The Americas dominate the global market for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) market. Presence of a huge patient population and a well-developed healthcare sector drives the regional market growth. Europe is second in the market due to the availability of funds for research and growing geriatric population. Regionally, Europe is divided into Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Western Europe leads the market due to the presence of developed economies like Italy, U.K, France, and others. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region for the global Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) market. Increasing geriatric population and a continuously developing healthcare sector within the region drives the market growth within the region. On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa holds the least share in the global Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) Market. This can be attributed due to the presence of poor economies, and stringent government policies, especially within the Africa region. A majority of the market of the Middle East & Africa is held by the Middle East owing to the presence of developed economies like Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, besides others and huge healthcare expenditure. Ask to Expertise @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/5875 Some of Major TOC Global Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023: 1 History and Evolution of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease 1.1 Scenario Analysis 2 Report Prologue 3 Introduction 3.1 Scope of Study 3.2 Research Objective 3.3 Assumptions & Limitations 3.3.1 Assumptions 3.3.2 Limitations 3.4 Market Structure 4 Research Methodology 4.1 Market Size Estimation 4.1.1 Market Share analysis 4.2 Market Pricing Approach T.O.C Continued.! LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market Industry Synopsis, 2017 2023 Table 2 Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market Estimates And Forecast, 2017 2023, (USD Million) Table 3 Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market By Region, 2017 2023, (USD Million) Table 4 Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market By Type, 2017 2023, (USD Million) Table 5 Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market By Diagnosis, 2017 2023, (USD Million) Get Discount @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/5875 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Research Process Figure 2 Segmentation For Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market Figure 3 Market Dynamics For Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market Figure 4 Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market Share, By Type 2016 Figure 5 Global Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Market Share, By Diagnosis 2016 Continued! About Market Research Future: MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com M-Health or Mobile Health refers to the medicine and public health practice supported by mobile communication devices, such as mobile phones, computers, tablet or PDAs, along with the wearable devices like smartwatches, which can be used for health services, information, and data collection-health devices are used to collect commutative clinical health data using mobile devices, real-time monitoring of patients vital signs, and provision of care via mobile telemedicine. Get Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2866 Global M-Health Device Market Competitive Analysis M-health device market is witnessing a fierce competition. Well-established players adorn the mHealth Application market as highly competitive. The key strategies traced from the analysis of recent developments of the key players include M&A, partnership, collaboration, and expansion. Key Players Some of the key players in this market are: Allscripts Apple Inc. GE Healthcare Athena health Cerner Koninklijke Medtronic Industry/Innovation/ Related News: October 05, 2018 Researchers at the University of California (US) presented their study of a mHealth platform that they have developed at the recent IEEE Healthcom 2018 conference. The new mHealth platform can predict a consumers blood pressure from wearable data and offer health and wellness advice to keep those readings healthy. This research shows that using wireless wearables and other m-health devices to collect and analyze personal data can help transition patients from reactive to continuous care where patients and doctors access to this type of system enabling themselves to manage their symptoms continually. Global M Health Device Market Regional Analysis The Global M-Health Devices Market is growing rapidly. The market for M-Health Devices growing with the CAGR of 35.03% during the forecast period from 2017-2023. This growth is due to the cost effectiveness of these devices and easy storage and transfer of patient data. North America accounts for largest market share in 2016 and is expected to reach US$ 16,443.4 million in 2023 due to establishment of healthcare system and technological advancement. Browse Complete 102 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 60+ Respective Tables and Figures @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/m-health-device-market-2866 In North America, US accounts for the highest market share followed by Canada. Europe is second largest market. In Europe has largest market followed by France and Italy. This is due to increase in efficiency of healthcare workers and healthcare system. Asia-Pacific region is the fastest growing market for m-health devices, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 35.71% during the forecast period from 2016 to 2023 is due to the emergence of high-quality and better healthcare infrastructure and institutions in this region. Global M Health Device Market Segments Global M-Health Device Market has been segmented on the basis of Type (Medical Devices, Health and Fitness Devices and Other Devices), by Application (Monitoring application, Treatment and Diagnostics, Education and Awareness, Healthcare Management, Wellness and Prevention and Others) Major Table of Content Chapter 1. Report Prologue Chapter 2. Market Introduction 2.1 Definition 2.2 Scope of the Study 2.2.1 Research Objective 2.2.2 Assumptions 2.2.3 Limitations Chapter 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation Chapter 4. Market Dynamics Continued. To Know More Enquire @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2866 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com The segmentation and prime drivers and restraints of the global in vitro fertilization market are analyzed in detail in the report. The report looks into accurate primary and secondary research in order to gain a correct picture of the markets current status and uses powerful analytical tools to elaborate on the markets likely trajectory over the forecast period (2018-2023). The growing prevalence of infertility problems and the steady technological advancement in IVF procedures is likely to drive the global in vitro fertilization device market over the forecast period. In vitro fertilization can act as a solution for several conditions that inhibit fertilization in the natural manner and has thus grown in demand steadily over the last few decades. The growing prevalence of chronic, lifestyle-related medical conditions is likely to further drive the prevalence of infertility in countries across the world, driving the demand for in vitro fertilization over the forecast period. Get Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2289 In Vitro Fertilization Market Competitive Analysis Key players in the global in vitro fertilization market include Cooper Surgical Fertility, Oxford Gene Technology, INVO Bioscience, Genea Limited, GENEA BIOMEDIX, Vitrolife, Irvine Scientific, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Merck KGaA, and Cook medical. In Vitro Fertilization Market Segmentation The global in vitro fertilization market report segments the global market on the basis of type, product, end user, and region. By type, the global in vitro fertilization market is segmented into intrauterine insemination, in-vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and IVF using donor eggs. The share of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in the global IVF market is likely to remain strong over the forecast period, as the method has become extremely popular in recent years. By product, the global in vitro fertilization market is segmented into devices and reagents. The devices segment is sub-segmented into imaging systems, sperm separation systems, ovum aspiration pumps, cerosystem, and micromanipulators. The reagents segment is divided into embryo culture media, cryopreservation media, sperm processing media, and ovum processing media. By end user, the IVF market is segmented into fertility clinics, hospitals, and clinical research centers. In Vitro Fertilization Market Regional Analysis Europe is likely to be a major contributor to the global IVF market over the forecast period. The medical research sector in Europe is highly advanced and houses well-developed IVF procedures. Medical tourism in Europe has also taken off in a big way, with countries such as the Czech Republic emerging as a popular destination for Americans looking to obtain IVF treatments at a cheaper rate. The U.K., France, and Germany are likely to play key roles in the development of the in vitro fertilization market in Europe over the forecast period. Browse Complete 80 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 150 Respective Tables and Figures @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/in-vitro-fertilization-market-2289 The Asia Pacific in vitro fertilization market is also likely to take off spectacularly over the forecast period due to the growing medical tourism in the region, including medical tourism for fertility treatments, and growing prevalence of infertility problems in APAC countries themselves. The growing population of APAC countries is likely to provide fertility clinics with a rich market in the coming years, leading to steady growth of the in vitro fertilization market over the forecast period. North America is also likely to remain a steady contributor to the global in vitro fertilization market over the forecast period due to the growing prevalence of infertility conditions among North American men and women. Major Table of Content Chapter 1. Report Prologue Chapter 2. Market Introduction 2.1 Definition 2.2 Scope of the Study 2.2.1 Research Objective 2.2.2 Assumptions 2.2.3 Limitations Chapter 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation Chapter 4. Market Dynamics Continued. To Know More Enquire @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2289 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, December 12, 2018 The lede on the Los Angeles Times story about CBS' sale of its landmark Television City studios this week was a classic. For CBS Corp., the price was right, read the first sentence of the story, which was posted on the newspapers Web site, LATimes.com, late Monday evening, shortly after the announcement went out from CBS. When the deal closes, Television City will be sold to a Los Angeles developer called Hackman Capital Partners. The property comprises offices, parking lots and studios for CBS shows such as The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Price is Right (pictured above with host Drew Carey). advertisement advertisement The property sits on 25 acres of developable real estate. The purchase price is $750 million. CBS' press release says the shows it produces there will stay put for at least five years. And some corporate offices will remain as well. In addition, these real estate developers bought the rights to the Television City name, which they can continue to use. Television City Condos, anyone? That's intended as a joke. The fact is, these developers might redevelop Television City as modern production studios designed to serve the explosion of video content that is being produced these days. These developers are apparently working elsewhere on updating historic studio complexes in L.A. Despite the five-year clause in the CBS press release, one gets the feeling that CBSs days at the Television City complex -- which it opened in 1952 and has been a local landmark ever since -- are numbered. The company owns another production center in L.A. and could build another one, although this was not mentioned in the company's announcement. Not to get overly sentimental about a group of buildings housing offices and production facilities, but the sound stages, corridors and dressing rooms in the Television City complex do echo down the decades with the sounds of TV history. Wikipedias entry on Television City includes a list of the shows that were made there -- everything from All in the Family and The Carol Burnett Show to The Smothers Brothers and Sonny & Cher. The very name of the complex -- Television City -- feels aspirational. Wikipedia's history of the facility doesn't say this, but one gets the feeling the name was taken from Radio City, the ornate, palace-like New York facility built in the Golden Age of radio. The name Television City seems to say: New York can have its Radio City; the future belongs to television, and Los Angeles is where the shows are going to be made. And so they were. It may be no coincidence that the company is selling Television City in the same year, and not long after, the dismissal of long-time CBS potentate Leslie Moonves. In the wake of that sea change in the companys leadership, a handful of other long-time executives have left or announced their retirements as well, signaling that CBS -- which more than any other broadcast network represents the traditional ways in which the business of television has long been conducted -- might now be preparing to undertake a company-wide program of modernization. Here in New York, the company's most visible real estate possessions are its headquarters building on Sixth Avenue known as Black Rock (opened in 1965), the sprawling (and maze-like) CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street, and the Ed Sullivan Theater building on Broadway that was purchased to house the new Late Show with David Letterman in the early 1990s. With Television City in Hollywood now sold, can the sale of these landmarks, each representing the glorious past of network television, be far behind? by Tanya Gazdik , December 11, 2018 JetBlue is celebrating the holidays with a campaign that includes a sweepstakes. The festive Go Get Gifted program invites travelers to enter for a chance to become a literal holiday gift to surprise their loved ones on Christmas Eve. The contest portion of the campaign ends Dec. 12. The airline will turn the five winners into literal holiday gifts by flying them home to surprise loved ones and gift-wrapping them from head to toe. A 30-second spot from MullenLowe shows a family having dinner with one of the family members wrapped up in holiday paper (because of the rule to not open presents until Christmas morning.) A 6-second spot shows the mummified-with-giftwrap family member banging his (her?) head against the front door as a muffled Mom! is uttered from beneath the paper. Another 6-second spot shows the gift-wrapped person stealing a bow from another package beneath the Christmas tree. advertisement advertisement The videos are online only and are being shared across JetBlue's social media pages. More than 153,000 consumers have entered the contest thus far at www.jetblue.com/GoGetGifted. Contestants can choose how they would like to be gift wrapped, including wrapping paper print and bow style. Its easy to get wrapped up in holiday shopping, but we know that sometimes the perfect present is your presence, Heather Berko, manager, advertising & content, JetBlue, tells Marketing Daily. Thats why we created Go Get Gifted, to help customers give their loved ones the best gift this year: themselves. The airline looks for new ways to engage customers through contests and campaigns and make their travel experience a little more enjoyable, she says. Most recently, we celebrated JetBlue for Good Month in November by sending volunteers to a mystery location dubbed Destination Good to participate in philanthropic work, Berko says. Winners of our #CheckInForGood contest were chosen to volunteer on this special trip and were surprised with the reveal of the location, the Dominican Republic, moments before boarding their JetBlue flight. by Melynda Fuller , December 11, 2018 Times 2018 Person of the Year issue hits newsstands this Friday, honoring The Guardians and addressing the War on Truth. The people honored include Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist murdered at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in early October, Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, both imprisoned by the government of Myanmar, and journalist Maria Ressa, who was indicted in the Philippines. "Guardians" also include The Capital Gazette, where five staff members were murdered by a gunman in Annapolis last summer. Time Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal stated: "Today, democracy around the world faces its biggest crisis in decades, its foundations undermined by invective from on high and toxins from below, by new technologies that power ancient impulses, by a poisonous cocktail of strongmen and weakening institutions. advertisement advertisement This year, we are recognizing four journalists and one news organization who have paid a terrible price to seize the challenge of this moment. They are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the world who risk all to tell the story of our time. Felsenthal noted in his statement that as of December 10, at least 52 journalists have been murdered around the world. 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., writes Times Karl Vick in his cover story. 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." Runners up for the title included Donald Trump, Robert Mueller, The Activists, Moon Jae-In, Ryan Coogler and Meghan Markle. by Melynda Fuller , December 11, 2018 On Monday, British GQ launched a new digital-first property called GQ Hype. The new free edition posts every Monday morning and has its own dedicated cover along with original content. According to a letter from Dylan Jones, editor of British GQ, the letter was born from necessity, as the paid digital edition of the magazine became increasingly popular. In fact, the outlet found itself publishing each monthly issue on the app as soon as it was complete and before the print edition could read newsstands. Jones writes, posting the digital issue early brought a massive uplift in response, meaning sales of our paid-for digital magazine are climbing at a faster rate than ever before. The outlet has also seen its website grow this year by an average of 40% and saw the launch of GQ Hype as an opportunity to further expand its digital reach beyond paid content. advertisement advertisement GQ Hype features content across fashion, politics, video, sports, food, travel and other topics. It will be comprised of articles published during the week on the GQ website including its weekly car review, Brexit update and personal training column to build a weekly magazine. The launch of GQ Hype offers an alternative entryway to the GQ world, one that marries the orthodoxies of magazine publishing with the immediacy of digital access, establishing a new publishing model that will produce the very best of both worlds, Jones stated. GQ Hypes launch comes as Conde Nast announced the departure of CEO Bob Sauerberg. The company is searching for its next CEO, who will lead a combined Conde Nast and Conde Nast International. Additionally,WWD reported last week that editors across titles at the publisher have been tasked with identifying where their budgets can be cut, including staff reductions and production expenses. According to WWD even once-safe titles like Vogue, Wired and the New Yorker are required to trim down, as are international titles. This comes as legacy print titles like Glamour go digital-only, with the exception of a few printed special issues a year. Speaking to the need for transformation in todays publishing environment, Jones wrote of GQ Hype: GQ is entering its fourth decade and as parts of the publishing industry continue to be radically affected by market forces, changing consumer patterns and the varietal nature of delivery systems, the GQ brand continues to grow. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, December 12, 2018 ReDigi, a company that sought to create a used marketplace for digital music, infringed Capitol Records' copyright by illegally reproducing iTunes tracks, a federal appellate panel in New York ruled Wednesday. The ruling, issued by a three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, largely upheld a decision issued in 2013 by a trial judge in New York. Wednesday's ruling stems from a battle dating to 2011, when ReDigi launched a platform that enabled iTunes users to re-sell unwanted tracks. ReDigi, which declared bankruptcy in 2016, said its platform scanned users' hard drives for proof that consumers' music was acquired legally and then transferred tracks to the cloud while simultaneously deleting them from the original users' hard drives. Soon after ReDigi debuted, it was sued for copyright infringement by Capitol Records. Capitol argued that consumers weren't selling the same works that they purchased, but copies they uploaded to the cloud. That model is illegal, Capitol said, because only the copyright owner has the right to make copies. advertisement advertisement The label also said that even if the tracks are removed from people's hard drives, users may have kept copies of the files on other devices. ReDigi countered that its business model was protected by the "first sale" concept, which gives consumers the right to resell products they legally purchased. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Sullivan in New York sided with Capitol. Sullivan said in his ruling that the first sale doctrine only applies to "material items" and not digital files. ReDigi then asked the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse that finding. Among other arguments, the company said its system only transferred music from users' computers to the cloud, as opposed to reproducing it. The appellate judges rejected that contention, ruling that ReDigi's system inevitably involves the creation of new phonorecords by reproduction. The appellate judges also noted that ReDigi couldn't guarantee that users didn't retain duplicates of the same music they sought to re-sell. A user could, prior to resale through ReDigi, store a duplicate on a compact disc, thumb drive, or third-party cloud service ... and access that duplicate post-resale, Circuit Judge Pierre Leval wrote in an opinion for the panel. ReDigi had argued that a ruling against its service would leave consumers without the ability to re-sell digital music, short of selling their hard drives or other physical equipment. But the appellate judges seemed to suggest that users could still potentially re-sell digital music by transferring it to a physical thumb drive. A secondary market can readily be imagined for first purchasers who cost effectively place 50 or 100 (or more) songs on an inexpensive device such as a thumb drive and sell it, Leval wrote. Furthermore, other technology may exist or be developed that could lawfully effectuate a digital first sale. Luft and colleagues published their findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. New research provides further details on the role of alpha brain waves in the creative process. Caroline Di Bernardi Luft, Ph.D., from the Queen Mary University of London in the United Kingdom, led a team to the finding that higher alpha brain wave activity correlates with peoples ability to come up with less obvious or well-known ideas. More recently, scientists have hypothesized that alpha waves might serve to inhibit certain cortical areas when these are not necessary. Some researchers have even suggested that there is an association between the strength of these waves and creativity. Alpha waves are strong when the brains visual cortex is resting. For example, when a person is relaxed and closes their eyes, alpha wave activity is higher. When they open their eyes, this attenuates alpha activity. Scientists attempts at deciphering the neurological processes that explain creativity have recently zeroed in on the brains so-called alpha waves . Creativity often means taking the road less traveled. New research identifies the neural mechanism that enables us to come up with unexpected associations and original ideas. The researchers used electrical current to stimulate the right temporal part of the brain at the alpha frequency while the participants engaged in a range of creative tasks. To stimulate the brain, the researchers used a noninvasive procedure called transcranial alternating current brain stimulation (tACS). Using an electroencephalogram (EEG), the researchers monitored the effect that tACS had on different brain waves. The tasks that the participants took part in involved word associations. When it needs to find words that connect to one another, the brain typically starts with stronger or more common associations and gradually moves on toward less familiar ones. For instance, if we start with the word cat, we might initially associate it with words such as dog, animal, and pet, before gradually moving toward more remote concepts, such as human, people, and family. The authors of the new study have applied the findings of previous research and taken remote associations to be a marker of creativity. When the participants had higher levels of alpha brain waves in their right temporal brain area, they came up with associations that were more remote and less expected. Study co-author Joydeep Bhattacharya, who is a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, comments on the findings. He says, Two roads diverged in a wood, I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference, wrote Robert Frost in his famous poem. Taking a less traveled route is needed for thinking creatively, and our findings provide some evidence on how this is done in our brain. The studys lead researcher also comments to explain how the findings illuminate the nature of creativity and how alpha brain waves help inhibit habitual ways of thinking in favor of unexpected, more ingenious ones. 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 studys novelty is to demonstrate that right temporal alpha oscillations is a key neural mechanism for overriding these obvious associations. Caroline Di Bernardi Luft In order to understand the processes underlying the production of novel and adequate ideas, Luft continues, 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. Urine comprises water, salts, and waste products from the kidneys. The balance of these compounds can affect the urines acidity levels, which specialists measure in pH. The pH is the measurement of how acidic or alkaline a persons urine is. Doctors often test the urine pH, and they may perform other diagnostic tests, when a person has symptoms that may be related to a problem in the urinary tract. What is the normal pH of urine? Share on Pinterest A pH test looks at how acidic or alkaline a persons urine is. According to the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, the average value for urine pH is 6.0, but it can range from 4.5 to 8.0. Urine under 5.0 is acidic, and urine higher than 8.0 is alkaline, or basic. Different laboratories may have different ranges for normal pH levels. The laboratory report will explain the normal and abnormal levels for the specific laboratory. A doctor will usually explain these results to the person. What do abnormal pH levels mean? One of the major factors affecting urine pH is the food that a person eats. A doctor will likely ask a person about the foods they typically eat before evaluating their urine pH results. Acidic foods include: grains fish sodas high-protein foods sugary foods Alkaline foods include: nuts vegetables most fruits If a person has a high urine pH, meaning that it is more alkaline, it might signal a medical condition such as: kidney stones urinary tract infections (UTIs) kidney-related disorders A person can also have a higher urine pH due to prolonged vomiting. This rids the body of stomach acid, which can make body fluids more basic. Acidic urine can also create an environment where kidney stones can form. If a person has low urine pH, meaning that it is more acidic, it might indicate a medical condition such as: diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a complication of diabetes diarrhea starvation Taking certain medications can also make a persons urine pH more basic or acidic. A person should ask their doctor if they should stop taking certain medications the night or morning of a urinalysis. However, sometimes a doctor will want a person to continue taking these medications to determine a persons urine pH while they are taking them. Why people test urine pH Because many factors affect urine pH, and because it can vary greatly, a doctor cannot diagnose a medical condition based on pH alone. For instance, a pH of over 7 could signal a UTI or a different kind of infection. A doctor may consider urine pH along with other symptoms to make a diagnosis. They may also order a urine pH test to study the effectiveness of kidney stone treatments. Medications such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (acetazolamide) aim to make urine more alkaline, so a doctor may take more than one sample to see whether the pH is changing. How to test urine pH Share on Pinterest A doctor will look at the color and appearance of the urine. Sometimes, a doctor may ask for a clean-catch urine sample to prevent bacteria from entering the sample. This means that a person will clean their genital area, release a small amount of urine, and collect 12 ounces of urine for pH testing. A urinalysis has three major components: Visual exam: When a doctor or laboratory technician examines the urine, they will look at its color, whether foreign material such as blood is present in the urine, and whether the urine appears foamy. When a doctor or laboratory technician examines the urine, they will look at its color, whether foreign material such as blood is present in the urine, and whether the urine appears foamy. Dipstick test: A dipstick test involves holding a piece of specially treated paper, or litmus paper, in a urine sample. The dipstick will change color to show how acidic or alkaline the urine is. It may also change color if other substances, such as glucose, white blood cells, bilirubin, or proteins, are present in the urine. A dipstick test involves holding a piece of specially treated paper, or litmus paper, in a urine sample. The dipstick will change color to show how acidic or alkaline the urine is. It may also change color if other substances, such as glucose, white blood cells, bilirubin, or proteins, are present in the urine. Microscopic exam: A laboratory technician will examine a small amount of urine under a microscope to look for particles, such as red blood cells, crystals, or white blood cells. These are not usually present in the urine and can indicate an underlying medical condition. A urine pH test does not cause side effects. A person will urinate as they normally would to provide the sample. Many people living with type 2 diabetes monitor their blood sugar levels on a daily basis, but does that really make a difference to health? A new study suggests that they may be over-monitoring. Share on Pinterest Many people with type 2 diabetes are testing their blood sugar levels too often, new research finds. According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, about 30.3 million people in the United States live with diabetes, which equates to almost one in 10 individuals. The most commonly diagnosed form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes, which, more often than not, does not require insulin injections. Instead, people with type 2 diabetes can manage their condition by taking the appropriate medication. A drug that doctors often prescribe for this form of diabetes is metformin, which helps people keep their blood sugar levels under control. As keeping blood sugar in check is so important in diabetes, endocrinologists advise people with this condition to perform regular, simple blood tests that they can do at home with the appropriate devices. However, emerging evidence suggests that many people living with type 2 diabetes may be erring too much on the side of caution and taking these tests too often, without deriving any real benefits from doing so. A new study by researchers from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor suggests that a significant percentage of people with type 2 diabetes test their blood sugar levels at least twice a day. LEEP stands for loop electrosurgical excision procedure. Doctors perform them to detect or treat cervical cancer. During a LEEP, an electrical current passes through a loop of wire. A doctor uses the wire to cut abnormal cells from the cervix. They send a sample of these cells to a laboratory to detect signs of cancer or other conditions. This article will describe what to expect during a LEEP, as well as the side effects and recovery. Uses Share on Pinterest A doctor may suggest a LEEP if a person is experiencing cervix- or vagina-related issues. A LEEP can help diagnose or treat cervical cancer. A doctor may suggest a LEEP if a person is having symptoms that indicate a problem with the cervix or vagina. They may also suggest a LEEP if they find abnormalities during a pelvic examination or a Pap smear. The purpose of a LEEP is to extract abnormal cells for further testing. The results will inform a doctor about whether a person has an underlying illness and what steps they should take next. A LEEP can help distinguish between precancerous cells and other abnormal cell types, such as polyps. Precancerous cells are abnormal cells that may eventually develop into cancer. Cervical polyps are small growths of tissue that can form in the cervix. Polyps are usually benign, which means they are not cancerous. A LEEP can also detect conditions that increase the risk of cervical cancer, such as human papillomavirus, which is commonly known as HPV. What to expect A person will undergo a LEEP in a sterile environment, such as a doctors practice or hospital. If a person has recently had a fever or any unusual vaginal bleeding, it is vital to inform the doctor before the procedure. The doctor will usually perform a LEEP when a person is not menstruating, as this will provide a better view of the cervix. At the start of the procedure, the doctor will administer a local anesthetic to minimize any discomfort. The person will then lie on their back and place their legs on stirrups. The doctor will insert a speculum into the vagina. A speculum is a small metal device that opens the vagina, allowing the doctor to examine the vagina and cervix. Some procedures involve the use of a colposcope, which magnifies tissues inside the vagina and cervix to help a doctor see better. Occasionally, a doctor may also apply a vinegar solution to the cervix. This can make abnormal tissues more visible. It may cause a tingling sensation in the area, but it should not be painful. Following this preparation, the doctor will insert the loop device through the vagina to reach the cervix. They will extract abnormal cells by gently scraping the surface of the cervix. One or two passes of the loop should be sufficient to extract a sample. It is possible for the procedure to cause feelings of faintness. If this happens, it is crucial to inform the doctor and remain calm and still. Sudden movements may cause further complications. Once the procedure is complete, a person should rest for 1015 minutes. The doctor will send the samples to a laboratory for testing. Recovery and aftercare It can take several weeks to fully recover from a LEEP. During this time, a person may experience some bleeding, discolored discharge, and mild abdominal cramping. Over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen, can help reduce abdominal discomfort. If the cramping becomes severe, contact a doctor immediately. There may be some bleeding during a LEEP, but the doctor will cauterize the area to seal any broken blood vessels and reduce the chance of substantial bleeding. They may also apply a paste to help prevent bleeding. Some bleeding can, however, occur for up to 2 weeks after the procedure. If a person experiences heavy bleeding, they should contact a doctor immediately. The doctor will usually advise against putting anything into the vagina, including tampons, for the first few weeks after surgery. Also, avoid strenuous activity during recovery. Several follow-up visits will be necessary so that the doctor can monitor healing. Side effects and risks Share on Pinterest Some people may experience mild abdominal cramps following a LEEP. A LEEP is a very safe procedure. Some people may experience mild abdominal cramps and bleeding during recovery. In rare cases, other risks include: infection scarring of the cervix difficulties getting pregnant a preterm birth the birth of an underweight baby Some factors can complicate a LEEP, including: pregnancy menstruation inflammation around the cervix It is essential to inform the doctor about any of these factors before undergoing the procedure. When it comes to being popular, no one can compete with the Pataudi/Khan family. As if Saif and Kareena weren't enough, along came the whirlwind called Taimur, and took the nation by storm. Post that, Sara's spunky appearance on Koffee along with her mature performance in Kedarnath got her a huge fan base already. One person in the family, who hasn't yet been under the pap lights, is Ibrahim. His latest Instagram post, however, tells us that is going to change soon. Take a look. Instagram/iakpataudi Ibrahim is already famous as Saif's taller carbon copy. He looks exactly like a younger version of his dad - only with better clothes. Instagram/iakpataudi While Sara looks like a young Amrita, Ibrahim has the royal charm that Saif is all about, and we can't help but think that he has all the potential to make a kickass Bollywood star - at least superficially, for now. Instagram/iakpataudi We like his old school style game, that is reminiscent of the Pataudi brand of sophistication. We love the subtle shirt along with the bow he is sporting here. Instagram/iakpataudi What we find really interesting is that despite looking exactly like Saif, he is way taller. Plus, he has the unusual exotic features that will easily set him apart in an industry already crowded with good-looking men. Twitter Twitter Instagram/iakpataudi All the best, Ibrahim! London Metal Exchange base metal prices have made a typically tentative start to trading on Wednesday December 12, with copper, aluminium and zinc all trading down against yesterdays close. Here is how the LME base metals complex looked at 11.40am... JOURNALIST: What is the purpose of your visit to Vietnam? How would you describe the relations between Greece and Vietnam in the previous years? T. QUICK: It is the second time in less than two years that a Greek Government representative visits Vietnam. In February 2017, the first official visit of Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Kotzias, which was reciprocated by his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Binh Minh, last July, signalled our expressed willingness to further develop our close and friendly relations. The signing by the two Foreign Ministers of the "visa-waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic passports" between Greece and Vietnam, due to enter into effect as soon as Vietnam completes its internal procedures, marks the strengthening of our ties. Indeed, my visit is a confirmation of our unquestionable support for further developing and strengthening the cooperation between Greece and Vietnam in a number of sectors, namely trade, tourism, shipping, technology, energy, and construction. The list is endless, as are the possibilities of partnership and cooperation. JOURNALIST: How would you describe the dynamics of bilateral cooperation between Greece and Vietnam, particularly in trade and economic growth? T. QUICK: With a population over 95 million and a fast growing economy, Vietnam represents an emerging power in South-East Asia, which in tandem with the technical know-how and the dynamism of Greek companies, provides numerous opportunities for synergy and mutual development across a wide range of activities. We have no doubt that with an incoming number of tourists three times the size of the Greek population, and a tourist industry which breaks every possible record, Greek businesses are well equipped in terms of expertise, experience and human resources to help develop the tourism sector in Vietnam. The rich culture, hospitality and the beautiful natural environment that our countries have in common guarantee the success of our joint endeavours. Synergies in transport and supply, shipping and energy can build on the basis of Greek know-how in the maritime and energy sectors as well as in infrastructure and the development of actions which will combine highly skilled Greek workforce and high technology with Vietnamese business competence and trade opportunities. Especially when it comes to the construction sector, Greek companies are active on the international stage, while a variety of products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, famous food products and raw materials form the basis for market development and ensure mutual economic growth. There are countless opportunities. It is up to us to seize them. We have professionalism, diligence and competitiveness, and Greek businesses know that in Vietnam they will have the opportunity to work with reliable and honest partners. JOURNALIST: The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is expected to be ratified by the end of 2018. In your opinion, how will the Agreement affect trade between the two countries in the coming period? T. QUICK: After the legislative work is completed this summer, I hope that the European Parliament will quickly approve the Agreement, in order to allow businesses, workers, farmers and consumers to reap the benefits as soon as possible. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement is the most ambitious and comprehensive agreement which the EU has ever agreed with a developing country. It shows Vietnam's dynamic approach to the pursuit of international integration for the benefit of its citizens. The Agreement will give rise to new opportunities for European and Vietnamese bodies to export and invest. It will bring about unprecedented advantages and benefits to European and Vietnamese businesses, workers and consumers. Vietnam presents a huge business potential for European exporters and investors, now and in the future. It represents one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia, with a dynamic market of more than 95 million consumers, an emerging middle class and a young workforce. Greece favours all agreements that facilitate development and progress, especially those that promote trade relations between States as a means of preserving and accelerating economic development. For this reason, Greece is a staunch supporter of timely completion and full implementation of trade and investment agreements. As a member state of the European Union situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, the Balkans, Western Europe and Asia, Greece possesses the geographic location, the infrastructure (ports, airports, motorways) and the human capital in order to be a commercial hub for the support and the development of trade and investment flows to and from Europe. https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnam-has-massive-potential-for-eu-businesses-greek-diplomat/143277.vnp ilkaydede/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- In the past six months alone, U.S. news outlets and other publications have unleashed several hundred articles spotlighting the robust cyber-espionage threat the U.S. says is emanating from China. Congress has also held open hearings on the matter, and Trump administration officials have traveled the country to publicly warn Americans of the growing danger. But the message has yet to be sufficiently received, the FBI's top counterintelligence official told senators on Wednesday, during another congressional hearing on the issue. FBI Assistant Director Bill Priestap said he is still "amazed at the lack of understanding of the gravity" of the threat among some of those being targeted the most by China. "I believe this is the most severe counterintelligence threat facing our nation today," Priestap said during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. "What hangs in the balance is not just the future of the U.S., but the future of the world." The committee's chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said public focus on "all things Russia" for the past two years has "distracted attention from arguably a greater, more existential threat: China's efforts to overtake the United States as the world's preeminent superpower in all phases of society." Priestap and two other senior U.S. officials painted a dire picture of China's aim to overcome U.S. innovations through both legal and illegal means leveraging everything from corporate takeovers, to cyber-espionage, to "leaning on" Chinese nationals in U.S. tech firms and at educational institutions. Priestap noted that he "recently" visited three states to meet with business leaders there about the cyberthreat facing their companies. "On the one hand, I was amazed at some of those business leaders' understanding of the way the threat is working today. On the other hand, with different business leaders, I was amazed at the lack of understanding of the gravity, capabilities [and] methodologies of China," he said. Testifying beside Priestap, the head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, Assistant Attorney General John Demers, pointed to four ongoing court cases against Chinese nationals allegedly involved in plots to steal trade or military secrets from the United States. Meanwhile, underscoring his own concerns, Priestap cited surveys showing that when people around the world are asked to name the nation states presenting the biggest national security risks to the home countries China is always "toward the bottom." And he said, "There's still work to be done by the U.S. government in messaging to the American people the gravity of the threat we're facing." "Again, there are pockets of great understanding of the threat we're facing, and effective responses," he added. "But in my opinion, we've got to knit that together better. ... We need more people in government, more people in business, more people in academia pulling in the same direction to combat this threat effectively." The key, he said, is "raising awareness of the threat," including ensuring that business and academic institutions know how they're being targeted, and informing the public about security risks to their data and efforts by foreign governments to influence Americans online. Wednesday's hearing came a day after a U.S. official told ABC News that the Justice Department is preparing additional indictments against Chinese cyber-spies, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Past ABC News reports have detailed purported Chinese thefts of technology related to everything from advanced fighter aircraft to corn seeds. China has repeatedly dismissed allegations of espionage and unfair economic practices. "The Chinese government will neither encourage companies to carry out cyber theft for commercial secrets, nor take part in such activities," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in July. "It is hoped that relevant parties can uphold the spirit of mutual respect and mutual trust, and have more dialogue and cooperation in the field of cybersecurity in a constructive manner." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. JOURNALIST: Good morning, Minister. G. KATROUGALOS: Good morning to you and your listeners. JOURNALIST: On Thursday and Friday, we shall have the two-day EU Summit on Brexit, but you will most likely not be in Brussels. I have learned that you will be going to Washington. G. KATROUGALOS: Precisely. I am leaving at noon for America. I shall have meetings there related also to the Cyprus issue, with the new Special Envoy of the Secretary General, Ms Lute. I will meet with Mr Nimetz and, on the following day, we have an important event, the so-called Strategic Dialogue, which is a procedure with the US, it is a procedure that shows the upgrading of our relations with that country. The US invites specific, selected countries to such a dialogue, those which they consider are able to play a role in the stability and security in the region. JOURNALIST: The pro-American ones, in other words? G. KATROUGALOS: Those with which they have coinciding interests. If something were to characterise Greek-American relations recently, this truly is their upgrading as well as the fact that this upgrade is taking place through relations of equality. In other words, we dont have attitudes like we did in the past along the lines of Mr Ambassador, here is your army... JOURNALIST: Okay now, but Pyatt acts like the country is his. G. KATROUGALOS: No, that is not true. He is a very active ambassador, but he has never displayed signs of arrogance, which we had in the past. Every ambassador promotes the interests of their country. Nothing reprehensible in that. But his attitude is not such, I believe, to justify what you are saying, and much less the substance of his actions. JOURNALIST: Anyway, we shall now see how things will go with the Americans. But you said that you will see Nimetz. With that you have aroused our interest, Minister. What is going on with the Skopje issue, with the Prespa Agreement? Will you tell Mr Nimetz to intervene further with Zaev? Will you request an interpretative statement, some additional protocols or anything else related to that issue which will not cause issues with regard to the Macedonian language and all that which Mr Zaev says? G. KATROUGALOS: The message has been sent, and in numerous ways indeed. And not just by me. I shall tell you my actions. I have successively raised the issue with the Secretary General of NATO, Mr Stoltenberg, with Ms Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission, as is her formal title, and at the Meetings of Foreign Ministers of NATO and the European Union. And the message is clear, that we must respect the spirit and the letter of the Prespa Agreement, and that statements raising doubt on this content must be avoided. The other side has got the message. You did notice that corrective statements were made with regard to everything that was heard. JOURNALIST: Zaev came out yesterday and said that there will be no additional interpretative statement, or any other annex to accompany the Agreement. What was the bothersome part, Mr Katrougalos, about which we requested refutation? G. KATROUGALOS: In the first statement by Mr Zaev, the one before Parliament, it was clear that the phrasing he chose could stir things up as regards Aegean Macedonians etc. And this confusion is not permissible when we have a text which expressly stipulates that there is an end to the irredentism, and that no country has the right to interfere any longer in the internal matters of any other country. And of course, no side must make statements that are susceptible to misinterpretation. JOURNALIST: And if the Skopjans continue, what will you do? Because I hear Mr Kammenos - he is out of line you are bound to tell me - saying that the Prespa Agreement is dead and the Skopjans are adhering to the propaganda of Tito and Mussolini. G. KATROUGALOS: The Independent Greeks have had a position which from the beginning.... JOURNALIST: Okay but is it the governing opposition? What is it, a partner in the government, so that you have to have the same stance? G. KATROUGALOS: About this issue, they indeed do have a different stance, but as they have stated, they go along with the government on everything else. JOURNALIST: They have said that they will topple the government, for example Mr Katsikis has said that the governing majority will be gone, in other words the governing majority will be lost. G. KATROUGALOS: Their actions, their choice of actions, is clearly under their own control, but I assure you there is no chance neither of the governing majority to be lost nor for the Prespa Agreement not to be passed. JOURNALIST: Tell us about that, because Potami seems to have an ambiguous position; one day it's this, the other day that. G. KATROUGALOS: I too had that impression until the day before yesterday. Yesterdays statements, I believe, affirm my previous position. Because, truth be told, the Agreement has not changed, the letter of the agreement has remained the same. What we are trying to conserve now is its spirit. It is logical for all of us to ensure this, because the issue is not only for the Agreement to be ratified, the issue is for it to be implemented. And its implementation clearly presupposes that we respect it. JOURNALIST: So you believe that Potami will vote in the end. G. KATROUGALOS: That's what I gather from the latest statements. Because I repeat, support of the initial agreement by 4 out of 6 Potami MPs to be exact, two had stated from the beginning that they disagree. I dont see the reason for this to change. Because, I repeat, nothing has changed in the letter of the Prespa Agreement and, to date, the constitutional revision is being concluded exactly as they had promised they would do. JOURNALIST: Are you not worried that Theodorakis will sort things out with Mitsotakis and thus that their stance will change, as the Prime Minister's office is allowing for it be insinuated. G. KATROUGALOS: The choices of Potami with regard to its political collaborations is again something that is completely up to them, to the total discretion of that party. But I believe that it has commitments, again related to its political reliability. Obviously, no other type of commitments exist in the policy as regards to the Prespa Agreement, from the initial statements JOURNALIST: Can I ask something: You were with Alexis Tsipras in Moscow, on the visit that took place last week. How did things go? One truly asks oneself what the goal of that trip was. For them to say publicly, for President Putin to say, The decision to expel the Russian diplomats was nonsense, and for the Greek Prime Minister to say It was simply a dark cloud on an otherwise sunny relationship? G. KATROUGALOS: The expulsion of the diplomats was not a central element of the talks, under any circumstances. The Prime Minister told us clearly that we make the decisions, that as long as he is Prime Minister at least, no one else influences Greeces decisions on issues of foreign policy. But he felt, along with President Putin, that it is an isolated event in our generally good relations. And the goal of the visit was precisely to rekindle these relations, to provide prospects, especially for cooperation in the economic sector, and in what we call relations between peoples. And this is why it was decided for next year to be the Year of Language and Culture for us and for Russia, clearly related to Greek culture and, for Greece, related to Russian culture. JOURNALIST: In other words now you are saying that no country influences Greece's foreign policy. In the US, where you will be travelling now, you will hold talks there with the head of the State Department, with Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State in other words, with whom we have such a good relationship.... G. KATROUGALOS: And with the Security Advisor, Mr Bolton. JOURNALIST: Dont the US influence Greece in any way? G. KATROUGALOS: That is what I was trying to say earlier, that when you have relations of parity, when in other words there is no overlord... JOURNALIST: Does anyone have balanced relations with the US? G. KATROUGALOS: Good balance does not depend on size. For example, we want to have balanced relations with our neighbouring country, the fYROM, and we are similar in terms of size and might, which is not the case with the US. And when reciprocal respect reigns in the relations between countries, and respect of International Law, size certainly is important, but it does not necessarily lead to unbalanced relations, especially relations of subservience. JOURNALIST: And one last thing about Katsifas, because people are asking. Is there any response by the Albanian Authorities, as to how Konstantinos Katsifas was murdered? G. KATROUGALOS: No, and this is one of the issues that I raise publicly also -without being critical- that we are awaiting the results of the investigation. This is one of the things we are requesting. Indeed, in a recent statement by a Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this issue was raised. We wish to have good relations with Albania. In fact, the negotiations between us under Nikos Kotzias have been advanced, almost to their final stage. But as I have said many times, for us, a condition for the Albania's European perspective is for it to meet all the obligations that it has towards the European Union, and to fully safeguard, as is its European obligation, I repeat, the rights of our Minority there. Abundant light must be shed on the issue of Katsifas. Secretary General for European Affairs Panagiotis Pavlopoulos represented Greece at the EU General Affairs Council which took place today in Brussels in light of the European Council on Thursday, 13 December and Friday, 14 December. Referring to the European Commission's proposal for the new Multi-Year Fiscal Framework 2021-2027, Mr Pavlopoulos stressed: We are against any reduction in long-term policies of the Union, which are protected by the Agreements, in other words the Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the Common Fisheries Policy. The new political priorities, such as the European pillar of social rights which must finally be implemented, the turning of our attention to young people, the common mechanism for civil protection, research, innovation, and digital economy, migration, security and defence, centre around the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, with a goal of a strong, democratic, and social Europe that is attractive to its citizens. This consequently represents a step backwards which must be corrected, reduction in funding by 10% for the Cohesion Policy and by 15% for the Common Agricultural Policy. Reducing these two specific funds is the wrong choice, for the wrong reason, at the wrong time. Re-nationalising partial funding represents backtracking to Euroscepticism. At another point in his speech, the Secretary General for European Affairs stressed that the political decisions for the new Multi-Year Fiscal Framework must be made before the European elections of May 2019. He stated, characteristically: Greece's position, therefore, with regard to the timetable, is quite clear: We must not leave Europe pending, especially now that the black clouds of far-right nationalism are on its horizon. Mr. Pavlopoulos underscored the Greek stance on continued funding for the Common Agricultural Policy and the Political Cohesion Policy, at least on the level of the current Multi-Year Fiscal Framework in actual values, the doubling of funds for tackling youth unemployment at the European Social Fund Plus compared to the existing Youth Employment Initiative, the establishment of a special 5.9 billion fund for the Child Guarantee to tackle childhood poverty. More specifically, with regard to Greece, the Secretary General for European Affairs stressed that the European budget ignores the economic crisis, as if it did not exist. And this because the period 2010-2013, during which Greece lost 25% of its GDP, affects neither the current nor the new Multi-Year Fiscal Framework. Specifically: It's as if the economic crisis passed Greece by. A magical picture. The current Multi-Year Fiscal Framework, with the pre-crisis GDP data. In the new Multi-Year Fiscal Framework, with the lowest capping of the GDP. For this reason, we seek correction in capping [note: The annual recovery limit is reduced from 2.35% of the GDP to 1.55%] in order to account for the effects of the crisis. To account in other words for the plunge in the GDP and the largest output gap in Europe for the period 2014-2016. By increasing capping, the cohesion funds that Greece will receive are greatly increased. With regard to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Mr Pavlopoulos stressed that the current levels of funding must at least be safeguarded for both its pillars in order for attainment of its goals to be possible. Direct strengthening of the 1st pillar must continue to constitute a safety net of the agricultural income and stabilisation of income differentials with other sectors of the economy. The Secretary General of European Affairs requested withdrawal of the increase in national co-funding from 20% to 30% in the 2nd pillar of the agricultural investments since it represents a step of partial re-nationalisation of the CAP. BAD AXE The Care & Share program is a local program that has provided free holiday food baskets to local residents in need for over 35 years. The program is in need of volunteers to make local deliveries of food baskets in the Bad Axe area on Saturday, Dec. 15, starting at 9 a.m. There has been some controversy over the color of Christmas trees this year. Recently, there has been some who are upset about black Christmas trees, but those who like them think they make the decorations standout better. Then, some didnt like red Christmas trees at the White House this year. No matter what color, people need to realize at one time Christmas trees were frowned on and even banned at the White House before some disobedient children went behind their fathers back and put one up. Decorated trees gained favor because of former president Theodore Roosevelts two sons, Archie and Quentin. Because of fears of cutting down evergreen trees would lead to deforestation, the president banned Christmas trees from the White House. Roosevelt wanted Americans to promote environmental practices. Anyway, his two boys went out and cut down a tree and snuck it into the White House, hid it in a closet and decorated with lights by enlisting the help of an electrician. According to a website about the White House, Roosevelt liked the pretty tree and the boys ingenuity, but he still believed it wasnt a good practice. So he took his sons to visit with environmental advisor Gilford Pinchot, who he expected would side with him on the issue. However, Pinchot sided with the boys in saying thinning out some trees helped them flourish. According to the website, there doesnt seem to be another mention of decorated trees in the White House while the Roosevelts occupied it, but the president was able to enact several environmental laws while he was in office, and the controversy over cutting down trees to decorate for the holiday faded into the background. There is one way to have a Christmas tree where everyone wins. There are companies out there where a person can rent and/or buy a live evergreen tree with roots attached. That way the trees live on instead of going to a landfill. We did that the one year in the Drier household. I wanted to plant evergreen trees in the yard anyway, so I bought a 3-foot live tree and set it up on a small table to decorate. It just so happened that was the year my children asked if they could get so many presents they would be as tall as the Christmas tree. When I pointed out I had made their wish for presents as tall as the Christmas tree come true, for some reason they were not amused. BAD AXE The Bad Axe Knights of Columbus Council is participating in the Christmas book program. This program, inspired by Dynamic Catholic productions, puts an inspirational book in the hands of adults during the highest attended mass of the year: Christmas. The program has been implemented in area parishes in the past with great success. This year, the Bad Axe Council will help fund the books for the Bad Axe/ Rapson and Port Austin/ Kinde parishes. BAD AXE The agricultural education program at North Huron School in Kinde is one of only six agricultural education programs nationwide that received the National Association of Agricultural Educators Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Education Program Award, given last month at the NAAE annual convention in San Antonio, Texas. Joseph Ankley is the agriculture teacher at North Huron. Ankley and Clark Brock, Huron County Career and Technical Education, were in attendance to receive the award. The Mission of North Huron Schools Agricultural Education Program states that within a learning environment different teaching styles, techniques, and classroom settings allow students to better understand content. Diversification of curriculum is important and inquiry-based learning is a significant aspect of agricultural education. In North Huron, school technology plays a vital role in the classroom, both teachers and students must feel comfortable with the application of technology within lessons and project-based curriculum. This program has worked diligently to effectively implement these ideas both inside and outside of their classrooms. Their achievement in this has led to an increase in enrollment as well as support from both the administration and community. North Huron believes students should have the opportunity for experiential and hands-on learning experiences as much as possible. Curriculum is brought to life through using different resources to develop a project-based approach. An example of this is demonstrated in their Introduction to Agriculture, and the Zoology and Environment course. In this course, students raise over 500 broiler chickens in small groups of 25 each for a six-week period. During this time, the students collect and analyze data about their growth rates and feed consumptions. The students must then complete a scientific lab report explaining their findings. Once the students are finished with their research, the chickens are donated to their local food pantry as well as the school for daily lunches. North Huron Schools Agricultural Education Program has recently adopted a study abroad opportunity by partnering with a neighboring chapter to send a group of students to Uganda, Africa, with their instructor and three other chaperones for a two-week experience focused on agriculture and education. Students were able to visit local schools and teach classes focused on improving agricultural practices. They were fortunate enough to help teach basic nutrition, caretaking, and artificial insemination to students and young adults who are able to use this information to make a better life for themselves and their families. The program continues to focus on the importance of global learning and will be traveling to Costa Rica in May for a study abroad. A dozen students and adults will be participating in the program Environmental and Agricultural Sustainability in Costa Rica. Each of the six regional Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program Award winners was recognized at the NAAE convention in San Antonio, Texas. The Outstanding Middle/ Secondary Agricultural Education Program Award is partially sponsored by Bayer as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. NAAE is the professional association for agricultural educators with over 8,000 members nationwide. Its mission is professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service. The NAAE office is located in Lexington, Kentucky. WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. lawmakers have released the final version of the 2018 Farm Bill. Tuesday, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow praised the release. The 2018 Farm Bill is a bipartisan victory that has Michigan on every page, said Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat. This is a strong bill that will grow Michigans diverse agricultural economy and support our farmers, families, and rural communities. Im committed to getting this bill across the finish line by the end of the year. In June, Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, teamed with Agriculture Committee Chairman U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, (R-Kan.), to co-author the 2018 Senate Farm Bill, which the U.S. Senate passed. The two joined Mike Conaway, (R-Texas), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Ranking Members Collin Peterson, (D-Minn.), to form the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee. The committee eventually reconciled the differences between the Senate bill and the House version. The bipartisan bill strongly supports Michigans farmers and agricultural economy, which is the states second-largest industry. The bill also has a major impact in protecting Michigans Great Lakes, investing in the state's small towns and rural communities, promoting Michigan forestry, supporting local food economies, and providing healthy food for families. Stricter worker requirements for recipients of food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), had been the biggest stumbling block holding up an agreement. In the final version, those demands were dropped. Key lawmakers and other experts have said prospects have improved for passage of the bill before the end of the year after Democrats secured the House majority during the midterm elections. Stabenow authored the 2014 Farm Bill, which expired Sept. 30. UPPER THUMB Sixteen bright young stars from across the spectrum of youth agricultural education competed in Michigan Farm Bureaus Youth Discussion Meet, Nov. 27 at the organizations annual meeting in Grand Rapids. Patterned after Farm Bureaus legacy of discussion meets, but for a younger host of contestants, the Youth Discussion Meet saw participants representing FFA chapters and high schools from across the state. HAMDEN Kindness isnt lost on children, said a second-grade teacher from Hamden. Carla Victoria Wallace, who lives in Hamden but teaches second grade at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Meriden, recently won an award for childrens literature in the 2018 African American Literary Awards Show in New York City. She said kindness is a major theme in her book The Bug That Was Afraid Of The Dark. I think 7 is an age where theyre able to think about problems in stories and how problems are solved, and thats one thing I noticed when I read books to my students, she said. In Wallaces book, a young girl meets a grasshopper who admits that she is afraid of the dark. The girl immediately decides to help the grasshopper, and the two walk through strategies to help the grasshopper overcome her fear of the dark. Ultimately, the grasshopper meets a lightning bug, and the two decide to stick together. It was inspired by my daughter, who was 4 at the time, Wallace said. It was kind of her idea. Wallace said she told her publisher it was very important to her that the books illustrations showed its human character as being somewhat racially ambiguous, but identifiably nonwhite. I wanted the girl to look multiracial so all ethnicities that may not be white could see themselves in the character, she said, a desire born out of a hope to see more diversity in childrens books, so people of all races are represented. Wallace, who has been writing professionally since 2010 in addition to her job as an educator, said she was not expecting to receive the African American Literary Awards Show award, as she was nominated alongside other authors who are more established. With hard work and faith, you can accomplish a lot, Wallace said. Currently, she is working on a followup to the award-winning book, which she calls The Bug That Went On A Field Trip. The African American Literary Awards Show celebrates writers of African American heritage. Through the African American Literary Awards Show, authors are nominated and recognized as significant contributors to the literary community in various book categories, according to a release. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Florida police used a Taser to subdue the lead guitarist of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse after he allegedly charged them with a knife. Sheriff's deputies responding to a burglary call Monday night found musician Pat O'Brien hiding behind a fence at a home in the Tampa suburb of Northdale, WFLA News 8 reported. Officers said O'Brien, wielding a knife, charged at them, but was taken down by a jolt from Taser gun. At roughly the same time of the burglary report, a massive fire erupted at a nearby Northdale house where O'Brien lives. The blaze exploded ammunition stored in the home, hindering efforts by Hillsborough County firefighters to bring it under control. According to an arrest report, O'Brien entered a neighbor's house without permission, ignored the owners' demands to leave and pushed a woman down inside the house. He then went into the backyard, where he was found by police. MORE: Heavy metal fans mistaken for suicide pact members Deputies say they Tased him when he charged at him with a knife. O'Brien was charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and jailed on $50,000 bond. The cause of the fire is under investigation. O'Brien has been the lead guitarist for Cannibal Corpse since 1997. Cannibal Corpse, which was founded in the late 1980s, is the top-selling death metal band of all time. On Monday the band announced that it would be joining a portion of the thrash metal band Slayer's final tour. --- Read Mike Moffitt's latest stories and send him news tips at mmoffitt@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. "As many prepare for holiday celebrations, I call on my fellow veterans -- and the public -- not to forget our brothers and... President Donald Trump got nowhere Tuesday with Democratic leadership on funding for what he called the "Great Wall" and threatened a partial government shutdown on Dec. 21 that -- as it now stands -- would not likely affect the Defense Department or military pay. In previous budget impasses, Congress has passed emergency bills to guarantee that troops would be paid in the event of a shutdown, but there has been no movement thus far in Congress on such a measure. Currently, a partial government shutdown could occur at midnight on Dec. 21 over the failure of Congress to pass spending bills to fund the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Homeland Security, Interior, State, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. The Defense Department was not in the mix, but there was no guarantee there wouldnt be side effects for the military if negotiations on a solution continue to deteriorate. Related content: The prospect for a quick compromise dissolved Tuesday in a testy, finger-pointing White House meeting between Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat. Vice President Mike Pence sat silently between the two sides, his head swiveling as the sides argued back and forth. Trump allowed cameras into the opening round of the meeting and it was televised on C-Span. "If we don't get what we want one way or the other, I am proud to shut down the government for border security. I will take the mantle, I will take the mantle of shutting down the government" to get funding for the border wall, Trump said. The president has been demanding at least $5 billion as a downpayment on extending existing segments of the wall, but Democrats have suggested they would allot $1.3 billion. Earlier on Tuesday, Trump suggested on Twitter that the military could build the wall if Congress failed to come up with the funding, although there was no money in the existing Defense Department budget for wall construction. At the Pentagon, spokesman Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said there were no plans to date to have the military build sections of the wall. "However, Congress has provided options under Title 10 U.S. Code that could permit the Department of Defense to fund border barrier projects, such as in support of counter-drug operations or national emergencies" if the military were directed to do so, he said. Trump said the active duty troops who deployed to the border just before the mid-term elections to reinforce Customs and Border Protection have done an "incredible" job at turning back the so-called "caravans" of asylum seekers. An expanded border wall would build on their accomplishments, he said. Pelosi accused Trump of making arguments that were "frankly, devoid of fact." She challenged him to put border wall funding to a vote in the House. "There are no votes in the House a majority vote, for the wall," Pelosi said. Trump countered that a House vote was pointless, since there would still be a lack of votes from Democrats in the Senate to get the 60 votes needed for passage. Schumer told Trump that "we have solutions that will pass the House and the Senate," but Trump was resisting "because you can't have your way" on the wall. "We can do border security without a wall, which is wasteful and doesn't solve the problem," Schumer said. "If we got $5 billion, we could do a tremendous chunk of wall," Trump responded, but he added that "it's a tough issue because we are on very opposite sides." There have been two brief government shutdowns previously this year. On Jan. 20, the government shut down for a weekend over immigration issues but re-opened on Jan. 23. Trump told Pelosi and Schumer "you got killed on that one," a reference to the political fallout. There also was a second brief shutdown that began at midnight on Feb. 9 on budget matters but lasted only five hours. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. WASHINGTON -- A new study by Dartmouth College that compares Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals with other hospitals in the same regions found VA facilities often outperform others when it comes to mortality rates and patient safety. Researchers compared performance data at VA hospitals against non-VA facilities in 121 regions. In 14 out of 15 measures, the VA performed "significantly better" than other hospitals, according to results from the study. "We found a surprisingly high, to me, number of cases where the VA was the best hospital in the region," said Dr. William Weeks, who led the study. "Pretty rarely was it the worst hospital." Weeks initiated the research after reading multiple studies from recent years that had found VA hospitals performed better than other medical systems. He was skeptical of the research, he said, because it compared data on a national level, not by region. He wanted to take the perspective of veterans, who might get a choice between their local VA hospitals and other hospitals close by. Weeks is a professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and a former VA employee. He conducted the study with Alan West, who works at the White River Junction Medical Center in Vermont. Though he used to work for the VA, Weeks said he was critical of the agency in the past. Going into the study, he thought he might find a few well-performing VA hospitals had skewed the data in previous research. "The theory was that a few larger hospitals could be really good performers and the rest not so good," Weeks said. "And the weight of that might make national averages look better than what might be experienced by a typical veteran. That was the premise, but we found something that was a little bit surprising." The researchers compared risk of death from heart failure and pneumonia at hospitals, as well as risk of blood clots, infections and wounds after surgery, among other measures. "The primary drivers of making a decision are, 'I don't want to get hurt,' and 'I want to live through it,'" Weeks said. "That's why we focused on these." With the new study, researchers are sending a message to Congress to rethink efforts to expand veterans' health care into the private sector. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed the VA Mission Act -- major reform legislation that overhauls how the VA outsources health care to the private sector. Under the bill, the VA and Congress are supposed to work together in coming months to create new rules dictating which veterans can use private-sector care and in what situations. The aim is to provide veterans more flexibility to see doctors outside of the VA system. "One has to wonder whether outsourcing care is the right choice if we care about veterans' outcomes," Weeks said. "The VA is, for the most part, doing at least as well as the private sector in a local setting, and pretty often are the best performers in that setting." "It raises the question about whether the event [location] was switched to try to curry favor with the president," Libowitz said. "This is a cloud that hangs over all the Trump Organization's business dealings," Libowitz said, because foreign governments may patronize Trump's businesses as a relatively cheap way to try to influence American foreign policy. A Russian map company has inadvertently revealed secret foreign military bases -- by blurring them out. Yandex Maps, Russia's answer to Google Maps, obscured the locations of 300 sites -- some of them top secret nuclear facilities -- in Israel and Turkey. But by doing so, the company confirmed their locations, as well as their exact size and layout. Among the bases inadvertently unveiled were surface-to-air missile sites and nuclear storage sites, according to a report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). The buildings include airfields, ports, bunkers, storage sites, bases, barracks, nuclear facilities and random buildings. Some were known already, but many were previously a secret. The FAS' Matt Korda wrote: "This blurring is almost certainly the result of requests from both Israel and Turkey; it seems highly unlikely that a Russian company would undertake such a time-consuming task of its own volition. "Fortunately, this has had the unintended effect of revealing the location and exact perimeter of every significant military facility within both countries, if one is obsessive curious enough to sift through the entire map looking for blurry patches. "By complying with requests to selectively obscure military facilities, the mapping service has actually revealed their precise locations, perimeters, and potential function to anyone curious enough to find them all." Among the blurred sites are two NATO facilities: Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in Izmir, and Incirlik Air Base, which hosts US B61 nuclear gravity bombs. Camp Glilot, north of Tel Aviv, the home of Unit 8200, the signal intelligence and code deciphering arm of the Israeli Defence Forces, is also one of the sites revealed. It is believed to intercept communications from across Africa and the Middle East. Online mapping services such as Google have been blurring sensitive locations on behalf of governments for years. In France, for example, the government asked Google to blur prisons after a criminal planned a successful escape from one involving drones, smoke bombs and a stolen helicopter. Sometimes, satellite map providers reduce the resolution of entire areas to ensure a secret facility is not picked out. U.S. federal law prohibits U.S.-based map services from showing the whole of Israel in any greater detail than a two-meter resolution. Yandex did not return a request for comment. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that his military will try to avoid clashes with U.S. troops during a planned operation in Syria against U.S.-backed Kurdish militias fighting ISIS. "Our target is not the American soldiers. It is the terror organizations that are active in the region," Erdogan said at a defense industry conference in Ankara, according to Turkey's Anadolu news agency and other Turkish outlets. Erdogan said the Turkish military would move into Syria "within days" to clear the town of Manbij and other areas of northeastern Syria where U.S. troops were manning observation posts in an effort to stabilize the region. U.S. troops also recently began running joint patrols with the Turkish military in Manbij, a flashpoint town that Turkey claims harbors elements of the YPG (People's Protection Units). The Kurdish YPG has been a main contingent within the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which drove ISIS from Raqqa, once the capital of the "caliphate," and is now pressing the last ISIS pocket in the town of Hajin on the Syria-Iraq border. In an informal session with Pentagon reporters last month, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis rejected Turkey's charges that the YPG was allied with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), which has been labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey and the U.S. Mattis said the Turks "don't like our relationship" with the YPG, "and I understand where they're coming from. But we do not say that YPG is the same as PKK." Mattis also used the informal session to announce that small units from among the estimated 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria would move north to set up observation posts near the Turkey-Syria border. He said the main purpose of the posts was to provide Turkey, a NATO ally, with early warning of potential threats, but Turkey viewed the move as an effort to protect the YPG. In October, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) suspended the offensive against Hajin when the Turkish military shelled the YPG in northeastern Syria. In his remarks Wednesday, Erdogan charged that the U.S. was "not being honest" in describing the purpose of the observation posts. "We know that the aim of the radar and observation posts set up by the United States is not to protect our country from terrorists, but to protect the terrorists from Turkey," Erdogan said. The alarming statements from Erdogan marked the latest sign of friction between the U.S. and Turkey, which has drawn close to Russia and Iran in seeking an end to Syria's civil war. Turkey also has angered the U.S. and other NATO allies with its agreement to purchase advanced S-400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia. At the Pentagon Tuesday, spokesman Army Col. Rob Manning said in a statement that the U.S. had completed setting up the observation posts at Mattis' direction "to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey." "We take Turkish security concerns seriously and we are committed to coordinating our efforts with Turkey to bring stability to northeastern Syria," Manning said. He quoted Mattis on the purpose of the mission: "We want to be the people who call the Turks and warn them if we see something coming out of an area that we're operating in." Also at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Col. Jonathan Byrom, commander of the Army's 3rd Cavalry Regiment and deputy commander of Joint Operations Command-Iraq, said that artillery units from his command have been using a firebase in Iraq for cross-border fire into Syria against ISIS targets and in support of the SDF offensive against Hajin. Soldiers from Bravo Battery, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, part of Task Force Rifles, have been using M777 towed 155mm howitzers in the fire missions from Iraqi Firebase Saham on the border, Byrom said in a video conference from Baghdad to the Pentagon. The U.S. battery has been joined at Firebase Saham by French artillery units using CEASAR 155 self-propelled howitzers and Iraqi Security Forces units using M109 Paladin self-propelled 155mm howitzers, Byrom said. The fire missions have been "fairly intense, more intense than others I've seen in the past," Byrom said, "and they're directly contributing to the protection of the Iraqi border." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Airmen and families assigned to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, who applied for a special assistance program may not get an answer for a while as officials grapple with which airmen and missions will return to the base. Tyndall officials have temporarily paused Humanitarian Reassignment and Deferment Program applications, according to Air Combat Command spokeswoman Leah Garton. The program is used to reassign or defer an airman as a one-time action to resolve a critical problem with a family member who is dependent on the airman, according to the service. "Currently, no additional humanitarian requests are being accepted [or] processed for Tyndall personnel without the 325th Fighter Wing commander approval," Garton said. "The reason for the temporary pause is to give the commander the time to deliberately consider the personnel requirements for missions that have moved from Tyndall to other bases as a result of the hurricane and ensure there are enough personnel to carry out those missions at those new locations." Last month, Air Combat Command said that roughly 3,500 airmen had returned to Tyndall, while 575 are currently assigned on temporary duty there. Related content: The Air Force said in November that it is working to have roughly 1,500 airmen back at the base before the new year. According to Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, most operations and all but 500 or so personnel will return in coming months. Garton said that hundreds of humanitarian assistance program cases remain open for those still making final arrangements. "There are 858 Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) and humanitarian assignment cases opened. Of that, 437 cases reflect [permanent change of station] orders completed or issued, leaving 421 cases pending," she said. "No additional cases will be opened until the personnel requirements for Tyndall and the missions moving from Tyndall to other bases have been identified," Garton said. "We expect this will only be a temporary pause, and we are working tirelessly to get airmen and their families answers as soon as possible." The process will also identify those who will be scheduled to relocate, ACC said. That includes those slated to PCS to one of the four locations where Tyndall's F-22 Raptor stealth fighter fleet will be relocated: Langley Air Force Base, Virginia; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Officials said the current relocation process will remain in effect until the base's personnel requirements have been identified. Once complete, the standard service humanitarian assignment process will be re-implemented, Garton said. ACC explained that humanitarian permanent change of station is usually associated with special circumstances that are eased by a member's PCS to a location of their choice. For example, an airman might PCS to be near a close family member who is gravely ill. "In the case of Hurricane Michael, those affected by the storm were granted special consideration for humanitarian PCS," Garton said. The storm walloped Florida in October, rendering more than 95 percent of the base's buildings non-operational. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Food Warehouse opens in Newport A retail park within Newport received a boost from the recent opening of the local Food Warehouse. Newport East Retail Park secured 30 jobs from the opening of the food chain. The new supermarket gives people the chance to buy products at wholesale prices and customers do not require a membership card to take advantage of the deals. Print shops can be useful when new businesses are advertising what they have to offer to the public. Iceland Foods Group has authority over the Food Warehouse. There are in excess of 80 UK-based stores of the chain. Over 750,000 was invested in the creation of the Newport-based supermarket. Richard Walker is the managing director of the whole enterprise and he told the South Wales Argus: The Food Warehouse is an innovative store format, responding to the changing needs of shoppers by offering amazing bulk-buy deals and homeware offers alongside a fantastic range of frozen, fresh and chilled foods. Rebecca Starr is the manager of the Newport store and she suggested that the opening day was a great success. A prize draw was employed to generate extra interest in what the retail outlet can deliver. It has been announced that the Food Warehouse in Newport will be accessible every day of the week. However, opening hours are shorter than usual on Sundays. BY AMY SHERMAN | asherma2@mlive.com Delicious food, hand crafted cocktails, artisan ales and wonderful wines, plus cozy fires, snow covered hills and warm welcomes. Its the holiday season, and were celebrating all things Pure Michigan with a special holiday themed Twitter chat this Thursday December 13 from noon to 1 pm. Wed love to have you join us online as we partner with our friends at Pure Michigan for a fund discussion centering on holiday pairings. Our Michigans Best team of Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez will be joining in, and sharing some of their favorite finds from the last year. Well be discussing some of our top picks to help you celebrate this season, including craft beers, wines, mitten-made pops and spirits, plus the best foods to match with whats in your glass. Wed love to hear about great restaurants and bars across the state that really go all out during the holidays with their decorations, or places that you just must visit in order to get into the spirit. Please join us online and share your favorites. You can find us on Twitter by using the hashtag #PureMichiganChat. You can follow Michigans Best at: Amy Sherman on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram. John Gonzalez on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram Other tags to use: @MLive @PureMichigan @mlivemibest #mibest Here are the questions we will asking. Tag your #PureMichiganChat with your answer accordingly (A1, A2, etc.) Q1. When you gather with friends and family, which Michigan-made beverages do you add to the celebration? Q2. Michigan beers pair well with every season, and many Michigan brewers offer seasonal brews with a holiday flare. What are your favorite flavors to pair with Michigan-brewed holiday ales? Q3. From popping the bubbly to ring in the New Year to a toast on Christmas Eve, Michigan wines are a centerpiece to many holiday celebrations. Share your favorite wine pairing that adds Pure Michigan flavor to your holiday celebration. Q4. Michigans craft distilling scene is on the rise, and distilleries throughout the state offer hand-crafted beverages that add holiday spirit to any seasonal celebration. What are some of your favorite distilled spirits from the mitten to mix up a winter cocktail. Q5. From neighborhood bars and restaurants to downtowns and resort destinations, we love places that get all dressed up for the holidays. Where do you gather with friends and family during the holiday season? Q6. Sometimes the best pairings are also the most creative, like ugly Christmas sweaters and old friends, or a pair of skis and fresh powder. What two holiday favorites do you love to combine for a Pure Michigan holiday experience? We look forward to virtually chatting with on Twitter. See you online! LANSING, MI Michigans next round of ballot petitions would face a number of new requirements under legislation approved along partisan lines in the House Elections and Ethics Committee on Wednesday. House Bill 6595, introduced last week, makes a number of changes to procedures around ballot petitioning in Michigan. The biggest change is a proportionality requirement that would prohibit petitions from getting more than 10 percent of their signatures from any one congressional district. In the event Michigan loses a congressional seat, that ceiling would go up to 15 percent. Bill sponsor Rep. James Lower, R-Cedar Lake, said he is from a rural area, and the 10 percent requirement would mean petitions get input from all over the state and improve the petition process. Ultimately, if something is put on the ballot, we can feel more confident that it has buy-in from a greater distribution of voters, Lower said. But other people took issue with the provision. Sharon Dolente, voting rights strategist at ACLU of Michigan, said the state constitution already says who is required to sign: registered electors of the state. Putting more requirements on top of that, she said, could run into legal trouble. In at least one other state, she said, The geographic distribution requirements have been successfully challenged and stuck down. Attorney John Bursch spoke in support of the bill on behalf of the West Michigan Policy Forum, saying constitutionally the 10 percent distribution ceiling was safest. But the 10 percent distribution provision could run into practical limitations as well, according to testimony from Secretary of State Director of Government Affairs Mike Batterbee. As Rep. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, explained, the Secretary of State currently determines if there are enough valid signatures by pulling a sample, not by counting every signature. When you submit 400,000 signatures, theyre not going 1, 2, 3, 4... they take a sample, Moss said. So what happens if the sample is all from one congressional district, he asked? The Secretary of State isnt exactly sure, said Batterbee, but it could involve handing each petition sheet and sometimes there are tens of thousands of them multiple times. Its all done by hand. So, in order to do this, we must count them all, Batterbee said. The Secretary of State does have concerns about pulling a random sample with this in place, he said. Other changes in the bill include moving up the timeline so the Board of State canvassers would have to rule on a petitions sufficiency by the July 1 before the election, requiring any legal challenges to directly to the Supreme Court within three days, requiring a 100-word summary earlier in the process and requiring circulators to file signed affidavits indicating whether theyre paid or volunteers. Representatives from both the ACLU of Michigan and Right to Life of Michigan expressed concerns with having to file in court within three days of a Board of State Canvassers decision. We're not a law firm, so that could be a problem, said Right to Life Legislative Director Genevieve Marnon. Right to Life has collected over a million signatures for a number of ballot petitions, Marnon said, most recently for the abortion insurance opt-out in 2013. Its a very grassroots effort, she said, and some of their volunteers who just collect signatures from a few people the know might be turned off by the idea that they would have to file and affidavit and end up on a petition circulator list at the Secretary of State office. I think its going to deter a whole lot of people, she said. The bill gained committee approval 6-3, with Democrats voting against it. The committee turned down an amendment from Moss that would have replaced the cap on signatures from each congressional district with a floor of at least 3 percent from each congressional district. Committee Chair Aaron Miller, R-Sturgis, said hes open to considering more changes as the bill moves through the process. I think that there were plenty of issues that got presented today, some of which have merit. So Im happy to support changes in the full House," said Miller, saying he supported the bill and the idea of making changes to the ballot petition process. The bill heads next to the full House, which could vote on it the same day. It would need to pass the full House and Senate, plus get a signature from Gov. Rick Snyder, to become law. The ballot petition process is laid out in the Michigan constitution, and is often used by groups seeking changes. This year petitions to legalize recreational marijuana, change Michigans redistricting process and expand voting access gathered enough signatures to get on the ballot. Two more efforts, to raise the minimum wage and put paid sick time requirements in place, gathered enough signatures to make the ballot but were adopted by the legislature instead. ANN ARBOR, MI -- The scent of marijuana, a plant now legal to possess in Michigan, was the probable cause police say they needed to search the vehicle of NBCs The Voice finalist and Ann Arbor native Laith Al-Saadi in February. The odor allegedly led state police to the discovery of other drugs, fentanyl, hydrocodone and morphine, for which Al-Saadi now faces criminal charges. At the time, marijuana was only legal in Michigan for medical use. Otsego County Prosecutor Brendan Curran last week dismissed a fourth criminal charge of marijuana possession against Al-Saadi, he said, based on the November vote by Michiganders to overwhelmingly legalize recreational marijuana. The case is set for a Jan. 28 trial and a final pretrial status conference is set for Jan. 9 in Otsego County. On that date I expect to learn whether defendant will tender a guilty plea or proceed to trial, Otsego County Prosecutor Brendan P. Curran said. Curran has said he intends to dismiss all pending marijuana cases in his county now that recreational marijuana use and possession is legal. Al-Saadi's attorney argued in Otsego County's Circuit Court during a Dec. 6 motion hearing that his client's Fourth Amendment right to avoid unreasonable search and seizure was violated when police stopped Al-Saadi in Gaylord about 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 for driving with an expired license plate. Komorn, a marijuana legalization advocate and attorney, said the fact that troopers smelled a substance that, at the time was legal for medical use, shouldnt have been enough to warrant a search of Al-Saadis vehicle. He says its in dispute whether Al-Saadi had a valid medical marijuana patient card at the time of his arrest. Komorn said he may appeal the judges Dec. 6 denial of his motion to suppress evidence of the other drugs in Al-Saadis car on the basis that the initial search was illegal. Komorn says his client, currently under a doctors care, is in good health and eager to get his legal problems behind him so he can concentrate on his musical career and touring. Following Al-Saadi's arrest, Kormorn said his client used the drugs in his possession for medical purposes only. Laith has suffered from chronic pain for many years, Komorn said at the time. LANSING, MI The Senate Government Operations Committee on Tuesday approved and made changes to a controversial bill allowing the legislature to intervene in court cases. Currently, the legislature can request to intervene at the discretion of the judge on a case-by-case basis. House Bill 6553, introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen, R-Walker, would give the legislature a standing right to intervene in court action. Senate changes narrowed the cases in which the legislature could intervene. As introduced, the bill allowed the legislature to intervene in any action to prevent the interests of the state. But under committee changes, the legislature could intervene to protect their interests only if a court action challenged the constitutionality of a state statute or the validity of any legislative act. VerHeulen said the changes were in line with the intent of the bill. He defended it from being lumped in with changes in other states that would limit the power of future officeholders. This is an institutional bill, it is not a partisan bill. It is designed to give the institution of the legislature, the House or the Senate, the ability to intervene when its actions are being challenged, VerHeulen said. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said it wasnt just in other states, but happening in Michigan as well. I think that it is not the legislatures job to tip the scales in the courtroom, Ananich said. Lauren Sargent, a Michigan resident, testified against the bill, saying it would go behind the backs of the voters and undo what we just did, which was elect Democratic Attorney General-elect Dana Nessel. Bruce Timmons, a retiree who formerly worked in the legislature, testified in support of the measure. I would foresee the Legislature being careful, selective, and ruffling as few feathers as possible. It does not have the staff or budget to be anything but selective; claims and fears otherwise are red herrings, Timmons wrote in submitted testimony. The committee approved the bill on a 3-2 vote, without the support of Democratic members. The House approved an earlier version of the bill last week over the objections of Democrats. House approves bill allowing Michigan legislature to intervene in court cases The bill now heads to the full Senate. The Senate would have to pass the bill and the House would have to approve any changes before it headed to Gov. Rick Snyders desk. ANN ARBOR When it comes to college towns, Ann Arbor is in an elite class. The personal finance website Wallethub has once again named the home of the University of Michigan the best small college town in America in a survey released on Tuesday. This is at least the fifth-straight year Ann Arbor has claimed the top spot in the sub-category. Additionally, Ann Arbor was named the No. 3 college town overall, trailing only Austin, Texas, the home of the University of Texas and Orlando, the home of the University of Central Florida. If you went to University of Michigan, then you probably love these restaurants Wallethub analysts compared more than 400 U.S. cities of varying sizes based on 30 key indicators of academic, social and economic opportunities for students including cost of living, quality of higher education, nightlife and crime rate. Ann Arbors rank is thanks in large part to its ranking in the social environment category where it is No. 23. The category examines several factors including amount of young people, gender balance, nightlife, cafes, breweries, food trucks, shopping centers, sports, festivals and attractions. Here are some other Michigan highlights from the 2019 survey: East Lansing, the home of Michigan State University, is ranked as the 11th best small college town and 30th best college town overall. Ypsilanti, the home of Eastern Michigan University, has the second-lowest Brain Drain of cities examined. The metric measures the annual change in the share of the population holding a bachelors degree or higher. Overall rankings of other Michigan college towns: Sterling Heights (88), Ypsilanti (98), Mount Pleasant (107), Grand Rapids (118), Dearborn (130), Kalamazoo (160), Warren (172), Lansing (246), Detroit (299), Flint (386), You can read the entire report here. ANN ARBOR, MI Criminal charges over a recent Michigan Senate candidates campaign literature trace back to complaints made by one of her opponents supporters, police reports show. Two supporters of Michelle Deatrick Patrick Boeheim and Hamidah Kaufman filed the complaints that led to Ann Arbor police investigating Anuja Rajendra, according to police records obtained by MLive/The Ann Arbor News through the Freedom of Information Act. Rajendra and Deatrick competed in a four-way Democratic primary race this year for the state Senate seat representing the Ann Arbor area. Former State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, won the seat, defeating Deatrick by a narrow margin. Rajendra came in third place and is now facing jail time over her campaign literature. The Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office alleges she falsely represented herself as the incumbent senator in two postcards mailed to voters, a violation of state election law. The Ann Arbor businesswoman was arraigned on criminal charges Tuesday, Nov. 13, in Ann Arbors 15th District Court. A hearing in the case is set for January and the American Civil Liberties Union is defending Rajendra, calling the charges unconstitutional and arguing she never intended to mislead voters. One of her campaign mailers stated, "As a mom of four and as your State Senator, I want my kids and all kids in Michigan to have the same opportunity for quality education and success." Another stated, "As your State Senator, I'm steadfast in my commitment to ...." She then listed her support for increasing K-12 school funding and other education matters. Those two statements are listed in court records as the reasons why Rajendra is now facing two counts of false incumbency designation, each a misdemeanor violation of state election law punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or $500 in fines. County Prosecutor Brian Mackies office is not commenting on the case at this time. Deatrick, a county commissioner, said her campaign discussed Rajendras campaign mailers in June after several supporters raised concerns about them and she decided not to pursue the matter. Deatrick said she doesnt support the criminal charges against Rajendra and considers the prosecutors pursuit of them now troubling. Its my very strong hope that the charges will be dropped, and my belief that they should be, Deatrick said. Police reports document the complaints made by Boeheim, who has been active in the Washtenaw County Democratic Party, and Kaufman, who works for the Michigan Islamic Academy in Ann Arbor. Both contributed money to Deatricks campaign, finance reports show. Kaufman made three separate donations totaling $600, while Boeheim donated $50. Kaufman declined to comment other than to say she thinks this whole thing blew out of proportion. Boeheim did not respond to a request for comment. Police records show Ann Arbor detectives met on July 4 to discuss an election law violation complaint sent over from the county prosecutors office, listing June 27 as the occurrence date. The report indicates the prosecutors office received two complaints of a campaign candidate running for Michigan State Senate passing themselves off as an incumbent state senator, and the prosecutors office wanted the claims investigated. The prosecutors office sent emails to the Ann Arbor Police Department with photos of the mailers received by Boeheim and Kaufman, according to the report. Police made contact with Kaufman on July 5, five weeks before the Aug. 7 primary, and Kauffman told police she was concerned that if Rajendra is lying about being in office already, as someone who is in office what else they would lie about, the report states. Police were unable to contact Boeheim initially but talked with him by phone on Aug. 16, after the primary was over, according to the report. He told police he was concerned Rajendra had misrepresented herself as an incumbent and he was willing to testify, the report states. A detective followed up on Sept. 18, leaving his business card in the door at Rajendras home, and she later called and agreed to come down to the police station for an interview, the report states. Rajendra stated she did not have any intention to pass herself off as a state senator, the detective wrote. She stated she was trying to get the message across that if elected as a State Senator she would do this, this, and this. She explained that she is new to politics. Rajendra told police she worked with a third-party vendor to design her mailers and she had to look over them in a digital format and approve them fast, sometimes within a half hour, the report states. For one of the mailers in question, She advised the wording seemed to be OK, believing that she had seen other campaigns use similar wording, the report states. Rajendra told police that women she met at a training seminar are behind the company that designed her mailers and the company is reputable and she trusts them, the report states. She stated they have a background in politics. They work with new minority politicians to get recognized, the report states. Rajendra told police between 10,000 and 40,000 mailers were made and she didnt think anything of the wording, the report states. She stated she did not have any intent on deceiving anyone, the report states. Mailers provided by Kaufman were logged as evidence and police sent a warrant request to the prosecutors office, the report states. On Oct. 11, criminal charges were authorized by the prosecutor. The case against Rajendra is attracting attention beyond the borders of Ann Arbor and Michigan. David Keating, president of the Institute for Free Speech in the Washington, D.C., area, said he has reviewed the matter and agrees with the ACLU that the charges are unconstitutional. Im appalled that she is being prosecuted, Keating said. At most she neglected to use the word would in some of the sentences for some of the mailers. Nearly any reasonable person could tell these are things she would do if elected. Rather than being prosecuted, Keating said, people such as Rajendra should be praised for giving voters a choice. He said it sends a horrible message to people considering a run for office. We should make campaigning simpler, not legally dangerous, he said. YPSILANTI TWP., MI -- An Ypsilanti Township family of four is temporarily homeless after a Christmas tree caught fire and spread throughout the house early Wednesday, Dec. 12. The family, a couple and their two daughters, 12 and 13, was alerted by a smoke detector shortly after midnight and escaped without injury, Ypsilanti Township Fire Captain Fred Anstead said. The familys cat, however, has not been located. What caused the Christmas tree to erupt into flames at the single-story home in the 1400 block of Desoto remains under investigation, Anstead said. He said the home suffered nearly $90,000 worth of damage due to smoke and flames. The American Red Cross of Michigan is assisting the family with temporary housing and other immediate needs. Ypsilanti and Superior Township firefighters assisted at the scene. ANN ARBOR, MI A simple noise complaint turned into a SWAT team situation Sunday night after a man confronted police at his door while carrying a hatchet, officials said. Carl Tessen, 54, is charged with felonious assault and resisting, obstructing or assaulting a police officer, according to court records. Ann Arbor officers knocked on Tessens door about 9:36 p.m. in the 1400 block of Pear Street after a neighbor complained of loud music and yelling, police said. After he appeared carrying the hatchet and refused to come out of the home, authorities called in SWAT and Crisis Negotiation Teams, police said. After about six hours, he came out of his home and was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital for treatment before being lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail. No one was injured, according to police. FLINT, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder says he didnt know Dr. Eden Wells, a member of his cabinet, had been hired to a newly created state government job that will pay her nearly $180,000 next year. Speaking to reporters during a roundtable interview on Tuesday, Dec. 11, Snyder reiterated his support for the states chief medical executive, who last week was bound over to stand trial on three criminal charges, including involuntary manslaughter, related to the Flint water crisis. But the governor said he didnt orchestrate the move, and wasnt even aware of the job change, which comes just a few weeks in advance of Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer taking office. As chief medical executive, a position she will retain until the end of the year, Wells has worked as an at-will employee. In her newly created position as advisory physician, she will be a classified employee and have civil service protections starting next year. I wasnt even aware of that in terms of her being in that position, Snyder said Tuesday. "But Ive supported Dr. Wells. Dr. Wells has done a lot of great work. Obviously theres a criminal issue going on. Shes not been found guilty of anything, but if you look, shes actually won awards from organizations for her work... helping to deal with the Flint water crisis," the governor continued. In October, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced that Wells had been awarded the Michigan Association for Local Public Health and Michigan Public Health Associations Roy R. Manty Distinguished Service Award despite the water crisis criminal charges against her. Angela Minicuci, a DHHS spokeswoman, said the decision to hire Wells was made by Population Health Administration Acting Deputy Director Karen MacMaster, a nearly 30-year veteran of the department. Minicuci has said Wells was the lone applicant for her new position, which was posted for less than one week in November, according to the state. The position will advise the administration on public health issues such as HIV, Hepatitis C, environmental health and more given the increasing focus on these and other public health issues in Michigan," the spokeswoman said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver issued a statement Wednesday, Dec. 12, about Wells' rehiring. I wish at this point that I could be shocked by the actions of MDHHS and state government, but I simply cannot. There is a saying about when people show you who they are, you better believe them. Since the beginning of this crisis who they are has been made clear, I believe them, Weaver stated. To create a new position, a classified position, with protections in place, one where she was the only applicant, its just plain insulting. I understand that you are innocent until proven guilty in this country; but I would love to see how many people are allowed to be bound over for trial on manslaughter, lying to a police officer, and obstruction, get a new position within the governmental structure, that is protected. Not only is this a defiant laugh in the face of Flint residents, but this appears to be a blatant maneuver to keep the governor-elect from making any decisions as far keeping or removing a very controversial employee, the statement says. FLINT, MI -- Dr. Eden Wells, the states chief medical executive, will ask a higher court to spare her a jury trial for crimes prosecutors claim she committed during the Flint water crisis. Steve Tramontin, an attorney for Wells, confirmed that he plans to file a motion to quash the decision to bind Wells over to Genesee Circuit Court by Genesee District Judge William Crawford last week. If Tramontin follows that plan, Wells will become the second Flint water defendant to fight a bindover decision as a first-step effort to derail a jury trial in Flint. In September, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon filed a similar motion, asking Circuit Judge Joseph Farah to overrule the lower court bindover on charges including involuntary manslaughter. Oral arguments on Lyons motion to quash are scheduled for Jan. 4. Crawford bound Wells over on charges of involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice and lying to a peace officer on Friday, Dec. 7, saying prosecutors had shown enough evidence to require a trial. Charges against her are based on claims that as chief medical executive of the state, Wells had a duty to warn the public and Gov. Rick Snyder about outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease and the potential connection to Flint water earlier than she did in January 2016. Her attorneys have argued Wells was a hero of the water crisis, supporting work by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha that showed rising levels of lead in childrens blood during the water crisis while others in state government attacked the research. The charges against Wells relate to Legionnaries' disease outbreaks in Genesee County while the city used the Flint River as its water source in parts of 2014 and 2015. Officials at DHHS were aware of steep increases in cases of Legionnaires as well as suspicions that the surge was related to river water as early as 2014, according to testimony in preliminary examinations for Wells and other defendants who worked in state government at the time. Prosecutors also claim Wells lied to a water crisis investigator from the Attorney Generals Office, and say she attempted to withhold funding for programs designed to determine a cause for the surge in Legionnaires'. Wells was appointed as the chief medical executive for DHHS in May 2015 and became a member of Snyders cabinet the following year. Prior to that, she served as a medical consultant to the state health offices Bureau of Epidemiology. MLive-The Flint Journal reported Tuesday, Dec. 11 that Wells was the lone applicant and has been accepted for a new position at DHHS as an advisory physician after her term as chief medical executive is completed this year. GRAND RAPIDS, MI The parents of a man accused of mutilating a Kalamazoo womans body have been accused of providing help to their son and perjury. Holland residents Barbara Louise Chance, 63, and her husband, James Howard Chance, 76, are charged with accessory after the fact, specifically disinterment and mutilation of a dead body, and committing perjury in an investigative subpoena, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said Tuesday, Dec. 11. The couple are expected to be arraigned Wednesday, Dec. 12, in Grand Rapids District Court. Kent County Jail records show the couple was booked into the jail at some point on Tuesday. Their son, Jared Chase, 29, is charged with mutilation of a body and concealing the death. Ashley Young, 30, of Kalamazoo, was identified as the victim through DNA testing after remains were found in the basement of Chases rental home in the 900 block of Franklin Street SE. 6 Grand Rapids man charged with dismembering woman Jared Chance was arrested Dec. 2. Young went missing early on Nov. 29, and, according to a Facebook page created to find her, was last seen with Chance at Mulligans Pub in Eastown. Her friends had posted photos of the two together. Police found the victims remains after a downstairs tenant found blood leaking from a bag or tarp in their shared basement. The victim had been dismembered. Chance, who lived upstairs, was arrested when police found the remains. Police searched his parents' home in the 100 block of West 20th Street in Holland last week, the Holland Sentinel reported. The perjury charge carries a penalty of up to life upon conviction. The accessory charge is a five-year felony. JACKSON, MI A Jackson LGBT rights activist accused of intentionally starting the blaze that destroyed his home and killed five pets last year is headed to trial court facing additional charges. Nikki Joly, 53, was bound over on one felony count of first-degree arson after a lengthy preliminary examination before District Judge Daniel Goostrey on Tuesday, Dec. 11. Two additional felony counts of killing or torturing an animal were added to Jolys case. Joly is accused of intentionally starting the Aug. 10, 2017 fire that destroyed his home in the 1800 block of Pringle Avenue and killed his two dogs - German Shepherds - and three cats. What sticks out to the court is we have accelerants in the home and also found on the defendants clothes he was wearing the day of the fire, Goostrey said. Is there an explanation? Spilled fuel, maybe, but that is a question for upstairs. Defense attorney Andrew Abood argued there wasnt sufficient evidence showing Joly started the fire, and that one of the elements of the first-degree arson charge had not been met. Injury is one of the elements in the charge, but the injury has to be caused directly by the fire, he said. Not by fighting the fire, not by cleaning hoses afterwards. To the prosecutor, a firefighter running out of breath might fit the definition. Tracy Youell, who was a firefighter for the Jackson Fire Department at the time of the incident, testified he was treated for heat exhaustion at Henry Ford Allegiance Healths Emergency Department several hours after leaving the scene. A doctor who treated him at the hospital testified Youell was given three liters of IV fluid in the ER and released. Sgt. Todd Pelletier, a Michigan State Police fire investigator, determined the fire was started intentionally after traces of gasoline were detected in five places in the home. The fire started in the northwest corner of the first floor, he testified. Jackson Police Detective Arron Grove and Sgt. Holly Rose, who was lead detective at the time of the fire, both testified they investigated the fire and collected evidence suggesting Joly started the blaze. Based on a timeline of events leading up to the fire, cellphone records, physical evidence collected by police and witness statements, Joly had the means and opportunity to start the fire, according to a Jackson Police Department arson investigation report obtained by MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot through a Freedom of Information Act request. The motive behind the arson is unclear. Joly did not stand to gain any insurance money from the home being destroyed. He did receive upwards of $60,000 in charitable donations after the fire, investigators said. Abood argued there was no way a reasonable person could plan to receive a large amount of donations after a disaster. Joly has been an advocate for LGBT rights in Jackson, leading the push to establish the citys non-discrimination ordinance, which was approved in 2017. He was director of the Jackson Pride Center, which opened in February 2017, and an organizer of the Jackson Pride Festival and Parade in 2017 and 2018. An FBI special agent who initially investigated the fire as a potential hate crime later concluded Joly was the prime suspect, records show. Jolys case has been assigned to Circuit Judge John McBain. He remains free on a $25,000 bond. First-degree arson is punishable by up to life in prison and a fine of $20,000, or three times the value of the property destroyed. Killing or torturing an animal is punishable by up to four years in prison. GRASS LAKE, MI Stranded in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippines with nothing but life preservers, Richard Thelen made a pact with a fellow U.S. Navy sailor. Their heavy cruiser, the USS Indianapolis, had just delivered parts for the first atomic bomb dropped on Japan in World War II although sailors aboard didn't know it. Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, the ship was sunk by Japanese torpedoes. Thelen, an 18 year old from Lansing, was a gunner. After the ship went down, he fought for survival alongside an Indiana man whose last name was "Terry." They talked about their families as they struggled to survive. "I'd go see his mother, he would come see my folks if one of us didn't make it," Thelen said. It was four days before rescue crews arrived. Terry didnt make it. He was one of many taken by the sharks that filled the water around them. "It's a funny feeling seeing a guy swim out of the group and then you hear a thrashing or a scream," Thelen said. "And then 10 or 15 minutes later, you see a pool of blood float by. It's a funny feeling." Thelen did as he promised. He visited Terry's family in Indiana and the two soldiers parents became close friends until death. Now 91, Thelen is one of 14 remaining survivors from one of the worst naval disasters in American history. About 900 of the 1,200 men aboard the USS Indianapolis died before help arrived. Thelen tells his story at schools across the state, including Grass Lake High School on Monday, Dec. 10, where he used his cane to point out on a photo where he slept topside on the ship using his shoes and coat as a pillow when the torpedoes struck. "I didn't jump off," Thelen said. "The ship left me." Salt water and diesel fuel flooded into Thelens mouth, making him throw up as he battled 8-to-10-foot swells. Seventy years later, Thelen is thankful for that diesel fuel. "I was told sharks don't like the smell of diesel fuel," he said. "And I was saturated with it." Survivors gathered life preservers from those who died in the water, since each device was only supposed to last 72 hours on its own. They had no food or fresh water, so some sailors drank seawater. They'd foam at the mouth, their eyes would pop out and they'd go insane, Thelen said. "It's a hell of a temptation not to drink that," he said. Thelens message to students is simple: Never give up. Hes comfortable telling his story now including interviews with PBS for a documentary on the USS Indianapolis to air Jan. 8. But for years after the attack, Thelen kept many stories to himself. His son David, who travels with him for speaking commitments, didn't learn about the family ties to the USS Indianapolis until he was 18 when the topic surfaced because of the movie "Jaws." Thelen's wife didn't learn about her husband's trauma until seven years after they married and the first book was released on the subject. "She got madder than hell," he said. After a year and a half in the Navy, Thelen eventually became a truck driver for 44 years. He drove more than a million miles without a crash. Thelen still attends USS Indianapolis reunions, though the number of survivors has dropped dramatically recently. He still thinks about the men who died and the random nature of how sailors were assigned to the ship when officers went down a line assigning every other sailor with a one or a two. The "ones" boarded the USS New Jersey, the "twos" went to the USS Indianapolis. A lot of people ask me, How come you got stationed on that ship? Thelen said. "I was a two. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI An opposition group has been denied its attempt to stop the construction of a nearly 4,000-head pig farm in West Michigan while it has a pending petition with the state. Reviving our American Democracy (ROAD) was denied in Muskegon County Circuit Court an injunction to stop construction of a confined animal feed operation (CAFO) owned by Flower Creek Swine in Claybanks Township, north of Montague, according to a news release issued by ROAD. Were still moving forward, Flower Creek Swine owner Jacob Marsh said on Tuesday, Dec. 11. Construction of the covered barn never stopped. The family-owned CAFO, which would house up to 4,000 pigs, would be located within 300 acres of property near the Flower Creek watershed that flows into nearby Lake Michigan. ROAD was not surprised by the ruling handed down by Muskegon Circuit Judge William Marietti this month because the construction does not pose imminent and irreparable harm, according to the release. It seems only common sense that the construction will soon lead to millions of gallons of pig waste having to be spread on land close to Lake Michigan, the ROAD release states. Filing for a preliminary injunction was just one move in our overall effort to stop the CAFO rather than it being a game-ending legal action. In July, ROAD filed a petition with the state seeking the revocation of the CAFOs operating permit. Members of the group believe construction should be delayed until the petition process is complete. The permit, which is valid through Oct. 1, 2022, was granted by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in May. Flower Creek Swine expects to have an average of 3,675 pigs on site, each ranging from 15 to 255 pounds. A single covered and enclosed barn would house the animals and sit atop a 1.5 million-gallon concrete pit that would collect waste through slatted floors. The manure would be pumped into tankers for land application, which the farmers who own the CAFO say is needed in the area. Construction of the concrete pit began in October and is nearly complete, Marsh said Tuesday. The pit is the first phase of building the barn. When we get closer to real damage, ROAD still has the right to request the court to stop Flower Creek Swine from bringing several thousand pigs on site or manifesting 1.5 million gallons of waste every year into our community, the release states. Potential manure pit leaks and ground application potentially compromising water quality are at the crux of ROAD's protests. In the revocation petition to the DEQ, ROAD claims that the permit terms dont protect water quality in the nearby Flower Creek watershed, which feeds into Lake Michigan. The DEQ responded earlier to public concerns, voiced during a hearing in January and in written comments, by approving a restrictive permit that requires Flower Creek Swine to track and document where manure goes and how it is applied to the land. New information has been gathered that the DEQ should consider, according to a previous ROAD release. After ROAD filed its petition, baseline water quality testing of Flower Creek showed that the creek has already suffered due to high E. coli levels, excess sediment and nutrient loading, and is at an ecological tipping point, according to a release issued by ROAD. The organization claims that runoff from the CAFO would degrade water quality to the point of destroying the creeks cold-water fishery. The DEQ is aware of the water quality issues in Flower Creek, said Megan McMahon, environmental quality analyst for the DEQ. The CAFO permit was written so as not to contribute to those problems, she said. Since the petition was filed, there has been one deliberation meeting between the DEQ and ROAD, McMahon said. A second meeting is expected. The purpose of the meetings is to address concerns and reach a compromise, she said previously. If that fails, the petition would go to an administrative rules judge. It is very rare for a permit to be rescinded in this situation, McMahon said earlier. Marsh is working to diversify his familys farm. He started the CAFO application process during April 2017. The Marsh family also grows corn and soy and has a 160-head dairy cow operation. The family has been farming for 23 years and moved to the property in Claybanks about 13 years ago. Storing, transporting and spreading manure is not new to the family, David Marsh, Jacob Marshs father, has said. Manure from the dairy operation is used to fertilize the corn and soy fields, and the pig manure would be sold to local farmers as fertilizer, which he said is better for the environment than artificial fertilizer currently being used. We are not against farmers and we are not against a familys desire to make a good living and preserve their family farm, the recent ROAD release states. We dont, however, believe that CAFO operators have the right to foul our air and water while they profit at the expense of their neighbors health and their neighbors right to enjoy and maintain the value of their property. Im all for unlikely, for elegance, for picnic, though in the 30 years since a guy named Francois Pasquier suggested his friends get together in a park, in white, Ive never attended the event. The secret society meets in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, and Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and other spots I frequent infrequently. Like, never. SAGINAW, MI At just the age of 27, a Saginaw man is going to spend the rest of his life behind bars for his role in the murder outside a West Side liquor store. Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes on Tuesday, Dec. 11, sentenced Benjamin R. Daly to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as is mandated by his conviction of first-degree murder. The judge also gave Daly two years on a related conviction of felony firearm, with credit for 280 days already served on that count alone. Daly was one of three men prosecutors allege had a hand in the death of 41-year-old Willie Dawson, was killed in the parking lot of Dom's Food Market, 2326 N. Michigan Ave., on Sept. 8, 2017. As Boes read the sentences, several women left the courtroom sobbing. I disagree with verdict in this matter, said defense attorney James F. Gust. I think its unfortunate that he was convicted. Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Shellbe A. Sanborn told Boes that regardless of Gusts assertion, the judge had to impose a sentence of life without parole. Daly himself declined to speak when Boes offered him the chance. No one associated with Dawson was present to give a victims impact statement. In addition to convicting Daly on Oct. 31, a jury also found codefendant Troy L. McClain Jr., 42, guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit that crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and three counts of second-offense felony firearm. Prosecutors have described McClain as one of the most dangerous men in Saginaw. During the duos trial, their cohort Alexander J. Jones, 41, served as the prosecutions main witness. Jones testified he was the one who actually pulled the trigger on Dawson. Prosecutors have said McClain had a strong influence over Daly and Jones, describing him as a kingpin, with Daly and Jones as his minions. McClain, they alleged, had instigated Dawsons killing. Sanborn previously alleged McClains wife had had some type of affair with Dawson, which led to the two men having an altercation two weeks prior to Dawsons death. The early morning of Sept. 8, 2017, several people were hanging out at McClain's house when McClain told Daly to go to Dom's Food Market to get some liquor. At the store, Daly spotted Dawson, who was also there as a customer, prompting Daly to place 15 calls to McClain, Sanborn has said. On learning Dawson was at the store, McClain instructed Jones to go to there and kill him, prosecutors said. "Alex originally said no and he wasn't going to do it," Sanborn said. "Troy kind of stood over him and said, 'Get in the truck.' Troy took Alex to Dom's and on the way gave him the gun and told him to kill (Dawson)." Jones exited the truck and shot Dawson as McClain sat in his truck nearby. Jones and Daly then returned to the vehicle and McClain drove them back to his house. On the witness stand, Jones showed remorse, Sanborn has said. "He said, 'I'm sorry (Dawson) died, he didn't deserve to die, but in that moment, in my mental state, it was either his life or mine. I felt that my life was in jeopardy.'" Boes is to sentence McClain at 2 p.m. on Jan. 8. Jones trial on charges related to Wilsons death is scheduled to begin Jan. 3. BAY CITY, MI - A judge has dismissed a federal lawsuit against Bay County that had been filed by a former janitor claiming he was fired for supporting a former sheriff candidate. U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington on Tuesday, Dec. 11, signed the order of summary judgment granting Bay Countys request for the dismissal of Neal J. Papins lawsuit. Papin had filed his suit in December 2017, seeking damages in excess of $75,000. He contended the county had violated both his First Amendment rights and the Whistleblowers Protection Act when it constructively discharged him from his maintenance-janitorial position. Ludington, however, wrote in his ruling that the county did not discharge Papin or discriminate against him. In his suit, Papin alleged he lost his job for supporting Robert C. Bobby Lee, a former deputy who ran for sheriff in 2012 against incumbent John E. Miller and again in 2016, losing to then-Undersheriff Troy R. Cunningham. Papin served as Lees campaign manager in 2016. At the time, Papin was working full-time as a janitor for the county, assigned to the Bay County Sheriffs Office. Between the two elections, depositions were held among sheriff's office personnel in a federal lawsuit filed by former deputy Jason N. Holsapple, who alleged he was fired by Miller for supporting Lee's candidacy. During the depositions, a sergeant was asked if he knew who "Neal the janitor" was, "which placed the Sheriff's Department on notice that (Papin) had informed Mr. Holsapple about (a) meeting" between then-Lt. Cunningham, the sergeant, and a deputy, according to the suit. Then, in February 2015, Lee testified in a deposition in another lawsuit that Papin had told him Miller was in Florida while command staff made it appear that Sheriff Miller was present in Bay County and running the department. By the time he gave such testimony, Lee had already filed to run again for sheriff in the 2016 election, this time against Cunningham. Neal J. Papin About a week after Lee testified, Papin was transferred from the sheriffs office to the Bay County Health Department, a move he asserted was retaliation for providing information for Lees lawsuit. In December 2015, Lee filed a lawsuit against Miller, Cunningham, and several others in the agency and in the Bay County Prosecutor's Office. Before it was resolved, Cunningham defeated Lee in the sheriff campaign. Papin was named as a witness for Lee in his suit. In July 2017, Papin signed an affidavit describing a deputy assigned to the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (or BAYANET) sifting through trash pulled from a civilians property, trash Lee believed was his. Two months later, Bay County Corporation Counsel Amber Davis-Johnson and Assistant Corporation Counsel Shawna Walraven read Papins statement in the affidavit and were concerned because the statement indicated that Papin had disclosed sensitive information about a potential criminal investigation to Lee, the possible target of the investigation, Ludingtons ruling states. Walraven and Davis-Johnson discussed Papins affidavit with Cristen Cignac, the countys director of recreation and facilities. Cignac on Sept. 11, 2017, met with Papin and his union counsel. Cignac informed Papin he had violated county rules by disclosing information in his affidavit and placed him on paid administrative leave pending the result of an internal investigation. Papin claimed in his lawsuit that he then met with his union president, who advised him to resign before the county could fire him. In her own deposition, the union president denied doing this. On Sept. 14, 2017, Papin met again with Cignac, who told him the internal investigation was not yet concluded. Though Cignac stressed Papin did not have to resign, he did so anyway. As explained by Walraven, the County was concerned that as a custodian, Papin had regular access to sensitive County information that he was a party to publicly disclosing without the approval of his employer, Ludington wrote in his order. The County had a legitimate concern about Papins trustworthiness. Since Papins position gave him ready access to such information, the County had sufficient justification to treat Papin differently than a member of the general public. The County had a responsibility to safeguard the information in its possession, which included ensuring that its employees handled the information properly. Even though Papin had spoken on a matter of public concern, the County was justified in placing him on paid leave while it investigated his behavior. Ludington also wrote that the facts do no support Papins assertion that he was constructively discharged. Multiple individuals advised Papin not to resign, including his own union representative and representatives of the County. Regarding the other lawsuits, Holsapples was settled out of court in May 2014 for $480,000. A federal judge dismissed Lees suit against Miller and his codefendants on Dec. 28, 2017. Corbet then jumps to 2017, at which point Portman seizes the role of Celeste. Cassidy now plays her daughter, and their extended, forlornly funny conversations become the through-line for Vox Lux. Corbets atmospheric sense is very strong in this, his second feature: The directions fleet-footed and excitingly up for anything. So is Portman. With this picture, alongside her turns in Black Swan and Jackie, she becomes the patron saint of celebrity burdens and the determination to endure. Celeste has traded one heinous form of notoriety for another kind. Vox Lux fabulizes that transformation. Cochran and Barlow soon found a following eager to hear more of their experimental productions, which veer away from any solid formula from release to release. And now, the two are hard at work on their next release, an as-yet-untitled EP. In the works for more than six months, the new EP veers even farther away from Iris Temple releases of the past. Its also a lot more honest than Ive ever felt with our music, Cochran elaborated. A lot of our first stuff was experimenting. With this project, I feel more solid. I feel very connected to this music. A: This course developed as a response to a few factors. One was to increase visibility of black women practitioners namely Octavia Butler in PWI (Predominantly White Institutions). And to illuminate and celebrate her work and its application to our lives today, especially in this moment locally, nationally and globally. Butler's work presents an accurate, prophetic and dystopic vision, but rather than being wholly pessimistic, it offers us points of agency embodied in the young character of Lauren Oya Olamina. The creation of survival packs is not a gratuitous statement in response to imagined disaster scenarios. We are aware of and respond to the many dire circumstances occurring at our doorsteps and further afield and also recognize the many ways we each experience hardship, asking how we may tend to the present and prepare for the future. Each student has developed their pack as an investigation of what constitutes for them survival at this moment and what it means to thrive in the midst of difficult circumstances. Encourage your child to take school safety drills seriously, he said. Your child should be able to explain what happened in the drill at school. If not, you may want to reach out to the school district, find out what the class learned, and review the information with your child. The big question is whats going to happen when our kids start having kids? Miller said. Are they going to come back and keep doing our cards? Are they going to break off and come up with their own tradition? Somewhere along the way, I forgot that I was trapped in the body of a middle-aged woman: There I was, not quite a lithe water ballerina, but a mom of two children, with plenty of heartaches and pain riding along on my tail scales, suspended midspring in dolphin arch position, smiling confidently at my imaginary spectators. I'm a so-so swimmer and as clumsy as can be on land. But Im always enthusiastic and ready for a challenge. That's the magic of Weeki Wachee: It can truly transform you into a carefree mermaid, if only you give it a chance. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Share price of Ashok Leyland jumped 3 percent intraday Wednesday after company signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Israel's ELBIT Systems. As part of this agreement, Ashok Leyland will provide High Mobility vehicles (HMV) for mounting ELBIT Systems' artillery guns and systems. The integrated systems are targeted for worldwide export markets. Ashok Leyland has expertise in design, manufacturing of logistic vehicles, combat support High Mobility Vehicles (HMV) and Armoured vehicles for the defence forces. Vinod K. Dasari, MD, Ashok Leyland said, "Ashok Leyland is proud to be associated with ELBlT Systems and we are certain this partnership will expand our reach globally. It underlines our capabilities of making and designing in lndia, for the world." "This step is also in line with our strategy of increasing contribution from our Defence Business which will help us derisk our overall business," he said. ELBlT Systems, Israel, is a high technology company globally engaged in a range of defence areas including Land Systems, Artillery Systems and Platforms, Howitzers, Mortars and Ammunition. At 09:33 hrs Ashok Leyland was quoting at Rs 106.20, up Rs 3.30, or 3.21 percent on the BSE. Sounak Mitra Cab-hailing firm Uber has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) to the US Securities and Exchange Commission last week. Reports say that bankers are valuing it at $120 billion. But the San Francisco-based start-up will have to improve its financials before the offer hits the markets. In the three months to September, Uber lost $1.07 billion, a 20 percent increase from $891 million the previous quarter. One way Uber could improve is to focus on India the only major market in Asia where the company still operates. India is probably the only market where Uber can scale up fast. It only operates in 31 cities compared to its rival Olas base of 110 cities. While Ubers valuation is primarily linked to how well it sold its vision and growth prospects to its investors so far, its gross billing which comes from the total number of rides it completes also matters. To increase that, Uber will have to get more users to use its services more often. Naturally, India becomes important. The country has more than 1.3 billion people, and most of the market is not covered by Uber. In the US, Uber has around 41.8 million users as of March 2018, followed by 17 million in Brazil where Chinas Didi also entered recently making competition tougher for Uber. Uber has 750,000 drivers in the US but only 300,000 active drivers in India who complete around 10 million trips a week. Over the next 10 years, Ubers CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that the company aimed to increase the number of trips by 5-10 times. India is currently the third largest market for Uber, after the US and Brazil, accounting for around 11 per cent of its total trips. While Ubers CEO Khosrowshahi had said earlier this year that India is the healthiest market for Uber in terms of growth rates, the going wont be easy. From available public numbers, it is clear that the company has seen a decline in growth in terms of total trips. According to market intelligence firm KalaGato, Ubers market share dropped to 39.6 percent in December 2017 from 42 percent in July 2017. In April 2018, the company was clocking 10 million trips a week, up 6.4 percent from July 2017. However, the growth in July 2017 over 11 months ago was 67 percent. That said, Uber doesnt have many choices. It has exited eight markets, including China in the past two years. Therefore, it necessarily has to double down on its bet in India to drive growth even if such growth is unlikely to yield much profit. After all, India has consumer base to expand Ubers scale. The company has already announced its plans to double its technology headcount in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. In February, Khosrowshahi also said Uber considers India as the laboratory for the next six billion consumers that the company aims to have with different services. That makes India a core market for the cab hailing company. Besides, Ubers recent experiments with Uber Eats, its food delivery service, has seen a seven fold growth in the past four months and now has around 20 per cent of the market. Ubers success in India is crucial for the companys growth and thus key to a successful IPO. Otherwise, its local rival Ola, also backed by its investor Softbank, may emerge as an acquirer over a period leading to a similar fate that Uber had in China when it had to sell its operations to Didi. German-brand Blaupunkt that launched televisions in India in September 2018 is looking to invest $30 million in the first two quarters of FY20. It is looking to expanding its TV business in India. In an interaction with Moneycontrol, Karan Bedi, COO, Blaupunkt Televisions India said that the investment will be utilised to manufacture premium television sets locally. Bedi said that while they have an exclusive partnership with e-commerce platform Flipkart to sell their TVs, he added that his company would be open to partner with other online and offline players. "The initial few days were when we were selling online with a limited stock. But we might open up to offline electronic retailers as well," he said. How is it different Blaupunkt is a well known brand for audio equipment. Bedi said that unlike other television brands operating in the Indian market, Blaupunkt will offer a complete audio experience for customers. "Whenever someone buys a television, they are also required to buy a compatible audio system. With our television, there is no need to buy an additional sound system," he noted. Some of the television sets come equipped with an external soundbar, while others have it inbuilt. Won't compete on pricing The online television segment is among the most competitive ones with several players aggressively pricing their products. Bedi, however, said that they will not compromise on pricing. "We will compete on the product quality and not on price. We are aware that several brands offer products at a much cheaper rate, but we will cater to mass premium customer with quality products," he added. Bedi explained that their idea is to keep the products reasonably priced. In FY19, the company is looking to launch a limited edition television model at a competitive price. Manufacturing locally While the company is making investments into producing locally, the duty structures stay high for imports. Customs duty for TVs is at 20 percent currently. The company at present sells eight television products in India. The basic television sets are manufactured locally while others are imported. Arvind Subramanian With the reigns of RBI (Reserve Bank of India) governorship passing to an ex-bureaucrat, former chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian Wednesday said central bank autonomy is "sacred", which should not be compromised. Progress on the steps taken by Governor Shaktikanta Das' predecessor Urjit Patel to restore financial system integrity will be a key thing to assess any damage to the institution. "What is going to be key is whether this (restoring financial system agenda) is maintained going forward. That is going to be the yardstick to measure what is happening on the bigger institutional front," he said, speaking at the Fifth India Economic Conclave here. "RBI has a very good reputation for very good reasons (and) maintaining the functional autonomy in decision-making and governance is absolutely sacred, we must not compromise on that," he added. He said under Patel, the RBI has done a "commendable" job on decisions like prompt corrective action (PCA), dealing with NBFCs and also with individual private banks. It can be noted that the weeks before Patel's resignation, differences between the RBI and government on at least two fronts, PCA and NBFCs, were widely reported. The government wants the RBI to liberalise the PCA framework so that more banks are able to lend liberally, while it had pitched for strong liquidity support to the NBFC sector, which was outrightly rejected by RBI. Subramanian hinted there was a bit of "oversight" by the RBI when it comes to NBFCs and the IL&FS crisis. Meanwhile, speaking at the same event, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan also made a strong pitch for independence of financial regulators. "These (regulators) are structures which we must strengthen, they have to stand as independent bodies to ensure our growth is healthy and stable," he said. Subramanian said the second agenda that was being pursued by Patel was improving on the strengths of RBI and added that this needs to continue. He reiterated that there is excess capital with the RBI, but underscored that it has to be used only for recapitalising dud-assets saddled state-run banks and that too only when they reform their functioning. The Harvard economist warned that using the excess capital for bridging the fiscal gap would be akin to "raiding the RBI" and hoped that the soon-to-be-appointed committee to look into excess capital will address these aspects. Patel resigned Monday citing personal reasons, while the government appointed Das as his successor, who took charge Wednesday. On the NBFC crisis, he said there is a need for an asset quality review (AQR) similar to the one done at banks in 2015 for understanding the exact strengths of the non-bank lenders. He said by definition, the risk-reward ratio at such bodies is very high and hence, there is a case for closer monitoring. On the broader growth, he said global economic adversities are a challenge which can hit our growth because of a dip in exports. Much beyond trade wars, US and China are entering debt wars and geopolitical strategic re-allignment which will have consequences for the entire world. The only way to deal with it is through strong policy responses on the domestic front, he said, adding that financial sector and agriculture are the key areas of challenge within India. On the election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got trounced in three important states, along with the events of the last two years suggest that every political manifesto in the next election will have a universal basic income-like scheme for the farmers, Subramanian said. He seemed to suggest that it will be better for the states to take the tab of such populist measures as finding resources will be difficult for the Centre. Representative image At a mid-sized food delivery firm, a prospective delivery executive was found to be involved in a case of sexual assault at a pizza chain about six months ago. He was not hired despite the company being in a dire need of talent. This fact came to the fore when the firm checked his identity and address but also his past criminal record. Companies (especially start-ups) are now stepping up to conduct multiple levels of background verification for even blue-collared staff. While screening was only being done for employees above a certain pay grade, this is now seeping down to all workers. Also, all facets of an individual's past activities are being thoroughly investigated. Data collected by background verification firm AuthBridge Research Services for blue-collared employees showed that on-demand economy runs with reputational risks of hiring a fraud or unethical candidates with a possible criminal background or a fake identity. On-demand economy refers to new-age companies operating in segments like ride-sharing, food and grocery delivery, home services, among others. After the BPO boom, on-demand services have created a new wave for job opportunities for youngsters in India. However, companies are preferring to err on the side of caution when it comes to background verification of staff. Companies are ready to spend more money to conduct multiple checks on even blue-collared workers and have also taken stringent calls to blacklist those with errant behaviour. This is because these individuals are the actual brand ambassadors of these firms and any wrong conduct have far-reaching consequences because a majority of these start-ups are funded by global entities, said the head of a Mumbai-based background screening firm. He added that start-ups have also begun to share data of applicant with a criminal background (open criminal case) with one another, so that they are not hired elsewhere. According to AuthBridge, for every 1,000 candidates verified in FY18, close to 35 were found discrepant on one or more of the checks like identity, address, criminal record, criminal watch list and police verification. With an average of three checks done on each applicant, the highest discrepancy emerged for address verification at 9.58 percent. The data also showed that about 3.3 percent of the candidates were discrepant under the Indian court record database check (Criminal Court Record & Criminal Litigation), which is a significant number when you realise these are the people with criminal history. Ajay Trehan, Founder and CEO, AuthBridge, said background screening is gaining momentum across the spectrum and when done it ensures that companies are able to filter out talent based on crucial parameters, which allows them to make intelligent choices when it comes to hiring their workforce. Earlier, only the white-collared workers were screened through background verification firms. Now, with a large workforce, across smaller companies, falling under the blue-collar category, firms are stepping up to manage their liabilities effectively. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis Wednesday said that for India to achieve its target of USD 5 trillion economy there needs to be a decisive leadership. Speaking at the India Economic Conclave here Fadnavis said that a leadership with policy paralysis cannot achieve growth despite any amount of demographic advantage. "Today we have become the sixth largest and fastest growing economy in the world and considering the strategic and cultural reforms we have undertaken in the last four years I believe we will be able to achieve the USD 5 trillion target," he said. Fadnavis further said India has opportunities in the form of demographic dividend, democracy and demand and thus it is time to aspire and take systemic efforts to achieve the target. "A leadership with policy paralysis cannot achieve growth despite any amount of demographic advantage. Today, we have a decisive leadership under prime minister Narendra modi... The biggest advantage of India is the brightest minds, the demography and the decisive leadership that will make us leapfrog," the CM said. Given that we are over a USD 2.5 trillion economy growing at about 7.5 percent, with business usual we will be a USD 5 trillion economy by 2028-2029, he added. However, to achieve the target by 2025, the agriculture sector needs to grow at 10 percent, manufacturing needs to grow at nearly 14 percent and the services sector at 13 percent, he pointed out. He expressed concern over the protectionist tendencies that are on a rise among nations who previously championed free trade. Besides, the trade war between US and China is also an issue due to our high dependence on oil and the volatility in oil prices, he said, adding that climate change was a huge factor making the agri-sector unsustainable. "Despite all these, if we work sustainably and strategically I think the USD 5 trillion target is achievable," the minister added. Maharashtra contributes to 15-16 percent of the national GDP. "We aspire that by 2025, when India's economy will be USD 5 trillion, Maharashtra would be the first state in the country to have a USD 1 trillion economy," he said. For that, the minister said the state will have to grow by 5.5 percent in the agri-sector, 12 percent in industry and 14-15 percent in services sector. The government has detected GST evasion worth Rs 12,000 crore in 8 months till November, a senior tax official said on Wednesday. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) member John Joseph said despite the electronic way or E-way bill mechanism there has been rampant evasion and there is a need to increase compliance. "We started anti-evasion measures from April onwards, and from April-November we have detected Rs 12,000 crore of GST evasion. This is huge compared to what happened in central excise or service tax side. There is huge evasion. There are smarter guys outside who knows how to pocket the money," Joseph said addressing an Assocham event. Joseph, who looks after investigation in the CBIC, said almost Rs 8,000 crore worth GST evasion has been recovered by the tax officials. Goods and Services Tax (GST), which subsumed 17 local taxes, including excise duty and service tax, was introduced on July 1, 2017. Since it was a new tax, the government had decided to go slow on enforcement action in the initial months of its implementation. Joseph said only 5-10 per cent of the 1.2 crore assessees are evading GST and bringing a bad name to the industry. "We need to improve compliance mechanism." On industry concerns as to whether a change in government might lead to an overhaul of the GST process, Joseph said: "With all the apprehensions that you have, whether the election results are going to be bad for the GST or not, I can tell you very clearly that the same politicians whether in opposition or ruling party, they all came together to conceive this. "There may be some changes in law, some procedural changes can definitely happen, but it will not be lock, stock, and barrel as in the case of Malaysia." He said the GST Council, comprising the Centre and states, had taken all decision relating to the new indirect tax regime. The CBIC member also said the new GST return forms will have a beta version initially, so that industry has enough time to suggest what could be done to improve the quality of returns. In July, the CBIC had put up in public domain draft GST return forms 'Sahaj' and 'Sugam' and sought public comments. These forms will replace GSTR-3B (summary sales return form) and GSTR-1 (final sales returns form). The new forms are slated to be launched in April 2019. With regard to industry concerns over varied orders passed by the Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR), Joseph said the Centre was pushing for a national bench for AAR but it hit the roadblock as the bench was required to have about 40 members with representations from every state. "I do agree, there is a real serious issue in that (Advance Ruling). The Centre is trying to push that there has to be a single advance ruling authority but unfortunately think about a situation where every state says I have equal right as the Centre. So, think about a situation where a national bench is constituted with 39/40 people sitting, how do you think it will work. That is where the problem is coming in," Joseph said. He said even for setting up regional benches there is a huge disagreement between the states. Currently, what the government is doing is they are going through the entire thing, studying the issue and then issuing a clarification, the member noted. "Once the clarification is issued, the entire advance ruling thing becomes null and void. For some time, you have to adjust to that situation till a trust is developed between the Centre and states," Joseph added. As per the law, all states are required to set up at least one AAR for seeking advance ruling over GST levy and one appellate authority to hear appeals against the AAR order. In March, the New Delhi bench of the AAR had held that duty-free shops at airports are liable to deduct GST from passengers. However, these shops were exempt from service tax, and Central Sales Tax in the earlier regime. Further, the solar industry too was left in a vexed situation when the Maharashtra AAR said that 18 per cent GST rate would be levied for installation works, but the Karnataka-bench of AAR passed an order levying 5 per cent GST on the same. On concerns over availing input-tax credit, Joseph asked the industry to submit their representations, backed by data, along with suggestions. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The order of preference for reinsurance contracts has been retained in India. In the final regulations on reinsurance, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has said that the order will be first General Insurance Corporation of India followed by foreign reinsurance companies operating in India via branches will now be allowed to bid for reinsurance contracts. IRDAI has said that insurers will be free to obtain best terms for reinsurance protection of domestic risks. In all contracts, GIC Re is given the first right of refusal in reinsurance contracts. If it declines to accept the risk, only then it would be given to foreign reinsurer's branches. Reinsurance refers to risk cover taken by insurance companies. They take this cover for protection against financial liabilities of large projects. In case there is a huge claim from an insured loss, the reinsurance cover provides financial assistance to insurance companies. IRDAI said that reinsurance renewals will have to be done at the beginning of every financial year. No insurer will seek terms from any Indian insurer, not registered with the authority to transact reinsurance business. IRDAI has said that every Indian insurer has to maintain the maximum possible retention in commensuration with its financial strength, quality of risks and volume of business. In life insurance, IRDAI has said insurers should retail at least 25 percent of sum assured under pure protection and 50 percent for other categories of products. Seven global reinsurers operate in the Indian reinsurance market through their branches. These include Munich Re, Swiss Re, SCOR SE, Hannover Re, RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada, XL Insurance Company SE, Gen Re and AXA France Vie. Specialist insurance market Lloyd's of London has an India branch as well. Foreign reinsurers had earlier expressed concerns about not getting equal treatment and held discussions with the Finance Ministry on the matter. However, the idea here to is to give more rights to the domestic reinsurers. The size of the reinsurance market in India is about Rs 45,000 crore and only a negligible portion of it is contributed by branches of foreign reinsurers. The amendment in the insurance laws in 2015 through the Insurance Act (Amendment) Act had said that foreign reinsurers will be allowed to set up branches in India. However, the first preference rule was added later to give a boost to Indian companies first before giving away business to foreign entities. Former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday assumed charge as the RBI Governor. He replaces Urjit Patel who abruptly resigned amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank. "Assumed charge as Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Thank you each and everyone for your good wishes," Das said in a tweet. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley termed Das as a person with "right credentials" for the RBI top job. "Das has been a very senior and an experienced civil servant. He has almost his entire career in the management of finances and economic management of the country both, when he was in the state government of Tamil Nadu and also when he was in the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance," Jaitley said. Das, who becomes 25th governor of the RBI, is a former IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre. Jaitley said his appointment was necessitated by the resignation of Urjit Patel as Governor of the RBI on Monday. "I think, he (Das) has the right credentials. He has been extremely professional, has worked under various governments and has excelled himself. I am sure, in meeting the challenges before India's economy as Governor of Reserve Bank, he will certainly act," the finance minister said. - Access to RBIs capital at heart of the rift- Fiscal picture in first seven months worrisome- GST collection and disinvestment receipts disappoint- Spending likely to accelerate in the run-up to the general election - RBIs capital the only ammunition to bridge the fiscal gap The rift between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and government on myriad issues impacting autonomy of the central bank resulted in the recent resignation of the former governor Urjit Patel. The government has been quick to appoint its own man, a former bureaucrat at the helm of RBI. While some of these contentious issues will be addressed quickly, especially the ones pertaining to targeted flow of liquidity, it remains to be seen how quickly the government gets access to RBI capital to bridge its fiscal shortfall. Even if it succeeds, how will rating agencies react to such a myopic approach? Will the global investors get convinced that we are walking the right fiscal path? The government had been pressing RBI to relax its Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) norms as 11 state-owned banks came under its ambit on account of their weak fundamentals. A relaxation of these norms along with a special liquidity window to non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) has been a long standing demand from the government to ease the flow of liquidity to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The government has also been hankering for relaxation of bad loan rules for MSME and has been trying to get RBI to relax certain bad loan reporting norms. RBI, on the other hand, has come out in the open to express its displeasure over the governments decision to appoint an independent payments regulator. However, the move, which has been seen having far-reaching implications, is the governments intention to transfer a part of RBIs capital, perhaps to breach the burgeoning fiscal gap. To start with, formation of an expert panel to look into the economic capital framework of RBI is mooted. Read: Battle for capital: Is RBI kitty big enough to warrant a transfer to government? The fiscal picture is undoubtedly worrisome and with little time left before the presentation of the Vote on Account, it is unlikely to change dramatically. Outcome from the recent state elections can only make it worse. As the exhibit suggests, in the first seven months of FY19, the fiscal deficit has already breached its target for the full year. Fiscal deficit, as a percentage of GDP, is 3.5 percent at the end of October, already higher than the budgetary target of 3.3 percent. Faltering tax revenue seems to be one of the key culprits. Hence, all attention will be on Goods & Service Tax (GST) collection figures. So far this fiscal, GST collection has been disappointing. To reach the targeted gross collection figure of Rs 12.5 lakh crore, the run-rate of collection in the remaining four months will have to be close to Rs 1.18 lakh crore. That seems unlikely as the GST Council is planning a reduction in peak rates for certain consumption items in its December meeting and the economy appears to be losing momentum. For the central government (collection through CGST and IGST), the shortfall could pose a serious challenge. Disinvestment receipts is the other revenue head that has been a big underperformer this year. While FY18 turned out to be good, FY19 performance has been fairly tardy. As against a target of Rs 80,000 crore, proceeds from disinvestment receipt has barely touched Rs 34,000 crore in FY19 so far. Some last minute window dressing (such as selling the governments stake in REC to Power Finance Corporation) can partially help, but the target still looks tall. On the expenditure front, while growth in revenue expenditure has been so far contained, it is likely to accelerate in coming months, with the ruling party doling out more freebies in the run-up to general elections. In light of the electoral setback (the ruling BJP lost three states to the Congress in the Hindi heartland), the eye on fiscal discipline will take a back seat. Not only is there risk of fiscal profligacy from the central government, state governments too may resort to populism, thereby worsening the combined deficit (Centre and states) picture. However, government has committed itself to bringing down fiscal deficit to 3.3 percent and 3.1 percent of GDP in FY19 and FY20, respectively, as per the Fiscal Responsibility & Budget Management Act. There was a bump up in the FY18 deficit figure on account of introduction in GST, but the same alibi will not work this year. Seen in this context, access to RBIs capital to bridge the fiscal gap assumes importance and the drama played out at Mint Street is only expected. But the inherent fiscal strains and the rather desperate last minute attempt to access RBIs resources to indulge in extra spending in an election year might not go down too well with rating agencies While window dressing may theoretically prevent a large fiscal slippage, it may well be short of convincing the global investors as well as the rating agencies that India is walking the path of fiscal rectitude. Attorneys for the media organizations argued that documents admitted into evidence at trial are a matter of public record. There is particularly no need to shield them from view now that the trial has all but concluded except for Stephensons ruling on the officers guilt or innocence, they said. What a day for Indian markets! It ignored the exit of Dr. Urjit Patel as the governor of RBI as a setback for BJP in the three Hindi speaking heartland states namely Chattisgarh, MP, and Rajasthan. The final tally the S&P BSE Sensex closed 190 points higher at 35,150 while for the Nifty the rally was about 60 points. It closed above its crucial resistance mark of 10,500 at 10,549 on Tuesday. Indian market recouped losses and broke out in green in afternoon trade as trends indicated that single party might be getting a majority in all states which could have aided sentiment on the markets. Technically, much of the Tuesdays rally could be on the back of short coverings but for bulls to take control, Nifty has to surpass and close above its 200-DMA placed around 10750. Meanwhile, to retain bullish bias Nifty50 need to sustain above 10333 levels and breach of this shall resume the downswing with initial targets of 10191 levels. On the institutional side, FPI net sold Rs 2421 in Indian markets while DII net bought Rs 2255 crore, according to provisional data on the NSE. Rupee also closed off lows at Rs 71.85/USD Big News: The Reserve Bank of India has announced Shaktikanta Das as the new Governor, according to a notification by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). The announcement comes after the Urjit Patel announced his resignation from the post on December 11. Patel has resigned as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor, nine months before his tenure was to end in September 2019, ending a 27-month long stint at Mint Street rocked by a testy debate on the central banks autonomy. Technical View: Nifty formed a bullish candle on the daily charts Three levels to watch: 10333, 10600, 10700 Max Call OI: 11000, 11500 Max Put OI: 10000, 10200 India VIX fell down sharply by 12.21% at 17.94 levels Technical Recommendations: We spoke to SMC Global Securities and heres what they have to recommend: Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited: Buy| Target: Rs 2950| Stop Loss: Rs 2520| Return 10% The Federal Bank Limited: Buy| Target: Rs 91| Stop Loss: Rs 77| Return 10% Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited: Buy| Target: Rs 715| Stop Loss: Rs 610| Return 10% Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are his own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Auto stocks hogged the limelight and were riding at top speed after news reports indicated that China is expected to cut tariffs on cars made in the US. Tata Motors, which gets major revenue from its luxury car brand Jaguar Land Rover, rallied 5 percent and Motherson Sumi Systems, which supplies auto components to global car makers, climbed more than 5 percent. It also more of a sentiment driven rally in other auto and auto ancillary stocks. Hero Motocorp, Exide Industries, Bajaj Auto, M&M, Eicher Motors, Ashok Leyland, TVS Motor, Bharat Forge, Amara Raja Batteries and Maruti Suzuki gained 2-5 percent. The Nifty Auto index itself climbed over 3 percent. "News reports that China would cut tariffs on cars made in the US to 15 percent from the current 40 percent," CNBC said. China had initially cut import tariffs for all foreign-made cars and car parts from 25 percent to 15 percent in July this year. However, Beijing subsequently raised tariffs on automobiles imported from the US to 40 percent amid escalating tensions with Washington. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and other leaders during the party's Central Election Committee meeting for the Assembly polls in Telangana, at party headquarters in New Delhi, Thursday, Nov 1, 2018. (PTI Photo/Vijay Verma) (PTI11_1_2018_000241B) The high voltage drama that unfolded on the political front on December 11 made one thing clear that it will be an uphill task for BJP to win majority in 2019 general elections and investors will have to tread with caution. Many first-time investors who jumped in the equity pool when BJP took control at the Center in 2014 are in for a bumpy ride, if not tough. With the 0-3 outcome in the state polls against BJP, the party is clearly on the back foot now. Most experts feel that the government will now be pushed to rollout populist measures, to regain the trust of voters, thus putting pressure on fiscal. However, anecdotal evidence from the past Assembly and Lok Sabha elections indicates that it is not necessary that a loss in Assembly Election means weak performance in Lok Sabha elections (as seen during 2003 assembly/2004 Lok Sabha elections). Elara Capital conducted a ground research in 250 villages across India, which suggests that people vote differently in state and national elections. Given these two factors, the governments might have a reason to stick to fiscal glide path and not succumb to pressure due to state election losses, in our view. The report further added that the strength of the government (absolute majority versus coalition) or growth/populist political orientation has no implication on economic growth or the stock market. Given the existing global macro headwinds such as trade war escalation, slowing global growth, US recession concerns and worries over RBI autonomy, Elara Capital expects enhanced volatility environment to persist and have a negative bias towards market performance in the near term. While the losses for BJP will rob it of some momentum, it is perilous to extrapolate state election results to central government elections. Experts suggest that state elections very often are fought on local issues, and the outcome will be different when it comes to the national level. If we look at the actual results, the winning margin for Congress in two of the three Hindi heartland states Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is quite narrow. Hence, we cant conclude that the brand Modi is fading. At the central level, Prime Minister Modi maintains overwhelming popularity over his competitors, and anecdotal evidence suggests BJP has more boots on the ground than other parties to mobilise during its re-election campaign, said a Nomura report. However, we do expect talks of a grand coalition to raise political uncertainty going into the 2019 general elections (scheduled in Q2), it said. Political uncertainty will be one of the key factors to watch out for and that could hurt domestic flows, which supported the market in 2017 and 2018 when FIIs pulled out funds. CLSA in a note said that domestic retail investors started to come into equity markets in a meaningful way starting May 2014 and this coincided with the win for Modi and expectations of a stable development-oriented government. State election results will increase fears of an unstable government among retail investors and this could impact market inflows. A slowdown in flows could impact market multiples, it said. Another global brokerage firm, UBS said in a note that BJP coming back in 2019 is being priced in, and the market is evaluating various outcome possibilities. The market risk-reward remains unattractive as it continues to trade expensively. Strategy for 2019: Most experts feel that investors should focus more on largecaps and select mid & smallcaps, but for wealth creation, allocate majority of your portfolio towards equities. In the coming months, general elections remain an overhang. We believe that the formation of a business-friendly government would help drive the next rally in equities. Our target for Nifty for December 2019 is 14,000, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, CEO - Karvy Stock Broking told Moneycontrol. We expect H2 of CY2019 to be good for equities and believe investors should be overweight equities, especially stocks that are geared to an economic recovery, he said. He further added that while the asset allocation depends on a number of factors like age and risk tolerance. On an average, one could allocate 70% to equities, 20% to fixed income, 5% to gold and 5% to cash. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. We believe that the formation of a business-friendly government would help drive the next rally in equities. Our target for Nifty for December 2019 is 14,000, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, CEO, Karvy Stock Broking said in an interview with Moneycontrols Kshitij Anand. Now that state election uncertainty is over where do you see markets heading? Yes, as we have seen steady rollovers into December series, and positive news flow from G20 meet, especially trade war truce between the US and China, helping global markets to move on a stronger note. With a slew of events such as US Fed meet outcome, RBI meeting lined up during December, indices are likely to be volatile. The Nifty is likely to trade in a broad range of 10,600-11,200 with a positive bias. Do you think the pain in the mid and smallcaps is here to stay? The mid and small-cap stocks tend to outperform when they are at a significant discount (at least 20 percent) to large-cap valuations, whereas they are at par now. In the near to mid-term, we expect largecaps to perform better as mid and small-cap valuations are not yet favourable. Over the coming quarters, largecaps are likely to do better. The mid and smallcaps are likely to underperform until their valuations become attractive. However, we believe that after mid-2019, with decent time correction, conditions may be favourable for mid and smallcaps to perform well. After a muted 2018, what are your predictions for the year 2019? We believe that a broad-based economic recovery is underway, and most importantly, capex spending is recovering. This should support corporate earnings and equity markets. However, in the coming months, general elections remain an overhang. We believe that the formation of a business-friendly government would help drive the next rally in equities. Our target for Nifty for December 2019 is 14,000. 2019 strategy: Top five fundamental safe stocks which are good buys at current levels for a holding period of 1 year? Our top 5 picks for one year are HDFC, ICICI Bank, ITC, L&T, and Maruti. Which sectors are likely to hog the limelight in the year 2019? Since we expect growth in the coming quarters to be led by capex spending, we favour cyclical sectors banks, capital goods, autos and consumption. Do you think rupee will continue to appreciate in the near term? In the near term, the rally in INR is likely to reverse and we may see marginal depreciation towards 72. Oil prices are likely to appreciate to around USD 65/bbl in the near term which will be the driver for the currency market. Any sector(s) which you think could turn out to a dark horse in 2019? State-owned banks could be a dark horse in 2019 on account of the peak in NPL cycle, recovery in stressed assets via IBC, low valuations. A broad-based economic recovery will be supportive. Pharma could be a dark horse in 2019 as FDA issues fade, as well as cost competitiveness in global markets. What should be the ideal strategy for investors for the next one year? How much (in terms of percentage) should be allocated towards equities, fixed income, gold etc. We expect H2 of CY2019 to be good for equities and believe investors should be overweight equities, especially stocks that are geared to an economic recovery. While the asset allocation depends on a number of factors like age and risk tolerance. On an average one could allocate 70% to equities, 20% to fixed income, 5% to gold and 5% to cash. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Representative image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Here are stocks that are in the news today: IOC: The Government of India reduced its stake in the company by 2.69 percent to 54.06 percent. Cadila Healthcare: Competition Commission of India approved acquisition of businesses of Heinz by Zydus/Cadila. , subsidiary of Reliance Industries , approved scheme of arrangement to transfer of its fibre undertaking, on a on goingconcern basis, to a separate company Also approved scheme of arrangement for transfer of its tower undertaking, on a on going concern basis, to a separate company Tata Sponge Iron: Competition Commission of India approved acquisition of steel division of Usha Martin Limited by Tata Sponge Iron. Titan: CRISIL revised rating outlook on long-term bank facilities to positive from stable. PNC Infratech: Company submitted duly executed financing documents to NHAI with regard to the financial closure for all the 7 Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) projects secured by it so far. DIC India: Shailendra Hari Singh resigned as MD & CEO of the company and Manish Bhatia is appointed as CEO. AU Small Finance Bank: Bank has received approval from BSE & National Stock Exchange of India for reclassification of promoter group shareholders as public shareholders. Phoenix Mills: Rajendra Kalkar is appointed as a Whole-time Director of the company. Phoenix Mills entered into a SPA with Insight Mall Developers and Island Mall Developers for sale/disposal of the entire equity holding in Insight by the Company, in favour of Island. Indiabulls Housing allotted NCDs worth Rs 250 crore Kaveri Seed board meet on December 20 to consider merger of two wholly owned subsidiaries of the compan Edelweiss Financial Services: Allium Finance Private Limited, which was hitherto an associate company has now become a subsidiary of the company. Music Broadcast: Company announced the closure of the buyback of shares. Shree Cement: CARE reaffirmed its rating for company's long term bank facilities worth Rs 1,100 crore at AAA/Stable. Mefcom Capital Markets: Anup Kumar Verma has resigned from the post of Chief Financial Officer of the company. Force Motors: Vinay Kothari, Non-Executive Non-Independent Director of the company tendered his resignation due to personal reasons. SRG Housing Finance: At the company's request, CARE has withdrawn the credit ratings of BBB-; Stable assigned to the bank facilities of the company. Wipro: Company launched Automotive Innovation Center in Detroit, Michigan. Shalby: Company signed MOU with International SOS for providing medical assistance to foreign travelers to India. Shalby Academy (a unit of Shalby) signed MOU with Ahmedabad Institute of Medical Sciences, for jointly running Paramedical Programs Affiliated with Gujarat University. Unichem Laboratories: Company received tentative ANDA approval from USFDA for Tadalafil tablets which is indicated for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Zicom Electronic Security Systems: Mukul Desai, Independent Director of the company resigned from the directorship of the company. Bulk Deals on December 11 Punj Lloyd: IFCI continued to offload its stake in the company, selling another 53,05,000 shares at Rs 3.67 per share on the NSE and 32,04,855 shares at Rs 3.54 per share on the BSE. DRS Dilip Roadlines: Festino Vincom Limited purchased 2,67,200 shares of the company at Rs 75.29 per share and Shah Babulal Vadilal 1,31,200 shares at Rs 75.25 per share while Harsha Rajeshbhai Jhaveri sold 96,000 shares at Rs 75.25 per share on the NSE. (For more bulk deals, click here) Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings Kaveri Seed Company: Board meeting is scheduled on December 20 to consider the consent for merger of Kaveri Microteck Private Limited with Kexveg India Private Limited, both the companies are wholly owned subsidiary companies. VBC Ferro Alloys: Board meeting is scheduled on December 14 to consider the resignation of director and to appoint additional directors. Olympic Oil Industries: Board meeting is scheduled on December 17 to consider the un-audited financial results of the company for the quarter and half year ended September 2018. PI Industries: Company's officials will be meeting Hillhouse Capital on December 12. Balrampur Chini Mills: Company's representative(s) would be attending the Non-Deal Roadshow (NDR) in Mumbai organised by BOB Capital Markets on December 12-13. Great Eastern Shipping: Company's officials will be meeting Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance on December 20. Vodafone India: Company's officials will be meeting institutional investors on December 12 in London and December 13 in Edinburgh. Moneycontrol News Shares of Tata Sponge Iron rose nearly 3 percent in early trade after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) cleared the company's acquisition of Usha Martin's steel business. The transaction is valued at around Rs 4,300-4,700 crore. Tata Sponge is a subsidiary of Tata Steel. Shares of Tata Steel rose as much as 2.2 percent following the CCI's green signal for the deal with Usha Martin. Those of Usha Martin were also up 7.3 percent in early trade. At 09:47 IST, Tata Sponge was trading at Rs 763.00, up 2.19 percent from its previous close. Cyrus Mistry The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) Tuesday resumed its hearing over the batch of petitions filed by ousted Tata group Chairman Cyrus Mistry and the two investment firms supporting him. During the proceedings, senior advocate C A Sundaram representing Mistry camp submitted that the new company law (the Companies Act, 2013) has expanded the scope of the minority protection from the previous Companies Act 1956. According to Sundaram, section 241 and 242 of the Companies Act, 2013 even cover the prejudicial acts against the minority shareholders besides oppressive acts. "The new company act also takes care of prejudicial acts against the minority shareholders," Sundaram submitted before a two-member bench headed by NCLAT Chairman Justice S J Mukhopadhaya. The Tata side was represented by senior advocates Harish Salve and Abhishek Manu Singhvi during the hearing. The appellate tribunal would continue its hearing tomorrow also. The Mistry camp had challenged the July 9 order of the Mumbai bench of the NCLT which dismissed the pleas against his removal as Tata Sons chairman, as also the allegations of rampant misconduct on part of Ratan Tata and the company's board. A special bench of the tribunal had held that the board of directors at Tata Sons was "competent" to remove the executive chairperson of the company. The NCLT bench had also said that Mistry was ousted as chairman because the Tata Sons' Board and its majority shareholders had "lost confidence in him". Under the Companies Act 2013, an order of NCLT can be challenged before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). Mistry, who was the sixth chairman of Tata Sons, was ousted from the position in October 2016. He had taken over as the chairman in 2012 after Ratan Tata announced his retirement. Two months after his removal, Mistry's family-run firms Cyrus Investments Pvt Ltd and Sterling Investments Corp approached the NCLT as minority shareholders, against Tata Sons, Ratan Tata, and some other board members. Mistry in his pleas primarily argued that his removal was not in accordance with the Companies Act and that there was rampant mismanagement of affairs across Tata Sons. The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP-RERA) intends to review projects by over a 100 developers that have been extremely delayed by three to six years over the next few months and plans to deregister or take over the projects if the concerned builders do not come around to finish them, UP RERA sources said. We will be calling over a 100 developers on a Wednesday or Thursday over the next few months to review their delayed projects. We will also take a fresh timelines from them to know exactly by when they intend completing the projects. The process will be on for the next two months, Balwinder Kumar, member of UP RERA bench told Moneycontrol. We are hopeful that by the next fortnight we would have reviewed the progress of almost 70 percent of all the delayed projects. As many as 100 builders have defaulted in the UP NCR region with their projects having been delayed by three to six years on an average. If they do not come around and complete the projects, we will go ahead and deregister or take over the projects, he says. We have decided that if there is no progress and if the builder fails to deliver projects or fails to show his keenness to deliver flats, if he does not resume construction or is absconding or in jail, we will issue show cause notice to deregister their projects and take over their projects. "There are several options before us we may ask buyers associations to complete it, induct a third party by getting in a co-developer, or we may ask NBCC or any other public sector undertaking to take over the projects. Part funding will come from buyers and in case of some projects realised from selling the vacant land or constructing additional flats by utilising the additional floor area ratio available, he said. We are hopeful that we will be able to deliver almost 30,000 delayed units by end of next year up to December 2019, he says. Kumar said that the Authority has also started the process of identifying stuck housing projects in Noida, Greater Noida and other cities. Once these are identified, will be prepare a list of projects that have been abandoned due to financial constraints or cases where the builders are absconding. At a meeting held last week, the Greater Noida bench of the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP-Rera) had ordered seven Noida-based developers to speed up completion of over 20,000 flats that are behind schedule by at least three to six years. The order followed a survey by UP-Rera that found that more than 21,000 apartments in residential projects by Logix group, Today Homes, Rudra Buildwell, Omaxe, Supertech, Mascot Homes among others were extremely delayed. UP Rera has been hearing cases since September 4. It has conducted forensic audit of over a dozen builders facing fund diversion allegations In October, the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) for the first time had asked over 700 home buyers of Subhkamna Tech Home to come up with a proposal to complete the project they had invested in and get the consent of at least 60 percent buyers. The project was due for delivery in 2014. Almost 70 percent of the work on the towers was complete and buyers had claimed they have paid about 80 percent of the amount. The project is located in Sector 137, Noida. However, buyers could not start work on the project due to the intervention of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). On November 26, 2018, NCLT admitted a petition by the contractor Concord Infrastructure Private Limited under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016. It appointed an interim resolution professional for Shubhkamna Buildtech that had failed to pay dues over 2 crore to the contractor. Following this, UP RERA has decided to take up the matter with the central government. In April this year, Madhya Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in another first, had come to the rescue of as many as 800 allottees of a project located in Indore whose promoter has been absconding for over three years. It had planned to facilitate completion of the project by constituting a committee of buyers who will get the finishing work done by pooling in the amount due from them. We are planning on taking up only such towers where work is more than 80 percent complete. In most towers for this particular project, last mile work is left, Madhya Pradesh RERA Chairman Anthony DeSa had then told Moneycontrol. When approached for his comment, DeSa said while it is a good start, there are several challenges, the foremost being that of funding. In the Indore matter, the promoter has been arrested and served summons to be heard. The High Court too has passed a few orders and formed a committee to deal with the project. In a similar matter in Gwalior, we were unable to get all allottees on board, he says. RERA Section 8 provides an indication that the Authority can provide a platform to take up stressed projects and bring them to completion. However, greater clarity is required because the provisions as they stand at the moment seem restrictive and can be implemented only under certain circumstances, he said. Clarity is required on what percentage of homebuyers need to come together and even if they do, there has to be complete agreement among them because there is always a danger of the remaining not cooperating or not making payments. If a stressed project is to be taken up and completed, all three parties have to agree to take a haircut the buyers may have to give up all claims for compensation, builders have to agree to no profits and financial institutions whether banks or NBFCs have to take a haircut in order to save their NPAs. And for this, RBIs instructions may be required as no bank would voluntarily agree, he said. Home buyers welcome the move. Prima facie, this appears to be an excellent move and will also set a very good precedent. But it is also very important to know (a) how the project will be funded and (b) if the builder has taken more money than what work has been done by him and how RERA plans to recover excess money from him, says Abhay Upadhyay, President, Forum For People's Collective Efforts. Vandana.ramnani@nw18.com live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) soared in trade after the government appointed a successor to Urjit Patel. The Centre on Tuesday announced the appointment of Shaktikanta Das, former finance secretary to lead the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Yes Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IDFC Bank, Federal Bank, and Punjab National Bank, among others rose 1-4 percent. In the NBFC space, Indiabulls Housing Finance, HDFC and Bajaj Finance among others, too, rose up to 2 percent. Meanwhile, banks under the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework are soaring as well as investors hope for some relief from Das under this framework. The likes of Allahabad Bank, United Bank of India, Corporation Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, among others rose. Shaktikanta Das, member of the 15th Finance Commission and former Economic Affairs Secretary, will take over as the new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, the government said on December 11. Dass appointment comes a day after Urjit Patel unexpectedly resigned as the central bank chief, amid festering disagreements between the RBI and the Finance Ministry on several issues. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shri Shaktikanta Das, former secretary, department of economic affairs, as the Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), for a period of three years," a government statement said. On March 27, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das announced a massive 75 basis points cut in repo rates as a measure to counter the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are key takeaways from RBIs press conference announcements. (Image: PTI) After the sudden exit of Urjit Patel from the Reserve Bank of India, the government brought in Shaktikanta Das, a member of the 15th finance commission, to head the central bank on December 11. Das is an old confidant of the current dispensation, as he led the government's top secret and controversial demonetisation drive. Das was secretary in the department of economic affairs in November 2016, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced banning of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, sending shockwaves across India. Das was entrusted with the responsibility of normalising the government's tuning with the central bank and keep the markets calm during this transition. As the Economic Affairs secretary, Das was responsible for explaining the policy and communicating various developments to the public that came after the note ban. During media briefings, Das was repeatedly asked about then Governor Urjit Patel's silence on an enormous decision like this. "It is not relevant who speaks. I am speaking on behalf of the government, not in my individual capacity. The idea is that the government should communicate and give out all the information," he had said. Das was appointed revenue secretary in 2014 and he served as the economic affairs secretary from 2015 to 2017. He was also instrumental in the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He worked with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and state finance ministers closely as revenue secretary, to draw up legislation for the tax. Das had been a contender for this post in 2016 when the government chose Urjit Patel, instead of extending Raghuram Rajans tenure. According to authorities, Patkunas had ordered a 13-year-old female student to remove the earbuds she was using in class. It was alleged that when the girl refused, Patkunas pulled the earbuds out and threw a Chromebook computer at the girl. Lighthouse, a consumer-focused mid-market private equity firm, has received a commitment of $25 million for its third private equity fund, Lighthouse India Fund III from the UK-based CDC Group Plc. "We are thrilled to welcome CDC to the Lighthouse family. CDC brings decades of experience working in emerging markets and in India particularly. We look forward to their partnership and guidance as we continue to back entrepreneurs building long-term, sustainable businesses," said Mukund Krishnaswami co-founder, Lighthouse. CDC, an institutional investor in Indian PE funds, has committed over $1.7 billion to Indian funds since 2004. "This investment enables CDC to get our capital into family-backed, small-to-midcap businesses in job creating sectors. As India transitions from developing to developed economy, SMEs will play an increasingly important role but they will need more investment than ever. Historically, this segment of the Indian market has seen a widening gap between the supply and demand of capital. Were pleased to be working alongside Lighthouse to play a part in bridging this financing gap," said Alagappan Murugappan, Managing Director and head of Asia Funds, CDC. Lighthouse has closed four investments from its third fund. Earlier this month, it announced an investment over Rs 250 crore in Aqualite Industries, a footwear companies. Last month, the fund invested Rs 160 crore in Duroflex, a mattress brand in south India. In September, it made an investment of Rs 113 crore in Nykaa, a beauty retailer, while in June, it invested Rs 83 crore in Tynor Orthotics, an orthotic soft goods brand. Angel Commodities' report on Crude Oil MCX CPO Dec edged lower due to weak Malaysia futures and stronger rupees. Currently it is trading at 15 - month low. According to SEA monthly update during 2017 - 18, import of palm oil down by about 6.5% to 8.7 mt compared to 9.3 mt last year. The government cut tariff price of crude palm oil by $ 46 to $ 463 per tn and cut $ 30 per ton for refined, bleached and deodo rised palm oil for the first half of December . There are reports of sufficient stock levels in the country and expectation of cheaper imports from Malaysia due to zero duty. USDA in its Dec ember update, forecast palm oil production to 73.3 million tonnes in 2018/19 up by 1.45% m/m due to higher production estimates for Indonesia. India imports figures are unchanged at 10.5 million tonnes, 22% higher compared to past year imports. Domestic consumption for India is forecast at 10.6 mt, up 16.7% on year. Outlook CPO futures may trade sideways to higher due to technical bounce but lowering tariff value and steady physical demand from the stockists keep prices in a range. For all commodities report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Zydus Wellness gained 2.3 percent in the early trade on Wednesday after company received CCI approval for acquisition of businesses of Heinz. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has granted approval for the company's acquisition of Heinz India jointly with Cadila Healthcare. The definitive agreement in relation to this acquisition was signed on October 24, 2018. Zydus Wellness will primarily be acquiring the business related to the four brands-Glucon-D, Nycil, Sampriti and Complan, through this transaction. Of these, Complan, Glucon-D & Nycil have a legacy of over 50 years and Glucon-D & Nycil are leading brands in their respective markets, as per company release. The CCI approval takes company one step closer to completing the acquisition, which is expected to unlock significant value for company by enriching its portfolio and expanding the reach of its distribution network, it added. Company earlier announced that it will be raising Rs 2,574.99 crore through issue of shares on a preferential basis to fund the Rs 4,595 crore Heinz India acquisition. The issue price of equity shares is fixed at Rs 1,382, which is calculated in accordance with the requirements of the SEBI ICDR. Cadila Healthcare holds around 72.08 percent of Zydus Wellness, while the Zydus Family Trust holds about 0.45 percent. At 09:19 hrs Zydus Wellness was quoting at Rs 1,330, up Rs 26.05, or 2 percent and Cadila Healthcare was quoting at Rs 349.50, up Rs 3.45, or 1.00 percent on the BSE. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has said that he will visit India in February to co-chair the bilateral commercial dialogue with his Indian counterpart Suresh Prabhu. He also said and that the Trump administration will send a major trade mission to India next year. "I'm happy to report that I'm scheduled to visit India this coming February. I'll be co-chairing the US-India Commercial Dialogue and the US- India CEO forum with my Indian counterpart, (commerce and industry) minister Prabhu," Ross said at a farewell reception organised for the outgoing Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Singh Sarna. Some 200 guests, including top officials of the Trump administration, diplomats, eminent Indian Americans and top corporate executives attended the farewell reception for the top Indian diplomat, who is retiring later this month. Highly appreciative of the role played by Sarna in strengthening the US-India relationship during his tenure as the Indian envoy, Ross said that Sarna has laid the ground work for more to come. "Thank you for your efforts to improve our bilateral relationship and enrich our economic, military, and cultural ties," Ross said. Noting that India is held in great esteem in the US, Ross said the Trump administration wants to continue to build on the commercial ties that exists between the two vibrant democracies. "During my previous career, I made a number of investments in India,"he said, adding that that experience taught him firsthand the vast potential that exists in the fast-growing Indian market. We are continuing to build our commercial ties. India's inclusion in the 'strategic trade authorisation tier one' earlier this year is an important accomplishment. This allows our countries to expand the number of items that can be exported to India without a license. It's an indication of the trust that exists between our two nations, Ross said. India, he said, also sent one of the largest delegations ever to attend the Select USA investment summit this year. "It wasn't long ago that very few Americans knew of Indian firms like Tata, Infosys, Wipro, and Mahindra. Now they employ tens of thousands of Americans. We believe that more Indian companies would do well by following in their footsteps," he said. Ross said the Commerce Department will be hosting a major trade mission to India in 2019. In May of next year, the Department's Indo-Pacific trade wings foreign admission will travel through India, he said adding that New Delhi is now the key partner in America's country's new Indo-Pacific strategy. In his remarks, US Navy Secretary Richard V Spencer spoke about the growing India-US defense relationship. "It is an intertwined relationship in that we are operating together as friends. We avoid alignment. But we're friends. And we know how to work together," he said. A total of 500 Indian fishermen are languishing in various jails of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Lok Sabha was told on December 12. Altogether 482 fishermen are languishing in Pakistani jails while 18 are in custody in Sri Lanka, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh said in a written reply. However, he clarified that Pakistan has acknowledged custody of only 391 Indian fishermen. Singh also said as many as 174 Indian fishermen were released by Pakistan this year while 214 fishermen were set free by Sri Lanka. The Pakistan has also seized 1050 boats while 10 boats are in Sri Lanka custody, he added. Bikaner: Union minister BJP senior leader Sushma Swaraj during a party meeting, in Bikaner, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018. (PTI Photo) (PTI12_2_2018_000148B) The government on December 12 said India has repeatedly called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation and it made this assertion to Islamabad last month as well. Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India's "consistent and principled" position is that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and shall be an integral part of India. Pakistan has been in illegal occupation of approximately 78,000 sq km of Indian territory in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Swaraj said. "Under the so-called 'Boundary Agreement' signed between China and Pakistan on March 2, 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to China," she said in her written reply. "We have repeatedly and consistently called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation, most recently on November 30, 2018," Swaraj said, without elaborating on where the issue was raised with Pakistan. Pakistan continues to be in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of Jammu and Kashmir, she asserted. To another question in Lok Sabha on the number of incursions in Doklam during 2014-2018, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said: "Doklam is part of the territory of Bhutan." Government regularly takes up any transgression along the Line of Actual Control with the Chinese side through established mechanisms as well as through diplomatic channels. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a public meeting, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. (Image: PTI) A case was registered against Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena, a fringe group batting for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the next prime minister, for putting up hoardings in Lucknow terming PM Narendra Modi as "jumlebaaz". The hoardings were put up late on December 11 after the BJP's defeat in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh. They were removed by officials as soon as they came to know about it. "An FIR has been registered against UP Nav Nirman Sena under various sections of the IPC. We are probing the matter," Additional Superintendent of Police, East, Sarvesh Kumar Mishra told PTI. The hoardings with "Yogi Lao Desh Bachao" (bring Yogi and save country) written on it read "Jumlebaazi ka naam Modi" (Name of fake promises is Modi) on one side and "Hindutva Ka Brand Yogi" (Yogi is a Hindutva Brand) on the other with #Yogi4PM on the top. The fringe group's head Amit Jani also released a video in which he praised Yogi and batted for him for the next prime minister. He said he will hold a "dharam sansad" or religious conclave on February 10 in the city to declare that Hindus will not vote for the BJP if Yogi was not made the prime ministerial candidate. "Modi did nothing on Ram temple, Article 370 and other issues. Now 'jumla' will not work. Only Yogi is able to run the country and carry forward the Hindutva agenda," he said. A BJP spokesman dismissed it as an attempt for "cheap publicity". "It's a conspiracy. It's an attempt to get cheap publicity," he said. Jani had shot into limelight in 2012 when he allegedly damaged a statue of former Chief Minister Mayawati in Lucknow. Last year, he was arrested for threatening to kill JNU students Kanahiya Kumar and Umar Khalid. AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi along with his party candidate Ahmad Balala during door-to-door campaign in Malakpet assembly constituency (Image Facebook/@Asaduddinowaisi) AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi 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. 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 politics 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" politics 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. December 15, 2018 / 03:46 PM IST Madhya Pradesh headed for polling in a single phase on November 28. The tenure of this Assembly will conclude on January 7, 2019. A political party needs to win 116 seats to secure a simple majority. The voter turnout in Madhya Pradesh was 75.05 percent against 72.07 percent in 2013. The single-phase voting happened after weeks of intense campaigning by state-level leaders from Maurice Johnson walked up on Essex from the south, stopping several feet shy of the crime scene. Hed heard someone had been shot they must have gotten it wrong, he said and came to make sure it was no one he knew, like his 19-year-old son. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the inauguration of the 4th Partners Forum 2018, a global meet on infant and maternal health, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist) (PTI12_12_2018_000074B) *** Local Caption *** The assembly elections to five states were seen as a litmus test for Narendra Modi's popularity, and as the counting of votes began on the morning of December 11 there was an air of suspense over the outcome -- will it be a setback for BJP? Will the party continue its winning streak in the Hindi belt and prove some of the exit polls wrong? But in the midst of all the tension, the prime minister paid no attention to the hype around the elections and attended to his routine work and scheduled engagements, preparing his speech that he had to deliver on December 12 at a health conference, and attending the first day of Parliament's winter session. "For the prime minister, December 11 was a busy working day like any other day," said an aide of the prime minister. Modi reached Parliament at 10.30 AM, and in his customary interaction with media called for healthy debate and discussion on all subjects of concern to the people. He attended the Lok Sabha, which was adjourned for the day after obituary references to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and former Union minister Ananth Kumar. "In the afternoon, the prime minister reviewed development work in Uttar Pradesh. Thereafter, he attended to other important official meetings," said another official. Modi will be launching development projects in Rae Bareli and Prayagraj on the December 16. By the evening, it was clear that BJP suffered defeat in all the three Hindi heartland states. However, the official said, Modi, late in the evening, gave finishing touches to his speech he was to deliver on December 12 at the Partners' Forum for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. The day after the shock defeats in three key states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Modi began his day early, attending the health forum at 9 AM at Vigyan Bhavan and then drove straight to Parliament from the event. "After the customary meeting with senior party members on Parliament matters, Modi reviewed the progress of development works in Kalyan and Pune in Maharashtra," said the official. He will be visiting these areas on December 18 and launch the projects. Aditya Menon The Congress has managed to win the Rajasthan assembly elections by the skin of its teeth, crossing the halfway mark of 100 by a few seats. It wasn't a sweep as many opinion polls had been predicting. However, the win is a significant one. The Congress gained around 80 seats since 2013 and its vote share increased by six percent. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the other hand, lost 90 seats from last time and its vote share reduced by six percent. Rebels and smaller parties To a large extent, the Congress' victory margin was constrained by the presence of rebel candidates and smaller parties, which acted as spoilers. For instance, the party lost the Vidyadhar Nagar seat in Jaipur by over 30,000 votes. Here, Congress rebel Vikram Singh Shekhawat polled over 50,000 votes, fighting as an independent candidate. In a number of seats, traditionally Congress-leaning communities such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Jats and tribals, chose to vote for smaller parties. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won six seats and got four percent of the vote, eating into the Congress' vote share in a number of seats, especially among Dalits. The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) that was created by Jat leader Hanuman Beniwal a month before the elections, won three seats and got 2.5 percent votes. The absence of a prominent Jat face in the Congress after the death of Balram Jakhar, Ram Niwas Mirdha and Sis Ram Ola created a vacuum which Beniwal tried to step into. The Congress' ally in Gujarat, the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP), also made an impressive debut in Rajasthan, winning two seats and getting 0.8 percent of the votes. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) capitalised on the successful farmers' agitation it led in the state and won two seats in the northern part of Rajasthan: Bhadra in Hanumangarh district and Shree Dungargarh in Bikaner district. However, it failed to win a single seat in Sikar, in the epicentre of the agitation. BJP fightback The BJP also seems to have pulled things back in the run-up to the elections.Nowhere has the BJP's fightback been more evident than in the areas where bypolls were held earlier this year: Ajmer, Alwar and Mandalgarh. In the Ajmer Lok Sabha seat, BJP won five out of eight segments, independents won two, and the Congress, one. In the Alwar Lok Sabha seat, the BJP, Congress and BSP led in two segments each and an independent candidate in one. In the eighth segment Ramgarh, the elections were postponed due to the death of the BSP candidate. The Congress was leading in all the segments in these two seats in the bypolls in February this year. The BJP has also now won Mandalgarh, which the Congress had won in the by-elections. Much of the BJP's fightback is said to be the result of smart candidate selection - it dropped 85, or over half of its sitting MLAs in the state, to contain the anti-incumbency against its legislators. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) buried their differences and the party led a united campaign which peaked in the last two weeks before polling. What lies ahead The narrow victory may have a bearing in the Congress' choice of chief minister. Many say that given such a wafer-thin victory, the Congress may opt for a senior leader like former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot instead of state party chief Sachin Pilot. On the other hand, there are a few in the party who suggest that handing the state to Pilot and projecting Gehlot for a greater role at the national level could be a more effective strategy to ensure that Congress gets the lion's share of seats from Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha elections. If one aggregates the votes secured by the BJP, Congress, BSP and others in the Assemby segments in each Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan, the Congress had a decisive lead in 13 out of 25 parliament constituencies. However except for the BJP sweep in 2013 and 2014, Rajasthan has a history of voting differently in the assembly and national elections, even though they were barely a few months apart. The Congress fell just short of a majority in the 2008 assembly elections but won 21 out of 25 seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress won the state in 1998 but it was the BJP that won an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha elections the following year. December 15, 2018 / 03:48 PM IST Rajasthan had gone for polling in a single phase election on December 7. A political party needs to win at least 100 seats to secure a simple majority in the Legislative Assembly. Term of the current Assembly ends on January 20, 2019. For more than 20 years, chief ministers of Rajasthan have been seeing the revolving door. None of the chief ministers in this period of time has managed India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks with the media inside the parliament premises on the first day of the winter session, in New Delhi, India, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi - RC149F995270 Prime Minister Narendra Modi conceded defeat in the Assembly elections of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and congratulated the Congress on their victory. He said the BJP accepted the people 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, Modi tweeted. Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh and Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje have already resigned from their posts, while the contest in Madhya Pradesh seems to be tilting towards Congress. Reports suggested that SP, BSP and GGP have already declared support for the Grand Old party. Modi also congratulated Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and Mizo National Front (MNF) for the victories in Telangana and Mizoram respectively. 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, Modi added. Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi had said results were a "clear message" that the people are unhappy and it is time for a change. "The BJP has a certain ideology and we will fight against it. We have won these elections, we will also win in 2019. However, we do not want to get rid of anyone, 'hum kisi ko mukt nahi karna chahtein'," Gandhi said. Secunderabad: Telangana Chief Minister & TRS party president K Chandersheker Rao flashes victory sign at a rally in Secunderabad Sunday, Dec2, 2018. (PTI Photo) (PTI12_2_2018_000174B) K Chandrashekar Rao (popularly known as KCR) will take oath as the chief minister of Telangana on December 13, after his party pulled up a landslide victory in the December 7 assembly polls, reports News 18. He is expected to take the oath at about 1.34 pm, which is again an auspicious time. The timing has been decided after KCRs meeting with priests to discuss upon it at the partys office in Hyderabad, report suggests. It will be the second consecutive term of KCR as the CM of the state. The pink party won 88 out of 119 seats in the state, 25 more than the last elections held in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2014. KCR won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing Vanteru Pratap Reddy of the Congress. Rao's son KT Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won by impressive margins. The main opposition Prajakutami (a term given to the Congress-led alliance) managed to gain power on only 19 seats. The Congress put just 19 seats in its kitty, two less what it won in the last polls, while the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) could win only two against its tally of 15 seats in 2014. The two other coalition partners Telangana Jana Samithi and Communist Party of India failed to open their accounts. The BJP, which had won five seats in the last assembly polls in 2014 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 party AIMIM, which Rao calls a "friendly party", won seven seats, equalling its performance in the 2014 polls. Following the opposition coalitions drubbing, Chandrababu Naidu said it respects the peoples verdict, but claimed the results of the assembly polls in five states showed people had become "antagonistic" to the BJP. The Congress cried foul, saying it suspected "manipulation" of the electronic voting machines (EVM), 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. CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy attributed distribution of "huge amounts of money and liquor" by the TRS for its victory. (With PTI inputs) Jaipur: Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot (R), State Congress President Sachin Pilot (L), AICC general secretary KC Venugopal (second R) and Congress incharge for the state Avneesh Pandey greet each other after the party's win in the Assembly elections, in Jaipur, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. (PTI Photo) (PTI12_11_2018_000261B) The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan as it has been declared elected on 99 seats of the 199 that went to polls. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got 73 seats whereas the Bahujan Samaj Party won six, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) three, the Bhartiya Tribal Party won two, the CPI(M) two and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) one. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly, but polling on Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate. As the Congress neared the majority mark of 100, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje submitted her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh on December 11. The state is now ready for its new CM, but who would it be? After the results were declared in favour of Congress, the focus has now 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. Sometimes called Rajasthan's Gandhi for his simple lifestyle and mass connect, Gehlot has served as the chief minister of the state twice earlier. Now, after a gap of five years, the veteran could be back in the saddle as the CM of Rajasthan. Sachin Pilot is also a strong contender for the post. In 2013, when the Congress faced its worst defeat, winning just 21 seats against the BJP's 163, party president Rahul Gandhi handed the reins of the state to the next gen-leader, a two-time parliamentarian and son of former leader Rajesh Pilot who died in 2000 in a road accident in Dausa. The youthful Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president, Pilot has helped steer the Congress from the depths of defeat in 2013 to the highs of victory in Rajasthan. The newly-elected Congress legislators will meet in the morning on December 12 to discuss who would be the chief minister. The All India Congress Committee had sent KC Venugopal as an observer to the state on December 11. "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 told PTI. (With PTI inputs) Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday described the party's good showing in the assembly poll in three Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". Gandhi's reaction came after the Congress ousted BJP governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Expressing happiness over the polls outcome, the UPA chairperson said it was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics". Supporters of Congress party are framed by the party's symbols installed at the venue where Rahul Gandhi is addressing a rally at Bardoli The Congress today gave a notice for suspension of business in the Rajya Sabha to discuss the alleged corruption in the purchase of 36 fighter jets from France under a government to government deal and demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe into the issue. Deputy Leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma moved a notice under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Council of States seeking suspension of all business of the House to discuss the Rafale purchase. The notice read, This House expresses its serious concern over the irregularities and alleged corruption in the acquisition of Rafale jets. The arbitrary decision has resulted in loss of technology transfer, manufacture of 108 fighter jets by HAL and massive loss to national exchequer. The scam be investigated by a JPC to fix accountability. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been alleging corruption and favour to private industrialists in the Rafale purchase and leading the demand for a JPC in the matter. The issue of Rafale purchase was also discussed at a meeting of opposition parties held on Monday to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the BJP in 2019. Rahul Gandhi had said after the meeting that "there was consensus in the opposition that the Rafale scam needs to be probed. 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 people's desire for a change. Image: PTI The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energizing opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". It was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics," she said. In Rajasthan, the contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. "We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. In Chattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T S Singhdeo. The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. "The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P L Punia and other senior leaders will be present there," state party unit's general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. After a see-saw battle on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation on Wednesday to Governor Anandiben Patel, who then met a Congress delegation here at noon after party leaders staked claim on the government. Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced their parties' support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BSP got two and SP one seat in the MP Assembly polls. Congress has also claimed support of the four independents, all Congress rebels, who emerged victorious. After meeting the Governor, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia came out of the Raj Bhavan and flashed victory signs. In Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Assembly election results mark the "beginning of a change" and a "rejection" of the BJP-led government's policies. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the SP and the BSP throw their weight behind Congress. Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being "ridiculed". "People have expressed disappointment against the Modi government... the Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change... people rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi," Pawar told reporters here. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people have brought "those flying in the air back to the ground". In an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the party alleged that the country was being run according to the "whims" of four-five businessmen, and this was "breaking" important institutions like the Reserve Bank of India. The BJP first "drove away" allies and later lost important states, it said, adding that elections cannot be won merely on the back of big talks. "The results clearly show that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (BJP president) Amit Shah's dream of making the country Congress-mukt has gone to the dust in BJP's own regime. People of these states have indicated at a 'BJP-mukt' regime," the Marathi publication said. India Pakistan Accusing India of perpetuating "dynamic rivalry", Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua has said New Delhi's negative attitude was not only unhelpful for improving bilateral ties, but was also stopping South Asia from making progress and attaining peace. Speaking at a conference on 'Conflict and Cooperation in South Asia: Role of Major Powers' hosted by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Janjua said that India, by refusing to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Islamabad, was holding the regional body's summit process hostage. Referring to India's approach on ties with Pakistan, Janjua said India was "spinning hatred" and perpetuating "dynamic rivalry", according to Dawn newspaper. This, she maintained, "was not only unhelpful for improving Pakistan-India ties, but was also stopping South Asia from making progress and attaining peace". India, which blames Pakistan for several terror attacks in the country, has firmly told Islamabad that terror and talks cannot go together. She regretted that India tried to drown in controversy Pakistan's gesture of agreeing to the Kartarpur Corridor, for facilitating Sikh pilgrimage to one of their holiest sites, due to its domestic politics, but Islamabad ignored the Indian negativity and decided to "stay the course". "We are convinced that we will continue to try for peace and stability in the region," she said. About the new Pakistan government's policy on India, Janjua spoke of Prime Minister Imran Khan's first address to the nation after the July elections in which he had offered to take two steps for every single step that India would take for normalisation of ties with Pakistan. She said Khan in his letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi expressed willingness to discuss all issues that were part of the 'Composite Dialogue'. "Unfortunately we haven't seen the kind of reciprocation that was required," she said. The ties between India and Pakistan nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place. The ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The sentencing of alleged Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April over espionage charges last year further deteriorated bilateral ties. The two sides often accuse each other of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, resulting in civilian casualties. The foreign secretary also criticised India for "spending massively on force modernisation" and questioned the support being extended to it by the world powers in its acquisition of weapons. "Recently held India-US 2+2 dialogue provides India access to advanced and sensitive US military hardware, technology and weaponry," she said. She also took a jab at Russia for signing a deal with India for providing it advanced S-400 air defence systems. "This would undermine the delicate strategic balance in the region and beyond," she said. Reiterating Pakistan's position on the Indian arms build-up, she said: "Pakistan is concerned that such an arms race will be detrimental to peace and stability of the region. Pakistan doesn't subscribe to any nuclear or conventional arms race in the region." Janjua said Pakistan would continue to pursue its policy of "credible minimum deterrence" to maintain strategic stability and cater for its interests. Contending that Pakistan's foreign policy has been successful, the foreign secretary said it was proven by the country's counter terrorism operations, the progress achieved by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the emerging consensus on seeking a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict. "Our view point on Afghanistan on the futility of kinetic approaches and merit of pursuing Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process is finding greater traction today than ever before," she underscored. A 23 year old woman was sleeping in her bedroom when she suddenly saw an unknown male in her room, police said of the Buckingham attack. The man grabbed a wine bottle and hit her in the head with it. When she tried to scream and call police, he took a porcelain dish from the living room and again smashed it over her head before fleeing with the victims cell phone and laptop, police said of the Buckingham home invasion. telangana,telangana assembly polls 2018,assembly elections 2018 Rajasthan Advocate General Narpat Mal Lodha resigned from the post on December 12 after the BJP lost the assembly elections in the state, officials said. Lodha handed over his resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh, a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in December 11 vote count, winning 99 seats. It's ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats.The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav In a shot in the arm for the Congress, the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday announced its support to Rahul Gandhi's party to form government in Madhya Pradesh. The announcement by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav came less than an hour after Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati made a similar offer to the Congress for government formation in the Hindi heartland state of Madhya Pradesh. "The SP supports the Congress to form government in MP," Yadav tweeted in Hindi. The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats after the vote count ended on Wednesday morning, according to the State Election Commission Office. The party is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. The BJP was close behind with 109 seats. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said he accepted 'complete responsibility' of the BJP's defeat in the state polls. The three-time CM, who tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel earlier in the day, said the BJP will not stake claim to form government in the state. "I have submitted my resignation. The complete responsibility of (BJP's) defeat (in MP) is only mine," Chouhan told reporters outside Raj Bhavan. "Party workers worked hard, people also gave their love to us but we are short of numbers despite getting more votes. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji (state Congress president)," he said. The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority in the 230-member Assembly. The BJP, which ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. However, it was ahead of the Congress in the vote share by a slender margin, bagging 41 per cent of the votes polled, while the Congress got 40.9 per cent. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two seats, the Samajwadi Party (SP) got one and independents got four seats. BSP supremo Mayawati and the Samajwadi Party Wednesday announced their support to the Congress to form government in MP. Kamal Nath claimed that his party also has the support of all the four independents. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who addressed the gathering by video message because of the pandemic, warned that "the only way to totally eliminate nuclear risk is to totally eliminate nuclear weapons". United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will attend the last day of talks between warring Yemeni parties in Sweden on December 13, the world body said. Guterres will participate in UN-brokered negotiations between Yemen's government and Huthi rebels in the rural village of Rimbo, north of Stockholm. 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. The talks aim to broker deals on major issues in the Yemen war, a complex conflict between the Huthi rebels armed northern tribes backed by Iran and the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, allied with a powerful military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The war has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 14 million people facing imminent starvation and one child dead every 10 minutes from preventable causes. While the talks do not aim for a mutual ceasefire, 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 in the war. But Hodeida has proved a point of contention between the government and the rebels. The Red Sea city is controlled by the Huthis. Shipments through its ports are severely restricted by the Saudi-led coalition, which controls Yemen's maritime borders and airspace. UN envoy Martin Griffiths has guided both parties through intensive political consultations on various sensitive issues "with the aim of putting Yemen back on the path of peace, and alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people," the UN said. Last week, Guterres appealed to the Yemeni government and rebels to de-escalate violence around Hodeida, through which 90 per cent of food imports and three-quarters of humanitarian aid reach Yemen -- where the UN says close to 75 per cent of the population will need humanitarian assistance in 2019. Congress party workers celebrate as initial trends show the party leading in the states Assembly elections, at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi. (Image: PTI) The Indian National Congress on December 11 won the crucial assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, and lost in Mizoram and Telangana. A day later, Congress emerged victorious in Madhya Pradesh following delayed counting of votes. Congress victory in the three Hindi-belt states not only improved its chances going into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but also altered the 'saffron' map of India. With these loses, the saffron party and allies now rule 16 states and Union Territories (UTs). Heres a look at how BJP splashed saffron across the map of India over the last four and a half years and how Congress has stopped it: The 'Modi Tsunami' The saffron party and its allies have been on a roll since the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in May 2014. As a result, the political map of India was splashed with saffron. Prior to the win in the General Election, the BJP was already in power in five states Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Nagaland. However, 2014 was the year that changed it all for the BJP. The party came to power in the Centre with its largest mandate, in what many described as a "Modi Tsunami". The saffron party won 282 seats, while its allies won 54 seats, taking the NDA's tally to 336. Effects of the 'Modi Tsunami' continued to be felt as a "Modi Wave" in the state elections that followed. BJP's ally, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), retained the state of Sikkim in an election that was held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. Another BJP (now former) ally, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), also formed bifurcated Andhra Pradesh's first government. The Modi juggernaut Five months after the General Election, the BJP won 122 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. They formed the government in Maharashtra following a post-poll alliance with NDA ally Shiv Sena. The party also came to power in the northern state of Haryana after winning 47 seats in a 90-member assembly. BJP, along with its allies, secured a majority in the Jharkhand Assembly election shortly after. The party was the second-best performer in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, behind Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party (PDP). A post-poll alliance with the PDP helped BJP come to power in the state. By the end of the year, BJP had extended its reach to 11 states across the country. In 2015, BJP's growth story witnessed two major hiccups when they faced crushing defeats in Delhi and Bihar, in spite of extensive campaigning by the prime minister. While BJP ended a 15-year Congress rule in Assam in 2016, the party failed to make a mark in the other three major state elections West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. However, BJP supporters were quick to point out that the saffron party did not have adequate reach in those states. In September 2016, Arunachal Pradesh's 47 Members of Legislature (MLAs) from the ruling Congress defected to BJP. The lawmakers were able to prove majority on the floor of the house, helping BJP form a government in the hill state. In 2017, BJP bagged Uttarakhand and won a large mandate in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The party lost in Punjab after two terms of rule along with ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). In Goa and Manipur, the BJP won lesser seats than main rival Congress. But, the party was quick to stitch together an alliance with regional parties and Independents to form a government in both states. Map of state ruled by BJP and allies The Coup in Bihar In July 2017, Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, resigned from his post and broke his party's 'Grand Alliance' with Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress. Nitish was sworn in as the new Chief Minister less than 24 hours after he resigned, but this time with the support of the BJP. The following day, Nitish and his new government, formed with the BJP, won the crucial trust vote in the Bihar State Assembly, with 131 legislators voting in favour and 108 voting against. In December 2017, the BJP sprang to power in Himachal Pradesh, riding on a wave of anti-incumbency. Jai Ram Thakur was sworn in as the states chief minister days after their CM candidate, Prem Kumar Dhumal, suffered a shock defeat. After months of bitter campaigning, the saffron party managed to retain PM Modi and party president Amit Shahs home state of Gujarat with a close margin. Congress made serious gains in the state, especially in the rural areas, in what was interpreted by many as sounding of the bugle for state elections to be held in 2018. Wins in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat extended BJPs winning run to 19 states in the country. The close win in Gujarat was followed by a convincing triumph in Tripura in March this year. The saffron party also formed governments in Meghalaya and Nagaland, along with its allies. While the BJP won just two out of 60 Assembly seats in Meghalaya, the party was quick to negotiate an alliance with the National Peoples Party (NPP) who bagged 19 seats to keep out Congress who had won 21 seats. The biggest surprise, however, came from Tripura where the BJP breached the Left bastion convincingly. BJPs tally rose from zero Assembly seats in 2013 to 36 in 2018, out of 60. The CPI (M), led by Manik Sarkar, ended up with just 16 seats. In Nagaland, the party secured 12 seats and dumped its partner Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF) to join hands with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). The BJP faced its first setback in a while after it failed in Karnataka. While the party improved its seat count in May this year, it failed to unseat the Congress government. Shortly after the election trends became clear, Congress reached out to former prime minister HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular). However, the Governor invited BJPs BS Yeddyurappa to form the government. Days later, the Supreme Court shortened the time frame given to Yeddyurappa to prove his majority. Sensing the lack of numbers on his side, Yeddyurappa resigned before the floor test. This paved the way for JD(S) HD Kumaraswamy to take over as the Chief Minister with Congress support. Before December 12, Karnataka was the only large state that was being governed by the Congress. BJP considers the Hindi heartland as its bastion. So the loss of three major northern states ahead of the 2019 general elections is a blow to the party. Top officials from the US and China have begun talks to sort out their trade differences, in particular to identify steps that address the concerns of US President Donald Trump on intellectual property and reduce the balance of trade, a media report said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer held a tele-conference with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He December 10 night, The Wall Street Journal reported. December 11 morning, Trump, without referring to the tele-conference, reported that great progress was being made. About two weeks ago, Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Argentina on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit. During their dinner meeting, the two leaders agreed to come out with a solution in the next 90 days. Till then, Trump agreed to give a pause to his additional import tariffs on Chinese products. Very productive conversations going on with China! Watch for some important announcements! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018 "Very productive conversations going on with China! Watch for some important announcements!," Trump said in a tweet the morning after the first of the talks between the officials of the two countries. According to The Wall Street Journal, sharp differences remain between the two countries, but China has agreed to take a few measures like reducing auto tariffs and buying more American products. "On the auto front, Mr Liu said Beijing would reduce tariffs on US autos to 15 per cent, down from 40 per cent, said people familiar with the call," the daily reported. It was not clear when the change would take effect, but Washington was pushing Beijing to make the concessions as soon as possible, it added. The Wall Street Journal said the US was preparing additional measures against China. Some of those being using export controls, indictments and other tools to counter the theft of intellectual property. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on December 11 asked Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to explain how a Chinese state-owned firm was able to use offshore companies to potentially acquire restricted American technology. According to a December 4 article in the Wall Street Journal, the China Orient used subsidiaries and offshore third parties to evade US export control laws and acquire a majority stake in a US company seeking to purchase a US-made satellite. Menendez sent to the secretaries a list of 13 detailed questions about the transaction and urged them to provide briefings on any review of the deal. current-affairs-trends Editors Take | Will new RBI governor stand up for the central bank? Shaktikanta Das was instrumental in setting up the Monetary Policy Committee and played a key role in the government's demonetisation drive. Representative Image 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 on December 11. 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. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince despite a CIA assessment that he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and pleas from US senators for Trump to condemn the kingdom's de facto ruler. Trump refused to comment on whether Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the murder, but he provided perhaps his most explicit show of support for the prince since Khashoggi's death more than two months ago. "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office. Asked by Reuters if standing by the kingdom meant standing by the prince, known as MbS, Trump responded: "Well, at this moment, it certainly does." Some members of Saudi Arabia's ruling family are agitating to prevent MbS from becoming king, sources close to the royal court have told Reuters, and believe that the United States and Trump could play a determining role. "I just haven't heard that," Trump said. "Honestly, I can't comment on it because I had not heard that at all. In fact, if anything, I've heard that he's very strongly in power." While Trump has condemned the murder of Khashoggi, a US resident and Washington Post columnist who was often critical of MbS, he has given the benefit of the doubt to the prince with whom he has cultivated a deep relationship. Trump again reiterated on Tuesday that the "crown prince vehemently denies" involvement in a killing that has sparked outrage around the world. Trump has come under fierce criticism from fellow Republicans in the Senate over the issue, particularly after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed them. Last month, the CIA assessed that MbS ordered the killing, which Trump called "very premature." "You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organised by people under the command of MbS," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, said last week. MEETING WITH SENATORS Graham and other senators who have supported the US-Saudi alliance over the years have said that Trump should impose more sanctions after a first round targeted 17 Saudis for their alleged role in the killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. As the Senate considers this week a joint resolution condemning the crown prince for the killing, something that the president would have to sign or veto if passed by Congress, Trump said he would meet with senators. Trump said he hoped senators would not propose stopping arms sales to the Saudis, deals he has doggedly fought to save ever since the gruesome details of Khashoggi's murder were leaked by Turkey. "And I really hope that people aren't going to suggest that we should not take hundreds of billions of dollars that they're going to siphon off to Russia and to China," Trump said. Trump said he could abide by legislation ending US support for the Saudi-led war effort in Yemen, a proxy war with regional rival Iran that has led to a deepening humanitarian disaster. "Well, I'm much more open to Yemen because frankly, I hate to see what's going on in Yemen," Trump said. "But it takes two to tango. I'd want to see Iran pull out of Yemen too. Because - and I think they will." An Indian-American leading Google shows that immigrants contribute great value to the US despite the rhetoric, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has said as she expressed joy that she and the American tech giant's CEO Sundar Pichai were born in India. The two, now holding reputable positions in different spheres of lives -- one in politics and the other in the corporate world -- were born in Tamil Nadu. Jayapal, the first ever Indian-American Congresswoman, made these remarks during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday. "Let me just take a point of personal privilege to say that I was born in the same state as you in India and I am excited to see you leading a company and continuing to show that immigrants to this country contribute great value, in spite of some of the rhetoric we hear. Thank you Mr Pichai," she told the Google CEO, who appeared before a Congressional committee for questioning by lawmakers on the search engine's data privacy policy. Pichai, 46, was born in Chennai. A graduate from the IIT Kharagpur, he joined Google in 2004. He was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company in 2015. Jayapal, 53, too was born in Chennai and came to the US as a student. Both passed through a similar immigration pathway, involving H-1B visa and Green Card, before becoming US citizens. US President Donald Trump's campaign for the presidency in 2016 began with heated rhetoric promising to be tough on immigration. The Trump administration has placed numerous restrictions on the popular H-1B visa programme that grants temporary, non-immigrant work documents allowing highly skilled foreign workers to serve US companies. During the hearing, Jayapal asked questions to Pichai on sexual harassment and hate speech. "Do you agree with the UN high commissioner for human rights assessment that social media played a role, for example, in perpetuating genocide against the Rohingya and what is Google's response ability to moderate hate speech on your platforms?," she asked. "We feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to moderate hate speech. You know, we have defined hate speech clearly as inciting violence or hatred towards groups of people," Pichai said. "It is absolutely something which I think we need to take a very strict line on and we have stated our policies clearly and we are working hard to make our enforcement better and we have gotten a lot better. But it is not enough and so, we are committed to doing more here," he added. In her remarks, Jayapal expressed her deep concerns about employers mandating forced arbitration rather than allowing for people to pursue justice. "Forcing people into arbitration when they have already experienced a violation of their basic rights I think is a deep injustice and it subjects people who have already been victimised to further victimisation and we have seen research that shows that it discourages people from coming forward to report abuses to begin with," she said. Pichai said Google's arbitration agreements did not require any confidentiality provisions. "That is how we have done it. But for sexual harassment, we agreed that it should be up to the employees and we give them a choice," he said. "We are definitely looking into this further. It is an area where I have gotten feedback personally from our employees, so we are definitely reviewing what we could do and you know, I am looking forward to consulting and happy to think about more changes here," Pichai said. Following Jayapal's remarks, Congressman Keith Rothfus said both the Indian Americans were success stories of immigrants. "I just want to echo what my colleague Ms Pramila Jayapal had said. I am glad you are here at the committee but I am glad you are here in our country. You are a success story and I can just think of you sitting as a teenager in India, thinking that this was probably never even on your radar," he said. "But you came to this country, because this country had that promise out there and I want to thank you for being here today and encourage you to continue collaborating with this committee," Rothfus said. Rank 5 | Jack Dorsey | Company: Twitter, a social network company | Country: United States (Image: Reuters) Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Wednesday defended a series of tweets about his recent meditation retreat in Myanmar that were pilloried on his own platform for failing to mention the persecution of Rohingya Muslims. Dorsey's gushing thread on Sunday came after a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat near Mandalay in which he praised the country's food, beauty and its people, whom he said were "full of joy". The comments drew heat online for leaving out any discussion of atrocities committed against Myanmar's Rohingya minority during a military crackdown last year that drove more than 720,000 people into Bangladesh camps. Critics piled into the tech mogul for being "tone deaf" at a time when the UN has said Myanmar's generals should be investigated for genocide. In a series of tweets, Dorsey defended his actions but conceded he could have handled the situation better. "I'm aware of the human rights atrocities and suffering in Myanmar. I don't view visiting, practicing, or talking with the people, as endorsement," he said. "I didn't intend to diminish by not raising the issue, but could have acknowledged that I don't know enough and need to learn more." Dorsey said he has been a long-time meditator and wanted to travel to Buddhist-majority Myanmar where Vipassana is practised in its "original form". Twitter is not nearly as popular in Myanmar as Facebook, which has been accused of not doing enough to control hate speech that fuelled anti-Rohingya and anti-Muslim sentiment. But hate speech during the Rohingya crisis also spilled over onto the micro-messaging site, which is facing similar allegations over hosting toxic content in countries where it is more broadly used. Dorsey batted away speculation that there was a business twist to the visit, saying he had no conversations with the government during his trip, and described the platform as a way to raise awareness about human rights issues. "Twitter is a way for people to share news and information about events in Myanmar as well as to bear witness to the plight of the Rohingya and other peoples and communities," he said. It is not the first time the travelling tech whizz has stirred outrage online. 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". For years together, investors have been waiting for the corporate business investment cycle to turn positive. It has not happened so far. Every year, there are research reports touting stocks like Cummins or ABB or Siemens which will, supposedly, benefit with the revival of capital expenditure cycle. Its remained a mirage as yet. How bad the situation in manufacturing and infrastructure... The Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) scandal is like an onion, for every layer that one peels off, a fresh new layer is uncovered. We find layers upon layers of dubious dealing and regulatory negligence that had been brought to the attention of regulators, long before IL&FS began to default on its humungous borrowings. This column is about the grave financial implications of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) refusing to do its job as a regulator. It is something that the Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) needs to examine, if India wants a reduction in scams. Last week, RC Bhargava, a long-time independent director of IL&FS, claimed that the board ignored persistent letters from a whistleblower because government guideline for such complaints is to take cognisance of specific verifiable allegations and not vague and general ones. We now have evidence that regulators were just as callous when a formal complaint making some serious allegations was sent by a foreign institutional investor, based on a special audit. This pertains to New Tirupur Area Development Corporation Ltd (NTADCL), a unique private project led by IL&FS to bring water supply to this once extremely rich, hosiery-exporting town in Tamil Nadu. The major shareholders of the company are: Tamil Nadu Water Investment Company Limited (TWICL), which has a 32.54% share; AIDQUA Holdings (Mauritius), Inc (AIDQUA), which has 27.89% shareholding; and IL&FS, which holds 11.68%. TWICL, again, is jointly promoted by IL&FS and the Tamil Nadu government. The other shareholders were Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M). M&M is also the O&M (Operations and Maintenance) operator but has never held a board seat. I have written extensively about the dubious litigation that NTADCL has been embroiled in for almost a decade. This article is about how AIDQUA had appealed to the RBI for intervention with exhaustive details about IL&FSs fraudulent ways; but the regulator refused to respondeven though this was no anonymous whistleblower. It was a global investment institution. RBIs stony silence had serious systemic consequences. IL&FSs senior management were emboldened to target AIDQUA directors with a frivolous criminal defamation case that has continued even after the board of IL&FS had been sacked by the government in September. The Bombay High Court, and later the Supreme Court, quashed the complaint but an IL&FS nominee director threatened an AIDQUA director with arrest at the NTADCL board meeting. Worse, many potential whistleblowers, including officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) were forced into keeping mum, since RBIs silence signalled that you can complain about the all-powerful IL&FS management, led by Ravi Parthasarathy, only at your peril. On 26 July 2013, AIDQUA wrote an explosive letter addressed to B Mahapatra, executive director, RBI, bringing to its attention the scandalous dealings of IL&FS. This is a detailed, 21-page letter with four annexures (page 1 below). Initially, on 4 September 2013, RBI said it was looking into the issues raised by AIDQUA. It followed this up with a letter to IDBI, the lead banker, seeking its feedback. But then, on 30 April 2014, RBI responded to AIDQUAs follow-up with a terse note saying: we regret our inability to intervene in this matter. Undeterred, on 16 June 2014, AIDQUAs director, Shariff Golem Hossen, wrote to Rajesh Varma, chief general manager, department of banking operations (copied to PR Ravi Mohan, chief general manager-in-charge, department of banking supervision), pointing out, even more bluntly, that AIDQUA was seeking intervention because the NTADCL's corporate debt restructuring (CDR) was contrary to RBI's own master circular which prohibits a debt restructuring via the CDR cell in cases involving frauds and diversion of funds. AIDQUA said that IDBI had provided incomplete answers or selective facts to the regulator. The letter said: a special audit conducted by an independent auditor, though limited in scope, has revealed serious financial irregularities in the commercial matters of NTADCL including misappropriation of funds by the company's co-promoter, IL&FS, a company regulated by the RBI, leading up to NTADCL's financial distress and resulting in uncertainty of advances/debts. It also pointed to two observations of the Madras High Court one, that IL&FS had made unilateral deductions from loan amounts purportedly disbursed by it. And, secondly, that the CDR scheme proposed by IL&FS (and objected to by AIDQUA and a couple of other lenders) was against public interest and had stayed the implementation. Why would RBI refuse to intervene? What was NTADCLs management, packed with IAS officers nominated by the Tamil Nadu government, doing through all these nine long years? In a nutshell, it is yet another example of the kind of hold that IL&FS had on the bureaucracy across India. S Krishnan, IAS, acting managing director (MD) of NTADCL, tells me that the company had decided to treat the matter as a dispute between two investors IL&FS and AIDQUA. This is a rather strange stance, since the repercussions of the wrongdoing and their inaction were directly impacting the company he is heading. Why would powerful IAS officers make a virtue out of passive inaction? Wasnt it their duty to act decisively when serious wrongdoing was being alleged? Take a look at some issues highlighted by AIDQUA: 1. That IL&FS had withheld funds from the company under several heads such as in respect of alleged costs relating to a USAID loan arranged by them, project management fees, out-of-pocket expenses, etc. The amount was Rs41.24 crore. AIDQUA believed that IL&FS was not entitled to this money and asked for a limited purpose special audit of payments withheld under the USAID loan. The audit confirmed its suspicions; AIDQUA wanted a full forensic audit of financial statements before a CDR proposal could be considered. It offered to assist RBI with the forensic audit. 2. Despite the Madras High Court having reserved its order on 2 August 2012, NATDCL went ahead and allotted shares without a board approval, or a special resolution approved at a general body meeting. AIDQUA learnt about the allocation only through a counter-affidavit dated 5 October 2012 filed with the company law board (CLB) by S Krishnan. By illegally and surreptitiously allotting shares, Mr. S. Krishnan, IAS, has breached his fiduciary duty towards shareholders of the company, says the letter. Mr Krishnan, a bureaucrat, acts as the MD of NTADCL even today, although his appointment has not been formalised since AIDQUA has refused to ratify it. 3. AIDQUA says, the promoters unilaterally changed the business purpose of the company by selling water allocated for industrial use, which affected the finances of NATDCL. 4. IL&FS and the Tamil Nadu government unilaterally decided to divert revenues meant for meeting the costs of Mahindra & Mahindra (the O&M operator) to servicing the debts of the company. This was done in violation of the conditions requiring the company to meet its debt-service obligations from the DSRF (Data System Research Foundations) or through the guarantee given by TWICL as part of the first CDR. 5. In 2009, less than 18 months after the first CDR, the promoters proposed a second debt restructuring. AIDQUA, LIC and GIC objected to it; but IL&FS and TWICL simply bypassed them and approached CLB for a clearance to the debt-restructuring plan. This proposal, like the first, wanted terms favourable to the promoters and were not in the interest of the company or the minority shareholders. 6. AIDQUA said, the third CDR had projections which had no verifiable basis and were wholly unsubstantiated. There was no techno-economic study to support the projections and there was no demonstrable basis to support the facts and figures given. The CDR proposal grossly undervalued the future potential business and profits of the company. 7. AIDQUA specifically accuses S Krishnan (now the acting MD) of acting in concert with IL&FS and TWICL of wilfully and deliberately disobeying the CLB order dated 6 March 2012 by signing the master restructuring agreement for the CDR without proper authorisation, issuing shares in violation of CLB directions, and acting in a clandestine manner. 8. The letter claims that IL&FS, in collusion with the then MD of NTADCL (Samir Vyas, also an IAS officer), of having deliberately concealed / suppressed vital documents relating to USAID loan and various costs and charges pertaining to it from the board. It names Ravi Parthasarathy, founder of IL&FS, and his role in suppressing facts from the board. The letter says that the USAID loan was sanctioned in the year 1997 and the Concession Agreement was signed in the year 2000 but the company had little or no knowledge of the liability till September 2002. Curiously, IL&FS's letter of 25 September 2002 only became known at NTADCL's 25 March 2010 audit committee meeting. 9. M/s R Janakiraman & Co, chartered accountants, was appointed to conduct the special audit of the company which ratified the allegations above leading to AIDQUAs demand for a full forensic audit. 10. The annexure says: the Company has wrongfully treated the entire Rs90.00 crores as a loan when in fact an amount of only Rs48.76 crores was received from IL&FS as at 31 March 2010, the company had paid an amount of approximately Rs104.00 crores towards repayment of the amounts which were never received by the company, which speaks loudly of the mis-management in the company. It is pertinent to mention that IDBI, as lead lender, had a responsibility under prudential norms to ensure all monies due from IL&FS were in fact provided to the Company. But, IDBI ignored its responsibility to the company as well as under RBI regulations. So why did RBI fail to take note of the AIDQUAs detailed letter? Was it because of pressure from the many bureaucrats who were represented on NTADCLs board? Isnt it ironical that they remain at the helm even today while a board led by Uday Kotak is trying a way to resolve the IL&FS crisis? In fact, yet another bureaucrat has been nominated by the Uday Kotak-led IL&FS to the board of NTADCL. Since malpractices abound in India, and none of the normal checks & balances work, whistleblowers play a critical role in bringing sleazy facts out in the open. Regulators and independent directors must pay special attention to such complaints. But if they do not respond to anonymous whistleblowers or heed formal, detailed complaints by institutions, investing in India will remain a blind leap of faith. I have sent a set of questions to Mr Krishnan of NTADCL. We will incorporate his responses when we hear from him. Update: 16 December 2018 Krishnans replies I had sent the following questions to Mr S Krishnan, who acts as MD of NTADCL, in addition to a phone conversation and a copy of the letter sent to the RBI governor. His answers do not respond to our questions, but are posted verbatim below. Also, while letters from AIDQUA to RBI are written as institution, and has various signatories, Mr Krishnan appears to make it an issue between IL&FS and one directors, while NTADCL and TWICL remined silent. This only confirms they did little to protect the state governments interest, but are still designated by the governenmt to these organisations. Moneylifes questions to Mr S Krishnan: 1) Why hadnt NTADCL been able to achieve its projections as per the 1st Debt Restructuring? 2) ThThee Special Audit was conducted at the behest of the Board found against IL&FS in October 2010, why was no action taken to recover money withheld by IL&FS. You said your recent board meeting plans to make a claim before the NCLAT Mumbai - what is the extent of this claim? 3) Why did NTADCL not act against IL&FS despite the overwhelmingly large number of IAS officers from TN being on the board? 4) Do you or do you not agree with the special audit of October 2010 findings that IL&FS was found to have siphoned money from NTADCL? Did this not hurt the interest of NTADCL as well as the Tamil Nadu government, who you represent? 5) Why hasnt the Tamil Nadu government asked for the Rs 150 Crores back from all Lenders, including IL&FS, when the Madras High Court found in AIDQUAs appeal against the Order of the Company Law Board that the CDR Scheme is against Public Interest by the use of public money to bailout private lenders, such as IL&FS? 6) Why was there a right of recompense to Lenders (including IL&FS) for debt-to-equity conversion when getting shares in NTADCL is an asset itself in lieu of continuing to hold NTADCL debt? 7) As part of implementing the CDR via signing the MRA, why didnt the GOTN notify the restriction on groundwater use for non-domestic purposes as per the specific conditions of the CDR itself? 8) When the Tamil Nadu government opted for equity instead of preference shares (or even subordinated debt) didnt it cause a loss to the people of Tamil Nadu for losing out on any interest or dividend? Mr S Krishnans response on behalf of NTADCL: 1. One of the shareholders of NTADCL is a Company known as AIDQUA Holdings (Mauritius) Inc, (AIDQUA). AIDQUA invested in the Company as per the Shareholders Agreement signed by them and other investors in end of 2002. There is litigation between AIDQUA and the IL&FS and its subsidiary Tamil Nadu Water Investment Company Limited (TWICL) since 2006 onwards on various issues. 2. Mr Faizal Syed, the AIDQUA nominee Director after almost 6 7 years of approval of USAID related costs by NTADCL Board, again raised the issue of payment of the USAID related costs to IL&FS by NTADCL and demanded a special audit of the same in the Board meeting held on 23rd August 2010. A Special Audit was conducted by M/s R Janakiraman, Chartered Accountants and placed before the Board. However in the meantime, AIDQUA preferred to file Company Application CA 32 of 2010 in CP 18 of 2007 before the Company Law Board on this issue. The Board could not proceed further as the matter was sub judice. 3. The NCLT, Chennai had adjourned the matter sine-die pending disposal of SLP 11694/2014 before the Supreme Court, which was again filed by AIDQUA against the judgement of Honble High Court of Madras on CDR. 4. The issue has not been lost sight of by the Company and finds mention in the note forming part of the Accounts in each annual report and is also noted specifically by the Statutory auditors. 5. The Board of NTADCL has recently taken a decision to refer the issue of USAID related costs raised by Mr.Faizal Syed to the Independent Auditor and Internal Auditor of the Company to examine whether NTADCL had a valid claim which should be pursued with IL&FS. The companys interests will be protected. Update: 17 December 2018 In response to Mr S Krishnan's statement, Mr Faizal Syed, who he mentions repeatedly has sent us the following response, which is being published unedited. Ms. Dalal While you explain well how Mr. S Krishnan, IAS, did not expressly answer your questions as part of his correspondence with you, I disagree with what he did have to say about the USAID Audit and other deductions wrongfully made by IL&FS at NTADCL. Your article was originally about how the RBI had not taken action with respect to specific claims against the behavior of IL&FS, which are now found mirrored in the SFIOs interim report of massive mismanagement prejudicial to public interest by past IL&FS employees in the IL&FS Group companies including Mr. Ravi Parthasarathy and Mr. Hari Sankaran, along with questioning the behavior of IAS Officers. More specifically, the letter of AIDQUA had pointed out that Mr. S Krishnan, IAS, had taken unilateral actions at NTADCL such as the allotment of shares to IL&FS without any Board or Shareholder approval. Further, with respect to the claim of Mr. S Krishnan, IAS, that I had belatedly asked for a re-examination of the USAID deductions of IL&FS, please know that the Special Audit was conducted at the request of the Audit Committee of NTADCL and please recall your other article which had recorded that the Honble Bombay High Court had gone through the matter of USAID deductions by IL&FS threadbare and had recorded in its learned Judgement that unwarranted deductions had indeed been made by IL&FS. Thus, there is no question of whether the IL&FS deductions ought to have re-examined via the Special Audit and there is no question that IL&FS needs to repay NTADCL with compounded interest for all wrongful deductions. It should also go without saying that there is no bar from any judicial authority for the recovery of funds wrongfully withheld. In fact, NTADCL had long ago told the Honble CLB that its Board would discuss the Special Audit for consequent actions. To read that anyone would now even remotely question the Special Audit does not speak well for NTADCL or the responsibilities of its Board members to the Company, the Shareholders, the Lenders and other stakeholders, including the state of Tamil Nadu. Sincerely yours, Faizal Syed Director New Tirupur Area Development Company Limited Disabled sex education advocate. Lonely Planet travel writer. Emily Yates is pushing the boundaries for disabled people. Nicole Alexander talks to Yates about her documentary Meet the Devotees (individuals who fetishize disabled people) and much more. Have you ever met anyone who is so undeniably impressive? I was lucky enough to do just that. Emily Yates has two documentaries available on BBC 3 iPlayer and YouTube and, as a disability activist, she is fast becoming a hero of mine. Emily invited me to her flat in Glasgow for fish finger sandwiches and a chat. Sitting down in her beautiful brightly coloured kitchen with her newly acquired furry companion an orange kitten named Otis Emily told me about her life. Emily, 27, was born in Skipton, Yorkshire (made famous by the movie Calendar Girls). She has Cerebral Palsy and is a fulltime wheelchair user with a pretty awesome set of wheels. At 18, Emily moved down to London to study English Literature, then travelled to Australia to complete the second year of her degree at the University of Melbourne. There she had an encounter which would inadvertently change her life. Emily had posted a picture of herself all glammed up for a Uni ball on her Facebook. Someone commented on her picture pretty cripple. As Emily laments in her BBC 3 documentary, cripple? why bring that up?. This derogatory remark encouraged Emily to research further, and she discovered the somewhat murky world of Devotees, individuals who fetishize disabled people. Emily describes it as falling down a very dark hole in the internet. This research would one day turn out to be very useful. In 2012 Emily volunteered for the London Paralympics. She was invited to speak at a press conference on her first day, along with politician and former athlete Lord Sebastian Coe. Emily must have seriously impressed Seb Coe because he ended up quoting her in his closing speech! Asking for 15 minutes of his time she was then invited to Rio for the 2016 games to help make the underground more accessible. Emily worked hard in Rio; when she first arrived, only five out of 36 stations were accessible. With Emilys help, 34 were accessible in the space of two years. When I asked Emily how she coped with all this work on top of her disability, not to mention Brazils blistering heat, she explained it was three months on then three months off and she was able to take time to rest and explore Brazil. However, it was a constant battle between mind and body. These words resonated with me so much. I empathised with her frustration in not being able to get out and do everything she wanted. Though Emilys partner had a great point when he cut in to say that anyone would be tired doing what she does! And hes not exaggerating: Emily now has two documentaries under her belt. After she spoke with a BBC 3 producer about her foray into the world of Devotees, the producer commissioned her to make a mini documentary about it. As part of the documentary, Emily consented to make a sexy video for a group of devotees. Now, one might picture soft lighting, lingerie and a come-hither stare. But the Devotees wanted to see Emily struggle into her car from her wheelchair or put on a pair of tights. They particularly wanted to view her leg spasms. It was heartbreaking to see Emily get upset because the video wouldnt really be about her. She wanted to be sexy and added bonus for the video, but the Devotees just wanted to see her do everyday things. They werent seeing her super-attractive gorgeous self, just her disability. I asked Emily what she truly thought of Devotees. Were they creepy? Harmless? She hadnt made her mind up. To me, there is something insidious about wanting to watch someone struggle but if all the participants involved are willing then they might, perhaps, view it as a varying form of S&M. I was shocked when Emily said a lot of Devotees give to disabled charities and are advocates themselves. Is that irony? Empowering disabled people in public, but wanting to see them vulnerable in private? Emily has been making a real difference in her work to increase disability awareness training in the UK, and is also a vigorous advocate of sex education. On the subject of sex, Emily told me she first had sex at the age of 20 and often felt pretty not sexy. When featured on BBC 3s What Not to Say, Emily recalled a time a boyfriend googled how to kiss a woman in a wheelchair. Always best to be prepared, I suppose! Emily currently feels pretty confident about her sex life and has made peace with her limitations. Would (her partner) like to do a million more positions in the bedroom? Sure! Wouldnt we all. Working with Enhance the UK, a charity which wants to change societys views on disability. Emily speaks passionately about the lack of sex education for disabled people particularly in schools. Disabled people come out of education either hypersexualised or infantilised. She addresses her own isolating feelings towards sex education: I saw no bodies that looked like mine. New government legislation is finally making sex education in UK schools LGBTQA+ inclusive. Could disabled people be far behind? Working with the Undressing Disability Campaign, Emily hopes not. When it comes to the poor media representation of disabled people and its need to be improved, Emily and hundreds of like-minded people are working to change perceptions of disability utilising media. But its not going to happen overnight. If Joe Bloggs is sittin on his couch watching TV and his perception of disability is changed even a little bit, thats a massive victory. After two documentaries, television presenting, writing and accessibility advocacy, what is next for Emily Yates? I, for one, cant wait to see! Follow @emilyryates on Twitter and stay updated via her official website. December 12, 2018 Short Term Thinking Dooms U.S. Anti-China Strategy The United States issued an arrest warrant against the chief financial officer and heir apparent of Huawei, Meng Wanzhou. At issue is a six years old alleged violation of sanctions against Iran. Mrs. Meng was arrested in Canada. She has been set free under a stringent $10 million bail agreement. An extradition trial will follow in February or March. It is unprecedented that an officer of a large company is personally indicted for the alleged sanction violations by a subsidiary company: The US rarely arrests senior businesspeople, US or foreign, for alleged crimes committed by their companies. Corporate managers are usually arrested for their alleged personal crimes (such as embezzlement, bribery or violence) rather than their companys alleged malfeasance. ... Meng is charged with violating US sanctions on Iran. Yet consider her arrest in the context of the large number of companies, US and non-US, that have violated US sanctions against Iran and other countries. In 2011, for example, JPMorgan Chase paid US$88.3 million in fines for violating US sanctions against Cuba, Iran and Sudan. Yet chief executive officer Jamie Dimon wasnt grabbed off a plane and whisked into custody. The U.S. indicted dozens of banks for violating its sanction regime. They had to pay huge fines (pdf) but none of their officers were ever touched. We called this U.S. operation a hostage taking to blackmail China. President Trump confirmed that this is indeed the case: U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene in the U.S. Justice Departments case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. The arrest of Meng is but one part of a larger political campaign against China directed out of the office of National Security Advisor John Bolton: The Trump administration is preparing actions this week to call out Beijing for what it says are Chinas continued efforts to steal American trade secrets and advanced technologies and to compromise sensitive government and corporate computers, according to U.S. officials. Multiple government agencies are expected to condemn China, citing a documented campaign of economic espionage and the alleged violation of a landmark 2015 pact to refrain from hacking for commercial gain. In typical propaganda style the U.S. media depict the Chinese as enemies: Taken together, the announcements represent a major broadside against China over its mounting aggression against the West and its attempts to displace the United States as the worlds leader in technology, officials said. ... The actions come amid mounting intelligence showing a sustained Chinese hacking effort devoted to acquiring sophisticated American technologies of all stripes. A number of agencies including the Justice, State, Treasury and Homeland Security departments have pushed for a newly aggressive U.S. response. A National Security Council committee coordinated the actions. One wonders what those "mounting aggressions" are supposed to be. Is the U.S. not constantly spying and hacking for economic for political gain? Other reports today of alleged Chinese hacking are obviously part of the concerted anti-China campaign. As usual no evidence is presented for the vague allegations: U.S. government investigators increasingly believe that Chinese state hackers were most likely responsible for the massive intrusion reported last month into Marriotts Starwood chain hotel reservation system, a breach that exposed the private information and travel details of as many as 500 million people, according to two people briefed on the government investigation. These people cautioned that the investigation has not been completed, so definitive conclusions cannot be drawn. But the sweep and tactics of the hack, which took place over four years before being discovered, prompted immediate speculation that it was carried out by a national government. The new anti-China campaign follows a similar push of anti-Russian propaganda three month ago. China has taken first countermeasures against Canada's hostage taking on behalf of the United States. It detained Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat who now works for the International Crisis Group. Beijing suggest that the ICG is operating illegally in China: The relevant organization has violated Chinese laws because the relevant organization is not registered in China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a press briefing Wednesday. China sharply tightened its rules on NGOs operating in the country last year, .. This will not be the sole Chinese measure against Canada for its role in enforcing extraterritorial U.S. sanctions. The string of U.S. accusations and measures against China are partly to protect the market share of U.S. companies against better and cheaper Chinese products and partly geopolitical. Neither has anything to do with protecting the international rule of law. After three centuries of anglo-american imperialism the economic center of the world is moving back to the east. bigger The U.S. is way too late to prevent this move. Its best and most profitable chance is not to challenge, but to accommodate it. That again would require to respect international laws and treaty obligations. The U.S. is not willing to do either. Nothing except a large scale war that results in the destruction of the industrial centers of east Asia, while keeping the U.S. and Europe save, could reverse the trend. Nuclear weapons on all sides and the principal of mutual assured destruction have made such a war unthinkable. What we are likely to see instead will be proxy conflicts in various other countries. The current U.S. strategy is to restrict China's access to foreign markets, advanced technologies, global banking and higher education. While that may for a moment slow down China's rise it will in the long run strengthen China even more. Instead of integrating into the world economy it will develop its own capacities and international systems. The U.S. can temporarily hinder the telecommunication equipment provider Huawei by denying it access to U.S. designed chips. It will probably do so. But that will only incentivize Huawei to start its own chip production. With a few years delay it will be back and out-compete U.S. companies with even better and cheaper products. It is typical for the current U.S. to seek short term advantage while disregarding the long term negative effects of its doing. It is a major reason for China's rise and its future supremacy. Posted by b on December 12, 2018 at 12:07 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page After multiple reviews of Mendozas petitions, it is clear that she meets the requirements necessary to be on the February 2019 ballot and that fact further underscores that Preckwinkles sole motive in challenging her petitions was to deny voters their rights and stop Susana from making the ballot, the Mendoza campaign said in a statement. In an environment where active fund managers are under assault for poor relative performance and high fees, we believe wide-moat-rated T. Rowe Price (TROW) is the best positioned among the U.S.-based active asset managers we cover. The biggest differentiators for the company are the size and scale of its operations, the strength of its brands, its consistent record of active fund outperformance, and reasonable fees. T. Rowe Price also has historically had a stickier set of clients than its peers, with two thirds of its assets under management derived from retirement-based accounts. At the end of September, 70%, 81%, and 79% of the companys funds were beating peers on a three-, five-, and ten-year basis, respectively, with 60% of funds rated 4 or 5 stars by Morningstar during the past five years, better than just about every other U.S.-based asset manager. T. Rowe Price also had a much stronger Morningstar Success Ratio--which evaluates whether a companys open-end funds deliver sustainable, peer-beating returns over longer periods--giving it an additional leg up. While T. Rowe Price will face headwinds in the near to medium term as baby boomer rollovers affect organic growth in the defined-contribution channel, we think the company and defined-contribution plans in general have a compelling cost and service argument to make to pending retirees, which should mitigate some of the impact. We also believe T. Rowe Price is uniquely positioned among the companies we cover (as well as the broader universe of active asset managers) to pick up business in the retail-advised channel, given the solid long-term performance of its funds and reasonableness of its fees, exemplified by deals this past year with Fidelity Investments FundsNetwork and Schwabs Mutual Fund OneSource platform. With T. Rowe Price likely to generate low- to mid-single-digit AUM growth on average going forward (driven by 1%-3% annual organic growth in a forecast period that includes a 20% decline for equity markets), we see top-line growth expanding in the low- to mid-single-digit range annually, with operating margins of 42%-43% on average. Stephane Bonin, criminal investigations division director at CRA, told CBC News that this marked the first time the provisions were used in a tax evasion case. The proceeds-of-crime provisions have been previously employed only in investigations involving money laundering and alleged terrorist financing. "I can say that this is indeed the first time, but I can promise you that this is not the last time that we [will use] those provisions of the Criminal Code to restrain or seize assets that tax evaders have acquired through their illegal behaviours," he said. Marc Tasse, a professor at the University of Ottawa, lauded CRA's move, calling it a "game-changer". "If they were to file for bankruptcy, the government wouldn't be able to recover anything. But on the other hand, if they're using proceeds-of-crime provisions of the Criminal Code, then at that point they are able to seize it immediately so it protects the assets," Tasse told CBC News. Mortgage agent Corinna Smith-Gatcke is the new mayor of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, and she already has her hands full. Earlier this week, Mayor Smith-Gatcke and council voted to permit cannabis retail stores to operate in Leeds and the Thousand Islands, primarily because foregoing taxes and revenues would be wasteful for a town of 9,600. The provincial government backed us into a corner on that one, said Smith-Gatcke, who was sworn in last week by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark. They said we have to either opt in or opt out by Jan. 22, so the problem is if you opt out, you cant opt back in. About 80% of places in Ontario are allowing it because its legal. If you try to base your decision morality, then its not good for anybody. Its legal everywhere else, so people will just drive elsewhere to buy the product, in which case wed lose tax dollars and revenue. America turned into a net oil exporter last week, breaking almost 75 years of continued dependence on foreign oil and marking a pivotal -- even if likely brief -- moment toward what U.S. President Donald Trump has branded as "energy independence." The shift to net exports is the dramatic result of an unprecedented boom in American oil production, with thousands of wells pumping from the Permian region of Texas and New Mexico to the Bakken in North Dakota to the Marcellus in Pennsylvania. While the country has been heading in that direction for years, this week's dramatic shift came as data showed a sharp drop in imports and a jump in exports to a record high. Given the volatility in weekly data, the U.S. will likely remain a small net importer most of the time. RELATED: Constraints facing Permian oil output go beyond pipelines "We are becoming the dominant energy power in the world," said Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research. "But, because the change is gradual over time, I don't think it's going to cause a huge revolution, but you do have to think that OPEC is going to have to take that into account when they think about cutting." The shale revolution has transformed oil wildcatters into billionaires and the U.S. into the world's largest petroleum producer, surpassing Russia and Saudi Arabia. The power of OPEC has been diminished, undercutting one of the major geopolitical forces of the last half century. The shift to net exports caps a tumultuous week for energy markets and politics. OPEC and its allies are meeting in Vienna this week, trying to make a tough choice whether to cut output and support prices, risking the loss of more market share to the U.S. "The week started with Qatar leaving OPEC; then a mysterious U.S.-Saudi bilateral meeting in Vienna; followed by a canceled OPEC press conference, and now the latest news that the U.S. turned last week into a net petroleum exporter," said Helima Croft, commodities strategist at RBC Capital Markets LLC and a former analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. The U.S. sold overseas last week a net 211,000 barrels a day of crude and refined products such as gasoline and diesel, compared to net imports of about 3 million barrels a day on average so far in 2018, and an annual peak of more than 12 million barrels a day in 2005, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The EIA said the U.S. has been a net oil importer in weekly data going back to 1991 and monthly data starting in 1973. Oil historians that have compiled even older annual data using statistics from the American Petroleum Institute said the country has been a net oil importer since the mid-1940s, when Harry Truman was in the White House. RELATED: Permian Basin could see more infrastructure funds On paper, the shift to net oil exports means that the U.S. is today energy independent, achieving a rhetorical aspiration for generations of American politicians, from Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush. Yet, it's a paper tiger achievement: In reality, the U.S. remains exposed to global energy prices, still affected by the old geopolitics of the Middle East. U.S. crude exports are poised to rise even further, with new pipelines from the Permian in the works and at least nine terminals planned that will be capable of loading supertankers. The only facility currently able to load the largest ships, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, is on pace to load more oil in December than it has in any other month. The massive Permian may be even bigger than previously thought. The Delaware Basin, the less drilled part of the field, holds more than twice the amount of crude as its sister, the Midland Basin, the U.S. Geological Service said Thursday. While the net balance shows the U.S. is selling more petroleum than buying, American refiners continue to buy millions of barrels each day of overseas crude and fuel. The U.S. imports more than 7 million barrels a day of crude from all over the globe to help feed its refineries, which consume more than 17 million barrels each day. In turn, the U.S. has become the world's top fuel supplier. "The U.S. is now a major player in the export market," said Brian Kessens, who helps manage $16 billion at Tortoise in Leawood, Kansas. "We continue to re-tool our export infrastructure along the Gulf Coast to expand capacity, and you continue to see strong demand globally for crude oil." - With assistance from Bloomberg's Jessica Summers and Adrian Leung. Mendoza planned to ask city election officials to dismiss the challenge, and she attacked Preckwinkle with a reference to President Donald Trump and suggestions that her Preckwinkle is anti-woman and a Democratic machine party boss: Its ironic that in the year of the woman, in Trumps America, the highest-ranking woman in Cook County government, who happens to be the boss of the party bosses, thinks its a good idea to challenge five women of color and no one else, by the way, Mendoza says in John Byrnes story. Read the full story here. 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 ODESSA -- A Midland man was one of two people who died in an early-morning collision on East State Highway 191 inside Midland County, according to a press release from the Odessa Police Department. David Folger, 32, was driving a blue Ford F-150 eastbound in the 8200 block of SH 191 at about 2 a.m. Wednesday. A black Ford F-150, with three occupants inside, was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of SH 191 and struck Folgers vehicle head on, according to the release. A reception Tuesday gave Midlanders a chance to hear the perspectives of candidates for the citys police chief. Seth Herman and Phillip Smith Jr. shared their thoughts about leading a law enforcement agency in a growing community. I have a very vested interest in this department and these citizens, Herman, a Midland Police Department veteran of 23 years, told the Reporter-Telegram. My goal is to continue to protect and serve in this next level of my career. Herman and Smith were selected as finalists from more than 34 applicants. Smith currently works as police chief of the Roswell Police Department in New Mexico. Ive fallen in love with the southwest, and I find myself pursuing a fantastic career here in Midland, Smith told those gathered at the Midland Municipal Court building. The MPD hasnt had a permanent leader since former chief Steve Henry was terminated in April. He was found to have violated personnel policies, specifically those related to harassment, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram story. Herman is currently interim chief and said the position has helped him gain knowledge about the roles requirements. He said the community maintains a small-town feeling and has to continue progressing as the population grows. Ive been serving as the interim chief of police for the last nine months, and it has truly been an honor to have been involved at this level of government within the department, Herman told people gathered Tuesday. Smith said hes grateful to be considered a finalist after seeking the MPD job when it was previously advertised. He applied again due to factors that include the West Texas location and the opportunity to serve a growing community. Its going to be a career improvement challenge because of the size of it and what they encompass, Smith said. Its attractive. Herman and Smith remained in the candidate pool after finalist Jimmie Sevey of Nacogdoches withdrew from consideration for personal reasons, according to the city. The meet-and-greet event culminated a day of finalist interviews with the law enforcement community, city management and others. A final decision could be made before the end of the year. The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday passed the George W. Bush Childhood Home Study Act. Known as House Resolution 3008 and authored by Congressman Mike Conaway of Midland, this piece of legislation aims to preserve the Midland home of the Bush family as a national landmark. George W. Bushs childhood home in Midland, Texas, is a piece of our nations history, Conaway said in a press release. Two presidents, two governors and a first lady have called this house their home. As the nation mourns the passing of George Herbert Walker Bush, our 41st president, we are especially reminded of the importance of preserving living landmarks for future generations. RELATED: West Texas timeline of George H.W. Bush The only no votes on the bill came from four Republicans. Two other Republicans voted present, according to Conaways office. Paul St. Hillaire, executive director of the Bush Childhood Home, said Tuesday that the bill appropriated funds for the National Park Service to conduct a study of the historic home. He said in an email that the initial study was conducted three or four years ago, when it was determined that the museum was a good fit. This second study is to determine the feasibility of the National Park Service operating the site. He said there are three levels the Bush Childhood Home could be affiliated with the National Park Service: George W. Bush Childhood Home Location: 1412 W. Ohio Ave. Hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2-5 p.m. Sunday The home, which was dedicated on April 11, 2006, currently on The National Register of Historic Places and is a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark. The Texas Historical Commission marker was dedicated in August 2008. Source: bushchildhoodhome.org See More Collapse -- In name only as a national landmark. St. Hillaire said that would give the Bush Childhood Home visibility and extra traffic. --operated by the NPS but day-to-day operations would be funded by a separate organization run locally; --owned and operated by the NPS and funded by the government. St. Hillaire said that if the House bill goes through the Senate and is signed by the president, funds would be appropriated for the NPS budget. Officials then would schedule a round of visits, write up a report and submit it to the Bush Childhood Home board to consider at what level it would like to be involved. As I understand it, once we've given them our answer, a new bill would be introduced allowing NPS to take whatever steps that level requires, St. Hillaire said. The entire process could take years. A woman was arrested Tuesday after kicking and defecating on an Odessa police officer, according to a press release from the Odessa Police Department. Kristie Marie Rodriguez, 33, was charged with a third-degree felony charge of assault on a public servant and criminal trespassing, a class B misdemeanor. The District 117 school board voted Wednesday to approve the establishment of an alternative school for the kindergarten to middle school levels. While the district receives alternative school options for the high school level through the Lafayette Academy, there are no options for the lower grade levels, said Superintendent Steve Ptacek. The alternative school would provide 45-day placements for students with individual education plans that have violated district policies, special education expulsion services, alternative placements for junior high and elementary schools instead of expulsions, and organized and supported in-school suspensions. The placement would be determined on the type of infraction, Ptacek said. We want to have a location for our K through 8 students who have shown behaviors that could rise to the level of expulsion. We dont want to expel students out to the streets, he said. Ptacek said the alternative school is expected to cost about $400,000 after the board hires an administrator, a clerical position, a custodian, two regular teachers, a special education teacher and a social worker. Ptacek said there would also be $300,000 in additional funds for additional staff as needed. Our main goal is to keep them in an educational environment, board member Steve Cantrell said. Ptacek said he plans to have this school operational for next year. BLDD and Holland, the lead construction companies for the Turner Junior High School project, presented their recommendations to decrease costs for the project, which is $2 million over the high end of the districts budget. When bids were returned, several were much higher than expected. The electrical bid came in at more than $1 million over budget. Ptacek said the district cannot spend more than $26 million for the project, which is more than $2 million over the proposed project. Realistically, we cant get it down to under $26 million unless we talk about cutting out something like the auditorium, Ptacek said. Other board members questioned where the large differences in bid estimates originated. BLDD and Holland originally estimated the project to cost about $24 million, despite the larger items such as the auditorium, Ptacek said. For this price, it better be on time and phenomenal, he said. Ptacek also addressed the additional project of a circle drive in front of Lincoln Elementary, which is expected to cost about $576,000. For it to be completed, CTS Group would have to get permission from Jacksonville City Council to perform some of the renovation of the curbside along West Independence Avenue. The project would address the drainage problems around the elementary school. Ptacek said about $100,000 of that work needs to be completed regardless. Most board members were in support of the project. Weve talked about when we do this project we are going to make sure it gets done, because we arent coming back in two years and doing it again, Cantrell said. We are going to move on to the next project. Ptacek said there is still the option of the city helping with the renovation, but said the city has not made that commitment. If the city commits, its portion of the project would cost between $80,000 and $90,000. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha. ROODHOUSE Some Christmas cheer came down the rails to Roodhouse Tuesday as the Kansas City Southern Holiday Express rolled into town. This will be the 18th year the train has been in operation. At each stop, the train gives out gift cards to the local Salvation Army. The gift cards are designated for the purchase of warm clothing and other necessities for kids in need, explained Doniele Carlson, who is part of communications for KCS. The Holiday express follows a tradition set by the Santa Train that ran a segment of the rails that was purchased by the rail company in 1997. In 2000, a group of warm-hearted KCS employees noticed that the Santa Train was the only Christmas some kids had, and that some kids did not have essential items like coats, hats and gloves, so they committed to elevating the project, said Carlson. In 2001, volunteers transformed a retired freight train to the experience that communities throughout KCS U.S. service territory enjoy today. The train is made up of six cars. Visitors can travel through four of the cars to meet Santa, check out a giant Christmas village with trains, and a car full of Santa figures. Kids and adults that went through the train said they liked the town with the miniature trains, overall. This is the first year weve actually be able to come. Its pretty incredible. We had a great time. The twins really enjoyed it and, as cold as its been lately, the weather has been perfect, said Meghan Field of Carrollton. In the last car, kids under 10 received a coloring book and some other goodies. Outside the train, kids got a chance to see Santa and Vixen the reindeer. This stop is part of a long trip from Louisiana to Kansas City, Missouri, that features 22 communities over an eight-state area. Roodhouse is the last stop in west central Illinois before it continues down the rails for the Missouri leg of the journey. The 8 Points Charter School Parent Teacher Organization will meet at 6 p.m. today in the auditorium or the conference room of the school, depending on the number of people attending. The meeting will focus on the renewal of 8 Points Charter Schools contract with the Jacksonville District 117 school district. School Leader Bridget English said charter school officials will be present to try to answer questions about the process. They also asked the US to remove Honduran President Hernandez from office Their list of demands included speeding up the asylum application process One of the groups was made up of about 100 migrants, the other one of about 50 Two groups of migrants wrote letters to the consulate, giving 72 hours to reply Two groups of migrants from Central America marched to the American consulate in Tijuana, Mexico , yesterday, with a list of demands to the Trump administration. One of them asked the American president to either let them in the country or pay them $50,000 each to go home, a report said. The first group, including about 100 migrants, arrived at the consulate around 11am on Tuesday. Migrant caravan marches towards U.S. consulate in Mexico Progress : 0% 00:00 Previous Play Skip Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 0:00 Fullscreen +5 Migrants from Central America hold an El Salvador flag outside the US consulate in Tijuana, Mexico, asking American authorities to speed up the asylum application process +5 Two groups of migrants marched to the consulate with demands to the Trump administration +5 Members of the caravan are seen standing outside the US consulate in Tijuana, Mexico Alfonso Guerreo Ulloa, an organizer from Honduras, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the $50,000 figure is not a very big sum. 'It may seem like a lot of money to you,' he said. 'But it is a small sum compared to everything the United States has stolen from Honduras.' Thanks to this amount, he said, the migrants could return home and start a small business there. The caravan migrants also asked the US to remove Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez from office. Share +5 They are part of a caravan of thousand migrants from Central America trying to enter the US The group gave the US consulate 72 hours to respond to their letter. The second group, made up of about 50 migrants, asked the US to speed up the asylum process. They asked the administration to allow up to 300 asylum seekers to enter the United States daily at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego, where 40 to 100 migrants are currently admitted every day. The letter says: 'In the meantime, families, women and children who have fled our countries continue to suffer and the civil society of Tijuana continue to be forced to confront this humanitarian crisis, a refugee crisis caused in great part by decades of U.S. intervention in Central America.' 'A lot of people are leaving because there is no solution here,' said Douglas Matute, 38, of Tijuana. 'We thought they would let us in. But Trump sent the military instead of social workers.' +5 Among the demands, migrants asked the US to accept more asylum applications per day Conditions worsen for immigrants in Tijuana on the U.S. border Progress : 0% 00:00 Previous Play Skip Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 0:00 Fullscreen Weve all had the experience of getting something we want and soon realizing that we really didnt want it. Maybe it was the dress that looked so much better in the store than at home, the car that kept breaking down or the treadmill that was never trod. Its called buyers remorse. In the modern age, we can usually return any item we find disappointing. With most Americans distracted on Black Friday, the U.S. government published its latest National Climate Assessment (NCA) a federal report endorsed by 13 agencies and the most comprehensive study of climate changes effect on the U.S. to date. While the administration may have intended to bury these bombshell findings, thats hardly been the case. What the report confirms is what we know already from personal experience: the entire country is experiencing our changing climate and its effects on our economy, communities and health. And the Midwest is projected to experience these changes more acutely than other areas. Here are five of the more acute ways the Midwest is enduring climate change and what we can do about it: First, the temperature is rising more quickly than anywhere else in the United States. Over the first half of this century, summer temperatures are projected to rise by an average of more than four degrees higher than any other region of the country. By 2100, cities like Chicago may begin to look more like Las Vegas, with forecasts of temperatures of more than 100 degrees nearly 60 days per year. And the Midwests housing infrastructure is not suited for tropical temperatures. Second, higher temperatures are causing unpredictable crop yields. A record-breaking drought and heat wave in 2012 dragged down Indiana corn production by nearly 30 percent compared to 2011. While some fluctuation is normal, NCA forecasts the Midwests $58 billion crop production industry will experience sustained decline by as much as 25 percent for some of our most important crops, including corn and soybeans. Third, heavy rains and extreme weather are costing us billions every year. In 2011, more than three-quarters of weather disasters that exceeded $1 billion in damages occurred in the Midwest. The NCA predicts damage due to flooding could become far worse with the anticipated increase in frequency and severity of rainfall. Fourth, climate change threatens our infrastructure and economy. The EPA expects infrastructure in the Midwest to be hit the hardest by a changing climate. Our forests will suffer as rising temperatures and invasive species could reduce the total value of lumber in several Midwestern states by up to $788 billion by 2100. Thats nearly 14 times the total annual revenue of crop production in the entire Midwest. And, with estimated productivity losses and premature deaths from heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses costing $10 billion by 2050, our workforce is in jeopardy. Fifth, our health is at risk. Climate change has helped fuel a dramatic increase in Lyme disease over the past 15 years. And we know that rising temperatures lead to longer allergy seasons. But the long-term effects from unfettered climate change are much worse than tick or airborne illnesses. Higher temperatures mean higher concentrations of ozone particles in the air we breathe, which increases the health effects of many lung and cardiovascular diseases. As a result, NCA projects that our deteriorating air quality may cause up to 550 premature deaths in the region each year by 2050. And this doesnt account for the hundreds of deaths attributed directly to extreme weather events annually. Are we ready for this? The frightening forecasts can, understandably, leave us feeling hopeless or, worse, apathetic. But amid the dire predictions, experts are also telling us that we can still mitigate future dangers. For example, the Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Network a network of local government staff who work to identify and respond to the unique climate adaptation challenges of the Great Lakes region is just one example of how regional collaboration can help programs designed to preserve these essential fresh water sources by reducing costs and increasing information-sharing. Wind and solar energy capacity is expanding, getting cheaper and creating local job opportunities in the Midwest. Electric cars, trucks and buses are the future of transportation in our cities and towns. Planting trees that absorb harmful gases also cools our cities and helps reduce air pollution. Energy efficiency reduces pollution and saves money. These are all mitigation actions that federal and state policies should support. At Indiana University, Im part of a team of researchers furthering this mission by equipping state, local and community leaders across the Midwest region with the tools and information needed to assess and respond to these environmental challenges. It is not too late. We already know what we can do. We just have to be willing to invest in and implement scalable and sustainable change in our communities and in our daily lives. Change can be hard but the consequences of unchecked climate change will be harder. Janet McCabe is assistant director for policy and implementation at Indiana Universitys Environmental Resilience Institute and senior counsel with the Environmental Law and Policy Center. She is also a former acting assistant administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. NPP will not shy away from ... Yet here we are. Cohen is getting locked up. And former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos also a him already got locked up for 14 days. Former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort is locked up awaiting sentencing. Trumps former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, is about to get sentenced and might get locked up. And former Trump campaign aide and Manafort associate Rick Gates has pleaded guilty and might get locked up. Drivers have plenty of time to view the lack of activity as they sit in long lines of traffic. Why not more work being done simultaneously? Why not more people working on this project, and more shifts? The easy answer for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is just to extend the projects total time to completion by 60 percent. Well, its not for the people who use this interchange on a daily basis. New IDOT leadership is needed on this project to assure a much earlier completion than now projected, and the Tribune should continue to follow this story to help assure that happens. Walkin California is a new television show that will debut on PBS next week, hosted by a Tuolumne County resident. Steve Weldon, the host of Walkin California, was Wednesdays Newsmaker of the Day. KVIE, the PBS affiliate in Sacramento, has agreed to be the flagship station for this new show. We have two shows in the can, said Weldon. Theses shows will air over the next few weeks on a number of PBS stations throughout California, Oregon and Nevada. If the shows succeed, KVIE will give us the green light for a full season of episodes and they are going to offer the program to PBS stations throughout the nation. Walkin California is about getting out of the office and off the couch and exploring all the diversity that this incredible state has to offer. We will take you from your living room to enjoy crystal clear mountain streams, alpine meadows, the tallest redwood trees in the world, and quaint small town Americana at its best, said Weldon. We will walk through well known National Parks and to many of Californias hidden jewels! In exploring the geography of the state we will meet the interesting folks that proudly call our destinations their home. When asked if he is wanting to become the next Huell Howser (the late legendary host of PBS shows that showcased California), Weldon laughed and said, No. Not at all. I dont want to try to emulate or impersonate the late Howser. My camera guy is Cameron Tucker and he worked with Howser for eight years. He said that Howser prided himself on being a reporter. Im trying to put a different light on the state, as Im more of an explorer and an entertainer. Weldon has called Tuolumne County home since 2000. The show is sponsored by the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau. Episode #1 (which explores a 22 mile trail on Catalina Island) will air on Wednesday December 19th at 7 PM on KVIE. It will re-air on Friday Dec 21st at 7 PM and on Sunday December 23rd at 6 PM. Episode #2 (which explores a thirty-two mile trail inside of Yosemite National Park) will air soon after. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Both women fear and admire each other. Stuart and Elizabeth are different in age, self-esteem and fertility, but they are the only two people who can really say they understand what the other is going through as strong women in a male-driven world. In Robbie, Ronan gets more of an acting partner who ends up looking even better because of just sharing the screen with Ronan. Growth in Texas lodging industry revenues are slowing as the effects of last years hurricane-induced spike wear off. Source Strategies Inc., the Texas hotel consulting company, said revenues gained 4.7 percent in the third quarter over the third quarter of 2017, slowing after a year of double-digit revenue growth. Company analysts say the states oil- and gas-producing areas are experiencing a cooling in demand as drastically lower oil prices in October and November signal a possible retreat from the current boom. RELATED: Realtor.com: Midland is nation's hottest housing market Still, Permian Basin hotels dominated the states top 10 list in terms of revenue per available room, with one in Midland and three in Pecos making the list: Baymont Inn Midland Center in Midland, Best Western Plus Swiss Chalet, Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn, all in Pecos. Midland had 15 hotels in the top 100, second only to Austin, and Odessa placed third with 12, Pecos coming in fifth with eight and Monahans placing four on the list. Midland and Odessa had the top two occupancies in the third quarter, with Midland at 75.9 percent and Odessa at 74.9 percent. San Angelo reported the largest occupancy point increases of the third quarter, rising 9.7 points to 57.1 percent occupancy. Substantial gains were also noted in Odessa, up 7.2 points, and Midland, up 6.6 points. RELATED: Survey: Housing affordability trends slightly toward buying According to Source Strategies, Midland and Odessa have 3.5 percent of the Texas market. Total revenues jumped from $57,345,000 in 2017 to $102,185,000 in 2018, a gain of 78.2 percent. Occupancy in hotels in the two towns averaged 75.4 percent with the daily rate averaging $154.58. With sustained high crude oil prices through the third quarter, revenues in the top 100 oil and gas producing counties rose 3.3 percent compared to the third quarter last year, as demand slipped 0.8 percent as measured by room nights sold. This follows four quarters in a row averaging demand gains over 15 percent in these areas of the state. 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. To help support Covenant Health Plainview's general surgery capabilities, the hospital is happy to announce its partnership with 35-year veteran surgeon, Dr. John Delcambre. "I'm so happy to be here. It's such a nice hospital," said Delcambre who started his practice in Plainview on Dec. 1. After the departure of surgeons Dr. Ilian Yildiz and Dr. Douglas Cummins in November, Delcambre will help serve the surgical needs of the community with Dr. Paresh Rajajoshiwala while Covenant Health Plainview searches for two permanent general surgeons. Delcambre is a Texas native as well as former professor with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock and in Midland. His career also includes 24 years of working as surgeon for the United States Air Force and serving during Operation: Desert Storm. He also served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan after Sept. 11. Throughout the years, Delcambre has also served on many medical missions with the Red Cross and has provided his services in Honduras and Cambodia, to name a few. "We are very pleased to have someone with Dr. Delcambre's credentials working here at Covenant Health Plainview," said the hospital CEO Bob Copeland. "He will do a great job serving our community with Dr. Rajajoshiwala. Currently, the hospital is aggressively searching for two new general surgeons that will live, work and be active in the medical community here in Plainview. Until I can find these qualified surgeons, our hospital will use the services of locum physicians, like Delcambre to help cover the general surgery needs of our community and neighbors on the South Plains." Delcambre will office alongside Covenant Health Plainview's general surgeon Dr. Rajajoshiwala at the hospital's Anderson Building (2508 Xenia Street, Suite 100). Born in the Dallas area, Delcambre has had a wonderful career. Delcambre said he first realized he wanted to become a physician after serving with the United States Marine Corp. during the Vietnam War. During his service from 1966 to 1972, Delcambre remembers watching the Navy's medical Corpsmen as they traveled on missions with the Marines. "I was just inspired," said Delcambre, who explained he would watch the medical specialists help the wounded as well as the Vietnamese villagers. "While we rested and drank water. The Corpsmen would see the villagers as they came out and showed them their aches and pains, their aliments and wounds." Delcambre also experienced the medical staff's work first-hand as he earned three Purple Hearts; the first after being hit with a mortar in the back and chest in March 1967; and the second after being hit with a grenade in May 1967 and again June 1967. After his tours in Vietnam, Delcambre said he started training for underwater Recon for the Marines. That sparked an interest in Marine Biology and Delcambre eventually started working on that major at the University of California San Diego after serving six years with the Marines. But after two years, Delcambre had a change of heart. Still inspired by the Corpsmen he worked with in Vietnam, Delcambre decided to change majors and entered pre-med. "I just felt a calling for it," said Delcambre. After finishing his undergrad degree, Delcambre was accepted into medical school at Texas Tech University in 1973. Delcambre said he liked the hands-on approach of surgery and pursued it as his specialty. After completing residency in Temple, Texas in 1982, Delcambre went into private practice in Longview, Texas until 1989. Delcambre said a Navy program designed to give him reserve credits and hours was then presented to him. It sounded pretty good so he decided to enlist into the United States Navy in 1990. Three months after enlisting however, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, prompting Operation: Desert Storm. This would be the first of many medical missions for Delcambre throughout a long-time career as a military surgeon. It includes serving as a medical officer for a Navy Seabee battalion that served seven months in Iraq in 2005 and tours in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. Between missions, Delcambre started teaching at Texas Tech's Medical Center as well as practicing in Lubbock in 2004. In 2013, Delcambre retired as a professor at Texas Tech. He retired as a Captain in the United States Navy in 2014. However, Delcambre just couldn't leave the medical world. He soon started working as a locum surgeon and continues to do mission work around the world. "I have medical licenses in five states," said Delcambre. Delcambre is based out of Midland but has an apartment in Lubbock where is wife, Christine, works as a critical care nurse practitioner at the University Medical Center. 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 Ive also spent the past four years learning about the entire village, and I want to continue using that knowledge to help the overall community, said Lohmeyer, who was a member of the Barrington Firefighters Pension Board for six years and works as a finance director for a subsidiary of DaVita, a healthcare company. 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. Courtesy photo The United Kingdom-based Wood Group apparently has signed on to do engineering and construction work for a nearly $8 billion petrochemical complex near Corpus Christi that's led by Exxon Mobil and Saudi Arabia. The Gulf Coast Growth Ventures project by Exxon Mobil and the Saudi Basic Industries Corp., called SABIC, could begin construction next year in the Gregory-Portland area after the proper state environmental permits are received. The goal is for the facility to come online in 2022. A missing Houston teen's body was found in Buffalo Run Park Tuesday, according to a press release from the Missouri City Police Department. After three days of searches, Missouri City police found the 15-year-old male's body in the brush near the lake. The department received a disturbance call on Saturday, and was made aware of a missing person report made out of Houston Sunday. More than 300 hours and 24,000 LEGO bricks went into building a Tower Life Building replica, which stands 6 feet, 6 inches, or exactly as tall as Spurs legend Manu Ginobili. That build and two others are part of the upcoming Legoland Discovery Center's MINILAND, which is an interactive model of Alamo City landmarks. General Manager Jeremy Aguillen shared with mySA.com an exclusive sneak peek at the trio of buildings, decided by a poll of residents. In November, Legoland, which is slated to open in May 2019, asked future guests to weigh in on which landmarks they'd like to see first. The winning three were a secret until now. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox Along with the Tower Life building, Legoland's master builders constructed replicas of the Alamo and Alamodome. Aguillen said the finished product, set for an unveiling during the grand opening, is part of the "best replica" of the San Antonio skyline. He also shared some pieces of trivia about the trio that guests can wow their friends with during their visits: the Alamo took 180 hours to build, which is about the time it takes to drive from San Antonio to Dallas 21 times. Guests should also keep an eye out for the 2,000 LEGO mini figures Master Model Builders added to the replica Alamodome seats. RELATED: Legoland hiring someone to work with (or play with) Legos every day LEGO-lovers can see the first MINILAND buildings on Wednesday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., outside the future Legoland Discovery Center at The Shops at Rivercenter. Aguillen said an exact date for the attraction's opening will be announced in late Spring. In the meantime, management is searching for a master model builder, who will be a full-time employee with responsibilities such as building "Lego models as requested by management" and delivering "fun, inspirational and creative model builder workshops" to guests. Legoland will host a 2-day competition of all applicants Jan. 12-13 to find their new employee. The public is also invited to that event, Aguillen said. Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com |@MaddySkye We live in a world that is increasingly borderless, with the unprecedented growth of technology across a number of sectors. However, geographical and economic borders remain firmly entrenched in the global financial landscape, preventing those in emerging markets from accessing the playing field of capital growth. None of the three countries with the highest GDP growth between 2008 and 2017 -- Nauru, Ethiopia and Turkmenistan -- have stock exchanges, depriving emerging investors and business owners of much-needed access to global capital. When investors do enter the traditional market, they face extremely high intermediary fees. Despite growth in tech hubs across emerging markets, economic exclusion and inequality remain huge barriers to those looking for a profitable investment opportunity. Blockchain technology, as a borderless force, might hold the very solution to this problem. By reshaping international investing to create a more decentralised, secure and accessible means of doing business, blockchain-based exchanges could help eradicate economic inequality and foster a new era of financial inclusion for developing countries. Related: Blockchain Geopolitics: Is It East vs. West or Is It Large Countries vs. Small? Emerging markets have limited access to stock exchanges. In comparing the South African Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the largest exchange in Africa, with its North American counterpart, the New York Stock Exchange, it becomes evident that economic exclusion is a prevalent issue in emerging markets. The JSE has around 375 listings and a market capitalization of about $988 billion. In comparison, the New York Stock Exchange lists more than 3000 companies worth more than $28 trillion as of June 2018. This means that even those privileged enough to gain access to the South African JSE are still not being exposed to the same level of opportunity as those operating on larger foreign stock markets. There is also a huge gap in the availability and accessibility of financial institutions. Two billion people are financially excluded from formal institutions such as banks. This means that a huge percentage of our global population is prevented from interacting on international investing platforms, despite a clear demand for capital growth in developing countries such as Nauru, Ethiopia and Turkmenistan. The demand for investment and business expansion from entrepreneurs in emerging markets is increasing year after year. The 2017 Global Findex reported that 71 percent of adults in high-income economies saved in 2017, while the same was true of only 43 percent of those in developing countries. However, both economies reported the same percentage of people saving to start, operate, or expand a business. In Sub-Saharan African economies, this figure was twice the global average, with one-in-three adults reportedly saving for business expansion. The biggest hindrance to business growth within the region has been a lack of supportive financial services, such as stock exchanges, that encourage investment opportunities. It is an unfortunate truth that current financial models are favorable and exclusive to high-income economies. Those in emerging markets have no choice but to invest in non-formal ways, such as through a savings club or in the form of livestock, jewelry or real estate. This excludes communities from global markets and, therefore, wider pools of investment opportunities. Equal access to global networks could turn these informal savings into real capital growth. Empowering emerging markets, and particularly small and medium enterprises in developing nations, should be at the core of all financial initiatives. Related: Breaking Into a Volatile (But Rewarding) Emerging Market Expensive intermediaries are barriers to growth. Expensive intermediaries in stock exchanges area a major deterrent to business owners operating in developing countries. Currently, no stock exchange in the world allows customers to invest directly on their platform. Prospective investors are forced to place trades through intermediaries, such as banks or brokers, which is both an expensive and exhaustive process. A report entitled Blockchain in Capital Markets, estimates that IT and operations expenditure are close to $100-150 billion per year among banks, with post-trade and securities servicing fees estimated at $100 billion. The high costs for both traders and banks, intermediary services are a major barrier to growth for early-stage businesses. For emerging markets, this makes trading across borders an improbable and often impossible option, having neither the money nor the time to invest in intermediary networks. Thus, the current stock exchange market is a double whammy of inaccessibility to foreign and smaller players. Related: Entrepreneurship and Millennials Are Thriving in Emerging Markets Borderless blockchain can solve economic exclusion. Change is needed to combat issues of financial exclusion and these barriers to growth. A decentralized blockchain-based exchange offers a possible solution to this very issue. A borderless exchange removes the middleman. By ruling out traditional bank and broker monopoly, borderless exchanges enable previously excluded companies to connect with global investor networks, while simultaneously raising capital. This immediacy -- when contrasted with the costly and exhaustive process of intermediary involvement -- empowers business owners in unprecedented ways to expand their business, which in turn will promote growth in their local communities and economies. Although there are an estimated two billion unbanked adults, almost two thirds of that population have access to a mobile phone. Blockchain technology, through initiatives such as app-based exchanges, could harness this easily accessible method of communication to overcome the barriers of high costs and inaccessible institutions. The borderless nature of digital technologies is an incentive for foreign investors to engage with emerging markets, redistributing wealth and investment into economies where growth is most needed. Related: How Alternate Lending Players are Banking the Unbanked Perhaps the most exciting element of blockchain technology is its potential to disrupt and decentralise the traditional financial market, especially in regards to redefining the stock exchange market. Decentralized exchanges can harness the core values of borderless, decentralised, accessible platforms to offer developing countries unprecedented power to acquire wealth. Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives and job functions. Blockchain has the capacity to promote change and capital growth in emerging markets and beyond. Related: Blockchain Could Unlock Access to Stock Exchanges for Entrepreneurs Worldwide Block Isn't Even Remotely Dead: Instead, It's Tokenizing the Sharing Economy Using Utility Tokens Are Countries Finally Outgrowing Their Fear of Blockchain? Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved The Skinny: Kym said: Every year my husband (Chef Aaron Cuschieri) and I travel to Maryland for fresh crab but we were too busy this year for our annual getaway. In order to fulfill my crab craving, Aaron suggested we go to Half Shell, a true Lakeview seafood institution, where I had never been before. They pan-fry the crab for the soft-shell crab on the bun which is exactly how my Grandma used to make it. The fried clams were crispy and soul-soothing and again reminded me of home cooking. They also serve a lollipop with every entree for an added dose of whimsy. The price is also super affordable but be warned, its cash only. My Dad was a sailor and the atmosphere reminded me of somewhere he would have eaten when he was in the navy. San Antonio police shut down Cupples Road near U.S. 90 Wednesday afternoon after a woman crashed her red pickup into three cars, officers said. Police said the woman was traveling south toward the highway when she struck a brown Hyundai from behind. A homeless man was hospitalized late Tuesday after a suspect opened fire on him on the East Side, police said. The victim, a 31-year-old man, was lying on the sidewalk with another man in the 1300 block of East Commerce. The suspect walked past him a couple times at about 10:45 p.m., then came back and started shooting at the man, police said. Recent revelations about billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epsteins sweetheart deal with government prosecutors thanks to a cadre of all-star defense attorneys who basically treated underage accusers like throwaways are the tip of the iceberg in a scandal of money, power, sex, corruption and boys club criminality. The story has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster but for the sexual abuse of girls as young as 14 and a decadelong process in which lawyers allegedly violated the victims rights under federal law. It all begins in 2005 when Epstein was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl at his Palm Beach home. Law enforcement expanded the investigation to other alleged assaults, including at his private isle in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which, as has been exhaustively reported, was frequented by celebrities. Epsteins attorneys, including Alan Dershowitz and former Whitewater prosecutor Ken Starr, negotiated a nonprosecution agreement that ultimately afforded Epstein an absurdly lenient sentence: just over a year in the county jail, sort of. Epstein was allowed to stay in a vacant wing of the jail and spend up to 12 hours a day in his office, six days a week. The agreement called for him to plead guilty to two state charges of soliciting prostitution, to pay restitution to some of the alleged victims, and to register as a sex offender. To say the least, this coup of disgrace was shamefully misleading, since under Florida law, someone younger than 18 cant consent to sex and, therefore, cant technically be a prostitute. It is otherwise ridiculous given the credible allegations in a 53-page, federal draft indictment, effectively dropped, which could have put him away for life. When the Miami Herald re-examined the case and published its deeply investigative story last month, the focus was largely on the role played by then-U.S. Attorney and current U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta. Many have called for Acostas resignation, and Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., has requested a Justice Department probe into the cases epic miscarriage of justice. Epsteins attorneys and their investigators conducted in-depth, intimate interviews with some of the girls doubtlessly aimed at discrediting the girls. Police reports reviewed by the Miami Herald show that the private investigators tried posing as police officers to conduct interviews and picked through the Palm Beach police chiefs trash as U.S. Attorney Barry Krischer was trying to convince him to reduce the charges against Epstein to a misdemeanor. Ten years ago, many of the alleged victims were children and likely unaware of their rights. Now fully informed adults, many of the women perhaps energized by the #MeToo movement are seeking to set aside the nonprosecution agreement so that their voices can be heard. Theres no doubt that Epsteins accusers were denied their rights under the 2004 federal Crime Victims Rights Act. Among other things, the law asserts that accusers are to be notified of any legal proceedings, including plea deals, and they or their attorneys are to be present at such proceedings, if so desired. None of this happened. Indeed, one of Epsteins lawyers wrote a letter to Acosta on Oct. 23, 2007, that read in part: I also want to thank you for the commitment you made to me during our October 12 meeting in which you ... assured me that your Office would not ... contact any of the identified individuals, potential witnesses, or potential civil claimants and their respective counsel in this matter. For his part, Acosta has said that his judgment at the time was that a jury trial might not be the best route and a plea deal guaranteed jail time. Whether this is a valid perspective can be argued, but it seems in the context of victims legal rights a quite-charitable view. The sealed, nonprosecution agreement not only granted federal immunity to Epstein and four named accomplices but also to any (unnamed) potential co-conspirators. Wouldnt we like to know those names? Some accusers have named other men with whom they allegedly had sex, but in the absence of evidence or an indictment, the accusations remain just that. Rest assured, the case is far from over. While Epstein is the locus of whats being told primarily as a political tale via Acosta, the more-important story is about how power and money colluded to let a sex-obsessed monster get away with serial rape, underage sex trafficking, and conspiracy to violate federal law and the big-league lawyers who allegedly helped him do it. kathleenparker@washpost.com When you strike at a king you must kill him, Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. Well, this year China tried to strike at President Donald 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 not only voted for Trump but also in the 2018 midterms had Democratic senators, Joe Donnell of Indiana, Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota 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 the recent news 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 that 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 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 product 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. @marcthiessen Those claims stem from Tirios tenure as county recorder, an office to which he was elected in 2016 and still holds. He denies the claims, saying there is no slush fund, that the office is funded by user fees, that the four people he has hired were not personal acquaintances and that, while he did travel to New Mexico for a work-related seminar, no family or friends joined him, he expensed less than $50 in meals for a three-day trip and chose a hotel cheaper than the one where the seminar was held. If there is one action every member of the Trump administration, especially a family member, should avoid, its using private email for government work. The misuse of private email was a central tenet in Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign. Again and again, he blasted former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her misuse of private email in that role. Even now, crowds at Trump rallies break into the tiresome chant of Lock her up in reference to the email scandal that plagued Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president. We suspect there will be no such chants for Ivanka Trump, who used personal email to conduct public business last year. Yes, there are differences in both volume and how the emails were handled. But the common thread remains central. Both cases involve rules dictating how email business should be conducted. Clintons use of private email was not criminal despite Donald Trumps rhetoric and we dont remotely suspect Ivanka Trumps use of private email was criminal, either. Careless, yes. Hypocritical given the campaign rhetoric, an even louder yes. These are self-inflicted wounds. Already, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who will oversee the House Oversight Committee next year, has signaled there will be an investigation into the use of private email by Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, whose use of private emails was reported last year. To his credit, Cummings has said the investigation will be bipartisan and not a political sideshow. It remains to be seen if Cummings will adhere to that but its clear that the congressional hearings on Clintons email use was not evenhanded and neither is the presidents continuing demand for prosecution of Clinton. These demands come even as the special counsels investigation into the presidents conduct on other matters piles up the presidents legal woes. My goal is to prevent this from happening again not to turn this into a spectacle the way Republicans went after Hillary Clinton, Cummings said. This is the right approach. The last thing this country needs is more grandstanding on emails. About those key differences in these competing email escapades: A review by Ivanka Trumps private attorney found fewer than 100 emails were sent from her personal account to conduct government business. Fewer than 1,000 emails were also sent from her personal account regarding her travel plans and schedule. Clinton maintained a private email server, and thousands of emails were deleted despite a congressional investigation. Clinton never sent or received messages marked as classified, but the FBI later found that 110 emails contained classified information. These are important distinctions overlooked simply because the hypocrisy is so rich. Given the 2016 election, it strains credulity to think Ivanka Trump was unaware of the rules around private email and public work. Beyond this, when she formally joined the White House in 2017, she agreed to honor ethics rules, which would include not using private email for public work. An investigation is warranted because it would ensure Kushner and Ivanka Trump have complied with open records requests in providing all relevant emails. And if an investigation helps ensure no one else in this White House, or future administrations, makes this mistake, the country will be better for it. Anything more would be an unfortunate political distraction. Bill King, a Houston businessman who narrowly lost his bid for mayor in 2015, filed paperwork with the city secretary Wednesday marking his likely intent to challenge Mayor Sylvester Turner again in 2019. King lost to Turner, then a state representative, in a runoff decided by about 4,000 votes, or 1.9 percentage points, out of more than 212,000 ballots cast. Though King's filing of a campaign treasurer's report does not lock in his candidacy, he said in an interview that he is "leaning heavily" toward running. "I've been watching City Hall for 40 years, and this is the most corrupt administration I've seen," King said. For now, King said he plans to conduct some polling the reason he filed a treasurer's report and likely will make a formal decision in the next 60 days. Houston's municipal elections will not take place until November 2019, with possible runoff elections occurring the following month. Asked after Wednesday's council meeting about King's filing, Turner replied, "Next question." Regardless of whether King runs, the issue of compensation for Houston firefighters is likely to become a dominant issue in the race, particularly because the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association supported Turner in the 2015 election. The mayor and fire union have since disagreed vehemently over the issue of pay "parity" between firefighters and police officers, as well as the handling of the firefighters' pension benefits. Turner successfully pushed pension cuts through the Legislature to resolve a multi-billion-dollar pension crisis. All along, King has followed Turner's administration, making periodic comments on his blog and as a panelist on a recurring FOX 26 segment. About three months ago, King wrote in a blog post that he would vote in favor of Proposition B, an item on the November ballot granting firefighters equal pay to police officers of corresponding status. The measure ultimately passed with 59 percent of the vote. "This is going to be a mess either way it works out. There will be years of litigation regardless of the outcome," King wrote. "I have decided I am going to vote with the fire fighters. To me, a vote against them would add insult to injury after what the City did to them in the pension deal and I fear would have a devastating effect on fire fighter morale." King acknowledged Wednesday that he was "conflicted" about Prop B, saying he is generally opposed to settling disputes like this by changing the city charter. Still, King said the firefighters told him they were willing to phase in the cost of pay parity over a matter of years, something Turner has contended is not possible. "All Prop B was is, who was going to have negotiating leverage," King said. "My problem with that whole thing is, we never should have gotten there in the first place." Houston attorney Tony Buzbee already has said he intends to run, pledging to "liven things up" and fund his own campaign with millions of dollars of his personal wealth. He told the Chronicle that the 2015 race was "the most boring thing you've ever seen" among a group of "mediocre" candidates. Though Turner beat King in 2015 by only 600 votes in Harris County, he expanded his lead in the part of Houston in Fort Bend County, where he won 93 percent of the vote. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has put to rest speculation that the ruling ZANU PF will enter into a government of national unity (GNU) with losing MDC-A. Addressing party members at the ZANU PF central committee meeting on Wednesday, Mnangagwa said those who wished for a GNU must dream on since ZANU PF clearly won the elections and will rule for the next five years as espoused in the Constitution. We had our peaceful and non violent elections tikahwina ne more than two thirds. Zvino kana ukarota kuine GNU, muka ubike doro. Musabatikane nemhere mhere irikubva kumaloser, tichatonga five years sezvinotaurwa neConstitution and tavakuisa kumberi kuvaka nekugadzira upfumi hwenyika(Those who are championing for a GNU are dreaming, we shall rule for five years as is stated in the Consitution and at the moment we are pre-occupied with economic development of our nation) said Mnangagwa. Lately MDC-A leadership had aborted confrontational politics with hopes that they will get into dialogue with ZANU PF. The opposition has however set terms and conditions of the proposed dialogue and Mnangagwa has shattered the hopes for such an arrangement as he categorically stated that there is no prospects of a GNU with losing candidates. He also made it clear that after MDC Alliance disputed the elections they went to the Constitutional Court where they also lost. He said their preoccupation now was economic revival where they will utilise the vast natural resources in the country. When he ascended to power, Mnangagwa has always said that Zimbabwe is open for business and he has been re-engaging the previously hostile nations as he targets to achieve Upper Middle Income Economy status by 2030. Mail and Telegraph Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News THE South African Government has relaxed travel requirements for children travelling through its borders by scrapping compulsory submission of affidavit forms which many found cumbersome. South Africas Home Affairs Department announced the relaxation of travel requirement with effect from December 1. The neighbouring country, in 2014, imposed stringent travelling requirements for children going in or out of South Africa. Parents were supposed to sign several affidavit forms to prove that they consented to their children travelling. The law is said to have affected tourists arrivals, impacting negatively on the economy resulting in President Cyril Ramaphosas government reviewing it. The Department of Home Affairs is pleased to announce the relaxation of some international travel requirements for children going through South African ports of entry. The revised conditions are contained in the Government Gazette titled Draft First Amendment of the Immigration Regulations, 2014 made under the Immigration Act, reads the statement posted on the South African Department of Home Affairs website . From the beginning of December 2018, certain categories of child travellers will be exempt from presenting supporting documents at ports of entry. However, travellers are urged to carry these documents because they may be requested in certain instances. The Home Affairs Department said it was no longer mandatory for children coming from countries such as Zimbabwe to produce supporting affidavits. Travel requirements for children have been changed in ways which include the following; for travellers coming to South Africa, children who are foreign nationals from countries where visas are not required may be asked to produce supporting documents upon entry. Even though producing supporting documents is no longer compulsory, travellers are strongly advised to carry the supporting documents, reads the Home Affairs statement. It said the relaxation of the law was effected in anticipation of the festive season. The department said immigration officers have been notified about the new changes that are in line with governments thrust. These amendments reflect some of the Cabinet approved reforms to the visa regime and are in line with the economic recovery plan and stimulus announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September 2018, reads the statement. SundayNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News FORMER Highfield legislator Psychology Maziwisa and ex-ZBC news anchor Oscar Pambuka, who were last week jailed for 30 months for fraud, have been freed on $800 bail apiece. They were found guilty of duping Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) of over $12 000. Harare magistrate Mr Lazini Ncube ordered the pairs release on condition that they surrender their passports, and report once monthly to the police. Following their sentencing last week, the pairs lawyer Mr Jonathan Samukange of Venturas & Samukange Legal Practitioners, successfully applied for bail pending appeal. They are appealing against both conviction and sentence. More to follow Herald Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News IN a suspected case of juju use, a jailed Tsikamutanda moos like a cow which disturbs other inmates at Harare Central Prison. Lukas Sakala, 45, of Alaska Mine in Chinhoyi, who was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment in 2013 for raping a minor, is also said to be barking like a dog and hissing like a snake. The inmate is said to have taken turns to rape a witch doctor several times together with his colleague who comes from Karoi. I was a Tsikamutanda and I got powers to trap sorcerers and heal people using a snake I used to keep at my house, said Sakala. It is now normal for me to imitate various animals, reptiles and birds I used to work with like a cow, snake, hen and dogs. The snake, which I used to feed with blood, starved upon my arrest since I was feeding it with goat, hen and cattle blood and it has since been returned to the sangoma. I had to make sure that I have cattle, hens, goats or cows to slaughter to get blood and we made sure that we visited various villages to conduct cleansing ceremonies. Takadyira vanhu mombe dzavo, huku, mbudzi nehwai nekutsikisa mutanda asi ndadzidza muno mujeri kuti zvakaipa iyezvino ndavakukuma semombe nekuita senyoka zuva roga roga ndichikukuridza sejongwe. I separated with my wife after bedding several women including those expecting babies thereby violating what I was told by the sangoma not to do. At one point, Felix and I took turns to rape a sorcerer we trapped during the cleansing ceremonies only to be told by our sangoma that she drained our blood during the rape. She exposed our powers and bedding various women was against the cleansing ceremonies we conducted and this, I want to believe, led me to my arrest since the case involved a minor, said Sakala. Sakala was convicted of raping the minor and the sorcerer case was referred to the chief where Felix was fined three beasts. Sakala, who was also a comedian, has taken the opportunity to pen 496 songs in prison he wants to record if he gets help from well-wishers. He told H-Metro that he has since turned to God after realising his wrong doing and wants to change the community with good work upon his release. HMetro Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC came out guns blazing yesterday, saying it is not desperate to form a government of national unity (GNU) with Zanu PF. This was after Vice President Kembo Mohadi poured cold water on reports that the two parties which once shared power between 2009 and 2013, were once again engaged in informal talks to hammer out another coalition government. Mohadi scoffed at the idea recently, saying the Zanu PF government was determined to go it alone this time around after getting the full mandate to govern at the July 30 polls. MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume told the Daily News yesterday that it is Zanu PF which wants to be rescued from the current economic crisis and not the countrys largest opposition party led by Chamisa. It is them Zanu PF who stole a vote, they are being hounded by their theft, it is them who were rejected by all credible observer missions and it is them Zanu PF who are failing to get a single cent even from the Chinese, said Mafume. They have caused fuel shortages and are taxing people, it is not us who have begged them for a unity government, it is not us who have suggested that there be a unity government but it is them who are being haunted by the ghost of illegitimacy. The MDC spokesperson said the countrys economy has been on a slippery slope ever since the removal of former president Robert Mugabe from office in November last year. He said despite the current governments efforts to seek financial bailouts from international partners, these have drawn blanks. Zanu PF is the one that has messed up, they have failed the economy. They are illegitimate; they have failed to pass the legitimacy test internationally and to the people of Zimbabwe. You cannot seek to govern people by force, they will not comply. They are facing resistance from the people and the economy. It is Zanu PF which needs to be rescued not anyone else, said Mafume. Chamisa has been brawling with President Emmerson Mnangagwa ever since he narrowly lost the hotly-disputed July 30 presidential election. He accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of manipulating the poll results in favour of the Zanu PF leader. But Mnangagwas victory was upheld by the Constitutional Court, which ruled that Chamisa had failed to provide enough evidence that he had won the election. Recently, Chamisa staged a massive demonstration in Harare where he heaped pressure on Mnangagwa to act on the deteriorating political and economic situation in the country. Addressing his supporters then, who were protesting the falling standards and the governments recent unpopular economic revival measures, Chamisa said Zimbabwe could not afford one day longer without addressing the countrys worsening political and economic crisis. Firstly, we are saying to Mnangagwa lets have negotiations. You must come and sit down so that we can solve the current economic crisis. Zimbabweans are suffering. The crisis in the country is a crisis of governance, confidence, legitimacy and leadership. How can we solve this? We are saying let us unite. On our side we have good leadership qualities and you lack leadership qualities. So, we must unite and map the way forward, Chamisa told his supporters. Mnangagwas spokesperson, George Charamba who is cagey about the talks complimented Chamisa recently for abandoning his fight with Mnangagwa. Like I said before, if there is anything that is happening, it is way above my radar. If they (Chamisa and the MDC) have recognised their folly of shouting from rooftops, one hopes its a new beginning that will take the country forward, he said. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News We said if May was to go, the Tories would do it quickly, since its hard to imagine a worse outcome for a Prime Minister in a very long time to admit to expecting such a huge defeat on far and away the most important initiative of his Government as to scuttle a vote. From the BBC: UK Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no confidence in her leadership later on Wednesday. Conservative MPs will vote between 18:00 GMT and 20:00 GMT. The challenge to Mrs Mays position comes after the required 48 letters calling for a contest were delivered. One wonders if the timing was because some MPs wanted to sleep on their decision before submitting their letters, or they wanted to see if May got some receptivity from the EU for her pressing to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement, particularly on the Irish backstop. Yet even Mays own statement to Parliament before her quick trip to the Continent acknowledged that she wasnt expecting any changes, and Donald Tusk quickly said the same thing on Twitter. ConservativeHome debunks some earlier misreporting about the process. For May to win just over half of the 315 votes of MPs wont be enough to save her: It is being claimed that 158 is the magic number since 157.7 is what one is left with if one divides the 315 MPs in receipt of the Conservative whip in half. But imagine for a moment that 159 MPs express confidence in her leadership, if a ballot takes place, and 156 do not. Could she then carry on as Party leader? We dont think so. The ballot would not have found sufficient consensus for her leadership. We cite a precedent. 204 votes were cast for Margaret Thatcher during the 1990 Conservative leadership contest, and 168 were not 152 Tory MPs opted for Michael Heseltine and 16 abstained. She won a clear majority of those voting. But she was forced out none the less. In reply, you may quote the 1995 leadership contest, in which over a third of Conservative MPs didnt back John Major a substantial proportion. But he stayed on. We would counter-object that there is a difference between a third and, say, just under half. At which point, others might join the conversation, pointing out that the rules of Tory leadership contests have changed since 1995, let alone 1990. Which reinforces our point: deciding what does and doesnt count as success in a Conservative leadership contest is an art, not a science. As much depends on expectation not to mention who spins loudest and longest as figures. Personality, mood, psyops and that glorious Burkean word, circumstances: all play their part in deciding the drama. There is no magic number at all. Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and other Cabinet members with leadership aspirations will tremble at the possibility of the Prime Minister winning any ballot, but not winning well. That would set up a conflict between loyalty and ambition from which they might not emerge unscathed. As weve said, Mays best hope of staying put is that enough MPs either have considerable antipathy for the alternatives to May or are starting to recognize that the choices on offer are poor: Mays deal, no deal, or no Brexit which means going against the Tory party promise to deliver on the referendum outcome. In other words, some may recognize that there isnt any prospect of a new leader getting a different answer from the EU than the one it has been giving for the last month: Were done, take it or leave it. I have no insight into who might prevail if May is turfed out. The contenders include Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Andrea Leadsome, and the aforementioned Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid. The readers of the Financial Times have an obvious pro-City bias, and their call seems to be that BoJo and Javid will be the final contenders. They seem to favor Javid as someone who would conceivably deliver Remain. For instance, from Jackdaw: And my only hope is if it is Sajid Javid, he courts the moderate Tories and remainers and vows to immediately ask to extend A50 for a few months. Solely in order to ask the people to vote on Mays deal or Remain. The EU would readily agree. And if he did that and campaigns to firmly eschew a No Deal scenario then I think hell squeak in and become PM, No, I can see Javid come through this. If he can just get his head up and see the right and obvious way out of this morass were in. But does he have enough true courage and leadership? Those crucial attributes our country desperately needs right now but sadly lacking in for far too long a time. The assumption above is that the party will gravitate around a centrist, which is how May had positioned herself, and reject Boris. I believe Gove has tried to position himself that way, so I am not sure he should be written off so quickly, particularly since he has more Cabinet experience than Javid, who is still pretty wet behind the ears. Financiers and businessmen on the whole presumably prefer Remain, but that does not make them representative of the members of the party. And as the comment above indicated, the Tories have not yet come to grips with the idea that there isnt even time for a referendum, even if the EU were to give an extension to the end of June, the longest time that multiple sources have said theyd be willing to offer. And due to continued terrible press reporting, they may fall for a leader selling the unicorn of Norway plus. And we have the wee complicating factor that if a leadership contest is on, this chews up time while the Brexit clock is ticking. Update 4:00 AM. More details on process. From the Guardian: A ballot will be held on Wednesday evening between 6pm and 8pm, Brady said, with votes counted immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made as soon as possible. And even before the move to oust May, which European leaders have to have known was likely, the message has become even more firm: Mays deal is the only one on offer: And please read this tweetstorm on the the process (hat tip Richard Smith): Yves here. I dont mean to sound churlish, but this article considers the sort of orthodox green growth policies that are inadequate do address the magnitude of changes we need to make merely to reduce how fast and catastrophic climate-change and population-induced damage to the biosphere occurs. From Why Green Growth Is an Illusion: Our statistical analysis shows that, to avoid a climate catastrophe, the future must be radically different from the past. Climate stabilization requires a fundamental disruption of hydrocarbon energy, production and transportation infrastructures, a massive upsetting of vested interests in fossil-fuel energy and industry, and large-scale public investmentand all this should be done sooner than later. Steffens analogy of massive mobilization in the face of an existential threat is fundamentally correct. The problem for most economists is that it suggests directional thrust by state actors, smacks of planning, coordination, and public interventionism, and goes against the market-oriented belief system of most economists. Economists like to set corrective prices and then be done with it, writes Jeffrey Sachs (2008), adding that this hands-off approach will not work in the case of a major overhaul of energy technology. We thus have to discard the prevalent market-oriented belief system, in which government intervention and non-market modes of coordination and decision-making are inferior to the market mechanism and will mostly fail to achieve what they intend to bring about. Without a concerted (global) policy shift to deep de-carbonization (Sachs 2016; Fankhauser and Jotzo 2017), a rapid transition to renewable energy sources (Peters et al. 2017), structural change in production, consumption and transportation (Steffen et al. 2018), and a transformation of finance (Mazzucato and Semieniuk 2018), the decoupling will not even come close to what is needed (e.g. Storm 2017). Political support for such a strategy of deep de-carbonization is not in the cardsnot just in the U.S., but also in Brazil, Australia, and elsewhere. Ostensibly more progressive green growth approaches unfortunately remain squarely within the realm of business-as-usual economics as well, proposing solutions which rely on technological fixes on the supply side and voluntary or nudged behavior change on the demand side, and which are bound to extend current unsustainable production, consumption and emission patterns into the future. The belief that any of this half-hearted tinkering will lead to drastic cuts in CO2 emissions in the future is plain self-deceit. By Garth Heutel, Associate Professor of Economics, Georgia State University. Originally published at The Conversation Climate change will hammer the U.S. economy unless theres swift action to rein in greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, according to the latest National Climate Assessment report. But President Donald Trump has dismissed this forecast, even though his own administration released a comprehensive synthesis of the best available science, written by hundreds of climate scientists and other experts from academia, government, the private sector and nonprofits. Like most opponents of policies aimed at slowing the pace of climate change, he has long wanted actions to reduce these emissions off the table because, in his opinion, they are job-killing. As an environmental economist who is studying the relationship between regulations and employment, I find this question vitally important both economically and politically. What does the research on this question say? Arguments Opponents of climate regulations embrace a straightforward and long-standing argument. In their view, anything the government forces businesses to do will negatively affect their ability to employ workers. To them, everything from safety regulations to raising taxes makes it costlier and harder for businesses to operate. Trump has taken this philosophy to heart by pledging to eliminate what he calls job-killing regulations across the board. Some supporters of strong climate policies counter that the costs of climate change are high enough to justify climate policies even though they might negatively affect workers. They base this argument on observations that environmental rules and clean energy can benefit public health, even by saving lives. They also point out that these policies could counter the economic damage the National Climate Assessment forecasts. Evidence What about those jobs, though? The evidence on how environmental policies affect unemployment is generally mixed. The book Does Regulation Kill Jobs?, edited by University of Pennsylvania professor Cary Coglianese, covers regulations generally. It concludes that regulation overall is neither a prime job killer nor a key job creator. Michael Greenstone, a University of Chicago economist, found that 1970s-era environmental regulations, which in some ways resemble the climate-related rules debated today, led to the loss of more than half-a-million manufacturing jobs over 15 years. Another team of researchers, which reviewed the impact of environmental policies on four heavily polluting industries, found that environmental regulations have no significant effect on employment. To be sure, the number of coal mining jobs has plummeted, falling from over 150,000 in the 1980s to about 53,000 in July 2018. But this mainly has to do with two other factors. Due to increasing automation, it now takes far fewer workers to mine coal than it used to. And a drilling boom has increased not just oil output but natural gas production. The increased natural gas supply cut prices for that fuel, prompting a raft of coal-fired power plant closures. It also eroded coals market share for electricity generation while creating new jobs in other energy industries. Greener Job Growth A weakness I often see in the standard regulations-kill-jobs argument is a focus on the regulated industries that ignores the fact that those same regulations tend to spur growth in other industries. In this case, climate policies are proving to be a boon for jobs in renewable energy industries like wind and solar, as well as in efficiency efforts like weatherization. For example, the stimulus bill enacted during the Great Recession included provisions designed to bolster renewable energy. That spending helped spur the creation of millions of new jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a federal agency, predicts that the number of solar panel installers will increase by 105 percent and the number of wind turbine technician jobs will rise by 96 percent between 2016 and 2026, making those the nations two fastest-growing professions. The power the U.S. gets from wind, which increased more than 30-foldbetween 1999 and 2017, now accounts for 6.3 percent of total electricity. One study concluded that retraining all coal workers to become solar panel installers is feasible and in fact would mean a raise for most of these American workers. More than twice as many Americans work in the solar energy industry than in the coal industry. The Whole Employment Picture So what is the net effect on jobs when some energy industries shrink and others grow? Resources for the Future, a think tank that researches economic, environmental, energy and natural resource issues, has developed complex computational models of the economy that clarify the whole picture on the connection between regulations and jobs. The nonprofit, nonpartisan group assessed the impact on unemployment, something that believe it or not these large-scale economic simulations usually dont do. The think tank predicts that a hypothetical US$40 per ton carbon tax, which would translate into an increase of about 36 cents per gallon of gasoline, would increase the overall unemployment rate by just 0.3 percentage points. The effect is even smaller, at just 0.05 percentage points, if the government were to uses the carbon taxs revenue to cut other tax rates. This effect is one-third as large as previous estimates, such as a 2017 study from NERA Economic Consulting, a global firm, that were not as detailed in their unemployment modeling. Some studies have even detected a net gain in jobs from climate policies. For example, University of California, Berkeley researchers found that Californias efforts to cut emissions have bolstered the states economy and created more than 37,000 jobs. And the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Political Economy Research Institute has determined that every $1 million shifted from fossil fuel-generated power to green energy creates a net increase of 5 jobs. Based on my review of the research, I see little evidence that policies to reduce pollution from fossil fuels have or will likely result in widespread job losses. Different Options Different types of policies can have different effects and some can minimize labor market disruption more than others. A carbon tax, like other revenue-raising policies such as cap-and-trade systems with auctioned permits, has the advantage of generating revenue that can be used to offset any economic harm from job losses. Policies that do not generate revenue, such as renewable portfolio standards, which require utilities to get a set proportion of their electricity from renewable energy, lack this advantage. Despite the spread of these efforts in states, there is no federal carbon taxor cap-and-trade system yet. The evidence suggests that climate policies will cause some industries to lose workers, while others will employ more people and that the overall employment effects are modest. But what is going on with displaced workers? Are solar and wind companies hiring all the jobless coal miners? My current research is examining how easy or hard it is for workers to move between industries due to changes brought on by these regulations. So far, my colleagues and I are finding that when we account for the costs of workers switching jobs, unemployment rates rise slightly more than predicted when ignoring those costs, but the overall effect on unemployment is still just 0.5 percent. We also are seeing that the effects are much more severe for some workers, such as coal miners. That is why I believe that the government would be wise to do more to train dislocated workers for new professions and help them land new jobs while at the same time implementing climate policies. Dear patient readers, Please thank Jerri-Lynn, who due to a scheduling screw-up, wound up providing nearly half of todays Links. Dont stress about what kind of Christmas tree to buy, but reuse artificial trees and compost natural ones The Conversation Robert Mueller devotional candles BoingBoing (Chuck L). For your Democrat friends. US Navy funded search for Titanic shipwreck as cover for Cold War mission, oceanographer claims Independent (JTM) Researchers consider whether supernovae killed off large ocean animals at dawn of Pleistocene PhysOrg (Chuck L) The Arctic Ocean has lost 95 percent of its oldest ice a startling sign of whats to come Washington Post Comcast rejected by small townresidents vote for municipal fiber instead ars technica (Chuck L) Report: FBI opens criminal investigation into net neutrality comment fraud ars technica So weird how a fake asset backed by nothing that you can't use for anything keeps going down. https://t.co/3NTlhnIV7u Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) December 11, 2018 San Jose Unveils Tiny Home Prototype for Homeless Residents KQED (David L). A good start, but only for singles, when some homeless are in couples or even families. Should you stop eating blood avocados? Guardian China? Huawei India Brexit. Please discuss the big news of the day, the Tory no-confidence vote, on our Brexit post today. Italys Di Maio says France risks Brussels budget sanctions Financial Times Big Brother Is Watching You Watch Trump Transition 4 weeks ago, I contacted ~20 House Dems about this issue Only 2 @RoKhanna & @Ocasio2018 went on record expressing their opposition Now it looks like they've won, after internal push on their side from @repmarkpocan & @RepJayapal https://t.co/wzPmUS0wEG Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) December 11, 2018 Supreme Court Rule Crimps Crowd-Funded Amicus Briefs Law.com Black woman goes to the Administration for Childrens Services, no seats available, she sits on the floor. Security guard calls cops because she wants to sit and not stand. 3 NYPD officers rip her baby out of her hands and srrest a woman posing no threat to anyone.#BeingBlack pic.twitter.com/om2rIDaJR2 Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) December 10, 2018 We Gonna Rise Up, Rise Up Til Its Won!: 140+ Arrested at Pelosi and Hoyer Offices as Youth-Led Protests Demand Green New Deal on Capitol Hill Common Dreams Ocasio-Cortez Vs. The Conditioners American Conservative Jazmin Headley case: Charges dropped against mother whose baby was torn away by NYPD in viral video Washington Post (martha r) Uber is hell-bent on stifling competition, an out-of-business startup claims in a new lawsuit Business Insider (David L) NEW STUDY: Digital First Media leads in profits; news deserts expanding DFM Workers (UserFriendly) Petrified Forest: Fear, says Lewis Lapham, is Americas top-selling consumer product. Laphams Quarterly (Chuck Roast) Elon Musk Mocks SEC Enforcement Above the Law Carlos Ghosn Planned to Remove Nissans CEO Before He Got Arrested in Japan; Weird, Right? Jalopnik (Kevin W) Guillotine Watch Yellow Vest protesters erect a GUILLOTINE in Paris bearing French Presidents political party name amid revolt that has forced Macron to address the furious nation Monday evening Daily Mail (Paul R). Hate to say it, this is only a toy model. The real ones were much taller, with a very large wood piece over the blade so as to assure it would sever the neck cleanly. The guillotine was intended as a humane alternative to other forms of execution. And since pretty much everyone would have seen animals killed and butchered, the ick factor wouldnt be as strong as with modern consumers who get nicely packaged meat and dont think much about how it got to them. Its surprisingly hard to give away billions of dollars Vox. Kinnucan: mIt seems the noblesse are having some difficulties obligeing. Class Warfare Antidote du jour. Martha r: Humpback whale in Sydney harbour. See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (12 December 2018) for talks on the Alliances partnership with Amman, as well as regional security challenges. His Majesty participated in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, addressing security challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa, including the fight against terrorism. At the meeting, Mr. Stoltenberg praised Jordans role in promoting regional security, and its active role in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The Secretary General stressed that the visit is a sign of the priority both Jordan and NATO place on deepening the partnership. He welcomed that practical cooperation has reached unprecedented levels, with NATO and Jordanian forces having worked together very effectively from the Balkans to Afghanistan. Mr. Stoltenberg also thanked Jordan for hosting NATO training for Iraqi forces at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center in Amman. The NATO Deputy Secretary General, the Honourable Ms. Rose Gottemoeller will travel to Tirana on Thursday, 13 December and Friday, 14 December 2018. She will have meetings with the Prime Minister, Mr. Edi Rama, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ditmir Bushati and the Minister of Defence, Ms. Olta Xhacka. Media Advisory Friday, 14 December 09:30 Joint press conference by the Deputy Secretary General and the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs 11:45 Joint press conference by the Deputy Secretary General and the Minister of Defence Still images of the events will be available on the NATO website afterwards. Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @ Gottemoeller) (Natural News) Pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers commonly known as bedsores are common complications among hospitalized patients. A new study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found a natural way of treating and preventing these ulcers using aloe vera gel. Pressure ulcers are areas of damaged skin, primarily caused by prolonged pressure in a specific area or staying in one position for too long. It commonly occurs in places where the bones are close to the skin such as the ankles, back, elbows, heels, and hip. It also is common for people who are bedridden, use a wheelchair or are immobile. These sores can cause infections, some of which can be life-threatening. Many studies have shown that aloe vera has positive effects and benefits on the skin. In this particular study, researchers at the Arak University of Medical Sciences in Iran assessed the impact of aloe vera gel on preventing pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized in the orthopedic ward. The team recruited 80 patients to take part in the study. They split the patients into two groups: a treatment group and a control group. All patients received routine nursing care to prevent bedsores. In addition to this, they received either pure aloe vera or a placebo to apply on the hip, sacrum (the lower back area between the hip bones), and heel areas twice a day. Then, the researchers assessed the sacral, hip, and heel of both groups on the third, seventh, and tenth day to monitor the signs of pressure ulcers. The results revealed that the application of aloe vera gel prevented a rise in temperature, redness, swelling, and pain in the skin areas. This suggested that aloe vera gel can prevent the development of pressure ulcers in high-risk patients. The researchers concluded that aloe vera gel is an excellent substitute for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers because it is more effective and less costly than currently available therapies. Other natural remedies for pressure ulcers Here are other natural remedies for treating pressure ulcers: Saline water: A saline water solution can be used to clean and rinse skin, help remove unwanted fluid buildup, and to get rid of dead, necrotized tissue. Its also gentle on the skin. You can make your own saline water by mixing two tablespoons of salt into a cup of water, then boil and stir until the mixture is clear. Let the mixture cool and use it in with a dropper or with a clean rag or sterile paper towel. A saline water solution can be used to clean and rinse skin, help remove unwanted fluid buildup, and to get rid of dead, necrotized tissue. Its also gentle on the skin. You can make your own saline water by mixing two tablespoons of salt into a cup of water, then boil and stir until the mixture is clear. Let the mixture cool and use it in with a dropper or with a clean rag or sterile paper towel. Honey: Honey contains natural antiseptic properties can help treat pressure ulcers and prevent infection. To use, mix honey with granulated sugar, then apply to the affected area. Cover the area with a clean bandage, change the dressing once a day, and rinse the wound with saline water. Honey contains natural antiseptic properties can help treat pressure ulcers and prevent infection. To use, mix honey with granulated sugar, then apply to the affected area. Cover the area with a clean bandage, change the dressing once a day, and rinse the wound with saline water. Turmeric: The antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of turmeric help speed up the healing of pressure ulcers, prevent further development, and fight infection. To use, rinse the wound with a saline cleanse or sterile water, then sprinkle powdered turmeric over the wound. Cover the wound with a clean bandage. Doing this thrice a day will promote fast, effective healing. The antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of turmeric help speed up the healing of pressure ulcers, prevent further development, and fight infection. To use, rinse the wound with a saline cleanse or sterile water, then sprinkle powdered turmeric over the wound. Cover the wound with a clean bandage. Doing this thrice a day will promote fast, effective healing. Henna: Another treatment for pressure ulcers could be henna (Lawsonia inermis). In traditional medicine, henna is used for treating diseases and skin conditions. Earlier research has also reported that henna contains analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. A study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine reported that henna could be used as a safe, effective, and cheaper preventive treatment for decubitus ulcers. The studys researchers applied a mixture of henna powder and water on the sacrum of ICU patients, then washed it off with warm water, 30 minutes after application. Read more news stories and studies on natural treatments for pressure ulcers by going to AlternativeMedicine.news. Sources include: Science.news MedlinePlus.gov CalmHappyHealthy.com (Natural News) Were constantly reminded by the left-wing medias coverage of the Robert Mueller fiasco that lying to the government is a crime. In fact, Robert Mueller, utterly unable to find any real evidence linking Trump to Russia, has resorted to charging people with lying to the government. The same government that constantly lies to us will prosecute you for lying to it. But youre only prosecuted for lying if youre a political target of the deep state regime in power. And thats why Google CEO Sundar Pichai spent most of his day outright lying to the United States Congress today, with full knowledge that nothing will happen to him for the simple reason that Google censorship of conservatives is aligned with the ant-Trump agenda being played out by the deep state. (Read EvilGoogle.news to stay informed about the astonishing evil of the Google regime.) Sundar Pichai lies about far more important things than paying off porn stars If equal justice is to be applied in America, shouldnt Sundar Pichai be arrested and imprisoned for lying to the government? After all, he didnt merely lie to the government in the way Michael Cohen supposedly did. Pichai lied about much bigger things, falsely claiming theres no bias at Google and pretending that Google isnt selectively demonetizing or blacklisting pro-Trump content channels across its search engine and YouTube. Michael Cohen may be a liar, according to Robert Mueller, but Sundar Pichai is an evil villain of society who routinely lies with impunity. So why isnt Pichai being arrested today? Dont forget, by the way, that Google is an extremely evil, anti-human rights organization that has conspired to help China build a search engine that enforces government tyranny over all Chinese citizens. Google promotes a regime, in other words, that murders Falun Gong members, arrests political dissidents to harvest their organs for the black market organ trade, and imprisons journalists for daring to challenge the corruption of the Chinese communist regime that enslaves almost a billion people. Thats all okay with Google, it seems. But the real crime that gets you banned from Google is daring to support a strong U.S. border, a pro-America President or questioning the lunacy of the LGBT dogma that now infests the minds of deranged Leftists. If you even dare say that men and women are not identical, you are flagged for permanent censorship by Google or YouTube. Sundar Pichai, factually stated, is complicit with crimes against humanity, the violation of basic human rights and the enslavement of the human race by totalitarian regimes. Yet he lies to Congress with a straight face, protected by his minority privilege and flaunting an elitist aura that quietly announces hes smarter than everyone else and thus should be able to commit crimes against humanity with impunity. Pichai, just like Zuckerberg and Dorsey, should be indicted, prosecuted and subjected to lifetime imprisonment for the crimes these individuals have repeatedly carried out against humanity. These sociopathic, power-hungry authoritarians reflect precisely the kind of mindset that brought Adolf Hitler to power and allowed the Holocaust mass murder of millions of innocent citizens in the name of progress. They lied to Congress and they said that they are not censoring, said free speech activist Laura Loomer in a video interview with The Gateway Pundit. But there is so much evidence that shows there is censorship of conservatives currently taking place. Watch and learn: Also watch from Brighteon.com: Read more news about Googles crimes against humanity at TechGiants.news. (Natural News) Drug addiction is one of the most common and serious public health issues in the United States. More than 20 million Americans are either currently addicted to drugs or are recovering addicts. The effects of this abuse costs the country in excess of $18 billion a year, destroying families, causing vehicle accidents, resulting in loss of employment, increasing incarceration rates and causing serious health issues. In light of these statistics, recent news reports revealing that undercover operatives with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) continued to purchase crystal methamphetamine from suspected drug dealers for a full year instead of arresting them at once, are truly shocking. The reason for the delay? They were more interested in gathering enough evidence so that the men could ultimately be arrested for firearm possession than in stopping them from selling deadly drugs to vulnerable addicts. (Related: Lawless ATF raids small business at gunpoint solely to confiscate customer list.) Agents focused on busting ghost gun ring As reported by ABC affiliate, Denver 7, ATF agents purchased guns without serial numbers, machine guns, silencers and crystal methamphetamine from two men Andres Luna and Jose Eduardo Trujillo multiple times between November 2017 and November of this year. The men were finally arrested November 29, and are now being held in custody by U.S. Marshals. Denver 7 reported: Trujillo is charged with possessing firearms which have not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Luna faces the same charge and possessing firearms which have been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce as a person having been convicted of a felony and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. A law known as the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, which was enacted back in 1934, requires that all destructive devices, including machine guns, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and silencers, be registered in the name of the owner. The sale of any other gun that does not fall into one of these categories must be logged by the seller. The guns and silencers which the suspects sold to the ATF agents were not properly registered in terms of these laws. The ATF alleges that these ghost guns and silencers were stored and distributed from a building in north Denver. The men face 10 years in prison if they are found guilty of the charges against them. (Related: Dysfunctional government: Head of ATF sacked as evidence mounts of a cover-up.) While getting illegal weapons dealers off the streets is certainly good news, one cannot help but wonder how many lives were impacted by the fact that these men continued to deal drugs for an entire year while the ATF took their time building a case against them. Learn more about how political bias against guns is effecting your safety at Guns.news. Sources for this article include: TheDenverChannel.com AlcoholRehab.com (Natural News) Germany has a history of getting its citizens to turn against one another. One of the ways in which Hitler obtained and maintained control over the country in the 1930s and 1940s, was to create a terror-state where people were too afraid to disobey Nazi laws. This climate of fear was fostered through bullying and intimidation, particularly by the Nazi secret police, the Gestapo, who had a web of more than 150,000 informants spread across the country. Since neither the Gestapo nor their informants wore uniforms, nobody knew who they were, and people lived in a constant state of terror that they were being spied upon by their friends and neighbors. A disturbing recent report by Germanys largest newspaper, BILD, seems to indicate that the country may once again be headed down the road to fear and intimidation. Outraged parents have accused the Family Ministry, a cabinet-level ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany, of funding a brochure for kindergarten teachers which encourages kids to spy on their supposedly right-wing parents. And what constitutes right-wing parents, according to this brochure? People who teach their children that adopting their natural gender is normal, or who dont encourage their Christian children to wear the Muslim hijab. (Related: FACT CHECK: Nazi stands for national socialism and Adolf Hitler was a radical Left-wing fascist, not a far right leader.) Gestapo methods turn kids into spies The 60-page brochure was co-funded by the Family Ministry and an anti-racism and hate speech watchdog organization called the Amadeu Antonio Foundation (AAS). While it appears to provide some good advice regarding how teachers can handle parents or other teachers who make racist or anti-refugee statements in front of children, or who directly attack refugees in the school environment, it has caused controversy for the way in which it encourages kids to inform against their own parents. It has also sparked outrage among conservative Christian families who refuse to make their daughters wear the hijab or who teach their children that keeping their assigned biological gender is normal. Info Wars reported: One particular description of two children whose parents supposedly belonged to a local right-wing group was particularly disturbing because it portrayed children adopting natural gender roles as being a right-wing trait. The girl wears dresses and braids, she is directed to do house work at home, while the boy faces strong physical challenges and drills, states the manual, as if that is a bad thing. The AAS denied that it had portrayed such characteristics as right wing, before complaining about receiving hundreds of hate phone calls from outraged Germans in response to the story. Hitlers view of children As reported by Alpha History, Hitler had a vision for Germany which placed great emphasis on the importance of children. He believed that children should be instilled with a strong sense of community and purpose and used schools to fill their minds with twisted beliefs about racial purity. Alpha History reported: Education became a critical tool for the Nazis. The NSDAP government used the state education system to disseminate Nazi ideology, enhance loyalty to Hitler and prepare millions of German boys for military service. Teachers of Jewish origin, liberal or socialist political beliefs were bullied and frog-marched out of the profession. Non-Nazi teachers were pressured to join the Nationalsozialistischer Lehrerbund or face losing their jobs. As the Nazis infiltrated schools they shaped the curriculum to convey their own values and political beliefs. At the forefront of the Nazi syllabus was racial education, enlightening children about Aryan supremacy and the despicable traits of untermensch (sub-human people and races). (Related: Left-wing media pushing transgender children propaganda on daytime television.) We all know where Hitlers policies and educational indoctrination finally led. Lets hope that history is not about to repeat itself in a country that is once again experiencing extreme social upheaval. Learn more about the Orwellian tactics of globalist governments at Orwellian.news. Sources for this article include: InfoWars.com BBC.com AlphaHistory.com SputnikNews.com (Natural News) A New Jersey law that makes it a felony to possess a gun magazine capable of holding over 10 rounds of ammunition is now active. This wildly unconstitutional law instantly criminalizes hundreds of thousands of New Jersey citizens who legally acquired normal capacity firearms magazines which include 17-round pistol magazines and 30-round rifle magazines as tools of self-defense against the very same violent criminals that are protected by the Democrats who passed the gun magazine ban. Now, the New Jersey State Police have told Breitbart News they wont rule out house-to-house enforcement of the new magazine ban, meaning they plan to conduct house-to-house arrests and gun magazine confiscations. These Nazi-style anti-gun operations will, of course, be carried out at gunpoint, further underscoring the entire purpose of the Second Amendment and the need for citizens to arm themselves with 30-round magazines to defend against government tyranny. Breitbart News contacted New Jersey State Police on Monday to ask how they planned to enforce the newly enacted ban, reports Breitbart.com. The NJ State Police refused to rule out house-to-house checks. Rather, they responded: We do not discuss enforcement strategies.' The very reason citizens need 30-round magazines is because the government wants to use coercion and the threat of violence to take away their legally-acquired firearms and magazines. If citizens surrender 30-round magazines, the next step will be New Jersey banning all magazines, followed by the banning of all semi-automatic firearms. Almost overnight, citizens of New Jersey will find themselves living under an authoritarian regime of pure tyranny and lawlessness with no means to defend themselves against the state, which will then have a monopoly on effective firearms. This is a repeat of Nazi Germany, which disarmed the Jews before mass murdering six million of them. Its so much easier to murder people, after all, when the government disarms them first. And anyone going along with the disarmament is signing their own death warrant. The purpose of the magazine ban is to make sure citizens cant shoot back when the authoritarian government comes to take ALL their guns The entire purpose of the gun magazine ban, of course, is to make sure that innocent citizens are unable to shoot back when the government sends gun confiscation teams on door-to-door raids, gunning down citizens and taking their firearms by force. Anyone who knows history will immediately realize that New Jersey is walking down the path of Stalinist Russia or Hitlers Germany, weaponizing the power of corrupt government to disarm the very people that government will later target for mass arrests and mass murder. Have no illusions: The aim of all Leftists in government is the establish an authoritarian government regime that holds a monopoly over all firepower, ruling over disarmed citizens who are taxed to death, silenced by the tech giants and criminalized for seeking to defend their own nation against tyranny. This will be combined with open borders policies that flood the nation with violent criminal illegal aliens who will all be granted absolute legal immunity from their crimes, even while American citizens are arrested and imprisoned for merely exercising their Second Amendment rights. As the Founding Fathers repeatedly noted, all citizens of America have a constitutional duty to resist unconstitutional, illegal laws that deprive them of their constitutional rights. Just because New Jersey passes a magazine ban doesnt mean the New Jersey government has the rightful authority to assert such a restriction. The right to keep and bear arms implies the right to keep and bear the ammunition and magazines required for those arms to function. In passing the gun magazine ban, New Jersey lawmakers prove that they are lawless tyrants who have zero regard for the Bill of Rights, the right of self-defense or the safety of citizens in their own homes. It also underscores why such tyrants must be removed from power by the voters and prevented from destroying the civil rights of the people. How much blood are New Jersey State Police willing to shed to establish their dictatorial regime of absolute power? All this raises an important question: How much blood are New Jersey State Police officers willing to shed in order to establish absolute power over the (disarmed) citizens? And who, exactly, is suicidal enough to run these door-to-door confiscation raids, demanding citizens turn over the very hardware they need to defend themselves against New Jersey government tyrants? It now appears that New Jersey State Police are gearing up to wage mass shootings of gun owners who resist the magazine ban. This will all be carried out, of course, in the name of public safety. Thus, the government will engage in mass shootings while claiming to be stopping mass shootings. Such is the new tyranny of the deranged, lawless Left which believes no citizen should have the right to defend themselves against the wave of violent illegal alien criminals those very same Leftists want to see flood across the open border and invade U.S. cities. This is the new reality is living under the tyrannical rule of Democrats who despise America and are doing everything in their power to destroy the nation and criminalize its patriots. If you dare attempt to defend yourself with a 30-round magazine against a group of illegal alien human traffickers who all have their own 30-round magazines, suddenly you are the criminal while the illegal aliens receive sanctuary status. Yes, its beyond insane, but this is precisely what left-wing lunacy has delivered in America. Now in New Jersey, no citizen is allowed to defend herself against violence, even as the state becomes a tool of violence against the citizens. Dont forget, either, that under Barack Obama, the entire deep state apparatus, including the FBI and DOJ, was weaponized to spy on the Trump campaign, frame campaign officials for crimes and violate the civil rights of Trump associates via FISA warrants which were achieved using astonishing levels of deception and abuse of government power. The government is a weapon against the people of America, and right now its only President Trump holding back the full force of tyranny that seeks to eviscerate any last shred of both the First and Second Amendments. We must all now realize that the New Jersey government is waging war against its own citizens while protecting illegal aliens from prosecution. Thus, the government of New Jersey has, without question, become the enemy of the People. It wont be long, Id imagine, before we see New Jersey resistance groups designating New Jersey lawmakers as enemy combatants who have declared war on the people of New Jersey. No good can come of this A state government that believes it can assert the power to criminally arrest its own citizens for possessing legally-acquired normal capacity magazines must also believe it has the power to confiscate all guns, too. Thus, its only a matter of time before New Jersey lawmakers decide that no citizen should be allowed to own any gun at all. When that day comes and it isnt far off will the law-abiding citizens of New Jersey do what theyre told and turn in all their guns, too? Every government will take more and more power until it is forced to stop. There is no such thing as a government that has enough power. Its bureaucrats are forever hungry for more power, and they will continue to strip power from the citizens for as long as they can get away with it. The rise of tyranny is an inescapable human vector a concentration of power that only snowballs into increasingly dangerous levels of tyranny and authoritarianism. Only when citizens stand up and say Enough! will bureaucrats ever back down and be humbled. New Jersey is marching down the path of Stalinist authoritarianism. Have no illusions that New Jersey State Police will carry 30-round magazines, not 10-round magazines. The entire point of this magazine confiscation program is to incrementally disarm the citizenry and make sure that when the NJ government launches its all-out war on pro-2A citizens, those citizens are at a severe disadvantage in terms of magazine capacity. Its so much easier to win a war, after all, if you force your enemy to carry 10-round magazines. And from the point of view of New Jersey lawmakers, the people are their enemy. YOU are already an enemy combatant in the eyes of NJ Democrats. Giving up your 30-round magazines, in other words, is tantamount to surrendering to tyranny. No lawful government would ever attempt to take away your rifle mags. The very fact that New Jersey is going down this path proves that NJ bureaucrats plan to do much more in the near future. Ultimately, they dont want the citizens to have any means to defend themselves whatsoever. First they came for the magazines, and we turned those in to comply with the law. Then they came for the guns, and we turned those in, too, to comply with the law. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me (and no means to defend myself against lawless tyranny). Stay informed. Read SecondAmendment.news or Guns.news. (Natural News) As more Americans are wising up to the sham of vaccination, Big Pharma and the mainstream media are conjuring up pro-vaccine propaganda whenever they can. Now, the vaccine industry is stooping so low as to use zoo animals to fuel their agenda. And at the Smithsonians National Zoo, a baby gorilla was just given his first flu shot a prime choice for any industry looking to woo consumers. Who can resist cute baby animals? Moke, a 7-month-old lowland gorilla, received the flu vaccine at the end of November, according to an update from primate keeper Melba Brown. Brown says that the vaccination was part of their usual health care regimen for gorillas. One day, flanked by both his parents, he turned around and hoisted that leg up, at which point the vaccine was successfully injected. He did not even flinch! True to his remarkable persona, Moke simply turned around and accepted a grape halve, as did Calaya and Baraka, Brown writes in the update. Animals are known for being notoriously good at hiding pain; its their instinct to avoid showing vulnerability. Surely Brown, an expert in wildlife, is aware of this fact. Just because Moke did not react in a way that a human would recognize as pain, does not mean the shot didnt hurt him. Moreover, as an animal, Moke and other gorillas are not even able to consent to, nor truly understand, the process of vaccination. At the time of Browns reporting, Moke weighed just 12.6 pounds. It also makes you wonder, if gorillas need flu shots, then why arent the vaccine companies running around the world capturing all wild animals (elephants, whales, deer, zebra, wolves) and making sure they all get their flu shots? Furthermore, if flu shots are necessary for wild animals to survive, how did all these animals ever survive before the invention of human vaccines? Animals now being used to promote vaccine propaganda What the National Zoos update on Mokes flu shot doesnt tell you is that flu vaccination is a highly controversial topic. While the mainstream media and other puppets of the vaccine industry, including the CDC, insist that flu vaccination is the best, most efficient way to prevent influenza, time and time again, we see that the flu vaccine for humans has an astronomical rate of failure and adverse events. Natural News has repeatedly reported on the fraudulent and dangerous nature of the entire vaccine industry on many occasions, with founder Mike Adams recently declaring that the flu shot amounts to nothing more than systemic healthcare fraud. The heavy politicization of Mokes flu shot has nothing to do with the baby gorillas well-being, and everything to do with advancing so-called public health initiatives. Vaccine propaganda is everywhere, especially now that reports are showing most adults in the United States have not gotten inoculated this season. A title from The Chicago Tribune reads, A shot to save grandma: If vaccination rates rise just 1 percentage point, 807 wont die from flu. The Washington Posts piece on Moke is titled, Gorilla, susceptible like us, to flu, gets his shot at National Zoo, another attempt at subtly urging readers to get their own shot. Cute animals are another tool of propaganda experts: Beyond baby Mokes flu shot, theres the left-wing medias manipulation of gay penguins. Scientists have found that males will pair together out of loneliness and a lack of females within their colony. Every homosexual penguin pair studied has split up once more females become available including the famed Silo and Roy, who were kept together for six years, until a new female was introduced to their colony. But the media continues to use and abuse these animals to suit their needs. Whether its forcing flu shots onto unsuspecting (and non-consenting!) animals, or making penguins gay to advance their own agenda, its clear that the animals are the victims here. Coincidentally enough, Mokes vaccination story has been circulating at around the same time a Las Vegas man lost his vision, became partially paralyzed and lost his ability to breathe without assistance after getting his own flu shot. See more coverage of the vaccine industrys latest scams at Vaccines.news. Sources for this article include: WashingtonPost.com NationalZoo.SI.edu (Natural News) Thousands of physicians, psychiatrists, and attorneys have applauded the Trump administrations proposal that at the legal level, the definition of gender should be informed by science, and not by political agenda and now, theyve created a petition to help keep science sane, and to help preserve the rights of biological girls and women. One of the most ironic things about the trans debate is the simple fact that granting men the rights of women is an innate infringement on the rights of women. Consider the public restroom controversy: No one would deny that single-user restrooms are preferable to stalls, but thats not always an option. Women should be able to expect privacy and safety in a restroom and yet, earlier this year, a 5-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a school restroom, by a boy who identifies as a girl. This is exactly the kind of thing that we should be trying to avoid, but the politically correct dogma of the Left seemingly dictates that the rights of women can be compromised to benefit a minority group, like trans people. Indeed, where are the womens rights activists when a trans person is the perpetrator of a sexual assault against a little girl? Where are the cries of misogyny or sexism, where is the outrage? Outrage is only acceptable when it applies to opponents of the radical Left and their agenda. Petition for sane science on gender The petition to uphold the scientific definition of sex in federal law and policy has nearly 13,000 signatures so far. As the petition states: On February 22, 2017, the Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Department of Education, sent a Dear Colleague letter rescinding unprecedented guidance the previous administration had issued to expand the definition of sex in Title IX to include gender identity. On October 4, 2017, the Department of Justice issued a Memorandum regarding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to clarify that gender identity is not legally included in the definition of sex, pointing out that the ordinary meaning of sex is biologically based. The New York Times article on Oct. 21, 2018 regarding a leaked memo from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leads us to believe that HHS is continuing this trend and leading an effort to have a uniform, scientifically based, definition of sex across the various agencies. We write to applaud and encourage this effort. The authors of the petition go on to affirm that biological sex does not exist on a spectrum, and that congenital disorders do not constitute additional sexes. The final result of sex development in humans is unambiguously male or female over 99.98 percent of the time, the petition states. Written by a team of professionals, the petition further asserts that human sex is a binary, biologically determined, and immutable trait from conception forward. It is truly sad that we live in a world where this not only needs to be said, but there needs to be an actual petition to mandate this fact be upheld as truth. No gender spectrum The writers go on to state that any claim that sex is a spectrum has no basis in reality. Gender identity, they say, is simply an awareness of, and comfort level with, ones physical body. In other words, gender identity is a matter of feelings, not science. While proponents of the trans identity say that affirming the binary, biological nature of human sex will be detrimental to the mental health of trans people, the petitions authors acknowledge these concerns, stating that trans people are deserving of optimal medical treatment, which they note is often influenced by biological sex. While it is true that trans people are at a higher risk of mental illness and suicidal ideation, the authors state that social and medial gender transition and affirmation is not shown to mediate suicide rates. This petition, which you can sign here, is not just to keep science grounded in reality, but to protect the rights of both sexes. Maybe it will help prevent future generations from being brainwashed, too. See more coverage of real scientific truths at Science.news. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com ChristianPost.com After much anticipation and speculation, Amazon has announced that Arlington, Virginia, and the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, New York, are the official locations of the company's next headquarters. These new offices will provide more 25,000 job opportunities in each location. Right now, employees living in the Arlington, Virginia, area and the New York City area earn average annual salaries of $60,890 and $63,029, respectively, according to Glassdoor estimates. But those who secure a job at the e-commerce giant have the potential to earn far more. Glassdoor took a look at some of the company's highest-paying positions. Here are 11 jobs at Amazon that offer salaries of $150,000 or more: Senior Manager, Product Management Average base salary per year: $151,550 Job description: According to Glassdoor, product management leaders at Amazon "will be responsible for building the tools and systems to provide the best and most compelling selection to [the company's] global customers." Click here to view job listings Senior Software Engineer Average base salary per year: $152,400 Job description: According to Glassdoor, senior software engineers at Amazon "will leverage a breadth of technologies including object oriented design and coding, databases, mobile devices, tablets, Kindle, streaming video technologies and Amazon Web Services." Click here to view job listings Senior Solutions Architect Average base salary per year: $153,500 Job description: According to Glassdoor, senior solutions architects at Amazon "will provide exceptional technical design and thought leadership while working with a world class sales and business development team." Click here to view job listings Corporate Counsel Average base salary per year: $153,900 Job description: According to Glassdoor, corporate counsel at Amazon "will partner with the legal team and their business operations clients to achieve operational excellence, ensure compliance with state and federal regulators, consider legal issues of first impression and move strategic deals through to completion." Click here to view job listings Principal Technical Program Manager Average base salary per year: $154,343 Job description: According to Glassdoor, principal technical program managers at Amazon "will define features and processes, drive projects end-to-end, collaborate with technical teams to implement solutions, and deeply analyze the results." Click here to view job listings Principal Product Manager Average base salary per year: $154,841 Job description: According to Glassdoor, principal product managers at Amazon provide "coordination across internal teams and stakeholders to prioritize roadmap features, and spearhead the definition of new capabilities through expertly crafted business requirement documents." Click here to view job listings Senior Manager, Software Development Average base salary per year: $159,788 Job description: According to Glassdoor, software development managers at Amazon will "be accountable for building product, engineering and data science teams that deliver results." Click here to view job listings Principal Software Engineer Average base salary per year: $160,000 Job description: According to Glassdoor, principal software engineers at Amazon "will learn a lot about designing and developing massively distributed systems, big data systems, web services and cutting edge web technologies while pushing the boundaries of scale and performance." Click here to view job listings Senior Engineer Manager Average base salary per year: $160,000 Job description: According to Glassdoor, senior engineer managers at Amazon should be experienced professionals who have "a proven track record of architecting and building software using cloud technologies." Click here to view job listings Principle Software Development Engineer Average base salary per year: $160,000 Job description: According to Glassdoor, principle software development engineers at Amazon will "lead system design, drive a high technical standard on their respective teams, mentor junior staff, and craft/ship great code." Click here to view job listings Senior Software Development Manager Average base salary per year: $160,000 Job description: According to Glassdoor, senior software development managers at Amazon need to be "a technical leader with track record of building and growing engineering and data science teams." Click here to view job listings This story first appeared on CNBC.com More from CNBC: Cisco beats first-quarter estimates Here's how to land a job at Amazon Everybody's taking pictures with the iPhone's fancy new Portrait Mode Bay Area activists and environmental groups gathered Tuesday in San Francisco to demand that PG&E be held responsible for its role in the deadly Camp Fire in Butte County last month. People from groups such as the Local Clean Energy Alliance and the Democratic Socialists of America marched from Embarcadero Plaza to PG&E headquarters. As they marched down Market Street, protesters chanted, carrying signs and held a red banner that read "No PG&E Bailout." Several lawyers are suing PG&E on behalf of Camp Fire victims. Mike Kelly is one of them. In Chico on Tuesday, he told NBC Bay Area PG&E hasnt been following the maintenance rules that have existed for years. "Its just a series of excuses," said Kelly of Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger. "Really what they should be saying is 'Look. We feel terrible. More than 80 people have died, thousands of people have lost their homes. Were going to make this right.'" The utility has recently been under scrutiny for possible negligence that may have led to the deadly fire that started in Butte County on Nov. 8 and other recent wildfires in the state. On Nov. 26, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered PG&E and federal prosecutors to provide a statement on the role, if any, that PG&E played in the wildfires by Dec. 31. Most recently, Alsup asked California Attorney General Xavier Becerra last week to advise him on the possible connection between any reckless operation by PG&E and the wildfires. "We the people of California are going to take over PG&E," Claire Haas, a local activist, said to the crowd. After the group made its way into the lobby, Haas began to read the names of the 86 people who died in the Camp Fire as well as victims of last year's fires in Napa and Sonoma counties. After each name was called, the crowd yelled out "Presente," meaning "present" in Spanish. Jessica Tovar of the Local Clean Energy Alliance said the protesters and others are tired of PG&E's actions and monopoly of the area's energy systems. "We don't want to bail out PG&E," Tovar said. "We want to take over our energy system and make it accountable to the people." At Tuesday's rally, the crowd of about 25 protesters stood in the lobby of the PG&E building for about two hours before San Francisco police escorted them off the premises. PG&E officials said they are working on assessing infrastructure, safely restoring power where possible, helping in the recovery and rebuilding process, and helping protect all of their customers from "the ever-increasing threat of wildfires." "The families impacted by the Camp Fire are our customers, our neighbors, and our friends, and our hearts go out to those who have lost so much," the utility said in a statement. PG&E announced Monday several measures it was taking to prevent massive wildfires such as the Camp Fire and the North Bay firestorm of 2017. California's increasingly deadly and destructive wildfires have become so unpredictable that government officials should consider banning home construction in vulnerable areas, the state's top firefighter says. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director Ken Pimlott will leave his job Friday after 30 years with the agency. In an interview with The Associated Press, he said government and citizens must act differently to protect lives and property from fires that now routinely threaten large populations. That may mean rethinking subdivisions in thickly forested mountainous areas or homes along Southern California canyons lined with tinder-dry chaparral. For example, Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday were considering whether to allow a 19,000-home development in fire-prone mountains amid heavy criticism of the location's high fire danger. California residents should also train themselves to respond more quickly to warnings and make preparations to shelter in place if they can't outrun the flames, Pimlott said. Communities in fire zones need to harden key buildings with fireproof construction similar to the way cities prepare for earthquakes, hurricanes or tornadoes, and should prepare commercial or public buildings to withstand fires with the expectation hundreds may shelter there as they did in makeshift fashion when flames last month largely destroyed the Sierra Nevada foothills city of Paradise in Northern California. California already has the nation's most robust building requirement programs for new homes in fire-prone areas, but recent fire seasons underscore more is needed. Officials must consider prohibiting construction in particularly vulnerable areas, said Pimlott, who has led the agency through the last eight years under termed-out Gov. Jerry Brown. He said it's uncertain if those decisions should be made by local land managers or at the state level as legislative leaders have suggested. But Pimlott said "we owe it" to homeowners, firefighters and communities "so that they don't have to keep going through what we're going through." "We've got to continue to raise the bar on what we're doing and local land-use planning decisions have to be part of that discussion," he said. California's population has doubled since 1970 to nearly 40 million, pushing urban sprawl into mountain subdivisions, areas home to fast-burning grasslands and along scenic canyons and ridgetops that are susceptible to fires. After a crippling drought, the last two years have seen the worst fires in state history. November's fire in the northern California town of Paradise was the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century, killing at least 85 people and destroying nearly 14,000 homes. A year earlier, a fire that ripped through the San Francisco Bay Area city of Santa Rosa killed 22 people and destroyed more than 5,000 homes and other structures. Every year since at least 2013, firefighters did not anticipate California's wildfires could get worse, Pimlott said. But each year the fires have increased in intensity driven by dry fuels, an estimated 129 million drought- and bark beetle-killed trees, and climate change. In response, the state is doing more planned burning to eliminate brush and dead trees that serve as fuels for wildfires. The state will also add seven large firefighting aircraft, replace a dozen aging helicopters, provide firefighter counseling and ensure that firefighters have enough time off for medical checkups to help them manage the mental and physical stress from a fire season that now never ends. He said California leads the nation in clearing away dead trees and thinning forested areas that are crowded with trees that can fuel fires, contrary to criticism by President Donald Trump who has blamed forest mismanagement for the fires. "No other state, or even the federal government, are putting the amount of investment into this space as California," Pimlott said. The department's philosophy for many years has been to stamp out fires quickly to protect people and property. Prescribed burns were previously used sparingly out of concern they could get out of control, but he said the department is making "a sea change" by recognizing that starting fires under optimum conditions is a good way to reduce dangerous fuels. Recent fires that have burned into cities have made clear that those protections need to be centered around vulnerable communities, he said. Paradise, for example, was built on a ridge atop steep canyons that helped channel the wind-driven fire, while wildfires have repeated blown into Northern and Southern California subdivisions from neighboring wildlands thick with tinder-dry fuel. Pimlott rose through the ranks from seasonal firefighter to deputy director of fire protection before his appointment as chief of the agency. In that role he doubles as the state's chief forester and oversees a department that includes nearly 8,000 firefighters, forest managers and support staff. He said he has seen fire conditions worsen each passing year during his three decades with the agency, taking its toll on residents and firefighters alike. "Folks can say what they want to say, but firefighters are living climate change. It's staring them in the face every day," he said. To adapt, he advocates wildfire warning systems that not only use new technology like automated phone calling systems, but maybe restoring civil defense-style emergency sirens in some areas. City planners must prepare communities "unlike we ever have before" with easy evacuation routes and new evacuation centers. And he said Californians must treat "red flag" extreme fire danger warnings the way Midwesterners treat tornado warnings as imminent threats. "The reality of it is, California has a fire-prone climate and it will continue to burn," he said. "Fire is a way of life in California and we have to learn how to live with it, we have to learn how to have more resilient communities." Morgan Hill police are asking for the public's help in identifying a knife-wielding carjacking suspect. The carjacking occurred at approximately 4:10 p.m. on Nov. 23 at 15855 Monterey Rd., police stated. The male suspect assaulted the victim and used a knife to make him get out of the vehicle, according to police. The victim suffered minor injuries and is said to be recovering. The suspect got away in the victim's Chevrolet pickup truck, which was recovered hours later in San Martin, police said. Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to contact Detective Del Moral at 669-253-4964 or email at Fernando.Delmoral@morganhill.ca.gov. People can also call the anonymous tip line at 408-947-7867. Christine Blasey Ford, the Palo Alto, California, professor who testified that now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers, presented Sport Illustrated's "Inspiration of the Year" award on Tuesday to former gymnast Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. "I am honored to speak with you from afar about a woman I admire so much, a woman who suffered abuse as a vulnerable teenage athlete, who found the courage to talk publicly to stop the abuse of others," Ford said of Denhollander. "Her courage inspired other survivors to end their silence, and we all know the result." Nassar, who was accused of molesting 265 girls and women over two decades under the guise of medical treatment, was sentenced in February to 40 to 175 years in prison. He was previously sentenced to 40 to 175 years in for molesting seven girls and to 60 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Blasey Ford, who testified before Congress in September, said that in 1982, Kavanaugh and one of his friends corralled her in a bedroom during a gathering of teenagers at a house in suburban Maryland. Kavanaugh pinned her down, groped her over her clothing before attempting to remove it and put his hand over her mouth when she tried to scream, Blasey Ford said. Fremont police have made an arrest in a high profile burglary and animal abuse case. People who live on Treasure Island have spoken, and for a day at least, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors listened. A proposed toll that would have tacked about $3 onto every trip on and off the island during commute hours was tabled. If a toll is implemented, businesses said theyll go under and residents said theyll have to leave the island because they wont be able to afford to live there. The objections bought them some time as the city tries to map a blueprint for the growing area. Treasure Island has about 600 households, 100 businesses and infinite possibilities. But that won't be the case, stakeholders say, if you stick them with a toll. "What are we doing next? Build a fence around North Beach? said Christoph Oppermann, a 19-year Treasure Island resident. "Ask people to get into North Beach to pay $3.50 in, $3.50 out?" Paris Hayes, who has lived on Treasure Island for 14 years, added: "Let me ask you, would you pay for a service that you dont get right away? Hayes said, shaking a finger at supervisors. "Would you go to a restaurant and eat your meal five years later?" The toll, if approved would start in 2021. The money would largely pay for transportation down the road: AC Transit buses and a brand new ferry service for a population expected to boom in the coming decades. "We have about 1,800 people who live there now, and the population is expected to grow beyond 20,000," said Eric Young, spokesman for the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. "So, very significant growth." Supervisor Jane Kim, chair of the Treasure Island Mobility Management Agency, started to hedge on approval. "I think its inherently unfair that one specific neighborhood is being asked to pay a toll to improve their transportation services, when other neighborhoods arent," Kim said. Other members were equally hesitant after hearing a number of heartbreaking tales, including that of Jeanette Adejobi. "Treasure Island for us is not a luxury," she said. "Its because we have to be here; we cant afford anything else. And for that to be taken away from us, for people who can live anywhere they want? It's wrong." Two women in Santa Claus suits suspected of trashing a popular San Francisco restaurant Saturday night were arrested Tuesday evening after surrendering, SFPD said. Twenty-one year-old San Francisco resident Natalie Alcantar was booked at San Francisco County Jail for felony vandalism. Twenty-one year-old Pacifica resident Hannah Baughman was also booked at San Francisco County Jail for felony vandalism and battery, police said. The women were participating in the Santa Con event the day of the incident. Apparently, when they saw themselves on video broadcast on the news, they decided to turn themselves in. Workers at Shalimar, a Pakistani restaurant, were still cleaning up Monday but managed to capture video Saturday night of the Santa Con partiers demanding food they never ordered then one woman with a Santa hat in her hand shoving a cash register, a stereo and just about everything that was on the counter onto the floor. Alejo Cano Chang said the group came in around 7 p.m. During the woman's outburst, she also threw a sugar shaker at him. The vandalism didn't stop there. "I came in today, and I saw the door was broken, and I couldn't believe it," Cano Chang said. Taylor Savvy says he avoids Santa Con because of all the bad behavior. When he heard about the vandalism at lunch Monday, he posted pictures and video on Twitter, demanding the guilty parties come forward and help his favorite neighborhood restaurant fix the damage. "They owe them an apology," Savvy said. "They should offer to replace the door and undo the damage." Shalimar closed for about an hour Saturday night to clean up, and workers filed a police report. The A's are making starting pitching a priority during their offseason quests for improvements. But after some recent news that they might not be bringing second baseman Jed Lowrie back, a middle infielder spot could be opening up. So why not Troy Tulowitzki? Yes. The shortstop was released by the Blue Jays on Tuesday, making him a free agent. Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle was told by Tulo's agent, Paul Cohen, that the 34-year-old would love to play in the Bay Area: This is good news, considering there was one point in Tulowitzki's career that whispers said he refused to move from his position at shortstop. The Jays still owe him $38 million, so he's not necessarily desperate for the money. Plus, he's from the Bay. He went to Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, and even grew up an A's fan. He has an extensive resume as well: Five All-Star selections, two Gold Gloves and just as many Silver Slugger Awards. His downfall, however, is his health. He's unfortunately defined by his injuries, which is a black cloud hanging over him as he hits the market. But at the end of the day, why not? 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. 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. What to Know A 2-month-old girl injured in a pedestrian accident in Revere over the weekend remains in critical condition, according to MGH. Her 5-year-old sister, Adrianna Mejia-Rivera, had died at the crash scene on Sunday. The driver of the SUV, Autumn Harris, 42, of Boston, pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Monday and was ordered held on $10,000 bail. Editors Note: It was previously reported that the 2-month-old girl had died after a family member told NBC10 Boston that she passed away after being pulled from life support. We apologize for this error. A 2-month-old girl who was badly injured in a horrific pedestrian accident in Revere, Massachusetts over the weekend remains in critical condition, according to Massachusetts General Hospital. The baby was one of five pedestrians struck by an SUV around 5 p.m. Sunday as they were walking along the grass median strip on Route 145. Her 5-year-old sister, Adrianna Mejia-Rivera, died at the scene. The other three victims included a 2-year-old child and a 27-year-old woman who sustained non-life-threatening injuries and another woman who suffered minor injuries. A passenger in the vehicle was also hospitalized. The driver of the SUV, 42-year-old Autumn Harris of Boston, entered not-guilty pleas to charges of motor vehicle homicide and negligent operation at her arraignment Monday. She was ordered held on $10,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 10. She could face additional charges as the investigation continues. Prosecutors said Harris told police she had consumed one beer earlier in the afternoon, had taken the sleep aid melatonin and a muscle relaxant to help her sleep the night before and slept only two hours before working all day Sunday. They also said she admitted to vaping CBD oil in the vehicle and said she might have fallen asleep at the wheel. Drug test results are still pending. According to her driving record, Harris refused a chemical breath test after the accident and her right to drive was automatically suspended. She had twice previously refused to take chemical breath tests, and was charged with operating under the influence in 2011. Harris' mother, Maureen Harris, said outside court on Monday that her daughter doesn't know what happened. "She didn't get to call me until very, very late," her mother said. "Of course she's crying and I couldn't make out much, but she said, 'I don't know. All of a sudden, it just happened.'" She said her daughter was taking the muscle relaxant Flexeril, but she isn't sure if that contributed to the accident. "I don't know. We'll find out," she said. "I feel so bad for those kids." Harris is being represented by attorney Jeff Miller. What to Know Heath McAuliffe, 40, of Hopkinton was arrested and charged with embezzlement on Wednesday, becoming the 8th state police trooper implicated. Prosecutors say McAuliffe received $9,825 in overtime pay for hours he didn't work or for shifts for which he left early. Retired troopers David Wilson and Daren DeJong have agreed to plead guilty to embezzlement charges, according to prosecutors. An eighth state police trooper was arrested on Wednesday and two previously charged retired troopers agreed to plead guilty in connection with the ongoing investigation of overtime abuse at the Massachusetts State Police Department. Heath McAuliffe, 40, of Hopkinton, was arrested Wednesday morning on an embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds charge following a criminal complaint, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors allege McAuliffe received $9,825 in overtime pay for hours he didn't work or for shifts for which he left at least an hour early. McAuliffe appeared in federal court for his arraignment Wednesday. Meanwhile, two retired troopers 58-year-old Charlton resident David Wilson and 57-year-old Daren DeJong of Uxbridge have agreed to plead guilty to the same charge McAuliffe faces. Wilson will plead guilty to being paid $12,450 for overtime hours he didn't work, while DeJong will plead guilty to being paid $14,062.50 for his ill-claimed overtime hours, according to prosecutors. Both men face a prison sentence of between six months to a year. Wilson and DeJong were arrested and charged on June 27 and July 25, respectively. McAuliffe is the eighth trooper to be arrested and charged in connection with the ongoing scandal, which broke earlier this year. With Wilson and DeJong's plea agreements, seven former or suspended troopers have pleaded guilty or agreed to do so, including Gregory Raftery, 47, of Westwood; Kevin Sweeney, 40, of Braintree; Gary Herman, 45, of Chester; Paul Cesan, 50, of Southwick; and Eric Chin, 46, of Hanover. The troopers were all members of the now-eliminated Troop E, which had been assigned to enforce criminal and traffic laws along the Massachusetts Turnpike. A spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police say the actions described in court Wednesday do not define the agency. At least 30 state police troopers have been investigated as part of the ongoing overtime pay scandal, which had been exposed by an internal audit. GPS locators have also been activated for more than 1,000 state police cruisers as part of the ongoing reforms launched by Gov. Charlie Baker. Earlier this year, NBC10 Boston Investigators found that the law enforcement agency was paying a tab of nearly $273,000 in unused vacation and sick time that had been accrued for six former troopers who had been criminally charged at the time. What to Know Alternative Therapies Group in Salem, Massachusetts, will be allowed to sell recreational marijuana as soon as Saturday. Recreational marijuana customers will be required to make an appointment online for the time being, according to officials. The Salem dispensary becomes the Bay State's third recreational marijuana shop. Massachusetts' marijuana regulators have issued a notice allowing for a third dispensary to open up in the Bay State, weeks after the first two shops opened. Alternative Therapies Group, Inc. (ATG) in Salem has been given the green light to open its doors for retail operations starting Saturday, the Cannabis Control Commission said. The Grove Street shop will become the third retailer to open its doors, following the lead of Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton just before Thanksgiving. Salem police tell NBC10 Boston that after a meeting with ATG and city leaders Tuesday morning, recreational sales will be by appointment only, and the shop will not take walk-ins. Those who wish to go to the shop will have to go online to make an appointment and then show up on time; however, this measure is only in place until the hype has died down, according to officials. Security will check customers' IDs and reservation. Hours of operation will be from 9 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., and there will also be a shuttle service from the train station to the store. ATG has been in operation since 2015 as the state's first medical marijuana dispensary. Founder Christopher Edwards said ATG has been preparing for recreational sales this year by scaling up production and hiring more staff. Massachusetts approved of allowing recreational marijuana sales back in 2016. Tax revenue projections from recreational marijuana sales could top out at $80 million this year alone, according to the state's Department of Revenue. However, locals have complained about traffic congestion caused by crowds eager to legally purchase marijuana. What to Know Columbia Gas CEO Stephen Bryant is among the utility company executives and state officials who speak at Tuesday's hearing. The explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover killed a teen, injured about two dozen others, damaged more than 100 structures. GOP Gov. Charlie Baker has filed legislation requiring natural gas projects be reviewed by a certified professional engineer. Natural gas companies in Massachusetts are compromising safety by increasingly turning to outside contractors for pipeline work while cutting back on staff that would oversee these projects, state lawmakers said Tuesday at a hearing following September's natural gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley. "There are fewer full-time employees in many of your operations than was the case five to ten years ago at a time when you're undertaking accelerated construction activity," state Sen. Michael Barrett, a Lexington Democrat, said to utility company executives testifying at Tuesday's State House hearing. "I really don't understand how you can square fewer employees overseeing more (subcontractors) and still solemnly claim to be concerned about safety,"' said Barrett, who co-chairs the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy that held the hearing. Executives from five local utility companies pushed back, saying their staffing levels have either remained stagnant or increased in recent years. Federal investigators have said that Columbia Gas, the utility company responsible for the Sept. 13 disaster, did not have staff on site as contractors conducted routine pipeline replacement work in Lawrence that triggered the explosions. The National Transportation Safety Board says the company also did not have a professional engineer review the project plan before work started, a requirement that Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is now proposing to make state law. State lawmakers Tuesday also turned a critical eye to state oversight agencies, questioning the independence of the consulting company Baker's administration has hired to evaluate natural gas safety statewide. Dynamic Risk Assessment Systems was picked to review the safety and integrity of the state's aged natural gas system in the wake of the September disaster. But on its website, the firm, which has offices in Canada and Texas, touts that its clients operate more than 40 percent of the energy pipelines in the nation. "I'm not immediately calling into question the integrity of their work, but they seem to be part and parcel of the industry," Barrett said. "They seem to be part of the status quo." Matthew Beaton, Baker's Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said Dynamic Risk was selected because it had the required technical expertise and didn't have any existing relationships or contracts with local utilities. State lawmakers also took issue with the number of inspectors the state Department of Public Utilities has on staff, as well as the relatively low salaries that make it hard to retain the workers. A federal oversight agency found Massachusetts had only two public utility inspectors available to do field inspections during a recent review. The public utilities agency has averaged about ten inspectors in recent years and is currently ramping up to 14, Beaton said Tuesday. He added that "no amount" of additional inspectors would have averted the September disaster, a statement that Barrett pushed back at. "That defies logic," he retorted. Tuesday's testimony frequently veered to the events surrounding Sept. 13, but the hearing was ostensibly focused on broader natural gas system issues. A U.S. Senate committee last month specifically examined the disaster and its aftermath, and state lawmakers are planning to hold a similar inquiry later. A Chelsea, Massachusetts school was evacuated Wednesday morning due to a possible natural gas leak. Fire crews responded to Phoenix Charter Academy after reports of a gas-like odor. The school was evacuated for inspection and students were allowed back into the building afterward. The evacuation came as an abundance of caution. No injuries were immediately reported. The nation's top border security official told skeptical senators Tuesday that the use of tear gas on a group of migrants that included children was justified to manage a chaotic clash where a crowd was hurling rocks at agents and trying to illegally cross into the U.S. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, answering questions on the separation of families, enforcement operations, illegal drugs and funding for the border wall at the same time President Donald Trump was publicly arguing with Democratic leaders at the Oval Office on the topic. Border security officials said somewhere between 500 and 1,000 migrants tried to cross the border illegally Nov. 25 near California's San Yisdro port, prompting an hourslong shutdown. Tear gas and pepper balls were deployed on the crowd and some children inhaled the gas. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California questioned whether children were intentionally hit with tear gas, and challenged its use. "We did not target young children," McAleenan responded, saying agents used pepper balls and gas after rocks were hurled. "I think it's remarkable that agents were able to resolve the situation without any serious injuries or a breach of the border," he said. Four Border Patrol agents were struck by rocks and one needed knee surgery, he said. The chaos began after a peaceful protest by some of the thousands of migrants marooned in Mexico after traveling on foot from Honduras. There were 42 arrests on the U.S. side, but no one was criminally prosecuted, in part because there wasn't enough proper documentation. McAleenan said there would be a review of the incident, as all force incidents are reviewed, but he said the agents were acting consistent with their training. Agents are authorized to use deadly force when there is reasonable belief that there is an imminent danger of serious physical injury or death to the officer or another person. They have discretion on how to deploy less-than-lethal force: It must be both "objectively reasonable and necessary in order to carry out law enforcement duties," and used when other "empty hand" techniques are not sufficient to control disorderly or violent subjects. On border security, McAleenan said his agency wants 1,100 miles of a "border wall system" with Mexico that would include natural barriers and steel fencing that agents can see through. He said barriers would be an important tool to help deter illegal crossings, but he also urged the senators to look at the entire immigration system and asked for more agents and better technology. Customs and Border Protection is the country's largest federal law enforcement agency, with more than 23,000 officers at border crossings and airports, and 20,000 border patrol agents who police between ports of entry. Insurance claims from last month's California wildfires already are at $9 billion and expected to increase, the state's insurance commissioner announced Wednesday. About $7 billion in claims are from the Camp Fire that destroyed the Northern California city of Paradise and killed at least 86 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in at least a century. The rest is from the Woolsey and Hill fires in Southern California. Collectively, the fires destroyed or damaged more than 20,000 structures, with the vast majority in and around Paradise. On Tuesday, state and federal authorities estimated it will cost at least $3 billion just to clear debris. "As the claims get perfected, as individuals get access to their former homes and neighborhoods, as they dialogue with their insurance companies and share more information about the scope of their loss, we expect these numbers to rise," Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said of the $9 billion estimate. There are more than 28,000 claims for residential personal property, nearly 2,000 from commercial property and 9,400 in auto and other claims for the fires. That's well above the number of claims filed following a series of fires that tore through Northern California's wine country last year. Losses from those fires were initially pegged at $3.3 billion but eventually grew to $10 billion. While the Camp Fire destroyed about double the number of structures as the 2017 fires, home values in Butte County are far lower than those in Sonoma County. That's part of the reason total claims may seem low compared to the 2017 figures, Jones said. Median home values in Sonoma County are more than double those in Butte. Jones advised home owners to be cautious of "fraudsters and scam artists" trying to take advantage of vulnerable communities. He also said its time for California to start rethinking how and if it builds in fire-prone areas. Ken Pimlott, outgoing director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, told The Associated Press this week the state should consider banning construction in vulnerable areas. Jones said local governments may not be fully considering the long-term impacts of building in areas at high risk of fire, floods and rising sea levels. "That's going to be a hard conversation. Everybody likes to build new, people obviously want to rebuild their communities," he said. "We're in a new era where these risks are so bad I think we've really got to take a look at how we're making these decisions." Authorities are still determining what caused the fire. Pacific Gas & Electric told regulators that a high-voltage power line malfunctioned at the time and spot that investigators believe the fire started on Nov. 8. The San Francisco-based utility told the California Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday that several miles away workers found a fallen power pole and equipment with bullet holes. A number of fire victims have filed lawsuits alleging that PG&E's equipment started the fire that destroyed the town of Paradise and killed at least 86 people. The cleanup costs for last month's fires will far surpass the record expense of $1.3 billion the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers spent on debris removal in Northern California in 2017. California Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci said the state will manage cleanup contracts this time. Last year, hundreds of Northern California homeowners complained that contractors paid by the ton hauled away too much dirt and damaged unbroken driveways, sidewalks and pipes. The state OES spent millions repairing that damage. Ghilarducci said the state OES will hire auditors and monitors to watch over debris removal in hopes of cutting down on the number of over-eager contractors. "We learned a great number of things," last year, Ghilarducci said. He said the U.S. Corps of Engineers was asked to lead the effort last year because state resources were stretched thin after responding to more than a dozen wildfires. This year, he said state officials can manage the cleanup and costs will be shared among state, federal and local authorities. Cleanup is expected to begin in January and take about a year to complete. State and federal officials are currently removing hazardous household materials from the damaged properties. A massive manhunt involving hundreds of police and soldiers was underway Wednesday for a suspected extremist who yelled "God is great!" in Arabic during a shooting spree around one of Europe's most famous Christmas markets. The assault in the eastern French city of Strasbourg killed two, left one person brain dead and injured 12 others, authorities said. Police union officials identified the suspected assailant as Frenchman Cherif Chekatt, a 29-year-old with a thick police record for crimes including armed robbery and monitored as a suspected religious radical by the French intelligence services. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss details of the large and ongoing investigation into the attack that set France on edge anew. The suspect's parents and two brothers, also known for radicalism, have been detained, according to a judicial official. Reflecting Strasbourg's international nature, the dead included a Thai tourist, and an Italian was reportedly among the wounded. The U.S. government, among others, warned citizens in the area to be vigilant. The city is home to the European Parliament and considers itself a capital of Europe and promotes itself as the "capital of Christmas." Some 720 members of the security forces were hunting for the suspected gunman Wednesday. Prosecutor Remy Heitz said the suspect was shot in the arm during an exchange of fire with French soldiers during his rampage in the city center on Tuesday. He then took a taxi to another part of the city, boasting of the attack to the driver. There, he exchanged more gunfire with police and disappeared. Heitz said the man attacked his victims with a handgun and a knife. Previously, French authorities had said the assailant killed three people, but Heitz said two people were confirmed dead while the third was brain dead. A further 12 people were injured, six of them gravely. Witnesses described shots and screams after the gunman opened fire around the Christmas market Tuesday evening. They also reported that the assailant yelled "God is great!" in Arabic during the attack, the prosecutor added. For several hours swaths of the city were under lockdown. Senior Interior Ministry official Laurent Nunez said the suspect had been radicalized in prison and had been monitored by French intelligence services since his release in late 2015, because of his suspected religious extremism. Nunez said on France-Inter radio that police sought to arrest the man on Tuesday morning, hours before the shooting, in relation to an attempted murder. He was not at home but five other people were detained, authorities said. Heitz said police seized a grenade, a rifle and knives during the operation. The government raised the security alert level and sent police reinforcements to Strasbourg, where hundreds of police and soldiers were involved in the search. A terrorism investigation was opened, but the motive of the attack is unclear. At Chekatt's apartment, in an outer neighborhood of Strasbourg, the lock of the door was broken at his apartment. Police were guarding the building. A neighbor, who asked not to be named because the gunman was still at large, said he was rarely home. She said she last saw him Monday from her window, which looks out on a common hallway, and he was with another man. Young men from the apartment block said they knew him as someone who seemed destabilized by his time in prison. "You can just tell," said one, lightly touching the side of his head. They, too, feared being publicly named because the gunman is still being hunted by police. The suspected attacker's more than two dozen convictions also included crimes in Germany and Switzerland, according to court documents seen by The Associated Press. The German government says it has stepped up controls on the country's border with France following the attack, but sees no change to the threat level in Germany. Strasbourg's Christmas market attracts visitors from around the world. A Thai national, 45-year-old Anupong Suebsamarn, was one of the two killed, according to a Thai Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. The English-language website of the newspaper Khao Sod said Anupong was the owner of a noodle factory in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok, and also sold clothes in the Thai capital's garment district. It quoted his uncle as saying he and his wife had originally planned to visit Paris, but the "yellow vest" protests there prompted them to change plans and go to Strasbourg instead. Italian media say Antonio Megalizzi, 28, was among the wounded, and is in critical condition. Italian daily La Repubblica reports that he was in Strasbourg to follow the European Parliamentary session. The attack is a new blow to France, which saw a wave of Islamic extremist killings in 2015 and 2016. It came amid a month of protests against President Emmanuel Macron that have blocked roads around the country, led to rioting in the capital and put heavy strain on police. While authorities urged people in the area to stay inside after Tuesday's attack, Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries told BFM television Wednesday that "life must go on" so that the city doesn't cede to a "terrorist who is trying to disrupt our way of life." Many of Europe's deadliest terror attacks in recent years have taken place in France. In response to Tuesday's shooting, the government decided to take the country's attack risk up a level on the official threat index. ___ Leicester and Corbet reported from Paris. Angela Charlton in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Kaweewit Kaewjinda in Bangkok and Colleen Barry in Milan also contributed to this report. 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 leaseholder 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. A man who had been flagged as a possible extremist sprayed gunfire near the city of Strasbourg's famous Christmas market Tuesday, killing three people, wounding up to a dozen and sparking a massive manhunt. France immediately raised its terror alert level. It was unclear if the market a popular gathering place that was the nucleus of an al-Qaida-linked plot in 2000 was the intended target. The assailant got inside a security zone around the venue and opened fire from there, Mayor Roland Ries said on BFM television. Authorities did not give a motive for the shooting, though prosecutors said they had opened a terrorism investigation. Strasbourg, on France's eastern border, is home to the European Parliament, one of several places that was locked down after the shooting. Authorities said they had identified a suspect. The prefect of the Strasbourg region said the man was on a watch list of people who had potentially been radicalized. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who traveled to Strasbourg, said the suspect, not named, had been convicted in both France and Germany for crimes unrelated to terrorism and served time. He did not elaborate. Hours before the shooting, French gendarmes went to the suspect's home to arrest him, but he wasn't there, Stephane Morisse of police union FGP said. They found explosive materials during a search, he said. France, where most of Europe's worst terror attacks of recent years took place, was raising its terror alert level and sending security reinforcements to Strasbourg, Castaner said early Wednesday. The attack came two years after a Tunisian man drove a hijacked truck into a busy Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people. Strasbourg, which promotes itself as the "Capital of Christmas," on the border with Germany, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) east of Paris. The market, France's largest, is set up around the city's cathedral during the Christmas season. Some 350 security forces and two helicopters were searching for the assailant, who had been radicalized for "several years" and confronted law enforcement officers twice, exchanging fire, while he "sowed terror," Castaner said. The death toll stood at three early Wednesday, the minister said. Two police union officials said earlier there were four victims. Officials did not explain the conflicting numbers. 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. The shooter was also shot and wounded by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, according to Stephane Morisse of police union FGP. French military spokesman Col. Patrik Steiger said the shooter didn't seem to be aiming at soldiers patrolling in and around the market, but appeared to target civilians instead. Witnesses described hearing gunshots, screams and shouts of police officers 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. (1855 GMT), 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," Yoann Bazard, 27, who lives in central Strasbourg. "I thought maybe it's 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 friend's apartment when they heard the gunfire, which she at first mistook 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 didn't 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 has been hit in recent years with 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, and at midnight presided over a meeting at the Interior Ministry's crisis center. The Paris prosecutor, in charge of anti-terror probes in France, was also in Strasbourg. The prosecutor's office said the investigation was being conducted on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise charges, suggesting officials do not exclude links between the shooter and an extremist cell. Authorities had urged the public to remain indoors at the height of the drama, and people out dining were kept in restaurants for hours, along with lawmakers at the European Parliament, and thousands at a sports stadium. They eventually were allowed to leave, with those with nowhere to go housed at a gymnasium, the prefect tweeted. The market was closed Wednesday and festivities cancelled in a sign of mourning, Mayor Roland Ries said. Flags in Strasbourg were ordered at half-staff. The attack revived memories of a new millennium terror plot targeting Strasbourg's 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 Year's Eve ushering in 2000.. The Algerian and French-Algerian suspects including an alleged associate of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden went on trial in October on charges they were involved in the foiled plot for the attack. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to nine years. Associated Press writers John Leicester and Angela Charlton contributed to this report. He might move a little slower than your average student about to get his high school diploma, but John Cyrulik is not your average graduate. The 100-year-old veteran quit Middletown High School back in the 1930s so he could care for his ailing father and support his family. "My father died and I was the oldest one home and the so I had to support them, Cyrulik explained. In 1941, he registered for selective service. Two days later the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and Cyrulik went off to war. He never got his high school diploma. Now, 82 years later as he turns 100, city leaders in Middletown said it was about time he was recognized for his work at Middletown High School and his brave service to the country. Cyrulik was given the diploma during a celebration Saturday. The Board of Education voted to ratify it at a meeting Tuesday, making Cyrulik an official graduate of Middletown High School. As a special gift, leaders got a replica of the 1936 Middletown High School diploma with Cyruliks name on it. The mayor also declared Monday John Cyrulik Day, a fitting tribute for one of Connecticuts last surviving World War II veterans. She was preceded in death by an older brother, Taylor, who also died unexpectedly in 2002 when he was 14. Survived by her parents, Dennis and Sue, and a brother, Thomas, a U.S. Marine, Ohl was said to have credited her mother, a teacher at District 140s Keller School, with inspiring her to go into education. Two top school leaders in Cromwell are off the job amid accusations of possible misconduct, and now the Board of Education says it wants to get to the bottom of the issue. We know this is an incredibly challenging time for the district and its unfortunate were in this situation, said Mike Camilleri, school board chairman. It was an unusual start to Tuesdays school board meeting in Cromwell. Earlier in the day, both the superintendent, John Maloney, and the assistant superintendent, Dr. Krista Karch, were put on paid administrative leave. We are also well aware this is not a popularity contest. And our job is not to do what will make the most people happy but to do what we think is right, said Camilleri. According to the school board, an anonymous letter accused the pair of possible misconduct or taking actions that could get in the way of their jobs. A law firm has been hired to investigate, with hopes of finishing a review within weeks. Were willing to participate and prepared to participate in any investigation which would be the appropriate place for teachers to address any concerns or questions, said Amy Carta, teachers union president. At the meeting there was pushback. Some believe the anonymous writer should be questioned including how they went about getting the information. And several stood up to support the superintendent. Superintendent Maloney has always been fair, honest and unbiased in all my dealings with him, said Linda Demetriades, paraprofessional union president. NBC Connecticut reached out to the superintendent and assistant superintendent for comment but has not yet heard back. For now, the high school principal has been named interim superintendent. Dozens of people fulfilled their longtime dream of becoming American citizens during a ceremony at Goodwin College in East Hartford Wednesday. Thirty people representing 22 countries took the oath of citizenship as families and friends stood by in support. Among the countries represented at the ceremony were the Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, China and Ecuador. Ruramai Mbabali, who is originally from Zimbabwe and has been in the United States since she was 19, said the greatest privilege of gaining her citizenship is gaining a say in American democracy. Voting. Its really exciting that Ill get to be a part of that, especially after being here for so long and not having that opportunity. Its going to be such a big thing for my family, she said. I didnt know it was going to be this huge celebration about it. I thought it was going to be something small. It was good. I felt special said Anny Botelho, a new citizen who emigrated from Brazil. The ceremony was delayed by a week. It had been postponed from Dec. 5, which was observed as a national day of mourning following the death of President George H.W. Bush. Connecticuts program that provides money to candidates running for state offices from the legislature all the way up to governor saw a record year. A total of 335 candidates received grants from the Citizens Election Program (CEP) worth a combined $26.5 million, according to the State Elections Enforcement Commission. I think it was a tremendous year for the Citizens Election Program, said Michael Brandi, executive director of the agency. CEP is considered a model around the country, and its benefitted both Republicans and Democrats over the years. From 2010 to 2016, Republicans gained 41 seats in the General Assembly, but then saw major losses in statewide elections last month. This year, many of the Democrats who received public financing were successful in their bids for office. Gov. Dannel Malloy used the program for both of his general election victories before deciding not to run for a third term. Brandi says the program allows candidates to avoid the process of spending weeks and months raising money. Candidates can get out there and actually get out there and actually meet their constituents and address the real issues in their districts. However, two candidates that didnt participate in the program were the two major candidates running for governor, Democrat and Governor-elect Ned Lamont, and Republican Bob Stefanowski. Its unfortunate that we didnt have the candidates at the top of the ticket participate, Brandi said. Lamont, a wealthy businessman, funded his own campaign, and his Democratic primary opponent Joe Ganim, Bridgeports mayor, was disqualified from participating in the CEP due to his criminal past. The Republican primary is where public financing was a larger issue. Three candidates, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, Tim Herbst, and Steve Obsitnik used the program, while Stefanowski and David Stemerman either used their own fortunes or raised money. Too late and too little money, said Boughton during an interview Wednesday. Boughton was the endorsed candidate for the GOP, but didnt receive his $1.35 million CEP grant until July, about six weeks before the August primary. By that time both Stemerman and Stefanowski had been on the air for months. In the case of Stefanowski, he had been paying for TV ads since the fall of 2017. I think the program is well intentioned but there are things that have to be done, Boughton said. He added, The objective of this program, even in the primary, is to level the playing field. And when you have David Stemerman spending $5- $6 million on a primary, Bob Stefanowski spending $3 to $4 million in a primary. Myself, and Tim Herbst and Steve Obsitnik spending $1.3 million. Its not a level playing field. Democrats in the General Assembly say there have been no discussions toward adjusting the program in any way. Boughton suggested releasing some funds to candidates earlier if they have qualified, and even moving the qualifying deadlines to earlier in the year to allow for earlier campaigning. In the case of the governors race, candidates had to raise $250,000 in small amounts, not to exceed $100 in individual contributions in order to qualify for up to nearly $8 million in public funds. Brandi says some changes could be made if they come up during the legislative session, which starts in January, but says the schedule and deadlines are aligned with the primary calendar as well as state conventions. Its really difficult to back up those deadlines because there are pieces of the program to show public support before we can give the grant money out and thats, when you start talking about a year prior to the conventions, Brandi said. Im not sure how that would work. Everything can be discussed. Even though the GOP and Democratic nominees self-funded their campaigns, past election results, Brandi says, shows that when candidates face each other and one is using the program and the other isnt, public financing has often prevailed. Look, a self-funder can always run and can always spend an inordinate amount of money. We saw Linda McMahon. Weve seen others throw tens of millions of dollars into candidate committees and still not be successful. Boughton says eliminating the CEP is also not a viable solution, because the program has proven valuable down the ballot. Mend it, dont end it, Boughton said. Residents on Allen Street in New Britain were told to stay inside their homes Wednesday afternoon while police responded to a suspect barricaded inside a building. New Britain and Plainville officers responded to the 400-block of Allen Street to find the suspect, who has an active arrest warrant out of Plainville. He is accused of making threatening statements to a Plainville business. New Britain police said the suspect was apprehended without a problem and he was transferred into Plainville police custody. The suspect has not been publicly identified. Neighbors were asked to stay inside their homes while the situation unfolded. No other information was immediately available. Check back for updates. A tractor-trailer has crashed down an embankment on Interstate 95 in Milford on Wednesday morning. According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the tractor-trailer went down an embankment on I-95 southbound between exits 36 and 35 shortly before 6 a.m. The right lane was closed but has since reopened. Police said they may need to close the lane again when they tow the vehicle out. Officials said no major injuries are reported. DOT expects the crash to clear in four hours or less. The gunman who shot and wounded three law enforcement officers in Houston on Tuesday afternoon has died of an apparent gunshot wound according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Harris County Sheriff's Department A Harris County deputy and two Texas Attorney general officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant in the Mt. Houston area to Daniel Trevino, 25, when the shooting happened at about 1:15 p.m., according to Houston NBC affiliate, KPRC. Chief Deputy Edison Toquica says agents from the AG's office and sheriff's investigators were serving a warrant, at the threshold of a door, when the suspect began shooting. Officers returned fire. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says the injuries are not life-threatening and the officers were being treated at a Houston hospital. Toquica says the warrant for Daniel Trevino involved violation of a protective order. Officials attempted to make contact with Trevino and establish an open line of communication. Trevino said on many occasions he would come out. At one time, he fired three shots at officers. At around 6:15 p.m, authorities found Trevino dead from a self-inflicted gunshot would to the head. The sheriff also says a motorcycle deputy was in an accident while assisting with traffic control nearby. The deputy was conscious and stable. Check back and refresh this page for the latest update. As this story is developing, elements may change. A Balch Springs woman and her young son are safe after police helped them escape their second-floor apartment during an early-morning fire Monday. Keisha Sowel and her son Kingston were inside their home at the Glenshire Villas Apartments on Quail Drive when a fire broke out somewhere in their building at about 6:30 a.m. Three police officers, Cory Jones, David Fields and Tyler Gross, were the first to arrive. Their body camera recordings who how they rushed around the building, knocking on doors to wake up residents. As Gross climbed the stairs to alert residents on the second floor, where Sowel and her son lived, he was pushed back by heat, flames and falling debris. "I didn't even think twice. I just went up the stairs," said Gross. "I attempted to find the front door, go to the front door. I couldn't see it becaus the smoke was so black." Keisha Sowel thanks Balch Springs police and fire for rescuing she and her son during a fire at their apartment on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Jones and Fields, meanwhile, realizing Sowel and her son were unable to exit through their door, yelled for them to open their window and jump into their arms. Sowel signaled she was unable to open the window so Jones told her to step back and he then threw his baton at the window, shattering it. Officers then coaxed the boy into jumping from the second floor into their arms. "He knew that we were down there and we were going to catch him," said Officer Jones. "He didn't think twice and he jumped out the window." It was only seconds, but it felt like hours because once again youre looking at their faces and theyre fearful. Im fearful for them. It was hard, said Officer David Field. Moments later firefighters with the Balch Springs Fire Department would arrive and use a ladder to rescue the boy's mother. We just did it. There was no thinking. Its just part of the job. Its what you sign up to do is help people and help your community, said Jones. During a news conference Wednesday, Deputy Chief Brent Hurley recalled the rescue while honoring the officers who saved the boy. "These officers' dedication as servants to the citizens of Balch Springs is on display each and every day that they put on their uniform," said Deputy Chief Brent Hurley with The Balch Springs Police Department. "The Balch Springs Police Department is proud to have these officers, as well as all members of this department, who serve this community with selfless acts of service." A Balch Springs woman and her young son are safe after police helped them escape their second floor apartment during a fire early Monday morning. Sowel, who spoke at the news conference Wednesday along with the officers that saved she and her son, said she'd never had a reason to open the window before so she wasn't sure if it was stuck or if there was a special trick to getting it to work. She then recalled that she tried to kick the window open, but that the glass wouldn't break, before Jones threw his baton and shattered the glass. Standing in front of officers Gross, Fields and Jones Wednesday, Sowel thanked them for following their calling and saving the life of she and her child. "I'm grateful. I don't even know how to put into words ... I just thank God that they took the time to do what they were called to do as officers and as firefighters. I really appreciate it and I am totally grateful," Sowel said. "I thank them because Kingston is all I have. He's all I have." Both Sowel and her son escaped the fire without injury, however her home home and two other apartments in the building were heavily damaged by the fire. Fire officials said Wednesday that the cause of the fire remains under investigation. If you are interested in helping the victims of the fire, you can reach out to the Balch Springs Santa Cop Program by calling 972-913-3023. Dallas police confirmed Tuesday morning two people are facing charges related to a recent string of aggravated robberies in the Dallas area. A third person arrested, a juvenile, was arrested on unrelated charges. Tuesday afternoon two more individuals were detained and questioned in regards to the robberies. Deputy Chief Thomas Castro said Tuesday morning investigators had a good idea who one of the suspects in the string of robberies might be and that in following up on that, three people were detained and interviewed at 4:23 a.m. Tuesday. One of those people detained now faces two charges of aggravated robbery and could be implicated in other offenses. Deputy Chief Thomas Castro said Tuesday morning investigators had a good idea who one of the suspects in the string of robberies might be and that in following up on that, three people were detained and interviewed at 4:23 a.m. Tuesday. Castro said a second arrested person is being charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, for driving a car stolen in a recent robbery, but that he has not yet been tied to the actual armed robberies. The names and photos of those arrested are being withheld due to the ongoing investigation and more arrests are expected. Police said four vehicles were stolen in the nine robberies, all of which have been recovered and are being searched for evidence. The arrests came the day after a ninth armed robbery, on Dec. 6 along Hobson Street, was determined to be linked to crimes reported in southern Dallas, Downtown, Old East Dallas and Lower Greenville, all believed to have been committed by the same group of people. In some cases, the victims have been forced back into their homes and robbed of their property and vehicles. In a similar case in Carrollton, terrifying moments were captured on home surveillance video Sunday where a man walking to his front door in the Indian Springs area is confronted by an armed man who demanded his bag, debit card PIN and items in his hand. The video then showed a second robber running up to the victim and demanding that he get on the ground. The men stole the victims vehicle, according to the victims son. The victim was too shaken to speak on camera but the family released the door camera video to NBC 5 hoping to make others aware. Carrollton police said Tuesday morning that they have no reason to believe the robbery in the Indian Springs neighborhood is related to the Dallas robberies other than the method of operation. Carrollton police said the two men "in the one Carrollton robbery are definitely black" and were "definitely last seen driving a blue Toyota Camry and a black Lincoln Continental." Carrollton police added the black Lincoln Continental was pursued and recovered. In Dallas, there is only a vague description of the suspects, believed to be Latino between 17 and 20-years-old. The suspects were seen driving around in two vehicles including a black Cadillac 4-door sedan and a gold pickup truck. Though the suspect descriptions are different, Castro said Monday investigators in Dallas were looking into the Carrollton robbery to see if it was connected. Some detectives are aware of that and are reaching out to Carrollton and they have discussions with those detectives to see if there are similarities, Castro said. Dallas police would not say whether they believe the robberies are becoming more violent in nature, however in the latest robbery, on Dec. 7 in the 5900 of Llano Avenue, police confirmed a robbery victim did sustain injuries during the incident. NBC 5's Courtney Gilmore contributed to this report. Lawyers for President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn asked a judge Tuesday to spare him prison time, saying he had devoted his career to his country and taken responsibility for an "uncharacteristic error in judgment." The arguments to the judge echoed those of special counsel Robert Mueller's office, which last week said that Flynn's cooperation including 19 meetings with investigators was so extensive that he was entitled to avoid prison when he is sentenced next week. "Having made a serious error in judgment, for which he has shown true contrition, he recognized it was consistent with the values by which he has led his life simply to provide the facts to those charged with enforcing our laws," his lawyers wrote in requesting probation and community service. "On the day he entered his guilty plea, he said he was 'working to set things right.' He has done so." Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations during the presidential transition period with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States, will become the first White House official punished in the special counsel's ongoing probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Flynn's absence from the public eye, despite entreaties from supporters to take an aggressive stance against the Russia investigation, has made him a source of continuing public intrigue. His sentencing has the makings of a bookend moment for the investigation given that Flynn a visible presence on the campaign trail, in high-level transition talks and in the chaotic early days of the administration was an early, and pivotal, part of the case who appeared to enjoy the president's sympathy even after his departure from the White House. Central to the investigation are Flynn's December 2016 phone discussions of Obama administration sanctions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, conversations that triggered intelligence community alarms and led to his ouster from the administration after officials maintained that he had lied to them about the communications. They also prompted a Jan. 24, 2017 FBI interview at which Mueller says Flynn denied having discouraged Kislyak from an aggressive response to the sanctions, which had been imposed on the Kremlin for election interference that U.S. officials have said was aimed at helping Trump win office. He also told the FBI he had no recollection of a follow-up call with Kislyak in which the ambassador said Russia would moderate its response to the sanctions. Tuesday's defense filing did not contain new information about Flynn's cooperation or provide a full explanation for why he made false statements to investigators. But it did provide additional details about the backstory of his FBI interview, including that unlike other defendants in the Russia probe, he wasn't warned in advance that it was a crime to lie to the FBI. Flynn's attorneys also noted that two FBI officials involved in the interview have since been investigated for misconduct. FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok, who interviewed Flynn, was fired a year later over anti-Trump text messages. Then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who had arranged the interview but wasn't present for it, was fired for what the Justice Department called a lack of candor involving a media leak. Still, Flynn's lawyers, Robert Kelner and Stephen Anthony, said their client never backed away from accepting responsibility for his crime, and he quickly began cooperating with federal investigators, ultimately sitting for 62 hours and 45 minutes of questioning. The filing also focused on the retired Army lieutenant general's three decades in the military, including five years in combat. It cited his numerous U.S. Army citations and included 50 letters of support from his family, friends and dozens of military officers and enlisted personnel who served with Flynn. And it described Flynn as a dedicated and fearless officer, noting that while deployed in Grenada, he once dove off a 40-foot cliff and saved two servicemen who had been swept out to sea. The filing came as lawyers for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said they were still deciding whether to dispute allegations that he lied to investigators and breached a plea agreement. A judge gave Manafort until Jan. 7 to respond to prosecutors' claims that he misled them about his interactions with an associate who they say has ties to Russian intelligence and with Trump administration officials. The defendants, their fortunes sliding in opposite directions, represent starkly different paths in Mueller's investigation a model cooperator on one end and, prosecutors say, a dishonest and resistant witness on the other. Even as prosecutors recommend no prison time for Flynn, they've left open the possibility they may seek additional charges against Manafort, who is already facing years in prison following separate convictions in Washington and Virginia. Given both men's extensive conversations with prosecutors, and their involvement in key episodes under scrutiny, the pair could pose a threat to the president, who in addition to Mueller's investigation is entangled in a separate probe by prosecutors in New York into hush-money payments paid during the campaign to two women who say they had affairs with Trump. Donating money for school supplies is a very practical gesture of goodwill, one that is sure to make a difference. Children without essential learning tools may struggle to keep up with their schoolwork. Their confidence might suffer, and they may be unable to achieve their full academic potential. The International Boundary Water Commission (IBWC) announced Tuesday that there has been another failure in a sewage collection main in the city of Tijuana resulting in a spill that the commission has so far been unable to capture. The Mexican section of the IBWC told the U.S. section Tuesday that a massive amount of sewage - an estimated 6 to 7 million gallons per day - is flowing into the Tijuana River Valley and into the Pacific Ocean as a result of the break, the U.S. section said. Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said Tuesday that he doesn't think officials in Mexico are being transparent about when the break actually occurred. We dont believe that this spill happened yesterday as the Mexican government is claiming. We think it happened right after the rain, so whether or not theres a cover-up of the spill and whether or not weve had up to 30 million gallons spilled since the rain is something were concerned about," Mayor Dedina said. A two-day storm last Wednesday and Thursday pummeled San Diego County and Tijuana with rain, wind and lightning. A water contact closure was issued for Border Field State Park and the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge following a storm the week prior was extended Friday to include Imperial Beach, Silver Strand State Beach and Coronado. The County Department of Environmental Health lifted the closure at Silver Strand and Coronado, saying that the shorelines were not impacted by the sewage line break because currents were moving south. The DEH said it will continue to monitor water quality and will alert the public if anything changes. Closures typically last 72 hours after a storm, but there is no telling how long the current shoreline closures will remain in place following the sewage system failure. The cities of Imperial Beach and Chula Vista, as well as the Port of San Diego, the state of California and the Surfrider Foundation, are currently teamed in a lawsuit against the IBWC for alleged violations of both the Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The lawsuit calls for the installation of sewage capturing infrastructure near the border that would keep sewage and contaminated runoff from spreading into San Diego waterways and reaching the ocean. This is a totally fixable problem," Dedina said. "Weve been asking for this for years. This is why were in court... Were not asking to go to Mars, were not asking to go to the Moon, were not asking for mansions all over the beach, all were asking is to make sure that our kids can go to the beach 365 days a year. Dedina said the city of IB has requested a federal investigation into the system break in Tijuana and has asked the Mexican government to fix the problem as soon as possible. Dedina said spills like this one are bad for business all over the South Bay. "Yesterday the Las Americas mall smelled like raw sewage, it smelled like a toilet. The whole stench of sewage permeated San Ysidro and the San Ysidro border crossing area and the Las Americas mall, so its not good for business and its not good for public health," he said. The mayor also cited concern for Border Patrol agents and Navy SEALS who are forced to work and train in contaminated environments. Scott Roth/Invision/AP On Wednesday, the IBWC released images of what appear to be sinkholes on the property of an auto repair business in Tijuana. The agency claimed after the Tijuana water utility (CESPT) was notified of the sinkholes, workers diverted water flow from the business in the Colector Poniente in southeast Tijuana to a stormwater collector which drains into the Tijuana River. As of Wednesday, Mexico would change the flow to direct the wastewater into its treatment system and determine if they need to replace or relocate a damaged collector line, according to Lori Kuczmanski, Public Affairs Officer for the IBWC. Getty Images The IBWC is also being targeted in a lawsuit brought on by the San Diego Water Board. No other information was available. Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available. A 21-year-old man was convicted of first-degree murder Wednesday for the 2014 killing of a USC graduate student from China who was attacked near campus while walking back to his apartment after a 2014 study session. Alberto Ochoa is scheduled to be sentenced March 8 on first-degree murder and other charges stemming from the July 24, 2014, attack on Xinran Ji, a 24-year-old electrical engineering student. Ji was able to stagger away from the attack scene and reached his nearby apartment, where he was found dead by one of his roommates. Three other young people have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with the deadly attack. Alejandra Guerrero, now 20, and Andrew Garcia, now 22, are each serving life prison terms without the possibility of parole after being convicted of first-degree murder and other charges, while the getaway driver, Jonathan Del Carmen, now 23, was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. In his closing argument Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney John McKinney contended that Ochoa -- who was 17 at the time of the attack -- got out of a car while armed with a baseball bat and was a "substantial factor" in Ji's death. "You know Ochoa did something to him, his face ... that broke his skin," McKinney said, noting that the victim left a blood trail and that his broken glasses were found on the street where he was initially attacked. "Clearly he (Ochoa) was a major participant," the prosecutor told jurors in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. He told jurors to contrast Ji's decision to walk a female classmate home after a study session with the types of decisions that Ochoa and his friends made, and said Ochoa and his co-defendants targeted Ji because they thought he was an "easy target" who was walking alone in the dark. Defense attorney Christopher Chaney urged jurors to acquit his client of the murder charge, saying that "Mr. Ochoa is not guilty of the murder of Mr. Ji." "I don't see a bat. I don't see a swinging of a bat," the defense attorney said of surveillance video from the scene. "He (Ochoa) withdrew seconds after it started," Chaney told jurors, noting that the surveillance video shows Ochoa getting back in the car and not participating with Guerrero and Garcia in the second attack on Ji after he ran down the street and around a corner. He said he Guerrero was responsible for the injuries, telling jurors the teenage girl was armed with a wrench. He said there was no evidence that Ochoa had inflicted a fatal blow. A Catholic priest in Washington, D.C., charged with sexually abusing a child has been arrested on new abuse allegations. Urbano Vazquez, 46, surrendered to authorities Tuesday on charges including sexual assault of a minor. A police report and city U.S. Attorney's Office release say Vazquez is accused of sexually touching a 9-year-old and a woman. Vazquez was charged last month with child sexual abuse. Three people accused him of abusing them as teenagers, but prosecutors say the statute of limitations expired on two of the reported assaults. The Washington Archdiocese has removed him from his position at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, one of the region's largest predominantly Latino parishes. Vazquez is set to appear in court Wednesday. In a statement, Vazquez's attorney Robert Bonsib said his client "hopes to respond'' after investigating the details of the allegations. The chairman of the commission investigating the Marjory Stoneman Douglas massacre says the panel has uncovered plenty that went wrong before and during the attack, but nothing that would persuade him to call for Broward Sheriff Scott Israel to be removed from office by the governor. In an hour-long interview with NBC 6 last week at his headquarters in Largo, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Israel was responsible for what happened under his watch, just as Gualtieri is in his county. Just because your people are imperfect, or in some cases wrong, or in some cases negligent, or in some cases act improperly or engage in malfeasance or misfeasance like Peterson, that doesnt mean the sheriff did, Gualtieri said, referring to former school resource deputy Scot Peterson. Peterson I would say had all the tools, had received the training and that was a situation where no matter what you did or what you gave that guy, he was just a coward who wasnt going to act." The sheriff, whos also an attorney, was appointed chairman by Gov. Rick Scott, who also assigned the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to do a parallel investigation of the February 14 attack. Scott, or his successor, Ron DeSantis, could use FDLEs conclusions to order Israel suspended. But Gualtieri said if it were up to him to recommend an action to the governor, it would not be removal from office for misfeasance, incompetence or neglect of duty. One of the things that is a given about those incidents, is it is absolute chaos. The question is how much of it is going to be organized chaos. So there are some things certainly everybody can learn from but I dont see anything that rises to that level or even close to that level, Gualtieri said. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission began a two-day meeting Wednesday in Tallahassee with a discussion on findings that contributed to the shooting that left 17 dead. The commission discussed security lapses that allowed suspect Nikolas Cruz to enter the school, including unlocked and unstaffed gates and doors. The members will also consider arming security on all campuses, with explicit orders to confront shooters; improving communication systems on campus; and imposing more statewide uniformity in how troubled students are identified and helped. If Israel did not have active duty policies or training mandated for all deputies, then Gualtieri said he might be more inclined to suggest the sheriff deserved suspension by governor. But the Broward Sheriffs Office did have those in place. One of the things the chairman found lacking by sheriff's deputies was the urgency of their response after it was clear shots were being fired. My belief is that a number of those deputies should have gone in. They shouldnt have waited, he said, noting at least six arriving deputies heard some shots, even if they came as the killer tried futilely to fire through a third-floor window after the last victim was shot. That doesnt change the fact, because they didnt know that, he said. So they can look back and they can say in hindsight, well, those were the last shots, (but) they dont know whether first shots, last shots or there were more kids to be killed. Those deputies that didnt go in, should have gone in. After the commission identified at its November meeting several deputies who in members opinion did not act properly, Israel assigned two to administrative duties while under investigation and the top ranking commander in Parkland, Capt. Jan Jordan, resigned. The commission must file its initial report to Gov. Rick Scott, incoming Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature by Jan. 1. One change in policy Gualtieri will recommend is the wording on whether a deputy should confront an active assailant. Browards policy says the deputy may go into the building and confront, but Gualtieris agency and others stress the deputies are expected to go in. He agreed with Israel that you cannot have a policy mandating entry in all possible circumstances, because here may be booby traps or explosive devices or any number of other factors that have to be weighed. But interviews with deputies on scene on Feb. 14 revealed, despite the leeway suggested by the wording of the policy, they knew from their training that the priority was to go in and confront the threat. What to Know Aldo Amenta was one of the thousands of students who took part in the ceremony Sunday on the campus of Florida International University. Amenta was injured in November 2015 accident when he jumped into the shallow end of a swimming pool. A recent graduate of one South Florida university was able to do something that seemed impossible years ago to be able to walk across the stage to get his degree with help from an exoskeleton following an accident that left him a quadriplegic. Aldo Amenta was one of the thousands of students who took part in the ceremony Sunday on the campus of Florida International University, where the 28-year-old received his bachelors degree in electrical engineering to thunderous applause and a standing ovation from fellow students, faculty members and the crowd. Amenta was injured in November 2015 accident when he jumped into the shallow end of a swimming pool, breaking a vertebrae in his neck and severing his spinal cord. Amenta has spent the last three years in aggressive therapy while taking classes at the school. Donations and the schools Ignite Campaign allowed for Amentas tuition and other school costs to be paid for, allowing his family to focus solely on paying for his medical bills and therapy. Amenta said his next goal is to return to school for his masters degree. Michael Cohen, who as President Donald Trump's personal lawyer and fixer once vowed he would "take a bullet" for his boss, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for an array of crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to two women that he says was done at the direction of Trump a scandal that could damage Trump's presidency. The sentence was in line with what federal prosecutors asked for. Sentencing guidelines called for around four to five years behind bars, and prosecutors asked in court papers that Cohen be given only a slight break. Cohen will begin serving his sentence on March 6. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said Cohen deserved modest credit for his decision over the summer to admit guilt and cooperate in a federal investigation of efforts by Russians to influence the presidential election, but his assistance "does not wipe the slate clean." He called the case a "smorgasbord of criminal conduct." "Somewhere along the way Mr. Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass," the judge said. "As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better." The judge also ordered Cohen to pay $1.39 million in restitution to the IRSR, forfeit $500,000 and pay $100,000 in fines. He was ordered to report to prison March 6 and left court without comment. Moments before learning his fate, Cohen told the court he blamed himself for conduct that brought him there, according to WNBCs Jonathan Dienst. Cohen added that blind loyalty to Trump was his weakness that led him astray. "It was my blind loyalty to this man that led me to take a path of darkness instead of light," he said. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." Cohen said he takes full responsibility and called this one of the most important days of his life. "I am truly sorry, and I promise I will be better," Cohen said in tearful remarks. Cohen's lawyers had argued for leniency, saying he decided to cooperate with investigators rather than hold out for a possible pardon. "He came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country," Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, told the judge during the hearing. Before resting, Petrillo said Cohen had the misfortune of being the president's counsel and asked for "full consideration of mercy." Jeannie Rhee of the special counsel's office said Cohen's cooperation has been helpful in the office's investigation and that he spoke the truth, highlighting for the court that value and reliability of Cohen's statements. However, the prosecutor for the Southern District of New York said Cohen didnt come close to helping their office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said Cohen's crimes showed a "pattern of deceit, brazenness and greed." He called for a sentence that sends a message that "even powerful, privileged individuals cannot violate these laws with impunity." Lanny Davis, who was previously an attorney for Cohen, said in a statement that Cohen continues to tell the truth about Donald Trumps misconduct over the years. He added that he will help Cohen state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump after Mueller completes his probe. Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts, Davis said, adding that he will now serve as a communications adviser to Cohen as the sentencing process is complete. Cohen was seen leaving his New York City apartment after 9:30 in a black car after hugging family members, NBC News reported. He then walked into the courthouse with his wife and children just after 10 a.m. and did not speak to reporters before or after the sentencing. Cohen, 52, pleaded guilty in August to evading $1.4 million in taxes related to his personal businesses. In the part of the case with greater political repercussions, he also admitted breaking campaign finance laws in arranging payments in the waning days of the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, both of whom said they had sexual encounters with Trump. Cohen became the first and so far, only member of Trump's circle during two years of investigations to go into open court and implicate the president in a crime, though whether a president can be prosecuted is a matter of legal dispute. Last month, Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about Trump's business dealings in Russia. He admitted hiding the fact that he was negotiating a proposal to build a Trump skyscraper in Moscow well into the presidential campaign. He said he lied out of devotion to Trump, who had insisted during the campaign that he had no business ties whatsoever to Russia. The sentence was the culmination of a spectacular rise and fast fall of a lawyer who attached himself to the fortunes of his biggest client, helped him get elected president, then turned on him, cooperating with two interconnected investigations: one run by federal prosecutors in New York, the other by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian efforts to influence the race for the White House. It remains to be seen how much damage Cohen's cooperation will do to Trump. Legal experts said Cohen could get his sentence reduced if he strikes a deal with prosecutors to tell them more. In their court filing, the prosecutors left no doubt that they believe Cohen arranged the hush-money payments at Trump's direction, saying the maneuver was part of an effort to "influence the election from the shadows." Trump, who insists the affairs never happened, argued on Twitter that the payments to the women were "a simple private transaction," not a campaign contribution. And if it was a prohibited contribution, Trump said, Cohen is the one who should be held responsible. "Lawyer's liability if he made a mistake, not me," Trump wrote, adding, "Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced. WITCH HUNT!" Trump had repeatedly called for a tough sentence for Cohen, whom he labeled a liar. Cohen has had at least seven meetings with Mueller's team, which said in court papers that Cohen provided "relevant and useful" information about attempts by Russian figures to influence Trump's campaign. In the hush-money case, prosecutors said, Cohen arranged for the parent company of the National Enquirer to pay $150,000 to McDougal. He also paid $130,000 to Daniels and was reimbursed by Trump's business empire. Prosecutors said the McDougal payment violated federal law against corporate campaign contributions, while the money that went to Daniels exceeded the $2,700 limit on campaign donations. After Cohen's sentencing, federal prosecutors in Manhattan revealed that they have also reached an agreement with National Enquirer parent company AMI, in which AMI admitted it made the hush-money payment at Cohen's direction. AMI will not be prosecuted as part of that deal, in exchange for what was described as its "substantial and important assistance in this investigation." "AMI further admitted that its principal purpose in making the payment was to suppress the womans story so as to prevent it from influencing the election," prosecutors said. 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 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. 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 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 and suggested Tuesday that talks to resolve their differences may resume. But President Donald Trump undercut efforts to distinguish between trade talks and the Huawei case. In an interview with Reuters, he said Tuesday that he would consider intervening in the Justice Department's 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 acting in good faith, according to the law, in response to a U.S. extradition request," Paris tweeted. The Chinese government said its economy czar had 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 he had spoken by phone with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. The news that trade negotiations may resume lifted stock markets around the world. 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. AP writers Matthew Lee and Joe McDonald contributed to this report. What to Know A teenage boy slashed by another student inside their high school in Queens is recovering in a hospital The victim said it started three weeks ago, when the alleged attacker bumped into the victim's girlfriend by accident. leading to a dispute On Tuesday morning, the attacker viciously attacked him inside a school stairwell; he has been arrested The teenage boy slashed by another student inside their high school in Queens is speaking out for the first time as he recovers in a hospital bed. The 16-year-old boy's face is covered in stitches after the slashing at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside Tuesday morning. In an exclusive interview, his mother Ketty Parkinson tells News 4 New York she got the phone call at work. "It was my sister telling me a situation had occurred with my son," she said. "And that he was hurt and she was in the ambulance." Cellphones captured the attack in a school stairwell. The victim said it started three weeks ago, when the alleged attacker, who's 15, bumped into the victim's girlfriend by accident. That small encounter led to an argument, and then on Tuesday morning, the attacker viciously attacked him inside a school stairwell. "He was cut from one side of the forehead to the other," said Parkinson. "Plus underneath his chin. I think he almost missed his neck." The victim, whose father is a school safety agent, had to get more than 500 stitches across the top side and bottom of his face after the attack. The suspect turned himself in later that day. The victim is expected to recover but his mother said his injuries are severe. "I wouldn't wish that on any mother, to see their son go through that," she said. The 15-year-old suspect has been charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. A city Department of Education spokesperson on Tuesday said, "We are working with NYPD as they conduct an investigation, and are taking additional safety measures at the school." What to Know A 78-year-old New York man was evicted from federally subsidized housing last week because he uses medical marijuana for pain After news reports detailed his eviction last week, the program that coordinates his medical care suddenly dropped him An attorney for the program says generally, the federally funded program cannot help clients using pot access it without risking its funding A 78-year-old New York man who was evicted from federally subsidized housing because he uses medical marijuana for pain said Tuesday that the conflicting state and federal pot laws that left him homeless are now threatening his medical care. "The federal government has stepped in again and squashed it," said John Flickner, who uses a wheelchair and has a doctor's prescription for the drug. After news reports detailed his eviction last week, Flickner, who is now staying at a homeless shelter, said the Niagara Falls program that coordinates his care suddenly dropped him, leaving him without access to doctors and transportation. An attorney for the program, Complete Senior Care, said privacy laws prevent him from discussing individual patients. But generally speaking, attorney Jerry Solomon said that because medical marijuana is illegal under federal law, the federally funded program cannot help clients access it without risking its funding. "Federal guidelines from (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) ban them from prescribing that or allowing access or having anything to do with anyone having medical marijuana," Solomon said. "To do otherwise would jeopardize being able to service all the other patients that they have." New York is among states that have legalized medical marijuana, but advocates say it's not uncommon for people to be evicted from federally subsidized housing for using the drug. Last week in news reports, Flickner described steering his electric wheelchair in freezing temperatures to a center after being evicted. On Sunday, his former landlord reversed course. Flickner said he relies on medical marijuana for back pain dating to a skydiving mishap 50 years ago. "The eviction of Mr. Flickner is not a reflection of who we are or our resident service values. We are rescinding our decision and revisiting our policy for this evolving issue," LHP Capital of Tennessee said in a statement Sunday. Flickner had not decided Tuesday whether to return. Niagara Towers is subsidized by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which said it gives landlords discretion on whether to evict residents for using medical marijuana. Solomon said Complete Senior Care has no such discretion. CMS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Wilcox is unopposed for clerk, as is Jim Dee for treasurer, Renee Smith for the 1st Ward alderman seat held by Walter Mosby and incumbent Sonia Perez in the 2nd Ward. In addition to Brasseas challenge of Amadio in the 5th Ward, Charles Dieringer is challenging the incumbent Zaranti in the 6th Ward. What to Know Alain Kaloyeros, 62, was sentenced in federal court to 3 years in prison for his role in corrupting the state's Buffalo Billion project Cuomo once called Kaloyeros his "economic guru" and invited him to appear at the announcement of various economic development projects Cuomo was not accused of wrongdoing himself but the corruption allegations have left a cloud over his administration The former head of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute was sentenced Tuesday to 3 years in prison for his role in corrupting the state's Buffalo Billion project. Alain Kaloyeros, 62, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who noted that the Beirut-born scientist was "living the American dream" until he wandered into corruption that stretched into the office of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo once called Kaloyeros his "economic guru" and the governor invited him to appear at the announcement of various economic development projects. Cuomo was not accused of wrongdoing himself in the Buffalo Billion prosecution or another related case involving bribes paid to a top aide, but the corruption allegations have left a cloud over his administration. The judge said Kaloyeros became "the Apple in Cuomo's eyes" as the governor initiated the biggest development project in upstate New York in recent memory. She said Kaloyeros did not profit financially but "profited politically" by helping to rig the bidding process for projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. She fined Kaloyeros $100,000. The judge said he can remain free on bail until a federal appeals court considers a substantial legal question. However, she said he must report to prison two months after the appeals court rules. Kaloyeros, who apologized to New York state residents, was convicted in July of conspiracy and wire fraud. "I stand before you with a heavy heart," Kaloyeros said. "I feel enormous responsibility for the hurt and loss I have caused others." His lawyers said in a statement afterward they still believe him to be "an innocent man." Kaloyeros was the president of New York's Polytechnic Institute when Cuomo tapped him to help a quest to create high-tech jobs in upstate New York. Kaloyeros, who led the Polytechnic Institute until he resigned in October 2016, was convicted after prosecutors presented evidence that the bidding process for the project was rigged to benefit a Buffalo developer and a Syracuse development company. His co-defendants - three developers - were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to three years. All plan to appeal. Caproni said Kaloyeros was very smart and had done many good things, but may have been damaged by his desire to be "the big man on campus ... a star in Albany." She said he generally saw himself as "the smartest guy in the room" and showed a "lack of respect for rules and law," thinking he could overcome every bureaucratic snafu through his smarts and personality. Defense attorney Reid Weingarten told Caproni that Kaloyeros never believed he was putting the state or his school in harm's way. "Dr. K, at the worst, was a passive participant in this," Weingarten said. In court papers, defense lawyers said Kaloyeros has continued since his arrest to work on research, co-authoring five scientific articles and submitting four patent applications. What to Know A judge ordered the release of a mother jailed after police violently pulled her toddler son from her arms in a videotaped encounter Trains across New York City are set to start running faster, with some already going faster than they have in years If you are looking for the best holiday windows this year NYC has some of the best Instagram-worthy ones around Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 Happy Wednesday! It's chilly again today, with highs in the 40s. But on the bright side, at least there will be lots of sunshine. As always, get the latest forecast at nbcnewyork.com/weather. 1. Mom in Cop Baby Grab Video Returns Home From Rikers A judge ordered the release of a mother jailed after police violently pulled her toddler son from her arms in a videotaped encounter in the crowded waiting room of a New York City social services office. The development came hours after Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that "in the interest of justice" he was dropping all charges against Jazmine Headley in the incident. The 23-year-old Headley told reporters after her release Tuesday from Rikers Island, "All the support that I've been getting in New York, all the great people... all the love, and I'm accepting it, I'm just so grateful." Read more here. 2. Quicker Commutes: Trains to Speed Up Across NYC Subway Trains across New York City are set to start running faster, with some already going faster than they have in years. NYC Transit is making amendments to the city's train speed limits after reviewing the rules and finding that, for decades, trains have been traveling slower than they needed to. The reasons are two-fold. Read more here. 3. NYC Has Some of Most Instagram-Worthy Holiday Window Displays If you are looking for the best holiday windows this year NYC has some of the best Instagram-worthy ones around. You are in for a sweet treat at Bergdorf Goodman. This year's candy-themed displays are some of the most elaborate in town. Saks is up to its usual theatrics, not only because the theme this year is "Theater of Dream: but because once again they have an incredible audio-visual experience to go with it. And even though The Grinch is at Bloomingdale's this year, the interactive windows will give you some holiday cheer. Read more here. For the latest entertainment news and things to do, tune in to New York Live, Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. on NBC 4 New York. What to Know Lawyers for President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn asked a judge to spare him prison time Attention Jimmy Dean sausage lovers: check your freezer because your links might be under recall due to possible metal contamination Kathie Lee Gifford will be departing the 'Today' show in April, where she has hosted the final hour alongside Hoda Kotb since 2008 Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here. Michael Flynn Argues Against Prison Time in Russia Investigation Lawyers for Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn asked a judge to spare him prison time, saying he had devoted his career to his country and taken responsibility for an "uncharacteristic error in judgment." The arguments to the judge echoed those of special counsel Robert Mueller's office, which last week said that Flynn's cooperation including 19 meetings with investigators was so extensive that he was entitled to avoid prison when he is sentenced next week. Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations during the presidential transition period with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States, will become the first White House official punished in the special counsel's ongoing probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Moment of Reckoning Looms for Ex-Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen The moment of reckoning has nearly arrived for Michael Cohen, who will find out whether his decision to walk away from President Trump after years of unwavering loyalty will spare him from a harsh prison sentence. A federal judge in New York is set to decide whether Cohen gets leniency or years in prison for crimes including tax evasion, making illegal hush-money payments to protect Trump during the campaign and lying to Congress about the president's past business dealings in Russia. Few observers expect the hearing to go well for the 52-year-old attorney. For weeks, his legal strategy appeared to revolve around persuading the court that he is a reformed man who abandoned longtime friendships and gave up his livelihood when he decided to break with the president and speak with federal investigators. Theresa May to Face No-Confidence Vote, British Official Says Conservative lawmakers in Britain will hold a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Theresa May that will see her removed as party and government leader if she loses. Graham Brady, who heads a committee overseeing Conservative leadership contests, said he had received letters from at least 48 lawmakers asking for a vote. As a result, he said, "the threshold of 15 percent of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded." Brady said the vote would be held in Parliament, with the results announced soon after. The announcement throws Britain's already rocky path out of the European Union, which it is due to leave in March, into further chaos. Many Tory lawmakers have been growing angry with May over her handling of Brexit. Jimmy Dean Sausage Links Recalled for Metal Pieces Attention Jimmy Dean sausage lovers: check your freezer because your links might be under recall due to possible metal contamination. Kentucky-based CTI Foods LLC has recalled more than 29,000 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat pork and poultry products that may be contaminated with metal pieces, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service said. There haven't been any reports of "adverse reactions" thus far, but the government still classified the recall as a high health risk, defined as a "reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." The government was notified on Dec. 10 of five complaints of metal pieces found in the sausages. Kathie Lee Gifford Departing 'Today' in April It's the end of an era. NBC News chief Noah Oppenheim announced Kathie Lee Gifford will be departing the "Today" show in April, where she has hosted the final hour of the broadcast alongside Hoda Kotb since 2008. Gifford shared the news on the broadcast. "Everything good that has happened in my life has happened because you came, Kotb said to Gifford. "Our show is about catching each other when you fall down, thats it," Kotb added. "Which is daily for us," Lee said. "I cannot believe that were on TV and this is happening," Kotb said. In a memo to staff, Oppenheim called the 65-year-old Gifford "one of the most enduring and endearing talents in morning television. In short she is a legend." He said she will focus on her film, music and book projects. Nick Cannon Slams Oscars for Dumping Kevin Hart Nick Cannon isn't just defending his friend and fellow comedian Kevin Hart over the Oscars hosting controversy. He's also going after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences itself. Cannon was one of many cheering the decision to appoint Hart as host of the Feb. 24 telecast but then with dismay watched as his friend voluntarily stepped down following an outcry over past homophobic tweets. Hart contended he'd already addressed those tweets and they no longer represented his views. Cannon, who was promoting his new show, "The Masked Singer," told The Associated Press he talked with Hart during the controversy, and said "I felt that the Academy actually could've handled it in a different way." He added that organizers should have done their research before offering Hart the gig. The veteran "Wild N Out" host also said there's an irony to this situation because he believes the Academy has its own skeletons when it comes to both racism and a lack of diversity. A fourth-grader in Alabama died by suicide after being bullied with racist taunts, according to the child's family. McKenzie Nicole Adams, 9, a U.S. Jones Elementary School student, was found dead in her home on Dec. 3 by her grandmother, according to Tuscaloosa News. Eddwina Harris, the girl's aunt, told Tuscaloosa News that the bullying her niece experienced stemmed from her friendship with a white boy at her school. "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 b----,' 'just die'," Harris told the paper. If you or a loved one are looking for help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 Nikki Haley, the departing U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said in an interview for NBC's "Today" show that she used President Donald Trump's "unpredictable" nature to her advantage on the job. "He would ratchet up the rhetoric, and then I'd go back to the ambassadors and say: 'You know, he's pretty upset. I can't promise you what he's going to do or not, but I can tell you if we do these sanctions, it will keep him from going too far,'" Haley said. Haley also said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman doesn't "get a pass" for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But she stopped short of recommending giving Saudi Arabia anything more than stern talking-to. Haley said that she wants her nominated successor, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, to be "successful" and "time will tell how this works out." An elderly woman died from exposure to cold temperatures in her Lehigh Valley home. Jeanette Wintz, 95, was found dead in her home Sunday night after prolonged exposure to cold ambient air temperatures within her residence in Allentown, Lehigh County coroner Scott Grim announced Tuesday. Deputy Coroner Craig Hanzl ruled Wintzs death an accident caused by complications of hypothermia. Temperatures in Allentown late Saturday afternoon were at 32 degrees. Overnight into Sunday the low fell into the low 20s and remained around or below the freezing mark into Sunday night when Wintz was found. Wintz was last heard from over the weekend. The reasoning for the heater not being on wasnt clear. Anyone in need of help to heat their home can contact Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Lehigh County also offers an array of heating assistance programs and heating centers. Click here for info. What to Know A Chester County attorney is accused of using his ex-wife's accounts to spend money on strip clubs, porn and an extramarital affair. Joshua Janis, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is charged with identity theft, forgery, access device fraud and theft. Janis was initially arrested over the summer for allegedly defrauding some of his clients. A local attorney who was already charged with defrauding his clients was arrested again for allegedly using his ex-wifes accounts to spend money on strip clubs, pornography and an extramarital affair. Joshua Janis, 38, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is charged with identity theft, forgery, access device fraud and theft. Janis was initially arrested over the summer for allegedly defrauding multiple clients in his law practice in Chester County, Pennsylvania. After he was charged, he separated from his wife and then divorced. After the divorce, Janis ex-wife began receiving bills from different accounts that she did not recognize, according to police. She ran a credit report and discovered Janis had opened multiple accounts in her name and created large, unauthorized expenses, investigators said. She then reported it to police. Police determined Janis had used his ex-wifes identity and personal information to set up accounts with Capital One, T-Mobile, Bank of America, Citibank, Comcast, AT&T and other entities. Janis allegedly used the accounts for bills at strip clubs, pornography and expenses related to an extramarital affair. Janis incurred over $20,000 in unpaid expenses in his ex-wifes name while the other accounts had fraudulent expenses that varied from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars, investigators said. Janis is being held on $5,000 bail. He is scheduled to go on trial in January in relation to his initial arrest. The defendant did not hesitate to defraud clients, colleagues, and even his wife, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said. Anybody who had any significant contacts with the defendant needs to check and determine if they were victims of the defendants greed. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has offered details on the cost of the clergy abuse scandal. The latest edition of the diocese's official publication says the scandal has cost it $21.5 million since 1999. Of that amount, the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reports, $15.7 million has gone to settlement payouts and awards, $4.3 million to legal fees, and half a million to survivor counseling. A letter from Bishop Mark Bartchak says 290 people have received settlements or counseling from the diocese. A state attorney general's grand jury report has alleged the diocese protected at least 50 religious leaders suspected of abuse. The Tribune-Democrat reports that the diocese also has paid more than $900,000 to clergy for compensation that has included salaries to members who were removed from ministry while under investigation. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Tuesday that the powers of his Democratic replacement will remain among the strongest of any governor in the country, even if he signs bills fellow Republicans approved in a lame-duck legislative session. The lengthy Facebook post , where Walker praised the measures without saying whether he will sign them, is the clearest signal yet that the outgoing Republican governor is generally supportive of the bills restricting powers of the office. The post comes as Walker faces increasing pressure from Republicans , including a prominent donor and former governor, to veto the measures. Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers said over the weekend that he had made a personal plea to Walker to veto the bills but that the governor was noncommittal. Evers and other Democrats are weighing lawsuits to block some of the measures. The bills would limit early voting to no more than two weeks before an election; shield the state's job-creation agency from Evers' control until September; limit his ability to enact administrative rules; block Evers from withdrawing Wisconsin from a multistate lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act; and weaken powers of incoming Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. But Walker's Facebook post downplayed the scope of the measures the Republican-controlled Legislature passed last week, less than five days after they were introduced. "Let's set the record straight the new governor will still have some of the strongest powers of any governor in the nation if these bills become law," Walker wrote. He noted that the new governor's broad veto power, including a line-item veto on budget bills, remains unchanged. Walker also highlighted the governor's ability to appoint members of his Cabinet and other positions, including judges, district attorneys and sheriffs. And, Walker said the governor's ability to present a two-year state budget and pardon convicted felons something Walker has never done over his eight years in office would remain unchanged. Walker delineated what he called "straightforward criteria" for deciding whether to sign the bills. That includes whether they improve transparency, increase accountability, affirm stability in government and protect taxpayers. In each category, Walker cited examples from the bills that he supports, such as requiring a report on who had been pardoned and requiring all money obtained from lawsuit settlements to be deposited in the state's general fund. Walker also said it "makes sense" to require legislative approval when the governor seeks a federal waiver. One bill would require that for any health care-related waivers, a new hurdle that Walker did not have to abide by but he also worked closely with Republicans who controlled the Legislature all eight years he was in office. Evers will have to work with a Republican controlled Legislature at least his first two years in office. Walker was also on the defensive over the weekend, after former Republican Gov. Scott McCallum joined the call from conservatives for Walker to veto the bill. Others, including prominent GOP donor Sheldon Lubar and conservative commentator Charlie Sykes, have said Walker will tarnish his legacy by signing them. Walker issued a series of tweets on Saturday each beginning with "OUR LEGACY" where he spelled out his accomplishments in office, such as eliminating the state property tax and cutting college tuition. The bills will be automatically sent to Walker by Dec. 20 if he doesn't request them from the Legislature sooner. Walker hasn't responded to questions about whether and when he will call for the bills before Dec. 20. Once he has them, he has six days not counting Sunday to sign or veto them. A new brick-and-mortar toy store in Maryland opened by a former Toys R Us manager is seeing success thanks to the diversity of its dolls and toys. Glendon Warner said he worked for Toys R Us when it went bankrupt. He decided to stock all he learned there into something new. Toys, Babies and More in Hyattsville has been open for about two months and has found a customer base during a time when brick-and-mortar stores struggle to compete with Amazon and other online shopping options. Warner sees that as an opportunity. They don't think about people who still don't know how to use a website, he said. They dont think about people who still want to walk around and still bring their kids into a store where they can see live toys. Part of the draw is what he stocks on his shelves: Dolls of color. Dolls that reflect the diversity of the children who play with them can be hard to find. I noticed that even when I was with Toys R Us, Warner said. Before the second week of December, you can't find African-American dolls." The diversity of the toys and dolls he offers has gained him some international sales. My second sale was from Great Britain, he said. Because of the diversity and the hard-to-find toys, Toys, Babies and More has a strong presence online. As word of his toy story spreads, so does his business, something of which he and his wife are very proud. It's not easy, but when you have good family, you have God, anything is possible, Claudine Warner said. Toys, Babies and More is located at 7455 Annapolis Road. Austin Berg's solution to the pension crisis, disregards the negative affects it would have had on the thousands of Illinois state pension holders. The real solution the the pension crisis would have been for the state to fully fund the pension fund, as promised. For decades, governors and legislatures used the pension funds as a source of funding for other state projects. So-called pension holidays were used as an excuse to use the pension funds, promising to pay them back. The state never paid them back. The employees did their share in the funding process, but the state did not. Then when the burden became large, the solution was to blame the pension holders, penalize them, and absolve the State of it's obligations. . . A Catholic priest in Purcellville, Virginia, is accused of inappropriate contact with a minor and adults, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office says. The Catholic Diocese of Arlington has placed Father Ronald S. Escalante on leave pending an investigation by the sheriff's office. The Saint Francis de Sales Church riest is accused of "boundary violations involving a minor and adults" that go against its clergy code of conduct, according to a press release from the diocese. Sheriff's spokesman Kraig Troxell says the diocese reported the possible "inappropriate contact" to authorities. The diocese release says Escalante denies the allegations, which are being considered by the Diocesan Review Board. What to Know Marianne Benjamin-Williams was found guilty of attempted murder, assault and strangulation for stuffing a baby wipe down an infant's throat Little Maxwell Blutreich was gasping for breath when he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in May of last year Prosecutors argued the nanny was frustrated with the baby's incessant crying and unhappy with her pay A Manhattan nanny has been convicted of stuffing a baby wipe down the throat of a 2-month-old boy in her care, nearly killing the child. Marianne Benjamin-Williams was found guilty Tuesday of attempted murder, assault and strangulation after just one day of deliberations. She's to be sentenced Jan. 7. Little Maxwell Blutreich was gasping for breath when he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in May of last year. During emergency surgery, doctors discovered a balled-up baby wipe lodged deep in the child's airway. Prosecutors argued the nanny was frustrated with the baby's incessant crying and unhappy with her pay. The 47-year-old Benjamin-Williams testified she never tried to kill the infant and even tried to save him. Her lawyer argued that Maxwell could have accidentally sucked in the baby wipe. President Donald Trump's first encounter with newly empowered congressional Democrats produced a striking Oval Office display that revealed how ill-prepared he is for the biggest political challenge of his presidency. There was Trump, sitting between two seasoned legislators, repeating his demands for border wall funds, while House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer first politely, then forcefully, told him no, with the force of their combined 60-plus years in Congress. Tuesday's televised bout offered a tantalizing preview of divided government in Trump's Washington. The bravado and playground taunts that are the president's signature weapons of choice ran squarely up against the Democratic resistance, subpoenas and gridlock of a soon-to-be empowered Congress. After two years of unified Republican control in Washington, Trump learned the hard way that as challenging as his first two years in office have been, the next will be even more trying. It marked the beginning of what may be an early comeuppance after Trump's post-election spin that Democratic control of the House would turn out to be smoother for him than having a slim GOP majority. When Trump invited reporters and cameras into his private meeting with Pelosi and Schumer, Democrats played on his turf: Taunting, goading and lecturing the president, Pelosi and Schumer made clear they intend to use their seats at the table to give the president a taste of what he's been serving since taking office. "Elections have consequences, Mr. President," Schumer said pointedly after Trump was reminded that Democrats took control of the House. It was a new reality that Trump, still smarting from his party's losses on Nov. 6, appeared to be struggling to internalize as his demands for border wall funds fell flat with those he'll need as partners to deliver on his priorities. Pelosi told reporters later at the Capitol that she "didn't want to contradict the president again and again in front of the public." But, she said, "If that's what he wants, then that's what we have to do." The freewheeling meeting was hardly designed to score a deal on keeping key government agencies open past Dec. 21. The president admitted as much. For Trump, it was an opportunity to lay his case before the American people, as the Democrats first urged Trump to negotiate privately, and then treated him to a public needling. From the start, the differences were clear. Pelosi told the president the American people expected the government to stay open, adding: "You should not have a Trump shutdown." "Did you say 'Trump?'" the president asked. That set the stage for what came next: Trump and Pelosi haggling over vote counts, along the way highlighting Trump's long-term disengagement from the legislative process. He and Schumer sparred over politics. Rather than reach toward compromise, Trump tried to force Democrats to accept the border wall on his terms. But bolstered by their electoral wins, Democrats weren't having it. The encounter only reinforced the fears of White House aides and some of Trump's congressional allies that he is not only unprepared for dealmaking in a divided Washington but also for handling the investigations of Trump and his administration that Democrats are sure to undertake. When Trump said he'd be "proud" to shut down the government over border security, it became a soundbite for the ages. Later, Pelosi said Trump talked so much about the border wall, "it's like a manhood thing for him." That comment was revealed on condition of anonymity by an aide who was in the room but was not authorized to speak publicly. Pelosi also said Trump insisted Mexico would pay for the wall. Democrats have grown almost exasperated working with Trump who, after nearly two years in office, still doesn't seem to understand Congress and can't always stick to his decisions and close the deal. "Dealmaker, negotiator, whatever. That wasn't my experience with him," said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, who tried and failed to cut an immigration deal with Trump last year. "We've got to bring him into the world of congressional reality," Durbin said. "And sometimes I wonder if he has anyone around him who does that." White House officials offered little commentary on the remarkable Oval Office confrontation beyond admonishing Democrats for trying to move the proceedings out of public view. They privately questioned whether Trump understood the gravity of the new legislative era. But Trump, at least publicly, expressed confidence in the exchange. Trump has long believed that his tough immigration rhetoric was responsible for his 2016 campaign victory, and he brandished it again for the 2018 midterms to more mixed success. According to AP VoteCast, more voters this year opposed the border wall than supported it. "If we close the country, I will take it because we're closing it down for border security and I think I win that every single time," Trump said later. He insisted the meeting with Pelosi and Schumer was "very friendly." Democrats, too, suggested the meeting ended well enough, noting that Trump neither accepted nor rejected their offer to fund the government with up to $1.6 billion for border security, rather than the $5 billion he's been demanding for the wall. But Democrats showed they are comfortable, as Pelosi often says, standing their ground "like a rock" even if the day of name-calling and rancor provided a curtain raiser for the new Congress. Democrats seemed to indicate they know what they're in for and may emerge tarnished. As Pelosi said, according to the aide, "It goes to show you: You get into a tickle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you." A Massachusetts man died Tuesday morning from injuries sustained while cutting down a tree in Amherst. Authorities said the Thomas Moszynski, 38, of Easthampton, was cutting down a tree on Sand Hill Road at about 9 a.m. when the incident occurred. No foul play is suspected. The incident is under investigation by Amherst Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. Authorities said a compliance officer from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will complete an investigation. After several sightings in a Massachusetts community, a black bear has become a local celebrity. A police sergeant in Burlington said he spotted the bear near Barnes and Noble Monday night. An Animal Control officer saw it Friday and the staff at Buffalo Wild Wings got video of the bear leaving the dumpsters on Wednesday night. Manager Albert Henry said there was no mistaking it was a bear. "No, no, no it was too big. Great Danes are big but not that big and fluffy," said Henry. "It was hairy and all black with a gray face." Albert said he was taking out the trash when he saw a shadow. "I just turned around and it looked at me and I just went, 'OK. That's a black bear.' I reached for the door, opened it and went back inside." Burlington police said they have received a number of calls in the past week from people who have spotted the bear near high traffic areas. Sgt. Kevin Doherty said it's not unusual to see bears in Burlington and this one is likely getting in its last meals before hibernation. Doherty stressed the best way to keep everyone safe, including the bear, is to stay clear. "The reality of the situation is, it's a wild animal. It's a bear. It's a large bear," said Doherty. "And unfortunately the more people who have interactions with it may drive him into an area where it could become dangerous or a hazard." For Henry, he said he has never expected to see wildlife while working at Buffalo Wild Wings. "Hopefully he's getting his last meals, going home to bed and I hope I don't have to see him again," said Henry. Some New Hampshire residents are calling for the end of a longstanding tree lighting tradition in one seacoast town after the town administrator refused to allow the local Jewish center to install a menorah next to the tree. The lighting of the Memorial Park tree has been a beloved holiday tradition for as long as most Durham residents can remember. We had residents who grew up with it and are now bringing their kids and grandkids to it, so its a special event, said Town Administrator Todd Selig. This year, the Seacoast Chabad asked to install a nine-foot menorah next to the tree. Selig said that request was rejected. Our longstanding policy has been, we simply dont allow the display of religious items on town property, he explained. The towns holiday tree is exempt from that policy because Selig says according to a Supreme Court ruling, a holiday tree is secular. The problem here is that not everyone agrees. I feel like the tree is religious, so the menorah should be allowed there too, said UNH Junior Andrew Merchant. Still, Selig stands by his decision, saying theres another important public safety concern with placing giant removable object, religious or not, in the center of a college town. We ensure all of our infrastructure downtown is hardened and securely fastened to the ground; if its not, it tends to walk away by intoxicated people, Selig said. And in that respect, even students understand the decision. Being in a college town, everything is up for grabs if youve had a little too much to drink at night, said UNH Graduate Lauren Bannon. There are some stupid kids out there, especially when they drink, so thats understandable, Merchant said. Rabbi Berel Slavaticki, who made the request, says the Seacoast Chabad would be paying for the menorah and they arent afraid of possible damage to it. What a shame it would be to allow anti-Semitism and vandals to chase us away, instead we have to show our faith proudly, Rabbi Slavaticki said. He also made it clear that he believes this is just the first step toward a more inclusive holiday season in Durham. We are committed to working with the town administration to create a path forward that will allow everyone to enjoy their faith, Rabbi Slavaticki said. After a special meeting Monday night, the town decided not to cancel the tree lighting ceremony next year. Instead, there will be a committee formed at the beginning of the year to look into making the festivities more inclusive. A New Hampshire family that has been without water since July is now being forced to sell a prized possession to ensure they have enough money to keep buying water. Deanna Anthony and her family have not had water since their four wells dried up at their Hampstead home. "I think for a lot of people, it's something you take for granted," said Anthony, who lives on Main Street. For her family, the sound of running water is music to their ears because of what happened over the summer. I just went to turn on the water and just nothing came out," Anthony told NBC10 Boston. Her family wasn't alone. In the July of 2017, more than two dozen homes saw their private wells run dry at the same time. Although that issue was resolved, the Anthony family lost its groundwater again this July. Anthony says since the town doesn't regulate water, nobody can tell them exactly why it happened. "We're very, very frustrated," Anthony said. "We feel our basic right to water has been taken away." The Anthony's, though, are the only family still without any access to groundwater, so they rely on a 750-gallon delivery every single week. "We've learned to stretch it. We can do it. But it's not the way that you think life should be in a beautiful town like Hampstead," she said. Anthony says a local well contractor has tried nearly everything and that a fix may only come if a private water company installs lines that reach her property. "When those come, it costs us as the homeowner about $10,000 to hook onto that," she said. To ensure they have the money when that happens, the Anthony's have decided sell their most prized possession. "This is our 1968 Chevy Nova," Anthony said as she opened the sparkling navy blue driver-side door. Her husband's childhood dream was to own an antique car. He saved up and finally bought the Nova last year. "Everywhere you go, people's jaws drop because it's just rumbling and loud and beautiful," she said. But they realize, for reasons out of their control, it's a luxury they can't afford anymore. "It's really, really sad, but there is going to be relief that comes with it, too," Anthony said, trying to be optimistic. Joe Guthrie, a Hampstead town selectman and state legislator, told NBC10 Boston that because of the family's story, lawmakers are considering some building ordinances that would help conserve groundwater in the future. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is also looking into whether the dry wells are the result of any wrongdoing. From immigration to the opioid crisis to the death of Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger, the top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts took questions about a range of topics during a roundtable discussion Wednesday. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling is coming up on a year in the position and minutes before he sat down with reporters, news broke that his office had arrested an eighth Massachusetts State Police trooper accused of abusing the department's overtime system. He said the investigation is not over, but the department needs to turn a corner and get past this. "I anticipate further investigation," Lelling said. "I don't want to say we necessarily anticipate further indictments. It could happen. We're looking at reams of data." While Lelling was in the hot seat, he took questions on a number of hot button issues, including immigration enforcement. He was pressed about the controversy over a report by the Boston Globe that a Newton judge helped a defendant evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He said he has no plans to prosecute judges, but immigration laws should be enforced. "If you obstruct what they're doing, you're committing a federal crime because you're obstructing enforcement of a federal law, and in an environment as politicized as this one, it seems to me people need to be reminded about this," Lelling said. He also reminded everyone that the focus of his office is on the opioid crisis. He defended his decision to send letters to physicians across the state, raising concern about their prescribing practices. "We need to be careful when prescribing literally what is a deadly substance," he said. Lelling said they will continue to target their efforts on cities like Lawrence, which he called a source city for fentanyl pouring in to New Hampshire and Maine. When asked about recreational marijuana, he said it is still illegal under federal law, but beyond money laundering that may be connected to it and the potential of selling it to minors, it is not a big concern. "Marijuana is not the priority of my office," Lelling said. "Marijuana didn't kill 2,000 people in Massachusetts last year, opioids did." Lelling was also pressed on the prison killing of Bulger. He said any inmate killed by another inmate in jail is something that should never happen, but he spoke positively about the Federal Bureau of Prisons. When asked whether or not he thinks the Bulger family deserves compensation, he said he could not comment. "There's a lot of non-public details about the event that I'm not at liberty to give you," Lelling said. The Facebook page of Maine's Republican governor will no longer block critics, according to a settlement reached last week with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine and the operators of the Facebook page. The operators of Gov. Paul LePage's Facebook page agreed to unblock certain critics in a settlement Friday that stemmed from the ACLU's federal lawsuit filed in 2017. In August, U.S. District Judge John Woodcock Jr. denied LePage's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which the ACLU filed on behalf of two women, Kelli Whitlock Burton, of Waldoboro, and Karin Leuthy, of Camden. LePage continues to dispute the lawsuit's claim that he was censoring critics in a public forum in violation of their civil rights, according to the settlement. The ACLU agreed to dismiss its lawsuit in the settlement, as long as the Facebook page's administrators unblock known critics and stop deleting comments based on their viewpoint. "We hope every politician in Maine will recognize the importance of free and open dialogue on the internet and do the same," ACLU attorney Emma Bond said. The ACLU said the "Paul LePage, Maine's Governor" Facebook page is verified by Facebook, a process that requires his approval. LePage's spokeswoman Julie Rabinowitz said the governor's page was originally set up as a political site and not an official government page. State employees lack access to the page and cannot post on it, Rabinowitz said. "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," Rabinowitz said. "The governor is glad the ACLU is going to dismiss its case and that there will be no further expenses incurred in defending this lawsuit." LePage's political adviser Brent Littlefield signed the settlement on behalf of the Facebook page's administrators. A post on the Facebook page said following "labels and other actions" taken by Facebook, some page users may have believed state government staff ran the governor's page. The governor's official state website linked to the Facebook page until July 2017, when the ACLU sent LePage a letter demanding he stop deleting comments. The governor's office had referred news outlets to the Facebook page, which in 2017 featured video addresses from LePage during the three-day government shutdown. The ACLU's lawsuit referenced a remark LePage made in a 2017 radio appearance about his efforts to bypass the news media by using the Facebook page. "They're so bad," LePage said, referring to journalists. "And you know what we found that works? We go Facebook Live and we ignore them and they get even angrier." ACLU chapters have helped lead similar efforts in states including Maryland and Kentucky. Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott unblocked Facebook users following a letter from the ACLU that called its practice of blocking users and deleting comments a violation of the First Amendment. Imagine if your parents said they were sending you across (an) ocean to live with relatives youve never met before, Chapman said. You didnt know anyone. You didnt know the language. She never saw her parents again. They were murdered in the Holocaust. There were no aunts, uncles or cousins. A layoff of 269 people in a company of 33,000 usually isnt noteworthy, but given where the layoffs hit, its notable. Qualcomm has signaled the end of the road for Centriq, its ARM-based server processor, which never got out of the starting gate. U.S. companies have to notify their state employment of layoffs 60 days before they happen, making these events less of a surprise as reporters get wind of them. A letter from Qualcomm to its home city of San Diego said 125 people would be let go on February 6, while a note to officials in Raleigh, North Carolina, says 144 people also will be cut loose. The news is a repeat of what happened last June, right down to the number of people let go and cities impacted. The cuts target several divisions, one of which is the company's data center division, which was barely staffed to begin with. The Information, which first reported on the layoffs, says the data center group will be down to just 50 people after a peak of more than 1,000. That includes the head of the group, Anand Chandrasekher, a former Intel executive, who is no longer with Qualcomm. "Qualcomm is reducing our investments in the data center business but remains committed to business obligations and upcoming compute opportunities at the edge of 5G networks and AI inference cloud solutions," a spokesperson told me. Qualcomm formally launched the Centriq in November 2017, aimed primarily at handling cloud workloads. It was meant to be a more power-efficient option than Intel Xeons for lighter application workloads, such as containerized apps, web serving and web apps. Previous attempts by other companies to break Intels dominance in the server market met with varying results. Calxeda crashed and burned because it was a 32-bit chip and no one wants a 32-bit server processor with its 4GB memory limit. Cavium started to gain some momentum with its ThunderX2, including a supercomputer built by Cray. Cavium was just acquired by Marvell. Centriq lives on in China Interestingly, Qualcomm is letting its Chinese development partner continue with the Centriq. HXT, otherwise known as Guizhou Huaxintong Semiconductor Technology Co, Ltd., is a joint-venture by Qualcomm and Guizhou Province in China to sell the Centriq in China. And just last month, HXT announced its Thang Long 4800 server processor was in mass production. Thang Longs specs match that of the Centriq 2400, with one change: a crypto module that I doubt any western company would trust. Qualcomm has had a rough year between layoffs, its NXP acquisition being nixed, and having to fight off a hostile takeover bid from Broadcom. Perhaps thats why it didnt have the fight in it because the concept of ARM in the data center is being borne out, and not just by Cavium and Cray. At its recent AWS re:Invent show, Amazon announced it would begin offering ARM-based cloud instances powered by its own chips, called Graviton. Amazon acquired its developer, Annapurna Labs, in 2015. The chip is said to be a 16-core processor based on the Cortex-A72 design running at 2.3Ghz, but the big selling point will be the ARM cores will be up to 45 percent cheaper than x86 instances. Clearly Qualcomm was on the right track, but something went wrong somewhere. Richard Benyon gives backing to Theresa May ahead of no confidence vote NEWBURY MP Richard Benyon has said he will be backing Prime Minister Theresa May in tonight's no confidence vote. A tumultuous 24 hours for Mrs May has seen members of her party state that they have lost faith in her leadership. The required 48 letters needed to trigger a no confidence vote reached the party's 1922 committee last night; and Conservative MPs will vote on the future of the party, Brexit and Britain from 6pm. Mr Benyon released a video on YouTube this morning outlining his position. In the one-minute-and-23-second post Mr Benyon said: "So quite a momentous day in Parliament today. "I regret the decision of some of my colleagues to call a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, precisely at this time where she is trying to go the last mile to secure a deal that will secure a majority in the house of commons; and that will be welcomed by most people out there in the real world; and it just seems to me to be the wrong time to say goodbye to a Prime Minister who is working unbelievable long hours to try and get this deal through. "And so what will happen? Well I hope she will win, and that she will get on and be able to bring to parliament this and we will vote on all kinds of permutations; and if it's rejected she may well want to pivot to some new solution. "She may well want to leave that to somebody else or a caretaker but that's for another day. "To me it is entirely the wrong time, and not the way I like things to be done in politics or in life, and therefore I will be supporting the Prime Minister in the vote tonight." Speaking to NewbutyToday this afternoon, Mr Benyon added: "It just seems like it's extreme danger and folly. "I think my party will back her. She has got to be given the chance to bring a deal with changes back to Parliament and see what Parliament makes of it. "It's stupendously bad timing." Mr Benyon said that he wanted to see a deal get through Parliament that required all of its energies focused on it. "I'm grounded in the real world by the wisdom of business managers in West Berkshire who are deeply concerned about the prospect of no deal," he said. Mr Benyon added there was potential of landing huge investment if a deal was secured but businesses were holding off "and who can blame them?". The vote will be held tonight, with the result expected at around 9pm. Mrs May will need the backing of at least 158 Conservative MPs to remain as leader. But she could chose to resign if she wins support by a low margin. If Mrs May loses tonight's vote she will have to resign as leader of the party. She will remain as Prime Minister until a new leader is appointed, which could take up to six weeks and draw close to January 21; the day when her Brexit deal must return to Parliament. If that happens, MPs have said that Article 50 may have to be suspended. If Mrs May wins, she cannot be challenged for another year. Mr Benyon said that a loss for the Prime Minister would lead to a leadership contest when MPs needed to focus on "this most difficult situation, the most difficult situation this country has seen for a long time and then we can get on with things that matter to other people and me". When asked about the front runners to replace Mrs May, he said: "I really haven't ... you know the section of the party I'm from. The Conservative Party, part of it's strength is it's always been a broad church but the Prime Minister is the Prime Minister and deserves all our support." The Tri-City area was not the only one to benefit from an anonymous donors generosity. On Dec. 4, a South African Krugerrand valued at $1,200 was dropped into a red kettle outside Casey's Foods in Naperville something that has happened annually for the last 20 or so years, the store owner said. The Casey's kettle site is one of 54 operated by the Salvation Army's Aurora Corps that covers the Naperville, Aurora, Montgomery, North Aurora and Oswego area. They want to know they are valued, he said. Ive done everything I can do to tell them. Now they realize they are valued by the county as well. It solidified the county was willing to work with them and give them a fair deal. BRIDGEPORT The ribbon was cut more than five years ago. Three sets of seniors now have high school diplomas from Fairchild Wheelers three interdistrict science high schools. But the $126.8 million new school project remains officially incomplete. An attempt to rectify the incomplete status so the city can collect the remaining 5 percent of the states share of the project failed on Monday when the school board refused to sign off on it. Larry Schilling, a construction program manager for the city, tried to assure the board that the work was done. Several board members werent buying it. Board members Chris Taylor and Maria Pereira both asked for assurances that there were no major problems with the building. Pereira wondered about the roofs turbine system which apparently malfunctioned shortly after the building opened. Taylor pledged to visit the school, talk in private with teachers and hoist a ladder to the roof if necessary to conduct his own inspection. Let me tell you, Bridgeport has the worst school construction I have ever seen, Taylor said. The quality that they distribute to our students is embarrassing ... I am tired of our taxpayers and our students paying top dollar and getting poor quality in construction. Schilling said he was unaware of any recent turbine issue and that recent issues with a roof railing had been addressed. It is common practice for the state to hold back a certain percentage of school funding until a project is closed out. In the case of Fairchild, it is 5 percent. For more recent projects, such as Central and Harding, the holdback is 11 percent, Schilling said. In all three cases, the state is said to have paid close to 79 percent of the project cost. The city, through bonding, is responsible for the rest. Obviously, the city wants to close out this project, Schilling said. To do so, the board has to take a vote so it can be recorded in the minutes. The board agreed to delay the vote until a visit is made. It has another meeting set for Sunday. New Milford Police Department raised nearly $1,200 through the No Shave November campaign for the Connecticut Cancer Foundation. Overall, the foundation raised more than $91,000 last month. Forty police departments, a fire department, a school and a company participated across the state. NEW MILFORD Town and school employees could soon switch to the state health insurance plan in a move that officials estimate could save thousands, if not millions of dollars. New Milford currently has a self-funded plan for the school and town employees but as costs continue to rise, officials are mulling a switch to the state partnership plan. On paper, the move will save about $339,000 in next years budget, but Mayor Pete Bass said the actual savings is closer to $2.5 million because by switching plans the town would avoid paying the $2.2 million, or 17 percent increase, expected for next year under the current plan. Several officials said the health care increases were among the biggest budget drivers. This town is in one of the most cost-effective plans right now, Arch Henderson, New Milfords health insurance consultant told the school board, finance board and Town Council at a recent joint meeting. But the state partnership plan is cheaper so thats why were looking at it. He added the bulk of New Milfords costs are in the claims. Henderson said a lot of towns are now part of the state plan and the larger pool helps keep the costs down. The self-funded plan was the cheaper option until last year when the state option became about $420,000 cheaper compared to New Milfords actual costs, according to Hendersons presentation. All three boards unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding that allows them to negotiate the plan with their respective unions. The hope is it will be signed off on soon so that they can enter it in time for the next fiscal year. This is probably the biggest no brainer Ive seen since I was elected, said Councilman Tom Esposito. At least 75 percent of the 586 employees will have to agree to the state plan for New Milford to make the switch. Henderson said its better to have all of them accept though. We want to be one big group, he said. Bass said that the plan not only saves money, but also expands coverage for a wide swath of employees. The state plan also has a wellness component that requires preventive health screenings for certain ages and penalizes those who dont complete them. Interim Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tracy said he was on the plan for a bit and described the wellness requirements as sensible. Theyre trying to get us to be doing what we should be doing, he said. School board member Tammy McInerney, who was also on the plan, said the insurance companies give enough notice so the screenings can be completed. The memorandum of understanding approved also includes an exit strategy, which would use the internal reserve fund. The MOU is well written and puts escape clauses in there if something should go wrong, said school board member Joseph Failla. One of the concerns raised about the plan was making sure the secretarial union doesnt have to pay more because its year runs with the calendar and not along the July to June schedule the other unions have. The union president said she was willing to work with the school officials so that it could be phased in. School Board Chairman David Lawson said theyve been reviewing the switch for a year now and considering the new plan. Im very proud of it, he said. Bass added, Its a great benefit for the town. When Our Lady appeared before a peasant named Juan Diego, its said she requested a shrine be built at the site in her honor. Diego told the bishop but he wanted proof. Diego saw the vision again and told her he needed a sign. She told him to go Tepeyac Hill, use his cloak to gather the roses he found growing there. When he emptied them from the cloak to present to the bishop, an image of Mary was emblazoned on the cloth. Drug repositioning-- taking known drugs and identifying new applications for them--is an attractive concept for speeding up the process of bringing drugs to human testing for unmet medical needs. In a new study, published online Dec. 11 in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, University of Iowa researchers led by Alexander Bassuk, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and neurology with UI Health Care, use a multidisciplinary strategy that combines gene expression profiling and bioinformatics to identify a list of around 90 drugs, all of which already are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in people or animals, that may also have potential as anti-seizure treatments. "Taking a new look at medicines that are already approved for clinical use may help identify treatments that could reduce seizures and improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy who have been unable to find effective therapies," said Vicky Whittemore, PhD, program director at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which funded the study. The UI team tested candidate drugs from the list in a zebrafish model of seizures and found that three--a diabetes drug, a hypertension medication, and an antiparasitic therapy-- significantly reduced seizure-like movement in the fish. "The long timeline and high cost of drug development is a particularly acute issue for a life-altering disease like epilepsy where up to one-third of patients are not completely helped by the medications we currently have," says Bassuk, who also is division director of pediatric neurology and a member of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute (INI). "The question here was could we use novel techniques to identify potential new treatments more quickly than via traditional drug discovery and development routes." A unique starting point A unique feature of the UI study, according to Bassuk, was the ability to use live human brain tissue from patients with epilepsy as a starting point. The tissue was collected by UI neurosurgeons (led by Matthew Howard, MD, UI professor and DEO of neurosurgery) from six patients undergoing specialized surgery to remove brain areas causing seizures. This type of surgery is a treatment option for people with epilepsy whose seizures can't be controlled by medications. The patients agreed to allow use of the tissue in the study. During the surgery, the neurosurgeons placed electrodes on the patient's brain to determine which areas to remove. These electrodes also allowed the surgeons to distinguish which parts of the removed tissue were seizing and which areas, also contained within the removed tissue, were behaving normally. Computational psychiatry researchers Jacob Michaelson, PhD, and Leo Brueggeman analyzed gene expression for more than 25,000 genes the brain tissue, and discovered strikingly different expression patterns in the diseased (seizing) tissue compared to non-seizing tissue. They then compared these expression signatures to a large database known as a connectivity map, which contains gene expression patterns produced by the action of drugs on cells. The comparison identified 184 compounds that were deemed potentially therapeutic because they produced patterns that were essentially the reverse of the seizure expression pattern. Of the 184 compounds, 91 are already FDA-approved for human use, although not for treating seizures or epilepsy. "That's pretty exciting because those are drugs that don't necessarily have to go through all the initial stages of safety testing because they are already approved for use in humans," Bassuk says. The team also found compounds that they predicted would cause seizures because they induced a gene expression signature that was very similar to the one observed in the diseased brain tissue. Using sophisticated network analysis techniques, the scientists showed that previously published literature supported many of their predictions. The analyses also grouped the expression profiles into three clusters, which highlight alterations in myelination, protein degradation, and cell migration as cellular processes likely to underlie epilepsy. Testing on zebrafish Finally, the team enlisted the expertise of Robert Cornell, PhD, UI professor of anatomy and cell biology, and UI graduate student Morgan Sturgeon, experts in zebrafish models of disease, to test the anti-seizure effects of four of the most promising compounds in a zebrafish model of seizures. Three of the drugs showed significant anti-seizure properties in the fish: metformin, a commonly used diabetes medication; nifedipine, a blood pressure drug; and pyrantel tartrate, an antiparasitic therapy. These drugs all are FDA-approved, but none are specifically approved for seizures or epilepsy. "This study took a very exciting tour from living human brain tissue, to gene expression, to advanced informatics with big data, to validation of drugs with a new purpose in a fish model," says Michaelson, UI associate professor of psychiatry and a member of the INI. "Now we have a short list of medications that could give hope to people who have seizures that are not effectively treated by traditional medications." Bassuk is also excited by the possibility of eventually moving some of the drugs into clinical trials, but he notes the importance of proceeding cautiously. "Zebrafish are a great model of testing the anti-seizure effect of these drugs quickly and cheaply, but they are not mammals," he says. "We would like to test the remaining about 90 drugs in zebrafish, and then in a mouse model. Any drugs that pass both of these tests could theoretically go on to clinical trials in patients with epilepsy." 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. Why do orally-administered drugs for diabetes work for some people but not others? According to researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine, bacteria that make up the gut microbiome may be the culprit. In a review of more than 100 current published studies in humans and rodents, the School of Medicine team examined how gut bacteria either enhanced or inhibited a drug's effectiveness. The review is published in the Dec.11 edition of the journal EBioMedicine. "For example, certain drugs work fine when given intravenously and go directly to the circulation, but when they are taken orally and pass through the gut, they don't work," said Hariom Yadav, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular medicine at the School of Medicine, a part of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. "Conversely, metformin, a commonly used anti-diabetes drug, works best when given orally but does not work when given through an IV." The review examined interactions between the most commonly prescribed anti-diabetic drugs with the microbiome. Before being absorbed into the bloodstream, many orally-administered drugs are processed by intestinal microbial enzymes. As a result, the gut microbiome influences the metabolism of the drugs, thereby affecting patients' responses, Yadav said. Type-2 diabetes, a disease characterized by carbohydrate and fat metabolism abnormalities, has recently become a global pandemic. One main function of gut microbiota is to metabolize non-digestive carbohydrates and regulate a person's metabolism. "Our review showed that the metabolic capacity of a patient's microbiome could influence the absorption and function of these drugs by making them pharmacologically active, inactive or even toxic," he said. "We believe that differences in an individual's microbiome help explain why drugs will show a 90 or 50 percent optimum efficacy, but never 100 percent." The researchers concluded that modulation of the gut microbiome by drugs may represent a target to improve, modify or reverse the effectiveness of current medications for type-2 diabetes. "This field is only a decade old, and the possibility of developing treatments derived from bacteria related to or involved in specific diseases is tantalizing," Yadav said. Most parents would agree that one of the of the biggest modern parenting challenges is monitoring a child's online activity. A new study appearing in the Journal of Child and Family Studies found that parents spend more time talking with kids about the mechanics of using their mobile devices than they do about what their kids watch and download on those devices. The findings came from a small, recent study of 75 children and their families, led by researcher Sarah Domoff, then a postdoctoral fellow at University of Michigan Center for Human Growth and Development. The children wore recording devices at home, which recorded talking, conversations or other sounds nearby, as well as audible screen media use. Domoff, now an assistant professor at Central Michigan University, said the findings revealed some concerning trends in how families and children communicate about media today. Specifically, the researchers observed minimal conversation about the content of programming that children were watching. Additionally, they learned that other family members appear to play an important role when content is discussed. Children--not parents--initiated most conversations about content, and older siblings played a much bigger role than parents in content mediation for younger siblings. Also, the study found that children as young as toddlers were exposed to multiple media sources at one time, or media multitasking. Other findings include: Negotiations and conflict are common among parents and children. Parallel family media use is common, meaning different family members use their own devices at the same time. "One of the most challenging aspects of parenting today is being aware of what children are exposed to online, particularly content delivered via mobile devices," Domoff said. "Thus, it is critical that parents utilize privacy settings and restrictions to protect children from certain content. Ideally, this would occur before the child received their own mobile device." Domoff recommends developing a family media plan. In 2016, The American Academy of Pediatrics released a tool that helps families set different goals and media use rules based on individual needs, she said. It's also troubling that some apps downloaded by children include advertising or request in-app purchases, she said. Parents can identify these apps by using Common Sense Media's app review. Parents can also recruit older children to help younger siblings make good content choices. The study aimed to identify themes of parental mediation and family communication around mobile media devices. There's a dearth of scientific data in this area compared to television and video games, but studies show that parental mediation leads to better outcomes for children. Source: https://news.umich.edu/parents-kids-spend-more-time-discussing-how-to-use-mobile-technology-than-talking-about-content/ IONTAS Ltd., a leader in the discovery and optimization of fully human antibodies, announced its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, John McCafferty was invited to attend the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in recognition of his pivotal contribution to the development of antibody phage display technology. Dr John McCafferty (right) and Sir Gregory Winter (left) at the Nobel Prize Ceremony The event, held in Stockholm, Sweden on 10th December, celebrated the 2018 Nobel Laureates and the success of phage display technology in modern drug discovery and development, which the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized in this years Chemistry Prize. Sir Gregory Winter (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK) and George Smith (University of Missouri, Columbia, USA) jointly received one half of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2018 for the phage display of peptides and antibodies. Frances Arnold (California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA) was awarded the other half for the directed evolution of enzymes. Smith published his breakthrough paper on display of peptides on filamentous bacteriophage in 1985. Inspired by this, Winter and McCafferty then applied the approach to antibody display, with the aim of producing new pharmaceuticals. While working in Winters group McCafferty became the first to demonstrate the display of functional antibodies on the surface of phage (McCafferty et al., 19901). This landmark achievement, cited by the Nobel committee, made it possible to create libraries of phage particles containing billions of different human antibody genes from which antibodies to any target could be easily isolated. The technology they developed has proved to be robust and has unleashed a revolution in antibody discovery leading to 11 approved medicines to date with another 41 candidates in clinical trials. In 1989 Winter, McCafferty and David Chiswell founded Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT, now MedImmune) who used the technology to develop the human antibody that became Adalimumab (Humira), currently the worlds highest selling drug. The technology has since been adopted by many biotech and pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, Genentech, Merck and Sanofi, for use in antibody discovery and development. I offer my congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Nobel Prize for Chemistry and am delighted to have been able to attend the ceremony at Greg Winters invitation. I feel proud that the Nobel committee have recognized the importance of our work. The widespread uptake of this technology has had a significant impact on biopharmaceutical pipelines and healthcare, and further development of novel platforms using these techniques will continue to drive antibody discovery forward." Dr. John McCafferty, Founder and CEO, IONTAS Following 12 years at CAT, McCafferty headed research groups at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge and in 2012, he founded IONTAS, a self-funded, profitable biotech company further developing the next generation of antibody discovery platforms. IONTAS has led the development of a novel technology allowing the construction of very large mammalian display libraries to permit the direct discovery of high-affinity antibodies with optimal biophysical properties. Iontas has also developed a novel bi-specific fusion molecule (KnotBody) to target ion channels, G-protein-coupled receptors and proteases. The pivotal work achieved by the team at CAT has revolutionized monoclonal antibody drug discovery, and led to major breakthroughs in biopharmaceuticals. Johns contributions to the platform and entrepreneurial success has continued through establishing IONTAS and positioning the company as a leader in the discovery and optimization of fully human antibodies. Our team continues to strive towards developing innovative medicines to benefit all patients through the development of novel technology platforms. These platforms facilitate rapid progression from drug discovery to manufacturing and enhance antibody drug discovery by, for example, generating antibodies against difficult targets such as ion channels." Neil Butt, Chief Business Officer, IONTAS Dr John McCafferty will be presenting on Display Technology; Past, Present and Future at Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics in San Diego, USA on 13 December 2018 and attending the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference taking place in San Francisco, USA from 710 January 2019. A team of researchers at the Australian National University have made an important discovery that could help save patients with bacterial infections, particularly those suffering from food poisoning. Australian University | Shutterstock One of the most common causes of food poisoning is a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which secretes the toxins that cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can contaminate vegetables, rice, pasta, fish, and meat and will multiply if these foods are not stored at the correct temperature. Lead researcher Anukriti Mathur has now figured out how Bacillus cereus works and what can potentially be done to combat it. Mathur says the bacterium interacts with the immune system and that she now knows how it sustains itself and what might possibly be done to stop it causing damage. She says it has a remarkable ability to secrete toxins, toxins that, once consumed, attack cells and cause vomiting and diarrhea. We knew the toxin would have to attack the cells, triggering an immune reaction, but we now know how it does it. As reported in the journal Nature Microbiology, the study found that the toxin binds directly to a cell and punches holes in it to destroy it. The immune system responds by reacting to the infection. Now, Mathur and team know how the bacteria and toxins work, it should be possible to fight it and find ways to harness the immune system to fight against it, she says. Scientists say the important discovery will be essential to understanding and treating severe food poisoning. Mathur thinks the research could help patients with a compromised immune system: We might be able to save patients by weakening the toxin, or in the case of sepsis, dampening inflammatory responses. It also means we have therapeutic drug options to further support antibiotic therapies, especially in the face of rising antibiotic resistance. Anukriti Mathur, Lead Author However, group leader of the research, Si Ming Man, advises that prevention is better than cure. She emphasizes the importance of washing hands properly and preparing food in accordance with safety recommendations: A new study led by Amitai Abramovitch, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Texas State University, shows that individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are significantly less likely to become overweight or obese. The research by Abramovitch and colleagues examined the relationship between psychiatric disorders and elevated body mass index (BMI). The results, "Body mass index in obsessive-compulsive disorder," appear in the Journal of Affective Disorders. OCD is a condition that affects more than 8 million people in the U.S. alone. The study found a positive aspect related to OCD, where individuals with OCD are up to 50 percent less likely to be overweight or obese compared with individuals with primary depression and anxiety disordersas well as compared to the general population. In other words, in this study, a status of not having OCD meant up to 200 percent increased likelihood of being overweight or obese compared to people diagnosed with OCD." Amitai Abramovitch, Assistant professor, Department of Psychology at Texas State University These conclusions were reached while several factors were taken into account including age, gender and education. Historically, studies have shown that obesity is a risk factor for psychiatric disorders (primarily depression), and conversely, that depression is a risk factory for obesity. Abramovitch's study also found that the strong protective factor against obesity largely disappears in cases where people with OCD suffer from a secondary Major Depressive Disorder in addition to OCD. Abramovitchs previous research demonstrated that OCD may be a protective factor against cigarette smoking, and that this effect is carried even in unaffected first-degree relatives of individuals diagnosed with OCD. In both cases, the authors suggest a neurobiological and psychological model of reward and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure) specific to OCD, that highlights how prolonged engagement in compulsive rituals may result in reduced ability to experience positive reward and pleasure, in generaleven when it comes to food and tobacco smoking. However, the authors note that more research is needed to understand these causal relationships, and that this phenomenon may be reversible by targeting anhedonia as part of psychological treatment for OCD. A research group from Oulu University has developed a method capable of producing the natural sweetener brazzein. Production of brazzein as a good tasting sweetener has long been in development but until now, no solution for commercial production has been found. Brazzein was first extracted from the fruit of the West African plant Pentadiplandra brazzeana in 1994. Brazzein is calorie-free and up to 2000 times sweeter than sugar, which immediately aroused great interest in the sweetener market. Producing brazzein by extracting it from the fruit is so expensive that it does not support the commercialization of the sweetener. A research team led by Professor Lloyd Ruddock from the University of Oulu, has developed a method in which modified bacteria can produce brazzein and other complex, disulfide bond containing proteins. Disulfide bonds are chemical structures whose formation in bacteria is challenging. "We brought elements from mammalian cells into bacterial cells, allowing bacteria to produce functional, disulfide bond containing proteins. If the disulfide bonds are missing the protein does not fold correctly, but forms aggregates inside the cell. The correct three-dimensional fold of a protein is essential for them to work in their assigned roles, for example, as enzymes or as hormones", Professor Ruddock says. The CyDisCoTM-system has been patented and the method has been licensed to companies. They use it to produce their own proteins, for example, pharmaceutical proteins and enzymes required in food and detergents. The system's potential for commercializing the production of the brazzein sweetener is currently being studied in the TUTLI (Research for New Business) project funded by Business Finland. If the production is deemed commercially viable then the market for a new sweetener is open. "In the commercialization project, we are investigating under what conditions brazzein should be produced and how to safely purify it from the bacteria's own proteins. We are negotiating with food companies and before the end of the project they will get brazzein for testing in their own products." The flavor profile of brazzein is very similar to sugar and it does not have a bitter aftertaste. Brazzein can also withstand heating very well, unlike some commonly used artificial sweeteners. Natural, tasty brazzein that is suitable for use in baking and hot drinks will certainly attract interest in the food industry, as well as with consumers. 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. 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. 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." Demitrous Cook is a proven leader and is the right choice to lead the Evanston Police Department, City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said in the release. With 37 years of law enforcement experience, including nearly 30 years in Evanston, Demitrous is uniquely qualified to address our communitys public safety needs and challenges. I look forward to welcoming Demitrous back to Evanston and working with him as the citys new police chief. As the Bat-Family steps up in 2022, we rank Batman's best supporting characters Batman is quitting Gotham later this year - here are the heroes who will step up to fill the gap GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Sorry! This content is not available in your region For as long as Ive known Pete, hes worked really hard on behalf of the party. Hes going to be missed, Bush said. Somehow its appropriate that in his last days, he got to see Lake County for the first time have a Democratic majority on the County Board. Former Clerk Carla Wykoff said shortly after the election results that her office had done a few discovery recounts in the past. After the 2017 consolidated election, she said, there were five discovery recounts, and the votes did not change in any of those races. New Delhi: After a massive victory in the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls with 68 seats on Tuesday, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting to decide on the next chief minister of the state took place this evening. Soon after the meeting, All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun Kharge said that the final call will be taken by party president Rahul Gandhi after cosulting each and every elected legislators in the state. Besides Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state PL Punia, newly elected Raipur MLA Kuldeep Singh Juneja and other senior leaders attened the CLP meeting in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. The Congress delegation in Chhattisgarh is also scheduled to meet Governor Anandiben Patel, staking claim to form the next government in the militancy-hit state. Congress state chief Bhupesh Baghel, former Opposition leader TS Singh Deo, chief of Chhattisgarh unit Charan Das Mahant, Lok Sabha MP Tamardhwaj Sahu and former Chhattisgarh minister Satyanarayan Sharma are among the key candidates for the chief minister's post in the state. Read | Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections: CLP meeting over, Kamal Nath likely to be next CM, say sources Here are the Highlights on CLP meeting in Chhattisgarh: 10:40 pm: Newly-elected Congress MLAs in Chhattisgarh pass resolution authorising party president Rahul Gandhi to choose new CLP leader in state. 10:30 pm: The process of electing the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is presently ongoing. Congress party believes in the democratic process of knowing the view point of each elected legislator, says Congress National Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. Randeep Surjewala: After consulting everybody we'll give a CM candidate&a govt that truly reflects will of people of these 3 states.We'll start process of loan waiver, process of creating new employment opportunities&reconstruction of these states in accordance with people's will pic.twitter.com/r6Gty3Vo64 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 10:22 pm: Congress observer Mallikarjun Kharge said, "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". M Kharge, Observer for Chhattisgarh: 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 & their opinions have to be considered. pic.twitter.com/93z80vLNU7 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 09:27 pm: Newly elected Congress MLA from Raipur, Kuldeep Singh Juneja, arrives for Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on a scooty in Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh: Newly elected Congress MLA from Raipur, Kuldeep Singh Juneja, arrives for Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on a scooty. pic.twitter.com/KX9LWp7k6F ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 According to the Election Commission (EC) data, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was in power in the state for 15 years, had won only 15 seats in the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly. Former chief minister Ajit Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) won five seats while his ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two in the state. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. Read | Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Results 2018: Here's the full list of winners While the Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, the BJP got 33 per cent. In an embarrassment to the ruling party, several ministers of the BJP lost. Following this, Chief Minister Raman Singh submitted his resignation to the governor. The Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh was held in two phases on November 12 and 20. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 49 seats, the Congress 39, while one seat each was bagged by the BSP and an Independent. New Delhi: Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday passed a resolution asking party president Rahul Gandhi to take the final call on chief ministerial face, amid anticipations for the name of the top post candidate in the state. Being asked about the new chief minister of the state, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the process is ongoing and the party believes in the democratic process of knowing the view point of each and every elected legislator. Hence, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will take the final call once he knows the opinion of each legislator in the party. Kamal Nath and Congress stalwart Jyotiraditya Scindia were the front-runners for the chief minister's position. The development came after the Congress on Tuesday emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh, managing a wafer-thin majority in Assembly elections 2018. While the Congress has bagged 114 seats in the state, the BJP, in a tantalising see-saw battle with the grand-old party managed to get 109 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one. Independents bagged four seats. Though Chouhan won from his traditional Budhni constituency with 1,23,492 votes, as many as 14 ministers from the previous BJP government lost their respective constituencies. Shivraj defeated former Union minister and senior Congress leader Arun Yadav in Budhni. While the BJP has been in the power since 2003, Chouhan has been ruling the state since 2005. Meanwhile, BSP supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav have extended their supports to the Congress, as the Rahul Gandhi-led party was two short of the simple majority-mark - 116 seats, in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Read | Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections: Rahul Gandhi to take final call on chief ministerial face, says Kharge The BSP president claimed that the electorate of Madhya Pradesh was upset with the policies of the BJP government in the state and, therefore, wanted to keep it out of power. "That is why people preferred the Congress as a strong alternative. They voted for it with a heavy heart ... had it (Congress) followed B R Ambedkar and worked for the development of lower class, tribal and minorities, then there was no need to form this (BSP) party," Mayawati was quoted as saying by PTI. Also, Akhilesh Yadav, welcomed the people's mandate in the state, saying, "we didn't perform well but we would like to thank the public of Madhya Pradesh for supporting us. We have decided to support Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BJP has spread hatred and deceived public, they will be given an answer in Lok Sabha elections". Apart from these two regional parties, the Congress claimed to have support of the Independent candidates also, and, therefore, wrote to Governor Anandiben Patel, staking claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh. Speculations had been also rife that the BJP will meet Anandiben Patel to retain its power as the Congress did not touch the simple majority mark in the state. However, outgoing Chief Minister Chouhan later refuted such reports, saying that they would not stake claim to form government as they are losing the majority in the state. Read | Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns as CM, says will provide constructive criticism as Opposition On Tuesday night, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had declared victory in Madhya Pradesh, saying it was time for a change and that the party would take forward the development work. The Gandhi scion also said that the selection of chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will be done smoothly. As a courtesy visit, Kamal Nath, the CM-elect in Madhya Pradesh also met former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at his residence in Bhopal. Congratulating the Congress for being the voter's choice in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan extended his best wishes to Kamal Nath. At a press conference in his Bhopal residence, Chouhan also accepted his responsibilities for the BJP's defeat and expressed hope that Congress president Rahul Gandhi will fulfil his promises to the people in Madhya Pradesh. Being in Opposition in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan also assured to cooperate and provide constructive criticism to the new government in the state. Read | Congress president Rahul Gandhi summoned for controversial remark on BJP counterpart Amit Shah The election to 230-member Assembly was held in Madhya Pradesh on November 28 with a record 75 per cent of the state's 5.03 crore voters exercised their franchise. In 2013 Assembly elections, the BJP had won 165 seats while the Congress got 58 followed by the BSP (4), and Independent candidates (3). New Delhi: Paving the path for the Congress to form the government in Madhya Pradesh, outgoing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday resigned from his post after 13 straight years in office. Chouhan, the three-time chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, congratulated the Congress for being the voters' choice in 2018 Assembly elections and also thanked BJP workers for their unconditional supports during his tenure in the state. The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats, just two seats short of the majority mark in the 230-member Assembly. However, with the help of Mayawati's BSP, Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and four independent candidates, the Congress is all set for a comeback in Madhya Pradesh after 15 long years. After people's mandate in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018 seek to oust the BJP government in the state, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday accepted his responsibilities for the party's defeat and stepped down from his post this morning. Addressing a press conference at his residence, Shivraj said, "Victory or defeat, nothing scares me. I will accept whatever comes my way in the path of duty". Though speculations have been rife that the BJP could meet the governor for a shot at power, Chouhan clarified that "We did not win a majority, so will not stake claim". Read | Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections LIVE: Who will be next CM? Congress meeting underway Taking responsibility for the BJP's defeat, Chouhan said, "The BJP members worked tirelessly for the campaign. The party chief worked very hard. I am grateful to the national head, and people of the country". "In 2008, we got lesser vote share, but we won 143 seats. This time we got 40 percent votes... but we got 109 seats. If anyone's to blame for the poll performance, it's me," the chief minister added. Congratulating the state Congress for their victory in 2018 Assembly polls, he further said, "I called up Kamal Nath (Congress leader) to congratulate him. And all I want to tell the new government is work for the people. We devised schemes for people, for farmers, for the poor. I want the new government to take over from here. We are all a part of democratic set up". Referring to Rahul Gandhi's promises of loan waiver in 10 days, Shivraj said, "I hope Congress delivers" their promises. During his poll campaign ahead of 2018 Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress chief said that they will change the CM if they don't deliver in this regard within 10 days of coming to power. Read | Assembly Election Results 2018: Modi taught me 'what not to do', says Congress president Rahul Gandhi Chouhan also alerted the Congress, saying "Even Opposition BJP is also strong in Madhya Pradesh. We have 109 MLAs. Our responsibility is to cooperate the government and provide constructive criticism for their work in the state". Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Vipaksh bhi mazboot hai, humare paas 109 vidhayak hain. Mera kaam hai rachnaatmak sahyog, chowkidari karne ki zimmedaari humari hai. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/BQJK814yw8 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 Shivraj also recited a few lines from a poem named 'Suman' by Shiv Mangal Singh before resigning from his post. Read | Victory and defeat are parts of life, congratulate Congress for winning, says PM Modi Chouhan was appointed as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister in 2005 after Uma Bharti resigned following an arrest warrant in connection with the 1994 Hubli riots. Post that, Babulal Gaur took over and remained the chief minister till November 2005. The BJP has been rulling the state since 2003. New Delhi: Congress's young but matured leader Sachin Pilot has emerged as the front-runner for the chief ministerial post in Rajasthan, according to sources. On Wednesday, the Congress legislature party (CLP) in Rajasthan passed a single-line resolution authorising party president Rahul Gandhi to decide name of the chief minister. The Congress emerged as the single largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. When asked about the choice of the chief minister, Congress leader and one of the main faces for the post Sachin Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and party president Rahul Gandhi will take a decision after that. AICC general secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer KC Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. Also Read | Assembly Election Results | Modi taught me 'what not to do': Rahul "We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting. "We have passed a resolution authorising Rahul Gandhi to take a final decision on the name of chief minister. We raised our hands and passed the resolution. After that, individual opinion is being sought from the MLAs," Congress lawmaker Parasram Mordia told reporters. A Congress delegation met Governor Kalyan Singh on Wednesday eveing and staked claim on government in Rajasthan. Also Read | After 13 years in office, Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns as CM The contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. MLA Shanti Dhariwal, who was home minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, also said the legislators were giving their opinion about the chief minister candidate in the meeting. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and other party members met Governor Kalyan Singh on Wednesday evening to stake claim to form the government in Rajasthan. Discussions spread over hours between AICC office bearers, sent to Jaipur from Delhi, and the newly elected MLAs failed to resolve an apparent division over picking former chief minister Ashok Gehlot or the state unit chief Rajesh Pilot. A In its first meeting of the day, the Congress Legislature Party passed a one-line resolution leaving it to Congress president Rahul Gandhi to take a final call on leader of the CLP, who will go on to become the chief minister. A The discussions with the AICC general secretary Avinash Pande and observer KC Venugopal continued till late evening, when it was apparently decided to put them on hold. Pande, Gehlot and Pilot were part of the delegation that left for a meeting scheduled earlier with Kalyan Singh. A Congress MLA said there could be another meeting of the Congress Legislature Party Thursday morning to resolve the deadlock. The party won 99 seats and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal got one seat out of the 199 for which elections were held on December 7.A Here are the highlights: 10.00 pm:A "It's a normal procedure for Congress party legislators to give their feedback to observers. Observers give feedback to Congress President and then a final decision is taken. We've authorised the Congress President to take a final view as to who will head CLP leaders of the party," said Sachin Pilot. Sachin Pilot: It's a normal procedure for Congress party legislators to give their feedback to observers. Observers give feedback to Congress President&then a final decision is taken. We've authorised Congress Pres to take a final view as to who will head CLP leaders of the party pic.twitter.com/LxczPr3bdB a ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 7: 30 pm:A Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and other Congress leaders arrive at the Governor's House in Jaipur to stake claim. New Delhi: The national capital on Wednesday woke up to a dense smog as the air quality was recorded in severe category. Major pollutants PM 2.5 -- fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre, and PM 10 --- particulate matter 10 micrometer or less in diameter, were recorded at 475 and 594, respectively in the Wazirpur area, while AQI in the Anand Vihar area was at 291 and 232 respectively. Delhis air quality had dipped significantly since Sunday and the authorities had warned that it would deteriorate further in the next few days because of the fall in temperature that leads to the slower dispersion of pollutants. As per inputs received from IMD, wind direction will change from Thursday. At present, easterly winds, which are weak and bring moisture, were blowing, trapping pollutants. It is likely to change to north-westerly, which are strong and cold winds that help in the disbursal of pollutants, Hindustan Times quoted a senior official as saying. On Tuesday, the chairperson of the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority, Bhure Lal, said stringent actions would be taken if "severe" conditions persisted for another 48 hours. The actions include emergency measures like rationing of vehicles on roads and a ban on construction activities. However, things could turn for the better if a sufficient amount of rainfall occurs as predicted by the Meteorological Department of India. It can be expected that the air quality will hover around the poor category. "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," according to SAFAR. Delhi is reeling under the menace of air pollution for the past couple of years. The region faced a major air quality crisis last year when severe pollution level forced the shutdown of schools and colleges. In 2016, the government tried to explore the possibility of cloud seeding for artificial rain but the plan never worked out. AQI categories: New Delhi: A day after remarkable victories in three states, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday remained busy in picking chief minister faces of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. While the Congress Legislature Party in the three states passed one-line resolutions leaving it to GandhiA to take a final call on the leaders of the CLP who will go on to become the chief ministers, party delegations staked claims to form the government in MP and Rajasthan after meeting the governors. Gandhi has asked the party workers to tell their top choice for the chief ministerial post in each of the three states, party sources said. Using an internal messaging platform for the party workers, Gandhi sent out to them a pre-recorded audio message seeking their feedback for selection of the chief minister in their respective states, the sources said. Despite repeated attempts, the party spokespersons did not comment on the message and its content. The exact time when the message was sent could not be ascertained. Sources, however, said the message has been sent to a large number of party workers in the states that went to polls. With more than one name doing the rounds for each of the three states where the Congress has secured numbers to form the government, Gandhi said in his message the party workers' choice would reach him directly and would not be known to anyone else. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said: aAfter consulting everybody we will give a CM candidate and a government that truly reflects will of people of these 3 states (Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh)." On Wednesday evening, a five-member delegation of the Congress, includingA Kamal Nath,A Jyotiraditya ScindiaA andA Digvijaya Singh, met Madhya Pradesh GovernorA Anandiben PatelA to stake their claim to form government in the state. TheA CongressA emerged victorious winning 114 seats, just two short of the majority mark in the 230-member Assembly. For the Congress to form the government, theA Bahujan Samaj PartyA and theA Samajwadi PartyA played kingmakers.A MayawatiA andA Akhilesh Yadavas parties, which won two and one seats respectively, extended their support to the Congress. TheA Bharatiya Janata PartyA (BJP) was ousted from the power as they managed to get only 109 seats. Outgoing chief ministerA Shivraj Singh ChouhanA won from his Budhni constituency with 1,23,492 votes. As many as 12 ministers from the previousA BJP governmentA lost their respective constituencies. Chouhan has been ruling the state since 2005.A Similarly in Rajasthan, CongressA leadersA Ashok Gehlot,A Sachin PilotA and other party members met Governor Kalyan Singh to stake claim to form the government inA Rajasthan. Discussions spread over hours between AICCA officeA bearers, sent to Jaipur from Delhi, and the newly elected MLAs failed to resolve an apparent division over picking formerA chief ministerA Ashok Gehlot or the state unit chief Rajesh Pilot. When asked about the choice of the chief minister, Congress leader and one of the main faces for the postA Sachin PilotA said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and party president Rahul Gandhi will take a decision after that.A A The Congress emerged as the single largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and theA Bahujan Samaj PartyA won 6 seats. BSP leaderA MayawatiA on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the stateA Election Commission. In Chhattisgarh, Congress state chief Bhupesh Baghel, former Opposition leader TS Singh Deo, chief of Chhattisgarh unit Charan Das Mahant,A Lok SabhaA MP Tamardhwaj Sahu and former Chhattisgarh minister Satyanarayan Sharma are among the key candidates for the chief minister's post in the state. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. His son, Roderick Young, and niece, Brianna Harmon, both of Waukegan, were in Mississippi in March 2017 for a funeral. The father and son got into a fight, and investigators say John Edward Young shot Roderick Young six times. The father claimed self-defense. New Delhi: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday hailed the Congress victory in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and said that it was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics". An evidently happy Sonia Gandhi had also credited Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the victory in the Hindi heartland on Tuesday. "Rahul Gandhi has worked hard... led the party, NDTV quoted UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi as saying. The Rahul Gandhi-led party made significant gains in the Assembly elections this time by ousting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the three states. Read More | Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections Live: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns, says he's free now Meanwhile, senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said that Rahul Gandhi had passed all leadership tests, and would emerge as the Prime Minister after the next Lok Sabha elections. "People have tolerated too long the misgovernance and the misrule of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and his NDA government. And this (results of elections to state assemblies) is an indication that they are totally unhappy with him," the former union minister told PTI. "And the manner in which they (BJP) have carried on certain personal propaganda against Soniaji and Rahulji... people are not tolerating. This is the success not only of the Congress party but also of the (party) leadership," he said. Also Read | Assembly Election Results 2018: Modi taught me 'what not to do', says Congress president Rahul Gandhi Rahul Gandhi, he said, has also been successful in mobilising all the forces against Modi. "This (poll to the assemblies) is quite a manifestation of the combination of all the opposition parties against Narendra Modi and NDA," Moily said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Leaving behind the ghosts of 2014 and a series of electoral losses, Congress president Rahul Gandhi led his party to a massive victory in the crucial heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The resurgent Congress dismantled BJP in Chhattisgarh, showed the door to it in Rajasthan and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in Madhya Pradesh. In 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, the Congress had won 68 seats while the BJP reduced to just 15 seats. In Rajasthan, the Congress party wrested power from the BJP by winning 99 of the 199-seats where polling was held. The BJP could manage to win only 73 seats but other won big and bagged 27 seats. Also Read | Victory and defeat an integral part of life, congratulate Congress for winning, says PM Modi BJP's bastion Madhya Pradesh also disappointed Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was seeking a fourth term. In a neck-and-neck contest, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state but fell short of a majority by two seats in the 230-member house. The BJP won 109 seats, the BSP two, the Samajwadi Party one, and independents four. The Congress' morale-boosting victory in the heartland states came on a day when Rahul Gandhi completed his one year as the party president. The outcome of Assembly elections in three crucial states will also strengthen Rahul Gandhi's position as the leader of the anti-BJP front under consideration for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Democracy has won! Thank you India, you have chosen love over hate, peace over violence & truth over lies. This victory is yours. #CongressWinsBIG pic.twitter.com/8d9JjsQuKP Congress (@INCIndia) December 11, 2018 However, the disappointing news for the Congress came from the northeast as the party lost its last bastion Mizoram where the MNF handed the ruling party a body blow. Led by its CM designate Zoramthanga, the MNF won 26 of the 40 Assembly constituencies. The Congress, who was in power in the state for the last 10 years, was reduced to just five seats with Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla losing from both the seats he contested. Also Read | Assembly Election Results 2018: Congress writes to governor, stakes claim to form govt in Madhya Pradesh The only positive for the BJP in these Assembly elections was that the party opened its account for the first time in Mizoram. In south, the TRS registered a thumping victory and crashed the 'Maha Kootami' alliance stitched by Rahul Gandhi and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A 30-year-old Indian-origin man stabbed his pregnant wife in Singapore, The Straits Times reported on Wednesday. Jayselan N Chandrasegar flew into a rage after he spotted his pregnant wife, formerly a sex worker, talking to a man, he assumed was a pimp. He was sentenced to seven years in jail and six strokes of the cane for the act. Jayselan used a knife with a 10-cm blade to stab his wife, Mayuri Krishnakumar, in her abdomen twice. He also slashed her back before fleeing the scene. Fortunately, the unborn baby was not harmed in the attack. Jayselan pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to the 27-year-old woman with a weapon, and one count of failing to provide his urine sample after he was caught for suspected drug-related offences earlier. Read More | France: Gunman on run after killing three at Strasbourg X-mas market Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Houston Johannus told the court the couple married in 2013, but their marriage soured in October last year due to frequent quarrels over money and their older child, who was then three. When Mayuri told Jayselan, who worked as a cleaner, that she was pregnant, he refused to believe that the child was his and accused her of infidelity. Unable to tolerate his aggression and verbal abuse anymore, she ran away from their home on December 24 last year and sought refuge with her former friends, who were mainly sex workers in a red-light area. She also lived with them in their rented rooms, the court heard. On December 30 last year when Mayuri was at the local market in the area, Jayselan saw her talking to man, who he assumed was a pimp and confronted them and accused his wife of becoming a sex worker again. Before Mayuri could reply, Jayselan punched and kicked her and then attacked her with the knife. He fled the scene after that and a passerby alerted the police. Jayselan was arrested later that day. Also Read | 'I Can't Breathe' were Khashoggi's final words, sounds of saw on tape His wife was taken to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where she was found to have injuries, including two minor injuries in the bowel. Before the attack, police officers on patrol had, on October 26, nabbed Jayselan for suspected drug-related offences. The court heard that he had refused to provide a urine sample to the police. Defence lawyer Gregory Fong pleaded for a jail term of between five and five-and-a-half years. He also said Mayuri had forgiven Jayselan and the couple remained married. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ranchi: A local court Wednesday issued summons to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making a controversial statement against his BJP counterpart Amit Shah. Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Ajay Kumar Gudia, who had reserved the order after hearing a petition in this regard on November 28, directed that summons be issued against Gandhi. In his petition, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Naveen Jha alleged that Gandhi had made the statement against Shah on March 18 during the national convention of the Congress. The BJYM is the youth wing of the BJP. The petitioner submitted that the statement had hurt his sentiment and tarnished the image of the party. Earlier this year, the same SDJM's court had rejected the petition of Jha, an executive member of Jharkhand BJYM. Jha appealed before the court of Judicial Commissioner Navneet Kumar against the rejection order. Kumar quashed the SDJM's order and directed the lower court to hear the petition again. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Marks & Spencer is under attack over their new cocktail name. After pre-made cans of their new cocktail named, 'Pornstar Martini' were seen sold in stores, the multinational retailer is ensnared in a new sexism row over what consumers have termed 'normalising porn'. The 'Porn Star Martini' is reported to be a blend of passion fruit and vodka and costs 2 for a 250ml tin. And despite its popularity and prevalence on bar menus around the world with Marks and Spencers claiming to be the first one to see the drink in the supermarket, not everyone is taken aback by its name. Angered parents on Mumsnet wrote that they did not want to have to explain what a porn star is to their children while food shopping at M&S, and feminist campaign group Object! said the supermarket was "normalising porn. "In a recent tweet, feminist campaigning group Object accused Marks & Spencer, of normalising porn, they tweeted, Marks & Spencer normalising porn,. Read | Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas on a honeymoon in Oman? Twittersphere as always have been flooded with tweets expressing their concern and insights about what they feel is misogynistic and degrading women on M&S's part. Check the tweets here: Marks & Spencer normalising porn. And if you try to complain online, the system rejects the word 'porn'. Mixed messages huh? pic.twitter.com/bvdC3aMmfe Object! (@ObjectUK) December 9, 2018 And if you try to complain online, the system rejects the word 'porn'. Mixed messages huh?The feminists group continued. Parents with children have also raised concern regarding this provoking name. One Mumsnet user wrote: "It may be an actual cocktail, but I dont madly want to explain to my small daughter what a porn star is, while shopping for cake. "While another added: "It is normalising porn by using the word 'Porn star' on an item sold in a shop which is as safe and middle of the road as one could get. Therefore porn and porn star become nothing out of the ordinary. Items bearing the word "porn star" are on display to all ages. Children can't buy them but they still see them."Since posting, the tweet has been liked nearly 200 times and been flooded with comments from people who agree.Repulsive. We all need to complain to M&S, one person wrote. Read | The motorised luggage you can ride through the airport Another added: Do you seriously think a 'porn star' is something to which your customers should be aspiring, given that the vast majority of porn involves degrading, hurting and raping young women?? Check out some of the concerning tweets here: Seriously?? @marksandspencer My kids can read & will ask what a porn star is - please let me know what you think I should tell them. Thanks. Rockhopper (@Rockhopper_Scot) December 9, 2018 This isn't just a cocktail. This is a Misogyny & Sexism cocktail. Toenailsstickinyourteeth (@Toenailssticki1) December 9, 2018 According to reports, the drink was first created and named by one Douglas Ankrah in 2002. Ankrah stated that he had named the cocktail the Maverick Martini, in tribute to a dodgy club in Cape Town, but later decided to change the name to the Pornstar Martini. Much unlike the fuming comments, Ankrah insists that there is nothing sexist about the drink. In a recent interview, he stated, The drink is very evocative and tantalising. I called it Pornstar because I thought it was something that a porn star would drink, theres nothing sexual there, Bars, when done properly, should be environments where one can be bold, sexy and playful. Being a huge part of the bar scene, I wanted to create a drink that personifies those attributes; bold, sexy and playful. In response to the comments on social media, M&S Spokesperson has also told The Independent: 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. For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Food News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Strasbourg: A gunman killed at least three people and wounded a dozen others at the famed Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday before fleeing the scene, authorities said. A manhunt was underway after the killer opened fire at around 8 pm (1900 GMT) on one of the city's busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and wounded him, but could not stop him escaping, police sources said. Scene from the French city of Strasbourg after a gunman kills at least three people and wounds a dozen others at the famed Christmas market YAbdesslam Mirdass, @JCVerhaegen , Frederick Florin pic.twitter.com/YrYbui2lOt AFP news agency (@AFP) December 12, 2018 Read More | US blacklists Pakistan for religious freedom violations Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said early Wednesday the gunman had killed three people and wounded 12. Earlier Mayor Roland Ries had given a toll of "four dead and a dozen wounded". Castaner also said France had raised its security alert level to "emergency attack" with "the implementation of reinforced border controls and tightened controls on all Christmas markets in France to avoid the risk of a copycat" attack. The gunman has been identified and was on a watchlist of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said. France's security forces, already on high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country. "I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium," one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. "People were running everywhere." He said he had seen three people injured on the ground only a few metre (feet) from the giant Christmas tree in the centre of the city. Shortly after the shooting, lines of police vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the "capital of Christmas." "We heard several shots, three perhaps, and we saw people running," one witness told AFP, asking not to be named. "One of them fell down, I don't know whether it was because she was tripped up or if she was hit," the witness said. President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting with cabinet officials in Paris shortly after midnight. Known to police Two separate security sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that the shooter was believed to be a 29-year-old from the city, whose name was given as Cherif, and who was set to be arrested on Tuesday morning. He was being investigated over an attempted murder, one of the sources said. Also Read | Vote on Brexit deal will be deferred, says UK PM Theresa May Several areas neighbouring the Christmas market were sealed off on Tuesday night and residents were being told to stay indoors. Many people took refuge in local restaurants and bars which pulled down their shutters. "We let everyone inside, down into the wine cellar. They're locked in there," local restaurant owner Mouad, 33, told AFP. A police source, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said security forces had opened fire in an area of the city where the suspect was thought to be hiding. The source did not give the address and it was unclear if the shooter had been located. Specialist anti-terror prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident in Strasbourg, which lies on the border with Germany. Several residents of the city have been detained in recent years for trying to reach jihadist groups in Syria, or have been arrested upon their return. "Shocked and saddened by the terrible attack in Strasbourg. My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people," British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote on Twitter. Tourist attraction The Strasbourg-based European Parliament was also on lockdown, with MEPs, staff and journalists unable to leave the building. In a parliament bar usually reserved for MEPs, EU commissioners, powerful legislators and staffers huddled in small groups waiting for developments. "Our first thought was for colleagues who had already made it to the centre of town, who are safe," Belgian MEP Kathleen Van Brempt told AFP. "Now we just wait." The Christmas market in Strasbourg and the city's illuminations are an annual attraction that draws hundreds of thousands of people. Security has been stepped up in recent years after a series of attacks in France by Islamist gunmen and the Strasbourg market was long considered a possible target. In 2016, a 23-year-old Tunisian killed 12 and injured 48 others when he ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Special anti-terror army units have been deployed in Strasbourg, and soldiers and armed police are regularly seen patrolling among the 300 wooden Christmas market chalets. Three years after groups of jihadists gunned down and blew up 130 people in Paris on November 13, 2015, French counter-terror officials say their focus has shifted. Rather than coordinated attacks, their main concern is attacks by "lone wolves" -- self-radicalised individuals acting without links to terror groups such as Islamic State. Most recently a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris last May, killing one man and injuring four other people on a Saturday night. A total of 246 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The United States on Tuesday said that it has added Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, ramping up pressure over its treatment of minorities. The development comes a year after the US State Department put Pakistan on its watchlist. .@SecPompeo: Safeguarding #ReligiousFreedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability & prosperity. These designations are aimed at improving the lives of individuals and the broader success of their societies. Read @SecPompeo's Religious Freedom Designations. https://t.co/CZjTHrp4H2 Department of State (@StateDept) December 11, 2018 ALSO READ | Gen Rawat snubs Imran's 26/11 attack remark, says India knew it 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. Pakistan recently charged a hard-line cleric, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, with terrorism and sedition after he led violent protests against Bibis acquittal. The government 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. 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. Seven countries remained for another year on the list of Countries of Particular Concern Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, 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. (With inputs from agencies) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. I dont expect Illinois drivers to take to the battlements as they have in France. We may grumble and try to have our voices heard at the ballot box, but with a Democrat governor and supermajority in the state legislature, hold on to your wallets and get ready for pump shock. The proposed gas tax increase is just the beginning of a series of new revenue streams officials will be adopting to fund this red-ink state. NEW MILFORD Canterbury School officials hope to build a 22,000-square-foot Student Commons building, as well as expanding its math and sciences hall. The Student Commons building is designed to better integrate boarding and commuting students, Head of School Rachel Stone said at a Zoning Commission meeting. It will be located in the center of campus while still preserving the monument there from the 1700s that marks the distance to Manhattan. Canterbury School is a co-ed boarding high school on Aspetuck Avenue. It opened in 1915 and has about 320 students. Notable alumni include actor Mel Ferrer, President John F. Kennedy and socialite Paris Hilton. Under the plan, the Commons will have academic areas, as well as open spaces for students and teachers to interact in relaxed settings. Stone said it will allow commuters to have their own home, according to meeting minutes. Some of the features listed on the schools website for the Commons are a digital analytics lab; an innovation lab and makerspace; a center for spirituality, service and justice; a school store, as well as a student center and cafe. The proposal would also add 2,800 square feet to Hume Hall, which serves as the schools science and math building. A large scale renovation was last done to the classrooms and laboratories 10 years ago but the building needs upgrades. It will improve the aesthetics and better fit with the other academic buildings on campus, according to the schools website. The plan includes sidewalks, lighting, signs and new crosswalk areas. Dan Granniss, the projects landscape architect, has said the sidewalk work coincides with work the town is doing and they are coordinating with the towns Department of Public Works. The only concern raised at Tuesdays zoning meeting was whether the old trees in the right of way would be removed. Granniss said some will be removed on the service road but in general, the trees would only be taken down if the arborist thinks the tree is dangerous. Our rule is to save as many trees as we can unless theres a safety concern, he said. The few changes made to the plan based on the towns feedback, largely due to the right of way and drainage were presented Tuesday. The public hearing remains open until the next zoning meeting as Milone and MacBroom review the changes for the town. Brian and Sally both work hard to make ends meet and feed their three children. The family recently moved to the greater Danbury area from New York City to start a better life. The children have adjusted well to school and their new surroundings. Brian has started a new job and Sally has secured a new job, but she has yet to receive her first paycheck. After bills, Brians paycheck barely leaves enough money for food. Despite their hard work, they seem to keep hitting roadblocks. But that doesnt stop Sally from volunteering at the local food pantry. A gift of $500 will help pay for groceries and relieve some stress for this family. The News-Times partners each holiday season with United Way of Western Connecticut to help raise money for families like Brian and Sallys through the The Giving Fund. United Way administers the fund free of charge, so 100 percent of donations go directly to those who need it. Donations are collected for each case until it is fully funded. Since the partnership started, more than $500,000 has been raised for families in need. Any donations received above the amount needed will benefit other, underfunded cases. Donations can be given at https://www.uwwesternct.org/thegivingfund. Checks may also be mailed to The Giving Fund, P.O. Box 1001, Danbury, CT 06813. This weeks six cases: Case 119: The Greenes and their two children are having a difficult time because the father recently broke his pelvis in a car accident and cannot work for 12 weeks. The mother who already works two part-time jobs while the kids are in school has taken on extra work nights and weekends. The family is behind on its utility bills. A gift of $500 will help this family heat their home until the father is able to return to work. Case 120: Sarah is a working mother of two children who recently became the guardian of her nephew because there was no family left to take care of him and she didnt want him go into foster care. Although she struggles more now with a new mouth to feed, she is determined to ensure the children do well in school. A gift of $400 would help with food and warm clothing for the children. Case 121: is Brian and Sallys case. Case 122: Elisa is a single working mom who strives to keep her children positive about school. Elisa struggles to provide warm clothing and food in the home. A gift of $400 would help with clothing and food. Case 123: Abigails second child was born four months premature and needs both physical and occupational therapy. Abigail was forced to quit her job to take care of her son full-time. Because of her sons constant medical needs, she must have a car, but she cannot afford both the rent and the car payment. A gift of $1,000 will help her keep both her home and car. Case 124: Joe is a 33-year-old father of two teenage daughters. Most of his childhood was spent living in motels, on the streets or with family friends, and he struggled with addiction for 20 years. Joe has been sober for over a year. He is committed to his children and hopes to continue to be a positive role model in their lives. Joe is currently employed with a job he loves, however due to past hardships, it is hard to get back on his feet. A gift of $1,000 would help him with one months rent and a repair on his truck. BROOKFIELD The Zoning Commission will hear proposals Thursday evening on a senior living facility and upgrades to the Greenknoll YMCA. A developer aims to build a three-story facility on Federal Road with 115 units for assisted living and memory care patients. Darcy Koenig, a land use consultant for the developer, said the facility would provide much-needed housing for seniors. Thats a pretty good benefit, she said, adding the community would be great for older Brookfield residents who could not stay in their homes but do not want to leave town. The building would include 89 assisted living units and 26 memory care units. The latter is for patients with Alzheimers or dementia. Columbia Pacific Advisors, a Washington State-based company, has applied to build the facility. The company has built or owned more than 300 senior living communities across the country. The building would be at 291 Federal Road, a half mile down the road from The Village at Brookfield Common, an assisted living community through Benchmark Senior Living. Traffic on Federal Road is expected to increase on weekdays by 2.3 percent and between 2.3 to 2.5 percent during peak hours on weekdays due to the development, according to an analysis by the company. Therefore we anticipate that the project will have a negligible impact on the existing area roadway network, the company wrote. The company held a meeting with residents last month to explain the project. Koenig said residents main concern was with the buffer between the building and driveways, as well as nearby townhomes. We agreed to increase that as necessary to provide the adequate screening, she said. Meanwhile, the YMCA also hopes to improve its outdoor facilities. On its application to the Zoning Commission, the YMCA proposed enhancements to its camp, such as adding a zip line or a spray park. But Patty Kane, the regional marketing and communication director for the YMCA, said the organization is still in the early planning stages for the project, so she is not certain the zip line or spray park will actually be part of the plan. This process will take a lot of time, she said. All of that could change so drastically. Kane said members have requested improvements to the outdoor facilities. Its time for us to upgrade, she said. Were looking into: What could that look like? The Zoning Commission could also vote Thursday on the overhaul to the zoning regulations. Over the past two years, town officials have worked to simplify the towns complicated regulations. The meeting is at 7 p.m. Thursday in Room 133 of Town Hall. As Emily Todds family announced funeral arrangements Wednesday, Bridgeport police pushed on in their investigation to find her killer. I guarantee well have an arrest soon, Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez said Wednesday. Were headed in the right direction. Todd, 25, was found dead Sunday near a Bridgeport boat launch ramp on Seaview Avenue, shot once in the back of the head. Police said she had gone to the city to meet a man. Police said she was killed where she was found. Its a shame, Perez said. The young lady did not deserve that. Bethel Police Capt. Stephen Pugner said Todds family reported her missing Sunday morning. She didnt show up to work, which was the big red flag, so to speak, Pugner said. Thats when the family became concerned. They called us. Todd worked at Saint Paul II Center, a Danbury senior living facility. Colleagues and friends Tuesday described Todd as caring, citing her passion for helping dementia patients. Bethel officers later found out that Todds body had been found in Bridgeport. Pugner said Bethels Detective Bureau is in contact with Bridgeport officers, but that Bridgeport has taken the lead on the investigation. We assist them as much as we can, even though its not much at this point, he said. A Bethel cop also monitored the familys home on Tuesday. We wanted to be available and make them feel secure, Pugner said. It's a pretty tragic thing. Calling hours for Todd will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Bethel Funeral Home and a celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bethel United Methodist Church. Emilys kind and loving nature will forever live in the hearts and minds of all those that were fortunate enough to have known her, her obituary said. Greg Henry, a family member, thanked the community for its support in a Bethel Facebook group. The grief is unimaginable and we desperately want for Emily to be remembered as the kindhearted and loving girl that she was, he wrote. Todd was born in Portland, Maine, and lived with her mother and step-father in Bethel. She is also survived by her father, step-mother and three brothers. In lieu of flowers, the family asked the community to consider donating in Todds name to Moms Demand Action, an organization that pushes for common-sense gun laws. Donations can be given online. As of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, $255 had been donated. I truly believe the village of Oak Brook is at a crossroads for the first time in its history, Lalmalani said. We can do nothing and be at a standstill, or we can do something and move forward. A: I really loved the fact that it was so close to the city without actually being in the city. Im from South Oak Park, so I was spitting distance from the Blue Line. I could very easily enjoy the city and go to things downtown very quickly without being in the chaos of the city. NEW BRITAIN State utility regulators have given final approval to a settlement agreement reached in September by the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel and Eversource Energys Yankee Gas division. Wednesdays approval of the agreement by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority comes two weeks after commissioners with the state agency tentatively approved the settlement, which was announced Sept. 5. Under the terms of the settlement, next years distribution rate increase will be just 0.3 percent, followed by a 2.9 percent hike the following year and 2.3 percent in the final year. Officials with Eversource Energy and the Office of Consumer Counsel provided differing information on what the settlement agreement will do to customers monthly bills. Rich Sobolewski, supervisor of OCCs Technical Analysis unit, said a Yankee Gas customer who uses 100 cubic feet of the fuel each month will see their bill increase by 84 cents from $143.02 to $143.86. Starting Jan. 1 2020, that same customer would see a $4.85 increase to $148.71 In the third year, that customer would see their bill increase by $3.61 cents per month to $152.32. Eversource officials say customers bill would increase by $1.87 per month in the first full year, with increases in the second and third years to be determined. Mitch Gross, an Eversource spokesman, said he could not explain why the companys calculations on the rate increase and those from OCC were different. The settlement agreement, according to PURA Commissioner Michael Caron, strikes a delicate balance between guaranteeing the continued safety of Yankee Gas natural gas distribution network and keeping in mind what it will cost ratepayers. No one likes higher rates, Caron said in a statement. But we also want to ensure that the integrity of the gas distribution system is maintained, that it is well managed, that older pipes are being replaced and that rates are reasonable. PURA commissioners reached their decision after holding a pair of hearings to get comments from the public. There were 53 people at the two hearings . Among key provisions of the settlement agreement are: Customers will receive credits for the full tax savings the company got from the Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Those credits are retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year. Maintaining the program for replacing all of the Yankee Gas leak-prone cast iron pipes within 11 years. Implementing a fee-free program for credit or debit card payments. The company serves approximately 232,000 gas customers in 73 communities in its Connecticut service territory. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com Connecticut this year took the unusual step of issuing a consent order requiring a New Haven nursing home to hire an independent nurse consultant and implement minimum staffing ratios after inspections at the facility uncovered numerous lapses in care and safety violations. The order, agreed to in April by the Advanced Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation and the state Department of Public Health, tasked the independent nurse consultant with assessing staffs ability to do their jobs and evaluating how care is delivered. The minimum staffing ratios ordered are 30 patients to one licensed nurse on all shifts, on most units; 10 patients to one nurses aide on the first shift; 12 patients to one nurses aide on the second shift; and 20 patients to one nurses aide on the third shift. Officials at the facility didnt return calls seeking comment. It isnt often that DPH mandates staffing or requires nursing homes to hire consultants, but the order reflects a broader emerging problem affecting the care provided at many nursing homes: insufficient staffing levels and caregivers who lack training. Its an enormous problem, said Toby S. Edelman, senior policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, based in Washington, D.C. Most of the bad outcomes are the result of insufficient staffing and insufficiently trained staff. Its pretty much a universal problem. In Connecticut, there have been multiple times in recent years when nursing home residents have been injured in incidents when no or too few staff members were present. Between 2015 and 2018, Connecticut nursing homes were cited by the state for 247 incidents involving lapses in care. Twenty-five of those cases involved incidents in which citations noted that two staff members were required to assist or move a resident and only one was used, according to a C-HIT analysis of DPH citations signed and finalized. Of those 25 incidents, 17 occurred between 2017 and this year. The largest share of incidents 65 involved falls, which resulted in severe bruising and/or broken bones, between 2015 and 2018. Facilities were cited 37 times for residents suffering pressure ulcers caused by not following doctors care orders, or neglect; 31 times for causing general harm to patients; and 29 times for medication errors, some life-threatening. Nursing homes are entrusted with caring for their elderly residents who are among the frailest and sickest members of the population, and who many times reside in facilities for long stretches of time or for the final years of their lives. Advocates say any lapse in care is one too many. The occupancy rate at nursing homes has remained constant at an average rate of 87 percent in 2017 and the previous two years, according to the September 2017 state census report. The states Public Health Code requires a level of licensed personnel and aides depending on the number of residents. For example, if a nursing home has 100 residents, a minimum of 140 hours of licensed care and aides are required from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 50 hours of licensed care and aides are required from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., according to DPH. Theres no definitive way to gauge the number of staff members that corresponds with those requirements, since each facility is different and caregivers may work different hours depending on whether they are full- or part-time, said DPH spokeswoman Maura Downes. Edelman said in some cases, staff members arent completing their assigned tasks not because they dont want to, but because there often isnt enough staff to do everything. But generally, Connecticut nursing homes are adequately staffed to provide quality care to residents, said Matthew Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association for Health Care Facilities, which represents 150 of the 224 nursing homes in the state. Many facilities in Connecticut are exceeding the minimums, which Barrett called dated, and the association has supported legislation to raise the minimum staffing levels. A recent analysis by Kaiser Health News reported that out of 188 Connecticut nursing homes, 12 had staffing levels below or much below average, 46 were ranked average and 130 had levels above or much above average. For registered nurse staffing levels, nine facilities were below or much below average, 31 were average and 148 were above or much above average. In its analysis, KHN examined daily nursing home payroll records released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that reported staffing levels from January to March. Nursing Home Compare, an online tool run by CMS that assesses nursing homes based on several quality standards, shows 39 Connecticut facilities have staffing levels much above average, 88 rated above average, 41 at average, eight below average and 46 much below average as of this month. Staffing levels for two facilities werent available. I dont think you can say this is purely all about the staffing, said Ann Spenard, principal and vice president at Qualidigm, a Wethersfield-based consulting organization that works with nursing homes. A lot of it is about the culture. For example, she said, staff members at some facilities are not encouraged to ask for help or speak up when they cant meet all of their job demands. Some employees feel certain tasks arent their job and teamwork isnt valued, Spenard said. Barrett echoed that sentiment. The staffing numbers themselves dont necessarily tell the quality-equation story. The issues of quality are not always easily explained with the staffing ratio analysis, he said. Turnovers affect care Staff turnover is a challenge for many facilities, Spenard said. Nursing home jobs are rewarding, she noted, but caring for such a needy population can be demanding physically and emotionally. Our turnover rate in this industry is almost 44 percent, and RNs have a median turnover rate of 50 percent, she said. Many RNs would rather work in hospitals, where they can earn more money, and tend to move on from nursing homes once they have enough work experience, she said. Even in the best facilities theres always some level of turnover, Spenard said. If you can decrease turnover, you can increase quality. All of that helps to improve staff morale, feeling part of the team and, ultimately, quality of care. Barrett worries that in the future it might be difficult for nursing facilities to fill jobs. When the unemployment rate is very low, it is increasingly tough for nursing homes to recruit and retain workers, he said. Staffing is a concern for Connecticut nursing homes and one that we should be watching very closely in this environment, Barrett said. The association is very concerned that inadequate staffing or staffing-related issues could be on the doorstep of Connecticut nursing homes because of these economic issues alone. We havent seen that yet, but were very concerned. There are few staffing requirements for nursing homes under federal law. The Nursing Home Reform Law of 1987, which hasnt been updated, says facilities must employ a registered nurse for eight consecutive hours daily, licensed nurses (including RNs, licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses) for 24 hours per day, and sufficient staff to meet residents needs, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Those requirements, which say nothing about staffing ratios, arent enough to ensure a competent workforce, according to Edelman. Federal legislation has been proposed to address the issue, but she isnt optimistic things will change anytime soon because theres not a lot of interest in the administration to improve staffing, she said. Nursing homes always have had a shortage of nurse aides, Edelman said. When there arent nurse aides, residents may not get bathed, they may not get assistance in eating. They may do one-person transfers instead of two-person. People just dont get the things done that they should get done. Nationally, CMS is trying to get a better handle on facility staffing levels, and many nursing homes are trying to improve how they gather and report information, Spenard said. On Nov. 30, CMS announced measures to increase nursing home oversight and improve transparency when it comes to staffing. Among the steps, CMS will: share data with states when potential problems arise regarding staffing and the availability of on-site RNs; clarify how facilities should report staffing hours; and offer new tools to help facilities get and report accurate censuses. Even if facilities in Connecticut have relatively strong showings in reports, theres still room for improvement, Edelman said. If Connecticut is doing better than most states, that doesnt mean its doing well enough, she said. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting (c-hit.org). ORANGE Pediatric dentist Paula C. Cerqueira knows what its like to have a nightmarish childhood experience in the chair. It is part of what drove her to open her new practice, Orange Childrens Dentistry. It was the early 1980s in her native Portugal, when kids typically only went to the dentist when a problem developed. Cerqueira was about 6 years old and needed a baby tooth pulled unfortunately the first thing she noticed in the waiting room was a cabinet filled with dentures. After years of hearing if you dont brush your teeth, theyll fall out the refrain heard by many in that era she became convinced that shed be getting false teeth during her visit. So when she got into the dentists chair, Cerqueira was so frightened she wouldnt open her mouth, she said. The nurse pinched her nose hard until her mouth opened, leaving her with a visible, long lasting bruise. The whole experience was traumatic, she said. I realized thats not the way we should do things. Her new office at 518 Boston Post Road, set to open in January, was built from the ground up with children in mind, and is the towns first pediatric dental office. Every child comes in with a different temperament. Life experience, coping skills and dental needs, she said. You have to figure out how to treat that one child. She said children experience dental visits differently than adults, and certain parts of their care will stay planted in their memories forever. The atmosphere at Orange Childrens Dentistry is welcoming to kids its bright, theres a playscape and a beam projects a floor game in the waiting room. There are Magna Doodles around for children to sketch with and flat-screen televisions on the ceiling above each chair. Carol Smullen, executive director of Orange Chamber of Commerce, was taken by the plush reindeer antlers sitting atop the X-ray machine. I think the kids will enjoy coming to the dentist, Smullen said, recalling how different it was during her childhood. This is wonderful. We have a bunch of businesses, but we dont have a childrens dentist. While the office is welcoming, its not over the top with stimulation like some childrens dental offices and thats by design, she said. I wanted to do something that reflects my personality Im not loud or vivacious Im quiet, Cerqueira said. A lot of kids like a loud environment, but you need a quiet environment for dentistry, because you need them to sit in the chair. She said she is prepared to treat children with autism, sensory issues and other special needs. Cerqueira said they have headphones for eliminating disturbing noise, weighted blankets, longer appointments if necessary and she has privileges at Bridgeport Hospital in case anesthesia is required. It used to be recommended children see a dentist for the first time at 3 or 4 years old, but now the recommended age is 1 so oral hygiene can be addressed and pediatric dentists can look for other issues with the head, neck and conditions of the tongue and lips that can affect nursing and speech, Cerqueira said. Its important they establish a dental home, she said. Her family came to the United States when Cerqueira was about 10 years old. Later in life when she was a dental assistant in Long Island, the dentist she worked for encouraged Cerqueira to also become a dentist. She graduated from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and worked as a general dentist for three years. She loved working with children, so she went back to school for two years to become a pediatric dentist, she said. Cerqueira lives in Milford and is married to a general dentist, Richard Putnam, who practices at Lifelong Dental in Milford. Together they have four children between the ages of 2 and 8, and she has two stepchildren. Cerqueira said she knew she wanted to open in Orange because the community is family-minded and doesnt have a practice devoted to children, but finding the right location was tricky because she wanted everything to be kid-friendly, including the parking lot. The opening has been delayed until January because of training schedules, and for now shell be a one-woman treatment show, even doing the cleanings. Even though the office isnt open yet, appointments are being scheduled. For more information, call 203-404-2224. NEW HAVEN A former New Haven Public Schools teacher who sexually assaulted one of her students has been sentenced to serve nine months in jail. Kirvanna Jones, who was 24 at the time of the assault in December 2015, had sexual intercourse with a student who was 15, according to the police warrant. Jones initially was charged with second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. Admitting in court recently that she had had intercourse with the victim, she pleaded guilty to the risk of injury charge and was convicted on that count. The guilty plea enabled her to avoid a trial. The city Board of Education voted in June 2016 not to renew Jones contract. She had been on administrative leave, with pay, since her arrest in February 2016. Jones was teaching math at Engineering and Science University Magnet Middle and High School, a New Haven public school located in Hamden, at the time of the sexual assault. The warrant stated she first had texted to the boy photos of herself wearing only a bra and a thong. The photos were sent in November 2015. When a female student who knew the victim saw the photos on his cellphone, she alerted an official at that school, according to the warrant. After New Haven police Detective Shayna Kendall and a representative of the state Department of Children and Families met with the school official, they contacted the victim, who refused to say much about what had happened. But then they called his guardian. During a meeting at the school attended by the guardian, the victim, Kendall, the state DCF worker and a school official, the guardian asked the boy: Did you have sex with that teacher? Tell the truth. After the boy did not immediately answer her, the guardian repeated her question. The warrant reported: The victim responded Yes and stated that he did have sex with Ms. Jones. One day later, the victim and his guardian went to police headquarters and provided a formal statement. The victim stated that for the previous two years he had been communicating with Jones on a level that became boyfriend and girlfriend, according to the warrant. The victim recalled that in the weeks before the sexual assault, Jones had sent him text messages about having sex with him as well as four photos of her semi-nude body. The victim told police that on Dec. 2, 2015, Jones texted him and then picked him up at his home. She drove them to her apartment on Chapel Street. He said there they kissed and then had intercourse. The boy stated that after they had sex and Jones was driving him back home, she wouldnt talk to him. He recalled that at some point she texted him and said: I cant believe I just did that! He said that before their sexual encounter, Jones had told him his grades would be inflated due to their relationship. He said he sometimes would not do homework or classwork but still received As and Bs. She also allowed him to talk in class and stand up when he wasnt supposed to, without Jones reprimanding him. But after they had sex, he said, she stopped allowing such behavior. He said she appeared to be mad at him. The victim said he sent a group text message to several friends announcing: We finally had sex. Kendall spoke with witnesses who confirmed receiving the message and said they knew he was referring to Jones. Several days after the victim gave his statement to police, a search warrant was obtained for Jones apartment. Investigators located underwear matching the photos sent to the victim as well as bedsheets matching the boys description. Police also spoke with a juvenile witness who recalled Jones telling the victim he was sloppy and that he was supposed to delete them, a reference to the text messages she had sent to him. Jones attorney, Brittany B. Paz, could not be reached for comment. The prosecutor in the case, Senior Assistant States Attorney Mary SanAngelo, declined to comment. Superior Court Judge Patrick J. Clifford imposed a sentence of 10 years, to be suspended after serving nine months, with 10 years of sex offender probation. The conditions of Jones probation also include being on the sex offender registry for 10 years and not teaching, tutoring or mentoring any minor under age 16. In addition, Clifford imposed a 20-year protective order for the victim. randall.beach@hearstmediact.com Somewhere beneath Lake Seminole, in the spot where tree stumps jutted out of the water like claws, investigators thought they would find Mike Williams. It was the evening of Dec. 16, 2000, the date of Williams's wedding anniversary with his high school sweetheart, Denise. He'd told his wife he would return from his duck hunting trip at the lake just in time to leave for their planned getaway down in Apalachicola, Florida. But Williams never came back, leading a search party to descend on the lake to find him. Williams's best friend, Brian Winchester, was among them. His father had called to let him know that everyone was worried, so they headed to the lake together with their boat to help. For hours they searched in the dark, until finally Winchester and his father stumbled upon Williams's small, motorized canoe brushed up on the lake's shore. They found his Ford Bronco parked 75 yards away, abandoned. What they weren't going to find, at least not there and then, was a body. Eventually, after the search at the bottom of Lake Seminole produced only his hunting license, jacket and waders, investigators believed that perhaps Williams had been eaten by alligators, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. But Winchester, it turns out, knew that couldn't be true. He knew where his friend was buried. They just hadn't found him yet. "[My dad] was searching, and I was just lying," a sobbing Winchester said Tuesday during the dramatic murder trial in Tallahassee over Williams's death. "I think we were the last ones on the lake. My dad didn't want to give up." Eighteen years after Williams's disappearance, Winchester confessed on the stand Tuesday to fatally shooting Williams in the head during the Dec. 16 boating trip, then leaving Williams's boat in the water to fool investigators. Winchester, however, is not the one on trial. He was called on by prosecutors to testify against Williams's high school sweetheart, who stands accused of conspiring with Winchester to kill her husband so that the two of them could be together. Williams's death, prosecutors say, was the product of a poisonous love triangle involving two sets of high school sweethearts - Denise and Mike Williams, and Brian and Kathy Winchester - that spiraled from infidelity to murder. Prosecutors say Denise collected $1.75 million from her husband's life insurance policies, one of which was written by Winchester, an insurance agent by trade, just months before Williams's death. Then, after Brian divorced Kathy, he and Denise married in 2005. All while, Mike Williams's disappearance remained unsolved. In a trial expected to last through the week, the jury will now be left to decide whether Denise was a willing participant, entering a marriage that grew from a murder, or whether she only knew as much as investigators did, believing her husband to be lost to the alligators. Her defense attorney, Philip Padovano, maintained in opening statements that Denise had nothing to do with Winchester's plot to kill her husband. The only person to accuse her of conspiring to kill Williams, Padovano maintained, was Winchester: a confessed killer and convicted kidnapper. Once his marriage to Denise fell apart, he kidnapped her in a last-ditch attempt to force her back into his life, a crime for which he is now serving 20 years in prison. He was granted immunity in Williams' death by prosecutors to testify about the murder plot with impunity. Winchester, Padovano told the jury, "has every motive to lie to you." "The issue you're going to have to decide," he said, "is whether you believe him." Winchester and Denise's affair all began at a Sister Hazel concert in 1997, according to Winchester's testimony. They kissed inside the venue while their spouses were out parking the car, he told the jury. From there, the relationship escalated. They went on secret getaways to New York, to South Beach, to Destin, Florida, Winchester said, sneaking in lunch dates during work breaks and visits to each other's homes when their spouses were away. After years of the affair, Winchester said, a disturbing thought crossed his mind after one of his regular hunting trips with Williams at Carr Lake, north of Tallahassee. Williams, he told the jury, had fallen into a mud hole. The ground seemed to collapse beneath him, almost like quicksand, and soon Williams was scrambling for help. "I remember telling Denise about that and how, if I hadn't been there, if I hadn't helped him out, he very likely would have disappeared," Winchester said. "And nobody would have known what happened to him." The seed was planted. Winchester claims he and Denise began discussing ways to get rid of Williams after Denise made clear she did not want to divorce, allegedly due to personal beliefs and because she didn't want split custody of their baby daughter. Eventually, Winchester claims, they discussed the "boating accident." On the morning of Denise and Williams's wedding anniversary, Winchester met Williams near the lake, telling him they were going to a "secret special spot," Winchester testified. Out on the lake, as soon as Williams stood up, Winchester shoved him overboard, hoping he would die by drowning. But he didn't. Williams grabbed onto a tree stump, panicking while trying to strip off his heavy waders and hunting jacket, scrambling again for help from Winchester that would not come. Winchester, realizing drowning would not work, pulled out his gun and circled the stump. Once close enough, he said, he shot his longtime friend in the face. Winchester then dragged the body out of the water, onto the boat and into his Chevrolet Suburban, driving home with Williams's body beneath a tarp in the trunk. For the next 17 years, no one else knew what he'd done with the corpse - except Denise, Williams claims. In the immediate years after Williams's disappearance, they still sought to keep their affair a secret, according to Winchester. They both tried dating other people, Winchester and Padovano said, while Winchester's marriage to Kathy continued to crumble, resulting in divorce. It was only in 2005 that Winchester and Williams married. But the secret started to weigh on their relationship in later years, Winchester said. They started to get paranoid, believing they were being watched. For years, because there was no body, Williams's case was simply a missing-persons investigation. But that changed in 2010. By then, police reclassified Williams's disappearance as a suspicious death, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating again. The developments that piqued their interest? Police had learned about Denise's marriage to Winchester, and her collection of $1.75 million in life insurance. When investigators called in Winchester for an interview, he said, it was all downhill from there. "It became quite clear to me from that interview that they were suspicious of what happened," Winchester said, "and not only that, they were suspicious of me and Denise." Still, as defense attorney Padovano emphasized, there was no physical evidence, such as DNA or fingerprints, connecting Winchester and particularly Denise to Williams's death. That's why there would be no real movement in the case until 2016, when Winchester and Denise's marriage snapped apart with one last crime. The couple, then estranged, were on the brink of divorce. At about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 5, 2016, Winchester crawled into the trunk of Denise's SUV, and waited for her to get inside. Later that morning, when she opened the door, she found Winchester with a gun and screamed. She was able to calm him down, Padovano said, by promising that she would stay with him and wouldn't tell the police anything. Instead, she later went to the sheriff's office to file the kidnapping report. And that's when everything unraveled: Investigators appeared to believe they figured out the whole backstory of their marriage. "He killed Mike," a Tallahassee police officer, who happened to be married to Denise's sister, told Denise during an interview about her kidnapping, the Tallahassee Democrat reported, "and I'm pretty sure the reason he was going to kill you today was he was afraid you were going to say something." (Winchester's defense attorney at the time, Tim Jansen, maintained that Winchester was not planning to kill Williams on the day of the kidnapping but was suicidal, the Democrat reported.) Denise said it wasn't true, maintaining she always believed Williams died on the lake. But whether she believed it or not, Winchester was about to shatter that fiction when police arrested him for Denise's kidnapping. In exchange for his statements and testimony implicating Denise in the killing, prosecutors agreed not to use any of his admissions to charge him with Williams's murder. He was sentenced to 20 years for the kidnapping last December. And before he could be shipped away, he led police, finally, to Williams's body. On the morning of the murder, with Williams covered beneath a tarp in his trunk, Winchester drove to the hunting spot he had long remembered. He stopped at Walmart for a shovel and weights - to hold Williams's body down, he said - and then he pulled up to the edge of Carr Lake. He looked for the mud holes, knowing this time Williams would not make it out. "There they found Mike, exactly where Brian said he would be," prosecutor Jon Fuchs said, "shot in the head, just like Brian said." He was still wearing a wedding ring. DERBY Bad Sons Beer Co. has an event on tap this weekend to help victims of the devastating California wildfires. According to Mike Student, owner and brand commander, the brewery at 251 Roosevelt Drive will join with hundreds of other breweries across the country to brew a special beer, Resilience IPA. Student said the beer will be available on draft, in crowlers and growlers from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday and 100 percent of proceeds will go to those affected by the recent wildfires. Students said Bad Sons is proud to join the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico, Calif., in helping the communities surrounding that brewery who lost their homes and everything they owned. The wildfires last month claimed the lives of 86 people, and burned more than 153,000 acres, destroying more than 14,000 homes. Supporting charities has been a part of our business plan since we opened and will continue to be for as long we operate, Student said. When the Resilience IPA program was announced we jumped at the opportunity to do our part to help. Student said, in addition, all local first responders are invited to Bad Sons from noon to 2 p.m. for a free lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers and fries, and will be entered into a raffle for brewery swag. First responders will also receive 25 percent off any four-packs of beer to go. First responders are protecting our families and communities day in and day out, and we saw this as an opportunity to not only raise money for a great cause but also to say thank you to those who help to keep us safe, Student added. Sundays event will also feature live music from 3 to 5 p.m. courtesy of The Hooch. There will also be a taproom-only cask release of Spruce Tip Resilience. Mayor Richard Dziekan said hes proud to have Bad Sons call Derby home. They are setting a stellar example of a successful company giving back to those in need through many charitable Valley events, Dziekan said. For more information about the event, check out the Facebook page or visit www.badsons.com jean.sos@snet.net Thill, defending the integrity of the Lake County Prosecutors office, stood at a podium before the Lake County Council, which was set up along the former circuit court judges bench, in the old Lake County Courthouse on the square in downtown Crown Point, more than two miles from the Lake County Government Center that replaced it. {order:2,name:pubdate,attributes:{sling:resourceType:nielsenglobal/components/content/publishdate},children:null} Singapore, 12 December 2018 The Singapore Consumer Confidence Index has scaled by 4 points to 98 in Q3 2018 (vs 94 pts in Q2 2018), according to The Conference Board Global Consumer Confidence Survey, in collaboration with Nielsen. This is the highest recorded level of confidence score in Singapore for 2018. The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is driven by three indicators, which are consumers perception on state of their personal finances, local job prospects, and intentions/readiness to spend. For Singapore, there were improvements across all three indicators on both a quarterly and annual basis: 57% believe the state of their personal finances in the next 12 months will be excellent or good (vs 53% in Q2 2018, 52% in Q3 2017) 48% have a positive view on job prospects in the next 12 months (vs 44% in Q2 2018, 42% in Q3 2017) 39% said now is the time to buy the things they want and need (vs 36% in Q2 2018, 31% in Q3 2017) Backed by expansions in the service industry and increases for overall employment in Q3 2018, Singaporean consumers are warming up in their confidence levels, said Johan Vrancken, Managing Director of Nielsen Singapore. However, locals still remained conservatively optimistic, with 48% having a positive view on job prospects, and 39% highlighting their spending intentions. JOB SECURITY AND ECONOMY ARE TOP CONCERNS IN SINGAPORE While 69% of Singaporeans believed that the country was not currently in recession, job security and the economy remained as top concerns. 18% (vs 20% in Q2 2018) mentioned that job security was a top concern, 14% the economy (vs 12% in Q2 2018), 14% work/life balance (vs 13% in Q2 2018), and 9% increasing utility bills (vs 5% in Q2 2018). SINGAPOREANS REMAINED PRUDENT SPENDERS While confidence levels were high, Singaporeans remained cautious when it came to spending their spare cash, as there were quarter-on-quarter decreases in intentions to spend on discretionary items such as new clothes (down 6%) and holidays/vacations (down 3%). More than three in five Singaporeans (64%) said they would save their spare cash, while one in four placed them in their retirement funds (26%), or invested in shares of stock/mutual funds (25%). Singaporeans are prudent in saving up for a rainy day, which we have observed over the last few quarters, said Johan. Channeling their money into savings or investments provides them with the assurance and financial protection for the future. The Conference Board Global Consumer Confidence Survey, in collaboration with Nielsen, measures perceptions of local job prospects, personal finances and immediate spending intentions among more than 32,000 respondents with Internet access in 64 countries, including 501 respondents from Singapore. Consumer confidence levels above and below a baseline of 100 indicate degrees of optimism and pessimism. Download The Conference Board Global Consumer Confidence Report here. One worker died and another was hospitalized after they were apparently overcome by fumes from a running lawn mower inside a landscaping trailer at a Bergen County condo complex Tuesday. The two men were found unresponsive at the Washington Pond Condominium Complex, according to Detective Heather Castronova, of the Washington Township Police Department. Patrol officers rushed to a 9-1-1 call shortly after 8 a.m. and began CPR on the victims before both men were taken to The Valley Hospital. One of the men, a 26-year-old from West New York, later died, police said. There was no immediate word on the second mans condition. The victims appeared to be overcome by the fumes of a running lawn mower in a trailer, the detective said. Police did not release the names of the men before families could be informed. A spokeswoman for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed the agency was investigating, but did not immediately provide further details. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The National Park Service has reopened the Portage lakefront and riverwalk unit of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. This decision is based on preliminary test results that did not indicate any known hazardous substances in the discharge that first appeared in the Burns Waterway on Nov. 28. That discharge has now ended. The closure had been in effect since Nov. 30 as a precaution until the nature of the discharge could be determined. National Lakeshore staff worked closely with Indiana Department of Environmental Management and U.S. Steel during the investigation. More information is at 219-395-1609. The man accused of killing an aspiring rapper during a recording session last month was acting in self-defense, his attorney claims. Marcel J. Steele, 22, of Deptford Township, is accused of shooting Jodeci Robinson, 22, of Woodbury in the back during a Nov. 28 incident at Steeles house. While prosecutors have described this as a cold-blooded killing over money, Steeles attorney, James Leonard, said Robinson and a friend were actually trying to rob his client. Steele appeared in court for a detention hearing on murder and related charges Tuesday and Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson ordered him held pending trial. Investigators say Steele, Robinson and Saliim Bey, a friend of Robinsons, were in the home on Andaloro Way recording music in a makeshift studio Steele had set up in a bedroom when talk turned to money. Robinson apparently owed Steele money for a previous recording session, Assistant Prosecutor Jacqueline Caban said. Jodeci Robinson died after a shooting at this Deptford Township home on Nov. 28. (Matt Gray | For NJ.com) The three traveled to a nearby Wawa where Robinson withdrew money from an ATM. Back at the house, Steele again asked for his money and, when Robinson told him to chill, Steele drew a handgun. Robinson and Bey ran for the door and Steele began firing, Caban said. Steele fired shots from inside the house and continued firing from the porch, she noted. Bey, 26, of Pine Hill, was shot in the arm, but managed to escape. A witness reported that Robinson screamed Stop, stop, stop, stop, as the gunman continued firing, according to the criminal complaint. Responding officers found Robinson on the grass in front of the home. He later died at Cooper University Hospital. Steeles mother, Shasta L. Steele, 41, is accused of removing items from the area after the shooting. Witnesses said she placed a black plastic bag filled with items from the house into an SUV parked in the driveway and moved the vehicle down the street. A search of the SUV turned up a bag containing marijuana and $2,000 in cash. More marijuana was found in the backyard. In all, police recovered nearly a pound of pot, Caban said. They also found the handgun Steele allegedly used on the roof of the home and two more handguns inside the residence. Caban said the mother and son did nothing to help the man dying in their front yard. Neither one stopped, made a 911 call, administered any help, asked for help, instead they were running around the house and the property for what it appears was getting rid of evidence, Caban said. Speaking after the hearing, Leonard challenged the prosecutions version of events and described his client as the victim of a robbery attempt. He said his client wasnt the only one firing a gun at the house that night. We are optimistic that when the investigation in this case is completed, the state will agree that Mr. Steele was the victim of a robbery perpetrated by the decedent and Mr. Bey, and that Mr. Steele acted in his own self-defense and in the defense of his mother, who was present in the home during the robbery, Leonard said. In arguing against Steeles pre-trial release, Caban cited a criminal record that includes assault and drug convictions in Virginia and noted that he was on pre-trial monitoring for a simple assault charge in Gloucester County at the time of the shooting. Hes a danger to the community, hes a risk of obstruction and a risk of flight, Caban concluded. In addition to murder, Marcel Steele is charged with attempted murder, endangering an injured victim, obstruction and various weapons offenses, including possession a weapon while committing a drug crime. He remains in Salem County Correctional Facility awaiting his next court date, which is Jan. 17 for a pre-indictment conference. Allen-Jackson also granted prosecution requests that Steele have no contact with Robinsons family or Bey, and that he have no contact with his own mother. Shasta Steele is charged with endangering an injured victim and obstruction for allegedly failing to render aid to Robinson and for hiding evidence. She is free pending a January pre-indictment hearing. A 50-year-old U.S. Postal Service carrier was hospitalized after he was attacked on his route Monday, police said. The carrier was delivering mail on Hillside Avenue in West Orange when a woman attacked him after an argument around 4:30 p.m. Police responding to a call found the man, who pointed out the home where the attack occurred. He was taken to St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, where he was treated and released. Officers arrested Medgyne Anglade, 41, and charged her with aggravated assault and a weapons charge. Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips A West New York family thought their newborns delivery into the world would be at a hospital. But their baby girl had other plans. Raul Marin was driving his pregnant wife, Creily Uzeta, to Hoboken University Medical Center Monday morning at around 3 a.m. when he stopped the car on Boulevard East and 60th Street in West New York to help deliver his own newborn daughter, Kylie. When I felt the baby, I was nerve-wrecked. I was in shock, Marin said, adding that he told himself to stay calm as he competed the delivery. It happened so quickly she wanted to come out. Marin said he felt the babys head as he was driving to Hoboken from North Bergen, where the family dropped off their four-year-old son at a relatives house before heading to the hospital. The delivery happened so quickly that Marin said his wife was in labor for only 40 minutes. The first thing that came to my mind [was] to grab my sweater and call 911. But Marin said 911 told him it would take 10 minutes for emergency medical staff to arrive. So his wife held the baby while Marin turned on his cars hazard lights and flew through every red light he encountered until he arrived at the hospital in Hoboken, Marin said. Uzeta, 29, said she didnt expect that she wouldnt make it to the hospital in time. But she added shes happy with how the situation turned out. She is currently recovering at Hoboken University Medical Center and is in good health. Kylie, weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces and measuring 19 inches, is also in good health, according to Marin. I feel happy, Uzeta said. A Jersey City man was charged Tuesday with using fake passports to open bank accounts and then depositing $1 million in phony IRS refund checks, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey announced. Mamadou Diallo, 42, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of passport fraud. He appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court and was released on $200,000 bond. Citing documents filed in this case and statements made in court, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Diallo and others conspired to fraudulently obtain money from four banks from June 2012 until his arrest Tuesday. Diallo and his co-conspirators created false passports from various West African countries by affixing their own pictures onto passports bearing names other than their own, Carpenito said. The suspects opened bank accounts using the doctored passports as photo identification and deposited fraudulent checks bearing the routing number for the U.S. Treasury. The funds were then withdrawn from the accounts, with losses exceeding $1 million, Carpenito said. Diallo faces a potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The passport fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Treasury-Office of Inspector General, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance were all involved in the investigation. Tired of Grinches stealing a little bit of Christmas, Jersey City and e-commerce giant Amazon are teaming up to put the fear of Cindy Lou Who into package thieves. Amazon has supplied the city with Ring video doorbells, dummy boxes and GPS devices to help catch porch pirates in the act or at least on video. The program is the first of its kind on the East Coast, Jersey City spokeswoman Ashley Manz said. It didnt take long to see how effective the tools, combined with a concerted effort by the police departments Burglary Unit, could be. Eight minutes after we put the program into action (Monday), we caught someone, said Manz, who noted that by noon three people had been caught. Exact figures on porch thefts are hard to track. A company commissioned by comparison-shopping service insuranceQuotes.com surveyed 1,000 people and extrapolated that 26 million Americans have had a holiday package stolen from their home. That would be nearly one in 12 Americans. Manz said Amazon had estimated there were between 400 and 500 package thefts in Jersey City last year. We appreciate the increased effort by local law enforcement to tackle package theft and remain committed to assisting however we can, Amazon spokesman Ernesto Apreza said in a statement. The city provided the video doorbell kits, the boxes and the GPS units to homeowners in areas that are more likely to be targeted who volunteered to participate. Police are packaging phony items and placing the boxes on stoops and porches and then they wait. When police arent around, the GPS unit inside the box should help them track down the stoop surfers, officials said. The Burglary Unit has added people for this program, Manz said. The goal of the program is to deter the thefts, not so much to catch everyone who steals a package. Maybe not so surprisingly, Amazon may have more information than police on where the packages are most stolen, since a lot of people dont report the thefts to police. But they sure do call Amazon to let them know their item was stolen or did not arrive, Manz said, noting that this Amazon heat map helped pick the locations for the program. Police Capt. James Crecco is overseeing the program after he suggested it to Police Chief Michael Kelly. He was almost in disbelief at how quickly a thief snapped up the first package. We thought it was a mistake at first, Crecco said. Kelly said that even before this program, video doorbell technology is a great help in identifying and arresting the porch pirates. "Most of the package thefts weve made arrests on revolve around CCTV or private surveillance cameras that give us a still image, Kelly said. With the bait packages, some will be under video surveillance, and some will have GPS. City officials also said that police will be monitoring delivery trucks to prevent crimes of opportunity. We want to deter by announcing (this program), Kelly said in a tweet. The Associated Press contributed to this report. JERSEY CITY Real-estate developer Mack-Cali and some of its subsidiaries are suing the state of New Jersey and Jersey City over the citys new payroll tax, which the plaintiffs call a vague, slapdash and unconstitutional house of cards that must be invalidated. The tax was adopted last month by the City Council to help fund the school district. The plaintiffs, which include two labor unions and the city-created Exchange Place special improvement district, make a host of arguments in the 71-page lawsuit, including that the tax represents unfair taxation, that the ordinance adopted by the council has overreaching provisions and that the citys booming economy shows it does not need to collect an extra tax to fund schools. The 15-count lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Hudson County Superior Court. Mayor Steve Fulop and the City Council are included as defendants. The payroll tax will decimate Jersey City businesses small and large, it will harm cash-strapped nonprofit organizations and will undo the progress that the community has made in Jersey City over the last 20 years," Mack-Cali CEO Mike DeMarco said in a statement. In a brief also filed Tuesday, the plaintiffs ask that a judge bar Jersey City from collecting the payroll tax until the case is heard. The city planned on collecting it starting Jan. 1. Asked to comment, city spokeswoman Ashley Manz said, Its unfortunate that some of these huge corporations that have made millions of dollars in Jersey City would file this lawsuit. Jersey City has acted properly with the tools provided by the state of New Jersey to protect our schools and we intend to fight on behalf of the schools. The state attorney generals office declined to comment. The payroll tax amounts to 1 percent of a business total payroll (the business pays the tax, not the worker) For years Newark was the only municipality in New Jersey with a payroll tax, but state lawmakers this summer approved legislation allowing Jersey City to collect one too. That bill was passed because lawmakers also approved changes to state school funding that will lead to the elimination of a type of aid that would have brought Jersey Citys school district $175 million this year. Revenue from the payroll tax is intended to offset those funding cuts, which are expected to come gradually over the next seven years. The state law allowed the city to exempt the wages of Jersey City workers from the tax, which the plaintiffs say represents unfair taxation barred by the New Jersey Constitution. Funding education via a payroll tax is unlawful, the lawsuit alleges, because the only constitutionally accepted form of education funding in New Jersey is property tax revenue combined with state aid for poor districts. Plaintiffs also argue the citys tax law is so broadly written that it captures people who arent legally employees, like independent contractors. DeMarco and Fulop are close. A Mack-Cali subsidiary gave $250,000 to the super PAC that was expected to fund Fulops 2017 gubernatorial run Fulop dropped out of that race while Mack-Cali gave Fulops council allies free bookbags and school supplies to hand out to students during back-to-school events last year. Mack-Cali projects have also received city tax abatements, which the plaintiffs note in their lawsuit. They argue that the city is barred from seeking new taxes from any party that has an abatement. The plaintiffs use those abatements to ding the city, saying the city is at fault for the school districts funding problems because the city refuses to share abatement revenue with schools. Payments in lieu of taxes go almost entirely to the city, unlike traditional property taxes that are divided with the school district and the county. If Jersey City used even a fraction of those payments for its schools, it would more than make up the cuts in state aid, the lawsuit says. Weiner Law Group is representing the plaintiffs. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. North Bergens voters Tuesday night overwhelmingly approved borrowing $60 million for a plan that officials say will alleviate chronic overcrowding in the school district. With mail-in and provisional ballots still to be counted, the referendum to bond for $60 million passed by a 74-26 percent margin. Slightly more than 5,000 people, or 14.6 percent of the 34,638 registered voters, went to the polls. I would like to thank the voters of North Bergen for their support ... in our efforts to finally give our children the excellent school facilities they deserve while protecting taxpayers, said North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, who promised that the realignment plan will not result in higher school taxes. This outstanding result shows that the community agrees strongly with our vision for improving our schools." While the referendum calls for borrowing $60 million, the amount North Bergen will be responsible for repaying is $34 million since the state Department of Education has approved repaying the rest. Under the $65 million realignment plan, North Bergen will purchase and renovate the former county-operated High Tech High School on 85th Street at a cost of roughly $37 million. Seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders in the district will attend the new junior high school. Another $15 million will go toward renovations at the current North Bergen High School, which will house 10th-11th- and 12-graders. Officials said that will free up space in the townships grammar schools to move kindergarten classes from trailers in James J. Braddock North Hudson Park. The township has promised to spend nearly $5 million from its capital reserve toward the project. Some $12 million is also earmarked for facility efficiency upgrades, officials said. In his promise to keep school taxes from rising, Sacco has said that $1.25 million annually from the townships PILOT program payments made by developers of tax-abated properties will be used to repay the $34 million loan. The result of the referendum vote has not yet been certified by the Hudson County Clerk. Attorney Mario Blanch, a critic of the administration, said the result cant be certified until an appellate court rules on a complaint he brought against the Board of Education. In the complaint, Blanch called for the postponement of the referendum because the wording of the question was not in plain and simple language, as is required by law. Larry Wainstein, who ran for mayor against Sacco in the last election, tried to halt the referendum last week, but a judge ruled against his complaint that the Open Public Meetings Act had been had violated. You can't turn over a shovelful of earth in Fort Lee without digging up a little bit of movie history. Literally. "I remember we were putting in one of our signs here," Fort Lee Film Commission Executive Director Tom Meyers says, driving past a downtown park. "We started to sink a post and suddenly hit all this old film." Like that moldering celluloid, for decades Fort Lee's role in movie history was both underfoot and forgotten. Even film buffs tended to discount it, dismissing the borough and its contributions as quaint artifacts. Fort Lee, right? Isn't that where they shot some old slapstick comedies? Staged that corny serial, "The Perils of Pauline," with Pearl White hanging from the Palisades? Yes, they did. And so much more. Because, starting around 1910 -- for one brief, busy decade -- Fort Lee was America's movie capital. It was where D.W. Griffith honed his craft, shooting nearly 100 pictures. Where Mary Pickford made her film debut. Where, at the borough's peak, the streets were lined with studios and its dusky woods became a busy backlot for everything from shoot-'em-ups to an early, epic "Robin Hood." "It wasn't just two-reelers," says Marc Perez, director of the Fort Lee documentary "The Champion." "The filmmakers there built massive sets. They recreated Paris, the Middle East." Sadly, the Fort Lee film industry began to disappear after World War I, chased away by a bitterly cold winter and a deadly influenza epidemic. The moguls had already begun to switch some production to sunny California, where you could shoot outdoors year-round; by the '20s, the move was nearly complete. The parade passed by. Fade out. Fade in. "The Champion," released on DVD last year, recaptures that era (and some of its classic movies). Free jitneys roll down the borough's streets, pointing out where Theda Bara vamped and Fatty Arbuckle pratfalled. Tourists poke around the Fort Lee Museum, filled with tributes to silent-film legends, such as Florence Lawrence, America's first movie star. And just around the corner from the museum stands the future site of the Barrymore Film Center, a grand complex -- slated to open next year -- that promises a deluxe art deco-styled theater, an expanded home for the city's movie memorabilia and a new headquarters for its increasingly busy film commission. The borough that helped invent American filmmaking is ready for its close-up. Again. Even before there was a real Hollywood, there was a Hollywood on the Hudson. Although Thomas Edison pioneered American moviemaking in West Orange, by the turn of the century, production had shifted to Manhattan. Still, film companies would cross the river occasionally, looking for locations. Fort Lee established itself as a favorite early on. "The town had a history as a resort, so they were used to day-trippers," says Rutgers professor Richard Koszarski, author of "Fort Lee: The Film Town." "They were happy to rent rooms or houses or what have you. In other towns in Jersey, when filmmakers came over, the locals would laugh at the actors, they'd get in the way. In Fort Lee, they lined up looking for work." Eventually, studios began abandoning Manhattan altogether for cheaper digs in Jersey; by 1910, the movie industry had become just another part of everyday life in Fort Lee. Rambo's saloon turned its upstairs into dressing rooms, its backyard into an informal commissary. Schools sometimes let out early, so students could look for jobs as extras. Actors arriving on the ferry found an already established, congenial community of artists. Stage star Richard Bennett had settled in first, busy raising daughters Joan, Barbara and Constance (all soon to become stars themselves). Theatrical legend Maurice Barrymore was nearby, ensconced in a grand Victorian; his teenage son John made his acting debut in a fire department fundraiser. Soon, it seemed as if every studio -- Universal, Fox and Paramount -- had a large, local presence. Overnight, Fort Lee had become a bustling factory town -- except the assembly lines weren't turning out Model Ts, but dreams. Businesses boomed. Teenagers walked right out of high school into good jobs on the backlot. "The industry employed a lot of local people," Meyers says. "My grandmother was an extra and then a cutter for Eclair (a film production company). My grandfather, Joe, worked in the film vaults at Fox." But as those studio jobs began to disappear in the '20s, so, it seemed, did the borough's movie history. The Barrymore house was bulldozed. The original, glass-walled studios -- giant greenhouses, really -- fell into ruin with the last one, Champion's, torn down just a few years ago. There were plenty of historical markers -- the commission, begun in 2001, went to work quickly -- but they felt like tombstones. Here lie the bones of an industry, an art, an American institution. "You felt a little like an archaeologist discovering a lost civilization," Koszarski says of those early days. "The (borough) wasn't physically there anymore, so you had to reconstruct it." But the commission -- and local volunteers -- kept at it. They recreated the era with books and events. They broadened their focus beyond Fort Lee, sponsoring outdoor screenings and tributes to Jersey figures such as Celeste Holm and Lou Costello. They reminded people not only of what the borough had lost, but what they could still have. And the next time a developer arrived, this time with plans to raze Rambo's, the commission helped put together an innovative deal that both preserved the old inn and restored it as housing. "We couldn't have done that without public support," Meyers admits. And that support doesn't just spring from safe nostalgia -- a pleasant fondness for player pianos and silent comics. It's about remembering a time when Fort Lee was a haven for all kinds of films -- and all sorts of filmmakers. Like Alice Guy-Blache, a busy French director who ran her own studio. Like Oscar Micheaux, a pioneering African-American filmmaker and businessman who made films here well into the 1940s. And like the independent artists who held on after the corporations left, using old stages to shoot new films in Italian, or Yiddish. "We've always been diverse," Meyers says. "You go back more than a century, we had African-American filmmakers shooting on Main Street. We had a woman with her own production company. So many filmmakers had come over from Paris, Fort Lee had a French-language newspaper." It's a diversity the commission encourages. For years, it has been supporting young artists through the Jersey Filmmakers of Tomorrow competition. Looking forward, Meyers sees the new film center as an important educational force - hosting lectures, holding symposia, reaching out to other institutions. Because it's not just about remembering history. It's about repeating the best parts of it. After all, Fort Lee's filmmaking days grew out of a vibrant time when immigrants were welcomed, when local industry thrived, when you didn't need a college degree to find a well-paying career. When women and African-Americans and other groups had a place, and a voice, in an American art form. It may seem like the long-ago past. But look closer, and you see what could be a bright future. "We tend to take more notice of fine art," says Perez, the director of "The Champion." "But film is one of America's most-loved exports, and Fort Lee is kind of where it all started. I think we've lost track of that. And I think it's an incredibly important thing to preserve." Milestone Film & Video champions N.J.'s movie history Now, just a short drive away, one of the smallest film distribution companies, Milestone Film & Video, is helping keep the history of movie-making in Fort Lee alive with "The Champion," a two-disc DVD set about the borough's studios and the movies they made. A genuine mom-and-pop operation, the award-winning Milestone operates out of Harrington Park by Jersey natives Amy Heller and Dennis Doros. They grew up in New Jersey, left for New York, then came back for the usual reasons -- schools, family, space. Although in their case, the space also included room for a burgeoning distribution business. They began in 1990 with a few vintage documentaries and have expanded to theatrical and home releases of dozens of diverse films. Want a 10-volume set of early Russian cinema? They've got it. The lively dance doc "No Maps on My Taps"? Here, too. "Basically we're interested in films that reflect on history," says Heller. "That have powerful, positive messages about inclusion, that were made by outsider filmmakers or address communities that aren't often depicted on screen." That leaves a lot of leeway. "We're simply about great films from any time, anywhere," Doros says. "We distributed Takeshi Kitano's 'Fireworks.' We distributed Charles Burnett's 'Killer of Sheep.' Right now we're working on Lois Weber's 'The Dumb Girl of Portici,' from 1916, the first studio tentpole-film ever directed by a woman." Working together -- they only recently hired a full-time staffer -- Doros and Heller search for under-the-radar films that deserve an audience. That's how they found "The Champion," then screening in a rough cut at a local library. "I knew nothing about that history, and I grew up in Teaneck," Heller says. "I think a lot of people who grew up here will be surprised." But surprising people is what Milestone Film & Video is all about. The couple could reap larger profits if they distributed cheap exploitation movies, or settled for second-rate prints. They won't. Instead, they concentrate on thoughtfully chosen, carefully restored works they hope, says Doros, "challenge assumptions, change the canon, open eyes." "Films changed our lives," Doros says. "We want to distribute films that will change yours." Dont count on state lawmakers voting by the end of the year on a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey, the top two leaders of the state Legislature said Wednesday. You will probably not be able to smoke it on New Years Eve legally, state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, said after a meeting of Democratic legislators at the East Brunswick Hilton. Lawmakers were holding out hope for both the state Senate and Assembly to vote on the bill Monday the last voting session of the year and thus fulfill Gov. Phil Murphys call to pass legal weed by the end of 2018. Both Coughlin and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said Wednesday that doesnt appear likely unless they can iron out major differences they have with Murphy on the bill in a meeting scheduled for Thursday. Theres not gonna be a vote in the Senate on the 17th, Sweeney said. Let me clarify: Unless we come to an agreement tomorrow. ... Im more than willing to sit and listen and talk with him." Thursdays meeting will be the first sit-down New Jerseys top three elected state officials have had since October, thanks to their sometimes rocky relationship. Coughlin said Murphy and lawmakers havent resolved some of the issues about the bill, which advanced out of committee last month despite months of disagreements between lawmakers. Im hopeful tomorrow we can make some progress, Coughlin said. He added: I guess its theoretically possible to have a vote Monday. There are two major sticking points. One is the rate at which the state would tax marijuana. The bill currently has it at 12 percent. Murphys administration reportedly wants it higher. Meanwhile, Murphy and Sweeney are at odds over creating a full-time Cannabis Regulatory Commission to control the industry. The bill would require an examination at the three-year mark to see if it should be full-time. Murphy is opposed, while Sweeney wants a full-time commission. NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco and Susan K. Livio contributed to this report. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook With the upcoming holiday break about to afford children more time online, at least two school districts are warning parents about the Momo Challenge, a form of cyberbullying in which trolls hiding behind a digital avatar with bulging eyes and a beaklike grin coax children, teens and other vulnerable individuals into committing increasingly violent and self-destructive acts. Brick Township Public Schools is urging parents to become aware of this challenge and monitor their childrens use of social media and the internet, the districts superintendent, Gerard Dalton, wrote to parents in a Dec. 11 letter posted on the districts web site. The Momo Challenge can be found on Facebook and/or through the WhatsApp and is disturbing in nature," Daltons letter states. "The communications through the Momo Challenge begin with a chat that asks the receiver to perform small tasks and then escalates to more serious violent acts and request photographs for proof. The investigative YouTube channel Fully Sourced has created an age-restricted video about the Momo Challenge, which can be viewed by adults with a Google account, characterizing the Momo Challenge as being operated by a group of sadistic social media engineers who exploit online personal information about those who contact Momo through the WhatsApp mobile phone application. According to Fully Sourced, the Momo trolls then coax those vulnerable individuals into live-streaming what start out as apparently harmless or humorous stunts, including pouring ice water on themselves, then escalate the coerced behavior to increasingly dangerous acts, including eating packets of laundry detergent. Authorities in other countries including India, Colombia and Argentina have recently investigated suicides of teens which may have occurred in connection with the Momo Challenge, The Washington Post reported. Howell Township schools also issued a warning to the community, although no incidents of its use have been reported there. A recent occurrence in neighboring districts and throughout our country involving a social media challenge is creating concern throughout our communities, Howell Superintendent Joseph Isola said in a statement. "In some circumstances, children have taken the concept of this challenge and utilized it in a face-to-face manner, thereby removing the digital aspect, Dalton did not immediately respond to a message asking what, if any, response there had been from parents or others to the letter. A spokesman for Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said the office had not received any complaints involving Momo. But the Prosecutor is monitoring the situation along with members of the Juvenile and Computer Crimes Units, said the spokesman, Bryan Huntenberg. Daltons letter said district staff would provide concerned students and parents with additional information, and he urged members of the school community to use the WeTip section of the district web site to reach out. In conjunction with the prosecutors office and the Brick Police Department, Dalton said the district was developing a program to educate parents and students on social media pitfalls to be unveiled in the new year. And he stressed the importance of monitoring childrens computer use at home, particularly over the upcoming winter break. As the holiday season rapidly approaches and children may have more screen time on electronic devices or receive them as gifts, it is an appropriate time to consider family guidelines for appropriate use, Daltons letter states. We ask that you consider age appropriateness for childrens use of technology, time spent on social media and over all reminders of family expectations for making good choices using their conscience. Below are some links that offer advice. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook She said each of the ornaments displayed includes paragraphs about the artist and the ornament design, which often includes the inspiration behind the creation, an explanation of what the ornament symbolizes and other information about the ornament that seems important to the artist or the county. Eller said all of the details are included in a binder that visitors can use as a reference as they peruse the 92 county ornaments. Drug trafficking. Money laundering through suspicious contracts. And the practice of Santeria. Those were among the allegations spelled out by federal prosecutors in Puerto Rico on Wednesday, with the announcement they had finally pieced together the mysterious and long-unsolved murder of New Jersey banker Maurice J. Spagnoletti, who was gunned down seven years ago on a busy San Juan expressway on his way home from work. In an indictment unsealed in Puerto Rico, a grand jury charged six men in a wide-ranging drug trafficking operation that ultimately led to the alleged murders of three people, including Spagnoletti, who prosecutors said had come across what he thought was a suspicious contract involving the Doral Bank in San Juan, where he was then working, and moved to terminate it. Not long afterward, he was allegedly targeted and killed. Federal, state and local law enforcement agents worked together with our prosecutors to target the leaders and key members of this violent gang, who are responsible for at least three murders, one of which was the murder of Maurice Spagnoletti in 2011, said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, in announcing the charges. According to Timothy Henwood, the first assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Spagnoletti had been sent down by Doral, then a major financial institution in Puerto Rico, to look into costs the bank thought were getting a little out of control including a cleaning contract with the institution. His conclusion, Henwood said, was that the contract was excessive and should be cancelled. Essentially that was the motivation for them to unfortunately kill him, he said. Unbeknownst to Spagnoletti, he had apparently stumbled across a complex scheme that involved not only the trafficking of crack cocaine and narcotics, but the laundering of money through the suspicious maintenance contract with the bank, as well as an organization that practiced the Santeria cult-like religion of the Caribbean to mask what it was doing, according to prosecutors. Henwood said one of the alleged traffickers was seen as a spiritual advisor, even to some members of the Doral Bank itself. The bank, which collapsed under the weight of massive financial losses unrelated to the trafficking operation, closed in 2015. According to court filings, group would conduct Santeria religious ceremonies to protect their leaders, the organization, and their drug trafficking activities. It was a world away from New Jersey. Well known in banking circles, Spagnoletti had worked in top-level jobs at a number of financial institutions across the country, including Summit Bank in New Jersey, where he served as regional president and CEO. He grew up in Hudson County and later got his MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. While still at Summit Bank, he spearheaded programs to mentor students in Jersey City and Newark. But in 2010, Spagnoletti moved to San Juan after a position had opened at Doral Financial, the parent company of what was then one of the largest community banks in Puerto Rico. He was hired to head up the banks mortgage and banking operations. Once there, however, Spagnoletti began to uncover what he believed were questionable dealings within a troubled bank that had already been facing questions about its finances and earnings, according to his widow, Marisa Spagnoletti, in a lawsuit she later filed against the bank. They fired 11 shots into his car, she said in an interview shortly after the 2013 lawsuit was filed. They left a Rolex watch on his wrist that I took off his dead body. He was assassinated. Her lawsuit claimed that her husband found evidence of insider loans for overvalued properties, mortgages supported by collateral that did not exist and payments for services never rendered. The widows lawsuit against the bank was ultimately dismissed. But until now, no one had ever been charged, in a case that baffled police for years and drew in the FBI. In 2016, the FBI in San Juan announced a $20,000 reward for information that could help solve the killing. Marisa Spagnoletti, who pushed for years to get authorities to investigate, also contributed money to a reward. Henwood said the money played a small role in breaking the case, but added there were many elements that came together. What happens in these situation you get a little piece of evidence here and there, he said. "This was an important case. For the U.S. Attorney, its been a top priority for our office. Maurice J. Spagnoletti, then senior regional manager of Summit Bank, in a 1997 file photo. (Kathleen W. Perlett | Star-Ledger file photo)SL The murder occurred on the evening of Wednesday, June 15, 2011, when Spagnoletti left his office in San Juan, heading home to his beachfront condo in the upscale neighborhood of Condado. Taking a well-traveled route he normally drove, his dark Lexus swung down Avenida Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and then north onto the busy Expreso De Diego. While sitting in traffic approaching the Minillas Tunnel, police said another car pulled alongside his and a series of shots were fired into the passenger-side window of the Lexus. He was dead when police arrived, hit by at least three shots to the head. He was 57. In the indictment unsealed Wednesday, a federal grand jury in San Juan charged six people in connection with an conspiracy to distribute drugs including crack cocaine as well as the possession of firearms. Four of those individuals, Luis Carmona-Bernacet, Yadiel Serrano-Canales, Rolando Rivera-Solis, and Alex Burgos-Amaro, were charged in connection with Spagnolettis murder, but no one was specifically charged with being the gunman. If convicted of murder, prosecutors said they could face the death penalty or up to life in prison. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Michael Cohen, who as President Donald Trumps personal lawyer and fixer once vowed he would take a bullet for his boss, was sentenced Wednesday to three in prison for an array of crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to two women that he says was done at the direction of Trump. The sentence was in line with what federal prosecutors asked for. Sentencing guidelines called for around four to five years behind bars, and prosecutors asked in court papers that Cohen be given only a slight break. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said Cohen deserved modest credit for his decision over the summer to admit guilt and cooperate in a federal investigation of efforts by Russians to influence the presidential election, but his assistance "does not wipe the slate clean." "Somewhere along the way Mr. Cohen appears to have lost his moral compass," the judge said. "As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better." Cohen told the judge just before he was sentenced that loyalty to Trump led him astray. Michael Cohen, center, President Donald Trump's former lawyer, accompanied by his children Samantha, left, and Jake, right, arrives at federal court for his sentencing, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, in New York, for dodging taxes, lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)AP "It was my blind loyalty to this man that led me to take a path of darkness instead of light," he said. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds." Cohen's lawyers had argued for leniency, saying he decided to cooperate with investigators rather than hold out for a possible pardon. "He came forward to offer evidence against the most powerful person in our country," Cohen's lawyer, Guy Petrillo, told the judge during the hearing. Cohen, 52, pleaded guilty in August to evading $1.4 million in taxes related to his personal businesses. In the part of the case with greater political repercussions, he also admitted breaking campaign finance laws in arranging payments in the waning days of the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, both of whom said they had sexual encounters with Trump. Cohen became the first and so far, only member of Trump's circle during two years of investigations to go into open court and implicate the president in a crime, though whether a president can be prosecuted is a matter of legal dispute. Last month, Cohen also pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about Trump's business dealings in Russia. He admitted hiding the fact that he was negotiating a proposal to build a Trump skyscraper in Moscow well into the presidential campaign. He said he lied out of devotion to Trump, who had insisted during the campaign that he had no business ties whatsoever to Russia. The sentence was the culmination of a spectacular rise and fast fall of a lawyer who attached himself to the fortunes of his biggest client, helped him get elected president, then turned on him, cooperating with two interconnected investigations: one run by federal prosecutors in New York, the other by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian efforts to influence the race for the White House. At the sentencing hearing, a prosecutor in Mueller's office, Jeannie Rhee, said Cohen has "sought to tell us the truth and that is of the utmost value to us." "He has provided consistent and credible information about core Russia-related issues under investigation," she said without elaborating. It remains to be seen how much damage Cohen's cooperation will do to Trump. Legal experts said Cohen could get his sentence reduced if he strikes a deal with prosecutors to tell them more. The defense team said Cohen's tax crimes were unsophisticated, and his campaign violations and lies to lawmakers were motivated by overenthusiasm for Trump, rather than any nefarious intent. But the New York-based prosecutors who handled the case had urged the judge to sentence Cohen to a substantial prison term and said he failed to fully cooperate with investigators. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said Cohen's crimes showed a "pattern of deceit, brazenness and greed." He called for a sentence that sends a message that "even powerful, privileged individuals cannot violate these laws with impunity." In their court filing, the prosecutors left no doubt that they believe Cohen arranged the hush-money payments at Trump's direction, saying the maneuver was part of an effort to "influence the election from the shadows." Trump, who insists the affairs never happened, argued on Twitter that the payments to the women were "a simple private transaction," not a campaign contribution. And if it was a prohibited contribution, Trump said, Cohen is the one who should be held responsible. "Lawyer's liability if he made a mistake, not me," Trump wrote, adding, "Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced. WITCH HUNT!" Trump had repeatedly called for a tough sentence for Cohen, whom he labeled a liar. Cohen has had at least seven meetings with Mueller's team, which said in court papers that Cohen provided "relevant and useful" information about attempts by Russian figures to influence Trump's campaign. In the hush-money case, prosecutors said, Cohen arranged for the parent company of the National Enquirer to pay $150,000 to McDougal. He also paid $130,000 to Daniels and was reimbursed by Trump's business empire. Prosecutors said the McDougal payment violated federal law against corporate campaign contributions, while the money that went to Daniels exceeded the $2,700 limit on campaign donations. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Mustian contributed to this report. If you needed a metaphor that explains why the holidays are so stressful, this is it. The Port Authoritys attempt at making the Holland Tunnel toll lanes more festive with wreaths and trees has resulted in widespread anger and derision over their placement, but as with so many online phenoms, the truth is far more complex. On Friday, Cory Windelspecht, a self-described dual-national of Manhattan and Hoboken, posted a picture to Facebook, showing a wreath covering the letter O of the Holland Tunnel sign, but with a Christmas tree shaped like an A covering the letter N in Holland. Then the Internet went crazy. Before you knew it, it got like 15 thousand views, said Windelspecht, a medical device salesman who says he used to suffer obsessive compulsive disorder as a kid, but has largely conquered it as an adult. That is, until he saw the tree covering the "N" instead of the "A" again. When I reached him on Tuesday evening, hed been explaining how the off-kilter view had piqued his and hundreds of others anger, and motivated to circulate an online petition to fix the placement of the ornamentation. His original post had been shared on Facebook over 11,000 times. Youve obviously put the wreath over the O and another wreath over the U cause its kind of O shaped, but with the tree, you didnt give a flying f--- because you put the A shaped tree over the N, said Windelspecht, laughing. THE N! Windelspecht paused to note that his Change.org petition now is over six hundred signatures, and that he plans to drop them off at the Port Authoritys offices on Thursday during a noontime public comments session. Apparently, this has been going on for years. Jalopnik wrote a story in 2012 called The Holland Tunnel cant even get even get Christmas decorations right. How do they keep doing this year after year? he asked. The Port Authority said Tuesday that they had acknowledged Windelspechts perspective but had no comment. For his part, Windelspecht feels this validates his argument to move the tree over the A which it more naturally covers. Why would you not just move it over to (cover) the A? he asked. The people have spoken. And for you to just disregard this? Give the people what they want. Because the people who dont care in the first place arent going to care if you move it. Its going to look SO much better. He adds that numerous OCD sufferers have reached out to him on social media to share their painin the A. "One guy told me he avoids the Holland Tunnel and takes the Lincoln for the entire month of December, even though it adds an hour to his commute, said Windelspecht. Dont get me wrong: Im a huge Christmas guy. Theres no better time in the city. Its an awesome time of the year -- and thats the entrance we have? A Camden County man was sentenced Wednesday to 70 years in prison after being found guilty of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in 2016, officials said. Andre Wesley, 32, of Willingboro, must serve at least 59 years and 6 months of the sentence handed down by a New Jersey Superior Court judge before he is eligible for parole, according to a release from the Camden County Prosecutors Office. Wesley was found guilty on Aug. 2 of 17 counts which included kidnapping, attempted murder, and aggravated sexual assault, the release stated. Prosecutors said that Wesley kidnapped a then 22-year-old homeless woman on Nov. 27, 2016 by forcing her at knifepoint to a secluded area behind a vacant building on 3rd Street in Camden. He then forced the woman to engage in explicit sexual activity," slashed her across the neck and left her for dead, officials said. The woman was rushed to the hospital and she was eventually released. Wesley was arrested at his home by the Willingboro Police on Dec. 2, 2016. He has a long history of offenses, including a 2007 conviction for endangering a child after he was accused of sexually assaulting a teen between the ages of 13 to 15-years-old, prosecutors have said. He was placed on a sex offender registry as a result and was put under parole supervision for life. Wesley was also convicted in 2012 of one count of second-degree eluding, officials said. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. Six of Gov. Phil Murphys top staff members will testify before a special legislative committee investigating how Murphys team responded to Katie Brennans allegations that a former top staffer raped her last year, a senior administration official said Wednesday. The development comes a day after Murphy avoided definitively saying whether the aides would appear. The administration official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. The bipartisan committee sent a letter last week to the governors office inviting the six staffers including Pete Cammarano, Murphys chief of staff, and Matt Platkin, Murphys chief counsel to appear at its next public meeting, on Dec. 18. Their testimony could stretch into January. Multiple Murphy administration officials said its unlikely the panel would get to all six in one day. The committees co-chair, state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, told NJ Advance Media the panel will now work out a schedule of who will appear and when. Because the staffers were not issued subpoenas, they were not legally required to comply. Murphy was asked at a news conference Tuesday whether the aides should appear. The governor responded by dismissing reports that his administration is pushing back against the state Legislatures investigation. As long as the Legislature doesnt get political, its a whole-of-government approach, and they, too, are survivor-centric, were all in, Murphy said. We will cooperate, support, and I will repeat that today." The committee of 13 state lawmakers is investigating why Albert J. Alvarez, the man accused of rape, was hired as chief of staff of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority and kept the job for months despite top Murphy aides knowing of Brennans accusations. Brennan, who testified before the panel last week, alleges that Alvarez raped her after a Murphy campaign event last April when he was a campaign official and she was a Murphy supporter. Brennan, who is now chief of staff for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Authority, said after learning prosecutors wouldnt charge Alvarez, she told four members of Murphys team about her allegations over the last year. Alvarez stayed in his schools authority job until October, when he resigned after the Journal asked him to comment on a story about the matter. Alvarez has not been charged in relation to Brennans allegations and has denied he raped her. He has declined to appear before the committee. Murphy has insisted multiple times he did not know about Brennans allegations himself until the day Alvarez stepped down. In addition to Cammarano and Platkin, the following Murphy staffers have been invited to testify: Justin Braz, Murphys deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs; Parimal Garg, Murphys deputy chief counsel; Heather Taylor, Murphys chief ethics officer; and Lizette Delgado-Polanco, executive director of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Gov. Phil Murphy, believe it or not, has something in common with President Donald Trump, the man he criticizes on a near-daily basis. Both have outgoing chiefs of staff, one of the most senior officials in an administration, without a successor already in place a less than ideal position to be in when news breaks of a top-ranking officials departure. Murphy, a Democrat, speaking to reporters at an event in Parsippany on Tuesday, joked hes expecting no overlap between candidates to become his next chief of staff and Trumps. But Murphy had nothing else to add about who would replace Pete Cammarano, his outgoing chief of staff who will leave next month. The governor added: Were beginning our search right now. News of Cammaranos planned exit broke late last week. Cammarano told Murphy earlier in the week he planned to begin a departure. He will leave after the governors State of the State address on Jan. 15. The chief of staff serves as the governors right-hand man. The position is one of the two most senior jobs in the administration. He has been a huge reason for the successes that weve had, Murphy said Tuesday. Petes been a strong captain of our team, he said, adding Cammarano has also been an extraordinarily close friend." Pressed on Cammaranos departure, Murphy first responded to a reporters question by saying they should ask Pete (Cammarano) yourself. Murphy then added the pair had always talked about Cammarano leaving at some point of 2019. Trump, a Republican, is also without an incoming chief of staff when his current senior advisor, John Kelly, leaves the administration at the end of the year. Former Gov. Chris Christie, Murphys Republican predecessor, has emerged on the shortlist to be Trumps right-hand man, according to several news outlets including The New York Times and CNN. CNNs Jim Acosta reported Christie is considered a strong option" to take the reins as Trump wants a functioning White House. Christie, meanwhile, has only publicly expressed interest in two positions in the presidents administration: attorney general and vice president. He never entertained whether he would accept the job as running Trumps White House at least publicly. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Gov. Phil Murphy and his family will set off late next week for a 12-day vacation in Africa, the governors office confirmed. The family is scheduled to spend Christmas in Tanzania, Murphy spokesman Mahen Gunaratna said. They wont return until after the New Year. The East African country is known for its vast open spaces and parks, including a portion of the Serengeti National Park. Tourists flock there each year for its safaris to catch a glimpse of the so-called big five game elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos and rhinos. If the family does take part in any safaris itll only be to observe animals, according to a Murphy official who said the governor does not hunt. The governor and his family will be departing on a family vacation to Tanzania during the winter holidays, leaving on the evening of Friday Dec. 21 and returning on the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 2, Gunaratna said in a statement. Lt. Gov. (Sheila) Oliver will serve as acting governor during this time. The governor will leave New Jersey four days after the Democratic-controlled Legislature is scheduled to meet for the last voting session of the year. Murphy, a Democrat, has insisted in recent weeks that lawmakers send him a $15 minimum wage bill for him to sign into law before 2019. Legalizing recreational marijuana in the state has also been a top first-year priority for the new governor. Both issues will be discussed during a closed-door meeting Thursday between Murphy and the legislative leaders, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. But its unclear whether the trio will forge a compromise on the two measures. Both Coughlin and Sweeney said Tuesday they think a vote on legal pot by the end of the year is unlikely unless they can iron out major differences they have with Murphy on the bill in the Thursday meeting. The Africa trip will be the second time Murphy and his family left the country for an extended vacation since he took office in January. The family took an 11-day trip in July to Italy, where the governor owns a $7.3 million, 23-room mansion in the small town of Parrano. During that vacation, the administration initially refused to say where the governor planned to go after notifying reporters he would be out of state. They confirmed his whereabouts four days after he left, once a photo that showed the family boarding a United Airlines flight to Italy was published by the radio station New Jersey 101.5-FM. A month prior, Murphy made a quick trip to Paris for a graduation ceremony for his daughter. It was less than 48 hours, but it was noteworthy since it occurred at the same time as tense state budget negotiations between Murphy and his fellow Democrats who lead the New Jersey Legislature. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday hes open minded to compromise and optimistic by nature, especially when it comes to signing a bill to raise New Jerseys minimum wage to $15 an hour. But Murphy also said he has problems with the measure introduced by state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex. The governor, a fellow Democrat, said he doesnt like the length of the phase-in period or how the proposal would take a decade to gradually increase the rate for seasonal workers, teenagers and some farmers. Other workers who would be the first to reach the $15 minimum wage wouldnt hit that mark until 2024, according to the bill. Getting there responsibly and as soon as we can is our main driving thrust, Murphy said at a news conference in Parsippany. That path cant be too slow and cant be too large a group of workers." Murphy has made a $15 minimum wage one of his biggest priorities as he wraps up his first 11 months in office. Now, he and the Democrat-controlled state Legislature need to reach a compromise on how to make it happen. The governor on Tuesday toured a factory in Parsippany, Earth Friendly Products, that makes eco-friendly cleaners to put public faces on his push. I do like the fact that theres movement, Murphy said, referring to Coughlins bill, which was introduced in the Assembly late last week. The minimum wage is expected to be a topic as Murphy is slated to meet with legislative leaders on Thursday. Itll be the first time all three of New Jerseys top three elected state officials gathered in the same room since early October, when Murphy had dinner with state Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Coughlin. Since then, a legislative investigation into how the governors aides handled a rape allegation has all but ground the relationship between Murphy and legislative leaders to a halt. Murphy, however, indicated Thursdays meeting is still a go and said senior staffers continue to meet. The proposal introduced last week represents Coughlins attempt at compromise between Murphy, who promised $15 for all, and Sweeney, who has said $15 an hour should be reserved for some workers. The minimum wage bill I have introduced in the Assembly is a concrete first step to addressing the inadequate rate of our States current minimum wage, Couglin said in a statement. I will continue to work with the members of my caucus to produce a balanced bill that is fair to workers and respects the business community. I look forward to meeting with the governor and Senate President this upcoming Thursday to further our discussion on minimum wage. The states minimum wage will rise according to a constitutional amendment from $8.60 an hour to $8.85 an hour on Jan. 1. NJ Advance Media staff writer Samantha Marcus contributed to this report. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Six of Gov. Phil Murphys top staffers have been invited to testify next week before a special legislative committee investigating how Murphys team handled Katie Brennans allegations that a former administration official raped her last year. But Murphy avoided definitively saying Tuesday whether they will appear before the bipartisan panel. NJ Advance Media obtained a copy of a letter the committees lawyer sent to the governors office last week inviting the six administration officials to testify when the panel holds its next public hearing on Dec. 18. The officials include: Pete Cammarano , Murphys chief of staff; Matt Platkin, Murphys chief counsel; Justin Braz, Murphys deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs; Parimal Garg, Murphys deputy chief counsel; Heather Taylor, Murphys chief ethics officer; Lizette Delgado-Polanco, executive director of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. The officials were not issued subpoenas, so they are not legally required to appear. Its unclear if any will agree to testify, according to two sources familiar with the situation who asked for anonymity to speak candidly. Its also unlikely all six would appear on the same day, the sources said. Murphy was asked at an unrelated news conference in Parsippany on Tuesday whether hed be OK with his aides testifying. The governor repeated that he has ordered an internal investigation into the matter and called for the state to revise its policies for how sexual-assault allegations are handled. And he once again dismissed reports that his administration is pushing back against the state Legislatures investigation. As long as the Legislature doesnt get political, its a whole-of-government approach, and they, too, are survivor-centric, were all in, Murphy said. We will cooperate, support, and I will repeat that today." As the governor walked out the door, reporters shouted questions at him including whether that means he is avoiding saying whether the aides should testify. My answer stands, he said. The committee of 13 state lawmakers is investigating why Albert J. Alvarez, the man accused of rape, was hired to become chief of staff of the Schools Development Authority and kept the job for months despite top Murphy aides knowing of Brennans accusations. Brennan, who testified before the panel last week, alleges that Alvarez raped her after a Murphy campaign event last April when he was a campaign official and she was a Murphy supporter. Brennan, who is now chief of staff for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Authority, said after learning prosecutors wouldnt charge Alvarez, she told four members of Murphys team about her allegations over the last year Braz, Garg, Platkin, and Taylor. Cammarano was also aware, the Wall Street Journal reported. But Alvarez remained in his job until October, when he resigned after the Journal asked him to comment on a story about the matter. Alvarez has not been charged in relation to Brennans accusations and has denied he raped her. He has declined to appear before the committee. Murphy claims he did not know about Brennans allegations himself until the day Alvarez stepped down. Members of the committee said they still have many unanswered questions about who knew what and when and what happened after Brennan reached out to Murphys aides. The co-chairwomen of the panel said last week they have not ruled out calling the governor to testify. Murphy last week avoided saying whether he would comply or allow his staffers to appear before the panel, saying he wouldnt get into hypotheticals. Brennan testified that she told Braz of she was assaulted the day after the alleged incident but asked him to stay silent about the matter. She said after Murphys election, she told Braz to tell Murphys transition team about the matter because she believed Alvarez would be charged. When Alvarez wasnt, Brennan said, she told both Platkin and Garg, Murphys counsel, about her allegations. Soon, Brennan said, Taylor, the ethics officer, reached out and said there wasnt anything the governors office could do because the alleged assault happened during the campaign and not when Brennan and Alvarez were state employees. New Jersey Globe was the first to report about the letter asking Murphy officials to testify. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. With the new 38-gallon garbage cans people leave in there front yards, did you know you should leave enough space between them so the garbage man or woman can get the arms in there to dump them? Sure can't lift them anymore, can you? None of my neighbors got the memo, because they cram them together as close as they can get them. The fact that we have the students paying the fee makes sense because it takes a little burden off some of the other taxpayers, he said. Weve had taxpayers coming into our district talking about the amount of property taxes keeps going up every year. An ugly fight over an audit that found the city of Zachary paid two vendors $3.5 million without having contracts in place has died down some, but the city councilman most upset about the matter has made clear he is not giving up on his quest for The first Disney Imaginations Shanghai Design Competition, a local version of Walt Disney Imagineering's Imaginations Design Competition created in 1991 in the United States, ended late last month, with the team from East China University of Science and Technology beating five other finalists to win the contest. Launched in June, the competition was open to students in five universities in Shanghai, as part of the company's efforts to scout for local talent in theme-park design and innovation in immersive recreational experiences and to help promote the growth of China's creative industries. "The competition is all about imagination and how talented people come up with ideas. If you can dream it, you will be able to do it," says Howard Brown, general manager and regional executive of Walt Disney Imaginations Asia. Each team had to submit their design concepts for creating opportunities for guests to explore the natural and ancient wonders of the world. These projects are not intended to be built by the company but serve as a creative exercise for the students. The submissions were judged based on factors such as conceptual design, technological innovation, creativity, teamwork and storytelling. The winning project, titled Pa-Ro-Dye, was themed around the Paricutin volcano in Mexico. The team from East China University of Science and Technology proposed a volcano-shaped structure that would replicate the experience of a volcanic eruption and allow guests to taste the country's cuisine in a Mexican-themed dining room located within. This replica volcano would also have an open-air music hall where visitors could listen to Mexican music. "This project is a great chance for us to view Disney's magical resort from the perspective of its engineers and to learn about stuff done by its engineers," says Tao Maiqiu, team leader of the Pa-Ro-Dye project. "We needed to see the resort as a dreamland for people of all ages, both children and adults. This was a key rule we bore in mind while designing the project for the competition." Some of the things taken into account, says Tao, were safety and barrier-free access for children in strollers or people with disabilities. The winning team will receive a sponsored trip to the Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters in Glendale, California, where they will go behind the scenes and learn from the creative community there. After the trip, the team will start an internship at the Shanghai Disney Resort, the trip's sponsor. Murray King, the resort's public affairs vice-president, says: "China now has one of the largest theme park markets in the world. And we are excited to see that China also has a wide range of talented young students to support the industry's rapid growth, in areas such as creative visual arts, engineering, technical design and animation." Zhang Wei, the team leader behind another project, entitled Mount Olympus, says that the competition was a source of valuable experience for them regarding the integration of art and imagination into a real engineering task. "Our team was inspired by the legendary throne of Zeus at Mount Olympus, and the character of Hercules, who's famous for his superhuman strength in Greek mythology," says Zhang. "We managed to add these imaginative elements into our project through which visitors could learn about Greek mythology and act as heroes trained by Hercules and other heroes. For us, the whole process of the contest went beyond the textbooks in class." Erika Smith, the school counselor at Jefferson Elementary in Bath, browses through the winter coats in the school's clothes closet. Donations, including funds from the Aiken Standard's Community Christmas Card, help keep the closet stocked throughout the school year. A Canadian judge ruled on Tuesday that Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., who was detained by Canadian authorities at the request of U.S. authorities, can be released on bail. December 10, 2018 Charlotte McDaniel , 402-223-3514 Sherry Loos Pawelko, the Executive Director of American Historical Society of Germans from Russia will present on the unique history and culture that the Germans from Russia brought to the Great Plains region of the United States at the Homestead Education Center on Sunday, December 30 at 2:00p.m. Sherry heads a national society that seeks to preserve and remember the history of German immigrants to Russia who maintained separate communities there prior to immigrating to the United States. The influence of the Germans from Russia remains extremely visible on the Great Plains, from the popularity of Runza (a sandwich and restaurant with German-Russian origins) to the prevalence of winter wheat (a crop introduced to the Great Plains by the Germans from Russia). Sherry will bring a short film and artifacts to tell the story of the Germans from Russia. The Germans from Russia represent a unique cultural group that retained much of their German culture and language when they immigrated to Russia prior to immigrating to the United States. Their history provides important context to understanding the development of the Great Plains region, says Superintendent Mark Engler. The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures features decorated trees and tabletop displays featuring ornaments and hand-made crafts that reflect the spirit of hope, humor, traditions, and generosity which characterized settlers of the West. Cultures represented include Czech, French, German, Hispanic, Irish, Polish, Scottish, Swedish, and Welsh. Remember, Homestead National Monument of America has an exciting schedule of events planned for 2019. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Twitter (HomesteadNM), Facebook (HomesteadNM), and Instagram (HomesteadNPS). Homestead National Monument of America is a unit of the National Park Service located four miles west of Beatrice, Nebraska. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday Friday, and 9 a.m. 5 p.m. on weekends. The park buildings will be closed on December 25, and January 1. Trails remain open from dawn to dusk. Admission is free of charge. For additional information, please call 402-223-3514 or visit http://www.nps.gov/home Viewed 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. 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 billion 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 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. You are here: China A museum in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of World War I (WWI) opened Tuesday in Qingdao, a city of eastern China's Shandong Province. The museum was built in Qingdao's heritage park, covering an area of nearly 10,000 square meters, to showcase Qingdao's return to Chinese sovereignty during the war. The museum displays over 1,800 pieces of objects including weapons, military uniforms, newspapers, books and postcards. It also tells history by using multi-media work. Meanwhile, pictures and objects featuring Chinese workers' contributions to Europe during wartime are also on display. On August 23, 1914, Japanese troops invaded Qingdao which was then occupied by German forces. On November 7 the same year, the German army was defeated and the city became occupied by the Japanese troops. CBS News reached a legal settlement with three women who accused the network of not doing enough to stop one of its anchors, Charlie Rose, from sexually harassing them. The three women had worked for either Mr. Rose or CBS when he was a host of CBS This Morning and a correspondent for 60 Minutes. The network fired Mr. Rose last year after The Washington Post published the stories of several women who said that Mr. Rose had treated them inappropriately when they worked for him over the course of several decades. PBS, the longtime home of the Charlie Rose interview show, also cut ties with Mr. Rose. Three recent employees Katherine Harris, Sydney McNeal and Yuqing Wei sued the network and Mr. Rose this year after another article in The Post indicated that the network had ignored complaints from CBS employees who worked with him. But at the annual meeting, no one uttered Mr. Moonvess name or raised these issues. The board met on Monday and Tuesday to review the findings by lawyers the company hired to investigate the allegations against Mr. Moonves and the networks broader workplace culture. A draft of the investigators report, a copy of which was reviewed by The New York Times, said the company would have multiple bases on which to declare Mr. Moonves fired for cause. A determination on whether Mr. Moonves was fired for cause could come before the year is out. The protesters outside, from the National Organization for Women and the advocacy group Ultraviolet, numbered just under a dozen. They held up signs objecting to the potential payout to Mr. Moonves. One protester gripped a set of gold-colored balloons spelling out his name, a levitating reminder of his so-called golden parachute. Inside the museum across the street from CBSs corporate headquarters, the building known as Black Rock about 40 investors sat in the lower-level theater. Reserved seats in the front were occupied by several CBS executives and board directors, including Shari Redstone, who controls CBS through her family company, National Amusements. Onstage, three CBS executives sat behind a small table draped in black fabric: Lawrence Tu, the chief legal officer; Joseph Ianniello, the acting chief executive; and Strauss Zelnick, the interim chairman of the board. They called the meeting to order and quickly announced the passage of the companys executive compensation plan and the installation of six new board directors, including Mr. Zelnick. The new members came on after Mr. Moonvess departure. Mr. Zelnick then opened the floor to questions, reminding everyone there was a two-question limit. Most of the investors in attendance were men and appeared to be of retirement age. One wore a MAGA hat. Only a handful asked a question. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] Amazon is trying to quell rising opposition to its plan for offices in New York, hiring well-connected lobbyists to make its case in the corridors of power even as it mounts a block-by-block neighborhood effort against the grass-roots network that helped push Representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to victory. Company executives, setting up shop in a hotel in Long Island City, Queens, where Amazon wants to build a new campus, have been walking the streets, sometimes accompanied by city officials, to listen to residents and drum up support. The extent of their reach could be felt at City Hall on Tuesday where two newly hired lobbyists, Mark Weprin, a former Queens city councilman, and Ed Wallace, another former councilman, conferred with city officials in the soaring marble rotunda and made the case for the company. The timing was not coincidental: Amazon executives are expected to face withering questioning before the New York City Council at a public hearing on Wednesday. The packed hearing room in City Hall had the same tensions as on the streets. Lobbyists sat along with Brian Huseman, Amazons vice president for public policy, and Holly Sullivan, Amazons director of global economic development who lead the search for a new headquarters. Opponents sat in the balcony ready to pounce. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] A contractor working at Bloomberg company offices in Manhattan sent a text to an executive who helped oversee the work, asking a seemingly innocuous question: How was the sandwich? But this was not a query about lunch, according to indictments unsealed Tuesday in State Supreme Court. The papers described a wide-ranging scheme involving three companies to steal at least $15 million from Bloomberg L.P., the giant financial information and media company, through bribes, kickbacks and bid rigging. Among the conspirators, sandwich was code for bribes or kickbacks, prosecutors said. The contractor wanted to know if the executive, Vito Nigro of Turner Construction, was satisfied with the thick envelope stuffed with cash that had been delivered to his office the prior day, according to the indictment. Mr. Nigro and the contractor were among the 14 people charged with grand larceny, bribetaking, bid rigging, money laundering and falsifying business records relating to work at Bloomberg offices at 120 Park Avenue and 919 Third Avenue. The defendants all pleaded not guilty in State Supreme Court in Manhattan and were released on bail. Three companies were also charged in the scheme and pleaded not guilty. In the popular imagination, Mexican drug cartels like Mafia families or major corporations are sometimes thought of as stable entities that have lasted for decades. While bosses may come and go, many believe the basic structure of cartels, and the names associated with them, remain unchanged. But a month of testimony at the trial of Joaquin Guzman Loera, the Mexican kingpin known as El Chapo, has suggested the cartels are less like the Gambinos or General Electric and more like something out of Game of Thrones. Cartel leaders have not only shifted frequently over the years, but the groups themselves have also changed shape in an almost constant series of alliances and breakups. According to the several witnesses at the trial, Mr. Guzman started in the trafficking trade in the late 1980s while working under the wing of a more senior crime lord, Juan Jose Esparragoza, who ran what was known as the Guadalajara drug cartel. At the time, Mr. Guzman was surrounded by a modest entourage of family and friends: his brother, Arturo, known as El Pollo (Spanish for the chicken); his cousins, the three Beltran-Leyva brothers; and his first employee, a pilot named Miguel Angel Martinez. Almost from the start of his career, Mr. Guzman had trouble with the Tijuana drug cartel, which controlled most smuggling operations at the Mexican border with San Diego. Eventually, a war broke out with the Tijuana traffickers when Mr. Guzman, disobeying protocol, got caught moving cocaine through their turf without permission. The latest legal effort by civil rights advocates to force the New York Police Department to make disciplinary records of police officers public failed on Tuesday in the states highest court. The Court of Appeals ruled that the State Civil Rights Law, as it stands now, still allows the department to withhold certain records of misconduct to protect individual officers involved. The legal battle over making the disciplinary records public has been raging for years, even before the death of Eric Garner in police custody in 2014 made the issue of transparency more urgent. At the time, the police said an obscure section of the civil rights law, known as 50-a, made it impossible to release the disciplinary history of the officer charged with using a chokehold on Mr. Garner. The New York Civil Liberties Union, which brought the suit six years ago, called Tuesdays decision a terrible setback. SAO PAULO, Brazil A few weeks ago, the Cuban government announced it would withdraw from the Brazilian medical program Mais Medicos, which sends doctors to remote, underserved areas in Brazil. Its estimated that millions of citizens could be deprived of primary health care after the departure of roughly 8,600 Cuban doctors from the country. The decision was prompted by demeaning remarks made by Brazils right-wing president-elect, Jair Bolsonaro. Mr. Bolsonaro has repeatedly questioned the qualifications of Cuban doctors: We have no proof that they are really doctors and able to take on these functions, he said recently. This is false: All foreign doctors working for the program need to present their degrees and their licenses to practice medicine abroad. However, they are exempt from taking a national exam to revalidate their degrees while serving in the program; Mr. Bolsonaro intends to remove this dispensation. He has also repeatedly questioned the ethics of Cubas doctors-abroad program, saying that the doctors should be able to bring their families to the country and that they should receive their full wages directly from the Brazilian government. (Because all Cuban doctors work for the state, the government keeps around 70 percent of their salaries, and families are only allowed to visit them.) Mr. Bolsonaros objections are both idealistic and ideological: He may well want to see Cuban doctors get paid, although its difficult to believe that these humanitarian impulses dont have something to do with his feelings toward Cubas Communist government. Perhaps, to some his requirements will even seem reasonable. But the problem is that the Cuban government, which understandably took Mr. Bolsonaros comments as derogatory and threatening, has already begun bringing health care workers home. As a result, Brazils indigenous population will reportedly lose 81 percent of its doctors. More than 1,500 municipalities could be deprived of all medical assistance. (As of late last month, the Health Ministry said it had filled many of the vacancies, though it was not clear that new doctors would be prepared to go into rural areas.) Through his remarks, Mr. Bolsonaro, who has not yet taken office, has managed to damage a program that has been praised by two independent bodies and by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation for having contributed to a lower infant mortality rate and a decrease in hospitalizations as a result of the availability of primary health care. He has no plan to patch things up. Indeed, this may be the first official demonstration of Mr. Bolsonaros style of government: strong opinions, but no actual solutions. And when it comes to our health care system in particular, this style of governance is dangerous. Hangzhou has surpassed Beijing for the first time in the third quarter of 2018 as the most attractive city for new graduates, according to a report by a job-hunting website zhipin.com. According to the report, in the first 10 months of 2018, Hangzhou, the capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, has attracted 69.1 percent of graduates, while at the same time attracting more talent from other cities. The report shows that from January to October in 2018, the average monthly salary offered in Hangzhou is 9,566 yuan (1,386 U.S. dollars), with a year-on-year increase of 12.9 percent. According to a research conducted by MyCos, a higher education management data analysis company, at least 37 percent of the graduates in 2018 prefer to go to the newly rising "first-tier" cities such as Hangzhou, Nanjing and Tianjin, while 31 percent still make the traditional metropolises including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen their first choice. A tracking assessment of the 2017 graduates' satisfactory rating of their first job shows 76 percent of graduates are satisfied with their jobs in Beijing, while Hangzhou comes in second place with a 75 percent rating. Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin follow. Apparently, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, known as the traditional "first-tier" cities, have been losing their absolute predominance in attracting talent. Meanwhile, the report shows that most of the graduates born after the year 1995 emphasize "space for personal development" most while seeking a job. 76.6 percent chose this as their most valued factor, while 68.6 percent still considered salary as the most important factor. There are also some new trends among the new class of job-hunters. Many graduates cared about whether jobs provided gyms and afternoon tea, and what the corporate culture was like, instead of just focusing on pay and bonuses. An estimated 8.34 million graduates will swarm into the job seeking market in 2019. President Emmanuel Macron did what he had to do on Monday after a month of massive grass-roots protests, going on national television to acknowledge that he had been out of touch with the many people outside Frances major cities struggling to make ends meet and granting them some immediate tax cuts and income increases. For a young president who swept to power with a resounding majority a scant 19 months ago at the head of a movement that promised to put the republic on the move, it was a painful moment, especially since it remained unclear whether his concessions would defuse the revolt of the Yellow Vests (whom he never mentioned). But it was not a surrender: The 13-minute address contained no apology and no sign that Mr. Macron had any intention of abandoning his economic program. A lot rides on Mr. Macrons ability to survive and respond to this uprising, not only for France but for all Western democracies in which the deindustrialized hinterlands have fostered an angry sense of marginalization and neglect. The Yellow Vests on the Champs-Elysees are cousins of the British who voted for Brexit, the Americans who voted for Donald Trump, and the Poles, Hungarians and Italians who elected populist, anti-democratic governments. Mr. Macron came to power as the antithesis of the populists, a young, self-assured, highly educated, well-off whiz kid who believed in the European Union and started a pro-business program to encourage the rich and powerful to restore dynamism and momentum to the French economy. He also came convinced that the French wanted a president with a Jupiterian aura of detachment, grandeur and mystery, a tag he should have known would become mockery the moment he confronted social unrest. INTERNATIONAL An article on Tuesday about a Dutch church misstated the geographic location of Katwijk, a seaside town in the Netherlands. Katwijk is southwest of Amsterdam, not north of it. An article on Tuesday about Baghdads Green Zone misidentified the people standing beside the idle checkpoints on Monday. They were armed Americans in civilian clothes, not American soldiers. NEW YORK A picture caption with an article on Tuesday about the gunman who killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 misidentified the town where the gunmans home was located. It was in Newtown, Conn., not Sandy Hook. SPORTS An article on Tuesday about the former World Cup winner who bought the soccer club Real Valladolid misspelled the players name. He is Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, not Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima. WASHINGTON Googles chief executive, in perhaps the most public display of lawmakers unease with his companys influence, was grilled on Tuesday about everything from search result bias and the data Google collects about its users to plans for a censored service in China. Sundar Pichai, an engineer who rose through Googles ranks to become its leader three years ago, faced more than three hours of questions from the House Judiciary Committee. Republicans expressed concerns about unfair treatment of conservatives, and lawmakers in both parties zeroed in on privacy issues. While Google had been under scrutiny before, particularly in Europe, where regulators have fined it, it had not had to address such an array of issues in one go and in such an open forum. Mr. Pichai, it was necessary to convene this hearing because of the widening gap of distrust between Silicon Valley and the American people, said Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the Republican House majority leader. He is not a member of the Judiciary Committee but made a point of attending the hearing. WASHINGTON The Senate easily passed a sprawling farm bill, 87 to 13, on Tuesday, advancing an ambitious $867 billion measure that rejected stricter work requirements for food-stamp recipients that were pushed by House Republicans and cheered by President Trump. The twice-a-decade legislation provides a safety net for farmers hit with unexpected weather or by tariffs, as well as to low-income Americans struggling to feed themselves and their families. It is one of the most politically sensitive pieces of legislation Congress passes, balancing the demands of urban legislators hoping to maintain or increase funding for nutrition programs and rural lawmakers seeking to protect farmers, a divide brought into sharp relief this year as negotiations continued months after the previous bills Sept. 30 expiration date. By working across the aisle, we overcame many differences to deliver a strong, bipartisan farm bill for our farmers, families, and rural communities, said Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee. The farm bill is a good bill for our farmers and everyone who eats. The chief point of contention was the Houses inclusion of new work requirements for able-bodied adults seeking food stamps. Conservatives had also hoped to close a loophole in the limited work requirements in existing law that allows states to waive the requirements in areas with high unemployment rates. Both measures received backing from Mr. Trump, who had called the new requirements imperative. WASHINGTON Lawyers for Michael T. Flynn, President Trumps first national security adviser, asked a federal judge late Tuesday to spare him prison time for misleading investigators, and they suggested that the F.B.I. agents who interviewed him last year at the White House had tricked him into lying. Mr. Flynns lawyers said that his contrition, lengthy military service and willingness to aid the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, should warrant a sentence of only probation. His cooperation was not grudging or delayed, Mr. Flynns lawyers wrote in a sentencing memo that included letters from supporters vouching for his character. But the lawyers offered no explanation for why Mr. Flynn lied to agents about conversations he had during the presidential transition in late 2016 with the Russian ambassador, Sergey I. Kislyak. And even in accepting blame, Mr. Flynn portrayed himself as a victim of F.B.I. tactics to trap him. His lawyers highlighted details from the interview that played into an unfounded theory that Mr. Flynns demeanor during questioning was potential evidence that he did not lie to investigators. Their emphasis on the F.B.I.s conduct during the interview aligns with Mr. Trumps dim view of federal law enforcement. The president has denounced the Russia investigation as a witch hunt, and one of his lawyers broached the prospect of a pardon for Mr. Flynn last year as he was weighing whether to cooperate with Mr. Muellers investigators. Mr. Kushners comments underscored a key factor that was lacking in Mr. Trumps relationships with his first two chiefs of staff, Reince Priebus, the former Republican National Committee chairman, and Mr. Kelly: personal chemistry. The president posted on Twitter on Tuesday morning that many, over ten, are vying for and wanting the White House Chief of Staff position, pushing back against reports that he is having trouble recruiting. In reality, the number of people actively expressing interest is far smaller. David Bossie, a former campaign aide, is publicly campaigning for the job, and Representative Mark Meadows, a hard-right Republican congressman from North Carolina, has made it clear that he would be interested in the position if it were offered to him. But others who have been considered like Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary; Robert Lighthizer, the United States trade representative; and Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget have so far made it clear that the timing is not right for them to leave their current posts. Mr. Bossie, who is scheduled to meet on Friday with Mr. Trump at the White House, appeared to be making a pitch based on his experience with the congressional oversight process, gleaned from his work as a House investigator during President Bill Clintons impeachment. In an interview with Mr. Trumps favorite morning program, Fox & Friends, Mr. Bossie said the president needed a chief who would be able to handle what is the subpoena cannon somebody who will understand what the House is going to do to him and White House staff in trying to drag them into a legal process and an investigative process that will slow down the success of this White House. For his part, Mr. Meadows described himself as more of a strategy guy to reporters on Monday. People close to Mr. Trump said that he will almost certainly want assurance that someone would accept the job before he actually offers it. Just before 1 a.m. Saturday, a crew of white supremacist gang members descended on the Rec Room Bar & Grill, a normally relaxed bar in Lynnwood, Wash., about a half-hour drive north of Seattle, the authorities said. After ordering drinks, they quickly tried to take over the D.J. booth, according to a police report. The D.J., who is African-American, later told The Seattle Times that the group had demanded that he play heavy metal, and that he had queued up Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. But it wasnt fast enough. As the gang members surrounded the 37-year-old D.J., whose name the authorities did not release, he noticed their swastika tattoos, he told the newspaper. They threw him to the ground, beating and stomping him and using racial slurs. The bar manager, whose mother owns the bar and who is Asian-American, tried to intervene and was also beaten. The police said more than a dozen people were involved in the fighting. Frightened patrons called 911. For something like this to have happened was incredibly terrifying, the manager, identified as Jason Baum, told KIRO 7 News. BUENOS AIRES A court in Argentina on Tuesday convicted two former Ford Motor executives and sentenced them to prison for helping the countrys military dictators kidnap and torture 24 workers during the 1970s. The convictions were the first in which representatives of a multinational firm were found culpable in a human rights trial in Argentina. Activists hailed the sentences as a major step toward making amends for the cooperation that several businesses provided to the brutal junta that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. Union leaders were among the tens of thousands of people sent to clandestine detention centers where suspected dissidents were arbitrarily detained, tortured and often killed. Relatives of the 24 victims in the Ford case burst into applause in the courtroom as a judge read the verdicts. Japan took a step on Tuesday toward expanding its military capabilities by advancing plans for aircraft carriers that can launch fighter jets. The plans, contained in a draft of new defense guidelines approved by the governing parties, would effectively arm Japan with its first aircraft carriers since World War II, with potential striking powers well beyond Japanese territory. The move risks inflaming a politically delicate debate in Japan over whether such expanded military capability is compatible with the countrys pacifist constitution. The plans could be construed as offensive weapons beyond those deemed necessary for self-defense. Under the change, large Japanese naval vessels now equipped with helicopters would be upgraded, enabling them to carry jet fighters capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings, and equipped with stealth technology to avoid detection. PARIS The fine print of President Emmanuel Macrons financial proposal, intended to end protests by Frances middle class and working poor, was still sinking in Tuesday, but many of the protesters were expressing disappointment and calling for new demonstrations this weekend. The presidents 13-minute speech on Monday evening detailed an increase in the amount minimum wage workers would receive in their pockets each month (100 euros, or $113), an exemption from taxes on overtime pay, and an exemption on certain social security taxes for retirees who earn less than 2,000 euros, or $2,265, a month. The proposals showed that the president was prepared to move quickly and forcefully to respond to the anger of working people who cannot make ends meet, said Edouard Philippe, the prime minister. But the intended beneficiaries of the changes said they were doubtful about how helpful they would be, and local elected officials said their constituents had mixed views of the presidents plan and his tone. When she came out of the closet in 1997, the first out lesbian lead of her own sitcom, Ellen, she became a huge star, on the cover of Time, accompanied by the headline Yep, Im Gay. But whats remembered less is what happened next. ABC put a parental advisory warning on the show and canceled it the next season. According to DeGeneres, her straight audience left her and she received wounding criticism from gay viewers for not being political enough. (Elton Johns comment that she should stop talking about her sexuality and be funny still stings.) She sank into a depression. And yet, while DeGeneres has a spikier, more confessional style in her new special, this is more of a recalibration than a reinvention. She still dances and shows videos of adorable animals, even though de Rossi told her it was too much like her talk show. DeGeneress inclusive sensibility remains fundamental to her outlook. Shes too much of an old-school entertainer to pour out her neuroses onstage, as some comics do. Her vision of comedy is old school, too. She said that she loved Nanette by Hannah Gadsby, who stopped by Largo, in Los Angeles, to see DeGeneres work out material for her special, but described Gadsbys celebrated special as less stand-up than solo show. She also disagreed with Gadsbys biting critique of the art form, saying, I think comedy is the best medicine. Before DeGeneres stumbled into stand-up, really honing her craft at a comedy club in New Orleans, near where shes from (Metairie, La.), she had little idea what career she would pursue. In fact, DeGeneres said, in elementary school she didnt think she would live to see adulthood. I just didnt think Id be alive, she said, vaguely. Asked why, she said without a trace of self-pity that she was a very sensitive kid. She remains sensitive, she added, confessing that she stayed up the night before worrying that she had sounded like she was accusing Jimmy Fallon of stealing her show. (She not only raved about him, but also texted me on Thanksgiving wishing me a happy holiday and mentioning she should also have praised James Corden and Seth Meyers along with Jimmy Kimmel. Then, after this article went online, she asked if we could add Stephen Colberts name to that list.) Of the few memories she recalls from her youth, many are of feeling out of place or bottled up, in part because of her upbringing as a Christian Scientist. She recalls the other kids being given shots, but her parents barred her from getting them or taking aspirin. With glassy eyes, she described her father, an insurance salesman who died in January, as kind and cautious, someone who wanted above all else for things to be harmonious. He was a very fearful man, she said. He couldnt hear or engage with anything not pleasant. Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox. Oval Office Drama President Trumps Oval Office meeting on Tuesday with Senator Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House leader, quickly devolved into a public bickering match. The big sticking point was Trumps insistence on funding for a border wall and because the president had insisted on bringing news cameras into the meeting, the tense negotiations became public theater. The late-night hosts all covered the altercation, saying Trump came off as impulsive. Jimmy Kimmel remixed footage from the meeting, turning it into an imaginary clip from The Real White House Wives of D.C. Theres one soft spot left in the television cycle, and we are in it. In December, most of the shows youre watching go on hiatus, the streaming services hold back their hottest releases, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir suddenly materializes onscreen like the ghost of Christmases past. The schedule isnt completely bare, though. On Sunday nights, Berlin Station and Counterpart, two of the smarter, more handsomely produced and more entertaining genre dramas on TV, recently started new seasons. If you asked Santa for spies, youre in luck. In addition to their December slots, the shows share an appropriately wintry setting: Berlin, the classic border-town home of the espionage thriller, all gray on the outside and vividly debauched behind doors. But they make very different use of the city. Berlin Station, in its third season on Epix, is a fast, sleek, conventionally structured action thriller, and its Berlin is insistently Instagrammable. Scenes take place in front of buildings that are not only identifiable but also sometimes self-captioned, like the Messe Berlin exhibition hall or the Volksbuhne theater. (For Season 3, the production moved its base from Berlin to Budapest, but there are still plenty of Berlin locations.) These are fraught times, and while you may be scared, Tim Wu suggests that you may not be scared enough. Like Michael Lewiss The Fifth Risk, a recent book that shows how something most people dont spend a lot of time thinking about government bureaucracy is consequential (and potentially terrifying), Wus The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age is a surprisingly rousing treatment of another presumably boring subject: mergers and acquisitions. Wu, a professor at Columbia Law School and a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, argues that the M&A arcana that lawyers and economists haggle over have effects that spill far beyond their rarefied areas of expertise. Extreme economic concentration yields gross inequality and material suffering, feeding an appetite for nationalistic and extremist leadership, he writes, by way of introduction and warning. The road to fascism and dictatorship is paved with failures of economic policy to serve the needs of the general public. Unlike Wus previous books, The Master Switch (2010) and The Attention Merchants (2016), The Curse of Bigness is skinny, more of a dip with a snorkel than a deep dive. But the pithiness of this new volume is ideally suited to its subject. Wu doesnt want to get into all the intricacies of antitrust law; if anything, an enormous book on the problem of enormity would only fool us into believing that the subject is more impenetrable than it really is and stoke the confusion and apathy that have allowed decades of corporate consolidation to flourish in the first place. Wus point is simple. Giant corporations, seeking to protect their advantage, try to turn their outsize economic power into political power. So to break their grip on American democracy, the government needs to break them up in turn. That this proposal might sound outrageously radical to certain ears is, Wu says, just one sign of how unprepared we are for our current moment. To show how busting up big businesses into smaller parts was once a veritable American tradition, he charts how antitrust law emerged in response to the grotesque inequality of the 19th-century Gilded Age. Early in the book, Hayes charts his aesthetic family, the genealogy of his poetics. The question of influence becomes one of connection more than resistance, collaboration more than anxiety. Hayes reminds us that the word influence is at root fluid: from medieval Latin influentia (inflow), from Old French influence (a flow of water). This is a genealogy that emphasizes the paternal side. Women poets do appear, among them Wanda Coleman, Mary Karr, Sonia Sanchez, Audre Lorde and Gwendolyn Brooks. But mostly this is an inflow of poetic fathers. A readers conversation with To Float will deepen the more he or she knows about the main figures Hayes claims as poet-fathers: Knight, Langston Hughes, Yusef Komunyakaa, Christopher Gilbert. But even if youve never heard of these writers, Hayess readings function as apt introductions. Its a gift to encounter writers through the precisely calibrated curiosity of a wide-open searcher like this. Hayes begs off the assignment of the biographer. This is not a book about Etheridge Knight, or anyone else. I felt I had two choices, Hayes writes: a rigorously researched biography or a rigorously imagined biography. He opted for the latter. I sidestepped research for guesswork; I was reading between the lines of photographs, interviews, letters, maps, scraps of details. For part of To Float, the alibi of biography helps Hayes avoid autobiography. But hes as canny as ever. Consider: Early in the book, Eunice Knight-Bowens, Etheridges sister, tells Hayes that Etheridge was the third of seven children. Hayes shares that he did not ask Eunice why he, and not one of his older brothers, Charles and Floydell, was named after his father. Over a hundred pages later, Hayes confides: My younger brother, James L. Hayes II, has my fathers name because James L. Hayes is, biologically speaking, not my father. Instead of guesswork, lyrical rigor floats in the space between Knight and Hayes. He concludes: My biography about Knight would be about intimacy, heartache. O.K. But whose? Ultimately, To Float charts an intimate inflow of selves and methods. Hayes accepts that the future Etheridge Knight biographer will simultaneously write an autobiography, then follows with a chapter, My Genes, in which he steps far from the spotlight of the famed poets stage and travels to Columbia, S.C., to investigate his paternal ancestry. Hayes meets Earthell Butch Tyler Jr., the father he didnt know about until he was 18, along with a series of younger brothers and at least two of their mothers, all for the first time. We come along as Hayes kicks it, almost, with the kinfolk (to steal a line from Knight), and we listen over his shoulder to tales of a quasi-heroic grandfather, Earthell Tyler Sr., who made a military career away from his wife even as she added children to the family while her husband was away. We learn that the senior Tyler was killed in Vietnam in 1965, awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Hayes like the successful college professor and poet he is tries to decide if hes listening to stories of shameful abandonment or heroic valor, deciding again and again that the truth was more layered than available terms allow. Seeking more details that might but probably wont pierce the layers in his newfound familys legacy, Hayes embraces the through line that Butch Tyler offers about their legacy, one of openness: He used to kiss me, Tyler tells Hayes. You come from a long line of loving men. The legacy Hayess search unearths is practical as well as ideal, the challenge of men who refused to make their long line of loving a synonym for control and ownership, of soldiers who had enough of warfare. Hayes asks was his grandfather funny, or shy, or serious? Hes told: He was serious. But on the other hand, he was like me. He wasnt the kind of guy to kick the door in and shoot you for messing with his woman. Challenged and moved, and maybe changed, by what hes found, Hayes reports: Thinking about it on the plane home, I had to put my hand over my eyes. Through such deeply felt and finely wrought eddies of narrative drift, To Float in the Space Between confronts the reader with many such moments of angular reflection and renewed recognition. Vital. Vital, is how the poet Gwendolyn Brooks began her lyrical preface to Etheridge Knights first pamphlet of poems, Poems From Prison. Vital meaning living, and meaning necessary. With a similar double-edged vitality, To Float in the Space Between drifts into a growing chorus of autobiographical writings including such recent books as Yrsa Daley-Wards The Terrible, Darnell Moores No Ashes in the Fire and Kiese Laymons Heavy that put practical, stress-tested flesh on the closing sentence of Brookss preface: And there is blackness, inclusive, possessed and given; freed and terrible and beautiful. British leader faces a no-confidence vote Members of Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative Party are scheduled to hold a ballot in Parliament tonight, a new and potentially lethal threat to her leadership. Under party rules, Mrs. May needs to win 158 votes from the 315 Conservatives in Parliament to stay as party leader and therefore prime minister. If she does, party members cant challenge her leadership again for a year. If she loses the vote, she must withdraw and another leader will be chosen over the coming weeks. Why now: Mrs. Mays prospects have been endangered by the crisis over her negotiations on Britains withdrawal from the European Union and her decision on Monday to postpone a crucial parliamentary vote. Explainer: We examine some of the possible replacements if Mrs. May loses tonights vote. News analysis: Britain, France and Germany are all facing political change or upheaval. For the European Union, the question is who will guide the bloc into an uncertain future. Our chief diplomatic correspondent reports from Brussels. James Quincey, the chief executive of Coca-Cola, said the company was not yet entering the market. It needs to be legal, it needs to be safe and it needs to be consumable, he said on CNBC on Tuesday. Its not there yet. But earlier in the year, Coca-Cola representatives acknowledged that the company was watching the industry closely. Theyre not the only ones. Diageo, the spirits conglomerate, was widely rumored to be on the verge of striking a deal with a Canadian cannabis company in August, but nothing has yet been announced. And Walmart Canada acknowledged that it too was looking into the industry, but had no plans to start selling products containing CBD or THC, marijuanas psychoactive component. Nonetheless, boosters say the cannabis industry will only attract more from big corporations from here. This is what legal cannabis looks like, said F. Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, a trade group based in Washington. Youve got some of the larger players taking interest, and thats a good thing. Its going to create more economic vitality, more jobs. Altria, which is facing a global fall in tobacco sales as consumers abandon cigarettes, has perhaps the most to gain from entering the industry. Tobacco has been experiencing year-over-year declines, said Ms. Gomez. They need something else to go into. And the companys experience manufacturing and distributing cigarettes makes it well positioned to make these products on a mass-market scale. Mr. Coase, like most economists, purposely oversimplified human nature. Normal people could simply say that bigger teams that do many things often work better than smaller, specialized ones. They might call it a cooperation benefit or, being a little more technical, economies of multiple scales. The gains are often subtle. It is hard to measure the value added by the cross-fertilization of ideas, the deepening of a long-term employees professional skills, the ready availability of loyal experts and the flexibility on opening and closing businesses. It is even harder to count up the losses sidestepped by having to deal with fewer untrustworthy outsiders and of not being deprived of credit in tough times. Still, those gains are big enough that many have pursued them successfully. The different enterprises of the Japanese zaibatsu, the Korean chaebol and Turkish and Indian groups such as Koc and Tata have profited by working together both formally and informally. The gains of staying close are often especially large in developing economies, where credit, trust, expertise and good government relations are all very costly, if they can be purchased at all. It can work in developed economies too. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway and many private equity groups claim that excellence is spreadable across many product lines. Consumer goods giants like Unilever and Procter & Gamble are essentially built on Mr. Coases premise: Paper towels and toothpaste, two product lines at P&G, may seem to have little in common, but there can be synergies in marketing, distribution and competence. Then there are times when Coase-advantages go stale. The American conglomerate United Technologies said on Nov. 26 that it was breaking into three parts after considerable pressure from activist investors, and would spin off its elevator and building parts divisions to shareholders. What happened: The contest was triggered when 48 Tory lawmakers submitted letters of protest. The vote is to take place this evening. How it works: Under the partys rules, Mrs. May needs to win 158 votes from among the 315 Conservative members of Parliament to stay as party leader and therefore prime minister, writes Stephen Castle of the NYT. If she does so, then party members cannot mount another challenge to her leadership for a year, but if she loses the vote, then she withdraws and another leader will be chosen over the coming weeks. Why it matters: Britain is struggling to find a route that maintains useful political and economic ties with the E.U. without causing economic disaster, and Mrs. Mays decision to postpone a parliamentary vote on her withdrawal plan has plunged the country into greater uncertainty. If she were to be ousted, Britain could be temporarily rudderless at a time of huge political importance. Coming Up: Tencent Music goes public The Chinese music-streaming company makes its debut on the New York Stock Exchange this morning. The news: Tencent Music priced its I.P.O. at $13 a share, raising close to $1.1 billion. At that price, the company is valued at $21 billion. It had originally sought a valuation of $25 billion to $30 billion. The context: Tencent Music filed to go public in early October, but delayed its offering as the stock market experienced a huge sell-off. Market conditions have not improved, and shares of Spotify, Tencent Musics closest publicly traded peer, are down 30 percent since early October. Why it matters: Airbnb, Lyft, Palantir, Slack and Uber are all expected to go public in 2019. Tencent Musics I.P.O. could provide an early signal of how volatile markets will receive major tech offerings. Stocks briefly clawed back into positive territory for the year on Wednesday, as Beijing and Washington both hinted that they could make concessions to strike a deal on trade. The S&P 500, the Nasdaq composite and Russell 2000 stock indexes all rose after President Trump said in an interview with Reuters that he would intervene in the Department of Justice case against a prominent Chinese telecommunications executive, if it would help secure a deal over trade. Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that China was drafting a policy to replace its Made in China 2025 program to offer foreign companies greater access to the Chinese market. Want climate news in your inbox? Sign up here for Climate Fwd:, our email newsletter. More records for both wet and dry weather are being set around the globe, often with disastrous consequences for the people facing such extremes, according to a study published Wednesday that offered new evidence of climate changes impacts in the here and now. Extreme rainfall, and the extreme lack of it, affects untold numbers of people, taxing economies, disrupting food production, creating unrest and prompting migrations. So, factors that push regions of the world to exceptional levels of flooding and drought can shape the fate of nations. Climate change will likely continue to alter the occurrence of record-breaking wet and dry months in the future, the study predicts, with severe consequences for agricultural production and food security. Heavy rainfall events, with severe flooding, are occurring more often in the central and Eastern United States, Northern Europe and northern Asia. The number of months with record-high rainfall increased in the central and Eastern United States by more than 25 percent between 1980 and 2013. Should the government pay for medical research that uses tissue from aborted fetuses? This debate, ever smoldering, has erupted again, pitting anti-abortion forces in the Trump administration against scientists who say the tissue is essential for studies that benefit millions of patients. In a letter last week that read like a shot across the bow, the National Institutes of Health warned the University California, San Francisco, that its $2 million contract for research involving the tissue, previously renewed for a year at a time, would be extended for only 90 days and might then be canceled. University scientists had been using fetal tissue to create so-called humanized mice, which can then be used to test drugs and vaccines. The university has played a key role in testing antiviral drugs to treat H.I.V. infection. And researchers say that the mice, which essentially have a complete human immune system, are indispensable. Scientists who do this work sometimes receive threats, so U.C.S.F. has asked that its researchers not be named for security reasons. The events there were first reported by the Washington Post. Juan Manuel Castro Prieto can still recall even a half-century later everything his grandfather Pablo taught him about the mysteries of wheat. In those days, Cespedosa de Tormes, the village in western Spain where his parents hailed from, still farmed the age-old ways, requiring the rigor and stamina of an Olympic sport. The crops were sowed by hand, the harvest cut with a sickle and the wheat separated from the chaff the grain from the straw with the help of a cool wind that arrived, when it arrived, just before dawn. Juan Manuel would join grandfather Pablo, camping out under the stars to await the magic breeze. When it came, it kicked up the light straw, leaving the heavier part of the wheat, the grain, for them to scoop up from the ground. The wheat harvest was just one aspect of life in Cespedosa that captured the young mans imagination and inspired him to want to become a photographer to savor it forever. Shindand is situated along one of the main routes for the smuggling of illegal arms and illicit drugs by the armed opposition and corrupt officials. In 2017, the United Nations reported that Shindand was one of two districts accounting for most of the 2,700 acres of opium-poppy fields in Herat Province. Infighting among Taliban factions in the district adds to the violence and insecurity. In March 2016, three days of fighting between two warring factions left more than 100 people dead in Shindand. In August, people were afraid to celebrate Afghanistans Independence Day, because it would mean raising the countrys tricolor flag in the shadow of the Taliban. When we arrived at the office of Hekmatullah Hekmat, the district governor, he wasnt there. He was in Herat City, where he spent most of his time, according to some of his constituents I spoke to in Shindand. The walls and windows of his office were riddled with bullet holes. We eventually met with him at his office in Shindand, where he admitted that his district was under constant threat. Our main problem is simple; the armed opposition is here, he said. They come on motorcycles, strike where they want and then take off. Its all so random. It doesnt even seem as if they have a clear strategy, they just want to kill our people. Local security forces dont have the resources to contend with the constant threat. A local police official said that his forces had diminished by more than 80 percent over the past year, as the government went forward with a plan to subdivide Shindand into several districts. As of late 2017, the Taliban controlled 219 schools in Herat Province. An education official told a local news outlet that the department of education could not even monitor schools in Shindand because of security problems. The fear of a Taliban attack was a reality that Nawid, a 14-year-old student, knew all too well. Though there are about 100 schools in the district, Nawid said that he and other students rarely attended, because of security fears. Most of us only go on test days, he said. The roads leading to the schools were too unpredictable. Toryalai, a 24-year-old university student, initially tried to discredit the young mans fears. Tell the truth, he said. There are schools, but you all just dont go. But then he reconsidered. There had been an attack just before my arrival, and he had witnessed it. It embodied the kind of violence that has kept thousands of students from pursuing an education in a nation struggling to deal with a 36 percent literacy rate. With my own eyes I saw four people killed by armed men, Toryalai said. He had no idea who the gunmen were. They could be Taliban, they could be anybody, all we know is that there are too many men with guns running around here. It took the districts police officers 30 minutes to reach the scene, he said. By then, the gunmen had fled, and we had already transported the bodies to the hospital ourselves. Hi, my name is Barry Jenkins. Im the writer/director of the film If Beale Street Could Talk, adapted from the novel by James Baldwin. Here we are. So in this scene, our main characters, Tish and Fonny, are doing a ritual that many New Yorkers do, looking for an apartment. And in the film, were jumping around in time a bit. And so despite the circumstances of what is happening in the present story, our main character, Tish, is having a memory of this day when she and her fiance, Fonny, found this wonderful apartment. And this scene is about this idea of the promise a lover makes to another. You know, we found this place location-scouting. And as you look at it, I dont see how this is ever going to become an apartment. Look, Ill put a couch right over here. Huh? Mama, daddy, maybe even Ernestine, right? And the bed I put all the way back there right against the wall, so I can see that pretty light on your face when the sun rises. But in the sequence, Fonny is describing what he will do to this place to make it a home for Tish. And I just love its awesome when an actor has an objective. And Fonny is trying to convince her that he can do what hes saying hes going to do. And on the day, we kind of ad-libbed this lovely little bit here, where Stephan James, who plays Fonny, and Dave Franco, whos playing the landlord, Levy, they kind of, like, take this idea of make-believe to, like, the nth degree. Come on, give me a hand with this fridge, man. Wha oh, you you want me to Yeah, come on, help me out. I need you to get the door. Get the door. Come on. All right. All right. Are you ready? O.K. Yeah, Im ready. You ready? It was a really lovely sort of accident. As we were location-scouting, this scene actually wasnt written into the film, this idea of them carrying the fridge and all these things. When we showed up at this place, I just started to look at Stephan and KiKi and see this idea that he could promise the impossible. And what is a greater testament to love than someone believing that you can make the impossible come true? Well, thank you for my fridge, boys, but dont forget about my stove. Oh. Oh, yeah, of course not. Uh, you mind helping me out with the stove, Levy? Not at all, no. All right, we got to make sure we get that. MAFRAQ, Jordan Zina Satouf remembers seeing shadows in the street and nearly falling flat on her face. When she visited an ophthalmologist two years ago, he prescribed two kinds of eyedrops for her glaucoma. She often clutches them in her right hand. They cost her $26 a week a fortune for a poor refugee living in Jordan but without them, she cannot see or care for her family. Her three daughters need her more than ever. One by one in their teenage years, they also began losing their eyesight to glaucoma a serious condition in which the optic nerve becomes damaged, usually because of increased pressure in the eye. Mrs. Satoufs eldest daughter, Raja Satouf, 22, is now blind. Ms. Satoufs husband, also a refugee, divorced her when she became disabled, giving Mrs. Satouf one more family member to care for. Finches keep showing up at Kennedy International Airport in Queens. On flights from Guyana. So far this year, customs officials say, nearly 200 of the tiny songbirds have made the arduous journey from South America, stuffed into plastic hair rollers or cardboard toilet paper rolls and hidden in the luggage of smugglers who bring them illegally into the United States. Sometimes, they are given a little rum before the trip to calm their nerves. On Saturday, 70 live finches were discovered in the black duffel bag of a Guyanese citizen who, like the other smugglers, was believed to be bringing them to the United States to participate in underground singing contests. Gamblers set the birds against each other and place bets on their chirping skills. A winning male finch with a good pedigree and track record can sell for up to $10,000, according to a United States Fish and Wildlife Service investigation nicknamed Operation G-Bird. They bet on how many times the finches will chirp in a minute, which finch chirps the most, Anthony Bucci, a spokesman for United States Customs and Border Protection in New York, said on Wednesday. The most common animal we see trying to be smuggled through the passenger environment are these birds, the finches. Michael D. Cohen, a former lawyer for President Trump, was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday after denouncing Mr. Trump and explaining that I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds. Mr. Cohen gave an emotional apology to the court for his involvement in a hush-money scandal that could threaten the Trump presidency a scheme to buy the silence of two women who said they had affairs with Mr. Trump to protect his chances before the 2016 election. Mr. Cohen said his blind loyalty to Mr. Trump led him to ignore my own inner voice and my moral compass. The sentencing in federal court in Manhattan capped a startling fall for Mr. Cohen, 52, who had once hoped to work by Mr. Trumps side in the White House but ended up a central figure in the inquiry into payments to an adult-film star and a former Playboy model before the 2016 election. Judge William H. Pauley III called Mr. Cohens crimes a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct and added, Each of the crimes involved deception and each appears to have been motivated by personal greed and ambition. The battles between so-called sanctuary cities and the Trump administration are increasingly moving to state courts, where lawyers for immigrants have started to convince judges that state laws prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration agents. The lawyers said they were turning to more liberal state courts to challenge the Trump administrations policies in part because they believed that they would be less likely to succeed in a federal judiciary that is growing more conservative and might ultimately lose in a Supreme Court with two appointees of President Trump. Lawyers have also been encouraged by a series of recent successes in state law cases, which they say represent a long overdue reconciling between a deportation system that relies on local law enforcement and the state laws that determine the authority of local law enforcement. Last month, New York became the second state in which an appellate state court ruled that local law enforcement officers could not detain immigrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which then typically puts them into the deportation system. Tom Steyer, the Democratic billionaire who has paid for television ads calling for the impeachment of President Trump, is also considering a run for president himself. And he is taking a novel approach to staffing up a potential campaign for 2020: An anonymous LinkedIn page advertising state director jobs in three of the first four states that will kick off the nominating contest. A high profile political campaign based on the West Coast is seeking highly skilled political professionals to join our national campaign team, the job description begins. It describes state director posts in Nevada, South Carolina and New Hampshire. Nowhere is Mr. Steyers name mentioned in the posting. But the language and structure matches verbatim those of job opportunities listed with one of Mr. Steyers other political efforts, NextGen America. Both seek, for instance, prior training in anti-oppression, equity and inclusion organizing. A spokeswoman for Mr. Steyer, Aleigha Cavalier, acknowledged that he was responsible for the LinkedIn advertisement. Since 1851, obituaries in The New York Times have been dominated by white men. With Overlooked, were adding the stories of remarkable people whose deaths went unreported in The Times. It was the morning of April 15, 1865, and President Abraham Lincoln had just died of an assassins bullet. Mary Todd Lincoln, his widow, was cloistered in the White House, wailing in grief, unable to reach her closest confidante: her dressmaker. Elizabeth Keckly was finally ushered into the darkened room. Why did you not come to me last night, Elizabeth? Mary Lincoln said, reproaching her. I sent for you. I did try to come to you, but I could not find you, Keckly answered, laying her hand on the widows brow. The moment, as recounted in Kecklys 1868 memoir, Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House, was indicative of how far she had come. It seems to me that the answer is not quite, because this new religion would lack a clear cultic aspect, a set of popular devotions, a practice of ritual and prayer of the kind that the paganism of antiquity offered in abundance. And that absence points to the essential weakness of a purely intellectualized pantheism: It invites its adherents to commune with a universe that offers suffering and misery in abundance, which means that it has a strong appeal to the privileged but a much weaker appeal to people who need not only sense of wonder from their spiritual lives but also, well, help. However, there are forms of modern paganism that do promise this help, that do offer ritual and observance, augury and prayer, that do promise that in some form gods or spirits really might exist and might offer succor or help if appropriately invoked. I have in mind the countless New Age practices that promise health and well-being and good fortune, the psychics and mediums who promise communication with the spirit world, and also the world of explicit neo-paganism, Wiccan and otherwise. Its adherents may not all be equally convinced of the realities that theyre trying to appeal to and manipulate (I dont know how many of the witches who publicly hexed Brett Kavanaugh really expected it to work), but their numbers are growing rapidly; there may soon be more witches in the United States than members of the United Church of Christ. What ancient paganism did successfully was to unite this kind of popular supernaturalism with its own forms of highbrow pantheism and civil-religiosity. Thus the elites of ancient Rome might reject the myths about their pantheon of deities as just crude stories, but they would join enthusiastically in public rituals that assumed that gods or spirits could be appealed to, propitiated, honored, worshiped. To get a fully revived paganism in contemporary America, thats what would have to happen again the philosophers of pantheism and civil religion would need to build a religious bridge to the New Agers and neo-pagans, and together they would need to create a more fully realized cult of the immanent divine, an actual way to worship, not just to appreciate, the pantheistic order they discern. It seems like were some distance from that happening from the intellectuals whom Smith describes as pagan actually donning druidic robes, or from Jeff Bezos playing pontifex maximus for a post-Christian civic cult. The 1970s, when a D.C. establishment figure like Sally Quinn was hexing her enemies, were a high-water mark for those kinds of experiments among elites. Now, occasional experiments in woke witchcraft and astrology notwithstanding, theres a more elite embarrassment about the popular side of post-Christian spirituality. That embarrassment may not last forever; perhaps a prophet of a new harmonized paganism is waiting in the wings. Until then, those of us who still believe in a divine that made the universe rather than just pervad ing it and who have a certain fear of what more immanent spirits have to offer us should be able to recognize the outlines of a possible successor to our world-picture, while taking comfort that it is not yet fully formed. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTOpinion) and Instagram, join the Facebook political discussion group, Voting While Female, and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter. Medicare and Social Security will wax ever larger in aging Americans lives. Far fewer workers in the private sector are retiring with lifetime defined benefit pensions; many more will rely on a fragile, unstable, highly unequal defined contribution system of individual retirement accounts linked to stock market gyrations. A GoBankingRates study estimates that 42 percent of all Americans (and nearly 33 percent of Americans 55 or older) will retire broke, with less than $10,000 of retirement savings. A 2016 Economic Policy Institute study found that half of all households have no retirement savings at all. For those ages 56 to 61 who do, the median was $17,000. As grim as these figures are, it is even more sobering to consider that the data was generated during the longest stock market bull run in American history. In a future market crash, stock-heavy 401(k)s could become 201(k)s. In trying to blend older white voters interests with its younger, more multiethnic base, Democrats might study AARPs Be the Difference senior voter awareness campaign. AARPs big-tent policy advocacy seeks to balance the politics of both its current membership base of disproportionately older white moderates and conservatives with the more diverse backgrounds of younger and future members. AARPs voter drive emphasizes multigenerational and multiethnic themes, with a core promise to preserve Medicare and Social Security for future generations. The campaign heralds vigorous outreach to African-American and Latino voters, especially in races where they could compose a deciding voting bloc. The messaging and imagery are tilted more toward Democratic voters, but AARPs campaign also tries to redirect aging middle- and working-class whites anxieties about jobs, family difficulties and demographic-cultural change to the dangers of Social Security and Medicare cutbacks. And Democrats need to groom new congressional senior citizen champions to make these pitches. Who is the next Ted Kennedy? Given the age of Democrats like Joe Biden, they have several strong potential candidates. Yet Democrats must be aware of issues that can hurt them in courting older voters: Medicare for All and generous immigration reforms that would include a pathway to citizenship for undocumented populations perhaps as large as 22 million (according to a recent Yale University study). The Brookings Institution demographer William Frey has described an already simmering racial generation gap. Data supports that description: A 2017 Pew Research Center poll found that young or liberal respondents (or both) substantially favor Medicare for All, while older respondents, especially conservatives, oppose the idea. Many polls also find that younger Americans have more positive attitudes toward immigrants and immigration than older whites. Those issues are related: Older Americans probably suspect (as was the case with the Affordable Care Act) that Medicare for All might produce socialized medicine that could shift Medicare resources from seniors to younger populations. In addition, these fears and resentments would be compounded if the resources were stretched to include millions of unauthorized immigrants who would become eligible for universal health care through citizenship. Mr. Trump has already articulated such fears and previewed a likely Republican strategy to attack Medicare for All as a socialist scheme that will bankrupt Medicare: At a September rally in Montana, he said that Democrats want to turn the country into (socialist) Venezuela, destroying Social Security, and that they say Medicare for All until they run out of money, which will be the third day, and it will be Medicare for nobody. To the Editor: Re Clash on Camera as Trump Warns of a Shutdown (front page, Dec. 12): In a rare moment of transparency, President Trump allowed the nation to witness his deal-making skills and negotiating prowess when he invited the media to a discussion on border security with two Democratic leaders, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. And what a disturbing show it was. What we learned is that the president operates like a child, demanding that he gets what he wants or else. If his wants are rejected, then there is a temper tantrum, or, in this case, the threat of a government shutdown. That is not negotiation. That is not compromise. That does not even qualify as a discussion. What it does do, and he knows it, is look like toughness to his base, which he has shown time after time to be the only thing he cares about. The rest of the country? Were on our own. Our president declares that he will be proud to shut down the government if he doesnt get his wall. It wont take long to discover if this is the straw that breaks through the silence and hibernating consciences of congressional Republicans. The more pertinent question, then, is whether a sitting president can be charged, even if the trial itself wouldnt take place until after his term ends. The Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department acknowledged in 2000 that nothing in the text of the Constitution or evidence of the framers intent would preclude a grand jury indictment of a sitting president. The office nevertheless concluded that an indictment would be unconstitutional in light of a powerful functional consideration: Because a trial during the presidents term would be precluded, an indictment would subject the president to the stigma and opprobrium of being branded an accused criminal without a timely opportunity to respond to his accusers in a court of law a sword of Damocles that could undermine the presidents respect and stature both here and abroad and thus impact his ability to act as the nations leader in both the domestic and foreign spheres. The Office of Legal Counsel was right that this is a serious concern, but it doesnt follow that an indictment would be unconstitutional. The Justice Department has never disputed, for instance, that a grand jury could name a president as an unindicted co-conspirator as it did with Richard Nixon in 1974 even though the opprobrium of such a designation shouldnt be materially more damaging than the stigma of a pending indictment. Moreover, as Justice John Paul Stevens wrote for eight members of the Supreme Court in the Paula Jones case in 1997, which permitted a sexual harassment suit against President Bill Clinton to go forward while he was in office, the possibility that federal judicial proceedings may significantly burden the time and attention of the chief executive isnt sufficient to establish a constitutional violation. If thats the case in the context of an embarrassing civil suit, its hard to see why the looming shadow of criminal charges especially for conduct that occurred before the president assumed office would have a more acute functional impact that crosses some constitutional line. Therefore, if there ever were an extraordinary case in which immediate charges were essential in particular, if a president committed a heinous crime that demanded justice and he refused to waive what might otherwise be an effective statute-of-limitations defense the attorney general should overrule the Office of Legal Counsels conclusion that the Constitution categorically prohibits an indictment during a presidents term. (Although I worked at the Office of Legal Counsel in 2000, I had no involvement in that opinion.) On Tuesday, in the Trump administrations latest assault on the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed rolling back Clean Water Act protections that have helped make Americas rivers and streams fishable and swimmable, in the process threatening drinking-water supplies across the country. Once again, the E.P.A. is disregarding basic science. This latest proposal obscures its harmful effects with legalese that draws dubious distinctions between certain streams even though pollution flows downstream regardless of the legal terminology the agency deploys. This is a thinly veiled effort to slash water pollution protections that have long been embraced by both Republican and Democratic administrations. President Trump is once more playing to his base, this time to rural communities fearing greater regulation of the agricultural runoff that each year creates worsening dead zones in the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. Farmers do face significant challenges complying with environmental requirements. But in purporting to address their concerns, the E.P.A. would place at risk one of the greatest American environmental success stories: the transformation of our rivers and streams from open sewers in the 1960s and 1970s to far healthier waters today. Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972 during a Republican administration, just three years after the Cuyahoga River caught on fire in Cleveland and an oil spill coated beaches in Santa Barbara, Calif. Five years later, in 1977, the E.P.A. and the Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the regulation of wetlands, determined that the Clean Water Act protected all rivers and streams, as well as their tributaries, even if those waterways flowed only during certain times of the year or after it rained or snowed. The former are known as intermittent streams, the latter, ephemeral streams. This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive the newsletter each weekday. In late June, Walgreens made a $2,500 contribution to the campaign of Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, the Mississippi Republican. Almost five months later, on Nov. 2., Hyde-Smith made a joke about a public hanging that seemed to be a reference to lynching. In the weeks after, many of Hyde-Smiths corporate donors asked for their money back. Walgreens has not yet been publicly identified as one of those unhappy donors, but it was. I learned that while reporting on the company for my most recent column. Walgreens political action committee sent a letter to Hyde-Smiths campaign a day or two in advance of the special runoff election that Mississippi held on Nov. 27, Brian Faith, a Walgreens executive, told me. Im glad Walgreens asked that its donation be returned , even if it did so quietly. But I also think that the request to Hyde-Smith shows why the companys response to the power grab by Wisconsin Republicans whom the company has also supported financially is inadequate. It was supposed to be a rare public outing for one of New York Citys most glamorous newlywed couples. Karlie Kloss, the supermodel turned computer coding advocate, and Josh Kushner, younger brother of the White House dauphin, Jared Kushner, were scheduled to attend the Berggruen Prize dinner on Monday at the New York Public Library. By 8 p.m., the white marble Astor Hall was filled with black-tied guests including Rachel Bay Jones, the Broadway actress, Kerry Kennedy, Wendi Deng Murdoch and Susan and David Rockefeller. Also present was Martha C. Nussbaum, the philosopher known for her work across various fields including ethics, feminism and animal rights. She is the recipient of this years $1 million prize, created by Nicolas Berggruen, the Los Angeles-based billionaire, to celebrate humanistic thinkers. The financial impact of these actions may not have been huge. Uber continues to grow (while still losing money) as it marches toward an initial public offering. Facebook has reported increased profits, though its user growth has slowed. Even so, damage to a brand may have plenty of repercussions because it motivates the company to change its behavior, Mr. Steyer said. Both Uber and Facebook, facing enormous pressure, have modified some of their practices and committed to improvements. Sometimes shame is one of the most important arrows in your quiver, Mr. Steyer said. Give Up Convenience for Independence We can also take the path less traveled that is, take our data and money to products made by more ethical vendors. Many people have hesitated to delete Facebook because doing so felt futile. Facebook is an all-in-one place for discovering local events, reading news, watching videos and staying connected to friends and family. The company also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, two of the largest photo-sharing and messaging services. Pulling the plug on Facebook is a hassle, but not impossible. Taking on the challenge of finding alternatives is an example of how people can give up some convenience in exchange for individual empowerment, said Shahid Buttar, a director of grass-roots advocacy for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights nonprofit. There is no direct replacement for something as convenient as Facebook. But if you go piecemeal, Mr. Buttar said, there are options. These include using an RSS reader, a software tool for getting a comprehensive feed of news sources that are self-curated; messaging people with a service like Signal, which is open-source software; and looking up events on organizing services like Meetup. The same approach can be applied to Google if you take issue with its behavior. While Google offers a comprehensive suite of web services, including news, email and maps, you could switch to an alternative for each of those products. I start out with boiling water for my morning cup of strong Assam with milk, then go progressively lower from there, 205 degrees for lemon verbena, 195 degrees for the hot ginger lemon water I drink all winter long, 175 degrees for my afternoon green tea before ending up back at 212 degrees for my nighttime toddy just before bed. Our Brooklyn townhouse is drafty this time of year, so sipping hot beverages all day long helps. Theres always music playing in our house, a mix ranging from the Mamma Mia soundtrack to Debussy and U.S. Girls. My husband and I ripped two lifetimes worth of CDs into a digital blob, which we listen to all over the house using Roon, which is a music player like iTunes but with a much cleaner interface and its easier to control, plus Tidal for streaming, because it has better sound than Spotify. We stream WFMU and BBC Radio 3 through Roon, and my husband buys a lot of our music on Bandcamp, a site where artists and labels sell their music directly, as files, CDs or vinyl. Cookbooks or touch-screen tablets what medium is better for looking at recipes? Its not about either-or, its about both. The question is, where and when. On the couch or in bed, nothing beats the feel and heft of a cookbook in your hands. But touch-screen tablets, and phones for that matter, make searching for recipes and how-to cooking videos on the fly easy and faster. I think people gain inspiration from cookbooks, which is important when youre dreaming about cooking. But for actual day-to-day getting dinner on the table, these days a tablet or phone is indispensable. Seven years ago, a younger and more carefree Mark Zuckerberg went onstage at Facebooks annual developer conference and announced a major change to the social networks design. Until then, apps connected to Facebook would regularly ask users if they wanted to publish their latest activity to their feed on the social network. Those pop-up messages from apps like Spotify, Netflix and The Washington Post were annoying, Mr. Zuckerberg said, so the company had created a new category of apps that could post directly to users feeds, without asking for permission every time. From here on out, its a frictionless experience, Mr. Zuckerberg said. Of all the buzzwords in tech, perhaps none has been deployed with as much philosophical conviction as frictionless. Over the past decade or so, eliminating friction the name given to any quality that makes a product more difficult or time-consuming to use has become an obsession of the tech industry, accepted as gospel by many of the worlds largest companies. Airbnb, Uber and hundreds of other start-ups have made billions of dollars by reducing the effort needed to rent rooms, hail taxis and complete other annoying tasks. And when a company fails, excessive friction is often cited as the reason. At Passion Nation, a random assortment of dishes and short scenes made it feel like dinner theater in a garment district event space. The story, such as it is, works its way back from the moon landing to Alexander Hamiltons era. While eating cheese and crackers, I learned that Lincoln enjoyed cheese and crackers. Occasionally, I exchanged raised eyebrows with audience members across the room, so I suppose Passion Nation did succeed in creating a communal spirit, as gatherings that involve alcohol and pigs in blankets usually do. And community-building is indeed a key element in these shows. In Lewiston/Clarkston, Mr. Hunter often writes about peoples efforts to form bonds, usually in small Idaho towns the kind of places that are often praised for communal values but that, in real life, can prove just as alienating as big cities. His double bill, at a reconfigured Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, encourages audience members to introduce themselves to their neighbors at de facto picnic tables. You could see a similar effect at Oklahoma!, where people tended to stay in their seats and interact with strangers during intermission, and at The Dead, 1904, where I chatted with a visiting Irish couple and a man who was seeing the show for the third time. But these theater experiences dont just form connections among attendees. They can link audience and cast in a novel way. The border between actors and spectators was porous at the immersive Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, where, incidentally, lucky audience members were given pirogies to snack on. In Ivo van Hoves Network, which just opened on Broadway, I sat onstage in a section called Foodwork with about two dozen other theatergoers, where we all enjoyed a complete dinner. The connection between a three-course meal (star: roast beef salad) and a play about a newscaster going bonkers (star: Bryan Cranston) is tenuous. (The chocolate mocha torte was very tasty, though.) A former police detective in Illinois joined the Drug Enforcement Administration to help a gang of drug dealers in Puerto Rico and provided the gang with weapons and distributed drugs over a decade, the authorities said in an indictment on Tuesday. The D.E.A. agent, Fernando Gomez, was charged with narcotics conspiracy and use and possession of firearms. Prosecutors said he obtained firearms from drug dealers while he was working for the Evanston Police Department and sent them to Puerto Rico, where they were provided to a co-conspirator in the gang, according to a superseding indictment announced by the United States attorneys office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Gomez, 41, then joined the D.E.A. so that he could help members of the narcotics conspiracy to evade prosecution by law enforcement, the prosecutors statement said. The charges relate to a 10-year period from about 2006 to 2016. Mr. Gomez worked for the Evanston Police Department from 2004 to 2010 before joining the D.E.A. in 2011, according to Perry J. Polinski, a spokesman for the Evanston police. The nuns liked to gamble. Their parish learned that the hard way. It wasnt until Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang retired earlier this year from their jobs as principal and vice-principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, Calif., that the church stumbled upon what officials describe as a long con. Over the course of roughly a decade, the sisters embezzled a substantial amount of money from the school, Msgr. Michael Meyers, the pastor of St. James Catholic Church, said in a letter to parishioners last month. Their religious order, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, said they had confessed to the misappropriation of funds. At a meeting with parents last week, Monsignor Meyers estimated the amount of stolen money at $500,000. One church official said it was believed that they had spent at least part of that on gambling and trips to casinos. I can say that it has been shocking for everyone, the entire school community and the parish as well, said Adrian Alarcon, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Mr. Giulianis company has provided advice and training in policing, terrorism prevention, intelligence and emergency response to governments in South America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, among other regions, for years. It is currently pursuing work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as a contract with an infrastructure fund focused on Latin America. Walter M. Shaub Jr., former director of the federal Office of Government Ethics, said the way Mr. Giulianis visit to Bahrain was portrayed highlights the possibility of blurring the line between his personal business activities and official government matters. Mr. Shaub said that even without being covered by government ethics rules, Mr. Giuliani would want to be mindful of serious appearance concerns if he was concerned that his activities might create an impression that he has been authorized to offer access to the president or favorable action by the White House in exchange for business opportunities. The confusion also underscores the gap between political norms in the United States versus those in many parts of the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the former Soviet states, where overt efforts to buy favor are more commonly accepted as the way things work. The perception that such an approach can yield success in Washington has been exacerbated in the Trump era, veteran lobbyists say, because of Mr. Trumps inclination to value the counsel of a small coterie of friends, relatives and allies over the federal governments experts. In Mr. Giulianis case, the perception is amplified because of his overlapping roles as a public figure in his own right, a longtime friend of the presidents and the lead lawyer on a relatively small team upon whom Mr. Trump is relying to save his very presidency. Mr. Giuliani says he has gone to great lengths to make clear to clients and prospective clients that hiring him will not earn any favor from Mr. Trump. And, while he acknowledged that some foreign leaders might try to project otherwise to their domestic audiences by publicizing their photographs or affiliation with him, he said I can guarantee you, whether they think the picture is valuable, there is nothing Im going to do to help them other than what they pay me for. Mr. Castro and Mr. ORourke are friends Mr. Castro attended Mr. ORourkes election-night rally in El Paso in November. For years, Mr. Castro has been one of the few nationally recognized Democratic political stars in Texas, but his political clout and share of the spotlight have been overshadowed in some ways by Mr. ORourke, whose underdog Senate campaign attracted celebrity followers, tens of millions of dollars in donations and national media attention. [Read our review of Mr. Castros memoir, An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up From My American Dream.] In an interview with The Times at Mr. ORourkes election-night rally last month, Mr. Castro called Mr. ORourke a talented candidate. Beto ran an inspirational campaign that brought a lot of new people into the fold, Mr. Castro said. Theyre going to stay in the fold and vote again. Usually its the other way around. You get folks interested in a presidential year but then they may not participate the next time because its a midterm. Fortunately, its the other way around this time. On Wednesday, Mr. ORourke said he was happy to hear of Mr. Castros potential candidacy. Ive gotten to know him over the last few years and just think hes a great person and will make a great candidate, and if he wins, he will make a great president, Mr. ORourke told reporters in Washington. Mr. Castro, whose memoir, An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream, was released in October, said on Wednesday in an interview with The Times that he was not worried about other Democrats who may have more starpower. In my whole life, I dont think Ive ever started out as the front-runner, said Mr. Castro, who lost his first campaign for mayor of San Antonio back in 2005. I grew up in a neighborhood where nobody growing up there was the front-runner at anything. So Im not going to concern myself with who people think of as the front-runner and who they dont. Mr. Castro is so far the only Hispanic contender among the crowded list of major potential Democratic challengers, a distinction he acknowledged and embraced on Wednesday. Of course today, because of where Latinos in the country find themselves, theres special significance to having a Latino candidate on that stage, Mr. Castro said. Its the scapegoating of the Latino community, the terrible policies at the border, the complete failure to respond to Hurricane Maria. These are tough times for the Latino community under this administration. The challenge is to give voice to that but also to represent everybody, and I intend to do both of those things. Mr. Harris has denied wrongdoing, and party officials have not publicly backed away from their support of his candidacy. But Republican support for the bill seems to reflect the increasing sense on the part of both parties that a new election is becoming increasingly likely. The legislation approved Wednesday, first by the State House and soon after by the State Senate, creates the possibility that Robert M. Pittenger, the incumbent, could again face off against Mr. Harris in a rematch of the Republican primary that Mr. Harris won with the help of a significant number of absentee votes. It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Pittenger would mount another campaign if the state board called a new election. Beyond Mr. Pittenger, some Republicans had privately speculated that former Gov. Pat McCrory, who lives in the district, could run for the seat if there was a new primary. But Mr. McCrory said in an interview on Tuesday that he had no plans to run for that office. On Wednesday, Ford Porter, spokesman for Gov. Roy Cooper, did not say whether the Democratic governor would sign the legislation that could trigger a new primary, but released a statement that said the states residents deserve honest and fair elections and the governor is reviewing this legislation carefully. Mr. Dowless, who has declined to comment, has a criminal history that includes felony convictions for fraud and perjury. He has been named as a person of interest in the state boards investigation into whether he or people working for him illegally handled or manipulated absentee ballots. WASHINGTON President Trump directed federal agencies on Wednesday to steer spending toward certain distressed communities across the country part of his administrations push to turn a tax break included in last years $1.5 trillion tax package into a broader effort to combat poverty and geographic inequality. Mr. Trump signed an executive order at the White House to push federal resources to so-called opportunity zones a small but lucrative provision tucked into his signature tax cut that in recent months has vaulted to prominence among real estate developers and other investors. Mr. Trump told attendees at the meeting that the zones would receive massive incentives for private-sector investment. He said the goal of the order was to help draw investment into neglected and underserved communities of America so that all Americans regardless of ZIP code have access to the American dream. The zones are urban, rural and suburban census tracts, designated by governors and approved by the Treasury Department, that either are high in poverty or border high-poverty areas. They are intended to bolster investment in areas that might otherwise lack interest by offering tax breaks to lure funding for start-ups, housing developments and other economic activity. Investors who fund projects in areas deemed opportunity zones can reduce and in certain cases eliminate taxes on investment gains. An African-American man in a suit was handed car keys by someone who thought he was a parking attendant. A black lawyer was patted down by guards at a courthouse, even though his white colleagues entered without a search. An African-American politician was told she did not look like a legislator. Such encounters are the plight of many people of color in the United States, highlighted in October when flight attendants questioned the credentials of a black doctor while she was trying to treat a passenger in distress. When the physician, Fatima Cody Stanford, later explained that she always carries her medical license to help disarm skeptics in situations like the one she had experienced, other professionals said they, too, had developed strategies to brace themselves for people who will doubt them. Those in professional fields historically dominated by white people, including law, medicine and politics, say that the pressure to be prepared for these moments can feel particularly acute. It affects how they dress, what they carry in their wallets and how they behave. Aerobic activities like jogging and interval training can make our cells biologically younger, according to a noteworthy new experiment. Weight training may not have the same effect, the study found, raising interesting questions about how various types of exercise affect us at a microscopic level and whether the differences should perhaps influence how we choose to move. There is mounting and rousing evidence that being physically active affects how we age, with older people who exercise typically being healthier, more fit, better muscled and less likely to develop a variety of diseases and disabilities than their sedentary peers. But precisely how, at an interior, molecular level, exercise might be keeping us youthful has not been altogether clear. Past studies have shown that exercise alters the workings of many genes, as well as the immune system, muscle-repair mechanisms and many other systems within the body. Some researchers have speculated that the most pervasive anti-aging effects of exercise may occur at the tips of our chromosomes, which are capped with tiny bits of matter known as telomeres. Telomeres seem to protect our DNA from damage during cell division but, unfortunately, shorten and fray as a cell ages. At some point, they no longer safeguard our DNA, and the cell becomes frail and inactive or dies. Many scientists believe that telomere length is a useful measure of a cells functional age. But researchers also have found that telomeres are mutable. They can be lengthened or shortened by lifestyle, including exercise. A 2009 study, for instance, found that middle-aged competitive runners tended to have much longer telomeres than inactive people of the same age. Their telomeres were, in fact, almost as lengthy of those of healthy, young people. But that study was associational; it showed only that older people who ran also were people with extended telomeres, not that the exercise necessarily caused that desirable condition. MIAMI The American government employees in Cuba who suffered mystifying symptoms dizziness, insomnia, difficulty concentrating after hearing a strange high-pitched sound all had one thing in common: damage to the part of the inner ear responsible for balance, according to the first doctors to examine them after the episodes. Two years after Americans posted at the United States Embassy in Havana began experiencing the peculiar phenomenon, doctors at the University of Miami on Wednesday published a scientific paper that confirms what these patients have said all along: Their condition is real, not the result of mass hysteria, a response to intense news media coverage or a stress reaction to being evacuated, as doctors in Cuba had suggested. These people were injured, said Dr. Michael E. Hoffer, the director of the universitys Vestibular and Balance Program and lead author of the study. Were not sure how. The injury resulted in ear damage and some trouble thinking. To some of the 26 people affected, the episode felt like something out of Star Trek: A few minutes of a high-pitched noise, often accompanied by a high-pressure sensation, described as a force field, felt in their homes and hotel rooms in Cuba over several months starting in late 2016, changed their lives and, in some cases, ended careers. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a rare appearance at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, putting aside his publicly stated skepticism of the organization as he sought to broaden support for the hard-line American stance on Iran. In particular, he accused Iran of having destabilized the Middle East and beyond, through what he described as the reckless development of ballistic missiles systems. Iran, he said, had embarked on a proliferation spree and now possessed the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East, with weapons capable of carrying several warheads and striking American military bases in the region, as well as some European capitals. He faulted the Iran nuclear deal, the Obama-era accord that President Trump withdrew from in May, for giving Iran access to funding streams that Mr. Pompeo said had been directed to its military. BEIJING Missionaries. Corporate investigators. Billionaires. Legal activists. China has a long history of arresting or holding foreigners for mysterious reasons, often in a tit-for-tat play to put pressure on overseas rivals. In recent years the number of such detentions has increased, a disturbing trend for foreigners visiting or conducting business in the country. The Chinese government has detained two prominent foreigners in recent days: Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, and Michael Spavor, a Canadian writer and entrepreneur. They are the latest foreigners to be held by the authorities, in what some experts said might be retribution for the arrest of a senior Chinese tech executive in Canada this month. Here are some recent cases of foreigners caught in the cross hairs of Chinas opaque legal system. The Missionaries BEIJING China said on Wednesday that a Canadian former diplomat who was detained in Beijing had been employed by an organization that was not registered in China legally, citing a law passed in 2016 that has had a chilling effect on the work of foreign charities, universities and nonprofit groups in the country. The assertion was Chinas first official comment on the detention of Michael Kovrig, senior adviser for Northeast Asia for the International Crisis Group, an independent nongovernmental organization that tries to defuse international conflict. Officials, however, made no official statement confirming the detention, and they did not detail any more specific accusations against Mr. Kovrig, whose fate has further roiled relations between China and the United States and the West. Late Wednesday, The Beijing News, a state-owned newspaper, said the state security agency in Beijing was investigating Mr. Kovrig on suspicion of activities that endanger Chinas national security. The report could not immediately be verified, but it signaled the possibility that Mr. Kovrig could be prosecuted on more serious charges. HONG KONG Hong Kong prosecutors said on Wednesday that they would not pursue charges against the territorys previous leader, who had received millions of dollars from a company that also had a contract with the citys subway system. The former leader, Leung Chun-ying, who was Hong Kongs chief executive from 2012 to 2017, came under suspicion in 2014, when it emerged that the Australian company UGL had agreed to pay him $6.4 million. UGL has extensive connections with the MTR Corporation, which runs Hong Kongs subway, and held a longstanding contract then worth about $41.9 million to maintain 120 train cars. The allegations of conflict of interest added to calls for Mr. Leungs ouster during the Umbrella Movement, the large-scale street protests in 2014 calling for more open democracy. South Korea is known for its robust beauty industry, with the countrys focus on personal appearance so intense that it has recently drawn a backlash. But now the industry faces unwelcome attention of a different sort: a companys decision to market Kim Jong-un beauty masks complete with nuclear bomb packaging that promises to moisturize and whiten the face has led to such an uproar that the product has been pulled from some store shelves. More than 25,000 of these facial masks, which feature the North Korean leaders face and blocky hairline, have been sold online and in stores since June, according to 5149, the South Korean cosmetics and fashion company that produced them. The companys chief executive, Kwak Hyeon-ju, said she wanted the mask packs to celebrate what she called the once in a lifetime inter-Korean summits earlier this year. But as word of the unconventional product has spread, so has the criticism, leading one chain store, Pierrot Shopping, to remove the product from shelves following critical coverage in a major South Korean newspaper. Some say that such mockery of Mr. Kim only softens the image of North Korea, effectively creating propaganda for the regime. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia The Trump administration is preparing to deport the largest group yet of legal Cambodian immigrants to the United States over the next few days, according to human rights groups and an American official, continuing a wave of deportation that has fallen heavily on refugees who fled the upheaval surrounding the Vietnam War. The new deportations include an expected 46 people who are scheduled to arrive in Cambodia on Dec. 19, the American official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of deportations that had not been officially announced. Many of those being deported have few or no memories of Cambodia, as they were part of an exodus fleeing Khmer Rouge massacres and were granted refugee status in the United States. Some actually have green cards and have been convicted of a felony while in the United States, though often from many years ago. We are expecting more than 40 later this month, Bill Herod, the founder of the Khmer Vulnerability Aid Organization, a Phnom Penh-based group that works to integrate Cambodian deportees into the country, said in an interview. Mr. Herod said that the exact number and arrival date of deportees often change because of variables including last-minute legal challenges and weather complications. AUCKLAND, New Zealand The killing of a young British tourist after a night out in Auckland has shocked and dismayed New Zealanders, who gathered by the thousands on Wednesday to mourn her death at vigils around the country. But grief has given way to anger about the prevalence of violence against women and about the lengths to which many women feel they must go in order to protect themselves in a country often seen as progressive and safe. The biggest gatherings were held in Auckland, New Zealands largest city, not far from where the backpacker, Grace Millane, was last seen on Dec. 1, the day before her 22nd birthday. She had spent the evening in the company of a 26-year-old man who has been charged with her murder. His name has not been released. Police officers found her body in a forested area on the citys western outskirts on Sunday. It could have been one of us, said Tanith Carrington, 29, who had brought flowers to one of the Auckland vigils. Adding that a relative had been killed by a former partner when Ms. Carrington was a child, she said Ms. Millanes death had personalized the risks of being a woman. Crowd: Bollocks to Brexit. Bollocks to Brexit. Bollocks to Brexit. Singing: Jingle bells, Brexit smells. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Expressive crowds gather outside Parliament to demand that the government should, quite simply Stop Brexit now! Contrast that to an earlier rally, also with a clear, but totally different message Brexit now. Brexit now. We spoke with people on each side, and they are deeply divided. What do we want? Brexit. What do we want? A peoples vote. Except that all of them are losing their faith in the system. The British people deserve better than Brexit. Crowd: Yes. When the British people speak, their voice will be respected, not ignored. If we vote to leave, then we will leave. In 2016, the country held a referendum. Voters were given a choice: to either leave or remain in the European Union. The leave side said it was a vote to Take back control of this democracy. And when the votes were tallied The U.K. has voted to leave the European Union. Weve got our country back. [cheering] There can be no turning back. Fast forward through two and a half years of negotiations with the E.U. over the terms of the breakup. Three weeks ago, Prime Minister Theresa May finally brought home a deal to present to Parliament. This is the best possible deal. Its the only possible deal. But its a very unpopular one. Statement, the prime minister. Ive listened very carefully to what has been said in this chamber, and out of it. [jeering] Mr. Speaker, this is a bad deal for Britain, a bad deal for our economy, and a bad deal for our democracy. But beyond the political debates, livelihoods are at stake. The Bank of England announced that Brexit could shrink the economy, and be as bad as the 2008 financial crisis. A world away from London, in many of the regions where factories have closed or where jobs have trickled away, the leave arguments dominate. Like in Blackpool, a seaside resort town that has seen better days. It was once a favorite holiday destination for many British people, but its now just as cheap to fly away to sunny Spain. With fewer tourists, Blackpool is suffering. Life expectancy for men here is the shortest in England. And people take more anti-depressants per person than anywhere else in the country. 67 percent voted for Brexit. We voted to leave the E.U. And now, were being ignored. Paul was born here, and hes seen the town change profoundly in his lifetime. Its almost as though life doesnt have the structures it used to have. And people just feel the opportunities arent there anymore. And the economic system isnt fair. Is there a feeling that being part of the E.U. is directly responsible for some of that? Yes, because we were contributing 10 billion pounds a year, which is quite a lot of money. Paul is talking about a membership fee that the U.K. pays to be a part of the E.U. Where is the money going? What are they doing with it? The answer? Its complicated. Benefits sometimes come back home in indirect ways. Take Liverpool, 60 miles south. In 2008, the E.U. named it European Capital of Culture. That brought in millions of visitors, who brought in millions of pounds. The city has just transformed itself. And I think because of that, that opportunity within the city is much greater. I think it inspires people to become something that they want to become. Poppy, like the majority of young people, voted against Brexit. Now, shes joined a new movement thats pushing for a second referendum, with an option to remain in the E.U. They call it a peoples vote. This effort is hard to miss, even in regions that voted heavily for Brexit. Like here, in County Durham, in the northeast of England. Richard, and then Jamie. People have every right to change their minds when presented with fresh facts, with new evidence and with a greater sense of certainty about what Brexit means. The people voted for Brexit because they are disenfranchised as a whole. The political system is broken. My personal view is that we now know what Brexit looks like. We didnt two and a half years ago. Democracy isnt a static, one-off event in time. Democracy is a process. A messy one, it seems, at least for the moment, where all sides say they feel cheated. We had the peoples vote on the 23rd of June, 2016. I knew what I was voting for. If other people didnt know what they were voting for, its because they didnt do their homework. We were asked if we wanted to leave. We said yes. The government seems to be going completely against the will of the people. They need to listen to us. [applause] The will of the people can change. The will of the people has changed. The will of the people cannot be undermined by a vote of the people. Because the people are ultimately sovereign. Thats what democracy is all about. In an attempt to settle a question, the E.U. referendum has unsettled a nation. Brexit means exit. Brexit means exit. Brexit means exit. Brexit means exit are you listening, Mrs. May? Are you listening? BUDAPEST Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary tightened his grip on power on Wednesday, as the Hungarian Parliament, controlled by Mr. Orbans far-right party, approved the creation of a parallel court system that cements executive control over the judiciary. Once the new system begins operating within the next 12 months, Mr. Orbans justice minister will control the hiring and promotion of its judges, who will have jurisdiction over cases relating to public administration including politically sensitive matters like electoral law, corruption and the right to protest. Hungarys existing judiciary, which already faces significant meddling by Mr. Orbans government, will continue to work but with a reduced mandate, and with no oversight of the parallel court system, known as the administrative courts. Civil rights watchdogs see the move as the latest erosion of democratic institutions under Mr. Orban, who since entering office in 2010 has created a blueprint for backsliding from the liberal democracy that took hold in Eastern Europe in the 1990s. His example has been followed in democracies like Poland, and has won admirers among a generation of populist figures in France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States. ROME The Vatican announced Wednesday that it had removed two cardinals implicated in sexual abuse cases from a powerful council of advisers picked by Pope Francis to guide him on matters critical to the future of the Catholic Church. One of the cardinals is George Pell of Australia, who has been facing charges of sexual abuse of minors in legal proceedings that are subject to a gag order in that country, suppressing news coverage until after they have concluded. The other is Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz of Chile, who has been accused of covering up abuse. Members of the nine-member council of advisers, known as the C9, who met in Rome this week, had asked the pope to reflect on the work, structure and composition of the council, taking into account the advanced age of some members. According to a statement on Wednesday by a Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, the pope had done just that. LONDON Vladimir V. Putins time as a Soviet intelligence agent in East Germany is largely shrouded in secrecy. He has claimed, for example, to have single-handedly dispersed protesters outside the K.G.B. office in Dresden in 1989, in the waning days of the Communist government. Now, the German tabloid Bilds publication of a photo ID card issued to a young Mr. Putin by the Stasi, East Germanys secret police, pulls back the veil on one part of his tenure in Dresden, causing a ripple of excitement on social media and raising questions about his presence in the former German Democratic Republic. The Putin ID card was also released on Wednesday by the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former East Germany. Printed on green passport-style paper, the card bears a black-and-white photo of a young intelligence officer identified as Major Putin, who would have been 33 at the time. It was issued on the last day of 1985, and has validation stamps for each quarter except one the last quarter of 1986. The ID also bears what appears to be Mr. Putins signature. Many people, many members of the public want us to get on with Brexit and actually ensure that we are delivering for them on the domestic agenda. Can my right honorable friend think of anything more unhelpful, irrelevant and irresponsible than for the Conservative Party to embark on weeks of a Conservative leadership election? Can I say, too can I say too, can I say my right honorable, my right honorable and learned friend has raised an important issue. And I think it is, it is the impact that those weeks of that campaign would have on the decision that the House has to take and the decision that we have to take as a country in relation to leaving the European Union, because there is no doubt that would go beyond the legislative date of the 21st of January. And it would mean that the new leader, were a new leader to come in, that one of the first things they would have to do would be to either extend Article 50 or rescind Article 50 and that would mean either delaying or stopping Brexit. Can she now confirm that we will have the concluding days of debates and votes within the next seven days before the House rises for the Christmas recess? I say to the right honorable gentleman, I had discussions with a number of people yesterday. And I have made some progress, but there is further [shouting] But of course, there is an E.U. Council meeting. There are further discussions to be held. He asks about the meaningful vote, the meaningful vote has been deferred and the date of that vote will be announced in the normal way. The business motion will be agreed and discussed in the usual way. Well if he says well Ill tell members on the other side, when weve had a meaningful vote. We had it in the referendum on 2016. The result of the ballot held this evening is that the parliamentary party does have confidence. [cheering] The number of votes cast in favor of having confidence in Theresa May was 200 and against, was 117. Under the rules set out in the Constitution of the Conservative Party, no further confidence vote can take place for at least 12 months. [cheering] A significant number of colleagues did cast a vote against me and Ive listened to what they said. Following this ballot, we now need to get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people and building a better future for this country: a Brexit that delivers on the vote that people gave, that brings back control of our money, our borders and our laws; that protects jobs, security and the union, That brings the country back together rather than entrenching division. That must start, here in Westminster, with politicians on all sides coming together and acting in the national interest. For my part, Ive heard what the House of Commons said about the Northern Ireland backstop, and when I go to the European Council tomorrow I will be seeking legal and political assurances that will assuage the concerns that members of Parliament have on that issue. LONDON Days after saying that it was about to suspend a controversial visa program that gives wealthy investors a fast track to British residency, the government said on Wednesday that the program remained in force, without providing an explanation. Last week, the immigration minister, Caroline Nokes, announced that the special visas would be temporarily suspended from midnight on Friday as part of a drive to crack down on corruption and organized crime. The government said it would overhaul the program, which has been widely criticized as allowing foreigners with ill-gotten gains to buy their way into the country and launder their money in Britain. But several days after its announced deadline, the government still had not put in place new restrictions on what are formally called Tier 1 visas and commonly known as golden visas. That allowed immigration lawyers to continue submitting applications. A spokesman for the Home Office confirmed on Wednesday that the visas had not been suspended, while reaffirming the governments commitment to overhauling the program. A further announcement will be made in due course, the spokesman said, declining to provide any more information. A former banker whose father worked as a bus driver, Mr. Javid is at the top of some polls of potential party leaders. But he is less than fully trusted among fervent supporters of Brexit, who believe that other contenders worked harder behind the scenes to advance their cause. Michael Gove Mr. Gove helped lead the campaign for leaving the European Union in 2016, famously arguing that Britons had had enough of experts telling them what was best. He has since become one of the most reliable salespeople for Mrs. Mays deal, remaining in the prime ministers cabinet as environment secretary over the protests of some of his allies in the referendum campaign. When the Conservatives last chose a new leader, in the wake of that campaign, he torpedoed Mr. Johnsons candidacy with a late decision to enter the race himself, and the reputation he earned then for stabbing allies in the back (or the front, as some argued) has stuck with him. Mr. Gove is now seen as having a narrow route to the party leadership, with pro-Brexit politicians angry at him for standing behind Mrs. Mays deal and pro-Europeans angry at him for backing Brexit. Amber Rudd Ms. Rudd a close ally of Mrs. May who was forced to resign as home secretary but has since returned to the cabinet as work and pensions secretary is a leader of the soft Brexit Conservatives who favor maintaining close ties with the European Union, and is seen as one who could prevent Mr. Johnson from taking over leadership. While Ms. Rudd supports the prime ministers proposed Brexit deal, she became the first minister to publicly discuss a Plan B should the proposal not pass through Parliament. Her supporters believe that she could build a consensus in Parliament over a new approach to Brexit. But that stance would be unlikely to find favor among grass-roots party members. There are also concerns over the fact that she holds a tiny majority in her Hastings and Rye constituency; the prime minister needs to be in Parliament, and she might lose her seat at the next general election. Jeremy Hunt Mr. Hunt, the foreign secretary, is not widely considered a popular first choice but many peoples second choice, one who would be acceptable to many factions in the party. Though he voted for Britain to remain in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, he has since cultivated a reputation as an outspoken Brexiter. Despite that change of heart, or perhaps because of it, he remains suspect in many Conservatives eyes. He backed Ms. Mays proposed Brexit deal and, like most in the cabinet, has condemned the challenge to her leadership, saying that she is the best person to make sure that Britain leaves the European Union on March 29. A Chinese man has been making national headlines after it was revealed that he has been waiting in a bookstore in Beijing for over 50 days hoping to meet a girl he has fallen in love with after making eye-contact for 10 seconds. To say that this 26-year-old man is a firm believer in love at first sight would be an understatement. He is so convinced that the woman he saw in a popular Beijing bookstore back in September is the girl of his dreams that he quit his job and has been staying in the bookshop every day from 11am to 7pm, hoping to meet her again so he can tell her how he feels. To improve his chances of bumping into the mystery woman again, the man, surnamed Sun, has been passing out hand-drawn sketches of her to other bookstore visitors, and recently tried to sue her for emotional distress, even though he doesnt even know her name. Photo: video screengrab Sun recently told reporters that the first time he saw this dream girl at the popular Wangfujing bookstore in Beijing, he was with another girl who had expressed interest in dating him, so he didnt want to hurt her feelings by approaching another girl. However, he and this perfect girl did make eye contact for about 10 seconds and he felt that this special connection. Even though the girl eventually left the bookstore and he never got to talk to her, Sun claims he couldnt stopped thinking about her, so he decided that he simply had to do everything he could to see her again. He started hanging out at the bookstore all day and eventually quit his job, because he couldnt do both things. Ever since he became unemployed, the 26-year-old man has been borrowing money from friends and family to get by, but claims that he doesnt regret his decision. You earn money to support your family but if you dont have a family then whats the point of earning money now? Sun said in a Pear video that recently went viral in China. Photo: video screengrab The love-drunk man said that it doesnt matter if his mystery woman isnt interested in him, as all he wants is to find closure. If she agrees to explore the possibility of building a future together and it turns out that they are not compatible, hell at least be able to move on. After spending more than 50 days in the bookstore, from opening time until closing time, with nothing to show for it, Sun recently became desperate and went to the local courtroom hoping to sue his dream girl for causing him emotional distress. The court declined his request, since he couldnt even name the person he wanted to sue, but Sun said that he will keep trying new ideas to meet this woman again. This story has been doing the rounds on social media in China, but instead of praising the mans devotion, most people have been criticizing his stalking-like behavior, calling him sick, creep, or a psycho. Some even warned this unknown woman to stay as far away from him as possible. Girl, have you seen this video? Remember this face! Whatever you do, stay away from him! one person wrote on Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter. Sources: Sohu, DW News via Wolrd of Buzz Sheldon Adelson Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is using Democratic-leaning Kivvit public affairs shop in his long-shot effort to build a casino in New York City, according to Politico. The founder/CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp. is a close ally of president Trump. His $5M donation to Trumps inauguration is the biggest ever-made for an inaugural. Trump, in turn, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Adelsons wife, Miriam. Kivvit has strong ties with New Yorks Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo. Co-founder Maggie Moran advised then-New York attorney general Cuomo on his successful campaign for governor of the Empire State in 2010. She directed rapid response for president Clinton in 1996 and was New Jersey campaign manager for VP Al Gore in 2000, Rich Bamberger, Kivvit managing director, was Gov. Cuomos communications director in charge of media strategy, coordinated messaging and events. He also worked for Cuomo when he was AG. Adelson, 85, is worth $33B, according to Forbes. New York has only authorized seven non-Indian casinos since 2013. Cuomo was a strong supporter of casinos upstate to spur local economies. State law bars licenses for casinos in NYC until 2023. NYC does have a racino in operation at Aqueduct in Queens. Resorts World owns that facility. OBU photo by Heather Horner. OBU to Offer On-Campus MBA Classes starting Fall 2019 December 12, 2018 Beginning fall 2019, OBU will offer an on-campus MBA program in Shawnee. Classes will be held in the evenings. This in-person experience allows students to complete courses in the same timeframe as online courses, with each class lasting eight weeks. With this new program, students are allowed to complete a degree that is completely in-person or a blend of online and on-campus. Since the courses are designed for working professionals, students are allowed to take classes at their own pace but are able to complete the program in as little as 16 months. The OBU MBA in Transformational Leadership places a heavy emphasis on innovation and value creation. The experience teaches students how to transform organizations and teams they lead, and how to create value through innovation and problem solving, transforming them personally, professionally, and in their leadership skills. The curriculum challenges students to think in ways that aid in making complex decisions in a thorough and creative way, all from a biblical worldview. Dr. Richard Martinez, professor of management and director of OBUs MBA program, is excited for the on-ground MBA to begin. We are thrilled to begin offering our Transformational MBA on the Shawnee OBU campus as a complement to our current online MBA program, he said. So many people wish to pursue graduate course work in a convenient, on-ground format and we are proud to welcome to OBUs campus those who wish to build their careers and their organizations through our innovation-focused MBA program. I believe that the personal interaction with OBU professors and Oklahoma business leaders will greatly enhance the MBA journey for those who meet with us in Shawnee. The program is 33 credit hours. Tuition is $550 per credit hour with no hidden fees. Since OBU was recently recognized as the states highest ranked regional university for the 25th consecutive year, a degree from OBU is highly prized. On-ground students will also have the option to complete a 12-hour certificate in corporate innovation or business operations in person on the Shawnee campus. Both certificates contain courses from the MBA program and may be continued into the full MBA degree. Three additional nine-hour certificates are offered online-only in project management, leadership or energy management. Students may apply now and begin classes online immediately or enroll for the on-campus MBA program to begin fall 2019. Learn more about earning your MBA through OBU's College of Graduate and Professional Studies. A crucial UN meeting on climate change is ongoing in Katowice, Poland. Due to end this Friday, this is the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP24), bringing together policy-makers and climate technology innovators from across the world hopefully setting broader implementation guidelines to manage the targets under the Paris Agreement. Back in 2015, during the COP21 meeting, the participating nations pledged to try and limit global warming to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The current conference, however, is expected to produce a rule book determining how the countries should monitor their greenhouse emissions, report on their climate improvement efforts and hold each other accountable. The conference is being held at a crucial juncture when natural disasters such as extreme heat waves, forest fires, droughts, storms, floods etc. are becoming more frequent and with increased intensity, producing horrifying consequences. It is affecting biodiversity and people's lives and livelihoods. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its report released on Oct. 18, stated that humanity is involved in a race for survival against climate change. The report indicates the big difference in risk between what seems to be a narrow margin between global warming of 1.5 and 2 degrees, but holds out hope that, from a technical perspective, it is possible to keep to the lower figure. However, this requires technological innovations and unprecedented adjustments in society's behavior and lifestyle. This could be achieved by drastically reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030 through the decarbonization of electricity production and improving energy efficiency in different sectors such as transportation and manufacturing. Similarly, different studies conducted by NASA also indicate the adverse impact of climate change on the Earth's atmosphere. It stated that the current warming trend is most likely the result of human activity since the mid-20th century and is proceeding at an unprecedented rate. It has become clear that the issue of climate change requires immediate global attention. China, in the last few years, has progressively tightened regulations on carbon emissions, strengthened law enforcement and invested heavily in renewable energy sources. Moreover, in its commitment to the United Nations, made in 2015, it vowed to cut greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent compared 2005 levels. This included increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to about 20 percent by 2030. This is to be achieved by increasing installed capacity of wind power to 200 GW and solar power to around 100 GW, up from 95.81 GW and 28 GW as of November 2015. China's overall investment in clean energy technologies in 2017 was approximately US$132.6 billion, up 24 percent from 2016. China is also heavily investing in the installation of solar power panels and electric cars. It overtook the U.S. as the largest market for electric vehicles in 2015 with over 200,000 registrations. The American decision to pull out from the Paris Agreement was a major setback to COP24's ambitions. Back in 2015, while signing the agreement, the Obama administration had pledged US$3 billion to the Green Climate Fund meant to aid emerging countries to reduce carbon emissions and deal with climate change effects, including rising sea levels. Of this amount, only US$1 billion had been transferred by the time President Donald Trump took office in January 2016 and withdrew the commitment. He argued that the Paris Agreement would strangle the American economy and lead to major job losses. Xie Zhenhua, China's special representative on climate change, last month reiterated China's commitment to honor the Paris Agreement and insisted that it is important to continue the negotiations on its implementation rules. "China has already fulfilled its target for the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit of GDP three years earlier than the deadline," he was quoted as saying by CGTN. The year 2018 witnessed some of the biggest natural disasters such as super storms like Irma, Maria and Mangkhut, wildfires of California, etc. This however is just the tip of the iceberg and much bigger catastrophes could take place resulting in the loss of many lives if urgent action is not taken. It is thus indispensable for the participating nations to set aside their differences and work together to find a meaningful solution. Rachana Gupta is a China Focus columnist, an expert author of Ezine Articles and an active blogger and poetry writer. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Utica, N.Y. More than 200 supporters gathered in Utica Tuesday to celebrate Anthony Brindisis narrow victory for the 22nd Congressional District. The Democratic congressman-elect welcomed constituents as they mingled over snacks and drinks, saying the meet-and-greet was among his first priorities as the districts incoming representative. I want to make sure I get throughout the district to meet with local officials and community leaders to learn firsthand the issues they are concerned about and how I can be a better representative down in Washington, Brindisi said. Among those attending the event was Oneida Ward 1 Councilor Al Cohen, who was pleased with the results of the race for the 22nd District. Brindisi is a good man, Cohen said. Im looking forward to Jan. 3. Brindisi defeated Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney for the congressional seat in the November General Election. Once the election is over, thats when governing begins, Brindisi said. And Im very much looking forward to representing the people of this community. Brindisi said he is concerned about getting people working together in Washington on big issues such as healthcare, the broken immigration system, the opioid crisis, and relief for farmers, especially dairy farmers. Oriskany, N.Y. Dozens of farmers, legislators and government workers converged on Cornell Cooperative Extension in Oriskany on Monday to discuss the future of dairy in Oneida County. Oneida County implemented its Dairy Farmer Sustainability Action Plan in August in an effort to alleviate the strain on dairy farmers, but it needs work, said Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente. Thats why were here tonight. New York is the third largest dairy producer in the nation, and Oneida County has more than 200 dairy farms with 18,000 cows and over 500 full-time employees. Picente said dairy farmers are struggling and devised the plan with the goal of easing the burden. Oneida County Senior Planner Christopher Henry said he hopes the action plan can help dairy farmers, but needs the input and feedback from the people it affects. Goal one of the plan is to engage the dairy and farming community to identify service gaps and barriers in the dairy industry. There are also plans to establish a committee comprised of diary farm experts who will act as an advisory body to the Oneida County executive. Henry said the list for the committee is being finalized and features dairy farmers, experts and local leaders. One of the hurdles facing dairy farmers is stagnant milk prices that have limited economic growth. Since 2014, when milk prices have steadily dropped across the country, peaking at $24 per 100 pounds in 2014 the highest since 2000, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. In 2017, the price was $17 per 100 pounds. Theres more milk than demand, Agriculture Economic Development Specialist Marty Broccoli said. Its not just here, its national. Gary Smith, a fifth-generation farmer from Lowell, has 30 to 40 cows on his farm. In 2014, he thought he received a good price for what he made. When 2015 rolled around, Smith said he lost around $1,000 per cow. And thats what its been like for four years, Smith said. I lost around $30,000 and Im a small farm. Just imagine a larger farm. And Im making around $13 per 100 pounds of milk. Thats what my father was making in 1984. Lee Martin, owner of Lamplight Farm in Lee Center, has run his family-owned farm for 24 years. Martin is the president of the Boonville Farms Co-Op and when asked what he felt was the state of the dairy industry in New York, he said good managers who are keeping their debt down are doing okay. We need really good business practices in this industry to make it, because its so challenging, Martin said. I think this is more of a private sector issue and the farmers need to find a way to survive. Its up to the private sector to make their industry happen. Martin said he thinks cow care is one of the most important things farmers could do, even more so than investments in equipment or new technology. The cow is whats actually making us the profit, Martin said. The tractor and pick-up truck doesnt actually make you money. Oneida County is in active talks with two major dairy processors to bring a plant to the region, Broccoli said, and the parties will sit down to discuss the venture after the holidays. We have the infrastructure and we have the interest. Broccoli criticized the state for not including language in its recent contracts with yogurt companies that stipulated they needed to purchase a certain percentage of local milk. It was a concern echoed by local farmers, who wanted to know what incentives would be included to entice a processing plant to come to Oneida County, and if they would be required to buy local milk. That definitely has to be in there, Broccoli said. A possible tax credit, similar to the one received by public schools that could be applied to property taxes, was also discussed as a solution for farmers. Picente said he would discuss it with the legislature. Other issues farmers raised included local school districts ability to buy whole milk under the Whole Milk Act, as well as expanded ag-programming at Mohawk Valley Community College, despite the proximity of Morrisville State and SUNY Cobleskill. Henry said the MVCC classes are meant to be a local introduction, rather than a four-year degree, and would give students transferring to Morrsiville or Cobleskill more accessibility, strengthening relationships between the schools. Several farmers were concerned about the incoming Democratic majority in both the New York Senate and Assembly. One farmer said there has been a lot of talk amongst produce farmers in the area that legislators are going to push through legislation for farm workers, ensuring they have collective bargaining rights and overtime. Theres a bill called the Omnibus Farm Worker Labor Bill, New York State Farm Bureau Deputy Director for Field Services John Wagner said. Its something that, as an organization, we have advocated against for a number of years. It does call for collective bargaining, overtime pay, mandatory day of rest and other things. Weve been able to rely on a Republican Senate to hold that back and negotiate these things. Wagner said the New York state Farm Bureau has been in discussion with Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball and Deputy Secretary for Food and Agriculture Patrick Hooker, along with the Farm Bureau developing strategies for next years legislative session. Despite their concerns for the future, the farmers gathered on Monday could agree on one thing: Educating downstate politicians. You need to come up with priority issues and carry the same voice, said Bill Simons, treasurer for the Boonville Farms Co-Op. If downstate and the governor get their way with the labor issue, youre going to pay all your employees a minimum $15 an hour, theyll have the right for collective bargaining and mandatory days off. We all know what thats going to do to us. I dont think theres a farmer in this room who makes $15 an hour for all the time they put in on their farm. Simons encouraged farmers to get to Albany with their issues as soon as possible. Start educating those downstaters. Im telling you, they know nothing about ag, Simons said. I want to say what Ive learned over the years. The downstate legislators a few years ago, when this omnibus bill came up, feel we are using migrant labor as slave labor and we abuse them. They honestly believe that downstate. Farm Bureau was able to educate enough of them, plus the upstate legislators persuaded them, and the omnibus bill was pushed back. Oneida County Legislator Keith Schiebel stressed the importance of lobbying and said if farmers could give up the time to go to Albany and sit down with their legislators, farmers could provide critical education and advocate for agriculture. They dont know agriculture, Schiebel said. An issue as simple as docking tails, from somebodys view, might be cruel. But when you learn about the issue, they have a better understanding. Picente said the next forum should have state legislators who represent the area join farmers in the continued discussion. Picente encouraged farmers to bring any and all information they can to help give legislators an idea of just what farmers go through. Let us know where we can make changes, adjustments or make any suggestions as we go forward with a state agenda and a federal agenda, Picente said. The other thing Id offer is that everybody has a story to tell. If something has happened, that you want to keep confidential or is private, let me know. Im trying to see what else is there, as much as we can. We want to continue this process and bring these things to Albany as the new session starts. The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is urging citizens to remain vigilant of telephone impersonation schemes that exploit the Social Security Administrations (SSA) reputation and authority. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) continues to receive reports from across the country about fraudulent phone calls from people claiming to be from SSA. Recent reports have indicated that unknown callers are using increasingly threatening language in these calls. The callers state, due to improper or illegal activity with a citizens Social Security number (SSN) or account, a citizen will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number to address the issue. This is a scam; citizens should not engage with these calls or provide any personal information. SSA employees do contact citizens, generally those who have ongoing business with SSA, by telephone for customer-service purposes. However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information; they will not state that you face potential arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up. Unfortunately, scammers will try anything to mislead and harm innocent people, including scaring them into thinking that something is wrong with their Social Security account and they might be arrested, Stone said. I encourage everyone to remain watchful of these schemes and to alert family members and friends of their prevalence. We will continue to track these scams and warn citizens, so that they can stay several steps ahead of these thieves. The OIG recently warned that some of these impersonation calls have spoofed SSAs national customer service phone number, displaying 1-800-772-1213 as the incoming number on caller ID. The acting inspector general urges citizens to be extremely cautious, and to avoid providing information such as your SSN or bank account numbers to unknown persons over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it. If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report. For more information, visit https://oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/scam-awareness. Will this former security personnel of Indira Gandhi topple Congress in Mizoram? After five unsuccessful attempts, BJP makes inroads in Mizoram India oi-Deepika S Aizawl, Dec 12: After five unsuccessful attempts since 1993, the BJP opened its account in Mizoram, the Christian-dominated state as the party candidate and former minister Buddha Dhan Chakma won from the Chakma-dominated Tuichawng seat in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district. The saffron party also increased its vote share to 8 per cent from 0.37% vote share it had in 2013. BJP candidate and former minister Buddha Dhan Chakma won from Tuichawng. Chakma had left the Congress to join the BJP in the run up to the polls. The Congress, which was in power, stands decimated, winning only five seats compared to 34 in 2013 when the MNF had got five. Its vote share of 44.63 per cent in 2013 has come down to 30.7 per cent on Tuesday. Five years ago the party had fielded 17 candidates, but managed to secure only 2,139 votes, which was 0.37% of the total vote share. This time, however, the party got over 50,000 votes, accounting 8% of the total vote share. Mizoram election results 2018: How accurate were Exit Polls this time? At present, BJP is leading governments in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura and is part of the ruling coalition in Meghalaya and Nagaland. Mizoram has voted for regional outfits, with the Mizo National Front (MNF) winning in 26 of the 40 assembly constituencies and the seven-party alliance of Zoram People Movement (ZPM) getting eight seats. The MNF vote share in the current polls was 38 per cent down marginally from an earlier figure of 39.9 per cent. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 15:10 [IST] Assembly elections 2018: Here is a look at all Assembly poll results since Modi took over as PM India oi-Shubham Ghosh New Delhi, Dec 12: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its president Amit Shah has won a series of state elections since 2014 when it stormed to power at the Centre in a one-sided poll. However, just a few months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP suffered its biggest defeat, losing two states it had been ruling for 15 years and one state after a term. In fact, the party didn't win any of the five states that went to polls in November and December 2018. Here we take a brief look at the results of all the state/UT polls that took place between May 2014 and November-December 2018, i.e., the first tenure of Modi as the PM of India. We are excluding the state elections in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim since those took place during the Lok Sabha election 2014 and before Modi took oath as the PM. Changing colours of India 2014-2018: States ruled by BJP, Congress 2014 election results (4 states): BJP 4, Congress 0 The BJP came to power in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand; Congress was in power in all of them, either alone or in coalition. While the BJP came in alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra (first time as the senior partner), it came to power in J&K in alliance in alliance with People's Democratic Alliance (it got over earlier this year) and on its own on Haryana (first time) and Jharkhand. 2015 election results (2 states): Regional parties 2, BJP 0 The BJP received its first major blow when they were decimated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, losing 67 of 70 seats. The only other big election in this year was in Bihar where also the BJP suffered a setback against the combined power of two state stalwarts - Nitish Kumar and his former friend Lalu Prasad Yadav. The Mahagathbandhan of the ruling Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress humbled the BJP in this election though in 2017, Nitish Kumar gave up the alliance with Lalu and returned to the BJP's fold in a reversal of the scenario in J&K. Before the latest results, 2015 was the lowest point in Modi-Shah's record in electoral performance. 2016 election results (5 states & UT): Regional parties 3, BJP 1, Congress 1 The year 2016 saw a number of state elections and it was a decent year for the BJP as it came to power in the Northeastern state of Assam for the first time, toppling the Congress, besides opening their account in the southern state of Kerala. However, the BJP failed to breach forts of regional parties like West Bengal (won by Trinamool Congress) and Tamil Nadu (won by AIADMK) while the Congress, which lost power in Kerala and Assam, had the consolation prize of winning Puducherry. 2017 election results (7 states): BJP 6, Congress 1 This was another big year for the BJP as they single-handedly wrested the big state of UP, annihilating the regional parties and Congress. This year saw the BJP winning besides UP, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Of these, the saffron party bagged Goa and Manipur despite finishing second to the Congress in the list of highest seat-winning parties, thanks to its sharp management skills on the ground. The Congress's only gain was in Punjab where it returned defeating the BJP-Akali Dal combine. 2018 election results (9 states): Congress 3, regional parties 3, BJP 1, Cong alliance 1, BJP alliance 1 The year 2018 started off well for the BJP as they brought Tripura under its rule for the first time. It also came to power in Nagaland along with National Democratic Progressive Party while Meghalaya went to the National People's Party. Next was Karnataka where the BJP failed to form the government as the Congress-Janata Dal(Secular) post-poll alliance bagged the prize. And then came the five-state elections towards the end of the year in which Telangana went to Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Mizoram to the Mizo National Front. The rest three, namely, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were won by the Congress and its allies. Assembly elections: BJP loses vote share, but not all to Congress India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 12: 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. Assembly elections 2018: How much did NOTA poll? 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% votes in this elections, up from 40.3% in the 2013 state polls and 38.37% 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% in 2013 to 32.9% now. In 2014 general elections, the party had got nearly 49% 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% in 2013, its alliance with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's party has now got about 10.7% votes. Changing colours of India 2014-2018: States ruled by BJP, Congress Independents have also improved their performance from 5.3% to 6.3%. Similar trend was visible in Rajasthan where BJP's votes have fallen from 45.2% in 2013 to 38.8% now. It was much higher at nearly 55% 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% in 2013 to 39.2% in 2018. It had managed to get nearly 30% votes despite losing on all seats in last parliamentary elections. Independents have improved their assembly tally from 8.2% to 9.5%, 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% in 2013 to 41.4% in 2018 assembly polls, while that of the BJP has come down from 44.9% to 41.3%, as per the latest update. The BSP's share here has actually fallen to 4.6%, while that of the independents has remained nearly same at over 5%. 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% last time to about 47%. The Congress has also improved from 25.2% to 28.7%, 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% since last assembly elections in 2014. However, its vote share has come down from 10.4% 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% in 2013 to just about 30%, while that of BJP has risen five-fold from 0.4% to 8%. Trends changing constantly but the Congress having slight edge in three BJP-ruled states The MNF has improved from 28.8% to 37.6%, 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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 6:29 [IST] Kamal or Kamal Nath? MP election results outcome remained suspense till late night India oi-Shubham Ghosh Bhopal, Dec 12: It was almost 2 am on Wednesday, December 12, yet the suspense of the result in the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh refused to die down. While the 'leading' figures of the BJP and Congress remained fixed at 109 and 114, (it became 113 for some time), respectively, the 'won' figures were taking ages to update. And with the BJP remaining ahead by a whisker till the end when the Congress eventually beat it by just a few seats, the suspense remained intense in the capital of MP. In the history of a state which has always voted decisively in its Assembly elections, this was something unique. Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns, takes responsibility for defeat The Congress though was assured that even if the match ends in a tie or if both sides end up just short of the majority mark (116 out of 230), it had a better chance of beating the saffron party for parties like Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Independents were there to hold its hand. However, though the SP's victory in one seat was confirmed on the Election Commission website, the BSP was shown as leading in two seats for a long time. Afterall, nothing could be said till a party wins a seat. The final figures of the commission showed the Congress winning 114 seats, which is just two short of the majority, while the BJP ended up with 109, losing over 50 seats compared to teh tally in 2013. The BSP got two and the SP one while four Independents won. But yet the tension was not over since the Congress snatched defeats from the jaws of victory in the recent past, in states like Goa and Manipur. While it was upset with the delay in publication of the results, it did not waste time in making the earliest possible appointment with the governor, former Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel. In fact, given the recent fax fiasco in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress sent mails this time - both electronic and physical. BJP likely to get leader of opposition and new state party president in Rajasthan soon India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Dec 12: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lost elections in Rajasthan and chief minister of the state Vasundhara Raje has resigned. The Congress has started working to form the government in the state. But the activities in the opposition BJP has also started. The party is looking for the leaders that who would be the leader of opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly. The party is also considering changing the state party president. The BJP sources informed that former state Panchayat Raj minister Rajendra Rathod is leading the race of leader of opposition in the Assembly and second person in the race is first time MLA Satish Punia as both of them have the long experience of working with the organisation. In Rajasthan: It's Ashok Gehlot versus Sachin Pilot for CM race Sources said that Satish Punia is also being considered for the post of organisation that means he may also be given the post of state party president. The name of Union minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is also in the reckoning for the post of state party president. There are five months left for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections so such responsibilities are likely to be given to senior and experienced leaders. As far as Vasundhara Raje is concerned, she might be shifted to the Centre. Exit polls vs actual polls: See who got it right in Rajasthan It is expected that before the commencement of the 15th Assembly of Rajasthan, the name of leader of opposition will be announced. Sources said that the BJP may also change the state party president of Rajasthan who was appointed 10 months before the Assembly elections. Ashok Parnami was the state president and he had to resign and he was replaced with the incumbent state party president. The post of leader of opposition will be given to such person who can fight the government by his/her regular presence in the state Assembly. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 17:07 [IST] Ram temple in Ayodhya to be ready by 2025, open for 'darshan' to devotees by 2023 end Foundation works for Ram Mandir to be ready by October, 'garbhagriha' by Dec 2023: VHP BJP will not benefit from Ram Temple issue: Sharad Pawar India oi-Vikas SV Mumbai, Dec 12: NCP chief Sharad Pawar Wednesday said the Ram temple issue might not work in favour of the BJP again, unlike in the past, if it is raised ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Pawar's remark comes a day after BJP lost assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhatisgarh. The saffron party was in power in all these three states. He alleged that the BJP may try to create a communal divide on the temple issue which is a "matter of concern". The BJP is under pressure from its ideological mentor RSS, alliance partner Shiv Sena and Hindutva organisations which are demanding a parliamentary law or an ordinance for construction of Ram temple. Sena MPs on Wednesday staged a protest in the Lok Sabha demanding immediate construction of the temple. "The issue of Ram temple was used once in the past and the BJP stood benefited by it. In case they (the BJP) raise the issue again, people do not accept an issue twice... So, I don't think it (Ram temple) will benefit them (the BJP)," Pawar said. The veteran politician was speaking to reporters after meeting scores of party workers who had gathered here to greet him on his 78th birthday. The BJP, which was in power in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh since the last 15 years, lost to the Congress in the assembly polls, results for which were announced Tuesday. The Congress also looks set to form government in Rajasthan, ruled by the saffron party until now. Stating that people do not accept the same issue twice, Pawar referred to the general elections held post Emergency and the assembly polls held in Maharashtra over the issue of 'Samyukta (joint) Maharashtra' in 1950s and 1960s. He said Indira Gandhi-led Congress had to taste defeat in the 1977 Lok Sabha polls which was held after imposition of Emergency. The Janata alliance of parties, opposed to the ruling Congress party, had won that elections riding on the anti-Congress wave. "But that issue (Emergency) did not appeal to the people when the (Lok Sabha) elections were held again (in 1980)," he noted. [Polls over, CM hunt begins, it is over to Rahul Gandhi] Pawar also recalled the Congress was defeated in Maharashtra in 1955-56 Assembly polls over the issue of the Samyukta Maharashtra. "But in the 1962 Assembly polls, the Congress came back to power as people did not accept the Samyukta Maharashtra issue," he added. In his annual Vijaya Dashmi rally held in Nagpur this October, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had demanded a law to pave the way for construction of the temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya. Many Hindu organisations have been demanding construction of the temple, as promised by the BJP before coming to power in 2014. The BJP has been saying that it was committed to the construction of the temple, but is silent on bringing an ordinance in Parliament for the purpose. The matter of Ayodhya title suits is currently pending in the Supreme Court. OneIndia News with PTI inputs For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 22:45 [IST] 'Should not be misled': Mayawati reaches out to Brahmins before UP polls BSP chief Mayawati extends support, takes Congress past magic number in Madhya Pradesh India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 12: BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday extended the support to Congress in Madhya Pradesh, "despite misgivings" to let the party past the magic number in the Madhya Pradesh. Of the 230 seats in the state, the Congress had won 114, while the BJP has 109. The half-way mark or the magic number required to form government is 116. With Mayawati which has two seats supporting the Congress, the grand old party past the majority mark of 116 in the 230-seat Assembly. Besides this, the Congress also faces the tough task of keeping its house in order and prevent its MLAs from deserting it and joining the BJP. "BSP has done well in the elections in all states except Chhattisgarh and I want to congratulate them all," said Mayawati. She called or the beginning of "the anti-BJP movement in india," adding that the people have voted for the Congress only to oust BJP. Playing down on Congress' victory , the BSP chief added that the genesis of her party was based on the stark ignorance of the Dalit voices in the collective political narratives of both BJP and Congress. " We want to defeat BJP at any cost, and thus, even though we dont agree with Congress on many fronts, BSP will extend its in MP and in Rajasthan too if required." Madhya Pradesh elections: The delay in the result declaration explained The 24-hour-long thriller ended after the last seat went to the Congress taking the final number of the party to 114 seats in the 230 seat-assembly of Madhya Pradesh. While assembly elections result for Rajasthan, Telangana, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh were clear by late Tuesday evening, in Madhya Pradesh, the story was totally different. The BJP managed to get 109 seats, the BSP 2 seats, SP one seat and Independents 4 seats. Wary of Goa situation, the Congress had already sent a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel to stake the claim. 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 election was held in Madhya Pradesh on November 28 and 75% of the state's 5.03 crore voters exercised their franchise, with around 1.64 lakh people having voted on an average in each constituency. In 2013 polls, BJP had won 165 seats while Congress and BSP got 58 and 4. Three independent MLAs also won the polls. Chhattisgarh polls: Jogi factor did more good than harm for the Congress India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Raipur, Dec 12: The Ajit Jogi factor was closely watched ahead of the elections in Chhattisgarh, which was ultimately won by the Congress. Many had stated that Jogi, the head of the JCC would have hurt his former party the Congress, but going by the numbers, he did not manage to do that. Jogi, who was the first Chief Minister of the state was in a tie up with Mayawati enjoys a strong following among the Dalit community particularly in the belts in Sarguja in north and south Bastar. Changing colours of India 2014-2018: States ruled by BJP, Congress The data that was released by the Election Commission of India suggests that Jogi did take 9 per cent of the Congress vote in the divisions of Bilaspur, Durg and Raipur. This led to the vote share of the Congress coming down from 40.3 per cent to 31. While this could have sealed the fate of the Congress which had lost the last elections by a margin of less than 0.5 per cent, the party however pulled back in the other regions. The Congress made up for this deficit by snatching from the BJP the backward votes in the state. Data suggests that the Congress took away at least 8 per cent of the BJP's OBC and Sahu-Kami votes and in the bargain brought down the BJP's vote share by nearly 9 per cent. To bag in the OBC votes, the Congress also fielded three dominant faces from the community, who are also CM probables. They are Bhupesh Baghel, Tamradhwaj Sahu and Charandas Mahant. The Congress finally managed to win a two-thirds majority with almost a 10 per cent lead in the vote share. This is a huge margin considering the fact that the elections in Chhattisgarh have been a close contest with the winning margins being less than 1 per cent. Chhattisgarh polls: Did the Jogi-Mayawati combine hurt the BJP Experts also say that the fact that Jogi quit the Congress was also an advantage. His exit may have made the Congress more acceptable to the OBCs. This coupled with the fact that the Congress fielded three dominant faces from the community could have helped the party win big in the state. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 7:30 [IST] You are here: World Flash The death toll of the shooting near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg Tuesday evening has risen to four, several were wounded, local media reported. Security officers have cordoned off the area, while the injured were transported to a local hospital center. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told reporters that several of the wounded were in critical condition and that he was heading to Strasbourg. "Our security and rescue services are mobilized," Castaner added. According to sources from local authorities, the suspected gunman identified as 29-year-old and known to police for criminal activity, has been cornered. 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. Despite being called BJPs unofficial ally, how TRS swung Muslim votes in its favour India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Hyderabad, Dec 12: The thumping win for the TRS is attributed to a variety of factors. While his core vote bank remained intact, it was the big swing in Muslim votes that helped K Chandrashekhar Rao attain such a huge number. The shift in Muslim votes was also facilitated by the AIMM. The party decided to contest only in 8 seats and also campaigned indirectly for the TRS in 11 Muslim dominated assembly segments. KCR likely to take oath as Telangna CM tomorrow During the campaign, KCR worked his magic in the Muslim dominated areas. In all these constituencies, he spoke only in Urdu explaining to them the importance of Muslim beliefs. He also increased the honorarium paid to imams in Mosques, which also worked in his favour. Ahead of the elections, there was talk that the TRS was in an unofficial alliance with the BJP. However to overcome this, KCR spared no effort in telling the public about his party's proximity to the AIMM. He also went all hog in launching an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to suggest to the voter that he was not in any understanding with the BJP. Telangana elections: KCR returns in style and here is how he did it The Muslims were also particularly happy with KCR for his various schemes. He initiated the Shaadi Mubakar scheme, gave financial assistance to Muslims, doled out Ramzan gifts, enhanced salaries of Imams and also built minority educational institutions. The minority community is estimated at around 12.7 per cent of the state's population. They were a factor in 45 constituencies. There are around 29 constituencies where the Muslim voters are at 15 per cent, while 13 have an electorate of around 10 to 15 per cent. The notable constituencies which have a Muslim presence are Hyderabad, Adilabad, Karimanagar, Nizamabad, Medak, Mahbubnagar and Secundrabad. The AIMM contested in the six seats it held in Old City of Hyderabad, one in Secunderabad and one at Rajendranagar. What India wants: Jobs, MSP, money and definitely not name calling, propaganda While the AIMM may have helped the TRS slightly, the fact is that the party's influence does not spread beyond the Old City where the Muslim population is at 70 per cent and mostly poor. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:39 [IST] Kumaraswamy to attend Ashok Gehlot's swearing-in on Dec 17: These are other leaders who would attend Exit polls vs actual polls: See who got it right in Rajasthan India oi-Deepika S Jaipur, Dec 12: In the five election results today, the Congress set to take control of the politically crucial Hindi heartland state of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. In Rajasthan the Congress has emerged as the single-largest party winning 99 seats, while the BJP got 73. The Congress now faces the question of who will become the chief minister. Despite speculation of a tussle over who will take the top post, the party's two top leaders in the state - Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot - displayed complete harmony and togetherness in their victory celebrations. But how much do the results differ from what the pollsters had predicted just after voting got over. Let's take a look: The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan, winning 99 seats, while the BJP got 73. While no polling agency was able to successfully gauge the party's seat-count, ABP-CSDS was the only one that came the closest. It gave the congress a total of 101 seats. Followed by BJP with 83 seats and 15 seats will be grabbed by others. Rajasthan Exit Poll 2018 Results: Congress to unseat Vasundhara Raje-led BJP govt The Times Now CNX poll had given more conservative estimate and predicted 105 seats for Congress, handing 85 seats to the BJP and two seats to other parties and independents. The News X Neta poll also gave a majority result for Congress, predicting 112 seats for the party, which - in light of leads coming in - seems to be the most accurate prediction of results in Rajasthan. The News X poll gave BJP 80 seats and predicted seven seats for other parties. The C Voter poll on Republic TV had also predicted a Congress win in the state. It had handed Congress 137 seats and predicted 60 for the BJP. The only poll to give BJP an edge in the state was the 'Jan Ki Baat' poll on Republic TV. The poll had predicted a photo finish in Rajasthan, handing BJP 83 to 103 seats, Congress 81 to 101 seats and 15 seats for others and independents. While the exit poll numbers had accurately predicted a majority finish for Congress, several of them overestimated the final count for BJP. Farmer who sent Rs 1,064 to PMO to protest poor crop price asked to pay the money online India oi-Shubham Ghosh New Delhi, Dec 12: Recently, a farmer in distress from Maharashtra named Sanjay Sathe sent his entire earning by selling onions to the prime minister's office or PMO (a meagre Rs 1,064 earned by selling 750 kgs of onions!). His 'Gandhigiri' was a representation of the frustrating situation the peasants of the country are facing today. However, far from receiving any relief after letting the authorities know his poor condition, Sathe was in for more shock. According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, the resident of Nashik's Naitale village was asked by the PMO to take back the money order and pay the money he wanted through online transfer since 'they don't accept money orders'. While Sathe told Dainik Bhaskar that he had hoped that his contribution would help the distressed farmers in some way, the Nashik district administration came under heavy criticism for reportedly investigating the man's political affiliation. Sathe himself was stunned by the development and said instead of probing the reasons behind the farmers' distress, the authorities are looking for his political affiliation. He said he is just a farmer and doesn't have any political connection. After selling 750 kg onions for Rs 1,064, farmer donates money in protest to PM relief fund Sathe has two acres of land near Nashik. He grew onions on an acre and grapes on the other one acre. The onion yield was good and the man was hopeful that it would fetch him a good return after spending almost Rs 75,000. But his pleasure was shortlived after he reached Lasalgaon, which has Asia's onions' largest wholesale market. He learned there that the prices of onion plummeted to Re 1 that day and he could manage to get just Rs 1,064. Out of frustration, he sent the money to the PMO. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 17:00 [IST] 'I will cooperate, won't leave country,' says Robert Vadra on ED investigation India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Dec 12: Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi, said he would cooperate and not run away to some other country, adding that the process should be fair and legal. Robert Vadra, who is currently being investigated by the ED in connection with a land deal, said, "Charges against me are totally false and politically motivated. We have replied to every notice. But my family is under stress, mother is unwell, my premises were ransacked and locks broken. Everything should be done legally, we have always been cooperating." Never before has there been such a 'terror raj' says Congress "Will not allow my name to be used for political blackmail, have always maintained that we will cooperate, but the process should be fair and legal. I am not running away or going to live in some other country, " said Vadra. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned Vadra earlier in the case, he had not appeared before the agency. In September 2015, the Enforcement Directorate registered a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), alleging that Vadra-owned Sky Light Hospitality had bought a piece of land in Kolayat, Bikaner, on the cheap and sold it at an extremely high premium through illegal transactions. Kapil Sibal backs Robert Vadra, says 'government is falsely accusing him' The ED on Dec 8 questioned four persons, including a Congress worker and two employees of Robert Vadra, in connection with defence deals. An ED team raided at the residence of the Congress worker and Robert Vadra's close aide Jagdish Sharma in the morning and took him to its office for questioning. Puneeth Rajkumars last rites to take place tomorrow: Many yet to pay last respects says CM Bommai Last rites of actor Puneeth Rajkumar held with full state honours at Kanteerava studio in Bengaluru Gone too soon: From Puneeth Rajkumar to Sidharth Shukla, untimely deaths leave family and fans stunned In last 4 years, 28,523 Indian nationals have died in Gulf countries India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 12: A total of 28,523 Indian nationals died in the Gulf countries of the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the last four years, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday. The highest number of deaths of Indian nationals was recorded in Saudi Arabia between 2014-2018 at 12,828 followed by the UAE at 7,877, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh told the Lok Sabha in response to a question. Oldest Youtuber, desi chef Mastanamma, passes away About 1,021 deaths of Indian nationals between 2014-2018 was recorded in Bahrain while 2,932 deaths were recorded in Kuwait. About 2,564 deaths of Indian nationals were recorded in Oman while 1,301 deaths were recorded in Qatar, he said. Singh said that in order to prevent workers' death such as suicides and road accidents in the Gulf countries, awareness campaigns are conducted by the missions and posts through labour camps organised by Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra in collaboration with the Indian missions. Former US president, George H W Bush dies at 94 The highest number of deaths in these Gulf countries in the last four years was recorded in 2016 when 6,013 Indian nationals died followed by 2017 when 5,906 Indian nationals died in these countries. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 17:19 [IST] In Rajasthan: It's Ashok Gehlot versus Sachin Pilot for CM race India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 12: The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan as it has been declared elected on 99 seats of the 199 that went to polls. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got 73 seats whereas the Bahujan Samaj Party won six, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) three, the Bhartiya Tribal Party won two, the CPI(M) two and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) one. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly, but polling on Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate. As the Congress neared the majority mark of 100, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje submitted her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh on December 11. The state is now ready for its new CM, but who would it be? After the results were declared in favour of Congress, the focus has now 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. Sometimes called Rajasthan's Gandhi for his simple lifestyle and mass connect, Gehlot has served as the chief minister of the state twice earlier. Now, after a gap of five years, the veteran could be back in the saddle as the CM of Rajasthan. Sachin Pilot is also a strong contender for the post. In 2013, when the Congress faced its worst defeat, winning just 21 seats against the BJP's 163, party president Rahul Gandhi handed the reins of the state to the next gen-leader, a two-time parliamentarian and son of former leader Rajesh Pilot who died in 2000 in a road accident in Dausa. The youthful Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president, Pilot has helped steer the Congress from the depths of defeat in 2013 to the highs of victory in Rajasthan. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 14:04 [IST] Telangana elections: Karimnagar not impressed by Yogi Adityanath, BJP down to 1 from 5 KCR to take oath as Telangana CM tomorrow India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Hyderabad, Dec 12: Telangana Rashtra Samithi President K Chandrashekhar Rao to take oath as the Chief Minister of Telangana on Thursday. TRS has won 88 seats in the assembly election. The party is set to form its second successive government in Telangana after taking an unassailable lead. KCR said he wanted to hold his oath ceremony at 1:24 pm, but this was subject to Election Commission of India's approval. The time was decided after TRS consulted KCR's priest Laxmi Narayan Acharya. Rao powered his party to a remarkable victory, winning 88 seats in the 119-member Assembly. KCR himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, defeating 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. Telangana elections: KCR returns in style and here is how he did it The Praja Kutami (Peoples 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. Telangana election results 2018: Which exit poll came the closest? In the 2014 elections, TRS emerged victorious with 63 Assembly seats and 11 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats. K Chandrashekar Rao took the oath as the first Chief Minister of Telangana on June 2, 2014. Out of 119, 88 were General Category candidates, 19 SC and 12 ST candidates. Madhya Pradesh election results: Congress stakes claim, wait says Governor India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bhopal, Dec 12: An official appointment would be given only after the situation in Madhya Pradesh is made clear by the Election Commission of India, the Governor's office said after the Congress sought an appointment in Madhya Pradesh. In a late night development, the Congress staked claim to form the next government in Madhya Pradesh and also wrote a letter to this effect to Anandiben Patel, the Governor of the state, who was formerly the chief minister of Gujarat. Changing colours of India 2014-2018: States ruled by BJP, Congress Kamal Nath said in his letter that the Congress has emerged as the single largest party with majority support. All the independents have in addition assured support to the Congress party, he also said. Kamal Nath said that he would meet with all senior Congress leaders and appraise about the next government in Madhya Pradesh. At 5.30 am the Congress had won or was leading in 115 of the 230 seats. The BJP tally on the other hand stood at 108. The majority mark in MP is 116. So far three independents have won, while another is leading. The BSP led by Mayawati is leading in two seats, while the Samajwadi Party in one. The BSP is likely to back the Congress and the party had said on Tuesday that it would try and ensure that the BJP does not form the government. Assembly elections: BJP loses vote share, but not all to Congress Congress president, Rahul Gandhi had said at a presser on Tuesday that the ideology of the SP, BSP and Congress is the same and different from that of the BJP. The MP election results has taken a long time to be declared. Counting has lasted almost 21 hours. Currently the Congress has a vote share of 40.9 per cent and the BJP 41. In 2013, the BJP had won 165 seats, while the Congress had managed just 113. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 6:42 [IST] Winter session 2021: The issues Congress will raise on the first day in Parliament Mizoram election results 2018: How accurate were Exit Polls this time? India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 12: The 2018 Mizoram assembly elections results have turned the tables for the incumbent Congress government and the Mizo National Front. The Mizo National Front (MNF) won a resounding victory by securing 26 constituencies while the incumbent Congress government won a paltry 5 seats. In the North-eastern state of Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) won the race with a simple majority of 26 seats, leaving Congress and BJP far behind with 5 and 1 seat respectively. Election results 2018 Updates: This is victory over BJP's negative politics, says Sonia Gandhi But even before panellists and politicians had started their war of words, it was those with numbers who had their final say. Last week, polling companies had paired with news channels to put out their exit poll data on the five states. The most visible of these pairs were Republic TV-C-Voter, Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat, Times Now-CNX, ABP News-CSDS, India Today-Axis My India and India TV-CNX. Most of the exit polls obediently lived up to their reputation of being inaccurate: Let us have a look at it: Both Times Now-CNX and Republic-C Voter exit polls broadly predicted this, but they significantly underestimated the MNF's strength in the state. Whereas Times Now-CNX predicted 18 seats for MNF, Republic TV-CNX put a range of 16-20. A total of 201 candidates in 40 Assembly seats went to polls on November 28, the key players being the Congress, the Mizo National Front (MNF), the Zoram People's Movement, and the Bharatiya Janata Party. While the incumbent Congress, the BJP and the MNF contested on all 40 seats, the ZPM battled it out on 35 seats. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 13:15 [IST] Spotify to Gaana: Mann ki Baat now available on all major audio, music platforms Modi congratulates Cong, other winners; says BJP accepts people's mandate with humility India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 12: The 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. Modi also thanked the people of Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving the BJP the opportunity to serve. What India wants: Jobs, MSP, money and definitely not name calling, propaganda Taking to Twitter, Modi said,''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.'' 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." Results of Assembly elections in three states give an elixir to the opposition unity 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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:29 [IST] Flash 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. Mumbai Polices Mowgli tweet serves a strong message and netizens are loving it India oi-Shubham Ghosh Mumbai, Dec 12: The Mumbai Police has stolen the hearts of a lot of intelligence and fun-loving people of late, thanks to some of the most creative content its social media team makes to convey messages to the public. While at times it makes use of hot current topics and links it with its messages so that they catch attention of the people, sometimes it comes up with random ideas to drive home a point. The latest meme that the cops in the Maximum City came up features two characters from Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book' - Mowgli and Kaa (a python) conveys message over fighting drugs and it was an instant hit with the netizens since several of them grew up seeing the popular series on television involving the loveable fictional characters. This photo of a man who coughed-up 6-inch-wide blood clot shaped like lung tree is going viral In a tweet posted on Monday, December 10, Kaa is seen trapping Mowgli after trapping him and the Mumbai Police came up with a worthy caption: "Clutches of drugs are never so tight that you 'Kaan't' escape." The tweet also featured the hashtag "SayNoToDrugs". Here are some other tweets that the Mumbai Police or accounts related to it have come up with from time to time: Don't let drugs suffocate the life out of you #SayNoToDrugs pic.twitter.com/ucujlHX3WR Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) December 11, 2018 Keep different, strong passwords for all your online accounts. Avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. #CyberSafety pic.twitter.com/kZaHUYikRJ CP Mumbai Police (@CPMumbaiPolice) December 11, 2018 Dont let your wellness be a thing of past #DontDrinkAndDrive pic.twitter.com/obQUFPFUFn Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) December 10, 2018 Meet Saina, the sniffer dog of Anti-Narcotics Cell, who can easily weed out weed! #SayNoToDrugs #DogsThatRescue pic.twitter.com/wZZUh4ylWj Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) November 24, 2018 For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 9:22 [IST] Now Uttar pradesh will have a new script for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections! India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Dec 12: The focus of every political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress besides many other regional and smaller caste and religion-based parties has now shifted to Uttar Pradesh. Some equations in the state will also change as the BSP, SP and the Congress are looking for an alliance to take on the BJP in most populated state. Both the political parties - the BSP and the SP - were tough on the Congress have now turned soft. The Congress has also a few step forward by saying that like-minded parties will be taken on board indicating that ground for alliance is being prepared. The SP and the BSP have also shown positive response by telling the Congress in other states. It is being said that the SP and the BSP have forgotten their enmity to join hands to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. It has almost been decided that the SP and BSP will join hands if sources are to be believed. This will help them to take other political parties in the coalition. The Mahagathbandhan will also give some space of the Rashtriya Lok Dal led by Ajit Singh as their unity had helped them winning Kairana seat in the state. They have some base in western Uttar Pradesh in the Jat dominated area. [Polls over, CM hunt begins, it is over to Rahul Gandhi] Actually the SP and the BSP indicated to keep the Congress away from the alliance before Assembly elections in five states but political analysts called it pressure tactics by these political parties. These parties were actually expecting the Congress to give them some space in Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. But they could not reach on consensus on seat distribution and they contested elections alone. Performance of the Congress has put pressure on the SP and BSP and they were forced to revisit their earlier stand. The BSP joining hands with the Congress in these states has given indication that it is now open to alliance in the state like Uttar Pradesh. State Congress chief Raj Babbar too has announced joining hands with parties having similar ideologies. In such a situation a new script being written in Uttar Pradesh is eminent. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 20:36 [IST] Over 2 lakh Indian nationals repatriated in last 4 years India pti-PTI New Delhi, Dec 12: More than two lakh Indian nationals have been repatriated by the government from different parts of the world in the last four years, the Lok Sabha was told Wednesday. Out of the 2,08,186 Indians, about 16,821 Indians were rescued from the troubled areas in Ukraine, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh told the Lok Sabha in response to a question. He also said that 7,198 Indian nationals were saved from punishment from May, 2014 to May this year and the major countries where such assistance was rendered include the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Maldives, Iran, Cote d'lvoire, Saudi Arabia and Belarus. PTI Political strength of the BSP appears increased after the result of Assembly elections India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Dec 12: The political strength of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has tremendously increased after Assembly election results in five states. If the role of the BSP has become important in the formation of the government in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan then the political strength of the BSP also increased in view of proposed opposition alliance. The BSP may demand a bigger share in the alliance in changed scenario. Actually the Samajwadi Party and the BSP asked for alliance with the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan but the Congress ignored it so both the regional political parties expressed their disappointment over this. The SP and BSP fielded their candidates in these states and results are out now. The BSP has won two seats in Madhya Pradesh and six seats in Rajasthan while it has won seven seats along with the alliance in Chattisgarh. Madhya Pradesh cliffhanger: Mayawati's support holds key, calls MLAs to Delhi The BSP has been able to garner six per cent votes in Madhya Pradesh while five per cent in Rajasthan. When the opposition political parties are looking for an alliance against the BJP for the next Lok Sabha elections, the role of BSP is set to become important. However, the BSP chief did not give any indication to support the Congress in the formation of government so far however she clearly ruled out having any tract with the Bharatiya Janata Party. BSP is the only smaller political party that has its reach in most of the states. The party has won six seats by garnering 4.2 per cent votes. The Congress has been able to get just .50 per cent more votes than the BJP due to which it was finding difficult to get the majority. But had there been an alliance of the Congress with the BSP, they would have got two third majority. This very fact will play very crucial role in the formation of alliance. The BSP will demand seats in northern India on the basis of these results. Chhattisgarh polls: Did the Jogi-Mayawati combine hurt the BJP The BSP has got more than two per cent votes in Chhattisgarh so it has been able to win three seats but the Congress performed very well in the state leaving the BJP far behind but the strength of the BSP remains more or less the same. Samajwadi Party has won two seats in Madhya Pradesh with one per cent votes. Both the political parties will try to keep the Congress at bay at the time of formation of alliance for Uttar Pradesh and will try to increase their presence in other states. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:43 [IST] Winter session 2021: The issues Congress will raise on the first day in Parliament Congress leaders to go into a huddle to finalise candidates list for Goa polls Ahead of Winter Session, Congress issues whip to party MPs to ensure their presence in Parliament What Congress demanded when farm laws were being repealed? Polls over, CM hunt begins, it is over to Rahul Gandhi India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 12: The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energizing opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chhattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. From exit Polls to final results: How accurate were Madhya Pradesh predictions? All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics". It was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics," she said. The Congress Legislature Party in Rajasthan has passed a resolution authorising Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to take the final decision on the CM candidate. There are many lessons for the Congress too to learn from these Assembly elections "We have passed a resolution authorising Rahul Gandhi to take a final decision on the name of chief minister. We raised our hands and passed the resolution. After that, individual opinion is being sought from the MLAs," Congress lawmaker Parasram Mordia told reporters in Jaipur. Mordia said that when he was asked about his opinion, he said his choice was "high-command", meaning whatever the party president decides. "The party has won because of Rahul Gandhi and he has to take a call on that," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 17:12 [IST] Rahul to decide on CMs of MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on Thursday India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Dec 12: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will meet observers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on Thursday and then take a decision on chief ministers for these states. In Madhya Pradesh, the main contenders for the position are state party president Kamal Nath and campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia. In Rajasthan, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and the party's young face in the state-Sachin Pilot-are eyeing for the top spot. In Chhattisgarh, the contenders are Tamardhwaj Sahu, TS Singh Deo, and Bhupesh Baghel. "The process of electing the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is presently ongoing. Congress party believes in the democratic process of knowing the view point of each elected legislator..Senior leaders AK Antony, M Kharge, KC Venugopal along with General Secretary in charges have gone to their respective states. Once they know opinion of each legislator, despite universal resolution leaving the choice to Congress president, he wants to go by choice of legislators," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI. "After consulting everybody we will give a CM candidate and a government that truly reflects will of people of these three states. We will start process of loan waiver, process of creating new employment opportunities and reconstruction of these states in accordance with people's will," he added. Mallikarjun Kharge, Observer for Chhattisgarh, said party chief Rahul Gandhi will decide who will become the Chief Minister of the state. "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," ANI quoted him as saying. [Polls over, CM hunt begins, it is over to Rahul Gandhi] Bringing an end to its prolonged electoral losses since 2014, the Congress ousted the BJP to capture Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress is back after 15 years with an absolute majority, while in Rajasthan the party fell two seats short of crossing the 101-majority mark. In Madhya Pradesh, the nail-biting contest reached its finale this morning after the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 114 seats and has approached the Governor to stake a claim to the government. The BJP, meanwhile, has 109 seats to its credit. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 23:15 [IST] Rahul Gandhi's old tweet goes viral: 'Mark my words, govt will take back anti-farm laws' Rahul pass ho gaya says Moily on leadership test India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Hyderabad, Dec 12: Congress President Rahul Gandhi has passed all "leadership tests", and would emerge as the Prime Minister after the next Lok Sabha elections, senior party leader M Veerappa Moily claimed on Wednesday. A resurgent Congress on Tuesday made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh. Polls over, CM hunt begins, it is over to Rahul Gandhi BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday said her party will extend support to the Congress to form the government in Madhya Pradesh and keep the BJP out of power. She also said that if the need arises, the BSP will also support the Congress in Rajasthan to form the next government. "People have tolerated too long the misgovernance and the misrule of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and his NDA government. And this (results of elections to state assemblies) is an indication that they are totally unhappy with him," former Union minister M Veerappa Moily told PTI. "And the manner in which they (BJP) have carried on certain personal propaganda against Soniaji and Rahulji... people are not tolerating. This is the success not only of the Congress party but also of the (party) leadership," he said. There are many lessons for the Congress too to learn from these Assembly elections The elections to state assemblies, the results of which were declared on Tuesday, were a big test of leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the former Karnataka Chief Minister said. "...that means to say May 2019 onwards Rahul Gandhi will emerge as the leader of the country and also as Prime Minister." He praised Rahul Gandhi for the manner in which he was working with "this kind of hardship, perseverance and patience" and said it has really paid dividends in the elections to the assemblies. "He (Rahul Gandhi) has passed all the tests which were posed to him to become a leader," Moily claimed. "People definitely see that he is a much better leader than (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi". From exit Polls to final results: How accurate were Madhya Pradesh predictions? Rahul Gandhi, he said, has also been successful in mobilising all the forces against PM Modi. "This (poll to the assemblies) is quite a manifestation of the combination of all the opposition parties against Narendra Modi and NDA," Moily said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 17:38 [IST] Results of Assembly elections in three states give an elixir to the opposition unity India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Dec 12: The success of the Congress in three states of the Hindi heartland is likely to give boost to the opposition unity for 2019 Lok Sabha elections as initiative for that has already been taken. One more thing is clear that epicenter of the alliance will now be the Congress. The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will have to join this forum only. The success of the opposition in the so-called semifinals makes it clear that there will be a tough fight in the Lok Sabha elections in which opposition unity will pose a big challenge for the BJP and National Democratic Alliance led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi has also made it clear that ideology of SP and the BSP is similar to the Congress and he won't hesitate to step forward to bring them together for the opposition unity. Madhya Pradesh elections: The delay in the result declaration explained The Congress has been able to wrest power in Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan but the way they had faced tough challenge in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, they must have been regretting for not entering into alliance with regional parties. There was a wave against the government in Chhattisgarh but in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the party had to face tough battle just for not entering into alliance with the BSP making the contest neck to neck in the state. Political analyst feel that had there been an alliance, the Congress would not have struggled in Madhya Pradesh. In Rajasthan too the BSP has the influence of impacting results. But the real challenge for the opposition unity will be in Uttar Pradesh to defeat Modi-led NDA government. The NDA has 73 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state and the state government has two thirds majority in the Assembly. Uttar Pradesh is important for the opposition unity because Rahul Gandhi clearly indicated taking him to the alliance. Assembly elections: BJP loses vote share, but not all to Congress The Congress did not give much importance to these political parties in the state elections but now the Congress chief indicated that party's attitude towards them will be flexible. However, the Congress needs support of the SP and BSP in UP not that they need support of the Congress. The SP and BSP in principle agree to the alliance in the state. In such a scenario it would be Congress' attempt to fructify the alliance. Around 21 political parties have already joined hands to show opposition unity to challenge Narendra Modi in 2019. From Mamata Banerjee to Arvind Kejriwal, all have come to one umbrella of opposition while the SP and BSP decided to wait for some more time. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 10:01 [IST] Subramanian Swamy questions Shaktikanta Das' appointment as RBI Governor India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Dec 12: Within an hour Shaktikanta Das took charge as RBI Governor on Wednesday, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy alleged that newly appointed RBI Governor was involved in corrupt activities. "Shaktikanta Das being appointed as RBI Governor is wrong, he has worked closely in corrupt activities with P Chidambaram and even tried to save him in court cases. I don't know why this was done, I have written a letter to PM against this decision, " news agency ANI quoted Subramanian Swamy as saying. Who is Shaktikanta Das, the new RBI Governor The day Urjit Patel resigned as RBI Governor, Subramanian Swamy urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissuade RBI Governor Urjit Patel from leaving, saying his resignation would be wrong for the government, economy and the institution at this time. "His resignation at this time would be wrong for the government, economy and the RBI. The prime minister should call him and find out what could be the personal reasons and dissuade him from leaving. This is what I think the PM should do," Swamy told PTI. Shaktikanta Das is a 1980 batch IAS officer from Tamil Nadu cadre. A former secretary at the department of economic affairs, was appointed the governor for a period of three years. He retired as the Economic Affairs Secretary in May 2017. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shaktikanta Das for a period of three years after Urjit Patel resigned as RBI Governor. (With PTI inputs) Assembly results 2018: Amid the TRS cyclone in Telangana, a Left party won a seat India oi-Shubham Ghosh Hyderabad, Dec 12: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) won its second consecutive mandate in Telangana by increasing its tally of 2014 Assembly elections by another 25 seats, blowing away the Opposition forces. The election was brought ahead by a few months by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and it proved to be a masterstroke. However, amid the TRS cyclone, a Left party succeeded in winning a seat and it was All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) and the winning candidate is Korukanti Chander Patel who won from Ramagundam constituency in Karimnagar district of the state. A rebel candidate, Patel defeated TRS's Somarapu Satyanarayana, to whom he had lost the 2014 Assembly polls, by a margin of over 26,000 votes. Patel polled over 61,000 votes in a constituency which saw 16 contestants and the BJP finished a poor sixth in the table with 1,553 votes. The Congress finished third with over 27,000 votes. Telangana election result: Should Congress rethink power equation with Chandrababu Naidu's TDP? This constituency was in the headlines in the run-up to the November 28 polling as the TRS's allocation of ticket to Satyanarayana led to dissent among other party members. Patel had also dissented after getting overlooked for a TRS ticket in 2014. The AIFB is the only Left party to win a seat in the state compared to two won by the CPI and CPI(M) in 2014. The Ramagundam constituency had another Left candidate in the form of Burra Thirupathi from the CPI(M). Telangana elections: KCR returns in style and here is how he did it The TRS won 88 seats out of 119 in the election while the Opposition alliance comprising the Congress and Telugu Desam Party won only 21. The AIMIM won seven seats while the BJP won one seat. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 14:54 [IST] Telangana election result: Should Congress rethink power equation with Chandrababu Naidu's TDP? India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 12: Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is all set to form the government in the state for the second time. The gamble for early polls appeared to have paid rich dividends for the regional party, which received the massive mandate in the first general election in the four-year-old state. This is the second assembly election held in Telangana after the first one took place in 2014, shortly after the state's creation following its separation from Andhra Pradesh. Despite being called BJP's unofficial ally, how TRS swung Muslim votes in its favour The TDP and Naidu had earlier opposed the creation of a separate Telangana in 2014 and in 2018 the results are an emphatic assertion that the party is now only an "Andhra" party with a negative connotation in Telangana. In the assembly election which was held in Telangana, KCR led Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) won 88 seats of the 119 assembly seats while the Congress won 19 seats. The near whitewash of the Congress-TDP combine in Telangana Assembly elections has left the grand old party in Andhra Pradesh to rethink over its alliance in the State in the next elections. In Andhra Pradesh, the Congress is in a dismal state and has no hope of winning any parliamentary seat without an alliance with the TDP. It is only in Telangana that the the grand old party can win seats on its own. However, given the vote shares of the TRS in the Assembly election, it may even have a clean sweep of the 19 parliamentary constituencies in Telangana. And thus, Congress needs to rethink over its power equation with Chandrababu Naidu's TDP alliance and rebuild its caste and social base in Telangana. Results of Assembly elections in three states give an elixir to the opposition unity Moreover the Congress's vote share has also dropped compared to 2014 in Telangana and it is the proof that the four-year-old state state has categorically rejected the Congress-TDP alliance. The TRS has improved its vote share to 48 per cent, an increase of almost 14 per cent from 2014. It appears the TDP is biggest loser in terms of vote share as the party slipped to 2.5 per cent from its previous tally of around 14 per cent. In the 2014 assembly elections, Congress and TDP had a vote share of 25 percent and 15 percent, respectively. The combined vote share of 40 percent would have trumped TRS' vote share of 34 percent, thereby significantly altering the seat share. TRS had won 63 seats, just above the magic number of 60. Congress and TDP had won 21 and 15 seats respectively. However, it is to be noted that the assembly polls for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had happened along with the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. TDP was in an alliance with the BJP. Telangana elections: KCR returns in style and here is how he did it Telangana went to polls on December 7 to elect its second assembly. Around 70 per cent people exercised their voting rights in Telangana Assembly Elections, according to the Election Commission. Telangana was supposed to have its second election in May, 2019. However, the chief minister of the state, K Chandrasekhar Rao, dissolved the assembly in September 2018 and announced for early election. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 12:47 [IST] Telangana elections: KCR returns in style and here is how he did it India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Hyderabad, Dec 12: K Chandrashekhar Rao led from the front in Telangana and the efforts paid off. India's youngest state which faced the elections for the second time will be ruled by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi once again. While the exit polls clearly indicated a TRS win, none imagined that it would be by such a handsome margin. The TRS-AIMM combine romped home with 95 seats, while leaving the Prajakutami far behind at 21. The BJP managed just one while the tally for the others was at 2. Telangana election results 2018: Which exit poll came the closest? So, what led to the big TRS win? There are several factors that worked clearly in favour of the TRS. KCR's welfare schemes to lack of understanding the settler votes worked for KCR. KCR it may be recalled had advanced the elections. This worked like a charm for him and his intention was clearly to focus on two polls individually. Had he let the term end, Telangana would be have been fitting the assembly and Lok Sabha elections together. KCR had planned the early dissolution of the House early. On September 6, the day he decided to dissolve the house, he had 90 per cent of his candidates ready. This gave him an early mover advantage ahead of his rivals. While KCR had 90 per cent of his candidates ready, the Congress was still in the process of stitching up an alliance. The Congress-TD combine also had to have several rounds of discussion before the list of candidates was finally announced. The settler factor: The Prajakutami clearly read settler vote wrong. It was felt by the Congress that bringing TDP into the fold would automatically help them bag the votes of the Andhra settlers. However, the presence of the TDP led by Naidu only could factor in the votes of those from coastal Andhra. A BJP whitewash as Congress crawls back into the Hindi heartland The Reddy voters originally from Rayalseema are backers of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. These voters do not back Naidu and clearly that was seen in the Telangana elections as well. Moreover there is a considerable amount of anger the Reddys from Rayalseema have against the Congress as they blame them for the decision of the state. No clear face: For the Prajakutami, the other problem was with regard to the CM face. The TRS was clear always that it would be KCR, but in the Congress there was a tussle between several leaders on this issue. It was clear that the Prajakutami without the lack of a clear face, looked a bit directionless. This appears to have worked well for the TRS, who had made it clear from the start who would lead the state. The campaign by the Prajakutami was not something to tom-tom about. The alliance relied on too many star campaigners from outside the state, which did not work for it. The TRS on the other hand stuck to KCR, his son K T Rama Rao, daughter, Kavita and nephew Harish Rao. The targeting of the KCR family too did not go down with the voters. The Congress campaign led by Rahul Gandhi too did not gain much traction. He targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi all through his campaign. While this worked wonders in the Hindi heartland, it turned out to be a damp squib in Telangana, where the BJP is not even a player. BJP's southern sojourn takes a beating in Telangana The welfare schemes: The voters have clearly paid KCR back for all the welfare schemes, he introduced. He had something for everyone in the state. His schemes psych as Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak have been run-away hits in the state. Under these schemes Rs 1 lakh is provided for a daughter's marriage. Further he introduced free eye check ups, two bedroom homes, drinking water connections and 24/7 power. It was being dubbed as both hype and populism. However KCR proved everyone wrong and the final results speak volumes of that. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 8:27 [IST] There are many lessons for the Congress too to learn from these Assembly elections India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Dec 12: It is not that just concluded Assembly elections are lessons to learn for the Bharatiya Janata Party alone but they are equally important for the Congress as despite there being congenial environment for the party, it failed to perform well anywhere except Chhattisgarh. The Congress also lost its last citadel in northeastern region and despite joining hands with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) the Congress has failed to deliver completely. Sonia Gandhi addressed the only rally that was in Telengana and tried to make an emotional appeal with the people of the state by calling it as her own but that too failed to cut much ice before the magic of K Chandrashekhar Rao. This must also be kept in mind that the Congress president addressed 17 rallies in Telengana which was just two less than the Rajasthan rallies. While celebrating the victory, it must not be forgotten that 10 years old rule of the Congress was demolished like house of cards. Senior Congress leaders were leaving the party and the Congress was relying on its CM Lalthanhawla who lost his both the seats. Repeatedly failing there, the BJP succeeding in opening its account in Mizoram cannot be taken lightly. Key takeaways from the Assembly Election Results 2018 Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are the biggest lesson for the Congress where despite anti-incumbency and anger against the CM, the Congress failed to get clear majority. Election in Rajasthan was very clear long time back that anger against Vasundhara will help the Congress getting at least 140 seats still the BJP managed to get 73 seats in the state. This is no less than a lesson for the Congress. The role of four secretaries of the party was doubtful which was ignored due to elections. A women secretary submitted her report about the candidates without visiting the state. The party also faltered by not joining hands with the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Gondwana Gantantra Party. The Congress lost at least 25 seats in the state for making a statememnt that it would not allow and take action against the state government employees working for the RSS. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 14:43 [IST] What India wants: Jobs, MSP or name changes and mandir India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 12: The BJP has lost the elections. However the bigger news is that it lost in the Hindi heartland of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. While many in the BJP say that this would not reflect in the 2019 elections as state issues are different, the fact that there are a host of issues that would be common in both polls. The Congress would continue to target the BJP on jobs, minimum support price, rising costs etc. The BJP on the other hand would have to introspect whether the people want names of places to change, name calling and also temple politics. Assembly elections: BJP loses vote share, but not all to Congress Let us take a look at what the people want and what they don't. What people want: Jobs: One of the main points that has been raised by the opposition is about the lack of jobs created after Narendra Modi came to power. This was one of his biggest planks in 2014 and many feel that he has failed to deliver on that promise. Many are of the view that the BJP ought to have focused more on offering jobs and growth instead of themes such as the Ram temple etc. Minimum Support Price: Several analysts say that it is the farmer who would decide the outcome of the 2019 elections. The agrarian crisis has troubled the Modi government not just on the national scene, but also in states such as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. While the centre has promised to develop rural areas with facilities, the farmers continue to struggle with low crop prices. The farmers at a rally in Delhi recently said give us MSP and not a Ram temple. Another while reacting to the government's claim that it had laid down roads for development said, 'give us better prices, we can't eat the roads.' Cost of living: There has been a general complaint that the cost of living has increased sharply. Many among the middle class, especially the women come back from markets/super markets and discuss for hours at home of how the prices have shot up. The opposition too has targeted the Modi government sharply for not being able to control the prices as a result of which the cost of living has sky-rocketed. Changing colours of India 2014-2018: States ruled by BJP, Congress Peace: No one wants to wake up in the morning to read a headline about mob lynching. The recent incident at Uttar Pradesh in which a cop was killed by a mob is a clear failure of law and order. The BJP has often been accused of being soft on on those involved in such incidents. The fact of the matter is that the people are not interested in such incidents and want to go about their living amidst a peaceful atmosphere. Money in the pocket: While the farmers have been constantly complaining about the lack of money in their pocket, there are large sections among the middle class who also have this rant. The new tax system often dubbed as tax terrorism has been a constant talking point among the middle class. The decision to demonetise too led to severe cash shortages. What people do not want: Temple politics: The Ram Temple issue has been a election issue for long. While it was at its passionate peak in the 1990s, the traction for the issue has come down drastically. For Hindus, a Ram Temple is an important issue, but not the priority now. People would rather have jobs, more money in their pocket, peace and of course in the case of the farmer, MSP. Name changes: Yogi Adityanath has mastered the art of name changing. In fact there was a meme on the social media on Tuesday, where he is suggesting that the name of the Congress be changed to BJP after the defeats in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. While the change of names have been welcomed by some, the bigger question is whether this is a priority, when there are other pressing issues that the common man is facing. Hanuman's caste: During the Rajasthan campaign, Yogi Adityanath announced that Lord Hanuman was a Dalit and deprived. He further said that Hanuman worked to connect all Indian communities together. Political observers say that the election campaign should have been more centric over development, jobs and farmer related issues. Arrogance: You win some, you lose some, but in victory humility is the key. Rahul Gandhi had admitted that it was the arrogance that had cost the Congress in the general elections. The BJP too has been accused of being arrogant, not open to suggestions. The allegation is that many who had strived for the party have been sidelined and it is the arrogance that could change their prospects. Name calling: The BJP and Congress have been in competition where this one is concerned. Rahul Gandhi has been targeted by the BJP who call him pappu. On the other hand, the Congress had compared the price of petrol to that of Modi's mother's age. The Congress also has resorted to many more comments such as 'who is your father,' neech etc. During the campaign Modi launched a direct attack and said, "I want to ask who was that widow in Congress in whose account all this ill-gotten money was deposited.' Sharad Yadav too was not far behind when he said Vasundhara Raje has become fat these days. The BJP should not burden her with so much work. Propaganda: The social media has been notorious for spreading fake news. In fact fake news has become such a menace that several websites have started making a living out of busting such news. The fake news has often been used as a tool to cover up a failure. The opposition too has resorted to the same to spread lies against the government. Once again, people would benefit from jobs and better income rather than read fake news. The rampage in the studios: There are no debates anymore and let us be honest about that. Spokespersons holding up placards, screaming their guts out, crying crocodile tears etc. Yes if you have not watched the Indian news channels, then we suggest you do to see how the drama unfolds. No debate has any sane conclusion and prime time runs out with the continuous screaming by spokespersons, which is an obvious ploy to deviate from the core issue. France: Gunman kills 4 people at busy Christmas market in Strasbourg; accused at large International oi-Madhuri Adnal Strasbourg, Dec 12: Four people were killed and twelve injured at the famed Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday before fleeing the scene, authorities said. A manhunt has been launched after the killer opened fire at around 8 pm (1900 GMT) on one of the city's busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. The gunman crossed a bridge and entered the historical center of the city firing on people, police said. Twelve people were wounded in Tuesday's attack, and the gunman fled the scene and remains at large, they added. Macron vows tax relief, urges calm in bid to quell protests in Paris The gunman has been identified and was on a watchlist of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said. France's security forces, already on high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country. The attack came as President Emmanuel Macron was grappling with the "yellow-vest" protest movement. The French leader was meeting at the Elysee Palace with lawmakers from his Republic on the Move party when an adviser entered the room and handed him a piece of paper, a lawmaker present said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 11:35 [IST] Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Adoption of new technologies spurs development of B2C E-Commerce in North America www.ystats.com www.twitter.com/ystats www.linkedin.com/company/ystats www.facebook.com/ystats B2C E-Commerce is expected to show positive dynamics in both economies of North America.Online retail sales in North America are projected to maintain a compound annual growth rate in the double-digits between 2019 and 2021, according to market forecasts cited in this report by yStats.com. The USA is the largest market in the region and the second largest worldwide. B2C E-Commerce sale in the USA exceed by far the sales volume of Canada, however, by 2021 the online share of total retail sales in Canada is projected to catch up to the comparable figure in the USA. The key driver of E-Commerce development in both countries is the increasing adoption of E-Commerce trends such as mobile commerce, omnichannel shopping, and purchasing via voice-enabled virtual assistants.Omnichannel shopping is one of the major trends in North America.The rise of omnichannel commerce is one of the most significant trends in North America, as the yStats.com report reveals. More consumers in the USA and Canada engage in webrooming, researching the product online but purchasing in an offline store, than showrooming, researching in a real store but making a final purchase from a website. The principal reason for this preference is that consumers value the ability to see, touch or try a product before purchase and harbor concerns regarding unsatisfactory delivery conditions or high shipping costs. On the other hand, thanks to advanced smartphone and Internet penetration consumers have an opportunity to compare prices and to search for deals elsewhere while shopping in a real store.Voice commerce is a rapidly growing emerging technology in the USA.Another emerging trend highlighted in the yStats.com report is the growing popularity of voice commerce. Voice enabled sales in the USA are projected to increase rapidly, with a twenty-fold increase between 2017 and 2022. US Smart Speaker owners already use the device for many shopping activities, like product research, creating a shopping list, comparing prices or checking for deals and promotions. Nearly a quarter of Smart Speaker users have placed orders for delivery via this device. The projected double-digit growth rate of voice shoppers over the next few years indicates an opportunity for merchants to adapt this emerging technology to their business, allowing the growing number of Smart Speaker users to conveniently access goods and services.Cross-border shopping widely practiced in Canada.The major trend of the Canadian online retail market is cross-border E-Commerce. According to research cited in the new yStats.com report, cross-border shopper penetration in Canada almost two times higher than in the USA. Furthermore, over a quarter of online retail sales in Canada are generated via foreign E-Commerce, especially US platforms, such as Amazon, eBay, and Best Buy. Amazon also remains the unchallenged leader of the E-Commerce industry in the USA, followed by eBay in a distant second place.Press Contact:yStats.com GmbH & Co. KGBehringstrasse 28a, D-22765 HamburgPhone: +49 (0)40 - 39 90 68 50Fax: +49 (0)40 - 39 90 68 51E-Mail: press@ystats.comInternet:Twitter:LinkedIn:Facebook:About yStats.comFounded in 2005 and headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, yStats.com is one of the world's leading secondary market research companies. We are committed to providing the most up-to-date and objective data on Global B2C E-Commerce and Online Payment markets to sector-leading companies worldwide.Our multilingual staff researches, gathers, filters and translates information from thousands of reputable sources to synthesize accurate and timely reports in our areas of expertise, covering more than 100 countries and all global regions. Our market reports focus predominantly on online retail and payments, but also cover a broad range of related topics including M-Commerce, Cross-Border E-Commerce, E-Commerce Delivery, Online Gaming and many others. In addition to our wide selection of market reports, we also provide custom market research services.We are proud to cooperate with companies like Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters. Given our numerous citations in leading media sources and journals worldwide, including Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, we are considered one of the most highly-reputed international secondary market research companies with an expertise in the areas of B2C E-Commerce and Online Payment. Bionematicides Market Trends, Key Profiles - FMC Corporation, BASF, Novozymes, Monsanto Company, Syngenta, Bayer Crop Science, Valent BioSciences, CERTIS USA LLC, Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc Bionematicides Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/783 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/bionematicides-market https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/783 https://www.gminsights.com http://algosonline.com/news Global bionematicides market is expected to be driven by two prime factors, which include the growing population and rapid industrialization. The arable land is on the verge of deterioration, as the effect of industrialization is resulting in the loss of fertile land and an increase in the environmental pollution. On the other hand, the global population is expected to cross 9 billion by 2050, which has raised questions over the disproportionate food demand-supply graph. Consequently, these adverse scenarios have led to an increase use of fertilizers and other crop yielding products to boost the crop production rate.Request Sample copy of this report @Company Profiles1. FMC Corporation2. BASF3. Novozymes4. Monsanto Company5. Syngenta6. Bayer Crop Science7. Valent BioSciences8. CERTIS USA LLC9. Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc.10. Dow Agroscience11. LAM International12. Beijing Ecoman Biotech Co., Ltd.Bionematicides are basically bio-pesticides which are used to treat and control the growth of nematode infestation on crops. Bionematicides market is set to grow with the rising product demand, owing to its cost effectiveness and the use of natural plants and animal extracts. Strict environmental norms in favor of organic fertilizers and bio-based composts have further increased the demand for bionematicides.Bionematicides market is gaining traction as it finds extensive usage in crop production, which includes soybeans, corn, cotton, fruits, leafy vegetables, pepper, tomato, etc. Among these, cotton and corn require higher soil fertilization to improve yield. Bionematicides market was valued over USD 800,000 in 2015 due to the increasing product application for growing cotton. As per estimates, bionematicides market size from the corn crop is projected to attain highest growth of 4.5% over 2016-2024, subject to the increase in biological methods to control crop disease. Fruits & vegetables crop segment collected a revenue worth USD 41 million in 2015 and is expected to escalate the demand for bionematicides market. Bionematicides market for soybean is anticipated to exceed USD 14.5 million over 2016-2024. As per a report by Global Market Insights, Inc., the global bionematicides industry is estimated to record a CAGR of 4% over the period of 2016-2024.Browse key industry insights spread across 85 pages with 145 market data tables & 10 figures & charts from the report, Bionematicides Market Size By Crop (Cotton, Corn, Soybean, Fruits & Vegetables [Leafy Vegetables, Tomato, Pepper]), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, GCC), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024 in detail along with the table of contents:The trade of agricultural commodities is expected to witness a major upswing with rising food demand. The bionematicides industry is expected to help counter the demand-supply gap over the coming years by boosting the crop production. The import of cereals is likely to witness an upsurge of more than three times to reach 300 million tons by 2050, particularly in the regions of Latin America and Sub Saharan Africa. Moreover, the soaring agricultural sector has been an essential factor that has led to a successful economic transformation in the European countries and the USA. The trend is also emerging in many Asian countries which include India, Taiwan, Republic of Korea, Vietnam, and China.Asia Pacific is a prominent region which exhibits concerns over the rising population and rapid industrialization. Such factors fuel the requirement of higher crop yielding capacity in the region. India, Japan, and China are the key agro-based countries where farming is the basic occupation for sustenance. Asia Pacific bionematicides market collected a revenue of USD 23 million in 2015 and will generate significant revenue with a CAGR of more than 4% over the period of 2016 to 2024. Many prominent governmental organizations are supporting the industry growth by promoting sustainable farming in terms of favorable loans and subsidies, which will stimulate bionematicides industry size considerably over the years ahead.Regulatory bodies across the globe have also been taking initiation to increase the crop yield. The Department of Environment Toxicology of U.S. is deploying strict norms to increase the crop protection by the usage of bio pesticides. This strict action will lead to growing adoption of bio pesticides across the U.S. In North America, U.S. bionematicides market collected a revenue of USD 42 million in 2015 and will exhibit significant annual growth rate over the years ahead. Shifting trends toward biotechnology based agriculture applications such as yield enhancers and microbe based pest control will boost the product demand noticeably. In addition, major business players have established their corn processing firms across this region on large scale. The United States is notable for producing an extensive yield of fruits, corn, and vegetables, which will influence bionematicides industry size notably.The top five players of this industry accounted for more than 50% of the global volume of 2015. These companies have been actively participating in research & development activities to develop more sustainable products for agriculture. Key participants in bionematicides market are Dow AgroSciences LLC., Bayer CropScience AG, Monsanto Company, Valent BioSciences Corporation, BASF SE, Syngenta AG, Certis USA LLC., Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc., LAM International, and Ecoman Biotech Co., LtdInquiry before buying @ContinueAbout Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Explore Our Blog @ Drone Payload Market 2018 Growth & Key Business Strategies by Leading Industry Players - AeroVironment, Inc., SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd., Parrot SA, Thales Group, FLIR Systems, Inc., and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. Drone Payload Industry https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/1758 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/1758 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/drone-payload-market https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Asia-Pacific is projected to grow fastest during the forecast period due to strong economic growth; increase in military expenditure; increased applications areas such as precision agriculture, GIS, and traffic management; and growth in demand for drones in countries, including India, Japan, Australia, and China.Drone Payload Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $7,018 million by 2022, registering a CAGR of 5.5% during the period 2016-2022. Cameras and sensors segment generated the largest market share in 2015 while the weaponry segment is expected to register highest growth rate during the forecast period. North America is expected to be the leading region in the global market throughout 2022.Download Free PDF Brochure@Rise in budgetary expenses in defense sector, increased market for location-based services, growing adoption of drones, increasing need of mapping services, and growing use of aerial imaging services across various industries are expected to drive the growth of world drone payload industry. In addition, the adoption of drone payload products, such as high-definition action cameras, motion sensors, thermal sensors, laser sensors, CBRN sensors, and infrared sensors have increased significantly among defense agencies worldwide for signal intelligence (SIGINT), electronic intelligence (Elint), surveillance, and other applications. Increased use of drones for crop management and green mapping has fueled the demand for drone payloads among agriculture and environment segment. However, issues related to personal safety and variations in aviation laws in specific regions limit the growth of this unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) payload market. Moreover, promising growth rate of drone market and increased market for location-based services are expected to provide lucrative opportunity for market growth.In the year 2015, cameras and sensors accounted for the maximum revenue shares in the overall drone payload market due to increased adoption in military, geospatial, and agricultural applications. In addition, the radar and communication is expected to witness the fastest growth at CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period due to increased use of maritime patrol radar (MPR), synthetic aperture radar (SAR), communication intelligence (Comint) and others.Get Customized Report@Major Market Players Included in This Report: AeroVironment, Inc., Ltd. SZ DJI Technology Co. Parrot SA Thales Group FLIR Systems, Inc. Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. Textron Inc. Go Pro, Inc. Elbit Systems Ltd. Aeryon Labs Inc.The defense sector dominated the global unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) payload market in 2015 due to increase in military expenditure, rise in adoption of drones for surveillance, and growth in combat and security operations owing to increased incidences of violence worldwide. Furthermore, agriculture and environment segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period due to increase in demand for drones for various applications such as crop health management, water resource management, estimation of soil productivity, and others.Promising Regions & Countries Mentioned In The Drone Payload Market Report: North America Europe Asia-Pacific LAMEAAeroVironment, Inc., SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd., Parrot SA, Thales Group, FLIR Systems, Inc., and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. are some of the prominent players in the market. Market players focus on technological advancements of products and partnerships & acquisitions for expansion in the market. For instance, in May 2016, ELTA Systems Ltd., a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., launched ELI-3332 payload to expand its customer base and increase product offerings in the market.Access Full Summary at:About Us:Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions. AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesUSA/Canada (Toll Free):+1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1(855)550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market 2018-2025 Estimated By Top Key Players Hanesbrands Inc., Victoria's Secret, Wonderbra, Frederick's of Hollywood Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market 2018-2025 Estimated By Top Key Players Hanesbrands Inc., Victoria's Secret, Wonderbra, Fred https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/33535 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/33535 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/shapewear-market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/33535 www.upmarketresearch.com Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018 2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.For More Information On This Report, Please VisitThe generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Shapewear (Foundation Garments) market analysis & forecast 2018- 2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis Global Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)The Major players reported in the market include: Hanesbrands Inc. Victoria's Secret Wonderbra Frederick's of Hollywood Vedette Ultimo Spanx Maidenform Miss Mary Of Sweden Charnos Gracewell Wacoal Aimer Triumph Hengyuanxiang Group Hodo Bras N Things FigleavesGlobal Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market: Product Segment Analysis: Bodysuits Brassieres Corsets Control PantiesGlobal Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market: Application Segment Analysis: Beauty MedicalTo Buy This Report and Get It Delivered In Your Inbox Within 24 Hours @Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Global Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market: Key Stakeholders: Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Manufacturers Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Shapewear (Foundation Garments) are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Shapewear (Foundation Garments) Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Shapewear (Foundation Garments) market analysis and forecast 2018- 2025.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.You can also ask for region wise market research report, as below: Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013- 2025 Top 20 Countries Data Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - North America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - South America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - China Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - India Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Shapewear (Foundation Garments) - United States Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well- defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States. Organic Honey Market 2018 -2025 Analysis by Major Players : Nature Nates, Dutch Gold, Langnese, Rowse, Barkman Honey, GloryBee, Y.S. Organic Bee Farms Organic Honey Market https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/241 https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/contacts/enquiry-before-buying/241 https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/industry-reports/organic-honey-market The global organic honey market value is projected to be USD xxx million in 2018, growing at an optimistic CAGR of xx.x% to reach USD xxx million by 2025.The global organic honey market size is growing at a steady rate due to the growing emphasis on leading healthy lifestyle, higher global population, improved logistics and supply chain, increased yields, inclination of consumers towards consumption of natural food products owing to concern regarding chemical additives. This has favored higher adoption of organic honey by end-user markets. The other factors that have contributed to major adoption of honey is rising awareness towards various types pf organic honey and its production methods. All manufacturers who claim their honey to be organic are mandated to pass certain standard tests regulated by authorities, followed by attaining a certification. This helps consumers purchase a product with authenticity. This has further consolidated the market. With the recent announcement by Amazon, to acquire Whole Foods Market (natural and organic food products), the organic honey market sale is expected to soar up.Get Sample Copy of this Report @Organic honey with its medicinal and curing properties, is in demand in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. At present, food products use honey as probiotic, for fermentation & clarifying and as antioxidant agent. Thus, the demand for organic honey will surge in the forecast period.On the basis of geography, the global regions which are dominating the organic honey market are the United States, Mexico, Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, China, Russia, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, Australia, Middle East, and Africa. In terms of revenue, the most lucrative organic honey market share accredits to Europe. It holds a share of two-fifth out of the total global market share. However, it is estimated that there will be certain decline by the end of 2025. As European consumers have a drastic shift towards organic products, which made manufacturers pre-think and strategise business expansion in a way that records consumer behavior and purchasing patterns. Most of the Europeans prefer organic honey, replacing sugar.Enquiry before buying@North America and Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) will show, relatively faster expansion than Europe during the forecast period. Whereas market of Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Japan will have low growth in the upcoming years. Government authority of the U.S. like The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are instructed to produce organic products to be USDA-certified, to get a label of organic.In terms of sales channel, the global organic honey market trend is expected to remain similar during the forecast period with respect to online sales and convenience stores. Wholesaler/distributor will continue to generate highest revenues as a sales channel.on types, the global organic honey market is divided into Clover Organic Honey, Manuka Organic Honey and Mixed Organic Honey Industry is gaining demand in developing regions as purchasing power of the people have boosted due to the growing economic growth. Some of the top key manufacturers in the global organic honey market includes Nature Nates, Dutch Gold, Langnese, Rowse, Barkman Honey, GloryBee, Y.S. Organic Bee Farms, Heavenly Organics, Comvita, Little Bee Impex, Madhava Honey, Sue Bee, Conscious Food and Manuka Health.To get this Report @Key segments of Global Organic Honey MarketBased on product type, the market has been segmented into, Mixed Organic Honey Manuka Organic Honey Clover Organic Honey Other Organic HoneyThe market breakdown on basis of application, Glass Jar Plastic ContainersOthers Based on region, the market has been segmented into, North America Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaWhat to expect from the upcoming report on Global Organic Honey Market:- Future prospects and current trends of the global organic honey market by the end of forecast period (2018-2025)- Information regarding technological progressions as well as innovations taking place in developing economies- Supportive initiatives by government likely to influence the market dynamics- Trends, drivers, opportunities, restraints, challenges and key developments in the market- In-depth analysis of different market segmentations including regional segmentations, and product types- Deep analysis about the competitive landscape of the market and the initiatives by them to improve this marketWho should buy this report?Venture capitalists, Investors, financial institutions, Analysts, Government organizations, regulatory authorities, policymakers ,researchers, strategy managers, and academic institutions looking for insights into the market to determine future strategies.About Adroit Market Research:Adroit Market Research is an India-based business analytics and consulting company incorporated in 2018. Our target audience is a wide range of corporations, manufacturing companies, product/technology development institutions and industry associations that require understanding of a markets size, key trends, participants and future outlook of an industry. We intend to become our clients knowledge partner and provide them with valuable market insights to help create opportunities that increase their revenues. We follow a code Explore, Learn and Transform. At our core, we are curious people who love to identify and understand industry patterns, create an insightful study around our findings and churn out money-making roadmaps.Ryan JohnsonAccount Manager Global3131 McKinney Ave Ste 600, Dallas,TX75204, U.S.A.Enquire: enquiry@adroitmarketresearch.comEmail Id: sales@adroitmarketresearch.comPhone No.: USA: +1 (214) 884-6068 / +91 9665341414 Pharmaceutical Spray Drying Market 2025| Janssen, GSK, GEA Process Engineering A/S, Fuji Chemical Industry Co., Ltd, LEWA GmbH, Nova Laboratories along with others. https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124703/Pharmaceutical-Spray-Drying-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124703/Pharmaceutical-Spray-Drying-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124703/Pharmaceutical-Spray-Drying-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com Pharmaceutical industry is developing at a remarkable rate because of expanding predominance of ailments, increasing awareness and increasing government initiatives. The pharmaceutical spray drying is most commonly utilized for the manufacturing of API (active pharmaceutical ingredient). Pharmaceutical spray drying market is rising because of different wanted attributes offered, for example, hygienic conditions, no contamination along with pressure control.Spray drying that is already established in the chemical and food industry, is likewise thought to be a cost-effective, rapid and scalable procedure for the manufacturing of dry powder details of pharmacological material. Attributable to qualities, for example, reproducibility and its persistent mode of operation, the method has turned out to be exceptionally well known in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry.Request For Report Sample:It offers a few preferences over alternate drying technologies, for example, lyophilization (described by high reliance on cold chain for logistics and storage that is inclined to disappointment because of human error) as well as vacuum foam drying (portrayed by volumetric limitations because of the properties of foam that restricts the amount of sample that could be dried in a solitary run) which are as of now conveyed in the pharmaceutical industry.Among different benefits, spray drying is known to be reasonable for drying heat-sensitive products, for example, biologics. Additionally, this technique imparts enhanced properties to the definitions which could be regulated through more proficient and less obtrusive methods of delivery, for example, inhalation and oral courses. The technology likewise helps in enhancing the compression properties of medications, enabling developers to configure concentrated measurement variations of medications and lessen tablet size. Such changes can possibly enhance patient consistence. Given the adaptability offered as far as medication formulation and development, the introduction of aseptic methods, the economics of the technique and the ongoing approval of the first spray dried biologic, Raplixa, the acceptance of spray drying is foreseen to rise relentlessly in the pharmaceutical sector.Launch of new medications in the market, for example, biologics and vaccines that necessitate spray drying technology for their manufacturing are anticipated to offer great prospects for pharmaceutical spray drying market. Moreover, utilization of carboxymethyloxy succinic acid (CMOS) is considered to push the pharmaceutical spray drying market. One of the prominent trends that have been seen in the pharmaceutical spray drying market is expanded utilization of lyophilization. A few of the prominent companies concerned in pharmaceutical spray drying market are Janssen, GSK, GEA Process Engineering A/S, Fuji Chemical Industry Co., Ltd, LEWA GmbH, Nova Laboratories along with others.Request For TOC:Big pharmaceutical market players, for instance GSK, Novartis and Janssen, have by now invested in setting up in building in-house spray drying facilities for commercial manufacturing of their spray dried drugs. There is extensive optimism which the pharmaceutical spray drying market is believed to foresee double-digit expansion in the future. On the other hand, the subsisting installed capacity is projected to fall short of the increasing demand in the approaching years.North America regional market is anticipated to gain traction in the worldwide market for pharmaceutical spray drying, because of popularity for pharmaceutical products and technological progressions in the region. Europe, trailed by the Asia, is considered to encounter high expansion rate in the following couple of years in worldwide pharmaceutical spray drying market. This is because of increasing R&D initiatives and improvement in the healthcare facilities in the region. Nations, for example, Russia, Brazil, India and China are likely to be the quickest developing pharmaceutical spray drying markets. Increasing standards of healthcare is one of the key driving forces for pharmaceutical spray drying market in developing nations.Report Analysis:About UsResearch Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalised in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trendsContact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com Interceptor Missiles Market Key Information By Top Key Player Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Raytheon Co. Aerojet Rocketdyne Interceptor Missiles Market, Global Interceptor Missiles Market Size, Interceptor Missiles Industry, Interceptor Missiles Market https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/859973/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/859973/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-defense-armored-vehicle-mro-market-2018-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2023?utm_source=RR-SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/ Market Study Report LLC adds 2017-2024 Global Interceptor Missiles market report that offers an exhaustive coverage of the industry with brief analysis, data charts, figures, statistics that help take business decisions, company profiles and more.Global interceptor missiles market is expected to cross 3,000 units till 2024. Continuously increasing threat of attacks from rival countries has resulted in proliferating demand for interceptor missiles over the forecast timeframe. Multiple countries across the globe including Netherlands, U.S, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, etc., have purchased patriot interceptor missiles to strengthen their defense inventory, impacting the industry positively. Interceptor Missiles Market is estimated to surpass USD 14 billion by 2024; according to a new research report.Request a sample of this premium report at:PAC-3 is expected to account for highest interceptor missile market share crossing USD 6 billion over the coming years. Proliferating demand of these missiles, especially in developed countries will primarily support the revenue generation. For instance, in January 2013, the U.S. army entered into several contracts worth USD 755 million for purchasing 168 PAC-3 missiles and associated services and equipment. HQ-19 will exhibit over 40% CAGR till 2024 owing to its continuously rising usage as an upgradation of HQ-9. Its enhanced features as compared to its counterparts will further support the industry growth till 2024.Countries across the globe have witnessed a considerable increase in their defense budget. For instance, in 2015, the defense budget of China was USD 131 billion, which was increased by 11% and crossed USD 145 billion in 2016 and was further increased by 7% in 2017. This will accelerate the revenue generation owing to their enhanced purchasing power for defense systems. However, high initial investment and high manufacturing costs may restrain new entrants from entering the interceptor missile market.Surface to air missiles are expected to capture maximum interceptor missiles market revenue share of more than 80% by 2024. Some of the benefits offered includes light-weight and portability which in turn will drive the industry demand. Water to air missiles will exhibit approximately 7% CAGR owing to rising adoption of these missiles in various countries across the globe for naval border protection.Interceptor missiles of up to 125 kms range are anticipated to dominate the interceptor missiles market, generating a demand of over 2,000 units till 2024. Continuously increasing penetration of missiles conforming to this range such as PAC-3, Iron Dome, and SM-3, from MEA including UAE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia will primarily support the industry dominance. Interceptor missiles of range above 200 kms will exhibit over 18% CAGR in terms of revenue owing to rising deployment of advanced missiles such as HQ-19. Regular innovations in these missiles in countries such as China will further strengthen the industry penetration over the forecast timeframe.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:MEA interceptor missiles market will showcase dominance over the next eight years owing to rising threat of enemy attacks across the region. Collaborations of various countries with industry players for purchasing of these missiles will further contribute towards the high revenue generation. For instance, UAE and Qatar are anticipated to enter an agreement with Lockheed Martin for supplying patriot missiles. Europe will witness over 7% CAGR till 2024 owing to rising sales of interceptor missiles from countries including Sweden and Poland.Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co., Raytheon Co., Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are among the major industry players. Regular product innovations is among prominent strategies implemented by these participants. For instance, in January 2018, Lockheed Martin made enhancements in Aegis missile that is anticipated to result in rapid detection of threats and reduction in reaction time.Interceptor missiles market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of volume in units and revenue in USD million from 2013 to 2024, for the following segments:Interceptor Missiles Market by Surface Surface to air Water to airInterceptor Missiles Market by Range Up to 125 kms Between 125 to 200 kms Above 200 kmsInterceptor Missiles Market by Technology THAAD PAC-3 SM-3 HQ-19 Iron dome FD-2000 Patriot GEM-T Aegis ashore AsterTable of Content:Chapter 1. Interceptor Missiles Market Methodology & ScopeChapter 2. Interceptor Missiles Market Executive SummaryChapter 3. Interceptor Missiles Industry InsightsChapter 4. Interceptor Missiles Market, By SurfaceChapter 5. Interceptor Missiles Market, By RangeChapter 6. Interceptor Missiles Market, By TechnologyChapter 7. Interceptor missiles Market, By RegionChapter 8. Interceptor Missiles Market Company ProfilesRelated Report:Global Defense Armored Vehicle MRO Market 2018 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023Armored vehicles are used by combatants in war zones or hostile environments to deter enemy attacks and to engage in direct attacks on enemy troops. Such vehicles are shielded with armors, as well as feature operational mobilities and tactical offensive and defensive capabilities.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog: Cell Division Cycle 7 Related Protein Kinase Market Size, Trends, Emerging Market Trends And Forecast By Players and Types By 2025 https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/794961/global-cell-division-cycle-7-related-protein-kinase-industry-research-report-growth-trends-and-competitive-analysis https://www.qyresearch.com/request-discount/form/794961/global-cell-division-cycle-7-related-protein-kinase-industry-research-report-growth-trends-and-competitive-analysis www.qyresearch.com https://www.qyresearch.com/expert/list In 2018, the global Cell Division Cycle 7 Related Protein Kinase market size was million US$ and is forecast to million US in 2025, growing at a CAGR of from 2018. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Cell Division Cycle 7 Related Protein Kinase.This report focuses on the key data information of Cell Division Cycle 7 Related Protein Kinase in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America, and Middle East & Africa, presents sales, revenue, market share, growth rate of Cell Division Cycle 7 Related Protein Kinase for each region and countries in each region.This study researches the market size of Cell Division Cycle 7 Related Protein Kinase, presents the global Cell Division Cycle 7 Related Protein Kinase sales and revenue by companies, regions, type and application, history breakdown data from 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.Request Sample Copy of Report @For top companies, this report investigates and analyzes the sales, revenue, market share and growth rate for the top players, key data from 2013 to 2018.This report also studies the global market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.This report includes the following manufacturers; we can also add the other companies as you want.Eli Lilly and CompanyMillennium Pharmaceuticals IncNerviano Medical Sciences SrlSierra Oncology IncTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd...Market Segment by ApplicationMetastatic Breast CancerOvarian CancerAcute Myelocytic LeukemiaColorectal CancerOthersMarket Segment by Product TypeLBS-007MSK-777LY-3143921TAK-931OthersAsk for discount, Report delivery time within 24 hours @Benefits of Purchasing QY Research Report Analyst Support: Get you query resolved from our expert analysts before and after purchasing the report Customers Satisfaction: Our expert team will assist with all your research needs and customize the report Inimitable Expertise: Analysts will provide deep insights about the reports Assured Quality: We focus on the quality and accuracy of the reportAbout Us:QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry.Contact US:QY Research, INC.17890 Castleton, Suite 218,Los Angeles, CA - 91748USA: +1 6262 952 442China: +86 1082 945 717Japan: +81 9038 009 273India: +91 9766 478 224Emails enquiry@qyresearch.comWeb Expert News: Global Lighting Controllers Market growth and trends by 2018-2025| Hubbell, GE Lighting, LLC, OSRAM Licht AG, Philips Lighting Holding B.V., Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc., Eaton Corporation, Schneider Electric S.E. https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1834408 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-market-study-on-lighting-controllers-sensor-to-remain-dominant-technology-during-the-forecast-period-2017-2025-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1834408 http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://studyanalyst.blogspot.in ResearchMoz include new market research report "Global Market Study on Lighting Controllers: Sensor to Remain Dominant Technology During the Forecast Period 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Lighting controllers are the devices which assists in controlling lights via sensor, and dimmers. It is an intelligent network based lighting control solution that integrates communication between various system inputs and outputs related to lighting control with the use of a central computing device. These controllers are now widely used in commercial, industrial, and residential applications to provide the right amount of light where and when it is needed.Enter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @In order to have an ease of understanding and for the better organization of the report, the report on global lighting controllers market has been divided into four distinct parts. The first part of the report contains the introduction section that contains the executive summary of the report along with the market taxonomy and the definition of lighting controllers. This valuable section of the report also contains information on the value chain analysis of the global lighting controllers market. In addition, the macroeconomic factors affecting the global lighting controllers market along with the opportunity analysis for this market are also provided in this section of the report. In addition, the key regulations operating in the global lighting controllers market are also included in this section of the report.The second part of the report contains the regional lighting controllers market analysis and the regions are chosen as per the market taxonomy. In this section of the report, the regional market numbers are discussed in great detail along with the regional drivers, restraints and trends affecting the respective regional markets. The last part of the report contains the global lighting controllers market analysis and forecast by application, technology and by region. This section of the report contains important market numbers in the form of market attractiveness index, incremental dollar opportunity and basis point share analysis.Read Complete Table of Content @Another part of the report features the competition landscape of the global lighting controllers market and has information on the key players operating in this market. The competition landscape contains detailed information on the important companies operating in the global lighting controllers market in the form of company description, product overview, key developments, strategic overview and key financials of each of the featured companies along with the SWOT analysis of the companies. This competition landscape is a valuable part of the report as it contains all the necessary information to study the leading companies operating in the global lighting controllers market in detail and also reveals how they implement their strategies and vision to stay at top in this highly competitive market.Overall market size has been analysed through historical data, primary responses, and public domain data. Revenue of companies in the global lighting controllers market has been benchmarked to ascertain the market size for the base year. Macroeconomic indicators such as GDP and industry growth have been considered to forecast the market size over the forecast period. The historical growth trend of end-use industries, market participants performance, as well as the present macro-economic outlook has been taken into consideration for estimating the overall market trend forecast. This data is then validated using the triangulation method and is extensively scrutinised using advanced tools to garner quantitative and qualitative insights into the global lighting controllers market.Market TaxonomyBy TechnologySensorDimmerDay-light harvestingTime schedulingMake An Enquiry @By ApplicationCommercialIndustrialResidentialBy RegionNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Blog: Benin Prostatic Hyperplasis Devices Industry Forecast to 2027 - Lumenis, Boston Scientific Corporation, NeoTract, Coloplast Pty, Dornier MedTech, Richard Wolf GmbH, NxThera The Insight Partners https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPMD00002609/ https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/benin-prostatic-hyperplasis-devices-market A comprehensive analysis on Benin Prostatic Hyperplasis Devices Market is the latest industry dynamics that is inclusive of market drivers, restraints, and opportunities is part of the report. This report includes potential opportunities in the cell harvesting industry at the global and regional levels.Global Benin Prostatic Hyperplasis Devices Market Analysis and Forecasts to 2027The enlargement of the prostate gland is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The enlargement of this gland is generally seen in the baby boomers. This may cause symptom such as uncomfortable urine and can also cause bladder or kidney problems. The risk factors for the enlarged prostate glands are aging, family history, diabetes, heart disease and lifestyle.Key players influencing the market are Karl Storz Gmbh & Co.Kg, Olympus, Lumenis, Boston Scientific Corporation, NeoTract, Inc., Coloplast Pty Ltd, Dornier MedTech., Richard Wolf GmbH, NxThera, Inc. and Convergent Laser TechnologiesGet Sample Copy atThe "Global Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Devices Market Analysis To 2027" is a specialized and in-depth study of the medical device industry with a focus on the benign prostatic hyperplasia devices market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global benign prostatic hyperplasia devices market with detailed market segmentation by procedure type, end user and geography. The global benign prostatic hyperplasia devices market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the leading market players and offers key trends and opportunities in the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia devices market.The global benign prostatic hyperplasia devices market is segmented on the basis of procedure type and end user. On the basis of the procedure type the segment is classified as transurethral microwave therapy, transurethral resection of the prostate, transurethral needle ablation of the prostate, prostatic stenting, laser surgery and others. On the basis of the end user the market is segmented as hospitals & clinics, ambulatory surgical centers and others.The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global benign prostatic hyperplasia devices market based on product, material, end user and geography. It also provides market size and forecast till 2027 for overall benign prostatic hyperplasia devices market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America. The market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 13 counties globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.The Benin Prostatic Hyperplasis Devices Market report aims to provide a 360-degree view of the market in terms of cutting-edge technology, key developments, drivers, restraints and future trends with impact analysis of these trends on the market for short-term, mid-term and long-term during the forecast period. Further, the report also covers key players profiling with detailed SWOT analysis, financial facts and key developments of products/service from the past three years.Browse Complete Report atThe Benin Prostatic Hyperplasis Devices Market report is a combination of qualitative as well as quantitative analysis which can be broken down into 40% and 60% respectively. Market estimation and forecasts are presented in the report for the overall global market from 2018 2027, considering 2018 as the base year and 2019 2027 forecast period. Global estimation is further broken down by segments and geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America covering major 16 countries across the mentioned regions. The qualitative contents for geographical analysis will cover market trends in each region and country which includes highlights of the key players operating in the respective region/country, PEST analysis of each region which includes political, economic, social and technological factors influencing the growth of the market.Contact Information -Contact Person : Sameer JoshiPhone : +1-646-491-9876Email Id : sam@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us - The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Healthcare IT, Biotechnology and Medical Device industries.533, 5th Floor,Amanora Chambers, East Block, Amanora Township,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Top Scenario: Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Market By Key Vendors: Fitbit, Apple, Xiaomi 2018-2025 QyResearchReports https://www.qyresearchreports.com/year-end-offer https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1919026&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-wearable-devices-supporting-line-of-business-applications-market-insights-forecast-to-2025.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com Qyresearchreports include new market research report Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications to its huge collection of research reports.Wearable technology, wearable, fashionable technology,wearable devices,tech togs, or fashion electronics are smart electronic devices (electronic device with micro-controllers) that can be incorporated into clothing or worn on the body as implants or accessories.Increasing smartphone penetration worldwide is expected to propel industry growth over the forecast period, owing to increasing wearable device compatibility. Advancement in semiconductor electronics is expected to favor more efficient and effective products, thereby fuel revenue growth over the next seven years.The Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications market was valued at xx Million US$ in 2017 and is projected to reach xx Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications.Year End Offer Get 15% off on All Reports:This report presents the worldwide Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications market size (value, production and consumption), splits the breakdown (data status 2013-2018 and forecast to 2025), by manufacturers, region, type and application.This study also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.The following manufacturers are covered in this report:Fitbit(U.S.)Apple(U.S.)Xiaomi Technology(China)Garmin(U.S.)Samsung Electronics(South Korea)Guangdong BBK Electronics(China)Misfit(U.S.)Alphabet(U.S.)LG Electronics(South Korea)Qualcomm Technologies(U.S.)Adidas(Germany)Sony(Japan)...For more info, get sample report for FREE here:Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Production by RegionUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSouth KoreaOther RegionsThe study objectives are:To analyze and research the global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications status and future forecastinvolving, production, revenue, consumption, historical and forecast.To present the key Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications manufacturers, production, revenue, market share, and recent development.To split the breakdown data by regions, type, manufacturers and applications.To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.To identify significant trends, drivers, influence factors in global and regions.To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.Browse Complete Research Report at:Table of Contents1 Study Coverage1.1 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Product1.2 Key Market Segments in This Study1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Wristwear1.4.3 Headwear1.4.4 Eyewear1.4.5 Footwear1.4.6 Neckwear1.4.7 Bodywear1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Consumer Electronics1.5.3 Healthcare1.5.4 Industrial2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Market Size2.1.1 Global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Revenue 2013-20252.1.2 Global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Production 2013-20252.2 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Growth Rate (CAGR) 2018-20252.3 Analysis of Competitive Landscape2.3.1 Manufacturers Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)2.3.2 Key Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Manufacturers2.3.2.1 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Manufacturing Base Distribution, Headquarters2.3.2.2 Manufacturers Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Product Offered2.3.2.3 Date of Manufacturers Enter into Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Market2.4 Key Trends for Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Markets & Products3 Market Size by Manufacturers3.1 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Production by Manufacturers3.1.1 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Production by Manufacturers3.1.2 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Production Market Share by Manufacturers3.2 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Revenue by Manufacturers3.2.1 Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Revenue by Manufacturers (2013-2018)...List of Tables and FiguresFigure Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Product PictureTable Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Key Market Segments in This StudyTable Key Manufacturers Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Covered in This StudyTable Global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Market Size Growth Rate by Type 2018-2025 (K Units) & (Million US$)Figure Global Wearable Devices Supporting Line-of-Business Applications Production Market Share 2013-2025Figure Wristwear Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of WristwearFigure Headwear Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of HeadwearFigure Eyewear Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of EyewearFigure Footwear Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of FootwearFigure Neckwear Product Picture...About Us: QYResearchReports delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Dental Restorative and Regenerative Material Market Competitive Analysis by 2023 | with botiss biomaterials GmbH , Dentsply Sirona., Henry Schein, Institut Straumann AG, KaVo Kerr, etc Dental Restorative and Regenerative Material Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4332 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/dental-regenerative-material-market-4332 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/4332 Key Players for Global Dental Restorative and Regenerative Material MarketMarket Research Future (MRFR) recognizes the following companies as the key players in Dental Restorative and Regenerative Material Market: There are plenty of large and small market players which operate in this market all over the globe.3M (U.S.), Biotech Dental (Europe), botiss biomaterials GmbH (Europe), Dentsply Sirona. (U.S.), Henry Schein, Inc. (U.S.), Institut Straumann AG (Europe), KaVo Kerr (U.S.), Keystone Dental, Inc. (U.S.), Zimmer Biomet (U.S.) are some of the leading players at the cutting edge of the competition in the market of Dental Restorative and Regenerative Material, globally.To Get Sample Report visitDental Restorative and Regenerative Material Market - OverviewDental materials are fabricated materials used in dentistry practices. Dental materials are of different types and they have different characteristics which is related to their intended purpose. There are two major types of dental material, namely, restorative material and regenerative material. Restorative material can resume damaged teeths original form and functioning while regenerative material regenerates the damaged parts of the teeth.Increasing prevalence of dental diseases and trauma majorly drives the market growth during the forecasted period. According to the Oral Health Foundation, from 2010 to 2015 approximately 20% of the children were admitted to the hospitals due to tooth decay or caries. Moreover, according to the American Society for Nutrition in 2016, 47% of the adults in the U.S. had periodontal disease. Additionally, the rising healthcare expenditure, growing dental tourism and rising geriatric population fuels the market growth. However, lack of awareness followed by high cost of products will restrain the market growth.The Global Dental Restorative And Regenerative Material Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% during forecast period.Key developmentsCompanies are continuously developing new products to capture the market globally. Thus major players invest more in research and development activity, in order to lead the global market. In this regards, market players undertake various strategic approaches such as acquisitions, partnerships, mergers and new product launch.3MMay 2016: 3M acquired Semfinder, a Switzerland-based medical coding technology company. Semfinder is a leading developer of precise semantic coding of medical services. This acquisition will provide 3M with new coding technology for accelerating its availability of its 360 Encompass system in countries adopting electronic medical record systems.May 2016: Knifeless Tech Systems was acquired by 3M. The business acquired is a an installation tool used to cut self-adhesive films applied to vehicle wrapsDentsply SironaFebruary 29, 2016 Complete Merger DENTSPLY International Inc. ("DENTSPLY") and Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. ("Sirona") completes merger which forms Worlds one of the largest manufacturers of professional dental solutions.July 2016: Kitron signed a supply agreement with Dentsply Sirona. This agreement will add Kitron as a new supplier for Dentsply SironaHenry Schein, Inc.January, 2017: Henry Schein Inc. completed the process of acquisition of a majority ownership interest in Dental Cremer S.A., which was a distributor of dental supplies and equipment in Brazil.March, 2017: Henry Schein Inc. purchased 80% stake in Polish dental distributor MarrodentJanuary, 2016: Henry Schein Inc. acquires 80.1% stakes in Vetstreet, Inc., leading provider of marketing and software services to veterinarians, and in an Italian distributor of dental equipment.July, 2014: Henry Schein Inc. acquired approximately 60% stakes in SmartPak Equine, one of the major provider of equine supplements.Institut Straumann AGAugust, 2016: Institut Straumann AG signed an agreement to acquire Equinox, a fast-growing dental implant company with a leading position in the value segment in India.April, 2016: Institut Straumann AG acquired 51% residual ownership of Neodent (Initially it had acquired 49% of the residual during June 2012) This deal augments Straumann's presence in the tooth replacement sector in the Latin American region and Brazil, which is the second largest market for implant dentistry.To Browse Complete Report visitRegional Analysis for Global Dental Restorative and Regenerative Material MarketAs compared to other regions, the dental restorative and regenerative material industry in North America contributes largest share. People are more aware and conscious about dental health, which is one of the major factors driving the market. About 17% of children and 27% of adults have untreated dental caries. Major dental restorative and regenerative material manufacturers have a base in this region and they are spending millions in R&D to develop innovative products. Developed medical facilities and availability of skilled dental professional are key factors for the growth for the market. However, factor like high cost of dental treatments is prohibiting the patients from getting dental treatment.Increasing prevalence of dental diseases in Europe is driving the growth for restorative and regenerative material market, especially in western region of Europe. There are about 345 thousand dentist in Europe. Dentist are now shifting from the use of amalgam and preferring the alternative restoration materials. Dental diseases carries huge financial burden not only to the individual but also to the society. Cost of dental treatments is high in Western European countries. Patients from this region are traveling to the other parts of the Europe or world.Some Brief Table of Contents of ReportChapter 1. Report PrologueChapter 2. Market Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope Of The Study2.2.1 Research Objective2.2.2 Assumptions2.2.3 LimitationsChapter 3. Research Methodology3.1 Introduction3.2 Primary Research3.3 Secondary Research3.4 Market Size EstimationChapter 4. Market Dynamics4.1 Drivers4.2 Restrains4.3 Opportunities4.4 Challenges4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators4.6 Technology Trends & AssessmentChapter 5. Market Factor Analysis5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis5.1.1 Bargaining Power Of SuppliersTOC ContinuedDo You Have Specific Requirement? Ask To Our ExpertsAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureHadapsar, Pune 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market to 2025: Bayer Healthcare, Boston Scientific, Allergan Inc., Medtronic Inc., Merck, Bausch & Lomb Inc., Psivida, Elekta, Abbott, Merck & Co. https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1895194 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-implantable-drug-delivery-devices-market-insights-forecast-to-2025-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1895194 http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Insights, Forecast to 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies the global market size of Implantable Drug Delivery Devices in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Implantable Drug Delivery Devices in these regions.This research report categorizes the global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices market by top players/brands, region, type and end user. This report also studies the global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels and distributors.The global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices market is valued at million US$ in 2017 and will reach million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of during 2018-2025. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Implantable Drug Delivery Devices market based on company, product type, end user and key regions..To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The following manufacturers are covered in this report, with sales, revenue, market share for each company:Bayer HealthcareBoston ScientificAllergan Inc.Medtronic Inc.MerckBausch & Lomb Inc.PsividaElektaAbbottMerck & Co.Market size by ProductBiodegradable ImplantNon-Biodegradable ImplantMarket size by End UserOphthalmologyCardiovascularBirth Control/ContraceptionOncologyOthersMarket size by RegionNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeMalaysiaPhilippinesThailandVietnamEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaCentral & South AmericaBrazilRest of Central & South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesTurkeyEgyptSouth AfricaGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @The study objectives of this report are:To study and analyze the global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices market size (value & volume) by company, key regions, products and end user, breakdown data from 2013 to 2017, and forecast to 2025.To understand the structure of Implantable Drug Delivery Devices market by identifying its various subsegments.To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).Focuses on the key global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices companies, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape and recent development.To project the value and sales volume of Implantable Drug Delivery Devices submarkets, with respect to key regions.To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Implantable Drug Delivery Devices are as follows:History Year: 2013-2017Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year 2018 to 2025Make An Enquiry @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @ Cancer Biomarkers Market Analysis and Outlook to 2023 Key players Abbott Laboratories (U.S.), Merck & Co. Inc. (U.S.), Illumina, Inc. (U.S.), Roche Diagnostics Ltd. (Switzerland), Becton Dickinson and Company (U.S.) https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/sample/HnM/QBI-MR-HnM-1928 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/enquiry/HnM/QBI-MR-HnM-1928 https://www.qurateresearch.com/report/discount/HnM/QBI-MR-HnM-1928 https://www.qurateresearch.com/ A report added to the rich database of Qurate Business Intelligence, titled Global Cancer Biomarkers Market Size, Status and Forecast 2023, provides a 360-degree overview of the worldwide market. Approximations associated with the market values over the forecast period are based on empirical research and data collected through both primary and secondary sources. The authentic processes followed to exhibit various aspects of the market makes the data reliable in context to particular time period and industry.Download Free sample report@Company profiles of the prominent market players: Abbott Laboratories (U.S.), Merck & Co. Inc. (U.S.), Illumina, Inc. (U.S.), Roche Diagnostics Ltd. (Switzerland), Becton Dickinson and Company (U.S.), Qiagen NV (Netherlands), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Affymetrix Inc. (U.S.), Agilent Technologies (U.S.), Hologic Inc. (U.S.)This report is highly informative document with inclusion of comprehensive market data associated with the significant elements and subdivision of the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market that may impact the growth scenarios of the industry. The report may commendably help trades and decision makers to address the challenges and to gain benefits from highly competitive Global Cancer Biomarkers Market.Global Cancer Biomarkers Market is research report of comprehensive nature which entails information in relation with major regional markets, current scenarios. This includes key regional areas such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, etc. and the foremost countries such as United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China.For Enquiry OR Any Query? Ask to our Expert@The Global Cancer Biomarkers Market report attempts to build familiarity of the market through sharing basic information associated with the aspects such as definitions, classifications, applications and market overview, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, raw materials and more. Furthermore, it strives to analyze the crucial regional markets, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate. It also discusses forecast for the same. The report concludes with new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.In addition, this report identifies pin-point analysis of competitive dashboard and helps readers to develop competitive edge over others. It delivers a noteworthy data and insights associated with factors driving or preventing the growth of the market. It brings a nine-year forecast evaluated on the basis of how the market is expected to perform.Get 50% Discount on this Report@This statistical surveying report presents comprehensive assessment of the global market for Cancer Biomarkers, discussing several market verticals such as the production capacity, product pricing, the dynamics of demand and supply, sales volume, revenue, growth rate and more.Table of Content:Global Global Cancer Biomarkers Market Research Report 2018-2023Chapter 1: Industry OverviewChapter 2: Cancer Biomarkers International and China Market AnalysisChapter 3: Environment Analysis of Cancer BiomarkersChapter 4: Analysis of Revenue by ClassificationsChapter 5: Analysis of Revenue by Regions and ApplicationsChapter 6: Analysis of Cancer Biomarkers Revenue Market Status.Chapter 7: Analysis of Cancer Biomarkers Industry Key ManufacturersChapter 8: Sales Price and Gross Margin AnalysisChapter 9: Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Cancer Biomarkers MarketChapter 10: Development Trend of Cancer Biomarkers Industry 2018-2023Chapter 11: Industry Chain Suppliers of Cancer Biomarkers with Contact InformationChapter 12: New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Cancer BiomarkersChapter 13: Conclusion of the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market Research ReportAbout Us:Qurate Business Intelligence delivers unique market research solutions to its customers and help them to get equipped with refined information and market insights derived from reports. We are committed to providing best business services and easy processes to get the same. Qurate Business Intelligence considers themselves as strategic partners of their customers and always shows the keen level of interest to deliver quality.Contact Us:Nehal ChinoyRunwal Platinum,Ramnagar Colony, Bavdhan,Pune, Maharashtra, India-411021IN +919881074592info@qurateresearch.com Revenue from Sales of Medical Marijuana Projected to Cross US$ 39 Bn by the End of 2026 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/13897 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/13897 The medical marijuana market is anticipated to record a year-over-year growth rate of 15.9% and reach a market value of US$ 39,891.2 Mn by 2026. Extract form segment is expected to have high revenue share, accounting for 63.9% share in 2018 of the overall medical marijuana market. In this report, the medical marijuana market is segmented based on product type, application type, distribution channel and region.The extract form is the dominant segment in the market for medical marijuana as maximum number of products are made out of extract form and they are conveniently used by majority of the population. The product listed include oil concentration, tinctures, sprays, edibles, tablets, and capsules based on prescription. In contrast, the companies conduct research activities to introduce novel products in the market. In terms of revenue, the extract segment is expected to account for large revenue share of 63.9% in 2018, is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The growth in the dried flower segment is expected to be primarily driven by traditional use and purpose of usage with options available to consume dry form medical marijuana without any interventions.Pain management seems to be the preferred choice to use medical marijuana, as the segment includes pain associated with many diseases such as cancer, arthritis, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and nerve damage, among others. The common practice associated with the routine checks involve the dynamic use of medical marijuana. Others segment has a range of indications in which medical marijuana is used such as PTSD, anxiety, mental health conditions, and many more. However, the seizures segment which involves cases of multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, and convulsions is expected to witness high CAGR of 16.1% during the forecast period.Request to Sample Report @The retail pharmacy distribution segment is expected to hold maximum share in the overall medical marijuana market due to the large number of companies forming dispensaries of their own to sell the products on a major scale. Retail pharmacy is the first choice of distribution among manufacturers and consumers. Retail pharmacy distribution segment is estimated to have a market share of 77.9% in 2018 and a steady growth the E-commerce is also expected in the medical marijuana market due to change in operational functions that offer a high growth rate during the forecast period.Medical marijuana is well known for its notorious qualities that are being projected in different communities around the world. It is not in use by majority of the global population for medical cases. In the U.S., marijuana is classified as a schedule 1 controlled substance, which makes it illegal to consume or possess. Limited use of medical marijuana has latched on to claims that it is useful to treat various ailments such as Crohns disease, multiple sclerosis results into muscle spasm, epilepsy, glaucoma, and nausea, among others. Though the medical marijuana is being synthesized to be used for medical purposes, the legalization of recreational marijuana would have some serious effects on overall marijuana pricing. Recreational marijuana is not subjected to be in use for health reasons, but are often consumed for its soothing and psychotic nature. But with developments for medical marijuana usage for medical purpose are on a rise in both developing and developed countries, progress with medical marijuana consumption in severe health issues often makes it a noticeable choice for physicians to prescribe it to treat diseases. Besides, there must be solid evidence to make it rather official to be in use. Conventional medicines are becoming expensive with time, whereas the adult population is increasing, which fails to adapt to this dynamic shift.PMRs report has segmented the global medical marijuana market on the basis of region into North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific Excluding China, China and Middle East & Africa. This report assesses trends driving each market segment and offers analysis and insights about the medical marijuana market in specific regions. North America is expected to account major share in the global medical marijuana market and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.2% being the most lucrative regional market for medical marijuana. Europe is expected to follow North America during the forecast period due to high prevalence of cases that require medical marijuana for the treatment.Request Report TOC @The key players in the Medical marijuana market include GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, MedReleaf Corporation, Canopy Growth Corporation, Aphria Incorporation, Aurora Cannabis Inc, Medical Marijuana, Inc., Green Relief Inc., Cannabis Sativa, INC., Insys Therapeutics, Inc., and The Peace Naturals Project.ABOUT US:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesT: +1-646-568-7751Tollfree: +1 800-961-0353 Future Outlook of Next Generation, FinFET Technology Market 2018: Focusing on Top leading Players like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC Ltd.), Global Foundries, Inc. FinFET Technology Market https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/reports/Global-FinFET-Technology-Market-Research-Report-2018-4273 https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/request_sample.php?id=4273 https://www.itintelligencemarkets.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=4273 A new report on the global market which is titled as FinFET Technology Market. It is an analysis and portrayal of the market report globally. It gives a clear image of the market and a thoughtful knowledge about its segments. The various sections is examined and is the key part of the market.The market research report presents a detailed segmentation of market including outline of the market scenario, distinguishing regions focusing on top leading players like, Samsung Electronics Corporation, Ltd., United Microelectronics Corporation, Intel Corporation, Qualcomm Incorporated, Arm Holdings PLC., Mediatek, Inc., Xilinx Inc., and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation.FinFET, also known as Fin Field Effect Transistor, is a type of non-planar or 3D transistor used in the design of modern processors, which is an integral part of the processors. This technology is accompanied with features such as faster operating speed at low voltage compared to non-FinFET chipsets.Request for View Summary of this Report, Click the below link:The Global FinFET Technology Market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of +28% during forecast period.The report also includes the major prevailing trends, drawbacks that the industry is currently witnessing and the opportunities that the future holds for the investors and the shareholders. The market has also been examined in terms of its revenue. Dynamics such as market drivers, restraints and opportunities have been combined and displayed which helps in collecting the statistics on the future growth of the FinFET Technology market.The report also summarized the high revenue that has been generated across locations like, North America, Japan, Europe, Asia, and India along with the facts and figures of market. It focuses on the major points, which are necessary to make positive impacts on the market like policies, international transactions, speculation, and supply demand in the global FinFET Technology market.Request for Sample PDF Copy of this Report@:The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. The report also provides Porter analysis, PESTEL analysis and market attractiveness which helps to better understand the market scenario on macro and micro level.Table of Content:Chapter 1: FinFET Technology Market OverviewChapter 2: Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3: Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4: Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5: Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6: Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7: FinFET Technology Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8: Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12: FinFET Technology Market ForecastGet Reasonable Discount on this Premium Report @:About IT Intelligence Markets:We at IT Intelligence Markets conduct intensive market research and generate detailed reports about the products and services offered in the IT domain. Our team is devoted to providing custom reports that are taylor-made to suit the customers requirements. We make sure to keep our customers updated with the latest market dynamics as IT industry is undergoing sea change intrinsically & extrinsically by forces such as regulatory fluctuations, rapidly evolving consumer preferences, and newer technologies. Not only do our market research analysts scrutinize market requirements but also track competitors relentlessly for obtaining the most updated scenario of the market.Survey No-9/4,Flat# 6,Panchshil Park,Ganpati Marg,Nigidi, Pune 411044 Mammography Market key trends 2017-2025 : I.M.S. Srl, GE Healthcare, Hologic, Planmed Oy, Phillips Healthcare, Fujifilm https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2483 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2483 https://www.tmrresearch.com/mammography-market Global Mammography Market: OverviewThe global mammography market is growing at a significant pace, owing to the increasing cancer cases worldwide. The key players in the market, government organizations, and NGOs are making notable efforts to create an awareness and offer treatment to patients, which is expected to enhance the growth of the market in the near future. Thus, the market is likely to register a strong growth rate in the forecast period.Global Mammography Market: Key TrendsThe high prevalence of breast cancer worldwide and the rising number of innovations concerning screening and diagnostics are estimated to offer lucrative opportunities for key players operating in the market. The improving healthcare facilities in the developing economies are projected to supplement the markets growth in the coming years. Furthermore, governments across the globe are making efforts to provide treatments at low cost in order to reach a large number of audience in the near future.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Mammography Market: Market PotentialTechnological advancements in the healthcare sector and the emergence of innovative devices and effective therapeutics are the key factors projected to fuel the growth of the global mammography market throughout the forecast period. In addition to this, the rising number of cancer cases across the globe is expected to accelerate the growth of the overall market in the near future.On the other hand, the lack of awareness among patients in several developing economies and the high cost of treatment are estimated to curb the growth of the global mammography market in the next few years. Nonetheless, the use of digital mammography devices is predicted to generate promising growth opportunities for the key players in the market.Global Mammography Market: Regional OutlookIn the previous years, the North America market for mammography held a major share of the global market and is estimated to retain its position over the forecast period. The rising number of breast cancer cases and the increasing women population are the key factors anticipated to encourage the development of the North America market in the coming years. In addition, the availability of advanced therapeutics and healthcare infrastructure are predicted to accelerate the markets growth in the near future.On the other hand, the development of the economy and the rising popularity of medical tourism are projected to augment the growth of the Asia Pacific market in the next few years. The increasing contribution from China and India and the rising awareness among patients are predicted to supplement the markets growth in the forecast period. Moreover, the favorable government initiatives and the enhancement of the healthcare sector are likely to contribute towards the growth of the Asia Pacific market in the near future.Request TOC of the Report @Global Mammography Market: Competitive AnalysisThe global market is projected to grow progressive throughout the forecast period. The rising emphasis of the leading players on introducing new therapeutics and devices to offer enhanced products to patients is likely to encourage the growth of the overall market in the coming years. As a result, several new players are predicted to participate in the market in order to create a brand name across the globe.Some of the leading players operating in the mammography market across the globe are I.M.S. Srl, GE Healthcare, Hologic, Planmed Oy, Phillips Healthcare, Fujifilm, Siemens Healthcare, Mindray Medical International Limited, Toshiba Medical Systems, and Metaltronica. The research study provides a detailed overview of the competitive landscape and throws light on the key strategies and policies that have been adopted by them in order to sustain in the global market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Gallbladder Treatments Market Major Players: Boston Scientific Corporation, Intuitive Surgical, C. R. Bard, etc Gallbladder Treatments Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3945 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/gallbladder-treatment-market-3945 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/3945 Market Research Future published a Cooked research report on Global Gallbladder treatment Market Research Report - Forecast till 2023 Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Gallbladder Treatments Market OverviewThe market for Gall Bladder Treatment is growing at a healthy rate. The market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period and is estimated to reach USD 27121.5 million by 2023. The gall bladder is a small pear-shaped located underneath the liver. Its main function is to store the bile produced by liver and pass it along through a duct that empties into the small intestine. Gall bladder diseases affect a large number of people in the world.Gallbladder and biliary related diseases occurred in about 104 million people (1.6%) in 2013 and they resulted in 106,000 deaths. The major driving factors for the growth of the market are increasing geriatric population, increasing prevalence rate of various gallbladder diseases, and introduction & adoption of advanced diagnostic treatment options. Moreover, increasing awareness of the diseases, rising healthcare expenditure, and rising demand from emerging markets of Asia have fuelled the market growth.Request Sample copy atHowever, pain and complications during surgery and asymptomatic nature of gallstones may slow the growth of the market.Gallbladder Treatments Market - Regional Analysis:Considering the global scenario of the market, North America dominates the global gall bladder treatment market owing to the presence of huge population suffering from gall bladder diseases.US holds the largest market share in North America gall bladder treatment market. In developed countries, 1015% of adults have gallstones. Europe has the second largest market for the gall bladder treatment which is followed by Asia Pacific. Presence of well-developed healthcare sector and high healthcare expenditure, the gall bladder treatment market in Europe is growing at a CAGR of 6.8%.Asia Pacific is also witnessing a rapid growth in this market which is mainly due to rapidly increasing awareness of treatments, presence of huge population, rising healthcare expenditure and government support for research & development. Asia Pacific gall bladder treatment market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.0% during the forecasted period. The Middle East & Africa is expected to have limited growth.Gallbladder Treatments Market - Segments:Global gall bladder treatment market has been segmented on the basis of disease indications, diagnosis, treatment and end users. On the basis of disease indications the market is segmented as gallstones, cholecystitis & biliary colic, cholelithiasis & choledocholithiasis, gallbladder polyps, gall bladder cancer.On the basis of diagnosis the market is categorized as ultrasound, blood tests, computerized tomography (CT), cholangiography and hepatobiliary scintigraphy and others. On the basis of treatment the market is segmented into surgery, and drugs and on the basis of end users the market is divided into hospitals & gynecology clinics, academic & research centers and others.Browse Complete 94 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 100+ Respective Tables and Figures atMajor TOC of Global Gallbladder Treatment Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023:1 REPORT PROLOGUE2 MARKET INTRODUCTION3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY4 MARKET DYNAMICS5 MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS6 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY DISEASE INDICATION7 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY DIAGNOSIS8 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY TREATMENT9 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY END USERS10 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER MARKET BY REGION11 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE12 COMPANY PROFILESList of Tables:TABLE 1 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY DISEASE INDICATION US$ MILLION 2014-2023 37TABLE 2 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR GALL STONE US$ MILLION 2014-2023 38TABLE 3 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR CHOLECYSTITIS AND BILIARY COLIC US$ MILLION 2014-2023 39TABLE 4 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR CHOLELITHIASIS AND CHOLEDOCHOLITHIASIS US$ MILLION 2014-2023 40TABLE 5 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR GALLBLADDER POLYPS US$ MILLION 2014-2023 41TABLE 6 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR GALL BLADDER CANCER US$ MILLION 2014-2023 42TABLE 7 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY DIAGNOSIS US$ MILLION 2014-2023 43TABLE 8 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR ULTRASOUND US$ MILLION 2014-2023 44TABLE 9 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR BLOOD TESTS US$ MILLION 2014-2023 45TABLE 10 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) US$ MILLION 2014-2023 46TABLE 11 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR CHOLANGIOGRAPHY AND HEPATOBILIARY SCINTIGRAPHY US$ MILLION 2014-2023 47TABLE 12 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY TREATMENT US$ MILLION 2014-2023 48TABLE 13 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR SURGERY US$ MILLION 2014-2023 50TABLE 14 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET FOR DRUGS US$ MILLION 2014-2023 51TABLE 15 GLOBAL GALL BLADDER TREATMENT MARKET BY END USERS US$ MILLION 2014-2023 52LOT CONTINUEDAsk Any Question atAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Gynecological Devices Market supremely growing with high rate : Latest Report with IN-Depth study on market Trends and Opportunities www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/1643?utm_source=PC_OPR www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-toc-and-sample/1643?utm_source=PC_OPR www.alliedmarketresearch.com/gynecological-devices-market?utm_source=PC_OPR www.alliedmarketresearch.com Gynecological devices market is in emerging state due to increase in elderly female population, and rise in prevalence of diseases related to female reproductive systems. Furthermore, factors such as increase in awareness ratio and sexually transmitted diseases in women also contribute towards the market growth. In addition, introduction of new devices in the market cause minimal discomfort, better efficiency, and increase in healthcare expenditure, and favorable reimbursement policies contribute towards the market growth of gynecological devices. However, factors such as delay in approvals from regulatory authorities and stringent government policies impede the market growth.The world gynecological devices market is segmented based on product, end user, and geography. Based on product, the market is categorized into gynecological endoscopy devices, endometrial ablation devices, fluid management systems, female sterilization and contraceptive devices, hand instruments, and diagnostic imaging systems. Based on end users, the market is divided into hospitals, diagnostic centers, and clinics. The market is analyzed on the basis of four regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Send Enquiry on this report @KEY MARKET BENEFITS: In-depth analysis of the market is conducted based on market estimations of the key segments during 20142022. Comprehensive analysis of factors that drive and restrict the growth of the world gynecological devices market is provided in the report. Exhaustive analysis of the world gynecological devices market by product helps understand the different aspects of gynecological devices that are currently used along with the variants that would gain prominence in the future. Competitive intelligence of leading manufacturers and distributors of gynecological devices interpret the competitive scenario across various geographies. Analysis of current research and clinical developments within gynecological devices is provided with key market dynamic factors to predict the behavior of the market.Gynecology is the study that deals with the health problems related to female reproductive systems like vagina, ovaries, and uterus and also with female breast. Rising population and life style of women lead to an increase of different diseases, which are related to gynecology. The devices that are used to treat and diagnose these diseases are called gynecological devices.Get sample copy of this report :Top key players in the market: Boston Scientific Corporation Ethicon Inc. Karl Storz Gmbh & Co. KG Cooper Surgical Inc. Hologic Inc. Medtronic plc Olympus Corporation Stryker Corporation Richard Wolf GmbH MedGyn Product IncProduct launch, collaboration & merger, and acquisition are the key strategies adopted by market players. Healthcare giant such as Boston Scientific Corporation has acquired IoGyn Inc., a California-based start-up that specializes in products for gynecology surgery in May 2014 creating a high growth in gynecological devices market.Analyst Review :With collective industry experience of about 200 years of its analysts and experts, Allied Market Research (AMR) encompasses most infallible research methodology for its market intelligence and industry analysis. We do not only engrave the deepest levels of markets but also sneak through its slimmest details for the purpose of our market estimates and forecasts. Our approach helps in building greater market consensus view for size, shape and industry trends within each industry segment. We carefully factor in industry trends and real developments for identifying key growth factors and future course of the market. Our research proceeds are the resultant of high quality data, expert views and analysis and high value independent opinions. Our research process is designed to deliver balanced view of the global markets and allow stakeholders to make informed decisions.We offer our clients exhaustive research and analysis based on wide variety of factual inputs, which largely include interviews with industry participants, reliable statistics and regional intelligence. Our in-house industry experts play instrumental role in designing analytic tools and models, tailored to the requirements of particular industry segment. These analytical tools and models sanitize the data & statistics and enhance the accuracy of our recommendations and advice. With AMRs calibrated research process and 360` degree data-evaluation methodologyGet Access to Full summary of this report at :About Us:Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free: +1-800-792-5285UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1?855?550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Zero Motorcycles, Lito Sora, Saietta, Brutus, Johammer High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3573376-global-high-performance-electric-motorcycle-market-report-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3573376-global-high-performance-electric-motorcycle-market-report-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=3582274 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market 2018 Global Analysis By Key Players Zero Motorcycles, Lito Sora, Saietta, Brutus, Johammer.Description:-The High-Performance Electric Motorcycle industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, High-Performance Electric Motorcycle market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 17.48% from 66 million $ in 2014 to 107 million $ in 2017, The analysts believe that in the next few years, High-Performance Electric Motorcycle market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2022 , The market size of the High-Performance Electric Motorcycle will reach 338 million $.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comThis Report covers the manufacturers data, including: shipment, price, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better. This report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including market size, volume and value, as well as price data.Besides, the report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment, channel segment etc. cover different segment market size, both volume and value. Also cover different industries clients information, which is very important for the manufacturers.Sections:-Section 1: FreeDefinitionSection (2 3): 1200 USDManufacturer DetailEnergica 2017 revenue is about 1.28 million USDLightning Motorcycles 2017 revenue is about 13.4 million USDZero MotorcyclesLito SoraSaiettaBrutusJohammerKTMChart 2014-2017 Global Manufacturer High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Shipments (Units)Manufacturer 2014 2015 2016 2017Energica 42Lightning Motorcycles 312Zero MotorcyclesLito SoraSaiettaBrutusJohammerKTMContinuedEnquiry About Report @Table Of Contents Major Key PointsSection 1 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product DefinitionSection 2 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview2.1 Global Manufacturer High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Shipments2.2 Global Manufacturer High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Revenue2.3 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market OverviewSection 3 Manufacturer High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Introduction3.1 Energica High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Introduction3.1.1 Energica High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20173.1.2 Energica High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Distribution by Region3.1.3 Energica Interview Record3.1.4 Energica High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Profile3.1.5 Energica High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Specification3.2 Lightning Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Introduction3.2.1 Lightning Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20173.2.2 Lightning Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Distribution by Region3.2.3 Interview Record3.2.4 Lightning Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Overview3.2.5 Lightning Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Specification3.3 Zero Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Introduction3.3.1 Zero Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20173.3.2 Zero Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Distribution by Region3.3.3 Interview Record3.3.4 Zero Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business Overview3.3.5 Zero Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Specification3.4 Lito Sora High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Business IntroductionSection 4 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Region Level)4.1 North America Country4.1.1 United States High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.1.2 Canada High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.2 South America Country4.2.1 South America High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3 Asia Country4.3.1 China High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3.2 Japan High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3.3 India High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3.4 Korea High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4 Europe Country4.4.1 Germany High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.2 UK High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.3 France High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.4 Italy High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.5 Europe High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.5 Other Country and Region4.5.1 Middle East High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.5.2 Africa High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.5.3 GCC High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.6 Three Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Region Level) Analysis 2014-20174.7 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Region Level) AnalysisSection 5 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)5.1 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Product Type Level) Market Size 2014-20175.2 Different High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Type Price 2014-20175.3 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Product Type Level) AnalysisSection 6 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Industry Level)6.1 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Industry Level) Market Size 2014-20176.2 Different Industry Price 2014-20176.3 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Industry Level) AnalysisSection 7 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Channel Level)7.1 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Channel Level) Sales Volume and Share 2014-20177.2 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Segmentation (Channel Level) AnalysisContinued.Buy 1-user PDF @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Electronic Cigarette: Market 2018 Detailed Global Analysis by Emerging Technology with Top Key Players Japan Tobacco, British American Tobacco, International Vapor, Altria, Imperial Brands, Nicotek Electronic Cigarette - Global Info Reports https://www.globalinforeports.com/request-sample/1070475 https://www.globalinforeports.com/check-discount/1070475 https://www.globalinforeports.com/checkout/1070475 Global Electronic Cigarette Market which estimates that the global market size of Electronic Cigarette is said to flourish with a considerable Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in the predicted forecast period, and this is accredited to the escalating need for this product/service worldwide backed by new inventions and technological advancements in the market.The market report based on our unique research methodology delivers thorough analytical scrutiny of the global Electronic Cigarette Market dispersed across several segments. The report also consists of current size and summary of the market of this industry coupled with outlook prospects. Moreover, key market manufacturers of Electronic Cigarette are studied on many aspects such as company overview, product portfolio, revenue details during the forecasted year. Also, the complete potential of the market is briefed in the full report.GET Access PDF SAMPLE COPY of This Report NOW @Electronic Cigarette Market Players: Japan Tobacco British American Tobacco International Vapor Group Altria Group Imperial Brands Vmr Flavours Llc Reynolds American Inc. Philip Morris International Inc. Njoy Inc Nicotek Llc By Product Type Rechargeable Modular DisposableBy Application Tobacco Botanical Sweet Beverage Fruit Other ApplicationBy Distribution Channel Tobacconist Supermarkets Online Specialist E-cig Shops OtherMajor regions are as follows: North America Europe Asia-Pacific South America Middle East and AfricaGET Exclusive DISCOUNT @This market report orbits the Electronic Cigarette Market, predominantly in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East and Africa. This report fragments the market based on many regions, market manufacturers and the segments in which the market is split into.Also, key Electronic Cigarette market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.Reason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Electronic Cigarette market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.Access Full Report @The report is worth a buy because:This report on Electronic Cigarette Market assists in analyzing the condition and situation of the market in primary regions of the world. Apart from rendering an overview of product manufacturing processes, the research report also renders impeded strategy of the industry, latest technological developments, cost structures, product specifications, etc. Future predictions based on the development of this industry are also covered. The report also reviews micro and macro factors vital for the new entrants along with the current market players.About Us:Global Info Reports is a pioneer in off-the-rack market research. We study markets across the globe to assist our clients to analyze competitive activity and perceive further than market disruptions, and eventually grow intellectual business strategies. We offer vast portfolio of research reports with respect to geographical coverage, topics, and profiled companies. Global Info Reports has an experienced and skilled team which is dedicated to top-notch analysis and research. Our research team comprehends the demands of its clients and therefore keeps updating the reports as the market requirement changes. Our in-house professionals are highly motivated towards their work and meet the clients demands and deadlines irrespective of any time zone, thereby impeccably delivering projects.Contact Us:Call: +1-888-248-7621Email: sales@globalinforeports.com539 West Commerce, Suite #499, Dallas TX 75208, United States How much Pentanol worth in Market in future? Find more. Pentanol https://www.marketreportsworld.com/enquiry/request-sample/10766983 https://www.marketreportsworld.com/10766983 https://www.marketreportsworld.com/purchase/10766983 Pentanol Market report 2018-2023 focuses on the major Applications and restraints for the Manufacturers.Pentanol market research report also provides granular analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market. The Pentanol market research report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of Pentanol Industry.The global Pentanol market will reach xxx Million USD in 2017 and CAGR xx% 2011-2017. The report begins from overview of Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Pentanol by product, region and application, in addition, this report introduces market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.Major Manufacturers on Pentanol In the Market :BASF AG, LANXESS, Huntsman Corporation, Dow Chemical Company, Eastman Chemical Company, Chevron Oronite Company LLC, The Lubrizol Corporation, Afton Chemical Corporation, Fuel Performance Solutions Inc, Evonik Industries AGGet Sample PDF Of Pentanol Market Report @Major point are covered in this reportRegional ForecastMarketing & PricePrice and MarginPrice TrendsFactors of Price ChangeManufacturers Gross Margin AnalysisValue ChainMarketing ChannelResearch ConclusionSome Important Information About PentanolPentanol is a generic term for any compound that has five carbons, all single bonds, associated an alcohol. There are many completely different structures that pentanol will take, however they're all connected due to the formula of C5H11OH. the connection that exists is named isomers. Isomers are compounds that have the identical formula however completely different structures. this may be within the style of constitutional isomers, wherever the bonds are literally rearranged, or they'll be stereoisomers, wherever bonds on associate atom are spatially completely different.The different constitutional isomers of pentanol are:1-pentanol2-pentanol3-pentanol2-methylbutan-1-ol3-methylbutan-1-ol2-methylbutan-2-ol2-methylbutan-3-ol2,2-dimethylpropanolComputed PropertiesMolecular Weight: 88.15 g/molHydrogen Bond Donor Count :1Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count: 1Rotatable Bond Count : 3Complexity: 19.9Physical DescriptionPENTANOL is a colorless liquid with a light to moderately robust odor. Less dense than water. Flash point 91F. Boiling point 280F. Vapors heavier than air. Moderately harmful by activity. Vapors might irritate skin and eyes. Used as a solvent and to form alternative chemicals.COLOURLESS LIQUID WITH CHARACTERISTIC ODOUR.Properties of PentanolColor :Colorless LiquidOdor : Characteristic Fusel-Like Odor, Mild OdorTaste : Burning TasteBoiling Point :280 f at 760 mm hg (ntp, 1992),138cMelting Point:110 f, -79 deg cSolubility: 10 to 50 mg/ml at 63 f , miscible with alcohol, ether, sol in AcetoneDensity:0.8146 @ 20 deg c/4 deg cBrowse Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts and Companies Mentioned in Pentanol Market Research Report@Product Type Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Major Company of Product Type etc.):Normal Amyl Alcohol: An alcohol is any of eight alcohols with the formula C5H12O. a mix of amyl alcohols (also known as amyl alcohol) are often obtained from fusel alcohol. ... The name alcohol while not any specification applies to the conventional (straight-chain) kind, 1-pentanol.Active Amyl Alcohol :or tertiary alcohol. tertiary. 2-Methylbutan-2-ol. 102. 3 of those alcohols, active alcohol (2-methylbutan-1-ol), methyl group (n) propyl carbinol (pentan-2-ol), and methyl radical isopropyl carbinol (3-methylbutan-2-ol), contain AN uneven atom and are so optically active.3-Pentanol :Of the eight compounds in question 3, the primary alcohols are: 1-pentanol; 3-methyl-1- butanol; 2-methyl-l-butanol; and 2,2-dimethyl-l-propanol. The secondary alcohols are: 2- pentanol; 3-pentanol; and 3-methyl-2-butanol. The tertiary alcohol is 2-methyl-2-butanol.There are other types are mention in the reportApplication Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Different Demand Market by Region, Main Consumer Profile etc.):Normal Amyl AlcoholActive Amyl Alcohol3-PentanolOthersWhat are the regions covered in this report?Region Coverage (Regional Output, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.)North AmericaOverviewby Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico)EuropeOverviewby Country (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc.)Asia-PacificOverviewby Country (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia etc.)South AmericaOverviewby Country (Brazil, Argentina etc.)Middle East & AfricaOverviewby Country (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc.)Also Pentanol Market report provide some information according to region like Regional Demand Comparison, Demand Forecast, Region Operation, Regional Output, Regional MarketPentanol Market From an insight perspective, the market report focuses on various levels of analyses industry analysis, market rank analysis, and company profiles, which together comprise and discuss basic views on the competitive landscape, high-growth regions, and countries as well as their respective regulatory policies, Types ,Applications and opportunities in the market.What we provie in this report other than above information:Pentanol Market Historic Data (2013-2017):Industry Trends:Global Revenue, Status and Outlook.Competitive Landscape:By Manufacturers, Development Trends.Product Revenue for Top Players:Market Share, Growth Rate, Current Market Situation Analysis.Market Segment:By Types, By Applications, By Regions/ Geography.Sales Revenue:Market Share, Growth Rate, Current Market Analysis.Pentanol Market Influencing Factors:Market Environment:Government Policies, Technological Changes, Market Risks.Market Drivers:Growing Demand, Reduction in Cost, Market Opportunities and Challenges.Pentanol Market Forecast (2018-2025):Market Size Forecast:Global Overall Size, By Type/Product Category, By Applications/End Users, By Regions/Geography.Key Data (Revenue):Market Size, Market Share, Growth Rate, Growth, Product Sales PricePurchase Pentanol Market Report at $ 2980 (SUL) @List of Figures, Tables and Charts Available in Global Pentanol Market Analysis 2011-2017 and Forecast 2018-2023Table Upstream Segment of PentanolTable Application Segment of PentanolTable Global Pentanol Market 2012-2023, by Application, in USD MillionTable Major Company ListTable Global Pentanol Market 2012-2017, by Type, in USD MillionTable Global Pentanol Market 2012-2017, by Type, in VolumeTable Global Pentanol Market Forecast 2017-2023, by Type, in USD MillionTable Global Pentanol Market Forecast 2017-2023, by Type, in VolumeTable Global Pentanol Sales Revenue 2012-2017, by Company, in USD MillionTable Global Pentanol Sales Revenue Share, by Company, in USD MillionTable Global Pentanol Sales Volume 2012-2017, by Company, in VolumeTable Global Pentanol Sales Volume Share 2012-2017, by Company, in VolumeTable Major Consumers Profile in OthersTable Regional Demand Comparison ListTable Major Application in Different RegionsTable Price Factors ListTable Notes of Part SourceTable Methodology IntroductionFigure Pentanol Industry Chain StructureFigure Marketing Channels OverviewAbout Us:marketreportsworld is the fastest growing repository of market research reports. A database comprised of premium research reports based on exemplary methodologies of gaining business intelligence. 360 Market Updates helps you stand out of the crowd by the virtue of its impeccable and intricate repository of market intelligence. A thorough analysis of market segments and consumer behaviour facilitates one in identifying the key market dynamics that can supplement business growth.Market Reports World3rd Floor, Silver Spring, Sahyadri farms,Opp Prabhavee Tech Park,Baner - Mhalunge Road, Baner, Pune 411045. Baby Food and Infant Formula Market 2018-2025 Overview by Top Players: Mead Johnson, Nestle, Danone, Abbott, Heinz, Friesl and Campina, Bellamy, Topfer, HiPP, Perrigo Baby Food and Infant Formula Market https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/235 https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/contacts/enquiry-before-buying/235 https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/industry-reports/baby-food-and-infant-formula-market Over 80% of the population lives in the developing world and while global birth rates have steadily decreased across all regions and economic levels over the past 55 years, they remain highest in developing countries, according to the World Bank. In addition rapid urbanization, women's involvement in human labor and the growth of middle class has let the increase of adoption of convenience oriented lifestyle making the baby food and infant formula more desirable and making way for the growth of the market.Get Sample Copy of this Report@In 2017, the global Baby Food and Infant Formula market size was valued at USD xx million and is estimated to project a value of USD xx million with a CAGR of x.x% during the forecast period.Infant formula is manufactured food designed and marketed for feeding babies and infants under 12 months of age. It is usually prepared for bottle or cup feeding. The composition of this formula is based on human mothers milk approximately one to three months postpartum. The most commonly used infant formulas contain purified cow's milk whey and casein as a protein source, a blend of vegetable oils as a fat source, lactose as a carbohydrate source, a vitamin-mineral mix, and other ingredients depending on the manufacturer.The baby food is any soft, easily consumable and digestible food other than breast milk or instant formula that is specifically made for babies from 4 months to 2 years. The food comes in various flavors and diverse ingredients that can be bought ready made from the manufacturers.Enquiry before buying@In recent years, with the rapid development of internet, online shopping platforms have become popular. More and more moms prefer to buy baby food and infant formula through platforms that impact the traditional marketing channels largely.The global baby food and infant formula market is segmented into several bulletins including types, applications and regional outlook. On the basis of type, the market is divided into standard cows milk based formulas, soy based formulas, hypoallergenic formulas, and lactose free formulas. Furthermore, based on the application the market is driven by 0-6 months, 6-12 month >12 months. Whereas, the regional outlook displaying the market widely ranges to North America, Asia-Paific, Europe, Central and South America, Middle East and Africa. Leading players of the global baby food and infant formula include Mead Johnson, Nestle, Danone, Abbott, Heinz, Friesl and Campina, Bellamy, Topfer, HiPP, Perrigo, Arla, Holle, Fonterra, Westl and Dairy, Pinnacle, Meiji, Yili, Biostime, Yashili, Feihe, Brightdairy, Beingmate, Wonderson, Synutra, Wissun, Hain Celestial, Plum Organics, DGC, Ausnutria Dairy Corporation (Hyproca), and more others.The change in lifestyle and variants in the baby food giving more versatility are the drivers of the market. The baby food market is under strict regulations. Once any company comes under any regulation check, the sales are terribly impacted.Today, maintaining babies health is a major concern along with their eating habits. With the changing lifestyle and more attention on babies, the baby food and infant formula market share is estimated to continue to expand.Key Segmentation of the global baby food and infant formula 2018-2025The Market is segmented as:By Type Standard cow's milk based formulas Soy based formulas Hypoallergenic formulas Lactose free formulasBy application 0-6 months 6-12 months >12 monthsBy Region North America Asia-pacific Europe Central and south America Middle east and AfricaWhat to expect from the upcoming report on Global Baby Food and Infant Formula Market:- Future prospects and current trends of the global baby food and infant formula market by the end of forecast period (2018-2025)- Information regarding technological progressions as well as innovations taking place in developing economies- Supportive initiatives by government likely to influence the market dynamics- Trends, drivers, opportunities, restraints, challenges and key developments in the market- In-depth analysis of different market segmentations including regional segmentations, and product types- Deep analysis about the competitive landscape of the market and the initiatives by them to improve this marketTo get this Report @Who should buy this report?Venture capitalists, Investors, financial institutions, Analysts, Government organizations, regulatory authorities, policymakers ,researchers, strategy managers, and academic institutions looking for insights into the market to determine future strategies.About Adroit Market Research:Adroit Market Research is an India-based business analytics and consulting company incorporated in 2018. Our target audience is a wide range of corporations, manufacturing companies, product/technology development institutions and industry associations that require understanding of a markets size, key trends, participants and future outlook of an industry. We intend to become our clients knowledge partner and provide them with valuable market insights to help create opportunities that increase their revenues. We follow a code Explore, Learn and Transform. At our core, we are curious people who love to identify and understand industry patterns, create an insightful study around our findings and churn out money-making roadmaps.Ryan JohnsonAccount Manager Global3131 McKinney Ave Ste 600, Dallas,TX75204, U.S.A.Enquire: enquiry@adroitmarketresearch.comEmail Id: sales@adroitmarketresearch.comPhone No.: USA: +1 (214) 884-6068 / +91 9665341414 Honduras Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Segmentation, Trends, Opportunities and Industry Key Players Hondutel; Comunitel; MultiData | 2018-2023 Honduras Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband 2018-2023 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3408889-honduras-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3408889-honduras-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses WiseGuyReports.com Honduras - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Hondurass mobile subscribers base weakens into 2018 Honduras is among the poorest countries in Central America and has long been plagued by an unstable political framework which has rendered telecom sector reform difficult. This has created real difficulties for telcos as well as consumers. Fixed-line teledensity, at only 5.2%, is significantly lower than the Latin American and Caribbean average. Poor fixed-line infrastructure has been exacerbated by low investment and topographical difficulties which have made investment in rural areas unattractive or uneconomical.Consequently, the internet has been slow to develop:DSL and cable modem technologies are available but are relatively expensive and thus take-up has been low thus far, while higher speed services are largely restricted to the major urban centres. Nevertheless, the demand for broadband is steadily increasing and there are been some investment in network upgrades to fibre-based infrastructure. Poor fixed-line connectivity has also inhibited the take-up of video streaming services.Request a Sample Report @On the positive side, these factors have encouraged consumer take-up of mobile services, a sector where there is lively competition supported by international investment. Even so, mobile penetration is substantially below the regional average. Revenue growth from the mobile sector looks promising in coming years as operators invest in their networks, expand their reach and upgrade their capabilities to accommodate mobile broadband services. Mobile data as a proportion of overall mobile revenue has increased steadily, though low-end SMS services will continue to account for the bulk of data revenue for some years.Political developments during the last few years have not facilitated the much-needed reform of legislation governing the telecoms sector. Partly this is due to political stalemate and ineffective legislators, but underlying the difficulties are the close ties between executives at the incumbent Hondutel and key members of the government.Key developments:Regulator preps for multi-spectrum auction aimed at attracting a fourth mobile player;Claro and Tigo extend LTE services;Universal Access program providing free internet services to public schools;Tigo Money mobile cash transfer service signs up more than one million users;Tigo launches satellite service;Spectrum auction encourages mobile broadband services take-up;Tigo rebrands broadband and pay-TV business as Tigo Star;Report update includes the regulators market data to March 2018, telcos operational data updates to Q2 2018, recent market developments.Companies mentioned in this report:Hondutel, Comunitel, MultiData, Millicom (Tigo), Digicel, America Movil (Claro).For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Executive summary2. Key statistics3. Country overview4. Telecommunications market4.1 Historical overview5. Regulatory environment5.1 Regulatory authority5.2 Privatisation5.3 DR-CAFTA6. Fixed network operators6.1 Hondutel6.2 Tele+ (Comunitel)6.3 MultiData7. Telecommunications infrastructure7.1 Overview of the national telecom network7.2 International infrastructure7.3 Infrastructure developmentsContinuous...Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Contact us:Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK) Malaysia Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Segmentation, Trends, Opportunities and Industry Key Players Celcom; DiGi.com; Time dotcom; Axiata | 2018-2021 Malaysia Telecoms Industry Analysis https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/727331-malaysia-telecoms-mobile-broadband-and-digital-media-statistics-and-analyses https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/727331-malaysia-telecoms-mobile-broadband-and-digital-media-statistics-and-analyses WiseGuyReports.com Malaysia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Malaysias Broadband Segment Dominated by Mobile Broadband. With its widespread application of modern technologies such as fibre optics, wireless transmission, digitalization and satellite services, Malaysia has built one of the more advanced telecom networks in the developing world. Of course, the country has a national objective to see Malaysia ranked as a developed country by the year 2020. This Vision 2020 was a concept introduced by the former Prime Minister Mr Mahathir in 1991 when he launched the Sixth Malaysia Plan.The penetration of fixed lines in Malaysia continues to fall as the mobile segment continues to expand and dominate the market, especially the mobile broadband segment. Market penetration has dropped from 15.7% in 2012 to 14.0% in 2016.The countrys telecom sector, whilst still expanding and developing, has undergone a period of consolidation with its telecom companies operating in an ever increasingly competitive and changing market. Substantial government participation in ICT development has also been a particular characteristic of the Malaysian market. It has strongly backed the roll-out of a national broadbandIn a similar strategy, Maxis took steps towards securing its position in the mobile market when it moved to acquire one of its rivals, TimeCel. With this acquisition, Maxis was well positioned to maintain its leading role in the mobile industry, even allowing for the impact of the Telekom/Celcom merger.Thus, in a short period of time, Malaysias fast-consolidating mobile industry had seen the number of operators reduced from five to three, thanks to a combination of government prodding and the desire of the operators to remain competitive.Request a Sample Report @Since 2014 there has been a contraction in mobile subscriber penetration in Malaysia, due to a saturated market and challenging market conditions. After peaking in 2014 at 149%, market penetration has dropped to 146% in 2015 and 138% in 2016.In particular the two largest mobile providers Celcom Axiata and Maxis Communications have seen a significant reduction in their mobile subscriber base. A slight rise in mobile penetration is predicted for the next five years to 2021. Mobile subscriber market penetration is predicted to rise to between 140% and 144% by 2018 and between 145% and 149% in 2021.The broadband market in Malaysia is booming. With the mobile market reaching a saturation and growth easing, broadband, and mobile broadband in particular, is seen as a growth driver in the local telecom industry. Of similarly great importance has been the roll-out and uptake of fibre-based services on Telekom Malaysia (TM)s High Speed Broadband (HSBB) network. Malaysia has become a regional leader in this key segment of the market.The Malaysia broadband market is currently dominated by mobile broadband driven by strong growth in the mobile sector. There has been very strong growth in the mobile broadband subscriber base in Malaysia since 2012. Penetration has increased from 12% in 2012 to 58% in 2013, 74% in 2015 and 95% in 2016. Growth has been driven by a strong and mature mobile subscriber market and high data caps.Malaysia has however only seen moderate growth of fixed broadband from a relatively small base. Market penetration has increased from 10% in 2014 to 10.4% in 2015 and 10.8% in 2016. Market growth in the fixed broadband segment will continue to be moderate over the next five years to 2021.The government in Malaysia has a strong commitment to developing a technological society. As part of this strategy, it has encouraged a large number of high tech companies from around the world to set up a presence in Malaysia, especially through its MSC project. Malaysia is continuing to promote itself as an Information Technology hub in the Asia region.Key developments:Strong subscriber growth was continuing on the HSBB service (Malaysias NBN).The Malaysian government released a National Internet of Things (IoT) Strategic Roadmap.Telekom Malaysia secured a 20-year contract to help construct, deploy and manage a new submarine cable system.Telekom Malaysia arranged to establish a new Point of Presence (PoP) in Laos in collaboration with the Lao National Internet Centre (LANIC).Telekom Malaysia signed of two public private partnership (PPP) agreements with the Government of Malaysia.The ten year HSBB 2 project encompasses the deployment of additional access and core capacity covering state capitals and selected major towns throughout the country.Telekom Malaysia agreed to provide fibre backhaul to support U Mobiles LTE rollout.Celcom Axiata, Telekom Malaysia and Packet One Networks (P1) announced three core deals being related to TM Next-Gen Backhaul (NGBH), High Speed Broadband (HSBB) (Access) and domestic roaming services.DiGi had introduced LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) technology to 29% of the nations population.Companies mentioned in this report:Telekom Malaysia; Maxis Communications; Celcom; DiGi.com; Time dotcom; Axiata; Alcatel-Lucent; U Mobile; Packet One Networks; YTL Communications; MyRepublic.For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Key statistics1.1 Country overview1.1.1 Background1.1.2 Economy2. Telecommunications market2.1 Market Overview and Analysis2.2 Historical overview3. Regulatory environment3.1 Regulatory authority3.2 Government policies eg Telecom sector liberalisation3.3 Privatisation and liberalization4. Fixed network operators4.1 Telekom Malaysia5. Telecommunications infrastructure5.1 Overview of the national telecom network5.2 New developments5.3 International infrastructure6. Broadband market6.1 Introduction and statistical overview6.2 Fixed Broadband Service Providers6.3 Fixed Broadband Technologies7. Digital media7.1 Introduction7.2 Digital TV7.3 VideostreamingContinuous...Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Contact us:Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK) Asset Management Software Global Market 2018: Key Players IBM, Atlassian, Infor, SolarWinds MSP, VictorOps https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3357748-global-asset-management-software-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3357748-global-asset-management-software-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=3357748 https://www.wiseguyreports.com Asset Management Software IndustryDescriptionWiseguyreports.Com Adds Asset Management Software -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities and Analysis Of Top Key Player Forecast To 2025 To Its Research DatabaseThis report focuses on the global Asset Management Software status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Asset Management Software development in United States, Europe and China.In 2017, the global Asset Management Software market size was million US$ and it is expected to reach million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of during 2018-2025.The key players covered in this studyIBMAtlassianInforSolarWinds MSPVictorOpsManageEngineBOSS SolutionsBMC SoftwareFreshworksBlack DuckPagerDutyRosmiman SoftwareOracleJolly TechnologiesAMPRO SoftwareLansweeperAsset VUETMSIASAP SystemsHardcatOpen iTBelarcTecnotecaAltima TechnologiesRequest for Sample Report @Market segment by Type, the product can be split intoOn-PremiseOn-demand/Cloud-basedMarket segment by Application, split intoPersonal UseEnterprisesMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South AmericaThe study objectives of this report are:To analyze global Asset Management Software status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players.To present the Asset Management Software development in United States, Europe and China.To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their development plan and strategies.To define, describe and forecast the market by product type, market and key regions.Leave a Query @Table of Contents1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Asset Management Software Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2013-2025)1.4.2 On-Premise1.4.3 On-demand/Cloud-based1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Asset Management Software Market Share by Application (2013-2025)1.5.2 Personal Use1.5.3 Enterprises1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Asset Management Software Market Size2.2 Asset Management Software Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Asset Management Software Market Size by Regions (2013-2025)2.2.2 Asset Management Software Market Share by Regions (2013-2018)2.3 Industry Trends2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Opportunities....12 International Players Profiles12.1 IBM12.1.1 IBM Company Details12.1.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.1.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.1.4 IBM Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.1.5 IBM Recent Development12.2 Atlassian12.2.1 Atlassian Company Details12.2.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.2.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.2.4 Atlassian Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.2.5 Atlassian Recent Development12.3 Infor12.3.1 Infor Company Details12.3.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.3.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.3.4 Infor Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.3.5 Infor Recent Development12.4 SolarWinds MSP12.4.1 SolarWinds MSP Company Details12.4.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.4.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.4.4 SolarWinds MSP Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.4.5 SolarWinds MSP Recent Development12.5 VictorOps12.5.1 VictorOps Company Details12.5.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.5.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.5.4 VictorOps Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.5.5 VictorOps Recent Development12.6 ManageEngine12.6.1 ManageEngine Company Details12.6.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.6.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.6.4 ManageEngine Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.6.5 ManageEngine Recent Development12.7 BOSS Solutions12.7.1 BOSS Solutions Company Details12.7.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.7.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.7.4 BOSS Solutions Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.7.5 BOSS Solutions Recent Development12.8 BMC Software12.8.1 BMC Software Company Details12.8.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.8.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.8.4 BMC Software Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.8.5 BMC Software Recent Development12.9 Freshworks12.9.1 Freshworks Company Details12.9.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.9.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.9.4 Freshworks Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.9.5 Freshworks Recent Development12.10 Black Duck12.10.1 Black Duck Company Details12.10.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.10.3 Asset Management Software Introduction12.10.4 Black Duck Revenue in Asset Management Software Business (2013-2018)12.10.5 Black Duck Recent Development12.11 PagerDuty12.12 Rosmiman Software12.13 Oracle12.14 Jolly Technologies12.15 AMPRO Software12.16 Lansweeper12.17 Asset VUE12.18 TMSI12.19 ASAP Systems12.20 Hardcat12.21 Open iT12.22 Belarc12.23 Tecnoteca12.24 Altima TechnologiesBuy Now @Continued...Contact Us: Sales@Wiseguyreports.Com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (Us) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (Uk)About Us: Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd Pune 411028 Maharashtra, Global Ph: +91 841 198 5042 Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Market by Top Manufacturers Checkpoint Systems Inc., ALL-TAG Security Americas Inc., Tyco Retail Solutions, Ketec Inc., Sentry Technology Corp. Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Market https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2821489?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=Anil https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/request-for-discount/2821489?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=Anil https://www.bigmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2821489?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=Anil The Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems market revenue was xx.xx Million USD in 2013, grew to xx.xx Million USD in 2017, and will reach xx.xx Million USD in 2023, with a CAGR of x.x% during 2018-2023. Based on the Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems industrial chain, this report mainly elaborate the definition, types, applications and major players of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems market in details. Deep analysis about market status (2013-2018), enterprise competition pattern, advantages and disadvantages of enterprise Products, industry development trends (2018-2023), regional industrial layout characteristics and macroeconomic policies, industrial policy has also be included. From raw materials to downstream buyers of this industry will be analyzed scientifically, the feature of product circulation and sales channel will be presented as well. In a word, this report will help you to establish a panorama of industrial development and characteristics of the Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems market.Get Sample Copy of this Report @The Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems market can be split based on product types, major applications, and important regions.Major Players in Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems market are: Checkpoint Systems Inc., ALL-TAG Security Americas Inc., Tyco Retail Solutions, Ketec Inc., Sentry Technology Corp.Major Regions play vital role in Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems market are: North America Europe China Japan Middle East & Africa India South America OthersThere are 13 Chapters to thoroughly display the Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems market. This report included the analysis of market overview, market characteristics, industry chain, competition landscape, historical and future data by types, applications and regions.Chapter 1: Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Market Overview, Product Overview, Market Segmentation, Market Overview of Regions, Market Dynamics, Limitations, Opportunities and Industry News and Policies.Chapter 2: Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Industry Chain Analysis, Upstream Raw Material Suppliers, Major Players, Production Process Analysis, Cost Analysis, Market Channels and Major Downstream Buyers.Chapter 3: Value Analysis, Production, Growth Rate and Price Analysis by Type of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems.Chapter 4: Downstream Characteristics, Consumption and Market Share by Application of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems.Chapter 5: Production Volume, Price, Gross Margin, and Revenue ($) of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems by Regions (2013-2018).Chapter 6: Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production, Consumption, Export and Import by Regions (2013-2018).Chapter 7: Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Market Status and SWOT Analysis by Regions.Chapter 8: Competitive Landscape, Product Introduction, Company Profiles, Market Distribution Status by Players of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems.Chapter 9: Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Market Analysis and Forecast by Type and Application (2018-2023).Chapter 10: Market Analysis and Forecast by Regions (2018-2023).Chapter 11: Industry Characteristics, Key Factors, New Entrants SWOT Analysis, Investment Feasibility Analysis.Chapter 12: Market Conclusion of the Whole Report.Chapter 13: Appendix Such as Methodology and Data Resources of This Research.Get a discount on this research report @Table of Content:Global Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Industry Market Research Report1 Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Introduction and Market Overview1.1 Objectives of the Study1.2 Definition of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems1.3 Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Market Scope and Market Size Estimation1.3.1 Market Concentration Ratio and Market Maturity Analysis1.3.2 Global Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Value ($) and Growth Rate from 2013-20231.4 Market Segmentation1.4.1 Types of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems1.4.2 Applications of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems1.4.3 Research Regions1.4.3.1 North America Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production Value ($) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)1.4.3.2 Europe Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production Value ($) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)1.4.3.3 China Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production Value ($) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)1.4.3.4 Japan Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production Value ($) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)1.4.3.5 Middle East & Africa Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production Value ($) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)1.4.3.6 India Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production Value ($) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)1.4.3.7 South America Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Production Value ($) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Drivers1.5.1.1 Emerging Countries of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems1.5.1.2 Growing Market of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems1.5.2 Limitations1.5.3 Opportunities1.6 Industry News and Policies by Regions1.6.1 Industry News1.6.2 Industry Policies2 Industry Chain Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Material Suppliers of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Analysis2.2 Major Players of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems2.2.1 Major Players Manufacturing Base and Market Share of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems in 20172.2.2 Major Players Product Types in 20172.3 Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.3.1 Production Process Analysis2.3.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems2.3.3 Raw Material Cost of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems2.3.4 Labor Cost of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems2.4 Market Channel Analysis of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems2.5 Major Downstream Buyers of Electronic Article Surveillance (Eas) Systems AnalysisInquiry before Buy @About Us:Industry executives tend to keep a tab on their business competitors. This keeps them updated on strategic business activities and investment trends. Company profiles are crucial to participating players of interconnected verticals.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, #205, Portland,OR 97220 United StatesCall answer Direct: +1-971-202-1575Call answer Toll Free: +1-800-910-6452Email help@bigmarketresearch.com Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Market healthy pace throughout 2027 just published https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5236 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-5236 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5236 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Pharmaceutical packaging involves enclosing and protecting products for storage, distribution, and end use. Pharmaceutical products require high protection from spillage, breakage, and leakage. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging is a dose of medicine prepared in an individual package for monitoring and administration. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging is the technique of preparing medications in which individual dose of pharmaceutical content is packed and delivered in discrete labeled packets to the respective consumer. The major purpose behind pharmaceutical unit dose packaging is to minimize the administration error. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging was specifically developed to efficiently and safely dispense the patient specific medications. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging is widely used in dispense of oral doses.Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Dynamics:Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market is likely to gain traction in the upcoming years owing to development in pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging help customer to improve efficiency, avoid dosing errors, and promote patient safety. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging system is an individualized preparation of drugs manually in the pharmacy or with automated dispensing machines. The demand for pharmaceutical unit dose packaging is growing with the growing number of hospitals. To improve efficiency, hospital pharmacists urge the pharmaceutical industry to supply drugs in unit dose packaging. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging provides protection against environmental impacts such as moisture, light, pressure, and contamination during storage, transportation, and handling.Request to Sample of Report @Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging encloses the particular dose of the drug for a specific patient according to the given prescription. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging is well designed, environmentally efficient, and cost effective way of packaging which fulfills the packaging needs of the consumer. In pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market pharmaceutical pouches and strip packs comes as a cost alternative to blister packs. Pouches will gain satisfactory sales from increasing use in the pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market. Manufacturers and researchers are making innovations in various new treatments which helps in replacing the traditional dosage forms such as pharmaceutical bottles by pharmaceutical unit dose packaging. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging offer enhanced portability, product reliability, ease of use, and dosage precision. Pharmaceutical unit dose packaging can be done using various packaging technologies such as blister packs, sterile single use blow fill seal packaging, powder stick packs, and liquid stick packs. The severe regulations in pharmaceutical industry related to product safety helps in the growth of pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market.Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Regional Outlook:On the basis of geography pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market region is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Japan. Among these region, North America is expected to grow in pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market due to high demand in unit dose packaging. Europe is expected to witness an above average growth rates in the pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market due to rising demand in pharmaceutical industry. The global pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market is expected to grow at rapid speed during the forecast period.Request Report for Table of Contents @Pharmaceutical Unit Dose Packaging Major Players:Some of the prominent players operating in the global pharmaceutical unit dose packaging market include Unit pack Co. Inc., Swisslog (KUKA group member), The Medi-Dose Group, Unither Pharmaceuticals, Omnicell, Inc., Mylan N.V., Medical Packaging Inc., Pharma Packaging Solutions, and Pacific Packaging Components Inc.The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Report Highlights : Detailed overview of parent market,Changing market dynamics in the industry,In-depth market segmentation,Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value,Recent industry trends and developments,Competitive landscape,Strategies of key players and products offered,Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth,A neutral perspective on market performance,Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint.Request to Report Methodology @About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact UsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: Latest Report on Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) Market Growth 2022 | Top Players Analysis Clutch Group, American Discovery, Amstar Litigation Support, Infosys and others Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) Market https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=183050 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=183050 https://www.researchnreports.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=183050 www.researchnreports.com Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) is the area in which in-house legal departments or organizations outsource legal work from areas where it is costly to perform, such as the United States or Europe to areas where it can be performed at a significantly decreased cost, primarily India.The report is a professional effort for a know-how of the growth of Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) market in the forthcoming years. The U.S., Japan, India, European Union, China, and Southeast Asia are the key geographies that are analyzed to understand the growth of the global market for Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) until the end of 2022.The report on the global Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) market is a meticulous piece of work and is assembled by leading both primary as well as secondary research. The data included in the report has been taken by consulting high-quality references, case studies, press releases, and by taking inputs from top industry leaders. The top segments in the market have been highlighted clearly in this report for the readers to understand in a precised manner.Get Sample Copy of this Report:Major Players include in this Report:Clutch Group, American Discovery, Amstar Litigation Support, Cobra Legal Solutions, Infosys, Integreon, QuisLex, Cogneesol, CPA Global, Unitedlex, Evalueserve, Elevate Services, Thomson ReutersThe report has presented a comprehensive analysis of the driving factors, interview prices, and sales of the market in terms of type. A similar set of analysis has been offered on the part of applications, except the sales factor is replaced by consumption.The research report entitled on the Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) market offers useful understandings into the trends and factors that impel this market. The initial part of this market studies comprehensively and discusses the prominent features of the market in terms of its structure, landscape, demand factors, challenges and very significantly, the estimated market performance.Avail Discount on this Report:Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers United States EU Japan China India Southeast AsiaThe report provides information on the technological advancements that are bound to take place in the coming years or are currently taking place in the market. Furthermore, the opportunities and threats faced by the main players dominant in the global Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) market have been highlighted.The key opportunity areas in the market and the top trends impacting the development of the market have also been presented through this report. The current growth and development patterns of this market have also been encapsulated in this study. The competitive background section of the report covers the key vendors and throws light on the strategies being adopted by them for better penetration into the market.Get More Information on this Report:Table of Content:Chapter 1 Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) Market IndustryChapter 3 Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturers AnalysisChapter 9 Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) Market Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 10 Market ForecastResearch N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently, we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr,Houston, TX, Pin 77064,+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com, New Growth Report of Beauty Products & Cosmetics Market with Top key players like Unilever PLC, The Body Shop International PLC, LOreal S.A., Avon Products Inc. https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=53134 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=53134 https://www.researchnreports.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=53134 www.researchnreports.com The report presents a thorough analytical overview of the past and present state of the market and, with the help of present data, trends, competition, and regulatory framework gives a forward-looking perspective of the way the market will develop over the course of the next few years.Beauty Products & Cosmetics are mixtures of chemical generally used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Sun care, skin care, hair care, deodorants, makeup and color cosmetics, and fragrances are some of the cosmetics products that are predominantly available and used by individuals. Retail stores including supermarkets, exclusive brand outlets, and specialty stores amongst others are the major distribution channels, with online channels gaining popularity among consumers.To avail Sample Report, Click Here-The Top players including Unilever PLC, The Body Shop International PLC, LOreal S.A., Avon Products Inc., Kao Corporation, and Johnson & Johnson.The global Beauty Products & Cosmetics market is gaining pace and industry have started understanding the benefits of analytics in the present day highly dynamic environment. The market has witnessed several important developments over the past few years, with mounting volumes of data and the shift from traditional analysis platforms to self-service analytics being some of the most prominent ones.Vendors, stakeholders, consumers, dealers etc. in the global Beauty Products & Cosmetics market are increasingly introducing a solution that allows this market to work with data collected from a number of diverse sources. The confidence, reliability of data-driven decisions undertaken by solutions in real-time, self-service analytics solutions which will gain more prominence in the global market in the next coming years has been mentioned in this study.The report will help recognize the necessities of clients, discover problem areas and opportunity to get better, and help in the elementary leadership procedure of any organization. It can guarantee the achievement of your promoting effort, enables to monitor the customers opposition empowering them to be one stage ahead and limit losses.To avail Discount Report Copy, Click Here-The market based on regional classification is studied for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa markets. Surrounded by these, the North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific market is studied for top country-level markets.Reasons for Buying this Report This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics It provides a forward-looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth It provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsTOC-Global Beauty Products & Cosmetics market.Chapter 1 Global Beauty Products & Cosmetics Market Overview.Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, ExportChapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Market Forecast..CONTINUED FOR TOCFor More Information-About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently, we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact:Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr,Houston, TX, Pin 77064,+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com, Global Beverage Refrigeration Market 2018-2025 Revenue & Regional Trend By Manufacturers Whirlpool Corporation, GE, Haier, Electrolux, Dover Corporation. Global Beverage Refrigeration Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2111 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2111 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/beverage-refrigeration-market https://www.gminsights.com/ Beverage Refrigeration Market to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2024. Escalating demand for refrigerators to store and serve drinks for social gathering and private events, is a key factor driving beverage refrigeration market growth. Ongoing technological advances to reduce the overall cooling time and consumer demand for distinctive features such as bottom freezer drawer and powerful filtered water will boost beverage refrigeration market.Manufacturers are anticipated to invest in new product development to comply with new energy standards implemented by the regulatory bodies. Further, increasing penetration of refrigerators that employ specific features such as modifiable shelves to accommodate bottles and cans will boost product sales.Request for a sample copy of this report @North America Beverage Refrigeration Market is anticipated to surpass USD 1 billion by 2024. This can be credited to escalating consumption of refreshment drinks and technological improvements in refrigeration systems. In addition, government encouraging utilization of energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies in refrigerators.Increasing consumer preference for packaged drinks which are convenient to consume at home will support the product demand. According to recent statistics, the global consumption of packaged drinks was estimated more than 1.05 trillion liters in 2016 and Chinese consumption amounted to about 178.6 billion liters.Beverage Refrigeration Market, By Producto Under counter beverage refrigerator Gliding door Swing Dooro Countertop beverage refrigerator Gliding door Swing dooro Storage beverage refrigeratoro Milk coolersMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @Under counter beverage refrigerator was valued at over USD 1 billion in 2016. Product offering such as stainless-steel body or custom panel-ready fronts are stimulating the demand. In addition, better shelving and temperature control will support segment penetration over the forecast period.Rising demand to preserve milk in dairy shops will propel coolers demand over the projected timeframe. Diary companies are upgrading their existing capacities, and setting up cold storages along with the processing plant. This will generate the overall revenue over the forecast period.Asia Pacific market holds over 20% of overall industry share in 2016. According to industry estimates, the region is anticipated to account for more than two-thirds of the global beverages consumption by 2020. The region accounts for 60% of the world population and increasing consumption will provide lucrative opportunities for manufacturers.Browse Report Summery @Global Beverage Refrigeration Market is fragmented in nature. Key industry players are Electrolux, Daikin Industries, Avanti, Dover Corporation, KingsBottle, Whirlpool Corporation, Edgestar, Haier, Ford and General Electrics. Other Industry participants are Koolatron, Coca-Cola, Danfoss, Gamko, Liebherr, Marvel, Kegco, Danby, Johnson Controls, U-line, HABCO, Allavino, Kenmore, Marvel, United Technologies Corporation and Illinois Tool Works.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: Global SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market Drivers, Challenges & Guidelines by Top Companies Microsoft Corp., NetSuite Inc., Oracle Corp., SAP AG, Acumatica, Aplicor LLC, Deltek Inc., FinancialForce.com Inc. SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=199910 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=199910 https://www.researchnreports.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=199910 www.researchnreports.com SaaS-based ERP software refers to the deployment of ERP applications as a web-based subscription service. SaaS-based ERP software is operated by a third-party organization as opposed to the installation and maintenance of an On-premise business system. Global ERP offers three deployment model options for enterprises based on their choices and budgets. The three deployment models are On-premise, Hybrid, and Cloud. The report thoroughly analyzes the most crucial details of the Global SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning Market with the help of an in-depth and professional analysis. Described in a ground-up manner, the report presents an all-inclusive overview of the market based on the factors that are expected to have a substantial and measurable impact on the markets developmental prospects over the forecast period.For Sample Copy of this Report@:Some of the Key Players of this Market:Infor, Epicor Software Corp., Microsoft Corp., NetSuite Inc., Oracle Corp., SAP AG, Acumatica, Aplicor LLC, Deltek Inc., FinancialForce.com Inc., Intacct Corp., Plex Systems Inc., QAD Inc., Ramco Systems Ltd, RootStock Software, Sage Software Inc., Workday Inc.The key opportunistic regions in the market and the top trends impacting the development of the global SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Markethave been presented through this report. The recent growth and development patterns of this market have also been encapsulated in this study. The report also covers the key players and throws light on the strategies being adopted by them for better penetration into the market .The global SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market is gaining pace and industry have started understanding the benefits of analytics in the present day highly dynamic environment. The market has witnessed several important developments over the past few years, with mounting volumes of data and the shift from traditional analysis platforms to self-service analytics being some of the most prominent ones.To Avail the Discount on this Report@:A market study based on the SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market 2018. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Church Software industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Church Software market on the basis of this analysis.This SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource planning market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.1. This report provides comprehensive analysis of2. Key market segments and sub-segments3. Evolving market trends and dynamics4. Changing supply and demand scenarios5. Quantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecasting6. Tracking current trends/opportunities/challenges7. Competitive insights8. Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsReasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics1. It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth2. It provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow3. It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future4. It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors5. It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsTo know more about Report Visit @:After studying key companies, the report focuses on the startups contributing towards the growth of the market. Possible mergers and acquisitions among the startups and key organizations are identified by the reports authors in the study. Most companies in the SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market are currently engaged in adopting new technologies, strategies, product developments, expansions, and long-term contracts to maintain their dominance in the global market.Table of ContentsSaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market Research ReportChapter 1 SaaS-Based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersAbout usResearch N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently, we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact:Sunny DenisResearch N Reports10916, Gold Point Dr,Houston, TX, Pin 77064,+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com Human Growth Hormones Deficiency market Focusing On Top Key Players like Ascendis Pharma A/S, Novo Nordisk A/S, Versartis Inc., Opko Health Inc., Pfizer Inc https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1378481/?utm_source=Open&utm_medium=DC https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1378481/?utm_source=Open&utm_medium=DC https://www.marketstudyreport.com/enquiry-before-buying/1378481/?utm_source=Open&utm_medium=DC https://bit.ly/2EsncDB https://www.marketstudyreport.com MarketStudyReport.com offers 2018 report on Global Human Growth Hormones Deficiency market that evaluates industry growth trends through historical data and estimates future prospects based on comprehensive research. The report extensively provides the market share, growth, trends and forecasts for the period 2018-2023.The global human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) Pipeline Drugs Market is projected to display a robust growth during 2018 to 2023, chiefly driven by low efficacy and poor dosing schedules of present drugs and improved safety and efficacy of investigational drugs. The report has covered and analysed the present human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) drugs in the market and has also analysed potential of four major pipeline drugs. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation.Request a sample of this premium report at:The report titled Global Human Growth Hormones Deficiency (GHD) Drugs Market Assessment: Current Market, Pipeline Review, Clinical Trials, Market Potential Forecast to 2023 also analyzes the overall sizing, growth and forecast of Growth Hormone Deficiency Drugs Market for the global market.Over the recent years, the human Growth Hormone Deficiency Drugs market is growing rapidly due to rising prevalence of patients with Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) around the world. Globally, the growth of human Growth Hormone Deficiency Drugs market is driven by increased penetration of drugs by market players coupled with introduction of new drugs with improved patient compliance.Prominent Key Player Operating in this Market include includesAscendis Pharma A/S, Novo Nordisk A/S, Versartis Inc., Opko Health Inc., Pfizer IncScope of the ReportGlobal human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) Pipeline Drugs Assessment TransCon-hGH, Somapacitan, Somavaratan, Somatrogon (Forecast Period: 2020-2023)Market PotentialClinical TrialsProduct DescriptionRegulatory Phases7Ps AnalysisGlobal human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) Pipeline Drugs Market Sizing and GrowthActual Period: 2013-2017Forecast Period: 2018-2023Regional Analysis - Human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) Pipeline Drugs Market Sizing and Growth: North America, Europe, Rest of the WorldActual Period: 2013-2017Forecast Period: 2018-2023Country Analysis - Human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) Pipeline Drugs Market Sizing and Growth: US, UK, France, Spain, Germany, JapanActual Period: 2013-2017Forecast Period: 2018-2023Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:The report presents the market potential of four major pipeline drugs (TransCon-hGH, Somapacitan, Somavaratan, Somatrogonmeant) for the treatment of human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD). These four drugs that fall in the various categories of paediatrics and adults by end user have been recognized as being clinically effective in human Growth Hormone Deficiency treatment. Expected to be launched in the market within the next 4-5 years, these four potential drugs are likely to bring about major changes in the way Growth Hormone Deficiency is treated globally.A comprehensive research report created through extensive primary research (inputs from industry experts, companies, stakeholders) and secondary research, the report aims to present the analysis of Global human Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) Pipeline Drugs Market by assessing the potential of the four drugs that will be launched in the near future. Also, the report assesses the results of various clinical trials undertaken for each of the four drugs, the product profile, description and regulatory phase of each of the four drugs. Also, 7Ps Analysis (Patent, Phase, Pathway, Patient, Physician, Payer, Partner) has been done for each of the four drugs to present the current perspective.Get Enquiry for Buying:The study objectives of this report are: To analyze and study the global Human Growth Hormones Deficiency capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2018) and forecast (2018-2023); Focuses on the key Human Growth Hormones Deficiency manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future. Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market. To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.Complete report for 2018-2023 on Human Growth Hormones Deficiency market is now available atAbout Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite: 2024 Smart Cities Market Analysis by Top Regions Forecasts Report | IBM Corporation, The ADT Corporation, Cisco Systems Inc., Oracle Corporation, AT&T Inc. Smart Cities Market https://bit.ly/2pAw5Sr https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/global-smart-cities/ https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com The Global Smart Cities Market is expected to reach a mark of USD 3,000 million by 2024, at a CAGR over 21% during the forecast period. Significant growth in next-generation technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), personalized healthcare, sustainable energy generation and robotics are driving the smart cities future. Moreover, increase in residential preference towards adoption of advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) escalates the future market growth.With the rise of innovation and digitalization of industry applications, particularly in the residential sector, countries across the globe are actively looking for solutions to balance economic, technological and social development. With increase in population, data is also becoming more readily available now-a-days. Communities are turning to innovative information communication technologies (ICT) to re-imagine the way in which people of the residents live, work or play. IoT is playing a significant role in driving safer and smarter cities from changing the vision into reality.Request for Sample of this Report@The market overview section of the report demonstrates market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that talks about the current nature and future scenario of the said market, key market indicators, end-user adoption analysis. Further, key market indicators included in the report provide the significant factors which are capable to define the market position of global smart cities market.Key Stakeholders Educated Citizens Business Owners Public Interest Group Municipal Authorities Professional Service Providers Utility / Service Providers Academic and Research Institutes Security Equipment Providers Software & Hardware Providers Telecommunication Providers Cloud Service Providers Real Estate Builders Safety Standard Providers Investors.Research SummaryAccording to BlueWeave Consulting, the key findings of the report Global Smart Cities Market Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2024 are: As per the research, hardware components have been the largest revenue generators in the global smart cities market, as compared to others. Also, among various types of applications, smart governance was the largest revenue contributor in 2017. Moreover, among the smart utilities category, smart energy applications is expected to continue contributing the largest revenue, during the forecast period Europe has been the largest revenue contributor to this market. According to the research, the region is expected to lead this market over a longer period. Cities in Europe such as Italy and the U.K. have been deploying smart cities solutions from ages, which makes the region forerunner in this industry However, the markets in Asia-Pacific, particularly cities in the Asian region are expected to witness fastest growth during the forecast period. The upsurge in urbanization, along with purposed investment in smart cities coupled with changing consumer preferences, is expected to boost the growth rate of smart cities market in the region.Research MethodologyExtensive secondary research was conducted using paid data sources including Bloomberg, Factiva, Capital IQ, OneSource, and Hoovers. Additionally, several publicly-available data sources were used including journals, statistics articles, and industry associations. These data sources were used to gather relevant information to develop an understanding on the global smart cities market. The research was conducted covering the desk research and primary research. Data sources used for primary research included online forums and blogs, CATI/CAWI, CAPI interviews, and video conferences. Additionally, interviews were conducted through connecting with various industry respondents including C-level executives, directors, divisional heads, regional heads, expert consultants, and independent consultants. The primary research was conducted to gain market insights from industry respondents and validate the gathered information through desk research.Competitive DynamicsMany new players have entered into this market along with several small and medium players. The leading players are focusing especially on technological improvements through organic and inorganic growth strategies. Some of the major companies operating in this industry include IBM Corporation, The ADT Corporation, Cisco Systems Inc., Oracle Corporation, AT&T Inc., SAP SE, Intel Corporation, General Electric, Schneider Electric SE, and Xerox Corporation.Browse full Research Report@Contact Us:info@blueweaveconsulting.comPhone Number: 18666586826About BlueWeave Consulting & Research Pvt Ltd. (BWC)BlueWeave Consulting provides a full scope of business intelligence solution for solving your toughest challenges. BWC is an emerging global expert & pioneer in the market research and provision of exclusive market INTEL. We optimize your decision making by equipping your industry with an accurate & better market research according to your industry demands through our professionally designed qualitative & quantitative research methods. Our trendy & efficient sample collection methods, integrated data solutions as well as methodologies certainly make us a better partner that you can rely on. With collective experience in the varied fields of retail, market research and reporting, we provide the business insight and business practices that would give the required impetus for your companys growth.GD-69, Sector G, East Kolkata Twp, Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size 2018 by Top Key Players and Application with Trend and Growth by - Nipro Medical, Asahi Kasei Medical, Baxter International, Boston Scientific, Covidien https://www.reporthive.com/enquiry.php?id=1672145&req_type=smpl https://www.reporthive.com/enquiry.php?id=1672145&req_type=purch https://www.reporthive.com Renal Disease Treatment Devices are subdivided into urinary treatment, dialysis, pelvic organ prolapse treatment, endoscopic, benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment equipment, prostate stent, gravel, sacral nerve regulation, urethral insertion and pessary, urethral stent, vaginal network Sleeve and sling, peritoneal dialysis, catheter ablation, urolithiatherapy, etc.Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Research Report provides strategic insights on the Markets growth Analysis by key players and market segments. The study measures the key metrics like CAGR, Market size & share, Market Forecast and also delves into the competition structure and Developments in the market.Download PDF Sample Of this Report @North America is the largest market, thanks to advanced medical facilities and government support policies. The increase in health care spending in the Asia Pacific region and government funding for research and development are expected to drive the development of the renal disease treatment devices market in the region.Renal Disease Treatment Devices report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, the challenges and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development.The Key Players Covered in this report: Nipro Medical Asahi Kasei Medical Baxter International Boston Scientific Covidien and More....Key Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2023 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?Market Research MethodologyWe prepare our reports by collecting primary data through interviews of opinion leaders, industry experts, research institutions, distributors, dealer and traders, as well as the raw material suppliers and producers etc. This data is verified by secondary sources such as press releases, paid database sources, annual reports, industry associations, governmental agencies, customs data etc. in order to ensure the quality and provide most accurate dataIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Segmentation by product type: breakdown data from 2013 to 2018, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2023 in section 10.7. Implantable Devices Wearable DevicesSegmentation by application: breakdown data from 2013 to 2018, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2023 in section 10.8. Hospitals Nursing House Home Care Settings OtherClick Here for Purchase Full Report with Full TOC @Reasons for Buying this Report This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth It provides a Five-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsTable of Contents1 SCOPE OF THE REPORT1.1 Market Introduction1.2 Research Objectives1.3 Years Considered1.4 Market Research Methodology1.5 Economic Indicators1.6 Currency Considered2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size 2013-20232.1.2 Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size CAGR by Region2.2 Renal Disease Treatment Devices Segment by Type2.2.1 Implantable Devices2.2.2 Wearable Devices2.3 Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size by Type2.3.1 Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size Market Share by Type (2013-2018)3 GLOBAL RENAL DISEASE TREATMENT DEVICES BY PLAYERS3.1 Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Key Players Head office and Products Offered3.3 Market Concentration Rate AnalysisTOC Continued.!Tables And Figures Table Product Specifications of Renal Disease Treatment Devices Figure Renal Disease Treatment Devices Report Years Considered Figure Market Research Methodology Figure Global Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size Growth Rate 2013-2023 ($ Millions) Table Renal Disease Treatment Devices Market Size CAGR by Region 2013-2023 ($ Millions) Table Major Players of Implantable Devices Table Major Players of Wearable Devices and More.About Report Hive ResearchReport Hive Research delivers strategic market research reports, statistical survey, and Industry analysis & forecast data on products & services, markets and companies. Our clientele ranges mix of global Business Leaders, Government Organizations, SMEs, Individual & Start-ups, Management Consulting Firms, and Universities etc. Our library of 600,000+ market reports covers industries like Chemical, Healthcare, IT, Telecom, Semiconductor, etc. in the USA, Europe Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific. We help in business decision-making on aspects such as market entry strategies, market sizing, market share analysis, sales & revenue, technology trends, competitive analysis, product portfolio & application analysis etc.500, North Michigan Avenue,Suite 6014Chicago, IL - 60611United StatesContact UsMike RossMarketing Managersales@reporthive.comPhone Number: +1-312 604 7084 Coconut Biodiesel Industry 2018 Market Overview, Analysis by Regions, Type and Major Manufacturers are Chemrez Technology Inc, Tantuco Enterprises, Romtron Philippines, Mt. Holy Coco, Pure Essence International,Inc. https://www.reporthive.com/enquiry.php?id=1689038&req_type=smpl https://www.reporthive.com/enquiry.php?id=1689038&req_type=purch https://www.reporthive.com Coconut Biodiesel process to turn coconuts into biodiesel starts with the meat, or copra, of the coconuts. The meat is grated, dried and then pressed to extract the coconut oil.Global Coconut Biodiesel Market separates the market by the top manufacturer, end users, and their application according to their respective data including market size & forecast, consumption, sales revenue, price, gross margin, supply and demand by region, and consumer profile. The report also analyze innovative business strategies, value added factors and business opportunities.Coconut Biodiesel report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, the challenges and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyzes key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development.Download PDF Sample Of this Report @The Key Players Covered in this report: Chemrez Technology Inc Tantuco Enterprises Romtron Philippines Mt. Holy Coco Pure Essence International,Inc. and More....Market Research MethodologyWe prepare our reports by collecting primary data through interviews of opinion leaders, industry experts, research institutions, distributors, dealer and traders, as well as the raw material suppliers and producers etc. This data is verified by secondary sources such as press releases, paid database sources, annual reports, industry associations, governmental agencies, customs data etc. in order to ensure the quality and provide most accurate dataKey Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2023 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Segmentation by product type: breakdown data from 2013 to 2018, in Section 2.3; and forecast to 2023 in section 11.7. Coconut Methyl Ester OthersSegmentation by application: breakdown data from 2013 to 2018, in Section 2.4; and forecast to 2023 in section 11.8. Cars Trucks Trailers OthersClick Here for Purchase Full Report with Full TOC @Reasons for Buying this Report This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth It provides a Five-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsTable of Contents1 SCOPE OF THE REPORT1.1 Market Introduction1.2 Research Objectives1.3 Years Considered1.4 Market Research Methodology1.5 Economic Indicators1.6 Currency Considered2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Coconut Biodiesel Consumption 2013-20232.1.2 Coconut Biodiesel Consumption CAGR by Region2.2 Coconut Biodiesel Segment by Type2.2.1 Coconut Methyl Ester2.2.2 Others2.3 Coconut Biodiesel Consumption by Type3 GLOBAL COCONUT BIODIESEL BY PLAYERS3.1 Global Coconut Biodiesel Sales Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Coconut Biodiesel Sales by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Coconut Biodiesel Sales Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Coconut Biodiesel Revenue Market Share by PlayersTOC Continued.!Tables And Figures Figure Picture of Coconut Biodiesel Table Product Specifications of Coconut Biodiesel Figure Coconut Biodiesel Report Years Considered Figure Market Research Methodology Figure Global Coconut Biodiesel Consumption Growth Rate 2013-2023 (K MT) Figure Global Coconut Biodiesel Value Growth Rate 2013-2023 ($ Millions) and More.About Report Hive ResearchReport Hive Research delivers strategic market research reports, statistical survey, and Industry analysis & forecast data on products & services, markets and companies. Our clientele ranges mix of global Business Leaders, Government Organizations, SMEs, Individual & Start-ups, Management Consulting Firms, and Universities etc. Our library of 600,000+ market reports covers industries like Chemical, Healthcare, IT, Telecom, Semiconductor, etc. in the USA, Europe Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific. We help in business decision-making on aspects such as market entry strategies, market sizing, market share analysis, sales & revenue, technology trends, competitive analysis, product portfolio & application analysis etc.500, North Michigan Avenue,Suite 6014Chicago, IL - 60611United StatesContact UsMike RossMarketing Managersales@reporthive.comPhone Number: +1-312 604 7084 Global Colour Cosmetics Market 2018-2025 by Key Players LOREAL, EsteeLauder, Maybelline, Chanel, M.A.C, LANCOME, YSL, Givenchy, Guerlain, Coty, Revlon https://www.researchreportsinc.com/sample-request?id=239755 https://www.researchreportsinc.com/check-discount?id=239755 https://researchreportsinc.com/checkout/?add-to-cart=239755&&attribute_pa_choose-license=single-user&&quantity=1 Color cosmetics have wide applications in nail products, lip products, eye make-up, facial make-up, and other. Color cosmetics refer to the colorants and cosmetics ingredients that help to enhance the appearance of the human body. The color cosmetics include products such as eye shadows, foundations, nail paints, lipsticks, powers, and others.Download Sample Report Of Colour Cosmetics Market @The color cosmetics are segmented on the basis of target markets such as prestige products and mass products. The prestige products are projected to register high CAGR than mass products in the next five years as the brand loyalty amongst prestige color cosmetics users is rising especially in the developed regions.The rising disposable income of people, rising consciousness about appearance, and improving quality of life are the major drivers of the color cosmetics market in the developed countries of North America and Europe as well as the emerging countries of Asia-Pacific and RoW. Moreover, the growing demand for beauty and personal care, organic cosmetic products, technological advancements in color cosmetics, attractive packaging, increasing consumer health awareness about personal care and fashion trends are projected to drive the demand for color cosmetics. In Asia-Pacific, China and India are expected to witness high demand for color cosmetics between 2018 and 2025.According to this study, over the next five years the Colour Cosmetics market will register a xx% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ xx million by 2023, from US$ xx million in 2017. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in Colour Cosmetics businessGrab Guaranteed Discount:By Category: Colour Cosmetics Video Content Colour Cosmetics Digital Text Content Colour Cosmetics Digital Games Content Colour Cosmetics Digital Audio ContentBy Device: Colour Cosmetics Mobile Content Colour Cosmetics Non-Mobile ContentBy Regions: Colour Cosmetics North America U.S. Canada Colour Cosmetics Europe UK Germany Colour Cosmetics Asia Pacific China India Japan Colour Cosmetics Latin America Brazil MexicoWe Also Can Offer Customized Report To Fulfill Special Requirements Of Our Clients.Purchase this Premium Report (Flat 20% off Apply Coupon Code DISC20):-Table of Contents2018-2023 Global Colour Cosmetics Consumption Market Report1 Scope of the Report1.1 Market Introduction1.2 Research Objectives1.3 Years Considered1.4 Market Research Methodology1.5 Economic Indicators1.6 Currency Considered2 Executive Summary2.1 World Market Overview2.1.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Consumption 2013-20232.1.2 Colour Cosmetics Consumption CAGR by Region2.2 Colour Cosmetics Segment by Type2.2.1 Electrical Polisher2.2.2 Pneumatic Polisher2.3 Colour Cosmetics Consumption by Type2.3.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Consumption Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Colour Cosmetics Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3.3 Global Colour Cosmetics Sale Price by Type (2013-2018)2.4 Colour Cosmetics Segment by Application2.4.1 Automotive Repair Shop2.4.2 Automotive Care Shop2.4.3 Others2.5 Colour Cosmetics Consumption by Application2.5.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Consumption Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.2 Global Colour Cosmetics Value and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)2.5.3 Global Colour Cosmetics Sale Price by Application (2013-2018)3 Global Colour Cosmetics by Players3.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Sales Market Share by Players3.1.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Sales by Players (2016-2018)3.1.2 Global Colour Cosmetics Sales Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.2 Global Colour Cosmetics Revenue Market Share by Players3.2.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Revenue by Players (2016-2018)3.2.2 Global Colour Cosmetics Revenue Market Share by Players (2016-2018)3.3 Global Colour Cosmetics Sale Price by Players3.4 Global Colour Cosmetics Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players3.4.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales Area by Players3.4.2 Players Colour Cosmetics Products Offered3.5 Market Concentration Rate Analysis3.5.1 Competition Landscape Analysis3.5.2 Concentration Ratio (CR3, CR5 and CR10) (2016-2018)3.6 New Products and Potential Entrants3.7 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion4 Colour Cosmetics by Regions4.1 Colour Cosmetics by Regions4.1.1 Global Colour Cosmetics Consumption by Regions4.1.2 Global Colour Cosmetics Value by Regions4.2 Americas Colour Cosmetics Consumption Growth4.3 APAC Colour Cosmetics Consumption Growth4.4 Europe Colour Cosmetics Consumption Growth4.5 Middle East & Africa Colour Cosmetics Consumption Growth5 Americas5.1 Americas Colour Cosmetics Consumption by Countries5.1.1 Americas Colour Cosmetics Consumption by Countries (2013-2018)5.1.2 Americas Colour Cosmetics Value by Countries (2013-2018)5.2 Americas Colour Cosmetics Consumption by Type5.3 Americas Colour Cosmetics Consumption by Application5.4 United States5.5 Canada5.6 Mexico5.7 Key Economic Indicators of Few Americas CountriesAbout Us:Research Reports Inc. is one of the leading destinations for market research reports across all industries, companies, and technologies. Our repository features an exhaustive list of market research reports from thousands of publishers worldwideWith our expertise and research offerings, we ensure we deliver on all your requirements, whether youre looking for industry analysis or market trends or anything else, first time and every time!Email us sales@researchreportsinc.comCall: US / Canada Toll Free: +18554192424, UK : +4403308087757 It appears that you are currently using Ad Blocking software. Please consider turning it off to support us. Naurus President Waqa and Mrs Waqa takes a photo with Minister Marsudi, senior government ministers, ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives of international organisations at the opening of the BDF 11 in Nusa Dua Established in 2002, BadgeMags has been catering to the South African and global badge and magnet consumer demands with competitive prices and quality products. The company is able to supply any badge or magnet related product. Not only do they manufacture the products themselves, the company also sources them from an extensive range of suppliers and manufacturing partners around the globe. Some of the specialised products of the company are as Oregons limitation on how it tracks opioid prescriptions is likely hurting people in preventable ways, a new Secretary of State audit has found. Oregon is one of only nine states that does not require a doctor to check a patients history in an opioid prescription database before writing another one. Even if a doctor does check, that history is limited in many cases, because the database does not include prescriptions filled at some pharmacies, such as in long-term care facilities. Auditors drew parallels to these issues and outcomes. Senior citizens are more likely to get their prescription painkillers from long-term care facilities, and Oregon leads the nation in rates of seniors hospitalized for opioid overdose, abuse and dependence. Many of the auditors recommended changes could be implemented by the Oregon Health Authority immediately. Others will require the state Legislature to act. But auditor manager Jamie Ralls said at a news conference Tuesday that real change will take effort on the part of the health authority leadership. Its just really lagged, Ralls said. It hasnt taken up much momentum. Honestly, I dont know if theyre looking at what other states are doing that they could be implementing. Oregon stands out in the country as having one of the narrowest data sets with obstacles as to who can access the information. Most neighboring states allow law enforcement and health licensing boards to see who is writing and receiving opioid prescriptions. More than half of all states also issue report cards on prescribers so that a family doctor could compare herself to other private practice opioid prescribers. The audit says these methods could help cut the number of people who become addicted to opioids and those who abuse painkillers. The auditors also found information missing in the database because there are few employees to maintain it and because state law excludes some pharmacies from adding entries. Gov. Kate Brown declared opioids a public health emergency in March 2018. The Department of Justice has filed multiple lawsuits against drug manufacturers and the Oregon Health Authority and hospitals have worked to revamp pain management guidelines. And there have been some positive results. Since 2006, The state has seen a 45 percent decrease in people who died from prescription drug overdoses. Still, the number today is higher than in the early 2000s. Currently, an average of one person dies of an opioid overdose in Oregon every three days. Ralls said the audit should be a guide to easy-to-fix holes. Until were actually using that data and looking at that data and informing ourselves -- once you start doing that, you cant turn a blind eye to it anymore, Ralls said. MORE NEEDS TO BE TRACKED The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is fed information about who prescribes an opioid and what kind whenever a pharmacy fills that prescription. Demographic information about the recipient also goes into the database. Every state has one, with the intent that the data can help states identify problem prescribers, pinpoint people in the throes of addiction, and inform public health decisions and policy. The information is added through pharmacies within 72 hours of filling a prescription. But state law excludes data from veterinarians, who see cases of people who harm their pets to get painkillers, and pharmacies that arent solely retail outlets. Auditors also found incomplete information and hundreds of entries that never made it into the database because of errors. All these gaps could give prescribers the wrong idea about a patient medical history with controlled substances. The registries all track drugs with varying potential for abuse, such as opioids, steroids and anti-anxiety medications. The audit recommends Oregon add other drugs that have the potential for abuse when combined with opioids. For instance, four states saw an increase in prescriptions for the pain medication gabapentin and started to track it. Oregon also saw an increase -- 50 percent in 2017 alone -- and followed closely the number of prescriptions for the opioid oxycodone, according to the audit. Together, gabapentin and oxycodone produce a euphoric effect, whereas on its own, gabapentin acts more like marijuana. But Oregon does not track gabapentin or any drugs in the same classification. While 70 percent of states have added those drugs to their databases, Oregon is prohibited by law. Auditors also said that expanding the list of reported drugs would pull in some medicines, such as cough syrups with codeine, that have been flagged as the next drug epidemic. Already, the database has shown that someone in Oregon received 1,545 days worth of the popular sleep aid zolpidem -- more commonly called Ambien -- from five different prescribers in a year. Zolpidem is often misused as a date rape drug. PILLS PRESCRIBED WITH LITTLE OVERSIGHT Washington, Colorado, Idaho and Nevada all issue prescriber report cards that provide a summary of a doctors patient prescriptions, risk status and other information. Oregon prohibits any evaluation of a prescriber's practice. The audit says that the report card practice, used in 35 states, holds promise as a way to let prescribers see how they stack up and regulators take stock of practices across the state. But even without the report cards, auditors found troubling trends in the data. For instance, doctor shopping is still prevalent. Over three years of data, auditors found 148 people were prescribed federally controlled substances from 30 different doctors and filled the prescriptions at 15 or more pharmacies. One of the most egregious cases was an Oregonian who filled 315 opioid prescriptions of hydrocodone -- the most common opioid prescription -- at 40 different pharmacies. That person received those prescriptions from 207 different prescribers. In late 2017, that person then filled a prescription for buprenorphine, which is often prescribed to people with substance abuse disorders. But the problem is not just with patients trying to game the system. Most of the prescribers for people with excessive amounts of prescriptions were dentists who filled out a script to last three to five days. People with addictions also doctor shop to mix drugs. Auditors found 4,270 people who received prescriptions for opioids, tranquilizers and muscle relaxants at the same time. Usually, those people received the three different prescriptions from separate doctors -- and often more than one prescriber for each. The combination of the three creates an effect that is the greater than any one of the drugs individually. While most of the prescribers who hand out these scripts might not be running pill mills, they are likely unintentionally supporting substance abuse disorders. The state has almost no authority to stop a prescriber who has been identified as over-prescribing. The state created the Clinical Review Subcommittee in 2018 to review prescriber histories and identify people who raise concern. But the subcommittee has little more power than to send a letter with a recommendation of training, because Oregon law limits what doctors can be required to do and stops the Oregon Health Authority from sharing information from the database with health licensing boards to use for punitive action. So then the responsibility to make sure a patient does not abuse or mix drugs falls to individual prescribers, who are also not required by law to check the database before filling out a prescription. CHANGES PROMISED Oregon Health Authority director Patrick Allen said Tuesday that the drug monitoring program is effective and that it is well used. Allen said that about 93 percent of Oregons top prescribers are registered and that, since 2012, the number of queries to the system quadrupled. However, Allen agreed with all 12 of the audits recommendations. "We agree with the auditors recommendations and many align with work already ongoing at OHA. Other recommendations require legislative action, and we look forward to advising the Legislature on these policy ideas." In a letter to the Secretary of States office, Oregon Health Authority Deputy Director Kris Kautz said that many of the recommendations will be completed by the end of spring 2019. However, the Oregon law that governs the program must be amended through the Legislature, which means the timeline could lengthen. Already, the report has caught the attention of several lawmakers. The findings from todays audit are clear and disturbing: Oregon has an opioid crisis, and not nearly enough is being done to protect individual Oregonians and their families from this epidemic of suffering, said House Republican Leader Rep, Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass. It is unacceptable that this tragedy had been compounded by ineffective, duplicative, and even nonexistent regulation and protection. Wilson said he and others plan to craft bills to address some of the audits main findings. They didnt sing Kumbaya, and no baked goods were shared, but for the first time in years, a bipartisan group of Oregon and Washington lawmakers met Tuesday afternoon in North Portland to talk about the Interstate Bridge. Seven Washington lawmakers and five guests from the Oregon Legislature sat at the same long table in a conference room near Delta Park for more than two hours. By the end of the meeting, the lawmakers had agreed to continue talking about discussing how to replace the aging span over the Columbia River. Thats about all they agreed on, but the meeting was the latest signal that, five years after a small group of Washington lawmakers prevented that state from funding its share of the controversial Columbia River Crossing project, the states are taking baby steps toward reviving potentially serious talks to tackle the bridge project once again. From some lawmakers, there was a thinly veiled hold your nose and bear it element to the meeting. If we dont start something, its never going to happen, said Rep. Caddy McKeown, D-Coos Bay. And something needs to happen, we all agree on that. The public meeting wasnt without strong words from Oregons representatives. Sen. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, who co-chaired the failed effort to approve the previous bridge project, said he was not enthusiastic about going through the Interstate Bridge talks all over again. Im wondering if you guys can convince us that youre for real, he said to Washington legislators, adding he was curious if the state was at a point where they can get their act together. Other lawmakers struck a conciliatory tone, but the meeting included an undercurrent that both sides hadnt forgotten the amount of effort that went into the previous attempt to build a bridge, which included a light-rail extension to Clark College in Vancouver. Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, said while she opposed that project, there was no grave-dancing after it died. Please know how deeply indebted I am to you, she said to Oregons delegation, for agreeing to attend the meeting. The meeting included a detailed accounting from the Washington Department of Transportations Southwest Region administrator, who outlined the previous work the states had put into the nearly $3 billion project which failed in 2014 after Oregon eventually walked away from the project. Washington in 2013 had previously stepped away after failing to approve its $450 million share for the project. The states face a looming September 2019 deadline to either show federal officials they are dedicated to reviving bridge talks or reimburse a collective $139 million. Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, who spearheaded the effort to revive the process on Washingtons side, said Tuesdays meeting was all about creating a new process to move forward. We owe it to the next generation and generations to come to find a way to replace that aging infrastructure, she said. Washington transportation officials said the congestion delays on the bridge over the Columbia River have increased 83 percent from 2014 to 2016. Noticeably absent from the lawmakers comments: What to do with public transit on any replacement bridge. Instead, several Washington lawmakers brought up the potential for building more than one additional bridge over the Columbia River, despite Washington transportation officials saying that was studied previously and it would not necessarily ease I-5 congestion. Also, finding new funding for the bridge project will undoubtedly be a challenge in Salem, Bentz predicted, saying that it would be horribly difficult given that Oregon had just approved a $5.3 billion transportation package. To that end, Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, said Washington just passed an even bigger transportation package, yet lawmakers on that side of the river are prepared to do that hard work. Im still sitting at this table, he said. The two states didnt schedule a second meeting of the joint committee, and Oregons legislative leaders would have to take formal steps in 2019 to appoint members to sit on a joint committee going forward. Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Springfield, noted the states have been discussing replacing the Interstate Bridge for at least 20 years. Process was never the issue. We havent had a lack of process, he said, weve had a lack of agreement on what to do, he said. They still do. -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen The man who walked into a Beaverton Fred Meyer and punched an employee, fracturing a bone in the womans face, pleaded guilty to felony attempted assault in the second degree Tuesday. Court records show that Hathasone Pathammavong, who was 44 at the time of the incident, was sentenced to serve five years in an Oregon Department of Corrections facility. Lisa Seeling, 33, told The Oregonian/OregonLive in April that she was helping a customer when all of a sudden I heard a boom, and I blacked out. "The gentleman hit me so hard," Seeling said, "that my glasses flew on the other side of the check stand." At the time, police said Pathammavong entered the store, walked up to Seeling and punched her in the head for no known reason. Seeling was in the courtroom when Pathammavong was sentenced Tuesday morning. She hadnt seen him since the incident, she told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Tuesday afternoon, and she built him up in her mind as a terrifying person who might come and attack her at any time. But she said he looked like a tiny little hedgehog, afraid of life" when he entered the courtroom. I literally made a mountain out a molehill, Seeling said. After the sentencing, she said she predominately felt sorry for the man who left what doctors told her will be a permanent dent in her cheek. I feel really, really sad for him, Seeling said, that hes gonna have to sit in his lumpy bed, eat his lumpy macaroni and cheese and sleep on his lumpy pillow. She said Pathammavong apologized to her and that he still has no idea no idea why he did it. Seeling is moving on with her life, albeit with lingering pain from the injury. Shes been back at her old job at Fred Meyer for several months. As far as Pathammavong goes, Seelings let go of her fear and anger. When he punched Seeling in the face in April, she said, he had been taking drugs. When hes released, Pathammavong will have to participate in a substance abuse treatment program as part of his probation. Seeling thinks he made a bad choice, but she isnt mad at him. You cant be mad at somebody whos sick, she said. Oregon schools chief Colt Gill, along with the state schools chiefs of California and Washington, sent a letter to the Trump administration Wednesday, urging officials not to rewrite the definition of gender in federal anti-discrimination laws. The three West Coast states all consider students' gender to be that with which they consistently identify. A leaked Trump administration memo suggested federal agencies should collectively rewrite their policies to define gender as based on biology. The letter states, We believe these changes will be dangerous and detrimental for the millions of individuals in our country who identify as transgender, many of whom are school-age and are our students and part of our school communities. Oregon has taken several steps to create a safe, inclusive environment for transgender and non-binary students. In 2016, the Oregon Department of Education released guidelines to help guide schools on procedures and policies the agency believes are needed to comply with state and federal non-discrimination laws when it comes to gender nonconforming students. This year, the agency published a memo outlining how school districts should offer students and staff a non-binary gender option on student registration forms and data submissions. Washington state law explicitly prohibits discrimination based on a students gender expression or identity. In a statement issued Wednesday, Gill said, It is our responsibility to create caring school environments that are safe and welcoming for all students. Denying a persons gender identity or forcing conformity to this (potential) federal rule change is disrespectful, discriminatory and harmful. Each of our children deserve more. They deserve schools that accept, respect, and serve them well. -- Betsy Hammond betsyhammond@oregonian.com Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler made a commendable move forward last week announcing that as of Jan. 1, Portland Police will no longer charge crime victims for a copy of their police report. His was a solid step toward better transparency and public service in a bureau thats struggled on both fronts, especially when it comes to releasing police records. The bureau had been charging victims $30 to request records, as was reported in an investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLives Bethany Barnes in late October. When police officials would finally release documents, theyd tack on an additional $2 per page if reports were more than 10 pages long. In contrast, the similarly sized Seattle Police Department charges just $1 for police reports, and waives the fee for crime victims. But Wheeler isnt quite done. Along with charging excessive fees, Portland police have taken at least three months and as many as six -- to release police reports. Thats a ridiculously long time for crime victims, many who cant find justice or relief without the documentation that they have a right to hold. Wheelers staff said last week that hes preparing a budget that will include money to add staff to the police records unit and seek efficiencies, according to a report by Barnes and reporter Gordon Friedman. Thats good, but its not terribly reassuring. As Barnes noted in the original October report, the records unit had three open positions at the time despite recognizing increasing delays in providing public records in 2016. The Portland Police Bureau isnt alone in its deep-seated culture of treating records requests as a low-priority annoyance rather than a public obligation mandated by law. A recent study found Oregonians face high fees and long waits from government agencies big and small across the state. So its a good start that the mayor issued a clear directive eliminating fees for crime victims seeking police reports. Now Wheeler must follow up with Portland Police leaders to create equally distinct timelines and priorities if -- as he said last week -- he truly hopes to repair the publics faith and trust in government. -- Laura Gunderson for The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board The recent articles in The Oregonian/OregonLive about freeway tolls in the Portland Metro area bring two things to mind (We have to act, Oregon sends I-5, 205 toll plan to feds, Dec. 6). First, I must be missing something. Putting toll stations on Interstate 5 from Alberta/Going to the north and the Multnomah Boulevard exit to the south would put more traffic on inner-city neighborhood streets, and some of the incoming traffic from Washington will shift to Interstate 205 and overwhelm an already sluggish Interstate 84 as commuters look for a non-tolled path to downtown. Freeways are very similar to water where there is resistance, the flow will find an easier path. Second, Portlanders are tired of the free ride unwilling to pony up for mass transit and a new bridge attitude from Washington. Toll booths need to be installed at both ends of the Portland metro area on I-5 and I-205 with locations at Hayden Island and the Portland International Airport district in the north and the I-205/I-5 junction to the south. This is a more equitable and logical placement. This is a tax on transportation after all, and like other revenue generators, its better to get a comprehensive metro-wide toll plan in place from the beginning than to go back later and ask for more. Jeff Walter, Portland A former kitchen worker at an Oregon prison is accused of having sex with an inmate for a month while she was working for the state corrections department. Kimberly A. Porter is suspected of having sex with a male inmate at the Two Rivers Correctional Institution in Umatilla in April and May, court records show. She worked as a food service coordinator beginning in November 2014 and quit in August, said Jennifer Black, a corrections department spokeswoman. She said she didnt know the circumstances of Porters resignation. Porter, 52, is accused of second-degree custodial sexual misconduct. She was first charged in October, failed to appear for an arraignment in November and was arrested Friday, court records show. She has since been released from jail, according to jail staff. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey Intel is reopening a Hillsboro building that had been closed for nine days following a pair of mysterious incidents that sent 21 to local hospitals with respiratory complaints. On Dec. 3, the chipmaker closed the 400,000-square-foot manufacturing support building on its Ronler Acres campus. Intel was responding to two separate incidents in which workers complained of problems breathing. Neither the company nor local emergency responders were immediately able to identify the source of the problem. Intel said Wednesday it has now figured out what happened. Some individuals requesting medical evaluation during the incidents reported an odor that was identified to have originated from our air handling units, which we use to regulate air intake into the building, Intel said in a written statement. While this odor does not represent a health risk, we are making changes to our systems to address it. Intel didnt specify the source or nature of the odor and didnt immediately respond to an inquiry seeking additional detail. None of the employees who underwent medical evaluation during this situation required hospital admittance, Intel said Wednesday. Since December 4 no additional individuals have reported to our health services department with issues related to this incident. Public safety officials said there was no indication of health issues outside Intels building or beyond its campus. Semiconductor production, Oregons largest industry, involves the use of heavy equipment and many hazardous materials. There have been several accidents over the years, most significantly a fatality at Ronler Acres last year when a maintenance contractor was crushed by the equipment he was servicing. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 In Oregon, Intel has long enjoyed some of the nations biggest corporate tax breaks. A new report from a tax watchdog group attempts to put those exemptions in context. Good Jobs First, an advocacy organization that tracks government spending on economic development, found the Hillsboro School District forgoes $96.7 million a year due to local tax breaks. That is the most of any district in the nation, by far. (Philadelphia Public Schools is No. 2, with tax breaks valued at $61.9 million in fiscal 2017.) But the Hillsboro tax breaks dont actually mean a massive loss of revenue for local schools. Rather, they create a reduction in school revenues spread across every district in Oregon. Heres whats going on: The new data is available because of updated accounting rules for state and local governments. Those rules require that they report the value of local tax abatements, and Good Jobs First used those numbers to calculate the relative size of tax breaks on school districts across the country. Intel has been enjoying its Oregon tax breaks since the 1990s, when the state created a program to exempt some big businesses from local property taxes. Other Hillsboro companies receive similar tax breaks, including Genentech and a cluster of data centers along Highway 26. But theyre an order of magnitude smaller because their property is worth a lot less. The property tax exemptions are especially valuable to Intel, which spends billions of dollars annually on equipment for its Hillsboro factories, home to the companys most advanced research and manufacturing. Last year alone, Washington County says Intel saved $193 million overall through property tax breaks on its equipment. There may be no school district in the nation with local property investments on par with those of Hillsboro. The Washington County assessor values Intels local land and equipment at $11.7 billion. (The company pays ordinary property taxes on its land and buildings; even with the exemptions its the countys biggest property taxpayer.) Intel has long argued that it would make those investments elsewhere (it has large factories in Arizona, Ireland and Israel) absent the Oregon tax breaks. And local civic leaders have readily agreed most recently in 2014, when Washington County and Hillsboro signed off on a 30-year package of tax breaks worth roughly $2 billion to Intel over the life of the deal. Intel is Oregons largest corporate employer, with 20,000 working in Washington County. Its also among the states best paying the average wage in the states chip industry is $143,000 annually. By comparison, the average Oregon wage, across all industries, is $52,000. Intels tax breaks dont actually mean a massive loss of revenue for Hillsboro schools. Oregon equalizes revenue across all districts. In Hillsboro, for example, the state kicks in an extra $128 million annually. Absent the tax break, Oregon would provide $96 million less from state income tax revenue to Hillsboro and spread those savings across all schools in the state. That could boost per-student spending by about 1.5 percent, in Hillsboro and in every other district across Oregon. Thats assuming, of course, that state revenue remained constant. If Intel had fewer Oregon employees, perhaps many fewer employees, then they would generate less income tax and the state would have less to spend on schools. Staff writer and editor Betsy Hammond contributed to this report. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Portland residents enjoy some of the nations fastest internet speeds, but newly released Census data shows rural parts of the state continue to lag way behind. In some communities, fewer than half of the homes have fast internet service. With the rural markets the state doesnt do well or as well, said Joe Franell, chief executive of Eastern Oregon Telecom, a small Hermiston company serving residents and businesses in seven communities along the Columbia River. Superfast fiber-optic connections are delivering high-definition Netflix movies and video games across the Portland area, where most homes can choose between two or more superfast providers. Within a few years, robust 5G connections may provide another, wireless option. But its expensive to build these networks, especially in remote, lightly populated areas. So Franell, who also serves on the states Broadband Advisory Council, said whole communities have to patch together their internet access with nearly obsolete technologies. In many parts of the state theyre still connected with copper or microwaves, he said. Overall, the Census found 87 percent of Oregon households were broadband subscribers in 2017. Thats up from 78 percent just five years earlier, and above the national figure of 84 percent. The Portland area is especially well connected, at particularly fast speeds. The Census finds up to 98 percent of homes have broadband access in some areas. A separate report out Wednesday from the company that runs Speedtest.net finds an average connection speed of 110 megabits per second among Portland consumers who check their speeds. Thats far above the federal broadband standard, 25 Mbps, and higher than the national average of 96 Mbps. Thats plenty fast for online video, gaming and even for data-intensive professions like architecture and engineering. Its quite a different story in some parts of east Multnomah County, where as many as 25 percent of households have no internet access at all. The divide is even greater in rural communities such as Lake, Jefferson -- and also parts of Clackamas County -- where broadband penetration hovers around 50 percent. Small cities are under pressure, said Christopher Tamarin, telecommunications strategist for the Oregon Business Development Department. Businesses are at a disadvantage when they dont have the online access competitors do in larger, better-connected communities. And Tamarin said rural communities suffer a population drain when young people leave for education, and seniors leave in search of health care, then dont return. There are signs broadbands reach may be expanding. State and federal agencies are pushing for more fiber deployment into rural areas and advancing technologies including satellite-based internet are improving connection speeds. And though the new 5G wireless technology has a narrow range, too narrow for far-flung rural areas, Tamarin said it will lead to greater fiber deployment to connect wireless sites to the broader internet. I feel like we are reaching a tipping point, he said. Staff writer Elliot Njus contributed to this article. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 A 28-year-old man was arrested last week on suspicion of raping an unconscious woman in March 2015 at a Hillsboro apartment complex where she lived while he was working as an armed security guard there. Jorge U. Serrano is also under investigation for allegedly uploading sexually explicit photos and video online of the same woman and others, according to the Washington County Sheriffs Office. No charges have been announced in that case. Serrano remained held in the county jail Tuesday on suspicion of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy. The sheriffs office began investigating Serrano in October when the woman reported discovering an online video she was in that was posted without her consent, said Deputy Jeff Talbot, a sheriffs office spokesman. The woman at some point reached out to Serrano on social media and he admitted to posting the footage of her, Talbot said. According to the sheriffs office, Serrano in 2015 encountered the woman while she was living at a complex in the 19000 block of Northwest Evergreen Parkway, drove her to a building nearby while he was on duty and engaged in consensual sex acts with her that he recorded. He encountered the woman again after his work shift ended and sexually assaulted her in her apartment while she was unconscious, Talbot said. Authorities have not said how or why the woman became unconscious. Serrano at the time worked for Arcadia Security & Patrol, a private security contractor that serves Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Idaho. Serrano worked for the company from July 2014 to June 2015 and patrolled several residential and commercial areas in the Portland area, the sheriffs office said. The video of the woman was uploaded sometime while Serrano was a corrections deputy at the Jefferson County Jail, Talbot said. He began working as a jail deputy in July 2017 and was fired last month. Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Atkins said Serrano was fired for lying and falsifying his deputy application. He said Serrano lied in several areas of his application, but declined to elaborate. Talbot said Serrano was fired before Jefferson County officials were aware of the criminal allegations. An employee who answered the phone at Arcadias Vancouver branch officer said Tuesday she would pass The Oregonian/OregonLives request for comment to a manager. No one has yet returned the message. Serrano was arrested at his home in Woodburn on Friday. Investigators have determined Serrano posted sexually explicit photos and videos of several women online without their knowledge, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said. The agency asks anyone who believes they are possible victims in this case to contact the sheriffs office at 503-846-2700. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey The Midland Area Transportation Study has released its annual report, showing increased federal funding obligated in the area for fiscal year 2018, for roads and transit. State and Local funds are included in the report for reference. The 2018 MATS Annual Report states: Federal funding increased in the area from $8.3 to $31 million, with roads and bridges being the largest beneficiary, particularly the new M-20 Bridge. Some of this investment continues, due to emergency funding related to the June 2017 flood. Transit obligations have returned to historic levels, at $1.6 million. This is partially due to five new buses purchased by local transit agencies. According to a prepared statement by MATS Director Maja Bolanowska, these obligations "are small (metropolitan planning organization) area surface transportation, safety, rural roads, transit operating and transit capital funds. They allow many projects to be completed. All these categories of funding represent federal gas tax revenues coming back to the local community." MATS is the metropolitan planning organization for the Midland Area, established in January 2013. It focuses on regional transportation planning services and helps to create intergovernmental cooperation. MATS is a policy-making agency, developing transportation plans and programming federal-aid projects while providing public outreach regarding transportation issues. The MATS metropolitan planning region is defined as all of Midland County, the City of Auburn and Williams Township within Bay County and Tittabawassee Township in Saginaw County. For additional information, visit www.midlandmpo.org or call 989-832-6333. Disabled Navy veteran Brandon York awoke about 5:30 a.m. Nov. 23, to his house on fire. His attention quickly turned to finding his 6-year-old pregnant German shepherd, Sadie. York found his dog and was able to escape the burning two-story Gladwin house -- wearing only thermal pants and with his dog. He said when he awoke to the fire, his only concern was finding Sadie. He got Sadie in 2012, when she was a puppy. She has been his best friend ever since. "Nothing even went through my mind except finding my dog," York said. "Once our eyes met, I felt overwhelming relief and we got out." Once he and Sadie were united, York ran outside of the burning house and called 911. York, 39, had returned home Nov. 22, from Thanksgiving dinner at his mother's home in Saginaw. He started a fire in the wood stove. About midnight, he noticed smoke and removed some of the logs from the stove - placing them outside. He also cooled the stove with water. "I was using a rolled steel wood stove as a way of heating the house," said York, who was expecting a propane that very day. Everything appeared under control in the stove and York said he fell asleep in a recliner upstairs. He felt secure with the fire preventative drywall and brick around the fire place, along with having diminished the flames in the stove. York said he doesn't know what woke him, but at 5:30 a.m. he awoke to the front of his house on fire. After finding Sadie and fleeing the house, York said the fire quickly swallowed the home. "I lost all my clothing, my wallet, my truck keys, everything," he said. Gladwin firefighters were able to help him move his truck away from the fire's wrath. The 45 Elm Street house was willed to York along with his sister and brother by their late father. He was in the process of getting insurance on the house but had to have his two siblings involved in the process. With his sister living in Honduras, the process proved lengthier than expected. York has made many fixes on the house since 2012. He said he put an estimated $25,000 into it. Now he is left with cleaning up the fire-ravaged remains. He is hoping via a gofundme account, to get help with clothing, clean-up costs and possibly rebuilding. "Any help anyone could offer would be amazing and I would be so appreciative," York said. York prides himself on being independent - even initially turning down Red Cross help at the scene. But his mother, Deborah, encouraged him to take the help, saying he desperately needed it. "All I had was my dog and my long john pants," York said of what he fled with. Since the fire, York and Sadie have been staying with a friend in Saginaw. He worries he is overstaying his welcome and really wants to get back on his feet. He wants to return to Gladwin and clean up the damage and start over. York said he has been able to secure some clothing and food, for which he is grateful. He said one of the biggest things he remembers was when neighbors came out -- even ones he didn't know -- to give him food, clothing and check on him and Sadie. "It was awesome, I didn't know what to think," he said. York, who was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2011, said some of his Navy friends have also reached out to help him. "All of it is a surreal experience," York said. "This is not a very fun time." York said he is so worried about the sooty residue on the ground from his burned home. He said it is near where people use wells. York said he feels guilty about it, but he doesn't have the means, yet, to clean it up. To learn more about York or to donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/help-me-have-a-house-again. Firefighters from the Midland Fire Department performed a training exercise Wednesday morning at an empty house on West Carpenter St. The building was filled with fake smoke and dummies meant to represent victims of a fire. Fire Lt. Ryan Bebeau said the fire department performs exercises like this sporadically on buildings owned by the City of Midland. A Saginaw Valley State University-based program that prompted K-12 students to write postcards to the future governor of Michigan -- before the election -- resulted in a response that far exceeded organizers' expectations. The messages received revealed the civic-minded hopes of today's youth, as well as their anxieties. The SVSU Writing Center's "Write Your Future Michigan Governor" postcard campaign -- performed in collaboration with the Great Lakes Bay Region YWCA -- resulted in more than 1,500 postcard messages. "We had anticipated receiving a few hundred postcards at the end of this campaign, said Helen Raica-Klotz, director of the SVSU Writing Center. "We were surprised -- and very happy -- with the number of postcards we did receive." The idea behind the civic engagement initiative was simple. The campus Writing Center, and its affiliated Bay Community Writing Center and Saginaw Community Writing Center, distributed blank postcards across the state. Michigan residents were invited to write a message on the postcards for the future governor in October, before voters elected Gretchen Whitmer. Participants then returned the postcards to the SVSU Writing Center. The correspondence will be mailed to Whitmer after she is sworn into office in January. While the opportunity was open to all Michigan residents, the overwhelming bulk of messages were authored by K-12 students, Raica-Klotz said. Fifty-one teachers from 18 school districts in the Great Lakes Bay Region requested postcards for their pupils. Those students responded with messages revealing their hopes, dreams and concerns. Regardless of the author's age, the subject matter ranged from humorous to dead serious. Bullying, the Flint water crisis, gender equality, protecting the environment, homelessness, and school shootings were among the most common topics addressed. "Every classroom should have all bulletproof windows," read one message in the scribbled penmanship of a student likely in elementary school. "They should have a little room in the classroom the way all of the kids can go into if you need to and the little room must have no windows." Other messages likely from students early in the K-12 system struck more lighthearted tones. One student complimented the governor on the mitten-like shape of Michigan. Another requested legalizing owls as pets. Hundreds of the postcards were written by teenagers. Kelli Fitzpatrick, a teacher at Beaverton Junior/Senior High School, said 17 students in her 12th grade English class participated. "When I pitched the idea to them, I assumed they would pick topics that directly impacted them, but most of them picked other people's hardships or issues affecting the state," Fitzpatrick said. "I was inspired by it and not quite prepared for it. They have a lot of energy they want to direct at society." While waiting until it's time to send the correspondence to Lansing, Raica-Klotz has lined the entire length of several walls within SVSU's Writing Center in Zahnow Library with the 1,500-plus postcards. The sight provides a sense of scale for the impressive size of the response, she said. "This campaign was important because it gave voice to many of our Michigan residents who are still elementary, middle, or high school students and are not able to vote -- but they will one day soon," Raica-Klotz said. "I hope, by writing this postcard, each student understood that they can participate in the government by communicating their ideas through writing." To the editor: A recent letter to the editor claimed that Gretchen Whitmer, governor-elect, supports "more abortions." The letter writer apparently believes that those who are pro-choice are actually pro-abortion and want more abortions to occur. Of course we don't! Like those who are "pro-life," pro-choice people want there to be as few abortions as possible. We just believe that making abortion illegal does not achieve that goal. Making abortion illegal does not eliminate abortions, it just makes safe abortions more difficult to obtain - without addressing why women seek abortions in the first place. How can abortion numbers go down, even if abortion itself remains legal? Data shows that when contraception is readily available and women are not stigmatized for using it, unwanted pregnancies decrease and abortions go down. When teenagers receive science-based education on sexuality and birth control (including abstinence), the number of unwanted pregnancies goes down, the age of first sexual encounter rises, and incidence of sexually transmitted diseases goes down. Countries with the most restrictive abortion laws usually also restrict access to birth control and actually have much higher rates of abortion than countries where abortion is legal and there is easy access to contraception. Politicians use the issue of abortion to claim that they are "pro-life," but then don't want to see tax dollars used to provide birth control to poor women. These politicians want to impose abstinence only sex education on students and restrict access to reproductive health care. These same pro-life politicians are also the first to vote to send our military to war and to support the death penalty, both very anti-life stances. Pro-choice doesn't mean pro-abortion. Keep abortion legal and safe, reduce unwanted pregnancies. Can't we all agree on that goal? ALLISON WILCOX Midland In October Patently Apple reported that GoerTech was going to move their AirPod Plant to Vietnam to avoid possible escalation of the US-China trade war. Last week we also reported that Foxconn may setup a plant in Vietnam because of trade war tension. In a third report, Foxconn's Chairman Terry Gou made it clear that the US-China trade war was a battle way beyond mere tariffs and one about global economic and technological leadership. A battle that could drag on for years if not a decade. Today a Bloomberg report adds a little to this developing story. While some of Apple's suppliers are on record about moving Apple product production or considering a move to Vietnam, most Apple suppliers will remain in China even if the initial 10% tariff kicks in. That could of course change if the U.S. hits iPhone imports with tariffs 25% or higher. Apple has long used the worlds No. 2 economy as its production base for everything from its signature device to iPads and Macs. The companys supply chain now spans hundreds of companies, culminating in assemblers such Foxconn and Pegatron Corp. Apples manufacturing partners are largely beholden to the U.S. companys wishes and Apple has yet to signal a move out of China. Apple seems to be in wait-and-see mode for now. The Bloomberg report further stated that the situation "may change if tariffs escalate, an outcome now in the balance as Washington and Beijing begin thorny negotiations on a trade deal that could scale back a series of tariffs implemented this year. Apple, already grappling with mounting evidence that its latest iPhone line-up has failed to excite consumers, can ill-afford a sharp hike in import taxes." When Samsung didn't handle reports of Note smartphone fires in China as the Chinese would have liked, the Chinese media used that as an excuse to attack Samsung viciously and the end result was Samsung going from a leadership position in smartphones in China to holding less than 1%. Apple knows that any sudden signal to move production out of China would result in a similar smear campaign that could sink their future in China. With that said, this Chinese tactic of wildly playing up patriotism in a flash is already showing signs of rearing its ugly head. Yesterday Malaysia's The Star Online reported that Huawei supplier Menpad warned employees that they would be punished if they use iPhones. Every employee must buy and use Huawei smartphones. The supplier went overboard with "nationalistic pride" by stating it would no longer buy any American products like office furniture, computers and cars. Menpad's email to staff stated: "If employees buy any iPhone for themselves, the company will impose a 100 per cent penalty on the basis of the phones market price." Of course the Chinese government won't investigate or impose a penalty against Menpad for such behavior because this is communist China. This is an act of patriotism against the U.S. which is applauded by the government privately. The report further noted that Huawei has sent out a letter to all of their suppliers railing against the U.S. for locking them out of the U.S. market. It's pure retaliation. The Washington Post's report added that "Another tech company, electronics parts supplier Shenzhen Huiyisheng, went even further. It said it would reward staff with Huawei phones with 500 yuan about $72 and asked those with iPhones to surrender them. Those who refuse would be fired, the company wrote in a post on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter. A chamber of commerce in Shanghai offered similar incentives for buying Huawei and similar punishments for using Apple products. The Chinese government knows that Huawei is important for their goal of global domination in technology and Apple looks like the U.S. poster child to punish." Expect Patriotism in both countries to accelerate if the trade war expands. In November Patently Apple posted a report that talked about the crisis that Samsung was undergoing with their smartphone division losing a lot of ground in 2018 to Chinese rivals Huawei, Oppo and Xiaomi in Asian markets. The report also touched on a "punch-hole" display coming to the Galaxy S10 in early 2019 along with a fingerprint scanner under the display using ultrasonic technology. The rumor of the "punch-hole' display coming to the Galaxy S10 became a reality yesterday when Samsung decided to first introduce their new Infinity-O display on their next-gen Galaxy A8 for China well ahead of schedule. The images of the new display are presented below. They were taken from the Samsung shop found on their Chinese Site. In a bid to increase its presence in the mid-end sector, Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin vowed that the firm would beef up the mid-tier lineup by employing cutting-edge technologies before adding them to high-end models. The A8 going on sale on December 21 proves he is delivering on his word. While the display design is nice and clean and definitely anti-notch, it's unlikely that Samsung will be offering both 3D Face ID and under display fingerprint as the Huawei Porsche Mate 20 RS does, as noted in the image below. According to the specifications published on its Chinese website, the A8s will hit shelves on Dec. 21 in the local market. It is powered by Qualcomms Snapdragon 710 and equipped with 24MP, 8MP and 5MP triple camera modules on the back while sporting a 24MP single camera on the front. It also features a 3,300mAh battery, and comes with either 6GB or 8GB RAM options and 128GB internal storage. The Infinity-O display with 19.5 to 9 aspect ratio will likely be a killer feature as it frees up more screen real estate for users, especially those who heavily consume media content. The latest unveiling is thought to be in line with the anticipated debut of other smartphones featuring a similar punch-hole display, including Huaweis Honor View 20. A Possible Shift in Fingerprint Technologies for the Galaxy S10 Industry sources told the Korean publication with knowledge of Samsungs plans for future smartphones that the two higher-end S10 variants are expected to utilize an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor while the lower-end will likely use an optical sensor. Samsung's ultrasonic technology for fingerprint scanning was covered in a patent report back on July 29th. Samsung's optical technology using a camera under the display was revealed in a patent that Patently Mobile covered back on November 30th. And finally, a third methodology was discussed in patent that Patently Mobile covered back on November 16th covering specialty sensors built into the layers of the display. The Korean report lastly noted that "Rumor also has it that the mid-range S10 may have a biometric sensor installed inside the power button located on the right side of the phone. Samsung's Exynos Modem 5100 Opens 5G Era During Qualcomm's 3-day Snapdragon Tech Conference last week, Verizon confirmed that they have partnered with Samsung to deliver a 5G ready smartphone in the U.S. in early 2019. Samsung will use its own Exynos modem 5100 and not Qualcomm's 5G modem. The official announcement was made last week in addition to the company launching a new website dedicated to promoting the new 5G mobile modem. Recently the term feudalism has crept into widespread discourse about Tibet. On this blog it can be found in a mention of the feudal system by the Dalai Lama (2017) in reference to recent exposure of leading teachers misconduct. The Guardian published an article by Sorrel Neuss on What we dont hear about Tibet (2009) stating that Sexual abuse in monasteries and oppressive feudalism in traditional Tibetan society has been factored out of the argument against Chinas occupation, oversimplifying it. And Secular Buddhist pioneer Stephen Batchelor wrote in Why I Quite Guru Yoga (2017) that The Tibetan (and Japanese) traditions, by contrast, evolved and were embedded in a feudal society, where unquestioning loyalty and obedience to the feudal lord were of paramount importance in maintaining social order. However, it has been pointed out by experts that the term feudal is misleading in its use in the context of Tibet. As Reddit user JimeDorje points out: Tibetan society pre-1950 was not feudal nor did it contain slavery in the sense that we are familiar with the terms in modern or western history. (The other term that often accompanies this is caste, which is also inaccurate for the same reasons.) Tibet and the Himalayan world was (and still is) very hierarchical. Bhutan is, in my opinion, a good case study of Tibetan society with far lass (sic) political polarization with far less at stake ideologically. The Bhutanese draw most of their social institutions from the north as the majority of migration was north-south, the Ngalongs being descended of Tibetans and pre-Tibetans before, during, and after the seventeenth century. Before 1952, Bhutan had a system of Draps and Zaps. Drap is usually translated as Serf and Zap is usually translated as Slave. This is more indicative of how many rights one had over the other. Draps had land provided for them and their children were born free taxpayers. Zaps didnt have land or shelter set aside for them, and their children were born zaps. In 1952, the King of Bhutan dismantled this system (read the above link for more information) [here]. Where these analogies fall apart is that the feudalism were familiar with involves a lord who bestows land to others to maintain (though he still owns that land) and this isnt really what we saw in Tibet and the Himalayas. The slavery analogy falls apart in that there werent slave markets or chattel slavery, which is more often than not the connotation. That is the very short answer. A lengthier scholarly look at the term comes from the work of William Monroe Coleman, extracts of which can be found at the Columbia University website here. His writing focuses on feudalism in Tibet and Chinese discourse; especially the scholarship of Melvyn Goldstein. Goldstein is one of the contemporary giants of Tibetan scholarship. However, his assertion that Tibet was a feudal state prior to the Chinese invasion of the 1950s has sparked criticism from other scholars. Coleman in particular devotes many pages to deconstructing the various possible definitions for the Tibetan terms mi ser and zhing bran, concluding that rendering the Tibetan system as feudal is untenable with closer examination. Coleman writes: Words, particularly politically-charged words, should clarify as best as possible our understandings of a subject. Feudalism and serfdom more times than not confuse and complicate, rather than refine, our understandings of the nature of Sino-Tibetan relations today. Moreover, the strength of the discourses of feudalism and serfdom as outlined in this thesis effectively hinders the growth of new, alternative historical narratives with the potential to clarify further our understandings of China and Tibet. He further notes the unfortunate cooptation of Goldsteins scholarship by the Chinese government in support of its vision of a backward Tibet which was freed by its forces. This is not to say that life in pre-1950s Tibet was enlightened or utopian. Criticisms can certainly be made. However, this should be done with clearer understanding of the actual conditions there. Photo by Gregory Hayes on Unsplash Another post here discusses the feudal nature of Tokugawa society [1600-1868 Japan]. Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., didnt have much in the way of kind words for a compromise federal Farm Bill that drops stricter work requirements for food stamp recipients, but legalizes industrial hemp, which is a big win for the emerging medical marijuana industry. The Senate voted 87-13 on Tuesday to approve the bill, crossing a major item off the Senates to-do list, as Congress races to wrap up a busy lame duck session and tries to avert a government shutdown in an ongoing staring contest over President Donald Trumps border wall. The legislation, which still needs House approval, would spend an eye-watering $867 billion over 10 years. The bill is a wasted opportunity to rein in excessive spending and end corporate welfare. It makes no attempt to curb taxpayer-funded handouts or reform the broken sugar program that forces American consumers to pay twice as much for sugar as the rest of the world, Toomey said in a statement. Further, efforts to establish a reasonable work requirement for adult, able-bodied food stamp recipients with no dependents, were abandoned. American farmers, consumers, and taxpayers deserved better, he added. Trump and U.S. House Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Glenn GT Thompson, a Pennsylvania Republican who sits on the House Agriculture Committee, had been pushing for the stricter work requirements. In a PennLive op-Ed, Thompson argued that the work requirements were antiquated and do not meet their intended purpose." Democrats, including Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, pushed back against the requirements. In a letter obtained by PennLive earlier this year, Wolf said the stricter requirements for able-bodied recipients would reduce federal assistance to some of the states neediest families, not provide adequate funding for job training, and would have downstream effects on local economies. NPR reported Tuesday that the food stamp rules were the biggest sticking point between the House and Senate bills and bogged down negotiations since the summer. The House plan, which passed by the narrowest of margins and without single Democratic vote, called for those who receive the SNAP food subsidy to work more. The compromise bill is largely seen as a win for Democrats and Senate negotiators, NPR reported. Meanwhile, Pennsylvanias senior senator, Democrat Bob Casey, praised language in the bill addresses senior nutrition needs, improve conservation efforts and work to protect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. "The 2018 Farm Bill includes measures that I have pioneered that work to improve our conservation efforts and also to make sure our seniors are taken care of. This is a strong bipartisan effort and I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this legislation, Casey, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a statement released by his office. The rest of the days news starts now. Rising sea levels pose a serious threat to 500-year-old trees in an old growth forest in South Jersey, The Inquirer reports. Outgoing Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, who chairs the states pardons board, tells The Inquirer that the states commutation system is broken. But can it be fixed? A new survey notes that things in Pa. are actually ... wait for it ... getting better, The Daily News' John Baer writes. Her residency might be in dispute, but newly elected state Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-Allegheny, is getting comfy in her new office, The Post-Gazette reports. BillyPenn runs down everything that Phillys soda tax is -- and isnt -- paying for. The Incline has the list of the half-dozen residents of Braddock, Pa., who are vying for new LG John Fettermans mayoral gig in the borough. Heres a kinda cool #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day. A new coal mine is opening in Pennsylvania - do local residents have President Donald Trump to thank for that one? WHYY-FM has the story. Meanwhile, the White House is rolling back Obama-era clean water protections. WITF-FM explains what that means for Pennsylvania. The Morning Call has the one thing that Bethlehem City Council cut from the citys Christmas list. Politico explains the big important thing it takes to become White House chief of staff. Roll Call has three takeaways from Nancy Pelosis unbelievable Oval Office schooling of President Donald Trump on Tuesday. WolfWatch. Gov. Tom Wolf addresses the York Rotary Clubs luncheon at 12 p.m. at York County Club. Will they make him sing? What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition). State Sen. Scott Martin, R-Lancaster, throws a holiday reception at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster tonight at 5:30 p.m. Admission runs $100 to $5,000 - dependent, as ever, on the intensity of your desire to bask in his reflected glow. Heavy Rotation. Were going to wander a bit off the beaten path this morning. Heres something we never get tired of hearing. Wednesdays Gratuitous Hockey Link. Of course, Michael Nylander would have to get his mojo back in a game against the Hurricanes. The winger had two assists in the Leafs' 4-1 win over Carolina on Tuesday night. And now youre up to date. A volunteer firefighter in western Pa. was fighting mad after a local borough council voted to disband his company so much so the irate smoke-eater had to be tasered before he cooled down. As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and WTAE-TV report, the ugly incident happened Monday night at the Pitcairn Council meeting, where the board had just voted to disband part of the department, doing away with the Allegheny County boroughs No. 2 Volunteer Fire Department. The firefighter, who hasnt been named publicly, reacted in anger and continued arguing with the council after being gaveled out of order and asked to leave, according to the published reports. Pitcairn police officers then tried to take the irate firefighter into custody when he wouldnt leave the borough council meeting, but the officers said they ultimately had to Taser him in order to get him into handcuffs. From WTAE: He really didn't represent himself the best way he could have, he could have handled it a lot better," Lt. Matt Ruby, of Pitcain Fire Department #2 told the news station. "I try to look at it from his point of view, and I try to tell other people all the years he put in firefighting, his fire department was shut down last night, so he probably feels out in the cold in a way, but shouldn't have handled it like that." The Pitcairn police chief told WTAE the firefighter would face charges in the case, but as of last report, those charges had not been filed. LONDON Lawmakers in Britains Conservative Party on Wednesday triggered a no confidence vote against Prime Minister Theresa May, threatening her leadership as she struggles to secure a deal for Britain to leave the European Union. May quickly responded that she would not resign but would defend her vision for Brexit, the term for Britains plan to leave the EU. She warned rebellious lawmakers that ousting her would not make getting a Brexit deal any easier, but instead would bring delay and confusion. I will contest that vote with everything Ive got, said May, speaking outside her Downing Street residence. I stand ready to finish the job. The no-confidence vote involves only Conservative Party lawmakers and not the entire Parliament. If she is toppled as party leader, replacing the prime minister could take weeks. Changing leaders now, May warned, would "put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it." The vote on the prime minister's fate will take place Wednesday evening. If a large number of her fellow Conservatives vote against her, she may be pressed to resign. If half the Tory lawmakers vote against her, May would be removed. The looming no-confidence vote throws May's Brexit deal and Britain's future relationship with Europe into chaos. In Brussels, European diplomats shook their heads in dismay. European leaders are frustrated that Britain appears hopelessly divided over Brexit. May on Monday announced she was delaying a vote on her deal, after she concluded that the accord faced a humiliating defeat in the House of Commons. May spent Tuesday meeting with Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the EU leaders, trying to secure new concessions that might appease British lawmakers who oppose her Brexit withdrawal agreement. For the Tories to challenge May, ostensibly their party leader, they needed to send at least 48 letters equaling 15 percent of the 315 Conservative lawmakers to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee in Parliament. "The threshold of 15 percent of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded," Brady said. Brady told the BBC that he informed the prime minister on Tuesday night that the threshold of 48 letters had been reached. May was "businesslike and keen to proceed as quickly as possible," he said. Brady said the no-confidence ballot would take place Wednesday between 6 and 8 p.m. Votes will be counted immediately afterward and an announcement will be made as soon as possible, he said. For May to survive a leadership challenge, she needs a simple majority of Conservative lawmakers 158 of 315 to back her. May advised her fellow Tories to look at the calendar. "The new leader wouldn't have time to renegotiate a withdrawal agreement and get the legislation through Parliament by the 29th of March," the date when Britain is set to leave the European Union, she said. A new leader would have to seek delay, May said. "So one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it," she said, referring to the provision of the European Union treaty that allows members to withdraw from the bloc. The leader of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, expressed her frustration with the political squabbling. She tweeted: "Today is a stark reminder that the UK is facing chaos and crisis entirely because of a vicious civil war within the Tory party. What a self-centered bunch they are. They all need to go, not just the PM." A string of Tories publicly declared their support for May. But the actual vote on Wednesday evening is a secret ballot. Conservative lawmaker Geoffrey Cox tweeted that he would be backing the prime minister, adding: "This is no time for the self indulgent spasm of a leadership election." Supporters include Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Home Secretary Sajid Javid. Commentators were quick to draw comparisons to Margaret Thatcher, the original Iron Lady and Britains only other female prime minister, who won a vote of confidence on the first ballot, but resigned anyway in 1990. The partys rules were very different then. Now, a leader cannot be challenged by a rival a contest is triggered by the 48 letters and needs to win by only a single vote. If May wins the vote, she cannot be challenged for a year. If May loses the vote, she could remain as a caretaker prime minister until another leader is found, a process that could take six weeks. If multiple candidates throw their hats in the ring, then Conservative lawmakers vote, with the candidate receiving the fewest votes removed. In the past, the voting has taken place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Then, when two candidates are left, a vote is put to the wider grass-roots Conservative Party membership, which is more pro-Brexit than Parliament. When David Cameron resigned as prime minister the morning after Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum, he stayed on as caretaker prime minister for three weeks until May replaced him in July 2016. In that leadership context, the field was whittled down from five to two candidates - May and Andrea Leadsom. Leadsom dropped out after she gave an interview suggesting she was the stronger candidate because she had children. In Brussels, where preparations are underway for a summit of European leaders Thursday and Friday for which Brexit is only one issue among many, diplomats were measured in their reaction to the British drama. Many have long braced for a challenge to May's leadership, and although the British instability added to uncertainty surrounding the Brexit deal, several diplomats said there was little they could do to sway events in London. (c) 2018, The Washington Post William Booth, Karla Adam Somewhere beneath Lake Seminole, in the spot where tree stumps jutted out of the water like claws, investigators thought they would find Mike Williams. It was the evening of Dec. 16, 2000, the date of Williamss wedding anniversary with his high school sweetheart, Denise. Hed told his wife he would return from his duck hunting trip at the lake just in time to leave for their planned getaway down in Apalachicola, Fla. But Williams never came back, leading a search party to descend on the lake to find him. Williams's best friend, Brian Winchester, was among them. His father had called to let him know that everyone was worried, so they headed to the lake together with their boat to help. For hours they searched in the dark, until finally Winchester and his father stumbled upon Williams's small, motorized canoe brushed up on the lake's shore. They found his Ford Bronco parked 75 yards away, abandoned. What they weren't going to find, at least not there and then, was a body. Eventually, after the search at the bottom of Lake Seminole produced only his hunting license, jacket and waders, investigators believed that perhaps Williams had been eaten by alligators, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. But Winchester, it turns out, knew that couldn't be true. He knew where his friend was buried. They just hadn't found him yet. "[My dad] was searching, and I was just lying," a sobbing Winchester said Tuesday during the dramatic murder trial in Tallahassee over Williams's death. "I think we were the last ones on the lake. My dad didn't want to give up." Brian Winchester, the man who shot and killed Mike Williams, struggles to pull together his thoughts to speak about what occurred on the day Mike Williams was killed during trial Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in Tallahassee, Fla. The trial has begun for the Florida woman accused of helping orchestrate the death of her husband in order to secure a massive insurance payout. Prosecutors contended that Williams plotted the December 2000 slaying of her husband with a man that she was having an affair with and later married. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat via AP, Pool)AP Eighteen years after Williamss disappearance, Winchester confessed on the stand Tuesday to fatally shooting Williams in the head during the Dec. 16 boating trip, then leaving Williamss boat in the water to fool investigators. Winchester, however, is not the one on trial. He was called on by prosecutors to testify against Williams's high school sweetheart, who stands accused of conspiring with Winchester to kill her husband so that the two of them could be together. Williamss death, prosecutors say, was the product of a poisonous love triangle involving two sets of high school sweethearts Denise and Mike Williams, and Brian and Kathy Winchester that spiraled from infidelity to murder. Prosecutors say Denise collected $1.75 million from her husbands life insurance policies, one of which was written by Winchester, an insurance agent by trade, just months before Williamss death. Then, after Brian divorced Kathy, he and Denise married in 2005. All while, Mike Williams's disappearance remained unsolved. In a trial expected to last through the week, the jury will now be left to decide whether Denise was a willing participant, entering a marriage that grew from a murder, or whether she only knew as much as investigators did, believing her husband to be lost to the alligators. Her defense attorney, Philip Padovano, maintained in opening statements that Denise had nothing to do with Winchester's plot to kill her husband. The only person to accuse her of conspiring to kill Williams, Padovano maintained, was Winchester: a confessed killer and convicted kidnapper. Once his marriage to Denise fell apart, he kidnapped her in a last-ditch attempt to force her back into his life, a crime for which he is now serving 20 years in prison. He was granted immunity in Williams' death by prosecutors to testify about the murder plot with impunity. Winchester, Padovano told the jury, "has every motive to lie to you." "The issue you're going to have to decide," he said, "is whether you believe him." Winchester and Denise's affair all began at a Sister Hazel concert in 1997, according to Winchester's testimony. They kissed inside the venue while their spouses were out parking the car, he told the jury. From there, the relationship escalated. They went on secret getaways to New York, to South Beach, to Destin, Florida, Winchester said, sneaking in lunch dates during work breaks and visits to each other's homes when their spouses were away. After years of the affair, Winchester said, a disturbing thought crossed his mind after one of his regular hunting trips with Williams at Carr Lake, north of Tallahassee. Williams, he told the jury, had fallen into a mud hole. The ground seemed to collapse beneath him, almost like quicksand, and soon Williams was scrambling for help. "I remember telling Denise about that and how, if I hadn't been there, if I hadn't helped him out, he very likely would have disappeared," Winchester said. "And nobody would have known what happened to him." The seed was planted. Winchester claims he and Denise began discussing ways to get rid of Williams after Denise made clear she did not want to divorce, allegedly due to personal beliefs and because she didn't want split custody of their baby daughter. Eventually, Winchester claims, they discussed the "boating accident." On the morning of Denise and Williams's wedding anniversary, Winchester met Williams near the lake, telling him they were going to a "secret special spot," Winchester testified. Out on the lake, as soon as Williams stood up, Winchester shoved him overboard, hoping he would die by drowning. But he didn't. Williams grabbed onto a tree stump, panicking while trying to strip off his heavy waders and hunting jacket, scrambling again for help from Winchester that would not come. Winchester, realizing drowning would not work, pulled out his gun and circled the stump. Once close enough, he said, he shot his longtime friend in the face. Winchester then dragged the body out of the water, onto the boat and into his Chevrolet Suburban, driving home with Williams's body beneath a tarp in the trunk. For the next 17 years, no one else knew what he'd done with the corpse - except Denise, Williams claims. In the immediate years after Williams's disappearance, they still sought to keep their affair a secret, according to Winchester. They both tried dating other people, Winchester and Padovano said, while Winchester's marriage to Kathy continued to crumble, resulting in divorce. It was only in 2005 that Winchester and Williams married. But the secret started to weigh on their relationship in later years, Winchester said. They started to get paranoid, believing they were being watched. For years, because there was no body, Williams's case was simply a missing-persons investigation. But that changed in 2010. By then, police reclassified Williams's disappearance as a suspicious death, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating again. The developments that piqued their interest? Police had learned about Denise's marriage to Winchester, and her collection of $1.75 million in life insurance. When investigators called in Winchester for an interview, he said, it was all downhill from there. "It became quite clear to me from that interview that they were suspicious of what happened," Winchester said, "and not only that, they were suspicious of me and Denise." Still, as defense attorney Padovano emphasized, there was no physical evidence, such as DNA or fingerprints, connecting Winchester and particularly Denise to Williams's death. That's why there would be no real movement in the case until 2016, when Winchester and Denise's marriage snapped apart with one last crime. The couple, then estranged, were on the brink of divorce. At about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 5, 2016, Winchester crawled into the trunk of Denise's SUV, and waited for her to get inside. Later that morning, when she opened the door, she found Winchester with a gun and screamed. She was able to calm him down, Padovano said, by promising that she would stay with him and wouldn't tell the police anything. Instead, she later went to the sheriff's office to file the kidnapping report. And that's when everything unraveled: Investigators appeared to believe they figured out the whole backstory of their marriage. "He killed Mike," a Tallahassee police officer, who happened to be married to Denise's sister, told Denise during an interview about her kidnapping, the Tallahassee Democrat reported, "and I'm pretty sure the reason he was going to kill you today was he was afraid you were going to say something." (Winchester's defense attorney at the time, Tim Jansen, maintained that Winchester was not planning to kill Williams on the day of the kidnapping but was suicidal, the Democrat reported.) Denise said it wasn't true, maintaining she always believed Williams died on the lake. But whether she believed it or not, Winchester was about to shatter that fiction when police arrested him for Denise's kidnapping. In exchange for his statements and testimony implicating Denise in the killing, prosecutors agreed not to use any of his admissions to charge him with Williams's murder. He was sentenced to 20 years for the kidnapping last December. And before he could be shipped away, he led police, finally, to Williams's body. On the morning of the murder, with Williams covered beneath a tarp in his trunk, Winchester drove to the hunting spot he had long remembered. He stopped at Walmart for a shovel and weights - to hold Williams's body down, he said - and then he pulled up to the edge of Carr Lake. He looked for the mud holes, knowing this time Williams would not make it out. "There they found Mike, exactly where Brian said he would be," prosecutor Jon Fuchs said, "shot in the head, just like Brian said." He was still wearing a wedding ring. (c) 2018, The Washington Post Meagan Flynn WILLIAMSPORT - Penn State has been sued for a third time by a male student who challenges the method the university uses to adjudicate sexual misconduct complaints. The basis of the suit filed Tuesday in U.S. Middle District Court is the suspension of a student who was found to have had nonconsensual sex with a female student at the Altoona campus in 2016. The suspended student is identified as John Doe. It is a practice of the university to not discuss pending litigation, Penn State spokeswoman Lisa M. Powers said. Judge Matthew W. Brann, who has been assigned the new case, commented in an opinion in one of the other suits that the method used to adjudicate sexual misconduct complaints raises constitutional concerns. But the judge stopped short of ordering a change. Like the two previous suits, this lawsuit challenges the university's use of the investigative model to determine if a student violated the Code of Conduct. An investigator gathers the facts and prepares a draft report that is submitted to the parties for review and comments. The final report is forwarded to a case manager who determines if it reasonably supports a violation. If charges are issued, the parties have the right to meet with the case manager and submit a written response to them. If the respondent contests the charges, the matter is referred to a Title IX panel for a hearing that could result in sanctions ranging from suspension to expulsion. In this case, a panel on April 20 suspended Doe through next spring's semester and banned him from the University Park campus until he completes an assessment and any recommended treatment plus provides a favorable evaluation. His appeal was denied in May, but the ban from the University Park campus was replaced by various stay-away provisions. In the suit, Penn State is accused of violating Doe's due process rights in that its policies limit an accused student's right to be heard in disciplinary proceedings. The suit also states the evidence did not support a finding of nonconsensual sex. Doe seeks an injunction vacating the Code of Conduct violation finding, expunging his record and reinstating him in good standing along with unspecified monetary damages. The plaintiffs in the three cases claim their due process rights have been violated because they are not permitted to confront their accuser and call witnesses. Doe also argues the panel that decides whether a violation occurred should be separate from the Office of Student Conduct. He was a 19-year-old sophomore at the Altoona campus when the incident occurred but later transferred to University Park, where he was studying electrical engineering. According to the suit, the student and the female, identified as Jane Roe, became friend at Altoona in the fall of 2015. The friendship evolved into a sexual relationship in 2016, the suit states. The incident that led to Doe's suspension occurred the evening of Nov. 12, 2016, in his apartment. The court complaint gives Doe's version: The female student went to John Doe's bedroom where they engaged in consensual sex after which she claims he partially penetrated her anus against her wishes. Doe denies having anal sex. The female student did not file a complaint with the Office of Student Conduct until Sept. 12, 2017, 10 months later, although they had several text contacts in between, Doe points out. The suit accuses the investigator, Christopher Harris, of reopening his report last January after he had submitted it to the Office of Student Conduct to make it more favorable to the female student. The edited version deletes information on the woman's failure to respond to Harris's inquiries but includes her explanation for discrepancies in the original one, Doe contends. He was not provided the opportunity to respond to the edited report or submit additional information, the court document states. A Title IX panel concluded Doe violated the Code of Conduct by engaging in nonconsensual sexual intercourse and restraining the female student for sexual purposes but it found the vaginal intercourse was consensual. Doe notes he was allowed to make a statement to the panel but was not permitted to confront Roe or cross-examine witnesses. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Republicans in Pennsylvania expressed continued skepticism Tuesday that a newly elected Democratic legislator meets constitutional requirements to serve in the state Senate as Democrats compared the threats to block her with GOP hardball tactics in other states. Lawyers for Democrat Lindsey Williams on Monday submitted legal arguments and affidavits that they say should satisfy any concerns that she doesnt meet residency requirements. The 97-page package went to Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, whose office said Tuesday that Williams' information "answers some questions but certainly raises new issues." The question remains whether she meets the constitutional requirement, it said. The Senate's Republican majority is threatening to bar Williams from taking her seat, a move that could force a special election in the spring and give Republicans another shot at keeping the Pittsburgh-area seat that Williams won narrowly in the Nov. 6 election. The showdown is raising accusations by Williams' allies that Republicans are trying to steal the election, while Republicans insist they are trying to do the right thing under the state constitution. Williams' lawyers said they have seen no reason why Williams does not meet the constitutional requirement that senators be "citizens and inhabitants" of Pennsylvania for four years before they are elected. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, said he stands by Williams and believes she meets the requirement. Williams, 35, has maintained that she accepted a job offer with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers in the days before Nov. 6, 2014, and had begun moving her things from Maryland, where she lived with her sister and brother-in-law. On Nov. 6, 2014, she had moved in with friends in the Pittsburgh area while she looked for an apartment and finished her final assignments at her previous job with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in Washington, D.C., the paperwork said. She moved other household items later, it said. Williams, a northeast Pennsylvania native, has lived most of her life in the state. Republicans have pointed to the post-Nov. 6, 2014, dates on her Pennsylvania driver's license, apartment lease agreement and voter registration as reasons why she does not meet the four-year requirement. But Williams' lawyers cited case law that suggests such matters are not expected to be completed the day someone moves from one state to another. Scarnati has retained an outside lawyer to review Williams' legal arguments and, after that, "we will make known our next step in a few days," his office said. The state Republican Party on Tuesday accused Williams of playing "fast and loose" with the state constitution, while the state Democratic Party called Republicans "sore losers." "From Wisconsin to Michigan to North Carolina, and now Pennsylvania, the Republican Party has stooped to trying to subvert the will of the people and attempting to flout the democratic process as a last resort when they cannot win elections," the Democratic Party said Tuesday. Williams' case arrives amid a power play by the Republican-controlled Legislature in Wisconsin to limit the power of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general before they are seated. Michigan Republicans are considering similar moves against incoming Democrats in that state while North Carolina lawmakers took similar steps two years ago, and court challenges are ongoing. It has been decades since the Senate refused to seat a member, and the debate over Williams is sending Senate lawyers to search for precedent. Counting Williams, Republicans hold a 29-21 majority in the chamber after a tough election cycle in which they lost five seats and their super majority. The open seat Williams won had been held by Republicans since 1990. New senators are to be sworn in Jan. 1, and a vote against seating Williams could turn the normally family-friendly ceremony into a bare-knuckled partisan fight. Williams defeated Republican Jeremy Shaffer by 793 votes, according to certified returns posted online by the Department of State. A real public safety issue is looming in 2020 when 33 Harrisburg City police officers will be eligible to retire, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. The citys police departments retention rate and its recruiting challenges were revealed to council members at a hearing on the citys proposed 2019 budget Tuesday. Whatever the crisis is right now, in terms of capacity, its a real issue in 2020, Papenfuse said. The department has hired 71 officers since 2014, and 41 of them have left, according to the budget presentation. The reasons for departure were not provided at the meeting, but Papenfuse said the 2019 budget should look at increasing officers' pay. Nearby police departments pay better, he said. Its something we have to address as a city moving forward, Papenfuse said. Deputy Chief Derric Moody said Harrisburgs pay starts in the $40,000 range, while other municipalities pay up to $80,000. Currently, half of the departments 134 officers have more than 15 years of experience, and half have five years or less. Recruiting and retaining officers is an ongoing effort, Papenfuse said, that involves improving collective bargaining agreements; promoting the annual law enforcement expo; supporting the citizens police academy; sharing a womens recruitment video; offering internships; providing job shadowing; and attending local college career fairs. Nationally, interest in becoming a police officer has decreased, according to a recent Washington Post story which said that even as the U.S. population increased from 267 million in 1997 to 323 million in 2016, the number of full-time police officers dropped from 2.42 officers per 1,000 residents to 2.17 officers per 1,000 population. The Post said many police chiefs and commanders attributed the decline to diminished perceptions of police and increased public and media scrutiny of officers. Even as the department struggles to replenish its police force, Papenfuse said the city is getting ready to open a new substation at 15th and Drummond streets in Allison Hill. The prefabricated building that will house the substation is scheduled to be delivered to the site tomorrow. The department plans to have a community policing officer working out of substation, who will be working with other officers assigned to Allison Hill, according to the budget presentation. The officer will be working an evening to early morning shift. The police bureau is hoping the substation will help efforts to forge positive relationships within the community. Harrisburg City Police Chief Thomas Carter said hed like to have the same type of relationship with the schools, by having a presence in them, also to possibly generate interest in youth who would like to work in law enforcement. Other items suggested for possible funding in the budget are $400,000 for new police radios and $150,000 for body cameras. A 27-year-old Lancaster man was charged with endangering a three-month-old, among other charges, Manheim Township police say. During an early Sunday morning domestic dispute, Jose Orlando Colon grabbed the victims hair and pulled it out of the root, police say. He threw the victim, as well as struck the victims head and back, while the victim was holding the three-month-old. Colon smashed two iPhones, worth $1,800, when the victim attempted to call police. When police took him into custody, they say they found .36 g of rock cocaine. Colon was charged with endangering welfare of children, simple assault, criminal mischief, and possession of cocaine. A suspended police chief in Armstrong County pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from an undercover agent posing as a teenage girl. Michael Diebold, the former chief of the Leechburg Police Department, pleaded guilty Tuesday to statutory sexual assault, attempted statutory sexual assault, unlawful restraint and criminal use of a communications device, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania Attorney generals office. Diebold, 41, was sentenced to 9 to 23 months in jail at Westmoreland County Prison, followed by three years of probation. Because of his time served, Diebold will be eligible for parole on Jan. 28, TribLive reports. This case is particularly heinous because the perpetrator is a public official, sworn to serve and protect the community, said Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a news release. We have a zero tolerance policy for the sexual abuse of children and my office will prosecute any offender to the fullest extent of the law, no matter who they are. Leechburg Mayor Wayne Dobos told TribLive that because Diebold pleaded guilty, he will soon be fired and decertified by the states Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission. Diebold was arrested in January after soliciting sex online from what he thought was a 14-year-old girl, who was actually an undercover agent for the state Attorney General Offices predator task force. The undercover agent told Diebold he was an underage female child on multiple occasions, but Diebold sent inappropriate pictures to the undercover agent and solicited the agent for unlawful sexual contact, according to the release. He then made plans to meet the undercover agent, where he was taken into custody. Update: Michaels was convicted Defense Attorney Kristen Weisenberger urged a Dauphin County jury Wednesday not to hang her client, Sidney Michaels, with a what she described as a noose fashioned from lies. Michaels, 24, of Middletown, will spend the rest of his life in prison if that jury convicts him of first- or second-degree murder for the April 25, 2017 robbery/slaying of Kodi Flanagan on a Harrisburg street. The testimony that Michaels fired the two fatal shots into the 22-year-old Flanagan came primarily from three people, two of them Michaels co-defendants, who are setting Michaels up as a scapegoat, Weisenberger contended in her closing argument. The evidence brought forward was lies, she said. You cannot convict a man on lies. You cannot convict Sidney Michaels. Yes, you can convict Michaels, and theres a solid basis for doing so, Chief Deputy District Attorney Johnny Baer told the jurors. While all three of the prosecutions key witnesses admitted lying to police at some point, the common core of their accounts puts the murder weapon in Michaels hands, Baer said. This guy pulled the trigger, he said. Weisenberger painted co-defendants Dylan Beard and Sadia Bretznepe as manipulators who served Michaels up to the police to save themselves. Bretznepe, 22, of Manchester, admitted conspiring with Beard to lure Flanagan to the fatal rendezvous at Third and Muench streets with the promise of a bogus drug deal. She testified she was mad at Flanagan because he refused to give her heroin after she has sex with him and gave him nude photos. Beard, 27, of Highspire, testified he and Michaels set up Flanagan for robbery because Flanagan had stolen drugs and money from them. Beard testified he saw Michaels shoot and pistol-whip Flanagan. Saeed Afshar, the driver of the getaway car, said he, too, saw Michaels commit the slaying. Weisenberger played up the fact that Beard and Bretznepe pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in return for sentences that will allow them to avoid life in prison. Afshar, the first to call police after the killing, avoided criminal charges altogether, she stressed. Beard admitted he lied multiple times to police officers, Weisenberger said. And now the commonwealth wants you to believe what he said here? While there have been inconsistencies (in testimony) the big stuff was the same, Baer countered. Is there any question that Sadia set Kodi up to be robbed? Is there any question that it was Michaels and Beard who showed up to do the thing? Video surveillance shows the men walking up the street toward the homicide scene moments before the murder occurred, he noted, The big stuff is 100 percent consistent, Baer said. Michaels had a clear code of the street motive for wanting Flanagan dead, the prosecutor said. Kodi did him wrong. Kodi stole from him, Baer said. Its a sign of disrespect. In that world, thats not something you shrug your shoulders and walk away from. The jurors will begin deliberating after Judge Deborah E. Curcillo instructs them on the law. Three central Pennsylvanians have been inducted into the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Hall of Fame, according to a Tuesday announcement. The group of three from Cumberland, Dauphin and Lebanon counties was honored by the department Tuesday. "Induction into the DMVA Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by this agency and is reserved for those who have demonstrated the highest commitment to our commonwealth and country, according to a statement from Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvanias adjutant general and head of the department. The 2018 inductees included retired Maj. Gen. Walter F. Pudlowski Jr. of Grantville, who enlisted as a soldier in 1965, was commissioned through the Army Officer Candidate School program and served in the United States, Panama and Vietnam where he was a platoon leader, according to a DMVA announcement. Pudlowski later served in the Army Reserve and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, holding leadership positions, according to the announcement. Also honored was retired Command Sgt. Maj. Nicholas Chip Gilliland of Palmyra. According to the DMVA, Gilliland enlisted in the Army in 1986 and completed basic training before leaving active duty and serving in the Individual Ready Reserve. Gilliland was called back into active duty in 1991, when he offered support during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, DMVA officials said. Gilliland went on to join the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, and, in 2009, he was selected to be the state command sergeant major, a position he held until 2012, officials said, adding that he later served a 17-month tour in Afghanistan. He retired from the military in 2014, and, now, works as chief of the Division of Reintegration and Outreach at the DMVA, officials said. General Pudlowski and Command Sgt. Maj. Gilliland selflessly served in uniform for most of their lives and then continued to support the DMVA since that time in many other ways," Carrelli said. The third 2018 inductee was Helen Sajer of Camp Hill. Sajer founded Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors Inc., a statewide nonprofit run by volunteers who aim to help wounded and disabled veterans, according to DMVA officials. Sajer serves as the organizations president. Along with her husband, the late Maj. Gen. Gerald T. Sajer, Sajer also established the nations first Family Support Program for the Pennsylvania National Guard, officials said, also highlighting her work to establish and operate youth groups for military children at Fort Indiantown Gap. "Mrs. Sajer served in her own right, first as a dedicated and supportive military spouse, but also as one of Pennsylvanias most-active advocates for veterans, active service members and their families, Carrelli said. Roughly 40,000 wreaths will be laid upon the graves of those who served our country at a special ceremony on Saturday. The annual Wreaths Across America Day ceremony is set for noon on Saturday at the Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. Between 8,000 and 10,000 people are expected to attend. This year will be the first year well be able to place a wreath on every veterans grave up there, said Floyd Turner II of Wreaths Across America. That was always our goal in the past 12 years. It starts with a ceremony, which will include a fly-over of vintage World War II and Korean War era training and spotter planes, as well as a Huey helicopter to emphasize Vietnam War era vets. Guest speakers include Maj. Gen. Timothy Hilty, assistant adjunct general of Pennsylvania, and Nevin Miller, a U.S. Marine Corps World War II veteran. After the ceremony, anyone can volunteer to help lay wreaths on veterans graves. There is a proper way to do this, Turner pointed out. We tell everyone to take one wreath, walk to the grave, clear the marker off and tidy it up as if this were your family member, and place the wreath with dignity and respect, he said. We want them to say the veterans name and take a moment at that point to conduct their own mini-ceremony. They can say a prayer, stand and salute, whatever they feel will honor that veteran. Organizers encourage attendees to dress warmly. Parking will be available near the Fort Indiantown Gap Community Center with shuttle buses running back and forth from there to the cemetery. Wreaths Across America is held each December at military cemeteries around the country. By Michael OConnell A few weeks seems hardly long enough to reach definitive conclusions about an election season that lasted two full years, although it struck many as endlessand which was in important ways an extension of the 2016 presidential race, which by its conclusion seemed to have lasted only a bit longer than the siege of Troy. Nonetheless, there are some clear lessons from this months elections potential candidates in 2019 and 2020 would do well to heedand perhaps more importantly party leaders, who can do more to shape a partys identity and strategic focus than is generally recognized. The instantly viral photo of former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, of Kansas, saluting the casket of President Bush last week was also a picture of the two men whose service as Republican National Chairman helped the GOP weather the storm of Watergate and finish the nineteen-seventies as a vital, growing national force. Candidates can still forge an identity distinct from that of their party. As ticket-splitting continues to decline, it hardly comes as a revelation that most candidates will stand or fall based on the fortunes of their party. The counter-examples are instructive, though. Mike Fitzpatrick carved out an identity in a competitive district in Bucks County sufficient to let him withstand a free-spending opponent in a difficult year. Long Islands Peter King won handily in a year that saw every Republican state Senate seat in Nassau Countylong the bedrock of the GOP in the Empire Statego to the Democrats. Will Hurd held on to a heavily Hispanic seat along the Mexican border that is substantially larger than Pennsylvania or Ohio. For all of them, as for others, the key to success is not necessarily ideological sail-trimming, although a prudent absence from the room as other Republicans enthusiastically propounded one conspiracy theory or another almost certainly did them no harm. Instead, they won because they invested the time and energy necessary to carve out an identity that reflects their priorities and the values of their district rather than allowing themselves to be cast as cookie-cutter versions of their party. The economy still doesnt much matter in midterm elections. In politics as in poker, you play the cards you are dealt: Congressional Republicans can hardly be faulted for hoping to shift the conversation away from the endless drama at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenuebut in doing so they imagined they could wish away some fairly stark lessons of history. The last set of midterms in which the economy can plausibly have been said to have been a major factor was in 1982, a dreadful combination for Republicans of the lingering global issues of the seventies and a sharp domestic recession that was by Election Day widely recognized not as a temporary slowdown but as a harbinger of the collapse of the postwar manufacturing economy across the Rust Belt. The last one before that was the recession year of 1958, probably more memorable for locking into place the until-then-uncertain postwar Democratic majority in Congress for a generation. This lesson wont apply in 2020, but is one smart folks in Washington would do well to remember for future midterms. Candidatesespecially incumbentsshould close the deal with the electorate early. In todays money-saturated politics, perceptions of candidates are locked in earlier and earlier. Short of a scandal so exotic that it would be laughed away as implausible by a Hollywood producer, virtually nothing is going to change the publics opinion of a high-profile public official in the final weeks of a campaign. Few better illustrate that this year than Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, whose lead over her opponent waxed and waned but whose support never approached a majority of the electorate; she lost handily on Election Day despite what most observers thought was a very strong finish. The lesson seems clear: last-minute television ads that reek of desperation and the dozen pieces of direct mail that daily fill every voters mailbox in October may be good for the bottom lines of campaign vendors but do little to move votes simply because they come too late. The most effective campaigns are those that move early in the year to solidify public supportan admittedly tough assignment for challengers but one increasingly necessary for incumbents. Geographic polarization is real. To a degree unmatched since the nineteen-thirties, city-dwellers and the residents of rural counties vote in a way so markedly different that it can be hard to remember that they are voting in the same election at all. A case in point can be found in Pennsylvania, where the Republican nominee for governor barely cracked forty percent of the vote statewide but still carried fifty of the Commonwealths sixty-seven counties, most of them by comfortable margins. The new reality is that outside a number of racially mixed rural counties in the Deep South, there no longer even exists a template for Democrats to win in rural areas, any more than there is a model for Republican victories in big cities. Both still occasionally occur, but really more as aberrations than as anything from which solid conclusions can be drawn. This does mean one important thing for Republicans whose districts straddle the divide between suburban and rural areas: those rural voters are very likely to be the key to victory, as they proved to be when Republicans successfully defended a Columbus-based House seat this summer that proved to stretch just far enough into rural Ohio to secure a win. Some cliches are true. In this case, the hackneyed line that demographics are destiny seems to have been borne out by election results. Preliminary numbers suggest that both Hispanic and Asian Americans voted at a much higher rate this year than in past midterms, even discounting for the fact that turnout in general this year was dramatically higher than in 2014. Demographic shifts are by their nature gradual ones, but they are ones politicians and political parties neglect at their peril. It is no coincidence that Republicans won Senate seats in Florida and Texas, both of them home to a generation-long effort to attract Hispanic voters, while losing seats in Arizona and Nevada, where Republicans were clearly defined to many votersnot all of them Hispanicby ugly rhetoric about immigration and race. Finally: there remains room for graciousness in politics. The most compelling images of the days after the election were of neither of exultant winners nor of sleep-deprived lawyers filing briefs on the more arcane points of their states statutes on the certification of results. Instead, they were of the occasionally-wooden Congresswoman Martha McSally conceding a hard-fought Senate race in Arizona with a notable assist from a Golden Retriever, and of newly elected Congressman Dan Crenshaw, who appeared in a genuinely funny skit on Saturday Night Live with a comedian who had mocked Crenshaw for the injuries he sustained as a Navy SEAL a week before. Their examples, and those of many others, give reason to hope that the opinion often expressed in the last week that the death of former President George H.W. Bush marked the end of an era when character and decency mattered in politics, and political rivals could be on good personal terms, may be proven wrong by what Abraham Lincoln called the better angels of our nature. No more fitting tribute to our 41st President could be imagined. Michael OConnell is the Political and Public Policy Strategist for Churchill Strategies and has been an active participant in Pennsylvania politics, working on presidential campaigns from Reagan in 1984 to Kasich in 2016, and for candidates at every level in between. He writes from Harrisburg. By Lowman S. Henry Emboldened by the success of their strategy to re-gerrymander Pennsylvania's congressional districts, Democrats have set their sights on gaining control over the re-drawing of district lines that will occur upon completion of the 2020 census. By way of review the Pennsylvania Supreme Court earlier this year ruled the district maps, approved back in 2011 in a bi-partisan and previously court-approved process, amounted to unconstitutional gerrymandering. The decision was rendered by new justices who in 2015 unethically campaigned on issuing just such a ruling should they be elected to the bench. The new Democratic justices then imposed new district lines by judicial fiat, in what many correctly saw as a violation of provisions in both the federal and state constitutions. Since the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of what is constitutional, the only recourse would have been impeachment by the General Assembly. Even as they watched the high court emasculate their legislative powers, lawmakers could only muster howls of protest while taking no substantial action. The court ordered map - artfully gerrymandered in its own right - was implemented. When the dust settled Democrats picked up four congressional seats, contributing to a national wave of wins that saw Republicans lose majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Having used unethical and extra-constitutional means to achieve that end Governor Tom Wolf has launched yet another end run against the established process with an eye to controlling the 2021 redistricting. He has empaneled a 15-member commission to supposedly "improve" the redistricting process. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, who allowed the Supreme Court to get away with its last power grab, protested that Wolf has no power to set up such a commission, failed to consult with the General Assembly in selecting its members, and charged the commission fails to represent rural Pennsylvania. Knowing the legislature is a lion that roars, but does not bite, Wolf proceeded with naming the commission. Keeping in mind that words such as "fair districts," "reform," and "improving the process" are merely code for stacking the process in favor of Democrats, Wolf reeled off high sounded rhetoric while in fact naming a commission guaranteed to continue the hijacking of the 2021 redistricting. He named as chairman of the commission the head of a Philadelphia-based organization posing as a "good government" group. The League of Women voters, another Democrat front group has a seat at the table as does higher education and "urban affairs" representatives. To balance partisan Democrats on the commission the governor appointed Charlie Dent, a former Republican congressman well-known for his Left-leading ideology. In short, the commission is stacked with those whose mission is to overthrow the state constitution and ensure the illicit methodology implemented by partisan Democrats this year supplants the orderly process that for decades had passed court muster. Exactly what is that process? Congressional redistricting takes the form of a bill which must be approved by both houses of the General Assembly and then be signed into law by the governor. To win legislative approval, the congressional redistricting bill must go through the same process as any other legislation: it is drafted, there are hearings, there is a committee vote followed by a floor vote in each chamber. Both houses must agree on an identical bill for it to be sent to the governor for signature. In other words, the very same process by which any other law is enacted is how we do congressional redistricting. For the governor and his partisan Left-wing allies to suggest that process is unfair is to suggest our entire system of government is unfair. Here is what the governor is actually saying: Republicans control both houses of the General Assembly and are likely to remain in control through the 2021 redistricting. That means the GOP will largely control the process, although the governor can wield his veto pen as an end game. That is not good enough for Tom Wolf. He wants to subvert have elected representatives use the legislative process and instead have the job done by an unelected commission which he would appoint. Not only is that unconstitutional, but it undermines the very separation of powers foundation upon which our Republic is built. This time, Senator Scarnati and his fellow legislative "leaders" need to do more than just talk - they need to stand up to Wolf and his power grab because this time the very essence of our constitutional republic is at stake. Lowman S. Henry, an elected Lower Paxton Township supervisor, is chairman & CEO of the Lincoln Institute, a conservative think-tank, and host of the weekly Lincoln Radio Journal. Readers may email him at lhenry@lincolninstitute.org. His work appears occasionally on PennLive Opinion. By Carol Kuniholm The 2017-2018 legislative session ended on Nov. 30 not with bang or even a whimper -- just a deafening silence on a host of issues important to Pennsylvania voters. Merit selection for judges? Bills designed to end partisan judicial elections have been introduced repeatedly across the past three decades. One proposal (HB111), sponsored by now House Majority Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, made it out of committee, but was never brought to a vote in the House. Lead paint remediation? Pennsylvania has 16 cities with higher lead levels than Flint, Mich., and it is one of just a handful of states with no provisions for childhood screening or environmental remediation. Bills address this issue are introduced in each two-year session, are referred to committee, and then never seen again. The #MeToo movement? In the past year legislators from both sides of the aisle introduced over twenty bills addressing sexual harassment and misconduct. Only a few were given a hearing very late in the session, with no subsequent action. None came to a vote. The list could goes on and on and on. My organization, Fair Districts PA, and its supporters were stunned to see how cavalierly the Legislature treated a redistricting reform proposal that we supported. The proposed constitutional amendment (HB722) was blocked, even though a majority of House members were co-sponsors. It was gutted and amended when its sponsor, Rep. Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton, unsucessfully tried to use a parliamentary maneuver to force it out of committee and onto the House floor. Ultimately, the bill remained mired in committee and never came to the floor for a vote. Whatever Harrisburgs game is, its not representative democracy. Not even close. We were also stunned to hear attempts to justify that sad spectacle: Those sponsors didnt really support the bill. They just said that to keep you happy. The leaders are just protecting us from a difficult vote. They dont want voters to hold it against us when we vote against a bill they like. Again: whatever that game is, its not representative democracy. Since last summer, weve been approached by former lawmakers who want us to understand just how broken our state Legislature is. With their encouragement, weve started looking at procedural rules, comparing PA to other states, digging into data and recommended best practices. Theres not much research comparing state legislatures but from all we can learn, our own General Assembly is among the least effective at fulfilling its primary mission: enacting legislation to serve the common good. In number of bills passed, Pennsylvania is in the bottom quartile, far surpassed by even part-time legislatures. Based on the percentage of bills actually passed, Pennsylvania is at the very bottom. Only 7 to 8 percent of the thousands of bills introduced each session ever come to a final vote. Evidence suggests the only less efficient legislative body in the country is Congress itself. As weve started examining procedural rules, its become clear that most best-practice recommendations for scheduling hearings and votes have been ignored. Legislative rules allow committee chairs and party leaders far more control than is the case in most general assemblies. A landmark book, The Sometime Governments, written in 1971, offered recommendations that many states have since followed. A more recent report, Best Practices for Collaborative Policy Making, highlights top recommendations and provides data suggesting PA has adopted fewer of those best practices than any other state. The ONLY provision PA has from the list, the discharge petition, is designed to be easily thwarted, as we know from painful experience. We focused attention on procedural rules at our Reclaiming Our Democracy Town Hall on December 1, where current and past legislators and a long-time Pennsylvania political commentator shared their perspectives on the way current rules shut out voters voices and block attempted reforms. Those rules are voted into place as House Resolution 1 on swearing-in day, January 1. Our goal is to see some recommended best practices included in that resolution or to see the House pass temporary rules while a commission studies and recommends a new package of rules. We are adamantly opposed to a resolution like House Resolution 2, passed in 2017 even before Resolution 1, providing that Resolution 1 be an unamendable resolution. In effect, our legislators resigned their right to represent us as their first official act of the session. We believe any bill that receives majority cosponsorship should be guaranteed a vote on the House floor, that every bill with clear bipartisan support should be provided a hearing in committee, and that every legislator should be able to have at least some say in the legislative process. Were focusing specifically on PA House procedural rules, since the House of Representatives was designed to be the most responsive body and instead, given our experience, is least accountable to voters. While we know no one wants delay or long debate on swearing-in day, we believe this issue is so important were asking all representatives to help postpone a final vote until new rules or a rules commission are in place. This topic is deep in the weeds; those who benefit would like us to turn away in confusion, discouragement or sheer exhaustion. There is too much at stake: the health of our children, our schools, workplaces, communities, economy, even democracy itself. Join us in insisting: reform the rules and represent us fairly. Carol Kuniholm is chairwoman of Fair Districts PA, a government advocacy group. She writes from suburban Philadelphia. Health official: 'We have seen an increase in the number of pediatric patients hospitalized' local 3.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump vowed to shut down the government over immigration as Republican strategists have figured out that his wall is toxic to the party. This is what Trump said while meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer via the White House transcript: 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. 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 down. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: That is (inaudible). THE PRESIDENT: And Im going to shut it down for border security. Video: Trump walks into a massive trap and proclaims that he is proud to shut the government down to get his wall. pic.twitter.com/KsPLfMLncR Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) December 11, 2018 The problem is that Trumps immigration position is toxic for the GOP The Washington Examiner reported: Republican operatives in the 2018 trenches, now formulating battle plans for the next election, are backing the suburban Republicans blaming Trump for their ejection from Congress. In reviewing polling and other data, they discovered that the presidents provocative immigration rhetoric was more damaging to the House GOP during the final seven to 10 days than they realized at the time. Trump hammered on the migrant caravan as he barnstormed red states to stump for Republican Senate candidates in the homestretch while also raising the specter of eliminating birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants. The presidents near-singular focus on those issues repelled Hispanics, independents and soft Republicans, turning a race for House control that leaned Democratic into a late-breaking GOP bloodbath. Trump Is Setting Himself And The GOP Up For A 2020 Bloodbath Trump is behaving like a president who has the American people on his side, but he doesnt. The wall is wildly unpopular with non-Trump Republicans, Independents, and Democrats. Trump has already written the news stories himself by claiming ownership of the shut down before it happens. Republicans are already sensing that Trump is leading them to doom in 2020, and his meltdown during his first post-midterm meeting with Democrats signals that the worst is yet to come. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. WASHINGTON (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn requested on Tuesday a sentence of a years probation for lying to FBI agents in a case stemming from a probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Muellers office said last week Flynn had provided substantial cooperation with its investigation, as well as with other probes. Flynn held the White House job for only 24 days. He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia and will be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Dec. 18. Flynn participated in 19 meetings with the special counsels office and other government bureaus and produced thousands of documents to the U.S. Justice Department, his lawyers said in a court filing. As the Government has made clear, his cooperation was not grudging or delayed. Rather, it preceded his guilty plea or any threatened indictment and began very shortly after he was first contacted for assistance by the Special Counsels Office, his lawyers said in the filing. Flynn is the only Trump administration official to plead guilty to a crime connected to Muellers sprawling probe into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 U.S. election. Both Trump and Moscow have denied wrongdoing. Trump has repeatedly described the probe, which threatens to cloud his presidency, as a witch hunt. Flynns lawyers have asked the court to sentence him to a term of probation not to exceed one year, with minimal conditions of supervision, along with 200 hours of community service. The lawyers said the retired Army general was not warned before a meeting with FBI agents in January 2017 that it was a crime to lie to them. They contrasted Flynns case with that of Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan, a lawyer who worked with Trump campaign associates, who have pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities and were both informed of the seriousness of the crime. The filing also included dozens of letters from people attesting to Flynns personal character, along with honors he had garnered and Army evaluation reports. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Mohammad Zargham, Peter Cooney and Paul Tait) By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) Lawyers for President Donald Trumps former campaign chairman Paul Manafort told a U.S. judge on Tuesday they needed more time to evaluate prosecutors allegations that Manafort lied to Special Counsel Robert Muellers team and breached his plea deal. During a U.S. District Court hearing in Washington, Manaforts lawyer Richard Westling said the defense team had learned more details earlier in the day about the allegations and was not sure yet if any of the issues were in dispute. Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered the defense to file a response by Jan. 7 raising any concerns, and tentatively set a hearing for Jan. 25. Westling said he was not sure if a hearing would be necessary. Muellers team in November accused Manafort of breaching a plea agreement reached two months earlier by lying repeatedly to investigators, and prosecutors on Friday for the first time provided details to back up their assertion. They said Manafort among other things lied about interactions with a former business partner named Konstantin Kilimnik accused by prosecutors of having ties to Russian intelligence, and about contacts with Trump administration officials after being charged by Mueller. Manafort, who earned millions of dollars for his political consulting work for Ukraines former pro-Russia government, has emerged as a key figure in Muellers ongoing investigation into Russias role in the 2016 U.S. election and whether Trumps campaign conspired with Moscows operations. The judge said the prosecutions submission lacked sufficient information to help inform her decision on whether Manafort did lie and breach his deal. Westling said he agreed. Asked by Jackson whether the defense team agrees with the basic facts in the Mueller teams filing, Westling said he still could not say. We had a conversation with the government earlier today where they were more forthcoming and I think we can continue to work through getting the detail we need to be able to answer that question, Westling said. Muellers investigation, which threatens Trumps presidency, has led to guilty pleas by a series of former Trump aides and criminal charges against a variety of Russian individuals and entities. Trump has called the investigation a witch hunt and has denied colluding with Russia. Prosecutors said in Fridays filing Manafort falsely denied trying to contact administration officials either directly or indirectly, but they uncovered evidence showing he was in touch with one senior official through February 2018 and authorized another person to contact the administration on his behalf. Many of the details of his alleged lies, particularly relating to Kilimnik, were heavily redacted from the filing. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Will Dunham) 2.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard For some reason unfathomable to most people, evangelical Christians love Donald Trump, the most criminal and immoral president in United States history. On Friday a group of Christians gathered at Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. for Revolution 2018, a conference of charismatic Christian ministries organized by Lamplighter Ministries. The location they chose is very controversial. Foreign governments have spent millions of dollars at the Trump International Hotel, probably violating the Constitutions emoluments clause at the same time. (And there are lawsuits under way charging Trump with such violations.) Presidents are not supposed to use their office for financial gain, especially from foreign governments. But Fridays gathering did not include either lobbyists or foreign diplomats seeking to curry favor. In the glittering ballroom of the five-star Washington hotel the Christian worshipers held religious rituals intended to thwart the Deep State. Their goal was to protect and support the president and his administration. According to attendees, who were filled with religious fervor, they believe that the Trump presidency will bring about a spiritual turnaround in the United States. Lamplighter Ministries has made Donald Trump the focal point of their religious outreach and ministry programs. They published a book, Midnight Cry, which they say gives the reader: Prophetic insights on Donald Trump as well as clear chronicle of the historic national turnarounds now in play, and key revelations regarding the ongoing exposure of betrayal, the conflict of thrones in Israel, the Mideast, Korea and more. According to Religion News, Lamplighters leader, Jon Hamill speaks in tongues, as do his followers. Speakers at Fridays event in Trumps hotel recounted supernatural encounters, direct conversations with God and angelic beings. In Jesus name, we declare the Deep State will not prevail, Hamill announced, while banging his gavel on a podium. His wife Jolene then led a prayer ritual that was aimed at the false media network. She called on the worshipers present to repent of drinking the cup of media, because it is a false cup. Lamplighter reportedly is part of a movement of independent charismatic Christian groups that combine their spiritual mission with political activism. Donald Trump has become a rallying point for believers. They say his administration is acting on behalf of a divine mission. According to Hamill, opposing the president or his policies is against the will of God. 243 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Democrats in the House of Representatives have begun to openly discuss impeaching President Donald Trump. This is a new development in that after the November 6 elections most of them said they would focus on hearings and legislation instead. But the new criminal allegations made against Trump by federal prosecutors last week have changed the environment on Capitol Hill. And this means legislators are no longer reluctant to mention the I word even if they say that the time is not right (yet) to move forward on impeachment. All the top House Democrats agree that they must wait for Robert Muellers final report. They also know that Mueller, and the New York federal prosecutors, may soon come out with more indictments against the president, and even his children and his business. So it makes sense to wait and see but the political dynamic has changed. Democrats in Congress are getting pressure from the people who voted them into power the left wing of the party. And these people are not that patient. They want Trump impeached, and they want it now or at least some time soon. Here are some recent comments about impeachment from leading House Democrats: Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York will be chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee. He called the criminal allegations from New York prosecutors an impeachable offense. But he also said it probably was not worth removing a president from office for just that. Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island who leads the Democratic policy and messaging group, said, Fridays revelations give you a sense that we might ultimately head that way (toward impeachment) but we just dont know yet. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, the vice-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said the mountain of evidence is building against Trump. But she also agreed that Democrats must wait for the report from Mueller before making any final decisions, and she hoped it would be a bipartisan process. I think impeachment is a political process, she added. That means that the American people as well have to feel that the integrity of the White House has been damaged. I think impeachment is a political process, she added. That means that the American people as well have to feel that the integrity of the White House has been damaged. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the newly elected House majority leader, told reporters Tuesday he wants a cautious approach: Our position has been, is now, and I think will be: Until the Mueller investigation is over, its premature to discuss what action ought to be taken as a result of it. We want to see what hes found out. But other top Democrats seem to agree with Nadlers statement that the possible criminal allegations against Trump constitute an impeachable offense. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, a former House leader, said: Clearly, if the president orchestrated and ordered Michael Cohen to break the law, to act in a criminal manner, and did so knowingly that would be an impeachable offense, potentially. However, there is a difference between something being an impeachable offense and something reaching the threshold where the House should decide to take on that issue. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said Democrats cant be totally focused on removing Trump from the White House, but must use their new oversight powers when called for. Impeachment is the end of a long process, not the beginning of a process. It should be neither a fetish nor a taboo with us. Nobody should be obsessed with it, Raskin said. Impeachment is part of the Constitution and nobody should be afraid of it. But its a very heavy constitutional remedy. Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida called the criminal allegations against the president shocking and the most serious criminal issue facing a president since Watergate. The president is now under enormous pressure, because as he looks at this, he knows that hes in great potential legal jeopardy and very serious political jeopardy, Deutch, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said that Trump may face the real prospect of jail time when he leaves the White House. Schiff seems to think that impeachment by Congress will not be necessary. There is no doubt that even if Congress does not take any action to impeach, Trump will still be in legal trouble. Democrats know that when they take power they will have other tools at their disposal to hold the president accountable. They will be able to hold hearings, launch investigations and subpoena documents from the Trump administration. This may have a greater political impact that holding impeachment hearings. Rep. Al Green of Texas, the sponsor of two House impeachment articles, forced two floor votes on the issue over the past year. He said he will decide next week whether he wants to begin another impeachment effort over the last weeks criminal allegations. I will make an announcement sometime next week, more than likely, as to whether or not we will have additional articles of impeachment brought before the House, Green said on the House floor Tuesday. Given what Green has done in the past, and given the public statements now being made by more House Democrats, there is a real possibility that President Donald Trump may be facing impeachment hearings in the U.S. House of Representatives over the next 12 months. In the halls of Congress, 2019 promises to be a very exciting year. 5.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard After prosecutors reached a deal not to prosecute the National Enquirer regarding their catch and kill payment to Karen McDougal in order to ensure she didnt publicize damaging information about her alleged affair while he was married to Melania Trump about the candidate before the 2016 election, Norm Eisen pointed out that its an agreement to provide cooperation in the future against the Trump Org, the campaign or Trump himself. Ethics czar Norm Eisen pointed out, its agreement to provide cooperation in the future. That means against the Trump Org, the campaign or the man himself. Prosecutors dont just let offenders walk for funya gotta go up the food chain to get a deal like this. Friends, here are the most important words: its agreement to provide cooperation in the future. That means against the Trump Org, the campaign or the man himself. Prosecutors dont just let offenders walk for funya gotta go up the food chain to get a deal like this. https://t.co/orEvosoN4b Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) December 12, 2018 Of course, prosecutors have to be getting something good to let this media company off the hook, especially after they lied about this very issue. In 2016, American Media (parent company to the National Enquirer) told the Wall Street Journal, In a written statement, the company said it wasnt buying Ms. McDougals story for $150,000, but rather two years worth of her fitness columns and magazine covers as well as exclusive life rights to any relationship she has had with a then-married man. AMI has not paid people to kill damaging stories about Mr. Trump, the statement said. The WSj also pointed out the then Trump campaign spokeswoman said that Ms. McDougals claim of an affair with Mr. Trump was totally untrue. Trump and the AMI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David J. Pecker are good friends, so not only is he likely to have helpful information for prosecutors, but this betrayal has to sting. 908 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump has called prosecutors working for special counsel Robert Mueller on the Russia probe angry Democrats. Even though most of them have been lifelong Republicans, he has pointed out that in the past some of them gave political donations to Democrats as proof that they are biased against him. And now Trump has nominated lifelong Republican William P. Barr to lead the Justice Department as Attorney General. If confirmed, Barr will oversee the Russia investigation which is threatening the Trump presidency. And, according to the Washington Post, if he is confirmed Barr would become by far the most prolific political donor to step into the countrys top law enforcement post in at least a quarter-century. An analysis by the Post shows that Barr has given more than $500,000 to Republican candidates and groups over the past two decades. In addition his wife, Christine Barr, gave more than $220,000 over that same time period. And, in typical Trump administration hypocrisy, before he was nominated Barr heavily criticized political donations by prosecutors working on Muellers team. Barr told the Post last year: In my view, prosecutors who make political contributions are identifying fairly strongly with a political party. I would have liked Mueller to have more balance on this group. According to the Post, they asked Barr to comment on his past statements but he did not respond to their messages. A White House official said that it is absurd for critics to focus on financial support he provided to his party, which is consistent with what attorneys general have done previously. The official also contributions from political appointees are much different from contributions from career prosecutors. Previous attorneys general have donated to politicians but in much smaller amounts. By way of contrast, President Obamas attorney general, Eric Holder, gave $37,000 to Democrats before he took office in 2009. The Post looked back to 1980 and found no other attorneys general who had given substantial amounts of political contributions. Fred Wertheimer, president of a nonprofit group that attempts to limit the influence of money in politics, said that the nomination of Barr proves that Trumps attacks are hypocritical as well as bogus. Under the Trump bias standard, Barr must be biased in favor of Republicans and therefore should not oversee the Justice Department investigation of Trump or any other Republican, Wertheimer said. Barr was attorney general from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush. For the past ten years he has been with the law firm Kirkland & Ellis where he has represented major corporations fighting government enforcement actions. Donald Trump has a history of very partisan appointments, even as he has accused federal prosecutors of being biased against him. For example, acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker previously lead a mysterious right-wing organization that existed to issue false statements against Democrats. Once confirmation hearings begin for William Barr we will learn more about his extreme partisanship and his biases which favor a president who has now been accused by federal prosecutors of more than one felony. There is no guarantee that Barr will ever be confirmed as U.S. Attorney General, just as there is no guarantee that Donald Trump will serve out his term as president. 929 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump said on Tuesday that much of the border wall he wants has already been built and has been very effective. But that is not true. He apparently was referring to old border fencing built decades ago. And nothing hes done has been very effective. Even with his hard-line immigration policies and inflammatory rhetoric attempted border crossings and border arrests have increased significantly over the past year. Here is what Trump said during his meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer: A lot of the wall is built. It has 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. When I say dropped, the only reason we have any percentage where people got through is because they walk and go around areas that are not built. It dropped virtually 100 percent in the areas where the wall is. It is very effective. Most of what Trump is provably false. Looking at each of his claims in more detail: New sections of the border wall Trump said: A lot of the wall is built. It has been very effective. Under Trump, the military has installed 70 miles of concertina wire. Separately, border authorities have worked on improving existing structures. Only one of those projects started and finished under Trump. Also, while Trump says that border fencing has been very effective, he didnt mention that illegal border crossings are increasing. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, there were nearly 397,000 people arrested trying to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border in the 2018 budget year. That number represents a spike from the 300,000 figure in 2017 and puts levels on par with 2016 before Trump took office. Illegal traffic Trump said: San Diego, illegal traffic dropped 92 percent once the wall was up. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the wall in San Diego was built in 1992, and, the agency spokesperson told ABC News, Illegal traffic has dropped 92 percent over the past 23 years. There has also been a new border construction project in Calexico, California, about 120 miles from San Diego, but that 2.25 mile project was started well before this administration too, the CBP chief at that port said. Trump said: El Paso, illegal traffic dropped 72 percent then ultimately 95 percent once the wall was up. DHS said El Paso border security was built in 1993, and since then illegal traffic dropped 72 percent in one year and 95 percent over 22 years. This administration completed a remodeling project there, but that project started before Trump was in office. Trump said : In Tucson, Arizona, illegal traffic dropped 92 percent. Yuma, it dropped illegal traffic 95 percent to 96 percent. DHS officials said that the Tucson structure was built in 2000 and Yuma construction started in 2005 both well before Trump was elected. DHS officials said that illegal traffic has dropped in Tucson by 90 percent in the past 15 years, and by 95 percent in nine years. All of the above data shows that drops in traffic were not the result of any of Trumps policies, and border structures were built long before Trump became president. Terrorists caught at the border Trump said: People are pouring into our country, including terrorists. We have terrorists. But we caught 10 terrorists. These are over the last very short period of time 10. This comment came from Trumps Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who has said that DHS blocks 10 known or suspected terrorists a day from traveling to or attempting to enter the U.S. But Nielsen was not referring to immigrants coming in over the U.S.-Mexico border. The State Department said in a report last year that there was no credible information that any member of a terrorist group traveled through Mexico to enter the United States. In summary, Donald Trump continues to lie instead of provide facts to support his beloved border wall. This is why nobody in Congress wants to provide billions of dollars to fund the project. They know it wont work, and they know it is only being proposed because Trump recklessly, and irrationally, promised his core base of racist supporters that a wall would be built once he became president. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Kalyn Oyer is a Charleston native who covers arts & entertainment and food & bev for The Post and Courier. She's a music festival & concert photographer and used to write about music for the Charleston City Paper, among other publications. Food editor and chief critic Eating all of the chicken livers just as fast as I can. The Patriots Point Development Authority voted Friday to terminate its lease agreement with the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. The foundation had planned to build a museum at Patriots Point but announced this fall that it was searching for other locations. File/Provided rendering. Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune. Political Reporter Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work. At least one local landowner has had enough with expensive and, his lawyer argues, illegal permitting requirements forced upon planned developments. Read more The Denver Post recently profiled four Coloradans whose futures are being held hostage by an uncompromising Congress and a morally compromised president. These courageous Dreamers are only asking for the ability to work and go to school in the U.S. without the fear of deportation, but resoundingly the answer from those in charge of our country has been that providing legal status to children who were brought to this country illegally is too difficult. Its too difficult to provide temporary legal status to teachers like Tania Chairez and Alejandro Fuentes, who are paying taxes and supporting students in Denver Public Schools. Its too difficult to provide relief from fears of deportation for an aspiring film maker like Laura Peniche, 34, who is terrified she will have to leave her three children in America. Its too difficult to provide a path to citizenship for someone like Angel Oaxaca-Rivas who graduated from Regis University and is working in a food truck. And its too difficult to support someone like Jin Park who is the first Dreamer to receive a Rhodes scholarship to attend Oxford University. These immigrants were brought to America by their parents for the possibility of a better life and they have seized upon the opportunity. We must find a way to ease the threat that is looming over them the threat that they might lose the only home they know. A federal appeals court last month blocked President Donald Trumps effort to revoke Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the program put in place by President Barack Obama to grant legal status to those who arrived in America as children illegally. Its likely the U.S. Supreme Court will have the final say whether Trumps decision to repeal DACA can stand. But instead of forcing people like Chairez, Fuentes, Peniche and Park to wait in limbo, Congress must address the issue of legal status for 700,000 DACA recipients and hundreds of thousands of other childhood arrivals. Now that Democrats have taken the House they have the opportunity to lead the way on this issue by passing a clean DACA bill one that isnt tied to any other issue. Democrats should be willing to compromise with Republicans in the Senate on how long and hard the path to citizenship will be and who will qualify for the program. Likely Republicans will refuse to pass a clean bill, instead demanding that it must be tied to border security. Thatd be a fine outcome as well. But Trump is asking for $5 billion to build his wall. Thats an insane ask for a construction project that we dont think would be effective at significantly reducing the level of illegal immigration. Its time to make it so a large portion of our immigrant community can stop living in fear of deportation. Congress must act and Democrats should lead the way. The Denver Post, Digital First Media A few hours from now British Prime Minister Theresa May will face a no confidence vote from her own party, and as of this moment Id bet she will lose the vote and be ousted. Whether this will lead to a general No Confidence vote of the entire House of Commons, which would result in an immediate general election, is harder to forecast. Much will depend on whether the Tory Party can unite around a successor, and even more so on the attitude of their coalition partners, the Northern Ireland Unionists, that provide the Tories with their bare working majority in the House. It is hard to imagine that their interests and opinions would fare better under a Labour government headed by IRA cheerleader Jeremy Corbyn, but you never know. The chaotic scene in Whitehall is matched by the chaotic scene on the streets of Paris, and the teetering government of Emmanuel Macron. Macron is an object lesson in the ignorance of the next generation: he actually channeled Jimmy Carter in his address to the nation Monday night, saying that France was suffering from a malaise. The only thing missing was a cardigan sweater. Cardigan sweaters may become a lot more expensive in France and throughout Europe if Britain exits the European Union in a few months with no deal at all, but that is only the beginning of the broader peril of the moment. Over at Bloomberg Tyler Cowen explainshow Macrons reforms are driving France steadily out of conformity with EU fiscal rules: Western societies, including France, are being transformed by immigration beyond what many of their native-born citizens had expected. The rising prominence of terror, migration and security issues have boosted some of the less salubrious sides of the right wing. Add to that mix wage stagnation and the increasingly common view held by 91 percent in France that todays children will not have better lives than their parents. Finally, the decline of organized religion, especially pronounced in Western Europe, has created a spiritual vacuum and a crisis of meaning.. . [C]onsider Macrons response to the protests, outlined in his recently televised speech. In lieu of ideas, or for that matter cold-hearted technocracy, he served up abject financial pandering. He promised to boost the minimum wage by 100 euros per month, but at no cost to employers. He also promised no taxes or charges on overtime in 2019, and he requested employers to pay year-end bonuses, which would be tax-exempt, and he canceled the charges on some pensions.. . The effect of these fillips are explained in another Bloomberg piece by Ferdinando Giugliano: These policies are expected to cost about 10 billion euros ($11.3 billion), according to some initial estimates. Macron wants to crack down on tax avoidance, but the smart money is on his package being funded mainly via extra borrowing. Frances budget deficit was expected to rise to 2.8 percent of gross domestic product next year, largely because of one-off measures, and fall to 1.4 percent in 2020. It may now climb to as much as 3.5 percent, according to Les Echos, a French newspaper. The European Commission will find it hard to turn a blind eye. France had already pledged to reduce the structural deficit by 0.2 percent of GDP next year, according to the Commissions estimates, less than what Brussels expected. If sustained over time, the new giveaways could turn this reduction into an outright increase, putting France in the same camp as Italy. Hardly the way to convince Berlin that Paris has abandoned its old ways. But back to Tyler Cowen: France now runs some chance of becoming the next Italy, complete with fiscal irresponsibility, and it is hard to see the nation as having the political strength or domestic consensus to hold the European Union together. The French have an amazing country: high labor productivity, a quality civil service, incredible vacations, and perhaps the most refined level of cultural taste in the world. Yet all that, sadly, is not enough. A quick comparison with 19th-century French culture, with its emphasis on progress, utopia and the rationalization of social systems, shows just how much the forward-looking perspective is lacking. Italy is already in defiancequite proudly soof EU fiscal regulations, and if France follows it will likely launch a new Eurozone crisis. Already the Eurozone economy is slowing and showing signs of weakness. What this all means is that the EU is certain to impose harsh conditions on Britain in a no-deal hard Brexit, so as to provide a lesson to any other nations thinking of following them. But one can easily imagine Marine le Pen winning an outright majority at the next French general election on a platform of Frexit. And then Italy would likely follow. And then Germany starts making tanks again? A federal judge in California has ordered Stormy Daniels to pay $293,052.33 in attorneys fees as a result of the defamation suit she brought, via her lawyer Michael Avenatti, against President Trump earlier this year. The suit concerned Trumps tweet that Daniels allegation that an unknown man threatened her in a parking lot to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump is a total con job. Federal District Judge S. James Otero tossed the case. He found that the tweet in question constitutes rhetorical hyperbole normally associated with politics and public discourse in the United States and that therefore it is protected by the First Amendment. Judge Otero also ruled that Trump was entitled to attorneys fees under a Texas statute that requires the losing party in these kinds of cases to pay the winning sides legal fees. Today, he determined the fee amount to be just under $300,000. Trump had sought $340,000, but Otero knocked the amount down a bit, finding that Trumps attorneys worked more hours than they reasonably would have been expected to. The rate of return here, about 85 percent, isnt bad in an attorneys fees case. Avenatti says Daniels will win substantially more than what she now owes Trump in another lawsuit. Well see. I wouldnt bet on it. In the meantime Daniels should be thinking about where shell find the $300,000 she currently owes the president. I imagine she could raise it by asking Trump-haters to fund her. In addition, Daniels is making money stripping throughout America. She has stormed through Washington, D.C. at least twice. Im told shes a good dancer, but that might have been a polite way of saying shes too old to be stripping. Ultimately, Daniels might be able to recoup the money from her self-aggrandizing lawyer. She claims that Avenatti filed the suit against Trump without her consent. Theres a potential lawsuit in that. Or maybe Avenatti has a suit for defamation against Daniels. The possibilities seem endless. But there appears to be little possibility that Avenatti is solvent enough at this point to pay Daniels anything. If we are going to start prosecuting illegal campaign contributionssadly, too late to go after Barack Obamas two scofflaw campaignsmaybe we should begin by charging Google and its executives with federal crimes. Earlier today, Googles CEO, Sundar Pichai, testified before the House Judiciary Committee on, among other things, Googles apparent attempt to help Hillary Clinton win the 2016 presidential election. Tyler ONeil at PJ Media reports: On Tuesday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai struggled to respond to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)s persistent questions about an email from Googles former head of multicultural marketing, Eliana Murillo, reporting that the company attempted to push out the Latino vote in key states during the 2016 election. Murillos email, reported by Fox Newss Tucker Carlson, essentially admitted that Google had given Hillary Clinton an in-kind donation during that key election. That is a considerably more serious crime than President Trumps perfectly legal payment to Stormy Daniels, which I dont think violated campaign finance laws at all. The congressman went on to quote the email further. She said this, We pushed to get out the Latino vote with our features. A few lines down in her email she qualified that sentence, and she said: We pushed to get out the Latino vote with our features in key states. And she specifically cites the states Florida and Nevada. Near the end of her email, in a similar sentence, she says we supported partners like Voto Latino to pay for rides to the polls in key states.' Jordan quoted. Then he turned to the CEO, Is it fair to say the we in both sentences, Mr. Pichai, refers to Google? The CEO dodged the question. Congressman, we are very concerned over allegations like that. Our team looked into it Heh. CEOs who testify before Congressional committees are routinely blasted for this sort of transparent evasion. So Ive got really just one question for you. Why? Why did Google configure its features and pay for rides to the polls to get out the Latino vote only in key states? the congressman asked. Congressman, necessarily we found no evidence to substantiate those claims, the CEO repeated. Jordan directly asked whether Murillo was lying. *** Jordan again turned to the email. Your head of multi-cultural marketing said you were pushing to get out the Latino vote, paying for rides to the polls for the Latino vote, only in key states, and youre saying thats not accurate? Pichai agreed, Yes, thats right. So she just made it up out of thin air, wrote this email to your top executives, and its not true? the congressman pressed. The CEO again dodged. I would say the two most populous states for Latinos would be California and Texas. Did you push to get out the Latino vote and pay for people to go to the polls in California and Texas? Jordan asked. The company did not have any effort to push out votes for any particular demographic. That would be against our principles. We participate in the civic process in a non-partisan way, Pichai again insisted. I think its interesting that their head of multi-cultural marketing writes an email the day after the election where she talks about 71 percent of the Latino votes voted for Hillary but that wasnt enough and she talks about paying for rides to the polls in key states for Latino votes to get out the Latino vote in key states and the head of the company says thats not accurate, Jordan concluded. As his time expired, the congressman asked if Murillo still works at the company, and Pichai responded, Its my understanding she does. Either Murillo was lying through her teeth, in which case she likely would have been fired, or Pichai himself is lying, failing to cover up clear political activity on Googles part favoring Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Conduct of the sort described by Ms. Murillo would be an unreported, illegal contribution by Google to the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. The Department of Justice, nominally under control of the president elected by the American people, should prepare criminal charges against Google and relevant Google executives. If we are going to start prosecuting campaign finance violations against someone other than Dinesh DSouza, lets go all the way. Too bad the statute of limitations has expired on the Obama campaigns grossly illegal conduct. While the attention of the world is on the collapsing European welfare states, let us not lose sight of the collapsing welfare states here at home. Such as Illinois. The Chicago Tribune ran a bracing editorial about the fiscal situation yesterday: Goodbye to Illinois $130 billion pension hole. Now its $133 billion. And getting deeper. For several years weve cited the figure of $130 billion to represent Illinois estimated unfunded pension liability. Never mind that number, it was $133 billion as of June 2018 and its getting worse according to a new state report. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability estimates the shortfall in commitments to future retirees will deepen to nearly $137 billion in the current July-to-June year, and to $139 billion in fiscal 2020. . . Now a choice word or several: Fitch Ratings in a new report says Illinois has exhibited a lack of coherent fiscal policymaking over many years and is guilty of irresolute fiscal decision-making. Over the years, lawmakers skimped on payments into the retirement kitty, or avoided making payments altogether, rather than being disciplined about putting enough money into the funds to pay for all the benefits they had promised. Today, Fitch says, Illinois net pension liability plus other long-term debt represent 29 percent of the states personal income, the highest of any state (our emphasis) and well above the 50-state median of 6 percent. Oh yes, the annual operating budget an astonishing one-fourth of which goes to pensions is also a wreck: Fitch reminds us that about $2 billion of the $38 billion budget revenue is either unlikely to be realized or one-time in nature. Irresolute, indeed. The costs of lawmakers recklessness are borne in many ways. Springfield raised the state income tax by 32 percent in 2017, and still Illinois cant keep a balanced budget. The current fiscal year is about $1.2 billion out of whack. And despite issuing bonds to pay some unpaid bills, theres still a backlog of about $7 billion in, yes, unpaid bills. The state is making payments to the pension system, although not as much as actuaries say is necessary, so the shortfall rises. The pension system, which includes government workers and many of the states teachers, should be 90 percent funded. Instead, its about 40 percent funded. Theres more, but this is enough! Its so bad that even outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (big week for failing politicians named Emanuel, regardless of exact spelling or order of the name) is calling for the Illinois state constitution to be amended to address the pension crisis (the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the state legislature cannot touch existing pensions): Emanuel to Push for Constitutional Amendment to Solve Pension Crisis Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday will put his waning but still formidable political muscle behind a constitutional amendment to ease a $1 billion spike in pension payments that will confront his successor. Sources said Emanuel will also urge the City Council to start debate on his stalled plan to borrow $10 billion to fund pensions by setting up the legal structure that will allow bonds to be sold if aldermen decide the move could minimize the need for another punishing round of post-election tax increases. Standard & Poors has warned that pension obligation bonds in environments of fiscal distress or as a mechanism for short-term budget relief could threaten Chicagos BBB+ bond rating. . . The Illinois Constitutions pension protection clause states those benefits shall not be diminished or impaired. Its why the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Emanuels plan to save two of four city employee pension funds. Good luck with that Illinois. But of course we Californians shouldnt gloat. Although there is a budget surplus right now, incoming governor Gavin Newsom no doubt has plans for spending every single one of those dollars several times over, yet the states fiscal structure is so lopsidednearly a third of the states personal income tax revenue comes from capital gains taxes from the endless parade of Silicon Valley zillionaires cashing outthat the next stock market break or recession will plunge the state deeply into the red. So much so that even Jerry Brown is warning about it: Jerry Brown: Democrats Becoming Too Radical for Majority of Voters. So what is Californias stand-by plan? Millennials will love this: OMG! Now California wants to tax text-messaging? State regulators have been ginning up a scheme to charge a fee for text messaging on mobile phones to help support programs that make phone service accessible to the poor. The wireless industry and business groups have been working to defeat the proposal, now scheduled for a vote next month by the California Public Utilities Commission. . . Business groups, including the Bay Area Council, California Chamber of Commerce and Silicon Valley Leadership Group and others opposing the idea, calculated the new charges for wireless consumers could total about $44.5 million a year. But they add that under the regulators proposal the charge could be applied retroactively for five years which they call an alarming precedent and could amount to a bill of more than $220 million for California consumers. Please do this California government. It just might make millennial start to vote Republican. David Von Drehle of the Washington Post does the best job Ive seen of capturing the scandalous behavior of Alex Acosta in the Jeffrey Epstein case. Von Drehle begins by providing context: The aim of the victims rights movement, which arose in the 1970s and has swept through every state in the union and changed federal laws in the years since, is often summed up simply: Crime victims have the right to be informed, present and heard. He then turns to Acosta: All these rights were trampled by Alexander Acosta, formerly the U.S. attorney in South Florida and currently U.S. secretary of labor, when he struck a secret deal with wealthy sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to shield Epstein from federal investigation and prosecution. Though Acosta was in possession of a 53-page draft indictment charging that the well-connected financier was a serial child molester, he instead immunized Epstein and any possible co-defendants in exchange for a comparatively trifling plea deal in state court. To make matters worse: Acostas representatives misled Epsteins young victims by telling them the FBI was hard at work on their cases and asking them to be patient. Even when a handful of the victims who may number in the hundreds learned at the last minute that Epstein was entering a guilty plea and receiving a slap on the wrist, they still werent told that the federal case was being dropped. And because these victims were not informed, they were not present in court to oppose the deal and could not be heard by the sentencing judge protesting this disgraceful sham. Von Drehle notes that the estimable Paul Cassell law professor, former judge and prosecutor, and leading expert on victims rights has petitioned a federal judge in Florida to invalidate Epsteins deal with Acosta on grounds that it violated the Crime Victims Rights Act (CVRA) of 2004. Thats a welcome development of which I was unaware. Cassell asserts: The undisputed facts of this case prove that, rather than forthrightly discharging its obligations to numerous child sexual assault victims, the Government chose to enter into a secret deal with the man who had victimized them. Perhaps before Congress enacted the CVRA, such outrageous behavior could escape a judicial response. But now that the CVRA is the law of the land, the Court is obligated to take all necessary steps to ensure that the victims rights are protected. In response, the government contends that Acosta satisfied the laws requirement to confer with victims when federal authorities handed them a phone number for the FBI. Von Drehle correctly characterizes the response as lackluster. But what else could it be? Surely, the attorneys who prepared the response were uncomfortable, at a minimum, with Acostas conduct. Acosta tried to defend the plea deal in 2011. He complained that the all-star defense lawyers were more aggressive than any which I, or the prosecutors in my office, had previously encountered. They dug into the personal lives of Acostas lawyers looking for peccadilloes. Yet, said Acosta, he didnt back down. Thus did Acosta pat himself on the back for standing up to hyper-aggressive adversaries and obtaining what he continued to insist was a good deal for the government. The chutzpah behind this argument takes ones breath away. Acosta also argued that some of the evidence against Epstein emerged after the plea deal. Many victims have since spoken out, he said, and physical evidence has since been discovered. This is chutzpah on top of chutzpah. As Von Drehle notes, Acosta assiduously avoided hearing from the victims at the time. And the physical evidence he refers to might well have been found if Acosta had not prevented federal investigators from continuing to look for it. Unfortunately, the plea deal probably cant be undone. A deals a deal, and Epstein apparently complied with its extraordinarily lenient terms (under which he was able to go about his business during the day and take weekend trips outside of Florida). However, the court should still declare the deal illegal. I hope that by then, Acosta will have stepped down or been removed from his job as Secretary of Labor. Given Acostas arrogance, fully on display in his 2011 defense, removal may be the more realistic of the two outcomes. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 04:10:27 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 587 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / The Harvard Business Review reports that 50% of Americans are now involved in remote or virtual team work. Innovative software programs are transforming day-to-day operations for companies, providing new opportunities for growth and cost control. Businesses are just beginning to understand the benefits of integrating digital environments into the workplace, according to San Diego-based AlexHern of Tsunami XR.Recent investment data reveals that firms are willing to invest in XR technology to enhance their core business. In 2017, immersivetechnologies investments totaled $339 million for onsite assembly and safety applications, and process manufacturing saw $248 million in capital. Companies are seeking technology-driven solutions that allow employees located at different offices to interact in real time, reducing administrative costs. Workflows are improved as new software breaks down the barriers between physical and digital worlds. For client facing businesses, these so called ''mixed'' realities can be created to provide customers with interactive experiences when launching new products or services. Receiving customers' immediate feedback through guided virtual walks now allow companies to respond more quickly to consumer preferences, according to AlexHern.Integrating immersive technology into a workspace can enhance productivity in design and manufacturing processes. In 2017, global information technology services provider Fujitsu launched workstations capable of simulating 3D environments. These high-tech desktops enable employees to perform complex tasks with computer aided design programs and augmented reality hardware. Engineers are able to create, test and modify product prototypes without building expensive models. In manufacturing, technicians can assemble and repair equipment by overlaying digital instructions onto the physical environment. When Boeing completed a pilot project using Google Glass headsets to install wiring on newly built aircraft, the company found worker productivity increased by 40%.Virtual or augmented reality is already being used in many industries as a training tool. This is especially relevant to sectors where heavy machinery is regularly used. For example, oil and gas producers use simulated environments to teach workers how to operate equipment in high risk surroundings, such as drilling rigs. Not only is this approach safer and less costly than training staff in the field, it transfers corporate knowledge with a high degree of accuracy. According to service provider HoneywellProcess Solutions, these training methods improve skill retention by 100% (versus conventional methods), and reduces the length of the instruction period by up to 150%.Based in San Diego, Alex Hern is the CEO of Tsunami XR, a leading technology solution crossed platform reality provider in Digital spaces. Started in 2011, the company provides state of the art virtual content solutions for the enterprise market. Clients of Tsunami XR include top global companies in nearly every industry sector. For 25 years, Hern has incubated and scaled early stage ventures into multi-million dollar technology companies. In 1998, he co-founded YesMail.com , an email marketing business that was acquired by CMGI (now ModusLink Global Solutions) for $650 million. Hern is also the co-founder of Arcsight, a cybersecurity firm that was sold to Hewlett Packard for $1.5 billion in 2010. He has served on the Boards of Newhomes.com , Zero Knowledge Systems, and Triton Network Systems.Alex Hern - San Diego based Founder and CEO of Tsunami XR: http://www.alexhernnews.com Alex Hern, San Diego-based CEO of Tsunami XR, Reviews Factors Driving Growth in Demand for AR/VR Applications: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alex-hern-san-diego-based-023000189.html Alex Hern, San Diego based CEO of Tsunami XR, Shares Thoughts on the Conference Room of the Future: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alex-hern-san-diego-based-210500420.html Contact Information:contact@ alexhernnews.com SOURCE: AlexHernNews.com PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 11:38:45 Press Information Brands Reviews 8514 Burkhart Rd Houston, TX 77055, USA Michael Nedved Michael Nedved 514-701-6012 email https://www.brands-reviews.com/ # 421 Words 8514 Burkhart Rd Houston, TX 77055, USAMichael Nedved514-701-6012 12 December 2018 Brands Reviews is offering the largest collection of reliable and trusted qqtube review and subpals review meant to help you make an educated decision in line with all of the collected info.With the quick rise of the online market, the supply in all sorts of its iterations is only growing bigger time and again. 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In order to discover more, feel free to check out the official webpage at the earliest opportunity.Contact:Company: Brands ReviewsContact Name: Michael NedvedAddress: 8514 Burkhart Rd Houston, TX 77055, USAE-mail: contact@ brands-reviews.com Website: https://www.brands-reviews.com/ PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 16:13:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 480 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / December 12, 2018 / 8020 Connect Inc. ("8020") is pleased to announce the closing of a Joint Venture with MI3 Communications Financiers ("MI3") and our mutual commitment to expand the 8020 Connect platform to a growing global audience of small-cap investors.Join the future of small-cap investing: www.8020connect.com 8020 is delighted to partner with MI3 allowing 8020 to align our growth strategy with one of the most reputable Investor Relations firms in Canada. 8020 and MI3 will collaborate and move forward with a French language version of 8020 Connect, allowing 8020 to enter the Quebec and European market. What makes 8020 so powerful is that it allows investors and shareholders residing anywhere in the world to have the same access, communication and accessibility to management as any local shareholder or investor would.8020 is regulatory-compliant interactive investor communication platform connecting a global audience of small-cap investors to a network of accountable micro-cap to mid-cap corporations and a growing list of investment industry representatives. 8020 allows corporate clients (issuers) to host controlled and 8020 monitored investor/shareholder groups, allowing the company's management and communications teams to engage directly with interested parties in corporate educational dialogue; and providing users (current and prospective shareholders) with a curated forum within which to exchange views.MI3 is a Montreal-based advisory firm offering North American clients solutions related to communications strategies, governance and continuous disclosure support. MI3's services were developed to leverage the trading and market experience of our bilingual team to provide numerous investor relations services to public companies."We believe that the 8020 platform is uniquely positioned to offer our clients a powerful tool to engage with their shareholders, stakeholders and other interested parties from anywhere on the globe. Our corporate moto since our inception has always been 'MI3 CONNECTING YOU'. We host numerous roadshows, conferences and dinner information meetings. Now, through the 8020 platform, our attendees can more easily stay connected with the presenting companies with which they have interest. This is literally the future of corporate communication, and we are proud to be a formal partner in this evolution," noted MI3's President, Mario Drolet."For our part," commented D'Arcy Funfer, 8020's President, "we were extremely keen to align ourselves with a highly respected Canadian advisory firm like MI3. We share a synergetic view of investor communications and MI3 provides 8020 a strong presence in Eastern Canada. Working together we will bring effective communications strategies and solutions to our corporate clients in both French and English." "Thanks to the continued efforts of D'Arcy Funfer and team, 8020 continues to expand our Canadian platform with key industry experts and partnerships," stated Darren Stewart, CEO.For more information please contact:DArcy Funfer - President8020 Connect Inc.T: 403.214.0218E: darcy@8020 connect.com W: www.8020connect.com Mario Drolet - PresidentMI3 Communications Inc.T: 514.904.1333E: mario@ Mi3.ca W: www.Mi3.ca SOURCE: 8020 Connect Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 08:02:02 Elliott Statement on Pernod Ricard Media London Sarah Rajani CFA Elliott Advisors (UK) Limited +44 (0) 20 3009 1475 srajani@elliottadvisors.co.uk Paris Daphne Claude / Dominic Riding Steele & Holt +33 (0) 6 66 58 81 92 / +33 (0) 6 48 57 83 24 daphne@steeleandholt.com / dominic@steeleandholt.com Funds advised by Elliott Advisors (UK) Limited (together Elliott) have informed Pernod Ricard S.A. (Pernod or the Company) that they currently hold an economic interest in excess of 2.5% in the Company. In Elliotts view, Pernod possesses an outstanding portfolio of leading international spirits brands and offers one of the most attractive investment opportunities in the industry, with significant potential for improvement. Despite the favorable economic backdrop for the spirits industry over the last decade, the Company has lost market share across key segments within its portfolio, and underperformed its peers on several metrics. Successive operational improvement plans have failed to generate operating leverage, leaving operating margins at a five-percentage point discount to its closest peer Diageo. Pernods M&A track record has also been disappointing, with the 6 billion acquisition of Absolut in 2008 falling short of expectations. The result has been a material total shareholder return underperformance relative to its most comparable peers, with the Company notably ranking last among its peer set over the last decade. Elliotts analysis further suggests that an environment of inadequate corporate governance and a lack of outside perspectives have contributed to this underperformance. Proxy advisory firms and independent corporate governance experts have pointed out Pernods weaknesses on several key governance metrics. In Elliotts view, addressing these deficiencies could help generate significant value for all stakeholders. Pernods journey from a small local niche player to an iconic French multinational leader has been impressive, and the Ricard family deserves credit for supporting the Companys growth over the years. Elliott believes operational and governance improvements would allow Pernod to unlock much of the value that the Company is capable of delivering, improving the strength and sustainability of the Company for all stakeholders. Elliott has met with Alexandre Ricard, Pernods CEO, and has written to the Companys Board to share its analysis and views on value creation. Elliotts recommendations include launching a more ambitious operational improvement plan to close the profitability gap with competitors, and aligning corporate governance with best-in-class peers. Elliott looks forward to continuing its constructive dialogue with the Company, and working collaboratively in pursuit of these sustainable improvements. About Elliott Elliott Management Corporation manages two multi-strategy funds which combined have approximately $35 billion of assets under management. Its flagship fund, Elliott Associates, L.P., was founded in 1977, making it one of the oldest funds of its kind under continuous management. The Elliott funds investors include pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, funds-of-funds, and employees of the firm. Elliott Advisors (UK) Limited is an affiliate of Elliott Management Corporation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005 PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 14:31:27 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 357 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / December 12, 2018 / CannaInvestor Magazine announced today FSD Pharma Inc. (FSD or the Company) (CSE: HUGE) (OTCQB: FSDDF) (FRA: 0K9) is the featured company in the CannaInvestor Magazine December 2018 Issue. CannaInvestor Magazine is the leading industry investment magazine for cannabis investors, analysts, executives, entrepreneurs, and the financial media. The digital version of the magazine is accessible and free to all subscribers who enter their email address. FSD Pharmas cover feature can be found by clicking on this link https://joom.ag/0j5a or visiting CannaInvestor Magazines website www.cannainvestormag.ca About FSD PharmaFSD Pharma is focused on the development of the highest quality indoor grown, pharmaceutical grade cannabis and on the research and development of novel cannabinoid-based treatments for several central nervous system disorders, including chronic pain, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. The Companys phase one growth plan involves the development of 25,000 square feet of indoor grow space at its Ontario facility and an additional 220,000 square feet, which pending approval by Health Canada, is expected to be operational in the first quarter 2019.FSD facilities sit on 72 acres of land with 40 acres primed for development and an expansion capability of up to 3,896,000 square feet.FSDs wholly-owned subsidiary, FV Pharma, is a licensed producer of cannabis having received its cultivation license under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) on October 13, 2017 and is now operating under the recently enacted Cannabis Act. FV Pharma vision is to transform its current headquarters in a Kraft plant in Cobourg, Ontario into the largest hydroponic indoor grow facility in the world. FV Pharma intends to cover all aspects of this exciting, new industry, including cultivation, legal, processing, manufacturing, extracts and research and development.About CannaInvestor MagazineCannaInvestor Magazine is a free monthly subscription based digital magazine with an exclusive focus on Cannabis industry finance that delivers convenient insights on publicly-traded and privately-held cannabis companies through informative articles, company profiles, and market trends that inform and educate cannabis investors, analysts, executives, entrepreneurs, and the financial media.Contact:Cannabis Investor Magazineteam@ cannainvestormag.ca or team@ cannainvestormag.com 1-888-575-1254, Ext. 1SOURCE: Cannabis Investor Webcast Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Mustard Seed Market Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2017 - 2027 "report to their offering. Mustard Seed Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 07:08:31 Press Information Future Market Insights Future Market Insights 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: www.futuremarketinsights.com Sonali Analyst +1 03479183531 email https://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 714 Words Future Market Insights 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: www.futuremarketinsights.comAnalyst+1 03479183531 Introduction: Mustard plant is native to Asia and is one of the widely cultivated crop across the globe. Mustard seeds are used as a major spice in Asia and are rich in phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Mustard seeds are high in essential oil and are great source of plant sterols such as brassicasterol, campesterol, sitosterol, avenasterol, and stigmasterol. Mustard plant belongs to family Brassicaceae which also includes other crop such as, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and broccoli. Mustard plant is a winter crop and require temperate climate for its growth and is among the third leading source of vegetable oil after palm and soybean oil as per the data revealed by National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX). The global mustard seeds market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years mainly attributed to increasing application of mustard seeds in food and beverages industry, pharmaceutical industry, personal care and cosmetic industry and others. Mustard Seed Market Segmentation Global mustard seed market is segmented on the basis of product type, application, sales channels and region. On the basis of product type the global mustard seed market is segmented into, white/yellow mustard seeds, black mustard seeds and sarepta mustard seeds. The sarepta mustard seeds segment is further sub-segmented into, brown and oriental mustard seeds. Oriental mustard seeds are darker in color in comparison to the yellow mustard seeds mainly due to its high content of phenolic compounds. White or yellow mustard seeds have the least pungent taste while black mustard seeds are the most pungent mustard seeds. By application the global mustard seeds market is segmented into, industrial application, commercial application and Household. Industrial application of mustard seeds includes its use in food and beverages, cosmetic and personal care and other applications. Food and beverages segment is the dominant application segment in the overall mustard seeds market attributable to its widespread use as a condiment. Mustard oil extracted from mustard seeds is widely used across Asian countries. Mustard seeds are also used in salad dressing in countries such as U.S., Canada and other European countries. Apart from this application of mustard seeds in cosmetic is widespread wherein mustard seeds are used as a natural scrub, hydrating agent, age defying agent and aids in hair growth, thus contributing towards revenue generation in the overall mustard seeds market.Request Report Sample@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5439 On the basis of sales channel the global mustard seeds market is segmented into, direct and indirect sales channels. Indirect sales channels are further sub-segmented into hypermarkets/supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, e-commerce and other retail formats.On the basis of region the global mustard seed market is segmented into, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. Europe is the largest market for mustard seed globally attributable to increasing demand for mustard oil and mustard paste in cooking across the regions. Europe and Asia Pacific is the largest producer of mustard seeds globally thus contributing towards their overall revenue contribution in the global mustard seeds market. Apart from this Canada is also one of the leading producer of mustard seeds globally.Mustard Seed Market Global Market Trends and Market Drivers:The growth of mustard seed market across the globe is expected to depict significant growth in the overall market owing to increasing demand for mustard seeds in cooking and as a substitute for other oils such as sunflower oil and other oils in the market. Mustards seeds are essential source of essential vitamins including, B-complex vitamins such as folates, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitaminB-6 and pantothenic acid thus, increasing the synthesis of enzymes needed for functioning of nervous system and help in regulation of body metabolism. Furthermore, oil extracted from mustard seeds is traditionally being used to relive muscle pain, arthritis pain, for cancer risk prevention, asthma and several other body ailments thus contributing towards mustard seeds market growth over the forecast period.Request For Table Of Content @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-5439 Mustard Seed Market Key Players:Variety of Mustard Seed have been introduced by the manufacturers and some of the global market players manufacturing mustard seed market include; McCormick & Company, Inc., The Tracklement Company Ltd., Kaveri Seeds, Sakai Spice (Canada) Corp, Megha Corporation, Organic Products India, Sun Impex and others. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 00:06:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 482 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 MONTREAL,QC / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Sphinx Resources Ltd. ("Sphinx" or the "Corporation") (TSX- V: SFX) announces ithas held a closing of a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement")for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,031,000. The Private Placement was comprisedof:8,100,000units of the Corporation at a price of $0.05 per unit. Each unit consists of onecommon share in the capital of the Corporation and one half of one common sharepurchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire onecommon share of the Corporation at a price of $0.07 per common share until December11, 2021; and9,630,769flow-through common shares at a price of $0.065 per flow-through share. The flow-throughshares shall qualify as "flow-through shares" within the meaning of the Income TaxAct (Canada).The Private Placement includes $360,000 fromthree Quebec-based institutional funds:CDPQ Sodemex Inc. ($160,000);Fonds de solidarite FTQ ($100,000); andSociete d'investissement dans la diversification de l'exploration("SIDEX") ($ 100,000).Management and directors of the Corporationsubscribed for an amount of $45,000 of the Private Placement. In connection withthe financing, the Corporation has agreed to pay finder's fees in the aggregateamount of $43,820.The net proceeds of the financing will beused to fund the Corporation's zinc projects (Calumet-Sud, Tessouat, Tessouat-Sud andObwondiag) in the Pontiac regional municipal countyin southwestern Quebec and for general working capital purposes.The securities of the Corporation to be issuedpursuant to the financing are subject to a four-month hold period expiring April12, 2019. The Private Placement has been conditionally accepted by the TSX VentureExchange.About Quebec and SphinxQuebec has established itself as one of the world's most attractive miningjurisdictions, ranking 6th globally (Fraser Institute press release,February 22 2018). The Quebec government has created market confidence by followinga proactive approach to mining policy. Quebec's mining sector has also been encouragedby the clarity and certainty of the legal and regulatory framework adopted by itsgovernment. Sphinx is engaged in the generation and acquisition of exploration projectsin Quebec with a focus on zinc.For further information,please consult Sphinx's website or contact:Normand ChampignyPresident and Chief Executive Officer514.979.4746info@ sphinxresources.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its RegulationServices 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 press release may contain forward-lookingstatements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that couldcause actual results and activities to vary materially from targeted results andplanning. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Sphinx's periodicreports including the annual report or in the filings made by Sphinx from time totime with securities regulatory authorities.All forward-looking statements in this pressrelease are made as of the date of this press release. Sphinx does not undertaketo update any such forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information,future events or otherwise, except as required by law.SOURCE: Sphinx Resources Ltd. Fact.MR PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 09:41:59 Press Information Fact.MR Suite 9884 27 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Abhishek Budholiya Marketing Manager +353-1-6111-593 email https://www.factmr.com/ # 676 Words Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandMarketing Manager+353-1-6111-593 The railcar spill containment market will witness promising growth global sales estimated in excess of 4,100 units in 2018, according to a new study by Fact.MR . The report envisages that the railcar track pans will remain sought-after in the railcar spill containment market, accounting for approximately 60% volume share in 2018. Additionally, difference volume growth between railcar track pans and track berms is expected to be marginal in 2018.Track pans have traditionally reigned supreme in the railcar spill containment market, in light of relatively more radical benefits associated with the use of track pans. Robust design for effective handling of hazardous chemicals spillage, coupled with greater capacity and impact resistance, are key attributes of track pans that underpin its supremacy in the railcar spill containment market.Request For Sample Report- https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2306 Track berms are also expected to gain significant momentum in the railcar spill containment market, although volume sales are estimated at half than those of track pans in 2018. Durable and lightweight materials employed for production of track berms, which facilitate transportation of materials between railroad sites, is a key attribute linked with track berms that add to their rising palpability. Another benefit of track berms over track pans is that these variants are portable, which enhances their usability in the railcar spill containment.Top 6 Players Account for One-Third Market ShareThe railcar spill containment market is concentrated at the top, with top 6 players holding approximately one-third share, whereas the market represents a splintered nature at the bottom owing to occupancy of numerous SMEs worldwide. While acquisition of small players with innovative technologies remains top expansion strategy among leading players, collaboration with global leaders for strengthening manufacturing & distribution prevails as a key strategy among emerging market participants.Railcar spill containments systems have gained paramount importance as an integral part of high-quality railcar business activity. As focus on environment conservation continues to intensify worldwide, railcar operators and other market stakeholders are emphasizing adherence to regulations as a mandate, says a lead analyst at Fact.MR Browse Full Report on Railcar Spill Containment Market with TOC- https://www.factmr.com/report/2306/railcar-spill-containment-market Perception toward Railcars as Feasible Alternative to Pipeline Crude Oil Shipments to Underpin DemandAlthough pipelines have emerged as preferred solution for crude oil transportation, they have their own share of challenges. This has resulted in demand for railcars as an effective alternative for transport of crude oil, particularly for markets with constrained access to oil wells via pipeline systems. While railcars have emerged as a feasible alternative to crude oil shipments, several industry experts perceive railcars as temporary fix to lack in pipeline capacity.Sensing challenges entailed by such a temporary solution, stakeholders in the industry are concentrating their focus to ensure reduced environment footprint of railcars, along with retention of profitability and efficiency. Railcar spill containment systems form an imperative asset of crude oil-by-rail transport for mitigating associated challenges of environmental pollution.Polyethylene and galvanized steel remain material of choice for production of railcar spill containment systems collective global sales estimated at over 1700 units in 2018. However, demand for fiberglass composites is expected to increase at a faster rate.The International Energy Agency has foreseen 2X growth in crude oil shipments by rail by 2020, driven in part by lack of pipeline capacity that compels oil producers to seek viable alternatives. This will create immense growth opportunity for the railcar spill containment market in the near future. Industry consolidation and capital discipline continue to play a pivotal role in sustained crude oil-by-rail transport, however ambiguities prevail as risks of regulations might cause delays in upgrades of the railcar design & development.To Buy Railcar Spill Containment Market Report, Check- https://www.factmr.com/checkout/2306/S 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. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 00:10:41 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 755 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 GOLDEN, CO / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / VitroDiagnostics, Inc. (OTCPK: VODG), dba Vitro Biopharma (''Vitro'') one of theworld's emerging biotechnology companies focused on Umbilical Cord MesenchymalStem Cell (''MSC") research and clinical products has been awarded Certificationto the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Quality Standard9001:2015.This is a key milestone in the Company's development as a supplier of advanced stem cell therapies worldwide. The ISO quality standard ranks the company in the top 1% of manufacturers with regards to commitment to customer satisfaction using controlled systems of product manufacturing and service, quality control, distribution, and planning in compliance with all applicable regulatory and ISO standards while engaging in continual improvement based on ongoing performance metrics. The registered quality umbrella of ISO 9001 extends to all operations of Vitro Biopharma.Dr Jim Musick, CEO & CSO said, ''We are very pleased to receive Certification to the ISO 9001:2015 Standard. This is an important milestone in our regulatory compliance program to assure continual supply of high-quality stem cells and related products and services for clinical applications worldwide. This certifies Vitro as an ISO 9001 manufacturer and service provider that is cGMP compliant and CLIA registered. Our world class certifications support our continued international growth accelerating our IRB approvals into clinical stem cell trials. Together our stem cell manufacturing and diagnostic services provide a comprehensive platform to fully support clinical regenerative medicine studies. Our regulatory team, including our QA Director our COO and our FDA Advisory team were instrumental in the development and implementation of all tasks necessary to achieve the ISO Certification during 2018.''Vitro Biopharma, for over 10 years, has supplied major biopharmaceutical firms, elite university laboratories and clinical trials worldwide with it's Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells, it'sMSC-Grow Brand of cell culture media and diagnostic services.We now support clinical studies of stem cell therapies for osteoarthritis, neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease while also pursuing select US markets for stem cell therapies. Our overall objectives are to support high quality offshore medical tourism with DaVinci Wellness Centre, our clinical trial partner in the Cayman Islands.In summary, Vitro Biopharma is advancing as a key player in regenerative medicine with over 10 years' experience in the development and commercialization of stem cell products for research and clinical use recognized by a Best in Practice Technology Innovation Leadership awardfor Stem Cell Tools and Technology and a growing track record of successful translation to clinical therapies. We plan to leverage our proprietary technology platform to the establishment of international Stem Cell Centers of Excellence and over time, gain regulatory approvals in the US.ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION for STANDARDIZATION(ISO)The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ( www.iso.org) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards. It is comprised of national standards bodies from 159 countries that promote high quality standards for all company processes. To meet ISO 9001 certification requirements for Quality Management Systems, companies must establish a well-tuned system of interacting processes that ensures consistent quality of the company's products; their capacity to optimally meet customer requirements; and their fulfillment of all applicable regulatory requirements.Vitro BioPharma ISO 9001;cGMP; CLIA registered clean room laboratory in Golden, Colorado.Forward-Looking StatementsStatements herein regarding financial performance have not yet been reported to the SEC nor reviewed by the Company's auditors. Certain statements contained herein and subsequent statements made by and on behalf of the Company, whether oral or written may contain ''forward-looking statements''. Such forward looking statements are identified by words such as ''intends,'' ''anticipates,'' ''believes,'' ''expects'' and ''hopes'' and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's plan of business operations, product research and development activities, potential contractual arrangements, receipt of working capital, anticipated revenues and related expenditures. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, acceptability of the Company's products in the market place, general economic conditions, receipt of additional working capital, the overall state of the biotechnology industry and other factors set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulations, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.CONTACT:Dr. James MusickChief Executive OfficerVitro BioPharma(303) 999-2130 Ext. 3E-mail: jim@ vitrobiopharma.com SOURCE: Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-12 20:27:30 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 504 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Lawsuit Filed By Chalik And Chalik On Behalf Of Wife After Husband Killed On Honeymoon Cruise Zipline ExcursionMIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / December 12, 2018 / Attorneys from Chalik and Chalik, a personal injury law firm based in South Florida, filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. following a horrible zipline accident that left one man dead and his newlywed wife seriously injured.Shir Frenkel, 27, and her new husband, Igal Tyszman, 24, were visiting Roatan as part of a honeymoon cruise aboard Royal Caribbean Cruises' Allure of the Seas. The honeymoon couple collided while zip-lining during a shore excursion. Franken got stuck halfway down the cable during her run when Tyszman came speeding in behind her, colliding with her mid-air. There was no way for Tyszman to stop and the receiving guide had no idea he was coming since there was no communication between the guides at each platform. The force of their bodies colliding killed Tyszman that same day and left Frenkel with catastrophic injuries.The suit alleges that Royal Caribbean was aware of safety issues with the Extreme Caribe Zip Line Tour and had been subject to at least one prior lawsuit involving the company, when a woman severed both her legs during the same excursion in 2015. Royal Caribbean was made aware of at least 10 other accidents involving the exact same excursion operator.The lawsuit says the family was misled to believe that the excursion was operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises, when in fact, the company leading the tour, Extreme Caribe Zip Line Tour, was an independent contractor. The excursion was promoted by Royal Caribbean, sold to guests at the shore excursion desk on board the ship and plaintiffs paid for the activity using their Seapass cards on the ship."There is no way for guests to know that this zip line excursion was not being operated by Royal Caribbean," said Debi Chalik, founding partner at Chalik and Chalik. "These newlyweds were expecting a fun excursion with the highest safety standards and that is obviously not what they received, and the consequences in this case proved tragic." Frenkel is currently in Israel after receiving treatment for multiple rib fractures, a splenic fracture, multiple transverse fractures and more. She has also been undergoing intensive therapy for mental trauma and emotional distress.Click here for the full complaint with pictures.Media Contact: Lauren Berger, lberger@ boardroompr.com ABOUT CHALIKAND CHALIKChalik & Chalik Law Offices is a Florida law firm founded by attorneys Jason Chalik and Debi Chalik. The firm focuses exclusively on personal injury to better serve those harmed through the negligence of others. Their practice areas includetireaccidents, car accidents, slipand fall accidents and birth injuries, in addition to areas relevant to our Florida clients, like boatingaccidents and parasailing accidents. Chalik & Chalik has been helping caraccident victims in Fort Lauderdale and victims of any type of injury negligence for decades. They have 12 locations across the state of Florida. To contact them call (855) 456-4817.SOURCE: Chalik & Chalik Law Offices A federal court in Lagos on Wednesday adjourned the case between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and South African telecoms firm, MTN Group, following advanced discussion by both parties to settle out of court. The court had, earlier in the month, adjourned the hearing over similar reasons. Reuters reports on Wednesday that the hearing over the $8.1 billion dispute between both parties was adjourned until January 22, 2019. The CBN had accused the telecoms giant of illegally repatriating the fund, in breach of foreign-exchange regulations. MTN, however, denied any wrongdoing. The apex bank would later sanction the four banks involved in the alleged illegality. The banks also denied wrongdoing. On Wednesday, Reuters reports that the court adjourned the hearing at the request of the central bank and MTN lawyers. We are still making moves towards an out of court settlement, a central bank lawyer told the court. An MTN lawyer also said discussions were ongoing to ensure the dispute was settled amicably. Nigeria is MTNs biggest market and the nation accounts for the companys core profit, even as it is fast becoming its most problematic market. 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. The bail hearing has angered Beijing and the detention of the Canadian was believed to be part of Chinas desire to deal squarely with the scenario. 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, who is based in China and works for the International Crisis Group, which said it was seeking his prompt and safe release. Canadian foreign ministry officials said they were not immediately able to confirm that Mr Kovrig was in detention. China has threatened severe consequences unless Canada releases Ms Wanzhou immediately. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, says the matter is one for the courts to decide. Tuesday will be the third day of bail hearings in a British Columbia court, where a judge will weigh final issues in determining whether Ms Wanzhou should be freed on bail while awaiting extradition proceedings. Ms Wanzhou, 46, faces U.S. accusations that she misled multinational banks about Huaweis control of a company operating in Iran. Her actions reportedly put the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions, incurring severe penalties, court documents said. The judge on Monday rolled the proceedings over to Tuesday because he wanted to hear more from both sides about the issue of surety who will take responsibility for Ms Wanzhous actions if she were released. Ms Wanzhous lawyer, David Martin, had offered her husband as surety. But the judge and the public prosecutor questioned whether Liu Xiaozong, Ms Wanzhous husband, could perform this duty as he is not a resident of British Columbia and would not suffer if she were to breach her bail conditions. Intent on getting Ms Wanzhou out of detention and into one of her two luxury homes in the city, defence lawyer, Martin, is offering up high-tech surveillance devices and a 24-hour security detail to ensure his client does not flee. He has also proposed a C$15 million ($11.3 million) bail guarantee and pledged Ms Wanzhou would hand over all her passports and travel documents to Canadian police, the court heard. The arrest has affected markets over fears it will exacerbate tensions between the U.S. and China in trade negotiations that both sides have agreed must be concluded by March 1. Speaking at a forum in Beijing on Tuesday, the Chinese governments top diplomat, state councillor Wang Yi, said the government kept constant watch on the safety of Chinese citizens abroad, though did not directly mention Wanzhous case. For any bullying that wantonly violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens, China will never sit idly by, state television quoted him as saying. 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. U.S. officials allege the telecom giant was trying to use multinational banks to move money out of Iran. Companies are barred from using the U.S. 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. (Reuters/NAN) Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday his country will launch a new military operation in northern Syria within days, targeting Kurdish militia fighters. The president said this in a speech at a defence industry summit in Ankara. We will start the operation to clear the east of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days. Our target is never U.S. soldiers. This step will allow for the path to a political solution to be opened and for healthier cooperation, Mr Erdogan said. Mr Erdogans announcement came after Turkish officials held talks in Ankara this week with the U.S. special representative for Syria, Jim Jeffrey. Mr Erdogan said Turkey was the victim of a stalling tactic over Manbij and Islamic State no longer posed a threat in Syria. Now, its time to realise our decision to disperse the circles of terror east of the Euphrates. The fact that we have deep differences in perception with the United States is no secret, he said. A stalling tactic has been used in Manbij and is still being used There is no threat named Daesh in Syria anymore. This is a fairytale, he said, using an Arabic acronym for the militant group. Ankara and Washington have long been at odds over Syria, where the United States has backed the YPG Kurdish militia in the fight against Islamic State insurgents. Turkey says the YPG is a terrorist organisation and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the state in southeastern Turkey for 34 years. Turkey has already intervened to sweep YPG fighters from territory west of the Euphrates in military campaigns over the past two years, but up until now, it had not gone east of the river partly to avoid direct confrontation with U.S. forces. But Mr Erdogans patience with Washington over Syria specifically a deal to clear the YPG from the town of Manbij, just west of the Euphrates seems to have worn thin. Turkey has repeatedly voiced frustration about what it says are delays in the implementation of the Manbij deal, saying last month that the agreement should be fully carried out by the end of this year. Turkish and U.S. troops began joint patrols near Manbij last month, but that cooperation has also been complicated as Turkey has shelled Kurdish fighters to the east of the Euphrates. The Pentagon said it has about 2,000 troops in Syria. Last month the United States said would establish observation posts on the border between Kurdish-held northern Syria and Turkey after Turkish cross-border shelling killed four Kurdish fighters. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said the Turkish attacks had led to a temporary halt in the U.S.-backed campaign the SDF are waging against Islamic State near the Syria-Iraq border. Three observation posts have now been set up, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday. The official said the positions were clearly marked and any force attacking them would definitely know they are attacking the United States. The YPG still controls a large swathe of northeast Syria, on Turkeys southern border. Turkey regards the YPG as an extension of the PKK. More than 40,000 people, mostly Kurds, have died in the PKKs conflict with Ankara. Turkish authorities fear the conflict could be stoked by the YPG presence across the border. (Reuters/NAN) Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer, was sentenced to a total of three years in prison on Wednesday. He was sentenced for his role in making illegal hush-money payments to women to help Mr Trumps 2016 election campaign and lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan sentenced Mr Cohen to three years for the payments, which violated campaign finance law, and to two months for the false statements to Congress. The two terms will run concurrently. Mr Cohen pleaded guilty to the campaign finance charge in August and to making false statements in November. (Reuters/NAN) Striking doctors at Zimbabwes public hospitals on Wednesday promised to continue with their industrial action until the government addresses their grievances. Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors Association President, Elias Muzoremba, said this in a news conference. The junior doctors went on strike on December 1 to press for better working conditions and improved supply of medical drugs and equipment. This is their second strike this year after another one in March to press for the same issues. We recognise the effort by the minister of health in creating a negotiating platform for our grievances to be addressed. However, there has not been any progress. We have held a meeting but then there has not been a solid solution or plan to address these grievances, Muzoremba said. He said doctors were finding it difficult to work due to the acute shortage of equipment and drugs and the high cost of living. The main grievances are that the employer must secure medical equipment and drugs and we want to see the medication in the hospitals. We want to see the equipment in the hospitals not just mere promises with no tangible evidence on the ground, Muzoremba said. He said doctors also needed to be paid in U.S. dollars to cushion them from the rising cost of living. Since we are using the multi-currency system we can also be paid in U.S. dollars or there should be an alternative to match the raised cost of living. We need a crisis management plan because this cannot continue, he added. Health Minister, Obadiah Moyo, said last week the government had secured a 25 million dollars deal with India for the supply of medical drugs and equipment. Mr Moyo said that drugs and equipment were expected in the country soon to ease the shortages. (Xinhua/NAN) Teachers across Tunisia staged massive anti-government protests on Wednesday to demand a pay increase, the second such action in less than a week. The day of rage demonstrations came after talks between the nations teachers and the government failed to yield a solution to the long-standing dispute over pay and better working conditions. Teachers marched from the headquarters of the influential Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) to the downtown Street of Habib Bourgeiba in the capital Tunis. The demonstrators raised placards with demands that included increases in financial incentives and the right to an early pension. Similar rallies were reported in other parts of the North African country, local residents said. Teachers have boycotted overseeing school examinations since Dec. 3 amid the standoff. The Secondary Education Union, a UGTT affiliate, said on Wednesday it would organise another Day of Rage protest outside the premises of the Education Ministry in Tunis on Dec.19. The protests place more pressure on the Tunisian government, which is struggling to reform the economy amid criticism at home. Tunisias economic slowdown resulted from the unrest that followed a 2011 revolt that toppled long-time dictator Ben Ali and ensuing attacks by militant insurgents. Tunisias state workers staged nationwide general strike in October over wages. The UGTT plans a new strike on January 17. In recent months, Tunisia has been under pressure from international lenders, mainly the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to take drastic measures to revamp its economy. (dpa/NAN) A gunman opened fire inside the Catholic cathedral in the Brazilian city of Campinas on Tuesday and fatally shot four people praying in the pews before killing himself after police wounded him, authorities said. Police identified the shooter as Euler Fernando Gandolfo, 49, a systems analyst with no criminal record. Gandolfo entered the cathedral and sat down among mainly elderly worshippers who remained to pray after midday mass. 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, said Pedro Rodrigues, a 66-year-old retiree. It was frightful, said another witness, Alexandre Moraes, on GloboNews channel. He shot randomly at people. They were all praying. Campinas police chief Jose Henrique Ventura said security cameras showed Gandolfo walk into the cathedral and sit down. A little later he started shooting at people. Police in the plaza outside rushed in when they heard the shots, Ventura told a news conference. The gunman ran to the altar while firing at police and was hit in the side. He fell to the ground and shot himself in the head, Ventura said. Gandolfo had two guns with 28 rounds left when he died. Four people were shot dead and four others were wounded, but Ventura said they were out of danger in a hospital in Campinas, an industrial city 100 kilometres (62 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo. Police have not established a motive. 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, with few American-style shootings in schools or other public areas. The rise in armed violence helped far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro win Octobers presidential election, vowing to crack down on corruption, drug gangs and crime in the streets of Brazilian cities. Bolsonaro, who takes office on Jan. 1, plans to ease gun laws to allow Brazilians to arm themselves against criminals, a policy his critics say will only increase the murder rate. (Reuters/NAN) Chinese authorities are questioning former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig on suspicion of engaging in activities that harmed Chinas national security. He was detained days after the arrest in Canada of a Chinese businesswoman. The state-run Beijing News said on Wednesday that Mr Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group (ICG), had become the subject of an investigation by the Beijing State Security Bureau. He was detained after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd on December 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, infuriating Beijing. The Canadian government has said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on December 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm Chinas state security, the newspaper said in a brief report. The case is continuing to be investigated, it added without elaborating. Accusations of harming state security could cover a wide range of suspected crimes, and in China are often very vague when first levelled. The ICG, a think-tank focused on conflict resolution, said in an earlier statement Mr Kovrig was detained by state security officials in Beijing on Monday night. Diplomats in China said the apparent involvement of the secretive state security ministry, which engages in domestic counter-espionage work, among other things, suggests the government could be looking at levelling spying accusations. However, ICG President and Chief Executive Robert Malley said the group did not engage in such activity. I dont want to speculate as to whats behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about whats not behind it, and whats not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security, Malley told Reuters, before the state media report came out. Everything we do is transparent, its on our website. We dont engage in secretive work, in confidential work. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, also speaking earlier in the day, said he had nothing he could say on the details of the case. He said the ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organisation (NGO) and Mr Kovrig could have broken Chinese law. If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then thats already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organisations operating in China, Lu said. The Ministry of Public Security, which has oversight over foreign NGOs, did not respond to a request for comment. Chinas Ministry of State Security has no publicly available contact details. The foreign NGO law, which took effect in January, is part of a raft of new national security measures introduced under President Xi Jinping. All foreigners that come to China, so long as they respect the law, have nothing to worry about, Lu said. William Nee, China Researcher for Amnesty Internationals East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong, said Mr Kovrigs detention was alarming, especially as it appeared to be the first time the law has been used to detain a foreign NGO worker. We need to wait for the official explanation from the Chinese side, but this detention could have a chilling effect on the foreign NGO and business communities in terms of their feeling safe while travelling in China, he told Reuters. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former Ambassador to China, was asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. In China there are no coincidences If they want to send you a message, they will send you a message, he said. A Western diplomat in China, who asked not to be identified, was even blunter: This is a political kidnapping. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Ms Meng immediately and analysts have said retaliation for the arrest was likely. Ms Meng was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver on U.S. claims that she misled multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions caused a diplomatic dispute. Mr Malley said Ms Kovrig, who was based in Hong Kong, had been working on issues related to Chinese foreign policy in Asia and Africa. Im just going to hope that whatever process is underway is going to be a fair one and one that will quickly show that theres nothing against him, he said. (Reuters/NAN) In commemoration of the 2018 International Universal Health Coverage Day, the West African Academy of Public Health (WAAPH) on Wednesday urged the federal government to ensure 60 percent coverage of health insurance in Nigeria in the next five years. Speaking at a training of youth on health literacy and leadership course for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Abuja, the President of WAAPH, Francis Ohanyido, said the government needs to ensure that health insurance works in the country. The International Universal Health Coverage Day is observed every December 12. The theme for this years celebration is Unite for Universal Health Coverage: Now is the time for collective action. UHC refers to a system that provides healthcare and financial protection to all citizens of a particular country. It is universally acknowledged that health insurance is the fastest way to achieve UHC. Unfortunately, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) established in Nigeria in 2005 has achieved only about three percent coverage. Mr Ohanyido said the current level of health insurance coverage in the country is too low and totally unacceptable. We need to make sure that within the next five years, at least 60 percent of Nigerians are covered by health insurance. From the informal workers to corporate workers. We need to have that kind of scenario because that is the way to go. And it is the only thing that makes sense because health should not be taken for granted, he said. He also called for sensitization of Nigerians on the importance of having universal health coverage. In her speech, the chief oversight officer for Vaccine Network for Disease Control, Chika Offor, said UHC day is about the ability of Nigerians to access healthcare without breaking the bank. Mrs Offor said the training of Nigerian youth was to equip them with knowledge on how they can advocate for universal health coverage. She said this would make them understand the role they can play in ensuring the achievements of UHC in the country. Mrs Offor said there is hope for Nigeria to achieve UHC if the youth take their turn and continue the step towards achieving it. A strategic advisory board member of WAAPH, Laz Udeh, said the organisation believes that young people should be involved in solving the various health problems in the West African region. He said the workshop was to train young people in leadership and advocacy in health. Mr Udeh also urged the government to release the N55.15 billion appropriated in 2018 under the National Health Act, half of which is meant to provide health insurance coverage for children less than five years of age. The West African Academy of Public Health (WAAPH) introduced itself as an innovation-driven consulting organisation with a vision of working in the field of public health to create a dynamic, equitable, integrated, decentralised and participatory health system within a just and empowered society in the spirit of Universal Access to Health. The Nigerian government plans to establish regional geriatric centres at tertiary health institutions for clinical care and extend free healthcare services to Nigerians over the age of 60 years, in line with the declaration of the Plan of Action on Healthy Ageing by 2020. President Muhammadu Buhari, who disclosed this on Wednesday at the first National Summit on Healthy Ageing, said it is in a bid to improve health care services for the aged in the country. The theme of the summit was Promoting the healthcare agenda of the present administration on vulnerable populations with focus on the aged. According to a press statement on Wednesday by the director, media and public relations at the Federal Ministry of Health, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, who represented the president at the summit, said the initiatives hoped to extend free medical services to people over the age of 60 years. According to him, there would be a training of healthcare workforce through effective collaboration and technical support of international organisations. There would also be research on chronic diseases of the aged and community-based health-social support. We would ensure that resources and support are provided to enable us achieve the desired results. We are aware that some states give free healthcare services to under fives and women, we hope to extend these services to people over the age of 60 years. We must make healthcare services available to our senior citizens as part of the government appreciation and social responsibility and a way of recognising their immense contributions to national development, he added. Mr Buhari also urged the Federal Ministry of Health to continue with the implementation of healthcare for the aged programme in addition to providing leadership in their works with states and development partners. In Nigeria, access to healthcare for the aged can be a challenge. This is because the country does not have specialised health care services to cater for their needs. Aged people are susceptible to noncommunicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cancer and most times they have to depend on their family for support, especially when seeking medical care. Earlier in his remark, the minister, who was represented by the Director, Hospital Services at the ministry, Joseph Amedu, pointed out that the National Policy on Healthy Ageing was the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan African and it would serve as a policy model for the provision of healthcare to the aged in Africa. Mr Adewole pledged that the policy would be integrated into the Universal Health Coverage strategy in order to achieve and sustain healthy aging among rural and urban geriatric population in Nigeria. In his address, the Chairman, Nigeria Health Institution Chairmen Forum and Chairman, Governing Board of University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Sam Jaja, said the aim of the summit was to discuss the truth and beauty of healthy ageing, with emphasis on geriatric medicine. Mr Jaja said Nigeria ranked 86th among 96 countries in the global age index 2015, which ranked countries by how well their older populations were faring. The index covers 91 percent of the world population of those aged 60 and above. It started very late, around 8 p.m. in the night. It was an indirect primary election. Only 110 delegates were to vote. The returning officer signed on a paper and gave each to cast their votes into a transparent bucket that served as the ballot box. Abiodun Essiet, a nurse, gender activist and community development worker, contested in the primary, which was of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to nominate its councillorship candidate for Orozo Ward of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) for the 2019 general elections. Mrs Essiet had hopes of becoming the first woman elected councillor in the ward. But she did not make it out of the primary. After the voting was done, it was counted in front of everyone and the votes were 122. This depicts rigging because the number of votes was more than the number of delegates 110. Instead of declaring the election null and void, it was declared inconclusive by the returning officer so as to give the electoral committee some power to decide on the election. The election guideline of our party stated that when votes counted are more than the numbers of delegates, such an election should be declared null and void and another election should be conducted. But the electoral committee supervising my council election decided not to do a rerun but used their veto power to elect a candidate for my ward Mrs Essiet is one among many female politicians who participated in the primaries conducted by the 91 registered political parties for the 2019 general elections who have expressed worry over the process. Though most of the women shared unrelated experiences, they, however, agreed that women were not given an even playing field, especially by the major parties which eventually led to the low number of women who emerged as party candidates. This they said is a huge blow on the advocacy for more women in politics and has further dashed hopes for the 35 per cent affirmative action plan for women in political positions across the country at next years polls. The decision of the electoral committee was influenced by money, godfatherism, gender, ethnicity and religion. I wrote a petition against the conduct of the election to the electoral committee and I am still waiting for a feedback, a frustrated Mrs Essiet explained. The party leaders were concerned about winning the general elections and wanted to anoint candidate that suite their own criteria rather than the candidate that would deliver the dividend of democracy to the community. The Primaries How women fared All the parties participating in the elections have concluded their primaries. The aftermath of the process is, however, fraught with controversies which are yet to be quelled especially in the major parties, the ruling APC and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). According to the timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 general elections, submission of candidates by political parties closed on December 3 for president and National Assembly elections, and December 17 for state elections. The unofficial list collected by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) shows that five of the 91 registered political parties returned women as presidential candidates. Many parties are not fielding presidential candidates but are adopting candidates of mostly the major parties, making the race most likely another two-horse race between the APC and PDP. Abiodun Essiet In fact, many believe women in the presidential race are just there to test the ground and not actually to contest for the position. In the unofficial list containing about 50 names, only nine women are running for Senate under the major parties (APC four; PDP five). Also the two major parties, APC and PDP, have no female governorship candidate. While three women are gunning for governorship seats under minor parties, other women candidates are either running for the House of Representatives or state House of Assembly. Austin Aigbe, Senior programme officer of the CDD, a group championing the cause of inclusion of more women in politics, described the statistics as far below expectation and a shortfall from what obtained in previous years. Even though there was a record-breaking number of female aspirants ahead of the 2019 elections, the majority of them were sidelined during the primaries. I will argue that the electoral corruption against female candidates in the just concluded party primary, especially in the major parties, was monumental! I would not be surprised if there is a fall in the number of female members of the National Assembly after the 2019 general elections with the current number being 29 (seven in the Senate and 22 in the House of Representatives). Ebere Ifendu, President Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), also decried the low number of female candidates. Stressing the need for political parties to embrace internal democracy so as to dismantle barriers affecting female candidates, she said the primaries did not favour women. But she said something could still be done within the window of substitution of candidates (for the state elections) to address the trend. Ebere Ifendu, President Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) When we look back at the last primaries, we will discover that the number of women candidates at the National Assembly is small, even though we have 91 political parties, she explained. Primaries: No Even Playing Field? In majority of the primaries, there was no even playing field as many women and young people were either intimidated or threatened to step down or were simply screened out and replaced with their male competitors, Obiageli Ezekwesili, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), said in a recent interview with PREMIUM TIMES. The former minister of education and solid minerals described the primaries as, replete with undemocratic and opaque party practices, an absence of internal party democracy, the role of godfathers, money-in-politics, delegate system, electoral violence with threats and harassment of women and other harmful cultural practices. She said, Our dominant political parties of the (APC/PDP) elites have entrenched a primaries system that inherently makes the emergence of women and young candidates near impossible. Most party officials are men who have still not understood the importance of inclusion in the political process. With the men dominating the leadership of political parties, even when strong female candidates contest, they can be screened out to make way for the favoured male competitors. There were many such cases reported in the traditional and social media. Though some female candidates that emerged from minor parties said the process was fair, others, however, accused the major parties of sidelining many candidates who ran under their platforms. Christina Eligwe-Ude, a former consultant at the United Nations who had contested the APC primaries for the Orlu, Orsu and Oru East Federal Constituency in Imo State, was one of such sidelined candidates. As we approached the day of the APC primaries, all aspirants were summoned to come to the Government House for a mock primaries. I went for the mock primaries and was told by the governor (Rochas Okorocha) not to bother buying form, that they were considering giving me an appointment, Mrs Eligwe-Ude, a development expert, narrated to this newspaper. In addition, he said I scored 87 per cent and another guy from Orlu, whos running for the same position scored 90 per cent. I stood there in awe, wondering how the governor came up with that percentage. I kept wondering why the governor chose to pick certain people to go and buy forms and told some to step down. That act was undemocratic and did not sit well with me. Right there in that hall, I decided that no man would determine my fate. Mrs Eligwe-Ude left the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Christina Eligwe-Ude The SDP primaries were timely and transparent. There were only two aspirants for the seat. I got 65 votes while he got two votes. I was declared the winner and then I became a flag bearer of the SDP. Adaora Onyechere, a former television broadcaster who emerged as flag bearer for Action Alliance, (AA), in the Imo State House of Assembly race, said her party primaries were tough as she contested against four men. I, however, emerged based on the fair and transparent process of my party. But the primaries, in general, do not give hope to any inclusion for the women, as the process was highly botched and there were a lot of discrepancies. Many women even after buying forms of intent and intense lobbying were either excluded or threatened physically to drop their ambition. It is this worrying trend that has continued to widen the gap for women in politics, elections and policy-making. Mercy Ayodele, a governorship candidate in the September 22 Osun governorship poll, had quite a different experience. She ran under the Restoration Party of Nigeria (RPN). My personal experience was fair because another male aspirant actually stepped down for me, she said. Mrs Ayodele, however, described as skewed the current party structure the country is operating. We need more women in strategic positions in the parties, she said. 35 per cent Affirmation Action Plan, a mirage? In the 19 years of Nigerias recent democracy, no woman has emerged president, vice president or even an elected governor. In elective positions in Nigeria since 1999, a Fact Sheet by the CDD shows that women have not reached 10 per cent representation. Out of the 109 Senate seats, women occupied three in 1999, four in 2003, nine in 2007, and seven in 2011 and 2015. Hope rose when the 35 per cent Affirmation Action bill was introduced. The bill seeks to zone and provide 35 per cent seats in government for women at the federal level and 20 per cent at the state level. This followed a struggle by many women organisations in Nigeria. The 8th National Assembly, in July 2017, however, voted against the bill. National Assembly Complex The proposal failed at the upper legislative chamber as it garnered only the votes of 49 senators, instead of the 73 required to ensure the success of the bill. Although the bill was passed at the House of Representatives with 248 votes, the fact that both chambers did not approve it means it failed to scale through. This action did not go down well with a lot of women rights groups, associations, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), female senators and most Nigerian women who aspire to serve the nation. Reacting to the situation then, the FIDA Nigeria described the failure of the bill as disappointing for the success of Nigerias democracy. In a statement by its country Vice President, Inima Aguma, the group called on civil society organisations across the country and stakeholders to speak against the development. Since then, campaigns have been geared towards the inclusion of more women in the 2019 elections. But the outcome of the primaries, many say, is a setback for that dream, making it seem a mirage. The Way Forward The way forward, according to Mrs Ezekwesili, a former Vice-President of the World Bank, is for political parties to introduce a quota system for female candidates. Quotas can be powerful tools to quickly use in bridging the gulf as it stands today. There are deep worries among women that in 2019 we may even fall short of the current miserable seven per cent representation of women in the legislature. To address this, the parties may decide to set quotas that prescribe a certain higher percentage of women participation in vying for elective offices. However, there are limitations that may undermine quotas and the most important one is the variable quality of female contestants. Women would need to be more deliberate in pushing for their representation. There is an existing National Gender Policy which commits 35 per cent representation of women. Women need to make this a provision of law and constitution. However, women must be deliberate also in ensuring a high quality of candidates. Female candidates must satisfy the criteria of character, competence and capacity. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, did not respond or return calls, but that of the APC, Lanre Issa-Onilu, spoke on the issue. PDP Headquarters (Photo Credit: TVC News) Mr Issa-Onilu said the APC was already making deliberate steps to make sure women are well represented. We just constituted a National Peace and Reconciliation Committee and when you check the list you will see how many women were put into it. APC recognises the role of women in the polity and in everything we do, we not only provide them level playing field, we actually go a step further in making things much easier so they can have adequate representation. Mr Aigbe of the CDD expressed hope. I think for the first time in Nigerias political history, we have a huge number of females showing interest in political positions across the board. For instance, in the 2015 election, there was only one female presidential candidate, Prof Sonaiya of KOWA Party, this is unlike Dr Sarah Jibrin who couldnt secure her partys ticket in 2011. But now, there are five female presidential candidates, this is a great step. This, however, is not exactly the case in parties, classified as major! Concerned that the odds will still be stacked against women in the 2019 general elections, the CDD partnered PREMIUM TIMES to bring to fore the prospects, challenges and breakthroughs of female aspirants before and after next years polls. In the second phase of the partnership, female candidates will be profiled. In addition, a short video will be produced in the process so to engage citizens on social media. This project is powered by Centre for Development and Democracy (CDD) with support from Ford Foundation. The initiative is aimed at enhancing issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2019 general elections. The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibrin, has resigned from the Nigerian cabinet. His resignation follows his selection as the new 12th emir of Nasarawa in his native Nasarawa State. His resignation was announced Wednesday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha. Addressing the cabinet, Mr Jibrin recalled his time as minister saying he travelled the entire length of Nigeria and has seen the devastation caused by climate change and effect of conflict in the North-east. He said in the South-south, he saw fish being fried with crude oil which made him make up his mind to work with the administration to stop oil pollution in the region and ensure the clean up of Ogoni part of Rivers State. Tomorrow the 13 of December, there will be a project meeting in Port Harcourt in which project site will be handed over to contractors Before now, he said, oil companies were reluctant to release anything, but a commitment by government forced them to changed their mind and $180 million has now been paid. He said the Ogoni oil clean up project is the biggest project being handled by the Ministry Of Environment and he has refused to share the money as was done in the past just to make sure the project does not suffer like others before. He said Anambra State has over 400 active erosion sites. He called on state governors to be more mindful of environment related issues and use funds from the ecological fund judiciously without leaving the burden to the federal government. I urge all my colleagues to continue to support Mr President until we are assured of success, he said. The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Wednesday began an indefinite strike over non-implementation of the 2009 and 2017 agreement reached with the union by the federal government. The polytechnic lecturers have joined their university colleagues who have been on strike since November 4. In a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday evening, the National President of ASUP, Usman Dutse, said the federal government has invited the union for dialogue on December 17 but the strike continues till then. Prior to the strike, the union had on October 2 issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government before it extended it to November. But even then, it did not commence the strike. On Wednesday, Mr Dutse said the strike has commenced and there is total compliance by all chapters. We have zonal coordinators and a monitoring team, zone by zone, all over the country. Already from the report we are getting, we are satisfied with the level of compliance from all our zones but we are reviewing the days activity in a meeting now, he said. Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria reports that students were seen writing their 2017/2018 second semester examination at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos. But none of the striking lecturers was seen in all the examination halls monitored. At the Lagos State Polytechnic, an official, Salami Olugbenga, said they could not join the strike because there was no organ of the union in the polytechnic since December 2017. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Dutse said the government has failed to implement and fulfil agreements it reached with the union as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed. The union went on strike over non-implementation of the NEEDS Assessment report of 2014, non-payment of salaries in state-owned institutions, non-payment of allowances, victimisation of union members, among others. ASUP went on strike in November 2017; but when the federal government reached an agreement to implement the recommendations of the 2014 NEEDS assessment, the strike was suspended 15 days after. The agreement particularly highlighted the need for increased funding of polytechnics. A former chairman of Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni, was on Tuesday grilled by the anti-graft commission, EFCC, which plans to arraign him for fraud soon, officials have said. Mr Ayeni became popular during the Goodluck Jonathan administration where he not only emerged one of the largest donors to the then ruling party, PDP, but also benefitted from some policies of the government. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Ayeni, as chairman of the PDP fundraising event in December 2014, donated N2 billion. He announced that he was donating N1 billion on behalf of himself and his partner and another billion on behalf of his friends. Mr Ayenis Skye Bank has since 2016 been under the radar of the CBN after the apex bank discovered some unacceptable corporate governance lapses as well as the persistent failure of Skye Bank PLC to meet minimum thresholds in critical prudential and adequacy ratios, which culminated in the banks permanent presence at the CBN Lending Window. The focus of the action then was to save depositors funds and to ensure that the bank continued as a going concern, being a systemically important bank, Mr Emefiele said. Skye Banks operating license was eventually revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in September. After its operating license was revoked in September, the bank was taken over by the government and renamed Polaris Bank. Mr Ayeni is believed to have played a major role in the mismanagement of the banks funds. The businessman was interrogated by the EFCC on Tuesday as the commission moves closer to prosecution. Speaking during an opening remark at a conference of the National Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and the Court of Appeal, which held in the appellate courts premises in Abuja on Wednesday, Umaru Ibrahim, the Chief Executive Officer of the NDIC said the leaders of Skye Bank are currently being investigated and will be prosecuted eventually. The erstwhile directors and management of Skye Bank plc who contributed to the failure of the failed Skye bank are being investigated by relevant government agencies to determine their culpability or otherwise in the failure of the bank and would be prosecuted to serve a deterrent for others, he said. Acting spokesperson of the EFCC, Tony Orilade, confirmed the planned prosecution in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday. Mr Orilade confirmed that Mr Ayeni was interrogated by the commission on Tuesday. Yes he was interrogated until late in the night, before he was allowed to go home. Once the date for his arraignment is set, we will let you know, Mr Orilade said. Few hours to the deadline set by her abductors to execute Sumayya Abubakar, the Zamfara State goverment and security agencies are yet to comment on the issue. There is also no indictaion that any of the security agencies are making any efforts to avert the murder of Mr Abubakar. The abductors Tuesday morning in a telephone conversation with Ms Abubakar s father, Abubakar Yusuf, gave a 48-hour ultimatum to execute her if their demand of N20 million in ransom was not met within 24 hours. Perhaps to show their determination to carry out their threat, the kidnappers told Mr Yusuf they had killed 20-year-old Surajo Umar, a neighbour to Mr Yusuf, who was also in their custody. Ms Abubakar and Mr Umar were abducted in October alongside four others in Zurmi, a village in Dauran town in Zamfara State. The four others have been released after payment of ransom by their relatives, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. On Wednesday evening, the Zamfara State Governors spokesperson, the police commissioner in Zamfara and the spokesperson of the State Security Service (SSS) failed to respond to questions sent to them as follow up to an earlier publication by this newspaper. They did not respond to both text messages and calls put to them. In separate telephone interviews, the abductees parent and the Deputy Vice Chairman of Zurmi Local Government of the state, Abubakar Muhammed, both said they had not received any help from any security agencies or the state government. PREMIUM TIMES reported how two of the victims, twin sisters, were released in November after payment of ransom to the kidnappers by the victims relatives. The abductors threatened to kill them after the girls family said they could not raise the N15 million ransom the criminals demanded, but reports said the kidnappers later reduced the amount. In an audio clip that went viral, one of the twins was heard pleading for help from both the government and the general public, saying some kidnapped victims, whose families could not pay the ransom to free them, were slaughtered in their presence. Donations from a senator, Kabiru Marafa, the chairman of Zarmi local government, Awwal-Bawa Moriki; and crowdfunding on social media, aided their release. Two other victims said to be nine and ten years old brothers were also reportedly released after payment of ransom. This newspaper has reported how communities in Zamfara State had suffered attacks by bandits in the past year. These have caused hundreds of deaths as well as the kidnap of several persons. The attacks have continued despite the deployment of thousands of security operatives to the state. Apart from the killing and kidnapping civilians, the bandits have also attacked security officials, killing dozens of police officers and soldiers. The prevalence of drug abuse in Nigeria and its negative impact on public health and safety necessitate that all hands... EXPLAINER: Still not clear about eNaira? Here are 10 key things to know Financial Inclusion I Agree Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy The federal government is targeting a budget of over N800 million to provide affordable mass housing for Nigerians. According to a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the Chief Executive Officer of Family Homes Funds (FHF), Femi Adewole, disclosed this at the fundraising/launching of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria house (REDAN), yesterday in Abuja. Mr Adewole also said some of the locations for the housing project are Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Delta States. His comment comes barely a month after the special adviser to the president on economic matters, Adeyemi Dipeolu, said the federal government will, over the next five years, invest N500 billion to bridge the housing deficit through the FHF. He had also said the federal government is giving FHF N100 billion yearly for the next five years with anticipation that it is going to leverage one trillion naira of private resources. The money, he explained, is essentially to help build social and affordable housing for Nigerians so that a person earning N30, 000 you can be able to buy houses that will be under the FHF. In his speech, Mr Adewole hinted the government will not able to finance the project but it is seeking the support of the World Bank and Africa Development Bank (AFDB) and hoped that before the end of December over 200 houses would have been completed. We have to raise about N800 million to provide mass housing at the rate of N1.5 to N2 million. We are talking to a lot of development partners like the World Bank, African Development Bank (AFDB) to house over 500, 000 Nigerians, he said. On his part, the president of REDAN, Ugochukukwu Chime, stated that the house project will cost N500 million and is expected to be partially completed and occupied in one year and fully completed, equipped and furnished in two years. He further appealed to the federal government through the instrumentality of the FHF, to simplify the requirements and participation for willing Nigerians. Concentration on demand induced supply based on market forces has not yielded the desired dividends because of the value chain and transaction dynamics that will produce such effective linkage is none existent, he said. It is our responsibility to work with stakeholders in the house sector to ensure that we move away from the learning curve to a higher pedestal of project feasibility, execution and closure stressing that we seek to improve ones capacity and knowledge. The United States Consulate Public Affairs Officer in Lagos, Russell Brooks, Wednesday said the U.S. government is interested in supporting entrepreneurs in Nigeria because of the potentials of its young people. Mr Brooks spoke at the opening of the third edition of the U.S. Consulates Conference for Emerging Entrepreneurs in Lagos. He said the U.S. government believes that Nigerians, especially its young people, are the countrys greatest resource capable of producing a more prosperous future for the country that is less dependent on a single commodity. [A Nigeria] capable of inventing new products and services that will be attractive to markets around the world, producing the growth, jobs, and incomes that will enable Nigeria to take its rightful place among the leading nations of the world, said Mr Brooks who represented Consul-General John Bray at the event. Yes, we believe in you and by aiding Field of Skills and Dreams (the organisers), and other local organizations, we are demonstrating our confidence in what Nigerians can accomplish. Returning to what you as an individual need to know and do in order to succeed in your business, please remember this quote from Dave Thomas, the founder of the American fast-food chain called Wendys. He said, What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed. I trust all of you have that burning desire to succeed. About 105 participants were selected from a pool of over 5,000 vocational and technical and education graduates. They were grouped into four key entrepreneurship sectors technology, agriculture, confectionery, and fashion/style. Mr Brooks thanked the organisers of the programme for assembling an outstanding group of mentors. These mentors, men and women who have accomplished great things in their business careers are taking time out of their busy schedules to share some of their wisdom and experience with young people and the U.S. Consulate thanks them for their commitment and generosity, he said. They are excellent role models for these budding entrepreneurs and, again, we thank them for their contribution. The U.S. official said those passionate about the success of an idea a new product or service a means to deliver something that people want and do so easier, faster, or more economically than others are likely to succeed. You will know whether you do and no one else because only you will decide whether you are committed to that idea when others doubt you when it is tough to get a loan and when it would be so much easier to get a normal predictable job. The men and women who remain steadfast in their beliefs, no matter the doubts of others, no matter the obstacles, have what is takes to succeed as an entrepreneur. You must decide whether those characteristics describe you. The Federal High Court of Nigeria will embark on a 19-day Christmas vacation on December 21. In a statement signed by its Chief Registrar, Emmanuel Gakko, the court said its holiday would last till Jan. 6. The Federal High Court of Nigeria wishes to notify the general public, litigants and lawyers that the honourable courts Christmas vacation for year 2016 shall commence on Monday, Dec. 24, and would end on Jan. 6. The court will resume sitting in all judicial divisions on Monday, January 9, 2017, Mr Gakko said. The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), reports that vacation judges would however be assigned to attend to urgent cases. NAN also reports that the court would hold its end of year get-together, chief judges annual merit award and send-off of 2018 retirees on Dec. 20 at the courts complex in Abuja. (NAN) The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has said that Nigeria is a leading investment destination for potential and serious investors across the world. According to a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, the vice president stated this while launching the All Progressives Congress (APC) #NextLevel Campaign manual in the U.K. The statement was issued by Ade Omole, leader, United Kingdom chapter of the APC. It quoted the vice president as saying at the event held at the Intercontinental Hotel Hamilton Place, London, that Nigeria was safe in the hands of President Muhammadu Buhari as the countrys President. The vice president attributed the perceived hardships in the county to the activities of past administrations and those who looted the countrys treasury. According to him, the looting was unprecedented. He assured Nigerians in the Diaspora that the APC-led government was rebuilding the countrys economy and had delivered on most of its campaign promises. The vice president appreciated the contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora, saying there was a need for them to join hands to ensure the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. The vice president in an earlier visit to Germany at the Nigeria-German Business Dialogue told German investors that the diversification of Nigerias economy was on course. Mr Osinbajo, who was the special guest at the event which was attended by German investors, international business men and Diplomats, also said business opportunities were abundant and increasing in Nigeria. Given the economic and trading developments in other parts of the world, Nigeria has become an investment destination of choice, Osinbajo said. The statement quoted Ade Omole, leader of the APC UK chapter, as saying that the Buhari-led administration was already repositioning the county for the attainment of greater heights. He noted that the APC government had delivered most of its campaign promises, adding that Nigerians should re-elect President Buhari in the 2019 election to enable the administration to consolidate on its achievements. Mr Omole seized the opportunity of the event to present the vice president with a policy document on education which he said would help to take Nigerias education sector to the next level. He assured the vice president that the APC UK chapter would intensify its campaign activities in the Diaspora and in Nigeria. He said the event was another milestone that would enhance the relationship between Nigerians in the Diaspora and the government. (NAN) Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 2019 Hajj with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadijah Ibrahim, signed on behalf of Nigeria. The agreement signing ceremony was conducted in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. It was led by the Saudi Arabian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Benten. In the agreement signed, the Nigerian Hajj quota for 2019 remains 95,000 just as the previous year. The spokesperson of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON), Fatima Usara, said in a statement that during the ceremony, Mr Benten commended the Nigerian Hajj Commission for the successful management of the 2018 Hajj operations. He appreciated the general conduct of Nigerian pilgrims during the exercise and assured of the Kingdoms readiness to assist the Nigerian government and people in making the exercise even easier and more comfortable, the statement said. In her response, the statement said, Mrs Ibrahim extended warm felicitations to the Kingdom on behalf of Nigerian government for the reception of Nigerian pilgrims. She applauded all persons involved in Hajj planning for the smoothness of the exercise while observing that the task is not an easy one. Before the signing ceremony, a technical session chaired by Deputy Minister of Hajj, Saudi Arabia, Hussain Ibn Naser Alshariff, was held to discuss bilateral issues on Hajj and Umrah with the view to forging a way forward. Nigerian delegation to the session was led by NAHCON Chairman, Abdullahi Mohammed, accompanied by Nigerias ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Isa Dodo and Nigerias Consul General to Jeddah, Muhammad Yunusa. Among the issues raised by the commission for consideration, the statement said, is a request for waiver of 2,000 Saudi Riyals charged on pilgrims who participated in Hajj within the last five years. There was also a request for visa issuance to be made less cumbersome. It was also requested that Nigeria be included in the newly introduced arrangement tagged Makkah Road Project; where pilgrims will undergo all necessary immigration clearance at airports in their home countries before proceeding to the holy land, such that, upon arrival at Saudi airports, they will simply pick their bags and proceed without further scrutiny. Another request by the Commission was for GACA to regard NAHCON as a guarantor for air carriers so that allocation of airlift slots and flight schedules can be fast-tracked for the convenience of Nigerian pilgrims, the statement said. In his response, the Deputy Minister assured the Nigerian delegation that the process of visa issuance will only get better as the kingdom is keen on seeing to that. However, he said to curtail abuse of visa, both parties agreed to work together to address the menace of immigration violators who overstay their permit in Saudi Arabia Also, the Saudi delegation emphasised on the rule banning the import of kolanuts into the kingdom while calling on the Nigerian delegation to intensify enlightenment over the matter. The host ministry treated the Nigerian delegation to a lunch feast alongside contingents from Malaysia and Iraq. The MoU signing meeting is an annual event whereby countries are invited separately to commit to agreements that will shape their participation in the yearly pilgrimage. The public affairs officer at the United States Consulate in Lagos, Russell Brooks, has described as a mischaracterisation, former president Goodluck Jonathans account in his new book of the role the U.S. government played, ahead of the 2015 general elections. Mr Brooks spoke during a live chat on Facebook in Lagos, on Tuesday. In his book, My Transition Hours, Mr Jonathan had accused former U.S. president, Barack Obama, of displaying an unusual level of bias ahead of Nigerias presidential election in 2015, releasing a video appeal to Nigerians in which he subtly asked them to vote a particular candidate. In that video, Obama urged Nigerians to open the next chapter by their votes. Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government. But Mr Brooks said the claim in the book was a mischaracterisation about what Mr 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, he said. 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. Mr Brooks said the U.S. government would continue to support Nigerias progress through offering assistance to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the civil societies, and the media. 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. Ahead of the 2019 elections, Mr Brooks said the U.S. government has no favourite candidate, adding that they are more focused on a free and transparent process. We dont favour candidates, he said. Our candidate is the process. The process should be free and fair. The process should be transparent. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has signed the peace accord for 2019 presidential candidates in Abuja. Mr Abubakar, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, endorsed the pact drafted by the National Peace Committee during a ceremony at the Kukah Centre, Abuja. The former vice president was absent when the committee gathered some candidates to sign the pact Tuesday afternoon in Abuja. President Muhammadu Buhari was present at the Tuesday ceremony, arriving at about 3:00 p.m. Mr Abubakar immediately came under public backlash for his failure to participate at a crucial meeting aimed at ensuring a peaceful general election in 2019. The candidate and his party both blamed a communication mishap for their failure to turn up, despite receiving an invitation from the National Peace Committee, headed by Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former Nigerian military ruler. Mr Abubakar arrived for the signing on Wednesday afternoon, accompanied by Uche Secondus, the PDP chairman and other party top shots. He endorsed the accord at 12:08 p.m., before Abdulsalami Abubakar and some delegates from the European Union and British High Commission in Abuja. Mr Abubakar described himself as a well-bred democrat and not a converted democrat, in an apparent shot at Mr Buhari, who famously said in 2015 that he had converted to a democrat and was doing away with the traits of dictatorship that followed him since his days as a military ruler in the mid-1980s. Mr Abubakar also insisted that he did not deliberately miss the invitation in order to avoid meeting with the president. It is not true, he said, adding that he had always preached a peaceful poll in 2019 and beyond. Mr Abubakar used the ceremony to call on the president to sign the amendment to the electoral law, which would see Nigeria fully adopt the use of electronic card readers if signed into law. Mr Buhari raised a slew of issues his administration had with the amendments by the National Assembly, suggesting in some cases that some provisions may be too cumbersome to implement in time for the 2019 elections and should be pushed back until the next general election cycle. Mr Abubakar slammed the presidents reasons as untenable, saying they betray his governments attempts to manipulate the true outcome of the election in order to remain in power. Although they pushed the amendments through with a resounding majority, federal lawmakers are now largely divided along party lines about whether or not they would override the presidents veto. The presidential candidate, however, failed to answer when asked by PREMIUM TIMES whether or not he would rally lawmakers to override the veto to ensure implementation of the changes in 2019. The Senate has asked the Federal Ministry of Power, Works, and Housing to urgently construct the Lafiagi road that links Kwara and Niger states. It also mandated the National Inland Waterways Agency (NIWA) to enforce the use of life jackets by passengers travelling across rivers and oceans in Nigeria. These resolutions were sequel to a deliberation on a motion on the December 1 boat mishap in Kwara State. The bill was sponsored by Mohammed Lafiagi (PDP, Kwara North). At least, 19 children reportedly drowned in the boat accident in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara. The boat, conveying about 22 people mostly children, capsized while crossing the River Niger. The victims were attending a traditional wedding ceremony in a community in Niger State. Leading the motion, Mr Lafiagi stated that the use of canoes and boats is the only available means of transportation for the border towns of Lafiagi in Kwara and their neighbours in Niger State. This, he said, is as a result of the abandonment of the 46km road project that should link Kwara and Niger states and mitigate the incessant occurrence of boat mishaps in the riverine community. Such ugly incident occurs intermittently as a result of lack of access road in the riverine community. If the only road that links Lafiagi to its neighbours in Niger State had been constructed by the government, such incidents would have been eliminated or reduced considerably. If the 46km road is constructed or a bridge is built across the River Niger, businesses and trade activities will be enhanced with the reduction of the attendant risk to the lives of our people, the lawmaker who was a Third Republic governor of Kwara said. He warned that unless something is done urgently by way of government intervention to arrest the dangerous trend, the people of Kwara and Niger states would continue to sit on a time bomb. In his contribution, Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North) stated that the necessary authorities are not doing their jobs well. He frowned at the fact that passengers are ferried across rivers without life jackets. Atai Aidoko (PDP, Kogi East) called on NIWA to educate the operators of local canoes as well as reduce the price of life jackets and make its use mandatory for every passenger. On his part, Gbenga Ashafa (APC, Lagos East) said that roads around riverine areas should be constructed. He also demanded that funds for the construction of the access road in the community be included in the 2019 budget. Sam Egwu (APC, Ebonyi North), however, blamed state governors for doing nothing about the access roads and water transportation in the states. He described the use of canoes in this century as unfortunate. How much does it cost to buy modern facilities? No amount is too small. Honestly, I blame governors who have towns and cities that use canoes to travel. I implore the state governors to do the needful. Supporting Mr Egwu, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, Enugu West), said nothing stops a state that cares from fixing the roads and demand reimbursement from the federal government. We always have this distinction between federal and state roads, which is bad. While we ask the federal government to fix roads, states concerned should try to fix their roads. Another issue is that we have this attitude of focusing on developing just the capitals of the states. It is necessary that those who live outside these cities, should be shown concern too, he said. The Senate also mandated the Ministry of Power, Works, and Housing to return to funding the Bagana-Toto bridge in Nasarawa State. The lawmakers observed a minute silence in honour of the departed children and resolved to send a delegation from the Senate to condole with the people and government of Kwara State. The absence of Albert Bassey, a senator and oil baron, Olajide Omokore, on Wednesday stalled their trial over alleged bribe of 12 cars worth N254 million. The duo who were billed to be arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court were absent in court. According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bassey, 45, who is representing Akwa-Ibom North-East, received the vehicles between 2010 and 2014 from Mr Omokore, when he was serving as the Akwa-Ibom Commissioner for Finance. The defendants are facing a 14-count charge bordering on corruption. At Wednesdays proceedings, Mr Omokores counsel, Olatunde Adejuyigbe SAN, informed the court of a pending application before the court bordering on jurisdiction. He, however, said the EFCC had just filed a response to the application which was served on them on November 23. My Lord, much as we are willing to move on with the application, there is no way I can just gloss over the prosecutions response which was just served on us, Mr Adejuyigbe said. The EFCC prosecutor, M. S Abubakar, in his response told the court that the defendants should have made themselves available for arraignment before filing applications. It is not right that the applications should be heard at this stage when arraignment has not taken place, Mr Abubakar said. Mr Adejuyigbe, SAN, also complained that the anti-graft agency was hounding his client, a claim echoed by Mr Basseys counsel, Samuel Ikpo. Responding to the claim, Mr Abubakar said the defendants were on administrative bail but had refused to show up at the commissions office. EFCC is not hounding anybody, the defendants have refused to show up at the EFCC to be served with the processes, he said. Taiwo immediately told the EFCC prosecutor to serve the defendants counsels, adding that they can collect the processes on behalf of their clients. Jide Omokore Taiwo also reminded the EFCC prosecutor of the Supreme Court ruling, stating that the defendants dont have to be physically present in court before they can file applications bordering on jurisdiction. The case has been adjourned till January 23, 2019 for hearing of the application. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mr Bassey is to face a seven-count charge bordering on corruption as a public officer and collecting bribes. On his part, Mr Omokore is also facing a seven-count charge bordering on offering gratification to a public officer and giving bribe. According to the charge sheet, Mr Bassey received the vehicles from Mr Omokore over a five-year period (2010-2014) in Lagos. Mr Bassey received the bribes while serving as the Akwa-Ibom Commissioner for Finance and Chairman of the Akwa-Ibom State Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee (IMDLCC). The EFCC claimed that on May 10, 2010, Mr Bassey allegedly received a BMW X5 BP worth N50 million from Mr Omokore in December 2012 and another Infinity QX 56 BP worth N45 million from him. On November 2013, the serving senator received a Toyota Landcruiser V8 BP valued at N40 million and in March 2014, he received a Range Rover, also valued at N40 million from the businessman as well as in September 2014, another Toyota Hiace High Roof car valued at N27 million. Others are Toyota Hiace High Roof car valued at N16 million and six units of Toyota Hilux vehicles valued at N36 million. The anti-graft commission claimed that the car gifts were given to Mr Bassey by Mr Omokore in exchange for contracts from the Akwa-Ibom State Government. The offences contravened Sections 63 (1) (a), 64 (1) (a) and 98(1), (a), (i) of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011. (NAN) The House of Representatives has declared as illegal, payment of money to the National Population Commission (NPC) to obtain birth certificates for newborn babies. The House made the declaration when it passed a resolution on Wednesday during plenary after adopting a motion brought under matters of urgent national importance by Nkiru Onyejeocha (Abia, APC). Daily Trust newspaper had published a report that the NPC was frustrating birth registration by charging applicants N4500 before issuing them birth certificates. According to the investigation which Ms Onyejeocha cited, the United Nations Childrens Funds (UNICEF) factsheet on birth registration in Nigeria reveals that about 70 per cent of the seven million children born annually in the country are not being registered at birth. The lawmakers while adopting the motion unanimously resolved to direct the NPC to discontinue the N4,500 birth registration charge by Socket Works Limited under the PPP and return to its mandate of registering births and deaths in Nigeria at no cost to citizens as provided by law. Ms Onyejeocha in her motion stated that the birth certificates should remain free as was the practice before. She queried the abdication of the function of the commission to private partners, which may have given rise to the monetisation of this critical function. She said given the poverty level in especially rural communities, the price is exorbitant for rural people and is tantamount to asking the people not to register their children. The lawmaker reminded members that the Act stated that compulsory birth registration is free and the Act has not been amended. Contributing to the debate, Chris Azubogu said birth registration is a social responsibility of government and a right of citizens that should not be hindered by this new levy charged by the NPC. Another lawmaker, Edward Pwajok (Plateau, APC), concurred that the relevant section of the Constitution states that birth registration should be done free as long as the relevant information of birth is provided within 60 days of birth, after which a fine may be imposed. The House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, while amending the prayers of the motion called for restitution and not just stopping the contract. Mr Gbajabiamila stated that money illegally collected should be returned and adequate sanctions should be imposed on the erring parties. He prayed the House to mandate the committee investigating the matter to recommend whether the monies be remitted to governments coffers or refunded to the applicants. The Speaker, Yobe House of Assembly, Adamu Dala-Dogo, has resigned his position. Mr Dala-Dogo tendered his resignation through a letter sent to the house which was read on the floor of the assembly by the Deputy Speaker, Ibrahim Kurmi. He thanked members of the legislature for giving him the opportunity to serve in that capacity. The house, therefore, replaced Mr Dala-Dogo with Zannah Machina, following a motion for the nomination of a new speaker moved by Ibrahim Kallalawa and seconded by Ishaku Daya. Mr Dala-Dogo, who is representing Karasuwa constituency in the house, served as the speaker of the house for seven years. The leader of the house, Usman Kabaruma, representing Tarmuwa Local Government Area, told journalists that Mr Dala-Dogo voluntarily tendered his resignation to the house. (NAN) The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a supplementary budget of N23.4bn presented to the House by Governor Tanko Al-Makura. Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House, announced the passage of the bill after Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North), the Majority Leader of the House, moved the motion. The speaker said the passage of the bill would enable the present administration complete the ongoing projects before the end of its tenure in May 2019. Governor Tanko Al-Makura administration is determined not to leave any project uncompleted at the expiration of his tenure, hence the need for the passage of the supplementary budget. Based on the governors letter to the House, he said during the preparation of the 2018 budget, some projects were underfunded and because of their importance to the general public it has become necessary to request for additional funds to complete them. We have approved N23.4bn as the total supplementary budget for 2018. This is made up of N5,292,726,871 billion only for Recurrent Expenditure while N18,100,346,140 only is allocated to fund capital expenditure, he said. The speaker disclosed that the House increased the supplementary budget by N100million due to omission of International travel, transport, bank charges among others. Mr Balarabe-Abdullah assured the executive arm and the people of the state of its commitment to pass bills that would have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state. Daniel Ogazi (APC-Kokona East), the House Deputy Majority Leader, seconded the motion moved by the Majority Leader. The House unanimously passed the supplementary budget. Mr Al-Makura, on November 29, 2017, presented the 2018 budget proposal of N122.8billion only to the state House of Assembly for consideration and approval. NAN also recalls that the House had on January 24 passed the states 2018 appropriation bill of N125.4 billion into law by jerking up the budget by N2.6 billion. (NAN) The abductors of Sumayya Abubakar have threatened to execute her if their demand of N20 million is not met in the next 24 hours. They gave a 48-hour ultimatum on Tuesday in a telephone conversation with her father, Abubakar Yusuf. Perhaps to show their determination to carry out their threat, the kidnappers told Mr Yusuf that they killed 20-year-old Surajo Umar, a neighbour to Mr Yusuf, who was also in their custody. Ms Abubakar and Mr Umar were abducted in October alongside four others in Zurmi, a village in Dauran town in Zamfara State. PREMIUM TIMES reported how two of the victims, twin sisters, were released in November after payment of ransom to the kidnappers by the victims relatives. The abductors threatened to kill them after the girls family said they could not raise the N15 million ransom the criminals demanded; but reports say the kidnappers later reduced the amount. In an audio clip that went viral, one of the twins was heard pleading for help from both the government and the general public, saying some kidnapped victims, whose families could not pay the ransom to free them, were slaughtered in their presence. Donations from a senator, Kabiru Marafa; the chairman of Zarmi local government, Awwal-Bawa Moriki; and crowdfunding on social media, aided their release. Two other victims said to be brothers nine and ten years old, were also reportedly released after payment of ransom. On Tuesday, Sumayyas father told PREMIUM TIMES that he feared for his daughters life. Sumayyas father, Abubakar Yusuf. Right from when Sumayya was abducted, the whole family and our loved ones have not been finding it easy. The situation our daughter, who was two months pregnant, has found herself in the bush with the kidnappers without food and water, is terrible. The abductors are insisting we pay N150 million before they would be released. They later reduced it to N30 million, N20 million for Sumayya and N10 million for Surajo. The day those twins were released, my house was something else. It has gotten to a point where, even to eat food is a problem, because any time I think of it, I feel as if my heart would burst. Mr Yusuf spoke to PREMIUM TIMES about how some money was raised for the kidnappers. I spoke with the abductors on Tuesday morning. There is this old man, Lawali Dauda, he is like a father to us. Since the abduction, Mr Dauda has been helping on how to get those in captivity released and has been communicating with them. With the help of God, we were able to raise N5 million. Mr Dauda called and told them of the money and they agreed to collect it. Mr Dauda then said, he would be the one to hand over the money to them on his own, no matter their choice of location. Upon getting to their place, they held him back, thinking he was Sumayyas father they have been talking with. The bike man who drove Mr Dauda there said he overheard them telling him to give them money because they know Sumayyas father to be a very wealthy person in the society. According to Mr Yusuf, the kidnappers said Mr Dauda would not be released until N50 million is given to them. The negotiation with them continued until they resolved that we pay N20 million in order to get Sumayya and the old man released. They threatened us that, it is either we pay N20 million or they would kill them. It was at this point they affirmed to us that they have killed Surajo. They swore that nothing would be reduced from the N20 million and that if after 48 hours the payment is not made, they would kill them. Surajo Umar, also in captivity by the bandits but have also been reported dead. While still talking with them, I swore that I do not have this money, they are demanding for. Since the donations made during the time those twins were still in custody, we have not received any money from anyone again. We are pleading with the government and the entire public to please come to our aid. Abandoned by Goverment When asked if efforts were being made by the local and state government, Sumayyas father said the local government chairman is not in any way helping the family. According to him, the chairman only helped in the rescue of those twins, who were related to him. After their release, he has done nothing to help us get the rest out of captivity. On the side of the state government, I went to the government house where I was taken to the chief of staff. When I met him, I told him of the situation at hand and since then, we have not heard from anyone. The only thing the chief of staff told me was that the government is doing everything possible to get those in captivity released. The chief of staff told me that a sum of N5 million has been placed for whosoever goes into the bush to get the victims in custody out. He said that would serve as a gift. I frankly told the chief of staff that, if that is the way the government has chosen to help me, then they have not helped me. They are only giving the abductors an upper hand to kill our children. That was what I told him and since then, nothing has been done in the name of the government; but hope not lost. I would keep trying my best to get in touch with the government. If they help, fine and if they dont, I have left everything for God. Sumayyas mother, Hadiza, also speaks on her concerns for her childs life. The day I happened to speak with the abductors, they said so we love Sumayya- and I asked them if there is any parent who would not love their child. I pleaded and said they should, in the name of God, release these people. They said they would not, until we pay the ransom, which was N150 million then. I told them of Sumayyas fathers health condition. This is the period Mr Dauda, (the old man with them) collected their contact to speak with them in place of Sumayyas father but they turned down our request. We are pleading with the government and the general public to please, come to our rescue, the mother said. Sumayyas mother, Hadiza Abubakar. PREMIUM TIMES efforts to reach the local government chairman, Awwal-Bawa Moriki, spokesperson to Govenror Abdulaziz Yari; and the state police commissioner, Kenneth Ebrimson, were unsuccessful on Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Zamfara of Bandits This newspaper has reported how communities in Zamfara State have suffered attacks by bandits in the past year. These have caused hundreds of deaths as well as the kidnap of several others. The attacks have continued, despite the deployment of thousands of security operatives to the state. Apart from the killing and kidnapping civilians, the bandits have also attacked security officials killing dozens of police officers and soldiers. Senators on Wednesday adopted a resolution to name the Kaduna International Airport after the late Abba Kyari. It also urged the federal government to immortalise the late brigadier-general by naming a national monument in his honour. The elder stateman, who was the military governor of the defunct North Central State, died on November 25 in Abuja after a brief illness. He was aged 80. The lawmakers call came after some of them took turns to eulogise the late general. Describing his death as painful, the senators thanked God for the fruitful and exemplary life that he lived. After observing a minute silence in his honour, the Senate resolved to send a delegation to condole with his family, the people and government of Borno State. Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North) thereafter added a prayer that the Kaduna International Airport be named after him, which was seconded by Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna Central). The prayer was put to a voice vote and adopted. Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, on Wednesday, flagged off his re-election House to House Campaign, for the 2019 governorship election. Mr El-Rufai, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the state, urged party members to ensure that they campaign peacefully. He also charged members to conduct themselves peacefully during the elections. The governor said that campaigns should be based on records and achievements of the APC administration in the past three years. According to him, his administration has done a lot in the area of infrastructure and social development of the people. Mr El-Rufai promised that, if re elected, he would ensure they build on the work they had started. That is why we are asking the people of Kaduna State to give us another mandate. We have worked tirelessly to make the state a better place. We need the support of the people of to continue in this direction, he said. According to him, his administration has undertaken difficult reforms in the public service, in education and in health. Earlier in his welcome address, the Kaduna State APC chairman, Emmanuel Jekada, said the party had done the needful in the development of the state. He vowed that the APC in Kaduna State would reclaim all legislative seats in the state. Mr Jekada assured the people that the party would continue with development project across the state for the betterment of its indigenes and residents. The Director, Organisation, APC Campaign Council, Sani Bello, called on the people of the state to vote wisely in the forthcoming general election. He said from that his calculations, Mr El-rufai would be re-elected. PDP decided to relegate competent knowledge in putting forward those who are going to contest in 2019 election, Bello said. He called on residents not to waste their vote on PDP, saying the people should ensure they vote for El-Rufai and President Muhammadu Buhari for their track record of achievements. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that flags were presented to all aspirants that won the APC primaries in the state. (NAN) Two non-governmental organisations working for transparency and accountability in Nigerias Niger Delta region have called on the state governments and people in the area to stand up against corruption in order to usher in the much needed economic prosperity and better living condition for the people. The Nigerian economy is largely funded by crude oil sourced from the Niger Delta, and yet the people in the area have continued to live in poverty and polluted environment for several decades. Broken down schools and poor healthcare facilities are some of the common features in the region ravaged also by militancy. Trillions of dollars accruing to the states in the region from the nations Federation Account are, in most cases, mismanaged and stolen by corrupt public officials. Corruption has turned the Niger Delta into a basket case, a development paradox, the organisations, Policy Alert and We The People, said in a joint statement issued on Sunday, in Uyo. The statement, signed by Tijah Bolton-Akpan and Ken Henshaw on behalf of Policy Alert and We The People respectively, was released to mark the 2018 International Anti-corruption Day. The Niger Delta region has remained steeped in under-development, with decaying infrastructure, despite its wealth, the statement said. The regions resources are plundered mindlessly while the environment is continuously poisoned because responsible people and institutions are selfishly looking the other way. It is worrisome that across several development indicators, including life expectancy, health, education and employment, the regions performance remains below the national average, the statement said. The way forward, the groups said, is for the governments in the region to sign on to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and commit to open government reforms that will ensure greater citizens participation, transparency, accountability and deployment of technology and innovation in governance processes. The groups said, The OGP is a platform that brings together government reformers and civil society leaders to create and implement specific commitments that make governments more inclusive, responsive and accountable. Nigeria joined the partnership in 2016 and has made substantial progress in implementing its National Action Plan (NAP). States are being encouraged to join so that the reforms to empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance could be cascaded to the subnational level. According to the statement, Edo and Abia are the only two, out of the nine states in the Niger Delta, that have signed on to the OGP so far. The slow uptake of the OGP in this region belies the huge governance challenges including corruption and budget inefficiencies that the region is surmounting. On this 2018 International Anti-Corruption Day, we call on the governments of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states to sign on to the OGP without further delay, the groups said, while also calling on the people to make open government an agenda in the 2019 election campaign. A former President-General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dozie Ikedife, is dead. Mr Ikedife died at about 7pm on Tuesday in his Nnewi country home, Anambra State at the age of 86 years. He was born on August 24, 1932. The deceaseds first son, Dozie Ikedife (jnr) confirmed the demise of his father to journalists on Wednesday in Awka, the state capital. A reputable medical practitioner, Mr Ikedife acquired a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degrees from the University of Glasgow, Scotland in 1958 and 1959 respectively. He said the elder statesman would be buried on today (December 12) less than 24 hours after his death in Nnewi in line with his wish, saying his burial ceremony would be announced later. Damina Okeke-Ogene, the President of Anambra Chapter, describes the death Mr Ikedife as `shocking. He said Igbo people had lost one of its icons and true lover of Igbo tradition and culture. Ikedife was a detribalized Nigerian and an illustrious Igbo son who spoke Igbo, stood for Igbo culture and a defender of truth, he said. He said the former Ohaneze president left a big shoe which people behind would struggle hard to fit into. Ikedife left a big shoe behind, all that we will be trying to do is to ensure we improve on the principles he left, he said. Similarly, the Anambra State Government has described late Mr Ikedife as a great iroko and brilliant medical doctor who believed in community development. The State Commissioner for Information and Enlightenment, C Don Adinuba, said the state government received the news of Mr Ikedifes death late Tuesday evening with shock. Mr Adinuba recalled that Mr Ikedife distinguished himself as a student at Onitsha, before he traveled to the United Kingdom where he studied medicine and majored in Obstetrics and gynecology. Ikedife would have chosen to remain in UK where he had better job opportunities, but chose to return home where he established a hospital in his Nnewi community because of his love for community development. During the Nigeria/Biafra Civil War, he further demonstrated his love for his people by staying back in his area to assist victims of the civil war and render help to those in need, he said. Mr Adinuba said with sudden burial date of Mr Ikedife, the state government would take part in the burial ceremony when the family communicated government on the burial ceremony. (NAN) The governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Partys (ADP), Adebayo Alao-Akala, on Tuesday said Oyo State was in grave mess because 90 per cent of the projects executed by the current administration are anti-people. The ex Oyo-governor, who is being prosecuted for corruption while in office, made this declaration while speaking at the official launch of his campaign and inauguration of his campaign team held in Ibadan, the state capital. At the launch were his wife, Oluwakemi Alao-Akala; deputy gubernatorial candidate, Abideen Olaiya; and Oyo South, North and Central senatorial candidates, Fola Akinosun, Ahmed Salaudeen and Temitope Oladoye respectively. Mr Alao-Akala said his heart aches because 90 per cent of the outgoing government in the state, under the leadership of Abiola Ajimobi, are best described as anti-people, which leaves the people in pain and despondency. The former governor said he is seeking another opportunity to govern the state, in a rescue mission, to reposition the state for betterment of the people. My heart aches because 90 per cent of the outgoing governments policies, programmes and projects are best described as anti-people, which leave our people in pain and despondency. Instead of criticising, I made myself available to guide the incumbent government on how best to run proactive and pro-people governance, but the driver lacks the required goodwill. Today, the major sectors of our economy, which are education, health, agriculture and environment have been either neglected or bastardised. Oyo state is in a serous mess. Todays historic occasion provides me another opportunity to officially answer the lingering question as to why Alao-Akala is contesting again for the seat of governor of Oyo state in upcoming 2019 elections. I am seeking another opportunity to govern the state from May 29, 2019, with a rescue mission to reposition the state for the betterment of our people and the investors. Service to humanity, especially holding a public office, is not a function of age but mental capacity, experience, maturity, good vision and mission, sensitiveness, responsiveness, credibility and popular accessibility of a person. I am offering myself again to serve the good people of Oyo State because I am healthy and mentally fit for the rigorous tasks of governance. We do not need a learner or experimental governor. Leadership is by example, and my running mate, Professor Abideen Olaitan Olaiya have credible antecedents. My deputy is a born and devout Muslim, therefore he would not have to adopt an emergency Muslim name to falsely prove his religious leaning and appeal to pity. Mr Alao-Akala, who decried the state of education in the last seven years in the state, said that he will, upon assuming office, declare a state of emergency in the education and health sectors. Immediately after the inauguration of our government, we shall hit the ground running by declaring state of emergencies in the education and health sectors of Oyo State. Our dying LAUTECH, EACOED, the Polytechnic, Ibadan, and other state-owned tertiary institutions will be rescued and their pride statutes in the comity of educational institutions will be restored. Also, we are determined to initiate and implement policies and programmes that would transform the state, improve the welfare of the residents and create an environment conducive to business growth and security as well as wealth and employment creations. We are passionate about delivering results, results that have positive impacts on mankind. In fact, I must say that the re-election of the present administration was an aberration that came by way of the bandwagon effect that followed the election of President Muhammadu Buhari. My dear party members, I charge all of you from ward to the state levels to remain faithful to the cause of our great party, the ADP. Let us strive to win in 2019 polls for all our candidates and I assure you that you would not labour in vain. Mr Alao-Akala further alleged that some bad elements in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are conniving with the ruling APC to disenfranchise thousands of voters across the state. May I use this occasion to inform the stakeholders in the Nigerian electoral system and the world at large that information reaching us from competent sources is that some bad elements in the Independent National Electoral Commission are conniving with the ruling APC to disenfranchise thousands of voters across the state and weakening this leading opposition candidates in their strongholds by engaging in state-wide illegal relocation of voters from their units/ local government of origins to another units/LGAs. We call on the INEC chairman and the constituted security agencies to put a stop to this advanced rigging method. However, the special adviser to Governor Ajimobi on communications and strategy, Bolaji Tunji, has said the former governor needs to be specific on which of Mr Ajimobis projects is anti-people. Mr Tunji, while reacting through a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday night, added that politics has moved from the level the former governor was playing it. The governors spokesperson, who described the ex-governor as is a highly respected politician, remarked that if criticisms must be levelled, it should be based on facts. The former governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao- Akala needs to be a bit specific. Which are the projects that are anti-people? Are we talking about the unprecedented massive road constructions and massive infrastructural renewal that has lifted the face of Oyo State and which many visitors to the state have had positive comments about? Would it be about the health insurance scheme which has made it easy for people of the state to access health facilities with less than N1000 monthly? Would we be talking about the massive investment in agriculture that has provided jobs? One can go on and on. The former governor is a highly respected politician, but politics, the way he is used to playing it, has moved from that level. If criticisms must be levelled, it should be based on facts and not on the need to talk because you feel aggrieved that things did not go the way you wanted. At the level of the highly respected former governor, we expect states-manly criticism. Mr Alao-Akala, a former police officer, served as chairman, Ogbomoso North Local Government Area and later became the governor of the state in 2007, under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The former governor and two others are standing trial at Oyo State High Court over N 11.5 billion alleged fraud, while in government. Mr Alao-Akala, who left government in 2011 and the duo, a former Oyo State commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters, Hosea Agboola and an Ibadan-based businessman, Femi Babalola, are facing an 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy, award of contracts without budgetary provision, obtaining funds by false pretence, acquiring properties with money derived from an illegal act and concealing the owner of such properties, among others. The police in Oyo State on Wednesday paraded a 23-year-old final year female student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Abiodun Olabisi, for allegedly stabbing a fresh graduate of the university, Lekan Adegun, to death. Ms Olabisi was among suspects the Commissioner of Police in the state, Abiodun Odude, paraded at the state police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan on Wednesday. Mr Odude said detectives attached to the Owode, Ogbomoso police state station arrested the Department of Biochemistry student after the incident last month. The police chief told journalists that Mr Adegun had just completed his studies and was awaiting mobilisation by the National Youth Service Corps when he was allegedly stabbed to death by Ms Olabisi. He said the suspect and the deceased were cohabiting in the usual students tradition of trial marriage at Phoenix area, Stadium Road, Ogbomoso, before the incident. The incident happened at about 8 p.m on 21/11/2018 following a quarrel arising from petty jealousy. The victim, a graduate of Transport Management, who was stabbed in the chest, was later rushed to the Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso but died before he could be attended to, Mr Odude said. He added that the kitchen knife Ms Olabisi allegedly used in committing the crime had been recovered and the suspect had been arraigned in court. He also revealed that a 300-level student of the same LAUTECH, Aremu Mayowa, was arrested by the F-SARS of the Oyo State Police Command for allegedly using social media platforms to lure female students of the university to his residence and raping them. Mr Odude said, The modus operandi of the suspect was to pose as a friend in WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms, deceiving unsuspecting female victims and luring them to his house after promising to register them in an imaginary dancing school. The suspects would then prey on his victims whom he would rape mercilessly under duress, and would threaten to blackmail them in order to discourage them from reporting the crime to the police. The Oyo State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Olufemi Lanlehin, has thrown his weight behind the restructuring of Nigeria saying the present presidential system of government is too expensive, corrupt and unproductive. Mr Lanlehin spoke while addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Ibadan. I am going to be a governor who will support the restructuring of this country because the presidential system is too expensive, corrupt and unproductive. The President can bring his wife, they just bring anybody to be appointed. Things must change. Mr Lanlehin said members of his party have taken the struggle to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state as a concerted effort. The candidate who represented Oyo South District in the Senate between 2011 and 2015 said he was sure that anyone trying to continue Governor Abiola Ajimobis legacy would not be accepted by the people of the state. The government must be sent out, he said. And by the grace of God, it will be achieved. All our industries must be revived. Every two weeks they go and attract investors but tell me how many of them have you seen? We are going to take over the government of Oyo State. I can assure you that when I become governor, I still have my legs and head with the people. You must not leave your people. I know how painful it is when I see people without jobs for years. And when I was in the Senate, I opened a file of CVs. We are going to revive the agricultural sector and we are going to provide jobs for the unemployed. Mr Lanlehin said he would bring back trade schools if elected as governor. If you are a degree holder, we will find you jobs but you must contribute to the society. We are going to restore our education sector as far as the Constitution allows us to do. Mr Lanlehin also spoke about a former governor of the state, Rashidi Ladoja, who dumped the ADC for Zenith Labour Party. Governor Ladoja today remains my leader, he remains my father and leader and a person I have a lot of respect for. We were together in the NADECO. He was in the Senate while I was in the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency. But for one thing or the other, he is no more in ADC. He said although Mr Ladoja has left the ADC, it remains the party to beat in the elections. We have the likes of other political bigwigs in the state who are in our party, he said. They are going to lead our campaign. One of them is a former secretary to the stays government, Chief Michael Koleoso, another former SSG, Chief Olayiwola Olakojo, and another former SSG, Dr. Busari Adebisi. Present at the press conference were the candidates of the party for the National Assembly. Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimin Edgal, says having sex inside a car parked in public place is an indecent act and an offence punishable by law. Mr Edgal made this known on Wednesday in a statement signed by the spokesman of the command, CSP Chike Oti. The Lagos police boss was reacting to a statement by a police Twitter handle @POLICENG_PCRRU to the effect that Sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria, provided the location was not a place of worship. The publication further said that parties could have sex if age 18yrs+, the act was consensual (agreed to by parties) and parties were of opposite sex and requested to contact @POLICENG_PCRRU if arrested. Sequel to the development, the CP Lagos has been advised by the Director of Public Prosecution of the state Ministry of Justice and the Legal Department of the State Police Command, Panti, Yaba with relevant sections of the law as follows: Section 134 (a) Criminal Law of Lagos state 2015, prohibits any indecent act in any public place without lawful excuse. The Law holds that such person is liable on conviction to 2 years imprisonment. Section 136 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015 provides that any person who commits any act of gross indecency with another person in public commits an offence and liable on conviction to 3 years imprisonment. It must be noted that section 134 which deals with offences against morality particularly section 134 (a) have it that indecent act in a public place makes both parties engaging in the act liable to imprisonment for 2 years. In the same vein, section 231 of the Criminal Code Act which is a Federal law and applicable in states other than the northern states where Penal Code is applicable also make Indecent Acts punishable. Going forward, the authorities of the Lagos State Police Command hereby declares that the assertion that sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria is misplaced as the provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State prohibits such acts in public even if it is done with consent of the other party, Edgal said in a statement. The police boss, therefore, urged Lagosians to be guided by relevant sections of the law against such acts. (NAN) For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. At the event, German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Minister Svenja Schulze said, "The NDC Partnership is a successful forum for implementation. It is not about more negotiations, it is about action. It is about implementing the Paris Agreement at the country level. Countries in the NDC Partnership are supporting each other in implementing their NDCs. This is more than just financial support, it is a highly practical and trusting exchange. Many of us are struggling to implement our NDCs. But the NDC Partnership can help us deal with the challenge. It allows us to jointly drive forward implementation and to continuously raise ambition. This is why we today pledge an additional 20 million euros to the UN Development Programme for contributions to the NDC Partnership." German State Secretary Martin Jager said, "Implementing the Paris Agreement is not only imperative for securing a livable planet; it also is a great opportunity for sustainable development worldwide. The German government has been honored to co-chair the NDC Partnership during its first two years together with Morocco, and I am pleased to be able to pass on the torch today to strong champions of climate action: Costa Rica and the Netherlands. Germany will remain committed to our Partnership in the future. We are therefore providing an additional 48 million euros for joint action for NDC implementation." Moroccan State Secretary Dr. Nezha El Ouafi stated, "COP22 opened as the COP of Action kickstarting the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and I cannot think of a better way to demonstrate implementation and cooperation between parties than this Partnership. In fact, one of the greatest achievements during COP22 was the launch of the NDC Partnership as an open and transparent platform, not only to facilitate NDC implementation, but also to strengthen the momentum of trust built around the Paris Agreement, and adopt an inclusive dialogue with international institutions and non-state actors. Today, there is significant progress as we moved from a membership of 40 initial members, to over 100 members. This is by itself an indicator of the Partnership's success and demonstrates its priority. It has been a great honor and privilege to co-chair the NDC Partnership together with Germany, and Morocco stands ready to work with Costa Rica and the Netherlands as new Co-Chairs." Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag and Costa Rican Minister for Environment and Energy Carlos Manuel Rodriguez were in attendance to accept the positions which run from 2019 to the end of 2020. Costa Rica Minister Carlos Manuel Rodriguez stated, "The transformational change that we need to decarbonize our economies and to generate resilience requires a systematic and articulated approach. Only through a new way of multilevel multilateralism that allows countries, cities, companies and citizens to engage in climate action we, as a global community, will be able to achieve the Paris goals. The NDC Partnership is that, an alliance that allow us to innovate, collaborate, co-create and learn from each other to catalyze climate actions. We are honored and enthusiastic to co-chair the Steering Committee with the Netherlands, and very grateful to Morocco and Germany for their successes and previous guidance." Dutch Minister Sigrid Kaag said, "Under the leadership of Germany and Morocco, the NDC Partnership has grown rapidly and is showing good progress. We are now already engaged in 38 countries. In the next two years, I want to focus on mobilizing the required finance and to enable implementation of the climate action plans and investment plans. This is a collective effort. I look forward to working with Costa Rica to show the world that the Paris Agreement is attainable." Over the next two years, the NDC Partnership will build on the promising results it is already seeing in many of its member countries to catalyze climate action for low carbon and sustainable development also in view of the UN Secretary General's Climate Summit 2019. Partners will accomplish this through the Partnership's three-pronged strategy of providing in-country technical assistance, mobilizing finance and sharing lessons learned across the globe. Developing and implementing Partnership Plans at the country level will be a centerpiece of these efforts. Since its launch at COP22 in Marrakech, the NDC Partnership has grown to a membership of 87 countries, 20 institutions and nine associate members, working together to support countries in implementing their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. In that time, the Partnership has actively engaged in 38 countries to advance climate action and identify specific activities, needs and gaps to achieve countries' goals. Through coordination and alignment of support, members of the NDC Partnership work together to leverage resources and achieve common objectives and priority actions identified by each government. Kenya, for example, with Partnership support from Germany, the UNDP and others, consulted widely with different communities to develop a National Climate Change Action Plan that reflects and responds to climate issues at the ground level. Peru organized a wide series of consultations to advance a national Talanoa Dialogue called Dialoguemos to raise awareness and encourage a wider group of stakeholders to engage in efforts to combat climate change. Countries are also now preparing to move from planning and programming to action on the ground. Costa Rica, for instance, has prepared an investment plan that organizes high-level needs to achieve its NDC, while also organizing the national banking system to integrate climate risks in investment decisions. In Rwanda, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is preparing to take its NDC needs to bilateral negotiations with partners and to build a climate finance innovation unit to mobilize resources for NDC and climate action. Namibia worked with the Partnership to catalogue innovative projects necessary to address climate risks in its unique, desert environment. And, with the promise of improved coordination, better planning and more efficient use of resources, countries are finding confidence to set sights higher and raise ambitions in line with the targets of the Paris Agreement. Uganda, with support mobilized and coordinated through the Partnership, is looking to achieve targets set for 2030 now in 2020, accelerating its pace of achieving long-term climate targets. And, more development partners are creating dedicated programs to support this work. Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, the African Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, UNDP and the World Bank Group are all but a few that have specific programs to support technical assistance or project finance needs to advance NDC implementation. More details about the NDC Partnership's work can be found in its 2018 report, Partnership in Action: Two Years On. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797408/Passing_the_Torch.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797409/Carlos_Rodriguez.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797406/Sigrid_Kaag.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797407/Svenja_Schulze.jpg Related Links http://www.ndcpartnership.org SOURCE NDC Partnership OSLO, Norway, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Asetek A/S hereby gives notice of extraordinary general meeting to be held on 14 January 2019 at 10:00 AM in Aalborg, Denmark. The purpose of the meeting is to seek the election of Ms. Maria Hjorth to the board of directors. The notice convening the general meeting, the agenda and the full text of the proposal can be downloaded from [link]. On the day of the notice of the extraordinary general meeting there are 25,784,841 shares and 25,784,841 voting rights in Asetek A/S. For further information, please contact: Peter Dam Madsen Chief Financial Officer Mobile: +45-2080-7200 e-mail: [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/asetek/r/asetek-a-s---notice-of-extraordinary-general-meeting-14-january-2019,c2698098 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/6758/2698098/961717.pdf PDF https://mb.cision.com/Public/6758/2698098/a8a9a1bc70dbbc9a.pdf Notice of extraordinary general meeting 14 January 2019 https://mb.cision.com/Public/6758/2698098/b8b5db74ae5a12d7.pdf Notice of attendance - Proxy - Postal Vote - EGM - 14 January 2019 SOURCE Asetek MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced that a jury in the United States (U.S.) District Court for the District of Delaware determined that the Boston Scientific U.S. patent 8,992,608 is valid and that Edwards Lifesciences' Sapien 3 Aortic Valve infringes this patent and that Edwards owes Boston Scientific infringement damages through the end of 2016. Additional damages and interest incurred from 2017-2018 will be determined by the court in post-trial motions. The jury also found that the Boston Scientific LOTUS Aortic Valve System does not infringe Edwards' Spenser patents U.S. 7,510,575, U.S. 9,168,133, or U.S. 9,339,383. "We continue to be encouraged by the sustained record of positive legal rulings, first in European courts and now in the U.S., which upholds our company's intellectual property," said Desiree Ralls-Morrison, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Boston Scientific. The LOTUS system features an adaptive sealing technology, which creates an external seal to prevent leakage around the valve known as paravalvular leak or PVL, which is a proven predictor of mortality.i,ii,iii The company anticipates the LOTUS Edge Valve System will be commercialized in CE mark countries in Q1 2019 and in the U.S. in mid-2019, pending FDA regulatory approval timelines. The LOTUS valve is one of two valve systems in the Boston Scientific structural heart portfolio. Boston Scientific currently offers the ACURATE neo Aortic Valve System in key European markets and is also seeking a CE mark application for the next-generation valve system, the ACURATE neo2, which it intends to commercialize during the first half of 2019. The LOTUS Edge Aortic valve system is an investigational device in the U.S. and is not available for sale. It is pending CE Mark. The ACURATE neo and ACURATE neo2 Aortic Valve Systems are not available for use or sale in the US. The LOTUS Valve System is currently not available for use or sale. About Boston Scientific Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for more than 35 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding our business plans, clinical trials, regulatory approvals, litigation strategy and product performance and impact. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document. i Kodali SK et al. Two-Year Outcomes after Transcatheter or Surgical Aortic-Valve Replacement. N Engl J Med 2012; 366:1686-1695 ii Tamburino C et al. Incidence and Predictors of Early and Late Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in 663 Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis. Circ. 2011;123:299. iii Abdel-Wahab M et al. Aortic Regurgitation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Incidence and Early Outcome. Results from the German Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Registry. Heart 2011;97:899-906. CONTACTS: Trish Backes Media Relations 651-582-5887 (office) [email protected] Susie Lisa, CFA Investor Relations (508) 683-5565 (office) [email protected] SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation Related Links http://www.bostonscientific.com SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethos, the company making life insurance accessible, affordable and simple, today announced a partnership with Namely, the leading HR platform for mid-sized companies. Through this partnership, Ethos life insurance will be extended to mid-sized businesses across the nation that use Namely's digital HR platform for administering employee benefits. Life insurance is a benefit that many Americans consider an employer-sponsored perk, rather than a financial necessity. In fact, only 60 percent of Americans actually have life insurance coverage and many are through employer-issued group policies that only cover a fraction of what people actually need. With more than 30 percent of employees reporting no benefits education or guidance from employers or benefits companies, millions of American workers can get left behind without proper coverage. Namely and Ethos have partnered to help bridge this life insurance coverage gap by bringing Ethos' simple, fast and affordable life insurance options to Namely users all over the nation. Ethos will be available through the Namely platform during 2019 open enrollment this November for employees of Namely clients that utilize the partnership. "Life insurance is a critical component of a strong financial plan, because it's what protects your family as well as your assets," said Matthew Monahan, Namely VP of Benefits. "Ethos' approach to getting people personalized, affordable life insurance coverage through an online experience, is the kind of service our customers want and deserve. We're excited to partner with Ethos to expand life insurance options for thousands of employees at the mid-sized companies we serve at Namely." Life insurance has traditionally been a burdensome and confusing process most people avoid due to the friction in the process, leaving tens of millions of American families unprotected. Employer-sponsored group policies provide some coverage, but usually, options are not flexible, the policy is not portable and it rarely gives the proper amount of protection a person with dependents (children, elderly family members) and financial responsibilities (student debt, a mortgage) needs. Getting a life insurance policy through Ethos is fast, easy and inexpensive. Ethos leverages technology and a data-driven application process to offer the same benefits that often attract group policy buyers - lower premiums and no medical exam - while providing great coverage. In fact, 99 percent of Ethos customers do not require a medical exam or blood test, and most applicants are approved in 10 minutes versus the 10 weeks it typically can take during the traditional insurance process. "Giving people the tools they need to take better control of their financial futures has always been a core part of why we built Ethos," said Peter Colis, Ethos CEO and Co-founder. "We see that same passion in how Namely is serving a core part of the American workforce with an approachable, people-focused benefits platform. We're thrilled to officially kick off as 2019 benefits season begins today." Ethos was co-founded by Peter Colis and Lingke Wang to solve the life insurance coverage gap in the US. The company launched in June 2018 and has raised more than $46 million in funding from Sequoia Capital, Accel, GV, Roc Nation and Stanford University, among others. Ethos is licensed in 49 states and has already processed thousands of applicants for life insurance coverage. The company is on a mission to simplify and modernize life insurance products through technology to better align with the wants and needs of American families. ABOUT ETHOS Ethos is a new kind of life insurance built for people who don't have time for fine print, extra doctors appointments or hidden fees. Ethos uses the power of technology and predictive analytics to modernize the life insurance process and align products with what families want and need during critical times in their lives. The Ethos application is fast and easy, turning a process that used to take weeks into a ten-minute experience for most customers. Co-founded by Peter Colis and Lingke Wang, the company has raised more than $46 million in funding from Sequoia Capital, Accel, GV, Stanford University and Arrive, a subsidiary of Roc Nation, among others. Ethos is headquartered in San Francisco and licensed in 49 states. To learn more, visit www.getethos.com. ABOUT NAMELY Namely is the first HR platform that employees actually love to use. Namely's award-winning, powerful, easy-to-use technology allows companies to handle all of their HR, payroll, time management, and benefits in one place. Coupled with dedicated account support, every Namely client gets the software and service they need to deliver great HR and a strong, engaged company culture. Namely is used by over 1,000 clients with over 175,000 employees globally. Headquartered in New York City, the company is backed by investors including Altimeter Capital, GGV Capital, Matrix Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Tenaya Capital, and True Ventures. For more information, visit www.Namely.com. Namely provides insurance producer services through Namely, Inc. (dba Namely Insurance Services in California; CA License #: 0K13729), Namely Employee Benefits, LLC (dba Namely Employee Insurance Services in California; CA License #: 0L60373), or other Namely affiliates with the appropriate licenses granted by the departments of insurance of the corresponding states where Namely acts as insurance producer. Namely is domiciled in Delaware and has its principal place of business at 195 Broadway, 15th floor, New York, NY, 10007. Arkansas Insurance License ##: 100123429 (Namely, Inc.); 100165956 (Namely Employee Benefits, LLC). SOURCE Ethos Related Links http://www.getethos.com WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins joined other international religious freedom advocates and Members of Congress at the White House today to witness President Trump's signing of the "Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018." The new law will, among other things, fund organizations, including faith-based groups, that provide humanitarian aid to genocide survivors from religious and ethnic minorities. FRC President Tony Perkins, who also serves on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, released the following statement: "After two years of hard work by religious freedom advocates, it was a jubilant moment to watch as President Trump signed the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act into law. While the Trump administration has been working to address the needs of those targeted by ISIS's genocidal campaign, this new law will give another boost to relief groups, including faith-based groups. Until recently, relief groups have been operating almost entirely on private donations. In winter, when diseases run rampant, even basic necessities like food, blankets, and medicine are rare. "Sadly, as survivors return home, what they're finding is a brutal legacy of torture, carnage, and mass graves. While a long road is ahead for these genocide victims today's bill signing reaffirms that they aren't walking it alone. "I thank President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Anna Eshoo (D-C.A.), USAID Administrator Mark Green, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, and all those who have worked to ensure that the United States is the single biggest defender of these persecuted minorities," concluded Perkins. SOURCE Family Research Council Related Links http://www.frc.org DUBLIN, Dec 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "E-Liquids Main Source of Revenue for Vape Stores: France Market Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. In our latest look at the French market, we find that most of the vape stores have a monthly revenue of between 10,000-20,000. Sales of e-liquid generate around 60% of revenue, while tobacco is the most popular flavour. The most popular strength is 6mg/ml. The e-liquid sector is dominated by French brands, while the hardware sector is led by Chinese brands. Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive summary 2 Background 3 Vape store overview 4 Revenue analysis 5 E-liquids 6 Hardware and tanks/atomisers 7 CBD 8 Future outlook and regulations Companies Mentioned Alfaliquid Aspire Bordo2 Eleaf Innokin Joyetech Kanger Liquideo Pulp Roykin Smok Svaourea VDLV Wismec For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/njw52p/france?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Recombinant Cell Culture Supplements Market to Reach $788.6 million by 2028, BIS Research Report Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05652539 The process of cell culture involves the growth or proliferation of cells extracted from plant or animal sources under controlled conditions in an artificial media.Cell culture is an integral part of biotechnology and finds usage in various applications both commercial and research. Cell culture studies are now employed in the field of genetics, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine, among others.Culturing of cells under laboratory condition allows to study both physiology and biochemistry of cells, which further offers research scopes that are difficult to conduct in-vivo. The effects of drugs or other compounds can easily be tested on cultured cells by controlling parameters such as culture medium, culture conditions, population density, and growth rate. Furthermore, it offers huge prospects in the field of genetics and allows investigating the role of different genes. Defined supplements in the cell culture media has shown promising impact since decades, aiding in the growth and productivity and maintaining the consistency of cultured cells.With the rise in the demand for cell culture optimization projects, there is a paradigm shift toward the increased application of defined, animal-free supplements for biopharmaceutical, vaccine, and stem cell manufacturing. Recombinant proteins serve as defined supplements in the cell culture media that boost the growth, productivity, and consistency of cultured cells.The use of these supplements acted as a major driving factor toward the adoption of serum-free media for culturing cells and development of cell-lines. The market is expected to grow due to the benefits of recombinant supplements over normal animal-derived supplements.Recombinant cell culture supplements are purer than animal-derived supplements in terms of consistency and safety profile. They are also cheaper and require less raw materials to form a complete cell culture media as compared to their animal counterparts. Other factors include rising investment in the R&D of life sciences and increasing demand for cell culture supplements. The global recombinant cell culture supplements market is segmented based on products into various recombinant products, such as recombinant insulin, recombinant transferrin, recombinant trypsin, recombinant albumin, recombinant aprotinin, and recombinant epidermal growth factor, among others.On the basis of the application of these recombinant supplement products, the market can be segmented into stem cells and regenerative medicine, bioproduction, and academics and research. The market analysis includes an in-depth examination of the key ecosystem players, key strategies, and developments taking place in this market.Additionally, it includes market dynamics (market drivers, opportunities, and challenges) and industry analysis. Geographically, the market can be segmented into five distinct regions including, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest-of-the-World. The purpose of the study is to gain a holistic view of the global recombinant cell culture supplements market in terms of various factors influencing it such as key market trends, competitive and regulatory aspects of the market and scientific innovations with respect to product evolution.The scope of the report is centred upon conducting a detailed study of the solutions allied with recombinant cell culture supplements market, which involves wide range of products used in biotechnological applications. The recombinant cell culture supplements market is segmented into three different parts: 'by products', 'by application, and 'by region'.The report offers the reader with an opportunity to unlock comprehensive insights with respect to the market and helps in forming well informed strategic decisions. The research uncovers some of the substantial parameters that must be taken into consideration before entering the market. This research report aims at answering questions related to various aspects of the global market with the help of the key factors driving the market, threats that can possibly inhibit the overall market growth, and the current growth opportunities that are going to shape the future trajectory of the market expansion.The study considers the growth-share matrix model for a comprehensive study of the global recombinant cell culture supplements market and assesses the factors governing the same. Detailed product mapping have been included in the report. The market (by region) has been further sub-segmented in various countries, and in each sub-segment the key market trends, list of the key players, and recent developments have been discussed. The answers to the following key questions can be derived from this report: What are the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the global recombinant cell culture supplements market? What were the market shares of the leading segments and sub-segments of the global recombinant cell culture supplements market in 2017, and what will be the share in 2028 How will each segment of the global recombinant cell culture supplements market grow during the forecast period, and what will be the revenue generated by each of the segments by the end of 2028? What are the influencing factors that may affect the market share of the key players? What are the key developmental strategies implemented by the key players to stand out in this market? What are the major regulatory authorities/associations/consortiums affecting the global recombinant cell culture supplements market? What are the types of recombinant cell culture supplement products in market and what are their market shares? In 2017, which recombinant supplement type was the dominant type in the market in terms of revenue? Which recombinant supplement type is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period? How has the market been segmented based on application? In 2017, which application area had the largest share and the fastest growth rate in the global recombinant cell culture supplements market? Which geographical region will contribute to the highest sales of the recombinant cell culture supplements during the forecast period, and which will have the highest CAGR? The report also profiles 17 companies including several key players, such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hi-Media Laboratories, BBI Solutions, PeproTech, Inc., InVitria, Sino Biologicals, STEMCELL Technologies, Irvine Scientific, Merck KGaA, Corning Incorporated, Gemini Bio-Products, Novozyme A/S, and Repligen Corporation, among others. Executive Summary With advancement in technology, techniques, and methodology, several innovative products are developed and commercialized by various industries into the market.Development in biotech and healthcare industries has led to the emergence of modern day cell culture process and techniques. Cell cultures are currently used for various applications such as bioproduction of vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and proteins, among others.Also, research and developmental activities have increased the usage of cell culture techniques for the genetic engineering, genomics, and therapeutic research. Cell culture involves different types of products for the growth of cells such as media, sera, reagents, and supplements. Supplements help in the growth of the cell lines and culture. The global recombinant cell culture supplements market was valued $230.5 million in 2017 and is anticipated to reach $788.6 million by 2028. The market is expected to grow due to the benefits of recombinant supplements over normal animal-derived supplements. Recombinant cell culture supplements are purer than animal-derived supplements in terms of consistency and safety profile. They are also cheaper and require less raw materials to form a complete cell culture media as compared to their animal counterparts. Other factors supporting the growth of the market include increasing investment in the R&D of life sciences and biotechnology industries. The purpose of the study is to gain a holistic view of the global recombinant cell culture supplements market in terms of various factors influencing it such as key market trends, competitive and regulatory aspects of the market, and scientific innovations into biotechnology and cell culture fields.The scope of the report is centered upon conducting a detailed study of the solutions allied with the recombinant cell culture supplements market, involving products used for different applications such as bioproduction, research and academics, and stem cell and regenerative medicine. The global recombinant cell culture supplements market is segmented into three different parts: by products, by application, and by region. Based on applications, the market can be sub-segmented into stem cell and regenerative medicine, bioproduction, and academic and research.In 2017, stem cell and regenerative medicine was estimated to be the dominant application segment due to the increased demand for investment in the stem cell and regenerative medicine industry in developed as well as developing nations. However, the academic and research industry is expected to register the highest CAGR due to the rising investments and increased regulatory support for this industry. As recombinant supplements ensure enhanced cell viability and improved batch-to-batch consistency, they are increasingly used for research. The recombinant cell culture supplements market can be further segmented based on the type of recombinant products into transferrin, insulin, albumin, trypsin, aprotinin, lysozyme, Insulin-like growth factor, stem cell factor, epidermal growth factor, and others. Recombinant albumin was the dominant segment in terms of revenue in 2017 while recombinant epidermal growth factor (rEGF) segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period from 2018 to 2028. Geographically, the market is segmented into five distinct regions including, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest-of-the-World.North America, followed by Europe, is the leading contributor of the market. Within North America, the U.S. contributed to almost 93% of the total share, and the rest of the share was occupied by Canada in 2017. Within Europe, Germany dominated the market in 2017. However, the market for the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the high growth rate, during the forecast period from 2018 to 2028, as compared to other regions. The recombinant cell culture supplements market has a promising potential for the growth in the coming years with the increased usage of cell cultures and biotechnology in the modern day science.The report provides an in-depth SWOT analysis of different key players of the market, supported by extensive financial summary of each company. The key players of the market are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hi-Media Laboratories, BBI Solutions, PeproTech, Inc., InVitria, Sino Biologicals, STEMCELL Technologies, Irvine Scientific, Merck KGaA, Corning Incoporated, Gemini Bio-Products, Novozyme A/S, and Repligen Corporation, among others. Countries Covered North America The U.S. Canada Europe Germany France The U.K. Italy Spain The Netherlands Rest-of-Europe Asia-Pacific China Japan S. Korea India Australia Rest-of-Asia-Pacific Latin-America Brazil Mexico Rest-of-Latin America Rest of the World (RoW) Russia Israel Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (K.S.A.) Others Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05652539 About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com DEL MAR, Calif. and JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HDOnTap partners with the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) to live stream the Northeastern Florida Bald Eagle Nest Cameras and give viewers worldwide an unprecedented insight into the entire bald eagle nesting process in the wild. https://youtu.be/zFr2mcyEK0Q The NEFL bald eagle nest is located in Northeastern Florida, about 80 feet up in a Longlaef Pine tree, and was built by the resident eagles, Romeo and Juliet, approximately eleven years ago. According to AEF, through the years, the nest has grown considerably in size and weight (likely weighing close to a ton). The NEFL nest offers three camera views streaming 24-7, live HD video and audio, as well as daily time-lapse clips on screens worldwide. Two live cameras are located on the nest tree and provide different intimate views of the nest. The third camera is mounted on a nearby tree at a lower angle and shows the nest tree and the canopy. Tune in and watch live as Romeo and Juliet are currently in the incubation period (with two eggs) of their nesting cycle. Juliet laid her first egg on November 14, 2018 and the second on November 17, 2018. The incubation period is approximately 35 days from the time each egg was laid, so expect to see the first hatch around December 19, 2018. "We are thrilled to be able to provide our live streaming services to the American Eagle Foundation, which will allow AEF to put more money into their mission of protecting Bald Eagles and other birds of prey," says Tiffany Sears, HDOnTap Co-Founder. For over 7 years, HDOnTap has provided live streaming solutions to resorts, amusement parks, wildlife refuges and more. In addition to maintaining a network of over 500 live webcams, HDOnTap specializes in the design and installation of remote, off-grid and otherwise challenging live streaming solutions. The NEFL Bald Eagle Nest live cameras are available to watch on HDOnTap's website at: https://hdontap.com/index.php/video/stream/nefl-bald-eagles and on the American Eagle Foundation's website at: https://www.nefleaglecam.org/. Photo(s): https://www.prlog.org/12744286 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE HDOnTap Related Links http://hdontap.com BALTIMORE, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Osmosis, the lead medical education platform dedicated to helping current and future healthcare professionals and caregivers learn and retain information, has announced Greycroft as an anchor investor. The educational platform, founded by two medical students at Johns Hopkins University. has 50 million views to date, an audience of over 850,000 on their YouTube channel and over 350,000 registered users, transforming the traditional learning experience for medical and allied health science students and clinicians. "Osmosis' approach to supplemental education is truly dramatic and has already had significant impact with medical students and institutions around the world -- and, they're just penetrating the surface," said legendary investor Alan Patricof, co-founder of Greycroft, and early investor in Apple, AOL, Huffington Post, theSkimm and others. "We created Osmosis as medical students to solve a problem: learning medicine is difficult because it's vast, dynamic, and high stakes. We quickly realized that this problem is shared by millions of other health professionals and students as well as their patients. That's why our vision is 'Everyone who cares for someone will learn by Osmosis.'," said Shiv Gaglani, CEO and co-founder. Reports show that up to 80% of medical students are not attending lectures regularly, creating concern over what students are learning and how they are learning it. Osmosis has been implemented by more than two dozen health professional schools globally, from the University of Michigan to Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, to enhance active learning inside and outside of the classroom. "What drew me to Osmosis is the fact that when they created this content to help medical students, the surprise came when consumer adoption really started to grow without anticipating it. I look at disruption and innovation and I see something really powerful happen, even though it's different than expected. It's really phenomenal," said investor Greg Coleman, former President at Buzzfeed. To learn more about Osmosis, visit: www.osmosis.org . About Osmosis Created by medical students from Johns Hopkins and the former Khan Academy Health & Medicine team, Osmosis is a leading and rapidly growing medical education platform used by more than 850,000 current and future health professionals as well as patients and their family members. Osmosis's mission is to empower the world's clinicians and caregivers with the best learning experience possible. It accomplishes this through an expanding library of more than 1,000 clear & concise educational videos on everything from atrial fibrillation to Zika virus as well as a personalized learning platform that incorporates evidence-based cognitive techniques, machine learning, and gamification to make learning efficient and enjoyable. About Greycroft Greycroft is a leading venture capital firm focused on investments in the Internet and mobile markets. With offices in the two media capitals of the world - New York and Los Angeles Greycroft is uniquely positioned to serve entrepreneurs who have chosen us as their partners. Greycroft manages $1.3 billion and has made over 150 investments since inception in leading companies including Acorns, Bird, Huffington Post, Maker Studios, Plated, TheRealReal, Trunk Club, and Venmo. For more information please visit http://www.greycroft.com. Media Contact Blake Schenerlein Bevel PR for Osmosis [email protected] 304-483-1516 SOURCE Osmosis Related Links https://www.osmosis.org NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dashlane today announced its third annual list of the "Worst Password Offenders." The list highlights the high-profile individuals and organizations that had the most significant password-related blunders in 2018. "Passwords are the first line of defense against cyberattacks," said Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of Dashlane. "Weak passwords, reused passwords, and poor organizational password management can easily put sensitive information as risk." Dashlane's 2018 Worst Password Offenders Dashlane found that the average internet user has over 200 digital accounts that require passwords, and the company projects this figure to double to 400 in the next five years. "The sheer number of accounts requiring passwords means everyone is prone to make the same mistakes as the Password Offenders," states Schalit. "We hope our list serves as a wake-up call to everyone to follow the best password security practices." Dashlane's "Worst Password Offenders" of 2018, beginning with the worst: Kanye West : Kanye is no stranger to controversy and attained even more notoriety this year when he was captured unlocking his iPhone with the passcode "000000" during his infamous meeting at the White House. Having a weak passcode is risky enough, but brazenly flaunting poor password practices in a room full of TV cameras is as bad as it gets. To put it gently, Kanye needs to lockdown his passwords and make them better, faster, stronger. The Pentagon: It's a shame that the Department of Defense holds the #2 spot this year (up two spots from #4 in last year's list), but a devastating audit by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found numerous cybersecurity vulnerabilities in several of the Pentagon's systems. Among the disturbing issues was that a GAO audit team was able to guess admin passwords in just nine seconds, as well as the discovery that software for multiple weapons systems was protected by default passwords that any member of the public could have found through a basic Google search. Cryptocurrency owners: As the value of cryptocurrencies reached record levels at the beginning of the year, scores of crypto owners had the potential to cash outif they could remember their passwords. The news cycle was rife with reports of people resorting to desperate measures (including hiring hypnotists) to attempt to recover/remember the forgotten passwords to their digital wallets. Nutella: Nutella came under fire for giving some of the nuttiest password advice of the year as the beloved hazelnut-and-chocolate spread company encouraged its Twitter followers to use "Nutella" as their password. As if the advice wasn't bad enough, the company sent out the ill-advised tweet to celebrate World Password Day. U.K. Law Firms: Researchers in the United Kingdom found over one million corporate email and password combinations from 500 of the country's top law firms available on the dark web. Making matters worse, most of the credentials were stored in plaintext. Texas : Everything is bigger in Texas , including the cybersecurity gaffes. The Lone Star State left over 14 million voter records exposed on a server that wasn't password protected. This blunder meant that sensitive personal information from 77% of the state's registered voters, including addresses and voter history, was left vulnerable. White House Staff: Last year, two White House officials made our list: President Trump took the (un)coveted title of 2017's Worst Password Offender for a variety of poor cybersecurity habits, while Sean Spicer was included for tweeting his password. This year they passed the baton to another staffer who made the mistake of writing down his email login and password on official White House stationery. This mistake was exacerbated as he accidentally left the document at a Washington, D.C. bus stop. Google: The search engine giant has historically been buttoned up in terms of cybersecurity, but this year, an engineering student from Kerala, India hacked one of their pages and got access to a TV broadcast satellite. The student didn't even need to guess or hack credentials; he logged in to the Google admin pages on his mobile device in using a blank username and password. United Nations: The organization tasked with maintaining international peace has a security problem. U.N. staff were using Trello, Jira, and Google Docs to collaborate on projects, but forgot to password protect many of their documents. This meant anyone with the correct link could access secret plans, international communications, and plaintext passwords. University of Cambridge : A plaintext password left on GitHub allowed anyone to access the data of millions of people being studied by the university's researchers. The data was being extracted from the Facebook quiz app myPersonality and contained the personal details of Facebook users, including intimate answers to psychological tests. Learn from the mistakes of this year's Password Offenders: Password protect all accounts: Whether it's a server, email account, or an app, you should always secure your data with passwords as they're the first, and often only, line of defense between hackers and your personal information. Use strong passwords: Never use passwords that are easy to guess or that contain names, proper nouns, or things people can easily research about youlike your favorite hazelnut spread! All your passwords should be longer than eight characters and include a mix of random letters, numbers, and symbols. Even better, use a password generator to come up with them for you. Never reuse passwords: Every one of your accounts needs a unique password. The risk in password reuse is that hackers can use passwords from compromised accounts to easily access other accounts. The only protection against this is to have a different password for every account. About Dashlane Dashlane simplifies and secures your digital identityall your personal information that lives online. Across all platforms and devices, the intuitive Dashlane app automatically fills and stores passwords, personal data, and payment details to help you manage, monitor, and protect your digital identity. Available in 11 languages and trusted by 10+ million people in 180 countries (and growing), it's the complete, global solution for living safely and seamlessly onlineat home, at work, and everywhere in between. With offices in New York City, Paris, and Lisbon, Dashlane has raised over $70 million in venture funding to create a safe and effortless solution for all citizens of the digital world. Learn more at dashlane.com. SOURCE Dashlane Related Links http://www.dashlane.com HOUSTON, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Imtihan Maan Jawdat, MD, FACC is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Lifetime Member in the field of Cardiology in recognition of his role as a Cardiologist at Houston Heart Clinic. Houston Heart Clinic has served the Houston, Texas region for over twenty five years. Dedicated to providing their clients with the quality healthcare services that they deserve, the clinic is well versed in offering their clients exceptional service at the fraction of the cost. Offering a wide range of services to their clients, the clinic specializes in all facets of cardiology, and offers echocardiograms, Venous Doppler, stress treadmill testing, Carotid Doppler, and more. With over twenty years of experience in the medical profession, Dr. Jawdat is revered for his remarkable contributions to the industry. Throughout his career, Dr. Jawdat has attained extensive expertise in all facets of Cardiology. A lover of what his profession, Dr. Jawdat believes that the field of Cardiology is a fascinating profession. Dr. Jawdat states, "It's not about becoming rich, it's about keeping people alive. Insurance or no insurance, it doesn't matter." A firm believer that everyone deserves the right to quality healthcare, Dr. Jawdat lends a compassionate approach to everyone he encounters. Board Certified in both Cardiology and Internal Medicine, throughout the course of his education and training Dr. Jawdat attended the University of Baghdad where he attained his Medical Doctor degree. Thereafter, Dr. Jawdat would go on to complete his Fellowships at Louisiana State University and Ochsner Clinic Foundation and residency at Louisiana state University Cardiology. Upon graduating in 1969, Dr. Jawdat earned his Medical Degree from the Baghdad College of Medicine and Baghdad University in Iraq. When Dr. Jawdat moved to the United States, he completed both an internship and residency at Louisiana State University Charity Hospital in New Orleans. In an effort to further enhance his professional career, Dr. Jawdat is an influential member of several prominent organizations including Fellow of the American College of Physicians; Fellow of the American College of International Physicians; Fellow of the American College of Cardiology; Fellow of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention; and Fellow and Master of the American Academy of Cardiology. Dr. Jawdat dedicates this recognition in loving memory of his wonderful mother, Badria M Abdoon. Contact: Katherine Green , 516-825-5634 [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com ADELAIDE, Australia, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayne Pharma Group Limited (ASX: MYX) is pleased to announce that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the New Drug Application (NDA) for Tolsura (SUBA-itraconazole) 65mg capsules. Tolsura is a new formulation of itraconazole indicated for the treatment of certain systemic fungal infections in adult patients. Tolsura is indicated for the treatment of blastomycosis (pulmonary and extrapulmonary), histoplasmosis (including chronic cavitary pulmonary disease and disseminated, non-meningeal histoplasmosis) and aspergillosis (pulmonary and extrapulmonary, in patients who are intolerant of or who are refractory to amphotericin B therapy). These serious infections most commonly occur in vulnerable or immunocompromised patients, for example, those with a history of cancer, transplants (solid organ or bone marrow), HIV/AIDS, or chronic rheumatic disorders, and are often associated with high mortality rates or long-term health issues. Mayne Pharma's CEO, Mr Scott Richards said, "We are very pleased to have received FDA approval of this patented formulation of itraconazole which incorporates Mayne Pharma's proprietary SUBA technology to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. Reformulation of existing drugs plays an important role in improving patient compliance and clinical outcomes. We are proud to offer a new treatment option for patients with these life-threatening infections. We believe physicians will appreciate having access to Tolsura, which has been shown in clinical studies to have increased bioavailability and significantly reduced variability when compared to conventional oral itraconazole capsules." "After many years of research and development and working closely with key global opinion leaders in infectious disease management, Tolsura represents a major milestone in the SUBA (SUper-BioAvailable) drug delivery platform at Mayne Pharma." The Company will directly commercialise Tolsura and plans to launch in January 2019 with a new institutional sales team focused primarily on hospital-based infectious disease specialists. Tolsura has four granted patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office with expiry dates ranging from 2023 to 2033. The US anti-fungal triazole market has a current value of US$600m according to IQVIA and based on the clear unmet clinical need in serious systemic infections, the addressable market is estimated at US$200m[1]. Mayne Pharma directly markets more than 60 products in the US including three patent protected dermatology products Fabior (tazarotene) foam, Sorilux (calcipotriene) foam and Doryx MPC (doxycycline) delayed-release tablets. The Company recently acquired Lexette (halobetasol) foam used to treat plaque psoriasis which it expects to also launch in January 2019. For further information contact: Lisa Pendlebury, +61 419 548 434, [email protected] [1] Management estimate About Mayne Pharma At Mayne Pharma we believe that everyone deserves medicines that are better, safe and more affordable. That's why our people are determined to create innovative products and services for our changing world. Mayne Pharma is an ASX-listed specialty pharmaceutical company focused on applying its drug delivery expertise to commercialise branded and generic pharmaceuticals. Mayne Pharma also provides contract development and manufacturing services to more than 100 clients worldwide. Mayne Pharma has a 30-year track record of innovation and success in developing new oral drug delivery systems and these technologies have been successfully commercialised in numerous products that have been marketed around the world. Mayne Pharma has two product development and manufacturing facilities based in Salisbury, Australia and Greenville, USA with expertise in formulation of complex oral and topical dose forms including potent compounds, modified-release products and inherently unstable compounds. About Tolsura (SUBA-itraconazole) capsules Indications and Usage TOLSURA is an azole antifungal indicated for the treatment of the following fungal infections in immunocompromised and non-immunocompromised adult patients: Blastomycosis, pulmonary and extrapulmonary Histoplasmosis, including chronic cavitary pulmonary disease and disseminated, non-meningeal histoplasmosis, and Aspergillosis, pulmonary and extrapulmonary, in patients who are intolerant of or who are refractory to amphotericin B therapy. Limitations of Use: TOLSURA is not indicated for the treatment of onychomycosis TOLSURA is NOT interchangeable or substitutable with other itraconazole products IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNING: CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE and DRUG INTERACTIONS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Congestive Heart Failure TOLSURA can cause or exacerbate congestive heart failure (CHF). When itraconazole was administered intravenously to healthy human volunteers and dogs, negative inotropic effects were seen. If signs or symptoms of congestive heart failure occur or worsen during administration of TOLSURA, reassess the benefit-risk of continuing treatment. Drug Interactions Co-administration of certain drugs that are metabolized by human CYP3A4 enzymes are contraindicated with TOLSURA because plasma concentrations of such drugs are increased Co-administration with colchicine, fesoterodine and solifenacin is contraindicated in subjects with varying degrees of renal or hepatic impairment. Co-administration with eliglustat is contraindicated in poor or intermediate metabolizers of CYP2D6 and in subjects taking strong or moderate CYP2D6 inhibitors. Increased plasma concentrations of some of these drugs can lead to QT prolongation and ventricular tachyarrhythmias including occurrences of torsades de pointes, a potentially fatal arrhythmia. Contraindications Co-administration with certain drugs that either affect metabolism of itraconazole or whose metabolism is affected by itraconazole. Hypersensitivity to itraconazole Warnings and Precautions Hepatotoxicity : Serious hepatotoxicity, including liver failure and death were reported with the use of itraconazole. Discontinue treatment if signs of liver dysfunction occur . : Serious hepatotoxicity, including liver failure and death were reported with the use of itraconazole. Discontinue treatment if signs of liver dysfunction occur Cardia Dysrhythmias : Life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias and/or sudden death have occurred in patients using certain drugs that are metabolized by human CYP450 enzymes concomitantly with oral itraconazole and/or other CYP3A4 inhibitors. : Life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias and/or sudden death have occurred in patients using certain drugs that are metabolized by human enzymes concomitantly with oral itraconazole and/or other CYP3A4 inhibitors. Peripheral Neuropathy : This has been reported in patients on long-term therapy with itraconazole. Monitor and promptly evaluate neurologic symptoms. : This has been reported in patients on long-term therapy with itraconazole. Monitor and promptly evaluate neurologic symptoms. Hearing loss : Reversible or permanent has been reported in patients. Discontinue treatment if hearing loss occurs . Adverse Reactions Most common adverse reactions (incidence 1%) are nausea, rash, vomiting, edema, headache, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, pruritus, hypertension, abnormal hepatic function, abdominal pain, dizziness, hypokalemia, anorexia, malaise, decreased libido, somnolence, albuminuria, impotence. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Mayne Pharma at 1-844-825-8500 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. For more information about Tolsura, please refer to the prescribing information available here. SOURCE Mayne Pharma Related Links www.maynepharma.com Since 2013, wildfires have burned more than 5 million acres in California alone. As conditions have become hotter and drier, California has shattered numerous wildfire records. 2018 was a particularly tragic year, as the Camp Fire claimed the lives of more than 85 victims and burned more than 18,000 structures the most destructive fire in California state history. Fires in recent years have become so severe and burned such vast swaths of land; many forests are not expected to regenerate for decades, if at all. Without proactive restoration, we risk losing the important values that forests provide like clean water, carbon storage, and wildlife habitat. Reforestation helps jumpstart these forests' recovery and will provide a seed source for our future forests. From now until March 31, 2019, the NFF will collect donations from individuals, small businesses and corporations to support tree planting in the wake of California fires. For every dollar donated to the fund, one native tree will be planted on a California National Forest in need of reforestation. "The scale of tree-planting need in California is immense. As California reels from the tragic effects of these fires, we want to do our part by helping these forests recover," said Mary Mitsos, NFF President. As part of its long-term rebuilding efforts in California, The Starbucks Foundation dedicated $50,000 to the fund to help plant 50,000 trees on California forests in recognition of the impact the fires have had on Starbucks partners (employees) in California and their communities. This commitment was part of a broader $200,000 contribution to the NFF to plant 200,000 trees nationwide, at least one tree for every Starbucks partner in the U.S. "We stand together with the people of California including Starbucks partners, their families and our customers to help address the needs of these impacted communities," said Vivek Varma, president of The Starbucks Foundation. "From supporting disaster relief to investing in local neighborhoods to planting new trees, our Starbucks partners work every day to strengthen the communities they serve." Additional and substantial support to plant trees in areas that have been affected by recent California wildfires will come from the nonprofit 1% for the Planet, which will work with its members to raise awareness about the fund. Other early contributors include 1% for the Planet members Boxed Water Is Better and Caudalie, minuteKEY, and Lands' End. Boxed Water Is Better has extended their commitment to reforestation with the NFF by two years to assist in the effort. "Our members are important catalysts for long-term environmental sustainability. We're grateful for our partnership with the National Forest Foundation and our members that will help us make a real tangible impact on helping California forests recover," said Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet. Adds Mitsos, "We are thrilled by the early support The Starbucks Foundation, 1% for the Planet and our other partners have shown for this effort. We know there is a lot of work to do in California and across the country as wildfires continue to impact our forests." Since 2010, the NFF has supported the planting of 3.5 million trees in the state of California. Working closely with the U.S. Forest Service, only appropriate native trees are planted in areas where planting will help restore long-term ecological health. Funds raised through this effort will be invested in high-priority reforestation projects in 2019 and 2020 planting seasons. Individuals, small businesses and corporations interested in supporting this effort are invited to learn more by visiting https://www.nationalforests.org/get-involved/tree-planting-programs/california-forest-relief-fund About The National Forest Foundation The National Forest Foundation promotes the enhancement and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. By directly engaging Americans and leveraging private and public funding, the NFF improves forest health and Americans' outdoor experiences. The NFF's programs inform millions of Americans about the importance of these treasured landscapes. Each year, the NFF restores fish and wildlife habitat, plants trees in areas affected by fires, insects and disease, improves recreational opportunities, and enables communities to steward their National Forests and Grasslands. Learn more at www.nationalforests.org . About The Starbucks Foundation Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation strengthens communities around the world by advancing opportunities for youth, veterans, refugees and coffee, tea and cocoa farmers and their families, supporting communities affected by disaster, and promoting civic engagement. Learn more at https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/community/starbucks-foundation. About 1% for the Planet 1% for the Planet is a global organization that connects dollars and doers to accelerate smart environmental giving. Through our business and individual membership, 1% for the Planet inspires people to support environmental organizations through annual membership and everyday actions. We advise on giving strategies, we certify donations, and we amplify the impact of the network. Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, our members have given more than $200 million to environmental nonprofits to date. Today, 1% for the Planet is a network of more than 1,800 member businesses, hundreds of individual members, and thousands of nonprofit partners in more than 60 countries. Learn more at www.onepercentfortheplanet.org . SOURCE National Forest Foundation Related Links http://www.nationalforests.org PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New Rhein Healthcare Investors, an international private equity firm has announced moving its global headquarters from Chicago to Philadelphia, complementing its other offices in Brussels and London. New Rhein is focused on healthcare therapeutics and medical devices. The firm invests in businesses that utilize proven products in new applications; specifically clinically de-risked assets and existing molecules with newly discovered uses and purposes. In an era of increasing costs, New Rhein believes that "innovation drives greater risk-adjusted value than invention" and that major unmet medical needs can be addressed by existing solutions, improving health economic outcomes while doing so. New Rhein uniquely combines significant deal-making expertise with deep operating experience that allows the firm to tailor the right deal for the right situation and then work with portfolio companies to unlock value. Prior investments have included medicines for Alzheimer's disease, ophthalmic disorders, respiratory disease, and oncology molecular diagnostics. The opening of the Philadelphia office coincides with the addition of two new investment professionals. Dr. Ivan Gergel joins the firm as Chief Medical Officer and Mr. Nishant Rastogi joins the firm as a Senior Associate. Dr. Gergel will lead New Rhein's clinical, scientific, and regulatory diligence processes, as well as assisting portfolio companies with clinical research, clinical operations, medical affairs, regulatory affairs, and drug safety and surveillance. He brings over 25 years of pharmaceutical leadership and drug development experience to New Rhein. Previously Dr. Gergel served as: Head of Development and Chief Medical Officer at Nektar Therapeutics; EVP of Research & Development and Chief Scientific Officer at Endo Pharmaceuticals; and SVP of Research & Development at Forest Laboratories. Dr. Gergel has overseen the successful development and approval of 14 new medicines across many therapeutic classes, including several multi-billion dollar drugs. He received his MD from The Royal Free Medical School of The University of London and an MBA from the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Rastogi's responsibilities will include identification and screening of new opportunities, due-diligence, modeling, deal negotiation, portfolio company support, and business development. From 2015 to 2017, Mr. Rastogi was an investor at Broadview Ventures. He received his MBA from Northwestern University, and a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College. The firm's selection of Philadelphia is based on the area's growing importance as a center for life science innovation, and proximity to the historic NJ based US pharmaceutical industry, the Maryland based FDA, and the NYC financial hub. New Rhein has additionally created an advisory board of industry veterans. Inaugural members are Dr. Jeremy Levin, CEO of Ovid Pharma and former CEO of Teva and Head of Corporate Development at BMS, and Mr. Jack Khattar, CEO of Supernus Pharma. These moves are in line with and strengthen New Rhein's strategy of identifying assets that not only meet an unmet medical need, but also bring strong health economic value, and which require operational know-how and investment for the right clinical, regulatory, and commercial strategy. For further information: www.newrhein.com CONTACT: Nishant Rastogi, (215) 419-7744, [email protected] SOURCE New Rhein Healthcare Investors LLC NORFOLK, Va. and ATLANTA, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today announced plans to relocate its headquarters to Atlanta. "Alignment, collaboration, and accountability are the hallmarks of Norfolk Southern's plan to transform this company and its culture. Our new headquarters in Atlanta advances these key elements of success," proclaimed Jim Squires, chairman, president and chief executive officer, addressing employees this morning. "Our potential has always been great and now is greater still, as we bring together all of our headquarters functions into a single, integrated team." "Norfolk Southern is grateful to the city of Norfolk and the commonwealth of Virginia for their support of our company over the last three plus decades," Squires continued. "We look forward to the continued growth of our business in the commonwealth as the many operating employees who remain serve the customers and promote economic development in this integral part of our network." "As a major hub for both transportation and innovation, Georgia is a fitting home for Norfolk Southern's new headquarters," said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. "As the No. 1 state for business six years in a row, Georgia has become a preferred location for industry leaders such as Norfolk Southern who seek an expansive infrastructure network, a culture of collaboration, and ready-to-work communities. This announcement also reinforces Georgia's distinction as the Southeast's gateway to global commerce. We appreciate Norfolk Southern's significant investment in Fulton County and look forward to celebrating the company's future growth and continued success." Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms added, "With a shared history dating back to 1846, we are proud Norfolk Southern now calls Atlanta home. This relocation was made possible, in part, by the passing of the Gulch deal and is a reminder that great things happen when our public and private sectors work together. Norfolk Southern will be a great addition to our city, and I look forward to partnering with them as we work to build One Atlanta." To create its new headquarters, Norfolk Southern is in advanced discussions to purchase a site from Cousins Properties at 650 West Peachtree St. NW, in the heart of Midtown Atlanta's growing intersection of corporate, technological, and academic power. In addition, Norfolk Southern intends to engage Cousins Properties to manage the development of its new headquarters. Details of this engagement are expected during the first quarter of 2019. Progress on Norfolk Southern's move to Atlanta has already commenced and will span the next several years as the new headquarters is constructed. Squires concluded, "Norfolk Southern values Atlanta's vitality and looks forward to contributing more of our own energy to its business, social, and community environments." About Norfolk Southern Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products. Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1958 by Tom Cousins, the Company has extensive expertise in development, acquisition, leasing and property management of Class A office towers. SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation Related Links http://www.nscorp.com "Each of our new partners embodies the qualities and values we hold dear, including top-flight legal skill, unflagging dedication to clients, and a commitment to improving our communities," said Bradley J. Butwin, chair of O'Melveny. "We're particularly pleased that this year's class of nine partners again exemplifies O'Melveny's longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. We know we are stronger for it." Nearly 80 percent of O'Melveny's new partner class is women, people of color, or LGBT. For the fifth straight year, women make up more than 40 percent of the firm's new partnership class. And 2019 is the fourth consecutive year that over 50 percent of the incoming partnership class is diverse. Alicja Biskupska-Haas Biskupska-Haas advises managers of private equity funds, venture capital funds, and hedge funds on fund formation, operations, regulatory, general corporate, and portfolio company transaction matters. She also represents institutional investors, including major pension funds, in connection with investments in alternative asset classes, both domestically and internationally. In addition, she counsels clients on co-investment transactions and handles issues relating to the acquisition, disposition, and structuring of portfolio investments. Because she has experience representing both sponsors and investors, Biskupska-Haas helps her clients understand investment opportunities from all angles. She also advises clients on regulatory compliance matters arising in each stage of an investment cycle. Biskupska-Haas received her law degree magna cum laude from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law. She joined O'Melveny in 2011. Hannah Chanoine A tireless advocate for clients facing consumer class actions, Chanoine has a record of successfully defending companies in both trial and appellate courts. A significant portion of her practice involves defending and advising consumer packaged goods and consumer electronics companies in nationwide false advertising cases. She also counsels clients on strategies for mitigating class action litigation risk during product and label development. She began her career clerking for the Hon. Sonia Sotomayor on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and then served as a trial attorney in the US Department of Justice, Civil Division. Chanoine serves as the co-chair of the Federal Bar Council's Inn of Court mentoring program, and on the board of the Pipeline to Practice Foundation, which is dedicated to enhancing diversity in the legal profession. Chanoine received her law degree from Columbia University School of Law, where she was twice named a James Kent Scholar. She is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at Columbia Law School. Chanoine joined O'Melveny in 2015. Mia Gonzalez A member of the firm's White Collar Defense and Corporate Investigations practice, Gonzalez specializes in representing financial institutions, public companies, boards of directors, audit committees, and individuals in internal investigations and investigations conducted by the Department of Justice, the New York Attorney General, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and various self-regulatory organizations. A well-rounded litigator, Gonzalez has also represented clients in significant securities and antitrust civil litigations. She maintains an active pro bono practice, representing a wide range of clients in both criminal and civil matters, and served as co-leader of the New York office's Summer Program for several years. Gonzalez earned her master's degree and law degree from Columbia University. She has been with O'Melveny since graduating from law school in 2008. Susannah Howard A powerhouse in the labor and employment arena, Howard focuses her practice on representing employers in discrimination, harassment, and pay equity mattersissues of increasing concern to employers as the #MeToo era continues to reshape industries and the workplace becomes more fraught and scrutinized than ever. Howard also has extensive experience defending employers in the wage-and-hour space, having resolved such high-profile class actions for a growing roster of prominent clients. Howard attended the University of Toronto for both her undergraduate and law degrees, graduating from the Faculty of Law in 2007. Following law school, Howard clerked for the Hon. Louis LeBel of the Supreme Court of Canada. She joined O'Melveny in 2012. Dimitri Portnoi A seasoned advisor to clients in complex business and appellate litigation, Portnoi has expertise in a range of legal areas including international law, water and natural resources law, copyright and trademark law, securities, products liability and consumer class actions, and First and Fifth Amendment disputes. As a core member of O'Melveny's Water Industry Group, Portnoi uses his knowledge of water law and regulatory law to counsel clients on both litigation matters and transactions. With his strategic thinking and broad experience in complex trial and appellatematters, Portnoi consistently helps clients prevail in seemingly intractable disputes. Since joining the firm in 2011, Portnoi has maintained an extensive pro bono practice and emerged as a leading advocate for the LGBT community, earning him the firm's coveted Warren Christopher Values Award. Portnoi clerked for both the Hon. Margaret M. Morrow of the US District Court and the Hon. Judith W. Rogers of the US Court of Appeals after graduating magna cum laude from New York University School of Law in 2008. Daniel Suvor Previously Chief of Policy and Senior Counsel to California's then-Attorney General Kamala Harris, Suvor is a strategic advisor in high-stakes litigation, government investigations, and regulatory matters. He taps his experience supervising some of the most complex and high-profile state Attorneys General matters to counsel clients across a broad range of sectors and areas of law when they confront inquiries or litigation from state Attorneys General. Since joining the firm in 2017, Suvor has continued his longstanding record of civic involvement, including on issues and initiatives related to the Latino community. Suvor received his law degree from George Washington University Law School in 2008. Xin-Yi (Vincent) Zhou A former microchip engineer, Zhou is regularly in demand by the biggest names in Silicon Valley for his skill as an intellectual property and technology litigator and his grasp of highly technical subject matters. His practice focuses on patent and trade secret litigation involving computer chips, semiconductor fabrication, telecommunications, and mobile technologies. A fluent Mandarin speaker, Zhou frequently assists on matters involving Asian companies. Zhou received his undergraduate and master's degrees in engineering from Cornell and Stanford, respectively, and worked as an engineer in Silicon Valley for several years before earning his law degree from UCLA School of Law in 2007. He joined O'Melveny as an associate in 2007. Ke Zhu A linchpin of the firm's booming corporate practice in Asia, Zhu offers clients broad experience spanning IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, privatizations, financing, and private equity and venture capital investments. Through his relationships with leading investment banks, issuers, private equity and venture funds, and other institutional clients, and drawing on his well-honed deal-making skills, he has helped make O'Melveny a premier destination for Hong Kong IPOs, public mergers and acquisitions, and privatizations, particularly in the healthcare, education and technology, media, and telecom sectors. Zhu earned his Master of Law degree from Oxford University in 2007 and his Master of Laws from Columbia University in 2008. He joined O'Melveny in 2015. Joseph Zujkowski A vital member of the Bankruptcy & Restructuring Group, Zujkowski has played a leading role in major restructurings for some of the firm's biggest clients across a wide range of industries. His experience representing debtors and creditors in high-profile chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings and complex financing transactions makes him a highly versatile advisor. It has also made him a thought leader in his field: he has served as an adjunct professor at Cardozo Law School and authored nearly 20 articles since joining O'Melveny. He is also an engaged member of both the firm and the greater community, devoting considerable time to pro bono work as part of the firm's relationship with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). Zujkowski received his law degree from Boston University School of Law in 2007 and joined O'Melveny in 2013. About O'Melveny It's more than what you do: it's how you do it. Across sectors and borders, in board rooms and courtrooms, we measure our success by yours. And in our interactions, we commit to making your O'Melveny experience as satisfying as the outcomes we help you achieve. Our greatest accomplishment is ensuring that you never have to choose between premier lawyering and exceptional service. So, tell us. What do you want to achieve? Visit us at omm.com. SOURCE OMelveny Related Links http://www.omm.com HOUSTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Parker Drilling Company (NYSE: PKD) ("Parker Drilling" or the "Company") today announced the expected move of trading of the Company's Common Stock to the OTC Pink Marketplace from the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"). The Common Stock is expected to begin trading on the OTC Pink Marketplace operated by OTC Markets Group Inc. ("OTC Pink") under ticker symbol "PKDSQ" upon the opening of trading on December 13, 2018. This move should not disrupt the trading of the Common Stock. As noted in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Parker Drilling's average market capitalization, or total trading value, has fallen below the $15 million threshold over a 30 trading-day period that is required to remain in compliance with the NYSE's listing standards. Parker Drilling remains and intends to remain a publicly-traded company and expects to trade under the PKDSQ ticker symbol. As previously announced, Parker Drilling and certain of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on December 12, 2018 in order to implement the terms of a Restructuring Support Agreement ("RSA"). The RSA and proposed Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization contemplate the cancellation of the existing Common Stock and the issuance of a new security when the Company emerges from Chapter 11 protection. While the existing stock is expected to continue to trade on the OTC Pink during the Chapter 11 cases, Parker Drilling intends to apply to list its new shares on the NYSE upon emergence. While the Common Stock trades on the OTC Pink, Parker Drilling intends to comply with the SEC Reporting Standard. The Company will continue to make all required SEC filings and will remain subject to SEC rules and regulations applicable to reporting companies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company plans to maintain a majority independent Board of Directors with an independent Audit Committee and to provide annual financial statements audited by a Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) independent registered public accounting firm and unaudited interim financial reports prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Cautionary Statement The Company can provide no assurance that its Common Stock will commence or continue to trade on the OTC Pink, whether broker-dealers will continue to provide public quotes of the Company's Common Stock on the OTC Pink, whether the trading volume of the Company's Common Stock will be sufficient to provide for an efficient trading market or whether quotes for the Company's Common Stock will continue on the OTC Pink in the future. This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements in this press release other than statements of historical facts addressing activities, events or developments the Company expects, projects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the value and future use of Tax Benefits, our evaluation of options to enhance our capital structure in light of upcoming debt maturities, anticipated future financial or operational results; the outlook for rental tools utilization and rig utilization and dayrates; the results of past capital expenditures; scheduled start-ups of rigs; general industry conditions such as the demand for drilling and the factors affecting demand; competitive advantages such as technological innovation; future operating results of the Company's rigs, rental tools operations and projects under management; future capital expenditures; expansion and growth opportunities; acquisitions or joint ventures; asset purchases and sales; successful negotiation and execution of contracts; scheduled delivery of drilling rigs or rental equipment for operation; the Company's financial position; changes in utilization or market share; outcomes of legal proceedings; compliance with credit facility and indenture covenants; and similar matters. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the Company based on management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, anticipated future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Although the Company believes its expectations stated in this press release are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. These include risks relating to changes in worldwide economic and business conditions, fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices, compliance with existing laws and changes in laws or government regulations, the failure to realize the benefits of, and other risks relating to, acquisitions, the risk of cost overruns, our ability to refinance our debt and other important factors, many of which could adversely affect market conditions, demand for our services, and costs, and all or any one of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. For more information, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report filed on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other public filings and press releases. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company Description Parker Drilling provides drilling services and rental tools to the energy industry. The Company's Drilling Services business serves operators in the inland waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico utilizing Parker Drilling's barge rig fleet and in select U.S. and international markets and harsh-environment regions utilizing Company-owned and customer-owned equipment. The Company's Rental Tools Services business supplies premium equipment and well services to operators on land and offshore in the U.S. and international markets. More information about Parker Drilling can be found on the Company's website at www.parkerdrilling.com. Contact: Nick Henley Director, Investor Relations (+1) (281) 406-2082 [email protected] SOURCE Parker Drilling Company Related Links http://www.parkerdrilling.com SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Research from one of Scottsdale-based Arizona Breast Cancer Specialists' founders (a division of Arizona Center for Cancer Care), Robert Kuske, MD, was presented at the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium held December 4-8. The data suggests that a 5-day course of radiation treatment known as Partial Breast Irradiation (PBI) may be an acceptable alternative to the traditional 6-week course of Whole Breast Irradiation (WBI). There was no statistically significant difference between Partial Breast Irradiation (PBI) and Whole Breast Irradiation (WBI) giving breast cancer patients the option for a shorter course of treatment. The reoccurrence rate in the breast was less than 1% difference between the two techniques. More women from Arizona were enrolled in this key trial than from any other state in the country. According to Dr. Kuske, "This study will change the practice of medicine worldwide because there are fewer long-term side effects and much greater convenience with this 5-day treatment of breast cancer." A radiation oncologist passionate about helping women with breast cancer, Dr. Kuske pioneered "accelerated partial breast irradiation," known as Brachytherapy, a five-day alternative to the conventional six weeks of external beam whole breast irradiation in select early-stage breast cancer. Brachytherapy also spares the lung and heart from radiation exposure. He is a leader of the important 4300 patient phase III trial through the National Cancer Institute. He is recognized for his work that allows women who have been augmented with breast implants to be successfully treated with lumpectomy and 5-day radiation without hardening of the implants. Dr. Kuske is one of only a dozen radiation doctors in the U.S. who restrict their practice to breast cancer and publish extensively in medical literature. He was honored as the top medical researcher in the Valley. For more information, press only: Jenny Martin 414-378-8703 [email protected] For more information on Product: http://www.arizona-breast-cancer-specialists.com/index.html SOURCE Arizona Breast Cancer Specialists Related Links http://www.arizona-breast-cancer-specialists.com NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global gel documentation systems market is projected to register a CAGR of 3.3% during the forecast period. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05645038 The market size for gel documentation systems is expected to reach USD 304 million by 2023 from USD 258 million in 2018, at a CAGR of 3.3%. The major driving factors for this market include growing global incidence of infectious disease and genetic disorders, increase in funding for research & development in genomic, proteomic, and electrophoresis techniques. Emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil provide opportunities for the players operating in the gel documentation market. However, growing adoption of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the major restraining factor for this market. The academic and research institutes segment accounted for the largest share of gel documentations systems market in 2018. Based on end user, the gel documentation systems market has been segmented into academic and research institutes; pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies; diagnostic laboratories.The academic and research institutes segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the overall market in 2018. This growth is primarily attributed to the increasing research activities on genomics and proteomics in research institutes and rising government funding in academic institutes. The instruments segment is estimated to grow rapidly during the forecast period. Based on product, the gel documentation systems market is segmented into three segments, namely, instruments, software, and accessories.The instruments segment is further divided into digital gel documentation instruments and gel documentation instruments. During the forecast period, the instruments segment is estimated to register the highest growth rate in the overall gel documentation systems market. This growth is mainly due to the increasing research & development activities in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Asia Pacific is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. In this report, the gel documentation systems market is segmented into four major regional segmentsNorth America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW).The market in Asia Pacific is projected to register the highest growth rate during the forecast period. The growth in this market is primarily driven by the increasing investments in research & development in life sciences and biotechnology companies and the presence of emerging countries such as China and India. Breakdown of Profiles of Primary Participants: By Company Type - Tier 1 35%, Tier 2 22% and Tier 3 43% By Designation C level 15%, Director level 32%, and Others 53% By Region North America 34%, Europe 25%, Asia Pacific 23%, and Rest of the World 18% Key players in the gel documentation systems market include GE Healthcare (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (US), Thermo Fisher Scientific (US), LI-COR Biosciences (US), Endress + Hauser Management AG (Switzerland), Vilber Lourmat (France), Scientific Digital Imaging Plc. (UK), Bio-Techne (US), Cleaver Scientific (US), and Azure Biosystems (US). Research Coverage: The report analyzes the gel documentation systems market by product, light source, detection technique, application, end user, and region.Apart from a comprehensive geographic product analysis and market sizing, the report also provides a competitive landscape that covers the growth strategies adopted by market players over the last three years. In addition, the company profiles include the product portfolios, developments, and strategies adopted by prominent market players to maintain and increase their shares in the market. Market research data, current market size, and forecast of the future trends will help key market players and new entrants to make the necessary decisions regarding product offerings, geographic focus, change in strategic approach, and levels of output to remain successful in the market. Key Benefits of Buying the Report: This report will enable both established firms and new entrants/smaller firms to gauge the pulse of the market, which in turn, will help these firms garner greater market shares. The report provides insights on the following pointers: Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios of the top players in the gel documentation systems market Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on the product approvals, R&D activities, and product launches in the gel documentation systems market Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of the market strategies, geographic and business segments, and product portfolios of the leading players in the gel documentation systems market Market Development: Detailed information about emerging markets; Report analyzes the market for various gel documentation systems across geographies Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the gel documentation systems market Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05645038 About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NYCNewYears.com invites you to celebrate New Year's Eve with internationally renowned DJ, producer and Latin Grammy nominee, Chuckie. The event will take place at The Gallery inside the Dream Downtown, starting at 8pm on Monday, December 31st, 2018. The "King of Mixing" will be performing a NYC exclusive one and a half hour Hip-Hop set from 11:30pm to 1am as well as a live countdown of the NYE balldrop. Party this New Years Eve with DJ Chuckie at the Gallery inside the Dream Downtown hotel in the meatpacking district. Admission to the event includes a 4.5-hour premium open bar from 8pm to 12:30am and limited VIP table packages are available Tickets for this event can be purchased on www.NYCNewYears.com or by calling 646.205.7600 Dream Downtown is a luxurious, boutique hotel located in New York City's famed Meatpacking District. The Gallery, is a spacious ballroom that boasts over 4,300 square feet of event space and includes a state of the art sound and lighting system, comfortable lounge seating and multiple bars. The space has played host to endless high profile events including New York Fashion Week shows, The New York Food & Wine Festival, and concerts by Chromeo and The Kills. The Gallery at Dream Downtown is located at 355 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011. Media contact: John Nova 646-205-7600 SOURCE NYCNewYears.com Related Links http://www.NYCNewYears.com CORALVILLE, Iowa, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AI diagnostics company IDx spent the first 8 years of its existence operating in stealth mode. But on April 11, 2018, that instantly changed when the company hit the national spotlight after receiving FDA clearance for IDx-DR, an autonomous AI system that detects diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. This marked the first time the FDA has ever cleared an autonomous AI diagnostic system that does not require a physician to interpret the images or results, enabling specialty level diagnostics in primary care. However, this historic clearance is only one of many milestones achieved by IDx in 2018. The company also secured a significant round of venture funding and launched IDx-DR in patient care. At a time when the world is eager to see AI make a real-world impact amidst the hype, it is refreshing to see the technology being used to improve patients' lives. For people with diabetes living in rural areas, like Kevin Sales, being able to be tested for diabetic retinopathy in a single office visit could be what prevents him from going blind. "We worked hard for many years to prove autonomous AI is safe and bring IDx-DR to patients, so it is incredibly gratifying to see it being used in clinical care," said Dr. Michael Abramoff, the founder and CEO of IDx. "What we accomplished this year lays a strong foundation that will allow us to reach even more patients in 2019 and continue our mission to improve the quality, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare." IDx 2018 highlights: IDx-DR is granted a "Breakthrough Device" designation from the FDA a classification that offers expedited review of technologies that "provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of a life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating disease or condition" ( February 2018 ) ) IDx founder and CEO Dr. Michael Abramoff awarded U.S. Patent No. 9,924,867 for systems that automatically measure cardiovascular health from the retina ( March 2018 ) awarded U.S. Patent No. 9,924,867 for systems that automatically measure cardiovascular health from the retina ( ) IDx-DR earned FDA clearance, becoming the first autonomous AI system to be cleared to make an assessment without requiring a physician to interpret the images or results ( April 2018 ) ) IDx-DR launched at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at University of Iowa Health Care ( June 2018 ) Health Care ( ) Pivotal trial study for IDx-DR FDA clearance published in Nature Digital Medicine ( August 2018 ) ) IDx closed series A funding from strategic investors, including 8VC and Optum Ventures, the venture arm of UnitedHealth Group ( September 2018 ) ) IDx signed an exclusive AI partnership agreement with Topcon, the world's leading ophthalmic device manufacturers ( October 2018 ) ) Dr. Abramoff testified for the Federal Trade Commission on AI in healthcare ( November 2018 ) ) Dr. Abramoff awarded U.S. Patent No. 10,140,699 which covers AI systems, both medical and non-medical, that use sample training data to detect objects in images ( November 2018 ) ) IDx more than doubled its staff, growing from 23 employees to 51 in 2018 ( December 2018 ) About IDx IDx is a leading AI diagnostics company on a mission to transform the quality, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare. Founded in 2010 by a team of world-renowned clinician scientists, the company is focused on developing clinically-aligned autonomous AI that detect disease in medical images. By enabling diagnostic assessment in primary care settings, IDx aims to increase patient access to high-quality, affordable disease detection. The company's first product, IDx-DR, is an FDA-cleared AI-based diagnostic system designed for use at the front lines of care to detect diabetic retinopathy. IDx-DR is intended for use by health care providers to automatically detect more than mild diabetic retinopathy in adults (22 years of age or older) diagnosed with diabetes who have not been previously diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. IDx-DR is indicated for use with the Topcon NW400, an easy to use and highly accurate robotic fundus camera. IDx is developing additional AI-based diagnostic systems for the detection of macular degeneration, glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke risk. IDx 2300 Oakdale Blvd Coralville, IA 52241 Phone: 319-248-5620 www.eyediagnosis.net IDx Contact: Laura Shoemaker Director of Marketing Communications 1-319-248-5620 [email protected] Media Contact: Linda Healan Amendola Communications 1-404-725-7117 [email protected] SOURCE IDx Related Links http://www.eyediagnosis.net APPLETON, Wis., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Heart Association (AHA) announces ThedaCare, an Appleton-based community health system, as the first Life is Why sponsor in Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, cardiovascular disease took the lives of more than 11,000 Wisconsinites in 2016 alone. The sponsorship, reaching the ThedaCare service area including the Fox Valley, provides support to the American Heart Association's mission: to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. "We appreciate the opportunity to help educate the public about heart health and the potentially life-saving choices people can make every day," said Imran A. Andrabi, MD, President and CEO of ThedaCare. "Our "why" is putting our patients and their loved ones first. We are dedicated to serving Northeast and Central Wisconsin and sponsoring the American Heart Association's Life is Why program is another vital way we can advance our mission of improving the health of the communities we serve." Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Wisconsin and stroke is the number three killer in Wisconsin. Focus throughout this three-year sponsorship will be on creating a culture of health for residents of the Fox Valley area. The American Heart Association's work is centered around changing policy, leading breakthroughs in science and technology, changing systems, transforming healthcare and transforming communities. Here are just a few ways residents in the Fox Valley and beyond will see the Life is Why commitment in the community: Promote employee wellness in local workplaces Instill heart-healthy habits in kids through the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge in more than a dozen local schools Distribute 100 CPR Anytime kits in the community and train residents in the life-saving skill of CPR Community-wide education and awareness on a variety of health and wellness topics. Life is Why is a national brand element which emphasizes an emotional connection to the work of the AHA. The campaign encourages people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds to consider what or who they are living for and turn that into their personal motivation for making lifestyle changes that add up to healthier, happier and longer lives with the ones they love. For more on Life is Why, visit www.heart.org/lifeiswhy. SOURCE American Heart Association Related Links http://www.heart.org/lifeiswhy DUBLIN, Dec 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Epilepsy Therapeutics in Asia-Pacific Markets to 2024 - Uptake of Novel Therapies and Rising Awareness is Expected to Drive the Market Growth" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Asia-Pacific epilepsy therapeutics markets is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.5% to reach $1.75 billion in 2024. Epilepsy treatment has historically been dominated by gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) modulators and sodium channel blockers, leaving a wide unmet need intact in a sizeable section of patients who do not respond to the existing treatment options. Historically there is a lack of potent disease modifying or curative drugs in the epilepsy therapeutic space. The dominant older generation AEDs had poor safety and tolerability profiles. Second generation AEDs with newer mechanisms of action; signaled a shift in this trend in the last decade with improved tolerability and efficacy. The value of the market is expected to grow more rapidly in India and China compared with the more developed markets, Japan and Australia. With a high prevalence, these two regions have large treatment populations, which are expected to grow further due to better healthcare access and improvements in treatment gaps. The late-stage pipeline contains promising therapies that have the potential to achieve approval and launch during the forecast period. These drugs are under development with novel mechanisms of actions that are not conventional in the epilepsy market and are expected to provide greater efficacy and safety than previous AEDs. The launch and uptake of these new pipeline therapies with better efficacy are expected to drive APAC market growth. Scope The APAC epilepsy market will be valued at $1.7 billion in 2024, growing from $1.4 billion in 2017 at a CAGR of 3.5%. in 2024, growing from in 2017 at a CAGR of 3.5%. How will the approval of Cenobamate for treatment-resistant epilepsy affect the competitive landscape, with no therapy currently available to address this patient subset? The epilepsy market is crowded with cheap, generic, me-too drugs. What are the main barriers a new therapy faces when entering the epilepsy market? The pipeline for epilepsy therapy is not diverse in terms of molecule type and molecular targets. How have the late-stage therapies performed in clinical trials? The level of unmet need in the epilepsy market is high. Will the pipeline drugs fulfill these unmet needs? The market forecasts indicate that India and China will contribute the most to the APAC market. and will contribute the most to the APAC market. How will the annual cost of therapy and market size vary between the five assessed APAC markets? How will the growing population affect the market? How will the various drivers and barriers influence the market over the forecast period? Licensing deals are the most common form of strategic alliance in epilepsy, with total deal values ranging from under $0.1m to over $820m . to over . How do deal frequency and value compare between target families and molecule types? Reasons to buy This report will enable you to: Understand the current clinical and commercial landscape by considering disease pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis, and the treatment options available at each stage of diagnosis, including a clinical comparison of marketed therapies. Visualize the composition of the epilepsy market in terms of the dominant therapies for each patient subset, along with their clinical and commercial standing. Unmet needs are highlighted to allow a competitive understanding of gaps in the market. Analyze the epilepsy pipeline and stratify pipeline therapies by stage of development, molecule type and molecular target. Understand the potential of late-stage therapies with extensive profiles of products that could enter the market over the forecast period, highlighting clinical performance, potential commercial positioning, and how they will compete with other therapies. Predict epilepsy market growth in the five assessed APAC markets, with epidemiological and annual cost of therapy forecasts across India , China , Australia , South Korea and Japan , as well as the individual contributions of promising late-stage molecules to market growth. , , , and , as well as the individual contributions of promising late-stage molecules to market growth. Identify commercial opportunities in the epilepsy deals landscape by analyzing trends in licensing and co-development deals. Key Topics Covered: 1 Table of Contents 1.1 List of Tables 1.2 List of Figures 2 Introduction 2.1 Disease Introduction 2.2 Epidemiology 2.3 Disease Classification 2.4 Symptoms 2.5 Etiology and Pathophysiology 2.5.1 Etiology 2.5.2 Pathophysiology 2.6 Diagnosis 2.6.1 Biomarkers 2.7 Prognosis 2.8 Treatment Guidelines and Options 2.8.1 Treatment Options 3 Marketed Products 3.1 Overview 3.1.1 Aptiom/Zebinix (Eslicarbazepine acetate) - BIAL-Portela 3.1.2 Banzel/Inovelon (Rufinamide) - Novartis 3.1.3 Briviact (Brivaracetam) - UCB 3.1.4 Fycompa (perampanel) - Eisai 3.1.5 Keppra (levetiracetam) - UCB 3.1.6 Lyrica (pregabalin) - Pfizer 3.1.7 Vimpat (lacosamide) - UCB 3.1.8 Lamictal (lamotrigine) - GSK 3.1.9 Epidiolex (Cannabidiol) - GW Pharmaceuticals 3.1.10 Older Generation AEDs 3.2 Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Marketed Product 4 Pipeline Analysis 4.1 Overview 4.2 Pipeline Distribution by Stage of Development, Molecule Type, Route of Administration and Program Type 4.3 Pipeline Distribution by Molecular Target 4.4 Promising Pipeline Candidates 4.4.1 Fintepla (low-dose fenfluramine Hydrochloride/ZX-008) - Zogenix 4.4.2 Cenobamate (YKP3089) - SK Biopharmaceuticals 4.5 Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Pipeline Products 4.6 Product Competitiveness Framework 5 Clinical Trial Analysis 5.1 Failure Rate 5.1.1 Overall Failure Rate 5.1.2 Failure Rate by Phase and Molecule Type 5.1.3 Failure Rate by Phase and Molecular Target 5.2 Clinical Trial Size 5.2.1 Patient Enrollment per Product by Molecule Type and Stage of Development 5.2.2 Patient Enrollment per Product by Molecular Target and Stage of Development 5.2.3 Patient Enrollment per Trial by Molecule Type, Molecular Target and Stage of Development 5.2.4 Patient Enrollment per Trial by Molecular Target and Stage of Development 5.3 Clinical Trial Duration 5.3.1 Clinical Trial Duration by Molecule Type 5.3.2 Clinical Trial Duration by Molecular Target 5.4 Competitive Clinical Trials Metrics Analysis 6 Multi-scenario Forecast 6.1 Geographical Markets 6.2 Asia-Pacific Market 6.3 India 6.4 China 6.5 Australia 6.6 South Korea 6.7 Japan 7 Drivers and Barriers 7.1 Drivers 7.1.1 Improved Economy and Affordability Boost the Market 7.1.2 Promising Pipeline Products that Target Unmet Needs for Epilepsy 7.1.3 Government-Sponsored Increased Awareness and Access to Healthcare will Improve Epilepsy Treatment 7.2 Barriers 7.2.1 Social Stigma and Lack Awareness to Hamper Low Diagnosis and Treatment Rates 7.2.2 Impending Patent Cliffs and Generic Erosion 7.2.3 Lack of Strong Patent Protection or Intellectual Property Rights. 8 Deals and Strategic Consolidations 8.1 Licensing Deals 8.1.1 Deals by Region and Value 8.1.2 Number of Disclosed and Undisclosed Deals by Year, Aggregate Deal Value 8.1.3 Deal Value by Stage of Development, Molecule Type, and Molecular Target 8.2 Key Licensing Deals 8.3 Co-development Deals 8.3.1 Deals by Region and Value 8.3.2 Number of Disclosed and Undisclosed Deals by Year, Aggregate Deal Value 8.3.3 Deal Value by Stage of Development, Molecule Type, and Molecular Target 8.4 Key Co-development Deals 9 Appendix 9.1 All Pipeline Drugs by Stage of Development 9.1.1 Discovery 9.1.2 Preclinical 9.1.3 IND/CTA-filed 9.1.4 Phase I 9.1.5 Phase II 9.1.6 Phase III 9.1.7 Pre-registration Companies Mentioned BIAL-Portela Eisai GSK GW Pharmaceuticals Pfizer SK Biopharmaceuticals UCB Zogenix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7xj42b/asiapacific?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Synergy is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel gastrointestinal (GI) therapies. Synergy's flagship product, TRULANCE (plecanatide) is a once-daily tablet approved for adults with chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). "The acquisition of the assets of Synergy will enhance our Salix Pharmaceuticals business. We believe TRULANCE is a natural complement to XIFAXAN (rifaximin), and with the scale and strength of our sales footprint in GI and primary care, our Salix team will be able to offer physicians and patients multiple treatment options that span the types of irritable bowel syndrome. Furthermore, adding Synergy's investigational dolcanatide to our pipeline will provide an incremental peptide with established proof-of-concept studies in multiple GI conditions," said Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO, Bausch Health. "As part of our transformation strategy, we will continue to seek strategic bolt-on opportunities that we believe will help drive long-term growth in our core businesses and for the Company." Agreement Details Under the terms of the definitive "stalking horse" agreement, Bausch Health (through its affiliate) has agreed to acquire most of Synergy's assets, including intellectual property, customer and vendor contracts, accounts receivable and goodwill, free and clear of liabilities except certain expressly assumed liabilities. Additionally, Bausch Health has committed to make employment offers to a number of the sales and commercial employees of Synergy. As part of the sale process, Bausch Health's bid is subject to higher or better offers, as other interested parties will have an opportunity to submit competing bids. Bausch Health does not require any financing to complete the acquisition. If Bausch Health's bid is successful, the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and approval of the Bankruptcy Court. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as legal advisor to Bausch Health in this transaction. About XIFAXAN XIFAXAN (rifaximin) 550 mg tablets are indicated for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) in adults and for the reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) recurrence in adults. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION XIFAXAN is contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to rifaximin, rifamycin antimicrobial agents, or any of the components in XIFAXAN. Hypersensitivity reactions have included exfoliative dermatitis, angioneurotic edema, and anaphylaxis. Clostridium difficile -associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with use of nearly all antibacterial agents, including XIFAXAN, and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, ongoing antibiotic use not directed against C. difficile may need to be discontinued. -associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with use of nearly all antibacterial agents, including XIFAXAN, and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, ongoing antibiotic use not directed against may need to be discontinued. There is an increased systemic exposure in patients with severe (Child-Pugh Class C) hepatic impairment. Caution should be exercised when administering XIFAXAN to these patients. Caution should be exercised when concomitant use of XIFAXAN and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and/or OATPs inhibitors is needed. Concomitant administration of cyclosporine, an inhibitor of P-gp and OATPs, significantly increased the systemic exposure of rifaximin. In patients with hepatic impairment, a potential additive effect of reduced metabolism and concomitant P-gp inhibitors may further increase the systemic exposure to rifaximin. In clinical studies, the most common adverse reactions for XIFAXAN in IBS-D (2%) were nausea (3%) and ALT increased (2%). In clinical studies, the most common adverse reactions for XIFAXAN in HE (10%) were peripheral edema (15%), nausea (14%), dizziness (13%), fatigue (12%), and ascities (11%). INR changes have been reported in patients receiving rifaximin and warfarin concomitantly. Monitor INR and prothrombin time. Dose adjustment of warfarin may be required. XIFAXAN may cause fetal harm. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Salix Pharmaceuticals at 1-800-321-4576. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088 Please click here for full Prescribing Information. About Bausch Health Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) is a global company whose mission is to improve people's lives with our health care products. We develop, manufacture and market a range of pharmaceutical, medical device and over-the-counter products, primarily in the therapeutic areas of eye health, gastroenterology and dermatology. We are delivering on our commitments as we build an innovative company dedicated to advancing global health. More information can be found at www.bauschhealth.com. Forward-looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that 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, risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's most recent annual or quarterly report and detailed from time to time in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference and the following factors: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of Bausch Health or Synergy to terminate the definitive agreement between Bausch Health and Synergy; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the acquired assets of Synergy; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated; diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; exposure to potential litigation; and potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the bankruptcy proceedings of Synergy or announcement or completion of the transaction. In addition, certain material factors and assumptions have been applied in making these forward-looking statements, including that the risks and uncertainties outlined above will not cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the material factors and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, but readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Bausch Health undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law. TRULANCE is a trademark of Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. The XIFAXAN product and the XIFAXAN trademark are licensed by Alfasigma S.P.A. to Salix Pharmaceuticals or its affiliates. SOURCE Bausch Health Companies Inc. Related Links http://www.bauschhealth.com Dr. Kothari has served on the Advisory Board since 2014. Other members of BCT's Washington County Advisory Board consist of Dr. Todd Harrison, DPM of Foot & Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic, Kevin O'Leary of Coldwell Banker Innovations, Ted Reeder III, CPA of Tiger's Eye Benefits Consulting, and John Roney II a retired commercial banker. "We are delighted to have Mitesh lead our Advisory Board in Washington County," said Alice P. Frazier, President and CEO. "He is an entrepreneur at heart who is highly attuned to the customer experience which is important to BCT. We look forward to Mitesh's enthusiasm and energy as he guides us forward." CEO Frazier continued, "Along with Mitesh, we are fortunate to have a committed team of business leaders serving on the Advisory Board. They provide excellent advice and counsel regarding the Washington County market." Dr. Kothari added, "My reason for accepting the Advisory Board Chair is simple. With several regional and national banks moving into our area, I, along with the other Advisory Board members, want business owners to experience the personal, authentic service I've come to enjoy at BCT. As a local bank, BCT provides a banking experience this community needs and desires." Dr. Kothari is a partner of Capital Women's Care, one of the largest medical practices for female health services in Hagerstown and Washington County, Maryland. The premier group consists of eight physicians, five Certified Nurse Midwives, and three Physician Assistants and is located at the Trilogy Professional Center in Hagerstown, Maryland. After completing his residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Maryland Hospital, Dr. Kothari returned to Hagerstown to open his practice. Dr. Kothari completed his graduate and undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland. Prior to college, he graduated from Boonsboro High School in the greater Hagerstown area. Dr. Kothari serves and has served on many community and non-profit Boards, including Meritus Medical Center Foundation, Community Foundation of Washington County, Leadership Washington County, YMCA, and the Greater Hagerstown Committee. He is married with three children and lives in Washington County. About BCT Founded in 1871, BCT - Bank of Charles Town, also known as The Community's Bank, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Potomac Bancshares, Inc. (OTC: PTBS). With approximately $427 million in assets as of June 30, 2018, the Company conducts operations through its main office and seven branch office facilities in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties (WV), Washington County (MD), and Loudoun County (VA). The Bank provides various banking products and services including free access to 55,000 ATMs and online and mobile banking for individuals, businesses, and local governments. The Bank also offers commercial lines and term loans, residential and commercial construction, commercial real estate loans and agricultural loans. The Residential Lending division offers secondary market and portfolio mortgage loans, one-time close construction to perm loans, as well as home equity loans and lines of credit. Since the early 1920's, BCT Wealth Advisors has provided financial management, investment, trust, and estate services to its clients. The Company's shares are quoted on the OTC Pink Sheet marketplace under the symbol "PTBS." For more information about Potomac Bancshares, Inc. and the Bank, please visit our website at https://www.mybct.com. SOURCE BCT - The Community's Bank Related Links http://www.mybct.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Catalina, the market leader in shopper intelligence and personalized digital media that converts shoppers into buyers, today announced that it has reached an agreement with over 90% of the company's first lien lenders and over 75% of the company's second lien lenders on the terms of a restructuring support agreement to effectuate a balance sheet restructuring. The agreement will allow Catalina to significantly enhance its financial flexibility, reducing its debt by approximately $1.6 billion and positioning the company for long-term success. To implement the pre-packaged restructuring transaction, the company has filed voluntary petitions to restructure under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Catalina's operations outside of the U.S. are not part of the Chapter 11 filing. Catalina expects all operations both in the U.S. and overseas to continue as usual throughout the restructuring process. There will be no interruption in Catalina's ability to serve its customers. The company has received a commitment for $125 million in new money debtor-in-possession ("DIP") financing from an ad hoc group of first lien lenders, which, subject to court approval, will be available to support the company's operations during the restructuring process. In addition, the ad hoc group of first lien lenders has also agreed to provide an additional $40 million in exit financing to support the company's operations upon consummation of the restructuring. With the support of the majority of its first lien and second lien lenders, the company expects to complete the pre-negotiated, court-supervised process expeditiously. "Today's announcement represents a significant step forward in transforming our business because it enables us to accelerate investments in technology, advanced analytics, data science and talent to strengthen our core capabilities and enable new data-driven solutions for our customers," said Jerry Sokol, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalina. "After carefully evaluating our options, we determined that a court-supervised restructuring is the best way to strengthen our financial position for the long term. Through this process, we expect to reduce the company's debt by more than 75 percent, giving Catalina a stronger financial foundation." Sokol continued, "Catalina has strong operations, solid cash flow and adequate liquidity, and we remain focused on continuing to solve customer challenges. We appreciate the strong support of our customers, the cooperation of our business partners and, above all, the continued dedication of our employees as we move through this process. We look forward to serving our customers as normal throughout this process, and to emerging as an even stronger company, better positioned for the future." Catalina has filed a number of customary motions with the court seeking authorization to support its operations during the restructuring process. These include authority to continue payment of employee wages and benefits without interruption. The company intends, subject to court approval, to pay vendors and suppliers in full under normal terms for goods and services provided prior to and after the filing date. Catalina is confident it will receive court approval for all these requests. Additional information is available at Catalina's restructuring website at www.catalinarestructuring.com. Court filings and information about the claims process are available at http://cases.primeclerk.com/Catalina, by calling the company's claims agent, Prime Clerk, toll-free at 844-205-4337 or local at 917-460-0912 or emailing [email protected]. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is serving as legal counsel, Centerview Partners LLC is serving as financial advisor and FTI Consulting is serving as restructuring advisor to Catalina. About Catalina Catalina's personalized digital media drives lift and loyalty for the world's leading CPG retailers and brands. Catalina personalizes the consumer's path to purchase through mobile, online and in-store networks powered by the richest shopper database in the world. Catalina is based in St. Petersburg, FL, with operations in the United States, Europe and Japan. To learn more, please visit www.catalina.com or follow us on Twitter @Catalina. Press Contacts: Andrew Siegel / Andrew Squire Joele Frank Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 SOURCE Catalina Related Links http://www.catalina.com DUBLIN, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cell Culture Market By Product (Consumables, Equipment), Application (Biopharmaceutical, Cancer, Stem Cell), & End User (Pharma, Research) - Global Forecast To 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global cell culture market is expected to reach $11,180.2 million by 2024, at a CAGR of 9.4% in the forecast period from 2018 to 2024 The increase in life science research, growing prevalence of various chronic and infectious diseases, and growing demand for the biopharmaceuticals are the principal factors driving the growth of the global cell culture market. However, factors such as the high cost of cell culture research may hinder the market growth. The report gives an extensive outlook on various industries/facilities served by the cell culture consumables and equipment. These industries include pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industry, academic and research institutes, and diagnostic laboratories. Apart from end users, the report provides insights on adoption of cell culture consumables and equipment in various application segments of the market. An in-depth analysis of the geographic scenario of the industry provides detailed qualitative and quantitative insights about the five major geographies (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) along with the coverage of major countries in each region. The geographic analysis provides detailed insights on the key trends of the industry in the listed regions & countries, identifying the demographic & economic impact, government & private investments, and regulatory scenario. The report identifies North America being the largest market followed by Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World. The geographic analysis section also comments on the key market players shaping the growth of the industry in the respective countries. The report also includes the competitive landscape based on extensive assessment of the key strategic developments adopted by leading market participants in the industry over the past 4 years (2015-2018). The market players employed various strategies to expand their product offerings, global footprint, and augment their market shares. The key strategies followed by most companies in the global cell culture market include agreements, collaborations, new product launches, acquisitions, and expansions. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Ecosystem 1.2. Currency and Limitations 1.3. Key Stakeholders 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Process 2.1.1. Secondary Research 2.1.2. Primary Research 2.1.3. Market Size Estimation 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Insights 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Drivers 4.2.1. Increasing Life Science Research 4.2.2. Increasing Prevalence of Chronic Diseases 4.2.3. Growing Demand for the Biopharmaceuticals 4.3. Restraints 4.3.1. High Cost of Cell Culture Research 4.4. Challenge 4.4.1. Handling and Optimization of Protocol for In Vitro Study 4.5. Trend 4.5.1. Transition from Animal-Based Diagnosis to In-Vitro Cell-Based Diagnosis 5. Cell Culture Market, by Product 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Consumables 5.2.1. Media 5.2.1.1. Cell Culture Media Market, by Physical form 5.2.1.1.1. Dry Powder Media 5.2.1.1.2. Liquid Media 5.2.1.2. Cell Culture Media Market, by Type 5.2.1.2.1. Off-The-Shelf Media 5.2.1.2.2. Custom Media 5.2.1.3. Cell Culture Media Market, by Source 5.2.1.3.1. Chemically Defined Media 5.2.1.3.2. Natural Media 5.2.2. Reagents 5.2.2.1. Growth Factors and Cytokines 5.2.2.2. Cryoprotective Reagents 5.2.2.3. Antibiotics/ Antimycotics 5.2.2.4. Cell Dissociation Reagents 5.2.2.5. Buffers 5.2.2.6. Balanced Salt Solutions 5.2.2.7. Attachment and Matrix Factors 5.2.2.8. Other Cell Culture Reagents 5.2.3. Cells and Cell Lines 5.2.4. Sera 5.2.4.1. Fetal Bovine Serum 5.2.4.2. Other Sera 5.2.5. Cell Culture Vessels 5.2.5.1. Cell Culture Dishes 5.2.5.2. Cell Culture Plates 5.2.5.3. Cell Culture Flasks 5.2.5.4. Roller Bottles 5.2.5.5. Other Cell Culture Vessels 5.3. Equipment 5.3.1. Cryopreservative Containers 5.3.2. Refrigerators and Freezers 5.3.3. Biosafety Cabinets 5.3.4. Incubators 5.3.5. Sterilizers 5.3.6. Bioreactors 5.3.7. Microscopes 5.3.8. Centrifuges 5.3.9. Cell Counters 5.3.9.1 Automated Cell Counter 5.3.9.2 Haemocytometers 5.3.10. Water Baths 5.3.11. Other Equipment 6. Cell Culture Market, by Application 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Bioproduction 6.2.1. Monoclonal Antibody Production 6.2.2. Therapeutic Protein Production 6.2.3. Vaccine Production 6.2.4. Cell and Gene therapy 6.3. Diagnostics 6.4. Cancer Research 6.5. Drug Screening and Development 6.6. Stem Cell Research 7. Cell Culture Market, by End-User 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies 7.3. Academic and Research Institutes 7.4. Diagnostic Laboratories 8. Cell Culture Market, by Geography 8.1. Introduction 8.2. North America 8.2.1. U.S. 8.2.2. Canada 8.3. Europe 8.3.1. Germany 8.3.2. Italy 8.3.3. France 8.3.4. U.K. 8.3.5. Spain 8.3.6. Rest of Europe 8.4. Asia-Pacific 8.4.1. Japan 8.4.2. India 8.4.3. China 8.4.4. Rest of Asia-Pacific 8.5. Rest of World 8.5.1. Latin America 8.5.2. Middle East and Africa 9. Competitive Landscape 9.1. Competitive Benchmarking 10. Company Profiles 10.1. HiMedia Laboratories 10.1.1. Business Overview 10.1.2. Financial Overview 10.1.3. Product Portfolio 10.1.4. Strategic Developments 10.2. Merck Group 10.3. GE Healthcare 10.4. Agilent Technologies, Inc. 10.5. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 10.6. PromoCell GmbH 10.7. Lonza 10.8. Corning Inc. 10.9. Becton Dickinson 10.10. CellGenix GmbH 10.11. InvivoGen 10.12. Sartorius AG 10.13. Eppendorf AG 10.14. Fujifilm Holdings Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/mbhs4r/cell_culture?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera, a leading network of independent broker-dealer firms supporting the delivery of professional financial advice, today announced that Joseph and Pamela Malara have joined the Cetera Investment Services platform. The Malaras are an experienced husband-and-wife financial advisory team with approximately $180 million in client assets that provides wealth management services through two banks in Louisiana: the Bank of St. Francisville, a local bank with $135 million in total assets and one location in St. Francisville, LA; and Peoples Bank of Pointe Coupee Parish, a regional bank serving the New Roads, Livonia, Central and Baton Rouge, LA markets with $285 million in total assets. The Malara team works with approximately 700 retail clients, providing financial planning, retirement, insurance and investment management services. The team joined from Investment Professionals, as it was being acquired by Ameriprise. The Malaras plan to pursue growth in holistic planning and advisory by leveraging Cetera's services and technology. Joseph Malara said, "In making the move to Cetera, our clients' needs were our primary consideration. The Cetera team has shown a superior commitment to customer service throughout our very smooth and quick transition process. Its technology platform will enable us to enhance our client service capabilities with greater efficiency and grow our practice." Pamela Malara said, "When it comes to the guidance and service we provide our clients, we hold ourselves to extremely high standards. With that in mind, we have been very impressed with the service mentality, resources and attention to detail we have seen in all our interactions with Cetera to date. Cetera's longstanding expertise in supporting financial institutions-based practices like ours has already been evident in the consultative training sessions in which we have taken part, and in the seamless transition support we have received." LeAnn Rummel, President of Cetera Investment Services, said, "Joe and Pam Malara have built a strong and growing practice by serving as a consistent source of sound, independent financial guidance to their clients for more than 20 years. They exemplify the client-first, service-oriented approach that Cetera seeks to model, and we are thrilled that they have joined our platform. Client service is the underlying tenet of Cetera's Advice-Centric Experience model, which envisions a profession driven by high-caliber, planning-based advice for clients. In addition to a client-first orientation, the Malara team's decision was driven by the same value proposition that has brought so many bank and credit union-based wealth management programs to work with us, including our ability to help advisors meet their growth goals." About Cetera Financial Group Cetera Financial Group ("Cetera") is a leading network of independent firms empowering the delivery of professional financial advice to individuals, families and company retirement plans across the country through trusted financial advisors and financial institutions. Cetera is the second-largest independent financial advisor network in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions. Through its multiple distinct firms, Cetera offers independent and institutions-based advisors the benefits of a large, established broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving advisors and institutions in a way that is customized to their needs and aspirations. Advisor support resources offered through Cetera include award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, practice management support and innovative technology. For more information, visit cetera.com . *Products are not FDIC insured. Media Contact: Mitch Manning Haven Tower Group 424.652.6520 ext. 108 [email protected] SOURCE Cetera Financial Group Related Links https://www.cetera.com AUBURN, Ala., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicken Salad Chick, the nation's only southern inspired, fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept, announced today it will be expanding in Florida with its newest restaurant in Oviedo. The company-owned restaurant is the second location to open in the greater Orlando area this month, following an opening in Lake Mary earlier this month. Oviedo will be the brand's 26th opening this year, marking a total of 105 restaurants overall. Located at 946 West Mitchell Hammock Road, the new Oviedo restaurant features a dining room and outdoor patio with 100 seats and a drive-thru. It opens on Wednesday, December 19th and offers free chicken salad for a year to the first 100 guests. "Chicken Salad Chick has opened four restaurants in Florida this year and with each opening, we become increasingly impressed with how seamlessly our brand's culture fits within these communities," said Scott Deviney, CEO of Chicken Salad Chick. "Our fresh, made-from-scratch recipes and welcoming and charming environment give our guests a true taste of southern hospitality, and we look forward to introducing the residents of Oviedo to this unique dining experience. It's only a matter of time before Chicken Salad Chick becomes a household favorite in the community." During grand opening week, guests will experience the southern hospitality that Chicken Salad Chick is known for, with giveaways and specials that include: Wednesday, December 19 Free Chicken Salad for a year The first guest will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year; the next 99 guests receive a free large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month.* Any guest not part of the first 100 in line can make a purchase and enter to win free chicken salad for a year.** Free Chicken Salad for a year The first guest will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year; the next 99 guests receive a free large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month.* Any guest not part of the first 100 in line can make a purchase and enter to win free chicken salad for a year.** Thursday, December 20 The first 50 guests at opening and the first 50 guests at 6p.m. to purchase a Chick Special will be automatically enrolled in the Free Chicken Salad of the Month Club. Each guest will receive one free scoop of chicken salad per month for a year.*** The first 50 guests at opening and the first 50 guests at to purchase a Chick Special will be automatically enrolled in the Free Chicken Salad of the Month Club. Each guest will receive one free scoop of chicken salad per month for a year.*** Friday, December 21 The first 50 guests at opening and the first 50 guests at 6p.m. to purchase a Chick Trio will receive a free 32oz. RTIC Chick tumbler. The first 50 guests at opening and the first 50 guests at to purchase a Chick Trio will receive a free 32oz. RTIC Chick tumbler. Saturday, December 22 The first 100 guests to purchase two large Quick Chicks will receive a free large Chick cooler. The Chicken Salad Chick concept, born in Auburn, was established in 2008 in the kitchen of founder, Stacy Brown. When Stacy discovered that the local county health department would not allow her to continue making and selling her delicious recipes out of her home kitchen, she overcame that obstacle by launching her first restaurant with the business expertise of her future husband and fellow founder, Kevin Brown. Together, they opened a small takeout restaurant, which quickly grew and began franchising in 2012. In 2015, Eagle Merchant Partners purchased a majority stake in Chicken Salad Chick, and under the leadership of CEO Scott Deviney and team, the company now has 105 restaurants across the Southeast. Chicken Salad Chick in Oviedo will be open Monday Saturday from 10:00 a.m. 8 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.chickensaladchick.com or call (407) 604-3625. Follow Chicken Salad Chick on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and trends. *Eligible winners must be over 16 years of age, purchase a Chick Special and are required to download the Craving Credits app. Redemption will start 12/24. ** Eligible winners must be over 16 years of age, purchase a Chick Special and are required to download the Craving Credits app. 10 winners will be drawn at the end of the day. ***Eligible winners must be over 16 years of age, purchase a Chick Special and are required to download the Craving Credits app. Redemption will start 12/24. For more information on giveaways and specials, visit www.facebook.com/Chickensaladchickoviedo/ About Chicken Salad Chick Founded in Auburn, Alabama, in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick serves full-flavored, Southern-style chicken salad made from scratch and served from the heart. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick's robust menu is a perfect fit for any guest. Today, the brand has 105 restaurants in 12 states and is continuing its rapid expansion with both franchise and company locations. Chicken Salad Chick was recently named as one of FastCasual.com's top Movers and Shakers and one of Nation's Restaurant News 2017 Next 20 brands. The brand also ranked #37 on the 2016 Inc. list of the 500 fastest-growing companies in the U.S. See www.chickensaladchick.com for additional information. Contact: Nikki Rode Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Chicken Salad Chick Related Links http://www.chickensaladchick.com SAINT GEORGE, Utah, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingo Solutions, a managed detection and response cybersecurity provider, has announced that they have been declared SOC2 certified by the AICPA. This heightened level of security compliance supports Cingo's mission to hold themselves to the highest standard of security and exemplifies their commitment to exceeding client expectations for efficient and effective cyber security solutions. "Achieving SOC2 compliance was really important to us because it communicates the processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of our own system," says CEO Scott Madsen. "We are in the business of providing security solutions for clients and ensuring that we are, essentially, taking our own medicine by operating from the highest level of security ourselves is imperative." Cingo's SOC2 certification comes at a time when cybercrime threats are becoming more sophisticated and pervasive. This increases the urgency for constant monitoring and the development of software to create secure environments. Cingo's newly minted SOC2 status determines that their work is acceptable from government as well as accounting standards and that any actions taken to keep clients safe is at the highest standard of security, something invaluable when a company needs to keep proprietary information or consumer data safe. "Cingo believes in stopping at nothing to protect our clients. In order to build defensive software solutions that are effective, we first must ensure that our part of the project is protected from potential breaches as well. As we started considering what would it take to make the entire environment secure, we developed an offensive mindset that included SOC2 compliance as a key part of the plan," explains Madsen. Further cementing their commitment to security, Cingo has recently completed construction of a purpose-built facility including state of the art security, lockout rooms requiring specific security credentials, and their proprietary Cingo Protects software powering multiple internal networks. "The architecture was developed in hand with a SOC2 compliance team and exceeds any regulatory requirement we have encountered," Madsen explains. "Providing SOC2 compliance isn't mandatory and many cyber security firms don't make the investment or take the time to achieve it, but we do because our clients count on us to remove any potential for error." About Cingo Solutions: Cingo is a SOC2 certified managed detection and response cybersecurity provider. Cingo protects the highly sensitive data of clients in the financial, healthcare, accounting, manufacturing, and other professional services industry. For further inquiries, contact Nina Foley at the Gardner Media Collective- [email protected] // 312-882-7876 SOURCE Cingo Solutions Related Links http://cingo.solutions NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Commuter benefits company Clarity Benefit Solutions discusses why employers are shifting focus from cost-sharing to care management. With the cost of health benefits rising, particularly for smaller employers, there is a paradigm shift from cost-sharing to care management. Unfortunately, healthcare costs can place a burden on many employees, so employers are assisting employees with implementing cost-saving measures that will not only take the onus off employees but render these benefits more affordable. This includes directing employees to cost-effective yet quality providers, improved management of specialty medications, and properly treating and preventing addiction to opioids. Many small employers are shifting to high-deductible, consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs), which cost less money than their traditional counterparts. Employers typically offer CDHPs with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) so employees can maximize these benefits. Employers are also continuing to add services such as telemedicine, so employees can receive diagnoses on illnesses without venturing into an office. Telemedicine services also make it easy for them to seek second opinions from qualified medical specialists. Plus, targeted programs that lend support to employees with chronic ailments and problems, such as diabetes or cancer, are also on the rise. These care management programs offer support throughout the course of the health issueand can also help resolve any care issues that may arise. Some employees are taking these programs one step further by offering employees with access to Centers of Excellence (COE) for surgeries and other procedures, such as transplants, oncology, or bariatric care. Options such as these result in cost savings, more positive patient outcomes, and overall greater patient satisfaction. Forward-thinking employers who focus on their employees' health and well-being by offering them effective strategies to manage their care rather than focus solely on costs will truly make a difference in their employees' lives. Additional steps employees can take to encourage a healthy overall lifestyle include providing healthy good choices in both meetings and cafeterias, providing on-site fitness facilities, offering resources that support financial health, and including technology-based resources (think wearables) that encourage employees to take charge of their health and fitness. About Clarity Benefit Solutions: Clarity Benefit Solutions provides technology that makes the health insurance plan selection process fast, easy, and straightforward. For over two decades, we have provided clients with industry-leading technology, compliance, and exceptional customer service. Our offering is designed to save time and lower the costs of managing benefits while also promoting employee self-service and automated ACA compliance. SOURCE Clarity Benefit Solutions REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoGrid has signed a strategic partnership with CLP Holdings Group, one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the Asia Pacific region, with 5.2 million customers and a market capitalization of USD $25 billion. This partnership will build the foundation for CLP projects across APAC that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to achieve real-time optimization of energy assets. CLP will initially deploy the AutoGrid Flex flexibility management platform to build and optimize a microgrid and drive streamlined operations and energy use at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, a 54-acre innovation and technology hub. The success of the project will enable CLP to implement flexible capacity management throughout its global operations, including microgrids, energy storage units, distributed generation and demand-side resources. CLP operates power generation, transmission, distribution and electricity and gas retail activities in Hong Kong, mainland China, India, Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Australia. AutoGrid has also been working directly with CLP subsidiary Energy Australia, one of the largest deregulated energy retailers in Australia to offer demand-side management programs. By 2040, 62 percent of global flexibility capacity will be in APAC, developed through the use of renewable energy technologies and energy storage assets. This trend is driving the market growth for energy flexibility solutions, which is projected to be substantial across the region. By 2030, China's electricity system is projected to reach nearly 40 percent renewables penetration with 23 GW of batteries. In India, renewable energy sources are projected to account for nearly 80 percent of the capacity mix by 2050. In Australia, the convergence of renewable energy sources with flexibility technology will represent nearly 10 percent of electricity generation by 2050.1 All of these trends represent significant opportunities for CLP and AutoGrid. AutoGrid Flex supports CLP's region-wide vision and will be the catalyst for the multi-national utility to expand its services and product offerings. At the local or distribution system level, AutoGrid Flex will deliver quantifiable operational efficiencies to CLP. The platform will enable CLP to monitor energy use, optimize the operation of DERs such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy storage batteries, and manage energy demand and supply. In the first stage of the pilot project, CLP will use AutoGrid Flex's machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities to visualize and forecast building energy load and PV generation, as well as dispatch battery power and shave peak loads in real time. "Innovation will play an increasingly critical role for our business as the electricity sector enters an exciting time of technological change," said Austin R. Bryan, senior director of innovation and ventures at CLP. "This project, along with our investment in AutoGrid, is an important element in our strategy to capture greater opportunities in the rapidly evolving smart energy space." "The APAC region will see over $6 trillion of new energy investment in the next two decades representing about 60 percent of all new energy investments globally during that time. The addition of new flexible energy capacity in China alone will be larger than in the U.S. and Europe combined, and India will add more flexible capacity than either the U.S. or Europe," said Dr. Amit Narayan, AutoGrid chief executive officer. "The combination of AutoGrid's proven technology and CLP's scale and local market knowledge creates a game-changing opportunity for both companies." 1 Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance, New Energy Outlook 2018 About CLP: The CLP Group and its holding company, CLP Holdings Ltd., generates, delivers and sells electricity and gas through its regulated business arm in Hong Kong and deregulated arm in mainland China, India, Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Australia. CLP is the one of the largest utilities operating in APAC, with over 5 million customer accounts and nearly 25 GW of generation capacity. About AutoGrid: AutoGrid builds software applications that enable a smarter distributed energy world. The company's suite of flexibility management applications allows utilities, electricity retailers, renewable energy project developers and energy service providers to deliver clean, affordable and reliable energy by managing networked distributed energy resources (DERs) in real time and at scale. AutoGrid has more than 3,500 megawatts of DERs under contract with Xcel Energy, National Grid, E.ON, CPS Energy, Total, NextEra Energy and over 35 other leading energy companies around the world. Media Contact: Richard Miller [email protected] SOURCE AutoGrid Related Links https://www.auto-grid.com SAN DIEGO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Western Water Summit (WWS) taking place next month, the official conference program has just been released! Taking place on January 2223, 2019 at the Paradise Point Resort in San Diego, this event is bringing together professionals involved in all facets of integrated water management, policy, and programs to collaborate and address shared concerns. WWS will consist of more than 25 presentations and several discussion panels featuring the world's top experts in the subject areas of water reuse, the future of green infrastructure, soils & surface water, and water law. Browse the agenda for a sneak peek of what The Summit is all about. During these educational sessions, attendees will explore the latest technologies, science and research, and legislation affecting local watersheds. This will serve as a unique opportunity to gather individuals representing the multiple water sectorsall in one roomto increase systematic efficiencies by generating alignment across industry boundaries. This first-of-its-kind conference will also contain numerous networking opportunities (including an evening celebration), an exhibitor showcase, and much more. Early Bird Pricing ends December 18, 2018 Register now to save 15% on the full conference package! REGISTER TO SAVE Group discounts as well as Exhibitor & Sponsorship opportunities are available: Please contact Event Director Brigette Burich at [email protected] or 805.679.7631 For more information: Visit the official WWS website SOURCE Western Water Summit Related Links https://www.westernwatersummit.com PITTSBURGH, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cribs for Kids and the Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild of Seattle Children's Hospital ("The Guild") officially announced today the launch of The Aaron Matthew Research Foundation of Cribs for Kids. In honor of the announcement, Allegheny County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald has proclaimed Wednesday, December 12, 2018 Cribs for Kids Day in Pittsburgh. The new Foundation will support research of sudden unexpected or unexplained infant deaths, with contributions to The Guild's current research produced by some of the world's top medical researchers and data scientists. "We've long admired Cribs for Kids' unique approach to infant sleep safety, and it's a privilege for us to join with them to ensure that no parent should experience the pain of losing a child to SIDS," said John Kahan, President of the Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild. The Foundation is named after John and Heather Kahan's son who died of SIDS 15 years ago. Kahan works at Microsoft, where he is Chief Data Analytics Officer for Corporate, External and Legal Affairs. His world-class team of data scientists have volunteered thousands of hours to Seattle Children's Integrative Brain Research Institute developing technology tools to aid in SIDS research. In order to fund the research that is being conducted at Seattle Children's Hospital and throughout the country, Cribs for Kids will give a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their Cribette, a safety-approved play-yard style unit. "This new foundation expands our mission of eliminating deaths due to SIDS and sleep-related infant deaths," said Judy Bannon, Executive Director and Founder of Cribs for Kids. "As we grow our organization and celebrate our 20 years of providing safe sleep education, safety-approved cribs, and support services to families in need throughout the country, adding a research component is the clear next step." The Foundation will be overseen by an advisory board consisting of Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., F.A.A.P., who sits on the board of Cribs for Kids and is a member of the SIDS Taskforce of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Nino Ramirez, M.D., who leads the Integrative Brain Research Institute at Seattle Children's Hospital, and John Kahan. The Foundation's research will help to solve a medical mystery that has vexed researchers for decades: what causes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and what can be done to prevent it? According to the Centers for Disease Control , there are approximately 3,600 deaths annually attributed to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death, of which SIDS is a subcategory. "Considering the U.S. has one of the highest infant mortality rates among developed nations, there is an urgent need for funding and dedicated scientific study of SIDS to address this serious health issue among young children," said Kahan. To support the initiatives of the Aaron Matthew Research Foundation of Cribs for Kids, please purchase a Cribette here or donate at https://cribsforkids.org/donate/. About Cribs for Kids Founded in 1998 by Judith A. Bannon, Cribs for Kids is a national infant safe-sleep education program that helps to reduce the risk of injury and death of infants due to accidental suffocation, asphyxia, or undetermined causes in unsafe sleeping environments. Over the past 20 years, Cribs for Kids evolved from a local nonprofit with a few members to a national organization with over 1,100 partners that have provided over 600,000 cribs to families in need. Cribs for Kids has developed multiple educational initiatives that have been implemented in communities across the nation, including the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program, the Managed Care Organization Prenatal Incentive Program, the National Public Safety Initiative, the Safe Sleep Ambassador Program, and the Safe Sleep Academy Website. Cribs for Kids has advocated for state and federal policies that will research infant sleep-related deaths and improve safe sleep prevention efforts. Cribs for Kids helped pass the Pennsylvania Act 73 of 2010 and recently endorsed the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act. Visit: https://cribsforkids.org About Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild at Seattle Children's Hospital The Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild was established to fund much-needed research in this field at Seattle Children's Hospital Integrative Brain Research Institute (Seattle Children's). Researchers from Seattle Children's, New York University, Langone Medical Center, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Virginia, University of Auckland and University of Bristol England are working on this terrible mystery. The guild was formed in 2017 and includes leaders from Accenture, Adobe, Marriott Hotels, Tata Consulting, Microsoft and Seattle Children's. Donations to the Guild are matched up to 4 to 1. John and Heather Kahan will match donations up to $100,000. Their pledged gift will be matched with another $100,000 by the Jack R. MacDonald Research Fund at Seattle Children's Hospital. In addition, Microsoft matches up to $15,000, per employee, for each employee who contributes. Visit: http://www.givetostopsids.org/ SOURCE Aaron Matthew SIDS Research Guild Of Seattle Children's Hospital Related Links http://www.givetostopsids.org/ SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dell Boomi (Boomi), the leading enterprise transformation provider of cloud integration and workflow automation to build The Connected Business, announced its Fall 2018 release of the Boomi platform. This update reinforces Boomi's mission to provide enterprise-grade security, enhanced usability and expanded flexibility for customers. Boomi recognizes the vital need for customer ease of use and has made it a business priority to create the best environment for users to succeed. As market needs evolve and customers use iPaaS for a wider variety of use cases, Boomi continues to provide additional and advanced features that enable IT organizations to meet their expanding requests. Boomi's new features work to improve productivity and efficiency across the entire organization. Boomi's Fall 2018 release focuses on: Boomi for blockchain integration Boomi's solution provides support for Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric, the leading blockchain platforms. This integration works with customers to ensure they are able to quickly and easily incorporate blockchain smart contracts into their business processes. As the industry evolves, blockchain integration is vital for organizations to stay competitive in the market. Boomi's solution provides support for Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric, the leading blockchain platforms. This integration works with customers to ensure they are able to quickly and easily incorporate blockchain smart contracts into their business processes. As the industry evolves, blockchain integration is vital for organizations to stay competitive in the market. Enterprise Grade Security New two-factor authentication login support, stricter concurrent session controls and virus scans for file uploads provide increased security for Boomi customers. Enhanced account and user security, comes with new Flow-multi region feature that allows businesses to restrict access to specific regions. Now, for example, if a user wants their runtime data to be in France and the enterprise apps built with Flow to be accessible only in Singapore , this can be configured in just a matter of minutes. New two-factor authentication login support, stricter concurrent session controls and virus scans for file uploads provide increased security for Boomi customers. Enhanced account and user security, comes with new Flow-multi region feature that allows businesses to restrict access to specific regions. Now, for example, if a user wants their runtime data to be in and the enterprise apps built with Flow to be accessible only in , this can be configured in just a matter of minutes. Enhanced Usability Boomi continues to address the needs of all users by adding new features that allow customers to work faster and increase productivity. Additional dashboard filters, visualizations and the ability to export Boomi Flow data greatly increase developer efficiency. Organizations engaged in workflow automation and low code application development using Boomi Flow can now obtain a 360-degree view of their workflows and their runtime status. With this new view, organizations gain greater agility and the ability to respond faster to their workflow management needs. Boomi continues to address the needs of all users by adding new features that allow customers to work faster and increase productivity. Additional dashboard filters, visualizations and the ability to export data greatly increase developer efficiency. Organizations engaged in workflow automation and low code application development using can now obtain a 360-degree view of their workflows and their runtime status. With this new view, organizations gain greater agility and the ability to respond faster to their workflow management needs. Expanded Platform Capabilities Boomi's enhanced connector capabilities expand how customers can complete their tasks, whether that is in Boomi or outside of Boomi. As part of this new update, Boomi has developed broader open features so users can seamlessly work with some of the biggest technology companies in the space, including Google, Salesforce and Workday. In fact, with Workday's Prism Analytics, users can bring together their data from any source to prepare, analyze and securely share it throughout their organization. Boomi's enhanced connector capabilities expand how customers can complete their tasks, whether that is in Boomi or outside of Boomi. As part of this new update, Boomi has developed broader open features so users can seamlessly work with some of the biggest technology companies in the space, including Google, Salesforce and Workday. In fact, with Workday's Prism Analytics, users can bring together their data from any source to prepare, analyze and securely share it throughout their organization. New, Free On-Demand Training and Professional Certifications - There are currently more than 11,000 Certified Boomers and Boomi continues to grow that number with the release of new, free on demand certifications. The latest certifications include Professional API Design and Management Certification, Professional Linux Operational Administrator Certification, and Boomi Flow Associate Certification. All on-demand certifications by Boomi are currently available for free. "Boomi prides itself in developing a platform that makes people's jobs easier and creates a supportive environment where businesses can succeed. Technology is changing and Boomi is evolving alongside to ensure that our customers have the best possible solutions to meet their business needs," said Steve Wood, Chief Product Officer at Dell Boomi. "With our new capabilities, we are continuing to reimagine the iPaaS industry and deliver on our vision of The Connected Business." Tara Gambill, Senior Director of Enterprise Systems at MOD Pizza also commented, "Boomi matches our spirit of continued innovation. We need technology solutions that can expand and evolve with our changing demands. In just six months, Boomi has helped us to manage our increasing complexity that comes with that. With Boomi, we have been able to quickly and easily manage our store and employee data and onboard new workers all while feeling confident that the data we are working with is accurate." About Dell Boomi Dell Boomi (Boomi), an independent business unit of Dell, is the leading provider of a unified platform to build The Connected Business, from cloud integration to workflow automation. Boomi helps organizations accelerate business agility by connecting data, applications and people to run faster and smarter. Visit http://www.boomi.com for more information. 2018 Boomi Inc. Dell, Boomi, and Dell Boomi are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other names or marks may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Contact: Janine Kromhout Dell Boomi 650-269-1417 [email protected] Kelsey Quickstad Hotwire for Dell Boomi 415-820-4494 [email protected] Analyst Contact: Beth Johnson Dell Boomi 415-412-6891 [email protected] Special note: Statements in this material that relate to future results, future hiring, and future events or investment are forward-looking statements and are based on Boomi's current expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by such forward-looking words as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "confidence," "may," "plan," "potential," "should," "will" and "would," or similar expressions. Actual results, hiring, customer trends, and events in future periods may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements because of a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the challenge of finding and onboarding new personnel, marketplace trends, ongoing management attention to the market, the uncertainties associated with technology changes and the development and release of new technology. Boomi and Dell Technologies assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. SOURCE Dell Boomi Related Links http://www.boomi.com NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Flat Rock Capital Corp. announced today that it has increased its total borrowing capacity to $30 million on its financing facility with State Bank and Trust. The expansion of the four-year revolving credit facility includes the addition of Hitachi Business Finance to the lender group. "We want to thank our new partner, Hitachi Business Finance in helping us expand our capacity to support the growth of middle market businesses throughout the U.S.," said Robert Grunewald, CEO of Flat Rock Global. "As equity market volatility has increased, we continue to see unique opportunities through investments in first lien, senior secured loans to middle market businesses." About Flat Rock Capital Corp. Flat Rock Capital is a credit fund providing financing solutions to U.S. middle market businesses. The Company invests exclusively in first lien, floating rate loans to provide financing for change of ownership transactions, strategic acquisitions, recapitalizations and growth initiatives in partnership with business owners, management teams and financial sponsors. Flat Rock Capital's objective is to preserve capital while generating current income for its investors. Flat Rock Capital has elected to be regulated as a business development company ("BDC") under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is externally-managed by Flat Rock Global, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor focusing on credit-driven strategies. About Flat Rock Global, LLC: Flat Rock Global is an alternative credit manager, delivering to RIAs, family offices and institutional investors, yield driven investment strategies, in less efficient sectors of the market, through an industry leading "Investor First" fee structure. Flat Rock Global is also the investment advisor to Flat Rock Opportunity Fund, an interval fund investing predominantly in CLO equity. To learn more about the firm, please visit www.flatrockglobal.com For any inquiries regarding the release, please contact our investor relations team at [email protected] or (212) 596-3421. SOURCE Flat Rock Global, LLC Related Links http://www.flatrockglobal.com Van Dyke Apartments will consist of a single four-story building with approximately 130 units. There will be one and two-bedroom apartment homes and 3,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor. The financing will be a complex blend of federal, state and local dollars with required compliance and oversight by multiple public agencies and authorities. Units will be a blend of market-rate and affordable units. "FOURMIDABLE is proud to have been selected as the property management agent for this project and is pleased to be working closely with the Chaldean Community Foundation Board and the other companies involved in this project. We are looking forward to managing such an upscale community and providing the residents of Van Dyke Apartments with quality housing," said Michael Schocker, President of FOURMIDABLE. "The Board of Directors, Staff and Clients of the Chaldean Community Foundation welcome FOURMIDABLE Management to the Development Team of the Van Dyke Apartments. Our 130-unit mixed-use and mixed-income community on the Clinton River in Sterling Heights will provide 200-plus residents a remarkable living environment that includes retail in the building, as well as fitness, yoga studio, movie room and outdoor amenities. We appreciate the partnership with FOURMIDABLE, a firm that has deep experience in property management and a strong record of work with the Chaldean Community," said Martin Manna, Director of the Foundation. About FOURMIDABLE FOURMIDABLE is a national real estate management and brokerage company that specializes in managing, marketing and leasing market rate, tax credit, senior and family government assisted, public housing and rural development apartment communities. Founded in 1975, FOURMIDABLE currently manages 80 communities in 13 states, with approximately 7,600 units under management. FOURMIDABLE is a member of the elite AMO (Accredited Management Organization) and is an approved management firm for HUD, MSHDA and other State Agencies. Additionally, FOURMIDABLE affiliated companies offer support for property management companies and owners, including agility-pm, a provider of back office accounting, HR, IT and compliance support; eCrosstown, a provider of free Wi-Fi amenity services to apartment residents; and ePhonz, a specialized telephone product for apartment management companies. For more information, please call 248-593-4603 or visit www.fourmidable.com CONTACT: Michael Schocker, President 248-593-4634 Sue Voyles, Logos Communications 734-667-2005 SOURCE FOURMIDABLE Related Links http://www.fourmidable.com FRANKLIN, Tenn., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Franklin Financial Network, Inc. (NYSE: FSB), the parent company of Franklin Synergy Bank, today announced the promotion of Chris Black to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Franklin Financial Network and Franklin Synergy Bank, effective immediately. Black joined the Company on November 16, 2018, as Executive Vice President, Strategy. The Company also announced that Sarah Meyerrose, who is stepping down as Chief Financial Officer, intends to retire from the Company on January 15th. Commenting on the announcement, Richard Herrington, the Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We have been fortunate to be able to strengthen our management team over time, adding individuals with industry-leading talent, extensive banking experience and successful track records. I want to extend our deepest appreciation to Sarah for her hard work and commitment to honing the quality of our financial operations. She has made a positive and indelible imprint on our company. Likewise, we are pleased to have Chris Black in position to provide for an effective transition as he assumes the responsibilities of Chief Financial Officer." Before joining Franklin Financial Network, Black most recently served as Senior Vice President and CFO, Banking, for Nashville-based FirstBank, having joined FirstBank in May 2016. Previously, Black worked in the investment management and investment research industries, specializing in the banking sector while at Merrill Lynch & Co. and ISI Group, both based in New York City. Prior to working in the private sector, Black served for over nine years as an Officer and pilot in the United States Air Force. Black earned his bachelor's degree from Cornell University with a major in Engineering and his Master of Business Administration from Auburn University, with a concentration in Finance. In commenting on his promotion, Black said, "I am honored by the confidence expressed in me by the Company's management team and excited about this opportunity to expand my responsibilities and help extend our company's strong financial performance. I also appreciate Sarah's hard work to build a solid foundation for the financial operations of the Company, which positions us well to keep pace with a rigorous and ever-changing financial landscape. I look forward to working with Sarah over the next month to ensure a smooth transition of our financial management functions." Prior to joining the Company in June 2016, Meyerrose was the President and CEO for Civic Bank & Trust, a $140 million community bank based in Nashville, Tennessee, which she joined in October 2014. From 2009 until joining Civic, Meyerrose was President of Sarah Meyerrose Strategic Solutions LLC, a consulting company in Nashville serving regional and community banks. Previously, she served in various positions of increasing responsibility at First Horizon National Corporation, the parent of First Tennessee Bank, which she joined in 1982. Meyerrose commented, "I have truly enjoyed working with Franklin Financial Network. My tenure here has afforded me many opportunities to contribute to the success of a dynamic company, and I will cherish the many memories and friends I have made. I am, however, looking forward to retirement after being part of the Tennessee banking community for over 40 years, and I'm confident that the financial operations of Franklin Financial Network and Franklin Synergy Bank are in good hands with Chris." Franklin Synergy Bank provides a full range of banking, investment, trust and mortgage products and services designed for businesses and their owners and individuals interested in a comprehensive relationship with their financial institution. About the Company Franklin Financial Network, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. The Company's wholly owned bank subsidiary, Franklin Synergy Bank, a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank founded in November 2007 and a member of the Federal Reserve System, provides a full range of banking and related financial services with a focus on service to small businesses, corporate entities, local governments and individuals. With consolidated total assets of $4.17 billion at September 30, 2018, the Bank currently operates through 14 branches and one loan production office in the growing Williamson, Rutherford and Davidson Counties, all within the Nashville metropolitan statistical area. Additional information about the Company, which is included in the NYSE Financial-100 Index, the FTSE Russell 2000 Index and the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, is available at www.FranklinSynergyBank.com. Contact: Mandy Garland Vice President (615) 236-8327 [email protected] SOURCE Franklin Financial Network, Inc. Related Links http://www.FranklinSynergyBank.com DETROIT, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gilbert Family Foundation, a private foundation established by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert, today announced its first major initiative around gene therapy research. The Gilbert Family Foundation's goal is to accelerate the development of curative therapies that address the underlying genetic abnormalities in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. Over the next three years, $12 million in research grants from the Gilbert Family Foundation will fund several renowned multi-disciplinary research teams to identify which gene therapy techniques are most promising for NF1. The Foundation utilized a rigorous and extensive process, including peer review, to identify top researchers and projects in each of the initiative's gene therapy focus areas. The distinguished researchers and institutions chosen include: Charles Gersbach , PhD, Duke University , PhD, Eric Pasmant , PhD, Paris Descartes University , PhD, Paris Descartes University Andre Leier , PhD, University of Alabama , PhD, David Bedwell , PhD, University of Alabama , PhD, Deanne Wallis , PhD, University of Alabama , PhD, Robert Kesterson , PhD, University of Alabama , PhD, Allan Jacobson , PhD, University of Massachusetts , PhD, Miguel Sena-Esteves , PhD, University of Massachusetts The Gilbert Family Foundation believes that directly repairing, replacing, or bypassing the NF1 gene mutation is an important piece to curing NF. "We are committed to funding revolutionary and big-idea research," said Dan Gilbert, Co-Founder of the Gilbert Family Foundation. "The teams we have partnered with share this vision and our family is honored to be working closely with this talented group of researchers and physicians." NF1 drug development has previously focused on addressing the symptoms caused by the disease. This important initiative takes an alternative approach by working to develop therapies that address the underlying genetic causes of NF1. This includes gene replacement, gene editing, RNA editing, exon skipping, and nonsense mutation suppression. The Gilbert Family Foundation launched with a $150 million commitment from Dan and Jennifer Gilbert to fund groundbreaking, cutting-edge research to accelerate a cure for NF1, as well as community efforts in the city of Detroit. In partnership with the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy, the Gilbert Family Foundation has established initial focus areas guiding its research efforts. NF1 causes tumors to form on nerves anywhere in the body, which can lead to disfigurement, blindness and cancer. NF1 can also result in learning disabilities, bone deformities and cardiovascular issues. The course of the disease is both unpredictable and variable among individuals. "We have been deeply impacted ever since our oldest son Nick was diagnosed with NF1 as a toddler, and believe this research will benefit numerous families affected by NF1 around the globe, as well as our son," said Jennifer Gilbert, Co-Founder of the Gilbert Family Foundation. For more information on the Gilbert Family Foundation, visit: gilbertfamilyfoundation.org About the Gilbert Family Foundation The Gilbert Family Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation founded by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to accelerate a cure for NF1, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves anywhere in the body. The Gilbert Family Foundation supports groundbreaking, cutting-edge research in hopes of eradicating the disease. NF1 affects nearly three million people worldwide. The Foundation also supports philanthropic efforts in Detroit, Michigan. For more information on the Gilbert Family Foundation, please visit gilbertfamilyfoundation.org. SOURCE Gilbert Family Foundation Related Links http://www.gilbertfamilyfoundation.org DUBLIN, Dec 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Flexible Packaging Market By Material (Plastics, Paper, Aluminum Foil, Bioplastics), Design Type (Stand-Up Pouch, Spouted Pouch, Gusseted Bags, Rollstocks, Blisters, Wraps) - Global Opportunity Analysis And Industry Forecast To 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global flexible packaging market is expected to reach USD 243.7 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 3.7% in the forecast period from 2018 The growth of this market is mainly driven by factors such as downgauging of plastic films, shift from traditional rigid packaging to flexible packaging, easy transportation and storage along with sustainable properties, increasing consumer focus on convenience and sustainability, and improving barrier properties. Also, the introduction of specialty films in the packaging industry, proliferation of bio-based plastics films, emerging markets, falling crude oil prices, and shift in food service from frozen to map packaged products will further fuel the growth of flexible packaging market. However, stringent government regulations and increasing raw material prices restrict the growth of this market to some extent. The report gives an extensive outlook on various industries/facilities served by the flexible packaging providers. These industries include food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, household and personal care, tobacco products, industrial and chemical products, and oil and lubricants. An in-depth analysis of the geographical scenario of the industry provides detailed qualitative and quantitative insights about the five major geographies (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) along with the coverage of major countries in each region. The geographic analysis provides detailed insights on the key trends of the industry in the listed regions & countries, identifying the demographic & economic impact, government & private investments, and regulatory scenario. The report identifies Asia-Pacific being the largest market followed by North America, Europe, and Rest of World. The geographical analysis section also comments on the key market players shaping the growth of the industry in the respective countries. The report also includes the competitive landscape based on extensive assessment of the key strategic developments adopted by leading market participants in the industry over the past 4 years (2015-2018). The market players employed various strategies to expand their product offerings, global footprint, and augment their market share. The key strategies followed by most companies in the global flexible packaging market include agreements, partnerships, & collaborations; new product launches; mergers & acquisitions; and expansion. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Ecosystem 1.2. Currency and Limitations 1.3. Key Stakeholders 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Process 2.1.1. Secondary Research 2.1.2. Primary Research 2.1.3. Market Size Estimation 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Insights 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Drivers 4.2.1. Downgauging of Plastic Films 4.2.2. Shift from Traditional Rigid Packaging to Flexible Packaging 4.2.3. Increasing Consumer Focus on Convenience and Sustainability 4.2.4. Growing Food Losses and Wastes 4.2.5. Improving Barrier Properties 4.3. Restraints 4.3.1. Stringent Government Regulations 4.3.2. Increasing Raw Material Prices 4.4. Opportunities 4.4.1. Growing Adoption of Specialty Films 4.4.2. The Proliferation of Bio-Based Plastic Films Imply a Promising Growth for the Flexible Packaging Materials 4.4.3. Shift in Food Service from Frozen to Map Packaged Products 4.4.4. Falling Crude Oil Prices 4.4.5. Emerging Markets 4.5. Challenges 4.5.1. Inefficient Filling System 4.5.2. Recyclability 4.6. Market Share Analysis, by Key Players 4.7. Industry Composition-Supply Chain 5. Global Flexible Packaging Market, by Material Type 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Plastics 5.2.1. Polyethylene (PE) 5.2.2. Polypropylene (PP) 5.2.3. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) 5.2.4. Polyvinyl-Chloride (PVC) 5.2.5. Polystyrene (PS) 5.2.6. Others 5.3. Paper 5.4. Aluminum Foil 5.5. Bioplastics 5.6. Recycled Cellulose Fiber 6. Global Flexible Packaging Market, by Design Type 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Pouches 6.2.1. Standup Pouches 6.2.2. Flat Pouches 6.2.3. Spouted Pouches 6.3. Bags and Trays 6.3.1. Gusseted Bags 6.3.2. Wicketed Bags 6.4. Rollstocks 6.5. Squeezable Bottles 6.6. Blisters 6.7. Wraps 7. Global Flexible Packaging Market, by Industry Vertical 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Food and Beverages 7.3. Medical and Pharmaceuticals 7.4. Home & Personal Care 7.5. Tobacco Products 7.6. Industrial & Chemical Products 7.7. Oil & Lubricants 8. Global Flexible Packaging Market, by Geography 8.1. Introduction 8.2. North America 8.2.1. U.S. 8.2.2. Canada 8.2.3. Mexico 8.3. Europe 8.3.1. Germany 8.3.2. France 8.3.3. U.K. 8.3.4. Italy 8.3.5. Spain 8.3.6. Rest of Europe 8.4. Asia-Pacific 8.4.1. China 8.4.2. India 8.4.3. Australia 8.4.4. Japan 8.4.5. Rest of Asia-Pacific 8.5. Rest of World 8.5.1. Latin America 8.5.2. Middle-East and Africa 9. Competitive Landscape 9.1. Introduction 9.2. Alliance and Acquisitions 9.3. New Product Launches 9.4. Partnerships, Agreements, and Collaborations 9.5. Expansion 10.Company Profiles Amcor Limited Bemis Company Inc. Berry Plastics Inc. Clondalkin Group Holdings BV Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH Coveris Holdings S.A. Huhtamaki Group Mondi Group Reynolds Group Holdings Limited Sealed Air Corporation Sonoco Products Company For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kb4d22/global_flexible?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com More than 180,000 bids were placed on the 700,000+ military surplus items available in the auction LAS VEGAS, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - It's not every day you see hundreds of thousands of U.S. military itemsincluding Humvees, tactical vehicles, uniforms, field gear, and moresell in just two days, but Ritchie Bros.' GovPlanet marketplace did exactly that last week. On December 7 8, GovPlanet sold more than 700,000 military surplus itemspackaged up into approximately 8,400 lotsthrough two live onsite auctions in Las Vegas, NV and Atlanta, GA, as well as an online-only auction at GovPlanet.com. "We had more than 5,800 bidders from 35 countries place more than 180,000 bids on the expansive selection of assets sold over the two-day event," said Doug Feick, Senior Vice President, New Business and Corporate Development, Ritchie Bros./GovPlanet. "One item alonea simple winchachieved 606 bids from 237 unique bidders! The selection was diverse and demand was high, with auction attendees from around the world. We had upwards of 185,000 people who viewed the auction." The massive military surplus event also included construction equipment, computer and office equipment, storage and shipping containers, medical and dental equipment, aircraft parts and other items owned by the U.S. Department of Defense. Utilizing the full power of the Ritchie Bros. operation, the company separated out rolling stock items and sold them through unreserved auctions at the company's permanent sites in Las Vegas and Atlanta. Simultaneously the company sold non-rolling stock itemsstored at one of GovPlanet's two warehouses or one of 70+ U.S. military bases across the United Statesthrough the company's well-established GovPlanet website. "This unprecedented sales event showcased our multichannel prowess, operational strength, and marketing savvy," said Ravi Saligram, CEO of Ritchie Bros. "By utilizing a combination of web platforms and our auction network, we were able to sell a significant amount of inventory stored across dozens of locations in just two days. We are extremely pleased by the record attendance and look forward to creating a cadence of such events in the future and continue to drive network effects." Gross transactional value for the two-day GovPlanet event was over US$9 million. Specific sales highlights included 100+ Humvees that sold for a combined $865,000; a 2011 Caterpillar 120M motor grader that sold for $177,500 and a 2015 Terex AC40/2 hydraulic truck crane that sold for $130,000. All these items were sold without minimum bids or reserve prices. For more information about GovPlanet and their upcoming auctions, visit GovPlanet.com. About GovPlanet: GovPlanet, a Ritchie Bros. solution, was launched in 2014 to address the specialized equipment disposition needs of public entities, from federal, including military, to state, local and municipal. Each week, on average, GovPlanet draws close to 90,000 attendees to its online auctions. Items go into preview two weeks in advance and bidders can view photos, video and inspection reports. All items sold on GovPlanet have been inspected and come with IronPlanet's exclusive IronClad Assurance equipment condition certifications, which give bidders the confidence to buy online from anywhere in the world. About Ritchie Bros.: Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a multitude of sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, oil and gas, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer offers live auction events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with featured weekly auctions and providing its exclusive IronClad Assurance equipment condition certification; Marketplacee, an online marketplace offering multiple price and timing options; Mascus, a leading European online equipment listing service; and Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately negotiated sales. The company also offers sector-specific solutions including GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, Kruse Energy Auctioneers , and Cat auctions, plus equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. For more information about the unprecedented choice provided by Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com. Photos and video for embedding in media stories are available at rbauction.com/media. SOURCE GovPlanet RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- It's a question Stuart Lamm can answer from experience. His company started in 1991 as CELLULAR IMAGES [1991-2009], became GPS Mobile Solutions [2009-2018], and, as of November 1st, 2018, is officially BlueArrow Telematics. "With our strategic sights set on expansion, we believe it's vital to officially change the name of our firm to BlueArrow Telematics." The pros + cons of a company name change Changing the name of your business is not a decision to be taken lightly. It is a delicate process that must be handled properly, say experts. But making this kind of change can be important even critical to a business. Having gone through a company name change once before, Lamm understands the opportunities and challenges well. "In both cases, a term used in my company name became a commodity, not a distinction," explains Lamm. "This time, we needed to land on a name that will outlive the rapid changes that have and will continue to impact the telecommunications industry." He also wants the name change to amplify the impact of the internal work they were doing as well as serve as a strong signal to the marketplace, clients. and employees alike that this isn't the cellular company of 25 years ago things are different now. "Because I've been through this process before, I have learned a few things that I hope can help other business owners who are facing the same issues." 1. Make it a Big Deal Our first name change was launched with little fanfare. I realize now that may have been a missed opportunity. This time, I'm looking at this as a new start, a time to better capture our value proposition and philosophy, to rebuild on the marketing and branding fronts, and to reenergize our company's expansion efforts. 2. Pick a Name that has Room to Grow Focusing on one technology asset in a continually growing marketplace is confining. In our case, "cellular" came to mean "phone" and GPS meant "getting directions" to most people. BlueArrow can mean anything we want it to. 3. In SEO, Winners Focus, Losers Spray Earning top SEO placement with a broad term like GPS was next to impossible for us. A search term like "BlueArrow" has far more opportunities to make the fast track to Page One. 4. Be Broad, But Refined We wanted our name to tell what we do, but in a subtle way; we added a "sub-title" : TELEMATICS (the branch of information technology that deals with the long-distance transmission of computerized information). The general public may not know what it is, but our client's do. 5. Connect the Dots If there is a disconnect between what your company is doing and what its name suggests, a name change may be in order. In our case, we moved from helping companies with tracking vehicles to broader solutions that included safety, maintenance, and driver performance programs; our name didn't reflect that. ABOUT BLUEARROW TELEMATICS BlueArrow Telematics [formerly GPS Mobile Solutions Inc.] is a privately-owned company located in Raleigh, North Carolina whose mission is to provide clients with industry-leading Mobile Workforce Technologies along with expert advice and superior customer support. For over 25 years, BlueArrow has forged a clear stake in the technology, telecommunications, and fleet management industries by providing, developing and implementing SOLID, effective, and efficient mobile workforce strategies that save enterprises time, money and, most importantly, LIVES. Media Contact: Rebecca Antonelli 919.740.3008 www.bluearrowtelematics.com [email protected] SOURCE BlueArrow Telematics Related Links http://www.bluearrowtelematics.com DALLAS, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- One Technologies, LLC announces that Halim Kucur has joined the firm as Chief Product Officer. He is based in the One Technologies headquarters in Dallas, and reports directly to Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Baskaran. "Halim has experience developing and building technology products, solutions, and experiences that both drive scalable growth and strengthen customer relationships," said Sanjay Baskaran, CEO of One Technologies. "We are thrilled to have Halim on our team as we continue to innovate and build new products that empower consumers to make well-informed financial decisions." Mr. Kucur joins One Technologies after working for seven years at Amazon, where he was most recently a General Manager in Amazon Web Services (AWS), leading delivery and day-to-day operations of internal and external-facing services. Prior to that, Mr. Kucur served as General Manager for Amazon Credit Cards, where he helped accelerate the growth of Shop with Points, Amazon's partnership with third-party loyalty programs, and a large-scale machine learning display advertising engine to scale credit card acquisitions. "I admired the One Technologies team's commitment to unreservedly investing in the firm's three core strengthspeople, technology, and analyticsduring my onboarding process," said Halim Kucur, Chief Product Officer for One Technologies. "I am glad to join a consumer-focused organization whose products are designed to improve the financial lives of hardworking people all over the country, enabling them to live more and worry less." Prior to Amazon, Mr. Kucur worked for global management consulting firm Booz & Co. as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), serving the Executive Board of the IMF as an Economist. Mr. Kucur received his MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and earned his MA in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park. He was also class Valedictorian at Bogazici University in Istanbul, where he graduated with a BA in Economics. About One Technologies One Technologies, LLC harnesses the power of technology, analytics, and its people to create solutions that empower consumers to make more informed decisions about their financial lives. The firm's consumer credit products include ScoreSense, which enables members to seamlessly access, interact with, and understand their entire credit profile using a single application. The ScoreSense platform is continually updated to give members deeper insights, personalized tools, and one-on-one Customer Care support that help them make the most sense of their credit. The One Technologies product suite also includes NationalCreditReport.com, which offers the convenience of a complete credit profile in one place and gives consumers the tools to take control of their financial futures. One Technologies is headquartered in Dallas, and has grown to encompass a team of more than 175 dedicated professionals since its establishment in October 2000. For more information, please visit https://onetechnologies.net/. Media Contact Dana Taormina JConnelly for One Technologies (973) 850-7305 [email protected] SOURCE One Technologies Related Links https://onetechnologies.net PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthCoin Plus is excited to announce the long-awaited Rewards Marketplace is open for business and bringing the Gift of Health this holiday season. "We are very pleased to be expanding our new marketplace (originally launched in August 2018). The expansion of marketing partners accepting our token is growing every day. This expansion bringing us closer to the completion of our roadmap to create a blockchain based rewards program, now includes the products of a Telehealth company. HealthCoin Plus continues to combine the best of traditional customer loyalty programs with the utility of cryptocurrency," said Rick Savage, Chief Strategist. Savage went on to say, "We continue to make significant progress in pre-selling out rewards tokens and, having a marketplace that is growing as ours is, has not only accelerated the process but also increases the value as our locked token sells out." The HealthCoin Plus Rewards Marketplace offers products and services from Vitabase, Massage Envy, CVS, GNC & now a telehealth service company, bringing the Gift of Health to every family this holiday season. More partners are added each week. HLTH public quote is here: https://xchain.io/asset/HLTH but it is being offered at a discount to market price in pre-sale directly from HealthCoin Plus. National Sales and Marketing Manager Nick Cammarata stated, "We would like to offer, starting today, even though it is on the market for .26 cents, in the holiday spirit, the first 500 people who respond to this press release will receive that coin at .10 cents with the minimum purchase required. What better gift can you give for the holidays, but Health! Get stocked up now, before we sell out!" About HealthCoin Plus: HealthCoin Plus is a leader in blockchain healthcare rewards. The company has partnerships to provide fungible, tradable, and redeemable rewards as customer acquisition and retention incentives to business in the health and wellness space. HealthCoin Plus partners include telehealth services, acupuncturist, drug stores, vitamin sales, fitness centers along with many other related businesses. HealthCoin Plus was created on the Counterparty platform with the symbol HLTH and currently trades on the Counterparty DEX. The company maintains two offices with a sales branch in Florida and headquarters in New Hampshire. For more information on the company, its products and services, please visit their website at https://www.healthcoinplus.com/buy-hlth or contact the National Sales Manager Nick Cammarata at (407) 735-1305. SOURCE HealthCoin Plus NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hearst Television will launch a year-long 2019 initiative to investigate, chronicle and study undertakings across the country focused on uniting people within their communities. In today's divisive climate, Project CommUNITY will move critical conversations forward and shine a light on the positive efforts bringing neighbors together. "Through Project CommUNITY, we will facilitate deep discussions that offer broader perspective on issues that divide communities and solutions that are being offered," said Barbara Maushard, Hearst Television senior vice president, news. "We hope that, through more communication, our viewers will focus on common ground in a way that fosters greater unity." Project CommUNITY will feature local content developed by each participating Hearst Television station, with the station identifying the topics most appropriate for and applicable to its community. The effort also will include the following features across all the Hearst Television stations throughout 26 media markets, supported by the resources of the group's Washington, DC, bureau and its recently launched DC-based investigative unit: Extended reporting on specific areas of division for each community, with a focus on what is being done to serve others and bring people together; Stories, interviews and editorials designed to hold elected representatives accountable for their roles in bridging or furthering the divides; CommUNITY Conversations, a quarterly component to spur discussions including town hall meetings and special programming featuring extended interviews; a quarterly component to spur discussions including town hall meetings and special programming featuring extended interviews; CommUNITY Champion, a weekly feature to highlight people or organizations working to unite communities; a weekly feature to highlight people or organizations working to unite communities; Digital amplification of Project CommUNITY content via platforms including Hearst Television's national social video brand Stitch, which highlights the powerful and heartwarming stories from local markets bringing people across the country together as a national community. The Project CommUNITY announcement follows a recent national survey, conducted by research firm SmithGeiger on behalf of Hearst Television, which found that local broadcasters are the most trusted video-news source. Project CommUNITY is the latest in a series of multi-pronged journalism projects, lasting a year or more in length, that Hearst Television has undertaken over the past decade to help viewers understand challenges affecting the nation. In 2009, "Project Economy" chronicled the financial devastation impacting Hearst Television communities across the country. The ongoing "State of Addiction" addresses America's opioid crisis. These projects have been interspersed with Hearst Television's Peabody- and Cronkite-award-winning biennial "Commitment" election-coverage projects. About Hearst Television Hearst Television owns and operates television and radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 21 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all of the major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over nearly 70 video channels including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, This TV, Estrella and more. The radio stations are leaders in Baltimore news/talk and rock music listenership. Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry's premier companies, and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst . SOURCE Hearst Television Related Links http://www.hearst.com Hennessy X.O is the world's original X.O Cognac that established the category back in 1870. The blending of East and West has played an important role in the brand's long-standing legacy and cultural heritage for almost as long. The first shipment arrived in China in 1872, making it one of the first global markets to embrace X.O, where the refined golden-hued blend was dubbed the "Golden Elixir." "The collaboration with Hennessy was born from a shared passion for bringing together and celebrating different cultures. For this design, we wanted to explore and honor our heritage by drawing inspiration from family traditions, our world travels, and the blending of our Eastern and Western backgrounds," says Opening Ceremony co-founder, Humberto Leon. "The bold, rich flavor of X.O reminds us of family celebrations and toasts to success and good fortune, so to capture that spirit, we created a modern, luxurious travel bag in vibrant gold, a color that represents prosperity in our Asian cultures." Initially inspired by a trip to Hong Kong, Opening Ceremony was founded as a place to share a love for exploration with an ethos that has long-championed the encounter of different cultures. "We created Opening Ceremony as a place to share discoveries from our world travels, and fittingly, our name was inspired by the modern games that bring together cultures from across the globe," says Opening Ceremony co-founder, Carol Lim. "Like us, Hennessy champions the blending of different identities, and we were thrilled at the chance to work with this legacy brand that has such a storied history." This shared passion inspired the creation of Hennessy's X.O East Meets West, a new cocktail exclusively available through premiere cocktail delivery service, Cocktail Courier . In a nod to Lim and Leon's Hong Kong travels, the signature recipe marks the ultimate expression of "East Meets West": traditional Chinese tea service meets the modernity of Western mixology with a custom ice mold, offering a contemporary way to enjoy the bold, rich flavors of X.O this holiday season. Available for purchase starting December 12th, the Hennessy X.O East Meets West Inspired by Opening Ceremony Cocktail Kit ($204) comes with a step-by-step guide and ingredients including a 750ml bottle of Hennessy X.O to make 12 cocktails. The first three people who visit CocktailCourier.com on December 12th will receive a complimentary travel bag. The Hennessy X.O "East Meets West" Travel Bag by Opening Ceremony (SRP: $350) is available for a limited time at openingceremony.com. For more information on Hennessy's "East Meets West" collaboration with Opening Ceremony, please visit Hennessy.com/US or YouTube.com/HennessyUS , Facebook.com/Hennessy or Instagram.com/HennessyUS . ABOUT HENNESSY: In 2018, the Maison Hennessy celebrates over two and half centuries of an exceptional adventure that has linked two families, the Hennessys and the Fillioux, for seven generations and spanned five continents. It began in the French region of Cognac, the seat from which the Maison has constantly passed down the best the land has to give, from one generation to the next. In particular, such longevity is thanks to those people, past and present, who have ensured Hennessy's success both locally and around the world. Hennessy's success and longevity are also the result of the values the Maison has upheld since its creation: unique savoir-faire, a constant quest for innovation, and an unwavering commitment to Creation, Excellence, Legacy, and Sustainable Development. Today, these qualities are the hallmark of a House a crown jewel in the LVMH Group that crafts iconic and prestigious Cognacs. Hennessy is imported and distributed in the U.S. by Moet Hennessy USA. Hennessy distills, ages and blends spanning a full range: Hennessy V.S, Hennessy Black, V.S.O.P Privilege, X.O, Paradis, Paradis Imperial and Richard Hennessy. For more information and where to purchase/engrave, please visit Hennessy.com. ABOUT OPENING CEREMONY: Carol Lim and Humberto Leon are the co-owners of Opening Ceremony, a retail destination and clothing brand founded they in 2002 and have been the co-creative directors of French fashion house KENZO since 2011. Inspired by their world travels together, the duo left their jobs in the corporate fashion sector to start their own company, Opening Ceremony, in 2002. Opening Ceremony (colloquially known as OC) has grown from its first flagship store on Howard Street in New York into a global brand with stores in Los Angeles and Tokyo. Opening Ceremony is renowned for scouting emerging fashion talent from around the world and supporting them alongside well-established designers. Today, OC continues to grow according to its founding principles of exploration and friendship, working with a family of contributors to forge creative projects. OC produces a ready-to-wear clothing and accessories line that shows four seasonal collections each year. The OC collection is distributed to hundreds of international retailers and worn by notables such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Drake, Cate Blanchett, Justin Bieber and members of the Obama family. ABOUT COCKTAIL COURIER: Cocktail Courier is a premiere online cocktail delivery service bringing the craft cocktail experience to the comfort of people's homes with its on-demand cocktail kits featuring drinks made by top local, professional bartenders. Cocktail Courier aims to demystify the craft cocktail process by delivering its cocktail packages complete with pre-measured ingredients (including the liquor) and an easy-to-follow recipe card with step-by-step instructions. Cocktails featured on the site can be ordered a la carte (in convenient kit sizes that make from 2 to 24 cocktails!), or as part of a subscription package (weekly, bi- monthly or monthly), and delivered right to one's door. All that's left to do is open the box, shake or stir as directed, then sit back and enjoy! SOURCE Hennessy RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Allianz Global Assistance's 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. 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 Allianz's 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 2018's 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 you're escaping to a sunny beach or exploring a new city, the busy holiday season can bring with it unpredictable winter weather delays or illnesses. It's a good idea to protect your holiday trip with the right travel insurance policy** for extra peace of mind to reach your destination safely." In addition to travel insurance**, Allianz Global Assistance recommends these tips and resources when traveling over the holidays and year-round: When possible, avoid traveling on the busiest travel dates (in terms of volume, most Americans have plans to travel on Friday, December 21 and return on Wednesday, December 26 ) and return on ) Wash hands and carry anti-bacterial hand gel to prevent sickness Download Allianz's TravelSmart app to quickly access assistance, file and track claims, check flight status in real-time, translate first aid/medical terms and more With its new customer-friendly SmartBenefitsSM, Allianz travel protection features new proactive payments and allows travelers to file other travel delay and baggage delay claims with no receipts Allianz Global Assistance offers travel insurance** through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies and directly to consumers. For more information on Allianz Global Assistance and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com or like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllianzTravelInsuranceUS. *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. 2018 Rank 2017 Rank Domestic Destination 2018 Rank 2017 Rank International Destination 1 1 New York 1 1 Cancun, Mexico 2 3 Los Angeles 2 5 San Juan, Puerto Rico 3 2 Orlando 3 3 San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico 4 10 Boston 4 n/a Nassau, Bahamas 5 6 Seattle 5 7 Montego Bay, Jamaica 6 4 Atlanta 6 2 London, United Kingdom 7 5 Fort Lauderdale 7 4 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 8 n/a San Francisco 8 n/a Mexico City, Mexico 9 8 Minneapolis 9 6 Higuey, Dominican Republic 10 9 Salt Lake City 10 10 Aruba, Aruba Allianz Global Assistance USA Allianz Global Assistance USA is a leading consumer specialty insurance and assistance company with operation centers in 35 countries. In the United States, Allianz Global Assistance USA (AGA Service Company) serves 35 million customers annually and is best known for its Allianz Travel Insurance plans. In addition to travel insurance, Allianz Global Assistance USA offers tuition insurance, event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. The company also serves as an outsource provider for in-bound call center services and claims administration for property and casualty insurers and credit card companies. To learn more about Allianz Travel Insurance, please visit allianztravelinsurance.com or Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AllianzTravelInsuranceUS . **Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply to all plans. Plans are available only to U.S. residents. Not all plans are available in all jurisdictions. For a complete description of the coverage and benefit limits offered under your plan, carefully review your plan's Letter of Confirmation/Declarations and Certificate of Insurance/Policy. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101C series or 101P series, depending on state of residence. Allianz Global Assistance, Allianz Travel Insurance, TravelSmart, and SmartBenefitsSM are marks of AGA Service Company or its affiliates. AGA Service Company is the licensed producer and administrator of these plans and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company. Non-insurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by AGA Service Company. Benefits and limits vary by plan. Proactive payments and "no receipts" payments available only on certain plans. See plan documents for a complete description of the coverage and specific benefit limits offered under your plan. For plans that include proactive payments: when you opt in and provide flight information, we'll monitor flights and send flight status and benefit alerts, including alerts about flight delays that qualify for automated travel delay payment. Standard message/data rates apply to SMS alerts. Automated claims and payment system availability is not guaranteed and is subject to our sole discretion. All claims subject to policy terms, conditions, and exclusions. "World Design Capital" and "World Design Organization (WDO)" are registered marks, belonging to World Design Organization (WDO), which is a Non-Sponsor. Marks not owned by AGA Service Company or its affiliates are used without permission. Non-Sponsor does not sponsor or endorse AGA Service Company, its affiliates, or this advertisement, and AGA Service Company and its affiliates do not sponsor or endorse Non-Sponsor. SOURCE Allianz Global Assistance USA Related Links http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com SAN FRANCISCO and BASEL, Switzerland, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyperledger , an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies, today announced Alibaba Cloud, Citi, Deutsche Telekom, we.trade and 12 more organizations have joined the project. This news came during day one of the inaugural Hyperledger Global Forum in Basel, Switzerland. "We are starting Global Forum off with a bang with this impressive line-up of new members," said Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director, Hyperledger. "The growing Hyperledger community reflects the increasing importance of open source efforts to build enterprise blockchain technologies across industries and markets. The latest members showcase the widening interest in and impact of DLT and Hyperledger." Hyperledger is a multi-project, multi-stakeholder effort that includes multiple enterprise blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. These projects are the result of the hands-on, collaborative efforts of contributors around the world who strive to develop and maintain the code for the frameworks and tools as well as provide governance and organizational resources. Hyperledger enables organizations to build solid, industry-specific applications, platforms and hardware systems to support their individual business transactions by creating enterprise-grade, open source distributed ledger frameworks and code bases. The latest general members to join the community are: Alibaba Cloud, BlockDao (Hangzhou) Information Technology, Citi, Deutsche Telekom, Guangzhishu (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd, Guangzhou Technology Innovation Space Information Technology Co., Ltd, KEB Hana Bank, HealthVerity, MediConCen, Techrock (formerly Walimai), we.trade and Xooa. Hyperledger supports an open community that values contributions and participation from various entities. As such, pre-approved non-profits, open source projects and government entities can join Hyperledger at no cost as associate members. Associate members joining this month include Association of Blockchain Developers of Saint Petersburg, Business School of Hunan University, Sun Yat-sun University and Wall Street Blockchain Alliance. New member quotes: Alibaba Cloud "We are delighted to join Hyperledger," said YI Li, Head of Alibaba Cloud Application Service. "As one of the world's top three IaaS providers, Alibaba Cloud strives to provide the best service possible with the highest regard for all customers. Alibaba Cloud's Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) is dedicated to providing a worldwide beneficial and trusted infrastructure. While concentrating on the underlying technology, we would also like to invite more partners to join us and co-create a greater blockchain business world." BlockDao (Hangzhou) Information Technology "We are honored to join the Hyperledger community, it is an important symbol of BlockDAO's development route," said Jerry Li, COO, BlockDAO. "BlockDAO is an independent blockchain technological community supported by OSChina, that aims to provide community services with code examination and development to blockchain projects. We will provide code support and security for the development of the blockchain industry. We're very excited to now be a part of Hyperledger." Citi "At Citi, we're constantly evaluating how emerging technologies could solve real problems for our clients and create new growth opportunities in the wider business ecosystem," said Beth Devin, Head of Innovation Network & Emerging Technology at Citi Ventures. "We believe blockchain has the potential to drive new forms of efficiency and develop new markets, and are pleased to join the Hyperledger project to advance our exploration." Deutsche Telekom "Developing our wholesale roaming application on Hyperledger Fabric came as a natural choice," said John Calian, SVP and Head of T-Labs. "Hyperledger Fabric offers business customers, like Deutsche Telekom and our related partners, a permissioned and open source development ecosystem that integrates production-ready identity management as well as refined confidentiality concepts for multi-stakeholder environments. That is exactly what enterprise customers require to transform their decentralized visions into reality and this is why we are happy to become part of the Hyperledger community." Guangzhishu (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd "Joining Hyperledger is a milestone for Guangzhishu (Beijing) Technology. Our anchor project, the Points (PTS) platform, is a fintech project that builds a secure, fast and scalable blockchain-based data collaboration protocol for better credit scoring and inclusive finance," said Sarah Zhang, Founder & CEO of Guangzhishu (Beijing) Technology. "We are very excited to be part of the Hyperledger community, and looking forward to working with the platform to shape an enterprise-grade secure and extensible data collaboration protocol that enables more users to access low cost and high quality financial services." Guangzhou Technology Innovation Space Information Technology Co., Ltd "If the birth of the Internet has triggered an intelligent revolution, then blockchain is the new engine of this intelligent revolution," said Sandy Xie, CEO of Guangzhou Technology Innovation Space Information Technology Co., Ltd. "We are happy to participate in building and developing the Hyperledger community. With the application of blockchain technology, we are dedicated to solving the bottleneck of the existing intellectual property industry. The birth of Flying Pard IP Trade Blockchain will change the ecosystem of present industry." KEB Hana Bank "KEB Hana Bank has three perspectives on blockchain -- globalization, standardization and collaboration networks. We look forward to creating new business opportunities based on standardized technology as part of Hyperledger's global community," said Jun Seong Han, deputy president of KEB Hana Bank. "Demand for mobile payments, such as mobile wallet, is increasing due to the rapid growth in cross-border payments. To support such demand, we need a new payment hub that can connect them globally. In response, KEB Hana Bank is creating the Global Loyalty Network (GLN), with a number of banks and payment providers. What's most important for this project is a global standard technology, so we are joining Hyperledger for blockchain technology that our partners around the world can accept seamlessly." HealthVerity "HealthVerity is honored to join Hyperledger to help build and advance the development of open source blockchain technology within the healthcare industry," said Andrew Kress, CEO of HealthVerity. "We've successfully used Hyperledger Fabric as part of HealthVerity Consent, our platform that allows organizations to aggregate and manage all individual consumer and patient preferences in one central location to comply with evolving privacy requirements. As we continue to transform how the modern healthcare enterprise makes critical and defining decisions, we look forward to the support and technical foundation from the Hyperledger community." MediConCen "By joining Hyperledger, we are pushing the boundaries of technology and applying blockchain to make an impact on how insurance and finance are operated," said David Liu, CTO of MediConCen Limited. "We believe any successful blockchain solution would require a combination of domain knowledge, understanding of regulations and technical knowhow, and partnership. With the strong support of our partners, we co-developed our first medical blockchain ecosystem with leading insurers in Hong Kong powered by Hyperledger Fabric." Techrock (formerly Walimai) "We are excited to join the Hyperledger family and take part in the opportunity to collaborate with this forward-thinking and passionate community," said Edward Tsang, Chief Technology Officer, Techrock. "The performance, reliability and scalability of Hyperledger is exactly what we need to take our blockchain-based anti-counterfeiting solution to the next level and deliver on our vision of creating a world free of counterfeit consumer goods." We.trade "We.trade has used Hyperledger for the development of its robust, enterprise grade, production ready trade platform, which is currently licensing to banks in the market," said Roberto Mancone, Chief Operating Officer of we.trade. "Our role now as new member of Hyperledger is to continuously contribute to the development of blockchain solutions through distributed ledger technology and smart contracts, fostering innovation in the field of trade, finance, logistics, insurance, manufacturing and all those industries that will converge toward the development of efficient new business models." Xooa "We firmly believe that the arrival of Xooa marks a turning point for the adoption of immutable ledgers. Our goals is to transform blockchain by making it appealing to all developers," said Assaf Kalderon, VP of Business Development at Xooa. "Xooa's platform-as-a-service provides both a trusted datastore and a trusted network. It removes the need to manage blockchain infrastructure, enabling organizations to realize business benefits from trusted and immutable ledgers faster than was ever possible. We are thrilled to join the Hyperledger community and help broaden the adoption of Fabric-based applications." Join industry peers in helping build and shape the ecosystem for blockchain technologies, use cases and applications. More information on joining Hyperledger as a member organization can be found here: https://www.hyperledger.org/members/join . About Hyperledger Hyperledger is an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies. It is a global collaboration including leaders in finance, banking, Internet of Things, supply chains, manufacturing and Technology. The Linux Foundation hosts Hyperledger under the foundation. To learn more, visit: https://www.hyperledger.org/ . Contact: Jessica Rampen The Linux Foundation/Hyperledger [email protected] 650.787.3548 SOURCE Hyperledger Related Links https://www.hyperledger.org ARMONK, N.Y., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A new IBM (NYSE: IBM) study estimates that 62 percent of automotive executives believe blockchain will be a disruptive force in the auto industry by 2021. However, the research also finds that only a small percentage of OEMs and suppliers are currently ready for blockchain or have a greater perception that blockchain solutions that are ready for commercial use. The new study, "Daring to be first, How auto pioneers are taking the plunge into blockchain," developed by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in collaboration with Oxford Economics, is the result of a survey with 1,314 automotive executives (OEMs and suppliers) across 10 business areas and 10 countries including China, Germany, India and the United States. The global data revealed finance, supply chain and mobility services as top areas where blockchain could be beneficial. However, aftersales, the secondary market of the auto industry, concerned with the manufacturing, distribution, retailing, and installation of all vehicle parts, also rated high for OEMs in China, Germany and Mexico. Currently part traceability throughout the lifecycle of a vehicle is very limited, which means counterfeit parts could be used by service centers in some markets. Implementing blockchain-based solutions in the automotive supply chain could solve some of the issues around recalls, fake products and consumer safety. The report also highlights how blockchain will introduce improvements and operational efficiencies in areas such as financial transactions between ecosystem participants, authenticating access to cars and customer experience and loyalty. It also finds that: 54 percent of executives expect new business models to influence investments in blockchain. At least 50 percent of the OEM executives in each country believe that blockchain solutions will have a high impact on fleet management services. 55 percent of OEMs and 47 percent of suppliers say implementing blockchain will improve imperfect information in their business networks. "We are in the very early stages for blockchain in auto, but there lies huge potential," said Ben Stanley, Automotive Research for IBM's Institute of Business Value. "In 2019 we expect to see blockchain start to really take off, particularly with secure data sharing, car and ride share transactions and in-vehicle marketplaces." IBM's research reveals a group of auto pioneers -- 15 percent of all those surveyed -- that are already forging ahead with blockchain, and many plan to implement their first commercial networks at scale within the next three years. Organizations like the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI) are already exploring the use of blockchain to help make mobility safer, more affordable and more widely accepted. Some of MOBI's initial projects are focusing on secure mobility commerce; usage-based mobility pricing and payments; and vehicle identity, history and usage. "The auto industry is in a position that it needs to gain efficiencies right now," said Chris Ballinger, CEO and Founder at MOBI. "With its promise of making mobility safer, greener, and more accessible, blockchain has the potential to strengthen trust and collaboration among businesses, consumers and even vehicles." About IBM For more information about IBM Services please visit: https://www.ibm.com/services Contact: Jeannine Kilbride [email protected] 860-997-6277 SOURCE IBM Related Links http://www.ibm.com SAN FRANCISCO and BASEL, Switzerland, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyperledger , an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies, today kicked off the first day of its Hyperledger Global Forum . The event has drawn more than 650 attendees from as far as Australia and Argentina for an extended conversation about the state of open source enterprise blockchain and vision for the Hyperledger community and technologies. Headlined by keynotes like Leanne Kemp, CEO of Everledger, Hyperledger Global Forum addresses a wide range of business and technical topics. Key topics include use cases, production blockchain deployments and live demos of Hyperledger in a range of new systems. Hands-on workshops and technical talks will serve as fuel for the community development at the core of Hyperledger. For Hyperledger, a project of The Linux Foundation that started less than three years ago, the event is a time to reflect on milestones. Hyperledger has surpassed 260 members, with more than a dozen new members including Citi and Alibaba Cloud announced today . In the last year, Hyperledger launched its 11th project, Ursa , and released development updates to the Hyperledger Burrow , Hyperledger Fabric and Sawtooth frameworks . Additionally, Hyperledger and the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance jointly announced membership in each other's communities as a way to further bolster enterprise blockchain adoption. "The scale and diversity of the community coming together for Hyperledger Global Forum is a testament to the momentum and evolution of enterprise blockchain," said Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director, Hyperledger. "With a line-up of more than 260 member organizations, hundreds of code contributors, tens of thousands of community participants and 11 million lines of code, Hyperledger's community and technologies are a driving force in the increasing pace of adoption of distributed ledger technology. Whether on the technical or business front, the discussions are now about the very real implications and impact of DLT deployments, and the next three days will only advance those conversations." Member News As part of this global gathering of the Hyperledger and blockchain community, a host of members are announcing or showcasing new products, service offerings and milestones. Below is a recap of recent members' news: AAIS (American Association of Insurance Services) - the only national not-for-profit insurance advisory organization, launched a pilot of openIDL (open Insurance Data Link) to transform insurance regulatory reporting on the IBM Blockchain Platform, which is powered by Hyperledger Fabric. Altoros - released a distributed application built on top of Hyperledger Fabric. The blockchain-based trading platform is a marketplace for peer-to-peer trades of any standardized financial instrument or commodity. It allows users to see the full history of bids, offers, and deals in a single interface. The solution acts as a common immutable and transparent source of "truth" while keeping sensitive information private through the custom functionality of Hyperledger Fabric. Tailor-made reporting feature provides a one-stop guide to pricing and volume trends during the whole trading day which helps save time and increase the efficiency of trading activities. Learn more: https://www.altoros.com/blockchain-finance-demo-otc.html B9Lab - recently announced a five-week Hyperledger Sawtooth online developer training course. Learn more: https://academy.b9lab.com/courses/B9lab/current-sawtooth-course Bitmark - announced the Bitmark Health App to help institutions and researchers crowdsource health data and track the chain-of-consent from individuals for its use. By pairing the Bitmark blockchain with Hyperledger Indy, the app enables the secure, verified digital identification of health companies and institutionssuch as medical research, trial matching, university labs, big pharmawhile still maintaining the privacy of, and chain-of-consent from, each patient. Learn more: https://bitmark.com/products/bitmark-health . Blockchain Technology Partners - recently launched Sextant, its powerful blockchain management platform, on Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace for Containers at AWS re:Invent. Sextant utilizes a carefully curated Hyperledger Sawtooth distribution built, tested and maintained by BTP - to deliver one-click deployment of enterprise-grade Sawtooth networks. Sextant is cloud-first, and Kubernetes is the logical choice for production-grade orchestration. Under the covers Sextant automatically generates Kubernetes manifests so that Sawtooth can either be deployed on existing Kubernetes clusters or on brand new ones deployed by Sextant on AWS using Kubernetes Operations. BTP's announcement can be found here . Blockdaemon - just announced Kinetic Ledger, which provides a tamper-evident seal cryptographically for users' data. Using flexibly permissioned channels provided by Hyperledger, Blockdaemon's new offering is in private beta testing using Fabric to provide any number of independent, single purpose ledgers. Blockdaemon became a member of the Hyperledger community in May and has been working closely with members to simplify the process of deploying nodes and creating scalable enterprise blockchain solutions. Learn more about Kinetic Ledger at kineticledger.com . Circulor - recently launched the world's first blockchain mine to manufacturer traceability system for raw materials used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles. The Hyperledger Fabric-based system is already tracking tantalum, used into capacitors, from mines in Rwanda. A large proportion of these raw materials, like tantalum and cobalt, are mined by hand in Africa and are associated with human rights abuses. Learn more: https://www.circulor.com/ DLT Labs - DLT Labs has announced DL Gateway Fabric a development sandbox to set up and manage a blockchain network using Hyperledger Fabric. It can help accelerate the understanding and adoption of blockchain within an organization through a powerful load balanced REST API that interacts with the blockchain. It enables enterprises to build and test scalable applications without any installation or maintenance of blockchain infrastructure. Filament - launched Blocklet for Trusted Vehicle Applications (TVA), the industry's first end-to-end automotive blockchain platform that allows vehicles to participate directly in blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs). The new solution supports Hyperledger Fabric and Hyperledger Sawtooth frameworks. It includes Filament's Blocklet hardware technology as well as cellular connectivity, environmental sensing and access to vehicle diagnostics, making it possible for automotive, freight and transportation companies to create new, large-scale connected-vehicle services and smart contract applications on top of a trusted blockchain foundation. Learn more: https://filament.com/products/ KoreConX - created its own globally-compliant Security Token Protocol, the KoreToken, which is powered by Hyperledger Fabric. The feature is now available at the all-in-one platform that has been the trademark of its services. The company also organized the first KoreSummit, an event dedicated to educating the business industry about Blockchain and Security Tokens. KrypC - developed an end-to-end production grade application in the area of BFSI, the first trade finance e-marketplace for banks. It is powered by Hyperledger Fabric and proprietary components of KrypC and enables all the banks, FIs, and treasuries to exchange information and assets with others, selectively, securely and efficiently. TradeAssets is in production with more than 15+ banks onboard. Some of the other success stories are in the area of microfinance and travel Insurance, also tokenizing the bill of lading and secured movement of cargo tokens for Maersk, which will set a new standard in an interlocking e2e supply chain. Monax - announced that the Monax Platform is now in private beta. The Monax Platform is powered by Hyperledger Burrow and is a contract lifecycle management tool that allows consumers to easily procure lawyer-tested agreements and stay in full control of their business contracting. Harnessing a unique combination of active agreements, blockchain technology and a business process modelling engine, the platform is designed to move business legal obligations into the networked world. Learn more: www.monax.io Oracle - To support customer production launches on its Blockchain Cloud Service (powered by Hyperledger Fabric), Oracle recently upgraded its platform to add: - To support customer production launches on its (powered by Hyperledger Fabric), Oracle recently upgraded its platform to add: A rich set of REST APIs for events subscription and integration Support for SQL-based rich data queries in smart contracts The first-ever Analytics/BI integration for transaction history Identity federation capabilities Support for third-party certificates for blockchain client organizations In customer trials, Oracle has demonstrated a hybrid blockchain joining OBCS and Hyperledger Fabric nodes outside of Oracle Cloud. The company also announced Oracle Blockchain Application Cloud , a new suite of business-ready SaaS applications that enhance traceability and transparency throughout the supply chain. SecureKey - Will launch its innovative and in-demand Verified.Me network to Canadian consumers in early 2019. Verified.Me is a blockchain-based digital identity network built upon Hyperledger Fabric 1.2, enabling consumers to stay in control of their information by choosing when to share information and with whom, reducing unnecessary oversharing of personal information. Learn more: https://verified.me/ Soramitsu and NSD (Moscow Exchange Group) - Jointly launched a new product named D3Ledger, a global distributed digital depository platform based on Hyperledger Iroha. Its main objective is to provide safekeeping of digital assets for large institutional investors in collaboration with regulating partners. A pilot deal was made earlier this year when AddCapital Investment Fund moved an undisclosed amount of Ethereum inside D3ledger's custody. D3ledger peer network consisted of three nodes for this pilot transaction: KDD (Slovenian CSD), National Settlement Depository and Lykke. A new BFT consensus - YAC - will allow D3ledger to operate at 2000tps by Q1 2019. Sovrin Foundation - announced Sovrin Network 1.6, a decentralized global public network enabling self-sovereign identity on the internet and a successful implementation of Hyperledger Indy. The Sovrin Network is designed to bring the trust, personal control and ease-of-use of analog IDs (like driver's licenses and employee ID cards) to the internet. This 1.6 update will support the growing global use of the Sovrin Network and the adoption of self-sovereign identity. Learn more: https://sovrin.org/ . Swisscom - announced a 100% Swiss infrastructure for blockchain applications along with Swiss Post. The two companies are building a simple, secure and sustainable infrastructure for blockchain applications in Switzerland and will present it to the public for the first time at Hyperledger Global Forum. They will also make the infrastructure, which is powered by Hyperledger Fabric, available to other companies for their applications. The market launch for the first pilot applications is planned for the second quarter of 2019. To learn more about Hyperledger and enterprise blockchain technologies, visit: https://www.hyperledger.org/ About Hyperledger Hyperledger is an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies. It is a global collaboration including leaders in finance, banking, Internet of Things, supply chains, manufacturing and Technology. The Linux Foundation hosts Hyperledger under the foundation. To learn more, visit: https://www.hyperledger.org/. Contact: Jessica Rampen The Linux Foundation/Hyperledger [email protected] 650.787.3548 SOURCE Hyperledger Related Links https://www.hyperledger.org PENNINGTON, N.J., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BNY Mellon's Albridge, an affiliate of Pershing and a leading provider of enterprise data management solutions, today announced that it has been selected by Independent Financial Partners (IFP), a multi-custodial RIA and soon-to-be broker-dealer that specializes in wealth management and retirement plan consulting, to provide wealth reporting to its approximately 500 advisors nationwide. The agreement will provide IFP's advisors access to Albridge Wealth Reporting, Albridge's award-winning, innovative solution that allows advisors to present a complete view of all client assetseven those held away. For home office executives, Albridge will provide consolidated, clean transactional data from multiple custodial and legacy systems, giving executives the broad view needed for critical business decision-making. "Albridge's long-standing relationships in the industry and its deep development sources, as well as our enterprise-wide relationship with Pershing, made Albridge the obvious choice for us as we launch our broker-dealer," said Chris Hamm, Chief Operating Officer, IFP. "And while this partnership creates efficiencies at the home-office level, what we're most excited about is providing enhanced performance reporting to all of our advisors as part of our overall technology package. "At most broker-dealers, advisors get basic account reporting but have to pay extra for a tool like Albridge. With us, it will be included in everyone's technology fee, which will be in line with what advisors are currently paying for technology packages that don't include out of the box performance reporting." Albridge Wealth Reporting aggregates data from over a hundred sources to provide a consolidated view of assets. Through an easy-to-use dashboard interface, Albridge Wealth Reporting allows advisors to access household-, account- and security-level performance information on demand, for any time period. For IFP, Albridge will aggregate data from all of IFP's custodians, providing IFP advisors with a wide range of client informationincluding benchmarks, holdings and allocationsthus allowing them to offer holistic wealth management advice. "For 20 years, we have been focusing on providing advisors and firms with data and reporting solutions to help them make smart decisions and better manage their operations," said Marc Butler, COO, BNY Mellon's Albridge. "We believe our ability to deliver normalized, clean, performance-ready data will prove instrumental in helping IFP deliver holistic, well-informed financial advice and enhance client satisfaction. We are thrilled to work with IFP to power their advisors' success." To learn more about BNY Mellon's Albridge, please visit www.albridge.com. About IFP Family-owned and privately-held since it was founded in 2000 by CEO William Hamm Jr. on the principals of independence, flexibility and collaboration, Independent Financial Partners (IFP) is a comprehensive financial advisor support firm with home/corporate offices in Tampa, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona. It is dedicated to delivering personalized service to a growing network of more than 520 independent advisors nationwide, allowing them to better focus on the needs of their clients. An SEC Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) and an Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction (OSJ), IFP works directly with its advisors to provide them technological, compliance, marketing, business development, and operational support. As of Dec. 31, 2017, IFP's advisors have more than $40 billion in assets under advisement. The firm has annually earned the trusted CEFEX certification for investment support services for adhering to the industry's best practices since 2014. For more information, visit www.ifpartners.com. Follow the firm on Twitter at @IF_Partners. About BNY Mellon's Albridge BNY Mellon's Albridge Solutions Inc. is a leading provider of enterprise data management solutions that deliver a single view of an investor's broad range of assets. Its proprietary technology consolidates and reconciles client-account and transaction data from hundreds of data sources representing banking, brokerage, insurance, retirement, managed accounts and more. Albridge processes this cleansed data and uses it to power a variety of downstream technology solutions, including performance reporting, sales practice monitoring, data warehousing, business intelligence, imaging and workflow. Albridge provides the foundation for financial organizations to leverage a single source of information to power a number of mission-critical technology applications. Albridge Solutions Inc. is an affiliate of Pershing LLC. Additional information is available at albridge.com. About BNY Mellon's Pershing BNY Mellon's Pershing and its affiliates provide advisors, broker-dealers, family offices, hedge fund and '40 Act fund managers, registered investment advisor firms and wealth managers with a broad suite of global financial business solutions. Many of the world's most sophisticated and successful financial services firms rely on Pershing for clearing and custody, investment and retirement solutions, technology, enterprise data management, trading services, prime brokerage and business consulting. Pershing helps clients improve profitability and drive growth, create capacity and efficiency, attract and retain talent, and manage risk and regulation. With a network of 23 offices worldwide, Pershing provides business-to-business solutions to clients representing approximately seven million investor accounts globally. Pershing LLC (member FINRA, NYSE, SIPC) is a BNY Mellon company. Additional information is available on pershing.com, or follow us on Twitter @Pershing. About BNY Mellon BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 35 countries. As of September 30, 2018, BNY Mellon had $34.5 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.8 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com. Follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon or visit our newsroom at www.bnymellon.com/newsroom for the latest company news. Sanuber Grohe +1 201 413 2247 [email protected] SOURCE BNY Mellon Related Links http://www.bnymellon.com PORTLAND, Oregon, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Upsurge in global geriatric population, developments in healthcare sector, and increase in technological advancements are expected to boost the growth of the global internal trauma fixation devices market Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Internal Trauma Fixation Devices Market by Product (Closure Device and Bone Cement), Material (Stainless Steel, Nitinol, Titanium, Tritium, and Polyether Ether Ketone), and End User (Hospital, Orthopedic Surgical Centers, Trauma Centers, and Ambulatory Centers): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2018-2025". The report offers detailed analyses of the top investment pockets, drivers & restraints, market size & estimations, key growth strategies, and competitive landscape. According to the report, the global internal trauma fixation devices market was valued at $7.65 billion in 2017 and is estimated to reach $12.69 billion by 2025, registering a CAGR of 6.4% from 2018 to 2025. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg ) Increase in geriatric population worldwide and improvement in healthcare infrastructure drive the growth of the global internal trauma fixation devices market. However, complications associated with such devices and high risk of allergies hamper the market growth. On the contrary, technological advancements are expected to create lucrative opportunities for the market players in future. Request Sample Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/804 Closure devices segment to present lucrative opportunities by 2025 The closure devices segment held the largest share in 2017, contributing about three-fourths share of the total market revenue. This segment is expected to maintain this trend through 2025, registering the fastest CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that these devices help accelerate the healing process and exhibit fewer complications compared to bone cement. In addition, the bone cement segment is expected to witness gradual growth during the study period. Stainless steel segment to dominate the global market by 2025 In 2017, the stainless steel segment dominated the global market in terms of revenue, contributing about 43% share. This segment is anticipated to maintain this trend, as they are biocompatible, corrosion-resistant, cost-effective, and bear low risk of infection. However, the nitinol segment is estimated to register the CAGR of 7.0% during the forecast period, as they show shape memory and superelastic property. The other segments analyzed in the report include titanium, tritium, and polyether ether ketone. Orthopedic surgical centers segment to manifest fastest growth The orthopedic surgical centers segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR of 7.1% during the study period, because new and latest technology-based devices are present in these centers, which are operated by skilled orthopedic surgeons. However, the hospital segment held the largest share in 2017, contributing about half of the market share, as a wide range of internal trauma fixation devices are available at hospitals. For Purchase Enquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/804 North America region to garner largest share through 2025 North America region held the largest share in 2017, contributing about 42% share of the total market, owing to the presence of key market players, high population base, and rise in healthcare spending. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to portray the fastest CAGR of 7.3% during the study period, owing to favorable reimbursement policies in the healthcare system, improved awareness about internal fixation devices among healthcare professionals, and availability of trained healthcare personnel. Major market players The key market players analyzed in the report, include Stryker Corporation, Zimmer Holdings, Inc., Zimmer Biomet, Inc., Medartis, B. Braun Melsungen AG, DePuy Synthes, Smith & Nephew Plc, Wright Medical Inc., Globus Medical Inc., and Orthopaedic Implant Company. Access KNOWLEDGE TREE (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/knowledgetree Knowledge tree is a cloud-based intelligence platform that offers more than 2,000 selective, off-the-shelf reports on niche markets to enable our clients gain deep insights on the latest trends, dynamic technologies, and emerging application areas. Similar Reports: Heart Defect Closure Devices Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017 - 2023 Electrosurgery Devices Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2018 - 2025 About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com SOURCE Allied Market Research GREENWICH, Conn., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- L Catterton, the largest and most global consumer-focused private equity firm in the world, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cholula, a leading producer and distributor of hot sauce. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This investment represents a collaboration between L Catterton's Flagship Buyout Fund and L Catterton Latin America, and speaks to the strength and interconnectedness of L Catterton's global franchise. Named after the oldest still-inhabited city in Mexico and introduced into the U.S. in 1989, Cholula has grown to become one of the most beloved hot sauce brands in the world. Cholula is distinguished by its authentic heritage, distinctive flavor profile, and iconic packaging. Made with a unique blend of piquin and arbol peppers that complements a wide array of global cuisines, Cholula's generations-old secret recipe allows consumers to deliciously personalize their food without adding any fat, calories, or carbohydrates. L Catterton's acquisition will allow Cholula to become a truly standalone enterprise, and will enable the company to continue delivering on its potential to become a powerful and enduring global brand. As the hot sauce category continues to expand, and as a result of the brand's particular resonance with Millennial and Hispanic consumers, Cholula is uniquely positioned to broaden its distribution around the world both on shelves and in restaurants. "Cholula represents a compelling opportunity to invest in a premium brand with an established reputation for quality and authenticity in the growing hot sauce category," said Scott Dahnke, Global Co-CEO of L Catterton. "We look forward to partnering with Cholula's talented management team to capitalize on the brand's immense whitespace opportunity in the years to come." "It has been a privilege to pursue this unique opportunity on a proprietary basis. We are honored to be entrusted with the next chapter in Cholula's evolution, and we are incredibly excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for the brand," added Matt Leeds, Principal at L Catterton. L Catterton has significant experience investing globally in CPG brands. Current and former CPG investments include The Honest Company, Kettle Brands, Zarbee's, Home Chef, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, Plum Organics, Odwalla, Beanitos, Ferrara Candy Company, and Sweet Leaf Tea, as well as other leading consumer brands such as Restoration Hardware, Peloton, Sandro/Maje, Caribou Coffee, and Equinox. The transaction is subject to customary approvals and closing conditions, including anti-trust approval. VACE Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Cholula, while Cravath, Swaine & Moore served as the Company's legal advisor. L Catterton was advised by Kirkland & Ellis, Creel, McKinsey & Company, PwC, and Alvarez & Marsal. About L Catterton With over $15 billion of equity capital across six fund strategies in 17 offices globally, L Catterton is the largest consumer-focused private equity firm in the world. L Catterton's team of more than 150 investment and operating professionals partners with management teams around the world to implement strategic plans to foster growth, leveraging deep category insight, operational excellence, and a broad thought partnership network. Since 1989, the firm has made over 200 investments in leading consumer brands. L Catterton was formed through the partnership of Catterton, LVMH, and Groupe Arnault. For more information about L Catterton, please visit lcatterton.com. About Cholula Cholula's delicious hot sauce is created from a generations-old recipe featuring carefully-selected arbol and piquin peppers and a secret blend of signature spices. Our unique recipe delivers a robust flavor with just the right amount of heat, our versatility goes far beyond the everyday condiment. Cholula's iconic wooden cap and distinctive yellow label are testaments to the quality tradition of Mexican artisanship, and each bottle of Cholula is manufactured with care in Jalisco, Mexico. Introduced into the U.S. in 1989, Cholula's hot sauce now comes in six varieties and is beloved around the world. Contact: Andrea Rose / Julie Oakes / Andrew Squire Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 SOURCE L Catterton WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Since opening in 2016, The National Churchill Library and Center (NCLC) at The George Washington University (GW) has established itself as an important part of the GW community and the broader world of Churchill scholarship and studies. As the NCLC moves into its next stage, Michael F. Bishop has stepped down as Director of the NCLC and Executive Director of The International Churchill Society (ICS). The National Churchill Library and Center GW and ICS will commence a comprehensive international search for a suitable replacement to carry the NCLC through its next stage of growth and development and to maintain the ICS position as the leading Churchill member organization worldwide. The NCLC was created through a collaboration between the International Churchill Society and The George Washington University, with many years of planning and fundraising having culminated in the successful opening of the NCLC at the Gelman Library on the GW campus in November 2016. Former ICS Executive Director Lee Pollock will act as interim Executive Director of the International Churchill Society while the executive search takes place. Laurence Geller CBE, ICS Chairman said on behalf of The Society, "We want take this opportunity to thank Michael for his diligent leadership and hard work over the course of the last two years and wish him the very best in his next endeavour. We enthusiastically look forward to executing the next phase of the strategic plans for NCLC and ICS and to further growing both institutions in line with today's fast-moving trends." About The International Churchill Society: Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the International Churchill Society is a worldwide member organization whose mission is to foster leadership, statesmanship, vision and courage among democratic peoples through the thoughts, words and deeds of Winston Spencer Churchill. The Society publishes the award-winning Journal of Winston Churchill, Finest Hour, and the monthly email newsletter, the Churchill Bulletin, hosts annual Churchill conferences in North America and Europe, provides educational programming for secondary and university students and teachers, funds scholarships and fellowships in Churchill studies and operates the definitive Churchill website, www.winstonchurchill.org. Directly and through its affiliated Chapters, the Society maintains activities on four continents and in over forty cities. About The National Churchill Library and Center: Housed on the first floor of the Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The National Churchill Library and Center (NCLC) is the first major research facility in the nation's capital dedicated to the study of Winston Churchill. Through its collections, interdisciplinary academic programs, and educational exhibits, the NCLC offers George Washington University's students, faculty, researchers, as well as the public, the opportunity to examine to examine Winston Churchill's example of global leadership. Media Contact: Lee Pollock [email protected] +1-312-310-4488 SOURCE The International Churchill Society Related Links http://www.winstonchurchill.org ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT) recently announced that its 24-acre mixed-use development in North Bethesda, MD, Pike & Rose, has achieved LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) v2009 Stage 3 Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system. LEED ND was engineered to inspire and help create better, more sustainable, well-connected neighborhoods. The certification looks beyond the scale of buildings to consider entire communities. Pike & Rose is the only LEED ND Stage 3 certified project owned and developed by a U.S. REIT and one of only 10 LEED ND Stage 3-certified projects in the U.S. as well as only 18 worldwide. Pike & Rose is a transit-oriented development located 6 miles north of Washington, D.C. The project comprises 379,000 square feet of retail, 765 apartment units, 99 condos atop a 177-key hotel, and 80,000-square foot Class A office building with an additional 212,000 square feet of office under development. The neighborhood is also home to one of the Mid-Atlantic's largest rooftop farms, a 17,000-square foot green space above a residential building which produces fruits and vegetables that are sold directly to tenants on site, local farmers markets, and neighboring restaurants on the property. "Earning this important certification demonstrates Federal Realty's commitment to improving performance and creating a more resilient and sustainable future by minimizing our environmental footprint through energy and resource-efficient buildings," said Ronald J. Becker, CRX, CSM, Director, National Property Operations & Sustainability. "As leaders in the industry, we believe we have a responsibility and an opportunity to positively impact our communities, employees, investors, tenants and the environment, which are all critical components to long-term success." Further evidence of Federal Realty's commitment to sustainability initiatives include: Federal Realty completed its annual sustainability reporting through the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) and was awarded a Green Star recognition with 4 out of 5 stars. The Trust ranked first among its peers in the Health and Wellness category. In addition, Federal Realty reduced energy consumption by 11.4% year-over-year which is enough energy to power 643 homes for a year. The Trust also reduced water consumption by 3% year-over-year which equates to 7.7 million gallons of water. Federal Realty was recognized as a Green Lease Leader Gold by the Institute for Market Transformation and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Better Buildings Alliance for high-performance leasing practices which drive shared energy savings and sustainability benefits in buildings. Federal Realty is a leader amongst U.S. corporations for utilizing locations to generate renewable energy through solar with 16.7 megawatts of roof top solar installed at 30% of the Trust's properties. Federal Realty partners with Up Top Acres to operate rooftop farms at Bethesda Row and Pike & Rose which combined produce almost 30,000 lbs of produce annually. Produce grown at both farms is sold to local restaurants and at local farmers markets; at Pike & Rose the produce is also sold directly to the tenants of the residential building through the Up Top Acres membership program. Federal Realty partners with Freight Farms, a Boston -based company that retrofits shipping containers with vertical farming technology, to repurpose unused parking spaces within its shopping centers as a place to locally and sustainably grow acres' worth of produce in a fraction of the space of traditional farms. About Federal Realty Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, D.C. to Boston as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded in 1962, Federal Realty's mission is to deliver long term, sustainable growth through investing in densely populated, affluent communities where retail demand exceeds supply. Its expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like Santana Row in San Jose, California, Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland and Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts. These unique and vibrant environments that combine shopping, dining, living and working provide a destination experience valued by their respective communities. Federal Realty's 105 properties include approximately 3,000 tenants, in approximately 24 million square feet, and over 2,600 residential units. Federal Realty has increased its quarterly dividends to its shareholders for 51 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P 500 index member and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For additional information about Federal Realty and its properties, visit www.FederalRealty.com. Investor Inquires: Media Inquiries: Leah Andress Brady Brenda Pomar Investor Relations Manager Corporate Communications Manager 301.998.8265 301.998.8316 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Federal Realty Investment Trust Related Links http://www.federalrealty.com CAMBRIDGE, England and BOSTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2018, Linguamatics advanced its position as the market-leading provider of natural language processing (NLP) text analytics for healthcare and the life sciences, winning prestigious industry awards, introducing innovative product enhancements, and partnering with organizations to extend the value of Linguamatics solutions. "Linguamatics has had an extraordinary year in terms of earning industry recognition, and advancing the use of our solutions and services across top-tier biomedical companies and health systems," said Phil Hastings, Linguamatics chief business development officer. "At our Spring and Fall conferences we were inspired by our customers as they shared details on the many ways they are leveraging our AI solutions to extract actionable insights from unstructured text. We also heard new success stories from our latest industry partners who have selected Linguamatics to power automated solutions that unlock the rich knowledge assets within unstructured data." Some of Linguamatics' most notable 2018 achievements include: Winning Bio-IT World's Best of Show Judges' Prize for iScite 2.0, Linguamatics software-as-a-service AI scientific search application that puts the power of text analytics directly into the hands of researchers and clinicians Recognition from Frost & Sullivan through their 2018 Global Product Leadership Award for its transformative NLP text analytics platform and artificial intelligence life sciences leadership Continuously delivering updates to the I2E platform, including growth of ontology coverage, enhanced integration capabilities with enterprise data management systems such as Documentum, and the release of AMP 2.0 for the automated discovery of real-time insights Selection by Secure Exchange Solutions as the NLP platform to help streamline efficiencies in the prior authorization and medical review process and improve clinical information exchange between payers and providers Becoming an official AWS technology partner, further strengthening the ease of deployment and scalability options of the Linguamatics product family, including the cloud-based I2E OnDemand platform and the scientific search solution iScite "As we move into 2019, we are excited by the potential for more pharma and healthcare organizations to embrace the use of our solutions to speed drug-to-market time, advance precision medicine research, improve population health insights and quality measurement, and mine for real world evidence," said John Brimacombe, Linguamatics executive chairman. "We also anticipate more initiatives similar to the partnership with SES that leverage NLP for new and innovative use cases that dramatically improve inefficient workflows and replace laborious manual processes across healthcare and the life sciences." About Linguamatics Linguamatics transforms unstructured big data into big insights to advance human health and wellbeing. A world leader in deploying innovative natural language processing (NLP)-based text mining for high-value knowledge discovery and decision support, Linguamatics' solutions are used by top commercial, academic and government organizations, including 18 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and leading US healthcare organizations. Linguamatics I2E is used to mine a wide variety of text resources, such as scientific literature, patents, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), clinical trials data, news feeds, social media and proprietary content. I2E can be deployed as an in-house enterprise system, or as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) on the cloud. Linguamatics Media contact: Michelle Ronan Noteboom, Sr. Account Director Amendola Communications + 1 512.426.2870 [email protected] SOURCE Linguamatics Related Links http://www.linguamatics.com ALBANY, New York, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global lubricants market for off-road sector is slated to see steady development in the years to come, according to a Transparency Market Research (TMR) report. The market's business landscape is characterized by the presence of a few established vendors asserting their dominance in the industry. Key market players are seen allocating resources towards research and development of efficient products. Driven by consumer demands, the vendors have a defined line of work, and a sustainable global market. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg ) Key vendors in the global lubricants market for off-road sector are involved in business expansion through strategic collaborations with regional players. A number of vendors are modifying their portfolio to suit the base oil supply chain, consolidations, and the production facilities. Request a Sample of Global Lubricants Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=18965 Leading vendors in the global lubricants market for off-road sector include ExxonMobil Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell Plc., and BP Global. These top vendors hold nearly 32% of the overall market share. Other prominent vendors in the market are Phillips 66, BRB International, Total S.A., and Topaz Energy Group Limited. Engine Oil Segment Likely to Emerge Leading among Product Types According to TMR's analysts, the global lubricants market for off-road sector was estimated to be at US$13.0 bn in 2015 and is prognosticated to reach US$16.8 bn by 2024. Over the forecast period 2016 to 2024, the global market is slated to rise at a 2.9% CAGR. Request For Multiple Chapters: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=MC&rep_id=18965 Among the product types, the segment of engine oil is estimated to demonstrate high growth rate. This could be attributed to growing awareness regarding vehicle maintenance. Geography-wise, lower cost of products in Asia Pacific is expected to bolster this regional market to the fore. The region is likely to exhibit a 3.6% CAGR over the forecast period. Adoption of Fuel Efficient Solutions to Propel Market Lubricants are broadly utilized in motor oils, medium-speed motor oils, and moderate speed marine motors. The product expands motor life and ensures segments at high temperatures. The U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has decided control methods and rules with respect to carbon discharges in vehicles, referenced in the Clean Air Act, successful from October 2008, which has additionally supported interest for eco-friendly vehicles. Other than this, various developments coordinated at decrease of harmful carbon outflows to upgrade vehicle execution are driving growth of the lubricants market for off-road sector. Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=18965 Bio-Based Lubricants to Remain Leading Trend The demand of bio-based lubricants to diminish adverse impacts on the environment is the key trend advancing the lubricants for off-road sector market and is boosting the general development of the market. The need to upgrade eco-friendliness of vehicles has prompted supplanting of conventional materials with manufactured lubricants. This trend additionally affects the general market. The transportation business is progressively using manufactured and bio-based lubricants to supplant regular lubricants. The move is basically ascribed to the higher execution qualities of manufactured and bio-based lubricants and stringent vehicle discharge controls. This review is based on TMR's report titled, "Lubricants Market for Off-road Sector (Source - Mineral Oil-based, Synthetic, and Bio-based; Grade - Single and Multi; Product - Engine Oil, Transmission Fluids, Hydraulic Fluids, Gear Oil, and Grease; End Use - Construction, Agriculture and Farming, Mining, and Material Handling) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024." Global Lubricants Market for Off-road Sector - Source Analysis Mineral Oil-based Synthetic Bio-based Global Lubricants Market for Off-road Sector - Grade Analysis Single Multi Global Lubricants Market for Off-road Sector - Product Analysis Engine oil Transmission fluids Hydraulic fluids Gear oil Grease Others Global Lubricants Market for Off-road Sector - End Use Analysis Construction Agriculture & Farming Mining Material Handling Others Global Lubricants Market for Off-road Sector - Regional Analysis North America U.S. Canada Europe UK Italy Spain France Germany Rest of EU Asia Pacific China India Japan ASEAN Rest of APAC Latin America Brazil Rest of Latin America (LATAM) Middle East & Africa GCC South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa (MEA) & Browse Chemicals & Materials Research Reports Popular Research Reports by TMR: Lubricant Additives Market : https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/lubricant-additives-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/lubricant-additives-market.html Lubricants Market : https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/lubricants-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/lubricants-market.html Automotive Lightweight Materials Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-lightweight-materials-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision." Contact Mr Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: https://cmfenews.com SOURCE Transparency Market Research ATLANTA, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Labor has recognized Mako Medical Laboratories with a Medallion Award for hiring veterans. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act 2017 (HIRE Vets Act or the Act) was signed by President Trump and requires the Secretary of Labor to establish a program, by rule, that recognizes employer efforts to recruit, employ and retain veterans. The criteria for winning the award included the number of veterans hired, the number of veterans retained for at least 12 months, the number of new hires that were veterans, training programs implemented to help veterans, leadership opportunities during employment for veterans and special programs built for veterans employed at the company. "America's veterans are proven leaders who bring skills, dedication, and determination to our nation's workforce," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "To earn a Hire Vets Medallion Award, job creators must demonstrate a solid commitment to providing veterans with the opportunity to build a meaningful career. This program recognizes a standard for excellence in veterans hiring, and helps veterans identify employers who are committed to advancing veterans in the workplace." Mako Medical Laboratories was recognized in Washington, D.C., by Secretary Acosta for all of the veteran programs Mako has built within the company. "From day one, our team decided we were going to carve out entire divisions of Mako and only hire military veterans," said Chad Price, president and founder of Mako Medical. Today, Mako employs hundreds of veterans and has built training programs, recruiting programs and leadership programs for the veterans on the team. "It is just one small way for us to thank those that have faithfully served and defended this country. We are humbled and honored to be recognized for these programs and hope other companies will build similar ones." Chad went on to explain that the entire purpose behind the creation of Mako Medical was to create funding for local nonprofits/charities, to employ military veterans and to support Christan missionaries around the world. "It is why we do what we do. Some companies are focused on shareholder value. Others are focused on returns for their investors. We are focused on making an impact in other people's lives. The more we grow, the more people we can help. The more revenue we have, the more funding we have to work with." Today, Mako Medical supports over 472 different charities around the country, employs hundreds of military veterans and supports over 80 Christian missionaries from Syria to Nigeria. Mako Medical Laboratories is an award-winning laboratory with operations in over 12 states. Mako utilizes automation and robotics to complete some of the most difficult and rare diagnostic tests. Mako is known for its extensive community service, supporting over 400 local nonprofits and charities, hiring hundreds of military veterans and supporting over 80 international missionaries. Josh Arant [email protected] Related Images image1.png image2.png image3.jpg image4.jpg SOURCE Mako Medical Laboratories (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796883/Africa_2018.jpg ) The Forum was attended by a number of government leaders, including the Presidents of Sierra Leone, Niger, Madagascar, and the Republic of Rwanda, as well as high level officials from across the continent, business leaders, and participants from over 55 countries. During the Forum, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced key efforts, led by Egypt, to boost entrepreneurship and regional integration in Africa. This included the establishment of the first regional entrepreneurship hub in Egypt, as well as the acceleration of establishing the Cairo - Cape Town highway. Furthermore, President Sisi also announced an initiative aimed to train 10,000 young Africans as software and game developers over the next three years. The President also highlighted the importance of investing in human capital through providing quality healthcare and education services to equip Africa's youth with the tools needed to compete in the global job market. Egypt is preparing to chair the African Union next year, and the country's President reinforced the importance of fostering pan-African trade and investment, through policies that lead to open borders, supporting industrial development, as well as infrastructure projects that facilitate the movement of goods and people. Egypt's existing investments in Africa already surpass $10 billion, while African investments into Egypt, Africa's largest economy, reached $2.8 billion. "The high level presence and active participation at the Africa 2018 Forum reaffirmed Africa's position as a top investment destination in the world, and Egypt as the gateway to Africa," said Dr. Sahar Nasr, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation. Several panel discussions during African 2018 Forum focused on the growth of technology and innovation, which can create jobs and deliver new solutions that fill unmet needs within the African communities, who share many challenges such as access to finance, food security, quality health and education. The subject was discussed at length by founders of African start-ups in the fintech, agri-tech, e-health and e-learning fields, highlighting the opportunity for African youth to catch up and be a part of these technological movements. Women empowering Africa was also an important theme at the Forum, and First Ladies of Niger and Nigeria were among the speakers who highlighted the great benefits communities enjoy when women are empowered, as well as the current challenges facing women in office and in business. According to a recent McKinsey study, companies with the greatest proportion of women on their executive committees earned a return on equity 47% higher than those with no female executive members. Several international financial institutions were represented at the Forum, through key figures such as Sir Suma Chakrabarti, President of The European Bank for Reconstruction, Philippe Le Hourerou, CEO of the IFC, and Akinwumi Adesina, President of African Development Bank. They emphasized the importance of working together with governments to foster private sector development. These experts also delved into the case study of Egypt's liberation of its energy sector through bold legislative reform that lead to massive investments in the renewable energy sector. Egypt today has the largest wind farm in the Middle East and is currently establishing 11 solar panel plants in the South, which will make it the largest producer of solar power in the world. This was the third edition of the Africa Forum. About The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation The Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation is the ministry in charge of economic cooperation and development between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Arab States, foreign countries, and international and regional organizations. It also aids in economic and social development within Egypt. SOURCE General Authority for Investment and Free Zones SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Multifamily Leadership, producers of the Best Places to Work Multifamily Program, the Multifamily Leadership Summit and the Multifamily Leadership Podcast, are excited to announce the inaugural Multifamily Women's Summit to be held March 20-21, 2019, in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Multifamily Women's Summit will feature leading experts from inside and outside the apartment industry and will serve those women who want to strengthen their network, expertise and influence. The summit will also serve those men who want to understand the role women play not only as executives, associates and team members but also as residents and customers. Multifamily Leadership This event is just a part of a bigger platform to advance women leadership and share expert content through a magazine, Facebook group, free Women in Leadership series and a special segment for the Multifamily Women in Leadership series on the Multifamily Leadership Podcast. The Women in Leadership segment of the Multifamily Leadership Podcast will feature leading experts, both men and women, discussing the role women play not only as executives, associates and team members but also as residents and customers. With the growth in smartphone technology, as well as mobile and connected devices, this podcast allows Multifamily Leadership to reach men and women in leadership roles looking to design a bigger and better future in multifamily. Multifamily Leadership is entering the fifth year as producers of the highest-level leadership summit for the multifamily industry and, through their national research of multifamily companies, has realized the significant changes occurring in the industry with ever-evolving roles based on technology and innovation and the impact women have on these changes. Co-Founders of the Multifamily Leadership Women's Summit, Patrick and Carrie Antrim have a vision to create a bigger and better future for women in multifamily. Patrick Antrim states, "We will extract the knowledge from executive women in leadership and inspire emerging leaders with our thought leadership platform offering a new model for personal and professional transformation. As with the annual Multifamily Leadership Summit, the Multifamily Women's Summit will be the highest-level women's summit in the apartment industry. Period." Carrie Antrim states, "Looking back at our research of the best-of-the-best in our industry through the Best Places to Work Multifamily program, it is evident those forward-thinking brands we have the honor and privilege to recognize understand and encourage the many women who influence their communities and workplaces. I am inspired by what these companies are doing to create healthy organizations." Attendees of the Multifamily Women's Summit will hear insightful discussions on the importance of not only elevating women in leadership but also becoming mentors and helping shape the future of the multifamily industry. Because of rapid advancements in technology, attendees will hear the most current information on the ever-evolving roles women play in multifamily organizations. Both men and women will leave the summit with a deeper understanding of the future of the multifamily industry. Media Contact: Patrick Antrim [email protected] (800) 803-8094 Related Links Multifamily Women's Summit Multifamily Women's Leadership Series SOURCE Multifamily Leadership Related Links https://multifamilyleadership.com BOSTON, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a recent poll by Emerson College, a majority of Americans (63%) support a bi-lateral trade deal with the UK upon its departure from the European Union in March 2019 (11% opposed and 26% were undecided). Most Americans (58%) believe the United States' relationship with the United Kingdom is even more important today than it was five years ago, and 56% see the British as the most valuable strategic foreign partner. Nearly 2 in 3 Americans say the relationship between the US and the UK is very important. "The alliance appears to be increasingly important in the eyes of the American public," said Dr. Nell Breyer, Executive Director of the Association of Marshall Scholars that commissioned the poll. "In a period of deep uncertainty for the British public, they should know that Americans see the ties that bind us as increasingly significant, and there is strong Americans support for developing new opportunities to further this relationship." Surprisingly, the poll results indicated that a plurality of Americans do not know whether the UK or Europe will be a more important military ally once the UK leaves the European Union next year. Despite being a top trade partner with the US, Britain trailed other nations in American perceptions of its attractiveness for business and foreign trade, with 48% of Americans rating China as the #1 most important partner for the US, and 20% rating Canada at #2. Nearly all respondents (91%) rated the 'Special Relationship' somewhat to very important. "It appears that, at least from the American perspective, a very special relationship still exists between the UK and the US. That is demonstrated in the unusually high consensus around the issue," said Emerson College Pollster and Assistant Professor, Spencer Kimball. "Research suggests that a collective memory pervades society and events from the past leave traces of recollections that the current society recall in a variety of forms." However, Americans are less unified in their support of current US foreign policy towards the UK. Only 52% of those surveyed are satisfied with the current foreign policy, while 24% are not satisfied (nearly 2:1) with it. Nearly 3:1 Americans think that the US is currently furthering strong ties with the UK (60% to 18%). For more information: full results and cross-tabulation data is available at: www.emerson.edu/communication-studies/emerson-college-polling-society Methodology All respondents interviewed in this study were part of a fully representative sample of N= 530 (sample size). Data was weighted by US parameters. The margin of error for the sample is +/- 4.2%. The survey was administered using both landline, cellphones and online via Survey Sampling International (SSI) and IVR and was conducted between November 12-16, 2018. About Emerson College Polling Emerson College Polling is part of the School of Communication at Emerson College. Emerson College Polling has been ranked as one of the most accurate collegiate pollster by Bloomberg News and Nate Silvers' 538. Emerson College Polling is a Charter Member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Transparency Initiative. About the Association of Marshall Scholars The Association of Marshall Scholars fosters personal and professional relationships among Marshall Scholars, supports and publicizes the aims of the Marshall Scholarship Program, and enhances the experience of Marshall Scholars Studying in the United Kingdom, thereby strengthening the enduring relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. Contact: Shannon Felton Spence [email protected] SOURCE The Association of Marshall Scholars Related Links http://www.marshallscholars.org ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CFI Group's 2018 year-end Credit Union Satisfaction Index (CUSI) is 86, as measured on a 0-100 scale. CUSI is calculated based on feedback from a panel of 497 respondents who have a current financial relationship with a credit union. Credit union satisfaction historically has run several points higher than the bank satisfaction barometer. Banks had closed the gap to 2 points in 2016, but the gap has widened again to 6 points in 2018. Credit Union Satisfaction Index (CUSI) 2018 Infographic Members who experience a problem with their credit union are significantly less satisfied than those who do not. Those that have had a problem within the last 60 days are less satisfied with the credit union experience, less likely to remain a member, less likely to use additional services, and less likely to recommend the credit union to others. "It's really about resolving member problems," says Sheri Petras, CEO of CFI Group. "Of course, you'd like to eliminate member issues completely, but that's not realistic; there will always be some members who experience issues. And we have found that a third of those members never report the problem to the credit union. The challenges for the credit union, then, are to run member feedback mechanisms that capture unreported problems, and develop the processes needed to deliver rapid and effective problem resolution for members." Credit unions face a competitive environment. A report by CUNA shows that overall credit union membership has increased each year since 2012. And for the first six months of 2018, the total number of U.S. credit union members grew 4.3%. Yet, the number of credit unions continues to decline, down from 6,680 in 2013 to 5,594 midway through 2018. To thrive in 2019, credit unions will need to compete beyond just rates and fees by providing an exceptional member experience. 1. COMPETING ON RATES AND FEES IS NOT ENOUGH It is difficult to offer rates and fees that are substantially lower than competitors. It is understandable, then, that only 18% of credit union members choose a credit union because of attractive rates and fees. Good rates and fees are a given. 2. CREDIT UNIONS MUST DEVELOP A RAPID PROBLEM RESOLUTION PROCESS Members who have an issue or problem within the last 60 days are less satisfied and less likely to remain a member. Credit unions need to develop processes that quickly and successfully address member issues. To obtain the complete 2018 year-end Credit Union Satisfaction Index report, visit: www.cfigroup.com/resource-item/cusi-2018 This study is the sixth edition of the CFI Group Credit Union Satisfaction Index (CUSI) survey designed to determine how well credit unions are faring in the current retail banking environment. CFI Group asked 497 credit union members across the U.S. to rate their member experience with their primary financial institution (i.e., the institution where they conduct most of their banking). About CFI Group (www.cfigroup.com) Since 1988, CFI Group has delivered customer experience measurement and business insights from its Ann Arbor, Michigan headquarters and a network of global offices. As founding partner of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), CFI Group is the only company within the United States licensed to apply customized ACSI methodology in both the private and public sectors. Using this patented technology and top experience management experts, CFI Group uncovers the business drivers and financial impacts of customer experience. Media Contact: David Baker [email protected] 734.355.8232 SOURCE CFI Group Related Links http://www.cfigroup.com By Zhu Wenqian, Ma Si, China Daily | Dec. 11, 2018 The Shenzhen-based Airbus China Innovation Center has signed an agreement with China Mobile Intelligent Mobility Network Technology Co to co-develop in-flight Wi-Fi services, fueled by the growing demand for greater in-air connectivity. "The cooperation will develop an end-to-end solution and create new in-flight high-speed connectivity, leveraging the favorable policy on the use of portable electronic devices on board and the upcoming 5G technology," said Luo Gang, CEO of the Airbus China Innovation Center. The Airbus and China Mobile subsidiaries did not disclose further details. In January, the Civil Aviation Administration of China lifted curbs on the use of mobile devices on domestic flights. Passengers can now use mobile phones, tablets and laptops during the entire flight, as long as they have airplane mode switched on. The in-flight Wi-Fi market in China is expected to enter a rapid growth period in the next few years. Most domestic routes are yet to be equipped with Wi-Fi services, due to technology and cost limitations. Opening last year, Airbus' Shenzhen innovation center is its first such facility in Asia, and its second globally after the one in Silicon Valley. China Mobile Intelligent Mobility Network was launched in June. The company will focus on the transportation industry and 5G, and deepen its R&D in smart transportation fields, including automated driving and in-flight connectivity. Currently, in-flight Wi-Fi mostly relies on the Ku band signal channel, which makes it susceptible to instability during flights. The latest high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi operates on the Ka band, meaning the internet speed will be much faster than the currently available options. Both technologies rely on satellites, which restrict them to satellite orbit resources, making them more expensive than air-to-ground communications. "Another approach to in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity depends on air-to-ground communications-a ground-based channel. Air-to-ground connections send signals to planes from on-ground signal towers, instead of from satellites directly as L band and Ku band do. The resources of on-ground signal towers are richer and more stable, and relatively easier to build," said Xiang Ligang, CEO of telecom industry website Cctime. NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- American consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that support refugees, according to a new report from the NYU Stern School of Business and the Tent Partnership for Refugees. Despite rising polarization on refugee policy in the United States, research shows that consumers, particularly millennials, prefer brands that commit to helping refugees. The report, "How Helping Refugees Helps Brands," utilized an online survey of more than 7,000 U.S. consumers to analyze how consumers respond to brands' efforts to support refugees. The report finds that, across a wide range of demographics, consumers respond positively to a variety of business efforts to support refugees, including hiring refugees, delivering services to refugees, investing in refugee entrepreneurs, and sourcing from refugee businesses. "This report shows that consumers will reward brands that support refugees," said Gideon Maltz, Executive Director of the Tent Partnership for Refugees. "In a crowded marketplace, brands that integrate refugees into their business can distinguish themselves from their competitors, especially among millennials. This is a clear demonstration that brands can do well by doing good." "Supporting refugees is not just charity but helping refugees can be good for business," asserted Professor Tulin Erdem, co-author of the report and chair of NYU Stern's Marketing Department. "It impacts brand image and consumer brand purchase behavior positively. This is consistent with current consumer (especially the millennial consumer) preferences for brands that take a strong stance for social issues and consider the welfare on multiple stakeholders, including the society at large." On average, the younger the consumer, the more positively they respond to brand support for refugees. Millennials, by significant margins, are more likely to purchase a brand if they know the brand is committed to supporting refugees in one or more ways a powerful finding, given that millennials' annual spending power is projected to reach $1.4 trillion in the U.S. by 2020. For example, while 48 percent of millennials are more likely to purchase a brand committing to extend financial, educational, or other services to refugees, only 10 percent are less likely to do so. Similarly, 44 percent of millennials are more likely to purchase a brand committing to hire refugees in the United States, compared to 11 percent that are less likely to do so. Overall, the survey indicates overwhelmingly positive reactions to most types of brand support for refugees regardless of age. The report also finds that consumers' responses vary depending on whether brands focus on helping refugees in the United States or those overseas. Self-identified conservative consumers and older consumers, for example, are more likely to respond positively to brand commitments to hire refugees overseas. With almost 90 percent of refugees residing in low- and middle-income countries, this highlights another clear path for brands to provide meaningful support for refugees. The full report can be accessed online. About the Tent Partnership for Refugees The Tent Partnership for Refugees, founded by Chobani's Hamdi Ulukaya, is mobilizing the private sector to improve the lives and livelihoods of more than 25 million refugees forcibly displaced from their home countries. Ulukaya launched Tent with the belief that the private sector is uniquely positioned to address the global refugee crisis by mobilizing the networks, resources, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the business community. There are over 100 companies in the Tent Partnership supporting refugees across 34 countries. The full list of Tent members can be found here. Tent believes that companies have the greatest impact when they treat refugees not as victims, but as economically-productive workers, suppliers, entrepreneurs, and customers - and when they leverage their core business operations to hire refugees, integrate them into supply chains, invest in refugees, and deliver services to them. Learn more about Tent: http://www.tent.org. About New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business New York University Stern School of Business, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, is one of the nation's premier management education schools and research centers. NYU Stern, whose faculty includes four Nobel Laureates in Economics, offers a broad portfolio of programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels, all of them enriched by the dynamism, energy and deep resources of one of the world's business capitals. Visit www.stern.nyu.edu and follow NYU Stern on Twitter: @NYUStern. Media Contacts Tent Partnership for Refugees Maia Bix [email protected] NYU Stern Carolyn Ritter, NYU Stern Public Affairs [email protected] Kimberly Couzens, NYU Stern Public Affairs [email protected] SOURCE Tent Partnership for Refugees Related Links http://www.tent.org FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Much like ancient artifacts or fossil remains, analyzing Google searches can provide a wealth of insight into a particular group of people at a particular time. Many studies have been conducted to analyze what Americans search for with regards to various topics ranging from pop culture events to Halloween costumes. However, an important topic has been overlooked, until now. Roughly 85% of Americans use a car to get to work every day and every American relies on vehicles for the transportation of goods. Thus, road safety is something that touches us all. Every state's most Googled car safety topics What aspects of road safety do drivers really care about? Does interest for various road safety topics vary by state? Patterson Law Group conducted a study to learn just that. The firm put together a map of what each state Googles more than any other state with regards to road safety. To find the results, the firm initially compiled over 100 road safety and road behavior topics. The topics were then run through Google Trends to see which states searched for the topics the most. Some of the results were expected, but others were surprising, and somewhat alarming. You can view the full study here. A few of the interesting top searches include: Texas Driving without a license Driving without a license Oklahoma Car shooting Car shooting Florida Driving while high Driving while high Mississippi Drag racing Drag racing Pennsylvania Running a red light Running a red light New York Rental car accident The firm wants to emphasize that just because residents of particular states aren't searching for certain topics with the same volume doesn't mean a topic isn't important for that particular state. Most topics (with the exception of a few) revolve around issues that exist in every state. "This study was meant to be fun and thought-provoking, but there is also a very serious undertone. We hope this study ignites more national conversations on various road habits and policies," remarked Managing Partner, Travis Patterson. "A majority of vehicle collisions that occur each year are preventable and it's important we keep prevention top of mind to continue to improve road safety for everyone." About Patterson Law Group: Patterson Law Group is a personal injury firm located in Fort Worth, TX. The firm is founded on the principle that all those who have been injured deserve proper access to justice. Patterson Law Group advocates for both injured drivers and safer driving habits that can reduce road accidents. You can learn more about the firm here. Media Contact: Travis Patterson Patterson Law Group 817-784-2000 [email protected] SOURCE Patterson Law Group FULTON, Md., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NewDay USA, a nationwide VA mortgage lender, has announced that it is extending its military prep school scholarship program criteria to include children of soldiers and National Guard members with a successful deployment record in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). NewDay USA scholarships were initially reserved for children of Gold Star families and the children of a 100 percent disabled combat Veteran. "Overseas deployments put a huge strain on military families, both personally and financially. We want students to get a great military education and not have their families worry about the cost during such a time," said Rear Admiral Thomas Lynch USN (Ret.), executive chairman of NewDay USA. On December 3rd, NewDay USA awarded its 50th full military prep school scholarship to Kathryn Lilyanne Bailey to attend Georgia Military College Preparatory School (GMC Prep) in Milledgeville, Georgia. Kathryn, whose father is a 100 percent disabled combat Veteran, is a sixth-grader at the school and was awarded a scholarship that will pay her tuition until she graduates 12th grade. Her brother Jacob is also a recipient of this scholarship. "We are just blown away by the generosity of NewDay USA and their support of our soldiers and their families," said Brigadier General Randall Simmons, Commanding General of the Georgia National Guard. "Providing these scholarships does so much for our deployed soldiers, who now have increased confidence that their children are getting a quality education back home so they're able to focus on the mission at hand. We couldn't be more thankful for NewDay's generosity and expanding their scholarship program to the children of GWOT Veterans." Kathryn Bailey was awarded the scholarship just as the Georgia National Guard 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) was about to be deployed to Afghanistan. The scholarship is good for the entire time she attends GMC Prep. "As the beneficiary of a JROTC education, I know personally how important such an education is in building America's leaders of tomorrow," said NewDay USA CEO Rob Posner. "Expanding our scholarship program to the children of those who have served our country during the Global War on Terror (GWOT), is one of the most important things we are doing as a company." The NewDay USA Foundation has now awarded 50 full scholarships to students at 13 military prep schools in 11 states, including 13 scholarships to GMC Prep School cadets since 2016. NewDay USA has also donated $1 million to the GWOT Memorial, currently under construction in Washington, D.C. "It's absolutely incredible what these scholarships do for these families," added Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell, IV, President of Georgia Military College. "We are incredibly appreciative of NewDay USA. Their commitment to Veterans is so special." About NewDay USA NewDay USA is a nationwide VA mortgage lender focused on helping active military personnel, Veterans, and their families achieve their financial and housing goals. NewDay USA is also a Ginnie Mae (GNMA) approved issuer/servicer. The company employs best practices in mortgage lending and career growth for mortgage professionals. Consistent with its mission, NewDay is a philanthropic partner of numerous organizations focused on assisting military Veterans and their families in need. The NewDay USA Foundation provides full scholarships to the children of fallen and severely disabled military Veterans to attend JROTC military high schools across the nation, as well as to children of those with a successful deployment record in the Global War on Terror. The company is also a major philanthropic partner of the Medal of Honor Foundation, the USO, Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness, and is a major sponsor of the Military Bowl. Community service and giving back in the form of volunteerism also plays a significant role among the NewDay USA workforce. NewDay USA is a registered trade name of New Day Financial, LLC, which is a key holding of Chrysalis Holdings, LLC, a premier private investment company focused on the financial services industry. For more information about NewDay USA, visit www.newdayusa.com. Press Contacts: Mike Murray Strategic Vantage Marketing & Public Relations [email protected] 240.498.0863 Sam Garcia Strategic Vantage Marketing & Public Relations [email protected] 214.762.4457 SOURCE NewDay USA Related Links https://www.newdayusa.com VANCOUVER, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE American: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") reports that it intends to privately place with certain accredited investors up to approximately 11.3 million Special Warrants priced at C$0.83 (US$0.62) per Special Warrant to raise approximately C$8.4 million (US$7.0 million). The Special Warrants will convert upon exercise into common shares (the "Common Shares") on a one-for-one basis. The proceeds of the Offering will largely be used in payment of a success fee that was accrued in connection with the 2017 settlement of the Company's legal proceedings against the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which is due to the Company's legal counsel by year end. The Special Warrants will convert upon exercise into the Common Shares without payment of any additional consideration. The Company will agree to file a prospectus in certain Canadian provinces to qualify the conversion of the Special Warrants (the "Canadian Prospectus"). The Special Warrants will convert automatically on (i) the date that is the later of six days following the issuance of a final receipt for the Canadian Prospectus, and (ii) the date that is 120 days from the date of closing. The Company will also agree, at the request of any U.S. investors, to file and clear a registration statement in the United States to qualify the resale of Common Shares by U.S. investors (the "SEC Registration Statement"). The Company shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to clear the SEC Registration Statement within 90 days from the Closing Date and maintain the US registration statement effective for up to two years. There are no share bump-up or other penalties if clearance of the Canadian Prospectus or SEC Registration Statement is delayed for any reason. Completion of the non-brokered financing is subject to TSX and NYSE American approvals and customary closing conditions. The offering is expected to close on December 20, 2018. Pricing was determined with reference to the five-day volume weighted trading price on TSX for the five days ended December 10, 2018. Northern Dynasty, through the Pebble Limited Partnership, is currently advancing the Pebble Project through the Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") permitting process and notes that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have published an estimated January 2019 release date for the draft EIS on their Pebble Project EIS website. The Company remains committed to its goals of repositioning and re-partnering the Pebble Project. This press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. Neither the issuance of the Special Warrants nor the Common Shares have been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and such securities may only be offered or sold within the United States pursuant to applicable exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. About Northern Dynasty Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly-owned Alaska-based US subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership, is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit. The Pebble Partnership is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources. For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and US public filings at www.sec.gov. Ronald W. Thiessen President & CEO Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address the offering of Special Warrants, closing of the financing and the use of proceeds of the offering that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of the ultimate completion of the Special Warrant offering or the amount of proceeds raised of the Company's future performance. In addition, any statements made by the Company, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects in relation to the Pebble Project, including any potential re-partnering, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees. Assumptions used by the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the Pebble Project will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses, studies and development of the Pebble Project will continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. The likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Project is subject to a large number of risks as detailed in its public filings. The need for compliance with extensive environmental and socio-economic rules and practices and the requirement for the Company to obtain government permitting can cause a delay or even abandonment of a mineral project. The Company is also subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions. The National Environmental Policy Act EIS process requires a comprehensive "alternatives assessment" be undertaken to consider a broad range of development alternatives. Accordingly, the final project design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project and associated infrastructure may vary significantly from that currently being advanced. As a result, the Company will continue to consider various development options and no final project design has been selected at this time. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com. SOURCE Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. Related Links www.northerndynastyminerals.com Interview the movers and shakers in medical genetics and genomics, connect in person with new sources and get story ideas on the clinical practice of genetics and genomics in healthcare today and for the future. Learn how genetics and genomics research is being integrated into medical practice. Topics include Gene Editing, Cancer Genetics, Molecular Genomics, Exome Sequencing, Pre- and Perinatal Genetics, Biochemical/Metabolic Genetics, Genetic Counseling, Health Services/Implementation, Legal & Ethical Issues, Therapeutics and more. Credentialed media representatives on assignment are invited to attend the ACMG Annual Meeting on a complimentary basis. Contact Kathy Moran, MBA at [email protected] for the Press Registration Invitation Code which can be used at www.acmgmeeting.net. Abstracts will be available online in January 2019. A few ACMG Meeting highlights include: Three half-day Genetics Short Courses on Tuesday, April 2: NAMA at the ACMG 3.0 Skeletal Dysplasia Across the Human Lifespan Somatic Mutation Testing in Cancer: Implications for the Oncologist and Geneticist Program Highlights: Photo/TV Opportunity: The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine will present bicycles to local children with rare genetic diseases at the Annual ACMG Foundation Day of Caring during the meeting on Friday, April 5th from 10:30 AM 11:00 AM at the Washington Convention Center. Social Media for the 2019 ACMG Annual Meeting: As the ACMG Meeting approaches, journalists can stay up-to-date on new sessions and information by following the ACMG Social Media pages on Facebook and Twitter and by using the Twitter hashtag #ACMGMtg19 for meeting-related tweets. Note be sure to book your hotel reservations early. The ACMG Meeting website has extensive information at www.acmgmeeting.net . About the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and ACMG Foundation Founded in 1991, ACMG is the only nationally recognized medical society dedicated to improving health through the clinical practice of medical genetics and genomics. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (www.acmg.net) provides education, resources and a voice for more than 2100 biochemical, clinical, cytogenetic, medical and molecular geneticists, genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals, nearly 80% of whom are board certified in the medical genetics specialties. The College's mission is to develop and sustain genetic initiatives in clinical and laboratory practice, education and advocacy. Three guiding pillars underpin ACMG's work: 1) Clinical and Laboratory Practice: Establish the paradigm of genomic medicine by issuing statements and evidence-based or expert clinical and laboratory practice guidelines and through descriptions of best practices for the delivery of genomic medicine. 2) Education: Provide education and tools for medical geneticists, other health professionals and the public and grow the genetics workforce. 3) Advocacy: Work with policymakers and payers to support the responsible application of genomics in medical practice. Genetics in Medicine, published monthly, is the official ACMG peer-reviewed journal. ACMG's website offers a variety of resources including Policy Statements, Practice Guidelines, Educational Resources, and a Find a Geneticist tool. The educational and public health programs of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics are dependent upon charitable gifts from corporations, foundations, and individuals through the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine . Kathy Moran, MBA [email protected] SOURCE American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Related Links http://www.acmg.net Dated June 4, 1775, the letter is from Joseph Warren, chairman of the Committee of Safety for Massachusetts; Artemas Ward, general of the Massachusetts army; and Moses Gill, chairman of the Committee of Supplies. In the letter, the writers desperately request gunpowder from New York less than two weeks before the Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the first engagements of the war for independence. The leader of patriot forces in Boston, Warren was killed at Bunker Hill and his corpse desecrated by the British, ensuring his status as the first great martyr of the American Revolution. "This extraordinary document, signed by America's first revolutionary martyr, reminds us of the principles and the sacrifices of those who founded this country," said Matthew Spalding, associate vice president and dean of educational programs for Hillsdale College's Kirby Center. "We invite everyoneespecially members of Congress and their staff, who are only blocks awayto visit the Kirby Center to see this beautiful reminder of the costs of self-government." "Hillsdale College doesn't disappoint. It lives up to its reputation for academic excellence and continues to be a bright, shining beacon of hope for the salvation of America's principles," said Levin, host of Westwood One's "The Mark Levin Show." "The Kirby Center is the ideal home to display this historically significant letter for all to see. I am delighted to give this opportunity to the faculty, students, and visitors of the College's D.C. campus." The letter will be on display at the Kirby Center beginning December 10. Also on display is a rare first edition of The Federalist, another gift from the Levin family. The volume was commissioned by Alexander Hamilton and published in 1788 to influence the debate over the ratification of the Constitution. The exhibition is open to the general public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Interested parties should call the Kirby Center at (202) 600-7300 ahead of their planned visit to ensure there are no conflicts with Kirby Center events and closures. For further information on the Kirby Center, visit kirbycenter.hillsdale.edu. For photos, click here. About the Kirby Center The Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship is an extension of the teaching mission of Hillsdale College to Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to teach the Constitution and the principles that give it meaning. Through the study of original source documents from American historyand of older books that formed the education of America's foundersthe Center seeks to inspire students, teachers, citizens, and policymakers to return the Constitution to its central place in the political life of the nation. About Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 3.9 million. For more information visit hillsdale.edu. SOURCE Hillsdale College Related Links https://www.hillsdale.edu SAO PAULO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo Sabesp ("Company" or "Sabesp"), in compliance with the provisions of Article 157, Paragraph 4 of Law 6404/76 and the provisions of CVM Instruction Nr. 358/02, informs to its shareholders and to the market in general, continuing the Material Fact disclosed on September 20, 2018, that on December 12, 2018 the Company signed i) the Contract for the Provision of Public Services between the State of Sao Paulo, the Municipality of Guarulhos and Sabesp ("Contract") and ii) the Term of Adjustment for the Payment and Receipt of the Debt between the Autonomous Service of Water and Sewage of Guarulhos (Servico Autonomo de Agua e Esgoto or "SAAE"), the Municipality of Guarulhos and Sabesp ("Term of Adjustment"). The main purposes of the Term of Adjustment and of the Contract are the transfer to Sabesp of the water supply and sewage services in the Municipality, for a period of forty years, and the suspension by Sabesp of the judicial collection of SAAE's debt. Through the Term of Adjustment and by simultaneously signing the Contract, Sabesp, the Municipality of Guarulhos and SAAE agree that the payment of Sabesp's credit (the Debt) will made through the transfer of the Services in the Municipality to Sabesp for 40 years. Through this operation, the assets constituted by SAAE and connected to the services are transferred to Sabesp, which will directly exploit the services of water supply and sanitary sewage. The main aspects of the Term of Adjustment are: Withdrawal by the Municipality and SAAE in the appeals that may be pending in the legal proceedings between the Parties, as well as other measures provided for in the Term of Adjustment; Suspension of the collection of judicial debt of SAAE with Sabesp, with an uncontested face value in October 2018 of R $ 2.7 billion ; Court order debt payment (Precatorio) already issued and those that will be issued by signing the Term of Adjustment will be suspended for the term of the Contract and will remain as guarantees for the full compliance with the Term of Adjustment; The amount in guarantee of Precatatorios will be progressively reduced over this period, until it expires at the end of the 40 years; If the provision of services is interrupted before the expiration date of the Contract, the Precatorios will be reactivated in their original position in the queue before the suspension, and collected; The additional conditions of the Term of Adjustment are as follows: a) Transfer in the amount of fifty million reais (R$50,000,000.00) with the purpose of equating the administrative costs to conclude the provision of the Services by SAAE; b) All public servants and employees in the permanent staff of SAAE will be temporarily assigned to SABESP for six months. From the seventh month onwards, 400 employees of SAAE will remain assigned for a maximum period of four years and SABESP will be responsible for all costs connected to this assignments. The main aspects of the Contract for the Provision of Public Services are: The services of water supply and sewage collection, removal and treatment were granted to Sabesp, except for part of the services of sewage removal and treatment, which will remain under the direct or indirect responsibility of the Municipality; All the commercial management of the services will be carried out by SABESP, including consumption reading, billing, collection and customer relationship; The planning will be shared between the State of Sao Paulo and the Municipality of Guarulhos, as set forth in the Contract already signed between these parties and which establishes the associated management between the federate entities; The concession of the services to Sabesp was made by the Municipality and the State of Sao Paulo through an agreement between these three parties, complying with the same principles of the metropolitan contracts already signed in the region; The regulation assignments, including tariff, control and monitoring of the services were delegated to ARSESP; The tariff of Guarulhos will follow the tariff table for the Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo, after an adjustment period; The Contract also establishes that: a) Commitment of investing around R$2.009 billion (in current values) for the next 40 years; b) Transfer of R$150 million to the Municipal Fund of Environmental Sanitation and Infrastructure (FMSAI - Fundo Municipal de Saneamento Ambiental e de Infraestrutura) created by the Municipal Government, at R$30 million per year during the first 5 years of the contractual term; c) Transfer of 4% on the net revenue obtained in the Municipality from the 6th year of the Contract, whose resources will also be destined to FMSAI and onlend to the tariff, as allowed by ARSESP. The Contract for the Provision of Public Services with Guarulhos, a municipality with a population of 1.4 million and the second most populous city in the State of Sao Paulo, allows Sabesp to provide quality services directly to the population, ensuring the legal, financial and asset security of Sabesp, its shareholders and creditors. The Company will, in the coming days, make the relevant documents available on its website (www.sabesp.com.br). To clarify any questions about this Material Fact, the Company will hold a conference call on December 14, 2018 at the following times: Conference Call in Portuguese: 2 p.m. (Brasilia) / 11 a.m. (US EST) Access Number: +55 (11) 3193-1001/ +55 (11) 2820-4001 Access Code: SABESP Conference Call in English: 3 p.m. (Brasilia) / 12 p.m. (US EST) Access Number: +1 (412) 317-6399 Access Code: SABESP IR Contacts: Mario Arruda Sampaio: (55 11) 3388-8664 ([email protected]) Angela Beatriz Airoldi: (55 11) 3388-8793 ([email protected]) SOURCE Sabesp (Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo) Related Links http://www.sabesp.com.br WARWICK, R.I., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip reports an increase in demand for travel insurance due to safety concerns. The response comes as the US Embassy in Paris, France issued several new security and demonstration alerts. The latest notice, issued on December 12, 2018, was due to the deadly shooting in Strasbourg. The shooting also led officials to raise the country's terror alert level. "This comes as millions of Americans are preparing to travel for the holidays. We understand that many travelers are concerned about their overall safety and unexpected travel disruptions. Our customer care department is available to offer guidance on how travel insurance may apply and to help find appropriate coverage for travelers," said InsureMyTrip CEO Jim Grace. Earlier this month, travel insurance agents at InsureMyTrip reported a jump in calls from travelers seeking insurance for trips to France. The jump was due to the latest wave of violent protests in Paris. The incident in Strasbourg will likely be another consideration as travelers contemplate upcoming visits to the country. According to an internal poll of licensed insurance agents at InsureMyTrip, the most common requests from travelers regarding terrorism concerns are the following: Information on terrorism-related coverage How to cancel a trip due to terrorism fears Information on the Cancel For Any Reason benefit benefit How to postpone or change upcoming travel plans Here are some examples of how travel insurance can help travelers due to terrorism-related concerns under the trip cancellation, trip interruption and travel delay benefits offered by most travel insurance providers on a comprehensive plan: Cancel trip due to a terrorist attack: if a terrorist attack happens in a destination on a traveler's itinerary shortly before departure. Typically, coverage only extends to terror acts that have occurred within a certain number of days before a scheduled departure. Not all travel insurance providers offer this coverage and there are specific requirements. Cancel trip for any reason: this is an optional time-sensitive benefit that allows travelers to cancel their trip for any reason. Terrorism-related travel delay: if a terrorism-related situation causes a significant airport slowdown or flight delay. Terrorism-related trip interruption: if a terrorist attack happens at the destination after the traveler has arrived and the traveler must cut the trip short. Emergency assistance: most InsureMyTrip travel insurance providers offer 24/7 assistance services for travelers needing help while traveling or faced with an emergency situation during their trip. Travelers interested in learning more about protection plans or coverage available can visit www.InsureMyTrip.com or call (800) 487-4722 to speak with a licensed travel insurance agent in our customer care department. Travel Insurance Expert: Meghan Walch [email protected] About InsureMyTrip It's simple. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. InsureMyTrip is the authority on travel insurance. We are committed to empowering travelers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise. SOURCE InsureMyTrip Related Links http://www.insuremytrip.com HERNDON, Va., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, and management services, has been awarded two production task orders worth $46 million in total from the Department of the Navy Program Executive Office (PEO) for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) program office as part of the Consolidated Afloat Networks Enterprise Services (CANES) indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) multiple-award contract for CVN, DDG, LHD ship classes and submarines. Under the task orders Serco will source and assemble the required IT Network systems in hardened shipboard racks. The systems will be assembled at Serco's San Diego integration facility. During 2018, Serco has been awarded 11 task orders worth more than $104 million from the 8-year CANES IDIQ contract. CANES is the consolidation and enhancement of the requirements for five existing legacy network programs, as well as a single support framework for all C4I applications that currently require dedicated infrastructure to operate delivered and managed legacy systems. These include the Integrated Shipboard Network System (ISNS), Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) Networks, and Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System Maritime (CENTRIXS-M). The CANES concept requires a technical and programmatic realignment of afloat infrastructure and services. CANES will take advantage of the new business model of open architecture, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), and rapid Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) insertion, in order to bring fiscal savings to the Navy, as well as operational agility to the warfighter. "Serco has a 20-plus year reputation of rapidly providing highly reliable systems to the Navy to meet their emerging requirements," said Dave Dacquino, Serco's Chairman and CEO. "Under these task orders, Serco will be procuring components, integrating COTS hardware, rack assembly, and factory acceptance testing of CANES systems." Known for building and maintaining C5ISR systems for various branches of the Department of Defense, Serco delivers lifecycle sustainment engineering, systems integration, hardware procurement, software development, technical support, installation and testing, operations and maintenance solutions. About Serco Inc. Serco Inc. is a leading provider of professional, technology and management services. We advise, design, integrate, and deliver solutions that transform how clients achieve their missions. Our customer-first approach, robust portfolio of services, and global experience enable us to respond with solutions that achieve outcomes with value. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Serco Inc. has approximately 6,000 employees and annual revenue of $1 billion. Serco Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Serco Group plc, a $4 billion international business that helps transform government and public services around the world. More information about Serco Inc. can be found at www.serco-na.com. SOURCE Serco Inc. Related Links http://www.serco-na.com CHICAGO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nation's leading independent employee benefits advisory organization, is pleased to welcome Athens Insurance Agency to our family of Partners. Athens Insurance Agency provides affordable personal, commercial, and employee benefits coverage. Located in Athens, Tennessee, their team of professionals provide unparalleled service. Since their founding in 1931, Athens Insurance Agency has grown from serving the Southeastern United States to providing coverage to clients across the country. "We believe that becoming a UBA partner is the key to unlocking future success. The information, relationships, and support that UBA would provide is a great step for the future growth of Athens Insurance," said Allen Carter, Owner of Athens Insurance Agency. In recent years, Athens Insurance Agency has continued to grow, in part because of an enhanced focus on their employee benefits business. They are looking to continue to expand their employee benefits department by establishing new partnerships and cultivating relationships with their current and new clients. Under the leadership of owner Allen F. Carter, Athens Insurance Agency maintains a sterling reputation for excellence. "By providing superior service to their customers, Athens Insurance Agency has a client-focused business that will fit well within UBA's culture and further our mission. Their expertise and excellent reputation in the industry makes them an invaluable resource both to their clients and to UBA," said UBA President Peter Weber, M.S., CAE. "Athens Insurance exemplifies the UBA Partner service model." "We believe that becoming a UBA partner is the key to unlocking future success. The information, relationships, and support that UBA would provide is a great step for the future growth of Athens Insurance. Athens Insurance looks forward to sharing our expertise and knowledge with other UBA partners when called upon," said Allen Carter, Owner of Athens Insurance Agency. Athens Insurance Agency joins a network of employee benefits advisory firms that serve employers of all sizes across the United States, Canada, England and Ireland. As a combined group, UBA's annual employee benefit revenues rank it among the top ten employee benefit advisory organizations globally. About Athens Insurance Agency Owned by Allen F. Carter, Athens Insurance Agency provides a full range of tailored insurance solutions to clients across the U.S. from their office in Athens, Tennessee. Recently expanding into the employee benefits business, Athens continues to maintain the level of integrity and service they provide in the personal and commercial insurance to their newest department. The solid relationships they've built, and their excellent reputation allows them to provide a variety of resources to their clients with integrity and professionalism. For more information, visit www.athensins.com. About United Benefit Advisors United Benefit Advisors (UBA) is the nation's leading independent employee benefits advisory organization with more than 200 offices throughout the United States, Canada, England and Ireland. UBA empowers more than 2,000 Partners to both maintain their individuality and pool their expertise, insight, and market presence to provide best-in-class services and solutions. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from the shared wisdom of our Partners should visit www.UBAbenefits.com. Media Contact Bill Olson SVP Operations 312.416.3673 [email protected] SOURCE United Benefit Advisors Related Links http://www.UBAbenefits.com By Linda Deng, China Daily | Dec. 11, 2018 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 world's 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 China's Fujian province, is one of Boeing's more than 30 commercial customers in China. "We're 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 Boeing's business, the US economy and the Chinese aviation industry," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice-president of commercial sales and marketing at Boeing. China's 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 world's 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 China's Zhejiang province. The facility will handle interior work and exterior painting of 737 MAXs for the Chinese market. Final assembly will continue at Boeing's 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. LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Carlin Motley, an employee at the UC Irvine Medical Center has filed a workplace sexual harassment lawsuit, claiming the university did not protect her from a volunteer who stalked and sexually harassed her for more than one year. Motley has claimed that the harassment, at the hands of Ibrahim Eldumiati began in 2017 following Edlumiati's start as a fundraising volunteer with the university Medical Center. Motley alleges that at a campus event, Eldumiati walked up to her, began kissing her face and down her neck while she tried to get him off of her. Motley said that she began to fear for her safety whenever she was around Eldumiati, as there were never any precautions to protect her. Motley said she complained to her direct supervisors on multiple occasions and filed a formal complaint with the university's Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity. The university investigated Motley's claims, but she said Eldumiati never faced appropriate consequences and she does not feel safe at her workplace. She said a university investigator encouraged her to move on and pretend it never happened. According to Motley, since speaking out about her claims of harassment she has been ostracized at work. According to Motley's attorney, a complaint for damages was filed against the Board of Regents of the University of California, UC Irvine's governing body, and Eldumiati on Monday, December 3. Carney Shegerian, founder of the Los Angeles-based employee rights law firm Shegerian & Associates, has weighed in on the case. "The workplace sexual harassment lawsuit against UC Irvine is a clear example of the protections that must be put in place an enforced in the workplace," Shegerian says. Motley claims that the university did a poor job of vetting Eldumiati, who is a "well-liked" volunteer that has raised a large amount of donations. About Shegerian & Associates: Shegerian & Associates has won clients over $200 million in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and New York. Media Contact: Pace Public Relations Caroline Kropke [email protected] SOURCE Shegerian & Associates Related Links http://www.shegerianlaw.com WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Outgoing Skal International USA President Burcin Turkkan, a member of the Skal Club of Atlanta, is celebrating one of the most productive years in the recent history of the organization and its national committee. "In 2018," Turkkan noted, "we added clubs in Sarasota, FL (aka SI Southwest Florida), Phoenix, AZ (aka SI Valley of the Sun) and Fresno, CA (aka SI Central California), which is the first time we have three new clubs in many years." Skal USA is working on starting two more new Clubs in Savannah, GA and Lexington, KY. "Additionally, it was an exceptionally fruitful year in terms of creating visibility and relevance for Skal USA through our participation on supporting national tourism issues as part of Destination Capitol Hill and advocating improved transportation infrastructure, continued funding for America's marketing arm--Brand USA, improvements at our national parks, and easier access to visas for international tourists. As a personal participant in these efforts, it was thrilling to walk the halls of Congress and getting to meet our national legislators, like Civil Rights icon Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. "This participation has enhanced our national relationships with such organizations as US Travel, the National Tour Association, the American Bus Association, Destination International, and the United States Department of Commerce, National Travel and Tourism Office," Turkkan said. "These efforts give us a strong foundation for our top activities in 2019, when Skal USA will host two important international Skal events. The first one will be the North American Skal Congress, held at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, April 25-28, when we bring together Skalleagues from Canada, Mexico, the United States, and friends from other countries to focus on ways to improve our organization in one of the most active regions globally. Skal USA will also be giving out its second National Tourism Leadership Award, which was given this past year to Christopher Thompson, President and CEO of Brand USA," she commented. Skal USA will also host the Skal International World Congress on a week-long cruise between September 17-24 on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas. "The Skal USA Executive Committee thanks our fifty clubs and over 2000 members for this great year," Turkkan concluded. SKAL International USA is currently the largest National Committee within Skal International with ~2,000 members and 50 clubs nationwide. For more information on SKAL International and SKAL USA, and to find out more about the organization membership opportunities, go to www.skalusa.org. Steve Richer Director of PR & Communications, SKAL USA 2018 [email protected] SOURCE Skal International USA Related Links http://www.skalusa.org MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SKYGEN USA has built its reputation within the healthcare industry through its innovative dental and vision benefits technology and dedication to superior outsourced services for commercial and government payersespecially those serving America's most vulnerable populations through Medicaid programs. Today the company announced it is extending its commitment to those with the greatest need even further with the creation of two new charitable initiatives. The SKYGEN International Foundation was created to find cost-effective ways to improve healthcare in underserved parts of the world through the use of emerging technologies. SKYGENerosity is focused on helping vulnerable populations in the 39 states throughout the U.S. served by the company and its clients. "SKYGEN USA's Medicaid initiatives have always concentrated on using technology-enabled solutions and unmatched industry knowledge to help our clients deliver better dental and vision care to more members while helping them serve as good stewards of taxpayer dollars," said Greg Borca, co-founder of SKYGEN USA and the program's executive sponsor. "The SKYGEN International Foundation and SKYGENerosity are natural extensions of that mission. Our employees are passionate about helping underserved populations and wanted to do more for them, and our clients have expressed interest in having us collaborate with them locally and regionally on their community programs. Establishing the Foundation and SKYGENerosity gives us a dedicated mechanism to fulfill both requests." The SKYGEN International Foundation was originally established in early 2017 to find cost-effective ways to improve healthcare in parts of the world where it has previously been lacking, thereby improving the quality of life in those areas. The Foundation launched its first effort in July 2018 with a trip that brought the gift of better vision to citizens of the African nation of Tanzania. Working with partners Essilor and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT), the Foundation has offered free eye exams and corrective lenses to more than 22,000 people, many of whom had suffered with poor vision for many years. This initiative continues on a daily basis with a goal of tripling that number by the end of 2019. The SKYGENerosity program will offer multiple ways for SKYGEN USA, its employees, and others to donate their time, talent, and treasure, both individually and through the company. Recent events included a company-sponsored blood drive, a Hunger Task Force donation drive to share food with those in need and an Eras senior network donation drive to help the elderly and adults with disabilities maintain their independence. The organization also partners with its clients to support outreach programs in their local markets that improve the dental, vision and medical health of their members. "One of the things I've always been proudest of at SKYGEN USA is our culture of inventing new ways to utilize technology to improve the lives of others," said Craig Kasten, SKYGEN USA CEO and co-founder. "You can see it in the passion our people bring to their work, especially around helping to stretch Medicaid dollars further so more people can have access to quality care, and in what they do for each other here at work and at home in their individual communities. Yet they wanted to do more. As a company we have been blessed by success, and our employees wanted a way to share that success on a larger scale to help the less fortunate. The SKYGEN International Foundation, which has already impacted more than 22,000 lives while creating jobs in Tanzania, and SKYGENerosity give them the means to do that while ensuring we stay true to our guiding principles." For more information about various company-sponsored charitable events, please go to: https://www.skygenusa.com/About/SKYGENEROSITY.htm. To learn more about the SKYGEN International Foundation and to donate, please visit: https://www.skygenfoundation.org/donate Tweet this: Time, talent, treasure: @SKYGENUSA launches SKYGEN International Foundation and #SKYGENerosity and to give back to vulnerable populations https://bit.ly/2zSOG1A About SKYGEN USA SKYGEN USA powers healthcare transformation forward with innovative, next-generation technology-enabled solutions and data analytics that inspire stakeholders to challenge the status quo and create better alignment to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and elevate experiences for all throughout the digital age. It helps payers of all sizes and across all lines of business become the most efficient health plans in the country through a portfolio that includes Benefits Administration, Enterprise Technology, On-Demand Solutions, and Professional Services. SKYGEN USA powers the nation's largest healthcare insurers with clients operating in over 100 markets, serving 35 million member lives on its technology platform, and 10 million member lives through its outsourcing solutions. For more information, go to: www.skygenusa.com. For media inquiries, please contact: Linda Bernier Chief Marketing Officer SKYGEN USA [email protected] SOURCE SKYGEN International Foundation Related Links http://www.skygenusa.com LONDON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After a dip in 2016, the European solar power market recovered remarkably in 2017 to add 8.6 GW of solar capacity. This growth was largely driven by technological progress, cost reductions, and the development of novel business models such as on-site direct wire mini power purchase agreements (PPAs). This business model is particularly popular among large-scale solar project developers to overcome regulatory barriers, while fully automated energy management across all sectors and segments on a local level and peer-to-peer models will facilitate new methods of financing. The implementation of such business models will enable PV system installers to offer Solar Energy-as-a-Service. "Solar power generation is heavily reliant on government support," said Irmak Giray, Research Analyst, Energy & Environment. "Reductions in subsidies and feed-in tariffs (FiTs), tax benefits, rebate programmes, and fund allocations will have a huge effect on the market. For instance, new capacity in the UK solar market showed a year-on-year decline of 53.8 percent in 2017, as the country had scaled back solar subsidy programmes. On the other hand, the markets in France and the Netherlands added capacity due to favourable support mechanisms." Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, European Solar Power Market, Forecast to 2025, includes in-depth analysis of the solar power market with specific focus on the markets of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries, and the Rest of Europe. It analyses trends in the residential, commercial and industrial (C&I), and utility end-user segments. Find more information on this analysis here. "Regulations will cease to be an influential factor once prices start falling," noted Giray. "Economies of scale and increasing automation of production will accelerate price reductions in solar modules and installation, which will encourage prosumers. Furthermore, long-term contracts such as solar power leasing programmes and PPA will allow investors to reduce cost and risk by using clean energy." Participants in the highly fragmented solar market are expected to start consolidating from 2018 to remain price competitive as well as foster collaborations among various stakeholders, including module manufacturers, energy companies, end users, and government organisations. There will be additional growth opportunities in: Applying digitisation and advanced digital technologies to solar systems. Expanding offerings to include residential C&I storage. Integrating energy storage solutions with PV systems as it offers fresh investment opportunities for project developers, utilities, software solution providers, and system integrators. Acquiring or partnering with established developers as well as smaller companies that have a targeted development country or a technology that can improve the operational performance of existing or future solar assets. Employing a multi-channel approach to effectively target the market. European Solar Power Market, Forecast to 2025 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Power Generation Growth Partnership Service program. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. European Solar Power Market, Forecast to 2025 MDA1-14 Press Contact: Edyta Debowska T: +48 22 4816203 E: [email protected] http://ww2.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com BERKELEY, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Coinciding with the Imperious Cannabis Business Expo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Steep Hill Arkansas will open its doors this evening to give key industry stakeholders a preview tour of the lab. Cannabis testing tours are planned every half hour and in anticipation of the forthcoming official opening next year, a dedication and green ribbon cutting ceremony will be held featuring prominent entrepreneur, activist, and author, Steve DeAngelo. "Having started the cannabis testing industry by co-founding the original Steep Hill lab in California, it is very satisfying to me personally to see that high-quality testing standards will be made available to patients in Arkansas. My life's work has been to insure this amazing plant can be made safely accessible to patients who need it and the opening of Steep Hill Arkansas is yet another step towards this goal," DeAngelo said. Brandon Thornton, co-owner and CEO of Steep Hill Arkansas, said, "We are honored to host Steve DeAngelo, a global industry leader, who has dedicated his life to moving the cannabis industry forward to full legalization both within the US and abroad, come to our lab and share his inspirational message with us at our open house ceremony." Thornton, a multi-state licensed pharmacist continued, "Testing is key to providing safe cannabis, by analyzing the product to make sure heavy metal, pesticides, and other contaminants are in accordance with the State's health regulations. Our team looks forward to serving the Arkansas patient community soon." Steep Hill Arkansas is currently working to obtain the ISO-17025 accreditation and is expected to be open for regulatory testing in spring of 2019. For more information, [email protected] or O: (501) 516-8028, M: (615) 727-2409 https://www.steephill.com/locations/arkansas ABOUT STEEP HILL Steep Hill is the world's leading cannabis science and technology company with significant footprints in lab testing, research and development and the study of cannabis genetics. Steep Hill's foundation was built on testing and analyzing medical and recreational cannabis to ensure compliance with current safety standards. In 2008, Steep Hill opened the first commercial cannabis lab in the United States and has been on the cutting edge since its inception. Steep Hill is currently expanding throughout the United States, and globally. With the goal of helping the rest of the world adopt "best practices" in cannabis testing, the company also provides expert consulting services to legislators and regulators in many countries, states and municipalities around the world. Steep Hill: "Leading the Science of Cannabis. Globally" For more information about Steep Hill visit: www.steephill.com Contact: Arielle Chu | Phone: (510) 562-7400 | [email protected] SOURCE Steep Hill Labs, Inc. Related Links http://www.steephill.com TOKYO, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TBM Co., Ltd. (TBM), a company that develops, manufactures and sells paper and plastic alternative products made from a limestone-based material known as 'LIMEX', is close to launching LIMEX and Plax bags on the market as alternatives to single-use plastic bags. Furthermore, TBM is honored to participate in COP24(Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) as a delegation of Japan. TBM., Ltd On 12th December 2018 (Local Time 13:15-14:30), TBM will host an event, 'LIMEX - Limestone paves the road to a de-carbonised circular economy', in Japan Pavilion. Here, TBM will introduce the concept model of alternatives to single-use plastic bags made of LIMEX and Plax. Background Companies today are expected to take actions against environmental issues to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to combat plastic pollutions. Regulations against plastics have been enforced in recent months internationally and there is a growing demand for plastic alternative materials. Anticipating the demand growth for biomass-based biodegradable resin, TBM has announced the 'Biodegradable LIMEX' at 'Brussels SDG Summit 2018,' which TBM has partnered with. The Biodegradable LIMEX is composed of limestone as the main raw material and biomass-based biodegradable resin. Furthermore, by working together with Bioworks, TBM's subsidiary that develops a highly functional modifier for bioplastics, we will promote the market application of Plax (Modified Polylactic Acid Compound), the biomass-based new material. We strive to contribute to a decarbonized society and a circular economy. Given the situation that only 9 % of plastic waste, which cumulatively accounts for 6.3 billion tons until 2015 globally, is recycled, TBM has partnered with local governments and companies to promote 'LIMEX Upcycle' to contribute to raising resource efficiency. Overview of the alternatives to single-use plastic bags made of LIMEX Plastic packaging including single-use plastic bags accounts for the largest market share in the plastic industry. Considering the plastic waste issue, progressive regulations against single-use plastics, and greenhouse gas emissions, there is significance in replacing the conventional single-use plastic bags with more environmentally friendly material. Within this context, TBM will introduce the products below at COP24 . TBM aims for these products to be launched in the Spring of 2019. The event at Japan Pavilion Title: LIMEX - Limestone paves the road to a de-carbonised circular economy Date and Time: 12th December 2018 (Local Time 13:15-14:30) Organizer: TBM Event Overview: Part 1 Talk - The Future with LIMEX [30 min] Resource efficiency driven by circular economy plays an important role to reduce GHG emissions. TBM, the Japanese startup that developed a limestone-based new material 'LIMEX', introduces how it can develop a decarbonized circular economy. Specifically, TBM shares the experiences in sustainability-oriented R&D, international business expansion, and a holistic approach to societal changes by partnering with local governments, academics, partner companies, etc. Part 2 Panel Discussion - What do we need for a decarbonized circular economy? [45 min] Welcoming a panelist, Stefan Crets from CSR Europe, the discussion will cover business-driven approaches for a decarbonized circular economy. The panelists will touch upon the different contexts that regions have behind the issues, with reference to TBM's strategic and customized approaches to each region. The roles of businesses and the necessary partnerships to solve complicatedly intertwined grand challenges will be explored. Speaker: - Nobuyoshi Yamasaki, TBM Co., Ltd., Founder and CEO - Tomoya Nakamura, TBM Co., Ltd., Global Business Producer - Wakana Honda, TBM Co., Ltd., Global Strategy Leader - Tokuro Hatori, TBM Co., Ltd., Sustainability Accelerator - Stefan Crets, CSR Europe, Executive Director Event URL: [http://copjapan.env.go.jp/cop/cop24/events/2018-12-12/03/](http://copjapan.env.go.jp/cop/cop24/events/2018-12-12/03/) The introduction of the concept model of alternatives to single-use plastic bags will take part in Part 1. For CSR Europe, please refer to the information below. COP24 Official Booklet and the LIMEX novelty products distributed at the Japan Pavilion An article on LIMEX is featured in the COP24 Official Booklet, 'CLIMATE CHANGE The New Economy COP 24 Katowice, Poland '. Through this article, TBM suggests opinions and knowledge regarding ways that LIMEX contributes to decarbonization. Furthermore, the LIMEX novelty products will be distributed at the Japan Pavilion. Introduction of the new material 'LIMEX' [What is LIMEX?] LIMEX is made mainly from limestone. It is an environmentally and economically viable new material that can substitute paper and plastic. 2013 TBM was chosen by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as one of the Innovation Base Promotion Businesses to be aided by "Subsidy for Advanced Technology Demonstration and Evaluation Facility Development." TBM was chosen by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as one of the Innovation Base Promotion Businesses to be aided by "Subsidy for Advanced Technology Demonstration and Evaluation Facility Development." 2014 Patent Approval for the new material technology in Japan . International patent applications have been approved or await approval in 43 countries. Patent Approval for the new material technology in . International patent applications have been approved or await approval in 43 countries. 2015 Construction of Shiroishi Plant was completed. (Shiroishi city, Miyagi) The capacity of Shiroishi Plant is 6,000 tons annually. Construction of Shiroishi Plant was completed. (Shiroishi city, Miyagi) The capacity of Shiroishi Plant is 6,000 tons annually. 2016 TBM received The Social Impact Award by Plug and Play Tech Center. TBM received The Social Impact Award by Plug and Play Tech Center. 2017 TBM was selected as one of the five top companies to participate in the Innovation Showcase of Japan US Innovation Awards program. [Paper alternative (LIMEX sheet)] LIMEX uses almost no water and no trees while 1 ton of paper is made from around 20 trees and 100 tons of water. One ton of LIMEX Sheet is made from 0.6~0.8 tons of limestone and 0.2~0.4 tons of polyolefin resin. Japanese Paper manufacturers plant trees overseas for sustainability. If used LIMEX sheet is to be disposed in Japan , it is generally categorized as combustible waste, and cannot be recycled with paper. [Plastic alternative (LIMEX pellet)] While conventional plastic is made from petroleum-derived resin, LIMEX pellet is made mainly from limestone. LIMEX pellet can reduce the amount of petroleum-derived resin used. Limestone costs lower than petroleum-derived resin. LIMEX sheet can be up-cycled to LIMEX pellet. [Deposits of limestone] Limestone is self-sufficient in Japan . . Limestone is abundant around the world. TBM Co., Ltd. CEO Yamasaki Nobuyoshi Head Office 2-7-17-6F, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan Founded 2011 Capital 9,194 million yen (Including legal capital surplus) Business description Development, manufacturing and sale of LIMEX and LIMEX products URL https://tb-m.com/en/ *The name of the company, goods and services appeared in this news release are registered trademark or trademark. *The contents of this news release are as of the released day. The contents are subject to change without notice. MEDIA CONTACT TEL+ 81-3-3538-6777 FAX+ 81- 3-3538-6778 Email[email protected] Related Images cop24-logo.png COP24 logo cop24-official-booklet-and-the.jpg COP24 Official Booklet and the LIMEX novelty products distributed at the Japan Pavilion alternatives-to-single-use-plastic.jpg Alternatives to single-use plastic bags made of LIMEX More than 50% of the composition of the material is limestone. This is achieved through the Compound Technology of LIMEX. The material has a silky and stretchy feel despite its main material, limestone. It contributes to the issues of resource depletion and environmental pollution as the usage of oil-based resources is significantly reduced in comparison to the conventional single-use plastic bag alternatives-to-single-use-plastic.jpg Alternatives to single-use plastic bags made of Plax The bag is made from a new material by mixing biodegradable resin and limestone and applying the Plax technology. The material degrades into limestone, water, and CO2 under compost conditions, and contributes to the issue of environmental pollution. The material uses polylactic acid, a relatively hard biomass-based resin as the main material and has a silky and stretchy feel. Related Links Official Booklet Event Overview Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcxqWiRotYc SOURCE TBM., Ltd Related Links https://tb-m.com DUBLIN, Dec 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Thailand Cold Chain Market Forecast to 2022 - By Type, By 3PL, By Temperature Range, By Region, By International and Domestic Cold Transport and By Modes of Transport" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report covers market size, segmentation on the basis of cold storage and cold transport and by the ownership, temperature range of the facilities and by the region. The report also covers value chain analysis, competitive landscape and company profiles for major players in Thailand cold chain market. The report provides detailed overview on future outlook & projections with analyst recommendations for the industry. The report facilitate the readers with identification and in-depth analysis of the existing trends prevalent in the industry and anticipated growth in the future depending upon changing industry dynamics incoming years. The report is useful for cold chain companies, pharmaceutical companies, agriculture companies, frozen food companies, ready to eat manufacturers, QSR companies and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in the future. Market Overview The cold chain market includes cold storage and cold transport market. The market is in a growth stage and there are quite a few players providing complete logistics services for multiple products such as meat, vegetables, dairy, poultry and pharmaceuticals. The services include Cold Storage, Cold Transport, Inventory Management, Custom Clearance and other 3PL logistics services. Smaller players cater to only limited portfolio of products/services. Thailand is a major food destination in the world. The country's income is expected to grow in the near future with the rise in the export of processed food. Thailand government vision in making Thailand Kitchen of the World has led to significant investment in the development of complete supply chain for food logistics. Cold storage capacity is surging and underscoring the focus of the government, this number will see a significant growth in future. The cold storage facilities are utilized in majority by meat and seafood which are importing and exporting companies, followed by Poultry and Eggs. Confectionaries also contribute to a major portion of the usage percentage of the existing facilities. The occupancy rate of the cold storage facilities across the industry is high. Thailand represents an attractive opportunity for refrigerated logistics service providers to serve the growing pharmaceutical industry. Increase in the number of supermarkets and restaurant have triggered the demand for cold storage and transport systems to keep the products fresh and maintain their quality. Thailand Cold Chain Market Segmentation By Cold Storage and Cold Transport Cold storage market has second highest share to the overall cold chain market in Thailand for the year 2017. Cold storage demand is rising consistently in Thailand as it is emerging as one of the major exporter of agricultural and marine products in ASEAN. The main strategy for the companies operating in cold storage is to build their facilities closer to the major ports and airports due reduce their transportation cost and gain a competitive advantage among domestic as well as foreign clients. Cold transport have dominated the cold chain market in 2017 owing to the fact that the cost involved in the cold transport is relatively much higher than the cost involved in cold storage. The revenue margins are much higher in cold transport than in cold storage. Third Party Temperature Controlled Logistics Most of the food manufacturers and importers in Thailand demand 3PL Cold storage logistics solutions owing to cost concerns, consumer preferences and avoiding the complexities involved in the product handling, management and storage. Due to heightened demand of the Cold Storage facility, cold storage companies run their facilities at full capacity and they have to outsource their excess storage to 3PL players adding to the revenue contribution of these 3PL players. By Region Most of the Cold storage facilities are located in the Bangkok region near Samut Prakhan province. Bangkok contributed highest revenue in the cold storage market in Thailand in 2017. The area is preferred because of its close proximity to the Klong Toey Port, the largest port in Thailand, and Suvarnabhumi Airport. Competitive Landscape for Thailand cold Chain Market Thailand cold chain market is highly fragmented in nature and is at the nascent stage. The companies compete on various parameters including the warehouse capacity, number of pallets, fleet, temperature range, network coverage and locations. Thailand Cold Chain Future Thailand cold chain market is anticipated to increase at a positive CAGR during 2017-2022 owing to the surging demand for refrigerated deliveries and warehouses near major population centers. The frozen food and pharmaceutical industry are anticipated to grow which will increase the demand for cold storage and transport facilities. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary Thailand Cold Chain Market Introduction and Size Thailand Cold Chain Market Segmentation Cold Storage Market Introduction and Size Cold Storage Market Segmentation Cold Transport Market Introduction and Size Cold Transport Market Segmentation Competition Scenario Future Outlook 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Market Definitions 2.2. Abbreviations 2.3. Market Size and Modeling 3. Thailand Cold Chain Market 3.1. Thailand Cold Chain Market Overview and Genesis 4. Value Chain for Thailand Cold Chain Market Cold Transport from Manufacturer to Cold Storage Centre Cold Storage at Storage Centre Cold Transport from Cold Storage Warehouse to Cold Storage distribution Centre/ Customer Cold Transport from Distribution Centre to the Retailers / Supermarkets /Restaurants and End User of the Product 5. Thailand Cold Chain Market Size by Revenues, 2012-2017 5.1. Thailand Cold Chain Market Segmentation 5.1.1. By Cold Storage and Cold Transport, 2017 6. Thailand Cold Storage Market 6.1. Thailand Cold Storage Market Overview and Genesis 6.2. Thailand Cold Storage Market Size By Revenues, 2011-2016 6.3. Thailand Cold Storage Market Segmentation 6.3.1. By Owned and Rented, 2017 6.3.2. By Temperature range of the cold storage (Ambient and Temperature Controlled), 2017 6.3.3. By Region (Bangkok and Others), 2017 6.3.4. By Type of Products (Meat & Seafood, Dairy Products, Fruits & Vegetables, Confectionary and Others), 2017 6.4. Thailand Cold Storage Market Future outlook and projections, 2017E-2022E By Regions, 2022 7. Thailand Cold Transport Market 7.1. Thailand Cold Transport Market Overview and Market Size by Revenue, 2012-2017 8. Thailand Cold Transport Segmentation 8.1. By Domestic and International Transport Facilities, 2016 8.2. By Mode of Transportation (Ground, Air and Sea), 2017 8.3. By 3PL and Owned, 2017 9. Thailand Cold Transport Market Future Outlook and projections, 2017-2022E 10. Decision Making Process for Thailand Cold Chain Companies 11. Snapshot on Thailand Third Party Cold Chain Logistics Market 12. Competitive Landscape of Major Players in Thailand Cold Chain Market Competition Stage Competitive Parameters for Companies in Thailand Cold Chain Logistics Market 12.1. JWD Logistics 12.2. Yokorei Cold Storage 12.3. Sinchai Cold Storage 12.4. Konoike Cold Storage 12.5. Bangkok Cold Storage Service ltd. & Jet International ltd 12.6. CTD Cold Storage 12.7. ThaiMax Cold Storage 12.8. SCG Cold logistics 12.9. Company Profiles for Other Major Players in Thailand Cold Chain Logistics Market 13. Thailand Cold Chain Market Future Outlook and Projections, 2018-2022 13.1. By Revenues, 2018-2022 13.2. Future Technological Trends in Thailand Cold Storage Market 14. Analyst Recommendation for Thailand Cold Chain Market For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/wfbjrd/thailand_cold?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com "We are grateful to have the support of such an influential industry leader as Kikkoman," said CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan. "This partnership helps ensure that the college can continue to provide the very best education to the future leaders of our profession." Kikkoman established its relationship with the CIA in 1997, when the college opened its first branch location in St. Helena, California. The partnership has grown to include a variety of initiatives, from serving as a member of the Japanese Studies Leadership Council to engaging in the digital collaboration "Asian for a New Generation" online learning module. In addition to product donations and a leadership gift commitment, Kikkoman was an inaugural sponsor of The Culinary Institute of America's Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival. Twenty-one years later, the company proudly continues its support of the conference to bring influential chefs together in exploration of the latest culinary trends. The CIA is widely recognized as the world's premier culinary college with an industry-wide reputation for excellence. The quality of a CIA education stems from hands-on learning in small class settings and an unparalleled legacy of leadership built by focusing on the crucial issues that drive and shape the ever-changing food world. "It is with great privilege we join The Culinary Institute of America in fostering culinary education that allows students to explore Asian flavor," said Kikkoman Sales USA, Inc. President and CEO, Masanao Shimada. "Kikkoman is grateful for the opportunity to help influence the next generation of industry leaders." While The Kikkoman Teaching Kitchen will focus on Asian cuisines, the Kikkoman portfolio lends itself as a flavor and ingredient for cuisines around the world. Kikkoman Soy Sauce is the best-selling and most widely recognized brand name of soy sauce in North America, prized for its versatility as a flavor enhancer, sauce and marinade base, and table-top condiment. About Kikkoman Sales USA, Inc. Kikkoman is the world's leading soy sauce manufacturer, offering a complete line of authentic Asian sauces and is proud to introduce new products including Non-GMO Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten-Free Soy Sauce, Gluten-Free Less Sodium Tamari Soy Sauce, Ramen Soup Mixes, Preservative-Free Poke Sauce and Gluten-Free Panko Style Coating. Kikkoman Soy Sauce is traditionally brewed in state-of-the-art, GFSI compliant facilities in Walworth, Wisconsin, and Folsom, California, using only North Americangrown soybeans and wheat, salt and water. For product samples, menu inspiration and more information about the full line of Kikkoman products, visit www.KikkomanUSA.com/foodservice or follow Kikkoman Foodservice on Instagram @KikkomanFS. About The Culinary Institute of America Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world's premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu. SOURCE Kikkoman Sales USA, Inc. Related Links http://www.kikkomanusa.com NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The lab balances and scales market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.7% during the forecast period Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05645034 The global lab balances and scales market is projected to reach USD 1.6 billion by 2023 from USD 1.3 billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 3.7%. The growth of this market is largely driven by factors such as increasingly stringent regulatory framework for product safety in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries; growing public emphasis on Implementation of stringent food safety guidelines; and expansion of research pipeline among pharma-biotech and CROs. However, limited replacement rate of lab balances among end users is expected to hamper the market. The lab balances segment is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period Based on product, the lab balances and scales market is segmented into lab balances and lab scales.The lab balances segment is expected to account for the largest share of this market in 2018. The growing adoption of balances among key end users industries (owing to the greater regulatory compliance for product quality and increased research pipeline that replicate into higher lab balances usage) is the major factors driving the growth of this market segment. The pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and biotechnology product testing laboratories segment is estimated to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period On the basis of end user, the lab balances and scales market has been segmented into pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and biotechnology product testing laboratories; chemical and material testing laboratories; food and beverage testing laboratories; petroleum product testing laboratories; research laboratories & academic institutes, and other end users. The pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and biotechnology product testing laboratories segment is estimated to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period due to factors such as need to comply with product safety & quality regulations and growing public-private investments to strengthen the pipeline development of novel pharmaceutical and biotechnology products. Asia Pacific to witness high growth rate in global lab balances and scales market during the forecast period The lab balances and scales market is segmented into four major regions, namely, North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World.Asia Pacific is expected to register high growth rate in global lab balances and scales market in 2018. The increasing number of R&D activities, rising government healthcare expenditure, and presence of stringent regulatory policies (especially for food and drug safety) are some of the key factors supporting the growth of the Asia Pacific market. Furthermore, increasing usage of analytical instruments (include lab balances and scales) in the food industry (owing to the growing food safety concerns) and growth of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry are some of the other major factors driving the growth of the lab balances and scales market in Asia Pacific. Breakdown of supply-side primary interviews: By Company Type: Tier 125%, Tier 230%, and Tier 345% By Designation: C-level26%, Director-level30%, and Others44% By Region: North America35%, Europe26%, APAC23%, and RoW16% The major players in the market include A&D Company, Ltd (Japan), Metler Toledo international, Inc. (US), Sartorius AG (Germany), Shimadzu Corporation (Japan), PCE Instruments (UK), Kern & Sohn GmbH (Germany), RADWAG Balances and Scales (Poland), Adam Equipment Co. (UK), Avery Weigh-Tronix, LLC (UK), Bonso Electronics International, Inc. (China), Essae Group (India), and Gram Precision S.L (Spain). Research Coverage This report studies the lab balances and scales market based on product, end user, and region.The report also studies factors (such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities) affecting market growth. It analyzes the drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the market and provides details of the competitive landscape for market leaders. Furthermore, the report analyzes micromarkets with respect to their individual growth trends and forecasts the revenue of the market segments with respect to four main regions (and the respective countries in these regions). Key Benefits of Buying the Report This report focuses on various levels of analysisindustry trends, market share of top players, and company profiles, which together form basic views and analyze the competitive landscape, emerging segments of the lab balances and scales market, and high-growth regions and their drivers, restraints, and opportunities. The report will help both established firms as well as new entrants/smaller firms to gauge the pulse of the market and garner greater market shares. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05645034 About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com DUBLIN, Dec 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Next Generation Refrigerant Market: Focus on Type (Natural Refrigerants and Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs)), Application (Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, and Heat Pump), and Region - Analysis & Forecast, 2018-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global next generation refrigerant market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.11% and 10.52% between 2018 and 2023 in terms of value and volume, respectively. The report is a compilation of different segments of the global next generation refrigerant market, including market breakdown by type, end user, and geographical areas. Herein, the revenue generated from the types (Natural refrigerants and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs)), end user (refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pumps), and geographies (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South America) are tracked to calculate the overall market size, both in terms of value ($million) and volume (kilotons). While highlighting the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also provides a detailed summary of the global next generation refrigerant market. It also includes the key participants involved in the industry at the relevant sections. The next generation refrigerant industry is in the process of constant evolution. The increase in the consumption of air conditioners, refrigeration, and heat pumps, among others, provides an immense number of opportunities for the market to prosper further. At present, the next generation refrigeration industry is on the crest of technological advancement and is expected to enlarge its application areas further. Currently, a surge in demand for environment-friendly products can be witnessed among consumers. Fueled by a stringent regulatory environment and increasing consumer interest, more and more industries are moving toward products that have minimal impact on the environment. However, the existing conventional refrigerants, such as R32, R22, R134a, and R544, among others, have high global warming potential and ozone depletion potential. Therefore, they have an adverse environmental impact. However, the next generation refrigerants, such as Ammonia (R-717), 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene (R-1234yf), and 1,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene (R-1234ze), among others have minimal to zero global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP). The demand for the next generation refrigerant is propelling, owing to the increased preference for lesser environment harming production procedures. Natural refrigerant and Hydrofluoroolefins (HFO) are the two types of next generation refrigerants owing to their zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP). Natural refrigerants are naturally occurring and non-synthetic substances that can be used as cooling agents in refrigerators and air-conditioners. These substances include hydrocarbons (propane, butane, and cyclopentane), CO2, ammonia, water, and air. These natural refrigerants have negligible or zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) thereby, lowering the impact on global warming. The high efficiency of natural refrigerants has a lower impact on global warming. Some of the natural refrigerants are ammonia (R-717), carbon dioxide (R-744), and hydrocarbon refrigerants such as isobutane (R-600a), propane (R-290), and others. In terms of value, the global next generation refrigerant market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.11% during the forecast period 2018-2023. The demand for natural refrigerants in the global market is expected to grow significantly, owing to the rise in the stringent government regulations, such as Significant New Alternative Policy (SNAP), Montreal Protocol, F-Gas regulations and others, to curb the usage of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) that have high global warming potential and ozone depletion potential. The refrigeration segment accounts for the largest market share in the global next generation refrigerant market. Natural refrigerants are widely used in industrial and commercial refrigeration. Ammonia or R-717 is one of the preferred choices for large installations, whereas ozone depleting substances such as CFCs, HCFCs, and other high global warming potential refrigerants, were ruled out under international agreements. In Europe, ammonia has been widely adopted for industrial refrigeration in the U.K. and Germany owing to the usage restrictions and taxation on greenhouse gases in the countries. In terms of volume, Europe dominated the global next generation refrigerant market in 2017. The rise in government initiatives, such as F-Gas regulation against HFCs and HCFCs, has led to an increase in the demand of natural refrigerants and HFO in the region. Additionally, commercial supermarkets have largely taken over the usage of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant in its refrigeration and air conditioning systems. This is further expected to increase the demand of natural refrigerants in the region. Some of the key players operating in the next generation refrigerant market include AGC Inc., Arkema SA, ASPEN Refrigerants, Inc., Daikin Industries, Ltd., Global Refrigerants, Harp International Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., SRF Limited, Tazzetti S.p.A., The Chemours Company, and The Linde Group, among others. The key players operating in this market have increased their business expansion activities over the recent years to generate public awareness about their existing and new products and technologies and to compete with the competitors' product portfolio. Out of the total development, 38.89% of the developmental strategies have been product launches. Driven by the rapid evolution of the next generation refrigerant, there has been a swift growth in the research and development activities by many important players in this market, leading to an increase in the number of business expansions over the last three years. For instance, Honeywell International, started a new plant in Geismar, Louisiana to produce R-1234yf in the U.S. It is a $300 million project whereby the company started the production of Solstice products in May 2017. Key Topics Covered Executive Summary 1 Market Dynamics 1.1 Drivers 1.1.1 Alarming Issue of Global Warming and Increasing Adoption of Environment Friendly Refrigerants 1.1.2 Growing Infrastructure Sector Driving the Growth of the Refrigerant Market 1.1.3 Adherence to Stringent Regulations to Maintain Energy Efficiency Standards 1.2 Restraints 1.2.1 Flammability and Toxicity Issues 1.2.2 Frequent Modification in Environmental Regulations and Norms 1.3 Opportunities 1.3.1 Development of Green Buildings and Smart Cities 2 Competitive Insights 2.1 Key Market Developments and Strategies 2.1.1 Business Expansions 2.1.2 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Joint Ventures 2.1.3 Mergers and Acquisitions 2.1.4 Product Launches 2.1.5 Others (Investment and Awards) 2.2 Market Share Analysis 3 Industry Analysis 3.1 Supply Chain Analysis 3.2 Industry Attractiveness 3.3 Opportunity Matrix Analysis 3.4 Country Share Analysis 3.5 Certifications and Standards 3.6 International Agreements 3.6.1 The Montreal Protocol 3.6.2 Kigali Amendment 3.6.3 Kyoto Protocol 3.7 Policy Trends in Europe 3.7.1 F-Gas Regulation 3.7.2 Mobile Air Conditioning Directive (MAC) 4 Global Next Generation Refrigerant Market (by Type), $Million and Kilotons, 2016-2023 4.1 Assumptions 4.2 Limitations 4.3 Market Overview 4.4 Natural Refrigerants 4.4.1 Natural Refrigerant Market (by Type) 4.5 Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) 4.5.1 HFO in Next Generation Refrigerant Market (by Type) 5 Global Next Generation Refrigerant Market (by End User), $Million and Kilotons, 2016-2023 5.1 Refrigeration 5.1.1 Domestic 5.1.2 Commercial 5.1.3 Industrial 5.1.4 Transportation 5.2 Air Conditioning 5.2.1 Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) 5.2.2 Residential 5.2.3 Commercial 5.2.4 Industrial 5.3 Heat Pumps 6 Next Generation Refrigerant Market (by Region), $Million and Kilotons, 2016-2023 6.1 North America 6.2 Asia-Pacific 6.3 Europe 6.4 Middle East and Africa (MEA) 6.5 South America 7 Company Profiles 7.1 Overview 7.2 AGC Inc. 7.3 Arkema SA 7.4 ASPEN Refrigerants Inc. 7.5 Daikin Industries Ltd. 7.6 Global Refrigerants 7.7 Harp International Ltd. 7.8 Honeywell International Inc. 7.9 SRF Limited 7.10 Tazzetti S.p.A. 7.11 The Chemours Company 7.12 The Linde Group 8 Customer Profiles 8.1 Carrier Corporation 8.2 Panasonic Corporation 8.3 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. 8.4 Trane Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/q3fqqh/the_global_next?w=5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com PHOENIX, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nationwide opioid crisis continues1, registered nurses (47 percent), administrative staff (51 percent) and U.S. adults (35 percent) agree that opioids/other prescription drug abuse is one of the top three healthcare crises that will have the most detrimental effect on the U.S. population in the next five years. This is according to a recent University of Phoenix online survey of 273 registered nurses, 256 administrative staff, and 2,006 U.S. adults of whom 1,215 were recent patients, who were asked about opioid abuse and other healthcare-related topics. The survey was done to understand the impact the crisis has had on the U.S. population, what healthcare professionals are seeing, and how healthcare professionals can be prepared to deal with this issue. "According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 116 people die a day from opioid-related drug overdoses2. Having all groups indicate that opioid abuse is a top concern reinforces how, while this topic continues to dominate headlines, more work is needed to reduce this number and find alternative treatment methods," said Holly Orozco, Dr. P.H., dean for the College of Humanities and Sciences at University of Phoenix. "To make meaningful progress on this issue, we need to know what treatment methods people are currently using, understand the training healthcare professionals have to pinpoint potential addictions, and do more research on how to improve both training and access to appropriate treatments for those who suffer from pain." Are Patients Honest with Healthcare Professionals about How They Manage Pain? Most registered nurses (80 percent) say they know a patient has been treating with something other than that prescribed because the patient has told them. Meanwhile, the vast majority of U.S. adults (84 percent) say they are honest with healthcare providers about how they manage pain. In addition to saying patients tell them, when asked what the indications are that a patient has been using something other than prescribed treatment, registered nurses said the following: Their behavior shows it (63 percent) Their eyes show it (45 percent) I can smell it (37 percent) I caught them taking/using it (19 percent) Pain-Reducing Agents Used and Increase in Request for Opioids On average, registered nurses who report a percentage say more than two in five (48 percent) patients ask about using opioids to manage pain. When asked what pain-reducing agents are used by patients to manage pain, registered nurses and U.S. adults indicated the following: Registered Nurses U.S. Adults Over-the-counter medications (73 percent) Over-the-counter medications (71 percent) Prescription drugs, not including opioids, for recreation use (i.e. Xanax, Ritalin, Adderall) (64 percent) Prescription drugs, not including opioids, for recreation use (i.e. Xanax, Ritalin, Adderall) (30 percent) Medical and/or prescribed marijuana (47 percent) Homeopathic remedies (17 percent) Homeopathic remedies (46 percent) Alcohol (14 percent) Other narcotics (41 percent) Non-medical marijuana (11 percent) Non-medical marijuana (41 percent) Other narcotics (10 percent) Alcohol (38 percent) Medical and/or prescribed marijuana (9 percent) "This data shows an inherent disconnect between what healthcare professionals are seeing in the field and what their patients are telling them regarding how they honestly manage pain," said Dr. Orozco. "It is essential that healthcare professionals understand the inherent differences between true addiction and chronic pain, and the nuances on how to treat both that exist. All professionals in the healthcare industry, from those prescribing medication to those filling them, must know what the signs of addiction are and how to recognize them in order to effectively combat the opioid crisis." Training to Recognize Opioid Addiction and Whole-Body Approach to Pain Management When asked if they have received formal training on how to recognize the signs of addiction versus chronic pain, 66 percent of registered nurses and 43 percent of administrative staff indicated they had received training and that they frequently use it. Whole-body approach techniques, which look to psychological as well as physical symptoms of pain to determine how to best treat issues, have been suggested as a way to combat opioid addiction. When asked if they have received training, registered nurses and healthcare administrators said: Registered Nurses I have received training on cutting-edge chronic pain management techniques using a whole-body approach during my formal education. 56 percent I have received training on cutting-edge chronic pain management techniques using a whole-body approach during my formal education. 56 percent Healthcare Administrators I have received training on cutting-edge chronic pain management techniques using a whole-body approach during my formal education. 42 percent However, 94 percent of registered nurses and 81 percent of administrative staff agree that these whole-body approach techniques are often underutilized in favor of a quick opioid fix. "Knowing that healthcare professionals feel that techniques designed to combat opioid addiction are not being used is concerning. It is our responsibility to ensure this group is able to effectively use their formal and on-the-job training to pinpoint if patients suffer from opioid abuse and, if so, how they can help them," said Dr. Orozco. "This often begins with understanding and treating mental health issues that could serve as the underlying cause for opioid abuse. University of Phoenix addresses the concerns stemming from the opioid crisis in our Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, which seeks to help students learn ways to recognize and treat addiction from a psychological standpoint." To view a visual representation of the data, click here. For more information about the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, visit https://www.phoenix.edu/programs/degree-programs/human-services/masters/msc-ccmh.html. Survey Methodology The professional arm of the study was conducted online within the United States on behalf of University of Phoenix by The Harris Poll between Sept. 25-Oct. 9, 2018, among 529 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, who are employed as either registered nurses or healthcare administrative staff, and have served in their current role at least two years. The sample included 273 registered nurses and 256 administrative staff. Figures were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. The general population arm of the study was conducted online within the United States on behalf of University of Phoenix by The Harris Poll between Sept. 13-17, 2018 among 2,006 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, 1,215 of whom had been patients within the past three months. Figures for gender, age, race/ethnicity, household income, investable assets, education, household size, employment status, marital status, and region were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. For more information, please contact Amanda Barchilon. About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix is innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. 1 https://www.hrsa.gov/opioids 2 https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/ SOURCE University of Phoenix Related Links http://www.phoenix.edu CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For decades, the approach to managing astronaut trash has involved temporarily storing and ultimately disposing of the trash either by return to Earth or incineration during reentry in a disposable supply vehicle. As NASA pushes the boundaries of human space exploration through longer missions to the Moon and Mars, these proven approaches will no longer be feasible for several reasons. Returning trash to Earth will be impractical, jettisoning it during the mission may result in the loss of valuable recoverable resources and disposing of it locally may pose a planetary protection risk. To solve these challenges, Collins Aerospace, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has proposed an integrated Trash Compaction and Processing System designed to handle astronaut trash in situ. The highly integrated technical baseline leverages decades of Collins' Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) experience to perform safe recovery and processing of the valuable resources from the trash compaction system, minimizing the loss of cabin air while maximizing the amount of water recovered. Through the compaction process, the system would reduce trash volume by 93 percent, turning two cubic feet of trash into a 9"x9"x1.75" disc - essentially reducing something roughly the size of a beer keg to a small pizza. NASA selected Collins to develop the concept through the agency's Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-2 (NextSTEP-2) solicitation for trash compaction and processing systems. Under NextSTEP-2, Collins will have 18 months to develop and test its design, before NASA conducts a preliminary design review (PDR). A second phase focused on procurement will follow. "Astronaut trash poses a significant challenge for future missions to the Moon and Mars," said Shawn Macleod, senior business manager for Space Systems at Collins Aerospace. "Right now, the crew on the International Space Station generates roughly two cubic feet of trash per day, and a resupply vehicle comes and hauls it away about every four months. On the 18-month journey to Mars, that will not be an option. To facilitate longer missions, we need a new way to handle trash in situ, and our system offers the solution." Enabling human space exploration has been a core focus of Collins Aerospace since the Apollo era of the 1960s. The company has developed and manufactured several key life support system technologies for NASA, including the water recovery system currently in use on the International Space Station. In addition to the trash system, Collins is also under contract with NASA to develop the Universal Waste Management System, which will be the waste management and collection system astronauts use in deep space. About Collins Aerospace Collins Aerospace, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Created in 2018 by bringing together UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins, Collins Aerospace has the capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and expertise to solve customers' toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. For more information, visit CollinsAerospace.com . About United Technologies Corporation United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. For more information about the company, visit our website at www.utc.com or follow us on Twitter: @UTC SOURCE Collins Aerospace Related Links http://CollinsAerospace.com DENVER, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- West Direct Oil, Inc. together with its affiliates ("West Direct"), has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Southwest commercial business assets of Southern Counties Oil Co. ("SC Fuels"). These business assets supply approximately 1,800 commercial, industrial, and other transportation or equipment related customers in the states of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada with fuels, lubricants, and chemicals. West Direct will service the lubrication and chemical requirements of these customers and Diesel Direct, Inc. ("Diesel Direct") will deliver fleet fueling, tank fuel, and diesel exhaust fluid. West Direct Oil operates a 90+ year-old one-stop fuel and lubrication products distribution company in the western U.S., Siegel Energy, and is an affiliate of the nation's largest on-site mobile fueling company, Diesel Direct, who currently delivers to local, regional and national fleets in 46 states. SC Fuels' wholesale division will continue to provide full tractor trailer sales throughout this geography and provide its full range of services in its other markets. The transaction is scheduled to close on Dec. 1, 2018. "The strong operating footprint of SC Fuels' Southwest commercial business complements our existing operations and positions West Direct for significant additional growth in the region," stated William McNamara, CEO of West Direct. "We are continually looking to acquire leading businesses with great people and great customers, as we have with this transaction. We are committed to providing the highest-level service in the industry and earning the loyalty of the former SC Fuels customers." SC Fuels' Chief Executive Officer, Steven Greinke, commented, "Our decision to sell the Southwest commercial region is a difficult one. However, it fits our long-term strategy of reinvesting in our core business units in our high-density markets. We believe West Direct Oil is an excellent acquirer of our employees and customers given their proven track record of providing high levels of support and tools to their valued team and customers throughout the U.S." About West Direct Oil West Direct Oil, is a premier one-stop fuel and lubrication products distribution company that delivers high-quality petroleum products, shop chemicals, service chemicals, vehicle reconditioning products and is affiliated with the nation's largest on-site fueling service company, Diesel Direct, which delivers high quality fuels and additives directly to a fleet's tanks, on the job site or place of business. West Direct provides an industry-leading customer experience driven by innovative technology. For more information, visit www.westdirectoil.com and www.dieseldirect.com. About SC Fuels SC Fuels, based in Orange, CA, is the oldest and largest petroleum distributor on the West Coast. Through its multifaceted approach, the company provides unbranded wholesale, branded wholesale, fleet card services, commercial fuel and lubricant services. With a large portfolio of products to serve the commercial, industrial, municipal and automotive markets, SC Fuels aims to be the single choice provider of petroleum products. To learn more information about SC Fuels, visit www.scfuels.com. Media Contact: Amy Gabriel Phone: 888.900.7787 x166 Email: [email protected] SOURCE West Direct Oil Related Links http://www.westdirectoil.com WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2019/White-Rodgers-Recalls-Thermostats-Due-to-Fire-Hazard Recall Summary Name of Product: Emerson Branded Sensi WiFi thermostats Hazard: Contact between the thermostat wires and household line voltage can damage the thermostat, posing a fire hazard. Remedy: Repair, Replace Consumers should immediately check their Sensi thermostat to determine if "Emerson" is printed on the front with a date code from 1416 to 1536 on the back. Contact the firm to determine if the unit is included in the recall and for instructions on repair and/or replacement. Consumer Contact: White-Rodgers toll-free at 888-847-8742 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at www.white-rodgers.com and click on "Emerson Branded Sensi Recall" at the lower left corner of the homepage for more information. Recall Details Units: About 135,000 (in addition, about 15,000 were sold in Canada) Description: This recall involves Emerson branded SensiWiFi thermostats with "Emerson" printed on the front and a date code from 1416 to 1536 on the back. The date code represents the manufacture date from the 16th week of 2014 through the 36th week of 2015. The thermostats are white with an LCD screen. There are three buttons below the thermostat screen. Up and down arrow and Menu buttons are located to the right of the screen. Recalled thermostats have model numbers 1F86U-42WF or UP500W. A product label containing model number and date code information is located on the back of the thermostat. Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received eight reports of burn damage to the thermostat, involving minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. Sold At: Johnstone, Home Depot and Golden State FC stores and Heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment distributors nationwide from April 2014 through December 2016 for between about $90 and $150. Importer: White-Rodgers, of St. Louis, Mo., a division of Emerson Electric Co. Manufactured in: China In Conjunction With: Canada Health Canada's press release is available at: https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2018/68580r-eng.php This recall was conducted, voluntarily by the company, under CPSC's Fast Track Recall process. Fast Track recalls are initiated by firms, who commit to work with CPSC to quickly announce the recall and remedy to protect consumers. About U.S. CPSC: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years. Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission. For more lifesaving information, follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC or sign up to receive our e-mail alerts. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at 301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. CPSC Consumer Information Hotline Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall: 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054) Times: 8 a.m. 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products. Media Contact Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests. Phone: 301-504-7908 Spanish: 301-504-7800 Recall Number: 19-047 SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Related Links http://www.cpsc.gov United Nations, Dec 12 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take part in the closing day of the intra-Yemeni political consultations on December 13 in Sweden, his press office said on Tuesday. Guterres will hold meetings with the two Yemeni delegations and address the closing session of this round of consultations, the office said, reports Xinhua news agency. 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. Sao Paulo, Dec 12 : A gunman shot and killed four people at a church in Brazil on Tuesday before turning the gun on himself, media reported. 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, Xinhua news agency reported. 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." United Nations, Dec 12 : Six veteran international diplomats have been honoured with the Diwali "Power of One Award" for their work at the global organisation for "a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all". The awards were presented on Tuesday here at an event that also commemorated the issuance of Diwali stamps by the UN Postal Administration in October and by the US Postal Service in 2016. India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin, who called it an "ode to diversity and multiculturalism", said the work of the honourees reflected the UN's collective determination to promote peace. The awards were cosponsored by 26 UN missions, the Observer of Palestine and the International Atomic Energy Agency and the event was co-hosted by the missions of India, Belaraus and Georgia, and the Diwali Foundation USA. Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga, who had earlier served as her country's permanent representative at the UN, was among the awardees from three continents. The awards announcement said that along with her, the nation of Vietnam was also being honoured for the rapprochment with the US that was brought about by the late US Senator John McCain in the aftermath of the war between the two countries. As a navy pilot during the war, McCain was shot down while on a bombing mission and held a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. The "open embrace" of McCain and Vietnam helped "usher in a better future bilaterally and regionally", the announcement said. The chair of the Diwali Foundation USA, Ranju Batra, dedicated the ceremony to late US President George H.W. Bush, who died last month. In promoting volunteerism, Bush spoke of a "thousand points of light", she recalled and added that this makes for "Diwali everyday". Belarus Permanent Representative Valentin Rybakov said that Diwali's spirit of peace and charity was in "lockstep with the ideals" of the UN. Thailand's US Ambassador Virachai Plasai was honoured for his leadership while he was at the UN of the Group of 77 that represents developing countries and is the largest bloc there. The other awardees were Andrej Logar, the State Secretary of Slovenia, former Permanent Representatives Catherine Boura of Greece, Agshin Mehdiyev of Azerbaijan and Permanent Representative Mohamed Khaled Khiari of Tunisia. A glaring omission from the list of recipients of the award that honours former or "soon to be 'former' permanent representatives" was Nikki Haley of the US who will leave her post at the end of the year. She is the first person of Indian descent to hold the post and to serve in the US cabinet. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) Washington, Dec 12 : US President Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn has asked a federal judge to spare him from prison time, saying that his cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe "was not grudging or delayed". "Rather, it preceded his guilty plea or any threatened indictment and began very shortly after he was first contacted for assistance by the Special Counsel's Office," Flynn's defence team wrote in a memo on Tuesday. The former official has also offered to do 200 hours of community service, CNN reported. Judge Emmet Sullivan of the US District Court for the District of Columbia is scheduled to sentence Flynn on December 18. Last week, Mueller told the court that Flynn has provided "substantial assistance" to the investigation and should be spared from going to prison. Court filings revealed that Flynn met 19 times with Mueller's team and other Justice Department offices, suggesting vast cooperation. Flynn is the highest-ranking Trump official to face charges in the Mueller probe. He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about his contacts with the then-Russian ambassador to the US. Flynn initially denied but eventually said that they had discussed sanctions and a UN resolution during the presidential transition. The saga led to his early exit from the White House. Flynn's likely sentence is between zero and six months in prison. Honolulu, Dec 12 : The US has conducted a successful missile defence test in Hawaii, the latest advancement in American capabilities to defend against ballistic missiles. US Navy sailors in Hawaii on Tuesday successfully intercepted an intermediate range ballistic missile target with an interceptor missile launched from land using the Aegis Ashore system, CNN quoted the US Missile Defence Agency as saying. The intermediate range ballistic missile target was air-launched by a US Air Force C-17 from the ocean thousands of miles away from Hawaii, the agency said. "Today's (Tuesday) successful flight test demonstrated the effectiveness of the European Phased Adaptive Approach Phase 3 architecture," Missile Defence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves said in a statement. "This system is designed to defend the US, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from a real and growing ballistic missile threat." The SM-3 Block IIA Missile is being developed to eventually intercept intercontinental range missiles, like the types that North Korea has vowed to launch against the US, but, as of now, this is the first successful test of the missile intercepting an intermediate range ballistic missile. It is also the first successful intercept launched from shore rather than from the Navy Aegis ships. The US military had conducted the same missile defence test in January, but it was unsuccessful, administration officials told CNN. A successful missile test intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile target was conducted in October. New Delhi : Book: Kasturba Gandhi Publisher: Thornbird Pages: 424 Price: Rs. 795 The woman who silently and patiently stood by the Father of the Nation, supporting Mahatma Gandhi's grand plans to free India from colonial rule, as well as his quirky habits, finally finds a voice in Giriraj Kishore's book "Kasturba Gandhi". Translated by Manisha Chaudhry from the author's novel originally written in Hindi, a fictional biography of the woman in whose companionship Gandhi scripted chapter and verse of India's freedom struggle, puts a much-needed spotlight on Kasturba's life, which is more often than not relegated to virtual anonymity in comparison to the attention and focus on the life and deeds of her husband. The fictionalised work, weaves in and out of her real life, tries to build context and accentuates the substance which the Porbandar-born "Ba" was really made up of. Especially in the light of the fact that while Bapu sacrificed immensely for the country and earned his legacy, Kasturba in some ways sacrificed much more, both for the country as well as for her husband, and yet remained relegated to the fringes of history and popular attention. The fictionalised biography covers her entire life, right from the time she is growing up as Kastur Makanji, a neighbour of the Gandhi family in Porbandar in the 19th century, when many Gujaratis looked to the Africa continent for trade, especially in cotton. After her marriage at 14 to the man who would shape the destiny of then British-ruled India, the book first drops anchor in Africa, where she earns the distinction of being the first Indian woman to face a jail sentence on foreign soil in her fight for basic rights for Indian women. Interestingly, while the book largely focuses on the personality of Kasturba Gandhi, it also provides a perspective on the role Gandhi played as a man with his family, his relationship with his wife, his children and the role he played as a father -- one which has been under scrutiny in the past. The subtle conflicts between Kasturba, a quiet, devoted wife, and Mohandas, the consummate selfless saint, are well put across by the author, the anecdote (fictional or not) about how Gandhi eventually came to drink goat's milk being a case in point. Kishore builds up the context to the goat milk episode with the dilemma faced by Ba, arising out of Gandhi's extreme positions. "Ba was losing her fortitude. Bapu's refusal to eat, not taking his chosen medicine, a second time, the doctor's refusing to endorse his belief that he was going to die... all this was nothing but an exercise in self-flagellation. The person who could transform others to believe in non-violence was committing violence on his own heart and mind. Kasturba was also suffering this violence in her own way." The author then writes about a spell of illness which Gandhi had suffered, which had left him weak and in need of an operation. But according to the doctor, the operation could only be conducted after he regained a prescribed level of fitness, which required Gandhi to drink milk. However, Gandhi had in the past vowed against drinking milk on account of the violence inflicted by the dairy industry on milch cows. The tactful and earthy Kasturba, however, had a way out of the pickle, which would help Gandhi keep his vow, but also ensure that some amount of milk would find its way into his malnourished body, so that he could carry on his struggle for satyagraha. "Due to cruelty towards milch cows by the people in the dairy trade, he had taken a vow not to drink milk years ago. Nobody had been able to break his view. As Bapu spoke, Ba's mind raced. After a pause she said calmly. 'Fine, you will not have any objections to drinking goat's milk?'" The doctor caught on: "Yes, goat's milk will be fine". For a moment, Bapu was nonplussed. He dug deep. Once more, he felt his life partner had stumped him with her normalcy. When he had vowed not to drink milk, goat's milk had not figured in his calculations. He had only been thinking of cow's milk. So he could consume goat's milk keeping the vow intact. He would be able to start the satyagraha movement. Just the thought of that brought a surge of energy. That evening Bapu had his first glass of goat's milk. The book provides the reader an interesting take on an era about which a lot has already been written about, but rarely from the perspective of those who played a vital role in the making of modern Indian history, albeit from the sidelines. (Mayabhushan Nagvenkar can be contacted at mayabhushan.n@ians.in) Bhopal, Dec 12 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday announced that he has decided to resign and the BJP will not stake claim to form a government in the state as they have not secured a majority. "As we have not got the majority in the state so we are not going to stake claim to form the government. And I am going to submit my resignation to the Governor," he said. Kuala Lumpur, Dec 12 : Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to tampering with a 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund audit report. Najib, 65, was charged with using his position to order changes in 1MDB's final audit report in February 2016, months after he was accused of diverting money from the state fund to his private accounts, Efe news reported. The charges claim that Najib sought personal gain by trying to avoid legal or disciplinary action against him in relation to 1MDB. Earlier, then-president and CEO of 1MDB, Arul Kanda Kandasamy, 42, was charged in the same Kuala Lumpur court with abetting Najib. Both pleaded not guilty to the indictments, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The new indictment raises the total number of charges against Najib to 39 since his removal from power in the May elections. He served as prime minister of Malaysia since 2009 - the year he set up 1MDB as an investment arm of the state. The 1MDB corruption scandal was revealed in 2015 by an investigation carried out by The Wall Street Journal and the Sarawak Report that revealed the diversion of 2.6 billion ringgit ($681 million) to his private accounts. Najib claimed that the money was a donation from a Saudi prince, and the prosecution, the Anti-Corruption Commission along with the fund exonerated him of any crime. The US Department of Justice estimates that about $4.5 billion was diverted from the 1MDB, $1 billion of which may have been laundered in the country with the purchase of real estate, yachts, jewellery, and works of art among other goods. New Delhi, Dec 12 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 p.m. on Wednesday after opposition parties, including the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) raised various issues which the Speaker did not want to allow. Soon after the question hour began, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge rose at his seat and wanted to say something but Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not allow. Within seconds, the Congress, the TDP and other opposition members reached near the Speaker's podium and started sloganeering. Amid the din, Mahajan tried to conduct the question hour but failed. She then adjourned the House till 12 noon. Bhopal, Dec 12 : The path for the formation of a Congress government in Madhya Pradesh was cleared with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigning from the post on Wednesday declaring that the BJP was not going to stake claim. "As we have not got clear majority, we are not going to stake claim to form the government. And I am going to the Governor to resign as the Chief Minister," Chouhan said here. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Governor Anandiben Patel has invited Congress leader Kamal Nath, who on Tuesday night wrote to her that his party has emerged as the single largest party in the state and has majority support in the 230-member Assembly, staking claim. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, whose party won two seats in the state, announced to extend support to the Congress on Wednesday. The Samajwadi Party (SP) which won one seat in the state also extended its support to the Congress. The announcement was made by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. "The Samajwadi Party extends its support to the Congress to form a government in Madhya Pradesh," Yadav tweeted in Hindi on Wednesday. According to the Election Commission, the final tally for the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly showed Congress with 114 seats, while the ruling BJP came close with 109 in a battle that went to the wire on Tuesday. New Delhi, Dec 12 : Refusing to speak on a sub-judice matter, Robert Vadra, Congress President Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law, on Wednesday asserted that he is not scared and is not running away from the country because he knows that he's not wrong. Talking to the media on Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on people linked to him, Vadra said he will "handle all the pressure". "This is not something new, this is seven to eight years old. But the issue has intensified in the past five years. We responded to all ED notices in the correct way. I am here in the country, not running away. Whenever we were asked questions, I and my team gave correct responses. When I have not done anything wrong, why should I be scared?" he questioned. He also said he will respond to questions which are asked in a legal way, adding that "why should I talk on a sub judice matter?" "We are not above the law, we are very much with the law. I am an Indian citizen and I am not running away anywhere," Vadra added. Demanding that the matter be investigated in a "fair" manner, he added that the "charges against me are totally false and politically motivated. I will not allow my name to be used for political blackmail and have always maintained that we will cooperate". On December 7, the ED carried out searches at the premises of people linked to Vadra in Delhi, National Capital Region and Bengaluru in connection with some defence deals. It also questioned four people, including a Congress worker and two of Vadra's employees, in this connection. The Congress has attacked the Narendra Modi government over the raids, accusing that the Prime Minister was misusing the probe agencies. New Delhi : By setting in motion the process of undoing the pronounced pro-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tilt in Indian politics when the party secured a majority in the Lok Sabha and ruled at one time over 19 states, the voters of the three heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have sent out two unambiguous messages. One is the old warning about pride preceding a fall. The hyperbole of the BJP president Amit Shah's declaration that his party will rule for 50 years has been shown to be so much hot air as has been the observation of a loyal mandarin, national security adviser Ajit Doval, that the country needs a strong, stable government - obviously meaning Narendra Modi's rule - for the next 10 years. It was in keeping with these grandiose assertions that the BJP built the world's tallest statue - of Congress stalwart Vallabhbhai Patel, whom the BJP can be said to have misappropriated from the Congress - and announced the plans for an almost equally large statue of Lord Ram. But none of these achievements and claims have saved it from a 0-3 drubbing at the hustings. The lesson from this electoral whitewash of the three BJP-ruled states is that no mercy can be expected from the electorate for the Modi government's failure to keep the promise of vikas or development. It is obvious that economic stagnation and agricultural distress have spelt doom for the BJP. The second message from the results is that Rahul Gandhi has succeeded in exposing the falsity of the charges that had been levelled against him ever since he came into politics. Yet, neither being derisively called "Pappu" or an adolescent kid, or of being a "pathological liar", to quote Arun Jaitley, had any effect on his emergence as a capable leader, who took the lead in addressing the media after the recent opposition conclave while veterans like Sharad Pawar and H.D. Deve Gowda remained in the background. It is now obvious after the Congress's success in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh that Rahul Gandhi will increasingly be in the forefront of the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) efforts, especially when the other major convener of the alliance, Chandrababu Naidu, has suffered a setback because of his Telugu Desam Party's poor showing in the Telangana elections. The taking of centre-stage by the Congress president is likely to turn the 2019 general election into a presidential-style contest between him and Narendra Modi. Up until last Tuesday, the BJP would have looked forward to such an unequal fight, in its view, between Pappu and the party's hero with his macho image. But no longer. Now, it will be a confrontation between the youthful standard-bearer of a rejuvenated party and the aging leader of an organisation which is seen to be on a slippery slope because of failures on several fronts - economic, administrative as the disarray in the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Reserve Bank of India shows, and an "inability" - whether inadvertently or by design - to rein in the Hindutva storm-troopers. It is possible that these Hindu militants were let loose with one of the BJP's chief propagandists, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanah, instigating them with his venomous Ali-Bajrang Bali communal polasization because the party had been sensing for quite some time - presumably after its setbacks in Karnataka - that it was losing ground. Seeing the receding mirage of the Hindu rashtra, which was thought by the saffron brotherhood to be within reach because of the BJP's political clout, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), purportedly a "cultural" organization, jumped into the fray with its demand for the immediate enactment of a law for constructing the Ram temple. Its calculation apparently was that the law would shore up the BJP's sagging political fortunes by mobilising the Hindus behind the party. If BJP MP Subramanian Swamy is to be believed, it is the drive for Hindutva which enthuses the saffron cadres and brings in votes for the party, and not vikas. But the ploy, which included a pledge by the RSS to revive the Ramjanmabhoomi movement of 1992-93 which led to the Babri masjid's demolition, failed to check the Congress's revival and the signs of erosion of the BJP's base of support. Now that a presidential-style contest is on the cards, it will be advisable for Rahul Gandhi to live up to the lesson which he says he has learnt from Modi's mistake - that of a lack of humility because "arrogance is fatal for a politician". While the Prime Minister has tweeted his acceptance of the people's "mandate", some of the spokespersons of the BJP and the RSS have been describing the Congress's success in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as "accidental" because of the marginal difference in the vote share of the two parties. In Rajasthan, the Congress received 39.3 per cent of the votes while the BJP got 38.8. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP's percentage was higher at 41 compared to the Congress's 40.9 per cent although the Congress won a larger number of seats. The BJP is evidently unwilling to accept a result which has upended its dream of ushering in a Congress-mukt (free) India. (Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com) Latest updates on Howdy Modi Houston Islamabad, Dec 12 : Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua has said that Islamabad would continue with its efforts for peace in its neighbourhood despite New Delhis negative attitude. Speaking on Tuesday at a conference on "Conflict and Cooperation in South Asia: Role of Major Powers" hosted by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Janjua stated: "We are convinced that we will continue to try for peace and stability in the region," Dawn news reported. Referring to India's approach on ties with Pakistan, Janjua said that New Delhi was "spinning hatred" and perpetuating "dynamic rivalry". This, she maintained, was not only unhelpful for improving Pakistan-India ties, but was also stopping South Asia from making progress and attaining peace. The Foreign Secretary recalled that India, by refusing to attend Saarc summit in Islamabad, was holding the regional body's summit process "hostage". About the new government's policy on India, Janjua spoke of Prime Minister Imran Khan's first nationwide address after elections in which he had offered to take two steps for every single step that India would take for normalisation of ties with Pakistan. She said Khan in his letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi later expressed willingness to discuss all issues that were part of the 'Composite Dialogue'. "Unfortunately we haven't seen the kind of reciprocation that was required," Dawn news quoted Janjua as saying. The Foreign Secretary also criticised New Delhi for "spending massively on force modernisation" and questioned the support being extended to it by the world powers in its acquisition of weapons. "Recently held India-US 2+2 dialogue provides India access to advanced and sensitive US military hardware, technology and weaponry," Janjua said while taking a jab at Russia for signing a deal for provision of advanced S-400 air defence system to India. "This would undermine the delicate strategic balance in the region and beyond," she said. Contending that Pakistan's foreign policy has been successful, Janjua said it was proven by the successful counterterrorism operations, the progress achieved by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the emerging consensus on seeking a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict. New Delhi : Given the varied use of government spending, the question remains on how important it is to focus on the "basic" infrastructure services such as roads, electricity and water -- the classic troika of "sadak-bijli-paani". Essentially, "basic" infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity are critical drivers of economic growth. Creating the "basic" backbone infrastructure not only delivers value through the usage of the asset or service but, inter alia, offers even greater value through the ecosystem that can be built around the core assets. A recent tweet by Vinayak Chatterjee, Chairman, Feedback Infra Group, illustrates an example of the value-creation through building "basic" infrastructure: "As per Power Ministry, 15 states now have 100% household electrification. Likely consequences are also emerging like increased sales of electrical appliances." It drives home the point that electrification infrastructure has a critical impact on creating value through multiplier effects on the economy, boosting demand for goods and services down the consumption chain. For all the talk of FMCG companies accessing rural markets, consumer durable companies would do well to pay more attention to the infrastructure creation trends in the economy. For example, increased electrification creates entirely new markets for electronic goods-focused consumer durables companies. However, the creation of a new market is not limited only to the product being sold. Given the relatively higher ticket-value nature of consumer durables, there is a new market for lending businesses as well. This opportunity in the lending space is to finance some part of the consumption trend. This opportunity is applicable mainly to well-entrenched incumbent lending institutions looking for the next phase of growth. For instance, there might be a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) with a significant business in financing the two-wheeler market in and around the areas seeing increased electrification. The increased electrification trend allows the NBFC to now access a substantial component of existing customers for a new product line of consumer durables. Thereby, the NBFC can deliver value to its stakeholders by building on an existing distribution network and credit information repository. Additionally, there is a business opportunity for the logistics sector as well. A new market in consumer durables creates the need for transportation, storage and distribution of products in new areas. The above is an example of how "basic" infrastructure creation creates positive multiplier effects throughout the economy. Most importantly, new industries are established, and existing industries can expand into new areas thereby creating jobs and facilitating investments. For investors focused on India, both in the private and public markets, current trends such as increased electrification create investment opportunities. For example, more electrification begs an important question: Which segment of the supply chain does the investor want to invest in to generate investment returns? Do investors want to invest in consumer durable companies that can tap into new markets? Do they want to invest in financial firms that can benefit through funding of the consumption? Or do they want to invest in the logistics needed to create the new supply chain? Regarding direct versus non-direct investments, investors have a choice of directly investing in logistics real estate versus investing in publicly-listed companies that have significant exposure to the new markets. The single biggest takeaway is that the creation of "basic" infrastructure creates investment opportunities for all types of investors across the spectrum. It is also important to note that besides the creation of new infrastructure, significant value creation is possible through improving the quality and maintenance of existing "basic" infrastructure. While new projects tend to grab most of the headlines, gradual quality improvements and effective maintenance of infrastructure is value-additive as well. In summary, the creation of "basic" infrastructure delivers value on many fronts. Crowding in private capital, job creation, a higher standard of living, access to basic amenities and expansion of business opportunities are some of the obvious advantages that come to mind. Going forward, both central and state governments would do well to build and improve the "backbone" infrastructure. (Taponeel Mukherjee heads Development Tracks, an infrastructure advisory firm. Views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at taponeel.mukherjee@development-tracks.com or @Taponeel on Twitter) New Delhi, Dec 12 : Former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday assumed charge as RBI Governor after Urjit Patel abruptly resigned from the post amidst a tiff with the government on the central bank's autonomy. "Assumed charge as Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Thank you each and everyone for your good wishes," the new incumbent said in a Tweet. Das, who as Economic Affairs Secretary steered the monetary situation post-demonetisation, was appointed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor on Tuesday. His appointment came 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. 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 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. Yangon, Dec 12 : Two Myanmar journalists, who were named Person of the Year by Time magazine, completed a year in prison on Wednesday. Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in prison for allegedly compromising state secrets, while investigating a story on the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state, reports Efe news. "A year ago, Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested in a setup by police, intended to interfere with the reporting on a massacre in Myanmar," said Stephen J Adler, Editor-in-Chief, Reuters. "The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmar's commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law," he added. On December 24, the two will appear for an appeal hearing against their seven year jail term that was handed out by a Yangon court in September for violating the archaic Official Secrets Act. "For 12 long months, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been torn apart from their wives and baby daughters - simply because they reported the news. (...) These journalists exposed mass murder and should be applauded for their public service, not imprisoned for it," said Amal Clooney, Barrister and Counsel to the Reuters journalists. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested on Dec. 12, 2017 for possessing confidential documents, which they claimed were given to them by two police officials with whom they had met during the reporting of the story. The reporters were investigating a mass grave of 10 Rohingyas in a village in Rakhine state during a military operation in Aug. 2017 in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya rebels on government posts in the region. The investigation had subsequently led to the conviction of seven Burmese soldiers to 10 years in prison, the only crime to have been recognized by the Myanmar authorities since the military offensive began in Rakhine leading to the exodus of more than 723,000 members of the mostly-Muslim minority community to neighbouring Bangladesh. The government and the military deny the UN special commission's report that claimed the military campaign to be intentional genocide. The two journalists were named 'Person of the Year' by Time Magazine on Tuesday along with slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Philippine reporter Maria Ressa and the US newspaper Capital Gazette, where five employees were killed in a shooting in June. Raipur, Dec 12 : The newly elected Congress MLAs in Chhattisgarh will meet here on Wednesday to decide on a the new Chief Minister, with informed sources indicating that state party chief Bhupesh Baghel was the front runner. All India Congress Committee observer Mallikarjun Kharge will preside over the meeting with all newly elected MLAs, set for the evening, Baghel told IANS. "A decision regarding the Chief Minister will be taken there." Among others to attend the meeting will be Congress in-charge for the state, P.L. Punia. The race for the Chief Minister's post is primarily between Patan MLA Baghel, party veteran T.S. Singh Deo, who was the Leader of Opposition in the former Assembly, and the party's lone Lok Sabha MP from the state, Tamradhwaj Sahu. Besides the three, former Union Minister Charan Das Mahant is also said to be in the reckoning. A former state Minister, Baghel is widely seen as the frontrunner for the top post. "Baghel led from the front working at the grassroots as well as coordinating with the central and state leaders. As state party president, he has worked very hard and is most likely to be chosen as the Chief Minister," said a party source. Decimating the Raman Singh-led BJP, the Congress returned to power in the state after 15 years bagging 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly. Mumbai, Dec 12 : The key equity indices rose close to 1 per cent during the afternoon session of the trade on Wednesday, led by gains in financials and auto stocks. According to analysts, the markets ignored the sudden resignation of Urjit Patel, perhaps because it might lead to a more liberal monetary policy with the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the new Rserve Bank of India Governor. At 1.30 p.m., the Sensex traded at 35,467.62 points, higher by 317.61 or 0.90 per cent from the previous close. It has touched an intra-day high of 35,554.36 and a low of 35,167.47 so far. The Nifty50 traded at 10,643.20 points, higher by 94.05 or 0.89 per cent from the previous close. "The positivity is surprising but there is possibility that the markets are comfortable from the fact that either the Congress or BJP will be dominant during the upcoming general elections," Rusmik Oza, Head-Fundamental Research, Kotak Securities, told IANS. "...historically the economy has grown better with a majority or a coalition led by either BJP or Congress." All the sectors on the BSE, except the energy stocks, traded in the green. Also key sectors finance and banking outperformed the benchmark index. In contrast, an analyst said a possible hung Parliament in 2019 will be a concern to the market. Dubai, Dec 12 : Actress-entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty Kundra is set to attend the Global Gift Gala, hosted in Dubai, along with Hollywood actress Eva Longoria Baston and other celebrities. The evening promises to be a glittering fusion of celebrity and philanthropy. Launched by philanthropist Maria Bravo, the Global Gift Gala Dubai, in association with the Global Gift Foundation, aims to elevate the well-being and lives of children and families. Returning to Dubai for the sixth time, the black-tie event will be held at Dubai's Grosvenor House, on Thursday. The star-studded affair will feature a gala dinner and auction of both luxury goods and experiences. Funds raised at this charity event will go towards UAE-based charity Dubai Cares and the Global Gift Foundation, which seeks to help underprivileged children around the world. According to a source, among one of the four Indians in this high-profile event, "Shilpa Shetty Kundra will attend as a special guest for the high-impact charity gala. Having been a part of several fundraisers, she has been known for her philanthropic work. "Apart from donating the earnings from a celebrity game show she was part of, to rebuilding an orphanage, Shilpa has invested in improving the lives of the underprivileged, with the Shilpa Shetty Foundation that provides shelter and education to orphans. She has also taken several children's homes under her wing, underwriting the cost of running them." The actor's non-profit organisation in India has been actively working towards the education of orphans. "I really feel privileged to have got this opportunity where I can do my bit and make a difference in the lives of these kids. I never gave a second thought when asked to be a part of this change through a common friend (of Shilpa and Longoria)," Shilpa said in a statement. "I hope we are able to meet the necessity of this cause and have a positive impact for future generation to look up too," she added. Monaco, Dec 12 : Borussia Dortmund qualified as first in Group A for the Round of 16 of the Champions League with a fluent 2-0 win over AS Monaco, helped by Atletico Madrid's draw in Bruges. Borussia Dortmund did not have great problems here on Tuesday as Thierry Henry's Monaco team was already out of the competition, reports Efe. The very young Monaco team could not oppose Dortmund from the start. Mario Goetze signalled the visitors' intentions with a shot that went just wide in the 3rd minute. After a quarter of an hour a good group attacking action ended with a perfect pass from Maximilian Philipp to Portuguese Raphael Guerreiro who hit an empty goal for the 0-1. It was a placid match for the German team, who without forcing excessively were the absolute owners of the match, but they gradually lost control and Monaco began to start believing in themselves, so much so that Diallo and Falcao, before the break, and Glik, shortly after returning from the locker room, were close to managing a draw. Dortmund's performance dropped somewhat in the second half. Monaco disputed possessions and Monaco goalie Benaglio had little difficulty, especially as the few times the German team arrived in front of his goal they were not successful. However, Monaco's lack of experience never jeopardised the victory of Borussia Dortmund, who cleared any doubt that might have existed after 88 minutes with the second goal, again by Raphael Guerreiro, which put the finishing touch to a good game. New Delhi, Dec 12 : Shiv Sena members on Wednesday protested inside and outside Parliament demanding early construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. They gathered near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament House complex holding placards and shouting slogans "Har Hindu ki yahi pukar, pehle mandir fir sarkar" (Every Hindu wants the temple first, then government). Inside the Lok Sabha, too, they raised the issue and gathered near the Speaker's podium. There were more slogans of "Modi-Yogi satta mein, Ram khade hain tambu mein (Modi-Yogi are in power but Lord Ram resides in tents)". "The BJP had promised the construction of the temple when voted to power in 2014 and now the time has come that it must fulfil its promises," Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant told reporters as the Sena members reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of their promises. He said that the Centre should bring an ordinance if need be to build the temple. Hong Kong, Dec 12 : A former Canadian diplomat who is currently an employee of the International Crisis Group (ICG) has reportedly been detained in China, the non-profit organization said on Wednesday. It said in a statement that Michael Kovrig, who is ICG's northeast Asia senior adviser, was detained on Monday night by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security and called for his "immediate release", CNN reported. "Crisis Group has received no information about Michael since his detention and is concerned for his health and safety," the ICG said. Kovrig's reported disappearance came in the wake of Canada detaining Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, on December 1 in Vancouver. Tensions have been high between the countries since then. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau said his officials were in direct contact with the Chinese authorities regarding Kovrig who has been working with the non-profit organisation since February 2017. "We are engaged on the file, which we take very seriously, and we are of course providing consular assistance to the family," Trudeau said. The Chinese government did not comment on Kovrig or his possible whereabouts. US State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said that Washington was concerned about the reports on Kovrig. "We urge China to end all forms of arbitrary detention and to respect the protections and freedoms of all individuals under China's international human rights and consular commitments," he said. Kovrig's social media accounts were active up till Sunday. According to the ICG's website, he had been a diplomat before in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the UN in New York. He primarily wrote about China's role in geopolitics, including the North Korea negotiations and relations with the US. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told journalists in Ottawa that the government was "deeply concerned by the situation". The minister said there was currently no "explicit indication" of any link between Meng Wanzhou's arrest and Kovrig's reported detention. Meng could face extradition to the US over the alleged violation of US sanctions on Iran, a move that has provoked fury in Chinese state media. She could be jailed for up to 30 years if found guilty. Katowice (Poland), Dec 12 : As the crucial multilateral climate negotiations by 197 nations draw closer to finale with the possibility of "weak" outcomes, UN chief Antonio Guterres is expected to join talks on Wednesday for evolving rules for implementing the Paris agreement. While Guterres will have no direct role in the negotiations, his presence was expected to help nudge the talks towards a positive conclusion, say negotiators. A day earlier, UN's climate chief Patricia Espinosa and other top UN officials made passionate pleas to governments to finish the work they set for themselves and conclude the summit with an effective outcome. The main objective of the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP24, is to finalize the implementation guidelines of the landmark 2015 Paris agreement on climate change. "He (Guterres) is coming back because he understands how important this is. He wants to do everything he can to make it absolutely clear what leadership looks like and what the expectation is," a post quoting UN Special Envoy for Sustainable Energy Rachel Kyte said. Amid the presence of 100 ministers in Katowice to provide political guidance, Espinosa said on Tuesday: "Many political divisions remain. Many issues still must be overcome. "But I believe it's within our grasp to finish the job. Let's complete the Paris agreement work programme," she said. Climate negotiators told IANS that Espinosa's plea came in the wake of sharp differences between the rich and poor countries over climate finance, transfer of technology, capacity building and mitigation. "The developed countries have effectively taken a stand that the differentiation between the developed and developing countries can no longer be operationalized in the Paris rulebook," one negotiator said. With 2018 chosen by the parties themselves as the deadline for the adoption of implementation guidelines or a "work programme" to move forward with, the 197 parties of the UN Climate Chance Convention were gathered to agree on how they will achieve the Paris commitments collectively, build trust between nations and bring the 2015 agreement to life. Last week, the four big oil and gas producers -- the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait -- faced off against every other country who wanted to formally "welcome" in the UN text the landmark 1.5 degrees Celsius IPCC report that focussed on urgency and also scaled up ambition by the world. The US stood alone among the world's countries in refusing to endorse the findings of the report. India-based independent public research and advocacy think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Tuesday said "it is clear now that the talks are progressing towards a weak outcome". Deputy Director General Chandra Bhushan of the CSE, one of the observers, told IANS that it was better to have no rulebook for the Paris agreement than a weak and incomplete rulebook. "By blocking progress on climate finance, rich countries are backtracking on previous commitments," Global Lead on Climate Change at ActionAid Harjeet Singh said. (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) Vancouver, Dec 12 : A Canadian court has granted bail to Chinese tech company Huawei's Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who has been accused of helping the firm dodge American sanctions on Iran, while she awaits a hearing on extradition to the US. Meng Wanzhou's bail on Tuesday night comes after three days of hearings, the Guardian reported. Meng, 46, was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 at the request of American authorities. Meng spent more than a week in custody and cited her poor health - including previous cancer surgery and difficulty eating solid foods - as grounds for bail. In granting her release, Justice William Ehrcke of the Supreme Court outlined 15 provisions including Meng submitting to constant surveillance and wearing a GPS tracking device, surrendering both her passports and providing a bond of C$10 million (US $7 million). She is also subject to a curfew between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Government lawyers had pushed for house arrest but she will remain in her Vancouver home pending the extradition hearing, with significant travel restrictions. The decision by the court in Vancouver on Tuesday came as US President Donald Trump said in an interview that he would intervene in the case if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China, the Guardian said. It also follows news that former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who previously served as political lead for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2016 visit to Hong Kong, has been detained in China. Meng 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. She faces "serious charges of fraud" in the US involving "millions of dollars", where she could receive substantial jail time if convicted. The US has not yet submitted a formal request for Meng's extradition. If no formal notice is given within 60 days she will be released. She is due back in court on February 6, 2019. Washington, Dec 12 : US Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, in an effort to understand how Google search algorithms work, asked its CEO Sundar Pichai why so many pictures of President Donald Trump appear when she does a Google search for "idiot". "Right now, if you Google the word 'idiot' under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that," the California Democrat told Pichai during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday here. "How would that happen? How does search work so that would occur?" Lofgren asked Pichai, according to the Washington Post. The Google CEO -- who was at the hearing to address allegations of political bias in his company's widely used search engine -- said the results were based on billions of keywords ranked according to over 200 factors such as relevance, popularity, how others were using the search term, to determine how to best match a query with results. "So it's not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we're going to show the user?" Lofgren asked. "It's basically a compilation of what users are generating." Republicans have long accused Google of political bias, which the company has strongly denied. In August, Trump said in a tweet that a Google search for "Trump News" showed only reports from "Fake News Media." He concluded it was "rigged" against him so "almost all stories and news was bad." House Republicans said they wanted to hold the hearing -- entitled "Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use and Filtering Practices" -- to make sure the search giant was being impartial. "Americans put their trust in big tech companies to honour freedom of speech and champion open dialogue," Republican House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia said in a statement before the hearing. The House committee had also questioned YouTube, Twitter and Facebook executives at separate hearings on bias in big tech. In response to Republicans who complained about Google searches, Democratic Representative Ted Lieu said: "If you want positive search results, do positive things. If you don't want negative search results, don't do negative things." "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." Paris, Dec 12 : The UN cultural organisation Unesco has deplored last week's killing of TV reporter Noorul Hassan in Pakistan and called on the country's authorities to bring to justice those responsible for the attack. "I condemn the attack that claimed the life of (reporter) Noorul Hassan and left his colleague injured," Unesco's Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement on Tuesday. "I call on the authorities to spare no effort in seeking out those responsible for this crime and bringing them to justice. This is indispensable to deter violence against the media and against the public's right to information," the statement added. Hassan and his cameraman were driving along Peshawar's ring road when unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire on their car on December 3. The men were taken to a hospital where Hassan died from his injuries, while the cameraman was left in a critical condition. No one has been arrested so far over the shootings, which the police were investigating as a target killing. Hassan's murder has been condemned by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which urged Islamabad to take "immediate action". Five journalists have been killed in Pakistan this year alone, according to the IFJ. Srinagar, Dec 12 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the party's electoral defeats in heartland states, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday. The National Conference leader greeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his party's success in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where BJP governments were ousted in what was seen as a "semi-final" leading up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Abdullah tweeted: "Congratulations to the Congress and especially to its leader @RahulGandhi for the great success in these elections. He took the blame and brickbats for all the setbacks and now deserves the credit for these victories. It was nice to have something to celebrate on counting day." He said the BJP should not shy away from blaming Modi for the defeat. "And for my friends in the BJP - you can't blame @RahulGandhi for losing elections and not apply the same yardstick to Modiji," he said. Chennai, Dec 12 : Commercial vehicles major Ashok Leyland Ltd on Wednesday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with defence systems company Elbit Systems in Israel. In a statement issued here, Ashok Leyland said as per the agreement it will provide High Mobility Vehicles (HMV) for mounting Elbit Systems' artillery guns and systems. "The integrated systems are targeted for worldwide export markets. Ashok Leyland has expertise in design, manufacturing of logistic vehicles, combat support HMVs and armoured vehicles for the defence forces," the statement said. Speaking on this milestone partnership, Vinod K. Dasari, MD, Ashok Leyland, said: "Ashok Leyland is proud to be associated with Elbit Systems and we are certain this partnership will expand our reach globally. It underlines our capabilities of making and designing in India, for the world. "This step is also in line with our strategy of increasing contribution from our defence business which will help us de-risk our overall business," Dasari was quoted as saying in the statement. Chennai, Dec 12 : India will be launching GSAT 7A, a military communication satellite for the Indian Air Force (IAF), on December 19 with its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV Mk II) rocket, said Indian space agency. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), its GSLV rocket will launch the 2,250-kg communication satellite, GSAT-7A from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. The Indian space agency said just over 19 minutes after GSLV rocket's lift-off, GSAT 7A will be injected into a geosynchronous transfer orbit from where it would be lifted to its final geostationary orbit. The satellite with a maximum life of eight years will be for the use of IAF. The satellite is built to provide communication capability to the users in Ku-band over the Indian region. Earlier, ISRO had sent up GSAT 7 or Rukmini, a communication satellite, for use by the Indian Navy. Mumbai, Dec 12 : Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Wednesday inducted the Indian Navy's first flyaway deep-sea submarine rescue system at the naval dockyard in Mumbai. The acquisition is a significant jump in the Indian Navy's capability in deep submarine rescue. The Indian Navy currently operates submarines of Sindhughosh, Shishumar and Kalvari classes as well as nuclear-powered submarines. The operating medium and the nature of operations undertaken by submarines expose them to high degree of inherent risk. In such an eventuality, traditional methods of search and rescue at sea are ineffective for a disabled submarine. "To overcome this capability gap, the Navy has acquired a third generation, advanced submarine rescue system considering of a non-tethered Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) and its associated equipment," an official release said. "The system would have a global footprint and can be mobilised from the naval base at Mumbai to the nearest mobilisation port by air, land or sea to provide rapid rescue to the submarines in distress," it added. The newly acquired capability would be operated and deployed by the crew of Indian Navy's newly formed Submarine Rescue Unit (West) from its base in Mumbai. The Indian Navy's Deep Sea Submarine Rescue System, considered to be the most advanced system currently in operation globally, is capable of undertaking rescue from a disabled submarine up to 650-metre depth. The DSRV, which is operated by a crew of three, can rescue 14 personnel from a disabled submarine at one time and can operate in extreme sea conditions, it said. Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, was also present during the induction ceremony. Mumbai, Dec 12 : Grammy-nominated Indian-American songwriter Raja Kumari, also a rapper, says Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan told her that he was a fan of her music. "Shah Rukh actually called me and it was one of the craziest moments of my life. He told me he was a fan of my music and wanted to work with me on his next film," Raja said in a statement. Raja has rapped for actress Katrina Kaif in the song "Husn parcham" from the Shah Rukh-starrer "Zero". The song has been composed by Ajay-Atul and sung by Bhoomi Trivedi and Raja. "SRK himself co-wrote the lyrics with me and Katrina Kaif absolutely killed it. This is what my Bollywood dreams are made of," she said. The rapper had also lent her voice to "Allah duhai hai", the title track of Salman Khan-starrer "Race 3". She had earlier told IANS: "I want to do more stuff in Hindi films. It (Bollywood) has such a great impact on the entire world. The idea that something I write can reach so many more people, that's exciting for me as a musician." Mumbai, Dec 12 : Comedy family drama "Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hain" won four awards at the 18th Indian Television Academy (ITA) Awards, where "Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala" won the Best Serial - Drama honour. ITA Awards, presented by the ITA School of Performing Arts, were held here on Tuesday evening. It was hosted by Maniesh Paul, and had acts by Cyrus Broacha and Kunal Vijaykar, Sunil Grover, Gaurav Gera and the team of "Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain" team including Shubhangi Atre, Aasif Sheikh and Rohitashv Gaur. Their show won Best Serial - Comedy (Edit II- Sanjay and Binaifer Kohli), Best Director - Comedy (Shashank Bali), Best Actor - Comedy (Aasif and Rohitashv) and Best Actress - Comedy (Shubhangi). In the Best Actor and Best Actress (Drama) categories, Mohit Raina and Divyanka Tripathi won for "21 Sarfarosh - Saragarhi 1897" and "Ye Hai Mohabbatein" respectively. The Best Director - Drama went to Aniruddha Rajderkar for "Bepannah". "Porus" was named the Best Historical/Mythological show; "Dev 2" won Best Thriller/Horror show, and the Best Child Artiste honour went to Aakriti Sharma for "Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala". Among the Popular awards, Harshad Chopda got the Best Actor for "Bepannah", which won the Best Serial, and Surbhi Chandna was feted with the Best Actress for "Ishaqbaaz", In the web series categories, "Sacred Games" turned out to be the big winner with the Best Series honour. Neeraj Kabi won the Best Supporting Actor for the series, which was also feted with the Best Director award for Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane. The Best Actor and Best Actress in a Web Series awards went to Annu Kapoor and Supriya Pilgaonkar respectively for "Home" by ALTBalaji, which bagged the ITA Laurel for India's Premier Web Channel. Commenting on the win, Ekta Kapoor said: "At ALTBalaji we continuously create original, clutter breaking content that appeals to audiences across age groups. Winning this prestigious award for the Premier Web Channel stands as a definite indication that we are loved by the audiences and indeed in the right direction." The ITA jury comprised eminent people from the television industry and was helmed by veteran actor Jeetendra. ITA President Anu Ranjan said over 1.6 crore popular votes through SMS and Internet were received this year. Bengaluru, Dec 12 : The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has asked the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to design a data site for information exchange among smart cities, the premier institute said on Wednesday. "The Ministry has asked our institute to create a data exchange platform for smart cities in collaboration with industry, NGOs and government agencies," said the city-based IISc in a statement. The "Smart Cities Mission" launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 aims to develop 100 citizen-friendly and sustainable cities using technological solutions across the country. "The city administrators are looking at leveraging the volume of data being generated by smart sensors deployed in their cities to improve operational excellence," said the statement. The platform will enable easy exchange of data among various city departments and organisations, it added. "Such a framework will enable data empowerment for the city's administrators and other stakeholders and bring in data-driven, smart operations for our cities," added the statement. In a related development, the Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) said it would partner with the IISc to pilot creation of data generated smart city project in the Electronics City on the outskirts of south Bengaluru. "The partnership furthers the initiative of the Ministry's programme to develop 100 smart cities in the country," said the authority in a statement here. The smart cities project is aimed at catalysing investments in infrastructure and services, development of integrated approaches to problem solving, promotion of co-creation and bottom-up innovation using technology. Katowice (Poland), Dec 12 : Fifteen international organisations on Wednesday jointly announced a commitment to make their operations climate neutral at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 24) in this Polish city. They will measure their greenhouse gas emissions, reduce them as much as possible and compensate the currently unavoidable ones with credible carbon credits. Representing over two million tons of CO2 per year in emissions, and more than 50,000 staff, the aggregate action by these organisations sets an important example that can inspire all levels of society. While some participating organisations are only just starting their journey, others have already achieved full climate neutrality. The rest have already developed advanced sustainability strategies to step up their climate action by committing to reach climate neutrality. Through this commitment, organisations with more evolved plans will support those at earlier stages and share best practices. By joining this initiative, organisations not only demonstrate a clear commitment to climate action and to implementing the global climate neutrality goal contained in the Paris Agreement, but they also serve as models for others to follow suit. The international organisations that announced their commitment to climate neutrality include the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Secretariat Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa Secretariat, Eastern Africa Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank and World Travel & Tourism Council. By doing so, they have joined the United Nations agencies, which adopted a strategy and a roadmap in 2007 to reach climate neutrality by 2020. Over half of all UN system entities are now climate neutral, representing 39 per cent of the total UN emissions as per the 2018 Greening the Blue report. The UN Headquarters have reached climate neutrality for the first time in 2018. Some of the climate actions that these organisations are implementing to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions include the installation of solar photovoltaic systems, policies for reduction of air travel, upgrading of insulation and lighting systems in buildings, reduction of paper used at conferences, installation of efficient cooling systems and promotion of car-pooling schemes among employees. (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) Panaji, Dec 12 : The absence of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who turns 63 on Thursday, will be felt during his birthday celebrations being held in the state capital, which includes a blood donation camp at the state BJP headquarters, former Panaji MLA and former Defence Minister's aide Sidharth Kuncalienkar said on Wednesday. "His absence will definitely be felt. But we are going to do everything which we otherwise used to do on his birthday like organising a blood donation camp," Kuncalienkar told reporters here. The former Panaji MLA, who resigned from legislatorship in 2017 to facilitate the election of Parrikar, then a Defence Minister, as an MLA, has also appealed to the Chief Minister's followers to attend the birthday celebration on Thursday in large numbers. "Let's celebrate Manohar bhai's birthday tomorrow, December 13, with prayers to Devi Mahalaxmi for his well being at 9 a.m followed by (a) blood donation camp at BJP head office from 9.30 a.m to 12 noon. Join in large numbers at Mahalaxmi temple at 9 a.m followed by donating blood for a worthy cause," Kuncalienkar sent a message to Parrikar's followers on Wednesday. Parrikar is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and Delhi for nearly nine months. He returned from New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences on October 14 and has not moved out of his private residence for any official event since. The opposition, as well ruling coalition allies have been demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, claiming that the administration has come to a standstill due to Parrikar's absence. Parrikar has been MLA of Panaji since 1994. In 2014, he vacated the seat after he was elevated as Defence Minister. He won the seat again after he returned to state politics in 2017 Hong Kong, Dec 12 : A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China and his current empolyer, non-profit organization International Crisis Group (ICG), on Wednesday said it is seeking his immediate release. The ICG said in a statement that Michael Kovrig, who is ICG's northeast Asia senior adviser, was detained on Monday night by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security and called for his prompt and safe release, CNN reported. Kovrig's reported disappearance came in the wake of Canada detaining Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, on December 1 in Vancouver. Tensions have been high between the countries since then. Meng was granted bail on Tuesday night. According to the ICG, Chinese authorities had not notified it of Kovrig's detention and it was unaware of the reasons for his arrest. Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed the arrest and said that the non-profit for which he works in the country was not registered. "If ICG said its personnel was conducting activities in China, then according to the Chinese NGO law of 2016, they will be violating Chinese law because they have not registered in China," said ministry's spokesman Lu Kang, without giving more details or disclosing whether charges had been pressed against the Canadian. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau said his officials were in direct contact with the Chinese authorities regarding Kovrig who has been working with the non-profit organisation since February 2017. US State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said that Washington was concerned about the reports on Kovrig. "We urge China to end all forms of arbitrary detention and to respect the protections and freedoms of all individuals under China's international human rights and consular commitments," he said. Kovrig's social media accounts were active up till Sunday. According to the ICG's website, he had been a diplomat before in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the UN in New York. He primarily wrote about China's role in geopolitics, including the North Korea negotiations and relations with the US. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told journalists in Ottawa that the government was "deeply concerned by the situation". The minister said there was currently no "explicit indication" of any link between Meng Wanzhou's arrest and Kovrig's reported detention. New Delhi, Dec 12 : The rental housing segment needs government's intervention as there are many people who cannot afford buying a home, a MagicBricks report said here on Wednesday. The report also observed that affordable rental homes are required in cities for professionals and students. "A large population in India can't afford buying a home and rental housing can be an alternative to such people. This is one area where the government's intervention is required," said the "Residential Real Estate" report, adding that in Indian cities, the rentals are very high and many people cannot afford a house with even basic amenities. "It is important to ensure the right of housing to even those who can't afford to buy. Rental housing is going to be the next big step," it said. The Central government is reportedly preparing a National Urban Rental Housing Policy. Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said in March that the policy would be released after due consultation between the concerned ministries. Regarding the scheme of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), the report said that more than nine lakh houses of up to Rs 50 lakh each were completed in the last three years. The real estate sector is likely to constitute 13 per cent of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025, it added. "The $120 billion real estate sector in 2017 is expected to reach a market size of US$1 trillion by 2030 (Source: India Brand Equity Foundation) and contribute 13% of the country's GDP by 2025," it said. During the January-June period, a total of $4.9 billion (Rs 33,700 crore) was invested across 31 deals, with an average investment of $158 million per deal, it said. Further, private equity investments in real estate are estimated to grow to $100 billion by 2026 with tier one and tier two cities as prime beneficiaries. During January-March 2018 private equity investments increased 15 per cent to $2.56 billion (Rs 16,530 crore) on a year-on-year basis, said the report. Chandigarh, Dec 12 : Maximum temperatures across Punjab and Haryana dipped on Wednesday following light rain in some parts of both states and snowfall in the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. Chandigarh and its surrounding areas experienced light rainfall since early Wednesday. The rains continued intermittently through the day. The maximum temperature recorded in Chandigarh on Wednesday was 16.3 degrees Celsius, six degrees below normal. Patiala city in Punjab saw a high of 13.6 degrees, eight degrees below normal. The city received 25 mm of rainfall. Amritsar and Ludhiana in Punjab recorded highs of 16.1 and 18.3 degrees respectively, five and three degrees below normal respectively. In Haryana, Karnal town recorded a high of 18 degrees, four degrees below normal, while Ambala and Hisar recorded highs of 18.2 and 18.3 degrees respectively. The Met department has predicted cloudy sky in the next 24 hours followed by dry weather in the region. The hill stations of Shimla, Manali, Narkanda and Kufri got snowfall on Wednesday. Yangon, Dec 12 : Families, friends and colleagues of two Reuters journalists, imprisoned in Myanmar, on Wednesday called for their immediate release one year on from their arrest. Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were on Tuesday honoured among other persecuted or killed journalists as "Time magazine's Person of the Year". The pair was sentenced to seven years in prison for allegedly compromising state secrets, while investigating a story on the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state. The case has been widely seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. "A year ago, Reuters reporters... were arrested in a setup by the police, intended to interfere with the reporting on a massacre in Myanmar," the news agency's Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler was quoted as saying by Efe news. "The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmar's commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law," he said. Supporters of the pair planned to gather in central Yangon on Wednesday evening, while people from around the world posted photos on social media of the "thumbs up" gesture that became a symbol of the pair's court appearances, the BBC reported. On December 24, the two will appear for an appeal hearing against their seven-year jail term that was handed out by a Yangon court in September for violating the archaic Official Secrets Act. "For 12 long months, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been torn apart from their wives and baby daughters -- simply because they reported the news. These journalists exposed mass murder and should be applauded for their public service, not imprisoned for it," said Amal Clooney, Barrister and Counsel to the Reuters journalists. The pair was arrested on December 12, 2017 for possessing confidential documents, which they claimed were given to them by two police officials with whom they had met during the reporting of the story. The reporters were investigating a mass grave of 10 Rohingyas in a village in Rakhine state during a military operation in August 2017 in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya rebels on government posts in the region. The investigation had subsequently led to the conviction of seven Burmese soldiers to 10 years in prison, the only crime to have been recognized by the Myanmar authorities since the military offensive began in Rakhine leading to the exodus of over 723,000 members of the mostly-Muslim minority community to neighbouring Bangladesh. The government and the military deny the UN special commission's report that claimed the military campaign to be intentional genocide. New Delhi, Dec 12 : Even as the two houses of parliament were adjourned on Wednesday without transacting much business due to protests by members, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Lok Sabha has recommended time for discussions on bills, including the one to replace the ordinance on triple talaq. Sources in parliament said the government was willing for discussions on various issues, including the problems of farmers and natural calamities faced by states while the opposition parties were keen on discussions on the Rafale deal, unemployment, demonetisation and "erosion" of institutions. They said members were keen to raise their issues as it will be the last full session of parliament before Lok Sabha polls next year. Three bills that seek to replace ordinances are planned to be taken up for discussion and passage. Two hours each have been recommended for discussion on Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 and the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and one hour for the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill 2018. The BAC meeting also decided that four hours could be allocated for discussion and voting on second batch of supplementary demands for grants for 2018-19 and passage of the relevant appropriation bill. The BAC also decided that two hours could be allocated for discussion on a bill to regulate DNA technology, three hours to discuss a bill on dam safety and one hour each to discuss amendments on bills to protect human rights and personal laws. Colombo, Dec 12 : Sri Lanka's Parliament on Wednesday passed a vote of confidence on ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with 117 lawmakers from the 225-member Parliament voting in his favour. The vote came as incumbent Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and parliamentarians loyal to him boycotted sessions for the third consecutive week, alleging that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was acting in favour of Wickremesinghe and his United National Party (UNP), Xinhua news agency reported. Following the vote, Wickremesinghe thanked all the parliamentarians who voted for him and promised to protect democracy in the island country. Rajapaksa loyalists, however, termed the vote as "invalid", saying former strongman was appointed the Prime Minister and there was a government in place as the Court of Appeal had only temporarily suspended the government from performing its duties. Meanwhile, the Speaker informed President Maithripala Sirisena on the results of the confidence vote, officials said. Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a political turmoil since President Sirisena surprisingly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in late October and appointed former President Rajapaksa in his place. Mumbai, Dec 12 : India has joined an elite group of nations by inducting its first flyaway Deep Sea Submarine Rescue System along with other associated equipment here on Wednesday. Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba inducted the first of the two non-tethered Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) at the Naval Dockyard here. "I hope we don't have to use it, but in case we need to use, the intention is to rescue each and every life," Admiral Lanba observed. The induction of DSRV has catapulted India into a small league of navies globally that posses an integral submarine rescue capability, said Vice-Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. Designed and supplied by M/s. James Fisher & Sons, UK, to meet the unique requirements of the Indian Navy, the most advanced DSRV is manned by three crew members and has a capacity to rescue 14 personnel at a time from a distressed submarine upto a depth of 650 metres. While the first DSRV will be based in Mumbai, another one will be inducted in a few months and will be based in Vishakhapatnam, the Eastern Naval Command headquarters. The latest on all fronts, the vessel has a Side San Sonar (SSS) for locating the position of a submarine in distress at sea, provide immediate relief by way of posting Emergency Life Support Containers with the help of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and then rescue the crew using the DSRV itself. Captain Arun George, the Officer-in-Charge of the DSRV said that it has undergone extensive sea trials setting many records, dived twice up to 656 metres and 666 metres, the ROV dived up to 654 and 777 metres, and the SSS till 650 metres. Live undersea matings with different types of submarines along with safe transfer of personnel from the distressed submarine to the DSRV has also been successfully tested. The Indian Navy currently operates five classes of submarines including the Sindhughosh, Shishumar and Kalvari classes, as well an nuclear-powered submarines. The operating medium and the nature of operations the submarines undertake expose them to a high degree of inherent risk. In times of distress, traditional methods of search and rescue at sea are ineffective and the non-tethered DSRV along with its associated equipment would fill the capability gap. New Delhi, Dec 12 : The US Seventh Fleet and Indian Navy on Wednesday convened the 21st Executive Steering Group (ESG) on bilateral naval cooperation here. Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Phil Sawyer co-chaired the two-day conference with Deputy Navy Chief Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar. "The commanders reviewed progress of current initiatives and renewed their commitment to expanding exercises, exchanges and port visits that benefit both navies," an official release said. Held annually since 1995, the conference focused on enhancing cooperation in several areas, including carrier strike group operations, maritime domain awareness, at sea logistics, naval medicine, port visit opportunities and expanding exercise Malabar, it said. The Indian and US navies conducted Exercise Malabar in June this year off the coast of Guam, joined for the second time by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Malabar was followed by the Indian Navy's participation in exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) off the Hawaiian Islands. In October, members of US Navy's P-8A and Indian Navy's P-8I maritime patrol aircraft squadrons held a professional exchange in Goa. "The U.S-India partnership is more important today than ever before. Events like the ESG allow us to come together and forge a vision of how our forces will work together for the years to come," said Lieutenant Commander Jerry Tzeng, Seventh Fleet South Asia Regional Theatre Security Officer. Seventh Fleet, which celebrated its 75th year in 2018, is the US Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet. It boasts of around 70 ships and submarines, 140 aircraft and 20,000 sailors. New Delhi, Dec 12 : The Editors Guild on Wednesday suspended the membership of journalist-turned-politician M.J. Akbar, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a number of women journalists. "A majority of the members suggested that the membership of Akbar should be suspended. The majority view is that Akbar should be suspended from the Guild till such time that the court case he has filed is concluded," the Guild said in a statement. The Guild also suspended the membership of former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal who has been charged with raping a junior colleague in Goa in 2013. Accused of sexual misconduct by over a dozen former colleagues, Akbar stepped down as the Minister of State for External Affairs in October. The allegations were first levelled by journalist Priya Ramani, against whom he later filed a defamation case. Akbar was also accused of committing "rape" by US-based journalist Pallavi Gogoi. New Delhi, Dec 12 : The Delhi government will convene a two-day special Assembly session next week, on December 20 and 21, the government announced on Wednesday. Announcing the session, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said a number of important issues will be discussed during the session. "There will be a two-day session of the Delhi Assembly on December 20-21 during which several issues will be discussed," Sisodia told reporters here. The session is likely to see discussions on several issues including financial proposals and an amendment related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). A special session of the Assembly was called last month to discuss the chilli powder attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, among other issues. Kolkata, Dec 12 : Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Assembly and former state Minister Haider Aziz Safwi died following a cardiac arrest on Wednesday, family sources said. Safwi, a retired IPS officer, was suffering from old age complications, particularly respiratory distress, and was admitted to a private hospital recently. He was released only a day ago, but collapsed on Wednesday morning at his residence. He was rushed to a hospital which declared him dead. Safwi, a two-time MLA, handled the Water Transport and Correctional Administration portfolios in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government from 2011 to 2016. He was elected as the Assembly Deputy Speaker in 2016. Condoling Safwi's death, Banerjee said: "His demise is a big loss for us." New Delhi, Dec 12 : Opposing the proposed amendments to the RTI Act and demanding operationalisation of anti-corruption laws, hundreds of activists from various parts of the country gathered here on Wednesday. Shouting the slogan "RTI nahi toh vote nahi" (no vote without RTI), the activists took out a "Ghotala Rath Yatra" to expose the "government's double standards on issues of corruption". "On one hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power on the plank of anti-corruption, on the other all the key laws and institutions of transparency and accountability are being systematically undermined by the government," said an activist. RTI activists from across the country highlighted that the government is undermining the RTI Act through the proposed amendment bill and also by not appointing information commissioners. People from 10 states, including Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, participated in the protest and "Jan Manch" -- a platform for discussion. The Jan Manch also saw presence of opposition leaders from the Congress (MP Rajeev Gowda), CPI (D. Raja) and the RJD (MP Manoj Jha). They pledged support and assured that they will oppose the RTI amendment bill. Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan also took part in the Jan Manch. Gowda, in his address, stated that the Congress will steadfastly oppose any proposed amendments to the RTI Act. He said that the RTI Act is crucial as it empowers people to seek information about decisions of the government. The MP also highlighted how the government is undermining accountability by not disclosing the price of the Rafael jets in Parliament. Jha said that his party will not allow the government to weaken the RTI Act. D. Raja of the CPI said that the left parties had supported the passage of the RTI Act in 2005 and since then have opposed every attempt of the government to weaken the law. He said even this time, the left parties will oppose the proposed amendments. Bhushan, in his address, said the government is interfering with every independent institution and that it is amending laws to shield the corrupt. Sridhar Acharyulu, former Central Information Commissioner, who also took part in the Jan Manch, said the government is undermining the independence of information commissioners to prevent them from functioning properly. The amendments seek to empower the Central government to decide the tenure and salary and allowances of Information Commissioners of the Central Information Commission and also of state Information Commissions through rules, they said. Eight out of 11 posts of commissioners in the Central Information Commission (CIC) are currently lying vacant, including that of the chief, they said. There are nearly 26,500 cases now pending before the CIC and the backlog is rising at an alarming rate due to the paucity of commissioners, they added. The rally and Jan Manch were organised by the National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information (NCPRI), in collaboration with various campaigns and groups including the National Alliance of Peoples Movements (NAPM), the National Right to Food Campaign, and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW). New Delhi, Dec 13 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday reversed its own decisions and commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment of one M.A. Antony from Kerala and that of Rajendra Pralhadrao Wasnik from Maharashtra, citing socio-economic background of the Kerala man for relaxing the sentence. In the case of Wasnik, the court said that probability of his getting reformed rehabilitated and re-integrated into the society was not considered. The death sentence of both Antony and Wasnik were commuted to life imprisonment by the bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Deepak Gupta by two separated judgments. While in the case of Antony, the court ordered that the death sentence is "converted into a sentence of imprisonment for life", in the case of Wasink, the court ordered that he "should not be released from custody for the rest of his normal life". Antony was convicted for eliminating a family of six by killing all of them on the night of January 7, 2001 in Aluva Town of Ernakulam Adistrict in Kerala. In the case of Wasnik, he was convicted for the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in the intervening night of March 2 and 3, 2007 in Amravati district of Maharashtra. In both cases, they were convicted by the trial court and sentenced to death, which were upheld by the high courts and also the Supreme Court. In both cases, the review petitions, too, were rejected by the top court. They were given a fresh hearing of their review petition in the wake of September 2, 2014 top court constitution bench observation that the hearing of a plea against death sentence would be done by a bench of three judges and there would be a limited open court hearing of the review petitions as well by a three-judge bench. The top court by its September 2, 2014 judgment had said that in all the cases where review petitions have been rejected by the top court but death sentence has not been carried out, the convict can apply for reopening the review petition within one month from the date of decision rendered by the constitution bench. Commuting the death sentence of Anthony to imprisonment for life, Justice Lokur said: "The socio-economic condition of the appellant (Antony) was a significant factor that ought to have been taken into consideration by the trial court as well as the high court while considering the punishment to be given to the appellant." While the socio-economic condition of a convict is not a factor for disproving his guilt, the court on Wednesday said: "It is a factor that must be taken into consideration for the purposes of awarding an appropriate sentence to a convict." Commuting the death sentence of Wasnik to imprisonment for rest of his normal life, Justice Lokur said: "We are of opinion that for the purposes of sentencing, the Sessions Judge, the high court as well as this court did not take into consideration the probability of reformation, rehabilitation and social re-integration of the appellant into society." "Indeed, no material or evidence was placed before the courts to arrive at any conclusion in this regard one way or the other and for whatever it is worth on the facts of this case." The prosecution, the court said, was "remiss in not producing the available DNA evidence and the failure to produce material evidence must lead to an adverse presumption against the prosecution and in favour of the appellant (Wasnik) for the purposes of sentencing." New Delhi, Dec 13 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday handed over the tricolour flag to Arunima Sinha, marking the beginning of her expedition to Mount Vinson, Antarctica. Sinha, the first female divyang to climb Mount Everest, called on the Prime Minister here and apprised him of her upcoming mountaineering expedition to Antarctica. Modi lauded her impressive achievements and extended his best wishes for her latest venture. Sinha had earlier conquered the highest peaks in five continents, becoming the first female divyang to achieve the feat. Washington, Dec 13 : US President Donald Trump's former long-term personal attorney, Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in jail on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a series of crimes, including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. Prosecutors had recommended a "substantial term of imprisonment" for Cohen, and a federal judge in Manhattan, New York, sentenced him to three years in federal prison, reports Xinhua news agency. Cohen's lawyers are asking that he serve no prison time. Cohen's sentencing came after he pleaded guilty in cases with prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and with special counsel Robert Mueller's team over the Russia probe. Kolkata, Dec 13 : A day after the Calcutta High Court division bench turned down its objections to holding talks with two of three BJP representatives, the West Bengal government on Wednesday wrote to the state BJP leadership asking them to meet top officials led by the Chief Secretary at the city police headquarters in Lalbazar on Thursday to deliberate on the party's "Rath Yatra" programme, informed sources said. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the party got a missive from the state government asking it to meet the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and the Home Secretary at Lal Bazar at 5.30 p.m on Thursday. Party sources said state BJP vice president Ajay Prakash Majumdar and two other leaders Mukul Roy and Pratap Banerjee would constitute the delegation. The bench of Justices Biswanath Somadder and Arindam Mujkherjee had on December 7 directed the state's Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the Director General of Police to hold discussions with three BJP representatives by December 12 and take a final decision on the issue by December 14. However, after the state government on Tuesday sought an extension of the deadline til Saturday, the bench pushed the deadline by a day on Thursday and asked the government to take a decision on the Rath Yatra by Saturday. The saffron outfit was scheduled to hold three Rath Yatra rallies on December 7, 9 and 14 from north Bengal's Cooch Behar, South 24 Pargana district's Gangasagar and Birbhum district's temple town Tarapith, respectively. The rallies were slated to cover all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. After failing to get any response for the first rally - which was slated to be flagged off by party chief Amit Shah - the BJP moved the Calcutta High Court. But the single-judge bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty refused permission to hold the yatra "at this stage" and deferred it till January 9 after the state government declined to give green light to the programme arguing it might trigger communal tension. The BJP then appealed to the division bench which came down heavily on the West Bengal government for sitting on the BJP's applications seeking permission for its rallies and modified the single bench order. Advocate General Kishore Dutta had objected to the inclusion of Roy and Majumdar in the delegation, arguing they had criminal cases against them. Hover, the division bench rejected the objection and said it was the prerogative of the BJP to select its representatives. Berlin, Dec 13 : The supervisory board of Audi AG appointed Bram Schot as chief executive officer (CEO) on Wednesday, media reported. Since June 2018, Schot has headed Audi as interim CEO after former chief executive Rupert Stadler had been arrested for "danger of collusion" in the diesel emission scandal. Schot will temporarily keep his responsibility for sales and marketing. Volkswagen Group CEO and Audi supervisory board chairman Herbert Diess stated that "as interim CEO, Bram Schot has already done a convincing job in recent months and is effectively tackling the current challenges," reports Xinhua news agency. Peter Mosch, deputy chair of the Audi supervisory board and chair of the general works council, added that Schot must "continue along this path and lead Audi back to the top." Back in 2011, Schot left his position as president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Italia to move to the Volkswagen Group, where he was at first responsible for strategic projects in the sales division. In 2012, Schot joined the board of management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, where he was responsible for marketing and sales. Hyderabad, Dec 13 : AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has predicted that the regional parties will take the Indian politics by storm, providing an alternative to both Congress and BJP. Owaisi believes Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has the capability, political thinking, courage and secular outlook to provide such an alternative. The Hyderabad MP was addressing a public meeting late on Wednesday night organised by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to thank people for electing seven candidates of the party in the just-concluded Telangana Assembly elections. Owaisi thanked all leading Muslim socio-religious organisations which supported MIM and TRS in the elections. The meeting continued till past midnight. The MP said he would stand by the TRS chief in his efforts to play an important role in the national politics. Owaisi said a Ping-Pong game between Congress and BJP was not good for the country, its secularism, federalism and diversity. "This is not in the interest of country's minorities, Dalits and all secular-minded Hindu brethren," he added. He believes that the third force in the form of regional parties would enhance the bargaining power of the poor and the oppressed people. Owaisi appealed to people to ensure that not a single Lok Sabha seat in Telangana is won by BJP and Congress in the next year's elections. Voicing his concern over falling polling percentage in Hyderabad, Owaisi appealed to people to make sure that everyone exercised his franchise even if the elections were to be held during holy month of Ramadan. Referring to Congress party's victory in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Assembly elections, the AIMIM leader said it was a victory by default. Pointing out that BJP got nearly half of the seats in both the states, he said this was not enough to stop BJP from winning considerable number of Lok Sabha seats. The MP said the AIMIM declared support to TRS as no communal riot occurred in Telangana during last four-and-half years and unlike states in the north, there was not a single incident of mob lynching or reign of terror in the state. He said the government took various initiatives for the educational upliftment of Muslims. Owaisi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and others came to Hyderabad and attacked AIMIM as they wanted to break the unity of Muslims. Akbaruddin Owaisi, one of the seven AIMIM legislators re-elected to Assembly, urged people to strength AIMIM, which is the voice of the poor and the oppressed. Jerusalem, Dec 13 : Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Wednesday said that the European Union (EU) should treat Italy and France equally over their higher than originally planned budget deficits next year. "I am confident that common sense will prevail in Brussels, also in light of an EY commissioner who said that France do what it likes while all eyes are on Italy," Salvini on Facebook on Wednesday during a visit to Jerusalem. "I am starting to get fed up with the double standards. It's not clear why some can breach the (eurozone fiscal) rules while Italy is in the cross-hairs," he said, referring to comments by European Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici that France and Italy's budget situations were not comparable. Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte was on Wednesday due to meet European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels in a bid to avoid an EU disciplinary procedure which would keep Italy under prolonged market pressure and could lead to fines, cut in EU funding and other financial sanctions. On Monday European Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis urged Italy to make "substantial" changes to its expansionary 2019 budget which targets a 2.4 per cent deficit to fund welfare and pensions spending, and which the Commission says will not cut Italy's massive debt pile as required under EU rules. "Time is very limited," Valdis Dombrovskis told EU lawmakers during an EU parliament hearing in Strasbourg. Rome, Dec 13 : Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will likely meet Libya's powerful eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar and its UN-backed premier Fayez al-Sarraj on Thursday in Brussels, Adnkronos has learned from unnamed Libyan sources. The talks are expected to take place on the sidelines of a European Union summit of heads of state and government, according to the sources. In an interview on Sunday with Italian broadcaster Rai's Tg2 news bulletin, Conte said he expected to meet Haftar and Sarraj "during the coming week" but his office has not confirmed confirmed the encounter. Political rivals Haftar and Sarraj last month held talks in Palermo with Conte on the sidelines of an international conference aimed at pushing a new UN plan to unite chaos-wracked Libya's institutions and oversee an electoral process starting in the Spring. Despite stark divisions that emerged among key players in the turmoil-wracked North African nation at the November 12-13 meeting in Palermo, the UN and Italy hailed the conference as a success. All parties at the Palermo conference had agreed to a UN conference planned for early 2019 to prepare for elections to end the crisis, Conte and UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame said after the meeting. Libya has had rival governments in Tripoli and the east and has been riven by fighting among rival factions backed by a myriad of armed groups since the Nato-backed ouster of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi in a 2011 civil war. Haftar, a general who leads a self-styled army, has repeatedly threatened to attack Tripoli and overrun the capital, where about 30 per cent of Libyans live and where the UN-backed government is based. Crown Residences at Barangaroo has won Chinese Global Choice Awards from Juwai.com, the number one Chinese international property portal The awards presentation, held in Shanghai, saw Crown Residences pick up the Best International Hospitality Branded Residence. The presentation followed followed four months of nominations, online voting by Chinese consumers, and final selection by a panel of judges that included senior executives from Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Noah Holdings, and other respected companies. The Juwai Global Chinese Choice Awards (below) is the only awards program in the world to target China-centric residential developers, agencies, lenders, and other organizations. Todd Nisbet, executive vice president of strategy and development for Crown Resorts said the fact that a project in Australia won the award shows how global real estate has become. "We couldnt be more excited about receiving this award, given the fact that it is voted on by the general public who are interested in real estate," Nisbet said. "That an award has been won by a project in Australia is a testament to how truly global real estate has become for the Chinese consumer. Crown wasn't the only Australian winner at the awards night. Property investment firm Ironfish won the Trustworthy Overseas Property Service Provider award. Lanny Xu, CEO of Ironfish China, said it's one of the best awards to win. Since 2004, we have built up our business in China and received lots of awards and are very appreciative, but none of these can be compared with todays award from Juwai," she said. "It is one of the best awards in the industry and we are very honoured to receive it. "Hopefully, in the future, we will work with Juwai.com in a long-term relationship in terms of serving clients in purchasing and investing in overseas property. Goldman Sachs has claimed fears around a home lending credit crunch, the housing "bust", the ALP housing policy and excessive apartment overbuilding, won't be realised. Its commentary comes in a report that concludes that Labor will likely struggle to fully implement its feared housing policies should they win government next year. The economists, Andrew Boak, Bill Zu and William Nixon especially questioned whether Labor would be able to pass the capital gains tax measures through the Senate. "We are somewhat sceptical of the ability of the ALP to pass changes to the capital gains tax arrangements through the Senate given the likely make-up of the cross-bench which in our view is the most impactful aspect of the reform package (as opposed to the changes to 'negative gearing')," they said. The Labor opposition's proposal to limit negative gearing tax breaks to new housing investments would only lower an investor's return in the event of little or negative capital gain on dwelling values, the economists wrote in a report titled, Fear vs. Fundamentals. Click here to enlarge. Bill Shorten announced Labor's plan to curb negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions in early 2016, saying it would stop a $10 billion tax subsidy to leveraged-up investors with big portfolios who were driving up prices and driving poorer first-time buyers out of the unaffordable housing market. The Goldman Sachs report noted the impact from the proposal to cut the capital gains tax deduction from 50 per cent to 25 per cent would have a greater impact. "The changes make property investing less attractive from a cash flow perspective, but negatively geared rental properties are already an unattractive asset from a cash flow perspective. "The impact of the lower capital gains discount is somewhat more important, but we note this only binds when price growth is positive. "This means that, from an individual's perspective, leveraged property investment will remain attractive if property prices are expected to rise and unattractive if prices are expected to remain flat/decline regardless of the ALP's proposed changes." Their report suggests the CGT policy would in total reduce the return by about a quarter over the average annual return of an investment. Click here to enlarge. "In our view, while there is a kernel of truth to many of the popular narratives, a close inspection of the data suggest most are overly negative," the report advised. "That said, we acknowledge the housing market presents a clear downside risk to our fairly upbeat 2019 outlook including our expectation that the RBA will raise rates in late 2019." It noted tighter credit rules did not constitute a "credit crunch" that typically happened when banks became unable to lend. "The value of finance approvals to investors in NSW and Victoria continues to fall sharply, but is little changed elsewhere; while the number of finance approvals to owner-occupiers remain fairly elevated in NSW and VIC (albeit a bit weaker) and mixed in other regions," the economists said. "In our view, this remains broadly consistent with our earlier view that the primary driver of softer loan approvals over 2018 has been lower demand from investors driven by a normalisation in expectations for capital gains in Sydney and Melbourne." Tighter scrutiny of mortgage applicants' expenses was slowing approval times, but the effect was likely to be temporary, they said. Click here to enlarge. "This slower processing period may well take a few months to wash through and cause some temporary distortions in the interim," they said. "The evidence that supply-side credit tightening is significantly worsening is not compelling to us." They also suggested they did not see widespread stress as interest-only loans converted to principal-and-interest mortgages requiring higher repayments. The greatest risk to housing demand and housing construction, would come from severe immigration cuts, the report said. "In our view, the much more material risk to both the underlying supply/demand balance and the level of construction activity would be a significant reduction in population growth." "We note Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently proposed to reduce Australia's annual permanent migration quota by up to 30,000 per annum (or about 15 per cent) and redirect new migrants away from Sydney and Melbourne. "While formal changes are yet to be made and the impact on population growth of this proposal would likely be negligible given (i) actual permanent migration is already below the current cap, and (ii) the measures don't address the large amount of temporary migration the increasing political focus raises the possibility of a more substantial policy shift in the future." Boak advised while housing does present a real risk to the Australian macro outlook, he believes "the doomsday chatter" is inconsistent with the underlying data. "Our conclusions may not be as dramatic as some out there but hopefully the focus on the data brings some balance and perspective to the debate," he suggests. Beyond traditional employee benefits solutions, Bailey & Company has significant expertise in private exchanges, partially self-funded benefit plans, and captive-based reinsurance programs. Alera Group, a leading national insurance firm, today announced that it has acquired Bailey & Company, a prominent employee benefits firm in Ohio. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Bailey & Company specializes in a wide variety of employee benefit programs. The firm helps its clients ranging from mid-sized privately held businesses to publicly traded companies - maximize the return on their employee benefits investments by customizing a plan for each clients individual needs. Beyond traditional employee benefits solutions, Bailey & Company has significant expertise in private exchanges, partially self-funded benefit plans, and captive-based reinsurance programs. We are excited to welcome Bailey & Company to Alera Group. Grant and his team are a terrific addition, bringing significant expertise to our national platform. This is a great opportunity for us to enhance the client experience both by tapping into Bailey & Companys expertise and by adding Alera Groups resources to Bailey & Companys practice, said Alan Levitz, CEO. Their firms dynamic teamwork and professionalism is an excellent fit for our collaborative national culture. We are excited to be an Alera Group company. As part of this remarkable organization, we are even better equipped to meet our clients needs with world-class resources, expertise, and technology, said Grant Bailey, Managing Partner of Bailey & Company. We look forward to our collaborative growth together as we continue to develop unique benefits strategies for all of our clients. Alera Group was formed in early 2017 and is one of the nations foremost independent insurance agencies. For more information on partnering with Alera Group, visit Partnership Opportunities at http://www.aleragroup.com. About Alera Group Based in Deerfield, IL, Alera Groups over 1,500 employees serve thousands of clients nationally in employee benefits, property and casualty, risk management and wealth management. Alera Group is the 15th largest independent insurance agency in the country. For more information, visit http://www.aleragroup.com or follow Alera Group on Twitter: @AleraGroupUS. M&A Contact Rob Lieblein, Chief Development Officer Email: rob.lieblein(at)aleragroup.com Phone: 717-329-2451 An Old Womans Tale: an inspiring account of Gods handiwork. An Old Womans Tale is the creation of published author Alice Gardner, who describes herself as an old woman made in the image of God, moved to write down her revelations. Gardner writes, How can we serve you, Lord? In comes Ruth, a Christian whose grandmother just died. Her parents were very ill, and her brothers had serious problems of their own. We were out visiting a shut-in church member of the little church in West Hartford, Connecticut. Grandma knew she was dying and begged us to care for Ruth when the Lord took her home. Next week, Ruth comes to live with us. We sent her to a private Christian school in Enfield, Connecticut. Ruth started acting out by stealing from stores. She was caught and had to appear before the judge, who she told off. We were stunned at this reaction and felt Ruth needed to leave our home. We continued paying for her schooling if she kept up her efforts, which she did not. She enrolls in a university in Virginia until word comes that her little brother has a progressive neurological condition. She stops her forward movement, brings brother to live with her, caringly ministering and sharing her faith in Christ with him until he too is a believer, and God calls him home. Came by for some treasure she had stored with us. We told her God recognizes her gift of love toward her brother, and may God bless her. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Alice Gardners new book is a down-to-earth memoir with personal revelations of all the ordinary-yet-miraculous ways God has touched lives on earth. In her charmingly simple prose, Gardner encourages readers to never hesitate in telling others of what God has done, is doing, and will do. View a synopsis of An Old Womans Tale on YouTube. Consumers can purchase An Old Womans Tale at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about An Old Womans Tale, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. DocLink allows companies to better serve their customers, employees, and vendors by enabling them to go paperless, which should be the first step in a companys digital transformation. Altec, a leader in enterprise document management and process automation solutions, announced today their sponsorship at The Knaster Technology Groups Customer Conference. The one-day event is being held tomorrow, Thursday, December 13th at the Microsoft offices in Denver, CO. Altec will be exhibiting and presenting its industry-leading document management and process automation solution DocLink to Knasters Dynamics customers. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from Scott Hall, Altecs Northwest Sales Director, how to make a digital transformation during one of his sessions entitled, Realizing the Paperless Office: DocLink Document Management for Dynamics GP. DocLink allows users to digitally transform their operations, improving productivity and ultimately save significant time and money. By eliminating paper, DocLinks document management capabilities fully utilize and enhance any Dynamics solution, enabling documents to be created, processed and approved by anyone on any device. DocLink streamlines any business process in any department accounts payable, accounts receivable, human resources, legal, and across the entire enterprise providing improved visibility and control to the entire document lifecycle. Hall comments, Partner events such as this provide Altec with an excellent opportunity to share with Dynamics customers the tangible business impacts DocLink can provide. DocLink allows companies to better serve their customers, employees, and vendors by enabling them to go paperless, which should be the first step in a companys digital transformation. Having the ability to create, access and approve documents anywhere, on any device, is the ultimate goal in streamlining business operations as it provides greater visibility and easier access to supporting documentation that will help improve financial reporting and decision making. About Altec Altec is a leading provider of integrated document management and process automation solutions. Its flagship product, DocLink, helps companies connect people, processes and data providing them with the ability to store, search, retrieve and send any document securely. DocLink effectively eliminates the need for paper while automating processes that improve organizational efficiency and reduce costs associated with human errors. With thousands of customers globally, Altec enjoys collaborative partnerships with Sage, Microsoft, Acumatica, Intacct, Key2Act, SAP B1, Amtech, Epicor and more that deliver flexible, comprehensive solutions to adapt to an ever-changing global market. Learn more at http://www.altec-inc.com. "...Together we will strengthen Kentuckys position as the nations first, best place for hemp cultivation."-Matty Mangone-Miranda, GenCanna CEO Atalo Holdings Inc. (Atalo) and GenCanna Global USA (GenCanna), jointly announced today that the companies have entered into a strategic partnership that will align the companies cultivation operations, and includes an investment from GenCanna. The partnership will create the largest vertically integrated hemp-derived CBD production, processing and distribution alliance in Kentucky. The hemp CBD industry is growing exponentially and presents a real opportunity for rural economic development, with tremendous enthusiasm from consumers, said Atalo CEO William Hilliard. Weve been neighbors and partners with GenCanna in the Hemp Research Campus since 2015. This partnership is a natural evolution that will enable both companies to focus on best-in-class operations and will provide excellent economies of scale, he said. The 147-acre Hemp Research Campus, in Winchester, Kentucky, is home to both Atalo and GenCannas vertical supply chain operations, and now employs more than 100 Kentuckians. The partnership will provide industry leadership, proprietary hemp genetics, proven agronomic systems, and expanding processing capacity that meets or exceeds Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), as well as the highest FDA standards for premium-quality bulk and finished goods. This strategic partnership will unlock new supply chain efficiencies, which is critical as the next year will represent a significant expansion for both companies from thousands to tens of thousands of acres. Atalo is revered in Kentucky for good reason. As seventh generation family farmers, this is personal for them, as it is for us. They have been a leader in forging a sustainable economy for Kentucky farmers, and together we will strengthen Kentuckys position as the nations first, best place for hemp cultivation, said Matty Mangone-Miranda, CEO of GenCanna. This is in no small way due to Atalos seasoned leadership team and world-class farming network. They are competitors, friends, and now great allies. Together, we intend to be careful stewards as we shatter expectations and return Kentucky to its historic position as the hemp capital of the world, he continued. Demand in the undersupplied hemp CBD market is expected to explode with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. This partnership will be a seminal step in the nascent industry, which, according to the Brightfield Group, is expected to reach $22 billion by 2022. According to Hilliard, This partnership will allow the combined companies to attract the best and brightest farmers with low-risk, proven agronomic solutions, and a long-term, reliable crop marketing program. This is the first step of many we will be taking together. I believe in Atalo. I believe in their leadership. And I have always believed in Kentucky, added Mangone-Miranda. This is part of the promise we made years ago to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. The hemp market is booming, and together we will ensure our farming partners take part in the markets success. About Atalo Holdings, Inc. Atalo leads the emerging hemp industry with transformative technologies in hemp-based crop science. Our Hemp Research Campus incubates an agricultural model for seed improvement, agronomics, mechanical harvesting and processing techniques from our home in Winchester, Kentucky. We grow, process and deliver wholesale and white label hemp-derived CBD and superfood hemp protein. Atalos proprietary, certified, internationally pedigreed seed and agronomic model allow us to scale efficiently, with consistency and quality, from fence row to fence row. For more information visit http://www.ataloholdings.com. About GenCanna Global, Inc. GenCanna is a vertically-integrated agriculture-technology company specializing in the production of hemp rich in CBD. Founded in 2014, as an inaugural member of the Kentucky Department of Agricultures Industrial Hemp Pilot Program, the company is a longstanding industry pioneer. GenCanna works closely with state universities, consumer protection agencies and other regulatory bodies driving key industry language and legislation. Consistent extraction methods and innovative processing technologies ensure GenCanna production processes exceed all regulatory standards for FDA registered and inspected food production facilities (learn more at https://gencanna.com/compliance/). The GenCanna Production Platform assures standardized, repeatable quality from farm to finished product. CONTACTS: For Atalo Joe Hickey, 859-559-4550, Ext 104 Jjhickey(at)ataloholdings(dot)com, media(at)atalohoildings(dot)com William Hilliard, 859-312-7358 Bhilliard(at)ataloholdings(dot)com For GenCanna Alex Green, GenCanna KY 859-577-8727 media(at)gencanna(dot)com, press(at)gencanna(dot)com A Leaders Call: King David" is a thought-provoking examination of one of the most inspiring leaders in human history. The newly published book is the creation of author Michael P. Waterman, a Brooklyn native and former financial advisor who has served in ministry for the last 20 years. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Michael's new book explores the biblical and historical King David and provides sermons and Bible studies that challenge the hearts and minds of readers prepared for serious introspection. Michael shares the purpose of this important work, and the lessons to be applied to today's leaders from the King: In our present society, it is increasingly rare to find a leader in any area of life who is known to have noble character and great integrity. The examples of current leadership in all areas leave a lot to be desired. If we are not careful, we are prone to follow in the steps of some of the most wicked leaders mentioned in the book. "King David was known as a man after the heart of God. His was a life worthy of examination and study. He was the greatest king in the history of Israel. Looking at this mans life will challenge all, it will force leaders in all areas to do one thing: to deal with their hearts. To the reader this will be, A Leaders Call. View a synopsis of A Leaders Call: King David on YouTube. Readers can purchase A Leaders Call: King David at traditional brick and mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about A Leaders Call: King David, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Now Compatible With All Major Email Providers Closing Commander has been an excellent tool for our company. Its a big time-saver, and customers appreciate the communication. We are winning a lot of jobs after three or four emails have been sent, and the stats in the app definitely prove its value every month HarkinsHill, LLC., the developer behind the automated sales closing app/system, Closing Commander, has expanded the apps email compatibility to include Gsuite, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other major email providers. Thats good news for service business owners and their teams, who rely on, not just a new systems effectiveness and time-saving abilities, but also its ability to seamlessly fit with their current business systems. The app/system is designed to save service business owners and their teams time and effort by automatically sending follow-up emails to customers once an initial bid, quote, or estimate is provided. The app relies on tested timing and the marketing Rule of Seven to ensure effectiveness, although timing between emails and email body content can be customized to fit the companys needs and brand. Some companies using the app have seen six-figure revenue increases within just a few short months. Caleb Martinez, a contractor in the Chicago area describes his experience using the app/system, Closing Commander has been an excellent tool for our company. Its a big time-saver, and customers appreciate the communication. We are winning a lot of jobs after three or four emails have been sent, and the stats in the app definitely prove its value every month. Closing Commander won the Best New Product Innovation Award from The Pete Luter Foundation in 2018 and the Top Four Innovation Showcase Award at this years Service World Expo in Las Vegas. Business owners interested in learning more about the app, scheduling a demo, or signing up for a free trial are encouraged to visit closingcommander.com. HarkinsHill,LLC is the parent company of Closing Commander and Spark Marketer, a Nashville-based digital marketing company that primarily serves blue collar businesses. While the Closing Commander app certainly has uses in other industries, the companys passion and mission remains to strengthen blue collar businesses around the globe. Criminal Background Records Working with a professional background screening agency will greatly assist companies and organizations stay fully compliant with existing Ban-the-Box legislation in all its varying forms. In 1998 Hawaii initiated the original Ban-the-Box legislation and twenty years later the initiative has successfully spread across the country to a wide number of municipalities and states, but while there has been success a mish-mash of laws may create considerable confusion within companies looking to hire. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com opines: With the marking of the 20 year anniversary of Ban-the-Box legislation a best practice remains to work with a well-qualified third-party pre-employment background screening agency." Ban-the-Box policies work to provide an equal opportunity of employment across a broad range of classes, including and, primarily, specific to those with criminal background records. By removing the question of criminal history from the initial application the opportunity for employment based on an equal initial standing is greatly improved. From FastCompany.com (Nov. 15, 18): In the United States, around 70 million men and women have a criminal record. They often struggle to find work: Only around 12% of employers say they would voluntarily hire someone with a record, and three out of four people recently released from prison dont secure work within their first year out. One of the most visible ways to address this dilemma was the Ban the Box movement, which emerged from a grassroots organizing campaign by All of Us or None in 2004. It calls for the removal of the section on many job applications that asks if the applicant has a criminal record (the box is the box you check to indicate you do). The BTB movement aimed to remove one of the most significant roadblocks to employment for people who have interacted with the justice system: Having to report their past on an application, before they even can secure an interview. (1) Almeida adds: Working with a professional background screening agency will greatly assist companies and organizations stay fully compliant with existing Ban-the-Box legislation in all its varying forms. But as each jurisdiction creates Ban-the-Box legislation the laws remain subtly different from other laws in other municipalities or states thereby creating the opportunity for considerable confusion. From SHRM, the worlds largest Human Resources professional society, discussing the challenges of multiple laws: (Nov. 12, 18) With no federal ban-the-box statute applicable to private employers, companies that hire for positions around the country must comply with a hodgepodge of requirements across states and even localities. "It is challenging for large, multistate employers to navigate myriad ordinances," Bachman said. "If they do ask for criminal histories, do they use one application for the whole country and a separate one for Rochester, N.Y.? What about Boston? Or Austin? How do they ensure a consistent, compliant process?" (2) Almeida concludes: In the end, all businesses and organizations should work with a well-qualified third-party pre-employment background screening agency in order to remain fully compliant with existing and potential law. CriminalBackgroundRecords.com is a third-party background screening company that can provide compliant solutions for all screening requirements. From pre-employment to post-hire screening, as well as volunteer, caregiver and nanny checks, CriminalBackgroundRecords.com provides background screening services across a broad array of industries. From the smallest organization to the largest corporation, CriminalBackgroundRecords.com can fulfill every background screening requirement Notes (1) fastcompany.com/90267016/how-the-ban-the-box-movement-has-helped-and-hurt-the-job-prospects-of-people-with-criminal-records (2) shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/ban-the-box-turns-20-what-employers-need-to-know.aspx Kaleidoscope Dance by Myron Barnstone "Myron (Barnstone) understood that loving fine art, and having the funds to purchase it, dont necessarily go hand in hand." - Cat Barnstone Szafran, Studio Director, Barnstone Studios If you want to start or add to your personal collection of original artwork, but youre short on cash, Barnstone Studios in Thurmont, Maryland, has a solution. Studio Director Catherine Cat Barnstone Szafran today announced the launch of Home is Where the ART Is, an interest-free installment payment plan that gives patrons up to a year to purchase an original piece by the late Myron Barnstone. Myron dedicated his life to teaching thousands of students the fundamentals of classical drawing, Szafran said. He helped them get over $4 million in scholarships with the portfolios they created. Myron understood that loving fine art, and having the funds to purchase it, dont necessarily go hand in hand. Through Home is Where the ART Is, said Szafran, even students will have the opportunity to start their own fine art collection. Before he opened Barnstone Studios in Coplay, Pennsylvania in the early 70s, Barnstone himself had been a celebrated artist with an internationally-lauded exhibit in Paris. He grew frustrated, though, that the highly disciplined fundamentals of drawing passed down by the masters were being cast aside in contemporary art schools in favor of just doing what you feel. Barnstone made the tough decision to switch from painting to teaching, and doing his part to pass classical traditions on to new generations of fledgling artists. To keep from unduly influencing his students with his own unique style, he archived 500 original paintings and drawings that would remain hidden from public view until after Barnstones death in 2016 at the age of 83. Szafran was inspired to create Home is Where the ART Is after she started unveiling the original works her father kept locked away for over 50 years, and seeing the reaction from Barnstone alumni, and the general public. During a 5-month revolving exhibit at ArtistAngle Gallery in Frederick, Maryland earlier this year, the first time many of Barnstones works had been viewed by the public, Szafran was deluged with requests to purchase original works and prints. She created an exhibit catalogue, which featured many of the pieces displayed, and it, too, was quickly in demand. With Home is Where the ART Is, said Szafran, we simply take the total price of the artwork, including taxes and shipping, and divide by however many months you want in your plan, up to a year. We set up a monthly payment plan, and the art stays here at the gallery until it is paid off. There are no extra fees, unless a plan is canceled. For more information, or to view available Barnstone artwork, visit BarnstoneStudios.com or call (301) 788-6241. New images will be available monthly. Barnstone Studios at 202A East Main Street, Thurmont, MD, 21788, is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of fine art, and helping to make classical art education accessible to all who desire to develop their talent and enrich their lives. Becker's Healthcare and Becker's Hospital Review extends its sincerest gratitude to our corporate partners sponsoring the Health IT + Clinical Leadership 2019 Conference, which will be held May 2 to 4 at the Swissotel in Chicago. More than 125 physician, health system and industry speakers comprise a full agenda of 80-plus sessions on topics such as artificial intelligence, telehealth, data analytics, clinician burnout and population health. The sessions combine medical industry and technology expertise to examine health IT's impact on clinical business issues. Becker's would like to acknowledge the following partners for their sponsorship: Intuitive Allscripts PatientSafe Solutions Change Healthcare M*Modal Relias Learning Spok Merck STA Group Echelon Medical Capital Everbridge Halo Communications Novarad SunStar Swift Medical Twiage Zero Gravity To attend more than 80 dynamic sessions and interact with these great companies, join Becker's Hospital Review at its Health IT + Clinical Leadership 2019 Conference May 2 to 4 by registering here: https://www.regonline.com/registration/Checkin.aspx?EventID=2526767 or contact Jessica Cole by email at jcole(at)beckershealthcare(dot)com or by phone at 312-929-3675 For the complete conference brochure, click here: http://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1007789-may-2019-brochure About Becker's Hospital Review Becker's Hospital Review is a monthly publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems. Articles are geared toward high-level hospital leaders, and we work to provide valuable information, including hospital and health system news, best practices and legal guidance specifically for these decision-makers. Each issue of Becker's Hospital Review reaches more than 18,000 people, primarily acute care hospital CEOs, CFOs and CIOs. Winners of the 14th edition of the Sadosky Awards We have ambitious plans for the future, and aim to continue being a company that takes a leading role in the fast-moving technology sector Belatrix Software, a leading software development company, was recognized as a "rockstar company" by the Argentine Chamber of Software and IT Services Companies (CESSI), in the 14th edition of the Sadosky Awards. The ceremony took place in the Buenos Aires City Legislature. Created in 2005, the Sadosky Awards honor Manuel Sadosky, founder of the Latin American Graduate School of Informatics. The awards recognize each year those organizations that significantly contribute to the growth and improvement of the Argentine software industry. During the ceremony, companies are awarded in a variety of categories, including those that focus on gender, entrepreneurship, and leadership. This year, Belatrix was recognized as a Rockstar company for its significant contributions to the world of computer engineering. Over the years, Belatrix has worked to become one of the top firms of software development in Latin America. Its company culture based on empowerment and collaboration, and its core methodology, Agile development, provide an environment where ideas are turned into world-class software products. Meanwhile, Belatrix has focused on positively impacting the local community, encouraging promising youngsters to pursue a career in IT, and has carried out initiatives, such as the Women in Technology week to promote gender equality in the technology industry. In recent years Belatrix has expanded rapidly internationally. Most recently, it opened its European headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, where it has ambitious plans to grow into other European markets. Santiago Noziglia, Belatrixs Senior VP of Business Development, commented: We are delighted to receive this award on behalf of everyone at Belatrix. It is the result of incredible teamwork. We have ambitious plans for the future, and aim to continue being a company that takes a leading role in the fast-moving technology sector. About Belatrix Software Belatrix Software helps companies thrive in the digital world. Organizations partner with Belatrix to turn ideas into high quality, innovative software based on highly-tuned Agile development processes. Customers use Belatrix's digital transformation services to create best-in-class software products, lower time to market, and gain competitive edge. Belatrix's dedicated labs, focusing on UX, continuous delivery, mobile, DevOps, and QA automation, help organizations become digital leaders. Belatrix's clients include both established Fortune level and emerging, venture backed firms. Some of the firm's clients include Disney, Adobe, AOL, PwC, and Shutterfly. Belatrix is a South American company with offices in New York, San Francisco, Barcelona, Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Bogota and Lima. For more information, visit https://www.belatrixsf.com. Becker's Hospital Review is pleased to welcome Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, and Katie Couric, news anchor, producer and documentarian, as celebrity keynotes for its 10th Annual Meeting, which will be held April 1 to 4, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. The event will include 13 keynote speakers and more than 30 speakers overall for great sessions focused on the business of healthcare and strategic decision-making. President Clinton was first elected president in 1992 and during his two terms in office presided over one of the longest economic expansion in American history, including the creation of 22 million jobs. He launched the Clinton Foundation after leaving office to support building resilient communities and implementing programs to improve health, strengthen local economies and protect the environment. President Clinton's keynote remarks will occur on April 3 at 4:30 p.m. CST. President Bush took office in January 2001 and served two consecutive terms as Commander in Chief after spending six years as Governor of the State of Texas. During his time as President, Mr. Bush led a dramatic reorganization of the federal government, established the Department of Homeland Security and built a global coalition to remove violent regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. After leaving office, Mr. Bush developed the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Ms. Bush's remarks will occur on April 1, 2019, at 4:15 p.m. CST. Ms. Couric has had a storied career as a news anchor, producer and documentarian. She is also a New York Times bestselling author and spent 15 years as the co-anchor of the Today Show on NBC before becoming the first woman to anchor a nightly news broadcast at CBS. In 2015, she founded Katie Couric Media, her production company. Ms. Couric will deliver her remarks on April 2 at 4:25 p.m. Additional keynote speakers include: Janice E. Nevin, MD, President and CEO of Christiana Care Health System Stephen Klasko, MD, President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health Redonda Miller, MD, President of The Johns Hopkins Hospital Rodney F. Hochman, MD, President and CEO of Providence St. Joseph Health Robert Garrett, FACHE, Co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health Lloyd Dean, President and CEO of Dignity Health Laura S. Kaiser, FACHE, President and CEO of SSM Health Holly Buckley, JD, Partner at McGuireWoods To hear these keynote speakers, alongside several other industry experts, register for the Becker's Hospital Review 10th Annual Meeting, April 1 to 4, here: https://www.regonline.com/registration/Checkin.aspx?EventID=2521203 or contact Jessica Cole by email at jcole(at)beckershealthcare.com or by phone at 312-929-3675 For the complete conference brochure, click here: http://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1004369-april-2019-conference-brochure/0?m4= About Becker's Hospital Review Becker's Hospital Review is a monthly publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems. Articles are geared toward high-level hospital leaders, and we work to provide valuable information, including hospital and health system news, best practices and legal guidance specifically for these decision-makers. Each issue of Becker's Hospital Review reaches more than 18,000 people, primarily acute care hospital CEOs, CFOs and CIOs. ### Aside from providing the highest quality of care, building trust and rapport with my patients is something I feel deeply passionate about. Smile Brands Inc., one of the nations leading providers of business support services to dental groups in the United States, today announced the grand opening of another affiliated Bright Now! Dental office. The new office will be the first for the Tri-Cities region and the 23nd office in Washington state. Bright Now! is one of the fastest growing dental care providers in Washington with double-digit growth in new patients over the past 12 months. The new location in the Tri-Cities comes at a time when the area is experiencing year-over-year population growth. Bright Now! patients enjoy the convenient hours, comfortable offices and full-service care they receive at Bright Now! Dental offices. All locations provide preventative care and general dentistry, plus most offices also offer specialty care services, such as orthodontics (braces), Invisalign, oral surgery, periodontics, and endodontics. The new location at 1220 N Columbia Center Blvd in Kennewick will be open six days a week including evenings and Saturdays. Bright Now! Dental offices in Washington accept most major insurance plans, including Delta and Cigna, and offer flexible financing options so patients can afford the care they need. To celebrate its grand opening, the new Kennewick dental office will offer a special $29 New Patient Check-Up Package including exam and digital x-rays and $100 off dental services over $300. Please visit the Bright Now! website for additional patient dental offers in Washington. The opening of the Kennewick office helps Smile Brands and its affiliated dental groups achieve their mission to provide Smiles for Everyone by bringing affordable dental care to local neighborhoods. Leading the clinical team in the new Bright Now! Office is Dr. Robert Stockton. Aside from providing the highest quality of care, building trust and rapport with my patients is something I feel deeply passionate about, says Dr. Stockton. Theres nothing better than creating a dental experience that you and the patient feel confident about. This new office is open Mondays and Fridays from 8am 5pm, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am 7pm, Thursdays from 9am-6pm and Saturdays from 8:30am-4:30pm. Prospective patients can call the new Kennewick, Bright Now! Dental office at 509-378-3530 or toll-free at 1-888-BRIGHT NOW (1-888-274-4486), or visit us online to schedule an appointment at our new Kennewick location. About Smile Brands Inc. Based in Irvine California, Smile Brands Inc. is one of the largest providers of support services to dental groups in the United States. Smile Brands Inc. provides comprehensive business support services through exclusive long term agreements with affiliate dental groups, so dentists can spend more time caring for their patients and less time on the administrative, marketing, and financial aspects of operating a dental practice. Smile Brands supports approximately 400 Bright Now! Dental, Monarch Dental, Castle Dental, A+ Dental Care, OneSmile Dental, Johnson Family Dental and P3 Dental Group offices in 16 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Smile Brands is a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit http://www.smilebrands.com. The 2018 Marketer Quarterly Marketing Awards, an awards program created by the renowned industry analyst group The Relevancy Group, have recognized BrightWave, the leading email and eCRM agency, as the winner of three major award categories: Best Loyalty Member Email/Offer - Restaurant, Best Offer - Retail, and Best Welcome Email/Email Series - Financial Services. All entries were evaluated by The Relevancy Group based on their relevance, strategy, creativity and utilization of data as well as other factors. Specifically, Chick-fil-As monthly newsletter for its tiered membership program, Chick-fil-A One, won the Best Loyalty Member Email/Offer Restaurant award due to its highly personalized and relevant content. Also, Char-Broils 70th anniversary sweepstakes campaign took home the award for Best Offer Retail while Synovus new checking account activation series achieved the Best Welcome Email/Email Series Financial Services award. We are very proud of our business impact and resulting recognition that our team has generated, commented Brent Rosengren, BrightWaves Chief Client Officer. He added, We appreciate The Relevancy Group citing our innovation and performance, and our team is honored by these awards as well as our clients trust in BrightWave as a critical business partner. David Daniels, CEO and Founder of The Relevancy Group, commented, This is the fourth year we have done the MQ Awards and BrightWave has won an award every year that they submitted their work. Other recent wins for BrightWave include Emarsys 2018 Up & Coming Partner of the Year, a Top 10 Best Places to Work recognition and the Davey Awards Email Marketing and Brand Strategy categories. Moreover, BrightWave was honored to be named a best-in-class marketing agency in The Relevancy Groups 2018 Email Agency Buyers Guide. The agency was awarded the most Client Satisfaction medals and highest Relevancy Ring scores, including a perfect score in Strategy and Data Management. About BrightWave BrightWave is the leading email marketing agency. With over 15 years of experience managing the best email programs in the country, BrightWave elevates eCRM and cross-channel programs through industry-leading innovation, relationship orchestration and pioneering inbox experiences. Learn more at https://www.BrightWave.com. BrightWave also is the creator of EiQ: The intelligent email gathering. This one-day event on March 14, 2019 is where the industry community convenes and focuses on innovation and business impact. For more information on the event, please visit https://www.eiqgathering.com. About The Relevancy Group Founded in 2010, The Relevancy Group (TRG) combines market research with specialized advisory services to help marketers and marketing technologists operate more efficiently and effectively. TRG works with many of Americas top vendors and brands as well as early stage companies, defining market requirements and driving thought leadership. TRG produces dozens of surveys, research reports and webinars annually, and publishes the digital magazine for marketers, by marketers, The Marketer Quarterly. http://www.marketerquarterly.com/subscribe. CallTower Named Best UCaaS and PBX Solutions Provider 2018. We are thrilled to be distinguished with the 2018 Best UCAAS & PBX Solutions Provider US Technology Elite Award by US Business News CallTower, a global leader in delivering cloud-based enterprise-class unified communications and collaboration solutions, has won the 2018 US Technology Elite Award by US Business News. The honor names CallTower as Best UCAAS & PBX Solutions Provider 2018. Through the 2018 US Technology Elite Awards, US Business News aims to highlight industry leaders from among the most talented in systems and software development, manufacturers of electronics, and providers of ground-breaking technologies and services. All award winners were the result of months of research and analysis by the US Business News dedicated awards team. As a result, each winner was chosen on merit, and selected for their success. According to Sophie Milner, Awards Coordinator at US Business News, "With technology and communication at the forefront of today's society, it is with great pleasure that I showcase CallTower as the winner of Best UCAAS & PBX Solutions Provider 2018 in the US Business News Technology Elite Awards and offer them my congratulations and best of wishes for the year ahead. "We are thrilled to be distinguished with the 2018 Best UCAAS & PBX Solutions Provider US Technology Elite Award by US Business News," says CallTower Chief Revenue Officer, William Rubio. "Delivering superior hosted Microsoft, Cisco and CT Cloud Voice UCaaS solutions empower our customers with extended options. Customers can leverage key business integrations with contact center, CT Cloud Boost (internet optimization), CRM, UC Analytics and workforce optimization. As one of the first hosting providers to launch native Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams Calling Plans, we continue to enhance our offerings. About CallTower CallTower exists to enable people to easily connect to transact business communications. Since its inception in 2002, CallTower has become a leading provider of cloud-based, enterprise-class Unified Communications solutions for growing organizations worldwide. CallTower provides, integrates and supports industry-leading, cloud-based, Unified Communications and Collaboration solutions, including Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Native Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, CT Cloud, CT Cloud Boost, Office 365 and Zoom Video Communications for business customers. CallTower enhances our clients strategic and operational capabilities by integrating VoIP service, mobile applications, email hosting, unified messaging, instant messaging, audio, web and video conferencing, collaboration tools, contact center, cloud services and global networks solutions into one reliable platform. City of Enid Joins the Oklahoma Purchasing Group Registered vendors can access bids, related documents, addendum and award information. Today, the City of Enid announces it has joined the Oklahoma Purchasing Group, a regional purchasing community by BidNet. Local government agencies throughout Oklahoma utilize the purchasing group for bid and vendor management. The City of Enid invites all potential vendors to register online with the Oklahoma Purchasing Group at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/oklahoma to access its upcoming solicitations. The City of Enid joins the Oklahoma Purchasing Group and the community of participating local government agencies located throughout Oklahoma. Along with a variety of bid and vendor management solutions, the City of Enid gains access to a bid library to help with bid creation, a shared pool of vendors, and association with like-minded purchasing professionals in the area. Vendors interested in doing business with the City of Enid and other nearby government agencies are encouraged to register at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/oklahoma. Benefits of joining the Oklahoma Purchasing Group include: Centralized location for bids from all participating agencies Bid alerts customized to the vendors products or services Reliable and timely delivery of notifications, addendums and documents Advanced notice of Term Contract expiration E-Bid and E-Quote Submission The Oklahoma Purchasing Group is one of BidNets regional purchasing groups throughout the country. It provides the City of Enid a bid and vendor management solution, document and addendum distribution, and tracking of all activity throughout the procurement process. About the City of Enid: Enid is the ninth largest city in Oklahoma located in Garfield County. Enid is home to Vance Air Force Base. To learn more about the Enid community, visit http://www.Enid.org About the Oklahoma Purchasing Group: Oklahoma Purchasing Group is a part of BidNets regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. With years of input from procurement professionals, BidNet specifically developed the bid system to fill the need for a robust bid and supplier management solution for local government agencies. BidNet runs 40 regional purchasing groups used by over 1,300 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit http://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers Mike Bowen, Co+opportunity General Manager Co+opportunity Market & Deli, a Los Angeles-area natural foods pioneer for 45 years, today announced that industry veteran Mike Bowen will be joining the organization as General Manager. Bowen was chosen after an extensive national search led by Co+opportunitys Board of Directors. Bowen has been a part of the southern California natural foods landscape at the operations and strategic level for 30 years, having served the majority of his career in senior management positions at Whole Foods Market. Prior to joining Co+opportunity, Bowen was Store Director at Erewhon Market in Hollywood. Our Board is very excited about Mike Bowen joining our team, remarked Co+opportunitys Board President Steve Bornstein. Mike has already demonstrated tremendous enthusiasm about improving our performance to solidify our position in a very competitive market and ensure the future sustainability of our co-op and everything that makes us special. We're confident Mikes unique, extensive and impressive track record of successfully starting and managing new stores in our market will be a tremendous benefit and guarantee Co+opportunitys continued success." Bowen is an experienced leader and brings a proven track record with budget maximization, team building, customer service and merchandising and an enthusiasm for natural foods - he started his career in the early days of Mrs. Gooch's Natural Food Markets, a store that set industry standards for quality service and products before it was acquired by Whole Foods. "Im both thrilled and honored to be joining Co+opportunity, a cooperative organization that shares in my values, supports our farmers, lifts up staff and prioritizes providing the best food to our community, said Bowen. I look forward to meeting the co-ops Owners and working closely with the Board and staff to continue to position the co-op as the pioneers of the organic food industry. Bowen will take up his new position towards the end of the month, collaborating with Interim General Manager Wynston Estis during a transition period to last until the end of the year. Co+opportunity and the Board owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Wynston Estis who served as our Interim General Manager for the past 8 months, enthused Steve Bornstein. Wynston achieved or exceeded all of the critical benchmarks required and set for her by our stakeholders and has also made an invaluable contribution to the professional development of our staff and our Board. Everyone at Co+opportunity is better for having had Wynston with us and we wish her well in her future endeavors. The Board is planning meet and greet events with Bowen and the co-op community in January at both locations - Santa Monica and Culver City - with details to be announced in the coming weeks. About Co+opportunity Market & Deli Established in 1974, Co+opportunity is a full-service, community-owned market & deli specializing in locally made, natural and organic food and wellness products. With two locations in Santa Monica and Culver city, the co-op offers a full selection of wholesome products that give customers lots of choices about which products are good for the health of their families, the community and the world. For more information about Co+opportunity, visit coopportunity.com. Laura Rosch, DO This is a fantastic opportunity to serve the community by educating the next generation of physicians for Joplin and the region." Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCU) announces the appointment of Laura M. Rosch, DO, CS, MS, FACOI to the position of campus dean for the College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) at its KCU-Joplin site. Rosch has amassed a distinguished career working as a practicing physician, medical educator, wellness advocate and community leader. She currently serves as chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Midwestern Universitys College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove, Illinois. In addition, Rosch is a hospitalist in Winfield, Illinois. She also served as a program director at both Mt. Sinai Hospital and Medical Center, and Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Illinois. Dr. Rosch has had a successful career as a physician and medical educator, said Darrin DAgostino, DO, executive dean of KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine, and vice president for health affairs. KCU is fortunate to have her take the helm of our Joplin campus of the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Throughout her career she has been a strong advocate for both students and faculty. She is not afraid to take on challenges and enjoys learning as much as teaching. Roschs primary responsibilities at KCU-Joplin will include managing and directing the daily operations of the Joplin medical school campus as well as ensuring students wellbeing and academic success. Dr. Rosch will be part of the KCU COM Dean Leadership team committed to the seamless integration of the two medical school campuses. Dr. Rosch is a team builder, DAgostino noted. Her skills and commitment will help her drive academic and clinical excellence. I am so proud to be joining the KCU-Joplin team, said Rosch. This is a fantastic opportunity to serve the community by educating the next generation of physicians for Joplin and the region. The entire community supports this effort; Joplin truly is unique and special. Rosch says she looks forward to expanding research for KCU-Joplin medical students, developing graduate medical education opportunities and encouraging students to model good health for the community. She has a rich background in disease prevention, nutrition, exercise and stress reduction. Rosch plans to use that background to teach students the value of self-care as it relates to the principals of osteopathic medicine. Physicians should always be teachers and models of healthy behavior, Rosch noted. First and foremost, youve got to take care of yourself in order to take care of the people you serve. Rosch earned a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Midwestern Universitys Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. She holds a masters degree in nutritional science and has served as a clinical instructor at the University Of Illinois Department Of Nutritional Sciences. Rosch is the past president the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society, and is a past member of the American Osteopathic Directors of Medical Education. She has presented nationally as an expert on medical issues. About Kansas City University Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, founded in 1916, is a fully accredited, private health sciences university, with a College of Biosciences and a College of Osteopathic Medicine. The College of Osteopathic Medicine is the oldest medical school in Kansas City, Missouri, and the largest in the state. It is the second-leading provider of physicians within the states of Missouri and Kansas. KCU opened a second medical school campus in Joplin, Missouri in 2017 to help address the growing need for primary care physicians in the regions rural communities. The university also added a doctoral program in clinical psychology in 2017 to meet the growing demand for behavioral health providers in the region The VCAP certifications acknowledge the holder as being a tech virtuoso and indicator of their ability to design and deploy solid enterprise environments. Eastern Computer Exchange, Inc. (Eastern), a VMware Premier Partner, will host a VMware User Group (VMUG) webcast, Taking and Passing VMware Advanced Certifications, on Dec. 19, 2018, from 1:00-2:00 PM (EST). This live online discussion will prepare participants for the VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) exams that test candidates ability to design and implement VMware environments. The webcast will feature Joshua Andrews, senior data center architect for Eastern, who holds multiple VMware certifications. Using his extensive expertise in automation, security and networking, Andrews will review the requirements and benefits of becoming a VMware Certified Advanced professional. Hell also discuss proven techniques designed to position VMware certification candidates for success. The VCAP certifications acknowledge the holder as being a tech virtuoso and indicator of their ability to design and deploy solid enterprise environments, said Andrews. Josh is an excellent resource to lead this training as he was the first in the world to take and pass the latest VCAP-DCV Deploy 2018 certification, said Tony Valentino, vice president service delivery, Eastern. In addition, Josh holds nine VCAP certifications, so attendees will benefit from his breadth and depth of knowledge surrounding the VMware certification process and technical content, he added. VMUG is committed to ensuring members have access to the latest industry trends, topics and news related to VMware, cloud infrastructure and business mobility. VMUGs webcasts offer current and relevant information from industry experts across the globe. They also feature live interaction through online discussions and real-time Q&A with VMware experts and technology partners. Live attendees to the Eastern VMUG webcast who opt-in to share their information will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card. Visit the event registration page HERE. About Eastern Computer Exchange, Inc. (Eastern) Founded in 1990, Eastern Computer Exchange, Inc. is a Westport, CT-based enterprise technology solutions provider with a proven track record of architecting, designing and deploying complex enterprise Hybrid Cloud, Hyper-Converged, Server, Desktop, Elastic Cloud, Isilon and Backup and Recovery solutions. Eastern is a certified partner for industry-leading IT manufacturers, such as VMware, Dell EMC, Cisco and others. With offices in 46 locations across three continents, Eastern boasts a team of highly skilled technology strategists to help global organizations deploy the gold standard in enterprise IT solutions. For more information, visit http://www.ecei.com/ or Twitter @EasternCompExch VMware, vSphere, Workspace ONE, Horizon, and NSX are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. According to Dr. Cook, although exercise is a well-established effective intervention for many psychological and physical health issues, it is usually overlooked as a potential adjunct to eating disorders (ED) treatment. Food and exercise are among the most commonly abused aspects by sufferers of eating disorders whether anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder. The role of nutrition and exercise are among the most critical components of eating disorders treatment, which typically evolves throughout the recovery process. At the 2019 iaedp Symposium, the presentation, Exercise in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: History, Holes, and Hope, will outline recent advances in nutrition and exercise that impact understanding of the illness and its complexity for an individual who suffers with a strong desire to control his or her body shape and size. This presentation is among more than 60 scheduled during the 2019 iaedp Symposium, slated for February 7-10 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, California. Early registration for a limited time and host hotel information can be found by visiting iaedp.com. During the address scheduled for opening day of the 2019 iaedp conference, presenter Brian Cook, PhD, addresses how exercise remains a complicated and controversial aspect of eating disorders treatment. During the nearly two-hour presentation, Dr. Cook will specifically review the history of attempts to manage exercise in eating disorders and the holes in research and clinical approaches that may be limiting understanding of exercise in eating disorders. Dr. Cooks presentation also will include a brief review of evidence-based protocols and data supporting the use of these protocols. According to Dr. Cook, although exercise is a well-established effective intervention for many psychological and physical health issues, it is usually overlooked as a potential adjunct to eating disorders (ED) treatment. A possibility as to why therapeutic exercise has been overlooked in ED treatment may be the potential for unsupervised, compensatory exercise performed during times of severe nutritional deficiency to exacerbate ED pathology. Through the development of an original line of research, Dr. Cook has examined the etiological role, management, and therapeutic potential of exercise in eating disorders. His education at the Universities of Rhode Island and Florida and a NIMH post-doctoral fellowship at the Neuropsychiatric Research Institute in Fargo, North Dakota, allowed him to train under experts in the eating disorders field. This has resulted in presenting research at international conferences, chairing conference paper sessions, publications in leading journals and book chapters and a first-time keynote address at the 2017 iaedp Symposium. About the iaedp Foundation: Since 1985, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals has provided education and training standards to an international and multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions. MemberSHARE.iaedp.com is an iaedp business journal and online member resource to learn about noteworthy member achievements, continuing education webinars and U.S. and international chapter activity and events; for more information, visit MemberSHARE. The iaedp Foundations Presidents Council, which provides organization support, includes: Center for Change; Center for Hope of the Sierras; Center For Discovery; Eating Recovery Center; Laureate Eating Disorders Program; McCallum Place Eating Disorder Centers; The Meadows Ranch; Rogers Behavioral Health; Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders; Selah House; The Renfrew Center; Timberline Knolls; Turning Tides Eating Disorder Treatment Center; and Veritas Collaborative. The iaedp Foundation proudly announces the supporting sponsors for the 2019 iaedp Symposium: Bronze Sponsor: Montecatini Eating Disorder Treatment Centers More information about all aspects of iaedp and the 2019 Symposium can be found at iaedp.com. Elliott Homes Best in Mississippi Awards We remain true to our objective of creating quality of life for our homebuyers. These awards are a confirmation of our collective efforts as a team to be the best in the industry and we are thankful to continue to be recognized by our peers in home building, said Owner, Brandon Elliott. Elliott Homes took home multiple awards at the 2018 Best in Mississippi Housing & Remodeling Awards Banquet, held annually to recognize the outstanding work of builders and remodelers throughout the state. The Home Builders Association of Mississippi (HBAM) hosted the award banquet November 7th at the Embassy Suites in Ridgeland, MS. Selected projects demonstrate the best overall style, craftsmanship, and creativity. The award letter received from the Home Builders Association of Mississippi highlighted that Elliott Homes exemplified the excellent work that members are producing across the state. Elliott Homes was recognized and awarded in three categories: Best Single Family Kitchen The Charles, Merit Specialty Build Welcome Station Lynn Meadows, Merit Single Family Bath The Oasis Bath. We remain true to our objective of creating quality of life for our homebuyers. These awards are a confirmation of our collective efforts as a team to be the best in the industry and we are thankful to continue to be recognized by our peers in home building, said Owner, Brandon Elliott. About Elliott Homes Elliott Homes, one of the Mississippi Coasts most sought-after home builders, specializes in distinctive award-winning homes and master-planned communities. What distinguishes Elliott Homes is our exceptional customer service. Our professionals, many of them Elliott Home owners themselves, are passionate about ensuring a seamless and rewarding home building process. At Elliott Homes, we believe home design is more than a blueprintits about realizing the lifestyle our customers dream about. Unlike other builders, Elliott Homes start in the low $200s and include impressive upgrades standard. For more information, please visit https://www.myelliotthome.com/. Emilie Mendia The Forty Under 40 Award recognizes Mendias demonstrated high potential for success in leadership roles and her strong commitment to the association management profession. MCI USA is proud to announce that Emilie Mendia, Senior Associate, Association Management & Consulting, MCI USA, was selected by the Association Forum of Chicagoland and USAE weekly newspaper as one of the association management communitys 40 most accomplished and up-and-coming professionals under the age of 40. Mendia will be recognized tonight at the Forty Under 40 Awards reception in conjunction with Holiday Showcase in Chicago. Im very proud to congratulate Emilie Mendia on being named to the 2018 class of Forty Under 40, said Erin Fuller, FASAE, CAE, MPA, President, Association Solutions, MCI USA. "Were excited to be in Chicago and have a great team at the Holiday Showcase to celebrate Emilies accomplishments. The Forty Under 40 Award recognizes Mendias demonstrated high potential for success in leadership roles and her strong commitment to the association management profession. Emilie serves as Chief Staff Executive for the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA), a trade association representing organizations united by a common desire to increase the effectiveness of healthcare conventions and exhibitions as an educational and marketing medium. Under her leadership, the association recently launched HCEAInnovate, a new, half-day educational event. Emilies volunteer roles include serving on the ASAE 2017-2019 Young Professional Committee, ASAE 2018 Annual Program Advisory Council, and Higher Logic 2017-2018 Product Advisory Council. Emilie has been recognized by the association community as an ASAE Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) Scholar and ASAE 2016 NextGen Summit program participant. Emilie joins three MCI USA Association Management & Consulting colleagues who have previously been recognized as Forty Under 40: Emily Reineke, MA, senior associate (2016), Alison Teitelbaum, MS, MPH, CAE, associate vice president (2014), and Amy Lestition Burke, MA, CAE, vice president, member engagement (2013). Emilie Mendias Forty Under 40 profile in USAE can be viewed here. --------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT MCI MCI is the global leader in engaging and activating audiences. Our business is founded on a simple human insight: When people come together, magic happens. This magic is called community. Since 1987 we have been bringing people together through inspiring meetings, events, congresses and association management. MCI helps organizations harness the power of community by applying our strategic engagement and activation solutions to build unforgettable online and offline experiences that foster change, inspire, educate and enhance business performance. MCI is an independently owned company with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and a global presence. Our 2,300+ professionals in 60+ cities and 31 countries work with clients across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, India, the Middle East and Africa. Find out more at http://www.mci-group.com. ABOUT MCI USA MCI USA helps companies and associations strategically engage and activate their target audiences, building community and boosting client performance through face-to-face, hybrid and digital experiences that support client business objectives. With US headquarters in the Washington, DC area and growing offices in New York, Miami, Baltimore, Dallas, and now Chicago, MCI USA is rapidly expanding its platform to deliver a robust set of services in its Association and Corporate Solutions portfolios. Find out more at http://www.mci-group.com/usa. Submissions are now being accepted for potential honorees at the inaugural NYPS World Pricing Excellence Awards, which will occur on April 9, 2019, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. With these awards, Engaged Communications Encom, in association with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), will recognize the most innovative and pioneering work done in the field of pricing. Innovation lies at the heart of pricing transformationand in this age of value-based pricing and digitization, companies are dedicated to maximizing their efficiencies, services, and solutions to improve their products and services. The NYPS World Pricing Excellence Awards will celebrate the outstanding performance of companies, teams, and individuals that are transforming pricing globally. Award categories will include pricing-driven value generation, pricing innovation, digital pricing excellence, behavioral pricing, value communication in pricing, and pricing enablement. The deadline for submissions is December 21, 2018. Savio Soares, managing director at Engaged Communications Encom commented, It's priceless to see a vision turning into a reality and we are dedicated to making the NYPS World Pricing Excellence Awards & Conference a great success and a global platform that offers exceptional value to the global pricing and revenue management community. Amadeus Petzke, a cofounder and leader of BCGs Pricing Enablement Center in Europe, said, We are always concerned with improving pricing structures. This awards program offers a unique opportunity to reward the people responsible for new methods that have had such an impact on success in this field. An Illustrious Jury The jury that will select the award winners includes such highly respected pricing and revenue management industry experts as Nolwenn Godard, director of pricing product at PayPal; Daniel Cho, senior director of global pricing and competitive portfolio analytics at Philips Healthcare; Dr. Dominik Papies, chair of marketing at Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen; Marcus Alves, partner and global vice president of revenue management at Kraft-Heinz; and Maristela Castanho, vice president for revenue management at Groupe Renault. Speaking ahead of the launch, Godard said, Pricing is a crucial function in businesses, but it needs to be better understood. By recognizing the pricing community for its innovation and excellence, we intend to educate people across industries about the power of pricing. In a similar vein, Cho said, I am a believer in restless pricing improvements to drive profitable growth, and I am sure there is still a lot we can learn from each other through healthy competition and active sharing. May the best innovators win! Dr. Papies shared, Setting good prices is quite a challenging problem. When I talk to managers, I realize over and over again that firms all have their own way of tackling this issue, and there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding this problem. That's why I believe that it is very important that managers and researchers who work on pricing interact - to the benefit of both sides. And here, a competition and awards can play an important role to stimulate the debate and out-of-the-box thinking with regard to new pricing solutions. The NYPS World Pricing Excellence Awards are open to any organization anywhere in the world that is working on pricing transformation. There is no entry fee, and companies are encouraged to submit entries in more than one category. Complete information is available at the website http://nypsworld.encom-global.com/Awards. The awards will be presented as part of the NYPS World Pricing Conference, which brings together hundreds of senior pricing, revenue management, commercial, and marketing experts from around the world annually. This year, leading companies such as Nike, The Lego Group, Lenovo, Lufthansa, and Henkel will share their best practices and insights into pricing strategy. The conference will take place from April 9 to April 11, 2019, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and will include a gala awards dinner on the evening of April 9. About Engaged Communications Encom UG: Engaged Communications Encom provides tailor-made platforms created to perfect the art of learning, networking, and business development. Its events are curated keeping in mind the industrys needs. These events provide unparalleled access to information, data, and learning, along with detailed networking opportunities to maximize people and business potential. For more information, please visit http://www.encom-global.com. About Boston Consulting Group Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the worlds leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 85 offices in 48 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.bcg.com. Samuel French e-commerce platform A platform like this needs to showcase the remarkable artists in our catalog, as well as give our internal team tools to continue being a resource in our customer's process. Ryan Pointer, Marketing Director at Samuel French Samuel French, the worlds leading publisher and licensor of plays and musicals, launched an all-new e-commerce platform for the US and UK markets in collaboration with Engine Digital, a New York City and Vancouver-based digital consultancy. The new e-commerce platform provides a modern experience for the companys unique customer base that spans Broadway, community theatre, and school productions. The new Samuel French web platform improves discoverability of the company's extensive catalog of scripts and provides self-serve features that enable customers to explore, select, and ultimately license a show and purchase all of the related materials. In a blend of content and commerce, the redesigned e-commerce site helps visitors learn more about the authors and their shows while shopping. At any given moment, visitors to the website include professionals producing Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, producers from small community theatres, and grade school teachers. The design challenge within is providing a robust yet supportive experience for a broad audience with varied levels of experience in theatre and the producing of plays and musicals. The teams at Samuel French and Engine Digital brought together their expertise in theatre and customer experience, respectively, and collaborated through a workshop-driven concept sprint to define the ideal-state customer experience. These collaborative sessions, done early in the process, identified a set of optimal user interactions that influenced the planning and design of the platform. Collaboration is often key in creating something truly new and great for customers, stated Ryan Opina, VP Strategy at Engine Digital. This method of working closely with our clients with their industry expertise and our focus on design and user experience creates opportunities for the best work to emerge. Samuel French currently sells over 26,000 products, consisting mainly of theatrical properties, each unique in its complexity, characteristics, and constraints including duration, genre, cast size, themes, suitable theatre formats, level of appropriateness, and associated costs. This complex matrix needs to be navigated by producers, especially for small-scale productions like those at grade schools, which are often constrained in the types of performances they are able to produce. Through product tagging and filtering, the new e-commerce site helps users search through titles to find those that match their unique requirements. The website's new license estimator lets customers quickly calculate potential costs associated with a particular show based on ticket price, number of seats and performances, and whether music and scripts are needed. Customers can make more informed decisions in a shorter amount of time, giving producers confidence in planning and financing their productions. For Samuel French, this self-serve feature allows the licensing team to be more efficient with their time, helping customers in other areas. "For our customers, finding a show to perform or read is part of an artistic process that is both deeply personal and inherently daunting," stated Ryan Pointer, Marketing Director at Samuel French. "Ultimately, a platform like this needs to showcase the remarkable artists in our catalog, as well as give our internal team tools to continue being a resource in our customer's process." Behind the curtains, the technical side of the platform is equally sophisticated. The website runs on a WordPress front-end, integrated with the existing back-end system that enables the e-commerce experience, and several other technologies that power the licensing side of the business. The website also leverages the Google Maps API for its "Now Playing" feature which shows geographic locations of current and upcoming performances for a particular play or musical. The platform's dashboard feature allows authors and agents to review statistics like licensing payouts for each of their titles. Authors and agents can also manage content updates including descriptions, author bios, and more. As a result, content can evolve and stay current with a limited effort from the Samuel French team. Following the launch of the new e-commerce site, Samuel French quickly saw signals of increased engagement. Returning users have increased by 19% while the number of visits per user rose 12.5%. The number of one-time visitors decreased by 15%, indicating an increased desire to return and engage the new website. Engine Digital continues to support Samuel French in implementing a roadmap of new features and experiences as the brand invests long-term in improving and expanding their digital ecosystem. ABOUT SAMUEL FRENCH Samuel French is the worlds leading publisher and licensor of plays and musicals. The companys catalog features some of the most acclaimed work ever written for the stage and titles by writers at the forefront of contemporary drama. Samuel French is proud to have served as a leader in theatrical publishing and licensing for over 180 years and is committed to the future by championing for playwrights, innovating the industry, and celebrating all those who make theatre around the world. For more information, visit: http://www.samuelfrench.com. ABOUT ENGINE DIGITAL Engine Digital is a New York City and Vancouver based digital consultancy, product design, and engineering studio. The agencys mission is to help ambitious organizations invent their future through better customer experiences that span web, mobile, and emerging digital channels. Founded in 2002, Engine Digital is a trusted partner to some of the worlds most recognized brands including Mastercard, HP, Google, adidas, Lululemon, and the NBA. For more information, visit: http://www.enginedigital.com. Krispy Krunchy Chicken and Exxon are excited to announce that everyone is invited to their grand opening event on Thursday, December 13th, 2018. The event will be held at the new Exxon Gas Station & Krispy Krunchy Chicken Restaurant at 4101 Concord Pike in Wilmington, Delaware. Attendees can arrive as early as 10 AM and the event ends at midnight. Arriving early is encouraged as complimentary samples and gifts will be available while supplies last. Under new management with experienced restaurateurs, the location is being revitalized to bring their customer-comes-first approach to Talleyville. The rich, bold Cajun flavors of the Krispy Krunchy Chicken menu is being paired with expanded offerings including classic American grilled burgers and cheese steaks, along with light and fulfilling Mediterranean cuisines like rice and kofta platters. If youd like to learn more about the event, visit the event website here: http://philadelphia.eventful.com/events/grand-opening-celebration-/E0-001-121040694-0 About Krispy Krunchy Chicken Krispy Krunchy Chicken is one of the fastest growing convenience store based quick service restaurant (QSR) concepts in the nation. Established in 1989, Krispy Krunchys signature recipe was developed in the founders own small convenience store chain. To date, Krispy Krunchy Chicken remains one of the fastest growing c-store concepts in the nation with more than 2300 retail locations in 41 states delivering high quality with a bold unique flavor profile, all for an affordable price. About Exxon Gasoline Exxon Synergy gasoline is meticulously engineered for better gas mileage and contains significantly higher quantities of detergents than required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has passed key performance tests resulting in it being certified TOP TIER. TOP TIER fuel is recommended by many automakers in their vehicles' owner manuals. Representatives with Miami-based Fame Tattoos announced today that it is now offering 25 percent off of its services in honor of the holiday season. There is absolutely no minimum purchase and the 25 percent holiday discount that were now offering lasts through Dec. 31, said Omar Gonzalez, spokesperson for Fame Tattoos. Fame Tattoos services include tattoos, tattoo removal, piercings, permanent makeup and microblading, hair micropigmentation, aftercare, and more. We take tattoo art to a different level spiritually and mentally, Omar said, before adding, We have a high level of continuous local clientele, athletes and celebrities. We don't consider ourselves average tattoo artist. Our work is based on passion and vision, where we like to picture ourselves as if we're writing or drawing a story of our clients life, past, future, and artistic Passion. We will help guide you with the best option and best look for your new work of art. As to why anyone should take advantage of Fame Tattoos 25 percent holiday discount, one customer identified as Dianna Anak said the award-winning tattoo shop provided her with the best experience possible and went on to recommend Fame Tattoos to others. Let me start off by saying this place is phenomenal, she said in her Google review. I went in today to get two tattoos. The atmosphere when I first walked in was super clean, definitely a more modern vibe, and awesome customer service. Every single person I encountered was very nice. Once I got there, I felt like I was in great hands. My artist was hector, and the owner Omar was very helpful and he did advise me on what I should do. Everyone was super professional, they took their time with what I wanted and Im so happy with the result. Definitely will be back. However, she isnt the only one raving about Fame Tattoos. Customer Damaris Gonzalez, in his Google review, described Fame Tattoos as amazing. Aside from having a gorgeous location, their tattoo artists are spectacular, he stressed. I travelled all the way from North Carolina to see Mr. Fame himself. Super impressive place. For more information, please visit https://www.fametattoos.com/tattoo-shop and https://www.fametattoos.com/blog About Fame Tattoos We are the top tattoo artist in Miami with over 50 years of combining Tattoo experience; this has been a passion of ours since we could remember. During our years of experience, we have been to many tattoo conventions throughout the world where we have gained knowledge and experience from different artists. We're the top award-winning tattoo shop in Miami that has won over 100 awards throughout conventions. Our shop is a very relaxed and peaceful, giving you the best tattoo experience ever. We also provide all-natural, non-laser tattoo removal. Tattoo Vanish Method is far Less Painful, More Cost Effective as it requires up to 50% Fewer Treatments. We started to provide Tattoo Removal because there has been a large amount of poor-quality tattoos that are so far from Help, that we will Help make a change! Contact Details: Omar Gonzalez 1409 West 49th Street Suite 1 Hialeah, FL 33012 305-303-2025 What an exciting project to be part of and were so proud to once again be working with our friends at Turner Construction in Colorado for the first time. FC Construction Services has been awarded its first access control project in the State of Colorado in collaboration with Turner Construction. The project is titled Meow Wolf Denver, scheduled to begin construction the third quarter of 2018. Not far from Mile High Stadium, the structure will stand four stories tall at a total of 90,000 square feet. Meow Wolf Denver will feature an exhibition space triple the size of the Meow Wolf Santa Fe space. It will also have a bar, cafe, retail space and notably, a music venue. What an exciting project to be part of and were so proud to once again be working with our friends at Turner Construction in Colorado for the first time, noted Keith Hinton, VP of Operations for FC Construction Services. During a year-and-a-half search for the right Denver located, the winning locale is 1338 First St. in Denvers Sun Valley neighborhood. Modeled after Meow Wolf Santa Fe, the Denver location will offer the same immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. About FC Construction Services FC Construction Services, currently performing labor tracking for over 7,300 contractors employing more than 250,000 workers, leads the construction industry in workforce screening and tracking by combining products and services with innovative technologies that help minimize risk, increase productivity, improve labor reporting, and reduce cost. Sinus Solutions of South Florida Allergy symptoms can be debilitating. Allergy testing helps take some of the mystery out of treatment. We can help patients more efficiently by getting to the root of what causes each patients allergies and where treatment will be most helpful. In Florida, every season is allergy season. This winter, however, many Floridians may finally find allergy relief. According to experienced ENT doctor, Dr. Napoleon G. Bequer of Sinus Solutions of South Florida, allergy testing can help those whose allergies dont respond to standard allergy medications. Not only are all individuals allergic to different things, but each individuals sinuses react in their own unique way to those allergens. Allergy testing provides doctors with a comprehensive outline of what allergies are causing their patients to struggle the first step toward treating allergies. Allergy symptoms can be debilitating, states Dr. Bequer. "Allergy testing helps take some of the mystery out of treatment. We can help patients more efficiently by getting to the root of what causes each patients allergies and where treatment will be most helpful. If your test results demonstrate that more extensive treatment is necessary, Dr. Bequer can recommend a variety of sinus surgeries and procedures, including balloon sinuplasty, a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed in-office in less than 20 minutes. In the meantime, Dr. Bequer suggests using an air filter in your home, monitoring your homes humidity, and cleaning allergen-collecting areas (like rugs, bedding, and curtains) to further help manage allergies. To learn more about allergy testing, contact Sinus Solutions of South Florida at (561) 790-7744 or request an appointment online today. About Sinus Solutions of South Florida: Sinus Solutions of South Florida is committed to helping Floridians breathe easier with the most advanced sinus care available. Dr. Napoleon G. Bequer, a certified Otolaryngologist (ENT), has over 35 years of experience in treating chronic sinusitis, hearing disorders, and more. Sinus Solutions of South Florida has offices located in both Tampa and the West Palm Beach area. Allergy testing is available at the West Palm Beach location only. Visit http://www.sinusofsf.com for more information regarding Sinus Solutions of South Florida. Burrell Behavioral Health, a community mental health clinic serving more than 40,000 clients in Missouri, tapped full-service digital agency Mostly Serious to lead its new brand identity design and website. Mostly Serious, a full-service digital agency specializing in responsive web design and interactive marketing, recently launched a new website for Burrell Behavioral Health, a regional behavioral health care organization that serves more than 40,000 clients in Missouri. The new site showcases Burrells more uplifting, approachable brand look and its commitment to clients accessibility to getting the care they need. A Web Presence That Promotes Quality Care and Quick Access Mostly Seriouss responsive web design for the Burrell site is a dramatic shift from its previous sites look and feel in terms of navigation, interactive elements, and color palette. Users can now use strategically placed menus and visual cues to quickly navigate Burrells diverse set of services and programs as well as segment their informational search by age group or individual versus group offerings. Other key fixtures of the new site include callouts to Burrells 24-hour crisis line, locations listings, downloadable resources, and straightforward entry points for new clients seeking care. When it came to Burrells new site design, we were challenged to create something that would reinforce Burrells incredible commitment to providing faster, easier access to behavioral health services for the community, said Mostly Serious Director of Design Jessica Spencer. Were honored to have played such an important role in making that access easier for thousands of individuals. A Refreshed Brand Identity Burrell Behavioral Healths new website showcases Burrells refreshed brand identity design, which Mostly Serious also worked with the organization to create. A departure from Burrells previous Burrell Forward tagline and logo, the new identity portrays Burrells dedication to openness, approachability, and fostering conversations around mental health. Its also a nod to Burrells new tagline, Time to chat, and supports the companys transition to a future-oriented, highly accessible entity for clients from all walks of life. Mostly Serious helped us develop a brand identity that reflects our goal of leading conversations about behavioral health and treating access like a concept, not a location, said Burrell Behavioral Health Director of Communications Matt Lemmon. It supports our vision for the future as a positive presence in our community in which individuals can benefit from services that enhance their livelihood and overall health. About Burrell Behavioral Health Burrell Behavioral Health is a growing community mental health clinic that connects with more than 40,000 clients across 17 counties in Missouri. Its provider base of more than 150 clinicians offers a full continuum of care through its integrated network. Burrell Behavioral Health creates individualized care plans for its clients and its staff collaborates with families, schools, healthcare systems, and other networks to provide individualized care for each situation. For more information about Burrell Behavioral Health, visit http://www.burrellcenter.com or contact Director of Communications Matt Lemmon at matthew.lemmon(at)burrellcenter(dot)com. About Mostly Serious Founded in 2010, Springfield, Mo.-based digital agency Mostly Serious offers the latest in responsive web design, interactive marketing, and custom e-commerce development. Mostly Serious crafts award-winning websites for HOLLOWAY AMERICA, CoxHealth, and other well-known entities in the southwest Mo. region. For more information about Mostly Serious, visit mostlyserious.io or contact Jarad Johnson at jarad(at)mostlyserious(dot)io. Journalist Paolo del Debbio (left) with Minister of Agriculture Gian Marco Centinaio (right) at wine2wine 2018. wine2wine opens the minds of the wine industry and is the preeminent conference in the world for wine professionals. With so many of the top minds in wine congregating to share ideas, improve our collective business understanding, and collaborate, its a must-attend event.--Paul Mabray (Speaker) wine2wine is a unique two-day conference designed to give participants the latest market insights and strategic network opportunities. Italian wine producers, suppliers, international journalists, and professionals from all sectors of the wine business gathered in Verona to participate in educational and thought-provoking discussions, seminars, and workshops. There were 70+ sessions divided into 15 different theme tracks ranging from emerging markets and digital communication to fine wines and sustainability, along with a golden line-up of 118 speakers from around the globe. All the sessions were live-streamed and are now available on the wine2wine Facebook page. This year wine2wine showcased a new 45-minute format, with each session entailing a 30-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute Q&A. Additionally, practical demonstrations open to a selected audience called #w2wLabs were integrated into the program as well as B2B sessions for wineries, where participating wineries had the chance to present their products to international buyers. Attendee feedback verified that each one of these revamps were highly popular and successful. Armando Corsi, Associate Professor and Senior Marketing Scientist at the University of Adelaide in Australia, commented on his experience as both a speaker and provider of one of the new #w2wLabs entitled The Wine Lexicon Project: wine2wine has simply been the perfect place to share my work and ideas with a large group of wine players, who were keen to listen and learn. Positive feedback was also given by participants in these #w2wLabs. For example, Mattia Scarbolo, Director of Sales and Marketing at Scarbolo, commented on the #w2wLab Wine & IG Stories, the Perfect Couple hosted by Francesco Mattucci: I very much enjoyed the session. Ive been using Instagram Stories for quite a while now and I was trying to understand if what I was doing was correct. I left the #w2wLab with all the answers I needed, and from a professional too! Wine producers provided added value to this edition by contributing as moderators for many of the sessions. Carlo Franchetti, Vice President at Vini Franchetti, reflected on his participation at wine2wine 2018: wine2wine managed to put many wine topics and personalities under the same roof. Two days of debates and presentations during which operators in the sector got to know each other. Overall, the event gave us the chance to bring our knowledge up to speed, in both a useful and pleasant way. Cheers to wine2wine for turning such a complex task into something so easy! Elio Carta, CEO of Silvio Carta Winery, commented on his participation in the event as well as in the Vinitaly International Academy Tasting Panel held the day before the start of wine2wine: Any activity organized for the promotion of our region and the Made in Italy products is always worthwhile for us. wine2wine clearly showed there was a great deal of attention, care, and professionalism put into the project by everyone behind it. The topic of communication is one of the most delicate for our country and wine2wine represents a wider window on this matter. We surely drew some interesting and innovative cues from this wine business forum. Naturally, guest speakers to this 5th edition of wine2wine played a vital role in presenting new trends and future scenarios for the wine trade. 118 highly specialized professionals from all over the world came together in Verona to speak in depth on fine wines, finance, management, new markets, sustainability, viticulture, digital marketing, and new media. Paul Mabray, CEO at Emetry and speaker for the session The US Ecosphere of Online Sales and Marketing Companies, emphasized the uniqueness of this Italian business forum: wine2wine opens the minds and hearts of the wine industry and is the preeminent conference in the world for wine professionals. With so many of the top minds in wine congregating there to share ideas, improve our collective business understanding, and collaborate, its one of the must attend events of the year. Robert Joseph, Editor at Large at Meiningers Wine Business International, also noted: Of all the think tanks and conferences, wine2wine has established itself as a leader. Every year, Vinitaly Internationals Managing Director Stevie Kim manages to assemble a really great team of speakers and audiences. Just like its past editions, wine2wine has won over the crowds. Participants leave with new contacts made through the various networking opportunities during the event. The potential for new business leads and prospective business is also reinforced by the fact that attendees have had the opportunity to learn new skills or discuss new ideas for their businesses. Eliza Pinta Kauce, speaker of the session focusing on the Latvian wine market, highlights just that in her recollection of the day: A wonderful international gathering that marvelously shakes the ideas and gives fresh air to the Italian (and not only!) wine industry. Listening, learning, educating, and discussing are the way to go to enhance the level of expertise within the business and wine2wine is doing a great job to encourage this. The 5th edition of wine2wine was also characterized by key elements of digital innovation in the running of the event. For example, participants could interact and be connected through a dedicated wine2wine App, where business contacts could also be kept and exchanged. Moreover, the Facebook live-stream of every session has been preserved and made available to everyone on the wine2wine page. About: The grand Vinitaly 2019 will be held from April 7th to the 10th. Every year, Vinitaly counts more than 4,000 exhibitors on a 100,000+ square meter area and 130,000 visitors from over 140 different countries with more than 30,000 top international buyers. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers, which will be held on the 6th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly will unite international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly International travels to several countries such as Russia, China, USA and Hong Kong thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the seventh edition of its Certification Course and today counts 157 Italian Wine Ambassadors and 13 Italian Wine Experts. Do We Owe a Debt for Living?: a potent read on the contemplation of ones faith and trust in the Lord. Do We Owe a Debt for Living? is the creation of published author, Glenda A. Smith, an evangelist living in Cincinnati, Ohio, and an attorney practicing law in Ohio and Indiana. Glenda A. Smith shares, Over the years, two people close to me said I should write a book. This profound encouragement was initiated due to my intense life. My supporters believe people could benefit from my experience. On August 2 or early morning on the 3rd, 2017, in my sleep, I received a message to write a book. You see, when I am sleeping, God has my total attention. Although I read my Bible almost daily, praise and talk with God, live a faithful life when I am awake, I am constantly thinking about goals and how to organize my time. However, I do praise and talk to God throughout the day. "On August 3, 2017, I first saw the movie Razors Edge. One of the characters in the movie got engaged to a woman with substance abuse problems. He loves her deeply and unequivocally. He loves her into sobriety. Their mutual friend got jealous and told the woman she is no good for her fiance and she will make him miserable. Because of these cruel remarks, prior to her marriage, the woman went back to the life she led as a substance abuser. Her fiance tries to take her away from this toxic environment again to no avail. The woman commits suicide. The now former fiance confronts the mutual friend and shares with her that he killed someone years ago and he thought he owed a debt for killing that person. But he owed a debt for living, and his payment would have been living out his life with the woman who abused substances. I have intently pondered this proposition in the context presented in Razors Edge, and I ask that you contemplate it with me. I am using my life experiences and beliefs to aid my analysis. This is where you, the reader, are asked to play an active role by sharing your thoughts with me. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Glenda A. Smiths new book is the culmination of the authors search for spiritual answers throughout the course of life and existence. View a synopsis of Do We Owe a Debt for Living? on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Do We Owe a Debt for Living? at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Do We Owe a Debt for Living?, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. The National Social Security Advisor (NSSA) Advisor of the Year is Barbara Traylor Smith of Retirement Outfitters, LLC in Grand Junction, Colo. (Photo Provided) The greatest value of the NSSA program to me has been its high level of expertise all of the training and support offered by the organization has been invaluable. The National Social Security Association in Cincinnati has selected Barbara Traylor Smith, owner of Retirement Outfitters, LLC, and mayor of Grand Junction, Colo., as its National Social Security Advisor (NSSA) Advisor of the Year. The award was announced by Marc Kiner, board member of the National Social Security Association. Kiner is also a partner at Premier Social Security Consulting of Cincinnati, which teaches the NSSA Social Security education courses to professional advisors across the nation. Barbara has been an NSSA certificate holder since 2014, and NSSA has become an important facet in the success of her business, said Kiner. Were impressed that shes highly engaged in helping clients understand their Social Security options and integrate Social Security income into their retirement income streamsas well as her dedication to public service. The NSSA program is the nations only accredited Social Security education certificate program. Accreditation is provided by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) in Washington, D.C. The NSSA Advisor certificate is awarded to professional advisors who take the NSSA course and pass an assessment. Smiths financial career spans 30 years. She holds a bachelors degree in accounting from Southwest Texas State University and was a certified public accountant from 1990 to 2000. She has worked in tax preparation for individuals, S-corporations, partnerships, and trusts. She has also participated in audits of corporations and non-profits. Following her career as a CPA, Smith worked for an independent marketing organization, serving as a primary liaison between advisors and the home office of several insurance companies. She has trained many advisors in all aspects of the retirement and financial planning process including general investments, tax advantaged investments, life and disability insurance, long term care insurance and annuity policies. In 2008, she formed Retirement Outfitters, which specializes in complete A to Z financial and retirement planning, said Smith. Her firm helps retirees and those nearing retirement achieve financial security by providing education that embraces her motto, Its not about your Money, Its about your Life. She is an NSSA certificate holder; a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU); a Dave Ramsey SmartVestorPro; and an independent wealth advisor with WealthSource Partners. We take a 30,000 foot view of your financial picture and discover how we can work together to attain your retirement objectives, said Smith. Retirement Outfitters offers Social Security planning and consulting; annuities; assets under management; life and long-term care insurance; and 401K rollover assistance. Smith hosts Social Security seminars in and around the Grand Junction community open to both current and potential clients. She also utilizes Social Security reports creating reports so clients can determine the best strategy for claiming Social Security in relation to their larger financial plan. Smith is also active in the Grand Junction community at large. As mayor of Grand Junction, which has a population of 60,000, she represents District B on the Grand Junction City Council. Grand Junction is the largest municipality in western Colorado. She also sits on the STRiVE foundation board, which provides services and support for families and individuals with developmental disabilities; is a board member for the HopeWest Planned Giving Council; a member of Rotary of Grand Junction; participates in WOMAN, the Womens Mentoring Agent Network; and belongs to River of Life Alliance Church. I see my participation in local government, civic affairs and my career as a financial advisor as extensions of my desire to help others and build a better community, said Smith. The NSSA certificate has given me the knowledge and the confidence to answer almost every question relating to Social Security that my clients have. In the few cases where the answer is unknown to me, NSSAs Jim Blair has been available for support and most helpful in finding the answers in a timely manner. Blair is a 35-year veteran of the Social Security Administration and partner in Premier Social Security Consulting. The greatest value of the NSSA program to me has been its high level of expertise all of the training and support offered by the organization has been invaluable, said Smith. It has brought greater faith in my clients of my understanding in developing personalized strategies for their Social Security. The National Social Security Association has awarded certificates to more than 1,700 advisors nationwide since 2013. NSSA Advisor certificate training will be offered in many cities across the nation in 2019. For more information about Retirement Outfitters, visit http://www.gjretire.com, email Smith at barbara@gjretire.com or call her directly at (970) 256-1748. Investment advisory services are offered through WealthSource Partners, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not imply any certain level of skill or training. For more information about the NSSA Advisor certificate program, visit http://www.nationalsocialsecurityassociation.com or call Kiner at (513) 247-0526. Contact: Marc Kiner Premier Social Security Consulting Email: mkiner@mypremierplan.com Phone: (513) 247-0526 About Premier Social Security Consulting: Premier Social Security Consulting, LLC of Cincinnati educates professional advisors nationwide on the national Social Security program so they can counsel their clients on how to maximize Social Security income. Partners Marc Kiner and Jim Blair teach the NSSA Advisor certificate program. Rich snippets are not a listed ranking factor in Googles search algorithm, and for that reason many people overlook their benefits, Managing Partner Scott Langdon said. HigherVisibility announced on Tuesday the release of a new guide that discusses one of the more technical aspects of SEO: rich snippets. Rich snippets are a feature that appears in Google search results pages that allow a search result listing to provide supplementary information. When properly utilized, rich snippets can increase a companys click-through-rate and even provide more leads. Rich snippets are not a listed ranking factor in Googles search algorithm, and for that reason many people overlook their benefits, Managing Partner Scott Langdon said. Rich snippets can be used in a variety of ways that can meaningfully impact a business growth. It takes a bit of technical know-how to implement, but rich snippets can reduce bounce rate and direct searchers to the website page that best suits their needs. By reducing unnecessary website navigation, businesses can hold their website users interest and better convert users into customers. To add rich snippets to a website, most users utilize plugins from Wordpress or other web hosting solutions. These tools allow users to skip most of the coding process and add information in plain English. HigherVisibilitys guide to rich snippets can be found on their blog. About HigherVisibility: HigherVisibility is a digital marketing agency based in Memphis, Tenn. that provides services in search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, and social media marketing to small businesses and Fortune 1000s alike. HigherVisibility was named Search Engine Lands SEO Agency of the Year in 2017 and works with clients across the United States. HiveMQs support for MQTT 5 is an important step for our customers who need to deploy business critical applications. dc-square, the creator of HiveMQ, today announced the availability of HiveMQ 4, the new release of the popular enterprise MQTT messaging platform used by companies building IoT applications. HiveMQ 4 delivers complete support for the new MQTT 5 specification making it possible to build more reliable and scalable IoT applications. The new release also introduces the HiveMQ Marketplace and extension framework that allows customers to easily integrate HiveMQ and MQTT messages into their existing enterprise systems. Digital transformation of industries is requiring companies to adopt a new breed of technology to meet the challenges of moving data between connected devices and enterprise systems. New digital products and IoT applications often need to operate over unreliable and costly networks that arent well served by existing web technologies. HiveMQ represents a new category of software that address the key challenges of deploying business critical IoT applications that are fast, reliable, and cost efficient. The new HiveMQ 4 release expands on the core services it provides for moving data between connected devices and enterprise systems. Based on the MQTT protocol, HiveMQ 4 now supports the new MQTT 5 specification. The new MQTT 5 features now supported in HiveMQ include: MQTT payload format descriptions, including content type of format indicator which makes it easier to integrate MQTT messages with enterprise systems. Shared subscriptions of MQTT messages makes it possible to create scalable enterprise MQTT client services. User properties can now be added to MQTT messages so it is now possible to extend the MQTT protocol to fit the business needs of an IoT application. Session and Message expiry makes it easier to develop IoT applications that exchange data with limited lifetime and usefulness, so the overall system is more reliable and scalable. Negative Acknowledgements allows an MQTT broker to inform a client why a connection has been broken. This allows the client to take corrective action to reconnect with the broker. HiveMQs support for MQTT 5 is an important step for our customers who need to deploy business critical applications, explains Dominik Obermaier, CTO of dc-square. MQTT 5 addresses some of the shortcomings in the MQTT protocol that made it difficult to scale a reliable MQTT based system. HiveMQ 4 has implemented all these new features and we are proud to have a 100% complaint MQTT implementation. Our customers can depend on HiveMQ to provide a fast, reliable and efficient way to use MQTT to build IoT applications. HiveMQ 4 also introduces a new open API and HiveMQ Marketplace to make it easier to integrate HiveMQ into existing enterprise systems. The new open API allows developers to create extensions that integrate HiveMQ MQTT messages with existing enterprise systems, including databases, messaging systems, stream processing, and authentication systems. The HiveMQ Marketplace allows customers to gain access to pre-built extensions from dc-square. In the future it is expected the HiveMQ community will contribute additional extensions to the HiveMQ Marketplace. HiveMQ is used in production by over 100 global companies, who are building business critical applications in diverse industries such as automotive, telecommunications, and electronics. It is estimated up to 8 million devices are connected and moving data through the HiveMQ platform. dc-square, the creator of HiveMQ, was recently awarded the prestigious Deloitte Fast 50 Award, recognizing the more than 1200% growth of HiveMQ sales over the last 4 years. The new Winterhalter UC Series uses HiveMQ to connect our commercial dishwashers. states Benjamin Kob, Head of Digital Products and Services at Winterhalter. We needed a solution to efficiently connect our dishwasher with our backend, no matter if it is connected via cable, wifi or even our 3G modems. HiveMQ provided that infrastructure that we needed to be successful. The MQTT lightweight protocol was ideally suited for our requirements to move data from dishwasher to our backend. HiveMQ 4 is available today for existing customers and evaluation by new customers. There are three options to evaluate HiveMQ 4: Package download that can be run on Linux, Windows or iOS Docker image available on Dockerhub AWS AMI for deployment on AWS EC2. Details available at http://www.hivemq.com/downloads/ Additional information about HiveMQ and complete HiveMQ documentation is also available at http://www.hivemq.com/docs/hivemq/latest/. About HiveMQ and dc-square HiveMQ is a MQTT based messaging platform designed for the fast, efficient and reliable movement of data to and from connected IoT devices. It uses the MQTT protocol for instant, bi-directional push of data between your device and your enterprise systems. HiveMQ is designed for cloud native deployments so it capable of elastic scaling and fault tolerant reliability. dc-square is one of the pioneers in helping customers connect devices at massive scale in a secure and reliable fashion. The company was founded 2012 in Germany and delivers its products and services worldwide from offices in Landshut, Germany. dc-square was named in Deloittes Technology Fast 50 Award 2018, an prestigious award that recognizes fast growing German companies. dc-squares revenue has grown over 1200% in 2013 to 2017 placing the company as the sixth fastest growing startup in Germany. dc-square has also been accepted into the German Accelerator Tech, an acceleration program that supports German companies to enter the US market. HomeLight Ranked in Top 50 for Comparably's 2018 Best Company Culture Award HomeLight, the worlds leading marketplace for connecting homeowners with real estate agents, is proud to announce that it has been recognized with a Comparably 2018 Culture Award. Among all small companies across the United States, HomeLight ranked 30th for Best Company Culture in a dataset compiled from 10 million ratings across 50,000 companies. People spend so much time in the office these days, said Drew Uher, founder and CEO at HomeLight. I wanted to build a company that felt like a family. One with a culture that encourages hard work and dedication but one where people absolutely love what they do and who they work with. I want HomeLights employees to enjoy coming to work every day and I think this award and the monumental success weve had as a company over the last few years is strong validation that our approach is working. The Comparably Awards honor businesses that are helping to drive positive cultural change across companies large and small. Rankings are derived from sentiment ratings provided by employees who anonymously rate their employers on Comparably.com throughout the year. There are no fees or costs associated with participating, nor is nomination required. HomeLight employees volunteered the following feedback about their company: "Theres an ongoing commitment to helping each and every single one of us grow and develop our skills to succeed in every way we can. HomeLights leadership team is very personable and approachable with any question, big or small, to help get the answer you need. They make work fun! Can't imagine being anywhere else!" The culture here at HomeLight is second to none. Everyone here works well together, and we are all working together to make HomeLight a better place. I've never got along better with a team in my entire professional career. Most companies take a considerable effort to evoke the word family. However, at HomeLight it is effortless. Our management values and appreciates their employees more so than any company I've worked for. They treat everyone with respect and make it known that our opinions matter. The Best Company Culture Award comes on the heels of HomeLights recent $40M Series B funding round. HomeLight is projected to end 2018 having listed over $5B in homes, and the company now exceeds 100 employees after opening two new offices this year in Seattle and San Diego. Jason Nazar, CEO of Comparably, said: Comparably Awards look to honor employers who stand out as providing the best benefits, perks and compensation to foster the happiest employees in the United States. HomeLights leadership in this category is a true testament to the value the company places on employee happiness and company culture. For more about HomeLight, please visit http://www.homelight.com. If youre interested in joining the fast-growing team, visit http://www.homelight.com/careers. Information about Comparablys 2018 Company Culture awards can be found on the Comparably website. About HomeLight HomeLight is the worlds leading marketplace for connecting home sellers with the best real estate agents. HomeLights algorithm uses real transaction data and matches homeowners with agents proven to sell homes faster and for more money. These data-driven matches provide objective, personalized recommendations that accurately reflect past performance and success. HomeLight has information on over two million agents and actively works with over 35,000 of them. With offices in San Francisco, Phoenix, Seattle, and San Diego, HomeLight conducts business nationwide. HomeLight is backed by Zeev Ventures, Menlo Ventures, SGVC, CitiVentures, Bullpen Capital, Crosslink Capital, Montage Ventures, GV, Innovation Endeavors and more. For more information, visit http://www.homelight.com. Shop for a new Hyundai vehicle at Apple Valley Hyundai this holiday season! The holidays are a time of giving and spending time with loved ones. However, drivers sometimes need to treat themselves to something nice during the holiday season. Those looking for the perfect gift are in store for a treat, as Apple Valley Hyundai, a Hyundai dealership serving the Winchester, Virginia, area, is hosting the Hyundai Holidays Sales Event this year. The Hyundai Holidays Sales Event is a perfect time to find deals on some of the most popular Hyundai vehicles. Drivers are able to find both lease and finance offers on some of the newest 2019 model year vehicles such as the new Kona, Tucson and Santa Fe, along with sedans such as the Elantra and Sonata. For example, the 2019 Hyundai Kona can be financed for as low as 2.9 percent APR financing for 60 months, offering up to $1,250 in total savings. The popular Elantra can be financed with 1.9 percent APR financing with a total of $1,500 in savings. With so many great Hyundai vehicles to choose from, it can be hard to pick the right one. Luckily, Apple Valley Hyundai offers plenty of research pages covering the newest Hyundai vehicles. Shoppers can also compare Hyundai vehicles to similar models on the dealers website as well. Apple Valley Hyundai is a full-service dealership in Winchester that specializes in new Hyundai vehicles, as well as pre-owned models from many different manufacturers. Those interested in shopping for an all-new Hyundai vehicle during the Hyundai Holidays Sales Event should act quickly, as these offers end on Jan. 2, 2019. For more information, drivers can contact the dealership at http://www.applevalleyhyundai.com or by calling a staff member directly at 855-463-5530. Intcomex, the leading platform of value-added solutions and technology products in Latin America and the Caribbean, has strategically partnered with Dropsuite Limited (ASX: DSE), a leading cloud data backup platform for businesses, to bring Cloud Backup for Office 365, through Dropsuite, to its network of 50,000+ reseller partners. According to a report cited by Microsoft, "Cybersecurity: Are We Ready in Latin America and the Caribbean?," authored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); Organization of American States, Latin America was extremely vulnerable to potentially devastating cyber-attacks.* With threats to data safety on the rise, businesses can no longer risk exposing themselves to unexpected data loss events such as ransomware, phishing attacks, rogue employee theft, or accidental deletion. Dropsuite Cloud Backup for Office 365 will help Intcomex resellers safeguard Exchange Online (email files, attachments, calendars and tasks), plus backup SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams data. Intcomex offers a full trade coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean, with major scale and leadership that will rapidly and effectively position Dropsuites products. The company has a robust infrastructure and a great vision of the IT business conformed by a network of 15 subsidiaries throughout the region, two consolidation centers located in Miami and Panama, has operations in 41 countries and a coverage of more than 50.000 unique customers every year. Certainly, it will be a winning entry strategy product that will complement the solid offering in cloud products and services of the company. On the other hand, Dropsuite offers a superior product to the Latin American and the Caribbean market. The company stands above the crowd by proposing a single pane-of-glass dashboard that enables IT administrators to manage and retrieve data in minutes -- reducing Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs), boosting ARPU and improving customer satisfaction. Joseph Bouhadana, VicePresident of Cloud Services at Intcomex, said: "We're excited to be partnering with Dropsuite to bring their professional-grade Office 365 backup and archiving product to our reseller customers. Dropsuites automated backup is user-friendly, meets rigorous international compliance standards, and is simple to provision. We're honored to partner with Intcomex, a distributor that willing to bring cloud backup and archiving to Latin America and the Caribbean," said Dropsuite's COO, Ridley Ruth. "Launching Dropsuite Cloud Backup for Office 365 on the Intcomex platform means MSPs and VARs will be able to double their money by bundling our product with Office 365, while earning recurring revenue",affirmed Ruth. To learn more about Intcomex and how to purchase Dropsuite products, please contact the cloud solutions advisors at email VentasCloud@intcomex.com, or visit cloud.intcomex.com. About Intcomex For over 25 years, Intcomex has been a premiere value-added distributor of IT products focused solely on serving Latin America and the Caribbean. Intcomex distributes cloud solutions, computer equipment, components, peripherals, software, computer systems, accessories, networking products and digital consumer electronics to more than 50,000 local customers in over 45 countries. It offers single source purchasing to its customers by providing an in-stock selection of more than 5,700 products from over 220 vendors, including many of the world's leading IT products manufacturers. Headquartered facility in Miami, Florida. For more information, visit the official website: http://www.intcomex.com About Dropsuite Dropsuite (DSE:ASX) is a global cloud software platform enabling business organizations in over 100 countries to easily backup, recover and protect their important company information. Dropsuites network of preferred reseller partners has a combined customer reach of millions of businesses worldwide. Dropsuites products include G Suite Gmail Backup, Email Archiving, Website Backup and Cloud Backup of Office 365 which effortlessly backs up Exchange Online, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams. Dropsuite has partnered with some of the biggest names in the web hosting and IT service provider markets such as GoDaddy, D&H, UOL, ALSO, Giacom and Crazy Domains to safeguard businesses from the threat of unexpected data loss. Dropsuite was launched in 2012 and is headquartered in Singapore with a sales presence in the US, Europe, Japan, Brazil and Australia. For more information, visit the official website: https://dropsuite.com *Sources: https://publications.iadb.org/handle/11319/7449 and https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2017/07/06/latin-america-is-stepping-up-to-the-plate-in-cybersecurity-policy/ For the most effective, affordable Italian Lessons on the market, you can trust Rocket Languages to deliver. TopConsumerReviews.com has awarded their highest rating to Rocket Languages, a leader among providers of Italian Lessons. Why do people take Italian Lessons? For some, theyre looking to connect with their heritage, understand historical documents like birth and marriage certificates, and express their pride in their ancestry. Others have travel plans to the high-end shops of Milan, the gondola rides in Venice, or the archaeological sites in Rome and dont want to completely stand out as a tourist by not knowing the language. In a world where over 85 million people speak Italian, being fluent in Italian can be an advantage in doing business with companies based in Italy, Switzerland, Malta, and San Marino. One of the easiest ways to get up to speed is through Italian Lessons offered online. For the most effective, affordable Italian Lessons on the market, you can trust Rocket Languages to deliver, according to Brian Dolezal, of TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC. The company is a world-renowned expert in language instruction, and their Italian Lessons blend audio lessons and voice recognition exercises with traditional language and culture components. Students say that not only is the program intuitive and fun, but the materials are presented contextually - making it more useful than many other Italian programs available today. Rocket Languages offers a 4-hour free trial on all of their instruction packages, as well as a 60-day money-back guarantee for those who purchase their program. For all of these reasons, Rocket Languages continues to be our provider of choice for Italian Lessons in 2018. To find out more about Rocket Languages and other sources of Italian Lessons, including reviews and comparison rankings, please visit the Italian Lessons category of TopConsumerReviews.com at https://www.topconsumerreviews.com/italian-lessons/. About Rocket Languages Rocket Languages is one of the worlds leading providers of online learn-a-language software packages. Setting themselves apart from the competition by placing a strong and immediate emphasis on what they call conversational learning, their dynamic learning courses have students speaking the language in a modern, fun, and conversational manner right from the start. Originally starting with Rocket Spanish in 2005, Rocket Language has expanded to include Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, American Sign Language, and English courses for speakers of Spanish and Japanese, among others. About TopConsumerReviews.com TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of reviews and rankings for thousands of consumer products and services. From Italian Lessons to Passports and Travel Insurance, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier. 2018 WorkBoat Award-Winning, Jensen Maritime-Designed National Geographic cruise ship We are proud to not only develop significant boats, but also to lead the industry with full-service, in-house naval architecture and marine engineering services that help our customers achieve their goals. Thanks to WorkBoat for the awards and our clients for trusting us to deliver. Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering subsidiary, has been honored for the third consecutive year by WorkBoat magazine with two Significant Boat Awards. WorkBoat only issues 10 Significant Boat Awards each year. The first was given for Jensens designs of expedition cruise boats National Geographic Quest and National Geographic Venture, owned by Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc., of New York, N.Y. The second was for the companys design of ship-assist and escort tug Rosemary McAllister, owned by McAllister Towing and Transportation Co. For the two 100-person expedition cruise boats, Jensen provided detailed design and production engineering services. The company also used 3D modeling allowing Lindblad Expeditions the opportunity to confirm the 238-foot vessels layout, maintenance envelopes and operational access prior to construction. This meant that all the details of the structural, electrical, mechanical and HVAC systems of the vessel were combined into one comprehensive, full-size 3D computer model, resulting in a virtual vessel that could be inspected early in the design process for safety, maintainability and constructability. Now fully constructed, the duo is operating tours between Baja, Costa Rica and Panama during the winter months and Southeast Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Canada during the summer months. The U.S.-flag, coastal cruise ships were built at the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) shipyard, in Freeland, Wash. For the Rosemary McAllister Jensen provided detailed design services including stability, structure and systems designs for the ocean-going escort/rescue tugboat. The 100-foot by 40-foot escort tug is the 32nd ocean-going escort/rescue tugboat in the McAllister fleet, but is one of the first that is Tier IV, meaning it utilizes high-efficiency, catalytic after-treatment technology to reduce emissions. Powered by twin Z-drive propulsion units, the tug offers an approximate bollard pull of 90 short tons, making it suitable for offshore service, ship assist, tanker escort, maneuvering and docking. Rosemary McAllister has been Load Lined and Classed by the American Bureau of Shipping as +A1, Towing, Escort, +AMS, and FFV-1. The 12-knot, 6,770-horsepower tugboat was constructed by Eastern Shipbuilding Group, of Panama City, Fla. Its been exciting to watch the Jensen team receive national recognition for innovative designs by WorkBoat for three years running, said the companys Bryan Nichols, director, business development. We are proud to not only develop significant boats, such as our new Tier IV compliant series of tugboats, but also to lead the industry with full-service, in-house naval architecture and marine engineering services that help our customers achieve their goals. We thank WorkBoat for the awards and our clients for trusting us to deliver. Jensens new series of Tier IV-compliant, ship-assist tugboat designs are available now in 74-, 86-, 92-, 96-, 100-, 108- and 110-foot lengths. To learn more about these designs, click the above link. WorkBoat has honored Jensen with Significant Boat awards for years. Last years awards were given for two different tugboat designs that yielded the Earl W. Redd, owned by Harley Marine Services Inc. of Seattle, and built by Diversified Marine Inc., in Portland, Ore.; and the Arkansas, Mardi Gras and South Carolina, owned by Crescent Towing and built by Steiner Shipyard, in Bayou La Batre, Ala. In 2016, WorkBoat awarded Jensen for the design of San Francisco Fireboat 3, owned by San Francisco Fire Department. Jensen was also awarded in 2013 for the design of Crowleys 750 class articulated tug-barge (ATB) fleet and the Bob Franco tugboat, owned by Harley Marine; in 2012 for the design of Crowleys ocean class tugboats; in 2009 for the design of Crowleys Nachik and Sesok tugboats; and in 2008 for the design of the HandyOne class boat, owned by Great Lakes Towing, and for the design of barge TAGGATZ, owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. About Jensen Maritime Seattle-based Jensen Maritime Consultants, Inc., is a naval architecture and marine engineering firm owned by Crowley Maritime Corporation. The company offers a diverse range of consulting, design and engineering services developed from 57 years of experience working around the world. Jensen is a recognized leader in the design of all types of vessels - particularly workboats, fishing boats and fireboats and has built a favorable reputation on a long history of successful designs and conversions with close attention to engineering basics. The company's services include detail and conceptual design and engineering, lofting, regulatory and shipyard liaison as well as on-site consulting services and on-location assistance anywhere in the world. For additional information about Jensen, visit http://www.jensenmaritime.com. About Crowley Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 126-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company that provides marine solutions, energy and logistics services in domestic and international markets. Crowley operates under four business units: Crowley Logistics, a singular ocean liner and logistics supply chain division; Crowley Shipping, which encompasses ownership, operations and management of vessels, including tankers, container, dual fuel (LNG) and multipurpose ships, tugboats and barges; Crowley Fuels, a fuel transportation, distribution and sales division that also provides liquefied natural gas (LNG) and related services; and Crowley Solutions, which focuses on government services, including vessel management for government agencies, as well as engineering, project management, naval architecture through its subsidiary Jensen Maritime, and marine salvage and emergency response through its 50 percent ownership in Ardent Global. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found at http://www.crowley.com. The Jim Ellis Automotive Group presents the check for $10,600 raised in their campaign to the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. It is our honor to work with Jim Ellis to help provide cancer patients with much needed services, President of the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund Sheryl Cherico said. The impact on these families is beyond words and we are proud to have Jim Ellis as a part of our team. The Jim Ellis Automotive Group teams up with clients to raise money for the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. Jim Ellis Automotive dealerships recently donated $10,600 to the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund (GBCCF) from money raised during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is our honor to work with Jim Ellis to help provide cancer patients with much needed services, President of the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund Sheryl Cherico said. The impact on these families is beyond words and we are proud to have Jim Ellis as a part of our team. In support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place in October, Audi Marietta, Jim Ellis KIA of Kennesaw and Jim Ellis Volkswagen Kennesaw decided to give back to the community they serve. This initiative was very important to me as my wifes aunt passed away from breast cancer and also a longtime Jim Ellis Employee in my store is a survivor of breast cancer, said Jim Ellis VW Kennesaw General Manager Steve Rotenstein. I wanted to try and help as many as possible during this holiday season. These three Jim Ellis Automotive dealerships, which each have multiple employees affected by breast cancer, joined forces to launch a campaign to raise money for the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. I initially came up with concept of my KIA store being involved with supporting the Breast Cancer Coalition, based on my awareness being heightened by one of my closest friends being diagnosed at a relatively young age (34) with breast cancer, said Jim Ellis KIA of Kennesaw General Manager Terrence Liddell. I met her and her twin sister in Graduate School and was deeply concerned for her life. Luckily her early diagnosis and treatment has led to a complete remission of the cancer causing cells in her body. To aid in my efforts, I reached out to Randy and Steve and asked for their support in helping to continue to bring focus to this issue. Ultimately, my goal is for everyone to understand how important early diagnosis is to a successful recovery. For the entire month of October, Audi Marietta and Jim Ellis KIA of Kennesaw donated $50 per new car sold and VW Kennesaw donated $25 per new and used car sold. For each car sold, the stores also displayed pink ribbons that had the customers name on it. Audi Marietta and Jim Ellis KIA of Kennesaw each raised $3,600 in donations and Jim Ellis VW Kennesaw raised $3,400, which resulted in the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund receiving a donation total of $10,600 to help patients with breast cancer. When the opportunity was presented to participate in raising money for the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition, we did not hesitate, said Audi Marietta General Manager Randy Pullen. This is such an incredible organization that can help so many people who are directly affected by such a devastating disease. The Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund is a non-profit education and advocacy organization that was founded in 1994. The organization was formed when three breast cancer survivors came together for a common cause-to fight to eliminate breast cancer. The GBCCF is working to make a difference for the nearly 9,000 Georgians who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. With the generous donation from Jim Ellis, the Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition is able to provide groceries, transportation, and much needed services to patients fighting cancer in Georgia, said Cherico. The Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition Fund has been instrumental in breast cancer education and advocacy. Through their collaborative efforts with the National Breast Cancer Coalition and other breast cancer advocates, dollars earmarked for breast cancer research have quadrupled and the fight to eradicate breast cancer has been brought to the forefront of the publics awareness. GBCC is working with patients at DeKalb and Emory to provide assistance to patients going through breast cancer, Cherico said. The unbelievable amount of money raised by Jim Ellis will allow us to help patients, and expand our reach to other hospitals in the state of Georgia. About Jim Ellis Automotive Group Jim Ellis Automotive Group has been serving the Atlanta area since 1971, starting with Volkswagen as the flagship brand. The group has expanded to 13 brands and 17 dealerships covering Atlanta, Buford, Kennesaw and Marietta. Visit online at http://www.jimellis.com. LLS (Leonardo LoCascio Selections), a member of The Winebow Group and Americas leading importer of premium Italian wines, is pleased to announce that it is the exclusive U.S. importer of Aldo Rainoldi, the family-owned estate based in Valtellina, in the northern region of Lombardy. Aldo Rainoldi has been producing iconic Nebbiolo wines for over 90 years and joins a portfolio that represents more than 60 wineries throughout Italy. We are truly honored to welcome Aldo Rainoldi to LLS, said Ted Campbell, Senior Vice President and General Manager of LLS. Aldo and his family have carried on the winemaking tradition of Valtellina, one of Italys most breathtaking and lesser-known areas. The Nebbiolo wines produced here are singular in character and unlike any other expression of the variety you find in other parts of the country. LLS is proud to have Aldo Rainoldis extraordinary wines in our portfolio and to offer a fresh look at both Nebbiolo and Valtellina. Founded in 1925 by Aldo Rainoldi, the winery is now run by the third generation Aldo who completed his degree in viticulture and oenology at Turin University. Aldo Rainoldi is located in the town of Chiuro in the province of Sondrio, a mountainous valley in the Italian Alps that stretches 25 miles east to west. The winery covers 24 acres of south-facing vineyards, which allows for extraordinary exposure to the sun throughout the day. Terraced and positioned on steep slopes, the vineyards are exclusively maintained by hand. Each acre requires a total of 486 hours to maintain per year four times longer than the average time needed for hill viticulture and helicopters are often used to help transfer hand-picked grapes from the vineyards to the winery. Valtellina is known for having the most extended viticulture on mountainous slopes in Italy and the third most in Europe. Called Chiavennasca locally, Nebbiolo shows a distinct expression in Valtellina from that of its Piemontese cousins. Wines from the Rosso di Valtellina DOC show the influence of altitude and the cool, alpine climate on Nebbiolo with aromatic notes of red berry fruits, a lighter body and smooth tannins. Those from the Valtellina Superiore DOCG (and its subzones Marrogia, Sassella, Grumello, Inferno, and Valgella) show the effect of the intense sunlight on the vineyards with each subzone imparting its own characteristics, resulting in wines of unexpected intensity that offer complex profiles of red berries, stony earth, and savory herbs. Respecting family tradition, the Valtellina region, and the environment is our philosophy, said Aldo Rainoldi, owner and winemaker. We knew immediately that LLS was the right partner for us as they share the same values that we do. They have an outstanding team that understands Italian wine and is committed to showcasing the diversity of Italys wine regions. We look forward to working with them to tell the unique story of Valtellina and to share the exceptional wines that Nebbiolo produces here. LLS will import the following wines from Aldo Rainoldi: Nebbiolo Alpi Retiche IGT, Rosso di Valtellina DOC, Prugnolo Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Grumello Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Sassella Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Sassella Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva, Inferno Valtellina Superiore DOCG, Inferno Valtellina Superiore DOCG Riserva, Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG, and Fruttaio Ca Rizzieri Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG. About LLS LLS is a division of Winebow Imports, a leading importer of fine wines and spirits from the around the world. LLS has represented Italian wines of impeccable quality, character, and value for over 35 years. Each wine in the collection tells a unique story about the family and region that produced it. A taste through the portfolio is a journey across Italys rich spectrum of geography, history, culture, and cuisine. Whether a crisp Pinot Bianco from the Dolomites or a rich Aglianico from Campania, the wines of LLS will transport you to Italys outstanding regions. For more information, please visit http://www.llswine.com. Local Marketing Solutions Group "We see opportunity for mutually beneficial growth across our client bases as Godwins depth of experience in digital, public relations, crisis/issues management, and research bring new capabilities to our portfolio of services. This business relationship is a great fit. - Al Croke, LMSG CEO Local Marketing Solutions Group Inc. has invested in Godwin Advertising Agency Inc (Godwin) to expand its marketing execution capabilities and marquee client base and establish a significant geographic presence across the Southern United States. Al Croke, Local Marketing Solutions Group Inc.s President & CEO said, Were extremely impressed with Godwins creative services and its people. Croke added, We see opportunity for mutually beneficial growth across our client bases as Godwins depth of experience in digital, public relations, crisis/issues management, and research bring new capabilities to our portfolio of services. This business relationship is a great fit. This affiliation with LMSG provides our clients with state-of-the-art marketing technology at a new level, said Godwin Executive Chairman Philip Shirley. Godwin has continually added to its portfolio of services to meet client needs. As we enter our 82nd year, we are thrilled that our new investment partner brings proven e-commerce technology and access to lead generation and digital marketing capabilities unsurpassed in this region. Godwin will continue to function independently and will now also support the client needs of Local Marketing Solutions Group companies JGSullivan Interactive in Chicago, DuFour Advertising in Wisconsin, and WeblyGuys Brand video solutions, based in Chicago with additional capabilities in the Philippines, and KMA One in Atlanta. Local Marketing Solutions Group, Inc. will continue to pursue additional partnership opportunities, to realize the long-term strategic vision of providing clients with a full spectrum of sales and marketing execution services in support of its hosted marketing technology platforms. The company intends to provide clients with all things sales and marketing, establishing brand control at the corporate level and driving client revenue through its sales channels with execution efficiencies and local flexibility. ABOUT LOCAL MARKETING SOLUTIONS GROUP, INC. Local Marketing Solutions Group, Inc. (http://www.lmsg.co) is No. 1,673 on the 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. LMSG was formed in 2012 by the executive management team of JGSullivan Interactive Inc. The purpose of the holding company is to continue the expansion of offering the broadest and most efficient marketing and sales solutions to national and international brands that drive revenue through local sales and marketing channels. The company provides marketing automation technology and supporting sales and marketing services capabilities, allowing corporate sales and marketing to control brand image and to ultimately facilitate use of product and service content and materials for local channels. Operating units and Brands include JGSullivan Interactive (http://www.jgsullivan.com), DuFour Advertising (http://www.dufour.com), WeblyGuys (http://www.weblyguys.com), KMA One (http://www.kmaone.com) and now Godwin (http://www.Godwin.com). ABOUT GODWIN Godwin (http://www.godwin.com) was founded in 1937 and is the Souths oldest marketing communications firm. Headquartered in Jackson, MS, with offices in Biloxi and Dallas, Godwin serves clients nationwide, primarily in healthcare, banking, finance and insurance, utilities, tourism, manufacturing, food and consumer goods. It has been recognized among the nations leading agencies by Ad Age and AdWeek. Godwin provides branding, advertising and reputation management services, as well as digital and web marketing services. MobilityWorks, the nation's largest retailer of wheelchair accessible vans, is adding 4 new locations through the acquisition of M.C. Mobility Systems, Inc. The acquisition will add to MobilityWorks' existing presence in the state of Ohio, where they currently have 3 locations. Following the acquisition, MobilityWorks will now operate 78 total locations in 24 states. Carmen Paterniti, President of M.C. Mobility Systems, commented MobilityWorks is a leader in our industry and a natural partner for M.C. Mobility due to our shared vision of expanding access to mobility solutions for all. We are proud to join the MobilityWorks family and are confident our stores will now have unmatched resources and solutions available to provide the best possible experience for our customers. Together M.C. Mobility Systems and MobilityWorks will offer customers greater selection, excellent service, and access to innovative financing solutions. The main objective of both organizations is working with clients to find the best solution for the individuals specific needs. The two companies have been market leaders in the wheelchair accessible van industry for over 20 years and take pride in delivering quality products and services. We look forward to having M.C. Mobility Systems become a part of our family, said Eric Mansfield, President of MobilityWorks. Adding M.C. Mobility Systems to our organization will complement our 3 other locations in Ohio and will truly benefit our customers. We expect a smooth transition and are excited to continue to serve the community. Mark DiRosa, Vice President of M.C. Mobility Systems, said The MobilityWorks partnership will allow anyone living in Ohio to conveniently find wheelchair accessible van solutions and service capabilities within a one hour drive. In addition to selling new and pre-owned modified vans for wheelchair accessibility, Mobility Works and M.C. Mobility Systems will also provide rental vans and adaptive equipment such as hand controls, turning seats and scooter lifts. MobilityWorks also manufactures and sells a variety of commercial vehicles to business clients throughout the United States. About MobilityWorks MobilityWorks (aka WMK, LLC) is a Cleveland, Ohio-based Inc. 500 company that employs specially trained Certified Mobility Consultants to work closely with its clients to understand their specific transportation needs in finding the right vehicle solution. Founded in 1997 with one location, MobilityWorks has been recognized on the Inc. 500|5000 list of Inc. Magazine's fastest growing privately held companies for the past ten years. MobilityWorks Commercial is the largest provider of commercial wheelchair vans in the country. TransitWorks, located in Akron Ohio, is the manufacturing division of WMK, LLC and is Ford Motor Company's largest mobility upfitter. Learn more about MobilityWorks at https://www.mobilityworks.com. MonarchFx is the coming together of world class supply chain and logistics companies with world class sellers of products, to form a reinvented unichannel logistics ecosystem that is new, smart, and innovative. MonarchFx, a business unit of Tompkins International, continues to grow. As we continue to open more distributed logistics facilities, we have added to our operations leadership team. The team oversees all facilities operation systems. The team determines all product handling and storage requirements through developing, implementing, enforcing, and evaluating policies and procedures. Some of these processes include receiving product, equipment utilization, inventory management, and order fulfillment. Dave Hanson, East Coast Regional Director, is an accomplished supply chain executive providing leadership to accelerate growth, maximize profitability, optimize inventory leverage, and strengthen the overall operations performance using his industry expertise as the catalyst to do so. He specializes in eCommerce, retail, wholesale fulfillment, and omnichannel distribution operations across multiple sites. Before joining MonarchFx, Hanson worked as Director of Operations for Shorr Packaging, MD Logistics, Regal Beloit Manufacturing, and Jacobson Companies (prior to their acquisition by XPO). Hanson attended St. Ambrose University. MonarchFx is the coming together of world class supply chain and logistics companies with world class sellers of products, to form a reinvented unichannel logistics ecosystem that is new, smart, and innovative. We are very pleased to have Dave, an experienced executive to help lead our operations team, stated Jim Tompkins, CEO, MonarchFx. About MonarchFx MonarchFx is an alliance of leading logistics service providers, supply chain technology providers, and partners, managed by experienced executives, that provides world-class logistics and fulfillment solutions through an innovative logistics ecosystem. It serves retailers, brands, and other sellers with multiple fulfillment channels, providing speed, quality, and efficiency, operating with distributed logistics centers for nationwide coverage, allowing for same-day delivery. It is high-service, facilitated by advanced robotics, analytics, and artificial intelligence methods for inventory allocation. For more information about MonarchFx visit: http://www.monarchfxgo.com. About Tompkins International A supply chain consulting and implementation firm that maximizes supply chain performance and value creation. We enable clients to be more profitable and valuable, while also becoming more agile, flexible, and adaptive to the marketplace. Tompkins collaborates with client teams to develop improved operations strategies, supply chain planning, and execution across all the Mega Processes of supply chains (PLAN-BUY-MAKE-MOVE-DISTRIBUTE-SELL). Tompkins is headquartered in Raleigh, NC and has offices throughout North America and in Europe and Asia. For more information about Tompkins International visit: http://www.tompkinsinc.com. Playground Rendering for Paradise, CA The MRC and GameTime donation of a playground for a long-term temporary campus for Paradise Unified is a godsend to this community. On Nov. 8, the Camp Fire in Northern California destroyed the town of Paradise, CA, and neighboring communities, claiming multiple lives and consuming thousands of buildings, according to Cal Fire. The wildfire, the deadliest in California history, either destroyed or heavily damaged all nine schools in the Paradise Unified School District, and left approximately 4,200 Paradise Unified School District students without a home. While the community is seeking ways to setup new housing and schools, one thing they wont need to worry about is a place for children to play. MRC Recreation and GameTime have decided to donate a new playground structure so children effected by the wildfires have somewhere to play as well as a place to escape the realities of the natural disaster. The playground will be delivered to the school just in time for the holidays, and MRCs local recreation designer, Kelly Oakes, is recruiting family and friends to get it installed. Kelly, who is from the area added, I am very ingrained in this community, and care deeply for the people who live here. Im blessed to be able to work with a company that understands the difference this can make in the lives of people who have lost so much. Brian Gates, Vice President of MRC Recreation with an office headquartered in New Jersey said, In 2012, many of our homes and neighborhoods were shattered by Superstorm Sandy. We saw first-hand how play can aid as a healing factor for not only children, but adults. It was a no-brainer for us not only as a company but as compassionate individuals to donate this playground to the families of Paradise. Julie Kistle, Director of Facilities & Construction for the Chico Unified School District added, After such a traumatizing event and the loss of homes, schools and community, the District is committed to providing a stable place for students to engage in active learning and fun play. The MRC and GameTime donation of a playground for a long-term temporary campus for Paradise Unified is a godsend to this community. The new play structure is tentatively planned to be delivered and installed during the upcoming school Christmas break. About MRC Recreation: MRC Recreation is a leading park, playground and recreation equipment supplier throughout the United States. We have been a trusted resource for customers for 40 years as a full-line supplier of a variety of park equipment including: GameTime playgrounds, rubber & wood playground safety surfacing, spray parks & splash pads, outdoor fitness equipment, site amenities, bleachers, custom metal furnishings, synthetic turf fields and more. A wave of relaxing Blu Light will bathe Canada as a new Blu Room opens this week at L'Espace Bleu in Blainville, in Southwestern Quebec near Montreal. The Blu Room is a patented technology that shields users from the outside world and wraps users in an atmosphere of soft ultraviolet light so the mind is free to relax, free associate or hold a relaxed state of focus without distractions. The new L'Espace is located at 574 Cure Labelle #202, Blainville, Quebec, Canada, J7C 2H8. The co-creator of the Blu Room technology, Dr. Matt Martinez, will visit L'Espace Bleu on Thursday, Dec. 13 and Friday, Dec. 14. The media is invited to experience the Blu Room, or interview and photograph others inside this new healing technology. Reporters who wish to try the Blu Room should contact Sylvie Boucher at sylvie(at)lespacebleu.com or 450-430-3339 and http://lespacebleu.com. Sylvie Boucher is a well-known actress, author and speaker who has appeared on television for 30 years on a regular basis. Boucher is also the author of two best-selling books including her first one, Tout est Parfait (All is Perfect), based upon her life experiences. She also toured Quebec giving lectures on how to create joy in one's life. Her latest venture is the Blu Room, which she calls An awakening magic machine! The Blu Room helps anyone who wants to step out of the daily routine including children, adults and the elderly. The sessions consist of 20 minutes of deep relaxation inside a futuristic octagon bathed in blue and UVB light. Users report a wide range of benefits such as deepened focus, a faster healing process, greater self-awareness, pain relief, alleviating stress and anxiety, as well as overall improved health. More than 100,000 Blu Room sessions have been experienced in Canada, the U.S. and 11 other countries. There are five Blu Room locations in Canada. Media such as the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Meditation Daily, KING5-TV and The Hill have covered the fascinating story of the Blu Room. There are 35 Blu Rooms operating around the world, with more under construction. Those nations include: Argentina, Austria, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, Taiwan and the U.S. Four locations are for private use or employee-use only, and the remaining 31 are open to the public in either a clinical or spa/wellness setting. About The Blu Room The Blu Room is a patented technology that creates an atmosphere to insulate users from the outside world. It provides the user with a mind/body/spirit consciousness-lifting environment that can augment ones state of personal well-being and creative focus. Users have reported a wide range of benefits including: deep relaxation, relief from mental stress and anxiety, relief from physical pain, faster healing processes, increased creativity, greater self-awareness. For more information, please visit: http://www.bluroom.com. If youre looking for a job at the start of the new year, you will be in a strong position, said Bill Stoller, the CEO of Express. Its clear that employers are hiring, and if you have the skillsor are willing to acquire the skillsthe odds are in your favor. As 2018 comes to a close, businesses are reporting a positive outlook for the job market in the first quarter of 2019, according to a new survey fielded by Express Employment Professionals. Even with the latest jobs report showing fewer new jobs than expected and increased media chatter about a recession in the next two years, businesses expect steady hiring in the short term. In the survey of 445 businesses, 53 percent of respondents expect the job market to stay the same in the first quarter, 38 percent see it trending up and only 9 percent see it trending down. A year ago, businesses predicted a similar outlook for the first quarter of 2018, with 49 percent saying the job market would stay the same, 42 percent saying it would trend up and 9 percent saying it would trend down. Employers will continue to hire, said Janis Petrini, an Express franchise owner in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In our market, the demand for employees remains high, but there is no supply. Employers will continue to struggle to find workers in our market, and demand remains high with two to three job openings for every one person unemployed. Petrini also noted in her area people aren't slowing down in hiring due to predictions of a recession. Lee Wenninger, an Express franchise owner on the north side of Indianapolis, sees a similar trend. While employers do have trouble finding workers, he has a simple answer when asked if employers will keep hiring: All indicators are yes. There is some uncertainty, though. Compared to 2018, hiring trends in 2019 are hard to predict, he said, because while the economy is doing well, there are some concerns regarding trade policy and tariffs. If wages continue to increase, we should see candidates who are on the sidelines in government programs re-enter the workforce, so that is another unknown factor at this time. The survey results also revealed which professions can expect to see hiring in the first quarter of 2019. More businesses are looking to hire workers for general labor than for any other profession. If youre looking for a job at the start of the new year, you will be in a strong position, said Bill Stoller, the CEO of Express. Its clear that employers are hiring, and if you have the skillsor are willing to acquire the skillsthe odds are in your favor. The survey of 445 businesses, which are current and former clients of Express Employment Professionals, was conducted in December 2018 to gauge respondents' expectations for the first quarter of 2019. *** If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966. About Bill Stoller William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 800 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Since its inception, Express has put more than 6 million people to work worldwide. About Express Employment Professionals Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.4 billion in sales and employed a record 540,000 people in 2017. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com. Leading affordable housing provider, The NHP Foundation (NHPF) has secured financing from the DC Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), R4 Capital, and R4 Capital Funding for a total of $39.4 million to redevelop and preserve Takoma Place Apartments in the Brightwood neighborhood of Washington, DC. Specifically, R4 Capital Funding provided a permanent loan of $10,800,000, and R4 Capital providing $12,000,000 in LIHTC. In 2017, DHCD provided $13,700,000 in Soft Money. The remaining $2,900,000 was funded via interim income and deferred developer fee. The 104-unit property was purchased in March 2017 in partnership with the Takoma Place Tenant Association via the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). The planned redevelopment includes significant upgrades with new kitchens, bathrooms, energy upgrades, windows, appliances, HVAC, new plumbing and electrical, and a new community center. The redevelopment of Takoma Place underpins NHPFs commitment to preserving vital affordable housing stock, particularly in DC, where we currently own seven properties, said NHPF President & CEO, Dick Burns. Takoma Place is one of seven current TOPA deals NHPF has entered into in the District. Construction is anticipated to last 14 months. "DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is committed to ensuring that long-term District residents maintain their roots in the city; TOPA and gap financing from the Housing Production Trust Fund are two affordable housing tools making that possible, said Polly Donaldson, Director of DHCD. DHCD is pleased that thanks to this partnership with NHPF, Takoma Place will preserve affordable housing for residents making less than $70,320 a year [60 percent of the 2018 Median Family Income for a family of four]. About The NHP Foundation Headquartered in New York City with offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, IL., The NHP Foundation (NHPF) was launched on January 30, 1989, as a publicly supported 501(c)(3) not-for-profit real estate corporation. NHPF is dedicated to preserving and creating sustainable, service-enriched multifamily housing that is both affordable to low and moderate income families and seniors, and beneficial to their communities. NHPF also provides a robust resident services program to nearly 18,000 community residents. Through partnerships with major financial institutions, the public sector, faith-based initiatives, and other not-for-profit organizations, NHPF has 49 properties, including more than 8,000 units, in 15 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit http://www.nhpfoundation.org. Photo from left to right: Neil ODonnell, Esq., Tanya Kohler, Betsy Baggs, Noelle Stefanoski, Brenda Bower, Michael ODonnell, Esq., Jacob Sholtis - Principal State Street Elementary Center, Sandee Ol Everyone immediately wanted to pitch in, said Catherine ODonnell, an attorney with ODonnell Law. The team at ODonnell Law Offices of Kingston, Pennsylvania, is helping families by contributing to the newly formed United Way of Wyoming Valley Nurses Pantry at State Street Elementary located in nearby Larksville, Pennsylvania. The Office discovered that there was a need at the School for some childrens clothing, accessories and personal hygiene items including toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, baby wipes, soap and shampoo. The hope is to see an improvement in truancy at the School especially due to lice from last year, with families being able to treat their children properly and have them come back to school within the three days allowed. The items will also be used to give the children clothing and book bags so that they are prepared for the school day, including their personal hygiene as they grow and develop. Many children do not have access to any of these necessities. Everyone immediately wanted to pitch in, said Catherine ODonnell, an attorney with ODonnell Law. Attorney Neil ODonnell added that every member of our office contributed without question. The United Way of Wyoming Valley Nurses Pantry is a simple way to help children with their physical health and their self-esteem. It also helps the children be present in the classroom allowing for the greatest opportunity for learning and development. ODonnell Law Offices has been recognized in the rankings of U.S. News and World Report and Best Lawyers 2019 with a Best Law Firms ranking. Attorneys Neil, Catherine and Michael ODonnell have been selected as 2019 Best Lawyers, as well. All 3 attorneys have also been listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. Both Neil and Catherine have been selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list for several consecutive years, with Neil also named to the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Pennsylvania. Michael ODonnell has been listed as a 2018 Rising Star by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. About ODonnell Law Offices ODonnell Law Offices is a Northeastern Pennsylvania personal injury law firm which has successfully represented all types of personal injury claims, ranging from auto and trucking accidents to product liability claims, to medical malpractice and wrongful death claims. The firm is located in Kingston, Pennsylvania, and its superb team of attorneys provides top quality legal representation and unparalleled service to its clients and the community. ODonnell Law has been representing clients for more than two decades, and in that time has received numerous awards and recognitions. Visit http://www.odonnell-law.com or call 570.821.5717 for more information on the firm. Three firefighters monitor the Legion Lake Fire in December 2017. The FiRE tool uses satellite data to give our first responders a leg-up on suppressing fires as quickly as possible. In the Black Hills of South Dakota, December is more about shoveling snow than fighting wildfires. So, when the Legion Lake Fire blew up on an abnormally dry December morning in 2017, it caught crews off guard. Over the next several days the warm and windy weather pushed the fire to more than 84 square miles in size, making it one of the biggest fires in the areas history. Prior to this the largest December wildfire was about 20 acres so the intensity of this fire caught many of us by surprise, says Darren Clabo, Ph.D., a research scientist at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and the State Wildland Fire Meteorologist. The first minutes and hours of a wildfire are the most critical time. A vast majority of all wildfires are extinguished during the initial attack phase by the first crews to arrive on scene. But when fire conditions include low humidity and dry fuels combined with high winds and temperatures, initial attack crews can be overwhelmed. This is especially true during the non-fire season when many wildland firefighters are off duty. The Legion Lake Fire of 2017 is an example of why an early warning system is so important. Giving fire managers more precision details on where and when the fire danger might peak allows them to pre-position crews to the most needed areas. Clabo is one of a team of researchers that include colleagues with NASA and NOAA who are using satellite technology to give fire managers a heads up when the fuels are abnormally dry. The team is creating the Fire Risk Estimation tool (FiRE) 2.0. The tool was first developed in the spring of 2017. Clabo says this second version of the tool shows real potential to help stop wildfires. The biggest concerns we have for monitoring wildfires is assessing the status of fuels. Right now, its really difficult to determine fuel dryness on a sub-county scale. The FiRE tool uses satellite data to give our first responders a leg-up on suppressing fires as quickly as possible, says Clabo. The tool is progressing from the development phase to implementation. It is first being put into use over the Northern Great Plains states of Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. The FiRE Tool could be put to more widespread use in the coming years as development of this technology continues. You can see Clabos new blog South Dakota Fire Weather for updates on the latest fire conditions and wildfires. OpenKey has partnered with SiteMinder More and more hotels have come to realize how employing the latest technology can mean a greater focus on delivering a seamless guest experience. 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, says 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, says 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 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 US$35 billion in revenue for hotels each year. For more information, visit http://www.siteminder.com. 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 http://www.openkey.co. Chris Kropac, Nikki Haley, Skip Pawul Our business continues to grow and expand so its vital for us to engage with other business leaders in the community to gain access to intellect, innovation, talent and economic and public policy advocacy to help us to continue to thrive. Chris Kropac, Jr., President and Skip Pawul, Executive Vice President of PCI Group attended the final meeting between the Charlotte Chamber and the Charlotte Regional Partnership on Tuesday, November at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. During the meeting, leaders of the Charlotte Chamber and the Charlotte Regional Partnership announced the merger of the two entities and unveiled the combined entitys new name, logo, and vision statement. The new name or the combined entities is the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. A 27-member executive committee is conducting a nationwide search for a new President of the combined organizations and expect to have the selection to take place sometime after the first of the year. In addition to the details about the merged economic development and public policy group, the meeting featured an appearance and remarks by Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina governor. Haley was honored with the chambers Citizen of the Carolinas award for 2018. As members of both the Charlotte Chamber and the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Chris Kropac stated that PCI has supported the Charlotte Regional Partnership and the Charlotte Chamber since PCI relocated its business from Long Island, NY to the area in 2008. He also believes that time had come to merge the two organizations. My partner, Skip Pawul, has served as President of the Lancaster Chamber for 2 years and we have enjoyed many benefits from our association, but we also see great opportunity to work in a more collaborative way with the new organization. Our business continues to grow and expand so its vital for us to engage with other business leaders in the community to gain access to intellect, innovation, talent and economic and public policy advocacy to help us to continue to thrive. I believe the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance provides us the platform to do just that. Freddy Vaca (left), Pinnacle Group Talent Solutions President loading trucks at the North Texas Food Bank Pinnacle Group was built upon the tenet of servant leadership, Vaca said. We have been so blessed this year and because of that success, we had the opportunity to give back in our own backyard by partnering with LULAC to support the 14th Annual Cena-En-El-Barrio event. Pinnacle Group provided holiday meals to thousands of families as the presenting sponsor at LULACs 14th Annual Cena-En-El-Barrio on Dec. 8. The meals were distributed to 2,500+ local families in partnership with the North Texas Food Bank and the H-E-B grocery chain. Pinnacle Group Chairman and CEO Nina Vaca welcomed volunteers, including Pinnacle associates and more than 100 high school and college students, to the North Texas Food Bank Perot Family Campus at 3677 Mapleshade Lane in Plano. Through their support, Pinnacle Group has ensured that thousands of senior citizens and low-income families will be able to enjoy a warm meal with their loved ones this holiday season, said LULAC National President Domingo Garcia of Dallas. By bringing joy right to their doorsteps and offering peace of mind to our neighbors in need, this collaborative effort truly brings our community closer together. Among the North Texas Food Banks 13-county service area, one in six people is food insecure. Knowing that the holidays can put an additional strain on resources, the Cena-En-El-Barrio event provides nutritious meals to some of the areas most impoverished to ease this burden. H-E-B donated a protein-packed dish and the North Texas Food Bank provided sides, including fresh produce and canned foods. Pinnacle Groups sponsorship supplemented these contributions and associates from the Dallas-based workforce solutions provider joined the assembly line of volunteers in packaging the meals on Dec. 8, as well as providing them with snacks throughout the day. Pinnacle Group was built upon the tenet of servant leadership, Vaca said. We have been so blessed this year and because of that success, we had the opportunity to give back in our own backyard by partnering with LULAC to support the 14th Annual Cena-En-El-Barrio event. Im delighted that our Pinnacle family could help feed thousands of loving families. Its made all of our holiday seasons a little bit brighter. About Pinnacle Group Pinnacle Group is a leading provider of information technology services and workforce solutions. Founded in 1996, Pinnacle Group provides innovative IT services and managed solutions to iconic global brands. Consistently named one of the fastest-growing companies in the country by renowned organizations, Pinnacle Group has become one of the largest providers in its industry with thousands of IT professionals providing services across the United States and Canada. For more information, visit http://www.pinnacle1.com. About LULAC The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nations largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULACs programs, services, and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit http://www.lulac.org PracticeWise, a behavioral health company that helps those who are in the business of helping others lead better lives, announced the prior election and recent installation at the 2018 ABCT Annual Convention of Bruce F. Chorpita, PracticeWise Board Member, President, and Co-founder, as the 2019 ABCT President. Focusing on the Mission Dr. Bruce Chorpita said, I am both honored and excited to serve as the 2019 President of ABCT, and I look forward to a year of focusing on the associations mission of improving health and well-being using the best ideas science has to offer." Dr. Chorpita has worked in multiple academic and government leadership positions related to childrens mental health and practice improvement. Bruce currently holds the position of Professor of Psychology at UCLA. He received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York. Dr. Chorpita is widely published in children's mental health services, and has held research and training grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Hawaii Departments of Education and Health, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the William T. Grant Foundation. Bryan J. Stewart, PracticeWise CEO stated, As a company we are looking forward to fully supporting Bruce in his role as the 2019 ABCT President. We know first-hand and trust in his integrity, vision and leadership and believe that he will be able to drive enhanced inclusion, engagement, and collaboration among various behavioral health stakeholders that will further enhance the missions of both PracticeWise and ABCT." PracticeWise helps those who are in the business of helping others lead better lives by prioritizing and delivering the best available evidence in order to enable behavioral health providers and the systems they work in to be as efficient and effective as possible. About PracticeWise Founded in 2004, PracticeWise helps those who are in the business of helping others lead better lives. PracticeWise prioritizes and delivers the best available evidence in order to enable behavioral health providers and the systems they work in to be as efficient and effective as possible. Working primarily in childrens mental health, PracticeWise supports individuals working with children and families to be more informed and more prepared, through established knowledge management strategies and resources. Find more information about how PracticeWise is serving and shaping the future of behavioral health at http://www.practicewise.com. About ABCT The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies is a multidisciplinary organization committed to the enhancement of health and well-being by advancing the scientific understanding, assessment, prevention, and treatment of human problems through the global application of behavioral, cognitive, and biological evidence-based principles. Find more information about ABCT at http://www.abct.org. For more information: Bryan J. Stewart, Chief Executive Officer 321-428-3757 b.stewart@practicewise.com 12 Days of Holiday Magic by Real Food Blends The 12 Days of Holiday Magic campaign is just one small way to show our appreciation for our customers...they've given us so much and we're honored to give back during the holidays. Tony Bombacino, Co-Founder, Real Food Blends Real Food Blends, makers of 100% real food meals for people with feeding tubes, and the company that started a real food revolution in the medical community, is giving back this December with its 2nd annual 12 Days of Holiday Magic campaign. As a way to thank customers for their overwhelming support, the company will be giving away cases of meals and Visa gift cards every day for 12 days, as well as donating a percentage of their website sales to a different charity related to the tube feeding community each day. This has been an amazing year for Real Food Blends, capped off by the launch of our much-anticipated Turkey, Sweet Potatoes & Peaches meal and the growth of our Facebook community to over 100,000 people; and none of this would be possible without the continued support and advocacy of our customers, said Tony Bombacino, Co-Founder and CMO of Real Food Blends. The 12 Days of Holiday Magic campaign is just one small way to show our appreciation for our customers who spread the word about the power of real food and nutritional variety for people with feeding tubes each and every day. Theyve given us so much and were honored to give back during the holidays. Each day during the 12 Days of Holiday Magic: The company will highlight a different customer story on their Facebook page, with that person receiving a free Variety 12-Pack of Real Food Blends meals and a $50 Visa gift card as a thank you for sharing their story. One random person from the companys Facebook community will receive a free Variety 12-Pack of meals. One random person from the companys Facebook community will receive a $50 Visa gift card. The company will donate 5% of its website sales to a different charity that supports a condition or disease that can lead to a person needing a feeding tube. Our customers have always been so generous with sharing their stories and telling us about their experience with Real Food Blends. Their kind words inspire us every day, said Julie Bombacino, Co- Founder and CEO of Real Food Blends. Thats why its so important to us to shine the spotlight on them during the holidays, both as our way to thank our customers for their support and to offer support to everyone in our Facebook community -- although our feeding tube journeys might be very different, were all in this together. Real Food Blends' 12 Days of Holiday Magic starts today and goes through December 24, 2018. More details can be found on the companys Facebook page, Facebook.com/RealFoodBlends and at RealFoodBlends.com/HolidayMagic. To learn more about Real Food Blends meals, which feature 100% real food for people with feeding tubes and contain no preservatives, corn syrup, soy, dairy or nuts; visit RealFoodBlends.com. ABOUT REAL FOOD BLENDS Real Food Blends makes 100% real food meals for people with feeding tubes. Born from Julie & Tony Bombacinos love for their own tube-fed son and a belief that we all deserve real food and nutritional variety, the meals are free of corn syrup and preservatives, are shelf-stable and covered by many insurance plans. With millions meals sold, they are available nationwide through DMEs, medical supply and home infusion companies or direct via RealFoodBlends.com and Amazon.com. Reef Investment Group, (http://www.reefinvestmentgroup.com), the home buying company in San Diego that provides competitive cash offers for as-is properties, is helping sellers that want to avoid using a Realtor. While there are advantages to using a Realtor, says company co-owner Ryan Call, that method is not the right one for every home seller. Realtors prepare your home for the traditional sales market, and that means costly repairs, staging, and long wait times on the market. On top of that, Realtors take a commission, and that reduces homeowners profits even further. The Reef Investment Group method is to purchase the home, in cash, directly from the homeowner. The homeowner gets to move at their own pace and can request a fast closing or a later one to accommodate moving dates. With Reef, homeowners do not pay a commission, because we are home buyers, not Realtors, explains Call. There is no waiting time for offers, and no reason to invest money the property owner does not have for fixing up the house. Reef Investment Group buys homes in San Diego as-is. Homeowners in San Diego looking to avoid paying Realtor commissions while having to invest in costly home repairs should visit http://www.reefinvestmentgroup.com/how-we-buy-houses/ and reefinvestmentgroup.com/blog to get started. About Reef Investment Group Reef Investment Group is a cash home buyer that provides fair all-cash offers for homes. Offers are made within 24 hours of contact. Sellers to Reef Investment Group can choose their own closing date, even if the house has rental tenants or is in terrible condition all types of homes in any condition, and those with and without tenants can receive a cash offer. Repairs, renovations, and staging are not necessary. Reef wants homes as is in San Diego County, CA. This is the company to call when you want a fair cash offer, a quick sale, and no contingencies. Contact Details: Ryan Call Carlsbad, CA 92008 Ph: (760) 888-6406 ryan(at)reefinvestmentgroup.com Source: Reef Investment Group The goal of the workshop series is to empower school professionals with practical steps to help traumatized children succeed in school and in life. Strauss also aims to raise awareness on the impact trauma can have on a students developing brain beyond adolescent years. Sage Day is holding a series of workshops for educators, clinicians, and parents throughout New Jersey to address the needs of students who have undergone traumatic experiences. The workshop series, called Supporting Trauma Informed School Communities Through Trauma Systems Therapy will train professionals on how to work with children and young adolescents experiencing trauma. Mental health is a cornerstone of Sage Days approach as a therapeutic educational institution, and after a twenty-year history Sage Day aims to benefit the community at large with these complimentary seminars. The need for mental health professionals in both private and public schools is growing, as the stigma against seeking help for mental health issues has been diminishing in recent years. In fact, it is estimated that 20% of children and youth, aged nine to seventeen currently have a diagnosable mental health disorder that causes some degree of impairment, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The workshops presenter, David Strauss, Ph.D., LCSW and a Sage Certified Clinician has worked with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma for 15 years. Before joining the team at Sage Day Rochelle Park in 2014, Dr. Strauss worked at an outpatient mental health clinic in the Bronx, NY. Dr. Strauss has extensive experience working with young patients who have experienced physical, sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect, traumatic bereavement, witnessed domestic violence and who have been victims of neighborhood violence. Trauma informed school communities enable students to experience a degree of normalcy and a more enriching educational experience. Dr. Strauss explains, A trauma informed school encourages school professionals to respond to emotionally dysregulated behavior in an empathic and consistent manner that communicates safety to the traumatized child. This helps students imagine new and positive ways of experiencing the world, themselves and their future when previous trauma has robbed them of hope and faith in others. The goal of the workshop series is to empower school professionals with practical steps to help traumatized children succeed in school and in life. Strauss also aims to raise awareness on the impact trauma can have on a students developing brain beyond adolescent years. The workshop has already been held in Jersey City and Hamilton, New Jersey and the series will culminate on January 17th from 9:00-10:00 a.m., at Sage Day Rochelle Park. People can register here. About Sage Day Schools Sage Day Schools are private therapeutic schools in New Jersey, serving students in grades four through twelve with personalized, small classroom settings. In addition to strong academics and enriching elective offerings, Sage Day combines a comprehensive clinical program. Through this, students participate in intensive individual, group and family therapy with Sage Certified Clinicians. Sage Day has adopted the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and is nationally accredited through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Effective March 31, 2019, Mary Ursul will step back as the executive vice president at Coverys. Lynnette Matza, CEO and president of PPIC, a Coverys company, will succeed Ursul and assume the role as executive vice president beginning January 1, 2019, to ensure an orderly transition. Ursul began her career with Coverys in 2006 holding a number of positions during her tenure, most recently overseeing Coverys Med-IQ operations and the coordination of the companies within the Coverys Strategic Healthcare Alliance. She will be leaving her full-time position, but will continue to work with the Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation as well as on special projects. Mary has always been willing to step in and take on any challenge that has come her way. She does so with a keen eye on business operations, but also with a focus on the people including mentoring many of our leadership members, said Gregg Hanson, CEO and president of Coverys. Marys time with Coverys has been instrumental to the success of MHAIC and WCC as well as their subsequent transition to the Coverys family. Lynnette Matza will transition from CEO and president of PPIC to serve as executive vice president, oversee Med-IQ operations, and manage the Coverys Strategic Healthcare Alliance relationships. It is crucial to have strong leadership to run the day-to-day operations and to ensure all subsidiaries are aligning our entities goals and aspirations, said Hanson. We are pleased to have Lynnette transition into this new role, as her financial acumen and business operational knowledge of Coverys will be of great value. Matza joined PPIC in 1988 as controller. During her tenure with PPIC, Matza served as vice president of finance, CFO and senior vice president, and president and chief executive officer. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants, and graduated with high distinction from the University of Nebraska Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with an emphasis in accounting. About Coverys Coverys is a leading provider of medical professional liability insurance for medical practitioners and health systems. Coverys provides a full range of healthcare liability insurance options, advanced risk analytics, and best-in-class risk mitigation and education resources to help clients anticipate, identify, and manage risk to reduce errors and improve outcomes. LaScolca Gavi di Gavi Black Label We are extremely proud to add one of the worlds iconic wineries to our portfolio of fine wines, said Bruce Hunter, Managing Director, Shaw Ross International Importers, LLC At the stroke of midnight, January 1, 2019, La Scolca, based in Gavi, Italy, will celebrate its 100th anniversary. At the same time, the historic brands new, exclusive import agreement with Shaw Ross International Importers, LLC will take effect. We are extremely proud to add one of the worlds iconic wineries to our portfolio of fine wines, said Bruce Hunter, Managing Director, Shaw Ross International Importers, LLC The La Scolca Winery is headed up by Chiara Soldati who, with her father Giorgio Soldati, represents the 6th generation of this esteemed winemaking family. La Scolca is a visionary company that looks at the future with an innovative spirit while continuing the focus on continuity and quality of the highest level, said Chiara Soldati. La Scolca Gavi dei Gavi Black Label is considered one of the finest expressions of the Cortese Grape produced in Piedmont and is represented in many of the worlds finest restaurants. Last year Shaw-Ross took over exclusive import rights for Tuscany-based, Frescobaldi wines and Danzante Varietals as well as Bordeaux-based Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA for its French branded wines, Mouton Cadet. About Shaw-Ross International Importers: Founded in 1968 as a wine and spirit importer representing a handful of brands, Shaw-Ross has grown into one of the nations leading importers representing iconic suppliers from around the world. Shaw-Ross continues to evolve its portfolio to keep ahead of the ever-changing wine and spirit industry. For more information go to http://www.shawross.com. About La Scolca : The 40-acre La Scolca estate in Gavi, Italy, was purchased between 1917 and 1919 by the great-grandfather of Giorgio Soldati, who today, leads the company with his daughter Chiara. The name of the property, La Scolca, translates from the word sfurca or look off into the distance, which embraces the forward-thinking philosophy of an old company with new ideas. With close to six generations, the Soldati family has expanded its range of premium wines, all produced from the Cortese grape, prized for its history in Italian viticulture. For additional information go to https://www.lascolca.net/ New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at STS Providing EV charging stations is yet another way to maintain STS as the Airport of choice for regional travelers and do something good for the environment. As part of the Sonoma County Airport (STS) parking lot renovation and expansion, the Airport now offers expanded ChargePoint electric vehicle (EV) charging stations located in both the long-term parking lot and in front of the Airport terminal, and Tesla Supercharger Stations in the long-term parking lot. This invaluable upgrade is another feature that highlights the beneficial ways in which STS accommodates regional passengers, and is doing our part to support clean air initiatives. North Bay consumers and Airport passengers driving zero-emission electric vehicles is a rapidly growing market. STS is excited to now be a CPO (charging point operator) for both ChargePoint the worlds largest and most open electric vehicle (EV) charging network, and Tesla, which has a network of 1,359 Charging Stations across the nation. STS Airport Manager, Jon Stout, says, Were dedicated to continually finding innovative ways to accommodate our loyal passengers and upgrade our facilities. One of the greatest benefits of utilizing STS is the hassle-free experience we provide. Providing EV charging stations is yet another way to maintain STS as the Airport of choice for regional travelers and do something good for the environment. The EV charging stations at STS were partially funded through a partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Charge! Program, which provides funding to public agencies and businesses to expand the network of publicly available plug-in electric vehicle charging stations at workplaces, multifamily dwelling units, and public locations. To learn more about ChargePoint or Tesla EV charging options at STS, visit: sonomacountyairport.org/parking ABOUT CHARLES M. SCHULZ SONOMA COUNTY AIRPORT (STS) Located in the heart of Northern Californias world-renowned Wine Country, STS is the only airport that offers scheduled air service into the North Bay region. Daily nonstop flights include: Alaska Airlines to Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Portland, and Seattle; American Airlines to Phoenix Sky Harbor; seasonal flights on Sun Country Airlines to Minnesota and Las Vegas, and United Airlines to Denver and San Francisco. All Airlines offer a wide-range of connecting flights to destinations in the continental U.S., Mexico, and beyond. Offering a hassle-free experience with shorter lines, the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport also features convenient ground transportation, easy and affordable parking, the Alaska Airlines Wine Flies Free program and the on-site Sky Lounge Steakhouse & Sushi Bar. For additional airport information, visit. Follow Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport on Facebook and Twitter. For further information, journalists are asked to contact airport manager Jon Stout at jon.stout@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-7243. ROME - The 500th anniversary of the death of Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci is causing an unexpected turf war between the two countries the artist called home. Italy and France have in recent years clashed over policies on migration, populism, economics and their roles in the European Union. Now, the neighbors are at odds over which of them should celebrate the anniversary of the death of da Vinci, the famed painter, sculptor, writer, inventor, scientist and mathematician. Swagger 2 Classic Electric Scooter SWAGTRON, the undisputed leader in electric rideables, introduces the Swagger 2 Classic electric scooter for kids and adults. The original SWAGTRON Swagger was one of the first electric scooters to hit the market, and the Swagger 2 Classic captures the iconic look paired with a sensible spec to make it one of the most affordable quality electric scooters for sale today. A durable folding aluminum frame houses a 200-watt motor capable of speeds up to 15 mph with a range of up to 9 miles per charge. As LEV technology advances, it also becomes more accessible for more people, says CMO Jason Wakefield. Our goal is to be at that intersection of quality and affordability. The Swagger 2 Classic is the perfect electric scooter for kids, but with a weight capacity of up to 200 pounds, also makes a great affordable entry-level commuter scooter for adults. Other features include solid rubber tires to maximize rolling efficiency and eliminate flats, and a backlit display that tracks speed and distance. An LED headlight lets you see and be seen when the sun goes down, and cruise control makes for effortless riding. Autoguard braking technology automatically disengages the motor whenever brakes are applied. The Swagger 2 Classic electric folding scooter retails for $220, with current holiday sale pricing of $179.99 including a free one-year extended warranty. SWAGTRON guarantees Christmas delivery on all purchases made by December 17, 2018. Available now at SWAGTRON.com. FEATURES + SPECS 200-watt motor Autoguard braking technology Cruise control Backlit display LED headlight Quick-folding design 15 mph top speed 9-mile battery range Durable aluminum frame 43.3 x 17 x 11.8-inch folded size 22.5 pounds 200-lb capacity Available in black SWAGTRON is the Official Electric Scooter of the Chicago Cubs GET SOCIAL: @SwagtronUSA on Facebook and Twitter, @SwagtronOfficial on Instagram ABOUT SWAGTRON SWAGTRON is the industry leader in electric rideables, having evolved as the forefront brand in its category. SWAGTRON was celebrated for being one of the first brands of electric rideables on the scene to offer UL certification for electrical and charging safety. SWAGTRON continues to expand and improve its line of innovative rideable products. For more information, visit Swagtron.com. ### ...we have increased member recruiting and investor education, which has led to an inflow of new, high-caliber, and diverse investor members." Dean Rosenberg, president, Tech Coast Angels - San Diego Tech Coast Angels San Diego network (TCA-SD) today announced that its membership has grown to a record 170 members in 2018 a 40% increase over its previous base. New members included executives from Qualcomm, Illumina, Dexcom, Medtronic, Tealium, Seismic, and NuVasive, as well as many successful entrepreneurs. TCA-SD also made significant strides in its objectives for increased diversity both among its membership and funded company teams. "It's been fantastic to see membership take off, said Russell Hall, current membership chair of TCA-SD and an active member since 2011. We are witnessing a tremendous level of commitment from local leaders and tech/life science executives who are at the right stage of life to give TCA consideration. It has been exciting to see our startup ecosystem grow in San Diego, and with that growth comes elevated interest in early-stage investing, said Dean Rosenberg, president of TCA-SD. We have increased member recruiting and investor education, which has led to an inflow of new, high-caliber, and diverse investor members." TCA-SD also launched a $2.2 million ACE Annual Fund this year, a new initiative within the entire Tech Coast Angels network that allows for accelerated funding of up to $500,000 in as little as 30 days for the strongest startup teams. Members are excited about the new Annual Fund. New TCA-SD member Al Bsharah, said, Five years ago, when I was raising a seed round for my company, I pulled 75% of $1.5M from San Diego angels and VCs. TCA's reputation was lacking, so I didnt approach them. Today, I'm a proud new member. Ive invested in the annual fund and Im becoming an active participant. The reputation at TCA has done a complete 180, and that's what got me excited to participate. Victoria Lakers is a TCA-SD member who was also chair of the successful John G. Watson Quick Pitch Competition at Qualcomm Hall in October. Highlights of the sold-out event included record cash prizes, huge community support, and new sponsors. "Membership in TCA has been an amazing education and investing platform, said Ms. Lakers. In addition to gaining access to San Diegos most interesting startups, I'm able to learn by hearing diverse viewpoints from active angel investors. TCA's events have also introduced me to a new community of colleagues and friends who are passionate about the San Diego startup community." While happy with the successes in 2018, TCA-SD members are most excited about the quality of its diverse membership and its investments, and about the future growth of San Diegos entrepreneurial ecosystem. The angel network faces 2019 with a positive outlook. According to Mr. Hall, San Diego desperately needs capital providers to help support innovation, and TCA has adapted to accommodate entrepreneurs more efficiently. Our members are energetic, deal flow is improving, and so are the number of successful exits. Much of this has to do with new initiatives taking hold and the stars aligning. I'm very excited for the future of our organization." About Tech Coast Angels: Tech Coast Angels is one of the largest and most active angel investor networks in the nation, and a leading source of funding for seed-stage and early-stage companies across all innovation industries in Southern California. TCA members are accredited investors who individually invest in startup companies, and as a group, TCA has invested up to $6M in a single company. Companies in which TCA invest go through well-structured, transparent, and time efficient screening and due diligence. TCA members are themselves founders and executive-level business leaders who have extensive knowledge in the investment process and world-class business practices. TCA members thus provide companies with more than just capital; they also contribute counsel, mentoring and access to an extensive network of investors, customers, strategic partners and management. TCA is a catalyst in the growth of the thriving Southern California entrepreneurial ecosystem of innovation, funding mostly emerging technologies and life science companies. A recent Halo Report rated TCA as #2 nationally in a number of funded deals, and a recent analysis by CB Insights ranked TCA #1 out of 370 angel groups on Network Centrality and #5 overall in Investor Mosaic. Since its founding in 1997, TCA has invested over $200 million in more than 350 companies and has helped attract more than $1.6 billion in additional capital/follow-on rounds, mostly from venture capital firms. For more information about TCA, please visit techcoastangels.com. For more information about TCAs San Diego network, please visit http://www.tcasandiego.com. For more information: Kimber Smith Fidler For Tech Coast Angels kimber(at)smithfidler(dot)com +1 (775) 298 5260 We are thrilled to provide Teramind customers with the option to deploy on AWS, allowing them to take advantage of the speed-to-deployment, scalability and reliability of the market leading IaaS and PaaS Teramind Inc., a leading global provider of insider threat and data loss prevention (DLP) solutions, today announces that its market leading employee monitoring and data loss prevention solutions are now available to deploy on Amazons distributed, highly scalable and reliable AWS platform. Teramind software is available in two packages; Teramind UAM, which provides user activity monitoring, user behavior analytics, audit, forensics, policy and rules management; and Teramind DLP, which includes everything in Teramind UAM plus content-based policies and rules for advanced data loss prevention capabilities. Both packages are available to deploy on AWS with an annual subscription plan based on number of endpoints monitored. We are thrilled to provide Teramind customers with the option to deploy on AWS, allowing them to take advantage of the speed-to-deployment, scalability and reliability of the market leading IaaS and PaaS, said Isaac Kohen, CTO of Teramind. Teramind has a large number of customers in government, healthcare, finance and other regulated industries, subject to regulatory compliance including HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS. AWS delivers the ideal platform for these customers to deploy Teramind in a private cloud setting. Teramind deployments on AWS take full advantage of the AWS infrastructure, integrating with Amazon S3 for storage and Amazon RDS for database, allowing the AWS platform to manage the redundancy and scalability of the Teramind implementation, while improving responsiveness of the solution. In addition, Teramind customers can utilize AWS multi-geo replication and on-demand backup capabilities to increase reliability of their own instances. For more information on how to deploy Teramind UAM and Teramind DLP on AWS, visit http://www.teramind.co/deployment/aws. Visit Teraminds landing page on the AWS Marketplace by visiting https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/pp/B07KFN16QK. About Teramind Founded in 2014, Teramind is a leading, global provider of employee monitoring, insider threat detection, and data loss prevention solutions. Over 2,000 organizations in finance, retail, manufacturing, energy, technology, healthcare and government verticals across the globe trust Teraminds award-winning platform to detect, record, and prevent malicious user behavior in addition to helping teams drive productivity and efficiency. The platform is available in cloud-based, on-premise and AWS deployment options to meet any organizations requirements. Teramind is headquartered in Miami, Florida. For more information, visit http://www.teramind.co. Follow Teramind on Twitter https://twitter.com/teramindco. Visit IT Security Central at https://itsecuritycentral.teramind.co/ for the latest security news and insight. The Quinism Foundation has sent correspondence to Kathy A. Butler, Inspector General of the Peace Corps, calling for an investigation into claims of permanent disability resulting from the misuse of the antimalarial drug mefloquine. Recent media reports have highlighted the plight of several Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) who claim, based on supporting medical documentation, to have been left permanently disabled as a result of their use of mefloquine while in the Peace Corps, wrote Remington Nevin, MD, MPH, DrPH, executive director of The Quinism Foundation. We are calling for your office to investigate the circumstances of these specific claims, and to investigate the circumstances of broader claims of harm arising from the apparent misuse of mefloquine among Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs). Dr. Nevin noted that since the licensing of mefloquine in 1989, physicians have been warned that the onset of certain psychiatric symptoms requires the drugs immediate discontinuation. In many cases, the apparent misuse of mefloquine has occurred as a result of what appears to be inadequate consideration of and respect for guidance in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved product labelling, wrote Dr. Nevin. For example, in one case highlighted in recent media reports, a Peace Corps Medical Officer (PCMO) apparently failed to follow warnings to discontinue a PCVs use of mefloquine, and prescribe an alternative antimalarial, at the reported onset of psychiatric symptoms. We are concerned that this example of misuse of the drug is evidence of a broader systematic neglect of FDA-approved guidance, and constitutes mismanagement within the Peace Corps Office of Medical Services (OMS). Dr. Nevin described cases highlighted in a series of investigative reports on WUSA9 [1], where PCVs developed symptoms of anxiety while taking mefloquine, but were not instructed to discontinue the drug. These volunteers subsequently developed disabling brain and brainstem injuries attributed by medical professionals to mefloquine. Interviewed recently by WUSA9 in response to these cases, Peace Corps OMS epidemiologist Dr. Kyle Petersen noted his opinion that, judging by what was available on the market at that time, Peace Corps did the best job they could, wrote Dr. Nevin. In our opinion, PCMOs under the management of the Peace Corps OMS very clearly failed to do the best job they could, in that they neglected to adequately consider and respect guidance in the FDA-approved product labelling for the use of the drug. Dr. Nevin noted that the U.S. military has all but prohibited use of mefloquine, restricting its use to a drug of last resort, with the drug now comprising less than 1% of new antimalarial prescriptions. Other militaries, including those of Canada, Germany, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom, have similarly deprioritized mefloquine in favor of safer and better-tolerated daily antimalarial drugs. Peace Corps OMS epidemiologist Dr. Kyle Petersen, when asked about the Peace Corps' continued use of mefloquine despite the U.S. militarys near-complete ban on its use, suggested that while the military does have missions in tropical countries, that this is akin to comparing apples and oranges, wrote Dr. Nevin. Dr. Petersen was apparently suggesting that the Peace Corps mission of sending its PCVs to highly malaria-endemic areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa, was somehow unique, and justified the Peace Corps continued use of the drug. However, Dr. Nevin noted that according to U.S. military figures, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has over 7,200 military personnel in Africa, most serving for prolonged periods in areas of high malaria endemicity in sub-Saharan areas. Yet since as early as 2011, AFRICOM policy has specifically declared the daily drug atovaquone-proguanil as its drug of choice for deployments to such high transmission areas [2], in stark contrast to then-current Peace Corps policy which favored mefloquines continued use. The U.S. military policy of last resort use of mefloquine remained in place during the Ebola crisis of 2014, during the large-scale deployment of thousands of U.S. military personnel to highly malaria- endemic areas of Liberia during Operation United Assistance. This deployment saw almost no use of mefloquine, with atovaquone-proguanil declared the drug of choice for the deployment [3], wrote Dr. Nevin. Dr. Nevin noted that the effectiveness of this policy was demonstrated when, following the deployment, only a handful of U.S. military personnel were found to have contracted malaria [4], in sharp contrast to the experience a decade earlier, when 44 out of 225 U.S. military personnel serving in Liberia, and relying on mefloquine, had to be evacuated for suspicion of malaria [5]. Dr. Nevin also noted that a growing number of international civilian travel advisory bodies, for example, that of France, now also specifically deprioritize mefloquine in place of safer and better-tolerated prophylactic antimalarials, including for travel to sub-Saharan Africa [6]. Our group has asked the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to update its recommendations for use of mefloquine among U.S. travelers accordingly [7], wrote Dr. Nevin. In 2013, after the FDA issued its U.S. FDA drug safety communication, Dr. Barry Simon, then serving as medical director of the Peace Corps, asked in an email to a colleague, can we still get away with using mefloquine? The Quinism Foundation believes that after five years of failed policy of continued use of mefloquine, the answer to this question is a resounding no, wrote Dr. Nevin, and that the Peace Corps must now align its policies with the risk-reduction practices of the U.S. military in formally deprioritizing use of mefloquine for the prevention of malaria, including among PCVs in sub-Saharan Africa and other highly malaria-endemic areas. About The Quinism Foundation The Quinism Foundation, founded in January 2018, in White River Junction, Vermont, promotes and supports education and research on quinism, the family of medical disorders caused by exposure to quinoline drugs, including mefloquine and tafenoquine. Dr. Nevin is a board-certified occupational medicine and preventive medicine physician and former U.S. Army medical officer and epidemiologist. He is author of more than 30 scientific publications on malaria and the quinoline antimalarials, including A serious nightmare: psychiatric and neurologic adverse reactions to mefloquine are serious adverse reactions," published in the journal Pharmacology Research & Perspectives (http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/prp2.328). 1. McCarren, Andrea. Former Peace Corps volunteers: Malaria meds caused devastating side effects. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/former-peace-corps-volunteers-malaria-meds-caused-devastating-side-effects/65-610736352. November 10, 2018. 2. U.S. Africa Command. USAFRICOM Command Notice (ACN) 4200.02 Change 2 to Africa Command Manual (ACM) 4200.03 Force Health Protection Procedures for Deployment and Travel (Malaria Chemoprophylais). September 22, 2011. 3. Woods M. Biggest threat to US troops in Liberia is malaria, not Ebola. Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System. http://www.dvidshub.net/news/149258/biggest-threat-us-troops-liberia-malaria-not-ebola. December 3, 2014. 4. Kime P. Troops get malaria during Ebola deployment. Military Times. http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/health-care/2015/04/23/us-military-ebola-deployment-malaria/26236769. April 23, 2015. 5. Whitman TJ, Coyne PE, Magill AJ, et al. An outbreak of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in U.S. Marines deployed to Liberia. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. 2010;83(2):258-265. 6. Camus D, Chidiac C. [Health recommendations for travellers, 2018 (for health professionals)]. Bulletin Epidemiologue Hebdomadaire. http://invs.santepubliquefrance.fr/content/download/147167/535751/version/62/file/Recommandations_voyageurs_2018.pdf. May 25, 2018. 7. The Quinism Foundation. The Quinism Foundation Calls on the CDC to Update its Malaria Prevention Recommendations to Reflect Important FDA Safety Warnings for Tafenoquine and Mefloquine. https://quinism.org/press-releases/the-quinism-foundation-calls-on-the-cdc-to-update-its-malaria-prevention-recommendations-to-reflect-important-fda-safety-warnings-for-tafenoquine-and-mefloquine. August 14, 2018. At Corban University, we are serious about our students. We know college is a large investment, and we want to be careful and mindful stewards of your tuition dollars. In a serious move to put students at the center of its budget strategy, Corban University has adopted a tuition freeze for 2019-20. This decision comes on the heels of a year-long re-engineering of Corbans budget, which has placed the University in the most favorable financial position theyve seen in 10 years. Now, theyre looking to leverage that position on behalf of students and their families. It is our mission to serve our students to the best of our ability, said Dr. Sheldon C. Nord, President, and this tuition freeze will help ensure that a degree from Corban, one of Oregons premier Christian universities, remains attainable for students and their families. This freeze represents Corbans ongoing commitment to minimize student loan debt and ensure that a quality education remains affordable for our students. Tuition at Corban will hold steady at $16,190 per semester, the same value as the 2018-19 academic year (for a full years tuition of $32,380). Scholarship levels will also remain the same. While the cost of board (food service) will rise by a modest 2%, ensuring that students continue to receive quality care, rooming costs will hold steady. To ensure the fiscal health of the University, the student-focused budget also includes a pay reduction for all top administrators and an overall reduction of overhead expenses. Balancing the needs of students and their families with the needs of our University community requires all parties to give some, Nord said. This budget outlines a path forward that can have a win-win outcome. University officials shared that there will be a small increase in student fees, and that this will cover the enhancement of the schools Career Services department (responsible for job and internship placement, resume building skills, and more). While the tuition and housing freeze will ease students concerns about tuition costs, the enhancement of Career Services will help ease the pressure many students face to secure employment after graduation. In addition, the fee increase will fund student programs such as Chapel and counseling services. At Corban University, we are serious about our students, Nord said. We know college is a large investment, and we want to be careful and mindful stewards of your tuition dollars. About Corban University: Corban is a private Christian university in the heart of the Willamette Valley. Situated on a forested hillside just outside Oregons capital, Corban is located an hour from Portland, the Cascade Mountains, and the Oregon coast. Academic excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, as well as online, prepares students for careers as business leaders, educators, medical professionals, politicians, ministry leaders, and more. Expert faculty, a tight-knit community, and opportunities for local and global engagement provide for students growth both in and beyond the classroom. Media Contact: Amelia Kaspari Corban University 5000 Deer Park Dr. SE Salem, OR 97317 akaspari@corban.edu 503-375-7027 ### "Securing intellectual property supports uBiome in achieving our mission. We are excited to have been granted this first patent, which creates a new, useful method for performing microbiome analysis." - Jessica Richman, PhD, co-founder and CEO of uBiome uBiome, the leader in microbial genomics, announces the issue of patent number 9,663,831 entitled Method and System for Microbiome Analysis by the US Patent and Trademark Office on May 30, 2017 with a priority date of January 25, 2014. The patent is an invention by uBiome co-founders Dr. Zachary Apte and Dr. Jessica Richman. The patented technology involves a method and system for analyzing the microbiome of an individual by providing a sampling kit with a lysing component and a sample preservation component to an individual at a remote location. That individual then provides a biological sample and ships the container with their sample to the laboratory. Upon receiving that sample container, a microbiome sequence dataset is generated, microorganisms are identified, and analysis based on a set of features is generated and provided to the individual. As the microbiome is suspected to play at least a partial role in a number of health- and disease-related states, this issuance will lead to further development in characterization of the human microbiome and generation of insights at the individual- and population-wide levels. Securing intellectual property supports uBiome in achieving our mission, Jessica Richman, PhD, co-founder and CEO of uBiome, said. We are excited to have been granted this first patent, which creates a new, useful method for performing microbiome analysis. For more information about our science and intellectual property, visit http://www.ubiome.com/science/#patents. _____ About uBiome Founded in 2012, uBiome is the leader in microbial genomics. The Companys mission is to advance the science of the microbiome and make it useful to people. uBiome combines its patented proprietary precision sequencing with machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop wellness products, clinical tests, and therapeutic targets. uBiome has filed for over 250 patents on its technology, which includes sample preparation, computational analysis, molecular techniques, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic applications. uBiomes commercial products include SmartGut, the worlds first sequencing-based clinical microbiome test, which identifies microbes in the gut for patients with chronic gut conditions such as IBD, IBS, Crohns Disease, and ulcerative colitis; SmartJane, the first sequencing-based womens health screening test, which genotypes all 19 clinically relevant strains of HPV, identifies four common STDs, and surveys more than 20 vaginal microbes associated with bacterial vaginosis and other conditions; and Explorer, a health and wellness product to understand the role that food and lifestyle can play in wellness. uBiomes platform has been used by hundreds of thousands of consumers, patients, and doctors and more than 200 research institutions around the world, including the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard University, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, San Francisco, Oxford University, and the University of Sydney. Since its launch, the company has received widespread recognition including CNN 10: Startups to Watch, the IVY Technology Award, CNN Future 30, and was named one of Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies in Healthcare in 2016 and in Data Science in 2018, as well as a Technology Pioneer from the World Economic Forum in 2018. For more information, visit http://www.uBiome.com. Utilities are facing new challenges to support the health of a grid that is aging, alongside new customer demands for energy choice and cleaner energy, said Jeff Waller, a principal at RMI. In addition to providing customer savings while safeguarding reliable service, NWS can support the integration of smart, customer-centered technologies that promote a cleaner, more flexible and resilient grid, the report, The Non-Wires Solutions Implementation Playbook: A Practical Guide for Regulators, Utilities, and Developers, explains. The Playbook identifies the key barriers that have inhibited more widespread NWS deployment and provides recommendations to overcome them. These recommendations focus on three themes: establishing more supportive regulatory environments, integrating NWS within a utilitys standard operating procedures and adapting current utility procurement practices to effectively support NWS sourcing. For the past decade, regulated utilities have spent an average of $55 billion annually upgrading their distribution, transmission and generation infrastructure to meet customer needs. The largest share of this investment has been in distribution infrastructure to maintain and modernize the last-mile networks that deliver energy to homes and businesses. Using the Playbook, grid planners can improve on this approach to infrastructure investment by more systematically evaluating opportunities to deploy modularand often lower costNWS portfolios. Doing so reduces the risk that infrastructure investments based on uncertain forecasts may burden ratepayers with higher electricity bills for years to come if demand growth doesnt materialize, and provides a time-value-of-money benefit since investments can be delayed until needs are realized. Utilities are facing new challenges to support the health of a grid that is aging, alongside new customer demands for energy choice and cleaner energy, Jeff Waller, a principal at RMI and one of the reports authors, said. The proliferation of DERs and the growing ability and confidence of grid planners to integrate them into grid operations promises to lower customer costs, cut emissions and diversify the service offerings utilities can offer their customers. We hope our Playbook can be a valuable resource to speed the delivery of these benefits through the deployment of NWS. The Playbook also includes practical NWS implementation guidelines to help utilities operationalize NWS programs. These implementation guidelines cover four central elements that are at the heart of a successful utility NWS program: criteria to identify potential non-wires solution projects, competitive RFP processes that lead to meaningful responses, evaluation frameworks to help utilities determine if NWS projects are viable and competitive and a discussion of key contract terms that are specific to non-wires solution projects. We have found that with a supportive regulator and our willingness to innovate and rely on the private sector, we can deploy non-wire solutions to benefit our customers and the environment, Damian Sciano, a director in Distribution Planning for Con Edison, the energy company that serves New York City, said. RMIs research shows that if our industry, policy makers and other stakeholders work together, we can unlock the potential of clean energy solutions like solar, battery storage, energy efficiency and combined heat and power. The report was released today at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), in Katowice, Poland. RMI consulted with members of the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 17 governors, in drafting this report, which will inform the Alliances efforts to advance interstate policy solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. The reports release at COP24 comes alongside the participation of governors policy advisers from California, Washington, Hawaii and Maryland at COP24 in a series of climate meetings with international counterparts to discuss collaboration on climate solutions. The U.S. Climate Alliance unveiled plans for the Impact Partnership at COP24, which provides technical, analytical and other support to the alliance from civil society. To access a copy of The Non-Wires Solutions Implementation Playbook, see http://www.rmi.org/insight/non-wires-solutions-playbook CONTACT: Todd Zeranski Marketing Manager, Rocky Mountain Institute Tel: 917-670-6568 Email: tzeranski@rmi.org About Rocky Mountain Institute Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)an independent nonprofit founded in 1982transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future. It engages businesses, communities, institutions, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market-based solutions that cost-effectively shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing. Biblical Bandages for a Broken Heart: a spiritual lifeline for weathering lifes storms. Biblical Bandages for a Broken Heart is the creation of published author Wilbur Huckabay, a former law enforcement officer who served time in prison where he became a reborn minister and guitar mentor to his fellow inmates. Huckabay writes, A naval captain wouldnt dream of making someone who had never sailed turbulent waters as his first mate. Instead, his desire is to recruit a seasoned veteran who not only has traversed stormy seas but has also lived to tell the tale. Written from within the confines of a Texas prison, Biblical Bandages for a Broken Heart offers hope, peace, encouragement, and comfort to those who suffer from despair, depression, and the everyday trials of life. The author draws from his life experiences, both in his early years and while incarcerated. Using the English Standard Version (ESV), this inspirational yearly devotional marries rock-solid, Scriptural doctrine with real-life circumstances, creating a type of Divine medicinal salve for wounded hearts. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:34). Biblical Bandages for a Broken Heart has 365 daily devotionals, along with prayers, that offer strength, encouragement, and hope in a world of suffering. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Wilbur Huckabays new book is a potentially life-saving first-aid kit for those who feel down and out from lifes hard knocks. Huckabay draws from potent Bible passages and useful life experiences to concoct a book that not only soothes, heals, and nurtures, but also empowers the reader to get up, redeem themselves, and find the strength to go on with life as they draw closer to God day by day. View a synopsis of Biblical Bandages for a Broken Heart on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Biblical Bandages for a Broken Heart at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Biblical Bandages for a Broken Heart, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. John Hutton, who with his wife, Sandra Gross, purchased Cincinnatis 29-year-old Blue Manatee Bookstore 17 years ago from its previous owner, Pat Randolph, announced in a tweet this past weekend that the couple is putting the bookstore up for saleand will close its doors on January 14 if a new owner is not found by then. The store, founded in 1989, has been a nominee a number of times for the WNBA Pannell Awards, which each year honors a general bookstore and a childrens specialty bookstore for enhancing their communities by using exceptional creativity to inspire young people to become book lovers. There are currently two full-time and eight part-time booksellers at the store, which is well-known in Cincinnati for its story times and author events. The store, which moved last year from its old location to a new one half a block away, stocks more than 20,000 titles. In a letter posted on the stores website, Hutton, a pediatrician, explained that hed been named director of the Cincinnati Childrens Hospitals Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, with which he has been affiliated since its launch in 2012. The Reading and Literacy Discovery Center studies childrens reading and literacy, including the impact of excessive electronic media on brain development. The Center is growing rapidly, he wrote. For the past few years, I have tried to balance these things, to the detriment of my health and well-being, but I must finally accept that there simply arent enough hours in the day, or neurotransmitters in my brain to do this in an effective or sustainable way. At the same time, Gross, an artist and teacher, is running an art studio, and both Hutton and Gross also are overseeing operations of two cafes that they own. A beloved, world-class childrens bookstore deserves a full-time stewardor a group of stewardsto focus their energies as we once did, Hutton wrote. The Blue Manatee needs new life, new ideas, new energy. And, in a reference to how he and Gross walked into the previous incarnation of The Blue Manatee (then called The Blue Marble) on a cold December evening in 2000, and decided to buy it from Randolph so as to prevent its imminent closing, Hutton wrote, It needs someone to walk in the door on a snowy night. In 2011, Hutton launched Blue Manatee Press, which publishes childrens books, primarily board books and picture books. Blue Manatee Press released six books this fall and three books in spring 2018. There are more than 60 Blue Manatee Press titles in print, which are distributed by IPG. Hutton told PW that he intends to continue running Blue Manatee Press, which he said has had a 40% increase in sales this year over last. [Blue Manatee Press] is expanding its list and penetration into retail, library, and nonprofit markets, including Reach Out and Read and other programs. Titles involve health literacy topics such as safe sleep, ADHD and breastfeeding, and literacy promotion, e.g. dialogic reading and a novel method for infants and toddlers we are pilot testing, acronym SHARE STEP. This work very much aligns with my academic focus and passions, he wrote. Blue Manatees third division, Blue Manatee Boxes, an e-commerce website also launched in 2011 specializing in gift packages of board books curated by Hutton and other Blue Manatee booksellers, will be shared in future between the press and the bookstore. In an email to PW on Monday, Hutton wrote that since the announcement was made over the weekend, he has been literally inundated with queries, ranging from generic exciting business opportunity to impassioned book lovers wanting to help however they can. If only we could sublimate this love and devotion to what Blue Manatee stands for into daily foot traffic, our financial anxieties would be solved! Hutton said that he and Gross will consider all offers by prospective buyers, but, akin to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, they want a person or group who will carry on the stores mission: providing the best in childrens books and related activities/gift items, quality programming and author events, and championing values of tolerance, community, imagination, and a smackerel of insurgency. The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, the nonprofit organization responsible for fundraising initiatives benefitting Minnesotas capital citys central library and 12 neighborhood branches, is sponsoring in partnership with the citys government a community reading program that extends far beyond one book. Read Brave St. Paul, which launched before Thanksgiving and continues through late February, is an intergenerational, citywide reading program focusing upon the issue of housing insecurity. Housing is a critical issue in St. Paul, where thousands of people struggle to afford it, notes Kim Horton, FSPPLs marketing and communications director, explaining that the city library systems new director, Catherine Penkert, wanted a bigger project than simply a common book that community members would read and discuss, as St. Paul residents did through the library system's previous community reading program, Read Brave. The featured book for Read Brave St. Pauls inaugural year is Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina (Candlewick, 2016), a YA novel about a New York City teenager coming of age during the summer of 1977, whose problems include needing to help her single mother make rent each month. Medina will visit St. Paul the week of February 18 to discuss her novel at schools, libraries, and other venues throughout the city; 4,000 special editions of Burn Baby Burn, created specifically for the St. Paul Read Brave program with its logo on the cover, are being distributed free to schools, libraries, and local organizations partnering with FSPPL. While Burn Baby Burn is the main selection for this years Read Brave St. Paul, adult participants are also encouraged to read Evicted by Matthew Desmond (Crown, 2016), which explores the impact of evictions] upon Milwaukee residents, and landlords; 1,000 copies of Evicted are being made available at no cost to St. Paul residents. Even young children can participate in Read Brave St. Paul with age-appropriate reads selected for the program: Shelter by Claire Celine, illustrated by Qin Leng (Kids Can, 2017); Yard Sale by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Lauren Castillo (Candlewick, 2015); Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Putnam, 2009); and Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate (Feiwel and Friends, 2015). One thousand in total of these four books will be distributed free to libraries and organizations to pass on to families. St. Paul Public Library staff chose a YA novel to most effectively engage readers around a difficult topic, Horton says, but the extra books are to engage families. Were trying to get everybody at every age level to engage. After all, housing affects everyone. For the next three months, the various library branches will sponsor special activities for children and teens around the topic, such as building gingerbread houses and acting out scenes from the selected books. The topic of housing insecurity for this years program was prompted by Mayor Melvin Carter, who allocated $10 million in this years budget for affordable housing, as of the 120,000 housing units in St. Paul, 50% are renter-occupied, and 50% of those households pay more than 30% of their monthly income in rent. Carter, the citys first African-American mayor, who resigned from the FSPPL board of directors when he was elected last year, solicited Penkert shortly after she was hired in January, wanting to address this topic together, Horton says. The mayor was the champion in taking this city-wide. Carter announced during his public budget address in August that the city was allocating $10,000 to launch Read Brave St. Paul, declaring that thousands of people in our community face serious housing challenges. Lifting housing as [Read Brave St. Pauls] theme will help us develop common understanding about our housing crisis and its impacts on our collective future. More recently, Carter told PW, Through focused conversations, Read Brave St. Paul helps us better understand the challenges our children and families face, so we can address those challenges together. Because no institution embodies the free exchange of ideas and information more so than public libraries; our library is the natural convener of these discussions. For her part, although she expressed some trepidation about visiting Minnesota in the dead of winter, Medina is looking forward to leading discussions about Burn Baby Burn in such a context. I love the idea of using literature to get people to talk about an issue thats critical to them, she says. Thats how it should be: a story that helps you name what you are living. And I love the idea that people are reading picture books all the way up to Evicted. Thats really wise: everyone is being enabled to participate in the conversation with what they bring. Something smart is happening in St. Paul. After newly elected Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih accused China of raising his country's debt by investing in it, some media outlets have been sensationalizing the issue of China creating "debt traps" in the countries along the Belt and Road. How much debt does the Maldives have? The data of the CIA and the International Monetary Fund are apt reference sources to get a clearer picture. The CIA's official website says the Maldives' national debt accounted for 68.1 percent of its GDP in 2017 - 53rd highest in the world but lower than that of neighboring India and Sri Lanka, which respectively had national debts of 70.2 percent and 79.4 percent. The Maldives' GDP was $4.505 billion in 2017, to which the service industry (tourism) contributed the most (81 percent). From Zondervans settlement on a plagiarism case to the #MeToo eras impact on Christian writing conferences, here are PWs top religion and spirituality stories of 2018. 10. Ted Dekkers New Series Questions Reality Again Dekker, who has sold more than 10 million books, discusses his new two-book series, Beyond the Circle, which explores the darkest parts of life. 9. What Makes a True Atheist? PW Talks to John Gray The British philosopher best known for his book Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals contends that many strands of atheism today replace traditional religion with a worship of the human being in his latest work, Seven Types of Atheism. 8. Will Millennials Return to Religion? Millennials are abandoning organized religion, and publishers are responding to this culture shift with books by believers, scholars, and young adults themselves on Millennials and faith or the lack of it. 7. Ex-Evangelical Rachel Held Evans Still Cherishes Her Bible Rachel Held Evans, who made a splash when she publicly turned away from evangelicalism, shares the fresh inspirationand disturbing truthsshe found as she once again plumbed her Bible in her new book, Inspired. 6. Why An Agnostic Philosopher Says We're All 'Religious' From a childhood Catholic altar boy, to cultural Buddhist, then as an outspoken agnostic, philosophy professor at Columbia College in Chicago Stephen Asma makes a case for Why We Need Religion, the title of his new book. 5. Buddhist Author Apologizes for Misconduct, Publishers React Author Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, a leading figure in Tibetan Buddhism, stepped back from his role as head of the global network of meditation centers, Shambhala International and offered an apology amid accusations of sexual misconduct. 4. Zondervan Settles Plagiarism Case Author Carey Scott won an undisclosed settlement after suing Zondervan and author Christine Caine for copyright infringement. 3. Jack Deere Shares His 'Broken Life' In his first book in 20 years, the bestselling author of Surprised by the Power of the Spirit reflects on the death of his son by overdose, his wifes battle against alcohol addiction, and pastoring a dying church. 2. Subject of Boy Who Came Back from Heaven is Suing Tyndale Alex Malarkey, who was believed to have co-written the 2010 bestselling The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven with his father before he recanted the life after death story as an adult, filed a defamation suit against Tyndale House Publishers on April 9. 1. Sexual Harassment Uncovered at Christian Writing Conferences Our report on incidents of sexual misconduct against women at Christian writers conferences is the top religion and spirituality story of 2018. Brazos Goes Back to the Beginning Acquisition editor for Brazos Press Katelyn Beaty bought world rights from agent Rachelle Gardner to a new book by Native American writer Kaitlin Curtice (Glory Happening). Tentatively titled Native: The Origins of God, the Origins of Us, the book explores themes of race, identity, and belonging. Its slated for publication in summer 2020. A Jewish Scholar Lands at Fortress Fortress Press Tony Jones took world rights directly from Rabbi Joseph Edelheit to What Am I Missing? The Ancient Wisdom of Six Biblical Figures. The author, who is also the director of the religious and Jewish studies programs at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, examines the lives of Abraham, Rachel, Moses, Miriam, David, and Esther in the Bible in order to glean lessons on how to live meaningfully. What Am I Missing is slated for publication in spring 2020. FaithWords Reintroduces Prayer In a world rights deal, Keren Baltzer at FaithWords bought This is How We Pray: Discovering a Life of Intimate Friendship with God by Adam Dressler, a pastor based in Clarkesville, Tenn. Rather than focusing on technical prayer practices, Dressler encourages readers to view happenings in their everyday lives as a form of prayer that connects them to God, according to the publisher. The expected publication date for the book is spring 2019. Alex Field at the Bindery represented the author in the deal. Change Headed to Discovery House Another book on prayer is coming in spring 2019, this time from Discovery House. Acquiring editor Mike Nappa took world rights directly from author Jody Brolsma to Praying to Change Lives, a guide aimed at helping readers discover and enjoy intercessory prayer, or praying on behalf of others. Her visit comes after Ghanas conclusion of the IMF programme. At a press briefing today, December 12, 2018, the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Pius Enam Hadzide announced the visit of the IMF Managing Director. He said the visit marks an appreciation of the policy direction and solid economic fundamentals, adding that, Our fiscal rules which ensure irreversibility signal to the world that Ghana is ready for investments. The minister further explained that aside from showing the world that doing business with Ghana is a move in the right direction, the visit of IMF boss has the potential to unlock for us as a nation good coupon rates on the international bonds market. Madame Lagarde will depart Accra same day to Johannesburg in South Africa on a four Africa Nation tour. It is our hope that the visit of the IMF boss will further strengthen the cordial relationship between Ghana and the IMF on economic policies, Mr Hadzide concluded. Activities the IMF boss will undertake: On Monday, December 17, Madame Lagarde will participate in the Future of Work in sub-Saharan Africa Conference in Accra. The one-day conference will be an opportunity for the Managing Director to engage with thought-leaders and influencers from sub-Saharan Africa on the future of work. The objective of the conference it to generate a debate on the future of work in sub-Saharan Africa and the policies required to create jobs for the continents growing population. How the region can manage and leverage the impact of technological change, demographics, climate change, and the course of globalisation. She will on the same day hold bilateral talks with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House. Again, she is expected to have lunch with some Ghanaian women entrepreneurs who are doing well in their field of work. This follows an agreement signed between the government of Ghana and Japan after the two heads of state, President Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, had a bilateral talk on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. The grant will be used for the rehabilitation of phase two of the national trunk road, N8. The roads are in the Central Region and Ashanti Region of the country. Ghanas Ambassador to Japan, Mr Frank Okyere and the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Tsutomu Himeno both signed the agreement on behalf of the two countries. President Nana Addo speaking after the signing the agreement indicated 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. The government of Japan, in 1994, completed the construction of National Trunk Road N8, through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan (176km) to Ghana. Yet the rapid increase of traffic volumes resulted in the deterioration of some section of the roads hence the need for the agreement to help in the rehabilitation. In a quest to strengthening the cooperation between the two countries, the 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. The Prime Minister said this was in relation to President Akufo-Addos Ghana Beyond Aid vision. 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, he said. 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 project will be done in the Black Volta basin by ensuring that the vegetation cover around the basin in Northern and Brong-Ahafo Regions is preserved. Expected to last for five years, the project is titled community conservation and management practices. It is jointly funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Government of Ghana (GOG) through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD). The National Coordinator of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), Dr George Buabin Ortsin revealed that climate change impact was well felt in the beneficiary communities through erratic rainfall, flooding and extreme heat. He further said the first phase of the project started in 2015 and it is benefiting eight communities in the two regions. Dr Buabin Ortsin was speaking at the performance and peer review workshop on the project which was held in the country. He indicated that the project was making significant impact in the communities and commended the project implementing CSOs for their commitment and tasked them to engage the media to highlights the project. He said, Under the first phase of the project, 65 smallholder farmers had been introduced to 10 new technologies in conservation, energy and livelihood development whilst 1,100 farmers were actively involved in preserving ecosystems and their services. The project has trained and equipped 15 squads of fire volunteers across the landscape for fire management whilst 500 farmers were using improved soil fertility technologies, organic farming and sustainable land management systems. In addition, 100-bird poultry has been established and operated by community members. About 1,200 beneficiaries are also involved in village savings and credit rotation scheme with operating capital of $95,000 which has about 100 women involved in it. According to the National Coordinator, 584 hectares of savannah forest had been conserved; 10 hectares natural regeneration created and 50,000 bamboo seedlings had been planted in the local communities. The Ghanaian fashion influencers last biggest appearance in 2018 was at the Ghana Meets Naija where her golden helmet took charge of the show instantly going viral. Nana Akua, however, took a step back even going mute on her Instagram page. In an exclusive interview with Nana Akua Addo, the award-winning chonco told Pulse.com.gh she has a plan for building a brand and does not go by the public request. Despite having started gearing up for 2019 with a series of photos featuring a security personnel in the background, the conversation around one of Ghanas most influential fashion icons in recent times has focused on her boobs in recent photos. Fans and critics are deliberating on whether Nana Akua Addo has a new look in her chest region for her new photos as compared to her old photos. Many claim the fashion star has had breast implants. The Ghanaian mother explained in her interview with Pulse.com.gh there are a lot of background knowledge and techniques to what she does making people with limited knowledge make claims without facts. For her, being a fashion icon is not just about the photos. It is a constant attempt and strategic means to make an impact that counts. And these rumours will come along. READ ALSO: Nana Akua Addo sets the Internet on fire with new fashion photos She cites a few examples with Beyonce and Kim Kardashian having a different body outlook based on the location and idea for the photoshoot. No, I havent done a boob job, Nana Akua Addo confirmed to Pulse.com.gh. Theres too much education we need to do about these things. We have proper undergarments and background knowledge that make these things work. It doesnt necessarily mean youve gone for a surgery, she added. I wont stop doing this. Theres so much education we need to do and we need to learn. We are still learning. Before, they said Ive done an ass surgery. They said Ive done a waist surgery but when you see me, youll actually know I havent. Just let them talk, Nana Akua said. With fans wanting more of Nana Akua Addos fashion, the icon is not fazed by the rumours. Having gone on a low key for some time, she plans to come back with a bang. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! This is because since assuming power on January 7, 2017, everyone who matters in the current government has made series of promises with definite timelines, all of which have gone unfulfilled. These leaders included ministers of state, the Speaker of Parliament, the Vice President and the President himself. In its 2016 manifesto, the governing NPP had assured that it would ensure the passage of the RTI bill if the then Parliament failed to do so. Therefore, when the party won the 2016 elections, many were those who were expectant that the RTI bill was going to be passed within a short period into the administration. The expectations of Ghanaians was thus heightened when a month into the administration, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, promised in February 2017 that the Bill was going to be passed within 100 days. The heightened expectations by Ghanaians were legitimate given that the promise had come from no less a person than the Vice President of the Republic. The 100 day promise by the Vice President came to pass without any action on the Bill. Many had then wondered what may have informed the Vice Presidents promise. Well, it was early days yet. On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) on May 3, 2017, it was the turn of the then Minister of Information, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, to promise and give a timeline. And he did. In the May-to-July Session of parliament, the Right to Information Bill shall be before them for debate and for passage. That is a given; it is non-negotiable, the Information Minister said emphatically. Just when the Information Ministers deadline was approaching, the President himself came in with a respite. Delivering the keynote Address at the Open Data Conference in Accra on July 20, 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo made a fresh promise that raised the hope of many Ghanaians that even if the Information Ministers deadline was not met, once the President himself had spoken, the Bill was going to see the light of day sooner than later. It is our intention also to ensure the long overdue passage of the Right to Information bill by Parliament, His Excellency the President assured the nation. But not even a Presidential promise and assurance was enough to have the RTI Bill passed within the first year of the NPP government. It turned out to be just promises and nothing else. Enter 2018, and the promises would even get worse and quite embarrassing. The year started with a number of promises from junior government officials whose promises could pass without notice given the trend and the record of 2017. But when the President came in with another assurance during his Independence Day speech on March 6, 2018, it could not be ignored as just another promise. In his speech, the President was loud and clear. He said: There is, however, one piece of the anti-corruption framework that is yet to be put in place; the Right to Information bill. After many years of hesitation, we intend to bring the bill again to Parliament and work to get it passed into law before the end of the current meeting of Parliament. That meeting of Parliament was to end on March 23. The closeness of the date could make one sceptical about the promise but given who had made the promise one could not but be hopeful. As if the Presidents assurance was not firm enough, the Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, repeated the promise barely two weeks later. This time he alluded to a cabinet action on the Bill. "Just a couple of weeks ago, Cabinet has given approval to the Right to Information (RTI) Bill to be laid in parliament for debate and approval because it is very critical that we pass the Right to Information (RTI) Bill," the Vice President announced to Ghanaian and foreign audience at the Norway-Ghana Business Forum in Accra on March 19. The Presidential and Vice Presidential promises went by unfulfilled. Again one wondered what could have prompted the two most powerful persons of the land to make firm promises on an important piece of legislation without a fulfilment. At this stage one could not but lose hope and feel embarrassed. The gamut of promise-and-fails appeared not enough to discourage further promises. The next promise was delivered before a world-wide audience which had gathered in Accra for the 2018 global celebration of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD). The same Information Minister, who had made a non-negotiable promise of having the RTI bill passed in July 2017, was to give yet another promise. "The Right to Information bill is going to become law before the close of this year," the Information told the audience from over 100 countries. The lip service was to continue but this time, not from the Executive but the legislature. The Majority leader who is also the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, took over the button. Speaking at the National Delegates Congress of the NPP in July, 2018, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister reaffirmed the Information Ministers promise. At an engagement with selected journalists in Accra on November 12, 2018, the third most powerful person of the land, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Mike Aaron Quaye, took his turn to promise. He told the journalists: "The Right to Information Bill will be a thing of the past by end of this year. I can assure you, it will be done." But with less than two weeks for parliament to rise, the Vice President who had promised that the Bill was to be passed within 100 days of the NPP government announces that the Bill will be passed in 2019. We remain mystified and deeply embarrassed by the cycle of unfulfilled promises from the three most powerful people of our land and ministers of state. Under the circumstance, one wonders whether the political leadership of Ghana truly care about the fundamental right of the citizenry, and is indeed committed to transparent and accountable governance. The four-day event, on the theme: Enough with the Silence, sought to address the core need of investing in adolescent education specifically access to services such as sexual health care, sexuality education and rights protection. The Summit was a follow-up to the 1st AU Girls Summit held in 2015 in Zambia which aimed at sharing experiences and good practices, and ultimately initiating discussions and programmes to end child marriage at country, regional and international levels drawing experience from countries that have launched such campaigns internally. The 2nd AU Girls summit looked at progress made on commitments, interventions, measures and recommendations of keeping girls in school and facilitating Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR). In line with efforts to end child marriage and other harmful traditional practices against girls, DANIDA in partnership with Save the Children has launched a Sahel Regional programme which seeks to increase organisational capacities of regional CSOs and youth networks in order to effectively engage the African Union to influence social and political change on Ending Child Marriage and Children on the Move in the Sahel. The 2nd AU Girls Summit presented a great opportunity for Save the Children to support its partner WiLDAF-AO to host a high-level dialogue as a side event with delegates from the Sahel Region including: Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Chad. The dialogue which was held as a dinner at the La Palm Hotel drew representatives from Civil Society Organisations, Girls not Brides, Save the Children, WiLDAF-AO and most importantly Ms Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, the AU Goodwill Ambassador for the campaign to end Child marriage. The aim was for delegates to assess progress made in ending child marriage in the region, share experiences, lesson learnt, best practices and also to strategize on how to provide better protection for children against early marriage by bringing the key actors working together. In sharing her experience, the AU Goodwill Ambassador for ECM appreciated the contribution of WiLDAF in her personal life. She appreciated informations sharing on child marriage with Sahel countries and committed to paying a working visit to the regions. She urged all participants to fully commit to the course of ending child marriage by standing up, speaking out and solving our own problems. Other contributions from participants focused on accelerating efforts to push for sound and holistic programming, adequate resources allocation, and legislative reform, especially, setting the legal age of marriage at 18 for girls and boys. Call for action: Delegates from the Sahel region at the side event were concerned about the high prevalence rate in the region and agreed that ending child marriage is the collective responsibility of both state and non-state actors. To this effect, participants committed to the following call for Action to end child marriage in the Sahel Region of Africa. ece-auto-gen identify and implement innovative strategies in order to bring SAHEL States to set the legal age of marriage to 18 for girls and boys and to take the necessary measures to ensure that these provisions are effectively implemented at all levels including the Courts and Tribunals; ensure that adequate resources are allocated to implement the campaign at the national level and all initiatives and strategies aimed at eradicating child marriage; urge the African Union to put in place a monitoring mechanism that will coordinate efforts and promote accountability of states in order to accelerate the eradication of child marriage in our societies to build The Africa we want. In addition, the general summit also made some key recommendations including the following: READ ALSO: WiLDAF Ghana empowers girls on gender based violence States should invest in Strengthen ece-auto-gen Strengthen support for alternatives to child marriage, especially by making schools accessibly, enjoyable and affordable in the bid to keep girls interested. He was in the House to engage the Minority MPs. Before then, he paid a brief visit to the Speaker's office, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye and met the Minority leader, Haruna Iddrissu and the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak to interact with the NDC MPs. Speaking to the MPs, he said the NDC is keen on making history as the only political party in Ghana to reelect a former President as Head of State in 2020. "My brothers and sisters, I believe we can make history, and that is the history of the re-election of a person who was president before. It is a rare phenomenon. "I believe the NDC will write a page in the history books of Ghana with the reelection of a person who has been president before," he added. READ MORE: Here are the final 8 presidential aspirants of the NDC The aspirants are former President John Mahama, Joshua Alabi, Stephen Atubiga, Alban Bagbin, and Sylvester Mensah. The rest are Ekow Spio-Garbrah, Goosie Tanoh and Nurudeen Idrissu for the NDC race in January 2019. Mahama noted that the party must start strategising for what they will do when they assume the mantle of governance. "When I do get elected, it will be for just one term, and so it must be an administration that hits the ground running and so a lot of the strategy and preparations must be done in advance of January 7, 2021, because that will be a government in a hurry," he stressed. MPs endorsement Some months back, out of the 106 NDC MPs, 94 endorsed Mahama as their preferred candidate to lead the party to victory in 2020. The decision, according to MP for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, is because Mahama is the best bet for the NDC ahead of the 2020 general elections. READ MORE: Mahama visits Rawlings These MPs have since formed a group called MPS4JM (Members of Parliament for John Mahama) with full support from their constituents. According to him, the passing of the bill is imminent and should happen by the first quarter of 2019. READ ALSO: John Dumelo laces boot to contest Ayawaso Wuogon parliamentary seatJohn Dumelo laces boot to contest Ayawaso Wuogon parliamentary seat This comes on the back of an earlier failed promise by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to ensure that the bill is passed. Speaking during Ghanas 61 Independence Day celebration, President Akufo-Addo said the bill would be passed before the end of 2018. ece-auto-gen However, with just days to the end on the year, it is now evident that the RTI bill wont be able to see the light of day this year. But the Vice President has made a fresh promise, insisting the bill will be passed next year. He said it looks like all things being equal, early in the next session of parliament this bill by the grace of God and with your effort will be passed. There have been numerous protests by a section of the media, who have formed a coalition, to push Parliaments hand to pass the bill. READ ALSO: Kufuor scores Akufo-Addos government over 50%Kufuor scores Akufo-Addos government over 50% However, their efforts have so far been ignored by the law-making body of the country. According to Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, good is the most searched for term across the globe. "In a year of ups and downs, the world searched for "good" more than ever before. Here's to all the good moments from 2018 and all the people who searched for them. #YearInSearch," he wrote on Twitter. However, in Nigeria, Jamb result is the most searched thing for this year. It's followed by business plan, Osun election and BVN. Surprisingly, Prince and Croatia also made the list. Here are the most searched for questions by Nigerians in 2018: How to check JAMB result? How to write a Business Plan? Who is leading in Osun Election? How to check BVN? Google recently released its 2018 "Year in Search," which highlights people, topics, events, and places that made up the top trending searches of the year. We looked at the top 10 results for the search query "Trip to..." to see which travel destinations interested people most throughout the year. The results include a mix of cities and countries. When people searched "Trip to..." in 2018, some of the top destinations they looked for were New Orleans, Iceland, and Bora Bora. For context, we also looked at how many tourists actually visited these locations, using numbers from 2017, as tourism data for 2018 isn't yet available for all locations. While these terms aren't necessarily the "most searched," they are trending queries that "had a high spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2018 as compared to 2017," a Google publicist told Business Insider. The top-trending lists contain major events in news, loses, movies, sports, lyrics and questions Nigerian asked Google in 2018. Read on to see the biggest news stories of the year according to Google: 1. Osun Elections ece-auto-gen The Osun state gubernatorial election generated a lot of controversy after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared it inconclusive. The ruling party (APC) candidate, Gboyega Oyetola later emerged as the governor of the state. 2. Ekiti Elections The candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, defeated his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Kolapo Olusola. ece-auto-gen 3. PDP Presidential Primaries In October 2018, the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Pary (PDP) conducted presidential primary elections. Former vice President, Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party's flag bearer after a rigorous elections. ece-auto-gen 4. ASUU Strike ece-auto-gen In November 2018, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) kicked off indefinite strike ver the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MOA) signed with the Federal Government. 5. NLC Strike / Minimum Wage ece-auto-gen In September, Nigerian workers declared an indefinite nationwide warning strike to press home demands over a meagre $50 (N18,000) monthly minimum wage. The Nigerian workers under the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) are demanding an increase in the minimum wage to about $140 (N50,000). 6. Offa Robbery ece-auto-gen In April 2018, an armed robbery attacked about five banks in Offa communities, Kwara state and carted away an unspecified amount of money in different currencies. The Offa bank robbery is also another prominent issue in the fraud and forgery cases recorded in Nigeria in 2018. 7. Kaduna Crisis ece-auto-gen The Kaduna crisis in October 2018, claimed more than 20 lives in various parts of the state's metropolis caused by rumour and fake news across social media. 8. Lagos APC Primaries The Lagos APC primaries set another landmark in the political arena of the country as an incumbent governor lost a re-election bid. Babatunde Sanwo-Olu emerged as APC flagbearer for the 2019 gubernatorial election in Lagos backed power brokers led by Bola Tinubu. 9. Royal Wedding BusinessInsider The Royal Wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on May 29, reportedly cost a staggering N16.2 billion, the cost was the total internal revenue generated by three Nigerian states in 2017. The three states - Bauchi made N4. 36 billion, Ekiti N4.96 billion and Kebbi made N4.39 billion. 10. Atiku Running Mate In October, Atiku Abubakar picked a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, as his running mate for the 2019 election. About 11 billion miles from Earth, a NASA probe has broken another record for humanity. The space agency separately launched its twin Voyager spacecraft in 1977 with a mission to explore the outer solar system. The car-size Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes exploited a rare alignment of the planets (and their gravitational fields) to zoom past and study worlds like Uranus and Neptune for the first time. But once the Voyagers' main missions ended, the nuclear-powered robots kept going. And going. The probes are still flying away from the sun at speeds of more than 34,000 mph. That has made the Voyagers the two farthest human-made objects in existence. Voyager 1 officially left what researchers call the heliosphere the term for the vast and crucial bubble of the sun's influence on August 25, 2012. It sailed into the void between stars, called interstellar space. That doesn't mean it left the solar system, though. Rather, Voyager 1 broke through the heliopause: the area where a "wind" of the sun's high-speed plasma particles grinds to a relative halt. From that distance, it takes light 1,000 minutes to travel to Earth. Now NASA says Voyager 2, which travels about 4,000 mph slower than its twin, achieved the same feat on November 5, 2018. "I think we're all happy and relieved that the Voyager probes have both operated long enough to make it past this milestone," Suzanne Dodd, the project manager of the Voyager missions at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), said in a press release. She added: "This is what we've all been waiting for. Now we're looking forward to what we'll be able to learn from having both probes outside the heliopause." Why the Voyager probes left the heliosphere but not the solar system BusinessInsider The sun fuses hydrogen deep inside its core, ultimately creating the giant ball of glowing gases we see in the sky (and can thank for the existence of life on Earth). But the sun also creates a powerful magnetic field that helps constantly shoot particles of hot gas into space. Researchers call this outflow of charged particles in all directions the solar wind. : The vast region in which the solar wind has some influence is called the heliosphere. Where this boundary ends, interstellar space begins. "The sun creates this huge bubble of plasma ionized material that goes outward at a million miles per hour," Ed Stone, a project scientist on the Voyager mission, said in a video by NASA JPL. "Inside the bubble, most of the material has come from our sun. [...] Outside the bubble, most of the material comes from other stars that exploded five, 10, 15 billion years ago." The point at which the solar wind slows down and then stops is called the heliopause. NASA believes the heliopause is where pressure from the solar wind bumps into other plasma and magnetic fields found in interstellar space. This is the border that NASA believes both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 have sailed past. It's not easy to know whether a robot has punctured the heliopause. After all, it's only been done twice. There are also pockets of plasma near its fringes that can trick human-made instruments. (One moment there are readings of plasma, then the measurements decrease, then they ramp back up.) So to be sure that Voyager 2 left the heliosphere, NASA leaned on data from five instruments. One tool was the plasma science experiment, which detects solar wind particles. Those readings began to plummet on November 5. "We saw that, in fact, there was no longer any measurable solar wind," Stone said. "We had left the bubble." BusinessInsider Another clue came from the instruments on Voyager 2 that measure hits from energetic cosmic rays. Cosmic rays come from beyond the sun, likely from spinning supermassive black holes called blazars. Solar wind particles act as a magnetic shield that deflects many of these high-energy rays from reaching Earth. : In early November, as Voyager 2's plasma readings of the solar wind began to fall, the rate of hits by cosmic ray particles began to climb. This signified to NASA that, indeed, Voyager 2 was finally interstellar. However, NASA says Voyager 2 has not left the solar system, and neither of the twin probes will do so anytime soon. : "The boundary of the solar system is considered to be beyond the outer edge of the Oort Cloud, a collection of small objects that are still under the influence of the sun's gravity," NASA said in its press release. No one is sure how big the Oort Cloud is, but estimates suggest it starts at about 1,000 Earth-sun distances, or astronomical units (AU), and stretches out to about 100,000 AU. That is a zone between 0.16 and 1.6 light-years away from the sun. ASUP Chairman in the polytechnic, Dr Aliyu Ibrahim told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the chapter totally complied with the directive of the nation body. We will remain on strike until directed otherwise by our national executives, Ibrahim said. NAN reports that the polytechnic was on break and was expected to resume academic activities in January. Michael John, a student of the polytechnic, who spoke to NAN on the development appealed to the federal government to dialogue with union and resolve disagreements. We do not want to stay at home like our fellow students in the universities who have been at home for months following ASUU strike. Federal Government should please find a way to resolve the issues, so we will resume school in January and continue our studies, John said. Kola Adeyemi, who applied for admission in the school also called on both parties to go to the negotiation table and iron things out. I have stayed at home for quite too long and hoping to secure admission in Kaduna Polytechnic. The strike, if prolonged will affect my chance of securing admission this session, he said. Mr Usman Dutse, the National President of the union, had on Tuesday directed all members of the union to embark on the nation-wide indefinite strike on Wednesday. The comedian took to his Instagram page on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, where he reacted to Kevin Ikeduba's now-famous video. In his post, AY agreed with the actor in all levels stating different flaws in the industry. "As a growing actor and a movie producer, NOLLYWOOD has exposed me to both the good, the bad and ugly. Barely few years in the industry, I have experienced all sorts from the stables of the high and mighty self-entitled 'stakeholders', to the very insecured individuals whose only claim to fame is an old testament fact of "We started this industry".The above post by @kevinikeduba has given me the courage to further introduce you to our Nollywood. So welcome to an industry where rivalry and fakeness is fast becoming a legacy designed for posterity. Welcome to a backstabbing community where some pretend to love you in the open and condenm all your determination and efforts to succeed when you are not there. Welcome to an industry where enmity reigns supreme... Eg "If you are using her in the movie, then I can't be on it", or "I can't be in your film and not play the lead role". "Welcome to an industry where some actors have more visible roles on Instagram and Red Carpets. Welcome to an industry where some would maintain a position that would make you keep to yourself rather than ask for a selfie. Welcome to an industry where some cannot use their platforms to help another colleague to promote his or her work(including the ones they are contracted for). Welcome to an industry where most families mainly depend on public support when one of our own falls sick. Welcome to an industry where some engages themselves daily on WhatsApp groups chatting about how others have no business making movies (even when they break their own records back to back). "Moving the industry forward goes beyond seeking for the downfall of others, or basking in the euphoria of an old glory that has been taken over by trend and time. Above all, I still see Nollywood as a special place; a place filled with creative geniuses. Working together and supporting ourselves can only make greater arts happen to the diverse audiences we all set out to entertain. But at the end of each plastic characters that comes with movie productions, let's find a way to share our real side. Itll either scare away every fake person in our life or it will inspire them to finally let go of that mirage called "perfection," he wrote. ece-auto-gen It would be recalled that Kevin Ikeduba over the weekend sent brought the internet to a standstill when he slammed his fellow colleagues in the Nollywood industry. Kevin Ikeduba calls out actors in Nollywood on living fake life ece-auto-gen A Nollywood actor Kevin Ikeduba is leading a charge against some colleagues who are dragged for living a fake life. He analyses that their famous status is lacking in depth and love. On Friday, December 7, 2018, Ikeduba shares a video on Instagram to criticize those who are not able to offer genuine help to one another. Kevin Ikeduduba favours openness about one's feelings as opposed to pretense. In the comments section, most readers commend the actor who joined Nollywood in the year 2000. He is able to act in English and Yoruba movies due to his competence in both languages. Ikeduba is often known for his role as an antagonist in many of the films he has starred in. ece-auto-gen Walking into a Nigerian market, especially any of these listed here, requires a certain skill that has been mastered by mostly mothers. These markets are so popular around the country that every Nigerian has heard about them at least once, and knows the what is sold in them. Before going to any of these markets though, you need to follow our guide to navigating a Nigerian market like a pro. 1. Onitsha market (Anambra) ___9192873___2018___12___12___16___Onitsha+market_news+express+nigeria ece-auto-gen Onitsha main market is considered as West Africa's commercial powerhouse. From imported second-hand clothing to jewelry to industrial equipment, Onitsha has it all in its expansive market, considered the biggest market in terms of item availability and land size. 2. Computer village (Ikeja, Lagos) ___9192874___2018___12___12___16___computer-village+national+daily ece-auto-gen According to Omobola Johnson, a former Minister of ICT, computer village contributes about $2 billion to Nigeria's economy annually. The market is considered the IT hub of Nigeria, where both indigenous and famous phone gadgets and accessories are sold. 3. Balogun Market (Marina, Lagos) ___9192875___2018___12___12___16___Balogun-market+mega+insights ece-auto-gen Lagos Island Market or Balogun Market, is brimming items as well as people. With Lagos being one of the most populous cities in Africa, visiting the market is one of the most stressful things to do. However, the energy is intoxicating and there are lots of things that can be bought there on a bargain: lace, ankara, fabrics, hair, etc. 4. Ladipo market (Mushin, Lagos) ___9192876___2018___12___12___16___ladipo+market+the+infostride ece-auto-gen Ladipo is the largest spare part market in Nigeria in terms of availability, because of the Lagos port. Electrical and mechanical spare parts of any kind, new and old, of any car brand is available here. This is where other vendors come to purchase parts. 5. Ariaria market (Aba, Abia) Ariaria market is where majority of the "made in Aba" and "made in Nigeria" items are made. From shoes to bags, there is no product or brand replica that you want or are searching for that isn't present here. Although the market has been tagged as selling replicas and inferior goods, there are also indigenous and quality products making their way into the market now. 6. Bodija market (Ibadan, Oyo) ___9192879___2018___12___12___16___Bodija-Market+premium+times+nigeria ece-auto-gen At Bodija, you can purchase wholesale or retail foodstuff of your choice. It has a wide variety of fresh and dried produce sold at cheap prices. People troop in to buy cattle and foodstuff. 7. Oil Mill market (Port Harcourt, Rivers) Pulse Nigeria Oil mill market is known for the crowd of people that troop in every Wednesday to buy everyday foodstuff. You can buy fresh produce at very cheap prices at this market. 8. Zaki biam yam market (Benue) ___9192891___2018___12___12___16___connect+nigeria ece-auto-gen Benue, the food basket of the nation, is the home to the biggest yam market in Nigeria. Traders from all across the country come to Zaki biam to buy the high quality yams directly from the farmers at the market. ALSO READ: Top 5 tourist markets you have to visit in Africa 9. Kasuwar kwari (Kano) ___9192911___2018___12___12___16___textile-market+businessdayonline ece-auto-gen Kasuwar Kwari market in Kano has everything clothing and material. This is where people from all over Nigeria, and even west Africa, come to purchase quality handmade tie and dyed fabric at a cheap cost to go sell elsewhere. 10. Alaba International Market (Lagos) Pulse Nigeria According to a statement by the spokesperson of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Ikechukwu Ani, the six-week recruitment exercise had already attracted 104,289 applicants as at 1.30 a.m on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. He disclosed that 93,871 of the applicants are males while the remaining 10,418 are females. With 7,985 applications, Niger State has had the highest number of applicants for the exercise. Other states with the highest number of applicants are Kano (7,513), Katsina (6,820), Bauchi (6,204) and Kaduna (5,729). Bayelsa State has had the lowest number of applications with only 347 applicants, followed by Lagos (516), Ebonyi (600), Anambra (605), Abia (733) and Imo (870). Ani reiterated the commission's promise to applicants that it'll conduct a transparent exercise without any irregularities. Requirements for recruitment In a press statement by Force Public Relations Officer, Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, on Thursday, November 29, he invited applications from young Nigerians who have a passion for a career in the Force to enlist for recruitment as Police Constables. According to the general requirements, applicants must be Nigerian citizens 'not less than 18 years of age or more than 25 years of age' who possess their National Identity Numbers (NIN). Applicants are also required to possess an 'O' level Certificate with at least five credits level passes including Mathematics and English Language 'in not more than two sittings in WASSCE/GCE/NECO/NABTEB'. Applicants, who must be of good character and must not have been convicted of any criminal offence, must also not be less than 1.67 metres (for men) or 1.64 metres (for women) in height and must not have less than 86cm (34 inches) expanded chest measurement (for men only). All candidates must undergo medical examination before final selection. ece-auto-gen How to apply for Police recruitment To apply for recruitment, applicants must have a functional email address and mobile phone number and fill and submit the online form at the web address - www.policerecruitment.ng Applicants must ensure to print out the information that is automatically sent to their submitted email and not forget to copy and save their registration number for future correspondences. This is because applicants will be required to present a hardcopy of email message sent to them if they're eventually shortlisted and contacted for the next stage of the recruitment process. The Force warned applicants against registering multiple times as that would mean automatic disqualification from the recruitment exercise. Guarantors' form Applicants are directed to download and fill a Guarantors' Form, presenting verifiable references from two guarantors. The two guarantors must be picked from a pool that includes traditional rulers, magistrates, local government chairpersons, heads of educational institutions attended, career civil servants not below the rank of Grade Level 12, police officers not below the rank of CSP, or military officers not below the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. People disqualified from applying People with speech impediments, knock knees, bow legs, bent knees, and flat feet are discouraged from applying for recruitment. Others instructed to not apply include people with tattoos, bodily scars, defective eyesight or squint eyes, protruding navel, gross malformation of teeth and deformed hands that cannot perform the full functions of the hand. Applicants must also not be pregnant at the time of recruitment. The president expressed his gratitude while receiving Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, George Steiner, at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, Deember 11, 2018. According to a statement signed by the president's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, he said the return of stolen funds and interventions in the crisis in the North East further indicate the Swiss government's commitment to the development of Nigeria. "We are grateful to the Swiss government for allowing stolen funds to be brought back to Nigeria," he said. The president further noted that the facilitating roles the Swiss government had been playing in the North East, particularly in reaching out to Internally Displaced Persons, had been most helpful. Steiner assured President Buhari that the Swiss government will always be disposed to supporting Nigeria in ensuring peace in the country, especially in the North East, which has been troubled by a nine-year insurgency by terrorist group, Boko Haram. "We have strong and solid relations with Nigeria. It's an honour and privilege for us to contribute to issues of importance in the country," he said. On November 1, 2017, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and Switzerland for the repatriation of the $322 million looted by former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha. Ekweremadu in a statement by his Special Adviser Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu, described Ikedifes passing away as a grave loss to Ndigbo and the country. He said the late former president-general was a medical practitioner per excellence. He was a patriot and tested leader, who was deeply committed to fatherland. As President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, he not only advanced the Igbo cause, but championed the struggle for a just and equitable society where no man or woman is oppressed. He was a fine gentleman and firebrand in one. He fought a good fight and history will be kind to him. May his soul rest in perfect peace, he said. Ekweremadu prayed God to grant the family, the people of Anambra, Ndigbo and the country at large, the fortitude to bear the loss. According to a statement signed by the division's Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Muhammad Dole, the suspects were arrested during a stop and search operation on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. The gun runners were identified as Aminu Umar (32 years old), Shehu Samaila (25) and Bilyaminu Abdullahi (22). The troops recovered 44 fabricated locally-made single barrel rifles and 351 cartridges being conveyed in a Toyota Corolla with registration number ZUR 28DX Kebbi. ece-auto-gen Colonel Dole also disclosed that the gun runners were heading to Bena in Danko/Wasagu local government area of Kebbi State when they were arrested. He urged motorists to continue to share credible information with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies. "It is important to add that troops of 1 Division conducting Operation WHIRL PUNCH will remain resolutely committed to combating all forms of criminality in our Area of Operation," the statement read. And wait for it, the Nigerian leader denied that he is a clone. All in 2018. Here are the top 10 Buhari quotes of 2018. 1. Buhari promises to jail more looters ece-auto-gen I will jail more looters. I think this is being expected of me and I will do it. --Buhari draws the line against allegedly corrupt persons, after returning to Nigeria from another medical vacation in August. 2. Buhari attacks Obasanjo You know the rail was killed and one of the former Heads of State between that time was bragging that he spent more than 16 billion American dollars, not naira, on power. Where is the power? Where is the power? And now, we have to pay the debts. ---Buhari calls out former President Olusegun Obasanjo for spending $16billion on power from 1999 to 2007 with little to show for it. 3. When Saraki was cleared of corruption by the Supreme Court, Buhari had something to say about it In the case of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, I have seen him take the tortuous path of using the judicial process. He persevered, and in the end, the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court, says he is not guilty as charged. --Buhari congratulates Senate President Saraki after the courts declared him innocent of corruption charges. 4. Buhari calls Nigerian youth lazy ece-auto-gen "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 has been an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free. --Buhari slams young Nigerians for their entitlement mentality during a visit to the UK in April. 5. Buhari apologises to MKO Abiola family for June 12 annulment On behalf of the federal government, I tender the nation's apology to the family of late MKO Abiola who got the highest votes and to those that lost their loved ones in the course of June 12 struggle." --The president tenders a national apology to the family of the late MKO Abiola who won the June 12, 1993 election. The election was annulled by then Military President Ibrahim Babangida. June 12 was also declared Democracy Dayby Buhari. 6. Buhari says Police Chief Ibrahim Idris disobeyed his orders ece-auto-gen Im not aware that the Inspector General (Ibrahim Idris) did not spend 24 hours in the State as directed by me, I am getting to know in this meeting. ---Buhari visits Benue in March after herdsmen killings and sectarian violence, admits that his police chief flouted his orders. 7. Buhari promises to stop complaining about past leaders, problems We inherited so many problems. Actually, l have said l will not complain because l asked for it. I tried to become president three times and l lost, but l was lucky the fourth time, l became one, so l can't complain. ---Interacting with Nigerians in Poland, President Buhari promises that he will no longer complain about the problems he inherited in 2015. 8. Buhari calls Goodluck Jonathan a true democrat ece-auto-gen You are a leader of the past, of now and of the future; you will rise again; I wish you the best you wish yourself. --The president wishes his predecessor well, hours before the launch of his book, My Transition Hours. 9. Buhari responds to those who say he has no secondary school certificate As a Nigerian military officer, it would have been impossible for me to have attended the Defence Services Staff College in India in 1973, and, after that - in 1979 - the United States Army War College, had I not sat for the WASC examinations, which I did in 1961. --The president says he actually sat for the secondary school graduation exam, even though critics maintain he didnt. 10. Buhari rejects claims that he is a clone ece-auto-gen One of the questions that came up today in my meeting with Nigerians in Poland was on the issue of whether Ive been cloned or not. The ignorant rumours are not surprising when I was away on medical vacation last year a lot of people hoped I was dead. I can assure you all that this is the real me. Later this month I will celebrate my 76th birthday. And Im still going strong! The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that also on the committee were Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, former Ekiti State Deputy governor and Hadjia Saida Saad Bugaje. Among those who presented their cases to the committee were Sen. Iyiola Omisore and Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN). We are here, essentially, to build bridges of understanding; to reconcile with our aggrieved party members and see to it that appropriate recommendations are made to the NWC of the party. Our effort is to ensure progress in the party as a family and to make amend, where necessary, he said. Shettima urged aggrieved members to emulate Ambode, whom he said had demonstrated generosity of spirit that had never been shown by any Nigerian politician since 1999. Power is the most ephemeral thing God gives to humanity, whether we like it or not. Mobutu Seseseko eventually had to leave power, relunctantly had to relinquish power. So, anything that has a beginning must have an end. So, I commend Gov. Ambode. We have come with cleanest of intention and with very open mind to listen, obtain recommendations and proffer solution. Shettima said the task of the committee was also to reconcile aggrieved members of the party ahead of the 2019 general elections. There is no amount of wound that can manifest in your heart as being presented here that we can permanently heal. But we have created a platform for us to be able to start to bond our family, the APC family together. We are one family. But some of the people seated here have one or two issues to complain about. But we are peacemakers. What is important is that, we must bond together and also carry that crusade of making our party to win the 2019 elections together. The 2019 general elections will not mark the end of our great party. Meanwhile, Akintola told newsmen after the presentation of his case that he would exercise patience as preached by the committee. He,however, expressed the hope that justice would be done. We have presented our case and let them know that the reward system in our party is faulty. We told them that we cannot be talking of peace without justice. I have been told to wait for the outcome of the reconciliation and we will wait, he said. Secondus also alleged that Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi have been marked on the APCs supposed list for destabilisation. The PDP chairman made this known in a statement signed by his media aide, Ike Abonyi. According to Daily Post, Secondus also said that the ruling APC is desperate to win the 2019 general elections at all cost. He said In most PDP states, despite the governors being chief security officers, police commissioners have set up parallel structures to undermine the security of the states, just to satisfy their pay masters They have resolved to inject crisis in PDP controlled states and ensure that our governors who are refusing to play ball are permanently distracted for their re-election bid. They have deployed huge cash in these states to either use labour or state legislators to inject crisis, frighten the governors and force them to do a deal with them. ALSO READ: Secondus says Atiku will behave exactly like Mandela That is why they are not campaigning or seeking votes from Nigerians; that is why President Buhari has refused to sign into law an amended Electoral Act that would have guaranteed this nation a freer and fair election. Nothing clearly underscores the fact that the APC is not interested in having a transparent election than the refusal of the president to sign the Electoral Act into law. According to Atiku, Buharis refusal to sign the document will cast doubt on his governments commitment to ensure elections in 2019 are credible. I am delighted that Mr President has agreed to sign this peace accord. I will want to appeal to him to also sign the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill. Mr. President needs to understand that as long as he refuses to sign the bill, we will have doubts that this government is truly committed to free, fair and credible elections. I am a democrat ab initio. I was never converted. I have always been a democrat. And I fought the military to return this country to democracy. However, the best way to guarantee peace in any election is to ensure manifest justice to all concerned, he added. ALSO READ:Buhari tried to get Atiku sacked as Customs officer in 1984 Peace accord The PDP flag-bearer said this on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, when he signed the peace accord. Atiku did not attend the peace accord signing ceremony which was organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. The signing of the accord which was organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Former Head of State and Chairman, National Peace Committee, retiredGen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, said that the objective of the accord was to ensure peace before, during and after the polls. Abubakar said that political parties must seek for peace throughout the electioneering period, as elections would not hold without peace. It is also important that governance after the elections will be impossible without a peaceful environment, he said. He also enjoined political parties to adopt Code of Conduct that promoted peaceful conduct and inclusiveness during electioneering period- before, during and after the elections. The chairman also urged all political parties to keep to the provision of the peace document as they matched toward the elections. He said that by agreeing to sign the accord, all the political parties and their candidates had agreed to maintain peace, beyond self-interest and accept the outcome of the election for the good of the country and its citizens Abubakar said that the security situation in the country should be a source of concern for everybody and more especially political parties, saying you must not do anything to make the bad situation worse. As political leaders, all candidates for political office, must show example for their conduct and actions .You must lead by example by your attitude and conduct. Also by your speech and what you sponsored, he said. He said that political parties and their candidate must create conducive atmosphere for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in 2019 and beyond. The time to do what is right is right now. The former head of state said that the mere signing of the peace document would not achieve its objectives until and unless all actors accepted to work by its provisions. He called on all religious and traditional leaders to play their role in ensuring peaceful conduct of the elections. He commended President Buhari and political parties on their commitment to conduct of free and fair elections in the country. Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, while presenting a keynote address at the occasion, said that the nation was yet at another critical junction as it prepared for the 2019 general elections. Gowon said that there was need to consolidate on the peace enjoyed in 2015 in the 2019 general elections. Gowon said that it was gratifying that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had pledged credible elections in 2019. Citizens of our nation cannot ask for less, but we should all be party to the success by ensuring that politicians vying for public offices and their supporters are united in the sincere pursuit of issue-based electioneering, he said. He said that regardless of Nigerians affiliations, buying of vote would defeat the essence of democracy, while elections rigging would deny the desire and aspiration of Nigerians for good governance. Gowon urged party leaders and their candidates to honour the accord that they had signed, while also calling on INEC and security agencies and election observers to maintain their neutrally in the coming elections. He commended President Buhari for signing the Not Too-Young-To -Run Bill and the members of the National Peace Committee for organising the signing of the peace accord. Former Chief of Justice of the Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mohammed Uwais, said free, fair election were critical elements of democracy. Uwais expressed hope that parties that signed the peace accord would have peaceful campaign and successful elections. The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Ketil Karlsen, said that Nigeria had in 2015 set an example for Africa and for the world alike, seeing the outcome of democratic elections prevailed. As the country prepare for 2019 elections, we hope that Nigeria would further consolidate on democracy through free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections. Karlsen said that the presidential candidates and political parties had role to play by saying no to hate speech, vote buying, intimidation of voters and saying yes to peace and transparent elections. He advised INEC to guide its independence, while political parties should guide their neutrality and guarantee safety without intimidating voters. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, speaking on behalf of the traditional leaders, said what politicians needed to know was that Nigeria was greater than anyone. We should know that the peace of our nation is very critical and gamine to the growth and development of the nation. No individual or political parties can say they are greater than the nation. As a result everybody should focus on how to keep peace and how our great country will continue to make history in the comity of nations. Ogunwusi, who said that the peace accord was very critical to the next level of the nation, added that the day the politicians became aware that the nation was greater than them, would be the day the country would start making progress. Dignitaries who attended the occasion include: the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar II; the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah as well as INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports no fewer than 100 buses branded with the photographs of the partys governorship candidate Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat were unveiled at the occasion. Hamzat said the 16years of PDP were the countrys years of locusts as the party did almost nothing to improve the lots of Nigerians. The former commissioner said the APC had put the country on the path of progress in the last three years, urging citizens to keep faith with the party and stop the return of PDP through their votes. Our campaign will be very easy because PDP destroyed this country for 16 years. They spent N1.7trillion on power for 16 years and they were able to give the country just 2,950 megawatts. But within three years of APC, we have increased power to 6,500 megawatts. The PDP government did not complete any road in the country. But APC within three years in office has completed many roads in the country. It is this government that finished the Gombe-Yola-Taraba Road. The Oyo-Ogbomoso road is at about 80 per cent completion. Because of the future of our children, it is important that we protect this country from PDP. PDP should be buried as a party; they must never come back again. They dont have any plan, he said. Hamzat said the claim by Mr Jimi Agbaje, the Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Candidate in the state that Lagos was under bondage was a big irony. He argued that Lagos had witnessed exponential growth under the APC successive governments, emerging as one of the biggest economies in Africa. Hamzat added that the state had attracted many people across the country and beyond who have enjoyed the freedom to live, work and fulfill their dreams. The candidate also said that the state is the only one in the country that can survive without handouts from the federal government, which was proof that Agbajes claim lacked merit. Hamzat said a former governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, did so much for the development of the state, noting that Agbajes claim of godfatherism issue was not tenable. The PDP governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje is saying that Lagos is under bondage. Who enslaved them? We are free in Lagos. When Asiwaju Tinubu took over Lagos in 1999, the state was bankrupt and IGR was just N600million. The state was borrowing money then to pay salaries. It was Asiwaju Tinubu that raised the allocation of the state. It is after we took over that the state grew economically. Today, we are the only state that can live without federal allocation, he said Hamzat said PDP had no place in Lagos, urging residents to vote the APC for the continued prosperity of the state. Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Tunde Balogun expressed confidence that APC would win in the state in 2019. Balogun said residents were happy with the performance of successive APC governments and that they would show support for the party through their votes. He said the party would officially flag off its campaign in Ikeja on Dec.17 and all its candidates in the state would be present to tell residents about their plans for the state. El-Rufai, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the state, urged party members to ensure that they campaign peacefully. He also charged members to conduct themselves peacefully during the elections. The governor said that campaigns should be based on records and achievements of the APC administration in the past three years. According to him, his administration has done a lot in the area of infrastructure and social development of the people. El-Rufai promised that, if re elected, he would ensure they build on the work they had started. That is why we are asking the people of Kaduna State to give us another mandate. We have worked tirelessly to make the state a better place. We need the support of the people of to continue in this direction , he said. According to him, his admiministration has undertaken difficult reforms in the public service, in education and in health. Earlier in his welcome address, the Kaduna State APC chairman, Emmanuel Jekada, said the party had done the needful in the development of the state. He vowed that the APC in Kaduna State would reclaim all legislative seats in the state. Jekada assured the people that the party would continue with development project across the state for the betterment of its indigenes and residents. The Director, Organisation, APC Campaign Council, Dr Sani Bello, called on the people of the state to vote wisely in the forthcoming general election. He said from that his calculations, El-rufai would be re-elected. PDP decided to relegate competent knowledge in putting forward those who are going to contest in 2019 election, Bello said. He called on residents not to waste their vote on PDP, saying the people should ensure they vote for El-Rufai and President Muhammadu Buhari for their track record of achievements. Buhari was one of the candidates that signed the document in Abuja on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at an event organised by the National Peace Committee headed by a former military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar. With the signing of the accord, the candidates committed to ensuring peaceful and rancour-free campaigns before, during and after the 2019 general elections. Despite Buhari's signing of the document, Fayose believes the president is desperate to remain in office and will fail to fulfill his obligations. The former governor took to his Twitter account on Wednesday, December 12 to accuse the president of turning the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the attack dogs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to harass the opposition. ece-auto-gen He said the president's failure to sign the electoral amendment bill is more indicative of his attitude towards the general elections than his signing of the peace accord. He posted, "A man who refused to sign the Amended Electoral Bill 4 times after it was passed by NASS of 469 Nigerians cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful, free and fair election. Therefore, signing of Peace Accord won't change his desperation to remain in office at all cost. "A man who has turned all FG agencies, especially EFCC and Police to the attack dogs of APC cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful election just by mere signing of peace accord." The 2019 presidential election, scheduled for February 16, 2019, is expected to be keenly-contested between President Buhari and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Even though Atiku was absent from the signing on Tuesday, he's expected to sign the Peace Accord today. Buhari rejects electoral amendment bill Last week, the president, yet again, rejected the National Assembly's amendment to the nation's electoral act, noting that signing it too close to the 2019 general elections would 'create some uncertainty about the legislation to govern the process'. He said, "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 2018 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 elections may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process." The Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) is yet to sign the MoU, as INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi said there are issues needed to be addressed before the agreement can be signed. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, described the signing of the MoU as another giant step in the commissions preparations for the 2019 general election as one of the critical challenges to the conduct of election in Nigeria is logistics. Yakubu said the commission required over 100,000 vehicles to deploy personnel and materials from state offices to 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) 8,809 electoral wards and 119,973 polling units, which he described as a huge undertaking. In order to achieve this commitment, INEC requires over 100,000 vehicles. The logistical requirements are beyond the internal resources of INEC. It is for this reason that the Commission has been in partnership with NURTW for which an MOU was first signed with the union in January 2015. However, with the increase in the number of voters as well as political parties since the last General Election, we need to increase the pool of our service providers to meet the consequential increase in the number of vehicles. Accordingly, we decided to expand our collaboration beyond the NURTW, he said. Yakubu called on national leaders of the unions to supervise their members and branches for the full implementation of the MoU by working closely with INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners to ensure that the objectives were fully realised. We will also require you to swear to an oath of neutrality as your participation in the delivery of electoral logistics requires absolute neutrality and impartiality. The security agencies shall escort all vehicles to locations. In addition, we shall track the movement of all vehicles electronically and real time, as we did in some recent elections, he said. Yakubu assured Nigerians that INEC was determined that all polling units nationwide would open at 8 a.m., saying the commission was determined to give Nigerians a pleasant voting experience in 2019. We have been working hard to ensure that personnel and materials will be on location awaiting the arrival of voters rather than the other way round, he said. Yakubu appealed to the unions leaders to ensure that there was no failure on their part, especially when it is too late for the Commission to make alternative arrangement on the eve of election. INEC Chairman signing MoU for logistics deployment for 2019 general elections, on Wednesday in Abuja While we appeal to political actors to call their supporters to order, I wish to assure you that we will continue to work with the security agencies to ensure the safety of your members and your vehicles, he said. Speaking on the MoU, the Chief Technical Adviser to INEC Chairman, Mr Bolade Eyinla, said that the MoU empowered the leadership of the unions to supervise and monitor their members. We have built in this new MOU some administrative responsibilities. The new MOU ensures that we will certify the quality of the vehicles to be used on Election Day so they meet the required safety standard, he said. Eyinla advised all parties to the MOU to abide by the regulations spelt out in it, by ensuring that the required vehicles were assembled at required locations at stated time. The National President NURTW, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, pledged that the union would contribute its quota to ensure the success of 2019 general election. I will like to assure INEC that in 2019 we will do our best than what we did in 2015, he said. The National President, NARTO, Dr Kashim Bataiya, also pledged that the association would carry out its assigned duty effectively as stated in the MoU. We will do everything possible to carry out our duty effectively for the deployment of personnel and materials and other logistics for the elections, he said. The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, pledged that commission would work with INEC in the area of certification of vehicles to be deployed for the election. The PDP won the presidency during the return of democracy in 1999 and led Nigeria for 16 years through three presidents before losing the Presidential Villa to President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC in 2015. While speaking during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, Secondus said corruption existed before PDP but that the party fought it more faithfully than the current administration. When asked why Nigerians should vote for the PDP in the 2019 general elections even though the party lost in 2015 because it was deemed to be corrupt and incompetent, he said the problem existed before the party. He said, "This is a perception that has been going on for some time, but you can see clearly the difference between PDP rule and APC rule. I think they're more corrupt. "The issue of corruption is all over the country even before the advent of the PDP so it's not an issue where you pass the ball. Let's not even go there." Secondus further noted that all the anti-corruption agencies in the country were established when the PDP was in power. He said, "All the anti-corruption institutions were established by the PDP. When President Obasanjo came into power in 1999, corruption was there but to address the issue of corruption, he had to establish ICPC. It was not done by APC. "He has to establish EFCC that's being used now wrongly against the opposition. And, of course, if you are in the opposition and cross over to APC, immediately you're saved and it becomes a safe haven for you." Even though one of Buhari's three main campaign promises was to fight corruption, he has been accused of using anti-graft agencies to harass the opposition while shielding people in the APC accused of corruption from justice. This is despite the fact that two former governors, Jolly Nyame and Joshua Dariye, were imprisoned earlier this year due to corruption-related offences despite being members of the APC at the time of conviction. They committed the crimes while they served as governors on the platform of the PDP. ece-auto-gen Despite this, President Buhari has received knocks for the failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute Babachir Lawal whom Buhari sacked as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in 2017 after he was investigated by a panel headed by vice president, Yemi Osinbajo. Lawal has been accused of misappropriating funds earmarked for the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) through the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE). Other top officials in Buhari's administration have also been accused of several corrupt acts without much being done about it by federal agencies under the command of the president. According to the 2017 corruption perception index (CPI) conducted by Transparency International, Nigeria ranks as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The country dropped 12 places from its position of 136th least corrupt country in 2016 to 148th. Secondus promised that the PDP has learned from its 16 years of experience at the federal level and rebranded and repositioned itself to return to leadership in 2019. "We must fight it (corruption) legally under the international rule of law or our own rule of law and the best practices all over, but not brutally," he said. Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, is the PDP's presidential candidate and deemed to be Buhari's biggest challenger for the nation's highest political office in 2019. ece-auto-gen How Atiku plans to fight corruption In a policy document which he released to the public on November 19, 2018, Atiku said corruption poses critical challenges to Nigeria's economic and social development. The former vice president noted that despite the establishment of relevant anti-graft agencies by previous governments, the present one, led by Buhari, has been accused of serious nepotism, partisanship and lack of political will and the impartiality to deal decisively with corruption. To combat corruption, Atiku said his government would focus on building strong anti-corruption institutions that cannot be manipulated by personalities, while also establishing a culture of accountability, effectiveness, efciency and transparency. He said he would also ensure rigorous enforcement of judicious use of public resources, with zero tolerance for nepotism, corruption and poor management. To make perpetrators of corruption serve as deterrents to others, Atiku promised that he would ensure adequate punishment is meted out to whoever is caught. He said he would do this by ensuring that judgments on corruption cases are fully followed through and enforced by the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Agbaje, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), kicked up a storm when he took to his Twitter account (@jimiagbaje) late on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, to tackle Sanwo-Olu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), over a television interview. In a series of tweets, Agbaje cast doubts over Sanwo-Olu's candidacy and accused him of being a figurehead who belongs to a political cabal that has failed to develop Lagos State in 20 years. ece-auto-gen While also reacting to Sanwo-Olu's claim during his interview that Lagos does not dislike its population of Igbo people from the southeast region, Agbaje tweeted that the electorate has not forgotten a previous threat against Igbos by a Yoruba monarch who supports APC. He tweeted, "On Lagos and the Igbos: The narrative that Lagos dislikes the Igbos is extremely false. "Oh yes, Lagos does not dislike the Igbos, your political establishment does. The royal utterance of 2015 is still fresh on the mind of the entire electorate. "He now works with the presidency. You must have been too busy or completely oblivious to be referring to him in present tense." The 'royal utterance' Agbaje referred to was a controversial statement made by Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, in 2015 when he threatened Igbos to vote for then-APC candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode. The monarch had said Igbos would perish in the lagoon if they didn't vote for the APC candidate who eventually won the election over Agbaje. "On Saturday, if anyone of you, I swear in the name of God, goes against my wish that Ambode will be the next governor of Lagos State, the person is going to die inside this water," he had said. Among other comments made by Agbaje in his Twitter thread, Sanwo-Olu took to his own Twitter account early on Wednesday, December 12, to caution his opponent on his utterances. He warned that the campaign should be issue-based and not an avenue to instigate ethnic tensions in the state. "This election will be about who has the best credentials to lead Lagos at this time of our development. It won't be about who can dish out the most insults or tell the most lies. "It will also not be about who can instigate ethnic tensions between the Yorubas and the Igbos," he posted. He concluded that there's a level of decency that is expected of Agbaje and urged him to focus on selling himself as the best candidate for the job. "It's good news that things are calming down. France is Germany's most important partner and we have no interest in seeing it destabilised for the long term," a senior German government source said. Ministers have been urged not to stoke confrontation with Paris as Macron attempts to end mass demonstrations against his pro-business reforms, promising tax and spending measures for the lowest earners worth billions of euros (dollars). "We don't yet know all the details of the measures and how they'll be paid for, but in principle it's not up to other (EU) member states to judge them," Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said Wednesday. Damping down fires Especially since the financial crisis of 2008, Germany under Merkel has prioritised tight budgets, with deficits held to well under the EU three percent of GDP limit. Her governments have also slashed accumulated total debt, bringing it down towards the EU ceiling of 60 percent of GDP. They have not been shy of passing judgement on less stringent fellow EU members -- such as Italy -- and have opposed reforms to the 19-nation euro single currency that could mean more risk sharing between capitals. But for now Berlin's larger concern is a political crisis across Europe that has been fired by populist victories, including Britons' 2016 vote to quit the European Union. Italy, too, has been largely spared a wagging Teutonic finger this year despite its deficit-busting budget which the EU, in a first, rejected outright, insisting that Rome try again. "We see it in France, we see it in other countries, we have an urgent responsibility to halt these populist movements in the European elections" next May, another government source said. The tone from the European Commission has meanwhile been notably calm and understanding -- unlike for Rome, as the Italian government has pointed out. Brussels understands that "in the face of social movements and very strong demands to reduce regional or social disintegration, a government may need to take measures," Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici told AFP Wednesday. That could justify "limited, temporary" higher deficits, he added, while insisting there was "no double standard" between France and Italy. "I can't imagine that we'll act as if nothing has happened over demands worth billions from an obivously struggling Macron, while taking on the Italians' wallets," Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said. Despite their public forbearance, German leaders are in private frustrated with Macron's uphill struggle to push through reforms they see as indispensable. One senior official noted how the young president's at times arrogant style has alienated parts of the French public. And any weakening of restraint in French spending policy undermines Macron's bet he could win German confidence by showing France could live within its means and reshape state finances. 'More Renzi than Schroeder' German economists greeted sceptically Macron's emergency concessions to the "yellow vests" after repeated weekends of marches, barricades and violence around France. For example, an increase in the minimum wage "will not reduce social tensions in France, where the minimum wage is already so high that it hampers the employment of weaker groups in the labour market, especially young people," said Clemens Fuest, head of Munich's influential Ifo think-tank. German newspapers, which last week celebrated the 50th anniversary of irrepressible Gaulish comic book hero Asterix appearing in the language, see a similar stubbornness in modern France's resistance to its young president. Some 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. Castaner said the gunman had killed three people and wounded 12. Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and wounded him, but could not stop him escaping, police sources said. A soldier was slightly injured by a ricohet from a shot by the gunman. Castaner also said France had raised its security alert level to "emergency attack" with "the implementation of reinforced border controls and tightened controls on all Christmas markets in France to avoid the risk of a copycat" attack. The gunman has been identified and was on a watchlist of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said. France's security forces, already on high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country. "I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium," one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. "People were running everywhere." AFP He said he had seen three people injured on the ground only a few metres (feet) from the giant Christmas tree in the centre of the city. Shortly after the shooting, lines of police vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the "capital of Christmas." "We heard several shots, three perhaps, and we saw people running," one witness told AFP, asking not to be named. "One of them fell down, I don't know whether it was because she was tripped up or if she was hit," the witness said. President Emmanuel Macron expressed on Twitter the solidarity of the whole nation after holding a crisis meeting with cabinet officials in Paris. Known to police Two separate security sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that the shooter was believed to be a 29-year-old from the city, whose name was given as Cherif, and who was set to be arrested on Tuesday morning. AFP He was being investigated over an attempted murder, one of the sources said. Several areas neighbouring the Christmas market were sealed off on Tuesday night and residents were being told to stay indoors. Many people took refuge in local restaurants and bars which pulled down their shutters. "We let everyone inside, down into the wine cellar. They're locked in there," local restaurant owner Mouad, 33, told AFP. A police source, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said security forces had opened fire in an area of the city where the suspect was thought to be hiding. AFP The source did not give the address and it was unclear if the shooter had been located. Specialist anti-terror prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident in Strasbourg, which lies on the border with Germany. Several residents of the city have been detained in recent years for trying to reach jihadist groups in Syria, or have been arrested upon their return. "Shocked and saddened by the terrible attack in Strasbourg. My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people," British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote on Twitter. Tourist attraction The Strasbourg-based European Parliament was also on lockdown, with MEPs, staff and journalists unable to leave the building. In a parliament bar usually reserved for MEPs, EU commissioners, powerful legislators and staffers huddled in small groups waiting for developments. "Our first thought was for colleagues who had already made it to the centre of town, who are safe," Belgian MEP Kathleen Van Brempt told AFP. "Now we just wait." The Christmas market in Strasbourg and the city's illuminations are an annual attraction that draws hundreds of thousands of people. Security has been stepped up in recent years after a series of attacks in France by Islamist gunmen and the Strasbourg market was long considered a possible target. In 2016, a 23-year-old Tunisian killed 12 and injured 48 others when he ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Special anti-terror army units have been deployed in Strasbourg, and soldiers and armed police are regularly seen patrolling among the 300 wooden Christmas market chalets. Three years after groups of jihadists gunned down and blew up 130 people in Paris on November 13, 2015, French counter-terror officials say their focus has shifted. Rather than coordinated attacks, their main concern is attacks by "lone wolves" -- self-radicalised individuals acting without links to terror groups such as Islamic State. Most recently a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris last May, killing one man and injuring four other people on a Saturday night. A total of 246 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. A Purdue University drug formulation incorporates two antibiotics to help fight the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Purdue University researchers have developed a new approach to treating the fourth-leading cause of death worldwide lower respiratory infections. Lung infections, often caused by multi-drug-resistant bacteria, are deadly because the superbugs are resistant to all available antibiotics. Even worse, traditional systemic administrations of those antibiotics cannot reach the lung surface to kill the bacteria, and giving a person high doses can produce dangerous and sometimes deadly stress on the kidneys or liver. Now, Purdue researchers have invented a drug formulation that uses two synergistic antibiotics colistin and ciprofloxacin in one single particle that is shown to reach the infection sites in the deep lung area with the capability to kill multi-drug-resistant superbugs. We are providing a promising option to fight the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance, said Qi (Tony) Zhou, an assistant professor in Purdues College of Pharmacy, who leads the research team. It has been a worldwide challenge to incorporate two antibiotics with different chemical properties into a single particle. Our novel formulation allows for a much more effective killing of drug-resistant bacteria in the deep lungs as two synergistic antibiotics can be simultaneously delivered to the same infection site. Zhou said the technology is designed to save tens of thousands of lives from a variety of deadly lung infections, including people with cystic fibrosis and ventilator-assisted pneumonia. The Purdue innovation is a dry powder inhaler formulation, which is proving to be more effective and easier to use than conventional inhalation products delivered through nebulizers in most hospitals. Zhou said the Purdue formulation allows for more than 60 percent of drugs to be delivered to the lungs as compared with only 10 percent for a jet nebulizer, along with improved chemical stability. Such an approach can be readily applied to many antibiotic compounds, including those for tuberculosis. Their work aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration, celebrating the universitys global advancements in health as part of Purdues 150th anniversary. This is one of the four themes of the yearlong celebrations Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues. The Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization has filed a patent on the innovation, and researchers are looking for partners to continue developing it. About Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization The Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Writer: Chris Adam, 765-588-3341, cladam@prf.org Source: Qi (Tony) Zhou, tonyzhou@purdue.edu New Zealanders living with life-shortening conditions may be one step closer to early KiwiSaver access. Tim Fairhall, a 39-year-old man with Down syndrome, told MPs in September that he wanted to use his KiwiSaver to travel overseas. He argued that people with his condition won't typically live beyond the withdrawal age of 65, with an average life expectancy for those with Down syndrome at 57 years. "Tim will die of old age - it's just that his old age will come a bit earlier than most people's," his mum Joan Fairhall told RadioLIVE. It appears that the Government has been listening, with the appointment of two independent advisors to help Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi in a rethinking of KiwiSaver rules. The advisors will consult with medical practitioners and KiwiSaver experts and report back to Mr Faafoi by the end of February. Legislation would then be required to change the KiwiSaver withdrawal criteria. At the moment, KiwiSaver rules allow early withdrawal if a New Zealander with a life-shortening condition becomes permanently unable to work or is at imminent risk of death. Mr Fairhall has been contributing to his KiwiSaver scheme for 10 years and working since he was 18 years old. "He deserves to spend the money he has saved for his retirement on having the trip he wants to take in his retirement." The criteria could change for those with life-shortening conditions within the next few years, Stuff reports. "This isn't just him," said Ms Fairhall. "This is actually for a lot of people." Listen to the full interview with Joan Fairhall above. Morning Talk with Mark Sainsbury, 9am - 12pm Weekdays and streaming live on 'rova' channel 9 - available on Android and iPhone. RadioLIVE. For the final time, Mitch Harris is joined by Paul Buchanan of 36th Parallel Assessments to talk on the latest in American politics. Paul Buchanan is a former intelligence and defense policy analyst and consultant at the White House, serving under former US President Bill Clinton. On the agenda tonight: - Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles 'Chuck' Schumer have put the boot into US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office today. - Why is the Trump administration struggling to find a new Chief of Staff? - Why has Donald Trump stopped talking publicly about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi? - How close are we to the US President being impeached? - Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, has been released on bail after being arrested in Canada. Was this a criminal arrest or a political move? - What does Paul make of the current mess in the UK regarding Brexit? Does he think Theresa May will survive as Prime Minister? Night Talk with Mitch Harris, 8pm - 12am Monday to Thursday nights on RadioLIVE, and streaming live to the rova app on Android and iPhone. RadioLIVE. SIEMENS-ALSTOM: A package of proposals intended to address the European Commissions competition concerns regarding the proposed merger of Siemens Mobility and Alstom were submitted by the two companies on December 12. ESTONIA: Infrastructure contractor Leonhard Weiss has awarded Pandrol a contract to supply more than 430 000 Fastclip FE rail fastenings for the 65 km line between Tapa and Narva. DENMARK: Incumbent Arriva has beaten off two rival bids to win the next contract to operate regional passenger services in western and central Jylland, in a deal which includes the transfer of two routes currently operated by national passenger operator DSB. Turkcell will have a unique TV App Store personalised for their TV+ subscribers across Turkey, using Metrologicals Application Platform. It allows Turkcell to source localised and international content from Metrologicals App library of more than 300 TV apps. T He heTHe operatorTT He heTHe operatorTT The operator will use Metrologicals back-office for real-time onboarding, monetising and optimising the app lifecycle. The Metrological product suite consists of an application platform that provides the content for operators to build their own localised TV App Store. It also includes a back-office product suite for onboarding, monetising and optimising the lifecycle of web and native apps across set-top boxes, and there are APIs to support features such as unified search, contextuality, second screen and voice control.We are excited about the integrated content options that Turkcell TV+ subscribers will experience supported by Metrologicals fully integrated TV App Store, said Baris Zavaroglu, director of Digital Media Services of Turkcell. Our personalised TV App Store will bring together the best in regionalised and niche content. Besides that, its crucial for Turkcell to have the tools to customise the app offering in real-time to respond to our TV+ customers evolving content needs.Thijs Bijleveld SVP of sales and marketing at Metrological added: We are proud to team with Turkcell to give its TV+ subscribers a robust and fully Turkcell -branded TV App Store made up of all the latest OTT content. The Metrological Application Platform makes onboarding and day-to-day content management seamless and ensures Turkcell TV+ customers can enjoy their live TV international apps and even regional favourites without leaving the main TV screen. According to an SEC filing, Verizon will write down up to $6.7 billion as a result of the costs of a voluntary redundancy program as well as the floundering of its Oath digital media business. Oath, which was mainly formed via the acquisitions of AOL and Yahoo, has been underperforming for several quarters. Over the summer, it shuttered its Go90 mobile video business , and earnings seasons have not been kind.Oath has experienced increased competitive and market pressures throughout 2018 that have resulted in lower than expected revenues and earnings, the carrier said. These pressures are expected to continue and have resulted in a loss of market positioning to our competitors in the digital advertising business.Verizon hasnt seen the synergies that it expected from combining Yahoo and AOL; and both companies suffered from declining consumer interest even before the merger.Verizon explained that under new Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg, who took over the role in August of this year, Oath finished a five-year strategic planning review of Oaths business prospects, and this is why the write-down came to be.Consistent with our accounting policy, we applied a combination of a market approach and a discounted cash flow method reflecting current assumptions and inputs, including our revised projections, discount rate and expected growth rates, which resulted in the fair value of the Oath reporting unit being less than its carrying amount, Verizon said in the filing. One year on, there appears to be little to show for U.S. President Donald J. Trumps strategy for Afghanistan. The administration needs to implement this strategy in a way that creates an opportunity to end the war in Afghanistan while advancing core U.S. interests of defeating terrorism and demonstrating that a moderate Islamic state, aligned with the international community, can succeed. The Atlantic Councils South Asia Center convened policymakers, analysts, and diplomats to assess the gaps in and imminent challenges facing the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. In a resulting report, A Review of President Trumps South Asia Strategy: The Way Ahead, One Year In, these experts provide some important recommendations to the administration. Heres a look at those recommendations. 1 Demonstrate U.S. strategic patience and commitment. The Trump administration needs to make clear to its partners its commitment to Afghanistan. The world needs to hear from the highest levels of the administration what the United States and its partners intend to achieve in Afghanistan and what a long-term strategy looks like. At present, U.S. partners are left with the feeling that Washington is only interested in a short-term solution that will allow it to declare victory and exit Afghanistan. This belief needs to be dispelled. 2 Empower the senior envoy. There is a need for an empowered senior envoy who clearly speaks for the administration, drives administration policy, and is charged with the task of developing and implementing strategy. The appointment of Zalmay Khalilzad will meet that requirementif he receives clear political authority from the secretary of state and the White House. 3 Implement an active public diplomacy campaign. An active public diplomacy campaign should buttress the strategy, domestically and internationally. It must address friendly, hostile, and skeptical audiences. 4 Regularly review messaging to Pakistan. It is widely recognized that the continued existence of terrorist safe havens in Pakistan makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get the Taliban leadership to seriously negotiate an end to the conflict. The United States and its international partners must confront Pakistani leaders with a choice about the future of their country that prevents a continuation of the status quo. 5 Engage with Afghanistans neighbors. Afghanistans neighbors need to be assured that a stable Afghanistan will advance, not undermine, their regional interests. In particular, it should be made clear that Afghanistans relations with India and Pakistan are not a zero-sum game. Pakistan also needs to be reassured that India will not be permitted to harm its interests in Afghanistan. 6 Pursue converging interests with regional rivals. Dealing with the ambivalence of Iran and Russia is both desirable and complicated. Neither country wants Afghanistan to fail, nor do they want to see the return of the Taliban or the growth of ISIS. There is considerable overlap of interests in Afghanistans stability, in countering religious extremism, and in battling narcotics. These subjects should be pursued more effectively as Washington and Moscow seek projects on which they can cooperate. 7 Attack Taliban financing. Bilateral and multilateral efforts should be made with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other Gulf countries to disrupt Taliban finances and fundraising in the Gulf. UN Security Council authorities to achieve this goal already exist. New ones should be sought, with additional focus on tracking financial routes, money laundering, and legitimate Taliban business interests in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Gulf. 8 Delegitimize Taliban rule. The Trump administration must make clear there is no political future for a Taliban victory. The Taliban must understand there will be no international recognition of territory seized by force, and that an Afghan political process and reconciliation are the only way forward. Many of these recommendations are already being implemented, to one degree or another. It is useful, however, to consider them as a whole to convey the complexity of the task at hand. These recommendations offer the opportunity to secure the genuine participation of the Taliban in a peace negotiation. There is an opportunity to bring the conflict in Afghanistan to an end, but doing so will require time, commitment, and an effort commensurate to the task. Bharath Gopalaswamy is director of the Atlantic Councils South Asia Center. Follow him on Twitter @BharathGopalas1. This article appeared originally at Atlantic Council. Recent revelations confirm that under President Donald Trump, the use of armed unmanned aerial systems, drones, in U.S. combat operations has increased significantly. For example, in 201718, the Trump administration launched 238 drone strikes on Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan, according to data from U.S. Central Command and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in London, reported in The Daily Beast. What began as a limited and controversial tool for targeting specific terrorist or insurgent leaders is now a critically important platform, used for surveillance, support for ground troops, and targeted killing. Assassination was still regarded as forbidden political violence, but what used to be called assassination was now defined as something else, and considered a legitimate combat operation. The growth of widespread killing-by-drone is typically associated with the Obama administration. But it has quietly continued and escalated under Trump. Due to their lethality and comparable precision, drones have become an institution in the unending global war on terrorism. As I show in a recent paper in the European Journal of International Relations, the use of armed drones began as a secret and tentative George W Bush administration program within the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The program underwent major expansion during the Obama administration. Although the U.S. military now conducts most drone strikes, the history of this practice can be traced back to the organisational evolution of the CIA into a unit of killers, not only spies. In the decades before the 11 September 2001 attacks, targeted killing was prohibited for agents of the U.S. government. For the CIA, it was considered assassination, or as former CIA director George Tenet put it, it was policy and thus outside the agencys scope as an intelligence agency. Other practical barriers made targeted killing even less palatable. Before the option of a drone-delivered Hellfire missile became available, the only ways to engage in targeted killing involved cruise missiles, large bombs dropped by crewed aircraft, or the use of ground troops all options with unacceptably high probabilities of major bystander casualties. In the U.S. government, neither the will nor the means to engage in targeted killings existed. But approaches and technology began to change. Three mechanisms propelled that change: The redefinition of actions or situations to change the rules establishing what is permissible (eg. defining counter-terrorism as a military rather than policing problem); The development of new technology, opening new avenues of action and changing ethical or regulatory judgements; The formation of new bureaucratic alliances in ways that invest programs with new authority or executive force. Tracing the operation of these mechanisms explains how drones and targeted killing came to be so prominent. The first phase of change lasted from 2000 to 2008. The military logic of the War on Terror, buttressed by the sweeping Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed by Congress on 14 September 2001, allowed the CIA to act in certain areas with the powers of a military agency. The CIA was tasked not just with collecting secret intelligence on geopolitical adversaries but also with penetrating and undermining groups of enemy fighters in their safe havens, starting with Yemen and Pakistan. The CIAs view of the use of lethal force changed. Assassination was still regarded as forbidden political violence, but what used to be called assassination was now defined as something else, and considered a legitimate combat operation. Within the CIA, the Counter-Terrorism Center and its director Cofer Black received the full backing of the Bush administration and grew substantially in size and scope. So did the technology: in 2000 the first attempts to arm an MQ-1 Predator succeeded. The CIA had its ideal weapon a sort of airborne sniper rifle. Yet during this first phase, drones were still used sparingly. As Bush administration counter-terrorism official Richard Clarke put it, the administration and the CIA did not want to create a broad precedent that would allow intelligence officials in the future to have hit lists and routinely engage in something that approximated assassination. The drones were used sparingly, mainly against especially high-value targets. From 2009 onwards, under Barack Obama, that would change. Within a year, the Obama administration had presided over more strikes than the Bush administration had in the previous eight. Obama took a far more personal role, signing off on lists of targets in weekly meetings with the CIA director. By micromanaging in this fashion, Obama injected executive authority into the CIAs targeting practices, directly legitimating expansions in the scope and pace of targeting. During the Obama presidency, targeted killing became procedurally more defined and legally institutionalised, culminating in a 2012 white paper that finalised its shift from the clandestine and exceptional to normal and routine. And this period saw drone technology improve significantly, with larger aircraft (namely, the MQ-9 Reaper) and higher-quality cameras enabling increasingly precise and regular targeting. First two years of Obama: 186 drone strikes in Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. First two years of Trump: 238 drone strikes in Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. And a lot of pattern breakdowns for 2018-era Drone Strikes below those toplines. https://t.co/ULReIcfrxV Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) November 26, 2018 The expansion of killing-by-drone is a significant element of the legacies of the two previous presidents and the war on terror. And it has changed the military and intelligence organisations that use drones. Military and intelligence organisations have their own cultures and institutions. They do not dramatically shift their practices at the drop of a hat. In the case of U.S. drone use, targeted killing became a staple of counter-terrorism operations over almost a decade and a half of institutional transformation. Although the CIAs involvement has been pared back, the military employs its armed drones in an increasingly wide range of theatres. It seems the Trump administration has enthusiastically continued this practice, having relaxed targeting standards and engaged in operations in a broader range of places. But it could only do so with the foundation laid by the previous two administrations. Reaper RPAS Aircraft Lands at Kandahar, Afghanistan www.defenceimages.mod.uk Simon Frankel Pratt is a SSHRC postdoctoral fellow at the Mortara Center for International Studies, Georgetown University. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of Toronto. His work is on institutional change within national security apparatuses, and the link between practice and international norms. This article appeared originally at Lowy Institute's the interpreter. As Huaweis chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou sits in Canada, awaiting potential extradition to the United States, her case underscores two themes that have become evident throughout 2018: The ambitions of Chinas technology and telecommunications firms are feeling a pronounced pushback from across the developed world, which is likely to severely hamper their abilities to reach their lofty development and expansion goals. This also puts Chinas ambitious development objectives in question as well. The tools of statecraft which China seems to rely on in managing the more tempestuous global environment are remarkably limited, and often counterproductive. The 46-year-old Meng, daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei and the firms chief financial officer, was arrested on 1 December in Vancouver. She faces charges in the United States of fraud involving millions of dollars in an attempt to evade US sanctions of Iran. This has provoked an outcry in China, with its foreign ministry demanding Mengs release. Chinese law enforcement also detained a former Canadian diplomat working in the country as a senior advisor at a prominent non-government organisation. Many suspect that the detention was in response to Mengs. On the afternoon of 11 December, Meng was released on a bail for 10 million Canadian dollars. A very bad year for Huawei While the dramatic and high-profile nature of the Meng Wanzhou case has attracted the attention of the media and the public, a number of less-sensational stories indicate that Huawei has been struggling to engender goodwill and dispel doubts from regulators in many of its most developed and lucrative overseas markets. On Monday 10 December, Japans government issued instructions that effectively ban Huawei and fellow Chinese communications firm ZTE from official contracts, a precedent that the countrys top telecom operators will likely follow. The previous week, British Telecom announced that it would strip Huawei equipment from its core 4G infrastructure within the next two years, and will not include the Shenzhen-based firm in its lists for vendor selection in the development of its 5G network. This represented a change of course for Britain, which has long been more welcoming of Huawei products than its American ally across the Atlantic. In late November, New Zealand blocked Huawei 5G equipment as well, a decision Australia had made in August. While such coordinated action from Chinas long-time rival in Japan and the Five Eyes intelligence network of the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand might be seen as expected, others come as a bit more of a surprise. India, a market that Huawei has targeted as a potential growth engine for its international smartphone business, decided in September not to include Huawei equipment in its 5G testing. This move could signal more restrictive measures towards the firm in the future. And Europe, a region in which Huawei has seen strong growth over the past decade, also seems to be changing its tone, as EU tech commissioner Andrus Ansip warned on 7 December that the union of 28 nations should be worried about the company. What could perhaps spell the most trouble for Huawei comes from the US, however. Although the country has long been stricter than most when it comes to allowing Chinese technology and telecoms equipment, if the US were to find Huawei guilty of violating Iran sanctions, as they did with ZTE earlier this year, banning the company from access to US suppliers would deal a heavy blow. Chinas tantrum diplomacy statecraft is unlikely to help Huaweis PR practices do not exactly have a reputation for being the most understanding of security concerns and culturally sensitive when it comes to the firms overseas markets. Yet it is fair to say that these problems are in many ways out of the companys control. This, rather, is an issue that strikes at the heart of the Chinese system and the goals and values of the Chinese Communist Party. There seems to be a deficit in trust and goodwill between China and much of the rest the world. Lately, the Chinese government does not seem to be helping its cause. The demanding reaction to Mengs arrest by both the Chinese foreign ministry and state media has been criticised as displaying a lack of understanding of the way in which an independent judiciary functions, and it is unlikely that such action from China will improve the situation. But the tactic of leveraging nationalist outrage to achieve diplomatic goals has become a card that Chinas leaders play with increasing frequency and intensity. While there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the Trump administration views Meng as a trade chip, it seems as though neither Trump nor China has a firm grasp on how the American and Canadian judicial systems actually work. In September, a Chinese national employed by a state-sponsored media agency was arrested and charged with assault in the UK after violently disrupting a meeting of Britains Conservative party, slapping and verbally abusing the participants after they discussed the issue of human rights and rule of law in Hong Kong. These actions were widely praised on Chinese social media, and defended by the Chinese embassy in London, who demanded an apology. This came only weeks after an incident in Sweden in which disruptive Chinese tourists were forcibly removed by police from a hotel lobby after they refused to leave. Although video of the incident seems to show Swedish police handling the situation in a professional manner, China demanded an apology from the Swedish government (many experts suspect such demands may have been related to a visit from the Dalai Lama a week earlier). This tantrum diplomacy has become a regular occurrence. In June, days before the Australian television 60 Minutes aired a report critical of Chinese diplomacy in the Pacific, the station received an unusually aggressive phone call from Saixian Cao, head of media affairs for the Chinese embassy in Canberra. Take this down and take it to your leaders, Cao reportedly shouted into the phone to executive producer Kristy Thompson. You will listen There must be no more misconduct in the future! China is fighting too many battles, and its companies are paying the price While Chinas nationalistic tantrum diplomacy may make headlines and damage Chinas image abroad, it may simply be trying to do too much too quickly, and causing problems for itself in the process. Its territorial disputes with Japan, Vietnam, and India are not helping engender goodwill with those key neighbours, and the massively ambitious Belt and Road Initiative have many countries concerned about corruption, debt, and Chinese military expansion. Nor have its cyber-attacks on various international institutions helped Chinas cause. As the US steps back from the world stage, China has an opportunity to make progress in meeting some of its most important national goals. Unfortunately, its attempt to achieve all its goals at once in a clumsy and overly aggressive way is seeming to ensure that it will achieve few, or even none, of them, and make far more enemies than friends. At this moment, it seems that Chinas technology firms are paying the price for their leaders miscalculation. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 12/12/2018 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Larissa Christina Dos Santos Lima has escaped the domestic battery charge from her November fight with Colt Johnson According to court documents, Larissa will no longer face charges stemming from her November arrest because the Clark County District Attorney rejected the case, E! News reported Larissa was arrested for domestic violence last month after a fight with Colt in their home.The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received a call about Larissa claiming on Instagram she had been "locked" in the bathroom while Colt was "going crazy," according to the police report obtained by In Touch Weekly.When police arrived at Colt and Larissa's home, "yelling" between a male and female allegedly "became increasingly loud" and, due to sounds of "distress," an officer attempted to kick the door down.Larissa, however, reportedly opened the front door and then ran outside, prompting police to place Colt in handcuffs.The couple told authorities their dispute was over Colt cutting off Larissa's cell phone service, according to In Touch.Colt alleged Larissa had "pushed" him against a wall and scratched his left eye "with her fingernail." He could also reportedly prove there was a red bruise on the right side of his stomach.Larissa, on the other hand, showed no signs of physical violence on Colt's part, although she reportedly insisted he had "pulled the back of her hair."Following the incident, Colt revealed in an Instagram Story, "The police interviewed us but not long after they decided to arrest Larissa," E! News reported."No one was hurt and I did not press charges against my wife. However it is policy in the state of Nevada that since we are in a domestic partnership, someone had to be arrested."Colt claimed Larissa was dealing with the effects of her severe anxiety and depression at the time, but Larissa later denied being depressed in a since-deleted Instagram post. She had also insisted in the post, however, "nobody was scratched or hurt" during the altercation.Now that the charges are dropped, Larissa has thanked her friends and family for their support and reportedly wrote in an Instagram Story, "The law is hard but the law is the law."Larissa and Colt currently star on Season 6 of on TLC and their relationship has proved to be very tumultuous. One minute, they are happily engaged, and the next, Larissa is throwing her diamond engagement ring on the ground and threatening to end their relationship. Kenya Moore is giving fans a first real glimpse of her newborn daughter. ADVERTISEMENT The 47-year-old posted a photo with 5-week-old Brooklyn Doris on Wednesday after welcoming the infant with husband Marc Daly. The picture shows Moore smiling for the camera as she cuddles with Brooklyn on her bed. The snapshot appears in the new issue of People. "MEET the love of my life @brooklyndorisdaly," Moore captioned the post. "#babydaly #brooklyn #miraclebaby #love #family #dreamsdocometrue." "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum couldn't help but gush about her baby girl in an interview with the magazine. "I finally have everything I've dreamed of," the star said. "She's so perfect in so many ways," she added. "This little angel ... so beautiful. I feel so blessed. It's all been so worth it." Moore experienced several "scares" during her pregnancy, including preeclampsia and an emergency C-section. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! "When it was all over, my doctor said, 'This was one for the books,'" she said of her delivery. Moore gave birth to Brooklyn on Nov. 4. She announced the news in an Instagram post, telling fans, "We are blessed and doing well. My heart is so full at the abundance of love for our family!" By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 12/11/2018 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. is returning to WE tv in January with a brand new set of couples for its special Hip Hop Edition, which will premiere on a new night.WE tv has formally announced the cast of couples -- who are current or former stars of VH1's Love & Hip Hop franchise -- looking to save their relationships when : Hip Hop Edition premieres Thursday, January 10 at 10PM ET/PT.The couples are Soulja Boy and girlfriend Nia Riley, rapper Waka Flocka and wife Tammy Rivera, Lil' Mo and husband Karl Dargan, Jessica Dime and fiance Shawne Williams, and Lil' Fizz of B2K and girlfriend Tiffany Campbell.Rumors the couples would be from Love & Hip Hop began to swirl online earlier this fall.The participating couples will be forced to leave their lavish lifestyles of champagne and fancy cars behind to work through their scandals, dark secrets, and cheating allegations under the guidance of therapists Dr. Venus Nicolino and Dr. Ish Major. Judge Lynn Toler will also continue to make appearances on the show.: Hip Hop Edition will quickly launch "into breakdowns and blow ups when the couples are stripped away from the VIP treatment and find themselves pleading their case before Judge Lynn Toler from Divorce Court," according to the network.The couples will apparently prove a life in the fast lane can be both a blessing and a curse when it comes to relationships.The series, produced by Thinkfactory Media, will air on a new night following the debut of Growing Up Hip Hop.Below are the cast members and WE tv-supplied descriptions of each relationship on : Hip Hop Edition:- Former Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood couple Soulja Boy and Nia Riley. Soulja Boy and his girlfriend Nia are cranking up the heat with issues beyond repair. Soulja wants to get married but Nia struggles to free herself from his control while caught in the crossfire of his vicious social media attacks.- Former Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta couple Waka Flocka and Tammy Rivera.For Waka and his wife Tammy, it may look like everything's all gucci, but salacious rumors of infidelity say otherwise.- Former Love & Hip Hop: New York couple Lil' Mo and Karl Dargan.Allegedly, Karl has been unfaithful in their marriage while Mo, the breadwinner, is ready to put all of the boxer's side chicks on full blast.- Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta couple Jessica Dime and Shawne Williams.Boot Camp is their last resort. Shawne, a professional basketball player, has put a ring on his fiancee but has yet to set a wedding date in two years!- Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood couple Lil' Fizz and Tiffany Campbell.Reuniting for the first time in months, Lil' Fizz of B2K and his girlfriend Tiffany Campbell make a last-ditch effort to reignite the spark before the love completely fizzles out! But Tiffany isn't the only ex Fizz will bump bump bump into! By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 11/24/2021 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Which couples are still together and which MAFS couples have broken up and divorced? And where are they now? 's first twelve seasons featured 44 different couples getting married at first sight -- so which couples are still together, who has broken up and divorced, and where are they all now?Each season of -- which premiered in the United States seven years ago and is based on a Danish series -- features couples (previously three couples, but four couples on Seasons 8 and 9, and five couples beginning with Season 10) being matched together by relationship experts and agree to marry when they first meet.Complete strangers become husband and wife in a matter of minutes, and the couples' lives are then documented by TV cameras over the course of the next four to eight weeks (eight weeks, in the case of 's most recent seasons).The couples typically enjoy their first night together in a hotel after exchanging vows -- with some couples deciding to consummate their marriage immediately -- and then embark on a honeymoon, move in together, and simply attempt to deal with the struggles of daily life as man and wife.At the end of the extreme marriage experiment, each couple must decide whether they'd like to stay married or get a divorce on "Decision Day."has experienced very mixed results over the years. While a significant number of couples decide to stay together and continue their new marriage at the end of their season, the real world seems to hit them hard after the cameras leave, resulting in the couple splitting up only months later.Do cast members see a different side of their spouses once cameras are gone, or do the romances naturally fizzle over time?Some couples are still together to this day and are extremely happy. Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner from Season 1, for example, have had two children.Several other couples have also had children -- including Ashley Petta and Anthony D'Amico Shawniece Jackson and Jephte Pierre Danielle Bergman and Bobby Dodd Deonna McNeill and Greg Okotie , and Jessica Studer and Austin Hurd However, there are also relationships that ended badly. Jessica Castro from Season 2, for instance, accused Ryan De Nino of alleged death threats, and she went on to file a restraining order and lawsuit against him.Some couples have also never even made it to "Decision Day" and ended their marriage prematurely, including Season 4 couple Heather Seidel and Derek Schwartz as well as Season 6 couple Molly Duff and Jonathan Francetic Are the remaining couples now lovers, friends or enemies?! What about early season couples like Cortney Hendrix and Jason Carrion, Jaclyn Methuen and Ryan Ranellone, Vanessa Nelson and Tres Russell, Sonia Granados and Nick Pendergrast, and Lillian Vilchez and Tom Wilson?And how about more recent season couples like Danielle DeGroot and Cody Knapek Sheila Downs and Nate Duhon Jaclyn Schwartzberg and Ryan Buckley Dave Flaherty and Amber Martorana , and Tristan Thompson and Mia Bally Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth , and AJ Vollmoeller and Stephanie Sersen Click thelink below to see photos of each couple and find out! BEGIN GALLERY >> Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 12/12/2018 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. featured two couples getting engaged, one pair leaving the show dating, and one woman getting her heart broken during Tuesday night's finale broadcast on Lifetime.chronicled a three-week process for the singles, guided by franchise experts Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Jessica Griffin, in the romantic destination of St. Lucia.The majority of the show featured four couples blossoming and deepening their connections. Brandin Brosh , a 28-year-old clothing boutique owner from Biloxi, MS, was paired with Jona Bienko , a 35-year-old auto broker from Como, CO. Eric Acosta , a 31-year-old entrepreneur and son of a diplomat from Denver, CO, matched himself with Katie Muller , a 28-year-old in digital advertising from Denver, CO. Shannon Raddler , a 33-year-old pharmaceutical sales representative from Atlanta, GA, pursued Kimber Gardner , a 28-year-old medical sales representative from Las Vegas, NV.And finally, Jada Rashawn , a 27-year-old professional nanny placement specialist and brand spokesperson from San Antonio, TX, was a couple with Chris Perry , a 29-year-old musician, personal trainer and youth counselor from Binghamton, NY.The Honeymoon Island finale began on Day 19, with Jona asking for Brandin's mother, Susan, and father, Brad, for their permission to propose marriage.Jona said he had met the woman of his dreams and he was very happy with her. Jona insisted his feelings were "not artificial" and the experts had done a fantastic job gathering cast members with similar goals, values and desires."I know this is an insane situation and you don't know me, but I am looking for a wife. I would like to commit my life to your daughter," Jona told Brandin's parents via Skype.Based on what Brad had heard about Jona, he said, "Why not give it a shot?! If she says 'yes,' she will be totally committed to you, and all I can say is congratulations and you have our blessing. We are happy for you."On Day 20, Dr. Jessica and Pastor Cal told the cast members their three-week honeymoon was about to come to an end and they needed to decide whether they were ready to get married and could see themselves marrying their partners on the island.Shannon was feeling "nervous and scared," as he didn't know what decision he was going to make.Brandin admitted it was "kind of crazy" to have fallen for a guy so fast. She wasn't sure she was ready to commit to a man after knowing him for only three weeks.Meanwhile, Eric and Katie's relationship had not reached a physical level. Although Katie's romance was moving slower than the others, she could definitely envision a future with Eric.As for Kimber, she didn't believe Shannon was going to propose to her because she doesn't want to welcome children. Kimber really cared for Shannon and didn't want their relationship to end.And Jada got emotional talking about her relationship with Chris with the other girls. She revealed she had sex with Chris the previous night and if he wanted to propose to her at the end of this journey, she would totally say "yes."While the girls were gathered together, the boys talked about their situations as well over drinks and shots.Eric admitted an engagement was on his mind and he was "falling in love with Katie," but he was still sleeping on the couch, which was "a big red flag."The guys acknowledged Jona was crazy about Brandin and they just hoped she was on the same page, and then Shannon announced he "never had this type of connection" with anyone else.However, Shannon wasn't entirely certain she's "the one," especially since they hadn't gotten to date in the real world. He was confused.Chris then told the group that he wanted to introduce Jada to his family and to his daughter in person. Chris said he wasn't ready to get married and "that's it."Later that day, Chris and Jada enjoyed a romantic picnic on the beach. Chris told the cameras he was falling in love with Jada but feared merging their lives together after the show since he currently resides in New York and she lives in Texas.Kimber and Shannon also took a walk on the beach and enjoyed a romantic meal by the water.Kimber and Shannon had instant chemistry and attraction on the show, but the couple needed to decide whether they had what it would take to sustain a relationship long-term.Kimber felt she could be herself around Shannon and that he made her feel safe and comfortable in her own skin. She just hoped Shannon reciprocated those feelings.On "Final Decision Day," all of the men were given an opportunity to go shopping for engagement rings. Eric began having second thoughts, but Jona was still gung-ho about popping the question -- even if he got rejected and ended up with nothing.Although all of the men looked at rings, Jona was the only man shown buying one for his love interest. Chris was struggling to decide whether to get engaged or walk away with nothing at all, and Eric wondered whether he could go from "couch to commitment.""Final Decision Day" on Day 21 then came down to each couple making a decision about their future in a beautiful floral-decorated gazebo.Shannon and Kimber were up first. Shannon admitted to Pastor Cal he was going to base his decision on what he was feeling and what his gut was telling him to do upon seeing Kimber again. He feared "the ultimate rejection.""I adore Shannon. My feelings for him are so real and so strong, but if I left Honeymoon Island without Shannon, I would be heartbroken and devastated -- because Shannon is perfect for me," Kimber said in a confessional.Once they met face to face, Shannon told Kimber that he felt she was his soul mate and he couldn't envision a future with her. On the same page, Kimber said Shannon had surpassed her expectations and she didn't want to stop looking at him, touching him and laughing with him."I don't want this to come to an end. I don't want to leave this island without you. I don't know how this is going to look in the future, but I want to have a future together. Will you marry me?" Shannon asked.Kimber replied, "Yes, I want nothing more than to go on this journey with you."Shannon said it was the best decision he had ever made, and Kimber was so thrilled to leave Fiji with this amazing man by her side.Eric was then shown meeting with Pastor Cal because he needed some serious advice about his relationship. While Eric really liked Katie and called her "a rare find," he worried she had "friend-zoned" him.When it became time to commit to Katie on the island, he grew frightened and decided to leave alone. Eric felt "relieved" about the idea of being single and not having to lead Katie on anymore. With that being said, he simply left Katie a note and decided not to meet with her in person to break up."It hurts," Katie said in tears. "I think he wasn't ready to commit because I wasn't willing to let him into my bedroom. I want someone to like me for more than that. I feel blindsided and humiliated to be honest, but I'm still open to finding love... I'm not going to let anyone close me off. I wish Eric the best."Afterward, Chris was shown meeting with Jada in the white gazebo. He needed to make sure Jada was "The One" before he felt comfortable enough to bring her into his daughter's life.Jada told Chris the experience had been "nothing short of amazing" and she appreciated how he was always by her side. Jada admitted she was in love with him but had been so nervous to express herself."I can confidentally tell you right here that I am falling in love with you," Jada explained.Chris said Jada's presence made him feel warm and vulnerable. He came to the island and found exactly what he was looking for in Jada, but then Chris confessed he was worried about being able to make things work outside of the show and in real life."But I want to at least try... I'm so glad I met a beautiful black queen, and there's no better choice for me. You are everything I want in a woman and I am in love with you," Chris told her, before taking out a ring.Chris admitted he wasn't ready to get engaged but he asked her to accept a "commitment ring" so they could continue their journey together after Honeymoon Island.Jada was so glad to have found a romance rooted in God and in love, and she expressed how thankful she was to have joined the cast of Honeymoon Island.The episode concluded with Jona and Brandin's final decision. She was "freaking out" a little bit, but she clearly had strong feelings for Jona.Jona had completely fallen in love with Brandin and had no doubts about proposing to her; however, he had no idea what her answer was going to be.Upon meeting face to face, Jona promised to put Brandin's needs before his own and do everything in his power to always be there for her. He promised to listen, be patient and kind, and love her unconditionally."I promise to never stop striving to be the man that you deserve. So with that, I'd like to make one last promise to you, and that promise is that all the promises I've made are no longer tied to our time here on this island," Jona told Brandin."I need you to know I'm committed to following through with them for the rest of my life... I want to spend the rest of my life with you and there is no doubt in my mind that you are my forever."Jona then got down on one knee and proposed marriage. Without hesitation, Brandin replied, "Yes!"Both individuals were on Cloud 9, and Brandin confessed it was "crazy" her roller-coaster journey on the show ended with an engagement.Brandin gushed about how Honeymoon Island was an "absolutely incredible experience" and she felt "so lucky."Interested in more Married at First Sight news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Sen. David Perdue (R-Georgia) and Democratic opponent Teresa Tomlinson have called for an end to the filibuster, but that would go too far. Instead, Congress should simply reduce the votes needed for cloture to 55. This is the site plan for the proposed apartment complex to come to the downtown Athens, Georgia, area. Homes Urban, LLC is working on transforming the former St. Joseph's Catholic Church at 100 Prince Ave. into an apartment complex with a grocery store and retail space. 'There was a lot of resentment against the BJP which has not translated into votes, this is surprising.' IMAGE: Likely Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath with Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Bhopal when the party began its poll campaign in September. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter In spite of anti-incumbency, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan could defend his turf and gave the Congress a very good fight, says Dr A P S Chouhan, professor of political science at Gwalior's Jiwaji University. "There was no impact of Mr Modi, Mr Amit Shah and Mr Yogi. Most of the time they were giving negative speeches and indulging in Hindu-Muslim politics. They did not speak of policies," says Professor Chouhan as he assesses the Madhya Pradesh results with Rediff.com's Archana Masih. The result in MP is a cliff hanger. What is the reason for this? In spite of anti-incumbency Shivraj Singh Chouhan could defend his turf. He has given a very good fight. I would like to congratulate him. The Congress ticket distribution was not democratic. Many of the candidates were 'chocolate' candidates of regional satraps who did not have any winnability, but the party obliged them with tickets. What do you see as Shivraj Singh Chouhan's future? He is a leader of very high stature. There are very few chief ministers who have had three terms. Raman Singh, Vasundhara Raje are all stalwarts and the BJP will use their services in frontal organisations or they will be given the responsibility of leader of Opposition in their respective states. When Digvijay Singh lost in 2003, he vowed that for 10 years he would not come into state politics. If he had taken the post of leader of the Opposition in MP in 2008, the Congress would have returned to power. Digvijay Singh was Congress president for two terms and chief minister for 10 years. When he was CM, the organisation was not that important because he had been Congress president for 10 years and party workers had linkages with Digvijay Singh, the former Congress president who was now chief minister. After his exit and absence from the state for 10 years all those workers from villages and towns were looking for a leader, but there was none. If the BJP is going to make the same mistake and appoint other people as state leaders the same thing will happen to the BJP. Yogi Adityanath was a star campaigner for the BJP in MP. What effect did he have in the state? There was no impact of Mr Modi, Mr Amit Shah and Mr Yogi. Most of the time they were giving negative speeches and indulging in Hindu-Muslim politics. They were not talking of policies. There has been an erosion of Modi's image. You could see that even during the campaigning. Rajnath Singh these elections are a referendum on the state CM's performance and not on Mr Modi. It is the BJP and Modi's responsibility. They want to save Modi and hang Shivraj Singh, Vasundhara Raje and Raman Singh for the defeat. What has surprised you about the election result in Madhya Pradesh? There was a lot of resentment against the BJP which has not translated into votes, this is surprising. If there was this resentment, why did this resentment not show at the polling booth then? Shivraj Singh has supplied smart phones to young people, cycles to girls, heritage tourism for old people etc -- perhaps these measures had greater resonance with the electorate rather than price rise, farmer distress. After 15 years of governance they could not control the people's resentment. What will be the expectations of the Congress government if the governor invites the party to form the government? Rahul Gandhi has committed that 10 days after coming to power there will be a loan waiver for farmers up to 2 lakh rupees. I will be waiting for 10 days -- on the 11th day, I will start writing an article if this does not happen. The biggest challenge for the Congress is creating jobs. They have to come out with a powerful progressive welfare agenda for the people. Education and health are in shambles in MP. BJP's loss of power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattigarh means that it will have to face a resurgent Congress in the three states where it had emerged victorious in 62 of 65 Lok Sabha seats. Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has often asserted that his party will better its 2014 tally of 282 seats in the next Lok Sabha polls, but such a task now appears a stiff climb as it battles a united and energised opposition in the states that fuelled the saffron surge. Before the disappointment of the latest round of assembly polls, the Narendra Modi juggernaut was rolling ahead since the spectacular victory of 2014, when the BJP won close to 80 per cent of Lok Sabha seats in eight states including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Now, its assembly election loss in these three Hindi heartland states has added to the BJP's woes, as the party faces challenges from a resurgent Congress and alignment of opposition forces in states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar for the 2019 elections. These eight states had given the BJP a whopping tally of 221 out of their 287 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. While an alliance of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party threatens to upset the BJP's equation in Uttar Pradesh, where it had won 71 of 80 seats against a divided opposition, the tie-up between the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular in Karnataka has made the going tough for the party. The BJP had won 17 of 28 Lok Sabha seats in the southern state in 2014 when the Congress and the JD-S had fought separately. In Gujarat, the Congress had given the BJP a scare in the 2017 assembly elections, winning 81 seats against its 99. With the Congress on an upswing, a repeat of the 2014 clean-sweep in 2019 appears far from certain for the BJP in Prime Minister Modi's home state which had elected his party's nominees in all 25 seats. A recalcitrant Shiv Sena has been giving the BJP a headache in another western state, Maharashtra, where the alliance of the two parties had won 41 of the total 48 seats in the last general elections. Peeved with its junior status in the state, Sena has announced that it will not ally with the BJP in 2019, though there are indications that it may bury the hatchet if the BJP offers its traditional Hindutva ally a better deal. The BJP has also suffered a setback in Bihar after its ally and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party president Upendra Kushwaha severed their ties and indicated that he may join the opposition camp of Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress. The saffron party was also dumped by its Dalit ally and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi last year. However, the BJP did get a major boost in the eastern state by winning over the Janata Dal-United president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The BJP had won 22 of the state's 40 seats in 2014 while its allies picked nine seats. Its loss of power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattigarh means that it will have to face a resurgent Congress in the three states where it had emerged victorious in 62 of 65 Lok Sabha seats. Shah has marked states like Kerala, Telangana, Andhra, Odisha and West Bengal as the growth region for his party in 2019. The BJP had fared poorly in these states in 2014 and its top brass is of the view that they may make up for the losses the party may suffer in other states. However, political watchers are of the view that the saffron party has not so far made much inroads in the southern states, highlighted by its poor show in Telangana where its tally in the assembly polls fell to one seat from the earlier five. The view within the BJP, although, is that the Lok Sabha polls will be a different ball game, and the 'Modi factor' coupled with the absence of a opposition leader to match his charisma will help it retain the power at the Centre in 2019. Bhupesh Baghel revived the Congress in Chhattisgarh after the party's frontline leadership was wiped out in a Maoist attack in 2013. R Krishna Das reports. IMAGE: Bhupesh Baghel energised Congress workers to take on the BJP and didn't miss any opportunity to attack Chief Minister Raman Singh and the BJP government. Photograph: @Bhupesh_Baghel/Twitter Late on September 18, Bhupesh Baghel asked his staff to prepare to leave for Bilaspur, 160 km away from the state capital Raipur. He brushed aside suggestions that it was not safe to travel by roads under construction. Baghel reached Bilaspur by midnight and straightaway went to the hospital where scores of Congress workers were recuperating from injuries sustained in a police lathi-charge. As Chhattisgarh's Congress president, that Baghel reached Bilaspur immediately after the incident enthused party workers. Baghel was assigned the Congress leadership in Chhattisgarh after the party's frontline leadership was wiped out in a deadly Maoist attack in Darba, Bastar, in 2013. Baghel put Dr Raman Singh's Bharatiya Janata Party government in the dock on many issues. Congress workers were energised to take on the BJP after Baghel did not miss any opportunity to attack the BJP government and Dr Singh. Born on August 23, 1961 to a farmer's family, Baghel joined the Indian Youth Congress in 1985 and held the position of president, IYC Durg district (Rural) from 1990 to 1994. He entered the Madhya Pradesh assembly from Patan in 1993 and retained the seat in 1998. Baghel was a minister of state in Digvijay Singh's ministry and held the key post of public grievances attached to the chief minister. He was given the portfolio of transport in December 1999. After Chhattisgarh was formed, Baghel became the new state's first minister for revenue, public health engineering and relief work. In the first assembly election in 2003, the Congress was defeated, but Baghel retained his seat. He lost the 2008 election, but returned to the assembly in 2013. He was deputy leader of the Opposition in the Chhattisgarh assembly from 2003 to 2008. Baghel hails from the Kurmi community that has a large representation in the state. Besides politics, Baghel has been organising mass marriage ceremonies to reduce spending on weddings. Photograph: @Bhupesh_Baghel/Twitter On September 24, 2018, he was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a Special Central Bureau of Investigation court after the CBI filed a chargesheet against him and others in connection with the circulation of a 'fake' CD that purportedly showed a senior BJP minister in a compromising position in October 2017. Baghel refused bail, claiming that the government was trying to implicate him for planning a black flag demonstration against Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi. He was sent to Raipur Central Jail, and after much persuasion, as elections were around the corner, he applied for bail and was released. Later, a CD purportedly showing himself criticising the Congress's central official in charge of Chhattisgarh went viral. Earlier, he was accused of taking over land in Patan that was donated to a school. He fought the case legally and won. As the Congress moves forward into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it not only needs to strengthen the state units and reach out to the grassroots level, but also forge alliances with like-minded parties. IMAGE: Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses the media after the party's victory in the assembly elections of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, December 11, 2018. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter With the Congress being seen on a path to resurrection post electoral successes in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, political pundits feel it is still faced with the twin challenge of building strong anti-Bharatiya Janata Party coalitions and strengthening its state organisations. Buoyed with electoral gains in these three states, the grand old party is now in power in a total of six states including Punjab, Karnataka and Puducherry, but the real challenge before the Congress is defeating the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and it is widely felt it would need help of other opposition parties for that. For the moment, the Congress has stemmed its electoral decline by sweeping Chhattisgarh and edging out the BJP in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, signalling its preparedness for 2019 elections which are building up as a "BJP-versus-all" battle. The fact that it just missed the majority mark on its own in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh underscores the continuing importance of bringing allies on board. Its loss in Telangana, despite forging an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party, also brings out the party's internal organisation weaknesses. The victory sealed by regional forces in Telangana, as also in Mizoram which is the latest state to slip out of the Congress fold, in the just-concluded assembly polls also underscores the importance of non-BJP and non-Congress parties in a politically diverse democracy. Telangana's loss comes despite the Congress being seen by its leaders and many others as its creator and Sonia Gandhi making a fervent appeal to the electorate there. In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress had to seek the support of the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party both to form a government and in Rajasthan also the Congress had to seek the support of two independent MLAs to reach the majority mark in the 200-member state assembly. Congress president Rahul Gandhi appears to be conscious of the relevance of workable anti-BJP coalitions for challenging the BJP in 2019 and said in his victory speech that a resurgent Congress and a combined opposition will make a difference to defeat the BJP. While the need for various parties to fight 2019 polls unitedly has been stressed by many opposition leaders, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav said that the Congress needs to treat the opposition in a better way, while noting that the moment Congress gets strong it does not treat the opposition well. He also felt that the results of these assembly polls could have been better had the Congress leadership coordinated well with the SP. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said his party will build a people's narrative, a positive paradigm and a module to find lasting solutions to the "pain caused by the Modi government at war with its own people". "We will carry everyone along in this battle, despite our ideological differences, in order to save democracy, save the Constitution and protect the integrity of out institutions intrinsic to the very subsistence of our polity," he said. Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said the spectacular victory of his party in assembly elections is a clear pointer to the "decimation" of BJP in 2019 elections. "It is also imperative, however, for the Congress to lead in the formation of a winning secular alliance against the BJP in order to avoid the fragmentation of votes," he said. Kumar also said the organisational inadequacies of the party, wherever noticeable, have to be addressed on a war-footing and a clear picture of intra-party unity at all levels needs to be demonstrated. "It is equally important for us to focus on the core issues of the people where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has miserably failed to deliver. The 2019 election will represent a choice of the Indian people between freedom and fear, besides inclusion and exclusion," he said. As the party moves forward into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it not only needs to strengthen the state units and reach out to the grassroots level, but also forge alliances with like-minded parties, said another party veteran. IMAGE: Wreath-laying ceremony of four policemen who were killed by terrorists in an attack, at Zainapora in Shopian of South Kashmir, on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo Four policemen, who were guarding a minority pocket in south Kashmir's Shopian district, were gunned down on 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 terrorists 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 People's Democratic Party 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 Bharatiya Janata Party 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. The TRS ensured that each citizen of Telangana is taken care of from cradle to grave, notes Aditi Phadnis. IMAGE: Telangana Rashtra Samithi party workers celebrate the party's victory at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad. Photograph: PTI Photo It is not hard to work out why the Telangana Rashtra Samithi romped back to power in the country's youngest state -- the main reason is public spending. According to the results, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS won 88 seats in the 118-seat assembly. The Congress won 19, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 1 seat. Rao, popularly known as KCR, dedicated the victory to the people of the state, and said he was confident of the state playing a bigger role at the national level. Experts said the people of Telangana rewarded KCR for his public spending. From the Rythu Bandhu scheme, which provides farmers an annual income of Rs 8,000 despite the size of their holding, to a virtually free insurance for tillers that gives their next of kin Rs 500,000 on their death, to 24x7 free electricity in agricultural areas -- all this contributed to his victory. Sources said in Telangana under the TRS, the state took care of you from the cradle to the grave. If you get married and don't earn a certain amount, you get a Shaadi Mubarak or Kalyana Laskhmi grant of Rs 100,000. Now that TRS is back in power, this would be increased to Rs 150,000. If you are registered for a home, you will get a one-bedroom flat; a two-bedroom one if you are willing to shell out a little. Mothers who opt for an institutional, normal delivery at government hospitals get Rs 13,000 if the newborn is male and Rs 15,000 if the infant is female. Moreover, she gets a KCR kit -- to help young mothers through the initial weeks. There are government schools, and even some residential ones where the state bears the entire cost of housing, education, and food. Now that they are back in power, more sops are likely. The TRS will hike reservation for minorities from the current 7 per cent to 12 per cent in education and jobs. Higher education will be another propriety area as is taking drinking water to every household. Dhruv and LUH helicopters must supply provisions to, and evacuate casualties from Siachen Glacier posts like Sonam, which, at 20,997 feet, is the highest inhabited spot on the planet. Ajai Shukla reports. Photograph: Kind courtesy Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Hindustan Aeronautics has displayed its proficiency in the demanding field of helicopter design by successfully testing its indigenously developed light utility helicopter (LUH) to an altitude of 6 km (almost 20,000 feet). In an organisation where engineers and technicians still smart over Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent statement that HAL was not competent to manufacture the Rafale fighter under licence, there is quiet vindication. HAL stated on Monday, December 10, that breaking the 6-km barrier was 'a critical requirement towards the certification of LUH... With the completion of this milestone, LUH can now undertake high altitude, cold weather trials planned in January 2019.' This will involve operating the LUH in winter from helipads on the Saltoro Ridge that towers above the Siachen Glacier. Currently, with the decades-old Chetak and Cheetah fleets nearly obsolete, HAL's twin-engine Dhruv advanced light helicopter services the Indian Army's Himalayan posts. Once the LUH is certified for operations, it will take on many of these tasks. IMAGE: The HAL Light Utility Helicopter. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons Both the Dhruv and LUH are designed to operate at altitudes up to 6.5 km (21,325 feet), a capability that few helicopters have. While selecting a VVIP chopper, the government brought down the altitude requirement to 4.5 km because there was just one chopper that could fly up to even 6 km. Yet, this altitude requirement is essential for the Dhruv and LUH which must supply provisions to, and evacuate casualties from Siachen Glacier posts like Sonam, which, at 20,997 feet, is the highest inhabited spot on the planet. HAL's Chief Test Pilot, Wing Commander Unni Pillai (retd), who made the first Dhruv landing on Sonam, also piloted the LUH during its 6 km altitude test along with Wing Commander Anil Bhambhani (retd). Powering this impressive performance is the Shakti engine, custom-designed by French engine-maker Turbomeca (now Safran) in partnership with HAL. The Shakti, which is now built in India by HAL-Safran, powers a successful family of HAL-built helicopters: The Dhruv ALH, the LUH, an armed Dhruv variant called Rudra, and the light combat helicopter (LCH), which is close to being accepted into service. Unlike the Dhruv, Rudra, and LCH -- all of them large, 5-tonne helicopters powered by twin-Shakti engines -- a single Shakti engine powers the 3-tonne LUH. Safran markets this engine as the Ardiden 1U, while HAL calls the Shakti 1U. With the army in dire need of 394 light helicopters, the defence ministry decided to meet that requirement through two procurements. To meet immediate requirements, 197 light helicopters would be procured from the international market. Meanwhile, HAL would develop and manufacture 187 indigenous light choppers. IMAGE: The Dhruv helicopter. Photograph: Kind courtesy Noel Reynolds/Wikimedia Commons In making the overseas procurement, the National Democratic Alliance government decided against a global tender, instead signing an intergovernmental agreement with Russia for building the Kamov-226T helicopter in India, in a joint venture with HAL. With that contract still to be signed, the rapid pace of the LUH development gives the government the option to dispense with international procurement and build an all-Indian fleet instead. An ambitious HAL is looking beyond purely military orders at the civil and export markets as well. 'The LUH is being indigenously developed by HAL to meet the requirements of both military and civil operators,' announced the company. Even so, for now, the priority is the military. 'HAL has an in-principle order for 187 LUH that includes 126 for the Indian Army and 61 for the Indian Air Force,' HAL stated on Monday. Photograph: Kind courtesy Hindustan Aeronautics Limited According to HAL, the LUH 'will be capable of flying at 220 km per hour, with a service ceiling of 6.5 km and a range of 350 km with a 400 kilo payload... The helicopter, with a glass cockpit, can be deployed for reconnaissance and surveillance roles and as a light transport helicopter.' The LUH is currently being tested with two prototypes. The first flight took place on September 6, 2016 while the second prototype flew on May 22, 2017. A third prototype is currently being built. Cautious approach of the Election Commission, thin margins of leads, counting of paper trail machines slips and "trivial" objections raised by candidates were some of the key factors which led to delayed poll results in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, sources in the poll panel said Wednesday. IMAGE: Security personnel stand guard as postal ballots are carried inside central jail in Bhopal. Photograph: PTI Photo A final picture in the two states emerged early Wednesday. The sources pointed out that with parties blaming the electronic voting machines, the poll panel was extra cautious in its approach. The chief electoral officers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram were reminded of an old rule that they had to provide round-wise results to candidates without fail. Referring to its April 2014 instruction, the poll panel had said observers and returning officers would sign candidate-wise results for the round after checking everything. They would "ensure that the results of that round of counting are immediately displayed prominently on the blackboard/whiteboard," the poll panel had said in its December 7 letter. A senior official said Wednesday, "The lead margins were thin and stakes high for all parties. The candidates were not leaving anything to chance. This (the system) ensured that very few demands were made for a recount. But yes, it delayed the counting process." The official said this move helped in preventing confusion and allaying fears that unfair means were adopted. He pointed out that right from the first round of EVM counting at 8.30am, the candidates were very particular about checking and examining every seal, tag and serial number of the EVMs and their cases being brought to the counting tables. "In several cases, they raised trivial objections on the seals, serial number/tag number, signatures of polling staff on the tags, which required the intervention, explaining and convincing by the returning officer before the EVMs were taken up for counting. Even though no EVM was kept aside or found tampered amongst the 66,000 EVMs taken up for counting, the process of objections slowed down the rounds. In about 250 cases out of 66,000 EVMs taken up to counting, the presiding officers had not followed the Close-Result-Clear after the mock poll done in the morning of the poll day. This meant that the result of these particular EVMs had to be obtained through the counting of the VVPAT slips. Most assembly constituencies had 1-2 such cases which meant that after the last round of the counting, an additional round was done for the counting of the VVPATs slips in the CRC cases. "This added one hour to the counting process," the official said. In the run of up to the assembly elections, Madhya Pradesh added about 13,000 (21 per cent) additional polling stations as compared to the previous elections. This has increased the average number of rounds of counting to 22, whereas states like Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana had 18 to 19 rounds, the official pointed out. Another key factor, the official said was matching of EVM results with slips of paper trail machines. While paper trail machines were used in all polling stations, its results were matched with EVMs in only one polling station per assembly constituency. "It takes 45 minutes to one hour to count slips. The slips are small like an ATM slip. You can't afford to lose one," the official said. The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats after the vote count ended Wednesday morning. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP has been relegated to a distant second spot, winning just 15 seats, according to the results available Wednesday. In Rajasthan, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party Wednesday, winning 99 seats, while the BJP got 73. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the media on the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Tuesday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Congress for its victory in assembly polls on Tuesday and said the Bharatiya Janata Party, 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 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 Samiti 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. IMAGE: Congress workers celebrate as trends show the party leading in the state's assembly elections, at Congress headquarters in Bhopal, on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath wrote to Governor Anandiben Patel late on Tuesday night, staking claim to form the government in the state, a party spokesperson said. The party claimed it has the support of the independent candidates also. 'The Congress party has emerged as the single largest party with a majority support. All the independents have in addition assured support to the Congress party, the letter said. 'As the president of Pradesh Congress Committee, I seek an appointment with your Excellency late tonight, as soon as the results are officially declared along with my senior leaders to apprise you and seek your permission to form government in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Nath said in the letter. However, the party was told by Governor House that an appointment will be given only after the situation is made clear by the Election Commission. Latest trends show Congress winning 79 seats while leading in 34. The Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, won 81 seats and was leading in 29 more According to Election Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party has so far won 93 seats in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly, while the Congress has bagged 95. IMAGE: Kamal Nath's letter to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel. Photograph: ANI Three seats have been won by independent candidates. The BJP, which ruled the state for three straight terms, is leading on 16 seats and the Congress on 19, according to latest trends. The Samajwadi Party won one seat, the Bahujan Samaj Party is leading on two seats, and independent on one, trends showed. As the state Madhya Pradesh appeared headed for a cliffhanger, small parties and independents may play a crucial role in deciding who forms the next government. Counting for the elections, held on November 28, began at 8 am Tuesday, a poll official said. In the 2013 poll, the BJP had won 165 seats, securing a comfortable majority in the Assembly, while confining the Congress to 58 seats. This time, smaller parties like the BSP, the SP and a tribal political outfit Gondwana Gantantra Party and independents might play a crucial role if the elections throw up a hung House. Following is the party position in the outgoing House: BJP-165, Congress-58, BSP-four and Independents-three. Kamal Nath gives a tough fight to BJPs Kamal IMAGE: Congress state president Kamal Nath pays tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar during a meeting of 230 Congress party candidates contesting the election, in Bhopal. Photograph: PTI Photo When Kamal Nath was named the Congress chief in Madhya Pradesh in April ahead of the assembly polls, many in the party recalled that former prime minister Indira Gandhi described him as her third son who helped her take on the Morarji Desai-led regime in 1979. 39 years later, the senior-most member in the 16th Lok Sabha donned the battle gear to help Indira Gandhi's grandson and Congress president Rahul Gandhi make huge gains for the opposition party in the central Indian state where Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the longest-serving chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and at the helm since 2003. Along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, Nath, 72, was tasked with reviving the fortunes of the opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh, where the party has been out of power since 2003 and had to face a BJP onslaught in the final days of electioneering. The BJP attacked Nath after an audio-video clip went viral in which he was heard asking clerics to ensure 90 per cent voting in the state's Muslim-dominated areas to ensure a Congress victory. Nath is a nine-time Lok Sabha MP from Chhindwara. People in Chindwara refer to the district as an 'oasis' in the dirt. There are also references like 'keechad mein kamal'. Indira Gandhi once introduced Nath in Chhindwara, saying, "This is my third son. Please vote for him," recalled senior journalist Sunil Shrivastava, who covered that election meeting. When Nath was chosen by Rahul Gandhi as the state Congress chief in April over Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Lok Sabha member from Guna and scion of the erstwhile Gwalior dynasty, the MP Congress unit was riddled with factionalism. Nath made efforts to bring together senior party leaders -- former MP chief minister Digvijay Singh, Scindia and Suresh Pachouri -- well aware that groupism may have had a role in keeping the party out of power for the last 15 years. He ensured that regional satraps got representation in the allotment of tickets. The Congress also made judicious use of the energetic Scindia to pull voters towards the party by appointing him the state campaign committee chief. After the ticket distribution, the state Congress roped in Digvijay Singh to quell dissent in the party. The state Congress was able to withdraw most of its rebels from the election arena, an area in which the BJP did not fare well. As electioneering started, Nath trained his guns on the BJP, knowing that Chouhan's popularity, built over schemes for every section of society, needed to be countered. Under Nath's leadership, the state Congress focused its campaign on unfulfilled promises of Chouhan, whom the party dubbed as ghoshna veer (a man of hollow promises), a term that sparked street debates over the fate of schemes announced by Chouhan. As the electioneering gained momentum, the state Congress launched the slogan Waqt hai badlav ka (its time for change) to pull voters towards the party. Born in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh to businessman father Mahendra Nath and mother Leela, Nath is an alumnus of the prestigious DoonSchool (at Dehradun in Uttarakhand) did his graduation from St Xavier's college, Kolkata, before taking a plunge into politics. Belying predictions of exit polls, the party won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh. IMAGE: Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses the media after the party's victory in the assembly elections of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, December 11, 2018. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo With numbers in place to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the elected Congress MLAs on Wednesday authorised the party's national president Rahul Gandhi to decide the chief ministers as senior leaders including top contenders held hectic parleys through the day and till late in night. As suspense mounted on who would get the top job in the three states, party leaders said the names could now be announced on Thursday after Gandhi meets the observers appointed for the three states and other senior leaders. Gandhi, on the other hand, has also reached out directly to the party workers in the three states to know their top choice for the chief minister post through an internal mobile messaging app, party leaders said. Among other two states that also went to polls, K Chandrashekar Rao would be sworn in as Chief Minister on Thursday with his party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, storming back to power for the second consecutive term and with a bigger mandate. In Mizoram, where Mizo National Front has trounced Congress to wrest power of the hill state, the party president Zoramthanga would be sworn in as chief minister on Saturday. IMAGE: Congress party workers celebrate the poll results at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters In all the three states where Congress has emerged victorious signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks to stop the BJP juggernaut before the 2019 general elections, the newly-elected MLAs met in the presence of party's central observers, while party leaders also met governors in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to stake government formation claims. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the partys good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJPs negative politics. It was a Congress victory over the BJPs negative politics, she said. RAJASTHAN IMAGE: Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot waves at the crowd. Photograph: PTI Photo In Rajasthan, the top contenders for the top post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. After a late night meeting, Pilot told waiting reporters that the process of getting the feedback was almost complete and the party high-command would take the final decision on Thursday. He did not give any direct reply to a pointed question on whether he was ready to take the responsibility, saying "Let's see, what happens". The legislature party meeting in Jaipur lasted for almost seven hours. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesdays vote count, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The Communist Party of India-Marxist got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission. MADHYA PRADESH IMAGE: Congress leaders Vivek Tankha, Digvijaya Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath meet MP Governor Anandiben Patel to stake claim for the formation of the government at Raj Bhawan in Bhopal. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter After a see-saw battle on Tuesday, Congress emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh with 114 seats, two short of a simple majority. The BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel. The Congress team met the governor to stake government claim with its two top contenders for the top job -- Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. Scindia also later told reporters that a final decision was expected Thursday. Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced their parties support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. BSP got two and SP one seat in the MP assembly polls. The Congress has also claimed support of the four independents, all Congress rebels, who emerged victorious. CHHATTISGARH IMAGE: Congress in-charge of Chhattisgarh PL Punia flanked by party leaders display victory sign at a press conference after the win. Photograph: PTI Photo In Chattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T S Singhdeo. The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. The top leaders from the three states, as also the central observers, are expected to meet Gandhi on Thursday, while hectic lobbying was expected to continue through the night on Wednesday. Central observers A K Antony for Madhya Pradesh and K C Venugopal for Rajasthan took the opinion of newly-elected MLAs, party leaders said. Senior party leaders in the national capital said the meetings of MLAs and authorising the party chief is part of an established process within the party for selecting the chief ministers. In Mumbai, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said the assembly election results mark the beginning of a change and a rejection of the BJP-led governments policies. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested the SP and the BSP throw their weight behind Congress. Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being ridiculed. People have expressed disappointment against the Modi government... the Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change... people rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi, Pawar told reporters. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people have brought those flying in the air back to the ground. In an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the party alleged that the country was being run according to the whims of four-five businessmen, and this was breaking important institutions like the Reserve Bank of India. The BJP first drove away allies and later lost important states, it said, adding that elections cannot be won merely on the back of big talks. The results clearly show that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (BJP president) Amit Shahs dream of making the country Congress-mukt has gone to the dust in BJPs own regime. People of these states have indicated at a BJP-mukt regime, the Marathi publication said. During his 15-year-tenure in the office, Chouhan transformed himself from being a shy, simple and vulnerable politician to a wily leader with mass appeal. IMAGE: Madhya Pradesh's outgoing chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addresses a press conference in Bhopal. Photograph: PTI Photo From being called Paon paon wale bhaiya (foot soldier) by villagers to being addressed as Mama (maternal uncle) by children, Shivraj Singh Chouhan just four days ago said he is the "biggest pollster" and predicted a Bharatiya Janata Party victory in Madhya Pradesh. But the BJP remained short by seven seats for a simple majority on its own in the crucial Hindi heartland state and Wednesday's outcome in the assembly polls put paid to Chouhan's hopes of seeking a record fourth term as chief minister. Having a carefully cultivated image of a family man coupled with simplicity, Chouhan, 59, led the BJP's campaign, presenting himself as one among the people, promising further development. Assiduously working on his 'son of the soil' image, the soft-spoken leader easily identified himself with the socio-economic concerns of farmers, villagers and commoners. He maintained a low profile, ignoring comparisons with Prime Minister Narendra Modi but concentrated on MP. "I am the biggest surveyor (pollster) as I remain in the midst of public all day long. The BJP will win, " said Chouhan after visiting the famous Shree Pitambara Peeth temple in Datia in Madhya Pradesh last Saturday. He was asked by reporters about the exit polls the previous day that predicted a close fight between the BJP and the opposition Congress. "Abki baar, 200 par (this time, over 200 seats)," Chouhan said repeating the BJP's slogan for the MP polls. At the end of a cliffhanger, the BJP garnered 109 seats in the 230-member assembly. It won 163 seats in the 2013 assembly polls. The BJP, however, drew comfort from the fact that its vote share at 41 per cent was marginally higher than that secured by the Congress which bagged 40.9 per cent of the votes. The Congress got 114 seats, two less than the majority mark of 116. During his 15-year-tenure in the office, Chouhan transformed himself from being a shy, simple and vulnerable politician to a wily leader with mass appeal. Though the Opposition Congress linked Chouhan to the multi-crore Vyapam scam, he emerged unscathed. The CBI gave a clean chit to Chouhan. The Vyapam scandal was an entrance examination, admission and recruitment scam that was unearthed in 2013. It involved politicians, senior and junior officials and businessmen systematically employing imposters to write papers, manipulate exam hall seating arrangements and supply forged answer sheets by allegedly bribing officials. IMAGE: Chouhan submits his resignation to MP governor Anandiben Patel at Raj Bhavan in Bhopal. Photograph: PTI Photo Born on March 5, 1959 to a farming family of Prem Singh Chouhan and Sundar Bai Chouhan at village Jait in Sehore district, Chouhan's political journey began with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh when he was just 13 years. His leadership skills first came to the fore when he was elected as president of the Model Higher Secondary School students' union in 1975. He participated in the underground movement against Emergency and was imprisoned in 1976-77 and also on many other occasions for political agitations and public causes. A volunteer of the RSS since 1977, Chouhan is a gold medalist in Masters of Philosophy from the Barkatulla University in Bhopal. Chouhan replaced Babulal Gaur as chief minister on November 29, 2005 and remained in the saddle since then unchallenged till the party's defeat at the hustings Wednesday. He also served as general secretary of the BJP and president of the party's MP unit. Chouhan was first elected to the state assembly from Budhni constituency in 1990. He was elected a Member of Parliament for the first time from the Vidisha constituency the following year. He was re-elected from the seat in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. He won his fifth Lok Sabha election with an impressive margin of over 2,60,000 votes. His fortunes, were, however, set to take another direction two years after the BJP, led by fiery sanyasin-politician Uma Bharti, swept the state assembly polls in 2003. At that time, Chouhan contested the polls unsuccessfully against the incumbent chief minister Digvijay Singh from Raghogarh. Soon, Bharti resigned and Gaur became the chief minister in 2004, only to be replaced by Chouhan the next year. Chouhan's Ladli Laxmi Yojna, Mukhya Mantri Kanyadan Yojna, Mukhya Mantri Teerth Darshan Yojna, bicycle scheme for school children, Re 1 per kg rice and Rs 2 per kg wheat schemes and the Sambal Yojna offering electricity at Rs 200 were emulated by some other states. Under his leadership, the state became self-dependent in power sector and was supplying uninterrupted electricity for 24 hours to non-agriculture consumers and 10-hour dedicated supply to agriculture consumers. Under Chouhan's leadership, Indore and Bhopal got the "cleanest city" awards under the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. Chouhan also undertook the 'Namami Devi Narmade yatra' to initiate steps for conservation of Narmada, considered as the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh, by planting a large number of tress on the banks of the river. 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". "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 on Tuesday. Here's all you need to know about TIME's Guardians. Jamal Khashoggi Saudi journalist Jamal KhashoggiSaudi journalist Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2 after apparently being tortured. The correspondent had been a prominent critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The killing has led to international condemnation of Saudi Arabia, but US President Trump and his administration have refrained from joining others in blaming MBS. 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. Photograph: Reuters Maria Ressa Philippine journalist Maria RessaPhilippine journalist Ressa is the founder and editor of a Philippine news site, Rappler. She has faced a barrage of government lawsuits 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. Photograph: Reuters Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo Reuters reporters Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe OoReuters reporters The two Reuters reporters were arrested in Myanmar for their part in investigating the massacre of Rohingya Muslims. In September, they were sentenced to seven years in jail for violating a state secrets act. They have always maintained their innocence and say they were set up by the police. The case has been widely seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. Aung San Suu Kyi, who was once seen as a beacon of human rights and democracy, has faced international condemnation for her government's handling of the case. She defended the verdict saying the two journalists had broken the law and that their conviction had "nothing to do with freedom of expression at all". Photograph: Reuters The navy on Wednesday inducted its first 'Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle' in Mumbai, and said another one would soon be deployed at Visakhapatnam. With the DSRV's induction, the Indian navy has joined the select league of world navies that have an integral submarine rescue capability, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba said after the induction at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai. The maiden trials of the DSRV were successfully completed on October 15. "The DSRV (induction) is a landmark event and it marks the culmination of years of focused efforts of the navy in acquiring niche submarine rescue capability. With these capabilities, the Indian navy has joined the select league of navies that operate such assets," Admiral Lanba said. The second vehicle has already left for delivery to India and will be based at the naval base in Visakhapatnam, he said. The endeavour is to provide rescue services in the Indian Ocean region and beyond, he said, adding that the navy can extend services to friendly nations. INS Nistar was the first submarine rescuer followed by INS Nireekshak which carries out dual role of diving support and submarine rescue vessel, he noted. "A need was felt as early as 1980s to induct a dedicated, non-tethered DSRV to match the growing reach and depth of our submarines," Lanba said. The inducted submarine -- a third generation product of Scotland-based JFD, a part of James Fisher and Sons Plc -- has the latest technology and capability, he said. The vehicle is currently deployed on mother ship INS Sabarmati, provided by the Shipping Corporation of India, which will be placed in Mumbai. JFD has won the contract of 193 million pounds for the supply and 25 years of maintenance of the two DSRVs. More than 80 naval personnel have undergone training on DSRV operations and its exercises will continue in future as well, a Naval official said. The vehicle can rescue as many as 14 people in one dive, the official said. The navy has also given a Rs 9,000 crore contract to the Hindustan Shipyard Limited for building two mother ships for DSRVs and deliver them by 2020, the official said. The DSRV will be permanent deployed on the mother ship and it can be flown away in case of emergency rescue, the navy said. During the trials, the DSRV carried out underwater mating with a bottomed submarine, at a depth of over 300 feet. On successful mating, the DSRV opened its hatches and the submarine hatches and carried out transfer of personnel from the submarine to the DSRV, the Navy said. These sea trials have proven the newly inducted DSRV's ability to undertake rescue operations from disabled submarines at sea and provided the Navy with a critical capability, it said. During the trials, the DSRV also dived successfully up to 666 metres, which is a record for deepest submergence by a 'manned vessel' in Indian waters. The DSRV crew carried out remotely operated vehicle operations at a depth of over 750 metres and side scan sonar operations at a depth of over 650 metres, which are all 'firsts' for the Indian Navy, the release said. Photographs: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com; @indiannavy/Twitter The CM's failure to keep his house in order coupled with the arrogance of ministers and top leaders riled BJP cadres, reports R Krishna Das. After the first phase of polling on November 12 in Chhattisgarh, top guns of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and senior functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh gathered in Sarguja for a crucial meet to devise the strategy for the second phase. Two top RSS office-bearers left Sarguja to visit the pockets that were supposed to go to the polls in the second phase on November 20. They were on a mission as two RSS functionaries of the highest level never travel together. The party's grassroots workers and cadres of affiliate organisations were fuming because the resentment against the Raman Singh government had come out into the open. The chief minister failed to keep his own house in order. The arrogance of ministers and top leaders, coupled with the imperious style of functioning of bureaucrats handpicked by Dr Singh, had riled the cadre. Subsequently, it created an undercurrent of hostility against the BJP among the common people. The mission did not yield the desired results. The Congress manifesto offering sops to the farmers and the youth, and the demoralisation of the saffron cadre resulted in a humiliating defeat for the BJP in Chhattisgarh. "The resentment of the cadre appeared to be more crucial as the BJP had been wiped out in the first phase in which the Congress manifesto did not have any impact because it was released later," said political observer Dhanvendra Jaiswal. In the first phase, the BJP only won 1 out of 18 seats. The Congress swept the Chhattisgarh polls by winning 68 assembly constituencies against the BJP's 15. The alliance of the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh, headed by former chief minister Ajit Jogi, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won seven. The JCC, as expected, failed to split the anti-BJP vote. According to Yashwant Sinha, a national-level pre-poll alliance of all opposition parties should be formed or a nationwide pre-poll alliance of regional parties should be made to defeat the BJP in the general elections. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo Former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday said the election results from three key states have destroyed the untenable theory of the Modi magic and hoped that the saffron partys debacle would propel the opposition parties to bond better for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP has lost three of its bastions -- Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan -- to the Congress in the just-concluded assembly polls. In Mizoram and Telangana, the party won one seat each. Sinha, who has been vocal with his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also suggested two alternatives for defeating the BJP in the general election. A national-level pre-poll alliance of all opposition parties, including the Congress, should be formed to put up a one-to-one fight against the saffron party and stop division in anti-BJP votes. If the first option does not succeed, there should be a nationwide pre-poll alliance of regional parties with possible adjustment with the Congress, where ever that is possible, he said. The veteran leader, who held portfolios of finance and external affairs from 1998-2004 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government at the Centre quit the party earlier this year. He said there is no conflict of interest among the regional parties. The Trinamool Congress (in West Bengal) wont have any conflict with the Telugu Desam Party (in Andhra Pradesh) or the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (in Tamil Nadu). There is a bright possibility of regional parties, together, getting more seats than the BJP. The regional parties should have an adjustment with Congress. After polls, they can come together for government formation, Sinha said. He exhorted the Congress to refrain from making the mistake of declaring itself as leader of the opposition alliance even though it managed to win assembly elections in three states. The leader of the opposition alliance should be chosen only after the elections, Sinha suggested. The election results in five states destroyed the untenable theory of the Modi magic and will propel the opposition parties to bond better for the next Lok Sabha polls, the former Union minister asserted. Citing reasons behind his recommendation of pre-poll alliance, Sinha said if the saffron party emerges as the single largest party with around 150 seats, it may be called first to form the government even if the Congress and the regional outfits taken together bag more seats. According to the convention, which has been established in our country, the President will be well within his rights to invite the single largest party (BJP) and that will open floodgates for mischief (horse trading). But if the regional parties form a pre-poll alliance it will be treated as a single entity, he reasoned. His comments came in the backdrop of opposition parties such as Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, TDP vociferously seeking a grand alliance and the Congress stressing on state-specific alliances. The veteran leader alleged that the BJP was rooting for presidential form of elections. Who was Narendra Modi before being elected as PM? He was a chief minister of a state. There is an array of leaders in the opposition parties who have served as CMs and former ministers. There is no dearth of leaders, he said. Sinhas remarks come days after the BJP took at a dig at the anti-BJP camp, asking it to first declare a prime ministerial candidate before thinking of ousting the Narendra Modi government. The former finance minister said the anti-BJP parties which are dominant in their respective states, including the Congress, should take the responsibility of bringing other parties in their fold. Speaking on the performance of the Modi government, he said the second term for the Modi government would prove to be disastrous for the people as no sign of democracy will be left anywhere in the country. Asked about the issue of Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya, he said the matter has nothing to do with religion and the BJP was just trying to score political brownies ahead of elections. On whether he will act as a mediator among various regional parties to unite them and bring them under one umbrella, he said it depends on the opposition camp. It depends on them (opposition), not me as they have to approach me and tell me what I need to do -- bring together an alliance or chalk out a programme of action or policy for the new government... Even if the new alliance is voted to power, I will really and truly retire, he added. The new governments will have to spend much more than Rs 220 billion in Rajasthan, more than Rs 160 billion in MP, and nearly Rs 30 billion in Chhattisgarh. Abhishek Waghmare and Sanjeeb Mukherjee report. IMAGE: During the election campaign, Congress President Rahul Gandhi promised to waive loans in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan within 10 days if the party was voted to power. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo With the first massive victory in a one-on-one political fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party after the 2014 general election, the Congress -- emerging victorious -- is staring at a fiscal nightmare in the key states it has won. Congress President Rahul Gandhi promised to waive loans of farmers in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan within 10 days if the party was voted to power. The respective new governments will have to spend much more than Rs 220 billion in Rajasthan, more than Rs 160 billion in MP, and nearly Rs 30 billion in Chhattisgarh to keep the promise, said an estimate. This will put enormous pressure on the near precarious fiscal situation in two of the three states: Rajasthan and MP. To waive crop loans up to Rs 100,000 per indebted farmer, Rajasthan will need to spend Rs 219 billion from its fiscal kitty, a September 2017 Reserve Bank of India study had estimated. If the new government decides to extend the per farmer benefit up to Rs 150,000 or Rs 200,000 -- similar to Karnataka, which went ahead with the latter -- the fiscal burden will be substantially more than the RBI estimate, experts surmise. Similarly, the amount to be spent in MP will also escalate. The burden in Chhattisgarh will be relatively safer to handle for the new government. A look at the latest data reveals the fiscal situation of Rajasthan and MP is fragile in comparison to Maharashtra and Karnataka which have implemented similar waivers. While Rajasthan expects a big improvement in its fiscal deficit from 3.5 per cent of its gross state domestic product in 2017-2018 to 3 per cent in 2018-2019, the state is prone to fiscal slippages due to higher interest burden in the medium term since it took state electricity distribution company debt on its books, under the Ujwal Discoms Assurance Yojana. The annual spending on agriculture and allied activities in Rajasthan is about Rs 82 billion, much lower than the loan waiver outgo. Its capital expenditure, budgeted at Rs 257 billion in FY19, too will suffer, slowing down the construction of roads, bridges, and irrigation. MP expects its fiscal deficit to soften marginally, from 3.4 per cent to 3.3 per cent. Despite no loan waiver implemented by Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the state, the state government has spent heavily in the last two years on procurement of wheat, soybean, and pulses under the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana. After UDAY and BBY, the two states will probably need to curtail their expenditure in key areas which need funds, experts said. "Though the waiver will be staggered over three to four years, a more important question will be the set-off that it will create," Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, said. "The investments in agriculture," Dr Gulati added, "will suffer as a result since the same money will now be channelised for loan waivers." Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years of imprisonment on Wednesday on multiple charges, including campaign finance violations for paying hush-money to two women who said had affairs with the United States president. IMAGE: Michael Cohen, US President Donald Trump's former personal attorney and fixer, exits federal court in New York City. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images In court, Cohen said he took "full responsibility" for his actions while working for Trump. His sentence will be the longest thus far for anyone involved with the President or stemming from special counsel. "I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: The personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America," Cohen said. Cohen, 52, was sentenced to 36 months in prison by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. US District Judge William Pauley also handed him an additional two months for the special counsel Robert Mueller's charge. Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election. This charge will be served concurrently with the US attorney's New York office term. Cohen has been ordered to surrender on March 6. The judge agreed to recommend Otisville prison, in upstate New York, as the prison where Cohen will serve his sentence. Pauley described the crimes that Cohen had pleaded guilty to as "a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" before announcing his sentence. Cohen also said he was living in a "personal and mental" prison since he started working for Trump. "This may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life...I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired, he said. Cohen's attorney, Guy Petrillo, had sought leniency for his client, saying his "cooperation here should be viewed against a non-standard framework". The special counsel's office "investigation is of utmost national significance, no less than seen 40 years ago in Watergate". In August, Cohen had pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion, making false statements to a federally-insured bank, and campaign finance violations. The plea was entered followed the filing of an eight-count criminal information, which alleged that Cohen concealed more than USD 4 million in personal income from the Internal Revenue Service, made false statements to a federally-insured financial institution in connection with a USD 500,000 home equity loan, and, in 2016, caused USD 280,000 in payments to be made to silence two women who otherwise planned to speak publicly about their alleged affairs with a presidential candidate, thereby intending to influence the 2016 presidential election. Trump was not named in the charges but it was clear Cohen was acting on his behalf. The payments included USD 130,000 to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, which the government considers an illegal donation to Trump's campaign since it was intended to improve his election chances. The charges against Cohen also include paying money to the two women in 2016 "to suppress" their stories from publishing in media "so as to prevent it from influencing the election". "Cohenwas able to arrange for the purchase of two stories so as to suppress them and prevent them from influencing the election," the federal prosecutors had said. McKenzie Adams wanted to be a scientist when she grew up. The 9-year-old excelled in math. But she also liked riding her bike, playing with dolls and PlayStation 4 and recording goofy home videos with her cousins, according to media reports in Alabama, where Adams attended elementary school in the city of Demopolis. Instead of making plans to gather McKenzie and her cousins for Christmas, the child's family is preparing to bury her on Saturday after she hung herself. Her body was discovered at their home in Linden, Alabama, on Dec. 3 by her grandmother, family members told the Tuscaloosa News. Now, they are blaming bullying for the death, saying the black fourth-grader had told teachers and an assistant principal at U.S. Jones Elementary School that she was being harassed. Her mother, Jasmine Adams, told a CBS affiliate that the abuse appeared to have been racially motivated, directed against her daughter because she was driven to school by a white family and had developed a friendship with a white boy. On Facebook, Adams mourned her daughter's death, writing, "My world is gone." "She was being bullied the entire school year, with words such as 'kill yourself,'" the 9-year-old's aunt, Eddwina Harris, told the Tuscaloosa News. She was also told, "you think you're white because you ride with that white boy," Harris said, and called "ugly" and other unprintable epithets. "Just die," Adams was instructed, according to her aunt, who has turned the family member's death into a call to action against bullying. Harris, a TV host in Atlanta, is promoting a GoFundMe page soliciting donations for "The McKenzie Foundation," which "will serve as a source to stop" bullying, the page promises. She also endorsed the sale of $7 buttons imprinted with the child's face and the words "Gone to [sic] Soon" and "STOP BULLYING." "God has blessed me to help others with my platform, and now it's time to help," she told the Tuscaloosa News. "There are so many voiceless kids." But the school - whose motto is, "Where hope begins and dreams come true" - disputes the family's version of events. Officials said there was no record of bullying. Alex Braswell, an attorney for the Demopolis City Board of Education, told the Tuscaloosa News on Tuesday that the school system conducted an internal investigation and found no basis for the family's claims. "We have concluded our internal investigation to the allegations of bullying which led to this senseless death," Braswell said. "There have been no findings of any reports of bullying by either the student or family. The findings of this internal investigation are consistent with the results of the investigation of the Linden Police Department at this point in time." Reached late Tuesday, Linden's police chief, Robert Alston, told The Washington Post that his department was still looking into the matter. "We weren't able to confirm whether she was bullied or not at this point," he said. "We've talked to several officials at the school, and all of them said they have no official report of any bullying." But he also said the girl's family was sticking with its story. While he didn't know the 9-year-old personally, Alston said he knew her family and had no reason to doubt their account. "They're very good people," he said. The 9-year-old's mother said her daughter had told her that "one particular child" was writing her "nasty notes in class," according to CBS. "It was just things you wouldn't think a 9-year-old should know. And my baby to tell me some of the things they had said to her, I was like, 'Where are they learning this from?'" Adams said. More for you Despite promises, schools dont seem to learn lesson on racism Other students may be able to shed light on the situation, Alston said, but the police investigation was made more difficult by the young age of McKenzie and her classmates. "There's resistance from parents who don't want to get their kids caught up in this," he said, calling the events "tragic." The police chief said he had requested a preliminary autopsy and would soon be able to review it. The Marengo County Coroner couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday. The neighboring Pine Hill Police Department mourned the 9-year-old's death in a Facebook post, saying Adams was a "VICTIM of BULLYING." According to StopBullying.gov, a website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as many as 1 in 3 students say they have been bullied at school. Most of the abuse happens in middle school. The government site also provides information about how to get help. While it remains unknown if "bullying directly causes suicide-related behavior," according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, "bullying behavior and suicide-related behavior are closely related. This means youth who report any involvement with bullying behavior are more likely to report high levels of suicide-related behavior than youth who do not report any involvement with bullying behavior." Meanwhile, only about 20 to 30 percent of bullied students tell an adult, according to the HHS. Harris told the Tuscaloosa News that her niece had been forced to transfer out of a previous school because of bullying, which prompted her mother and grandmother to complain to the Alabama State Board of Education. Timothy Thurman, the superintendent of the Linden City School District, told NBC News that Adams had been enrolled in kindergarten at Linden Elementary School for only 22 days, and had left for unknown reasons. / NEW HAVEN A man, who claimed to have a gun, robbed the Peoples United Bank branch in Stop & Shop on Amity Road Tuesday evening, police said. The robber passed a note to the teller. She told police it was illegible and alerted the branch manager, who also couldnt decipher the note, Officer David Hartman said in a release. SALISBURY A Forgotten History: the Black community in Salisbury Connecticut, presented by Peter McEachern, will be held Jan. 5 at the Scoville Memorial Library. In 2016 in their newly purchased house on Farnum Road, musician Peter McEachern and his wife, artist Danielle Mailer, discovered, hidden in the attic, a cache of photographs from the 1930s to the 1970s. The home and photographs were previously owned by the Fowlkes family, one of several black families who made a life here in this small, mostly white, rural Connecticut town. Recognizing the historical importance of the images, McEachern developed a proposal to use the photo archives as a starting point to give a course Black History in Rural Connecticut at Salisbury School, where he is chairman of the music department. The course also resulted in two exhibitions at the school. This is a story of people living their lives in a community, working, contributing, fitting in, or not, McEachern said. There is a far more diverse history in Salisbury than you would expect when you look around town in 2018. McEachern is not an historian hes a well-known jazz trombonist who has recorded three CDs for Polygram with blues legend Clarence Gatemouth Brown; one of his many projects. As he got to know more of the story of black families in the northwest corner, it became evident that Salisbury and its environs has a rich history that is not apparent without in-depth research. As the black community grew in town during the first half of the 20th century, interactions increased, and friendships ensued. But this was also a period of intense segregation in the United States, and the North was no exception. Mceachern noted that this is a complicated scenario set on a backdrop of good intent as well as racism. The talk is presented in collaboration with the Salisbury Association Historical Society and the Scoville Memorial Library, and begins at 4 p.m. Jan. 5. The Scoville Memorial Library is located at 38 Main St., and can be reached by calling 860-435-2838 or visiting ScovilleLibrary.org. TORRINGTON A 63-year-old city man is facing sexual assault charges stemming from incidents over a six-year period, police said Tuesday. Kim Bishop, of Lyman Drive, was arrested on a warrant Tuesday and charged with first-degree criminal attempt to commit sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor with sexual contact. Bishop is being held in lieu of a court-set $50,000 bond, Detective Kevin L. Tieman said. Bishop had been on probation for a previous conviction of second-degree sexual assault in 2013, police said. In that case, he was charged with second-degree sexual assault of a victim between ages 13 and 15 with the perpetrator being more than three years older than the victim, court records show. He was sentenced in February 2015 and served and 18-month suspended sentence followed by 10 years of probation. Tieman noted that Tuesdays arrest stems from reports of sexual assaults from 2008 to 2014. Because the case concerns a sexual assault, police noted that no other information will be released at this time. Connecticuts annual pension payments top $1.93 billion a year, according to the states new open-data portal, detailing payments to each of more than 52,466 retired state employees or their surviving spouses. The data indicate that while most retirees - more than 39,000 - live in Connecticut, thousands more live in Maine, New York, the Carolinas, Massachusetts and Florida, the Sunshine State where 4,860 moved after leaving state service. While the average pension is $36,826, about 430 former employees make more than $100,000 a year. Fourteen make more than $200,000 annually, led by Dr. Jack Blechner a former member of the UConn Health Center faculty who makes $313,275.96. the site reports. Previously, information on pension recipients was released annually, but Lembo said that the new OpenPension site, entered through the OpenConnecticut portal, will be updated monthly. Its part of an overall attempt by Lembo and his office to provide more data on state spending and payroll data, he said. As Connecticut faces persistent immediate and long-term financial challenges, OpenConnecticut will continue to expand and serve as a source for policy makers and the public so that we can have informed debates in finding solutions, Lembo said in a statement. OpenConnecticut will never be complete - it will always remain a work in progress as we continue to find new ways to expand access to government data, Lembo said. I look forward to continue growing this site and other initiatives that bring Connecticut residents closer to government. The site opened on a day that the states Commission on Pension Sustainability grappled with the public-pension crisis. With under-funded liabilities of about $100 billion in the state employee and teacher-pension programs, its one of the huge challenges facing Ned Lamont when he takes over as governor on January 9. To prop up the critically under-funded pension program for public school teachers, soon-to-retire state Treasurer Denise Nappier suggested using about $1.5 billion in Lottery revenue, and selling off an nearly equal amount of state assets, to help out. More Information Top states for Connecticut retirees Connecticut - 39,147 Florida - 4,860 Massachusetts - 1,615 North Carolina - 788 South Carolina - 747 New York - 406 Maine - 383 Virginia - 361 Georgia - 361 New Hampshire - 349 Rhode Island - 327 California - 320 Arizona - 308 Texas - 249 Vermont - 234 *Source: ""OpenPensions" See More Collapse Part of the problem, commission members agree, were that the expectations of state officials for returns on investment that were overly optimistic. While they were projected at 8 percent, the actual returns should have been estimated at rates closer to 7 percent. We did not change the investment return assumption, said Nappier, a member of the commission, during a morning meeting in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. That really hurt us. You compound the problem when you have an unrealistic return assumption. The markets are looking at us and saying that Connecticut is not fixing this, said Michael Imber, a financial adviser who is a member of the commission. We need leaders to come in and say we want to implement reform because its the right thing to do. State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, chairman of the commission, said that after the next General Assembly takes office next month, the panel will try to come to some conclusions and make recommendations. I think were at least warming up to things we can say about policy, he said. President Donald Trump, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Vice President Mike Pence met with reporters in the White House for a meeting on the latest from Trump's efforts to fund a border wall. Alas, as is often the case when it comes to Donald Trump and cameras, the proceedings went in an unexpected direction. Pelosi, Trump and Schumer exchanged barbs for over ten minutes on a number of subjects, despite pleas from Pelosi to refrain from debating in front of the media throng. (It should be noted the Democrats, at times, appeared to enjoy goading the president.) BRANFORD When her oldest son Todd died at 26 in a Black Hawk helicopter crash in Texas in November 2004, Becky Christmas worried that his name would disappear. An Army captain, hed served in the 44th air defense artillery unit while deployed in support of Iraqi Freedom. Hed just spent Thanksgiving with his wife and family on their Wagon Mound, New Mexico ranch. On Tuesday, Dec. 11, Christmas, the president of American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., will be Grand Marshal of a massive convoy that will roll through Branford at 1:30 p.m. as part of Wreaths Across America, a national initiative to remember veterans and their families during the holidays. As the featured speaker at the program at Branford Fire Headquarters at 2 p.m., shell also share how, as a Gold Star mother a mother of a fallen service member shes kept her sons name, and memory, alive. For the second year in a row, Branford will be one of a handful of scheduled stops during the 700-mile route from Columbia Falls, Maine to Arlington National Cemetery. Thats thanks to the efforts of Lt. Cmdr. Dottie Packer, Nurse Corps and retired Navy, and Pamela Bold, retired chief petty officer of the U.S. Coast Guard. The 2-mile-long fleet will be composed of 200 volunteers traveling in buses, SUVs, and specially wrapped WAA vehicles, including Gold Star and Blue Star families, as well as dozens of 18-wheelers, along with motorcycle escorts of state and local police, and the Patriot Guard. The trucks will transport thousands of balsam wreaths on the week-long trek. Its a sight to behold, said Packer, whos encouraging Shoreline residents to line Route 1 from Regal Cinemas to Branford Fire Headquarters and to raise a banner or wave a flag in welcome and support. Its an opportunity for all of us to show gratitude for the sacrifice of fallen service members and their families. That act of remembering also furthers the mission of American Gold Star Mothers, according to Christmas, whom the ShoreLine Times reached at her ranch in Wagon Mound, New Mexico. AGSM was started by a woman named Grace Darling Seibold in 1928, she said. Her son disappeared fighting in World War I, so she spent years working at veterans hospitals in hopes of finding him. All the while, she was meeting all these women who were thinking the same thing they hadnt heard from their children and went to find them. What they found, she said, was other children and other mothers they could support. Eventually, Seibold learned of her sons death, but continued her community service. Not only that. She organized a group of mothers whose sons had lost their lives in military service with the purpose of comforting one another and giving loving care to hospitalized veterans confined in government hospitals far from home, Christmas said. Its a purpose that has made a profound impact on her life from the time she joined American Gold Star Mothers in 2006. I first met other GSM mothers in New Mexico, she said. Some were mothers from the Vietnam era. They showed me they had lived full lives and had also continued the mission that their child could not, by helping others. For Christmas, the partnership with Wreaths Across America is a natural one. Were blending our similar missions toward one goal: to remember and honor as many of our fallen American heroes as possible, she said. Packer agreed. The idea that powers WAA is that a person dies twice, once when he stops breathing, and a second time when someone mentions his or her name for the last time, she said. Thats why, when laying a wreath, they ask us to say the persons name out loud. At noon on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the end of seven days leading Americas longest veterans parade, thats precisely what Christmas will be doing, together with 44,000 volunteers placing 241,000 wreaths on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as countless other volunteers at 1,400 additional locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad. Its a continuation of her goal of not only sustaining the legacy of her son in service to our country but also, as she put it, ensuring that no fallen soldier, or their family, is ever forgotten. Which takes us back to Tuesday, Dec. 11 in Branford. The sons and daughters of Gold Star mothers wrote a blank check payable to the USA for an amount up to and including their lives, said Packer. So did their families. Thats why Pam and I wanted this stop in Branford. This is our way of saying we recognize them and well remember them. In Branford, the convoy will roll out from exit 55, off Interstate 95 at approximately 1:30 p.m., followed by the program at 2 p.m. at the firehouse, featuring Christmas. For more information about the WAA, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Myanmar activists hold placards with copies of the cover of Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' edition honoring jailed Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo at a rally calling for their release, in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon, Dec. 12, 2018. More than 100 Myanmar activists and media professionals rallied in Yangon on Wednesday, calling for the release of two Reuters reporters serving seven-year jail sentences for possessing classified government documents, on the first anniversary of their arrests. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested on Dec. 12, 2017, after two police officers handed them papers about security forces in northern Rakhine state, where a military crackdown targeting Rohingya Muslims was underway. The campaign of violence prompted an exodus of more than 720,000 Rohingya across the border and into Bangladesh. After months of court hearings in Yangon, the reporters were convicted in September of violating Myanmars colonial-era Officials Secrets Act while reporting on the extrajudicial killings of 10 Rohingya by soldiers in a Rakhine village. Journalists, civil society representatives, and political activists gathered near Yangon City Hall to press officials to free the two men, who are being held in Insein Prison on the coty's outskirts. While some participants lit candles and released black balloons, others displayed placards with copies of the cover of the latest edition of Time magazine, which named the two journalists along with two other reporters as the publications annual Person of the Year. Moe Thway of the youth political organization Generation Wave said calls for the reporters release continue to grow despite their detention. Every international organization, prime minister, and president around the world who has visited Myanmar has demanded their release, he said. [But] its like our country doesnt care what the world says. Was the whole world wrong? Were those who were illegally trapped and arrested wrong? This case has damaged the countrys reputation, he said. So, those who committed unjust actions and those who supported the actions are the ones who have committed an injustice. Holding out for their release Wa Lones wife Pan Ei Mon, who attended the rally, said that she has been hoping for her husband's release since his arrest because the two journalists are innocent. Then they were tried, and I kept on hoping for his release throughout the trial, she said. Im still hoping he will be released during the appeal of his sentence. Chit Su Ma, wife of Kyaw Soe Oo, said the two young men were only doing their jobs as reporters. Its totally unfair to punish them with seven years imprisonment, because they are innocent, she said. I hope they will be released soon and return home. Lawyers for the journalists have filed an appeal of the convictions, based on evidence pointing to a police set-up. The appeals court will find many discrepancies and legal flaws in the lower court's ruling if they study it thoroughly, said defense lawyer Than Zaw Aung. So, if they find this and take it into consideration, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo can be freed. The hearing will take place on Dec. 24. A chilling effect Both domestic and international press freedom and human rights groups have harshly condemned the verdict, contending that the pair was framed by police officials and convicted on bogus charges. One police witness during the trial testified that information from the documents had previously been published in newspapers, while another said a superior officer had ordered the set-up of the reporters. The convictions of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been a test case for press freedom under the government of state leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has said that their sentencing has nothing to do with freedom of expression. The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmars commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law, said Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen J. Adler in a statement issued Wednesday. Every day they continue to be behind bars is a missed opportunity for Myanmar to stand up for justice, he said. The people of Myanmar deserve the freedoms and democracy they have long been promised, and Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo deserve to be returned to their families and colleagues immediately. Linda Lakhdhir, a legal advisor in the Asia division of Human Rights Watch who focuses on the criminalization of speech and assembly in the region, said in a statement on Wednesday that the case has laid bare Myanmars increasingly restricted state of press freedom. Their conviction in the face of strong evidence that the police handed them documents as part of a plan to trap and arrest them has sent a chill through the Myanmar media, she said. Lakhdhir called on Aung San Su Kyi to immediately request that President Win Myint grant Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo a full pardon and for the Myanmar parliament to amend the Official Secrets Act and other repressive laws so they conform to international human rights standards. Myanmars leaders need to stop making excuses and end once and for all the abusive laws being used to arrest and imprison journalists simply for doing their job, she said. The United States embassy in Yangon wrote on its Twitter account on Tuesday that after a year in prison, it is past time for the journalists to go home to their families. An independent press must be allowed to report freely in a democracy, the post said. Reported by Htet Arkar for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Nandar Chann. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that he will ask for a royal decree to grant permission for more than 100 senior members of the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to reenter politics based on individual merit, following a ban last year. The prime minister and his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) overwhelmingly won a July 29 election widely criticized as unfree and unfair following the Supreme Courts November 2017 dissolution of the CNRP and a five-year ban on the political activities of 118 of its senior officials for the partys role in an alleged plot to topple the government. With CPP control of the country secured, Cambodias now one-party National Assembly is preparing an amended version of a draft law on political parties for a vote on Dec. 13 which, if accepted, would allow the 118 officials to reenter politics, although it does not provide for the reestablishment of the CNRP. The move is widely seen as part of a bid by Hun Sen to ease international pressure on his government in response to limiting democratic freedoms in the lead up to Julys election, in which the CPP won all 125 seats being contested. On Wednesday, Hun Sen told an audience during a speaking event in Kampong Speu province that he will ask King Norodom Sihamoni to reestablish the political rights of only those 118 officials who had shown respect for the Supreme Courts ruling, and vowed to imprison any who violated the ban. As prime minister, I am ready to accept individual requests [to have the political ban lifted], not one from a party, he said. He warned Interior Minister Sar Kheng to make no mistake that the passing of the draft law on political parties did not mean a blanket lifting of the ban on political activities for the 118 senior CNRP officials, and that each official needs to make an individual request to have their rights reinstated. Hun Sens critics, including acting CNRP president Sam Rainsy, have said the move to lift the ban on the opposition officials is a trap and warned that it does not go far enough to resolve Cambodias political crisis. Political trap On Wednesday, Sam Rainsy, who is living abroad in self-imposed exile to avoid a string of politically motivated convictions, urged the 118 officials not to accept Hun Sens demand that they request to have their political rights reinstated. He told RFAs Khmer Service that any deal must include the release of CNRP President Kem Sokha, who was arrested on charges of treason two months ahead of his partys dissolution and, while he has been granted bail, remains under house arrest, is barred from meeting with CNRP officials or foreigners, and cannot speak at or host any rallies or political activities. Sam Rainsy suggested that international pressure is working, and would soon lead Hun Sen to free Kem Sokha, reinstate the CNRP, drop all charges against members of the opposition, and return elected seats of government to the partys officials. Since the July election, the U.S. has since announced visa bans on individuals seen as limiting democracy in the country, as part of a series of measures aimed at pressuring Cambodia to reverse course, and outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia William Heidt recently called on the government to free Kem Sokha and foster political reconciliation in the nation. The European Union, which was the second biggest trade partner of Cambodia in 2017, withdrew support ahead of the ballot and has said it will drop a preferential trade scheme for Cambodian exports based on the countrys election environment. Hun Sen cant avoid it, so he is trying to trick the CNRP by offering a partial solution that will likely require its officials to defect to the ruling party, Sam Rainsy said. No one should fall into his trapdont feel threatened and please remain calm. Hun Sen must provide us a full solution that includes the reinstatement of the CNRP, Kem Sokhas release and allowing all 118 CNRP officials to reenter politics. Analyst Kim Sok told RFA that Hun Sen is trying to split the CNRP into pieces, like he has with other parties in the past. Hun Sen is facing a dead end [because of international pressure], so the CNRP must maintain its firm stance and dont fall for his strategy, he said. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Rath Rott Mony, the president of the Cambodian Construction Workers Trade Union Federation (CCTUF), in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in an undated photo. Thailand Wednesday deported the president of a construction workers union who helped produce a documentary about sex trafficking back to Cambodia. Rath Rott Mony will likely face political persecution amid a wider crackdown on labor activists by Prime Minister Hun Sen, his wife said Tuesday. She told RFAs Khmer Service Wednesday that a U.N. official based in Bangkok confirmed to her that the deportation occurred and he was handed over to Cambodian authorities, but his current whereabouts are not known. She said there has been no word from Cambodian officials on the matter. There is no information about my husbands whereabouts or his safety, she said. Hiding his whereabouts is a threat, she added. The authorities are pressuring him to say what they want. People must monitor the situation to find where theyre hiding him, she said. RFA was unable to reach the spokesman for Cambodias Ministry of Interior, Khieu Sopheak, for comments on Wednesday, but Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng told local reporters that authorities asked Thailand to extradite the activist to Cambodia for questioning. He said that there are no charges yet. Cambodian authorities say Mony abetted the production of fake news after he helped Russia Today (RT) film a documentary released in October called My Mother Sold Me, which tells the stories of impoverished families in Cambodia who hawked the virginity of their daughters, who were later forced into prostitution. On Monday, Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for Cambodias Interior Ministry, said the union leader had committed a crime and defamed his country. Action should be taken against him, he said, adding that Rath Rott Mony will not be free. Mony was detained in Bangkok on Dec. 7 while attempting to seek asylum at a visa office for the Netherlands by Thai police acting on a formal request by Cambodias government. Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by RFA's Khmer Service. Written in English by Eugene Whong. The U.S. State Department has hit out at the recent detentions of members of a large Protestant church in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, against a background of ever-widening religious persecution. Dozens of churchgoers and seminary students from the Early Rain Covenant Church in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu have been detained in a police raid on the church, which was shut down by the authorities earlier this year. Pastor Wang Yi and his wife Jiang Rong were among those detained in night raids on people's homes, according to the U.S.-based Christian rights group ChinaAid. "The massive overnight attack against members of the independent, renowned Early Rain Covenant Church represents a major escalation of religious persecution in China," group president Bob Fu said in a statement. Fu said the administration of President Xi Jinping is "deliberately making itself the enemy of universal values, such as religious freedom for all." Samuel D. Brownback, the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, said in a recent briefing that China, which has incarcerated an estimated one million Uyghurs and other minority ethnic Muslims in "re-education camps" in its northwestern Xinjiang region, is home to "one of the ... worst human rights situations in the world." "Its a very bad situation for a religious community," Brownback said. "Just yesterday, the Early Rain Church news was coming out in Chengdu it was raided, a number of people arrested." He said Muslims, Christians, and Tibetan Buddhists have all been subjected to persecution, resulting in frequent self-immolations among Tibetans in protest at the ruling Chinese Communist Party's actions, and that persecution of faith communities appears to be on the rise. "My particular concern now for China is theyve increased these actions of persecution against faith communit[ies]," Brownback said, citing reports that between 800,000 to two million minority Muslims are now held in Xinjiang's camps. "China isnt backing away from the religious persecution; it seems to be expanding. This is obviously very troubling to the administration," he said. Surrounded, detained An Early Rain church member said the church premises in Jiangxin Mansions on Chengdu's Taisheng North Road were surrounded on Saturday night by several hundred people, including police, who then sealed off the premises. "Over the past few days, starting last Saturday and continuing until this Tuesday, there have been several raids targeting the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu," the church member said. "It's been really awful." "More than 100 people have been taken away, and they are still detaining people," he said. "Pastor Wang has been detained, and I haven't heard from him." An officer who answered the phone at the nearby Qingyang district police department declined to comment when contacted by RFA on Tuesday. "Sorry, we can't give interviews here," the officer said. 'Stirring up trouble' A church member surnamed Zheng said Wang is being held under criminal detention on suspicion of "running an illegal business" and "illegal publishing," while some detainees are being held on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble." "Some people have returned home, although it's not clear what their situation is, and they remain under surveillance," she said. "All of the church leaders have been detained ... only a few regular church members are left." Last May, the church was targeted after members gathered for a memorial service on the 10th anniversary of the devastating 2008 earthquake. China is home to an estimated 68 million Protestants, of whom 23 million worship in state-affiliated churches, and some nine million Catholics, 5.7 million of whom are in state-sponsored organizations. But the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which embraces atheism, exercises tight control over any form of religious practice among its citizens. The administration of President Xi Jinping regards Christianity as a dangerous foreign import, with officials warning against the "infiltration of Western hostile forces" in the form of religion. Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. A former Canadian diplomat held by the Chinese authorities in the wake of the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer in Vancouver is being investigated for "harming national security," state-run media reported on . Michael Kovrig, who works for the non-government organization International Crisis Group (ICG), was detained days after the arrest of Huawei's Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition to the United States, which has accused her of violating its sanctions with Iran. Kovrig is currently under investigation by the Beijing municipal state security police, according to the Beijing News. "Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on Dec. 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm China's state security," the newspaper said in a brief report. There has been no official confirmation of Kovrig's detention by authorities. Chinese law allows police to detain those suspected of vaguely worded "national security" crimes and hold them under residential surveillance at a secret location for up to six months, with no access to lawyers or family visits. In , 42-year-old Lee Ming-cheh, a former local activist with Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), became the first overseas NGO worker known to be detained in China since a draconian law gave police control over foreign nongovernmental groups. He was detained by the ruling Chinese Communist Party's state security police on suspicion of "endangering national security" on his arrival in the southern border city of Zhuhai and was later jailed for "subversion of state power." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is in contact with Chinese officials regarding Kovrig's detention. "This is obviously an issue that we are taking very seriously and it is ongoing," he said on . Meanwhile, ICG chief Robert Malley said his group didn't engage in any activities related to China's national security, saying the group's work isn't secretive. "I don't want to speculate as to what's behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about what's not behind it, and what's not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security," Malley told Reuters. "Everything we do is transparent, it's on our website. We don't engage in secretive work, in confidential work." But foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Kovrig could have broken Chinese law, as the ICG wasn't registered in China as a non-government organization (NGO). "If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then that's already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organizations operating in China," Lu told a regular news briefing in Beijing. Meanwhile, a court in Vancouver released Meng on bail Tuesday following a three-day hearing. She will be confined for much of her day to her residence in Vancouver, and must wear an electronic GPS tag at all times, and comply with all court and police summonses and instructions. U.S. investigators must now file a formal extradition request by Jan. 8, 2019, after which Meng will appear at a hearing on Feb. 6, before the extradition hearing is scheduled. Canadian lawyer Qian Lu, who attended the bail hearing in the public gallery, said Meng's actions will need to be recognized as illegal under both U.S. and Canadian law before any extradition can proceed. "Furthermore, if the Canadian court believes that the United States has political considerations in requesting the extradition, it will never agree to it," Qian said. Meng was accused of fraudulent behavior during the bail hearing, that covered up her company's breach of U.S. sanctions against Iran, he said. "They don't want this case to become tainted by politics," he said. U.S. investigators allege that Meng, a Hong Kong passport-holder, set up a company called Skycom to re-sell U.S.-made computer equipment to Iran, bypassing sanctions, and then sought to cover up the company's links to Huawei through the alleged fraud. The case has raised questions, according to one commentator, about the use of Hong Kong as a "backdoor" to carry out illicit business with Beijing's blessing. "There is nothing particularly surprising about this case," Hong Kong commentator Ho-Fung Hung said in a commentary broadcast by RFA's Cantonese Service. "The Chinese Communist Party has used the special status of Hong Kong [as an independent customs territory] to do a lot of things internationally." The U.S. could, however, decide to revoke Hong Kong's status for trade purposes, should it judge the city to have insufficient autonomy to qualify as a separate customs jurisdiction, Hung wrote. "China has set up a number of shell companies in Hong Kong, and has been using these companies to import controlled equipment, and then transport it to mainland China, or even to North Korea and Iran," he said. If companies are found out, their founders merely shut them down and open new ones in Hong Kong, and carry on as before, he said. "Now, European and American countries have clearly understood that Beijing is abusing Hong Kong's status by using it as a backdoor," Hung said. "If Hong Kong people want to maintain its status as an international city, they should think about how to help Europe and the United States to detect and expose China's use of Hong Kong's special status to do evil in the world," he said. Reported by Shi Shan and Liu Fei for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Fok Leung-kiu and Lau Siu-fung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Coal piled up at the port of Nakhodka, Russia. The Russian Far Eastern port city of Nakhodka was very recently the center of the North Korean coal trade, where North Korean coal went to be laundereddisguised as Russian in originprior to export to other destinations. Pyongyang turned to laundering after the United Nations last year banned the export of several commodities of North Korean origin, in an effort to deprive North Koreas regime of money that could be used to further develop its nuclear program. But after the UN Sanctions Committee on North Korea announced in a report in September that Pyongyang violated sanctions, the international community is getting more serious about its compliance. The U.N. report documented North Korean actors formed banned joint ventures to flout sanctions with nearly 300 foreign businesses and individuals, including 215 from China and 39 from Russia, according to Foreign Policy, a U.S. magazine. The report said smuggling of refined oil was the most prominent sanctions-busting activity by Russians and others, but the coal ban was widely violated. Now, North Korean coal has all but disappeared from Nakhodka as enforcement was stepped up, coal traders say. When asked about North Korean coal by an RFA Korean Service reporter on Nov 23, Oleg Mikhailovish, a Russian coal broker asked, How are you going to pay for it? The problem in North Korea is that they dont have SWIFT, Mikhailovish said. SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) codes are unique identifiers for financial institutions and businesses that are used when transferring money internationally. The Belgium-based Society stopped doing business with North Korean banks in March 2017 following a U.N. report released a month earlier which detailed how North Korea was able to dodge sanctions by relying on the international banking system. Following the banking co-operatives decision, North Korea could still flout sanctions by sending cash to a third party to have them make the transactions. Authorities have since sought measures to stop these third party transactions. Sanctions have now all but killed North Korean coals once thriving presence in Nakhoda. Mikhailovish said it was impossible that any of the coal currently in the port could be North Korean. No ships carrying North Korean coal can come into port because of sanctions, he said. North Korean coal is cheap, but it is good, hard coal. We sent two ships to North Korea to bring some back, but they got caught during their return trip, said Mikhailovish, adding, The ships captains are now in prison and the ships are on sanctions lists. He said there were similar incidents recently. We tried to bring in some North Korean coal twice last year, but we got caught both times and those ships are now prohibited from entering the port, he said. Its all because of the sanctions. Since then, nobodys been trying to bring in any North Korean coal. Reported by Sangmin Lee and Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Six years after his disappearance at a Lao police checkpoint, the wife of rural development activist Sombath Somphone called again on the Lao government to account for his fate, saying she has been kept in the dark despite government promises to investigate his case. "I am very sad that after six long years, I still have no news about Sombath, Ng Shui Meng, a resident of Singapore, told RFAs Lao Service in a phone call on Dec. 12. Its the same situation, Ng said. They keep saying that they cannot find Sombath, that they are still investigating, she said. I expect the government to come clean and tell me what happened to Sombath, and also to give me a report of [their] investigation. Also speaking to RFA, Andrea Giorgettahead of the Asia desk for Paris-based International Federation for Human Rightssaid the Lao government should now provide concrete evidence of their progress in the investigation. We are extremely disappointed that another year has gone by, and that the Lao government still hasnt provided any updates or report on the investigation of the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, Giorgetta said. We renew our call for the government to thoroughly investigate his disappearance and determine his fate or whereabouts, he said. Taken away Sombath Somphone disappeared on the evening of Dec. 15, 2012, after his jeep was stopped at a police checkpoint outside the capital Vientiane, with video footage showing him later being forced into a white truck and taken away. Though police promised to investigate, Lao authorities soon backtracked, saying they could not confirm the identity of a man shown in the video driving off in Sombaths jeep, and refusing offers of outside expert help to analyze the footage. Before his abduction, Sombath had challenged massive land deals negotiated by the government that had left thousands of rural Lao villagers homeless with little paid in compensation. The deals had sparked rare popular protests in Laos, where political speech is tightly controlled. Sombaths decades of work on behalf of farmers and sustainable agricultural practices helped him win the U.N.s Human Resource Development Award for empowering the rural poor in Laos, and later the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership. 'A complicated case' Speaking in July at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Committee held in Geneva, Switzerland, Phoukhong Sisoulathdirector general of the Treaties and Laws Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairssaid the Lao government remains very concerned about the disappearance of the popular development expert and advocate for land rights. Its a very complex case, its a very complicated case, Phoukhong said. And like any other complicated case, it will take time, it will take years, to resolve, he said. Following its July 11-12 review in Geneva of Laos rights record, the U.N. Human Rights Commission voiced strong concern over enforced disappearances, violations of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and prison conditions in the one-party communist state. Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. An island in the Bay of Bengal developed to house tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees likely wont be opened this year, Bangladeshi officials acknowledged Wednesday after earlier announcing that the prime minister would inaugurate the controversial facility in October. Bangladeshi officials raced this year to finish building a residential complex on Bhashan Char island to ease congestion in Coxs Bazar district, where most of the more than 700,000 Rohingya fled following a military crackdown in Myanmars Rakhine state in 2017. She has been very busy with electioneering. So the possibility of her visit to Bhashan Char before election is very slim, Ihsanul Karim, the press secretary for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. The 71-year-old leader has started a countrywide campaign for the Dec. 30 parliamentary polls. Hasina told reporters in February that the plan to house the refugees on the flood-prone island would be temporary. Her government budgeted U.S. $276 million in the housing complex, a two-year construction project built under supervision of the Bangladeshi Navy. Chinese construction company Sinohydro was involved in constructing a 13-km (8-mile) embankment designed to protect the island from flooding and HR Wallingford, a British engineering consultancy firm, had been involved on the projects coastal stabilization measures. The embankment, protected by steel sheet, would allow the island to withstand flooding and cyclones, an official involved in the Bhashan Char project told BenarNews on condition of anonymity. The embankment will gradually be made 21-foot high, he said, adding that some people had been farming freshwater fish and raising cattle inside the island to prepare for the possible arrival of refugees. The official said there would be adequate water pumps to supply drinking water to the refugees on Bhashan Char, where workers had finished constructing two helipads. Two big ships and 20 high-speed boats would also be stationed on the island to help transport goods and refugees, he said. Earlier on, human rights groups opposed the plan to bring Rohingya to the island and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) emphasized that the relocation plan must be based on and implemented through voluntary and informed decisions. Last month, Rohingya refugees who live at camps in Coxs Bazar staged a loud protest against a bilateral plan by Bangladesh and Myanmar to start repatriating Rohingya to Rakhine, as empty buses stood nearby, waiting to transport them across the border. The process of sending the first batch of refugees was scheduled to begin Nov. 15, but officials called off the repatriation plan indefinitely amid the protests. Bangladesh officials had said previously that the island relocation plan would involve up to 100,000 Rohingya refugees from ramshackle camps in Coxs Bazar, where they face flooding and landslides. But that plan, they said, would not take place without Hasina leading the inauguration ceremony on the island, about 30 km (21 miles) from the mainland. On Wednesday, Joseph Tripura, a press officer with UNHCRs Dhaka office, told BenarNews that a team the U.N. refugee agency had visited the island on Oct. 23. We need more such visits. We are yet to certify that the isle is habitable, as we do not know its latest condition, he said. Tonmoy Das, deputy commissioner of Noakhali district, which encompasses Bhashan Char, told BenarNews on Wednesday that Hasina was supposed to visit the island on Nov. 3 and inaugurate the relocation, but then officials cancelled that schedule. We are busy with election duties. We have not received any instruction to relocate the Rohingya before election, Das said, emphasizing that it was difficult to predict whether the relocation would start before the end of December. Hasina, during a news conference in Dhaka early this year, described Bhashan Char as very nice, adding that even though her government was planning to transfer 100,000 refugees there, the island was large enough to accommodate up to 1 million people. Shah Rezwan Hayat, a joint secretary and chief of the Rohingya cell under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, told BenarNews that about 90 percent construction work in Bhashan Char had been completed. The Rohingya can live there now, he said. But it will not be opened before the prime minister formally opens it. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. A noticed posted on a street pole offers local women money to marry Chinese men or become surrogate mothers, in the border town of Muse in Myanmar's northern Shan state, December 2018. Myanmar authorities have launched an investigation into an apparent human-trafficking operation that recruits women as brides and birth surrogates for Chinese men through advertisements posted on the streets of a major trading town on Myanmars border with China, an anti-trafficking official said. Earlier this week, residents of Muse, a Myanmar border town in northern Shan state that serves as a major trade hub between the two countries, reported seeing advertisements posted on lampposts and building walls. One ad with a headline reading Invitation for Marriage in Chinese and Burmese, gives the height, income, and address of an unnamed Chinese man who is looking for a Myanmar bride between the ages of 26 and 32. The ad also provides a contact number and says more details can be discussed over the phone. Other advertisements with the headline Surrogate Mothers Wanted say a company is looking for women under the age of 25 to carry the babies of Chinese men in exchange for payments of 13,000 yuan (U.S. $1,900) a month plus meals and accommodations. The ads also provide a contact number. What were doing right now is were looking for those who posted the ads, Kyaw Nyunt, Myanmars anti-human trafficking police chief in Muse, told RFAs Myanmar Service. District and local police officials have been pulling down the ads and looking for those who are posting them, he said. Well arrest anyone who posts the ads and find out who told them to do it. Thats the plan. Investigative tactics Kyaw Nyunt said that Myanmar authorities launched the investigation in cooperation with Chinese authorities and are looking into the phone numbers listed on the ads. He said similar ads have been posted around Muse in the last three or four months, offering surrogate mothers payments totaling about 2.3 million kyats (U.S. $1,470) for 10 months to cover the time just before and during their pregnancies. Weve contacted the numbers on the ads. We also checked through WeChat apps, Kyaw Nyunt said, referring to the popular Chinese messaging app. They answered in Chinese when we made the calls, and calls to two other numbers went unanswered, so we just added our numbers to the WeChat contact list, he said. As part of the investigation, authorities are pretending to be women responding to the ads, claiming to understand the Chinese language and offering photos, he said. RFAs Myanmar Service tried to call some of the numbers on the notices, but could not reach anyone. When a reporter in RFAs office in Bangkok called one of the numbers, a Thai operators voice said the number was not available. Kyaw Nyunt also said that Myanmar authorities contacted Chinese authorities at a Border Liaison Office (BLO) to get them involved in the matter. Weve sent a message to the BLO, because China doesnt allow human trafficking, he said. Myanmar is also taking action against trafficking services. We asked the Chinese authorities to take action urgently because this case not only damages Myanmar womens dignity but also hurts Chinas reputation. Authorities in the BLO office in the Chinese town of Ruili across the Shweli River from Muse said they would follow up on the case, he said. They said that this kind of service is illegal in the country, so the ads are apparently scams, he said. Local outrage over ads Muse residents have expressed outrage over the ads posted along major roads and in downtown areas, said Thaung Tun, a member of the local relief organization the Karuna Foundation. Weve seen these notices over the last three or four months, he said. The latest ones are very recent and new. The ads are now in many public places, including along Pyidaungsu Road and on the downtown clock tower and utility poles. The authorities should prevent such activities, he said. Posting such ads in Myanmar is an insult to us. Its not just me; others are also angry and have ripped down the ads. A report published in December by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health measured the prevalence of trafficking for forced marriages and childbearing among women and girls from Myanmar, specifically from Shan and Kachin states to Chinas Yunnan province. It found that 7,500 of the estimated 171,000 women and girls who migrated to China between 2013 and 2017 were in forced marriages, while 5,100 of the migrants were forced to bear children. Young women and girls in civil war-ravaged Shan and neighboring Kachin state are particularly vulnerable to trafficking for forced marriages and childbearing in China, where a gender imbalance means there are not enough women for men to marry. Chinese men in rural areas who dont have wives are especially marginalized in a society that places family above all else. With demand for wives high, those who live near border areas with Southeast Asian countries look to neighboring countries like Myanmar to fill the void. Human traffickers also know there is money to be made in luring impoverished and vulnerable women across the border to be sold off as wives. The human trafficking issue in this area is always going on, said Thaung Tun about Muse. Some women are sold by human traffickers, some by their parents, their friends, and their boyfriends. Thaung Tun said hes heard that the price for brides from Shan and Kachin states is about 20 million kyats (U.S. $12,700), though the parents receive only 3 million-4 million kyats (U.S. $1,270-$1,900) after traffickers from both China and Myanmar take their cuts. Internally displaced women and children receive food in a temporary shelter at a church compound in Tanghpre village outside Myitkyina, capital of northern Myanmar's Kachin state, May 11, 2018. Credit: AFP The dangers of displacement The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that fighting between ethnic armies and Myanmar forces, or armed conflict between different ethnic armed groups, in Kachin and northern Shan states has displaced about 107,000 people during the past seven years. In Kachin state, the Myanmar government and the military have not allowed U.N. agencies to deliver humanitarian assistance to about 40,000 displaced people in areas controlled by armed groups, according to an OCHA brief issued in September. The qualitative data in the Hopkins report suggests that conflict and displacement increases the risk of forced marriage because of weakened social networks and a lack of protective systems. Poverty, age, low education levels, and rural status are also factors in both states that increase the likelihood of young women and girls being trafficked to China, it said. Some NGO workers say that a drop in humanitarian aid in recent years has led to an increase in trafficking. A lot of women have to stay at internally displaced persons [IDP] camps on account of the civil war, said Maran San Htoi, joint secretary of the Kachin Womens Association Thailand (KWAT). International humanitarian aid for these IDP camps has declined since 2016, and this has resulted in them being trafficked. B. Esther Ze Naw, an activist with the Kachin Peace Network, said aid organizations cut assistance to displaced young people between the ages of 16 to 35, while some IDP camps have faced total stoppages. The idea was to build self-reliance among the younger population instead of them depending on aid, which the government supported, she said. But the region where refugee camps are located has no strong economic activity, and its been a challenge to share resources after hundreds of thousands of displaced people arrived. A dearth of job opportunities is also an issue, she said. So self-reliance for young people becomes a driver of human trafficking and fuels its flames, she said. A Kachin woman in Muse who declined to give her name out of fear for her safety said families of trafficking victims becoming unknowingly involved in the trafficking process. They [traffickers] say you will have a better job on the other side, she told RFA. In some cases, they give the family a cash advance. For example, they gave our friends family 200,000 kyats (U.S. $127) out of an offer of 400,000-500,000 kyats (U.S. $253-$317). We ethnic minorities are usually naive, she said. The women have to serve as Chinese mens mistresses, and they are also treated like slaves after giving birth. Limited help from NGOs Domestic NGOs say they can only do some much with their own limited resources to prevent women and girls from falling victim to traffickers. We cant help them in some cases, especially if they are seeking help from remote areas, Moon Nay Li, KWATs general secretary, told RFA, adding that one of the groups safe houses has helped more than 100 women so far, and not just Kachins. We found out that they are not just ethnic Kachin women, but they are also ethnic Rakhine and other minorities, she said. In the past, most women have been from Kachin state and northern Shan state near China, but now there are some others from the lower part of the country. She said KWAT has reported trafficking cases to China, but that Chinese police were unable to rescue the women. Win Mara, chairman of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, said his organization has not received any reports about Myanmar women being trafficked to China. If we receive them, we will work on them by collaborating with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, he said. It seems as though relevant ministries are working on this issue. Reported by Thiri Min Zin and Tin Aung Khine for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Nandar Chann and Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. In a strong show of bipartisan support, the U.S. Congress on Dec. 11 passed legislation demanding access to Tibet for American journalists and diplomats now routinely denied entry by Chinese authorities to the Beijing-ruled Himalayan region. The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018 will require the U.S. Secretary of State, within 90 days of the bill being signed into law, to identify Chinese officials responsible for excluding U.S. citizens from Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region, and then ban them from entering the United States. The bill had earlier passed in September in the U.S. House of Representatives, and then went to the Senate for approval. The legislation is based on the diplomatic principle of reciprocity, in which countries should provide equal rights to one anothers citizens, the Washington D.C.-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a Dec. 11 statement welcoming passage of the bill. Travel by Americans in Tibet is now highly restricted, though Chinese citizens, journalists from state-sponsored propaganda outlets and bureaucrats of the Chinese Communist Party travel freely throughout the US and lobby the American government on Tibetan issues, ICT said. A formerly independent nation, Tibet was taken over by and incorporated into China by force nearly 70 years ago, following which Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and thousands of his followers fled into exile in India. Chinese authorities now maintain a tight grip on the region, restricting Tibetans political activities and peaceful expression of ethnic and religious identities, and subjecting Tibetans to persecution, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings. Chinas repression in Tibet includes keeping out those who can shine a light on its human rights abuses against the Tibetan people, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), one of the bills sponsors in the Senate, said in a statement. We should not accept a double standard where Chinese officials can freely visit the United States while at the same blocking our diplomats, journalists and Tibetan-Americans from visiting Tibet. I look forward to President Trump signing this bill into law that will help restore some measure of reciprocity to Americas relationship with China, Rubio said. Vietnamese democracy activists Nguyen Van Trang and Le Van Thuong are wanted for overthrowing their countrys communist government, police told RFAs Vietnamese Service on Tuesday. The two members of the banned Brotherhood for Democracy are being sought for activities aiming to overthrow the peoples administration under article 109 of the revised Vietnamese penal code, police in Thanh Hoa and Quang Ngai provinces told RFA by telephone. I was told by my family that representatives from Thanh Hoa police came to my house and read their decision to prosecute me and then on Dec. 10 they came again to read the wanted notice, accusing me of overthrowing the government, Trang told RFA on Tuesday. I will have to hide and continue my fight until Vietnam has democracy, he said. I had gone into hiding before they issued their decision to prosecute me. I was told by family and friends that they have been searching for me from the north to the south, added Trang, who is in his late 20s. Thuong, 30, was the subject of a wanted notice issued by Quang Ngai police on Nov. 26, more than two weeks after he had fled the area, the police said. Police asked anybody who sees Thuong to turn him in. Article 109 has been widely condemned by rights groups and legal experts for allowing a person to be imprisoned up to five years for preparing to criticize the state or preparing to join an independent political group disapproved by the government, Human Rights Watch said in an analysis in 2017, after the penal code revisions were unveiled. A number of vaguely-worded articles related to national security crimes are often used to prosecute people for exercising basic rights, and now they can be (mis)used in even more circumstances, said HRW of the amended code, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2018. Vietnams one-party communist governmentwhich controls all media, censors the internet, and restricts basic freedoms of expressionis currently detaining more than 200 political prisoners, Nguyen Kim Binh of Vietnam Human Rights Network said in a speech Sunday in California. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Paul Eckert. The European Parliament has awarded imprisoned Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov its 2018 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Thanks to his action, the entire world has begun speaking about Russian repressions, Sentsov's cousin Natalya Kaplan said at the award ceremony in Strasbourg on December 12. "Oleh has drawn a lot of attention to the issue of Ukrainian political prisoners [in Russia]. He has won already," she added. Sentsov has been imprisoned in Russia since opposing Moscow's takeover of his native Crimea in March 2014, and his absence at the Strasbourg ceremony was marked by an empty chair at the center of the plenary session. Kaplan read out a letter from her cousin, in which he said: "The present is often unfair. The history is always just. Everything always takes its rightful place and begins to be called for what it really is over time." Sentsov was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of terrorism in a trial criticized by human rights groups and Western governments as politically motivated. EU officials have called on Russias authorities to release the film director, saying he continues to be in poor health as he recovers from a 145-day hunger strike while in prison in a Far Northern Russian region. European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said Sentsov's "hunger strike and courageous public stance made him a symbol of the struggle for the release of political prisoners held in Russia and around the world." The 50,000 euro ($57,000) prize, named in honor of Soviet physicist and Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov, was established by the European Parliament in 1988 to honor individuals and organizations who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. Sakharov was a founder of the Moscow Helsinki Group, a Soviet-era rights group, along with Lyudmila Alekseyeva, who died on December 8. With reporting by dpa BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan has marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of prominent writer Chinghiz Aitmatov. President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and other top Kyrgyz officials on December 12 laid flowers at Aitmatovs grave at the Ata Beiit memorial complex near the capital, Bishkek. Speaking at a separate ceremony at the National Philharmonics House, Jeenbekov called Aitmatov a phenomenon in the world's literature." "Aitmatov was not just a great writer who managed to change people's inner world, he was a personality of a planetary scale," he said. The Kyrgyz writer died in 2008 in the age of 79. He was revered across the former Soviet Union as an author who could skillfully describe people's psychological and emotional ordeals. Aitmatov wrote in Russian and Kyrgyz. His novels were translated into 176 languages and more than 100 million copies of his books were issued in 128 countries. On December 7 in Moscow, Jeenbekov joined Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin at the unveiling ceremony of a monument honoring the Kyrgyz writer. The International Organization of Turkic Culture, Turksoy, declared 2018 the Year of Aitmatov. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to travel to New York on December 12 to participate in a UN Security Council meeting on Iran. During the session, Pompeo will underscore Washingtons unyielding resolve to address the Iranian regimes threats to international peace and security through their continued development and proliferation of ballistic missiles, the State Department said in a statement. The meeting comes after a senior Iranian military commander confirmed that Tehran recently carried out a ballistic-missile test that was condemned by Western powers. "We are continuing our missile tests and this recent one was a significant test," the Fars news agency quoted Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps aerospace commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh as saying on December 11. The UN Security Council met last week to discuss the December 1 test, which the United States said violated UN Resolution 2231, which was passed as part of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Britain and France described the test as "provocative" and "inconsistent" with the resolution. Russia, which has veto power, has defended Iran's right to carry out missile tests. Resolution 2231 has called for Iran to refrain from testing missiles capable of carrying a nuclear weapon but does not specifically forbid Tehran from missile launches. Tehran says its missile program is defensive and not aimed at building an arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles. A leading rights watchdog has called on Russian authorities to abolish the country's law banning gay "propaganda, arguing it is having a deeply damaging effect on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. In a new report, Human Rights Watch says that the 2013 law intensified the hostility LGBT people in Russia have long suffered, and it also stifled access to LGBT-inclusive education and support services. The 92-page report, issued on December 12, called the law a classic example of political homophobia that targets vulnerable sexual and gender minorities for political gain. Formally called the law aimed at protecting children from information promoting the denial of traditional family values, it bans the propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" among minors a reference universally understood to mean a ban on providing children with access to information about he lives of LGBT people. However, according to Kyle Knight, a researcher at HRW, the blatantly discriminatory law has had the complete opposite effect of what the proponents of the law suggested it would have. The law has been used to shut down online information and mental health referral services for children and has discouraged support groups and mental health professionals from working with children, Knight explained. Knight said the law contributed to an intensification of harassment and violence against LGBT people in Russia. The evidence we have in our new report shows the law actually ruined some childrens lives, Knight told RFE/RL. Giving Homophobes Free Rein HRW interviewed dozens of LGBT youth and mental health professionals across Russia, to examine the everyday experiences of the children in schools, home, and in public. Diana F., a 14-year-old lesbian from the Khabarovsk region, told HRW that she felt as if the law literally makes homophobes have free rein in our country. LGBT people, the teenager said, are afraid to organize prides and demonstrations. According to the HRW report, the law has also been exploited by vigilante groups to attack LGBT people. Some of the LGBT youth interviewed by HRW spoke about the authorities inadequate response to such assaults. Georgy L., a 14-year-old transgender boy, explained why he was fearful: Hazing, beatings, and undermining of LGBT teens are not taken seriously. Im sure the police will not consider a report from a teenager about being beaten, if he says that he is part of the LGBT community. Adults can safely mock us, rape us, and undermine us, he said. The LGBT youth interviewed for the report described being constantly on alert for harassment and violence. Many said they confront the anguished choice of hiding their identity to protect themselves from abuse or being open about who they are and facing greater risk. The report criticizes the Russian Orthodox Church for making inflammatory public statements about gay people, fueling existing anti-LGBT sentiments. According to HRW, one high-level church official once said that same-sex relations should be completely eliminated from Russian society, preferably through moral persuasion but, if necessary, through a public referendum on re-criminalizing homosexuality. HRW says that the law banning gay "propaganda" makes it harder for mental health professionals to offer LGBT people support. One psychologist described how, even in situations where it is clinically relevant to discuss a child clients sexual orientation, he feels constrained by the law: Teenagers often wait for me to ask a direct and precise question about his or her sexual orientation or gender identity, but the law prevents me from doing that. Another said she covers all LGBT-themed books on her office bookshelf during clinical sessions to avoid being accused of spreading gay "propaganda. For Some, Stigma Begins At Home The report also says that for many LGBT children, stigma begins at home. Most of those interviewed by HRW said that it was a priority for them that their parents accept them for who they are. However, many LGBT youth felt they could not turn to their parents for guidance and support. I tried to have a conversation about LGBT [issues] with my parents, but they were homophobic. And getting no support, I sort of dropped it, said Veronika A., a 17-year-old in the Astrakhan region. It doesnt get much better at school. Many LGBT youth told HRW that they frequently hear anti-LGBT slurs at school from their teachers and fellow students, creating a hostile environment. Kirill G., a 16-year-old gay boy, said, My biology teacher knew very little of LGBT and at times spewed some nonsense about how its against the laws of nature and those people are sick. And the social-science teacher quoted the Bible and would not accept any other arguments. Some teachers equated being LGBT with having a disability, while others stated that LGBT people did not deserve to live, sometimes using words that could be taken as encouraging violence, the report says. Facing such abuse, many LGBT students have left school. Valentina D., 18, told HRW: The school was a living hell. I always felt an atmosphere of hatred. Some teachers spoke out against LGBT people and my classmates supported them. I often faced rude insults, humiliating jokes -- harsh words that can even be called threats. It became so unbearable that I decided in my last year of school to transfer to self-education, she said. Cynical Aim Among other recommendations, HRW has called on Russias Ministry of Education to establish reporting mechanisms to receive complaints of harassment, bullying, and violence, and promptly investigate and act appropriately. It called on the Russian government to repeal the gay "propaganda law and other laws that contain discriminatory provisions against LGBT people. It urged Moscow to introduce legislation to protect the rights of all LGBT people, including children. Now, with this report, you have evidence that undermines the very theory of the law, Knight said. The theory that the law protects children is completely debunked with the evidence that we present here. The authorities should take it very seriously that this law is not achieving even its discriminatory, cynical aim, Knight told RFE/RL. Russia's space agency said two cosmonauts took samples of the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS) as part of efforts to resolve the mystery of a small hole found in a Soyuz spacecraft docked at the station. The two Russians performed the space walk on December 11, as part of an effort by Roskosmos to pinpoint the cause of the hole, which was found in August in the capsule and strained relations between the Russian and U.S. space agencies. live broadcast shown on NASA's website showed Oleg Kononenko and Sergei Prokopyev trying to cut through insulation of the spacecraft with a knife, in order to find the external part of the hole. The materials will be brought back to Earth for further examination. The chief of Roskosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, had floated unusual theories, including that an American astronaut purposely made the 2-millimeter hole in order to return to Earth sooner than scheduled. The American commander who was in charge of the station at the time flatly denied any wrongdoing by himself or his crew. Rogozin later backpedaled on his statement. The U.S. space agency NASA, meanwhile, has downplayed the incident over the puncture, which caused a slight drop in oxygen but was quickly sealed, With reporting by AP and Reuters Washington's special envoy for Iran says the U.S. administration is looking into the visas of relatives of Iranian officials who are residing in the United States with an eye to possible action to expose hypocrisy within the ranks of Iran's government. Brian Hook announced the review in a December 11 video in which he said the United States was "working" on the issue, without providing details. "I can tell you that we are working on it, and while I can't discuss individual cases or internal policy deliberations, you can be sure that we are pursuing all options to pressure the corrupt hypocrites in your government to change their behavior," Hook said in the video, which was posted via the State Department's Persian-language Twitter account. He said the warning was a response to questions from Iranians who had asked why the United States was not revoking the visas of the relatives of regime officials. The Trump administration earlier this year won a Supreme Court battle over a travel ban on citizens of Iran and six other countries, four of them with Muslim majorities, that was seen as fulfilling a 2016 campaign pledge to halt flows of some nationals to bolster U.S. security. The Iranian outcry was swift and sharp, with complaints that Iranians of all walks of life were being unfairly punished for the actions of policies emanating from Tehran. Relatives of Iranian officials in the United States include the son of Massumeh Ebtekar, Irans vice president, who served as a spokeswoman for the Islamic student revolutionaries who seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979, and the daughter of Irans parliament speaker, Ali Larijani. Hook said the presence of the heirs of Iranian officials in the United States, which is routinely branded the "Great Satan" by Iranian hard-liners, exemplified "the hypocrisy of the regime." "I have to admit, this is another example of the hypocrisy of the regime, while the regime officials chant, 'Death to America,' they send their families to the so-called 'Great Satan' to live and study here, using the resources of the Iranian people," Hook said. It appears to be an unprecedented step at a time when the U.S. administration is already squeezing Iran through the recent reimposition of tough economic sanctions over Tehran's alleged support for international terrorism, meddling abroad, deception over a disputed nuclear program, and rights abuses at home. Hossein Alizadeh, a former Iranian diplomat and a researcher at the Peace Research Institute of the University of Tampare, in Finland, told RFE/RL that governments tend to keep academic and student ties separate from political issues and disagreements. "Countries can break political ties while academic ties and student programs [continue]," Alizadeh said. But he noted the U.S. decision to end the 1955 Treaty of Amity with Iran as a sign of even further pressing by Washington. "Were seeing a new way by the Trump administration that does not have a precedent," Alizadeh said. "As a result, I can envisage that the U.S. could revoke student visas of the relatives of Iranian officials as part of the measures it is taking against Iran." Thousands of Iranians study in the United States despite the recent travel ban. The United States broke its ties with Iran following the 1979 revolution and the related sacking of the embassy in Tehran and taking of U.S. diplomats as hostages in a crisis that continued for 444 days. The two countries experienced something of a detente after a multilateral deal to curb Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions was completed under U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015. That deal was opposed by many hawks in Iran and the United States. But tensions have been ratcheted up since U.S. President Donald Trump got into office in 2017. Trump withdrew from the nuclear accord in May and announced a revival of tough sanctions that had been removed as part of the deal. The United States has said that it is seeking to change Iran's "malign behavior," including its missile program and support for proxy groups in the region. NBC News reported on December 3 that the families of Americans imprisoned in Iran have called on the Trump administration to deny visas to children of senior Iranian officials. Those families have reportedly provided the administration and several lawmakers with a list of Iranian nationals in the United States who are believed to be the children or relatives of senior Iranian officials, the report said. At least four Americans are currently in jail in Iran on charges of espionage that are dismissed by their families and friends. They include Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University student who was reportedly conducting research on the late Qajar dynasty when he was arrested in 2017. Ebtekar, Irans vice president on women and family affairs, whose son has studied in California, reportedly said in a recent interview that studying in the United States was not a "confirmation of Americas hegemony." "Many studied in the U.S., which does not necessarily mean support for U.S. policies," Ebtekar said in an interview with the semiofficial ISNA news agency published in November. "Young people's views may not be fully in line with their parents." U.S. President Donald Trump's longtime personal lawyer is scheduled to be sentenced after pleading guilty to tax and bank fraud and campaign finance charges that potentially could implicate Trump himself. A U.S. judge will decide on December 12 whether Michael Cohen gets leniency or years in prison for crimes he's admitted to, which also include lying to Congress about Trump's past business dealings in Russia. U.S. prosecutors have said in earlier court filings that Cohen failed to fully cooperate with investigators, and they're seeking a "substantial" jail term. Cohens case focuses on the work he did while employed by Trump's business organization. Among the charges he admitted to was arranging so-called "hush-money" payments to women who claimed they had affairs with Trump. Those payments occurred during the 2016 campaign and allegedly were reimbursed by Trump, which means they could be considered campaign contributions. If the contributions exceeded a certain amount and they weren't reported publicly, that could be considered a felony crime. The case against Cohen grew out of the investigation being conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into interactions between Russian officials and Trump associates. In related news, lawyers for Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, asked a judge for leniency when imposing a sentence for lying to federal agents. Flynn was fired shortly after Trump took office in January 2017 for misleading Trump administration officials about communications with Russian officials. He pleaded guilty in December 2017. Last week, Mueller told a court that Flynn had provided substantial assistance to investigators and should be spared prison time. Trump has repeatedly denied any suggestions that his campaign coordinated with Russian officials during the 2016 election campaign. In an interview with Reuters on December 11, he said he was confident he was not in danger of being impeached by Congress. "It's hard to impeach somebody who hasn't done anything wrong and who's created the greatest economy in the history of our country," Trump told Reuters in an Oval Office interview. "I'm not concerned, no. I think that the people would revolt if that happened," he said. Many Democratic lawmakers said such a campaign-law violation would be an impeachable offense. Senior Democratic leaders in Congress, however, have questioned whether it is a serious enough crime to merit impeachment proceedings, which requires a simple majority to pass the House of Representatives, where Democrats will take control in January. Removal of a president from office further requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Republicans currently control that chamber. With reporting by Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump's longtime personal lawyer was sentenced to three years in prison on December 12 after pleading guilty to tax and bank fraud and campaign finance charges that potentially could implicate Trump himself. In a related matter that further deepened Trump's legal problems, the publisher of a mass-market tabloid admitted it had cooperated with Trump's 2016 election campaign to prevent a woman from going public with her claim that she had an affair with Trump. Michael Cohen's sentencing came after he admitted that he lied to Congress about Trump's past business dealings in Russia, as well as his involvement in so-called "hush money" payments to women who claimed they had affairs with Trump. U.S. District Judge William Pauley sentenced Cohen to 36 months for the payments, which violated campaign finance law, and to two months for making false statements to Congress. The two terms will run simultaneously. Pauley set March 6 for Cohen's voluntary surrender. Cohen, 52, worked for years as Trump's personal lawyer and "fixer," helping to resolve thorny business issues for the real estate tycoon, and he once said he would "take a bullet" for Trump. Cohen's home and office were raided in March by investigators, who seized reams of documents, computer servers, and other files. "It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light," Cohen told the judge during the sentencing hearing. U.S. prosecutors have said in earlier court filings that Cohen failed to fully cooperate with investigators, and they were seeking a "substantial" jail term. Cohens case focused on the work he did while employed by Trump's business organization. The payments Cohen made occurred during the 2016 campaign, which were allegedly reimbursed by Trump, could be considered campaign contributions. In court filings, prosecutors have alleged those contributions exceeded the legal limit and that they weren't reported publicly, something that could be considered a felony crime. Just hours after Cohen's sentencing hearing, federal prosecutors announced they had granted immunity to the publisher of the National Enquirer, American Media Inc., known as AMI. "As a part of the agreement, AMI admitted that it made the $150,000 payment in concert with a candidate's presidential campaign, and in order to ensure that the woman did not publicize damaging allegations about the candidate before the 2016 presidential election," the U.S. Attorney's Office for Manhattan said in a statement. The case against Cohen grew out of the investigation being conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into interactions between Russian officials and Trump associates. Trump has repeatedly denied any suggestions that his campaign coordinated with Russian officials during the 2016 election campaign. He has accused Mueller's team of pressuring his former aides to lie about him, his campaign, and his business dealings. Neither Trump nor the White House responded to news of Cohen's plea, and Trump ignored questions from reporters at a White House event. In an interview on December 11, however, he said he was confident he was not in danger of being impeached by Congress. "It's hard to impeach somebody who hasn't done anything wrong and who's created the greatest economy in the history of our country," Trump told Reuters in an Oval Office interview. Russia has denied U.S. allegations of interfering in the election to help Trump. With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and BBC Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has pardoned 796 prisoners to mark the International Day of Neutrality marked on December 12, state media report. The reports said Berdymukhammedov signed the amnesty decree on December 10 "following a long-established noble tradition." In 2017, the UN General Assembly declared December 12 as the International Day of Neutrality. Turkmenistan has been recognized by the UN as a permanently neutral state since December 1995. Berdymukhammedov, an authoritarian ruler who controls all aspects of Turkmen society, has issued amnesty decrees several times a year, usually on the eve of state holidays. His last clemency, announced on September 24, pardoned 1,722 inmates on the eve of Independence Day, marked on September 27. Such clemencies usually do not cover inmates convicted on politically motivated charges. With reporting by turkmenistan.gov.tm The U.S. House of Representatives has condemned the Russian-backed Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline, saying the undersea project will boost Russian control over Europes energy supplies. The measure, passed on December 11 by the lower house of Congress, was a symbolic resolution. But it was the latest effort by U.S. authorities to try and block the $11 billion project. According to the bipartisan resolution, the pipeline is a "drastic step backwards for European energy security and United States interests," and it called for European governments to reject the project. The measure also urged President Donald Trump to "use all available means to support European energy security." Nord Stream 2 would run under the Baltic Sea, bringing Russian gas directly to Western Europe and bypassing the existing networks running through Ukraine. INFOGRAPHIC: Pipeline From Hell? (click to view) Washington has stepped up efforts to try and thwart the project. A day earlier, Francis Fannon, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for energy resources, warned that Russia wanted to increase leverage over Europe, and its grip over Ukraine, using Nord Stream 2. Leaders of some of the largest industries in Germany and elsewhere have backed the pipeline as a way to diversify gas supplies. Germany's foreign minister has said Berlin will not withdraw its political support for it and Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she secured a pledge from Russian President Vladimir Putin allowing gas shipments across Ukraine's territory. The project, however, has been opposed both by Trump and his predecessor, Barack Obama, as a tool for Russia to consolidate its sway over Europe. Putin has said that Nord Stream 2 is purely economic and not directed against other countries. Russian gas could continue to go through Ukraine if the pipeline is completed, he has said. Ukraine, which has been in conflict with Russia since Moscow annexed the Crimea Peninsula in 2014, has warned that Moscow would use the pipeline as a political weapon. Ukraine also stands to lose out on billions of dollars in transit fees if Russian gas bypasses it. With reporting by Bloomberg U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told the UN Security Council that Washington would seek to work with the 15-member body to reimpose ballistic-missile restrictions on Iran. In his December 12 address to the council meeting on Iran, Pompeo also said a UN arms embargo on Tehran should not be lifted in 2020. "We risk the security of our people if Iran continues stocking up on ballistic missiles," Pompeo said. Iran has "hundreds of missiles which pose a threat to our partners in the region," Pompeo said, referring to Israel and Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia. He called on the Security Council to establish "inspection and interdiction measures in ports and on the high seas to thwart Iran's continuing efforts to circumvent arms restrictions." "We risk escalation of conflict in the region if we fail to restore deterrence. And we convey to all other malign actors that they, too, can defy the Security Council with impunity if we do nothing," he said. Responding to Pompeo, Iranian envoy Eshagh Al Habib said the U.S. secretary of state was casting Iran as a threat to sell more "beautiful weapons," sarcastically quoting Trump's rationale for backing Saudi Arabia. The Security Council meeting comes after a senior Iranian military commander confirmed that Tehran recently carried out a ballistic-missile test that was condemned by Western powers. "We are continuing our missile tests and this recent one was a significant test," the Fars news agency quoted Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps aerospace commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh as saying on December 11. The council met last week to discuss the December 1 test, which the United States said violated UN Resolution 2231, which was passed as part of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Britain and France described the test as "provocative" and "inconsistent" with the resolution. Russia, which has veto power, has defended Iran's right to carry out missile tests. Resolution 2231 has called for Iran to refrain from testing missiles capable of carrying a nuclear weapon but does not specifically forbid Tehran from missile launches. Tehran says its missile program is defensive and not aimed at building an arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles. Trump has made pressuring Iran a major focus, withdrawing the United States in May from a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, and reimposing sanctions lifted under the agreement. Trump said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq. European powers said they were working to ensure that Iran sees the economic fruits of compliance, but Irans economy suffered a major blow due to the renewal of sanctions by Washington. With reporting by AFP, dpa, and Reuters A Kyiv court said that a Ukrainian lawmaker and a top anticorruption officials decision in 2016 to publish documents linked to President Donald Trumps then-campaign chairman amounted to interference in the U.S. presidential election. The December 11 finding came in response to a complaint filed by another Ukrainian lawmaker, who alleged that Serhiy Leshchenko and Artem Sytnyk illegally released the documents in August 2016, showing payments by a Ukrainian political party to Trumps then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. The documents, excerpts from a secret ledger of payments by the Party of Regions, led to Manafort being fired by Trumps election campaign. The Kyiv court said that the documents published by Leshchenko and Sytnyk were part of an ongoing pretrial investigation in Ukraine into the operations of the pro-Russian Party of Regions. The partys head had been President Viktor Yanukovych until he fled the country amid mass protests two years earlier. The court said the publication of the so-called black ledger documents led to interference in the electoral processes of the United States in 2016 and harmed the interests of Ukraine as a state. In a post to Facebook on December 12, Leshchenko, who is a member of Ukraines parliament, criticized the ruling, saying it was politically motivated, and aimed at undermining Sytnyk, who is director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. The bureau, known as NABU, is a special agency set up to root out Ukraines notorious government corruption. However, its been hobbled by political infighting, and, according to some critics, has been undermined by President Petro Poroshenko and his allies. Manaforts consulting and lobbying work for the Party of Regions netted him millions of dollars over the past decade. In 2017, he was charged with tax and bank fraud, in the first prosecution brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. A U.S. jury found him guilty of many of those charges in August. He pleaded guilty to a separate set of charges, related to his failure to file required lobbying and foreign agent reports, and he agreed to cooperate with Muellers investigators. However, Muellers team has accused Manafort of not being truthful about his contacts with a shadowy Russian operative whom U.S. prosecutors say works with Russian intelligence. Manafort, who has been jailed since June, is scheduled to be sentenced on his jury conviction in February. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoev has called for the modernization of the country's wine industry and brought 60,000 vine cuttings from France. But can the Muslim state transform an ancient tradition into a modern industry which can compete on international markets? Federal tourism secretary reports Mexico to receive more tourists in 2019 Mexico City, Mexico The new federal tourism secretary says that Mexico is likely to receive more than 44 million international tourists for 2019. Miguel Torruco Marques, federal tourism secretary reports that next year, they anticipate Mexico will reach 44.8 million international visitors, an increase of 5.8 percent over 2018. In 2018, according to the trend from January to September, the closure figures will show 42.4 million tourists which is 4.6 percent more than in 2017, he stressed. He explained that in 2017, the national hotel infrastructure was 22,000 thousand establishments with 800,600 hotel rooms, and by the end of 2018, it is estimated to be 23,200 establishments with 834,000 hotel rooms, equivalent to a growth of 5.5 percent and 4.9 percent respectively. Torruco Marques added that the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico has been eliminated, an organization that had been in charge of coordinating, designing and operating tourism promotion strategies at a national and international level. The elimination is a fact. We are going to be a non-obese state, more productive. We are going to give results with two sub-secretariats, not with three, not on the number of tourists, but on the largest economic outcome. The decommissioned Didcot Power Station collapsed in February 2016 A DEMOLITION worker who narrowly avoided being caught up in the Didcot disaster after swapping shifts with one of the victims has been spared a spell behind bars. John Smith (45) carried on dancing for several minutes at The County pub in Rotherham town centre after flooring David Still with a haymaker punch. Sheffield Crown Court heard Smith's life entered a downward spiral after four of his workmates - including John Shaw and Ken Cresswell of Rotherham - were killed when the decommissioned Oxfordshire power plant they were dismantling collapsed in February 2016. Smith had taken the day off for his birthday and one of the men who was killed had gone to work in his place. The court heard Smith, of Rother View Road, Canklow, self-medicated by drinking instead of seeking counselling. Over a year later, in the early hours of May 5, 2017, he knocked out Mr Still in The County - fracturing his skull. Ms Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, described CCTV to the court last Wednesday, saying: "There doesn't appear to be any difficulty between them for some period. "One blow puts him [Mr Still] on the floor, leaving him unconscious, while the defendant continues to dance for several minutes." Ms Hollis said there was nothing on CCTV or in evidence to show what caused the incident. Mr Still was in hospital in an induced coma for a week and discharged himself against medical advice. "He [Mr Still] said in a victim personal statement that he was paranoid now about going out and socialising," said Ms Hollis. Smith admitted grievous bodily harm at the same court the day before his sentencing hearing. Mr Dermot Hughes, mitigating, said Smith's life was turned on its head on the day of the Didcot disaster. "Because it was his birthday, he agreed to swap shifts with a family member," said Mr Hughes. "Whilst he was not working, and whilst he was celebrating his birthday, his family member, who took over Mr Smith's shift, was caught up in the incident and lost his life." Mr Hughes said Smith suffered feelings of misplaced guilt and did not seek any counselling following the incident, instead turning to drink and suffering physically and financially as a result. He said Smith worked in London from the early hours of Monday to late on a Friday evening every week, while his wife was working three jobs. Mr Hughes added: "He's not a bad man, he's far from it. He's a man that fell into the sort of mistake that people often do in the face of such difficulties." Judge Rachel Harrison gave Smith a 16-month jail term suspended for two years. "Whatever happened between the two of you, you punched him with what could be described by TV pundits as an absolute haymaker of a punch," she said. "You carried on dancing while he lay prone on the floor. Instead of being man enough to admit the offence, you answered no comment to the police. "You need to stop drinking. It clearly doesnt agree with you. "You have shown yourself to be an exceptionally violent man while you're drunk." Smith was also ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work. AWDC imports-exports data for October 2021 According to the data released by the AWDC, imports of rough diamonds by Antwerp decreased by 25,04% in October 2021 reaching 7 306 052,17 carats (against 9 747 005,26 carats in October 2020) and rose by 10,66% in value reaching $967... Gold may lose sheen on GOIs plans to hike bullion GST rates The Government of Indias (GOI) proposal to hike GST on gold jewellery to 5 per cent from 3 per cent is set to derail the industry, according to Indias industry members. The Gem & Jewellery industry is currently returning to its former status... Global diamond rough output to reach 120Mcts this year Zimnisky The global rough diamond output is expected to reach 120 million carats this year compared to a high of 150 million carats in 2017, according to an independent diamond analyst. Global rough diamond output fell by about 20% to 111.4 million carats... Angola wants to polish 20% of the countrys total rough production It is our target to polish 20% of our total diamond output per year, mineral resources minister Diamantino Azevedo told the Angola International Diamond Conference (AIDC) in Saurimo. I know 20% is not an easy task, but that is the... Half of the injured were in absolute emergency critical condition. Mayor Roland Ries told media the gunman got inside a security zone to stage the attack.The incident is being treated as an act of terror, police and government officials said. The country increased the security alert level hours after the attack occurred. Prosecutors say the 29 year old shooter has been identified but remains at large after authorities went to his house and failed to find him but found explosive materials. He has a criminal record and has been linked to radicalism. The suspect was shot and wounded by soldiers standing guard over the Christmas market. Soldiers yelled for people to stay indoors and told those outside to go home. Some 350 security forces and two helicopters were involved in the search for the assailant. The European Parliament was locked down after the shooting but the legislative sessions will continue for the rest of the week. Strasbourgs well-known market is set up around the citys cathedral during the Christmas period and becomes a popular gathering place. We will also reinforce security at all Christmas markets to prevent copycat attacks, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner declared. This happened in western German Westonnen, a suburb of the town of Werl, after a ton of liquid chocolate flowed out of DreiMeister factory and because of the very cold temperatures quickly solidified on the pavement. A small technical defect, in fact a mechanical issue involving a storage tank caused the chocolate to spill out from the factory.On the chilly pavement, the milk chocolate quickly hardened. The road was closed. The fire brigade were called around 8pm . 25 firefighters used shovels, hot water and torches to remove the chocolate. Employees of the DreiMeister factory also helped with the emergency. Fire brigade and specialist cleaners spent two hours cleaning up the mess. Company boss Markus Luckey told media if the spill had happened closer to Christmas, that would have been a catastrophe. Despite this heartbreaking incident, it is unlikely that a chocolate-free Christmas is imminent, the fire department said. DreiMeister is a luxury chocolate-maker that specilaises in handmade treats sold through specialist retailers. The company has 130 regular employees and around 50 to 80 seasonal workers. UofSC Creativity Music, engineering and global studies programs emphasize flexible thinking, skills When Alyssa Moreau applied and auditioned for music programs, most universities told her she had to choose between studying performance or focusing on another facet of the music industry. The University of South Carolina told her she could do both. Now a freshman at Carolina, the saxophone player from Greensboro, North Carolina, is part of a new degree program in the School of Music that allows her to expand her major of music performance with a concentration in music technology. Its one of several new degree programs the university offers that illustrate new, creative curricula by adding innovation, an entrepreneurial approach or other types of value to traditional degrees. Along with the music students, a new masters program in technology innovation and entrepreneurship brings together expertise from the College of Engineering and Computing and the Moore School of Business, while the Global Studies undergraduate degree prepares students for careers with an understanding of urgent global issues. Broadening the sounds of music Undergraduate students in the School of Music can now earn a bachelor of music in performance degree with one of three new specializations chamber music, music entrepreneurship and music technology. Tina Stallard, the music schools associate dean and director of undergraduate studies, says the new degree programs are in line with the schools values which include giving students additional tools they need for successful careers and focusing on the importance of community engagement. We are looking at ways that we have degrees that speak to our values, but also are important to students and, frankly, to parents. How is this degree going to be marketable to me or to my child? Not only are they getting a high-quality education in performance, theyre getting an extra edge with these 12 hours of concentrated focus, Stallard says. Freshman Alyssa Moreau is combining her major of music performance with a concentration in music technology. Those 12 hours allow students to work with excellent chamber musicians and talented faculty in areas such as music recording and entrepreneurship. Some will add creative aspects to innovative recitals, perhaps through an original composition or an experiment in lighting. They will be encouraged to address the audience at recitals, as a way of engaging in a personal manner. Others will focus on ways to better market themselves, including creating electronic press kits with high-quality audio and visual recordings. Many of our faculty are very excited because they themselves are entrepreneurial and innovative, Stallard says. Many of my colleagues are doing these sorts of things with their students already, encouraging them to develop diverse skills and to think more about engaging with the community. But to have something that is more prescriptive in place that they can follow is really good. Stallard says prospective students have expressed interest in the new degree program, with students at college fairs particularly interested in the focus on chamber music, something typically reserved for graduate students. "We are going to be a leader in this field. The School of Music is forging a path already with some of our initiatives and this is another where we are continuing to establish ourselves as leaders for building 21st century musicians, she says. For freshman Moreau, who has been playing the saxophone since the fifth grade, the program allowed her to combine her interest in performing with skills she hopes to gain in recording and mixing music in the studio. The other schools were making me choose between performing and the music industry. I couldnt choose between the two right now. Here, its really nice to get both of them, Moreau says. You get more of a well-rounded experience with music, yet you get to continue playing and focusing on an instrument. Filling the technology, innovation gap Surveys from industry leaders about new hires adapting to the workplace reveal a common concern: Engineering and other STEM students arrive at the workplace prepared in the science and technical fields, but they often dont understand what it means to commercialize a product. Meanwhile, business students are well versed in what it takes to introduce a new product to the market, but they often dont grasp the technology necessary to create it. So, there was this gap, says Ehsan Jabbarzadeh, associate professor of chemical and biomedical engineering and director of entrepreneurship at the College of Engineering and Computing. To help fill in that gap, Carolina has created a masters degree in technology innovation and entrepreneurial engineering that is a collaboration between the College of Engineering and Computing and the Darla Moore School of Business. Faculty from both schools teach and mentor students in the one-year graduate program that prepares students with the skills needed to assess whether a concept is both technically viable and potentially profitable. It takes students through the entrepreneurship and start-up process, with an understanding of technology development, marketplace customer discovery and commercialization. What CEOs are talking about, the new generation of the workforce have to be problem solvers, but they also have to understand what it takes to communicate with customers. At the end of the day, every company has a product somebodys buying. And that knowledge should be engrained in our education, Jabbarzadeh says. Jabbarzadeh said the new degree program emerged from discussions that began about two years ago to find avenues to combine the two disciplines. The program takes students through the full process of commercializing a product from prototyping to creating and launching a new venture to customer delivery. Course offerings include technology feasibility analysis, entrepreneurial finance, launching new ventures and engineering prototyping. The program culminates in a summer innovation emersion module in the form of an internship, a workshop or a new start-up. The first cohort of 10 students, who started this fall, features a mix of new graduates and others already in the workforce, including GE and Boeing employees. Classes are offered late in the day so working students can participate. An additional 14 additional students will join the masters program this spring. We dont claim to create entrepreneurs. I tell the students you dont leave this program as a Bill Gates, he says. What you learn are the tool kits that you have to know to launch a product. Whether youre a start-up, a large company or small company, the same tool kits are handy. He said students who are already in the workforce say they wish they had learned these lessons earlier, believing it would have allowed them to better customize their career plans. Recent college grads say they are covering topics they had never thought about before enrolling in the program. Jabbarzadeh says for a program such as this to be successful, deans and faculty must be accommodating and pro-collaboration. In each college, you need to have passionate people who want to collaborate, he says. Things happen when you combine passion and collaboration. Impossible things become possible. A global reach Nick Mitchell started at the South Carolina Honors College in 2016 as a biology major, but soon realized medicine or biology research wasnt the right career path for him. Instead, he knew he wanted to work on water issues, so he switched his major to geological sciences. Then he learned of a new major global studies, a flexible degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences that allows students to focus on one of five areas: global cultures, global health, global conflict and security, global sustainability and development, and leadership in the global economy. For Mitchell, a junior from the Charlotte area who hopes to join the Peace Corps or attend graduate school to work on water and sustainability issues in Latin America, it seemed like the perfect choice. The South Carolina Honors College student is now a double major in geology and global studies, with a concentration in sustainable development. He is on his way to becoming fluent in Spanish, since global studies requires majors to take 300-level language classes. Global studies was attractive because it has a considerable amount of personal choice with respect to the path you take in the major, he says. With global studies, you can pick and choose classes as long as they relate to the theme and world region you are studying. Which means Ive been able to take a lot of interesting classes that apply to me. What CEOs are talking about, the new generation of the workforce have to be problem solvers, but they also have to understand what it takes to communicate with customers. Ehsan Jabbarzadeh, associate professor of chemical and biomedical engineering and director of entrepreneurship at the College of Engineering and Computing Since being introduced at Carolina in 2016, the global studies major has become the fastest-growing undergraduate major on campus. There are 158 students majoring in global studies, and almost as many different combinations of coursework. The reason why the program is so popular is because other global studies programs are not as flexible and not as interdisciplinary, says Agnes Mueller, a distinguished professor of humanities and director of the global studies program. The degree prepares students for careers where an understanding of urgent global issues, and where an ability to work with people from a variety of cultures is indispensable. For example, those focusing on conflict and security often follow a career path working as diplomats or employed by the Department of State, while the leadership in the global economy concentration is intriguing to students who want a career in international business with a broader and more flexible degree. Students can combine any of those tracts with seven world regions or can pick a specific country. The major requires students to complete a 300-level language course, meaning they are fluent in reading, writing and speaking a language other than English. No two students have the same program of study, basically. They all have differences depending on the particular theme and language and world region, Mueller says. Mueller says global studies students take classes in schools and departments all over campus, including courses in political science, international tourism, religious studies, anthropology, the Arnold School of Public Health and the Moore School of Business. Also, many students have double majors adding areas such as foreign language, political science or English to their global studies degree. Theyll have interesting transcripts, she says. Its truly an interdisciplinary degree but with a purpose. As for what she tells parents who ask about career options for global studies majors, Mueller says the job market is as open and varied as the major. Students can find jobs as diplomats or working for the government or NGOs, while others may work on environmental issues in foreign countries or with international businesses. The business concentration is the most obvious. A lot of businesses like to hire people with a wide array of skillsets. They dont just want someone who can read a spreadsheet. They want someone who knows how read a spreadsheet and has studied a language seriously and has international experience. So its an attractive package. Share this Story! Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about 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. advertisement 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." Researchers from the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience are teaming with the University of California San Diego and the U.S. National Institutes of Health to develop a drug -- now in its earliest stages -- that can treat certain types of chronic pain without the addictive consequences of opioids. The drug compound, known as ML351, was discovered by researchers from the NIH, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is designed to inhibit the naturally produced enzyme 15-Lipoxygenase-1, which synthesizes bioactive lipids that contribute directly to chronic pain not relieved by common over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. This lack of relief can lead patients to resort to more powerful drugs including opioids such as Oxycodone and other narcotics. "Our goal is to demonstrate the preclinical efficacy of ML351 for chronic pain that does not respond to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and might otherwise be treated with opioids," said Ann Gregus, a research scientist with the School of Neuroscience, who is working on the drug compound with Matt Buczynski, an assistant professor of neuroscience who specializes in drug addiction. The School of Neuroscience is part of the College of Science at Virginia Tech. A paper published on the drug and its likely impact on treating certain types of chronic pain appears in this month's issue of the medical journal PAIN. The paper was written by Gregus and Buczynski, with coauthors Tony Yaksh, a pain expert at the University of California San Diego, and Anton Simeonov, scientific director of NIH's and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Ganesha Rai, Dave Maloney, and Ajit Jadhav, all of the NIH, codeveloped the drug compound. Acute pain that occurs from touching a hot stove helps protect us from severe self-injury, but chronic activation of these pain signaling pathways can be debilitating, Buczynski said. Presently, only a limited number of drugs exist for effectively treating chronic pain, such as that caused by autoimmune diseases. Current anti-inflammatory drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids help relieve pain by reducing inflammation, but for many types of chronic pain they are less effective. ML351 targets a novel signaling pathway believed to be responsible for the development of chronic pain that does not respond to anti-inflammatory drugs. "ML351 may be effective for multiple types of pain, and our future studies will investigate its utility in other models of chronic pain," said Gregus. Treatment for unmanaged pain is the primary motivation for seeking medical care, Buczynski said. Issues with chronic pain affect more than 40 percent of the U.S. population, resulting in costs exceeding $100 billion per year. The misuse of pain killers has contributed to the ongoing opioid crisis, which was declared a National Public Health Emergency in 2016. The problem has grown so wide that fatal overdoses from opioid use are now the leading cause of unnatural death, and some of the highest per capita opioid abuse in the country occurs in rural western Virginia, where Virginia Tech is based. "Chronic pain is extremely challenging to treat due to a lack of effective first-line therapies," Buczynski said. "While opioids are highly effective medications, concerns regarding danger of their misuse have reached a fever pitch. Thus, there is critical need of novel nonopioid treatments for the effective management of chronic pain." The need for a nonopioid, non-addictive pain medication is paramount, added Gregus. "Serious issues with long-term usage or misuse/diversion of opioids necessitate the development of alternative treatments to expand the options available to patients with chronic pain," she said. "ML351 shows promise as a non-opioid therapeutic to treat pain states not relieved by over-the-counter medications. Future studies will determine how we can translate these findings into novel therapeutics for clinical use." It will be several years before the drug enters clinical trials in humans, much less reaches pharmacy shelves. For now, Gregus and her team will continue to test ML351 in other animal models. "The next step is to evaluate its effectiveness in reversing established pain states of arthritis or diabetic neuropathy," Gregus added. "If this target has broad applicability for treating pain states, the compound can be optimized chemically and tested for safety and efficacy in larger animal species and then humans." For many, starting the day off with caffeine from a cup of coffee is a must. In neonatal intensive care units, or NICUs, premature babies born under 29 weeks are given a daily dose of caffeine to ensure the best possible start to life. A new study by University of Calgary researchers shows the earlier the dose of caffeine can be given, the better. "Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the NICU after antibiotics," says Dr. Abhay Lodha, MD, associate professor in the departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine and staff neonatologist with Alberta Health Services (AHS). "It's important that we understand the long-term effects of caffeine as a treatment and ensure these babies are not only surviving, but have quality of life down the road." Born prematurely at 27 weeks at the Foothills Medical Centre, Kyle and Avril Strachan's baby, Anna, was given caffeine to help her breathe and boost lung function. "The doctors told us, with premature babies, their brain hasn't developed quite enough to let them do all the things their bodies should be doing on its own, like breathing," says mom Avril. "In the first few weeks, when Anna was feeding, she would slow down or even forget to breathe. This would cause her heart to slow and for her to not get enough oxygen." To help her breathe more easily, Anna needed a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine to deliver constant airflow to her lungs. A 2014 study by Lodha showed starting caffeine therapy within two days after birth shortened the amount of time babies needed to use ventilators. It also reduced the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a form of chronic lung disease caused by damage to the lungs from use of a ventilator. What was not known was how that dose of caffeine affected brain development. Lodha collaborated with researchers from the Universities of British Columbia, Montreal, Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto to analyze data from 26 NICUs across Canada. They found early caffeine treatment has no long-term negative effects on neurodevelopment, and is actually associated with better cognitive scores, and reduced odds of cerebral palsy and hearing impairment. The findings are published in Pediatrics. The team examined data from follow-up assessments conducted at age 18 to 24 months. During these follow-ups, children were assessed for their cognitive, language and motor development using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, a standardized scoring system to assess developmental functioning in infants and toddlers. "We look at how children are constructing their understanding, such as solving simple problems or figuring out three-dimensional objects and toys," says Dr. Dianne Creighton, PhD, research assistant professor in the Department of Paediatrics and retired psychologist with AHS. "We also assess how the little ones are able to understand simple words, or recognize the name of a picture, as well as their motor skills like climbing, crawling, balance and co-ordination." Lodha says it's believed that caffeine may increase the growth of dendrites, the small branches of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons. "Caffeine may also improve better lung stretch and expansion, cardiac output and blood pressure in premature infants, which improves oxygen supply throughout the body and brain, reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation and the risk of chronic lung disease and injury on the developing brain." Now two years old, Anna has completed multiple follow-up assessments and is participating in dance classes, gymnastics lessons and swimming like a fish, says her mom Avril. "She's very mechanical. She likes to build things, take it apart and figure out how it works," she says. "It's wonderful to know that the caffeine treatment has no adverse effects and that if researchers are getting positive findings, it should continue to be the standard of care for premature babies. In that case, I think parents would have no hesitation in having caffeine as part of their child's treatment." 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 tasks -- like opening drawers, turning door handles -- can 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 meet -- or improve -- standards 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. Adults with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions earn less than average 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. 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. advertisement 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, tweaked to match different hand sizes, grip strength, 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. "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 dunk -- but the question becomes, how do people get these aids?" 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. 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. Cobalt deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of Earth's largest cobalt-mining regions, are 150 million years younger than previously thought, according to a new study by University of Alberta geologists. The study provides critical insight into exploration for cobalt, an important component in rechargeable batteries. "Cobalt has become a critically important metal because of its use as a component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, from phones to hybrid cars," said Robert Creaser, professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Canada Research Chair in Isotope Geochemistry. Cobalt enables rechargeable batteries to stock energy without overheating. It is a strategic metal for the technological revolution, critical in efforts to face and remediate climate change. "Using this new knowledge of the timing of events that formed cobalt deposits, we can target regions for exploring known cobalt deposits and discovering new ones." Working with former post-doctoral fellow Nicolas Saintilan, now at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, Creaser used a new, rhenium-osmium dating system to examine the rich cobalt deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their results show that cobalt and copper mineralization occurred during a period of mountain building and deformation, between 610 and 470 million years ago, suggesting that the deposits formed 100 to 150 million years more recently than originally thought. Because of its use in the creation of lithium-ion batteries, cobalt is a hot commodity on the international market -- creating steep competition. Most large cobalt deposits are located in developing or poverty-stricken regions in Central Africa. Exploration can be mired in human rights, geopolitical, and sustainability issues, Creaser explained. "The conundrum is that the western world needs cobalt, and the conditions in some places we currently get it from can be exploitative. The biggest value of this research is opening the possibility of finding more prospective areas worldwide for sources of cobalt. This background information helps exploration geologists develop ideas of where and where not to look." The gravitational waves created by black holes or neutron stars in the depths of space indeed reach Earth. Their effects, however, are so small that they could only be observed so far using kilometer-long measurement facilities. Physicists therefore are discussing whether ultracold and miniscule Bose-Einstein condensates with their ordered quantum properties could also detect these waves. Prof. Ralf Schutzhold from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the TU Dresden has now carefully looked at the basis of these suggestions and has soberly determined in the journal Physical Review D that such evidence is far beyond the reach of current methods. As early as 1916 Albert Einstein submitted an article to the Prussian Academy of Sciences, in which he demonstrated that moving masses such as giant stars orbiting each other leave behind a dent in space and time, which spreads at the speed of light. These dents are known as gravitational waves and should move precisely like radio waves, light and other electromagnetic waves. The effects of gravitational waves, however, are normally so weak that the world-famous physicist was convinced that they presumably could never be measured. The reason for this skepticism is that the power of these gravitational waves is rather weak. Even, for example, the quite large mass of the Earth, which covers almost thirty kilometers every second on its way around the much larger sun, produces gravitational waves with a power of merely three hundred watts. That wouldn't even be enough to power a commercial vacuum cleaner with an Energy Star label. The influence of these gravitational waves on the Earth's orbit can therefore hardly be measured. When Black Holes Merge The situation looks a bit better when, in contrast, considerably larger masses are involved. When two huge black holes merged at a distance of 1.3 billion light years from Earth, of which one possessed the mass of approximately thirty-six suns and the other a mass of twenty-nine suns, space and time trembled. During this merging, a mass that measured three times that of our sun transformed into a gigantic gravitational wave, whose remnants reached Earth 1.3 billion years later on September 14th, 2015, at 11:51 AM Central European Time. Because the waves, however, propagate in all directions over such enormous distances and spread to an unimaginably large space, their power was hugely diminished. On Earth, therefore, only an extremely weak signal was received, which was registered using two four-kilometer-long perpendicular vacuum tubes in the United States. Two special laser beams shoot back and forth between the end points of these facilities. From the time required for one light beam to reach the other end, the researchers can very precisely calculate the distance between the two points. "As the gravitational waves reached Earth, they shortened one of the two measurement distances by a tiny fraction of a trillionth of a millimeter at both facilities, while the other perpendicular stretch was extended by a similar amount," says HZDR researcher Ralf Schutzhold, outlining his colleagues' results. Therefore, on February 11th, 2016, following a detailed analysis of the data, the researchers had for the first time directly detected the gravitational waves predicted by Albert Einstein. Three of the contributing researchers were promptly awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 2017. Atoms in Synchronization Astrophysicists can now use these waves to observe massive events in space, in which two black holes merge or huge stars explode. Physicists are simply asking themselves whether this won't also work with facilities that are much easier to deal with than the four-kilometer-long perpendicular vacuum tubes. One possibility could be what is known as Bose-Einstein condensates, which Satyendranath Bose and Albert Einstein had already predicted back in 1924. "Such condensates can be thought of as heavily diluted vapor from individual atoms that are cooled to the extreme and therefore condense," explains Schutzhold. Researchers in the United States only succeeded in doing so in 1995. At extremely low temperatures, which are only very slightly above the absolute zero of minus 273.15 degrees Celsius, most atoms of metals such as rubidium are in the same quantum state, while they form a chaotic hodgepodge as vapor at higher temperatures. "Similar to laser light particles, the atoms of these Bose-Einstein condensates move, so to speak, in synchronization," says Schutzhold. Gravitational waves, however, can change sound-particles or sound-quanta, which physicists call phonons, in these synchronized atom-condensates. "This is a bit similar to a big vat of water in which waves generated by an earthquake change the existing water waves," says Ralf Schutzhold, describing the process. Little Evidence is too Little When the head of HZDR's Theoretical Physics Department, however, took a closer look at the fundamentals of this phenomenon, he ascertained that such Bose-Einstein condensates had to be several orders of magnitude larger than is currently possible in order to detect gravitational waves emanating from merging black holes. "Today, Bose-Einstein condensates with, for example, one million rubidium atoms are obtained with great effort, but it would take far more than a million times that number of atoms to detect gravitational waves," says Schutzhold. There is in fact an alternative where a kind of vortex is formed in the Bose-Einstein condensate, in which gravitational waves directly generate phonons that are more easily observable. "But even with such inhomogeneous Bose-Einstein condensates, we are still orders of magnitude from detecting gravitational waves," regrets the physicist. The HZDR researcher nevertheless provides a hint as to possible proof: if the noble gas helium is cooled down to less than two degrees above absolute zero, a superfluid liquid is formed that is in fact not a pure Bose-Einstein condensate, but contains just under ten percent of such synchronized helium atoms. Because much larger quantities of this superfluid helium can be produced, many orders of magnitude more Bose-Einstein condensate atoms can be created this way than with direct production. "Whether superfluid helium is, however, really a way to detect gravitational waves can only be shown with extremely complex calculations," says Schutzhold. The mini-detectors for gravitational waves still therefore lie some time in the future. When Seattle Public Schools announced that it would reorganize school start times across the district for the fall of 2016, the massive undertaking took more than a year to deploy. Elementary schools started earlier, while most middle and all of the district's 18 high schools shifted their opening bell almost an hour later -- from 7:50 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Parents had mixed reactions. Extracurricular activity schedules changed. School buses were redeployed. And as hoped, teenagers used the extra time to sleep in. In a paper published Dec. 12 in the journal Science Advances, researchers at the University of Washington and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies announced that teens at two Seattle high schools got more sleep on school nights after start times were pushed later -- a median increase of 34 minutes of sleep each night. This boosted the total amount of sleep on school nights for students from a median of six hours and 50 minutes, under the earlier start time, to seven hours and 24 minutes under the later start time. "This study shows a significant improvement in the sleep duration of students -- all by delaying school start times so that they're more in line with the natural wake-up times of adolescents," said senior and corresponding author Horacio de la Iglesia, a UW professor of biology. The study collected light and activity data from subjects using wrist activity monitors -- rather than relying solely on self-reported sleep patterns from subjects, as is often done in sleep studies -- to show that a later school start time benefits adolescents by letting them sleep longer each night. The study also revealed that, after the change in school start time, students did not stay up significantly later: They simply slept in longer, a behavior that scientists say is consistent with the natural biological rhythms of adolescents. "Research to date has shown that the circadian rhythms of adolescents are simply fundamentally different from those of adults and children," said lead author Gideon Dunster, a UW doctoral student in biology. advertisement In humans, the churnings of our circadian rhythms help our minds and bodies maintain an internal "clock" that tells us when it is time to eat, sleep, rest and work on a world that spins once on its axis approximately every 24 hours. Our genes and external cues from the environment, such as sunlight, combine to create and maintain this steady hum of activity. But the onset of puberty lengthens the circadian cycle in adolescents and also decreases the rhythm's sensitivity to light in the morning. These changes cause teens to fall asleep later each night and wake up later each morning relative to most children and adults. "To ask a teen to be up and alert at 7:30 a.m. is like asking an adult to be active and alert at 5:30 a.m.," said de la Iglesia. Scientists generally recommend that teenagers get eight to 10 hours of sleep each night. But early-morning social obligations -- such as school start times -- force adolescents to either shift their entire sleep schedule earlier on school nights or truncate it. Certain light-emitting devices -- such as smartphones, computers and even lamps with blue-light LED bulbs -- can interfere with circadian rhythms in teens and adults alike, delaying the onset of sleep, de la Iglesia said. According to a survey of youth released in 2017 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one-quarter of high school age adolescents reported sleeping the minimum recommended eight hours each night. "All of the studies of adolescent sleep patterns in the United States are showing that the time at which teens generally fall asleep is biologically determined -- but the time at which they wake up is socially determined," said Dunster. "This has severe consequences for health and well-being, because disrupted circadian rhythms can adversely affect digestion, heart rate, body temperature, immune system function, attention span and mental health." The UW study compared the sleep behaviors of two separate groups of sophomores, all enrolled in biology classes at Roosevelt and Franklin high schools. One group of 92 students, drawn from both schools, wore wrist activity monitors all day for two-week periods in the spring of 2016, when school still started at 7:50 a.m. The wrist monitors collected information about light and activity levels every 15 seconds, but no physiological data about the students. In 2017, about seven months after school start times had shifted later, the researchers had a second group of 88 students -- again drawn from both schools -- wear the wrist activity monitors. Researchers used both the light and motion data in the wrist monitors to determine when the students were awake and asleep. Two teachers at Roosevelt and one at Franklin worked with the UW researchers to carry out the study, which was incorporated into the curriculum of the biology classes. Students in both groups also self-reported their sleep data. The information obtained from the wrist monitors revealed the significant increase in sleep duration, due largely to the effect of sleeping in more on weekdays. "Thirty-four minutes of extra sleep each night is a huge impact to see from a single intervention," said de la Iglesia. The study also revealed other changes beyond additional shut-eye. After the change, the wake-up times for students on weekdays and weekends moved closer together. And their academic performance, at least in the biology course, improved: Final grades were 4.5 percent higher for students who took the class after school start times were pushed back compared with students who took the class when school started earlier. In addition, the number of tardies and first-period absences at Franklin dropped to levels similar to those of Roosevelt students, which showed no difference between pre- and post-change. The researchers hope that their study will help inform ongoing discussions in education circles about school start times. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 2014 that middle and high schools begin instruction no earlier than 8:30 a.m., though most U.S. high schools start the day before then. In 2018, California lawmakers nearly enacted a measure that would ban most high schools from starting class before 8:30 a.m. In 2019, Virginia Beach, home to one of the largest school districts in Virginia, will consider changes to its school start times. On Dec. 21, at 8:49:48 a.m. PST (11:49:48 a.m. EST) NASA's Juno spacecraft will be 3,140 miles (5,053 kilometers) above Jupiter's cloud tops and hurtling by at a healthy clip of 128,802 mph (207,287 kilometers per hour). This will be the 16th science pass of the gas giant and will mark the solar-powered spacecraft's halfway point in data collection during its prime mission. Juno is in a highly-elliptical 53-day orbit around Jupiter. Each orbit includes a close passage over the planet's cloud deck, where it flies a ground track that extends from Jupiter's north pole to its south pole. "With our 16th science flyby, we will have complete global coverage of Jupiter, albeit at coarse resolution, with polar passes separated by 22.5 degrees of longitude," said Jack Connerney, Juno deputy principal investigator from the Space Research Corporation in Annapolis, Maryland. "Over the second half of our prime mission -- science flybys 17 through 32 -- we will split the difference, flying exactly halfway between each previous orbit. This will provide coverage of the planet every 11.25 degrees of longitude, providing a more detailed picture of what makes the whole of Jupiter tick." Launched on Aug. 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter on July 4, 2016. Its science collection began in earnest on the Aug. 27, 2016, flyby. During these flybys, Juno's suite of sensitive science instruments probes beneath the planet's obscuring cloud cover and studies Jupiter's auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, interior structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. "We have already rewritten the textbooks on how Jupiter's atmosphere works, and on the complexity and asymmetry of its magnetic field," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno, from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. "The second half should provide the detail that we can use to refine our understanding of the depth of Jupiter's zonal winds, the generation of its magnetic field, and the structure and evolution of its interior." Two instruments aboard Juno, the Stellar Reference Unit and JunoCam, have proven to be useful not only for their intended purposes, but also for science data collection. The Stellar Reference Unit (SRU) was designed to collect engineering data used for navigation and attitude determination, so the scientists were pleased to find that it has scientific uses as well. advertisement "We always knew the SRU had a vital engineering job to do for Juno," said Heidi Becker, Juno's radiation monitoring investigation lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "But after making scientific discoveries in Jupiter's radiation belts and taking a first-of-its-kind image of Jupiter's ring, we realized the added value of the data. There is serious scientific interest in what the SRU can tell us about Jupiter." The JunoCam imager was conceived as an outreach instrument to bring the excitement and beauty of Jupiter exploration to the public. "While originally envisioned solely as an outreach instrument to help tell the Juno story, JunoCam has become much more than that," said Candy Hansen, Juno co-investigator at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. "Our time-lapse sequences of images over the poles allow us to study the dynamics of Jupiter's unique circumpolar cyclones and to image high-altitude hazes. We are also using JunoCam to study the structure of the Great Red Spot and its interaction with its surroundings." The SRU and JunoCam teams both now have several peer-reviewed science papers -either published or in the works -- to their credit. NASA's JPL manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. The Italian Space Agency (ASI) contributed two instruments, a Ka-band frequency translator (KaT) and the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM). Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the spacecraft. advertisement More information about Juno is available at: https://www.nasa.gov/juno https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu More information on Jupiter is at: https://www.nasa.gov/jupiter Using laser light to trap atoms in a checkerboard-like pattern, a team led by Princeton scientists studied how resistance -- the loss of electrical current as heat -- can develop in unconventional metals. The results may help explain how certain types of superconductors made from copper oxides are able to conduct electricity so efficiently. The research was published online Dec. 6 in the journal Science. Superconducting materials are ones that efficiently transmit electricity without losing any of the current as heat. Because they don't waste electricity, they have the potential to boost the energy-efficiency of the electrical power grid. They may also open up possibilities for new technologies. "If you want to carry electricity in power lines more efficiently, then improving our fundamental understanding of transport in these materials will have a significant impact on our ability to design better materials," said Waseem Bakr, assistant professor of physics and senior author on the study. Copper oxide superconductors are prized for their ability to work at relatively high temperatures compared to other types of superconductors. The materials were the subject of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1987. To explore how resistance develops, the researchers created an experiment that involved trapping atoms in an evenly spaced grid made from intersecting laser beams. The resulting structure, called an optical lattice, holds the atoms like eggs in an egg carton or checkers on a checkerboard. advertisement This setup allows researchers to see what is happening between the atoms. Normally this is not possible because the atoms in a solid are tightly packed. In this experiment, the atoms are about 10,000 times farther from each other than the atoms in a typical material, which allows researchers to view them using a microscope. The tiny particles are kept at intensely cold temperatures -- just a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero -- to quell their normal jumpiness. The researchers used the atoms as a stand-in for electrons, the charged particles that carry electrical current. Atoms are easier to image and manipulate than electrons. "Our lithium atoms in an optical lattice obey the same physics as electrons in real materials," said Peter Brown, a graduate student in physics and first author on the study. "This is advantageous because we have greater control over our system than is possible using real materials -- for example, we can tune the interactions between atoms and change the density of atoms." To explore how resistance develops, the researchers projected a laser beam onto the atoms in the lattice, creating ripples of density that travel through the atoms. The team measured how quickly the waves died away, which happens because the atoms bump against each other and become out of sync. advertisement The team repeated the experiment for a variety of different temperatures, each time heating up the atoms to a different temperature and observing how the resistance changed with temperature. They saw two interesting things happen: One was that as the temperature increased, the resistance increased in a linear fashion: an increase in temperature led to a proportional increase in resistance. This was surprising because the simplest theory for these systems, which is called the Fermi liquid theory, predicts a different pattern of response to temperature, where the resistance increases as the square of temperature, so as temperature increases, resistivity increases slowly at first and then rapidly. This unexpected linear response to temperature is one that is seen in the copper-oxide, or "cuprate," superconductors. This behavior has earned these materials the name "strange metals," and some researchers think that understanding this behavior might shed light on the origin of high-temperature superconductivity. Another observation the team made is that at high temperatures the resistance exceeds what theorists predicted was possible in those systems. The explanation for this is that the atoms are no longer behaving as discrete particles but rather as a quantum soup where each particle no longer has its own identity. This state happens when a system exceeds a theoretical bound called the Mott-Ioffe-Regel (MIR) limit. Physicists call such materials "bad metals." This state is interesting because resistance is thought to develop when particles scatter, bouncing off nearby particles like pinballs in a machine. Surpassing the MIR bound implies that the particles do not follow this simple picture. "Common sense says that a particle cannot scatter until it bounces off another particle. But what we saw was that resistivity keeps increasing and doesn't respect this bound," Bakr said. David Huse, Princeton's Cyrus Fogg Brackett Professor of Physics and a theorist who specializes in the physics of interacting quantum matter, provided theoretical understanding for the experimental observations. In addition to Huse, Brown and Bakr, the team at Princeton included graduate students Debayan Mitra and Elmer Guardado-Sanchez, and Dicke Postdoctoral Fellow Peter Schauss. The team collaborated with Reza Nourafkan, Alexis Reymbaut, Charles-David Hebert, Simon Bergeron and Andre-Marie Tremblay at the University of Sherbrooke in Canada; and Jure Kokalj at the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Related work exploring the spin-conductivity of cold atoms in an optical lattice was performed in the group led by Professor Martin Zwierlein at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was published in the same issue of Science. Longshoreman Howard Keylor knew when to unload a ship and he knew when to refuse. A longshoreman for decades on San Francisco Bay, Keylor could unload the contents of a ships hold as fast as anyone on the waterfront. But he could also stand fast, lock arms, hold a megaphone and do nothing. Thats what he and his fellow longshoremen did for 11 days in 1984, when the South African cargo ship Nedlloyd Kemba came to the port of San Francisco, its hold full of fruit, wool and sugar. At the time, the policy of racial segregation known as apartheid was the law in South Africa. Much of the world was outraged by apartheid, but much of the world has a way of sitting back and watching from the sidelines. That was not Howard Keylors way. There are just certain things you do because you have to do them, he said. You do them without thinking. When something needs to be resisted, you resist. Keylor, one of the leaders of Local 10 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, stood fast and helped persuade his fellow longshore workers to do the same. He and his fellow members refused to set foot on the vessel. They set up a picket line to discourage anyone else from trying. There was a lot of yelling. But for 11 days, the cargo stayed on the ship. Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Six years later, when freed South African leader Nelson Mandela spoke to a crowd of 58,000 cheering supporters at the Oakland Coliseum on the last stop of his U.S. goodwill tour, he credited the Bay Area longshore effort of 1984 with helping to bring down apartheid. I was just one of a whole lot of people, Keylor said. I dont want to make a big deal about what I did. But his fellow longshore union members do. Howard stood there and exhorted the crowd to support us, said his friend of five decades, fellow longshore worker Jack Heyman. We totally blocked that ship. It scared the hell out of the South African government. On Sunday, Keylors 93rd birthday, Heyman and the rest of the union hosted a testimonial at the union hall in San Francisco celebrating their friends long history of good works. Keylor, the union said, is its oldest member. He got a plaque paying tribute to deeds done in the best tradition of the ILWU. Ninety-three isnt a round number, or even an even number, but it seemed a good time anyway to honor Keylor, who moved into a Castro Valley assisted living facility a few months ago following a stroke. These days, he reads a lot and watches TV a little. He speaks slowly and walks slowly. But he thinks quickly, even if it takes a while for his words to catch up. When you get to be my age, he said the other afternoon, grabbing for each word as if it were a 50-pound sack, nothing is OK. You adjust to the new reality. You try to survive. My advice? Dont get institutionalized. Gary Fong / The Chronicle 1984 Keylor, a native of rural Ohio, is a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, a survivor of the Battle of Okinawa, a Bay Area longshore member since 1953 and a member of its executive board. He was part of the strike at an Oakland glass factory in 1974, as well as a boycott of shipments to the military governments of Chile in 1975 and El Salvador in 1980. He was part of the West Coast strike of 2008. And he was part of the Occupy Oakland movement in 2011. A lot of other people stood beside me, Keylor said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Loading and unloading a vessel in the days before mechanized shipping containers was backbreaking, challenging and complex work. Success depended on teamwork, on knowing exactly what your fellow longshore worker was doing. Each vessel posed a different challenge, Keylor said. Unloading bars of steel was much different than unloading sacks of wool. Your life depended on the man standing next to you, Keylor said. Every day. For his 93rd birthday, what he really wanted more than a testimonial at the union hall was something Heyman, his frequent visitor, cant supply. He wants me to bring him German beer and cigarettes, Heyman said. The doctors wont let me. Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@ sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF On the first anniversary of Ed Lees unexpected death last December, San Francisco officials are planning to gather on the mayors balcony in City Hall Wednesday morning to commemorate the late mayor. But across town, in the Inner Richmond District, another tribute to Lees life will quietly unfold, one that those who knew him say pays homage to his work as a civil rights attorney and affordable-housing advocate. On Wednesday, San Francisco housing officials and the Chinatown Community Development Center are expected to announce the acquisition of two adjoining buildings through the citys Small Sites program, which is designed to prevent displacement of low-income tenants. By putting up the money to buy the building, the city and CCDC will ensure that 16 apartments and single-room- occupancy units will be permanently preserved as affordable housing. The buildings at 289-291 Ninth Ave. and 800-810 Clement St. would otherwise have been sold on the open market, potentially displacing the Chinese residents, whose ages range from 67 to 99. Both the Small Sites program and the acquisition of the Ninth Avenue building are legacies of Lees work as an advocate for low-income tenants in San Francisco. Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle As mayor, Lee launched Small Sites in 2014 as a way to combat the evictions of low-income residents brought on by the citys soaring housing costs. When a smaller, multifamily building, usually between five and 25 units, goes up for sale, the city can purchase it, preserving the units for low-income individuals and families in perpetuity. The city provides the financing and then partners with nonprofits, like CCDC and the Mission Economic Development Agency, to own and operate the buildings. To date, the city has provided funding for 27 buildings, preserving 200 units as permanently affordable. The Inner Richmond buildings are being purchased for $7.4 million. The city is supplying $4.55 million of that in loans to CCDC, and the organization is separately taking on $2.85 million in loans and grants on its own. The 800 Clement building was constructed in 1907 and consists of two two-bedroom apartments and four ground- floor commercial spaces. The apartments will be maintained as affordable units for the first time under the terms of the deal between CCDC, the city and the family trust that owned the land where the buildings now sit. The 14 housing units at 289-291 Ninth Ave., however, are products of Ed Lees work as a tenants rights attorney in the early 1980s. In 1981, Lee sued the Bank of Canton for illegally evicting a group of low-income seniors living in a Chinatown SRO. They had been booted from their building so the bank could build its high-rise headquarters at the corner of Montgomery and Clay streets. By 1982, thanks to Lees lawsuit and grassroots activism, the bank agreed, as part of a settlement, to build replacement housing on Ninth Avenue. It opened in 1989. Lees office had begun the work to fund the acquisition of the buildings under the Small Sites program before his death. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. This is bittersweet because hes not here to enjoy it, but he laid the groundwork for this opportunity, said San Francisco Mayor London Breed. I think that this is really carrying on his legacy and the work that he invested in, not just as mayor, but when he was an attorney protecting civil rights, too. Nearly four decades after Lee brokered the settlement agreement, To me, this is Eds career coming full circle in a very touching and meaningful way, said Malcolm Yeung, a deputy director at CCDC. The ceremony on the mayors balcony at City Hall Wednesday begins at 8:30 a.m. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa Less than two months after completing a $13 million makeover of its Downtown Berkeley Station entrance, BART closed its new, one-of-a-kind glass stairway after an elderly patron took a tumble on what was thought to be a slippery step following a rainstorm. The $235,000, glass-and-steel staircase was designed to bring more light to the stations underground concourse and was part of a rebuild to make the Shattuck Avenue entrance more attractive and accessible. BART spokesman Jim Allison said the steps were taped off for the past 2 weeks, out of an abundance of caution, while the stairs and the entryways new glass canopy were inspected. How the water got on the stairs has yet to be determined. One suspected source is the canopy. We did a series of tests before the opening and found some leaks, Allison said. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle The tests basically involved crews showering the canopy with water from hoses to simulate a rainstorm. The leaks were fixed, Allison said. Then we had a series of rainstorms that produced a few more leaks, and we fixed those. Whether there was another leak remains to be seen. The canopy, however, is open to the new plaza, which could have brought in the rain as well. Whatever the case, on Nov. 23 a patron walking down the stairs following a rainstorm took a spill, despite dimples in the glass intended to prevent slips. The person didnt require hospitalization and was treated at the scene by medical personnel, then driven home by BART police. Allison said an outside expert was being brought in to look at the stairway to make sure everything is safe and up to code. Tuesday, that firm inspected the stairs and concluded they exceeded safety requirements under code, and the stairs were reopened. I cant guarantee no one will slip, but I can guarantee the stairs are safe, Allison said. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle BART recently installed a similar canopy at its San Francisco Powell Street Station, on the north side of Market Street. It has not experienced any leaks in the recent rains, Allison said. According to the BART press release announcing the Oct. 18 reopening of its Berkeley entrance, the new granite-covered plaza is designed to improve both safety and walkability with a stunning new glass entrance, a state-of-the-art sound and light system for live performances and artist soundscapes, and a dramatic large piece of public art. And briefly, anyway, a bit of yellow tape. Tower talk: A towering 54-story apartment building has been proposed along Emeryvilles shoreline and it wont even need a zoning change. There is no height limit in the area, and since the tower falls within the citys transit hub overlay area i.e., its less than a half mile from an Amtrak station the developer has to provide only half the normal parking, Emeryville community development director Charles Bryant said. That means as few as 256 spaces for a building expected to house more than 1,000 residents. Yeah, there may be gridlock, but hopefully it will get people out of their cars, Bryant said. We encourage various modes of transit, like biking and walking. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Planning officials say the propertys owners have been looking to develop the nearly 4-acre site for years. But various proposals for shorter, if not smaller, projects kept falling apart because of a Wells Fargo Bank branch that leases ground-floor space in an eight-story building on the site. They refuse to leave, said Bryant. And as long as theyre there, the building couldnt be torn down. As a result, the Vancouver, British Columbia, developer Onni Group decided to build despite the bank. To maximize the land, the developer has proposed going straight up to a height of 683 feet. That would make it one of the tallest all-residential buildings in the western United States, and nearly twice as tall as the neighboring 30-story Pacific Park Plaza condominium building towering over Interstate 80. First, however, the massive project must clear a yearlong environmental review and get the approval of the Emeryville Planning Commission, whose members are likely to get an earful from the public. None of those members responded to our calls for comment on deadline. However, one reader of the local Eville Eye news site has already dubbed the tower a monstrosity that will lead to more traffic and crime. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross Welcome back to Tech Chronicle. If youre in a giving mood, subscribe and make this a recurring event. Wheres Jack Dorseys charity? Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey likes to overshare. On his Twitter feed, youll learn about his penchant for infrared saunas, the Apple Watch-quantified results of a 10-day silent meditation retreat in a monastery located in the military dictatorship of Myanmar, and the occasional feud with a fellow billionaire. What he wont share: any details of his charitable giving. As I dug into this mystery, I found a mess of public filings, but no real answers to where the money is. The only thing thats clear is there is absolutely no way to prove that hes delivered on his public commitments. In 2015, as Square was going public, Dorsey revealed plans for his Start Small Foundation, promising to give it 40 million shares. That was, he wrote in a letter to prospective shareholders, on top of what he had already given away. I believe so much in the potential of this company to drive positive impact in my lifetime that over the past two years I have given over 15 million shares, or 20 percent of my own equity, back to both Square and the Start Small Foundation, a new organization I created to meaningfully invest in the folks who inspire us: artists, musicians, and local businesses, with a special focus on underserved communities around the world. However, there is no Start Small Foundation that qualifies as a charitable foundation under section 501(c)3 of the U.S. tax code. It has no website, no Twitter account. There are no nonprofit or corporate filings corresponding to that name. There is a simple explanation for that: As Square disclosed in its IPO filings in 2015, the Start Small Foundation was just a label for a donor-advised fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the embattled charity famous for cozying up to the Bay Areas technology elite. Donor-advised funds have been called the dark money of the philanthropy world. Nonprofits and charitable arms of for-profit brokerages manage these funds on behalf of individuals. As with money given to private foundations, the donor can take a tax write-off. But donor-advised funds require no disclosures in exchange for this tax treatment. In public filings, donor-advised fund assets slosh around with other money inside the larger philanthropic vehicle, and while the parent entity must report the grants it makes, that giving is essentially untraceable to individual funds. The argument for using donor-advised funds is that its simpler and cheaper than setting up your own foundation. But it also allows wealthy individuals to avoid any transparency around their giving how much they have dedicated to philanthropy, how much they have given away. The public gives donors tax deductions with no clarity on what they get in return. Sign Up for the Newsletter Want to get the latest on Silicon Valley in your inbox? Subscribe to Tech Chronicle. See More Collapse Meaningful charitable giving does not require public recognition, a Square spokesman said, declining to answer further questions. Yet the sale of shares to the public requires clear disclosures, and Dorseys initial statements about the Start Small Foundation were confusing, even to the Securities and Exchange Commission. In reviewing its offering, commission officials in July 2015 demanded an explanation of Squares plans to allow the Start Small Foundation to sell shares it had received from Dorsey directly to Square customers. In an August 2015 response from its lawyers, Square backpedaled. The shares had not yet been transferred, they wrote. The foundation was a charitable organization to be formed by Dorsey. That appeared to contradict Dorseys statement that some of the more than 15 million shares he had given away had gone to his foundation, since it did not yet exist. In fact, the share giveaway appeared to be a reference to the shares he had returned to Square, enabling it to boost employee stock compensation. While generous in its own way, that was ultimately a move to keep Square competitive as an employer hardly philanthropic work. Corporate filings and other public records show a scramble to make some kind of Start Small entity a reality. On October 9, 2015, the domain name startsmallfoundation.org was registered. On that same day, Start Small, a limited liability company, was registered in Delaware. An indemnification agreement filed along with other IPO documents makes reference to the Start Small Foundation, a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto. That same entity would later register in California under the name of Tom van Loben Sels, a partner at Apercen Partners, a firm known for doing tax and real estate work for wealthy individuals, most notably Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. A limited liability company is a for-profit entity, which has more flexiblity than a nonprofit. LLCs can give money to political campaigns, make investments in startups and donate money to charities, which can in turn make grants. Zuckerbergs Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is structured as an LLC. Start Small LLC makes a brief appearance in Squares 2017 proxy statement, which notes that the entity holds 272,500 shares of Squares Class B shares. It does not appear in prior or subsequent proxy statements. Its relationship to Dorseys foundation pledge is never explained. Paras Griffin / Getty Images Back to the offering: Square eventually amended its registration statement to say that the Start Small Foundation was a donor-advised fund managed by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The community foundation sold 1.35 million shares and retained 270,000 shares. (That latter figure is curiously close to the amount held by Start Small LLC.) Bloomberg data show that the community foundation held those shares until the third quarter of 2017. Sue McAllister, the Silicon Valley Community Foundations marketing director, refused to say whether the foundation still manages Dorseys fund, citing donor privacy and directing all questions to Dorsey. The foundation, embroiled in a scandal over its handling of a top fundraisers harassment of colleagues, saw CEO Emmett Carson resign this year. On Oct. 14, 2015, Dorsey announced the foundations existence in a tweet, saying that he would start his giving with Ferguson, Mo. Dorsey, who is from St. Louis, had joined the 2014 protests in the Missouri town after the shooting by police of Michael Brown. The Silicon Valley Community Foundation, from 2015 to 2017, reported various grants in amounts as high as $125,000 to St. Louis-area organizations. None appear to have a direct relationship with Ferguson, though some might conceivably serve Ferguson families as part of their broader mission. I could not find any public records of a grant Dorsey made specifically for Ferguson. Fergusons city manager did not respond to a request for comment. Patti Knowles, the president of the Ferguson Caring League, said she was not aware of any donations made by Dorsey or an entity affiliated with him to her organization or others in town. So there are money trails from Silicon Valley to Missouri. But do any of those activities relate to Dorseys tweeted pledge? With donor-advised funds, we know only what the donor chooses to disclose. There is no way to verify a claim like the one Dorsey made about giving to Ferguson. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle 2018 If Dorsey is such a believer in openness and transparency, why doesnt he just start his own nonprofit? Thats the curious thing: He actually did. Tax filings for a 501(c)3 private foundation called Start Small (no foundation) exist for 2015 and 2016. It started on the same date that the domain name and LLC were registered: Oct. 9, 2015. The filings list four board members: Dorsey; van Loben Sels, the financial manager also listed as a contact for the LLC; Divesh Makan, founder of wealth-management firm Iconiq Capital, another firm closely associated with Silicon Valleys elite; and Dina Powell, then a partner at Goldman Sachs, one of the investment banks that helped take Square public. (Powell joined the Trump administration in 2017, returning to Goldman this year.) No tax filings exist for 2017, suggesting the foundation is no longer active, and the filings that do exist show no assets and no activity. The final lingering question is how much of the 40 million shares Dorsey promised have made their way to charity. After returning 15 million shares to Square, Dorsey held 71.1 million shares in the fall of 2015. He now owns 62.5 million shares, a decrease of 8.6 million. That is the maximum Dorsey could in theory have given away, if 100 percent of the shares went to charity. In November 2016, Square announced that Dorsey planned to sell nearly 5 million shares, or 7 percent of his holdings. The proceeds from these sales are for Mr. Dorseys financial and tax planning purposes and to enable him to help further fund the Start Small Foundation, the company said. Aside from profit on his investments Dorsey was an early backer of Instagram these sales of Square shares appear to be the readiest source of cash for Dorsey. For years, Dorsey has not taken a salary or stock grants from Twitter or Square, and he has not sold Twitter shares in some time, according to filings. (He surrendered 6.8 million Twitter shares, a third of his stake, in 2015 to boost employee stock compensation.) Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Even with a recent decline in Square stock, his stakes in his two companies are worth nearly $4 billion. In searching for a reason for Dorseys silence on this matter, Ive found only one explanation: Dorsey, as he was starting Square, found a hero in Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO. He modeled himself after Jobs in many ways. Jobs was noted for his resistance to any public discussion of his philanthropy. Some critics viewed this as small-minded. Until Dorsey chooses to reveal more, some might see Start Small in the same vein. Imagine the good Dorsey could do by serving as a public example of philanthropy to up-and-coming entrepreneurs, and allowing his giving to be subjected to a healthy level of scrutiny. The other outcome here is that Congress might require Dorsey and other donor-advised fund philanthropists to disclose more. Cynthia Rowland, a partner at the law firm Farella Braun + Martel, notes that private foundations must distribute a percentage of their assets and make disclosures about their giving. It is possible to apply these minimum distribution requirements and transparency rules to donor-advised funds, she said. But Congress would have to act. When an individual like Dorsey makes a contribution to a donor-advised fund, he gets an immediate tax write-off, noted Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits. (Dorseys Start Small 501(c)3, by the way, is not listed as a member of the nonprofit trade group.) The public does not see a benefit until the fund makes grants, and theres no requirement for donor-advised funds to make any distributions; assets can be held indefinitely under current law. Theres a public cost, she said. Then the public benefit comes later. Wed like to see that time period tightened up a little bit. The balanced answer is that there is definitely a use for donor-advised funds in philanthropy, Rowland said. The lack of transparency is fostering a lot of mistrust and misunderstanding. More transparency would probably be a good thing. Owen Thomas (othomas@sfchronicle.com) Quote of the week I do not respect the SEC. Tesla CEO Elon Musk on 60 Minutes, after explaining to Leslie Stahl that hes not really complying with a settlement that required him to pay a $20 million fine and have his tweets reviewed before they are posted Coming up Adobe reports earnings Thursday, followed by Oracle on Monday. A common thread: Both are betting big on cloud marketing software, like those emails Im getting urging me to buy more sweaters for Ramona the Love Terrier. What Im reading Roland Li reports on Spotifys controversial abandonment of Mid-Market for offices in the Financial District. (San Francisco Chronicle) Megha Rajagopalan reports on a former Canadian diplomats detention in China. Is it related to the arrest of a Huawei executive? (BuzzFeed News) Catherine Ho looks at how a Paradise hospital was more than just a provider of health care for the Northern California city racked by wildfire: It was a center of the community and a second home for workers. (San Francisco Chronicle) Tech Chronicle is a thrice-weekly newsletter from Owen Thomas, The Chronicles business editor, and the rest of the tech team. Follow along on Twitter: @techchronicle and Instagram: @techchronicle A Pacific Gas and Electric Co. employee spotted flames near a transmission tower close to the time and place the Camp Fire roared to life one month ago in Butte County, the utility reported, providing its most definitive statement yet about its connection to the deadliest and most destructive blaze in state history. PG&E told California regulators that at about 6:30 a.m. Nov. 8, an unnamed employee spotted a fire in the vicinity of a transmission tower near Camp Creek and Pulga roads. State fire officials have said the Camp Fire began around that time near those same cross streets. In the same Tuesday letter to the California Public Utilities Commission, PG&E also provided its most detailed description so far of damage to that much-discussed transmission tower, and it disclosed for the first time it found bullet holes on a downed power pole at a second location. Its becoming clear that PG&E did have a role in the fire, said Travis Miller, a utilities analyst at Morningstar Research Services, after reviewing the letter Wednesday. The big question remains whether PG&E was maintaining the system appropriately. About 15 minutes before the PG&E employee saw a fire Nov. 8, the transmission line there malfunctioned, the utility told regulators last month. The fire spotted by the worker was reported to 911 by PG&E employees, wrote Meredith Allen, the utilitys senior director of regulatory relations, in the new letter to an official at California Public Utilities Commission. The cause of the Camp Fire, which killed at least 86 people and destroyed nearly 14,000 homes, is under investigation. But PG&E has been under intense public scrutiny since first reporting to regulators without much detail two cases of malfunctioning equipment. Allens letter provided fresh insights about those equipment problems. At the transmission tower in the area of the fires origin point, PG&E saw via aerial patrol in the afternoon of Nov. 8 that a suspension insulator supporting a jumper had become separated from an arm on the tower, according to the letter. That description is similar to claims about the transmission tower made in a lawsuit filed against PG&E last week. Now that the cat is out of the bag, now that we have this, they have no excuse for not putting it in their report, said Mike Danko, one of the attorneys involved in last weeks lawsuit. I feel that were forcing PG&E to own up to what theyve done. Subsequently, while assisting fire investigators on Nov. 14, PG&E spotted a broken hook attached to the separated suspension insulator, Allens letter said. PG&E also saw a flash mark on the tower near the suspended jumper, along with damage to the jumper and insulator. At a nearby tower, an insulator hold-down anchor which is not energized was disconnected, PG&E said. PG&E also divulged in the letter the nature of damage it found on a separate distribution line, which is where the utility had reported a second malfunction not long after the Camp Fire started. A PG&E employee patrolling the area Nov. 9 found a power pole and other equipment on the ground with bullets and bullet holes at the break point of the pole and on the equipment, Allens letter said. Three days later, PG&E found downed wires and damaged and down poles in another area on the same distribution line, along with several snapped trees, with some on top of the downed wires, the letter said. In its public statement announcing the letter late Tuesday, PG&E said the loss of life, homes and businesses in the Camp Fire is truly devastating. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California Our focus continues to be on assessing our infrastructure to further enhance safety, restoring electric and gas service where possible, and helping customers begin to recover and rebuild, the statement said. Throughout our service area, we are committed to doing everything we can to further reduce the risk of wildfire. PG&E also stressed that the incidents are still being investigated and the information it provided remains preliminary. The causes may not be fully understood until additional information is available, including information that can only be obtained through examination and testing of the equipment that Cal Fire has retained, PG&E said. PG&E is cooperating with Cal Fires investigation. Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said his agencys investigation into both potential Camp Fire ignition points is ongoing and declined to comment further. Were reviewing all the possibilities, McLean said. At this point in time, I cannot will not address that (PG&E) letter. The utility announced earlier this week a series of additional wildfire safety measures it is undertaking, including inspections of 50,000 transmission structures in high fire threat areas. PG&E is also adding new weather stations and fire-watching cameras, among other efforts. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris Princess Margaret of Great Britain may not have worn the crown, but she got a welcome fit for a queen when she visited San Francisco more than 50 years ago. With the British royal family forever making headlines and the third season of Netflixs The Crown set to premiere sometime in 2019, we took a trip to The Chronicles archive in search of photos and stories about Queen Elizabeth IIs famous and fashionable sibling, Princess Margaret. We werent disappointed. Dig deep into Chronicle Vault Like what you're reading? Subscribe to the Chronicle Vault newsletter and get classic archive stories in your inbox twice a week. Read hundreds of historical stories, see thousands of archive photos and sort through 153 years of classic Chronicle front pages at SFChronicle.com/vault. See More Collapse The princesss social life and love affairs were regular features in the British tabloids for years, and when she came to San Francisco in 1965 the city lit up with anticipation and excitement. The Chronicle, for its part, featured her visit prominently on the front page and had at least five photographers cover the festivities. Princess Margarets arrival at San Francisco International Airport with her husband, Lord Snowdon, on Nov. 4, 1965, was an event unto itself. The couple and an entourage of 16 were greeted by Mayor John Shelley, businessman Cyril Magnin and several other city dignitaries. Hundreds of fans flocked to the airport hoping to catch a glimpse of royalty. Once in the city, the British visitors took up residence at the Huntington Hotel on Nob Hill, occupying all of the 12th floor and most of the 11th. They arrived with 75 pieces of luggage weighing over 1 ton, and a squad of six soldiers from the Presidio helped deliver the bags to the hotel. Somehow, they seemed to avoid any jokes published at least about bringing with them an enormous amount of royal baggage. Most of the trip was filled with stately duties, such as an official greeting at City Hall followed by a charity luncheon and fashion show at the Hilton Hotel. The following day they visited UC Berkeley, followed by a few private functions, including a wild boar luncheon on the Monterey Peninsula. The royal couple didnt shy away from tourist traps, either: They made time for sightseeing, including a trip to Coit Tower and a cable car ride. On Nov. 7, Princess Margaret attended Mass at Grace Cathedral before heading to SFO to board a Royal Air Force plane to Los Angeles. Upon arriving in L.A., the princess relayed a familiar refrain for first-time visitors to the city: I had heard so much about San Francisco that I was afraid I would be disappointed but it lived up to my expectations. Joe Rosenthal / The Chronicle 1965 More from Chronicle Vault A salute to her majesty: Decades ago, Queen Elizabeth II came to the West Coast and the rare royal visit captivated Northern California. Here are long-buried photos and stories from her trip. More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond. Chronicle Covers: Take a look at the front page from when Queen Elizabeth IIs coronation had the eyes of the world focused on Great Britain. Speaking of Brits: We dug up photos from Ringo Starrs 1964 trip to the West Coast, which included a chaotic stopover at San Francisco International Airport. Beatlemania broke out in nearly unbelievable ways. Floating White House: President Franklin D. Roosevelts USS Potomac never failed to sail into stories during its years in the Bay Area and beyond. We compiled some of the best tales from decades past. From the Archive is a weekly column by Bill Van Niekerken, the library director of The Chronicle, exploring the depths of the newspapers archive. Its part of Chronicle Vault, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting more than 150 years of San Francisco stories. It is edited by Tim ORourke, The Chronicles assistant managing editor and executive producer of SFChronicle.com. Sign up for the newsletter here and follow Chronicle Vault on Instagram. Contact Bill at bvanniekerken@sfchronicle.com and Tim at torourke@sfchronicle.com. This is the time of year when people get in touch with their ethnic baking roots, whether that means making gingerbread, bunuelos or rugelach. Home baking, after all, is a window into a familys or regions culture. Thats exactly what inspired Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson to spend years researching and photographing his new book, The Nordic Baking Book. Nordic baking culture is carried by people baking at home rather than people baking in professional bakeries, Nilsson says in conversation with Nichole Accettola at Kantine, her 5-month-old Scandinavian bakery-cafe in San Francisco. Chef of Faviken Magasinet, a Michelin two-star restaurant in central Sweden, Nilsson spent more time with home cooks than professionals for this project. That includes his own mother and aunt, who roll out flat breads by hand and bake them in a wood-fired oven at Christmas and Easter. Nilsson also turns his attention to multiple variations of Scandinavian pastries that Americans have adopted as their own, such as cinnamon buns and crullers making the book an encyclopedic source for all kinds of holiday baking, no matter your family background. Magnus Nilsson Nilssons chapter on fika, the Swedish coffee and pastry break, helps explain the crazy abundance and regional variation of cookies, buns, breads and rolls of the Nordic countries. While many take fika as often as five times a day, especially in the north of Sweden, the tradition has been whittled down to once or twice per day, he says. Fika, he writes, is something that goes on in every Swedish home and in every Swedish workplace. It is a cherished time to spend with friends, colleagues or just on your own. Yet, baking is defined by ones region. Nordic baking is limited by which grains grow best in each local climate mostly barley, rye and oats. Wheat growing was and still is confined to Denmark and southern Sweden, for example. One hundred and twenty years ago you could not bake with wheat in the north because you couldnt get it. If you could you were very wealthy, he says. Though rye production has declined since the 1960s because wheat has a higher yield and is more profitable to grow, Nilsson writes, many of the traditions remain such as the use of dense rye bread as a daily staple. Magnus Nilsson Lunches for the kids are made out of this bread, says Accettola, who lived in Copenhagen for 15 years, and where she married her husband and her three children were born. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Accettola sells her Danish-style rye bread in local markets. Bakeries like hers and Tartine in San Francisco have helped popularize dense rye bread and savory porridge to the Bay Area, part of an international interest in Nordic cooking. At close to 600 pages, Nilssons book denser and heavier than one of Accettolas loaves. Its on the serious side, with its matte photographs of almost uniformly beige foods, but the mood is lightened by Nilssons landscape photos and his description of his own family baking traditions, as well as those of others he encountered in his travels to the north. The Nordic Baking Book (Phaidon, 576 pages, $49.95), by Magnus Nilsson. Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to reinstate the presidents ban on political asylum for thousands of undocumented immigrants, a ban that lower courts have deemed to be in direct contradiction of U.S. immigration law. The restrictions, announced by President Trump on Nov. 9 but blocked 10 days later by U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar of San Francisco, are needed to re-establish sovereign control over the southern border and reduce illegal and dangerous border crossings, Justice Department lawyers said in asking the high court for a stay of Tigars ruling. They also said the plaintiffs, organizations that provide legal support to asylum-seekers, were mere bystanders who had nothing tangible at stake and lacked legal standing to sue. And they criticized Tigar for issuing a nationwide restraining order against the asylum ban, part of a troubling pattern of single judges dictating national policy. In response, attorney Lee Gelernt of the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued on behalf of the asylum support groups, said, The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to short-circuit the normal judicial process and reinstate a blatantly unlawful policy. Asylum is granted to noncitizens who can show a well-founded fear of persecution in their homeland for reasons such as race, religion, political views, or, under recent rulings, sexual orientation. Trump, whose administration has also sought to limit the grounds for asylum, issued orders Nov. 9 to bar asylum for anyone crossing the Mexican border illegally in any place other than a port of entry. The ports are a limited number of designated areas where migrants can seek legal entry, but currently face waits of several months, in often hazardous conditions, to apply for asylum. Trump said the change was needed to discourage unlawful crossings by large numbers of migrants from Central America. But Tigar said the edict conflicted with a federal law, passed in its current form in 1996, that said foreigners who have entered the United States can apply for asylum no matter where they entered. Finding that the administration had also disregarded a requirement to seek public notice and comment before imposing such a rule, he issued a 30-day restraining order against the ban and has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday on whether to convert the order to a longer-lasting preliminary injunction. While Trump derided the ruling from an Obama judge, his administration has sought to sidestep Tigar by seeking stays from higher courts. On Friday, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco voted 2-1 to deny a stay, with a stern reminder by Judge Jay Bybee one of the courts most conservative members that revision of the laws is left with the branch that enacted the laws in the first place Congress. In Tuesdays Supreme Court filing, the Justice Department made the same argument that the lower courts rejected that Congress only authorized immigrants to apply for asylum after entering the U.S. illegally, and left the government free to deny all such applications. No alien ever has a right to be granted asylum, a decision that is left to the governments discretion, Justice Department lawyers said. They said the asylum restriction would help restore order at the border and give Trump time to negotiate agreements with Mexico and the Central American nations of Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua on treatment of the migrants. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko With some success, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has tried playing recent U.S. presidents. Now, its Donald Trumps turn. Remember George W. Bush peering into Putins eyes and seeing a good soul? Putin didnt have to do anything to get Barack Obama to give up a planned missile defense system in Poland with the hope that Putin would help rein in Irans aggression. It didnt work. Instead, Putin sold sophisticated antiaircraft systems to Tehran and is building a nuclear reactor there. Then, Russias forces seized Crimea and fomented a powerful insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Obama got himself in trouble when he drew a red line to prevent Syria from using chemical weapons but then lacked the will to enforce it. Putin brokered a phony Syrian surrender of all chemical weapons to save face for Obama. With typical American optimism, modern presidents including Trump have voiced a desire for improved relations with the Soviet Union, then the Russian Federation. Modern presidents, including Trump, have also frequently sanctioned Moscow, its elites and its organizations. Neither approach has worked well. Even back in 1980, Jimmy Carter tried it, withdrawing U.S. athletes from the summer Olympic Games in Moscow over the Soviets ill-fated invasion of Afghanistan. Moscow and 14 Soviet bloc countries reciprocated by boycotting the 1984 summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Obama levied a series of sanctions on Russia and Russians over the Crimea annexation and Ukraine meddling. Trump has approved the more serious sale of lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine. And he imposed additional sanctions over malicious Russian cyberattacks. Such tough responses bring Trump little credit, if thats the word. That would contradict a popular media narrative about Russian collusion as an explanation for Democrats stunning 2016 presidential loss. And, honestly, Trump has clumsily walked all over his own message of toughness by instead repeatedly expressing hope for improved relations and appearing to defer to Putin after their Helsinki summer summit. Trump did abruptly cancel a meeting with Putin at the recent G-20 summit in Argentina, blaming it totally on Russias seizure of three Ukrainian navy ships and crews off Crimea. But cmon, canceling a scheduled meeting means even less than years of economic sanctions that sound good at home but have failed to change Russian behavior at all. Seriously, if any wealthy Putin pals have yet to move their money from New York to Cyprus, they must not care much. Putins goal is a very Russian one: to restore her greatness as defined by todays czar. He wants to thwart Ukraines NATO bid on his border, Moldovas nearby and perhaps scare other members that might wonder about the longevity of Trumps commitments. In the Mideast, Putin is pecking away at U.S. relationships, wooing Egypts president and Saudi royalty, giving each an alternate ally and arms supplier should relations sour with Washington. Then, theres Turkey, an inexplicable NATO partner, which is falling under Recep Erdogans increasingly authoritarian rule. To reduce U.S. influence in the region, Putin is building another reactor there, has lured Turkey into Syria as a partner with Iran and is selling air-defense missiles to Istanbul. That is indeed puzzling. Such armaments are incompatible with NATO systems. And if youre an alleged ally of NATO, Russia, Iran and Syria, whose planes might they target? Israel? U.S. ones based in Turkey? Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Putins plan is to weaken NATO by inciting such internal dissent. Hes actively encouraging European reliance on Russian energy sources, including an enormous new natural gas pipeline into Germany. His military maneuvers near the Baltic states cause jitters, as designed. Trumps so far unrewarded patience with Putin contrasts with his stern demands for NATO members to boost defense spending. Trumps impatience with allies is reasonable in one sense. All 29 members agreed to increase defense budgets to 2 percent of gross domestic product, and the United States does shoulder an inordinate financial burden. Only eight are at that level now. But the deadline isnt for another eight years. And the short-sighted Trump-induced turmoil and uncertainty over American commitments are exactly what Putin seeks. And let us and President Trump not forget that only one member in NATOs 69-year history has benefited from Article 5s mutual defense clause. That member was wait for it the United States after the 9/11 attacks when alliance allies loyally marched into Afghanistan together after al Qaeda and the Taliban. Andrew Malcolm is a veteran domestic and foreign correspondent. Twitter: @AHMalcolm. The November elections delivered a strong message that a new generation of female leaders is ready and motivated to seek elected office. Women will make up 30 percent of the incoming California Legislature. While thats a significant improvement from the 23 percent representation just a few months ago, and it is mirrored at the city level, where California women hold 31 percent of elected seats, it is still well below gender parity. In Californias 10 largest cities, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and San Francisco Mayor London Breed are the only female mayors. There are many ways to help bring about more parity. One solution would allow candidates to use campaign funds for child care. Running for office is time-consuming and requires money, and not just the money needed to run a campaign. Being a candidate often takes a toll on an individuals personal finances. Candidates with young children, women and men, often face the practical reality of paying for increased child care to campaign and network. That helps explain, in part, why women are half as likely as men to even consider running for office. Historically, candidates have been uncertain about whether they are allowed to use campaign funds to pay for child care. This poses a barrier to all parents considering public office. Campaign finance laws are complicated, and no candidate wants to get fined for using funds inappropriately. Californias campaign finance law expressly allows candidates to use campaign funds for unusual expenses like parking fines, home security systems and even specialty clothes. That means a male candidate could rent a tuxedo, but a female candidate may not be able to use funds to pay for extra child care expenses incurred because of campaigning. The campaign finance law must change if gender equality is to be achieved. Change is slowly starting. In May, the Federal Election Commission ruled that campaign funds could be used to pay for child care expenses that were a direct result of campaign activities. However, this sensible victory applies only to candidates running for federal offices. Among states, Alabama became the first state to allow campaign funds to be used for child care expenses, and since then, at least nine other states campaign finance agencies have addressed the question. But in California, candidates running for state and local office, who make up the vast majority of office seekers, still lack a clear legal directive that says campaign funds may be used for child care expenses while campaigning. Relief for parents of young children seeking office can come from either the California Fair Political Practices Commission or the Legislature. The FPPC is often called the states political watchdog. Its a five-member, nonpartisan body charged with setting and enforcing campaign rules. In 1994, the FPPC issued an informal advice letter granting permission to use campaign funds for child care, but only in certain circumstances and up to a certain amount. Not only was this advice too narrow, but also the problem with advice letters is that they are not law. That means a candidate who uses campaign funds for child care expenses based on nonbinding advice that is now two decades old could still face fines and the certain campaign attacks from an opponent and negative news coverage. This exact scenario played out in Louisiana just last month, when a female candidate for the statehouse was denied a request to use campaign funds for child care. The denial was a surprising setback, given that the Louisiana Ethics Board had advised a male candidate in 2000 that he could use campaign funds for child care. The Legislature will only address these concerns of everyday Californians when its members reflect California. And to help make that a reality, the Legislature needs to pass a law that removes this campaign finance uncertainty. Amber Maltbie is an attorney specializing in election law and chair of Emerge California. Rob Bonta is a father of three children and member of the state Assembly representing Oakland, Alameda and San Leandro. The Berkeley College Republicans celebrated a landmark victory Dec. 3 in their lawsuit against UC Berkeley for its repeated infringement of their First Amendment rights over the course of last year. This two-year lawsuit was a David vs. Goliath struggle, with a small but determined band of students taking on a behemoth. The lawsuit was actually a response to four separate speaker events, which were obstructed in some form or other at UC Berkeley in 2017. The first of these events occurred on Feb. 1, 2017, with Milo Yiannopoulos as the keynote speaker, when an army of masked antifa agitators besieged Berkeley, attacking bystanders and causing more than $100,000 worth of property damage all to prevent a one-hour lecture. For the second event, with conservative commentator (and Cal alumnus) David Horowitz, the university demanded a $6,000 security fee and placed several restrictions on the event through an unwritten high-profile speaker policy. In March 2017, I invited Ann Coulter to represent the conservative perspective on immigration. I chose to invite Coulter because she is objectively the most relevant conservative pundit on the topic of immigration in the Donald Trump era. Her views on the issue have since become predominant within the Republican Party. I was under no illusions that Coulter would be a popular figure at Berkeley, but I believed very strongly that her perspective deserved to be heard on campus. Coulter was someone uniquely positioned to give liberal students a chance to learn the views of the other side and either strengthen their own views or change them based on the new information. This event was sponsored by a nonpartisan student organization that had previously hosted Maria Echaveste, a former deputy chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, to discuss the liberal perspective on immigration. But when Coulter was to speak, the university administration began invoking the same policy as with Horowitz. Berkeley Campus Republicans canceled their event with Horowitz due to the security costs and mounting restrictions, and UC Berkeley blocked Coulters event, citing unspecified security concerns, despite the fact that Berkeley antifa members had said in a commentary in the Daily Cal that they had no intentions to disrupt Coulters lecture. After attempts at hosting three conservative speaker events, it became clear to me that there were two sets of rules at Berkeley one for liberal students and one for conservatives and that the only way to remedy this injustice was to file a lawsuit. Our case received support from many quarters, including the U.S. Department of Justice. While the litigation was pending, we hosted our fourth event: a lecture by Ben Shapiro in September 2017. With Shapiro, the university tried many of the same tactics, along with a few new ones, but the event proceeded after a public outcry and a few sternly worded letters from our attorneys. All of this led to our settlement, in which the university will no longer require security fees that are based on subjective assessments that take into consideration the hecklers veto. Students will now be able to host events for free in classrooms and student-government-owned venues. UC Berkeley had tried to minimize the importance of this lawsuit, but as it led to a tangible restructuring of university policies, we consider it a significant victory for free speech. This case will serve as yet another reminder to universities that the trend of suppressing conservative speech is not supported by law. Universities stand at a fork in the road: If they can hold themselves to their standard of serving as a sanctuary for all forms of ideas, however unpopular, then they will once again serve a vital and honorable role in society. If, however, they choose to continue down a path of censorship, then the consequences may be disastrous both on and off campus. Naweed Tahmas is the former vice president of Berkeley College Republicans. He graduated from UC Berkeley in May. Mayor London Breed reiterated her desire to use the citys $181 million windfall on homelessness and housing initiatives Tuesday, despite differing proposals from other officials on how they would like to see the money spent. I want to be clear that housing and homelessness will be at the top of my agenda, Breed said during her monthly appearance in front of the Board of Supervisors, in response to a question from Board President Malia Cohen on how she plans to use the money. The voters sent a clear message in the last election that this is their top priority. Breeds declaration comes a week after a group of supervisors proposed using the windfall for more than just homelessness and housing initiatives, but also energy independence and child care. Meanwhile, San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Vincent Matthews and the three incoming supervisors Matt Haney, Gordon Mar and Shamann Walton said a chunk of the money should go toward public education, too. The influx of money came from excess revenue in the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund, or ERAF, a state program that shifts a portion of local property taxes to public school systems in each county. The city received a total of $414.7 million in excess ERAF funds for both the previous and current fiscal year. While more than half must go toward budget reserves and to certain city agencies including about $54 million for child care, youth services and rainy day reserves the mayor and Board of Supervisors have free rein on how to spend $181 million. The windfall comes as the school district faces a legal challenge to a new parcel tax that would raise $50 million annually, most of it for a teacher pay raise. As school officials grapple with a lack of funds to cover the wage increases, they are eyeing the windfall as a potential solution. In the past week, Matthews sent letters to both the mayor and Board of Supervisors, urging them to allocate $60 million of the excess revenue toward SFUSD for critical education-related purposes, including educator salaries. The mayors comments Tuesday did not address the request from Matthews, nor the separate proposal from the supervisors. Rather, she doubled down on her desire to use the money to meet the goals of Proposition C, a November ballot measure she opposed that would raise $300 million in taxes from the citys largest businesses to fund homeless services. While the measure passed with 61 percent approval, it is facing possible legal challenges that could hold up the money for months, or even years. Although I had concerns with the underlying policy, I agree with the overall goal: We need to get people off the streets and housed, Breed told the board. With the one-time funding that was recently announced, we have an opportunity to take bold action while we wait for more funding to potentially become available. The Board of Supervisors cannot take up the allocation until next year, which means there will be three new supervisors who will also have a say on how the money is spent. And each of them Haney, Walton and Mar said they will push for extra funding for public education. As long as San Francisco schools are underfunded and our teachers are underpaid, we should be looking for ways to get more money into our schools, not divert resources away, Haney previously told The Chronicle. Also at Tuesdays meeting, Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer introduced legislation to help limit the amount of retail vacancies around the city. Under the proposal, businesses would have to register their vacant storefronts and pay a $711 annual registration fee. Those who do not comply would have to pay a penalty that is four times the registration fee. Fewers legislation removes language in the building code that says a commercial storefront is not considered vacant if the storefront is actively being offered for sale, lease or rent. Supervisor Aaron Peskin also proposed legislation to increases fines for illegal demolitions. His proposal also would require a conditional use authorization for any home expansion that increases the square footage by more than 10 percent. Additionally, Supervisor Hillary Ronen introduced legislation that would require all juveniles to have legal representation when they are interrogated by police and give their parents access to them while they are in custody. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was granted bail by a Canadian court, allowing the executive to stay in her Vancouver home as she awaits a possible extradition to the United States on fraud charges. Meanwhile, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for Mengs arrest at the request of the United States, escalating a legal and diplomatic wrangle among the three countries. Relations were shaken by Canadas arrest of Meng, the daughter of Huaweis founder. Canadian authorities detained her Dec. 1 during a layover at the Vancouver airport. 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 though the two countries signaled Tuesday they are preparing to resume talks. Heightening tension between China and Canada, Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed Tuesday 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 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, according to a spokesman for International Crisis Group, where Kovrig now works as North East Asia adviser in Hong Kong. Canada had been bracing for retaliation for Meng arrest. The 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. A judge granted Mengs release Tuesday on $7.5 million bail. Mengs lawyer, David Martin, said his team had worked through the night to satisfy concerns about the Chinese executives potential release. Martin said they contacted four people willing to put up money to guarantee that Meng wont flee. One is a real estate agent who met Meng in 2009 and sold two properties to her and her husband. The man has pledged his home, valued at $1.3 million. Another said he got to know Meng while working at Huawei in China in the mid-1990s. He said he vouches for her character to comply with any conditions imposed by the court and has pledged $373,000 from the equity on his home in Vancouver, which is valued at $1 million. Meng has denied the U.S. allegations through her lawyer, promising to fight them if she is extradited to face charges in the United States. 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 dealings in Iran. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said Tuesday that the charges against Meng pertain to alleged lies to United States financial institutions. 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. Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. Bloomberg News contributed to this report. Jim Morris, Rob Gillies and Paul Wiseman are Associated Press writers. CBS News reached a legal settlement with three women who accused the network of not doing enough to stop one of its anchors, Charlie Rose, from sexually harassing them. The three women had worked for CBS when Rose was a host of CBS This Morning and a correspondent for 60 Minutes. The network fired Rose last year after The Washington Post published the stories of several women who said that Rose had treated them inappropriately when they worked for him over the course of several decades. PBS, the longtime home of the Charlie Rose interview show, also cut ties with Rose. Three recent employees Katherine Harris, Sydney McNeal and Yuqing Wei sued the network and Rose this year after another article in The Post indicated that the network had ignored complaints from CBS employees who worked with him. Christa Robinson, a spokeswoman for CBS News, said Tuesday that the CBS lawsuit was resolved and that the financial terms of the settlement were confidential, at the request of the women. The women are continuing their lawsuit against Rose, a lawyer for the women, Kenneth Goldberg, said. The settlement is the latest domino to fall in the reckoning over whether CBS and other television networks did enough to stop senior executives and broadcast personalities from harassing younger employees. More for you The Problems #MeToo Can't Reach Last week, The New York Times reported that Leslie Moonves, the former chief executive of CBS, had destroyed evidence pointing to his own sexual misconduct when he was running the network. A draft of a report by lawyers hired by CBS said the company had justification to deny Moonves his $120 million severance. Moonves stepped down from his post in September after several women came forward in The New Yorker with sexual misconduct claims against him. In the lawsuit against Rose and CBS, some of the former anchormans subordinates said the network had known about the allegations against Rose before they became public and did nothing. Wei said in the lawsuit that she had expressed her concerns to the executive producer of CBS This Morning, Ryan Kadro. She claimed to have told him, Im telling you in case you have a lawsuit on your hands. At the time the lawsuit was filed, CBS said in a statement, We will vigorously defend against the allegations pertaining to CBS News and Mr. Kadro. In a separate statement when the lawsuit was filed, a lawyer for Rose, Bob Bodian, said, The claims in the lawsuit filed today against Mr. Rose are without merit. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Injectable Drug Delivery Market 2018 The Global Industry Report covers the SWOT analysis of the industry along with key growth, size, growth and demand in the market. Anyone with either an academic or business interest in the Injectable Drug Delivery Market the report will definitely by handy. For Sample Copy of this Report at https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/705155 Increasing cancer is the major factor for the growth of the market. Geriatric population has also contributed to the growth of the Injectable Drug Delivery market. The demand for Injectable Drug Delivery market has increased in the year 2017, especially in America. Due to increase in the patient population suffering from diabetes and cancer. Europe accounts second largest market for injectable drug delivery devices which is followed by Asia Pacific. Huge patient population and rapid development of economies in countries of Asia Pacific is the major driver for the market in this region. Based on type, market is segmented into needle free injectors, auto injectors, disposable syringes, reusable needles, pre-filled syringes, pen needle. Based on type, the needle-free Injectable Drug Delivery segment dominated the Global Injectable Drug Delivery market. Prefilled of needle-free injectors segment is expected to have a dominant share of the needle-free type of Injectable Drug Delivery market due to its ease of application. Global Injectable Drug Delivery Market, by type On the basis of application Injectable Drug Delivery market is segmented into Auto-immune diseases, Hormonal Disorders, Orphan Diseases, Oncology, Other Therapeutic Applications. North America is projected to dominate the market, with the U.S. accounting for a major share. However, Asia is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Also, high penetration of self-injection techniques and technologies in Asian countries such as China, Japan, and India adds to the demand for Injectable devices in the region. Injectable Drug Delivery Industry 2018 Market Research Report is spread across 121 pages and provides exclusive vital statistics, data, information, trends and competitive landscape details in this niche sector. Inquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on this report https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/705155 Some of the key players in the Injectable Drug Delivery market include Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.), Baxter International (U.S.), Pfizer (U.S.), Gerresheimer AG (Germany), Schott AG (Germany), Eli Lilly and Company (U.S.), and Terumo Corporation (Japan). Key Benefits of the Report: *Global, Regional, Country, Application, and Deployment Market Size and Forecast from 2014-2025 *Detailed market dynamics, industry outlook with market specific PESTLE, Value Chain, Supply Chain, and SWOT Analysis to better understand the market and build strategies. *Identification of key companies that can influence this market on a global and regional scale *Expert interviews and their insights on market shift, current and future outlook and factors impacting vendors short term and long term strategies. * Detailed insights on emerging regions, deployment & application, and competitive landscape with qualitative and quantitative information and facts. Target Audience: * Injectable Drug Delivery providers * Traders, Importer and Exporter * Raw material suppliers and distributors * Research and consulting firms * Government and research organizations * Associations and industry bodies Order Copy of this Report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/705155 Research Methodology: The market is derived through extensive use of secondary, primary, in-house research followed by expert validation and third party perspective like analyst report of investment banks. The secondary research forms the base of our study where we conducted extensive data mining, referring to verified data sources such as white papers government and regulatory published materials, technical journals, trade magazines, and paid data sources. For forecasting, regional demand & supply factor, investment, market dynamics including technical scenario, consumer behavior, and end use industry trends and dynamics , capacity production, spending were taken into consideration. We have assigned weights to these parameters and quantified their market impacts using the weighted average analysis to derive the expected market growth rate. The market estimates and forecasts have been verified through exhaustive with the Key Industry Participants (KIPs) which typically includes: * Original Equipment Manufacturer, * Component Supplier, * Distributors, * Government Body & Associations, and * Research Institute TABLE OF CONTENT 1 Executive Summary 2 Methodology And Market Scope 3 Injectable Drug Delivery Market - Industry Outlook 4 Injectable Drug Delivery Market Product Outlook 5 Injectable Drug Delivery Market Application Outlook 6 Injectable Drug Delivery Market Regional Outlook 7 Competitive Landscape End of the report Disclaimer TABLE OF CONTENT 1 Executive Summary 2 Methodology And Market Scope 3 Injectable Drug Delivery Market - Industry Outlook 4 Injectable Drug Delivery Market Type Outlook 5 Injectable Drug Delivery Market Application Outlook 6 Injectable Drug Delivery Market Regional Outlook 7 Competitive Landscape End of the report Disclaimer About Us Orian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. 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Contact Us: Ruwin Mendez Vice President - Global Sales & Partner Relations Orian Research Consultants US: +1 (415) 830-3727 | UK: +44 020 8144-71-27 Email: info@orianresearch.com Website: www.orianresearch.com/ Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/ WASHINGTON The cyberattack on the Marriott hotel chain that collected personal details of roughly 500 million guests was part of a Chinese intelligence-gathering effort that also hacked health insurers and the security clearance files of millions more Americans, according to two people briefed on the investigation. The hackers, they said, are suspected of working on behalf of the Ministry of State Security, the countrys Communist-controlled civilian spy agency. The discovery comes as the Trump administration is planning actions against Chinas trade, cyber and economic policies within days. Those moves include indictments against Chinese hackers working for the intelligence services and the military, according to four government officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The administration also plans to declassify intelligence reports to reveal Chinese efforts dating to at least 2014 to build a database containing names of executives and U.S. government officials with security clearances. Other options include an executive order intended to make it harder for Chinese companies to obtain critical components for telecommunications equipment, a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the plans said. The moves stem from a growing concern within the administration that the 90-day trade truce negotiated two weeks ago by President Trump and President Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires might do little to change Chinas behavior including the coercion of American companies to hand over valuable technology if they seek to enter the Chinese market, as well as the theft of industrial secrets on behalf of state-owned companies. The hacking of Marriotts Starwood chain, which was discovered only in September and revealed late last month, is not expected to be part of the coming indictments. But two of the government officials said it has added urgency to the administrations crackdown, given that Marriott is the top hotel provider for U.S. government and military personnel. It also is a prime example of what has vexed the Trump administration as China has reverted over the past 18 months to the kind of intrusions into American companies and government agencies that President Barack Obama thought he had ended in 2015 in an agreement with Xi. Geng Shuang, a spokesman for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied any knowledge of the Marriott hacking. China firmly opposes all forms of cyberattack, and cracks down on it in accordance with the law, he said. If offered evidence, the relevant Chinese departments will carry out investigations according to the law. Trade negotiators on both sides of the Pacific have worked on an agreement under which China would commit to purchasing $1.2 trillion more of American goods and services over the next several years, and would address intellectual property concerns. Trump said this week that the United States and China were having very productive conversations as top U.S. and Chinese officials held their first talks via telephone since the two countries agreed to a truce on Dec. 1. But while top administration officials insist that the trade talks are proceeding on a separate track, the broader crackdown on China could undermine Trumps ability to reach an agreement with Xi. U.S. charges against senior members of Chinas intelligence services risk hardening opposition in Beijing to negotiations with Trump. Another obstacle is the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of the communications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder. The arrest of Meng, who has been detained in Canada on suspicion of fraud involving violations of United States sanctions against Iran, has angered China. She was granted bail of $7.5 million while awaiting extradition to the United States. American business leaders have braced for retaliation from China, which has demanded the immediate release of Meng and accused the United States and Canada of violating her rights. On Tuesday, the International Crisis Group said that one of its employees, a former Canadian diplomat, had been detained in China. The disappearance of the former diplomat, Michael Kovrig, could further inflame tensions between China and Canada. We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michaels whereabouts, as well as his prompt and safe release, the group said in a statement on its website. From the first revelation that the Marriott chains computer systems had been breached, there was widespread suspicion in Washington and among cybersecurity firms that the hacking was not a matter of commercial espionage, but part of a much broader spy campaign to amass Americans personal data. While U.S. intelligence agencies have not reached a final assessment of who performed the hacking, a range of firms brought in to assess the damage quickly saw computer code and patterns familiar to operations by Chinese actors. The Marriott database contains not only credit card information but passport data. Lisa Monaco, a former Homeland Security adviser under Obama, noted last week at a conference that passport information would be particularly valuable in tracking who is crossing borders and what they look like, among other key data. But officials said it was only part of an aggressive operation whose centerpiece was the 2014 hacking into the Office of Personnel Management. At the time, the government bureau loosely guarded the detailed forms that Americans fill out to get security clearances forms that contain financial data; information about spouses, children and past romantic relationships; and any meetings with foreigners. Such information is exactly what the Chinese use to root out spies, recruit intelligence agents and build a rich repository of Americans personal data for future targeting. With those details and more that were stolen from insurers like Anthem, the Marriott data adds another critical element to the intelligence profile: travel habits. James Lewis, a cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, said the Chinese have collected huge pots of data to feed a Ministry of State Security database seeking to identify American spies and the Chinese people talking to them. Big data is the new wave for counterintelligence, Lewis said. David E. Sanger, Nicole Perlroth, Glenn Thrush and Alan Rappeport are New York Times writers. Time magazine named four journalists and a newspaper on Tuesday as its 2018 Person of the Year for what it said was standing up for the truth in the face of persecution and violence. The group, which Time called the guardians, consists of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi; the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md., where five people were shot to death 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. Khashoggi was killed two months ago when The Washington Post columnist, who had lived in 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 last spring. Forty-six journalists worldwide were killed in 2017, according to data collected by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The nonprofit group reported 50 deaths in 2016 and 73 in 2015. There were 262 journalists imprisoned worldwide in 2017. Since 1927, Time has selected individuals or groups to appear on its cover for the end-of-the-year feature. This was the first time someone named was no longer alive. Those chosen this year will appear in four different cover photos shown above. 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. Shawn Marsh is an Associated Press writer. WASHINGTON Democrats are trying to turn their most painful losses this year into a rallying cry they hope will electrify the 2020 presidential campaign: Every vote matters. Multiple potential contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination are elevating the issue of voting rights as they prepare to launch campaigns. Theyre vowing to oppose Republican-backed efforts to require identification to vote, reinstate protections eliminated by a 2013 Supreme Court ruling and frequently highlight the necessity of counting every vote. The aim is to tap into the anger and frustration among Democrats who argue that Republicans win some elections by making it harder for their constituents, particularly minorities, to vote. That sentiment has long existed among Democrats but intensified after the party lost closely watched races for governor in Georgia and Florida last month. Both contests featured heated racial rhetoric and charges of voter suppression. The partys suspicion of Republicans has also grown as a congressional race in North Carolina remains mired in allegations of absentee ballot fraud and GOP lawmakers in Wisconsin and Michigan seek to weaken the power of incoming Democratic governors. Democrats ultimately hope to turn the issue of voting rights into an argument thats just as persuasive to voters in 2020 as health care proved to be in 2018. And theres already competition among potential presidential contenders to build a reputation as the most aggressive in advocating for the right to vote. This is not a new issue, and it is quite frankly the dark history of our country, which is specific populations being restricted from meaningful access to the right to vote, said California Sen. Kamala Harris. Aides to Harris said that voting rights would be among her top priorities, and that she likely would frame it less as a civil rights issue and as more of a broader Democratic rallying point. She has argued that the entire Democratic agenda is weakened when Republicans restrict ballot access for unions, minorities and other groups. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who is weighing his own presidential bid, has framed the issue of voting rights in the context of a traditional civil rights issue. Harris, Booker and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota are among the potential presidential candidates who will hold onto seats on the Senate Judiciary Committee heading into 2020, giving them an important post from which to address voting rights. Juana Summers is an Associated Press writer. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia The Trump administration is preparing to deport the largest group yet of legal Cambodian immigrants over the next few days, according to human rights groups and a U.S. official, continuing a wave of deportation that has fallen heavily on refugees who fled the upheaval surrounding the Vietnam War. The new deportations include an expected 46 people who are scheduled to arrive in Cambodia on Dec. 19, the U.S. official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of deportations that had not been officially announced. Many of those being deported have few or no memories of Cambodia, as they were part of an exodus fleeing Khmer Rouge massacres and were granted refugee status in the United States. Some actually have green cards and have been convicted of a felony while in the United States, though often from many years ago. President Trump has continued to place harsh limits on immigration and asylum at the center of his national policy, and over the past year, the White House has pushed to greatly expand the number of foreign residents who are eligible for deportation. That effort has included what U.S. officials describe as a renewed push by the White House this month to negotiate with Vietnam to take back a category of refugees in the United States those who immigrated before 1995 who had been considered protected under an earlier agreement. In the case of Cambodians, some deportations began in 2002 under a bilateral agreement signed by both countries. But the Trump White House has greatly stepped up the process, widening the numbers of Cambodians it considers deportable. Rights groups have criticized the deportation push because many of those designated for deportation will be separated from families who remain in the U.S. Others are the children of Cambodians who fled torture and massacre by the Khmer Rouge and are being returned to a country in which they have never lived or of which they have little memory. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. secretly dropped 2.7 million tons of explosives on Cambodia in operations that some credit with partially enabling the Khmer Rouges rise to power. Charles Dunst is a New York Times writer. WASHINGTON Andre Pittman and Gregory Cornes are on a mission to rid Washington of opportunistic vermin. But their target isnt corrupt officials or shady political fixers; its Rattus Norvegicus, the common Norway Rat. The nations capital is facing a spiraling rat infestation, fueled by mild winters and a human population boom. Washingtons government is struggling to keep pace, with the pest control department fielding a record number of calls. On one recent day, Pittman and Cornes, both veteran Health Department employees, are working within sight of the Capitol, shoveling dry ice pellets into suspected rat burrow entrances. On another, theyre summoned about six blocks north of the White House, at 16th Street and M, where residents have complained of an outbreak. Rats adapt to everything, Pittman said. They can be like geniuses. The pest control company Orkin ranks Washington as Americas fourth Rattiest City, based on the number of new service calls per year. Thats up one spot from the previous year and just behind Los Angeles and New York; Chicago has been ranked No. 1 for four consecutive years. While D.C. doesnt boast the subway monsters famous in New York, anecdotal evidence is piling up that the rodents are on the march. In September, a viral video showed security camera footage of a rat pulling a fire alarm, forcing the evacuation of an apartment building. Washington is also in the midst of a gentrification-fueled economic and population boom. The Districts population just passed 700,000 more than Vermont and Wyoming. Brown said the number of restaurants, bars and coffee shops has increased by 25 percent in two years. More people with more money means more restaurants, which means more garbage, which means more rat food, Brown said. In several ways, Washington is perfectly suited for the critters. It is filled with green space, from the National Mall to the many signature traffic circles; Dupont Circle is apparently a hot spot. Rats also love waterfront areas, and part of Washingtons gentrification boom has focused on the Navy Yards or the new Wharf Marina presenting the ultimate rodent attraction of a flourishing waterfront restaurant scene. Ashraf Khalil is an Associated Press writer. WASHINGTON Lawyers for Michael Flynn, President Trumps former national security adviser, asked a judge Tuesday to spare him prison time, saying he had devoted his career to his country and taken responsibility for an uncharacteristic error in judgment. The arguments to the judge echoed those from special counsel Robert Muellers office that Flynn has been so cooperative with investigators, meeting with them 19 times, that he is entitled to avoid prison when he is sentenced next week. Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations during the presidential transition period with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States, will become the first White House official punished in the special counsels ongoing probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. The filing comes as lawyers for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said they were still deciding whether to dispute allegations that he lied to investigators and breached his plea agreement. A judge gave Manafort until Jan. 7 to respond to prosecutors claims that he misled them about his interactions with an associate who they say has ties to Russian intelligence and with Trump administration officials. The defendants, their fortunes sliding in opposite directions, represent starkly different paths in Muellers investigation a model cooperator on one end and, prosecutors say, a dishonest and resistant witness on the other. Even as prosecutors recommend no prison time for Flynn, theyve left open the possibility they may seek additional charges against Manafort, who is already facing years in prison. Given both mens extensive conversations with prosecutors, and their involvement in key episodes under scrutiny, the pair could pose a threat to Trump, who in addition to Muellers investigation is entangled in a separate probe by prosecutors in New York into hush-money payments paid during the campaign to two women who say they had affairs with the president. Since his guilty plea a year ago, Flynn has stayed largely out of the public eye and refrained from discussing the Russia investigation despite encouragement from his supporters to take an aggressive stance. Tuesdays defense filing did not contain new information about Flynns cooperation or provide a full explanation for why he made false statements to investigators. But it did provide additional details about the backstory of his FBI interview, including that unlike other defendants in the Russia probe, he wasnt warned in advance that it was a crime to lie to the FBI. In Manaforts case, prosecutors have accused him of repeatedly lying to them even after he agreed to cooperate. They say Manafort lied about his interactions with a longtime associate they say has ties to Russian intelligence, his contacts with Trump administration officials and other matters under investigation by the Justice Department. Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in Washington in September and faces sentencing in a separate case in Virginia, where he was convicted of eight felony counts related to his efforts to hide millions of dollars he earned from Ukrainian political consulting from the IRS. Eric Tucker and Chad Day are Associated Press writers. WASHINGTON At an Oval Office gathering earlier this year, President Trump began touting his administrations new real estate investment program, which offers massive tax breaks to developers who invest in downtrodden American communities. He then turned to one of the plans strongest supporters. Ivanka, would you like to say something? Trump asked his daughter. Youve been pushing this very hard. The Opportunity Zone program promoted by Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, both senior White House advisers could also benefit them financially, an Associated Press investigation found. Government watchdogs say the couples financial interests underscore the ethical minefield they created two years ago when they became two of the closest advisers to the president without divesting from their extensive real estate investments. Trump and Kushner jointly own a big stake in a real estate investment firm, Cadre, that recently announced it is launching a series of Opportunity Zone funds that seek to build major projects under the program from Miami to Los Angeles. Separately, the couple owns interests in at least 13 properties held by Kushners family firm that could qualify for the tax breaks because they are in Opportunity Zones in New Jersey, New York and Maryland all of which, a study found, were already coming back. Six of the Kushner Cos. buildings are in New York Citys Brooklyn Heights area, with views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, where a five-bedroom apartment recently listed for $8 million. Two more are in the beach town of Long Branch, N.J., where some oceanfront condos within steps of a white-tablecloth Italian restaurant and a Lululemon yoga shop list for as much as $2.7 million. Theres no evidence the couple had a hand in selecting any of the nations 8,700 Opportunity Zones, and the company has not indicated it plans to seek tax breaks under the new program. But the Kushners could profit even if they dont do anything by potentially benefiting from a recent surge in Opportunity Zone property values amid a gold rush of interest from developers and investors. Ivanka Trumps advocacy for the Opportunity Zone program creates a direct conflict of interest with her spouses investment in Cadre, said Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel for the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Jared Kushners interests are Ivanka Trumps interests and vice versa. The couples financial disclosures show their jointly held financial empire is worth between $200 million and $800 million, with much of it in real estate, including a stake of between $25 million and $50 million in Cadre. Stephen Braun, Jeff Horwitz and Bernard Condon are Associated Press writers. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. A jury recommended life plus 419 years on Tuesday 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 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. 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 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 her daughters death has been like an an explosion in our family. Bro also said she is content with a jurys recommendation that he spend the rest of his life in prison. 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. Denise Lavoie is an Associated Press writer. LANSING, Mich. Michigan Republicans moved Wednesday to curtail ballot initiatives by advancing a measure limiting how many signatures could come from any one region of the state, the latest proposal assailed by critics as an unconstitutional, lame-duck power grab from incoming Democratic officeholders or voters. The House Elections and Ethics Committee passed the bill 6-3 along party lines on a day when hundreds of protesters again demonstrated at the Capitol. The new legislation could clear the Republican-led House before moving to the GOP-controlled Senate. Republican lawmakers are trying to make it harder to mount ballot drives after voters last month legalized marijuana for recreational use, overhauled the process of redrawing district lines that the GOP dominated in recent decades and expanded voting options. The move also comes a week after they maneuvered to significantly scale back minimum wage and paid sick time laws that began as ballot initiatives. At the behest of the business lobby, the Legislature preemptively adopted the wage and leave measures before the election, rather than let them go to a public vote, so it would be easier to change them after an unprecedented strategy that is sure to spark lawsuits if Republican Gov. Rick Snyder signs the bills. GOP legislators also have advanced Wisconsin-like bills that would strip or dilute the powers of Democrats taking over the governor, attorney general and secretary of state offices. Wisconsins Republican Gov. Scott Walker is likely to sign legislation trimming the power of his successor after making a few, unspecified partial vetoes. The bills will be automatically delivered to him on Dec. 20 if he does not call for them sooner, and once he has them Walker has six days to take action. The Wisconsin and Michigan actions have prompted criticism that the GOP Legislatures are ignoring the gains made by Democrats in the November election. The Michigan bill to tighten requirements for ballot initiatives drew opposition from across the political spectrum. I think this bill is remarkably undemocratic, said Erica Peresman, a volunteer from the Detroit suburb of Birmingham who helped collect signatures for the initiative to expand voting options. Its about putting up obstacles on top of the very significant signature requirement and petition rules that already exist to make it more expensive, more difficult and more burdensome for citizens like me to participate in the democratic process, she said. The legislation would affect ballot committees initiating constitutional amendments, bills and referendums by capping the number of signatures that could come from an individual congressional district at 10 percent. David Eggert is an Associated Press writer. WASHINGTON President Trumps 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. That left some of his associates fearful that his customary bravado is unwarranted. 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. Im sure theres going to be a lot more thats 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 chambers incoming No. 2 Republican, said Monday. 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 Trumps re-election are piling up. Republicans are still coming to terms with their drubbing in last months 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 Trumps top choice, the vice presidents chief of staff Nick Ayers, passed on the job, few of the remaining candidates have political experience. 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. 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 counsels findings come out sooner rather than later so there will be more time before the 2020 elections. Jonathan Lemire, Alan Fram and Elana Schor are Associated Press writers. Persistent warming in the Arctic is pushing the region into uncharted territory and increasingly affecting the continental United States, scientists said Tuesday. Were seeing this continued increase of warmth pervading across the entire Arctic system, said Emily Osborne, an official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who presented the agencys annual assessment of the state of the region, the Arctic Report Card. The Arctic has been warmer over the past five years than at any time since records began in 1900, the report found, and the region is warming at twice the rate as the rest of the planet. Osborne, lead editor of the report and manager of NOAAs Arctic Research Program, said the Arctic was undergoing its most unprecedented transition in human history. In 2018, warming air and ocean temperatures continued to drive broad long-term change across the polar region, pushing the Arctic into uncharted territory, she said at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington. The rising air temperatures are having profound effects on sea ice, and on life on land and in the ocean, scientists said. The impacts can be felt far beyond the region, especially since the changing Arctic climate may be influencing extreme weather events around the world. The warmer Arctic air causes the jet stream to become sluggish and unusually wavy, the researchers said. That has possible connections to extreme weather events elsewhere on the globe, including last winters severe storms in the United States and a bitter cold spell in Europe known as the Beast From the East. Some of the findings in the research, provided by 81 scientists in 12 countries, included: The wintertime maximum extent of sea ice in the region, in March of this year, was the second lowest in 39 years of record keeping. Ice that persists year after year, forming thick layers, is disappearing from the Arctic. This is important because the very old ice tends to resist melting; without it, melting accelerates. Old ice made up less than 1 percent of the Arctic ice pack this year, a decline of 95 percent over the past 33 years. Donald Perovich, a sea-ice expert at Dartmouth College who contributed to the report, said the big story for ice this year was in the Bering Sea, off western Alaska, where the extent of sea ice reached a record low for virtually the entire winter. The lack of ice and surge of warmth coincides with rapid expansion of algae species in the Arctic Ocean, associated with harmful blooms that can poison marine life and people who eat the contaminated seafood. Reindeer and caribou populations have declined 56 percent in the past two decades, dropping to 2.1 million from 4.7 million. John Schwartz and Henry Fountain are New York Times writers. In an effort to understand how Google search algorithms work, a Democratic congresswoman asked the tech company's CEO a simple question: "If you Google the word 'idiot' under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. How would that happen? How does search work so that that would occur?" In the middle of a congressional hearing ostensibly about privacy and data collection, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., apparently performed that search from the dais. As it turns out, the image results for "idiot" reveals a page of mostly Trump photos. Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, who was testifying before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning, tried to explain to the roomful of mostly tech novices how the algorithms take into account some 200 factors - such as relevance, popularity, how others are using the search term - to determine how to best match a query with results. "So it's not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we're going to show the user. It's basically a compilation of what users are generating, and trying to sort through that information?" Zofgren asked, facetiously. Zofgren was reacting to Republicans' allegations that Google employees manipulate results for political reasons. The hearing mostly revealed lawmakers' rudimentary understanding of how the internet works and provided a platform for them to complain about unfavorable search results. In one exchange, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, asked Pichai whether he had ever directed an employee to manipulate search results. Pichai explained that it's not possible for one person, or even a group of people, to do that because there are so many steps in the process. But Smith did not accept that explanation, telling Pichai: "Let me just say, I disagree. I think humans can manipulate the process. It is a human process at its base." Republicans on the panel couldn't get past the myth that some person(s) inside Google couldn't arbitrarily change search algorithms for political gain. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, complained that when he googled the Republican health care bill or the GOP tax cuts the first several pages listed negative articles. "How do you explain this apparent bias on Google's part against conservative points of view, against conservative policies? Is it just the algorithm, or is there more happening there?" Chabot asked. "Congressman, I understand the frustration of seeing negative news, and, you know, I see it on me," Pichai offered. "What is important here is we use the robust methodology to reflect what is being said about any given topic at any particular time. And we try to do it objectively, using a set of rubrics. It is in our interest to make sure we reflect what's happening out there in the best objective manner possible. I can commit to you, and I can assure you we do it without regards to political ideology. Our algorithms have no notion of political sentiment in it." But Chabot wasn't having it. He told Pichai that conservatives believe Google is "picking winners and losers in political discourse." "There's a lot of people that think what I'm saying here is happening," Chabot said. "And I think it's happening." Lawrence Ferlinghetti co-founded City Lights 65 years ago, in 1953. Im there in spirit all the time, he says of the beloved, world-famous bookstore on Columbus Avenue in North Beach. How about in reality? How often is he at the shop? As a poet, he says with a laugh, I dont deal in reality. Yes, Ferlinghetti has scaled back his involvement with City Lights, where he shares an office with former City Lights Publishers editor Nancy Peters, co-owner of the store. But the celebrated bookseller, publisher and former San Francisco poet laureate nevertheless maintains an active lifestyle and life of the mind that anyone far younger would envy. Not bad for someone who, on Saturday, March 24, will turn 99. On a recent rainy afternoon, Ferlinghetti warmly welcomed an interviewer at his second-floor apartment on a country-quiet street in North Beach. He was heading out of town the following day for a two-week stay with friends in Santa Cruz. Over the decades, the poet has also taken time away from the city at an electricity-free cabin in Big Sur. He hasnt been there in two years, however. I used to be a woodsman, says the native of Yonkers, N.Y., who settled in San Francisco with his late wife, Kirby, in the early 1950s. Getting to his cabin these days, though, is a challenge. Most of the walking that Ferlinghetti does now is near his rent-controlled apartment where hes lived for 38 years, a couple of blocks from the Embarcadero and the bay beyond it. Walking isnt the only way he keeps fit. He has a rowing machine in a room crowded with books and papers that serves as a home office. I use it all the time, he says. Practically every day. The machine helps make up for no longer swimming at the Embarcadero YMCA. I would do 30 laps in 30 minutes, he says. I had to knock that off 10 years ago. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle Also on the floor, not far from the rowing machine, is an open cardboard box thats full of copies of Ferlinghettis Greatest Poems. The handsome, compact collection was published late last year by New Directions, the small, venerable house that in 1958 released A Coney Island of the Mind, Ferlinghettis hugely popular collection that sold more than a million copies. A Coney Island of the Mind came out in the Eisenhower era, yet much of it accessible, politically engaged, humorous and impassioned verse that has spoken to generations remains embedded in Ferlinghettis memory. The poet eagerly volunteers to recite some of its lines, his scratchy baritone dramatically quiet at times and booming at others. For more recent poems that he doesnt know by heart, he reads from books, using a desktop electronic magnifier that helps offset his poor eyesight. Other than trouble reading, and being a bit hard of hearing, Ferlinghetti seems remarkably healthy. He looks sharp, too, wearing a white box-print dress shirt, deep-blue sweater and round-rimmed tortoiseshell glasses. A stud in his right earlobe matches the blue of his eyes, and his shaggy white beard accentuates the air of a happily retired fisherman fitting for someone who, before he served in the Navy during World War II, spent time as a lobsterman in Maine. Bob Campbell / The Chronicle 1957 Fame first came to Ferlinghetti when he and City Lights clerk Shigeyoshi Murao were arrested and put on trial in 1957 for publishing Allen Ginsbergs Howl. In a landmark decision, Judge Clayton W. Horn ruled that the Beat poets work was not obscene. Since then, Ferlinghettis activist voice has not softened. When speaking about President Trump, he is unequivocal: Trump is an evil man, he says. Hes so dangerous. I think youve got to take this man seriously. I think hes out to destroy democracy. Cheery as always, though, the son of an Italian immigrant doesnt let a visitor leave without sharing an Italian proverb wisdom for future generations, as he puts it: Mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto. (Eat well, laugh often, love a lot.) To which he adds, chuckling, And dont screw up. The interview with Ferlinghetti, below, has been edited for length and clarity. Q: What drew you to poetry as a young man? A: Oh, some dame (laughs). Q: Do you remember her name? A: Well, uh ... no (laughs). Q: When would that have been? A: I really didnt start reading poetry in depth until I was in Paris on the GI Bill. I was getting a doctorate at the Sorbonne, and thats when I really got into it. I was in the Navy four years, and I never had a desk job in the Navy. I was one ship to the next. I was in the Normandy invasion the first morning. But there was no time for reading, really. Q: You were kind enough last year to write something for The Chronicle about your time in the Navy. Actually, I remember you writing that you did in fact have some time to read books. A: Yeah, we were a commissioned vessel, even though we were only 110 feet long. It was a subchaser. So we had all the nooks and crannies on the ship stuffed with Modern Library editions. Q: Do you remember any titles? A: Well, lots of James Joyce and lots of T.S. Eliot. And lots of Ezra Pound. Q: I wonder if there are still Ezra Pound books in the U.S. Navy these days on ships. A: I doubt it. Q: So, before this, you earned a bachelors degree in journalism at the University of North Carolina, right? A: Chapel Hill. I went to Chapel Hill because Thomas Wolfe, who wrote Look Homeward, Angel, had gone there, and he had a magazine at the university. Q: Like a lot of great writers over the years, you got your start covering sports. Do you remember any of those stories? A: They were forgettable (laughs). Q: Did you envision a career in journalism at that point? A: Oh, yeah, definitely. It seemed to me the only thing I knew how to do was write, the only thing I had any talent for was to write. And so I thought I would go where Thomas Wolfe went to college and maybe I could become like him. I mean, in my generation, his book Look Homeward, Angel was a very important book. Its the kind of book that you have to read when youre, say, 18. If you read it when youre 40 or 50, it seems too effusive and too romantic. Q: What made you decide to move to Paris after the war? A: I spent about two years of my very early years with a French aunt. When my mother was sick and couldnt take care of me, (my) aunt took me to France and we lived near Strasbourg, and lived there long enough to learn the language, so I still retain it. And so it took me years to get back there. So, after the war, I was 26, 27, and I went to France because I felt like I was returning to my second home. Q: And you got some actual work done there, right? You were getting a doctorate, as you said. A: Yeah, but I wrote the thesis in the back of a cafe it was the Cafe Mabillon, which is on the Boulevard Saint-Germain. Q: Does it still exist? A: Oh, yeah, but now its a tourist place. And I was hanging out at George Whitmans bookstore, which was called la librairie Mistral at that time. He changed the name to Shakespeare and Company in about 1961. George was my oldest friend. I hung out at Shakespeare and Company in many, many visits to George many, many times I stayed in the bookstore. Q: So, you stayed upstairs, where they put people up? A: Yeah. Q: When would that have been? A: Well, I was there first, it would have been 1947. And then I left Paris in 1950, on Jan. 1, and arrived here the next day. Q: Why San Francisco? A: It seemed like it was still the last frontier, which it isnt anymore. I mean, in 1951, it was a wide-open city, and it seemed like you could do anything you wanted to here. It was like there was so much missing that if it was going to be a real city, there was so much that it had to get, that it didnt have. And, for instance, as far as bookstores go, all the bookstores closed at 5 p.m. and they werent open on the weekends. And there was no place to sit down. And there was usually a clerk on top of you asking you what you wanted. And so the first thing I realized, there was no bookstore to become the locus for the literary community. Its really important if youre going to have a literary community, it has to have a locus. It just cant be out there in the air. So, from the very beginning, when we started City Lights in June 1953, the idea was to make it a locus for the new literary community that had developed out of the Berkeley Renaissance, so called, and it proved to be true. People just flocked to it because there had been no locus for the literary life. Q: Back to San Francisco and how its changing. What has changed the most about the city, in your opinion, over those years? A: Youd have to write a couple books to cover that. In 1951, San Francisco was a small, provincial capital. And it was provincial. For instance, there was no place in town to get a croissant, except in the basement of the City of Paris department store, where there was a cafe. And so that was a test of our provinciality (laughs). Q: What needs to change in San Francisco, in the Bay Area in general, to keep artists here? A: Well, San Francisco now, its Boomtown USA its a bigger boom than after the Gold Rush in the 1850s and 60s. The boomtown today is transforming San Francisco into something youre not even going to recognize in another 15 years. It hasnt quite hit North Beach yet, but the rest of the town, its just a huge traffic jam everywhere. The automobile is transforming and ruining most of the cities, not just San Francisco. I call it Autogeddon. Autogeddon is ruining the cities. Q: Your poems are a singular mix of humor and pathos. Francis Ford Coppola has this great line: Lawrence gets you laughing, then hits you with the truth. Is it becoming more difficult for you to sustain the laughter? A: Why, no! Francis was totally right, though. It seems that I have so many poems that do that. Q: I wondered because I felt in this book, Ferlinghettis Greatest Poems, that theres a lot of rapturous language early on, and as you age, and perhaps with the times, with the politics, the poems are a bit darker. A: Well, yeah, lyricism is a part of the age of youth. When youre a youth, youre lyric. Later on, you become tragic. Q: Whats the last poem you wrote? A: It was published in the Nation magazine. Its called Trumps Trojan Horse: Homer didnt live long enough/ To tell of Trumps Trojan Horse/ From which all the presidents men/ Burst out in the White House to destroy democracy/ And institute absolute rule by corporations/ Bow down, oh Common Man/ Bow down! Q: How will you celebrate your 99th birthday? A: I dont see any reason to celebrate getting older. Its not a cause of celebration. Q: What will you be doing that day, do you know? A: Oh, Ill have a little family gathering. Thats about it. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The small town of Abassan in the Gaza Strip is a tough place to infiltrate everyone knows everyone else and outsiders passing through quickly attract attention. So when strangers drove through town, suspicious Hamas security men stopped the van and questioned those inside. The answers didnt add up. With their covers about to be blown, the Israeli undercover forces inside the vehicle opened fire, setting off a fierce battle that left eight people dead and triggered a brief but intense round of cross-border fighting. A month after the exchange, the raid remains clouded in mystery. The Israeli army has kept mum, while Hamas officials have declined to comment publicly as they investigate the incident. With each side protective of its secrets, and possibly keen to spread disinformation, the full story may never be known. But based on interviews with Hamas officials, a picture is emerging of a carefully planned Israeli intelligence operation in which agents posing as Palestinian aid workers may have gone undetected for up to two weeks before it went awry. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing a Hamas gag order. In the meantime, Hamas has tightened security in Gaza and is questioning foreign visitors such as journalists and aid workers; it has also sentenced six alleged collaborators to death. Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought three wars since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the rival Palestinian Authority. Israel and Egypt have blockaded Gaza by air, land and sea since the takeover. Sending an undercover unit into Gaza would be complicated and risky. With Gaza fenced off, the border area is closely watched by Hamas. Only a handful of crossings operate. Parachuting in or bursting through the border would almost certainly be detected. It remains unclear what the Israeli team did inside Gaza. One official said they posed as aid workers, pretending to move disabled people to hospitals in a van. The team had a wheelchair, along with a member disguised as a disabled woman. They visited many houses and even rented an apartment in Gaza City, he said. The scheme began to unravel when the team made its way to Abassan. Suspicious residents alerted Hamas security, which stopped their van. According to various accounts, the situation deteriorated when Commander Nour Baraka arrived and began asking more questions. When he ordered their detention for further questioning, the Israeli team opened fire and killed him. As the team fled, Hamas security men fired back, apparently killing the Israeli commander. Fares Akram and Mohammed Daraghmeh are Associated Press writers. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Three people were hospitalized, including a 6-year-old boy, following two separate shootings in San Francisco on Tuesday, according to police. The first shooting occurred just before 3 p.m. near Oakdale Avenue and Baldwin Court. Police said a 21-year-old man and a 6-year-old boy were inside a vehicle when a driver pulled up to their vehicle and started shooting. The suspect driver, described as a man between 19 and 25 years old, then drove off and remains at large, according to police. Although the older victim was injured, he apparently drove himself and the boy to a hospital. The two victims are related, police said. Both are in stable condition as of this morning. Police are also investigating a second shooting after a 31-year-old man arrived at a hospital with gunshot wounds around 9:30 p.m. The man's injuries are not considered life-threatening. Details about the shooting are still unclear, including where the shooting happened, police spokesman Officer Robert Rueca said. Anyone with information about either shooting is encouraged to call the Police Department's tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to send a tip by text message to TIP411 with "SFPD" at the start of the message. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Bay Area activists and environmental groups gathered today in San Francisco to demand that PG&E be held responsible for their role in the deadly Camp Fire in Butte County last month. People from groups like the Local Clean Energy Alliance and the Democratic Socialists of America marched from Embarcadero Plaza to PG&E headquarters. As they marched down Market Street, protesters chanted, carrying signs and held a red banner that read "No PG&E Bailout." The utility has recently been under scrutiny for possible negligence that may have led to the deadly fire that started in Butte County on Nov. 8 and other recent wildfires in the state. On Nov. 26, U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered PG&E and federal prosecutors to provide a statement on the role, if any, that PG&E played in the wildfires by Dec. 31. Most recently, Alsup asked California Attorney General Xavier Becerra last week to advise him on the possible connection between any reckless operation by PG&E and the wildfires. "We the people of California are going to take over PG&E," Claire Haas, a local activist, said to the crowd. After making their way into the lobby, Haas began to read the names of the 88 people who died in the Camp Fire as well as victims of last year's fires in Napa and Sonoma counties. After each name was called, the crowd yelled out "Presente," meaning "present" in Spanish. Jessica Tovar of the Local Clean Energy Alliance said the protesters and others are tired of PG&E's actions and monopoly of the area's energy systems. "We don't want to bail out PG&E," Tovar said. "We want to take over our energy system and make it accountable to the people." At today's rally, the crowd of about 25 protesters stood in the lobby of the PG&E building for about two hours before San Francisco police escorted them off the premises. PG&E officials said they are working on assessing infrastructure, safely restoring power where possible, helping in the recovery and rebuilding process, and helping protect all of their customers from "the ever-increasing threat of wildfires." "The families impacted by the Camp Fire are our customers, our neighbors, and our friends, and our hearts go out to those who have lost so much," the utility said in a statement. After the rally at PG&E headquarters, the crowd marched to the Federal Building to join a rally to demand that House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi back the Select Committee on a Green New Deal to reduce greenhouse gases and address the effects of climate change. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. PETALUMA (BCN) Petaluma police arrested a Berkeley man Tuesday on suspicion of peeping with electronic devices under guest room doors at the Sheraton Sonoma County-Petaluma hotel, a police sergeant said. Police went to the hotel at 745 Baywood Drive around 6 p.m. A guest said a man later identified as Javier Martinez, 30, of Berkeley, was seen on his hands and knees looking under guest room doors the previous evening. A victim said he spoke briefly with Martinez in the lounge the previous evening but did not know him. Officers learned Martinez changed his original room to one adjoining the victim's room, Sgt. Lance Novello said. Martinez had been staying at the hotel for more than a week, and he admitted looking under doors to learn which ones were corner rooms so he could switch to one of them, Novello said. When officers searched Martinez's room, they found electronic recording devices, external electronic data storage devices, fiber optic cameras and tools that could be used to install cameras, according to Novello. Officers found a camera under the victim's adjoining door that was actively recording, but Martinez said his activities were innocent in nature and inspired by television reality shows, Novello said. Martinez was a frequent guest at the Sheraton hotel chain, and police are investigating if there are other victims, the sergeant said. Martinez was arrested on suspicion of peeping and was booked into Sonoma County Jail. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. OAKLAND (BCN) Attorneys for Ghost Ship warehouse master tenant Derick Almena and Max Harris filed a request today that the building's owners and Oakland firefighters and police officers be arrested and prosecuted along with Almena and Harris. Almena, 48, and Harris, 28, are charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the fire during a music party at the warehouse at 1309 31st Ave. in Oakland's Fruitvale district on Dec. 2, 2016, that killed 36 people. Their trial, which is expected to be lengthy, is scheduled to start on April 2 with a series of hearings on evidentiary motions and jury selection. The request filed by attorneys for Almena and Harris asks authorities to arrest warehouse owner and landlord Chor Ng, who is said to have fled to China, and her son Kai Ng and daughter Eva Ng, who they say were managers and landlords at the building. It also asks authorities to arrest five Oakland firefighters, a paramedic and three Oakland police officers, alleging that they visited the warehouse but didn't do enough to address the problems they saw at the building, where Almena, Harris and a large group of artists, musicians and other creative people lived. The request says Oakland agencies were "well aware of the that the premises did not provide for occupancy and were well aware of the number of people and overall conditions of the Ghost Ship, including safety hazards, code violations and fire dangers." It alleges, "The city officials failed to respond properly and this failure to act, ignoring the telltale signs of danger when it was their duty to recognize such, led to the deaths of the 36 individuals." Almena's lawyer Tony Serra said the request is addressed to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies in the county, including the District Attorney's Office. "I don't expect them to heed this request, I expect them to scoff at it," Serra said. He said if law enforcement officials don't act on the request within the next week, he will ask a judge to issue an order that the people on the defense's list be arrested. Serra said a private person may arrest another person when a felony has been committed and the person has reasonable cause for believing the person arrested has committed that crime. "This practice has been utilized over and over again," he said. District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Teresa Drenick said her office has no comment on the request by the lawyers for Almena and Harris. Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly said, "Mr. Serra should know that the Alameda County District Attorney is the primary investigator in this case. If he has relevant information for the arrest of individuals, he should contact their inspectors bureau." Prosecutors allege that guests and residents at the warehouse were endangered by its makeshift electrical system and floor-to-ceiling load of pianos, wooden sculptures, pallets, motor campers, rugs, benches, tree limbs and tapestries. They also say the warehouse had no city permits for residency or for the concerts and shows that were held there and allege that Almena and Harris knowingly created a fire trap with inadequate means of escape. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) The life of the late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee will be celebrated this morning, a year after his sudden passing. The event is set to take place at 8:30 a.m. at the mayor's balcony inside San Francisco City Hall, with multiple elected officials as well as Lee's family expected to attend. Lee, 65, died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Dec. 12, 2017. At the start of Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, Mayor London Breed remembered Lee as a "caring father and husband." She said, "As the first Chinese-American mayor, the city will always hold a place of pride in our hearts, but especially in the hearts of our Chinese and Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Thank you to Mayor Lee for your service and we really miss you dearly." Lee was born in Seattle to Chinese immigrant parents. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, Lee became a notable figure in San Francisco's Chinatown, working at the Asian Law Caucus for 13 years before moving on to become a public servant. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) San Francisco city officials celebrated the life of the late Mayor Ed Lee with a lively ceremony this morning at City Hall on the one-year anniversary of his death. Standing at the mayor's balcony inside City Hall, the same spot where Lee himself delivered countless speeches, Mayor London Breed described Lee as a humble leader. "That's the kind of person he was; he didn't want the credit. He wanted results. He wanted San Francisco to be a better place," Breed said. According to Breed, the two bonded over their connection of growing up in public housing and together they worked to improve the conditions for the city's public housing residents. "We've already rehabilitated thousands of units because he wouldn't say no. He said yes to opportunity. He said yes to changing the lives of those people who live in those conditions." Lee was born in Seattle to Chinese immigrant parents. Before going on to become San Francisco's first Chinese American mayor, he led several different city departments, including the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, after having worked as an civil rights attorney for the Asian Law Caucus for 13 years. Lee, 65, died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Dec. 12, 2017. Several current and former city officials attended this morning's ceremony. Former Mayor Willie Brown said, "He was so honest, so well prepared and so unselfish in every way ... He was just an amazing human. "We don't mourn him, we celebrate his life. And believe me this city would never be what it is without the standard established by Ed Lee," Brown said. Lee's widow Anita Lee, his two daughters Tanya and Brianna Lee, and his mother were also in attendance. "So many things about this past year have been so difficult for us," Brianna Lee said. "The pure shock of how suddenly he was gone, adjusting to the many sharp turns, and strength in having such personal pain become so public. "But at the same time, the outpouring of love and support from family members, friends and the community at large here in San Francisco has been unforgettable," she said. In the wake of Lee's passing, his family has established a donor advised fund with the San Francisco Foundation called the Edwin M. Lee Community Fund. The fund supports non-profit organizations and social causes he held dear, like safeguarding immigrant rights, increasing affordable housing and protecting the environment, among other initiatives. Earlier this year, the San Francisco Board of Education voted to rename the Chinese Education Center in Lee's and his wife's honor to the Edwin and Anita Lee Newcomer School. Last week Lee was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A firm that manages restaurants such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, A&W and Pizza Hut has resolved a civil environmental enforcement suit involving releases of carbon dioxide, prosecutors in five Bay Area counties said. The district attorneys of Alameda, Sonoma, San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties said Harman Management Corporation, which is based in Utah, has agreed to pay $195,000 in civil penalties and costs for violations of environmental protection laws. They said the violations include failing to implement and submit hazardous materials business plans for carbon dioxide in compliance with relevant requirements, including employee training requirements, at restaurants in their counties. The case was investigated and prosecuted by the district attorney's offices of the five counties and the suit was filed in Sonoma County Superior Court. Prosecutors said Harman cooperated with the investigation and after it submitted the required hazardous materials business plans and showed proof of employee training, a civil complaint and proposed order were filed to settle the matter. The settlement includes the payment of a civil penalty and costs and the issuance of a permanent injunction that orders Harman to comply with various requirements related to hazardous materials business plans and employee training. "The hazardous materials requirements at issue in this case were enacted and enforced for the protection of restaurant workers and customers and for emergency responders," Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said in a statement. "Releases of carbon dioxide have resulted in past fatalities and a lack of training and awareness regarding carbon dioxide is a threat to the public. Every business throughout the county and the state must comply with required measures to avoid serious and potentially fatal disasters," O'Malley. Prosecutors said carbon dioxide is a colorless, odorless gas that cannot be detected by human senses. They said because it is heavier than air, carbon dioxide can cause asphyxiation by displacing air at lower levels in confined spaces and in the lungs. Prosecutors said leaks from compressed carbon dioxide tanks, especially in contained areas, can have serious health impacts, including dizziness, unconsciousness, and ultimately asphyxiation. Carbon dioxide is used to carbonate beverages. Businesses, including restaurants, that store and use threshold amounts of carbon dioxide must implement hazardous materials business plans. Those plans require training employees so that workers know the dangers of carbon dioxide, how to prevent carbon dioxide releases, how to recognize the signs of respiratory failure from potential carbon dioxide releases and what to do should a release occur in order to prevent harm to the public and how to properly notify appropriate emergency responders. Prosecutors said businesses must also submit hazardous materials business plans to the state electronically so that first responders know what chemicals are on site and in what quantities. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A surfer who drowned Friday at San Francisco's Ocean Beach has been identified by the city's medical examiner's office as 43-year-old Jay Seideman of Oakland. Emergency crews pulled Seideman from the water around 12:30 p.m. and tried to resuscitate him. He was then rushed to a hospital where he died later that day, according to San Francisco Fire Department officials. Seideman was senior vice president of advertiser demand platforms with Oath, a company owned by Verizon. His coworkers have started a GoFundMe account to help his family with any costs. "There was nothing more important to him than family," his coworkers said on the site. "There is an immense hole left in the Verizon family and in the media industry as a whole. All those that Jay taught, collaborated with, and inspired will carry his legacy on." The account at https://www.gofundme.com/the-seideman-family was created on Monday and sought $50,000. As of this afternoon, it has well surpassed that goal, so far raising $123,497. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. MENLO PARK (BCN) Police said no explosive device or suspicious package was found this evening in an office building on Facebook's main campus in Menlo Park. At 4:32 p.m. Menlo Park police received a call from the New York City Police Department Crime Stopper unit about a bomb threat at a building at 200 Jefferson Drive in Menlo Park. The building, which is just one on Facebook's campus, was evacuated and bomb detection dogs went through it looking for a device or something suspicious, according to Menlo Park police. At about 6:30 p.m., a Facebook official said employees were safe. As of 7:50 p.m., Menlo Park police had deemed the area safe. New York City police heard about the bomb threat through an anonymous tip. Facebook officials asked as a precaution that other nearby buildings be evacuated and police helped do that. Menlo Park police also said officers also surrounded the building to keep people away and diverted traffic temporarily. New York City police this evening were not able to provide any more information about the threat. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The life of the late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee will be celebrated this morning, a year after his sudden passing. The event is set to take place at 8:30 a.m. at the mayor's balcony inside San Francisco City Hall, with multiple elected officials as well as Lee's family expected to attend. Lee, 65, died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Dec. 12, 2017. At the start of Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, Mayor London Breed remembered Lee as a "caring father and husband." She said, "As the first Chinese-American mayor, the city will always hold a place of pride in our hearts, but especially in the hearts of our Chinese and Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Thank you to Mayor Lee for your service and we really miss you dearly." Lee was born in Seattle to Chinese immigrant parents. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, Lee became a notable figure in San Francisco's Chinatown, working at the Asian Law Caucus for 13 years before moving on to become a public servant. The city of Richmond is hosting a holiday festival this evening, courtesy of the Richmond Main Street Initiative and the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., area residents going to 339 11th St. can expect to find holiday lights, music and dance performances. Doctors from Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center will also be on hand to answer questions from the public and help them access health resources. Santa Claus will be available to visit with children and pose for pictures in the Community Theater until 7:30 p.m., and upstairs in the Iron Triangle Theater a showing of an interdisciplinary performance called "A Richmond Nutcracker" will be shown at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The show has a 45-minute run time, and after the second performance the audience will be led outdoors for holiday caroling and a lighting ceremony. Two women have surrendered to police after seeing themselves in a viral video vandalizing a Pakistani restaurant Saturday during San Francisco's annual, unsanctioned SantaCon event, police said. Police on Tuesday announced that the women surrendered. The women have been identified as Natalie Alcantar of San Francisco and Hannah Baughman of Pacifica, both 21 years old. According to police, the pair was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and battery for the Saturday incident at Shalimar Restaurant, located at 1409 Polk St. In videos posted on social media, the women appeared to throw several items on the floor, including a cash register. In one video, one of the women is seen breaking a glass door with a chair and in another, the other is seen throwing a salt jar at an employee. According to police, a restaurant employee told officers that the women entered the restaurant appearing drunk. Police have said no explosive device or suspicious package was found in an office building on Facebook's main campus in Menlo Park. Police made the announcement Tuesday evening. At 4:32 p.m. Menlo Park police received a call from the New York City Police Department Crime Stopper unit about a bomb threat at a building at 200 Jefferson Drive in Menlo Park. The building, which is just one on Facebook's campus, was evacuated and bomb detection dogs went through it looking for a device or something suspicious, according to Menlo Park police. At about 6:30 p.m., a Facebook official said employees were safe. As of 7:50 p.m., Menlo Park police had deemed the area safe. The U.S. Department of Justice has announced it will become a party in a whistleblower lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco against Sacramento-based Sutter Health LLC and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. The Justice Department made the announcement Tuesday. The lawsuit, originally filed under seal in 2015, alleges that Sutter Health and its Palo Alto affiliate violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting inaccurate health status information on certain patients and thereby generating inflated Medicare payments. The patients in question had enrolled in managed healthcare insurance plans run by private organizations in connection with the Medicare Advantage program. U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Abraham Simmons said the lawsuit alleges that Sutter submitted unsupported diagnosis codes for some patients enrolled in the program. The codes were transmitted from Sutter to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, allegedly causing the agency to make inflated reimbursement payments to Sutter. A 32-year-old Sacramento man has died in a collision between two big-rigs on westbound Interstate Highway 580 in Dublin, the California Highway Patrol said. The collision occurred early Tuesday afternoon. A 2000 Peterbilt driven by the Sacramento man and a 2016 Freightliner driver by a 26-year-old man from Miami, Fla., were both going west on Highway 580 at about 12:36 p.m. Tuesday when, for some reason, the Sacramento man allowed the front right of his truck to collide into the left rear of the other truck, according to CHP Officer Tyler Hahn. The Sacramento man then lost control of the Peterbilt and it swerved to the right and overturned, according to Hahn. The man was crushed and emergency crews pronounced him dead at the scene. The Freightliner driver continued west and exited the freeway at Tassajara Road and was later contacted by the CHP and is cooperating with investigators, according to Hahn. Marin County residents have an opportunity to let county government employees know how they are doing on the job. The 2018 Resident Survey contains questions about the general quality of life, policies, demographics, a rating of government services and how residents' needs are met. Residents also can provide perspectives about the Board of Supervisors current areas of focus. An open-ended question allows residents to share the top issue they believe the county should focus on over the next two years. The survey is available at www.marincounty.org. Answers will be anonymous. The survey results will be available in the spring of 2019 on the county's website, and the Board of Supervisors will discuss the results at a public workshop. The results also will provide data that allows the county to learn more next year through focus groups and listening sessions. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Two women filmed damaging a restaurant on San Francisco's Polk Street during Saturday's unsanctioned SantaCon festival have been charged with felonies, according to the district attorney's office. Natalie Alcantar of San Francisco and Hannah Baughman of Pacifica, both 21 years old, have been charged with felony vandalism. Baughman has also been charged with misdemeanor battery. The pair turned themselves in on Tuesday after videos of them vandalizing the Shalimar Restaurant, located at 1409 Polk St., began circulating on social media. In the videos, one of the women is seen violently breaking a glass door with a chair and in another, the other is seen throwing a jar at an employee. According to police, a restaurant employee told officers that after the women entered the restaurant appearing to be drunk, an argument ensued between them and employees over whether they had paid for food. One of the women then became angry and allegedly began knocking items off the counter, including the cash register. When an employee tried to stop her, she allegedly punched him in the face, police said. The suspect then continued to knock over items, while her accomplice grabbed the chair and shattered the front door. By the time officers arrived, the pair had already left. The rowdy scene happened during the annual SantaCon event, in which people flock to the city's downtown and surrounding areas dressed as Santa Claus. Police said they arrested seven people during this year's event on suspicion of being drunk in public. Additionally, 15 people were treated by medics. Prosecutors expect the two women to be arraigned in court sometime this week. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Two women surrendered to police after seeing themselves in a viral video vandalizing a Pakistani restaurant Saturday during San Francisco's annual, unsanctioned SantaCon event, police said today. The women have been identified as Natalie Alcantar of San Francisco and Hannah Baughman of Pacifica, both 21 years old. According to police, the pair was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and battery for the Saturday incident at Shalimar Restaurant, located at 1409 Polk St. In videos posted on social media, the women appeared to throw several items on the floor, including a cash register. In one video, one of the women is seen breaking a glass door with a chair and in another, the other is seen throwing a salt jar at an employee. According to police, a restaurant employee told officers that the women entered the restaurant appearing drunk. When an argument ensued about whether they had paid for food, one of the women became angry and allegedly began knocking items off the counter. When an employee tried to stop her, she punched him in the face, police said. The suspect then continued to knock over items, while her accomplice allegedly grabbed chair and shattered the front door. When officers arrived, however, the women had already left. Police said the women turned themselves in after seeing the video on the news. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. There are few things that can liven up an otherwise-dull office quite like a holiday party scandal, whether it's catching two co-workers playing Naked King Wenceslas in the server room or your boss cancelling everyone's bonuses, only to immediately start bragging about going all in on a cryptocurrency invented for birds. All of these scenarios pale, however, in comparison to the madness and damage that a misjudged reply-all email can cause. And if you don't believe us, just ask the Utah state government. In anticipation of the holidays, some government employees decided to arrange a potluck dinner and a $5 gift exchange, and sent out an email asking who wanted in. So far, so good. But then the replies started pouring in. It turned out that in their excitement at the prospect of eating lukewarm pasta salad, they'd accidentally CC'd their invite to over 25,000 state employees. Worse yet, those 25,000 were all the kind of super smart people who know that the only way to neutralize an out-of-control reply-all email is to reply to it with the exact same message. Continue Reading Below Advertisement (Tag yourself, we're the contractor vying for an invite to what is clearly destined to simultaneously be the worst gift exchange in history and the greatest potluck in history.) It's really hard to explain Brexit to non-British people. It's the socioeconomic equivalent of a midlife-crisis-fueled divorce where the leaving party insists it's their sovereign right to sleep in the pool house for as long as they please. What's less tricksy to come to grips with is a story that lies underneath the shambles. The story of Prime Minister Theresa May, someone whose desire for power was so blinding, she was willing to grab it no matter the consequences, even if it meant a plummet toward fiery destruction. Hey, that reminds us of someone. New Line Cinema Pictured: the only holiday destination Brits will soon be able to afford. May is having a very tough December. Her latest controversial Brexit deal is being torn to shreds by everyone (including her own party), her government is being held in contempt of Parliament, and now she's facing a vote of no confidence from a group of politicians so incompetent that they couldn't run a bath without having to ring a bell to summon a footman. That kind of hate has to absolutely wreck one's self-esteem, so it's probably not the best week to also find out that the world's greatest actor at playing ghouls and monsters has decided to dust off his most iconic role to take the absolute piss out of you flip-flopping like a juicy sweet fish. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Im back from my last minute, magical trip to South Africa! In addition to slaying my panel on beliefs and identity (the original reason I was invited), I finally met Queen O and got a pic (even though I shouldve missed her event entirely due to flight cancellations and delays, and despite the fact that my luggage was lost, AND despite the fact that she wasnt meeting folks or taking pics anyway!), and hang out on stage at the Global Citizen Festival with Chris Martin of Coldplay (despite being told it was too late to be credentialed for VIP access, let alone backstage or ON STAGE access). On my way home I almost missed my flight, but a serendipitous encounter not only got me to my gate with 5 minutes to spare, the angel who delivered me, just happened to be on the board of directors of Global Citizen! Win. Continue!>>> Im writing this morning to tell you something I was told before I boarded my flight to Johannesburg. TRUST DEEPER. This inner beauty, the Divine Presence Im always writing about and pointing you to, the one I know you have felt before, is your purpose. It is THE goal. Staying aware of IT feeling IT walking in IT, will get you to where you need to be. It has the blueprint for your best life and it is forever unfolding for you, if you let it. I love you and hope you continue to practice continue to meditate continue to read. I hope you continue to focus, to love, to share. excerpted from my most recent #BHN email Image quote: IG @kimblackwellpmm Harvest 2018, organised by the Agriculture Ministry with the intention of building a modern culture in agriculture, was opened by President Maithripala Sirisena, at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, yesterday. This exhibition was held for the public yesterday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. It is comprised of exhibition stalls, food stalls, fruit and vegetable stalls and many other sections. A number of local and foreign institutes are gathered in this exhibition, the key objective of which is to introduce modern technological methods to the Sri Lankan farmer community, to develop agriculture. It is expected to create a great demand for the vegetables and fruits cultivated in the island, in the foreign countries. The president opened the exhibition and engaged in friendly conversation with the office bearers. MPs Mahinda Amaraweera and Duminda Dissanayake and Agriculture Ministry Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra and other officers were present in this event. Oregon State Police are seeking information about the potential poaching of a bull moose in northeast Oregon last week. The male moose appears to have been shot and partially cut up, its meat harvested, by a troop of hunters who were camping in the Chesnimnus hunting unit off USFS 46 Road, police said. The moose was likely killed between Thursday and Sunday the last days of the bull elk hunting season in Oregon. When it comes to Donald Trump, they say there's a tweet for every occasion. Apparently that's true for his lawyer, too. The Twitterverse loves to dredge up old tweets from the president's past, before he was running for office and when he often expressed opinions that contradict his current platforms. After Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and "fixer," was sentenced to three years in federal prison Wednesday, he got a taste of the same treatment. "@HillaryClinton when you go to prison for defrauding America and perjury, your room and board will be free!" reads a tweet from 2015 that began recirculating online after Cohen's sentence was delivered. The Washington Post reports Cohen deleted the tweet in August after pleading guilty to several crimes. Many were quick to point out the irony given Cohen was convicted for evading $1.4 million in taxes related to his personal businesses, breaking campaign finance laws and lying to Congress. See some of the Twitter reactions in the gallery above. Cohen testified in court that is was "blind loyalty" to Trump that drove him to commit the crimes. MORE: Ex-Trump lawyer Cohen gets 3 years in prison U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said Cohen deserved modest credit for his decision over the summer to admit guilt and cooperate in the federal investigation of efforts by Russians to influence the 2016 presidential election, but his assistance "does not wipe the slate clean." Sentencing guidelines called for around four to five years behind bars, and the government asked in court papers that Cohen be given only a slight break. He was ordered to surrender March 6 and left court without comment. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. When news broke Wednesday morning that California regulators are considering a plan to tax text messaging, the social media blowback was immediate. The proposal, which is scheduled for a vote next month by the state Public Utilities Commission, would charge a fee for text messaging on mobile phones to support programs that make phone service accessible to the poor. Many people took to Twitter to criticize the plan, applauding its effort to bring cell service to low-income folks, but appalled by the means. "I am grateful for social programs such as LifeLine and other assistance to low-income families," tweeted Spring Logan. "But a tax on texting is not the way to fund it." She pointed out that texting is vital in emergencies, for public and private entities. Conservatives on social media were outraged by the proposed texting tax. Many considered it further proof of the "ever increasing insanity of liberalism" within California, as one man tweeted. Some said it was grounds for a "revolution," while others, including actor and California resident James Woods, somehow came to the conclusion that the tax would provide undocumented immigrants with cell service. "California wants to tax text messages now, to fund free phones for illegals- uh, sorry - 'low income' users..." Woods tweeted with a link to a Fox News story about the tax. It is unclear if the proposal would include funding for cellular service to undocumented immigrants. It is also unknown how much money individual consumers would be asked to pay their wireless carrier for texting services, the Mercury News reported, but it likely would be billed as a flat surcharge not a fee per text. You can see more social media responses to the proposed tax in the above gallery. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. TOKYO The U.S. military said Tuesday that five missing crew members have been declared dead after their refueling plane collided with a fighter jet last week off Japans southern coast, and that search and recovery operations have ended after finding only one survivor. 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 Japans Shikoku island. Dr. Saumya Liyanage and Prof. Rustom Bharucha The International Research Symposium 2018 organized by the University of Visual and Performing Arts (UVPA) was held from December 5-7 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI). Limitless perspectives of contemporary arts-based research in diverse fields of humanities and social sciences were invited to view society under the chosen theme Changing World, Challenging Boundaries.This was the first time in the history of the University that the event was executed on an international scale. The three-day programme encouraged discussion and interaction between artistes, researchers and academics who are currently involved in research areas pertaining to social sciences and humanities within and beyond Sri Lanka. Dr. Priyeshni Perera, a lecturer of the UVPA emphasized on how the participants were allowed to expand their horizons through the wealth of knowledge disseminated by the event. Day ones inauguration ceremony featured a vibrant musical item by six performers of the UVPA. And later, the gathering welcomed its keynote speaker for the day- Prof. Rustom Bharucha: an internationally acclaimed academic, cultural theorist and theatre practitioner. He delivered a thought-provoking lecture titled Rethinking the Intercultural Paradigm in Troubled Time: A Search for new Practices Within, Across and Beyond Borders whichwas introduced and chaired by Dr. Saumya Liyanage. Prof. Bharuchas critical discourse addressed the concepts of interculturalism, nationalism and globalization in the wake of rising sectarianism, authoritarianism, and coercive migration, the role of theatre in such troubling times and confronting the deadlock of existing conflicts in order to imagine new transformative possibilities of being. The following two days welcomed Dr. Rob Conkie and Prof. Raj Somadewa as their respective keynote speakers. Dr. Rob Conkie who is a senior lecturer at La Trobe university, Australia spoke on eTwistermology: Embodied and Collaborative Writing, which examined the methodological affordances of synthesizing embodied and collaborative modes of thinking and writing. A section of the audience Prof. Raj Somadeva, one of the well-known archaeologists in Sri Lanka and a professor at the University of Kelaniya, presented his keynote speech onA Quest for Roots of Creativity, which explained the creative endeavours of the early inhabitants of Sri Lanka inspired or rooted in the historical periods. The keynote speeches of each day segued into the parallel presentation-sessions by the local and foreign participants whose submissions a panel of reviewers had selected. A wide spectrum of research topics were covered, including sociology, history/politics, gender studies, theatre historiography , media and communication, literature, management/economics etc. The relevant subject matter was discussed in the form of paper, group, poster and workshop presentations, video documentations and creative demonstrations, in either Sinhalese or English. On the first evening of the event, the organizers also held a cultural show at the UVPA premises. This was a fusion of both Sri Lankan and Iranian cultures in the form of music and movement. The show featured the Iranian folk compositions of one of the presenters Dr. Pooyan Azadeh who spoke onPersian classical piano music, fused with rhythmic, Sri Lankan drums. It also showcased an arrangement of traditional vannam and prashasthi weaved into classical, choral music and a story telling choreography. Understanding the endless scope of the arts, the University accepted its submissions from a variety of themes this year enabling them to not only welcome a greater response but also a global one. As stated by Dr. Perera, the whole initiative is a path to conquer boundaries by promoting New research, new ideas and new solutions to the problems we face in this modern era. EL ARISH, Egypt Mohammed Amer Shaaban stood over trays of fresh fish at his tiny store in the coastal Sinai Peninsula city of el-Arish, pointing to his right and left while recalling the tough days when Islamic State militants operated with impunity. They killed a Christian who owns a knife shop there and an informant over there. They also killed one of my cousins, he said. JOHANNESBURG When the last African elephant at the Johannesburg Zoo lost her male companion to illness in September, some people said 39-year-old Lammie should be sent to a bigger sanctuary so she wouldnt spend her final years alone. The debate is particularly sensitive because the worlds biggest land mammal is known for intelligence, strong social bonds and even the ability to grieve. The zoo now says Lammie is staying, and that a search for a new mate is under way. In Johannesburg, Lammie had lived for 17 years with Kinkel, a 35-year-old male elephant who was rescued in the wild after his trunk was caught in a snare in 2000. Since he died on Sept. 4, Lammie has been on her own and some conservation groups say its time to move out. Now that Lammie has lost her companion, she is in desperate need of a happier existence and the chance to live out her years with other elephants, Audrey Delsink, wildlife director of Humane Society International/Africa, said in a statement. She said many zoos around the world have recognized the welfare challenges of confining such a complex animal and that a sanctuary similar to the wild is ready to take Lammie if the Johannesburg Zoo agrees to let her go. The Johannesburg Zoo says it serves an educational role and hosts visitors from low-income communities who dont have the means to visit wildlife parks. But Michele Pickover, director of the EMS Foundation, which lobbies on African wildlife topics, said nobody learns anything by seeing a tormented elephant in an enclosure and that watching a documentary film about elephants would be more educational. Elephants in the wild, meanwhile, are threatened by poachers who have killed large numbers every year to supply ivory to consumers, particularly in parts of Asia. The Johannesburg Zoo is hoping to find another elephant to join Lammie in line with regulations set out by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, spokeswoman Jenny Moodley said. She said experts are intensively monitoring Lammie and that the elephant might not necessarily adapt well if placed in a new environment. She is coping incredibly well, considering that she has lost her partner, Moodley said. Lammie refused to eat around the time of her partners death, according to the zoo. The day before Kinkel died, she was seen trying to help him get up. Christopher Torchia is an Associated Press writer. KATOWICE, Poland The head of the U.N.s top science panel on climate change said Tuesday the world needs to do more and faster to prevent global warming on a scale that would cause irreversible environmental damage and hit poor societies hard. Hoesung Lee, who chairs the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told diplomats at the U.N. climate summit in Poland that scientists had conducted an exhaustive review of data for their recent special report on keeping average global temperature increases to 2.7 Fahrenheit. The report shows that not just action, but urgent action is needed, Lee said. His comments come as national leaders and ministers gathered in Katowice for the final stretch of the two-week talks, with just days left to break through thorny issues that diplomats have struggled to resolve. U.N. climate chief Patricia Espinosa urged delegates to show a spirit of unity through the end of the week. Lack of unity was on full display Saturday, when the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait blocked endorsement of the IPCCs report. The move prompted anger from environmental groups, who accused the four countries of putting their interests as oil exporters before the need to curb global warming. Scientists say emissions of greenhouses gases such as carbon dioxide which is produced through burning of fossil fuels need to drop significantly by 2030 and reach near-zero by the middle of the century if the 2015 Paris accords most ambitious goal is to be achieved. We are moving in the right direction in many areas, but we need to do more and faster, said Lee, adding that cutting emissions sooner would give the world more room for maneuver later. Frank Jordans is an Associated Press writer. 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More than 1,200 said on Facebook they were attending the protest, which began around 5:30pm. "Wear pink in solidarity," the event page instructed. The group was convicted of disrupting flights and endangering an aerodrome at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday, releasing a statement shortly afterwards that said, "we are guilty of nothing more than intervening to prevent harm." On March 28, 2017, the Stanstead 15 cut through a fence at Stanstead Airport to block a flight chartered by the Home Office to deport 60 people to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. As a result of their actions, 11 of them remain in the UK. In an open letter to the Guardian on Tuesday, their supporters (including Diane Abbott, Phillip Pullman, Emma Thompson and Caroline Lucas) called on the UK government to "end its inhumane hostile environment policies and to end its shameful deportation charter flights." "We also call for the Stansted 15 to be spared prison," they added. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This includes cookies from third party social media websites and ad networks. Such third party cookies may track your use on Sharedots sites for better rendering. Our partners use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on Sharedots website. However, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn more The science of Megapolis and Hubris Syndrome The history of madness is the history of power. Because it imagines power, madness is both impotence and omnipotence. It requires power to control it. Threatening the normal structures of authority, insanity is engaged in an endless dialoguea monomaniacal monologue sometimesabout power - Roy Porter in A Social History of Madness. Former Minister of Megapolis, Patali Champika Ranawaka presenting the proposal in Parliament to suspend finances for running the ministries of the Rajapaksas controversial Minority Government made a rare, informative and persuasive oration on Friday, Nov 30. The well-read man quoted, beginning from Sir Isaac Newton [On his now defunct 300-year old Law of Gravity] to many scientific thinkers, political philosophers, Karl Popper, Adolf Hitler and political psychologists Owen and Davidsons Hubris Syndrome. He touched on Karl Poppers Falsification Theory to prove a point that Our Constitution though not clear on how to dois very specific in showing the way of un-doing things.His meticulous and in-depth analysis of the above supported his claim, I have experience in lecturing at Moratuwas Engineering Faculty. Who is this Karl Popper? Austrian-born Karl Raimund Popper was a 20th Century British philosopher, who specialised in the philosophy of science and political philosophy. Poppers basic doctrine was that scientific theories must be verifiable and could possibly be falsified or contradicted by counter-evidence. Theories which are not verifiable or falsifiable are merely metaphysical dogmas or pseudo-science, he asserts. He also became famous for attacking Marxism, [Champikas Moratuwa Undergraduate day passion?], and he was knighted for this, and not for his controversial theory. Influenced by Vienna Circles Positivists, Marx put forward his theory or dogma. Popper received his doctorate from the University of Vienna. However, the widely discredited Positivists views, diverged from his views. Poppers doctrine itself is a scientific theory, and therefore it applies to itself; if it is factual, we can never verify that it is so! This doctrine according to many scientists is uni-dimensional it neglects many other characters a scientific theory possesseslike internal consistency and compatibility with other theories. Even most philosophers have discarded it as unsophisticated at best, though physicists generally accept it. Scientists are great philosophers, but bad politicians!-Anon Ranawaka, when he switched to areas alien to a scientist, like Constitution and economics, the many learned lawyers and economists in his side looked beleaguered as we witnessed over live telecast, while the rest, most of his 122 audiences were seen surfing their modern smartphones, probably, unable to comprehend the advanced vocabulary? The other side of the chamber was empty as the Government members visited the hallowed premises for tea, refreshments and media briefings at the cost of the tax-payer However, when Ranawaka was referring to Mahinda Rajapaksas shamelessness in holding on to the position of PM [By quoting political psychologists Owen and Davidson] even after he has lost Parliamentary Approval four times and that Mahinda as an arrogant man, who never listened to anybody, but tried to glorify himself as a person who knew everything; some of the Ranil loyalists were seen grimacing with disapproval. Who are Owen and Davidson and what is Hubris Syndrome? According to Ranawaka, the Iraq war inspired the two psychologists to undertake a study of UK Prime Ministers and US Presidents over the past 100 years. They propounded a psychological theory called Hubris Syndrome. Let us discuss this acquired personality disorder. David Owen and Jonathan Davidson believe that severe hubristic behaviour is a syndrome, comprising a collection of features evoked by a power, and usually dispatching when power fades. This syndrome is seen as an acquired state. The main concept is that it is a disorder of the possession of power, mainly power which has been linked with overwhelming achievement, held for a period of years and with minimal restraint on the person in charge. Autocrats, according to the researchers are particularly prone to the syndrome because there are only a few constraints on their behaviour. Ian Kershaw, Hitlers biographer, entitled his first volume 18891936 Hubris and the second 19361945 Nemesis. In Stalins case, it was not as noticeable or as progressive as Hitlers. Mussolini and Mao both had hubris. Castigated the Rajapaksas unforgivingly presenting facts and figures proving that he was qualified to do so having been in the Rajapaksa Circus for its full term The capacity to make quick decisions, sometimes based on flimsy evidence, is of particular significancearguably essentialin a leader. Likewise, a thin-skinned individual will not be able to stand the procedure of public scrutiny, harassment by opponents and back-stabbings, without some form of joy over success and grand conviction about his own assignment and importance. The syndrome is acquired over a period. The full-blown hubris, related to holding considerable power in high position, may or may not be transitory. External proceedings can manipulate the variation both in strength and time of inception. Ranawaka cited only three or four out of 14 characteristics of Hubris as time-constrained; the rest is interesting too: Hubris Syndrome was formulated as a pattern of behaviour in a person who: Has a tendency to take action primarily to enhance personal image; Shows disproportionate concern for image and presentation; Exhibits messianic zeal and exaltation in speech; Uses the royal we in conversation; Manifestly has contempt for others; Shows accountability only to a higher court; Displays unshakeable belief that they will be vindicated in that court; Loses contact with reality; Resorts to restlessness, Recklessness and impulsive actions; Allows moral rectitude to obviate consideration of practicality, cost or outcome; and Displays incompetence with disregard for nuts and bolts of policymaking. Do we have more Hubris sufferers in Sri Lanka than in US and UK? Of course, one can rest assured that most of our big and small party leaders past and present, [Albeit R Sampanthan] are Hubris characters. Plotting and scheming in power game As analysts observe, in Coups and Conspiracies in Sri Lankan politics, a noteworthy feature is the UNP leaderships demonstration of cunningness and brain power in effectively hatching a scheme, or countering such action against them, compared to their opposition. [Of course, invariably, backed by outside forces]. Can one construe that the likes of JR Jayewardene, Lalith/Gamini and Ranil Wickremesinghe, could be a class that could be quoted as top shining examples that our post-independent period had produced? In the opposite camp, S.B. Dissanayake and Basil Rajapaksa stand tall as master strategists among a relatively low profile group. SB in the past was very effective though he failed miserably in his manoeuvrings at the recent debacle; it appears that his days are over. Considering inter-party cross-over scenario a distinctive feature of the UNP is that it had been the winner in almost every such instance, while SLFP and its associates were the losers. It has never happened the other way aboutthat the SLFP or its allies launching a conspiracy on UNP. In running a nation that kind of wisdom, sagacity and skill invariably becomes extremely important attributes of a leader, which the SLFP as a party badly lacks. Relieved SWRD to make way for Dudley1951 The first PM of independent Ceylon, D. S. Senanayake, used his loyal nephew Sir John Kotalawala, who was number three in the hierarchy of the government and UNP, to implement his plans to pave the way for son Dudley to succeed him. Sir John Kotalawala misapprehended the masters exercises, concluded it would make him the next in line to replace the grand old man someday. He obliged the boss to and vilified the senior-most contender, SWRD Bandaranaike, who claimed the position of heir apparent in the 1947-52 Government. CP de Silva Group Cross-over to Topple Sirimavo in 1964- J. R. Jayewardene was the master manipulator of all the Parliamentary manoeuvres that went to topple the government in 1964-- Ceylon Observer: December 20, 1964. This has a close parallel to the current debacle. It happened fifty-four years ago, on December 3, 1964, during the Throne Speech vote. A betrayal by SLFPs second-in-command, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Irrigation C. P. de Silva, [Also from Polonnaruwa], and it was J.R. Jayewardene and Esmond Wickremesinghe, (Father of Ranil), who played the roles of master manipulator who got CP and 15 government MPs including Mahanama Samaraweera, father of Mangala and few others to change loyalties, and defeat the government by a mere one vote. Sirimavo, who sat in the lower house, remained a Senator throughout her tenure on hearing the bad news she rushed to the house and met some of those who were tipped to cross over, and was successful in convincing just two of them to remain. Had she been there, surely she could have won over a few others but she intervened too late causing the fall of her democratically elected government by 74 to 73 votes. Back to the House by the Diyawanna: the former member of the Scientific Cabinet of Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government, Champika Ranawaka who now occupies Opposition benches that holds the Bhahutharaya in a House sans Government members, castigated the Rajapaksas unforgivingly presenting facts and figures proving that he was qualified to do so having been in the Rajapaksa Circus for its full term, aiding and abetting them in all their endeavours with absolute loyalty. Can we add a fifteenth characteristic to Owen and Davidsons Hubris Syndromes fourteen? The writer can be contacted at -- kksperera1@gmail.com During a heated public meeting with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, President Donald Trump stated in unequivocal terms that he was prepared to shut the government down if Congress did not approve his request for $5 billion to build the border wall in the year-end budget. The president has attempted to attach funding for the wall to several bills since taking office, without success. His early December statements seem to indicate he is not prepared to compromise. If a budget is not passed, several thousand government employees will go without pay. Is it worth it? PERSPECTIVES The president has made building a wall on the United States' southern border the centerpiece of his platform since the earliest days of his 2016 campaign. While the wall does not enjoy support from Border Patrol agents or those who live in the area where it would be built, Trump continues to insist it is a national imperative. Per the Washington Post: The president believes it is time to build the wall and is prepared to do anything in order to make that a reality. I am proud to shut down the Govt for border security, Chuck I will take the mantle, I will be the one to shut it down. Trump to Schumer #TrumpShutdown pic.twitter.com/Th1gQuGsC9 Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 11, 2018 While the president seems confident he could force Congress to concede and fully fund the wall by triggering a government shutdown, the reality seems far more complicated. Per Vox: With this gridlock comes real consequences for thousands of federal employees. They are pawns in a game of chicken between the legislative and executive branches, according to Bloomberg News: The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. STRASBOURG, France A man who had been flagged as a possible extremist sprayed gunfire near the famous Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, killing three people, wounding up to a dozen and sparking a massive manhunt when he got away. France immediately raised its terror alert level. It was unclear if the market a popular gathering place and the nucleus of an al-Qaida-linked plot in 2000 was the intended target. The assailant got inside a security zone around the venue and opened fire from there, Mayor Roland Ries said on BFM television. The market, France's largest, is set up around the city's cathedral during the Christmas season. Authorities did not give a motive for the shooting, though prosecutors said they had opened a terrorism investigation. Strasbourg, located in eastern France, is home to the European Parliament, one of several places put on an emergency lockdown after the shooting. The prefect of the Strasbourg region said the man identified as the alleged gunman was on a watch list of potentially radicalized people. Authorities did not name him publicly or provide details such as his age and nationality. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who traveled to Strasbourg, said the suspect had convictions in France and Germany for crimes unrelated to terrorism and served time in prison. He did not elaborate. Hours before the shooting, French gendarmes went to the suspects home to arrest him, but he wasnt there, Stephane Morisse of police union FGP said. They found explosive materials during a search, he said. Many of Europes deadliest terror attacks in recent years took place in France. In response to Tuesdays shooting, the government decided to take the countrys attack risk up a level on the official threat index and to send security reinforcements to Strasbourg, Castaner said early Wednesday. Strasbourg, a city about 500 kilometers (310 miles) east of Paris on Frances border with Germany, promotes itself as the Capital of Christmas and the market set up around the local cathedral is a holiday tradition. Two years ago, a Tunisian man drove a hijacked truck into a busy Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people in the German capital. Some 350 officers and two helicopters were searching for the assailant, who had been radicalized for "several years" and confronted law enforcement officers twice, exchanging fire, while he "sowed terror," Castaner said. The death toll stood at three early Wednesday, the minister said. Two police union officials said earlier there were four victims. Officials did not explain the conflicting numbers. More than seven hours after the bloodshed, the regional prefect said 11 other people were injured, five of them seriously, downgrading Castaners earlier count of 12 injured. The shooter was also shot and wounded by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, according to the FGP union's Morisse. French military spokesman Col. Patrik Steiger said the shooter didnt seem to be aiming at soldiers patrolling in and around the market, but appeared to target civilians instead. Witnesses described hearing gunshots, screams and shouts of police officers 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, 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, which she at first mistook 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 has been hit in recent years with 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. Tuesdays attack followed four weeks of protests against President Emmanuel Macron that have stretched the police forces deployed to clear blocked roads and to quell rioting, looting and other protest-related mayhem. Macron adjourned a meeting at the presidential palace Tuesday night to monitor the emergency, his office said. The president tweeted Solidarity of the whole nation for Strasbourg, our victims, their families and at midnight presided over a meeting at the Interior Ministrys crisis center. The office of the Paris prosecutor, who is in charge of Frances terror investigations, said the Strasbourg probe was being conducted on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise. The latter charge suggests officials do not exclude links between the shooter and an extremist cell. Authorities urged the public to remain indoors at the height of the drama. People dining out at restaurants were held in place for hours. So were thousands of basketball fans who attended a game at a sports stadium and European Union lawmakers in the locked down Parliament. They eventually were allowed to leave the buildings. People with nowhere to go were offered shelter in a gymnasium, the prefect tweeted. The Christmas market is set to stay closed Wednesday, when flags in Strasbourg will be flown at half-staff in mourning for the people killed, Mayor Ries said. The attack revived memories of a new millennium terror 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 ushering in 2000.. The Algerian and French-Algerian suspects including an alleged associate of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden went on trial in October on charges they were involved in the foiled plot for the attack. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to nine years. --By Sylvie Corbet, Jean-Francoise Badias and Elaine Ganley STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Cops say an incident initially reported as a shooting in Port Richmond is being investigated as an armed robbery. An unidentified male approached the 22-year-old male victim on the 100 block of Bryson Avenue at around 8 a.m., punched him in the face, brandished a firearm, and made off with the victims iPhone, according to a police spokesman. The thief fled the scene in a white sedan, possibly a Mercedes, according to the spokesman. Initial reports indicated cops were investigating the incident as a shooting, but the spokesman said Tuesday night that the weapon was not discharged. The investigation is ongoing, according to the spokesman. Update: According to a tweet by the NYPD Missing Persons account, John Schnell has been accounted for. Further information will be posted as it becomes available. -- STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police are searching for a retired NYPD detective and former Staten Island resident, last seen buying a cup of coffee in Brooklyn. John Schnell, 69, has been missing since Tuesday, according to a written statement from the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Informations office. Schnells family -- many of them Staten Island residents -- have taken to social media with photos and information about their father, whom they say suffers from dementia and diabetes. Hes behind on six insulin shots, said his son, Joseph. He wont make it another night. According to the statement from police, Schnell was last seen at about 8:30 a.m. in his home in the Gerritsen Beach section of Brooklyn, though Joseph said theyve since learned he was seen buying coffee nearby at about 3 p.m., before heading off in an unknown direction. He said authorities are attempting to track down surveillance footage from three different bus lines he might have used. Family thought at first he would end up at Beth Israel Medical Center in East Midwood, Brooklyn, where his wife is being treated for an ongoing illness. But so far, the theory has proved fruitless. I was there for two hours yesterday but he never came," said Joseph. Family said Schnell is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in Vietnam, and at one point was invited to the White House. He retired from the NYPD as a gold shield detective with the 78th Precinct in Brooklyn. Were running low on time, said Joseph. Think about losing a father, and not having a chance to say goodbye to him. Schnell is described as standing 5 feet 9 inches, and weighing about 180 pounds. He has short white hair, a white beard, and was last seen wearing a brown sweater, black jacket and dark colored pants. Anyone with information in regard to the incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. The public can also submit tips at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or text 274637 (CRIMES), and enter TIP577. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An increase in police presence at the College of Staten Island High School for International Studies on Wednesday was prompted by a reported threat, according to a law enforcement source. NYPD thoroughly investigated a potential threat on social media last night, and determined it was unfounded this morning," said a statement from the Department of Education. "All students and staff are safe, and there is no threat to the school community. A person anonymously reported receiving a text message indicating there might be a shooting at the school at 100 Essex Drive, New Springville. The threat was vague and non-specific, the source said. There is an increased police presence, but the school is not currently on lockdown, the source said. The Department of Education is looking into the matter, according to a spokesman. Parent Patricia Anne Corson told the Advance how she agonized over sending her daughter to school on Wednesday due to the alleged threat. Corson said she talked with school officials, security and police and sat with her daughter in their car outside school for about 45 minutes before reluctantly deciding that her daughter should attend classes. I was absolutely terrified sitting in my car watching my daughter walk into the building, Corson said, adding, but we have to live. My daughter has to go to school. I dont think it would happen today because of all the police presence. Corson is concerned, though, that an attack could happen another day when the police arent parked outside the doors. The mother is shocked that this could be happening on Staten Island at this high school. Its such a good school. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Staten Island police officer who was shot during a confrontation with a knife-wielding man in Fort Wadsworth was released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon. Officer Amir Pali and his family were greeted by approximately 200 fellow cops and supporters around 3 p.m. as he exited Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze in a wheelchair and left in a police van. Deputy Inspector Isa Abbassi, Palis commanding officer at the 120th Precinct, described the 26-year-old cop as an energetic officer, who displays what it takes to be a cop on the North Shore. [The shooting] serves as a reminder of the dangerous work the men and women of the New York City Police Department do, he said. Pali was in the hospital since late Sunday night when he was struck in the torso by friendly fire after he and another officer fired 10 to 12 shots at Faustino Dioso, 50, who drunkenly charged the officers with a large blade, according to police. The cops went to Diosos Bridge Court home to respond to a reported domestic dispute, and found him brandishing the 14-inch weapon that neighbors said he used to cut trees outside his home. Dioso was pronounced dead after being taken to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, according to police. NYPD Commissioner James ONeill told reporters at a press conference early Monday morning in Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, that the NYPD has two domestic incident reports on record for the home. Neighbors told the Advance they have seen cop cars at the house before. NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said footage taken from the officers' body cameras shows the man attempt to get past a woman police believe is his wife, and repeatedly yell at the officers to shoot him. India's ruling party yesterday suffered stinging election defeats in three key states, in a big blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of national polls in 2019. The votes held earlier this month and in November were seen as a dry run for next year's vote when Modi will likely go head-to-head with Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party for a second term. "We accept the people's mandate with humility," Modi said late yesterday on Twitter. "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 Congress came out as the largest party with 114 seats. Congress's traditional ally BSP took 2 seats, pushing the alliance seat tally to 116 majority mark in the 230-seat state assembly. 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 yesterday, Telangana in the south and remote Mizoram in the northeast, regional parties looked to be leading. In Telangana the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi won handsomely -- at the expense of Congress. Mizo National Front (MNF), a BJP ally, is all set to form govt in Mizoram as Congress loses its last bastion in North East. The MNF won 26 seats in the 40-member Assembly, a gain of 21 seats since 2013. The Congress managed to bag only five seats compared to 34 seats it won in the 2013 Assembly elections. But it was Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madyha 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. Currently the BJP rules 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 Congress yesterday hailed its good showing in assembly polls in three Hindi heartland states and thanked people for choosing "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," read a tweet on the party's official Twitter handle. Analysts 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. (The Daily Star) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Staten Island man was taken into custody Monday in connection with the road-rage death of an off-duty firefighter in Brooklyn, authorities said. The U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Task Force picked up Bulls Head resident Joseph Desmond, 29, at the Circle Motor Lodge in South Amboy, N.J. at around 11 p.m., said an agency spokesman. Desmond is still in New Jersey pending extradition to New York, said the spokesman. His role in the incident is unclear. No charges have yet been filed. Faizal Coto, 33, was found with blunt-force trauma to the head next to his vehicle near the Exit 4 ramp of the eastbound Belt Parkway at around 4:47 a.m. Sunday, police said. Authorities allege Coto and the suspects vehicle collided as they merged onto the parkway before they pulled over near the 14 Avenue/Bay 8 Street exit. Police believe the two men then got into an argument before Coto was hit in the head with an unknown object. Shortly after, the suspect fled eastbound in his 2006 Infiniti, police said. The victim was found unconscious and unresponsive next to his damaged 2008 Ford Mustang. Coto, who was a smoke eater with Engine 245 / Ladder 161 in South Brooklyn for three years, was taken to Coney Island Hospital, where he died, police said. Desmond is a reputed Latin Kings gang member who was released from prison seven months ago for an anti-gay attack in Queens, according to state Department of Corrections records. The NYPD said it had no information yet on the arrest. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka China Journalists Forum (SLCJF) and Chongqing Normal University (CNU) in China has signed for enhancing the bilateral relations between two countries in an event held in Colombo yesterday. Prof. Zhou Zeyang, President of Chongqing Normal University and Mr Nalin Aponso, President of the SLCJF have signed the MoU on behalf of each party. Head of Cultural Section at Embassy of Peoples Republic of China in Sri Lanka; Prof. Guan Pin, Director of Office for International Cooperation and Exchanges; Prof. Lei Yong, Dean of International College for Chinese Language and Culture; Dr. Yu Haikuo, a teacher of International College for Chinese Language and Culture, several representatives of the Confucius Institute at University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka, including its director Wang Wanxia, and several members of the SLCJF also joined this significant event. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana Growing demands from some of the nations biggest miners for the Morrison government to set a price on carbon have been emphatically rejected, as federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan insists taxes aint the answer. Mr Canavan on Wednesday gave one of the governments strongest dismissals yet of a wave of calls from heads of major resources companies including Rio Tinto, BHP and Woodside for more decisive political action to curb carbon emissions and help transition to renewable energy. Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Matt Canavan. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In a reversal of its historical position against emissions pricing, oil and gas producer Woodside last month emerged as the latest resources company to demand a carbon price, with its chief executive, Peter Coleman, warning the consequence of inaction was too great. Speaking on the sidelines of a Melbourne Mining Club event, Mr Canavan said he acknowledged that some major resources companies had signalled support for carbon pricing, but said, I dont see any evidence that such a policy approach would deliver. Pub owner Justin Hemmes predicts it will be at least three years before he starts work on his $1.5 billion plan to transform his popular Ivy bar and restaurant empire in George Street, Sydney. Mr Hemmes, who was awarded the Urban Taskforce Australian Property Person of the Year for 2018, said the Ivy site "was always bought as a development site". Justin Hemmes' Ivy bar site could become a new office and hotel tower. Credit:Steve Lunam "It is not imminent and we have not lodged any plans, but it was always my intention to redevelop the site with an office tower and maybe a hotel,'' Mr Hemmes said. "It's on the cards. The redevelopment and upgrade of George Street, Sydney is a major opportunity and we will work to get investors and developers on board." Social media behemoth Facebook has hit back at the Australian competition regulator's proposal for a new government body to scrutinise its business and algorithms, describing the plan as "unnecessary", "unprecedented" and "unworkable". Andy O'Connell, a senior policy executive from Facebook's global headquarters in Menlo Park, California, who works closely with its chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, signalled the company was concerned the new measures proposed by Australia could gain global support. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. Credit:AP "This idea that we would create a generalised algorithm regulator without a specific set of problems they are trying to fix, to make choices for consumers rather than putting users in control, it is pretty unprecedented," Mr O'Connell, a top policy executive, said in Facebook's first public comments on the issue this week. "This is unprecedented as far as I am aware. I am not aware of any other country seriously looking at this idea of an algorithm regulator." Virgin Australia's preparation to receive the first of its new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft could be complicated by October's fatal Lion Air crash in Indonesia which has prompted a global rethink of how to train pilots to fly the new airplanes. Virgin has 40 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on order to begin renewing its 75-strong fleet of workhorse 737-800s and 737-700s, with the first delivery expected in late 2019. Virgin pilots could have to spend longer training to fly the new aircraft that previously expected. Credit:Philip Gostelow The newest variant of the single-aisle planes - the highest selling commercial jet in history - was expected to slot easily into Virgin's operations, with existing 737 pilots only needing about three hours of ground training to fly the jets. But that threatens to blow out following the Lion Air crash off the coast of the Java Sea that killed 189 people on October 28. Australian shares closed firmly higher on Wednesday as investor sentiment lifted on the back of positive signs from US-China trade negotiations. The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 77.6 points, or 1.4 per cent, to 5653.5 while the broader All Ordinaries closed 76.1 points, or 1.4 per cent, higher at 5727.3. Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, held successful talks with Chinese government leaders. Credit:Andrew Harrer Global markets rose on Tuesday and Wednesday following positive talks between the US and China that saw Beijing soften its tariffs on US automotive imports. "Any improvement in the US-China relationship will be warmly welcomed by markets and the announcement on auto tariffs does illustrate that there is an upside," JPMorgan Asset Management global market strategist Kerry Craig said. "However, we wouldn't be surprised to see things get worse before they get better." The small business ombudsman says it is taking too long for the banks to move to "least cost" routing to lower the amount operators pay when processing tap-and-go debit purchases. The House of Representatives economics committee recommended in March that the big banks revise their systems so that tap-and-go payments made on debit cards were not automatically processed as credit cards, which costs small businesses more to process. The shift to least-cost processing of tap and go debit payments won't happen until next year. Credit:Glenn Hunt Small business ombudsman Kate Carnell has hit out at the fact that these changes will not be complete until at least the middle of next year. "It's unacceptable that the banks promised to implement this year and haven't. They'll say they have other things on their minds, but I reckon the reason they haven't is they're making a quid out of it," Ms Carnell said. Sydney's property market slump has reached a new milestone, with values falling further than the late 1980s when Australia was on the cusp of entering its last recession. Average Sydney home values have fallen 10.1 per cent since their 2017 peak, CoreLogic's head of research Tim Lawless said on Tuesday, citing data as of December 7. That surpasses the top-to-bottom decline of 9.6 per cent recorded between 1989 and 1991. Sydney's housing slump just hit another milestone. Credit:James Alcock The declines in Australia's biggest city are accelerating as tighter mortgage lending standards by the banks limit the amount people can borrow and as nervous buyers sit on the sidelines. While policy makers are monitoring the market closely, none appear nervous of an outright crash. British Prime Minister Theresa May embarked Tuesday on a tour of European capitals in a last-minute bid to win Brexit concessions, but top EU officials said they could at best offer clarifications to help get the deal through Parliament. Mays trip to The Hague, Berlin and Brussels comes on the heels of a decision to delay Tuesdays planned vote in the British Parliament on the Brexit deal May had negotiated with Brussels, amid fears of a crushing defeat. We are very much concerned about the postponement of the vote, French European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau said. We have done a lot help the UK, she added, noting that it was the only deal on the table. At stake is the withdrawal agreement, which spells out the legal terms of Britains departure from the EU on March 29, 2019, as well as a joint political declaration outlining goals for the future relationship. May hopes to secure assurances that Britain cannot be permanently trapped in backstop provisions aimed at preventing the emergence of a border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, said Martin Callanan, a minister of state in her Brexit department. DPA, 11th DECEMBER, 2018 Manufacturing chiefs say Australian industry is at risk of collapse unless the government takes swift action to create an energy policy and support gas infrastructure in the country. Dow Australia and New Zealand president Louis Vega and Manufacturing Australia chairman James Fazzino said Australia had failed to take advantage of its energy resources, and poor government policy had compounded the problem. Louis Vega, the Australian and New Zealand managing director of Dow Chemicals, said the energy crisis has caused significant damage to Australian manufacturing. Credit:Nic Walker The industry leaders said that unless steps were taken to wind back energy costs, manufacturing in the sector had an uncertain future. The energy crisis in Australia has driven increasing operating costs that are simply unsustainable for businesses, Mr Vega said. There is fresh pressure on the Morrison government to deal with spiralling energy prices as new figures show Australians are spending a record high proportion of their income to keep the lights and air conditioning on. An update by the Australian Bureau of Statistics of the consumer price index shows a spike in the past 12 months in how much of an average Australian's weekly spending is going towards electricity expenses. The bureau weights national spending patterns so it can accurately track the inflation rate, taking into account changed prices and consumption trends. Electricity spending now accounts for a record share of household spending. Credit:Bloomberg As recently as 2005, just 1.6 per cent of a household's spending went towards electricity. Last year this had climbed to almost 2.2 per cent. Students from Sydney Grammar School have blitzed the first-in-course awards this year, topping 11 subjects ranging from ancient history to Chinese. Four students from Pymble Ladies' College finished first in their courses, while James Ruse Agricultural High School and Abbotsleigh picked up three first-in-course awards each. As the state's high school class of 2018 nervously awaits their HSC results to be released at 6am on Thursday, the NSW Education Standards Authority is celebrating the students who topped a course at a special ceremony in Sydney at midday on Wednesday. There are 92 schools whose students won 132 first place awards for HSC courses in 2018. There was equal representation from the government and private sectors, while girls took out three of five science prizes. An alliance of groups opposed to the proposed Adani coal mine are stepping up their campaign, targeting Labor leader Bill Shorten ahead of his party's national conference starting this weekend. The Stop Adani Alliance - which claims two million supporters among its 38 member groups - will on Thursday unleash an advertising campaign and release polling showing four in five respondents want the government to intervene to stop the project. More of this to come: Adani protesters confront Labor leader Bill Shorten and the Federal Member for Batman Ged Kearney in March this year. Credit:AAP The first of a three-phased strategy will involve a so-called "summer of action", aimed at pressing federal Labor to shift its ambiguous stance on the mine, which has the potential to open up the huge new coal province in Queensland's Galilee Basin if it proceeds. Mobile billboards will buzz the ALP's National Conference in Adelaide, while organisers within the event will try to raise the Adani issue during Sunday's debate on Labor's climate platform. It's a common frustration at the time of year: putting time and effort into straightening or curling your hair only for the humidity to cause your straightened locks to frizz up and laboriously constructed curls to drop limp. But, why do sweaty temperatures play such havoc with our hair? Why do sweaty temperatures play such havoc with our hair? Credit:Shutterstock To understand why humidity makes hair frizzy, it's important to first understand what hair actually is, says University of Melbourne dermatologist researcher Professor Rodney Sinclair. "[A strand of hair] is made up of lots of longitudinal tubes of keratin, which are bundled together," he explains. Getting the "Yes" vote on the marriage equality plebiscite last year was huge for so many reasons. It was the end of a battle that had been going on for more than a decade, and it marked an end to one of the most unpleasant phases of Australian politics for me, personally, and many other people like me. Writer Alice Clarke (right) with her wife, Karma Clarke. The whole plebiscite campaign and the lead-up to it was exhausting for everyone I know in the LGBTQ community. Its probably going to still be a while longer before we fully recover from the stress of constantly having our relationships and families validity discussed in the news and in advertising. Not to mention the homophobes who were emboldened to be more open and vocal about their hate I copped more homophobic verbal abuse on public transport during those months than I had in the full year beforehand. She says audiences might see her show as a "cry for help". Even if it isn't, a few blokes are acting like it is. "I've been doing publicity for the show and already I've had some interesting responses. A lovely man just sent my management the details for a solo travellers-only hotel in Greece that he goes to every year, as if to say, come hang out with some swingers." While Greece is on her bucket list, swinging ain't. "Someone said to me the other day that every swinger he's ever met was a magician." There's also been 73-year-old Alan from Brisbane who had a crack, and dear Pedro, a man who phoned during a radio interview to ask whether her voice was "real". Cameron from South Australia surely has to get a mention, a man who despite "being celibate for 15 years" said he would "help her out". "That too was a lovely offer, and it would be great to know if celibacy was Cameron's idea or the rest of the world's." Judith Lucy vs Men will be her first solo show since the Helpmann Award-winning Ask No Questions of the Moth in 2015. Judith Lucy in Ask No Questions of the Moth in 2015. Credit:Gary LaPersonne The way things are going, Lucy reckons she might get "very lucky" in the nation's capital. She also jokes that she could be married by the end of tour, despite audience members typically being women or gay men. "There are women who are about my age who have been coming to see me for a really long time, but sometimes there are different generations, a grandmother, a mother and a daughter, all at the same show. The mother is probably dragging the rest along." She's candid about her dating tales in writing and on screen, but is there anything she'll keep out of the live show? "I've been doing a bit of editing. I tried some stories out in a pub and at the end of the night, the audience looked so distraught. And I had to say, 'Listen, I'm sorry. If you think listening to this shit is hard, you should try living it. "I'm fairly confident that most people in the audience will be able to relate to them one way or another, or will be going: 'Thank God that wasn't me.' Hopefully they're laughing either way." The show might be set to bring the noise, but writing it wasn't always hilarious. "This show has been really difficult, but at times cathartic, because at the start I really did make myself write down every experience I've had with men. And it wasn't a pretty picture. Especially in my twenties. God damn, the shit I put up with. I wish I could have gone back to the younger me and told her she was better than that. More than a few Canberra suburbs enjoy their own idiosyncratic Christmas celebrations and Carols by Randall Light in the backyard of a Mawson home is one growing in reputation each year. For 26 years, the Randall family has hosted the event, complete with family, friends and a few ring-ins, songbooks "with dodgy lyrics'' and Christmas carols sung "quite poorly in my backyard'', says Nikki Randall. Nikki Randall and Andrew Hogan, centre front, pose for a group photo with friends, family, and neighbours at their Mawson home. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong And, of course, Santa always stops by to say hello to the kids. This year's event attracted revellers from Goulburn, Narooma, Yass and Melbourne to the backyard marquee in Hurley Street. Nikki Randall and her husband Andrew Hogan bought the family home from her parents, Lyn and Allan, three years ago so that it's now up to them to continue the tradition. Canberra bubble is a term that increased in usage significantly through 2018, and it was noticeable that this year Prime Minister Scott Morrison used Canberra bubble to define his politics. However, critics point out that the Prime Minister is very much inside the Canberra bubble. Artist Michael Ashley's version of the Canberra bubble. I think it also reflects the notion that across Australia there is some disenchantment with politics, and that politicians are more preoccupied with the goings-on in Canberra than the everyday concerns of Australians. Dr Laugesen said there was some trepidation that highlighting "Canberra bubble" would feed into stereotypes of Canberra, the city and its people, being removed from the rest of Australia. "We certainly did think about that. We're well aware of that tradition around Canberra bashing," Dr Laugesen said. "But I think everything that has happened this year, the change of prime ministers and the sense of politicians being very caught up in their own debates, which aren't necessarily seen as relevant by a lot of people, we kind of did think it did capture what we've been seeing this year." The phrase "Canberra bubble" had been around for at least 17 years. "The earliest evidence we have of this particular use of 'Canberra bubble' goes back to 2001. The Gold Coast Bulletin had an article, 'Life is Great Inside a Canberra Bubble' , talking about John Howard and the people who surrounded him," she said. "It was used in 2004 when Mark Latham was the Labor opposition leader. It was used of him, 'So sort of, 'Latham is operating outside the Canberra bubble'. "There was also quite a bit of use of it earlier this year around the Barnaby Joyce-Malcolm Turnbull dispute over the bonk ban. And Malcolm Turnbull used it a bit. And you saw Scott Morrison using it quite a lot and in quite a high profile way when he put out that video saying, 'the Canberra bubble is what happens down here where people get all caught up with all sorts of gossip and rubbish'. "And then we saw quite a discussion and debate and people started to talk about that idea and Scott Morrison himself." Have you experienced plastic "bag rage''? Credit:James Brickwood Canberra bubble was chosen ahead of a shortlist of words and expressions that gained prominence in Australia throughout 2018. The shortlist included: The Herald's long-serving economics editor, Ross Gittins, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Australian National University on Wednesday. Gittins, who has been economics editor at the newspaper since 1978, was awarded the degree at a graduation ceremony for undergraduates from the university's College of Business and Economics. Gittins told graduates that even if they forgot what they had learned, university had put them in good stead. "You are left with a knowledge of what you don't know and that's actually quite valuable," he said. "It puts you well ahead of those who don't know what they don't know." The Sydney Morning Herald's economics editor, Ross Gittins, pictured at the Australian National University on Wednesday, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate. Credit:Jamila Toderas "Even if you eventually forget everything you've been taught, that won't matter much provided you've acquired the one big thing university education is supposed to leave you with: the ability to think critically, clearly and logically about the propositions people serve up to you and the solutions to problems," Gittins said. While claiming that the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary cant find a solution to the prevailing political impasse, UPFA MP Dullas Alahapperuma said it was only the people who could bring to an end this crisis by way of a General Election. Addressing a news briefing, he said these three pillars of democracy had failed to end this crisis which had almost reached its climax. The prevailing political crisis has become worse and none of these three have been able to sort this out. The only option left is to go for a general election and let people elect their representatives, MP Alahapperuma said. The UNP is saying that the solution to resolve this crisis is to have a presidential election. The presidential election wont become an effective method whatsoever to end this political turmoil. It would only make it worse, MP Alahapperuma added. He further said that the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary comprise of 1, 225 and 335 members respectively whereas there are nearly 16 million people who have the franchise. Therefore, it is apparent that people should be given the opportunity by way of a general election to resolve this crisis by which the country can start a new political chapter, he added. Meanwhile, he said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had no moral rights to be in the Opposition in Parliament because they voted in favour of the motion of confidence presented in support of Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday. The TNA should forgo their post in the Opposition if this Parliament is to continue any further, he added. (Sheain Fernandopulle) Video by Buddhi Pix by Nisal Baduge The mother of two teenage children shot dead in their home by their estranged father had "lost all trust and hope" in police and a family law court system that ultimately failed her, says family violence campaigner and survivor Rosie Batty. On Wednesday, Olga Edwards, 37, was found dead in her West Pennant Hills home, five months after the bodies of her children Jack, 15, and Jennifer, 13, were found riddled with bullets in the same home. The slain children: Jack, 15, and Jennifer Edwards, 13. Her death is not being treated as suspicious. The news has devastated Ms Batty, who connected with Ms Edwards earlier this year, having lost her own 11-year-old son Luke to family violence in 2014, when he was bludgeoned and stabbed to death by his father and her ex-partner. Former police officer Daniel Hadley has had a drug charge for cocaine possession dismissed on mental health grounds. Mr Hadley, 28, the son of popular radio broadcaster Ray Hadley, was arrested while off-duty at a hotel in Rouse Hill in Sydney's north-west in August, and charged with possessing a prohibited drug. Appearing in Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday, he was granted a section 32 dismissal on the grounds of mental illness on the condition he continue a mental health treatment plan for the next six months. Daniel Hadley was granted a section 32 dismissal on the grounds of mental illness. Mr Hadley was charged after an investigation by the police professional standards command and was suspended after his arrest. He had been a senior constable but resigned from the force in September. Soon after completing a domestic violence prevention course Russell Brian Wood grabbed his girlfriend in a choker hold before stabbing and killing her during a fight in Sydney's west. Wood, 27, has pleaded guilty to the murder of Sarah Brown, 34, who was stabbed inside her home in Whalan in late September 2017. Russell Brian Wood is escorted to a Corrective Services van after his sentence hearing in the Supreme Court. Credit:AAP Her daughter, Monique Walker, who was 18 at the time, told Wood's sentence hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday her "heart shattered into a million pieces" when she lost her mother. According to the agreed facts, Wood and Ms Brown were in an on-again, off-again relationship from 2015. Police save youth Two Victorian policemen walked calmly in to a group of fighting Italians last night, and guarded an unconscious youth until police reinforcements were rushed from headquarters. The youth, Ron Smith, of West Melbourne, had been felled when someone broke a full bottle of milk over his head. Two car-loads of police rushed to the scene and arrested four men and charged them with carrying offensive weapons. Mr Smith is still unconscious today. Branded driver plan As an aid to road safety, motorists convicted of certain driving offences should have their cars compulsorily labelled, a Sydney doctor has suggested. This would enable other motorists and road users to identify the driver as one with whom special care would be necessary, the doctor, Dr D.N. Everingham, of Chester Hill, thinks. And the psychological effect of being labelled as a vehicular pariah would in itself induce extra caution on the branded motorist. Legal meteor storm An Irish woman who was in a volatile relationship involving aggression on both sides has been jailed for at least five years for stabbing her new fiance to death in Sydney. Cathrina "Tina" Cahill, 27, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Walsh, 29, who she stabbed once in the neck in the early hours of February 18, 2017, at the Padstow home they shared with two other Irish nationals. Cathrina Ann Cahill and her fiance David Walsh in October 2016. Credit:Facebook Cahill was originally charged with murder, but the Crown accepted her plea of guilty to the less serious charge of manslaughter on the basis of substantial impairment due to an abnormality of the mind at the time. In the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday, Justice Peter Johnson jailed her for eight years with a non-parole period of five years. Large trucks should be banned from Sydney's Botany Road during peak pedestrian times in the densely populated area of Green Square, a measure which would be a first in Australia, the local MP has urged. The proposal from the Heffron Labor MP, Ron Hoenig, comes after an 'absolutely horrific' truck crash on Wednesday, just south of Green Square railway station, which left a 44-year-old woman dead and five others injured. Emergency services were called at 7.45am after the B-double truck carrying bricks ran off the road and veered into northbound lanes before hitting a power pole, a bus stop, a building and then pedestrians. The incident has re-ignited debate on how high-density development is intensifying demands on Sydney's road and transport infrastructure. Its been a real rollercoaster week for one of Premier Gladys Berejiklians most senior mandarins. On Tuesday, the states Auditor-General, Margaret Crawford, delivered an absolute serve to the Department of Premier and Cabinet team that oversaw a deal handing control of electricity network operator Ausgrid to AustralianSuper and IFM Investors for $16 billion. Ausgrid's sale to AustralianSuper and IFM Investors as part of a "unsolicited proposal" was harshly criticised by the NSW Auditor-General. Credit:Louie Douvis Almost every part of the 2016 sale process was a target of criticism. The superannuation fund giants made a so-called unsolicited proposal to buy Ausgrid after the two other bidders, the State Grid Corporation of China and the Hong Kong-listed CK Infrastructure operated by billionaire Li Ka-shing, were ruled out by the Foreign Investment Review Board. Detectives say the community was not put at risk by their decision to delay the release of details regarding a girl's abduction from a shopping centre north of Brisbane on Saturday. It would be alleged a man took the seven-year-old girl from the Kmart store in Westfield North Lakes, sexually assaulted her in nearby bushland and brought her back to the store more than an hour later. The abducted girl was returned to Westfield North Lakes after more than an hour. Credit:Google Maps A 26-year-old Morayfield man was arrested on Monday night and charged over the incident. He was set to reappear in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Police said the three-day delay allowed investigators to speak to the man who had been identified as a suspect and gather sufficient evidence to lay charges. The heavy debates regarding the present political crisis in the country continue on social media, especially on Facebook, leaving the country at large rather peaceful. At present there is no prime minister, government ministers and a Cabinet, but with only a president in office this nation continues to function; giving hiccups to the outside world which has been critical of the present political situation in Sri Lanka. When it comes to facing crises there is something about Sri Lanka. The islanders have some inner ability to bounce back after a fall, largely when the crisis is associated with a natural disaster. But the man-made disasters often take quite some time to be settled; the best example being the war against Tiger rebels which was finally finished off after a struggle which lasted for almost three -decades. We have negotiated well the effects of world recession and the often occurring floods, but we mustnt get cocky. This time a tsunami erupted in parliament due to a faulty Constitution and the high handed acts of the Executive. Now the country is worried about a 2019 Budget that must be presented and passed in parliament. Despite the political stalemate President Sirisena carries on functioning as if not bothered by the fact that the state establishment is severely jolted Sirisena has said that there is no disruption or violence in the country because the people are nurtured by the Buddhist culture He has said that the media has played the issue up as a crisis. Sirisena has added that the present political issue isnt a serious matter in his opinion But the JVP claims that the president is taking the credit for the positives of the 19th A and passes the buck on its negatives to the others We are a nation that appoints the most unsuitable representatives to Parliament and then tolerate their nonsense We are only short of bad politicians who would not know how to fatten their purses if they were given an opportunity to serve the people A Government needs finances to function. The present impasse and court cases indicate that a solution to the stalemate would be delayed before it finally arrives. Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha de Silva warned that an economic crisis is in the offing. De Silva says that the president has no power to control state finances. He adds that the president is not vested with the power to spend finances for the four months starting January. There is another impending danger of Sri Lankas financial mess being dragged to a further low if the Supreme Court judgement on the dissolution of parliament is not delivered by December 14. This is because the Court Vacation commences after this Friday (December 14) and continues till early January. Despite the political stalemate President Sirisena carries on functioning as if not bothered by the fact that the state establishment is severely jolted. He has praised the people of the country for the peace that prevails. Sirisena has said that there is no disruption or violence in the country because the people are nurtured by the Buddhist culture. He has also acknowledged the contribution by all religions to the moral conduct of the citizenry as a whole. Sirisena also knows or believes that the political impasse will not create bloodshed on the streets; akin to some Middle Eastern nations. The biggest critics of the Government have been Britain, Japan and the USA. But Sirisena maintains that the foreign nations remain friends of Sri Lanka. He has said that the media has played the issue up as a crisis. Sirisena has added that the present political issue isnt a serious matter in his opinion. But the British Government has maintained that it is extremely concerned about Sri Lankas current political situation which is causing great damage to the country, both politically and economically. positive piece of legislation The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was passed during the Yahapalana regime with Sirisena as the president. The amendment annulled the powers the president had to dissolve parliament anytime; a privilege the the 18th Amendment gave the president. But the president went back on the promise which he gave the people regarding this clause by dissolving parliament before the stipulated four and a half years finished. Naturally the president has been labelled as a man full of contradictions. Sirisena has maintained that the 19th is a positive piece of legislation. The president has said that the 19th strengthens democratic institutions, upholds human rights and ensures judicial independence. But the JVP claims that the president is taking the credit for the positives of the 19th A and passes the buck on its negatives to the others. President Sirisena vowed to restore the present political crisis within a week., but has later said that he would wait for the Supreme Court decision on the case filed against his order to dissolve parliament. Now we see a woman filling a petition in court seeking a court order to examine the presidents state of mind. Given all what the president is saying and doing the countrys citizenry is awaits patiently to see what hed do next. This is because there is only Sirisena that they have to deal with given that there are no other members forming the lawmakers collective; which under a normal circumstance wed call the Cabinet. For the record this situation arose following a court order banning the members of the Sirisena-Rajapaksa Government from functioning in their capacities as ministers. We are a nation that appoints the most unsuitable representatives to Parliament and then tolerate their nonsense. We voted for this president and can now only grieve due to the position he has put us in. The president has the gumption to tell the media that there is no violence in the country because the people have put the country before self. Isnt this a virtue that all government ministers should adopt in their thinking? We are not short of food, drinking water and fuel apart from the cold environment in December to comfort us during this crisis. We are only short of bad politicians who would not know how to fatten their purses if they were given an opportunity to serve the people. As the political tug-of-war continues we have no other option but to grit our teeth and and watch....but for how long? A man convicted of murdering his ex-wife and dumping her body in a suitcase in the Swan River is appealing his conviction. Annabelle Chen was described as a private and very spiritual person. Ah Ping Ban, 69, and his daughter Tiffany Yiting Wan, 27, both stood trial in the WA Supreme Court earlier this year accused of murdering 58-year-old Annabelle Chen in 2016. Her body was found stuffed in a suitcase in the Swan River on July 2, 2016. Prosecutors had alleged Ms Chen was bludgeoned to death at her Mosman Park home before being dumped in the river. After years of self prescribing and seeking pain relief for her chronic condition on the black market Francesca James has warmly welcomed WAs first medicinal cannabis-centric doctors clinic, which opened Wednesday. Ms James, 27, used to work full time, ride horses and go to university, but in 2013 that all came crashing down. Francesca James, 27, at the Cannabis Access Clinic in Subiaco. Credit:Hamish Hastie What first started as a dull pain in her shoulders eventually spread throughout her body until it got so bad she was sometimes forced to sit in a wheelchair. She was diagnosed with chronic pain from psoriatic arthritis and was on a cocktail of pain-relieving drugs. Maurice Blackburn principal Walter Hawkins said this exchange indicated there was an "expected predetermined outcome from the jury". These documents raise questions about what we have long feared in this process, Mr Hawkins said. However a spokeswoman for Mr Barr said the "unexpected direction" comment was evidence that the government was not sure where the citizens' jury would land. "In referring the CTP scheme to the citizens jury, the government indicated that we were open to wide-ranging reform depending on the jurys advice and did not have a specific scheme design in mind. This is why the jury was first asked to identify objectives for a well-functioning scheme before they were then presented with a range of possible models which met these objectives," she said. "Because the government did not specify a particular model or approach, we were not able to anticipate the final direction the jury would take. This meant the government needed to build flexibility into the internal decision-making processes following the jury to account for uncertainty regarding their final direction." Concerns about insurer access Mr Hawkins also asked why Mr Barr met with Suncorp during the formative stage of developing legislation following the citizens jury process. Maurice Blackburn was part of the stakeholder reference group that formed part of the citizens' jury and had spoken to ministerial staff and MLAs about the new scheme. However Mr Hawkins said the firm had not been given the level of access afforded to Suncorp. Instead the company was directed back to the stakeholder reference group as the main way of having their concerns heard. Mr Barr's ministerial diary shows he met with Suncorp's executive general manager in May, after the jury had concluded but before the government released its exposure draft of the legislation. The emails show government officials were provided with details about how a first-party scheme would work in the ACT ahead of the meeting. Loading Suncorp has separately told an ACT parliamentary inquiry that the draft CTP scheme had the potential to be "further enhanced" by converting it into an own-insurer or first-party claims management model, where the insurer of a particular vehicle manages the statutory benefits claims of all people injured in that vehicle. Suncorp's executive general manager of personal injury portfolio and products, Chris McHugh, confirmed he met with the chief minister to advocate for a no-fault system and an own-insurer model, which he said "guarantees that motorist and their families will be looked after by the CTP insurer they choose". Mr Barr's spokeswoman said Suncorp sought meetings with the government to understand the citizens jury process and the legislative steps which would follow this. She said formal minutes of stakeholder meetings were not kept as a matter of course, and were not made during this meeting. The insurer also offered to help with the citizens' jury process in September 2017. Dr Rayner emailed back saying while the chief minister's office was taking a back step from the process now it had begun, the directorate's communications team was putting together a program of activities to help Canberrans better understand CTP, the jury process and how they could engage. "I've cc-ed a couple of contacts here so that they can be in touch to discuss opportunities for your team to feed in there," Dr Rayner wrote. Mr McHugh said Suncorp did not have any input into government communications about the CTP reforms, and noted the company was not aware of the degree to which other stakeholders engaged with the government and opposition during the citizens' jury. Mr Barr's spokeswoman also confirmed the company had no input on government communications, and said the invitation was for the company to put out its own information regarding CTP in Canberra. However Canberra Liberals leader Alistair Coe said the emails showed the government "seems to be doing the insurance companies' bidding". Make sure the Greens are 'in the cart' The emails also reveal the government tried to push through the reforms as quickly as possible to avoid them falling over. A war strategy sent out by Dr Rayner dated March 25 this year identified the Greens as "vulnerable" to arguments the legislation did not represent the wishes of the jury and that parts needed further work or scrutiny. She said the Greens were unlikely to succumb to arguments about the citizens' jurors not being competent enough to propose the reforms, as they were strong supporters of deliberative democracy. Delay is the enemy of progress here - if we allow the legislation to get bogged down or pushed off into next year we significantly reduce our chances of actually delivering the reform," she wrote. Loading As well as "pushing the bureaucracy hard to get the legislation ready asap", they planned on giving the bill maximum exposure to address problems early, and building in a committee inquiry to the process. "Liberals will move to refer it anyway, so giving the Greens a nod that wed support them doing so early on may assist in keeping the legislative process moving," Dr Rayner wrote. In September, Dr Rayner asked whether it was certain Greens crossbencher Caroline Le Couteur was "definitely in the cart and not going to spring any changes on us last minute particularly re. the reporting date" when the legislation was introduced. Mr Hawkins said the Chief Minister's office seemed "dismissive" of the Greens. However Ms Le Couteur said some of the comments were "out of context" and that she did not believe anything "sinister or biased had occurred". Maurice Blackburn is not the only group to accuse the ACT government of having manufactured its preferred outcome through the citizens' jury process. The CFMEU ACT branch also levelled the accusation at the government through the inquiry into the proposed legislation, while the Liberals also felt the process had been undermined. Brendan O'Connor has declined to give details of Labor's key industrial relations policy or commit to full disclosure before the federal election, leaving employers and unions in the dark about how far the party will go in reforming the system if it wins government. Speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday, the opposition's industrial relations spokesman deflected questions on the issue, instead accusing the government of "subterfuge" and "silence". Pressed on whether the party would release its detailed policy on industry-wide bargaining, which unions are demanding be extended across the nation's economy to give workers the right to strike across entire sectors, Mr O'Connor said the policy was still at the consultation phase. Labor's Brendan O'Connor says the party is still working out the details of its industry bargaining policy. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "We'll go through those issues. I'm still talking with employers and employer bodies and unions about how multi-employer bargaining may work," he said. A large defence contractor that tried to force a watchdog to censor a critical report is battling claims it acted in contempt of Parliament. Thales Australia, owned by French military giant Thales, won the contract to build the army's light-armoured patrol vehicle, the Hawkei, for about $2.2 billion. Then defence industry minister Christopher Pyne in a Hawkei earlier this year. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Auditor-General Grant Hehir investigated the purchase this year to determine whether it was effective and good value for money. But the government, at Thales' request, intervened to prevent him from publishing some of his findings. The Morrison government will clear the ground for a mammoth financial boost to new energy projects in an uncapped scheme that will offer loans and grants, giving the industry six weeks to step forward with proposals. The government is not ruling out support for coal-fired power stations in the official document that calls for proposals, putting a priority on projects that could reduce prices and offer reliable electricity around the clock. Steam billows from the cooling towers of a coal-fired power station. Credit:Bloomberg But the plan does not canvass any indemnity for projects that might one day have to incur a price on carbon a key factor for long-term investors in new generators that use fossil fuels. The government document also favours bidders with projects that can deliver reliable electricity with the lowest emissions intensity, linking the scheme to concerns about climate change and the governments pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was seven degrees yesterday in Vancouver, one degree in Toronto and, early morning, a lone moose was glimpsed ambling through a brisk minus-eight chill in downtown Winnipeg. Not exactly the Bahamas, but Canadian cities better get ready for a visitors boom. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian floated a proposal on Wednesday at a meeting of her fellow state and federal leaders that would see not only her state but Australia give up ground to international competitors on a critical economic advantage. Canada would likely reap the biggest reward. International students value Australia's elite universities - in the cities. An attempt to push them to our regions may send them instead to elite universities in other Western countries. Credit:Louise Kennerley Following her October call for a breather on population growth, Berejiklian spruiked a halving of NSWs net overseas migration. She got the idea, she said, from federal Cities Minister Alan Tudge. Yesterday the Premier doubled down. The scheme she presented at the Council of Australian Governments would incentivise international students to study in regional areas. Sounds like a reasonable idea, right? Address the urban population squeeze in our cities while at the same time bringing talent and investment to the bush. Trouble is, by tinkering at regionalism with one of our best-performing sectors, we risk undoing one of its central strengths. With the mining boom behind us, international education is among our best current and next-wave economic assets, not to mention its much-needed soft diplomacy and its social and cultural value. Now is not the time to destabilise that momentum, and certainly not for a secondary policy fix, or worse, electoral advantage. After a battering year for the ABC, the "competitive neutrality" review foisted on it by the government and One Nation has amounted to a bullet dodged. As retired economist Robert Kerr succinctly put it in his report, the inquiry was all about whether the ABC and SBS are "competing fairly with the private sector". The competitive neutrality review was part of a deal with One Nation to support media ownership reforms. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The idea is to ensure the public broadcasters do not enjoy a special advantage in the market simply because they are taxpayer-funded. The only such complaint ever made against the ABC was in 1999. It claimed the broadcaster was leasing production facilities at below-market rates. Furthermore, the review found the market share of the two broadcasters was not large, had not increased dramatically and did not pose any competitive concerns. The major source of competition to Australian commercial media outlets was international media, the report affirmed. In response, Mr Fifield acknowledged the ABC and SBS charters were broad and flexible. He noted the panel recommended the broadcasters be more transparent in how they report on their competitive activities and charter adherence, but indicated the government would take no action to enforce this. "It is now up to the national broadcasters to act on these recommendations," Mr Fifield said. The Coalition government agreed to the inquiry as part of a deal with Pauline Hanson's party to pass media ownership reforms. It also hit the ABC and SBS with another efficiency review, which Mr Fifield is currently sitting on alongside a review of local and children's content. Loading The inquiry's failure to uncover any abuse of the ABC's competitive position will be welcomed by the broadcaster, which has endured a difficult year rocked by the sacking of managing director Michelle Guthrie and resignation of chairman Justin Milne. Ms Guthrie had attacked the inquiry as an appeasement of the ABC's commercial rivals who wanted the public broadcaster "corralled out of the digital landscape". In particular, Fairfax Media - the now-defunct owner of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age - complained the ABC had "undermined the level playing field" in Australian media through its "aggressive expansion" into digital news. Mr Kerr's report found the ABC and SBS were simply following their amended charters, which have included digital media since 2013, and responding to changing consumer preferences. Mr Kerr said debate about the ABC and SBS charters "will not fade away", and that the broadcasters were likely to keep expanding their operations, constrained only by their respective budgets. To that end, Mr Kerr recommended the government consider options for a long-term funding model for the ABC and SBS, rather than agreements that are renegotiated every three years. In a statement, the ABC welcomed the report for "recognising that the ABC should be able to adapt to new and emerging technology and audience behaviours", and said it would consider the recommendations. A retired economist, Mr Kerr held a senior role in the Productivity Commission in the Howard years before running Victoria's competition agency. Former SBS managing director Michael Ebeid, who now works with Telstra heading up the enterprise team, said he was "not surprised [there were] no material recommendations that came out of it for SBS" and argued the broadcaster was "not in a position to distort the market". NEW DELHI AFP Dec11, 2018- Indias 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 Modis Bharatiya Janata Party. The race looked closer in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two other traditional strongholds of Modis 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 BJPs Vasundhara Raje, a maharani or princess -- Modis party was predicted to win 74 seats compared to 97 for Congress. Universities have urged the NSW government to tread "carefully" with its proposal to entice overseas students to the regions with incentives, warning it could jeopardise the state's multibillion-dollar international education industry. Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said NSW universities would need to see a "very careful assessment of any proposals and their likely impact" before they could support the Premier's incentives plan. Premier Gladys Berejiklian proposed the use of incentives to attract foreign students to the regions. Credit:James Alcock International education is a $32 billion industry for Australia, and generates $11.3 billion for NSW the lions share of any state or territory, Ms Jackson said. The last thing governments or universities want is to harm our ability to attract international students. Headphones are something we use every day. And while you can get by on the set that come with your phone, or on a set you get for cheap at the supermarket, good headphones can make a huge difference to your music, podcasts, movies and games. Here are some of the best I've used this year. Best for noise cancelling Sony has made my favourite noise cancelling cans for a few years now, but the $399 WH-1000XM3 is at another level. These headphones can make plane cabins whisper quiet and turn a busy bus into your own peaceful music-filled escape. Even voices are muted, which is usually a failing of active noise cancelling. Sony's WH-1000XM3 is the king of noise cancelling. They also sound fantastic, support high-res Bluetooth audio or wired play, last days between charges, and have smart controls to switch tracks, change volume, answer calls, let sound from the outside world in or summon your phone's assistant. With the accompanying app you can set the level of cancellation at one of 20 strength levels, tell the headphones to let voices through un-muted, or even allow them to pick a noise cancelling mode automatically based on your activity (your phone tells them if you're sitting, running, or on transport). A 2000-year-old statue of Buddha has been returned to the government of Pakistan by an Australian family who had kept it in their home for half a century. Romy Dingle's father was an Australian diplomat in Islamabad. The family would go on road trips through the countryside and one day her mother bought artefacts at a roadside stall. Romy Dingle looks at the Buddha who has been part of her life, together with the two other ancient objects from Pakistan which she returned. Credit:Elesa Kurtz. When the diplomatic posting ended, they brought the objects, including the ancient Buddha, back to Canberra. The sacred relic has remained in the family home ever since. They - and "he" as she calls the statue - lived in the Dingle House, one of the iconic Canberra houses designed by the architect, Enrico Taglietti. It accompanied her mother and Roma and her sister to a new home in Sydney. Now, the daughter has given it and two other objects back. They are in the Pakistani High Commission in Canberra - back home in a sense. Vancouver: Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou has been granted bail by a Canadian court, allowing the executive to stay in her Vancouver home as she awaits a possible extradition to the US over fraud charges. Justice William Ehrcke of the British Columbia Supreme Court agreed to release Meng after four former colleagues and friends joined her husband in pledging a combined $10 million Canadian dollars ($10.4 million) in cash and home equity to support her bail request. By agreeing to act as "sureties," the five people commit to ensuring she doesn't flee and abides by other bail terms. Meng, 46, will be subject to surveillance at her Vancouver home by a combination of security guards and technology as part of the agreement, and surrendered her Chinese and Hong Kong passports. EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict. Vatican City: Pope Francis has removed two cardinals from his informal cabinet amid the Catholic Church's sex abuse and cover-up scandal, shedding embarrassing advisers ahead of a high-stakes Vatican summit on abuse early next year. The Vatican said on Wednesday that Francis in October had written to Cardinal George Pell and Chilean Cardinal Javier Errazuriz thanking them for their five years of service on the so-called Group of Nine, or C-9. Francis also bid farewell to Congolese Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, who hasn't been implicated in the scandal but, at age 79, recently retired as archbishop of Kinshasa. London: British Prime Minister Theresa May has come up empty-handed on her first day of attempts to rescue her Brexit deal, with fruitless trips to Berlin and Brussels while back home her rivals plotted - again - to oust her. On Tuesday evening, London time, there was growing speculation among MPs that May faced an imminent vote of no confidence in her Conservative Party leadership. If 48 Tory MPs call for a vote May must then win the support of a majority of her 315 parliamentary colleagues in a secret ballot or be kicked out as leader - and Prime Minister. British Prime Minister Theresa May after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Credit:AP Photo/Michael Sohn The vote could be as early as Wednesday night. New York: As Christmas approaches, Donald Trump could be forgiven for looking back wistfully at December 2017. Trump ended his first year in office with a big win when he signed into law a tax overhaul that slashed the US corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 per cent. Under siege: US President Donald Trump. Credit:AP It showed that Trump could achieve real policy change as well as dominate the national conversation. By contrast, this year is ending with Trump a battered and beleaguered figure. Political bombs are exploding in all directions. He was called on by prosecutors to testify against Williams' high school sweetheart, Denise, who stands accused of conspiring with Winchester to kill her husband so that the two of them could be together. Williams's death, prosecutors say, was the product of a poisonous love triangle involving two sets of high school sweethearts - Denise and Mike Williams, and Brian and Kathy Winchester - that spiralled from infidelity to murder. Prosecutors say Denise collected $US1.75 million ($2.4 million) from her husband's life insurance policies, one of which was written by Winchester, an insurance agent by trade, just months before Williams's death. Then, after Brian divorced Kathy, he and Denise married in 2005. All while, Mike Williams's disappearance remained unsolved. In a trial expected to last through the week, the jury will now be left to decide whether Denise was a willing participant, entering a marriage that grew from a murder, or whether she only knew as much as investigators did, believing her husband to be lost to the alligators. Her defence lawyer, Philip Padovano, maintained in opening statements that Denise had nothing to do with Winchester's plot to kill her husband. The only person to accuse her of conspiring to kill Williams, Padovano maintained, was Winchester: a confessed killer and convicted kidnapper. Once his marriage to Denise fell apart, he kidnapped her in a last-ditch attempt to force her back into his life, a crime for which he is now serving 20 years in prison. He was granted immunity in Williams' death by prosecutors to testify about the murder plot with impunity. Winchester, Padovano told the jury, "has every motive to lie to you". Denise Williams. Credit:Leon County jail "The issue you're going to have to decide," he said, "is whether you believe him". Winchester and Denise's affair began at a Sister Hazel concert in 1997, according to Winchester's testimony. They kissed inside the venue while their spouses were out parking the car, he told the jury. From there, the relationship escalated. They went on secret getaways to New York, to South Beach, to Destin, Florida, Winchester said, sneaking in lunch dates during work breaks and visits to each other's homes when their spouses were away. After years of the affair, Winchester said, a disturbing thought crossed his mind after one of his regular hunting trips with Williams at Carr Lake, north of Tallahassee. Williams, he told the jury, had fallen into a mud hole. The ground seemed to collapse beneath him, almost like quicksand, and soon Williams was scrambling for help. "I remember telling Denise about that and how, if I hadn't been there, if I hadn't helped him out, he very likely would have disappeared," Winchester said. "And nobody would have known what happened to him." The seed was planted. Winchester claims he and Denise began discussing ways to get rid of Williams after Denise made clear she did not want to divorce, allegedly due to personal beliefs and because she didn't want split custody of their baby daughter. Eventually, Winchester claims, they discussed the "boating accident". On the morning of Denise and Williams's wedding anniversary, Winchester met Williams near the lake, telling him they were going to a "secret special spot", Winchester testified. Out on the lake, as soon as Williams stood up, Winchester shoved him overboard, hoping he would die by drowning. But he didn't. Williams grabbed onto a tree stump, panicking while trying to strip off his heavy waders and hunting jacket, scrambling again for help from Winchester that would not come. Winchester, realising drowning would not work, pulled out his gun and circled the stump. Once close enough, he said, he shot his longtime friend in the face. Winchester then dragged the body out of the water, onto the boat and into his Chevrolet Suburban, driving home with Williams's body beneath a tarp in the trunk. For the next 17 years, no one else knew what he'd done with the corpse - except Denise, Williams claims. In the immediate years after Williams' disappearance, they still sought to keep their affair a secret, according to Winchester. They both tried dating other people, Winchester and Padovano said, while Winchester's marriage to Kathy continued to crumble, resulting in divorce. It was only in 2005 that Winchester and Williams married. But the secret started to weigh on their relationship in later years, Winchester said. They started to get paranoid, believing they were being watched. For years, because there was no body, Williams' case was simply a missing person investigation. But that changed in 2010. By then, police reclassified Williams' disappearance as a suspicious death, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating again. The developments that piqued their interest? Police had learned about Denise's marriage to Winchester, and her collection of $US1.75 million in life insurance. When investigators called in Winchester for an interview, he said, it was all downhill from there. "It became quite clear to me from that interview that they were suspicious of what happened," Winchester said, "and not only that, they were suspicious of me and Denise". Still, as defence attorney Padovano emphasised, there was no physical evidence, such as DNA or fingerprints, connecting Winchester and particularly Denise to Williams's death. That's why there would be no real movement in the case until 2016, when Winchester and Denise's marriage snapped apart with one last crime. The couple, then estranged, were on the brink of divorce. At about 2.30am on August 5, 2016, Winchester crawled into the boot of Denise's 4WD, and waited for her to get inside. Later that morning, when she opened the door, she found Winchester with a gun and screamed. She was able to calm him down, Padovano said, by promising that she would stay with him and wouldn't tell the police anything. Instead, she later went to the sheriff's office to file the kidnapping report. And that's when everything unravelled: investigators appeared to believe they figured out the whole backstory of their marriage. "He killed Mike," a Tallahassee police officer, who happened to be married to Denise's sister, told Denise during an interview about her kidnapping, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. "And I'm pretty sure the reason he was going to kill you today was he was afraid you were going to say something." (Winchester's defence attorney at the time, Tim Jansen, maintained that Winchester was not planning to kill Williams on the day of the kidnapping but was suicidal, the Democrat reported.) Denise said it wasn't true, maintaining she always believed Williams died on the lake. But whether she believed it or not, Winchester was about to shatter that fiction when police arrested him for Denise's kidnapping. In exchange for his statements and testimony implicating Denise in the killing, prosecutors agreed not to use any of his admissions to charge him with Williams' murder. He was sentenced to 20 years for the kidnapping last December. And before he could be shipped away, he led police, finally, to Williams' body. On the morning of the murder, with Williams covered beneath a tarp in his trunk, Winchester drove to the hunting spot he had long remembered. He stopped at Walmart for a shovel and weights - to hold Williams's body down, he said - and then he pulled up to the edge of Carr Lake. He looked for the mud holes, knowing this time Williams would not make it out. "There they found Mike, exactly where Brian said he would be," prosecutor Jon Fuchs said, "shot in the head, just like Brian said." He was still wearing a wedding ring. "Money is the one thing that we can look to to measure people's value in an organisation," Rowe said. "You look at the number of women that graduate from conservatories and then you look at the number of women in the top leadership positions in orchestras, and it's not 50-50 still. Women need to see equality, and they need to see fairness in order to believe that that's possible." Ferrillo doesn't just sit next to Rowe in the woodwind section. They're musically joined at the hip, whether dancing across Debussy or the second movement of Beethoven's Sixth. They're also friends and admirers. Elizabeth Rowe, 44, joined the BSO as its principal flutist when she was 29. Credit:The Washington Post by Rick Friedman They both know what it takes to earn a prominent spot in such a competitive field. Both attended music school, paid their own way to travel to auditions while in their 20s and dealt with rejection. It took Ferrillo 10 years and 22 tries to earn his first symphony position, as second oboe in the San Francisco Symphony in 1985. But by the time the BSO approached Ferrillo to fill its oboe vacancy, he was a prized member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. In 2001, to lure him away, the BSO paid him twice what the orchestra's rank-and-file make. The BSO and Ferrillo have a nondisclosure agreement in place, which prohibits disclosure of his salary. But the figure, now $US314,600, became public as part of the BSO's tax filing. (Non-profit organisations are required to list the top five compensated employees earning more than $US100,000.) Coming in to the BSO in 2004, Rowe had done her homework. She asked to be paid the same salary Ferrillo had negotiated. The orchestra turned her down. Rowe said management would also not make her "overscale" - the term for what all principals routinely receive over their base pay - a percentage of her base, which would allow her to avoid asking for a raise every year. Instead, the BSO offered her $US750 a week over base the first year, $US950 the second and $US1100 once she earned tenure. Rowe accepted the offer but did not forget. Over the next 14 years, she regularly asked to be paid the same as her male colleague, she said. Symphony Hall, the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Credit:Marco Borggreve, Boston Symphony Orchestra For someone who considers herself a private person - Rowe doesn't use social media or even have a website, as many professional musicians do - going public has been trying, she said. Even when she decided to sue, Rowe had hoped that only her bosses would know. Instead, a Boston Herald reporter stumbled upon the case and published an article. Even though the stress prompted her to ask a doctor for sleep medication, Rowe said, she has no regrets about filing her suit. She said the BSO gave her no other choice. In her suit, Rowe alleges that the orchestra ignored her and retaliated when she continued to demand a raise, even pulling an invitation to be interviewed by Katie Couric for a National Geographic TV special on gender equality. It is the orchestra's argument - in a response filed with the court - that "the flute and the oboe are not comparable". Brook Ferguson, the principal flute player in the Colorado Symphony, filed a complaint in 2017 because she believed she was underpaid. Credit:The Washington Post by Matthew Staver In the statement, the BSO also said the oboe was "second only to the concertmaster (first chair violin) in its leadership role" and was "responsible for tuning the orchestra". The limited pool of great oboists, the BSO said, "gives oboists more leverage when negotiating compensation". Although four other principal BSO players - all men - earn more than Rowe, the orchestra notes that she is paid more than nine other principals, of which only one, harpist Jessica Zhou, is a woman. Rowe has been given occasional raises, and her current salary is $US250,149 a year. Rowe's case speaks to a larger reality. There is an undeniable gender gap in the classical music world. A Washington Post analysis of tax records and orchestra rosters shows that although women make up nearly 40 per cent of the country's top orchestras, when it comes to the principal, or titled, slots, 240 of 305 - or 79 per cent - are men. The gap is even greater in the "big five" - the orchestras in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia and New York. Women occupy just 12 of 73 principal positions in those orchestras. There is a direct link between principal positions and pay, the Post examination found. Only 14 of the 78 musicians in those top orchestras earning enough to be listed on tax filings are women. "The numbers don't lie," said Sharon Sparrow, the acting principal flute in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. "Statistically, it does seem there's a problem. This is probably what [Rowe] is thinking. If she were a man hired for this job, she would have been paid the same amount. But she's not and she's a woman, and she's been paid less." For women in classical music, the gender gap has always been more about a hunch than a scientific certainty. That's because pay is determined by complicated factors rooted in history, subjectivity and negotiating strategy. There's also the highly competitive, ultra-secretive orchestra culture. It's not a place where compensation is openly discussed. Michele Zukovsky, who retired as principal clarinetist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2015, remembers mentioning her salary only once to her colleagues in the mid-1960s. She was earning about $US350 a week. They snickered, making her think she was overpaid. "So after that happened, I never spoke about it again," she said. In 2017, Brook Ferguson, 37, the principal flute player with the Colorado Symphony, filed a gender discrimination claim with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Unlike Rowe, Ferguson's dispute remained private, and she didn't file a lawsuit, she said, because it would have been too costly. Ferguson, speaking publicly for the first time, shared emails and other documents with the Post in which orchestra management questioned her resume and offered her a raise only if she waived her legal rights. In the documents, she also complained about a conflict she had had with another orchestra member and about alleged sexually charged comments by the orchestra's management. Jerome Kern, chief executive and chairman of the board of trustees, said that Ferguson was"highly paid" and that the organisation did not make decisions based on gender. "Our orchestra has more women than men," Kern said. (In fact, men outnumber women in the Colorado Symphony 48 to 32.) "Our concertmaster is a woman. I think you'd be hard pressed to find another woman on the orchestra who would complain about discrimination by management." Ferguson said the emotional toll of the dispute led her to seek therapy and eventually take a year's sabbatical. "The hardest thing you can ever possibly do is call your management to task in a public way," she said. "It's really considered a betrayal of trust and a betrayal of this idea about these contracts that they're confidential." Orchestra leaders long ago acknowledged one aspect of the gender gap. In 1970, women made up fewer than 5 per cent of the players in the big five. The BSO was the first to use a screen, in 1952, and other orchestras followed to create the blind audition process. The screens made a difference. The New York Philharmonic, for example, has gone from 90 men and 26 women in 1993 to its current make-up of 48 men and 44 women. But most orchestras remove the screen for the final round of auditions. "If it's for a principal position, we'll have them play with the whole section," said Gary Ginstling, executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington. "That's all information which would really help one make a purely artistic decision. But [it does raise] the question of bias that wouldn't exist if the screen was up." Rowe cites this important factor in her case, and, in August, the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians voted to encourage all orchestras to use a screen all the way to the end of auditions. Implicit bias, which has been studied throughout the workforce, is when a manager favours someone without consciously realising it. Experts say this bias is why women earn 81 to a man's dollar and why, as a recent Cornell University study found, pay declined as more women entered a profession. And other studies show that, when managers think they are working within a meritocracy, they are even more likely to favour men. "The reality is that bias is an equal opportunity and everybody has a likeliness of exhibiting bias," said Caroline Simard, the managing director of VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab at Stanford University. "It's a cognitive factor, and it's more likely to occur in instances where the evaluation criteria is ambiguous and when you're in information overload. When you're trying to examine hundreds of musicians." Ariana Ghez Farrell, the principal oboist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 2006 to 2017, said bias was not always unconscious. She recalled a former teacher offering what he considered friendly advice during an audition in San Francisco: "Play with virility because they're going to want to hire a man." Orchestra managers interviewed by the Post stressed that they did not like the fact that there is a pay gap and concede that women are under-represented in titled positions. But they think the issue is not bias, but the slow turnover in a field with no mandatory retirement age. In Boston, for example, principal cellist Jules Eskin was in his post for 52 years, from 1964 until his death in 2016. His successor, Blaise Dejardin, is just 34. If he remains as long as Eskin, there will be just one audition for a single principal slot in more than 100 years. "My personal experience is that I have not seen or found gender bias within the overscale structures that I've worked," said Jonathan Martin, president of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, where 13 of 15 principals are men. "Where I have seen the anomalies happen, it didn't lean towards male and female." However, the Post investigation showed that the anomalies that can be identified almost always benefit men. Among the top 25 orchestras, 11 women are principal flutists. But none of them show up on the list of 78 highest-paid players compiled by the Post. There are only five flute players (all principals) on that list. All men. In the group listed in tax filings, there is an instance in which the principal flute player is a man and the principal oboe is a woman in the same orchestra. St Louis Symphony Orchestra flute player Mark Sparks earned $US166,191 in 2016, according to the most recent tax documents; principal oboist Jelena Dirks doesn't rank high enough to be listed on tax returns. At the Philadelphia Orchestra, principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner earned $US268,317 in 2015, the most recent year available, making him among the highest paid in the country. Khaner said his pay increased dramatically only when, as a member of the Cleveland Orchestra in the 1980s, other symphonies started recruiting him. "Historically, [Rowe's] only resource would be to say, 'OK, if you're not going to pay me, I'm going to go somewhere else,' " he said. "That's what most of us have done. It's complicated, and I'm glad I'm not a woman. I feel for them in this situation." Rowe never saw herself as a workplace agitator. She grew up in Oregon, the daughter of two college professors who loved music. Rowe began playing the flute at the age of seven, earned her music degree at the University of Southern California and scored her first titled position, as principal flute of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, at 23, in 1998. She was the assistant principal flute in the National Symphony Orchestra when she auditioned in Boston. Rowe brought stability to the BSO when she arrived in 2004. Doriot Anthony Dwyer, the BSO's first female principal, was principal flute from 1952 to 1990, but the position was vacant for 10 of the next 14 years. Ferrillo, who had arrived in Boston three years earlier, was excited about Rowe's appointment. Like any new player, she faced a one-year probationary period. But Ferrillo wasn't about to wait to see whether Rowe would earn tenure. Before opening night her first season, he threw a party for her. "One of my colleagues, he said, 'Boy, you're optimistic,' " Ferrillo said in a recent interview at Symphony Hall. "I just had an immediate sense. She's a remarkably poised and gracious person. Her playing was fantastic. The sense of centre and pitch about it. The artistic approach. I just didn't have any doubt about it." At the request of Rowe's attorneys, Ferrillo wrote a statement of support for his colleague. In his court filing, he refers to Rowe as his "equal" partner and said she is "every bit my match in skills, if not more so". But Ferrillo stops short of endorsing Rowe's specific salary demand, saying he doesn't think it's his place to tell BSO management how much it should pay anyone. "I don't even know if I am worth a specific amount of dollars," he said. Even though Ferrillo stresses that he has great respect for BSO management, he doesn't agree with one of the orchestra's central arguments: that oboists are worth more than flute players. "Is the oboe a leading voice? Yes, it is," he said. "Is it difficult? Yes, it is. Is the flute difficult? Ever looked at a flute part? They've got to play a million notes. The technical standards are astounding. Every instrument has its own private hell." Rowe's prominence has increased over time. She has been a featured soloist at 28 BSO concerts in 14 years, more than any other principal player and seven more times than Ferrillo during that period. She has often been featured on orchestra publicity materials and, in June, was asked to include a personal appeal on a mass mailing aimed at increasing subscriber donations. Rowe also thought that resolving her pay dispute, doing what seems right, could offer a dose of good publicity in an industry riddled with controversy. There were the sexual misconduct allegations that would eventually sweep out, among others, former Metropolitan Opera and BSO music director James Levine and Cleveland Orchestra concertmaster William Preucil. (Levine, who denies the charges, is suing the Met; Preucil was dismissed from the orchestra after an independent investigation.) "There has not been a lot of good press in our industry recently around women and the treatment of women," Rowe said, "and I genuinely saw this as a really great opportunity for the orchestra to have something positive to stand for." But instead, she said, BSO management responded to her latest proposal, in March, with silence. She found that "devastating". Only on August 25, nearly two months after Rowe had filed her suit, did the BSO email to let her know it would boost her salary from $US236,303 to $US250,149 as "the result of our normal annual salary review process and not as a result of your lawsuit". The raise would narrow the gap with Ferrillo from $US70,497 to $US64,451. Rowe's hope is that the BSO will resolve her case in mediation later this week or that a court will side with her. One key aspect of the state's equal-pay law is that a worker's past salary history isn't relevant and can't be used to defend an employer from liability. That is meant to offset the historic imbalance in the workplace. She has no interest in leaving Boston, where her husband, violinist Glen Cherry, also is a member of the orchestra. "I love the Boston Symphony. It is my artistic home," she said. "It's where I want to be." Rowe knows her case is being watched closely. She has received notes of support from other players, at smaller orchestras, who say they're too scared to speak up publicly. She also heard from Jeanne Baxtresser, 71, a former principal flutist at the New York Philharmonic who hopes Rowe's case will close a gender gap she considers "outrageous". "It's so irrational - that the facts are known and this wasn't resolved immediately," said Baxtresser, who retired in 1998. "These people do beautiful jobs, they sit beside each other. They contribute magnificently. How can you possibility sustain this thing that's patently unfair?" While appreciating the statement made by Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader and MP Mano Ganesan that his partys stance to join JVP, MP Sunil Handunnetti said they would consider it. Speaking to the Daily Mirror MP Handunnetti said the statement made by TPA leader in an audio message on Twitter was his personal view, but he had not officially communicated it to the JVP. However, we respect his stance. As the JVP, we cannot make any statement regarding that statement now, he said. MP Mano Ganesan yesterday posted an audio twitter message and said he was wondering whether his party should change its stance and join the Janatha Vimukthi Permanuna (JVP). (Chaturanga Samarawickrama) PHILIPSBURG:--- In connection with a shooting incident of November 18th, 2018 which took place in Cay Hill in the vicinity of a well-known hotel, police on Monday, December 10th, 2018, arrested a national from Saint Kitts with the initials A.A.C. as a suspect in this ongoing investigation. Directly following the arrest of this suspect a search was carried out at an apartment in Dutch Quarter where items of interest for the investigating team were found and confiscated. Another person from Saint Kitts who was together with the suspect A.A.C. at the time of the arrest couldn't show any documentation as pertaining to having a legal status on the Island was also arrested. The investigation into this shooting incident is ongoing. KPSM Press Release. SIMPSON BAY:---The Rotary International President, Barry Rassin, will be making his official visit to the island on December 12th and 13th. President Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, will be the first sitting Rotary International President to visit St. Martin during his term. On December 12th, President Rassin will be attending the official charter ceremony of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset taking place at the Refuge from 7pm. He will be assisting in the pinning of all rotarians of the club as well as a new Paul Harris Fellow. The Paul Harris Fellow program, named after Rotary Club founder, Paul Harris, recognizes individuals who have contributed $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. As part of the visit, on December 13th, President Rassin will be attending a meet and greet with, amongst other dignitaries, Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin, The Governor, His Excellency drs. Eugene Holiday and Senator of Saint Mmartin Guillaume Arnell at Divi Little Bay Beach Resort. He will also be attending projects being undertaken by the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset including a donation to Mental Health Foundation and the unveiling of a Library Reading Mailbox. President Rassin, along with the President of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset will be live on air with Dr. Soc at the studios of Island 92 91.9fm at 11:15am. President Rassin, a Rotarian since 1980, has served Rotary as director and as vice chair of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. He was an RI training leader and the aide to 2015-16 RI President K.R. Ravindran. Rassin received Rotary's highest honor, the Service Above Self Award, as well as other humanitarian awards for his work leading Rotarys relief efforts in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake there. He and his wife, Esther, are Major Donors and Benefactors of The Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset is elated to be graced with the presence of the Rotary International President and deems it a distinct honor to host the President. PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of the Rotary Club of St. Maarten, and Learning Unlimited Interact Club gathered at the Belair Community Center in Cay Hill to prepare 175 Food Baskets for those in need during the Holiday season. An assembly line of volunteers put flour, rice, cereals, canned vegetables, and many other food items necessary for a great holiday feast together in Prime Distributor bags and staged them for delivery. About 15 Rotarians and another 10 Interact members participated in the preparation. According to Rotary Club of Sint Maarten President, John Caputo, The preparation and distribution of food baskets to those in need goes right back to reason so many of us are members of Rotary. We all simply want to do good in the world and the distribution of these food baskets is just another example of doing good in the world right here in our local community. On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten, please accept our best wishes for a joyous, safe, happy and healthy holiday season. Members of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten are now in the process of distributing these food baskets in various districts around Sint Maarten. For more information about the Rotary Club of St. Maarten, please contact the Rotary Club of St. Maarten Press Officer at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.rotarysxm.org. School shootings continue, as does a search for answers. What solutions are there to prevent school shootings and/or to improve the response (and thus minimise the death toll)? In the physical security industry, we like to think we have solutions that can help, if not solve, the problem, but realistically speaking, how effective are they at the end of the day? We like to think we have solutions that can help, if not solve, the problem: but how effective are they at the end of the day? The sad answer even after dozens of school shootings and even in the wrenching aftermath of the latest one is that we dont know. There is a gaping lack of knowledge and research when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of preventative measures as they relate to school shootings. Scarce resources on preventative measures The dearth of knowledge on the subject leaves schools at risk of spending scarce resources on measures that dont have any real impact, or worse, that have a negative effect on education environments. The natural impulse following a school shooting is to do something anything to prevent the tragedy from happening again at any school, but especially at my school. But how is money best spent?Successful businesses are a good thing, but not at the expense of misspending education resources on solutions that dont solve anything Congress has passed the Stop School Violence Act of 2018 to provide $50 million per year to develop programs to train students, teachers and law enforcement to prevent violence, and to create anonymous reporting systems, such as hot lines, for school violence threats. The bill authorises another $25 million for improvements to schools physical security infrastructures. Congress also provides $1.1 billion in Title IV block grants, which districts can use to pay for diverse needs such as security systems. Several states are providing additional funding for physical safety measures and campus police, and local districts are also stretching their budgets to address security concerns. But is that money being targeted to measures that will help the situation? What is the role of technology in preventing school violence, and are we as an industry at risk of over-selling our preventative capabilities and diverting money from other measures that might have more impact? Successful businesses are a good thing, but not at the expense of misspending education resources on solutions that dont solve anything. More metal detectors, armed guards and police officers could cause anxiety in some students and even interfere with the learning process Studies on school safety and protection Researchers, advocates and educators gathered this fall at American University to consider the need for better research to inform decision-making on safety, reported Education Week.The field is in desperate need of more evidence on what works, and schools want this information presented to them" A 2016 study by the Rand Corp. points to the problem: Lack of data and research on what works and what doesnt. Despite growth in the school safety-technology sector, rigorous research about the effectiveness of these technologies is virtually non-existent, according to Rand. The field is in desperate need of more evidence on what works, and schools want this information presented to them in vetted, digestible ways to help them with procurement. Jeremy Finn, a professor of education at the University of Buffalo, has pointed out the difficulty of assessing the effectiveness of measures designed to deter events that likely wont occur anyway. How do you know when you have deterred a school shooting? he asks. It didnt happen. The effects on our students Might technologies aimed at making schools more secure have an adverse effect on the learning environment? More metal detectors, armed guards and police officers could cause anxiety in some students and even interfere with the learning process. The physical security industry should freely acknowledge that the technologies we offer are only part of the solution to school violence Do security measures aimed at preventing active shooting incidents absorb resources that might better be used to address a more general and/or likely security threat such as vandalism or student discipline? Theoretically, security measures in general should help to prevent the probability of an active shooter at the same time they are addressing a wider range of concerns and threats. But do they? At the very least, we in the physical security market should be aware, and should freely acknowledge, that the technologies we offer are only part of the solution to school violence. Schools should take the broadest possible approach to the range of security challenges, and technology should be one tool among many. Furthermore, better data to measure what works is sorely needed to illuminate the best path forward. In the local and global labour market, those involved in mass production in particular, the trend is towards creating a large number of low skill employment. Low skill jobs have a very narrow range of skills that need no training or training of few days if not a few hours. In Sri Lanka, a large number of low skilled jobs are available in the service sector such as shopping malls and supermarkets as well as in industries with mass-scale production lines, such as the factories in the free trade zones. Many school leavers, who are not selected for higher education, are attracted to these unskilled or low skilled jobs in shops and industries. These youngsters who embark on these jobs without any formal training stick with the job for only a short period of time. Although one can always see young sales persons in shopping malls and supermarkets, we do not see the same person over a long period of time because after some time they tend to leave the jobs. In mass-scale production lines in free trade zone factories, a large number of youth are employed in unskilled jobs. Their job role could be one such as picking up a semiconductor from a moving belt for a visual check to be placed in the accepted or rejected box or it could even be repetitively fastening of a transistor to a circuit board on the moving belt. The young workers do not stay in this type of employment for long, usually for a maximum period of around five years. The high labour turnover in free trade zone industries has become a very serious issue. According to the labour force survey 2016, published by the Census and Statistics Department, the labour force participation of 15 to 19 years age group is 13.8 percent and 73 percent of them are employed. (Labour force participation means people employed or seeking employment). Considering this age range, a majority of them would have obtained jobs without any formal training. Therefore, they should invariably fall into the low skilled jobs category. The labour force survey has identified yet another youth group who are Not in Employment, Education and Training, termed as the NEET group. According to the 2016 labour force survey, 26.1 percent of youth (15 to 29 age group) fall into this NEET category. This data has been provided by Census and Statistics the Department. It becomes necessary to look critically into the context of this data. It is a fact that no person could exist up to 29 years without any job or an income. Therefore, it can be safely assumed that these youth engage in irregular work which would mean that they are on and off employment from time to time. These are not continuous jobs but at any given point of time, approximately 26.1 percent are unemployed. The irregular jobs are also low skilled jobs. When 26.1 percent of the NEET group and young employees in low skilled employment are taken into account, more than 30 percent of youth are engaged in low skilled jobs. The monthly income from these unskilled jobs range from Rs.25,000 to Rs.35,000. At the time of leaving school, this salary may look attractive but as adults and particularly after marriage, these earnings become insufficient. The majority of those engaged in low skilled jobs leave due to no increase in their earnings as well as no promotional prospects. Further, repetitive and monotonous nature of the work does not appeal to youth to stay in these jobs over a long period of time. The narrow range of skills acquired in these low skilled jobs is not sufficient to find alternative employment. The women who leave these low skilled jobs may not look for work and remain unemployed and join the 64.1 percent economically inactive females. (Females labour force participation is 35.9 percent and therefore, 64.1 percent are economically inactive). The men who leave low skilled jobs find numerous jobs in informal sector. As a result, the majority of youth in these low skilled jobs become stranded in the labour market without decent employments. That is the reason why these low skills jobs are known as the skill trap. I became aware of the concept of the low skill trap at an international skill forum. In Sri Lanka, more than 60 percent of the labour force is in informal employment. This rate has remained almost unchanged during the last two decades as well. But, it is a fact that a large number of formal businesses and industries have been established during this period. Then, how is it that this percentage of informal jobs did not reduce? This is mainly because those new businesses and industries have created formal but low skilled jobs and those job holders eventually end up with informal jobs. When the percentage of skilled jobs in formal businesses and industries increase, factually the percentage of informal jobs should reduce. When the percentage of informal jobs does not reduce, there will be skill shortages to meet the increasing demand for skilled jobs in formal businesses and industries. The current employment structure therefore attracts a large number of youth to low skilled jobs in formal businesses and industries which eventually lead them to low skilled jobs in the informal sector. This scenario creates skill shortages in the formal businesses and industries. Low skilled jobs are required by the industry and youth also need these jobs immediately after leaving schools to face poverty. Therefore, these low skilled jobs cannot be stopped. But youth should be assisted to come out of the low skilled trap while being in the low skilled jobs. That means youth should be given opportunities to acquire skills for higher skilled jobs whilst in employment in low skilled jobs. This is a significant number; 30 percent of an age cohort. Both vocational training institutions as well as employers have the responsibility to stop youth in low skilled jobs fall in to the informal sector which eventually create skill shortages in the formal sector. Therefore, vocational training institutions should expand their training programmes to provide part time training facilities and employers should encourage employees in low skilled jobs to follow skills upgrading courses. Other negative effects of low skilled jobs and expanding informal sector will be discussed in a separate article. (B.H.S. Suraweera, former Deputy Director General (retired) of the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission, can be reached at suraweerabhs@gmail.com) Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 54F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low near 30F. Winds light and variable. Ahead of the court ruling, the UNP opted to move a vote of confidence in Parliament for its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to become the Prime Minister. The political gridlock takes a turn for the worse each passing day pending the ruling by the Supreme Court on Fundamental Rights Applications filed in regards to dissolution of Parliament. It is even compounded by the fact that the Court of Appeal has restrained Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet from functioning. Against this backdrop, President Maithripala Sirisena convened a meeting of the Government members, including Rajapaksa, on Monday to take stock of the current crisis and to decide on the way forward. The Cabinet Ministers opined that a huge volume of work remained incomplete at their ministries since they had no way of dispensing with them under the current circumstances triggered by the restraining order If the court rules to the effect that the dissolution of Parliament by the President is alright, it will be a political bonus for the Government which is agitating for a General Election The faction led by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) commonly called Pohottuwa group stands for relinquishing office in the Government to reorganise the party if the Court rules out dissolution They said that there were vital functions to be discharged only with their signatures, but nothing could be done due to the restraining order. As such President Sirisena said that he would engage the Supreme Court through the Attorney General to give the ruling as early as possible. The Government is truly engulfed in a crisis. It is at a loss how to break the impasse. Let alone, it decided to work out its next strategy only after the Court ruling is given. Pending the court ruling, the Government decided to be ready to face any eventuality. If the court rules to the effect that the dissolution of Parliament by the President is alright, it will be a political bonus for the Government which is agitating for a General Election. Otherwise, the Government or the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has to give mind to what should be done. If that is the case, the Government decided at the meeting that it would honour the verdict by the countrys highest court and work out the next political strategy depending on the circumstances. The UPFA is divided on this matter and harbours two schools of thought. The faction led by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) commonly called Pohottuwa group stands for relinquishing office in the Government to reorganise the party if the Court rules out dissolution. Nevertheless, the other group, primarily consisting of the UPFA allies, opines that fresh attempts should be made to strengthen the government and proceed without allowing the UNP to take over power. For the second time in a week, the UPFA gave serious thought to the present predicament when it met again with the President on Tuesday evening at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting lasted for an hour. Come what may, the President instructed all the alliance partners to remain as a well-knit group to face future elections. He said the year 2019 would be an election year, and therefore all the political forces, opposed to the United National Party (UNP), should firm up. Citing that any discord among these parties and group would not augur well for the future, he asked them to meet at least once a week to sort out issues cropping up on and off. At the meeting, the MPs such as Wimal Weerawansa and Vasudeva Nanayakkara interpreted the Constitution to drive home their point that dissolution of Parliament could be referred to approval of people by referendum in case the Supreme Court rules otherwise. According to the Constitution, the President can refer to the people by referendum any matter which is of national importance in his opinion. These two Ministers referred to this particular clause in the Constitution. The President did not give a direct reply to them. Instead, he asked a public opinion to be created in this respect. Besides, at this meeting, he was, once again, critical of UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. In his latest tirade against the UNP leadership, he said that Wickremesinghe did not allow him to do anything during the last three and half years. He said Wickremesinghe was so enraged by the release of the report on the Central Banks bond fraud that he behaved like a mad man. Subsequent to the release of the report, the President said certain investigative officers were threatened and some even tried to flee the country in fear. Kalutara district MP Vidura Wickramanayake chipped in at this point and asked as to why the President, as the Head of State, did not retort Wickremesinghe.Mr. Wickremesinghe was the Prime Minister. But, you are the President. You could have retorted him with more vigour if he tried to undermine your work, he told the President. Afterwards, the President responded saying that he had to restrain himself on such occasions. Parties brace for elections Whatever the court ruling might be, both the UNP and the SLPP are preparing for elections by reviving their organisational mechanisms at grassroots level. SLPP convened all its electoral organisers for a meeting on Tuesday in Colombo to weigh the present status of politics and gear up for any election at any given time. Likewise, the UNP is conducting its electoral organisations meetings (Bala Mandala) countrywide in an apparent move to position the party to face elections. Ahead of the court ruling, the UNP opted to move a vote of confidence in Parliament for its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to become the Prime Minister. The UNP moved such a motion yesterday despite the tough stand taken by the President not to reappoint Wickremesinghe to the post, no matter what. In general, the idea for a change in the party leadership has gained ground at present. Be that as it may, the UNP believes Wickremesinghe should be appointed as the Prime Minister this time. For that purpose, it is wooing the support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to obtain the required majority of 113 MPs. It involves a political cost for the UNP. The TNA, at least a section of it, insists that the UNP should commit to address some of their key grievances as a condition for their support. The acceptance of these demands such as the merger of the north and the east and the release of the LTTE suspects would cost the UNP dearly in doing politics in the Sinhala majority areas of the country. As a result, UNP Chairman of the Kegalle district MP Kabir Hashim was at pain at a political meeting in Ruwanwella on Tuesday to assure people that no such agreement was reached with the TNA for its support in Parliament. No smooth sailing for UNP All the parties position themselves for elections next year in this manner. Even if the Supreme Court rules out dissolution, the political parties will be compelled at one point to go for a parliamentary election by passing a resolution in Parliament with a two-third of the votes. For that purpose, there is clear- cut constitutional provision. In case, the UNP forms a new Government using its parliamentary majority ensured by the TNAs support, it wont be as strong as it used to be prior to October 26, 2018. It is bound to be a minority Government. First and foremost, the UPFA will not team up with the UNP again to form a national Unity Government. Alongside, the UNP will have to work under the President who is even more hostile to it under the latest developments. The President would assert himself in full measure when such a Government discharges its duties, using powers vested upon him as the Head of State. By all accounts, it will not be smooth sailing for the UNP to administrate a Government. Finally, the circumstances would prevail upon all the parties, willingly or unwilling, to opt for a general elections at an agreed time. Already, discussions are underway in this direction. It will happen probably during the first half of next year. Edmond (or Edmund) Halley was an English scientist best known for predicting the orbit of the comet that was later named after him. Though he is remembered foremost as an astronomer, he also made significant discoveries in the fields of geophysics, mathematics, meteorology and physics. Young scholar Halley (the traditional pronunciation of the name rhymes with valley) was born Nov. 8, 1656, in Haggerston, Shoreditch, London, England. His father was a prosperous soapmaker and property owner, according to an online biography from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Halley was tutored privately at home before entering St. Paul's School, where he excelled in mathematics and astronomy. Halley entered Queen's College, Oxford, in 1673, when he was 17 years old. He brought with him a fine collection of astronomical instruments purchased by his father. While still an undergrad, he became a protegee of John Flamsteed, the Astronomer Royal. Halley made important observations at Oxford, including an occultation of Mars by the moon, and published papers on the solar system and on sunspots. The young astronomer gave up his studies in 1676 and sailed to St. Helena in the South Atlantic where he catalogued 341 stars in the Southern Hemisphere and discovered a star cluster in Centaurus. He also made the first observation of a transit of Mercury and realized that a similar transit of Venus could be used to measure the size of the solar system. During the voyage, he also improved the sextant, and documented observations about the ocean and the atmosphere. Edmond Halley (1656-1742) (Image credit: Public domain.) Reputation made Halley published his star catalog in 1678, which established his reputation as an astronomer. King Charles II decreed that Oxford grant Halley a Master of Arts degree. Halley was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society. At the age of 22, he was among the youngest members of the prestigious scientific group. For the next few years, Halley traveled and continued making scientific observations. He observed a comet in Paris in 1680 and worked with Giovanni Cassini to determine its orbit. In 1684, Halley, with fellow Royal Society members Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, visited Isaac Newton to discuss theories of planetary motion. Newton showed them his calculations. Halley persuaded Newton to expand his studies and allow him to edit the work. Halley paid all the expenses, corrected the proofs himself, and brought "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica" ("Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy," often referred to as the "Principia") to print in 1687. Halley worked for the Royal Society in a number of endeavors. He edited the Society's journal, "Philosophical Transactions," published some of the world's first actuarial tables, and published a map of the world that showed the prevailing winds over the oceans in other words, the first meteorological chart. In 1698, he commanded a British naval ship on a scientific expedition. On two voyages, Halley took compass measurements in the South Atlantic and determined accurate longitudes and latitudes of his ports of call. He also studied the variation between Magnetic North and True North. After the second voyage, he published a map showing isoclines, or points of equal value of deviation. An image of Halley's Comet taken in 1986. (Image credit: NASA) Immortality achieved In 1704, Halley was appointed the Savilian professor of geometry at Oxford. Continuing his work in observational astronomy, Halley published "A Synopsis of the Astronomy of Comets" in 1705. In this work, he showed that comet sightings of 1456, 1531, 1607 and 1682 were so similar that they must have been the same comet returning. He predicted that it would return in 1758. [Photos: Halley's Comet Through History] In 1716, Halley devised a method for observing transits of Venus across the disk of the sun in order to determine the distance of Earth from the sun. He also proposed two types of diving bells for exploring underwater. In 1718, by comparing star positions with data recorded by the Greek philosopher Ptolemy, he deduced the motion of stars. In 1720, Halley succeeded Flamsteed as Astronomer Royal. He continued to make observations, such as timing the transits of the moon across the meridian, which he hoped would eventually be useful in determining longitude at sea. Halley died Jan. 14, 1742, in Greenwich, England. He did not survive to see the return of what later was named Halley's Comet, on Christmas Day in 1758. This article was updated on Dec. 11, 2018 by Space.com Contributor Adam Mann. Astronomers estimate the distance of nearby objects in space by using a method called stellar parallax, or trigonometric parallax. Simply put, they measure a star's apparent movement against the background of more distant stars as Earth revolves around the sun. Parallax is the best way to get distance in astronomy, said Mark Reid, an astronomer at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He described parallax as the gold standard for measuring stellar distances because it does not involve physics; rather, it relies solely on geometry. The method is based on measuring two angles and the included side of a triangle formed by the star, Earth on one side of its orbit and Earth six months later on the other side of its orbit, according to Edward L. Wright, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. It works like this: hold out your hand, close your right eye, and place your extended thumb over a distant object. Now, switch eyes, so that your left is closed and your right is open. Your thumb will appear to shift slightly against the background. By measuring this small change and knowing the distance between your eyes, you can calculate the distance to your thumb. To measure the distance of a star, astronomers use a baseline of 1 astronomical unit (AU), which is the average distance between Earth and the sun, about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). They also measure small angles in arcseconds, which are tiny fractions of a degree on the night sky. If we divide the baseline of one AU by the tangent of one arcsecond, it comes out to about 19.2 trillion miles (30.9 trillion kilometers), or about 3.26 light years. This unit of distance is called a parallax second, or parsec (pc). However, even the closest star is more than 1 parsec from our sun. So astronomers have to measure stellar shifts by less than 1 arcsecond, which was impossible before modern technology, in order to determine the distance to a star. Trigonometric Parallax method determines distance to star or other object by measuring its slight shift in apparent position as seen from opposite ends of Earth's orbit. (Image credit: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF) Early measures The first known astronomical measurement using parallax is thought to have occurred in 189 B.C., when a Greek astronomer, Hipparchus, used observations of a solar eclipse from two different locations to measure the distance to the moon, Reid said. Hipparchus noted that on March 14 of that year there was a total solar eclipse in Hellespont, Turkey, while at the same time farther south in Alexandria, Egypt, the moon covered only four-fifths of the sun. Knowing the baseline distance between Hellespont and Alexandria 9 degrees of latitude or about 600 miles (965 km), along with the angular displacement of the edge of the moon against the sun (about one-tenth of a degree), he calculated the distance to the moon to be about 350,000 miles (563,300 km), which was nearly 50 percent too far. His mistake was in assuming that the moon was directly overhead, thus miscalculating the angle difference between Hellespont and Alexandria. In 1672, Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini and a colleague, Jean Richer, made simultaneous observations of Mars, with Cassini in Paris and Richer in French Guiana. Cassini computed the parallax, determined Mars' distance from Earth. This allowed for the first estimation of the dimensions of the solar system. The first person to succeed at measuring the distance to a star using parallax was F.W. Bessel, who in 1838 measured the parallax angle of 61 Cygni as 0.28 arcseconds, which gives a distance of 3.57 pc. The nearest star, Proxima Centauri, has a parallax of 0.77 arcseconds, giving a distance of 1.30 pc. Astronomers use a technique called parallax to precisely measure to distance to stars in the sky. Using the technique, which requires observing targets from opposite sides of Earth's orbit around the sun, astronomers have pinpointed the distance to the famed "Seven Sisters" star cluster, the Pleiades. (Image credit: Alexandra Angelich, NRAO/AUI/NSF) Cosmic distance Parallax is an important rung in the cosmic distance ladder. By measuring the distances to a number of nearby stars, astronomers have been able to establish relationships between a stars color and its intrinsic brightness, i.e., the brightness it would appear to be if viewed from a standard distance. These stars then become standard candles. If a star is too far away to measure its parallax, astronomers can match its color and spectrum to one of the standard candles and determine its intrinsic brightness, Reid said. Comparing this to its apparent brightness, we can get a good measure of its distance by applying the 1/r^2 rule. The 1/r^2 rule states that the apparent brightness of a light source is proportional to the square of its distance. For example, if you project a one-foot square image onto a screen, and then move the projector twice as far away, the new image will be 2 feet by 2 feet, or 4 square feet. The light is spread over an area four times larger, and it will be only one-fourth as bright as when the projector was half as far away. If you move the projector three times farther away, the light will cover 9 square feet and appear only one-ninth as bright. If a star measured in this manner happens to be part of a distant cluster, we can assume that all of those stars are the same distance, and we can add them to the library of standard candles. Shooting for accuracy In 1989, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched an orbiting telescope called Hipparcos (named after Hipparchus). Its main purpose was to measure stellar distances using parallax with an accuracy of 24 milliarcseconds (mas), or thousandths of an arcsecond. According to their website, ESAs Hipparcos satellite pinpointed more than 100,000 stars, 200 times more accurately than ever before. Their results are available in an online searchable catalog. The ESAs successor mission to Hipparcos is Gaia, which was launched into Earth orbit in 2013. ESA describes it as an ambitious mission to chart a three-dimensional map of our galaxy, the Milky Way, in the process revealing the composition, formation and evolution of the galaxy. The satellite has already obtained distances of 1 billion stars, about 1 percent of all the stars in the Milky Way, and produced spectacular 3D maps. [Related: Milky Way's Structure Mapped in Unprecedented Detail] A stereoscope uses two photos taken at slightly different angles. When viewed through the lenses, the photos merge into a 3D image. (Image credit: prophoto14 / Shutterstock) 3D Imaging Another application of parallax is the reproduction and display of 3D images. The key is to capture 2D images of the subject from two slightly different angles, similar to the way human eyes do, and present them in such a way that each eye sees only one of the two images. For example, a stereopticon, or stereoscope, which was a popular device in the 19th century, uses parallax to display photographs in 3D. Two pictures mounted next to each other are viewed through a set of lenses. Each picture is taken from a slightly different viewpoint that corresponds closely to the spacing of the eyes. The left picture represents what the left eye would see, and the right picture shows what the right eye would see. Through a special viewer, the pair of 2D pictures merge into a single 3D photograph. The modern View-Master toy uses the same principle. [Video: Queen's Brian May Assembles First Stereoscopic Pluto Image] Another method for capturing and viewing 3D images, Anaglyph 3D, separates images by photographing them through colored filters. The images are then viewed using special colored glasses. One lens is usually red and the other cyan (blue-green). This effect works for movies and printed images, but most or all of the color information from the original scene is lost. Some movies achieve a 3D effect using polarized light. The two images are polarized in orthogonal directions, or at right angles to each other, typically in an X pattern, and projected together on the screen. The special 3D glasses worn by audience members block one of the two overlaid images to each eye. Most of todays 3D televisions use an active-shutter scheme to display images for each eye that alternate at 240 Hz. Special glasses are synchronized with the TV so they alternately block the left and right images to each eye. Virtual reality gaming headsets, such as the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, produce 3D virtual environments by projecting an image from a different viewing angle to each eye to simulate a parallax effect. There are also many uses for 3D imaging in science and medicine. For example, CT scans which are actual 3D images of regions inside the body, not just a pair of 2D projections can be displayed so each eye sees the image from a slightly different angle to produce a parallax effect. The image can then be rotated and tilted as it is being viewed. Scientists can also use 3D images to visualize molecules, viruses, crystals, thin film surfaces, nanostructures, and other objects that cannot be seen directly with optical microscopes because they are too small or are imbedded in opaque materials. Additional resources: Use the principles of parallax to create stereoscopic projects from MIT's Scratch Studios. More about stellar parallax from Georgia State University's Department of Physics and Astronomy. A short lesson on the parallax angle from NASA. This article was updated on Dec. 12, 2018 by Space.com Contributor Adam Mann. China's recently launched mission to land a rover on the far side of the moon will also touch down on toy store shelves. The Chang'e 4 spacecraft, which lifted off on Friday (Dec. 7), is expected to set down in early January on the side of the moon that faces away from Earth. If successful, the four-legged lander and six-wheeled rover will be China's second pair of vehicles to land on the lunar surface and the country's first to officially become toys for sale to the public. The Maisto Tech toy company, which the China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP) selected in 2013 to produce full-size and scale models of the previous Yutu ("Jade Rabbit") moon rover, has again earned the exclusive rights to make miniature versions of Chinese spacecraft, in this case, the similarly configured Chang'e 4 lunar vehicles. This time, though, the replicas will not be limited to high-end models made for museums and government exhibitions, but will also include interactive toys that can move and light up. [Chang'e 4 in Pictures: China's Mission to the Moon's Far Side] Recently released photos taken in mid-November show factory workers at the Maisto Tech plant in Dongguan, China, assembling, testing and packaging the Chang'e 4 toys, including a 1:8-scale motorized lunar rover and 1:16-scale version of the rover with sounds and lights. The larger of the two models includes an infrared sensor and a switch that prevents the toy from colliding with walls or other obstacles. The Maisto rover reproduces details from the real vehicle, including its camera mast, deployable solar arrays and communications antenna. Like the rover now on its way to a landing on the moon, the rover models have the flag of China emblazoned on their front. The toys also include the Maisto Tech and CLEP logos. A Maisto Tech worker assembles a 1:8-scale toy model of China's Chang'e 4 lunar rover in Dongguan, China. (Image credit: VCG/VCG via Getty) A 1:20-scale Chang'e 4 lander is also planned. Pricing and availability of the toys were not specified. The Chang'e 4 lander and rover were originally built as backup units to the earlier Chang'e 3 mission, which landed a probe and rover on the moon's Sea of Rains (Mare Imbrium) on Dec. 14, 2013. China modified the Chang'e 4 rover to meet the demands of the far-side terrain, but also to avoid the fate of the robot's predecessor, which became immobilized after driving only 360 feet (110 meters). The Chang'e 4 spacecraft are equipped with eight instruments to support studies in low-frequency radio astronomy and the composition of the moon's far side. The mission will also deliver to the surface potato and plant seeds, as well as silkworm eggs, packed into a tin as a first-of-its-kind "mini biosphere." Employees make Chang'e 4 toy models at a Maisto Tech plant in Dongguan, Guangdong Province of China, on Nov. 16, 2018. (Image credit: VCG/VCG via Getty) Once down on the moon's surface, the Chang'e 4 lander and rover will relay data through the Queqiao ("magpie bridge") communications satellite. China earlier launched that satellite into a halo orbit around the second Lagrangian point (L2) of the Earth-moon system. The Maisto Tech Chang'e 4 toys are the latest way that China has shared its lunar missions with the public. The country celebrated its previous moon-bound craft with coins, stamps and commemorative bank notes. Robert Pearlman is a Space.com contributing writer and the editor of collectSPACE.com, a Space.com partner site and the leading space-history news publication. Follow collectSPACE on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Two Russian cosmonauts ventured outside the International Space Station today (Dec. 11) to cut into a spacecraft and inspect the source of a pressurization leak that briefly plagued the outpost earlier this year. Expedition 57 flight engineers Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Prokopyev of the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos conducted the 7-hour and 45-minute spacewalk. The two cosmonauts worked on the exterior of the Russian Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, where the space stations crew had earlier found and repaired the leak from the inside. On Aug. 29, flight controllers monitoring the space stations systems from the ground first noticed a small loss of cabin pressure aboard the orbiting laboratory. The then-Expedition 56 crew, including Prokopyev, Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA, were able to trace the leak back to a 0.1-inch (2 millimeters) hole in the orbital compartment of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, which was docked to the Rassvet module on the Russian segment of the space station. [Russia's Crewed Soyuz Space Capsule Explained (Infographic)] Circled in red, the hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft that corresponded to a pressure leak on the International Space Station in August 2018. The hole, which was patched from the inside the station, was exposed and inspected by Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Prokopyev, both Expedition 57 flight engineers, during a Dec. 11, 2018 spacewalk. (Image credit: NASA TV) After consulting with both Russian and U.S. flight controllers, Prokopyev applied an epoxy to a gauze wipe and used it to plug the hole. The repair halted the leak, and the space station has since maintained a steady pressure. Today, Prokopyev joined Kononenko on a spacewalk to inspect the repair area from the outside in an effort to discover what caused the leak and to collect a sample of the epoxy that had extruded through the hole from the inside. To reach the area needed to perform the inspection, Kononenko rode at the end of two Russian Strela booms, translating from the Pirs docking compartment where the spacewalk began to the Zarya functional cargo block (FGB) and then up alongside the Soyuz. Prokopyev controlled the booms motion from the opposite end, moving Kononenko into place, before shimmying up the second boom himself. At the worksite, Kononenko and Prokopyev took turns using a knife and a pair of long-arm scissors to stab at and cut away layers of brown, gold and silvery insulation. As they cut into the spacecraft, small fragments of the material floated away and formed a cloud of debris. Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko (in the spacesuit with red stripes) and Sergey Prokopyev (with blue stripes), both Expedition 57 flight engineers, cut into the exterior insulation of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft during a Dec. 11. 2018 spacewalk to expose the source of a pressurization leak, since patched, on board the International Space Station. (Image credit: NASA TV) The two cosmonauts then used the same tools to cut into and peel away a thin metal orbital debris shield to expose the hole in the Soyuz MS-09s orbital compartment. "That is exactly the hole weve been looking for," reported Kononenko after peeling back more of the foil insulation and metal layers that were hiding it. The hole appeared as a black mark or spot on the exposed metal skin of the Soyuz spacecraft. Kononenko used a pair of forceps and a swab to collect samples of the dark epoxy. The residue, stowed inside a bag, was brought back inside the space station and will be returned to Earth for analysis. With the spacewalk running long on time, flight controllers decided to forgo having Kononenko and Prokopyev install a replacement insulation blanket over the spacecrafts exposed skin. The orbital compartment on which they worked is purposely jettisoned and destroyed during the re-entry of the Soyuz descent module into Earths atmosphere. Another look at Kononenko (in the spacesuit with red stripes) and Sergey Prokopyev (with blue stripes), cutting into the exterior insulation of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft during a Dec. 11. 2018 spacewalk. (Image credit: NASA TV) Tuesdays spacewalk began at 10:59 a.m. EST (1559 GMT) and ended at 6:44 p.m. EST (2344 GMT) when the hatch to the Pirs docking compartment was closed. The extravehicular activity (EVA) was the 213th spacewalk in support of assembly and maintenance in the 20-year history of the space station. This was Kononenkos fourth EVA and Prokopyevs second. Kononenko has now logged a total of 26 hours and 12 minutes working in the vacuum of space, including a 2008 spacewalk when he performed similar work to what he did on today, cutting into the insulation covering the Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft to remove a pyrotechnic device. Prokopyev now has spent 15 hours and 31 minutes on EVA. Prokopyev, Gerst and Aunon-Chancellor are scheduled to return to Earth aboard Soyuz MS-09 on Dec. 19 after 6.5 months aboard the space station. Kononenko, together with NASA astronaut Anne McClain and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency, will remain aboard the space station as Expedition 58 crewmembers through June. An additional three crew members, including Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Hammock-Koch, are slated to launch to the station on Feb. 28. WASHINGTON 2018 has been quite a year for spaceflight, but it's not over yet, and the OSIRIS-REx mission has one more major task to accomplish before the ball drops: slipping into orbit around the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. The team will tackle that maneuver sometime on the afternoon of Dec. 31, but there's a lot to do before the feat can take place. Two tasks in particular will occupy the OSIRIS-REx team for the rest of the month: conducting a detailed survey of their asteroid target, and plotting precisely how the spacecraft will execute the orbital insertion. "The navigation team's gonna check all their numbers, make sure that the maneuvers all work and then they're going to design the approach back to the asteroid," Dante Lauretta, principal investigator for OSIRIS-REx, told Space.com during the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. The team won't know precisely when the orbital insertion maneuver will take place until about 24 hours beforehand. [In the Clean Room: Up-Close Look at NASA's Asteroid-Sampling Probe OSIRIS-REx] But before it enters orbit around the tiny body, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has an unusual amount of freedom in flight. "I call it like a hummingbird," Lauretta said. "When you're in microgravity, your concept of orbital dynamics goes out the door you can change planes, you can leave orbit, you can re-enter orbit. You can do all these things that if you were in Mars orbit you would never be able to do." The OSIRIS-REx team is taking advantage of that freedom by conducting a detailed survey of the asteroid. The spacecraft has made three close passes over the north pole of the space rock. On Sunday (Dec. 9), it turned toward the equator, and yesterday (Dec. 11), it settled into flight around that belt. Next, it will head down to the south pole. All told, that tour will produce five estimates of Bennu's mass a critical factor for establishing an orbital insertion trajectory and the most detailed data to date about mineralogy in the region. "The geology is phenomenal, it's been the greatest week of my career," Lauretta said. "We're all gathered around our monitors, we're pulling up the data, people are saying, 'Hey, look at this,' you come running over to see this feature that they've just looked at so there's going to be a lot more of that going on for sure." Lauretta added that so far, the team has only looked at about 30 percent of the asteroid's surface in much detail. While he's conscious of just how much work needs to get done between now and insertion, Lauretta said he's pleased with everything that's happened so far and excited for the Dec. 31 maneuver. "The spacecraft is very well-behaved, so we're confident on everything we've seen so far that we'll be able to go with the nominal design," Lauretta said. "But again, they're going to triple-check it just to make sure we got everything right." Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook. Original article on Space.com. Geneva (Switzerland), December 9, 2018 (SPS) - The Polisario Front representative in Switzerland Omeima Mahmoud Abdel Salam renewed the rejection of the Sahrawi people and its sole representative, the Polisario Front, of all solutions outside their inalienable right to self-determination, so that they can express themselves in a just, democratic and transparent manner on Western Sahara future under the UN auspices. In an interview with "Tres Puntos" radio after the round table held Wednesday and Thursday in Geneva, the Sahrawi diplomat said that "the Sahrawi people ask the international community only to guarantee the exercise of its right to self-determination, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council." She also recalled that "the Sahrawi people had made great sacrifices for their freedom and the sovereignty of their State, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, over all of its territory and its natural resources," regretting "Frances attempts at the UN Security Council to thwart any initiative to enable our people to exercise their legitimate rights and put an end to their sufferings." Moreover, the Sahrawi diplomat condemned the negative role played by the EU Commission and Council through their illegal involvement with the Moroccan occupation in the systematic plundering of Western Sahara's natural resources. According to her, this is a flagrant violation of international law and judgments of the European Union Court of Justice. The discussions took place in an "atmosphere of serious commitment, of openness and mutual respect," said a statement on Thursday released at the end of Geneva round table on Western Sahara. (SPS) 062/SPS/APS Brussels (Belgium), Dec 11, 2018 (SPS) - The Frente POLISARIO describes as "shameful" the maneuver of the European Parliament's International Trade Commission (INTA) in supporting the renewal of the illegal agricultural agreements with Morocco and the inclusion of the occupied areas of Western Sahara. The International Trade Commission expressed its support for the report presented by MEP Patricia Lalonde to include the territory of Western Sahara, contradicting the judgment of the European Court of Justice that makes clear that Morocco does not have any sovereignty over the last African territory in the path of decolonization . Mohamed Sidati, Delegate Minister for Europe, points out that, "the European Parliament takes a shameful decision, by supporting the report whose author was forced to resign because of her involvement in dubious activities." "The Frente POLISARIO deplores this vote that shows the efforts of the European leaders to annul the clear and rigorous terms of the courts of justice. While the leaders strive to point to Europe as a territory of law and democratic principles, it is still surprising for the POLISARIO that these same leaders insist on joining forces to avoid the decision of the European Court of Justice, "declared the member of the National Secretariat to SPS. The questioned decision of the International Trade Commission was marred by the lack of consensus, since one of the parliamentary groups boycotted the session, considering that the report lacked legal and ethical arguments. The agreement is clearly illegal. "The European Parliament's own legal services reached the conclusion that it was not clear whether the Sahrawi people had welcomed the amendment presented, a key element for the European Court of Justice in the December 2016 ruling," adds the Saharwi representative. Frente POLISARIO, the only and legitimate representative of the Saharawi people, highlights that "the false assertion that the agreement is benefiting the people of Western Sahara is a lack of respect for the population living in the refugee camps, in the liberated areas and under the Moroccan occupation. " "Unfortunately, we have no choice but to refer the matter to the Court of Justice, whose previous decisions show that international law is on our side", warned the Sahrawi representation in Europe. Finally, the POLISARIO calls for "the European partners review their current policies to support the efforts of the personal envoy of the Secretary General of the UN, Horst Kohler, to promote dialogue between the parties, the Frente POLISARIO and the Kingdom of Morocco, in pursuit of a definitive solution based on the self-determination of the Saharawi people. The European Court of Justice ruled that Western Sahara is a state separate and distinct from Morocco by virtue of the right of self-determination. No agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco may include the territory, adjacent waters, or airspace of Western Sahara SPS 125/090/TRA K. Thulasi is a former LTTE cadre who had been well versed in handling firearms when LTTE activities were at its height in the north. However, he had given up the use of firearms during the final stage of separatist war that took place in Mulliwaikkal in Jaffna and surrendered to the Sri Lanka Army. Following rehabilitation, under the Sri Lanka Army, he entered politics and became the leader of a political party on behalf of militants. The political party he leads operates under the name Liberation Campaigners of the North. This is how he expressed his views about the war that concluded in the north in reply to questions asked by journalists. According to the present political system in the country, I state with responsibility that no such war would erupt again in this country. If somebody thinks that a solution can be found by means of such a war, it is an act of sheer folly because I do not think that such a person has gained the experience in war like us. I can talk about the war with responsibility because I continued gaining experience as a militant and handled firearms until the finals hours of the war in Mulliwaikkal. All leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), including Prabhakaran, were killed in the presence of our eyes. After that incident, we surrendered to the Army for want of a leader, said Thulasi before answering a barrage of questions. Excerpts: Q Let us speak about the war at first. What are your views about another war? Will it erupt again? There was an environment in which people were in a quandary about the war in the recent past. What is your view given the experience you have had? As I already told you, I repeat with responsibility that a war will not erupt again. The people who live at present are not those who lived during the wartime. All have changed. Whether they are Tamils or Sinhalese, they all have understood that the war is unnecessary. Although we waged war for 30 years, there is nothing that we earned. Q Even though nine years have passed after the war, it has a huge impact on the people, even today. The loans obtained by Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people during wartime are being repaid by them at present. Your comments. If there was no war, we need not have spent more than Rs 20 for a kilo of sugar. A kilo of flour might not have cost more than Rs. 30. The price of fuel would not have gone up. That is the reason why a wage earner who obtains about Rs.1000 or 1200 daily and buys goods for this money can carry them in a single shopping bag. That is how the war has impacted the ordinary man. In these circumstances, nobody except a fool, would think that a war is necessary. If somebody thinks that a solution can be found by means of such a war, it is an act of sheer folly because I do not think that such a person has gained the experience in war like us. I can talk about the war with responsibility The people who live at present are not those who lived during the wartime. All have changed Although we waged war for 30 years, there is nothing that we earned There were nearly 600,000 people in the areas under the control of LTTE. Despite all these developments, we could not win Eelam Q There are various allegations and one is that since there are former LTTE leaders still alive there is a possibility of a war erupting any time. What is your opinion? I would like to tell the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people one thing as a member of a political party as well as a former LTTE cadre. During the war, 70% of the management was under the LTTE. Likewise, 20,000 members were recruited by the LTTE directly. Prabhakaran came under their security. The Tiger leaders were armed to the teeth with most modern military equipment. There were nearly 600,000 people in the areas under the control of LTTE. Despite all these developments, we could not win Eelam or achieve any of our targets. There is not an iota of truth in the statements made by the people outside Sri Lanka that their demands can be won by waging war. We are the ones who were at the forefront during the final stage of the war at Mulli Waikkal in Mullathivu. It was on the night of May 17, 2009 that we surrendered to the Sri Lanka Army. It was then only that Major General Kamal Gunarathna came to the scene. Even, he was not in a position tell who died and who survived nor could Karuna Amman or Daya Master talk about those who died or disappeared. We, who were in the battlefront say that all Tiger leaders including Prabhakaran died during the final stage of the war. Those who surrendered to the Army were the other cadres who accepted the fact that a war was not necessary. We understood it during the final stage of the war. We say so as people who carried arms, having observed all that happened with our own eyes, but not by using YouTube or a book. Q Do you think persons who were rehabilitated and those who didnt follow this process are of the opinion that there is a need for a separate state or separate form of rule? There is no problem in the Tamil people living under a unitary state. But Sinhala people think it is as a problem. In the same way, all of us who returned to our homes after rehabilitation look forward to receive a fair decision. Then, nobody would think that it is necessary to divide the country, have a separate form of rule or stage another war. This country would not have deteriorated if the Sinhala and Tamil leaders got together and took a decision following discussions. By this time, the loss in terms of people and properties cannot be estimated in the form of money. It was not only the Tamil leaders, among the dead were Sinhala leaders and ordinary people. All this was a result of the war. Q What is your opinion regarding the problems that emerged due to war and the problems associated with the people who disappeared and the intervention of international forces? On behalf of all the Sinhala people who died during the war, we extend an apology at this moment to the Sinhala people. All this happened due to the war in which our organization fought in order to fulfill our objectives. In the same way, we request the Sinhala people to look into the grievances of the Tamil people whose family members died at Mulli Waikkal. We are the people who live in the same country. It is we who should have discussions to find a solution to the problems that may emerge. I pointed out to members of delegations from America and Canada who met me recently about the problems that Tamils face. The problems that emerged due to the war have been referred to a third party. But, I say that these problems have been aggravated due to the fact that we referred them to the international community. We are not late. Let us discuss and find a way in which all people in the country can live together. Then, we may have a good future. We should not tell others about our problems. We should settle our problems by ourselves. We who were in the battlefront say that all Tiger leaders including Prabhakaran died during the final stage of the war We say so as people who carried arms, having observed all that happened with our own eyes, but not by using YouTube or a book This country would not have deteriorated if the Sinhala and Tamil leaders got together On behalf of all the Sinhala people who died during the war, we extend an apology at this moment to the Sinhala people Q What made you take up politics after resorting to an armed struggle and subsequent rehabilitation? It was not the Tiger organisation alone that resorted to a struggle. They waged war due to the prevailing political environment in the country. After the war, it was understood that the Tamil people would not be benefitted by Tamil politics. That is the reason why we decided to enter politics. As former Tiger cadres, we were confronted with economic problems when we returned home after rehabilitation. There is no proper employment. Nine years has passed after war, but many people are unemployed. They should be employed. For instance, education is not required for jobs like security guards in a hospital or jobs in the Civil Security Force. There is a problem about their age limits. I think it is better for the government to provide employment opportunities after considering everything. Q What is your opinion about the prevailing political situation in the north and east after taking to politics? As a result of the Provincial Council Elections held in 2013, Tamil people experienced some sort of change or redress. In future, whatever the election that is held, there is a ray of hope that Tamil people would support the Tamil National Alliance because Tamil people do not like division in their votes. It is a sheer waste of time to talk about Vigneswaran or Anandasangari or Ananda Shashidaran or other minority parties. They do not do anything good for Tamil people or the country. Our party has teamed up with the Tamil National Alliance. We hope to do the best we can on behalf of the Tamil people. Q What are your plans for the Tamil people and the country in the future? I would like to give a message on behalf of our party to the people comprising all communities. During our youth, without any employment or a sound education, we lived in the forests and waged a war. We even kept aloof from our community. We lost our youth. But, after the war, we mixed and mingled with our community. They accepted us. It is now only that we have begun to live happily. We have removed the word war from our minds. Therefore, we would like to tell one thing to this Government. The LTTE wasnt an organisation that blindly waged an armed struggle. There were very rich as well as educated people among its cadres. Likewise, there are similar members of the society in our party as well. We are ready to serve our country well. STAMFORD A New Haven judge has thrown out a federal civil rights lawsuit against the two Stamford police officers who shot and killed Dylan Pape while he was pointing what turned out to be a BB gun at them in March 2016. Judge Warren Eginton granted a motion for summary lodgement in the case on Nov. 29, after he determined that the actions of the officers at the center of the suit, Lt. Chris Baker and Sgt. Steven Perrotta, were reasonable under the circumstances of that evening on Wedgemere Road 30 months ago. The suit charged that the officers, and by extension the city, violated Dylan Papes Fourth Amendment right to be free from excessive force. It was lodged by Papes father Richard in March 2017, a year after his death was ruled suicide by cop by the states Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Asked for a comment on the judges decision, Richard Pape said, As a family, we are contemplating whether we are going to appeal the courts decision. We are deeply saddened that it was decided that our voice would not be heard. Until we make the decision we will have no other comments. The officers also declined comment, as did the citys Corporation Counsel Kathryn Emmett. In his decision, Eginton said the doctrine of qualified immunity shields police officers from civil liability as long as their conduct does not violate clearly established rights, of which a reasonable person would know. Eginton said Papes filed the case for three principal reasons. The first was that when Pape, 25, was shot, he was in the process of being bitten by a police dog as he was approaching police officers with the gun in his hand. Second, the Papes said their son had not raised the gun to be parallel with the ground when he was shot, although both sides agreed that the gun was being pointed in the direction of the officers. And finally, they said their son had made similar movements during a near hour-long standoff without being shot. But Eginton said even the Papes had to concede that the officers on the scene reasonably considered the handgun to be real and capable of firing bullets. Because of that and other factors, Eginton said the Papes could not demonstrate the unlawfulness of the officers actions. Indeed, these factors do not change significantly the apparent threat of deadly force presented by Pape when he aimed the gun in the direction of officers, the judge said. The suit is the second, and possibly final review of Papes death at the hands of the two decorated officers. In October 2017 Danbury States Attorney Stephen Sedensky ruled that the officers were justified in using lethal force because Pape was holding the gun, purchased only hours earlier, and pointing it at the officers when he was shot. Papes death was only the second suicide by cop determination in the state in 30 years. On the night of the incident, Pape called 911 pretending to be his father, according to court records. He told the 911 dispatcher that his son was, gonna do it. Police had previously been called to the home on the complaint that Pape had threatened his father with a knife. Over the course of nearly an hour, Pape approached the officers intermittently with the gun in his hand, each time retreating though ignoring officers commands to drop the weapon. On his last approach, he abruptly turned toward Baker and began advancing, still with the gun in his hand, according to records. Another officer warned him that a dog would be released, but Pape kept advancing as Baker again warned him to drop the gun. After the dog latched onto Papes leg, Pape raised the gun in his right hand, pointing it in the direction of the officers and Baker and Perrotta fired three shots, killing Pape, Eginton said in his decision. They acted as they have been trained, to protect themselves as well as others as they reasonably believed there to be the imminent use of deadly force against them, Stamford Police Chief Jon Fontneau said previously. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - James Fields Jr., the avowed neo-Nazi who rammed his car into a group of counterprotesters at a white-supremacists rally, was sentenced to life in prison by a jury Tuesday after a trial that offered an unsparing view of the physical and emotional ruin he caused in this city with a burst of vehicular rage 16 month ago. As he had throughout his two-week trial, Fields, 21, sat impassively at the defendant's table, clad in a powder blue sweater, as the jury delivered its punishment at 12:20 p.m. after about four hours of deliberations that began Monday: life for first-degree murder; 70 years for each of five counts of aggravated malicious wounding; 20 years for each of three counts of malicious wounding; and nine years for leaving the scene of a fatal crash. His overall sentence: life plus 419 years and $489,000 in fines. The same jury of seven women and five men convicted Fields of those 10 offenses Friday in Charlottesville Circuit Court. In Virginia, trial juries determine what penalties should be meted out within sentencing ranges dictated by law. Judge Richard Moore, who said he will formally sentence Fields on March 29, can impose a lesser punishment than the jurors called for but is not allowed to increase the sentences. Fields, whose psychiatric disorders dating to early childhood were detailed in court by a mental health expert, did not deny that he intentionally accelerated his Dodge Challenger into a group of counterprotesters at the "Unite the Right" rally on Aug. 12, 2017. His lawyers contended that he was afraid for his safety and acted to protect himself. But jurors, in issuing 10 guilty verdicts last week, rejected that argument. One of the anti-racism demonstrators, Heather Heyer, 32, who worked for a local law firm, was killed in the crash and 35 others were hurt, many grievously. Fields also faces a separate, federal trial for an array of alleged hate crimes related to the incident, including one offense that carries a possible death sentence. No trial date has been set in that case, and the Justice Department has not announced whether it will seek capital punishment. In the meantime, Fields will wait in a state penitentiary, where an inmate who has served a certain amount of a sentence can petition for geriatric release after age 60. Otherwise, Virginia does not allow parole for felonies committed after the mid-1990s. Several of the injured survivors, testifying at Fields's trial and sentencing hearing here, described lasting bodily wounds, psychological anguish and financial distress. They spoke of shattered bones and crippling nerve damage from which they might never fully recover; of nightmares and social isolation caused by post-traumatic stress disorder; and of crushing medical bills from multiple surgeries that have depleted their insurance and could burden them far into the future. Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, told the jury Monday that after her daughter's death, she had trouble finding a recent photo of her and Heyer. She said she realized that the two seldom posed for pictures together, thinking they did not need mementos, "because we just took it for granted that we'd be around for each other for years to come." In December 2017, four months after the deadly chaos at a downtown Charlottesville street corner, Bro said, she carried her artificial Christmas tree to a table in her home but could not muster the will to put it up. "This year, the trial has reopened the wounds," she testified, "and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get the tree out of the shed, frankly." Hundreds of white supremacists descended on the city for the rally, nominally in support of Charlottesville's statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, which officials plan to take down if they win a pending lawsuit over the issue. Chanting racist and anti-Semitic slogans as they marched in the streets, the white supremacists violently clashed with counterprotesters for hours. Photos and video of the mayhem - including images of broken bodies propelled in the air by Fields's speeding Dodge - were viewed worldwide, galvanizing public attention on emboldened ethno-fascists in the early months of the Trump administration. Fields, who drove alone to the rally from his apartment in Maumee, Ohio, had long been fascinated by Nazi Germany, espousing admiration for the militarism and racial-purity doctrine of the Third Reich, acquaintances have said in interviews. But his ideology did not come up in testimony at the trial, which focused mainly on his actions that August afternoon and the devastating consequences for his victims. Daniel Murrie, a University of Virginia psychologist who reviewed thousands of pages of Fields's school and mental health records, testified that Fields was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 6 and, as an adolescent, was found to be suffering from schizoid personality disorder. Murrie said Fields was housed in psychiatric facilities for three stretches before his 15th birthday. He told the jury that Fields, who did not take the witness stand at the trial, has been given to angry, sometimes violent outbursts since before he was old enough to walk,. A loner and social misfit, he washed out of Army basic training after graduating from high school, then worked a low-end jobs, playing video games for dozens of hours a week, Murrie said. But Murrie, whose court-ordered evaluation of Fields included about 14 hours of jailhouse interviews, testified that Fields did not meet Virginia's legal definition for not guilty by reason of insanity. And Fields did not mount such a defense. To be acquitted on the basis of insanity, a defendant must show that he did not understand the difference between right and wrong at the time of the offence or was mentally unable to control his actions. Entrepreneur Network In this video from Entrepreneur Network partner C1 Revolution, Ricardo Gamboa, an artist and filmmaker, explains how he works to initiate social change through his alternative web series and movies. The artist strives to bring the social value of the arts to his community in Chicago, as well as share the perspective of the Mexican-American population. Gamboa also notes that many of the artists who people consider Chicago artists are, in reality, imports from other urban centers and cities where art is imbued in the culture. H igh up on one of the walls of the Battersea Power Station, beneath its towering white chimneys, you can still see a scribbling on the red brick of the iconic building which used to supply London with electricity. It reads: Captain James T Walker of the Starship Battersea. The faded landmarks redevelopers are hoping the stations swish new tenant, Apple, hangs on to the quirky graffiti when the rough-and-ready site is transformed. The tech giants new London headquarters is at the heart of a revamp, due to complete in December 2020, which will see the building house a cinema, a food court and 100 shops across two distinct shopping centres. It is one of a string of huge central London projects vying for the capitals wealthy shoppers and office tenants amid a squeeze on consumer spending and a Brexit-hit commercial property market. Gazing round the industrious building site on a sunny afternoon, it's easy to see the vision, despite the fact theres no roof and burly builders are stomping through puddles. With its old marble tiles and existing large internal windows, which will soon be store fronts, a shopping centre appears a natural fit. The wider site is already host to hundreds of plain-looking flats and a riverbus service and will eventually boast 4000 new homes, of which a small percentage are affordable. Therell be a glass elevator viewing platform for tourists and a new tube station. The project, overseen by the Battersea Power Station Development Company, represents a promising next chapter for a site known around the world but a perennial headache for its succession of owners: plans for a theme park, eco-dome and rival housing and retail complex have been floated and ditched. Its been empty for three decades and has changed hands several times until 2012 when the site landed its Malaysian owners, Sime Darby, SP Setia and the Employees Provident Fund. In January, Permodalan Nasional Berhad, a fund manager with 50 billion of assets under management, said it would buy a stake in the building from Sime Darby and SP Setia, which between them own 80% of the site. Almost twelve months later, the deal has yet to be finalised. The iPhone makers offices, which will see 1400 staff occupy six floors, will be one of its largest outside the US, a big coup for Battersea when it landed the gig in 2016 after a year of courting. A string of tech players have come knocking since, insiders claim, enquiring about the offices that will become available during the later stages of the 9 billion regeneration around the Cathedral of Power, which will also host No18, a Swedish members club, part of serviced offices provider IWG. But there have been some jitters of late. Apple is reportedly eyeing some temporary office space in case there are delays to the projects completion, and several Malaysian entities have faced troubles at home with a string of deals in which Malaysian sovereign wealth and pension funds had invested being probed over money-laundering concerns. BPSDC said, however, that this isn't something which Battersea's owners have been or are currently subject to. In June, a senior Malaysian politician said the PNB deal should be investigated. During the visit, Simon Murphy, BPSDCs chief executive, says the shareholders are committed to the project. THE former power station is not the only huge project reshaping London with the help of Silicon Valley. Over in Kings Cross, which has almost completed its 3 billion revamp, Google is building a 1 billion HQ and Samsung will open a giant showroom to rival Apples in Regent Street. In summer, Facebook said it will open a large new office there, turning the area into one of Londons leading tech clusters. Andrew Barnes from JLL, the property adviser, argues: Battersea wont have quite the same draw, nor the multitude of tenants. Battersea has one main tenant. It doesnt have a critical mass. And while east London remains a key hub for tech firms bidding to become the next Facebook, larger developers are beginning to discern that workers are after Shoreditch-style eclecticism around more central locations. Adam Walford, a property lawyer at Howard Kennedy, says: Apple, Google, theyre keen to be somewhere where their staff come to a really nice village within a town." Moreover, the presence of blue-chip tech firms and the cash they pay in rent in these areas can often serve as an informal guarantee in conversations developers have with the banks. A long-term lease from a tech giant adds credibility to the project and an assurance of large chunks of rent. This tactic has allowed Battersea and Kings Crosss backers to gamble on smaller, more trendy but less proven brands to make their project look different. As such, household names like Paul Smith or Cos are joined in King's Cross's Coal Drops Yard by a string of fledgling brands. The new shopping street boasts more than 50 stores including Bonds, a fledgling so-called lifestyle brand, where you can grab a coffee or make candles in store. A property source, who has clients at Coal Drops Yard, says: Kings Cross is taking a bit of a flyer with that. There are companies in there that have been around for a year and cant demonstrate financial sustainability. The rationale is, we have the right environment to make it work. He added that rents are still sky high even for the smaller brands. Theres a similar strategy at Battersea. Sam Cotton, head of retail leasing, says: Were avoiding the very old, formulaic way of setting out a retail destination. You wont see the big beauty floor a la Selfridges or House of Fraser, where a clutch of cosmetics brands sit together. It will lease independent spaces that vary in size and rent for them. Nor will you be able to shop in the likes of Topshop or New Look. There will be a separate High Street outside for those. If both projects can thrive, theres hope in the world of beleaguered shopping centres retail that a blueprint could be created. Let battle commence. AREAS TO WATCH Paddington to White City Known as the knowledge quarter, this area is attracting pharma firms keen to be closer to tech giants Microsofts London HQ is in Paddington Basin. Swiss drugs giant Novartis said it will move its HQ to White City, joining fellow life sciences companies Autolus and Synthace. Camden P izza menus could get smaller if the delivery of imported ingredients is hit by potential border chaos after Brexit, the owner of the Franco Manca chain said on Wednesday Fulham Shores chairman David Page said the firm, which also owns the Real Greek brand, is stockpiling tinned tomatoes from Italy. But it said meal choices could be more limited for a period after March if there is logistics disruption. Page was more upbeat as he revealed sales at Fulham Shore rose 20% to 33 million in the six months to September 23. The firm benefited from new openings and the success of new vegan and gluten-free options on menus. Page said: Whilst the turmoil in UK retail and restaurant sectors has continued throughout 2018, we believe that restaurant operations which offer value for money, and above all, food quality and provenance, will continue to prosper." From left: EFC Consultant Sri Kumar, EFC Plantation Services Group Chairman Roshan Rajadurai and PA Secretary General Lalith Obeyesekere Pic by Damith Wickramasinghe Planters Association says tea output set to fall below 300mnkg and exports US $ 1.5bn RPCs withdraw from direct negotiations with estate sector amid death threats Planters ready to vacate estates if estate managers and staff continue to receive threats By Nishel Fernando The umbrella organisation of the regional plantation companies (RPCs), the Planters Association of Ceylon (PA), yesterday cautioned that this years tea output would fall below 300 million kilos while the tea export income would fall below US $ 1.5 billion, due to the ongoing estate workers strike launched by trade unions, demanding to double the basic daily wage of estate workers. Sri Lanka was earlier targeting a tea output of 320 million kilos and over US $ 1.5 billion in export income this year. Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Plantation Services Group Chairman Roshan Rajadurai yesterday told reporters in Colombo that the wage negotiations have turned violent during the last few days as the negotiation team of the RPCs had received open death threats on social media. Hence, he announced that the RPCs are withdrawing from any direct negotiations with estate sector trade unions and negotiations would continue between the EFC and trade unions in the future. He further warned that the RPCs would be forced to vacate the plantations if the managers and staff receive any threats from trade unions and stressed that its the governments responsibility to provide the necessary security to the management and staff in plantations. If there are any threats to our managers or staff, we will vacate the estates. The people must understand that we are protecting a national industry; its not our private industry. Its the responsibility of the government and law enforcement authorities to provide the right environment for our managers, staff and workers who are willing to work in the plantations, Rajadurai stressed. He said that 30-40 percent of estate workers attended work until two to three days ago, despite the strike called by the trade unions. However, he noted that as these workers were being intimidated and threatened by politically-motivated trade unions, they have stopped coming to work. Rajadurai asserted that the PA had offered an attractive productivity-based wage model with a total daily wage of Rs.940 per day for workers, in which the workers can easily earn up to Rs.1,055 per day by plucking 22 kilos of tea. However, he lamented that the trade unions rejected the proposal demanding to increase the basic daily wage up to Rs.1000 per day by continuing with the 150-year-old attendance-based wage model. What we are saying is that dont mix politics with economics. A problem has been triggered because politics was mixed with economics. Let the professional managers run the industry and politicians can continue with politics, he urged. Rajadurai stressed that the RPCs would not let the politicians bully the management and he called that time has come to put an end to this nonsense. He noted that the Colombo tea auction prices have suffered due to external developments and due to the loss of a significant market share in Japan due to the glyphosate ban. He warned that a collapse of the RPCs would adversely impact the Ceylon Tea brand, impacting the smallholders who contribute to 75 percent of the total tea output. Rajadurai said that the auction price of tea has declined by 6 percent year-on-year to Rs.570 a kilo and it declines Rs.10-20 weekly. We had already lost our relative position in the market. Just because Ceylon Tea is not there, people are not going to give up on tea; they are going to source tea from India, Indonesia, etc. It has already happened to our share in the Japanese marketIndia is filling the gap. Once they go to a new supplier, they will never come back to us. So we are losing the market and it will impact the very same workers. If the whole RPC system collapses, our Ceylon Tea brand will suffer and it will impact 1.5 million people in the smallholder industry, he pointed out. Rajadurai dismissed the notion that giving back the management of RPCs to the state would make them efficient. He pointed out that prior to 1992, the state-run plantations were heavily subsidised at a sum of Rs.5 billion per month while running at massive losses and the plantation sector under the state sector had lost more workers than under the RPCs. From 1980 to 1991, in just 11 years, the plantation sector lost 214,900 workers. From 1992 to 2016, we have lost only 172,000 workers. So, in 10 years, the plantations under state management lost 214,900 workers while the plantation sector only lost 172,000 people during the 25 years of privatisation, he said. Further, he said that currently the 20 plantations under state management are spending Rs.2.6 in subsidies while running at losses. Sri Lankas tea plucking average remains the lowest among tea-producing countries at 18 kilos per workers while the cost of production remains the highest at Rs.40.56 per a kilo of green leaf. The PA stated that the losses in tea production have expanded from Rs.96.31 per kilo this year, compared to a loss of Rs.70.94 per kilo last year. If the RPCs agreed to the wage increase demanded by the unions, they will have to incur Rs.43 billion in gratuities and wages per year. Cost of strike - Rs.1.25bn per week, says PA The ongoing strike by estate trade unions costs Rs.1.25 billion per week for the Sri Lankan economy, the Planters Association of Ceylon estimates. The plantation workers in the RPCs on December 4 launched an indefinite strike demanding to double the basic daily wage of workers to Rs.1,000, sticking to the 150-year-old attendance-based daily wage model. EFC Plantation Services Group Chairman Roshan Rajadurai yesterday said that the RPCs are losing Rs.250 million in revenue per day as the activities in the RPCs have come to a complete standstill as most of the workers fear to come to work over the intimidation tactics of trade unions. He noted that if the current workers strike continues, the revenue losses would reach Rs.6.25 billion by the beginning of next January. Rajadurai stated that due to the short-sighted actions of trade unions, the workers are also suffering as they are not getting paid, particularly during this holiday season, ahead of the new year. I feel sorry because they are not working for the whole week and they are not getting paid, he said. I nternational property investors are still choosing to make debut London purchases despite political uncertainty, it emerged on Wednesday as a Kuwaiti firm spent 39 million in the City. Soor Capital said it has agreed its first UK deal with the acquisition of office building 23-26 Austin Friars. Abdulaziz Alduweesh, a partner at the firm, said the company is attracted to long-term income and strong property fundamentals. The 55,850 square feet block, which was bought from a private client of agent JLL, is fully-let to Avanta Serviced Office Group, part of IWG. It is a short walk from Liverpool Street station. The deal comes despite wider jitters in the commercial property market about rental growth prospects and tenant demand after Britain leaves the EU. Hassan Farran, a director in the cross-border investment team at Savills, which advised the buyer, said there has been an uptick in London sales to Middle Eastern companies, which have recently been enticed by the weaker pound. Farran added: These investors are attracted to Londons liquidity and comparative value, and the resilience Londons investment market continues to demonstrate. E ngine giant Rolls-Royce is sticking with its Brexit stockpiling plan due to ongoing uncertainty in Westminster. The jumbo jet engine makers, based in Derby, is building up one month's worth of inventory in warehouses near Derby as a contingency measure in case a hard Brexit disrupts supplies from Germany and Spain. As a precaution, Rolls has also shifted design approval for engines to Germany from the UK and is working with the European Aviation Safety Agency on the plan. The change is not likely to lead to job moves. We have been liaising with all our suppliers and have reviewed our logistics options and have the required capacity available, said the company. Rolls chief executive Warren East confirmed in November the company was stockpiling parts due to Brexit. The firm, which has faced production headaches this year, gave investors some good news today, saying profits and cash flow for the full year would be at the upper end of its forecasts. The aerospace giant has had a rough ride recently due to rotor blade problems on the Trent 1000 engine and slower production of the Trent 7000, cutting forecasts from 550 large engines delivered to 500. The firm gave an upbeat outlook on deliveries for 2019, predicting a significant increase in production and delivery volumes. Shares were up 2.74%, gaining 21.40p to 802.4p. A nd so, the long-awaited, long-postponed, moment of reckoning is finally at hand. Like Iain Duncan Smith in 2003, Theresa May faces a vote of no confidence in her leadership of the Conservative Party. This time rather more is at stake: if she loses the vote (as her ill-starred predecessor did 15 years ago) she will also be expelled from Number 10. In her statement today in Downing Street, May presented the vote and the prospect of a leadership contest if she loses as a fatal distraction from the Brexit process and a gift to Labours Jeremy Corbyn. She had, she said, devoted myself unsparingly to the responsibilities of her role and had no intention of yielding now. The announcement by Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, that the threshold of 48 MPs names had finally been passed (after several false starts) and that a vote would now go ahead has naturally triggered speculation about what happens if she loses and who is her most likely successor. But let us take advantage of this moment of electrified stillness to ask a different question. Namely, why is she still in post at all? As the Prime Ministers circumstances have slid from the merely disastrous to the utterly calamitous, it has become commonplace, not to say cliched, to express admiration for her flinty resolve. We are routinely invited notwithstanding the fact that her Government is zombified, her party disintegrating and the country heading towards a constitutional and commercial cliff-edge to salute her determination, her grit, her capacity to soar above the chaos with Zen serenity. Matthew d'Ancona In truth, there has been nothing admirable about Mays conduct. What her cheerleaders hail as tenacity and public-spirited doggedness is something quite different and very far from laudable. Though she triggers a form of bogus nostalgia for old-fashioned British backbone, the PM actually incarnates an ultra-modern indifference to convention and an imperviousness to the normal pressures of embarrassment. As one of her senior colleagues told me recently, She just doesnt obey Marquess of Queensberry rules. This is absolutely right. After a profoundly humiliating snap general election, in which she contrived to squander her partys Commons majority, she emerged from the rubble, dusted herself down and carried on as if nothing much had happened. As minister after minister has resigned notably in protest at the Brexit negotiations she has made a virtue of her public indifference, eschewing reflection let alone humility. This week, she postponed a historic Commons vote on Britains future relationship with the EU in the manner of someone mildly irritated at having to rearrange a dinner party. Her champions (and there are still a few out there) celebrate this as Thatcheresque fortitude. But they are mistaken. They see an awe-inspiring Sphinx but what really stands at the Despatch Box is an immobilised speak-your-weight machine. Consider any other prime minister of the past 40 years. David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, John Major, Thatcher herself . any of these would have been long gone by now, driven from office by a sense of honour, obsolescence, powerlessness, or all three. May only looks buttoned-up and politically strait-laced. In fact, she is a quiet anarchist, utterly unconstrained by the normal behavioural codes of office. It has taken the last resort of an internal party confidence vote to put her in a dock of accountability (albeit a dock in which she faces only a tribal jury of Conservative MPs). "She has ignored every signal and every hint dropped by history that her time is up and she should call an Uber" In Downing Street today, May said the Conservatives must not be a single-issue party. This was rich coming from a single-issue PM. Since 2016, her premiership has been absolutely defined by one objective: the delivery of Brexit. All prime ministers have priorities, some of which they nurture before taking office, while others are forced upon them by the cruel hand of fate. In Mays case, however, the arrangement of Britains departure from the EU has been elevated from priority to raison detre. Like the original Terminator hunting down Sarah Connor, she has had only goal. It is in this spirit, and this spirit alone, that she has approached the highest office in the land. Everything has been subordinated to the single task of implementing the 2016 referendum result on March 29. In pursuit of this increasingly intractable project, she has ignored every signal sent by the political marketplace, every collective judgment, every hint dropped by history that her time is up and she should really call an Uber. Even as the letters of no confidence accumulated in Sir Grahams inbox, she ignored the ignominy, playing it long as Tory MPs have squabbled over the viability of her successor whoever he or she is doing any better. She has been more than willing to play chicken with MPs over her unsellable deal, daring them to resist her until January 21 (little more than two months from the date of Brexit itself). She fears a Peoples Vote or no Brexit, as she calls it above all else. As evidence mounts daily of the true character of a no-deal exit of the deplorable, avoidable mutilation of national life that such an outcome would represent you might think that her judgment has been skewed. But that is scarcely the point. In her statement today, May referred to the excellent speech she gave on her arrival in Downing Street two and a half years ago that referred to the burning injustices faced by so many Britons. But she has conspicuously ignored that challenge in the intervening months, focusing to the exclusion of all else upon a deal which pleases nobody even, in moments of private candour, herself. I t is disheartening to see child poverty still existing in the UK in spite of us being the fifth richest country in the world. This situation is unjustifiable and needs to be urgently resolved for the sake of future generations. It is more important for the Government to address this now rather than becoming bogged down in the imbroglio of Brexit, which is getting priority over other vital national matters. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundations annual state of the nation report, a fth of the population are in poverty. Of these, more than half are working-age adults, 4.1 million are children and 1.9 million are pensioners The foundations chief executive Campbell Robb said recently: We are seeing a rising tide of child poverty as more parents are unable to make ends meet, despite working. This is unacceptable. It means more families are trapped in impossible situations, struggling to pay the bills, put food on the table and dealing with the terrible stresses poverty places on family life. Poverty is depriving parents of the chance to afford even a weeks holiday for their children. It also adversely affects a young persons education, health and quality of life. It is time the Government took this matter seriously by bringing in the right policies so that every child can have the opportunity to do well in life and we can have a stronger economy, and a healthier and fairer society. Baldev Sharma EDITOR'S REPLY Dear Baldev Its deeply regrettable, of course, that any child is brought up in poverty, not least because of the negative impact that it frequently has on their long-term prospects although its worth remembering that the statistics are usually based on how people fare in comparison with median salaries, rather than on their absolute income. That means the number living in poverty depends partly on the gap between the earnings of rich and poor which is an issue in itself and not necessarily on the actual amount they have to spend each month. Nonetheless, its clear that life is a struggle for many people in this city. One reason is high housing costs. This needs to be addressed by the provision of more genuinely affordable social and low-cost housing. Another answer must be to focus on education and on equipping more children with the skills that they need to rise beyond the low-paid jobs in which too many are currently stuck. The benefits system must work better too, particularly for those who are in jobs. Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor Mayor was honest about Crossrail YOUR claim yesterday that London Mayor Sadiq Khan knew earlier than he let on about the Crossrail delay is deeply inaccurate and misleading [Welcome to Lossrail: TfL bosses miss out on 600million, December 11]. Furthermore, your suggestion that documents published this week by Transport for London verify the claims of former Crossrail chairman Terry Morgan is wrong. The Mayor has said he was briefed in July of rising schedule pressures and that he was advised that the opening date was at high risk. It was only at the end of August that Crossrail notified him and the Department for Transport of the new autumn 2019 opening date. As the documents published this week show, Crossrail continued to forecast a December 2018 opening during the early weeks of August. You might know her best for her role as the all-powerful Claire Underwood in House of Cards, but Robin Wright is also on a mission to change the lives of women in conflict regions around the globe. And shes doing it with pyjamas. Created with her friend, fashion designer Karen Fowler, in 2015, Pour Les Femmes is an elegant neutral-hued collection of nightdresses, pyjama sets, robes and maxi dresses, constructed largely from super soft cotton and silk. Far from a money-making exercise, Pour Les Femmes is on a mission to help women from war-torn areas with 100 per cent of profits benefiting organisations that support women suffering from violence in the Congo; a country where women have been deliberately silenced, have little or no land rights and where it is reported that 2.5 million girls are out of school. Pour Les Femmes Pour Les Femmes works with a charitable organisation called Action Kivu that supports women, children, and communities of the Congo through vocational training and education. Action Kivu teaches women to sew so they can earn an income to send their children to school, to feed and clothe their children, and to save money for their future. Through the support of Pour Les Femmes, Action Kivu has been able to purchase sewing kits for these women to receive on graduation day. After graduation, women have started their own businesses and earn income to support their families in eastern Congo. They have also partnered with local organisations to build a one-of-a-kind primary and secondary school, called The Congo Peace School, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a region that has been wracked by violence and insecurity for more than 20 years. Pour Les Femmes "Pour les Femmes is so much more than a women's sleepwear company - this is something I believe in because we help address the right of a woman to feel safe in her environment," said Wright. "The mission of this brand is to design sleepwear that symbolises the comfort and security which is our basic human right." With prices ranging from 100 for a nightie to 400 for a set of full length cotton pyjamas, Pour Les Femmes pieces are not cheap. But frankly, when 100 per cent of profits are going to help women suffering from lives of violence and destitution, the prices seem incredibly reasonable. In many ways, the brand tagline says it all: 'Change someone's life. You can do it in your sleep.' Watch the video above to hear what happened when we met Wright and Fowler in London. A Banksy sculpture is up for grabs for just 2 as part of a raffle for a good cause. The coin-operated boat sculpture Dream Boat, which featured in the political graffiti artist's acclaimed theme park Dismaland, is currently on show at the pop-up Choose Love store on Carnaby Street. All money donated for the raffle will go towards supporting refugees by providing practical items such as tents, nappies and sleeping bags. Those wanting to get their hands on the piece must make a minimum donation of 2 and hazard a guess at the weight of the sculpture. Each estimate should be made to the nearest gram and confident guessers can even specify milligrams if they wish but its worth noting the wooden plinth the art is mounted on is not included in the weight. The individual with the closest guess will get to take the artwork home. Additional guesses will be automatically made for every 2 extra donated and these will be distributed in 1 gram intervals on either side of the original weight estimate. The competition will close on December 22 at 8pm, at which time the boat will be weighed by students from Kings College London and the successful entrant will be contacted by email. In the event of multiple people guessing the same weight, a winner will be drawn by lot. Choose Love, located at 30-32 Fouberts Place, is a store where visitors can buy real gifts for refugees and all donations go towards supporting front line services. Last year, the sale of life jackets alone raised 38,594 which helped 1,399 individuals travelling from Turkey. For more information and to take part, visit choose.love/pages/banksy F rom Brexit to the Royal Wedding, there's been no shortage of huge headline stories in 2018 - and the art world hasn't missed out on the action. Alongside some showstopping art exhibitions, artists and institutions have been busy breaking world records, commemorating political milestones and creating the odd bit of chaos. From daring stunts to multi-million pound sales, these are the top 10 big moments that made art history in 2018. Banksys auction shredding stunt AFP/Getty Images Shock-tactic extraordinaire Banksy made multiple headlines when he took his unique brand of mischief into Sothebys auction house. As the hammer fell on the 860,000 sale of his work Girl with a Red Balloon, the frame of the artwork proceeded to shred the print inside, all within sight of a shocked auction room. Despite its destruction, the buyer still wanted to keep the work, which has been renamed Love Is In The Bin and is estimated to have doubled in value. Such was the furore that it overshadowed another significant moment: in a record-breaking sale in the same auction, British painter Jenny Saville become the most expensive living female artist. David Hockneys record-breaking painting sale A woman looks at David Hockney's "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)" during a press preview at Christie's New York. / AFP/Getty Images David Hockney broke another auction record this year: in just over nine minutes, his 1972 painting Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) became the most expensive artwork by a living artist ever sold when it was bought at auction for a staggering 70 million. The record was previously held by Jeff Koons for his 45.6m work Balloon Dog (Orange). This year also saw Hockney unveil his design for a huge new stained-glass window in historic Westminster Abbey , which was designed by the 81-year-old artist using an iPad. Frida Kahlo fever hits London (Getty Images) In June, the V&A opened the doors to the most highly anticipated exhibition of the year. Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up explored the extraordinary life and art of the Mexican artist and feminist icon through displays of her paintings and personal possessions, including her incredible wardrobe and prosthetic leg . The exhibition was so popular that, following unprecedented attendance, the V&A museum extended the run for a further two weeks and staged a 48-hour opening of the show, so that Frida fans could visit the show overnight. Charlotte Prodger wins the Turner Prize 2018 with iPhone film Victoria Jones/PA Wire The 2018 Turner Prize had already shown off its cutting edge credentials with a shortlist featuring only video artists and then Charlotte Prodger won for a film shot only on an iPhone. The Glasgow-based artist fought off competition from Forensic Architecture, Naeem Mohaiemen and Luke Willis Thompson to triumph in the 34th edition of the Turner Prize. Her film Bridgit focuses on coming out as gay whilst growing up in rural Scotland. After winning, Prodger said, I hope it doesnt make any difference. Its amazing to be nominated but Id like to be kind of normal, Id like to kind of hide. Michael Rakowitz resurrects ISIS-destroyed sculpture on the Fourth Plinth AFP/Getty Images In March, American-Iraqi artist Michael Rakowitz unveiled his artwork for the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square: a recreation of a sculpture destroyed by ISIS. The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist is a replica of lamassu, an ancient winged Assyrian bull statue, which stood in Mosul for almost 3000 years until 2015. Rakowitz s version is decorated in pieces of brightly coloured date syrup cans, highlighting the everyday lives of the civilians affected by the conflict. Grayson Perry brings mischief to the Summer Exhibition Getty Images This year the Royal Academy celebrated its 250th birthday with a new building and a plethora of events. To mark the occasion, Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry curated the biggest Summer Exhibition so far, packing the gallery with vibrant artwork arrangements in a playful but politically pertinent show. One wall saw a portrait of Nigel Farage placed under a painting of a man vomiting into a bucket, while another room featured a collection of ragged Sooty puppets under the title Cabinet Members. In his review of the show, Standard critic Ben Luke called the show a cacophony apt for a divided nation, like shouty Twitter on a drunken Friday night. Gillian Wearing unveils Millicent Fawcett sculpture in Parliament Square Getty Images As well as the end of the First World War, 1918 marked the first time that (some) women in the UK were allowed to vote. To mark the centenary of Womens Suffrage, a statue of Suffragist leader Millicent Fawcett was erected in Parliament Square - the first statue of a woman ever to stand in the historic square. The monument was designed by Turner Prize-winning artist Gillian Wearing, and now stands alongside statues of other prominent political figures including Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela. Christo floats a 20 metre tall sculpture on the Serpentine lake Getty Images Artist Christo and his late wife Jeanne Claude have created some of the most impressive artistic spectacles the world has ever seen including wrapping the Reichstag in fabric and turning the sea in Miami a vibrant shade of pink. For Christos first commission in the UK, the London Mastaba, he floated a 20 metre tall, 40 metre wide tower of 7,506 bright coloured oil barrels on the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park. Christo told the Standards Ben Luke: All our projects are nothing to do with make-believe... its the real thing. Meghan Markle opens Oceania at the Royal Academy Getty Images One of the most talked-about women on the planet in 2018 made a very talked-about trip to a London art gallery this year. Meghan Markle made her first solo engagement as the Duchess of Sussex at the Royal Academy to open Oceania, a major exhibition celebrating the art of the South Pacific past and present. The internet, however, wasnt looking at the priceless artefacts on display Twitter was far more concerned with Meghan Markle closing her own car door, and the break in royal protocol went viral. Dead fish artwork catches fire at Hayward Gallery Getty Images L ondon's most beautiful churches and cathedrals are celebrating Christmas with a host of special services and celebrations in the run up to December 25 and on the day itself. While there are many places taking church services this year, details of some of the capital's most impressive venues can be found below. All of the places listed here are hosting midnight mass on December 24. For a guide to the best midnight masses in London, head here. Things to do in London between Christmas and New Year 1 /8 Things to do in London between Christmas and New Year See The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert Hall Head to the London Coliseum where the English National Ballet are staging a spectacular production of the Nutcracker. More than 100 dancers and musicians are involved, helping to make it one of the most expansive and high-profile festive shows this year. After more shows like this? Read our full round-up of Christmas ballet shows here. Until January 5, London Coliseum, St Martin's Ln, WC2N 4ES Head to Festival Horizon 2019 Loco Dice, Matador and Michael Bibi are topping the bill at this star-studded club night at E1 London. The club has emerged as one of the most interesting venues in the city since opening in 2017, and this Saturday night rave is sure to blow away the cobwebs after Christmas. December 28, 110 Pennington Street, #Unit 2, E1W 2BB Celebrate Anti New Year at Boxpark Croydon Who cares about New Year? Boxpark Croydon certainly dont the south London venue is hosting an Anti New Year party on December 29, making use of whats left of 2019. Theres a bottomless brunch menu running from 2pm until 3.30pm, with DJs spinning tunes until 11pm. Dont miss out. December 29, BOXPARK Croydon, 99 George Street, Croydon, CR0 1LD See A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic Theatre Dont be a Scrooge get into the Christmas spirit after the big day itself has passed with this acclaimed production of Dickens classic tale at the Old Vic. The Evening Standards critic Nick Curtis was full of praise for the show in his four-star review, writing: It really does feel like Christmas is coming once this sumptuous Dickens adaptation arrives each year. Jack Thornes version is richly textured and shamelessly emotive, full of song and heart. Until January 3, The Cut, Lambeth, SE1 8NB Manuel Harlan Take a late trip to Winter Wonderland Winter Wonderland is the place for Londoners to celebrate all things Christmas, even long after the day itself has come and gone. Whether its a family-friendly trip around the markets and a jaunt on the ice-rink, an evening of thrills on the rides, or a boozy trip to the Bavarian beer hall, theres something for everyone. Read our full guide here. Until January 5, Hyde Park, W2 Chris Gorman/Big Ladder See Three Sisters at the National Theatre This new play from Inua Ellams, based on Chekovs Three Sisters, transports audiences to a Nigeria on the brink of the Biafran Civil War. The Nationals production tells the story of Lolo, Nne and Chukwu, who feel the growing threat of conflict in the face of great personal tragedy. A powerful watch. December 10February 19, National Theatre, SE1 9PX Richard Davenport/The Other Richard Get your skates on Didnt get a chance to go skating before Christmas? Dont worry there are a host of ice rinks open right until the New Year. The rooftop rink at Skylight in Tobacco Dock and the grand Skate outside Somerset House are both open until January, and well worth a visit. The Natural History Museum, however, is something of a London institution, offering a chance to skate against one of the most idyllic backdrops in the city Head to a movie marathon at the Prince Charles Cinema Cant find your favourite movies on Netflix this Christmas? The Prince Charles Cinema is here to help. It's long been one of the most interesting places to catch screenings in London, and this year it's hosting special festive screenings of films like Elf and The Muppet Christmas Carol until the big day itself. After December 25, though, the cinema is going off-piste with anniversary screenings of James Bond movies On Her Majestry's Secret Service and The Man With the Golden Gun. For die-hard fans of the Lord of the Rings, the venue is also hosting a screening of all three extended editions of the trilogy on December 28, beginning at 9pm and ending at 9am. Various dates, The Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Pl, WC2H 7BY Westminster Abbey Getty Images One of the most beautiful ecclesiastical spaces in London is welcoming worshippers with an extensive programme of services over the festive period. Although all services are free to attend and everyone is welcome, some are expected to be well attended and guests are sometimes required to book tickets. On December 25, there are three services at the Abbey. Holy Communion starts at 8am and runs for 40 minutes, followed by Sung Eucharist at 10.30am, until midday. At 3pm, a traditional service of Evening Prayer will be sung by the Abbey Choir, with Christmas carols. 20 Deans Yard, Westminster, SW1P 3PA, westminster-abbey.org St Pauls cathedral AFP/Getty Images St Pauls Cathedral is one of the capital's most famous landmarks, and a wonderful place to spend Christmas Day. Its services begin with Eucharist at 8am, followed by Morning Prayer at 8.45am. Christmas Choral Eucharist is at 11am and then Christmas Festal Evensong starts at 3.15pm. Westminster Cathedral Jamie Wiseman for The Daily Mail Westminster Cathedral, the second largest church building behind St Pauls, is another beautiful spot for a service this year. Mass on Christmas Day begins at 8am and then 9am, with Morning Prayer at 10am. Solemn Mass begins at 10.30am and the Mass with carols starts at 12pm. Finishing off is Second Vepsers and Benediction at 3.30pm. 42 Francis Street, Westminster, SW1P 1QW, westminstercathedral.org.uk St Martin in the Fields AFP/Getty Images St Martin in the Fields, the stunning church found adjacent to Trafalgar Square, is hosting a Eucharist Service with both its English and Chinese congregations from 10.30am to 11.30am. Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ, stmartin-in-the-fields.org Southwark Cathedral Nigel Howards Southwark Cathedral is a cavernous setting with incredible stained glass in the nave, found by Borough Market. It's one of the most impressive buildings south of the river, and a beautiful space to spend a little time in this Christmas. Morning Prayer begins at 8.30am, and at 9am it's Eucharist with Carols. Choral Eucharist is at 11am, with the cathedral closing at 1pm. C ity of London police are deploying officers in India to combat scammers in call centres targeting the UK in a multi-million-pound racket. The force, which leads the countrys fight against fraud, says it is expanding operations overseas to take the fight to the enemy. City police say 22,000 UK victims lost 21 million last year in tech support scams, many of them originating from abroad. Callers claiming to be technicians from companies such as Microsoft tell potential victims that their computer is infected with a virus. They then demand cash to fix the problem or ask to remotely access the persons computer, which allows them to hack their emails and bank accounts. In recent weeks Indian police have raided 26 call centres and arrested more than 50 people. Microsoft, which has seconded an employee to work with City police, says it receives more than 11,000 calls a month from around the world about fake security warnings. The companys work with City officers has already led to a number of arrests. Fraudsters also pose as support staff from Google, Apple and other major tech companies. City of London police commissioner Ian Dyson said some call centres operate legitimately during the day but then switch to illegal activity at night, making them criminal enterprises. Mr Dyson told the Standard the force had formed a special team to explore global solutions to fraud. A lot of the perpetrators of fraud operate abroad, and that means getting a judicial outcome is challenging in some cases. They are not out of reach, but it makes it harder, he said. There is a serious need to get upstream of certain crime types, such as economic crime, and find long-term solutions to tackle them at source, before they spread across the globe. A conwoman who swindled author Sir Samuel Brittan out of more than 100,000 is a cruel liar who tried to wreck a police detectives career with fake sex claims, the Standard can reveal. Michelle Braithwaite, 47, faces a lengthy prison sentence for plundering Sir Samuels savings while posing as his carer. She splashed out on holidays, designer clothes and grooming services for her dog. Sir Samuel, brother of late Tory grandee Leon Brittan, had handed Braithwaite control of his finances as he struggled with the onset of Alzheimers. It can now be revealed that Braithwaite had been jailed in 2004 after false allegations against the police officer and subjecting him to two years of hell. While facing cheque fraud claims Braithwaite targeted the investigating officer who was battling cancer at the time and accused him of pestering her for sex, indecently assaulting her in a cell and attacking her at a train station. She maintained the lies during her trial at Winchester crown court and was jailed for three years after being convicted of perverting justice, perjury and obtaining money by deception. But before she was exposed as a callous, dishonest and cruel liar, the detective was put under internal investigation and interviewed as a suspect until the CPS finally decided there was no evidence to support a prosecution. Her sentence was cut by nearly a year on appeal because of health problems. Her fraud on Sir Samuel started in August 2016 when she claimed to be a Cambridge graduate and lawyer to gain the trust of the Brittan family, offering to help Lady Brittan with her ailing brother-in-law Sir Samuels finances as she grieved for her late husband, Lord Brittan. Southwark crown court heard Braithwaite used Sir Samuels money for holidays to Gran Canaria and Malta, hotel stays and a cremation for her pet Pomeranian dog. Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith ordered psychiatric and medical assessments of Braithwaite ahead of sentencing on February 1, after she admitted three fraud charges and one of theft. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said today that its support for the vote of confidence on United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was conditional to the granting of power devolution to the north and the east, the release of political prisoners and the land. TNA MP for Jaffna district Dharmalingam Sidaththan told Daily Mirror that his party extended conditional support for Mr. Wickremesinghe to get the required majority to become the Prime Minister. Mr. Sidaththan said these were usual demands of the TNA right throughout. We asked for power devolution. It means the constitution making process should continue, he said. Also, he said there were lands to be released in the north. It is not only the lands held by the military but also the private lands earmarked by the archaeological authorities. Besides, there are private lands held by authorities as national parks. All land issues should be addressed, he said. He said the TNA put forward a condition that all development work in the north should be coordinated with his party.(Kelum Bandara) T he body of British backpacker Grace Millane has been formally identified, police in New Zealand have said. Ms Millane, 22, went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1 and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. Officers said on Wednesday morning that identification has taken place and Ms Millane's family were "in the process of organising to take her home". A 26-year-old man has been charged with murder and appeared in an Auckland court on Monday. A man has been charged over the murder of Grace Millane, 22 / PA Detective Inspector Scott Beard said: "Work continues to piece together exactly what happened to Grace, as we build a timeline of the circumstances." Officers said they have received "hundreds" of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events. 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." Apology: New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern / AP "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 Auckland city centre, on Saturday night. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane, a University of Lincoln graduate from Essex, 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 released CCTV of Brit Grace Millane before she was found dead / 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 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." have said. T he family of British backpacker Grace Millane have paid a moving tribute to the killed 22-year-old as they prepare to bring her body back to the UK. Ms Millane's family said "in some small way she will forever be a Kiwi" after her body was formally identified. Grace went missing from a hostel in Auckland, New Zealand, on December 1. Officers said Ms Millane's family were "in the process of organising to take her home" as their investigation into the circumstances of her death continue. Her family said: "Grace went off to travel the world in mid-October and arrived in New Zealand on the 20th November. Tributes to Grace Millane are left at a roundabout in Auckland / Getty Images "By the amount of pictures and messages we received, she clearly loved this country, its people and the lifestyle. Vigils held in New Zealand for Grace Millane "We all hope that what has happened to Grace will not deter even one person from venturing out into the world and discovering their own OE (overseas experience)." Police are analysing this car as part of a probe into the death of Grace Millane / PA Calling the crime "heinous", the family also paid tribute to investigating officers for completing a "concise, stringent and thorough investigation". They added: "We would like to thank the people of New Zealand for their outpouring of love, numerous messages, tributes and compassion. "Grace was not born here and only managed to stay a few weeks, but you have taken her to your hearts and in some small way she will forever be a Kiwi." David Millane, father of backpacker Grace Millane, speaking at a press conference in Auckland, New Zealand during the search for her / AP A 26-year-old man has been charged with Ms Millane's murder and he was remanded in custody after a court hearing in Auckland on Monday. Police initially launched a missing person inquiry for the University of Lincoln graduate after her parents became concerned that she did not reply to birthday wishes sent on December 2. Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family, officers said. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane, from Essex, was at 9.41pm on December 1, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a "male companion". A week later, on December 8, police said they were treating the case as a homicide investigation and a day later a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges 10 metres away from the road. Officers said they have received "hundreds" of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events. 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." A teenager was stabbed to death and another injured as fighting erupted between youths armed with knives and baseball bats in a residential street. Police were called to Alwold Crescent in Lee at about 10pm yesterday. A short time later two 18-year-olds attended a south London hospital with serious stab injuries. They had been driven there by friends. One died in hospital, the 24th teenager to be violently killed in London this year. The second was treated and discharged. Five people were arrested and were being interviewed at south London police stations this morning. Police were searching the street on the Horn Park estate off the South Circular, A205, and sealed off a railway bridge. Neighbours reported seeing a group of youths armed with baseball bats, and one resident and her daughter found what is believed to be a knife used in the attack. One said: I heard some screaming and shouting. There was a gang of kids but I couldnt really see them in the dark. Another resident said: I saw a hammer wrapped in cloth lying in the street which the police took details about. Meanwhile police released an image of 18-year-old Aron Warren, who was stabbed to death at his brothers flat in Greenwich on Saturday evening. Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, who is leading the investigation, said he was appealing to anyone who was near Topham House in Prior Street from about 9.15pm that evening to contact police. He said: We believe Aron was attacked inside the flat, so I am keen to speak to anyone who let someone into the building prior to the murder or who saw anyone fleeing the scene. The teenagers uncle, David Murray, told the Standard: Arons mother is totally distraught. She cant come to terms with what has happened. He was a lovely young lad and its just a tragedy. Its such a waste of a life. N ewborn girls in Camden have the highest life expectancy out of any area in the country. Females from the north London borough are expected to live for 86.5 years, according to new figures released on Wednesday. Two other London boroughs Kensington and Chelsea (86.2) and Westminster (86.0) also made the top three of the list for female life expectancy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it was "noticeable" how Camden was top after it had been ranked 180th between 2001 and 2003, when expectancy was 81.0 years. The Standard has approached Camden Council for comment. Loading.... Barking and Dagenham was the lowest of Londons 32 boroughs, at 82.1. Figures werent available for the City of London. Out of the UKs 418 local authority areas, Glasgow City had the lowest female life expectancy, at 78.7. The average across the UK is 82.9. For baby boys, Hart in Hampshire had the highest life expectancy, at 83.3. Kensington and Chelsea was second, at 83.2. T ributes have been paid to the 35 people killed in the Clapham Junction rail crash 30 years on from the tragedy. Over 400 people were also injured, 70 seriously, after three trains smashed into each other during the morning rush hour. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton joined survivors and relatives at Spencer Park in Battersea, next to the scene of the crash, to lay wreaths and hold a minutes silence. A service was also held at nearby St Marks Church, and train drivers union Aslef held a separate event at 8.13am the exact moment the crash happened. Wreaths were laid and a minute's silence taken to commemorate those who died / London Fire Brigade The horrific crash was caused by faulty signalling, which caused a train which had come from Poole to crash into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. The second train then veered into the path of an oncoming empty train. Commissioner Cotton was just three months out of firefighter training school when she was called to attend the crash. 35 people were killed and over 400 injured in the horrific crash / London Fire Brigade She said: As we mark 30 years since the Clapham train crash, our thoughts remain with all the victims and their loved ones. I still remember it like it was yesterday our first job was getting casualties out of the trains and into the ambulances. There were Christmas cards strewn everywhere as people must have been writing their cards on the train. Commissioner Dany Cotton had been a firefighter for just three months when the accident took place / London Fire Brigade It was a tragic incident and all of us who were there remember it and think of the members of the public who lost their lives during that terrible incident. "This Comedy night organised by ... society, aims to provide a safe space for everyone to come together to share and listen to Comedy, with all proceeds donated to UNICEF. "This is a chance for all to be entertained and overjoyed by the different performances here on this day, January 23 2019. Hence, the importance of this contract. "This contract has been written to ensure an environment where joy, love and acceptance is 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. "All topics must be presented in a way that is respectful and kind. It does not mean that these topics can not be discussed. But, it must be done in a respectful and non-abusive way." C hancellor Philip Hammond is getting ready to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds for no-deal preparations in the next few days if Theresa Mays attempts to save her Brexit deal are rejected by the EU. Mr Hammond earmarked 3 billion last year to fund preparations for a collapse in negotiations but much of the money has yet to be allocated or spent. Ministers in the departments that would be most affected by a chaotic Brexit are keen to increase spending as insurance against a breakdown and to show the EU that Britain is serious about being unable to ratify a withdrawal agreement unless there is movement on the backstop. A Government source told the Standard: The Chancellor knows what needs to be done and if action is necessary then you will see decisions very soon. The Prime Minister met with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to discuss Brexit yesterday / REUTERS This comes at the same time as it emerged senior ministers are discussing an emergency Plan B in which Britain would attempt an orderly exit to World Trade Organisation terms if talks break down altogether. The proposal, which is said to have growing agreement among senior Cabinet figures, is emerging as an 11th-hour attempt to avoid no deal. Mrs May is facing a leadership contest / Jeremy Selwyn The new option, being described as the orderly exit model, halves the money sent to the EU in a divorce settlement to 20 billion. A Cabinet source said today: This plan involves moving onto World Trade Organisation terms to negotiate free trade deals as a third country. The 20 billion involves paying for an implementation period to avoid a cliff edge through no-deal. Crucially the proposal would uphold citizens rights agreements but there would be no political declaration or a backstop arrangement on Northern Irelands border with Ireland. The EU is desperate financially, the source said, so would want to take the 20 billion offer to avoid no-deal. The current divorce settlement is 39 billion but it is understood 20 billion is a bare minimum figure, relating to outstanding monies Britain owes the EU. The orderly exit plan would also force the EU into working harder to develop a solution that avoids a hard border in Ireland, the source said. B rexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said Theresa May should "meet the Queen and resign" despite surviving a confidence vote in her leadership. Mr Rees-Mogg, who had orchestrated a coup against the Prime Minister, said the result of the vote, which she won with a majority of 200 to 117, was terrible. The Brexiteer said: She ought to go and see the Queen urgently and resign. Mr Mogg said the PM had "clearly lost the support of the back benches of the Conservative Party" and "that was not a good position for her to be in". The MP for North East Somerset added Mrs May should resign because "she can't get her deal through". Brexit-backing Tory MP Mark Francois told the BBC that the result was "a devastating verdict" on Mrs May. Theresa May confidence vote: The moment the PM's win was announced "She lost well over half of the backbenchers, and that's an extremely difficult position for any Prime Minister to find themselves in," said Mr Francois. "Over a third of her MPs have said they don't have confidence in her. That's a devastating verdict. In the cold light of day when people reflect on that number - 117, it's a massive number, far more than anyone was predicting - I think that will be very sobering for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. "If I were her I wouldn't be pleased about this at all, quite the opposite. I think she needs to think very carefully about what she does now." TODO: define component type apester After the result, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: The Prime Minister has lost her majority in Parliament, her government is in chaos and she is unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first. He said that "she must now bring her dismal deal back" to the Commons next week so that Parliament can "take back control". The Prime Minister now faces a renewed battle to get her Brexit deal through Parliament / Jeremy Selwyn While Shadow chancellor John McDonnell tweeted: "Shocking result for Theresa May. Even having offered to go before the next general election she still has a huge 117 Tory MPs, a third of her party, voting against her and not having confidence in her. Wow." Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived / PA Other MPs from Mrs Mays party were quick to praise the PM,though. Remain-supporting Conservative MP Nicky Morgan tweeted: Sense has prevailed the Conservative Parliamentary Party does have confidence in Theresa May the 48 do not speak for the silent majority in the Party or in the country. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also congratulated the Prime Minister. He said: Huge congrats to Theresa May, whose stamina resilience and decency has again won the day and given her the chance to deliver Brexit for our country. Simon Hoare MP called the win a solid result for Mrs May, praising her. He said: A solid result for Theresa May and Im delighted for her. We now regroup and deliver for our country and the great nation we serve. But Mr Corbyn said: "Tonight's vote makes no difference to the lives of our people. "The Prime Minister has lost her majority in Parliament, her government is in chaos and she is unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first. "That's why she pulled the vote on her botched Brexit deal this week and is trying to avoid bringing it back to Parliament. It's clear that she has not been able to negotiate the necessary changes in Europe. "She must now bring her dismal deal back to the House of Commons next week so Parliament can take back control. "Labour is ready to govern for the whole country and deliver a deal that protects living standards and workers' rights." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn / AFP/Getty Images Scottish National Party MP Mhairi Black said: The whole affair was a complete waste of time achieving absolutely nothing. MP for the Green Party, Caroline Lucas, who has called for a Peoples Vote said: PM might have beaten her backbench rebels, but Theresa May cant beat the parliamentary arithmetic. MPs will never approve her deal. The only way forward is a Peoples Vote. Labour MP for Streatham Chuka Umunna was hugely critical of the Prime Minister following the announcement. He said: Its a bloody disgrace 317 Tory MPs have, through this vote of confidence, had a chance to vote on the PMs deal, but their Government denies the country the chance to do the same through a Peoples Vote. They voted twice on her leadership we want to do the same on Brexit. As well as Mr Umunna, Labour heavyweight David Lammy MP criticised the PM. He said: The Prime Minister may have scraped through the confidence vote among Tory MPs, but shes lost Parliament and shes lost the country. To unblock our politics we need to go back to the country to get a decisive mandate to either leave with her deal, or remain in the EU. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said: "Having seen the Conservative backbenches will not support her deal the Prime Minister must change course. Britain's leader of the Liberal Democrat party, Vince Cable / REUTERS "Her deal is doomed to defeat in the Commons, so she should show real leadership by putting this question back to the public in a People's Vote. "The EU is clear that there is no more negotiating to do, so it's this deal or no Brexit. That is the choice on which every voter should now have a final say - and Liberal Democrats will campaign vigorously for the UK to remain a full member of the EU." M Ps have rejected Theresa May's Brexit plans in a historic vote which has thrown the future of her administration and the nature of the UK's EU withdrawal into doubt. It came after the Prime Minister made a last-ditch appeal for MPs to back the Withdrawal Agreement which she sealed with Brussels in November after almost two years of negotiation. The 230-vote margin was by far the worst suffered by any Government in a meaningful division since at least the First World War and in normal circumstances would be enough to force a Prime Minister from office. But Mrs May made clear she intends to stay on, setting out plans for talks with senior parliamentarians from parties across the Commons in the hope of finding "genuinely negotiable" solutions which she can take to Brussels. Jeremy Corbyn said the "catastrophic" defeat represented an "absolutely decisive" verdict by MPs on Mrs May's handling of Brexit and her deal. Here, the Standard outlines the crucial key points made in the draft proposal: EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier holds the draft withdrawal agreement / AP The Irish border The most contentious issue is the Northern Irish 'backstop', which is essentially an insurance policy to avoid a return to border checks between Britain and EU-member Ireland that could threaten the 1998 peace accord, which ended 30 years of violence. The draft deal envisages a July 2020 decision on what would have to be done to make sure the border stays open after the post-Brexit transition runs its course. Thats if a new trade deal is not in place by then. Either Britain would need to extend the transition period once beyond December 2020, or go into a customs arrangement that would cover all of the United Kingdom. Under those arrangements, Northern Ireland would be aligned more closely with the EU's customs rules and production standards. Any changes to or termination of those arrangements, after the end of the transition, would have to be agreed between London and Brussels. Theresa May delivers her Brexit statement at Downing Street / Getty Images Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, whose desire to avoid a hard border was central for Brussels, said the deal satisfied all Dublin's key priorities. But it remained unclear if the arrangement will pass muster in parliament as many pro-Brexit lawmakers demanded Britain must be able to unilaterally withdraw from the backstop to avoid being chained to the EU in perpetuity. "I cannot support the proposed agreement in parliament and would hope that Conservative MPs would do likewise," Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of an influential group of pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers, wrote in a letter to his party colleagues. Fisheries The EU has said repeatedly that it would not allow British seafood exporters quota and tariff-free access to EU markets unless it is in exchange for a reciprocal agreement that EU fishing fleets are able to continue operating in British waters. But the withdrawal agreement essentially goes only as far as to say that the EU would apply tariffs on fish until a separate deal was struck on access to EU fishing in Britains waters. Citizens rights Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator gave a press briefing after Theresa May's cabinet backed a draft EU-UK agreement. / EPA Ending freedom of movement was a key demand for many who voted Leave, and will happen at the end of the transition period. Future immigration rules were not included in the negotiation process. This means Britain has flexibility to set its own. The existing rights of the millions of EU citizens living in the UK and the Britons living in elsewhere in the bloc had already been guaranteed. Transition period Britain will leave the EU on March 29 but remain inside the bloc's single market and bound by its rules until the end of December 2020, while the two sides work out a new trade relationship. The transition period can be extended by joint agreement before July 1, 2020 if both parties decide more time is needed. Divorce bill Britain agrees to cover contributions to staff pensions and commitments to EU programmes the UK made while a member for the funding period that runs to 2020. The bill has previously been estimated at about 39 billion ($50 billion). Difficult road ahead The ultimate outcome for the UK remains uncertain after Mrs May's deal was rejected. Scenarios range from a calm divorce to another referendum. As it stands, the UK is set to leave on March 29 but one of the outcomes could see Article 50 extended, meaning Britain would leave at a later date. Barnier: Brexit draft deal is a decisive step Jeremy Corbyn has tabled a motion of no confidence against Mrs May after her deal was voted down, meaning a General Election could take place. Mrs May, an initial opponent of Brexit who won the top job in the turmoil following the referendum, has staked her future on a deal that she hopes will solve the Brexit riddle: leaving the EU while preserving the closest possible ties. Opponents of Brexit say Britain will lose more than it can possibly gain from quitting such a big single market and political alliance. Some want another referendum. T heresa May is to face a vote of no confidence later tonight with the result expected at around 9pm. Here's everything you need to know. How will the vote of no confidence take place? Tory MPs will troop into Committee Room 14 in Parliament, which overlooks The Thames, between 6pm and 8pm this evening. It is a secret ballot so MPs can pledge total loyalty to the Prime Minister while wielding the knife to oust her. Theresa May is facing pressure from fellow Tory MPs to stand down over her Brexit plans / AFP/Getty Images Why is there a vote? It was triggered after the threshold of 15 per cent of the parliamentary party was passed after at least 48 MPs wrote to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench MPs, demanding a vote. When will the result be known? The ballots will be counted immediately and Sir Graham has pledged to announce the result as soon as possible this evening. There are currently 315 Tory MPs so if they all vote the winning threshold is 158. TODO: define component type apester What are the possible outcomes if Theresa May wins? Under the rules, if she wins by one vote she can continue as Tory leader and PM. However, in reality, she would be left in an almost impossible position if nearly half her party were against her. If around a third of her party, some 100 MPs, vote against her, she might be able to limp on in the short term but badly wounded. If fewer than 80 rebel against her, she would be able to argue she had seen off a revolt by hardline Eurosceptics but she may still not be able to get her Brexit plans through the Commons. British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to discuss Brexit / REUTERS What happens if Theresa May loses the vote? She would not be able to stand in the subsequent leadership contest. How would that work? Candidates for the leadership must be nominated by two Conservative MPs. If only one candidate comes forward, he or she becomes leader but that looks highly unlikely with Boris Johnson, Sajid Javid and several others expected to enter the race. So the list of contenders would be whittled down to a shortlist of two in a series of vote by MPs. The final pair then go to a postal ballot of all Tory party members, with the position of leader - and Prime Minister - going to the victor. Participants in the postal vote need to have been Conservative party members for more than three months. When David Cameron decided to step down as prime minister and Conservative leader after the EU referendum in 2016, five candidates came forward. The field was narrowed to Mrs May and then-junior minister Andrea Leadsom, but she pulled out before members voted, leaving Mrs May to become leader unopposed. Dominic Raab is one of the bookies' favourites to replace Theresa May should she lose a vote of no confidence. / AFP/Getty Images How long would that take? Dr.Nushad Perera, Chief Executive Officer, wOw.lk (left) and Mr. Tim Sutton, Representative, UNICEF Sri Lanka (right) officially launch UNICEF Inspired Gifts on wOw.lk The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and leading online retail destination wOw.lk have partnered to launch Sri Lankas first line of Inspired Gifts, essential supply items that when purchased online support and improve the lives of children and communities. Launching today, the 72nd anniversary of the founding of worlds leading childrens organisation, for the first-time shoppers in Sri Lanka can purchase one of twelve individual life-saving, life-changing supply items that UNICEF will directly deliver to communities around the world including Sri Lanka. Shoppers can choose from a range of prices in four categories of support; gifts that provide essential nutrition and health services to children, gifts that support childrens education, gifts that provide safe water and good sanitation to communities, or gifts that support UNICEFs emergency response for children and families. The process of purchase is simple. Firstly, shoppers visits www.wow.lk/unicef and select the gift they want to purchase from the twelve available. Secondly, they personalize their print-at-home card with a dedicated message to the friend or loved-one who will receive the gift. Thirdly, they receive confirmation of their purchase via email, and finally UNICEF then delivers the chosen gift to children and communities in the greatest need. Exclusive to wOw.lk in Sri Lanka, some examples of the Inspired Gifts available are: Five story books for schools, children's centers and families who are in need, priced at LKR 2,870 2,000 Iron supplements, helping to treat iron and folic acid deficiency in pregnant mothers, priced at LKR 4,130 A hand water pump to help provide clean, safe drinking water for a village, school or a community, priced at LKR 72,730 A large, versatile tent that can be used as a temporary school or health center after a natural disaster, priced at LKR 268,500 Tim Sutton, Representative, UNICEF Sri Lanka said: UNICEF is excited to be partnering with wOw.lk to offer Inspired Gifts in Sri Lanka for the first time. We know Sri Lankans are generous, and want to make a positive difference to the most vulnerable during the Christmas giving season and beyond. Now, through Inspired Gifts shoppers can easily give a meaningful present to loved-ones, confident that they are also supporting the neediest. Inspired Gifts are not virtual. They are tangible, life-saving items that provide critical support to children. CEO of wOw.lk, Dr Nushad Perera stated, this is an unique opportunity for Sri Lankans all over the world to give a gift to children in need. Simply go online and make your donation, wOw will take care of the rest with UNICEF. Supporting the launch, UNICEF and wOw.lk will unveil a social media campaign that highlights the transformative power of Inspired Gifts. The price of each gift includes the full cost of the item itself, along with personalized acknowledgments to the gift receiver and all associated transaction fees. The total transaction cost for each gift will not exceed 5% meaning that for every 100 T ory MPs have finished casting their votes in the confidence ballot in Theresa May after she told them she will not lead the party into the next general election. Voting finished at 8pm with the result expected within the next hour. MPs had lined up to enter Committee Room 14 in Parliament to cast their votes in the secret ballot from 6pm. First in the queue was Digital Minister Margot James who said: Im first in the queue giving my support 100 per cent (to the Prime Minister). Theresa May arrives back at 10 Downing Street / AFP/Getty Images The MPs were let into the room shortly after 6pm for the vote which is due to last up until 8pm. At least one whip was watching as the MPs prepared to go in. Prime Minister Theresa May addresses Conservative Party MPs in Committee room 14 in the Houses of Parliament / REUTERS Earlier, Mrs May had addressed the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs where she made clear she would not be the Tory contender in the next General Election planned for 2022. Andrea Leadsom arrives at parliament for the Leadership Confidence Vote / Getty Images Afterwards, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd told reporters: Shes made the commitment that I think is what people wanted, but she was very clear that she wont be taking the general election in 2022. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said Mrs May had delivered a strong Prime Ministerial performance. Theresa May faces uncertainty / REUTERS Mrs May also told MPs at the meeting on Wednesday night that she would not call an early election or cancel the Brexit vote on her deal. Mrs May sought to reassure her colleagues over the divisive Brexit Irish border issue saying there was a legally binding solution coming. Solicitor General Robert Buckland told reporters: "She said 'In my heart I would like to lead the party into the next election' and then that was the introductory phrase to her indication that she would accept the fact that that would not happen, that is not her intention." As MPs left the 1922 meeting, many remained tight-lipped, with dozens expected to vote to oust Mrs May shortly afterwards. Environment Secretary Michael Gove predicted she would win the vote handsomely. Conservative MP Boris Johnson leaves parliament / Getty Images But Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said he was not persuaded to vote for the Prime Minister in the ballot. He said: "It was the same old stuff. Nothing has changed." Former Brexit secretary David Davis declined to comment on how he had voted as he left the committee room, but quipped that officials had asked for his ID card, adding: "Don't they know I don't do ID cards?" The MP for Haltemprice and Howden resigned as an MP and sparked a by-election when he was shadow home secretary in 2008 over the potential introduction of ID cards across the UK, in protest at what he said would be an erosion of civil liberties. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was the last the to cast his ballot and said: "I think I'll vote for the Prime Minister." If there is a sizeable revolt Mrs May could still struggle to carry on beyond the short-term. TODO: define component type apester MPs believe that if some 100 rebel, around a third of the party, then she would be badly wounded, with her authority diminished. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, was expected to announce the result around 9pm. The leadership contest that the Prime Minister had battled for months to avoid finally engulfed her today when Sir Graham Brady revealed that he had received the 48 letters needed to trigger a ballot of her MPs. Mrs May had earlier warned her divided party of chaos and a postponement of Brexit Day on March 29 next year if she was thrown out of No 10. T heresa May today insisted she would get on with the job of delivering Brexit despite 117 Tory MPs voting against her in a confidence vote. The Prime Minister said she would travel to Brussels tomorrow to an EU summit to seek legal and political assurances to address the fury among Eurosceptic MPs, and the Democratic Unionist Party, at the backstop in her Brexit blueprint. She accepted that a significant number of Tory MPs had voted against her in the confidence vote. She won it, with the backing of 200 MPs, but the verdict left a question mark over how she will be able to push ahead with her Brexit plans. With 317 MPs taking part in the vote, more than a third of the parliamentary party declared that they believe she should go. Mrs May won the confidence vote by a majority of 83 with 200 Tory MPs voting for her and 117 voting against. She has won immunity from any further leadership challenge for another year. Loading.... The verdict came despite Mrs May telling the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs hours earlier that she would not be the Tory contender in the next General Election planned for 2022. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street shortly after the result was announced, the Prime Minister said: This has been a long and challenging day but at the end of it I am pleased to have received the backing of my colleagues in tonights ballot. Theresa May in Downing Street on Wednesday night / Jeremy Selwyn Whilst Im grateful for that support, a significant number of colleagues did cast a vote against me and I have listened to what they said. She added: Following this ballot we now need to get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people and building a better future for this country.... That must start here in Westminster with politicians on all sides coming together and acting in the national interest.... The Prime Minister now faces a renewed battle to get her Brexit deal through Parliament / Jeremy Selwyn So here is our renewed mission. Delivering the Brexit that people voted for. Bringing the country back together and building a country that truly works for everyone. Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived / PA Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt tweeted: Huge congrats to @theresa_may whose stamina, resilience and decency has again won the day and given her the chance to deliver Brexit for our country. However, leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC the result was terrible for Mrs May. He said: She ought to go and see the Queen urgently and resign. After a frenzied day of turmoil at Westminster, the result was announced at 9pm by Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs. The room was packed with loyalist MPs who cheered when he announced that Mrs May had retained the confidence of the party. Theresa May's result of confidence vote... But the size of the revolt left a question mark over how she will be able to press on with her Brexit blueprint without major changes, particularly to the backstop. Conservative MP and Brexiteer, Mark Francois, said: To have 117 of your colleagues, well over a third of your entire party say they have no confidence in you is frankly pretty devastating. However, former Cabinet minister Damian Green said it was time for everyone to unite behind the Prime Minister so she can get the best deal on Brexit. Theresa May survived a confidence vote in her leadership / AP He said: You have an election. You have a vote and somebody wins it and somebody wins it decisively. I think that puts that argument to bed. Speaking to the 1922 committee, Mrs May raised hopes that she will gain a legally-binding solution to allow Britain to escape from the backstop which was agreed to avoid the return of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. The Democratic Unionist Party, and dozens of Eurosceptics, strongly oppose the backstop as the UK would be unable to pull out unilaterally from a customs union and there would be more checks between Britain and Northern Ireland. The confidence vote was triggered after more than 15 per cent of the parliamentary party, at least 48 MPs, wrote to Sir Graham, demanding it took place. Voting took place between 6pm and 8pm in Committee Room 14, overlooking the Thames, in Parliament. Confusion, though, remained over whether Mrs Mays earlier pledge was to stand down shortly after Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29 next year or seek to stay on to negotiate the future trade relationship with the European bloc. After the result, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: The Prime Minister has lost her majority in Parliament, her government is in chaos and she is unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first. He said that "she must now bring her dismal deal back" to the Commons next week so that Parliament can "take back control". Theresa May returns to Downing Street after the confidence vote in her leadership / Getty Images Earlier today Mrs May warned her divided party of chaos and a postponement of Brexit Day on March 29 next year if she was thrown out of No 10. Mrs May told her MPs that the only people whose interests would be served if she lost the confidence vote were John McDonnell and Mr Corbyn. Before the vote, more than half MPs publicly said they would be backing her and many key Cabinet ministers vocalised their support. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said he believed Mrs May would win "handsomely" as he confirmed he would be voting for her. I regret that a leadership contest has been triggered, but I respect my colleagues," he said. Michael Gove speaks to the media outside the Houses of Parliament / EPA "The one thing I would ask every Conservative MP to do is to ponder before they cast their vote this evening: If we don't support the Prime Minister, then we risk derailing or diluting Brexit." Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said she thought some Tory MPs were being "too gleeful" about the days events, the BBC reported. "We have a serious job to do, the sooner we get back to delivering that the better," she said. Chancellor Philip Hammond pledged his full support while Foreign Secretary Mr Hunt said Mrs May was "the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29". Home Secretary Sajid Javid said a leadership contest would be seen as "self-indulgent and wrong". In a message to constituents, Remain-backing Conservative MP Anna Soubry said she was "ashamed (and) embarrassed" by events at Westminster. She said: "Today I am ashamed to call myself a Conservative given the irresponsible actions of a small group of Conservative MPs who have called a vote of no confidence. "The last thing our country needs or wants is a change in Prime Minister... removing her from office at this most critical of times, is most certainly not in the national interest. Backbench Tory MP Heidi Allen called the attempt to oust Theresa May "disgraceful". TODO: define component type apester "It's disgraceful. It's completely inward-looking. It displays that this is all about their egos and their desire for power," she said. Earlier, key May critic Mr Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers, and his deputy Steve Baker said in a joint statement: "Theresa May's plan would bring down the government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it. "Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go." Pro-Brexit supporter, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, walks through members of the media earlier this week / AFP/Getty Images In a dramatic early morning statement outside 10 Downing Street, Mrs May brushed off the calls for her resignation as she vowed to fight on "with everything I've got". She said securing a Brexit deal which will deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum was "now within our grasp" and added she was "making progress" in securing reassurances from EU leaders on concerns about the proposed Irish border backstop. But she warned: "A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now would put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it." The chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, had told Mrs May in a phone call late on Tuesday evening that he had received the 48 letters of no confidence from Tory MPs required to trigger a ballot. It came after the PM on Monday pulled the "meaningful vote" for MPs on her Brexit deal, blaming division over the Irish backstop, to avoid a humiliating defeat. On Tuesday she embarked on an emergency tour of Europe to try to win reassurances on the backstop, meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and later European Council President Donald Tusk. T heresa May has clung on as Prime Minister but risks being a "lame duck" leader after revealing to her MPs that she does not attend to lead them into the next election. The Prime Minister saw off an attempt by rebel backbenchers to oust her as Tory leader and PM as she faced a confidence vote in her leadership. The leadership contest the Prime Minister battled for months to avoid finally caught up with her today, after Sir Graham Brady revealed he had received the 48 letters to trigger a ballot. Although Mrs May has now won immunity from any further leadership challenge for another year, she risks turning into a lame duck PM, her critics said. Mrs May admitted to MPs before voting that she would not put herself forward in the next election if she won and that she only wanted to stay on to steer Brexit. It has long been a political convention that prime ministers do not announce retirement plans in advance, for fear that the remainder of their term in office will be dominated by speculation over their successor. Although clinching a win, attention can now be expected to focus on whether senior Tories are preparing for a bid for leadership. Confidence vote: Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at 10 Downing Street / AFP/Getty Images After Mrs May told the Tories she would not lead them into an election in 2022, Labour MPs immediately seized on her announcement to suggest she could no longer stay at 10 Downing Street. Former minister David Hanson said: Even if she wins, this duck is lame. And Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins said Mrs May was "safe for another year" only. Tony Blair broke the taboo in 2006 when he announced he would quit within a year, after coming under intense pressure from his chancellor and rival Gordon Brown to hand over the reins of power. Mr Blair, in 2006 / PA Archive/PA Images In fact, the Labour PM lasted only another nine months, having faced continued pressure from media and politicians to name a precise date for his departure. David Cameron declared just weeks before the 2015 general election that he would not seek a third term if re-elected as Conservative prime minister. The shock announcement sparked immediate speculation about exactly when he would quit and whether he would give a successor time to establish him or herself before the next poll, which was then expected to come in 2020. In the event he did not have a chance to quit at a time of his choosing, instead resigning on the morning after losing the 2016 EU referendum. TODO: define component type apester T heresa May today faces a fight for her leadership after 48 members of the Conservative party submitted letters of no confidence in her to the so-called 1922 Committee. The Prime Minister remained defiant that she would stay on to "finish the job" after chairman of the Tory backbench committee, Sir Graham Brady, said the required 15 per cent of MPs needed to trigger a no confidence vote had been met. The vote will take place between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday, with the result announced soon afterwards. If Mrs May wins, whilst her authority may be shattered, she will be exempt from contest for another year. If she loses, there will be another election to decide her replacement and she will not be allowed to run. Here are the MPs who have publicly said they have written letters of no confidence in the PM: Jacob Rees-Mogg Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg / PA The Tory Brexiteer handed his letter of no confidence to Sir Graham in November. Writing in the letter, he said: Regrettably, the draft Withdrawal Agreement presented to Parliament today has turned out to be worse than anticipated and fails to meet the promises given to the nation by the Prime Minister, either on her own account or on behalf of us all in the Conservative Party Manifesto. Zac Goldsmith Mr Goldsmith became the 24th MP to submit a vote of no confidence letter in November. The former London mayoral candidate wrote in the Sunday Telegraph: "The Prime Minister has been clear that she will not change course, and so with huge reluctance, I have submitted a letter...urging a vote that will, I hope, give us the chance of a fresh start." Mark Francois Mark Francois submitted a three page letter of no confidence to the backbench 1922 Committee / PA In a frenzied attack on the Prime Minister, the MP for Rayleigh and Wickford sent his letter titled 'She Just Doesn't Listen' to Sir Graham in November. He wrote: "For the sake of the Conservative Party and indeed for our country's destiny, I honestly believe that (it) is now time to seek fresh leadership that can carry this country forward outside of the European Union and confidently into the world." Nadine Dorries Nadine Dorries has called for Theresa May to resign (Parliament) / Parliament/CC BY 3.0 Speaking in November, Ms Dorries said she didn't "want to oust the Prime Minister," despite being one of the dozens of MPs who had submitted letters of no confidence. The MP for Mid Bedfordshire said: "I think what many of us are hoping is that with the number being just short of the 48, we are using that as leverage to try and persuade the Prime Minister to go back and to have further negotiations." She has since said she has no confidence in Theresa May because she thinks EU leaders have picked up on her "weak" negotiation skills. Andrea Jenkyns Andrea Jenkyns submitted her letter in July (Chris McAndrew / UK Parliament) / Chris McAndrew / UK Parliament (Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)) The MP for Morley and Outwood submitted her letter in June. She later tweeted: She can fight it. But I am confident she will not win it. Time to save Brexit and our party with a new leader." Andrew Bridgen The MP for North West Leicestershire made clear his plans to topple Theresa Mays leadership in July. He described the Prime Ministers agreement as the worst deal since Olaf of the Terrible ordered 1,000 Viking helmets with horns on the inside. Theresa May vows to fight leadership vote "with everything I've got" Steve Baker Former Brexit minister Steve Baker / AFP/Getty Images After sending his own letter of no confidence, the former Brexit minister urged colleagues to be "brave" and send letters to the 1922 Committee to trigger a leadership challenge. He said: 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. Other MPs who have submitted no confidence letters include: "Sir Graham Brady has confirmed that he has received 48 letters from Conservative MPs so there will now be a vote of confidence in my leadership of the Conservative Party. "I will contest that vote with everything I've got. "I have been a member of the Conservative Party for over 40 years. I've served it as an activist, councillor, MP, shadow minister, home secretary and now as Prime Minister. "I stood to be leader because I believe in the Conservative vision for a better future; a thriving economy with nowhere and nobody left behind; a stronger society where everyone can make the most of their talents - always serving the national interest. "And at this crucial moment in our history, that means securing a Brexit deal that delivers on the result of the EU referendum, taking back control of our borders, laws and money, but protecting jobs, our security and our precious union as we do so. "Through good times and bad over the last two years, my passionate belief that such a deal is attainable, that a bright future lies ahead for our country, has not wavered and it is now within our grasp. "I spent yesterday meeting (German) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel, (Dutch) Prime Minister (Mark) Rutte, (European) President (Donald) Tusk and (European Commission) President (Jean-Claude) Juncker to address the concerns that MPs have with the backstop, and we are making progress. "I was due to travel to Dublin this afternoon to continue that work, but will now remain here in London to make the case for my leadership with my parliamentary colleagues. "A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now will put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. "A new leader wouldn't be in place by the 21st of January legal deadline, so a leadership election risks handing control of the Brexit negotiations to Opposition MPs in Parliament. "The new leader wouldn't have time to renegotiate a Withdrawal Agreement and get the legislation through Parliament by the 29th of March, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit, when people want us to get on with it. "And a leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the parliamentary arithmetic. "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division, just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. "The only people whose interests would be served are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. "The British people want us to get on with it and they want us to focus on the other vital issues that matter to them too - building a stronger economy, delivering first class public services and the homes that families need. These are the public's priorities, and they must be the Conservative Party's priorities too. "We must and we shall deliver on the referendum vote and seize the opportunities that lie ahead, but the Conservatives must not be a single issue party. We are a party of the whole nation - moderate, pragmatic, mainstream; committed to reuniting our country and building a country that works for everyone; the agenda I set out in my first speech outside this front door; delivering the Brexit people voted for; building a country that works for everyone. "I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became Prime Minister and I stand ready to finish the job." A Conservative MP walked off from a live TV broadcast today because he could not bear to speak to an enemy colleague from within his own party. In further signs of Tory division, hard-line Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen refused to engage with party deputy chair James Cleverly on the BBCs Victoria Derbyshire Show. It came after Wednesdays announcement that 48 letters of no confidence had been submitted to the 1922 Committee, triggering a leadership ballot in Theresa May. Anti-EU MP Mr Bridgen told the presenter how he submitted his letter of no confidence in Mrs May in July, during the row over her Chequers plan for Brexit. After Mr Bridgen had said his piece about Mrs May drowning and the party having the last chance to save Brexit, Ms Derbyshire invited Mr Cleverly, a pro-May MP, to speak. Awkward: Tory MPs James Cleverley and Andrew Bridgen refuse to talk to one another on the Victoria Derbyshire Show Ms Derbyshire said: I gather you dont necessarily want to talk to each other Mr Cleverly appeared to suggest he would speak to Mr Bridgen, leading the presenter to ask him: Are you happy too? After an agonisingly awkward silence, North West Leicestershire MP Mr Bridgen stuttered: Ill go, thats fine, thank you. He then ducked out of the broadcast, refusing to make eye contact with Braintree MP Mr Cleverly as he made his exit. Ms Derbyshires mischievous first question followed: How do you regard colleagues like Andrew Bridgen? U ber has won its court battle with Brighton and Hove Council to continue operating in the town. The taxi app won its court appeal despite facing claims it was not fit and proper. A judge at Brighton Magistrates' Court granted a five-year operating licence to the ride-hailing app on Tuesday. This follows a decision by Brighton and Hove City Council in April not to renew Uber's licence because it was not "fit and proper" due to its use of data and drivers from other areas. The council expressed concern about a data breach which led to the personal details of around 2.7 million Uber customers in the UK being accessed and downloaded by hackers. Officials also claimed trust in the company had been eroded in relation to Uber's alleged non-compliance with commitments to use only Brighton and Hove licensed drivers in the area. But District Judge Tessa Szagun ruled that Uber "have satisfied me that they are now fit and proper to be granted this licence". She noted that the council conceded their concerns over the data breach "have been addressed" and they "no longer rely on having been misled" over the issue of cross-border hiring. Uber was allowed to continue operating in Brighton while its appeal was determined. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said: "We're disappointed that Brighton Magistrates' Court caved in and let a greedy and immoral firm win. "Uber failed to meet the council's public safety standards by refusing to use only Brighton and Hove licensed drivers in the city and by losing passengers' data. "Despite claiming that it is a fit and proper operator, Uber has not changed. Neither we nor the council are fooled. "Today, the justice system has failed both passengers and taxi drivers. This controversial and wrong decision is likely to be appealed." In June, a judge granted Uber a short-term operating licence in London after its permit was initially not renewed over safety concerns. The firm was fined 385,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office last month for failing to protect customers' personal information during the cyber attack in October and November 2016. A Thai tourist has been named among three people killed when a gunman opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg. The Thai embassy in Paris named the man as 45-year-old Anupong Suebsamarn. He had just arrived in the city and had been due to travel to Paris on Thursday, according to Sky News. Eleven people were injured in the incident which French authorities are calling a terror attack. Police work near the scene after the shooting in Strasbourg, France / REUTERS The Thai ambassador is expected to travel to Strasbourg today. Peter Fritz told the BBC that Mr Suebsamarn suffered a head wound and could not be revived. He said: We tried our best to resuscitate him. We applied CPR. We dragged him into a restaurant close by. Mr Fritz said it took more than 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. Strasbourg shooting: In Pictures 1 /15 Strasbourg shooting: In Pictures Police stand in the Neudorf area of Strasbourg, eastern France, after the shooting AFP/Getty Images Police officers stand guard near the Christmas market EPA French police officers stand guard near the scene AFP/Getty Images Emergency workers at the scene AFP/Getty Images Police officiers stand in the streets of Neudorf AFP/Getty Images A police officer stands guard near a location where the attacker could be located EPA A solider stands guard REUTERS Police officers stand guard near the Christmas market EPA Police stand in the Neudorf area of Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Police secure a street and the surrounding area REUTERS Security officials cordoned off the area Aidan O'Sullivan Police secure a street REUTERS The incident is said to have happened near a Christmas market REUTERS Police officer secures a street and the surrounding area REUTERS The French Interior Ministry confirmed a "serious public security incident" REUTERS The horrifying scenes unfolded near the French citys market, which draws millions of people every year, on Tuesday evening. The gunman remains at large and is being hunted by police after being injured in an exchange of gunfire with a soldier before reportedly escaping in a hijacked taxi. Strasbourg Christmas market is one of the oldest in Europe / EPA Police have named the suspect as Strasbourg-born Cherif Chekatt, 29. Officials said the suspected gunman has a criminal record and, according to the prefect of the region, had been flagged as a suspected extremist. France has raised its terror alert level in the aftermath of the attack. A police officer stands guard close to the scene of the incident in Strasbourg / EPA 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. It was being held amid tight security this year, with unauthorised vehicles banned from surrounding streets during opening hours and checkpoints set up to search bags. D onald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen has been sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including hush money payments given to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign. Judge William Pauley said Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging payments to silence two women who posed a risk to Mr Trump's presidential campaign. The judge rejected arguments by Cohen's lawyers that he should be spared jail because he cooperated in investigations involving the US president, saying this "does not wipe the slate clean" of his crimes. Cohen earlier walked into court in Manhatten with his wife, son and daughter amid a crowd of photographers and reporters. Michael Cohen leaves court in Manhatten after being sentenced to three years in prison / EPA He said his "blind loyalty" to Mr Trump made him feel a duty to "cover up" the president's "dirty deeds". "It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light," Cohen told the judge during the sentencing hearing on Wednesday. He once said he would "take a bullet" for Mr Trump. Michael Cohen arrive at federal court for sentencing with his children, Samantha and Jake, and wife Laura Shusterman / AP The US president had called for a tough sentence for Cohen, who he labelled a liar. Cohen's crimes included evading 1.4million dollars in taxes and misleading Congress about his talks with Russians about a Trump Tower project in Moscow. Prosecutors said Cohen, just before the November 2016 election, paid adult film Ms Daniels $130,000 and helped arrange a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal so the women would keep quiet about their past relationships with Mr Trump. Donald Trump called for a tough sentence for Cohen / REUTERS The president denies having the affairs. Mr Pauley sentenced Cohen to 36 months in prison for the payments, which violated campaign finance law, and to two months for the false statements to Congress. The terms will run simultaneously. The charge of lying to Congress was brought by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 election and possible coordination between Mr Trump's campaign and Moscow. Michael Cohen leaves court after he was jailed for three years / Getty Images After the case, Cohen adviser Lanny Davis said the 52-year-old will "state publicly all he knows" about the president after Mr Mueller completes his investigation. Cohen, who pleaded guilty to the charges last month, has been ordered to hand himself in on March 6 to start his sentence. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya had informed President Maithripala Sirisena that Parliament had duly approved the vote of confidence on UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe today, a statement from the Speakers office said. The Speaker informed President Sirisena that the confidence vote was duly debated in the House and was approved by an electronic vote by 117 members, as per 47(2) B of the Standing Orders, the statement said. The motion was in the order books for five days as per Standing Order 27(3), the statement added.( Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana) F rance was placed on maximum alert today as a massive hunt intensified for a suspected extremist who opened fire at Strasbourgs famous Christmas market, killing at least two people and injuring several others. Some 600 dedicated police and gendarmes backed by two helicopters were leading the search for Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was named by authorities as the suspect behind last nights massacre. As many as 10,000 soldiers were ready to join the hunt as the French government issued an emergency attack alert, expanding police powers and creating the highest degree of vigilance. As police were quizzing five people held overnight in searches around the city, it emerged that Chekatt was a career criminal who had been deported home to France last year after serving a prison sentence in Germany for robbery. Armed police in the city today / REUTERS After serving his sentence he was deported to France, where he was technically under surveillance, said an investigating source. He had served previous prison sentences in France too, including two years in 2011 for stabbing a teenager. There had also been drug convictions. He was well known in Islamist circles in Strasbourg and for being further radicalised in prison. Three people were shot dead at the Christmas market / EPA Chekatt was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for breaking into a dental practice and a pharmacy in the German town of Singen. According to court papers, he grew up with six siblings in Strasbourg, worked for local authorities after leaving school and had been unemployed since 2011. Police have launched a manhunt for the attacker / AP A terrorist investigation was launched after the gunman opened fire with an automatic pistol in the heart of the northeastern city shortly after 8pm. Chekatt, who was born and brought up in Strasbourg, was on a File S security watch list. He managed to evade two attempts to arrest him on Tuesday and despite being wounded fled in a taxi. The carnage unfolded in Place Kleber, in the centre of Strasbourg, as the nearby European Parliament was in full session and packed with MEPs and civil servants. Strasbourg search - In pictures 1 /25 Strasbourg search - In pictures French soldiers stand guard at the Christmas market in front of the Cathedral AFP/Getty Images A French gendarme secures a street at the scene of a police operation the day after a shooting in Strasbourg Reuters German police control vehicles at the border between France and Germany AFP/Getty Images Members of the German police searches all the vehicles driving towards the border between France and Germany AFP/Getty Images Police officers patrol in the railway station of the city of Strasbourg following a shooting, eastern France AP Members of the French police special forces RAID conduct searches on a bank of the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Members of the French police special forces RAID conduct searches on a bank of the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Police officers check cars at the boarder crossing at the highway A35 between Woerth (Germany) and Strassbourg the day after a man shot 14 people, killing at least three, on December 12, 2018 near Lauterbourg, France Getty Images Members of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) are about to search a tram travelling between Strasbourg and Kehl on a bridge crossing the border with Germany over the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images A member of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) looks through binoculars from the Pont de l'Europe (Europe bridge), crossing the border with Germany over the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Media gather near the Christmas Market where a deadly shooting took place, in Strasbourg EPA A member of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) stands guard at the border with Germany in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images member of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) stands guard at the border with Germany in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images French soldier of France's anti-terror 'Vigipirate' plan, dubbed 'Operation Sentinelle' patrols next to Notre-Dame cathedral of Strasbourg, seen in background, following a shooting in the city of Strasbourg, eastern France AP Police officers controlle cars at the boarder crossing at the highway A35 between Woerth (Germany) and Strassbourg the day after a man shot 14 people, killing at least three, on December 12, 2018 near Lauterbourg, France Getty Images French soldiers stand guard at the Christmas market in front of the Cathedral AFP/Getty Images Members of French special police forces of Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) leave following a police operation the day after a shooting in Strasbourg, France REUTERS Members of the French National Police BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade) during their search for a suspect following a deadly shooting that took place at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France EPA Police control the border between Germany and France in Kehl, southern Germany, after suspected extremist who sprayed gunfire at one of Europe's most famous Christmas markets in the eastern city of Strasbourg, killing three and wounding at least 13. AP Members of French special police forces of Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) leave following a police operation the day after a shooting in Strasbourg, France REUTERS Members of the French National Police BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade) during their search for a suspect following a deadly shooting that took place at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France EPA Members of the French special forces BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) conduct searches on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France, the night before. AFP/Getty Images French policeman of the CRS (Republican Security Companies - Compagnies Republicaines de Securite) stands guard, while searches are conducted on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France, the night before. AFP/Getty Images A French gendarme patrols in front of the Strasbourg cathedral while searches are conducted on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France AFP/Getty Images French gendarmes patrol in front of the Strasbourg cathedral while searches are conducted on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France AFP/Getty Images Authorities initially said three people were killed but the figure was today revised to two. One person was left brain-dead while 12 were injuried, six seriously. Witnesses described scenes of panic and carnage in the aftermath of the attack on the picturesque market. Local resident Yoann Bazard, 27, said: I heard two or three shots at around 7.55pm, 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. I thought maybe it was firecrackers. And then, as it got close, it was really shocking. There were a lot of screams. None of the victims have yet been named, although one has been described as a Thai national, and another a 45-year-old father who had just left a restaurant with his family. Police had initially gone to Chekatts flat yesterday morning in an attempt to arrest him in connection with another robbery. He was not there. Officers found grenades at the property. As police closed in on possible accomplices, there were growing fears that he may have escaped abroad. H uaweis chief financial officer arrested in Canada at the request of US authorities has been granted 6 million (C$10 million) bail. Meng Wanzhou, daughter of the telecommunications giant's founder, was arrested on December 1 and could face fraud charges. After three days of hearings, she was granted bail but required to wear an ankle bracelet and surrender her passport. At Tuesdays hearing she was also ordered to remain in Vancouver and remain in one of her two homes in the city between 11pm and 6am. It comes as Donald Trump said he would consider intervening in the case against the top Chinese executive if it would be in the interest of national security and help forge a trade deal with China. The US President said if he thinks it would be good for what will "certainly be the largest trade deal ever made" he would intervene if necessary. Washington accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. It says Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. Meng has denied the allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited to face charges in the US. Canada had been bracing for retaliation for her 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. 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." On Tuesday, US 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. A seven-year-old girl has reported her father to the police in India for refusing to build her a toilet. Hanifa Zaara said her father broke his promise to build her one, after she said she felt ashamed to relieve herself outside. The schoolgirl, who lives with her parents in Ambur, a town in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, has never had a toilet in her house, the BBC reports. She said only a few people in her neighbourhood had a toilet and while she was in nursery she asked her father to build her one. Hanifa said: I was ashamed to go outside and I felt bad when people looked at me. The youngster wrote a letter to the police reporting her father, claiming he promised to build her one if she did well at school. She wrote to officers saying she was at the top of her class since nursery and her father said he is only saying he will do it adding that this was a a form of cheating. Her father told the BBC he had asked his daughter for more time to do it, as he did not have enough money to complete it. The police said the girls complaint was very honest and have since tried to resolve the problem. There is now a plan to raise money to build more than 500 toilets in Hanifas neighbourhood, after district officials were alerted. S pacewalking astronauts have found a tiny hole outside of the capsule docked to the International Space Station, saying they don't think it was drilled. On Tuesday, two Russian astronauts ripped through thick insulation the capsule, looking for clues to a mysterious drilled hole that leaked precious cabin air four months ago. 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 we've been looking for, guys," radioed Russian Mission Control outside Moscow. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, right, and Sergei Prokopyev / AP The spacewalkers reported seeing no drill marks around the black dot, like on the inside. In August this year, 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 Mr Prokopyev and two others. This part of the capsule will be jettisoned as usual before atmospheric re-entry and so poses no risk to 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. Then the insulation proved harder to remove than expected, taking another one to two hours. 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 as they slashed at it with knives and long cutters. Mr Kononenko cuts into the insulation on the Soyuz spacecraft to investigate mysterious leak / AP 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. Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin observed that the hole could have been drilled during manufacturing - or in orbit. The space station's commander at the time flatly denied any wrongdoing by himself or his crew. Mr Rogozin has since backpedalled his statement. Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Prokopyev / REUTERS 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, with Mr Prokopyev, American Serena Aunon-Chancellor and German Alexander Gerst, the station's current skipper. Remaining aboard the 250-mile-high outpost for the next six months will be an American, Russian and Canadian who arrived last week. P olice have shared a picture of the suspected Strasbourg gunman who allegedly killed two people in Tuesday's Christmas market attack. Authorities in France say the shooter is still at large and have identified their prime suspect as Cherif Chekatt, 29. Chekatt is on an intelligence services watch list as a potential security risk and authorities say he was flagged for Islamic extremism in prison in 2015. Witnesses have stated the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greater) as he launched his attack on the market, according to the Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz. There was a huge armed response to the incident / REUTERS "Considering the target, his way of operating, his profile and the testimonies of those who heard him yell 'Allahu Akbar', the anti-terrorist police has been called into action," he told a news conference. Chekatt, who lived in an apartment on the edge of Strasbourgh, is said to have had 27 convictions on his record and spent a total of four years in prison. Following Tuesday's bloodbath, an investigation has been opened into alleged murder with terrorist intent and suspected ties to terrorist networks with intent to commit crimes, Mr Heitz said. Two people were killed in the attack, one was left brain-dead and 12 were wounded - six seriously. Strasbourg shooting: In Pictures 1 /15 Strasbourg shooting: In Pictures Police stand in the Neudorf area of Strasbourg, eastern France, after the shooting AFP/Getty Images Police officers stand guard near the Christmas market EPA French police officers stand guard near the scene AFP/Getty Images Emergency workers at the scene AFP/Getty Images Police officiers stand in the streets of Neudorf AFP/Getty Images A police officer stands guard near a location where the attacker could be located EPA A solider stands guard REUTERS Police officers stand guard near the Christmas market EPA Police stand in the Neudorf area of Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Police secure a street and the surrounding area REUTERS Security officials cordoned off the area Aidan O'Sullivan Police secure a street REUTERS The incident is said to have happened near a Christmas market REUTERS Police officer secures a street and the surrounding area REUTERS The French Interior Ministry confirmed a "serious public security incident" REUTERS The gunman remained at large and was being hunted by police after being injured in an exchange of gunfire with a soldier before reportedly escaping in a hijacked taxi. French and German agents checked vehicles and public transport crossing the Rhine river, along which the Franco-German frontier runs. Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said he could not rule out that the fugitive had already crossed the border. Armed police are involved in the search / AFP/Getty Images "We don't know where the attacker is and we want to prevent him from entering Germany," a spokeswoman for the German border police Bundespolizei said. The horrifying scenes unfolded near the French city's market on Tuesday evening and the scene remained on shut down into the night. The nearby European Parliament, which is about two miles from the city centre, was placed on lockdown as the incident unfolded. Footage online showed people running and screaming through the streets. Strasbourg search - In pictures 1 /25 Strasbourg search - In pictures French soldiers stand guard at the Christmas market in front of the Cathedral AFP/Getty Images A French gendarme secures a street at the scene of a police operation the day after a shooting in Strasbourg Reuters German police control vehicles at the border between France and Germany AFP/Getty Images Members of the German police searches all the vehicles driving towards the border between France and Germany AFP/Getty Images Police officers patrol in the railway station of the city of Strasbourg following a shooting, eastern France AP Members of the French police special forces RAID conduct searches on a bank of the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Members of the French police special forces RAID conduct searches on a bank of the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Police officers check cars at the boarder crossing at the highway A35 between Woerth (Germany) and Strassbourg the day after a man shot 14 people, killing at least three, on December 12, 2018 near Lauterbourg, France Getty Images Members of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) are about to search a tram travelling between Strasbourg and Kehl on a bridge crossing the border with Germany over the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images A member of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) looks through binoculars from the Pont de l'Europe (Europe bridge), crossing the border with Germany over the river Rhine in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images Media gather near the Christmas Market where a deadly shooting took place, in Strasbourg EPA A member of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) stands guard at the border with Germany in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images member of the French police unit BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) stands guard at the border with Germany in Strasbourg AFP/Getty Images French soldier of France's anti-terror 'Vigipirate' plan, dubbed 'Operation Sentinelle' patrols next to Notre-Dame cathedral of Strasbourg, seen in background, following a shooting in the city of Strasbourg, eastern France AP Police officers controlle cars at the boarder crossing at the highway A35 between Woerth (Germany) and Strassbourg the day after a man shot 14 people, killing at least three, on December 12, 2018 near Lauterbourg, France Getty Images French soldiers stand guard at the Christmas market in front of the Cathedral AFP/Getty Images Members of French special police forces of Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) leave following a police operation the day after a shooting in Strasbourg, France REUTERS Members of the French National Police BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade) during their search for a suspect following a deadly shooting that took place at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France EPA Police control the border between Germany and France in Kehl, southern Germany, after suspected extremist who sprayed gunfire at one of Europe's most famous Christmas markets in the eastern city of Strasbourg, killing three and wounding at least 13. AP Members of French special police forces of Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) leave following a police operation the day after a shooting in Strasbourg, France REUTERS Members of the French National Police BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade) during their search for a suspect following a deadly shooting that took place at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France EPA Members of the French special forces BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade - Brigades de recherche et d'intervention) conduct searches on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France, the night before. AFP/Getty Images French policeman of the CRS (Republican Security Companies - Compagnies Republicaines de Securite) stands guard, while searches are conducted on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France, the night before. AFP/Getty Images A French gendarme patrols in front of the Strasbourg cathedral while searches are conducted on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France AFP/Getty Images French gendarmes patrol in front of the Strasbourg cathedral while searches are conducted on December 12, 2018 for the gunman who opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, eastern France AFP/Getty Images France immediately raised its terror alert level in the aftermath of the attack, with the country still on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015. The countrys interior minister Christophe Castaner also said border security would be strengthened. Mr Castaner said the decision to increase the security level to emergency attack is to avoid the risk of a potential copycat shooting. A Thai tourist was among the dead and the Thai embassy in Paris named him as 45-year-old Anupong Suebsamarn, Sky News reported. A tonne of chocolate has leaked from a factory and smothered a nearby street in a major spill in Germany. Firefighters were working to pry the coating off with shovels after the sweet treat quickly solidified. Crews used hot water and torches as they removed the chocolate following the spill in Westoennen on Tuesday. The DreiMeister chocolate factory boss said if the spill had happened closer to Christmas, that would have been a catastrophe. Chocolate is cleared from a road by firefighters after a tonne of the sweet treat leaked from a factory / REUTERS Company chief Markus Luckey said the factory would be back in action later on Wednesday. A ndy Serkis has created a Gollum-Theresa May cross to ridicule the Prime Minister's Brexit plans. Serkis, 54, mocked Mrs May as he revived his character from the Lord Of the Rings films for a spoof sketch titled LEAKED: Footage From Inside No 10 Downing Street! which saw him breathing deeply as he hissed Gollums infamous precious line. The Hollywood star can be seen in a Conservative-blue jacket, grey wig, pearls with painted red nails as he looks over a copy of the Withdrawal Agreement MPs will vote on this week. Precious ... our agreement, this is it. Our deal, he hisses. My precious: Andy Serkis as a Theresa May-Gollum hybrid / Getty Images We takes back control! Money, borders, laws ... blue passportses! Making reference to Gollums split personality he debates the pros and cons of Mrs May's proposed deal. It hurts the people, makes them poorer, pleads one side. The other shouts: But I finds it and negotiates it. We wants it! We has to do it! This is the only deal. Juicy and sweet. We will have it. Spoof: Gollum was a deformed character from The Lord of the Rings franchise (Reuters) / REUTERS The parody finishes with Serkis breathing heavily over the documents, saying: This is the deal. It's my own. My Brexit. The video, which ends by calling for a so-called People's Vote on Brexit, has been shared by stars including Gary Lineker and Stephen Fry. No confidence: Prime Minister Theresa May making a speech outside of 10 Downing Street / Jeremy Selwyn Parliament was scheduled to vote on Mrs May's Brexit deal on Tuesday, but she called it off. A confidence vote against her was triggered after at least 48 MPs sent letters of no confidence over the deal. On Wednesday morning she vowed to fight on as PM and said she would contest her leadership "with everything I've got". The vote is scheduled to take place this evening. Serkis won a handful of awards for his portrayal of Gollum, originally known as Smeagol, in the Lord of the Rings franchise. I m A Celebrity fans have been given the chance to get their final jungle fix until next year. Eleven celebs spent 23 days in the Australian jungle, chowing down on bull penis, sheep brains and fermented egg. Jam roly-poly fiend Harry Redknapp was crowned King after beating off runner-up Emily Atack and third-placed John Barrowman. And now its time to have a quick catch-up with post-jungle life. So with the camp fire out and the outback shack shut, heres everything you need to know about the Coming Out show: Harry Redknapp wins Im a Celebrity What is the Coming Out show? Hosted by Declan Donnelly and Holly Willoughby, the one-hour special goes behind-the-scenes to give fans all the insider gossip on life after the jungle. The cameras continue to roll as each famous face is booted out and shipped back into reality with a luxury stay at the Palazzo Versace where they can catch up on what everyone has been saying about them. What can we expect? Kiss me, quick: New BFFs John Barrowman and Emily Atack / Rex Features Lots of flatulence talk from Rita Simons and Anne Hegerty, who farted in Nick Knowles face during their stint in camp. Knowles also gets to enjoy the publics appreciation for his iTunes number one hit, Make You Feel My Love, and Joel Dommett cant stop fawning over Noel Edmonds body. Sair Khans boyfriend pulls her up on her snog, marry, avoid comment which saw her choose Edmonds to snog. Atack breaks down in tears as she is met by a wall of fans on arriving at the Palazzo before screaming at the sight of a cheeseboard in her room while Barrowman buries his face in a cake. Viewers will also get a sneak peek at the jungle 11 as they reunite to toast their time Down Under at the wrap party. Donnelly also thanks Willoughby for stepping in to replace Ant McPartlin, gifting her the classic Jungle t-shirt, worn by the celebrities, with her name on the back. I'm a Celebrity .. Get Me Out of Here! 2018 - In pictures 1 /19 I'm a Celebrity .. Get Me Out of Here! 2018 - In pictures ITV/REX Harry Redknapp and wife Sandra ITV/REX Top trio: Malique Thompson-Dwyer, Fleur East and Harry Redknapp ITV/Rex/Shutterstock Emily Atack strips off to take her first jungle shower Rex Features John Barrowman celebrates getting 10 stars for camp with Harry Redknapp and John Barrowman Rex Features Anne Hegerty takes on Monstrous Monoliths - but only manages to secure two stars ITV/Rex Emily Atack provides comfort for Anne Hegerty on day one ITV/Rex/Shutterstock Emily Atack takes a dip in the jungle creek ITV/Rex John Barrowman takes on the Scary Rose ITV Anne Hegerty tells her campmates about her Monstrous Monoliths trial ITV/Rex Yellow team sank as they attempted to beat Red Team on the epic race to camp ITV/Rex/Shutterstock Emily Atack and Nick Knowles take on the Class of 2018 Dingo Dollar Challenge ITV Nick Knowles and Anne Hegerty wake up in the hut ITV Giggles: Holly Willoughby and Declan Donnelly were in hysterics as they watched Harry Redknapp ITV Rule enforcement: Nick Knowles and Noel Edmonds ITV/REX Harry Redknapp shares an awkward anecdote about an intimate moment with wife Sandra ITV/REX Fleur East takes part in a messy Bushtucker Trial ITV/REX The girls take turns popping each other's spots ITV/REX ITV/REX When can I watch it? P iers Morgan was forced to apologise to Good Morning Britain viewers after Lord Sugar called President Trump a t*****. The business tycoon blasted the President of the United States during a live interview on the breakfast show after they played a clip of Mr Trump slating him to Morgan. Lord Sugar said: I tell you, you could write a cheque using my total funds of around about 250 million, present it to the bank and it would be paid. That t***** with the hair, he continued as Morgan interjected: Oh please! Thats the President of the United States, Alan. Stern words: Lord Sugar turned the air blue as he discussed President Trump / ITV Morgan added: Thats no way to talk about the President and Id like to apologise. Fans of Good Morning Britain were quick to talk about the fiery words from Lord Sugar, hailing the interview comedy gold. Unhappy: Piers Morgan apologise for Lord Sugar's comment / ITV One wrote: Alan Sugar calling @realDonaldTrump a t***** on #GMB this morning has given me life. Another said: @Lord_Sugar just called POTUS a t***** live on #GMB! Doesn't pull any punches! POTUS: Lord Sugar was discussing President Trump when he dropped a rude word / Getty Images A third tweeted: Absolutely crying that @Lord_Sugar just called Donald Trump a t***** . Comedy gold. Several called it the best interview they had seen in a while. The breakfast show anchor had shown Lord Sugar the clip from a recent interview he conducted with Mr Trump while they killed time waiting for Prime Minister Theresa May to make a statement outside Downing Street. Lord Sugar also reiterated his vow that he would leave the country if Jeremy Corbyn were to become Prime Minister. He said: I just want to make a statement and, as much as I hate this, if he becomes PM I am out. I am leaving. I will, nothing to do with tax. I worry about my grandchildren and my grandchildrens children under this fella. It would be like watching the mother-in-law drive the Ferrari over the cliff. Piers Morgan - In pictures 1 /41 Piers Morgan - In pictures REUTERS Good Morning Britian Piers Morgan, former editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper holds a copy of his newspaper for the young readers 'First News' in 2006 Getty Images Piers Morgan with Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell on Britain''s Got Talent in 2009 Piers Morgan interviews President Donald Trump in 2018 Prince of Wales and Piers Morgan at a Buckingham Palace reception to mark the Prince's 50th birthday in 1998 PA Archive/PA Images Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on stage during the National Television Awards at The O2 Arena in 2017 Getty Images Piers Morgan in 1986 The Queen Elizabeth meets Rebekah Wade, Ben Preston, Piers Morgan and Martin Townsend during a reception for the media at Windsor Castle in 2002 PA Piers Morgan, editor of The Mirror, at the High Court in London, where supermodel Naomi Campbell sued the newspaper for breach of confidence and/or unlawful invasion of privacy in2002 PA Piers Morgan receives the Newspaper Editor of the Year award at GQ Men of the Year Awards in 2002 PA Piers Morgan attends the Book Launch Party for his memoirs, entitled "The Insider" in 2005 Getty Images Fearne Cotton and Piers Morgan launch a search to find green teenagers across the UK to take part in NPower's Climate Cops programme in Regents Park in 2008 Getty Images Don Trump Jr., Piers Morgan, Donald Trump, and Ivanka Trump pose at the "Celebrity Apprentice" finale at Rock Center Cafe in 2008 Getty Images Kim Kardashian and Piers Morgan celebrate Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur in 2010 Getty Images Piers Morgan with Amanda Holden attending the National Television Awards 2010 PA Naomi Campbell and Piers Morgan during Fashion for Relief Haiti' fashion show at Somerset House in 2010 AFP/Getty Images TV personality Piers Morgan and actor Colin Firth attend the luncheon to honor The Weinstein Company's "The King's Speech" at a Private Club in 2011 Getty Images Jerry Springer, Jackie Collins and Piers Morgan arrive to BritWeek 2012's "Evening with Piers Morgan" in 2012 Getty Images Jackie Collins on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2012 Getty Images Goldie Hawn with Piers Morgan arrive at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in 2012 AFP/Getty Images Mike Tyson (L) and CNN host Piers Morgan arrive at the grand opening of Tyson's one-man show "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth - Live on Stage" at the Hollywood Theatre in 2012 Getty Images Paris Hilton and Piers Morgan attend the 3rd annual Sean Penn & Friends HELP HAITI HOME Gala benefiting J/P HRO presented by Giorgio Armani at Montage Beverly Hills in 2014 Getty Images Alesha Dixon on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2014 Piers Morgan (R) and Vinnie Jones attend the BAFTA LA Celebrity Golf Classic at Oakmont Country Club in 2014 Getty Images Raquel Welch on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2015 Piers Morgan and Lorraine Kelly in 2015 Rex Features Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan attend the 21st National Television Awards at The O2 Arena in 2016 Dave Benett Piers Morgan with the Dalai Lama in 2016 Nigel Farage on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2016 ITV / Shiver Kim Cattrall on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2016 ITV Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain in 2017 Rex Features Holly Willoughby and Piers Morgan in 2017 Piers Morgan with Jeremy Corbyn Piers Morgan with Jeremy Corbyn Declan Donnelly and wife Lisa in the GMTV box at for day 2 of Royal Ascot in 2018, with Piers Morgan, Judge Rinder and Jeremy Kyle Daily Mail Charlotte Hawkins, Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on GMB in 2018 Piers Morgan arrives at the TRIC Awards 2020 Dave Benett Piers Morgan (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Dale Winton funeral PA Archive goodmorningbritainitvv1 ITV goodmorningbritainitvv1 ITV C hristmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be one of the most stressful. According to research commissioned by Google, one in 10 people in the UK would rather swim naked with sharks than spend Christmas with their in-laws. Ouch. Whilst technology cant help if you really dont get on well with your partners family, there is a lot of problems it can solve, from making Christmas shopping a relaxing experience to a digital meat thermometer so you know when the turkey is officially ready to eat. Heres our pick of the tech you need to make this years festivities go as smoothly as possible. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition: for quiet moments Tablets can be a godsend for parents at Christmas, particularly when there are long journeys involved. If youre looking for a device that can handle clumsy fingers, then the latest Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is the one. It comes with a two-year, no questions asked guarantee so it can be replaced if anything awry occurs, though the kid-proof case in blue, yellow and pink should help. The device has a year of Amazon Fire for Kids unlimited, for a wide selection of books, videos, educational apps and games. The parental dashboard, which allows you to set specific downtime periods, will come in handy too. The new Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet comes with a kids-proof case in blue, yellow and pink / Amazon Google Home Hub: for help in the kitchen With more and more families introducing smart speakers into their homes, this years Google Home Hub is perfect for dealing with Christmas mayhem. Thanks to the devices screen and YouTube integration, you can find recipe videos using just your voice and follow the directions as you cook, without smothering your smartphone with sticky fingers. Set timers for dishes in the oven and if you have a Spotify or YouTube Music subscription, create the perfect cooking playlist, with or without Christmas songs. Headspace app: for mindfulness No matter how much you plan, something will always go wrong at the last minute. For moments when you need to take a break, apps like Headspace can be incredibly useful. If youve never practised mindfulness before, theres a Basics starter pack with a 10-day beginners course to guide you through the essentials. Say it with me: ohhhhm. Meater+ for cooking the turkey Chronic fear of giving the family food poisoning? Or this year is the one the turkey wont be bone dry? The Meater+ smart thermometer is here to help. The device connects wirelessly to its charger, which is fitted with a Bluetooth booster, so you can control it through the Meater+ app on any smartphone. It uses patented technology to monitor the meat whilst it's cooking and send alerts to your device, so you can step away from the oven and feel safe in the knowledge all is going well. The Meater+ smart thermometer / Apption Labs Ring Video Doorbell 2: to check on your home Going away over the festive break? If youre worried about leaving the house unattended then a smart doorbell is a necessary purchase. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 allows you to watch over your home. Theres a camera which streams 1080 HD video, and the microphone lets you chat to anyone loitering on the doorstep. As well, theres a feature to set up instant alerts when motion is detected, so you make sure youre in the know at all times. Sony WH-1000X M3 headphones: for quiet Christmas shopping Christmas present shopping is up there as one of the most stressful festive activities, from deciding which present to buy to dealing with festive noise and crowds. According to research by Sony, conducted in partnership with behaviour science expert and associate lecturer at Goldsmiths University, Patrick Fagan, busy streets and queues topped the list as the biggest Christmas stresses. However, shopping whilst wearing noise-cancelling headphones was shown to increase happiness as much as 17 per cent. Thats where Sonys WH-1000X M3 headphones come in. Playing the music you enjoy, instead of having to listen to Santa Baby the 1000th time, as well as blocking out the background noise, will make Christmas shopping a much more enjoyable activity. T he future of healthcare is digital. The health tech market in the UK is estimated to be worth around 2.9 billion this year and that figure is only set to grow. Even the UK government is embracing health tech. When former DCMS minister Matt Hancock made the transition to Secretary of State for Health, he made it clear that if we want to save the NHS, we need to harness the power of technology. At the forefront of this revolution are a handful of female-led companies making the change. From Ada Health, the doctor-approved app helping patients with diagnoses, to GTN which is using technology to speed up drug recovery, heres what you need to know about the women leading the health tech charge. Dr Claire Novorol Ada Health Dr Claire Novorol initially trained as a paediatrician in London before moving to Cambridge to work in genetics. It was during her first week in Cambridge that she had an insight into how technology could support doctors with diagnosis and decision making. In my first week, there was a baby with a rare condition who had seen some of the top professors in our department and neurologists over a year, and we still didnt know what the diagnosis was, she explains. I spent some hours looking at the database, searching for photos to try and find what it might be. I came across something, and it turned out to be correct. This planted a seed for Novorol that the most junior person in the department could have a major impact on a case, aided by technology. After this, she became interested in start-ups and technology, inspired in part by Cambridges great ecosystem. She began running a website and network called Doctorprenurs that took her to Berlin where she was introduced to Daniel Nathrath and Dr Martin Hirsch, who would eventually develop Ada Health with Novorol. Dr Claire Novorol, co-founder of Ada Health (Ada ) / Ada Now Ada is an artificial intelligence (AI) app that helps point patients in the direction of a diagnosis. Patients answer questions from a chatbot who helps them to understand their symptoms, suggesting what a condition might be and how best to proceed, whether thats to see a doctor or to seek advice from a physiotherapist. The first iteration of Ada, initially named MedX, was about supporting doctors to make better diagnostic decisions. The team spent a long time building up the core technology for the app, training it on a big medical knowledge base that was built alongside working practitioners. Increasingly though, they were asked to develop a patient version. We started to realise there was an opportunity to put this in the hands of patients, whether thats to send the information to their doctor in advance of a consultation or to help them make a decision to avoid an appointment if thats not necessary, explains Novorol. GP practices are full of posters saying if you have a runny nose, you dont need to be here, but by the time youre in a surgery its too late. Were trying to educate people for next time. So far, Ada has performed eight million assessments around the globe, and every three seconds a new Ada assessment is completed. Its removed the need for people to Google their symptoms and find information that is probably wrong and could cause panic. Instead, Ada is very clever; the teams doctors regularly train the platform so that it is delivering the right results every time. Weve had GPs get in touch to say theyve had their patients show them an Ada assessment and its been helpful. Sometimes, its made them think about things they wouldnt have otherwise thought about and theyve run different tests to rule things out, says Novorol. Novorol believes that healthcare is becoming more transparent and accessible because of technology, but this isnt replacing health workers. Doctors will continue to be necessary. But were moving to a time where people have more insight and can take more control of their health - and we need that to make healthcare more sustainable, she adds. Dr Lydia Yarlott - Forward Health Like Novorol, Dr Lydia Yarlott is first and foremost a doctor. She is a practising paediatrician and runs her start-up, Forward Health, on the side. Forward is a secure messaging service for doctors so they can discuss patient care, share notes and official documents, all in an approved app. Forward was born out of Yarlotts frustrations with the current communications system in the NHS. The first day I stepped onto a ward, I was added to a WhatsApp group and given a pager, she tells the Standard. These two methods are still what we use in the NHS and theyre not fit for purpose. Dr Lydia Yarlott, co-founder of Forward Health / Forward Health For one, radio pagers are an incredibly old-school method of communicating. And with WhatsApp, it wasnt built with doctors in mind. Its a social network, designed for people whose phone number you have and are friends with. Its not good for a hospital where you might not know who it is you need by name. Yet, with healthcare, communication is key. Yarlott explains that patients are treated by whole teams, not just one doctor, which is why communication about the patient is key. Medicine is complex. There could be a specialist nurse involved off the ward, or a physio, and if those people dont talk to each other, it creates so many problems. Yarlott started working on Forward with fellow doctor and university friend Dr Barney Gilbert, and her now-husband, Philip Mundy, who had a background in building start-ups. Even with this expertise, it wasnt easy to get the idea off the ground. Everyone was telling us we were mad. From people at work, to the NHS, to investors, they were saying dont go near the NHS. Undeterred by the negative energy, they pushed on to create Forward. Doctors and nurses in the hospital can use it to prioritise workflow, check on patient profiles, find other staff to contact in the hospital, and do this all in a secure, GDPR-compliant way. Forward is working with some NHS trusts to set them up on the app, but the team is seeing organic growth from staff eager to try something else, so it is now in over 140 hospitals in the UK. It clearly shows there was a need, says Yarlott. And in a workforce which is having a retention and recruitment crisis, its so nice to feel like people have a choice about the software they want to use at work. Yarlott went into medicine to help people and she can now do it in two ways: as a practising doctor and as a start-up co-founder that is solving problems faced by other doctors. She also hopes to see other doctors going down the doctor-preneurship route too. I hope we start to see more grassroots innovation in the NHS because the climate is changing and I do believe healthcare professionals are the ones to solve their own problems. Noor Shaker - GTN It costs about $2.9 billion and around 15 years to bring a new drug to market, and theres a high chance its going to fail or hardly be different to whats already out there. This is the problem GTN, led by co-founder and CEO Noor Shaker, has set out to solve. GTN is using a combination of machine learning and quantum physics in its software to simulate and discover new molecules that could go on to create new drugs and therapies. Shaker comes from a computer science background, she has a Bachelors degree from her native Syria, studied and taught across Belgium and Copenhagen, before eventually settling in London. Her interest in machine learning has to do with something called generative methods. That is, ways of teaching machines to learn about what we already know about the world, powering the AI with the information it needs to go on and produce novel instances, combining things in ways humans hadnt thought about. Though Shakers original work was applying generative methods to computer games in academia, she knew she didnt want to stay as an academic forever. It was after taking part in the respected incubator programme, Entrepreneur First, when she met her now-co founder Vid Stojevic, a theoretical physicist by background, that they decided to apply their combined knowledge to solve a problem. We thought we could do something interesting with the overlap of what he knows about physics and what I know about machine learning, Shaker tells the Standard. Noor Shaker, co-founder of GTN (GTN ) / GTN After landing on a paper about using AI to design new drugs, Shaker and Stojevic knew they could do it better. And thats how GTN was born. At the moment, the team is focusing on discovering drugs that can enter the brain. Its difficult to create drugs that can tackle neurological diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons, because it's unbelievably hard to pass through the blood-brain barrier. Its a challenging area. If we manage to crack it, then we have our tech differentiating point, explains Shaker. The company has raised 2.1 million in funding so far and recently joined Google Campus in London as part of its tech for good cohort, bringing together different start-ups with a mission to make the world better. Overall, Shaker is glad she made that jump from academia into the start-up world. A research journalistic world has revealed up to 25,000 incidents in Spain in the last decade by the failure of control in used implants health The Ministry of Health has come together today with patients and scientific societies related to implants and medical devices to analyze the situation The Ministry of Health will convene a meeting with patients ' associations and with scientific societies related to implants and medical devices to analyze the situation of the same in Europe. So has announced hours after made public a journalistic investigation in which it is revealed that in the last 10 years there have been up to 25,000 incidents in Spain by control failures in implants for sanitary use. After a year of work, this global analysis, carried out by 59 international media (in Spain, El confidencial and La Sexta) and co-ordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), has collected at least 5,47 million of adverse incidents across the world between 2008 and 2017. That is to say, some 1,500 reported failures each day. In Spain, nearly eight every day. The figures in this research ('The Implant Files') show that failures in the control of medical implants are more common than they should be. However, Health argues that "Spain has a strict control of sanitary products, which guarantees to the citizens the highest levels of protection of health". in spite of this, say sources in the Ministry of Healing, "it will drive the necessary improvements of the system, aimed at providing guarantees for the products and safety to the patients." In this line, recall that "the minister, Maria Luisa Carcedo, presented in October, the Guide to Action for patients who are carriers of the birth control 'Essure'", elaborated by the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SEGO) at the request of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), and that "the work and the dialogue shared between administrations, professionals and patients" will be the keynote of the proceedings that are going to take. In the words of Marta Garcia Redondo, specialist in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, "yes, I think that is good any effort made by the State to improve the control. This is not to convey a false alarm of insecurity, but yes it is true that not all implants are equal or of the same quality". The international research points out that, according to data from the u.s. Agency of the Drug (FDA, for its acronym in English), over the last decade, more than 82,000 people across five continents have died and 1.7 million have been victims of the faulty operation of different types of medical implants. 'The Implant Files' has created the first global database of advisories on health products, in such a way that you can find safety alerts, separation of marketing or notifications of malfunctions regarding implants, pacemakers, defibrillators and other healthcare products. In many countries, such as Spain, Finland or Mexico, this information is not even public access. Specifically in our country, as it published The Confidential and The Sixth, fewer than 10% of the alerts related to health products made public in the website of the Spanish Agency of Medicinal Products and Health (AEMPS). The information obtained in the framework of this research point to the lack of control and oversight bodies pressures by large multinational health, who fund trials and research to prove the absence of risks associated to the products. According to details, the european system is especially permissive despite having 56 notified bodies with the capacity to grant the CE marking. In Spain, the AEMPS estimated that there are about 50,000 sanitary products with CE marking, although it recognizes that, due to the current legislation, "cannot be known for sure the number of products with CE marking are using". In addition, he also admits that "many adverse events were referred to the system of surveillance of drugs and not the health products, where appropriate, generating an "information chaos". According to the criteria of Updated Date: 12 December 2018, 20:00 Learn more Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe The differences existing between the countries located in the Danube macro-region can be annulled through a joint regional collaboration, Communication and Information Society Minister Alexandru Petrescu told a specialist conference on Wednesday. "As of 1 November 2018, Romania took over the Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) form Bulgaria, which we are to exercise for 12 months. The Romanian Presidency of the EUSDR is being carried out under the slogan 'Strengthening cohesion for a common prosperity in the Danube Region.' This Presidency allows the promotion of projects of interest for Romania in the region. The Communication Ministry will organise, by October 2019, four events on thematic areas, within this Presidency. The first one is 'Digital Danube.' In my view, the differences between the countries of the Danube macro-region can be annulled through a joint collaboration. We will be able to integrate projects of the agriculture, environment, transport areas. There are extremely important files during the Presidency related to environment, transport and research. I am convinced that during the 12 months of holding the Presidency, we will have a clearer picture and we will be in a situation that Romania has to take advantage of," Petrescu stated. Romania took over the Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, on 1 November, for a one-year period, position that will allow it to allocate additional financial resources for the development of the potential which this region has. Minister-delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba on Tuesday officially took over the rotating presidency of the Council of European Union at the end of the meeting of foreign affairs ministers held in Brussels. An important item on the agenda of the GAC was the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2021-2027, in preparation for the debate of European leaders at the European Council scheduled on December 13-14, 2018. In his speech, Ciamba appreciated the efforts made by the Austrian presidency in this file, underscoring that Romania is ready to maintain the same path of discussions to lead to congress progresses being achieved during its mandate, reads a release of the MAE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) sent to AGERPRES.Also, they highlighted the need for the new Union budget to be at the same time ambitious and balanced and to reflect both the necessity to continue to support the growth and convergence objectives, as well as the necessity to offer an efficient answer to the current challenges. Moreover, the Minister-delegate emphasized on the fact that the substantial advance of negotiations in this file depends, to a great extent, on the constructive commitment of all member states and European institutions.Moreover, in preparation for the meeting of the European Council in December, the ministers for European Affairs also approached the other items on the leaders' agenda, with emphasis on such aspects related to the internal market, migration, Economic and Monetary Union and external relations of the Union.About the European Council's agenda, Ciamba underscored that it's important the European Council to send a strong message in supporting the Internal Market's consolidation efforts and highlighted the principles on which a post-2020 vision of the Internal Market should rely upon, the preservation of the fundamental liberties, the elimination of the barriers, while increasing the reaction capacity to digital challenges.Moreover, the Minister-delegate also referred to the need for continuing efforts for a comprehensive approach of the migration phenomenon, starting from the objectives adopted at the European Council in June 2018, while also voicing Romania's willingness to continue the previous presidencies' efforts made in this file. He underscored the importance of discussions with respect to the recent developments in the Azov Sea, as well as the measures meant for combating disinformation, with the latter aspect representing a priority on the agenda of the Romanian presidency of the Council of EU."Moreover, the ministers had an exchange of views on the following topics: the 2019 European Semester, with emphasis on the elements from the Annual growth Analysis published by the European Commission, the rule of law state in Poland and the Union values-Hungary, as well as the results of the Conference on the subsidiarity, carried out over November 15-16 2018, in Bregenz, Austria," mentions the release.At the meeting, they formally adopted, without any debate, the conclusions of the Council of EU with respect to the European Commission's reports on Romania and Bulgaria under the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification, published on November 13, 2018, with conclusions to be technically agreed upon later. The Ministry of Tourism is drawing up a plan to promote Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy 2019 programme, Minister Bogdan Trif made the announcement on Wednesday, in a press release sent to AGERPRES. "The Ministry of Tourism has sent Mrs Daniel Cimpean, president of the Sibiu County Council, an invitation for participation in the working group to be organised next week at the headquarters of the central institution, to jointly draw up a plan to promote Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy 2019 programme," Trif showed in the release. The Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy 2019 programme was launched on November 21, at the Diplomatic Club in Bucharest, in front of 400 guests, among whom the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis."The Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy 2019 programme is developed by a consortium including the County Council, the city halls of the two municipalities, Sibiu and Medias, the "Lucian Blaga" University. The County Association for Tourism and the local Chamber of Commerce.The consortium got involved in the organisation of this European gastronomic programme in Sibiu and created a Facebook page for the project and also a coin-souvenir.The locals and tourists interested in finding out more about the schedule of the events that will take place in 2019 under the "Sibiu European Region of Gastronomy 2019" programme have no possibility yet to find our more about the project by accessing the Webpage www.sibiugastronomica.ro. The Website only shows the past events, but not the future ones. Also, if a tourist is interested in finding a local recipe, specific to Sibiu, he/she cannot find it, but he/she can propose one, as the www.sibiugastronomia.ro Website doesn't give any examples about a product made in Sibiu, in the section "Our Products." Cooperation in equal rights and opportunities for women was among the main topics for discussions on Wednesday at the meeting between Rozalia Biro, president of the Committee for foreign affairs of the Deputies' Chamber, and Ivan Brajovic, the president of the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro, who is currently paying an official visit to Romania. Rozalia Biro congratulated, on this occasion, the delegation from Montenegro for the progress made in the European Union accession process and appreciated the major importance of collaboration between the two parliaments, reads a release of the cabinet of the president of the Committee for foreign affairs of the Deputies' Chamber sent to AGERPRES. Moreover, she underscored the need of strengthening cooperation and coordinating standpoints in the context of the current European politics, especially as the Eastern Partnership and the expansion of the Union to the Western Balkans will be found among the priorities of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union, in 2019. Rozalia Biro said that out country wishes to have a functional, efficient presidency, based on cohesion, and also to have the European citizens at its core, especially considering that during Romania's mandate the Union will have to deal with such essential issues as the future of Europe, migration, Brexit, the multiannual financial framework and elections to the European Parliament.A special attention was paid to cooperation in the equal rights and opportunities for women area, and also to the achievement of such sustainable development objectives, with the two parties underscoring the fact that on December 10 Romania adopted a Sustainable Development Strategy and Montenegro opened the 27th Chapter of negotiations for EU accession, to focus environment and climate change."It was agreed that there is need of more collaboration at bilateral and regional level and we must send a consistent signal of the need of integration in the entire European space, to show that we have common interests and the security of the region impacts the entire European and we need to offer to the Western Balkan states clear perspectives, concrete steps and precise landmarks, so that their enthusiasm won't drop and the member states of the Union won't forget that the European projects is meant for everybody," reads the same release.Rozalia Biro invited a delegation from Montenegro to participate in the Inter-Parliamentary Conference for Foreign Affairs and Common Security to be held in Bucharest over March 7-8, 2019, and extended an invitation on behalf of the Committee to the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro to pay an official visit to our country. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila arrived at Parliament on Wednesday to attend the joint session of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, during which she will present the program of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. At the Government meeting last week the premier congratulated all ministers and those involved in the preparation of Romania's first mandate at the EU Council Presidency. "The Government will continue the preparations within the established deadlines with the same seriousness and professionalism. Together with the members of the Government, we will continue the talks on the taking over of the Presidency, but also on its exercise, and on December 12 I will present in Romania's Parliament the final form of the Presidency which Romania will take over from 1 January 2019," the prime minister said.The prime minister added that "the only uncertain situation" is "created by President Klaus Iohannis through the blockage of the appointment of ministers in two important areas" and announced that the Government had notified the Constitutional Court of Romania. Romania's President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday extended condolences to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron after a tragic armed attack that occurred in Strasbourg on Tuesday, underlining that Romania is with France in the fight against those who attack the lives of innocent people. "I have learned with deep consternation about the tragic armed attack that took place in the centre of Strasbourg on the evening of December 11, 2018 that left people dead and injured. I want to convey, on behalf of the Romanian people and myself, condolences to the mourning families and wish a speedy recovery to the injured," the Presidential Administration quotes Iohannis as saying in a press statement. Iohannis also expressed the sympathy and solidarity of the Romanian people with the suffering that the French nation is currently experiencing, pointing out that Romania is with France in the fight against those who are attacking the lives of innocent people and the way of life of our societies.An armed attack took place Tuesday evening near the Christmas Market in central Strasbourg, a town near the German border. The attack left at least two dead and 11 injured, some of them critically so, according to French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. The President of the Senate, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, stressed on Wednesday the importance Romania attaches to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and the opportunity to relaunch it, in the context of Romania's exercising the Presidency of EUSDR and of the EU Council according to Agerpres. The considerations were made on the occasion of his participation in the opening of the Third Trilateral Meeting of the Foreign Policy Committees of the Romanian Senate, the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, hosted by the Senate of Romania. "The President of the Senate emphasized the special importance that Romania, as co-initiator, is granting to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and stressed the timeliness to relaunch it, especially in the context of Romania's simultaneous exercise of the Presidency of EUSDR and EU Council. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu mentioned that Romania will act in the next period to increase the degree of European cohesion, including by promoting a unitary approach on the two levels of responsibility: achieving the objectives of the EUSDR and adopting the EU Council Conclusions on the implementation of Macro-regional strategies," reads a Senate's release issued on Wednesday for AGERPRES.The President of the Senate said the trilateral meeting reconfirms the wish of the three legislative bodies to regularly deepen the exchange of views and best practices, as well as to identify common solutions to the concerns that the three neighboring countries share.At the same time, Tariceanu pointed out that the trilateral consultation format of the three countries by the Danube contributes to the enhancement of the regional cooperation profile and the visibility of the support of Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria for the European path of the Republic of Serbia. Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE, minor at rule, ed.n), pleaded on Wednesday, in Parliament, for "a stronger, united Europe", capable of meeting expectations of security and prosperity, "just as the founding fathers conceived it" according to Agerpres "I belong to that generation, alongside my parents' generation, that had a dream. This dream was to be free of the constraints and shackles of communism. Joining the EU meant, for these generation I belong to, seeing a dream come true, namely the return and integration among the countries of the free, democratic world. The hope for prosperity and freedom, the hope of freedom of expression, of free movement and free enterprise came true once we acceded to the EU. I count myself among those who had the responsibility and honor of leading the Government during the pre-accession period and concluding the efforts for the accession preparation. Today, 11 years since the accession, we carry a great responsibility, namely exercising the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. Romania, just like the other member countries, asks itself a simple question: What kind of Europe do we want? To this simple question we must give a simple answer. We want a strong and united Europe, capable of meeting the expectations of its citizens, expectations of security and prosperity, firstly, just as the founding fathers conceived it," Tariceanu said on Wednesday in Parliament's plenary session. He highlighted that Parliament and Government can mutually support each other to achieving the goals they set for themselves."Today, Mrs prime minister presented us in detail the priorities and working program of this presidency that is incumbent on us and obviously they must be looked at in the context of the special challenges that the EU is facing today. I am referring, obviously, to the multi-annual financial framework, which will have to be discussed and agreed upon, I am referring to Brexit, to the migration crisis and, more recently, to what you see is happening in France and which is extremely worrying for all Europeans. We want to prove at this time that Parliament can actively contribute to supporting the Government in its mission and we want to show that the Government can rely on the support of Parliament for achieving the objectives it sets for itself," Tariceanu added.The ALDE leader emphasized the necessity of abandoning the idea of a two-speed Europe for the "success of the future European project.""I would like to emphasize the need to abandon the idea of a two-speed Europe if we want the future European project to succeed. We want a Europe of solidarity, based more on cohesion. We do not want a deepening of segregations between North and South and East and West. We do not want to allow Europe to become a Union of two groups of states, tier 1 and 2, with double standards in place, economic, political, social or of another nature. I wish to renew the invitation that you saw in the joint declaration addressed to both the Government and the President of Romania, whom we encourage to come and present us the content of discussions and decisions that will be taken during Romania's presidency, as it happens in all European Parliaments," Tariceanu also said.The joint plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies and Senate adopted on Wednesday, with 215 votes "in favor", 8 "against" and 3 abstentions, the Declaration regarding the parliamentary dimension of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, that Romania will exercise between 1 January - 30 June 2019. The great importance that Romania, as a co-initiator, attaches to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and the opportunity to relaunch it, especially in the context of our country's exercising at the same time the presidency of presidency and the presidency of the Council of the EU, were highlighted on Wednesday by the Senate head, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, at the trilateral meeting of the Foreign Policy Committees - Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia. Tariceanu has stated that Romania will act in the next period to increase the degree of European cohesion, including by promoting a unified approach on the two levels of responsibility: achieving the objectives of the EUSDR and adopting the conclusions of the EU Council on the implementation of the macro-regional strategies. "My colleagues from Bulgaria and Serbia have talked a lot about the Danube Strategy, a project we have started and which I think would be very useful for our individual countries and for the possibilities of cooperation. Today I told my colleagues from Bulgaria that I would like us to make a lot of progress with regard to the negotiations on the amendment of the treaty for the Danube border and the obligations we have in order to start the works to restore the Danube's navigability throughout the year. The Danube, as a navigable river, is very important for the development of both countries. The Danube Strategy projects, such as a second road bridge in Giurgiu, the Turnu Magurele bridge, possibly the Danube hydroelectric power station at Izlaz, a project that has very old roots. There are other important projects that can be thought of on the Danube, namely the Danube ports. I have talked about this with Serbia as well. Even if it is still a candidate country for the EU, the Danube Strategy will allow us to think about cooperation projects with Serbia," Tariceanu stressed.The President of the Senate added that another issue approached during the event was Romania's wish for the enlargement of the European Union to be among the priorities of the rotating presidency of the EU Council."Montenegro is now the most advanced Balkan country, and Serbia has informed us that it has opened two more negotiation chapters and is ready with yet another five negotiating chapters. The Balkan region must become a region of security, prosperity, democracy and freedom for all its countries and citizens," Tariceanu said.Tariceanu attended on Wednesday the opening of the Third Trilateral Meeting of the Foreign Policy Committees of the Romanian Senate, the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, an event hosted by the Senate. Former president Traian Basescu, senator of the People's Movement Party (PMP, opposition) said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Viorica Dancila's speech in Parliament's plenary sitting on the working program of the Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union is correct from the point of view of "Brussels' official language" but which "does not pinpoint any of Romania's priorities". "A correct speech from the point of view of the Brussels' official language, but it does not pinpoint anything that refers to Romania's priorities. I would ask a question: Mrs Prime Minister did not feel the need to receive a mandate from the Romanian Parliament in view of exercising the Presidency of the EU Council? Has the Prime Minister's speech of today been correlated with the President's point of view? Because the Union will work for six months with a President who goes to the European Council and has views and a Government going to the Council of the European Union and has its views," Basescu said on Wednesday in the plenary sitting of Parliament. He stressed that he does not want one to rely on the premise that Romania, during the holding of this rotating presidency, is just a "meeting organizer"."From the Prime Minister's speech I understood that holding the rotating presidency is limited to being a facilitator. Totally wrong. You are a negotiator, you are a facilitator of meetings in Sibiu and Bucharest, if you want, but you have very precise points of view in the Council of the EU. So I would not want us to start from the premise that we are just meeting organizers, but we have the mission to set points of view and to back them and to make alliances in order to achieve the goals we have set. From the meeting today, it is clear that we have not set any objectives. For example, for the Justice and Home Affairs formation, what are the rotating presidency's solutions for limiting migration? We should have heard here. Or which are the rotating presidency's solutions for Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area, or what are the rotating presidency's solutions for diminishing the terrorist risk in the EU?" Basescu mentioned some questions. Romania's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) has reported that so far there are no Romanian nationals among the victims of a Strasbourg attack occurred on Tuesday in Strasbourg, France, and no requests for consular assistance have been filed at the consular level. "The Consulate General of Romania in Strasbourg takes note of the incident on Tuesday evening in Kleber Square and took steps, as a matter of urgency, with the local authorities to get additional information on the citizenship and identity of the affected persons," according to MAE. Also, the Consulate General of Romania in Strasbourg has been monitoring the situation, staying in touch with local authorities, and it is ready to intervene if the situation so requires.MAE says the affected Romanian citizens may request consular assistance by calling the Consulate General of Romania in Strasbourg on +33 369 321 938, with the calls being redirected to the Centre for Contact and Support of Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and taken over by call centre operators 24/7, or the emergency number of the Consular Office: +33 6.27.05.00.22. Despite a televised appearance of humility and sympathy, French President Emmanuel Macron seems to have failed to quell the mood of national anger over wide-ranging economic grievances. The capital Paris and other major French cities are thus set to see the fifth consecutive weekend of protests or Act Five as the demonstrators are saying. Nearly 24 hours after Macrons TV address, a gunman killed three people and injured dozens others in the eastern city of Strasbourg, prompting French authorities to declare a state of emergency. The heightened tensions across France with maximum security forces deployed come as protest marches are planned for this weekend against Macrons government. After weeks of maintaining his silence on growing civil discord, Macron finally addressed the nation in a 14-minute pre-recorded speech on Monday night. He sounded contrite and even humble, accepting that he had offended citizens with his aloof words and attitude. The president also announced specific concessions: an increase in the minimum wage by 100 a month, the cancelling of taxes on low-income pensioners, and the exemption of overtime pay from taxation. But the consensus expressed by protesters among the so-called Yellow Vest movement was one of contempt. They said Macrons televised concessions were crumbs and too little too late. The upshot is that demonstrations will again be held in the French capital this weekend, as well as other major cities. The weekly gridlock is bringing the French economy to a crisis point. The latest deadly shooting incident in Strasbourg on Tuesday night may throw the weekend protests into disarray from the subsequent security tensions and fear of further violence. A question many protesters are asking is: who gains from the timing of the Strasbourg killings? What no doubt is further unnerving Macrons government is that the public protests appear to be growing across social sectors. Public sector workers and students are planning to join in the cause. What is emerging is a generalized public revolt reminiscent of the epic 1968 revolution which toppled the incumbent government of President Charles de Gaulle, at least temporarily. The protests first broke in early November over the French governments planned hikes in transport fuel taxes. French drivers, who have to carry high-visibility yellow vests in their vehicles as a legal safety measure, were the first to take to the streets. But what began as a specific fuel tax issue has expanded and tapped into a broad popular revolt against Macrons neoliberal capitalist policies. The trouble for Macron is that he just cant help sounding elitist and insincere. During his TV mea culpa, he may have offered concessions on wages and taxes, but the president spent a large part of his national address berating protesters for using violence. He said that while the public anger was deep and in many ways legitimate there was no excuse for violence. Well, the way many French citizens and other observers see it, it is the French state that is using excessive violence to repress the right to public protest. Last weekend saw up to 90,000 French riot police and troops deployed across the country to contain demonstrations. Hundreds of protesters were arrested and put in custody preemptively. There were also scenes of gratuitous brutality by police when peaceful protesters were fired on with teargas and water cannons. When Macron lectures there is no excuse for violence his words sound trite and hypocritical given the levels of uncalled-for violence that the French state has licensed itself to use. Moreover, increasing numbers of French citizens consider economic policies that deprive workers and their families of decent livelihoods to be a form of state-imposed violence. Policy choices that force people into poverty and degradation are a system of violence. In his TV mea-culpa-lecture, Macron defiantly said that he would not reinstate the tax on Frances very wealthy. His earlier decision to scrap that tax earned him the nickname of president of the wealthy. It was this pandering to the rich in combination with imposing fuel taxes hitting the majority of workers hardest that sparked the present revolt. The proposed fuel levies which Macron has since abandoned as a concession to the protesters were rationalized as a necessity to raise fiscal funds to pay for ecological changes in French society. Macron has deftly presented himself internationally as a champion for combating climate change. Some political observers in the US on the so-called liberal left have welcomed Macron as a counter-Trump figure. He certainly talks with eco-friendly rhetoric, saying that he wants to make the planet great again (a dig at Trump), and that we need to take urgent action to avert climate change, because there is no planet B. However, Macrons apparent progressive ecological rhetoric belies a politician who is deeply conservative of the economic status quo. A status quo which has seen the impoverishment of more and more workers over decades while the very wealthy amass ever-more wealth. This is the social condition of all capitalist countries, not just France, but the French are doing something about it. What Macron showed with his now-defunct fuel tax proposals was a patrician contempt for the majority of society. He intended to put the financial burden of ecological changes on the backs of ordinary workers, while at the same time giving the already wealthy a big fat windfall. The former Rothschilds investment banker is certainly no progressive in spite of his pretentious rhetoric. If he really wanted to make the planet great again then Macron should be taxing the wealthy and corporations, not poor workers who have to drive hundreds of kilometers every day because they cant afford to buy or rent houses in city areas. If Macron really did have progressive ideas, then his government could fund all workers to work a four-day week, on full pay, so that one day of non-commuting would save pollution. There are countless progressive policies that could be innovated that would improve the lives of ordinary people while also moving society towards more ecologically sustainable existence. Macron is a plutocrat who wants to shaft ordinary people even more for the benefit of his rich-class cronies all under the guise of eco-friendliness. French protesters are right to see through Macrons televisual crumbs of compensation. The injustice, dehumanization and criminal militarism of capitalism has gone too far to be mitigated by a minimum wage increase or some other sticking-plaster measure. Thats why the French capital and other cities are set for even more upheaval in the weeks ahead. Significantly, too, the public in other European countries are being inspired by the French to likewise get out on the streets to demand their natural justice. Ominously, Macrons apparently soothing words were laced with dark threats of more state violence if protesters do not accept his offers. At one point in his TV address, the president, who recently praised the disgraced Vichy leader and Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain, said of the protests: When violence is unleashed, freedom ends. The deadly shooting in Strasbourg on Tuesday night, 24 hours after Macrons speech, has raised suspicions of a deliberate provocation being staged by French security services in order to militarize society generally and impede planned protests in the capital this weekend. The gunman was reportedly known to French authorities as a national security risk. His home in Strasbourg was raided hours before his alleged gun attack, but the suspect evaded capture. Following the shooting in which three people were killed France has increased its national emergency alert to its highest level which means authorities can deploy more troops on streets, declare lockdowns in urban areas and arrest people without warrant. France is shaping up for an historic showdown. The decision by Qatar to abandon OPEC threatens to redefine the global energy market, especially in light of Saudi Arabias growing difficulties and the growing influence of the Russian Federation in the OPEC+ mechanism. In a surprising statement, Qatari energy minister Saad al-Kaabi warned OPEC on Monday December 3 that his country had sent all the necessary documentation to start the countrys withdrawal from the oil organization in January 2019. Al-Kaabi stressed that the decision had nothing to do with recent conflicts with Riyadh but was rather a strategic choice by Doha to focus on the production of LNG, which Qatar, together with the Russian Federation, is one of the largest global exporters of. Despite an annual oil extraction rate of only 1.8% of the total of OPEC countries (about 600,000 barrels a day), Qatar is one of the founding members of the organization and has always had a strong political influence on the governance of the organization. In a global context where international relations are entering a multipolar phase, things like cooperation and development become fundamental; so it should not surprise that Doha has decide to abandon OPEC. OPEC is one of the few unipolar organizations that no longer has a meaningful purpose in 2018, given the new realities governing international relations and the importance of the Russian Federation in the oil market. Besides that, Saudi Arabia requires the organization to maintain a high level of oil production due to pressure coming from Washington to achieve a very low cost per barrel of oil. The US energy strategy targets Iranian and Russian revenue from oil exports, but it also aims to give the US a speedy economic boost. Trump often talks about the price of oil falling as his personal victory. The US imports about 10 million barrels of oil a day, which is why Trump wrongly believes that a decrease in the cost per barrel could favor a boost to the US economy. The economic reality shows a strong correlation between the price of oil and the financial growth of a country, with low prices of crude oil often synonymous of a slowing down in the economy. It must be remembered that to keep oil prices low, OPEC countries are required to maintain a high rate of production, doubling the damage to themselves. Firstly, they take less income than expected and, secondly, they deplete their oil reserves to favor the strategy imposed by Saudi Arabia on OPEC to please the White House. It is clearly a strategy that for a country like Qatar (and perhaps Venezuela and Iran in the near future) makes little sense, given the diplomatic and commercial rupture with Riyadh stemming from tensions between the Gulf countries. In contrast, the OPEC+ organization, which also includes other countries like the Russian Federation, Mexico and Kazakhstan, seems to now to determine oil and its cost per barrel. At the moment, OPEC and Russia have agreed to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day, contradicting Trump's desire for high oil output. With this last choice Qatar sends a clear signal to the region and to traditional allies, moving to the side of OPEC+ and bringing its interests closer in line with those of the Russian Federation and its all-encompassing oil and gas strategy, two sectors in which Qatar and Russia dominate market share. In addition, Russia and Qatars global strategy also brings together and includes partners like Turkey (a future energy hub connecting east and west as well as north and south) and Venezuela. In this sense, the meeting between Maduro and Erdogan seems to be a prelude to further reorganization of OPEC and its members. The declining leadership role of Saudi Arabia in the oil and financial market goes hand in hand with the increase of power that countries like Qatar and Russia in the energy sectors are enjoying. The realignment of energy and finance signals the evident decline of the Israel-US-Saudi Arabia partnership. Not a day goes by without corruption scandals in Israel, accusations against the Saudis over Khashoggi or Yemen, and Trump's unsuccessful strategies in the commercial, financial or energy arenas. The path this doomed trio is taking will only procure less influence and power, isolating them more and more from their opponents and even historical allies. Moscow, Beijing and New Delhi, the Eurasian powerhouses, seem to have every intention, as seen at the trilateral summit in Buenos Aires, of developing the ideal multipolar frameworks to avoid continued US dominance of the oil market through shale revenues or submissive allies as Saudi Arabia, even though the latest spike in production is a clear signal from Riyadh to the USA. In this sense, Qatar's decision to abandon OPEC and start a complex and historical discussion with Moscow on LNG in the format of an enlarged OPEC marks the definitive decline of Saudi Arabia as a global energy power, to be replaced by Moscow and Doha as the main players in the energy market. Qatars decision is, officially speaking, unconnected to the feud triggered by Saudi Arabia against the small emirate. However, it is evident that a host of factors has led to this historic decision. The unsuccessful military campaign in Yemen has weakened Saudi Arabia on all fronts, especially militarily and economically. The self-inflicted fall in the price of oil is rapidly consuming Saudi currency reserves, now at a new low of less than 500 billion dollars. Events related to Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) have de-legitimized the role of Riyadh in the world as a reliable diplomatic interlocutor. The internal and external repression by the Kingdom has provoked NGOs and governments like Canada's to issue public rebukes that have done little to help MBSs precarious position. In Syria, the victory of Damascus and her allies has consolidated the role of Moscow in the region, increased Iranian influence, and brought Turkey and Qatar to the multipolar side, with Tehran and Moscow now the main players in the Middle East. In terms of military dominance, there has been a clear regional shift from Washington to Moscow; and from an energy perspective, Doha and Moscow are turning out to be the winners, with Riyadh once again on the losing side. As long as the Saudi royal family continues to please Donald Trump, who is prone to catering to Israeli interests in the region, the situation of the Kingdom will only get worse. The latest agreement on oil production between Moscow and Riyad signals that someone in the Saudi royal family has probably figured this out. Countries like Turkey, India, China, Russia and Iran understand the advantages of belonging to a multipolar world, thereby providing a collective geopolitical ballast that is mutually beneficial. The energy alignment between Qatar and the Russian Federation seems to support this general direction, a sort of G2 of LNG gas that will only strengthen the position of Moscow on the global chessboard, while guaranteeing a formidable military umbrella for Doha in case of a further worsening of relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Photo: Flickr Last weekends protests across France may have done far more damage than just smashed windows and stolen iPhones. The depth of French anger at the neoliberal globalist policies of President Emmanuel Macron has finally been heard. And Macrons response may be exactly the thing needed to destroy what is left of imperial Europes credibility. Macrons handling of these protests have been nothing short of abysmal. He began November the darling of the globalist set I like to call The Davos Crowd, excoriating any sense of national pride, likening it to terrorism. He also called for the creation of a Grand Army of the EU and pushed hard for banking federalization to consolidate power under Brussels over the currency, the true Achilles heel of the EU itself. Then a planned tax hike on diesel fuel, which was sold to the French as a way to combat global warming, as part of the EUs unquenchable desire to tilt at climate windmills, erupted in a nation-wide peaceful protest. At which point Macron called the protesters thugs. And now, after two weekends of violence and having scrapped the diesel tax, Macron emerges from his bunker to reaffirm Frances commitment to cracking down on the violence. But at the same time, as reported by Zerohedge, hes calling for significant tax cuts and welfare spending. Macron whose approval rating is at an all time low, says he has asked his government to increase wages by 100 euros per month beginning in January as part of a series of new measures to be released in detail on Tuesday. He also announced that overtime hours won't be subject to payroll tax, and that his administration will scrap a tax hike on poor and low-income retirees. Furthermore, Macron asked companies to pay end-of-year bonuses which won't be taxed, and will suspend a CSG levy on pensions below 2,000 euros per month. Macron also said that immigration "must be debated" as well, as anti-immigrant sentiment has spread throughout Europe. Correct me if Im wrong but France is already running a budget deficit that defies EU regulations. So, how is Macron going to pay for these programs and cuts? Does Brussels even care? No, they dont because Macron is one of theirs so anything that can save his government from extinction will be tolerated. But what this move by Macron signifies is how close the Yellow Vests are to winning, because theres no way these kinds of things would be on the table if the political winds hadnt shifted far enough to leave him badly exposed. With his approval rating dropping faster than Deutsche Banks stock price, Macron had to do something to stem the tide against him. Its so bad even the rest of the French political establishment are sharpening their knives looking for a no-confidence vote and his resignation. So, this is a desperate bid to quell the anger by throwing some money around and supporting tax relief for the very people who are rioting against him and turn some of the publics opinion his way. I note that Marine Le Pen has kept her mouth mostly shut while this is going on allowing the tempest to gather strength on its own. Its been more than a week since she called for the French parliament to be dissolved for the first time in 20 years. And, in my mind, thats a very good thing. Le Pen is a divisive figure and by her staying out of this it doesnt give the compliant European media any chance to link these protests to her and far-right and alt-right shes supposed to occupy. Instead theyve had nothing at all to focus on but the protests themselves while test-marketing a tired Russia hacked muh protest narrative without proof or cause. The best part about this move by Macron is that Italys Matteo Salvini, a man who walks through crowds in Rome like hes the messiah, can use this to enflame Italian passions (not a difficult proposition, let me tell you) over just how unfair the EU is treating them with respect to their budget. Salvini is looking at this proposal of Macrons like it truly is manna from heaven. But for the EU, does it really have any other choice? When youve stepped off the cliff and are falling, anything you can do to keep from hitting the ground is what you do regardless of the long-term damage. Survival is all that matters. And thats exactly where the EU and Macron are now. Every action they take to try and hold this dysfunctional and tyrannical union together is only tightening the noose around their necks and hastening their eventual demise. The more they struggle to maintain control in one place the more they empower their enemies in another. The little Dutch Boy in Brussels is running out of fingers. Russia is now using a new version of the Leer 3 Orlan 10 UAV mounted cell phone jammer that increases the range of the jammer from 28 kilometers to about 100 kilometers. The cell phone jammer version of Orlan 10 first appeared in 2016 as one of several EW (electronic warfare) accessories for Orlan 10. The Leer 3 accessory turned the aircraft into the equivalent of a cell phone tower, or a cell phone tower detector and jammer. Troops with the proper equipment and software can use the Orlan 10 to send and receive text, voice and images (including video). This system works with another Orlan 10 accessory; the RB-341V (Leer-3) that will precisely locate cell phone towers and can also jam those within six to 28 kilometers. Locating the towers is important because troops on the ground can then go destroy or capture the equipment. Artillery or airstrikes can, with an accurate location, destroy the cell phone gear remotely. Ukrainian troops have observed two or three Orlan 10s operating together with one operating as a communications relay so that one or two others can operate farther (210 kilometers rather than the usual 120 kilometers) from the operator usually with one doing photo reconnaissance while the other carries a jammer. Ukrainian troops have come to realize when they see a pair of Oran 10s overhead it means their cell phone are about to become unusable and after that they will be hit with an attack they wont be able to report immediately. Ukrainian troops find using cell phones is more effective for battlefield communications that the usual AM or FM military radios. That is only true if there are enough cell phone towers working in the area and the Russian UAVs are not nearby jamming the signals. These EW capabilities are nothing new, American aircraft have had this stuff for over a decade. Its not particularly high tech but it does represent a unique aspect of modern warfare in which cell phone networks often continue to function on modern battlefields and if the commercial networks dont the military can employ a temporary one largely suited to their own use. Russia has, since the 1990s, made quite a lot of money exporting military-grade electronic weapons. They dont have the latest stuff but are willing to provide gear that is still restricted to military use in the West. Orlan 10, with its larger payload, can carry more of the EW accessories along with the usual cameras. The Orlan 10 is one of two modern UAV designs Russia is known to have. Earlier in 2018, Russia announced the availability of the Orlan-10E. This is the latest version of the Orlan 10 but available to for export. That means any evidence of classified equipment can be equipped with while in Russian service. Otherwise, Orlan 10E is identical to the latest version Russian forces use in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere. Orlan 10 weighs about 15 kilograms (33 pounds) and has a maximum takeoff weight of 19 kg. Max payload is six kilograms (13 pounds) and that involves kinds of electronic or recon equipment, including infrared cameras, or an array of multiple cameras used for creating 3-dimensional maps. Its gasoline engine provides a cruise speed of 90 to 150 kilometers an hour, a service ceiling of about 5 kilometers, and a flight endurance of up to 16 hours (depending on weight of payload). Max range from the operator is 300 kilometers. Together with control and launch equipment, and three UAVs an Orlan-10 system costs about half a million dollars. The aircraft is launched via a portable, folding catapult, and lands by shutting down the engine and deploying a parachute. Orlan 10 entered service in 2012 and has been used extensively in combat zones like Ukraine and Syria. Orlan 10 has also been put to use in the Russian Far East for patrolling borders as well as coastal waters. Orlan 10 can operate in extreme cold. The Orlan 10E was used (tested) in Armenia, which has Russian peacekeeping troops known to be using the regular Orlan 10 but Armenian troops are also using it now. Orlan 10 has been seen along the Afghan border (used by Russian troops stationed in neighboring Tajikistan). About a dozen Orlan 10s have been lost in eastern Ukraine and nearby Crimea since 2014. Five were shot down by Ukrainian troops while the others crashed because of equipment problems. At least as many have been lost in Syria, where a Turkish F-16 shot down one that crossed into Turkey. Various rebel factions have reported shooting them down and some have been lost to accidents. Photos of the wreckage show similar components and serial numbers that indicate that up to a thousand Orlan 10s have been built since 2012. Russia is using this combat experience to help export sales of Orlan 10 and the two new electronic warfare features as well as the new Orlan 30. The larger model based on the Orlan 10, entered service in 2017. This larger UAV is similar in shape to the existing Orlan 10 but is larger and still takes off and lands like the Orlan 10. The Orlan 30 weighs 27 kg (60 pounds) with a max payload of 7 kg (15.5 pounds). Orlan 30 has a pusher (propeller in the rear) propulsion while the Orlan 10 has the propeller up front. Orlan 30 also uses a gasoline engine that provides a top speed of 170 kilometers an hour and cruise speed of 150. Max range from a controller and video transmission is 300 kilometers but since max endurance is five hours it is possible to program a course and have video captured onboard. The shorter endurance of Orlan 30 compared to Orlan 10 has limited use of Orlan 30 and to remedy that the manufacturer is trying to increase endurance to at least ten hours. Orlan 30 uses a similar gasoline engine to the German one used in Orlan 10. This use of foreign engines was discovered when Orlan 10s that crashed and were recovered by Ukrainian troops all appeared to be using a German engine sold widely for use by hobbyists. This is not unusual as manufacturers of equipment that can use COTS (commercial off the shelf) components buy from whoever can provide the right part for the right price. With the sanctions, Russia is forced to get a lot of COTS components, especially mechanical and electronic, from China. But when it comes to engines of all sizes, Germany is still the place to look first. The EW (electronic warfare) payloads for Orlan 10 are Russian designed and manufactured. In addition to cell phone jammers, locators and detectors. Recon payloads include a gyrostabilized thermal imager and detectors for military radios as well as commercial ones (and walkies talkies). Orlan 10 has jam resistant radio link and can be equipped with a satellite link. The navigation system also includes an INS backup and a return home option if normal communications are lost. Another new payload is one for CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) weapons detection. The Orlan 10 has to fly low (under 200 meters) to get the best results from the CBRN detector. Normal operating altitude is 1,000 meters and up to 5,000 meters or 16,000 feet. by Austin Bay December 11, 2018 The SecDef's crafted statement was simultaneously a nuanced appeal to an ally and a harsh siren warning to China's ruling Communist dictators. The siren warned aimed at Beijing -- the emerging India and the U.S. alliance -- has long-term implications for Asia's threatened peace. U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis made his telling statement earlier this month after meeting in Washington with Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman (India's first female defense chief) was on a five-day trek through the U.S. While in Washington, Sitharaman visited Arlington National Cemetery, where she placed a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Mattis thanked her for the gesture. For a century, India and the U.S. have spilled blood in common causes against authoritarian regimes. India, as a member of the British Commonwealth, was a very active ally in WWI and WWII. India's contribution to WWII was enormous. Indian Army units fought and helped defeat Germany's Afrika Korps. They bled their way up the Italian peninsula. The Indian Army also beat the Japanese in the critical (but unknown to most mainstream media talking heads) Battle of Kohima and Imphal. In that horror fought in eastern India, Indian and British units destroyed the best military forces Japan deployed in Burma. Some Japanese historians regard "The Battle of Imphal" as the greatest defeat Japan suffered -- ever. Sitharaman's U.S. trip went west and culminated in Hawaii. The Hawaiian finale made tourist sense (she's heading home) but also sent global diplomatic signals. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's (USINDOPACOM) headquarters is located in Hawaii. The recent addition of "Indo" to what was U.S. Pacific Command is savvy American narrative warfare directed at Beijing -- and deservedly so. If your media sources missed Mattis' nuanced statement -- did the rascals miss the high-level U.S.-India defense meeting entirely? -- I recommend you switch to more astute sources. That noted, I guarantee the Communist dictatorship ruling China didn't miss Mattis' statement, the meeting and their implications for China's expansionist territorial ambitions. Here's the SecDef's statement, as quoted by The Press Trust of India: "The United States and India, in Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's work, have overcome hesitations of history, carrying forward the legacy of friendship and making clear there is no contradiction between strategic autonomy and strategic partnership." I'll translate that below. But trust Mattis knows how to speak to an audience in terms the audience understands. Remember, when he was U.S. Marine Corps General Mattis, he told several thousand young Marines that he was going to make "killing fun again." They yelled, applauded, stamped the ground with their boots. Stupid people condemned the general -- how non-safe-space-Facebook horrid! -- but the young Marines knew their gritty commander was engaging in gallows humor. Simultaneously laughing and crying, his cheeky quip was a morale boost by a Marine leader who had faced, done his duty and survived. In contrast, as a secretary of defense engaged in high stakes Asian and global diplomacy, in his recent statement regarding U.S.-India cooperation Mattis employed delicate diplo-speak. Diplo-speak is slang for diplomatic language. It can indicate obscure bureaucratese, but not always and definitely not in this case. Here's my translation: When it comes to China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea and the Himalayas, India and the U.S. are on the same page. India, a nuclear-armed regional power, and the U.S., a global hyperpower, despite their political disagreements, oppose Communist Chinese imperialism. India will not be anyone's lackey. Hence Mattis' recognition of India's "strategic autonomy." But "strategic partnership" enhances India's and America's ability to deter a nuclear-armed global powerhouse (China). Congrats to Mattis and Sitharaman for engaging in meaningful public diplomacy. In the northeast, the Boko Haram violence continues in Borno state, with several violent incidents a week, most of them minor (looting raids on remote villages). This month a new group of army and police commanders have taken over in the northeast to deal with the Boko Haram violence. Nationwide there is a new commander for the Army Special Forces, who are frequently in action against Boko Haram. President Buhari, a former general, is running for re-election in February 2019 elections. Part of the reason for this increase in Boko Haram activity, especially in the far north near the borders with Chad and Niger, has to do with Chad and Niger. In mid-2018, removing their contingents from the 8,700 man (at its peak in 2017) international force. This force was comprised of troops from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria and was intended to prevent Boko Haram from freely operating in border areas. Most of the international force operations were Borno State and adjacent areas. Three areas got the most attention. There was the Cameroon border area containing the Mandera Mountains. The other two areas are parts of the Sambisa forest in northern Borno State and further north along the coast of Lake Chad. The international force was aided by national forces work the Cameroon, Niger and Chad sides of the border. The international force was a key factor in the defeat of Boko Haram but the Islamic terror group was not destroyed and without the international force to guard the borders, Boko Haram was able to survive and rebuild. The ISIL (Barnawi) faction of Boko Haram has received a lot of useful tips from ISIL, including how to use commercial quad-copters for reconnaissance. Nigerian troops and police have already encountered these. Boko Haram persists in the northeast in large part because of its willingness to experiment and innovate. That is largely because one of the two rival factions has deliberately sought to develop and use more effective tactics and techniques. The Barnawi (or Albarnawi) faction follows the current ISIL doctrine of concentrating attacks on security forces and government officials (preferably the corrupt ones). That makes it easier to extort (raise taxes) cash and other goods from the local population. The Barnawi faction has about 3,000 active gunmen and operates mainly in the far north of Borno state near Lake Chad and the borders of Niger and Chad. The smaller Shekau faction has about half as many armed men and operates further south near the Borno State capital of Maiduguri and the Sambisa Forest. Both factions rely on the fact that the years of Boko Haram violence in Borno State (where the group originated in 2004) has increased the poverty and corruption the Islamic terrorist organization was founded to eliminate. While most potential recruits are discouraged with the Boko Haram approach the most hardcore Islamic radicals are drawn to the more extreme groups and that way Boko Haram persists. In central Nigeria, the war is between nomads (herders, mostly Moslem) and farmers (mostly Christian). This is an ancient struggle made more intense by religious differences and government corruption. This violence has not declined much at all in the last decade but is still less than the annual death toll Boko Haram is still responsible for. Happy New Year In the third quarter (July-September) GDP grew at the rate of 1.8 percent. Most of this came from growth in the non-oil part of the economy, which the government is paying more attention to since oil prices declined after 2013. Foreign economists (IMF) predicted 1.9 percent growth for all of 2018 and Nigeria might exceed that. Corruption is still a major problem but it is not as concentrated as it was when oil was the dominant part of the economy and everything else was secondary. December 11, 2018: Oil production has been cut to 1.7 million BPD to comply with OPEC cuts that are needed to increase the oil price. In the south (Niger River Delta) the navy has renewed its campaign against oil thieves after a mid-2018 scandal involving three naval officers who were illegally selling seized equipment (from oil theft gangs) back to the gangs. The corruption went deeper than that and had made it easier for the oil theft gangs to survive major navy campaigns to find and shut down them down. The military, especially the navy, has been very successful in finding and shutting down oil theft gangs. Since 2016 this effort has found (via more than 16,000 patrols) and shut down over 1,800 illegal refineries. Much of the refinery equipment was destroyed where found but the navy has seized over 1,5oo weapons, 1,600 boats, 198 barges, 258 outboard engines, 133 tanker trucks, 349 vehicles, 95 generating sets and much more recoverable equipment. The navy was supposed to sell off this stuff with the proceeds going to the government but it was discovered that corruption had quietly crippled naval operations in the Delta. New commanders were sent in to clean up and revive the navy operations. Over the last few months, there has been a noticeable reduction in oil theft gang operations and the surviving gangs has set up camps further from the areas where oil production takes place. This makes it more difficult for the navy to find them but also makes it more difficult for the gangs to get to pipelines, puncture them and steal oil. The threat of corruption returning is still there. December 9, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), the ISIL faction of Boko Haram used a suicide bomber and trucks mounting heavy machine-guns to attack an army base. Two soldiers were killed and two wounded. The attack was repulsed with heavy losses as the Islamic terrorists retreated taking most of their dead and wounded with them. December 8, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram was particularly active on the outskirts of the state capital (Maiduguri) during the last two days, with four clashes leaving two soldiers and five Islamic terrorists dead. There were many wounded, most of them civilians. The violence halted traffic on the highway to Kano state and many people were stuck in traffic overnight. December 6, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram attacked an army base at Rann and were repulsed. But the Boko Haram was also attacking nearby residential areas and destroyed many buildings, including a clinic. Several civilians were killed. December 4, 2018: In the northeast, across the border in Cameroon village militias are being revived with men being selected for training in the use of weapons and how to establish security. This is to deal with a resurgence of Boko Haram activity along the Nigerian border (especially Borno state.) December 3, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram clashed with soldiers leaving five dead on each side. During the last few weeks clashes like this occurred almost daily in Borno although many, if not most, result in no deaths. The Boko Haram men are usually caught looking for loot, not a fight and the Internet flee the security forces as quickly as possible. December 2, 2018: In the northeast (Yobe State), a large group of Boko Haram attacked an army base, killing eight soldiers and stealing a truck. December 1, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram sent two suicide bombers to hit targets in Maiduguri but were detected and killed by security forces. The only casualties were the suicide bombers. Next door in Yobe State, a battle between the army and Boko Haram left eight soldiers and ten Islamic terrorists dead. November 30, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram attacked an army base on the shore of Lake Chad. The attack was repulsed with one soldier dead and seven wounded. The Boko Haram force came in trucks, one of them mounting an anti-aircraft gun. That vehicle was destroyed and at least four of the attackers killed. November 29, 2018: In Chad senior leaders from Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon met to discuss how to deal with the increased Boko Haram activity in the region (nations bordering Lake Chad). These four nations, plus Benin, also contributed troops to the MJTF (Multinational Joint Task Force) when it was created in 2015. MJTF initially concentrated on Boko Haram activity in northeastern Nigeria and was a key factor in the defeat of Boko Haram in Nigeria. In 2016 MJTF national contingents returned to their homelands and concentrated on Islamic terrorist activity there, which often involved remnants of Boko Haram. At the same time, some Boko Haram groups were regularly operating on both sides of these borders. Meanwhile, Nigeria proved unable to finish off Boko Haram in Nigeria and now this has become more of a problem for the other MJTF members. There is talk of again concentrating on Nigeria, which is still the source of most Boko Haram recruits and most of the growing activity. It may take a while for a decision to be made on this. In the northwest (Zamfara State), police encountered a large group of armed cattle thieves and over a hundred (most of them the thieves) died during several hours of fighting. Zamfara state is experiencing the same sort of tribal violence in central Niger except in Zamfara everyone involved is Moslem. This generally involves fighting between Fulani herders and Hausa farmers. To make matters worse the area is notorious for groups of bandits that steal cattle as well as raid farming villages. That, plus the Fulani violence has caused at least 3,000 deaths in the last two years. Most of the attacks are raids for the purpose of looting and leaving. The Fulani raiders often run into Hausa self-defense militias and the resulting battles leave many on both sides dead or wounded. The Fulani raids are usually after cattle and other loot. Both Hausa and Fulani are Moslem so religion is not a factor here. Moslem leaders want attention paid to the growing tribal feuds between Moslem tribes, especially like the battles between Fulani and Hausa in Zamfara. The violence in Zamfara state has led to the national police sending in hundreds of additional paramilitary personnel to deal (or try to deal) with that situation. The police have not had much impact and usually, leave after conducting some operations that are avoided by the local bandits. November 28, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram attacked the Abadam army base and were repulsed with the loss of at least twenty men plus many more wounded. In neighboring Cameroon (the border town of Amchide) two female Boko Haram suicide bombers were killed at a checkpoint. They were the only deaths but there were other casualties (29 wounded) when one of the women set off her explosives while the other was killed by gunfire. Amchide is adjacent to a portion of Borno State that has long suffered Boko Haram violence but pressure from Nigerian security forces caused some Boko Haram to establish bases on the Cameroon side of the frontier. Life is not that much easier for Boko Haram in Cameroon. November 24, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram crossed the border into Niger and kidnapped 18 girls in two villages. November 21, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram crossed the border into Niger and attacked a French sponsored water drilling operation near the border. At least eight people were killed during the night attack, all were from Niger. November 19, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram attacked three military bases over the weekend, killing more than fifty soldiers and civilians in the process. Local civilians were attacked because they were suspected of reporting Boko Haram activity to the military. These attacks were carried out by the ISIL faction of Boko Haram. This faction has killed over a hundred people in attacks made over the last week as a show of force. November 18, 2018: President Buhari, appalled at the recent Boko Haram attacks against security forces in the northeast, admitted that Boko Haram had not been defeated, as he previously claimed. So far this month 39 soldiers have been killed and 43 wounded during five clashes with Boko Haram. November 17, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram kidnapped at least fifty loggers who were working near the Cameroon border. The loggers were taken because they were suspected of reporting Boko Haram activity to the military. This operation was carried out by the ISIL faction of Boko Haram. November 16, 2018: The United States donated $1.3 million worth of patrol boats (for use on Lake Chad) and military trucks to Chad. These are to assist Chad in keeping Boko Haram out of Chad and away from Lake Chad. Bay of Plenty Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of qualified or experienced carpenters for an... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Tauranga residents are being asked to gather as the city hosts a vigil for murdered British backpacker Grace Millane. Members of public are welcome to attend the event, which is being hosted on Friday from 7pm-8pm at the Edgewater Fan on The Strand waterfront. The event has been organised by 17-year-old Courtney Bignell. The ex-Otumoetai College student says she wanted to host the event to show the Millane family they are supported throughout the country. We want the community to be able to come together and show Graces family were there and we support them. Her death has led to a show of solidarity throughout the country, with all of us coming together. At this Tauranga event people can bring candles and pay their respects. Labour list MP Jan Tinetti will be the MC and a guest speaker on the evening, along with Labour list MP Angie Warren-Clark. Courtney has also been supported by the Warehouse Tauranga who has provided tea light candles and a print poster of Grace. The vigil is in relation the death of 22-year-old British woman Grace Millane. Grace arrived in New Zealand on November 20 as part of a year-long backpacking trip. She was reported missing after she failed to respond to birthday messages on Sunday December 2. Prior to her disappearance, Grace had been in contact with her family every day. Her body was discovered on Sunday in an area of bush about 10 metres off the road in Aucklands Waitakere Ranges, following a week long police investigation. A 26-year-old man has been accused of her murder and has been granted interim name suppression. In a media statement released on Tuesday, police confirmed Graces body had been returned to her family. Courtney says she, as well as many of her friends, have also considered an overseas experience themselves, following university. It sort of makes us feel a bit weary now, especially considering this happened in New Zealand. Were we are all thinking maybe we shouldnt go overseas by ourselves now. Its sad we have to think about whether we will be safe when we walk home, or go out on our own. Despite what happened, Graces father hopes her story doesnt deter people from their own travels. Grace went off to travel the world in mid-October and arrived in New Zealand on November 20, he says in a statement. By the amount of pictures and messages we received she clearly loved this country, its people and the lifestyle. After the disappearance of Grace on December 1 our whole world turned upside down. I arrived in Auckland on Friday December 7, followed by my brother Martin on Saturday 8. From that very first moment we have been astounded by the level of concern, sympathy and selfless help from every person we have met. Auckland Police have carried out the most concise, stringent and thorough investigation. The team, consisting at times of more than 24 officers have worked arduous long hours without a day off, little sleep or rest in helping to resolve this heinous crime. The media and press have been superb in their coverage and reporting of the events surrounding Grace's tragic final days. They have not intruded into our life and have been respectful and courteous at all times. Gill, Michael, Declan and myself would sincerely like to thank everybody involved and express our most profound gratitude. In this difficult situation where everybody is a true hero it is sometimes difficult to single out certain people. Despite this we would like to offer our most sincere thanks and everlasting gratitude to; Detective Inspector Scott Beard, who has been a most measured, selfless, human and professional face of Auckland Police. His emotional media statements have made him many fans both in New Zealand and at home in the UK. Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Brand, the hidden driving force of the investigation and a true police professional. We all hope that what has happened to Grace will not deter even one person from venturing out into the world and discovering their own OE. He along with his brother have attended a traditional Maori blessing of the site where Graces body was discovered. This was a lovely and peaceful experience, he says. Finally we would like to thank the people of New Zealand for their outpouring of love, numerous messages, tributes and compassion. Grace was not born here and only managed to stay a few weeks, but you have taken her to your hearts and in some small way she will forever be a Kiwi. My brother Martin and I leave for the UK this weekend to take her home. In todays weather forecast we are expecting a fine day apart from the chance of a morning shower. Also northerly breezes. Its a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 22 and an overnight low of 15 degrees. Humidity is 93 per cent. High tide is at 11.50am and low tide at 6.10pm (Tay St). Theres a sea swell of 0.7m and sea temperature is 19 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 8.27pm. If youre going fishing the next best fish bite time is between 5 and 7pm. On this day in NZ history in 1642 was the first recorded European sighting of New Zealand. Towards noon the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted 'a large land, uplifted high', possibly the peaks of the Paparoa Range behind Punakaiki. In 1939 the Battle of the River Plate took place. When the cruiser HMS Achilles opened fire on the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in the South Atlantic, it became the first New Zealand unit to strike a blow at the enemy in the Second World War. On this day in world history in 1789 the National Guard was created in France. In 1812 the last remnants of Napoleon Bonapartes Grand Armee reached the safety of Kovno, Poland, after the failed Russian campaign. In1940 Adolf Hitler issued preparations for Operation Marita, the German invasion of Greece. In 1972 astronaut Gene Cernan climbed into his lunar lander on the moon and prepared to lift off. He was the last man to set foot on the moon. In 1973 Great Britain cut the work week to three days to save energy. In 1985 France sued the United States over the discovery of an AIDS serum. In 2003 deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured; he was found hiding near his home town. Today is the birthday of Scottish poet William Drummond. Born in 1585 he once wrote Books have that strange quality, that being of the frailest and tenderest matter, they outlast brass, iron and marble. To get involved in activities around the Bay of Plenty, please check out our Whats on page. Have a great day! Bay of Plenty We are looking for a storeman with an OSH forklift license. You will need to be physically for as the job is about 70% forklift... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Air Link unveiled its new Pilatus PC 12 fix-wing air ambulance Friday. The plane has a wide cargo door and is lower to the ground, making it easier to move patients, according to Air Link Medical Director Dr. Peter Meyer. Air Link and Regional West recently announced a new option to their air ambulance fleet. The organization now has the option of a Pilatus PC 12 jet. Regional West now has the option of dispatching a medical helicopter or the new plane. Air Link Medical Director Dr. Peter Meyer said the company has been pursuing a fixed-wing response option for several years. He said in 1995, Dr. Lloyd Westbrook made Regional West a trauma center. Transportation was the key part of the program, according to Dr. Meyer. He said Regional West started pursuing a plane as part of its response fleet in 2010. "We've been working on this for quite a while," he said. Regional West and Air Link unveiled the new plane, estimated at about $4.5 million, during a press conference at Western Nebraska Regional Airport Friday. The Pilatus operates on a single engine with a cruising speed of 312 mph and a flight range of 1,750 miles. The medical helicopters are typically used within a range of 150 miles of Scottsbluff, Dr. Meyer said. "It's really opened up our ability to take flights," he said. Dr. Meyer and Air Link Chief Flight Nurse Tracy Meyer, RN, said there are several factors that lead to deciding on which craft to dispatch. Factors considered include weather conditions, distance to the patient and where the patient needs to be flown to and size of the patient. A helicopter has the option of landing at most hospitals, near a crash site or at an airport, while the jet is generally limited to an airport runway. "Our goal is to have you out of the hospital in the shortest amount of time," Tracy Meyer said. Forrest Hershberger Air Link Medical Director Dr. Peter Meyer, center, answers questions during a press conference Friday as Air Link Chief Flight Nurse Tracy Meyer, RN, left, and Fixed Wing Pilot Jody Pillatzki, right, look on. Dr. Meyer compared flying a patient by jet to a Denver facility, but having to transport the patient by ambulance to the hospital, while a chopper could land at the hospital, but has shorter flight range. Fixed-wing pilot Jody Pillatzki compared the Pilatus to a King Air twin-engine jet. He said the Pilatus needs a shorter runway than the King Air, and has almost the same horsepower as the twin-engine King Air. The Pilatus has a wider cargo door and is closer to the ground, allowing for easier patient transfer. It has a payload of about 2,000 pounds including crew and patient. The plane is equipped with everything medical staff would need in an Emergency Room, Meyer said. With the addition of the Pilatus, Air Link has a staff of eight pilots; four fix-wing and four rotary (helicopter) aircraft. Air Link also has a full-time mechanic based at the Western Nebraska Regional Airport. Dr. Meyer said Air Link's affiliation with Regional West allows for training of flight staff at most any time of day. Air Link also conducts safety zone landing training to coordinate with first responders on how to define a safe landing area for a medical helicopter and how to respond when one lands. "Serving you is why we're here," said Tracy Meyer. Air Link serves a five-state area of Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado with more than 300 bases. All team members are required to have advanced certification and at least three years of critical care experience before hire. Donald F. Struck, resident of Pierce, CO and formerly of Chappell and Sidney, NE passed away Nov. 17, 2018 at the age of 85. Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Dec. 15, 2018 in the Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses at 303 South 3rd Ave in Ault, Colorado. Donald was born June 20, 1933 in Wausa, Nebraska. He also lived in Minnesota and spent the last ten years in Colorado. He and his wife, Phyllis, raised five children during their 47 years together. For most of his life he was a contract carpenter even working on the Saint Lawrence Seaway. He enjoyed many outdoor activities. But his main interest was in teaching others the beautiful truths of Gods Word the Bible as one of Jehovahs Witnesses, doing so even in his last few days. He often comforted others with the promise at Revelation 21:3,4. He is preceded in death by his parents, Fritz and Bertha; his brother, Lyle; his first wife, JoAnne and his second wife, Sharon. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; three sons, Robert, William and Timothy Struck; two daughters, Kathleen Schwartz and Jessica Gallegos; grandchildren and great grandchildren; a cousin, Ken Raduechel; a niece and nephew and all their families. Condolences may be sent to: P.O. Box 564, Pierce, CO 80650. Syracuse, N.Y. -- The Pyramid Cos. has proposed building more than 200 apartment and townhouse units close to its Crossgates Mall near Albany. The Syracuse-based mall development company has submitted plans to the town of Guilderland for the large residential complex just west of the mall, at the intersection of Rapp and Gipp roads. Two five-story buildings and three two-story buildings containing 222 one- and two-bedroom apartments would be built off a tree-lined road that would provide access to the site, according to plans filed with the Guilderland Planning Board. The Pyramid Cos. has proposed building 222 apartment southwest of the intersection of Gipp and Rapp roads near the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland. (Google Maps) The apartment buildings would also contain up to 4,300 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Located on the west side of Rapp Road, the 20-acre property was operated for decades as a commercial pig farm but is now vacant. The project will further diversify Pyramid's investment in the area beyond retail. In October, the company opened a 192-room dual-branded Homewood Suites and Tru by Hilton next to the mall. Pyramid opened its first hotel, a 209-room Embassy Suites by Hilton, at its largest mall, Destiny USA in Syracuse, in September 2017. It has not announced any plans for apartments near the mall, but it certainly has the room to do so because it owns much of the land south of the mall. (Syracuse.com has reached out to the company for comment and will update this story if we hear back.) Regardless of Pyramid's plans, however, apartment construction is on the upswing near the mall, with several developers, including Pyramid founder Robert Congel's son Mark, converting old industrial buildings to upscale apartments in the lakefront and Franklin Square areas. In addition, Cor Development Co. is close to opening its 112-unit Iron Pier Apartments at the Syracuse Inner Harbor a short distance south of the mall. Pyramid Management Group opened a 192-room dual-branded Homewood Suites and Tru by Hilton hotel at the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, an Albany suburb, in October. (Provided photo) Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 Syracuse, NY -- The U.S. Attorney's Office in Syracuse is considering whether to open a death penalty case against William Wood, a Syracuse man accused of killing two workers at a Chili's restaurant in DeWitt. That's according to federal Public Defender Lisa Peebles, whose office has been called upon to defend Wood in the case there is a federal prosecution. This could be the first local consideration of a death penalty case since David Renz raped a 10-year-old girl and murdered school librarian Lori Bresnahan in 2013 in the Great Northern Mall parking lot. Renz later pleaded guilty to murder in state court and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Feds decided against a death penalty case. Wood, 33, is already facing life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder in New York State courts. New York state doesn't have the death penalty. He's accused of gunning down two workers, Kristopher Hicks and Stephen Gudknecht, at the Erie Boulevard East restaurant during a late-night September robbery. Wood was a former Chili's employee. Four others have been charged in connection with the fatal robbery, but it appears only Wood is under consideration for the federal charges. A letter from Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher, dated Nov. 26, revealed the potential death penalty case to Wood's defense attorney, Ben Coffin, who is handling the non-federal charges. The letter was obtained independently by Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. "The United States Attorney's Office will follow Department of Justice Policy concerning a possible death penalty prosecution of your client, William Wood, in relation to the September 2018 robbery and double homicide at the Chili's restaurant in Dewitt, New York," Fletcher's letter began. It urged Coffin to submit any information or evidence that might help prosecutors decide whether or not to pursue the death penalty. Peebles, the federal defender, said it's unclear why federal prosecutors picked the Chili's case, or what legal basis they'd use to try Wood's case. But she said there were multiple laws that could give feds jurisdiction over the DeWitt robbery and murder. Peebles said she knows of no other local consideration of the death penalty since Renz. The U.S. Attorney's Office declined comment, as did Wood's defense lawyer, Coffin. At some point, local U.S. Attorney Grant Jaquith will make a recommendation to his superiors in Washington D.C. as to how to proceed. Peebles said it's not unusual for such a decision to take awhile. For now, Wood's case remains pending in Onondaga County Court. He remains jailed. SODUS, N.Y. -- An 86-year-old Sodus woman was killed Tuesday afternoon in a crash in Wayne County, according to New York State Police. Nancy Reibsome was killed when the vehicle she was riding in was struck by a box truck on state Route 104 in Sodus. The operator of the vehicle, Ronald Milton, 73, failed to yield the right of way and drove into the path of an eastbound box truck, troopers said. The crash occurred at about 3:01 p.m. on state Route 104 and South Geneva Road. Milton, 73, of Sodus, was transported to Strong Hospital with serious injuries. The operator of the box truck, Scott Thompson, 41, of Liverpool was taken to Newark Wayne Hospital for minor injuries, trooper said. The investigation is continuing. William J. Fitzpatrick is the Onondaga County district attorney and president emeritus of the National District Attorneys Association. By William J. Fitzpatrick | Special to Syracuse.com After 40 years as a prosecutor, 27 as the elected District Attorney in Central New York, I am often asked if there is one case that best exemplifies why I do what I do. Actually, that's a tough question to answer, but after four decades of prosecuting child abusers, rapists, murderers and other unsavory characters, let me point to that one case that best explains why a prosecutor's pivotal role is to seek justice. Marion Fisher who was murdered in June 28, 1975. She was a physical ed teacher at the Jamesville Elementary school. On June 27, 1975 Marion Fisher, a physical education teacher at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, and her husband, Jack, went to a restaurant in Syracuse to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Their two children were at a neighbor's house for the night and other couples joined the Fishers to enjoy the evening. After the meal, the Fishers and friends returned to the bar area for a nightcap and, for some reason lost to the sands of time, the Fishers argued. It escalated to the point where Marion slammed down her drink and announced that despite the late hour and the over a mile distance, she was walking home. Sadly, Jack's and Marion's lives would be altered forever. The next morning, Syracuse police officers knocked on the Fishers' door to find Jack awakening from sleeping on the couch and telling the cops that his wife was upstairs asleep, as far as he knew. Except she wasn't. Actuall,y Marion's body had been found in a wooded area a short distance from the residence and evidence at the crime scene strongly indicated she had been raped and strangled to death by someone using her own stockings. And, incredibly, things were about to get worse for Jack. Taken into custody, Jack admitted to the verbal argument, his alibi about his arrival time home was contradicted by two neighboring kids, he flunked a lie detector test and began to make incriminating statements that maybe he blacked out and hurt Marion. Thus, three decades later, when this case was discussed at my county's Cold Case Task Force, it was no surprise when a Syracuse cop said, "We know the husband did it, we just can't prove it." But prosecutors don't rely on what we know; we bank on what we can prove. Which is why the lab technician at the meeting suggested analyzing a rag found at the scene for possible DNA. Click on the image to read the story from June 30, 1975. Two weeks later, I got the news that a full profile had been developed and, of course, I wanted to know if we had Jack Fisher's DNA to compare. Turns out we didn't need to. The CODIS hit indicated that the rapist and murderer of Marion Fisher already had his profile in the system because he was on death row in Georgia for murdering multiple women. It was Carlton Gary, the "Stocking Strangler," who just happened to run into Marion Fisher and sadistically took her life on that long ago summer night. Later that day, I called Jack Fisher and we talked for 45 minutes. At his request, I sent Jack all the documentation I had, the news reports, the DNA reports and the information on Carlton Gary. A few weeks later, Jack called me and in the background I could hear children laughing and people obviously having some fun at a party. Jack explained that it was his daughter who, for over 25 years, thought he murdered her mother. She was just introducing Jack to the grandchildren he had never met. There it was. In one case, a prosecutor managed to exonerate an innocent man who had needlessly suffered, to reunite a family and to point conclusively to the guilt and evil of a serial killer. In a final note, Carlton Gary was executed by the state of Georgia on March 15, 2018. He left behind a trail of tears and heartache and destruction. But at least Jack got to meet his grandkids. 'Stocking strangler' serial killer, tied to CNY woman's death in 1975, executed in Ga. A federal judge on Wednesday will sentence President Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen for multiple crimes, including lying to Congress about a possible Trump business deal in Moscow and buying the silence during the 2016 presidential campaign of women who alleged affairs with the future president. The 11 a.m. hearing before U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III will give Cohen a chance to address the wrongdoing to which he has pleaded guilty and perhaps offer new details on how his offenses connect to the president. In a court filing asking for no jail time, Cohen's lawyers wrote that their client's misdeeds were a product of his "fierce loyalty" to Trump and put the wrongdoing squarely at the feet of the president and his close advisers. Cohen's lawyers said in the filing that he was in "close and regular contact with White House-based staff and legal counsel" when he prepared his false testimony to Congress about a possible Trump Tower project in Moscow and that he acted at Trump's direction in paying off the women. It is possible he could reveal Wednesday who at the White House he was in touch with, or what specifically Trump told him about the payments. Trump and his legal team have sought to downplay Cohen's allegations, and the president has said Cohen deserves a "full and complete" sentence. Trump has denied having the affairs. On Monday, he accused his political opponents of focusing on the campaign finance matter because, he claimed, they had failed to prove his campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the election. "Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced," Trump wrote on Twitter. "WITCH HUNT!" Cohen has pleaded guilty in two separate cases - one brought by special counsel Robert Mueller over Cohen's lies to Congress, the other brought by federal prosecutors in New York over tax and bank fraud allegations and campaign finance violations. Federal sentencing guidelines in the New York case call for Cohen to face as many as five years and three months in prison - though it is likely he will get less than that. Prosecutors in the case, while advocating for a "substantial term of imprisonment," have said Cohen deserved less than what the guidelines call for because he has been at least somewhat cooperative, but they noted Cohen never agreed to fully cooperate and tell all that he knew. The U.S. probation office recommended a sentence of 31/2 years. The special counsel's office, for its part, seems to view Cohen as a valuable cooperator. Mueller's prosecutors did not recommend any particular punishment in their case, but said he should not serve any additional prison time beyond his sentence in the New York case. They credited Cohen with providing "useful information" about the ongoing probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, as well as "relevant information" about his contacts with people connected to the White House between 2017 and 2018. Prosecutors will likely make a pitch to the judge Wednesday about the sentence they believe is appropriate, and it is possible - albeit unlikely - they might reveal new details about how Cohen's cooperation has helped advance their ongoing probes. After that, Cohen's team and Cohen himself will advocate for leniency, and the judge will impose the sentence. In the decades before Destiny USA and Amazon, Central New Yorkers did much of their Christmas shopping at downtown Syracuse department stores. The Post-Standard's reports on what typical Saturday was like in downtown Syracuse during the 1940s and '50s during the holiday season describe a shopping experience that is completely foreign to today's readers. Here is a sample of what the newspaper said about what it was like downtown on Saturday, Dec. 13, 1958: The front page of the Dec. 14, 1958 Post-Standard local section proclaimed Syracuse was on a downtown "shopping spree" and wrote about how happy local business owners were. (Less excited was poor Miss Helen Nash, 21, who was photographed after suffering a terrible broken leg in a toboggan accident at Thornden Park.) "Thousand upon thousands of shoppers yesterday made it a green Christmas for merchants. Edwards' 800-car parking garage was jammed at 10 a.m. It had to be closed. Every other garage and parking lot had the same happy experience. Traffic policemen may not have been as happy. The streets were packed solid with autos and it took nearly half an hour to traverse downtown in any direction." The Post-Standard's reporter, Leroy Natanson, predicted that the day "may have been an all-time record selling day" and reported that "every department store, variety store and specialty shop was crowded, and it was a buying crowd." Syracuse's shopping center was said then to have everything that a person could want: modern stores and shops, theaters and excellent restaurants. In an editorial three days later, the newspaper called Syracuse's booming downtown to be "one of the city's greatest assets" and declared the experience offered there to be "one of the best in the country east of the Mississippi." To further encourage people to travel to downtown for their holiday shopping, Syracuse Mayor Anthony Henninger decided to give area shoppers an early Christmas gift. On Dec. 13, 1958, he declared a city-wide moratorium on parking meter fees, which would continue for the remainder of the Christmas shopping season. He believed the potential loss of revenue to the city, thought to be roughly $5,000 from 3,000 meters, was a fair trade if it meant even more consumer traffic to downtown businesses. (Henninger's "Christmas gift" to the city may have also been used to dampen some rumors in 1958 that he was a bit of a Scrooge after it was falsely reported that he had banned holiday decorations and parties at City Hall.) He had just two requests. First, he asked that shoppers respect the time limit on the meters and to remain no longer in a metered spot than would be legal if they had deposited money in a meter. This would give all an "equal break" at a spot. Second, he asked that merchants and their employees not use the metered spaces all day, leaving them open for their customers. Business leaders cheered the mayor's decision. One said that the "only result would be good," and it would help blunt people's interest in going to suburban shopping malls, like Shoppingtown Mall and Northern Lights. The Post-Standard joked that the mayor may have had another motive: "From another angle the moratorium was expected to give the Traffic Violations Bureau at police headquarters a chance to get caught up with a backlog of work in processing tickets." They would not get a chance to get caught up, at least initially. In fact, after the first day of the moratorium, Dec. 15, 1958, the police had even more tickets to process. The first day ended in "general confusion," a flurry of parking tickets and one big traffic jam. Police said that motorists misinterpreted the mayor's proclamation, many believing that Henninger had lifted all parking restrictions, not just parking meter payments. They said that resulted in tickets "in more than normal quantities" being issued. The worst violation was the disregard of the 4:30 to 6 p.m. parking ban on city streets. At the end of the business day, motorists found the streets of Syracuse to be "literally choked when illegally parked cars brought through-downtown traffic to a near standstill during the evening rush." Police also noticed that many store employees did not heed the mayor's request and instead drove to work and parked in front of their business all day. It also seemed that many simply did not know about the mayor's proclamation. Twenty percent of the city's meters had money in them after the first day. The confusion of the first day was not repeated in the days that followed and after a slow start, everyone appreciated Mayor Henninger's Christmas gift. This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle: Email | 315-427-3958. Samba Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,844 Thanked: 17,815 Times View My Garage 14 cars, 1100 km : A weekend drive from Kolkata to Puri with a bunch of car enthusiasts This time our destination was Puri, relax for the weekend and drive back. The itinerary - 22nd November- Start at 9pm from Kolkata 23rd November - Reach Puri early morning and relax for the day and have some fun in the pool or beach. 24th November - Visit the famous Jagannath Temple in morning, have some fun in the beach, drive on the scenic Puri - konark road in afternoon and relax in the evening. 25th November - Drive back to Kolkata. 23rd November, Friday was Gurunanak Jayanti, so it was a long weekend. The participants - Team Duster - Bhpian Samba with wife. Team Swift Vxi (new gen) - Bhpian SouraC with wife & kid. Team Zest - Bhpian ArindamXeta with wife, kids and his parents. Team Baleno - Bhpian avrendu with wife & kid. Team Swift vxi (old gen) - Bhpian Sayata with his brother. Team Civic - Bhpian Dip27in with wife & kid. Team Tuv300 - Bhpian Mi2n with wife and kid. Team Linea Tjet - Bhpian Scorpio25 with wife & kid. Team Ecosport - Bhpian SVK Rider with wife. Team Swift Dzire ZDI AMT - Bhpian ALTIMAed with his friend. Team S-Cross - Bhpian DJR with wife. Team Avventura - Mr. Rana Adhikary with wife & kid. Team Innova Crysta - Mr. Abhijit Sinha Roy with his brother. Team Scorpio - Mr. Saikat Bishnu with his wife and kid. Day 1- Kolkata to Puri All 14 cars met up at Azadhind dhaba, Uluberia at night 9 pm. After a sumptuous dinner, we started from there by 11pm. With a very decent cruising speed and few fun stops we reached the entrance of Puri by 6 am. The road condition was more or less excellent. We negotiated sparse traffic, apart from the Balasore toll, which was slightly congested. It took us around 15 mins to pass through. But to our bad luck it was the date for Rash Mela. A very common thing about Odisha Police in Puri is, if there is a festival they block the main road. So we looked for some alternate route and a police guy literally insisted us to take a small alley. On his command we took that road with 14 cars but after going for 100 meters, it was more or less a dead end! So with 14 cars, we were stuck in a narrow alley with a dead end! Now whether he misguided us knowingly or unknowingly, we do not have that answer! So taking out 14 cars from that alley with only one place to reverse a single car was a big task! It nearly took us an hour to take out all the 14 cars unscratched! Most of the locals were cooperative and helpful. After asking the locals we figured out that by taking the under construction Puri Bypass, we can reach our hotel. We took that route and finally reached our hotel by 8 am. So for the last 2km, we lost 2 hours! It was a mess all over with pure mismanagement on the traffic control. But who cares now? We already reached our hotel, so some good food and cosy rooms were waiting for us! We were put up at hotel Prabhupada near the light house on new marine drive road. Had our breakfast and we relaxed for the whole day with some good food and an engaging gossip or rather a chit chat session! A pic from the evening. After dinner the fun continued till late night until we felt sleepy. Day 2, drive on Puri - Konark Marine drive Few of our group members decided to visit the famous Jagannath temple and few lazy guys like me decided to sleep till late. After a late breakfast had some fun in the beach. Sadly i was more interested to have fun in the beach rather than clicking pics. So no pics from this fun session from me. Hope other Bhpian's to share them. Post lunch we drove to a desolated beach on the Puri - Konark road. Few pics from the beach- A part of our small group, not all are present in this pic. Drove back to our hotel by 7 pm. The evening was spent together in the lawn with some good food and good music. By 11 pm we had our dinner and our chit chats continued till late night. We were sad, as the next day was our return journey to Kolkata. We missed staying one more day together. :( Day 3, Puri to Kolkata In the morning we lined up all the cars to do some car photography by the sea side. 13 cars were present as Bhpian DJR had to leave in early morning as he had to reach back Kolkata by noon. Few pics from the photo session- My wife wanted her childhood friend (Chini) to feature in Team Bhp, hence posting this pic on my wife's demand! Clicked by her. Few stunning clicks by Bhpian Scorpio25 (Mr.Shayan De) After the photo-session we left Puri by 11-30 am, had lunch at Hotel Orion Bhadrak, followed by some late evening snacks at Express food Plaza in Kolaghat and finally we reached home by 10 pm. A fun trip came to an end. Few car enthusiasts including Bhpian's and non Bhpian's are a part of a group, named as 'Car Photography' in Facebook. We do have a small whats app group too. From this group we plan for two to three weekend trips every year along with a big road trip. We are road tripping together since the last four years and this was our 15th family road trip together. This is a small group with strong bonding.This time our destination was Puri, relax for the weekend and drive back.22nd November- Start at 9pm from Kolkata23rd November - Reach Puri early morning and relax for the day and have some fun in the pool or beach.24th November - Visit the famous Jagannath Temple in morning, have some fun in the beach, drive on the scenic Puri - konark road in afternoon and relax in the evening.25th November - Drive back to Kolkata.23rd November, Friday was Gurunanak Jayanti, so it was a long weekend.Team Duster - Bhpian Samba with wife.Team Swift Vxi (new gen) - Bhpian SouraC with wife & kid.Team Zest - Bhpian ArindamXeta with wife, kids and his parents.Team Baleno - Bhpian avrendu with wife & kid.Team Swift vxi (old gen) - Bhpian Sayata with his brother.Team Civic - Bhpian Dip27in with wife & kid.Team Tuv300 - Bhpian Mi2n with wife and kid.Team Linea Tjet - Bhpian Scorpio25 with wife & kid.Team Ecosport - Bhpian SVK Rider with wife.Team Swift Dzire ZDI AMT - Bhpian ALTIMAed with his friend.Team S-Cross - Bhpian DJR with wife.Team Avventura - Mr. Rana Adhikary with wife & kid.Team Innova Crysta - Mr. Abhijit Sinha Roy with his brother.Team Scorpio - Mr. Saikat Bishnu with his wife and kid.All 14 cars met up at Azadhind dhaba, Uluberia at night 9 pm. After a sumptuous dinner, we started from there by 11pm. With a very decent cruising speed and few fun stops we reached the entrance of Puri by 6 am.The road condition was more or less excellent. We negotiated sparse traffic, apart from the Balasore toll, which was slightly congested. It took us around 15 mins to pass through.But to our bad luck it was the date for Rash Mela. A very common thing about Odisha Police in Puri is, if there is a festival they block the main road. So we looked for some alternate route and a police guy literally insisted us to take a small alley. On his command we took that road with 14 cars but after going for 100 meters, it was more or less a dead end! So with 14 cars, we were stuck in a narrow alley with a dead end! Now whether he misguided us knowingly or unknowingly, we do not have that answer!So taking out 14 cars from that alley with only one place to reverse a single car was a big task! It nearly took us an hour to take out all the 14 cars unscratched! Most of the locals were cooperative and helpful.After asking the locals we figured out that by taking the under construction Puri Bypass, we can reach our hotel. We took that route and finally reached our hotel by 8 am. So for the last 2km, we lost 2 hours! It was a mess all over with pure mismanagement on the traffic control.But who cares now? We already reached our hotel, so some good food and cosy rooms were waiting for us!We were put up at hotel Prabhupada near the light house on new marine drive road.Had our breakfast and we relaxed for the whole day with some good food and an engaging gossip or rather a chit chat session!A pic from the evening.After dinner the fun continued till late night until we felt sleepy.Few of our group members decided to visit the famous Jagannath temple and few lazy guys like me decided to sleep till late.After a late breakfast had some fun in the beach.Sadly i was more interested to have fun in the beach rather than clicking pics. So no pics from this fun session from me. Hope other Bhpian's to share them.Post lunch we drove to a desolated beach on the Puri - Konark road.A part of our small group, not all are present in this pic.Drove back to our hotel by 7 pm. The evening was spent together in the lawn with some good food and good music. By 11 pm we had our dinner and our chit chats continued till late night. We were sad, as the next day was our return journey to Kolkata. We missed staying one more day together. :(In the morning we lined up all the cars to do some car photography by the sea side. 13 cars were present as Bhpian DJR had to leave in early morning as he had to reach back Kolkata by noon.Few pics from the photo session-My wife wanted her childhood friend (Chini) to feature in Team Bhp, hence posting this pic on my wife's demand! Clicked by her.After the photo-session we left Puri by 11-30 am, had lunch at Hotel Orion Bhadrak, followed by some late evening snacks at Express food Plaza in Kolaghat and finally we reached home by 10 pm.A fun trip came to an end. Last edited by Aditya : 13th December 2018 at 16:20 . Reason: Typo A hot potato: Google CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before Congress today to shed light on some of the company's business practices. After answering dozens of questions ranging from privacy to employee misconduct, the tech exec downplayed the importance of Project Dragonfly and dodged a request not to release such a tool to the Chinese government. Ever since it came out that Google was working on a censored search engine for the Chinese government called Project Dragonfly, the company has been embroiled in both public controversy and internal conflict. Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified before Congress on Tuesday where lawmakers grilled him over the companys social media practices. When the topic of the Dragonfly project was brought up Pichai was somewhat evasive and downplayed the significance of the search engine. When asked about the project by Representative David Cicilline from Rhode Island, the Google boss said the company had no plan to release the search engine in China and that it was an internal project with limited scope. We have undertaken an internal effort, but right now there are no plans to launch a search service in China, said Pichai. Its a limited effort internally currently. When asked if he would rule out developing and releasing an app or service allowing the Chinese government to surveil or censor its people, Pichai gave a long-winded stammering response that did not rule out anything. Congressman, I commit to engaging one of the things that is important to us as a company we have a stated mission of providing users with information, and so we always we think its within our duty to explore possibilities. To give users access to information, and you know, 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. The short answer would have been, "no." Last month, employees posted a demand to cancel the project in an open letter signed by about 250 staffers. Since then it has nearly tripled its signatures to 736 developers and engineers. Googles response has been that if workers have moral objections to working on the project, it will be glad to place them on a different team. So despite employee protests and Congress asking for a commitment not to help communist China oppress its people, Dragonfly appears to be still in the works with no signs of closing down under pressure. Lead Image via New York Post It's no secret that Comcast isn't exactly the most-liked company in the world, and that became particularly clear on Friday when a small town in Massachusetts -- Charlemont -- voted against a proposal that would have allowed Comcast to roll out cable internet in the area. The proposal, which may have cost Charlemont roughly $462,000, could have saved the town close to $1 million in the short term. The alternative, which will go into effect soon, was to let the town itself build out a municipal fiber network, a project that will cost $1.4 million in total. However, it should be noted that the network won't be free to residents. By acting as its own service provider, Charlemont can sell off internet packages to its residents, potentially allowing it to make up its costs or even turn a profit. If at least 72 percent of households subscribe to the network, there would be "no tax impact," according to Ars Technica. For a mere $79/month, residents of the town will get unlimited gigabit internet speeds, both upload and download. That price is already significantly cheaper than many comparable services in other cities, but it could get bumped up to $99/month if too few households adopt the network. In brief: Last month brought news that the Marriott-owned Starwood hotel chain had suffered one of the largest data breaches in history. Now, its been reported that the incident was part of a Chinese intelligence operation and follows a rise in cyber activity by the country, which one NSA agent said was preparation for hacks on critical infrastructure. According to the New York Times, the Marriott breach, which saw details of 500 million guests stolen, was the work of hackers suspected to be working on behalf of Chinas Ministry of State Security spy agency. Security firms brought in to investigate the attack discovered computer code and patterns similar to those used in previous operations by Chinese actors. The Times writes that the Marriott is the top hotel provider for American government and military personnel. The stolen information could be used to discover which Chinese citizens visited the same city, or hotel, as an American intelligence agent who was identified in data taken from the Office of Personnel Management or from American health insurers that document patients medical histories and Social Security numbers. The Office of Personnel Management hack, which took place in 2014 and saw 9.7 million background investigation forms compromised, was also blamed on Chinese hackers. Yesterday, National Security Agency official Rob Joyce told a Wall Street Journal cybersecurity conference that China was prepositioning itself for cyberattacks against the U.S. energy, financial, transportation, and healthcare sectorsa change from its usual focus on espionage and IP theft. He added that Chinese cyber activity had been on the rise in recent months. Its likely that the trade war between the US and China has played a part in the increased number of Chinese cyberattacks, and the recent arrest of Huaweis CFO wont have helped relationsthough Donald Trump has said he would intervene in U.S. efforts to extradite Meng Wanzhou if it helped him win a trade deal with China. Geng Shuang, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, said: China firmly opposes all forms of cyberattack and cracks down on it in accordance with the law, he said. If offered evidence, the relevant Chinese departments will carry out investigations according to the law. Rumor mill: A trade war between the United States and China is causing Apple to seriously consider moving production lines to places outside of China. Foxconn and Pegatron are on standby until US legislators and the president can figure out the tariff situation. Rumors are flying about that Apple may seriously be considering relocating its iPhone production to somewhere outside of China. Rising tariffs on US imports are a main factor behind potential relocation. According to sources that spoke with Bloomberg, Apple will remain in China as long as tariffs remain below 25 percent. Cupertino is already braced for a 10 percent tariff on iPhones and does not have any plans of moving for only a moderate increase. Even though Foxconn, otherwise known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., produces the majority of iPhones in China, there are other facilities throughout Thailand, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Singapore, and in the Philippines. A move could be costly, but could happen relatively quickly if need be. Similar to any other business, Apple would likely pass on the cost of tariffs straight to the consumer. Tim Cook has been slowly changing his statements over time on whether the US is a suitable location for manufacturing the iPhone. Shortly after assuming the role of CEO, Cook deemed China to be the ideal place due to the availability of semi-skilled laborers willing to work for low wages. In an interview earlier this year, Cook stated "it's not true that the iPhone is not made in the United States," pointing out that several components are actually produced in the US and then shipped to China for final assembly. What Apple's plans are for future production hinges on how Congress and President Trump proceed in negotiations with China. Trump was quoted by the Wall Street Journal last month as being in favor of placing tariffs on smartphones and laptops built in China. Although Apple still shows no signs of moving its manufacturing operations to the United States, Trump has strongly suggested that Apple do so if it wishes to avoid additional tariffs. Puma is relaunching its 1986 RS-Computer smart shoe for a limited time, which can track calories, distance, and time, thanks to the computer chip installed at its heel. Smartwatch is not uncommon these days, but the same can't be said for smart shoes. Although it sounds revolutionary at first, the German shoe company already released in 1986 pairs of this kind, back in the days when wearable tech wasn't the bomb. 2018 Puma RS-Computer Modern Tech That said, Puma is reviving its RS-Computer running shoe that is all the same with the old release, sans the modern technology incorporated for better tacking system. The new version has a three-axis accelerometer that measures the distance covered, step counts, as well as the calorie burned throughout the walk or run. Puma decided to keep the original colors as well as the sticking-out heel, so those who used to own the 1986 version of the smart shoe may feel very nostalgic about the reincarnation of the retro pair. Moreover, the brand decided to stick with the 8-bit graphics. What's more is that the 2018 pair also serves as a pedometer, a newly introduced function of the shoes, much like the Fitbit. The Puma RS smart shoe can store up to 30 days of data. "The 2018 iteration has new technology but replicates the original experience," Puma said in its website. Owners of the Puma smart running shoe used to extract data by a cable connected to a Commodore 64 or Apple IIe, but because everything is wireless now, data can be pulled out via Bluetooth and into an iOS or Android app. However, the 2018 release still needs cable, but this time, to charge the lithium-polymer battery. Puma RS Release Date Only 86 pairs of the Puma RS-Computer running shoe will be released in the market on Dec. 13 to signify the year it was first launched. To check the authenticity, note that these bulky shoes are numbered 1 to 86, which can be seen on the tongue. This will be available on their website, Kith, as well as physical stores in London, Berlin, and Tokyo. Although Puma claims that the RS smart shoe is the "world's first computerized running shoe," it is worth noting that Adidas released the Micropacer in 1984, which also measured the calories burned, the distance, and the pace via a microsensor. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Louisiana State Police will be handling the abuse allegations at T.M. Landry Preparatory School, taking over from the Breaux Bridge Police Department. The allegations followed a New York Times article that levied similar claims against the school and Mike and Tracey Landry, the couple who operate the unaccredited school. The newspaper also alleged the school falsified transcripts and student accomplishments to make its graduates more appealing to Ivy League colleges. +10 Reports of abusing students, falsifying records surface at well-known Louisiana school The New York Times published a report Friday accusing officials at the T.M Landry Prep School in Breaux Bridge of falsifying records in an att Last week, more allegations of abuse and misconduct surfaced against the school. Since Dec. 3, the Breaux Bridge Police Department has received 10 new physical abuse complaints against the school. Previously closed cases are now also being reinvestigated. Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up School officials would not comment for this report. Click here for KATC-TV updates. East Baton Rouge is looking at changing the way it handles employee retirement benefits, upping fines and fees for services and other potential money-saving measures. The Metro Council met Tuesday and quickly approved Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broomes $926 million standstill 2019 parish budget, but several council members said theyd like to revisit city-parishs finances upon completion of an ongoing efficiency study. The administration has hired Cincinnati-based Management Partners to comb through city-parish operations to look for cost savings. The study began in early September, and Chief Administrative Officer Darryl Gissel expects to begin getting results by April or May. The city-parish paid $300,000 for a review of most departments, plus $200,000 to specifically investigate police department efficiency. Metro Council could levy fees for downtown event traffic control to address police overtime costs Members of the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council are considering having organizations and private businesses foot the bill for city police Councilman Dwight Hudson has asked the consultants to look into changing city-parish employee pensions. Currently, employees have a defined benefit they know exactly how much theyll receive in retirement. Its the common pension plan among Louisiana government workers, Hudson said. Hes interested in seeing if the city-parish could save money by switching to a defined contribution, a system similar to private-sector retirement plans wherein the employer matches some percentage of employee contributions, and the payout depends on the performance of an IRA. Hudson isnt sure how much the pension switch could save but said its worth investigating. If his colleagues are interested in the broad findings of the efficiency study, the city-parish would have to hire an actuary to determine the precise amount of savings, the councilman said. The continuing efficiency study will consider all kinds of recommendations, though, Gissel said. For one, residents may wind up paying more in fines and fees. For example, a person may own a blighted property with massively overgrown and unsightly plants that are at risk of attracting snakes and vermin. That landowner might not mind paying a $250 fine for a city-parish crew to clean up the lot if its cheaper than hiring a landscaping firm, said Maintenance Director Kyle Huffstickler. The efficiency study will make sure permits and other costs are appropriate and up-to-date, Gissel said. Yet much of the work will focus on ways the city-parish can improve its own operations. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up We do a poor job of grabbing grants, Gissel said. Right now, each department is in charge of looking for its own state and federal financial programs. The study will consider how the city-parish can do a better job finding appropriate grants, making sure application material is submitted correctly and partnering with nonprofits to stretch its money further, Gissel said. Elsewhere, the study could recommend moving around staffing positions, sharing more equipment between departments and outsourcing some work, such as acquiring spare parts for the city-parishs fleet of vehicles, Gissel said. A few efficiency measures were approved last month, said procurement director Patti Wallace. Now, departments are empowered to hire professional services for up to $2,000 per year or spend up to $5,000 for services like repairs without going through the official procurement office just as theyre already allowed to do with purchases of materials and supplies, Wallace said. The city-parish is also letting departments lease or lease-to-own equipment as long as its competitively bid, she said. Gissel said those changes would make a big difference in the city-parishs ability to perform work more quickly. Council members said they looked forward to reviewing city-parish finances once the efficiency study is complete. Otherwise, there was no discussion of the 2019 budget, and the 4 p.m. meeting was over by 4:06 p.m. The mayor-presidents proposal won unanimous support, though council members Denise Amoroso, Chandler Loupe, LaMont Cole and Trae Welch were absent for the vote. The proposal anticipates a $7 million spending increase or 0.76 percent over 2018. Broome called it a "standstill" budget, though there are several noteworthy public safety expenditures. First responders will get $820,000 to buy new radios, a million dollars for a new aerial fire truck and $500,000 to replace police vehicles. Other expenditures include funds to incentivize grocers to open shops in under-served neighborhoods and to hire a fourth assistant chief administrative officer to oversee the city-parish's public works departments. On Feb. 22, 2001, Luther Gerald Simmons fired several shotgun blasts into the cab of a truck, taking the life of Herman Newell, the clerk of court in St. Helena Parish. Simmons, 76, can now hardly walk five steps and should be sent to a nursing facility, instead of dying behind bars for the crime, members of his family and prison officials argued Tuesday. Their request was denied after a state parole panel heard emotional testimony from the district attorney and the victim's daughter. They begged the three parole board members to consider the horrific nature of the crime and not the cost of his medical treatment in making their decision. "My dad was an elected official with an unwavering faith in the justice system. Please do not prove him wrong," said Jennie Newell Perkins, now a prosecutor in the 21st Judicial District. Simmons was serving life without parole for second-degree murder. However, he was eligible to be considered for release under a 2017 state law that was part of a broader criminal justice reform package. The bill was passed with an eye toward moving inmates with high medical expenses on to federal Medicare rolls. The law provides for people convicted of murder to be released to nursing facilities if they have "limited mobility," meaning they are "unable to perform activities of daily living without help." Parole officials can consider factors such as the crime, length of time served, medical condition and risk. Age, health no excuse for man's release from Angola after heinous murder, victim's family says The five members of the Bamburg family sat on black plastic chairs, waiting patiently for the hearing to begin on Thursday in Baton Rouge. Since the reform was implemented, 14 murderers have been considered by the parole board under this statute, according to state records. Eight have been released. If released, Simmons likely would have been sent to a state-run nursing facility in Jackson, Louisiana, where he would have remained under supervision by probation and parole officers. A three-member panel of the Committee on Parole voted 2-1 on Tuesday at state Department of Corrections offices in Baton Rouge to deny the request for a medical treatment furlough. Several of Newell's family members, as well as 21st Judicial District District Attorney Scott Perrilloux, attended the hearing, as did nearly a dozen of Simmons' family members and friends. Parole commission Keith Jones cast the lone yes vote to granting a medical furlough; Alvin Roche Jr. and Pearl Wise voted against. They voted after a 10-minute closed door session to discuss the case. At Simmons' second-degree murder trial in 2002, witnesses testified that Newell was out with Simmons' estranged wife on the day of the murder. Simmons, apparently jealous, waited for him at her car, which was parked outside a grocery store near Montpelier. When Newell returned in his truck with Simmons' wife, Simmons began firing into the truck, killing the clerk. Newell's daughter said Tuesday she still recalls Simmons reciting at his sentencing this verse from the Bible: "For jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge." Simmons' attorney argued at trial that he was under the influence of painkillers and lacked specific intent to kill. Simmons participated in Tuesday's hearing by video conference from Dixon Correctional Institute, where he was surrounded by an attorney, prison staff and supporters. First, prison officials and his daughter made their case for Simmons' release, citing a long list of health conditions and describing the many medical procedures he has undergone while in prison. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Among them: A ruptured appendix, kidney failure, osteomyelitis, diabetes, hip replacement surgery, open-heart surgery and three times weekly dialysis treatments. "He requires some significant assistance simply to transfer from the bed to the wheelchair," said DCI Assistant Nursing Director Terry Grady. Simmons' daughter Charlee Wedgeworth, who began her remarks by apologizing for her father's "senseless act," said that moving her father to a state-run nursing home would not affect how often she can visit him. But it would affect his care. Due to state regulations, whenever Simmons is hospitalized he must be handcuffed to the bed. Last summer, he developed pressure sores after spending six weeks chained to a hospital bed, she said. "He's basically an invalid," Wedgeworth said. Newell Perkins took the podium next. She described in painful detail how Simmons shot her father several times, "pausing only to reload," and asked the board to consider the emotional toll of the crime. "What Gerald Simmons did to my father was cold, methodical and brutal," she said. She argued that deciding to release Simmons would amount to a fiscal decision that did not serve the interests of justice. "Here we are considering whether the medical bills of a convicted killer determine what is right, what is just," Newell Perkins said. She began to tear up and paused before adding, that she will "never be able to understand why Gerald Simmons deserves a better death" than her father. Perrilloux, who acknowledged Simmons posed no safety risk, later told the board that it would be unjust for Simmons to have any measure of freedom that he would be allotted in the nursing home. +3 Full criminal justice package, to reduce state's prison population, clears House and Senate All 10 bills of a dramatic overhaul of Louisiana's criminal justice system have passed both chambers of the Legislature, and are within reach "We're not talking about somebody who has been in prison 30 to 40 years," he said. Taking a chance to speak for himself, Simmons said he wished to tell the Newell family how sorry he is for his actions. He asked for their forgiveness, making a comparison to how he had forgiven someone who killed his nephew in the 1980s. Simmons' attorney, Keith Nordyke, highlighted that his client was an extremely low-risk offender and served as a trusty at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. "We're not asking for his release to the community. We're asking for a move to a nursing home just a few miles down the road from where he is right now," Nordyke said. Nordyke said after the hearing that there is a reconsideration process, but he has not yet determined if they will do it. A second former Port Allen police officer has filed a lawsuit alleging Police Chief Esdron Brown consistently forced his religion on his officer corps through mandatory meetings, and further claimed the chief used God's will as reasoning for unjust promotions. Robert Cannon Jr., who resigned from the city's department in April, filed a federal civil rights case against the Port Allen Police Department last week, alleging the chief's repeated mention of religion and religious-focused meetings created a hostile work environment. Cannon also asserts the chief declined to comply with a reasonable medical accommodation for him during his patrols, an alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In June, another former officer, Patrick Marshall, filed a federal civil rights case against the Port Allen Police Department and Brown, claiming Brown tried to force him to attend those mandatory religious counseling meetings, and when the officer refused, Brown retaliated with disciplinary actions that included threats of suspension or job termination. Marshall resigned from the city's police force in November 2017. Lawsuit: Port Allen police chief imposed religious beliefs on officers, wanted 'saved' department PORT ALLEN A former officer with the city's police department is claiming Police Chief Esdron Brown tried to force him to attend mandatory r Cannon's lawsuit alleges a pastor conducted the mandatory monthly meetings, where "all police officers in attendance were required to pray." He also asserted that Brown often cited God in inappropriate ways with his employees. The lawsuit alleges that in 2016 when Cannon spoke with Brown about his child's illness, Brown blamed Cannon and his lack of faith. "You're not walking in God's perfect purpose like I am and it's your fault and (your) actions that is causing this, you need to submit to [God's] authority," the lawsuit claims Brown said. In an interview Tuesday, Cannon would not say how he had recorded Brown's statements from that time, but stood by their accuracy. The lawsuit also alleges Brown improperly promoted an officer to a new rank despite not meeting the service requirements because "God told him to." When Cannon asked Brown about the decision, the chief said, "God said promote him anyway so I did," the lawsuit alleges. Cannon said in an interview Tuesday that he does identify as a Christian, but the way the chief used religion was unacceptable and imposing. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up His lawsuit also claims the chief denied Cannon's request for a medical accommodation. Cannon said on Tuesday he was diagnosed with a blood disorder that made regulating his body temperature difficult. The lawsuit claims that Cannon showed Brown a a doctor's note explaining that leaving his police unit running while responding to calls would allow him to better regulate his temperature, but the chief refused the request. And after Cannon filed an official complaint about the denial, Brown demoted from a shift supervisor with no explanation, the lawsuit alleges. Port Allen officer helps rescue man trapped in SUV in water CHACKBAY Port Allen police officer Robert Cannon jumped into Bayou Chevreuil on Wednesday, helping rescue a man who had driven his SUV off t Cannon, a lifelong law enforcement officer who has since taken a job with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, was honored in 2016 for his response to two life-threatening incidents while off duty. In the summer of 2016, he and another man helped pull an elderly woman from a truck that overturned on the new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge while driving to work. About two weeks after, he helped rescue a man trapped inside his SUV when he ran off the road and crashed into a bayou in Lafourche Parish. The Port Allen council declared Aug. 10, 2016 as "Officer Robert Cannon Day" for his efforts, and Brown awarded Cannon with a valor pin. Brown did not return email and phone messages Tuesday seeking comment. Brown is an elected chief, serving his second term in office. Port Allen Mayor Richard Lee said he could not comment on any pending litigation against the city until it's resolved. Lee added he has not yet seen the latest lawsuit. "The people in Port Allen are really good people," Cannon said Tuesday. "It's a shame that you have a man thats in a trusted position, that people look up to and people admire, to have him abuse that trust by invoking his own Christian beliefs so much that it creates something thats hostile. Despite impassioned pleas from parents, Louisiana's top school board voted Tuesday to close an F-rated charter school in Hammond. However, panel members also directed state education leaders to see if a new operator can be found for the school before its doors are closed for good on June 30. The same group approved the renewal of eight charter school contracts for the Baton Rouge area and Lafayette, including Celerity Crestworth Charter School, four years; Celerity Dalton Charter School, three years and Celerity Lanier Charter School, four years. All the decisions were made by a committee of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Most BESE members were present for the votes, and final approval is expected by the full board on Wednesday. Charter schools are public schools that are supposed to offer innovative teaching methods compared to traditional public schools. About 80,000 of Louisiana's 719,000 public school students attend the state's roughly 145 charter schools. Louisiana Supreme Court sides with charter schools in challenge of state funding system The Louisiana Supreme Court sided with charter school backers Tuesday in a lawsuit that had threatened state aid for about 18,000 students. Whether they are authorized, earn extended contracts or closed often sparks debates on BESE between advocates of overhauling public schools and those who favor traditional settings. Some of the most fervent arguments on Tuesday focused on the fate of Tangi Academy, which has about 330 students from kindergarten through seventh grade. The school's latest performance score, which was issued in November, is 43.8 out of 150 F. But parents pleaded with BESE to look beyond the letter grade and give Tangi another chance. Chloe Guidry, whose son attends the school, said Tangi has a new principal who is doing great things. "I have confidence she is going to help this school do better," Guidry said. She and others noted that, if the school is closed, students will be reassigned to other schools, including some that have lower academic marks than Tangi. "For these kids to be pushed into one of these schools is just going to be overwhelming," Guidry said. J. Hugh Howard said he has a son and daughter at Tangi Academy. "This is the first educational system that she has been a part of that she actually feels any challenge to her whatsoever," Howard said. "And she is a person who likes to be challenged, and so is my son," he said. Others noted that, under state law, charter schools operate under contracts that spell out academic and other requirements. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "Unfortunately, when you are a charter school you have an agreement," said Caroline Roemer, executive director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools. "You promise to do certain things in that contract, including meeting certain standards around academics, finances and governance," Roemer said. "I know this school very personally," she added. "I know how hard they have worked. I know they have struggled. However, as of now, they have not met that standard." Jim Garvey, a BESE member who lives in Metairie, said there is reason to think the school can get a second chance. Garvey said officials of a charter management firm, ResponsiveEd, notified the chairman of the board of Tangi Academy by letter on Friday that they are interested in possibly running the school. Don Marshall, chairman of the school's board, said he was encouraged by the response. "All we are asking for is an opportunity to pursue this with ResponsiveEd," Marshall told BESE. "The children deserve an opportunity," he said. "And if we can't get it done and it is not in the best interests of the children I will be the first one to call you and tell ya'll this is not in the best interest of the children any more." State Superintendent of Education John White said that, aside from other problems, lots of students at the school are performing at low levels in math. White said that, if the school is closed, 16 percent of its students would be sent to lower-performing schools. "If you just read the rules the rules basically say 'Does it meet the standard for renewal? No, it does not. Would students predominantly go to struggling schools? No, they would not.'" However, White suggested the language that the BESE committee approved minutes later not renew the charter contract, and re-open talks at BESE's March meeting about new leadership for Tangi. The eight other charter schools won renewals with little discussion aside from a series of public comments. Louisiana charter schools must recognize and bargain with teacher unions, court decides The president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers is praising a federal court ruling that says Louisiana charter schools have to recognize That list includes Advantage Charter Academy, Baker, three years; Impact Charter Academy, Baker, three years; Acadiana Renaissance, Lafayette, five years; Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy, Lafayette, four years and Willow Charter Academy, Lafayette, three years. Two others in Baton Rouge won one-year extensions for a fifth year of operation: GEO Foundation and Collegiate Academies. The BESE committee also voted 7-4 to open a new, grades 6-8 charter school in Avoyelles Parish Red River Charter Academy. Three employees of the state Office of Motor Vehicles were arrested for using about $98,000 in customer payments for personal expenses, an audit released Wednesday says. The arrests took place between March and June of 2017 at various field offices following an investigation by OMV management, according to a report by Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera. All three employees were fired. "Thefts occurred in petty cash, daily deposits and reinstatement transactions," the report says. "This is the third year since 2014 that we have reported misappropriations of funds by OMV employees," according to the review. The findings are part of a 51-page report on the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections, which includes OMV. OMV is where residents get their driver's license, car and truck registration, license plates and a wide range of other services. +2 Forgot your license? No problem now that Louisiana leads nation with this new app In a first nationally, Louisiana residents can now essentially carry their driver's license on their iPhone, officials announced Tuesday afternoon. Aside from the thefts the report said an employee of a Public Tag Agency contracting with the department was arrested for computer fraud and filing or keeping false records, the review says. The tag agent issued bogus driver's licenses for cash. That worker has been banned from working for OMV or another Public Tag Agency and the contract with the agency was cancelled. Purpera's office said OMV management should increase oversight, improve cash handling procedures and seek restitution from the fired employees. In a written response, Karen. St. Germain, commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles, noted that the problem was discovered during an internal investigation. "OMV takes wrongdoing of this nature very seriously and is currently working with Louisiana State Police to prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent of the law," St. Germain wrote. She said district attorneys and the legislative auditor were notified when the problem was discovered. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up St. Germain blamed the thefts in part on outdated software and state budget cuts. Statewide outage affects Louisiana driver's license offices The drivers license computer system for the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles was down statewide throughout the day on Wednesday, and officia OMV is using software that is 40 years old, she said. "Due to the age of the solution, the ability to implement current anti-theft programmatic edits is impossible," OMV officials said in their written response to Purpera. "The agency has been trying to move forward to a new technology platform since 2001 with zero success," according to the agency. St. German also said the ranks of OMV were cut 33 percent between 2008-16, from 754 employees to 503. "The agency is tasked with staffing 79 field offices statewide as well as providing oversight to over 500 contracted business partner locations," she wrote. "The reduction in staff significantly reduces the agency's ability to consistently comply with manual internal controls implemented to deter theft and monitor daily transactions performed by business partners," St. Germain said. OMV officials announced two years ago that they would no longer accept cash during transactions, in part to trim chances for employee thefts. After a public outcry the agency reversed its stance and agreed to again accept cash except for reinstatements, such as for a driver's license or license plate. "The majority of employee thefts that have occurred were directly associated with a reinstatement transaction," St. Germain told Purpera's office. OMV officials said they have recovered funds in one of the thefts and are seeking more. How much was recovered is unclear. Purpera said that, aside from the thefts, his office found sloppy cash oversight procedures during a check of seven OMV field offices. The company whose multimillion-dollar contract award to replace Louisiana's voting machines was scrapped said Wednesday it won't sue over the cancellation. But the avoidance of litigation won't immediately restart the state's stalled work to update its decades-old voting system. Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration voided the contract deal with Dominion Voting Systems in October, with the state's chief procurement officer saying the secretary of state's office mishandled the bid process, not following legal requirements. Dominion disagreed. But company spokeswoman Kay Stimson said the Colorado-based vendor won't dispute the matter in court. "Continuing to prolong this situation will only further delay the selection and installation of a new and modern voting system for Louisiana, a goal which we continue to support," Stimson said. She said the company "remains adamant that no legitimate grounds for protest and cancellation of the bid award were ever provided." Dominion's decision will keep Louisiana from being embroiled in costly litigation as the state still hasn't identified all the money needed to replace its decade-old voting machines. It remains unclear, however, when Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin will restart the contractor selection process. He has the legal authority to do so at any time. Ardoin's office previously said the secretary of state, who defended the selection of Dominion, was waiting to see if the canceled contract award would prompt litigation before redoing the machine replacement effort. Ardoin refuses to take questions from the media on this and other issues involving the agency. But his communications officer, Brandee Patrick, issued this statement to The Advocate Wednesday: The Secretary of State's Office is still committed to bringing new voting machines to the State. The old process is over, and we will be looking at all of our options moving forward. The integrity and security of Louisiana's elections is of the utmost importance. The work isn't expected to be complete in time for the 2019 election, when the governorship, six other statewide elected positions and all 144 state legislative seats will be on the ballot. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Dominion intends to bid again whenever the search for a vendor is redone, Stimson said. The secretary of state's office started its search for a voting machine vendor in March, soliciting bids to replace its current 10,000 Election Day and early voting machines, bought in 2005, with smaller devices, improved technology and a paper record of votes. Three companies bid for the contract. Dominion was chosen as the winning bidder in August, estimating its work would cost up to $95 million. But the decision was embroiled in allegations from a losing bidder that the secretary of state's office attempted to manipulate the outcome for Dominion. Election Systems and Software, known as ES&S, raised allegations of impropriety in June, during the bid process. The company said the secretary of state's office issued voting machine standards only Dominion could meet. Ardoin said release of those standards was a mistake and he withdrew them. The Office of State Procurement, which oversaw the bid review, scrapped the original evaluation committee and removed Ardoin from the new review team in response. The contested standards were not used to evaluate bidders, Ardoin said. Still, in October, Louisiana's chief procurement officer Paula Tregre voided the voting machine contract award in response to an ES&S protest. She said the secretary of state's office did not properly post voting system standards expected of a contractor, as required. She also determined Dominion's proposal involved equipment not properly certified. That decision was upheld by Tregre's boss, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne. Ardoin, a Republican, has criticized the contract award cancellation decision from the Democratic Edwards' administration as a political one aimed at helping an Edwards supporter who represents a losing bidder. The administration called that claim absurd and suggested Ardoin was trying to deflect attention on the issue. The voting machine replacement work began under Ardoin's former boss, Tom Schedler, who resigned in May amid sexual harassment allegations. Louisiana wont get new voting machines in time for next year's big elections, according to the Secretary of States Office. The effort to purchase new machines, which would leave a paper audit trail, was one of the issues during the campaign that ended Saturday with the election of Kyle Ardoin, a Baton Rouge Republican, as Louisiana Secretary of State. As a candidate Ardoin said nailing down the purchase of the 10,000 machines in time to train staff and commissioners how to use them in the October 2019 election was one of the main reasons he decided to run. The machines the state bought in 2005, Ardoin said during the campaign, were so old that parts couldnt be found for repairs. +2 Kyle Ardoin wins Louisiana Secretary of State race, defeats Gwen Collins-Greenup Kyle Ardoin, the bureaucratic caretaker who initially wasnt going to run for the office, was elected Saturday night as Louisianas Secretary He said the other candidates running for secretary of state didnt have enough experience to handle this purchase and juggle other election-related issues, all while preparing for the Oct. 12 election that will select the governor and six other executives elected statewide as well as all 144 legislators. But the process to decide which vendor would sell the state those machines fell apart over allegations of improper meddling. The states chief procurement officer rejected the winning $95 million bid by Dominion Voting Systems Inc., of Denver, and ordered the process to begin again. Ardoin could have immediately restarted the bidding process after that decision. He could do so at any moment of his choosing under state law. Prior to Saturdays election, Secretary of States spokesman, Tyler Brey, told the Associated Press that Ardoin had no timeline and was waiting to see if Dominion would file a lawsuit challenging the procurement officers decision. The deadline for Dominion to go to court is later this week. Louisiana voting machine work stalls, with no date to resume With a major election year approaching, Louisiana's work to replace voting machines it bought 13 years ago has remained stalled for months, am Ardoin was unavailable for media requests and refused Tuesday to be interviewed about this or any other issue involving the Secretary of States office. His staff refused to answer specific questions about voting machines, but Brey acknowledged Tuesday the purchase was being delayed for the time being. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Initially, the Secretary of States office had wanted to install the Election Day voting system on the departments servers by April 1, 2019 and have new machines up and running in five parishes by the Oct. 12 election, according to the bid documents. Then the new machines would be phased into the other parishes in time for the 2020 elections. The department had roughly $1.5 million earmarked to begin funding the purchase of new voting equipment, according to bid documents. The Secretary of States Office requested proposals on March 27. Three companies responded. As former Secretary of State Tom Schedlers top assistant, Ardoin chaired the committee that evaluated the bids. But Ardoin left the committee shortly after taking over the secretary of state post on an interim basis after his boss resigned on May 8 because of sexual harassment claims. Decision upheld to scrap Louisiana voting machine contract The Louisiana secretary of state's office will have to redo its work to replace the state's decade-old voting machines. On May 11, the standards on which the bids were being based abruptly changed to benefit of Dominion, according to a complaint filed by Election Systems & Software LLC, one of the losing bidders. Ardoin wrote the Office of State Procurement in September that it was all a big mistake. Back in April, someone in the office had uploaded the wrong specifications one for vote-counting machinery as opposed to criteria for voting machines, he wrote. The mistake was discovered, and the correct documents were posted in May, he wrote, adding that the committee began evaluating the proposals only after he left. On July 12, acting in his ministerial duty as secretary of state, Ardoin signed off on the committees recommendation that Dominion get the contract. A protest was filed Aug. 23 by Election Systems & Software LLC alleging, among other things, that the specifications had been changed midway through the process to benefit Dominion. The flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush passes through Magnolia, Texas, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, along the route from Spring to College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool) ORG XMIT: TXDP496 As an early and enthusiastic backer of a little-known state representative who ran for governor in 2015, John Bel Edwards, it's not surprising that former Gov. Kathleen Blanco approves of much of what her protege has done in office. But she did not miss a chance to push the initiative, by Edwards and others at the State Capitol, to seek funding for a teacher pay raise in the budget debates in the 2019 session of the Legislature. She praised Edwards and the "bipartisan support" for a teacher pay raise in a talk after being honored by the Council for a Better Louisiana. As a former governor, she also indicated that she knows raises cost money, and that it takes tough votes from legislators to make that happen. But she noted that the long-term costs of poor educational outcomes are substantial. These include either significant numbers of people not making enough money to live well, or people going to jail instead of contributing to society. "It makes more economic sense to properly educate our citizens in the first place," Blanco said. Having been the last governor to see education funding in Louisiana at the southern regional averages not first place, but not last place, either Blanco recalled her own battles over governance, particularly of the long-troubled Orleans Parish School Board in the early 2000s. As governor, Blanco recalled, there were tough political fights over the creation of a Recovery School District before the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans in the late summer of 2005. Once the storms of 2005 passed, with most of the schools in Orleans destroyed, the RSD became a sweeping instrument of change in the city. Ultimately, she said, the dramatic changes in Orleans have made it a model for urban school districts elsewhere, with test scores going up and better futures provided for students. As a Democrat, Blanco deserves credit for pushing reforms that teacher unions, an important party constituency, were strongly against at the time. Today, obviously, unions are certainly with Edwards pushing a pay raise. But in Blanco's talk, she took pains to note that critics of the old education establishment are too quick to say that tax increases for schools are "throwing money at the problem." "What problems are not solved without more resources?" Blanco asked. Louisiana is hobbled by the large number of its citizens who are poorly educated and as a consequence live in poverty. "Education is truly the enemy of poverty," she said. True, and persistent investment in education will be needed to improve Louisiana's tragically poor outcomes in many schools. No, give Siemian one last shot Yes, it's Taysom Time Let's see what Ian Book can do Is it really too late to convince Drew to come back? Vote View Results A pair of holiday plays offer audiences tales of two cities Victorian-era London in Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol and postwar New Orleans in Tennessee Williams dark comedy The Mutilated where even misers and misfits deserve a chance for comfort and joy. Directed by Maxwell Williams at Le Petit Theatre, A Christmas Carol (through Dec. 23) boasts an impressive spectacle driven by first-rate production values and boisterous performances. The set design by Evan F. Adamson establishes the tone of the show before the first curtain, evoking a Gothic gloom with dark-stained wooden structures, intricate scrollwork and various moving parts that add layers of depth and height to the stage. The set is lit by Andrew F. Griffin in shades of deep purple and indigo, and hypnotic projections by Nicholas Hussong lend an ethereal air of mystery. As Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Edes Jr. gives a menacing first impression, portraying the classic character with real meanness, as opposed to the harmless curmudgeon that has often been softened up since his first appearance in Dickens 1843 novel. Likewise, the visiting spirits provide truly startling moments, from the rattling chains of Jacob Marley (John Neisler) to the booming admonishments of the Spirit of Christmas Present (Zeb Hollins III). Its not all doom and gloom, though, as Scrooge faces his follies and the true spirit of Christmas is reflected by the love and lightness of those orbiting the old miser: the joyous feast of the Fezziwigs (a lively comic turn from Sean Patterson and Cammie West); the merrymaking of Scrooges nephew and his wife (Michael A. Newcomer and Elizabeth McCoy); and the heartwarming austerity of Bob Cratchit (Curtis Billings), Mrs. Cratchit (Kate Kuen), and, of course, Tiny Tim (Evan Roux). The adaptation by Williams and Billings sticks close to the familiar story, a morality tale so firmly rooted in the culture that theres little new narrative drama to be uncovered. As a result, the eye-popping production conveys a limited emotional range, except perhaps for those who are somehow unfamiliar with the story. The oversized, melodramatic performances add to the fairy-tale aura and wonder of the show, though sometimes a softer touch might signify more feeling. When Tennessee Williams one-act holiday play The Mutilated landed on Broadway, it was part of a double bill (along with The Gnadiges Fraulein) dubbed Slapstick Tragedy. Its an apt moniker for The Mutilated (through Dec. 22, by the Tennessee Williams Theater Company at the Zeitgeist Multi-disciplinary Arts Center) a play equally steeped in Williams raunchy off-kilter humor and his keen understanding of desperation and heartbreak among the down-and-out. Set in the fictional Silver Dollar Hotel in the French Quarter on Christmas Eve, a past-her-prime hooker named Celeste (Tracey Collins) is on the outs with her former friend Trinket (Margeaux Fanning), the wine-guzzling heiress of a Texas oilman. As they seek the companionship of drunken sailors and local barflies, the pair realize they can really only rely on each other. Directed by Augustin J. Correro, The Mutilated features a cast of a dozen performers, but the show really belongs to Collins and Fanning, as the women deliver funny, fiery performances in their portrayal of Williams offbeat odd couple. Collins is brash and brassy, and she shows great comic timing as Celeste, the ever-hustling huckster whose tough exterior belies her loneliness and sorrow. As Trinket, Fanning wears her sadness like a pink polyester shawl, wrapping herself up against the indignities of a mean old world. Their ongoing catfight, moderated by an exasperated hotel desk clerk (Beau Bratcher), includes some of Williams best one-liners, put-downs and stage gags. Less successful is the playwrights foray into musical theater, as The Mutilated contains lyrics by Williams set to an original score by Michael Gillette. The songs are performed by a chorus of carolers and dedicated to the wayward and deformed, to the lonely and misfit. The melancholy, minor-key tunes undercut the dark humor of the play, and the dragging tempo disrupts the enthusiastic performances, making the multiple musical numbers more of a liability than an enhancement. Like many of Williams later plays, even casual fans will recognize the playwrights poetic touch and his insight into the humor and heartache of the human condition, though the freewheeling experimentation of these works dont always land. *********************** A Christmas Carol WHEN: through December 23 WHERE: Le Petit Theatre, 616 St. Peter St. TICKETS: $35-$55 INFO: (504) 522-2081 or lepetittheatre.com The Mutilated WHEN: through December 22 WHERE: Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center, 1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. TICKETS: $28-$55 INFO: (504) 264-2580 or www.twtheatrenola.com The silver Cadillac SUV pulled up in front of Commanders Palace restaurant on Tuesday just ahead of the lunch crowd, and Amy Cowden hopped out and hurried to the passenger door while Paul Walton readied a red and black wheelchair. Cowden opened the rental car door and helped turn the frail legs of Sidney Walton outward, his blue, star-spangled socks peeking out over his jet-black orthopedic shoes. You can do it, you can do it, Paul Walton offered as his fathers face beamed. The trio had arrived to have lunch with Gov. John Bel Edwards, the 17th stop on the No Regrets tour, a cross-country bid to let the 99-year-old World War II veteran meet the governors of all 50 states. Every day is a different and beautiful day, Paul Walton said. We never know where we are going to be. Paul and Sidney Walton started their tour in March to draw attention to the dwindling number of the wars veterans still alive in America fewer than 500,000, according to statistics tracked by the National World War II Museum. The tour draws its inspiration from what Paul Walton said was his dads only regret in life missing out on a chance to meet some of the last surviving veterans of the Civil War before enlisting in the U.S. Army, which he did nine months before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The son of Jewish immigrants who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, Sidney Walton said he joined the Army to fight Hitler, though he served in the war's China-Burma-India theater before being discharged in 1946. Walton speaks only in short bursts of a few words, and he did so Tuesday when prompted by questions from reporters and his son. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Edwards, who also served in the U.S. Army, arrived at noon and posed for pictures in the lobby, thanking Walton for his service and giving him a military challenge coin as a gift before they all went in for lunch. Make sure you get the bread pudding souffle with the extra whiskey sauce, urged Edwards. The Waltons tour was supposed to begin with Edwards, but they dropped in unannounced last March and couldnt make the connection. So they pushed on to Texas, where a shot of Sidney on the Jumbotron at the Houston Rodeo got them a quick visit and a picture with former President George H.W. Bush, who was in attendance. Since then, the father and son have visited with governors in the Northeast, the Northwest, Alaska and Hawaii, with Cowden along to help provide care for Sidney. The effort with its slogan Go Sidney Go! has been aided financially by an online crowdfunding campaign. Paul Walton said some stops are mobbed with press, while others draw no attention. Some are in the governors mansion, others in modest campaign offices. A lot of amazing things have happened, Paul Walton said. There was a picture of dad in The New York Times! The plan is to visit the White House on Feb. 11, Sidneys 100th birthday. Asked what he wants to tell President Donald Trump, whose face is emblazoned on the back of Sidneys socks, he replied, I love being an American. Paul Walton admits he gets as much out of the experience as his father. It means so much to me to see my dad finally recognized for the sacrifice that he made, he said. Its making him feel so special, and its making me feel, too, that I have quite an amazing father. Every father is amazing, but seeing all the people come and thank my dad, it makes me feel even more special. This is something, really, for both of us. New Orleans businesses requesting local tax breaks through a controversial state program would need to provide well-paying local jobs and meet other requirements under new guidelines approved by a City Council committee Tuesday. The ordinance, approved by the councils Economic Development Committee, is aimed at ensuring that city residents benefit from the millions of dollars of annual property tax breaks given to New Orleans businesses through the Louisiana Industrial Tax Exemption Program, or ITEP. For businesses to receive the benefit, which can cut their property taxes on new buildings, factories or other investments by 80 percent for up to ten years, they would need to create jobs paying at least $18 an hour and must be located in areas that are struggling economically, among other conditions. If the rules are passed by the full council, New Orleans will become at least the fifth taxing entity in the state to exercise its right to restrict the tax breaks. In 2016, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed an order giving parishes more say in the awards, which are granted by the state but mostly impact tax revenues used by local entities. Those state guidelines were finalized this summer. "Our people have been losing out," said City Councilwoman Helena Moreno. "This allows us to get a little bit of our control back." For decades, the state Board of Commerce and Industry alone made the call on which businesses received the sought-after benefits, but local governments and other entities paid the price in lost revenues. For the ten years ending in 2016, tax breaks awarded in the name of industrial development resulted in a loss of $13.7 billion in local tax revenues across Louisiana, according to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Orleans Parish gave up $112 million over the same period. Critics argued there was little to show in job creation or other local economic benefits. Louisiana lost more than 36,000 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2016, according to federal data. The rules proposed by the council received a cold reception from business groups Tuesday, who said that manufacturers and other businesses may find the requirements too stringent. I can tell you that as I look at this, Im afraid that the criteria that they have come up with will disincentivize the manufacturing sector from wanting to undertake a contract under these terms, said Jim Patterson of the Louisiana Association for Business and Industry, the state's largest business advocacy organization. Under the rules proposed by the council, ITEP applicants must be located in a "distressed" area, or one where median per capita income is below the state average, or in another area defined by the state as depressed and in need of development. They must provide well-paying jobs, defined under the state's Quality Jobs Rebate program as jobs that pay at least $18 an hour. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up And they must demonstrate good-faith efforts to funnel at least 40 percent of their work hours on construction contracts to New Orleans workers, and 20 percent of those hours to disadvantaged local workers. Disadvantaged workers are those that earn less than half of area median income, have been arrested, or fall into several other specific categories. Business who don't meet the criteria would be rejected. If they fail to adhere to the rules over the life of the exemption, that failure would be considered when the company applies for a renewal of the exemption. Moreno said other potential rules would also bar businesses who have already started work on capital projects from receiving tax exemptions under the program for those projects. The Orleans Parish School Board, which created its own set of rules in July, will defer to the city's rules when faced with subsidy requests. Under the revised guidelines set by the state, if a local taxing entity votes an ITEP request down, it goes nowhere -- and at least four entities have denied ITEP applications in recent months. They are the Lafayette City-Parish Council, Caddo Parish School Board, Caddo's Sheriff and the OPSB. Erika Zucker of Together Louisiana, a faith-based nonprofit that has been a leading advocate for tax-break reform, said the rules were needed after New Orleans lost a net 76 jobs since 1998 but gave up $10.6 million in tax breaks last year, and more than $160 million over two decades, to the ITEP program. The city of New Orleans expects to take in $401 million in taxes next year, $146 million of which is estimated to come from property taxes. Other entities, such as the school board, also receive property taxes. Moreno said the rules will help ensure New Orleanians are reaping real benefits. "I have to acknowledge Gov. Edwards for recognizing that it was just not prudent" to put a "rubber stamp" on tax breaks, she said. But Patterson, who is also LABIs vice president of government relations, came out swinging against the rules Tuesday, which suggests the council could get an earful from business leaders as it considers the final proposal in coming weeks. The new restrictions are unfortunate, because manufacturers provide good jobs as a rule, Patterson said. And Im concerned that New Orleans may be denying companies that opportunity. The Louisiana State Police haven't provided proof that $2.4 million in state funds set aside for policing in the French Quarter was actually spent there, according to a report by the Legislative Auditor's Office, putting the law-enforcement agency in "noncompliance with state law." The agency disagrees with that finding, arguing that it stayed within the law when it used the money to cover unreimbursed expenses that had been stacking up for years. The dispute is the latest instance of financial wrangling to come from the State Police deployment in the French Quarter, which began in 2014 after a mass shooting on Bourbon Street. In 2015, French Quarter residents approved a special quarter-cent sales tax increase in the district to pay for a permanent State Police presence, but that wasn't enough to cover their costs, police officials said. For fiscal year 2017, the Legislature appropriated $2.4 million to plug the agencys funding gap. Accounting for that spending is where the State Police went awry, according to the report this week from Legislative Auditor Daryl Purperas office. Although the State Police are required by law to spend all of that money on French Quarter policing, the agency failed to document that the money went there to pay for fuel, the report said. Without proper supporting documentation, we cannot determine that the funds spent on fuel were expended for the intended purposes as established by statute, the auditors said. State Police Lt. Col. Jason Starnes, the agencys chief administrative officer, disagreed with the auditor in an August letter. He said that the money from the Legislature only became available in the third quarter of the fiscal year, after hundreds of expenses had already been incurred in New Orleans. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Instead of going through the cumbersome process of re-entering those expenses using the correct coding, the agency decided to spend the full $2.4 million payout on fuel expenses in its general budget. This was a mechanism to replace other state funds that were used to pay LSP's unreimbursed expenses incurred prior to the fund being made available. This freed up previously obligated state funds which could then be used in LSP's operating budget, Starnes said. Starnes said the amount the State Police spent on fuel is dwarfed by what they have dedicated toward policing the French Quarter. In the 2017 fiscal year alone, he said, the agency was short $1,670,000 that was not reimbursed by the city including $935,000 in payroll costs. The special French Quarter troop had previously sucked up $2.1 million in payroll costs from June 2014 to January 2015 and another $237,000 in December 2015, he said. A City Hall spokeswoman said that while funds for the French Quarter troop lagged in previous years causing the State Police to write off some invoices the city is current on troopers' salaries and benefits for 2018. The city has no concerns about State Police spending, said LaTonya Norton, the press secretary for Mayor LaToya Cantrell. NOPD and the LSP have a great partnership and LSP is meeting the obligations to provide additional law enforcement personnel to increase visibility in the French Quarter, she said. A Huawei executive claims Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton criticised the US government for allowing China to become a global telecommunications power just one month before Huawei was blocked from providing local telcos with 5G equipment. Huawei Technologies Australia corporate affairs director Jeremy Mitchell said he and the Chinese telco's local chairman, John Lord, met with Mr Dutton at the Brisbane Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices in July to discuss the rollout of the fast 5G mobile network in Australia. Sources say Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was very clear from day one that he did not want Huawei to be able to participate in Australias future telco networks. Credit:AAP Mr Mitchell claims that during the meeting Mr Dutton expressed frustration that US telecommunications manufacturing companies were not keeping pace with their Chinese counterparts such as Huawei and ZTE. The Americans have dropped the ball, Mr Dutton said, according to Mr Mitchell. A weak housing market might be worrying economists but in the rarefied world of luxury and wealth, Sydney still ranks as one of the top locations in the world for sales worth more than $US25 million ($A34.6 million). A Knight Frank real estate report tracking high net worth individual investors found Sydney sits at number six in the global ranks for sales at that level in the past year. There were five in total, all in the eastern suburbs, with a combined value of $US219 million. "Elaine" at 550 New South Head Road, Point Piper. Fairfax Family Home. Some of the larger deals include the $71 million paid for the Point Piper estate, Elaine, sold by the Fairfax family last year, topping the $70 million in 2015 when James and Erica Packer sold their Vaucluse mansion La Mer. New Zealand's leading online marketplace is set to change hands after its board accepted a $2.4 billion bid from British private equity group Apax, while leaving the door open for a potentially higher bid from rival suitors, Hellman & Friedman. Trade Me, whose shares are traded on the ASX and the New Zealand stock exchange, announced it has entered into a scheme implementation agreement with Apax, subject to regulatory approvals, an Independent Advisor recommending the deal and "in the absence of a superior proposal". "The Apax Funds have increased their offer price since the indicative proposal, following the completion of their due diligence," said Trade Me chairman David Kirk. Trade Me chairman David Kirk. Credit:Ben Rushton "After careful consideration, the board has unanimously concluded that this offer is consistent with our efforts to deliver maximum value for shareholders," he said. When designer Akira Isogawa graduated from East Sydney TAFE in the early 1990s he returned to his family home in Kyoto to source kimonos, that one-size-fits-all garment intrinsic to traditional Japanese culture. ''When you live in Japan, the kimono is a part of your life so you don't think much of it,'' he said. ''By the time I returned to Japan I had studied fashion and I was really keen to find interesting textiles. ''There were kimono in my family house. My mother said I could take whatever I like. She was impressed I was appreciating something so traditional. My father had a few and my auntie, so I must have packed quite a few kimono in suitcase. I unpicked them and cut most of them up.'' Akira Isogawa: "I was in search of something special". Credit:Louise Kennerley Most went into garments that Isogawa sold in the Woollahra store he opened in 1993. Canberrans should consider a wet-weather plan for Christmas festivities, with rain expected over the holiday break. The possiblity of wet weather for the holiday period comes as a storm front is expected to hit the ACT on Thursday, bringing up to 60 millimetres of rain and possible severe winds with an elevated risk from the early afternoon. Canberra could be in for a rainy Christmas, while a storm is expected to hit the capital on Thursday. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos "There is a chance that some of those storms could be severe as they move through," Weatherzone meterologist Tom Hough said. "Potentially more likely further south, but there is a chance that those could be severe. Selma Wynberg Engel, who escaped a Nazi extermination camp after a prisoner uprising and was among the first to tell the world about the camps existence, has died in Connecticut aged 96. A Dutch Jew, Engel was among 58 prisoners who escaped from the secret Sobibor extermination camp in Eastern Poland and lived to see the end of the war. Only one other former Sobibor prisoner, Semyon Rozenfeld, of Israel, is believed to be alive today. Selma Engel was among 58 prisoners who escaped from the secret Sobibor extermination camp in Eastern Poland. Credit:NYT When the Germans invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Engel was forced into hiding. In 1942, they seized her during a roundup of Jews and sent her to two concentration camps in succession before shipping her to Sobibor in April 1943. It was one of the Nazis camps used solely for the purpose of exterminating Jews. Most prisoners sent to Sobibor were instantly gassed or shot to death, but Engel, who was 20, was selected to sort the clothing of the dead and thus spared. Falls Festival organisers could be forced to pay millions of dollars in compensation depending on the outcome of medical reports into victims' injuries following a crowd crush at the 2016 event. Organisers Ash Sounds Pty Ltd admitted negligence for the crowd crush at the Supreme Court in November, with lawyers gathering on Wednesday to hear if 80 people suing in a class action would need medical proof of "significant injury" to claim substantial damages. Justice Michael McDonald ruled that medical proof was necessary to receive substantial damages for significant injury, however those that do not meet that threshold can still be compensated for loss of income, damage to property and medical expenses. "Significant injury" damages could cost Falls Festival up to $200,000 per case, with lawyers for the class action estimating between 20 and 30 of the 80 parties could be considered to have suffered over the required threshold. The states public sector watchdog is set to probe a long-running saga into the handling of thousands of blocks of land along Ninety Mile Beach in Gippsland. Ombudsman Deborah Glass formally announced that she would investigate Wellington Shire Councils handling of matters affecting landowners in the coastal areas to the south of Sale. Paradise Beach is one of the areas where the blocks are. Credit:Justin McManus About 12,000 blocks were sold in the 1950s and '60s, many to unsuspecting migrants who believed they were purchasing their own slice of seaside paradise. Soon after, some discovered their blocks were prone to flooding, were on shifting soil and were unable to be developed. The planning rules that apply to the blocks also changed many times over the decades. 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. Canberra-based MPs will no longer be able to claim an allowance for turning up to parliament on sitting days, after the Remuneration Tribunal made the decision to ditch the payment. Until the decision, members of parliament who had an electorate in the ACT or an electorate bordering the territory based in Queanbeyan could claim $90 a day for expenses associated with attending parliament, but current and future MPs won't be claiming the cost. Canberra-based MPs won't be able to claim allowances for parliamentary sitting days any more. Credit:Shutterstock The current crop of MPs representing the capital won't feel the hit, as none of them had been claiming the allowance. Liberal Senator Zed Seselja was the last Canberra-based representative to stop claiming the allowance at the start of this year. While Labor MP Andrew Leigh and Labor's member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly had claimed the allowance in the past, Labor MPs and senators had moved away from claiming the allowance. A former senior executive in the ACT government's economic development directorate has defended his record-keeping during the Dickson land swap negotiations, but believes there may still be files missing. Former ACT sustainable development director Greg Ellis. Credit:Kirsten Lawson The former directorate's then-director of sustainable land strategy, Greg Ellis, fronted the Legislative Assembly public accounts committee inquiry into the controversial land swap for the second time on Wednesday. The inquiry is investigating the late 2014 deal between the government and the CFMEU-linked Tradies Club, which the ACT auditor-general found gave the club up to $2.65 million in favourable concessions. The deal involved the government selling the club a carpark outside the club, with the club selling the government two nearby blocks in return. The Liberal candidate for Wentworth, Dave Sharma, has hit out at "ideological zealots" taking over mainstream political parties in a late-night tweet widely believed to be directed at far-right MPs in his party. Dave Sharma (left) has lamented the rise of "idealogical zealots", a likely reference to hard-right MPs like Tony Abbott (right). Credit:Christopher Pearce Mr Sharma, who was defeated by independent Kerryn Phelps in the October byelection, took aim at the hardline Brexit politicians who attempted who oust Britian's Prime Minister Theresa May from her job overnight. "Brexit Shambles - a telling lesson in consequences of allowing mainstream political parties to be taken over by ideological zealots," Mr Sharma wrote. While the Tory party has been locked in a long-running internal debate about Britain's membership of the European Union, the Liberals have been locked in a public debate about its philosophy and identity following their spectacular routing in the Victorian state election last month. Loading The moderate Cabinet minister Kelly O'Dwyer, who is facing a serious threat from the Greens in her inner-city Melbourne seat of Higgins, has not denied reports that she told her colleagues that voters widely view the Liberals as "homophobic, anti-women, climate-change deniers". The senior Victorian Liberal Senator Scott Ryan has hit out at the reactionary wing of his party who have claimed "real Liberals" are social conservatives. Former prime minister Tony Abbott, who is publicly urging May to pursue a crash-out Brexit and is expected to run for the Liberal leadership again if the government loses the next election, has hit back, using the term to describe his ideological bedfellow Craig Kelly. Madrid: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to deploy national police to the restive Catalonia region, as tensions escalate between Madrid and Barcelona. The central government sent three letters to the pro-independence Catalan administration this week warning that the regional police had failed to ensure basic security during recent protests, which paralysed several highways for hours with impunity. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Credit:AP Sanchez said on Wednesday he would send as many national police as are necessary to Catalonia to ensure order is upheld. "In recent days we have heard rhetoric from some independence movement leaders that is inflammatory and unacceptable," Sanchez said in an address to parliament. London: British Prime Minister Theresa May survives and soldiers on. Its what she does. But the Tory rebellion has made her near-impossible job even harder. A win doesnt necessarily mean she stays on as leader, even in the short term. She could decide that the revolt was strong enough that it would not be conscionable, or wise, to remain. After all, every single MP who tried to get rid of her on Wednesday is a vote she must somehow win back to get her Brexit deal through the House of Commons, some time before January 21. Some will take the practical view that, as May now has a one-year guarantee on her party leadership, they might as well accept that her Brexit deal is the only one on the table. British backpacker Grace Millane will "forever be a Kiwi", her father says, as he thanked New Zealand for "taking her into your hearts" following her death. David Millane released a statement on Wednesday, thanking the New Zealand public and police for their support. Grace Millane was last seen on December 1. Her body was found in bushland outside Auckland a week later. Credit:Stuff Grace Millane, 22, from Essex, in Britain, vanished earlier this month from Auckland, sparking a huge police investigation that culminated in her body being discovered in the Waitakere Ranges. A 26-year-old man appeared in court on Monday charged with her murder. NADA End Of Day Automotive News Recap - December 12, 2018 NADA End-of-Day Auto News Recap Investors reacting to China lowering its tariffs on imported vehicles are pushing up shares of automakers General Motors, Ford, FCA, Volkswagen, BMW and others. China said Tuesday that it is lowering tariffs from 40%, instituted last summer amidst a trade battle with the Trump White House, to 15%, according to the Wall Street Journal. Source: Forbes 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. Source: CNBC Toyota Motor Corp. said on Wednesday it is advancing by a year plans to replace Takata airbags in about 65,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the United States it had previously replaced. The Japanese carmaker's U.S. subsidiary said the recall is being announced a year ahead of the December 2019 timeline and would involve replacing Takata airbags that it previously recalled and replaced, with non-Takata airbags at no cost. Source: Reuters Volkswagen says the MEB platform that will underpin its I.D. electric-vehicle family will be even more scalable than the MQB architecture used for 80 percent of the groups combustion engine cars. Because of that flexibility, MEB, which is a German abbreviation for Modular Electric Toolkit, could give VW a decisive edge over industry competitors when it comes to economies of scale. Source: Automotive News Netflix are soon to release a documentay about Avicii, eight months after the DJ passed away. And it looks like it's going to be super sad. The documentary was filmed over the course of four years, and throughout that time, Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, can be seen saying, "There was never an end to the shows, even when I hit a wall. My life is all about stress." Toward the end of the film, he said touring can be so stressful and difficult that "it will kill me." And at one point, Avicii's manager Ash Pournouri admitted: Tim is going to die, with all the interviews, radio tours and playing. He'll drop dead. In April 2018, the 28-year-old DJ was found dead in Oman. TMZ later reported that his death was confirmed a suicide, and in the footage, his family said he "could not go on any longer." 18 beautiful dream villages, as well as dreamed of being set foot even once At times, we may desire to step back from the hustle of metropolitan life and embrace our instinctual calling: to return simpler times where people were more connected, in smaller towns and villages, and surrounded by natural beauty. Such places still exist, though, like pockets of paradise scattered across the globe. From cultures of the far East to the West, hidden in deep mountains or remote valleys, such places hark back to our ancestral heritage, all but untouched by modern times. Often recognized as cultural treasures now, some of these places are protected, thankfully, so we should enjoy their beauty and bring as much of it into our busy lives as possible. 1. Reine Fishing Village, Norway The small fishing village of Reine is a rare gem located in the Norwegian archipelago of Lofoten. In addition to strolling through the beaches and enjoying the Arctic landscapes (with spectacular, magnetic phenomena appearing in the sky, often seen as lights, yellowish, sometimes even pink, blue, gray, or purple), guests can partake in activities such as hiking, kayaking, and fishing. 2. Rainbow Village, Taiwan Rainbow Village, located in Taichung City, Taiwan, is a place where colorful drawings cover the walls of buildings and streets. The civil art project was initiated by former soldier Huang Yung-Fu in order to save the village from demolitionand it worked. The village has since become a protected cultural area, as well as a popular destination for tourists. 3. Hallstatt, Austria Situated between Lake Hallstatt in Austria and the towering Dachstein Mountains, Hallstatt is considered the worlds smallest town. Guests can enjoy the pure beauty of the lake while enjoying a ferry ride, explore the local salt mining history, or hike along the Echerntal Trail. 4. Popeye Village, Malta The village of Popeye in Malta was actually constructed as a movie set for the 1908s film Popeye, after which it became an amusement park with attractions such as boat rides and tours of a local distillery. 5. Wengen, Switzerland The breathtakingly scenic village of Wengen is located in the mountainous Oberland region in central Switzerland. There, guests may lodge in cozy, wooden villas and partake in activities such as windsurfing, rafting, or hiking in the lush, green valley. 6. Hahoe Folk Village The South Korean village of Hahoe in Gyeongsangbuk-do has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The ancient buildings of the Joseon Dynasty were built according to traditional feng shui principles and have a lotus-shaped layout. 7. Giethoorn Village, Netherlands Dubbed the Venice of the Netherlands, Giethoorn is a riverside village nestled in picturesque scenery. The village is located in the heart of the Overijssel canal system, with an 88-kilometer-long waterway that allows you to visit ancient houses, museums, and eateries. 8. Juzcar Village, Spain The originally white-walled village of Juzcar, located in the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia, with red roofs, was painted over in blue for the premier of the 2011 movie The Smurfs. The original agreement was to paint the town white again after the celebration; however, a referendum was taken, and the village opted to keep the village walls smurf blueperhaps because of the massive boost in tourist visitors during the months that followed. 9. The coastal village of Kalk Bay, South Africa In the coastal village of Kalk Bay, located in Cape Town, South Africa, you can shop and enjoy the local seafood cuisine. Running along the main road, you can visit antique shops, cafes, galleries, and restaurants. 10. Bremm Village, Germany The village of Bremm is famous for its wine production. In addition to touring the vineyards and discovering the local gastronomy, guests can also enjoy hiking, biking, and ferry tours along the winding, swooping oxbow of the Moselle river. 11. Woods Hole Fishing Village, United States Woods Hole is a small fishing village located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. The village is home to the Woods Hole Ocean Research Institute, the largest ocean research organization in the United States. Attractions include plenty of aquariums. It is also convenient to move to the Martha Vineyards. 12. The Town of Bourtange, Netherlands In the city of Groningen in the Netherlands, near the German border, there is the town and star-shaped fortress of Bourtange, which was completed in 1593, during the 80 Years War. At that time, the town itself was also star shaped. In addition to visiting battlefields, medieval buildings, and canals, visitors can tour four museums, several restaurants, and historic grocery stores. 13. Gordes Village, France Gordes is a medieval village at the foot of the Vaucluse Mountains in France. Known as the Stone City, movie stars and artists are attracted to the rustic town because its buildings, both old and new, are built out of stone, as are its streets; no fences are allowed, only stone walls; and all electrical and telephone lines are buried underground. The castle in the town center, which was rebuilt in the style of the Renaissance in 1525, attracts tourists, as does its honey, lavender essential oil, and sweet wine industries. 14. Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, China Located in southeastern Guizhou, China, the village of Qianhu Miao is considered the best preserved population of the Miao ethnic group. The village is well-known for its layer upon layer of closely connected, stilted houses built along the contour of a hill with the Baishui River passing along the base of the mountain. 15. Monsanto Village, Portugal In the new town of Idania, Portugal, on a cliff in Serra da Estrela, there is a medieval village called Monsanto. People built their homes among the granite boulders along the narrow streets where you will find boulders used as walls, floors, roofs, or even gates. 16. Bibury Village, England Bibury, located in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, is nestled near the English Channel. The village has a 600-year-old stone lodge with small rooms, like a honeycomb, and has been dubbed the most beautiful village in England by decorator William Morris. It is also considered one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the Cotswolds region of central England. 17. Hongcun Village, China Located in Anhui Province, the village of Hongcun is nestled in the southwest of Huangshan Mountain, where more than 140 houses of the Ming and Qing Dynasty eras are preserved. Among them, the Chengzhitang or three carvings house is the most exquisite and magnificent, and has been turned into a museum. Hongcun was also recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. 18. Gasadalur Village Near the edge of a cliff overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean in the Faroe Islands, Gasadalur Village was previously accessible only by boat or helicopter before a tunnel was dug in 2004. Here, adventurers can expect a breathtaking and unforgettable view. 5 Arrested, Terror Suspect Still Loose After Strasbourg Shooting French authorities have detained five people in connection with a massive manhunt for a suspected extremist who fatally shot three people and wounded at least 13 in a Christmas market in Strasbourg on the evening of Dec. 11, according to reports. The gunman, wounded in an exchange of fire with police, remains at large. The hunt is continuing, Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on France Inter radio, with some 350 officers said to be involved in the manhunt. Nunez added that eight of the injured were in serious condition. The radio interviewer asked Nunez whether the suspect might have left France. He replied, That cannot be ruled out. German police have responded to the attack by tightening border controls. On High Alert Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the country had issued an urgence attentat (emergency attack) alert, according to a BBC report. The high alert expands police powers and creates the highest degree of vigilance, but is not equivalent to a state of national emergency. Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said on Public Senat television that there was no need for the government to declare a state of emergency as recent new legislation gave police adequate powers to deal with the situation. Castaner was quoted as saying that border controls had been strengthened and security at all Christmas markets would be stepped up. Protests have been banned in Strasbourg, but not in the rest of France. The country has been gripped by wave after wave of yellow vest protests, highlighting economic frustration and political distrust of poorer working families. A terrorism investigation has been opened, but the motive is not known. What Happened? The suspect opened fire in downtown Strasbourg on Orfevre Street around 8 p.m. local time, government authorities said on Twitter. Part of the shooting took place in a Christmas market at Rue des Grandes Arcades before spilling into different streets in the city, Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries said, according to Fox News. Witnesses described shots and screams after the gunman opened fire at the Christmas market Tuesday evening in a city thats home to the European Parliament. 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, according to AP. 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.' Police officials said the shooter was wounded in a gunfight with soldiers after the attack but managed to escape. The soldiers were patrolling the area as part of anti-terror measures. Castaner, the Interior Minister, said the man fought twice with our security forces before making a getaway in a hijacked taxi. The taxi driver told police the suspects left leg was wounded. What Is Known About the Gunman? Officials have identified the suspected gunman as Strasbourg-born Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was known to intelligence services as a potential security risk. Chekatt had convictions in France and Germany for crimes unrelated to terrorism and served time in prison, according to the BBC, and was part of known extremist networks. BFM TV described him as a repeat offender and delinquent. Nunez told reporters that police tried to arrest Chekatt earlier on Tuesday for an attempted murder, but failed. Stephane Morisse, from the FGP police union, was cited by the BBC as saying that the suspects apartment had been searched as part of the arrest attempt, and police found grenades. Nunez said Chekatt had been radicalized during past stays in prison. Fiche S Terror Watch List Police considered Chekatt a possible terrorist threat and said he had been flagged under the fiche S terror watch list. Some 20,000 people are classed under the fiche S in France, and of these around 4,000 are considered dangerous. The system has been criticized for its insufficiency to stop terrorism after it emerged that an ISIS-affiliated knifeman who killed one and wounded four in Paris earlier this year was on the list. What purpose can this fiche S serve if we dont stop these time bombs from causing damage on French soil, asked National Front leader Marine Le Pen on Twitter. On apprend une nouvelle fois que le terroriste serait fiche S. A quoi peut bien servir cette fiche S si on ne sen sert pas pour mettre ces bombes a retardement hors detat de nuire sur le sol francais ? MLP #Monsigny #AttaqueParis Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) May 13, 2018 Laurent Wauquiez, leader of the center-right Republicans, denounced official blindness and inaction, according to Euronews. He called on Macron and his government to adopt tougher measures to imprison individuals considered the most dangerous. Strasbourg Targeted Before This is not the first time Strasbourg, the official seat of the European Parliament, has been the target of terror plots. In 2000, the Christmas market in the city was at the center of a failed plot by al-Qaeda extremists. Ten Islamist militants were jailed four years later for their part in the planned New Years Eve attack, according to the BBC. The mayor of Strasbourg, Roland Ries, has said the Christmas market will be closed on Dec. 12 and that flags would be lowered to half-mast at the local town hall. Ries told BFM television that life must go on so that the city doesnt bow to a terrorist who is trying to disrupt our way of life. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A mature bull moose begins to stand up in forest at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska, on Oct. 2, 2018. (Dan Joling, File) Alaska Moose Poacher Fined $100,000, Sentenced to Jail ANCHORAGE, AlaskaAn Alaska man who poached three moose and left most of the meat to rot has been sentenced to nine months in jail and fined more than $100,000. Rusty Counts, 39, of Anchor Point, shot the moose near his community over two weeks in September. He pleaded guilty Nov. 6 to 21 misdemeanor wildlife counts and violations, including wanton waste, exceeding bag limits and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Hunting regulations near the Kenai Peninsula community require moose to have antlers measuring 50-inches (127-centimeters) wide to be harvested. None of the three moose had the required spread, said Aaron Peterson, an assistant attorney general who prosecuted the case. The working theory is that he realized they were sublegal and decided not to stick around to salvage the meat, Peterson said Monday. He called the case one of the most egregious poaching events ever seen by Alaska state wildlife troopers. Alaska officials take seriously the harvesting of moose and salvaging of meat, Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh said. A bull moose can weigh up to 1,600 pounds (725 kilograms) and feed a family for months with meat free of chemicals and hormones. A successful hunt is also a source of pride, Marsh said. Its a really important part of our culture and tradition, and people take that seriously, he said. The case began Sept. 2 with a tip to wildlife troopers that a sublegal moose with antlers of about 45 inches (114 centimeters) was shot and abandoned. Counts was the suspected shooter, witnesses said. A second tip came on Sept. 14. A teacher reported a second dead moose shot the day before. The moose had an antler spread of just 25 inches, (63.5 centimeters), half the legal requirement. The teacher recognized one of the hunters, a former student, with an adult. Troopers interviewed the boy, who is Counts nephew. He confirmed that his uncle had shot the two moose plus a third with a 26-inch (66-centimeter) antler spread on Sept. 7 when he was not with his uncle. Both hunters left their rifles in the woods Sept. 13 to avoid being caught, the boy said. Troopers interviewed Counts, and he admitted shooting the three moose. Jeff Selinger, a department of Fish and Game wildlife biologist in Soldotna, said the 50-inch antler requirement extends the hunting season and protects younger mature moose, ensuring that they will be around for future breeding. Hunters can educate themselves on determining a legal moose by reading regulations and watching department videos. If theres doubt, Sellinger recommends passing up the shot. Youre going to pass up some legal moose doing that, but youre not going to shoot a sublegal moose, he said. Peterson backed the hefty penalties for Counts as a deterrent to others. If Counts had salvaged meat from the first moose, he likely would have been penalized for a single hunting violation. That meat goes to shelters, food banks. It goes to people who need it, Peterson said. Instead, we have three bull moose that fully go to waste. Counts was fined $97,650 and ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution. He forfeited his rifle and an all-terrain vehicle and was sentenced to 270 days in jail. If you do the right thing in the field, this kind of thing doesnt happen. But if you poach and leave moose, these are the appropriate sanctions, in the states view, Peterson said. Kathryn Fisher with Can Van, a mobile canning company, places empty aluminum cans on a conveyor belt to be filled with beer at Devil's Canyon Brewery in San Carlos, California, on June 6, 2018. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Report: Aluminum Tariffs Boost Jobs, Production, Investment There is no evidence suggesting that the imposition of tariffs has had a negative impact on the economy, EPI report says WASHINGTONThe U.S. aluminum industry was on the brink of extinction a year ago, but it is thriving now due to the aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. A new report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) shows that the 10 percent levy on aluminum imports imposed in March is bringing back thousands of American jobs, sparking reinvestment in aluminum manufacturing, and contributing billions of dollars to the U.S. economy. One and a half years ago, the U.S. primary aluminum industry was hanging on by a thread, Robert Scott, EPIs director of trade and manufacturing policy research wrote in the report. The threat was, and continues to be, principally driven by the growth of excess capacity and overproduction in China and elsewhere. China accounted for more than 80 percent of the total increase in global aluminum production capacity between 2000 and 2017. Chinese primary aluminum production capacity increased by nearly 1,500 percent during that period, according to the EPI report. The Chinese government has suppressed global aluminum prices by subsidizing its manufacturers and letting them produce far more steel and aluminum than the global demand. And much of the excess capacity ended up in the United States, where it was sold at rock-bottom prices. Collapsing prices created a destructive ripple effect on domestic producers and workers. The aluminum price fell 39 percent between 2007 and 2016. As a result, 18 of 23 domestic aluminum smelters shut down, causing 13,000 people to lose their jobs between 2010 and 2017. In 2016, there were three alumina refineries supplying U.S. smelters; by 2017, only one was in operation. President Donald Trump signed an order March 8 that imposed a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent levy on imported aluminum. Following the announcement, the domestic manufacturers of both primary aluminum and downstream aluminum products started to reinvest in domestic production, creating thousands of jobs. According to EPI, American primary aluminum production is projected to increase by 67 percent (500,000 tons per year) between 2017 and the end of 2018. And a total of seven smelters will be in operation by the end of this year. In the downstream aluminum industry, 22 new and expansion projects have been announced, adding about one million tons of annual rolling and extrusion capacity to the domestic industry. To date, the aluminum industry has added only 300 jobs since the date the tariffs were imposed. However, the planned restarts and capacity expansions, once finalized, will create more than 3,000 jobs, the report said. Aluminum manufacturing is highly capital-intensive and restarting closed production facilities is a costly and time-consuming process, the report explained. Nearly $3.4 billion will be invested in these new and expanded facilities. National Security In 2017, the Commerce Department launched a Section 232 investigation to determine whether steel and aluminum imports were a threat to national security. In February, the department concluded that both steel and aluminum imports formed a threat and recommended immediate action. As a result, Trump signed the orders applying tariffs worldwide, drawing criticism for his move. Many economists and business people and economic commentators in the press all claimed there would be horrific effects of the tariffs on the domestic economy, Scott told NTD TV. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the imposition of tariffs has had a negative impact at all on the economy or on downstream industries, he said. The U.S. manufacturing sector added nearly 176,000 jobs, including 2,700 in metal production since February this year. And in the rest of the domestic economy, 1.4 million jobs have been created during the same period. In particular, the EPI report challenges the beer industrys claims that aluminum tariffs would harm the industry. According to the report, the monetary effect of 10 percent tariffs is equal to less than six-tenths of one percent of production costs. Former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who supports aluminum tariffs, claims there are important national security considerations. Speaking at an event hosted by the American Primary Aluminum Association, Bayh said no nation should place its ability to defend itself into the hands of others. Thats why it is important that we retain at a minimum the capacity to produce steel and aluminum products necessary for our military, he said. At the event, Scott Paul, president of Alliance for American Manufacturing, said it would be a mistake if Congress tries to roll back these tariffs. Its essential that we restart the process of arriving at a solution for [the global] overcapacity but the tariffs have to stay in place until thats been stabilized, he said. It is also important that U.S. steel and aluminum manufacturers increase their production to a sustainable level consistently before reducing these tariffs to zero, he added. Baking With a Humble Heart at B. Patisserie At this cult-favorite San Francisco bakery, two 2018 James Beard Award-winning bakers serve French pastries for every day When I ask Belinda Leong about her special granola, her face lights up. Want me to get some? Do you want to try it? She quickly disappears and reappears holding a neatly packaged bag of granola. The granola is delightful: It smells like popcorn and has a kind of heartwarming deliciousness that reminds me of childhood. Leong describes it better: Its like a party of textures in your mouth. Its crunchy, airy, crispy, and its not sweet. Once you start eating, its hard to stop, and it tastes wonderful on its own, without milk or yogurt. Over the next few days, I keep popping some into my mouth. At her bakery in San Francisco, B. Patisserie, Leong conjures up a delightful assortment of pastries that are much like her granolaenchanting combinations of flavors and textures that excite your taste buds without ever feeling too sweet or intense. The bakery caters to crowds seeking lighter desserts, the kind that you can enjoy every day. Since Leong opened B. Patisserie with Michel Suas, a renowned baker and pastry chef from France, theyve built it into a neighborhood fixture and one of the most beloved bakeries in San Francisco. Leong and Suas were also recently honored with the 2018 James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker. Each of their meticulously baked pastries represents their humble, sincere heart toward their customers. Creating B. Patisserie Leong fell in love with pastry when she started filling in for the empty pastry chef position at Michelin-starred Restaurant Gary Danko. She had previously been making savory cuisine there, but soon found that dessert-making was more fun and more whimsical. To hone her skills, she enrolled at the San Francisco Baking Institute, where she met Suas, the institutes founder. She failed. She failed, Suas says, as Leong begins to laugh. You want to know the truth? She was falling asleep in class. Suas is always making people laugh with his banter. But he later explains that she had a good excuse: she was working night shifts at Restaurant Gary Danko until 1 a.m. after attending class from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Outside the classroom, Leong excelled in lab at the San Francisco Baking Institute and impressed Suas. And she was always eager for more opportunities to learn hands-on. After eight years at Gary Danko, she flew to Europe to stage for giants in the culinary and pastry worlds, like Pierre Herme in France, Bubo in Spain, Noma in Denmark, and In de Wulf in Belgium. Suas may be a teacher now, but he too was never particularly suited for learning in a classroom. Back when he was a teenager in France, he was deemed too rowdy, and at 14, he was told to go learn a trade. So he chose cooking, later switched to pastry, and by 21, he was the head pastry chef of Restaurant Charles Barrier, one of the few French restaurants honored with three Michelin stars. It was nerve-wrackingYou never gain weight because youre scared, he saysbut also wonderfully fun. After two or three years, Suas was ready for a new adventure, so he flew to the United States with a backpack and three hundred dollars to begin his career anew. Now hes the go-to guy for artisan bread and pastry, offering advice to many establishments like La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles and Balthazar in New York City. When Leong returned to San Francisco, she sought Suass advice on starting her own bakery. Together, they built B. Patisserie, the culmination of their shared vision. Their bakery unites the exquisite high-end pastries of France with the casual, relaxed vibe of San Francisco. Its comfortable and welcomingno chef coats, no chef hatsand the open kitchen allows people to see all the dessert-making magic. Its elegant without being pretentious. Instead of choosing the busiest part of town, Leong and Suas went for a quieter part of San Francisco. Its not the kind of place you stumble upon while walking through the city. Its the kind of place you hear about from friends and go searching for. The store is a bit away from the foot traffic, so whoever decides to come, they decided to, Suas says. You see people coming with big smiles because its a destination. The Perfect Dessert Both Leong and Suas dont eat too many sweets, contrary to expectation. So why do they spend all day making them? When you dont like sweets, you try to find something better. Youre never pleased, Suas says. In a single pastry, Leong never uses more than three flavors, so she doesnt confuse the palate. Besides the flavors typically found in French pastry, she also incorporates more Asian ingredients, like red bean, sago, mango, coconut, green tea, and almond jelly. What makes the ideal dessert? The flavors pop, and theyre alive in my mouth, and there [are] a lot of textures that surprise my palate and a balance of sweetness to savory to saltiness. Id say thats a good dessertwhen its completely balanced, Leong says. Suas elaborates with a description of the perfect croissant: It has to be that when you bite it, you get a little crust on it; you can hear a little crust. Then you go through it and start to feel a little more of a velvety texture, and then all of a sudden you have an explosion of flavor with the butter and fermentation. Building a Community Every day, customers pour into B. Patisserie to get their shot of sugar or happiness, as Suas likes to phrase it. You can become a little cocky and pretentious because of the crowd, he says. He makes sure to remind their team of bakers to value their customers, to stay humble and sincere, and to deliver the best pastry to everyone who walks through the door. Every customer is one customer who decided to come, and we need to take care of them as individuals, Suas says. With the open kitchen, the bakers at B. Patisserie can savor peoples eager, smiling faces as they point at their favorite pastries or take a bite into Leongs famous kouign-amanns. It harkens back to the days when bakeries were places people went to every day. Our pastries are not too heavy. Theyre quite light, and not very sweet, so people can consume [them] every day. Leong says. Patisserie has become a special place, a place for friends and families to create memories and share happiness. You become so used to the kids in the strollers, talking, and then all of a sudden, kids start to recognize you. The kids are the ones that always want to come, so you see almost a generation growing with you, Suas says. One lady in the neighborhood would always crave the fluffy, tender scones at B. Patisserie when she was pregnant, so much so that her baby became affectionately known as the scone baby. Its almost like building a small community. Thats whats nice, Leong says. A man who didn't want to be identified at a protest against the looming gun ban in Boulder, Co., on April 21, 2018. (Rick T. Wilking/Getty Images) Boulder Residents Ordered to Bring Guns to Police for Certification Residents of Boulder, Colorado, have until Dec. 27 to certify their guns with the city authorities. Those who dont certify risk legal trouble, as the city is trying to bring residents into compliance with a ban on high-capacity magazines, bump stocks, and assault rifles, The Western Journal reported. Instead of confiscating the citizens banned rifles, the city wants them to to be certified. The certificate will allow citizens to continue to have the weapons in their possession if they were purchased before the ban. It went into effect via city council vote in May. So far only 87 certificates out of a city of 100,000 residents have been issued. But even that number consists of duplicates, in at least one case due to dual ownership of a weapon between husband and wife. To certify, residents have to go to police headquarters. Officers will inspect the weapon while it is in a residents vehicle to make sure it is a type of weapon under the ban, the Daily Camera reported. If so, residents have to pay $20 for the first weapon and $5 for each additional certification, depending on if the gun owner also passes a background check. Residents were previously ordered to sell or destroy bump stocks and high-capacity magazines, with a deadline of July 15. The city is also looking to establish a registration system for the citys gun owners, according to the Daily Camera. Authorities are expecting many people not to comply with the ban, and also suspect that people are finding ways to circumvent the laws. Police know that some people are likely storing their weapons outside of city limits. Legal Resistance to the Ban The NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) announced their support for a lawsuit countering the ban, back in June. The Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA) initiated the lawsuit to protect the rights of citizens to own guns. We will not stand by and allow the misguided gun control extremists on the city council to strip us of our rights, said CSSA executive director Anthony Fabian, via an NRA-ILA news release. We are grateful for the NRAs support of our lawsuit and look forward to restoring the rights of Boulders law-abiding citizens. Even at the time when legislatures passed the laws in Boulder, they faced threats of legal action. Before the city council vote, the Mountain States Legal Foundation spoke about challenging the ban and alleged it violated the second, fifth, and fourteenth amendments, as well as the Colorado state constitution, according to the Daily Camera. A 61-year-old gun owner in Ferndale, Maryland was killed when police attempted to confiscate his gun, under new laws in Maryland. Gary Willis refused to hand over his gun and was killed in the resulting scuffle with the police who showed up at his door at around 5 a.m., the Baltimore Sun reported. The Red Flag gun confiscation order that led to the death of Willis and the Colorado bans are both seen as reactions to the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. From NTD News California Man Shoots Dead Neighbors Dog for Urinating on His Lawn A California man was arrested after shooting his neighbors dog, officials said. The dogs owner left her house around 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 11 and upon returning later in the day, she noticed the dog missing from her front yard and called the authorities. The Tulare County Sheriffs Office said she identified Modesto Ramos, 23, as a suspect. Deputies interviewed him and he admitted he became upset after the canine urinated on his lawn and vehicle, grabbed his gun, and shot the animal. He told them he became angry at the victims dog for urinating on his yard and vehicle. Ramos then shot and killed the dog with a rifle and buried it, the office said in a statement. Deputies collected evidence to correlate the crime and during the investigation, they found an AR-15 and AK-47 that are banned in California. Ramos was booked for animal cruelty causing death, possession of banned assault weapons, and negligent discharge of firearm, the office said. Ramos was not reported to have a criminal history. Other Shootings A number of other people have shot dogs in the past week. The Philadelphia Police Department said that an officer shot a dog on Dec. 9 after receiving a call of three pit bulls gaining entry into a neighbors yard and attacking a dog there. Officers rushed over and one fired, hitting one dog, reported CBS. The three attacking dogs were contained. It wasnt clear if the dog that was shot survived. In Idaho, another police officer shot a pit bull after it attacked another dog, a golden retriever. The Boise Police Department said officers tried to separate the dogs by spraying pepper spray and banging pots and pans together but to no avail, reported KTVB. The pit bull continued to attack the other dog so an officer fired at the pit bull and killed him. The golden retriever was taken to a veterinarian to be treated. POLICE INVESTIGATE MAN INJURED AND KILLING OF DOGOn Sunday, December 2, 2018 at 6:08PM, Yarmouth Police Officers and Yarmouth Police Dept. Man Shoots Dog That Attacked Him A Massachusetts man said he was forced to shoot a dog he was fostering after it attacked him. The 25-year-old man, whose identity wasnt released, was lying in bed with his girlfriend the dog, a pit bull named Max, when the dog attacked him. The man had tried to move the dog, he told the police. After the dog clamped down on his left arm, the man tried to get it to release him but it wouldnt. He reached for his 9mm handgun he had in his nightstand and shot the dog. The dog died shortly afterward. The Yarmouth Police Department said that the man was fully licensed to have firearms in Massachusetts but noted it removed the handgun, a shotgun, and ammunition from the home for safekeeping. Animal control officers removed the dead dog. An investigation is ongoing. From NTD News California Tax Proposal Would Charge Fee for Sending Text Messages The latest tax proposal in California would take money from people for sending text messages. The California Public Utilities Commission will vote on the proposal in January 2019. The bulk of the money garnered by the tax would go towards programs that help low-income California residents afford phone service, according to a commission report (pdf). Parties supporting the collection of surcharges on text messaging revenue argue that it will help preserve and advance universal service by increasing the revenue base upon which Public Purpose Programs rely. We agree, the commission stated. The proposal includes a retroactive surcharge of five years. There are currently 40 million cell phones in California, according to the commission. While its not clear how much people would have to pay for texting services, it would likely be a flat surcharge per customer, not a fee per text, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Its a dumb idea, Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council, a business-sponsored advocacy group, told the outlet. This is how conversations take place in this day and age, and its almost like saying there should be a tax on the conversations we have. According to business groups, the new charges would total about $44.5 million a year. However, with the retroactive surcharge, the total could reach above $220 million. From a consumers point of view, surcharges may be a wash, because if more surcharge revenues come from texting services, less would be needed from voice services, said commission spokeswoman Constance Gordon in a statement. Generally, those consumers who create greater texting revenues may pay a bit more, whereas consumers using more voice services may pay less. Taxes in California California already has some of the highest taxes in the nation. For instance, state gas taxes alone levy up to $0.41 a gallon, making the tax one of the highest in the nation and driving gas prices well above nationwide averages. California has the highest sales tax rate in the nation at 7.25 percent. Unless youre being really specific about a particular type of tax, California is usually at the high end of the states, Joe Henchman, vice president of the Tax Foundation, told Politifact. Its almost always in the top half of the states in terms of a tax or its burden or how much people pay. And its often in the Top 10. According to a report published by the foundation in 2016, California was the sixth highest in terms of state-local tax burden as a percent of state income. High taxes and cost of living have contributed to the so-called California exodus. According to a realtor.com report, over one million more people moved out of the state than moved in from 2006 to 2016. Jamie Williams, who bought a house in Nevada with his wife, told CBS earlier this year that the planned move was prompted by the cost of living. Just with the overall cost of living and the tax situation, and really the inability of our kids to be able to afford to live here, as well, he said. So theyve immigrated out of the state. Were really just trying to conserve our resources for the long haul and its just a very expensive place to live. From NTD News Canadian Girl Calls 911 After Mother Told Her to Clean Her Room A 9-year-old Canadian girl called 911 after her mother told her to clean her room. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Ontario rushed to a house on Dec. 8 around 3:45 p.m. after the young girl called the emergency number but investigators soon found that she had become upset and dialed 911 after being ordered to tidy up her room. She didnt like the fact her mother told her to clean her room so she contacted authorities, Const. Ed Sanchuck told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Officers are using the situation to urge parents to sit their children down and tell them the 911 number is only for emergencies. Sanchuk noted that two or more officers respond to calls and that such responses take at least 30 minutes if not much longer, putting enormous pressure on the department. Whether false alarms are intentional or unintentional, they tie up the phone lines at the communications center, waste taxpayer money, tie up law enforcement officers, and threaten lives, he said. Parents can also lock their cellphones. Weve had previous cases where a key was stuck in a safety deposit box at a financial institution and a grown adult contacted 911 because they couldnt get the key out, said Sanchuk. Were just asking people to use some common sense. If anyone does dial 911 by accident, stay on the line and clearly state that it was a mistake. Because the girl didnt have criminal intent when making the call, she wont face criminal charges. Passerby, Fooled, Calls 911 A Texas man who was passing by a house called 911 because he thought a dummy hanging from the roof was a real person. The dummy was used to recreate a scene from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. In one scene in the movie, Clark Griswold clings to the gutter of his home after he slipped while putting up Christmas lights. Underneath the dummy was a ladder that looked like it was tipping over. The elaborate decorations were part of an effort to win the neighborhoods home decoration contest. A doorbell camera captured the person yelling, Oh mister, please hold on! as he wrestles with the ladder to try to get to the dummy to save it. The man also yelled HELP! and called 911. He was doing everything he could to get the ladder! And be like Save Clark! Chris Heerleins sister-in-law Leah Wheless told KVUE. He didnt give up. Whatever he had to do, he was going to save old Clark Griswold. A police officer responded to the call and spoke to the nanny. After the ordeal, the family kept the dummy hanging but put up a sign that said, Clark G is part of our Christmas display please do not call 911. The family heard the mans telephone number when he gave it to the operator during the 911 call. They called the man and thanked him and gave him a gift card as an apology. The passerby was identified as a retired veteran. I was trying to get him down anyway I can. Except when I started talking to him, he never said nothing! Alfred Norwood Jr. said. Then I thought, Oh my God I hope hes not dead, lemme call 9-1-1. From NTD News Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat who has been detained by China, in a file photo during an interview in Hong Kong on March 28, 2018. (AP Photo) China Claims Detained Canadian Harmed State Security BEIJING/SHANGHAIChinese authorities are questioning former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who was detained days after the arrest in Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, on suspicion of engaging in activities that harmed Chinas national security. The state-run Beijing News said on Dec. 12 that Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group (ICG), had become the subject of an investigation by the Beijing State Security Bureau. He was detained after police in Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, infuriating Beijing. The Canadian government has said it saw no explicit link to the Huawei case. Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was on Dec. 10 investigated in accordance with the law by the Beijing State Security Bureau on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm Chinas state security, the newspaper said in a brief report. The case is continuing to be investigated, it added without elaborating. Accusations of harming state security could cover a wide range of suspected crimes, and in China are often very vague when first leveled. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa was engaging with Chinese officials about the case. This is obviously an issue that we are taking very seriously and it is ongoing, he told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. The ICG, a think-tank focused on conflict resolution, said in an earlier statement Kovrig was detained by state security officials in Beijing on Monday night. Diplomats in China said the apparent involvement of the secretive state security ministry, which engages in domestic counter-espionage work, among other things, suggests the government could be looking at leveling spying accusations. However, ICG President and Chief Executive Robert Malley said the group did not engage in such activity. I dont want to speculate as to whats behind it but I am prepared to be categorical about whats not behind it, and whats not behind it is any illegal activity or endangering of Chinese national security, Malley told Reuters, before the state media report came out. Everything we do is transparent, its on our website. We dont engage in secretive work, in confidential work. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, also speaking earlier in the day, said he had nothing he could say on the details of the case. He said the ICG was not registered in China as a non-government organization (NGO) and Kovrig could have broken Chinese law. If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then thats already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organizations operating in China, Lu said. The Ministry of Public Security, which has oversight over foreign NGOs, did not respond to a request for comment. Chinas Ministry of State Security has no publicly available contact details. The foreign NGO law, which took effect in January, is part of a raft of new national security measures introduced under Chinese leader Xi Jinping. No Coincidences William Nee, China Researcher for Amnesty Internationals East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong, said Kovrigs detention was alarming, especially as it appeared to be the first time the law has been used to detain a foreign NGO worker. We need to wait for the official explanation from the Chinese side, but this detention could have a chilling effect on the foreign NGO and business communities in terms of their feeling safe while traveling in China, he told Reuters. Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas former ambassador to China, was asked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday whether the Kovrig detention was a coincidence after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. In China there are no coincidences If they want to send you a message, they will send you a message, he said. A Western diplomat in China, who asked not to be identified, was even more blunt: This is a political kidnapping. China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately and analysts have said retaliation for the arrest was likely. Meng was granted bail by a Canadian court on Tuesday, 10 days after her arrest in Vancouver at the request of U.S. law enforcement. She is accused of committing fraud in relation to skirting U.S. sanctions on Iran. She allegedly lied to U.S. banks about Huaweis relationship with Skycom, a Hong Kong-based company that reportedly conducted business with Iran and that prosecutors say is, in fact, controlled by Huawei. Meng denies the allegations. Under Canadas extradition treaty with the United States, Canada is obligated to carry out requests by the United States for arrests if the requirements of the treaty are met. In 2014, shortly after Canada acted on an extradition request from the United States to detain Chinese national Su Bin over charges of stealing sensitive military information, Julia and Kevin Garratt, a Canadian couple who lived in China for decades, were suddenly arrested and charged with espionage. Julia was eventually released in 2015, and Kevin in 2016. Su, who was extradited to the United States after his arrest in Canada, pleaded guilty to the offenses he was charged with in 2016. Huawei was founded by Ren Zhengfei, who is Mengs father and a former officer of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army. Huawei is said to have close ties to Beijing, with intelligence officials in western countries raising concerns about the threat the Chinese telecom giant poses to national security. Chinese Regime Has Difficulty Understanding Rule of Law North American commentators were swift to point out the difference between the judicial systems in liberal democracies such as Canada and the United States, and under one-party-rule in China. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said the regimes threats against Canada wont 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. Theres no point in pressuring the Canadian government. Judges will decide, Paris wrote on Twitter on Dec. 8 I think this is very typical of Chinas behavior, said Brian Lee Crowley, managing director of the think tank Macdonald-Laurier Institute. They look at how they behave domestically, and how every institution in China must bend to the will of the Communist Party, and they just assume that every other society is organized the same way. Epoch Times staff Omid Ghoreishi & Cathy He contributed to this report. Comeys Testimony: Truth or Lies? Key revelations from former FBI director's testimony News Analysis The recent congressional testimony by former FBI Director James Comey has caused no shortage of outrage over his lack of recollection and ongoing deflections. But lost within that outrage have been a number of important facts that were actually communicated during his testimony. Comeys interview was notably not under oath, but he was required by law to answer questions from Congress truthfully, which has suddenly gained material weight after special counsel Robert Mueller prosecuted former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, for lying to Congress. Consider this crucial and telling statement by Comey regarding the Steele dossier (found on page 127 of the testimony transcript): What I understand by verified is we then try to replicate the source information, so that it becomes FBI investigation and our conclusions rather than a reliable sources. Thats what I understand it, the difference to be. And that work wasnt completed by the time I left in May of 2017, to my knowledge. Comey is telling congressional investigators the Steele dossier wasnt verified as of May 2017. The dossier was used as the primary piece of evidence by the FBI to obtain the Carter Page FISA warrant on Oct. 21, 2016. Former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe testified to the House Intelligence Committee in December 2017 that no surveillance warrant would have been sought from the FISC without the Steele dossier information. The importance of Comeys statement cant be overemphasized. The Steele dossier was never confirmed or verified by the FBI, yet it was used by the FBI as the primary piece of evidence before the FISA Court. Another crucial exchange occurred during an exchange with Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.). In this instance, Comey is discussing the difficulty in prosecuting Hillary Clinton, due to the inability of the FBI to prove intentthe lack of evidence proving Clinton intentionally placed classified information with another party (p. 197198): Gowdy: Director Comey, what element was missing in July of 2016, when you had the press conference, that might have been found in October on Anthony Weiners computer? Comey: I dont know its an element, but what wasthe key ingredient that was missing in the Clinton investigation was any indication that she knew she was doing something she shouldnt be doing. And so what the Weiner trove potentially held was evidence of that intention, especially in the form of the emails from her BlackBerry during her first three months as Secretary of State. The Justice Department (DOJ) Inspector Generals report released in June generally agrees with Comeys assessment on lack of intent, noting that Section 793(f)(1) likely required a state of mind that was so gross as to almost suggest deliberate intention, criminally reckless, or something that falls just short of being willful, as well as evidence that the individuals who sent emails containing classified information knowingly included or transferred such information onto unclassified systems. Comey then discussed the potential importance of the Clinton emails contained on Weiners laptop: Gowdy: Tell me how the existence of that information may have impacted the element of intent. Comey: My understanding is the Department of Justice has always required before it will bring those misdemeanor indications of intention or harm to the United States or obstruction of justice, those kinds of things. And that was the ingredient we didnt have in the Clinton case. And so the Weiner trove held the prospect that webecause it might contain evidence of the beginning of her use of her unclassified system, might hold that evidence. What made Weiners computer a horse of a different color was the size of the trove and the emails potentially from the first three months as Secretary of State a very different kettle of fish. Comey then clarified his thought process behind the potential value within those early emails: Gowdy: What, in particular, in the beginning stages of her tenure would have addressed an element that you thought was missing? Comey: Oh, thats easy to answer. If there was going to be evidence that she knew she was communicating in a way she shouldntexplicit evidencecommon sense tells you its likely to be at the beginning, when someone encountered her mode or means of communication and said: Hey, boss, you know you cant do that. You know you cant talk about this kind of thing or that kind of thing on an unclassified system. Its much more likely to be at the beginning, which we never found, those three months, than much later. Based on the IG report, it seems clear that McCabe had been briefed onand understoodthe significance of the emails on Weiners laptop. Less clear is when McCabe made Comey fully aware of the find on Weiners laptop. We know that McCabe told the Office of the Inspector General that he recalled talking to Comey about the issue right around the time [McCabe] found out about it. McCabe described it as a fly-by, where the Weiner laptop was like one in a list of things that we discussed. We also know that text messages of FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok indicated that he, McCabe, and Priestap discussed the Weiner laptop on Sept. 28. The IG report tells us: Following the briefing from the FBI Midyear team on Oct. 27, 2016, Comey authorized the Midyear team to seek a search warrant, telling the OIG that the volume of emails and the presence of BlackBerry emails on the Weiner laptop were two highly significant facts. McCabe joined this meeting by phone but was asked not to participate, and subsequently recused himself from the Midyear investigation into Clintons use of a private email server, on Nov. 1, 2016. Comey Didnt Know Steele Worked for Fusion GPS Another important factor to consider from Comeys testimony are some answers to basic questions. Recall that while Comey is not under oath, recent prosecutions for lying to Congress have re-established meaningful penalties for doing so (p. 109): Gowdy: Who is Christopher Steele? Comey: My understanding is that Christopher Steele is a former intelligence officer of an allied nation, who prepared a series of reports in the summer of 2016 that have become known as the Steele dossier. Gowdy: How long did he have a relationship with the FBI? Comey: I dont know. Gowdy: Did you ever meet him? Comey: No. Gowdy: When did you learn he was working for Fusion GPS? Comey: I dont know that I ever knew thatcertainly while I worked at the FBI. A similar theme would later be picked up in the testimony (p. 123): Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas): Do you recall that part of the probable cause submitted to the court was thewhat youve referred to as the Steele dossier? Comey: I dont. Comey also stated he didnt know that Steele had been terminated by the FBI as a source (p. 130): Comey: As I sit here today, since I left the FBI, Ive read stuff in the media about that. I dont believe I had ever heard anything about that while I was still at the FBI. Comey Didnt Know Ohr Was Conduit Between Steele, FBI Comey was equally unaware that DOJ official Bruce Ohr had an ongoing relationship with Steele, and that Ohr was transmitting information from Steele to the FBI until May 2017 (p. 130): Ratcliffe: Are you aware that Christopher Steele had a relationshipand by relationship, I mean a working relationshipwith Bruce Ohr? Comey: Am I aware that he had a working relationship with Bruce Ohr? No. Ratcliffe: Are you aware of any communications or contact between Christopher Steele and Bruce Ohr? Comey: I am not aware. Comey would later reiterate most of those assertions regarding Steele and Ohr during questioning with Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio (p. 195-197). Comey Unaware That Perkins Coie Associate Passed Information to FBI On Comeys knowledge of the involvement by Democratic National Committee law firm Perkins Coie, and FBI General Counsel James Baker, during an exchange with Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.): Comey: I, when I was FBI director, dont remember ever being told anything about Perkins Coie. I think Ive since read stuff in the media, but not when I was director. Meadows: So are you saying that James Baker, your general counsel, who received direct information from Perkins Coie, did so and conveyed that to your team without your knowledge? Comey: I dont know. Comey is saying that he didnt know Steele and was unaware Steele was working for Fusion GPS. He also says he didnt know that Steele had been terminated by the FBI as a source for leaking to the mediawhich also implies he didnt know that Steele had leaked. Comey also didnt know that Steele had a long-standing relationship with DOJ official Ohr, let alone the fact that Ohr was transmitting information from Steele to the FBI. Comey also didnt know about the involvement of Perkins Coie. Finally, Comey was unaware that the FBIs top legal counsel, James Baker, was receiving information from Perkins Coie and transmitting that information to FBI investigators under Comey, McCabe, Strzok, etc. Lies or Truth? These could all be lies on Comeys part. If so, they are now part of the congressional record, and Comey could be referred for lying to Congress. Alternatively, Comey could be simply telling the truth that he was unaware of these actions being carried out by the FBI team working under Deputy Director McCabe. The Timing of Brennans Involvement Finally, we have another particularly telling exchange regarding the initiation of the FBIs counterintelligence investigationknown as Crossfire Hurricane. Specifically, we are given a distinct timeframe as to when Comey first became awareaccording to himof any information that any Americans might be working with Russia (p. 135-138): Meadows: Prior to July 31, 2016, when you opened what is now known as, I guess, Crossfire Hurricane, or this investigation, was there no effort on parton the part of the FBI or no knowledgelet me correct thatno knowledge on the part of the FBI of anybodyGeorge Papadopoulos or any othersthat potentially could have been involved in this Russian narrative? At this juncture, Comey cuts off the objections of FBI counsel and answers Meadowss question: Comey: The first information we had, certainly the first information that came to my attention that Americans might be working with the Russians as part of their efforts, came at the end of JulyI think the 31st is too late, but the last week of Julywhen we received information from an allied nation about the conversations their ambassador had in England with George Papadopoulos. That was the beginning of it, which is the first time we turned to trying to figure out whether any Americans were working with the Russians. The first time Comey was made aware of any information regarding the possible involvement of Americans with Russia was the final week of July 2016, coming from information passed informally from Australia. Contrast Comeys statements with previous testimony from CIA Director John Brennan: I made sure that anything that was involving U.S. persons, including anything involving the individuals involved in the Trump campaign, was shared with the bureau [FBI]. Note that Brennan says the bureaunot Comey. The BBC reported that Brennans receipt of information may be traced back to April of 2016: Last April [2016], the CIA director was shown intelligence that worried him. It wasallegedlya tape recording of a conversation about money from the Kremlin going into the U.S. presidential campaign. Brennan would also state that his intelligence served as the basis for the FBI counterintelligence investigation: I was aware of intelligence and information about contacts between Russian officials and U.S. persons and it served as the basis for the FBI investigation. Notably, Brennan reportedly selected FBI agent Strzok to work on the Intelligence Community Assessment that was issued on Jan. 6, 2017. Strzok was referred to as the intermediary between Brennan and [former FBI Director James] Comey, and he was one of the authors of the ICAl, according to an unidentified source talking to reporter Paul Sperry. A notable question for Brennan: Whom within the bureau did he notify? Targets of Investigation Comey also provided some material clarification into the FBIs July 2016 counterintelligence investigationspecifically who was and who wasnt being investigated (p. 2324): Gowdy: Late in July of 2016, the FBI did, in fact, open a counterintelligence investigation into, is it fair to say the Trump campaign or Donald Trump himself? Comey: Its not fair to say either of those things, in my recollection. We opened investigations on four Americans to see if there was any connection between those four Americans and the Russian interference effort. And those four Americans did not include the candidate. The FBI opened their counterintelligence investigation into four Americans, none of which were Trump. At this point, its worth noting the scope of Comeys interview. First, as noted by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) (p. 3), the interview was in relation to decisions made and not made by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the 2016 Presidential election. Further clarification was provided by Comeys FBI lawyers (p. 26): My understanding, this is an unclassified setting, and also anything that goes to the special counsels ongoing investigation would be off limits for this witness to be able to respond to, if they are individuals that are currently being looked at or investigated as part of the Russian investigation, the ongoing Russian investigation. This comment came in response to questioning about the FBIs investigation into the four Americans, suggesting at least one of the four individuals currently remains under investigation. A final point of clarification was made by FBI lawyers on page 122: We were told in advance that this would not deal with anything law enforcement sensitive or classified information. Open Investigations There are two fully redacted appendices contained in the June 2018 inspector generals Review of Various Actions by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice in Advance of the 2016 Election: Appendix OneClassified Appendix TwLaw Enforcement Sensitive. This special counsel exclusion would be pointed out several times by Comey and intentionally, or otherwise, was sometimes used to highlight what was under investigation (p. 2830): Gowdy: Did the FBI, in July of 2016, have any evidence anyone in the Trump campaign conspired to hack the DNC server? Comey: Did we have evidence in July of 16 that anyone in the Trump campaign conspired to hack the DNC server? The challenge in answering that isand please dont take this nonanswer to imply that there is such information. I justI dont think that the FBI and special counsel want me answering questions that may relate to their investigation of Russian interference during 2016. And I worry that that would cross that line, Mr. Gowdy. Comey clarified his position on the DNC Hack with a particular emphasis on the word facts (p. 30): To the extent I recall facts developed during our investigation of Russian interference and the potential connection of Americans, I think thats a question that the FBI doesnt want me answering. On page 30, Gowdy asked Comey a seemingly simple question, Do you believe your firing is evidence of obstruction of justice? Comey answered, noting, I dont know that I can answer that because Im a witness. An obstruction investigation appears to be ongoing, and Comey appears to be a witness. Following this exchange, FBI counsel interjected and inadvertently provided further clarification (p. 3132): Attorney Cecilia Bessee: He is entitled to his opinion, but to the extentbecause he also stated that he is also a witness in the investigation. Gowdy: Which investigation is he a witness in? Bessee: To the special counsel. He said he is a potential witness. Gowdy: Well, you just said witness. Is there an obstruction of justice investigation? Bessee: I believe there is an investigation that the special counsel is looking into. Gowdy: Well, we all know that. Is it an obstruction of justice investigation? Bessee: Mr. Chairman, can you rephrase the question, please? Gowdy: Yes. We all know that. Is it an obstruction of justice investigation? Bessee: Can you rephrase the question for the witness? At this point, Gowdy appears to lose patience, and moves back towards his original question regarding Comeys firing, asking him, Do you believe it provides sufficient basis for your termination? Comey stated he was unable to answer as it requires me to get into the mind of the decisionmaker, who is the president, and Im not in a position to do that. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn Comey was questioned repeatedly on his firing along with the impact and nature of Trumps involvement with the FBIs investigation of former national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, and made a number of interesting statements. As you read these responses, bear in mind they are now part of the congressional record and the potential implications these statements might have on any other statements that Comey may have made during any investigation. In an exchange with Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) (p. 8184): Lee: Obviously, when the president of the United States speaks, and though youre in an independent agency, he might believe that work should begin on responding to his request. Comey: I dont know what he believed. I never spoke to him about it again. Lee: In the past 18 months since that testimony, do you feel more certain that you were fired because of the Russian investigation? Comey: Im still in the same place, that Ive heard the president say that, but Ive also heard him say different things. So I cant answer the question. Comey says he didnt know what Trump believedhe didnt know or understand the presidents intent. Additionally, Comey doesnt know if he was fired in relation to his investigation of Russian collusion. In an exchange with Gowdy, Comey said (p. 100101): Gowdy: Did his comments prevent you from taking any act as the director of the FBI that you thought were warranted by the other fact pattern? Comey: No. This hadI did not abide this. And it did not affect the investigation, so far as Im aware, in any way. Gowdy: Did you initiate an obstruction of justice investigation based on what the president said? Comey: I dont think so. I dont recall doing that, so I dont think so. Gowdy: Would you recall initiating a criminal investigation into the president of the United States? Comey: Yes, Im sorry. I didnt personally, but I took it also to mean, did anyone else in the FBI open a file with an obstruction heading or something? Not to my knowledge is the answer. Per the former director of the FBI, Trump didnt affect the FBI investigation in any way. Comey said later during questioning (p. 102103). Gowdy: Were you obstructed? Comey: Well, I dont knowthere was no impact, so far as Im aware, on the investigation, from this conversation. Gowdy: If he had said, Look, General Flynn doesnt have the intent to commit a crime, how would you have viewed that? Comey: Yeah, I still would not offer an opinion as to what his intention was in doing that. I would find it very concerning, just as I found this very concerning, but I didnt then, and I dont now, have an opinion on the ultimate question about whether it was obstruction. Classified Memo Regarding Loretta Lynch Shifting topics, we come to another important segment, where again, the special counsel was invoked. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) was asking Comey about a reported, and now classified, document (p. 54), as described by The Washington Post, that was received by the FBI in March 2016: The document, which has been described as both a memo and an email, was written by a Democratic operative who expressed confidence that Ms. Lynch would keep the Clinton investigation from going too far, according to several former officials familiar with the document. Comey, who had first discussed this document in his June 8, 2017, Senate Intelligence Committee testimony, indicated during this testimony he still takes the document seriouslybelieving it to be genuine, although not necessarily accurate (P. 5455): I have to tread carefully here, because I think the underlying material is still classified. So there was materialthis is what Ive said publicly, and so Ill say it again, there was material that was classified that if unclassified, released, would open the attorney general up to the accusationwhether it was true or notthe accusation that she had not been acting fairly and impartially in overseeing the investigation. So far as I knew at the time, and still think, the material itself was genuine, which is a separate question, though, from whether it was what it said was accurate. At an earlier point in his testimony (p. 36), Comey stated that both Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and Attorney General Loretta Lynch were briefed on the document in the first half of 2016. The document in question remains held in one of two classified sections of the IGs June 2018 report. As DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz noted during testimony following the release of his report, The information was classified at such a high level by the intelligence community that it limited even the members [of Congress] who can see it, as well as the staffs. Horowitz has been working to re-write and therefore re-classify the document, noting, We very much want the committee to see this information. Special Counsel Mueller Lastly, we come to some commentary about the special counsel. On page 60, in response to questions regarding the special counsel, Comey stated his belief that Mueller was not on a witch hunt and noted that while he and Mueller are not friends, I admire Bob Mueller. He is more than people realize. Comey continued with this intriguing exchange with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.): Comey: There are not many things I would bet my life on. I would bet my life that Bob Mueller will do things the right way, the way we would all want, whether were Republicans or Democrats, the way Americans should want. Nadler: And is it fair to say that there are no facts that you know of to support the notion that special counsel Mueller is politically motivated or biased? Comey: I dont know of any. Im smiling at this moment because I cant imagine any, given the nature of that person and his life. Nadler: And its still accurate that youre not particularly close to Robert Mueller? Comey: It is accurate. Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly attributed an exchange between James Comey and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) to Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT). The Epoch Times regrets the error. The Supreme Court of the United States in Washington on June 30, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Conservatives Perplexed by Supreme Courts Refusal to Hear Planned Parenthood Case News Analysis Conservatives were taken aback Dec. 10 when the Supreme Court unexpectedly handed Planned Parenthood a victory by refusing to consider a potentially politically consequential state appeal of a lower court ruling. That decision sided with Planned Parenthood after Republican state leaders in Kansas and Louisiana took state Medicaid funds away from the abortion provider. Four of the nine Supreme Court justices needed to vote to hear the case for it to make its way onto the courts docket but only three did so. Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts sided with their four liberal colleagues in turning aside the appeal. Justice Clarence Thomas filed a passionate dissent to the majoritys decision to deny review. The court missed an opportunity to clarify conflicting circuit court decisions that affect the legal rights of the approximately 70 million Americans on Medicaid, Thomas said. Some of those individuals rights are being abridged under the status quo. Two other conservative justices, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, joined in the dissent. One of the key reasons that left-leaning lawmakers claimed for opposing Kavanaughs nomination was they feared he may vote to overturn or somehow weaken the courts landmark ruling from 1973, Roe v. Wade, that struck down as unconstitutional laws that criminalized or restricted access to abortions. Kavanaughs vote in this case has fueled speculation that he may be more friendly to abortion rights than Democrats expected. Its possible that after the most contentious Supreme Court confirmation process in the modern era, Kavanaugh didnt feel like rocking the judicial boat or confirming Democrats worst fears. Commentator Daniel J. Flynn of the American Spectator takes a more critical view: Why did Brett Kavanaugh side with the courts liberals in refusing to take a case that threatened to allow states to defund Planned Parenthood? Maybe because he told Senator Susan Collins the truth [during the confirmation process] when he promised to defer to precedent rather than the Constitution. Perhaps Kavanaugh turns out to fulfill the dreams of his conservative backers. But precedentSandra Day OConnor, John Paul Stephens, David Souter, etc.exists for Republican appointees issuing liberal rulings. Democrat justices, strangely, almost never offer surprises to their partys base. Conservatives and others appeared mystified by the Dec. 10 decision after the conservative movement came through for President Donald Trump and made sure that newly appointed conservative Justice Kavanaugh was confirmed in the face of multiplealbeit unprovenaccusations of sexual improprieties against the then-nominee and an unprecedented push by the mainstream media to prevent the confirmation. If Kavanaugh wanted to have a major impact on health care policy during his first session on the court, this would have been the case to do it, Tim Jost, an emeritus professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law, told Politico. Conservatives were less surprised by the decision of Roberts to take a pass on the case. Roberts infuriated conservatives when he provided the deciding vote in 2012 in the 5-to-4 split decision known as National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, a ruling that upheld the Obamacare statute. For the first time in the nations history, the court found that Americans could be compelled to buy a product even if they didnt want it. Conservatives mocked what they considered to be the tortured legal reasoning in the opinion written by Roberts in which a bare majority of the justices decided that the since-rescinded individual mandate to buy health insurance was a constitutional exercise of Congresss taxing power. In his dissent, Thomas, who himself almost had his confirmation derailed by unproven sexual allegations years ago, blasted his six colleagues for letting politics take priority over impartial adjudication. So what explains the courts refusal to do its job here? Thomas wrote. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named Planned Parenthood. That makes the courts decision particularly troubling, as the question presented has nothing to do with abortion. The case was brought by Jeff Andersen, acting secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, on appeal after losing in a lower court. State Republicans were incensed after the Center for Medical Progress produced evidence that Planned Parenthood was extracting body parts from aborted fetuses and selling them. They sought to prevent any more funds from flowing to a nonprofit organization they deemed immoral and corrupt. Planned Parenthood sued and convinced the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to allow Medicaid recipients to challenge its disqualification as a provider under the law governing Medicaid, a jointly funded state-federal health care program. Various federal circuit courts have issued contradictory rulings on the issue, prompting Thomas to lay blame on the Supreme Court itself. The division in the lower courts stems, at least in part, from this courts own lack of clarity on the issue, Thomas wrote. We created this confusion. We should clear it up. A man looking at a cruise ship from a viewpoint in the Alfama neighborhood of Lisbon, on April 15, 2014. (Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images) Couple in Their 70s Arrested for Having Cocaine in Suitcase on Cruise Ship A pair of passengers in their 70s were arrested on a cruise ship after cocaine was discovered in their luggage. Portuguese authorities found 20 to 22 pounds of cocaine ingeniously concealed in their luggage. Authorities believe the 72-year-old man and 70-year-old woman are a couple, BBC reported. The two were taken off the ship when it made a stop in Lisbon and are being held separately by Portuguese authorities. A joint investigation involving both Portuguese and UK officials is underway, according to the BBC. The couple was arrested from the Cruise and Maritime Voyages Marco Polo cruise ship after a tip from the UK National Crime Agency, Fox News and BBC reported. The ship departed Tilbury, England on Nov. 5 with 610 passengers. The couple was arrested after the ship docked at a Lisbon port on Dec. 4, according to Fox and BBC. A police statement, obtained by Sky News, read: The arrests took place moments after the vessel had landed at the cruise terminal of Lisbon and following a search in the cabin that was occupied by the suspects, where were located four suitcases in whose structures was ingeniously concealed a high amount of product, more specifically cocaine, that has been seized. Portuguese authorities put out a news release on combating drugs on the seas and mentioned the case, but without going into detail. According to the Cruise and Maritime Voyages website, the Marco Polo is a ship that can hold up to 800 passengers and does not sail with children on board. But children who are 16-years-old and above can sail if accompanied by an adult. Cruise Ship Troubles In 2014, an 85-year-old man was killed aboard the Marco Polo. He was killed when a broken window hit him on the head. The window was jolted by a wave that hit the ship as it sailed the English Channel during a severe storm, Independent reported. The man was killed by the window while he and his wife sat in a restaurant on the ship. His wife, Helen Swinstead, told a court they chose to sit by the window because it had a lovely view of a rough sea, Independent reported. Commenters were unsympathetic to the couples alleged actions. They wanted to fund their luxurious retirement lifestyle. Now they will spend the rest of it in jail, commented Elln9 on the Fox News article. In April, a report surfaced about a male passenger on another British cruise line who was arrested for using the ship to transport drugs, Cruise Law News reported. The passenger was sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison. In court, the National Crime Agency proved that the passenger had drug contacts in the Caribbean. A National Crime Agency officer in the UK said our investigation involved liaison with law enforcement partners in the Caribbean, and through that, we were able to prove that (his) story was made up . . . it became clear that he had contacts with others involved in drug trafficking on both sides of the Atlantic, according to reports obtained by Cruise Law News. From NTD News Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, attends at the Tomorrow In Motion event on the eve of press day at the Paris Auto Show, in Paris, France, on Oct. 1, 2018. (Regis Duvignau/File Photo/Reuters) Court Rejects Nissan Ex-Chairman Ghosns Appeal to End Detention TOKYOA Tokyo court on Dec. 11 rejected ousted Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosns appeal to end his detention following his arrest last month on allegations of financial misconduct. Ghosn has been held in a Tokyo jail since he was arrested on Nov. 19 on suspicion of conspiring to understate his pay by about half of the actual 10 billion yen ($88 million) awarded over five years from 2010. He was officially charged on Dec. 10. He was also re-arrested on fresh allegations of understating his income for three more years through March 2018, with the Tokyo District Court extending his detention until Dec. 20. Ghosns lawyers filed an appeal to overturn the detention midday Dec. 11, but it was rejected by the court by evening. From indictment, cases typically take months to go to trial. In the past, suspects who have been indicted have seldom been freed on bail, but in recent years that has become more common, said Masashi Akita, a defense lawyer. It is unclear whether Ghosn would be freed on bail as some legal experts have said he may be a flight risk. Nissan, which fired Ghosn as chairman days after his arrest, has said the misconduct was masterminded by the executive with the help of former Representative Director Greg Kelly, who was also indicted on Dec. 10. Kelly will also remain detained until Dec. 20, the district court said. Ghosns lawyer in Tokyo, Motonari Otsuru, could not be reached at his office for comment. But Kellys lawyer, Yoichi Kitamura, said he was certain that his clients innocence would become clear in court. The reason Im confident is because there was no violation of the financial instruments and exchange law, he said. Ghosns arrest marks a dramatic fall for a leader once hailed for rescuing Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy. The executive has been treated like others in detention, held in a small, chilly room, with limited opportunities to shower and shave, a person familiar with the matter has said. Asked about criticism that Japanese prosecutors often try to force confessions from suspects, deputy prosecutor at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, Shin Kukimoto, has said no such method was being used with Ghosn and Kelly. By Chang-Ran Kim & Ritsuko Ando Egyptian workers harvest grapes at the Kouroum of the Nile Company vinyards and winery in the Karm el-Nada area some 50 kilometres north of Cairo on July 20, 2016. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images) Egypt Winery Seeks Ancient Inspiration for Present-Day Success Under the dry soils and hot sun of Egypts Red Sea, a small winery is fighting to produce an award-winning all-Egyptian wine. The adverse conditions of Egypts climate prove disadvantageous for any wine, yet the Kouroum of the Nile winery seeks ancient Egyptian inspiration for present-day success. Ancient Egyptian tombs were found to contain drawings of wine-making, and the people were known to be avid wine-drinkers. After Islamic conquests throughout the Arab world, wine-making was halted until the 20th century, when European migration to Egypt started rebuilding the industry. In 2003, however, Kouroum of the Nile was established. The winery eventually reached a production capacity of almost 4 million bottles a year of organic Egyptian white, red, and rose wine. It has managed to rake in 14 international medals, including Bronze at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2012, and the Challenge Millesime Bio for their Jardin du Nil red wine. When [tourists] drink wine, they have to drink wine that reflects Egypt, its farms, its sun, and its weather, said Lebanese wine manager Labib Kallas. Everything related to Egypt must be reflected in the glass of wine you are drinking. And this is what we are doing. Rania Mubarak, marketing representative for the winery, said that she was first shocked by the challenges she found when she began delving into Egyptian wine, such as the hot sun and the lack of a wine-drinking culture. Due to the hot sun, Egyptian grapes typically mature in July, as opposed to the French fruit, which takes a longer time to ripen, affecting the overall taste and quality. The tax on imported wine is high in Egypt, which has also influenced the production of local wine by the company, which mainly aims to serve tourists. Realizing these limitations, the winery still pushes to produce an acceptable all-Egyptian wine from the local Banati grape, a first in the world of winemaking in Egypt. What we are doing here is the revival of the Egyptian vineyard, Mubarak said. We are rebuilding, we are replanting the vineyard, in extreme conditions, lets say. It is not a welcoming environment because the people are not wine drinkers in the country. So we are introducing a culture for the Egyptian. Kouroum of the Nile faces competition from Dutch giant Heineken, but the Egyptian establishment is the only one to rely solely on homegrown grapes. Actor and show co-host Gary Sinise onstage during the 27th National Memorial Day Concert Rehearsals on May 28, 2016, in Washington. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Capitol Concerts) Everybody Loves Raymond Star Calls for Actor Gary Sinise to Be Considered for Time Person of the Year Everybody Loves Raymond actress Patricia Heaton said actor Gary Sinise should have been named Times Person of the Year for 2018 for his work with wounded veterans. Hey @TIME, why isnt @GarySinise ever on the Person of the Year list? Hey @TheAcademy, why isnt he ever picked for the #jeanhersholt humanitarian award? He raises $30M a year to build homes for wounded vets along with his #goldstarfamily support. Retweet, she tweeted. Many agreed with her statement, as it was retweeted thousands of times in just a day. Hey @TIME , why isnt @GarySinise ever on the Person of the Year list? Hey @TheAcademy , why isnt he ever picked for the #jeanhersholt humanitarian award? He raises $30M a year to build homes for wounded vets along with his #goldstarfamily support. Retweet! https://t.co/pj7BGEN7Ds Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) December 10, 2018 Sinise founded the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2011, a nonprofit, that supports first responders, veterans, and their family members. Thats a very good question. As a huge supporter of #GarySiniseFoundation and #GarySinse he should have been. He does not do it for the accolades, which makes him all that more deserving, one person said. Could not agree more! I had the great honor to see 1st hand a small part of this event & was moved beyond belief! What @GarySinise is doing for these families is above and beyond! Not a dry eye in the house! Thank you Mr. Sinise! a fan wrote. Actor and outspoken conservative James Woods tweeted that Sinise one of the very finest civilian Americans out there. Im taking the liberty of posting a screen grab of @GarySinises immediate response regarding our Navy vets funeral request. Honestly Gary is one of the very finest civilian Americans out there pic.twitter.com/ZxysumSyPV James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) December 11, 2018 Ive traveled to visit our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world, and have also performed with my band (Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band) in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Singapore, Diego Garcia, Guantanamo Bay, Alaska, and throughout the U.S. in an effort to help boost the morale of our troops and military families. Through my travels Ive seen firsthand our service members extraordinary dedication, Sinese says on the foundations website. The Mighty on Dec. 11 reported that Sinises foundation helped nearly 2,000 Gold Star families to Walt Disney World in Florida. The foundation is now tracking 1,722 participants this year from over 650 families, which includes hundreds of children. Time awarded The Guardians and the War on Truth as the person of the year. Jamal Khashoggi, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and the Capital Gazette will be featured. Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Embassy in Turkey, and five people were shot and killed inside the Capital Gazette office in Maryland earlier this year. Today, democracy around the world faces its biggest crisis in decades, its foundations undermined by invective from on high and toxins from below, by new technologies that power ancient impulses, by a poisonous cocktail of strongmen and weakening institutions, Time Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal stated. They are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the worldas of Dec. 10, at least 52 journalists have been murdered in 2018who risk all to tell the story of our time, it added. The runners-up for the designation were President Donald Trump, who was given the Person of the Year title by the publication in the past. Special counsel Robert Mueller was No. 3, The Activists were No. 4, Moon Jae-in was Nov. 5, Ryan Coogler was No. 6., and Megan Markle was No. 7. Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat who has been detained by China, in a file photo during an interview in Hong Kong on March 28, 2018. (AP Photo) Former Canadian Diplomat Detained by Beijing State Security Bureau, Canadian Officials Confirm Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig has been taken into custody by the Chinese regimes Beijing authorities, senior Canadian government officials confirmed. Canadas embassy in Beijing received a fax early on Dec. 12 with an official notification that a citizen of Canada had been detained by the Beijing State Security Bureau, senior government officials said, speaking on background. Chinas Ministry of State Security is the intelligence and security branch of the Chinese regime, and it operates a number of state security bureaus throughout the country. Days before Kovrigs capture, Beijing had warned Canada to release Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou or face grave consequences. Meng was arrested in Vancouver based on a request by U.S. authorities and is facing extradition. The allegations against Kovrig have not been specified, and the Canadian government doesnt currently know his whereabouts. Government officials say they are regularly speaking with Chinese authorities over the matter, asking for details on Kovrigs wellbeing and location. Access should be afforded as quickly as possible, they said. While the Chinese regime has not specified when or why Kovrig was detained, Canadian officials say that he was detained on Dec. 10. State-run Beijing News said Kovrig was detained on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm Chinas state security, Reuters reports. Kovrig is currently on special leave from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to do work for the non-profit organization International Crisis Group. As he is on special leave, he doesnt have diplomatic privileges. Chinas foreign ministry said the organization he works for is not registered in China, so any of the organizations work in the country would be illegal, according to the Associated Press. Both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland have expressed concern about the Canadians arrest. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Freeland said Canada is deeply concernedabout Kovrigs case and that Canada will continue to raise the case with Chinese authorities. She says she has also been in touch with Kovrigs family over the matter. When asked if Canada would publicly ask for Kovrigs release, Freeland responded by saying that Canada has shared its concerns with China over the case, and that Canadas first step would be to get consular access to Kovrig to understand the situation better. Freeland also said GAC has lost touch with an unnamed individual who had previously reported being questioned by Chinese authorities. She says Canada has reached out to Chinese authorities regarding the case. Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard speaks at his final media conference for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in Sydney, Australia, on Sept. 9, 2007. (Robb Cox/Getty Images) Former PM John Howard Defends Australian Media From Chinese State Criticism The former prime minister of Australia John Howard said that Chinese officials raised concerns about Australian media during meetings between Australian and Chinese elites in Beijing last week. At the request of the Morrison Government, Howard led an Australian delegation to annual talks in China on Dec. 7 and met Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The delegation comprised senior representatives from government, business, academia, media, and cultural groups. According to reports, Chinese officials at the meeting criticised Australian official and media commentary on foreign interference and investments from Communist China. [The Chinese officials] complained about our media and I made it very clear that we have a free media, Howard told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. China and Australias political systems are fundamentally different and we should never apologise for our system or try to bland away the differences. While I cant go intobecause its Chatham Housewhat individuals said, I can say the flavour of the meeting was, OK, we have issues, we always will,' Howard told the ABC. Howard also told the Chinese officials that Australia had an independent judiciary and parliament, and they would have to accept this for the two countries to reach a mutual understanding, a source told The Australian. Chinas state media and senior diplomats have publicly criticised Australias media for reporting on the Chinese Community Partys infiltration and interference efforts in Australia. Meeting to Strengthen Ties This latest meeting led by Howard has been regarded as another opportunity for the two countries to strengthen ties. It almost did not happen this year. This was not on the cards a few months ago. It was out of the blue, a source told The Australian. The meeting only briefly touched upon the topic of Australias decision to block Huawei from its 5G network, sources told The Australian. The topic of foreign interference laws, which also got a mention, was more contentious. Sources told The Australian that Chinese participants, comprising officials and businessmen, said one of their concerns with the new laws was that Chinese nationals who study in Australia may be accused of being spies. On June 28, Australia passed new counter-intelligence legislation targeting foreign interference. Australias Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme (FITS) broadens the definition of espionage and requires people working for foreign countries to register as foreign agents. They could face criminal prosecution if they are independently deemed to be meddling in Australias affairs. A register for foreign agents created under FITS came into force on Dec. 10 after the Attorney Generals Department announced the start date last month. From Dec. 10, any person who undertakes certain activities, on behalf of a foreign principal for the purpose of influencing a political or government process will be required to register under the scheme, according to a Nov. 23 statement from the department. The government has made efforts to emphasise the self-disclosure scheme is non-discriminatory and was not created with the intention of targeting any specific foreign entity or individuals. However, when first introducing the proposed legal changes in December 2017, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull specifically mentioned disturbing reports about Chinese influence as an example of why the bill is justified. Media reports have suggested that the Chinese Communist Party has been working to covertly interfere with our media, our universities, and even the decisions of elected representatives right here in this building, he told Parliament at the time. We take these reports very seriously. Our relationship with China is far too important to put at risk by failing to clearly set the terms of healthy and sustainable engagement. Epoch Times staff Janita Kan and Melanie Sun contributed to this report. From NTD.com Watch Next: Saudi Arabias Red Prince & the Subversion of the West There is more to Saudi Arabia than meets the eye, and a recent purge of Saudi princes and powerful leaders may have cleaned up a network of corruption that had grown forms of control and influence into the West. Google CEO Wont Rule Out Launching Censorship, Surveillance App in China Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google, didnt rule out launching a censorship and surveillance tool in China, but indicated the company will be transparent and thoughtful about any such plans. Pichai had indicated that Google is still working on a search app for the Chinese market, a project that some company employees claim will include censorship and surveillance features. However, he said the launch of such a product isnt imminent. We have undertaken an internal effort, but right now, there are no plans to launch a search service in China, Pichai said, while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on Dec. 11. Google has faced enduring criticism after information leaked that it was secretly developing the censored app as part of a project dubbed Dragonfly. Lawmakers, human-rights advocates, and even some employees protested against the project. The communist regime in China requires companies, even those that are foreign, to censor topics it deems to be sensitive, such as democracy, human rights, and the ongoing persecution in China of Falun Gong practitioners, underground Christians, human-rights activists, and others. Companies are also forced to share with the regime any of their data stored in China. According to insider information leaked to the Intercept, the controversial Google app was designed to link users search history with their phone numbers, making it easier for the regime to target dissidents. Pichai appeared to deny the company is in discussions with Chinese officials regarding Dragonfly, when asked by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.). However, his response suggests the project is ongoing. This effort, currently, is an internal effort, he said. Pichai wouldnt confirm who is leading the Dragonfly project. Our efforts around building search, you know, its undertaken by our search teams, but these are distributed efforts, he said. Its a limited effort internally, currently. Finally, when asked whether hed rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while CEO of Google, Pichai responded: 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 always We think its in our duty to explore possibilities to give users access to information and, you know, I have that commitment but, you know, as I said earlier on this, well be very thoughtful and we will engage widely as we make progress. Google ran a censored version of its search engine in China from 2006 to 2010, but exited after the company said a cyber attack originating from China had targeted Google email accounts of dozens of Chinese human-rights activists. Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who was born in Soviet Russia, said in 2010, he saw some earmarks of totalitarianism in China, which was personally quite troubling to him, The Wall Street Journal reported. People familiar with the discussions said then-Chief Executive Eric Schmidt and others advocated for staying in China. China is one of the worst abusers of human rights, according to watchdogs. In recent decades, the regime has killed hundreds of thousands of prisoners of conscience to sell their organs for transplants, based on extensive research conducted since allegations of the crime first surfaced in 2006. Aside from its stated reason, Google also had an economic incentive to exit China. The company struggled to expand its claim on the Chinese market, where the regime favors domestic companies with top cadre connections. In an Aug. 31 letter to several U.S. senators, Pichai outlined the companys wish to expand its China business, while finding a balance between satisfying the demands of the communist regime and the companys stated dedication to freedom of expression. Political Bias Refuted While Pichai has denied any political bias in Google products, several Republican lawmakers appeared unsatisfied with his answers. Youve got almost 90,000 employees. Somebody out there is doing something that just isnt working, if youre looking for unbiased results, said Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio). On Dec. 10, Breitbart published what appears to be leaked internal emails that show Google employees discussing efforts to kick the conservative outlet off the Google advertising platform. Based on the emails, the employees organized to comb through Breitbart content around February 2017 to find anything that could be classified as hate speech, including in user comments posted on Breitbarts website. A Google spokeswoman told Breitbart that the company regularly and routinely reviews sites in its 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, she said. Yet, the emails suggest it was more than just a periodic review, since the effort appears to have been organized through an internal discussion group called Resista common label used by opponents of the agenda of President Donald Trump. Im not aware of any such group, Pichai said, when asked about the matter by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Breitbart would understandably be hard-pressed to survive without Google ads as about two-fifths of all U.S. online advertising revenues flow through the tech giant. In August, President Donald Trump accused Google of shutting out Republican/Conservative and Fair Media from Google News searches, referring to a PJ Media report that among the top 100 search results for Trump on Google News, 96 percent of them were from left-leaning media. The Epoch Times conducted a similar experiment on at least three dates, reaching similar results. In the last test on Nov. 28, some 97 percent of the 154 articles featured on the first 10 pages of search results for Trump came from traditionally left-leaning media. Pichai disputed bias in the news search. We have looked at results on our Top News category. We find we have a wide variety of sources, including sources from the left and sources from the right, he said. Google didnt respond to a request for comment. Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated two-fifths of Breitbarts U.S. online advertising revenues flow through Google. Two-fifths of all U.S. online advertising revenues flow through Google. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Municipal workers carry a corpse from the Cathedral of Campinas, 90 km northwest of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Dec. 11, 2018. (Ari Ferreira/AFP/Getty Images) Gunman in Brazil Cathedral Kills Four Before Killing Himself SAO PAULOA gunman opened fire inside the Catholic cathedral in the Brazilian city of Campinas on Dec. 11 and fatally shot four people praying in the pews before killing himself after police wounded him, authorities said. Police identified the shooter as Euler Fernando Gandolfo, 49, a systems analyst with no criminal record. Gandolfo entered the cathedral and sat down among mainly elderly worshippers who remained to pray after midday mass. 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, said Pedro Rodrigues, a 66-year-old retiree. It was frightful, said another witness, Alexandre Moraes, on GloboNews channel. He shot randomly at people. They were all praying. Campinas police chief Jose Henrique Ventura said security cameras showed Gandolfo walk into the cathedral and sit down. A little later he started shooting at people. Police in the plaza outside rushed in when they heard the shots, Ventura told a news conference. The gunman ran to the altar while firing at police and was hit in the side. He fell to ground and shot himself in the head, Ventura said. Gandolfo had two guns with 28 rounds left when he died. Four people were shot dead and four others were wounded, but Ventura said they were out of danger in a hospital in Campinas, an industrial city 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo. Police have not established a motive. Brazil had nearly 64,000 murders last yearmore than any other country, according to the United Nations. However, random mass shootings are relatively rare, with few American-style shootings in schools or other public areas. The rise in armed violence helped right politician Jair Bolsonaro win Octobers presidential election, vowing to crack down on corruption, drug gangs and crime in the streets of Brazilian cities. Bolsonaro, who takes office on Jan. 1, plans to ease gun laws to allow Brazilians to arm themselves against criminals, a policy his critics say will only increase the murder rate. By Tatiana Ramil & Anthony Boadle Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte meets with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to discuss the dispute between the EU and Rome over Italy's profligate policies in its 2019 draft budget, in Brussels, Belgium on Nov. 24, 2018. (Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters) Italy Coalition Parties Resisting Major Changes to Deficit Target: Government Source ROMEItalys coalition parties are resisting any major reduction to next years deficit target, complicating efforts to avoid EU disciplinary action over the 2019 budget, a government source said on Dec. 11. The European Commission has rejected Romes budget, which predicts the deficit will rise to 2.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2019 from 1.8 percent this year, saying it will not cut Italys large public debt as the rules require. The source told Reuters there were excellent chances that the Commission would back down from a threat to discipline Rome if the target was cut to 2.0 percent. However, the source said neither of the two coalition partiesthe rightist League and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movementwanted to see the target drop below 2.2 percent. Underscoring tensions within the government, Economy Minister Giovanni Tria said it would be better to reach a deal with Brussels and cut the deficit in order to regain market trust. The clash with the EU, whose fiscal rules are designed to protect the eurozone from a sovereign debt crisis, is worrying investors and has sent Italys borrowing costs surging and shares its banks tumbling. Tria, an economics professor with no party affiliation, pressed earlier this year for a deficit target of under 2.0 percent. He has been pushed aside in the negotiations with Brussels, which are being led directly by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. Conte is due to see Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Dec. 12 in an attempt to find a compromise. A separate government source said it was unlikely that he would put forward any deficit target at that meeting. French Impact Earlier, Conte told parliament he was confident he could reach an accord with Brussels, but said Europe had to overcome its short-sighted vision of fiscal rigor. I will not go to Brussels with a book of dreams. I will go with a complete spectrum of the reform program, he said. He added that increasing the budget deficit was needed to implement policies that Italians wanted and his coalition was not doing it lightheartedly. Among the most costly measures in the budget are income support for Italys many poor and unemployed, and a reduction in retirement age for people who have paid at least 38 years of pension contributions. Tria said he expected new financial forecasts costing these two measures to be finalised later on Dec. 11, giving coalition parties the data they need to decide on the deficit. While keen to avoid EU censure, the ruling parties feel emboldened by the weeks of unrest in France. President Emmanuel Macron on Dec. 10 announced wage rises for the poorest workers and tax cuts for pensionersconcessions that risk shunting the French 2019 deficit through the EUs 3 percent ceiling. Seeing what is going on in Paris, I refuse to believe that Brussels, for the sake of a few decimal places, will impose sanctions, inspectors, and commissars, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Dec. 9. By Giuseppe Fonte Judge Sentences Former Trump Lawyer Cohen to 3 Years in Prison A federal judge in New York sentenced Michael Cohen to three years in prison on Dec. 12, for tax evasion, bank fraud, campaign-finance violations, and lying to Congress. Cohen, President Donald Trumps former personal attorney, was indicted as a result of the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. Cohens crimes are not related to allegations of collusion with Russia, the core theme of Muellers probe. The 36-month sentence by U.S. District Judge William Pauley is the harshest imposed to date in cases related to the special counsel. Pauley also ordered Cohen to pay two $50,000 fines and $1.4 million in restitution, and forfeit $500,000 in assets. Cohen is to surrender to authorities on March 6. Each crime involves deception motivated by personal greed and ambition, the judge said. As a lawyer, Mr. Cohen should have known better. In a sentencing filing ahead of the hearing, Cohens attorneys asked the judge for no prison time, arguing that he had admitted to his crimes and cooperated with investigators. No bank has ever lost money dealing with Michael Cohen, his attorney said twice, adding that Cohen is a very good man. But prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys office in New York told the court in a memo that Cohens efforts fell well short of cooperation, asking that the attorney be sentenced to approximately four years in prison. In court on Dec. 12, the prosecutor said Cohen showed a pattern of deception, brazenness and greed that manifested in his professional life. Muellers sentencing recommendation was more generous, saying Cohen had provided valuable information about contacts between Trumps campaign and Russia. He recommended any sentence for lying to Congress be served concurrently with Cohens sentence on the New York-based charges. The judge concurred with Mueller, ordering that the Cohen serve the two months for lying to Congress concurrently with his term. Cohen admitted to willfully evading taxes by failing to report more than $4 million in income between 2012 and 2016. The attorney also admitted to lying to a bank about his net worth and monthly expenses in order to obtain a loan, concealing a $20 million debt to another bank. Cohen also pleaded guilty to campaign-finance charges that are likely not crimes, according to former Federal Elections Commission chair Bradley Smith. The charges involve non-disclosure-agreement payments Cohen arranged for women claiming to have had affairs with Trump more than a decade ago. According to Smith, the payments cant be counted as campaign contributions. Trump denies having the affairs. In an interview with Reuters on Dec. 11, Trump denied the payments were campaign contributions. If it were, its only civil, and even if its only civil, there was no violation based on what we did, he said. In a separate guilty plea, Cohen admitted to lying to Congress about a publicized and ultimately abandoned Trump Organization plan for a real estate development in Moscow. Cohen said he misled the House and Senate committees on intelligence about when the project was terminated, whether he briefed Trump on the matter, and the extent of his communications with the Russian government. One of Cohens contacts on the matter was Felix Sater, a known FBI informant. Sentencing consultant Justin Paperny said Pauley has a reputation for being tough on white-collar defendants and that Cohen probably made a mistake asking for no jail time when he failed to fully cooperate. Reporters and members of the public lined up to get into the courtroom, and some were turned away. The courtroom was so packed that court officers initially tried to limit the number of people from Muellers team, prompting one to quip, We are kind of important. On Dec. 3, Trump accused Cohen of lying to investigators in order to get a lenient sentence. The president said that Cohen should serve a full sentence for his crimes. Cohen, 52, walked into court with his wife, son, and daughter amid a crowd of photographers and reporters. His 23-year-old daughter, Samantha, and 19-year-old son, Jake, both wept silently in the courtroom, the son wiping his eyes with his jacket sleeve. After being sentenced, Cohen walked over to his daughter and kissed her head. Cohens father, Maurice Cohen, who showed little emotion during the hearing, later told reporters: My heart is ripped. Reuters contributed to this report. Man Beaten Into Coma on New York City Street, NYPD Arrests Suspect Warning: Disturbing video The New York City Police Department said they have arrested a suspect wanted in connection with a beating in the Bronx that left a 38-year-old man comatose last week. Nilson Castillo was arrested on Friday, Dec. 7, after surveillance camera footage showed him beating the unidentified victim just a few days earlier. NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea announced the suspects arrest on Twitter. **UPDATE** Nilson Castillo, 21, #bronx has been APPREHENDED in regards to the robbery that occurred on 12/2/18 @ 3AM in front of 60 W182 St @NYPD46Pct. I want to thank the public who called @NYPDTips and the investigators working the case. pic.twitter.com/qriRvmiPgJ Chief Dermot F. Shea (@NYPDDetectives) December 7, 2018 Nilson Castillo, 21, #bronx has been APPREHENDED in regards to the robbery that occurred on 12/2/18 @ 3AM in front of 60 W182 St @NYPD46Pct. I want to thank the public who called @NYPDTips and the investigators working the case, he tweeted. Castillo was charged with two counts of robbery and assault, the New York Post reported. In the video, the assailant and the victim speak to each other before the suspect suddenly punches the man in the face. After a brief struggle, the victim falls to the ground and the attacker continues to punch and kick him in the face and head. At one point, the attacker appears to remove headphones and other items. Then, he kicks the victim repeatedly before leaving. The footage captured the suspect returning to the scene, getting his hat before kicking the man one last time. The incident unfolded in the Bronxs University Heights neighborhood just after 3 a.m., the New York Daily News reported. Basheer Alabdi, who is a deli worker, said the victim was drunk and had lost his wallet, according to the report. His friends in a van just dropped him off. Hed come from a party and he was drunk. He was talking [expletive] to everybody, Alabdi said of the victim, describing what had happened before the incident took place. Alabdi lamented that passersby didnt try to help the victim while he was lying on the ground. Nobody did anything. He lay there for about 10 minutes, Alabdi told the news outlet. I was the one who called the cops. Alabdi noticed he was bleeding on the sidewalk, thinking he was dead. Then, he called 911, ABC7 reported. The victim is still in the hospital in critical condition with head and neck trauma, WCBS Radio reported on Dec. 7. Further about the arrest or victims status are not clear. The full video, without censorship, can be viewed below (Warning: Highly disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised): Violent Crime Down in 2018 The FBI says that in 2017 violent crime had dropped by 0.2 percent, according to a release, but aggravated and rape offenses increased by a respective 1.0 percent and 2.5 percent. The murder rate dropped by 0.7 percent, the agency said. In 2017, there were an estimated 1,247,321 violent crimes. The estimated number of robbery offenses decreased 4.0 percent, and the estimated number of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter offenses decreased 0.7 percent when compared with estimates from 2016. The estimated volume of aggravated assault and rape (revised definition) offenses increased 1.0 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, said the FBI. The agency added: By violent crime offense, the arrest rate for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter was 3.8 per 100,000 inhabitants; rape (aggregate total using the revised and legacy definition), 7.2; robbery, 29.3; and aggravated assault, 120.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, the FBI said that there are now 670,279 sworn officers and 286,662 civilian officers in the U.S, which is a rate of 3.4 employees per 1,000 inhabitants. Tyrell Bitsilly, 21, and Shayanne Nelson, 18, face criminal charges after a 3-year-old boy in their care found a gun and shot his infant sister in McKinley County, New Mexico, on Dec. 8, 2018. (Gallup Police Department) Mother and Boyfriend Face Charges After New Mexico Toddler Shoots Infant in Face A New Mexico couple is facing criminal charges after a toddler gained access to a firearm and shot a baby girl in the face. According to a criminal complaint, Shayanne Nelson, 18, and Tyrell Bitsilly, 21, were in the shower at the Zia Motel in McKinley County on Dec. 8 when the shooting happened. Nelsons 3-year-old son fired the gun, hitting the 8-month-old infant in the face. Nelson said that she wasnt aware of a gun in the room, according to the complaint, which was obtained by KOB. She claimed a previous room occupant may have left it there. The infant was rushed to the Gallup Indian Medical Center, where she was listed in critical condition. Her mother told the police that she and her boyfriend ran out of the bathroom when they heard the gunshot and found the baby lying in the middle of the bed bleeding from the face. Bitsilly described the gunshot as a pop, reported the Gallup Sun. He said he grabbed the child. A witness, who was found holding the child when police officers arrived at the scene, said that Bitsilly was wiping the gun clean. Bitsilly is facing charges for abuse of a child resulting in bodily harm, abuse of a child placed in a dangerous situation, and tampering with evidence; while Nelson is facing charges for abuse of a child resulting in great bodily harm and abuse of a child placed in a dangerous situation. Previous Shooting Bitsilly was involved in another shooting earlier this year. He was charged with aggravated assault on a household member, shooting at a dwelling, tampering with evidence, and two counts each of aggravated assault and abuse of a child after allegedly firing a gun on Oct. 24 in downtown Gallup, reported the Gallup Sun. A woman said Bitsilly fired a gun inside her vehicle while it was parked. He then left the car and walked away. The woman said her mother and her two children were in the backseat at the time. The woman was not named so it wasnt clear if it was Nelson. Bitsilly allegedly fired the gun after she said she wanted to break up with him. The woman said Bitsilly told her, This is what you want. No updates to the case appear to have been reported. Crime Decreased in 2017 The FBI said that both violent crime and property crime decreased in 2017 compared to 2016. Overall violent crime decreased 0.2 percent from 2016 to last year, while property crime decreased 3 percent during that time, the agency said in September, releasing data from the previous year. There were more than 1.2 million violent crimes reported to UCR nationwide in 2017. There was a 0.7 percent decrease in murders and a 4 percent decrease in robberies from 2016 to 2017. Aggravated assaults increased 1 percent in 2017. The FBI began collecting data solely on an updated rape definition last year, and 135,755 rapes were reported to law enforcement in 2017, the FBI stated. The report also showed there were more than 7.7 million property crimes last year. Burglaries decreased 7.6 percent and larceny-thefts decreased 2.2 percent. Motor vehicle thefts increased 0.8 percent from 2016 to 2017. These figures were compiled from more than 13,000 law enforcement agencies around the United States that submitted their crime data to the FBI. Violent crime increased from 2015, the FBI said last year. The estimated number of violent crimes in the nation increased for the second straight year, rising 4.1 percent in 2016 when compared with 2015 data, according to FBI figures released today, said the FBI in September 2017. In 2016, there were an estimated 1,248,185 violent crimes. Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter offenses increased 8.6 percent when compared with estimates from 2015. Aggravated assault and rape (legacy definition) offenses increased 5.1 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively, and robbery increased 1.2 percent. From NTD News Mother of the 2 Children Shot Dead by Their Father in Murder-Suicide Also Found Dead at 37: Reports Two children were fatally shot by their father in July. And now their mother was found dead in West Pennant Hills, Australia, on Dec. 12, according to local reports. The death of Olga Edwards occurred just five months after the murder-suicide that left Australia stunned. Her estranged husband, 68-year-old John Edwards, a financial adviser, gunned down the teens before taking his own life. New South Wales police confirmed the body of a woman was found in a home near Sydney, The Guardian reported. Before 10 a.m. today, emergency services were called to a home on Hull Road in West Pennant Hills following a concern-for-welfare report, a spokeswoman said. She was found dead by police, and according to the Australian Associated Press, her family overseas was notified. The cause of death wasnt revealed by police. Its not clear if she took her own life. The mother of Jack and Jennifer Edwards, the teenage siblings shot by their estranged father in July, has been found dead at her home. The Sydney Morning Herald The body of a 37-year-old woman was located deceased. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner, the spokeswoman added. In July, the slayings were described as premeditated and planned by officials. Edwards had two legally owned handguns. Olga and her children were separated from John for two years prior to the shootings. Regarding Olgas recent death, a police source said she had been struggling lately and was dreading Christmas without her family, News.com.au reported. Since losing her children she has been in and out of hospital and police have been in constant contact with her and became worried when they didnt hear from her, the source said. On Wednesday, Ryde Detective Superintendent David Waddell said her death was a tragic set of circumstances. Our police have been investigating [the shooting of Jack and Jennifer] since July 5 this year, when they responded to that address and found the two children deceased and just after 10 oclock today they went back there [to] the same home, he said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Waddell said Edwards was offered support from around the world, but unfortunately things took their toll, according to the report. There are no suspicious circumstances. We will put a brief together for the coroner and that will form a part of the investigation that commenced in July, he said. [There are police] who have had involvement with the investigation and some of them are very personally attached and they are feeling it today, as are the family and wider members of the public, he also stated. Juliette Hackett, who lives near John Edwardss home, said she didnt know his family well, but they had their challenges. I feel very sad that John felt that there was no alternative than the horrific thing he did, Hackett told the Daily Mail. Edwardss sister Dianne said she didnt have anything good to say about him. Hes an awful man, horrible. Always has been, she was quoted as saying. Other details about Olgas death are not clear. Suicide Prevention For help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here. For support on suicide in the United Kingdom, call the Samaritans at 08457 90 90 90 or click here. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is accessible via 13 11 14. Conservative MP Garnett Genuis speaks to NTD Television on Parliament Hill on Dec. 10, 2018, after a Senate bill he put forward to combat organ trafficking passed second reading in the House of Commons. (NTD Television) MPs Pass Organ Trafficking Bill on Second Reading Legislation first proposed 10 years ago now goes to committee, may finally become law A bill targeting international organ trafficking that was first proposed a decade ago took a step closer to fruition this week after it passed a second reading in the House of Commons. Bill S-240 would make it a criminal offence in Canada to receive an organ abroad without consent from the donor, and it would also make people involved in forced organ harvesting anywhere in the world inadmissible to Canada. The bill unanimously passed in the Senate in October and was then introduced to the House of Commons by Conservative MP Garnett Genuis. It passed second reading on Dec. 10 and will now go to committee to be studied in-depth. In Parliament on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day, Genuis was one of several MPs who noted the importance of the bill and urged its swift passage. We have had four bills in 10 years, and now we have less than one year until the next election, he said. When the next election is called, every bill will die and we will go back to the beginning. Four bills, 10 years, and fundamental human rights are at stake. If we do not proceed to a vote on this as soon as possible, I fear we will significantly reduce our chances of getting this done this Parliament. NDP MP Cheryl Hardcastle, the vice-chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights, said her party calls for cross-party co-operation to ensure the swift passage of Bill S-240 and for this issue to be finally taken seriously. Canadians contribute to organ trafficking primarily through a phenomenon called transplant tourism. It is the most common way to trade organs across national borders. Recipients travel abroad to undergo organ transplants and there is currently no law in Canada against this practice, she said. Several countries, including Taiwan, Spain, and Norway, have already passed similar legislation. It is time for our country to catch up with the rest of the world and we can begin doing so today by supporting this bill. The first iteration of the legislation was introduced in 2008 as a private members bill by Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj. After it didnt go anywhere, former Liberal MP and justice minister Irwin Cotler introduced a similar bill. After Cotler retired, Genius tried, with no success. Then a similar bill crafted by Sen. Salma Ataullahjan finally received cross-party support in the Senate, and thats the bill brought forward by Genuis now making its way through the House. These bills were written largely in response to credible and appalling reports concerning organ harvesting in China, said Hardcastle. According to testimony that our subcommittee heard on November 3, 2016, Chinas organ-harvesting industry developed in tandem with its systematic repression of Falun Gong, she said, referring to the traditional Chinese spiritual practice that has been subjected to a brutal campaign of persecution by the Chinese regime since 1999. In our subcommittee, we heard that while Chinas official central governments statistics indicate that approximately 10,000 organ transplantations take place per year, the numbers may actually be as high as between 60,000 and 100,000 organ transplants per year. The one population that ultimately became the principal victims of Chinas organ-harvesting industry was the countrys Falun Gong followers. The numbers Hardcastle cited were from a 2016 report by Winnipeg-based international human rights lawyer David Matas, former Liberal cabinet minister David Kilgour, and China expert Ethan Gutmann. In 2006, Matas and Kilgour were the first to alert the world that Falun Gong prisoners of conscience incarcerated in China were being killed for their organs. In the years since, several books have been written and documentaries made that have shed more light on the atrocity, as well as the updated 2016 report. There have also been testimonies before parliamentary committees in Canada and other countries. A February 2017 Freedom House report notes credible evidence suggesting that beginning in the early 2000s, Falun Gong detainees were killed for their organs on a large scale. A Quintessential No-Brainer Cotler said in an interview hes delighted that legislation similar to the private members bill he crafted 10 years ago finally has an all-party consensus to go forward. Its not directed against any country in particular, but in fact, regrettably, China has been named recently by authorities in this regard as a country that has been engaged in not only in illegal organ harvesting but in the targeting of Falun Gong practitioners in that organ pillaging, he said. [The bill] sends a message to perpetrator countries that in fact we will hold you to account, that you will not be able to continue with this policy and practice with impunity and that there now will be sanctions. Genuis also said hes pleased Bill S-240 is making progress. This is the first time that any bill dealing with organ trafficking has passed second reading in the House of Commons, and so this bill has gotten a lot further than any others before it, he said in an interview. Im now hopeful the Foreign Affairs committee will study it effectively but quickly in a way that will allow it to become a law before the next election. In the first reading on Nov. 20, Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux said he has received petitions on the issue of forced organ harvesting in China urging Ottawa to act. The people who have signed these petitions are asking the Government of Canada to take action, he said. We know that there is an obligation for the government to work with other stakeholders, in particular our provinces and territories, and to listen to what Canadians have to say. We will have to wait to see how this debate ultimately evolves. NDP MP Murray Rankin said on Dec. 10 that as far as hes concerned, I do not want to spend much time on this bill. To me, it is a quintessential no-brainer. I want to join the Europeans. I want to join others around the world who are recognizing the scourge of organ trafficking and, as a Canadian, stand proudly with them and deal with this very real problem. With files from Lucy Zhou in Ottawa. Mysterious Shipwreck Appears on Lake Michigan Shoreline Michigan has a new attractionone that rose up mysteriously out of the water of Lake Michigan. It is a skeleton but not the skeleton of a sea monster. It is instead the hulk of an old sailing vessel long hidden beneath the water. The mysterious vessel emerged near the White River Light Station, a still-functioning lighthouse on the White Lake channel about halfway up the western side of the Thumb of Michigan. White Lake channel connects White Lake to Lake Michigan. Sightseers have been flocking to White Lake since photos of the unidentified vessel showed up on social media. [Its] a small piece of history that were able to take part of, one couple told Fox News. Some people believe the wreckage to be the remnant of the L.C. Woodruff, which disappeared near White River Light Station during a severe storm in 1878. An Historical Maritime Disaster The L.C. Woodruff was a three-masted wooden barkentine built in 1866. A barkentine is a small barkthe type of sailing ship that has its first mast square-rigged, and the second and third masts rigged fore-and-aft. This ship was 170 feet long and displaced 548 tons. The Woodruff broke up and sank over a span of two days, finally going down for good on the night of Nov.1, 1878, according to the United States Lighthouse Society. Archeologist Eric Harmsen of the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum documents the mystery wreckage. Michigan Shipwreck Research Association The Woodruff had headed out from Chicago on Oct. 31 carrying a load of corn for its home port of Buffalo, New York. The ship made it halfway across Lake Michigan before it got caught in a tremendous storm. By 8 p.m. the ship had sustained so much damage that it couldnt cross the last half-mile to the safety of White Lake and had to drop anchor to try to ride out the storm offshore. A tugboat motored out from White River Light Station to check on the anchored Woodruff. The tugboat captain saw that ships fore-topmast, jib-boom. and bowsprit had broken off, and all its sails had been shredded by the high winds. Nonetheless, the Woodruffs captain refused to abandon ship, confident he could cross the remaining distance once the storm abated. 1887 Shipwreck of the LC Woodruff Whitehall, MIhttps://t.co/9SqylMvVkN pic.twitter.com/UNtv03u3R4 Michael Audia (@ThatAudiaGuy) December 11, 2018 Final, Fatal Disaster Around 4 a.m., the Woodruff had started drifting towards shore, dragging her anchor, driven by the intense wind. By 9 a.m. the ships mizzen-mast and main topmast had snapped off and fallen in the water. The storm kept pushing the Woodruff shoreward until finally the ships keel hit the lake bottom. Pinned against the bottom and pummeled by the storm, the Woodruff began breaking up just a few hundred yards from the White River Light Station. The captain and ten crewmen were trapped on the vessel. Lighthouse keeper William Robinson and a group of volunteers made three attempts to reach the stricken ship and its trapped crew but the storm was too fierce. The lighthouse keepers small yawl had to turn back each time to avoid being sunk itself. A rescue party arrived around 2 p.m., bringing with them a cannon which could shoot a line to the floundering Woodruff. After three attempts the line was secured to the ship but even guided by the rope, the rescue boat couldnt make way through the wild seas. The lifeboat capsized, and its crew had to swim for shore to save their own lives. By nightfall, the ship was firmly aground about 150 yards offshore. Four sailors, assured they could pull themselves to shore via the rope and equally sure they would not last the night, jumped into the surging seas. But the rope broke free of the ship with all four still clinging to it. Fortunately, midway between the ship and shore, the lifeboat was still attached to the line, although filled with water. The four men climbed onto the swamped lifeboat and the rescuers on shore reeled them in. The four were pulled from the water alivethough one died the next day from head injuries he sustained when his head was smashed against the side of the sinking lifeboat. The Woodruff split in two not long after, dumping the captain and remaining crewmen into the water. The captain and three crewmen were rescued later, clinging desperately to bits of floating debris. The other two crewmen were lost forever. Periodic Reappearance There is no mystery as to why shipwrecks sometimes appear and then disappear. Strong storms and high tides sometimes shift the underwater sands, temporarily uncovering usually buried wreckage. Twicein 1942 and again in 1974the remains of what many believe to be the Woodruff were revealed by the shifting lakeside sands. This could be the third timebut the experts cannot say for sure. Archeologist Eric Harmsen of the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum and Valerie vanHeest of Michigan Shipwreck Research Association document the mystery wreckage. Michigan Shipwreck Research Association Valerie van Heest, President the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, told Fox News that the accepted identity of the wreck was not yet proven. Were piggy-backing on earlier accounts where people have perhaps jumped to conclusions and named it Woodruff, she explained. But really, until we do an archaeological investigation can we really start to narrow it down. Van Heest advised tourists to make haste if they wanted to see the historic wreckage because it could disappear as suddenly and unexpectedly as it had reappeared. The sands are shifting, big storms will move large bodies of sand then reveal things, van Heest told Fox News. This may be gone with the next storm. Its a small window in time where we can look at these ships, the remains of these ships. Watch Next: Saudi Arabias Red Prince & the Subversion of the West There is more to Saudi Arabia than meets the eye, and a recent purge of Saudi princes and powerful leaders may have cleaned up a network of corruption that had grown forms of control and influence into the West. Nanny Tries to Kill 2-Month-Old Baby by Stuffing Baby Wipe Down Throat, Is Convicted A Manhattan nanny was convicted of attempted murder after she tried to stuff a baby wipe into an infants throat, reported the New York Post. Marianne Benjamin-Williams, 47, was found guilty Dec. 11 on assault, attempted murder, and other charges for the May 2017 incident. Prosecutors Nicole Blumberg and Kristen Caruso said Benjamin-Williams was fed up with the infant boys crying and was frustrated with the parents for not paying her more money, leading to the crime. Nanny convicted of trying to kill infant by stuffing wipe down his throat https://t.co/hqhDFFwETP pic.twitter.com/nYH27jId9M New York Post (@nypost) December 11, 2018 Paramedics rushed the boy to Bellevue Hospital, and noted that he was blue and gasping for air, Blumberg said. Doctors then rushed him to surgery and discovered a baby wipe in his throat. Benjamin-Williams, in her court appearance, said she adored the infant and would never try to harm him. But she did admit to lying about her education, age, and references to get the babysitting job. Raymond Loving, an attorney for the woman, said it was possible the baby accidentally sucked up the wipe. Doctors and specialists, however, said that it would be very difficult for an 8-week-old infant to get a baby wipe into his own throat. Williams is due back in court on Jan. 7 for the sentencing phase of the trial. Baby Wipes Dangerous? Most parents of newborns are very familiar with baby wipes or wet wipes, as theyre often used during diaper changes, used to wipe down sticky fingers, or in emergencies. But the Manhattan conviction, along with a case in Florida earlier this year when a father jammed a balled-up baby wipe into a childs mouth, highlights the potential choking hazard of baby wipes. Never allow a baby to take a baby wipe from you. A babys natural instinct is to put the wipe in her mouth. Because the wipes are small enough to fit in your babys mouth, they present a choking hazard. In addition, the alcohol and chemicals on the wipes arent meant for internal use and they can make your baby ill. Place the baby wipes out of reach at all times, said LiveStrong. Pieces of paper like paper towels can pose the same hazard. And one study revealed that baby wipes can cause itchy, scaly rashes for some babies. I think it may be more common than people realize, study co-author Dr. Mary Wu Chang, who is an associate professor of dermatology and pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, according to NBC News. The study was published in 2014 in the journal Pediatrics. Dr. Robin Gehris told NBC shes seen more children with reactions to wipes, saying it might be due to the chemical preservative known as methylisothiazolinone (MI) found in the product. She said manufacturers have increased the amount of MI used in wipes by 25 times. I think this is a really important issue, said Gehris, with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. But when you tell a patient they shouldnt use moist wipes they act like you have two heads. Its hard for people to imagine when something called hypoallergenic [could contain] things that could cause a problem. The Australian Space Agency's new headquarters will be based in Adelaide, South Australia. (Australian Space Agency) New Space Agency in South Australia Set to Open Door to an $8.6 billion Industry The Australian government has announced its new space agency will be headquartered in South Australia. The Australian Space Agency will be located at Lot Fourteen, which is at the downtown site of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital. The agency will open its doors in mid-2019 with an initial operating workforce of 20 full-time equivalent staff. Australias Prime Minister said the federal governments A$41 million ($29.6 million) investment in the new headquarters will help triple the size of the nations space industry over the next decade, and triple the sectors workforce to 30,000 by the year 2030. This is a $4 billion industry in Australia and, by 2030, we are taking this to a A$12 billion ($8.6 billion) industry, Scott Morrison said at a press conference. The Australian Government announced this morning that Adelaide will be the location of the Australian Space Agency. Read the joint media release: https://t.co/MBlV4H7hyT pic.twitter.com/GNz05jQv2O Australian Space Agency (@AusSpaceAgency) December 11, 2018 Morrison said South Australias bid to host the agency showed the same passion for space exploration as the original cast from the Star Trek movie franchise. [Premier] Steven Marshall had one message when it came to the Space Agency, which was: Beam me up Scotty,' he joked. Marshall praised the agency as a key part of the new Adelaide City Deal, which sees the old Royal Adelaide Hospital being redeveloped into a new innovation and technology precinct. On Dec. 12, the premier and prime minister signed a memorandum of understanding to bolster the Adelaide economy and encourage long-term investment in the city. We will make Australia proud with a fantastic facility here on lot 14, the premier said at the press conference. Just a year ago, this was a functioning hospital, our major hospital in SA. Now it is being transformed into Australias most exciting innovation precinct and having the innovation associated with a space agency here will just give it a massive boost. South Australia is already home to 60 organizations and 800 employees in the space industry, and has a rapidly growing defence industry sector, according to Marshall. The federal governments long-term investment in Adelaide and its space sector will help boost entrepreneurship and innovation as Australia gains a bigger share of the worldwide space industry that is estimated to be worth $345 billion, he said. WATCH to find out how #SouthAustralia is leading the nation in creating a thriving space sector that will include the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency. This is an exciting time for our state, our businesses and our young people. #SASpace #SAJobs @AusSpaceAgency pic.twitter.com/kNiScFe8n9 Steven Marshall, MP (@marshall_steven) December 12, 2018 Establishing the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency in South Australia will launch our space and defence sectors to the next level, the premier said in a press release. I look forward to working with the federal government, industry and our education sector to capitalise on this incredible opportunity for our state. Australias Minister for Industry, Science, and Technology, Karen Andrews, confirmed the federal government is also investing an additional A$260 million ($187.5 million) to develop the nations satellite capacity and significantly increase GPS accuracy in cities and regional areas. The space agency being headquartered here amongst other space industries is an opportunity for the ecosystem that is already being developed here to grow and mature, and puts us in a very, very good place to get an even larger slice of the global market for space-related industries, Andrews said at the press conference. Dr. Megan Clarke has been appointed as head of the Australian Space Agency and estimated there would be more than A$1 billion ($721.4 million) in capital investment in the space industry within three years. Why now is the best time to launch an Australian Space Agency. Read our interview with @AusSpaceAgency head Dr Megan Clark. https://t.co/vSU1fFBjdr #Space pic.twitter.com/YmKktUDtVB Academy of Technology and Engineering (@applied_au) December 9, 2018 Half a billion of that is inbound capital coming in from industry and from other space agencies around the world, Clarke said at the press conference. Were looking forward to our new home in a really exciting precinct. This is going to be a hot bed of creativity. Ukrainian servicemen take part in brigade tactical exercises not far from the border with Russia on Dec. 3, 2018. (SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images) Once Again the Pain of Ukraine Ukraine is back. Back to plague the United States, NATO, and Europe generally with the conundrum of how to address blatant Russian aggression against Ukraine (the seizure of the Crimea) without direct, bloody confrontation with Moscow? And how to address more adroit Russian incursions of little green men militia and anti-Kiev militants territorial seizures of eastern Ukraine that are designed to destabilize Ukraines government and society? Read More West Needs to Impose Real Costs on Russia Over Ukraine Ever since Crimeas seizure, the West has responded with its normal half and quarter measures of censure: flaccid UN condemnations, feeble sanctions, trivial nonlethal and/or defense military material. The result has been grinding, reloading break ceasefires along lines of engagement allowing the West respite to address more proximate issues such as winding down Syrias civil war, halting Yemens military/humanitarian crisis, and pinning blame on whomever for killing Saudi/Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But on Nov. 25, Moscow amped the voltage up by seizing three Ukrainian naval vessels, wounding three and holding all 24 crew membersas civiliansfor legal violations. Somewhat Murky Circumstances As usually is the case in Ukraine-Russia contretemps, there are he said; he said elements. The Kerch Strait is the Black Seas only entrance to the Azov Sea and provides the only access to two highly important Ukrainian ports (Mariupol and Berdiansk). Ukraine claims access to the Strait and Azov Sea under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention and, subsequently, a bilateral Ukraine-Russia agreement for shared access. Since seizing Crimea, however, Moscow has demanded inspection rights to for all vessels heading through the Strait. Hence, the Nov. 25 encounter in which Moscow claims Ukraine provocatively violated Russian waters and rejected escort. Ukraine claims its vessels were in international waters, announced their presence, and, subsequently, to prove its case, provided geolocations for its vessels. In any event, after a tense multi-hour confrontation, a Russian warship rammed the Ukrainian tug and seized two other Ukrainian naval vesselsthus generating the current crisis. Fibrillating Responses Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for international intervention. He initially urged NATO vessels sail the Azov Sea but, subsequently, requested NATO buildup in the Black Sea. Then on Nov. 28, Poroshenko declared martial law for one month; banned entry of Russian males of military age from entering Ukraine (no more little green men militias); and on Dec. 3 mobilized reservists, ostensibly to counter threat of Russian invasion. To a degree these actions are Poroshenko posturing. He faces re-election in March with approval ratings reportedly in single digits. High decibel rally-round-the-flag rhetoric may be designed to boost popularity. Certainly, Poroshenko wants NATO to pull Ukraines chestnuts out of the fire. It is disconcerting to an outside observer that Ukrainian naval vessels didnt resist, but simply rolled over to Russian aggression. If they had been no larger than rowboats, they should have resisted ferociouslyif only to demonstrate Ukrainians are not craven. International reaction has been predictably inconsequential. A Nov. 26 UN Security Council emergency session remonstrated with Moscow. Ambassador Nikki Haley vigorously criticized Russian action as an outrageous violation. NATO also urged restraint and de-escalation. More substantively, on Nov. 29, President Trump cancelled a meeting with Russian President Putin scheduled for the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. Brushing off charges the cancellation connected with ongoing investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Trump said Russian aggression against Ukraine was the sole reason for cancellation. Then on Dec. 4, NATO foreign ministers metand punted. NATOs secretary general said, the organization restated its solidarity with Ukraine, but needed more time to devise a plan of action. But Questions Remain Essentially, why here and why now? What is Putins objective in shaking the Ukraine box? And how should the West react? It is, however, feckless to attempt to divine Putins motives and objectives. He marches to his own drummer, deciding to be disrupter or conciliator at choice. Fortunately, the Wests objective is clear: Strengthen Ukraine militarily and internationally. Provide Serious Weaponry/Training. Ukraine is potentially a military power; it has the second largest military in Europe, save only Russia. It can hold its own against attack given higher intensity Western military support. Simultaneously, such support will reassure twitchy NATO Baltic members that the Alliance is not ignoring Russian revanchism. Intensify International Support. Ukraine needs greater economic and political support from NATO, EU, and other European organizations. The United States should lead this effort, assuring Ukraine that it doesnt stand alone. The March presidential election will probably be Russias next challenge with potential interference and concurrent questions whether the process was free and fair. We must be prepared to assist Ukraine stability at this juncture. David T. Jones is a retired U.S. State Department senior foreign service career officer who has published several hundred books, articles, columns, and reviews on U.S.Canadian bilateral issues and general foreign policy. During a career that spanned over 30 years, he concentrated on politico-military issues, serving as adviser for two Army chiefs of staff. Among his books is Alternative North Americas: What Canada and the United States Can Learn from Each Other. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Spilt chocolate is seen on a road in Werl, Germany, on Dec. 10, 2018, in this picture obtained from social media. (WERL Fire Department/via Reuters) One Ton of Chocolate Spills Onto Street in Germany, Forcing Cleanup With Shovels A German street was covered with chocolate after a factory spill, according to reports. About one ton of liquid chocolate trickled out of a nearby factory tank in Westonnen, coating the pavement before solidifying. German newspaper Soester Anzeiger said it was triggered by a small technical defect in a storage tank, The Guardian reported. Firefighters were called to scrape the chocolate off the street with shovels. They also used hot water and blowtorches to remove it. About a ton of chocolate ran out into the yard and from there onto the street, a spokesman for the Werl Fire Department said in a statement to Reuters. Officials said about 108 square feet of the street was coated with milk chocolate. Despite this heartbreaking incident, it is unlikely that a chocolate-free Christmas is imminent in Werl, the fire department also stated. According to fire chief Karsten Korte, the chocolate had already hardened when crews arrived, The Local reported. Chocolate production is slated to resume again on Dec. 12. Im glad nothing happened at the end of the day, company boss Markus Luckey was quoted by The Local as saying. He didnt know what happened to cause the chocolate spill but stated, It was only a small thing. There was no major damage. The chocolate factory is now looking positively ahead into the future, said Luckey. Organic wines for sales are seen in a wine rack at Moevenpick Weinkeller wine shop in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 15, 2018. (Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch) Organic Wine Market Growing Fast but to Remain Niche, Study Says The market for organic wine will grow rapidly in the next five years as environmentally conscious consumers increasingly favor pesticide-free wines, but their market share will remain relatively small globally, a study showed. In a report released in November, wine and spirits consultancy IWSR forecast global sales of organic still wine will top one billion bottles by 2022, up from 676 million last year and nearly three times the 349 million bottles sold in 2012. Growth in the five year period from 2017 to 2022 will be driven by the United States, with a more than 14 percent rise, followed by South Africa and Norway at 13.5 percent. The share of organic winesthose produced on vineyards cultivated without chemical pesticides or fertilizersof the global wine market would remain relatively low at 3.6 percent, compared with 2.4 percent in 2017, IWSR said. There is a big margin for organic wine to keep rising, Jose Luis Hermoso, research director at IWSR, told Reuters. This is good news at a time when global wine consumption is stagnating, even declining in key markets such as France and Spain, he said. Nearly four bottles out of every five of organic wine sold last year were in Europe, with the three leaders Germany, France, and the UK accounting for 50 percent of the market, IWSR said. In France, the surge in organic wine sales is particularly strong, with the market share seen reaching 7.7 percent by 2022. Chateau Latour, one of the most prestigious Pauillac chateaux in the Bordeaux region, property of French billionaire Francois Pinault since 1993, obtained its certification as organic wine last month. But other producers have abandoned their organic projects, often discouraged by growing criticism of the use of alternative pesticides such as copper and sulfur, permitted under organic farming rules, or after their unprotected vineyards were damaged by fungi attacks. Hermoso said there was uncertainty among European producers about whether to continue using sulfur. He added that mildew did significant damage to the harvest in some regions. Conversions of vineyards to organic wine in the main producing countries have slowed down recently, and IWSR estimates that in 2022 there will be 545,000 hectares dedicated to organic wine in the world, compared to 408,000 hectares in 2017 and 284,000 in 2012. By Sybille de La Hamaide & Pascale Denis Vice President Mike Pence delivers remarks at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters in Washington on July 6, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Pence Casts Tie-Breaking Vote to Confirm Trump Appeals Court Nominee Kobes Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm a federal judge after Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) broke ranks with fellow Republicans to vote against the nominee. The Republicans hold a slim majority in the Senate, 51-49, until the New Year. After that, the margin will widen to 53-47, as the GOP gained several seats during the November midterms. Flake, who is retiring in January, has vowed to vote no on all judicial picks until the Senate votes on legislation that protects special counsel Robert Muller from being fired without cause. Flakes vote made the total 50-50, forcing Pence to step in and break the tie in his role as the ex officio president of the Senate, to confirm the nomination of Harvard Law School graduate Jonathan Kobes, 44, to serve as a judge on the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Eighth Circuit oversees cases from Arkansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. Kobes is from South Dakota. Pence can only vote to break a tie, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Vice presidents have commonly cast tie-breaking votes in the past. For instance, Vice President John Adams cast 29 such votes during eight years in office, starting in 1789, according to the U.S. Senate Historical Office (pdf). Vice President John Calhoun, who served from 1825 to 1832, cast 31 tie-breaking votes; in recent times, Vice President Dick Cheney cast 8 votes during two terms in office. According to the U.S. Senate, Pence has cast 12 votes, starting with a tie-breaker in February 2017 to confirm Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. In that case, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted against the nominee. Hes also voted to confirm Samuel Brownback as ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom and to confirm Russell Vought to be deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, both earlier this year. The vote for Kobes is his first to confirm a federal judge. On Nov. 29, he voted to move the Kobes nomination forward. Democrats argued that Kobes isnt qualified, citing a letter (pdf) from the American Bar Association (ABA) committee that evaluates nominees. Unfortunately, the American Bar Association is again politicizing a nomination to the 8th Circuit. For the second time in less than one year, the ABA has rated an 8th Circuit nominee not qualified,' Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the Senate Judiciary Chairman, said before his committees vote on the nominee. I see no basis for concluding that the absence of written work product means Mr. Kobes is not qualified. The most that the ABA couldve said is that they didnt have enough information to come to a conclusion about his writing abilities. He also noted that the associations evaluator, who he didnt name, has a long history of liberal activism, and once sent a letter opposing the confirmation of Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court even though the ABA rated Justice Alito Unanimously well qualified. Shes also retweeted tweets mocking Justice Scalia and originalist interpretations of the Constitution, Grassley said. From NTD News Kathie Lee Gifford visits 'The Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show' at Z100 Studio on November 5, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images) Report: Jenna Bush Hager Could Replace Kathie Lee Gifford on Today Show A report is saying that Jenna Bush Hager is the frontrunner to replace Katie Lee Gifford on the Today show. Giffords departure was announced this week. Theres still the fourth hour, but nothing has been determined about her replacement. Shes here until April anyway. But its looking like Jenna, a source told People about Hager, who joined the show in September 2009. Hager is the daughter of former President George W. Bush. Shes in the mix because she is a favorite among viewers and staffers and she has already filled in for Kathie Lee every time shes been away, the source added. We adore you KLG. Thanks for your love, friendship and for your hilarity. You will be dearly missed, Bush Hager, 37, tweeted after Gifford said she was leaving. We adore you KLG. Thanks for your love, friendship and for your hilarity. You will be dearly missed. https://t.co/8oUduJQEgl Jenna Bush Hager (@JennaBushHager) December 11, 2018 Hoda will stay on, the source said about Giffords co-host Hoda Kotb, adding, People would freak out if she left the fourth hour, too. NBC News president Noah Oppenheim said Gifford, 65, will stay until April 2019. Kathie Lee is generously staying with us through the shows next anniversary on April 7, 2019. We will have much more to share before then about our plans for that hour, which will, of course, continue to include Hoda, NBC News president Noah Oppenheim told staffers, according to reports on Dec. 11. Oppenheim said he has mixed emotions about Giffords departure. As we all know, Kathie Lees plate has been overflowing lately with film, music and book projects, and after giving us eleven extraordinary years, shes decided to focus her attention full-time on those other creative endeavors, Oppenheim said, according to Fox News. When we first launched this incredible hour, no one could have predicted the lightning (or rather, wine) in a bottle that is Hoda & Kathie Lee. Whether in studio or on one of their many road trips, they have delighted our audience with their distinct brand of fun, friendship, and adventure, he added. During that time, Kathie Lee has cemented her status as one of the most enduring and endearing talents in morning television. In shortshe is a legend. Gifford also issued a statement about her departure. In 2008, I joined the Today show family intending to spend one year. But something unexpected happened along the way: I fell in love with a beautiful, talented, extraordinary Egyptian goddess named Hoda, and an amazing group of individuals who work tirelessly and joyfully at their jobs, many of them starting at midnight, creating an unprecedented four hours of live television, Gifford said Dec. 11. She added: I stayed year after year making a million memories with people I will never forget. I leave Today with a grateful heart but Im truly excited for this new creative season in my life. Many thanks to all the wonderful people who made the years fly by. The morning-long Today show is known to a generate a significant amount of revenue for NBC, making hundreds of millions in advertising dollars. Giffords departure comes about a year after longtime Today host Matt Lauer stepped down following allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment. Megyn Kelly also departed the show earlier this year. Kelly left the show following a Halloween episode of Today when she questioned dressing up in blackface, triggering a widespread social media campaign against her to get her fired. As Andrew Reilly has indicated he intends to relinquish his county political role, the Delaware County Republican Party has a process to select his successor. Reilly, 56, assumed the head of the Southeast Pennsylvania Republican Caucus Dec. 1. And, although he has not yet resigned as chairman of the Delco GOP, he has stated his intention to do so. Reilly has been chairman of the Delaware County Republicans since 2009. Carol Miller, vice chair of the Delco GOP, explained that an executive committee meeting will have to be called with all of the countys committee people. In the meantime, she said people who are interested in the position are in the process of being interviewed. Until Reilly formally resigns, he will be the head of both the county GOP and the Southeast Pennsylvania Caucus, as did Mike Meehan, the Philadelphia GOP Chair when he headed the caucus. Spokesman Pete Peterson explained that neither the county GOP chair or the caucus leader receive any financial compensation or salary. That said, Peterson explained, he does plan to officially step down once a formal timeline and process is agreed to with the municipal leaders for selecting a new chair. Peterson said a timeline for the process should be determined over the next few weeks. Michael Puppio, chairman of the Springfield Republican Party, said he presumes Reilly will step down from the county chair in a timely manner. As Miller stated, Puppio said the county party bylaws state that the committee chairs select the county head for a four-year term. However, Puppio said Reilly must formally resign first. When and if he chooses to do so, Miller will serve as the interim chair until she calls a selection meeting and the committee leaders make their decision. Puppio said he was aware that several people have indicated their interest but declined to name them. The position requires six or seven days a week of duties, especially in consensus building. The chair must relate to a variety of people and bring them all together for a common goal. A source speaking only with the condition of anonymity said there was some speculation that Puppio may be interested. Puppio, however, said he was not seeking the post. It would be an honor to serve as Delaware County Republican Chairperson, however I am not seeking consideration for that position, Puppio said Being the chair of any county party requires more time than I could devote. I am sure the elected committee people of the Delaware County Republican Party will carefully consider any and all candidates who express an interest in the position. Another identified as having interest in the chairmanship is outgoing state Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-26, of Springfield. I think Tom would be fantastic, the source said, adding that McGarrigle has also served on county council and is a small-business owner. Hes a personable guy. Hes a people person I think Tom would be an outstanding person. I think Toms the front runner. Puppio said he would enthusiastically back McGarrigle. If Tom Mcgarrigle were interested in the position I would strongly support his candidacy, Puppio said. However, another source said officials want to be open to a variety of possibilities regarding the chair and committing to any one or two people at this stage is too preliminary. Of the municipal leaders, the source said, they want to cast a wide net for people to step forward and express their interest. Reilly also served on Delaware County Council but much of his activism was behind the scenes, running campaigns of municipal officials to state representatives and senators to county Common Pleas and Commonwealth Court judges. Hes also served in a variety of party roles, first as a Young Republican of Delaware County then up through a delegate to the National GOP Convention and a member of the Pennsylvania Electoral College, as well as secretary of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. The logo of Samsung Electronics is seen at its office building in Seoul, South Korea on March 23, 2018. (Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters) Samsung to Shut Mobile Phone Plant in Chinas Tianjin City SEOUL Samsung Electronics will cease operations at one of its mobile phone manufacturing plants in China, the company said, as its sales in the worlds biggest smartphone market slumps amid rising competition from lower-cost, local rivals. The South Korean company has seen its share of the Chinese market shrink to 1 percent in the first quarter of this year, losing out to homegrown brands like Huawei, according to market research firm Counterpoint, which pegs Samsungs share of the pie at about 15 percent at mid-2013. As part of ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency in our production facilities, Samsung Electronics has arrived at the difficult decision to cease operations of Tianjin Samsung Electronics Telecommunication, Samsung said in a statement, referring to the plant in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. The factory, which currently employs about 2,600 people, is scheduled to be shut down by the end of this year. Samsung, the worlds biggest smartphone maker, said it would offer compensation packages to the employees and also provide opportunities to transfer to other Samsung facilities. The company, which has focused on low-cost countries like Vietnam and India for production, added it would continue to operate another Chinese phone factory in Huizhou, in the southern province of Guangdong. Samsung doesnt need to stay in China because of rising labor cost and its almost non-existent Chinese market share. They can be better off in India and Vietnam, said Greg Roh, a senior analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities. Samsungs Tianjin plant produces 36 million mobile phones a year and the Huizhou plant makes 72 million units, while two of Samsungs factories in Vietnam combined make 240 million units a year, according to the South Korean newspaper Electronic Times. Samsung declined to disclose the capacity of each factory. Chinas OLED Ambition China seeks to dominate the OLED industry by fair means or foul, but its domestic OLED industry is still limited. According to Aju News, none of the major smartphone makers around the world get their OLED supply from Chinese sources. Chinese manufacturers also have not yet developed the technology to produce large OLED panels for TV screens. South Korean prosecutors on Nov. 29 said they have indicted nine people on suspicion of leaking Samsung Electronics flexible display technology to a Chinese company. The chief executive and eight employees of supplier Toptec Co., Ltd. were charged for selling information earlier this year about Samsungs organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels. The group is accused of forming a separate shell company that received information on the use of equipment and drawings of panels obtained from Samsung subsidiary Samsung Display, and sold some of the documents in China for 15.5 billion won ($13.85 million). On June 27, South Korean prosecutors announced they had indicted seven individualssix Korean nationals and one Chinese nationalfor violating South Koreas Industrial Technology Protection Act while attempting to pass on core OLED technology to an unnamed Chinese OLED company, according to South Korean news site Aju News. Three individuals, including the Chinese national, were arrested and detained. By Ju-min Park. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. This undated satellite image from Yandex Maps shows a blurred out signals intelligence facility in Israel, located north of Tel Aviv, Israel. (Yandex Maps) Secret Military Bases Exposed by Russian Satellite Map Company A Russian mapping service has meticulously blurred out a number of sensitive sites, but, by doing so, has inadvertently revealed the locations of top-secret military bases. Yandex Maps, Russias equivalent to Google Maps, obscured the locations of hundreds of sites in Israel and Turkey, according to a report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), prompting satellite image analysts to investigate. Analysts scrutinized the images and concluded that the blurred out spots are, in fact, military installations and other sensitive sites, including top-secret nuclear facilities. Over 300 Sensitive Sites Exposed My complete list of blurred sites in both Israel and Turkey totals over 300 distinct buildings, airfields, ports, bunkers, storage sites, bases, barracks, nuclear facilities, and random buildings, wrote Matt Korda, for FAS. When a Russian mapping service tried to obscure every military facility in Turkey and Israel, it had the unintended effect of *revealing* the exact locations of over 300 distinct sites (whoops) See the juicy details in my latest piece for @FAScientistshttps://t.co/2UJOVospF5 Matt Korda (@mattkorda) December 10, 2018 Technicians at online mapping companies sometimes blur out sensitive locations at the request of governments. They typically do this by reducing the resolution of larger swaths of territory so as to avoid calling attention to top-secret facilities. Some mapping services are required by law to keep the resolution low, for instance, to hinder the efforts of terrorists. Federal law in the United States forces mapping companies not to show Israel in any greater detail than that available with commercial satellite imagery, capping resolution at two meters (6 feet) and helping to thwart target reconnaissance. Yandex Maps did things a little differently. This blurring is almost certainly the result of requests from both Israel and Turkey, Korda surmised, writing, it seems highly unlikely that a Russian company would undertake such a time-consuming task of its own volition. Fortunately, this has had the unintended effect of revealing the location and exact perimeter of every significant military facility within both countries, if one is obsessive curious enough to sift through the entire map looking for blurry patches. By complying with requests to selectively obscure military facilities, the mapping service has actually revealed their precise locations, perimeters, and potential function to anyone curious enough to find them all. Korda noted, however, that Yandex didnt do online map sleuths any favors when it came to Russian secrets. Strangely, no Russian facilities have been blurredincluding its nuclear facilities, submarine bases, air bases, launch sites, or numerous foreign military bases in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, or the Middle East. Our Product Complies With All Regulations A Yandex spokesperson told Fox News, Yandex has been developing mapping services for consumers and businesses for almost 20 years. In the past decade, we have expanded our mapping services to include new locations including Turkey and Israel. The development process for any map includes gathering many varieties of publicly available information to make the mapping product as robust and useful as possible. In addition to gathering this information, we also determine local regulations and requirements for mapping products. Local regulations sometimes require the blurring of certain locations of satellite imagery or the removal of other such information to protect sensitive information. In countries where we are developing our services, such as Turkey and Israel, we are especially careful to update the maps and meet the requirements of local regulations. In the cases of Israel and Turkey, our product complies with all regulations and requests of the authorities. Certain locations in satellite images are blurred so that it is impossible to clearly see them. Our mapping product in Israel conforms to the national public map published by the government of Israel as it pertains to the blurring of military assets and locations. Our Turkish map product observes local rules and regulations similarly. Zealous compliance with requests to obscure military facilities, it would therefore seem, has by all accounts unintentionally caused carefully guarded secrets to be laid out as clearly as on a map. Arnaud Caron, a French farmer drives an old Mc Cormick F8-413 combine as he harvests his last field of wheat, in Vauvillers, northern France on July 23, 2018. (Reuters/Pascal Rossignol) Senate Approves Farm Bill Compromise That Avoids Food Stamp Cuts WASHINGTONU.S. lawmakers have reached an agreement on a farm bill that leaves out a proposal to tighten food stamps criteria and offers some financial certainty to farmers suffering from the U.S. trade war with China. The bill passed the Senate 8713. The agreement between Republicans and Democrats on the crucial piece of legislation caps a bitter, months-long debate on the bill, which covers $867 billion worth of food and agriculture programs including crop subsidies and support to growers seeking access to export markets. The final text shows Republicans had to walk back from some of their demands, the biggest being the proposal to impose stricter requirements for recipients of food stamps. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the progress on it was bipartisan. 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, he said. The 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 elections in November. Food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a voucher-type free food program used by more than 40 million Americans, or about 12 percent of the total U.S. population. The move to tighten eligibility failed to garner enough support in the Senate and was eventually ruled out in the final text. 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. Subsidies for Cousins, Nephews, and Nieces The passage of the bill is essential for farmers, a key Trump constituency, who have been struggling with U.S. trade wars. China, normally one of the top buyers of U.S. farm produce, has largely been absent from the market after the imposition of tariffs. While farmers have hailed the agreement, others have criticized the bill on its expansion of eligibility for crop subsidies to a farmers wider family to include nephews, nieces, and first cousins. The move has prompted powerful Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley from farm state Iowa to vote against the bill. It is a loophole that gets bigger and bigger, Grassley said. At the moment, a farmers immediate family can be eligible for crop subsidies of up to $125,000 per person, based on active engagement. Opponents say the language is vague and could apply to people who do not even live on the farm and only carry out management roles. A congressional staffer defended the move. Farming looks a lot different nowadays than it did 50 years ago. Most family farmers are not spending every day on a tractor, he said, adding that making more family members eligible could help attract younger generations to farming. The administration has been criticized because a portion, albeit small, of the farm aid designed to offset losses by farmers from the imposition of tariffs ended up with people living in cities who spend little time at a farm. By Humeyra Pamuk Son Surprises Family After Marine Boot Camp Graduation Over the Holidays A son surprised his family in North Carolina on Thanksgiving by coming home after graduating from Marine boot campand they didnt even know he had joined the Marines. Taylor Rice planned the surprise after being away at boot camp for three months. He hatched the surprise plan with his wife, Johanna, and an aunt. Video footage filmed by his wife showed the moment Rice walked into his familys house in North Carolina and spotted his mother, Wendi. When Wendi saw her son in full military regalia, she burst into tears. The mother and son then shared a joyful hug. One aunt can be heard saying soon after, Now its my turn. Rice said he was happy the surprise was pulled off. My mom was in total shock at what she was seeing as I entered the door, Rice said in an interview with T&T Creative Media, which published the video. She immediately cried with joy. Rices father was proud of his son. His father is an Army veteran. Rices dad was running errands during the initial surprise but couldnt stop smiling after learning that his son had become a Marine. 2018 was the best Thanksgiving ever, Rice said. Lone Survivor From Collision Released From Hospital The lone survivor of a Dec. 6 collision of two Marine Corps aircraft off the coast of Japan was released from the hospital on Dec. 10. The collision left six dead, Marine officials told the Marine Corp Times on Dec. 11. The identity of the Marine who survived the crash between a KC-130 Hercules and F/A-18 Hornet was not made public. Capt. Jahmar F. Resilard, a Hornet pilot with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, was also found after the crash but died on Friday. The other five Marines went missing during the crash. After a massive search of more than 35,000 square miles of ocean, the search was called off on Tuesday and the missing Marines were declared dead. I have made the determination to end the search and rescue operations for the crew of our KC-130J aircraft, which was involved in a mishap off the southern coast of Japan and to declare that these Marine warriors are deceased, Smith said in a press release. 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 flight data and cockpit recorder for the Hercules was not recovered. Every member of the III MEF family mourns this loss and stands alongside the families of the fallen in this terrible moment, Smith added. The identities of the deceased Marines will be made public after their next of kin are notified. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of the Marines. The loss of the outstanding members of U.S. Marine Corps is my deepest regret, and I myself and the Japanese people share deep sorrow of the American people, Abe said. Japan-U.S. alliance is supported by the dedication of each U.S. military personnel, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to the victims. From NTD News Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during a session at Parliament in Madrid on Dec. 12, 2018. (Reuters/Susana Vera) Spanish PM Hardens Catalonia Stance With Eye on Election MADRIDSpanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Dec. 12 he would stand firm against what he called inflammatory Catalan separatist rhetoric, hardening his stance towards the region and upping the stakes in a broader political game. Sanchez has adopted a more open approach towards Catalonias pro-independence leaders than his conservative predecessor Mariano Rajoy, ousted in a no-confidence vote in June and whose government took control of the region for several months after it unilaterally declared independence in October 2017. But a deepening polarization within Spain over matters of regional autonomy on Dec. 2 cost Sanchezs Socialists votes in an election in Andalusia, one of its traditional regional strongholds, that in turn highlighted the risk of an early national election. The Socialists control fewer than a quarter of seats in the Madrid parliament and need the support of smaller parties, including Catalan nationalists, to pass legislation, in particular the 2019 budget. The Dec. 12 speech was closely watched for signs of whether Sanchez would make concessions to Catalan separatists to secure their backing for the budget and help him stay in office for the rest of a parliamentary term due to run until 2020. But he took no such step. Over the past few days we have heard, from some of the leaders of the independence movement, an unacceptable inflammatory rhetoric, Sanchez told lawmakers. Speaking in Brussels on Dec. 8, the head of Catalonias pro-independence government Quim Torra praised what he called the Slovenian way to independence. Slovenia declared independence in June 1991, prompting a 10-day war against the Yugoslav army in which 64 people died. Sanchez also said that national police could be sent to Catalonia if local authorities did not do more against protests like one that shut down highways during the weekend. Big Mistake? Sanchezs speech drew unfavorable initial reactions from across the political spectrum. Catalan separatist lawmaker Carles Campuzano called it a big mistake, adding, You cant govern Spain ignoring the demands of Catalonia. The conservative Partido Popular (PP) and center-right Ciudadanos said the speech was too soft. You have said absolutely nothing on Catalonia, PP chief Pablo Casado said. You cant say anything as you depend on their votes [for the government] to survive. Analysts said the Socialists fiasco in Andalusia, where the right-wing Vox also made an unexpected breakthrough, was partly due to anger with Sanchezs overtures to Catalonia. The government is toughening its stance, it seems it has understood that its position on territorial issues has cost it votes, said Pablo Simon, a political science professor at Madrids Carlos III university. The issue may well come to a head in January, when Sanchez brings the 2019 budget proposal to parliament. If that fails to pass, he could be forced to call an early election, though he would be able to do so while saying he has not yielded to separatists demands, analysts say. The question [for an early election] is not so much when as why. It can be a good argument to say they wanted to push the budget through to implement their policies but couldnt for lack of support, Simon said. By Ingrid Melander Stormy Daniels Ordered to Pay President Trump $293K in Legal Fees The one-of-a-kind defamation suit demanded a fair bit of legal work Pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels must pay President Donald Trump nearly $293,000 for his legal fees and another $1,000 in penalties after her defamation suit against him was dismissed, a federal judge in Los Angeles ordered on Dec. 11. Attorney Charles Harder, acting on behalf of Trump, had told Judge S. James Otero on Dec. 3 that his law firm had spent more than 500 hours working on the case, ringing up a legal bill of almost $390,000. Otero cut the amount by 25 percent, resulting in $293,000. Otero previously noted that fees by Harders firmas high as $840 an hourwere reasonable but the 580 hours Harders firm said they spent on the case appeared to be excessive. Harder had argued that the fees and penalties were justified owing to the extraordinary nature of the defamation case. This action is virtually unprecedented in American legal history, Harder wrote in court papers. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, 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. Harder had also asked Otero to impose a nearly equal amount in sanctions as a deterrent against a repeat filer or against frivolous defamation cases. For this, Otero decided on a $1,000 penalty for Daniels. Daniels has claimed that she had a one-night affair with Trump in 2006 and that she was paid $130,000 as part of a non-disclosure agreement she signed days before the 2016 election to prevent her from discussing the alleged affair. She has written a book about the alleged affair and has been active on the media circuit promoting it and her side of the story. She sued Trump earlier this year seeking to break the non-disclosure agreement. That case is still pending. Trump has denied that the affair took place. Daniels also claimed that, five years after the alleged affair, she was threatened to keep quiet by an unidentified man in a Las Vegas parking lot. She then released a composite sketch of the mystery man, who she said had threatened her and her child. Daniels sued Trump for defamation after he responded by posting to Twitter: A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)! A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)! https://t.co/9Is7mHBFda Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018 In October, Otero threw out the defamation case. He ruled that Trumps tweet was rhetorical hyperbole against a political adversary and was protected speech under the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech. Otero said the suit was a one-of-a-kind case that demanded a fair bit of legal work. Daniels has appealed Oteros decision and her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said on Dec. 3 he expects to prevail at a higher court. Daniels said in late November that Avenatti had filed the defamation suit without her permission and had hidden crowdfunding efforts in her name from her. He has spoken on my behalf without my approval, she said in a statement to The Daily Beast. He filed a defamation case against Donald Trump against my wishes. He repeatedly refused to tell me how my legal defense fund was being spent. Now he has launched a new crowdfunding campaign using my face and name without my permission and attributing words to me that I never wrote or said. Tom Ozimek of The Epoch Times and The Associated Press contributed to this article. From NTD.com Watch Next: Clinton Foundation: Seven Examples of Pay to Play? The ClintonFoundation has raised more than $2 billion since its inception in 1997, and Bill and Hillary Clinton have been paid more than $150 million for delivering speeches. The foundation is currently being probed by U.S. Attorney John Huberwho was assigned by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessionsfor alleged wrongdoing. Teen Screams, Grimaces as Hes Wheeled Into Court on Double-Murder Charge Warning: Footage may be unsettling to some A 19-year-old Florida man charged with killing his two roommates was denied bond after he screamed and made strange faces in court Damon Kemp faces two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Jordan Paden, 19, and Trey Ingraham, 19, in Daytona Beach last week, according to WFTV. Video footage from the courtroom shows Kemp, in a wheelchair, screaming what appears to be God several times. When the judge renders a decision on his bail, he grimaces and looks at the judge incredulously. When he was wheeled out of the courtroom, Kemp was silent, according to reports. Ive reviewed your arrest and determined theres probable cause for your arrest, the judge says over Kemps shouting. Ive appointed the public defender to represent you so you have a lawyer, this morning. In a press conference on Dec. 8, Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri said neighbors didnt report gunshots heard on Dec. 6. They found the bodies on Dec. 7, reported Law and Crime. According to Fox News, Ingraham and Paden let Kemp stay at their apartment, and they were trying to help him. Day-Day, why would you do that to Treay? one of Ingrahams relatives asked Damon Kemp. Day-Day, I fed you, Treay fed you! He let you live in his house rent-free, why would you do that to Treay, Day-Day?! Day-Days wrong for that! Hes wrong for that! Ingrahams distraught mother, Nerissa Carter Young, told Fox35 that she wants to know why it happened. Even the young man who committed this crime, or they say committed this crime; all of them only 19. All of them just babies, Young said. Dont be self-destructive, she said, referring to other young people. If anything, go out and do something nice for someone else, in Treays name. How about that? Thats what you do. Relatives said Ingraham was a talented amateur boxer, WFTV reported. The News-Journal reported that Kemp ran at a Daytona Beach police officer who was investigating a home invasion at the apartment complex and said, I killed my friend. At 2 a.m., about 50 feet from where Kemp was apprehended, officials found an unloaded .40-caliber Glock pistol. Police also found an extended magazine in the apartment complex. To be honest, I was going to (unintelligible) with my friend, the Ace, his name is Trey Ingraham, I shot him, Kemp allegedly said, according to a police report. Other details about the case arent clear. The News-Journal reported that around Daytona, four other people were hit by gunfire in DeLand and another person was shot accidentally near Orange City in separate incidents. All the people shot were teenagers ranging in age from 16 to 19. Three teens were shot in DeLand during a Sunday morning party when someone opened fire about 2:59 a.m. from one of at least two vehicles doing doughnuts or spinning tires at Adelle and Beresford avenues near the Label Bar, the paper said. The state of Texas executed a Dallas man for the murder of a newlywed man more than 25 years ago. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) Texas Man Who Shot and Killed Newlywed in 1993 Is Executed The state of Texas executed a Dallas man for the murder of a newlywed man more than 25 years ago. Alvin Braziel Jr., 43, died via lethal injection at the state prison in Huntsville for the 1993 killing of 27-year-old Douglas White, who was attacked by Braziel while walking on a jogging trail. The motive in the killing was robbery and rape, according to reports. When asked by the warden about a final statement, he thanked his supporters and apologized to Lora White, the victims wife, whom he also raped in the 1993 incident, the Texas Tribune reported. I would like to apologize for her husband dying at my hands, Braziel said, reported The Associated Press on Dec. 11. Before the slaying, the Whites had only been married 10 days. AP reported that Braziel, who was brandishing a firearm, became angry when they told him they didnt have any money but could go back to their truck and get some for him. He then ordered them to the ground. Doug was praying, asked God to forgive him and Lora their sins because they both knew that this was it, said Michael Bradshaw, the head detective in the case. The last thing Doug said before Braziel fired the first round, he said, Please God, dont let him hurt Lora.' According to the Houston Chronicle, Braziel also mocked their faith. Braziel shot Doug White twice. Braziel escaped into the night after the rape and murder. The crime was unsolved until 2001. Braziel was serving a 5-year prison term for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old, and in February 2001, blood samples from Braziel were matched against Lora Whites rape kit from the night her husband died. I really didnt know that I would ever be able to solve it. But I really did not give up hope, said Bradshaw, 63. Braziels blood sample was a match, and Lora was also able to positively identify him, the Tribune noted. The White case was featured on Americas Most Wanted in the 1990s along with a $20,000 reward. He was later convicted in July 2001 in the Dallas district court. Braziels attorneys attempted to stay his execution on the night of Dec. 11, but they were ultimately unsuccessful. The Chronicle reported his lawyers asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to consider whether the inmate is too intellectually disabled to put to death. The legal team then withdrew their motion. The Supreme Court held in 2002 that people convicted of murder who are intellectually disabled cannot be executed. The inmate was pronounced dead 7:19 p.m., nine minutes after the drug began, AP reported. Braziel became the 24th inmate put to death this year in the U.S. and the 13th executed in Texas, the nations busiest capital punishment state. He will be the last Texas inmate executed this year. Bradshaw said he still keeps in contact with Lora White and that she started a new life and is doing well. Lora wants it known that shes prayed for Alvin Braziel and his family, Bradshaw said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice Award Now Open for Voting The content is not available due to expiration. The Allure of the Nightcap Seductive or soothing, the last call is the focus of cocktail expert Kara Newmans new book From films noirs to spy flicks, The Thin Man to Lost in Translation, the nightcap has long figured on the silver screenand therefore in our collective consciousnessas a symbol of glamour, a pretext for romance, a driver of intrigue, a means to repose. Thanks to Bogie, Bond, and even Leslie Nielsen, we understand it as a concept. But can we define it as a specific drink? The short answer is no. The long answer, however, is far more interesting, as acclaimed spirits writer Kara Newman discovered while researching her new book, Nightcap: More Than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening. As she explained to me in an interview, by the mid-19th century, the use of the word nightcap had evolved to mean not just a hat one wears to bed, but also any beverage likewise intended to cap off your night. So while the earliest collection of recipes she found, an Oxford University publication from 1835, lists specific concoctions that certainly qualifyflips and toddies and drinks enriched with eggs and cream, a lot of very comforting drinksthe definition in her view really stems from context more than a particular drink. It might mean, Come back to my place. It might mean, Lets stay here; Im having a marvelous time, and Im not ready to go home yet. In addition to its role in those scenarios, Newman identified two other, more practical parts a nightcap traditionally plays: as a substitute for dessert and as an aid to digestion. She divided her book into four sections accordingly. The Pick Me Up A nightcap thats meant to provide one last burst of energy should be stronger and a little more bracing, said Newman. There might be some caffeine involved. There might be something in the drink that might provoke conversationor prolong it. Case in point: The Storm King, a play on the Scotch-based Rob Roy with Benedictine, walnut liqueur, angostura bitters, and three brandied cherries to nibble on while youre talking. The Lullaby By contrast, the ideal bedtime nightcap should be calming rather than stimulating, Newman observed. Lower in alcohol and often served warm, its also likely to contain some functional element for aiding sleep, such as herbal tea or honey. One of her favorites has the added advantage of utter simplicity: The Open & Shut combines 1.5 ounces of Amaro Lucano with .5 ounces of cognac, plus an optional citrus peel for garnish, and thats it. You dont have to shake it or stir it; just pour it into a glass and give it a little swirl by the fireplace, she said. The Bitter End Speaking of amaro, the bittersweet Italian liqueur figures prominently throughout the book, but it takes its star turn in the chapter on digestive nightcaps. Historically, Newman explained, amaro was made by apothecaries and prescribed as medicines to settle the stomach; to this day, amaro producers follow very elaborate secret recipes involving any number of botanicals and bittering agents. The results vary wildlythey can be invigorating or relatively mellow, intensely herbal or fruity, even savory or smoky. Im particularly fond of Cynar, famously made with artichokes, which appears in the Amari-O Brothers cocktail along with Santa Maria al Monte amaro, Cocchi Americano (an aromatized aperitif wine), and maraschino liqueur. The Sweet Treat Nightcaps that double as dessert might contain cream, chocolate, or something nuttytheyre weightier and more decadent, said Newman. Her book includes variations on classics like the grasshopper and the brandy Alexander, as well as an update on the amaretto sour. Building a Nightcap-Friendly Bar Ultimately, then, the nightcap is defined less by whats in the glass than when its served and why. Still, Newman didnt hesitate when I asked her what shed recommend to home bartenders looking to stock up on the essentials. I can boil that down to three bottles, she said. One is going to be a strong brown spirit. Brown spirits are very comforting, with lovely layers of caramel and vanilla and toffee and spice. For me, it would be Armagnac, but it might be a whiskey, it might be an aged rum. Add to that an amaro and a sweet vermouth of your choice, and youve got all the makings of a do-it-yourself nightcap; so long as theyre good quality, you can sip them straight or mix them as you please. In fact, Newman added, My cheater nightcap right now is combining whatever brown spirit I have on hand with whatever amaro I have on hand, 50-50, in a rocks glass. Ruth Tobias is a longtime food and beverage writer based in Denver, Colorado. To learn more about her and her work, visit RuthTobias.com or follow her @denveater on Twitter and Instagram Storm King 2 ounces blended Scotch whiskey .5 ounces nocino (walnut liqueur) .25 ounces Benedictine 3 dashes Angostura bitters 3 brandied cherries for garnish (see recipe below) In mixing glass, stir together the Scotch, nocino, Benedictine, and bitters with ice. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with brandied cherries. Brandied Cherries .5 cup sugar .5 cup water .25 teaspoon pure almond extract .5 cup dried cherries .5 cup brandy, such as cognac, plus more as needed In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the almond extract and cherries. Allow to simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the brandy, and let cool. Transfer the cherries to a mason jar or other container with a lid. Add more brandy to cover the cherries, if needed. Store in the refrigerator tightly covered for up to 2 weeks. Recipes reprinted from Nightcap by Kara Newman with permission by Chronicle Books, 2018. SPRINGFIELD The school boards reorganization meeting resulted in President Jennifer Lofland and Vice President Bruce Lord switching posts. Unanimous votes were cast for Lord to take the helm for 2019. Although in past years one board member would move into the vice presidents post, Lofland remained in a leadership role. She and Lord have a solid working relationship and bring a variety of skills to the table. Ive been on the board for five years and seen many changes. I want to thank Jen for her leadership and know how much effort goes into the work, Lord said. I appreciate the opportunity, and feel really fortunate with this board. Im excited about the coming year. Lofland thanked the board for her nomination, and recognized Superintendent Tony Barber and Executive Don Mooney for their patience in working on issues. Its a lot of hard work and a lot of fun. The next two years are unquestionably critical as the board and administration move forward with construction of the new high school. While committee assignments will not be announced until January, it is expected Kevin Keenan will remain head of the facilities committee and Frank Agovino will chair the finance committee. Both are equally essential to the master plan process. Mark Sereni continues his long service as board solicitor, saying he and his colleagues appreciate confidence the district has shown in his professional position. Mooney provided updates on the Turkey Fund, now in its fourth decade. The district is poised to distribute 110 food boxes to community members with the organized chaos of packing day planned for Dec. 20. Throughout the year, the Turkey Fund also assists families with gift cards and financial resources for essentials such as utility bills. This year we have a new cancer relief initiative and are helping nine families with various needs, said Mooney. In regular business, the board approved $1.5 million in contracts for summer work which will replace classroom heating systems at Scenic Hills Elementary School. The board also officially thanked those involved with a successful launch this fall of the Gold Pass Academy, a new program for district senior citizens. Teacher/Administrator on Assignment Lori Schmidt, was the director for this initiative which had 85 participants after interest from more than 100 Springfield and Morton residents. The district is already planning spring sessions and will be posting information on courses and registration as early as January. Theresa May Clings to UK Premiership Amid Brexit Chaos LONDONUK Prime Minister Theresa May held on by a thread, surviving a leadership challenge fomented by the chaos of Brexit. Rebels from her own party triggered a confidence vote on Dec. 12, as frustration at Mays divorce deal with the EU reached critical mass. The vote on the night of Dec. 12 had a 50 percent threshold. In total, 117 of 317 lawmakers from the conservative party voted to kick her out in the secret ballot. Those 117 rebel votes are a foretaste of the trouble that May could find in squeezing crucial Brexit legislation through lawmaking chambers, where she has a majority of 13, propped up by a small party from Northern Ireland. Despite the damage to her authority, May has insisted she wont resign. She acknowledged that a significant number of colleagues had voted against her. Speaking after the results of the vote, May said, We now need to get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people and building a better future for this country. According to party rules, May cannot face another confidence vote for a year. For two years, May has struggled to hold together a party and a parliament driven apart by differences on Brexit, as she sought to hash out a deal with the EU. The no-confidence vote was triggered after May yanked a crucial vote away from lawmakers that could have steered the nation down the path to a second referendum and a reversal of Brexit, or pushed it over the cliff into the no-deal Brexit scenario that has been spooking markets. When they voted 52-48 to leave the EU in June 2016, the British people sparked divorce talks but left the UK wedded to the EU while the terms of the settlement were negotiated. That divorce settlement was wrapped up in November, and was due to be put to the British parliament. May had intended the vote as a binary choice: her negotiated deal, or no deal. But lawmakers crowbarred in a third option to the vote, opening a confusing web of possibilities, including that of a second referendum and the possibility of overturning Brexit. Rebels in her party were ranged to shoot down the deal. When May finally pulled the vote on Dec. 10, just one day before it was to occur, those rebels turned their sights on her leadership, sparking a confidence vote within the party. A Vassal State of the EU EU leaders have shut the door on renegotiation, saying they were willing only to offer political assurances. Many Brexit-supporting lawmakers cant stomach the terms aimed to prevent a hard border between Ireland and Northern Irelandthe final sticking point in negotiations. They claim it will make the UK a vassal state of the EU. If no bespoke deal is agreed upon, the EU and UK default to World Trade Organization trade rules on March 29, 2019. That no-deal Brexit is widely seen as the worst-case economic scenario and has spooked markets in recent months. Political winds have been shifting behind a campaign for a second referendum, along with a change in public attitude over the last few months. Just 38 percent of people think that Britain was right to leave the EU in the latest survey, compared to 49 percent who think it was wrong. Earlier this week, an EU court ruled that the UK can reverse Brexit without the agreement of the EU member states, lighting the constitutional path for British lawmakers who want a second referendum. Lighting the Path to Second Referendum The ruling allows the UK to put the firing pin back in the Brexit grenade before it explodes on March 29, without losing its current bespoke arrangement with the EU. The pound has risen and fallen with the roller coaster of Brexit negotiations over the past few months, with markets nervous of the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, looking for elusive certainty in a febrile political climate. May, 62, has led the UK government since July 2016, taking the conservative leadership mantle from David Cameron, after he resigned the day that the Brexit referendum results were announced. As she tried to chart a course for Brexit, May was constantly tripped by her own party divided on Brexit, haunted by the fact that she voted to remain in the EU and had no direct mandate for her particular vision of Brexit. Seeing her numbers riding high in the polls, she called a snap election in June 2017, hoping to sweep up an iron-clad mandate for her vision of Brexit. That backfired, as her tiny majority in the lawmaking chambers was whittled down to almost nothing, leaving her to rely on votes from the DUP party to pass legislation. Five agents with the Fugitive Apprehension Unit, part of the Texas Attorney Generals Office, and two sheriffs office investigators tried to serve a warrant for Daniel Trevino, 25, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. (Harris County Sheriffs Office.) 3 Houston Officers Shot, Gunman on the Loose: Officials Three law enforcement officers were shot and injured in Houston while they were attempting to serve a warrant to a man who is still on the run, officials said on Dec. 11. Five agents with the Fugitive Apprehension Unit, part of the Texas Attorney Generals Office, and two sheriffs office investigators tried to serve a warrant for Daniel Trevino, 25, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. While at the door of Trevinos home, he fired at two officers who then opened fire, according to the Texas Attorney Generals Office, the Houston Chronicle reported. The Chronicle reported Trevino is barricaded in a nearby home with another person. Its not clear if he was shot or if he escaped. This afternoon, two of our officers from the Office of Attorney Generals Fugitive Apprehension Unit were wounded while serving an arrest warrant alongside a deputy from the Harris County Sheriffs Department, said the office in a statement. The three wounded officers have been transported to a local hospital and are currently receiving treatment. All three injured officers are awake and alert. Expected to survive their injuries. Thank you all for your prayers, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted. In the initial stages of the incident on Hartwick, one of our motorcycle deputies was assisting w/ traffic control for departing ambulance. He was involved in major accident. He sustained a few injuries, but thankfully is conscious & stable, he later wrote. According to the Chronicle, one of the attorney generals officers was shot in the torso, leg, and face. The other attorney generals officer was shot in the foot and a sheriffs office sergeant was shot in the hand, meaning hell lose a finger. Prayers up for these law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty, Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted. We thank and support those who risk their lives to keep us safe. Trevino allegedly violated a protective order back on Dec. 2, prompting a warrant being served for his arrest. He had allegedly threatened to kill his girlfriend and her children before he locked them in the girlfriends apartment and hitting her. Other details about the case are not clear. Officials said that Trevino is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call 911, the office said, adding do not approach him. Murder Rate Drops In 2017, according to officials, the murder rate in Houston dropped by about 11 percent. It dropped from 302 homicides in 2016 to 269 in 2017, the Houston Chronicle reported. The way you reduce murders is to solve attempted murders, Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo said in January 2018. If you think about people who shoot people, frequently its not the first person theyve ever shot, and in many cases it wont be the last person they will shoot. In 2011 Houston saw its fewest number of homicides in recent memory, with 198. Theres been a steady uptick since thenuntil 2017. However, violent crime has been on the rise. The number of violent crimes in Houston went up by 8.9 percent from 2016 to 2017. I think any increase in violent crime is a tragedy, but you want to put things like this in context, Ames Grawert, counsel for the Brennan Centers Justice Program, told the Chronicle. Trump Says He Could Intervene in US Case Against Huawei CFO WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would intervene in the Justice Departments case against a top executive at Chinas Huawei Technologies if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. Huaweis Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada Dec. 1 and has been accused by the United States of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. The arrest came the same day Trump and Xi declared a 90-day truce in their trade war during summit talks in Buenos Aires. When asked if he would intervene with the Justice Department in her case, Trump said in an interview with Reuters: Whatevers good for this country, I would do. If I think its good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever madewhich is a very important thingwhats good for national securityI would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary, Trump said. Read More Arrest of Huawei CFO Highlights Chinese Tech Companys Threat to US National Security A Canadian court on Dec. 11 granted Meng bail for C$7 million after a three-day hearing while she awaits a hearing for extradition to the United States, a move that could help placate Chinese officials angered by her arrest. In his decision, the judge said that Meng is a well-educated businesswoman with no criminal records. He said he is satisfied that Meng has only two valid passports, and that she will surrender all her other ones. Meng will have to wear a GPS bracelet, report weekly to a bail supervisor, and pay all costs associated with her monitoring program, as among other conditions. 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. If extradited to the United States, Meng would face charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions. A Canadian court on Tuesday granted Meng bail while she awaits an extradition hearing. U.S. authorities have until Jan. 8, 2019 to file a formal extradition request or else Meng will be released. Trump said that Huaweis alleged practices are troubling. This has been a big problem that weve had in so many different ways with so many companies from China and from other places, he said. If China requests for Mengs release, Trump said it could be a possible outcome depending on what happens during the trade negotiations. A lot of different things could happen, he said. By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland. Epoch Times staff Cora Yu and Margaret Wollensak contributed to this report. Watch Next: 5 Ways China is subverting the United States Gina and China Uncensored host Chris Chappell to count down the worst cases of Chinese subversion in America. Two Female Teens Fall Off Border Wall While Trying to Enter United States Two Guatemalan teenagers were severely injured after falling off the border wall separating the United States and Mexico. A group of six illegal aliens, all from Guatemala, tried to scale the 18-foot border wall east of the San Luis Port of Entry in Arizona on Dec. 10. But while climbing, a 14-year-old who was traveling with her mother fell and sustained a serious back injury, according to the Customs and Border Protection. Another teen, an unaccompanied 17-year-old girl, also fell off the wall and was left with an ankle injury. The only legal and safe method of entry into the United States is through a designated port of entry, said Yuma Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Carl Landrum said in a statement. 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, he said. Yuma Station Border Patrol agents soon arrived on the scene and called for emergency medics, who took the girls away on backboards. The younger teen was taken to Yuma Regional Medical Center and later airlifted to a hospital in Phoenix. Her injuries were described as several broken vertebrae by the Arizona Republic. The older teen was treated for her injuries and later released. Migrant Impaled The injuries and a recent death that came from crossing into the United States followed a migrant mother getting impaled after falling from the border wall. The 26-year-old, also a Guatemalan, tried to enter the country near the San Ysidro Port of Entry in California. But she tried to climb a portion of the wall that was undergoing construction, and when she fell she was impaled on a piece of rebar. Border Patrol and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department officials responded to provide emergency services to the woman. Her injuries were described as nonlife-threatening. A photo released by the Border Patrol showed her lying in the dirt, with some blood visible. Entering our country illegally, particularly over our walls is not only dangerous, but also very foolish, San Diegos chief Border Patrol agent, Rodney Scott, wrote in a statement. This woman placed her own life and her childrens lives in peril. She could have easily died if not for the quick response by our agents and EMS. Vincent Dulesky, the special operations supervisor for Border Patrol in Yuma, told the Arizona Republic that agents have seen an increase of border wall- and fence-related injuries. When the smugglers force them to go over something they dont want to go over. Theyre going to get hurt eventually, he said. Were seeing a ton of injuries. Anywhere from lacerations to broken legs, broken ankles, broken hips. These all require hospitalization. From NTD News James Wolfe, former director of security for the Senate Intelligence Committee, walks out from the Washington FBI Field Office after being processed on June 11, 2018 in Washington. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) US Seeks 2-Year Sentence for Ex-Senate Staffer Indicted in Leak Probe Federal prosecutors in Washington are calling for a 24-month sentence for James Wolfe, the former senior Senate staffer who pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators probing the leak of a top-secret document. In a court memo filed late on Dec. 11, prosecutors ask Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to issue a harsher sentence for Wolfe than the zero-to-six months outlined in the sentencing guidelines, arguing the defendant disrupted an important governmental function and endangered national security. In a separate memo filed the same day, Wolfes attorney petitioned the judge to consider no prison time for Wolfe, pointing to the clients lifelong public service, community work, and the the very public shaming he has endured. The governments sentencing memo reveals the scope of FBI scrutiny of Wolfe, extraordinary steps taken by the bureau to investigate what appeared to be a decades-long critical security breach, and the extent of Wolfes lies even after FBI agents caught him in December last year lying about an extramarital affair with Ali Watkins. As director of security for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), Wolfe was trusted with safeguarding top-secret intelligence community documents delivered to the Senators as part of their oversight work. FBI agents locked in Wolfe as part of a probe into last years unauthorized media leak of a top-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) application used to surveil former Trump-campaign volunteer Carter Page. As part of the leak probe, the investigators determined that Wolfe, 57, was engaged in an intimate relationship with Watkins, a college-intern reporter, since at least 2013. Watkins, who now works for The New York Times, published articles for several media outlets in Washington, which contained sensitive national security information related to the Senate intelligence committee. According to court documents, upon discovering Wolfes clandestine and inappropriate relationship with Watkins, the FBI faced the dilemma of balancing the need to investigate potential leaks from Wolfe dating back three decades, with the need to notify the intelligence community about the potential breach, which could disrupt the committees oversight work. The bureau ultimately opted to take what prosecutors called an extraordinary mitigating step of only notifying the chairs of the intelligence committee about the findings. Investigators first spoke to Wolfe in October last year in relation to the FISA leak. Unbeknownst to Wolfe, his phone was imaged while he spoke to the investigators under a search warrant the FBI obtained earlier. The image revealed additional communications between Wolfe and Watkins. In December last year, FBI agents interviewed Wolfe again. After he denied having contacts with reporters, the agents showed Wolfe photos of himself with Watkins, including pictures taken during a foreign trip. Wolfe admitted to the affair, but denied having contact with any other reporters. The FBI would later find evidence that this was a lie, uncovering contact with at least three other reporters. While the investigation has not uncovered evidence that Wolfe disclosed classified information, he nevertheless repeatedly disclosed non-public, SSCI-sensitive information relating to national security investigations, the prosecutors wrote in the sentencing memo. The FBI would go on to arrest Wolfe seven months later on June 7, 2018. Between 20 and 30 agents conducted a raid on Wolfes quiet residential street, according to a letter Wolfes wife, Jane Wolfe, filed with the court. In the letter, Jane, a former FBI agent, complains about the raid, saying the public spectacle turned their home into the subject of gossip and unnecessary embarrassment. Wolfes two sons also sent a letter of support to the court, asking their father not to be sentenced to prison. Both of the current chairs of the Senate intelligence committee, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), also submitted a letter asking for leniency. They were joined by several former senior officials, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Obama White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough. Wolfes sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 20, which is also his birthday. Activists hold pictures of 70 Ukrainian political prisoners jailed in Russia (including the sailors taken in the Azov Sea conflict) during a rally in front of the EU Embassy in Kiev on Dec. 11, 2018. (SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images) West Needs to Impose Real Costs on Russia Over Ukraine What can the West now do effectively about the three Ukrainian naval vessels and their 23 sailors recently fired upon and seized by the Russian coastguard? The seizure of the Ukrainian boats while transiting from Ukraines key export port of Odessa across the Black Sea and around Crimea is only the latest instance of Russian aggression towards its neighbor. Read More Once Again the Pain of Ukraine Under a 2003 treaty between the two countries, the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov are shared territorial waters, but Russia recently began inspecting all vessels sailing to or from Ukraines regional ports. The Kremlin has also blockaded 144 Ukrainian ships, which are too tall to pass from the Azov Sea under a bridge Moscow completed earlier this year across the Kerch Strait. When Russia uses violence on a neighbour, Vladimir Putin invariably says, We didnt start it. This occurred after the Russia-Georgia War of 2008 and his special forces invasion of Crimea in 2014. For Ukrainians, there is little doubt that Putin is seeking to punish them for various reasons, including recently taking steps to restore the ecclesiastical independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; irrefutably establishing that the 1932-1933 faminethe Holodomorwas an act of genocide; and formally declaring Russia an aggressor state. Another goal was no doubt to seek to influence Ukraines upcoming election by making its incumbent president look powerless in the face of Russian aggression. Putin wants to assist Rinat Akhmetov, a leading oligarch from Donbas whose wealth rests largely on businesses he owns there, and other members of the realist camp forming the opposition bloc in Ukraines parliament, to push for a resolution of the conflict with Russia by surrendering Crimea to the Kremlin and making other concessions to Moscow in exchange for peace. The Kremlins prevarications about the vessels seizure match, as the head of Ukrainian studies at the University of Alberta, Jars Balan, observes, its earlier insistence that it was not a Russian missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH 17 over Ukrainian territoryor the killing of a growing list of critics of the Putin regime; that the ongoing war in Ukraines Donbas region is not being financed, supplied, partly staffed, and led from Moscow; and that Crimeans freely voted to accept the stealth takeover and the annexation of their peninsula. Putin wants to halt Ukrainian efforts to adopt governance practices similar to those of other European democracies. Many international election observers observed his attempt to swing the final re-run ballot election on Dec 26, 2004 in favour of the massively kleptocratic Viktor Yanukovych. Putin wants the Kremlin to be able to dictate to Ukraine its domestic policies in fields such as the economy, culture, language, and education, and, most importantly, to determine its foreign policy, especially to prevent it from joining NATO. Anders Rasmussen, a former prime minister of Denmark and NATO secretary general until 2014, says: Russias aggression in the Sea of Azov must stop immediatelyMoscows illegal actions must be met with a robust international response. Putin responds only to powerUkraine needs to show restraint in the zone of conflict and resist overreacting to further Russian provocation. At the same time. Kyiv should press its American and EU partners not just to condemn Russias aggression, but to impose real costs on Russia. This would presumably include suspending one or more of the Russian banks supporting its defense sector from the international payments systems. Many Canadians today question Ottawas ongoing collaboration with Russia on space exploration. Andy Semotiuk, a leader of the Ukrainian-Canadian community, notes: This is the Russia that just helped destroy Syriawhose invasion of Ukraine in Crimea broke international accordskilling some 10,000 peoplewhile displacing 1.7 million UkrainiansI am not against the Russian people. I only oppose working with the Russian government. A lesson from the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1963 might also prove applicable in the future. Aware from aerial photos that ballistic missiles were being installed in Cuba by Russia, President John Kennedy established a naval blockade to prevent the arrival of additional Russian warships carrying nuclear warheads and missiles. After a television address, Kennedy did not know what Khrushchev would do, but he remained firm as Russian ships moved towards the red line in the Atlantic Ocean he had set. At almost the last hour, Khrushchev agreed to walk the crisis back and later removed all missiles from Cuba. Putins approval level among Russians today is in the low 60s for various reasons, including his raising of the retirement age for men by five years and using pension funds to finance the seizure of Crimea. The Wests response should avoid enabling him to increase his popularity by sabre-rattling against the West. Ratcheting up sanctions on 150 or so oligarchs would seem the most effective first step. Other measures could be added if Ukraine is not quickly provided with unfettered access to its Azov and Black Sea ports. David Kilgour, a lawyer by profession, served in Canadas House of Commons for almost 27 years. In Jean Chretiens Cabinet, he was secretary of state (Latin America and Africa) and secretary of state (Asia-Pacific). He is the author of several books and co-author with David Matas of Bloody Harvest: The Killing of Falun Gong for Their Organs. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. OPEC President UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei (C) speaks as he sits with Minister of Energy of Russia Alexander Novak (left) and OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo (r) of Nigeria during a meeting at the headquarters of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with OPEC members and non-OPEC members in Vienna, Austria on Dec. 7, 2018. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images) Why OPECs Output Cuts Havent Got Oil Bulls Excited Yet OPEC and its allies defied market expectations last week and agreed 1.2 million barrels a day of production cuts for 2019, but crude prices are yet to rally. Unlike when a deal was reached to cut supply in 2016, the market is more skeptical this time around about exactly how the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries can go about supporting prices. Thats despite Saudi Arabias energy minister Khalid Al-Falih announcing Dec. 7 that 900,000 barrels a day of the kingdoms crude will be taken out of the market between November and January, in addition to cuts from OPECs allies. The causes of the markets pessimism are far-reaching. Whether its a trade war between the U.S. and China potentially curbing global demand, or doubts about exactly how OPEC will deliver the cuts, below are some of the reasons crude markets are yet to get excited about the production cuts. Economic Worries Signs of stress in the global economy havent gone unnoticed by oil traders. While crude rallied the most in two years in early December as trade tensions between the U.S. and China appeared to ease, those fears have swiftly returned. The U.S. dollar is trading near its highest level since mid-2017, making purchases for oil consumers outside of the U.S. more expensive, global demand worries and political tumult across Europe are all weighing on crude futures. Theres the U.S.-China trade war, France, Italy, Brexit: these things just do not bode well for either regional or global oil demand, PVM Oil Associates analyst Tamas Varga said by phone. OPEC Credibility When OPEC initially agreed to cut output in 2016, production didnt actually fall until the deal came into effect in January 2017. Saudi Arabias oil production bounced from 10.35 million barrels a day in September, to 11.1 million barrels a day and back down again over the last few months, leaving investors less confident in exactly how much OPEC and its allies will produce. Russia also announced Dec. 11 that it will only implement a small portion of its total promised output cuts in January. Given that it took the influence of Russian energy minister Alexander Novak to broker a deal as OPECs meeting unexpectedly stretched into two days, the market may yet need convincing that the group will actually deliver the cuts it promised. Compared to early last week, the outcome was rather disappointing, the whole process wasnt convincing, and its still uncertain whether they will actually cut, says ABN Amro senior energy economist Hans van Cleef. Surging Shale The measures are also a potential windfall for producers outside the group. U.S. shale oil output has been setting weekly records throughout 2018 and explorers are boosting spending plans for 2019 despite the recent slump in prices. OPEC will have to repeatedly cut output if it is going to keep boosting prices, Citigroup said on Dec. 10, as supply reductions will likely spur U.S. shale. Morgan Stanley also said after the meeting that the group was kicking its problems down the line by cutting supply. If history is any guide, this stores up problems for the future, the banks analysts including Martijn Rats wrote in a report. Silver Lining? Despite the recent drop, though, crude prices have not breached new lows for the year. In addition to output cuts from OPEC and its allies, there was renewed supply disruption in Libya on Dec. 10, as well as an ongoing outage in the North Sea as well as forced output cuts in Canada too. That could all mean that there may be some relief for prices around the corner, according to Petromatrix GmbH managing director Olivier Jakob. For now it has been discounted, but when you add this to the disruptions in Libya, I think it can have an impact, Jakob said of OPECs output cuts. By Alex Longley From Bloomberg Woman Run Over on Florida Highway After Falling Off Motorcycle During First Date, Family Says A woman who died after she was run over on Interstate 95 may have fallen off a motorcycle she was riding while on a date. The man she was with reportedly left her for dead. We dont know how anybody could do something like that. Its the hardest part, Amy Gamer, the aunt of the victim Jennifer St. Clair, told WESH. Light the pitch forks and torches and get justice for her. Miami Herald St. Clair, 33, was found dead at 3 a.m. on Dec. 7 near Atlantic Boulevard exit in Pompano Beach. Officials said she was repeatedly and accidentally struck by vehicles while in the roadway. Her family said St. Clair was on a date with a man she had met online but details are not clear. The Miami Herald reported the two went to a downtown Delray Beach bar. Her family said she presumably fell off the bike on the way back home. Thats all the family knows, that she was on a date with a fellow. They believe they met online somehow, said the familys attorney, Todd Falzone, reported the Herald. Two other couples, who were also on motorcycles, also went along. Some witnesses said they saw a man on a bike standing near her body before taking off, according to the Herald. Were still trying to process this. We are trying to get closure, Gamer said. She was a very sweet girl who would do anything for anybody. Officials have not released any information about the motorcyclist. This is every parents worst nightmare, Falzone told the paper. Its gonna take a lot of work to figure out what happened, but were going to bring those accountable to justice. No arrests have been made in the case. The Florida Highway Patrol said the matter is under investigation. Jennifer St. Clairs sister-in-law called on the public for help in figuring out what happened to the woman. She loved my children and her nephew and her other niece and her brother, Ashley St. Clair told Local10. My husband is absolutely a complete mess and to break the news to my children that their aunt is no longer here breaks my heart as a mother. She was good-natured, easy to get along with, well liked, and a beautiful girl, Gamer told CBS Miami of the woman. Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to contact Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. US Traffic Deaths Down Overall in 2018 U.S. traffic deaths fell 3.1 percent in the first six months of 2018, according to preliminary figures released in October, Reuters reported. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that in 2017, traffic deaths fell by 1.8 percent to 37,133 after traffic deaths rose sharply in the previous two years, according to final figures. The U.S. traffic fatality rate fell to 1.08 deaths per 100 million miles traveled for the first half of 2018. The fatality rate in 2017 was 1.16 million deaths per 100 million miles traveledthe second highest rate since 2008. This is good news and bad news, said Deborah Hersman, CEO of the National Safety Council, CNBC reported. The total number of fatalities is not getting worse, but the situation is not getting better. Hersman cited distracted driving and higher speed limits for the number. Canine Companions is one of the charities students will make presentations about to the entire student body. Courtesy During Hanukkah, as many children are excited to receive presents, students at San Diego Jewish Academy are focusing on giving back to their community and beyond through a charitable project that reflects the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam Repairing the World. The project is known as Tamchui, which is an Aramaic word that means community collection pot. For their Tamchui project, 8th graders received presentations from four different organizations including Friendship Circle, Cake4Kids, Canine Companions for Independence, and Lev Lalev, a girls orphanage in Netanaya, Israel. Over the next two weeks, students will make presentations to the entire student body about each charity. Then all SDJA students will donate by placing poker chips in the fishbowl boxes of their charity of choice, in a festive room lined with posters of each charity. The culmination of the event will take place on Friday, Jan. 18, when the charities will be presented with giant checks in support of their organization. We wanted to use Hanukkah as a moment to teach our students that giving back can be more important than focusing on material gifts, says Chaim Heller, Head of School at San Diego Jewish Academy, who teaches 8th graders as part of the charitable education program at the school. Through this project, students not only are learning about impactful charities, but they are experiencing how much they can do to create positive change and to support those in need in the world. Hellers 8th grade class also selected a 5th charity, Make-A-Wish San Diego, to be a part of the Tamchui project too, in addition to making presentations to their fellow students on the four charities that already are participating. Canine Companions for Independence is honored and excited to share our mission of providing expertly-trained assistance dogs to help enhance the lives of people with disabilities hand in hand with the students of the San Diego Jewish Academy, said Joanne Mueller, development director for Canine Companions for Independence. After recreational marijuana became legal for purchase in Massachusetts on Tuesday, Connecticut State Police reminded residents that the drug is still not legal in Connecticut. An adult at the age of 21 or older is able to cross the state line into Massachusetts to legally purchase recreational marijuana. But, state police said, there are repercussions for bringing it back into Connecticut after purchasing it. Al Gore wore his black cowboy boots. He talked about everything from his cameos on "South Park" to his conversations with President Donald Trump. The former vice president and longtime climate crusader had swooped into the coal-mining region of Poland that is home this week to global climate talks, where delegates from nearly 200 countries have convened in an effort to begin implementing the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Gore arrived in town amid worries that the talks - formally known as COP24 - were flailing. Negotiators had failed to come to consensus on key issues of transparency, finance and the ambition necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. The head of the United Nations had warned that "the window of opportunity is closing." Gore, who is no stranger to such proceedings, seemed to take Wednesday's atmosphere of angst in stride. He said he remains optimistic that the world will find a way to tackle climate change, and he said it's a good thing that Trump seems to have little interest in the talks unfolding in Katowice. The following are excerpts from Gore's interview with Washington Post national environmental reporter Brady Dennis and Berlin Bureau Chief Griff Witte: The Washington Post: We want to start with the leadership void at this COP. Given where the U.S. is, what do you see as far as the willingness or ability of other countries to step up? Al Gore: I think the European Union's been playing a fairly impressive role, mostly behind the scenes. And China's role is complicated, but in some ways they're moving the ball in the right direction. But it's better when the U.S. is actually providing leadership. And maybe a couple of years from now it will again. TWP: Is it just that the U.S. is not providing leadership, or is it playing a negative role here? AG: Those who are actually down in the trenches and engaged in a lot of the details are doing a workmanlike job. You get the political appointee types who come over here and put on a brief sideshow on promoting coal. And the kerfuffle over welcome-versus-note sent a chill down the spines of some people. But I don't think that it was an indication of a large or malignant engagement by the White House. Of course, we have two days to go, so we'll know then. But I don't think that this COP seems to be on the White House radar screen. I'm hoping it stays that way. TWP: Overall are you optimistic or pessimistic that this COP will yield something substantive? AG: I think that the essential agenda assigned to this COP is probably going to get done. There are 22,000 people here from 190 countries and they're continuing to do highly detailed work regardless of what Donald Trump thinks. TWP: In the absence of a major U.S. role, how do you see the business world? Is the private sector filling the void? AG: Many in the business world and in the investor world are trying to do exactly that. Not only out of a sense of moral duty but also because they see that the world is in the early stages of a sustainability revolution. It's the biggest business opportunity in the history of the world, and people are really seizing it. Look at the announcement just two days ago from Xcel Energy in Minnesota. Big utility right on the Canadian border. They just announced a shift to 100 percent renewable energy and a plan to close their existing fossil fuel plants. They're doing it because the business realities are pushing them in that direction. That's happening around the world. TWP: We've seen suggestions that maybe there's not enough urgency here. Do you think that's the case? AG: Whenever you have 197 nations trying to agree on anything, it's going to be an unwieldy process. But the new approach at these COPs since the Paris meeting has been to reach out beyond the government delegations to civil society, businesses, industry and investors and to welcome the commitments of regional and state governments and municipal governments. And I think that was a wise choice, and I think those actors are feeling or are manifesting a greater sense of urgency than you might get from the official meetings. TWP: How do you see climate factoring into the 2020 presidential campaign? AG: Well, I'm not a great political prognosticator. But I'm impressed that several of the candidates on the great-mentioned list have already said that climate is going to be their number one issue. So that's a good sign. TWP: It's never been, as you well know, an issue that plays very well on the campaign trail. AG: I think the main reason that's changed is Mother Nature. The combination of Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Michael, the Camp Fire, the Woolsey Fire or the Mendocino Complex Fire, Hurricane Harvey the year before, $320 billion in damage from Hurricane Harvey and Maria and Irma. I mean, every night on the TV news is like a nature hike through the Book of Revelation. I think people are connecting these dots on their own. TWP: I know you gave it a try with Ivanka Trump, and I guess Trump himself. Was there any willingness there? AG: I met with Trump and continued my conversations during the first part of his first year in office. I've maintained the confidentiality of those communications. I'll simply say that I went into those discussions with some reason for legitimate hope that he might change. But I was disappointed. TWP: What do you think is at the root of his climate change denial? AG: Well, in Tennessee the farmers have an old saying that if you see a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be pretty sure it didn't get there by itself. And when you see the persistent climate denial in the U.S. among a big chunk of the Republican Party, it didn't happen by itself. And Trump is in that category. The economic interests of the large carbon polluters led them some years back to adopt the playbook of the tobacco industry and to invest $2 billion over the years in promoting climate denial. So that's my take on it. But surely some part of it is human nature, which makes us reluctant to engage with difficult subjects. WASHINGTON - This week, protesters again stormed the offices of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, demanding Democrats in Congress take a stronger stance in halting Earth's changing climate. First they staged a sit-in in her Capitol Hill office Monday. Then they occupied the California Democrat's San Francisco office Tuesday. If those protests give you a case of deja vu, you're not wrong. Members of the year-old Sunrise Movement indeed staged a similar protest in the speaker-in-waiting's Washington office a week after Election Day, when Democrats learned they would regain control of the lower chamber for the first time in a decade. The demonstration grabbed Washington's attention with an appearance from the youngest incoming member of Congress, Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. The return engagement suggests that climate issues will continue to be a source of tension for the incoming Democratic majority, with leaders like Pelosi working to appease the demands of those who want what's being called a "Green New Deal" and newer Democrats pushing for dramatic changes to environmental policy. Climate activists reappeared on the Capitol Hill to pressure Democratic House members to make addressing climate change a top agenda item. The environmental organization said over 1,000 volunteers protested in the offices of not just Pelosi but also those of Maryland's Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, and Massachusetts' Jim McGovern, who is likely to be the next House Rules Committee chair. The protest in Pelosi's office, clearly well-organized, was fraught with emotion as speakers as young as 7 years old explained how they expect climate change to impact them. Some said they are already feeling its effects. Sally Morton, one of Pelosi's constituents from San Francisco, described seeing and breathing smoke from massive wildfires to the east that scientists say have been fueled by warmer temperatures. "I woke up to smoke the thickest I've ever seen it in my life," she said, lips quivering. "I felt it in my eyes. I felt it in my lungs." In total, Capitol Police arrested 143 demonstrators. The Sunrise Movement, which is helping to promote a "Green New Deal" along with some incoming Democratic lawmakers and other activist groups, brought in about five times as many protesters on Monday than it did in mid-November (though this time Ocasio-Cortez was not one of them). After that protest in November, Pelosi pledged to reestablish a select committee on climate change similar to the one she created in 2007. Before being disbanded by Republicans in 2011, that panel held hearings on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and helped shape the last major piece of climate legislation in Congress - a cap-and-trade measure that ultimately died in the Senate and became political fodder against some House Democrats in the 2010 election that swept many of them from office. Pelosi made that promise with an eye toward securing support from fellow Democrats to be the next House speaker. But for these progressive activists, it was not enough. Ocasio-Cortez and the Sunrise Movement want a new committee specifically tasked to take up the "Green New Deal," a catch-all term for a suite of legislative proposals aimed at rapidly cutting climate-warming emissions from nearly all sectors of the economy. "Over the past three weeks, we have heard excuse after excuse for why our Democratic leaders can't support this committee," Sunrise Movement co-founder Varshini Prakash said at Pelosi's office. "We've heard, 'It's not the right committee.' 'It's not the right time.' 'We don't know enough about it.' That is not an excuse for jeopardizing my generation." The day of protests also included notably less hostile meetings with the offices of about 50 House members to lobby them to support the "Green New Deal." So far, at least 31 members of the next Congress support the establishment of a committee that would specifically take up those ideas. And now after this week's demonstrations, the endorsers include, crucially, McGovern, who will hold significant sway over the creation of the select committee if he secures the Rules panel chairmanship. "Three weeks ago, the Green New Deal was sort of a niche policy. It was not on anyone's radar," said Victoria Fernandez, another Sunrise Movement co-founder who is also the organization's director of data management. Wilton Police Dept. WILTON A Bridgeport man has been accused of beating up and threatening to kill an employee for refusing to work in unsafe conditions, police said. Police said the incident happened Dec. 5 when an employee informed his boss, Willian Escobar, 36, of Woodrow Avenue, that he wouldnt work on an unsafe scaffold. BELLEVILLE The American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive on Tuesday, Jan. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Memorial Hospital Belleville Auditorium. Prospective donors must be 16 years of age or older, feel healthy on Jan. 2 and a valid photo ID is required. Lunch will be provided to all donors. SPRINGFIELD A ranking member of the Illinois Senate has picked up a bill that would allow people to clear low-level marijuana convictions from their record with permission from a judge. Lawmakers decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2016. When the law changed, possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana in Illinois became a civil matter rather than a criminal one. The 2016 change didnt address those who had already been convicted of the crime. Under the bill promoted up by Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford on Friday, a petitioner could ask a circuit judge to expunge the record of a conviction or plea of guilty for an offense from before July 29, 2016, if three years or more have passed since the petitioner has completed their sentence. As the conversation about legalizing recreational marijuana continues to gain traction, it would be irresponsible of legislators to overlook the damage over-criminalization has caused, Lightford, D-Maywood, said. This measure is about helping nonviolent offenders rehabilitate and have a better chance of getting a job. Lightford will have to get the bill through the Senate and get it to Gov. Bruce Rauners desk next month, or the process will have to start anew in the 101st General Assembly. State Rep. La Shawn Ford, who initially sponsored the bill, said that expunging the low-level conviction would allow people to once again tell prospective employers that theyve got a clean record. We have to make sure everyone in Illinois is employable and you start by making sure people who have minor offenses like this on their records are able to get those expunged, Ford, D-Chicago, said. The Illinois Sheriffs Association has said it opposes the measure. A message left for the group on Friday wasnt immediately returned. According to a 2013 report from the American Civil Liberties Union, African-Americans in Illinois are more than 7 times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession. We need fairness and equity in the process, Ford said. This is just the first step in ensuring that this war on drugs that weve been fighting that has disproportionately affected black and brown people in the city of Chicago, is fair. Ford, who is running for mayor of Chicago, plans to petition every states attorney in Illinois to throw out all pending low-level marijuana charges if this bill becomes law. The city of San Francisco is in the process of clearing all marijuana convictions there dating back to 1975, a move that could result in the clearing of an estimated 3,000 misdemeanors and the possible reduction of an estimated 5,000 felonies to lower charges. Cole Lauterbach reports on Illinois government and statewide issues for INN. Lauterbach has managed and produced shows for news/talk radio stations in both Bloomington/Normal and Peoria, and created award-winning programs for Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Gunman on run after killing three at Strasbourg Christmas market FRANCE: A gunman killed at least three people and wounded a dozen others at the famed Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg last night (Dec 11) before fleeing the scene, authorities said. violencedeathhomicidemurder By AFP Wednesday 12 December 2018, 12:08PM A manhunt was underway after the killer opened fire at around 8pm local time (1900 GMT) on one of the citys busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Photo: AFP A manhunt was under way after the killer opened fire at around 8pm (1900 GMT, about 2am today Phuket time) on one of the citys busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and wounded him, but could not stop him escaping, police sources said. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said early Wednesday the gunman had killed three people and wounded 12. Earlier Mayor Roland Ries had given a toll of four dead and a dozen wounded. Castaner also said France had raised its security alert level to emergency attack with the implementation of reinforced border controls and tightened controls on all Christmas markets in France to avoid the risk of a copycat attack. The gunman has been identified and was on a watchlist of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said. Frances security forces, already on high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country. I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium, one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. "People were running everywhere." He said he had seen three people injured on the ground only a few metres from the giant Christmas tree in the centre of the city. Shortly after the shooting, lines of police vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the capital of Christmas. We heard several shots, three perhaps, and we saw people running, one witness told AFP, asking not to be named. One of them fell down, I dont know whether it was because she was tripped up or if she was hit, the witness said. President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting with cabinet officials in Paris shortly after midnight. Known to police Two separate security sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that the shooter was believed to be a 29-year-old from the city, whose name was given as Cherif, and who was set to be arrested on Tuesday morning. He was being investigated over an attempted murder, one of the sources said. Several areas neighbouring the Christmas market were sealed off on Tuesday night and residents were being told to stay indoors. Many people took refuge in local restaurants and bars which pulled down their shutters. We let everyone inside, down into the wine cellar. Theyre locked in there, local restaurant owner Mouad, 33, told AFP. A police source, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said security forces had opened fire in an area of the city where the suspect was thought to be hiding. The source did not give the address and it was unclear if the shooter had been located. The gunman crossed the Pont du Corbeau, one of the bridges that lead to the historic centre of Strasbourg, and opened fire in the Rue des Orfevres. Three people were killed and another 12 wounded by the shooter, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner later confirmed. Cherif was wounded in an exchange of fire with soldiers on patrol as part of regular anti-terror operations. Specialist anti-terror prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident in Strasbourg, which lies on the border with Germany. Several residents of the city have been detained in recent years for trying to reach jihadist groups in Syria, or have been arrested upon their return. Shocked and saddened by the terrible attack in Strasbourg. My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people, British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote on Twitter. Tourist attraction The Strasbourg-based European Parliament was also on lockdown, with MEPs, staff and journalists unable to leave the building. In a parliament bar usually reserved for MEPs, EU commissioners, powerful legislators and staffers huddled in small groups waiting for developments. Our first thought was for colleagues who had already made it to the centre of town, who are safe, Belgian MEP Kathleen Van Brempt told AFP. Now we just wait. The Christmas market in Strasbourg and the citys illuminations are an annual attraction that draws hundreds of thousands of people. Security has been stepped up in recent years after a series of attacks in France by Islamist gunmen and the Strasbourg market was long considered a possible target. In 2016, a 23-year-old Tunisian killed 12 and injured 48 others when he ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Special anti-terror army units have been deployed in Strasbourg, and soldiers and armed police are regularly seen patrolling among the 300 wooden Christmas market chalets. Three years after groups of jihadists gunned down and blew up 130 people in Paris on November 13, 2015, French counter-terror officials say their focus has shifted. Rather than coordinated attacks, their main concern is attacks by lone wolves self-radicalised individuals acting without links to terror groups such as Islamic State. Most recently a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris last May, killing one man and injuring four other people on a Saturday night. A total of 246 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. Parties wary despite lift of political ban; Campaigning on hold amid trap fears BANGKOK: Uncertainty still lingers over whether political parties can begin election campaigns, even though the regime has lifted its prohibition on political activities. politics By Bangkok Post Wednesday 12 December 2018, 09:47AM Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam says its legal to campaign now, but political parties and the Election Commission dont accept his word.. Photos: Bangkok Post Political parties have opted to stay on the safe side by avoiding any election campaigning until Jan 2 when a royal decree calling for the Feb 24 election of MPs will be published in the Royal Gazette. The Feb 24 poll date was officially confirmed at a meeting last Friday (Dec 7) between the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and party representatives. While Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam yesterday (Dec 11) said that political parties may now engage in all kinds of political activities, the Election Commission (EC) still had doubts. EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said he could not tell if political parties can engage in election campaigning and first has to study the regimes latest order allowing parties to conduct political activities. He said the lifting of the political ban has been well-timed to coincide with the promulgation of the law governing the election of MPs. Mr Wissanu said that the law on the election of MPs stipulates that election campaigning is allowed when the royal decree on the election of MPs is issued, and that the EC will determine how campaigns are conducted. Therefore, while waiting for the royal decree to come into force, parties can engage in all kinds of political activities and these activities are not considered election campaigning, Mr Wissanu said. Now, parties are no longer required to obtain permission from the NCPO to hold meetings or appear on stage to address the public, he added. One can say the latest order lets political parties loose This is better than when the royal decree comes out because things [election campaigns] must be regulated by law, Mr Wissanu said. Democrat spokesman Thana Chiravinij welcomed the lifting of the ban, although he thought election campaigning would not be permitted until Jan 2 when the royal decree is issued. In fact, actual election campaigns will take place after poll candidacy applications are submitted between Jan 14 to 18, he said. Key Pheu Thai Party figure Chalerm Ubumrung (previously Yubamrung and other variants) said that the lifting of the political ban only permits political activities such as political gatherings, but election campaigns are still banned. He believed politicians can go on stage to canvass for votes only after the enforcement of the royal decree on the election of MPs. Worachai Hema, a former Pheu Thai MP from Samut Prakan, said the lifting of the political ban still caused confusion as it was unclear if election campaigns were still banned. Is this a trap laid for us? What if we engage in activities seen to be election campaigns and they take action against us? Mr Worachai said. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as NCPO chief, issued Order No.22/2018 lifting the prohibition on political activities, including political gatherings and support for political activities, as the law governing the election of MPs, which was earlier published in the Royal Gazette, took effect immediately. However, the lifting of the ban will have no bearing on the prosecution of earlier violators of the ban, according to the order. Gen Prayuts order said as the royal decree on the general election was approaching, people should have the freedom to decide which parties they want to administer the nation, and political parties should be able to campaign for votes and present their policies to the public. Political parties should be able to campaign to present their policies, the order said. Restrictions were first eased in September, allowing political parties to recruit new members and elect leaders. But campaigns and street rallies remained banned. Tuesdays order raises the prospect of a return to street rallies that have defined much of the turbulent last decade of Thai politics before the 2014 coup. However, laws already in place stipulate that police will need to be informed of any political gatherings 24 hours in advance. The latest NCPO order has also lifted the ban on allocations of financial support to parties by the Fund for Development of Political Parties, political gatherings of five or more people and the use of electronic media to communicate with party members. Read original story here. Tourists safety, waste issues raised in US Ambassador visit to Phuket PHUKET: The US Ambassador to Thailand Peter Haymond was in Phuket yesterday (Dec 11) and conducted a formal visit to Phuket Provincial Hall, where he raised the issues of tourists safety and environmental issues, namely waste management. tourismSafetyenvironment By The Phuket News Wednesday 12 December 2018, 10:19AM US Ambassador to Thailand Peter Haymond raised the issues of tourists safety and environmental issues, namely waste management, during his visit to Phuket yesterday (Dec 11). Photo: PR Dept US Ambassador to Thailand Peter Haymond raised the issues of tourists safety and environmental issues, namely waste management, during his visit to Phuket yesterday (Dec 11). Photo: PR Dept Amb Haymond was welcomed by Phuket Vice Governor Prakob Wongmaneerung, who said, I am pleased to have the opportunity to welcome Mr Peter Haymond as the US ambassador to exchange opinions and discuss the problems in Phuket. The US embassy is interested in Phuket because it is a popular tourist destination. As the number of tourists coming to Phuket is high, it leads to problems with waste and waste management, he added. According to the report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department, V/Gov Prakob explained that some steps had been to mitigate the growing waste problem in Phuket. The Phuket Governor has assigned the relevant agencies to set the campaign to invite people to separate wet and plastic waste, he said. Also, Phuket currently has a municipal wastewater system, but it does not cover all the province. We plans to solve this problem by increasing the number of sewers to cover all of Phuket, he said. The PR report also noted V/Gov Prakob explained that the tsunami warning system in Phuket comprises 19 warning towers linked to sensors in the sea. It is fully operational, he said. According to the PR report, Amb Haymond expressed his happiness in coming to Phuket. I am very happy to come to Phuket. I would like to thank Phuket Vice Governor for his time to share ideas with each other, Amb Haymond said, according to the report. Every time I come to Thailand, Phuket is the first place I think about, because Phuket is famous around the world about beautiful culture and delicious food, he added. And we would like to thank the Thai and Phuket governments for their support of creating a commercial environment to attract investors, IT companies and small companies from the United States, Amb Haymond noted. Most of them have chosen to set up in Phuket because Phuket was regarded as Phuket's Smart City, The United States is concerned about the safety of tourists and environment issues. We thank the officials of Phuket for taking care of tourists, the PR report quoted Amb Haymond as saying. 2021 sales tax revenues encouraging for Aberdeen, Watertown Aberdeen Sales tax returns for 2021 are keeping up with record returns in 2020 and Watertown sales tax returns are up. Albertas plan to boost crude prices through mandatory production cuts is working a little too well. Just over a week after Premier Rachel Notley announced that oil producers will be required to curtail output by 8.7 per cent, the price of heavy Canadian crude has more than doubled, in some cases rendering Western Canadian Select too expensive to ship south to U.S. Gulf Coast refiners. Albertas heavy oil trades at about $41 (U.S.) a barrel, about $9 less than on the U.S. Gulf Coast, according to traders and data compiled by Bloomberg. For a shipper without committed volumes, that price difference is so small that it wouldnt cover the costs of shipping it down either TransCanada Corp.s Keystone pipeline to Houston or Enbridge Inc.s pipeline system. Gulf Coast imported about 500,000 barrels a day of Canadian crude in September. Everyone is bidding up those barrels to make sure they can cover their pipe space, Mike Walls, a Genscape analyst, said by phone. People are really just hyper-focused on January and thats why you are seeing these dramatic price moves. For companies without commitments to ship regular volumes, a barrel of crude sent down the Keystone system from Hardisty, Alberta, to Houston will cost more than $15.50 a barrel starting Jan. 1, according to the tariff filed with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Canadas National Energy Board. The cost to ship uncommitted volumes to Texas from Hardisty down Flanagan South via the Enbridge mainline is about $9.40 a barrel including a separate power charge, according to a filing with the National Energy Board. Crude Cuts The provincial governments Dec. 2 announcement, welcomed by some oil companies as necessary and criticized by others as an example of government overreach, came after heavy Canadian crude prices shrank to less than $14 a barrel last month, the lowest in at least ten years, as a surge of production met limited pipeline space causing bottlenecks. The mandate will remove 325,000 barrels a day from the market in January before dropping to 95,000 barrels a day by the end of the year. Since cuts were announced, Western Canadian Select crude has surged to almost $41 a barrel, about $11 less than the West Texas Intermediate futures price. The price difference between WCS and WTI was as wide as $50 a barrel in October. This narrow differential wont last, according to Walls and Sandy Fielden, an analyst at Morningstar Inc. Full Pipes As long as the pipes are full, the price difference between Canadian heavy crude and West Texas Intermediate futures will necessarily widen enough to cover the costs of shipping the crude by rail to the Gulf, which is between $18 and $22 a barrel, Walls said. Albertas government has tried to stimulate crude-by rail shipments by announcing plans to purchase rail tanker cars. The pipelines are chock full and they will stay chock full, Fielden said in a note Monday. Notley on Monday also announced that the province is seeking investors interested in building a new refinery in Alberta as a way of improving the prices received for the provinces oil. Read more about: Voters in the worlds second-largest producer of mined copper and zinc cast out some fierce opponents of giant mines, ushering in a change of guard that could potentially lure investments to some of Perus most impoverished regions. Citizens in Cajamarca, the South American nations poorest region, elected pro-investment candidate Mesias Guevara, ending the rule of an antimining movement that has governed the region for the past eight years. In Moquegua, where Anglo American Plc is building the $5.3 billion (U.S.) Quellaveco copper project, and Apurimac, where MMG Ltd. operates the Las Bambas mine, winning candidates didnt voice opposition to mining. While governors cant directly veto mining projects, their support is key to winning local communities approval. In the past, regional leaders including former Cajamarca governor Gregorio Santos have marched alongside groups that oppose projects. Development plans worth billions of dollars remained stalled in several regions due to local opposition. This time, we havent seen the heightened tensions that were the norm in the previous election the debate around mining issues has moderated, said Pablo de la Flor, executive director at Perus mining, oil and energy association SNMPE. We still have seen some candidates adopting more critical views, especially in mining regions, but we think thats part of the tensions arising during any campaign. President Martin Vizcarra, a former regional governor, aims to boost annual mining investment gradually to $8 billion when his term ends in 2021, compared with $4.6 billion forecast for this year. While mining investment in Perus copper-dependent economy has rebounded 27 per cent this year through October, the nation could see more inflows as sentiment shifts. Cajamarca could attract as much as $18.2 billion investment in new projects, according to the Mines and Energy Ministry. The region accounted for 7 per cent of total mining investment in the first 10 months of the year. The conditions are ripe for an increase in mining investment in Peru and theres no reason why Cajamarca shouldnt develop new projects if local communities support them, said Miguel Roman, a lawmaker who chairs the energy and mining committee in Congress. Mining companies that show respect for the environment should be welcomed, he said. Before, there was a total rejection of even evaluating these projects but now I think it could happen, he said. Roman is a member of the Popular Action party that will govern Cajamarca, two other regions and the capital Lima for the next four years. The national government needs to work with communities in areas with mining potential and allay concerns about the environmental impact of future projects to reduce the risk of social conflict later on, he said. Its very clear to us that private investment is the motor that should drive the economic development of our people, Ramon said. Anti-Mining In some regions including Arequipa, antimining candidates prevailed. Southern Copper Corp.s $1.4 billion Tia Maria project has been stalled for years amid communities concerns over the potential impact on water and air quality. Elmer Caceres, who won the gubernatorial race, spoke against Tia Maria during his campaign. He has also opposed other major projects, including Teck Resources Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corp.s $1.2 billion copper and gold Zafranal mine, and Cia. de Minas Buenaventura SAAs Tambomayo mine. Cajamarca governor-elect Guevara didnt respond to requests for comment by phone and text message. Caceres didnt immediately reply to emails and calls to his political party seeking comment. Arequipa is the main risk we are seeing as Caceres is clearly against mining projects, even against Buenaventuras, which is already operating, said Erika Manchego, an analyst of economic studies at Bank of Nova Scotia in Lima. It is going to be more complicated for Tia Maria to get that social license with a governor that has been openly opposed to the project. Socially Responsible In Moquegua, the governor-elect Zenon Cuevas went from leading antimining protests that turned violent in 2008 to adopting a more moderate view in this election. Zenon Cuevas supports mining as long as it respects labour rights and that contracts stay in Moquegua whenever possible, said Yovana Valdez, the former president of the Moquegua Chamber of Commerce and a member of Cuevas political party. He wants socially responsible mining, he wants Anglo to understand the region, to keep a fluid communication and an investment that benefits the region. In Puno, where Bear Creek Mining Corp. wants to build a $585 million lead, silver and zinc mine, governor-elect Walter Aduviri has said he will be talking to small miners, but he said he has a critical opinion of large, multinational mining companies. As much as $1.76 billion could be invested in the region if all mining projects went ahead, according to the Ministrys report. In the end I think pragmatism will prevail, said Jose Carlos Requena, a partner at Lima-based political research group 50+1. Theyre going to opt for coexistence. I dont see them becoming an obstacle for these projects. Justin Trudeau wanted to distance himself from the arrest of a Huawei Technologies Co. executive, but Chinas detention of a Canadian and Donald Trumps interventions are dragging the prime minister into the feud anyhow. State security officers seized Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat on leave from the foreign service, in Beijing on Monday, in relation to a national security investigation. The arrest comes nine days after Canadas capture of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver at the request of U.S. authorities. Meng was granted bail Tuesday, and while the timing of Kovrigs arrest has analysts suggesting a possible tit-for-tat motivation, neither China nor Canada has yet linked the two cases. Trudeaus foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, said the ex-diplomats detention is nonetheless being handled at the highest levels even as she and the prime minister distance themselves from the Huawei executives plight by saying they cant interfere with their countrys courts. Canada is a rule-of-law country, and Canada is a country that believes in abiding by its treaty obligations, Freeland said at a New York Times panel discussion Tuesday evening in Toronto, alluding to the nations extradition treaty with the American government. Our independent legal system is one of the finest, if not the finest, in the world. I trust it, Canadians should trust it and our partners around the world should trust it, too. Trade Considerations The U.S. president sees the Huawei executives case differently. I would certainly intervene, if I thought it was necessary to help secure a trade deal with China, Trump told Reuters in an interview Tuesday. Asked about Trumps comment Wednesday morning in Ottawa, the prime minister said: Regardless of what goes on in other countries, Canada is and will always remain a country with the rule of law. Trudeau is nonetheless mindful of the commercial implications of Chinese relations. His bid to launch formal trade talks fell apart during a visit to Beijing last year, when the prime ministers hosts bristled at his push for strong labour, gender and environmental guarantees. This year, China warned of an investment chill after Trudeaus government rejected the takeover of construction firm Aecon Group Inc. by a Chinese firm, citing national security. The current controversy illustrates the impasse facing both nations: Canada is bound by laws that dont constrain China, which has wide leeway over its justice system. Kovrigs detention now adds an undeniably political element for Trudeau. The former diplomat helped arrange the prime ministers visit to Hong Kong two years ago, before joining the International Crisis Group last year. Trumps boast undercuts Trudeaus core defence of its hands-off approach to Mengs case, according to Roland Paris, a University of Ottawa professor and former policy adviser to the prime minister. 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, Paris tweeted Tuesday night. If the U.S. is not equally committed to the rule of law in this case, the extradition request should be withdrawn immediately. Canada has repeatedly avoided directly linking the Kovrig and Meng cases. Freeland declined twice on Tuesday evening to say if she thinks theyre connected, while Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told reporters in Ottawa earlier that there is no explicit indication of that at this point. Other analysts argue the timing of the ex-diplomats seizure suggests a motive. Its hard to avoid linking the two events and suspecting that Chinese government did this for retaliation, Alex He, a research fellow for the Waterloo-based Centre for International Governance Innovation, said by email. Its more than coincidental, Hugh Stephens, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said in a phone interview. China, however, is downplaying any link, with the editor-in-chief of the Communist Party-run Global Times newspaper tweeting that no evidence suggests this is Chinese governments retaliation. At the very least, progress in the two cases will be jointly tracked. Freeland said Meng has access to consular services from Chinese officials, and that shes made it clear to China that the Huawei executive, who is also the daughter of the companys founder, hasnt been convicted of breaking any laws. Its also not the first time high-profile Canadian and Chinese detentions have overlapped. Canada arrested Su Bin, a Chinese citizen, in July 2014 in relation for a U.S. investigation. China took a Canadian couple, Kevin and Julia Garratt, into custody the next month. Julia Garrett was let go in 2015, but her husband was held until September of 2016 seven months after Su waived extradition rights and was sent to the U.S. Its very similar to what they did in the Su Bin case, said Guy Saint-Jacques, who served as Canadas ambassador to China from 2012 to 2016. China never directly linked the Garratt and Su cases, he said, but it became clear that they were connected. I was right in the middle of that, and it was obvious. There was never a direct offer to swap people, but it was implicit in all the discussions, he said. Despite Trudeau and Freelands efforts to keep their distance, the Chinese now consider Mengs arrest to be political, according to John Manley, a former Canadian foreign minister and deputy prime minister. He argues Canadian authorities should have taken steps to never have had to detain her in the first place in essence, letting her slip through their fingers in Vancouver This was a time when we should have missed her. Or told the Chinese not to let her on the flight, Manley said in an email Tuesday. Trudeau should also not have been implicated by revealing he had a few days notice of the case, he added. The scope of the diplomatic fallout isnt yet clear. Canadas environment minister met Tuesday in Poland with Chinas climate change envoy and said the Huawei arrest wasnt raised, according to a Canadian government statement. But Mengs case will end up in political hands eventually. After the bail hearing comes an extradition hearing, followed by a ruling by Canadas justice minister and attorney general. That post is held by Jody Wilson-Raybould, who represents a district in Vancouver, where the Chinese executive was captured. Wilson-Raybould issued a statement Wednesday saying Meng is being afforded due process before the courts and laying out Canadas legal obligations in extradition cases. Beyond that, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the facts of this case at this time, the justice minister said. Doing so would risk undermining both the independence of the court proceedings and the proper functioning of Canadas extradition process. Read more about: WASHINGTONThe cyberattack on the Marriott hotel chain that collected personal details of roughly 500 million guests was part of a Chinese intelligence-gathering effort that also hacked health insurers and the security clearance files of millions more Americans, according to two people briefed on the investigation. The hackers, they said, are suspected of working on behalf of the Ministry of State Security, the countrys Communist-controlled civilian spy agency. The discovery comes as the Trump administration is planning actions targeting Chinas trade, cyber and economic policies, perhaps within days. Those moves include indictments against Chinese hackers working for the intelligence services and the military, according to four government officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Trump administration also plans to declassify intelligence reports to reveal Chinese efforts dating to at least 2014 to build a database containing names of executives and U.S. government officials with security clearances. Other options include an executive order intended to make it harder for Chinese companies to obtain critical components for telecommunications equipment, a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the plans said. The moves stem from a growing concern within the administration that the 90-day trade truce negotiated two weeks ago by U.S. President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires might do little to change Chinas behaviour including the coercion of American companies to hand over valuable technology if they seek to enter the Chinese market, as well as the theft of industrial secrets on behalf of state-owned companies. The hacking of Marriotts Starwood chain, which was discovered only in September and revealed late last month, is not expected to be part of the coming indictments. But two of the government officials said it has added urgency to the administrations crackdown, given that Marriott is the top hotel provider for U.S. government and military personnel. Read more: Canadians receive emails from Marriott about recent personal data breach Huaweis Meng Wanzhou granted bail by Canadian judge It also is a prime example of what has vexed the Trump administration as China has reverted over the past 18 months to the kind of intrusions into American companies and government agencies that President Barack Obama thought he had ended in 2015 in an agreement with Xi. Geng Shuang, a spokesman for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied any knowledge of the Marriott hacking. China firmly opposes all forms of cyberattack and cracks down on it in accordance with the law, he said. If offered evidence, the relevant Chinese departments will carry out investigations according to the law. Trade negotiators on both sides of the Pacific have worked on an agreement under which China would commit to purchasing $1.2 trillion (U.S.) more of American goods and services over the next several years, and would address intellectual property concerns. Trump said Tuesday that the United States and China were having very productive conversations as top U.S. and Chinese officials held their first talks via telephone since the two countries agreed to a truce on Dec. 1. But while top administration officials insist that the trade talks are proceeding on a separate track, the broader crackdown on China could undermine Trumps ability to reach an agreement with Xi. U.S. charges against senior members of Chinas intelligence services risk hardening opposition in Beijing to negotiations with Trump. Another obstacle is the targeting of high-profile technology executives, like Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of the communications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder. The arrest of Meng, who has been detained in Canada on suspicion of fraud involving violations of United States sanctions against Iran, has angered China. She was granted bail of 10 million Canadian dollars, or $7.5 million, while awaiting extradition to the United States, a Canadian judge ruled Tuesday. Trump, in an interview Tuesday with Reuters, said that he would consider intervening in the Huawei case if it would help serve national security and help get a trade deal done with China. Such a move would essentially pit Trump against his own Justice Department, which co-ordinated with Canada to arrest Meng as she changed planes in Vancouver, British Columbia. 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 said. American business leaders have braced for retaliation from China, which has demanded the immediate release of Meng and accused the United States and Canada of violating her rights. On Tuesday, the International Crisis Group said that one of its employees, a former Canadian diplomat, had been detained in China. The disappearance of the former diplomat, Michael Kovrig, could further inflame tensions between China and Canada. We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michaels whereabouts, as well as his prompt and safe release, the group said in a statement on its website. From the first revelation that the Marriott chains computer systems had been breached, there was widespread suspicion in Washington and among cybersecurity firms that the hacking was not a matter of commercial espionage, but part of a much broader spy campaign to amass Americans personal data. While U.S. intelligence agencies have not reached a final assessment of who performed the hacking, a range of firms brought in to assess the damage quickly saw computer code and patterns familiar to operations by Chinese actors. The Marriott database contains not only credit card information but passport data. Lisa Monaco, a former Homeland Security adviser under Obama, noted last week at a conference that passport information would be particularly valuable in tracking who is crossing borders and what they look like, among other key data. But officials Tuesday said it was only part of an aggressive operation whose centrepiece was the 2014 hacking into the Office of Personnel Management. At the time, the government bureau loosely guarded the detailed forms that Americans fill out to get security clearances forms that contain financial data; information about spouses, children and past romantic relationships; and any meetings with foreigners. Such information is exactly what the Chinese use to root out spies, recruit intelligence agents and build a rich repository of Americans personal data for future targeting. With those details and more that were stolen from insurers like Anthem, the Marriott data adds another critical element to the intelligence profile: travel habits. James A. Lewis, a cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, said the Chinese have collected huge pots of data to feed a Ministry of State Security database seeking to identify American spies and the Chinese people talking to them. Big data is the new wave for counter-intelligence, Lewis said. Its big-data hoovering, said Dmitri Alperovitch, the chief technology officer at CrowdStrike, who first highlighted Chinese hacking as a threat researcher in 2011. This data is all going back to a data lake that can be used for counter-intelligence, recruiting new assets, anticorruption campaigns or future targeting of individuals or organizations. In the Marriott case, Chinese spies stole passport numbers for up to 327 million people many of whom stayed at Sheraton, Westin and W hotels and at other Starwood-branded properties. But Marriott has not said if it would pay to replace those passports, an undertaking that would cost tens of billions of dollars. Instead, Connie Kim, a Marriott spokeswoman, said the hotel chain would cover the cost of replacement if fraud has taken place. That means the company would not cover the cost of having exposed private data to the Chinese intelligence agencies if they did not use it to conduct commercial transactions even though that is a breach of privacy and, perhaps, security. And even for those guests who did not have passport information on file with the hotels, their phone numbers, birth dates and itineraries remain vulnerable. That data, Lewis and others said, can be used to track which Chinese citizens visited the same city, or hotel, as a U.S. intelligence agent who was identified in data taken from the Office of Personnel Management or from American health insurers that document patients medical histories and Social Security numbers. The effort to amass Americans personal information so alarmed government officials that in 2016, the Obama administration threatened to block a $14 billion bid by Chinas Anbang Insurance Group Co. to acquire Starwood Hotel & Resorts Worldwide, according to one former official familiar with the work of the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, a secretive government body that reviews foreign acquisitions. Ultimately, the failed bid cleared the way later that year for Marriott Hotels to acquire Starwood for $13.6 billion, becoming the worlds largest hotel chain. As it turned out, it was too late: Starwoods data had already been stolen by Chinese state hackers, though the breach was not discovered until this past summer, and was disclosed by Marriott on Nov. 30. It is unclear that any kind of trade agreement reached with China by the Trump administration can address this kind of theft. The Chinese regard intrusions into hotel chain databases as a standard kind of espionage. So does the United States, which has often seized guest data from foreign hotels. Even the Office of Personnel Management hacking was viewed by U.S. intelligence officials with some admiration. If we had the opportunity to do the same thing, wed probably do it, James Clapper, former director of national intelligence, told Congress afterward. One thing is very clear to me, and it is that they are not going to stop this, Alperovitch said. This is what any nation-state intelligence agency would do. No nation-state is going to handcuff themselves and say, You cant do this, because they all engage in similar detection. Since 2012, analysts at the National Security Agency and its British counterpart, the GCHQ, have watched with growing alarm as sophisticated Chinese hackers, based in Tianjin, began switching targets from companies and government agencies in the defence, energy and aerospace sectors to organizations that housed troves of Americans personal information. At the time, one classified National Security Agency report noted that the hackers exact affiliation with Chinese government entities is not known, but their activities indicate a probable intelligence requirement feed from Chinas Ministry of State Security. Read more about: OTTAWAThe Canadian government has not warned Canadians against travelling to or within China, even as a second Canadian citizen appears to be in trouble in that country. A Canadian man, later identified by Global Affairs as Michael Spavor, contacted Canadian officials in Beijing to flag his concern over being questioned by Chinese authorities, but Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says Canada has since lost contact with that man. The latest development fuels an international furor that has erupted over Canadas arrest of a high-profile Chinese executive, Meng Wanzhou, at the behest of the Americans an extradition request that Freeland warned should not be politicized by the U.S. and has grown since Chinas apparent tit-for-tat detention this week of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing. In response to a reporters question Wednesday, Freeland acknowledged the Canadian government has been trying to reconnect with a second Canadian man whom she did not identify at the time. The government later confirmed the missing individual is Michael Spavor, a Canadian whose company brings tourists and hockey players into North Korea, and who helped arrange a visit there by former NBA player Dennis Rodman. During that trip, Spavor met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. We are aware that a Canadian citizen, Mr. Michael Spavor, is presently missing in China, said Global Affairs spokesperson Guillaume Berube. We are aware of a Canadian who got in touch with us because he was being asked questions by Chinese authorities, Freeland said. We have not been able to make contact with him since he let us know about this. We are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts. Freeland offered no further details at first, saying only that it is a personal situation and perhaps delicate, and she wanted to respect the individuals and his familys privacy, adding she had been in touch with the Canadians family. David Mulroney, a former ambassador to China, said Canada needs more facts but added: If indeed a second Canadian has been detained by the Chinese, we need to clearly advise Canadians of the increased risks associated with being in China. We need to call in the Chinese ambassador to deliver the very clear message that this is unacceptable and that all normal engagement with China will be put on hold unless and until this situation is rectified; and we need to drum up real support from like-minded allies, starting with the U.S. This will require blunt talk by the (prime minister) with President Trump, who, up to this point, has been entirely unhelpful. Read more: Opinion | My friend Michael Kovrig was arrested in China. Please, pay attention Huaweis Meng Wanzhou tears up as bail granted following arrest in Vancouver Vancouver judge in Huawei case wouldnt be swayed by huge international pressure, lawyers say The U.S. effort to extradite Meng in connection with an alleged fraud to do an end-run around sanctions against doing business with Iran took on a dramatically politicized overtone after U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would consider intervening in the move to have the Huawei executive extradited from Canada a request his government initiated months ago if it would help advance U.S. trade talks with China. Freeland fired a shot at Trump over those remarks though she did not mention him by name, saying it was up to Mengs lawyers now to decide whether they were pertinent in defending her against the extradition request. I think that it is incumbent on parties making an extradition request to be sure that an extradition request is about ensuring that justice is done, is about respecting the rule of law, and our extradition partners should not seek to politicize the extradition process or use it for ends other than the pursuit of justice and the rule of law, said Freeland. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had earlier brushed off Trumps extraordinary boast. Regardless of what goes on in other countries, Canada is and will always remain a country with the rule of law, Trudeau told reporters Wednesday, as alarm grew over Kovrigs arrest. China officially notified Canada of Kovrigs detention by a fax sent to the Canadian Embassy in Beijing in the early hours of Wednesday morning, eastern time. That would have been evening Wednesday in Beijing, two days after Kovrig was arrested Monday night. Canadian officials noted that Ottawa notified China of Mengs arrest the day it happened, and granted consular access that same day as well. However, the Chinese authorities have not said why Kovrig was arrested, what charges he faces, and have given no direct indication to Canada that the arrest was in retaliation for Canadas arrest of Meng, Freeland said. We are very personally concerned about Mr. Kovrig and we have expressed that concern to Chinese authorities, said Freeland, who did not describe the response of the Chinese ambassador in Ottawa to her concerns. The Chinese Embassy has not returned the Stars requests for comment. Subscribe to the Star to support political reporting and analysis from our award-winning journalists in Ottawa Kovrig was on special leave to work with a non-governmental organization in Hong Kong, does not have diplomatic status, yet is considered to still be an employee of the department. It adds another layer to the concern, admitted Freeland. She said the government has a special duty of care to its own employees, but it is agonizing when any Canadian is detained outside Canada. Canadian officials who briefed reporters said Mengs arrest provoked such a storm of anti-Canadian sentiment and protest on official Chinese state media, on social media channels and in emails to the Canadian embassy that Canada asked Beijing to beef up security around its embassy in the capital, and its consulate offices in Hong Kong, Chongqing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Still, the Canadian government has not raised the level of warning to Canadian travellers from a generalized caution. The current advice urges Canadians to exercise a high degree of caution in China and that is advice that Canadians should take seriously, said Freeland. Freeland and her officials said the government constantly reviews events and would adjust the caution if necessary. Canadas arrest of Meng on Dec. 1 triggered outrage in Beijing which demanded her immediate release and threatened Canada with grave consequences. China hauled in the Canadian ambassador to Beijing, John McCallum, on Saturday and the U.S. ambassador Terry Branstad on Sunday to protest the U.S. extradition request, calling her arrest lawless, reasonless and ruthless, and it is extremely vicious. On his way into a national caucus meeting, Trudeau said Kovrigs detention is obviously an issue were taking very seriously and is ongoing. Lu Kang, a spokesman for Chinas Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig works as a Hong Kong-based analyst, is not registered in China and its activities in the country are illegal, and repeated Beijings demand: Our request is very clear, that is, the Canadian side should immediately release the detained Ms. Meng Wanzhou and to protect her legitimate rights and interests. Meng was released on strict bail conditions Tuesday while she awaits a formal extradition hearing in Canadian courts in the months ahead. The U.S. has two months to present its case to Canadian prosecutors who then have another month to decide whether it should bring the U.S. case to an extradition hearing before a B.C. Superior Court judge. Freeland confirmed Kovrigs detention came at the hands of the Beijing Bureau of State Security, while the Chinese news agency Beijing News reported he was arrested for violating national security, a much more serious charge than working for an illegally registered group. But Kovrigs employer, the International Crisis Group, denied he was engaged in anything other than above-board research and reporting, and moved decisively to put distance between Kovrig and his past work as a Canadian diplomatic employee. It said Kovrig has been a full-time and highly respected expert for Crisis Group since February 2017. Though a former Canadian diplomat, he no longer works for the Canadian government and is employed solely by Crisis Group. ICG says it is concerned for his health and safety. In an email to the Star, ICG spokesperson Karim Lebhour said Chinas allegation that the organization was in violation of registration laws is the first time we hear such an accusation from the Chinese authorities in a decade of working with China. He said ICG originally opened its office in China in 2007 after consultations with the Foreign Ministry. We closed our Beijing operations in December 2016 because of the new Chinese NGO law and have been trying to formalize our status since then. Michael Kovrig has been working from Hong Kong, which is not subject to the same law, Lebhour wrote. Michael regularly visits Beijing to meet officials, attend conferences at the invitation of Chinese organizations, and on personal visits. He frequently appears on Chinese television and other media to comment on regional issues. ICG describes itself as an independent organization that conducts field research and offers policy recommendations to help end deadly conflicts worldwide. It noted that its board of trustees included prominent figures from the highest levels of government, business and philanthropic institutions from more than 30 countries, two of whom are Chinese: Hu Shuli, founder and publisher of Caixin Media, and Wang Jisi, president of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies at Peking University. In a written statement Wednesday, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said it would be inappropriate for her to comment on the Meng case since the decision whether to surrender Meng to the U.S. would ultimately fall to her if the B.C. Superior Court finds the extradition request is in order. Justice officials said Canada and the U.S. have agreed to U.S. requests more than 90 per cent of the time. Yet if the requesting state in this case the U.S. drops its request, the case is over, and Meng would go free. Although Canada has been repeating over and over the Meng case is now locked into an independent legal and judicial process with no political interference, experts say it has inevitable political ramifications. The justice minister has broad discretion to accept or refuse the U.S. extradition request, and must disclose to Mengs defence team whatever consultations she undertakes, including with cabinet colleagues. Prof. Rob Currie with the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University said extradition is a weird mixture of law and politics because the justice minister can take Canadas foreign relations into account. It is a decision that is based on a legal framework, but its a decision that is allowed and expected to take into account Canadas international commitments, international comity (good relations), our relations with other states and the frameworks of cooperation we operate under in terms of fighting transnational crime, he said. But the law allows Canada to turn down any request if it is seen as a bid to prosecute a political offence. The minister may, if she wishes, refuse to extradite if she feels that the prosecution in the requesting state is politicized or if its a political crime like treason or espionage, he said in an interview. It would be unheard of for the minister to say a prosecution on the part of our good friends the Americans was politicized and refuse extradition on that basis. That would be like punching Trump himself in the nose. Wilson-Rayboulds surrender decision could also be appealed to the B.C. Court of Appeal and ultimately to the Supreme Court of Canada, meaning this international controversy is far from over. Read more about: Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservatives are attacking interim OPP Commissioner Brad Blair for formally complaining to the Ontario ombudsman about the controversial hiring of Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner. But NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is urging Taverner, who is to be sworn in Monday as Ontario Provincial Police commissioner, to temporarily stand down. Horwath on Wednesday called upon the RCMP to probe Blairs allegations of political interference by Doug Ford and the premiers offices apparent desire to have taxpayers buy a customized pimped-out ride for Ford. Despite the political heat, Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones said the Conservatives are sticking with Taverner, 72, a long-time Ford pal. We are not going to comment on Mr. Blairs motivations for using the office he holds to raise these issues. We will explore the appropriate venue to review the content of a letter that we fully and completely dispute, Jones said in a statement. The government stands by the process leading to the appointment of Mr. Taverner as the next commissioner of the OPP, the minister said. Mr. Taverner has more than 50 years of exemplary police service. It is unfortunate that this service has been unfairly maligned by unfounded allegations about the appointment process, she said. We would respect any decision made by the ombudsman about an inquiry into this matter and would co-operate with any such review. Jones 10:15 a.m. statement was the first government comment after more than 14 hours of silence from Fords embattled administration. The premier himself ducked reporters after a speech to the Toronto Global Forum at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and was holed up in his Queens Park office for most of the day. In a text to the Toronto Sun, Ford dismissed Blairs complaint as sour grapes. Horwarth, calling Jones statement shameful and disgusting, implored him to come clean with Ontarians. Premier, youve got to fess up, she said. Read more: OPP interim commissioner asks ombudsman to review Taverners appointment over potential political interference Close adviser to Premier Doug Ford had real estate deal with future OPP commissioner Ron Taverner Ford says he did not influence the decision to name close friend Ron Taverner as head of the OPP Alleging potential political interference in Taverners appointment, Blair filed a complaint late Tuesday requesting that Ontarios ombudsman, Paul Dube, probe the hiring of his successor. Dubes office declined to comment on the status of the complaint. An ombudsmans report could not thwart Taverners appointment but could prove politically embarrassing to the government. The 51-year veteran Toronto police superintendent was a surprise choice to helm the OPP. He had never applied for a job at the provincial force before. Blair wants Taverners installation to be delayed pending a review of the appointment. The 32-year OPP veteran and the only deputy commissioner to apply for the top job also makes serious allegations against Fords chief of staff, Dean French, in his submission to Dube. He alleges French specifically requested that the OPP purchase a large camper type vehicle that could be modified to certain specifications and that the request be kept off the books. The RV was to be customized to the premiers specifications with the work done by a company allegedly chosen by Fords top aide via a sole source contract. Blairs letter maintained that asking for monies spent to be hidden from the public record is a violation of the Ontario governments financial policies. The premiers office has not responded to numerous requests from the Star over the past two days seeking comment about those specific allegations. Subscribe to the Star for reporting and analysis on world news that matters to Canadians Liberal MPP Marie-France Lalonde, solicitor general until the Liberals lose the June 7 election, said she was stunned at the alleged demand for a vehicle. Honestly? Wow, said Lalonde (Orleans), adding the appearance of collusion is significantly important. Blairs letter says Taverners appointment raises a legitimate question as to whether the OPPs integrity has been compromised and whether the public can have confidence in and respect for the OPP going forward. The acting commissioners lawyer said Blair came forward with the explosive complaint amidst a growing sea of controversy. Julian Falconer said the officer spoke out because of his belief the OPP is an organization whose credibility is worth protecting. Blair, who was appointed to his post by the Conservative government via an October order in council, knows his decision to question the hiring process of his successor means he will now be under no minor light of scrutiny, the lawyer said. In his letter, he states he was viewed by members of the OPP as a front-runner candidate for the full-time post. He maintains the decision to name Taverner as commissioner was made prior to the Nov. 29 cabinet meeting where the government has claimed it was reached; that the job posting was changed without convincing justification; and that the hiring panel had questionable authority. Blairs letter come after another former OPP commissioner, Chris Lewis, voiced his concerns about Taverners hiring, telling CP24 that the fix was in. His complaint is not the first formal one to be levelled in the Taverner affair. Integrity Commissioner David Wakes office said a request for a probe into the Taverner appointment has been filed. I can confirm that a request has been made by MPP Kevin Yarde and it is under review by this office. The office will have no further comment on the matter, said Wakes spokesperson Michelle Renaud, referring to the Brampton North NDP MPPs letter to the office. After an event to mark the 100th anniversary of the Prince Edward Viaduct, Mayor John Tory was asked by reporters about the controversy swirling around Taverner. Tory praised the superintendents decades of service to Toronto as an excellent police officer, but welcomed a review of the process which led to Fords cabinet choosing him to become OPP commissioner. I always think that if there are questions that rise in these kinds of appointment processes it is best in the interests of confidence in police and confidence in the overall process that those things should be looked into so the public can see there is either a reason to be concerned or there isnt. With files from David Rider and Rob Ferguson Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Wendy Gillis is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and policing. Reach her by email at wgillis@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @wendygillis John Tory is tapping veteran city council allies for key posts in his second term as Toronto mayor, the Star has learned. A source familiar with the mayors choices for the new cut-down council, to be made public Wednesday, acknowledged they include many of the suburban allies who supported Tory in his first term, but noted key roles for a couple of downtown progressives. Tory will recommend Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 15 Don Valley West), who supported him on the Gardiner Expressway, Vision Zero and more as public works chair last term, become TTC chair. Tory will name, as chairs of councils four main standing committees: Ana Bailao (Ward 9 Davenport) for planning and housing; Michael Thompson (Ward 21 Scarborough Centre) for economic and community development; James Pasternak (Ward 6 York Centre) for infrastructure and environment; and Paul Ainslie (Ward 24 Scarborough-Guildwood) for general government and licensing. Of them only Bailao was not a committee chair last term but she held a prominent role as councils housing advocate. Thompson and Ainslie head committees that include elements of their old ones, several of which were merged after Premier Doug Ford forced the cut from 44 to 25 councillors. Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong will return as statutory deputy mayor, empowered to act as mayor in Torys absence. Tory will bestow ceremonial title on three other deputy mayors Bailao representing the city core with a focus on housing; Thompson representing east Toronto with a focus on jobs; and Stephen Holyday (Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre) from the west returning as a deputy mayor, with a focus on modernization and governance. Councillor Gary Crawford (Ward 20 Scarborough Southwest) remains budget chief. Hell grapple with news that revenues from the land transfer tax, which has helped keep Torontos budget afloat for years, have slowed and will miss this years council-approved target by almost $100 million. Tory has pledged to keep property tax hikes at or below inflation, amid calls for bigger increases to help pay for improved city services. Crawford, Robinson and the four standing committee chairs will join Tory on his executive committee along with member at large Councillor Frances Nunziata (Ward 5 York-South Weston), who is city council speaker. Executive committee, which often shapes initiatives before they get to city council, is slimmed down to eight members from 13 last term. Like last term, none of the standing committee chairs are from the downtown core. Bailao is the lone member of the Toronto-East York community council on executive. Tory will, however, recommend council name downtown progressive Joe Cressy (Ward 10-Spadina Fort York) as his designate on the board of Waterfront Toronto, the city-provincial-federal agency overseeing a massive redevelopment of the east downtown Port Lands, plus negotiations with Manhattan-based Sidewalk Labs on the proposed Quayside high-tech test neighbourhood. Fords government recently fired three provincial appointees to the board, and is expected to soon fill them, plus a fourth spot left vacant by a summer resignation, with like-minded Progressive Conservatives. Four federal appointees and three city citizen appointees fill out the 12-member Waterfront Toronto board. Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth) will be Torys designate on the board of CreateTO, the citys new real estate agency established to manage Torontos vast land holdings and to develop specific site and buildings. The agency is expected to be key to Torys re-election campaign promise to create 40,000 affordable housing units over 12 years. Tory will reveal picks for other posts, including seats on the police services board, Wednesday. A year ago, in a year-end interview, Tory told the Star that if elected for a second term he would listen more to progressive councillors from the citys core. During the election, however, he said progressive rival Jennifer Keesmaat was supported by radical members of city councils left wing. There is in fact no significant shift from that term to this term in terms of top posts. The source, who was not authorized to publicly discuss Torys picks, said the mayor worked hard to ensure all four main committees got representatives from all four community councils, and that more than 90 per cent of council members got their first or second choices of committees. Tory is is relying on many of the councillors who helped him deliver his agenda over the last four years, the source said, but is open to working with councillors outside his conservative camp who he believes he can work with on parts of agenda that voters across the city elected him to advance. David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering Toronto politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider Read more about: Toronto police have arrested a suspect in a fatal shooting in Scarborough that was the scene of a record-setting homicide in November. Emergency services responded to reports of multiple gunshots at the West Hill Apartments near Lawrence Ave. E. and Kingston Rd. on Nov. 18 and found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Cardinal Licorish, 23, of Ajax was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting was the citys 90th homicide of 2018, breaking a record set in 1991. Police arrested a 17-year-old boy on Tuesday and charged him with second degree murder. As a minor, he cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Investigators are still looking for a second suspect. Raheem Moseley, an 18-year-old male from Toronto, is described by police as six feet, 130 pounds and light skinned. Police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators at 416-808-7400 or anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477). Read more: The 92 victims of Torontos record year in homicide Every Toronto homicide in the past 15 years mapped The provincial government has pulled the plug on arbitration with the Ontario Medical Association, stating it has lost confidence in the organizations ability to represent its members after some high-paid specialists voted to break away. But the OMA still plans to participate in the process and argues that provincial law allows for arbitration to continue, even if one side pulls out. The OMA charges that the government is violating a legal agreement for a binding arbitration framework that the two parties signed off on last year. The majority of OMA members also voted in favour of the process. The development is the latest snag in what has been a tumultuous, almost five-year dispute aimed at achieving a new fee contract. It comes two weeks after a group of high-billing specialists faced with the prospect of fee cuts voted to split from the OMA. The group, which calls itself the Ontario Specialists Association (OSA), wrote to Health Minister Christine Elliott on Nov. 30 and requested that the arbitration process, as it relates to them, be immediately suspended pending the extraction of the OSA specialist groups. The letter, a copy of which has been obtained by the Star, is signed by radiologist Dr. David Jacobs, who has spearheaded the split. He is the vice-president of the Ontario Association of Radiologists and an outspoken supporter of Premier Doug Ford. The governments negotiating team sent a letter to arbitrator William Kaplan on Monday evening, saying it lacks confidence that the OMA can deliver on the outcome of any arbitration decision. The letter, which has also been obtained by the Star, goes on to say: Consequently, the (health ministry) cannot agree to the continuation of the arbitration proceeding. But a subsequent letter to Kaplan, this one from the OMA, quotes the Arbitration Act, which states that arbitration must continue, even if one party fails to appear, unless a satisfactory explanation is provided. It is our position that the hearings must proceed as scheduled, states the letter signed by lawyers Howard Goldblatt and Steven Barrett, who represent the OMA in the proceedings. The (governments) suggestion that it can unilaterally discontinue these proceedings is unprecedented (and) an affront to the rule of law which insists the government is not above the law, and must comply with its legal and contractual commitments, it reads. The letter goes on to argue that the arbitrator should not take heed of the governments unfounded and totally erroneous suggestion that the OMA is unable to deliver on the outcome of an arbitration decision. The letter finishes with: We assume that the (government) and its council is aware of the potential consequences of their non-attendance. Its unclear what those consequences would be. Press secretaries for Ford and Elliott did not respond to numerous questions contained in emails from the Star on Tuesday. For more than a week, the Star has been asking the government if it will recognize the breakaway specialist group. All the government would say was that it was seeking legal advice. Late Tuesday, the leadership of the OMA emailed a statement to the organizations 31,000 practising members, calling the governments move shocking and charging that it is trying to undermine the OMAs legal right to represent Ontarios doctors. Election promises by the premier included fair treatment of doctors. Ending the arbitration process does not serve the interests of doctors or the 13.7 million patients we serve, reads the statement, which is signed by OMA president Dr. Nadia Alam, board chair Dr. Tim Nicholas and CEO Allan ODette. We know this will be upsetting to members but we are moving quickly to manage the situation, it continues, noting that the OMA board and its legal counsel plan to discuss next steps on Wednesday. In the flurry of back and forth letters, Craig Rix, a lawyer representing the government, wrote to the OMA on Tuesday to say the province wants to have a broader dialogue with doctors to address representation and compensation issues and will be in touch in the new year. It says the specialists who voted to separate from the OMA represent 10 per cent of all doctors and approximately 17 per cent of billings. Golblatt and Hicks wrote back, disputing the results of the vote as many others have and charging that less than 5 per cent of the profession voted in favour of splitting from the OMA. The stakes are high in the dispute. The government pays doctors more than $12 billion dollars, or 10 per cent of the entire provincial budget. Achieving a new contract is also important because it has a huge impact on how services are delivered. Arbitration hearings started prior to Junes election. They were already called off once, within days of the Conservatives victory, because the new government wanted to try to reach a negotiated settlement. But talks between the new government and OMA broke down in early October, prompting the dispute to go back to arbitration. Arbitration hearings were set to resume on Saturday and wrap up before Christmas. Read more: OMA turns to Supreme Court to stop release of names of highest paid MDs Opinion | The Ontario Medical Association doesnt need more chaos OMA clarifies plans for legal fight to keep top-billing doctors names secret Read more about: Premier Doug Fords government has the legal authority to unilaterally take over the TTC subway system without offering the city as much as a cent in compensation, according to a confidential council report. The four-page document written by the citys legal department and obtained by the Star is a confidential attachment to a public report released Monday on the provinces plan to take ownership of the subway network. The confidential legal opinion provides advice to councillors ahead of a key council vote on the proposal expected Thursday. The legal opinion lays out in stark terms how few options the municipal government likely has to prevent the province from taking control of the subway on terms dictated almost entirely by Queens Park. The province can by legislation take over ownership of subway assets, including real property and other assets, and can do so without compensation to the City of Toronto or the TTC if the legislation expressly provides that no compensation shall be payable, the report reads. While generally no entity in Ontario can take property from another without providing some kind of compensation, according to city staff the provincial government has the jurisdiction to legislate property rights in the province and it could enact legislation that explicitly removes the city and/or the TTCs right to compensation for subway lands, fixed assets, and chattels. The province could also pass a law that would compensate the city for its subway assets at a level below market value or otherwise in an amount considered to be inadequate by the city, the report states. Read more: Opinion | Uploading TTC subway system to the province a cause for concern Council should strike new transit funding agreement as part of upload talks, city manager says Advocacy group led by former mayor John Sewell calls on city to fight subway upload plan Legal staff speculate that by assuming responsibility for subway maintenance or other costs currently paid by the city as part of the upload, the Progressive Conservative government could argue it had provided fair compensation for Torontos rail assets. The report warns that the province could even leave Toronto saddled with the debt the city has accrued in the course of funding the subway network it has owned for decades. Thats because debt issued by the city to finance subway capital costs are general obligation debentures, and are not secured by the subway asset. Accordingly, the transfer of the asset does not affect the debt, the report says. City legal staff say that by law the province could even completely dissolve the TTC. Only the federal government could put a check on provincial authority over the subway system, according to the opinion. Under the Constitution Act, the federal government could theoretically claim jurisdiction over the subway system by declaring it to be a public work for the general advantage of Canada. Subscribe to the Star to support deep local reporting Historically, the federal government has most frequently used this power to assume control over railways. The Toronto subway system could be seen to be analogous to a railway due to its importance in keeping the countrys largest economic region running, the report states. However, the city would have no ability to compel Ottawa to step in, and the Canadian government assuming jurisdiction of the subway would likely subject it to federal regulations, a change that would have uncertain implications for the transit system. At its meeting Thursday, council is expected to vote on whether to authorize city manager Chris Murray to begin talks with the Ford government about the upload, including entering into an information-sharing agreement to provide details about the subway that could help facilitate a provincial takeover. Ontario Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek wants written commitment from Mayor John Tory by Thursday that the city will participate in the information-sharing arrangement. In the public report released Monday, Murray recommended the city engage with the province in order to better understand its goals and ensure the province understands the citys key interests and objectives. Tory has said he will support engaging with the province, arguing that with Queens Park wielding so much legislative power, the only chance the city has to preserve its interests is to have a voice at the table. He has said he wants more information about what the province is planning but that any upload scheme must be beneficial for the city, transit riders and TTC workers. Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 12, TorontoSt. Pauls), who opposes the upload, wouldnt comment on the confidential report. But he said the city likely has little choice but to engage with the province. He argued that doesnt mean the city should capitulate to any provincial plan that would disadvantage Toronto residents and transit users. I support in principle being at the table to discuss transit with the province given that they have an enormous amount of power over us, and we cant deny that reality, he said. I dont believe the city should go to the table and just say, hey, how can we help you screw us? The Ontario PCs have argued that the upload would be beneficial for the regions transit system because the province is best equipped to efficiently finance new lines and create a seamless network across municipal boundaries. The party says that while Queens Park would take ownership of the subway, the TTC would be responsible for operations and the city would still collect fare revenue. Transit advocates, the TTCs largest union and some councillors vigorously oppose the proposal, warning the PCs would privatize work on the subway, sell off its assets, and extend lines to the partys political base in the GTA suburbs at the expense of building the badly needed Relief Line. With files from David Rider. Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr Read more about: The current head of the Ontario Provincial Police is seeking a review of potential political interference in the appointment of Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner as incoming commissioner, filing a complaint late Tuesday requesting that Ontarios ombudsman probe the hiring of his successor. The 11th-hour move by interim commissioner Brad Blair is the latest development in a roiling controversy over the appointment, and comes less than a week before Taverner, 72, a close friend of the Ford family, is scheduled to be sworn in as top cop of one of the largest police services in North America. In a lengthy letter to Ontario ombudsman Paul Dube, Blair asks for Taverners installation to be delayed pending a review of the appointment and makes serious allegations against the Ford government. That includes the claim that a staffer on Premier Doug Fords team specifically requested that the OPP purchase a large camper type vehicle that could be modified to certain specifications and that the request be kept off the books. Fords officials did not return repeated messages from the Star before 10 p.m., but senior Conservative insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations, expressed concern over Blairs allegations. Blairs letter sounds the alarm about various aspects of Taverners appointment, saying the allegations in the letter raise a legitimate question as to whether the OPPs integrity has been compromised and whether the public can have confidence in and respect for the OPP going forward. Julian Falconer, the Toronto lawyer representing the current OPP head, said Blair decided to come forward with the bombshell complaint within the last week, amidst a growing sea of controversy. The veteran officer, who has been with the OPP for 32 years, felt compelled to speak out by a belief that the (OPP) is an organization whose credibility is worth protecting. He knows his decision to question the hiring process of his successor means he will now be under no minor light of scrutiny, Falconer said. OPP interim commissioner asks ombudsman to review Taverners appointment over potential political interference View document on Scribd Blair was named interim commissioner by the Progressive Conservative government, via an October order in council, and he also applied for the chief commissioner posting. In the letter, he states he was viewed by members of the OPP as a front-runner candidate. Read more: How Ron Taverners resume compares with the last four OPP commissioners Close adviser to Premier Doug Ford had real estate deal with future OPP commissioner Ron Taverner No concerns about hiring of Ron Taverner to head the OPP, says Ontario Safety Minister Sylvia Jones The letter claims the decision to name Taverner as commissioner was made prior to a Wednesday cabinet meeting where the decision was said to have been made; that the job posting was changed without convincing justification, and that the hiring panel had questionable authority and the interview panel members changed at the last minute. It also makes serious allegations about requests made by Ford when he came into office that a concerning history already exists between Premier Fords office and the OPP. According to the letter, that includes asking for specific police officers to be in his security detail ones that Ford would feel comfortable with. Blair goes on to claim that Ford requested a face-to-face meeting over the issue, and said that if then-commissioner Vince Hawkes would not address the issue, perhaps a new commissioner would. Ultimately, the premiers request was approved and implemented by the OPP, according to the letter. The letter also claims that a Ford staffer specifically requested that the OPP purchase a large camper type vehicle and have it modified to the specifications the premiers office would provide us. According to the letter, there was a request that these costs be kept off the books. Such a request, asking for monies spent to be hidden from the public record is at minimum a violation of the Ontario governments financial policies, the letter said. Blair also claims he met with Taverner in a Swiss Chalet on Dec. 2 to discuss the transition. He claims Taverner told him that on Nov. 20, following his final interview for the job, he ran into a reporter, who accused him of having just left Fords office. Supt. Taverner informed me that he asked the reporter to hold off on any story in exchange for providing this reporter with a first interview in the near future, according to the letter. Blairs letter goes on to say that he does not know who that reporter is, but named a specific journalist who was believed to have done a recent interview with Taverner. A spokesperson for that news organization told the Star Tuesday night that the allegation was false. Subscribe to the Star to support deep local reporting In the letter, Blair says OPP members have shared with me their concerns that the process was unfair and their feeling that the independence of the OPP is now called into question. The officers know the consequences to come: if the police are to command public confidence and active co-operation, they must have unfettered confidence of the people of Ontario. That is, the concern of political interference runs counter not only to the principles of a democratic society but also to fully effective policing, Blair writes in his letter. In the wake of controversy over the governments appointment of Taverner as commissioner, Ford has admitted he did not recuse himself from cabinet when Taverner was approved but said he had zero influence over the decision. Ford has insisted there was no better choice than his family friend, but he maintained that he didnt know that decision until the day it was made. A transparent choice, by the way, that I wasnt involved in whatsoever, the premier said last Wednesday, stressing that morale is low at the OPP and Taverner will boost the forces esprit de corps. Taverner, who has 51 years with the Toronto Police Service, is a long-time unit commander in charge of Etobicoke divisions. Taverner was also close to the premiers late brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, and was often at Ford family barbecues and had informal breakfast meetings with both Rob and Doug Ford. Critics within government have raised concerns about the Ford family relationship with Taverner, chief among them the fact that it is the OPP that is often tasked with investigations involving the government. He succeeds Hawkes, 56, who retired earlier this year. Taverner was unanimously selected by a panel that included Steve Orsini, head of the Ontario Public Service, and newly appointed deputy minister Mario Di Tommaso, who is a former Toronto police officer and Taverners former boss. In a recent TV interview, Taverner said he had never before sought an OPP job before he applied to be commissioner. Blairs concerns come after another former OPP commissioner, Chris Lewis, voiced his concerns about Taverners hiring, telling CP24 that the fix was in. Theres old relationships there, we all know it, and I think it was a travesty that this occurred I dont think its good for the OPP and I dont think it was a good decision on the part of government whatsoever. Blairs complaint is not the first formal concern to be raised about Taverners hiring. At Queens Park, Ontario Integrity Commissioner David Wakes office said a formal request for a probe into the Taverner appointment has been filed. I can confirm that a request has been made by MPP Kevin Yarde and it is under review by this office. The office will have no further comment on the matter, said Wakes spokesperson Michelle Renaud, referring to the Brampton North NDP MPPs letter to the office. Renaud could not say whether the premiers office had been in contact with Wake prior to Taverners hiring to ensure there was no conflict of interest. Under the Members Integrity Act communication between the integrity commissioner and a member of the legislative assembly is confidential, she said. The controversial appointment dominated the legislatures daily question period last week before MPPs rose Thursday for the Christmas break. As iPolitics revealed earlier this month, the job posting for the OPP commissioner job was quietly modified in October, changing the criteria to allow applications from the superintendent level two ranks below the initial qualification of deputy chief or assistant commissioner. Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Sylvia Jones said the three-person hiring panel was independent. I have no concerns about the hiring process, Jones said last week. I think the independent process did what it was supposed to do. We have an excellent candidate and I think when Mr. Taverner is in place Dec. 17 we will find a revitalized OPP. Di Tommaso, her deputy, was Taverners former boss at Toronto police, but in the new position reports to Orsini, secretary of cabinet. So I dont think theres any conflict there, the minister said. Last week, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, interim Liberal Leader John Fraser, and Democracy Watch asked integrity commissioner Wake to probe any potential conflict of interest in the appointment, with Horwath saying people deserve to know exactly what the premiers role is. Where theres smoke, theres fire, and it really looks like this process was put together to favour Mr. Taverner and I think thats inappropriate, she said. Its very reasonable to suspect that there was political interference. I think reasonable people would say somethings fishy, said Fraser. Democracy Watch also wrote to the integrity commissioner. If Premier Ford participated in any step of the process that led to his friend Mr. Taverner being appointed OPP commissioner, then he violated the provinces government ethics law, and thats why the integrity commissioner needs to investigate, said the groups co-founder Duff Conacher. Taverner made $178,968 last year while the OPP commissioner made $275,907 representing an annual raise of almost $100,000. In 2016, Taverner accompanied Doug Ford and Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders on a private plane to Chicago to take in a Blackhawks game, part of a prize package purchased at a charity auction. Sal Badali of Odgers Berndtson, the headhunting agency that supported the OPP commissioners hiring selection process, told iPolitics that eliminating the rank requirement was done to broaden the potential pool of applicants. It turned out that over half the pool of applicants were not at the deputy chief level. The OPP is one of the largest police services in North America, with more than 6,000 uniformed officers and 2,400 civilian employees. With files from May Warren Wendy Gillis is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and policing. Reach her by email at wgillis@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @wendygillis Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: WATERLOO REGIONFrom accepting her Nobel Prize in physics to delivering her Nobel lecture and dining with Swedish royalty, physicist Donna Strickland has had an incredible week. The University of Waterloo professor is the third woman in history to be awarded the prize in physics, which she formally accepted from the king of Sweden, Carl XV1 Gustaf, in Stockholm on Monday. On a conference call from Sweden with Canadian media on Tuesday, Strickland offered a few details of her trip, which included being escorted into the Nobel banquet by the king, who she was seated next to for dinner. I think getting to meet the Royal Family was an unbelievable treat, I mean very few people get the opportunity, she said, adding she and the king were first to walk into the banquet. My sister said that almost brought her to tears because she had no idea that would happen, that I would be first in the procession like that, said Strickland. The 59-year-old physicist also spoke of her own royal treatment since arriving at an airport in Sweden on Dec. 5. Very surreal, she said. I was whisked off in a limousine here to the Grand Hotel, which is a magnificent five-star hotel that I get to stay at and I have an attache from the foreign service, who happened to be Canadian both Swedish and Canadian, she said. She asked for me to be the person that (she) was the attache to and she looks after me ... telling me where to go, (where) to be, how to dress. On the day of the Nobel Prize ceremony, Stricklands attache helped save the day when Strickland and her husband forgot the tickets to the award ceremony. That was a little bit of a kerfuffle, just to try to get into the prize ceremony, but luckily the attache looked after it and we got in, and luckily we both had our passports with us, she said. Once people start looking after you, I quit thinking about any detail. With the attaches help, Strickland made it into the Stockholm Concert Hall with her husband. She was also allowed to bring 14 guests of her choosing. I obviously brought my spouse and then I brought my son and daughter and my sister and brother, said Strickland. She also invited along two people who helped her develop chirped pulse amplification (CPA) in the 1980s the high intensity, short-pulsed laser she and physicist Gerard Mourou were awarded the Nobel for. One of those people was Steve Williamson, a person Strickland had spoken about just after learning she won the prize in October. At the time she told the Record that she had put Williamsons name on the Nobel-prize winning CPA paper in the 1980s, but he had taken his name off the paper as he didnt feel he did enough. Stricklands other guests of honour came from the institutions where she has used CPA, including University of Waterloo and the University of Rochester, N.Y. where she developed the laser with Mourou. She also brought along a representative from the Optical Society, of which she is a member and served as a past president. As part of her week, she delivered a Nobel lecture about her prizewinning research. She will again present this lecture at the University of Waterloo in January. She said she had one key message in her lecture: Science first needs to be done for the sake of science, she said, explaining that she and her fellow researchers didnt start developing CPA thinking about what the potential applications of the laser would be in the future. The technology is now used in corrective laser eye surgery. We only had in mind that we knew that nobody understood if light got this much more intense, how it would react, she said. Its because we learned how it reacted in this new way that we could come up with these applications down the road. While the past week has been exceptionally surreal for the down-to-earth Strickland, her whole life has been altered dramatically since being announced a prize winner on Oct. 2. Obviously, its changed a lot for me, she said. Everybody all around me is so excited, whether its my immediate family excited to be with me ... to my friends, to every person I meet practically wants to have a selfie with me; its an unusual thing. Strickland will be in Sweden until Dec. 16. Then she plans to enjoy her Christmas break before getting back into the demands of being a Nobel laureate. After my Christmas break, then I start going and giving these talks to both science conferences, as well as universities, she said. Im booking into 2020 now. And she still plans to teach at least half of her lasers course at the University of Waterloo in the new year. I have to tell you, the enrolment has doubled what it used to be, she said. Read more about: Toronto police have released a photo of a suspect after a reported gun sighting caused three high schools in Bloor West Village to go on lockdown last Thursday. The lockdown at Western Technical-Commercial School, Ursula Franklin Academy and The Student School, which went on for five hours, started after police received a call in the morning that an armed man had been spotted inside the building. He also threatened a student, police alleged in a news release Wednesday. Police said last week that the suspect was a former student of Western Tech, police said. Joshua Hastings, 18, is wanted for unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a dangerous weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, uttering death threats, mischief interfering with property and three counts of failing to comply with recognizance. He is likely armed and dangerous, police said. Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact police at 416-808-1100 or anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477). The young Russian operative called her strategy the Diplomacy Project, an elaborate, multiyear scheme to infiltrate the conservative movement in the United States in hopes of cementing bonds to benefit the Kremlin. Maria Butina laid out the proposal in March 2015 and then pursued her plan over the next two years, travelling to conferences to schmooze Republican presidential candidates. She established close ties to top officials in the National Rifle Association. She hosted friendship dinners with wealthy Americans. And she organized a Russian delegation to attend the influential National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Much of Butinas work has been reported over the past year as part of a broader campaign by Moscow to influence U.S. elections but new details are included in documents obtained by The Washington Post that will be filed in court Thursday, when Butina is expected to admit for the first time that her activities were part of a concerted endeavour, coordinated with a top Russian official with the express intent of establishing unofficial lines of communication with Americans who could influence U.S. politics. The documents show Butina plans to admit she worked at the direction of a former senator who was deputy governor of the Russian central bank. That description matches Alexander Torshin, who was sanctioned by the U.S. government earlier this year and resigned his bank position in November. Butina is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington, not Special Counsel Robert Mueller. But with a plea, she will become the first Russian national convicted of working to influence U.S. policy around the time of the 2016 election. Butinas plea will not be final until it is entered in court and accepted by a judge. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning. Read more: Alleged Russian agent Maria Butina poised to plead guilty in case involving suspected Kremlin attempts to influence NRA Judge orders accused Russian agent Maria Butina to remain in jail, says shes flight risk Pro-gun advocate arrested, charged with acting as covert Russian agent in U.S. Details of Butinas plea agreement, signed Saturday, were first reported by ABC News. Butina will agree she briefed Torshin on her effort to pierce the conservative movement from her start in 2015 to her continuing activity as she moved to Washington to enroll as a graduate student at American University in 2016. She at times asked whether the Russian government would be ready to meet her contacts. Torshin, in turn, consulted about her work with his superiors at the government-run bank and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, prosecutors said. Steven Hall, who managed Russian operations at the CIA for 30 years, says the Butina case shows the lengths to which the Russians will go to influence and divide the U.S. Butina did not appear to engage in traditional espionage, he said, but instead employed a range of more informal tools to advanced Russian interests. Butina is not a staff officer of any Russian military or intelligence agency. But she is someone the government chose to use as they sought different ways to attack the U.S. social and political system, he said. Butina, 30, is expected to tell a federal judge she worked hand-in-hand with an American Republican operative in her attempts to advance Russian interests, including in drafting the Description of the Diplomacy Project in 2015 that launched her. He has been previously identified as Paul Erickson, a South Dakota consultant active in Republican causes for years and who managed the 1992 presidential campaign of conservative pundit Pat Buchanan. Butina and Erickson have been romantically involved since they met while Erickson was visiting Moscow in 2013, her lawyer has said. People familiar with the case have said Erickson earlier this year received a letter from federal prosecutors informing him he was also considered a target of their investigation, a letter first reported by the Daily Beast. He did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Butinas work came against the backdrop of what the U.S. intelligence community has said was a sweeping Russian government effort to help Donald Trump win the presidency, including by hacking and distributing emails stolen from Democrats. The charge to which Butina is set to plea requires foreigners working for their government to register with the U.S. Justice Department and it has been used in the past to prosecute foreign intelligence officers. There is no suggestion in the documents that Butina was employed by the Russian intelligence services, but violations of the law are considered more serious than a separate law that requires registration by paid lobbyists for foreign entities. Butina crossed paths with Trump, including in July 2015, when she asked the newly declared Republican candidate about Russia and sanctions at a public event in Las Vegas. We get along with Putin, Trump told Butina, referring to the Russian president. I dont think youd need the sanctions. Erickson also tried to get Trump to meet Torshin when both attended the NRAs convention in May 2016, referring to Torshin as as Putins emissary in an email to a campaign official. The campaign declined a meeting, but documents provided to Congress show Butina and Torshin met briefly during the event with Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son. Butina has been jailed since her arrest in July and in her plea agreement, agrees to remain behind bars until her sentencing. However, in exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop a second charge of acting as a foreign agent, the documents show. A judge will determine her sentence but the deal means she could be released from jail and deported to Russia in coming months. In Russia, where government leaders have insisted Butina was wrongly accused, word of her deal was greeted with questions about whether she was switching sides. This woman risks 15 years in jail. And for what? Putin asked at a meeting of the Presidential Council of Human Rights in Moscow on Tuesday. I asked all the heads of our intelligence services what is happening, who is she? No one knows a thing about her. Her father, Valery Butin, told a pro-Kremlin newspaper that she had not committed anything. The only thing she might agree with is that she should have registered as a foreign agent, he said. In the Diplomacy Project, Butina suggested using unofficial channels to influence U.S. foreign policy because the U.S. government had grown too unwilling to compromise. In particular, Butina predicted a Republican likely would win the presidential election and said she could help sway GOP opinion through ties she had built with the NRA. Butina had founded a gun rights group in Russia and served as a translator to Torshin, a lifetime member of the NRA, as he attended its annual conventions. That role gave her access to conservatives intrigued by the idea of the Siberian-born self-made activist agitating for expanded gun rights in Putins restrictive Russia. Butina and Torshin invited NRA leaders to Moscow in December 2015, a delegation that included Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke and David Keene, a former NRA president and head of the powerful Conservative Political Action Committee. Documents reviewed previously by the Post show the group met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The recent legal documents shows Butina perceived the trip as a way to advance her political goals. Before the US. group arrived, she stressed to Torshin the importance of setting up meetings with top Russian politicians. After it ended, she sent Torshin a message: We should let them express their gratitude now, we will put pressure on them quietly later. Butinas efforts also included organizing friendship dinners for wealthy and influential Americans to discuss U.S.-Russia relations, ensuring Torshin kept tabs on the guests. A wealthy and well-connected U.S. person, who received assistance from Butina, helped organize the dinners, the plea agreement says. Butinas ongoing efforts after she enrolled at American University included organizing a Russian delegation to attend the 2017 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, an event that annually draws a large number of U.S. conservatives to the capital and last year was addressed by President Trump. According to the documents, Erickson later emailed another person and copied Butina: Reaction to the delegations presence in America will be relayed DIRECTLY to Russian President Vladimir Putin and to Lavrov. Read more about: The first time Kelmae Hemphill watched herself overdose, she sobbed. There she was in a shaky video filmed by her own heroin dealer, sprawled out on a New Jersey road while a stranger pounded on her chest. Come on, girl, someone pleaded. Ms. Hemphills 11-year drug addiction, her criminal record, her struggles as a mother they were now everybodys business, splashed across the news and social media with a new genre of American horror film: the overdose video. As opioid deaths have soared in recent years, police departments and strangers with cameras have started posting raw, uncensored images of drug users passed out with needles in their arms and babies in the back seats of their cars. The videos rack up millions of views and unleash avalanches of outrage. Then some other viral moment comes along, and the country clicks away. But life is never the same for the people whose bleakest, most humiliating moments now live online forever. In interviews with The New York Times, they talked some for the very first time about the versions of themselves captured in the videos. Ms. Hemphills mother watched the 2016 video of her overdose. Her friends saw it. Even her daughter, now 11, watched the images of Ms. Hemphill passed out beside a guardrail in West Deptford, N.J., her stomach exposed as the medics rushed in. Why bother saving her? asked one YouTube commenter. I wouldve let her die, said another. When you type my name in, thats the first video that pops up an overdose video, Ms. Hemphill said. A Public Way to Hit Bottom Before the videos, Ms. Hemphill and other users shuffled unnoticed from the streets to rehab to jail and back in a cycle of use and arrests. Their anonymity disappeared afterward as news cameras showed up at their front doors and reporters attended their court dates on charges including drug possession and child endangerment. Angry Facebook messages arrived months, even years, later, when strangers stumbled across the videos. But for others, the viral attention also became their emergency flare. Rehab centres and drug counsellors reached out, waived fees and helped them bypass waiting lists to get into treatment. In October 2016, Ron Hiers and his wife, Carla, feeling despondent after years of addiction, had made a suicide pact to get high until they were dead, and ended up passed out by a bus stop in Memphis. A bystander live-streamed footage of the couple, and the video of them being mocked and laughed at was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. One of them was Mr. Hierss estranged daughter. Mr. Hiers, 62, said they had not spoken in months or years, but his daughter told him that she had been in touch with a rehab facility that was willing to give him the treatment he needed. For some, the public shaming was a new way to hit bottom. If that video never happened, I probably would have never went to treatment at all, Ms. Hemphill, 28, said. A Florida drug treatment centre offered to pay her fees, and Ms. Hemphill flew down and stayed for a month. But she felt as if she was just playing a part in a news media narrative about addiction and recovery. As soon as she returned home to New Jersey, she got high again. I didnt want to be clean, she said. I was doing it for the news. She enrolled in a long-term treatment centre in Newark, and then moved to a halfway house, where people smoke crack and shoot up in a park across the street. She says she has no desire to join them, and has not used in nearly a year. Addiction experts say the videos are doing little else than publicly shaming drug users, and the blunt horror of the images may actually increase the stigma against them. Users themselves disagree on whether the humiliation helped them clean up their lives. Were showing you this video of them at the worst, most humiliating moment of their life, said Daniel Raymond, deputy director of policy and planning at the Harm Reduction Coalition, an advocacy group. The intent is not to help these people. The intent is to use them as an object lesson by scapegoating them. But police departments say they are simply trying to reveal the brutal reality of what they see every day. The sheriffs office in Volusia County, Fla., posted a video of two adults passed out in the front seat of their car, with a sweating, hungry baby boy strapped into the back seat. In Macomb County, Mich., the sheriffs office created a video that played a Demi Lovato ballad over body-camera footage of deputies reviving people in their living rooms. Youre a Spectacle In Lawrence, Mass., a former mill town at the heart of New Englands opioid crisis, the police chief released a particularly gut-wrenching video. It showed a mother who had collapsed from a fentanyl overdose sprawled out in the toy aisle of a Family Dollar while her sobbing 2-year-old daughter tugged at her arm. Its heartbreaking, James Fitzpatrick, who was the Lawrence police chief at the time, told reporters in September 2016. This is definitely evidence that shows what addiction can do to someone. Mandy McGowan, 38, knows that. She was the mother unconscious in that video, the woman who became known as the Dollar Store Junkie. But she said the video showed only a few terrible frames of a complicated life. As a child, she said, she was sexually molested. She survived relationships with men who beat her. She barely graduated from high school. She said her addiction to opioids began after she had neck surgery in 2006 for a condition that causes spasms and intense pain. Her neurologist prescribed a menu of strong painkillers including OxyContin, Percocet and fentanyl patches. As a teenager, Ms. McGowan had smoked marijuana and taken mushrooms and ecstasy. But she always steered clear of heroin, she said, thinking it was for junkies, for people living in alleys. But her friends were using it, and over the last decade, she sometimes joined them. She tried to break her habit by buying Suboxone a medication used to treat addiction on the street. But the Suboxone often ran out, and she turned to heroin to tide her over. On Sept. 18, 2016, a friend came to Ms. McGowans house in Salem, N.H., and offered her a hit of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic painkiller 50 times more potent than heroin. They sniffed a line and drove to the Family Dollar across the state line in Lawrence, where Ms. McGowan collapsed with her daughter beside her. At least two people in the store recorded the scene on their cellphones. Medics revived her and took her to the hospital, where child welfare officials took custody of her daughter, and the police charged Ms. McGowan with child neglect and endangerment. (She eventually pleaded guilty to both and was sentenced to probation.) Two days later, the video of her overdose was published by The Eagle-Tribune and was also released by the Lawrence police. The video played in a loop on the local news, and vaulted onto CNN and Fox News, ricocheting across the web. For someone already dealing with her own demons, she now has to deal with public opinion, too, said Matt Ganem, the executive director of the Banyan Treatment Center, about 15 miles north of Boston, which gave Ms. McGowan six months of free treatment after being contacted by intermediaries. Youre a spectacle. Everyone is watching. Ms. McGowan had only seen snippets of the video on the news. But two months later, she watched the whole thing. She felt sick with regret. I see it, and Im like, I was a piece of freaking [expletive], she said. That was me in active use. Its not who I am today. But she also wondered: Why didnt anyone help her daughter? She was furious that bystanders seemed to feel they had license to gawk and record instead of comforting her screaming child. I know what I did, and I cant change it, she said. I live with that guilt every single day. But its also wrong to take video and not help. Nobody recorded the chaos that unfolded next. After Ms. McGowan was released from treatment, the father of her daughter died of an overdose. Two months later, that mans 19-year-old son also died of an overdose. Reeling, Ms. McGowan had a night of relapse with alcohol. She checked herself into treatment the next day. But at the same time, she had stopped reporting to her probation officer, a violation of parole that led to 64 days in jail. She was kicked out of a halfway house and stayed briefly at a shelter. She said she was raped this year. She checked herself into a hospital psychiatric ward for five weeks. Ms. McGowan finally felt ready to start actively rebuilding her life. This spring, she moved to a halfway house in Boston, where her days were packed with appointments with counsellors and clinicians, and meetings of Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous. She had weighed just 90 pounds when she overdosed; now she was happily above 140. Just after Thanksgiving she moved in with relatives, and now hopes to find a place of her own. Her treatment continues. If she stays sober and shows progress, the charges against her will be dropped in April. She spends part of her day doing volunteer outreach along the open-air drug market in Boston known as Methadone Mile. One recent drizzly afternoon, as she made her way down the sidewalk, she hugged old friends, asked them whether they had eaten, if they were O.K. On her rounds, she picks up hundreds of used needles that carpet the streets. She writes letters to her two teenage sons, who live with her former husband in New Hampshire. Her daughter, now 4, lives with the girls uncle. Ms. McGowan knows she will probably not regain custody, but hopes to develop a relationship with her and supplant the image embedded in her own mind of the sobbing girl in the pink pyjamas. I know if I do the right thing, I can be involved in her life, Ms. McGowan said. Its going to be a long road for me. You dont just get clean and your life is suddenly all put back together. Still, the video lives on, popping up online almost constantly. Ms. McGowan is bracing herself for the day when her daughter sees it, when her daughter lashes out at her for it, when she throws it back in her mothers face when Ms. McGowan tries to warn her not to use drugs. That video is PTSD for my children, she said. The questions are going to come as my daughter gets older. And I have to be prepared for it. I did this. And it cost me my children. Overdosing on TV In October 2017, June Schweinhart and a friend snorted lines of heroin in a S.U.V. in Boynton Beach, Fla., and then began to pass out. Their infant children were strapped in the back seat when the police and paramedics showed up in a bank parking lot, body cameras rolling. The womens children were placed with relatives, and Ms. Schweinhart and her friend were each charged with child neglect. An officer told Ms. Schweinhart that the video of their overdoses would be on the news. She decided to watch. It looked like a whole different person, Ms. Schweinhart said. It was a reality check. Some people have different rock bottoms in their life and they get to the point where they just cant do it anymore that was it for me. She had been hiding her heroin use from her family and friends even from people at her addiction-support group, who believed she was only abusing prescription painkillers. Nobody had known. And suddenly, everybody knew. People on Facebook sent her messages calling her an abusive mother for jeopardizing the life of her month-old daughter. They told her to just die. They asked: How could you do something like that? Remembering the video, recalling the babies cries and watching the responding officer slip a pacifier into one of their mouths, Ms. Schweinhart did not have an answer. It made me sick to my stomach, she said. It still does. She said that every day was a battle with herself the good June against the bad June and she came to think of the video, with all its shame and humiliation, as a divine intervention to force her to get treatment and confront her addiction. It didnt proceed like a movie. She repeatedly struggled with the demands of drug court, failed a drug test and spent one night in jail. Last month, Ms. Schweinhart left the program. She said she had been making progress and believed she could beat the child-neglect charge if she could tell a jury the story about what happened after the one that millions had already seen. Or she could plead out. Either way, she felt she had nothing left to hide. PORTLAND, ORE.U.S. Congress has agreed to make it easier to kill sea lions threatening fragile runs of salmon in the Northwest. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that a bill approved by the House Tuesday changes the Marine Mammal Protection Act to lift some of the restrictions on killing sea lions to protect salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River and its tributaries. The measure had previously passed the Senate. Wildlife managers say sea lion populations have grown so large that they no longer need all the protections that were put in place for them in 1972. The measure would usher in a more streamlined process for Washington, Idaho, Oregon and several Pacific Northwest tribes to capture and euthanize sea lions. Sea lions deemed to be a problem are captured and euthanized. Supporters, including the governors of Oregon, Washington and Idaho, fishing groups and tribes, have said the bill will give wildlife managers greater flexibility in controlling California sea lions that dramatically increased from about 30,000 in the 1960s to about 300,000 following enactment of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act. Jaime Pinkham, executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, said in a statement that he was grateful Congress worked in a bipartisan manner to give us the local flexibility to protect the tribal treaty resources we share with others in the Columbia and Willamette rivers. Critics called the move by Congress ill-conceived and say it will not solve the problem of declining salmon, which also face other problems such as habitat loss and dams. While there are several thousand California sea lions in the Columbia River estuary, only about 200 to 300 swim more than 160 kilometres upriver from the Pacific Ocean and would be eligible for removal, state wildlife officials say. An orca task force convened by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, also backed the legislation to boost the fish for the struggling population of southern resident killer whales. VANCOUVERThis morning, when I heard that former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig had been arrested in China, I hoped it was one of those brief detentions officials routinely use to intimidate foreign researchers, charity workers and journalists. I rushed to the Stars Vancouver newsroom and got on the phone to see if I could find out anything more about my friend. It was past midnight in Beijing, and none of our mutual friends and acquaintances were getting back to me. I was starting to panic. Finally, I reached the previous Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques. He was Michaels boss when he worked in Canadas Beijing embassy from 2014 to 2016. When Saint-Jacques told me he feared Michael could be charged with espionage, my heart sank. It would not be unprecedented. In 2014, Canadian Christian aid workers Julia and Kevin Garratt were arrested by Chinese officials and accused of spying. Many believed it was retaliation for the arrest in Canada that same year of Chinese citizen Su Bin, who was accused of hacking U.S. military databases. I know Michael well. When I learned the news, I was pretty distressed, Saint-Jacques told me. Read more: Ex-diplomat who worked on Trudeaus Hong Kong visit detained in China, reports say Huaweis Meng Wanzhou tears up as bail granted following arrest in Vancouver What you need to know about Chinas place in the 5G race and how Huawei fits into its plan In my view, this is part of Chinas efforts to put pressure on Canada on the Huawei case, he said, referencing the Dec. 1 arrest of the telecom companys CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver, which my newsroom has been busy covering. In a state of shock, I filed the former ambassadors quotes to our story as messages started pouring in from friends who had also learned about Michaels detention. The Canadian government has since confirmed it. Michael was one of the first people I met in Beijing four years ago when I worked as a foreign correspondent for European news agencies. A group of Western diplomats invited me to join them at a Chinese folk concert in one of the ancient hutong alleyways of the capital city. We were all new to working in mainland China, though some of us (like me and Michael) had worked in Hong Kong. We were excited to explore Beijings night life and cultural offerings. Michael reached out to me to grab lunch because both of us were interested in politics and human rights in China. We wanted to trade notes on these complex and overwhelming subjects. After that, he always tried to make it to my gatherings, and he invited me to the fabulous bashes he threw in his apartment including one party where he even hired a swing band and bartender. Subscribe to the Star to support our team of journalists across Canada Despite the wonderful friends I made in my years covering human rights in China, it was depressing to write about the arrests or mysterious disappearances of lawyers, writers and activists. It was exciting to run with Chinese human-rights lawyers down back streets to evade the police watching their every move but also crushing to hear when yet another advocate had been arrested. One attorney, Wang Quanzhang, has not been heard from since he was detained in 2015 during a police sweep on hundreds of lawyers and advocates. I sat with his wife as she cried in a restaurant. She, too, had been put under house arrest. Last summer, I travelled to the northeastern city of Shenyang to try to find pro-democracy advocate Liu Xiaobo as he lay dying of liver cancer. He remained locked away in a hospital and was the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in state custody since the days of Nazi Germany. I moved back to Vancouver this July, where I soon got a job with the Star. I last heard from Michael in the spring, when he told me he was loving his job as senior adviser on northeast Asia for the International Crisis Group, an internationally respected NGO that examines ways to prevent and resolve deadly conflict. The job allowed him to travel widely, speak with many people and write for a wider audience to promote peace. Michael is emotionally very open. Many in his social circle knew that he struggled with his decision to take a leave of absence from work as a diplomat in 2016. He chose to do so because he didnt want another posting somewhere else. He wanted to stay in China and keep learning more about the country. TOP STORIES. IN YOUR INBOX: For the days top news from the Stars award-winning journalists, sign up for our daily headlines newsletter. In short, he was a China nerd and eager to keep learning. He loved China, said Saint-Jacques. I told him you can take a leave of absence from the government and try to find something, and good luck with your plans. And thats why he decided to stay and enjoy living and working in China. Michael could not have foreseen what would happen to him. I am still hopeful that he wont be detained for long, even though I know that the outcome could be awful. A foreign passport can provide little protection. Just look at the case of B.C. winery owners John Chang and Allison Lu, who have been detained in Shanghai since 2016, accused of failing to pay sufficient taxes on wine shipments. Those who track human-rights cases in China worry that people around the world are becoming numb to their concerns. Please, pay attention to what is happening with Michaels case. Read more about: The United States, Mexico, and Canada have finally signed the new NAFTA the so-called United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. It comes after nearly two years of tough negotiations, and after three years of President Donald Trump telling every audience that the United States was net loser in trade, and that NAFTA was perhaps the worst trade agreement of all time. The great appeal of international trade is that by allowing industries and countries to focus on their comparative advantage, overall wealth can be increased. In short, winners can be created on each side. The politics of trade are another matter. While trade deals may lead every party to benefit, politicians and their critics have strong incentives to portray it as otherwise. After all of this, what is public opinion on North American trade? As it turns out, Trump is a clear winner. Its a different and mixed story for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. We rely on data drawn from two surveys conducted by IPSOS Public Affairs one conducted in November 2017 and the other in November 2018. Both used online panels with representative samples of 1,000 adults in each country. One year ago, belief in the benefits of free trade was a minority view in the United States. Just 39 per cent of Americans believed that free trade helped the United States, and even fewer 32 per cent believed that NAFTA benefitted the United States. By contrast, in Canada those numbers were 57 per cent believing free trade generally benefitted Canada and 51 per cent believed that NAFTA in particular benefitted Canada. Not only was there skepticism about NAFTA benefitting the United States, there was also a strong belief that NAFTA was to the distinct benefit of Mexico. When Americans were asked which country had benefitted most from NAFTA, 35 per cent of respondents indicated Mexico was the principal beneficiary, slightly more than the share (32 per cent) who believed that all three countries benefitted. Just 17 per cent thought that the United States was the principal beneficiary. Mexico won under trade and the United States lost. Those views were consistent with Trumps rhetoric. Against these baselines, Trump is a clear winner in the battle for public opinion. When Americans opinions were sounded at the conclusion of the new deal, just 10 per cent believed that Mexico would be the principal beneficiary. Twenty-five per cent believed the United States would be the principal beneficiary, while 39 per cent believed all three countries would benefit equally. One year ago, Americans thought NAFTA was a deal that titled the field strongly in Mexicos favour. That position has now reversed, and remarkably so. The Canadian view of NAFTA was different. On the northern side of the border, 34 per cent of Canadians believed that the United States was the principal beneficiary of NAFTA, while 34 per cent thought all three countries had benefitted. Very few just 6 per cent believed Canada was the principal beneficiary of NAFTA. Trudeau has done little to move these numbers in his favour. Instead, 63 per cent of Canadians believe that the United States will benefit most from the USMCA. Only a fifth of respondents (21 per cent), believe all three countries will benefit. Just 5 per cent of Canadians believe that Canada will benefit most from the new agreement. What are we to make of these results? Trade negotiations happen on at least two levels. At one level, bureaucrats, politicians, industry associations, labour unions, and other groups hash out the details of an agreement. It is technical and hard-slogging, and it is what in the end forms the actual details of an agreement. Whether the new USMCA is an improvement over the first NAFTA remains to be seen, though there are legitimate concerns about higher auto prices, insufficient provisions for a modern digital economy, and inadequate improvements on service provision and labour mobility. Despite all this, it remains a remarkable agreement and a template for trade agreements around the world. Canada deserves much more credit than the United States for making this deal work. But at another level, its all politics, and most of it domestic. On the American side, Trump savaged the original NAFTA, saw through an agreement that represents little fundamental change, and then declared it the greatest trade deal ever made. On the Canadian side, the prime minster and others across all parties regularly declared high moral ground only to cede it under pressure from an unrelenting partner. Theres little and cold comfort now in arguing that the deal is a decent if marginal improvement on the old deal. Trade has the potential to enrich all parties. Politics are another matter. On USMCA, while we are probably better off for it, there are political winners and losers. In this round, Trump has won and Trudeau has lost. Peter Loewen is a professor of political science at the University of Toronto and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Sean Simpson is Vice President of Ipsos in Canada. Read more about: Video Transcript: The raging crescendo in the U.S. to impeach Trump or convict him of crimes is offensive. Why? Because it bypasses democratic politics in favour of the legal system, or the quasi-legal impeachment process. But democratic electoral politics operates in its own, independent realm. For instance, Marion Barry was a U.S. civil rights leader who got elected mayor of Washington D.C. in the 80s. The FBI entrapped him in a crack sting and he went to jail. Then he got reelected. His slogan was, He isnt perfect but hes perfect for D.C. Voters got the distinction. Take a Canadian example. In the 1830s, William Lyon Mackenzie was elected to Ontarios legislature. The aristocrats in the Family Compact expelled him because he wanted democratic reform. Basically, they impeached him four times. But the voters returned him each time. In Brazil, the right used impeachment to remove progressive president Dilma Rousseff and the courts jailed former president Lula to stop him from running again because hed have won. In fact, Trump could be impeached, removed, run again in 2020 and win. It might even improve his chances. The justice system Trumps opponents want to nail him with and then use to impeach him, wasnt designed to choose leaders or get rid of them so why do it? Beat him politically, thats what politics is for. Its the separation of powers, stupid. VANCOUVERB.C.s Environment and Climate Change Minister George Heyman said he was reminded of the important role subnational governments, such as provinces and cities, play in global efforts to combat climate change while attending the United Nations climate conference in Poland this week. The reminder comes as U.S. President Donald Trump faces criticism for promoting coal at the COP 24 meetings in Katowice, Poland where world leaders are meeting to establish a set of ground rules for meeting the Paris Agreement targets. The Paris Agreement between 195 countries was reached in December 2015 and established targets that aim to keep the global average temperature increase well below 2 C. According to the UN, average global temperatures increased 0.85 degrees Celsius between 1880 and 2012. A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that if the world wants to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, warming must remain below 1.5 C. In Poland, Heyman said hes been busy answering questions about B.C.s newly released plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions and meeting with business and political leaders to discuss the provinces various initiatives, including its plan to phase out the sale of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles. That was the topic of a meeting between Heyman and BMWs vice-president of governmental affairs Andreas Klugescheid ahead of a panel discussion about moving effectively toward low-emissions transportation. I found that a very useful and interesting conversation and I think he did as well, Heyman said. Read more: Sweeping B.C. climate change plan targets heavy emitters with new rules, carbon tax incentives New vehicles sold in B.C. to emit zero emissions by 2040 Canada seeking new members of anti-coal alliance at climate meeting In November, B.C. announced it would introduce legislation in the spring to ensure all new cars and trucks sold in the province by 2040 are powered by electricity or hydrogen fuel. The policy will apply to cars and trucks weighing up to 8,500 pounds and is expected to shave 1.3 million tonnes from B.C.s emissions by 2030, when at least 30 per cent of all new cars sold must be electric or hydrogen-fuelled. Thats equivalent to taking more than 280,000 fossil-fuel-powered cars off the road. Achieving that target means car manufacturers will need to make significantly more electric cars available for purchase in B.C., where buyers have faced long wait lists, Heyman said. Of his conversation with Klugescheid, Heyman said we talked a lot about what has to be done in terms of market factors to incent greater production of electric or other zero-emission vehicles and how we work with the industry to produce those cars and make them available to people. Offering rebates and incentives will enable more people to buy electric vehicles, and over time that will help bring down the price of manufacturing and the cost to buy electric, Heyman said. Other factors, including an increase in charging infrastructure and improved battery technology, also need to be addressed, he said. Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna is also meeting with world leaders in Poland, including leaders from the European Union and China. Speaking to media during a teleconference Wednesday, McKenna said these are key countries in the context of the Paris Agreement. Theres broader context with China, but in the context of working together on the environment and climate change, theyve played an important role. When the U.S. stepped back, China stepped up, she said. China knows it needs to take action because you can see the levels of pollution that they have, but they also see the economic opportunity, she said, adding that the country has been a leader on electric vehicles. They can scale like no other country. Read more about: BEIJINGChinas Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that it had no information about a former Canadian diplomat detained in Beijing in apparent retaliation for Canadas arrest of a leading Chinese executive. While declining to confirm the detention of Michael Kovrig, ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and its activities in the country were illegal. Kovrig was previously a diplomat in China and elsewhere. His current employer said he was taken into custody Monday night during a regular visit to Beijing by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, which handles intelligence and counter-intelligence matters in the Chinese capital. I do not have information to provide you here, Lu said when asked about Kovrig. If there is such a thing, please do not worry, it is assured that Chinas relevant departments will definitely handle it according to law. Because Kovrigs group is not registered as a non-governmental organization in China, once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law, Lu said. Lu also repeated Chinas demand for the immediate release of Meng Wanzhou, a leading executive with Chinese communications equipment maker Huawei, which has strong connections to the Chinese government and military. Our request is very clear, that is, the Canadian side should immediately release the detained Ms. Meng Wanzhou and to protect her legitimate rights and interests, Lu said. Meng was detained at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 at the request of the U.S., which accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Her case has set off a diplomatic furor among the three countries and complicated high-stakes trade talks. A B.C. judge released her on bail and under strict conditions late Tuesday afternoon after a three-day hearing. The 46-year-old could also face extradition to the U.S. Read more: Opinion | My friend Michael Kovrig was arrested in China. Please, pay attention Ex-diplomat who worked on Trudeaus Hong Kong visit detained in China Huaweis Meng Wanzhou tears up as bail granted following arrest in Vancouver Read more about: Shop until you drop up and down the Broadway block in downtown Alton Thursday with the Christmas Sip & Shop event. Twelve stores will stay open late to welcome shoppers, and participants can also enjoy fabulous deals, delicious appetizers and specialty drinks from 6 to 9 p.m. Karaoke will be in full swing at the Riverbender.com Community Center Friday from 6 to 10 p.m., and everyone will have a chance to sing a mystery Christmas carol. Plus, the ever-popular National Lampoons Christmas Vacation will be playing in the movie theater. Alton Little Theaters production of Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming enters its final weekend. Weeknight and Saturday shows start at 7:30 p.m., with Sundays matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets available by calling 618-462-3205 or online at altonlittletheater.org. Saturday offers a chance for solemn remembrance at the annual Wreaths Across America program at U.S. National Cemetery in Alton. The free ceremony starts at 11 a.m. Santa is visiting Elsahs Community Building Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Children 12 years and younger are welcome to give Santa their wish list for Christmas, there will be goodie bags for children and refreshments. Can food donations will be collected for Jersey Township Food Pantry. EDWARDSVILLE For Cheryl Watson, professionalism, friendliness, and responsibility have been keys to her career success. As executive assistant to the mayor and city administrator, as well as others, at Edwardsville City Hall, Watsons last day on the job is today after eight years in the position. What was really helpful to me, because I am not from Edwardsville, was that I had previously worked at SIUE and before that, I worked for the public schools, Watson said. She spent about two years at Edwardsville Community School Unit District 7, working as a secretary in the curriculum office. Then, she worked as a secretary in the deans office for the business school at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville before taking a similar position in the provosts office. Watson said she worked for SIUE for approximately five years. Im still friends with those ladies; we meet every month for dinner, Watson said of her former SIUE co-workers. This position is probably the best one I have ever had, she said of her current post. I have worked a lot of different jobs and it feels like they [the previous jobs] all came into play behind this desk. She is often the first point of contact from the city for many callers, so Watson said she has strived to listen to people while letting certain callers vent. If theyre calling the mayor, they dont know where else to go, she said. She said follow-through was important, too, even when the caller did not like the answer. That led to Watsons criteria of representing the mayors office professionally, friendly and responsibly. I never wanted people to feel like nobody was listening, Watson said. I have seen many instances where the phone calls [from residents] made a difference. My favorite thing about this position is helping people. Watson praised Edwardsville City Hall employees for their camaraderie. They tell you when you start here: Its like a family and its true; these people have been beside me through a lot of joys and sorrows in my life, she recalled. She said her husband, Coy, passed away a year after she started working for the city. Prior to his death, her daughter visited to run the household affairs while Watson cared for her husband. During that time, co-workers took turns bringing the family lunches for a month. One lady asked if ham and beans were okay, and I laughed. I told her my husband was from the South and we loved ham and beans, she said. Her successor, Trisha Lack, politely interrupted at that point to let Watson know she was ready to resume training. Watson spent Monday preparing Lack for some of the things shell encounter in the position and will do so through Wednesday. Lack mentioned some trepidation about answering the phone. I know the feeling; I was terrified of answering the phone on my first day here, Watson remembered. Watson has seen a lot of changes in Edwardsville during her time there. She said more parks have popped up, the city has built its new public safety building, and a new firehouse on the SIUE campus, the Leon Corlew Park and Splash Pad have been built, among other highlights. As she represented the mayor or other city administrators, Watson added she felt a great responsibility to ensure that everything that left her desk was accurate and professionally done. Watson technically retired on Oct. 31 but it took a month or so to find a successor. Since Nov. 1, she has worked on a part-time basis. Originally from Collinsville, Watson plans to remain in the area for about six months. Her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson recently moved to the area from Charlotte, North Carolina and between now and June, all of them will head to Florida, Watson said Monday. Watson said her son-in-law is a Florida native and he and his wife plan to start a small business there. Watson will babysit her grandson and she hopes to help at the new business, making a shining star there, too, to complement the one she will leave in Edwardsville. GODFREY Lewis and Clark Community Colleges popular College for Life program for adults with intellectual disabilities is coming to the colleges N.O. Nelson Campus in Edwardsville in Fall 2019. A $272,000 grant from the Illinois Council on Disabilities, spread over the course of three years, is making it all possible through the Southern Illinois Transition Project. With the Godfrey Campus program currently at full capacity, the programs expansion will open 24 new spots for students from Madison, Jersey, Macoupin, Greene, Calhoun, St. Clair, Randolph, Clinton and Bond counties in Illinois. Persons on the programs current waiting list will get the first chances to enroll. L&Cs College for Life programs goal is to promote lifelong learning as well as personal enrichment and independence. Through the colleges ongoing partnerships with Challenge Unlimited and the Madison County Transition Council, students also have access to employment. Challenge Unlimiteds Job Club meets in Fobes Hall on the colleges Godfrey Campus every Friday. Many College for Life students transition to work after two to three years, but there is no end to the program, said Kathy Haberer, director of L&C Student Development and Counseling. Students can continue as long as they would like. Like the original program, the curriculum will be student interest-driven. Classes mix academics with hands-on activities, ranging from reading, math and foreign language to pop culture, healthy snacking, sewing and scrapbooking. Lead Instructor Kay Werner is already working to get the program off the ground. CFL gives students an opportunity to become more independent, to continue learning and to advocate for themselves and others, Werner said. It gives them an outlet for their creativity. They get to shine in their strengths and be recognized for it. I am so excited to be part of opening a door of opportunity for more students and drawing from Edwardsville community resources to make this a unique program. The new program will partner with Edwardsville High School to start offering services for those students with intellectual disabilities who may choose to begin taking classes at N.O. Nelson. For these students in the Edwardsville community, there will be a place for you after high school, Haberer said. The program will launch with two instructors, two aides, and an additional aide, who will float between the Edwardsville and Godfrey programs. There also will be a dedicated classroom or two at N.O. Nelson, just for College for Life. Lewis and Clark started serving students with intellectual disabilities in 1991. College for Life in its current form, separate from college-track students in L&Cs Supported College Transition program, began in 2007. Since then, L&Cs program has become a trailblazer in the field, most recently helping John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois, launch their version, which is currently in its third year. College for Life costs a minimum of $475 per semester, for three courses. Students are not limited, however, to just three courses. Most students and their families pay out of pocket for the program, though there is a small scholarship fund available through the college for new students. An informational meeting will be held next Spring. For more information, visit www.lc.edu/disability. To place a student on the waitlist for College for Life at either location, contact L&C Student Development and Counseling at (618) 468-4121. For the Telegraph EDWARDSVILLE Finals week in college often brings increased stress as students strive to finish the academic semester strong. Bringing relaxed reassurance and a little lightness to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students during the pressure-filled time of year are therapy dogs. Studies show interacting with therapy animals increases oxytocin and reduces stress. On Monday, Dec. 10, students petted, hugged and visited with a couple sweet pups from CHAMP Assistance Dogs in the Morris University Centers Goshen Lounge. A new attempt to impose globalism unfolds in Marrakech, Morocco, under the guise of helping migrants. Most of the 193 countries in the United Nations convened there in order to create new international law to require every participating country to accept vast hordes of foreign migrants, and be subjected to this new form of globalism. Any other president, Republican or Democrat, would probably welcome and join this undermining of national sovereignty. But in another reminder of how great Trump is, he leads the way in denouncing this virulent strain of globalism. Called the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, the Marrakech meeting would prevent the American people from deciding immigration policy for ourselves. Trump has posted multiple reasons why the United States and every country should reject this bad idea. We believe the Compact and the process that led to its adoption, including the New York Declaration, represent an effort by the United Nations to advance global governance at the expense of the sovereign right of States to manage their immigration systems in accordance with their national laws, policies, and interests. That sounds like something Phyllis Schlafly might have written during her lifelong opposition to treaties that undermine American interests. But the above statement was issued by none other than President Trump, and is available on the official usun.state.gov website. Decisions about how to secure its borders, and whom to admit for legal residency or to grant citizenship, are among the most important sovereign decisions a State can make, and are not subject to negotiation, or review by international courts and documents, he explains. In August, an international tribunal called the European Court of Human Rights commanded that Hungary provide food to migrants and refugees held in detention camps. It is no surprise that Hungary has joined the growing number of countries which are following President Trumps bold leadership in rejecting the Compact. Other countries imitating Trump by pulling out of this globalist Compact include Austria, Australia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Latvia, Slovakia and the Dominican Republic. Notice the immense diversity among nations rejecting this globalism. Additional countries, including Bulgaria and Israel, are also considering getting out of this deal. The political coalition that rules Belgium has collapsed due to conservative opposition to how her prime minister has pushed that country into joining the Compact. President Trump, in his official statement on behalf of the United States, properly criticizes the use of the legalistic name Compact, rather than the traditional labels of convention or a treaty. Compact implies binding legal obligations. Proponents of global governance look for ways to bypass the Treaty Clause of the Constitution, which requires a supermajority of two-thirds approval by the Senate in order to ratify foreign treaties. Many treaties have been signed by American presidents but thankfully never ratified by the Senate, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris Agreement on so-called climate change. President Obama approved both of those treaties, which were also deceptively named to avoid the use of the word treaty. Trump campaigned against them in 2016 and they have never become law. The Paris Agreement isnt working out so well for Paris. Protests and riots all over France, President Trump tweeted on Saturday morning about the violent protests there which have been the worst in decades. The Compact on migration includes a right to privacy provision that is not recognized by international law, and should be rejected so that it is not misused to become some kind of international right to abortion. Most countries have strong pro-life laws and are subjecting themselves to judicial activism by an international tribunal if they remain in the Compact. Migration should not be governed by an international body unaccountable to our own citizens, President Trump declared in a statement issued by the White House. He cited the Monroe Doctrine for the principle that we do not accept interference of foreign nations in our hemisphere. It was nearly 200 years ago, in 1823, when President James Monroe promulgated that famous doctrine against European nations intermeddling in the affairs of the Americas. The Monroe Doctrine was based on the simple observation that the Old and New Worlds have different political systems and it is dangerous to our peace and safety to allow the systems to mix. Likewise, it is dangerous to try to mix our American liberty and prosperity with migrants who may hate us, or at least not respect our culture and values. President Trump proves once again his tremendous leadership in being the first to reject the Compact, thereby setting a model which many other countries are following now. As other countries are rejecting globalism thanks to President Trump, they are making their own countries great again. John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016). As part of ourtechnology transformation, NSSF would like to implement a proof of valueinstance of Oracles ERP JD Edwards Enterprise One Version 9.2. With our sharedpurpose of being the Social Security Provider of choice, providing exceptionalcustomer service with a workforce that is well motivated and skilled, we aretherefore looking for competent, experienced, self-motivated and hardworkingindividuals to fill the following positions. Mengo Hospital wasfounded in 1897 in Kampala, and is the oldest hospital in Uganda. It currentlyserves as an urban community hospital that provides modern medical care. MengoHospital provides comprehensive care including radiology, obstetrics,dentistry, orthopedics, and surgery. Additionally, Mengo Hospital provides criticaltraining and education to health professionals through its various programs inmidwifery and nursing, health sciences, and laboratory technology. MengoHospital also has a dedicated research and development team that works to findnew solutions to health issues in Uganda. CARE Internationalis a leading global development and humanitarian organization. In 2014, CAREworked in 90 countries around the world, supporting 880 poverty-fightingdevelopment and humanitarian aid projects, reaching more than 72 millionpeople. CARE International in Uganda (CARE) works with others to make asustainable improvement in the lives of the very poor, with a focus on womenand girls. Our current program focusses on women and girls economic rights,particularly financial inclusion and governance of natural resources women andgirls depend upon, and on their sexual and reproductive health rights,including a life free of violence. Our programming is guided by our core valuesof excellence, accountability, respect, integrity and transparency. 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 / SEO Payday Loans Public Relations Publications Real Estate Retail Stocks Supermarkets Women in Business Careers/HR General Chemical General Coaching / Mentoring Coaching / Mentoring Computers Apple Products Databases Games & Entertainment General Hosting Instruction Linux / GNU "Open Source" Macintosh Microsoft Windows PC Operating Systems Programming Security Software Tablet PCs Utilities Construction General Consumer Gifts and Collectibles Hobbies Web sites / Internet Design Graphic Design Industrial Web E-Cigarette General eCommerce General Economy General Education College / University General Home Schooling K-12 Post Graduate Technical Electronics General Email Marketing General EmailWire Press Releases Press Release Tips Employment/Careers General Engineering General Entertainment General Environment General Events / Trade Shows General Finance General Food General Franchise General Fraud / Identity Theft General Gaming General Government General Judicial Law Enforcement Legislative Local National Public Services Security State Transportation Healthcare General Home and Family Banking / Personal Finance Bereavement / Loss Home Furnishings / Interiors Landscaping & Gardening Marriage / Relationships Money Parenting Payday Loans Pets Taxes Wedding / Bridal Home Schooling General Hotels/Resorts General Household General Industry Aerospace / Defense Agriculture Apparel / Textiles Broadcast Construction / Building Electrical Food Funeral Healthcare Leisure / Hospitality Logistics / Shipping Manufacturing / Production Mining / Metals Oil / Energy Paper / Forest Products Plumbing, Heating & AC Print Media Printing Publishing Radio Restaurants Tobacco Toy Insurance General Internet/Online General Legal General Leisure General Lifestyle Beauty Dating / Singles Diet / Weight Loss Fashion Food / Beverage Health & Fitness Hotel / Resorts Pastimes Restaurants Retirement Travel & Tourism Machinery General Maritime General Medical Addiction Allergies Alternative Medicine Asthma Cancer Cardiology Chiropractic Dental Dermatology Diabetes Emergency Family Medicine General General Geriatrics Hospitals Infectious Diseases Internal Medicine Managed Care / HMO Medical Products Mental Health Neurology Nursing Nutrition OB / GYN Pediatrics Pharmaceuticals Physical Therapy Plastic Surgery Psychology Radiology / Imaging Research Sports Medicine Surgery Vision Military General Mining/Metals General Miscellaneous General Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Non-profit General Occupational Safety Occupational Safety Oil/Energy General Opinion / Editorial Opinion / Editorial Paper Products General Paper/Forest General Pharmaceuticals General Podcasting Announce Tools and Services Politics Politics Print Media General Public Utilities Public Utilities Publishing General Radio General Real Estate General Religion Christian General Islam Jewish Other Restaurants General Retail General RSS & Content Syndication RSS & Content Syndication Science and Research Science and Research Self-Help / Personal Growth Self-Help / Personal Growth Shipbuilding General Society African American Interests Asian Interests Childrens Issues Disabled Issues / Disabilities Gay / Lesbian Hispanic Mens Interests Native American Senior Citizens Social Services Teen Issues/Interests Womens Interest Software General Sports Baseball Basketball Bicycling Boating / Maritime Bowling Boxing Fishing Football Golf Hockey Hunting Martial Arts Outdoors Rugby Soccer Tennis Water Winter/Snow Sports/Fitness General Stocks General Supermarkets General Technology Biotechnology Computer Electronics Enterprise Software Games Graphics/Printing/CAD Hardware / Peripherals Industrial Information Internet Multimedia Networking Public Sector/Government Robotics Semiconductor Software Telecommunications Webmasters Telecom General Wireless Television General Tobacco General Trade General Transportation General Travel General Utilities General Volunteer Volunteer Weather Weather German architect Walter Gropius started an art school in Weimer called Bauhaus back in 1919. Bauhaus, which translates to "building house", and its teachings have been most influential in the world of modernist architecture, art and design in the 20th century. The famous art school moved to Dessau in 1925 and then to Berlin in 1932 before closing down in 1933 under pressure from the Nazi regime. The Bauhaus building in Dessau used materials which were quite revolutionary for its time, including glass and reinforced concrete. The Bauhaus movement also encompassed product design wherein needless ornamentation was removed in favour of more minimalist, functional forms. Bauhaus masters have included some of the most world-renowned artists including Johannes Itten, Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee. After the art school was shut in 1933, many former students and teachers fanned out of Germany to spread the ideas, architecture and ethos of Bauhaus to the rest of the world, including former USSR, India, North Korea, Hungary, Chile and China. As Germany begins to celebrate 100 years of Bauhaus from next year, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi has brought together a special exhibition called "Moving Away" looking at how Bauhaus ideas emigrated to countries and adapted itself to specific local conditions. Interestingly, the first ever exhibition in India on the art movement was held in Calcutta back in 1922. Titled Bauhaus in Calcutta, it was conceived by the Indian Society of Oriental Art and Stella Kramrisch who taught Indian and European Art History at Visva Bharati University in Santiniketanbrokered the passage of many prints by Bauhaus artists from Germany to Calcutta. In that exhibition, it was still conceivable to buy a Kandinsky watercolour for 10 or 15 pounds. It was a time when Rabindranath Tagore was the most important cultural interlocutor between India and Europe after winning the Nobel prize in literature. Visva-Bharati, the school Tagore founded, projected a search for universal modernism beyond the rigid confines of realism propagated by British academic curricula. Bauhaus too embodied the values of universal modernism and functioned as the meeting point of the cosmopolitan avant-gardes at the time. "Moving Away" brings to focus how some key design institutions in postcolonial India were influenced by Bauhaus. The development of design education, specifically at National Institute of Design (NID) set up in 1961 and the Industrial Design Centre (IDC) at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai in 1969, drew on modernist sources like the Bauhaus. This was largely done via the Ulm School of Design (HfG) in West Germany, set up after World War II. HfG's curriculum was developed by Bauhaus graduates. Institutions like NID and IDC, established as part of a larger project of nation-building, understood design as a tool for development, a catalyst for economic growth which can go beyond serving the affluent. In the sixties and the seventies, NID and IDC forged strong networks with HfG via study tours, faculty contributions to the curriculum and HfG graduates like Sudhakar Nadkarni and H. Kumar Vyas occupying key positions at IDC and NID respectively. In the chequered history of modernist architecture of India in the 20th century which includes figures like Le Corbusier and Charles Correa and styles like Art Deco and Neoclassical, Bauhaus is one more crucial piece of the puzzle. 'bauhaus imaginista: Moving Away', organised in collaboration with Goethe Institut, Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), Bauhaus Cooperation Berlin Dessau Weimar and the China Design Museum / China Academy of Art (Hangzhou), is showing at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi till December 18. The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing on Malayalam actor Dileep's plea seeking visuals of the alleged sexual assault on an actress, to January 23, 2019. Supreme Court adjourns the hearing on an appeal of Malayalam actor Dileep seeking a copy of the digital evidence of the alleged assault of an actress, in which he is facing trial, to January 23. ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 Dileep, a key accused in the case, had approached the apex court seeking access to the memory card containing visual evidence of the crime. In his petition, the actor who has been accused of hatching the conspiracy of the abduction and assault of the actress in 2017, claimed that he has the right to access the images, considered to be the crucial evidence in the case. Dileep had alleged that these images have been doctored 'to trap' him. Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi's junior Ranjeeta Rohatgi moved the plea for Dileep in SC. Earlier, the actor had moved lower courts and the Kerala High Court seeking the memory card but in vain. The court had upheld the police contention that evidence cannot be handed over to the accused. Dileep, who was arrested on July 10, 2017, was granted bail on October 3, after 85 days in custody. The actor had in June moved the Kerala High Court, seeking a CBI investigation into the case. In his petition, he alleged that the Special Investigation Team of Kerala Police had carried out a 'unfair and biased investigation' in the case. The much-awaited Mohanlal movie Odiyan has entered the Rs 100 crore club and has earned this rare achievement even before its release. The movie, which will hit screens on December 14, has already done a pre-release business of Rs 100 crore three days prior to its theatrical release. V.A. Srikumar Menon, the director of the movie, took to Twitter to share the news. The advance booking for Odiyan opened last Friday and since then reservations had started. Going by the advance booking, the release day tickets have been sold out for most shows across the state. Odiyan is all set to have early morning shows from 4:30 in some centres and the tickets for those shows have been sold out. The movie which also stars Manju Warrier, Prakash Raj, Sana Althaf is gearing up for a record release in the UAE/GCC regions too. It is for the first time in the history of Malayalam cinema that a film is going on to do a business of above Rs 100 cr even before its release. Earlier, Kayamkulam Kochunni had done a pre-release business of above Rs 20 cr. Taking a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asked him to "reveal" caste of other deities so he could pray to the God of his caste. Yadav's remarks come days after the chief minister described Lord Hanuman as a dalit. Adityanath had, during a poll rally in Rajasthan's Alwar district, said, "Hanuman was a forest dweller, deprived and a dalit. Bajrang Bali worked to connect all Indian communities together, from north to south and east to west." "Caste of only some Gods have been revealed. It will be good if he tells caste of all of them. I will also pray to the God of my caste," Yadav told reporters Wednesday. Adityanath was strongly criticised by the opposition for his remarks while one of its own dalit MP quit the party. Bahraich BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule claimed that Lord Hanuman was "a dalit and a slave of 'manuwadi' people" and alleged that dalits and backwards were being called 'bandar' (monkey) and 'rakshas' (demon). The Lok Sabha member quit the BJP last week, charging it with playing politics to divide the society. Asked to comment on the results of the just-concluded assembly elections in five states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Akhilesh said the outcome was "encouraging". "Results of assembly polls are out. I thank people of these state especially of Chhatisgarh, MP and Rajasthan and welcome the 'janadesh'. Though our (SP's) performance was not good, we won a seat in MP and stood at second at some places," he said. To a question on forging future alliance, he said, "Presently I am seeing how strong my party is and emphasising on its preparations upto booth level. The SP always stood against communal forces and its objective it so see happy and prosperous India." Yadav said that his party did not contest many seats so that it did not ruin the political pitch of other parties against the BJP. "We did not contest too many seats. We contested on seats where we had some base. We did this to not botch political prospects of other parties against the BJP," he said, adding that his party has already offered support to the Congress in MP. Touched by the compassion of the nurses who tended to her... The Congress in Chhattisgarh will hold its legislature party meeting in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday to decide on the next chief minister of the state. Congress Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the assembly election from Durg Gramin seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader T.S. Singh Deo are frontrunners for the top post. The Congress registered a landslide victory in the Chhattisgarh polls, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led BJP government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member assembly, while the BJP got only 15 seats. "The Congress legislature party meeting will be held at 8pm. All India Congress Committee's observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P.L. Punia and other senior leaders will be present there," state party unit general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. The chief minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. The JCC(J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi won five seats and his ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. Ending more than a 24 hours of suspense, the BSP has extended its support to the Congress to form government in Madhya Pradesh. "To keep the 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," said BSP chief Mayawati. Soon after Mayawati's declaration of support to the Congress, BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan has opted to resign as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and will not stake claim to form government. "We did not get majority, will not stake claim to form government, I am going to tender my resignation to the governor," Chouhan said. The Congress delegation will meet Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel at 12 noon to stake claim to form government. The BSP has two seats in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress has 114 seats in its kitty. The SP, which has one seat, had extended its support to the Congress on Tuesday itself. With the BSP and the SP coming in, the Congress, which was 2 seats short of the majority, has now 117 seatsthe majority mark in Madhya Pradesh assembly is 116. In addition, the Congress has also claimed that it has the support of the four independents who have won the elections. With the numbers favouring the Congress and Chouhan unwilling to stake claim, Governor Anandiben Patel will now have to call the Congress to form government in Madhya Pradesh. READ: Madhya Pradesh: High-voltage battle as leads see-saw between BJP, Congress Here's the final party position of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections: Total seat : 230 Congress : 114 BJP : 109 BSP : 02 SP : 01 Independents : 04 Total : 230 Late last night, Congress state president Kamal Nath had submitted a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel, staking claim to form government. He later said his party had the numbers to form government in the central state. "We have majority numbers with us to form the government. Even Independents, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party have also supported us. We have sought an appointment with the governor and we will apprise her about the majority figure that we have and request her to invite us to form the government," Nath told reporters in the early hours of Wednesday. He said the party has called a meeting of its newly elected MLAs on Wednesday evening. In the 1995 edition of Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, regarded as the authoritative global ranking of efforts to fight graft, Indias place was 35th out of 41 nations. With a score of 2.78 and showing high rates of corruption (numbers closer to 0 indicate high corruption), India wasnt worse off than 'neighbouring' countries such as China, Pakistan and Indonesia. In the 1995 Corruption Perceptions Index, China got a score of 2.16, indicating rampant corruption. China was, in fact, five places below India. From then onwards, however, China has performed better than India in the Corruption Perceptions Index. In the 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index, India was ranked 81, while China ranked 77 out of 180 countries. As the world observed International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, it would be beneficial to look at the record of China, a country that has consistently outranked India in the Corruption Perceptions Index. The massive growth of the Chinese economy in the past 40 years had unleashed major socio-economic changes in the one-party state, such as opening of numerous manufacturing and services facilities and other businesses. This transformation has also given corrupt officials new avenues to 'cash in' as citizens and companies sought to take advantage of the opportunities, and fruits, of globalisation. As a result, foreign companies have often complained of harassment and have seemingly preferred operating in the country's 14 special economic zones, where corruption is lesser. Concerned about the legitimacy of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, China has made it a priority to strengthen anti-corruption laws. Several senior officials, including former security chief Zhou Yongkang, have been arrested on corruption charges. After President Xi Jinping assumed office, the government has carried out aggressive anti-corruption campaigns. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has disciplined well over 1 million officials since Xi took power in 2012, political science professor David Skidmore wrote in The Conversation in October 2017. Gerry Shih wrote in The Washington Post in October that since 2012, Authorities have investigated more than 2.7 million officials and punished more than 1.5 million people... Prosecutors have tried about 58,000 officials and sentenced two to death. Two main laws in China that have seen amendments to curb corruption are the Anti-Unfair Competition Law and Criminal Law. The Anti-Unfair Competition Law focuses on commercial bribery. It includes bribing an employee or agent for business gains and does not include government officials. Certain serious cases might have a criminal investigation. It is punishable to receive and give bribes to sell or purchase goods. In the end, the illicit income is confiscated in addition to the imposition of a heavy fine. Under the Criminal Law, theres a distinction between official bribery and non-official bribery. The former includes bribery by state officials and the latter includes workers of private companies. Punishments range from petty fines to confiscation of properties, imprisonment and sometimes even the death penalty. An amendment made to the Criminal Law in 2015 makes it illegal to bribe a civil servants relatives or close friends. In 2017, President Jinping introduced a new committee not only to oversee all party members but also public servants. This is the National Supervision Commission. The committee has more powers than the Supreme Court, which is why it has been called "a systemic threat to human rights in China" by Amnesty International. However, despite all the massive measures adopted by China, Transparency International's 2017 Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) recorded that 73 per cent of the respondents believe that corruption has increased. India's ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index has seen little change in recent years, highlighting the lack of momentum on corrective measures. The movement for instituting a Lokpal has all but fizzled out after the heady days of the Anna Hazare agitation of 2011 and political parties have been unanimous in expressing their inability to bar 'tainted' candidates. Perhaps, studying the institutional changes made by Xi Jinping could prove beneficial to India in curbing corruption. 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 $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 $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. Mumbai, Dec 12 (PTI) Benchmark indices defied gravity for the second straight session Wednesday as investors gave a thumbs-up to the prompt appointment of former bureaucrat Shaktikanta Das as the new RBI Governor. The BSE Sensex zoomed 629.06 points, or 1.79 per cent, to end at 35,779.07, while the broader NSE Nifty rallied 188.45 points, or 1.79 per cent, to 10,737.60. All the 30 Sensex stocks as well as BSE sectoral indices finished with gains, led by realty, auto, metal, capital goods and financial counters. Major gainers in the Sensex pack were Hero Motocorp, which rallied 7.01 per cent, followed by Bharti Airtel (6.69 per cent), Yes Bank (5.30 per cent), Adani Ports (4.90 per cent), Tata Steel (3.75 per cent) and Bajaj Auto (3.70 per cent). Analysts said the quick appointment of the new RBI governor and expectations of more steps to ease the liquidity situation bolstered trading sentiment. Former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das Wednesday assumed charge as the 25th governor the RBI. He replaces Urjit Patel, who abruptly resigned amid a face-off with the government over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank. On the appointment, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said, "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." Meanwhile, foreign funds sold shares worth Rs 2,421.06 crore on a net basis Tuesday, while domestic institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 2,255.68 crore, provisional data showed. Brent crude oil futures was trading 1.86 per cent higher at USD 61.32 per barrel. Elsewhere in Asia, Korea's Kospi rose 1.44 per cent, Japan's Nikkei soared 2.15 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 1.61 per cent and Shanghai Composite Index inched up 0.31 per cent. In Europe, Frankfurt's DAX rose by 1.04 per cent and Paris' CAC 40 jumped 1.57 per cent in early deals. London's FTSE too soared 1.11 per cent. PTI DRR ABM ABM Yangon, Dec 12 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday addressed the Indian community in Myanmar and invited them to invest in India, saying the country is full of opportunities for business, social enterprise and cultural links. Kovind, who is in Myanmar to continue India's high level bilateral engagements under the rubric of the 'Act East' and the 'Neighbourhood First' policies, said that India is at the cusp of a transformative change. "I bring you good wishes of 1.3 billion citizens of friends and families in India," he said while speaking at the Indian community reception here. Myanmar has embarked on an exciting but challenging journey, he said. "I am here to reassure Myanmar that India is always ready to help it fulfil its aspirations for a brighter future. "India and Myanmar must pair hard infrastructure being created with soft infrastructure of legal arrangements, like a motor vehicle agreement, for people to travel legally and easily. This will help realise the full potential of our projects," Kovind said. He said that today, India is full of opportunities for business, social enterprise and cultural links. "I invite each one of you to join us in this journey, and to make this partnership more meaningful," the president said. "Our Northeast and Myanmar's North West share strong commonalities of culture, language and traditions. These regions are central to our bilateral vision for growth, prosperity and security. "This is my first visit to Myanmar. It is both a pilgrimage and a homecoming. This country has a proud, millennia-old tradition of Buddhist thought and philosophy. It is home to one of the leading schools of Buddhism," Kovind said. Myanmar, like India, is an enormously diverse country, with different ethnicities and faiths co-existing. The two countries shared civilisational ethos shows that all faiths share fundamental truths, which guide all, he said. "Myanmar is undergoing multiple and simultaneous transitions towards democracy, peace and economic development. Success here, under the courageous leadership of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, is important for this country, South Asia and the ASEAN family. "As a sister democracy and a civilisational friend, India is fully conscious of the challenges Myanmar faces. We are ready to offer Myanmar any assistance in addressing the challenges of national reconciliation, reconstruction and economic development," Kovind said. The central tenets of India's foreign policy are guided by recognition that the road to development runs through the region. The "Act East" and "Neighbourhood First" policies are key aspects of India's foreign policy and Myanmar is a focus country in both, the president said. "We share our expertise with neighbours and others by building infrastructure, creating capacity, and setting up institutions. We do so in the conviction that a peaceful, prosperous and stable neighbourhood is in everyones interest," he added. PTI CPS AKJ CPS Yangon, Dec 12 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday laid a wreath at the Myanmar martyrs' mausoleum where he honoured the supreme sacrifices of General Aung San, father of State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi. The mausoleum in Yangon is dedicated to Aung San and other leaders of the pre-independence government, all of whom were assassinated in July, 1947. Kovind is in Myanmar on a two-city visit to continue India's high level bilateral engagements under the rubric of the 'Act East Policy' and the 'Neighbourhood First Policy'. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the martyrs of Myanmar were honoured by Kovind. "A wreath is laid by President Kovind at Martyrs mausoleum in Yangon to honour the supreme sacrifices of General Aung San, father of Aung San Suu Kyi, Cabinet Ministers and others on July 19, 1947," Kumar said in a tweet. Kovind and First Lady Savita visited the holy Shwedagon Pagoda which is believed to be possessing relics of eight stands of hair of Gautam Buddha along with other relics of three preceding Buddhas, he said. "Shwedagon means Reliquary of Four," Kumar said. PTI CPS AKJ CPS Vancouver, Dec 12 (AFP) 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 USD 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. 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. AFP NSA NSA Beijing, Dec 12 (AP) China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied knowledge of the detention of a former Canadian diplomat, as Chinese citizens rejoiced over a Canadian court's decision to release a top Huawei Technologies executive on bail. The release of Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, prompted an outpouring of support on social media for her and her company, which is based in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Zeng Yuan, a university student in Beijing, was among many who believe the detention of former diplomat Michael Kovrig was related to Meng's case. "It is a kind of declaration to the Canadian government," the finance student told The Associated Press. "This makes sense. China cannot sit and await its fate, and let them make ambiguous accusations against Chinese citizens." Meng was detained Dec 1 at the request of the US, which accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. After three days of hearings, a British Columbia justice granted bail Tuesday of 10 million Canadian dollars (USD 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 pm to 6 am. While declining to confirm Kovrig's detention, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the International Crisis Group, where Kovrig is a Hong-Kong-based analyst, was not registered in China and its activities in the country were illegal. "I do not have information to provide you here," he said. "If there is such a thing, please do not worry, it is assured that China's relevant departments will definitely handle it according to law." Because Kovrig's organization is not registered as a non-governmental organization in China, "once its staff become engaged in activities in China, it has already violated the law," Lu said. He repeated China's demand for the immediate release of Meng, whose father founded Huawei, a leading telecommunications equipment maker that has strong connections to the Chinese government and military. Meng's case has set off a diplomatic furor among the three countries and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed Kovrig's detention. The International Crisis Group said he was taken into custody Monday night by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security, which handles intelligence and counterintelligence matters in the Chinese capital, Rob Malley, president of the Brussels-based group, said he thinks Kovrig was in Beijing on personal matters at the time of his arrest and was definitely not there for any illegal purpose or for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. AP NSA NSA Colombo, Dec 12 (PTI) Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe emphatically proved his majority in Parliament on Wednesday, weeks after being sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the island nation into a political turmoil. As many as 117 out of 225 lawmakers in Parliament voted to pass a confidence motion in his leadership. The motion's approval could be seen as a blow to President Sirisena who has steadfastly refused to reappoint 69-year-old Wickremesinghe due to his personal dislike of the ousted prime minister. Sri Lanka is going through a major political crisis since October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. Rajapaksa has so far failed to prove his majority in Parliament. The main Tamil minority party TNA voted in favour of the confidence motion. However, the Marxist JVP, which has protested Sirisena's extra constitutional action, abstained from voting. If the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)'s six lawmakers had voted in his favour, Wickremesinghe would have commanded an unassailable majority in the House despite the president's refusal to reinstate him. Sirisena's United People's Freedom Alliance continued its boycott of Parliament when Sajith Premadasa, Wickremesinghe's deputy, moved the motion in the morning. Premadasa urged Sirisena to end the October 26 unconstitutional action and reinstate Wickremesinghe to take the country back to the pre-October 26 position. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya later adjourned the Parliament session until December 18. Legislators supporting Sirsena and Rajapaksa have been boycotting Parliament since November 17 when there were violent scenes of fighting, breaking up of furniture and throwing chilli powder. Two key court orders on the legality of Sirisena's action await delivery. The one on Parliament's sacking is expected this week. Sirisena, after sacking Wickremesinghe on October 26, dissolved Parliament and called for a snap election on January 5. However, the Supreme Court overturned his decision. Sirisena said that he has always taken decisions in the best interest of the country and the people. United National Party (UNP) leader Wickremesinghe last week urged the President not to "be like Hitler and some of the other dictators who used the referendum". Sirisena has said that Wickremesinghe is a stubborn, headstrong person who was following far right wing neo-liberal policies. Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa both claim to be the prime ministers with the former claiming that his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Prior to the crisis, Wickramasinghe's UNP had the backing of 106 parliamentarians while Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine had 95 seats. The President has said that due to sharp personal differences with Wickremesinghe, he would not reappoint him as the Prime Minister. However, Wickremesinghe's UNP claims that Sirisena will be left with no choice as he would be the man who will command the confidence in the House. PTI CORR CPS AKJ CPS New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) A total of 500 Indian fishermen are languishing in various jails of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday. Altogether 482 fishermen are languishing in Pakistani jails while 18 are in custody in Sri Lanka, Minister of State at the External Affairs Ministry V K Singh said in a written reply. However, he clarified that Pakistan has acknowledged custody of only 391 Indian fishermen. Singh also said as many as 174 Indian fishermen were released by Pakistan this year while 214 fishermen were set free by Sri Lanka. The Pakistan has also seized 1050 boats while 10 boats are in Sri Lanka custody, he added. Pakistan and India regularly arrest each other's fishermen who inadvertently enter into their waters due to absence of any proper technology to confirm the coastline border between the two countries near Sir Creek in the Arabian Sea. PTI UZM RCJ New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Election results may be good or bad for those politically-inclined depending on their party affiliation, but Twitterati across the spectrum are having a field day with catchy one-liners, jokes and memes all around, ranging from 'Pappu pass ho gaya' to the 'BJP gets triple talaq'. A good number of jokes are also targetted at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who had campaigned extensively for the BJP during the elections. Several viral memes take a swipe at his numerous 'name-changing' ideas and one of those shows the firebrand leader telling Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he would change the meaning of 'defeat' to 'victory'. Another meme showed Adityanath, who had talked about changing the names of cities like Hyderabad during his election campaign, suggesting changing the name of Congress party itself to the 'BJP'. But, a tweet said it was time for Adityanath himself to again become 'Ajay Singh Bisht', his earlier name. Divya Spandana of the Congress party's social media team retweeted an old tweet of Modi from December 2003, wherein the then Gujarat chief minister had said that the results of five states showed the way the wind was blowing and it was beginning of 'Congress-Mukt Bharat', but she replaced the word 'Congress' with the 'BJP'. Celebrity author Shobhaa De tweeted, "Not only has Pappu passed, he has earned an instant PhD. Let's hope he stays the course and doesn't get distracted. India needs him to see the 2019 elections through." Actress Swara Bhasker tweeted, "Looks like BJP got 'Pappu'd three times over". Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is often referred to as 'Pappu' on social media by right-wing trolls, while some BJP leaders have also called him by this name. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "No wonder the BJP is so upset today. The voters just gave them a triple talaq", referring to the Congress emerging victorious in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He also referred to Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Kamal Nath's statement that he was ensuring personal delivery of the party's stake-claim letter to the state's Governor, saying it was good that the party was not relying on the "Governor's fax machine in MP", taking a swipe at a recent fax machine controversy in Jammu and Kashmir. Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah also tweeted that the Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh were "smart people" as they were not faxing their letter to Raj Bhawan in Bhopal. One of the viral memes blamed Yogi for the BJP losses and said it was his "caste certificate" to Lord Hanuman which hurt the party and the results are like a revenge by the monkey-god on Tuesday, a day when Hanuman is worshipped. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted in Hindi, "Abki baar, kho di sarkar" (This time, lost the government), punning it on the popular BJP slogan of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 'Abki baar, Modi sarkar'. PTI BJ BJ SOM SOM Srinagar, Dec 12 (PTI) Eighteen-month-old Uzma searches for her father, Constable Abdul Majeed Ganaie, among the mourners who continue to stream into their home in Ganderbal. To calm her down, a family member plays a video clip of Majeed crooning a Bollywood number. The video solaces Uzma, who looks confused by the sudden arrival of teary eyed people trying to console her mother and other family members. Majeed gave the performance at a family function. His voice had left all of us stunned, recalls his brother Showkat, a labourer, as he receives mourners at his residence. The song "Tere Jaisa Yaar Kahan" by Kishore Kumar was his favourite and he would sing it quite often, he says. "Friendship was the only thing he had earned all these years," Showkat says, as he puts the song on a loop for his niece Uzma, who wants to see her 'Baba'. Showkat chokes back tears as he recalls his last meeting with Majeed 15 days ago when he had come home for a break. "Majeed would advise me not to fight as I am a bit short-tempered," he says. Born at Shallabugh Ganderbal in central Kashmir, Majeed had only studied till Class 8 and had subsequently started working as a labourer. In 1995, he joined the banned Hizbul Mujahideen as a locally trained militant, but he returned to the mainstream a year later. Thereafter, he started working as a labourer till 2000 when he got selected as a constable. The four policemen were on guard duty outside a minority pocket -- a term used for localities where Kashmiri Pandits stay -- when militants attacked them. The pregnant wife of Anees ul Islam Mir, one of the slain constables, is in trauma since she's heard the news about her husband's death. "They had got married seven months ago and she was expecting. Both of them were really excited about it. Anees was just 26 years old," his maternal uncle Sabzar Bhat says. Mourners continue to throng their residence in Kulgam village of South Kashmir since Wednesday morning and his wife has fainted many times. Bhat, who runs a chemist shop, has kept a doctor on standby for her. Constable Mehrajuddin Dar's family was preparing for his wedding next year. He had started constructing a house for himself in Khewa of Safapora in Bandipore district of North Kashmir. "He was a darling of his nieces and nephews. He would spend time with children during holidays," recalls his brother Farooq Dar. Constbale Hamidullah Ganie stayed with his brother Abdul Majeed Ganie after his marriage with Khalida. His family stays in Fatehpora of Anantnag in South Kashmir. PTI SKL GVS New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with meet her Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Thursday during which they will discuss ways to strengthen defence ties between the two nations, officials said. Shoigu's visit to India assumes significance as India had in October signed a deal to buy Russian S-400 air defence missile system. The two countries have also signed a deal to build two frigates in Goa for the Indian Navy. Russia's state-owned arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, has also emerged as the lowest bidder for India's USD 3 billion tenders to source short-range air defence missile systems. PTI PR DPB Lucknow, Dec 12 (PTI) A case was registered Wednesday against Uttar Pradesh Nav Nirman Sena, a fringe group batting for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the next prime minister, for putting up hoardings in Lucknow terming PM Narendra Modi as "jumlebaaz". The hoardings were put up late Tuesday night after the BJP's defeat in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh. They were removed by officials as soon as they came to know about it. "An FIR has been registered against UP Nav Nirman Sena under various sections of the IPC. We are probing the matter," Additional Superintendent of Police, East, Sarvesh Kumar Mishra told PTI. The hoardings with "Yogi Lao Desh Bachao" (bring Yogi and save country) written on it read "Jumlebaazi ka naam Modi" (Name of fake promises is Modi) on one side and "Hindutva Ka Brand Yogi" (Yogi is a Hindutva Brand) on the other with #Yogi4PM on the top. The fringe group's head Amit Jani also released a video in which he praised Yogi and batted for him for the next prime minister. He said he will hold a "dharam sansad" or religious conclave on February 10 in the city to declare that Hindus will not vote for the BJP if Yogi was not made the prime ministerial candidate. "Modi did nothing on Ram temple, Article 370 and other issues. Now 'jumla' will not work. Only Yogi is able to run the country and carry forward the Hindutva agenda," he said. A BJP spokesman dismissed it as an attempt for "cheap publicity". "It's a conspiracy. It's an attempt to get cheap publicity," he said. Jani had shot into limelight in 2012 when he allegedly damaged a statue of former Chief Minister Mayawati in Lucknow. Last year, he was arrested for threatening to kill JNU students Kanahiya Kumar and Umar Khalid. PTI ABN NAV SMI SOM SOM New Delhi, Dec 12(PTI) Fifteen out of 25 Youth Congress office-bearers, including chiefs of state units in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, won the seats they contested in the Assembly elections in the three states. The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) leaders exultant over the results feel performance of the outfit will increase share of youths in its list of candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "We won most of the seats that were given to us. I have full faith the party leadership will pay attention to our performance and consider more Youth Congressmen in the Lok Sabha elections," IYC president Keshav Chandra Yadav said. He said all the 25 Youth Congress members who contested the Assembly polls in the three states gave tough fight and while 15 managed to win, those who could not, lost by narrow margins. The Youth Congress figures more prominently in the scheme of things after Rahul Gandhi became the Congress president, IYC vice-president Srinivas BV said. "Earlier, less number of Youth Congress members got chance to contest elections. After Rahul Gandhi (taking over as Congress president) we are getting more seats to contest in Assembly and other elections," Srinivas said. The president of Youth Congress in Madhya Pradesh Kunal Chaudhary won from Kalapipal constituency, while Rajasthan unit chief Ashok Chandna won from Hindoli. Umesh Patel, president of Chhattisgarh Youth Congress, won from Kharsia seat, IYC chief spokesperson Amrish Ranjan Pandey said. "We have proved ourselves when given a chance. Now, if given a chance to contest the Lok Sabha elections, the Youth Congress will definitely prove itself once again," Pandey said. The Congress is poised to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chhattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. PTI VIT CK New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Delhi government has unearthed a cyber-tax fraud totalling Rs 262 crore committed by over 8,700 traders who were found showing fraudulent tax deposits into 13 banks since 2013, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Wednesday. Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that the Trade and Taxes Department has registered a complaint with the Delhi Police's Economic Office Wing (EOW) for registration of FIRs into the matter. "Delhi govt Tax authorities hv unearthed a big cyber-tax fraud. More than 8000 registered dealers hv been found showing fraudulent tax deposits into 13 banks. The matter has been handed over to EOW, Delhi Police. AAP govt believes in zero tolerance to any corrupt practice (sic)," Sisodia tweeted. Earlier in the day, the deputy chief minister said that during the scrutiny of suspected fraud transactions, it was noticed that such kind of fraud had been continuing since 2013 and it was going on until it was detected by the department. "The government has detected cyber-tax fraud of Rs 262 crore. As per our initial investigation, around 8,700 traders were involved in the fraud. It is a very serious issue that should be investigated thoroughly by probe agencies," he said. Sisodia also said that the traders who were found involved in this fraud had tracked bank IDs and passwords, and also showed that they have deposited tax online, but in reality, they were not depositing tax. PTI BUN KJ New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) on Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking his support for resolution of roster issue and regularisation of teachers in the varsity. The central government has displayed cynical apathy towards the plight of talent joining the teaching profession and standards of higher education, the DUTA said. In July, the appointment of academic staff in higher education institutions (HEI) was put on hold by the University Grants Commission till the Supreme Court issued its verdict on a special leave petition filed by the HRD Ministry against a court order curtailing reservation for SC, ST and OBCs. The UGC had announced in March that an individual department should be considered as the base unit to calculate the number of teaching posts to be reserved for Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) candidates following an order by the Allahabad High Court in April last year. The DUTA said the central government has responded neither to their plea to bring in a legally sound provision for regularisation or absorption of temporary and ad hoc teachers nor to bring about a just resolution to the issue of the reservation roster through an ordinance. It seems to be content with indefinite stoppage of appointment processes across universities or appointment on the basis of a roster that, by its own admission, is unjust, it added. "We appreciate the initiative taken by the Governing Bodies of Delhi Government colleges under Delhi University for regularisation or absorption of temporary and ad hoc teachers. Thousands of teachers in colleges of Delhi University have been working on ad hoc basis for past several years as the posts have been kept vacant," the letter said. The teachers' body appealed to Kejriwal to take further the initiative of regularisation or absorption of teachers. It will help to build pressure on the central government to bring about a legally sound procedure for it, it said. The DUTA said it has approached all political parties so that these issues get resolved in the winter session of Parliament and permanent vacancies in the Delhi University can be filled up soon. SLB DIV DIV (Eds: Updates story; adds details, quotes) Jaipur, Dec 12 (PTI) After discussions that lasted hours, the Congress Wednesday failed to bring about a consensus in its ranks in Rajasthan on who should be the chief minister even as it staked its claim to form the government. The decision on the chief minister will be taken Thursday by party president Rahul Gandhi, All India Congress Committee general secretary Avinash Pande told reporters after a party delegation met Governor Kalyan Singh to seek an invitation to form the government. Pande said Gandhi will be briefed about the deliberations by the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Jaipur over the chief ministers post Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both MLAs, are the frontrunners for the post and were part of the delegation that met Kalyan Singh. Earlier in the day, the CLP held a scheduled meeting at the party office, where it passed a one-line resolution in which the newly elected MLAs authorised Gandhi to decide on the chief ministers post. After the resolution was passed, K C Venugopal, the AICC observer sent by the party to Jaipur, held discussions with individual MLAs, seeking their opinion. The exercise went on for several hours but there was no consensus and the CLP then left the decision on Gandhi. We will hand over our report to the party president tomorrow, Pande said. Apart from AICC general secretaries Venugopal and Pande, the party had also sent four AICC secretaries to Jaipur. They are all expected to meet Gandhi in Delhi. Both Pilot and Gehlot would remain in Jaipur, party leaders said. A delegation of the party met the Governor. We have the majority and will form the government, Pande said. Leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi, who lost election on Nokha seat, was also part of the delegation. The party observer held discussions with the MLAs and the name of the chief minister will be decided at the level of the party president Rahul Gandhi by tomorrow evening, Dudi told reporters outside Raj Bhawan. Congress won 99 out of the 199 seats that went to the polls on December 7. Its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) also bagged a seat, taking the combined tally to 100 needed to form the government. The party is also looking for support from independent candidates and non-BJP parties. Pande said several other MLAs have also extended support to the Congress in writing and the final list will be handed over to the Governor later. The Bharatiya Janata Party won 73 seats. PTI AG SDA ASH ASH Jaipur, Dec 12 (PTI) The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan, winning 99 seats, while the BJP got 73, the State Election Commission Office said Wednesday. The Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats, CPI(M) 2 and Independents 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission's website. The Congress is one short of a simple majority, 100 seats, to form the government in the state. Voting was held in 199 of the 200 seats in the state on December 7. Election to Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was countermanded to the death of the BSP candidate. The votes were counted on Tuesday. In 2013, the BJP won 163 seats and the Congress 21. The focus in Rajasthan is now on who would be the Congress choice for chief minister between two-time CM Ashok Gehlot and the partys state unit president Sachin Pilot. The newly elected Congress legislators will meet Wednesday to discuss this.The All India Congress Committee has sent K C Venugopal as observer. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje submitted her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh on Tuesday. PTI SDA GVS Jaipur, Dec 12 (PTI) The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Rajasthan will meet here Wednesday to discuss the name of the next state chief minister. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and PCC President Sachin Pilot, both MLAs, are in the race for the top post. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will be present in the meeting and seek opinion of party MLAs. "The CLP is meeting at 11 am," Pilot said. The CLP will file a resolution and the observer will apprise party president Rahul Gandhi about the opinion and views of MLAs as well as senior leaders of the party. The decision will be taken by Gandhi based on the feedback. A second meeting of the CLP will take place in the evening and the name of the chief minister is likely to be announced then. The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan, winning 99 seats, while the BJP got 73. The Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats, CPI(M) 2, Independents 13 and other parties got 6. The Congress is one short of a simple majority, 100 seats, to form the government in the state.PTI SDA DV DV New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Indigo airlines Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Meghalaya High Court direction to all commercial operators and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to urgently take a decision to start flights from Umroi airport, 30 km from capital Shillong. The apex court was told that the high court on its own had last week taken up the matter and asked the Director General of Civil Aviation, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India Chairman to hold a meeting within a week on the issue of making the airport operational. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Indigo Airlines, mentioned the petition before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which agreed to give it an urgent hearing on Thursday. The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, was told that the airport was not ready for landing of big aircraft and does not have fire-fighting facilities. "The operation can't start," Rohatgi submitted before the bench. The high court on December 7 had directed that the exercise for taking decision to make operational the airport has to be completed within seven days and had posted the matter for further hearing on December 14. Besides Indigo, other operators were also represented by their advocates before the high court. The brief hearing also witnessed lighter moments when the bench told Rohatgi that he will now be identified as as Indigo's counsel. "You will have tremendous disadvantage," the CJI said indicating there would be lot of requests to him. When Rohatgi mentioned the matter, the CJI asked him "Who are you?" He replied "I am Indigo." "We are always going to remember you are Indigo. You may have tremendous disadvantage since you are Indigo," Justice Gogoi said evoking quick response from Rohtagi that "I will get it fixed if there are difficulties". PTI RKS SJK SA Prayagraj, Dec 12 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has directed the Special Task Force (STF) to complete the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds in distribution of fair price commodities by wrongly verifying Aadhaar details of beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh. The bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice YK Srivastava while disposing of a petition filed by Sahkari Sasta Galla Vitran Union, Meerut, directed SSP, STF, Lucknow to complete the investigation. The petitioner had filed a plea seeking court directions to the STF to expedite the investigation. In Uttar Pradesh, fair price cards have been linked with Aadhaar with a purpose to keep a check on wrong distribution of fair price commodities. In this regard, the offices of the district food officer have been authorised for verification of Aadhaar cards to ensure distribution of fair price commodities to entitled persons. In the petition, it was alleged that in collusion with the officers of food supply department, the fair price license holders used to wrongly verify Aadhaar and misappropriated crores of government fund in the name of entitled person and used to sell commodities in the open market. The state government instituted an enquiry in this regard by a subsequent order dated August 29, 2018, after which the investigation was handed over to the STF. PTI RAJ CK New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Supreme Court Wednesday allowed the Director Generals of Police (DGPs) of Punjab and Haryana to continue in office till January 31. The police chiefs -- Suresh Arora (Punjab) and B S Sandhu (Haryana) -- were due to retire on December 31. The Punjab and Haryana governments moved the apex court recently, seeking modification of its earlier order directing the states to mandatorily take the assistance of the UPSC in shortlisting the names for appointing DGP. The states had said they have enacted separate laws for the selection and appointment of police chiefs. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it will hear their pleas seeking modification of the January 8 order and allowed the current DGPs to continue in office till January 31. The top court had on July 3 this year passed a slew of directions on police reforms in the country and chronicled the steps for appointment of regular DGPs. It had said the states will have to send a list of senior police officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at least three months prior to the retirement of the incumbent. The commission will then prepare a panel and inform the states, which in turn will immediately appoint one of the persons from that list, the apex court had said. The top court's direction had come on an application filed by the Centre in which it claimed that certain states have been appointing acting DGPs and then making them permanent just before the date of their superannuation to enable them get the benefit of an additional two-year tenure till the age of 62 years. In the previous hearing, the top court was told by the governments of Bihar and Punjab that the July 3 order needed to be modified as they have already come out with laws to deal with the issue of appointment of DGP. The counsel appearing for Bihar had said the state has already enacted a comprehensive law, dealing with various aspects including the procedures to appoint the DGP, in pursuance of the 2006 apex court verdict on police reforms. The West Bengal government has also filed a similar plea. PTI SJK RKS LLP GVS Dissident TRS leader who won on AIFB ticket pledges support to parent party Hyderabad, Dec 12 (PTI) Dissident TRS leader Korukanti Chandar, elected to the Telangana assembly from Ramagundam constituency on a All India Forward Bloc ticket, Wednesday announced his support to the ruling party, TRS sources said. He decided to support the TRS in the interest of development of the state and employment generation to youth, they said. Chandar contested the December 7 assembly polls on Forward Bloc ticket after failing to get nomination by the TRS with which he had been assoicated with. He defeated TRS nominee Somarapu Satyanarayana by a margin of 26,090 votes. TRS won the assembly polls with a thumping majority of 88 seats outof total 119 segments and party supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao is being sworn in chief minister Thursday. PTI SJR VS VS Shimla, Dec 12 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla Wednesday morning received season's first snowfall which has brought cheers on the faces of tourists and local hoteliers. Tourists have gathered on the Ridge and Mall Road to experience snowfall. Snow frozen on the leaves of the trees and on the rooftops of the buildings especially located on the Ridge, Mall Road and Jakhu is giving a pleasant look. Shimla has so far received 3.8 cm snowfall, the Meteorological department said. Snowfall is still continuing and hotels expect that tourists from nearby areas of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will soon visit Shimla in a large number to experience the snowfall. Another tourist destination Kufri located in Shimla district also received 7 cm snowfall, the MeT Centre Shimla director Manmohan Singh said. Besides tourist spot Dalhousie in Chamba district got 1.5 cm snowfall while Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district also received 6 cm and 3 cm snowfall respectively, he added. PTI DJI RCJ \R Man held for supplying illicit liquor New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) A 36-year-old man was arrested for allegedly supplying illicit liquor from Dwarka's Najafgarh area, police said Wednesday. On Monday, a pickup van was stopped during routine checking near Najafgarh bus terminal and 205 cartons containing 9,840 quarters of illicit liquor were recovered. It was to be supplied in Khyala area of west Delhi, the police said. The accused has been identified as Sonu (36), a resident of Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. PTI NIT ****************** 3 arrested for snatching woman's handbag New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Three youths were arrested for allegedly snatching the handbag of a woman in south Delhi's Sheikh Sarai, police said Wednesday. The police were informed on Monday about the snatching of a handbag. The woman was going towards Max Hospital from Sheikh Sarai in an auto rickshaw with her relatives when two bike-borne men snatched her purse containing Rs 5,000, mobile phone and a gold ring, the police said. Investigation revealed that the motorcycle used in the crime was also used in another snatching incident and bikers fled away after leaving the bike in Ambedkar Nagar, the police said. The accused trio, Navin (22), Shivam (19) and Manoj (21), has been arrested, the police added. PTI SLB **************** Fire at furniture shop New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) A fire broke out at a furniture shop in west Delhi's Kirti Nagar on Wednesday, the Delhi Fire Service said. A call about the blaze was received at 2.50 pm and 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire broke out on the first, second and third floor of the shop and it has been brought under control, a senior officer from Delhi Fire Service said, adding that no casualty or injury had been reported yet. PTI AMP HMB Jammu, Dec 12 (PTI) Days after his expulsion from the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit, Gagan Bhagat on Wednesday accused the state party leadership of being "anti-Dalit" and alleged he was victimised for being one. He claimed that the party's debacle in the recently concluded assembly elections in five states was a result of its "anti-Dalit" ideology. Going against the party line, Bhagat had on December 3 moved the Supreme Court challenging the dissolution of state assembly. The apex court, however, dismissed his petition on Monday, saying there was no merit in the pleas filed by the former legislator. He was expelled by the BJP on the same day with immediate effect for his "continued indiscipline, anti-party and anti-Jammu activities." "I am a Dalit and faced victimisation from the party which is 100 per cent anti-Dalit...I was always given the position where my caste fits," Bhagat told reporters here. "I have always faced discrimination because of the anti-Dalit attitude of the party leadership. Scheduled Castes gave seven reserved seats to the party in the state but it gave no representation to the community in the previous government. No ministerial berth was given (to community members) nor any higher position in the party," he alleged. He added that whenever someone highlights the truth, he is dubbed anti-party. Earlier in July, Bhagat was suspended by the disciplinary committee of the party over his alleged role in the abduction of an ex-serviceman's daughter, a charge he and the woman rejected. He said he is not against the BJP's national leadership. Bhagat claimed that the party's state leadership was dictatorial and it would face a drubbing in the next assembly election as the people had seen its real face. He alleged that the BJP had done nothing for the Jammu region despite being in power in the state and at the Centre. "I know everything about the party and its functioning. I know how ministers were chosen when money changed hands. They have filled their coffers and have done nothing for the people, including those living along the International Border, who are direct targets of Pakistan's shelling," the doctor-turned-politician said. Bhagat dared the BJP to announce its chief ministerial candidate ahead of the Assembly elections and said "the party would not do so because it knows its position". "It might push for delaying the polls given the mood of the people," he said. The Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly was dissolved by Governor Satya Pal Malik on November 21. The Election Commission has to hold fresh assembly polls in the state within six months, by May 21. On Article 35A, which guarantees special rights and privileges to permanent residents of the state, Bhagat said the party is toeing the line of national leadership and ignoring potential threat its revocation poses. He alleged that the withdrawal of his security cover was one of the "pressure tactics" of the BJP to silence him. On his future plans, Bhagat said he was in touch with all other political parties. "I am in touch with all the parties...barring the BJP, every other party is for the unity of Jammu and Kashmir. Even the PDP has done more for Jammu than the BJP," he said. PTI TAS DIV DIV New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Supreme Court Collegium on Wednesday is understood to have deliberated on the issue of elevating chief justices of some of the high courts to the apex court, a source said. The source in the apex court said the five-member collegium headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi is understood to have discussed the names of chief justices of high courts of Delhi and Rajasthan for bringing them to the top court as judges. Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog are the chief justices of Delhi and Rajasthan high courts respectively. The source said the decision would be officially announced very soon. Some of the senior-most judges of high courts were likely to be recommended for being appointed as chief justice. PTI RKS AAR ZOOT BOSCHWITZ, Chariho, Football, Boschwitz rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two others as Chariho lost to Narragansett in the Division III Super Bowl. For the season, Boschwitz threw for 1,174 yards and 13 TDs. He also rushed for eight touchdowns. SAM MONTALTO, Stonington, Boys Soccer, Montalto, scored a pair of goals as Stonington defeated Ellington, 3-1, for the Class M state title. It was the teams second state championship in three years. Montalto finished his career with a school-record 105 goals. He scored a school-record 36 goals this season despite missing three games with an injury. Vote View Results WPP's 'good leaver' Sir Martin Sorrell has left his successor Mark Read a fine mess to clear up. Sorrell's genius was to have recognised the online revolution ahead of everyone else. But his response of buying every digital agency he could lay his hands on lacked a coherent strategy. Having led the charge in switching advertising spend from traditional media such as newspapers and terrestrial television to online, the Silicon valley giants have gone on to eat WPP's dinner. Ousted WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell's genius was to have recognised the online revolution ahead of everyone else Moreover, Sorrell's untidy departure did reputational damage, Read's response is to simplify, cut costs and re-focus on creativity. The decision, for instance, to bring together flagship advertising agency J Walter Thompson with digital outfit Wunderman may be sensible. But for a marketing company, the doubled up branding hardly rolls off the tongue. New chief executives normally get one chance to make the dramatic decision to turn fortunes around, but Read has been too cautious. The job cuts of 3,500 may look bold, but with a workforce of 130,000 across 112 countries that is hardly radical. Similarly, 300million of cost-cuts out of operating expenses of 11.7billion is a flea bite. Read might also have demonstrated a willingness to share the pain with shareholders by cutting the dividend, speeding debt reduction and providing additional resources to bolster creativity. At least he has made a start and looks determined to keep intact one of Britain's better creative companies. There have been important client gains such as Volkswagen in the US, a quite uphill task given the still simmering diesel poisoning scandal. The market liked WPP's change of direction and marked the shares up 4.8 per cent. But after a 50 per cent fall for the stock in the last year or so, Read is in the foothills of what is going to a very steep climb back. Heavy lifting At the opposite end of the glamour spectrum to WPP sits Ashtead Group, which under its soon-to-retire chief executive of 14 years Geoff Drabble has climbed the heights to the top half of FTSE 100. It has a market value of 8billion where it is not far short of WPP's current 10.6billion and twice that of Marks & Spencer. In the first half it chalked up a 25 per cent jump in profits to 610million, which must put the 1billion club within reach before too long. Some 87 per cent of Ashtead's income comes from renting heavy industrial equipment in North America where outsourcing plant is the preferred option. The firm's 8-9 per cent and growing share of the US industrial leasing market does make it sensitive to the broader US economy. The shadow over Ashtead in recent months has been Trump's trade war with China and Fed interest hikes which could mark the start of a slow-down for construction. Drabble thinks differently. In his view the full impact of Trump's tax cuts has still to trickle down, output in the US shows no sign of slipping and the jobs market remains firm. Ashtead has embraced digital and Drabble, who is off to hand pick olives on his French farm, says that the company he catapulted into the big leagues has a just-in-time culture which means around one half of rental orders for equipment can be ordered on mobile phones and iPads and delivered in a day. Investors should also have noticed that the fall in the pound should mean that Ashtead's repatriated US income is worth a great deal more. Drabble has anointed the boss of its US Sunbelt Rentals offshoot Brendan Horgan as successor. He has heavy boots to fill. Branch lines NatWest owner Royal Bank of Scotland, having shutdown more than 1,500 branches since 2008, has found a new clever device for driving away customers. Instead of making you queue just once for services at my local to work branch it is now necessary to stand in line twice (or sit it out on the sofa) while you wait. One queue is for 'cash' transactions such as buying foreign currency the other for paper deals such as paying bills or making transfers. This also requires customers to put in pin numbers twice at two different counters and to receive the repetitive sales spiel about how much easier it is to bank online or on mobile devices. No doubt that is why masters of cyber-crime find it so inviting. In these uncertain times, many investors are holding large sums as cash within their Sipps. Yet they are invariably getting no interest on these deposits in their self-invested personal pensions. Not my words, but those of retired NHS manager Robert, from Torquay, who wrote to me a couple of weeks ago. I share his pain. I, too, hold cash in my SIPP as I hunker down through the Brexit maelstrom. Safe bet? Hargreaves Lansdown says about 10 per cent of investors' money was in cash this summer, compared with a norm of around 8 per cent Many people who are retired, or on the cusp of retiring, may feel cash is a decent option, with uncertainty over world trade, growth and our coming exit from the EU. I tackled several major Sipp providers and was, in general, disappointed by responses which, in some cases, displayed a chronic lack of regard for investors' needs. People use Sipps because they want to harness tax benefits and enjoy flexibility over how their money is invested. This includes holding cash for shorter or longer periods. Yet many firms take the attitude that a Sipp investor must want to be in the market. Standard Life told me: 'A Sipp is a long-term savings vehicle. Generally, we expect cash holdings to be used for temporary tactical investment objectives, or funding for near-term encashment, or planned spending for those in, near, or at retirement.' AJ Bell says: 'Our customers don't typically hold much cash, and when they do, it is for the short term while they decide how to invest. 'For longer-term holdings, there are cash and money market funds available as an alternative to holding it on deposit.' That may be, but both carry risk and tend to be poor value. Hargreaves Lansdown says about 10 per cent of investors' money was in cash this summer, compared with a norm of around 8 per cent. It's not unreasonable to speculate that this has increased through the autumn. So what are the big firms paying? Standard Life Aberdeen has three Sipps. Cash rates range from 0.35 per cent to nothing at all. Curtis Banks pays 0.1 per cent, though investors can get access to deposit options. Hargreaves Lansdown pays 0.1 per cent on balances up to 4,999; 0.15 per cent on balances above 5,000; 0.2 per cent above 25,000 and 0.35 per cent above 100,000. AJ Bell increased rates at the beginning of this month to 0.1 per cent on the first 50,000, then 0.15 per cent on 50,000 to 100,000 and 0.25 per cent on balances over 100,000. Previously, it paid nothing on the first 50,000 and 0.05 per cent above that. In each case, your money earns the only rate within each band. So if you had 105,000 in cash with Hargreaves or AJ Bell, you would earn the highest rate only on the top 5,000. AJ Bell in its report and accounts talked of 'retained interest income growing at a faster rate following the Bank of England's decision to increase the UK base rate twice during the period' But pension firms make money on our cash What's all the more galling is the fact that Sipp firms are making considerable profits on our cash. For example, AJ Bell in its report and accounts talked of 'retained interest income growing at a faster rate following the Bank of England's decision to increase the UK base rate twice during the period'. Retained interest is money the firm earns on clients' cash but doesn't pass on. Together, custody fees, retained interest income and investment management fees grew by 29 per cent from 37.2 million in 2017 to 47.9 million this year. Hargreaves made 48 basis points on investors' cash in the past financial year. In rough terms this means if it paid you 0.25 per cent, Hargreaves earned 0.73 per cent. Its report and accounts says it anticipates that as Bank of England rate-increases feed through, the profit margin will increase to between 60 and 70 basis points. Put another way, if the rates it pays remain unchanged, it plans to pass on around a third of the interest it makes on your money and keep the remaining two-thirds. Earlier this year, regulator the Financial Conduct Authority proposed introducing a single, basic savings rate for all long-standing customers with cash savings. But that rule would not apply to Sipps. Best rates on easy access savings If you have cash outside your pension that you want a return on, but easy access too, there is a bit of good news, writes This is Money. After a drought of decent savings rates, a flurry of new easy access deals have hit the market. A fortnight ago two easy access accounts - Kent Reliance and Virgin Money - went head to head with Goldman Sachs Marcus Savings account with the same 1.5 per cent rate. Now West Bromwich Building Society has joined the ranks of the 1.5 per cent club, launching its own bid to topple the Wall Street giant. Since its launch in September, Marcus has held the top spot in This is Money's independent best buy savings tables. Some providers claim they face regulatory hurdles. They also blame banks, which, they say, treat Sipps as trust accounts, meaning they won't pay top rates. Hargreaves says it has plans to offer both Sipp and Isa clients access to better rates via third parties but not until well into next year. In the meantime, investors will have to take solace in the tax relief on contributions, which boosts every 1 invested to 1.25, effectively awarding 25 per cent instant interest. Even non-taxpayers get this boost on up to 2,880 of savings per year. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim extra relief, so they effectively put in 75p to get a 1.25 investment. That could be looked at as 66 per cent interest. But this doesn't help older retired investors who simply want to earn more on their cash. Finally, a word of warning if you are considering alternative Sipp providers. Greg Kingston, group communications director at Curtis Banks, says: 'There's considerable uncertainty about the financial health of some Sipp operators at present. 'Make sure providers are financially sound and not mired in claims for toxic investments. 'If you don't like what you see, don't be too shy to look around to transfer to a better, stronger Sipp provider that offers the options and features you need.' t.hazell@dailymail.co.uk Amigo Loans has hired Nayan Kisnadwala as chief financial officer SUB-PRIME HIRE Lender Amigo Loans has hired Nayan Kisnadwala as chief financial officer to replace Simon Dighton who leaves next year. Kisnadwala, 58, held the same role from 2004 to 2005 at Maryland-based Fieldstone Mortgage Company, which specialised in sub-prime home loans for customers with a bad credit history. CARE SALE H/2, the hedge fund owners of Britains second-biggest care home operator, Four Seasons Health Care, have appointed advisers BDO and lawyers Pinsent Masons to sell the business. GHOSN COMPLAINT Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, who is facing trial after allegedly hiding as much as 65million of earnings to dodge tax, has had a complaint about his treatment by prosecutors rejected by a Japanese court. TREMOR SHOCK Shale gas company Cuadrilla has paused fracking at its site in Lancashire after a tremor was detected. The company said it would pause and monitor seismic events for at least 18 hours. FRAUD CASE An accountant has become the first person to face fraud charges brought by The Pensions Regulator. Roger Bessent, 66, of Preston, is accused of stealing more than 200,000 from the Focusplay Retirement Benefit Scheme. He will appear before magistrates next month, and has not yet entered a plea. DEALS EXTENDED Services group Serco has bagged contract extensions worth 135million to provide services to Peterborough City Council and Lincolnshire County Council. AIRPORT BOOST More than 6m passengers travelled through Heathrow airport last month, 3.3 per cent higher than a year earlier. CHOCOLATE PREMIERE Upmarket chocolatier Hotel Chocolat has opened its first US store in New York, just weeks after the retailer launched into Japan. BETTING STAKE Gambling technology firm 888 has bought its remaining 53 per cent stake in All American Poker Network for 22.2million. Barclays has become the first major UK bank to allow profligate customers to block certain kinds of debit card spending. The bank is aiming to help vulnerable spenders to avoid blowing their wages on things they do not need amid fears over surging household debt. Customers will be able to block spending or allow spending on five different categories including groceries and supermarkets; restaurants, takeaways, pubs and bars; petrol stations; gambling; and premium rate websites and phone lines such as for TV voting, competitions and pornography. Barclays is aiming to help vulnerable spenders to avoid blowing their wages on things they do not need amid fears over surging household debt The system is designed for problem gamblers who want to get their habit under control. But it will work for shop-a-holics or those who spend too much in the pub. The tool is available through Barclays' app and will be added for credit cards too in coming months. Internet lenders Starling and Monzo have a similar system but no other major High Street player does. Catherine McGrath, retail banking managing director at Barclays, said: 'This control feature is the latest service that we have introduced in the Barclays mobile banking app that aims to give all of our customers a better way to manage their money.' There is concern over problem gambling, and follows a crackdown on fixed odds betting terminals which have allowed punters to rack up huge losses in minutes. There are also fears many households are living far beyond their means, dipping into overdrafts and racking up credit card debt so they can carry on spending. Consumers owed a record 72.6billion on their credit cards in October. WPP shares surged after it unveiled steep job cuts, adding nearly 7million to the fortune of ousted founder Sir Martin Sorrell. The marketing conglomerate is to axe 3,500 jobs and shut or merge almost 200 offices in a battle to cut costs. It is part of a strategy unveiled by chief executive Mark Read, who replaced Sorrell after the 73-year-old was forced out earlier this year amid claims he paid for a Mayfair prostitute on company expenses, allegations he denies. Job cuts: WPP is to axe 3,500 jobs and shut or merge almost 200 offices in a battle to cut costs Reads plan sent WPP shares surging 4.8 per cent, or 39p, to 844p. It meant that the 1.4 per cent stake in the business owned by Sorrell rose in value by 6.9million. WPP was built by Sorrell from a small manufacturing business into an advertising titan over 33 years. Shares have dropped by almost a third since his exit because of concerns that no one else would be able to hold the sprawling company together. Read is aiming to help advertising clients grapple with a world dominated by a few large internet companies, and his cutbacks are part of a bid to steady and simplify the business. He said: We are fundamentally repositioning WPP. This more contemporary proposition has already helped us to win new business, including Volkswagens creative account in North America. 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. WPPs strategy will cost it 300million over the next three years, due to bills such as a redundancy pay-outs, and deliver annual savings of at least 275million by the end of 2021. Around half this cash will be reinvested so the firm can take advantage of new opportunities meaning the rest might be doled out to shareholders. WPP is planning to pay a full-year dividend of 60p per share and maintain this level for the next few years. George Salmon of trading firm Hargreaves Lansdown said: Simplifying a business that had become sprawling, to put it mildly, while simultaneously focusing on helping clients work with new retail giants like Amazon and Alibaba seems a sensible strategy to us. However, whether the new approach will be enough to counter the severe disruption facing the business is another question entirely. Speculators have made an estimated 68million betting against Interserve so far this year. Hedge funds and other short-sellers likely made almost 2million alone on Monday when the struggling government contractor's share price plunged 53 per cent after it announced plans for its second bailout in nine months, calculations from IHS Markit reveal. The rout has sparked fears that the company, which works in schools, the NHS, prisons and other state sectors, could become 'Carillion mark two' and collapse like its larger rival. Hedge funds and other short-sellers likely made almost 2m alone on Monday when Interserve's share price plunged 53% after it announced plans for its second bailout That would be a major headache for ministers as Interserve operates state contracts worth 1.2billion, according to data company Tussell. Unions have urged the Government to offer assurances to Interserve workers as the firm struggles under its near-650million debt pile. GMB National Officer Kevin Brandstatter said: 'Interserve senior managers have not taken interest in what is actually happening on the ground with projects and ignored all the warning signs which led to Carillion's collapse. 'There have been too many bids, too much underbidding, too many cuts to already cash-starved services, and too much business expansion backed up by burgeoning debt.' US-listed asset manager Brightsphere, New York hedge fund FVP Master Fund, privately owned bank Lombard Odier Asset Management and investment manager Oxford Asset Management have all taken out short positions against Interserve in recent months, Financial Conduct Authority data shows. They had a combined short position of around 5.6 per cent before Interserve shares nosedived this week. Shorting a stock is a strategy used by people who believe a company's share price will fall. They place a bet against the company by borrowing shares from an existing investor, selling them, and then buying them back at a later date to return to the investor. If the share price has fallen, the short-seller buys the stock back for less than they sold it for, and pockets the difference. Fraudsters are exploiting a new type of online account that can be opened without photo ID. Unlike High Street banks, some so-called prepaid card providers only ask for the customer's name, address and date of birth. Prepaid accounts work like current accounts. You transfer money into the account online and are given a debit card to use in shops or withdraw cash. Conned: Jeremy and Nicola were tricked into paying money to a scam account But because there is no overdraft and there are often limits on how much you can spend each day, they are quicker and easier to open. Some providers say customers can open a prepaid account in minutes. Banks have come under fire for allowing fraudsters to open accounts with fake ID and failing to spot suspicious transactions. Experts warn that as banks boost security measures, criminals may turn to prepaid accounts. Money Mail's and This is Money's Stop The Bank Scammers campaign is calling for fairer treatment and refunds for scam victims. Yet, while major banks have pledged to sign up to a new code of conduct to better protect scam victims and reunite them with their money, it is unclear if prepaid card account providers will also join. Normally, if you lose money in a scam, it is up to your bank to liaise with the one that received the stolen cash. But if your money ends up in a prepaid account, you may find it harder to get it back, because they use a different fraud reporting system. This is something Nicola Small, 35, and her husband Jeremy, 37, know all too well after they were tricked into transferring 2,200 into a prepaid card account by fraudsters posing as their builder. The couple wanted to redecorate the bathroom in their two-bed terraced home in Catford, South East London. A builder they had used before gave them a quote for 4,500 and the work was due to start in January next year. Nicola later received an email apparently from the builder suggesting a December start date and requesting a 50 per cent deposit. Banks have come under fire for allowing fraudsters to open accounts with fake ID and failing to spot suspicious transactions She phoned the builder to ask why the plan had changed. While waiting for a call back, she got another email saying there had been a cancellation. Nicola was given the number and sort code of an 'alternative' account, also in the company name. She did not think this was unusual, as a contractor she had previously hired had also used two bank accounts. So, on October 9, she transferred 2,200 into the account. The next day, she received a voicemail confirming the work would start in January. Nicola asked why the December date had changed again. It emerged the builder's email account had been hacked and Nicola had been corresponding with fraudsters. She reported the fraud to HSBC, which offered to contact the receiving bank. The next day, the bank told her she'd have to contact the receiving firm herself. This turned out to be prepaid provider U Account. On its website, the Sheffield-based firm, which has some 76,000 customers, calls itself 'a digital bank alternative with no credit checks'. When Money Mail went through the process, we were asked only for a name, address and date of birth. U Account says that details are checked electronically using providers such as credit reference agencies. If customers fail these checks, U Account requests ID. Victory! Now banks can trace your stolen money Britain's biggest banks and building societies have launched a new system to track down stolen money. Typically, when someone is tricked into transferring cash to a fraudster, the money is bounced from account to account so it is hard to trace. The new scheme, called Mule Insights Tactical Solution (MITS), allows fraud teams to follow the money as it moves through the bank system. They can then freeze the funds before they are withdrawn in cash or sent abroad, becoming impossible to track. It is a major victory for Money Mail's Stop The Bank Scammers campaign, which called for such a system. Around 145 million was lost to so-called 'authorised push payment' fraud in the first six months of the year, of which just 31 million was refunded. It is hoped the MITS system, developed by Mastercard-owned Vocalink, will give more victims a better chance of getting money back. However, banks say that they need the Government to change the law before they can return frozen funds to customers. A Pay. UK spokesman says the pilot has led to thousands of suspicious accounts and money-laundering rings being uncovered. Gareth Shaw, of Which?, says the system is 'much-needed and long overdue' But experts say it would be easy to convince someone to open an account to receive stolen funds so-called money mules. U Account has a limit on how much cash you can transfer 10,000 a month or 3,250 per day. When Nicola contacted Wirecard Card Solutions, which provides cards and other payment devices to businesses, she was unable to get answers. It said any recovery action must be by her bank. Yet HSBC said there was nothing more it could do because Wirecard was not signed up to the same system it uses for fraud reports. Nicola, a journalist, says: 'HSBC has made me so angry. I went to it for help and got none. I cannot understand how there is no way to get my money back. No one will tell me how much is left in the account.' Arun Chauhan, director of Tenet Compliance & Litigation, says: 'Prepaid accounts seem an easy way to set up a mule account to receive stolen money. People need to be aware they are quick to open and appear not to have compatible systems with banks, which could be a barrier when it comes to getting your money back.' U Account agreed to return the remaining funds to Nicola, although it could not say when. It would not reveal how much was left, but said most had been spent at a range of High Street and designer stores. U Account insists it correctly followed its verification processes. Wirecard claims to already operate best-practice procedures and welcomes proposals to further reduce fraud. HSBC insists it followed industry guidelines and acted quickly to contact Wirecard. a.murray@dailymail.co.uk Royal Mail recommends sending first-class letters and parcels by December 20 at the very latest You have just six days to post your Christmas cards and presents second class. Any cards or presents sent after December 18 to UK addresses may not reach their destinations before Christmas Day. Royal Mail recommends sending first-class letters and parcels by December 20 at the very latest. Sending a letter or card second class will cost 58p, compared with 67p first class. So if you post 50 cards using second-class stamps, rather than first-class, it will save you 4.50. Prices for sending parcels vary depending on the weight of the package. Sending a small parcel, which weighs less than 1kg, will cost 2.95 if you use a second-class stamp. To send the same parcel first class, youll pay 3.45. Sending a parcel weighing between 2kg and 5kg will cost 13.75 second class, compared with 15.85 first class. f.parker@dailymail.co.uk LONDON, Dec. 11, 2018 Facing a critical deadline for complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Automobile Association (AA) looked to Thomson Reuters to rapidly meet its compliance requirements, and the successful project was recently recognized with a British Legal Award. Thomson Reuters designed a unique solution, pairing its Legal Managed Services and Contract Express solutions with technology partner eBrevia and SYKE legal engineering to expeditiously tackle the associations needs. The AA is the UKs largest motoring organisation, with more than fifteen million members. Facing a deadline of only eight weeks to attain GDPR compliance, the AA needed to review and amend thousands of customer, supplier, inter-company and data privacy agreements. Not meeting the deadline could have resulted in fines totaling twenty million euros or four percent of global annual revenue. Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services (formerly Pangea3) quickly put together an innovative, multi-faced approach combining experts in professional services, technology solutions and legal project management. They deployed artificial intelligence systems and contract automation tools to extract data from more than 2,600 files and create amendments that complied with GDPR requirements. The project met the challenging deadline, and delivered the work at less than one-fifth the cost of competing solutions that the association had explored. Thomson Reuters was named Supplier of the Year at the British Legal Awards for the project, recognising the contribution that suppliers make to improve the delivery of legal services. We were delighted with Thomson Reuters and SYKEs innovation and end results, said Joseph Lloyd, Head of Legal Insurance and Financial Services, the Automobile Association. Without their help it is doubtful that we would have been able to complete the project on time, and we would certainly have incurred very significant additional internal and external cost. Meeting the many challenges of this project required a bespoke approach that combined our award-winning Legal Managed Services experts with cutting-edge technologies, said Eric Laughlin, general manager, Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services. The deadline was immovable and the potential consequences both financially and reputationally were significant. We are proud to have delivered a solution that enabled the Automobile Association to meet its compliance deadline and remain focused on serving their members. Thomson Reuters has been an award-winning legal managed services leader for years, continued Laughlin, and is currently engaged in legal transformation initiatives with four of the top 10 market cap companies worldwide. For more on Thomson Reuters Legal Managed Services, visit: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/legal-managed-services. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters is the worlds leading provider of news and information-based tools to professionals. Our worldwide network of journalists and specialist editors keep customers up to speed on global developments, with a particular focus on legal, regulatory and tax changes. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information on Thomson Reuters, visit tr.com and for the latest world news, reuters.com. CONTACT Scott Augustin Corporate Communications +1 651 848 5793 scott.augustin@thomsonreuters.com There is not enough analysis data for Katoro Gold. 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes Katoro Gold has received 109 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Katoro Gold has received 64 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Katoro Gold has received 63.01% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Katoro Gold and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe KAT will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe KAT will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next iShares MSCI Spain ETF's stock was trading at $22.48 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWP stock has increased by 13.5% and is now trading at $25.52. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Prosecutors investigating President Trump made big news recently, but it wasnt about Russia. Rather, in their sentencing recommendation for fixer Michael Cohen, lawyers with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York wrote that in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign, candidate Trump directed Cohen to pay off Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, who wanted money to keep quiet about sexual dalliances. While such arrangements are legal, prosecutors argued that since the payoffs occurred during the campaign, they were violations of campaign finance laws. Cohen, who is cooperating because prosecutors nailed him for tax evasion and bank fraud in his private business, pleaded guilty to two felony campaign finance violations. So no one has to talk about an alleged campaign finance scheme; theres already a guilty plea. But what was really significant about the sentencing memo was that prosecutors specifically said Trump told Cohen to do it. With respect to both payments, Cohen acted with the intent to influence the 2016 presidential election, prosecutors said. He acted in coordination with and at the direction of (Trump). Those words caused a sudden shift in the debate over investigating the president. What had been a two-year-long conversation about Trump and Russia instantly became a conversation about Trump and campaign finance. Prosecutors are now implicating the president in at least two felonies, said CNN. Federal prosecutors in New York say that President Trump directed Michael Cohen to commit two felonies, said NBCs Chuck Todd. At least two felonies, said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut. Implicated in two felonies, said anti-Trump gadfly George Conway, husband of top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. And so on. Theres 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 Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who will become chairman of the House Intelligence Committee next month. Jerrold Nadler, the Democrat who will chair the House Judiciary Committee, said the campaign finance charges would 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 he has still not determined whether the charges, even though they could be the basis for impeachment, are important enough to actually go forward, at least yet. Nadlers public caution is understandable; his committee will have the responsibility of starting the impeachment process, if that is what Democratic leaders decide. But the fact is, a number of Democrats clearly believe they already have enough evidence to impeach. One significant problem could be that the campaign finance charge against the president is a pretty iffy case. Back in 2010, the Justice Department accused 2008 presidential candidate John Edwards of a similar scheme an alleged campaign finance violation based on a payoff to a woman with whom Edwards had had an affair (and a child). Edwards said he arranged the payment to save his reputation and hide the affair from his wife. The Justice Department said it was to influence the outcome of a presidential election. The New York Times called the Edwards indictment a case that had no precedent. Noting that campaign finance law is ever changing, the paper said the Edwards case came down to one question: Were the donations for the sole purpose of influencing the campaign or merely one purpose? The Justice Department failed miserably at trial. Edwards was acquitted on one count, while the jury deadlocked in Edwards favor on the others. Prosecutors opted not to try again. President Trump would point out that the accusation against him differs in at least one key respect from Edwards. Prosecutors accused Edwards of raising donor money to pay off the woman. Trump used his own money, which even the byzantine and restrictive campaign finance laws give candidates a lot of freedom to use in unlimited amounts. So even more than Edwards, if the Justice Department pursued a case against Trump, it would be on unprecedented grounds. But the political reality is, it doesnt really matter if it is a weak case. And it doesnt matter if Trump himself has not been indicted, or even that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Because now, Democrats can say, The Justice Department has implicated the president in two felonies. Two felonies. TWO FELONIES! Politically, thats as good as an indictment of Trump perhaps even better, since it does not give the president a forum to make a proper legal defense. The last few days have seen a big pivot in the campaign against Donald Trump. For two-plus years, it was Russia, Russia, Russia. But despite various revelations in the Russia probe, the case for collusion remains as sketchy as ever. Now, though, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have given Democrats a new weapon against the president. Look for them to use it. (Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.) SCHENECTADY The devices are small. Each weighs less than a pound. But they loom large in the future of the policing in Schenectady. After much testing, the department recently received its first batch of the Panasonic Arbitrator MK3 body worn cameras and plans to go live with them next month, said Lt. Michael McLaughlin on Tuesday. "We are hoping to start the roll out in January for completion well before the end of spring," McLaughlin said. "We want to do it systematically so that everybody's properly trained in the utilization so that we're not having a situation where somebody has an expensive piece of equipment that doesn't work as it's designed to help us capture evidence." He said the 18 patrol officers who field tested the MK3 will be the first ones to use them. Starting next month, the officers will take the cameras with them when they head out on patrol. The Albany Police Department began using body cameras in 2017. Police in Troy will begin using the cameras in 2019. A spokesman for the State Police said there are no plans to outfit troopers will body cameras. The cameras cost $710 each, said McLaughlin. All told, it will cost about $165,000 for approximately 120 of the units, $25,000 for a software solution, and on-site training, plus accessories , docks, and an extended warranty among other things. Additional training will be provided in-house as well as by the New Jersey-based company that manufactures the body cameras. The training is intended to ensure the officers understand how the technology works. Some of the training, he said, involves privacy issues and circumstances in which the device might be shut off or the records redacted. "The first waves will be the patrol officers and then systematically the goal here is that every single officer here in Schenectady will have access to their own assigned body camera," said McLaughlin said of the roughly 175-member force. McLaughlin noted that the MK3 is difficult to shut down and will allow recordings to be instantly downloaded. "We're not waiting for the police to come back to the department and we're not waiting for it to be docked," he said. The MK3 won out over dozens of other body cameras, several of which were tested by the police department in their quest to find the right device for them. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. McLaughlin cited the long battery life, in some cases lasting 16 hours the equivalent of two shifts - the durability and ruggedness, ease of use, and the ability to integrate it with the existing system for dispatching officers to emergency calls. "The amount of time the officer needed to classify calls was significantly reduced compared to some of the other competition we looked at," McLaughlin said. He said the MK3, which has its own audio recording feature, will replace the wireless microphones the officers currently wear providing them cops with greater range. "We're getting the same experience without having the limitation on distance," added McLaughlin, the department's technology guru. He said body cameras have become an integral part of fighting crime and will help police serve and protect. "The best interest of law enforcement today is for us to offer everybody an evidence capturing device that protects both the officer and the public and to aid use in being fair, transparent and just," he said. "It's a device that allows everybody to go back and historically look at what transpired." Bethlehem The town of Bethlehem wants to undertake a $90,000 transportation study to review the best way to tackle transportation issues facing residents of the historic hamlet of Slingerlands. The study would look at the area bordered by the Cherry Avenue Extension, New Scotland Road and Kenwood Avenue, which is dissected by the Albany County Rail Trail. Bethlehem is seeking the bulk of the cost of the study from the Capital District Transportation Committee, which manages federal funds for local transportation planning. One of the biggest goals of the study would be come up with a plan to accommodate bikes and pedestrians on Cherry Avenue Extension, a highway from Route 85 and the Price Chopper Plaza that brings vehicles into Delmar. The town is also asking the state to reduce the speed limit on Cherry Avenue Extension, also known as the Capt. Timothy J. Moshier Memorial Highway, from 55 mph to 45 mph. Cherry Avenue Extension, which has had 40 crashes in eight years, was originally built decades ago to be part of a larger arterial system around Albany envisioned during Gov. Nelson Rockefeller's administration that would have connected the Delmar Bypass to a proposed Slingerland Bypass that was never built. "Plans for the connection are no longer valid" the town's CDTC application states, because of "intense" residential development along the route. However, there is no pedestrian or bicycle access on Cherry Avenue Extension, making the road a major barrier to connecting certain parts of Slingerlands to the rail trail and Delmar, even though people often walk along the highway at their own peril. The study will also look at potential improvements to the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Kenwood Avenue, which is already used by students walking to Slingerlands Elementary but lacks pedestrian signals. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. For the Slingerlands study, Bethlehem is applying for a grant through CDTC's Community and Transportation Linkage Planning Program, which has helped produce 88 studies over 17 years with $6.3 million in federal, state and local funds. The study will also look at county plans to replace the former Delaware & Hudson railroad bridge that carries the rail trail over New Scotland Road. Some residents worry that if the bridge is replaced with a higher pedestrian bridge it would open up the middle of the Slingerlands Historic District to truck traffic. The study would also look at ways to improve the intersection of Kenwood and New Scotland roads in Slingerlands, which includes two commercial parcels and the Slingerland family burial vault. There is a plan to turn one of the parcels into a 25-unit apartment complex, although the project has faced fierce public opposition and skepticism from the town Planning Board. The other commercial parcel includes the now shuttered Tollgate Restaurant that was once a local landmark. "The former Tollgate Restaurant has received interest to redevelop as a new restaurant," the town's CDTC application states. "Defined driveway improvements/access management (at the Kenwood and New Scotland intersection) would help to address access to and from this commercial area." Washington Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other tech executives who may be watching got hints Tuesday of what issues they can expect to face as Democrats take control of the House in three weeks. While Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee grilled Pichai on what they perceive as bias against conservatives, top committee Democrat Jerrold Nadler said lawmakers should instead examine issues such as the spread of misinformation online and Russians' efforts to influence U.S. elections online. The issue of user privacy also came up over and over. Looming over the tech industry is the possibility of government regulation intended to protect people's data and a deeper look into whether gigantic companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook need to be broken up. Pichai's first appearance before Congress comes after he angered members of a Senate panel in September by declining their invitation to testify about election manipulation. Pichai's no-show at that hearing was marked by an empty chair for Google alongside the Facebook and Twitter executives who did appear. Lawmakers declined Google's offer to send lower-level 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 in last week's White House meeting with other tech executives on getting government and businesses working more closely on accelerating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Pichai reiterated Google's position that it has no plans "right now" to re-enter China with a search engine generating censored results to comply with the demands of that country's Communist government. If that changes, Pichai promised to be "fully transparent" about the move. Pichai has said that he wants Google to be in China serving Chinese users. The CEO also insisted that Google's search engine is not biased against any political viewpoint. President Donald Trump has accused Google of rigging search results to suppress conservative viewpoints and highlight coverage from media that he says distribute "fake news." The company has denied any such bias, and while the question has dogged tech companies for years, there's no evidence of an anti-conservative or any other political tilt. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Nadler called the notion of bias a "delusion" and a "right-wing conspiracy theory." The New York Democrat said Tuesday's hearing was the committee's fourth to address the topic and he suggested he'd move on to other topics as Democrats take control. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., kicked off the hearing by noting a "widening gap of distrust" between tech companies and the American people. Asked for yes-or-no answers on what information the company collects, Pichai demurred and attempted to convey that things are more complicated, with varying degrees of success. Momentum is building in Congress for legislation to put stricter limits and privacy protections around the big tech companies' collection of data. 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 U.S. has abused its clout as a major gateway to the internet to stifle competition. Nadler called the notion of bias a "delusion" and a "right-wing conspiracy theory." The New York Democrat said Tuesday's hearing was the committee's fourth to address the topic and he suggested he'd move on to other topics as Democrats take control. Vancouver, British Columbia China has detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for the jailing of a top Chinese executive at the request of the United States, escalating a legal and diplomatic wrangle among the three countries. Relations were shaken by Canada's arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder. Canadian authorities detained Meng on Dec. 1 during a layover at the Vancouver airport. 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 though the two countries signaled Tuesday they are preparing to resume talks. Heightening tension between China and Canada, Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed Tuesday 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 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, according to a spokesman for International Crisis Group, where Kovrig now works as North East Asia adviser based in Hong Kong. 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." In Vancouver, meanwhile, Meng appeared in court for a third day Tuesday as she sought release on bail. Meng's lawyer, David Martin, said his team had worked through the night to satisfy concerns about the Chinese executive's potential release. Martin said they contacted four people willing to put up money to guarantee that Meng won't flee. One is a real estate agent who met Meng in 2009 and sold two properties to her and her husband. The man has pledged his home, valued at $1.3 million, and says he understands he would lose it if Meng violated the conditions of her release. Another said he got to know Meng while working at Huawei in China in the mid-1990s. He said he vouches for Meng's character to comply with any conditions imposed by the British Columbia Supreme Court and has pledged $373,000 from the equity on his home in Vancouver, which is valued at $1 million. Justice William Ehrcke had questioned whether Meng's husband can offer a financial guarantee for his wife because he is not a resident of British Columbia as required and is on a visitor's visa that expires in February. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. 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. 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. 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. Helderberg Brewery discussion series starting with food book The Helderberg Brewery Taproom in Rensselaerville, part of the Carey Institute for Global Good, on Sunday kicks off its Carey On Tap series with a reading and Q&A with New Zealand author Joanne Drayton, who will discuss her most recent book, "Hudson & Halls: The Food of Love." The book examines the lives of Peter Hudson and David Halls, a gay couple who became celebrity chefs on television in New Zealand and the U.K. in the 1970s and 1980s. Drayton was a spring 2017 fellow of the Carey Institute's Logan Nonfiction Program. Carey On Tap events are free. Beer from Helderberg Brewery and other New York state beverages will be available for purchase. The taproom is at 26 Route 353. Carey On Tap events are projected to happen every other month in 2019, expanding to monthly in 2020. According to the series' mission statement, "Our goal is to give community members a chance to engage with our programs and gain a deeper understanding of what we do by hearing directly from our program participants and staff." Suburban Kitchen has pop-up at Troy Nighthawks on Dec. 23 Albany-based caterers Suburban Kitchen will be cooking a pop-up dinner from 4 to 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, at Nighthawks in Troy. There will be a-la-carte options priced from $5 to $15 entrees include porchetta, duck and cod carbonara and a $60 tasting menu. Nighthawks is at 461 Broadway. Call 518-272-1000. Mercantile Kitchen takes over Cantina space in Saratoga Mercantile Kitchen & Bar has been open for about a month at 430 Broadway in Saratoga Springs, taking over the former space of the Mexican restaurant Cantina, which earlier this year moved down the block to a larger space. With breakfast served all day and lunch and dinner offerings from 11:30 a.m., Mercantile has the feel of an upscale diner with a bar. The owner is former Cantina bar manager Chris Luriea, in partnership with Cantina owner Jeff Ames. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Call 518-886-8479. Barn & Bistro in Westerlo hosting holiday duck dinner Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Barn & Bistro, an event venue run by the owners of Goats and Gourmets Farmstead Products in Westerlo, will host a roast duck holiday dinner starting at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23. The price is $48 for a three-course meal with roast duck entree, plus beverage, tax and tip, and reservations are required; call 518-227-3535. Owner Regina Bryant said her father cooked this duck recipe for New York Times dining critic and food editor Craig Claiborne in the 1960s. Barn & Bistro is at 288 Route 143. Status uncertain for Mr. Hui's Chinese in Schenectady After just a few months in business, Mr. Hui's Authentic Chinese Cooking in Schenectady appears to have closed. The telephone number has been disconnected, and customers who stopped by in recent days during normal business hours report finding it locked and dark. The website and Facebook page, however, make no mention of a change in status. The sixth location of a Nebraska-based chain, Mr. Hui's opened in early August at 2035 State St. in Schenectady, a building that previously housed Food Cuisine Asian Bistro, Mr. Ginger and Dolce Vita Ristorante. Compiled by Steve Barnes. Items to be considered for publication must be submitted to sbarnes@timesunion.com. Visit his blog, blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping. Brewers around the Capital Region are joining the effort to provide relief for Northern California residents affected by the recent Camp Fire by brewing a version of Resilience IPA, a beer recipe developed by Sierra Nevada beer company based in Butte County, California, where the wild fire has displaced approximately 50,000 people. Starting the campaign on social media, Sierra Nevada offered any brewery the chance to brew its version of a classic West Coast-style IPA with pronounced malt flavors a beer style that was made iconic with Sierra Nevada's Celebration. Six local breweries are participating in the Resilience IPA project, including Stump City Brewing in Gloversville, Northway Brewing Company in Queensbury, Chatham Brewing in Chatham, Common Roots in South Glens Falls and Rare Form Brewing Company, which brewed with Brown's Brewing Company, both based in Troy. "Sierra Nevada gave us a skeleton recipe and we kept it pretty close," said Dan Cramer, a brewer for Brown's. The beer relies on Centennial and Cascade hops, two varieties that are cornerstones of West Coast and Pacific Northwest craft brewing. "It's something that everyone, on a one to two week notice, could brew," Cramer said. The Brown's and Rare Form collaboration version will be available at Brown's taprooms in Troy and Hoosick Falls, and also at Rare Form's taproom in Troy. Most local participating breweries are releasing limited batches of their take on Resilience IPA on Friday in their taprooms, though some local restaurants and bars, like The Ruck in Troy, will be featuring select versions of the beer as well. With 46 breweries in New York state and 1,374 breweries across the U.S. participating, Cramer credited Sierra Nevada's stature in the craft beer scene as reason why so many breweries wanted to participate. "This kind of came about because Sierra Nevada is the leader in craft beer," he said. Christian Weber at Common Roots Brewing Company agreed with Cramer's assessment. "We did pretty much the straight-up recipe out of respect for the process. Ken Grossman [Sierra Nevada's owner] is pretty much the patriarch of the craft beer industry," he said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Proceeds from the sale of the beer will be donated from each participating brewery to the Camp Fire Relief Fund, and Weber said that beer is an excellent vehicle to donate to a cause because, "breweries tend to be appealing to a wide demographic. Trying the same recipe of beer from a bunch of different breweries is reason to go out and try it as well." Weber will also be donating proceeds from his Good Fortune beer, sold at the Common Roots taproom and at area restaurants and bars, to the relief fund. Paul Leone, executive director of the New York State Brewers Association, said that he cannot recall a time when so many brewers rallied on a national level for a common cause, pointing to the communal nature of brewers and breweries. "Unity can't be undersold. It's a great example of it not mattering what state you are in, because Sierra Nevada is a competitor to everyone." Besides the do-good aspect of Resilience IPA, Leone said the beer project generally serves the drinking public because, "craft brewers are always looking for what's new. It's a different beer out there and a few of their favorite breweries might be making it." Leone called the project a "shining example" of all that is right with the craft beer industry. Deanna Fox is a freelance food and agriculture journalist. @DeannaNFox, foxonfood.com NEW YORK As New York lawmakers prepare to begin budget negotiations next month, addiction treatment providers and advocates are again imploring state leaders to respond to the opioid epidemic as they would to any other major public health emergency. "If we were talking about Zika virus or diabetes or cancer or anything else with this kind of escalating death rate, it would be a much bigger response," said John Coppola, executive director of the New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers. The question of adequate funding was the topic of a Tuesday hearing in New York City chaired by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, who argued the state needs "more vision" and "concentrated resources" if it's serious about curbing the evolving epidemic. "Over the past few years we haven't seen a meaningful enough increase in funding to really address these issues," Rosenthal said. Drug overdoses took the lives of 3,638 New Yorkers in 2016, the most recent year for which state data are available. Nationwide, overdoses claimed more than 72,000 lives in 2017. And it's no longer heroin that's of greatest concern: Fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid, was the most commonly cited drug on death certificates in 2016, compared to oxycodone in 2011 and heroin from 2012 through 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. New York committed $809 million of its overall $168 billion state budget this year to the state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, which oversees prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. Robert Kent, general counsel for OASAS, testified Tuesday that much of the agency's focus in recent years has been on eliminating insurance barriers for individuals seeking treatment, expanding access to medication-assisted treatment services and bridging treatment gaps in rural areas of the state. Kent declined to put a dollar figure on how much would be needed to truly address the crisis, but said he believes his office has "the funding necessary" to continue its work. Others weren't as delicate. "When we talk about other areas of the budget, we talk about funding with a 'B,' (but) in this area it's always in the millions," Rosenthal said. Coppola echoed that concern, adding that while OASAS has done "miraculous things" on "very little funding," a major concern of the providers he represents is that new funding frequently targets pilot projects instead of core needs like rising business costs and workforce retention. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Addiction treatment programs have incurred significant costs in the switch from a Medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement model to a managed care model, he said. "They've had to purchase electronic billing systems, hire billing clerks, buy and purchase electronic health records," Coppola said. "Where did that money come from? Usually it came when somebody left to go to another program and they were forced to cannibalize the position." Burnout and high turnover are other problems in the field that are exacerbated by low pay compared to similar positions in other health and human service fields, he added. Coppola said he'd like to see a significant funding commitment in next year's budget for workforce incentives such as raises, hiring bonuses, retention bonuses, tuition support and student loan forgiveness. "When we get in these budget environments, it's hard to compete," he said. "But I think we should be asking ourselves if the magnitude of our response is anywhere comparable to the magnitude of the crisis. And unfortunately, I think we'll find the answer has been no. ... It does not measure up." Lawmakers did pass an Opioid Stewardship Act designed to generate $100 million in revenue each year and hold drug manufacturers and distributors responsible for their role in the epidemic. Trade groups representing those parties have sued, however, and the effort remains tied up in litigation. ALBANY The state Department of Health is refusing to disclose why it cannot provide copies of emails between its staff and a major donor to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo that received $25 million in unusual state grants. In early October, the Times Union requested emails between Department of Health employees and employees from Crystal Run Healthcare, a fast-growing Hudson Valley company. The $400,000 in donations to the governor's campaign provided by Crystal Run executives has been the subject of a federal investigation this year. On Dec. 5, Rosemarie Hewig, a DOH records access officer, said in a response to the Times Union's records request that the agency could not fill it unless the newspaper can identify the DOH employees who might have communicated with Crystal Run something that, absent information from the agency itself, can't be determined. Her letter did not specify why this task could not be performed by DOH staff, and an agency spokesman has since refused to elaborate. Hewig's letter noted that DOH employs thousands of people, and the Times Union's request for records failed to identify "specific" DOH staff whose communications the newspaper was seeking. Hewig also said that DOH staff cannot be required to engage in "Herculean or unreasonable" efforts to locate records. She said the Times Union request did not "reasonably" describe the records sought. But in practical terms, it remains unclear what prevented DOH from filling the request. According to the government-reform group Reinvent Albany, state agencies are able to search through all their employees' emails for specific terms, which is what the Times Union requested in relation to the Crystal Run communications. Department of Health spokesman Gary Holmes refused to directly answer questions from the Times Union about the whether DOH had the technological capacity to conduct such searches. "As the FOIL response indicates, the department recommended you refine the scope of your inquiry to specific agency staff in an effort to enable the agency to process your request," Holmes said. The Times Union sought emails between Crystal Run officials and DOH staff between Jan. 1, 2015, and March 15, 2016. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Other emails previously obtained by the Times Union indicate that in April 2015 12 days after the state began seeking applications for a $1.2 billion grant program executives from Crystal Run had a private meeting at the Capitol with New York's top Health Department officials, who were privately pitched on proposed Crystal Run projects. On March 15, 2016, DOH then announced that Crystal Run had won $25.4 million in grants to build two projects in the Hudson Valley despite both having already broken ground about six months before the awards were issued. Crystal Run was also the lone for-profit company in upstate New York to be awarded funds under the $1.2 billion grant program. Political opponents of Cuomo have alleged "pay-to-play" activity in the disbursements, a charge the governor has strongly denied. In response to another Times Union open records request, DOH staff blacked out almost all the key financial information Crystal Run had disclosed in its applications seeking the $25 million. Separately, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office and FBI have been investigating Crystal Run's giving to Cuomo's campaign, including whether company employees' donations were reimbursed with company bonuses, a practice that could violate state election law. At a Cuomo fundraiser in 2013, 10 Crystal Run employees or their spouses gave Cuomo $25,000 each. Of those 10 donors, seven had not given in a New York election in at least a decade. ALBANY In a major rebuke to the state, leaders of New York's more than 500 Catholic schools say they will boycott a proposed new review system in which local public school officials are supposed to inspect the parochial schools and determine whether they offer a substantially equivalent education. The parents who choose our schools can have great confidence in the academic rigor of our schools, said James Cultrara, executive secretary of the state Council of Catholic School Superintendents. But, he added, We simply cannot accept a competing school having authority over whether our schools can operate. Cultrara was referring to recently enacted guidelines from the state Education Department calling for local public school officials to begin inspecting non-public schools, including Catholic and other private schools, to ensure that students are exposed to the same basic topics such as English and math, that are covered in public schools. Under these new guidelines, once local officials conclude that a private or parochial school is offering a substantially equivalent education, the local school board then has to approve the findings in a vote. The guidelines mostly impact Catholic elementary and other lower-grade schools rather than high schools. The Catholic superintendents outlined their concerns in a series of letters over the past year or so including one on Dec. 5 to state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. We write to inform you that the New York State Council of Catholic School Superintendents, representing some 500 Catholic schools, rejects the recently released substantial equivalency guidelines and is directing all diocesan Catholic schools not to participate in any review carried out by local public school officials. The superintendents are currently talking to legislators about passing a law to void the new guidelines. They say they dont have a problem with state officials conducting reviews or inspecting their schools, but they worry that, because public schools are in essence competing for the same pool of students, conflicts could arise in a regulatory situation. State Education Department officials said they are reviewing the letters but offered no additional comment on Tuesday. A review by local public school officials and a vote at a public meeting of a locally elected public school board, as is called for in the guidance, practically guarantees inconsistency and subjectivity, reads part of the letter, which was obtained by the Times Union. Local school systems provide assistance to parochial schools by offering bus and nursing services among other things. That creates an expense for districts that are constantly watching their budgets. Combine that with the shrinking population of students attending both public and Catholic schools in much of the state, and there is a built-in potential for conflicts of interest when it comes to inspections, say the superintendents. Catholic schools have long had a reputation for strong academics and lots of New Yorkers send their kids to such schools for that reason. Most Catholic high schools also offer the same Regents exams given in public schools. Moreover, the new guidelines didnt focus on Catholic schools. Instead they stemmed from a 2015 survey that found some ultra-orthodox Jewish yeshivas were barely teaching their students English or other secular subjects. But since the state couldnt single out yeshivas, the guidelines apply to all non-public schools. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The new private/parochial school inspections are supposed to take place on a five-year cycle. Schools that dont participate could eventually lose state support for items that currently go to parochial schools for expenses such as safety equipment like surveillance cameras, reimbursement for teacher training and health expenses such as testing water fountains for lead. Although we believe the Commissioner and Board of Regents have the discretionary authority and means to take on this responsibility, our Council will be working with legislators to seek an amendment to the law so as to vest this responsibility solely with the State Education Department," the letter states. ... We invite you and your staff to collaborate with us on this legislative initiative. The Council of Catholic School Superintendents is committed to maintaining high-quality Catholic schools and working with you on designing an objective review and determination process to support the education of children in our schools, the letter concludes. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU More for you Yeshivas emerge as last minute budget issue ALBANY - A medical tattoo business that primarily serves cancer patients got the go-ahead from the city's Board of Zoning Appeals Wednesday after challenges from residents and a Common Council member that it couldn't operate in a residential neighborhood. Colour Cosmetic Studio owner Kathleen Cronin bought 372 New Scotland Ave. earlier this year to move her paramedical micropigmentation services to a more central location. Cronin and her daughter, Nora Quinn, restore areolas and nipples after mastectomies and repair scars or hair loss from surgery, injury, or medical conditions like alopecia. But their move from Western Avenue in Guilderland to the former chiropractors office on New Scotland Avenue has been met with resistance from some neighbors and Common Council member Judy Doesschate, who say Colour Cosmetic is more akin to a personal or business use, like a tattoo parlor, not a doctors office and thus cannot be in a residential district. The zoning board members voted 4-1 in favor of reaffirming planning Commissioner Chris Spencer's determination, with Chairman Richard Berkley opposed. "I would have preferred more process," Berkley said of his decision to reverse, noting that he wanted the process to be as open and transparent as possible. Those in favor of the business opening up in their community emphasized the vibrancy the mix of business and residential creates for their neighborhood, and didn't see it as being a detriment. For those opposed to Colour Cosmetic opening at the New Scotland site, process was a key concern that some felt hadn't been followed properly. The Helderberg Neighborhood Association initially questioned Spencers determination that the studios operations were grandfathered in due to 372 New Scotland previously being used as a chiropractors office. The neighborhood association had alleged the city misrepresented the business by designating it an office and skirted the process that would be prompted if it had been designated as a personal or business use, which would require a conditional use permit, but in a letter posted on the association's Facebook page Tuesday it took a neutral approach. Association board members said they had communicated with others, including Spencer and Cronin, and recognized the importance of all perspectives. It did not give a definitive position on whether the business should be allowed to operate at 372 New Scotland, but rather emphasized the need to provide a forum for informed discussions. We believe it is in the best interest of the neighborhood to present factual, unbiased information, particularly on emotionally charged topics such as this one, the associations board members wrote. We have done our best to meet this objective and encourage each of you to examine the issue for yourselves while the city continues to deliberate on the matter. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Doesschate, who lives across the street from 372 New Scotland on the corner of Ramsey Place, has emphasized shes not opposed to the business but is concerned about the precedent. She said in a recent neighborhood update email that Cronin the applicant didnt provide evidence to show her proposed business would be a legal nonconforming use. This zoning determination, if left unchallenged, could have significant, and potentially dire, consequences across the city, Doesschate said. There are hundreds of illegal nonconforming uses throughout the city that the (chief planning officer, in this case, Spencer) could deem to be legal in this manner with no notice to nearby property owners and little to no proof. Cronin said board members made the right decision. "I think we rely on public opinion to make decisions, and the public has spoken," she said. Doesschate said she will discuss the next steps with residents. The councilwoman filed a notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, against the city in the matter in November. She said that was done because of time constraints, but isn't sure if she'll move forward with the suit. "A lot of people in the neighborhood have expressed a tremendous amount of support (for the stance) I've taken in wanting to see the procedures followed in the zoning," Doesschate said. "I hope regardless of what happens there is further consideration on these non-conforming use claims requiring evidence as code anticipates." Paris A gunman opened fire in the picturesque city of Strasbourg on Tuesday night, killing at least three, wounding a dozen and sending terrorized shoppers and tourists scrambling for safety in the middle of France's biggest Christmas market. The assailant, previously flagged by authorities as a potential threat, escaped police officers who quickly descended on the downtown Strasbourg market's cobblestone streets after the shooting started, shortly before 8 p.m., and ordered people to stay inside. Hours later, the assailant remained on the loose as the police expanded their manhunt to the city's periphery. Government officials said they were investigating the shooting as a possible terrorist attack. The shooting immediately recalled the Islamic State and al-Qaida assaults that have haunted France and other European countries over the past several years. It came just as France was grappling with a crisis over the violent Yellow Vest economic protests that have roiled Paris and other French cities for the past four weekends. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced early Wednesday that France had raised its terrorism threat level to the maximum level, with reinforced border checks and increased security at markets around the country. He described the gunman as "a man who was very unfavorably known for criminal activity," who was convicted by courts in France and Germany, but he did not mention any ties to extremist groups. Strasbourg, a city of more than a quarter million in eastern France, is home to the European Parliament and is known for its Christmas market, which attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. SCHENECTADY A jury convicted Schenectady contractor Tarchand Lall of first-degree murder on Wednesday for arranging the 2016 contract killing of Charles "Chuck" Dembrosky in a scheme to reap $150,000 in life insurance proceeds. Lall, 54, a native of Guyana once active in the Schenectady Premier Softball Cricket League, is now a convicted killer facing the possibility of life in prison without parole at his Feb. 27 sentencing by County Judge Matthew Sypniewski. Lall's eyes welled up as jurors convicted him of paying two hitmen from Delaware $10,000 to carry out the Nov. 19, 2016 predawn execution on Dembrosky. The victim, who worked for Lall, was shot once in the neck outside his home on Campbell Avenue in the city's Bellevue section. Police cracked the murder-for-hire case piecing together evidence, starting with the cell phone Dembrosky was carrying when he was killed. The investigators tracked phone numbers, which led them along a trail to the triggerman, Joevany "Moon" Luna and his getaway driver, Kyshaan Moore, who drove from Wilmington, Del. to Schenectady. "It's certainly not the kind of crime you see very often," said Assistant District Attorney Peter Willis, who prosecuted the case alongside Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Assini. "It's pretty heinous for somebody to be targeted just for money by one of their friends or somebody they worked with and drank with and hung out with. It's a really hard thing to think, that another person could do that to someone." Dembrosky had allowed Lall to take the policy out on his life. Asked why that happened, Willis said: "I don't think we'll ever know. Unfortunately, Lall took away that opportunity to ever find out that answer. It's something only he and Mr. Dembrosky know, I think." Jurors found Lall guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy, weapon possession and life insurance fraud. They acquitted him of criminal solicitation for an alleged plot to approach a jail inmate and arrange the fatal heroin overdose of separate man, Chad Raymond, who later testified against him. Lall's family, including his daughter, was in the courtroom for the trial and verdict. A woman identified as Dembrosky's ex-wife was also present. "We knew it was a strong case for the prosecution," Cheryl Coleman, the lawyer for Lall, told reporters. She noted Lall has serious health problems, including heart issues. "I just got done telling him to try to stay strong, to remember that a verdict isn't the end of the criminal case, that he has many legal options," Coleman said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. On the night of the murder, the killers' mobile phones pinged off cellular towers from Delaware to Schenectady. Luna, a Panama native with no connection to upstate New York, exchanged 67 phone calls or text messages with Lall in the 10 days prior to the killing. Prosecutors noted Luna called Dembrosky's cellphone in the hours before Dembrosky was shot to death. Street cameras, including one situated across the street from Lall's home in Mont Pleasant, showed the hitmen's car outside Lall's residence. They had gone there to collect the $10,000 and get directions to Dembrosky's home to murder him, prosecutors said. All told, the digital trail of evidence the cell phone records, license plate readers, the city surveillance footage became critical for prosecutors, Willis said. "If we didn't have those (cameras), we would have had a much harder time proving the connection here in the city and tracking the movements of the people here in Schenectady," Willis said. In May, a jury convicted Luna of first-degree murder and Moore of second-degree murder. Sypniewski sentenced Luna, 43, to life in prison without parole, and Moore, 28, to 25 years to life in prison. ALBANY A bus driver working for the Troy City School District appeared in court Tuesday after allegedly trying to entice someone he thought was a boy into sex, federal authorities said. Michael Varian, 52, of Troy had spent weeks exchanging sexually explicit texts with an undercover officer who he thought was a 14-year-old, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Varian then allegedly arranged to meet the teen at an Albany County location. The FBI circulated his mug shot Wednesday and said that while no students have been identified as victims at this time, anyone with information is asked to call investigators via the tip line 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324). Varian is charged with attempting to entice a minor into sexual activity. U.S. Magistrate Judge Christian Hummel on ordered him held pending a detention hearing on Wednesday. "We are obviously disturbed by these allegations," Troy Superintendent John Carmello said in an online statement, Tuesday. "The safety and security of our students, both in school and on school-provided transportation, remains our top priority." Carmello said they were made aware of the arrest Tuesday. "At this time, the District has not been made aware of the involvement of any Troy students," Carmello said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Varian was an employee of Star and Strand, one of several companies contracted by the school district for student transportation, Carmello said. Bus drivers are subject to fingerprinting and background checks for prior offenses, based on the state Department of Motor Vehicle guidelines. Carmello said the bus driver would no longer be transporting Troy School District students. If convicted, Varian faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least five years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000, the U.S. Attorney's office said. The case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes state and local law enforcement agencies, including Colonie police. ALBANY - The future of the New York State Writers Institute is assured, thanks to two gifts from University at Albany alumni. Gregory Maguire, author of "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West," and Marc Guggenheim, co-creator of the TV series "Arrow," have given $500,000 and $100,000, respectively, to establish an endowment for the institute that will allow it to continue its celebration of all things literary. "It's exciting," Writers Institute Director Paul Grondahl said. "These gifts will mean sustainability for our programs." Grondahl said that it's important to the Writers Institute, based at UAlbany, to keep its programs, such as the Book Fest, the Visiting Writers and Classic Film series funded and free for all who want to participate. "We want to serve people of all socioeconomic levels and students," Grondahl said. Maguire, who graduated from the UAlbany in 1976, established the Maguire Family Endowment at the NYSWI to support authors throughout the year. He named the endowment to honor his parents, John Maguire, who was a reporter and columnist with the Times Union in the 1960s and '70s , and Helen Gregory Maguire and Marie McAuliff Maguire. "I never knew my birth mother Helen except through legend because she died when I was born," Maguire said. "However, my father and my second mother (Marie) talked about her so winningly she was my second mother's best friend from childhood that I know her interest in literature was as rich as theirs." This past fall, Maguire was a featured guest at the Writers Institute's inaugural Albany Book Fest, which drew more than 5,000 participants. With the security of his endowment in place, the event is expected to grow. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Guggenheim, who graduated from UAlbany in 1992, also has been a featured guest at the NYSWI. He's also a screenwriter for the "Green Lantern" and the executive producer of the Netflix animated series "Trollhunters," among other credits. Guggenheim's gift is targeted at sustaining the film series. "Having not gone to film school myself, I'm a big believer that classic films are the best teacher for people interested in becoming filmmakers," said Guggenheim. "It's important that these works not fade into obscurity and that people continue to have easy which often means 'free' access to them. This is important even to people who aren't interested in pursuing cinema as a profession because that can change with exposure to a single movie. All it takes is one film to ignite your imagination." Grondahl said he is grateful to both donors. "Both have been past guests of the Writers Institute and they shared insights into their creative imaginations with our students, faculty, alumni and community members," Grondahl said. "Now, with these major gifts, they are helping to ensure that those meaningful conversations with writers and filmmakers from around the world will continue for many years to come." In recent weeks, both the United States and the United Nations released stark assessments of the devastating consequences of climate change. Their forecasts make clear that only aggressive action, beginning now, will be enough to avert a dystopian future of widespread food shortages, extreme weather and wildfires, and the extinction of many species, including the collapse of the world's coral reefs. One can hope that these reports finally will wake our slumbering leaders into action. A UN official called the message "a deafening, piercing smoke alarm going off in the kitchen." Unfortunately, the White House telegraphed its response when it released its Climate Assessment on Black Friday and downplayed the significance of its findings. President Donald Trump said, "I don't believe it." The actions that policy-makers should take have been clear for years: We must stop burning coal for power and factor carbon's cost of pollution into the price of fossil fuels. These actions can effectively spur the development of alternative sources of energy and reduce emissions of carbon into the atmosphere. They are scientifically grounded and some were the basis for the 2018 Nobel Prize in Economics. Congressional Democrats' triumph in November was a welcome step, but as long as the Senate and especially the White House are in control of climate deniers, real action at the federal level will stall. In the meantime, we can still drastically lower our regional carbon emissions. Several cities and towns in the Capital Region are considering one such plan that would put decisions about the source of our electricity in local hands instead of the hands of our utility. Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a program approved by the New York Public Service Commission and supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. It allows local communities to determine the default supplier of electricity for virtually all homes and small businesses within the jurisdiction. Existing CCA programs nationwide, including Sustainable Westchester in New York, have offered residents, businesses, and communities reliable, low-carbon electricity at competitive rates compared to what is offered by the default utility. Since its inception, Sustainable Westchester has collectively saved its participants nearly $10 million on their utility bills and prevented hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon each year from entering the atmosphere. Here is how a CCA works: Participating cities and towns act like a discount buyers club, using their collective clout to solicit competitive electricity bids from hydroelectric facilities and wind and solar farms. These contracts allow the members of the club, or "aggregation," to lock in the best price possible for two or three years. If the contracts are found to be acceptable, then all residents and small businesses within a town or city are automatically enrolled, unless they chose to "opt out" and stay with their utility such as National Grid. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The strength of a CCA is that, by pooling the demand of thousands of households, communities can negotiate lower electricity rates with private suppliers while also choosing cleaner sources of energy. Residents and businesses get lower energy costs and more budget certainty while encouraging local economic benefits in the form of new green energy infrastructure and jobs. There is simply no other initiative outside of action in Congress that could do more to reduce our region's carbon emissions. A Capital Region CCA would dwarf individual actions to which most of us aspire such as driving less, eating less meat, or installing our own solar panels, because it would include tens of thousands of homes. We are encouraging Capital Region cities and towns to form a CCA that would solicit energy bids. If those bids for clean energy are cost-competitive with what National Grid charges, then the contracts should be signed. Though plans are in the early stages, the city of Albany and the town of Niskayuna have expressed interest, and we are currently in discussions with several other municipalities. The more cities and towns that sign up, the more power the CCA will have to negotiate favorable terms. We have run out of time to wait before confronting climate change. Nothing can take the place of real action at the federal level to cut our carbon emissions, but a Capital Region CCA can do real work in the meantime. Jeffrey Corbin, a biologist, is a resident of Niskayuna. Tina Lieberman is the education chair of the Sierra Club's Hudson-Mohawk Group and an Albany resident. Both are members of the Capital Region CCA Steering Committee. Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and "fixer," pleaded guilty Tuesday to campaign-finance violations and other charges, saying he and Trump arranged the payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy model to influence the election. Cohen's account appears to implicate Trump himself in a crime, though whether or when a president can be prosecuted remains a matter of legal dispute. [December 12, 2018] Ryan Acquires France-based VAT Systems to Accelerate EU VAT Compliance Services Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, announced today the acquisition of Paris, France-based VAT Systems, a tax specialty firm that serves as a one-stop shop for all international value-added tax (VAT) compliance and recovery services. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005407/en/ Ryan is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes and brings a multidisciplinary team of more than 2,200 professionals serving more than 14,000 clients globally, including many of the world's most prominent Fortune 500 companies. VAT Systems bolsters Ryan's European presence with expertise and deep client and policy-maker relationships across many of the regions key to Ryan's client base. Leveraging the recently announced investment by private equity firm Onex Corporation, the strategic acquisition of VAT Systems serves as a platform to build the largest indirect tax practice in North America and Europe for a portfolio of corporate clients worldwide. "Ryan's growing base of multinational clients seeks our expertise to reduce the challenges faced in managing the complexity of international and multijurisdictional tax compliance and navigating the currents of global tax reforms. As a trusted advisor, we are constantly looking for opportunities to increase the value we bringto our clients," said G. Brint Ryan, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Ryan. "VAT Systems has established a well-deserved reputation for its unparalleled expertise in VAT compliance, which is a critical aspect of the next phase of our growth. Together, the combined operations will be able to provide our expanded client roster with innovative solutions to improve efficiency and develop a more holistic approach to tax compliance." Global enterprises that conduct business within the European Union (EU) require an understanding of the different sets of rules for each jurisdiction, as they may be required to register for VAT and collect and pay this tax in different EU Member States. The ever-changing tax regulations around the world make it virtually impossible for companies to maintain the needed capabilities and resources in-house. Potential consequences for non-compliance can be additional VAT costs of roughly 20 percent of the cost of goods or services. Additionally, companies may have to pay interest and penalties of up to 100 percent of due VAT, which can be assessed up to five years after the taxable transaction. With the addition of VAT Systems and its pan-EU expertise, Ryan will provide clients with customized, end-to-end solutions and consulting expertise in the laws, languages, and requirements to assist in finding cost-saving opportunities to reduce their tax liability, recover capital, and remain compliant in the countries in which they operate. "This is the ideal time for VAT Systems to join Ryan to expand the range of services and add significant resources for our clients operating in this dynamic global regulatory environment," said Andreas Kozanitis, chairman, CEO and founder of VAT Systems. "The strong values and deep expertise of our professionals have allowed VAT Systems to continuously drive positive outcomes for our clients. We look forward to our future together under the name Ryan VAT Systems and to providing enhanced offerings and new service lines for our valued clients as part of one of the fastest-growing tax services firms in the world." In accordance with French law, VAT Systems employees were given a 60-day notification of the pending transaction, which closed on December 11, 2018. Mr. Kozanitis will continue to lead Ryan VAT Systems and Ryan's client growth in Europe. About VAT Systems Founded in 2004, VAT Systems is an international group of companies that acts as a one-stop shop for all international taxation issues in more than 30 countries, including VAT compliance, VAT recovery, excise taxes, customs, foreign payroll, and foreign permanent establishments. Headquartered in Paris, France, it operates in Europe and around the world through its subsidiaries and international network of local tax specialists. About Ryan Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is a six-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multidisciplinary team of more than 2,200 professionals and associates serves over 14,000 clients in more than 50 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. "Ryan" and "Firm" refer to the global organizational network and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity. For more information on Ryan, visit its website at www.ryan.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005407/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 11, 2018] Quality is key: Infineon ships world's first industrial-grade eSIM in miniaturized package MUNICH, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Machine-to-machine communication in the Internet of Things (IoT) requires reliable data collection and uninterrupted data transmission. For taking full advantage of the ubiquitous mobile networks, Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) provides the world's first industrial-grade embedded SIM (eSIM) in a miniature Wafer-level Chip-scale Package (WLCSP). Manufacturers of industrial machines and equipment ranging from vending machines to remote sensors to asset trackers can optimize the design of their IoT devices without compromising on security and quality. Deploying eSIM brings a number of advantages for a smooh adoption of cellular connectivity into industrial environments. Device manufacturers can increase their design flexibility due to the eSIM's small footprint, and simplify manufacturing processes as well as global distribution thanks to a single stock-keeping unit. Customers also have the possibility to change their mobile service provider at any time, for example, if the quality of the network deteriorates or in the event of a better contract from the mobile operator. However, providing robust quality on a miniature footprint that works even under harshest conditions remains a challenge for silicon providers. Infineon now leaps a step ahead in addressing this challenge: Infineon's SLM 97 security controller in a Wafer Level Chip Scale Package (WLCSP) measures only 2.5mm x 2.7mm in size, supports an extended temperature range of -40 to 105 degrees Celsius. It provides a high-end feature set fully compliant with the latest GSMA specifications for eSIM. Robust quality and high endurance for industrial eSIM applications reflect Infineon's strong focus on high quality and the mindset working towards "zero defect". The SLM 97 security chip in WLCSP is manufactured at Infineon's production site in Dresden and Regensburg and now available in volume quantities. More information is available here. https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/security-smart-card-solutions/security-controllers/slm-97-and-slm-76/ Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181211/2323275-1 SOURCE Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 11, 2018] Tokopedia Secures US$1.1 Billion in Latest Financing Round PT Tokopedia, Indonesia's leading technology company, announced today that it has secured US$1.1 billion in its latest financing round. The funding is led by the SoftBank Vision Fund and Alibaba Group with participation by Softbank (News - Alert) Ventures Korea and other existing investors. Tokopedia will continue to focus on the Indonesian market and drive economic development and financial inclusion in Indonesia. The company expects to use the funds to build technology and infrastructure that empowers millions of local businesses to grow, as well as provide the best customer experience. William Tanuwijaya, CEO and Co-Founder of Tokopedia, said: "In our first nine years, Tokopedia focused on building Indonesia's largest marketplace for physical and digital goods. Leading into our tenth year, Tokopedia is evolving our ecosystem to infrastructure-as-a-service where our logistics, fulfillment, payments and financial services technologies will empower commerce, both online and offline. This will broaden Tokopedia's scale and reach while improving operational efficiencies for the millions of bsinesses and partners in our ecosystem and further our mission to democratize commerce through technology in Indonesia." "Since its inception, Tokopedia has helped millions of Indonesian SMEs sell products digitally across the archipelago," said Lydia Jett, senior investor at SoftBank Investment Advisers and Tokopedia Board member. "Tokopedia already provides millions of consumers with access to more than 100 million products, and the company is well-positioned to serve millions more as internet adoption continues to grow rapidly in the region. We believe in championing homegrown entrepreneurship and see a long runway for the company's continued growth." "We see our mission - to make it easy to do business anywhere - reflected in Tokopedia's journey," said Kenny Ho, Head of Investment, Southeast Asia and India at Alibaba Group. "We are excited to deepen our relationship with Tokopedia in enabling Indonesian small businesses and accelerating Indonesia's economic development." Tokopedia serves 93% of districts in Indonesia across 17,000 islands. In the past year, the company has quadrupled its gross merchandise value and now provides same-day delivery to 25% of its customers. Tokopedia is committed to serving Indonesia and will work with its partners to build the best technology and infrastructure to unlock the potential and opportunity for the next hundred million users. About Tokopedia Tokopedia is an Indonesian technology company with the mission to democratize commerce through technology. It has a leading marketplace platform in Indonesia, empowering millions of merchants and consumers to participate in the future of commerce. Tokopedia's vision is to build an ecosystem where everyone can start and discover anything with ease. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211006019/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 11, 2018] Singapore-based Everise on its way to becoming a half a billion-dollar experience company by 2022 Following a spate of acquisitions and partnerships, Everise has gone from one to 12,000 AI-augmented employees powering 500,000 experiences daily in less than three years By merging technology with human potential, Everise seeks to future-proof the BPO industry for the age of social media and the Internet of Things (IoT) SINGAPORE, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore-based Everise announces today that it has grown to be an almost $300M global experience company, since its inception only three years ago, with over 12,000 Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered employees powering over half a million customer service interactions on a daily basis. This growth follows a series of acquisitions and partnerships, including a global partnership with Microsoft, acquisitions of Malaysia-based Hyperlab and US-based Trusource Labs, as well as a joint venture with Korean BPO giant, UBASE in Malaysia. This growth over the past three years positions Everise well to reach its goal of becoming a $500M global experience company by 2022 and to expand into additional Asian markets in the next few years. Formed in 2016, Everise set out to redefine the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry by partnering with and acquiring innovative companies who, when combined together, could provide an omni-channel customer service solution that targets voice, video and text interactions, and delivers an unprecedented intelligent, customer-centric experience by leveraging the power of AI. Today, 12,000 AI-augmented employees now work with Everise speaking 10 languages across 17 centres around the world, including Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Guatemala, USA and Ireland. "Early on we saw the challenges that the BPO industry would face thanks to the changing nature of customers' relationship to brands," says Sudhir Agarwal, CEO of Everise, adding "the explosion of different means of communication from text and instant messaging to chatbots, social media and e-mail among others has made customer service more complex. Customer expectations are rising as has the consequences of sub-standard service thanks to social media. This has all contributed to a growth in the amount of data and information a customer service employee has to deal with, and the international nature of commerce today means they are required to provide multilingual services, 24 hours a day." "Everise have implemented technologies that allow service employees to easily communicate with customers across multiple channels, in multiple languages, and leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to draw information from different sources and present to the employee in an easy to understand -- and actionable -- fashion. Furthermore, automation technologies have reduced the amount of repetitive, rules-based work that each employee does, leaving more time for customer-facing duties, and Chatbot development has allowed clients to further refine their customer service functions." In February 2018, Everise partnered with Microsoft to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform, creating an omni-channel customer service solution that targets voice, video and text interactions, by leveraging the power of AI. This partnership is manifested through C3 Labs, located in Malaysia, the Philippines and USA, which allows each of Everise's clients to tailor-make their own AI-powered customer service solutions. In September 2018, Everise made a strategic investment in Malaysia-based start-up, Hyperlab, Southeast Asia's leading Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) company. Hyperlab has developed a robust Conversational AI Platform that allows enterprises to automate and elevate both Customer Experiences (CX) and Employee Experiences (EX). By fusing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing, speech recognition and contextual awareness, Hyperlab creates a digital workforce that will complement and empower customer service teams globally. Most recently, Everise acquired Trusource Labs, an innovative Silicon Valley company which specialises in Internet of Things (IoT) help desk experiences for Apple Users. The incorporation of Trusource Labs provides Everise with the capability to meet growing customer service demand that will follow the explosion of internet-connected devices in the home and the workplace. The IoT market is expected to double by 2021, with increasingly complex devices being used on a daily basis in and out of the home. As a result, everyday household items will need specialist support that is effective, quick and of high quality. Trusource Labs provides this and will enable Everise to meet the needs of customers and clients as they become increasingly connected. The company also launched the global business services centre Globee, a joint venture between Everise and South Korean company, UBASE. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it meets growing demands for increased customer care standards and channels by providing omni-channel customer service experiences for clients in Malaysia and around the world. Globee provides multi-lingual services and leverages the latest Microsoft-driven AI technology to improve customer service delivery, increase the range and scope of services for clients and be a potential growing platform for transformational ventures. "In today's experience-led economy, people don't buy products, they buy experiences. When disruption is the norm, the businesses who put their customers first, are the ones who rise above it," continues Sudhir Agarwal. "From the outset, we have been focusing on bringing together the best people and technology to build an augmented workforce that is able to offer our visionary clients the transformative services they need to continue growing. We fully expect to continue expanding over the next few year and aim to reach half a billion dollars in value by 2022." To signal its vision, Everise has updated its logo, making the "V" a visual representation for change. "Everise is a beacon for growth and disruption in the traditional BPO industry," says Chris Greenough, VP of Product Marketing & Strategy at Hyperlab. Our goal with relaunching Everise's new identity is to highlight how together, we are able to change customers into community, and people into a digitally enabled workforce." To carry this unifying message home, Everise and its companies will carry the "We Are Everise" stamp, which will be incorporated into all the companies' marketing over the next year. The unified brand story will also be injected into sales materials, digital marketing and talent branding efforts over 2019. Images available here About Everise Everise, owned by Sunrise BPO Services Pte. Ltd., Everstone, and ACPI, is the only Asia-based global experience company that provides, through its operating companies around the world, a full range of customer contact management services for corporate from both U.S. and international locations. The company's vision is to create an Experience Company, meeting the need for innovation and disruption in the BPO industry through smart partnerships and technology, and by providing high-quality end-to-end customer experiences. In 2018, Everise partnered with Microsoft to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform to disrupt the Contact Centre and BPO industry through an omnichannel customer service solution that targets voice, video and text interactions and delivers an unprecedented intelligent, customer-centric experience by leveraging the power of AI. Everise owns C3|CustomerContactChannels, Hyperlab, Trusource Labs and co-owns Globee, a Global Business Service center in Malaysia focusing on global clients looking for a multi-lingual solution. For more information, visit www.weareeverise.com. SOURCE Everise [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Leading Asian Integrated Security Exhibition -- SECON 2019 To Be Held in March Next Year SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SECON 2019 will be held from March 6-8, 2019 at Hall 3 & 4 in KINTEX, Seoul, Korea. Hosted by the 'SECON 2019 Organising Committee' and organized by UBM BN, the exhibition is dedicated to develop the security industry and boost global trade of its products & solutions. With 22,000+ sqm of exhibition area, SECON 2019 in its largest scale ever will have 500+ exhibitors from 15+ countries and 46,000+ buyers participating from all over the world. As the biggest security exhibition in Korea, SECON serves as a test-bed & trend-setter for global security enterprises to help grow their businesses in Asian market. Furthermore, SECON has grown by over 10% per year in terms of the size of exhibitors and visitors -- 433 exhibitors from 12 countries and 46,324 visitors from 25 countries participated in SECON 2018. Global security enterprises will gather at SECON 2019 With an aim to be the only Asian integrated security event beyond Korea, 500+ global exhibitors from 15+ countries will display their state-of-the-art security products and solutions related to video surveillance, access control, IT security, IoT, social safety, homeland security and industry security, etc. at SECON 2019. Global leading security enterprises, such as HIKVISION, DAHUA, UNIVIEW and ZKTeco have already confirmed their presence at SECON 2019. In addition, renowned Korean security companies such as Samsung S1, Hanwha Techwin and ADT CAPS will also participate in the exhibition. CUDO Communication, Suprema, Techsphere, AMANO Korea, WONWOO, INNODEP, MPOLESYSTEM, INDUSVISION, IRIS ID, SOLTECH INFONET, INCON and many more wil also join SECON 2019 to develop their global businesses. Other overseas exhibitors like Milestone, YTOT, VISIONLABS, XAFER SRL, SANHE LENSTECH OPTOELECTRONIC SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, LG HITACHI and so on will expand their businesses in Korea and establish their business networks with Korean buyers through SECON 2019. The most popular technologies of current global security industry -- Smart City, AI, Home Network Solutions, and more -- will be covered by SECON 2019 Smart City and Home Network Solutions, the most concerned technologies of global security industry these days, will be discussed at SECON 2019. In this regard, SECON 2019 will focus on Smart city security technology & Anti-hacking solution, IoT security solution, Smart control solution based on deep-learning and AI technologies. Furthermore, as current trend of security industry is moving to home IoT field containing integrated IoT platform which involves a combination of Home Network and AI, SECON 2019 will display a variety of Home Network solution to keep up with this trend. Access control system, digital door lock products applying biometric technology and home network solution connected with lock and door camera will be shown at SECON 2019 as well. As of the end of November 2018, around 80% of SECON 2019 exhibition areas had been already booked. If you want to be an exhibitor of SECON 2019, please contact SECON 2019 Sales Team at [email protected]. Please visit SECON 2019 official website (www.seconexpo.com) for pre-registration and more information of the exhibition. Notes to Editors: The 'SECON 2019 Organising Committee' is comprised of 30+ Korean security related associations and organisations, with the support from governmental ministries and local governments. UBM BN is a joint venture of UBM and Mediadot. UBM is a global exhibition company organising the biggest global security exhibition series: 'IFSEC' and 'Blackhat'. Mediadot is the best Korean media company owning 'Boannews' and 'Securityworld', the most renowned security media in Korea. Media Contact: UBM BN Ms Eunhee Woo +82-2-6715-5408 [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797168/SECON_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797169/Traffic.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797170/SECON_Logo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797171/UBM_BN_Logo.jpg SOURCE UBM BN Co., Ltd - SECON 2019 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Marketing in China-Social Touch Holds China Marketing Summit SHANGHAI, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Social Touch, a leading social marketing company, hosted its own China Marketing Summit during the GDMS (December 6) in Shanghai, leading a series of lively and inspiring talks among marketing professionals. The Summit discussed China marketing's new trends, challenges and solutions. GDMS is one of the China's largest conferences to look at digital marketing strategies and practices. Social Touch's participation as exclusive sponsor and host of the "China Marketing Summit" epitomizes the company's role as a leader at the China marketing. Zhang Rui, CEO of Social Touch, made a speech entitled, 2019: Embracing the Time of China Marketing. Zhang noted that there are three major trends that marketers and brands should focus on. Firstly, Chinese consumers are getting more and more complicated in terms of their consumption behavior and the information explosion brought by the mobile internet. Secondly, telling a good story with Chinese elements and with contradictory core values is the best strategy in China market. Thirdly, future marketing means the combination of science and arts. Introducing Intelligent Marketing System, he mentioned that Social Touch is actively helping brands maximize social media communication ROI by analyzing and modeling KOL data. Liang Ning, a famous product professional, made a speech entitled, Marketing in the Time of Cloud. She emphasized three main marketing factors-perception, trade and relation. Social media environment optimizes the inter-connection among these factors and ensures high efficieny and high ROI. By showing a fun commercial video made by JD.com during 11.11 holiday, Zhong Feng, head of integrated marketing in JD.com, believed that besides quality, pursuing fun with brands is now what young consumers like. That's why JD.com continuously launches new campaigns partnering with weibo.com, Dou Yin and Bilibili to attract consumers. Franny Lui, Brand Manager of P&G, showcased how P&G's new brands Aussie and Hair recipe embraced social e-commerce to take lead in the market. By integrating events and contents offline and online, P&G successfully encouraged fans and consumers to be actively engaged in brand communication and product purchasing. From a tech insider's take, Zhao Wei, CTO of Social Touch introduced Social Touch's Marketing Cloud Service powered by AI and cloud computing. The service empowers marketers especially marketing service providers to better helping their clients by utilize new technologies. During the panel sessions, Zhong Feng and Franny Lui discussed with Liu Yanting and Chen Ying from Social Touch about more case studies from Philips, Mengniu, Yili and Dell, showing how brands win Chinese consumers' attention and likeness in the current dynamic social media environment. "Social Touch's mission is to empower creativity. Through empowering marketers with technology and platform, we in turn have the potential and ability to improve brands' creativity. The company's unique strategy is what makes Social Touch stand out. It was a pleasure to be involved in China Marketing Summit. We will continue to be an important leader in China Marketing," added Zhang Rui, CEO of Social Touch. About Social Touch Founded in 2011, Social Touch is the leading digital marketing strategy, SaaS and data solution provider in China. Social Touch currently has a team that has rich experience in operating large consumer communities. At the same time, it has integrated the industry's most advanced digital marketing, software engineering and data mining talents, thus becoming the leading professional company with the largest scale, the most clients, and the most advanced technical products in China's social marketing field. Contact: www.socialtouch.com Email: [email protected] Call: +86-400-691-1961 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marketing-in-china-social-touch-holds-china-marketing-summit-300764005.html SOURCE Social Touch [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] GCR Takes Next Steps to Offer its Digital Transformation IoT & Networking Infrastructure Solution Through Large Alliance Partners MUMBAI, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Channel Resources (GCR India), a Digital Transformation multi-vendor Partners Platform, having global operations in 12 countries, takes its next step to offer Digital Transformation solutions through Large Alliance partners. Its e-marketplace and cloud service Delivery platform offers smart SaaS connected IoT and Networking & Infrastructure products, which enable partners to offer these solutions to their end-customers. Majority of these IoT solutions are Saas based and are offered on an OPEX model, saving large capital investments. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/727606/GCR_Logo.jpg ) "GCR's cognitive multivendor e-marketplace enables to strengthen alliances with leading technology and integration partners. A strong alliance network creates a great business value, reduces operational risk and accelerates go-to-market processes for all stakeholders. GCR's Services platform enables partners to further increase their revenue growth, expand markets, geographical operations, accelerate sales process, and enhance product and service offerings," said Tony Tsao, Founder, GCR. GCR has made its successful inroads in small and medium System Integrator segments. Post the successful penetration in SME / SME Enterprise segments, GCR is now penetrating into the Large System Integrator Partner alliances, service platform alliances, and the complementing platform alliances in India. As a first step, GCR has aligned with Trigyn (a group company of United Telecom) and Global One as its go to market partners and have struck a strategic alliance to offer solutions on its Multivendor Partner Platform. GCR with large System Integration Prtners now offers multi-vendor digital tools to the end-customers on a Managed Services dashboard. This further makes the coordination, implementation, and management process simpler. "GCR and alliance partners jointly deliver business solutions that address our clients' business and technology needs. We address specific client needs as well as customise tools and methods to accelerate and ensure successful deployment of solutions," quoted Amod Phadke, Director - Sales & Marketing, GCR. "For us at GCR, it is absolutely vital to provide every customer of ours, a remarkable experience. Since our active participation in providing digital solutions to small and medium enterprises has been beneficial, we are excited to expand our collaboration with larger enterprises as well. We believe in evaluating customer's preferences continually as it is the crux to success," added Amod. GCR offers IoT solutions, for retail, hospitality, education and enterprises. These IoT solutions help to monetise the Idle IT Infrastructure resulting in increased consumer satisfaction and subsequently increased revenue and profits for the enterprises. "The IoT solutions business has been identified as the fastest growing global business and is expected to reach around 300 billion US Dollars by the year 2020. The CXO's and Business Heads in the large enterprises today are focusing on change management and the large alliance partners have strong penetrations which will enable GCR-Partner to offer these solutions faster and quicker through the large and medium alliance partners," concluded Tony. About GCR (Global Channel Resources): Global Channel Resources (GCR), first-of-its-kind partners platform in India, aims to offer digital tools for business transformation, where GCR collaborates with Global Technology and Solution Providers who offer SaaS connected digital solutions/IoT tools and cloud services. These solutions get validated by GCR and are offered to System Integrators, Managed Services partners and Internet Service providers, who in turn provide these business transforming digital tools to their customers. GCR's online Partners Platform seamlessly connects the Technology Partner with the Integration Partner. This unique platform aims at offering the best of digital tools, through a vibrant and transparent ecosystem, and helps the Technology Partner and Integration Partner to achieve accelerated business growth. GCR India (https://www.gcrcloud.co.in), subsidiary of GCR Singapore (http://www.gcrcloud.com), is headquartered in Mumbai and started its operations in 2018. Today, India is one of the focused market for GCR and also an important sourcing hub for digital/IoT solutions. GCR already has over 300+ digital tools/solutions being offered on its online B2B platform to the customers through its qualified System Integrators, Managed Services partners and Internet Service providers in India. GCR has its operations spread over several countries including, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, etc. For more information, please contact: Tina Dutts Corporate Communications Head - Branding & Marketing, GCR Contact no.- 022-25501007, +91-9699566366, +91-8104142853 Email: [email protected] Address - Office 7, 10th Floor, Universal Majestic, PL Lokhande Marg, Chembur West, ACC Nagar, Chedda Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400043 Website: http://www.gcrcloud.co.in Global: http://www.gcrcloud.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Airwallex granted EMI license by the FCA, sees EU cross-border flows growing LONDON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Airwallex, a global fintech leader with the vision to build financial infrastructure to scale the digital economy, has been granted an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The company was recently named by KPMG as one of the top 50 Global Fintech Companies of 2018[1], and the EMI license will further boost its growth by allowing operations throughout the EU by passporting through the region. Airwallex can then onboard clients across Europe countries, integrate with local banks to provide better financial infrastructure and provide payment services. Airwallex has also applied for the new virtual bank license in Hong Kong, which would allow it to build one of the first challenger banks in Asia and beyond. Asia is becoming one of the hottest markets for payments and Fintech, and Airwallex sees an unprecedented opportunity to build a digital bank that can more than replicate the success of Monzo, Revolut or N26 in Europe. The UK and Europe are high on Airwallex's list of priorities for international expansion, both on potential clients and access to world class talent. The company now plans to further expand its London office by the end of 2019, and sees existing pain-points insufficiently addressed by incumbent banks. The size of the global ecommerce market is forecasted to reach US$2.8tr this year and US$4.8tr by 2021. Serving these clients is a growing opportunity that Airwallex is looking to capitalize on, given the lack of efficient international payment solutions being offered. Research in 2016 revealed that SMEs in the U.K. are spending nearly GBP 4.5bil in hidden fees to their banks for cross-border payments across the Eurozone. A small business with 20 or so GBP 10000 international transactions a month, for example, would pay an average of more than GBP 2100 a month in fees, with a large portion paid in foreign exchange[2]. On the other hand, Airwallex strives to offer transparent, competitive wholesale rates to businesses by utilizing its proprietary FX engine and global banking network, and currently support payments to over 130 countries and 50 currencies. Airwallex was co-founded in late 2015 by CEO Jack Zhang and four friends. "We ordered lots of materials from overseas for the coffee shop we were running," he says. "One transaction was US$15,000 (13000 euros) and we had to pay US$600 (500 euros) in foreign exchange fees. We said, this doesn't make sense. We can make foreign exchange much easier by innovating upon the underlying financial infrastructure." [1] H2 Ventures & KPMG "Fintech100" 2018 [2] https://www.pymnts.com/news/b2b-payments/2016/sme-bank-fee-uk-cross-border-payment-transaction-international-export-global/ About Airwallex: Airwallex is a financial technology company redefining payments globally. In the span of 3 years, Airwallex has secured over $102M USD in external funding, supported by top-tier investors including tech giant Tencent, Sequoia Capital China and MasterCard. The company uses advanced technology to enable low-cost, high-speed and transparent international payments encompassing the entire cross-border payment value chain, from global collection to foreign exchange and international payments. Led by a highly capable, experienced, and driven executive team, we have established international offices across Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, Singapore, London and San Francisco. Airwallex UK Ground Floor, 1 Fore St London, EC2Y 9DT United Kingdom [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Airwallex granted EMI license by the FCA, further scales its global payments solutions HONG KONG, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Airwallex, a global fintech leader with the vision to build financial infrastructure to scale the digital economy, has been granted an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The company was recently named by KPMG as one of the top 50 Global Fintech Companies of 2018[1], and the EMI license will further boost its growth by allowing operations throughout the EU by passporting through the region. Airwallex can then onboard clients across European countries, integrate with local banks to provide better financial infrastructure, and provide payment services. This is an important milestone in building out the company's global footprint and capabilities. Airwallex has also applied for the new virtual bank license in Hong Kong under a joint venture with the Bank of East Asia and Sequoia Capital, which would allow it to build one of the first challenger banks in Asia and beyond. Asia is becoming one of the hottest markets for payments and Fintech, and Airwallex sees an unprecedented opportunity to build a new digital bank to service SMEs in the Hong Kong and the Greater Bay area. Airwallex strives to offer transparent, competitive wholesale rates to businesses by utilizing its proprietary FX engine and global banking network, and currently supports cross-border payments to over 130 countries and 50 currencies. The size of the global ecommerce market, one of the key verticals for Airwallex, is forecasted to reach US$2.8tr this year and US$4.8tr by 2021. Serving these e-commerce platforms with cross-border payment needs is a growing opportunity that Airwallex is looking to capitalize on, given the lack of efficient international payment solutions being offered. Airwallex was co-founded in late 2015 by CEO Jack Zhang and four friends. "We ordered lots of materials from overseas for the coffee shop we were running," he says. "One transaction was US$15,000 (13000 euros) and we had to pay US$600 (500 euros) in foreign exchange fees. "We said, this doesn't make sense. We can make payments and foreign exchange much easier by innovating upon the underlying financial infrastructure." [1] H2 Ventures & KPMG "Fintech100" 2018 About Airwallex: Airwallex is a financial technology company redefining payments globally. In the span of 3 years, Airwallex has secured over $102M USD in external funding, supported by top-tier investors including tech giant Tencent, Sequoia Capital China and MasterCard. The company uses advanced technology to enable low-cost, high-speed and transparent international payments encompassing the entire cross-border payment value chain, from global collection to foreign exchange and international payments. Led by a highly capable, experienced, and driven executive team, we have established international offices across Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, Singapore, London and San Francisco. Airwallex HK Suites 08-10, 63/F, One Island East, 18 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong [email protected] SOURCE Airwallex [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Prosegur Reaches Agreement To Acquire Majority Stake In Cipher Cipher is a leading cybersecurity company with main operations in the United States , Brazil and United Kingdom . The combination of Prosegur, a global benchmark in the private security sector, and Cipher, represents a step forward in the implementation of advanced integrated security solutions. Prosegur consolidates its cybersecurity business with a global reach and six Security Operations Centers (SOCs). MADRID, Dec.12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Prosegur, a global benchmark in the private security sector with over 175,000 employees in 25 countries on five continents, has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Cipher, a leading cybersecurity company with presence in North America, Latin America and Europe. This agreement, which is subject to approval by the corresponding administrative authorities, strengthens Prosegur's capabilities in cybersecurity and deepens the transformation of its security and technology business. Prosegur and Cipher share a wide vision of security operations, with a global risk approach, regardless of whether the threats come from the physical or digital world. The two companies will work together to promote the development of advanced security solutions that embrace both fields and create a unique overall risk management platform. Founded in 2000, Cipher delivers a wide range of Managed Security Services (MSS) and Security Consulting Services. These offers are supported by the best in class securit intelligence lab - Cipher Intelligence, in addition, the company has developed an array of cybersecurity intelligence services that will be integrated with the current Prosegur capabilities to create a global intelligence practice with a more extensive and robust portfolio. Cipher is recognized by highly regarded global research firms as a leading player in MSS through its two 24/7 Security Operations Centers (SOCs). Cipher and Prosegur present their cybersecurity service portfolio in the same way, so it is estimated that an intense transfer of knowledge and exchange of best practices can be generated very quickly. Likewise, the geographical complementary footprint of both businesses is significant since Cipher has operations in markets in which, until now, Prosegur did not have a relevant presence in the cybersecurity landscape especially in the United States, Brazil and United Kingdom. Following the completion of the transaction, Alejandro Alonso, former Prosegur Cybersecurity Managing Director, will act as Executive Chairman and Eduardo Boucas, founder and CEO of Cipher, will remain in the company as a shareholder and the Global CEO of Prosegur Cybersecurity. Their entrepreneurial spirit, experience and knowledge will be critical to extend Prosegur's capabilities to new geographies and consolidate them in current markets, with special attention to the United States, the main cybersecurity market. The Security and Technology business unit of Prosegur has been working for a long time in combining its capabilities in physical surveillance with the latest technological and analytical innovations. The company, which started its cybersecurity operations in 2014, consolidates now a cybersecurity global business with current footprint in 11 countries within North America, Latin America and Europe. These cyber operations now include a very talented and large cybersecurity team and six state of the art SOCs, driving Prosegur to become one of the largest cybersecurity players in the world. About Prosegur Prosegur is a global leader in the private security sector. Across its three business lines - Prosegur Security, Prosegur Cash and Prosegur Alarms - Prosegur provides companies and households with reliable security services using the most advanced market solutions. With a global presence, Prosegur reported sales of 4.3 billion and EBIT of 390 million in 2017 and is listed on the Madrid and Barcelona stock exchanges under the ticker code PSG, currently having a team of over 175,000 employees. The company directs its social action through the Prosegur Foundation, which, with more than 39,900 beneficiaries in 2017, works on four focal points: education, employment inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, corporate volunteering and cultural development. For more information, visit www.prosegur.com Contact: +55 11 3926 9517 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] 600,000 tracks - A Great New Milestone Has Been Reached by the Independent Music Platform Jamendo LUXEMBOURG, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Reaching this meaningful number reinforces the success of Jamendo's business model as a central independent online music community. Over 600,000 independent artist tracks on Jamendo demonstrates consistent growth for the online, independent, creative worldwide community, and attests the increasing need and demand for such a space in today's online environment. This milestone has been reached through a high level of dedication to empowering independent artists with new streams of exposure and revenue. Through creativity and boldness, what was once just an innovative idea grew into to what is now one of the world's largest independent music platforms. "Jamendo has been so good to us!" joyfully exclaims US Rock'n'Roll collective, The Devil Music Co. "We deeply appreciate what they do as a company and how they've allowed us to share our music with so many people." Let's have a look behind the numbers. What are the perks of being a Jamendoartist? What are the advantages that have driven more than 40,100 artists to upload over 600,000 tracks on the platform? A high level of exposure in a global independent environment is the first thing that comes to mind, as Jamendo is totally free for individuals and allows independent artists to stream their music worldwide, regardless of geographic or cultural boundaries, to an international community of passionate music lovers. "I would not be where I am without Jamendo," says Kellee Maize , a famous US hip-hop artist who just released her latest album exclusively on Jamendo. "The potential is huge for artists, and the level of care and devotion they put into helping their artists is heartwarming." The second biggest benefit can be found on Jamendo Licensing, Jamendo's royalty-free catalog for content creators and business owners looking for music to use in their endeavors. Through the licensing platform, independent artists can choose to license their works in a fair and transparent way, generating revenue. "First, the revenue allows me to keep writing and releasing new music," happily states rock music artist, Color Out, "and when licenses are sold, the music is featured on apps, websites etc., which further expands my audience! It's a win-win for all artists." Being center stage in a continuously growing independent music market while constantly trying to adjust to its needs, only the future will tell us how far Jamendo will go! Nevertheless, its goal of making a positive and lasting impact on the music industry will undeniably continue to drive its efforts! About Jamendo Jamendo is one of the largest online independent music platforms. It provides free music for personal enjoyment and various licenses for projects or businesses. Jamendo supports independent artists by offering them a global space to promote and sell their music. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] 44% Data Scientists Use Python for Statistical Modelling, Prefer AWS for Cloud Services: Data Science Skills Study 2018 - by AIM and Great Learning BENGALURU, December 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Science is an emerging field which is now being integrated with industries across all sectors. This year Analytics India Magazine, in association with Great Learning, decided to find out what goes on behind the making of a good Data Scientist. A thorough research was done to find out the tools and techniques used by the new technology professionals during this study. From language to coding and GPUs, this study encompasses interesting and insightful answers from the sector. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/690836/Analytics_India_Magazine_Logo.jpg ) The samples were collected by asking respondents to fill in a survey created by AIM about what tools and techniques data scientists use at work. This included various sub-topics such as data visualisation tools, preferred operating systems and programming languages, among others. This also includes opinions from all those who practice data science - from professionals with less than two years of experience to CXOs - to get a thorough idea of the working environment in this growing field. This survey was met with much enthusiasm - and it includes some great insights. Some of them were expected, and many of them were real eye-openers. One of the key findings of the study was the fact that the favourite language for coding for data scientists in today's era is Python, as almost 44% of professionals use it regularly. A close second is R at 35% - another clear favourite with data scientists, due to its versatility. It was also found out that Python users preferred the Pandas library most, at 41%, followed by Numpy at 24%. With a plethora of data analytics tools available online, thesurvey asked data scientists if they were willing to use open source tools at work. The answer was a resounding yes. Almost 89% of the data scientists said that they preferred to work with open sourced tools. Only 8% data scientists said that they liked to work with custom-made tools which are tweaked and personalised for their particular projects. Data visualisation might be tricky for many data scientists. Crunching numbers is one thing, but telling a story with numbers is a whole different deal. When asked about their favourite data visualisation too, the respondents had one clear winner: Tableau. More than half the respondents, 51%, said that they preferred to use Tableau as a dashboard or visualisation tool. It was followed by Microsoft BI at 12% and IBM Analytics at 11%. AIM also asked the data science practitioners about their preferred cloud services provider. Amazon Web Services was a clear winner at 45% with Google Cloud following at 34%. Bhasker Gupta, CEO and Founder of Analytics India Magazine said, "The study is indicative of a fact that a majority of data scientists in India prefer cutting-edge tools which are in sync with the global trends. Most of them are on a clear path to using simple, programmable tools which can help them draw actionable insights." Hari Krishnan Nair, Co-founder and Director at Great Learning, said, "Today the most relevant data analytics tools include Python, R and Tableau. Just 5 years back, this was very different. This is not surprising as the technology is evolving every day and offering better solutions to harness and make sense of data. All knowledge professionals will have to keep pace with this change and upskill regularly in order to solve the latest challenges at work. Data Science, Analytics, Machine Learning and AI are career-defining opportunities today and these are also fast-evolving fields. Lifelong learning is the way forward for all professionals who want to succeed in the Digital Economy." Here's the complete study: https://www.analyticsindiamag.com/data-science-skills-study-2018-by-aim-great-learning/ About Analytics India Magazine Founded in 2012, Analytics India Magazine has since been dedicated to passionately championing and promoting the analytics ecosystem in India. It chronicles the technological progress in the space of analytics, artificial intelligence, data science, big data by highlighting the innovations, players in the field, challenges shaping the future, through the promotion and discussion of ideas and thoughts by smart, ardent, action-oriented individuals who want to change the world. It has been a pre-eminent source of news, information and analysis for the Indian analytics ecosystem by covering opinions, analysis and insights on the key breakthroughs and developments in data-driven technologies as well as highlighting how they are being leveraged for future impact. Visit: http://www.analyticsindiamag.com About Great Learning Great Learning is an ed-tech company which offers programs in career critical competencies such as Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Deep Learning. Their programs are taken by thousands of professionals every year who build competencies in these emerging areas to secure and grow their careers. Great Learning is on a mission to make professionals proficient and future ready. They believe learning a new skill is tough and high-quality education has to be rigorous. In addition to all their programs being extremely comprehensive, a core part of the learning experience is the learning assistance provided to candidates. They use technology, content and a wide network of industry experts (Great Learning Gurus) to help candidates learn in the most impactful manner, whether it be through their unique blended model of classroom sessions and online content or online content with personalised weekend mentorship sessions. Media Contact: Bhasker Gupta [email protected] +91-9916006869 Analytics India Magazine Pvt. Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Unmanned Aerial System Proves Valuable for Firefighting Crews at Northern California's Camp Fire BINGEN, Washington, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Insitu, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, assisted from the air in the firefight against the Camp Fire in Northern California, now deemed the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California's history. "Our hearts go out to all of those affected by the terrible Camp Fire tragedy," said Esina Alic, Insitu President and CEO. "We are honored to have had the opportunity to help with fire suppression efforts using our ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and INEXA suite of information and analytics tools, and support firefighters in this massive battle." Insitu provided vital information to firefighters with its ScanEagle UAS, and its TacitView and Catalina software payload. The ScanEagle's camera data and software generated daily operational maps and full motion video detailing the fire's movement. The TacitView and Catalina capabilities are designed to be interoperable with government agency systems enabling domestic remote sensing operations, and the software capabilities are extremely effective in informing firefighters about fire movement in real time. The data provided by Insitu allowed Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists to quickly produce geospatial maps and perform further analyses. Flying at night, when manned aircraft typically are grounded due to safety concerns, the Insitu team flew the ScanEagle UAS beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) providing perimeter mapping, hot spot locations and points of interest, while disseminating real-time video feed to assist CALFIRE along with multiple local and national firefighting response teams in their daily morning planning meetings. The Insitu Rapid Response team supported firefighters by supplying this data for more optimal fire suppression planning in the extremely rugged terrain of the Paradise, California area. This up-to-date information provided fire incident commanders with enhanced emergency response efforts, increased situational awareness and safety, and supported planning and resource allocation. Insitu's suite of real-time intelligence acquisition and distribution capabilities provide live Motion Imagery Standards Board (MISB)-compliant video and flight telemetry to extensible mapping engines such as the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) and the Windows Tactical Assault Kit (WinTAK). These tools typically are utilized in defense missions, and now are being widely adopted by first responders for a variety of domestic operations, particularly for use in firefighting operation tools and products. "We witnessed the hard work, dedication and sacrifices made by those fighting the Camp Fire," said Alic. "We are proud to have had the opportunity to stand with these courageous people and play a part in helping to suppress this devastating fire," concluded Alic. About Insitu Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. With its headquarters in Bingen, Wash., and offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, the company creates and supports unmanned systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and understanding sensor data. We proudly serve the diverse needs of our global customers in the defense, government and commercial industries. To date, our systems have accumulated more than one million flight hours. Insitu is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. For more information, visit insitu.com. Follow us on Vimeo, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. CONTACT: Monica Golden Insitu Media Relations +1 509.637.6574 [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/797181/Insitu_Command_Center_at_Camp_Fire_in_Northern_California.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/685528/INSITU_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] U.S. Navy Awards Belcan Government Services The Seaport Next Generation Contract, A $50 Billion Multi-Year IDIQ Contract ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Belcan, LLC announced today that Schafer Government Services, part of Belcan's Government Services segment, has been awarded the SeaPort Next Generation contract, a 10-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quality (IDIQ) multiple award contract from the United States Navy in Arlington, Virginia. Belcan is among the companies that will compete for task orders to provide engineering and program management support services with a total contract value of $50 billion, averaging $5 billion annually over 10 years. Under this IDIQ, Belcan and the awarded companies will provide systems and process engineering support, test and evaluation, research and development, modeling, simulation, prototype and analysis support, system design documentation and technical data support, financial analysis, analytical and organizational assessment and logistics support, computer and information security, and systems analysis and managemen support. "We look forward to continuing to support the Navy through the SeaPort Next Generation contract. Our team of skilled professionals brings a high level of engineering expertise with proven results to assist the Navy's innovative advances through research and development and test and evaluation," said Lee Shabe, President, Belcan Government Services. About Belcan Belcan, LLC is a global supplier of engineering, supply chain, technical recruiting, and IT services to customers in the aerospace, defense, automotive, industrial, and government sectors. Belcan engineers better outcomes for customers from jet engines, airframe, and avionics to heavy vehicles, automobiles, and cybersecurity, Belcan takes a partnering approach to provide solutions that are adaptable, integrated, and value added. Belcan has been earning the trust of our customers for 60 years and counting. For more information, please visit www.belcan.com. CONTACT: Blicksilver Public Relations Jennifer Hurson (845) 507-0571 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-navy-awards-belcan-government-services-the-seaport-next-generation-contract-a-50-billion-multi-year-idiq-contract-300763989.html SOURCE Belcan, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Aleph Farms Jump-starts First Cell-Grown Steak ASHDOD, Israel, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Aleph Farms Ltd. has kicked off the first cell-grown minute steak, delivering the full experience of meat with the appearance, shape, and texture of beef cuts. The food tech start-up's new product demonstrates its capabilities for growing different types of natural beef cells isolated from the cow into a fully 3-D structure similar to conventional meat. The breakthrough not only obtains the true texture and structure of beef muscle tissue steak, but also the flavor and shape, establishing a new benchmark in cell-cultured meat technology. Aleph Farms successfully grown slaughter-free steak, without the need for devoting vast tracts of land, water, feed, and other resources to raise cattle for meat and uses no antibiotics. See the video here. Cell-grown meat is typically grown from a few cells of a living animal, extracted painlessly. These cells are nourished and grow to produce a complex matrix that replicates muscle tissue. One of the barriers to grown meat production has been getting the various cell types to interact with each other to build a complete tissue structure as they would in the natural environment inside the animal. The challenge is to find the right nutrients and their combination that would allow the multicellular matrix to grow tgether efficiently, creating a complete structure. The company overcame this obstacle thanks to a bio-engineering platform developed in collaboration with the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa. "We're shaping the future of the meat industry literally," says Didier Toubia, Co-Founder and CEO of Aleph Farms. "Making a patty or a sausage from cells cultured outside the animal is challenging enough, imagine how difficult it is to create a whole-muscle steak.At Aleph Farms, this is not science fiction. We've transformed the vision into reality by growing a steak under controlled conditions. The initial products are still relatively thin, but the technology we developed marks a true breakthrough and a great leap forward in producing a cell-grown steak." Aleph Farms is implementing a combination of six unique technologies that allow it to drop the production costs of the meat, including innovative approaches related to an animal-free growth medium to nourish the cells, and bioreactors the tanks in which the tissue grows. "Aleph Farms' minute steak is thinly sliced and will cook in just a minute or so," says Amir Ilan, chef of the restaurant Paris Texas in Ramat Gan, Israel. "For me, it is a great experience to eat meat that has the look and feel of beef but has been grown without antibiotics and causes no harm to animals or the environment. Aleph Farms meat has high culinary potential it can be readily incorporated into top-shelf preparations or served in premium-casual restaurants, trendy cafes, bistros, or other eateries." Aleph Farms was co-founded in 2017 by Israeli food-tech incubator The Kitchen, a part of the Strauss Group Ltd., and the Technion. The company is supported by US and European venture capital firms. Aleph Farms joined The RisingFoodStarsthe European Institute of Technology (EIT) Food's club of outstanding agrifood start-ups in July 2018. For further information, please contact: Company contact Aleph Pharms Mr. Didier Toubia Co-Founder and CEO Tel: +972-8-6831990 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.aleph-farms.com Twitter: @AlephFarms Press contact NutriPR Ms. Liat Simha PR Expert Tel: +972-9-9742893 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.nutripr.com Twitter: @LiatSimha View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aleph-farms-jump-starts-first-cell-grown-steak-300764157.html SOURCE Aleph Farms [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Molina Healthcare Awarded Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Contract in Mississippi Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH) today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Molina Healthcare of Mississippi, Inc., has been awarded a contract by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). With this award, Molina is one of two managed care organizations selected to administer CHIP in each of the state's nine regional service areas and all 82 counties. The terms of the new three-year contract are effective February 1, 2019, and services are expected to begin on July 1, 2019, pending the completion of a readiness review with DOM. "We are honored to have the opportunity to serve more members through this new CHIP contract," said Bridget Galatas, president of Molina Healthcare of Mississippi. "It has been an exciting year launching our health plan, and we are pleased to continue working with DOM, local providers, and community-based organizations to further increase accessibility to quality, affordable care and to improve the health, well-being, and success of all those in our community, especially the children we will now be able to serve through CHIP." CHIP and MississippiCAN are the programs that DOM administers to improve access to medical services, improve quality of care, and improve program efficiencies and cost predictability. CHIP specifically helps provide affordable health insurance coverage for uninsured children up to 19 years of age who do not qualify for Medicaid. Nearly 50,000 beneficiaries are currently enrolled in the CHIP program in Mississippi. Molina expects the contract to add approximately $75 million to the Company's revenue annually. Molin Healthcare of Mississippi currently provides Medicaid coverage to individuals and families across the state through the Mississippi Coordinated Access Network (MississippiCAN), which was awarded in February 2017 and went live in October 2018. About Molina Healthcare Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare served approximately 4 million members as of September 30, 2018. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit molinahealthcare.com. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" regarding the selection of Molina Healthcare of Mississippi for a contract for the Children's Health Insurance Program in Mississippi. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that are subject to numerous risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially. Such risk factors include, without limitation, a failure of the parties to finalize and execute the new contract, a delay in the start date for the new contract, a reversal of the contract awards in connection with a successful protest by another bidder, and a failure to satisfy readiness review requirements. Additional information regarding the risk factors to which we are subject is provided in greater detail in our periodic reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. These reports can be accessed under the investor relations tab of our website or on the SEC's (News - Alert) website at sec.gov. Given these risks and uncertainties, we cannot give assurances that our forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, or that any other results or events projected or contemplated by our forward-looking statements will in fact occur, and we caution investors not to place undue reliance on these statements. All forward-looking statements in this release represent our judgment as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to conform the statement to actual results or changes in our expectations that occur after the date of this release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005100/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Vocalink and CCE Sign Trailblazing Payments Deal Nationally in Peru International payment systems provider Vocalink, a Mastercard company, has today signed a contract with Peru's automated clearing house, Camara de Compensacion Electronica (CCE) to fully modernize the Peruvian electronic payments infrastructure. This deal will see the creation of a new integrated and comprehensive payment service that will deliver processing of electronic payments (checks, bulk and real-time) 24/7 x 365 days of the year. The announcement marks a major development for Peru's payment infrastructure. The migration will support an upgrade to the existing system to support the clearing and settlement of electronic payment methods including checks. In addition, this will include an implementation of Vocalink's new Immediate Payments Solution (IPS) which will process and credit transfers in real-time, as well as enabling users to send and receive payments from their mobile phones using just a phone number, without the need to supply the recipients' bank details. The modernized payments platform will significantly contribute to the reduction of the country's reliance on cash and drive a more digital economy. The updated electronic payment platform will set the bar for the payments sector in Latin America, providing consumers, businesses, the government and financial institutions with the opportunity to choose the way in which they pay and get paid. This new platform will also drive greater efficiencies across the economy, enhanced availability and security for its users and enable further innovation between payment systems. Vocalink's track record of national payment systems includes the implementation of Faster Payments in the UK and the launch of The Clearing House's RTP - the transformative real-time payment system in the US - which was an evolution of Vocalink's highly successful and reliable systems developed for the UK, Singapore and Thailand. Adrian F. Revilla Vergara, Chairman of the Board of Camara de Compensacion Electronica, said: "Once complete, I believe that the platform will not only be one of the most comprehensive real-time payment systems in Latin America but it will be in-line with the best in the world. Our aim is to provide a solution from which innovative new services can be launched to power Peru's economy, and it is our belief that Vocalink and their proven experience in the design, development and delivery of real-time national payments infrastructure, makes them the ideal partner." Cesar Ferreyros, CEO of Camara de Compensacion Electronica, said: "Today's contract signing with Vocalink represents a significant milestone in our effort to provide a state-of-the-art real-time payments solution in Peru. Peru's whole economy will significantly benefit from the introduction of a new payments platform, as it impact all stakeholders from consumers, small businesses through to the government and financial institutions. Benefits will include more efficient payment of salaries, insurance payouts, loans, small business invoicing and person-to-person payments. In addition, competition within the financial services industry will be stimulated, as well as greater productivity of money, with a higher volume of transactions processed within the same elapsed timeframe. "Once completed, customers will be able to pay or receive money in real-time from any financial institution, allowing millions of people and businesses to make anytime instant payments. Vocalink's proven track record of rapid and effective development of real-time payments systems will ensure that Peru is at the forefront of payments innovation globally." Paul Stoddart, Chief Executive Officer at Vocalink, a Mastercard company, commented: "We look forward to working with such a respected and impressive partner as Camara de Compensacion Electronica, to deliver a service that will transform the payments landscape in Peru. The new real-time solution will provide a platform for innovation to support the country's economy. "The partnership is Vocalink's first fully managed service in Latin America, which will ensure that we continue to provide our payments expertise long after we have implemented the new infrastructure. We are committed to developing further partnerships around the world to build global, ubiquitous real-time payments." Jorge Noguera, Mastercard Division President for the Andean Region and the Caribbean, said: "This deal reinforces Mastercard's commitment to Peru. It's an additional step toward the robustness of the country's payment ecosystem, which will foster more innovation, opportunities and financial inclusion. We are proud to be part of this ongoing evolution and ready to deliver even more solutions that can streamline and drive this process." Notes to Editors About Vocalink A Mastercard company, Vocalink designs, builds and operates industry-leading bank account-based payment systems. Our technologies power the UK's real-time payments, settlements and direct debit systems, as well as the UK's network of nearly 70,000 ATMs. In 2017, we processed over 90 percent of salaries, more than 70 percent of household bills and almost all state benefits in the UK. In addition, our proven real-time bank account-based payment solutions provide more payment choice to customers in Singapore, Thailand and the United States. For payment news and insight from Vocalink visit CONNECT - http://connect.Vocalink.com/ About CCE CCE is a private service company whose mission is to simplify the interaction of financial institutions in the interbank payment system and generating value with safe and efficient transactions for their customers. About Mastercard Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. Our global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005353/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] ZF honors Excelfore with award for top digitalization vendor FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Excelfore, an enabler of smart mobility networks, announces that ZF, one of the largest automotive suppliers worldwide, has presented Excelfore the ZF Supplier Award 2018 in the category of "Digitalization". The award took place at a ceremony at the ZF Global Supplier Summit 2018, in Friedrichshafen, Germany. This is the second year that ZF presents a supplier award for the "Digitalization" category. According to ZF, "Excelfore combines the expertise of 75 software engineers with the spirit of a start-up company. The middleware solutions that it develops will make the next generation of networked cars possible." ZF is working with Excelfore on the eSync cloud-to-vehicle platform, which provides a standardized solution for over-the-air-software updates and draws real-time operating data from any device in vehicles, to assist in failure prediction and diagnosis. The expertise of Excelfore helps ZF reinforce its market leading position in the area of occupant safety systems. Shrinath Acharya, CEO at Excelfore, said, "We are honored to receive this award from ZF. It is a significant milestone for Excelfore to be recognized by such an important company in the automotive industry." The ZF Supplier Awards 2018 are awarded to ZF suppliers who have excelled at achieving outstanding perfomance over the past year. There were seven winners across four categories this year: Production Material, Non-Production Material, Innovation and Digitalization. press.zf.com Excelfore creates innovative middleware solutions for in-vehicle and vehicle-to-cloud smart mobility networks. Excelfore has created the eSync system, a software-based platform for bi-directional communications with numerous ECUs and sensors in cars, enabling Over the Air (OTA) updates to software, as well as retrieval of valuable operating data for integrated vehicle health management. This helps reduce vehicle recalls, potentially saving automakers billions of dollars every year, while enhancing the driving public's safety and convenience. ZF and Excelfore are among the five founding companies in the eSync Alliance, an open trade association which uses the architecture and interfaces of the eSync system to create a multi-company platform for providing a secure data pipeline to all electronic devices within modern vehicles. www.esyncalliance.org About Excelfore Excelfore, located in Silicon Valley, is an innovative provider of cloud platform and connectivity applications. It provides middleware solutions for smart mobility networks that enable OEMs and suppliers to build the next generation of smart and autonomous vehicles, fleets and associated infrastructure. Excelfore products include protocol stacks for in-vehicle Ethernet time-sensitive networking, the cloud-to-vehicle eSync system for OTA updates and data gathering, as well as the AI-based eLearn platform for data aggregation and integrated vehicle health. www.excelfore.com Press Contact: Cynthia Hoye, Embedded PR Phone: +1 408-858-2602 / E-mail: [email protected] Reader Contact: [email protected] Excelfore is and the Excelfore logo are registered trademark of Excelfore Corporation. eSync is a trademark of the eSync Alliance View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zf-honors-excelfore-with-award-for-top-digitalization-vendor-300764058.html SOURCE Excelfore [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Toshiba Multifunction Printers Earn Better Buys Editor's Choice Toshiba America Business Solutions today announces it has earned Better Buys' Q4 2018 Editor's Choice Award for the company's recently-introduced e-STUDIO5015AC series of multifunction printers (MFPs). Toshiba's (News - Alert) five next-generation MFPs received the trusted authority in office equipment's top honor after outperforming similar color, high-volume, multifunction printers in side-by-side comparisons. Better Buys testers especially appreciated the e-STUDIO5015AC series' premium feature set, competitive price and overall value. Better Buys specifically presented high grades to Toshiba's Elevate customizable user interface, which provides organizations with a completely custom-tailored product that supports each user's unique workflow needs at the touch of a button. "Toshiba continues to upgrade its MFPs in order to help companies print more securely, efficiently and effectively," said Better Buys editor Melissa Pardo-Bunte. "One of the features we particularly like is the new Elevate touchscreen interface that automates common workflows while providing customizable templates for each business need." Toshiba's e-STUDIO5015AC series MFPs couple the powerful multi-core Intel (News - Alert) Atom processor with next-generation security protection to help tackle virtually any print, document management and workflow application in a secure manner. The products further adhere to the Hard Copy Device Protection Profile (HCD-PP) - the latest security certification adopted by National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) and Common Criteria Test Laboratories - which helps ensure all scans, copies, faxes and digital document prints e-STUDIO5015AC series MFPs perform meet rigorous security assurance standards. The Toshiba products additionally support NFC Authentication, a security protocol embraced by the mobile device community simplifying login for users of many Android (News - Alert) devices. "The entire Toshiba team is grateful to again receive such a notable award from a preeminent industry authority as Better Buys," stated Toshiba America Business Solutions Chief Marketing Executive Bill Melo. "Our latest color, high-volume MFPs have also struck a chord with organizations seeking superior document management and support." In addition to receiving Better Buys' Q4 2018 Editor's Choice Award, Toshiba has won Better Buys' Innovative Product of the Year Award four out of the last six years. About Better Buys After more than 20 years as a trusted authority on office equipment, Better Buys is now a rebranded site that offers resources to help companies in the market for Business Intelligence solutions, HR Software, CMMS Systems, as well as printers, copiers, and scanners. Leveraging an experienced team of in-house editors, Better Buys offers a range of content and resources designed to help organizations make smarter purchasing decisions, including expert reviews, authoritative whitepapers & reports, insightful market research, comprehensive buyer's guides, and more. For more information, visit betterbuys.com. About Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. Toshiba America Business Solutions (TABS) provides multifunction printers, managed document services and digital signage for businesses of all sizes throughout the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. The company's award-winning e-STUDIO copiers and printers provide quality performance with the security businesses require. Complementing its hardware offering is a full suite of document workflow, capture and security services including Encompass, the company's industry-acclaimed Managed Print Services program. Encompass enables clients to print less and optimize workflow while improving energy efficiency. TABS' Ellumina digital signage offering includes all of the hardware, software and services needed to implement dynamic and interactive digital signage installations. TABS provides content creation and management, displays, integration, installation and project management services as well as financing for solutions ranging from a single screen to the biggest arenas and stadiums. For additional information, please visit business.toshiba.com. Follow TABS on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005122/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] David Hall Honored as "2018 Inventor of the Year" by Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation The Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation honored David Hall, chief executive officer and founder of Velodyne Lidar, Inc., as the 2018 Inventor of the Year at the Foundation's awards dinner held at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. last night. Hall was recognized for creating the groundbreaking lidar sensor technology that is the essential component for fully autonomous vehicles and enables the most sophisticated advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Each year, the Foundation recognizes outstanding inventors for their contributions to the economy and overall quality of life. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005428/en/ David Hall - Genius (News - Alert) behind the Autonomous Vehicle revolution celebrated at IPO Education Foundation Awards. (Photo: Business Wire) "Inventing is my passion and I like to imagine builing something that nobody's built before," Hall said. "I amuse myself by innovating. It's what I do. What I'm looking for is the smile on someone else's face when they use my product and get joy out of it. I invent for the love of inventing and it was an honor to be recognized by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation. Intellectual property protection is imperative to fostering innovation and is a valuable asset to new technology." The idea of leveraging lidar technology for autonomous driving came to Hall after competing as one of the original entrants in the DARPA Grand Challenge. In 2005, he invented lidar to give autonomous vehicles real-time, 360-degree vision that then set the stage for revolutionizing the automobile industry. Velodyne Lidar is the industry leader, supplying virtually all of the top automakers and autonomous vehicle developers globally with the smartest, most powerful lidar sensors. In addition to their wide application in self-driving cars, Velodyne's versatile lidar sensors are now utilized in myriad trailblazing applications, including unmanned aerial vehicles, mapping, industrial safety, security, and more. Hall is a technology visionary whose more than 30 U.S. patents cover a variety of applications. He founded Velodyne Acoustics in 1983 as an audio company specializing in low-frequency sound and subwoofer technology. In 2011, he launched Velodyne Marine and debuted its first self-stabilizing craft, the Martini, at the 2013 Miami boat show. This prototype was the world's first sea-faring vessel with an active suspension. More recently, at the US Chamber of Commerce's inaugural LAUNCH event, Hall presented his vision of a magnet-based propulsion system that would revolutionize space exploration and settlement. MEDIA PLEASE NOTE: To learn more about IPO and the Inventor of the Year Award, please contact Nyree Berry at IPO (202) 507-4514; [email protected]. To schedule an interview with David Hall or to request images, please contact Robin Carr at Landis Communications Inc. (415) 561-0888; [email protected]. About IPO and IPO Education Foundation Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), established in 1972, is a 501(c)6 trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. IPO serves all intellectual property owners in all industries and all fields of technology. IPO advocates for effective and affordable IP ownership rights and provides a wide array of services to members, including: supporting member interests relating to legislative and international issues; analyzing current IP issues; information and educational services and disseminating information to the public on the importance of intellectual property rights. IPO has a related 501(c)3 foundation, the IPO Education Foundation. The IPO Education Foundation is devoted to educational and charitable activities designed to promote the value of intellectual property rights. IPO and the IPO Education Foundation share the same office location and IPO staff also support the Foundation. About Velodyne Lidar, Inc. Velodyne provides the smartest, most powerful lidar solutions for autonomy and driver assistance. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Velodyne is known worldwide for its portfolio of breakthrough lidar sensor technologies. In 2005, Velodyne's Founder and CEO, David Hall, invented real-time surround view lidar systems, revolutionizing perception and autonomy in a variety of industries including automotive, new mobility, mapping, robotics, and security. Velodyne's established high-performance product line includes the cost-effective VLP-16 Puck, the versatile VLP-32 Ultra-Puck, the perfect for L4-L5 autonomy VLS-128, and the directional view Velarray. For more information, please visit www.velodynelidar.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005428/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] ELO Digital Office USA Announces New Business Partner Cabot Technology Solutions BOSTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ELO Digital Office USA, enabling businesses to improve collaboration and digitize information management, announced Cabot Technology Solutions as an ELO Digital Office Certified Partner. Headquartered in Cleveland (OH), Cabot has a special focus on the healthcare industry and develops custom software solutions for all major mobile platforms. Cabot, which joins a global network of more than 1000 ELO Business Partners, will implement ELO solutions for document management and workflow automation. "We take pride in delivering high-value, cost-effective solutions to our customers worldwide," notes Venkatesh Thyagarajan, CEO of Cabot. "Therefore, we are delighted to partner with an ECM innovator such as ELO. Out of the box, ELO solutions can be integrated with our custom software products, which will accelerate project delivery and create new value-add for our customers." With ELOprofessional, Cabot has capabilities for intelligent data analysis, document processing, collaboration, third-party integrations, and data privacy. ELO Workflow provides a framework for building workflows that automate and streamline manual and repetitive business processes. About Cabot Technology Solutions Cabot Technology Solutions, Inc. is a technology services firms based out of Cleveland, OH with offices in Chicago, IL and Kochi, India. Founded in 2006, the firm specializes in developing custom software products for its clients across the globe. With a strong tech team of 150 engineers spread across three locations, Cabot meets client demands for custom software in the areas of enterprise mobility, digital transformation, and data analytics., Visit Cabot Technology Solutions. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. About ELO Digital Office USA ELO Digital Office USA provides innovative digital content management solutions for organizations of all sizes and industries throughout the United States. ELOoffice, ELOprofessional, and ELOenterprise give businesses an electronic and secure way to easily capture, archive, and manage business documents and information both paper-based and digital. A subsidiary of ELO Digital Office GmbH (founded in 1998), ELO USA is headquartered in Boston, MA and is part of a network of global ELO offices throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America. Visit ELO USA. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Media Cntact Jackie Thrasivoulos ELO USA Public Relations 508-380-6408 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elo-digital-office-usa-announces-new-business-partner-cabot-technology-solutions-300761383.html SOURCE ELO Digital Office USA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Tim Healy Joins Angelo Gordon's Twin Brook Capital as Managing Director Twin (News - Alert) Brook Capital Partners ("Twin Brook"), the middle-market direct lending subsidiary of Angelo Gordon, today announced that Tim Healy has joined the firm as a Managing Director, effective immediately. At Twin Brook, Mr. Healy will focus on originations along with developing and building client relationships. "Tim's background with middle-market leveraged transactions, and more recently as a partner at a private equity firm, brings a truly distinctive set of experience that we will look to leverage as we continue our strong growth," said Trevor Clark, Managing Partner of Twin Brook. "We have known Tim personally and professionally for nearly two decades and welcome him to the Twin Brook team." Mr. Healy commented, "Since its inception, Twin Brook has differentiated itself in the middle-market with its team of seasoned industry professionals supporting a client-focused leveraged finance platform. I am very excited to join Twin Brook as the firm continues to build relationships and provide best-in-class support for the middle-market private equity community." Mr. Healy brings more than 20 years of middle-market private equity and leveraged finance experience to his role at Twin Brook. During his 13-year tenure as Senior Vice President and Partner at Linsalata Capital Partners he had oversight of the irm's marketing, intermediary development activities and deal sourcing efforts. His responsibilities also included acquisition searches, due diligence, negotiations and portfolio company oversight. Prior to Linsalata, Mr. Healy spent 13 years with National City Bank where he held positions of increasing responsibility, rising to the level of Senior Vice President in the Equity Sponsor Group, where he provided senior debt financing for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. He received a Master of Business Administration from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rochester. About Twin Brook Capital Partners Twin Brook Capital Partners is a finance company focused on providing cash-flow based financing solutions for the middle-market private equity community. The firm is managed by highly experienced, dedicated professionals who have successfully worked together throughout their careers at leading middle-market lending institutions. Twin Brook's flexible product suite allows for tailored financing solutions for leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, add-on acquisitions, growth capital and other situations. For more information, visit www.twincp.com. About Angelo Gordon Angelo Gordon is a privately held limited partnership founded in November 1988. The firm currently manages approximately $32 billion with a primary focus on credit and real estate strategies. Angelo Gordon has over 480 employees, including nearly 190 investment professionals, and is headquartered in New York, with associated offices elsewhere in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.angelogordon.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005425/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Why Operators are Investing in 5G--and Where We'll See the Cash Flow CAMPBELL, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile Experts has analyzed five 5G investment scenarios: three turn a neat profit, one is marginal, and the fifth isn't so promising. In this year's 5G Business Case Report, Mobile Experts replicates the analysis done by major 5G mobile operators, in two major steps: Mobile Experts calculated the capacity required to keep up with demand in each scenario. Complex networks are broken into segments such as Dense Urban, Urban, Suburban, and Rural sections to accurately reflect the different 5G investment strategies in each area. Then, Mobile Experts calculated the CAPEX and ongoing OPEX for the network, accounting for new 5G equipment as well as upgrades to LTE, including CBRS, LAA, and ongoing operational costs. Finally, Mobile Experts compared the 5G investment scenario to a "do-nothing" scenario in which an operator tries to satisfy customers with upgrades to the LTE network only. This clearly illustrates the impact of the 5G investment. This report dives deep into the 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) case by taking a closer look at delivering fixed wireless services using millimeter wave in urban environments and 5G fixed wireless service using the C-band in rural environments. Mobile Experts also examines a leading North American mobile operator, with a detailed model of data demand vs. capacity in all existing frequency bands, plus CBRS, LAA, 3.7 GHz C-band, and mm-wave investments. Another case looks at the 'New T-Mobile' with combined assets of T-Mobile and Sprint to see how they would be likely to deploy 5G across the different urban morphology based on estimated demand projections. Finally, the analysts also included a European tier-one operator, examining the nuances of the European market for spectrum availability, demand growth, and ongoing revenue potential. This research depends heavily on the technical work that Mobile Experts has published earlier in the year in the 5G Broadband market research. Based on field trial data and expected availability of devices, Mobile Experts has thoroughly investigated the technical feasibility of these networks and we have included real-world technical limitations in the business case analysis. "This year, we've included a European operator in order to analyze why 5G investments in Europe will lag behind other developed markets in North America and Asia-Pacific. This scenario, a well as the others presented in this report, highlight why operators are investing in 5G, and where they may deploy 5G infrastructure, so the market can make educated marketing, production, and investment decisions going forward," commented Principal Analyst Joe Madden. "The motivations behind 5G investments vary widely, according to operator and region," commented Principal Analyst Kyung Mun. "Certain situations warrant, even urgently require, 5G investment, to keep up with end-user demand. There are multi-faceted opportunities that will likely drive operators to adopt 5G more aggressivelybut there are also situations in which it wouldn't be prudent." Subscribers to Mobile Experts research will receive: Full access to the 26-page 5G Business Case report; 39 detailed charts and figures; The detailed Excel file with forecast data through 2023; Quarterly market share, pricing and shipment updates; Quarterly Expert INSIGHT strategic reports; strategic reports; Access to the analysts behind the reports. To find out more about this report, click here. To find out how to subscribe, click here. About Mobile Experts Inc. : Mobile Experts provides insightful market analysis for the mobile infrastructure and mobile handset markets. Our analysts are true Experts, who remain focused on topics where each analyst has 20 years of experience or more. Research topics center on technology introduction for radio frequency (RF) and communications innovation. Recent publications focus on 5G Business Case, URLLC,CBRS, DAS, Big Picture IoT, RRH, LPWA, RFFE, Cellular IoT, 5G Broadband, Fixed Wireless, Edge Computing, Macro Base Stations, Enterprise Mobile Infrastructure, Smart Cities, GkM, Backhaul, CRAN/VRAN, Small Cells,Backhaul and Fronthaul, and more. Contact: Rachel Winningham Mobile Experts Inc. [email protected] +1 (408) 540-7284 www.mobile-experts.net View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/why-operators-are-investing-in-5gand-where-well-see-the-cash-flow-300764061.html SOURCE Mobile Experts [December 12, 2018] Bounty Hunting: The Job of the Future SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bugcrowd, the #1 crowdsourced security platform, today released its latest Inside the Mind of a Hacker Report , providing insight on the demographics and motivations of the bug hunting community. This third annual report demonstrates that the growing prevalence of bug hunting opportunities has opened new inroads to cybersecurity careers, with 81 percent crediting their experience bug hunting for helping them get a job in cybersecurity. "Bug bounties have impacted my life by teaching me skills that I didn't know from doing traditional pentesting," said Phillip Wylie, a top performing security researcher for Bugcrowd based out of Texas. "I really enjoy being involved in the security and hacking community and I now teach ethical hacking at a community college. It's important to share knowledge in our community so we can push ourselves to be better." According to this year's report, the Bugcrowd hacker community is a highly motivated group with 50 percent bug hunting on top of a regular nine-to-five job. They are focused on their infosec careers with nearly 32 percent wanting to be full time bug hunters, and more than 20 percent looking to be top security engineers or CISOs at large tech companies. While more than 80 percent have completed some form of higher education, with 25 percent completing or currently working on a graduate degree, nearly half (43 percent) are self-taught bug hunters who learned how to hack via online resources and blogs. The depth and breadth of this community is meaningful for an industry currently facing a massive skills shortage, with Cybersecurity Ventures predicting there will be 3.5 million cybersecurity job openings by 2021. "Cybersecurity isn't a technology problem, it's a people problem - and in the whitehat hacker community there's an army of allies waiting and redy to join the fight," said Casey Ellis, founder and CTO at Bugcrowd. "Bug hunting is a perfect entry point for would-be infosecurity professionals to gain real-world experience, as well as for seasoned professionals to hone their skills and supplement their income. With cybercrime expected to more than triple over the next five years, bug hunting addresses the dire need for security skills at scale." In this 2019 Edition, Inside the Mind of a Hacker went beyond demographics, skill sets and motivations and for the first time examined gender inequality, security education, and a deep dive into the Bugcrowd Elite , MVP and Top 50 researchers. Key findings include: Hacking 101 - Bug Hunters are Continuous Learners: Professional development continues to be a top motivation for hackers, with security tools for professional development being among the top two items hackers spend their bug hunting earnings on (in addition to living expenses ). The three top reasons hackers give for participating in bug bounty programs are the challenge, professional development and education, respectively. Professional development continues to be a top motivation for hackers, with being among the top two items hackers spend their bug hunting earnings on (in addition to ). The three top reasons hackers give for participating in bug bounty programs are the A Community Driven by the Hacker Hustle: Bug hunters are extremely driven, with 66 percent spending up to 10 hours per week bug hunting. That is significant given more than 50 percent are bug hunting on top of a regular nine to five job. Nearly 72 percent of the hacker community are ages 18-29 they're young, ambitious and eager to develop their skills. Bug hunters are extremely driven, with spending up to 10 hours per week bug hunting. That is significant given more than are bug hunting on top of a regular nine to five job. Nearly of the hacker community are ages 18-29 they're young, ambitious and eager to develop their skills. Women in Hacking - a Long Road Ahead: Cybersecurity continues to be a male dominated field, and the numbers show that we haven't made much progress -- a mere 4 percent of the global hacking community are female. Yet 72 percent of women hackers have used their bug hunting experience to get a job in security helping make a small dent in the security industry's gender imbalance. The study also includes first-person narratives with some of Bugcrowd's female and Elite Crowd members. Cybersecurity continues to be a male dominated field, and the numbers show that we haven't made much progress -- a mere of the global hacking community are female. Yet of women hackers have used their bug hunting experience to get a job in security helping make a small dent in the security industry's gender imbalance. The study also includes first-person narratives with some of Bugcrowd's female and Elite Crowd members. Hackers Want to Hack - Full Time Bug Hunters on the Rise: More than 22 percent of hackers consider bug hunting their full-time profession, with 32 percent aspiring to be full-time bug hunters. Bug hunting as a career is an increasingly viable option for top-notch hackers, with the average total payouts for top 50 Bugcrowd researchers coming in at $145,000 and the average submission payout $783 . A top 50 hacker has the potential to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in bounties. For a full copy of the report, please visit: Bugcrowd.com/inside-the-mind-of-a-hacker Methodology The Inside the Mind of a Hacker Report analyzes proprietary survey data, collected from more than 750 Bugcrowd security researchers around the world, segmenting for statistics around demographics, motivations, and hacker economics. In addition, the report analyzes proprietary Bugcrowd Crowdcontrol platform data, collected from hundreds of managed crowdsourced security programs, to generate up-to-date statistics around submitted vulnerabilities, bounty payouts, the Crowd performance. The survey data was collected in June 2018. About Bugcrowd Bugcrowd is the #1 crowdsourced security platform. More enterprise organizations trust Bugcrowd to manage their bug bounty, vulnerability disclosure, and next gen pen test programs. By combining the largest, most experienced triage team with the most trusted whitehat hackers around the world, Bugcrowd generates better results, reduces risk through remediation advice, and empowers organizations to release secure products to market faster with no hidden fees. Based in San Francisco, Bugcrowd is backed by Blackbird Ventures, Costanoa Ventures, Industry Ventures, Paladin Capital Group, Rally Ventures, Salesforce Ventures and Triangle Peak Partners. Bugcrowd. Outhack Them AllTM. Learn more at www.bugcrowd.com . Michelle Dailey Bugcrowd, Inc. [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bounty-hunting-the-job-of-the-future-300763945.html SOURCE Bugcrowd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Accenture Opens Innovation Hub in Atlanta's Technology Square Accenture (News - Alert) (NYSE: ACN) today opened a new innovation hub in Atlanta as a destination where clients can co-innovate with their Accenture teams to ideate, rapidly prototype and then scale innovative products and services for the digital economy. Spanning 30,000 square feet of space, the innovation hub is located on Georgia Tech's campus at Technology Square. At the hub, Accenture leverages its relationships across the Atlanta technology ecosystem - such as with Georgia Tech's Advanced Technology Development Center and Engage Ventures - to help ensure that clients have access to emerging breakthrough technologies. "As a global hub for trade, technology and innovation, Georgia is a fitting home for Accenture's newest Innovation Hub," said Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. "We appreciate Accenture's decision to expand in Midtown and value the company's longstanding commitment to advancing our technology infrastructure and promoting Georgia's reputation as the Silicon Valley of the South." The innovation hub in Atlanta is part of a network of 11 Accenture innovation hubs in North America, including locations in Boston; Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; metro Detroit; Houston; New York; metro San Francisco; Seattle; Toronto; and metro Washington D.C. These hubs are connected to more than 100 locations around the globe to seamlessly bring the best of Accenture's global investments and insights to its clients on the ground in North America. "With our network of innovation hubs across North America, we're bringing innovation to our clients' doorsteps to help them compete and win in the digital economy," said Julie Sweet, Accenture's chief executive officer - North America. "Continuous innovation is critical to their success, and in our hubs we work side-by-side with our clients to help them bring solutions to market faster and be the disrupters, not the disrupted." Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said, "We are pleased that Accenture has chosen Atlanta for one of its newest innovation hubs. Atlanta is home to a diverse ecosystem of innovative businesses, and Accenture's leadership in our city furthers Atlanta's status as a center for technology and innovation." As part of its investment in innovation in Atlanta, Accenture has also expanded its U.S. apprenticeship program to the city to provide under-represented groups greater access to digital-economy jobs, teaming with Year Up and other community organizations to continue to scale the program. "Atlanta is a great city for innovation and an anchor for the Southeast," said Jimmy Etheredge, senior managing director at Accenture who leads its business in the U.S. Southeast region. "Our investment here is an investment in our clients, our people and our community. Accenture's new innovation hub leverages Atlanta's world class capabilities and infrastructure to help our clients prosper in the digital economy." Accenture in the United States Accenture is a leading professional services company providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Serving 93 of the Fortune 100 and more than 70 percent of the Fortune 500, Accenture employs an innovation-led approach to help clients imagine and invent their future. The company has more than 50,000 people and operations in 42 cities in the United States, and with an unwavering commitment to inclusion and diversity, is consistently recognized on FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For and DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity lists. Visit us at accenture.com/US. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005455/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Huntkey Hosts a Fans Reunion in Guangzhou SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- At the start of December 2018, Huntkey hosted the Popular Computer Week, which is one of the most famous computer technology events, hosting an amazing fans reunion activity in Guangzhou, China. Huntkey has held offline events like this in several cities, and every time it was impressive. More than one hundred fans all over the county met in Guangzhou and spent this union time together. https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/home-appliance.jpg https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/e-gaming.jpg At Guangzhou's reunion activity, fans experienced e-sport products and home appliances around the showcase area. All the products Huntkey had prepared were amazing, especially the newly launched products. The gaming monitors, the smart LED lamps and the smart sockets were some of the most popular products on display. The live photos that were posted on social meda got more than 800 likes in 2 hours. https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fans-reunion-live-photos.jpg Huntkey is always happy to provide quality products and professional knowledge to their consumers and fans. Besides the showcase, Huntkey also organized an experience sharing session for everyone at the reunion. The researchers from Huntkey and the editors from the Popular Computer Week shared their experiences in choosing the appropriate devices and how to maintain the devices. The reunion ended with games between fans. It seemed that everyone enjoyed the time in this offline activity. Huntkey is preparing the next fans reunion now and really wants to present the best offline activity for its consumers and fans. About Huntkey Huntkey, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Shenzhen, is a member of The International Power Supply Manufacturer's Association (PSMA) and a member of The China Power Supply Society (CPSS). With branch companies in the USA, Japan and other areas, and cooperating factories in Brazil, Argentina, India and other countries, Huntkey has specialized in the development, design, and manufacturing of PC power supplies, industrial power supplies, surge protectors, adapters and chargers for many years. With its own technologies and manufacturing strength, Huntkey has served Lenovo, Huawei, Haier, DELL, ZTE, Bestbuy and many other large enterprises for years, and has received unanimous recognition and trust from most of its customers. For more information about Huntkey, please visit: https://en.huntkey.com/ https://www.facebook.com/HuntkeyGlobal/ Contact: Ferris Liao +86-755-8960-6658 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huntkey-hosts-a-fans-reunion-in-guangzhou-300763362.html SOURCE Huntkey [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Agenda Edu Receives Investment from Omidyar Network to Scale its Platform SAO PAULO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Agenda Edu (www.agendaedu.com), a platform that increases engagement in school settings, announced today that Omidyar Network, the philanthropic fund created by Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam Omidyar, has made an investment in the Brazilian startup to help them further scale, including platform improvements, and growth of its user base and team. Agenda Edu already serves more than 1 million active users, including students, parents, and educators, making it the largest school management and communication platform currently in operation in Brazil. Thousands of schools across the country already use Agenda Edu. "Our goal is to double the customer service team and triple the user base by January 2020," said Agenda Edu CEO Anderson Morais, "We hope to repeat the 2018 performance: This year we tripled our base and reached almost 1350 schools." Omidyar Network has committed more than $1.3 billion globally, and, in Brazil, has invested in for-profit and not-for-profit education partners including Geekie, Guten News, Diital House, Ensina Brasil, Laboratoria, and the Innovation Center for Brazilian Education (CIEB). "Agenda Edu is a powerful platform for deeper engagement with families, teachers and students, and it solves a key issue for schools," says Omidyar Network Investment Director, Fabio Tran. "We are excited about the investment because we believe that we can contribute to improving efficiency, management, and results in the learning process of children and adolescents." "This contribution represents yet another validation of the Agenda Edu model, and I believe that the resources will speed up the growth of the business. In addition, with Omidyar Network as an investor and with their track record in education, we hope it will help position Agenda Edu as the preferred app for schools," says Rodrigo Borges, a partner at DOMO Invest, a Venture Capital Asset Management firm, which earlier this year, invested in Agenda Edu. Bossa Nova Investimentos joined Omidyar Network in this investment. "Agenda Edu's profile is aligned with Bossa Nova's investment criteria, which focus on companies with innovative, digital, and scalable businesses. In addition to being in one of our areas of interest, which is Education," notes Bossa Nova Investimentos Managing Partner Joao Kepler. After four and a half years on the market, Agenda Edu now reaches all education levels across various institutions. In addition to communications management, the platform has increased its range of services to include features that help improve the engagement and educational journey of school officials, students and educators, as well as improve the experience for schools to monitor their progress through indicators in a more transparent manner. Contact: + 55 11 99967-9405 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agenda-edu-receives-investment-from-omidyar-network-to-scale-its-platform-300764198.html SOURCE Agenda Edu [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Wines of Hungary UK to launch 'Furmint February' in 2019 Wines of Hungary UK is bringing Furmint February to the UK in 2019. The initiative has been running in Hungary for ten years as a way to celebrate the countrys flagship grape among trade and consumers. The programme of activities will begin with a tasting more more than 60 Furmint wines from 20 different producers in London on January 30. There will be a wide range of styles to taste, from dry to sweet and a chance to meet many new generation winemakers from Tokaj. Throughout the month of February importers and retailers will be putting Furmint in the spotlight with activities such as tastings, dinners and special offers, all designed to help wine lovers in the UK taste and learn more about this grape variety. Zsuzsa Toronyi from Wines of Hungary UK, said: Furmint is Gungarys flagship grape variety and the most important grape behind the renowned sweet wines of Tokaj, the wine of kings and the king of wines. Furmint has been gaining more and more recognition in the UK, so we felt that now is the right time to shine a light on this exceptional grape variety. Caroline Gilby MW, said: One exciting thing about Furmint is its versatility. It has some similarities to Riesling able to go from bone-dry, crisp and vibrant, to intensely sweet, always with its hallmark steely acidity. At the same time, it has a touch of Chardonnays nature about it capable of fine sparkling wines and able to respond well to oak and malolactic fermentation to give layered complex, almost Burgundian wines. Lilla OConnor, founder of Wines of Hungary, said: We are looking forward to getting UK based wine drinkers excited about the wide range of styles it can produce. We are encouraging venues and retailers to join us in promoting Furmint February at their outlets, and we will be rewarding the best performing venue for their promotion with a trip to Tokaj in 2019. Visit www.furmintfebruary.co.uk for more details, or join in the conversation on social media throughout February using #furmintfebruary19. Related articles: SPARTON CORPORATION SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. Announces Investigation of Buyout Rigrodsky & Long, P.A.: Do you own shares of Sparton Corporation (NYSE: SPA )? Did you purchase any of your shares prior to December 12, 2018? Do you think the proposed buyout is fair? Do you want to discuss your rights? Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. announces that it is investigating potential legal claims against the board of directors of Sparton Corporation ("Sparton" or the "Company") (NYSE: SPA) regarding possible breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of law related to the Company's entry into an agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. ("Cerberus"). Under the terms of the agreement, shareholders of Sparton will receive $18.50 in cash for each share of Sparton common stock. If you own common stock of Sparton and purchased any shares before December 12, 2018, if you would like to learn more about this investigation, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests, please contact Seth D. Rigrodsky or Gina M. Serra toll-free at (888) 969-4242, by e-mail at [email protected], or at https://www.rigrodskylong.com/offices-contact. Rigrodsky & Long, P.A., with offices in Delaware, New York, and California, has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of investors and achieved substantial corporate governance reforms in numerous cases nationwide, including federal securities fraud actions, shareholder class actions, and shareholder derivative actions. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005594/en/ [December 12, 2018] Leverage AI and Advanced Analytics to Improve CX at the 15th Annual Customer Contact, East: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 /CNW/ -- Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce that Bruce Millard, Vice President, Digital and Customer Innovation, Safelite Group, will give a keynote presentation, Using Advanced Analytics and Artificial Intelligence to Improve the Customer Experience. This annual customer contact event will take place at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort on Marco Island, Florida, from April 7-10, 2019. To register for the 15h Annual Customer Contact, East: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange or to view the event agenda, please visit: www.frost.com/ccs Millard's timely session will use case studies to show how Safelite deployed technology to simplify the customer journey and enhance the quality of the overall experience. He will share "lightweight" ways to start the technology innovation process, key criteria to use when vetting partners and technologies, and pragmatic ways to leverage the data you already have to improve the customer experience. Millard has more than 25 years of experience, creating programs for CG brands such as Similac, Ensure and ZonePerfect, and iconic internet brands such as AOL, Netscape and CompuServe. Rachelle Dever, Global Brand and Guest Experience Director, InterContinental Hotels Group (IGH), will also present a keynote, Customer Experience: Creating Long-term Growth and Financial Success. Dever will share insights from her many successful CX innovation initiatives and explain how to create top-tier customer experiences that provide value and drive organizational growth. Prior to joining IHG in October 2017, Dever was with Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen for more than 13 years, where she held various roles, culminating in Head of Global Guest Experience. In this role she was responsible for developing a multi-year guest experience strategic roadmap that improved overall satisfaction by 10% from 2014-2017. Prior to joining Popeye's, Dever worked for ServiceCheck Incorporated, where her responsibilities included consulting with clients of the restaurant and retail industry and where she was named Salesperson of the Year in 2003. This annual event provides solutions to meet the complex communication demands presented by today's multi-channel customer. A highly interactive program offers customer contact industry vice presidents, directors, managers and other senior-level executives the opportunity to benefit from: Current case studies and emerging best practices Dynamic industry collaboration zones Expert panel discussions Peer-to-peer networking opportunities For additional information about the 15h Annual Customer Contact, East: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange, please email [email protected] About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion Contact: Francesca Valente Corporate Communications Americas P: +1 210 348 1012 E: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leverage-ai-and-advanced-analytics-to-improve-cx-at-the-15th-annual-customer-contact-east-a-frost--sullivan-executive-mindxchange-300764341.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Easton Pharmaceuticals Provides Company Update Including Hotel Acquisition in Toronto, BAYER Agreement and Casino Resort in Greece TORONTO, ON, Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Easton Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTC: EAPH) Provides Company update including Hotel Acquisition in Toronto, BAYER Distribution Agreement for Mexico, as well as the Casino and Hotel Resort acquisition in Greece. As previously announced, Easton through the efforts of its CEO, Evan Karras and his personal involvement with a hotel / development property / project, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada, is currently in the process of affecting changes to the recently signed agreement and various terms which has resulted in a delay in its anticipated closing. Easton entered into an agreement to acquire a property which has had an operating boutique hotel in it in the heart of downtown Toronto, whereby Easton has renegotiated the debt on the property. Easton and the current owners would restart hotel operations within 30 days of a closed deal with the mortgagee and its finance partners on the project. Revenues were conservatively in excess of $300,000 per month, but following the completion of several planned renovations and additions to the hotel, the revenues will more than double. The property was appraised in 2012 for $14,000,000 CDN and now has a value close to $17,000,000 CDN and is located on Bay Street, making it a prime development opportunity with many interested parties willing to be included following closing. Possible redevelopment includes luxury condominiums, condominium hotel, office and student residences. Architectural plans have already been prepared for a new development. Easton would be acquiring the property at a substantial discount providing extra value to the company and its shareholders. Although Easton is confident it will be able to ultimately close on the transaction, there are no guarantees all required approvals will be granted. Easton will provide further updates as they are made available and approved for release. In other update news, earlier this year, Easton and BMV Medica SA de CV of Mexico closed on a sub distribution agreement with multi-national conglomerate BAYER and their subsidiary company, Bayer Consumer Care AG of Switzerland, to distribute its licensed Womans diagnostic product known as VS-Sense in Mexico. The agreement allowed for an upfront cash payment and a royalty payments to Easton / BMV for each product sold in Mexico, which in turn has provided BAYER with full control of the launch date and all sales, marketing and operational aspects for this product. Easton can state that an anticipated launch date could be in the first quarter of 2019, but this date could again change as the ultimate decision rests with BAYER and various factors. Easton, through a JV partner, has been working on the acquisition of an operating casino and hotel resort in Greece, which generates revenues in excess of 60,000,000 Euros per year. The acquisition involved securing an agreement with the bank and current owners. Easton has been continuing its due diligence throughout this time and prior to concluding this transaction as there are many variables associated with Eastons participation. The process has taken substantially more time than initially anticipated, due to new information made known to Easton during is due diligence. Based on new information received, Easton will not be proceeding with this acquisition at this time, but may entertain working with the new owners in the future. Further updates will be provided as they are available and approved for release. Easton has entered into a dispute with BMV Medica SA de CV of Mexico as well as BMVs partner, Ackerman Pharma of Mexico and recently made the decision to commence an action against them for breach of contract and misrepresentation. Over the past 4 years, Easton has advanced in excess of $1,000,000 USD towards licensing and other costs in Mexico, which neither BMV or Ackerman has delivered on as per signed agreements. The Agreements call for payments to be remitted to Easton through sales of sub-distribution agreements executed with Gedeon Richter Plc of Hungary and Windsor Pharmaceuticals, but despite repeated requests by Easton, both BMV and Ackerman have failed to fulfil their agreed upon obligations or make proper disclosures. Eastons attorneys believe its best course of action is to first launch these actions in the United States and Canada, as the principles of both of those companies are Canadian citizens. Easton will provide more detailed updates as they are made available and hopes to resolve the disputes quickly. These disputes are apart from the Bayer agreement which is not affected. In other news, in early June of this year, soil dumping operations commenced on its Georgina property, jointly owned between Easton and 1124123 Ontario Inc., which resulted in the generation of sales and on-going contracts. Shortly after the commencement of these operations, the township of Georgina brought forward various court actions in their efforts to stop the dumping of soil on the property. The property is currently zoned for aggregate and related uses. In early August, a local court ordered the temporary halt of all operations on the property regardless of its nature. Eastons JV Partner 1124123 Ontario Inc. subsequently submitted a challenge through its attorneys and hopes to have a new court date shortly in an attempt to overturn and reverse what is believed to be an improper halt of all operations. Eastons investment is protected with a mortgage as well as an agreement on a 50% ownership interest on a property that was independently valuated at $8 million CDN. Easton is now working towards bringing on much larger partners and using the property to finance other businesses mentioned in this press release. Easton will provide a detailed update as it becomes available and approved. Eastons previously announced Cobourg, Ontario, Canada development project is soon nearing final approvals and financing and will shortly be able to disclose details. Womans Products Overview: VS-Sense - VagiSense: is the current brand name of the BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) patented diagnostic test. VagiSense (VS-Sense) is the same product Bayer Pharmaceuticals had licensed and launched in late 2015 in Europe under its brand, Canestest. Prestige Distribution is currently selling in the US under its brand, Monistat, with multi-million dollars in sales and growing. Gynofit: European-Union approved natural treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), potentially eliminating the use of antibiotics in women with BV and promoting optimal vaginal health. BV is expected to affect the vast majority of women at some point in their lives. AmnioSense: patented amniotic fluid leak test is a unique Point-of-Care diagnostic panty liner for women in late-stage pregnancy able to distinguish between urine and amniotic fluid (breaking of water). Easton has changed its accountant and its new accountant is currently preparing its quarterly financial statements and disclosure requirements which are expected to be filed shortly. About Easton Pharmaceuticals Easton Pharmaceuticals is a diversified specialty pharmaceutical company involved in various pharmaceutical sectors and other growing industries. The Company previously developed and owned an FDA-approved wound-healing medical drug and currently owns topically delivered drugs to treat cancer and other therapeutic products to treat various conditions that are all in various stages of development and approval. Easton, together with BMV Medica S.A., own the exclusive distribution rights in Mexico and Latin America for two patented women's diagnostic products and a novel natural treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis resulting in sub-distribution agreements with Gedeon Richter and BAYER. In addition, a generic cancer drugs line is being developed for sale in Mexico. As part of its strategic growth plan, the Company will be entering new lucrative market segments globally, including Gaming, Real Estate and Hospitality, among others. For More Information On Easton and Affiliated and Partner Company's Visit: http://www.eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=eaph https://twitter.com/eastonpharma Safe Harbor This news release may contain forward-looking statements or expressions within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when certain words or phrases such as "hope", "positive", "anticipate," "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," "possible" or "intent to" and similar conditional expressions are expressed, they are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Any investment made into Easton Pharmaceuticals may contain risks. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional or adequate financing, government approvals or changes to proposed laws and other risks and uncertainties further stated in the company's financial reports and filings. CONTACT INFORMATION Evan Karras Tel: +1(416) 619-0291 Tel: +1(347) 284-0192 Email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Arizona State University selected to innovate military health care logistics; ASU awarded $2.4 million grant to fund DoD research project TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University today announced plans to provide strategic recommendations to the nation's military to improve patient care for service members. ASU is partnering with Active Innovations, Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX), and Expression Networks to develop recommendations for a fully integrated supply chain organization model to include dashboards and simulations. The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) research project award will provide $2.4 million in funding under the guide of principal investigator Eugene Schneller, a professor of supply chain management. It's the largest research contract received by ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business to date. The core mission is to identify emerging technology and operational methods that can improve overall performance and function of Defense Medical Logistics Enterprise Solution (DML-ES) and the future LogiCole system, as it moves towards a more integrated cloud-based system. Among the problems health care systems face is delivering supplies to people in remote places, everything from pharmaceuticals to devices to equipment. This is especially true for troops supporting combat operations, said Schneller. At the end of the project researchers hope that U.S. military medical logistics will be recognized as a fully integrated supply chain organization (FISCO) a concept developed by ASU researchers to describe the most progressive non-military health care supply chain organizations. "One thing we'll be considering is the use of drones in delivering supplies. Another technology that's being talked about a great deal is the use of 3D printing for items on-site that aren't available immediately," added Schneller, whose goal is to design a conceptual system model that's not just responsive to what's needed today, but a roadmap that is good for the next two decades. "We will also be considering the use of block chain for supply chain enhancement an area where other industries are considering the impact of this technology on performance. Professor Dale Rogers, who will serve as co-investigator, has done extensive research in this area," said Schneller. "Health care technology is moving so quickly. How do you purchase and procure products, and manage new technologies that a hospital might use as they come into use? What we're going to be looking at is end-to-end supply chain optimization." The Department of Defense operates one of the nation's largest health care systems with 9.4 million beneficiaries served by almost 900 treatment facilities worldwide. Daily, this equates to nearly 20,000 supply requisitions, 4,000 work orders on $8.1 billion worth of biomedical equipment, and 3,000 work orders for more than 4,000 medical and dental facilities and buildings. Phase one Researchers will review current systems at Fort Detrick, Maryland, home of the medical logistics agencies for the United States Army, Navy and Air Force. Data that's gathered will help assess the potential adoption of emerging technologies like 3D printing, predicive modeling for logistics pre-positioning, blockchain for cyber-security and data integrity, drone delivery, and tracking. Phase two Prototypes of dashboard and simulations will be developed, depending on phase one recommendations. Researchers will provide a roadmap on how the Defense Health Agency, Medical Logistics (DHA MEDLOG) Division can develop and implement future LogiCole capabilities. Expression Networks, which has provided state of the art systems capabilities and dashboards to numerous government and private organizations, will be critical in stage two. "We are thrilled to be part of the ASU military health care logistics innovation project team. We will bring technology, analytics, and advanced visualization techniques together to build meaningful situational awareness dashboards for the Defense Health Agency," said Abir Ray with Expression Networks. GHX is known internationally for its cloud-based supply chain technology exchange and solutions that help hospitals streamline purchasing by maximizing automation, efficiency, and accuracy of business processes. "The opportunity to help our military deliver the best, most efficient and effective, patient care to millions of service members through a best-in-class supply chain is a privilege we are embracing. Working with ASU and these other partners should yield incredible value to the DoD but also to supply chain leaders throughout healthcare," said Tina Vatanka Murphy, chief revenue officer with GHX. Active Innovations will bring together its relationships with health care supply chain management and information technology planning experts to provide input and document review. "We are excited about this opportunity to work with ASU and our other project team members on this project. It will provide many opportunities to collaborate on how best to model optimum practices and recommendations for innovative approaches from our review of current systems to be integrated with cloud-based capabilities for the future LogiCole system," said co-principal investigator Richard A. Perrin with Active Innovations. Recognizing the need for an innovative and comprehensive solution, Schneller says his team of private sector organizations and academic partners is a testament to why Arizona State University is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for innovation by U.S. News & World Report for the fourth straight year. About the W. P. Carey School of Business The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University is one of the top ranked and largest business schools in the United States. The school is internationally regarded for its research productivity and its distinguished faculty members, including a Nobel Prize winner. Students come from more than 100 countries and include over 50 National Merit Scholars. For more information, please visit www.wpcarey.asu.edu. About Active Innovations Active Innovations provides technology consulting services focusing on logistics operations and seeking the best solutions to optimize client performance. With systems integration and software services structured to assist clients in achieving maximum benefits from information systems investments, Active Innovations' software recommendations integrate logistics management activities for procurement, inventory/asset management, tracking and distribution for financial performance and quality productivity. Services include: system selection, development and implementation support; systems integration and operations; and applications integration with internet/intranet/cloud-based capabilities. For more information, please visit www.ActiveInnovations.org. About GHX Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) is a healthcare business and data automation company, empowering healthcare organizations to enable better patient care and maximize industry savings using its world-class cloud-based supply chain technology platform. GHX brings together healthcare providers, manufacturers and distributors in North America, and Europe, who rely on proven healthcare-focused technology and comprehensive data to automate business processes and make more informed, timely and fact-based decisions. Solutions span procurement and accounts payable automation, contract and inventory management, vendor credentialing and management, business intelligence, payment management and other supply chain-related tools and services. For more information, visit www.ghx.com and The Healthcare Hub. About Expression Networks Expression Networks is a small disadvantaged business (SDB) with more than 18 years of experience providing effective solutions to help our clients exceed their strategic and tactical goals despite time, financial, and technology constraints. Expression Networks is a leading provider of advanced IT solutions and services, including software engineering, systems integration, enterprise information management, analytics, dashboards, IT convergence/consolidation, content management customization, IT security, network engineering, and professional, administrative, and management consulting services. Media Contact: Rebecca Ferriter, ASU W. P. Carey School of Business [email protected] (310) 871-9041 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arizona-state-university-selected-to-innovate-military-health-care-logistics-asu-awarded-2-4-million-grant-to-fund-dod-research-project-300763527.html SOURCE W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Atmos Home Announces $1 Million Seed Round Investment from Luminance Brands TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Atmos Home , developer of AtmosControl, the world's most intelligent smart home control system, has closed on a $1 million seed round from Luminance Brands , a leading designer and distributor of high-end lighting solutions to the commercial and residential markets. Atmos Home will begin taking pre-orders in early January and is officially launching AtmosControl at CES on January 8, inside the startup-centric Eureka Park pavilion (Booth #53168, in the Smart Home section). AtmosControl will enable people to immediately connect and manage 1,000+ integrated devices with its touchscreen, voice controls, or smartphone app. These devices include Nest, Hue, Belkin, Ring, WeMo, Sonos, Yale, SmartThings, and DirecTV, as well as services like Lyft and Uber for increased usability. It will also be the world's 1st smart home control system to include gesture controls. Click here to watch video. Setting it apart from smart home hubs that use proprietary connection protocols, AtmosControl is uniquely equipped with all 5 of the most popular smart home connection protocols (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Infrared). This means people don't need to purchase multiple hubs to manage all of their smart home devices. AtmosControl will manage them all. "For Atmos to get this level of support from a major lighting manufacturer, like Luminance, validates our product strategy of 'simplicity and connectivty'," says Mark Lyle, co-founder and chief executive officer of Atmos Home. "We are excited to deliver a smart home control system that's not just simpler to use, but also lets anyone control a wider array of devices connecting everything from lights to blinds, doorbells to climate controls." As part of their strategic investment, Atmos will work directly with Luminance to enhance their existing line of traditional lighting products with smart features, helping them capture more of the nascent and growing smart home market. "Our focus on addressing the customer's needs for state-of-the-art and aesthetically pleasing smart LED lighting will be greatly enhanced with our investment in Atmos Home," says Luminance Brands CEO, Christopher Larocca. "We believe this investment will result in innovative lighting and connected home products, providing Atmos with additional channel marketing opportunities in the commercial and residential categories." About Luminance Brands Luminance Brands, headquartered in Commerce, California, is a world lighting leader providing customized lighting solutions, fixtures, hardware/electrical, ceiling fans, plumbing, light bulbs, fixtures and increasingly cost-effective LED bulbs. Comprising of divisions including Hallmark Lighting, ADL, Sunset Lighting, Concord Fans, BryteHome and Century Brass, Luminance Brands is committed to customer service excellence and dedicated to the fulfillment of customers' needs with in-stock product and on-demand shipping from distribution centers in Los Angeles, Texas, Illinois, and New York. For more information, visit www.luminancebrands.com . About Atmos Home Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Atmos Home is developing the next generation of smart home control systems and accessories, with an emphasis on simplicity and connectivity. Their debut product, AtmosControl, will be faster and easier to setup than other smart home controls and will include the top 5 smart home connection protocols, allowing it to immediately manage 1000+ integrated devices. For more information, or to register for pre-orders of the AtmosControl, please visit www.AtmosHome.tech . Click here to download high resolution AtmosControl photo. Contact: Andrew Lavin A. Lavin Communications 516-944-4486 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atmos-home-announces-1-million-seed-round-investment-from-luminance-brands-300764452.html SOURCE Atmos Home [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Hess Provides Update on Progress, Plans to Deliver Strong Cash Flow Growth and Increasing Returns Through 2025 Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES) will provide a detailed update on progress in executing its strategy for long term value creation at its Investor Day today in Houston. The company's plans through 2025 are expected to deliver strong performance across the following areas: Compound annual production growth of more than 10 percent combined with margin expansion set to drive compound annual cash flow growth of approximately 20 percent through 2025 Bakken production set to grow to approximately 200 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2021 and generate more than $1 billion of annual free cash flow post 2020 at a $60 per barrel WTI oil price World class Guyana position with more than 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent gross discovered resources offers industry leading financial returns and cost metrics Structurally lowering costs to a portfolio breakeven of less than $40 per barrel Brent by 2025 Strong cash position, 2019 WTI hedges and spending flexibility provide ability to fund high return growth projects in a low oil price environment without equity or debt financing "We are at a transformative inflection point in our company's history and are uniquely positioned to deliver strong financial returns, visible and low risk production growth and accelerating free cash flow well into the next decade," Chief Executive Officer John Hess said. "As our portfolio generates increasing free cash flow, we will continue to prioritize return of capital to shareholder." Presenters at today's Hess Investor Day will include Chief Executive Officer John Hess, Chief Operating Officer Greg Hill, Chief Financial Officer John Rielly and other members of the leadership team. A live webcast of the meeting will be available on the Hess website from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time today. The presentation and webcast also will be available for replay on the Hess website. Hess Corporation is a leading global independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. More information on Hess Corporation is available at http://www.hess.com. Cautionary Statements This news release contains projections and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These projections and statements reflect the company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. No assurances can be given, however, that these events will occur or that these projections will be achieved, and actual results could differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risk factors. A discussion of these risk factors is included in the company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We use certain terms in this release relating to resources other than proved reserves, such as unproved reserves or resources. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure relating to proved reserves in Hess' Form 10-K, File No. 1-1204, available from Hess Corporation, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036 c/o Corporate Secretary and on our website at www.hess.com. You can also obtain this form from the SEC (News - Alert) on the EDGAR system. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005657/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] CDISC and Cohen Veterans Bioscience Announce Release of First Data Standard to Improve Research for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder CDISC and Cohen Veterans Bioscience are pleased to announce the publication of a new Therapeutic Area (TA) Standard for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder released in the form of a User Guide for data managers, statisticians, programmers and study managers. PTSD is a clinically diagnosed psychiatric condition that can occur following the experience, or witnessing of, life-threatening events, such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adulthood or childhood. Not everyone exposed to a traumatic event will develop PTSD; according to the United States National Center for PTSD, about 7 or 8 out of every 100 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. Version 1.0 of TAUG-PTSD describes how Post Traumatic Stress data should be recorded in a standardized database, establishing best practices across the clinical research industry for recording, reporting, and sharing relevant, disease-specific metadata and research data. Using TAUG-PTSD can facilitate regulatory submissions for novel therapies and will allow the research community to compare and contrast data from different studies more easily, with more scientific rigor, and make it easier for researchers to understand natural history, biomarker, and trial data in the future. "e are delighted to release a standard dedicated to such a vital behavioral health need," said David R. Bobbitt, President and CEO, CDISC. "We hope researchers will use this user guide to bring clarity to the data and discover breakthroughs in PTSD." TAUG-PTSD v1.0 was funded by Cohen Veterans Bioscience as part of their vision of improving data sharing and open science tools for global research in the field of PTSD. The Cohen organization will be one of the first adopters of the standard as they have based their BRAIN Commons Platform on CDISC standards. "This collaboration with CDISC, and the many academic researchers who gave freely of their time and expertise, was a testament to how important data standards are and how galvanized the field is to move PTSD medical research forward," said Dr. Allyson Gage, Chief Medical Officer, CVB. "The availability of these platform-independent and interoperable data standards for PTSD is critical for the future of data integration and team science that can accelerate the discovery of better diagnostics and additional treatment options." To date, therapeutic area standards have been developed for more than 30 different disease areas. CDISC data standards are developed by a global research community to facilitate impactful data sharing and are required by U.S. FDA and Japan PMDA for new drug submissions. About CDISC CDISC creates clarity in clinical research by convening a global community to develop and advance data standards of the highest quality. Required by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) and adopted by the world's leading research organizations, CDISC standards enable the accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of data. With the help of CDISC standards, the entire research community can maximize the value of data for more efficient and meaningful research that has invaluable impact on global health. CDISC is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit charitable organization and is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with hundreds of employees, volunteers, and member organizations around the world. www.cdisc.org. About Cohen Veterans Bioscience Cohen Veterans Bioscience is a national, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research organization dedicated to fast-tracking the development of diagnostic tests and personalized therapeutics for the millions of veterans and civilians who suffer the devastating effects of trauma-related and other brain disorders. To support & learn more about our research efforts, visit www.cohenveteransbioscience.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005710/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] ExxonMobil Donates $50,000 to Family Compass to Build Healthy Families Darren Woods, ExxonMobil chairman and chief executive officer, presented $50,000 to Family Compass (News - Alert) today to further the organization's goals of ending child abuse and neglect. The grant marks the 13th annual ExxonMobil Chairman's Gift given during the holidays to benefit and highlight a deserving nonprofit organization in North Texas. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005737/en/ Exxon Mobil Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Darren Woods presents the company's annual holiday gift of $50,000 to Family Compass, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending child abuse and neglect through in-home mentoring and life-altering community educational programs. From left to right: Darren Woods, Randy Michero, founding board member of Family Compass, Ona Foster, Family Compass Chief Executive Officer, and Kathy Woods. "Every child in our community should have a stable home life and strong environment in which to thrive," Woods said. "It is an hnor to provide this grant in recognition of the work Family Compass continues to do in North Texas to build healthy families and a strong community." Family Compass was established in 1992 as a result of escalating incidents of child abuse and a lack of services focused on prevention. The agency offers home mentoring and community education programs for families that have elevated risk for child abuse and that reside in the communities throughout Dallas and Collin counties that are most in need. "We are deeply grateful to ExxonMobil for its generosity, and humbled to be the recipient of this donation," said Ona Foster, CEO of Family Compass. "These dollars will make a tremendous difference in our outreach, which is so critical every day, but especially during holidays when stresses can be compounded." Family Compass believes that every child has the fundamental right to a healthy family and environment, the opportunity to succeed in school and to experience life without violence. Since its inception, the organization has served more than 48,000 children and parents whose circumstances put children at risk. ExxonMobil created the Chairman's Holiday Gift in 2006 to fund the crucial work of nonprofit organizations in North Texas, home to the company's corporate headquarters. Previous grant recipients have included Promise House, The Gatehouse, Jonathan's Place, ACH Child and Family Services and Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange. About ExxonMobil ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world's growing energy needs. In 2017, together with its employees and retirees, ExxonMobil, its divisions and affiliates, and the ExxonMobil Foundation provided $204 million in contributions worldwide. Additional information on ExxonMobil's community partnerships and contribution programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com. About Family Compass Family Compass, established in 1992, serves North Texas to build healthy families and a strong community by preventing child abuse and neglect. Family Compass believes that every child has the fundamental right to a healthy family and environment, the opportunity to succeed in school and the capacity to experience life without violence regardless of their socioeconomic status. Since inception, the organization has served more than 48,000 children and parents in North Texas. They offer two home mentoring programs, Parent Aide and Growing As Parents, which help to guide and strengthen families by providing one-on-one education, modeling, and support customized to each family's needs. In addition, their community education and outreach programs equip parents in Dallas and Collin counties with the tools they need to build healthy, stable families. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005737/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Computer Aided Biology Pioneer Synthace Secures $25.6 Million in Series B Funding Synthace Ltd., the company behind the leading cloud software platform for automating and improving the success rate of biological research and development, today announced the closing of a $25.6m Series B financing round led by Horizons Ventures with additional investment from Luminous Ventures, SOSV and select other individual and large family office investors. Synthace will use the new funds to drive continued product development and build upon its cell and gene therapy customer base to accelerate global awareness of its solutions. Synthace is a leader in Computer Aided Biology, a new paradigm that comprises two domains: the Digital and the Physical. The Digital, powered by artificial intelligence, includes software for designing and simulating biological systems, as well as methods of collating, structuring and analysing experimental data. The Physical, enabled by automation, includes systems that allow for the seamless transfer of biological designs into real 'wet lab' experiments via logistics simulation and execution. In October 2018, Synthace launched a white paper, Computer Aided Biology: Delivering Biotechnology in the 21st Century which provides the most complete industry vision to date for how biological research will be transformed by an emerging ecosystem of cloud connected and digitally empowered research tools that augment human capabilities, accelerating the transition of biology towards becoming an engineering discipline. Synthace CEO Tim Fell sid: "Digital-to-physical workflows have transformed the semiconductor, aerospace, automobile and many other industries. Now it is the turn of the biotechnology industry, and we are grateful for the support of Horizons Ventures and our other new investment partners who share Synthace's vision of how to facilitate that change." Patrick Zhang, of Horizons Ventures, commented: "We are at a pivotal point in the development and use of biotechnology. We believe that Synthace will lead the industry's transition to Computer Aided Biology, owing to its truly disruptive and cutting-edge AI driven experiment design capability and experiment execution technology. We look forward to working with the team on this next exciting stage of Synthace's development." Bob Wiederhold, Synthace Chairman, concluded: "The realization is setting in across industry and academia that the complexity of biology can only be properly addressed with advanced software and automation. This investment in Synthace is a significant step in turning that recognition into reality." This announcement follows previous distinctions from Gartner (News - Alert) and the World Economic Forum, where the impact of the Synthace platform in enabling the Lab of the Future and Industry 4.0 was recognised. -ENDS- Tweet this: News! @Synthace announces its series B with $25.6m investment led by @HorizonsHK to accelerate #biotechnology and enable faster scientific breakthroughs #digitaltransformation #biology #software #Biotechnology #synbio https://bit.ly/2Jw3PIQ Follow Synthace Synthace Blog Join the Twitter Conversation Join us on LinkedIn About Synthace Based in London, Synthace is developing Antha, a language and software platform specifically for biology that lets researchers aim higher and achieve better results, faster. Antha is designed to make reproducible and scalable workflows that can be readily edited and shared, and easily automated on labs' existing equipment. With customers across pharma, agritech and industrial biotechnology Synthace has been recognised by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer that is helping shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution (News - Alert) - a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another. For more information, visit: www.synthace.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005617/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Morris Bank and Farmers & Merchants Banks to Merge Morris State Bancshares, Inc. ("Morris"), the parent company of Morris Bank, headquartered in Dublin, Georgia, and FMB Equibanc, Inc. ("FMB"), the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank, headquartered in Statesboro, Georgia, announced today the signing of a definitive agreement providing for the merger of FMB with and into Morris. Subsequent to the merger, Farmers & Merchants Bank will become a part of Morris Bank. On a pro forma basis, based on September 30, 2018 results, the combined bank will have total assets of approximately $925 million with $725 million in loans and $800 million in deposits, with full-service banking locations in Dublin, Gordon, Gray, Warner Robins, Statesboro, and Brooklet. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005802/en/ "We are excited to partner with Brett Morgan and the FMB team," said Spence Mullis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Morris Bank. "The FMB franchise is a great cultural fit for us and we look forward to expanding into the Bulloch County market. Their bankers share in Morris Bank's commitment to the delivery and value of true community banking. That commitment includes treating customers as real folks and not just another account number. We are excited about this opportunity for our teams to combine and grow together throughout middle and southern Georgia." Following the close of the transaction, Brett Morgan, FMB's President and Chief Executive Officer, will lead the Statesboro market. One existing director of FMB will join the Morris holding company board and two existing directors of FMB will join the Morris Bank board. In addition, Morris will form an advisory board for Bulloch County consisting of local business leaders. Brett Morgan also commented on the announcement, stating, "We have known the Morris team for some time now, and we are pleased to partner with them in this strategic transaction. We are particularly excited about the opportunity avalable to our combined Georgia operations. Like FMB, Morris Bank values and understands what it means to provide true community banking, with local decision making and high-touch customer service. This will be a great opportunity for success together." Under the terms of the definitive agreement, each share of common stock of FMB issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the transaction will receive shares of Morris common stock, cash, or a combination thereof valuing FMB at $9.25 per share, or $23.6 million in the aggregate. The boards of directors of Morris and FMB have unanimously approved the transaction. The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals and approval by the FMB and Morris shareholders. The closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2019. Stephens Inc. acted as financial adviser to Morris, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP acted as its legal adviser. FIG Partners, LLC acted as financial adviser to FMB, and Troutman Sanders LLP acted as its legal adviser. About Morris State Bancshares, Inc. Morris State Bancshares, Inc., a state chartered commercial bank, Member FDIC, is a financial holding company headquartered in Dublin, Georgia. Substantially all of the operations of Morris State Bancshares, Inc. are conducted through the company's wholly owned subsidiary, Morris Bank. Morris Bank currently operates two full-service banking offices in Dublin, Georgia, two full-service banking offices in Warner Robins, Georgia, and one full-service banking office in Gray and Gordon, Georgia. As of September 30, 2018, Morris Bank reported $718 million in total assets. For additional information about Morris Bank, visit www.morris.bank. About FMB Equibanc, Inc. FMB Equibanc, Inc. is the holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank, a community bank operating three full-service banking offices in the Bulloch County, Georgia market. Farmers & Merchants Bank had approximately $190 million in assets as of September 30, 2018. For additional information about Farmers & Merchants Bank, visit www.fmbnk.com. Important Information for Investors This communication relates to the proposed merger transaction involving Morris State Bancshares, Inc. ("Morris") and FMB Equibanc, Inc. ("FMB"). The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase the securities described herein nor shall there be any sale of such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not permitted or would be unlawful. In connection with the proposed merger, FMB will mail to its shareholders a proxy statement/offering circular containing additional information about Morris, FMB and the proposed merger. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, FMB SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/OFFERING CIRCULAR. THE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ("SEC (News - Alert)"), THE FDIC, OR ANY STATE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY, NOR HAS THE SEC, THE FDIC, OR ANY STATE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY PASSED ON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005802/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] Crown Battery Moves Chicagoland Branch Distribution Center to New Location CHICAGO, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Crown Battery, the world's leading manufacturer of 99% recyclable batteries, announced today that it would be moving its Chicagoland SLI distribution center from Villa Park to Lombard, IL. The new location will open for business on Friday, December 14, 2018. "We moved our Chicago location to serve our Chicagoland and Central states customers better," says John Connell, Vice President, SLI Products Group. "This strategic move will double our facility size. And that will ensure we're equipped for growing demand. In addition, the move will improve support, enhance deliveries to our customers, and expand distribution." Says Hal Hawk, CEO and President of Crown Battery, "We'd like to thank Lombard Village officials for all their assistance and support during the move. They were instrumental in helping us secure the required approvals and making the transition easy. With this new building, we'll have the space, features, and location to retain talent and support customers in Chicagoland and beyond." he new Crown Battery Branch is located at: LOMBARD, IL 60148 Phone: 630.530.8060 About Crown Battery Manufacturing Company, Inc. Since 1926, Fremont-based Crown Battery is the leading manufacturer of advanced-technology, lead-acid batteries. Every Crown battery is manufactured in Fremont, OH at the company's ISO 9001:2015-certified plant. Crown Battery serves six continents in markets including renewable energy, electric vehicles, floor-care, marine, commercial truck, automotive aftermarket, material handling, mining, and railroad. For more information, visit http://www.crownbattery.com. For further information, contact: Tony Zarembski 734.926.5105 [email protected] Related Images crown-battery-logo.jpg Crown Battery logo robotics-improve-assembly.png Robotics improve assembly precision in all SLI batteries Related Links Crown Battery View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crown-battery-moves-chicagoland-branch-distribution-center-to-new-location-300764454.html SOURCE Crown Battery Manufacturing [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] BQE Software Honored With Two 2018 Comparably Awards TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BQE Software, Inc. a global leader in business management software for professional services firms, was honored with two 2018 Comparably Awards for Best CEO and Best Company for Diversity. The Comparably Awards recognize companies that are helping drive positive culture change and the winners are selected from tens of thousands of U.S. companies. Rankings are derived from sentiment ratings provided by employees who anonymously rate their employers on Comparably.com throughout the year. There are no fees or costs associated with participating, nor is nomination required. "It has been our mission at BQE to create a people-first environment, from both a customer and an employee perspective, and I am truly honored by these awards," said Shafat Qazi, founder and CEO of BQE Software. "I am especially proud of BQE winning Best Company for Diversity because it reflects our tremendous effort to create an inclusive and diverse culture where employees feel happy, engaged, and inspired to do the best work of their lives. Putting people before process allows for true creativity and innovation, and these are the twin engines that drive BQE's growth and success." In order to attract and retain exceptional people from various professional and personal backgrounds, BQE Software has developed a company culture that fosters inclusion, wellness, and growth. BQE employees enjoy a wide range of health and social initiatives, including: Free food In-house gym with steam showers Meditation room Yoga Happy hours Company picnics Continuing education "Businesses are better for being diverse and reflecting the communities they serve," said Jason Nazar, Comparably CEO. "Comparably's Best Companies for Diversity are organizations that have been given the highest ratings of approval by their employees of color. Their focus on and inclusion of racial diversity are clear examples of progress in the workplace." For more about BQE Software's company culture and open positions, visit their careers page at www.bqe.com/company/careers . Winners can also be seen on USA Today's articles for Best CEO and Best Workplace for Diversity. About BQE BQE Software develops innovative business management software for professional services firms. Its flagship product, BQE Core, centralizes and streamlines the way firms enter and use information for time tracking, billing, project management, and accounting. This gives them the speed and insight necessary to rapidly make informed decisions, increase productivity, and grow profits. BQE Software is trusted by leading architects, engineers, accountants, attorneys, IT specialists, and business consultants. The company is headquartered in Torrance, California, with offices in Sydney, Australia. For more information, visit www.bqe.com . About Comparably Comparably is a leading workplace culture and compensation site with a mission to make workplaces more transparent and rewarding. Employees can access the platform's salary comparison tool, rate their companies and CEOs, and see what workplaces are really like through the lens of comprehensive and structured data based on gender, ethnicity, age, experience, department, location, education, and company size. With nearly 10 million ratings from employees across 50,000 U.S. companies since its 2016 launch, Comparably has become one of the most trusted third party sites for workplace culture and fastest growing SaaS solutions for employer branding. For more information, go to www.comparably.com . CONNECT WITH US! Facebook: www.facebook.com/bqesoftware Twitter: www.twitter.com/bqesoftware Media Contact: Setareh Motamedi, Vice President of Marketing BQE Software 1 (310) 602 4010 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bqe-software-honored-with-two-2018-comparably-awards-300764586.html SOURCE BQE Software [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 12, 2018] LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 in Aphria Inc. to Contact the Firm Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, reminds investors in Aphria Inc. ("Aphria" or the "Company") (NYSE:APHA) of the February 4, 2019 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. If you invested in Aphria stock or options between July 17, 2018 and December 4, 2018 and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here: www.faruqilaw.com/APHA. There is no cost or obligation to you. You can also contact us by calling Richard Gonnello toll free at 877-247-4292 or at 212-983-9330 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all those who purchased Aphria securities between July 17, 2018 and December 4, 2018 (the "Class Period"). The case, Jakobsen v. Aphria, Inc. et al., No. 18-cv-11376 wa filed on December 5, 2018. The lawsuit focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by failing to disclose to investors: (1) that the Latin American assets acquired by the Company lacked adequate licenses to operate and were overvalued; and (2) that the acquisition of the Latin American assets would enrich the Company's CEO and other insiders at the expense of shareholders. Specifically, on December 3, 2018, Quintessential Capital Management and Hindenburg Research published a report alleging, among other things, that the Company's recent acquisitions in Latin America were part of a series of transactions designed to enrich Company insiders and that these acquisitions lacked established operations and/or licenses to operate in the cannabis industry. Following the publication of this report, Aphria's share price fell from $6.05 per share on December 3, 2018 to a closing price of $4.51 on December 4, 2018-a $1.54 or a 25.44% drop. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Aphria's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005869/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] DOMINION ENERGY MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. Announces Investigation of Merger Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. announces that it is investigating potential legal claims against the board of directors (the "Board") of Dominion Energy Midstream Partners, LP ("Dominion Energy Midstream" or the "Company") (NYSE: DM) related to the Company's entry into an agreement to merge with Dominion Energy, Inc. ("Dominion Energy") (NYSE: D) in a transaction announced on November 26, 2018 (the "Proposed Transaction"). On November 26, 2018, the Board caused Dominion Energy Midstream to enter into an agreement and plan of merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Dominion Energy. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, unitholders of Dominion Energy Midstream will receive 0.2492 Dominion Energy common shares for each unit of DominionEnergy Midstream. On December 10, 2018, Dominion Energy filed a Form S-4 Registration Statement ("Registration Statement") with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)") in connection with the Proposed Transaction, which recommends that Dominion Energy Midstream's shareholders vote in favor of the Proposed Transaction. Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. is investigating possible violations of law related to the Registration Statement, including whether the Registration Statement omits material information with respect to the Proposed Transaction. If you own common units of Dominion Energy Midstream and purchased any units before November 26, 2018, if you would like to learn more about this investigation, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests, please contact Seth D. Rigrodsky or Gina M. Serra toll-free at (888) 969-4242, by e-mail at [email protected], or at https://www.rigrodskylong.com/offices-contact. Rigrodsky & Long, P.A., with offices in Delaware, New York, and California, has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of investors and achieved substantial corporate governance reforms in numerous cases nationwide, including federal securities fraud actions, shareholder class actions, and shareholder derivative actions. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005877/en/ [December 12, 2018] Insight Select Income Fund Declares Quarterly Dividend Dividend Declaration The Insight Select Income Fund (INSI) (the "Fund") declared a dividend of $0.20 on December 12, 2018, payable on January 18, 2019, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 28, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of December 27, 2018. The dividend of $0.20 per share would equate to an annual dividend payment for the last four quarters of $0.80 per share. The Fund is a diversified closed-end management investment company whose investment objective is to seek a high rate of return, primarily from interest income and trading activity, from a portfolio principally consisting of debt securities. The Fund will also seek capital appreciation principally by purchasing debt securities at prices that the Adviser believes are below their intrinsic value. The Fund will also look to benefit from trading securities to optimize the risk adjusted yields in the Fund. Insight North America LLC, the Fund's investment adviser, provides fixed income asset management to a variety of institutional clients inluding corporations, governmental entities, employee benefit plans, private funds and registered investment companies. This press release is not for tax reporting purposes but is being provided to announce the amount of the Fund's distribution that have been declared by the Board of Trustees. A portion of the Fund's current distribution may include sources other than net investment income, including a return of capital. Investors should understand that a return of capital is not a distribution from income or gains of a Fund. As required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, a notice with the estimated components of the distribution will be sent to shareholders at the time of payment if it does not consist solely of net investment income. The notice should not be used to prepare tax returns as the estimates indicated in the notice may differ from the ultimate federal income tax characterization of distributions. After the end of each calendar year, investors will be sent a Form 1099-DIV informing them how to report distributions received during that year for federal income tax purposes. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181212005881/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] $308,000 Ford GT tops Mecum's Kansas City auction With a 2006 Ford GT leading the way, Mecum Auctions concluded its 2018 sales season with an $8.7 million event in Kansas City. The Ford sold for $308,000 and was the only six-figure sale of the weekend. Mecum noted that seven of the top-1o sales were Chevrolets, and four of those were Corvettes. Quick shift of gears because it's not all about crime and politics on this blog, take a look at some encouraging local news: What Is Going On with the KCI Project? No one seems to know what is going on with the KCI new single terminal project. Or if they do know, they aren't leveling with the public. A recent story in The Kansas City Star includes the following: The conversation with [Southwest Airlines chief executive Gary] Kelly, which [Mayor Sly] James initially denied but Southwest confirmed, happened early in the week. These tax fighters are out of the loop like most of the voting public as they argue for transparency as this project is already about to crash and burn.Checkit: But, thankfully, such models do exist, if we concentrate on the sort of vehicles you can buy in North America and Europe. Heres our list of the ten boxiest cars available in these regions, plus one super-boxy Kei car to represent Japan. You really wont find them outside Japan, so elsewhere you have to look harder to get your boxy car and/or SUV kicks. From 2009 until 2014, Nissan sold the asymmetrical Cube people carrier outside Japan and that car would have made a great poster vehicle for this article, but now its been relegated to JDM-only status so that wont work... Some do it for functionality, others for pure style, but whats certain is these boxy models dont really constitute the norm, and you have to really do a thorough search to find them. This list doesnt include Japanese Kei cars or JDM models in general (since wed fill the list quite quickly), but I have included one Kei entry just to show a style of small car that is most popular in Japan. Most cars you can buy nowadays are designed to look like wedges that seem as if theyre on the move when standing still. However, there are still those models that buck the trend, adopting a boxier and generally more upright look. Believe it or not, BMW makes one of the boxiest cars you can buy right now, in the form of its hugely popular i3 all-electric vehicle. It has a body-on-frame construction and, to keep its weight and center of gravity down, BMW engineers have designed its structure out of aluminum and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer - a material thats kind of like carbon fiber, but not as expensive to make (nor is it as good). The i3s body is unusually boxy for a modern car, but Im not really sure in this case it was not simply a byproduct of engineers looking to give the car as much space as possible given its wheelbase. It, therefore, had to be quite vertical in order for passengers to enjoy being aboard it. And, its actually succeeded, because if you spec your i3s interior with lighter trim materials and the bamboo wood trim dashboard, its a really serene place to be. So while in this case the boxiness may not have been specifically desired (had it been a lower and sleeker shape it would have been more widely appreciated for the way it looks) the fact that its interior is so good probably makes those who dont really like its exterior still appreciate what it offers. Read our full review on the 2018 BMW i3. The previous Dacia/Renault Duster was about as boxy as crossovers got and, while the new one has slightly toned that down, it can still be included on this list. The Dusters exterior boxiness translates into lots and lots of space inside, both for passengers and cargo - its not the most high quality interior out there, but boy is it practical. It is simply cavernous inside and unmatched for interior space at its respective price point. However, its boxiness also renders it quite handsome to look at, and very proud and purposeful to behold. I think practicality is the reason behind why the Duster looks the way it does, but designers have done a great job of styling it to look just right. Even if the new model is less boxy than the old one, it will still stick out in a parking lot of swooping, tapered cars. Read our full review on the 2014 Dacia Duster. Honda N-Box Since around one-third of all cars sold in Japan are Kei cars, this style of upright, squared off, and very tall looking city car is hugely popular. Japan is a heavily urbanized territory, so dense that crowded cities are common, and vehicles like the Honda N-Box are a great way to get around while enjoying great fuel efficiency and tax reductions. Such vehicles also have to conform to strict size requirements and engineers who design them gain space where they can (especially by going vertically). The 2018 Honda N-Box is a striking vehicle. From whichever angle you look at it, it looks way too tall and narrow, like a top-heavy caricature. But, it actually drives pretty well, and if you opt for the N-Box Custom Turbo with the optional all-wheel-drive system, youll not only get a sporty body kit and a radical overall makeover but also extra performance too. Inside, from the drivers perspective, you really get a sense of just how tall the N-Box is, and Honda engineers have even managed to put a glove box right in front, in between the steering column and dials. The N-Box is the definition of a boxy car, one that does it both for the looks and also practicality. Its also Japans best selling Kei car, followed by the Daihatsu Move and Tant models, then the Nissan Days all of which are of the same dimension and generally very boxy, but none as boxy as the N-Box. If you liked the Dacia Dusters boxiness but felt it still wasnt boxy enough for you, then maybe the more extreme styling of the Jeep Renegade will be more appealing. It looks even boxier and even more upright than the Duster, with nearly upright A-pillars and a fairly tall roof. There is a lot of vertical emphasis in the Renegades design, and this gives it quite a distinctive look - nothing else looks like it, not even other Jeep models. Whats nice about the Renegade is that the exterior design theme is carried over inside, and you definitely see the continuity. However, its nowhere near as spacious as you think its going to be - remember, this vehicle shares its underpinnings with the Fiat 500X, and you can kind of see that in the amount of rear legroom. So, the Renegade was probably specifically designed to look bold and boxy, but this doesnt really translate into as roomy an interior as youd expect it to have, so its a bit of a case of style for styles sake. Read our full review on the Jeep Renegade Kia Soul sits in an undefined place of the compact car market: its neither a hatchback, nor is it a crossover or people carrier, and yet its all of those things at the same time. It looks like a crossover from the outside, but from the inside, theres so much usable space that it feels more like a people carrier, a vehicle specifically designed around its practical and roomy interior. So the Soul doesnt neglect interior practicality, and it also blends it with quite a unique take on the whole boxy, upright crossover-like design theme. Like the Jeep Renegade small SUV, it has vertical windscreen pillars, and its roofline does not drop down towards the back of the car - there is absolutely no tapering going on here. It also has a bold, upright front end, with slim horizontal light clusters and everything really adds up to a vehicle thats eye-catching. It looks like a popular crossover but is really more like one of those not-so-cool small people carriers that buyers have ditched for crossovers in recent years. The Soul is a great boxy car that isnt just in it for the style points. Read our full review on the 2020 Kia Soul Lada Niva The Lada Niva has been in production since 1970, and its body remains for the most part identical to present day. The Niva is unashamedly boxy and square, but its been around for so long, its shape could definitely be called iconic. Its definitely not a car that was styled a certain way, and the way it looks is a clear result of what it was designed to do. Its interior is spartan but spacious and even many decades after it was first conceived, its still serving the needs of buyers. It offers an old school approach to creating an off-road-capable vehicle that also drives decently on tarmac. In fact, the Niva is probably one of the automotive worlds original successful crossovers/small SUVs, and theres definitely an inherent coolness that can be derived from that. Land Rover did a crazy thing when it transitioned from the old shape Discovery model to the new one. It tried to offer a vehicle that looked visually linked to its predecessor both inside and out, but at the same time offer a more modern and rounded aesthetic - its still a very tall and boxy vehicle, but now its gentler on the eye with softer corners and creases. But theres nothing subtle about the asymmetrical rear end design which definitely looks interesting (and again retains a design trait from the previous Discovery), and it might definitely make you raise an eyebrow when you see one for the first time. Some dont really like the look of the new Discovery, and point to its predecessors simpler and more honest look. The new Discovery certainly has its charm, and just like the model it replaces, its boxy look is also there for practical reasons - to offer decent space for all three rows of occupants, as well as increasingly higher seating the further back in the vehicle you sit. Read our full review on the 2018 Land Rover Discovery Mercedes may have slightly softened some edges and changed a few things around with its new G-Class, but it really looks 99-percent the same as the old one. It is unashamedly boxy with a shape clearly penned back in the 1970s, and once you learn of the models initial destination as a military vehicle, you cant unsee that connection. Theres no denying that the G-Class packs a strong presence in person, the kind of imposing vehicle that looks like it could either ram you out of its way or drive over the top of your car. Its an undeniably appealing aesthetic, if perhaps a bit too unfriendly for other road users, like, say, in a city where people drive smaller and much lower cars. And its tall and boxy shape does not also have the added benefit of acres of interior room - in fact, it may feel quite cramped compared to your expectations if youve never been in one, reminding you yet again of its 1970s military roots in a bad way, as does its on-road driving experience. Read our full review on the Mercedes G-Class The new Suzuki Jimny is just so cute that you want to pinch its square little cheeks. Suzuki has done a truly fantastic job of bringing the world this new icon of boxy motoring. The new Jimny is boxy not only because it looks really good, but also to offer decent interior space - it does both surprisingly well. It also doesnt have one bad angle. From the front, side, rear, and all three-quarter views, the Jimny looks purposeful and well proportioned with a hint of cheekiness. Its such a playful shape that it really shows the team of designers at Suzuki really had a lot of fun creating it. Move inside, and youll discover an interior far better than what you remembered from the outgoing model. It doesnt really feel especially plush or fancy inside, but the design follows the same aesthetic as the exterior. It comes packed with features and is quieter and more comfortable than before. This vehicle is going to be a global hit, and the unique boxy look will be one of the reasons. Read our full review on the 2019 Suzuki Jimny. Volvo thankfully didnt use a cookie cutter approach to creating the XC40 small SUV, which sits below the XC60 and XC90 in the Swedish manufacturers range. The two larger high-rider offerings look very similar, but the XC40 adopts a completely different (and quite boxy) look. Its not immediately apparent that Volvo wanted the XC40 to look a bit boxy, but from certain angles, it certainly looks like it. I think it is a superb styling exercise that, in my view, surpasses Volvos two larger offerings and makes the XC40 one of the best looking taller vehicles you can buy at any price. Like the best of these boxy cars with extra care for the styling, the interior follows the exteriors aesthetic and it all ties in really nicely. Plus its quite roomy and airy inside, and you can really jazz it up with striking colors from the factory. The XC40 blends practicality with looks or, in other words, it doesnt go for a look thats too boxy to get maximum space inside. At the same time, its boxy and squared off enough that interior space is ample for all passengers, as well as cargo. Read our full review on the 2018 Volvo XC40 Volkswagen adopted a bit of a Kei car approach for the Up! city car, a model with a very small wheelbase but, surprisingly, enough room for four adults to travel in comfort. You wont be able to carry many bags at the same, but its such a small car that even fitting the people inside without them feeling like sardines is an accomplishment. When you look at the Up!, its boxiness strikes you, but while it isnt as immediately cute as the Jimny, for instance, its not a bad looking car. The GTI version, with red accents, sportier bumpers, and larger rims looks good, and its definitely considerably more stylish than a base Up!. VWs subsidiaries also sell their own version of the Up!, called Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii respectively. Read our full review on the VW Up! sanjiv@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 11 India will see an investment of around $300 billion over the next decade in setting up of refineries, oil and gas pipelines and expansion of city gas distribution network as it builds infrastructure to cope with the massive demand surge, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today. Speaking at KPMGs ENRich 2018 energy conference here, he said India is the third largest energy consumer in the world after the US and China and its energy demand will grow three-fold by 2040. According to BP Energy Outlook, India will be the key driver of global energy demand in the next 25 years. To meet the massive demand, it is building worlds largest oil refinery in Maharashtra at a cost of $40 billion, he said adding about $3 billion is being spent on laying gas pipelines to connect the eastern part of the country to the gas grid. Also, LNG receipt terminals at Ennore in Tamil Nadu and Dhamra in Odisha are being set up at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore, he said. City gas distribution network to supply CNG to automobiles and piped natural gas to households is being expanded to cover 70% of the population in the next 2-3 years. PTI 83% dependent on imports sanjiv@tribunemail.com Mumbai, December 11 Countrys largest lender SBI today 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 Indias 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 yesterday 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 cant default and run away from the country, SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar told reporters here. He said Mallyas 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. Mallya has been fighting a legal battle against his extradition to India, claiming that he has been falsely dubbed as a defaulter. PTI sanjiv@tribunemail.com Vijay C Roy Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 11 With readymade garment exporters losing competitiveness due to lower rates of export incentive scheme, the exporters in the northern region fear the new rates will significantly bring down the apparel sectors ability to export. They also apprehend that it will disrupt the entire value chain, including loss of employment. Expressing concern, they have requested the Centre to immediately review the new rates of export incentive scheme to boost the exports. Last week, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had slashed duty drawback rates on cotton, man-made and blended garments. The new drawback rates are effective December 19. The move came as a surprise for the apparel industry of Punjab and Haryana. The scheme called duty drawback rates for apparel industry has decreased for most of the garment categories such as cotton, man-made and blended. In a letter written to the Finance Ministry, the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has said the move has come as a setback for the industry which is already losing global market share due to reduced competitiveness after the implementation of GST. The policy support for the industry after GST has significantly declined by around 5.5%, it said. Barring few months, apparel exports are continuously declining since October 2017, mainly due to stiff competition, slowdown and discontinuation of certain export incentive. The capacity utilisation of the readymade garments has touched a new low of 70% because of dwindling export orders. The situation is alarming as textile sector is one of the biggest employers, said Lalit Thukral, MD, Twenty Second Miles. The council in its letter pointed out that the new drawback rates have a gap of 2.20% to 2.52% from the proposed rates, said Harish Dua, a garment exporter. The Council has sought the enhancement of rates as has been done for the other important segments such as yarn, fabric and made-ups so that the entire value chain can benefit. To boost the exports, the Council has provided detailed cost analysis for enhancing the drawback rates. Thukral said many of the exporters have started shifting focus to the domestic market. According to industry, around 30-40% of exporters have already started utilising their capacity to cater to the domestic demand. The domestic market is pegged at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore and is almost three times more than the exports market. However, manufacturers having deep pockets can sustain in the domestic market. sanjiv@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 11 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 Ministers 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 news a day after Urjit Patels 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 Ministers Office spokesman said Bhallas 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. PTI Had raised eyebrows over revised GDP data editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Mohali, December 11 Sleuths of the Special Task Force, Mohali, arrested a drug peddler with 60 gm of heroin here. The suspect has been identified as Lakhvir Singh, alias Lucky, a resident of Zirakpur. Rajinder Singh Sohal, Superintendent of Police (STF), said the suspect was nabbed at a naka near a gurdwara at Phase 3A here when he was going to supply drugs to his customers in the area. During interrogation, Lucky said he worked as an electrician at Zirakpur, but after falling in bad company, he started taking drugs. He told the police that his friends had introduced him to a Nigerian, who was putting up in Delhi. The suspect and his friends used to procure drugs from the Nigerian and sell these in Mohali and Zirakpur, said Sohal. A case under Sections 21, 61 and 85 A of the NDPS Act has been registered against Lucky at the STF police station at Phase 4 here. editorial@tribune.com Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 11 The local Municipal Corporation has declared a three-storeyed dharamshala constructed adjoining a temple in Sector 18 unsafe and has written to various departments, including the office of the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP, to take steps to prevent any loss of life as the building has become dangerous and may fall anytime. An intimation in this regard has also been sent to the Chief Fire Officer, the Estate Office and the SHO of the Sector 19 police station. Sources said in a report prepared by the Executive Engineer, it had been stated that the three-storeyed building had been constructed on land belonging to the MC and the temple committee had also encroached upon the green area behind the temple and merged the area with the temple campus by constructing a boundary wall. The report states that the building was sagging. Its floors along the load-bearing walls had sagged up to 1.6 ft from the natural floor level and the building could fall anytime. The temple committee has provided temporary support of wooden and iron bars under the slab. The report states that if the building falls, there is a great risk to the adjoining houses and lives of people residing in the temple. The report has been sent to the higher authorities seeking necessary action to prevent a mishap. When this correspondent visited the temple, a marriage function was under way oblivious of the impending danger. The president of the temple committee, Shamlal Goel, said he had also received the report from the MC. Goel said according to the report, the building was unsafe and illegal. He said he was not aware how the building came up over the years as he took over as the committee president recently. He said he would seek details from the previous office-bearers of the committee and get the building inspected from experts of Punjab Engineering College. editorial@tribune.com Chandigarh, December 11 Two miscreants riding a white Toyota Corolla snatched a purse from a woman near the Tanishq jewellery showroom at the NAC, Mani Majra, this evening. Sources said the victim, Geeta Bhardwaj, a resident of Sector 7, Panchkula, and her husband had arrived at the jewellery store for some work. The police said while the victim and her husband were leaving in a car around 6.45 pm, one of the suspects arrived there and told the victim that she had dropped something. As the victim started looking down, the miscreant snatched her purse. He then escaped towards a white car in which his accomplice was already waiting. The miscreants then sped away from the spot. Sources said the purse contained Rs 12,000, an ATM card and important documents. The victim failed to note down the registration number of the car. The police were informed, who visited the spot. They checked the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the market area. TNS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 12 Traders of Sector 17 observed a complete blackout for an hour from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm today in protest against the non-implementation of the no-vending zone decision. The traders closed their shops and held a candlelight protest. Neeraj Bajaj, president of the joint action committee of Sector 17, said unauthorised vendors had occupied working space in the shopping complex. Jagdish Pal Singh Kalra, a trader, said they were selling fake products and unhealthy food. They were using gas cylinders to cook, which was prohibited in the open as it could cause a fire hazard. He said the heart of the City Beautiful was bleeding and Sector 17 had become a phari wala market. Traders representing various organisations also joined the protest and assured full support. The traders blocked traffic at the MC roundabout for half an hour. They took a pledge that the agitation would continue in a peaceful manner till the no-vending zone decision was implemented. Subhash Kataria, another trader, said on December 14, traders would assemble at the MC office to awaken MC officials with dhol and nagara beats. They would organise a phari bazaar on December 17. The traders said they had been forced to adopt the protest path to protect the Sector 17 market from further damage, which had already lost its beauty and business as it was swarming with vendors, who should be removed from the market. Sanjay Tandon, city BJP president, said he had already taken up the matter with the UT Administrator, who had assured him that the glory of the market would be restored soon. Forced to protest The traders said they had been forced to adopt the protest path to protect the Sector 17 market from further damage, which had already lost its beauty and business as it was swarming with vendors, who should be removed from the market. They took a pledge that the agitation would continue in a peaceful manner till the no-vending zone decision was implemented editorial@tribune.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 11 Less than a month after the UT SSP was directed to file his affidavit on a petition alleging large-scale immigration fraud, the officer has failed to comply with the orders. Taking note of the non-compliance of the orders, dated November 13, Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu has made it clear that the officer will have to be present in the court on the next date of hearing in case of further non-compliance. Justice Sidhu also accepted a request by counsel for the Chandigarh Administration and other respondents for adjournment for filing the affidavit. As many as 31 young students planning to study in Canada had moved the High Court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged fraud after blaming the Chandigarh Police for acting in a callous manner and going soft on the accused. Taking up the petition, filed by Sukhpal Kaur and 30 other petitioners through counsel Navkiran Singh, the Bench, on a previous date of hearing, had put the UT Administration, its Director General of Police and other respondents on notice. Navkiran Singh had submitted on the petitioners behalf that strangely the cheating process was going on right under the nose of the Chandigarh Police. It was receiving complaints since October 2017, but woke up from its slumber only after the complaints piled up. An FIR was ultimately registered on May 24 for cheating, criminal breach of trust and other offences under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the IPC at the Sector 36 police station on the basis of 65 complaints. One of the accused, Jyoti Thakur, was taken into custody, but after a month or so was released on bail by a Duty Magistrate on June 26 without caring for the seriousness of the offence. The bail order would reveal that the court granting bail treated the matter to be of a civil nature and directed the accused to return a partial amount to the candidates who had not been issued the Quebec Certificate of Acceptance as promised in the contract entered between the parties. Navkiran Singh had added that the Chandigarh Police had till date not been able to arrest the second accused, Paramjit Singh Hanspa. It was moving very slow on his arrest and inaction on its part was raising suspicion in the minds of the petitioners that the police were going slow in the matter and were not holding a fair investigation. The case As many as 31 young students planning to study in Canada had moved the High Court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged fraud after blaming the Chandigarh Police for acting in a callous manner and going soft on the accused. Sushma Ramachandran Sushma Ramachandran Senior Financial journalist Cliches sometimes sum up situations better than profound comments. It never rains but it pours is the hackneyed phrase that suits the current situation as far as news on the economy is concerned. While political pundits were debating the five Assembly election results in television studios today, economic analysts were simultaneously trying to cope with the flood of newsbreaks since yesterday's sudden resignation of the central bank governor, Urjit Patel. Patel quits as RBI Guv The news was not all bad, but it was surely cataclysmic. To take first things first, the resignation of Patel was completely unexpected after he had completed only two years of his three-year tenure. It came soon after a meeting of the Reserve Bank board which, according to public statements by several members, proceeded smoothly, with both government nominees and RBI officials taking decisions in a harmonious manner. After such bonhomie, articles were written about the end of hostilities between the government and the RBI, with the caveat that it was the former that had won the day. Even so, the resignation seemed to come out of the clear blue sky and stunned the government, the markets and the investor community. Though frictions between finance ministers and RBI governors are almost passe now, these have always been smoothed over at the last minute by compromise solutions. Comparisons could only be drawn to the long-ago resignation of the Nehru-era governor, Benegal Rama Rau, who stormed out of the post in a huff due to interference by the then Finance Minister, TT Krishnamachari. Most other resignations of central bank governors came after their tenures had ended, as in the case of the last incumbent, Raghuram Rajan. Extraditing rogue tycoon This information was barely absorbed before reports flowed from London about a Westminster court's decision to extradite rogue industrialist Vijay Mallya. After the dismal news about the central bank governor's exit, this came as a balm to the country's spirits. It was indeed an achievement as the Modi government has been accused of allowing scamsters to flee the country. In this case, media reports say even the much-maligned CBI conducted itself with aplomb by providing sufficient credible evidence for the prosecutors to argue their case in court. Though Mallya is bound to appeal the verdict, it is clear the wheels of justice will now grind slowly but surely to bring him back to this country. This, in turn, raises hopes that another pair of fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi may be the next in line to be extradited back here to pay for their crimes. The noose is tightening for many of those who felt the long hands of law could not reach beyond this country's shores. What is of interest, however, are the cutting comments made by the British judge about the cavalier manner in which Indian banks gave loans to the flamboyant billionaire. She clearly hinted at malfeasance in this process. But she has left that for the Indian authorities to deal with as her role was limited to deciding on the extradition issue. Impact on stocks, rupee The news was not good enough, however, to prevent stock markets from crashing yesterday and the rupee from going into a free fall, while yields of government bonds which move in the reverse direction, rose marginally. The scenario was even worse in the morning, owing to the election results which showed the ruling party on a losing streak. Markets tend to support the status quo and the NDA government is seen as stable and pro-reforms, hence changes made investors nervous. Fortunately, the stock markets seem to have revived somewhat during the course of the day as experts felt the election results had been factored in over the past week as a result of opinion polls which had predicted this outcome. The markets had fallen by about 1,700 points last week on the back of exit polls. The rupee also revived slightly, raising hopes that the volatility in both the currency and stock markets may be a temporary affair. Economic adviser quits To add to the tumult came news, even before the election results came in, that a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, Surjit Bhalla, has resigned. This was again surprising as he has espoused and supported the NDA government's economic policies till now. The reason for his departure is not clear, but in a recent article, he did criticise the role of the Niti Aayog in releasing the back series GDP data that sparked much controversy. The withdrawal of an economist who has been a staunch supporter of the NDA's policies, including the criticised demonetisation, must come as a blow to the administration, especially the Finance Ministry. The array of startling news within a span of 24 hours is bound to have proved unsettling for economic policymakers who would be gearing up to formulate the interim budget for the next financial year as only a few months remain till the General Elections. Even so, the Finance Ministry now has to contend with a new central bank governor, an altered economic advisory council for the PM and volatility in stock markets and currency. This is coupled with political uncertainty following the NDA's poor poll results, which intensifies the pressures to finalise more, rather than less, populist policies. Though any government will opt for populism in an election year, the developments point towards a soft budget. One can only hope that the expected sops go along with a sustainable growth path for the long run. Rajesh Ramachandran Rajesh Ramachandran THE semifinal is over and the result is plain and stark: PM Narendra Modi is no longer the Hindi Hriday Samrat. A 3-0 victory for Rahul Gandhi-led Congress has suddenly left a gaping hole in the BJPs Hindi heartland map. The Madhya Pradesh results have proved that the Congress with its moribund party organisation mothballed for 15 years could effectively take on the BJP governments at the Centre and the state, and also the formidable Sangh Parivar cadre on the ground. The panna-pramukhs and WhatsApp-pramukhs can only go thus far; the voter walks the last mile alone to decide who is a lesser evil. It is here that Rahul Gandhis leadership has breathed life into the Congress. After the temple run in Gujarat and the photo finish at the Assembly polls, the slim 18-seat defeat in the PMs home state in 2017 proved beyond doubt that the Congress is capable of making the BJP sweat even in its fortress. Tuesdays poll results are only a logical extension of the Congress revival that began in Gujarat. From Bihar in the east to Gujarat in the west, the BJP had swept the polls in 2014 with the cow belt yielding almost 90 per cent seats for the party. Soon after the 2017 Assembly polls, the Modi wave had turned into a saffron tsunami in UP, returning 312 MLAs in a House of 403. That wave has now receded and the polls are being fought on issues of agrarian crises, governance failure, unemployment and myriad local issues. This turnaround will get translated into an even fight during the next Lok Sabha polls, just four months away. The BJP had won 27 out of 29 seats in MP, 25 out of 25 in Rajasthan and 10 out of 11 in Chhattisgarh in 2014. Looking ahead at 2019, all the bipolar states are now up for grabs and suddenly the Congress looks like a viable political option to lead an Opposition alliance. These results effectively have boosted the confidence of Congress partners like the NCP, RJD, DMK, TMC and others to reaffirm their political choice and for Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav to reassess their opportunities. As in Punjab, where Rahul Gandhi decided in favour of Capt Amarinder Singh, the choice of veteran Kamal Nath to lead the campaign and fund the polls was the first decisive step that resulted in the tough fight on the ground. Ashok Gehlot as a master strategist is something that Rahul Gandhi had sorely missed earlier. The Gujarat polls filled that vacuum. Whether Gehlot leads the government in Rajasthan or becomes Rahul Gandhis political secretary is not the point of debate. More importantly, Rahul has realised the need to have experienced Congressmen from an earlier era to plan, fund and execute campaigns. The rout of the BJP in Chhattisgarh, its conclusive defeat in Rajasthan and the nail-biting finish in MP could all be blamed on anti-incumbency. The Congress, too, lost its only government in the Northeast to Mizo National Front in Mizoram. Anti-incumbency is a good enough reason as it ought to be in a democratic process. But Modi as a campaigner all these past four years had a larger-than-life image which was supposed to have overshadowed local issues and Amit Shahs election machine was supposed to have crunched all meta data to spew winning results in election after election. That juggernaut has come to a screeching halt and that myth of invincibility remains busted. Modi, for the multitudes, symbolised hope and change after 10 long years of stories of corruption, incompetence, nepotism and dynastic rule. Even demonetisation could only give momentum to the Modi wave in UP during the Assembly polls because the poor voters, always harassed and hustled, felt that here is someone who is trying to catch the corrupt and turn all black money lily white, who is at least trying hard even if he is not fully successful. But now, after four years of Modi rule, these very people of the Hindi heartland seem to have had enough of promises, jumlas, intentions, grandstanding and oratory. They want their lives to get better. Modi the Chief Minister was always a polarising figure, all through the Gujarat campaigns. But at the national level in 2014, he took pains to make his pitch modern and clean, selling dreams of a nation about to achieve greatness that was denied of it by corrupt politicians disrobing Bharat Mata and siphoning her wealth out to foreign shores. Yet, the first tangible impact of the Modi government was cow lynching, anti-Dalit mob attacks and an attempt to create a new nation without minorities and Dalits. These attacks first crystalised into an anti-incumbency sentiment among the targeted groups, which now has expanded into an anti-BJP surge resulting in the party losing three important states to an absolutely weaker opponent. This could happen only because of the loss of faith in the governments ability to bring in prosperity. Ram temple, Ram statue, Hanumans caste, Owaisis religion and Congress widow all put together mean much less than the hope for a better life. In the elusive pursuit of prosperity, the incumbent government has obviously become the bigger evil. Can Modi change this image in the next four months? Four months are a very long time in politics. Many things can change and along with that the perception of non-performance. Also, in the past, Assembly results of 2003 were not repeated in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. There are imponderables galore, nonetheless, 3-0 is too bleak a score to be glossed over. The last word ought to be about Telangana: will the Congress ever learn not to be cynical? The people of Telangana punished the Congress for its opportunistic alliance with Chandrababu Naidus TDP, a party which had bitterly opposed the creation of the state. Now, the so-called grand alliance of Telangana lies in tatters. Something grand ought to have at least an icing of idealism. G Parthasarathy G Parthasarathy Former diplomat PAKISTANS sudden decision to open the Kartarpur shrine for Indian pilgrims predictably raised suspicions in India. Pakistan had earlier opened other Sikh holy shrines, like Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Dera Sahib Gurdwara in Lahore, under a bilateral agreement. The decision to open the Kartarpur shrine, located virtually on the India-Pakistan border, was, however, conveyed informally by Pakistans army chief Gen Bajwa to Punjabs tempestuous minister, Navjot Sidhu. Interestingly, General Bajwas sudden interest was manifested much after repeated requests by Indian leaders, including former PM Vajpayee, were ignored. This unusual action by Pakistans army chief raised hackles in New Delhi, as the Pakistan army controls the gurdwaras there through the Pakistani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee. This committees first head was former ISI chief, Lt Gen Javed Nasir, the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai blasts. Khalistani flags are often provocatively raised during visits of Sikh pilgrims from India. They are also constantly sought to be incited by specially invited Khalistani activists from countries like Canada, the US and the UK. Obviously, the ISI is now again looking to fish in troubled waters in Punjab, evident from the recent terrorist strike in Amritsar and the continuing smuggling of narcotics across the border. These developments took place when PM Imran Khan was engaged in organising countrywide celebrations for his first hundred days in office. Contrary to his expectations, his first hundred days have been marked by a less than satisfactory performance in fulfilling the expectations he had raised. This happened despite being the blue-eyed boy of the army, which had facilitated his election as Prime Minister. Pakistans foreign exchange reserves have reached the perilously low level of $8 billion. With the country expecting to have a further $12 billion trade deficit in the current financial year, Pakistan had to go with bended knees to its past financial mentors Saudi Arabia, China, US, EU, UAE and IMF for a bailout. The Saudis were not quite as generous as they have been in the past. On offer was a short-term deposit of $3 billion in a Pakistani bank and a similar offer of petroleum under a short-term, deferred payment arrangement. The IMF imposed strict conditionalities, including asking for details of repayment liabilities on Chinese loans for CPEC. Negotiations with the IMF are presently on hold. Pakistans expectations of long-term, low-interest/interest-free credits from China were not fulfilled. The US has ended military and economic aid for Pakistan. Pakistans finance minister Asad Umar recently proclaimed: Right now, we have a $18 billion deficit and $9 billion of debt repayment due this year, which brings the total to $27 billion... we cannot afford that. Imran Khan has reached out to India, urging the resumption of dialogue and Indias participation at SAARC summit in Islamabad. Our standard reply talks and terrorism cant go together is not endorsed internationally and conveys rigidity. It needs to be nuanced. Detailed back-channel negotiations after the JeM attack on our Parliament, resulted in an agreement in which General Musharraf assured Vajpayee that territory under Pakistans control would not be used for terrorism against India. Pakistan abided by that assurance till 2007. The Composite Dialogue Process also resumed on all issues, including Kashmir. There was progress, based on PM Manmohan Singhs offer that while borders cant be redrawn, we can work towards making them irrelevant by making them just lines on a map. The 26/11 attacks ended it. Pakistan would like to resume the Composite Dialogue Process. This should be rejected as terrorism is accorded a low priority. This does not mean that India should cut off all diplomatic contacts with Pakistan. It is essential that we stand firm on refusing to discuss J&K unless the sponsorship of terrorism ends. But, we go wrong by equating the priorities of the Pakistan army, with the interest about India across wide sections of ordinary Pakistanis. Vajpayees directive on liberal issue of visas, particularly to Mohajirs in Karachi and urban Sind, produced dramatic results in changing public opinion about India. It pays us richly to expose ordinary Pakistanis to realities in contemporary India. We need to welcome exchanges of visits by students, academics, business organisations, cultural troupes and those with familial ties. There also has to be firmness and realism in dealing with the Pakistan military establishment. Pakistan has to be told bluntly that it has rendered SAARC non-functional and SAARC Free Trade Agreement meaningless by its restrictions on Indian exports and by denial of transit to Afghanistan. Not just India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan should also have reservations on the next summit being hosted in Pakistan. Moreover, Pakistan wastes time and resources in pushing for China, which is not a South Asian country, to be admitted to SAARC. This is a proposal India will not accept. We need not, therefore, be in a hurry to respond positively to Imran Khans call for an early summit. Apart from reaching out to people, back-channel contacts free from the glare of publicity between diplomats, army officials and intelligence agencies are essential to deal with terrorism and bilateral cooperation, while at the same time, maintaining pressure to respond to challenges of terrorism. With the snows closing the passes, cross-border terrorism in the Valley falls. Imran Khan has shown some readiness to consider moving forward on proposals to address the J&K issue, on lines akin to what happened in 2004-2007, when terrorism was minimal. We can, however, address major issues only after the general election. But, we should spare no effort to raise the costs of sponsoring terrorism for the military establishment of Pakistan. Aveek Sen & Beebagr Baloch Aveek Sen Journalist working on cyber security and geopolitics of India's neighbourhood Beebagr Baloch Activist of Free Balochistan Movement THERE is a huge hue and cry in Pakistan over the India visit of the founder of the Free Balochistan Movement, Hyrbyair Marri. He is to attend an international conference on human rights. Pakistan is trying to link him with the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army), an armed Baloch group fighting against the Pakistan army. Islamabad misses the point that a recent verdict by a UK court has acquitted Marri and his aide Faiz Baloch from such charges levelled against them by Pakistan. The demand for Marri's extradition was struck down as Pakistan could not produce evidence against him to prove any of the allegations. Pakistan is now getting stretched in countering the Baloch all over the world. Its wishful thinking that all Baloch would remain in Balochistan where it can deal with them as it sees fit is no longer possible with a more and more interconnected world. Earlier, many Baloch freedom fighters like Lala Munir, Sher Muhammad and Ghulam Mohammad were captured and eliminated by the Pakistani forces. Baloch veteran Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was brutally killed in 2006. The other tactic used by Pakistan is the setting up of death squads, like it did in pre-independence Bangladesh. These death squads enjoy the full support of the Pakistan Army and the ISI. Thousands of Baloch from all walks of life are missing, forcibly abducted and eliminated. Families of those missing, numbering more than 22,000, have been protesting for years but have not received a fair hearing within Pakistan. Pakistan is scared about Marri's visit to India and the reason is clear the Pakistani state is under pressure because of the indiscriminate use of its military muscle not just in Balochistan but even in some Sindhi and Pashtun areas. It is afraid that the virus of resistance may spread from Balochistan to other ethnic groups. That is the reason for its concerted bid to link Marri with the Baloch armed group, the BLA. The fear of getting exposed in the eyes of the world is frustrating Pakistanis. The human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan, annexed in 1948, is of much concern throughout the world. Demonstrations and protests can be seen in many countries with an increased fervour and frequency. Balochistan achieved freedom from the British rule on August 11, 1947. The Balochistan First Chamber in its session, held in December 1947, unanimously approved the declaration of Balochistan's independence; the Balochistan Upper House subsequently endorsed the First Chamber's ruling in its session held in January 1948. On March 27, 1948, Pakistan occupied Balochistan after a military invasion. Some parts were later detached and merged with Sindh and the rest named Balochistan province. But the Baloch see Pakistan as an occupying force. In the last 70 years, five Baloch uprisings - almost one every decade - have taken place to gain independence from Pakistan. Pervez Musharraf was formally arrested by a police team from Balochistan in the Akbar Bugti murder case in 2013 and placed under a two-week judicial remand. However, the case hasn't moved forward. Balochistan is a no-go area for the international media. Due to pressure from Pakistan and China, Switzerland denied political asylum to Baloch leader Brahumdagh Bugti and Mehran Marri from attending a UNHRC meeting. Mehran Marri says the reason cited by the Pakistanis was that their names had been mentioned in an FIR filed in Pakistan after the attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi this month. Both Mehran Marri and Brahumdagh Bugti have been labeled as militant leaders. The attempt is to stifle all Baloch political voices who are speaking about the human rights violations on the population by painting them as militants. It has been seen that after every violent incident in Balochistan, Pakistan habitually names these three-four Baloch political leaders in an attempt to brand them as militants. Pakistan also includes dictated reports in the media to damn these political leaders with the taint of militancy. The ISI has been active in persuading the US State Department to list leaders such as Hyrbyair Marri, Mehran Marri and Brahumdagh Bugti as purveyors of violence. But Pakistan was shown the mirror at the last UN General Assembly meeting by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. Rebutting Pakistani allegations of India committing human rights violations in Kashmir, the minister responded by calling Pakistan the 'godfather of terrorists'. Taliban's Mullah Baradar and UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Mohammad Saeed roam freely in Pakistan, proving its collusion with terrorists operating under the garb of religion. Pakistan has alleged that Hyrbyair Marri is wanted in Pakistan due to charges against him. Pakistan should have no objection to a Baloch political leader engaged in a civic discourse in India. After all, Pakistani forums are open for all those Kashmiris who are speaking against India and some even have blood of civilians on their hands. There should not be any hesitation among Indian peace-lovers and genuine well-wishers of Balochistan to host such figures. Rasheed Kidwai Rasheed Kidwai Senior journalist & author IT was, perhaps, the longest day of them being together. On December 11, 2018, Digvijaya Singh, Vivek Tankha and Jyotiradiya Scindia had breakfast with Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath at 9, Shyamla Hills, Bhopal, discussing, dissecting and deliberating every constituency and party nominee even as a huge TV set gave them minute-to-minute details. Then, they moved together to Indira Gandhi Bhawan at 74, Bungalow Road, Bhopal, for lunch and evening tea, where the mood swung as per the counting trends from optimism to anxiety and despair and again to one of cautious optimism. The bonding was intense and politically enriching. So, by the time Rahul Gandhi plugged in via WhatsApp calls and messages, the issue of "who will be the chief minister" was not a priority area. Rather, it was a collective resolve to get the Congress back in Vallabh Bhawan office. The Nath-Digvijaya-Scindia troika continued to stay together on the intervening night of December 11 and 12 when the fax message staking claim on government formation was sent to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel. A joint press conference was held at 2.30 am. At 7 am of December 12, the trio again went in a huddle at Nath's residence. By this time, the Election Commission had announced the poll verdict of the Congress getting 114 Assembly seats in the House of 230. A direct contact with the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and four Independents was established. Rahul counsels unity For the old-timers, the show of unity was rare. The geographical and political identity of Madhya Pradesh has been such that state Congress leaders have been regional satraps: Scindia of the Gwalior-Chambal region, Nath of Mahakaushal and Digvijaya of Madhya Bharat. But for the first time, they had pooled in resources, talent and experience to bring in a sense of synergy. This was possible due to AICC chief Rahul Gandhi's persuasive skills. Rahul had been candid to the trio for the past six months, often counselling them to present a united face of the party. At the same time, the young Gandhi had made it clear that any act of indiscipline (rebellion, betrayal, sabotage etc) would not be tolerated. During the ticket distribution process, Rahul was accommodating in giving party nominations to those backed by the trio. This was both an opportunity and a challenge as Nath, Scindia and Digvijaya understood that unity would result in more power and reward. The Congress fought the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls in a clinical style. While Rahul Gandhi, who completed the first year in office as AICC chief yesterday, deserves all focus and attention, it must be conceded that Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath, Scindia, Digvijaya, Bhupesh Baghel, Tamradhawaj Sahu and Charan Das Mahant also worked relentlessly to make the Congress story a success in the states. Nath was appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress president in May, 2018. Behind the scenes, he established contact with many. He reached out to many unions of state government employees. A parallel war room for social media outreach was set up. Nath used Asha health workers and angandwaadi volunteers. Nath in a league of his own As a nine-time Lok Sabha Member from Chhindwara, Nath is in a league of his own. He is the seniormost parliamentarian in the 16th Lok Sabha. Nath had cut his political teeth under Sanjay Gandhi. There was a slogan during 1975-77: 'Indira Gandhi ke do haath, Sanjay Gandhi aur Kamal Nath'. Few would remember how Nath had played a role in the downfall of the Janata regime of 1979, sowing seeds of discontent between Morarji Desai and Charan Singh and making full use of maverick Raj Narain. An alumnus of Doon School and St Xavier, Kolkata , Nath is known for his ready wit. He once famously narrated how while travelling from Paris to Brussels by train with the the European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, he had explained his stand against agricultural protectionism by the developed countries. "Here are the fat cows living on subsidised food and they can't stand on their legs. That is my story and that is my argument," he had told Mandelson. On another occasion, when asked at what time he got up in the morning, Nath retorted, "First ask me what time I sleep." Wooing the OBCs When the poll campaign began, the Congress realised that BJP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had an iron grip on the state's influential other backward class communities which have a sizable population in the state. A near-panicky Congress then requested former state party chief Arun Yadav to contest against Chouhan from Budhini. Yadav, who hails from Khargone, was reluctant. But Nath, Digvijaya and Scindia offered to campaign for him. An informal offer of a Rajya Sabha seat was also made. As former environment, surface transport and commerce and industry minister, Nath has many ideas to make Madhya Pradesh a vibrant state. He recently told a visiting diplomat that he has a dream of turning Bhopal into San Francisco, the Californian town which has a diverse service industry and the seventh highest income county status in the US. Now, that is being really ambitious! vermaajay1968@gmail.com The resignation of RBI Governor Urjit Patel amidst a struggle with the government over the central banks independence was the unfortunate outcome of a long-simmering contest between the two parties over monetary policy. It may well be argued that even the non-renewal of Raghuram Rajans term before Patels incumbency was also predicated by a conflict over the perception of the RBIs role. Patels resignation was seen to be coming for a while as differences within the Monetary Policy Committee came to light, as did the issue of the quantum of the reserve capital of the RBI and its strict Prompt Corrective Action norms against banks with high NPAs, which the government contends were curtailing lending. All this is well known, and the manner in which the government and the bank have aired their grievances in public has brought no credit to those at the helm. What amounted to browbeating by the government has not succeeded. It only precipitated matters by bringing about the RBI Governors resignation. The government did not pay adequate heed to the message delivered in a speech last month by RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya, in which he stressed on the independence of the bank and that its reserves should be used for monetary and financial stability. Acharya had also cautioned against the trampling of institutions, a charge that would be hard to defend at the moment. Urjit Patel was hand-picked by the Modi government, but he was unable to last his full term. The public attack on the institution, the recent rows and the new inductions in the RBI board reflected political rather than professional priorities. They cumulatively contributed to a position where differences snowballed. At a time like this, statesmanship was needed, but this was not to be. However, the PM and the FMs public messages after the resignation did reflect restraint. Now that Shaktikanta Das has been appointed RBI Governor, he has his work cut out. The stakes are high, and the world is watching to see how the government and the new incumbent act to restore the confidence of the institution. editorial@tribune.com Vishal Joshi Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, December 12 The National Federation of Homeopathic Medical Colleges of India (NFHMCI) has urged the Central Government to roll back the mandatory provision for AYUSH colleges to have diagnostic infrastructures on their premises. Dr Suresh K Nandal, president of the federation, told The Tribune on Tuesday that the private colleges offering courses in alternative medicines were unable to own and maintain ultrasound and other diagnostic facilities. He said AYUSH students and practitioners did not depend much upon the mechanical diagnostics. Earlier, the AYUSH colleges were free to work in collaboration with hospitals to impart practical training to students. But from this year, the Central Government has made it binding for the colleges to have all these facilities on campus. We are unable to bear the cost incurred on the expensive infrastructure, said Nandal. He said a delegation of the federation had met Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Union Secretary, AYUSH, last week with a demand to end disparity with the private institutes. He also said that the delay in the annual inspection had further delayed admissions and the exercise should be managed to ensure it was completed by the end of March every year. Nandal said a shortage of faculty was common at private and government colleges but the issue was pointed out at only in private colleges. The Central authorities conduct an annual audit of various facilities before allowing fresh admissions. While lecturers from government colleges are roped in for inspections, professors of private AYUSH institutes are ignored for these assignments. We demand that private professionals be included on the inspection panels, he stated. Nandal said the Centres ruling of making biometric attendance mandatory for students and teachers was impractical. Such a provision should be delayed at least another two years. Several of these colleges are based out of big cities, where electricity and Internet outages are common. Like other medical and dental colleges, the AYUSH institutes should also be allowed to send attendance through e-mail to the Central agencies to maintain transparency, he added. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Yamunanagar, December 11 In a major setback to the BSP, two-time former MLA Akram Khan has extended support to mayoral candidate Rakesh Sharma Kaka, who is being backed by a majority of local Congress leaders. I have extended support to Sharma, who is contesting the mayoral election. I started campaigning in his favour on Monday, he said. He said he was in the BSP, but would not support the mayoral candidate of the INLD-BSP alliance. Sharma is the candidate of my choice, so I am supporting him, he said. Khans family wields influence in his Assembly constituency Jagadhri and three other Assembly seats Yamunanagar, Sadhaura and Radaur, said a political analyst. I have informed senior leaders about the development, said Prakash Bharti, state BSP president. He said Khan did not quit the BSP, but had not attended party meetings in the recent past. There will be no effect on the fate of our candidate Sandeep Goyal as the alliance has huge support, he said. The triangular mayoral contest also featured BJP candidate Madan Chauhan. editorial@tribune.com Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 12 The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken suo motu notice of a report regarding delay in grant of funds to 11 lakh schoolchildren for purchase of uniforms published in The Tribune and sought a report from the authorities. In the order issued on Tuesday, Justice SK Mittal (retd), chairperson, Justice KC Puri (retd) and Deep Mehta, both members, sought a factual report from the Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department, and Project Director of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) on the issue. In the news item Bureaucratic delay denies grant for uniforms to 11 lakh schoolkids published on December 8, The Tribune had reported that over 11 lakh schoolchildren in Haryana had been awaiting funds for the purchase of uniforms which they normally got at the start of the session under the SSA. Of these, 7.90 lakh children were girls, 3 lakh Scheduled Caste boys and 23,000 boys belonging to below poverty line (BPL) families. It was reported that though the Central Government had released its share of funds for the scheme at the start of the session, the authorities had not been able to transfer funds into bank accounts of children, most of whom were from poor families. An official of the Finance Department had maintained that the SSA had enough funds to transfer the grant for uniforms into the accounts of schoolchildren. The HHRC observed that it had been specifically mentioned in the new report that under the Right to Education Act, 2009, all schoolgirls and schoolboys belonging to the Scheduled Caste and below poverty line families studying from Class I to Class VIII got two sets of uniforms, one for summer and one for winter, every year. The HHRC observed that the fact that three quarters of the year had elapsed and school uniforms had not been provided to schoolchildren was in itself a violation of their human rights. Considering the facts, the commission takes suo motu cognisance of the news item. Let factual reports be requisitioned from the Additional Chief Secretary, School Education, as well as from the Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, within a period of six weeks, read the order passed by the HHRC. Over 11 lakh schoolkids without uniforms editorial@tribune.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 12 About three months after a 35-year-old accused in a patwari murder case was killed in a fake encounter, the wife of the victim and another petitioner have claimed pressure by the police to compromise and withdraw the plea. Taking up the matter, Justice Rajan Gupta asked Haryana to apprise the court on the next date of hearing about the developments after its counsel assured the Bench that the security personnel concerned would be changed forthwith. As the case came up for resumed hearing, the state counsel prayed for another opportunity to file a status report, following which Justice Gupta granted two weeks time. Before the Bench parted with the order, the counsel for the petitioners pointed out that a constable in the CIA, assigned the task of providing security to the petitioners, had been pressurising them to compromise and withdraw this petition. Justice Gupta, on a previous date of hearing, had sought a report in sealed cover while ordering the Director General of Police to ensure that no harm was caused to the eyewitness to the fake encounter. The directions came on a petition by Pinki, wife of victim Bhanwar Singh, and eyewitness Nikku. They were seeking investigation by the CBI or state CID into the death of Bhanwar Singh in the alleged police encounter on September 18. The Manesar resident was allegedly involved in the killing of a patwari (revenue official) of the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation in August. In their petition filed through counsel Manish Soni, the petitioners stated that the victim had been executed by Inspector Manoj Kumar Verma of the CIA, Palam Vihar, Gurugram, and other police officials in Nikkus presence. The petitioners claimed that the victim was kidnapped from Bhairon Mandir in the Kalkaji area of New Delhi and killed in Gurugrams Manesar area on September 18 by showing it as a police encounter. The petitioners stated that facts could easily be verified from the footage of CCTV cameras installed in front of the temple, around the area of the Kalkaji temple and the Metro station. The petitioners claimed that the police party took the victim and Nikku in separate vehicles to the fields of Sehrawan village in Gurugram. They stated that the victim was taken to an old room near a farmhouse before the incident. They added that Nikku managed to save his life by offering Rs 5 lakh with the assurance of not disclosing the incident to anyone. Manesar Fake encounter case editorial@tribune.com Shiv Kumar Sharma Tribune News Service Yamunanagar, December 12 Yamunanagar district achieved the first rank in Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) Abhiyan in the state, generating more than 16,000 golden cards till date. Karnal district stood second by generating 12,172 cards and Hisar is on the third place by generating 11,274 cards. Dr Vijay Dahiya, Medical Superintendent, Mukand Lal District Civil Hospital-cum-nodal officer of Ayushman Bharat Scheme, Yamunanagar, said the district was already ranked first in providing free medical facility to the beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat Scheme but now it had achieved another feat in generating golden cards. He said the target was to provide the Ayushman Bharat Scheme facility to more than 92,000 families in Yamunanagar district. As per the scheme, government hospitals and empanelled private hospitals of the district were providing cashless health facilities to the beneficiaries. Till date, Mukand Lal District Civil Hospital, Yamunanagar, has treated 107 patients while sub-district hospital, Jagadhri, has treated 63 patients under the scheme. Also, 14 private hospitals have been empanelled under Ayushman Bharat Scheme here and these have treated more than 100 patients, Dr Dahiya said. He said all government and empanelled private hospitals were generating golden cards and providing free medical facilities to the beneficiaries. Besides district and sub-district civil hospital, the golden card will now also be generated in community health centres (CHCs) of the district. Sadhaura CHC has already started the generation of these cards for Ayushman scheme beneficiaries, said Dr Dahiya. Patients Afsa and Ruby Rani, admitted to Mukand Lal District Civil Hospital, Yamunanagar, said they were satisfied with the scheme and had received satisfactory treatment free of cost under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the scheme in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on September 25, 2018. This government-funded healthcare scheme provides a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The scheme will target poor, deprived rural families and identify occupational category of urban workers families. editorial@tribune.com Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, December 11 BJP and Opposition leaders sparred over the Swan channelisation project in Una district during Question Hour today. CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri raised a question regarding the delayed finances for the project. IPH Minister Mohinder Singh, while replying to the query, said the Union Ministry for Water Resources had released Rs 50 crore for the project and it would be completed by March 2020. Agnihotri said the Swan phase-III project worth Rs 922 crore was sanctioned during the UPA-II regime in 2013. That time, Rs 460 crore was released and spent on the channelisation of river tributaries. However, after the NDA government took over, the grant for the project dried. He alleged that the BJP MP from Hamirpur got the finances of the project stalled. Mohinder Singh refuted the allegations and asked him to prove these. Mukesh alleged that other projects like AIIMS, IIIT in Una were also stalled. Rakesh Pathania countered Agnihotri over the allegations and there were heated exchanges between both leaders. Both warned each other against doing badmashi. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, replying on the query of Agnihotri, said it seemed that efforts were not made by the previous government to get the funds released from the Centre. Sending letters were not enough to get the projects. You have to follow up. After coming to power, I have personally followed up the Swan project and the funds have been sanctioned, the CM said. In response to a query from Surinder Singh Thakur, MLA, Kullu, the Minister for Social Justice and Cooperatives said there were 83 cooperative societies where management committees had been disbanded and administrators appointed. In response to a query from Jawahar Thakur from Darang, the government said the Jan Manch programme began in June and 22,840 complaints had been received of which 16,735 resolved and 4,105 were pending. Independent MLA from Dehra Hoshiar Singh had raised a query regarding the monopoly being exercised by truck unions and societies in the state. He alleged that despite a High Court order, the truck unions were charging gunda tax from industrialists and were not allowing trucks from other states to ply. Minister for Transport Govind Thakur said information was being collected on the issue. QUESTION HOUR Mukesh Agnihotri attacks Anurag The Swan phase-III project worth Rs 922 cr was sanctioned during the UPA-II in 2013. That time, Rs 460 crore was released and spent on the work. However, after the NDA government took over, the grant for the project dried. The BJP MP from Hamirpur got the finances of the project stalled, Mukesh said. editorial@tribune.com Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, December 11 The purchase of electric buses by the present and the previous government generated heat in the House during Question Hour today. The issue came up for discussion on a query raised by BJP MLA from Nurpur Rakesh Pathania. On the request of Pathania, Minister for Transport Govind Thakur assured the House to bring a White Paper and hold an inquiry into the purchase of buses during the stint of the previous Congress government. The minister justified the purchase of electric buses at lower rates by the government after the Opposition alleged irregularities in it. In response to queries of Mukesh Agnihotri, Govind Thakur informed the House that his department was purchasing 50 electric buses under the Smart City scheme and another 30 electric buses were being purchased by the HRTC. The minister claimed that during the stint of the previous Congress government, electric buses were purchased at Rs 1.96 crore and an annual maintenance contract (AMC) of Rs 36 lakh per annum was given to companies that provided the buses. The minister claimed that the present government had purchased electric buses for Rs 76,97,922 from PMI Electro Mobility Solutions. Congress MLA Harshvardhan Chauhan said the present government had split the cost and annual maintenance to favour a particular company. He alleged that the present government was purchasing an electric bus for Rs 76 lakh while its annual maintenance was Rs 78 lakh. Agnihotri said if the AMC was more than the cost, then the government could purchase a new bus every year. He said Raj Bhavan had marked an inquiry into the purchase of electric buses. Govind Thakur, however, said no AMC was being paid. Instead, the company would set up a workshop in Himachal to repair the buses. He said the complaint made to Raj Bhavan was false. In case nothing came out of it, the government would take legal recourse against the complainant. Minister assures probe editorial@tribune.com Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, December 11 Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur assured MLAs that the state would give them emblem to maintain their identity. The CM was replying to a debate in the House over the rights of the MLAs to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of various development schemes in their constituencies. The debate was initiated by Congress MLA from Kinnaur Jagat Singh Negi. The Chief Minister said since the legislators were not entitled to flag or beacons, the government would provide emblem for their vehicles. He said the design of the emblem was almost ready. The Chief Minister said after coming to power, his government had taken several steps to resolve the problems being faced by the legislators. He said the issue of legislators not getting accommodation in Himachal Sadan or Himachal Bhavan in Delhi and Chandigarh had been resolved. My government is also considering providing permanent accommodation to the legislators in their constituencies where they can attend to the public. The accommodation would be provided at sub-divisional headquarters, tehsil office or block development office, he said. If the members agree, the Chief Minister said, the accommodation can also be provided at Chief Minister Lok Bhawans which his government proposes to build in various constituencies. In response to the allegations that Opposition legislators were being ignored while inaugurating or laying foundation stone of projects in their constituencies, the Chief Minister said he too had faced a similar situation when his party was in the Opposition. Improvement will be made at the Chief Ministers Office level and I will direct the officials that the information and invitation is sent to the legislator of the area concerned where the inauguration or foundation stone is to take place, he said. Earlier, while initiating the debate, Jagat Singh Negi said that MLAs, irrespective of their party, should be given the right to inaugurate schemes in their constituencies. They should be given a room in constituency and a clerk to redress the grievances of people. Rakesh Singha, CPM MLA, said that parliamentary systems and institutions were being weakened and non-constitutional bodies other than elected MLAs were being given preference. Bikram Jarial, BJP MLA from Bhatiyat, said that during the stint of the previous Congress government, he was not even allowed to go CMs function and the name plates of an unelected person were put on all the development schemes, including his priority schemes. Mukesh Agnihotri said that all MLAs should support the resolution. He said that there should be a code of ethics for MLAs. The union government has made it mandatory to put the name of local MP on each plaque put for works completed using funds of the union government. Similar provision should be made for the MLAs also. The CM came to my constituency and inaugurated the longest bridge that was brought by him but put the name of a non-constitutional person on it, he said. Bikram Thakur, Minister for Industries, said that during the Congress regime BJP MLAs were pushed out of programs of the CM. The BJP tried to bring the same proposal during the last Assembly but were denied the opportunity. The proposal was being discussed now due to the benevolence of the CM Jai Ram Thakur. Asha Kumari, Congress MLA from Dalhousie, said she was always invited by former CMs Shanta Kumar and PK Dhumal when they visited her constituency but no such message was received from the CM when he visited her constituency. In a light vein the CM said her mobile phone was switched off. Surplus medical officers soon: Minister editorial@tribune.com Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 12 As insurgency has escalated over the last two years in the Kashmir valley, spreading to all its 10 districts and militants managing a steady flow of local recruits, the police have faced the major brunt with 19 cops getting killed in the past five months. The police have suffered from increased militant attacks and threats of abductions, most of them in the volatile south Kashmir districts. Officials in the police department said August was the most violent month of the year for the police when eight policemen were killed, including the four who were shot dead by militants when they were repairing their vehicle at a market in Shopian district of south Kashmir. Four cops among them three special police officers who were abducted from their houses in Shopian and later shot dead by militants were killed in September. November was the only exception when the police faced zero casualties, the officials said. The latest attack against policemen took place yesterday when four policemen at the guard post of a minority community neighbourhood were killed by militants in Shopian. The police casualties during the past five months included policemen who had taken leave to visit home. A sub-inspector who was heading home in his car in October was waylaid near south Kashmirs Pulwama district and shot dead. To counter the threat of attacks and abduction against policemen, the authorities had issued several advisories which directed them not to visit home. The advisory, several police officers said, was not easy to follow. It is impossible to convince anyone not to visit home. What is the purpose of doing a job if one cannot go home and spend time with family? a mid-rung police officer said. Munir Khan, Additional Director General of Police, said there was a need to rethink on measures to ensure more safety for cops. We will have to think how to be more safe we will have to see how to improve the safety, Khan said. Casualty count August 8 September 4 October 3 November 0 December 4 editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, December 11 The Congress and PDP on Tuesday accused each other of communalising the proposed move of the state administration to grant divisional status to Ladakh and the demand raised by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti to impart similar status to the Pir Panjal and Chenab valley region. Senior Congress leader Dr Karan Singh alleged that Mehbooba Mufti was trying to divide the Jammu region on communal lines while PDP spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir said the veteran Congress leader seems to be playing to the gallery. Mehboobajis attempt to link this (Ladakh) matter with some Pahari areas in Jammu is an unfortunate effort to divide Jammu on communal lines, which is not only wrong in itself but also has no connection with the Ladakh demand. I hope the Governor will take cognisance of this, said a statement issued by Dr Singh. I can vouch for the fact that historically, geographically, culturally and administratively Ladakh has always been a special area which needed full attention, said Dr Singh. Hitting back, the PDP had said Dr Singh had been a major player in the affairs of the state and it was expected of him to be fair and objective about the PDPs mission to strengthen the bonds among Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions. Chief spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir claimed that the PDP had worked for empowering Ladakh and creating the Hill Development Council for Kargil. When we talk of giving similar treatment to Pir Panjal and Chenab regions, why should a leader of the stature of Dr Singh smell a rat. In Ladakh, Pir Panjal and Chenab, the population is a mixed representation of people of different faiths. If imparting divisional status to Ladakh is not being considered as a move to break up the region, why should the same logic not apply to the Pir Panjal and Chenab region, said Mir. editorial@tribune.com Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, December 12 As heads of all 79 urban local bodies have been appointed after the completion of the poll process, the elected representatives have stepped up efforts to extend the 74th Amendment of the Constitution to J&K to make these bodies functional in the real sense. A meeting of the general house of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) will be held on December 15 to intensify the campaign to give adequate powers to the urban local bodies to make them purposeful, JMC Deputy Mayor Purnima Sharma told The Tribune. She said a resolution regarding the extension of the 74th Amendment of the Constitution in J&K will be unanimously passed in the meeting and forwarded to Governor Satya Pal Malik for implementation. Without the delegation of powers, the urban local bodies are useless. It is time to extend the 74th Amendment to J&K to make the civic bodies result-oriented, she said and added that without extending provisions of the Amendment, the autonomous character of the urban local bodies would never be maintained. Of the 37 urban local bodies in Jammu, the BJP has managed to win 32 by luring members of other parties and Independents. Now, the party is facing pressure from urban local body members to ensure the extension of the 74th Amendment in J&K during the Governors rule. The 74th Amendment, related to municipalities (urban local governments), was passed by Parliament in 1992 and it received the assent of the President on April 20, 1993. Except J&K, all states have implemented the Act to strengthen the urban local bodies. The elected representatives of urban local bodies have a reason to mount pressure to get adequate powers during the Governors rule because they believe that the political leadership in Jammu and Kashmir will never allow the strengthening of democratic institutions at the grass-roots level. Salient features of 74th Amendment editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, December 12 A Delhi court on Wednesday directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to hand over certain documents to Kashmiri separatist Asiya Andrabi, arrested in connection with a case of allegedly waging war against the country with support from Pakistan. Special Judge Rakesh Syal directed the agency to hand over the copy of the chargesheet and other documents filed along with it to Andrabi, chief of the banned outfit Dukhtaran-e-Millat, and two other accused. The chargesheet and the documents, which also include electronic copies of the accuseds speeches, videos and social media links, were handed over to the accused. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on January 17. In its chargesheet, the NIA had claimed that a probe revealed that the accused were running a concerted campaign to elicit support from the neighbouring country and accused them of being involved in conspiracy and acts to severely destabilise the sovereignty and integrity of India. Besides Andrabi, her associates Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen were also sent to judicial custody. The case was registered against the three women in April this year. Andrabi was in a prison in Srinagar after the Jammu and Kashmir High Court cancelled her bail last month. The NIA, on directions of the Union Home Ministry, registered a case against them as well as the organisation, which is banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, in April this year. According to the FIR, the Central government has received information that Andrabi and her associates namely Sofi and Nahidaare running a terrorist organisation named as Dukhtaran-e-Millat which is proscribed under the First Schedule to the UAPA. The agency also said in the FIR that Andrabi and her associates had allegedly spoken, written and also published visible representations that bring into hatred and contempt apart from exciting disaffection towards the Government of India. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, December 11 Alleging mass irregularities in the recently announced results of the KAS (Mains) exam by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), a large number of aggrieved candidates on Tuesday staged a protest and demanded a judicial probe into the matter. They assembled outside the main gate of Jammu University and raised slogans. They have been protesting since the KAS (Mains) results were announced by the commission on December 4. They alleged that the recent results were full of errors and scam because many deserving and meritorious candidates were ousted while undeserving ones were selected for interview. As per the recent statement by the chairman of the JKPSC, the commission has adopted digital checking. This methodology is full of errors and many deserving candidates, despite performing well, are not shortlisted, alleged a protester. How can the commission arbitrarily adopt digital checking even when the UPSC doesnt adopt a similar approach? he said. The aspirants said it had already been proven in high courts and the Supreme Court that there were high chances of error if the papers were digitally evaluated. Around 65,600 answersheets were evaluated via digital checking. The candidates have alleged that without any expertise, infrastructure and resources, the JKPSC claimed that its methodology of digital checking had no errors, said a protester. Identification of foreign PEPs can be a nightmare for financial institutions and other service providers. It is hard to do proper customer due diligence due to the lack of official lists of PEPs and publicly accessible reliable information about their assets. In contrast to UN lists of terrorists and OFAC sanctions lists, there is no single accessible database of foreign PEPs. To address these issues and to make it more difficult for Ukrainian PEPs to launder criminal proceeds through foreign banks, the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC), a Ukrainian NGO dedicated to combatting corruption, has created a free, publicly accessible database of Ukrainian PEPs. The database, which is available at www.pep.org.ua, is, as far as we are aware, the first public national database of politically exposed persons and AntAC has been contacting foreign banks to inform them about the website and encourage them to use it. Pep.org.ua currently contains 31,646 records of natural persons, including 12,825 who are PEPs by virtue of their prominent official positions and 18,821 immediate family members and close associates of PEPs. The database also contains information about 13,280 legal entities, including 3,753 state-owned enterprises and approximately 3,000 private companies beneficially owned by PEPs. All the information is available in Ukrainian and English, including all possible transliterations from Cyrillic to Latin alphabet. The key sources of information for the database are various public state registries and media records and, perhaps most importantly, a public register of electronic asset declarations of public officials in Ukraine. In 2016, Ukraine introduced a comprehensive e-declaration system which requires public officials to declare their income,assets, cash deposits and beneficial ownership in legal entities. In creating the PEP database, AntAC has translated the relevant information, and cross-checked it against other available databases. AntAC analysts also monitor, on a daily basis, journalistic investigative reports, official information from law enforcement agencies, court records about suspicious assets, and public information about the connections and activities of Ukrainian PEPs. If the reliability of this data can be confirmed, AntAC adds it to the database, with citations and links to the primary source material. All the relevant information is available in machine-readable format and can be easily incorporated into internal compliance systems. We hope that this model will be replicated in other countries, a development which would create greater transparency and make it harder for kleptocrats to hide their ill gotten gains. For more information, please contact AntAc. _____ Tetiana Shevchuk, pictured above, is Legal Counsel and Project Manager, of the Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Action Center. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Kulneet Suri The growing economy has catalysed the Indian retail sector to increase sales and revenue, thereby contributing to its tremendous growth and development in the recent decades. Retailing, as a dynamic industry, is becoming very popular in India, owing to its growth and career prospects. This industry has taken the country by storm and is anticipated to experience a steep growth in future as well. As a result, there is requirement for ample manpower in this fields diverse segments, which means, the career scope of retail management is wide and expanding. The field Retail management is all about organised retailing that involves coordinating the business activities and creating direct communication with the customer. It is not just limited to supermarkets and shopping malls, but includes, in a broader sense, everything related to retail operations and selling. The reason why retail management has gained popularity is that it is time-saving and centers its objectives and operations on the customer, helping them procure the merchandise and fulfill their needs satisfactorily. With the upsurge in the retail industry, new marketing strategies and diversified business operations are becoming essential to impress customers. To make the process simpler and easier, the role of retail managers is all-important. Today, retail management has become a fast growing career with attractive opportunities and pay scale. The emerging retail market demands management professionals to have the acumen to understand the gimmicks of the sector and perform diverse business operations accordingly. As a result, management education in this retail specialisation is gradually gaining popularity among aspiring management graduates. The retailing industry comprises diverse sectors which include supervisory, client communication, merchandise shipment, sales, management and administrative services. Candidates learning retail management can start their career in any of these fields and take on the job roles such as those of a Retail Manager, Store Manager, Merchandiser Analyst, Supply Chain Manager/Distributor, Marketing Executive, Warehouse In-charge Manager, Customer Care Executives, Department Manager, etc. Where are the vacancies Currently, the retail industry requires trained manpower in great numbers to handle the retail stores, wholesale businesses, cash and carry facilities, and hypermarkets. Candidates with a diploma, bachelors, masters, and doctoral programmes in Retail Management, Marketing, and Sales are given preference in the field as they can efficiently handle the areas such as retail and wholesale sales, product planning, marketing management, market research, small business management, promotion, and distribution. Job opportunities are a plenty for the retail management graduates. In fact, the sector offers more than 2 million job opportunities across the globe. The pay scales are also good, depending on the responsibilities and experience of a candidate. On an average, a fresher in retail management can earn between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 4 lakh per annum. Courses on offer To enable the aspirants make the most of this emerging field, educational institutes in India are now offering retail management courses and specialisations at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Retail education aims to produce smart professionals of international caliber, who are equipped with the skills and knowledge of the best practices followed in the industry. It is important for students improve their employability skills in the field. The writer is Senior Director, IMS, Noida rajivbhatia82@gmail.com New Delhi, December 12 Over 15,700 Indian websites were reported hacked this year up to November, Parliament was informed Wednesday. "As per information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), 33,147, 30,067 and 15,779 Indian websites were hacked during the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 (up to November) respectively," Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. He added that the government has taken following measures to enhance the cyber security and prevent cyber attacks in the country. The minister said Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issues alerts and advisories regarding latest cyber threats and countermeasures on a regular basis and cyber security exercises are conducted regularly to enable assessment of cyber security posture and preparedness of organisations in government and critical sectors. Besides, the government has also formulated a Crisis Management Plan for countering cyber attacks and cyber terrorism for implementation by all ministries/departments of central government, state governments and their organisations and critical sectors, he added. In response to another question, Minister of State for Electronics and IT SS Ahluwalia said a total of 9622, 11592 and 12,317 cyber crime cases were registered during the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively, as per the data maintained by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). "This includes cases registered under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and related sections of Indian Penal Code and Special & Local Laws involving computer as medium/target," he added. Ahluwalia said according to CERT-In data, a total of 3, 14 and 6 financial fraud incidents affecting ATMs, cards, Point of sale (PoS) systems and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) were reported during 2016, 2017 and 2018 (upto November) respectively. "Further, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has registered a total of 1,191, 1,372, 2,059 and 921 cases of frauds involving ATM/Debit Cards, credit cards and Internet Banking frauds reported (amount involved Rs 1 lakh and above) during the year 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 (up to September 30, 2018) respectively," Ahluwalia said. - PTI editorial@tribune.com Bijendra Ahlawat Tribune News Service Palwal, December 12 The police have arrested a youth of Gulabad village, identified as Nikhil, for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, a class IX student, whom he allegedly abducted outside her house on the night intervening December 10 and 11. The accused reportedly warned the girl to come out or face dire consequences. Intimidated, she did so. The accused took her to a house nearby and sexually assaulted her. Kamla Rani, SHO Mahila Police Station said a probe was on. The police have filed a case under the POCSO Act and Sections 363 (kidnapping) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC against the accused, who is in judicial custody, she said. This is is the third such case in a week. Earlier on December 6, a teenager, who too was a student, was abducted and raped near Kashipur village on December 6. The victim was on her way to school when two youths Sumit and Gaurav offered her a lift in their car. She was driven to an isolated place and raped by Sumit. The accused are yet to be arrested. On December 7, a four-year-old girl playing outside her house was taken away to a house in the neighborhood and molested. The accused, identified as Manoj of Rampur Khor village, was nabbed and sent to judicial custody. The Palwal SP was not available for comment. Haryana DGP BS Sandhu said he had instructed prompt action in cases where the rape victim was a minor and the submission of challan in court within a month. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Suhail A Shah Anantnag, December 11 Four policemen were killed in a militant attack on a security post in south Kashmirs Shopian district, 50 km from Srinagar city, today. Militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack. The policemen were deputed at a security post outside a minority community neighbourhood in Zainapora area of Shopian, a volatile district with a significant presence of militants. The militants took away service rifles of the slain cops. The slain policemen have been identified as Constables Mehrajuddin Ahmad of Hajin (Bandipora), Abdul Majid of Shalbugh (Ganderbal), Anees Ahmad of Kulgam and Hamidullah of Fatehpora (Anantnag). A senior police officer said the militants opened indiscriminate fire at on-duty policemen, giving them little time to retaliate. Four policemen posted at the picket were injured seriously. They were shifted to the nearby Sub-District Hospital where three of them were declared brought dead, the official said. The fourth policeman was shifted to a Srinagar hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The picket is located in the vicinity of the local police station, besides Army and CRPF camps. A manhunt was launched by the police and Army to nab the militants. A police official said the militants were led by former Special Police Officer Adil Bashir, who deserted in October. In a separate incident, a 45-year-old man who was abducted a month ago from outside his home in Laroo village of Kulgam district was today found dead and buried at an orchard in the district. The body of Sheeraz Ahmad Bhat was retrieved from an orchard at Ahtoo village. Bhat owned the house where a gunfight between militants and security forces had taken place on October 21. Three JeM militants were killed and seven civilians had lost their lives in an accidental blast following the encounter. An official said several persons were arrested in connection with the case and the body was located on the basis of information given by them. editorial@tribune.com Raipur, December 11 The Congress forming the next government in Chhattisgarh became a mere formality Tuesday as Chief Minister Raman Singh of BJP resigned, after his partys disappointing performance in the state Assembly polls. The BJP's longest-serving CM, who held the office for 15 years, said the party was ready to sit in Opposition and play a constructive role. I have submitted my resignation to Chhattisgarh Governor, Raman Singh told reporters. He said he accepts responsibility for BJPs poll performance in Chhattisgarh, adding we (party) will sit and introspect. He refused to pass the buck on the BJPs national leadership over the setback after 15 years of the partys 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. PTI Befitting reply to corrupt BJP: Cong Chhattisgarh Congress unit chief Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said people have given a befitting reply to the ruling party, which indulged in corruption during its 15 year of rule. BJP has only cheated the people of the state during its three-term rule. It was neck-deep in corruption and 'commissionkhori'. People have given them a befitting reply," he added. Baghel is seen as one of the contenders for the CMs post along with T S Singhdeo, said it was for the high command to decide who would be chief minister. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Naveen S Garewal Tribune News Service Hyderabad, December 11 After winning the Telangana Assembly poll with two-thirds majority, Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) today announced the formation of a new national party with a consortium of regional outfits a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front. Within the next 10 days, I will go to Delhi and announce the birth of a new national party. I have been in talks with many leaders, some of whom are at my residence as we talk to take this further, he said. Asked if he would continue to be the Chief Minister or hand over reins, he said, I have not thought about it. Making it clear that he would be actively participating in national politics, he said, There is a need for surgery; small injection will not set the plight of Indian economy and agriculture right. Telangana has shown the way. There is a need to replicate it. Asked if it was not too late to float a front just six months before the General Election, KCR said, I have been working on it for a long time. The party we will float will have the participation of the people as direct stakeholders. The Constitution needs to be amended to make it practical. The concurrent list must go and the role of the Centre and the states must be clearly defined. uttara@tribuneindia.com Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 12 After a night of nail-biting suspense, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conceded defeat to the Congress and resigned from the position on Wednesdaybringing his three-term rule to an end. Chouhans Bharatiya Janata Party missed the halfway mark by a whiskerthey got 109 seats against Congress partys 114. Even until Wednesday morning, Chouhan was holding on to the hope of being able to stitch up an alliance to form a government in the state. This assembly election has been one of the most exciting ones seen in recent times, with counting continuing late into the night and into the small hours of Wednesday. Chouhans development came within minutes of Dalit leader Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party announcing that she would support a Congress government to keep the BJP out of power. Even in the defeat, however, Chouhan went down fighting, emerging as formidable leader, even a serious contender to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's supremacy in the party. A Congress led by Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh met Governor Anandiben Patel on Wednesday afternoon. editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, December 12 The BJP may have lost three key states to the Congress, but its vote share has not shifted entirely to the grand old party as some other players have reaped the gains. Another key aspect is that while comparing the vote share of the recent state polls with 2014 General Election, the BJPs loss is bigger, as it had virtually swept all the three states by winning 62 of the 65 Lok Sabha seats. Interestingly in MP, BJPs vote share is higher than that of Congress, whereas in Rajasthan it is just marginally less. In Telangana and Mizoram, it is the regional parties that have gained. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress got 43% votes in this election, up from 40.3% in 2013 and 38.37% in 2014. The BJPs share dipped from 41% in 2013 to 33% now. In 2014, it got 49% votes. While the BSP got 4.3% in 2013, its alliance with ex-CM Ajit Jogis party has now got 11.5%. Independents improved their performance from 5.3% to 5.9%. Similar trend was visible in Rajasthan where BJPs votes have taken a dip from 45.2% in 2013 to 38.8% now. It was at nearly 55% in 2014 when the party won all 25 Lok Sabha seats from the state. The Congress has improved its vote share from 33.1% in 2013 to 39.3% in 2018. It had managed to get nearly 30% despite losing all seats in 2014. Independents have improved their tally from 8.2% to 9.5%. The vote share situation is most interesting in MP where the Congress improved from 36.4% in 2013 to 40.9% in 2018, while that of the BJP has come down from 44.9% to 41%. The Congress has a lower vote share here than the BJP, but it beat the saffron party in the number of seats won (114 against 109). The BSPs share has fallen to 5% while that of Independents has marginally risen to 5.8%. In Telangana, the TRS has seen a rise in vote share from nearly 34% last time to about 46.9%. The Congress has also improved from 25.2% to 28.4%, though its newly-found ally TDP, which was earlier with BJP, has taken a beating. BJPs vote share is almost static at about 7%. Mizoram is the only state where Congress share has come down from nearly 45% in 2013 to just above 30%, while BJPs has risen from 0.4% to 8%. The winner MNF has improved from 28.8% to 37.6%. PTI 5-STATE VERDICT Hectic parleys in Cong to elect 3 CMs while BJP ponders over what went wrong People chose Cong with heavy heart Apne dil par patthar rakhkar people voted for Cong after seeing it as main contender for power... Cong ignored Ambedkars path, thus Dalits floated own parties... Even BJP flourished due to Congs wrong policies. Mayawati, Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo Waive farm loans within 10 days Rahul Gandhi has promised to waive farmers loans within 10 days of coming to power or hell change CM. He must fulfil his promise Now it is our responsibility to play role of chowkidar. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, outgoing MP Chief Minister Reveal caste of other gods too Caste of only some Gods has been revealed. It will be good if he (Yogi) tells caste of all of them. I will also pray to the God of my caste... The SP always stood against communal forces. Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party President Results busted Modi magic theory The election results in five states destroyed the untenable theory of the Narendra Modi magic and will propel the Opposition parties to bond better for the next Lok Sabha polls. Yashwant Sinha, disgruntled BJP leader GAME-CHANGERS Chhattisgarh LoP wins, breaks jinx Raipur: When Congress leader TS Singh Deo won Ambikapur Assembly seat in Chhattisgarh, he not only comfortably retained the seat, but also broke a jinx in the process. He broke the jinx that sitting Leader of Opposition does not get re-elected to the Chhattisgarh Assembly. He defeated BJP's Anurag Singh Deo by 39,624 votes. In the past, three LoPs had failed to get re-elected. PTI 10 Rsthan seats see below-1,000 margin Jaipur: The electoral battle in Rajasthan, where the Congress-led alliance got a slender majority, saw at least 10 close contests with winning margins of less than 1,000 votes, with the narrowest winning margin being of only 154 votes in Asind seat. Also, at least 15 constituencies polled more NOTA (none of the above) votes than the victory margin of the winning candidates. IANS Within hours, AIFB MLA defects to TRS Hyderabad: Within 24 hours of his election, the lone legislator of All India Forward Block (AIFB), K Chandar Patel, announced he was switching loyalties to Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). Chandar, elected from Ramagundam, on Wednesday met TRS chief and CM K Chandrashekar Raos son KT Rama Rao and expressed his willingness to join the party. Chandar defeated S. Satyanarayana of TRS by over 26,000 votes. IANS Cong pokes Mamata: Why silent on win Kolkata: After its good show in the Assembly elections, the Congress on Wednesday asked if Trinamool leaders were having "sleepless nights" fearing their dream of Mamata Banerjee becoming the PM may not be fulfilled. At a rally in Kolkata, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi questioned why Mamata Banerjee had not given credit to Rahul Gandhi for the massive victory. PTI Congs seven of 15 Muslims win Jaipur: Seven out of 15 Muslim candidates fielded by the Congress won in Rajasthan. In 2013, not a single Muslim candidate from Congress had won. Amin Kagzi won from Kishanpole seat, Rafiq Khan from Adarsh Nagar, Zahida Khan from Kaman, Danish Abrar from Swai Madhopur, Shaleh Mohammad from Pokaran, Amin Khan from Sheo and Hakam Ali Khan from Fatehpur. PTI vermaajay1968@gmail.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, December 11 The BSP and Samajwadi Party, that had kept away from the 21-party Opposition meeting in Delhi a day prior to counting, are now likely to join the grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Significantly, the BSP has announced not to support the BJP. Mayawati has already summoned her winning MLAs to Delhi. In the past, there have been instances of BSP MLAs crossing over to the ruling party. But more than keeping her flock together, she is likely to drive a hard bargain for UP in lieu of her partys support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and to a Congress-led grand alliance at the national level. Congress Kamal Nath, it is learnt, has already contacted Mayawati for support in MP. The Samajwadi Party too has announced its support for the Congress in MP. The SP in alliance with the Gondwana Ganatantra Party has won one seat in Chhattisgarh. The Mayawati-led party has not performed as per expectations. But it has more or less retained its voter share of an average 4 per cent in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and cornered 2 per cent votes in Telangana. A few days ago, both the BSP and SP had spurned the Congress, calling it arrogant. SP president Akhilesh Yadav had declared that if needed, he would remove the hand (Congress symbol) off the cycle (SP symbol) handle. For the BSP, the Congress success in Chhattisgarh comes as a setback of sorts. Mayawati had announced to form the next government by crossing the halfway mark along with her new-found ally Ajit Jogis Janata Congress Chhattisgarh. A senior BSP MLA admitted that the party had overestimated its potential. The poll outcome is a lesson for the SP too that it must now follow the BSP blindly. A senior party leader remarked: Akhilesh, who enjoyed a good rapport with the Congress president, seems to have acted in haste. If we want to keep the BJP at bay, we have no choice but to support the Congress. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 11 The Congress today clawed back to remain in political contention nationally as it put spokes in BJPs seemingly unbeatable election machine by wresting power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, and staking claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh. MP Congress chief Kamal Nath wrote to Governor Anandiben Patel late at night, claiming it has the support of Independent candidates. The Governor asked them to wait till declaration of the final results. EDIT: The congress tail is up The amplification of electoral successes in the Hindi heartland states for the Congress was lowered in Telangana, where K Chandrasekhar Rao punctured the grand plans of the Mahakutami to dethrone the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), while the Mizo National Front knocked off the decade-old Lal Thanhawla regime in Mizoram, the last Congress-ruled state in the North-East. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the BJP campaign, said, We accept the mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve. The BJP governments worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people. Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Todays results will further our resolve to serve people. The resounding defeat handed to the BJP in Chhattisgarh by the Congress notwithstanding, the saffron party salvaged some pride with Shivraj Singh Chauhan making a determined push-back in MP and in Rajasthan, the end result was far more respectable for Vasundhara Raje than pollsters predicted. By winning 99 seats, the Congress is just one short of clear majority in the 200-strong Assembly with voting for one seat countermanded. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress was headed for an absolute majority in the 90-member House with Chief Minister Raman Singh conceding defeat just as Raje did in Rajasthan. Contrary to the experience of the EVMs spewing results at a fast clip, this time the declaration of results was slow. That could partly be attributed to sampling of tally through paper slips, as also close contests in MP, where the margin of vote share was close to 0.1 per cent between the BJP and Congress. On his part, Rahul Gandhi, who completed a year as Congress president today, was mellowed in accepting the verdict of defeating the BJP in the Hindi-speaking states, as also the losses in Telangana and Mizoram. While interpreting that the electorate spoke against PM Modi for his inability to deliver on promises especially to the youth and farmers of the country, Rahul Gandhi sought to be more accommodative in the hour of triumph. The Congress chief said the BJP would find it difficult to retain power in 2019, while stating that unlike the BJP leadership, the Congress did not believe in a political philosophy of getting rid of others, an obvious reference to the Modi-Shah promise of a Congress-mukt Bharat. Mr Modi taught me arrogance is fatal "The absolute best thing for me was the 2014 loss. I learnt humility and that what people feel and say is most important... I see what not to do. Mr Modi has taught me this. He had a great opportunity to transform the country but refused to listen to the people. Certain amount of arrogance crept in. Thats fatal for a politician." Rahul Gandhi, Cong president Opportunity to pause, analyse: Jaitley "I think the result was certainly not as expected and its an opportunity to pause and analyse. In both Chhattisgarh and MP we were in power for 15 years and we have done well. I dont think there was anti-incumbency but fatigue factor does come in." Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister Take moral responsibility: Raman Singh "I got the credit for BJPs (three) successive wins in Chhattisgarh and as this election was fought on my name, I take moral responsibility for the defeat " Raman Singh, CM for 15 years editorial@tribune.com Aditi TandonTribune News Service New Delhi, December 11 The Congress made inroads in the Hindi heartland sweeping Chhattisgarh, surging ahead of the ruling BJP in Rajasthan and giving a tough fight in Madhya Pradesh clearly signalling its revival ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Although the party plummeted in Mizoram and Telangana, where it had hoped to counter the TRS in alliance with the TDP, its losses in these two states were more than compensated by the gains in the cow belt a BJP stronghold with deep RSS penetration and Hindutva resonance. Congress president Rahul Gandhi claimed victory in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, saying his party had won because the people believed Prime Minister Narendra Modi was corrupt. The Gandhi scion, who was elected AICC president this day (December 11) a year ago, credited the wins to party workers and called BJPs 2019 Lok Sabha win an impossibility. Addressing a conference at the AICC headquarters, where he was flanked by leaders Ahmed Patel, Randeep Surjewala, Anand Sharma and Navjot Sidhu, he said: I think with a resurgent Congress and united Opposition, it will become very difficult for the PM to win 2019. The message is clear. The country is not happy with demonetisation, GST and lack of jobs. Our ideology will defeat the BJP in 2019. He spoke of drafting a new vision for the 21st century India, a vision rooted in solutions for joblessness, agrarian distress, corruption and economic mismanagement of the BJP. Hopeful of building a larger anti-BJP coalition, he said the BSP and the SP, that had skipped the Opposition meeting on Monday, would eventually come on board as their ideology was anti-BJP. The Congress chief attributed failed alliances with the BSP and SP in Chhattisgarh and MP to issues of seat-sharing but said talks with these parties would continue. AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot and Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh credited the party's electoral success to the Congress president and his campaign which, they said, had left PM Modi speechless. The results are being seen as precursor to the 2019 Lok Sabha trends. TMC chief and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee tweeted, Semifinal proves the 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 congratulations to the winners (sic). Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh together send 65 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The BJP currently has 59 of these 65 MPs. The Congress hopes to make substantial gains next year. The Assembly results will further cement Rahuls hold on the party organisation and as head of a potential anti-BJP alliance. Insiders spoke with admiration about Rahul's gamble of fighting the elections in the three states without a CM face paying off. His acceptability in the Opposition camp will get a boost,observed a party veteran, reading the results in the cow belt as a stemming of the Congress electoral decline that began in 2013 with these state. However, history is replete with examples of why the Congress must not read too much into todays outcome. The late BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee could not lead the BJP to victory in the 2004 polls despite the partys victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and MP before that. Opposition leaders, seeing the results as a referendum on PM Modi, said the Congress needed to build a credible counter-narrative to stay in the 2019 game, which must go beyond Modi-bashing. Rahul seems to realise this urgency. Other than attacking the current dispensation for failing to give India a vision, the Congress will work on a new vision for India. We gave a vision in 1991 and also with the Green Revolution. We will give it again (sic), he said in his victory speech. On the downside, the Congress lost its last citadel in the Northeast where the MNF made a clean sweep. The BJP now has a sway in the NE states which together account for 24 Lok Sabha seats. Gandhi to decide CM Jaipur: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will meet here at 11 am on Wednesday to reach a consensus on the CLP leader. AICC general secretary Avinash Pandey, however, said the final decision would be taken by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Raje resigns Jaipur: Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday night tendered her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh at Raj Bhawan. Respecting the public mandate in the Assembly polls, I resign from the Chief Ministers post, she wrote. Accepting the resignation, the Governor asked her to continue till the new government is formed. OC Will fulfil loan waiver promise "We will start process to waive farm loans... waiver a supporting step but no solution. We will give farmers support, infrastructure, technology. Its challenging but it will happen" Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Arrogance cost BJP dear "Kahin khushi kahin gham Didnt I warn you about the writing on the wall. And that truth shall prevail. Hard hitting... and well deserving. Truth has prevailed at last " Shatrughan Sinha, BJP MP from Patna Sahib Public can tell jumlas now "Public knows everything... is now wise enough to discern the jumlas. MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan... Only Lord Rama knows and the public knows what lay in store. Lalu Prasad, RJD national president Power of bigwigs gone "Jab ek aur ek milkar bante hai 11, tab badey bado ki satta ho jaati hai nau do gyaarah (when one and all come together, the power of the bigwigs eventually fade away." Akhilesh Yadav, SP president People are man of the match "The BJP is nowhere in the semifinal ahead of the final match in 2019. People are always the man of the match in a democracy. This is victory against injustice." Mamata banerjee, West Bengal CM Nation made arrogance-free "The intentions of making India Congress-free, Opposition-free show the arrogance of BJP The people have made this nation arrogance-free by voting out BJP." HD Deve Gowda, former Prime Minister PROMINENT WINNERS Ajit Jogi JCC (J) (Votes: 74,041) Marwahi Akbaruddin Owaisi AIMIM (Votes: 95,339) Chandrayangutta KTR Rao (TRS) TRS (Votes: 1,25,213) Sircilla Lal Chand Kataria Congress (Votes: 1,27,185) Jhotwara YASHODHARA RAJE SCINDIA BJP (Votes: 84,570) Shivpuri PROMINENT LOSERS Manvendra Singh Congress (Votes: 81,504) Jhalarapatan Yoonus Khan BJP (Votes: 54,861) Tonk Girija Vyas Congress (Votes: 65,353) Udaipur Lal Thanhawla Congress (Votes: 5,071) Serchhip GHANSHYAM TIWARI BVP (Votes: 17,371) Sanganer 13 of 19 Raje ministers lose Jaipur: As many as 13 of 19 ministers in the outgoing Vasundhara Raje government lost the Assembly elections in Rajasthan. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her five Cabinet colleagues have won their respective constituencies. A key face among them was Transport Minister Yoonus Khan, who lost the Muslim-dominated seat of Tonk to PCC chief Sachin Pilot. Khan was the only Muslim candidate fielded by the BJP in the state. PHED Minister Surendra Goyal (Jaitaran) and Devsthan Minister Rajkumar Rinwa (Ratangarh) had turned rebel after the BJP denied them ticket and they contested the elections as Independents. Both have lost their respective seats. OC Rsthan minister wins 8th time Jaipur: Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria won the assembly elections for the eighth term. Kataria, 74, defeated Congress's Girija Vyas by 9,307 votes in the Udaipur Assembly seat. He has held various political portfolios under BJP governments and also served as party state president. PTI 13 women elected to Cgarh House Raipur: 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. Of the 13, the Congress leads with nine women MLAs while the BJP has one. This figure was six for the BJP and four for the Congress in the 2013 polls, the official said. Renu Jogi, wife of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, who was with Congress in 2013, also won her Assembly seat. PTI Rahuls stature has risen: RJD Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Tuesday described the poll results as a mandate against the policies of the Modi government. "The victory has raised AICC president Rahul Gandhi's stature as a leader. The Mahagathbandhan too will benefit from it in the Lok Sabha elections", the party claimed. Its national vice-president Shivanand Tiwari said: All secular forces want to defeat the BJP. Being a bigger party, the Congress role will certainly be bigger than that of regional parties. TNS NOTA gets more votes than AAP New Delhi: The NOTA (none of the above) option appeared to have outperformed several parties, including AAP and Samajwadi Party, in the five states. As per the EC, the NOTA votes ranged as high as 2.1% in Chhattisgarh to 0.5% in Mizoram. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which contested 85 of 90 seats in Chhattisgarh, got 0.9% of votes, while NOTA votes were 2.1%. In MP, NOTA votes were 1.5%. The SP got 1% while AAP got 0.7%. The NOTA votes in Rajasthan elections were 1.3%. The CPM and SP got 1.3% and 0.2%. In fix over wont shave pledge Hyderabad: The wait of Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who vowed not to shave his beard till Congress comes to power in the state, just got longer with the party-led alliance slumping to a heavy defeat in the Assembly elections. Reddy, a former Indian Air Force pilot who always looked clean-shaved, won from Huzurnagar constituency by over 8,200 votes. I will maintain beard till Congress comes to power in Telangana, he had said in 2016 after becoming Telangana Congress chief. 4 Cong rebels win in Rsthan Jaipur: Four rebel Congress candidates who won as Independent in Rajasthan may help the party form the next government in the state. Former Food and Civil Supplies Minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, Babu Lal Nagar (Dudu), Raj Kumar Gaur (Ganganagar), Sanyam Lodha (Sirohi) and Alok Beniwal (Shahpura) are the Congress rebels who have won. The Congress rebels will be supporting the party, a senior party leader said. rchopra@tribunemail.com Bhopal/Raipur, December 12 Newly-elected Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday asked Rahul Gandhi to nominate the new legislature party leader, while party legislators in Rajasthan said the party president will decide on the chief ministerial choice tomorrow. At a meeting in Bhopal in the evening, the MP Congress MLAs unanimously passed a resolution authorising Gandhi to name the CLP leader. "The resolution was moved by senior MLA Arif Aqueel and seconded by other MLAs. They passed it unanimously, authorising the Congress president to nominate the legislature party leader," state Congress media cell chairperson, Shobha Oza told reporters. The meeting lasted for about two hours, she said. Senior Congress leaders A K Antony and Bhanwar Jitendra Singh attended the meeting as the central observers. Oza said Gandhi will be conveyed the decision of the newly-elected MLAs, after which he will name the CLP leader. The observers are also talking to the MLAs to seek their views, she said. All the four independent MLAs, elected in the November 28 poll, were also present in the meeting, she said. The Congress Wednesday emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 114 seats, two short of a simple majority of 116 in 230-member house and claimed that it has the support of 121 members. BSP supremo Mayawati Wednesday morning extended support of her party to the Congress. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhhan Wednesday tendered his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel, who met a Congress delegation here at noon after the party leaders wrote to her last night, seeking a chance to form the new government in the central Indian state. Meanwhile, as a Congress delegation headed for Raj Bhawan to stake claim to form government in Rajasthan, party MLA Parsadi Lal Meena said Rahul Gandhi will decide on Rajasthan CM tomorrow. The Congress was also poised to form governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energising opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before the general election next year. Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chhattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the partys good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJPs negative politics. It was a Congress victory over the BJPs negative politics, she said. In Rajasthan, the contenders for the chief ministers post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against the BJP and are willing to support us, Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislature Party meeting. Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the partys newly elected MLAs would debate the question, and the party president would take a decision after that. AICC general secretary Avinash Pande and party observer KC Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesdays vote count, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats--the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won six. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI (M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got six, according to the state Election Commission. In Chhattisgarh, the contenders for the CM post are Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader TS Singhdeo. The Congress victory in Chhattisgarh ended the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led BJP government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. In Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Assembly election results marked the beginning of a change and a rejection of the BJP-led governments policies. Pawar, who turned 78 on Wednesday, said his party would support the Congress and also suggested that the SP and the BSP throw their weight behind the Congress. Referring to the constant criticism of Rahul Gandhi by the BJP, the former Union minister said people did not like the Congress president being ridiculed. People have expressed disappointment against the Modi government...the Assembly poll results mark the beginning of a change...people rejected the anti-farmers, anti-traders policies of Modi, Pawar told reporters. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said people had brought those flying in the air back to the ground. In an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the party alleged that the country was being run according to the whims of four-five businessmen, and this was breaking important institutions like the Reserve Bank of India. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Yash Goyal Jaipur, December 12 After a daylong exercise and taking opinions of elected MLAs at PCC headquarters here, the Congress on Wednesday staked a claim to form government in Rajasthan. A Congress delegation led by Avinash Pandey, AICC general secretary and incharge, an observer K K Venugopal, PCC president Sachin Pilot and former CM Ashok Gehlot met Governor Kalyan Singh and submitted a letter to this effect. We will go and meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi tomorrow in Delhi where the President will decide the name of Chief Minister, Pandey told media after coming out of Raj Bhawan. Earlier in the day, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) which held meeting under the chairmanship Pandey, Venugopal made a single line resolution authorising Gandhi to take a final decision, the party sources said. The resolution has been communicated to the party high command, they said, adding the observer and incharge have conveyed the opinion and views of newly elected MLAs. CLP members also had one to one conversation and expressing their views to the AICC team in a closed door. The Congress has emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan winning 99 seats, and one of its alliance partner Subhash Garg of RLD who won from Bharatpur seat. BJP has shrunk to 73. BSP which has three MLAs in previous assembly is just doubled to six, CPI-M made fresh entry with two MLAs, Independents 13 and others 6. rchopra@tribunemail.com Raipur, December 12 The Congress in Chhattisgarh will hold its legislature party meeting here on Wednesday to decide on the next chief minister of the state. Congresss Lok Sabha member Tamradhwaj Sahu, who successfully contested the Assembly election from Durg Rural seat, state party chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader TS Singhdeo are front-runners for the top post. The Congress registered a landslide victory in the Chhattisgarh polls, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led BJP government. It won 68 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while the BJP got only 15. The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committees observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state PL Punia and other senior leaders will be present there, state party units general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. The Chief Minister is likely to be announced after the meeting. Former chief minister Ajit Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) won five seats and his ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two seats. A party needs to win 46 seats to form government in the state. The Congress got 43 per cent of the total votes polled in the state, while the BJP got 33 per cent. PTI editorial@tribune.com Aizawl, December 11 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 elections. Zoramthanga has been the Chief Minister of Mizoram twice. He was a former underground leader and a close aide of legendary MNF leader Laldenga. Seventy-four-year-old Zoramthanga joined the underground MNF while waiting for his Bachelors degree in arts at DM 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 in English (honours) while in the jungles with his MNF comrades. He was appointed secretary to MNF president Laldenga in 1969 and was appointed vice-president of the Mizoram government-in-exile in 1979 as well as vice-president of the MNF. 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 signing of peace accord on June 30, 1986, between the MNF and the Centre, he was inducted as a minister in the interim government headed by Laldenga for six months. A group of Independent candidates under the MNF contested for the first time in 1987, when 24 of them, including Zoramthanga, won. Zoramthanga led the MNF to victory in 1998 and formed the government with 21 MLAs. He retained power in 2003. PTI uttara@tribuneindia.com New Delhi, December 12 The Supreme Court Wednesday asked a former apex court judge who chaired a committee monitoring the probe into the Gujarat encounter cases whether he had shared his final report with other members of the panel. Former apex court judge Justice HS Bedi was appointed chairman of the monitoring committee probing encounter cases from 2002 to 2006 in Gujarat by the Supreme Court. The monitoring committee had submitted its report to the court in a sealed cover in February this year. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph was hearing a plea to make the report public. The Gujarat Government has objected to putting it in public domain, contending that it was not clear whether the views expressed in the final report were unilateral of Justice Bedi or he had shared it with other members of the monitoring committee. The Bench asked Justice Bedi to give his view on the questions raised to the apex court expeditiously. "Let the chairman confirm to us whether he had shared the final report with other members of the monitoring committee," the bench said. The top court was hearing two PILs on the matter which were filed in 2007 by veteran journalist BG Verghese and poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar, seeking a direction for a probe by an independent agency or the CBI so that the "truth may come out". Verghese passed away on December 30, 2014. PTI editorial@tribune.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, December 12 The stature of Hindutva poster boy Yogi Adityanath, the much sought after star campaigner for the saffron party in four of the five states, has taken a drubbing along with the BJP in the recently concluded Assembly polls. Adityanath is reported to have addressed 74 election meetings, the maximum 26 in Rajasthan, followed by 23 in Chhattisgarh, 17 in Madhya Pradesh and eight in Telangana. Collectively, he addressed more meetings than Prime Minister Narendra Modi or BJP national president Amit Shah. As a strategy, the BJP was using this rabble-rousing saffron clad Yogi to polarise votes in the three cow-belt states and in Telangana. Yogi is also considered important as he heads the powerful Nath sect of ascetics. True to his reputation, Yogi did not miss a chance to stoke row. His Ali versus Bajrangbali, declaring Hanuman a Dalit, renaming Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar, Owaisi will have to leave the country and others were aimed at strengthening a divisive narrative. However, several of his jibes boomeranged during the campaign itself. Owaisi hit back and wanted to know who dared to throw him out, perhaps winning more sympathy than votes for the BJP. Similarly, Hanuman is a Dalit statement consolidated the aggrieved Dalits. Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad gave a call to Dalits to reclaim Hanuman temples now that Yogi had certified Hanuman to be Dalit. Several Dalit bodies across UP and even in Delhi laid a symbolic claim to several Hanuman temples in Delhi, Agra and Muzaffarnagar. Last week in Varanasi, supporters of Shivpal Singh Yadavs Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) laid siege to the district magistrates office demanding a caste certificate for Lord Hanuman. PM jumlebaaz vs Brand Yogi posters appear Lucknow: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's most-conclusive defeat, hoardings appeared in Lucknow dismissing him as 'jumlebaaz' and demanding "Yogi lao-desh bachao" (bring Yogi to save the nation). Embarrassed at the hoardings appearing near the CMs residence as well as the busiest crossing of Hazratganj, officials lodged a police complaint against head of Navnirman Sena Amit Jani, who had put up the posters. The hoarding read "Jumlebaazi ka naam Modi" versus "Hindutva ka brand Yogi". editorial@tribune.com Yangon, December 12 President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday addressed the Indian community in Myanmar and invited them to invest in India, saying the country is full of opportunities for business, social enterprise and cultural links. Kovind, who is in Myanmar to continue Indias high level bilateral engagements under the rubric of the Act East and the Neighbourhood First policies, said that India is on the cusp of a transformative change. I bring you good wishes of 1.3 billion citizens of friends and families in India, he said while speaking at the Indian community reception here. Myanmar has embarked on an exciting but challenging journey, he said. I am here to reassure Myanmar that India is always ready to help it fulfil its aspirations for a brighter future. India and Myanmar must pair hard infrastructure being created with soft infrastructure of legal arrangements, like a motor vehicle agreement, for people to travel legally and easily. This will help realise the full potential of our projects, Kovind said. He said today, India is full of opportunities for business, social enterprise and cultural links. I invite each one of you to join us in this journey, and to make this partnership more meaningful, the President said. Our Northeast and Myanmar's North West share strong commonalities of culture, language and traditions. These regions are central to our bilateral vision for growth, prosperity and security. This is my first visit to Myanmar. It is both a pilgrimage and a homecoming. This country has a proud, millennia-old tradition of Buddhist thought and philosophy. It is home to one of the leading schools of Buddhism, Kovind said. Myanmar, like India, is an enormously diverse country, with different ethnicities and faiths co-existing. The two countries shared civilisational ethos shows that all faiths share fundamental truths, which guide all, he said. PTI Pays tribute to martyrs at mausoleum in Myanmar editorial@tribune.com Naveen S Garewal Tribune News Service Hyderabad, December 11 The gamble to go in for early Assembly poll has returned K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) back to power with a thumping majority winning 88 of the 119 seats in the Telangana Assembly. By securing whooping 73.1 per cent votes for a second term, the TRS has created history. The Congress-led Praja Kutami (grand alliance Praja means people, Kutami front) is a distant second with only 21 seats (Congress 19 and Telugu Desam Party two). Despite deploying a galaxy of star campaigners in the state, the BJP could win only one seat. This is being seen as a vote of approval for KCR and his style of functioning, negating criticism by the Opposition that called him autocratic, arrogant and corrupt. Just as the news of his coming to the Telangana Bhawan spread, thousands of party supporters burst into jubilation by throwing holi colours and bursting crackers. The people have accepted and approved my style of functioning. It is not important where is I sit and work, more important is what I do for the people and the election results has proved that the people like my style of functioning that is delivery-oriented, KCR said. I am sad that some of my Cabinet colleagues, including Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary, have lost. The Cabinet will be based on representations of various casts and communities, but I have not applied my mind to it yet. A meeting of TRS legislature party has been summoned for tomorrow, where all this will be discussed, he said. KCR won the Gajwel seat by a margin of 57,321 votes. He polled 1,23,996 votes, while his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy got 66,675 votes. K Kavitha, Nizamabad MP and daughter of KCR who was the campaign in charge for the party along with her brother KTR, said, There is just one factor behind the victory of the TRS and that is peoples faith in the working of KCR. He knows the state like the back of his hand and has worked very hard to look after the welfare of each and every community. Congress said it suspected manipulation of 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 EVMs have been manipulated. We demand that 100 per cent counting of VVPAT must be taken up in all constituencies, party president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said. AIMIM wins 7 seats in Hyderabad again Astrapi Corporation, a Dallas, TX-based spiral-based signal modulation company, closed a convertible note funding round of undisclosed amount. The round was led by Ascend Venture Capital, out of Ascends second fund, Ascension II, LP. Led by Dr. Jerrold Prothero, Founder and CEO, Astrapi has moved their proprietary and patented Spiral Modulation (SM) into a Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform and is testing and optimizing the results. Its technique involves translating communication signals represented as polynomials into sinusoids with continuously varying amplitude. Instantaneous Spectral Analysis (ISA) breaks sharply from current practice, exploiting a continuously non-stationary spectrum to allow for a reduction in the range of frequencies necessary to transmit a signal amplitude sequence. SM potentially provides multiple advantages compared to standard communications, derived from higher spectral efficiency, including: reduced signal power; reduced bandwidth; higher data rates; lower latency; and greater resistance to interference and jamming. FinSMEs 12/12/ editorial@tribune.com Naveen S Garewal Tribune News Service Hyderabad, December 12 Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief, will be sworn in as CM for the second time at the Raj Bhawan here at 1.24 pm tomorrow. The party won 88 of the 119 Assembly seats. Laxmi Narain Acharya, KCRs personal priest, told The Tribune that the auspicious period would start at 1.24 pm and continue for the next one-and-a-half hours. The Telangana caretaker CM, it is learnt, does not commence any important work without consulting priests and astrologers. Tomorrow afternoon is an auspicious period and I want to take oath then, but it all depends on the gazette notification (declaring TRS the largest single party with majority), he said. He ruled out the possibility of his handing over power to his son KT Rama Rao, who has won from Sircilla. editorial@tribune.com Anup Datta Bhopal, December 12 Though farm distress and farmers anger cast a long shadow on elections in the countrys Hindi belt, the BJP fared well in the Mandsaur Lok Sabha constituency, the centre of farmers unrest. Of the eight Assembly seats in the constituency spread over three districts, the BJP retained all seven, including Mandsaur, Garoth (Mandsaur district), Neemuch, Manasa, Jawad (Neemuch district) and Jaora (Ratlam district). Surprisingly, in Mandsaurs Malhargarh Assembly seat, where six agitating farmers were killed in police firing, BJPs Jagdish Dewda, a former Home Minister, was victorious. Hardip Dang of the Congress retained the Suwarsa Assembly seat. In June 2017, Mandsaur saw clashes between farmers and the police, leading to the death of six protesters. While the authorities struggled to restore normalcy, Congress president Rahul Gandhi tried to reach the trouble site to pay homage to the deceased, but was arrested. Thereafter, the Congress kept the farm distress issue alive. On Mandsaurs first anniversary ahead of the Assembly elections, Rahul kicked off his partys poll campaign in the state, promising a loan waiver to farmers. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government too announced a package for the kin of the deceased farmers and a host of other measures, such as a new price support scheme for pulses and oilseeds. I am amazed at the repeat verdict. I had expected the people of Mandsaur, Neemuch and Ratlam districts to vote against the government, said Shyam Gurjar, a farmer in Neemuch district. SURPRISE RESULT rchopra@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 12 The Congress looks all set to form a government in Madhya Pradesh with BSP chief Mayawati announcing support to the grand old party a while ago. Mayawati said her party would support the Congress in Rajasthan also, if need be, to achieve the goal of keeping the BJP away from power. We had contested the MP and Rajasthan elections for keeping the BJP away from power. We have now decided to support the Congress in government formation in MP and also in Rajasthan, if the need arises, just to keep the BJP out of power even though we dont agree with the Congress policies and thoughts. Mayawatis party has won two seats in MP and six in Rajasthan. The Congress has not been able to cross the majority mark in Rajasthan getting 99 seats, two short of the simple majority of 101 in a house of 200 members. In MP also, the Congress has fallen short of majority by two seats having scored 114 as against the BJPs 108. The SP has won one seat in MP and will back a Congress government. Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had not attended the opposition party meet in the capital the day before and have remained upset with the Congress for failed seat-sharing talks in MP and Chhattisgarh earlier. The two parties have thawed since Tuesdays results which have given the Congress successes in the Hindi heartland. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 12 Both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday opened for the first working day to multiple protests ranging from seeking a joint parliamentary committee on the allegations around the Rafale fighter jet deal to demands of making the Ram Mandir. Yesterday, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had adjourned after paying tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, among others. Today was the first day on which normal legislative business was to resume. The Lok Sabha adjourned for the day just after 12 noon after protesters rushed to the Well. In the Lok Sabha, the Congress demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the allegations surrounding the purchase of Rafale fighter jets. MP from Gurdaspur Sunil Jakhar moved a motion of adjournment. The Shiv Sena demanded construction of a Mandir and held placards written in Hindi indicating pehle mandir... phir sarkar, the obvious reference was to Shiv Senas renewed demand of making a temple at Ayodhya. The Shiv Sena is part of the ruling alliance led by the BJP. The TDP demanded more rights for Andhra Pradesh while the AIADMK demanded stoppage of construction of a dam across the Cauvery and had the same issue in the Rajya Sabha. In the same House, YSR Congress members demanded protection of Cauvery delta farmers and special status for Andhra Pradesh. In the Rajya Sabha, Congress MPs shouted slogans from their seats against the government for its failure in managing the affairs of the CBI and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). When the House was reconvened at 2 pm after two adjournments, Rajya Sabha continued to witness noisy scene with protests. Earlier in the morning, the House witnessed its first adjournment immediately after customary tabling of papers due to disruption caused by members of the AIADMK, DMK, CPM and the CPI who trooped into the Well demanding discussion on floods and related issues. Nod to disability national trust Bill Amid noise, the Upper House passed the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2018 following a brief discussion. The proposed amendments entail fixing the term of the national trust chairperson IN PARLIAMENT Terror incidents almost double in 3 yrs Minister of State (Home) Hansraj Gangaram Ahir on Wednesday said the numbers of terror incidents in 2016, 2017 and 2018 (up to Dec 2) were 322, 342 and 587, respectively. In a written reply, he said the numbers of terrorists neutralised during the corresponding period were 150, 213 and 238. The numbers of security personnel martyred were 82, 80 and 86. Polio vaccine samples found adulterated Two samples of a batch of bivalent oral polio vaccine were found to be adulterated and containing type 2 polio virus by the Central Drugs Laboratory, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey told the Rajya Sabha. Some contaminated vials of the vaccine were administered to children in Maharashtra, Telengana, and UP, ministry officials had confirmed, Choubey said. 15,779 websites hacked during Jan-Nov In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said As per the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), 33,147, 30,067 and 15,779 websites were hacked during 2016, 2017 and 2018 (up to November), respectively. He added that the government had taken measures to enhance the cyber security and prevent cyber attacks. Meanwhile, Prasads deputy SS Ahluwalia said over 2,300 social media URLs were blocked or removed in 2018, up from 1,329 last year in compliance with the court directions. editorial@tribune.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, December 11 NCP chief Sharad Pawars attempts to cobble up a secular coalition in Maharashtra ahead of next years LS polls is expected to get a boost following the BJPs poor showing in the five-state elections. Sources said Pawar has already got the Congress and Left parties apart from smaller outfits on board and the seat-sharing talks between them have almost been completed. Leaving nothing to chance, the Maratha supremo has even got his former bete noire Raju Shetti of the Swabhimani Shetkari Paksh, a farmers outfit, to dump the NDA and join the new front. The only sour note in the seat-sharing talks between the Congress and NCP happens to be Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. While Pawar is said to be pitching for the MNS, the Congress is worried about its impact on voters in North India. The anti-BJP front received a major boost last month when Pawar and senior Congress leaders shared the dais with CPM leaders during a rally organised by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). At the rally, Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan worked out the mathematics behind the BJPs win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP could form the government with just 30 per cent of the popular vote because the remaining 70 per cent of the votes were divided. We will ensure that the other 70 per cent of the votes will not be divided this time, Chavan said. rchopra@tribunemail.com Jaipur, December 12 A Congress delegation will meet Governor Kalyan Singh at 7 pm on Wednesday to stake claim to the government in Rajasthan. The governor has given an appointment to a Congress delegation at 7 pm on Wednesday, Raj Bhawan sources said. The delegation led by the chief ministerial candidate, to be decided by party president Rahul Gandhi on the basis of feedback from the MLAs, will call on the governor and stake claim to form the government. The contenders for the chief ministers post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies. We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against the BJP and are willing to support us, Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislature Party meeting. Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the partys newly elected MLAs would debate the question, and the party president would take a decision after that. AICC general secretary Avinash Pande and party observer KC Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting. The Congress emerged as the single largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesdays vote count, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats--the required number to form government. The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party six. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI (M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got six, according to the state Election Commission. PTI editorial@tribune.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, December 12 Newly appointed RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, who assumed office today, said the central bank should hold consultations with all stake-holders, including the government. The government is not just a stakeholder, it runs the economy and the country, he told the media. Das said he would try to uphold the autonomy and core values of the RBI as an institution. It will take time for me to settle down and look at all issues. As planned earlier, the RBI board meeting would be held on December 14, he said. Expecting Das, the government's pointman during the note-ban months and who worked in getting the monetary policy committee in place, to work more closely with the government, Dalal Street lapped up the appointment with 630-point salute. On rumours about the resignation of Deputy Governor Viral Acharya, he said, I just had tea with the RBI Deputy Governor. He is still with us He said he had convened a meeting with CEOs and MDs of public sector banks on Thursday. Banking is an important segment in our economy. It is this sector on which I would want to focus immediately, the Governor said. What Das said "Will have consultations with everyone, including the govt. The government is not just a stakeholder, it runs the economy and the country" Shaktikanta Das, RBI Governor vermaajay1968@gmail.com New Delhi, December 11 The government today cleared the name of former Finance Secretary Shaktikanta Das as the new Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the post that fell vacant after Urjit Patels abrupt resignation yesterday. Das is a 1980-batch Tamil Nadu cadre retired IAS officer, who is currently a member of the 15th Finance Commission led by former bureaucrat NK Singh. He shot into spotlight in late 2016 by becoming the bureaucratic face of demonetisation in the weeks following Prime Minister Narendra Modis televised note-ban announcement. At present, he also represents India at the G-20 in a role of a sherpa. The notification said: The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shaktikanta Das as Governor, RBI, for a period of three years. Initially, Modi brought in Das to head the revenue department in the Finance Ministry before moving him to economic affairs, where he helped lead the charge on demonetisation in late 2016. Das was the Economic Affairs Secretary till May 2017. In the weeks after demonetisation, he became a familiar face during press conferences where he pushed the governments line that the note-ban would curb black economy, counterfeit money, besides spurring digital transactions. TNS uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 12 The seventh edition of Sino-Indian joint military exercise, Hand-in-Hand 2018, is currently under way in Chinas Chengdu. Besides regular manoeuvres, there was also opportunity for song and dance. The exercise began on December 11, and will go on until December 23. Company size contingents of 11 Sikh Light Infantry from Indian Army and a regiment from Tibetan Military District of Peoples Liberation Army are participating in the exercise. The Indian contingent is commanded by Col Puneet Paratap Singh Tomar, Commanding Officer of 11 Sikh Light Infantry, while the Chinese contingent is led by Col Zhou Jun, Commanding Officer from Infantry Battalion of Tibetan Military District of PLA, according to an official Indian Army statement. In the opening ceremony, Major General Kuang Dewang from PLA reviewed the parade in presence of a number of officials from both the nations. The exercise consists of a balance of indoor classes and outdoor training activities. The aim of the exercise is to build and promote close relations between armies of both the countries and to enhance ability of the joint exercise commander to take military contingents of both nations under command. The exercise will involve tactical level operations in an international counter insurgency/ counter terrorism environment under UN mandate. editorial@tribune.com Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 12 Even as 11 government high schools whose students scored over 80 per cent marks in the first-ever grading by the Punjab Education Development Board are celebrating their success, its a wake-up call for at least 100 others that scored less than 33 per cent. The 100-mark grading for schools had 50 marks for academic merit, 20 for infrastructure and 10 each for co-curricular activities, school management committees and attendance. Deputy State Project Director for Grading Manoj Kumar Pushkarna said: At least 100 schools have scored less than 33 per cent, so there is a need to think about their performance and ways to improve. The process to grade 1,740 schools, which began in June this year, has been completed. The first list naming the top schools was out in October. Sixty-eight of the 1,740 high schools did not provide their result sheets. The performance of majority of schools that did not provide details of their results had been very average. Thirty-two others scored less than 20 per cent in academic performance. A large number of schools did not provide attendance details. Many schools that emerged successful in the overall merit list have performed below average in academics. On the attendance front, Government High School-Babri (Gurdaspur), GHS-Waziran (Hoshiarpur), GHS-Wan Tara Singh (Tarn Taran), GHS-Thetherke (Gurdaspur) and GHS-Saila Khurd (Hoshiarpur) got only two marks out of allotted 10, while GHS-Behak Bodla (Fazilka), GHS-Bhure Khurd (Ferozepur) and GHS-Saidpur (Amritsar) got four marks each. Secretary (School Education) Krishan Kumar said, The grading will be updated every year. We are making some amendments to make the exercise more participative. Except random sampling, we have largely relied on data provided by the schools. Headmaster of a high school in Hoshiarpur district said, The exercise was completed rather hurriedly and many schools were not able to provide data. At least 14 per cent schools scored between 40 and 50 marks for academics, 54 per cent got above 30, 15 per cent above 25 and around 17 per cent schools scored less than 15 marks in the grading. With advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence, science is making ground-breaking innovations. With every passing second, the world is getting ahead towards a future where robots will be inculcated in our lives. If you are a technology enthusiast or stay in touch with innovations and technology, then you must know we have surpassed the initial stages of artificial intelligence. Now, robotics is not limited to assembling units or packaging only but is serving in almost every field. Limitless possibilities are offering different roles for robots in a our society. In this piece of writing, we will discuss 6 interesting robotic companies we are looking forward in 2019. All the companies we have listed below and the the specific field of development they work have extraordinary potential to change the world in a more autonomous way. 1. Shenzhen YueJiang Technology Corporation Ltd.: YueJiang Technology Corporation, Ltd has been established in China by six robotic engineers. The company presents itself as the best robotic arm company in the world. The team at YueJiang has been working on the development of multiple functioning desktop robots. However, the companys primary interest is in multi-functional production line robots to help in the manufacturing industry. One of the star products at YueJiang is Dobot Magician. It is the robotic arm with extendable interfaces and interchangeable end heads. Dobot Magician facilitates the customers in laser engraving, 3D printing, picking and placing, writing and drawing and various other functions. One of the principal features associates with YueJiang products is that the company is offering high-quality products with industry precision at commercial rates. For the year 2019, we are looking at YueJiang for some high class, exact robotic desktop arms products in many industries. 2. Generic Robotic: Do you have any interest in VR technology? If yes then Generic robotic is the company, you put your faith in for 2019. Established as a scientific company, Generic Robotics offers customers an experience of a lifetime. The company provides the customers to experience and alter the 3D objects in the VR environment. Generic robotics has been working in close ties with the medical field and is supplying the pharmaceutical industry with remarkable products. One product of generic robotics is SIMUTOUCH which is designed to attain the regular operating position with the help of a reliable and comprehensive system. Another product SIMUTEACH by Generic robotic offers the clinician all around the world access to medical knowledge. No matter what your medical specialty is, the product provides clinical information along with 3D anatomical models for fast learning. So learn to your maximum with a simulated medical environment along with 3D models and a plethora of medical information on each subject. 3. Rokid corporation, Ltd.: Established in the year 2014, Rokid Corporation is yet in its early stages of development. However, when we talk about the top robotic companies we are looking forward in 2019, then Rokid Corporation is the one. The company has offices in Beijing, California, and Hangzhou with its research centers being in San Francisco and Beijing. Rokid Corporation has been working in face identification technology, image processing, and various related technologies. The company is working in collaboration with Alibaba to create an amazing open source platform- Rokid Full Stack Open Platform. With the help of third-party hardware developer and Voice help of Rokid Corporation, now developers can have easy access to the open resources. This cooperation has been regarded as a platform to combine the developers from America and China and offer convenient access to the Chinese markets. 4. Futr: Founded in the year 2017, Futr, formerly known as Botskill, is making excellent progress in robotics. For the year 2019, the company is preparing and planning on developing a SaaS platform. With the help of SaaS platform, the users get the ease of building a No-code Chatbot for business. The product is intended to be supported by an artificial technology to enhance the automation. The invention will take the service on a new level along with introducing data visualization and customization. The focus of Futr is to help businesses in achieving their organizational goals with maximum engagement and enhanced efficiency. The company CEO Andy Wilkins is of the view that the technology that Futr is planning to produce for the year 2019 will assist the clients companies in dealing with their business concerns. 5. Al-Nemo: No matter how much automation and innovation we achieve at the industrial level, the first service of the robotics stars from the homes. At the retail level although there is a wide variety of robotic devices available, however, Chinese startup Al-Nemo has come up with a new idea. The company is up to develop a desktop operated robot for the homes. In this technology, you have the facility to communicate with your family members. If you are having trouble in keeping up with your job and parents, then Define Robot by Al-Nemo is all you need. Define robot is a desktop computer along with a micro camera and the ability to move. The robot is also equipped with reading and sending messages and emergency texts. The company is also planning on making the Define robot more integrated and refined solution to be used in homes. 6. Fortem Technologies, Inc.: Fortem Technologies has been working with the law and enforcement agencies and helping them with creating great Artificial intelligence based equipment. This company offers Fortem&Rsquo collaborative effort- TrueView R20. TrueView R20 is an artificial intelligence based radar platform. The compact and lighter radar system assist to human-crewed aircraft and various other non-cooperative objects including drones, birds and many more. With the increasing threat of terrorism and weak conditions of law and order, the company is committed to providing precise equipment to defeat criminals. Conclusion: All the companies we have mentioned above are although working in the different field, however, at the core, their operations and products are based on AI and automation. When we see the work that has been going on in robotics, the time has come when the robots will take positions in almost all part of our lives. What are your thoughts on this increasing dependence on robotics? What do you think about the companies we mentioned above? Let us know in the comment section below. FinSMEs 12/12/2018 editorial@tribune.com Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 11 The Congress is expected to sail through the three-day winter session of the Vidhan Sabha that begins on Thursday. The divided AAP and revolt-ridden SAD will have little arsenal to attack the treasury benches. The parties may target the government over non-fulfillment of its poll promises, deteriorating law and order situation and the state of agrarian as well as general economy. But fiery debates may well be avoided, as were witnessed in the previous two sessions. AAP will aim to shame the treasury benches for its failure to fulfil eight of the nine poll promises. On the other hand, the SAD-BJP alliance will be talking about the agrarian crisis, the flight of industry from the state and the deteriorating law and order situation. Most MLAs of the rebel faction of AAP led by Sukhpal Khaira, which is taking out the Insaaf March are likely to skip the session, although Kharar MLA Kanwar Sandhu may attend all sittings. The main highlight will be passing of the Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Bill that seeks to regulate the misuse of groundwater. The Bill was cleared by the Cabinet in the last meeting, and will come up for discussion in the House. The House is also expected to ratify amendments made to the GST, which have already been passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal told The Tribune, We are required to get the amendments passed from the House at the earliest as the Lok Sabha has already passed these amendments in August. These aim at plugging loopholes in existing laws and reducing the compliance burden for taxpayers. Only one working day Though the session is spread over three days till Saturday, the effective working day will only be Friday. The session will begin with the first sitting on Thursday concluding with obituary references. Friday will have two sittings of the House, while the session will be adjourned sine die on Saturday after a morning sitting. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 11 To mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the state Cabinet today gave its nod to increase the parole period of prisoners with good conduct from the existing 12 weeks to 16 weeks during a calendar year. The government will amend the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1962, and introduce a Bill in this regard in the coming session. The prisoners with good conduct can avail the 16-week parole in one go in view of the 550th Gurpurb. Later on, this parole of 16 weeks could be availed in a calendar year on quarterly basis. Rs 60 lakh for Shillong Sikhs The Cabinet sanctioned Rs 60 lakh as compensation to the Sikh community for damage caused to their properties during violence in Shillong. Of this amount, Rs 50 lakh would be provided to Khalsa Middle School, Bara Bazaar, for reconstruction as its old building has been declared unsafe. The monetary assistance would be given to those who had suffered loss of property in the violence. The Chief Minister had sent a four-member delegation led by Cooperation and Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to Shillong for accessing the damage. Amendment to state GST The Cabinet will table the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha session, scheduled to begin from December 13. The amendment aims to simplify the process of filing returns and payment of tax with minimum paperwork. editorial@tribune.com Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, December 11 The Congress leadership in the Muktsar constituency is divided in the panchayat elections, scheduled to be held on December 30. The rift between PPCC general secretary Jagjit Singh Honey Fattanwala and former MLA Karan Kaur Brar today came out in open on reservation of villages. Honey, who is a cousin of Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, today accused Karan Kaur, daughter-in-law of former CM Harcharan Singh Brar, of meddling into the affairs of the district election authorities and declaring some villages reserved, where he has a stronghold. Honey said, A number of villages have been declared reserved just because of the pressure of Karan Kaur. Before finalising the reservation list, she neither consulted me nor any other senior leader of the area. I will field my own candidates in such villages, which have been declared reserved. I have even met the Deputy Commissioner, who showed his helplessness. He added, I wont oppose the Congress candidates in all villages, but where I have my stronghold, I will field my own candidates. Earlier, during the panchayat samiti and zila parishad polls, Karan had fielded her own candidates without consulting me and later left some seats for my supporters when the senior party leadership intervened. This time I wont tolerate it and talk to the party high-ups as well. On the other hand, Karan Kaur said, Who am I to declare the reservation? Even a number of my supporters are upset with the reservation criteria, but what can I do? This is the prerogative of the election authorities. The allegations being levelled by Honey are false. He should remain in discipline. Honey asked Karan Kaur to take a pledge in the gurdwara if she had not finalised the reservation list. In June this year, the duo had lodged two parallel protests against the Centre for rise in fuel prices. Later, Karan Kaur had joined Honey at his protest site. Even in December 2017, just before the state polls, Honey had opposed the candidature of Karan Kaur. However, he later agreed to support her on the intervention of senior leaders. Mazdoor Morcha to oppose Cong candidates editorial@tribune.com Rajmeet Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 12 A day after the Congress win in three states of the Hindi heartland, Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was among the partys star campaigners, called on CM Capt Amarinder Singh at his official residence here this evening, apparently to break the ice between them. The much-anticipated meeting lasted 30 minutes during which the leaders reportedly ironed out their differences on the Kartarpur corridor issue. With Sidhus popularity graph rising not only in Punjab but at the national level too, as evident from the crowd response during campaigning, the party leadership is learnt to have advised him to approach the CM so as not to give a handle to the Opposition in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The two leaders are expected to put up a unity show during the three-day Vidhan Sabha session that begins tomorrow. The importance of a veteran leader such as Capt Amarinder Singh, who is the face of the Congress in Punjab, and that of Sidhu, who is immensely popular with the youth and a vote catcher, cannot be underestimated," underlined an AICC member. During the meeting, Sidhu is learnt to have told Captain what he had "actually" said about him when quizzed by the media on his Pakistan visit. The CM, sources said, told Sidhu he was already aware of it. The CM instructed the DGP to increase Sidhu's security in the wake of the threat to his life by a right-wing group. The meeting was very cordial. He is like a father to me. A father can scold and pardon his son any time, said Sidhu, refusing to give any details. Asked about him assuming a bigger role at the national level, a buoyant Sidhu replied: I am basking in the glory of my role in the Kartarpur corridor and in campaigning. I have told Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi that I am at their disposal till the 2019 polls." Sidhu reportedly gifted a stuffed black partridge to the CM. The latter is learnt to have told him that he would ask the Wildlife Department if he was allowed to keep it. rchopra@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 12 Former chief of Army Staff and ex-governor Gen JJ Singh (retd) on Wednesday resigned from the Shiromani Akali Dal citing personal reasons. In a letter to SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Singh said, I wish to inform you with a heavy heart that I have resigned from the Shiromani Akali Dal and from the position of president of Shiromani Akali Dal ex-servicemen wing with immediate effect due to personal reasons. Singh, a former governor of Arunachal Pradesh, had joined the Akali Dal on the eve of the 2017 Punjab elections and had unsuccessfully contested against Congress veteran Capt Amarinder Singh from Patiala. The entry to the Akali Dal was Singhs first political stint. There is no word on whether Singh will continue his political role with some other party but sources close to him indicate he was unhappy with the closed functioning of the Akali Dal and the inaccessibility of its leadership. Singh is learnt to be keeping his political options open. editorial@tribune.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 11 Rapping the Punjab Police for lackadaisical approach, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has handed over a murder case probe to the CBI. The order by Justice Rajan Gupta came on a bail petition by an accused, Paramjit Singh. A case was registered at the Talwara police station in Hoshiarpur on February 13, 2016, after the body of Jagpreet Singh was recovered from a car fished out from the Kandi canal. Initially, the case was passed off as accident. A DDR was also registered on Paramjits statement that he along with Gurjinder Singh and the victim were travelling from Datarpur to their villages. The driver lost control and the vehicle fell into a canal. The victims uncle alleged that his nephew was murdered, following which an FIR was registered against Gurjinder Singh, Paramjit Singh, Amit Kumar and Navjot Singh. During investigation, disclosure statements were allegedly made that Navjot Singh gave iron strip blows to the victim. Justice Gupta noted that Navjot Singh was granted pre-arrest bail on the plea that the prosecution had put forward two stories and there was contradiction therein. He asserted that it was evident that Navjot Singh, stated to have caused injuries with iron strip, was never subjected to custodial interrogation following the bail order. He observed some of the witnesses turned hostile during the trial. The laxity of the police was evident as it started inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC despite noticing injuries. Instead of a thorough probe, it straightaway believed Paramjit Singhs statement. Justice Gupta dismissed the bail plea of Paramjit. rchopra@tribunemail.com Tribune news service Chandigarh, December 12 In the wake of cold war between Capt Amarinder Singh and Local Government, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, the cricketer-turned-politician on Wednesday called on the Chief Minister here. Refusing to divulge the details of the brief meeting, Sidhu, after meeting the CM, said he is a disciplined solider of the party. He said he has got lot of love and affection from the Congress president and Capt Amarinder Singh. Sidhu said his statement had been blown out of proportion. On Sidhu gifting him a stuffed partridge and other gifts that the minister had brought from Pakistan, Capt Amarinder is learnt to have said he would seek permission from the Wildlife Department if a stuffed partridge could be kept. Amarinder said he wanted Rahul Gandhi to be the Prime Minister. After hogging the limelight for being an aggressive campaigner in assembly elections in three states, the Sidhus meeting with Capt was seen in light of party leadership advising Sidhu to iron out the differences with the Chief Minister. Sidhu has already said the Chief Minister is like his father. Todays meeting could water down the situation, at least for the time being as both are expected to put up a united front for the three-day Vidhan Sabha session beginning tomorrow. editorial@tribune.com GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 11 After the culmination of the first phase of Insaaf Morcha at Bargari, parallel acting Jathedar of Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand today paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. To avoid any controversy, he along with his supporters performed ardas while standing outside Akal Takht. Mand said it was shukrana ardas for the success of the initial stage of the morcha that lasted for over six months. To chalk out programme for the next phase, a meeting will be held at Fatehgarh Sahib on December 20. This time, we will move on to streets to apprise the sangat of ill-treatment meted out to the Sikh community. We will follow the concept of Miri-Piri, if the governments (state and Centre) keep misusing religion for political goals, he said. Parallel Jathedars Baljit Singh Daduwal and Amrik Singh Ajnala didnt accompny Mand. Reports suggest that several radical organisations have distanced themselves from the organisers of Bargari Morcha allegedly for giving up the protest under pressure of the government. Rejecting the reports, Mand said their absence was being misinterpreted. They could not make it due to their prior commitments, he claimed. We all are on one platform with one vision. We are not under any pressure. Rather the government was facing the heat. It was due to our protest that the FIR in Behbal Kalan firing has now been re-registered against cops by name, Justice Ranjit Singh report was made public and the process to release Sikh political prisoners has gotten underway, he said. Mand claimed that of 18 Sikh political prisoners, TADA convict Dilbagh Singh was freed and the process was on to release others too. He said the government had taken up the matter of shifting Sikh prisoners to state with the Centre government. Similarly, all sedition cases against Sikhs would be withdrawn unconditionally. All this became possible only due to Bargari Morchas successful outcome, he said. Not satisfied, say Daduwal, Ajnala Parallel jathedars Baljit Singh Daduwal and Amrik Singh Ajnala on Tuesday expressed resentment against lifting of the Insaaf Morcha in a hush-hush manner. Ajnala said he had distanced himself from the morcha as he was not satisfied with the Mands style of working. Daduwal did not accompany Mand and paid obeisance at the Golden Temple later in the day. He claimed that he was not in favour of calling off the morcha since he was not satisfied with the assurances given by the state government. editorial@tribune.com Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 11 Three months after World Education Services (WES), a firm engaged in verification of educational credentials of students for immigration, stopped evaluating documents of IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKG-PTU) students, the university has now recommended lodging of FIR against 37 students for allegedly forging documents. The firm had announced its decision in September after pointing out increased instances of forged transcripts being submitted, following which the university officials conducted an internal inquiry spanning over two months. Now, it has asked the Kapurthala police to lodge FIRs. The IKGPTU officials said they conducted an internal inquiry and made a report of forged degrees/Detailed Marks Cards (DMCs) and other documents which they have now handed over to the police. The three sections of the university, including examination, IT and public relations, shared public communications they had dispatched to the firm to help find out the tactics used by the students to forge their results for foreign admission. To ensure that such malpractices dont occur in future, IKGPTU has developed an online secure portal for verification and shared details with agencies. After a successful trial of the new system, the international agency has even resumed its services to IKGPTU students. The university has clarified that from now onwards it will consider applications for documents related to international agencies only through its online link support.ptu.ac.in. Besides, the university will directly send the documents to foreign agencies or any other agency/body/institution. Before dispatch, the university will provide the same documents on its web portal so that the agency can verify documents in online mode. Vice-Chancellor Dr Ajay Kumar Sharma said, Due to wrong attempts by a few students, lakhs of students and alumni of IKGPTU cannot be made to suffer. editorial@tribune.com Chandigarh, December 11 Paramjit Singh Kainth, President of the National Scheduled Castes Alliance, today alleged that the Patiala police were discriminating against an SC family in a case of their harassment by landlords. Addressing a press conference here, Kainth said: In the home district of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, an SC family had been forced to leave their native Aatanla village. Rajpal, an SC student, was allegedly abducted by the landlord and was badly beaten up. At least two more relatives of the victim were beaten up in front of their family members. Kainth said: We approached all top officials, including the SSP, but instead of helping the victim, the police have registered a case against them. SHO (Ghaghga) Gurcharan Singh said: No one has approached us. I am aware about the case details. We are perusing the matter as per merit. TNS Tigera, a San Francisco, CA-based enterprise software company providing security and compliance solutions for Kubernetes platforms, closed a $30m Series B funding round. The round was led by Insight Venture Partners, with participation from existing investors Madrona, NEA, and Wing. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth to meet the demand of its Kubernetes security and compliance solution. Led by Ratan Tipirneni, president and CEO, Tigera provides Zero Trust network security and continuous compliance for Kubernetes platforms. Tigera Secure Enterprise Edition extends enterprise security and compliance controls to Kubernetes environments with support for on-premises, multi-cloud, and legacy environments. Tigera Secure Cloud Edition is available on the AWS marketplace and enables security and compliance controls for Kubernetes on AWS and Amazon EKS. The platform powers all of the major Hosted Kubernetes environments including Amazon EKS, Azure AKS, Google GKE, and IBM Container Service. It is also integrated with the major on-premises Kubernetes deployments and is shipped batteries included in Docker EE and fully integrated with Red Hat OpenShift. FinSMEs 12/12/2018 editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Abohar, December 12 The police in Sriganganagar, 40 km from here, on Wednesday evening nabbed two accused after people staged a protest outside the office of the Superintendent of Police, resenting inaction following the death of a Dalit youth, Mangal (28), who was thrashed by miscreants on December 8. They raised slogans against the police and the state government. The protesters demanded replacement of the investigation officer, who had not taken any of the accused into custody after Mangal succumbed to injuries in the Civil Hospital on Tuesday. They also refused to take the body of the deceased till the arrest of the accused named in the FIR. Leading the protest, the civic bodys former chief Shyam Dhaliwal said Mangal was thrashed by half a dozen persons over a dispute relating to a mobile phone that accidentally fell into a roadside drain in Purani Abadi on December 8. They used lathis and iron rod to attack him and fled after people gathered at the scene. Even when the FIR was lodged and doctors described Mangals condition as critical, the police made no effort to arrest the culprits, he alleged. The authorities replaced the investigation officer, DSP (SC/ST Cell) Rahul Yadav, with Roshan Patel, DSP City. The latter visited the spot and initiated an investigation. Raj Kumar Arora alias Baby and Hemant Happy were arrested. The victims family has agreed to get the post-mortem examination conducted on Thursday. Dalit youth succumbs to injuries Dalit youth Mangal (28) was thrashed by miscreants on December 8. He succumbed to injuries at the Civil Hospital on Tuesday. Civic body ex-chief Shyam Dhaliwal said Mangal was thrashed by half a dozen persons over a dispute about a mobile phone that accidentally fell into a roadside drain in Purani Abadi. The authorities replaced the investigation officer, DSP (SC/ST Cell) Rahul Yadav, with Roshan Patel, DSP City. sanjiv@tribunemail.com BERLIN/STRASBOURG, Dec 11 Prime Minister Theresa May sought Angela Merkels 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. Less than four months until the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU on March 29, May warned British lawmakers that if they rejected her deal then the only other options were a disorderly no-deal divorce, or a reversal of Brexit that would defy the will of those who voted for it. A day after pulling the vote in the face of hostility from lawmakers, May rushed from London for breakfast in The Hague with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and then a meeting in Berlin with Europes most powerful leader, German Chancellor Merkel in a frantic bid to save her deal. The message from the EU was clear: It will give clarifications but will not countenance reopening the treaty. The deal we achieved is the best possible. Its the only deal possible. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said in an address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. In rainy Berlin, a hitch with Mays car door briefly trapped her inside, delaying her red carpet handshake with Merkel. The British parliament will vote on a deal before January 21, Mays spokeswoman said. If there is no satisfactory deal by then, parliament will still be given a debate on the issue. The British pound, which has lost 25 cents against the US dollar since the 2016 referendum, was up 0.4 percent at $1.2615, a recovery of sorts after falling 1.6 percent on Monday. The most contentious issue has been the Irish backstop, an insurance policy that would keep Britain in a customs union with the EU in the absence of a better way to avoid border checks between British-ruled Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. Mays critics say it could leave Britain subject to EU rules indefinitely. Juncker said neither side intended for the backstop ever to take effect, but it had to be part of the deal. Reuters Chaos, or keep calm and carry on: What happens now in the UK? Back to Parliament: The government has said it intends to hold a vote before January 21. But, critics are already lining up to say that May will not be able to get enough from EU leaders to make members of parliament change their mind about a deal they say is flawed. By law, if the vote is held and the deal is rejected, ministers have 21 days to state how they intend to proceed. Resign: May could resign as leader of the Conservative Party, triggering an internal contest to replace her without a general election. Ousted: A long-running effort by some members of Mays own party to get rid of her could gain renewed impetus. If 48 out of 315 Conservative lawmakers want her to go, the party holds a leadership ballot. If she loses, there is an internal contest to replace her without a general election. Second referendum: The route to a second referendum on Brexit, or a Peoples Vote, is unclear but would almost certainly require the backing of the government of the day. A new referendum can be called only if it is approved by Parliament. Delay or cancel Brexit: The government could seek to extend the negotiating period with the EU to give it time to try to reach a better deal, hold a General Election, or conduct a second referendum. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Vancouver, December 12 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 $7.5 million bail on Tuesday in a case that has rattled relations between China, the US 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 (Mengs) 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 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 Chinas relations with Canada and the US, 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. AFP sanjiv@tribunemail.com New York, December 11 Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October at his countrys Istanbul consulate, was named Time magazines Person of the Year Tuesday, an honour he shared with other persecuted journalists dubbed as guardians of the truth. The others named were Philippine journalist Maria Ressa; Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo currently imprisoned in Myanmar and staff of Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, including five members killed in a June shooting. Time, which has awarded the title annually since 1927, published four different magazine covers for this weeks edition, each one spotlighting different honourees. It is the first time someone has been chosen posthumously for the prestigious cover. US President Donald Trump, the 2016 Person of the Year, was the bookmakers favourite this year but in the end was runner-up. AFP vinaymishra188@gmail.com Washington: Planning a business negotiation? Choose an Indian or Chinese restaurant, say scientists who have found that sharing plates during a meal can help people collaborate better. Researchers from University of Chicago in the US said since sharing plates, customary in Indian and Chinese cultures, require people to coordinate their physical actions, it might in turn prompt them to coordinate their negotiations. To find out, they asked study participants, all strangers to one another, to pair off in a lab experiment that involved negotiating. While technology allows people to conduct meetings remotely, there is value in getting together over a meal. The same is true outside of business negotiations. PTI Why googling idiot brings up Trump photos? Washington: US Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, in an effort to understand how Google search algorithms work, asked its CEO Sundar Pichai why so many pictures of President Donald Trump appear when she does a Google search for idiot. Right now, if you Google the word idiot under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that, the California Democrat told Pichai. How would that happen? How does search work so that would occur? Lofgren asked Pichai. The Google CEO said the results were based on billions of keywords ranked according to over 200 factors such as relevance, popularity and how others were using the search term. IANS Daniels told to pay $300,000 to Trumps attorney New York: A federal judge in California has ordered adult film star Stormy Daniels to pay nearly $300,000 in attorneys fees, costs and sanctions to the lawyers representing Donald Trump in a defamation suit she brought against the US President earlier this year, according to a media report. Trumps attorney, Charles Harder, had asked for a total of nearly $780,000 from Daniels, the CNN reported. Harder termed the order to pay $293,052.33 a total victory for Trump. The defamation was brought earlier this year after Trump called an allegation by Daniels that an unknown man threatened her in a parking lot to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump a total con job in a tweet. PTI shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com Washington, December 12 Two top American organisations in the field of higher education have urged the Trump administration to immediately withdraw its proposed public charge policy on issuing green cards or legal permanent residence status to foreign nationals. Under the proposed rule, if a foreign national is a beneficiary of a "public charge" which is a wide range of non-cash public benefits including use of food stamps, non-emergency Medicaid and public housing assistanceit would be difficult for him to get a green card. The Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, along with the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education, in a submission said the Department of Homeland Security "should immediately withdraw" its current proposal. Instead, it should rely on the 1999 policy guidance regarding public charge. The two organisations urged the Trump Administration to dedicate its efforts to building on the successes of immigrant students and their families and to advancing policies that strengthen, rather than undermine, the ability of immigrants to access post-secondary pathways and support themselves and their families in the future. "If we want our communities to thrive, everyone in those communities must be able to stay together and get the care, services and support they need to remain healthy and productive," said the submission. Noting that the proposed rule could affect changes in the US talent pipeline that would ultimately undermine America's global competitiveness, the submission said the new public charge test would apply when individuals apply for a green card or seek admission to the US. For non-immigrants, including F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, H-1B speciality workers, or their dependents, the public charge test would be applied when they apply to extend or adjust their non-immigrant status. This rule would create additional tests and barriers for these individuals. Individuals would be subject to the public charge test each time they extend or change their status. For example, an international student with F-1 status applying for an employment status would be subject to the public charge test. "The increased uncertainty imposed by the new regulations is likely to deter even well-qualified and affluent international students from attempting to study in the US, as the ability to gain US workplace experience during an optional practical training period is often a key motivation for enrolling in an American college," it said. Drops in international enrolment would have broader ripple effects for US higher education institutions, as outlined below, the organisations warned. The Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education said the proposed rule would discourage adult immigrant learners from participating in workforce training certification programmes and adult education programmes that help improve their English language skills. The rule would penalise low-income immigrants who receive or are likely to receive public benefits that enable them to enrol and succeed in college, and it would create a significant and lasting harm to the health and well-being of immigrant youngsters and their families, the organisations said. Further, it would discourage immigrant youngsters and US-born young people with non-citizen parents from pursuing a college education and would increase the families' financial instability. "The proposed rule would mark a fundamental change from our nation's historic commitment to welcoming immigrants and reshape our legal immigration system," the organisations said. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com New York, December 12 President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for financial crimes and orchestrating hush payments to women before the 2016 election, telling the judge his blind loyalty led him to cover up for Trump. The sentencing by US District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan capped a stunning about-face by a lawyer who once said he would take a bullet for Trump but has now implicated the Republican President in criminal conduct. Cohen said in his guilty plea in August he was directed by Trump to make hush money payments to two women who said they had sexual affairs with Trump in the past. Trump has denied the affairs and any involvement in the payments. The three-year sentence was a modest reduction from the four to five years recommended under federal guidelines, but still underscored the seriousness of the charges of violating campaign finance laws and seeking to influence the outcome of an election. Pauley sentenced Cohen to 36 months for the payments and to two months for Cohen's lies to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. The two terms will run simultaneously. The judge set March 6 for Cohen's voluntary surrender. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Cohen to forfeit $500,000 and pay restitution of nearly $1.4 million. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to charges including tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations in a case brought by federal prosecutors in New York. Cohen was sentenced on a separate charge of lying to Congress brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 election and possible coordination between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Reuters vinaymishra188@gmail.com Colombo, December 12 Sri Lankas ousted PM Ranil Wickremesinghe emphatically proved his majority in Parliament on Wednesday, weeks after being sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the island nation into a political turmoil. As many as 117 out of the 225 lawmakers in Parliament voted to pass a confidence motion in his leadership. The motions approval could be seen as a blow to President Sirisena who has steadfastly refused to reappoint 69-year-old Wickremesinghe due to his personal dislike of the ousted PM. Sri Lanka is going through a political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. The main Tamil minority party TNA voted in favour of the confidence motion. However, the Marxist JVP, which has protested Sirisenas extra constitutional action, abstained from voting. If the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)s six lawmakers had voted in his favour, Wickremesinghe would have commanded an unassailable majority in the House despite the Presidents refusal to reinstate him. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya later adjourned the Parliament session until December 18. PTI FLASHBACK: A team of officers from the Northern Division patrol the roadway near the scene of the shooting which claimed the life of 47-year-old Lester Sookhai. Lester was shot dead in a mini-mart he owned near his home along First Trace, Maingot Street, Tunapuna. The Express House in Port of Spain had to be evacuated on Sunday afternoon after a fire brok Google CEO Sundar Pichai appears 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. Pichai 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. political elections. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) One of the fundamental though unwritten rights citizens in every country in the world enjoy is the inviolable, unfettered right to be an ass. Or a coward. From the uneducated, the ignorant, to brilliant scholars among the intelligentsia, and otherwise sensible people who are law-abiding and look and act normal in every circumstance, aberrations occur that debunk the presumption that every human being is endowed with some degree of intelligence, acting totally irrational, asinine in the extreme, leaving sane and sober people around to ponder if they are looking at and listening to men or animals, no disrespect intended for the latter species. I find guidebooks to be a useful tool when planning my vacations in addition to TA and tourism websites. For my several trips to Australia, I have found the Lonely Planet and Rough Guides series to be the most useful and to contain information on attractions, etc. which are not found in guides like Fodors. I have found it most useful to get the specific guides for the places I plan to visit and those that are no more than a couple of years old. So, if you want to go to Sydney, Melbourne and the GBR area (I recommend Port Douglas), then you should get: Lonely Planet Sydney (new edition comes out Dec. 18, 2018); Lonely Planet Melbourne and Victoria (issued Nov. 2017); Lonely Planet Coastal Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef (issued Nov. 2017). I recommend going to your public library to look at these guidebooks for free before buying (or in lieu of buying). Even if your library does not have the specific copies you want, they can often get them for a nominal fee as an interlibrary loan. Ask you librarian for details. Late March and early April (autumn in Australia) would be a good time of year to visit the places you have listed. One drawback is that it's still stinger (deadly jellyfish) season in the GBR area. That means you can't swim off the beaches there, e.g. Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, except within the confines of a stinger net and advisably while wearing a stinger suit. Stinger season really won't affect your snorkeling, however, as stingers tend to be around the beaches, not the Reef, and your boat will provide you with stinger suits to wear while snorkeling. Another drawback is that school holidays take place around mid-April (check dates for each state online), so that might affect your travel. Hi, I planning a trip to New Zealand and Australia and I'm looking for comments/advice for the Australia portion of the trip. We're spending about 14 days in AUS starting the night of February 7th. I'm going with my parents - we like hikes, beaches, sightseeing, etc. Adventurous but not overly adventurous (not skydiving or anything). We're looking for anything cool/fun to do. Note - we want to do as much as we can, but we don't want to be rushed for anything because we want to relax a little, which is why we have some extra days at a couple of the places. Please let me know what you think of this itinerary, I appreciate it! I put some questions in parentheses..no need to answer any or all of them, just questions I thought of that might help with the itinerary. Its more of like a 10 day itinerary when taking into account the travel, youll see in the itinerary. Feb 7 - Fly into Sydney from Queenstown, NZ in the late afternoon. Probably get settled in the hotel and go out to dinner (opera house area possibly). Feb 8 - Sydney : Bondi to Coogee walk, opera house area if not done the night before, go to the beach? (looking for cooler things to do in the sydney area) Feb 9 - Sydney : Blue mountains say trip possibly (is this a good day trip?) Feb 10 - Fly to Hervey Bay in the morning. do something around hervey bay Feb 11 - Fly to Lady Elliot Island Feb 12 - Lady Elliot Island Feb 13 - Fly back to Hervey Bay in the late afternoon. Pick up rental car. (advice on things to do in or around hervey bay would be appreciated!) Feb 14 - Drive to Noosa Feb 15 - Drive to the Sunshine Coast Feb 16 - Sunshine Coast Feb 17 - Drive to Brisbane (Im studying abroad in Brisbane for the semester so ill be moving into my apartment this day) (trip is basically over at this point) Feb 18 - I start orientation, parents will do something, not doing anything special. Feb 19 - Parents fly back to sydney (Any advice for what they do this night would be awesome!) Feb 20 - Parents fly back to Boston in the morning. Any advice is helpful! Thanks so much! Also, since we already have Lady Elliot Island booked in and out of Hervey Bay for those dates, we can't really switch that up so we're not looking to overhaul the whole itinerary, more smaller changes and advise what to do. Thanks! Main things: what to do around sydney for a couple days, what to do around hervey bay, and what to do on way down to brisbane! Keep an eye on the weather up north for your Australian sector. Its cyclone season and at the moment Cyclone Owen is forming up. It may or may not affect your Hamilton Island (singular) and other Queensland sectors. 1. Snakes - Does your wife display the same hysteria about snakes in the UK? Love to know the source of all these Horror Stories. Im older than god, have lived in Sydney for the past 40 years and seen two snakes in Sydney. Both on bush walks in National Parks. Think about it. Does she really envisage snakes slithering along the footpaths with the early morning commuters; curled up on hotel beds or wound decoratively around the legs of tables in restaurants? You MAY see one - but its highly unlikely; and even less likely on the typical tourist track in & around Sydney. 2. Public Toilets - same as the UK. Some good, some not so good. 3. Things to do. Myriad - top of any Sydney Must do is a ferry ride. Manly is my pick, but there are lots of other, shorter trips. Have a look at the Sydney Weekend Notes for whats on while youre here. I like to include theatre, concerts and/or opera in my trips abroad. Have a look at Sydney Opera House, Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir and The Ensemble for drama. The Brandenburg for wonderful concerts with baroque instruments. And a good restaurant or three - we have lots. Most of them include vegetarian options. If youre looking for something special, just let one of them know youre vegetarian when you book. Do you eat fish & seafood? You will love the fresh food in Sydney. Give the Fish market a miss - its a mess IMNVHO. Lots of better options ... there are some good, casual eateries along Barangaroo, and the beaches. A classic Sydney thing is fish & chips at Manly or Balmoral. For Balmoral, either take a bus from the CBD, or ferry to Mosman & a bus from there (or walk). Beaches: SYDNEY: If you can swim, use caution & only swim between the flags on patrolled beaches. If you cant swim ... stay out of the water. Im not being facetious here, but we have far too many people drowned or getting into trouble in the ocean, who should not have been in the water in the first place, because they cannot swim! One of the lovely things about Sydney beaches is that many of them have rock pools - so you can safely swim right beside the ocean, if your expertise isnt such that you should be in it. QUEENSLAND: Its stinger season in FNQ (Far North Queensland), while youre here, so best to limit your swimming to pools. -:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:- This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. I'm going to Saigon in a couple months and I'm looking for some advice on finding the right tailor. Like many people I plan to have a couple suits made, but I also want to have some weird bespoke outerwear done, based on various sketches & photo reference material. I'm sure this narrow's the pool considerably. It has to be someone who can work on more complex designs; deals with thicker & more diverse fabrics; probably speaks a bit of english (although I'd be fine with hiring a translator, I suspect that it's hard to translate domain-specific stuff like this); can work from photos; and hopefully can add something of their own to the process. So my questions are these: Firstly, I would greatly appreciate any advice on finding my unicorn tailor. Do you have any specific recommendations or expirences to recount? Otherwise, how might I generally go looking for such a place? I'll be there for a solid couple weeks & expect to go back several times, so I wonder if there's a way I can test them out on the first round. Then, if I like them, we can move on to the advanced level. But is a shirt or suit a good test for a art-piece overcoat? Also looking for advice on how to interact with them. I'm guessing that any tailor warrants some haggling, but what can I learn from them in the process? Should I trust them when they say a material is Italian or high-qual, or when they promise me the garment will fit great? Etc. When reading posts about Hoi An, there are handful of names that come up repeatedly (Yaly, Bebe, etc.). I'd be interested to hear of equivalent recos in HCMC, but I suspect I want something more niche & off-the-beaten path. I'm not sure quite why, but I'm guessing that someone else would be both more price competitive and also willing to play the bespoke game a little bit more. Like I said, I want to make some really custom, arty stuff. Also, I'm into weird fabrics, like waxed linens, technical blends, felt, tyvek...... I know that if there's something I'm attached to using I need to bring it with me. But I'm still curious about the range of stuff that might exist there. Coming from the US -- land of chain stores and strip malls, and provenance of no raw materials whatsoever -- hunting around the local fabric markets is a big part of the fun. And is it reasonable to expect a good tailor to also be able to source some fabric oddities? Like will they go looking for fabric to match a photo? Or if I want to make something out of canvas, can I expect them to be able to source a 14oz duck (which is pretty common stuff where I live) in a particular off-white? I've seen a lot of posts talking about the "overwhelming variety" of fabrics on offer in vietnam, but no one ever stops to explain how easily overwhelmed they are. I'm sure there's lots of ao dai silks and suit wools, but is there lots of everything else too?? On that note I wonder where I should look for fabrics on my own. It's easy to find a list of fabric markets, but if you think you know what I'm after, I'd be super grateful for more specific pointers. Thanks in advance for any guidance! Re: Vietnam Itinerary - Should we go to Central? 2. Re: Vietnam Itinerary - Should we go to Central? "You have 17 days on the ground, choose about 4 locations and call it good." Yep, agree. But if Halong Bay is one of them, then I'll give you five. Remember though, that every time you move destinations, you essentially lose at least half a day. And yes, even if you fly. Apart from Halong Bay, I would avoid one night stays like the plague. They are not worth the travel involved to get there. Two night stays aren't much better. Scott Edited: 2 years ago Hello, My husband and I plan to travel to Vietnam for 10 days from Jan 10th to Jan 19th 2019. I have made a tentative itenary which is as : 10th Jan: Arrive HCM city and make a half day trip to Cu chi tunnels. Overnight in HCM 11th Jan. : HCM- Can tho by bus ? Local sightseeing in Can tho and Overnight stay in Can tho 12tn Jan: cang rai floating market in the morning. Post lunch depart for HCM through public transport. Overnight stay in HCM. 13 th jan: fly to Da Nang overnight stay at Da Nang . 14 th Jan : drive to Hoi An and overnight stay at Hoi An 15th Jan. drive to Da Nang and fly to Hanoi stay at Hanoi 16 th jan: cat ba 17th jan : cat ba 18 th jan : cat ba- Trang an ...overnight stay at Trang an 19th jan : Trang an - Hanoi ..stay at Hanoi 20 th depart Hanoi homewards How to travel to can tho and back to HCM ? Public transport? Shared taxis ? And how much time would it take? The weather in January will be on a cooler side so how is the visibility like at Halong Bay? does it make sense to stay in cat ba for 2 nights ? Is it worth travelling to Trang an ? The itenary is quite extensive and sounds like a hectic trip so if I had to cancel a destination which one should it be ? Thanks Definitely doable. We just finished 2 weeks. Osaka was fantastic. If you are thinking of doing a day trip to see mt fuji, I suggest looking into doing something other than the hakone free pass. We did that and regretted it. Such a tourist trap and doing it in a day you spend all day on trains and trams. Sadly I found Osaka castle a let down, as the outside is pretty but the inside was not what we expected. When you land get a passmo card, then load cash and you are sorted for the rest of the trip. Tapping on and off when you need not caring what train company you are using. We had a JR rail pass and we covered a lot of ground in a day and a lot of the places you need to go are not covered by the JR pass. Passmo was the best thing we ever did. Try and get to the main attraction you have planned for the day as early as you can to enjoy it. Sorry dont sound to be negative we loved japan. One of the best places we have traveled and the people and food and just everything is just amazing. Just pointing out things to watch out for so you have a great trip too. My view, admittedly not shared by all, is that less is more. Consider cutting down the number of places you visit. Even though you have a month, you're not planning to be anywhere for any real length of time. There's SO much to see in just Kyoto alone. In 5 trips, we've spent about two months in Kyoto and still have more to see. Regardless, I agree with the suggestion of shortening the time in Hakone if you go there at all. I'd skip Kanazawa just because you're hardly spending any time there at all to begin with. Also keep in mind the length of the travel time to Koyasan (which remains one of the highlights of our many trips to Japan), which will chew up quite a bit of time. Check hyperdia.com for travel times. Also you're going in February, so daylight hours will still be short and the early mornings and late afternoons could be brutally cold, which cuts into your sightseeing time even more (assuming there's no or not much snow). I'd add the additional time you saved by cutting the amount of time (or getting rid of it altogether) in Hakone and by not going to Kanazawa to Kyoto and/or Koyasan. I also recommend at least one overnight in Miyajima--there's plenty to do there (we spent 2 nights there and wished we'd had one more) and it's nice to see Itsukushima and the big torii gate without the teeming hoards of day trippers, although it's fun to people watch. I'm glad you're going to Nagasaki--wonderful town! You might want to take a day from Tokyo, either coming in or going out, to add to Nagasaki. We stayed in Fukuoka for a week a month ago and to be truthful, it wasn't my favorite place. But it's a short trip from there to Dazaifu, which has lots to see. These are, of course, just suggestions. Have fun! Hi, I am going to Japan on a Business trip in a couple of months. I will land about 7am in Osaka on a Wednesday and I will have the rest of the day free. On the Thursday I will be in Kyoto for a meeting (possible whole day, but hopefully more like half), and on Friday I have a meeting 9am in Osaka, after which I will catch the train to Tokyo. My question is whether to base myself in Osaka or Kyoto for my rest day? Transport from KIX looks easy to either location.I will only have about half a day free by the time I drop luggage off but would like to look around/ keep myself awake. I like trying food and walking around cultural locations (cheaply- work don't pay for that part!), I'm not too bothered about going into museums or doing lots of shopping. I was in Tokyo earlier this year so I am looking to see a different side of Japan (e.g. not so modern). I could also stay the first night in Kyoto and then get a hotel in Osaka the second night, seeing as the meeting is early the next day. If I base myself out of Osaka for both days (and go into Kyoto just for the meeting), I guess I will have at least 1 hour to look around, maybe up to 3 hours depending on how long the meeting is and how jet lagged I am. So, where do you think it is better to spend the most time? Osaka or Kyoto? President Trump was up early Monday morning, tweeting falsely that investigators have found No Smocking Gun that proves he did anything wrong. He meant smoking, of course. His vision must be clouded by the haze. In a sentencing memorandum for the presidents one-time personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, federal prosecutors in Manhattan wrote on Friday that Cohen violated campaign finance laws in coordination with and at the direction of Trump. In laymans terms, the presidents own Justice Department has accused him of instructing his lawyer to commit two felonies. These crimes, to which Cohen confesses, involve six-figure payments of hush money to both Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels women whose silence about alleged sexual encounters with Trump was expensively purchased during the weeks before the 2016 election. On Twitter, the president called all of this a simple private transaction. I am tempted to ask what hes been smocking. According to Cohen and common sense the purpose of paying $150,000 to McDougal (through American Media Inc. chairman David Pecker) and $130,000 to Daniels was to keep their accounts of their alleged relationships with Trump from being made public before the election. It means those payments have to be considered illegal, unreported campaign contributions. Trump suggests these were mere technical violations of the kind that every campaign inadvertently commits and is fined for. That is a lie. Permit me to quote the prosecutors memo at length on this point: Cohens commission of two campaign finance crimes on the eve of the 2016 election for president of the United States struck a blow to one of the core goals of the federal campaign finance laws: transparency. 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. He did so by orchestrating secret and illegal payments to silence two women who otherwise would have made public their alleged extramarital affairs with [Trump]. In the process, Cohen deceived the voting public by hiding alleged facts that he believed would have had a substantial effect on the election. It is this type of harm that Congress sought to prevent when it imposed limits on individual contributions to candidates. And Cohen committed these crimes, prosecutors say, on Trumps orders. The president has not credibly denied the allegation and, indeed, Cohen made a recording of at least one conversation in which he discussed the payments with Trump. NO COLLUSION, Trump claimed once againin his Monday tweets. He has spent months trying to convince the nation of two false premises: that special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs witch hunt has found no evidence of a conspiracy between his campaign and the Russian government to tilt the 2016 election in his favor; and that any other alleged crimes investigators might come across are somehow irrelevant. Wrong on both counts. There was, of course, the infamous Trump Tower meeting arranged in June 2016 so that Trumps son, son-in-law and campaign chairman could receive damaging information about Hillary Clinton from an emissary of the Kremlin. But investigators have also learned of more than a dozen additional contacts between the campaign and well-connected Russians. A memo filed by Mueller on Friday reveals a previously unknown approach by a Russian national who claimed to be a trusted person in the Russian Federation and who offered the campaign synergy on a government level. The filing also states that Cohen helpfully provided useful information regarding certain discrete Russia-related matters that was obtained through regular contact with Trump Organization executives. None of this is normal. I know people who have run both Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, and not one reports ever experiencing or even hearing of such dealings with a foreign government, much less an adversarial power such as Russia. When Trump says this sort of thing is common practice, he is lying. No, Mueller has not tipped his hand to reveal all the evidence he might have of a full-fledged plot between Trumps campaign and Vladimir Putins government. But given how tight-lipped the Mueller team has been, it is ridiculous for anyone to assert with confidence that no such evidence exists. We know Mueller is looking into the Trump Organizations business dealings with Russians who have close links to the Kremlin. We know he is looking into potential obstruction of justice by the president. And now we know, for the first time, that prosecutors have directly implicated Trump in a federal crime. It may be a bit premature to start chanting lock him up! but stay tuned. Eugene Robinsons email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com - The Grand Manor hotel is set for demolition after the court issued an order - The hotel's location has been subject of massive debate since it sits adjascent to a number of embassies - Its owner Praful Kumar was in August engaged in a legal tussle over a bribery attempt to save the building The multi-million hotel involved in the infamous bribery saga is finally set to be demolished after the court gave the go ahead. A Nairobi court on Tuesday, December 11 issued orders allowing the Nairobi County government to take down the Grand Manor hotel after months of uncertainty. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens Court approves demolition of multi-million hotel overlooking United Nations offices Source: UGC READ ALSO: Asian businessman arrested trying to bribe Mike Sonko KSh 1 million The posh hotel belonging to businessman Praful Kumar was ruled as a security threat for the United Nations offices which sit adjacent to the building in Gigiri. Alarm bells over a possible demolition first hit the media in August 2018 when Kumar was arrested by the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) for allegedly trying to bribe his way out of trouble with the county government. Kumar was arrested in Kanamai, Kilifi County while seeking approval for his hotel which has been under close scrutiny since 2015. TUKO.co.ke has since established the building was always bound to cause trouble for several glaring reasons. Kumar was arrested in Kanamai, Kilifi County while seeking approval for his hotel which has been under close scrutiny since 2015. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Muslim group want famous Mombasa Casablanca Club demolished For one thing, the hotel was constructed in a very sparsely populated area something which raised concern among members of the Gigiri Village Association. Furthermore, UN offices is not the only multi-national building the hotel is surrounded by as the US Embassy , High Commission of Botswana and the Embassy of Morocco are all within its reach. It was established in December 2017 that the building owner did not consult with any of the embassies when embarking on the construction of the building. Sonko , who was at the centre of the bribing allegations, had initially ordered the demolition of several floors of the building which may pose a security threat to the embassies. That may however prove to be a tall order as it may well interfere with the integrity of the building. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya finally has new currency | Tuko TV: Source: Tuko.co.ke Come tomorrow, a new slate will be voted into the National Association of Athletes and Admin The specialists of the Main Directorate of Communications and Information Systems of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Italy, Colonel Felice de Rosa discussed the prospects of joint training of cyber security experts. We will jointly train the cyber security experts. The Military Institute of Telecommunications and Informatization made such a proposal to the representatives of the cyber security department of the Armed Forces of Italy, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports. As noted, Felice de Rosa praised the high level of organization of training of cadets and students of the Institute, the powerful facilities for training the cyber security experts and familiarized those present with the experience of the Italian Armed Forces in the organization and functioning of the national cyber security system. The representatives of Ukraine and Italy also discussed further bilateral cooperation. ol Ukraine demonstrates an unprecedented level of transparency in carrying out its judicial reform. Ukraine is the only country to demonstrate publicly the entire procedure [of judicial reform]. Ukraine has online broadcast of meetings, showing, inter alia, the integrity checks of the candidates. It is the most sensitive part [of selection of judges], but its an interesting idea, President of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) Georg Stawa said in an interview with LB.ua Ukrainian online media outlet. In his opinion, such openness enables the judiciary to respond to a specific problem if the public gives a negative response. However, excessive publicity can also pose a threat, the expert believes. You cannot leave aside the respect for the personal rights of judges as the issues of private life are discussed during an interview. This transparency needs to be limited, Stawa says. If Ukraine is committed to integrity, transparency [of the judicial system], you should accustom the judges to this. Perhaps, the next generations will follow the new experience, the CEPEJ president summed up. November 23, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli said at the presentation of the report of the European Union's project Selection and evaluation of judges that the public confidence in the judiciary in Ukraine has improved significantly [from 5% up to 16%] since 2015. This means that Ukraine makes a very good progress and contributes to the growth of people's confidence in the judiciary, he said. ol Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has approved an agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Georgia on the mutual abolition of visa requirements. The decision was approved at a government meeting on Wednesday without discussion, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. On October 5, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze signed an agreement on the mutual abolition of visa requirements between the two countries. According to the agreement, citizens of Ukraine and Georgia may stay in the territory of the state of the other party without visas for a period of 90 days (annually) on the basis of electronic ID cards. The agreement gives an opportunity to maintain and improve the already existing visa-free regime between Ukraine and Georgia on the terms established by the provisions of the March 31, 1999 agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the executive authorities of Georgia on visa-free travel of citizens. op Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy has called on Speaker and lawmakers of the Parliament of South Korea to introduce a visa-free regime for Ukraine. Andriy Parubiy called on the Speaker and lawmakers of the Parliament of South Korea to introduce a visa-free regime with Ukraine, noting that the Korean citizens can visit Ukraine without a visa for twelve years now, the press office of the Verkhovna Rada reports. According to Parubiy, there is no threat of illegal migration from Ukraine to Korea as the visa-free regime between Ukraine and the EU has been in force for a year and a half already and no country in the European Union has raised relevant comments. The Ukrainian Parliament Speaker urged the South Korean business to invest in Ukraine. He called IT and agrarian sectors the most promising economy sectors for Ukraine-South Korea cooperation. At the end of the meeting, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy and Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea, Moon Hee-sang signed a memorandum of understanding between the parliaments. As reported, Andriy Parubiy makes an official visit to South Korea on December 10-14. ol He said this at a meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Moon Hee-sang, the press service of the Ukrainian parliament reported. "Despite the fact that Ukraine is compelled to repel Russian military aggression, we in Ukraine are carrying out systemic reforms, and the Ukrainian economy is actually showing growth now," Parubiy said. He thanked South Korea for supporting Ukraine and its state sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression. Parubiy also informed Moon about ongoing Russian aggression, in particular, the capture of Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait. Parubiy handed over to Moon an appeal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine concerning Russian aggression in the Kerch Strait, which was adopted by parliament on November 26. On November 25, Russian border ships opened fire on and seized three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait, as well as 24 Ukrainian sailors. All captured sailors were detained after "trial" and taken to Moscow. They are now in jail, three of them injured. op On Wednesday, MEPs acknowledged Ukraines positive reform track, while condemning Russias aggression in the Kerch Strait and the construction of Nord Stream 2. The European Parliament adopted a resolution by 433 votes to 105, with 30 abstentions, evaluating the latest developments related to the EU-Ukraine association agreement, which entered into force in 2017. "Ukraine has reformed in areas such as energy, health, pensions, education, public administration and decentralisation, and also when it comes to defence and security, banking and macro-economic stabilisation," MEPs stressed. However, these reforms have unfortunately been accompanied by drastic price increases, cuts in social benefits and a deterioration in access to social welfare systems. MEPs praise Ukraine for good cooperation in the energy sector and its achievements in the areas of energy efficiency and renewables, while pointing out the need to continue to reform, particularly in the gas and electricity market. With Ukraine playing a crucial role in the European energy supply network, MEPs condemn the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline which bypasses Ukraine, as it is a political project that poses a threat to European energy security. They therefore call for it to be cancelled. The resolution further underlines that Ukraine should prioritise the fight against corruption, address the problems with oligarch power and continue with decentralisation reforms. MEPs regret that the existing judicial system still remains ineffective, corrupt and politically dependent, yet support the ongoing efforts to address this issue. Judges and prosecutors have to be selected in a more transparent and highly reliable manner, says the text. MEPs strongly condemn Russias recent aggression against Ukraine on 25 November in the Kerch Strait, and demand the immediate and unconditional release of all Ukrainian vessels and sailors. The resolution calls on the EU and its member states to introduce targeted sanctions against Russia if the Ukrainian servicemen are not released and if there is any further military escalation. Finally, MEPs strongly condemn the rising number of physical attacks against civil rights activists and journalists and violence towards members of the Roma and LGBTI communities. They further demand that the Russian Federation must immediately and unconditionally release the 2018 Sakharov Prize laureate Oleg Sentsov and all other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens. The international community should actively demonstrate its support for Ukraine, UWC President Paul Grod has stated. The Ukrainian World Congress appeals to the international community for swift action, delivering the message to the Russian Federation that its support for Ukraine and its territorial integrity is resolute and unequivocal, Grod said, the UWCs press service reported. The UWC called upon every Ukrainian community, Ukrainian and friend of Ukraine to amplify the message by issuing statements of condemnation and calls to action; writing letters to government representatives urging specific action; writing letters to media highlighting the priorities for action; actively engaging on social media sharing factual information about the situation in Ukraine. As reported, Paul Grod was elected as the UWC president at the end of November 2018. | By Mary T. Phelan I got bad news for you, kid. Youre a writer and youll never shake it. Those words were imparted to Alice McDermott by a professor when the best-selling author was a college freshman. She had submitted her first assignment for her first writing class, The Nature of Non-Fiction, taught by a retired Air Force colonel and former journalist. The homework: Write an autobiographical essay. University of Maryland, Baltimore President Jay A. Perman, MD, and award-winning author Alice McDermott share a conversation before an audience of UMB alumni. I went to my dorm room and wrote an autobiographical essay that was completely manufactured, McDermott said, sharing one of many stories during An Evening with Alice McDermott, a conversation between the author and University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Jay A. Perman, MD, on Nov. 29 at The Winslow, an event venue at the Parker Metal Building on West Ostend Street, held for 150 UMB alumni and their guests. McDermotts professor kept her after class, at which point he issued his bad news. It was that moment, yes, of course, I always knew that I wanted to be a writer, but I would not have known it if he hadnt have told me. The University president shared a stage with McDermott as he asked her questions about her writing methodology and inspiration. McDermott is the author of eight novels, including her latest, The Ninth Hour, which was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2017 Kirkus Prize for Fiction. Audience members received signed copies of the book. Three of McDermott's novels have been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, and her best-known work, Charming Billy, won the 1998 National Book Award. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., McDermott was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame in 2013. She is the Richard A. Macksey Professor for Distinguished Teaching of the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University, a role that gives her opportunities to guide young writers in the way she was guided by teachers. I have my career because I had wonderful teachers, McDermott said. There's no question in my mind that I could not have embarked on those long nights and days as a writer if I hadn't had teachers who at the right stage of my career told me I was doing the right thing. At the beginning of the evening, Perman reminded McDermott that UMB is a health, law, and human services university. Its hard science. Its the facts surrounding law. So, when we're with you, were sort of awed by your creativity, he said. So, we want to learn a little about you. Was it always writing for you? When did you know you wanted to be a writer? McDermott said she started writing at a young age as a way to have a voice in a world where she could complete sentences without being interrupted by her brothers, adding that scientists, lawyers, and writers share some common traits. In some ways, I think what inspires a young person to go into the sciences, to go into law, and to go into the creative arts is a kind of curiosity about the world and how it works, what it is to be human, what our short time here on this planet means, she said. I think scientists and people in the medical profession ask the same and I think people who go into law ask the same. For me, I think writing was always my way of thinking about the world and making some kind of sense of it. Perman also asked McDermott about whether she works on her craft on a daily basis. I have always had that sense of, well, if I were going to pursue this, Im going to pursue it as if I were someone who was actually going to an office and working every day, McDermott responded. I am as obliged to show up at my desk as a waitress would be to show up at the restaurant or a surgeon would be to show up at the operating room. She gets behind her desk in the morning and stays until 5 or 6 p.m. It can be boring, lonely work at times, she admitted. I may not produce anything worth reading over the course of a day. I may end up with a deficit of pages. But Im there, pursuing it. I need to be there to discover the right way to tell those stories. And like many writers, the tight grasp of procrastination often gets in her way, she acknowledged. I love to procrastinate, McDermott said. I'm delighted by not doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Many of her novels center on stories about Irish-American Catholic families, Perman noted. Why is that important to you? he asked. Does having that history, those experiences, make the writing process easier? The Irish Catholic experience makes its way as a subject into many of my novels, replied McDermott, a second-generation Irish-American who attended Catholic schools. But I dont think of myself as someone who is setting out to, in any way, define that face or that demographic. In some ways, I think of this as a means to an end. It is material at hand for me. Currently, shes been commissioned to write a play, she told the audience. Thats been sort of a fun exercise. Im not a playwright. I know what happens to novelists who think that they are. It doesnt go very well, she said. But its another way of thinking about storytelling, so perhaps it will make me a better novelist in the long run. The event was the third alumni gathering featuring noted writers in recent years. UMB hosted New York Times columnist Frank Bruni in November 2017 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and television writer and producer David Simon in April 2018 at the Sagamore Pendry in Fells Point. Suzanne Price, MSW 92, said she is delighted that UMB has been including prominent authors in its alumni events. I think this is the best thing UMB could do, she said. It is wonderful to hear the authors talk about the creative process. Price brought along her sister, Pat OHara, an English teacher at Loyola Blakefield in Towson. I cant wait to tell my students all about this tomorrow, OHara said. I just cant wait. | By Nora Samaranayake The Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) announced on Dec. 4 the discovery that DnaK, a protein of the bacterium mycoplasma, interferes with the mycoplasma-infected cells ability to respond to and repair DNA damage, a known origin of cancer. Little or no mycoplasma DnaK DNA sequences were found associated with the tumor, which was fully developed, suggesting a hit-and-run or hide mechanism of transformation, indicating that the damage is done early, but the protein may not be needed once the cancer cells are formed. Fiorenza Cocchi, MD, Francesca Benedetti, PhD, Davide Zella, PhD, Robert Gallo, PhD, Sabrina Curreli, PhD, and Selvi Krishnan, PhD The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and suggests that bacterial infections may contribute to far more cancers than previously thought. The announcement was made by Robert Gallo, MD, The Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine and co-founder and director, Institute of Human Virology, UMSOM, and Davide Zella, PhD, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Institute of Human Virology, UMSOM. Gallo and Zella collaborated with Herve Tettelin, PhD, associate professor of microbiology and immunology, Institute for Genome Sciences, UMSOM. Currently, approximately 20 percent of cancers are thought to be caused by infection, most are known to be due to viruses, said Gallo. who also is co-founder and director of the Global Virus Network. Mycoplasmas are a family of bacteria that are associated with cancers, especially in people with HIV. Our work provides an explanation for how a bacterial infection can trigger a series of events that lead to cancer. Of particular importance, the infection did not need to persist and the protein did not need to be continuously present in all cancer cells. The study also provides a mechanism for how some bacterial infections can interfere with specific cancer drugs. Researchers utilized immune-compromised mice as a model for analyzing the effect of mycoplasma infection on the development of lymphoma. They compared how quickly non-infected immune-compromised mice developed lymphoma compared to mycoplasma-infected immune-compromised mice. The mice were infected with a strain of mycoplasma from an HIV patient. The researchers found that mycoplasma infection caused the mice to develop lymphoma earlier in life than non-infected immune-compromised mice and that some, but not all, of the cancer cells had bacterial DNA. Finding only a small amount of bacterial DNA in the cancer cells suggested that the infection did not have to persist to trigger cancer. We focused on a protein called DnaK, which is part of a family of proteins that function as a chaperone for other proteins protecting them from damage or helping them to fold, Zella said. However, in this case, DnaK reduces the activity of important cellular proteins involved in DNA repair and anti-cancer-activities, such as p53. Thus, cells infected with mycoplasma would not be able to properly repair damaged DNA, thus, potentially increasing the risk for cancer development. The scientists noted that the bacteria can release DnaK and the DnaK enters nearby uninfected cells. The study also demonstrates that by reducing p53, DnaK also can reduce the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs. Thus, mycoplasma infection could not only trigger events leading to the accumulation of DNA damage and oncogenesis in infected cells, but also trigger cancer-causing events in nearby uninfected cells that took up DnaK released from infected neighboring cells. We analyzed the amino acid sequences of DnaK from many bacteria and found that the DnaK proteins from bacteria associated with cancer grouped together were different DnaK sequences from bacteria that are not associated with cancer, Tettelin said. This raises the possibility that other bacteria have the same cancer-promoting ability. According to Gallo, This hit-and-run, or hide, mechanism mediated by a protein common to many cancer-associated bacteria changes how we need to think about infection and at least some cancers. Furthermore, this provides a basis for understanding how infection can influence the effectiveness of some cancer treatments. This is fascinating science with important implications, said UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who also the executive vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. We are pleased to see a cross-collaboration between two disciplines here at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Our Institute of Human Virologys basic science laboratory research was aided by the Schools Institute for Genome Sciences sequencing expertise, bringing the research to full fruition. This research was partially funded by the Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund (CRF) Program. Morgan State University also participated in this study. On a chilly Saturday afternoon, Syrian refugee Widad Alghamian is strolling with two of her grown-up children in downtown Vienna, browsing in shops and soaking up the festive atmosphere. She admires oriental carpets in an upmarket store before buying a Mozart lamp at a traditional Christmas market. Vienna reminds me of Damascus, says the 41-year-old teacher from the Syrian capital. The cobblestones, the antique shops I miss Damascus, of course, but with the family here now, Vienna has become home. The extent to which Widad and thousands of refugees like her have settled in Vienna is testament to the policies of the city, which has welcomed the new arrivals and worked to integrate them from day one. We have built a big house and now it is all about housewarming, says Jurgen Czernohorszky, Executive City Councillor for Education, Integration, Youth and Personnel. Sitting in his brightly lit, modern office in the 19th century Gothic Rathaus (City Hall), Czernohorszky reflects on the growth of the city and how Vienna not only coped with the refugee influx but turned it into an opportunity to celebrate multiculturalism. "It was never a question of whether we should welcome them, but how." Vienna has a long post-war record of accommodating refugees. He pulls out a graph showing spikes in migration in 1956, the year of the Hungarian Uprising, 1968, the year of the Prague Spring, and the 1990s, when Yugoslavia collapsed into war. The latest peak represents arrivals in 2015. Today, Vienna, which has grown largely due to internal and EU migration, has a population of more than 1.8 million. In the 1970s and 80s, he says, people came as Gastarbeiter [guest workers, many from Turkey] and the politicians thought they would go back, so there was no need for integration. This was a big mistake and in Vienna we learnt from it. With the arrival of thousands of refugees to Austria in 2015, proportionally the country was among those taking in the biggest numbers. It was a huge challenge, says Czernohorszky. But I am pleased to say that it was never a question of whether we should welcome them, but how. Jurgen Czernohorszky, Executive City Councillor for Education, Integration, Youth and Personnel, explains Vienna's various programs to help refugees integrate "from day one". UNHCR/Stefanie J Steindl Around 60 per cent of the worlds 25.4 million refugees live not in camps but in cities and urban areas across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Mayors, local authorities, social enterprises and citizen groups are on the frontlines of the global refugee response, fostering social cohesion and protecting and assisting the forcibly displaced men, women and children in their midst. Vienna is part of a growing global network of municipalities that are opting to embrace refugees and the opportunities they bring. From Sao Paulo to Jakarta, these Cities of Light are giving hope to the worlds most vulnerable by providing sanctuary and the chance to become part of the social fabric. On 18 and 19 December, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi will host the eleventh High Commissioners Dialogue event in Geneva, which this year focusses on the role of cities in protecting the urban displaced. Vienna has various municipal programmes to support refugees, and is one of 92 cities worldwide that have signed up to UNHCRs Cities#WithRefugees campaign to promote inclusive host communities. "This is what we need - the open hearts of the people living in the city." We are not only talking but doing, says Czernohorszky. In a very short time, we organised housing, medical care and most importantly, access to education. All the basic needs were met. Last year alone, 10,000 people had places in language classes free of charge. Despite some recent cuts at national level, the city continues to support refugees from its own budget and EU funds. It also supports NGOs and refugee groups seeking to help themselves. Another ingredient for success has been the mobilization of the citys residents to lend their support. There has been a huge engagement of civil society, says Czernohorszky. To be honest, we would not have managed without the volunteers. This is what we need the open hearts of people living in the city. One of Viennas novel integration programmes is called Peer-Mentoring for Refugees. Here, refugees already somewhat established in the city help more recent arrivals to find their feet. The refugee mentors take a civics course, covering the rights and responsibilities of living in Austrian society, before working with others. Widad Alghamian's Arabic language class, which ensures refugee children do not forget their own culture while integrating in Austria. UNHCR/Stefanie J Steindl Jurgen Czernohorszky, Executive City Councillor for Education, Integration, Youth and Personnel, displays a graph showing spikes in migration to Vienna: 1956 (Hungarian Uprising), 1968 (Prague Spring), 1990s (Yugoslav wars) and 2015 (latest refugee influx) UNHCR/Stefanie J Steindl Jurgen Czernohorszky, Executive City Councillor for Education, Integration, Youth and Personnel, displays a graph showing spikes in migration to Vienna: 1956 (Hungarian Uprising), 1968 (Prague Spring), 1990s (Yugoslav wars) and 2015 (latest refugee influx) UNHCR/Stefanie J Steindl Syrian refugee Widad Alghamian, 41, an Arabic and religious studies teacher from Damascus, has returned to the classroom thanks to a programme in Vienna. UNHCR/Stefanie J Steindl In a social centre in the 15th district, Mohammad Akbar Amiri, 19, from Ghazni in Afghanistan runs a Taekwondo class two evenings a week for fellow refugees, after being trained through CORE and gaining mentor status. The (civics) course was about what a refugee can do in Europe, gender topics and so on, says Akbar. Now I am kind of qualified to teach. As for Taekwondo, I have experience because Ive been doing that since I was seven. I am sitting all day studying German, says Mohammad Hashem Esaqzadeh, 21, also from Afghanistan, so it is good to do something physical in the evening. For me, Taekwondo means a free soul and a healthy body. Peer mentoring is part of a wider integration project called CORE, bringing together five public institutions of the City of Vienna dealing with diversity, social issues, education, employment and business. COREs stated aim is to make refugees equal partners instead of beneficiaries. "We do not want the refugees to forget where they came from." At its centre in the 15th district, CORE provides rooms and facilities for refugees who come with their own ideas for activities. One group of refugee doctors, for example, meets at CORE to study in order to re-qualify and continue in the medical profession in Austria. CORE spokeswoman Katja Horninger explains why many refugees also use the centre to teach and learn their own first language, alongside the German classes, and why CORE encourages this. It is well known, she says, that having a good level in your first language helps you to learn a second language. And we do not want the refugees to forget where they came from. This is what makes living together interesting. In one classroom, Parham Lee-Sadrzadeh, an Iranian who grew up in Vienna, teaches basic Farsi to Afghan women unable to read and write in their own language. I was teaching them German, he says, and seeing they were not making progress. I realised the problem was they were illiterate in Farsi. Seated amongst the Afghan students, an enthusiastic Austrian woman is also trying to grasp the rudiments of Farsi. "If they are well educated, they will be good members of the Austrian community." Meanwhile for Widad, who used to teach Arabic and religion at a school in Damascus, CORE has provided an opportunity to get back into the classroom and teach Arabic to refugee children. Widad, her husband and three of her children arrived in Austria after the oldest boy in the family, Obaida, now 20, made the journey alone. Widad said she quickly realised she could not sit at home all day and preferred an active life in Vienna. I came up with the idea of teaching Arabic to children and asked for a room, she says. CORE asked me how popular it might be and in a day, I got 40 responses. Now I am teaching four groups of 20 children each. It is important that our youngsters, who are picking up German quickly, also know their own culture. If they are well educated, they will be good members of the Austrian community. See more stories from the Cities of Light series Burundian refugees at Mulongwe settlement in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin Donor governments today pledged an initial US$926 million towards the work of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in providing protection and assistance to millions of refugees, returnees, internally displaced and stateless people worldwide in 2019. The pledges, made at an annual donor gathering in Geneva, amount to the highest total yet. They come at a time of increased complexity for asylum globally and deepening scope for UNHCRs work. Today, the UN Refugee Agency is working to meet the immediate protection and humanitarian needs of 68.5 million people displaced by violence or persecution, returnees and stateless. New displacement, such as the Rohingya and Venezuela situations, and multiple older crises such as those in Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, South Sudan, or Democratic Republic of the Congo are occurring in parallel. At the same time factors such as climate change, poverty and inequality are also fuelling conflict, which in turn creates new displacement dynamics. As we face unprecedented levels of forced displacement and complexity of challenges, I thank our donors for staying the course. Lives and futures of those forced to flee their homes depend on our ability to deliver vital protection and shelter, said the UN High Commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi to the conference. Preparedness is key in humanitarian response. Against this background, a new global compact on refugees is expected to come before the UN General Assembly on 17 December 2018. The compact, which builds upon existing refugee response norms, will bring new approaches, arrangements and resources with a view to shaping a more predictable, effective and sustainable response to displacement crises. Under development since 2016, it is expected to move to implementation phase in 2019. Funds pledged today will facilitate that key shift. UNHCRs global financial requirements for 2019 amount to a record US$8.591 billion, a slight increase from 2018 appeal. The funds pledged today are higher than last year, when the same gathering yielded US$857 million in initial announcements by donors. Todays pledges are useful indication of anticipated funding levels and overall support. More importantly, these early pledges and their disbursement allow UNHCR to plan and continue its life-saving operations. UNHCR is particularly grateful to all state and private sector donors for their un-earmarked contributions which are essential for the strategic work of the organization in managing humanitarian responses in a flexible and timely manner. "There should be sanctions if this does not happen." The European Parliament has called on the Russian Federation to free the Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait on November 25 and all Ukrainian political prisoners, in particular, illegally convicted film director Oleh Sentsov. These calls were announced in the European Parliament during a report on the implementation by Ukraine of the Association Agreement with the European Union on December 11. "We would like to call for the release of the Ukrainian sailors, and there should be sanctions if this does not happen. We also call on Mr. Putin please release these marines so they can go back home to their families," said Michael Gahler, a co-rapporteur of the European Parliament on Ukraine. The MEP also said that by giving Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, illegally convicted in Russia, the Sakharov Prize of the European Parliament 'For Freedom of Thought' "we are sending out the right signal at the right time." Gahler said that the European Parliament very much appreciated Sentsov's commitment to human rights and protests against the Russian occupation of Crimea. "We call for the release of all political prisoners of Russia and, in particular, the release of Oleh Sentsov," he said. "Russia must abstain from any further provocation in the region, and international maritime traffic should continue through the Sea of Azov, as provided for by international law." Read alsoMerkel calls on Putin to free 24 captive Ukrainian sailors High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini said in turn that she supports the calls to free Sentsov. "Let me join [the] call for [Sentsov's] liberation as we have asked constantly all through these years," she said in the European Parliament. She also mentioned her recent meeting with Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin as a guest of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. "We do not recognize the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula," she reiterated, adding that "current tensions are a direct consequence of Russia's violation of the OSCE's founding principles and of international law." "We expect Russia to immediately release the vessels and their crew. International law obliges the Russian Federation to ensure the unhindered and free passage of all vessels through the Kerch Strait. Russia's behavior violates international law and is causing economic damage not just to Ukraine but also to ships sailing under EU flags," she emphasized. .@FedericaMog discusses EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, once again calls for liberation of #SakharovPrize winner Oleg Sentsov and discusses situation in the #AzovSea#KerchStrait at #EPlenarypic.twitter.com/xMpXdB6PaT European External Action Service - EEAS (@eu_eeas) December 11, 2018 As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia on November 25, 2018, seized three Ukrainian navy vessels with their 24 crewmen. Three of them were wounded amid the attack. Russian-controlled "courts" in occupied Crimea ruled that all 24 detainees should be remanded in custody, after which they were transferred to the Moscow-based Lefortovo and Matrosskaya Tishina detention centers. They are charged with "illegal border crossing," facing up to six years in prison. Sentsov was arrested in Russian-occupied Crimea in spring 2014 and in August 2015, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The resolution also called on U.S. President Donald Trump to hold Russia accountable for its aggression. The U.S. House of Representatives has again called on Russia to end its hostilities against Ukraine. The lawmakers Tuesday passed a resolution reaffirming their "commitment to Ukraine's independence and security," Voice of America said. The resolution came after Russia last month fired on two Ukrainian naval ships and rammed a third vessel in the Black Sea, seizing the ships. The incident has raised tensions between Washington and Moscow. Read alsoU.S. State Department: Russia needs to free Ukrainian crews The resolution also called on U.S. President Donald Trump to hold Russia accountable for its aggression. "The United States and its allies must hold Russia accountable. Failure to do so may be interpreted by Moscow as a green light to go even further," said Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The Treaty will expire on April 1, 2019. On December 12, the law on non-prolongation of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia from April 2019 came into force. On December 11, the law was published in the parliamentary gazette Holos Ukrainy. The Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation was signed in Kyiv on May 31, 1997, for a period of 10 years. The Verkhovna Rada ratified the document on January 14, 1998, while the State Duma of the Russian Federation on December 25, 1998. Read alsoEnd of Friendship Treaty with Russia: How will "Kremlin Bear" react? The Treaty entered into force on April 1, 1999 (from the date of the exchange of ratification instruments). According to the Treaty, its validity was to be automatically extended for the next ten-year periods, if neither of the parties declared its will to terminate it at least six months prior to the expiration of the next ten-year period. As UNIAN reported earlier, on December 10, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a law on non-prolonging the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia. The top spy has failed the task, Tymchuk notes, as the world has become aware of Russia's involvement in radicalizing mass protests. Dmytro Tymchuk, the coordinator of the Ukrainian-based Information Resistance OSINT community, has said head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of Russia (formerly known as the GRU), Igor Kostyukov, who was appointed to the post on December 10, had to prove himself by fulfilling a task to destabilize the situation around the protests in France. The new top spy has failed, Tymchuk notes, as the world has become aware of Russia's involvement in radicalizing mass actions, TSN reports. Kostyukov replaced former leader Igor Korobov who had recently died, reportedly of a long illness. He was acting head of the Main Directorate for some time. Under Korobov's leadership, the agency had been shamed with numerous failures, such as a foiled coup in Montenegro or a Petrov-Boshirov failure in Salisbury. However, the France developments were going rather well for Russia. Read alsoUkraine's SBU on "yellow vest" riots in Paris: "Practical examination" of Russia's foreign agents "The sky seemed to be clear for Kostyukov ahead of his appointment: Korobov was appointed a scapegoat for the agency's old failures and sins, while Putin promised to return the letter 'R' ['razvedyvatelnoye' - intelligence] to the official name of the structure. In addition, the GRU was successfully riding the wave of French protests the trolls were reoriented from the American and British directions to the French one, to slam down on Macron, change the protests' agenda from economic to political issues, and shape up the 'necessary' public opinion. The GRU has also deployed scores of its operatives and assets. And, of course, they also attracted all sorts of radical scum, financed by Russian military intelligence, to radicalize protest sentiments and provoke confrontations [with law enforcement]," Tymchuk wrote on Facebook. Read also"Russian World" supporters fly "DPR" flag at yellow vest protest in Paris The GRU was already expecting Macron to be forced to step down when a pair of Frenchmen spoiled everything on Saturday, December 8, when they were photographed during Paris protests boasting a flag of the so-called "DPR" and exposed Russia's involvement in the riots. "Despite the fact that the Kremlin and its entire propaganda army are now trying to absurdly justify and vindicate themselves, we can be sure that the French intelligence services, which have launched an investigation, will prove that Russian intel meddled in France's internal affairs, as it did before in Montenegro, the United States, and Britain," Tymchuk said. Poroshenko says Ukraine needs an improving military and technical cooperation. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko does not rule out Russia's move to launch ground operation against Ukraine any moment. Ukraine needs to enhance military and technical cooperation with its partners, including on the supply the lethal weapons helping the country protect itself from the possible "huge" ground operation "we do not exclude Russia can launch any moment," Poroshenko said in an interview with Fox News. The video clip of the interview has been posted on the president's Facebook page. Read alsoThis is no joke and no incident. This is war: Poroshenko addresses Putin over attack in Kerch Strait (video) As UNIAN reported earlier, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the evening of November 26 supported the introduction of martial law in several regions of Ukraine and in the internal waters of the Azov-Kerch water area. Martial law is introduced in 10 regions of Ukraine: Vinnytsia, Odesa, Mykolayiv, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions. The decree provides for the introduction of martial law from 9:00 on November 28, 2018, for a period of 30 days. Moscow would not recognize reports of technology violations during bridge construction, while it's much more convenient for Russia to accuse Ukraine, claiming that the Ukrainians "mined" it, "taking this as a pretext for declaring war." Long before the Kerch crisis and aggression against Ukraine in the Black Sea, Russia had been preparing information-wise for the escalation of the conflict and justification of its maritime aggression through various fake stories, including around the problematic Kerch Strait bridge, according to Taras Berezovets, a political technologist, head of Berta Communications and co-founder of Ukrainian Institute for the Future. "This is absolutely true. In fact, these fakes began to appear back during the construction of the Kerch Bridge, starting from 2015, when Russian television, Russian speakers, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and [Russian Foreign Minister Sergei] Lavrov, started claiming that Ukraine had allegedly been plotting terror attacks, even training 'combat divers,' and that mines would be planted under the bridge, etc," the expert told the Segodnya newspaper, commenting on the relevant publication in The Guardian. "In my opinion, the Russian Federation does this primarily because it is looking for a pretext to declare war. The bridge itself, according to satellite data, began to shift. Tectonic plates running along the bottom of the Kerch Strait is as if your two legs stand on two different shores: one is on the Kerch peninsula, and the other on the Taman one. Then the upper platform on which you are standing starts to move upwards, while another one downwards. Almost the same is happening with the bridge, that is, it will simply snap in one moment," he said. At the same time, explaining the Kremlin's propaganda logic, Berezovets noted that Russia would not recognize reports of technology violations during bridge construction, while it's much more convenient for the Russian Federation to accuse Ukraine, claiming that the Ukrainians "mined" it, "taking this as a pretext for declaring war." The political consultant added the Azov Sea was of interest to Russia, first of all, in terms of blocking ports in Berdyansk and Mariupol, incurring economic damage on Ukraine and its economy. Secondly, this is about causing social discontent, since thousands of people are losing their jobs. And thirdly, this is about resolving the critical situation of drinking water in the occupied Crimea. Read alsoKremlin's persistent claim of expected chemical attack by Ukraine Armed Forces in Donbas worrying MP "They [occupiers] are already approaching the point of no return. According to a recently published report with the environmentalists' forecast, 2019 will be the hottest year in the history of mankind. This means the Crimean reservoirs, in which the water level drop was over 50% compared with the pre-occupation periods, will dry out. That is, they have half the water there was there before Russian troops crossed into Crimea. Therefore, Russia is not able to supply drinking water to almost three million people in Crimea. The water there is of very poor quality. At the same time, the occupiers in every possible way conceal information about the growth of respiratory and oncological diseases rate due to the fact that the lack of water causes increased air dryness, spreading of harmful substances, and as a result respiratory diseases with oncological illnesses. Therefore, it is critically important for occupiers to get access to Ukrainian water," he said. As Berezovets added, thus, the invaders will either issue an ultimatum, blocking the passage of vessels through the Kerch Strait under any flags, if Kyiv does not supply water to Crimea, or they can launch military ground operation against Ukraine 'to seize part of Kherson region to re-open the locks." Read alsoInformation Policy Ministry points at TOP 10 Kremlin fakes on Kerch Strait incident "They are preparing for both options. Therefore, I do not rule out that blackmail will start first, and if it does not work, they will completely block the Kerch Strait, they will not let anyone into the Sea of Azov. If this blackmail does not work either, they are preparing for a ground operation," the expert said. As UNIAN reported earlier, according to The Guardian, the Kremlin launched a year-long disinformation campaign to soften up public opinion before its recent seizure of three Ukrainian ships and their crews in the Sea of Azov. Russian media reported that British and Ukrainian secret services had been trying to transport a nuclear bomb to the newly built bridge to occupied Crimea in order to blow it up, but had been bravely prevented from doing so by special forces sent by Moscow. All measures short of war should be taken into account when trying to solve the crisis in Ukraine. It was always just a matter of time before the smouldering conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Sea of Azov, a body of water to the north-east of Crimea, escalated militarily. After it opened a bridge across the Kerch Strait in May 2018, Russia has gradually brought the entire area under its control, causing severe economic damage to the Ukrainian trading ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk. A volatile situation morphed into an unprecedented, open act of aggression when on 25 November the Russian navy rammed a Ukrainian tugboat, seized three vessels and their crews and temporarily blocked passage through the strait, Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the German Bundestag, wrote in an article for The Guardian. "Two months earlier I'd made the point that, with rising tensions in the Sea of Azov, we might soon witness a "second Crimea" another territorial grab. That has now come true. Russia has in effect seized the Sea of Azov through military means. This must be seen as just the latest in a long chain of Russian military interventions outside its own territory," the politician said. The March 2014 annexation of Crimea was a tipping point. That day, Russia turned its back entirely on the principles enshrined in the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and later reaffirmed in the 1990 Paris Charter: it violated the borders and the territorial integrity of a European state. With that, Europe's postwar order and the continent's longest period of peace came to an end. "As a result, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is hardly just a bilateral one. Rather, it raises the question of Europe's political set-up and whether "might makes right" will dominate, instead of the rule of law," he said. It's hard to exaggerate the significance of what is unfolding. When I became chairman of Germany's foreign affairs committee, in January 2014, the world was a different place. The conflict in Ukraine, the refugee crisis, Brexit and the strains in the transatlantic relationship brought by the election of Donald Trump, had not yet happened. Read alsoKerch Strait Bridge to "snap in one moment": Expert explains "point of no return" "Dealing with Russia's violation of international norms has become a constant part of my work now. President Putin wants Russia to become a counter-model to the western-led liberal order. The destabilization of other countries and societies has become the guiding principle of his foreign policy," Rottgen said. Russia's economic forecasts are poor and Putin's approval ratings have gone down. Russia's deep, post-cold war anxiety comes from losing influence on the global stage and especially in eastern Europe. This was the inevitable consequence of the emancipation of the former Soviet republics. Russia feels cornered and is trying to halt its own decline by using the last means at its disposal: military power and control over access to energy resources. According to the politician, the EU needs to maintain dialogue with its large eastern neighbour, for otherwise there will be no peace in Ukraine. "As western Europeans, we have to acknowledge our part in this: we did not take Russia's concerns seriously enough. I remember wondering in early 2014 how we might best address Russia's nervousness concerning the planned association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine. What happened later showed that the west had completely underestimated what Ukraine's rapprochement with the west would mean to Russia." Since the EU's 2004 enlargement to the east, Russia has watched one country after another in its neighborhood affiliate itself with western Europe, and benefit politically and economically from that. Meanwhile Russia was failing to modernize and rebuild its sway. By 2011, along with the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan, Putin had signed an agreement to set up a Eurasian Economic Union designed as a countermodel to the EU. "Losing" Ukraine a natural candidate for the EEU was obviously too much for Russia to bear. Read alsoThis is no joke and no incident. This is war: Poroshenko addresses Putin over attack in Kerch Strait (video) "I'm certainly not trying to defend Russia's military aggression in any way Ukraine is a sovereign state and has the right to decide which alliances it wants to join. The EU was right to support that process from the beginning. But it was certainly naive for the west to assume that Russia would simply accept such developments," he said. "What has to be done now? We can no longer rule out further Russian aggression, for example on the coastline of the Sea of Azov, designed to open a land route to the Crimean peninsula. Above all, the EU's response must be coherent and unanimous: our greatest strength lies in our unity. Military means are out of the question, but all measures short of war should be taken into account." First of all, Russia must immediately release the Ukrainian ships seized near the Kerch Strait and their crews. One good sign is that Russia has now reopened the Kerch Strait for Ukrainian ships. But freedom of navigation in the Sea of Azov must be guaranteed at all times. Next, the 2015 Minsk agreement aimed at resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine must be implemented promptly by both sides. Without that, it won't be possible for us to cut back on existing sanctions. Read alsoU.S. House passes resolution opposing Nord Stream 2 "But we must go further: Germany in particular must urgently reconsider the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. I've long been a critic of this plan, aimed at building an alternative to existing transit routes for energy through eastern Europe. Nord Stream 2 is hardly a purely commercial project; it has strong geopolitical implications. Building permits have already been granted by all the European states involved with the exception of Denmark so stopping the project has become even more difficult. At the very least, Russia must guarantee that gas transits through Ukraine will continue. Meanwhile the EU must ensure Russian gas pipelines on its territory comply with the bloc's competition rules. Here again, Germany must act: my country should abandon its veto on a planned reform of the EU's gas directive," Rottgen added. Putin may attack the Crimean channel, Mariupol, and Berdyansk. Journalist Arkady Babchenko has said Russian President Vladimir Putin will continue to squeeze Ukraine out of the Sea of Azov to re-open water supply to the occupied Crimea from mainland Ukraine. "It is critical for Putin to open the supply of drinking water to Crimea since water is running out there. Therefore, he may attack the Crimean channel, Mariupol, and Berdyansk," Babchenko said in an interview with the Ukrainian news outlet Obozrevatel. Read alsoPoroshenko: Russia can launch ground operation against Ukraine any moment "Of course, he may get to Donbas. Will they go to Kharkiv or Dnipro? I is quite possible. Why not? The Kremlin will not get off Ukraine. I have recently read an article by a general, who described destabilization points in the country, such as the loss of orientation in society, like who is a friend or an enemy, swinging the situation on any issue, be it religious , ethnic, or racial. It may also be about imposing their candidate [in elections]. This is all now happening in Ukraine," The journalist believes Russian society will not resist such hostilities since the propaganda has programmed their minds for war. Some 433 MEPs voted for the document. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have commended Ukraine's reform efforts and denounced Russian aggression in their recent resolution on Ukraine. The European Parliament adopted a resolution by 433 votes to 105, with 30 abstentions, evaluating the latest developments related to the EU-Ukraine association agreement, which entered into force in 2017, the European Parliament said on its website. MEPs stress that Ukraine has reformed in areas such as energy, health, pensions, education, public administration and decentralisation, and also when it comes to defence and security, banking and macro-economic stabilisation. These reforms, however, have unfortunately been accompanied by drastic price increases, cuts in social benefits and a deterioration in access to social welfare systems. MEPs praise Ukraine for good cooperation in the energy sector and its achievements in the areas of energy efficiency and renewables, while pointing out the need to continue to reform, particularly in the gas and electricity market. With Ukraine playing a crucial role in the European energy supply network, MEPs condemn the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline which bypasses Ukraine, "as it is a political project that poses a threat to European energy security." They therefore call for it to be cancelled. Read alsoU.S. House passes resolution opposing Nord Stream 2 The resolution further underlines that Ukraine should prioritise the fight against corruption, address the problems with oligarch power and continue with decentralisation reforms. MEPs regret that the existing judicial system still remains ineffective, corrupt and politically dependent, yet support the ongoing efforts to address this issue. Judges and prosecutors have to be selected in a more transparent and highly reliable manner, says the text. MEPs strongly condemn Russia's recent aggression against Ukraine on November 25 in the Kerch Strait, and demand the immediate and unconditional release of all Ukrainian vessels and sailors. They are seriously concerned that the tension may constitute a creeping attempt to annex Ukraine's sovereign rights in the Sea of Azov. Russia therefore has to guarantee the freedom of navigation through the Kerch Strait and in the Sea of Azov. The resolution calls on the EU and its member states to introduce targeted sanctions against Russia if the Ukrainian servicemen are not released and if there is any further military escalation. More than thirty members from the Democratic and Republican Parties acted as co-authors of the resolution. The U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the Holodomor in Ukraine in 1932-1933 as genocide against the Ukrainian people. "Thus, both chambers of the U.S. Congress have passed the decision recognizing the Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people," Ukraine's Embassy in the United States said on Facebook on Tuesday, December 11. "In particular, the resolution of the document includes the recognition of the findings of the U.S. Commission on the Ukraine Famine (of April 22, 1988) that 'Joseph Stalin and those around him committed genocide against the Ukrainians in 1932-1933,'" the Embassy said. Read alsoU.S. Senate designates Holodomor in Ukraine in 1932-1933 as genocide "Like a similar resolution passed by the Senate on October 3, 2018, this document also condemns the systematic violations of human rights, including the freedom of self-determination and freedom of speech, of the Ukrainian people by the Soviet government," the Embassy said. The U.S. House of Representatives extends its deepest sympathies to the victims, survivors, and families of this tragedy and encourages dissemination of information regarding the Holodomor of 19321933 in order to expand the world's knowledge of this manmade tragedy. More than thirty members from the Democratic and Republican Parties acted as co-authors of the resolution. The document was introduced on June 8, 2018. As UNIAN reported earlier, the U.S. Senate early in October 2018 unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution that has become the first ever legal act of the United States Congress where the Holodomor of 1932-1933 was designated as genocide against the Ukrainian people. After his release from jail on December 11, he said he planned to travel to Moscow this week and visit his client Bohdan Nebylytsya -- one of 24 Ukrainian POW sailors. Prominent Crimean lawyer Emil Kurbedinov has been released from jail after serving a five-day term. A Russia-controlled court in Simferopol, Crimea, found Kurbedinov guilty on December 7 of propagating and publicly displaying symbols of an extremist organization. The charges pertained to a 2013 Facebook post made before Russian forces seized and subsequently annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, RFE/RL reported. The exact contents of the post were not immediately revealed. Kurbedinov has called the accusation against him "absurd" and "a pressure" on him. Read alsoOver 80 Russian lawyers ready to defend 24 captive Ukrainian sailors After his release from jail on December 11, he said he planned to travel to Moscow this week and visit his client Bohdan Nebylytsya -- one of 24 Ukrainians detained by Russian special forces on November 25 when three Ukrainian Navy ships were seized in the Sea of Azov. Other clients of Kurbedinov in recent years have included defendants in Crimea charged in high-profile cases that human rights organizations and Western governments say are politically motivated. Since Russia seized and annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014, Moscow has conducted a persistent campaign of oppression that targets Crimeans who oppose the annexation. Gerashchenko said the transfer of persons from the occupied city of Donetsk who had been convicted before the outbreak of war would continue on Thursday. Ukraine's representative in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) for the Donbas settlement and First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada, Iryna Gerashchenko, has said 42 people, who had been convicted before the Russian aggression started in 2014 and who had expressed their desire to serve their sentences in Ukrainian prisons, were transferred from the occupied city of Luhansk to the territory controlled by Ukraine. "Today, as part of the agreements previously reached in the humanitarian subgroup in Minsk, there was a transfer of prisoners who had been convicted before the outbreak of the 2014 war and whose convictions were unrelated to the conflict. A total of 42 people were displaced from occupied Luhansk to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian authorities," she wrote on Facebook. According to her, the convicts wish to serve their sentences in Ukrainian prisons. The transfer took place with the participation of Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova, representatives of her office and representatives of the SBU, working in the humanitarian group in Minsk. Read alsoUkrainian Navy Commander ready to turn himself in to Russia in exchange for captured sailors Gerashchenko said the transfer of persons from the occupied city of Donetsk convicted before the outbreak of war would continue on Thursday. She said that, along with Denisova, she has received hundreds of letters from the families of those convicted by the Ukrainian courts, who remained in prisons in the occupied territories, in which they asking for their relatives to be transferred. "Yes, these people violated the law, but they are also Ukrainian citizens, and we, as the state, must also take care of their rights. Moreover, there are a lot of facts of illegal exploitation of convicts as labor force," she said. Gerashchenko added about 1,000 people and their families had already applied for the transfer. "The Ombudsperson's office was ready to start this work in May. I am glad the issue got off the dead point," she added. According to Denisova, this is the first case of the transfer of convicts by the "LPR" forces. Their condition is satisfactory. The consuls of Ukraine in the Russian Federation have already visited all 24 captive Ukrainian sailors who are kept in the Matrosskaya Tishina and Lefortovo detention centers in Moscow. "The consuls have visited the remaining five sailors," Director of the Department of the Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Serhiy Pohoreltsev told UNIAN. The Ukrainian sailors "are bearing up well, they are aware of what is happening," he said. "Of course, they hope to return home soon," he added. Read alsoEuropean Parliament calls on Russia to free Ukrainian sailors, political prisoners "The condition of those who have been visited is satisfactory, but there is one sailor who is diabetic. The doctors examine him and insulin is injected if necessary, that is, he is provided with medical care at this stage. He has injections on time," Pohoreltsev said. "Thus, our diplomats have already visited all the prisoners of war who were captured in the Kerch Strait on November 25. They've visited 24 people as of now," he said. Pohoreltsev stressed there was no threat to the life of the Ukrainian sailors. One enemy troop was killed and another five were wounded, intelligence reports say. Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action. "Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the past day. According to intelligence reports, one occupier was killed and another five were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update published on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on December 12, 2018. Read alsoConvoy of military equipment spotted moving into Crimea across Kerch Strait Bridge (Photo, video) Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns and small arms, attacking the defenders of the towns of Maryinka and Krasnohorivka, and the villages of Zaitseve, Nevelske, Novomykhailivka, Slavne, Pivnichne, and Chermalyk. The enemy also employed 82mm mortars to attack the defenders of the village of Opytne. "Since Wednesday midnight, Russian-led forces have attacked the Ukrainian positions in the village of Taramchuk. No heavy weapons were used. No casualties among Ukrainian troops have been reported since the start of the day," the report said. The suspect has been identified and is still on the run, reports say. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner on Wednesday said three people were killed in the Strasbourg Christmas market shooting and that 350 security agents were hunting for the gunman who fled the scene. The horror unfolded just after 20:00 near the market in Place Kleber, which attracts millions of tourists each year. The shooter has been identified by police as Strasbourg-born Chekatt Cherif, 29, according to Sky News. The suspect has a criminal record and, according to the prefect of the Strasbourg region, had been flagged as a suspected extremist, according to The Standard. Police said he is a suspected robber who was due to be arrested hours earlier on Tuesday morning. His home was searched and they found explosive materials, but he was not there. Read alsoSix arrested in France over "far-right plot" to attack Macron A motive for last nights shooting was not immediately clear but French authorities have launched a terror investigation. He fought twice with our security forces, Castaner told a news conference held in the city. The attack also left 12 people injured, he said, according to Reuters. Officers chased down the gunman for more than two hours after the incident, before they cornered him and a shootout entailed, in which he was wounded, along with a soldier who was deployed as part of Operation Sentinel, set up after the 2015 Paris attacks to protect areas which could be a terrorism target, Sky News wrote. However Cherif eluded officers once more and is now still on the run. Castaner said France was raising the security threat level and would bolster the protection of Christmas markets elsewhere and strengthen border controls. Aording to an update by the Associated Press, a senior French government official says five people have been detained as police continue their hunt for the shooter. Laurent Nunez, secretary of state for the French Interior Ministry, said Wednesday on France-Inter radio that the attacker could have fled to neighboring Germany. There are widespread calls in Europe and the U.S. for sanctions against Moscow to be toughened. Germany will back an extension of the European Union's punitive sanctions against Russia at an upcoming summit of EU leaders, Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers on Wednesday. Russia's detention of three Ukrainian military vessels and their crews in the Kerch Strait a body of water shared between the two countries has led to widespread calls in Europe and the U.S. for sanctions against Moscow to be toughened, Reuters said. Read alsoMerkel calls on Putin to free 24 captive Ukrainian sailors Prior to that, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that the EU countries disagreed on the need to introduce new restrictive measures against the Russian Federation for an attack near the Kerch Strait on November 25, and therefore "the German side will not make proposals for new sanctions." As UNIAN reported earlier, Merkel called Russian President Vladimir Putin to ask to free 24 Ukrainian sailors who were captured near the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea on November 25. The main subject of their phone conversation was the situation in the Kerch Strait. Merkel, in particular, stressed the need for ensuring unimpeded passage of ships through the strait. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Cohen to forfeit US$500,000 and pay restitution of nearly US$1.4 million. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for orchestrating hush payments to women in violation of campaign laws before the 2016 election and financial crimes, posing potential legal and political risks to Trump. In the courtroom, Cohen told U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan that "blind loyalty" led him to cover up for Trump, Reuters said. The sentence imposed by Pauley was a modest reduction from the four to five years recommended under federal guidelines but still highlighted the seriousness of the charges and possible implications for the president. Read alsoTrump says people would revolt if he were impeached media The sentencing capped a stunning about-face by a lawyer who once said he would "take a bullet" for Trump. Cohen said in a guilty plea in August that he was directed by Trump to make hush money payments to two women who said they had sexual affairs with the president in the past. Trump has denied the affairs and any involvement in the payments. Pauley sentenced Cohen to 36 months for the payments and to two months for Cohen's lies to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia. The two terms will run simultaneously. The judge set March 6 for Cohen's voluntary surrender. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered Cohen to forfeit $500,000 and pay restitution of nearly $1.4 million. The prime minister won the confidence vote with a majority of 83, with 63% of Conservative MPs backing her and 37% voting against her. Prime Minister Theresa May has won a vote of confidence in her leadership of the Conservative Party by 200 to 117. Mrs May is now immune from a leadership challenge for a year, the BBC reported. Speaking in Downing Street, she vowed to deliver the Brexit "that people voted for." But she said she had listened to the concerns of MPs who voted against her and would be fighting for changes to her Brexit deal at an EU summit on Thursday. Read alsoBBC: EU leaders agree UK's Brexit deal at Brussels summit Mrs May said she had a "renewed mission delivering the Brexit people voted for, bringing the country back together and building a country that really works for everyone." The prime minister won the confidence vote with a majority of 83, with 63% of Conservative MPs backing her and 37% voting against her. Kjell-Gunnar Eriksen, Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan, called on Sardar Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday and discussed various matters of mutual interest. MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Dec, 2018 ) :Kjell-Gunnar Eriksen, Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan , called on Sardar Masood Khan , President Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday and discussed various matters of mutual interest. President Azad Jammu Kashmir said that the Pakistani-Kashmiri diaspora community was active in Norway. He added that because of Norway's progressive educational system, second and third generation Norwegians of Pakistani-Kashmir descent have successfully been integrated into the social mainstream and are doing well both economically and politically. He said that our diaspora community has given us a sense of pride as they have proved themselves as an influential part of the Norwegian social fabric. President Masood Khan said that Norway has a rich experience in multilateral diplomacy and we as a nation would appreciate its continued contributions towards maintaining peace and security in the world and the region. He also hoped that Norway would also continue its humanitarian support to AJK particularly to the AJK Red Crescent which is effectively working for the welfare of the people. The Norwegian Ambassador said that they would continue to work towards strengthening ties between Pakistan and Norway and that Norwegian institutions would continue to extend humanitarian support to Azad Kashmir. He also said that the international community should collectively towards the goals of peace and stability in the region and the world. The President invited the Ambassador to AJK and also said that AJK would welcome Norwegian investors to invest in the tourism and other relevant sectors to help further boost economic activity in Azad Kashmir. Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, discussed, with Richard Sazibra, Foreign Minister of Rwanda, Jocarna Bista, Minister of Labour of Nepal, and Shao Bin Enk, Minister for Immigration Affairs of Cambodia, ways of developing the cooperation between the UAE and their countries, especially in the areas of labour and workers issues. MARRAKECH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 12th Dec, 2018) Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, discussed, with Richard Sazibra, Foreign Minister of Rwanda, Jocarna Bista, Minister of Labour of Nepal, and Shao Bin Enk, Minister for Immigration Affairs of Cambodia, ways of developing the cooperation between the UAE and their countries, especially in the areas of labour and workers issues. Their meetings took place separately on the sidelines of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which concluded yesterday in Marrakech, Morocco. The meetings addressed the outcomes of the conference, which approved an international agreement related to safe, organised and regulated migration. They also discussed the Doutcomes of the 11th Summit of the Global Forum on Migration and Development which was held in Marrakech to prepare for the conference. During the meetings, Al Hamli highlighted the UAEs keenness to enhance its bilateral partnerships with countries that provide it with workers and participate in related international events. He also presented the reality of the UAEs labour market and its national legislation that ensure transparency and balanced working relations between two employment parties, in light of the implementation of a package of policies, programmes and initiatives that provide respect for the rights of both employment parties and raise awareness about the rights and obligations in working contracts. Sazibra, Bista and Enk praised the UAEs labour market, which attracts workers from their countries, in light of relevant international standards while stressing their keenness to promote bilateral cooperation with the UAE and exchange expertise in labour issues. During the meetings, they arranged the signing of bilateral Memorandums of Understanding related to labour. Dr. Omar Al Nuaimi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Communication and International Relations, and several officials were present during the meeting. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Dec, 2018 ) :State Minister for Communications Murad Saeed Tuesday said that the Pakistan wished to have strong relations with central Asian states particularly in the fields of tourism, trade, energy, and transport along-with economic corridor. Pakistan also wanted to include Tajikistan in the Quadrilateral agreement, and this inclusion of Tajikistan in the agreement will be ensured in the meeting to be held in the first quarter of next year. He said that the significance of Tajikistan and Central Asian States cannot be denied. Steps will be taken to strengthen the link by air and land. He said this during his meeting to discuss bilateral issues and mutual interest with Sher Ali Jonovov Ambassador of Tajikistan. On the occasion Federal Secretary for Communications Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Chairman National Highway Authority Jawwad Rafique Malik and Senior Joint Secretary Ministry of Communications Altaf Asghar were also present. Murad Saeed said that the lack of contacts between the two nations will be eliminated. All sectors including science & technology and tourism have broader future prospects. Under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan access to central Asian states through trade and commerce is required, he added. While attracting the attention of the ambassador, the minister said that government of Pakistan wanted to finalize the road transport agreement between Pakistan and Tajikistan as early as possible, in that regard Pakistan was waiting for the reply from Tajikistan for further development. Ambassador of Tajikistan Sher Ali Jonovov said that Tajikistan wished investment in Pakistan. He said, minerals, fruits, energy and other trade sectors have brighter prospects of investment. Tajik transport company wanted access to Karachi port, he added. (@rukhshanmir) DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th December, 2018) The criminal court of Damascus on Tuesday issued in absentia death penalty to the leaders of several terrorist groups, including Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, outlawed in Russia), local media reported. According to al-Watan newspaper citing court's decision,the death penalty list includes over 40 militants, mostly from the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta. The leader of the Jaysh al-Islam is among the sentenced, according to the newspaper. The militants were accused of shelling residential areas of Damascus which has resulted in casualties among many civilians, including children and women and other crimes. The court's decision can be reversed if the accused will confess and surrender to the authorities, a Syrian lawmaker told the newspaper. Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the government forces fighting against numerous opposition groups and militant and terrorist organizations. (@ChaudhryMAli88) QUITO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th December, 2018) An Ecuadorian court will consider on Wednesday the appeal submitted by the defense of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who is living in the country's embassy in London, against the demand of the country's government to comply with a protocol containing rules specially developed for him, Assange's lawyer in Ecuador, Carlos Poveda, told Sputnik. The whistleblower has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy since 2012. Assange has repeatedly suggested he might be apprehended outside the embassy and extradited to the United States. Over the past months, the Ecuadorian authorities have been putting various restrictions on the conditions of Assange's stay in the embassy, which the whistleblower's defense called the violation of human rights. "We hope that the court will adequately analyze our petition and accept 15 facts of evidence that were requested in order to leave the protocol and restrictions on visits in place," Poveda said. According to the lawyer, these arguments include letters from individuals and organizations that were not allowed access to Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Earlier, the EFE agency reported citing sources familiar with the situation that Assange had refused to comply with this protocol. The regulation defines norms of behavior and communication for Assange, regulates the order of visits, communication with the outside world and provision of medical care to him. The new order came into effect on October 13. In late October, the court has already refused to satisfy Assange's appeal. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The first Greek-US Strategic Dialogue will be held in Washington on Thursday-Friday, the Greek Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday in a statement. ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th December, 2018) The first Greek-US Strategic Dialogue will be held in Washington on Thursday-Friday, the Greek Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday in a statement. The Greek delegation will be headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgios Katrougalos and will include a number of other Greek deputy ministers and officials. "The topic of the strategic dialogue is regional policy and economy, defense and security, rule of law and fight against terrorism, trade, investment and innovations, energy cooperation and interpersonal contacts," the statement said. The parties are going to adopt a joint statement on Thursday. As part of the Greek delegation's visit to the United States, Katrougalos will also meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US presidential National Security Adviser John Bolton. On Friday, Katrougalos will hold a working breakfast with US business people to discuss attraction of investments in the energy sector, digital technologies, start-ups and innovations. According to the Greek Foreign Ministry, the bilateral strategic dialogue would be a sign of improvement of relations between Washington and Athens. (@rukhshanmir) Secretary General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen has approved aid concerning education in favour of four educational projects in the Republics of Uganda, Gambia and Mauritius JEDDAH, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Dec, 2018 ) :Secretary General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen has approved aid concerning education in favour of four educational projects in the Republics of Uganda, Gambia and Mauritius, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday. This aid comes as a solidarity from the Organization with these countries and as a part of the Islamic Solidarity Fund to achieve the human development and raise Muslims' statuses in the world, in addition to developing the human abilities of OIC's member States in different social, economic, educational, cultural and health fields. 260 young people participated at the Youth Convention which took place on 8-12 December in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. Through catechesis, prayer, a hospital visit and a pilgrimage, the youth were challenged to a deeper understanding of the Christian call to life and love. By Joachim Teigen The National Youth Convention 2018 solemnly opened on 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Vunapope, Rabaul. During his homily, Archbishop Francisco Panfilo SDB of Rabaul entrusted the young people to Mary of Nazareth, as he encouraged them to respond fully like Mary with a generous, Here, I am. Called to the fullness of life and love was the theme they were encouraged to respond fully to, as the 260 young people representing the different dioceses of Papua New Guinea embarked on days of prayer, catechesis and growth in faith. The convention was arranged by the Episcopal Conference, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Rabaul, (as part of the preparation for next years World Youth Days). Meetings and catechesis on the theme of "celebrating life" Among the highlights of the convention was catechesis on the topic of celebrating life, where the young men and women were called to a deeper understanding of the Christian vocation to life and love through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Eucharist and preparation for marriage. As part of the preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony, the young people present for the sessions were challenged to take on a pledge to stay pure until marriage. Pilgrimage to Rakunai The program also included a pilgrimage to the important sites surrounding the life of Bl. Peter ToRot, a Papuan martyr known for his catechetical work during the Japanese occupation of World War II, and for his devotion to married life in the face of the legalisation of polygamy by the Japanese, the latter resulting in his martyrdom. Works of Mercy Encouraged by the opening words of the convention by Fr. Ambrose Pereira SDB, CBC Secretary for the Social Communication and Youth Office, to take to heart what has been shared, put it into your lives and practice it, they visited the patients of St. Marys Hospital, Vunapope, where they shared the Word of God with the residents and prayed the rosary on their knees. One lady expressed her appreciation at the visit saying Gods word is good and I am happy. Organizers of the World Youth Day in January 2019 in Panama, presented the event at a press conference in Rome on December 11. Themes such as migration, indigenous people, environment and role of women will also dominate the event. By Robin Gomes Preparations are underway for the Catholic Churchs World Youth Day (WYD) that takes centre stage in Panama City, January 22-27. Pope Francis is scheduled to join the celebrations January 23 onwards. Addressing journalists at Tuesdays press conference in Rome, Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa of Panama said that the WYD will be a great celebration of faith." "We are waiting for the Pope and for the hope he will bring for all of Central America." Referring to the October Synod of Bishops in the Vatican on young people, he said that they will be urged to be protagonists of change to build a different world as Mary did with her unconditional yes. The theme of the 34th WYD is, I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. (Lk 1:38). Archbishop Ulloa said that other themes that will dominate the youth meet will be migration, indigenous people, environment and the role of women. World converging on Panama Facts and figures of this great Church event were presented at a press conference in Rome on Tuesday. More than 200,000 participants from 155 countries are expected at the WYD. 47,000 have completed their application formalities and another 168,000 are completing them, said Giancarlos Candanedo, director of communication for WYD Panama. Many more, he said, will be coming without registration. 243 are expected from China and 450 from Cuba. Muslims will also be in attendance, hailing from Jordan and Palestine. More than 37,000 volunteers from Brazil, Costa Rica, France and Poland are involved in logistics, assistance and preparation. Migration Alluding to the Central American migrant caravan, Arch. Ulloa said the issue of immigration will be a dominant theme during the WYD because the Church cannot bear the suffering and pain that many people go through. Young people being forced to emigrate, many suffering at the hands of drug traffickers, are just some of the challenges that many young people face, he said. I am convinced that Pope Francis will be bringing the theme of hope, he said, adding young people need opportunities. Women The Panama WYD will also highlight the role of women in the Church. Archbishop Ulloa pointed out that one cannot conceive a Church, especially that of Latin America and Central America, that is not kept together by women. To stress this fact, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be displayed at the global youth event. For us, the emphasis will be on the role of women, Arch. Ulloa said, explaining that the WYD will be a great opportunity to bring forward all the good that women have done through history. Indigenous Among the participants will also be some 1000 young indigenous people from various parts of the world who will be participating in the World Indigenous Youth Gathering 2019 (EMJI) that will take place in Soloy, Panama, January 17 to 21. Models for youth The archbishop pointed out that the Central American Church is one of martyrdom, and the young people have credible models in saints such as Romero, Rose of Lima, Jose Sanchez del Rio and John Paul II. He confirmed that the Pope will meet all the bishops to feel their pulse. Families Arch. Ulloa said the Church of Panama is reaching out to young people who have no financial means to join the WYD. Many families will host pilgrims "precisely because the key is to share", he stressed. At the end of the meeting, the organizers provided a sample of Panamanian hospitality by way of a traditional song and dance (watch video below). Police cars at the scene of a shooting in the French city of Strasbourg. (Frederick FLORIN/AFP) Police launched a manhunt after the killer opened fire at around 8pm local time (3am Singapore time Wednesday) on one of the city's busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Mayor Roland Ries said that four people had been killed and three or four of the injured were in critical condition, after authorities earlier said there were two deaths in the shooting. Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and injured him, but could not stop him escaping, police sources said. The gunman has been identified and was on a watchlist of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said. Several residents of the city have been detained in recent years for trying to reach extremist groups in Syria, or arrested upon their return. France's security forces, already on high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country. "I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium," one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. "People were running everywhere." He said he had seen three people injured on the ground only a few metres from the giant Christmas tree in the centre of the eastern city. Shortly after the shooting, lines of police vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the "capital of Christmas". "We heard several shots, three perhaps, and we saw people running," one witness told AFP afterwards, asking not to be named. "One of them fell down, I don't know whether it was because she was tripped up or if she was hit," the witness said. An AFP reporter saw paramedics load one victim into the back of an ambulance on a stretcher. Two separate security sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that the shooter was believed to be a 29-year-old from the city who was set to be arrested on Tuesday morning. He was being investigated over an attempted murder, one of the sources said. Several areas neighbouring the Christmas market were sealed off on Tuesday night and residents were being told to stay indoors. A police source, again speaking on condition of anonymity, said that security forces had opened fire in an area of the city where the suspect was thought to be hiding. Specialised anti-terror prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident in Strasbourg, which lies on the border of Germany. TOURIST ATTRACTION The Strasbourg-based European Parliament was also on lockdown after reports of the shooting emerged, with MEPs, staff and journalists unable to leave the building, an AFP reporter said. The parliament was in plenary session, with hundreds of MEPs and officials having made the monthly visit to Strasbourg from Brussels. The Christmas market in Strasbourg and the city's illuminations are an annual tourist attraction that draw hundreds of thousands of people. Security has been stepped up in recent years after a series of attacks in France by extremist gunmen and the Strasbourg market was long considered a possible target. In 2016, a 23-year-old Tunisian killed 12 and injured 48 others when he ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Special anti-terror army units have been deployed in Strasbourg and soldiers and armed police are regularly seen patrolling among the 300 wooden Christmas market chalets. The shooting on Tuesday comes at a time when French security fores are stretched after more than three weeks of anti-government demonstrations. Nearly 90,000 police were deployed on Saturday for the fourth round of protests by so-called "yellow vests" which led to violence in many cities. Three years after groups of militants gunned down and blew up 130 people in Paris on November 13, 2015, French counter-terror officials say their focus has shifted. Rather than coordinated attacks, their main concern is attacks by "lone wolves" - self-radicalised individuals acting without links to terror groups such as Islamic State. Most recently a 20-year-old Chechnya-born man went on a knife rampage in central Paris last May, killing one man and injuring four other people on a Saturday night. A total of 246 people have been killed in terror attacks in France since 2015, according to an AFP toll. The Vietnamese real estate market continues to be stable with supply on the rise compared to 2017 (Photo: VNA) Participants focused on analysing, predicting, and coming up with solutions to help develop the real estate market in a balanced, stable, and sustainable manner; as well as help investors and the public better understand the upcoming market trends of 2019. Nguyen Manh Ha Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Association (VNREA), the events organiser said that statistics from the association shows that the Vietnamese real estate market continues to be stable with supply on the rise compared to 2017. Beside Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, other localities such as Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, and Phu Tho have also recorded positive signals in their property markets. Ha said large projects like miniature cities with full services and synchronous infrastructure, such as those invested by Vingroup, are a prominent trend in the market, which is said to contribute to orienting the future of the sector. Due to the abundant supply, sudden rises in real estate price are not likely in 2019, Ha stressed, adding that the market will continue to maintain stability throughout the year. Sharing Has opinion, Dang Hung Vo, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said that projects invested in by Vingroup are good options in the lower-end housing segment. Currently, the price of Vingroups housing products is not low, but buyers are offered options to pay over a longer duration, Vo said. A brighter point in the real estate market is the industrial real estate segment, which is considered a new wave in Vietnam. There is huge potential to development the segment as Vietnam becomes an attractive destination to foreign investors, especially those operating in industrial production. The development of industrial zones must be synchronised to attract foreigners, participants said. Regarding capital sources for the real estate market, Can Van Luc from the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) said that some companies have taken initiative in issuing bonds so they do not depend on the banking system, adding that this is a positive signal. Vietnam is known globally for agricultural products, but can learn lessons from others in driving brand awareness On the agricultural map, Vietnam is always high on the list of countries producing and exporting rice, coffee, pepper, fruits, industrial crops, and aquatic products. With its rich potential, almost every locality has at least a handful of famous specialties, such as Hung Yens big longan, Thanh Ha litchi, Thai Nguyen tea, and Phu Quoc fish sauce. However, despite the potential, the development of these products is limited. Many producers, businesses, organisations, and localities have not paid much attention to the protection of intellectual property rights for agricultural products and very few of them have gained international prestige. Most Vietnamese products are exported in raw form and product branding activities through geographical indications, showing where the goods are produced, are still amateur at best. In 2016, more than 80 per cent of Vietnams agricultural products did not have trademarks, and 90 per cent of products were exported to the global market under foreign brands. There are 900 agricultural specialties in 700 locations nationwide, but only 48 products meet the national geographical indications, only 15 out of the 58 members of the Vietnam Vegetable and Fruit Association have registered trademarks in Vietnam, and 140 collective and certification marks have been registered for intellectual property rights protection. This is especially true for coffee, which is one of Vietnams most famous agricultural products. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 95 per cent of Vietnamese coffee is exported in the form of raw materials, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the global market, but the export value only accounts for 2 per cent of these products. Vietnam has only three major instant coffee brands and 20 roasted coffee brands exported worldwide. Meanwhile, Brazil has 20 brands of instant coffee and 3,000 brands of roasted coffee. Some agricultural products and specialties are also floundering in the domestic market despite their high quality. For example, the famous Binh Thuan dragon fruit is sold widely on the streets for only $1 per several kilogrammes, and Vietnamese people even prefer imported Thai rice and jackfruit to local produce. Even more so, there are only two wine brands in Dalat which produce a limited number of bottles. In fact, consumers are willing to spend more money buying a product of clear origin, quality, and prestigious brand. Studies in the European Union show that 43 per cent of European consumers are willing to pay an extra 10 per cent for products with geographical indication, while 8 per cent would pay an extra 20 per cent, and 3 per cent would even pay up to 30 per cent extra. This sad situation requires Vietnam to craft a specific strategy for branding and market development in order to increase the brand value of Vietnamese agricultural products and specialties in domestic and international markets. POSITIVE CHANGES In order to reach their full potential and raise the market value of Vietnamese agricultural products, a number of enterprises and localities producing regional specialties have strengthened ties and promotion of products across Vietnams provinces with large consumption markets. The connections for the consumption of regional specialties brings obvious benefits, especially as Vietnam is entering the global market with the implementation of commitments under free trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Many localities also have policies in place to encourage enterprises to build brands and participate in the supply chain, ensuring quality and origin requirements. According to Le Hong Thang, director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, since 2016 Hanoi has directly introduced the specialities of 46 cities and provinces into the distribution system of foreign enterprises, such as Japans AEON Mall, South Koreas Lotte Mart, Thailands Central Group, and Frances Rungis Wholesale Market. However, businesses still need to promote on-the-spot exports such as connecting specialties with tourism sites and strengthen the promotion of the specialities of these tourist sites to foreign visitors. These strategies have proved extremely successful for Japan and Thailand, offering a wealth of lessons for Vietnamese businesses to study. In addition, fairs promoting agricultural products and handicrafts are also organised in localities and increasingly attract tourists, such as the Vietnam Regional Specialities Fair, Ben Tre Fruit Fair, Safe and Clean Agricultural Products Fair, as well as the International Fair of Agriculture and Food. First held in Hanoi in 2014, the Vietnam Regional Specialities Fair was launched with the aim of bringing outstanding specialities and goods of localities across the country to Hanoi, fanning the demand among the capitals residents. After five years of organisation, the fair has become a platform to promote the outstanding products of each locality among consumers and connect production enterprises with domestic distribution and supply units. This years fair also included the One Commune One Product OCOP exhibition with nearly 300 pavilions of 200 Vietnamese enterprises and businesses from six countries in the world. Beside the specialties of the region, the fair also showcased more than 20 craft villages from Hanoi via nearly 100 pavilions, creating a vivid picture of the potential of the craft villages. Nguyen Thi Mai Anh, deputy director of the Hanoi Promotion Agency (HPA) said many organisations registered to participate, but due to limited space, organisers had to promise to keep reservation for the next season. Participating for the first time in Vietnam Regional Specialities Fair, Hoang Duong, production manager of Lorchata Vietnam Nut Milk JSC, said that the companys main product is cashew milk made from Binh Phuoc provinces famous cashew produce. In the future, the company will also set up new product lines from lotus seed and green beans made from materials originating from Vietnam. Duong said, We were very proud when the locally-sourced products of Lorchata appeared in the LPlace and Tomita supermarkets where up to 80 per cent of goods are imported. We have received good feedback from customers, and in the coming time, we will appear at Vinmart and Circle K and we are planning to penetrate Southeast Asia and South Korea. I think this will also be a way for us to promote and contribute to improving the value of Vietnamese agricultural products. A few days ago, Japans Index Consulting and its partners Deloitte, Nishimura & Asahi, and Padeco worked with the Ministry of Transport (MoT) on the results of a one-year study about possibilities of transferring the operation right of the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway. Developed by state-owned Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), the countrys largest expressway developer, the route in question is the first studied expressway concession project in Vietnam. With support from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), the study is expected to help potential Japanese funders learn about the investment opportunities of the life-line 55-kilometre highway located in the countrys south-eastern region. FEASIBLE OR NOT? Mai Tuan Anh, chairman of VEC, saw the results as a positive signal for the project as the study proves their capacity to return loans as scheduled, while having the funding to develop new projects. Index Consulting proposes 30 years for the two concession schemes for the route, with the first to keep the four existing lanes, thus concession value is estimated at $796 million. In the second scheme, if the expressway is expanded to six lanes by 2020, the concession value will be over $1 billion. The VEC representative said that Index Consulting favours the second scheme as with current transport growth, the expressway will likely be overloaded in the next five to seven years, thus enabling VEC to return its loans to JICA and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as scheduled by 2032. At present, the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay route is among the busiest highways built by VEC. With the total investment of VND20.63 trillion ($896.96 million) sourced from JICA and ADB loans for the first phase, the route has served over 45 million vehicles after over three years of operation. While the study result is said to be a good signal for VEC and other interested overseas interested investors, some legal barriers in the process remain. In September 2016, VEC signed a co-operation agreement with Frances Vinci Concessions, with transfer of the right to operate expressways developed by VEC being among the three main parts. The Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay and the Cau Gie-Ninh Binh routes among VECs most trafficked expressways were their targets. However, the plan has so far hit a snag due to the lack of a legal framework, with expressway concession being new to Vietnam. VEC is developing and operating five expressways under a loan package. The group must collect tolls to pay its debts. Thus, the corporation cannot separate the roads to sell the operation rights of two to Vinci, an MoT official told VIR. We need a detailed legal framework for expressway concessions. For example, in the scheme the investor wants to expand in the future, it is necessary to have a risk allocation mechanism, particular for site clearance, between the state and the investor. The other is price fixing among other things, he said. The other barrier is that VEC is waiting for the Politburos approval of the scheme on financial restructuring for its five expressways. Thus, concessions and the mechanism for them will be considered when approval is made. Moreover, VEC is now in the process to transfer to the State Capital Management Committee. There are still some concerns about the overlap in management between the committee and the MoT which is now managing the corporation. FURTHER INTEREST - The Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Day Expressway has an economic efficiency equivalent to over VND3 trillion ($130.4 million), higher than the average figure of the eastern component projects of the North-South Expressway at about VND1.4 trillion ($60.9 million). - Established in 1994, Tokyo-based Index Consulting has a list of 100 clients, including GE Japan Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., Ltd., Morgan Stanley Group, Nippon Steel & Sumikin Engineering Co., Ltd., Tokyu Land Corporation, Tokyu Real Estate Investment Management Inc., and Unilever Japan K.K. The Index Consulting study is expected to be a good foundation to take next steps. However, VEC and interested investors can do nothing but wait for improvements in the legal framework. Currently, VEC is the investor of five expressway projects with a total investment capital of $6 billion, spanning over 500km in total. Of these, four are already open to traffic, including the Cau Gie-Ninh Binh, Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay, the 245-kilometre Noi Bai-Lao Cai, and the Danang-Quang Ngai routes. The Ben Luc-Long Thanh route will be completed in 2020. The expressway developer said that in the first nine months of 2018, the number of vehicles served by its expressways grew by 11 per cent on-year to 30.5 million. Of the five, the Cau Gie-Ninh Binh Expressway reported the highest growth with 17 per cent and 11.4 million vehicles. The runner-up was Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway with 11 million vehicles, while 7.4 million were served by Noi Bai-Lao Cai Expressway, up more than 12 per cent. VEC aims to continue investing a total of VND80 trillion ($3.87 billion) in building 500km of expressways in the 2016-2020 period, thus creating opportunities for funders to join. Expressway concession is one among the most interested business segments in the transport sector. Over recent years, besides Vinci, many international groups, including KEC, NEXCO, POSCO, and Doosan, and others from the likes of Spain and the US have expressed interest in co-operating with VEC on expressway operations. Mori Masafumi, deputy head of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, said that many infrastructure investors in Japan are strongly interested in the transfer of operation rights. He noted that the Japanese government and his ministry will continue providing support to make the concession of Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expresway successful. With no new concession deals signed yet, the international consortium led by Indian infrastructure company IL&FS remains the first foreign investor to ink such a deal after it successfully signed an agreement in 2014 with Vietnam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment Company to acquire the right to collect tolls on Hanoi-Haiphong Expressway. Year by year, more and more international volunteers come to Vietnam to share their knowledge Since beginning work at Ky Anh Centre for Disabled Children in 2012, Australian volunteer Peng Sim Eng, is currently in her third tour as an education specialist. She had previously taken on roles such as an education support specialist as well as the position of education curriculum development officer at the centre. According to Eng, Vietnam was an unexpected choice. When my husband and I wanted to go back into social work, we just wanted to come to Southeast Asia. We then discovered Australian Volunteers International (AVI) recruiting volunteers in Vietnam. We found Vietnam very attractive. The volunteer work itself related to work with disabled children which was also appropriate for me as I had six years of teaching experience in Australia. Teaching disabled students in Ky Anh Centre opened up a new world for me as well as a lot of opportunities. This is a good time for me, Eng said. Despite her enthusiasm, the job was challenging for Eng due to the nations inadequate resources in special education. Although there are some trained teachers, it is extremely hard to evaluate and provide the standard of services that meet the needs of disabled children. In addition, disabled children are usually neglected with many believing them to be incapable of learning. Changing stereotypes that are deeply ingrained into the mindset of people is a huge obstacle in Pengs work. Currently, we have students from 18 months up to 18 years of age who have a range of disabilities. What we need to do is not teach all of them the same way, but to classify them by ability and then to provide appropriate teaching methods for each group. There are lots of challenges, but to see the smiles on their faces is a great achievement for us. Peng said. Perhaps that is the reason why Eng has been with Ky Anh Centre for six years, although she acknowledged that her current job is very different from what she envisioned before setting out from Australia. LOVE INSPIRED VOLUNTEERS Sarah Day, another volunteer, has been on an 18-month assignment with the Rehabilitation Department at Danang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy since March. She is volunteering as a speech pathology advisor to support the development of the pilot Bachelor of Rehabilitation, Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) curriculum in Vietnam. Day supports the implementation of a long-term project that includes the development of both undergraduate and post-graduate curriculum and a syllabus for SALT, across four universities within the country. This is her second volunteer session in Vietnam, after previously completing a 12-month volunteer programme at the Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City. Discussing her current position, Day felt that her mission is not yet over and she wanted to stay to contribute more to the SALT curriculum because it would take a replacement at least six months to build the necessary relationships with relevant partners, which would shorten their time that could be spent doing other meaningful tasks. Aside from work, another important factor that links her to the country is love. This is not merely a stopover destination but the second home of her family. Despite various difficulties such as the fact that her children cannot attend a local school and have to study via the Internet, income problems, and challenges travelling as she does not have a licence, Day insists that she wants to remain in Vietnam for years to come. We would love to continue to stay in the country after we finish volunteering. We really want to stay involved as there is still so much work to be done in this sector. My goal is to continue to support and contribute more to Vietnam. I will continue to discuss with my partner whether there are any opportunities for me to continue working after this project. We absolutely love this country. Sometimes I tell my youngest, who has just turned five, that he has spent more time in Vietnam than in Australia, so I can call him Vietnamese now, Day said happily. GROWING SIGNIFICANCE Eng and Day are just two of many international volunteers who have devoted their time to volunteering in recent years. According to the United Nations volunteers programme, the number of international volunteers to Vietnam at present is three times as than those in 1990 when it officially opened office in the country. Currently, Japan and Australia are the two leading countries in terms of international organisations and volunteers. Although the volunteers come from across the world, their common desire is to share their knowledge and contribute to changing the face of the country for the better. Since 1973, over 1,000 Australians have volunteered in Vietnam. The nation is now the fifth largest recipient of volunteers under the AVI programme, with more than 40 Australians joining the programme annually. Australian volunteers work in diverse fields such as education, training, community development, the private sector, agriculture, gender equality, and health. Their contributions have assisted partner organisations across the country to build their capacity to effectively deliver development objectives. I am proud of Australian volunteers, not only because they have contributed to the success of Vietnamese organisations, but also to Vietnamese development in general. They are great ambassadors who create strong people-to-people links between Australia and Vietnam, Craig Chittick, Australian Ambassador in Vietnam, said. Starting from three volunteers coming to Vietnam to teach Japanese in 1995, the Japanese Volunteer Programme has sent 630 volunteers to work across 41 cities and provinces nationwide in the past 23 years. All volunteers are carefully selected before participating in the programme and have a professional background and experience in their field. They are assigned to key areas such as human resources, industrial development, health and social welfare, agricultural development, and teaching Japanese. According to Nguyen Thi Thuy Huong, chief representative of France Volontaires, the number of long-time (average stay of 12-36 months) volunteers from France is approximately 70 persons, while short-time ones can reach more than 1,000 volunteers. Only in 2017, the French government sent more than 100 long-time and 1,400 short-time volunteers to the country. No matter their origin, volunteers often maintain good relationships with Vietnamese colleagues and friends after returning home. They act as ambassadors for their homeland and serve to strengthen the connection between their home country and Vietnam. Google seeks to open representative office in Vietnam Walker unveiled the move during a reception by Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue for him in Hanoi on December 11, as part of his trip to Vietnam to meet with a number of public agencies and localities. The official told his host that Google has contacted several Vietnamese startups and noticed an encouraging level in their IT application. Google considers Vietnam a good potential partner concerning innovation and start-ups, he said. He praised the Vietnamese Governments ambition of training 1 million international-standard IT engineers, as well as its development approach of creating a favorable business climate and boosting multilateral cooperation. Deputy PM Hue stated that Google has made significant contributions to Vietnams socio-economic growth for years. He lauded the companys goodwill in supporting the local digital economy by equipping many pupils and students with programming skills, saying it could help the country develop 1 million well-operated firms in 2020. Vietnam considers information technology the foundation of development and welcomes Googles assistance toward the countrys growth and innovation ecosystem, Hue said, adding the Vietnamese Government supports the companys long-term presence and successful investment. Hue commended the collaboration among Google, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and other sides involved to ensure cybersafety and to make recommendations to build a decree guiding the implementation of the Law on Cyber Security. For his part, Walker agreed with Vietnams stance on cybersecurity for a stable society and affirmed that his firm will join hands with relevant agencies towards this goal. Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (R) presents a gift to Chengdu Mayor Luo Qiang at the meeting on December 11 (Photo: VNA) Phong hailed Chengdu for winning the title of the happiest city of China, adding that Ho Chi Minh City is working to turn itself into a civilised, modern and friendly city. He said China is now among the five largest sources of tourist arrivals to Ho Chi Minh City and Chinese localities such as Guangdong and Jilin regularly hold trade and tourism promotion events in the city. The scheduled launch of direct flight services between Ho Chi Minh City and Chengdu in 2019 will contribute to facilitating exchange as well as trade, investment, tourism promotion, he said. Luo, for his part, said Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province, which is home to numerous relic sites and beautiful landscapes, adding that Chengdu wants to further enhance tourism cooperation with Vietnamese localities. According to him, Sichuan Airlines is conducting procedures to launch flights linking Chengdu and Ho Chi Minh City, which he said, will step up bilateral trade, cultural and tourism ties. Following the reception, Phong and his guest witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and the Chengdu Tourism Bureau. Accordingly, both sides will share information regarding tourism policies, travel agencies and tourist destinations, and consider cooperation plans related to workforce training and tourism investment. An effective link with foreign enterprises will help improve local firms competitiveness, Photo: Le Toan Christopher Malone, partner and managing director at the Ho Chi Minh City Office for American management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group Inc., expressed admiration for the recently debuting VinFast project to manufacture automobiles and motorbikes. VinFast, an arm of Vietnams largest conglomerate Vingroup, is set to become the leading car manufacturer in Southeast Asia, with a designed capacity of up to 500,000 cars and one million electric motorcycles at its manufacturing complex by 2025. To develop this $1.5 billion project, VinFast acquired intellectual property licences from world-famous brands like Pininfarina, BMW, Magna Steyr, AVL, Siemens, and Bosch. This project is typical of Vietnamese businesses effectively co-operating with foreign partners, Malone said at last weeks Vietnam Reform and Development Forum in Hanoi. He underlined nine factors driving Industry 4.0 which included advanced robots, augmented reality, cyber-security, and analytics. One of the solutions to ensure these is to develop privately owned enterprises (POEs) as a driving force for the economy, and facilitate them to co-operate with foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs). This could create a good spillover effect for the entire economy, Malone said. NEW MOMENTUM At the forum, aimed at seeking out new momentum for the economy via reforms, the World Bank and the Vietnamese government launched Vinanomics, a booklet about the economic policy framework of the country. It features development orientations for Vietnam until 2035 with key priorities, one of which is development of POEs, with a boost for these enterprises to link with FIEs. This development will contribute to helping Vietnam grow by an estimated average 6.85 per cent during 2018-2020. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed at the forum, the first of its series to be hosted annually by the government, the urgent need to boost the development of POEs. The private sector is one of the drivers of the economy. It can create huge competitiveness and flexibility for the economy in the context of strong global development, he noted. The government has always attached great importance and taken concrete actions to develop the private sector so that by 2020 we will have around one million enterprises, with the majority being POEs. When placing the private sector at the top of his proposals to the government last week, Ousmane Dione, country director of the World Bank in Vietnam, said, Reforms to promote domestic private sector development will need to be significantly stepped up, making it a primary driver for improved productivity and growth. This entails continued efforts to remove obstacles to private business and strengthen regulatory environment. Having studied Vietnams economy for years, Richard D. McClellan, senior advisor from McKinsey & Company Vietnam, sees that the private sector must be a new growth momentum for Vietnam now, as the country has almost completely missed the opportunity to develop POEs over the past 25 years, while foreign direct investment (FDI) has been growing steadily. McClellan said, The private sector in mature economies can be as high as 80-90 per cent of the GDP. In Vietnam, the formal private sector accounts for less than 10 per cent. However, the informal private sector (household) accounts for one third, putting the total private sector at 42 per cent. However, over the last 25 years this has remained constant, with the mix shifting slightly toward the formal sector, he stressed. Opportunity is therefore three-fold, including accelerating the transition from informal to formal economy, reducing the favoured position of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the economy, and strengthening the ecosystem around FDI. BUILDING A LINK WITH FIES According to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), a number of big Vietnamese companies like VinFast have co-operated with FIEs, but it is only a grain of sand in the desert. Though Vietnam has attracted tens of thousands of foreign-invested projects over the past 30 years, technology transfer to domestic businesses has been limited. The transfer has failed to meet expectations, stressed MoST Deputy Minister Tran Van Tung. The technological spillover effect remains limited. Only domestic businesses transfer tech to one another. According to the Central Institute for Economic Managements (CIEM) recent report on business-level technology and competitiveness in Vietnam compiled from five surveys over 38,731 POEs and FIEs, technology advancements usually came from domestic businesses. Over 80 per cent of transfers took place between Vietnamese businesses. FIEs in similar sectors have been responsible for just below 20 per cent of technology transfer to domestic counterparts. Overall, technology transfer primarily takes place among domestic businesses in Vietnam, suggesting that FDI may not be as effective for technological advancement as believed, said CIEMs deputy director Nguyen Thi Tue Anh. Many domestic businesses still fail to link with FIEs, though FIEs continue expanding in size. According to Shinjiro Kajikawa, representative of a Japanese car maker in Vietnam, one of the biggest barriers for FIEs in Vietnam is the high cost of localisation. If a part is cheaper in Vietnam than in Thailand, including import tax and logistics, it can be localised, Kajikawa said. Otherwise, makers have to import these parts. In Vietnam, due to the small volume, the majority of completely-knocked-down (CKD) parts are imported. Thats one of the reasons why Vietnamese businesses cannot learn much from FIEs. WORDS OF WISDOM According to McClellan from Mckinsey & Company Vietnam, the government needs to make it easier to start and grow a business. Examples include simplifying tax and administrative procedures; improving access to capital, land, and government contracts; and strengthening market institutions such as corporate governance, fostering competition, property rights, and land markets. For Dione of the World Bank, in order to foster the private sector and link them with FIEs, Vietnam needs to speed up SOE reforms, with a focus on the adoption of international best practices in governance, including through the newly established SOE management committee, while accelerating and deepening equitisation and divestment, especially from commercial assets. FDI attraction should also shift away from quantity to quality with a focus on high-tech and high value-added investments with technology transfer to harness stronger links between businesses. This would ultimately help the domestic private sector effectively join global value chains, Dione suggested. In the view of Malone from Boston Consulting Group, Vietnam is still a small economy trailing behind other nations in terms of technology and innovation. He cited the World Economic Forum readiness report 2018 stating that Vietnam ranked 45th in economic size and 90th in technology and innovation globally. Vietnamese businesses are not yet ready to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies. In addition to developing POEs, Vietnam needs a new network of innovation hubs focusing on the advantage of its location, Malone said. In response to the proposals, PM Phuc stressed that the government is focusing on improving the quality of human resources. The government considers human resources a golden key to the countrys future success, and is actively seeking solutions to develop high-quality human resources in service of sustainable development, he said. Currently, only 40 per cent of Vietnamese labourers are trained, and Vietnam is listed among nations not yet ready for Industry 4.0. Humans and technology are both the key and the lock, which must be compatible. A 4.0 industry will become insignificant without 4.0 people. Supporters of the ruling Awami League, the party chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who is running for a record fourth term in office AFP/Munir UZ ZAMAN Police told AFP clashes broke out in at least seven major towns on just the second day of campaigning, injuring nearly 100 people who turned out to cheer the two major parties contesting the Dec 30 poll. The unrest follows a crackdown on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in recent weeks, with hundreds of supporters from the main opposition movement thrown behind bars before campaigning had even begun. In Thakurgaon, a northern district, a motorcade for the BNP's secretary general Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was set upon by a huge crowd swinging batons. Local police chief Mohammad Moniruzzaman said the windows of several cars were smashed, but Alamgir escaped unscathed. There were reports of several injuries. The opposition blamed thugs aligned to the ruling Awami League, the party chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who is running for a record fourth term in office. In Kabirhat, a southern town, at least 22 people were hurt as rivals from the Awami League and BNP clashed with sticks and hurled rocks during a campaign stop, police said. In the central town of Faridganj, police said they fired rubber bullets at an opposition parade after rocks were hurled at them. "We were compelled to retaliate in self defence," said local police chief Harunur Rashid. At least 26 civilians and four policemen were injured, he added. At least 25 others were injured in separate clashes elsewhere in the country. There was also infighting, with rival Awami League factions firing pellet guns at each other in southern Fatikchhari town, injuring seven, local police chief Babul Akhter told AFP. BNP spokesman Rizvi Ahmed said more than 200 of its supporters were injured in what it called "administration-backed" attacks. "They are creating the ground for an uneven poll through this violence," he said. Hasina walked her third term as prime minister in 2014 after the BNP and its allies boycotted what it called a rigged poll. That election was condemned by international observers. Around 100 million voters have registered for this year's ballot, even though the opposition is yet to name a candidate to run against Hasina. Veteran opposition leader and two-time prime minister Khaleda Zia has been barred from contesting the election against her long-time rival Hasina. She is behind bars, serving a ten-year jail sentence on graft charges her supporters say are unfounded. Nghi Son refinery is Vietnam's second oil refinery According to information published on December 10 on PetroVietnams website, the pre-acceptance testing of Nghi Son Petrochemical Refinery was concluded, passing the quality requirements stipulated in the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract. According to the plan, in this year alone, the plant will import six million tonnes of crude oil and sell four million tonnes of finished products. Earlier on May 1, the pilot operation of Nghi Son Petrochemical Refinery (operating at a reduced capacity) was officially launched and produced the first batch of RON A92 petrol. Besides, on May 23, the plant also successfully produced 5,000 cubic metres of diesel oil meeting all specifications and sold it on the domestic market. Once the plant operates with its full designed capacity of 10 million tonnes of crude oil, it will contribute to decreasing petroleum and diesel imports. Located at Nghi Son Economic Zone in the central province of Thanh Hoa with the total investment capital of over $9.3 billion, it is invested by a consortium of Kuwait International Petrochemical Company (KPI, 35.1 per cent), Idemitsui Kosan (IKC, 35.1 per cent), and Mitsui Chemicals (MCI, 4.7 per cent). The rest is contributed by state-run Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam). The project has triple the construction size than the country's first refinery, Dung Quat Oil Refinery, and is kitted out with a range of modern technologies which are to be applied for the first time in Vietnam. At present, Vietnam only has Dung Quat oil refinery in operation. Notably, opened in 2009, Dung Quat is the first-ever oil refinery in Vietnam with the capacity of 6.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually. So far, the refinery has refined and sold more than 47.2 million tonnes of petroleum, meeting 40 per cent of the market demand. Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (BSR), the investor of Dung Quat Refinery, is working with interested investors to expand the plant. The expansion is expected to be completed in 2020 and upon completion, the refinerys capacity will increase by 30 per cent, or 2 million tonnes a year, to 8.5 million tonnes. This will meet half of Vietnams fuel demand. Most recently, the joint venture of Wagan Corporation, GHN Group, and Masters Depot, and domestic firm Tin Thanh Group Company Limited expressed ambitions to co-operate with each other to enhance and expand Dung Quat Refinery. Regional participants discussed about how to shape access to healthcare in Asia Deborah Gildea, head of Novartis Social Business Asia, confirmed this information to VIR at its regional stakeholder meeting in Singapore held in late November. During the event, participants from Singapore, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, and others discussed how public-private partnerships, digital health, innovative financing, and insurance solutions can help shape access to healthcare in Asia. "At present, we are working with the MoH on the possibilities of carrying out a PPP project. We have had first level of discussions with the MoH so far," she said. "Through the PPP project, we want to provide services to help the primary healthcare sector increase service quality," she added. Currently, the MoH is working on creating a legal framework for PPP to encourage private investment in the future. Addressing the meeting, Nguyen Khanh Phuong, head of the MoH's Health Strategy and Policy Institute, shared information about Vietnam's PPP legal framework in the healthcare sector. "There are some significant achievements in PPP, including the provision of health services, perhaps the most significant being the engagement of private providers in contracts with social health insurance. At present, 26 per cent of contractors with social health insurance come from the private sector. Additionally, private providers are engaged in some publicly-funded programmes, such as the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) programme." Realising the unmet demand among locals and the government's strategies to increase access to primary healthcare for rural people, NSB is mostly focusing on low income earners. "NSB is providing value by selling medicine. With this comes the responsibility of researching innovative medicines and making them accessible to most of the global population. NSB targets low-middle income countries because they are the most vulnerable population segments to health risks. Hence, it makes good business sense to target them," said Harald Nusser, head of NSB. "Killer diseases like non-communicable diseases for example, dominantly affect low-middle income countries and the more vulnerable layers of the population. That is the reason why we need models that also commercially work for these populations," he added. Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and has a burgeoning population. Despite improvements in the health of its population, poverty and inequality remain high, especially in rural areas. Nearly 70 per cent of the country's 90 million population live in rural areas and struggle with healthcare access, affordability, and quality. In Vietnam, Novartis Social Business has implemented and been running two programmes for a long time now. One of them is the renowned Cung Song Khoe programme. NSB successfully worked with the Department of Health to develop this programme at a community level and launched it in 2012 to provide health awareness, education, and affordable quality medicines. To date, the Cung Song Khoe programme has reached more than 930,000 people, providing basic health education and screening for the prevention of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Deborah Gildea added, This programme has been in place for five years now. By the end of 2018, Novartis would have served 1 million people by providing health education and diagnostics services. This programme is made sustainable by making medicines and services available locally. Vietnam to attend Novartis regional stakeholder event in Singapore Building on the series of global stakeholder dialogues, Novartis Social Business will be hosting its fourth event in Singapore on November 20, 2018. Novartis to part with Roche Swiss drug-maker Novartis is working with investment banks to line up potential buyers for its 13.5 billion francs ($14 billion) worth stake in Roche, according ... Representatives of TPI and Quang Tri People's Committee signed the MOA in September Nguyen Quan Chinh, Deputy Chairman of the Quang Tri People's Committee, has just responded to the leaders of TPI Group (Thailand) on the corporation's proposed investmen projects in Quang Tri. Accordingly, Chinh said in the document that the province will collect the opinions of the central ministries and departments and will give a response to TPI. Besides, Quang Tri is directing the functional departments to co-ordinate closely with the investor to provide support in the necessary investment procedures of the mega-project with an expected investment capital of billions of dollars. "We will discuss this matter further during the visit and working session between the delegations of Quang Tri province and TPI Group expected on December 17-20, 2018," the document stated. As for the Quang Tri airport development project, as promised, the province will direct relevant departments to facilitate the implementation of the project as soon as possible. Vietnam Construction Investment and Service Joint Stock Company (VISC) is suggested to contact the Quang Tri Economic Zones Authority for guidance on investment procedures in accordance with Vietnamese law. In mid-November, a representative of TPI Group sent an open letter to Nguyen Duc Chinh, chairman of the Quang Tri People's Committee, to inform him on the progress of the implementation of the provisions set in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the two parties. "We are committed to pursuing and developing the project and we would like to express our readiness to implement the MOA to support the Quang Tri People's Committee in fulfilling its responsibilities to the government and to ensure the prosperity of Quang Tri citizens." TPI JSC has been officially established and registered under the guidance of the Quang Tri Department of Planning and Investment. It is currently applying for project investment licenses, including a petroleum storage facility, a gas separation plant, and a 3,000MW power plant, a petrochemical complex, and a specialised port for petroleum, gas, and logistics transportation. In addition, the Quang Tri Airport Development project under the PPP financing form was also assigned to VISC, which is a part of TPI's projects in Quang Tri. The MOA on Investment and Development of the South East Economic Zone of Quang Tri between the Quang Tri People's Committee and TPI was signed on September 26. Accordingly, the two parties agreed to co-ordinate research and co-operate in the development of projects, including petrochemical complex (if permitted by the government), a gas-to-power plant from domestic and import gas sources (if permitted by the government), Quang Tri Airport, a deep-water seaport, furniture production, and off-shore wind power. The Investment Summit promotes the United States as the worlds premier investment destination and connects qualified foreign firms with US economic development organisations to facilitate business investment and job creation. Investing in the United States is one of the best decisions that Vietnamese firms can make, especially as the countrys economy continues to rapidly expand, said ambassador Kritenbrink, As firms benefit from this expansion, they should look to expand into new markets and it is only natural to consider one of Vietnams largest export markets, the United States, he added. US State Secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross opens the SelectUSA 2018 Summit in Washington, DC. Photo: US Department of Commerce The US is currently home to more foreign direct investment than any other country in the world, with a total stock of $4 trillion at the end of 2017. The previous five summits alone attracted thousands of international investors and economic development representatives from across the United States. The US Commercial Service offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will once again organise this years delegation to the summit. In early December, the ambassador and consul general will officially launch the 2019 SelectUSA Summit recruitment by hosting luncheons for local investors. The Ho Chi Minh City luncheon will be in conjunction with a trip to Vietnam by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing Ian Steff, who is performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Global Markets at the International Trade Administration in Washington, DC. Steff oversees the SelectUSA Summit that has, over the last two years, attracted more than 3,000 attendees including 1,000 business representatives from 66 foreign markets, and economic development organisations (EDOs) from 51 US states and territories, all while announcing more than $98 billion in new investments. The United States is the obvious choice for Vietnamese firms looking to grow globally, said Eric Hsu, Commercial Counselor at the US Embassy in Hanoi. There is no more worthwhile event for global business leaders to find growth opportunities than SelectUSA, Hsu said. The US Mission to Vietnam will organise Invest in the USA seminars this year in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in advance of the summit. During these programmes, attendees will learn more about the SelectUSA Summit, while being filled in by representatives of EDOs in the United States on investment opportunities and incentives in their respective location. These seminars will provide a glimpse of what to expect during the three-day programme in Washington, DC. Twelve investors from a variety of industries across Vietnam attended the 2018 Summit. For the second year in a row, Vietnam had the largest delegation from Southeast Asia, with delegates attending seminars covering issues impacting FDI in the United States, including infrastructure, tax reform, deregulation, and advanced manufacturing. The latest incarnation of the Vietnam Business Forum, a policy dialogue between the Vietnamese government and local and foreign businesses held twice a year, took place in Hanoi last week. VIR outlines the major challenges international business associations have been encountering while doing business in Vietnam, and their recommendations on what the government and authorised agencies could do to support them to prosper and make ever-greater contributions to the countrys development in the 4.0 era. Nicolas audier, Co-chairman, European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) appreciates the recent efforts of the Vietnamese government to further improve the business environment and increase competitiveness. One of the challenges for the country to meet the international standards in key industries is in the pharmaceutical sector. Our members see two specific opportunities to encourage further foreign direct investment (FDI) and build an even better healthcare system for Vietnamese patients. Our members applaud the governments progress in providing a clear, viable legal framework for operations. This will enable the state and private sectors to work together long-term for the benefit of patients and the public. To ensure that this is as effective as possible, our members request a feasible, predictable transition period to ensure companies can maintain high standards and continue to provide the best possible treatment solutions. The EuroCham Healthcare Forum is proud to have signed a consensus framework for ethical collaboration in Vietnam with a wide range of healthcare organisations, and we would like to seek the support of the government to our international ethical standards in the healthcare sector here. Turning to medical devices, EuroChams Medical Devices and Diagnostics Sector Committee (MDDSC) supports the governments aim to provide hospitals with modern equipment. The private sector will be crucial to achieving this, and our members are keen to help improve medical examination and treatment for patients. However, a lack of clarity and coherence between various ministerial documents and long term solutions regarding the model of placing equipment is inhibiting the success of this initiative. In particular, it is creating problems not just in the placement of new equipment, but also in the management of current equipment in hospitals. This risks delaying urgent testing and treatment, and undermining continuity of care in these establishments. To address this issue, the MDDSC recommends that the government examines the public-private model for the health sector and circulate clear, coherent guidance on the placing of equipment in public health establishments. We believe that by addressing these challenges, the business environment in Vietnam will be able to take full advantage of the upcoming opportunities. Kenneth Atkinson, Chairman, British Business Group Vietnam We congratulate the Vietnamese government on their continued progress to a more open and transparent business environment. The enforcement of tax penalties remains a concern to business. There is a strong feeling amongst the foreign business community that overseas companies are being targeted by the tax and customs offices in an effort to increase tax collections and revenues to help reduce the fiscal deficit. It is our experience that the majority of our members and the majority of foreign companies in Vietnam have a good understanding of the need and benefit of paying due tax in a timely and accurate manner. The BBGV have concerns. Firstly, the problems this is causing to our members who are already established here in Vietnam. Whilst we do not condone either tax evasion or avoidance in any form, we appreciate that administrative errors can and do occur. These errors can be caused internally within Vietnam, often due to the differences in interpretation of the tax and customs laws and regulations, even between the same departments in different cities and provinces. The under resourcing of staff in the tax and customs departments often means that inspections take place late and up to five years after the reporting period. Where there are genuine administrative errors, which are not challenged for up to five years, the administration fines and late payment penalties are considered unfair and onerous. Companies have to pay late payment penalties because the tax office is unable to carry out annual inspections in a timely fashion. The late payment penalty is being calculated at an interest rate of approximately 20 per cent annually which when calculated for five years more than doubles the original amount due. International companies do have a feeling of injustice of being required to pay these fines and penalties, when the cause is completely outside of their control having lodged the papers in a correct and timely fashion. To help resolve these issues, the BBGV would like to see the creation of an independent body which can hear appeals from taxpayers against administrative fines and penalties from the tax officers. Secondly, we are concerned about the ultimate damage that could be caused to attracting future foreign direct investment, if a solution is not found. Attracting companies to invest and trade with Vietnam depends on many factors including the transparency of doing business and the tax regime. Whilst this issue remains one of concern to businesses already based in Vietnam it will continue to be a factor for new companies looking at benefits and obstructions to creating a new operational base within the country. Ryu Hang Ha, Chairman, Korea Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam The era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has begun, with new industries emerging constantly. Therefore, it is time for the two countries to prepare for Korea-Vietnam Co-operation 2.0 in line with the new era. Industry 4.0 originates from technology and ideas, and both of them stem from the fingertips of human beings. Thus, it is the key to develop human resources. Vietnam is experiencing difficulties in establishing a foothold in this revolution despite the rapid economic growth because they are heavily specialised in labour-intensive industries. In other words, it is important for the government to dedicate itself to nurture technical personnel and specialists for high-tech industries even if that will take considerable time and budget. It is obvious that technology transfer is integral in improving the situation. However, the country also needs to make bold decisions to purchase advanced technology when necessary. Otherwise, it faces limitations if attempting to solve the problem simply by attracting foreign companies. Meanwhile, companies should be able to hire different levels of technicians or specialists to meet their business needs. To do so, the national certification must be further subdivided according to the sector and level. MIchael Kelly, Chairman, American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam Our members have had a transformative role in the development of Vietnam. From managerial practices to business ethics, the US business community has affected Vietnam in many positive ways. The ongoing US-China trade tensions have highlighted the risk of concentrating production bases in a single country and are triggering supply chain reorganisation. A recent AmCham survey of US firms in China showed that one-third either had moved or were considering moving some production abroad amid the dispute. The question is how Vietnam can fully capitalise on this opportunity in order to continue its rapid upward economic trajectory. It is no secret that Vietnam attracts a lot of foreign investment. Some government officials question whether having so many foreign companies is good for the countrys economy. For example, a member of the National Assembly recently said, With foreign businesses accounting for over 70 per cent of total exports, Vietnam will suffer when they leave the country. All of us want to make sure there is no reason that companies should leave Vietnam. That is why we need to see continued and tangible progress on the issues discussed at the Vietnam Business Forum. Importantly, non-productive red tape must be controlled and the countrys regulatory and tax framework must be stable and predictable. Koji ito, Chairman, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry On behalf of JCCI, one of the areas that I expect the Vietnamese government to consider or take action to enhance the countrys investment climate and strengthen linkages between Vietnamese and Japanese firms is Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. In recent years, the government has strengthened measures to inhibit borrowing because the public debt to GDP ratio is now close to the 65 per cent ceiling set by the National Assembly. Nevertheless, we believe that infrastructure development is vital to Vietnams long-term growth and the active introduction of public-private partnership (PPP) schemes is certainly one of the most effective ways to do so. For instance, the introduction of Decree 63 in May 2018 has simplified PPP procedures, such as eliminating the need to obtain an investment registration certificate for projects. However, we propose four aspects of the decree that the government can consider reviewing to enhance its effectiveness in promoting infrastructure growth in the country. First, clearly stipulate that foreign law may be specified as the governing law. Second, allowing dispute resolution by arbitration outside Vietnam on all infrastructure projects, including those involving real estate. Next, allowing investors and project executors to mortgage land use rights, assets on land and the right to operate project facilities. Finally, ensure that the Vietnamese government shares a certain amount of risk pertaining to the termination of payments and foreign exchange certificates. Last week, JCCI held a PPP seminar in Hanoi, joined by officials from the ministries of Planning and Investment, and Justice. JCCI commits to continue supporting Vietnam in drawing in more Japanese investments. The proposed offshore wind power project in Binh Thuan province requires total investment of nearly 12 billion USD. Ian Hatton, chairman of UK-based Enterprise Energy, last week outlined a proposal for the $11.9 billion Ke Ga offshore wind farm, with the total capacity of 3,400 megawatts (MW). Funding to develop the giant project will be sourced internationally. We have the high-graded Ke Ga Offshore Wind Development Zone (Ke Ga OWDZ), offshore southern Vietnam, where we believe our approach has the potential to deliver utility-scale offshore wind energy development within the governments price expectations, Hatton said at a conference on Ke Ga offshore wind power last week in Hanoi. If approved, the project will be the largest offshore wind power project not only in Vietnam, but also in Southeast Asia, with success providing a large amount of clean electricity for the countrys power mix. However, chairman of the Vietnam Energy Association Tran Viet Ngai pointed out that the revised 20-year feed-in-tariff (FiT) of 9.8 US cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for offshore projects is applied to a part or all grid-connected wind farms starting operation before November 1, 2021. The Ke Ga project misses this time frame as it will be launched in 2022. In the near future, Enterprise Energy will ask the Vietnamese government for special incentives for the giant project to push it online sooner, according to the association. One thing we must pay attention to is the investment in transmission lines and substations, and pinpoint who will be in charge of the consumption of the power supply, be it the investor or Electricity of Vietnam, said Ngai. Meanwhile, Allan Baker, global head of power from investment bank Societe Generale stressed, A bankable power purchase agreement (PPA) is the foundation of successful offshore wind markets. He added that in Vietnam, the PPA is widely perceived as a constraint on development and finance. The Ke Ga OWDZ is located outside of the current oil and gas production area of the Mekong Delta basin between 20 and 70 kilometres off southern Vietnams Binh Thuan and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces. The latter is the location of the PetroVietnam consortium offshore yards, where the turbine foundations and offshore electrical substation platforms would be fabricated prior to installation in the zone. The European Unions ambassador to Cambodia, George Edgar, has expressed concern over the deterioration of human rights in Cambodia. On the 70th anniversary of the passing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Monday, Edgar said it was no secret that the E.U. was concerned by the dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party last year and the jailing of its leader, Kem Sokha, on treason charges. In terms of the general situation, it's no secret that the E.U. has concerns about the human rights situations in particular in relation to some of the events over the last year or so that in particular affect political rights, he said. In September 2017, Sokha was arrested on allegations that he had plotted with the United States to overthrow Prime Minister Hun Sen. The CNRP was dissolved the following month by the Supreme Court. He spent the next year in jail, before being released into house arrest. Some 118 opposition officials were also banned from politics for five years in the same court decision. The government has denied wrongdoing and claims it has only acted to uphold the rule of law in the Kingdom. The ruling Cambodian Peoples Party also oversaw a wider crackdown on opposing voices and independent organizations, including curtailing the rights of civil society groups, activists and independent media outlets. The moves prompted the United States to impose limited sanctions on senior members of the Hun Sen administration, followed by the E.U., which is also considering dropping Cambodia from a preferential trade scheme that experts say could cripple the countrys garment sector. Following the threat from the E.U., the Cambodian government has sought to ease the pressure on civil society and is considering amending the law to allow the 118 CNRP politicians to return to political life. We carefully noted that the statements by the government in particular from the beginning of last week contained some very positive elements and we look forward to seeing those implemented in practice, Edgar said. Keo Remy, president of the official Cambodian Human Rights Commission, said Cambodia was not unique in its treatment of human rights defenders and opposition forces. If you check the Internet, you can see [the state of] human rights in every nation, he said. I want to say that every nation has human rights issues. On Tuesday, the government released a statement defending its position on human rights. Human rights in Cambodia are guaranteed by law in which the government is still reforming the judicial system and other related laws to ensure and protect the rights of the people as well as the effectiveness in law implementation by the authorities, it said. Chak Sopheap, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said she hoped the government would do more to cooperate with local communities to improve human rights at the grassroots level. The human rights situation for the last two years has deteriorated. I hope that this Human Rights Day ... is a reminder that the government has an obligation to respect and protect human rights, she said. She added that the restrictions placed on a rally organized on Human Rights Day, despite the authorities initially granting rally-goers permission to hold the events, was a concern. Meas Ny, a political analyst, said the restrictions placed on the rallies were a trial by the government that showed it was not yet comfortable allowing more political space for dissenting voices. Cambodia held its seventh annual Book Fair last week, raising hopes among Cambodias literary aficionados that it could help create a revival in the countrys literary scene. Soeng Nisay, 21, the book fairs coordinator, said the number of participants have swelled dramatically this year. He claimed that more than 130,000 people attended the fair this year, up from 52,000 in 2017, partly due to a large number of young people who turned up to receive free books donated by Prime Minister Hun Sen through the Union Youth Federations of Cambodia, which is led by his son, Hun Many. The fair, he said, was aimed at promoting the work of local authors and encouraging a literary culture in the country. Another thing I noticed is the number of publishers and writers has risen. Last year there were only 80 stalls, but this year we had about 115. Ouk Bonheang, 25, a young author, said the rise was due to a growing appreciation among young Cambodians for literacy. I think that firstly, the importance of reading for our younger generation is understood because when we read, we obtain new knowledge, he said. He added that increased competition in the labor market was also a driving factor. Bin Yan, 27, another author, said he had also noticed an increased interest in reading among young Cambodians. This is the driving force which I think is hopeful for the country, because a nation is strong if the people like to read, like in Japan, Germany, Israel and the United States. He added that social media was also spurring increased interest in reading. Bonheang said intellectual property laws remained a barrier to more Cambodians getting into publishing. What I think is lacking for writers is legal protection, he said. The intellectual property law is still limited and full of loopholes. I think that if the law could be strengthened, it would be a good thing. Yan, a member of the Kouy indigenous minority, said writers should be encouraged to create more original works, rather than relying on translating and copying local and international literature. He added that he hoped the government would establish a nationwide library program and book fairs in the provinces, as well as increasing funding support for young, emerging writers. [Editors Note: Sue Coffey is a writer and communications specialist with particular interest in human rights issues. She worked in Cambodia for the Australian governments overseas aid program and as a communications adviser to the NGO Forum on Cambodia, before moving to Myanmar where she worked on education reform projects. She edited Seeking Justice in Cambodia: Human Rights Defenders Speak Out, a series of accounts from the original founders of Cambodias human rights organizations, and younger leaders. She recently spoke to VOA Khmers Nem Sopheakpanha about the book, published in November.] VOA: Can you tell us briefly about the book? What is it about? What is the message? Coffey: The book is called Seeking Justice in Cambodia: Human Rights Defenders Speak Out, and its a book of first-person interviews with the original founders of the human rights movement in Cambodia from the early 1990s right up to the present day. Through 14 interviews with Cambodian leaders of human rights organizations and two key UN personnel, including Rhona Smith, as well as a Foreword by Gareth Evans, the book really tells a powerful story about the development of human rights in Cambodia from the early days in the 1990s to now. In the book, there are interviews with the earliest founders including people like Thun Saray, who founded ADHOC in 1991; and Pung Chhiv Kek, who founded LICADHO in Paris in the same year, and in Cambodia in 1992. It incudes Koul Panha, early Director of Comfrel, Chhith Sam Ath of NGO Forum, and several others including Kem Sokha, head of CCHR before going into politics and becoming head of CNRP. It also includes many younger leaders of human rights movements today, including people like Ou Virak of Future Forum and Chak Sopheap, head of CCHR ; also Venerable Luon Sovath and Mark Channsitha, who speaks about the garment workers. Through the book I hoped to convey the story that their tales tell about the powerful struggle for human rights in Cambodia. They worked tirelessly to try and achieve human rights for Cambodians, for almost 30 years and that struggle continues today. It has been a long struggle, and it has still not been achieved, because it has been very difficult to be a human rights defender or to achieve human rights in Cambodia, particularly with the recent developments in the last two years. But I think these human rights defenders stories are powerful, and I really hope that they resonate with young Cambodians in particular. These individuals are quite remarkable, and I felt that it has clearly been an extraordinary struggle to try to achieve human rights for Cambodians. VOA: The book came out just after the release of several civil society activists? Coffey: The book was released in early November and we launched the book formally just a few weeks ago. I originally intended to launch the book in March this year. But with all the changes that occurred in Cambodia, at the end of last year, after consultation with the contributors, I really thought that it would be safer to wait until after the last election. So, the book was released in early November, and is inspiring a lot of interest both internationally and in Cambodia. Thats very pleasing because I really do want Cambodians to be able to read the book, which is why I have had the book translated into Khmer, and made the translation available free on my website. VOA: What was your motive behind the writing book? What compelled you to write the book? Coffey: It started because I came to Cambodia in 2012 for two years as an Australian government volunteer. I work in communications, and in Cambodia, I was assigned as a communications adviser to a peak body of human rights organizations. As soon as I arrived, I could see how difficult the situation of human rights was for Cambodians. There was a lot of land grabbing going on; people were being evicted from their homes with little or no compensation. Transparency in government dealings was very low. There were a lot of environmental problems with hydro-electric schemes. Altogether, I thought that Cambodians had a very difficult time achieving human rights. But I worked with some really remarkable people in that time, as I helped to promote human rights issues. And gradually the idea of the book grew after I came back to Australia. I began to think that unless someone told these peoples stories, they might be lost to posterity, lost to history. I thought it was very important to have a record of the work of these people. I hope that young Cambodians, in particular, read these stories and take inspiration from them, because these people really have been so important in trying to develop human rights for Cambodians. VOA: What do you want to see happen once the book is published? What change do you want to see the book helps contribute to? Coffey: I would really like to think that people, both Cambodians, and international scholars, read the book, and learn lessons about the period and the struggle for human rights. At one level, the book contributes to the history of Cambodia because these are the stories of the human rights founders, in a period of time that I think we need to know more about internationally.But I would also really like to think that young Cambodians take inspiration from these stories, and that they are encouraged to try and work towards bringing change in the human rights area. I think Cambodia has had a very bad record for human rights: theres no separation of power between the judiciary, the government and the army. All kinds of human rights abuses persist: land grabbing continues, there is no fair access to resources. I would like to think the book might act as a force for change, to encourage people to take on the cause for development of human rights, as these remarkable people have done. VOA: Have you had any feedback or response from the public or civil society or the government so far? Coffey: There have been very encouraging responses since I published. Im hearing from a lot of people internationally who are very interested in the book, and I am also receiving a lot of messages from young Cambodians who are saying Thank you. Thank you for making this available, free, in Khmer. There are so many books about Asia and about Cambodia that are not translated, and they are not available easily for Cambodians to read. I think its very important for Cambodians to know their own history, so I was absolutely committed to making this book available in Khmer, free, and its on my website: seekingjusticeincambodia.com. VOA: As you know, recently the Cambodian government has said it will loosen restrictions on civil society groups, as well as independent media outlets and the possibility of banned opposition politicians to enter the political arena once again. What is your take on that? Coffey: I think this is definitely an important development for the better. It has come about after the very unfortunate events at the end of last year. I had only just interviewed Kem Sokha, 10 days before he was arrested and then, of course, he was in jail for a year and is now still under house arrest. I think the problem is, though, that the government will hold power for another five years, so it has every seat in the house. So Opposition politicians cannot hold seats in the parliament, and one wonders really how effective its going to be. But we must have hope. VOA: Given the recent developments, do you have any message for the Cambodian people? Coffey: I think Cambodians are wonderful people, and I really enjoyed my time there so much. They have such great human resources and so many skills. I think they have struggled so much under difficult regimes, under the Khmer Rouge, through the Vietnamese to the 1990s and now. I really feel that they need to take inspiration from the people who have tried to fight for human rights, and keep fighting for them, because they deserve these rights and their Constitution mandates that they deserve these rights. VOA: Do you have anything else you want to add? Coffey: I think its been a very difficult year. Cambodia is now a one-party [state], and while the Government has been loosening some of the repressive controls imposed before the election, its still very difficult to achieve human rights. Its very much my hope that things improve in Cambodia in the future because Cambodians deserve to have the human rights outlined in their Constitution, access to human rights for all and fair access to resources. This interview was edited for length and clarity. A court in Canada has released tech giant Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on bail as she awaits possible extradition to the United States over bank fraud allegations linked to Iran sanctions. However, in a new twist to the case that has quickly mushroomed far beyond its initial scope, U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he might intervene. Whatever's good for the country, I would do," Trump told Reuters in an interview, shortly after the ruling. "If I think it's good for what will certainly be the largest trade deal ever made, which is a very important thing. What's good for national security, I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary." The United States has 60 days from the day of Mengs arrest to issue a formal extradition request and provide Canadian courts with evidence. Meng, the daughter of Huaweis founder, was taken into custody on December 1 while transiting planes in Canada. While her legal fate is worked out, Meng agreed to post $7.5 million in bail, hand over her passports and remain in British Columbia. She will also wear an ankle bracelet and be under 24-hour surveillance, barred from leaving a home she owns in Vancouver between 11 at night and six in the morning. Huawei Technologies is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of mobile phones. The case against Meng is not only about violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran but deep suspicions about the company and its connections to Chinese authorities, allegations Huawei has both repeatedly denied. Suspected intel links National security experts have raised concerns that data on Huawei devices could be made available to Chinas intelligence services. The company is also a key global competitor in the ongoing race to roll out fifth generation or 5G mobile networks. U.S. officials say Meng lied to banks about Huawei's control of Hong Kong-based Skycom a company that allegedly sold U.S. goods to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions against Tehran. If convicted in the United States, she could face up to 30 years in prison. Meng maintains she is innocent and some argue that U.S. authorities have a lot to prove in their case against Meng. Zhao Zhanling, a researcher at the Intellectual Property Center of China University of Political Science and Law, argues that the United States cannot apply its local laws to a foreign company or one of its top executives. And that is just one of many uncertainties in the case, Zhao said. This is a case that is politically complicated, that has diplomatic elements and is linked to the U.S.-China trade war, Zhao said. And under those circumstances, whether the extradition is approved or whether the U.S. will press ahead with extradition remains to be seen. Trump intervention Zhao believes theres a good chance that Washington will give up the extradition request in exchange for a better trade deal with China. At a regular briefing Wednesday, China Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Mengs arrest was a mistake from the start, but welcomed Trumps remarks. Any person, especially if it is a leader of the United States or a high-level figure who is willing to make positive efforts to push this situation in the right direction, then that of course, deserves to be well received, Lu said. Julian Ku, a professor of law at Hofstra University in New York, said that while President Trump can instruct the attorney general to withdraw an extradition request, it doesnt sound like he has been fully briefed on the charges against Meng and its legal basis. That or the complexities of making these comments during an extradition proceeding, he adds. For now, Ku said it is his impression that Trump does not have any plans to act one way or the other, just that he didnt want to rule anything out. China has argued that the case against Meng is politically motivated and the presidents comments will go a long way to bolstering that view. Some analysts also worry that it sets a dangerous precedent, putting Americans at risk and undercutting rule of law. Beijing retaliation likely China has already lashed out at both Canada and the United States over her arrest, warning Ottawa of severe consequences. There are already signs that both governments may be preparing to issue travel warnings to their citizens traveling to China. And analysts have said retaliation from Beijing is likely. Just prior to Mengs final day in court, Canada confirmed Chinese authorities have detained Canadian Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat who is currently a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group. The Canadian government voiced its deep concern but said it sees no explicit connection between Kovrig's arrest and the Meng case. Others disagree. "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," the group said in an earlier statement. On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang suggested Kovrigs employer is not properly registered as a non-governmental organization in China. "If they are not registered and their workers are in China undertaking activities, then that's already outside of, and breaking, the law, revised just last year, on the management of overseas non-governmental organizations operating in China, Lu said. ICG could not be reached for further comment. In this episode of Straight Talk Africa host Shaka Ssali discusses political tolerance in Rwanda, including the recent release of political prisoners in the country. He is joined by Claude Gatebuke, Executive Director of AGLAN (African Great Lakes Region Action Network), Aristide Rwigara, brother of Diane Rwigara who was recently acquitted and released from prison together with her mother and Victoire Ingabire, President of FDU-Inkingi (United Democratic Forces) an unregistered opposition political party in Rwanda. Greece's parliament on Tuesday voted to scrap plans to cut state pensions, in a motion led by the left-led governing coalition hoping to shore up its flagging support ahead of a general election next year. Athens agreed two years ago to cut pensions in 2019, in an attempt to placate lenders and get the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to back a third financial bailout the country clinched with its euro zone partners in 2015. Eventually the bailout, worth up to 86 billion euros, expired in August without IMF assistance, and Athens has said better-than-expected public finances enable it to rescind the planned cutbacks. The European Commission has approved the government's decision. "The time has come for people to be rewarded for their sacrifices," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told lawmakers ahead of the vote, calling the step a "necessary breath for the people of labor ... who saw their pensions and their dignity hurt." Pensioners, who are in many households the only people with an income due to the highest unemployment rate in the eurozone, have seen earnings shrink by up to 40 percent since Greece toppled into crisis in late 2009. Tsipras' term ends in 2019. His Syriza party is trailing the conservative New Democracy by about 10 points in opinion polls. Since 2010, Greece has signed up to three international bailouts totaling almost 290 billion euros, and will remain heavily indebted for years to come. The country is monitored by its eurozone partners and the IMF to ensure it does not veer off post-bailout targets aimed at maintaining high budget surpluses in coming years. New Democracy (ND) accused the government of increasing taxes and handing out benefits from budget revenues to win votes. "You are wearing the mask of the philanthropist just to tip people from their own savings," ND leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Tsipras in parliament. Some films about race in America are angry, many are passionate, or terrifying or heartbreaking, and a few are funny. If Beale Street Could Talk, opening in U.S. theaters in major cities Friday, is marked by a quiet beauty and dignity, despite the despair that runs through it. Based on the 1974 novel with the same title by the late James Baldwin, the film is director Barry Jenkins' follow-up to his 2016 Oscar-winner Moonlight. It is the latest in a slew of movies by or about African-Americans that were nominated last week for Golden Globe Awards, including Spike Lee's Ku Klux Klan thriller BlacKkKlansman, superhero movie Black Panther, and 1960s road trip Green Book. If Beale Street Could Talk is the story of two hopeful young lovers in Harlem whose future is ruined when the man is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Baldwin said Beale Street could stand for any black community in the United States. Jenkins said he was drawn to make the film because of its blend of "sensuality and love both physical and emotional love but also this other voice that was very, very clear about social critique and taking America to task for the role it has played in the lives and the degradation of black folks." Yet Jenkins, who also adapted the screenplay, says rage is not in his wheelhouse as a filmmaker. "I feel like anger has never been the best place for me to work from," he said. In contrast to the more strident tone of the novel, the film is made from the perspective of young and pregnant Tish, played by newcomer KiKi Layne, and her loving family. "Tish is so young and pure and wide-eyed and so innocent, that to work from any other place than that would have felt like a false move," Jenkins said. Jenkins sees Beale Street and Moonlight as companion pieces, partly because he wrote both films during the summer of 2013. They are also about black families, albeit very different. Moonlight depicted a young black gay man growing up in a hard-scrabble neighborhood of contemporary Miami. "I still get notes and letters from total strangers who feel their lives have been impacted or in some ways improved because of the visibility that Moonlight brought to their personal lives," he said. Jenkins hopes Beale Street leaves audiences with "a sense of optimism that the lives and souls of black folks in America have often been rooted in despair and degradation, and yet there has always been love, joy, family and community." While the United Nations says child labor has fallen sharply in Cambodia's garment factories, many informal subcontractors using children are escaping scrutiny, activists said Tuesday. Better Factories Cambodia, a U.N. International Labor Organization and World Bank initiative, found just 10 cases of child labor, down from 74 in 2014, in its latest survey of almost 500 licensed garment export factories. However, campaigners said that children turned away from factory jobs may be working elsewhere, including homes where garments are produced by subcontractors. "There have been major strides in eliminating child labor" in factories, said William Conklin, Cambodia country director for the Solidarity Center, a U.S.-based nonprofit promoting workers' rights. "But what it doesn't address is the issue in the subcontract area. That is a big, unknown area in Cambodia." Cambodia's garment industry is the largest employer in the country. About 40 percent of its GDP comes from garment exports, and the sector employs more than 800,000 workers. Cambodian factories supply global brands including Gap, Sweden-based H&M, and sportswear brands Nike, Puma and Adidas. The ILO report noted that child labor usually involves workers under age 15 who have presented false identity documents to get factory jobs. Trapped in bonded labor Tens of thousands of Cambodian families, including children, are trapped in bonded labor, forced to make bricks in return for kiln owners' settling their debts, British researchers said in October. Child workers are often from families who have had to migrate because climate change has hit their harvests, said Dy The Hoya, a program officer with the Phnom Penh-based Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights. "I do not see any change in the informal sector," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Esther Germans, a program manager with ILO, said the organization has no data on subcontractors. "It is generally assumed that working conditions are worse and one can expect more incidences of child labor since there is less scrutiny," she said in emailed comments. Companies are facing growing scrutiny to ensure their operations are slave-free as rising demand for cheap clothing fuels labor exploitation in factories worldwide. The government, which has come under fire for its human rights record, said in October that it would increase the monthly minimum wage in the textile sector to $182 in January from $170. H&M, which hosted a summit on fair wages in the fashion industry in the Phnom Penh on Tuesday, said wages in Cambodian factories producing its clothing were 24 percent higher than the minimum. With its wooden walls and posters on protecting forests and fauna, Brazil's pavilion at the U.N. climate talks in Poland offers no hint of the angst at home and abroad over mixed messages on global warming from its president-elect. But campaign promises made by Jair Bolsonaro that could weaken protection for the Amazon rainforest are a hot topic of conversation among visitors, said Caio Henrique Scarmocin, one of three hosts on the stand. At the conference, whose outcome will be key to implementing the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, scientists and environmental activists said they were laying the groundwork should calls for Bolsonaro to protect Brazil's forests fail. Campaign statements from Bolsonaro, who takes power in January, suggested indigenous lands could be opened up to economic exploitation, including agribusiness and mining, and environmental fines eased. The ability of Ibama, Brazil's environmental protection agency, to fine those who break environmental laws is one of the government's best defenses against the destruction of forests, stoking fears of a deforestation spike under the new government. Bolsonaro, who campaigned on a far-right platform, also pushed the Brazilian government to withdraw its offer to host next year's U.N. climate conference. "He has a hostile approach over environmental issues," said Paulo Barreto, a researcher with Imazon, a Brazilian institute monitoring deforestation in the Amazon. Brazil is home to about 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest, considered by many as nature's best weapon against global warming, because trees absorb and store carbon from the air. Alfredo Sirkis, executive secretary of the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change, said he thought dialogue with the incoming government was still possible. But if environmental roll-backs proceed, there was a "contingency plan," he told journalists. A coalition would assemble regional governments committed to respecting Brazil's emissions reduction goals set under the Paris pact, said Sirkis. Governors in as many as seven Brazilian states, including Amazonas, Pernambuco, the Federal District, Espirito Santo, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul, had already expressed interest in joining, he said. "This is for starters," said the former congressman. A spokesman for the presidency of Brazil at the climate talks declined to comment. U.S. shows the way The plan has similarities with "We Are Still In," a U.S. group of more than 3,500 mayors, governors and business leaders who have promised they will not retreat from the Paris deal. Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump gave notice the United States would leave the accord although it cannot formally withdraw until 2020 arguing it was bad for the economy. Mauricio Voivodic, executive director of WWF-Brazil, said his group had been in touch with the U.S. campaign through WWF-US, which is part of the "We Are Still In" secretariat. The American coalition has its own pavilion at the U.N. climate talks. "We are learning from 'We Are Still In' the importance of sub-national (governments) and companies enhancing commitments for the implementation of the Paris Agreement," Voivodic said. But WWF-Brazil is not yet trying to emulate the model because it wants to prioritize dialogue already under way with the transition government, he added. "It could be an option, but we are not going in the direction of starting planning this," said Voivodic. Brazil's future environment minister told Reuters on Monday his "inclination" was not to leave the Paris Agreement, after Bolsonaro said on the campaign trail he might quit the deal, under which countries set their own targets to cut emissions. Marcio Astrini, public policy coordinator for Greenpeace Brazil, said he also looked to the United States as a vague blueprint to build a similar "resistance movement." A Brazilian version would draw on linkages between about 150 civil society groups who worked closely over the last year to oppose Bolsonaro's campaign, he said. Also mirroring tactics used in the United States, his group does not exclude filing lawsuits to push back against potential weakening of environmental and climate regulations in Brazil. "It's on the table," he said, adding that it was still a last-resort option. This week Plugged In delves into the global impact of Britains plan to withdraw from the European Union. But the high profile divorce, called Brexit just got messier after UK Prime Minister Theresa May postponed a vote on her exit plan. Plus, we bring you an update on the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar. Did the 2016 crackdown on the countrys ethnic Muslim minority amount to genocide, as some human rights groups claim? Well hear from California Republican Congressman Ed Royce, Brookings Institution economist Douglas Rediker, and VOA correspondents around the world. Porn star Stormy Daniels must pay President Donald 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. Trump's attorney, Charles Harder, had requested nearly $390,000 in fees and equal amount in sanctions as a deterrent against a "repeat filer of frivolous defamation cases.'' Judge S. James Otero cut the requested legal fees by 25 percent and awarded just $1,000 in sanctions. Otero previously noted that fees by Harder's firm as high as $840 an hour were reasonable but the 580 hours spent on the case appeared excessive. 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. She sued him for defamation after he dismissed her claims of being threatened to keep quiet about the tryst as a "total con job." The judge threw out the case in October. Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, tweeted Tuesday's order "will never hold up on appeal." In a statement he predicted Daniels "will never have to pay a dime" because she will receive far more $1 million from Trump for attorneys' fees and other costs related to a separate lawsuit Daniels brought in Los Angeles over the non-disclosure agreement. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is challenging the agreement she signed with Trump's then-lawyer Michael Cohen to prevent her from discussing the alleged affair. The agreement was signed days before the 2016 election as part of a $130,000 hush-money settlement. Daniels also has alleged that her former lawyer, Keith Davidson, colluded with 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 the affair. 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 Trump's statement was "rhetorical hyperbole" against a political adversary and was protected speech under the First Amendment. Trump's lead attorney previously said the fees and unspecified monetary sanctions were earned because of the extraordinary nature of the defamation case and because of Avenatti's 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." The Cohen and Davidson lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court is on hold until May. State and federal authorities estimated Tuesday that it will cost at least $3 billion to clear debris from 19,000 homes and businesses destroyed by three California wildfires last month. The disaster relief officials said the cleanup costs will far surpass the record cleanup expense of $1.3 billion the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spent on debris removal in Northern California in 2017. California Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci said the state will manage cleanup contracts this time. Hundreds of Northern California homeowners complained contractors last year paid by the ton hauled away too much dirt and damaged unbroken driveways, sidewalks and pipes. The state OES spent millions of dollars repairing that damage. Ghilarducci said the state OES will hire auditors and monitors to watch over the debris removal in hopes of cutting down on the number of overeager contractors. "We learned a great number of things'' last year, Ghilarducci said. He said the Corps of Engineers was asked to lead the effort last year because state resources were stretched thin after responding to more than a dozen wildfires. This year, he said, state officials can manage the cleanup and costs will be shared among state, federal and local authorities. He said he expects the cleanup to begin in January and take about a year to complete. State and federal officials are currently removing hazardous household materials from the damaged properties. Most of the work will occur in Northern California, where the state's most destructive wildfire destroyed the city of Paradise. China said Wednesday a former Canadian diplomat to China who was arrested in Beijing Monday was detained on charges of jeopardizing China's national security. Michael Kovrig was arrested on suspicions of "engaging in activities that endanger" the country's security, China's official news media reported without elaborating. Previous reports said Kovrig was arrested for reasons that were unclear. Kovrig was detained less than a week after Canada angered the Chinese government when it announced the arrest of Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou. U.S. President Donald Trump says he would intervene in the case against Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou if it means reaching a trade deal with China. "Whatever's good for the country, I would do," Trump told Reuters."If I think it's good for what will certainly be the largest trade deal ever made, which is a very important thing. What's good for national security, I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary." Trump said while "my people" have spoken with China about the case, he has yet to discuss it with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Canadian police, acting on a U.S. warrant, arrested Meng at the Vancouver airport nearly two weeks ago on allegations of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran. A judge freed her on bail late Tuesday while she awaits a hearing on extradition to the United States. Judge William Ehrcke set bail at $7.5 million and imposed several conditions on Meng. They include that she remain in British Columbia, live in a house her husband owns, and not leave that house between 11 at night and six in the morning. Meng will also be under 24 hour-a-day surveillance. Meng is chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunication giant, Huawei Technologies a company founded by her father and one of the world's biggest manufacturers of mobile phones. Her family is worth billions of dollars. U.S. officials say Meng lied to banks about Huawei's control of Hong Kong-based Skycom a company that allegedly sold U.S. goods to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions against Tehran. If convicted in the United States, Meng faces up to 30 years in prison. Her arrest has infuriated China, calling it "extremely bad." China summoned the U.S. ambassador Sunday to lodge a formal protest. Kovrig is currently the Northeast Asia senior adviser for the International Crisis Group, which researches peaceful solutions to global conflicts. An International Crisis Group statement said, "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Kovrig's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release." Rob Malley, the head of the Brussels-based group, said Kovrig was not in China for any reason that would endanger Chinese national security. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he was "deeply concerned" about Kovrig's detention, but said there is "no explicit indication at this moment" that his arrest is in reaction to the Meng case. But Guy Saint-Jacques, Ottawa's former ambassador to Beijing, disputes that notion. "In China there is no coincidence," he told reporters. China had vowed that Canada would suffer serious consequences over Meng's arrest. VOA Mandarin Service contributed to this report. The December 23 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo are the country's most important in more than a decade. After delaying a new poll for two years, longtime President Joseph Kabila is stepping aside. Two main candidates are vying to replace him, one is his handpicked successor, the other an opposition leader. After two decades under the Kabila family, Congolese voters face a stark choice when they go to the polls: Continuity, or change? Kabila is stepping down two years after his mandate expired. His departure from the top job has opened the door to a flood of 21 presidential aspirants and thousands of people jockeying for lower offices. But in this crowd, only a handful of names stand out. Little-known former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary is Kabila's choice to become Congo's next president and he is campaigning heavily on that relationship. "I was chosen as candidate for the presidential election by President Joseph Kabila," he told a crowd at a campaign rally. But Shadary faces stiff competition from a fractured but passionate opposition, including from the son of the late longtime opposition leader. Felix Tshisekedi, who is widely seen as the frontrunner, entered the race late, after the opposition chose another man as their coalition candidate. That coalition candidate is confident voters will back him, said businessman Martin Fayulu. However, an October opinion poll conducted by international and local think tanks only gave him about eight percent of the vote. "We want to leave after us all the bad things that Mr. Kabila has done in this country," Fayulu told VOA. "The bad things that the 20 years of Kabilisme have done in this country. Corruption, insecurity the mass killing. That should be something that we have to make a big cause, so we can move ahead and change things in this country." But, he said he's not sure this election will give him that chance. And on this point, the divided opposition sings in the same key: they believe this poll will not be free, fair or transparent. Rigging machines An area of particular concern is the electronic voting machines that opposition figures have, repeatedly, described as "rigging machines." Adding to that, the government has refused any foreign assistance to hold this poll, saying they'll do it all themselves, without foreign interference. Fayulu, who said he will refuse to use a voting machine and will insist on a paper ballot, added that the elections have been a mess from the start. "The elections, you know, the organization is the worst organization," he said. "I've never seen a country organizing elections and doing what is being done here in this county. Starting from the electoral register. It was a disaster." Shadary's camp disputes these claims, and says they are confident the poll will be up to standard. Andre-Alain Atundu, a spokesman for the ruling coalition and a close associate of Shadary's, said he thinks continuity is important and that it will happen, no matter who wins. "If it's Mr. Shadary, he's saying, 'I'll continue with the spirit of progress advanced by Mr. Kabila.' He's honest," said Atundu. 'The other will take advantage of what Mr. Kabila has left. ... It's a question of honesty. And every next president will want to continue what Mr. Kabila has had the opportunity to achieve." As the poll nears, election paraphernalia is everywhere in the capital, with Shadary's impassive face beaming from billboards and promising economic development, security and better infrastructure. Tshisekedi and Fayulu are far less visible on posters, but Kinshasa is an opposition stronghold, where their rallies are packed and where historically they have performed well. The visual clutter of faces and names and promises has almost become invisible to residents of the bustling capital, who declined to stop and talk about politics when asked. But as December 23 edges ever closer, everyone is wondering: In which direction will Congo go? Turkish police have detained dozens of people, mostly women, in multiple raids on the local headquarters of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) since Monday, targeting party members and supporters who were on a hunger strike in support of the imprisoned HDP lawmaker Leyla Guven. Guven was arrested January on terror charges following her statements on social media against Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Syria's northwestern region of Afrin. During her judicial hearing last month, she said she was on an indefinite hunger strike in protest of the prison conditions of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant leader Abdullah Ocalan. HDP officials told VOA the police raids this week targeted party members and activists who went on hunger strikes in solidarity with Guven. They said police broke into their local headquarters to end the strikes and arrested 29 members in Batman, 25 in Diyarbakir and 14 in Van. "This unlawful action toward the women who want to be the voice of a peaceful demand once again demonstrates the truth which is empowering Leyla Guven's hunger strike on its 34th day," read a HDP statement following the arrests. Kurdish leader The statement asked Turkish officials to end the isolation of Ocalan, who serves a life sentence and remains the sole inmate of the island prison of Imrali in Bursa province. "The biggest obstacle to democratization and resolution is the isolation itself," HDP said. Turkish officials were not available to comment on the arrests, but the semiofficial Anadolu Agency said the raids were carried out by counterterrorism units against suspects "who are propagandizing for a terrorist organization." A VOA reporter present near the HDP headquarters in Diyarbakir said dozens of police equipped with riot shields could be seen around the building as anti-terror police led HDP members into police vehicles. WATCH: Turkish Police Raid Kurdish Opposition HQs More Strikes Xaje Kiye, the head of HDP in Van province, warned that the strikes would continue and might expand if Turkish authorities did not address their concerns about Ocalan's living conditions. "Our activities will continue regardless of the attacks," Kiye told VOA. "We will firmly stand with our colleagues." Complaint about the prison conditions of Ocalan and uncertainty about his health is not uncommon. Kurdish protesters for years have held demonstrations demanding an end to his isolation. The PKK leader has been in prison since 1999 and has been prevented from visiting his lawyers and family members since late 2016 after a peace process to end the Kurdish insurgency failed. The Turkish government considers PKK a terrorist organization and charges that government operations in the predominately Kurdish southeast region only target those suspected of ties with the separatist group. Christmas came early, in the form of a brand new potable water kiosk, to two villages - Jerusalem and Canaan - in Gonaives, a town with a population of about 300,000 people in Haiti's north. On a sunny morning, a group of people, most of them women, gathered with bright yellow, blue, and white plastic receptacles to fill with drinkable water flowing freely from a series of shiny faucets. The residents, who don't have running water at home, were excited. "I'm so happy; I come here three times a day," a woman told VOA Creole. She said the faucet they were previously using was an old pump that required a lot of work before the water would come out. Four-year process The project, financed by France's Agency for Development, AFD, cost about $1.7 million (USD) and took four years to build. The project was a collaboration with Haiti's National Potable Water and Sanitation Agency, DINEPA. Why did it take so long? DINEPA engineer Guito Edouard offered answers. "At the DINEPA level, we have to go through a process before starting a potable water and sanitation project," he said as the kiosk was used for the first time. "First, there was a study, then we examined what type of study it was, we had to find funding, we had to sit down with the donor to explain our approach to the project, because sometimes, when DINEPA receives government funds for a project it's not enough - they (the Haitian government) gave $13,000 (USD) - and you'll notice that our project in Gonaives cost over $1.7 million (USD)," he said. Project beneficiaries Twenty-thousand residents will benefit from the new access to potable water. The system is capable of storing 650 cubic meters, which is equal to about 171,600 gallons of water, the DINEPA engineer said. The local hospital is also a beneficiary. A newly-installed water tank on its roof has a capacity for 100 cubic meters of water. "What we've learned from our experiences in Haiti and the 100 other countries where AFD has projects, is that the success of our water and sanitation projects depends on the methodology used to implement it and the effective participation of the beneficiaries of the service," AFD director Anna Lipchitz said. Criticism and praise "Ah, I don't like this story - it makes Haiti seem like a really poor country in the 21st Century - it's a bad image" a person commented on VOA Creole's Instagram post about Gonaives' water kiosk. "And that it took foreigners," he said, adding, "The French who stole a lot of our money under previous presidents - I don't like it at all." Others praised and thanked the French for doing what the Haitian government failed to do and suggested additional locations that would benefit from water projects. Back at the kiosk, villagers were telling local officials how grateful they were for the fresh water. "Now we need electricity and a medical center," one villager said. Haiti is the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. Ecuador's congress on Tuesday named a 35-year-old radio broadcaster and economist as the country's new vice president, a week after his predecessor resigned amid an investigation into payments she received as a legislator years ago. Otto Sonnenholzner became the third person to hold the post under President Lenin Moreno, who took office last May. His predecessor, Maria Vicuna, who had previously been urban development minister, replaced Jorge Glas last year while he was investigated in a corruption scandal centered on Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. "I will always put the national interest above personal interests," Sonnenholzner said during his swearing-in ceremony, adding he had known Moreno for nine years. Moreno earned former leftist President Rafael Correa's endorsement during his campaign, but has since fallen out of Correa's favor by pursuing market-friendly economic policies. Lawmakers aligned with Correa voted against Sonnenholzner's designation, which passed with 94 of the chamber's 128 votes. European Union leaders will offer Ukraine help for its regions affected by Russia's actions in the Azov Sea when they meet Thursday, according to a draft summit statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday. But there is no mention of consideration of further sanctions against Russia, reflecting division among member states. Diplomats expect a rollover of existing sanctions but no consensus on increases sought by more hawkish governments. Condemning Russia, the EU will reiterate its support for Ukrainian sovereignty over Crimea's 2014 annexation by Moscow and referring to the capture of Ukrainian naval vessels off Crimea last month said: "There is no justification for the use of military force by Russia." The statement demanded the release of Ukrainian sailors seized during the incident, the return of their vessels and free passage to all ships passing through the Kerch Strait. It concluded with the offer of financial and other measures to help areas of eastern Ukraine whose maritime access was affected by Moscow's action. "The EU stands ready to adopt measures to strengthen further its support in favor of the affected areas of Ukraine," the statement said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met summit chair Donald Tusk in Brussels on Wednesday and will hold talks at NATO headquarters in the city on Thursday. EU leaders will discuss Ukraine and Russia over a summit dinner later in the day. Mining companies have invested at least $5 billion toward 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 this commercial capital 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 in 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. Lawyers for Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, asked a judge Tuesday to spare him prison time, saying he had devoted his career to his country and taken responsibility for an "uncharacteristic error in judgment.'' The arguments to the judge echoed those of special counsel Robert Mueller's office, which last week said that Flynn's cooperation including 19 meetings with investigators was so extensive that he was entitled to avoid prison when he is sentenced next week. Flynn, who pleaded guilty of lying to the FBI about conversations during the presidential transition period with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States, will become the first White House official punished in the special counsel's probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. In court papers Tuesday, he requested probation and community service for his false statements. The filing came as lawyers for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort said they were still deciding whether to dispute allegations that he lied to investigators and breached his plea agreement. A judge gave Manafort until Jan. 7 to respond to prosecutors' claims that he misled them about his interactions with an associate who they say has ties to Russian intelligence and with Trump administration officials. The defendants, their fortunes sliding in opposite directions, represent starkly different paths in Mueller's investigation a model cooperator on one end and, prosecutors say, a dishonest and resistant witness on the other. Even as prosecutors recommend no prison time for Flynn, they've left open the possibility they may seek additional charges against Manafort, who is already facing years in prison. Threats to Trump Given both men's extensive conversations with prosecutors, and their involvement in key episodes under scrutiny, the pair could pose a threat to Trump, who in addition to Mueller's investigation is entangled in a separate probe by prosecutors in New York into hush-money payments paid during the campaign to two women who say they had affairs with the president. Since his guilty plea a year ago, Flynn has stayed largely out of the public eye and refrained from discussing the Russia investigation despite encouragement from his supporters to take an aggressive stance. Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, spent three decades in the military, including five years in combat. In a public statement after his plea, Flynn has said he cooperated with prosecutors because it was in "the best interests of my family and our country.'' In Manafort's case, prosecutors have accused him of repeatedly lying to them even after he agreed to cooperate. They say Manafort lied about his interactions with a longtime associate they say has ties to Russian intelligence, his contacts with Trump administration officials and other matters under investigation by the Justice Department. Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in Washington in September and faces sentencing in a separate case in Virginia, where he was convicted of eight felony counts related to his efforts to hide from the Internal Revenue Service millions of dollars he received for Ukrainian political consulting. Michael Cohen, the longtime personal attorney for U.S. President Donald Trump, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison, after telling a New York judge that his "blind loyalty" to the U.S. leader led him to "cover up his dirty deeds." And another potentially worrisome legal development for Trump emerged as prosecutors announced that the publisher of a national tabloid newspaper struck a deal to avoid charges over its role in suppressing damaging stories about then-candidate Trump to help him win the presidency. U.S. Judge William Pauley imposed the sentence on Cohen for an array of crimes, including his role in arranging $280,000 in hush money payments to two women who alleged they had affairs with Trump, and for lying to Congress about Trump's efforts to build a skyscraper in Moscow. The judge told the 52-year-old Cohen that somewhere along the way, he had "lost his moral compass." Cohen, who worked for Trump for 12 years, once bragged that he would "take a bullet" to support Trump. More recently, however, Cohen had turned against Trump and said at his sentencing that working for Trump was a "personal and mental incarceration." "My weakness could be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump," Cohen said. WATCH: Former Trump Lawyer Sentenced to Three Years in Prison Now, Cohen also holds the distinction of being the closest figure to Trump sentenced to prison in the wide-ranging criminal investigations of Trump's 2016 campaign, its links to Russia and whether, as president, Trump obstructed justice by trying to thwart the probes being conducted by federal prosecutors in New York and special counsel Robert Mueller in Washington. Several other prominent figures in Trump's orbit, including his former campaign chairman and his first national security advisor, have yet to be sentenced for various offenses. Cohen attorney Lanny Davis said that after Mueller completes his investigation, Cohen would cooperate with congressional committees as they consider possible wrongdoing by Trump and his aides. Some Democrats in the House of Representatives have called for Trump's impeachment when they assume control of the chamber next month. "Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts," Davis said. Cohen's lawyers asked that he serve no prison time, but Cohen took "full responsibility" for his crimes, "including those implicating the president of the United States. He said that his allegiance to Trump led him "to take a path of darkness instead of light." Pauley rejected leniency for Cohen, saying, "This court firmly believes that a significant term of imprisonment is fully justified in this highly publicized case to send a message." The judge ordered him to surrender March 6 for his prison term and also pay nearly $1.9 million in financial penalties. Prosecutors said that Cohen, at Trump's direction, facilitated the payments in violation of campaign finance laws to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal shortly before the 2016 election to buy their silence about alleged liaisons with the real estate mogul a decade before he ran for the presidency. After Cohen was sentenced, the New York prosecutors announced they had reached a "non-prosecution agreement" with American Media Inc., which publishes the grocery store tabloid National Enquirer, to acknowledge that it paid McDougal $150,000 shortly before the 2016 election for her story about her claims that she had a months-long affair with Trump in 2006 and 2007 with the "principal purpose" of killing the information so it would not damage Trump's chances of winning the election. The prosecutors said AMI knew corporations such as itself were subject to campaign finance laws that forbid payments "made for purposes of influencing an election and in coordination with or at the request of a candidate or campaign," and that it did not report the payment to the Federal Election Commission. Campaign finance laws require campaign contributions to be disclosed and bar individual donations of more than $2,700. Trump has argued the payments were a personal matter unconnected with the campaign and did not violate the law. As part of its agreement with prosecutors, AMI agreed to fully cooperate with authorities, including making officers and employees available for testimony and pledging to turn over any documents or other evidence as requested. Legal analysts said the developments could strengthen a potential case against Trump himself if prosecutors were to pursue one. Cohen is the closest figure to Trump sentenced to prison in the wide-ranging investigations of Trump's 2016 campaign, its possible links to Russia and whether, as president, Trump obstructed justice by trying to thwart the probes being conducted by federal prosecutors in New York and special counsel Robert Mueller in Washington. Several other prominent Trump figures, including his former campaign chairman and his first national security adviser, have yet to be sentenced for various offenses. Cohen attorney Lanny Davis said that after Mueller completes his investigation, Cohen would cooperate with congressional committees as they consider possible wrongdoing by Trump and his aides. Some Democrats in the House of Representatives have called for Trump's impeachment when they assume control of the chamber next month. "Mr. Trump's repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts," Davis said. Cohen's lawyers asked that he serve no prison time, but Cohen took "full responsibility" for his crimes, "including those implicating the president of the United States." Pauley rejected leniency for Cohen, saying, "This court firmly believes that a significant term of imprisonment is fully justified in this highly publicized case to send a message." The judge ordered him to surrender March 6 for his prison term and also pay nearly $1.9 million in financial penalties. Cohen's lawyers said he was in "close and regular contact with White House-based staff and legal counsel" when he prepared for congressional testimony last year falsely claiming Trump had ended his efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow by early 2016, before Republican presidential nominating contests started. Cohen more recently said that actually Trump had pursued the Moscow project through June 2016, the entirety of the Republican primary election calendar two years ago. Cohen said he briefed the then-candidate about his efforts to win approval for the Moscow project, although eventually it was abandoned. On Twitter, Trump contended that Cohen was "just trying to get his sentence reduced" by making claims against him. The U.S. leader, angered by Cohen's allegations, has said that the lawyer deserves a "full and complete" sentence. There was no immediate White House comment about Cohen's sentence. But Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said: "This is the real criminal sentence. I have no idea if its the right one or not, but I do know hes proven to be a consummate liar who has lied at all stages of his situation." The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says thousands of migrants stuck near the Bosnian-Croatian border face life-threatening conditions as cold weather sets in. More than 23,000 migrants have entered Bosnia-Herzegovina since the beginning of the year, hoping to reach the European Union through Croatia. Most achieved their goal before Croatia closed its border during the summer, trapping some 5,300 migrants on the Bosnian side. The International Red Cross Federation says most of the migrants are living in miserable conditions in tents, abandoned buildings and makeshift camps in the forest. IFRC spokesman Matthew Cochrane tells VOA those ad hoc settlements offer little or no protection against winter temperatures that can drop as low as 15 degrees below zero Celsius. "We are concerned that without a really decisive intervention in the coming weeks to bolster the work that is already being done that some people will face a very difficult winter and potentially, we could even see people freezing to death, he said. The Bosnian Red Cross is feeding up to 3,000 people a day in six reception centers and distributing warm clothes, sleeping bags and blankets. To keep the humanitarian operation going during the next nine to 12 months, the Red Cross Federation is appealing for $3 million. Cochrane says fears are growing that this could turn into a small, protracted crisis. If the border is going to remain closed and people are going to continue to be trapped, then we need to be able to provide assistance to ensure that this does not turn into a disaster. It is entirely preventable. It is completely within our hands to mitigate this, but the clock really is ticking, he said. The Red Cross says mobile teams will patrol the border area to provide food, blankets, hot drinks and first aid to migrants in areas outside of the reception centers. Cochrane says the mobile teams also will distribute information warning migrants about the dangers of land mines and unexploded ordnance. The weapons are left over from a war waged among the Muslim, Croat and Serbian populations in Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. French police continue hunting for a man who opened fire in the eastern city of Strasbourg, killing at least two people and wounding a dozen others. Holiday festivities in the ancient city of Strasbourg took a grim turn Tuesday night, as a gunman opened fire on the annual Christmas market and and French soldiers and police. People ran screaming for shelter and authorities tightened border controls with nearby Germany. Paris Prosecutor Remy Heitz identified the suspect as 29-year-old Cherif C., a Strasbourg native with more than two dozen criminal convictions in France, Germany and Switzerland, who has served multiple sentences. Heitz said he was radicalized and proselytized in jail. He said the suspect, whom media identify as Cherif Chekatt, had cried "Allahu Akbar" as he was shooting and also wielding a knife. Heitz said the man also traded fire with French military and police officers, but escaped arrest by hijacking a taxi. He has been wounded, and authorities have detained four people in connection to him. Tuesday's shooting came just hours after French police raided his apartment, finding a grenade, firearms and knives. He had been under surveillance for suspected radicalism. Shaken witnesses described panic as the suspect opened fire. This man told AFP news agency he heard shots ring out, people fleeing and children crying. He took refuge in a restaurant. This is not the first time Strasbourg, home to the European parliament and rights court, has been targeted for a terror attack. Authorities intercepted a planned attack in 2000 on the city's cathedral. This latest incident comes three years after major terror attacks in Paris, and as France is recovering from several weeks of violent protests over the high cost of living. Africans who have the blood disorder sickle cell anemia met this week in the northern Cameroon town of Garoua to step up an awareness campaign. One hundred people with sickle cell from Cameroon and five other African countries sit and talk at the Garoua market square in northern Cameroon. They say their aim is to educate people about sickle cell, an inherited, generally incurable disease that causes tiredness, swelling of the hands and feet, vision problems, and episodes of severe pain. The patients want to end superstitions about the disease and stop doctors from pushing harmful practices like bloodletting and concoctions that will supposedly fix their blood. Among the patents here is 26-year old Hayatou Alimatu who lost two children to the disease. She came out today with her only surviving child, an eight year old girl who also has sickle cell. Painkillers are expensive, and she hopes to one day take the child to a developed country in the hopes of getting more advanced treatment that could improve her quality of life. She said her daughter normally gets outstanding grades at school and her averages grades are at the top. When she has severe episodes, known as crises, her grades drop. Sickle cell anemia affects red blood cells, the cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Cells that are normally round become hard and look like the C-shaped farm tool called a sickle. They get stuck in blood vessels, causing pain. The cells also die early, causing a constant shortage of red blood cells. Shattered dreams Twenty-four-year old Blaise Fora said his hopes of getting married were shattered because he is a sickle cell patient. He said he has decided to remain single because when he fell in love once and was preparing to get married, his fiancee's family was vehemently opposed. They did not want him to - in their words - contaminate their daughter with sickle cell. Fora said the family was concerned that the couple's children might be born with the disease. Those types of concerns are shared by many people, and aid agencies are responding by suggesting couples that are about to marry to get genetic tests done first. Haminatu Hadza Karim from Chad, is among those leading the largely informal campaign, organized by associations of sickle cell patients. She says many of the women she works with have been thrown out by their husbands for delivering babies with sickle cell. She says she invites other women dealing with these prejudices to join them so they can fight for their rights and eradicate the disease. Genetic counseling Some people have the sickle cell trait without having the disease. To pass on the disease to a baby, both parents must be carriers. Dr. Oumar Zacki, who takes care of sickle cell patients in Garoua, says a lack of genetic counseling means many people are without crucial knowledge. He says the population of Central and West Africa move about with no visible symptoms but who carry sickle cell genes, passed from generation to generation in a pattern of inheritance. The World Health Organization reports that in Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Ghana and Nigeria, between 20 and 30 percent of the population carries the sickle cell trait. In Uganda, more than 40 percent carry the trait. Kenyan officials signed an agreement Tuesday with Jersey, an island off the coast of France, that will pave the way for the return to Kenya of about $5 million stolen from government coffers. Kenya's attorney general, Paul Kihara Kariuki, and the external affairs minister from the government of Jersey, Senator Ian Gorst, signed the Framework for Return of Assets from Corruption and Crime, or FRACCK, in Nairobi. In March of last year, the two governments signed a preliminary asset-sharing agreement that sought to ensure that the stolen funds would be sent back to Kenya. Gorst said the deal was aimed at strengthening cooperation and would prevent, identify and control illicit financial flows. "We are transparent in what we are doing in financial services and we meet the highest international standards, but that's not good enough," Gorst said. "We also want to partner with countries, and today we are partnering with Kenya to make sure that if Jersey in the past has been used for the proceeds of crime, we will work together and ensure that those proceeds are repatriated for the benefit of communities in those countries." The agreement between Kenya and Jersey follows similar arrangements that Kenya has made with Britain and Switzerland. Kenya and Jersey say the treaty will allow Kenya to recover approximately $5 million worth of assets hidden in accounts on the island. Kenya's Kihara said steps are in place to ensure that the money is used lawfully and for the good of the country. "These proceeds will make a lot of change, let's say building hospitals where health facilities are not easily accessible," Kihara said. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is in his final term, has intensified the war on corruption. In June, Kenyatta announced that all public servants would undergo a compulsory "lifestyle audit" to account for the sources of their income and assets. He said corruption will not be tolerated. This week, a number of high-level Kenyan officials were arrested, arraigned in court and charged with various corruption-related offenses. Prior to the end of World War II, there was no North or South Korea. There was only one nation, occupied by Japan. When Tokyo surrendered to Allied forces in 1945, the peninsula was split in two at the 38th parallel, and thousands of ethnic Koreans were left in Japan. In the decades since, many of their descendants have decided to stay and currently number over 600,000. While there are several ethnic Korean groups registered in Japan, two receive the majority of the attention. Established in 1946, the Mindan group has ties to South Korea, while the Chongryon has closer ties to North Korea. Roughly 65 percent of ethnic Koreans affiliate themselves with Mindan and 25 percent are members of the latter. Grant Newsham, a senior research fellow with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo, said historically, both groups focused on wanting their members to get along in life [in Japan] comfortably. As the generations pass, he said, the younger people of both organizations seem to [have] less of a political angle less commitment to the motherland [and] the fatherland than there than there used to be. Newsham asserts that is a natural progression of events as the descendants spend more time in Japan and become integrated into its society. Mindans role Mindans self-described role is to connect the Japanese Korean diaspora with their homeland and, according to its website, operates under five principles to support South Koreas domestic and foreign policies. Although we live in Japan, we are overseas citizens with Korean nationality. We will endeavor to realize the national policy of freedom and democracy, and peaceful reunification of Korea, as chosen by the home Koreans, the website says. In 1977 it established the Peaceful Reunification Promotion Headquarter to spread the peaceful reunification policy of the Korean government throughout Japan. However, when VOA reached out to the Mindan for comment on the inter-Korean engagement embraced by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the prospects for denuclearization, and a possible visit to Seoul by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the group declined to comment. Mindan further seeks to be a bridge connecting Korea and Japan... [to] contribute to the globalization with the idea of 'multi-cultural harmony' and 'respect for the human rights'. However, Newsham compares Mindans present-day role to one more similar to a political action committee or lobbying group with efforts directed to local, Japanese issues rather than ones between states. He said that as the younger generations continue to live and thrive economically in Japan, the connection to South Korea diminishes, possibly one day resulting in the question of the need for the organization. The Chongryon and North Korea The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also simply referred to as the Chongryon, is the second largest group is Korean diaspora living in Japan. The group has maintained close ties with the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, North Koreas official name, since the end of World War Two. Newsham said the Chongryons existence benefits the Pyongyang leadership because it serves as a listening post for North Korea, although it may have been of greater use to the Kim regime during the past, more so than today. I think it's more for North Korea's benefit to have a sympathetic group in Japan, he said, since it's gotten much harder for the North Koreans in Japan to move money in the past 10 years. According to the Chongryon website, the organization was formed with the goal of creating a democratic and patriotic organization representative of [ethnic Koreans living in Japans] will and interests. The group says it adheres to national reunification movement defined by North Korean founder Kim Il Sung. VOA reached out to the organization, but it declined to be interviewed about the current political situation on the peninsula and with Japan, stating it was not a good time. Current political activity Both the Mindan and Chongryon continue to work closely with various politicians to advance their individual causes, and on occasion work together, when appropriate. However, Newsham says that in general, there are better feelings toward Mindan than Chongryon, something he attributes to the democratic principles shared by both Seoul and Tokyo. The North aligned Chongryon has always been seen as something sinister and as a fifth column in Japan, a term used to describe a group that undermines another, usually in favor of an enemy. Newsham notes that both North and South Koreans have their own support base within the political world. Rie Nagashima contributed to this report. A new proposal from the Trump White House would roll back more Obama-era environmental regulations. Trump administration officials say Tuesday's proposed change in the Clean Water Act provides "a clear, understandable, and implementable definition" of what kinds of bodies of water the government can regulate. Environmental groups say the new rules are a concession to industry and will pollute the nation's already polluted waterways. Definition of 'waters' During the Obama era, what constituted "Waters of the United States" was expanded under the Clean Water Act to include all kinds of wetlands from ditches that only contain water part of the year, to wetlands adjacent to larger rivers or lakes. The definition was created to help ensure that America's water was kept clean at the source, with the assumption being that it was necessary to regulate creeks, ditches and wetlands because they eventually flow into bigger bodies of water. But farmers, construction companies and landowners bristle at what they say is the expansive nature of the definition, arguing the rules prohibit them from using a significant portion of land under their control. Reacting to those concerns, the Trump administration is rolling back Obama-era protections in what EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler calls a "simpler and clearer definition" that will "help landowners understand whether a project on their property will require a federal permit." The new rules say that the federal government will now only regulate "traditional navigable waters, tributaries to those waters, certain ditches, certain lakes and ponds, impoundments of jurisdictional waters, and wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional waters." That leaves out huge areas of wetlands, meaning "features that only contain water during or in response to rainfall (e.g., ephemeral features); groundwater; many ditches, including most roadside or farm ditches; prior converted cropland; stormwater-control features; and waste-treatment systems" that were covered will no longer be subject to federal regulation. Christopher Williams from American Rivers says the new rules will remove "protection from wetlands that don't have an apparent surface connection to another water body, a lake or a river, and there are millions of acres across the country that are isolated like that." The argument is that these isolated bodies of water some of which don't exist year-round don't need protection because they don't impact the nation's major waterways. Williams disagrees. "These ephemeral streams are incredibly important parts of a freshwater ecosystem," he told VOA, adding that the Obama-era rules are scientifically dense and lay out the "important ecological connections between all these types of water, whether it's wetlands or ephemeral streams, isolated or otherwise." The old regulations made the case that these areas "should all be included in the definitions of 'Waters of the United States' if you're trying to conserve that freshwater system as a whole," Williams said. Some environmental groups vow to fight the new rules. "This proposal is reckless," Jon Devine from the Natural Resources Defense Council told VOA via email. "... and we will fight to ensure it never goes into effect." There is a 60-day comment period before the rule can be applied. In addition, the Obama-era regulations are in place in 22 U.S. states, while the rules are held up in court in another 28 states. Environmental policy changes Williams sees a big change in the way the Environmental Protection Agency has evolved under the Trump administration. "It's clearly changed in that much of the rhetoric of the current EPA is about balancing environmental regulations with economic development," Williams said, "and making sure that they are efficient and not costly to the economy and don't interfere with business activity." Tuesday's actions follow the U.S. refusal to endorse a new U.N. report on climate change at climate talks last week in Poland. They also follow a White House plan announced last week that would eliminate requirements that coal plants install expensive new technology designed to capture carbon emissions. Such changes fall under Trump's campaign promise to roll back government regulation, saying environmental mandates amount to a "war on American energy." The president also denies the scientific consensus that humans are warming the planet. Responding last week to the 1,600-page National Climate Assessment report produced by 13 federal agencies outlining the potentially devastating impacts of climate change, the president said, "I don't believe it." Nigeria's main opposition candidate did not attend an event on Tuesday to sign an election agreement stating a commitment to hold a peaceful election early next year, and his party attributed his absence to a "communication lapse." The opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) confirmed in an emailed statement that its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had not participated in the signing ahead of February's election. President Muhammadu Buhari attended the event in the capital, Abuja. The peace accord ceremony was held days after the PDP said authorities had frozen the bank accounts of its vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Elections to choose the leader of Africa's most populous country the continent's top oil producer and by many measures its largest economy have in the past been marred by violence, vote-rigging and voter intimidation. The ceremony was an attempt to mirror the signing of an acclaimed deal ahead of voting in 2015, when Buhari came to power. It was credited with helping prevent a repeat of violence in the wake of the 2011 election, which Human Rights Watch said killed 800 people and displaced 65,000. The accord aims to ensure that the 2019 elections are "free, fair and credible," the document said. Signatories pledged that their campaigns would refrain from "religious incitement" and "ethnic or tribal profiling," and that they would not incite violence, according to the document. The PDP said it was investigating the circumstances behind the "unfortunate communication lapse" between party officials and the National Peace Committee (NPC), the nongovernmental organization that arranged the event, which resulted in Abubakar's absence. "Our presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and the party are fully committed to a peaceful electoral process and elections in 2019," said PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan in an emailed statement. He said the PDP would visit the NPC office to "fulfill all necessary obligations towards the peace accord ahead of the 2019 general elections." The NPC earlier said it had sent invitations for the event to all 91 registered parties and the 73 presidential candidates. Independent observers for the 2015 race, the first time the agreement was signed, have since praised the accord for helping Nigeria pull off its first-ever peaceful transition from the ruling party to the opposition. Buhari defeated the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran have pledged to increase cooperation and information-sharing for effectively combating the trafficking of Afghan opiates. War-shattered Afghanistan remains the worlds largest producer of opium, though the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime noted in its latest survey the opium cultivation decreased by 20 percent in 2018 due to a severe drought and reduced prices. The illegal opiates are largely smuggled to international markets through Pakistan and Iran. Need for more initiatives Afghan, Pakistan and Iranian counternarcotics officials concluded their two-day UNODC-facilitated interaction Wednesday in Islamabad, where delegates underscored the need for more efforts against the massive flow of illicit drugs. Participants at the "Triangular Initiative" meeting called for timely sharing of information and conducting simultaneously interdiction operations along their shared largely porous borders. The forum was established in 2007 with a mission to promote regional cooperation to reduce the poppy cultivation, trafficking, and consumption of drugs in the region and beyond. Officials acknowledged that despite Afghanistans political tensions with Pakistan and Iran anti-drugs cooperation largely continues. Renewed attitude Cesar Guedes, UNODC representative in Pakistan, noted the three countries attended the Islamabad meeting with a revived attitude and role, raising prospects for more effective counternarcotics efforts in 2019. More needs to be done because the level of [Afghan opium] production has also increased. They need really to coordinate closer in their joint efforts, he told VOA Guedes also called for increased international assistance, saying Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran alone cannot curb the menace of drugs. This has to be done in the framework of shared responsibility. All the countries, producers, consumers and transit need to join the effort, he said. Despite many challenges facing the government, the head of the Afghan delegation said authorities have taken significant steps to eradicate drug trafficking. US assistance Director General for Policy Planing at the Afghan Ministry of Narcotics, Mohammad Osman Frotan, said 89 percent of poppy cultivation this year has taken place in the Afghan provinces most hit by insurgent activities. He said counternarcotics authorities during 2018 have seized more than 433 tons of different types of drugs, and arrested and prosecuted almost 4,000 suspects. The United States has spent more than $8 billion in the past 17 years to assist Afghanistan in eradication efforts. But the effort has failed to stop opium production, which increased to record highs and stood at an estimated 9,000 tons in 2017. Critics blamed insecurity, rampant corruption and patronage by influential Afghans for the unprecedented growth. Pakistan is denouncing a U.S. decision to place it on a list of countries Washington says are the worst offenders of religious freedom. Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities... there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday in a strongly-worded statement. The reaction comes a day after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced his designation of countries of particular concern that allegedly have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. The countries on the blacklist are exposed to punitive sanctions, but Pompeo waived them for Pakistan, citing U.S. national interests. Pakistan had until now been on a U.S. watch list for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. While rebuking Tuesdays U.S. pronouncement as unilateral and politically motivated, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry noted Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society of more than 200 million people, mostly Muslims. Around four percent of our total population comprises citizens belonging to Christian, Hindu, Buddhists and Sikh faiths. Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, it said. Ahmadis most persecuted community The statement did not mention the Ahmadi sect, which critics say is the most persecuted minority in Pakistan. The constitution bars the community from posing as Muslims and from calling their worship places "mosques." U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback while defending downgrading of Pakistan reiterated Tuesday the challenges facing the Ahmadi community. The Pakistani government criminalizes the identification of Ahmadis as Muslims, and then also and this one has really been difficult and troubling for a lot of people the government often fails to hold accountable perpetrators of killings and violence against members of religious minorities targeted on account of their religious beliefs or affiliations, said Brownback. Blasphemy laws He cited, among other things, Pakistans blasphemy laws as a cause for the downgrade of the countrys religious freedom ranking. The laws prescribe the death penalty for those found guilty. Rights groups have long complained Islamist groups misuse the law to intimidate minorities in the country. Insulting Islam or its prophet is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan where mere allegations have led to mob lynchings. A former provincial governor, a federal minister, judges and lawyers are among those assassinated in Pakistan by extremists merely for calling for reform of the blasphemy laws to prevent their misuse or for hearing cases and defending alleged blasphemers. Asia Bibi In a historic judgement this past October, Pakistans Supreme Court acquitted a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who had been on death row for eight years after being convicted of insulting the Prophet Mohammad. The women denied the charges from the outset as an outcome of a local feud and the countrys highest court cited lack of evidence in overturning her conviction by a lower court. Bibi and her family have been in hiding since her release. Her lawyer fled Pakistan shortly after the landmark court ruling announced on October 31, saying his life was in danger. Bibi is awaiting a rehearing of her case by the Supreme Court and is residing in a safe place under government protection, say Pakistani officials. Pakistan also arrested hundreds of Islamist activists and their leaders last month for staging days of mass violent protests to denounce the court for freeing Bibi. The government has charged the detainees with treason and terrorism and officials have vowed to put them on trial in special courts. Its our hope that they will, the new leadership in Pakistan, will work to improve the situation. There was some encouraging signs seen recently on how theyve handled some of the recent protesting against the blasphemy laws, and we continue to watch very carefully whats happening to Asia Bibi, said Brownback. China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are also included in the U.S. list of countries accused of committing severe violations of religious freedom. The Philippine Congress on Wednesday approved a request by the president to extend martial law in the country's volatile south by a year due to continuing threats by Islamic State group-linked militants and communist insurgents. An overwhelming majority in the Senate and House of Representatives voted to extend martial rule, which expires at the end of the month, by another year in southern Mindanao region, scene of decades-long Muslim and communist rebellions in the largely Roman Catholic nation. President Rodrigo Duterte placed the southern region under martial law after hundreds of Islamic State group-linked militants attacked the Islamic city of Marawi on May 23, 2017, in the worst security crisis he has faced. Troops quelled the siege after five months but officials say surviving militants continue to recruit new fighters and plot bombings and other attacks. "Now more than ever, we cannot afford to show our enemies a moment of weakness in our resolve to defeat them," Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told the joint session of Congress. He warned that if Muslim militants and communist insurgents are allowed to regroup, "this government will not be able to function fully, basic services to the people will continuously be hindered, and the safety of the general public will remain to be under constant threat." Muslim militants, backed by foreign extremists, are fighting to turn the Philippines into a province of a so-called Muslim caliphate, while other armed groups aim to establish a separate Muslim homeland, Medialdea said. Opponents argue that extending martial law is unconstitutional because it is an "extreme measure" that can only be imposed when an actual rebellion against the government exists. They say the move could be a prelude for Duterte to declare martial law throughout the Philippines. Opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman said the government's repeated requests for extensions of martial law show the military and police have failed to achieve their objectives under martial rule. "I think this undue prolongation of martial law in Mindanao would amount to perpetuity," Lagman said. Other opposition lawmakers argued that government forces could fight insurgents in remote rural areas and allow economic growth without martial law. At least 143 suspected militants have been arrested and charged with rebellion since martial rule was imposed across the south, where a number of extremist groups, including the brutal Abu Sayyaf group which still has more than 400 fighters, continue to pose threats, military officials said. Left-wing lawmakers questioned a military claim that not one case of human rights violations has occurred under martial law in the south. Outside the House, activists staged a noisy protest, expressing fears that left-wing groups and human rights defenders will be targeted under martial law. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana pledged that the military will protect "the democratic way of life of our people, with full respect for human rights, international humanitarian law and the primacy of the rule of law." Filipinos remain hypersensitive to threats to democracy and civil liberties after they ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a 1986 "people power" revolt that became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide. Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines in 1972 in a period marked by massive human rights abuses. Concerns over Duterte's martial law have been sparked in part by his perceived authoritarian bent and the killings of thousands of suspects in a crackdown on illegal drugs that he launched after taking office in 2016. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the U.N. Security Council Wednesday that Iran's ballistic missile activity has been growing since the 2015 nuclear deal was agreed upon, and he urged stronger restrictions to prevent such activity. "Iran has exploited the goodwill of nations and defied multiple Security Council resolutions in its quest for a robust ballistic missile force," Pompeo told the council at its semiannual meeting to discuss the nuclear deal's implementation. "The United States will never stand for this." WATCH: Pompeo Says Iran Increasing Ballistic Missile Activity He noted that Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrines the nuclear deal in international law, "calls upon" Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. "When we 'call upon' Iran to cease its ballistic missile activity, we agree it must stop now. But Iran is as defiant of the world's insistence as ever," Pompeo said. "Iran's pace of missile activity, including missile launches and tests, did not diminish since the JCPOA. In fact, Iran's missile testing and missile proliferation is growing," he said, referring to the nuclear deal by its acronym. Largest missile force Pompeo alleged that Iran has the largest ballistic missile force in the Middle East, with more than 10 ballistic missile systems in its inventory or in development. According to Iranian officials, some of their missiles can travel up to 2,000 kilometers, a distance, Pompeo said, that could put European allies in places like Athens, Sofia and Bucharest in harm's way. The secretary of state said the U.S. wants to work with the Security Council's other 14 members to reimpose tougher ballistic missile restrictions that were contained in an earlier council resolution. The resolution he referred to forbids Tehran from undertaking any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) plus Germany agreed with Iran to lift economic sanctions in exchange for Tehran's limiting its nuclear activities and allowing in international inspectors. Iran has always said that its nuclear program was for purely peaceful purposes. Since the deal was implemented, the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly verified that Iran is upholding its commitments. President Donald Trump deemed the Obama-era deal "a disaster" and withdrew the U.S. from it in May. In November, his administration unilaterally reimposed economic sanctions on Iran. Condemnation of U.S. urged "The council should strongly condemn the U.S. for reimposing its illegal sanctions against Iranians in violation of the U.N. Charter and international law," said Iran's deputy U.N. ambassador, Eshagh al-Habib. Washington's European allies remain in the nuclear deal and reaffirmed their commitment to it at Wednesday's meeting. "We believe that the JCPOA is a very important contribution to the global non-proliferation architecture," said Germany's U.N. ambassador, Christoph Heusgen. "It is an important asset for the security of the region and for the security of Europe, and this is our key interest." He said as long as Tehran complies with the deal, Europe will make sure Tehran continues to benefit from it. Destabilizing behavior Tehran has acknowledged test-firing a medium-range ballistic missile on Dec. 1. Many council members criticized the test as being "inconsistent" with Resolution 2231. The United States has said it is a violation. "Iran has been on a testing spree and a proliferation spree, and this must come to an end," Pompeo told reporters after the meeting. "This threat is real and upon us." Most council members expressed concern about Iran's destabilizing activities in the region including in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon but they want that addressed separately from the nuclear deal. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that U.S. authorities are still investigating the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul. The top U.S. diplomat told Fox News that the United States would hold those found responsible accountable for his death, noting that the U.S. has already imposed sanctions on 17 Saudi agents it believes were responsible. Pompeo called Khashoggi's killing "a tragic incident," and "not something that America approves of." However, he echoed President Donald Trump's stand supporting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman even as the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that Salman, the country's de facto ruler, was behind the October 2 killing. Last month, Trump said, "The crime against Jamal Khashoggi was a terrible one, and one that our country does not condone." But, he added, "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." Trump said it "could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event -- maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" CIA director Gina Haspel is briefing leaders of the House of Representatives on the agency's Khashoggi findings behind closed doors on Wednesday, much as she did for Senate leaders a week ago. Key Republican senators rejected Trump's equivocation on Salman's involvement in the Khashoggi killing and have called for sanctions against Riyadh and a cut-off of support for Saudi Arabia's involvement in the war in Yemen. Senator Lindsey Graham, after listening to Haspel's briefing, said, "You have to be willfully blind" not to conclude the killing was orchestrated by agents under the command of the crown prince. "There's not a smoking gun, but a smoking saw," Graham added, referring to investigators' conclusion that Khashoggi's dismembered body was cut up with a bone saw. In a separate interview Wednesday, outgoing U.S. United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley told NBC, "We need to have a serious, hard talk with the Saudis to let them know we won't condone this, we won't give you a pass and don't do this again. And then I think that the administration has to talk about where we go from here." Protesters in Yangon Wednesday will mark one year since the arrest of two Myanmar Reuters journalists who exposed a massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested outside a Yangon restaurant on December 12 and later handed seven-year jail sentences after exposing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men during the military's brutal crackdown on the stateless minority last year. The guilty verdict sparked condemnation from around the world, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, and Reuters hired prominent rights attorney Amal Clooney to assist with the case. The reporters were also honored among other persecuted or slain journalists in Time magazine's Person of the Year issue this week. But despite a tenacious advocacy campaign the two remain behind bars, with an appeal set for later this month. Supporters will gather in downtown Yangon Wednesday afternoon as Reuters invites people from around the world to post photos on social media of the "thumbs up" gesture that became a symbol of the pair's court appearances. "The fact that they remain in prison for a crime they did not commit calls into question Myanmar's commitment to democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law," Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen J. Adler said in a statement on the anniversary of the arrest. "Every day they continue to be behind bars is a missed opportunity for Myanmar to stand up for justice." Their trial was widely regarded as a sham -- and punishment for reporting on the September 2017 massacre in Inn Din village led by Myanmar security forces. One whistleblowing police officer told the court his superior ordered a sting to entrap the reporters testimony the judge chose to ignore. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remained defiant when pressed on the case, insisting that due process was followed. Her reaction further tarnished her image as a democracy icon overseas after she refused to speak up for the Rohingya during bloody "clearance operations" in Rakhine last year. More than 720,000 Rohingya Muslims fled over the border into refugee camps in Bangladesh, bringing with them horrific reports of widespread murder, torture, rape and arson. U.N. investigators have called for the top generals to be prosecuted for genocide and accused Suu Kyi and her government of complicity. Myanmar rejects almost all allegations, saying it was defending itself against Rohingya militants. But a court did convict soldiers accused of carrying out the Inn Din massacre to 10 years each. A federal judge this week dismissed most of a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its cancellation last year of a program that reunited children from Northern Triangle countries in Central America with their immigrant parents in the United States. In a ruling handed down Monday, Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler determined that the federal government had largely justified its decision to end the short-lived Central American Minors (CAM) parole policy abruptly in August 2017. One part of the suit, however, will move forward, and its outcome could affect thousands of children who were preparing to be reunited with their parents before the U.S. government rescinded its policy. In a year of massive changes to the U.S. immigration system, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quietly ended the CAM Parole program last year. Since 2014 the year that young migrants and families trying to enter the U.S. illegally through the southern border reached a national-attention-grabbing level more than 13,000 people had applied through the program, according to federal court documents. About 3,000 were able to settle in the U.S. because of the CAM program. But when DHS shuttered the program, 2,700 beneficiaries (children and other qualifying family members in three countries Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador) had received "conditional approval" but had not yet traveled to the U.S. because they were waiting on medical exams, final security checks or travel arrangements. They had every expectation of being reunited with their parents, who were required to be lawfully present in the United States in order to qualify for the program. "The Trump administration has pulled the rug out from under vulnerable children and their parents who spent years and thousands of dollars complying with every step of the government's CAM application process," Linda Evarts, an attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project, the group representing the plaintiffs in the case, said after the judge's decision was released Monday. "Today's ruling is an important first step to providing needed relief to children and parents seeking to reunite with each other in safety." Government lawyers argued that the CAM program was not in line with the Trump administration's desired immigration policies and DHS's intent in "pursuing a new strategy to secure the U.S. southern border." In turn, the judge said it was not her place to override the agency's decision in that sense, according to the ruling. But she also said the mass recission of parole from those children who had already been conditionally approved to travel to the U.S. violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The plaintiffs must now wait on the judge to rule on their request for a preliminary injunction, which seeks to have the mass recission vacated and give those 2,700 beneficiaries left in limbo a path toward reunification. Scientists are seeing surprising melting in Earth's polar regions at times they don't expect, like winter, and in places they don't expect, like eastern Antarctica. New studies and reports issued this week at a major Earth sciences conference paint one of the bleakest pictures yet of dramatic warming in the Arctic and Antarctica. Alaskan scientists described to The Associated Press on Tuesday never-before-seen melting and odd winter problems, including permafrost that never refroze this past winter and wildlife die-offs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday released its annual Arctic report card, detailing the second warmest year on record in the Arctic and problems, including record low winter sea ice in parts of the region, increased toxic algal blooms, which are normally a warm water phenomenon, and weather changes in the rest of the country attributable to what's happening in the far North. "The Arctic is experiencing the most unprecedented transition in human history," report lead author Emily Osborne, chief of Arctic research for NOAA, said Tuesday. 'A new Arctic' What's happening is a big deal, said University of Colorado environmental science program director Waleed Abdalati, NASA's former chief scientist who was not part of the NOAA report. "It's a new Arctic. We've gone from white to blue," said Abdalati, adding that he normally wouldn't use the word "scary" but it applies. And that means other problems. "Continued warming of the Arctic atmosphere and ocean are driving broad change in the environmental system in predicted, and, also, unexpected ways," the NOAA report said. One of the most noticeable problems was a record low sea ice in winter in the Bering Sea in 2017 and 2018, scientists said. In February the Bering Sea "lost an area of ice the area of Idaho," said Dartmouth College engineering professor Donald Perovich, a report card co-author. This is a problem because the oldest and thickest sea ice is down 95 percent from 30 years ago. In 1985, about one-sixth of Arctic sea ice was thick multi-year ice, now it is maybe one-hundredth, Perovich said. University of Alaska Fairbanks marine mammal biologist Gay Sheffield not only studies the record low ice, but she lives it daily in Nome, far north on the Bering Sea. "I left Nome and we had open water in December," Sheffield said at the American Geophysical Union conference in Washington. "It's very much impacting us." "Having this area ice free is having this massive environmental change," Sheffield said, adding there's been a "multi-species die off" of ocean life. She said that includes the first spring mass die off of seals along the Bering Strait. Shrinking permafrost Ornithologist George Divoky, who has been studying the black guillemots of Cooper Island for 45 years, noticed something different this year. In the past, 225 nesting pairs of the seabirds would arrive at his island. This past winter it was down to 85 pairs, but only 50 laid eggs and only 25 had successful hatches. He blamed the lack of winter sea ice. "It looked like a ghost town," Divoky said. With overall melting, especially in the summer, herds of caribou and wild reindeer have dropped about 55 percent from 4.7 million to 2.1 million animals because of the warming and the flies and parasites it brings, said report card co-author Howard Epstein of the University of Virginia. University of Alaska Fairbanks researcher Vladimir Romanovsky said he was alarmed by what happened to the permafrost ground that stays frozen years on end. This past year, Romanovsky found 25 spots that used to freeze in January, then February, but never froze this year. Because of warming, the Arctic is "seeing concentrations of algal toxins moving northward" infecting birds, mammals and shellfish to become a public health and economic problem, said report card co-author Karen Frey. And the warmer Arctic and melting sea ice has been connected to shifts in the jet stream that have brought extreme winter storms in the East in the past year, Osborne said. But it's not just the Arctic. NASA's newest space-based radar, Icesat 2, in its first couple of months has already found that the Dotson ice shelf in Antarctica has lost more than 390 feet (120 meters) in thickness since 2003, said radar scientist Ben Smith of the University of Washington. Another study released Monday by NASA found unusual melting in parts of East Antarctica, which scientists had generally thought was stable. Four glaciers at Vincennes Bay lost nine feet of ice thickness since 2008, said NASA scientists Catherine Walker and Alex Gardner. Loss of ice sheets in Antarctica could lead to massive rise in sea level. "We're starting to see change that's related to the ocean," Gardner said. "Believe it or not this is the first time we're seeing it in this place." The U.S. Senate was poised late Wednesday to deal a historic rebuke to Saudi Arabia, a longtime U.S. ally, advancing a resolution to end American support for the kingdom's military intervention in Yemen's civil war. The Republican-led chamber voted 60-39 to begin debate on the measure, acting in defiance of the Trump administration, which had strenuously argued against a rupture of cooperation between Washington and Riyadh. "There needs to be an end to U.S. complicity in the ongoing bombing of civilians and the killing of children (in Yemen), in effect, war crimes," Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal told VOA. "This resolution says that in this terrible, horrific war that Congress is prepared to act, and I hope very much that all of us will seize this opportunity," Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who co-authored the measure, said. Constitutional duty Underpinning the resolution is an assertion of Congress' constitutional duty to declare war and approve U.S. military missions. The U.S. legislature has not authorized America's support role in Saudi Arabia's campaign to combat Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels, a conflict that has led to widespread civilian deaths and stands as one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes. But some argued that, in this instance, the case for asserting war powers authority is weak. "The United States is not involved in combat (in Yemen). It is not dropping ordinance. It is no longer even providing air-to-air refueling (for Saudi warplanes)," Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said. "If the Senate wants to pick a constitutional fight with the executive branch over war powers, I would advise my colleagues to pick a better case." Top Trump administration officials have argued that the conflict in Yemen would be even deadlier without the involvement of the United States, which has helped Saudi Arabia identify bombing targets. McConnell echoed the argument. "This resolution would threaten other support the U.S. is providing that is designed to improve coalition targeting and to limit civilian casualties," the majority leader said. Floor debate goes on Floor debate continued into the evening Wednesday ahead of a final vote. A handful of Republican senators were expected to join Democrats in ultimately passing the resolution. Congressional ire toward Saudi Arabia had been simmering for years as Yemen's civil war dragged on with ever-higher civilian death tolls. Anger spiked after dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed at the kingdom's consulate in Turkey two months ago. Speaking at the United Nations on Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo noted that the Trump administration already has sanctioned "a large number of persons who were responsible for the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi," adding, "(W)e will continue to investigate and take the facts where they lead and get to a place where we hold those responsible accountable." But Pompeo stressed that "America's interests in the region are important, and our partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important one. It has delivered American security in important ways in President Trump's first two years in office, and we intend to continue to work with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to keep America safe." Trump has said that responsibility for Khashoggi's death remains an open question, and noted Riyadh's repeated denials that the kingdom's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, played a role. Haspel briefs House The Senate took up the Yemen resolution hours after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leaders of the House of Representatives on the agency's conclusions about the Khashoggi killing. Haspel similarly briefed key senators last week, after which lawmakers of both parties said they were convinced MBS ordered the journalist's grisly demise. While the Senate resolution, if approved, would send a strong signal of displeasure to Saudi Arabia, it is likely to stand as a largely symbolic gesture for now. Swift House action became less likely after the chamber advanced a rule blocking a vote on any war powers resolution relating to Yemen for the remainder of the current Congress. Senators of both parties have said they expect further consideration of Saudi Arabia-related measures when the new Congress is sworn in at the beginning of next year. Kurdish officials in Syria say any Turkish military action against them would affect their efforts in defeating Islamic State in its last stronghold in the country. The comments come after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a new military offensive against the U.S.-backed Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria within a few days. This is a clear declaration of war, Nuri Mahmud, a YPG spokesperson, told VOA. We take Erdogans threats against us very seriously. He has repeatedly expressed his desire to occupy our land in northeast Syria." Mahmud added that our partners in the U.S.-led coalition are well aware of these Turkish moves because a Turkish attack against us can also impact the U.S. efforts to defeat [IS] terrorists. The United States maintains a military presence in areas under the control of Kurdish forces in Syria, which has been instrumental in the ongoing fight against the Islamic State (IS) terror group. There are about 2,000 U.S. troops on the ground, U.S. defense officials say. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been engaged in a bloody war with the Turkish military for three decades. Both Ankara and Washington consider the PKK a terrorist organization. The U.S. makes a distinction between the PKK and YPG, however, providing military support to the latter in its fight against IS militants in Syria. Analysts in Turkey say Erdogans recent comments regarding the YPG shouldnt be taken lightly. Mr. Erdogan words have to be taken seriously, said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen. The YPG is a threat to Turkish national security, an extension of PKK affiliate is controlling the Syrian border. The YPG is the main group within the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which now controls more than a quarter of Syrias territory. In recent months, Turkish forces have carried out a series of attacks against YPG positions in Syria. WATCH: Why Turkey Is Attacking the YPG Hoping to prevent further altercations between the Turkish military and Kurdish forces in Syria, the U.S. last month said it was setting up at least five observation posts along the Syria-Turkey border. On Tuesday, the Pentagon said U.S. observation posts in northern Syria have been set up, despite Ankara's objections. At the direction of Secretary [Jim] Mattis, the U.S. established observation posts in the northeast Syria border region to address the security concerns of our NATO ally Turkey, Pentagon spokesman Rob Manning told reporters. Focus on IS The U.S. repeatedly has asked Turkey and Syrian Kurds to put their differences aside and instead focus on the war against IS. But analysts say Turkeys opposition to the observation posts is derived from Ankaras firm belief that such observation posts were built to protect Syrian Kurds. Erdogan has lost hope that the U.S. would stop its support for SDF, particularly since the U.S. observation points along the Syria-Turkey border have become a reality, said John Saleh, a Syrian affairs analyst in Washington. Erdogan genuinely fears that the U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish forces might continue even after the war on IS is over, he told VOA. Other analysts, like Kyle Orton, who is a Syria researcher in London, believe that while Turkey is capable of carrying out an attack in northeastern Syria, Erdogans rhetoric has generally been cautious regarding Syria, especially in areas where there is a U.S. presence. This is more a messaging effort to push back against the U.S. claim that these border posts were for Turkey's protection, rather than, as is clearly the case, to protect the SDF from Turkey, he told VOA. Nicholas Heras, a Middle East researcher at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), echoes Ortons assessment and charges that Turkeys warnings are mere rhetoric. Erdogan may bark, but his bite is likely to be muzzled by the fact the U.S. military made it clear that it will back the SDF with lethal force if needed, Heras said Ambassador Jeffrey [U.S. Special Envoy to Syria] has also been working furiously to keep Turkey out of areas east of the Euphrates by trying to push forward the idea of power sharing between the SDF and Turkish-backed opposition in disputed areas of northern and eastern Syria, he added. Dorian Jones contributed to this story from Istanbul. British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a no-confidence vote to retain her job and prevent another leadership challenge for a year. Conservatives in the House of Commons voted 200 to 117 Thursday. In a closed meeting with Conservative lawmakers before the vote began, May said she would step down as Britain's leader before the anticipated 2022 election, a move that might have helped win over some lawmakers who were undecided going into the secret ballot. May's announcement not to seek re-election was confirmed by Cabinet Minister Amber Rudd and Conservative lawmakers Alec Shelbrooke and Robert Buckland. Ian Lavery, chair of the main opposition Labor Party, said in a statement that "May's weakness and failure has completely immobilized the government at this critical time for the country." It remains unclear if the vote will help her win badly needed support of the Brexit deal she has been negotiating. Britain is due to exit the EU on March 29, 2019, as a result of the 2016 referendum. The two sides worked out an agreement on the divorce terms after lengthy negotiations, but it must be approved by Britain's parliament. Earlier this week, May canceled a planned vote, during which it seemed certain to fail. May has subsequently been trying to save the agreement through talks with European leaders. But EU officials have been firm about their lack of desire to renegotiate the terms. EU Council President Donald Tusk said after what he called a "long and frank discussion" with May on Tuesday that it is clear the other EU members want to help resolve the situation, but that "the question is, how?" Tusk has called a meeting of EU leaders to discuss Brexit on Thursday, including the possibility that March 29 will come with no agreement in place. Alohou Papa stands in the middle of the bustling market in Togoville and blows hard on a bright red whistle to catch everyone's attention. "It's 9 o'clock. The village chief is sending me to announce that bartering can now start," he cries. "No arguing and no provocation," he tells traders and buyers. Every Saturday on the northern shore of Lake Togo, some 65 kilometers (40 miles) east of the capital, Lome, Togoville runs a lively traditional barter market. No money changes hands at the small public square, where traders, fisherfolk and farmers from surrounding villages flock to trade their produce. At "Togossime" "Togo market" in the local Ewe language all sorts of goods are swapped but grains, chickens, fish and other seafood are the most popular. "Togoville is a traditional village," explains Simon Tovor, special adviser to local chief King Mlapa VI, who is head of the district and whose palace looks down on the dusty streets. "In days gone by, our parents lived off the land and sea. They swapped produce and everyone got along well," he told AFP. "We thought it best to keep this practice so we didn't lose this record of our grandparents and to show to our children how our parents lived." Stuck in time In many respects, Togoville Togo's former capital which gave its name to the country seems stuck in time, living according to the rhythm of the lake and the fishing season. It was here in 1884 that king Mlapa III of Togoville signed a treaty to become a German protectorate, well before Togo became a French colony. Even today, it's easier to get to Togoville by wooden canoe across the lake than by using the potholed road from Lome that skirts the water's edge. The village, which is home to some 10,000 people, is well known as a center for voodoo, attracting devotees to study and practice the religion. Wooden statues and shrines are everywhere. The Virgin Mary is also said to have been seen walking on the lake in the 1970s, spurring pope John Paul II to visit in 1985. At the market, most business is conducted in the open in the oppressive heat. A few dilapidated wooden structures with rusting corrugated roofs are used as shade. Others spread out their wares on the parched brown earth. Women in colorful wrappers pick their way expertly through the crowds, balancing large bowls of produce on their heads. Atsupi Fiodjio has been coming to the market from a nearby village for more than 25 years and sits on a brick selling smoked fish. "I come every Saturday with two or three big baskets of smoked fish and I go home at the end of the day with at least three sacks of maize, beans and black-eyed peas," she said. "I resell them in our market where grains sell really quickly because our people mainly fish. We don't grow anything," she added, as a dozen customers looked on. Sitting on the ground in front of her nearby stall, Jeannette Tenge lets everyone in earshot know about the quality of her fish. "I only accept grains, especially corn and rice, and of course flour and cassava. Doing this gets me my stocks for the house for the whole week for my family," she added. "On other days I sell bread in the village school," she added, complaining about the lack of shade from the harsh sun. Poverty and necessity Togoville's barter market is one of only a few surviving in the country but it isn't just about respecting traditions. It also endures out of necessity. About half of Togo's nearly eight million people live below the poverty line and often complain about increases in the price of foodstuffs. Some don't always have enough to pay in cash. "I left the house with some corn and garri (powdery or ground foodstuffs) to come and swap with some fish to prepare at home," said Adole, a schoolgirl. "I don't often come to the market. I come when I'm a bit hungry." Enyoname said she barters poultry for corn and garri. "I have to do it because I find it difficult to sell," she explains. The king's adviser, Simon Tovor, said bartering also has a practical application, allowing goods to be used more quickly than by selling. "People in the countryside use this shortcut rather than try to sell their produce with all the risks ... (involved in) keeping it fresh," he added. President Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to let his order barring asylum for immigrants who enter the United States illegally take effect even as litigation over the matter proceeds. The U.S. Justice Department asked the court to lift a temporary restraining order against the asylum rules issued by San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar. Trump has taken a hard line toward legal and illegal immigration since taking office last year. Citing what he called an overwhelmed immigration system, Trump issued a proclamation on Nov. 9 that authorities process asylum claims only for migrants crossing the southern U.S. border at an official port of entry. Tigar blocked the rules on Nov. 19, drawing Trump's ire. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused on Friday to lift Tigar's injunction pending an appeal by the administration, saying the government "has not established that it is likely to prevail." The Justice Department said in its request to the Supreme Court that the injunction frustrated the government's effort to re-establish control over the southern border and reduce illegal crossings. Trump issued his proclamation alongside a new administration rule that effectively prohibited asylum for migrants crossing from Mexico outside a port of entry. The policy came as the government sought ways to block thousands of Central Americans traveling in caravans to escape violence and poverty at home from entering the United States. Immigrant rights groups immediately sued, arguing the policy violated federal immigration and administrative law. In his ruling, Tigar said Congress clearly mandated that immigrants were eligible for asylum regardless of where they enter the country. The ruling prompted Trump to blast the 9th Circuit as a "disgrace" and dismiss Tigar as an "Obama judge." Tigar was appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama, a Democrat. That criticism led to an extraordinary rebuke by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, who issued a public response to Trump. "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges," said Roberts, a conservative who was appointed by Republican former President George W. Bush. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was not concerned that he could be impeached and that hush payments made ahead of the 2016 election by his former personal attorney Michael Cohen to two women did not violate campaign finance laws. "It's hard to impeach somebody who hasn't done anything wrong and who's created the greatest economy in the history of our country," Trump told Reuters in an Oval Office interview. "I'm not concerned, no. I think that the people would revolt if that happened," he said. Federal prosecutors in New York said last week that Trump directed Cohen to make six-figure payments to two women so they would not discuss their alleged affairs with the candidate ahead of the 2016 presidential election. They said the payments violated laws that stipulate that campaign contributions, defined as things of value given to a campaign to influence an election, must be disclosed, and limited to $2,700 per person. Democrats said such a campaign law violation would be an impeachable offense, although senior party leaders in Congress have questioned whether it is a serious enough crime to warrant politically charged impeachment proceedings. Impeachment requires a simple majority to pass the House of Representatives, where Democrats will take control in January. But removal of the president from office further requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans hold sway. Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday in New York for his role in the payments to the two women adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Trump has denied having affairs with them. Earlier this year, Trump acknowledged repaying Cohen for $130,000 paid to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. He previously disputed knowing anything about the payments. Trump has slammed Cohen for cooperating with prosecutors, alleging that the lawyer is telling lies about him in a bid to get a lighter prison term. He has called for Cohen to get a long sentence and said on Tuesday his ex-lawyer should have known the campaign finance laws. "Michael Cohen is a lawyer. I assume he would know what he's doing," Trump said when asked if he had discussed campaign finance laws with Cohen. "Number one, it wasn't a campaign contribution. If it were, it's only civil, and even if it's only civil, there was no violation based on what we did. OK?" Asked about prosecutors' assertions that a number of people who had worked for him met or had business dealings with Russians before and during his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump said: "The stuff you're talking about is peanut stuff." He then sought to turn the subject to his 2016 Democratic opponent. "I haven't heard this, but I can only tell you this: Hillary Clinton her husband got money, she got money, she paid money, why doesn't somebody talk about that?" Trump said. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he stood by Saudi Arabia's crown prince despite a CIA assessment that he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and pleas from U.S. senators for Trump to condemn the kingdom's de facto ruler. Trump refused to comment on whether Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the murder, but he provided perhaps his most explicit show of support for the prince since Khashoggi's death more than two months ago. "He's the leader of Saudi Arabia. They've been a very good ally," Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office. Asked by Reuters if standing by the kingdom meant standing by the prince, known as MbS, Trump responded: "Well, at this moment, it certainly does." Some members of Saudi Arabia's ruling family are agitating to prevent MbS from becoming king, sources close to the royal court have told Reuters, and believe that the United States and Trump could play a determining role. "I just haven't heard that," Trump said. "Honestly, I can't comment on it because I had not heard that at all. In fact, if anything, I've heard that he's very strongly in power." While Trump has condemned the murder of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist who was often critical of MbS, he has given the benefit of the doubt to the prince with whom he has cultivated a deep relationship. Trump again reiterated on Tuesday that the "crown prince vehemently denies" involvement in a killing that has sparked outrage around the world. Trump has come under fierce criticism from fellow Republicans in the Senate over the issue, particularly after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed them. Last month, the CIA assessed that MbS ordered the killing, which Trump called "very premature." "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," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, said last week. Meeting with Senators Graham and other senators who have supported the U.S.-Saudi alliance over the years have said that Trump should impose more sanctions after a first round targeted 17 Saudis for their alleged role in the killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. As the Senate considers this week a joint resolution condemning the crown prince for the killing, something that the president would have to sign or veto if passed by Congress, Trump said he would meet with senators. Trump said he hoped senators would not propose stopping arms sales to the Saudis, deals he has doggedly fought to save ever since the gruesome details of Khashoggi's murder were leaked by Turkey. "And I really hope that people aren't going to suggest that we should not take hundreds of billions of dollars that they're going to siphon off to Russia and to China," Trump said. Trump said he could abide by legislation ending U.S. support for the Saudi-led war effort in Yemen, a proxy war with regional rival Iran that has led to a deepening humanitarian disaster. "Well, I'm much more open to Yemen because frankly, I hate to see what's going on in Yemen," Trump said. "But it takes two to tango. I'd want to see Iran pull out of Yemen too. Because - and I think they will." A Turkish military operation against the Syrian Kurdish militia, the YPG, will start in the next few days, according to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. With the YPG being a key U.S. ally in the war against the Islamic State, such a move threatens to resurrect recent tensions between the two NATO allies. Ankara considers the YPG a terrorist organization affiliated to the PKK rebel group that has been fighting a decades-long insurgency inside Turkey. "It is time to realize our decision to wipe out terror groups east of the Euphrates," Erdogan said in a speech at the Turkish Defense Industry Summit held at the presidential complex. The YPG, fighting the Islamic State with U.S. backing, seized hundreds of kilometers of the Syrian-Turkish border, running from the east of the Euphrates River to the Iraqi frontier. "Mr. Erdogan words have to be taken seriously," said former senior Turkish diplomatic Aydin Selcen. "It's [YPG] a threat to Turkish national security, an extension of PKK affiliate is controlling the Syrian border." U.S. Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Sean Robertson told VOA in a statement, "Unilateral military action into northeast Syria by any party, particularly as U.S. personnel may be present or in the vicinity, is of grave concern. We would find any such actions unacceptable." "Coordination and consultation between the U.S. and Turkey is the only approach to address issues of security concern in this area," he added. In the past 18 months, Turkish forces have carried out a series of military operations into Syria, ousting the YPG from large swaths of territory, which remain under Turkey's control. Following Erdogan's speech, local media reported Turkish tanks and armored cars moving toward the Syrian border, reinforcing an already sizable military presence, facing off against YPG bases. Analysts point out the mostly flat topography of the region gives the Turkish military the advantage against the lightly armed YPG forces. Allies against IS Until now, Washington was seen as the main factor holding back Ankara from attacking the militia. The recent shelling of the YPG by Turkish artillery led to Washington deploying a series of military observation posts between the militia and the Turkish frontier this month in a move seen as deterring further attacks. Ankara accused Washington of protecting terrorists. The YPG is a crucial U.S. ally in the war against the Islamic State. About 2,000 U.S. soldiers are deployed with the militia, most of whom are based in the region that Ankara is warning it will now attack. The YPG is currently engaged in heavy fighting against one of the Islamic State's last bastions on the Syrian Iraqi border. Previous Turkish military threats against the militia resulted in the YPG temporary suspending military operations against IS. "The campaign against ISIS is not over," Pentagon spokesman Bean told VOA, using an acronym for the militant group."Coalition forces are working closely with the Syrian Democratic Forces, who are in the midst of offensive operations against ISIS in the Middle Euphrates River Valley. The SDF remains a committed partner against ISIS and we remain committed to working with them to ensure ISIS's enduring defeat." Washington's support of the YPG is the main point of tension with Ankara. Bilateral tensions almost reached a breaking point earlier this year, but in the last few months, relations had started to improve. Turkey-U.S. relations A series of high-level bilateral meetings have occurred in the past few weeks in which Syria topped the agenda. This month, Erdogan met with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires. Last week, Turkey's spy chief, Hakan Fidan, was in Washington meeting with U.S. senators and White House officials. "Turkey, right or wrong, has the impression that it can sort of push the U.S. to play along with its priorities," Selcen said. "Jim Jeffrey [U.S. ambassador for Syrian affairs] repeated time and time again their [the U.S.] cooperation with the PKK-affiliated YPG is temporary, so to speak, depending on the job at hand, fighting ISIS. So what Mr. Erdogan is doing right now is pushing that calendar." Ankara insists that with the Islamic State all but defeated, the basis for U.S. cooperation with the YPG is over. "There is no threat named Daesh in Syria anymore. This is a fairy tale," Erdogan said Wednesday, using an Arabic acronym for the militant group. U.S. ambassador Jeffrey visited Ankara last week, and analysts are already pointing out that Erdogan's announcement of a military operation could well be linked to that visit. Erdogan giving several days' notice of the planned operation into Syria also could be a move to test Washington's reaction, say analysts. "The risk is that there will be a very deep political conflict with the U.S.," said former diplomat Selcen. "We have to wait 48 or 72 hours to see whether a reaction comes from Donald Trump." Ankara likely will be watching closely how strongly, if at all, Washington reacts to the threat of a Turkish military operation and whether it confines itself only to rhetoric or takes military steps on the ground in Syria. Analysts suggest the severity of any U.S. pushback could well determine the scale of the planned cross-border operation. For now, Turkish forces are continuing their buildup on the Syrian border. Carla Babb at the Pentagon contributed to this report. Twitter chief executive officer Jack Dorsey is under fire for failing to address the humanitarian crisis involving the Rohingya Muslims during his recent meditation retreat in Myanmar. Dorsey published a thread on his Twitter page Sunday praising Myanmar's people as "full of joy," and heaping equal praise on the nation's cuisine. Critics angrily accused Dorsey of ignoring the plight of more than 700,000 Rohingyas who fled from northern Rakhine state into neighboring Bangladesh to avoid a scorched earth campaign launched by the military in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya militants on security outposts. A special United Nations fact-finding mission said the military acted "with genocidal intent" against the Rohingyas, based on interviews with hundreds of Rohingyas, who revealed numerous atrocities, including gang rapes, the torching of entire villages and extrajudicial killings. Dorsey responded Wednesday that he was "aware of the human rights atrocities and suffering in Myanmar," and that he did not "intend to diminish them by not raising the issue." But he conceded that he "could have acknowledged that I don't know enough and need to learn more." Critics have also pointed the finger at Twitter for allowing virulent anti-Rohingya hate speech onto the site during the height of the crackdown. Dorsey said people can use Twitter "to share news and information about events in Myanmar, as well as to bear witness to the plight of the Rohingya and other peoples and communities." This is not the first time the Twitter boss has gotten into hot water during his overseas travels. Dorsey caused a stir in India last month when a photograph emerged of him holding a poster that read "Smash Brahminical patriarchy," a reference to India's highest Hindu caste. The U.N. special envoy for Yemen on Wednesday gave the country's warring sides at peace talks under way in Sweden a draft agreement they need to consider before this round of negotiations wraps up the following day. The document consists of a set of proposals, including one for a political framework for a post-war Yemen, the reopening of the airport in the capital, Sanaa, and a proposal for the contested Red Sea port city of Hodeida, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis dependent on international aid. Hanan Elbadawi, spokeswoman for U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths, said he would await the "responses from the two parties before announcing the details of the set of agreements" at the end of talks Thursday. The statement raised expectations for progress in the U.N.-sponsored talks in the town of Rimbo, Sweden, between Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The government, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition that has waged war against the Shi'ite Houthis, said the next round of negotiations could take place as early as January. Civil war deaths Meanwhile, an international group tracking Yemen's civil war reported that the conflict has killed more than 60,000 people, both combatants and civilians, since 2016. The somber figure, which did not provide a breakdown of those killed, is much higher than the U.N. figure of 10,000 civilian deaths and adds to the urgency to find a resolution for the four-year bloodletting that has also left millions of Yemenis facing hunger. In Rimbo, Yemen's Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani told The Associated Press that the venue for the next round of talks, likely at the end of January, hasn't been decided yet. The U.N. draft proposal was not released to the media. A draft document obtained by the AP earlier this week showed an initial 16-point proposal to stop all fighting and have all troops withdraw to the city limits and later from the surrounding province, also called Hodeida. In his interview with the AP, al-Yamani reiterated the government's stand on several points, saying that before a political framework for Yemen can be considered, "military and security arrangements" need to be in place. The Houthis should hand over their arms, he added. "We cannot accept in Yemen a militia like the style of Hezbollah (in Lebanon) to survive within the state, and at the same time (to be) deciding the fate of their many people," he said. On Hodeida, he said his side would only agree to a full rebel withdrawal while government forces would "reposition themselves into our barracks out of the outskirts of the city." A police force would then be set-up to patrol Hodeida, he said. Hodeida proposals Later Wednesday, a rebel delegate said his side accepts some of U.N. envoy Griffiths' proposals, specifically the one on Hodeida. Abdul-Majid al-Hanash told reporters the rebels agree to halt all fighting in Hodeida, withdraw troops from the city and its port, and later also from the province, while allowing U.N. oversight and the setting up of a local administration. Al-Hanash did not say where the rebels stand on the other points in Griffiths' proposed agreement. The U.N. envoy has said he wants to "take Hodeida out of the war," in hopes that international aid delivers can be restored through the port and the country can avoid a full-out famine. About 70 percent of food aid and other imports are shipped through Hodeida's port, and reducing restrictions on aid organizations and fuel imports imposed by the Saudi-led coalition are vitally needed. Humanitarian crisis The war has made Yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 22 of its 29 million people in need of aid, according to the United Nations. The two sides have for months been locked in a stalemated fight over Hodeida. The mounting humanitarian needs, and outrage over the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, have galvanized international support for ending the war. The United States, a backer for the Saudis, has called for a cease-fire and reduced some of its logistical aid for the Saudi-led coalition. The new death toll figure of 60,000 for Yemen came from the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which said in a report Tuesday that more than 28,000 people again both civilians and combatants were killed in the first 11 months of 2018, an increase of 68 percent from 2017. More than 3,000 were killed in November, the deadliest month since ACLED started collecting data. The group said 37 percent of the total number of civilians killed in Yemen in 2018 died in Hodeida. The U.S.-based group said that it recorded more than 3,000 attacks on civilians, killing some 6,500, but that this figure does not include civilians killed in ground battles between the various sides. ACLED's figures also do not include the last few months of 2014, when Yemen's Houthi rebels captured Sanaa and much of the country's north, nor the casualties in 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition joined the war on the side of Hadi's government. ACLED bases its figures on press reports of each incident of violence in the war. Anti-slavery activists on Tuesday hailed a United Nations global pact on migrants as a potential milestone in the fight against human trafficking but warned a lack of detail left millions at risk. On Monday, the vast majority of U.N. members signed a deal aimed at improving the way the world copes with rising migration, but almost 30 stayed away from the ceremony in Morocco due to disagreement over its contents. The accord, which addresses issues such as how to integrate migrants and send them home, has been criticized by mostly right-wing European politicians who say it could increase immigration. Yet the text found supporters among anti-trafficking groups for laying out steps that countries should take to protect migrants from exploitation and abuse filling a gap in international cooperation on the issue. The U.N. deal commits signatories to ensure migrant workers are recruited in a fair and ethical way, and suggests a number of possible actions, including banning recruitment fees and boosting police controls. "This is a remarkable milestone," said Phil Bloomer executive director of the London-based Business and Human Rights Resource Center (BHRRC). The modern-day slave trade affects an estimated 40 million people worldwide and reaps some $150 billion each year in illegal profits for traffickers, according to the U.N. which has set a 2030 target for ending the scourge. Migrants are considered particularly vulnerable as they often incur high debts to fund their journeys and do not have the right papers to work upon arriving in a new country. Many end up toiling long hours for little pay in the supply chains of global companies producing anything from food to laptops to clothing, said Bloomer. "That has essentially been allowed because of the lack of coordination between states around the issue of migration that allowed traffickers to thrive," he told Reuters by phone. "The fact that 164 nations have come together to start to commit collectively to tighten legislation to prevent trafficking is fundamentally important." The scale of the deal's potential impact is vast. "It's time to reject the widely-held idea that this group numbering around 150 million can be routinely treated as lesser human beings in their countries of work," said lawyer and slavery expert Anne Gallagher. "That won't happen overnight, but progress can and should be made: for example, in reducing the vulnerability of migrant workers to exploitation by extending to them the protection of local labor laws." The text also calls on nations to treat people smuggling and human trafficking differently and strengthen international cooperation to tackle the latter by sharing intelligence and providing trafficking victims with protection and assistance. Activists have warned that by closing their doors to migrants and tarnishing them as criminals, some countries are pushing them in the hands of traffickers. 'Weak' details But the devil is in the details, according to Nicola Jones, a research fellow at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), a British think tank, who said the deal did not set clear targets or give precise information on its implementation and funding. "Details at the end on follow up and implementation are quite weak," she said. "What's missing is really some kind of enforceability. We have to have some clear milestones and targets that have to be monitored." At the moment, there was nothing in the text that would compel countries to do anything about human trafficking, she said. All 193 U.N. members except the United States agreed on its wording in July, but only 164 formally ratified it at a ceremony in Marrakesh. Among the many critics, U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said the global approach to the issue was not compatible with U.S. sovereignty. Austria, Chile and Brazil said they would pull out, saying respectively that the pact blurred the line between legal and illegal migration, that migration was not a human right, and nations should set their own policies. Australia said it would not sign up as the deal would compromise its hardline immigration policy. "It's a non-binding agreement, and quite a few countries haven't signed it, which is disappointing," said Jakub Sobik of Anti-Slavery International. "A huge amount of work is still ahead of us to make migration a less politically charged issue, so that migrant can be protected from exploitation and discrimination it really shouldn't be that complicated." More suspected Iranian-made weapons have been found in Yemen, the United Nations says in a report that will be discussed Wednesday by the Security Council. The Gulf monarchies and United States accuse Iran of supporting Huthi rebels in Yemen and see this as justification for the military campaign they have been waging in Yemen since 2015. Iran supports the rebels politically but denies supplying them with arms. The report from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' office says his staff examined two container launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture," the report said. "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," it added. A probe into the origin of the weapons continues, it said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was expected to attend Wednesday's meeting on Iran, scheduled to start at 1500 GMT. Guterres' report mainly addresses Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with six major powers. The United States pulled out of the accord in May and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. The report concludes that Iran continues to abide by the nuclear accord, under which it won sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear program. The UN has said in the past that Yemen's Huthi rebels have fired Iranian-made missiles at Saudi Arabia. But it said it could not be certain that these weapons were in fact supplied by Iran in what would be a violation of UN resolutions. U.S.-backed forces in Syria are pushing further into Islamic State's last stronghold along the Syria-Iraq border, forcing their way into the town of Hajin within the past two days. The area has seen some intense back-and-forth battles between IS fighters and Syrian Democratic Forces over the past several weeks, with IS briefly regaining territory before being pushed back. But U.S. officials are expressing hope that the recent advance by coalition-backed forces into Hajin is a sign of things to come. "That's a pretty significant achievement," Brett McGurk, special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, told reporters at the State Department on Tuesday, cautioning that retaking the entire IS enclave could still take a "period of months." "There is a significant concentration of the most hardened ISIS fighters in that little splotch of territory," he said, using an acronym for the terror group. "A couple of thousand hardened fighters remain in that area." Syrian Democratic Forces, with the help of coalition air support and some U.S. troops on the ground, have been battling IS fighters in Hajin and the Deir el-Zour countryside in Syria since August, part of what's been called Phase Three of Operation Roundup. Multiple U.S. and coalition officials have described the fighting as difficult, citing the experience of the IS fighters in the area, the prevalence of improvised explosive devices and booby traps, as well as the willingness of IS to use human shields. On Monday, the U.S.-led coalition charged IS fighters were using Hajin hospital as a base to attack partner forces. "By these actions, ISIS caused the hospital to lose its protected status afforded by the Law of Armed Conflict by using a facility otherwise protected under the Geneva Conventions," the coalition said in a statement. Civilians have also been fleeing the area seeking safety. McGurk said about 1,400 civilians have fled Hajin in the past week alone, and that some were being cared for by the coalition-backed forces on the ground. He warned that even after the area is retaken from IS, the fight will not be over. "There are clandestine cells," McGurk said. "No one is saying they are going to disappear. Nobody is that naive." One of the key questions for the U.S.-led coalition is determining the size and scope of IS cells in areas that the terror group no longer controls but from which it has managed to mount a persistent insurgency. A report in August by the lead inspector general for Operation Inherent Resolve, based on the Pentagon's own internal estimates, said IS had 28,000 to 32,000 fighters under its command, roughly split between Iraq and Syria. Pentagon officials have also voiced concerns that IS "is well-positioned to rebuild and work on enabling its physical caliphate to re-emerge." In Iraq, where political leaders declared victory over IS over a year ago and the overall number of attacks has dropped, terror cells have increased the number of attacks against government targets. 75 per month According to a recent report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, IS has been averaging 75 attacks a month. In areas like Kirkuk province, the number of attacks has actually doubled. U.S. officials say in Kirkuk, and Hawijah in particular, Iraqi federal police have responded with "large-scale clearance operations, targeting IS remnants hiding in the mountains." "ISIS itself really right now is in austere conditions," Col. Jonathan Byrom, commander of Joint Operations Command-Iraq, said Tuesday. "They are spending most of their time in caves, underground in tunnels," he said. "Security forces are continuing to move into those areas to hunt them down." Neither Byrom nor McGurk was willing to address how many IS adherents remain in Iraq or Syria, willing to fight now or biding their time to strike at a more opportune moment. "I just try to stay away from numbers," McGurk said Tuesday, noting estimates have varied greatly. "It's not numbers. It's capabilities," he added. "The degradation of ISIS' capability to be able to mass, maneuver forces, to be able to do what it used to be able to do, is significantly degraded." For Timmerman, Kilimanjaro is not just another peak to summit; it is a fresh opportunity to raise money for science in Seattle. He unveiled his summer plan today to the subscribers of his online newsletter for biotech executives, the Timmerman Report. He plans to tap his network to recruit climbers for his team and he will be helping with the fundraising in the months to come. This is going to be bigger than Everest, he said. Its not a bigger mountain, but its a bigger fundraising idea. His summit of Everest excited and inspired his network of subscribers, many of them successful biotechnology entrepreneurs. For the Kilimanjaro climb, he has already signed up 16 participants who have pledged to raise $50,000 each to join him. That is potentially $800,000 for Climb to Fight Cancer, and he has just launched the plan. As with his Everest climb, Timmerman plans to hold two Cancer Summits this spring, one in Boston and the other in Seattle at Fred Hutch. At these fundraising conferences, he pulls together experts in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries to talk about new science, new companies and trending topics. A seven-day climb in Tanzania Kilimanjaro, a snowcapped African volcano, rises dramatically from the Serengeti plains. It has a special allure for Americans because Ernest Hemingway made the name famous with "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," a short story often considered among his finest works. This expedition will begin with participants gathering at Kilimanjaro International Airport, in Tanzania, on July 18. The summit attempt will come on the sixth day of a seven-day climb, which is designed to acclimate expedition members to the extremely thin air at the summit. Although it is considered a walk-up mountain, estimates are that half of those attempting the climb each year many of them unprepared tourists are turned back by exhaustion or altitude sickness. To boost the likelihood of success, Timmerman has turned to the same guide service that took him to Everest: Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International. Bellingham-based Eric Murphy, who accompanied Timmerman to the Everest summit last May, will lead the Africa expedition. What Im saying is, Come join me and the best guide I know on Kilimanjaro, Timmerman said. Eric is Alpine Ascents Kilimanjaro manager. He is the most experienced western guide on that mountain, and he has made more than 100 summits. The United States is resisting calls from the United Nations to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea, citing Pyongyang's continuing expansion of its nuclear and ballistic missile arsenal. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report released last week that $111 million is needed to fund humanitarian efforts in North Korea next year. In "Global Humanitarian Overview 2019," the OCHA said the money could provide aid to 6 million of 10.3 million North Koreans who will need humanitarian support in 2019. In response, a State Department spokesperson said while the U.S. is concerned, North Korea has the means to meet its own humanitarian needs. "The regime can fully meet the 2018 United Nations humanitarian appeal's request for $111 million by redirecting its funds and resources from its nuclear and weapons program," said the spokesperson in an email message sent to the VOA Korean Service. The spokesperson added, "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 [weapons of mass destruction] program and military weapons rather than provide for the basic welfare of its citizens." Washington's objection toward providing humanitarian aid to North Korea comes as denuclearization talks with North Korea hit a snag. In October, a group of U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting him to "modify OFAC's sanctions regulations to allow timely delivery of humanitarian aid and other NGO engagement." OFAC is the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Controls, which administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes " The Trump administration has not responded to the letter, according to Daniel Jasper, the advocacy coordinator for Asia at American Friends Service Committee, which joined the groups in sending the letter. "The U.S. government does not currently provide humanitarian aid to [North Korea]," said Jasper. "We believe the U.S. should allow humanitarian U.S. NGOs to continue aid programs in [North Korea] immediately." The U.S., as a member of the U.N. Security Council, recently agreed to grant a partial exemption to two aid groups that called for sanctions be eased on North Korea. The Security Council approved the request by the Eugene Bell Foundation for an exemption of sanctions on North Korea in November, granting a partial exemption that will allow the organization to engage in humanitarian activities and deliver supplies and equipment needed to provide medical aid in the country. The foundation works primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in North Korea. The Eugene Bell Foundation plans to provide more than three million dollars, according to estimates. The Security Council also granted a partial exemption to the U.N. International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in October, making it possible for the group to ship medical supplies to North Korea. William Brown, a former U.S. intelligence official and professor at Georgetown University focusing on North Korean economy, said the U.S. needs to carefully evaluate the merits of humanitarian programs provided to North Korea. "We have to look very carefully at U.N. programs in the past because generally, I think, they mostly have been failures," said Brown. "The U.N. Development Program [UNDP], for example, has spent probably $100 million in North Korea over 25 years with very, very minimal achievements." He cautioned that the U.S. should refrain from supporting OCHA's appeal for $111 million. "In a nutshell, $111 million to me, is, no I would say, we should not sign on to that," said Brown. In an effort to promote human rights accountability in North Korea, the Treasury Department sanctioned three North Korean individuals, including a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and groups suspected of committing "serious human rights abuses or censorship" on Monday The sanctions bar the individuals from conducting transactions with anyone in the U.S. and freeze the assets they might have within U.S. jurisdiction. The State Department issued a report on Monday condemning human rights abuses and censorship in North Korea to commemorate International Human Rights Day. North Korea "continues to censor the media and commit serious human rights violations and abuses, including violations of individuals' freedom of expression," the State Department said in the report. Ham Ji-ha contributed to this report The Trump administration is demanding answers from Cuba about eight detainees it says are political prisoners held by the communist government. In an open letter to Cuba's foreign minister released on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Cuba had refused to respond to multiple U.S. queries about the eight, who he said were illustrative of more than 100 political prisoners in Cuba. The list includes members of dissident groups and a journalist. Pompeo accused Cuba of reneging on promises to release them and other prisoners of conscience that date to the Obama administration and ignoring requests to even discuss them. He recalled that in October, Cuban delegates disrupted an event at the United Nations when U.S. representatives sought to raise the issue of political prisoners, an incident for which Pompeo has sought a U.N. investigation into alleged property damage. "I am now asking you to provide a substantive explanation of the detention of the political prisoners on the attached list," Pompeo wrote to Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, calling for a detailed description of the charges they faced and evidence against them. He said the U.S. respects the rights of nations to imprison those convicted of crimes but not when they are arrested only for exercising fundamental human rights such as freedom of speech and association. The eight detainees on the list are Yosvany Sanchez Valenciano, Melkis Faure Echevarria, and Yanier Suarez Tamayo of the Cuban Patriotic Union; Eduardo Cardet Concepcion of the Christian Liberation Movement; journalist Yoeni de Jesus Guerra Garcia; Martha Sanchez of the Ladies in White; and Jose Rolando Casares Soto and Yamilka Abascal Sanchez of the Cuban Youth Dialogue. Pompeo sent the letter last week but the State Department made it public after Cuba rejected it in a statement released Monday. Cuba's foreign ministry called the letter "propaganda" and said the U.S. has no standing to raise such matters. "The government of the United States is acting dishonestly when it expresses concern about human rights in Cuba or any other place," said Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, director-general of the Cuban Foreign Ministry's U.S. affairs section. "The supposed letter from the Secretary of State and its public handling are just acts of propaganda." U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry arrived in Baghdad on a trade mission Tuesday urging Iraq to reduce its energy dependence on Iran and open its own energy sector to American investment. The visit comes as the U.S. tries to isolate Iran through sanctions targeting its business and finance sectors. U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran is not in compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord. Iraq is caught in a delicate position as it continues to draw on Iranian gas and electricity production to power its own economy despite the renewed sanctions against its neighbor. But Perry characterized the moment as ripe for U.S. investment in Iraqs energy sector. Iraq is one of the largest oil producers in the world. The time has come for Iraq to break its dependence on others and move forward toward true energy independence, Perry said at a Baghdad conference organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that brought one of the largest U.S. trade delegations in recent memory to Iraq. Im here to tell you that America and its business community stand ready to assist you in that endeavor, he said. Iraq was granted a 45-day waiver by the U.S. in November to continue to buy Iranian gas before facing possible consequences for its continued business with Iran's sanctioned energy sector. But most experts agree that before Iraq can stop importing from Iran, it will need at least a year to find alternative power sources, whether developing its own natural gas sector or importing from other producers. Perry met with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Oil Minister Thamer Ghadban and other top officials in Baghdad as well as top Kurdish political official Masoud Barzani in Irbil to deliver a message encouraging market liberalization and low barriers to investment. Capital will come where it's welcome, he said. The U.S. House of Representatives has again called on Russia to end its hostilities against Ukraine. The lawmakers Tuesday passed a resolution reaffirming their "commitment to Ukraine's independence and security." The resolution came after Russia last month fired on two Ukrainian naval ships and rammed a third vessel in the Black Sea, seizing the ships. The incident has raised tensions between Washington and Moscow. The resolution also called on U.S. President Donald Trump to hold Russia accountable for its aggression. "The United States and its allies must hold Russia accountable. Failure to do so may be interpreted by Moscow as a green light to go even further," said Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. U.S. Navy sailors and the Missile Defense Agency have successfully shot down a ballistic missile in a live fire test from the Pacific state of Hawaii. Tuesday's direct hit marked the second consecutive intercept of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) using an Aegis Ashore-launched Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor. The intercepted missile was air-launched over the ocean by a U.S. Air Force C-17 thousands of kilometers southwest of the Aegis Ashore test site in Kauai, Hawaii. Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves congratulated all military, civilians and contractors involved in the test and stressed the weapon system's defensive nature. "This system is designed to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from a real and growing ballistic missile threat," he said. Tuesday's success followed another successful intercept in October. Prior to that, the U.S. had two consecutive intercept failures: one caused by a rocket motor misfiring, and another due to an input error by a sailor in July. The missile defense system tested this week could be used in the Western Pacific region. However, it would not be the weapon used to protect the continental United States against potential intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that North Korea is working to develop. The United States uses ground-based interceptors located in Fort Greely, Alaska and California to protect the United States from such ICBMs. The U.S. Treasury and U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Tuesday they intended to sign a new bilateral insurance agreement with Britain that will provide insurance market regulatory certainty and continuity after Britain leaves the European Union. The Treasury and USTR said the U.S.-U.K. Covered Agreement would be consistent with a similar agreement signed with the EU in 2017. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. The announcement starts a 90-day notification period required by the U.S. Congress before it can be signed and put into effect. The U.S.-U.K. agreement affirms the U.S. state-based system of insurance regulation and is expected to aid the competitiveness of U.S. insurance and reinsurance firms, the Treasury and USTR said. Britain's trade commissioner for North America, Antony Phillipson, welcomed the Treasury and USTR announcement, saying that it was part of work that the British government has been doing to ensure U.S.-UK business continuity while exploring further bilateral trade ties. "I am very pleased that we've been able to preserve the benefits of the EU-U.S. covered agreement for U.K. firms in the U.S., the largest insurance market in the world, once the U.K. has left the EU," Phillipson said in a statement released by Britain's embassy in Washington. Yalitza Aparicio had just gone along with her sister to the casting call for Alfonso Cuaron's new film. She had no intention of trying out herself. But destiny put her in front of the camera and that was how the Mexican woman of indigenous origins, who had just graduated as a teacher but wasn't yet working, became the star of "Roma." She is likely now to spend the next few months learning how to handle Tinseltown red-carpet ceremonies Cuaron's latest film is a sensation, and her work is generating major buzz. "Roma" won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, has been nominated for three Golden Globes and is a strong favorite for the Oscars in February. "It wasn't something that I really wanted or had dreamed about," Aparicio, who turned 26 on Tuesday, told AFP. "Because of your socioeconomic status or your culture, you think you can't aspire to be an actress, and to participate in this medium that sounds like a fantasy." Passion project After his Oscar-winning "Gravity," which took home seven trophies, Cuaron bet on a very personal project. "Roma" tells the story in black and white of the two women who made a deep mark on his childhood in Mexico City. Cleo, played by Aparicio, is a domestic worker who becomes pregnant after her first sexual encounter. The director's mother and lady of the house, played by Marina de Tavira, is about to be left by her husband for another woman. Framing all of it is the turbulent Mexico of the early 1970s. Aparicio had no Cleo in her childhood in Tlaxiaco, a town of 40,000 people in the southwestern state of Oaxaca. But her own mother, who raised her on her own, worked as a maid and that helped Aparicio understand the relationship of love and heartbreak that can form between caregivers and their bosses. "There were scenes during the filming that stirred my memories, and there arose, all by itself, my character's need to protect the children from what was happening so they would not suffer," she said. Cuaron, who also directed "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," said the actors in "Roma" were "the best" he has ever worked with. The film, which had a cinematic release in select U.S. theaters, will be available on Netflix on December 14. Casting call The first requirement for becoming a member of the cast of "Roma" was to physically resemble the real people in the director's life. "The directive was that they had to physically look as much like the original people as possible," Cuaron told AFP. "And on top of that, they should have the same energy." Aparicio's sister ended up not being cast because of her advanced pregnancy. But since the young teacher was there, she did the first of many screen tests that led ultimately to her winning the part inspired by Libo, the director's nanny, who Cuaron says "cries every time" she sees the movie. Before filming began, Aparicio met with the now elderly ex-domestic worker. "She told me only how she came to the house, about her relationship with the family, but it was left at that," she said. Then filming began. Change 'little by little' Cuaron did not give out the entire script at once, only parts of it. Filming unfolded in a replica of the house where he had lived as a child in the upper middle class Mexico City neighborhood of Roma hence the film's title. The set was so close to the real thing that his mother, who died recently, and the rest of the family were impressed. Despite having no previous experience, Aparicio has been applauded by other actors, like Tom Hanks, and by critics. The New York Times included her in a list of best performances of 2018. "After living through this whole adventure, I realized that the movies aren't as far away as I thought from what I had always dreamed of doing," she said. "Through films, you can educate people in a more massive way. But let's see if some offers come my way," she added, discussing her future with humility. For now, Aparicio plans to experience the moment, which has included not just accolades but also ugly racist and class-related insults from some of her compatriots after she appeared in designer clothes in Vanity Fair magazine. She ignores the abuse, though, and focuses on what's important to her: change. "I am showing my people that they also can reach something like this, that just because you don't have blonde hair and green eyes, it doesn't mean you can't be a part of it," she said. "There are certain things that will change little by little in our culture and let's hope that with this picture, something is learned." Researchers are betting that a drought-proof variety of maize can help farmers in Zimbabwe withstand a changing climate that is increasingly prone to drought. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) says it is working on ensuring Zimbabwe returns to its former status as a prosperous, self-sufficient agricultural producer, after erratic rainfall in recent years affected the countrys food security. The El Nino weather phenomenon is predicted to give Zimbabwe another drought in coming months. But CIMMYT believes its technologies can improve small farmers maize production, says researcher Esnath Hamadziripi. Here in Zimbabwe, three-in-five seasons are expected to be bad for farmers. El Nino is making that worse. So it is important to make varieties that are climate resistant because maize is the staple crop here in Zimbabwe ... in the 2015/2016 season we tested our maize varieties all over Zimbabwe and they yielded close to double the yield of commercial varieties that are on the market, so we believe that these varieties work. We actually encourage farmers to get hold of climate resistant varieties, Hamadziripi said. Recently, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identified the new climate resilient maize developed by CIMMYT as one of the best innovations in agriculture. Zimbabwe, once considered the breadbasket of southern Africa, saw farm production fall sharply in the early 2000s after a land reform program displaced experienced white commercial farmers and replaced them with black peasant farmers. Repeated droughts have helped to keep production low. CIMMYT warns that planting climate resilient maize alone will not help Zimbabwean farmers. It says farmers should conserve the rains they receive, says Isaiah Nyagumbo, a CIMMYT agronomist. "With conservation agriculture we are also minimizing the amount of runoff out of the system, that means reducing the amount of the water that runs into rivers, along with it a lot of soil is lost, so with conservation agriculture we help to stop that by ensuring that the soil and water remain in place, Nyagumbo said. Fifty-nine-year old Viola Thwamba, a farmer about 60 kilometers northeast of Harare, says conservation has helped her survive droughts in the past. I have heard of the pending drought, but we have faith in God. We collect dry leaves and crop stubbles. Once our crops germinate we start mulching to keep moisture in case of prolonged dry spells. Others are hit by the droughts but our conservation agriculture is helping me for 12 years now, Thwamba said. Thwamba wants to set up an irrigation system once her financial situation improves. But with a poor rainy season predicted, that might take a long time. An accused Russian spy held by the United States on charges of infiltrating Republican Party circles to provide Moscow with information is set to plead guilty in a court hearing set for Thursday. The criminal offenses to which Maria Butina is expected to plead guilty have not been disclosed. Butina has been held since her arrest in July. The 30-year-old Butina had pleaded not guilty to allegations that she acted illegally as an unregistered agent of the Russian government, using a Russian group she called Right to Bear Arms to build ties to the most powerful U.S. gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, in an effort to promote the Republican Party in the United States. Butina allegedly developed a personal relationship with an NRA-linked Republican activist, Paul Erickson, and lived with him. Butina also enrolled as a graduate student at American University in Washington where she earned a master's degree in international relations earlier this year. The U.S. Justice Department alleged that Butina was a "covert Russian agent" who maintained connections with Russian spies in a mission aimed at penetrating "the U.S. national decision-making apparatus to advance the agenda of the Russian Federation." They alleged that her work in the United States 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. The Russian leader said Tuesday he had never heard of Butina until her July arrest. Putin said that when he asked Russian intelligence services for information about her, he was told that "no one knows anything about her." Butina's attorneys said in the court filings that the case against her has now been "resolved." Butina's social media accounts showed her mingling with senior U.S. politicians and posing with firearms at national gun shows. The Butina case is separate from special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing, 19-month investigation into whether President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia to help him win the presidency and whether, as president, Trump obstructed justice to try to thwart the probe. Photo: Boo Pictures/Mooz Films This review originally ran during the Cannes Film Festival. Nadine Labakis Capernaum never mentions abortion by name, but its one of the most forcefully pro-choice films Ive ever seen. It starts with the audacious, hooky premise of a young boy who sues his parents for having him, and over the course of its two hours, it makes its case relentlessly, devastatingly, and uncompromisingly. Movies almost inherently celebrate life life-giving, the moments of vitality in otherwise difficult situations. In following her young protagonist and his infant sidekick, Labaki does none of that, only articulating the impossibility of the lives that were bestowed upon them. Its a deeply assured piece of direction, and though it only plays a few emotional notes, they are ones that wont soon leave your memory. The film takes place in Beirut, but the title takes its name from the ancient Israeli fishing town of Capernaum, which in turn became the namesake for a word meaning disorderly accumulation of objects. In the slums that Labakis characters inhabit, people, especially children, come to be a part of that disorderly accumulation as well. When the film opens, Zain (Zain Alrafeea), who guesses hes 12 but whose stunted body looks much younger, is being taken out of prison to face his parents in court. He has a lawyer, and even though hes already stood trial for a stabbing (the details of which well come to learn) he is now the plaintiff: He is here to make the case that his very birth was a crime of neglect. Alrafeea is a startling, unforgettable presence, and his preternaturally soulful, unsmiling face is our guide through the chaos of Zains life. From the courtroom, we flash back to the series of unfortunate events that landed Zain in prison, starting with the brutal heartbreak of seeing his 11-year-old sister Sahar (Cedra Izam) sold off to be the bride of a grown man for a few chickens. Its a devastating sequence, and 15 minutes into the film, youre already agitated enough to wish for a life sentence for Zains parents. Their home is hellish and chaotic, they earn their living smuggling drugs into the local prison, and the only thing keeping their youngest infant from getting into their cooking supplies is a length of chain cuffed to her ankle. Image after image of squalor and dysfunction fill the frame, and when Zain escapes, full of rage and sadness at the loss of Sahar, its hard to think of a better course of action. Perhaps thats whats missing from Labakis film: It gives us course after course of heart-wrenching scenarios and is so tied to the POV of its child protagonist that its hard to get a sense of any course of action than the one chosen. Zain soon meets an Ethiopian immigrant named Rahil (Yordanos Shifera, a shining, openhearted screen presence) and her infant son Yonas, both of them undocumented. She takes Zain in and feeds him, and he looks after the baby while she goes to work. Rahils tender mothering of Yonas played by tiny Treasure Bankole, the most strikingly emotive and talented toddler Ive ever seen onscreen is a balm after the hostility of Zains home. But her situation is heartbreaking in its own way: Rahil smuggles Yonas along with her to work in a shopping cart before Zain comes along to be the nanny. She needs to get new papers forged, but she doesnt have the money, and one day while out trying to find the money, she never comes home. Zain and Yonass situation in Rahils absence goes from dire to almost unwatchable. Theres no doubt at all that Labaki is a filmmaker of extreme empathy, with a real intuition for how to capture the dynamics between children in particular. Capernaum sometimes feels at risk of buckling under the weight of its own suffering, yet somehow Zains heavy-handed Spartacus moment feels unearned. You want some measure of peace for these characters, but Labaki also wants to make them emblems, which feels unnecessarily manipulative. Shes done so much, after all: pulled impossible-feeling performances from her young leads, and turned Beiruts slums into a kind of unrelenting, absolutely memorable choral dysfunction. Its not as if were not crying our eyes out already. Capernaum was nominated for a 2019 Oscar in Best Foreign Language Film. Gilbert Rozon. Photo: GP Images/Getty Images Over a year after he stepped down as founder of Montreal comedy festival Just for Laughs due to multiple sexual-misconduct allegations, Gilbert Rozon has been charged with rape and indecent assault. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Quebecs director of criminal prosecutions revealed the two charges today, which stem from offenses that occurred between June and September 1979. Nine women came forward with allegations against Rozon last year that spanned from the 1980s to recent JFL festivals, and in May 2018, the number of women with allegations against Rozon rose to 20 with a still-ongoing class-action lawsuit filed against him alleging rape and sexual harassment. Rozons sister-in-law also accused him of sexual misconduct in September. The charges filed this week are the result of a separate investigation of complaints by 14 different women. Quebecs director of criminal and penal prosecutions noted in a statement that only one of the complaints was deemed viable for prosecution. In criminal law, the burden of proof the prosecution must meet is very demanding. Because of the presumption of innocence, the prosecution must effectively make a demonstration to the court of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt on the part of the accused, the statement read. Thus, it can happen that a prosecutor, even while believing the victim, will come to the conclusion that the evidence in a case does not permit guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to be demonstrated. According to CBC, Quebecs provincial justice minister Sonia LeBel said women should not be discouraged by the decision to only pursue one of the 14 complaints. I can tell you that the worst thing is silence, she said. Despite everything, I would encourage women to continue calling people out. Ill say again, this isnt a value judgment on their stories, its a very precise decision in a very precise context, meaning in the ability to lay criminal charges. In addition to stepping down as JFL founder last year, Rozon also stepped down as president of the Montreal Chamber of Commerce and commissioner of the organizing committee for Montreals 375th birthday celebration. In a Facebook statement he posted at the time (the post has since been deleted), Rozon did not confirm or deny the allegations but said he was shaken by them, adding, I want to dedicate all my time to review the matter. To all those who I may have offended in my life, Im sincerely sorry. JFL moved to new ownership earlier this year when U.S.-based talent agency ICM Partners and Canada native Howie Mandel led an investor group that acquired the company. Rozon will appear in court on the rape and indecent-assault charges on January 22. Up A Star Is Born A Star Is Born led the field at the SAG nominations, pulling in nods in Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Cast every category it could have realistically been nominated in. (Sorry Gail.) That last one is the most important: Its rare that a film takes home the ultimate Oscar without a Best Cast nom at the SAGs, and with contenders like Green Book, Roma, and The Favourite missing out this morning, we could be seeing a Best Picture race that comes down to Star versus Black Panther. A six to ten cents gas tax increase will be seriously considered in the Alabama Legislature next year. It's to pay for infrastructure improvements. The House Majority Leader, Nathaniel Ledbetter, said it has a very good chance of passing. Alabama is one of the lowest taxed states when it comes to the price at the pump and there has not been a tax increase on gas since 1992. Ledbetter told WAAY 31 no lawmaker in Montgomery wants to raise taxes, but he said this is desperately needed. The sound of fresh construction is exactly what would happen across the state if this passes as new infrastructure projects would get the green light, "I'm absolutely for it as long as long as its going to infrastructure," said Rob Clay of Huntsville. Not all drivers are on board with the idea, "They get so much money out of us, whether it be the legal system and all types of stuff. I feel like they can find it elsewhere other than gas," said Trayce Hill of Huntsville. Ledbetter said there is a 75% chance of this legislation passing next year. In part because companies are pressuring the legislature to improve roads here in Alabama, "We've had people, CEO's, from different corporations and stuff say they're not going to expand unless Alabama improves their infrastructure," said Ledbetter. Even with companies spurring the action forward, Ledbetter said there will likely be a debate over how much the tax will be and if it should be passed at all. For Clay, the decision is a no brainer, "Whether you're a Republican, or you're a Democrat, or whatever your political views are; if you're working, tax paying, citizen this is what we want to see our tax paying dollars go for," said Clay. Ledbetter gave no timeline for how long it would take to get legislation passed, because there is a Governor backed option, a senate backed option, a house backed option, and compromise between the three will have to be done. A new luxury apartment complex will soon be coming to Athens, but not everyone is excited about it. The Athens City Council approved the 456-unit complex at Monday nights meeting. It will be on Lindsay Lane, just south of Highway 72 in Athens. WAAY 31 spoke with people who live nearby and learned why they think the new complex will be more of a disruption than an improvement. This is where I put my roots down. Its where my neighbor put his roots down. All the way up to the end of the street," Garnett Crask said. Crask has lived in the same home for thirty-three years and says one of the things he enjoys most is watching deer from his sunroom. But after the Athens City Council approved a new apartment complex to be built in his backyard, he says hell no longer see those deer, and he thinks his privacy will be taken away as well. They picked the worst, in my opinion, the worst possible location to test if these high-end, luxury apartments are going to be a benefit to the community," he said. Crask says hes worried the apartments will be too pricey and no one will want to rent them, causing the rent to go down and the clientele to change. He says that makes him worry about the value of his home. As soon as they bring in the first bulldozer to start building the apartments, our property values here will go down by one-third," Crask said. I talked with another man whos lived in Athens his entire life and thinks the apartments are a great idea. It will bring growth to the city economically, and, then, it will give people a chance to look at Athens in a totally different light," Marcus Baker said. Some people think, with the Mazda-Toyota plant bringing in new jobs, the apartments are a smart move, but Crask feels differently. Those are blue-collar workers and assembly line workers," Crask said. "Theyre not going to want to rent and pay this amount of rent, I dont think. Crask also says traffic is already bad enough in the area, and he thinks the apartments will just make it worse. But he understands the complex is coming, whether he likes it or not. "Well have to just adapt," Crask said. According to city officials, the project is expected to take at least five years to complete. The complex will be gated and will include two pools, two clubhouses, two dog parks, a five-acre park, and a walking trail. LifeSouth Blood Center is teaming up with a local Islamic Center to track down a rare form of blood for a little girl in Florida. Two-year-old Zainab Mughal is battling a rare form of cancer and is in need of blood donations. The problem is her blood is so rare donors are hard to come by. "I think it's less than 4% of the Pakistani, Indian, and Irani ethnic background that are missing that antigen like she is," said Eric Franchois the community development director for LifeSouth. That's how rare the blood is that little Zainab mughal needs for her treatment. Zainab is missing the "Indian B" antigen and needs donations from someone of her ethnicity who is also missing the antigen. Franchois said it isn't uncommon for someone with a blood disorder to need a donation from someone of their own ethnicity. Take sickle cell anemia for example. "We typically look at other donors that are african american because they have similar antigens and markers on their red blood cells that would highly reduce the amount of adverse reactions that patient's gonna have when they get a transfusion." Franchois told me this is why it's important for people of all races and ethnicities to donate blood. Even though the blood drive in Huntsville for the little girl hasn't happened yet the word is already spreading quickly. A man stopped by LifeSouth to donate after he read her story on social media. "I seen the ad on the child and I just wanted to come in and see if I can be any kind of help to them. I have o positive blood and that's what they use in a lot of children," said Dale Schrimsher. So far only three people, two in the United States and one in the United Kingdom, have been a match for the toddler. Franchois said people should still donate whether they're a direct match or not. "You might need someone very specific to be your blood donor and while you may not have a rare blood disease or cancer that requires that you have one particular donor or pool of donors you're a match to someone out there that needs blood." LifeSouth said if you know you have a rare blood type, they encourage you to donate just in case you are a match for someone who's in need of your blood type. LifeSouth and the Huntsville Islamic Center are holding a blood drive this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Islamic Center on Sparkman Drive. Athens Police responded to a single-vehicle wreck around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. Highway 72 at Line Road. The truck, which was driven by Peyton Coleman, veered into the median while heading westbound, struck a concrete guardrail and then spun to the right and fell almost 20 feet between the two bridges above Piney Creek. The truck landed on rocks and mud. Residents heard the crash and called 911. Athens Ambulance Service, Athens Fire and Rescue and the Athens Police Department all responded to rescue Coleman. A helicopter landed on Highway 72 and transported Coleman to Huntsville Hospital. His truck was removed from the creek bank. A federal judge in California ordered former porn star Stormy Daniels to pay nearly $300,000 for President Trump's legal fees after Daniels' defamation lawsuit against him was dismissed, the Associated Press reported. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed the suit after President Trump said her claims of being threatened to stay quiet about an alleged affair were a, "total con job." The $293,000 verdict is nearly $100,000 less than originally requested by President Trump's attorney. Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, tweeted how the case "will never hold up on appeal." Daniels' still has a lawsuit pending which challenges a nondisclosure agreement she signed during the 2016 campaign prohibiting her from discussing an alleged affair with Donald Trump in 2006. Avenatti took the opportunity to taunt the President regarding the ongoing legal battles between him and Daniels when he tweeted, "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?" A suspect, Steven Lapenta, is in custody after allegedly using stolen credit card information to purchase more than $500 worth of goods on Tuesday at the Belk on Beltline Road Southwest in Decatur, Alabama. A man in Austin, Texas then contacted the store about the fraudulent purchase that was made using his credit card information. Belk employees notified Decatur Police that the suspect was still inside the store, and Lapenta was arrested. Lapenta was booked in the Morgan County Jail with a total bond set at $16,000. He is charged with Encoded Data Fraud and Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Card. Police say this is an ongoing investigation, and more arrests are possible. A trial date has been set for August 26, 2019 for the Decatur rheumatologist, Dr. Michael Dick, for three separate harassment charges filed by three former female patients. Dick was arrested in October of 2017 for these charges. The judge is Steven Haddock. Dick has already been found guilty in Decatur Municipal Court for one count of harassment. The Alabama Medical Licensure Commission met in October and ordered to suspend Dick's medical license. SEARCH A minimum of 3 characters are required to be typed in the search bar in order to perform a search. Loss of crucial rubbish facility in fire poses a major problem for Rome. The mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi has appealed for help from "all the cities of Lazio and of the other regions" to avoid a rubbish emergency in the capital over Christmas, following a massive fire that destroyed a major waste processing plant in north-east Rome. A police investigation is underway into the cause of the blaze that gutted the 2,000-sqm facility on Via Salaria, with sabotage and arson not being ruled out. The fire broke out at the TMB Salaria plant in the early hours of 11 December, producing thick black smoke whose fumes reached the city centre. People in the Salaria area were advised to stay indoors even though Lazio's ARPA environmental agency did not register air-pollution levels outside the permitted parameters. Although there was no official health warning, Italy's environment minister Sergio Costa said the situation is being monitored. City hall is now scrambling to find an alternative to the plant which treated around 800 tons of rubbish a day, between 20 and 25 per cent of Rome's total waste. The capital's collection and disposal of rubbish was already under significant pressure however officials acknowledge that the situation is now critical. The Salaria plant, operated by Rome's waste disposal company AMA, had long been the subject of protests by local residents complaining of foul smells. Following the fire, AMA says it has increased security and surveillance at its other garbage facilities in Rome. Describing the fire as a "catastrophe" for Rome, former AMA head Daniele Fortini says that waste collection in the city is now "on its knees" as the capital is left with "only one working plant." Fortini said the Salaria facility was essential in differentiating the city's waste. As for Rome's air quality following the fire, he said: "the burning of 3,000 tons of waste has released the same amount of dioxins that 100 incinerators produce in a year." Claudia Mannino of the Verdi (Green) political party tweeted: "The fire at TMB on Via Salaria is not an isolated case, it is the result of a criminal strategy that since May 2017 has burnt as many as 380 waste treatment plants" across Italy, illustrated in a map. Rome police caught Indian tourist with ancient brick from Colosseum. A 47-year-old Indian tourist was detained by Rome police after removing a brick from the Colosseum as a souvenir, on the afternoon of 10 December. The man, who had been on a guided tour of the anicent monument, was caught by police after being observed forcing the brick out of the wall with his hands. The tourist, who hid the brick in his jacket, faces charges of illegal possession of archaeological assets and aggravated damage, according to daily Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. Over the past two years, more than 40 visitors have been reported to the police for either stealing chunks of the Colosseum or carving their names on the amphitheatre's walls. Photo Corriere della Sera One of Rome's best known Chinese restaurants, Hang Zhou was the first Chinese restaurant in Italy to be recommended by the Gambero Rosso guide. Its walls are plastered with photos of its media-savvy owner Sonia alongside Italian celebrities. This busy, sprawling restaurant is located in the city's multi-ethnic Piazza Vittorio district and its extensive menu includes all the favourites. Hang Zhou is slightly more expensive than its peers but its prices are far from exorbitant. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reforms to Made in China 2025 that address subsidies, preferential government procurement, increase transparency and offer national treatment to foreign firms will be welcome by the business community, he said in an email. But these changes need to be measurable and implemented in a brief defined timeline. In the aftermath of the Oval Office meeting, House Republicans were struggling with whether to hold a vote on a spending bill containing $5 billion for the wall. Its a priority for many conservatives in their final days in the majority, and it took on added urgency after Pelosi and Trump argued publicly Tuesday about whether it could pass the House, with Pelosi claiming it couldnt and Trump insisting it could. Yuri Williams and Rodney Smith Jr. are preparing for their third Hand of Hope tour, where they will attempt to visit all 50 states in less than a month. Gunshot wound during training exercise : Bonn police devastated over death of their colleague Bonn The 23-year-old police officer who was seriously injured from a gunshot fired by a fellow officer, has died. The incident occurred on November 26 at Bonn police headquarters. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The 23-year-old policeman, who was shot in the neck by a 22-year-old colleague at the Bonn police headquarters, is dead. According to Cologne police, the officer died from his injuries on Monday evening. They are leading the investigation into his death for reasons of neutrality. The Bonn public prosecutors office has begun proceedings against the 22-year-old officer who fired the shot. Police spokesman Sebastian Bu said on Tuesday that he is being investigated on suspicion of negligent homicide. Bonn law enforcement colleagues were deeply dismayed at the death of the young police trainee. He had been working at the Duisdorf police station for 4 years and was most recently assigned to police special forces. "We are deeply shocked," said Police Chief Ursula Brohl-Sowa, who was visibly shaken. "Our thoughts are with his family, we mourn with them. His relatives and colleagues are receiving all the help and care they need. She expressed devastation that a young persons life was so abruptly taken away, and she said everyone was aware how much the family was suffering. One cant get it out of the head. It is dominating our thoughts. Exact circumstances remain unclear At the moment, the focus is on taking care of the fellow police officers, their mental and physical well-being. Stefan Heinz, head of the special police forces explains that there are many young officers in police training who have formed deep bonds during their training time, making the shock all the greater. Those who are affected could be replaced for the time being with officers from other departments. As reported, the victim and the 22-year-old officer who fired the shot, along with two other colleagues, were on their way from the changing room to the firing range on November 26 during a training exercise. According to police, they had both their service weapons and identical dummies, so-called red weapons, with them when the shot was fired. The exact circumstances are still unclear, although the two colleagues have now been heard as witnesses. The officer who fired the shot has remained silent. He has called in a lawyer and is exercising his right not to testify. According to a police spokesman, the 22-year-old is still on sick leave and disciplinary consequences have yet to be determined. One has to wait for the investigation to take place. A room of mourning has been set up at the police headquarters and a book of condolences is available at the Ramersdorf police station. There were a lot of people that said, Oh my goodness, well have lots of rockets close to Denver and that is just not true, he said. Most of those spaceports will not be hosting large, dangerous rockets like shuttle or the Falcon Heavy. Instead, many are looking to the market for space tourism. Those are reusable, and many are about the same size of a small business jet, carrying between two and eight people. Previous attorneys general have donated to politicians before landing at the Justice Department, but none since Barr first served as attorney general, in the early 1990s, have given on the same scale. The closest, Eric Holder, who served under President Barack Obama, gave about $37,000 to Democrats before he took office in 2009, records show. Holder was also a campaign bundler for Obama, raising at least $50,000. The Post analysis looked at contributions dating to the earliest available online records, in 1980. In Johannesburg, Lammie had lived for 17 years with Kinkel, a 35-year-old male elephant. He was rescued in the wild after his trunk was caught in a wire in 2000. Since he died September 4, Lammie has been on her own and some conservation groups say its time to move out. Lammie refused to eat around the time of her partners death, according to the zoo. The day before Kinkel died, she was seen trying to help him get up. I spoke to Bartlett to hear more about his critique. He told me my theme was a perfectly valid area of inquiry but argued that Id missed the bigger picture: Ive been concerned about the rise of right-wing militancy, terrorism, whatever you want to call it, for some time, and it frustrates me that the mainstream media doesnt seem to pay as much attention to it as I think they should. And here youve got the Southern Poverty Law Center, which I think is really an outstanding organization is one of the very few ones out there battling these people on a day-to-day basis. And I think they show a lot of courage in not pulling their punches the way so many other organizations do. ... And I just thought, jeez, of all the groups to criticize. The story is, indeed, a blockbuster, especially for Australian citizens: Cardinal George Pell, sometimes described as the third-most-powerful Vatican official, was convicted of all charges that he sexually molested two choirboys in Australia in the late 1990s. (Pell, 77, has been the Vaticans chief financial officer in recent years; he earlier was the archbishop of Sydney and of Melbourne.)